bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fear of the Relapse: Effect of Composite Type on Adhesion Efficacy of Upper and Lower Orthodontic Fixed Retainers: In Vitro Investigation and Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Scribante Andrea , Gallo Simone , Turcato Benedetta , Trovati Federico , Gandini Paola , Sfondrini Maria Francesca
Published: April 2020

The aim of this laboratory and clinical study is to determine the reliability of the flowable nanocomposite Filtek Supreme XTE (FL) for the adhesion of orthodontic retainers, compared to highly filled orthodontic resin Transbond XT (XT). Portions of a round section multistranded wire (Ortosmail Krugg) were bonded to 40 bovine incisors with Scotchbond Universal in total-etch modality. For group one (XT, 20 samples), the orthodontic resin was used, whereas in group two (FL, 20 samples), the flowable one. Specimens were placed into a universal testing machine which applied a shear force on retainers with a crosshead speed of one/minute. Shear bond strength (SBS) and adhesive remnant index (ARI) scores were calculated. In the clinical trial, 100 patients requiring a canine-to-canine palatal and lingual retainer were randomly divided into two groups, according to the resin used for bonding procedure: the orthodontic in group one (XT, 50 participants) and the flowable in group two (FL, 50 participants). Monthly visits were carried out over a 24-month follow up to assess any detachment occurring on teeth of both arches. All data were submitted to statistical analysis. In vitro, FL reported a significant lower mean SBS, whereas no significant differences in ARI were reported between the two groups which both showed a major frequency of scores “1” and “2”. At the end of the 24-month follow up, FL reported significantly higher failure rates in both arches besides a significantly lower survival rate starting from the sixth month after retainers bonding. According to the results assessed in vitro and clinically, XT would be preferable to FL when performing retainers bonding procedure.
Mono-Dispersed Microspheres Locally Assembled on Porous Substrates Formed through a Microemulsion Approach
Authors: Zhang Jianfeng , Gong Shuxin , Zhu Jiahang , Zhang Jiejing , Liang Jing
Published: April 2020

A cost-effective, simple, and time-saving method to fabricate mono-dispersed periodic microsphere structures on substrates with patterned sites is very meaningful due to their significance on various biological studies. Herein, a simple and facile method to fabricate mono-dispersed microsphere arrays on porous substrates was developed. The mixture of polystyrene and an organic stabilizer solution which contains aqueous solution, fabricated through shaking, was applied to prepare microemulsion solution. An ordered porous structure was produced by spreading and evaporating the solvent of microemulsion on a glass slide, accompanied by the enrichment of didodecylamine in the cavities. The porous cavities were further modified with polyacrylic acid and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) which could immobilize the microspheres. The charged microspheres were incorporated into the cavities by an electrostatic interaction with the oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. The positive polyelectrolytes with abundant charges as well as a suitable content and dimension of microspheres, ensured the formation of mono-dispersed and ordered arrays. Considering that other charged particles were universally suitable for the present strategy, the reported approach opened an efficient way for the preparation of microsphere-based materials.
Effect of Subtropical Natural Exposure on the Bond Behavior of FRP-Concrete Interface
Authors: Guo Xinyan , Shu Shenyunhao , Wang Yilin , Huang Peiyan , Lin Jiaxiang , Guo Yongchang
Published: April 2020

Subtropical natural exposure may significantly affect the bonding behavior of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) externally bonded to concrete. To study the effect of subtropical natural climates on the FRP-concrete interface, natural exposure tests and an analytical approach were carried out on specimens externally bonded with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP). The bilinear bond stress-slip relationships for different exposure periods were derived from the experimental results of the strengthened reinforced concrete (RC) beams. Based on these bond-slip relationships, the full-range behavior of shear stress along the bond length and debonding load can be obtained through the analytical solution. The testing and numerical results showed that subtropical natural exposure can greatly affect the bond behavior of CFRP-concrete and BFRP-concrete interfaces in the early exposure period. In the late exposure period, the bond behavior was basically stable. With the increase of exposure time, the position of maximum shear stress tended to move backward, which indicated that the behavior of the FRP-concrete interface was weakened by natural exposure. Compared to the CFRP-concrete interface, subtropical natural exposure has greater influence on the bond behavior of the BFRP-concrete interface.
The Effect of Environmental Conditions on the Degradation Behavior of Biomass Pellets
Authors: Gilvari Hamid , Cutz Luis , Tiringer Urša , Mol Arjan , de Jong Wiebren , Schott Dingena L.
Published: April 2020

