bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sintering Process and Effects on LST and LST-GDC Particles Simulated by Molecular Dynamics Modeling Method
Authors: Liang Chaoyu , Yang Chao , Wang Jiatang , Lin Peijian , Li Xinke , Wu Xuyang , Yuan Jinliang
Published: August 2020

During development of substitute anode materials suitable for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), understanding of sintering mechanisms and effects is significant for synthesized porous structures and performance. A molecular dynamics (MD) model is developed and applied in this study for the SOFC anode sintered materials to reveal the sintering condition effects. It is predicted that, for the case of two nanoparticles of electron-conducting La-doped SrTiO3 (LST), the higher the sintering temperature, the faster the aggregation of nanoparticles and the higher the sintering degree. An increase in the nanoparticle size could delay the sintering, process but does not affect the final sintering degree. The MD model is further applied for the case of the multi-nanoparticles containing LST and ion-conducting electrolyte materials of gadolinium-doped ceria (GDC), i.e., the LST-GDC particles. The sintering conditions and effects on the LST-GDC particles are evaluated, in terms of the mean square displacement (MSD) and various structural parameters. Two important thermal properties are also calculated that agree well with the experimental values. The findings obtained from this study are useful to identify the optimized sintering parameters for development of the SOFC electrode materials.
Willow Biomass as Energy Feedstock: The Effect of Habitat, Genotype and Harvest Rotation on Thermophysical Properties and Elemental Composition
Authors: Stolarski Mariusz Jerzy , Krzyżaniak Michał , Warmiński Kazimierz , Załuski Dariusz , Olba-Zięty Ewelina
Published: August 2020

Willow biomass is used as a bioenergy source in various conversion technologies. It is noteworthy that apart from the beneficial environmental impact of a willow plantation, the biomass quality is also very important as it has an impact on the effectiveness of its use and emissions produced in various bioenergy technologies. Therefore, this study analysed the thermophysical properties and elemental composition of 15 genotypes of willow biomass from two plantations situated in the north of Poland, harvested in two consecutive three-year rotations. The differences in the moisture content, ash content and the lower heating value were mainly determined by the genotype, i.e., by genetic factors. In contrast, the content of carbon, nitrogen, sulphur and hydrogen was determined by the location (environmental factors), but also by the genotype, and by a combination of these factors. The following were the mean levels of the willow biomass characteristics, regardless of the location, genotype and harvest rotation: 48.9% moisture content, 1.26% d.m. ash content, 19.4% d.m. fixed carbon, 79.4% d.m. volatile matter, 19.53 MJ kg−1 d.m. higher heating value, 8.20 MJ kg−1 lower heating value, 52.90% d.m. carbon, 6.23% d.m. hydrogen, 0.032% d.m. sulphur, 0.42% d.m. nitrogen. The present research has shown that the selection of the willow genotype is important for the quality of biomass as energy feedstock. However, plantation location, as well as successive harvest rotations, can have a significant impact on the biomass elemental composition.
Exploring Wind and Solar PV Generation Complementarity to Meet Electricity Demand
Authors: Couto António , Estanqueiro Ana
Published: August 2020

Understanding the spatiotemporal complementarity of wind and solar power generation and their combined capability to meet the demand of electricity is a crucial step towards increasing their share in power systems without neglecting neither the security of supply nor the overall cost efficiency of the power system operation. This work proposes a methodology to exploit the complementarity of the wind and solar primary resources and electricity demand in planning the expansion of electric power systems. Scenarios that exploit the strategic combined deployment of wind and solar power against scenarios based only on the development of an individual renewable power source are compared and analysed. For each scenario of the power system development, the characterization of the additional power capacity, typical daily profile, extreme values, and energy deficit are assessed. The method is applied to a Portuguese case study and results show that coupled scenarios based on the strategic combined development of wind and solar generation provide a more sustainable way to increase the share of variable renewables into the power system (up to 68% for an annual energy exceedance of 10% for the renewable generation) when compared to scenarios based on an individual renewable power source. Combined development also enables to reduce the overall variability and extreme values of a power system net load.
How Reputation Systems Change the Psychological Antecedents of Fairness in Virtual Environments
Authors: Collodi Stefania , Fiorenza Maria , Guazzini Andrea , Duradoni Mirko
Published: August 2020

Reputational systems promote pro-social behaviors, also in virtual environments, therefore their study contributes to the knowledge of social interactions. Literature findings emphasize the power of reputation in fostering fairness in many circumstances, even when its influence is not directly oriented towards specific individuals. The present study contributes to the investigation of the psychological antecedents of fairness, introducing (or not) reputation in the social dilemma framework. Although reputational systems usually influence fairness dynamics, there are also socio-psychological characteristics that can play a role, affecting the adhesion to the norm online. To investigate their effects, we employed a virtual bargaining game that could include a reputational system depending on the experimental condition. Results show that the participant’s fairness could be significantly influenced by socio-psychological and demographic characteristics, as well as personality traits. Reputation seems to decrease fairness in those individuals who report high levels of Neuroticism and Openness. At the same time, high values of Self-Efficacy appear to be more likely associated with unfair behaviors when reputation is off the bargaining. Finally, Age and Sense of Community emerge as fairness promoters regardless of the experimental condition.
Multimodal Deep Learning for Group Activity Recognition in Smart Office Environments
Authors: Florea George Albert , Mihailescu Radu-Casian
Published: August 2020