Biomass pellets provide a pivotal opportunity in promising energy transition scenarios as a renewable source of energy. A large share of the current utilization of pellets is facilitated by intensive global trade operations. Considering the long distance between the production site and the end-user locations, pellets may face fluctuating storage conditions, resulting in their physical and chemical degradation. We tested the effect of different storage conditions, from freezing temperatures (−19 °C) to high temperature (40 °C) and humidity conditions (85% relative humidity), on the physicochemical properties of untreated and torrefied biomass pellets. Moreover, the effect of sudden changes in the storage conditions on pellet properties was studied by moving the pellets from the freezing to the high temperature and relative humidity conditions and vice versa. The results show that, although storage at one controlled temperature and RH may degrade the pellets, a change in the temperature and relative humidity results in higher degradation in terms of higher moisture uptake and lower mechanical strength.
Hunting in Extremadura—Profiles of the Hunter on the Basis of His Movements
Authors: Martín-Delgado Luz-María , Rengifo-Gallego Juan-Ignacio , Sánchez-Martín José-Manuel
Published: April 2020

Hunters make a large number of trips during the hunting season all over the world due to the irregular distribution of hunting species. The proliferation of this kind of travel gives rise to the origin of a new kind of specific tourism, i.e., hunting tourism. Currently, the economic magnitude of this kind of travel has led to carrying out numerous studies on the subject. It has, however, been observed that most of them concentrate on the economic and environmental aspects of this activity and neglect a parameter as important as demand. Becoming familiar with the characteristics of the hunting traveller allows more appropriate management of this kind of tourism. It is for this reason that this study approaches the various profiles of hunting travellers residing in Extremadura and determines the most important characteristics of their movements. The main source of information for this research is the results obtained from distributing a questionnaire during a period of one year. These data have been processed by univariate and bivariate statistical techniques, which allow us to obtain groundbreaking results. These include, in particular, the considerable mobility of the hunter resident in Extremadura, who makes a large number of trips in order to hunt during the season, and the relationship between the number of days hunters travel, according to their income.
Evaluation of Water Vapor Radiative Effects Using GPS Data Series over Southwestern Europe
Authors: Vaquero-Martínez Javier , Antón Manuel , Sanchez-Lorenzo Arturo , Cachorro Victoria E.
Published: April 2020

Water vapor radiative effects (WVRE) at surface in the long-wave (LW) and short-wave (SW) spectral ranges under cloud and aerosol free conditions are analyzed for seven stations in Spain over the 2007–2015 period. WVRE is calculated as the difference between the net flux obtained by two radiative transfer simulations; one with water vapor from Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements and the other one without any water vapor (dry atmosphere). The WVRE in the LW ranges from 107.9 Wm 2 to 296.7 Wm − 2 , while in the SW it goes from − 64.9 Wm − 2 to − 6.0 Wm − 2 . The results show a clear seasonal cycle, which allows the classification of stations in three sub-regions. In general, for total (SW + LW) and LW WVRE, winter (DJF) and spring (MAM) values are lower than summer (JJA) and autumn (SON). However, in the case of SW WVRE, the weaker values are in winter and autumn, and the stronger ones in summer and spring. Positive trends for LW (and total) WVRE may partially explain the well-known increase of surface air temperatures in the study region. Additionally, negative trends for SW WVRE are especially remarkable, since they represent about a quarter of the contribution of aerosols to the strong brightening effect (increase of the SW radiation flux at surface associated with a reduction of the cloud cover and aerosol load) observed since the 2000s in the Iberian Peninsula, but with opposite sign, so it is suggested that water vapor could be partially masking the full magnitude of this brightening.
Integrating Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 Time Series Data for Yield Prediction of Sugarcane Crops at the Block Level
Authors: Rahman Muhammad Moshiur , Robson Andrew
Published: April 2020