Deep learning (DL) models have emerged in recent years as the state-of-the-art technique across numerous machine learning application domains. In particular, image processing-related tasks have seen a significant improvement in terms of performance due to increased availability of large datasets and extensive growth of computing power. In this paper we investigate the problem of group activity recognition in office environments using a multimodal deep learning approach, by fusing audio and visual data from video. Group activity recognition is a complex classification task, given that it extends beyond identifying the activities of individuals, by focusing on the combinations of activities and the interactions between them. The proposed fusion network was trained based on the audio–visual stream from the AMI Corpus dataset. The procedure consists of two steps. First, we extract a joint audio–visual feature representation for activity recognition, and second, we account for the temporal dependencies in the video in order to complete the classification task. We provide a comprehensive set of experimental results showing that our proposed multimodal deep network architecture outperforms previous approaches, which have been designed for unimodal analysis, on the aforementioned AMI dataset.
Activated Carbons as Methanol Adsorbents for a New Cycle “Heat from Cold”
Authors: Girnik Ilya , Grekova Alexandra , Gordeeva Larisa , Aristov Yuri
Published: August 2020

Activated carbons are widely used for sustainable technology of adsorptive transformation and storage of heat. Here, we analyze the applicability of twelve commercial carbons and an innovative carbonaceous composite “LiCl confined to multi-wall carbon nanotubes” (LiCl/MWCNT) for a new cycle “Heat from Cold” (HeCol). It has recently been proposed for amplification of low- temperature ambient heat in cold countries. The analysis is made in terms of the methanol mass exchanged and the useful heat generated per cycle; the latter is the main performance indicator of HeCol cycles. The maximum specific useful heat, reaching 990 and 1750 J/g, can be obtained by using carbon Maxsorb III and the composite, respectively. For these materials, methanol adsorption dynamics under typical HeCol conditions are experimentally studied by the large pressure jump method. Before making this analysis, the fine carbon powder is consolidated by either using a binder or just pressing to obtain larger particles (ca. 2 mm). The methanol desorption from the consolidated samples of Maxsorb III at T = 2 °C is faster than for LiCl/MWCNT, and the maximum (initial) useful power reaches (2.5–4.0) kW/kg sorbent. It is very promising for designing compact HeCol units utilizing the carbon Maxsorb III.
Numerical Simulation of Fountain Formation due to Normal and Inclined Twin-Jet Impingement on Ground
Authors: Zhang Xiang , Agarwal Ramesh K.
Published: August 2020

The goal of this paper is to study numerically the flow physics of a fountain formed by twin-jet impingement on ground. The incompressible Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations with realizable k-ε and WA (Wray-Agarwal) turbulence model are employed in the numerical simulations with ANSYS Fluent. A series of numerical simulations for straight and inclined fountain formations are conducted by changing the geometric and flow parameters of twin jets and distance between them. The changes in parameters include variations in the jet Reynolds number from 2 × 104 to 8 × 104, impingement height, distance between the centerlines of the two jets from 1.4D to 16D where D is the jet diameter, and ratio of the Reynolds number of the two jets from 1 to 4. It is shown that different Reynolds numbers of the two jets can result in a fountain that inclines towards the jet with smaller Reynolds number. Detailed flow field simulations for a large number of cases are presented, and the flow physics of fountain formation is analyzed for the first time in the literature.
Effects of Animal, Climatic, Hunting and Handling Conditions on the Hygienic Characteristics of Hunted Roe Doer (Caprelous capreolus L.)
Authors: Branciari Raffaella , Onofri Andrea , Cambiotti Fausto , Ranucci David
Published: August 2020

The population of wild animals is increasing, and control strategies based on selective hunting are among the major options adopted. The game meat obtained is therefore available for controlled and certified valuable chains. The understanding of carcass contamination and the factors affecting it is therefore crucial to ensure meat safety and prolonged shelf-life. The carcass hygiene of 64 hunted wild male roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) was evaluated in relation to factors potentially affecting it. Aerobic colony and Enterobacteriaceae counts, as well as Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes detection, were performed. The interaction of the microbial determination with age and weight of the animals, the climate conditions, the shooting procedure, the time between the killing and the evisceration as well as the time of storage of the carcasses in refrigerated conditions before skinning, were evaluated. Neither Salmonella spp. nor Listeria monocytogenes were detected on the carcasses and the average loads detected were 3.39 ± 1.06 UFC/cm2 and 2.27± 1.11 UFC/cm2 for the aerobic colony count and Enterobacteriaceae count, respectively. The loads detected are similar to those reported by UE legislation for slaughtered species. The time of storage before skinning, the environmental temperature during hunting and the time between shooting and evisceration, associated with animal weight, affect the carcass hygiene and must be taken into careful consideration by hunters as food business operators.
Modifying Faba Bean Protein Concentrate Using Dry Heat to Increase Water Holding Capacity
Authors: Bühler Jan M. , Dekkers Birgit L. , Bruins Marieke E. , van der Goot Atze Jan
Published: August 2020

We investigated the effect of dry-heat treatment on the properties of faba bean protein concentrate using soy protein concentrate as a benchmark. While soy protein—widely used as an ingredient in meat replacers—is recovered through a wet fractionation, protein recovery from starch bearing pulses like faba bean can be done via dry fractionation. This process does not require drying or heating steps and therefore, keeps the original protein functionality intact. This results in differences in properties such as water binding capacity of the protein fraction. Faba bean protein concentrate was dry-heated at temperatures from 75–175 °C, which resulted in higher water-holding capacity and less soluble protein, approaching values of soy protein concentrate. These changes were due to partial denaturation of protein, changing the structure of the protein, and exposing hydrophobic sites. This led to protein aggregation, as observed by light microscopy. Only noncovalent bonds caused the decrease of solubility of dry-heated faba bean protein concentrate. We conclude that dry-heating of dry fractionated faba bean protein can change the functional properties of the protein fraction to desired properties for certain applications. The effect is similar to that on soy, but the underlying mechanisms differ.
A Comparative Study of PLSR and SVM-R with Various Preprocessing Techniques for the Quantitative Determination of Soluble Solids Content of Hardy Kiwi Fruit by a Portable Vis/NIR Spectrometer
Authors: Sarkar Shagor , Basak Jayanta Kumar , Moon Byeong Eun , Kim Hyeon Tae
Published: August 2020

Linear partial least square and non-linear support vector machine regression analysis with various preprocessing techniques and their combinations were used to determine the soluble solids content of hardy kiwi fruits by a handheld, portable near-infrared spectroscopy. Fruits of four species, namely Autumn sense (A), Chungsan (C), Daesung (D), and Green ball (Gb) were collected from five different areas of Gwangyang (G), Muju (M), Suwon (S), Wonju (Q), and Yeongwol (Y) in South Korea. The dataset for calibration and prediction was prepared based on each area, species, and in combination. Half of the dataset of each area, species, and combined dataset was used as calibrated data and the rest was used for model validation. The best prediction correlation coefficient ranges between 0.67 and 0.75, 0.61 and 0.77, and 0.68 for the area, species, combined dataset, respectively using partial least square regression (PLSR) method with different preprocessing techniques. On the other hand, the best correlation coefficient of predictions using the support vector machine regression (SVM-R) algorithm was 0.68 and 0.80, 0.62 and 0.79, and 0.74 for the area, species, and combined dataset, respectively. In most cases, the SVM-R algorithm produced better results with Autoscale preprocessing except G area and species Gb, whereas the PLS algorithm shows a significant difference in calibration and prediction models for different preprocessing techniques. Therefore, the SVM-R method was superior to the PLSR method in predicting soluble solids content of hardy kiwi fruits and non-linear models may be a better alternative to monitor soluble solids content of fruits. The finding of this research can be used as a reference for the prediction of hardy kiwi fruits soluble solids content as well as harvesting time with better prediction models.
Transcriptome Analysis and Metabolic Profiling of Green and Red Mizuna (Brassica rapa L. var. japonica)
Authors: Park Chang Ha , Bong Sun Ju , Lim Chan Ju , Kim Jae Kwang , Park Sang Un
Published: August 2020

Mizuna (Brassica rapa L. var. japonica), a member of the family Brassicaceae, is rich in various health-beneficial phytochemicals, such as glucosinolates, phenolics, and anthocyanins. However, few studies have been conducted on genes associated with metabolic traits in mizuna. Thus, this study provides a better insight into the metabolic differences between green and red mizuna via the integration of transcriptome and metabolome analyses. A mizuna RNAseq analysis dataset showed 257 differentially expressed unigenes (DEGs) with a false discovery rate (FDR) of <0.05. These DEGs included the biosynthesis genes of secondary metabolites, such as anthocyanins, glucosinolates, and phenolics. Particularly, the expression of aliphatic glucosinolate biosynthetic genes was higher in the green cultivar. In contrast, the expression of most genes related to indolic glucosinolates, phenylpropanoids, and flavonoids was higher in the red cultivar. Furthermore, the metabolic analysis showed that 14 glucosinolates, 12 anthocyanins, five phenolics, and two organic acids were detected in both cultivars. The anthocyanin levels were higher in red than in green mizuna, while the glucosinolate levels were higher in green than in red mizuna. Consistent with the results of phytochemical analyses, the transcriptome data revealed that the expression levels of the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis genes were significantly higher in red mizuna, while those of the glucosinolate biosynthetic genes were significantly upregulated in green mizuna. A total of 43 metabolites, such as amino acids, carbohydrates, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates, organic acids, and amines, was identified and quantified in both cultivars using gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOFMS). Among the identified metabolites, sucrose was positively correlated with anthocyanins, as previously reported.
Physicochemical and Antioxidant Properties of Wheat Bread Enriched with Hazelnuts and Walnuts
Authors: Pycia Karolina , Ivanišová Eva
Published: August 2020