Early prediction of sugarcane crop yield at the commercial block level (unit area of a single crop of the same variety, ratoon or planting date) offers significant benefit to growers, consultants, millers, policy makers, crop insurance companies and researchers. This current study explored a remote sensing based approach for predicting sugarcane yield at the block level by further developing a regionally specific Landsat time series model and including individual crop sowing (or previous seasons’ harvest) date. For the Bundaberg growing region of Australia this extends over a five months period, from July to November. For this analysis, the sugarcane blocks were clustered into 10 groups based on their specific planting or ratoon commencement date within the specified five months period. These clustered or groups of blocks were named ‘bins’. Cloud free (<20%) satellite data from the polar-orbiting Landsat-8 (launched 2013), Sentinel-2A (launched 2015) and Sentinel-2B (launched 2017) sensors were acquired over the cane growing region in Bundaberg (area of 32,983 ha), from the growing season starting in July 2014, with the average green normalised difference vegetation index (GNDVI) derived for each block. The number of images acquired for each season was defined by the number of cloud free acquisitions. Using the Simple Linear Machine Learning (ML) algorithm, the extracted Landsat derived GNDVI values for each of the blocks were converted to Sentinel GNDVI. The average GNDVI of each ‘bin’ was plotted and a quadratic model was fitted through the time series to identify the peak growth stage defined as the maximum GNDVI value. The model derived maximum GNDVI values for each of the bins were then regressed against the average actual yield (t·ha-1) achieved for the respective bin over the five growing years, producing strong correlations (R2 = 0.92 to 0.99). The quadratic curves developed for the different bins were shifted according to the specific planting or ratoon date of an individual block allowing for the peak GNDVI value of the block to be calculated, regressed against the actual block yield (t·ha-1) and the prediction of yield to be made. To validate the accuracies of the 10 time series algorithms representing each of the 10 bins, 592 individual blocks were selected from the Bundaberg region during the 2019 harvest season. The crops were clustered into the appropriate bins with the respective algorithm applied. From a Sentinel image acquired on the 5 May 2019, the prediction accuracies were encouraging (R2 = 0.87 and RMSE = 11.33 (t·ha-1)) when compared to actual harvested yield, as reported by the mill. The results presented in this paper demonstrate significant progress in the accurate prediction of sugarcane yield at the individual sugarcane block level using a remote sensing, time-series based approach.
Contactless Real-Time Heartbeat Detection via 24 GHz Continuous-Wave Doppler Radar Using Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Malešević Nebojša , Petrović Vladimir , Belić Minja , Antfolk Christian , Mihajlović Veljko , Janković Milica
Published: April 2020

The measurement of human vital signs is a highly important task in a variety of environments and applications. Most notably, the electrocardiogram (ECG) is a versatile signal that could indicate various physical and psychological conditions, from signs of life to complex mental states. The measurement of the ECG relies on electrodes attached to the skin to acquire the electrical activity of the heart, which imposes certain limitations. Recently, due to the advancement of wireless technology, it has become possible to pick up heart activity in a contactless manner. Among the possible ways to wirelessly obtain information related to heart activity, methods based on mm-wave radars proved to be the most accurate in detecting the small mechanical oscillations of the human chest resulting from heartbeats. In this paper, we presented a method based on a continuous-wave Doppler radar coupled with an artificial neural network (ANN) to detect heartbeats as individual events. To keep the method computationally simple, the ANN took the raw radar signal as input, while the output was minimally processed, ensuring low latency operation (<1 s). The performance of the proposed method was evaluated with respect to an ECG reference (“ground truth”) in an experiment involving 21 healthy volunteers, who were sitting on a cushioned seat and were refrained from making excessive body movements. The results indicated that the presented approach is viable for the fast detection of individual heartbeats without heavy signal preprocessing.
Quantitative Analysis of EEG Power Spectrum and EMG Median Power Frequency Changes after Continuous Passive Motion Mirror Therapy System
Authors: Park Taewoong , Lee Mina , Jeong Taejong , Shin Yong-Il , Park Sung-Min
Published: April 2020