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of wheat bread enrichment using hazelnuts and walnuts (1%, 3%, 6%, 9%) on the nutritional value and selected physicochemical and antioxidant properties. The dough and bread yield, volume, specific volume and porosity were also determined. The crumb texture was analyzed by texture profile analysis (TPA) test using a texture meter. The color of the crumb was assessed in the CIE L*a*b* color space. Antioxidant properties were determined by the ABTS+ radical method. The contents of phenolic acids, flavonoids and total polyphenols were also determined. The test demonstrated that the enrichment of bread with nuts increased the level of minerals, protein, fiber and fat. Breads containing walnuts were characterized by the highest content of these nutrients. The bread with a 9% walnut content by the smallest volume (380 cm3) had lowest value of L*. The crumb of the enriched breads was characterized by greater hardness, gumminess and chewiness, the values of these parameters generally increasing in parallel to the nut content. Breads enriched with walnuts were characterized by a higher average total content of polyphenols (35.77 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g dry mass (DM)) compared to the breads enriched with walnuts (25.35 mg GAE/100 g DM).
Analysis of Narrow-Leaf Lupin Proteins in Lupin-Enriched Pasta by Untargeted and Targeted Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Aiello Gilda , Li Yuchen , Boschin Giovanna , Stanziale Marco , Lammi Carmen , Arnoldi Anna
Published: August 2020

The supplementation of different food items with grain legumes and, in particular, with lupin has been demonstrated to provide useful health benefits, especially in the area of cardiovascular disease prevention. In this work, label free quantitative untargeted and targeted approaches based on liquid chromatography−electrospray ionization−tandem mass spectrometry (LC−ESI−MS/MS) for investigating the protein profile of three pasta samples containing different percentages of narrow-leaf lupin flour were carried out. The untargeted method permitted the identification of the main acidic globulins (α-conglutin, β-conglutin, and δ-conglutin) and the comparison of their profile with raw lupin flour. The targeted method, based on High-performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry HPLC-Chip-Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) mode, allowed the quantification of γ-conglutin, the main hypoglycemic component of lupin protein: its concentration was around 2.25 mg/g in sample A, 2.16 mg/g in sample D, and 0.57 mg/g in sample F.
Comparison of Targeted (HPLC) and Nontargeted (GC-MS and NMR) Approaches for the Detection of Undeclared Addition of Protein Hydrolysates in Turkey Breast Muscle
Authors: Wagner Liane , Peukert Manuela , Kranz Bertolt , Gerhardt Natalie , Andrée Sabine , Busch Ulrich , Brüggemann Dagmar Adeline
Published: August 2020

The adulteration of fresh turkey meat by the undeclared addition of protein hydrolysates is of interest for fraudsters due to the increase of the economic gain by substituting meat with low cost ingredients. The aim of this study was to compare the suitability of three different analytical techniques such as GC-MS and 1H-NMR with HPLC-UV/VIS as a targeted method, for the detection of with protein hydrolysates adulterated turkey meat. For this, turkey breast muscles were treated with different plant- (e.g., wheat) and animal-based (e.g., gelatin, casein) protein hydrolysates with different hydrolyzation degrees (15–53%: partial; 100%: total), which were produced by enzymatic and acidic hydrolysis. A water- and a nontreated sample (REF) served as controls. The data analyses revealed that the hydrolysate-treated samples had significantly higher levels of amino acids (e.g., leucine, phenylalanine, lysine) compared with REF observed with all three techniques concordantly. Furthermore, the nontargeted metabolic profiling (GC-MS and NMR) showed that sugars (glucose, maltose) and/or by-products (build and released during acidic hydrolyses, e.g., levulinic acid) could be used for the differentiation between control and hydrolysates (type, degrees). The combination of amino acid profiling and additional compounds gives stronger evidence for the detection and classification of adulteration in turkey breast meat.
Sesame, Pistachio, and Macadamia Nut: Development and Validation of New Allergenic Systems for Fast Real-Time PCR Application
Authors: Torricelli Martina , Pierboni Elisa , Rondini Cristina , Altissimi Serena , Haouet Naceur
Published: August 2020

Food allergy is a worldwide health problem that concerns infants to adults. The main health risk for sensitised individuals is due to the presence of traces of allergens as the result of an accidental contamination during food processing. The labelling of allergens such as sesame, pistachio, and macadamia nut on food products is mandatory according to Regulation (EU) N. 1169/2011; therefore, the development of suitable and specific analytical methodologies is advisable. The aim of this study was to perform a multi-allergen real-time PCR system that works well in fast mode at the same annealing temperature and with the same thermal profile. The real-time PCR was developed designing new, specific, and efficient primer and probe systems for the 2S albumingene for sesame and pistachio and for the vicilin precursorgene for macadamia nut. These systems were subjected to a robust intra-laboratory qualitative validation process prior to their application, by DNA extraction and fast real-time PCR, on some real market samples to reproduce a potential allergen contamination along the food chain. The developed system results were specific and robust, with a sensible limit of detection (0.005% for sesame; 0.004% for pistachio; 0.006% for macadamia nut). The performance and the reliability of the target systems were confirmed on commercial food samples. This molecular approach could be used as a screening or as a support tool, in association with the other widespread monitoring techniques (such as ELISA).
Impact of Nutritional Information on Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Meat Products in Traditional Wet Markets of Taiwan
Authors: Yang Shang-Ho , Suhandoko Ardiansyah Azhary , Chen Dennis
Published: August 2020

The application of nutritional labels provides information regarding the health and nutritional value of products and allows consumers to engage in healthier dietary habits. However, not all types of retail markets provide full nutrition information for meat products. Since there is no nutritional information for fresh meat products in traditional wet markets, this study aimed to investigate consumer purchasing intention and willingness to pay (WTP) for this nutritional information in Taiwanese traditional wet markets. A total of 1420 valid respondents were examined using the random utility theory to explain consumer purchasing intention and WTP for nutritional information. Results showed that most (over 60%) consumers in traditional wet markets have positive purchasing intent for meat products with the nutrition information provided. Furthermore, the nutrition information in traditional wet markets significantly boosts consumers’ purchasing intention and WTP when consumers have a personal health awareness on meat, have proficient experience in buying meat, and continuously receive information from health-related media. Specifically, consumers’ shopping background and their level of health consciousness would be the key factors that would alter their WTP, if provided nutritional claims.
The Effect of UV Irradiation on Vitamin D2 Content and Antioxidant and Antiglycation Activities of Mushrooms
Authors: Gallotti Francesca , Lavelli Vera
Published: August 2020

Mushroom irradiation has been considered a sustainable process to generate high amounts of vitamin D2 due to the role of this vitamin for human health and of the global concerns regarding its deficient or inadequate intake. Mushrooms are also receiving increasing interest due to their nutritional and medicinal properties. However, there is still a knowledge gap regarding the effect of UV irradiation on mushroom bioactive compounds. In this study, two of the most cultivated mushroom species worldwide, Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus ostreatus, were irradiated with UV-B, and the effect of processing was investigated on the contents of vitamin D2 as well as on antioxidant and antiglycation activities. UV irradiation increased vitamin D2 up to 57 µg/g d.w, which is an adequate level for the fortification of a number of target foods. UV irradiation decreased the antioxidant activity when measured by the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6 trinitrophenyl) hydrazyl radical assay and the ferric ion-reducing antioxidant power assay, but did not decrease the mushroom’s ability to inhibit glycation of a target protein. These results open up a new area of investigation aimed at selecting mushroom species with high nutraceutical benefits for irradiation in order to maintain their potential properties to inhibit oxidative and glycation processes responsible for human diseases.
Evaluation of the Intrinsic and Perceived Quality of Sangiovese Wines from California and Italy
Authors: Canuti Valentina , Cantu Annegret , Picchi Monica , Lerno Larry A. , Tanabe Courtney K. , Zanoni Bruno , Heymann Hildegarde , Ebeler Susan E.
Published: August 2020

Sangiovese is the most cultivated red grape variety in Italy where it is certified for the production of several Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) wines, and it is one of the most cultivated Italian red grape varieties in California. Despite the global distribution of this variety, there is a lack of international studies on Sangiovese grapes and wines. For this reason, the present study aimed to compare 20 commercial Sangiovese wines from 2017 harvest, 9 produced in Italy (Tuscany) and 11 in California, in order to evaluate the intrinsic and perceived quality. The eligibility, identity, and style properties (the intrinsic quality) of the wines were evaluated. A group of 11 Italian experts evaluated the perceived quality by rating the typicality of the wines. The experimental data showed that the intrinsic quality of Sangiovese wine samples was affected by the growing area; in particular, the wine resulted very different for the color indices and polyphenol composition. The above differences in intrinsic quality levels did not lead to a different evaluation of the perceived quality (typicality) by the wine experts. The results evidenced that Sangiovese variety is recognizable also if grown outside its original terroir, and fresh and fruity wines were considered more typical. This study expands our current knowledge of Sangiovese wines and the contribution of regional characteristics to the composition of wine.
A Generalized Flow for B2B Sales Predictive Modeling: An Azure Machine-Learning Approach
Authors: Rezazadeh Alireza
Published: August 2020