Robotic mirror therapy (MT), which allows movement of the affected limb, is proposed as a more effective method than conventional MT (CMT). To improve the rehabilitation effectiveness of post-stroke patients, we developed a sensory stimulation-based continuous passive motion (CPM)-MT system with two different operating protocols, that is, asynchronous and synchronous modes. To evaluate their effectiveness, we measured brain activation through relative and absolute power spectral density (PSD) changes of electroencephalogram (EEG) mu rhythm in three cases with CMT and CPM-MT with asynchronous and synchronous modes. We also monitored changes in muscle fatigue, which is one of the negative effects of the CPM device, based on median power frequency (MPF) and root mean square (RMS). Relative PSD was most suppressed when subjects used the CPM-MT system under synchronous control: 22.11%, 15.31%, and 16.48% on Cz, C3, and C4, respectively. The absolute average changes in MPF and RMS were 1.59% and 9.78%, respectively, with CPM-MT. Synchronous mode CPM-MT is the most effective method for brain activation, and muscle fatigue caused by the CPM-MT system was negligible. This study suggests the more effective combination rehabilitation system for MT by utilizing CPM and magnetic-based MT task to add action execution and sensory stimulation compared with CMT.
A Critical Evaluation of Vibrational Stark Effect (VSE) Probes with the Local Vibrational Mode Theory
Authors: Verma Niraj , Tao Yunwen , Zou Wenli , Chen Xia , Chen Xin , Freindorf Marek , Kraka Elfi
Published: April 2020

Over the past two decades, the vibrational Stark effect has become an important tool to measure and analyze the in situ electric field strength in various chemical environments with infrared spectroscopy. The underlying assumption of this effect is that the normal stretching mode of a target bond such as CO or CN of a reporter molecule (termed vibrational Stark effect probe) is localized and free from mass-coupling from other internal coordinates, so that its frequency shift directly reflects the influence of the vicinal electric field. However, the validity of this essential assumption has never been assessed. Given the fact that normal modes are generally delocalized because of mass-coupling, this analysis was overdue. Therefore, we carried out a comprehensive evaluation of 68 vibrational Stark effect probes and candidates to quantify the degree to which their target normal vibration of probe bond stretching is decoupled from local vibrations driven by other internal coordinates. The unique tool we used is the local mode analysis originally introduced by Konkoli and Cremer, in particular the decomposition of normal modes into local mode contributions. Based on our results, we recommend 31 polyatomic molecules with localized target bonds as ideal vibrational Stark effect probe candidates.
Reinforcement Learning for Energy Optimization with 5G Communications in Vehicular Social Networks
Authors: Park Hyebin , Lim Yujin
Published: April 2020

Increased data traffic resulting from the increase in the deployment of connected vehicles has become relevant in vehicular social networks (VSNs). To provide efficient communication between connected vehicles, researchers have studied device-to-device (D2D) communication. D2D communication not only reduces the energy consumption and loads of the system but also increases the system capacity by reusing cellular resources. However, D2D communication is highly affected by interference and therefore requires interference-management techniques, such as mode selection and power control. To make an optimal mode selection and power control, it is necessary to apply reinforcement learning that considers a variety of factors. In this paper, we propose a reinforcement-learning technique for energy optimization with fifth-generation communication in VSNs. To achieve energy optimization, we use centralized Q-learning in the system and distributed Q-learning in the vehicles. The proposed algorithm learns to maximize the energy efficiency of the system by adjusting the minimum signal-to-interference plus noise ratio to guarantee the outage probability. Simulations were performed to compare the performance of the proposed algorithm with that of the existing mode-selection and power-control algorithms. The proposed algorithm performed the best in terms of system energy efficiency and achievable data rate.
Understanding the What, Why, and How of Becoming a Smart City: Experiences from Kakinada and Kanpur
Authors: Gupta Khushboo , Hall Ralph P.
Published: April 2020

Rapid urbanization can result in challenges, such as overcrowding, congestion, and a lack of urban services. To address these challenges, an increasing number of communities are exploring the concept of a smart city (SC). Although rapid urbanization is a problem for cities around the world, its consequences can be severe for those located in developing nations. While previous studies have focused on SCs that were built from the ground up, there is a critical need for studies that focus on how to advance SC initiatives in developing regions faced with limited land and resources. This study identified two proposed SCs in India—Kakinada and Kanpur—which are currently implementing SC projects to explore their SC transformation. This case study aims to explore how “smartness” is understood in these cities and examines the local conditions shaping SC objectives by studying the existing issues in the cities, the proposed projects, and the perception of SC experts on a) what they understand by “smartness”; b) why cities want to become smart; and c) how they will become smart. The study findings indicate that although the high-level goals of the proposed SCs in India are similar to those of existing SCs in developed nations, the underlying objectives and strategies vary and are shaped by the urbanization challenges facing the Indian cities. This research also highlights the key questions a SC planning effort should address, especially in a developing nation context.
‘Sis Science’ and Fitness Doping: Ethnopharmacology, Gender and Risk
Authors: Sverkersson Ellen , Andreasson Jesper , Johansson Thomas
Published: April 2020