Predicting the outcome of sales opportunities is a core part of successful business management. Conventionally, undertaking this prediction has relied mostly on subjective human evaluations in the process of sales decision-making. In this paper, we addressed the problem of forecasting the outcome of Business to Business (B2B) sales by proposing a thorough data-driven Machine-Learning (ML) workflow on a cloud-based computing platform: Microsoft Azure Machine-Learning Service (Azure ML). This workflow consists of two pipelines: (1) An ML pipeline to train probabilistic predictive models on the historical sales opportunities data. In this pipeline, data is enriched with an extensive feature enhancement step and then used to train an ensemble of ML classification models in parallel. (2) A prediction pipeline to use the trained ML model and infer the likelihood of winning new sales opportunities along with calculating optimal decision boundaries. The effectiveness of the proposed workflow was evaluated on a real sales dataset of a major global B2B consulting firm. Our results implied that decision-making based on the ML predictions is more accurate and brings a higher monetary value.
Against All Odds: Tentative Steps toward Efficient Information Sharing in Groups
Authors: Schlangenotto Darius , Schnedler Wendelin , Vadovič Radovan
Published: August 2020

When groups face difficult problems, the voices of experts may be lost in the noise of others’ contributions. We present results from a “naturally noisy” setting, a large first-year undergraduate class, in which the expert’s voice was “lost” to such a degree that bringing forward even more inferior information was optimal. A single individual had little chance to improve the outcome and coordinating with the whole group was impossible. In this setting, we examined the change in behavior before and after people could talk to their neighbors. We found that the number of people who reduced noise by holding back their information strongly and significantly increased.
The Gut Microbiota Profile in Children with Prader–Willi Syndrome
Authors: Peng Ye , Tan Qiming , Afhami Shima , Deehan Edward C. , Liang Suisha , Gantz Marie , Triador Lucila , Madsen Karen L. , Walter Jens , Tun Hein M. , Haqq Andrea M.
Published: August 2020

Although gut microbiota has been suggested to play a role in disease phenotypes of Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS), little is known about its composition in affected children and how it relates to hyperphagia. This cross-sectional study aimed to characterize the gut bacterial and fungal communities of children with PWS, and to determine associations with hyperphagia. Fecal samples were collected from 25 children with PWS and 25 age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched controls. Dietary intake data, hyperphagia scores, and relevant clinical information were also obtained. Fecal bacterial and fungal communities were characterized by 16S rRNA and ITS2 sequencing, respectively. Overall bacterial α-diversity and compositions of PWS were not different from those of the controls, but 13 bacterial genera were identified to be differentially abundant. Interestingly, the fungal community, as well as specific genera, were different between PWS and controls. The majority of the variation in the gut microbiota was not attributed to differences in dietary intake or the impact of genotype. Hyperphagia scores were associated with fungal α-diversity and relative abundance of several taxa, such as Staphylococcus, Clostridium, SMB53, and Candida. Further longitudinal studies correlating changes in the microbiome with the degree of hyperphagia and studies integrating multi-omics data are warranted.
The Prospective Study of Epigenetic Regulatory Profiles in Sport and Exercise Monitored Through Chromosome Conformation Signatures
Authors: Hall Elliott C. R. , Murgatroyd Christopher , Stebbings Georgina K. , Cunniffe Brian , Harle Lee , Salter Matthew , Ramadass Aroul , Westra Jurjen W. , Hunter Ewan , Akoulitchev Alexandre , Williams Alun G.
Published: August 2020

The integration of genetic and environmental factors that regulate the gene expression patterns associated with exercise adaptation is mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. The organisation of the human genome within three-dimensional space, known as chromosome conformation, has recently been shown as a dynamic epigenetic regulator of gene expression, facilitating the interaction of distal genomic regions due to tight and regulated packaging of chromosomes in the cell nucleus. Technological advances in the study of chromosome conformation mean a new class of biomarker—the chromosome conformation signature (CCS)—can identify chromosomal interactions across several genomic loci as a collective marker of an epigenomic state. Investigative use of CCSs in biological and medical research shows promise in identifying the likelihood that a disease state is present or absent, as well as an ability to prospectively stratify individuals according to their likely response to medical intervention. The association of CCSs with gene expression patterns suggests that there are likely to be CCSs that respond, or regulate the response, to exercise and related stimuli. The present review provides a contextual background to CCS research and a theoretical framework discussing the potential uses of this novel epigenomic biomarker within sport and exercise science and medicine.
A Four-Methylated lncRNAs-Based Prognostic Signature for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Liao Le-En , Hu Dan-Dan , Zheng Yun
Published: August 2020

Currently, an increasing number of studies suggest that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and methylation-regulated lncRNAs play a critical role in the pathogenesis of various cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, methylated differentially expressed lncRNAs (MDELs) may be critical biomarkers of HCC. In this study, 63 MDELs were identified by screening The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) HCC lncRNAs expression data set and lncRNAs methylation data set. Based on univariate and multivariate survival analysis, four MDELs (AC025016.1, LINC01164, LINC01183 and LINC01269) were selected to construct the survival prognosis prediction model. Through the PI formula, the study indicates that our new prediction model performed well and is superior to the traditional staging method. At the same time, compared with the previous prediction models reported in the literature, the results of time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis show that our 4-MDELs model predicted overall survival (OS) stability and provided better prognosis. In addition, we also applied the prognostic model to Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE) cell lines and classified different hepatoma cell lines through the model to evaluate the sensitivity of different hepatoma cell lines to different drugs. In conclusion, we have established a new risk scoring system to predict the prognosis, which may have a very important guiding significance for the individualized treatment of HCC patients.
The Evolution of Gene Therapy in the Treatment of Metabolic Liver Diseases
Authors: Moscoso Carlos G. , Steer Clifford J.
Published: August 2020

Monogenic metabolic disorders of hepatic origin number in the hundreds, and for many, liver transplantation remains the only cure. Liver-targeted gene therapy is an attractive treatment modality for many of these conditions, and there have been significant advances at both the preclinical and clinical stages. Viral vectors, including retroviruses, lentiviruses, adenovirus-based vectors, adeno-associated viruses and simian virus 40, have differing safety, efficacy and immunogenic profiles, and several of these have been used in clinical trials with variable success. In this review, we profile viral vectors and non-viral vectors, together with various payloads, including emerging therapies based on RNA, that are entering clinical trials. Genome editing technologies are explored, from earlier to more recent novel approaches that are more efficient, specific and safe in reaching their target sites. The various curative approaches for the multitude of monogenic hepatic metabolic disorders currently at the clinical development stage portend a favorable outlook for this class of genetic disorders.
Seismic Coda-Waves Imaging Based on Sensitivity Kernels Calculated Using an Heuristic Approach
Authors: Del Pezzo Edoardo , Ibáñez Jesús M.
Published: August 2020

In this paper we review and discuss the seismic method based on the analysis of seismic coda waves used in the last 10 years by the present authors and/or their co-workers, to produce separate images of intrinsic- and scattering attenuation in zones of peculiar geological interest (mainly volcanoes). Such separate attenuation images are considered by the scientific community as complementary to those from ordinary velocity-tomography and useful to improve the geological interpretation in volcanoes and in tectonically active zones. In this review we only list but do not discuss the most significative papers showing the images obtained, as we are focused to review the method and not the interpretation of data analysis. For sake of completeness, we anyway show also a new analysis applied to data from Stromboli volcano. We thus first introduce the physical model describing the seismogram Energy Envelope (derived from the solution of the Energy Transport integral Equation) and discuss its asymptotic approximations (Diffusion- and Single-scattering model). Then, we describe a numerical method to heuristically calculate the Sensitivity Kernels for the propagation of the scattered waves in the assumption of isotropic scattering. We attribute to these Sensitivity Kernels the physical meaning of probability that for a single source-receiver couple the measured attenuation parameters can be associated with the space coordinates. Based on this definition, the attenuation image can be obtained mapping the estimated attenuation parameters onto the zone under study weighting with the Sensitivity Kernels. We further discuss how to estimate the uncertainties associated with the results and report the list of the papers describing the (separated) scattering- and intrinsic-attenuation structures investigated using this approach.
Eurocode 7 and Rock Engineering Design: The Case of Rockfall Protection Barriers
Authors: Vagnon Federico , Bonetto Sabrina , Ferrero Anna Maria , Harrison John Paul , Umili Gessica
Published: August 2020

The Eurocode 7 or EC7 is the Reference Design Code (RDC) for geotechnical design including rock engineering design within the European Union (EU). Moreover, its principles have also been adopted by several other countries, becoming a key design standard for geotechnical engineering worldwide. It is founded on limit state design (LSD) concepts, and the reliability of design is provided mainly by a semi-probabilistic method based on partial factors. The use of partial factors is currently an advantage, mainly for the simplicity in its applicability, and a limitation, especially concerning geotechnical designs. In fact, the application of partial factors to geotechnical design has proven to be difficult. In this paper, the authors focus on the way to apply EC7 principles to rock engineering design by analyzing the design of rockfall protection structures as an example. A real case of slope subjected to rockfall is reported to outline the peculiarity connected to rock engineering. The main findings are related to the complementarity of the reliability-based design (RBD) approach within EC7 principles and the possibility of overcoming the limitations of a partial factor approach to this type of engineering problem.
Physical Activity of ≥7.5 MET-h/Week Is Significantly Associated with a Decreased Risk of Cervical Neoplasia
Authors: Chang Ching Wen , Yang Shun-Fa , Gordon Christopher J. , Liao Wen Chun , Niu Shu Fen , Wang Cheng Wei , Tsai Hsiu Ting
Published: August 2020