This article is part of a larger investigation looking into recent changes in the demographics of fitness doping and the possible consequences of such changes. Contesting the historical alliance between masculinity and fitness doping, the article focuses on women’s narratives and experiences of fitness doping in a male-dominated open online community called Flashback. The article builds upon a qualitative and netnographic approach to the research. Employing the lens of the potential emergence of a woman-based ethnopharmacological culture, this article investigates the ways in which women talk about and rationalise their use of performance and image enhancing drugs (PEIDs), their potency and potential gendered side-effects. The results show that although fitness doping can be largely understood in terms of hegemonic patterns, women have gained ground in the context of online fitness doping, heralding a changing doping demography and a movement towards a ‘sis science’ ethnopharmacology. Although critiqued by men, the context enables women to freely discuss harm reduction, risks and the potential potencies of various drugs, and to share knowledge that is relevant to female biology and discuss their own experiences, an activity that also makes visible the negotiation of new gender positions.
Structural Equation Models on the Satisfaction and Motivation for Retirement of Spanish University Professors
Authors: Romero Tena Rosalía , Mayor Ruiz Cristina , Yot Domínguez Carmen , Chaves Maza Manuel
Published: April 2020

Research on the motives behind a university professor’s decision to retire is scarce. In the present work, we have tried to define and delimit the aspects of the university professor’s satisfaction that have an influence on their motivation to retire. Nine hundred and one Spanish university professors answered the Inventory “Questionnaire for Active, Retired and Emeritus University Professors.” In the analysis, three structural equations were estimated. The overall sample, as well as the professional status subsamples—active or not active—were taken into account. Significant differences were found according to the work status. Three dimensions explained the satisfaction: economic, professional, and relational. The satisfaction of the professors in each of them had an influence on their decision to retire. Work conditions created by the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and work conditions due to the educational and/or university laws determined the economic satisfaction to a greater degree. The possibilities of being part of professional networks or teams, and of publishing and disseminating knowledge, have a considerable impact on professional satisfaction. Relational satisfaction was notable for predicting the motivation to retire. Relationships with colleagues had an effect on the relational satisfaction. Policies for improving the satisfaction of the university professors could help delay the exit of talented professors, who are part of the human capital of the universities.
Coming-of-Age Characterization of Soil Viruses: A User’s Guide to Virus Isolation, Detection within Metagenomes, and Viromics
Authors: Trubl Gareth , Hyman Paul , Roux Simon , Abedon Stephen T.
Published: April 2020

The study of soil viruses, though not new, has languished relative to the study of marine viruses. This is particularly due to challenges associated with separating virions from harboring soils. Generally, three approaches to analyzing soil viruses have been employed: (1) Isolation, to characterize virus genotypes and phenotypes, the primary method used prior to the start of the 21st century. (2) Metagenomics, which has revealed a vast diversity of viruses while also allowing insights into viral community ecology, although with limitations due to DNA from cellular organisms obscuring viral DNA. (3) Viromics (targeted metagenomics of virus-like-particles), which has provided a more focused development of ‘virus-sequence-to-ecology’ pipelines, a result of separation of presumptive virions from cellular organisms prior to DNA extraction. This separation permits greater sequencing emphasis on virus DNA and thereby more targeted molecular and ecological characterization of viruses. Employing viromics to characterize soil systems presents new challenges, however. Ones that only recently are being addressed. Here we provide a guide to implementing these three approaches to studying environmental viruses, highlighting benefits, difficulties, and potential contamination, all toward fostering greater focus on viruses in the study of soil ecology.
Design of an E-Voucher System for Supporting Social Welfare Using Blockchain Technology
Authors: Hsu Ching-Sheng , Tu Shu-Fen , Huang Zhao-Ji
Published: April 2020

Issuing vouchers is a means of implementing social welfare. There are some security concerns about paper-based vouchers, such as counterfeiting, reproducing, their low operating efficiency and so on. This study explores how to apply blockchain technology and cryptography to build a secure e-voucher system in order to solve various shortcomings of paper vouchers. A feasible application model is proposed that integrates blockchain technology in the context of vouchers to support the field of social welfare. In this study, we conducted an analysis to prove that the security requirements of the e-voucher system are met when applying this model. Subsequently, we used the Hyperledger Fabric blockchain platform and Kafka ordering services to implement the campus welfare meal voucher system. A large number of experimental data were obtained to show that the system has a satisfactory performance. In the conclusion section, we discussed the theoretical and management implications of this study, and how this study meets UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The Weapon of the Weak: An Analysis of RDEU Game in the Conflict of Farmland Expropriation under the Influence of Emotion
Authors: Hong Kairong , Zou Yucheng , Zhang Yanwei , Duan Kaifeng
Published: April 2020

During land expropriation, it is difficult to form a real antagonistic relationship between farmers and the local Government due to disparities, which means the confrontations between them are difficult to administer. The confrontation between both parties could lead to the distortion of the farmers’ resisting logic, who are supposed to be in a vulnerable position. Hence, the farmers are not necessarily in a weak position; sometimes, they even have advantages compared with the local governments. Through the combination of Quiggin’s rank-based expected utility theory and evolutionary game theory, this paper constructs a conflict-induced game mechanism Rank-Dependent Expected Utility Theory (RDEU) evolutionary game model and discusses the evolution law of strategic behavior of land-expropriated farmers and local governments under the influence of emotion. The software simulation results show that when the farmers at the weak side think that the probability of the government adopting the strong strategy is higher than a certain cut-off point, the farmers will use the weapon of the weak to release the signal that endangers the order and force the government to adopt a compromise strategy by utilizing authoritative preference for stability. Through the interaction of heterogeneous beliefs between farmers and the government, the game of land expropriation will form an evolutionary stable equilibrium.
Who Risks and Wins?—Simulated Cost Variance in Sustainable Construction Projects
Authors: Górecki Jarosław , Díaz-Madroñero Manuel
Published: April 2020

More and more construction projects are closed before they ever start. Among the most significant reasons for project failures is cost risk. Construction companies have many problems with reliable cost management. Rising demands of the key market players insist on making construction projects more sustainable according to the simultaneous improvement of the economic, environmental and social responsiveness dimensions. In order to investigate these problems, a four-phase research methodology has been followed consisting of: (1) literature review to identify research trends and gaps, (2) survey to construction experts to detect their subjective perspectives about risk costs and analyse the corresponding costs structure for the investment in sustainable projects, (3) simulations based on Monte Carlo simulation with an author’s methodology for calculating the cost risk with an additional statistical analysis, (4) ending questionnaire to obtain the final feedback from the experts and the validation of obtained results. A contribution to the development of knowledge about cost risk is the observation that the changing probability distributions of individual cost-generating components may include both economic as well as technological and organizational aspects. Thus, with the proposed approach, often complex, global challenges of sustainable construction projects can be tackled in an accessible way.
U.S. State-level Projections of the Spatial Distribution of Population Consistent with Shared Socioeconomic Pathways
Authors: Zoraghein Hamidreza , O’Neill Brian C.
Published: April 2020

Spatial population distribution is an important determinant of both drivers of regional environmental change and exposure and vulnerability to it. Spatial projections of population must account for changes in aggregate population, urbanization, and spatial patterns of development, while accounting for uncertainty in each. While an increasing number of projections exist, those carried out at relatively high resolution that account for subnational heterogeneity and can be tailored to represent alternative scenarios of future development are rare. We draw on state-level population projections for the US and a gravity-style spatial downscaling model to design and produce new spatial projections for the U.S. at 1 km resolution consistent with a subset of the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs), scenarios of societal change widely used in integrated analyses of global and regional change. We find that the projections successfully capture intended alternative development patterns described in the SSPs, from sprawl to concentrated development and mixed outcomes. Our projected spatial patterns differ more strongly across scenarios than in existing projections, capturing a wider range of the relevant uncertainty introduced by the distinct scenarios. These projections provide an improved basis for integrated environmental analysis that considers uncertainty in demographic outcomes.
Bus Rapid Transit System: A Study of Sustainable Land-Use Transformation, Urban Density and Economic Impacts
Authors: Basheer Muhammad Aamir , Boelens Luuk , Bijl Rob van der
Published: April 2020