Cervical cancer is one of the most prevalent malignant neoplasms worldwide. We investigated whether leisure-time physical activity is sufficient to decrease the cervical neoplasia risk and provide suggested guidance of metabolic equivalents of task–hours per week (MET-h/week) spent on leisure-time physical activity to prevent cervical neoplasia. Ultimately, 433 participants, including 126 participants with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia I or higher disease (≥CIN 1) and 307 healthy controls, were recruited. All participants completed a standardized questionnaire about leisure-time physical activity engagement (MET-h/week) and a general health questionnaire and had cervical specimens taken to detect human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. CIN 1 staging was identified from the specimens. Participants with physical activity of ≥3.75 MET-h/week had a significantly lower CIN risk compared to those with physical activity of <3.75 MET-h/week (p = 0.01). However, among participants with HPV infection or smokers, the minimal requirement of leisure-time physical actively to lessen the CIN risk was ≥7.5 MET-h/week. Lifetime leisure-time physical activity of ≥0.12 MET-h/week–year also significantly decreased the CIN risk, but women with HPV infection needed ≥13.2 MET-h/week–year to protect them from a CIN risk. We concluded that regular leisure-time physical activity of ≥7.5 MET-h/week and sustained lifetime leisure-time physical activity ≥13.2 MET-h/week–year are vital factors for protecting women against cervical neoplasia risk.
Examining Gender Differences, Personality Traits, Academic Performance, and Motivation in Ukrainian and Polish Students of Physical Education: A Cross-Cultural Study
Authors: Kuśnierz Cezary , Rogowska Aleksandra M. , Pavlova Iuliia
Published: August 2020

Background: This study examined the relationship of academic performance with the Big Five traits of personality, academic motivation, and gender in a cross-cultural context. Methods: Participants in the study were 424 university students of physical education (PE) departments from Poland (53%) and Ukraine (47%). Undergraduates completed a brief version of the International Personality Item Pool (Mini-IPIP) to assess the Five-Factor model of personality, the Academic Motivations Scale (AMS), and grade point average (GPA). Results: Polish PE students scored higher in emotional stability and extroversion and had a higher GPA than Ukrainian PE undergraduates. Gender differences were found in both personality traits and academic motivation scales. Intrinsic motivation may predict academic performance. Conscientiousness and intellect emerged as mediators of the relationship between intrinsic motivation and academic performance and gender was found as a moderator in the relationship between conscientiousness and academic success. Conclusions: Women are more motivated regarding academic achievements than men. In addition to intrinsic motivation, the most important factors for academic grades are some personality traits, gender, and cultural differences. Openness and conscientiousness in men are mediators between intrinsic motivation and academic performance. The results of this study may be useful for PE academic teachers to improve the motivation of their students.
Interrelationships of Parenting Information, Family Care, and Child Development: A Cross-Sectional Study in Rural China
Authors: Zhong Jingdong , Luo Renfu
Published: August 2020

This paper studied the interrelationships between parenting information, family care, and early childhood development (ECD) outcomes. A total of 1787 sample households in rural China were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. A demographic questionnaire, a parenting information questionnaire, the Family Care Indicators (FCIs), and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development version III (BSID-III) were used to measure demographic characteristics, parenting information that the caregiver received, family care, and early development outcomes of the child, respectively. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was then used to estimate the interrelationships. The results showed that family care significantly mediated between parenting information and ECD outcomes. Through family care, one standard deviation (SD) increase in the parenting information was associated with the increase in the child’s four development outcomes (cognition, language, motor, and social–emotion) by 3%, 4%, 4%, and 5% of one SD, respectively. Different measurements of parenting information and different components of family care played different roles in the interrelationships. The key findings of this study are informative for providing early child development services in rural China.
Bibliometric Studies and Worldwide Research Trends on Global Health
Authors: Salmerón-Manzano Esther , Manzano-Agugliaro Francisco
Published: August 2020

Global health, conceived as a discipline, aims to train, research and respond to problems of a transboundary nature in order to improve health and health equity at the global level. The current worldwide situation is ruled by globalization, and therefore the concept of global health involves not only health-related issues but also those related to the environment and climate change. Therefore, in this Special Issue, the problems related to global health have been addressed from a bibliometric approach in four main areas: environmental issues, diseases, health, education and society.
Research on the Decoupling of Water Resources Utilization and Agricultural Economic Development in Gansu Province from the Perspective of Water Footprint
Authors: Shi Changfeng , Yuan Hang , Pang Qinghua , Zhang Yangyang
Published: August 2020

Objectively evaluating the decoupling status of water resources utilization and economic development is an important sign of judging the sustainability of regional economic development. From the perspective of water footprint (WF), this paper expands the scope of water resources accounting by assessing agricultural blue WF, green WF and gray WF. The Tapio decoupling index was used to explore the decoupling status of agricultural WF and economic development in Gansu Province from 2006 to 2015, and the logarithmic mean divisor index (LMDI) decomposition model was used to identify the main driving factors of agricultural WF changes and explore the degree of divergence between agricultural economic development and water resources utilization. The results showed that agricultural economic growth was a main factor for the increase of WF; the improvement of agricultural production technology had a restraining effect, and the population effect and structural effect had a lesser effect. During the research period, the relationship between agricultural WF and economic growth in Gansu Province changed from weak decoupling to strong decoupling, and the contributing factors to decoupling were in descending order: economic, technological, structural and population. Finally, this paper puts forward suggestions on optimizing planting structure, improving agricultural technology and economic development mode to promote the sustainable development of local agriculture.