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has shown significant growth in recent years, particularly in developing countries because of its cost-effectiveness. However, empirical evidence on land-use and economic impacts of BRT is limited. This study measures the sustainable land-use transformation, urban density, and economic impact witnessed after the development of BRT. Spatial analysis shows that BRT has the potential to simulate land-use transformation, however, the extent of transformation is context-dependent. Population density has increased from 268 persons/acre to 299 persons/acre. Besides land-use transformations, inward investments and extension of the labor market were also evident in areas served by BRT. The amount almost equal to US $140 million of inward investment was detected after implementation of BRT, which ultimately brought around 800 new employees from remote areas. An efficient land-use policy, streamlining these land-use transformations, and inward investments, can benefit from developing compact and sustainable neighborhoods. This study will help in the performance evaluation of BRT systems in developing countries for sustainable development.
Quantifying Ecological Well-Being Loss under Rural–Urban Land Conversion: A Study from Choice Experiments in China
Authors: Han Manman , Song Min
Published: April 2020

Rural–urban land conversion has led to the degradation of agricultural system ecological services, and therefore human ecological well-being. There is a need to transform the non-marketed value of ecosystem services provision into a monetary loss of ecological well-being in rural–urban land conversion, which could serve as a basis for ecological compensation. In this paper, a choice experiment method is adopted to investigate the willingness-to-pay (WTP) of rural and urban residents in six cities of three provinces selected from different regions in China. The results reveal that the attributes reflecting the ecological well-being of rural and urban residents are experiencing different degrees of decline. Two attributes, health and security, show the most obvious decline among all ecological well-being attributes for urban residents. In view of stakeholders, rural residents are facing a greater decline in ecological well-being than urban residents, which is mainly driven by their different linkages and interactions with the agro-ecosystem. In terms of regional comparisons, residents in the central region (Hubei Province) of China are subject to the sharpest decline in ecological well-being, followed by those living in the western region (Guizhou Province) and the eastern region (Guangdong Province). These differences are basically determined by their land resource conditions and socioeconomic circumstances. This paper argues that it is pressing to establish an ecological compensation mechanism to regulate rural–urban land conversion and maintain human ecological well-being.
The Socio-Political Construction of Climate Change: Looking for Paths to Sustainability and Gender Justice
Authors: Fosado Centeno Ericka
Published: April 2020

With the purpose of getting to know the cultural and socio-political mechanisms that shape the climate agenda, this study follows a discourse analysis method and a gender perspective, for which an analytical basis is proposed to identify the cognitive, normative, and symbolic components that give meaning and substance to climate policy. Examining the productions of international organizations responsible for generating climate policy, a corpus consisting of 47 documents (reports, communications, programs, and legal framework) was analyzed, spanning from 1994 to 2015, to identify the trend of climate agenda prior to the Paris Agreement. The results indicate that the terms in which climate change is placed as a public issue contribute to reproducing a social order based on an anthropocentric, utilitarian, virtualized, and mercantilist vision of socio-environmental relations. Control mechanisms of peripheral countries and groups whose rights have been breached by discriminatory practices can emerge in this process, with women being especially affected. Based on empirical findings that follow the first two decades of climate policy, the logic underlying the climate discourse is shown, and the challenges it poses to reach more fair and sustainable agreements are discussed. Finally, some proposals are outlined to help guide the climate agenda in that direction.
Blockchain Based Sustainable Local Energy Trading Considering Home Energy Management and Demurrage Mechanism
Authors: Yahaya Adamu Sani , Javaid Nadeem , Alzahrani Fahad A. , Rehman Amjad , Ullah Ibrar , Shahid Affaf , Shafiq Muhammad
Published: April 2020

With the increase in local energy generation from Renewable Energy Sources (RESs), the concept of decentralized peer-to-peer Local Energy Market (LEM) is becoming popular. In this paper, a blockchain-based LEM is investigated, where consumers and prosumers in a small community trade energy without the need for a third party. In the proposed model, a Home Energy Management (HEM) system and demurrage mechanism are introduced, which allow both the prosumers and consumers to optimize their energy consumption and to minimize electricity costs. This method also allows end-users to shift their load to off-peak hours and to use cheap energy from the LEM. The proposed solution shows how energy consumption and electricity cost are optimized using HEM and demurrage mechanism. It also provides economic benefits at both the community and end-user levels and provides sufficient energy to the LEM. The simulation results show that electricity cost is reduced up to 44.73% and 28.55% when the scheduling algorithm is applied using the Critical Peak Price (CPP) and Real-Time Price (RTP) schemes, respectively. Similarly, 65.15% and 35.09% of costs are reduced when CPP and RTP are applied with demurrage mechanism. Moreover, 51.80% and 44.37% electricity costs reduction is observed when CPP and RTP are used with both demurrage and scheduling algorithm. We also carried out security vulnerability analysis to ensure that our energy trading smart contract is secure and bug-free against the common vulnerabilities and attacks.
Environmental Activism and Big Data: Building Green Social Capital in China
Authors: Xu Jing , Zhang Huijun
Published: April 2020

The rapid development of information and communication technologies, coupled with the significant progress in the areas of environmental policy and public participation, has led to the advent of environmental big data in China recently. This article applies social capital theory as an analytical lens to shed light on how Chinese environmental non-government organizations (ENGOs) adopt big data to promote environmental governance. This study conducts case studies focusing on two ENGOs: The Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE) and Green Hunan. Combining a qualitative approach with quantitative analysis, this research examines two big data-induced initiatives: The first involves green supply chain management in the IPE, brand-sensitive multinational corporations (MNCs), and Chinese suppliers of the MNCs, while the second involves the mobile data-based Riverwatcher Action Network of Green Hunan and numerous volunteers nationwide. This study found that big data adoption by ENGOs contributes effectively to building green social capital, including social networks and pro-environmental social norms. Green social capital has important implications for governance in terms of fostering coordination and cooperation across the boundaries of the public, private, and voluntary sectors. This study highlighted the finding that empowerment by big data helps Chinese ENGOs play the role of a change agent in sustainability transitions.
New Forms of Land Grabbing Due to the Bioeconomy: The Case of Brazil
Authors: Cudlínová Eva , Giacomelli Sobrinho Valny , Lapka Miloslav , Salvati Luca
Published: April 2020

The present study discusses new forms of land grabbing related to biofuel production in the light of bioeconomic development. With a specific focus on Brazil, this article debates whether biofuel production is associated with (i) an expansion of agricultural land use—regarded as a process of unsustainable crop intensification or (ii) an increase in crop yield, driven by technical innovation with stable land use—intended as a form of sustainable intensification. We conclude that, in the case of Brazil, the current bioeconomy cannot be assumed to be environmentally sustainable. Starting from Brazil’s experience, the (apparent and latent) relationship between bioeconomy and land grabbing requires a refined investigation in both wealthier and emerging economies, with the aim of proposing effective strategies to achieve truly sustainable development in the primary sector.
A Filter and Nonmonotone Adaptive Trust Region Line Search Method for Unconstrained Optimization
Authors: Qu Quan , Ding Xianfeng , Wang Xinyi
Published: April 2020

In this paper, a new nonmonotone adaptive trust region algorithm is proposed for unconstrained optimization by combining a multidimensional filter and the Goldstein-type line search technique. A modified trust region ratio is presented which results in more reasonable consistency between the accurate model and the approximate model. When a trial step is rejected, we use a multidimensional filter to increase the likelihood that the trial step is accepted. If the trial step is still not successful with the filter, a nonmonotone Goldstein-type line search is used in the direction of the rejected trial step. The approximation of the Hessian matrix is updated by the modified Quasi-Newton formula (CBFGS). Under appropriate conditions, the proposed algorithm is globally convergent and superlinearly convergent. The new algorithm shows better performance in terms of the Dolan–Moré performance profile. Numerical results demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed algorithm for solving unconstrained optimization problems.
A Mini Review on Microcystins and Bacterial Degradation
Authors: Massey Isaac Yaw , Yang Fei
Published: April 2020

Microcystins (MCs) classified as hepatotoxic and carcinogenic are the most commonly reported cyanobacterial toxins found in the environment. Microcystis sp. possessing a series of MC synthesis genes (mcyA-mcyJ) are well documented for their excessive abundance, numerous bloom occurrences and MC producing capacity. About 246 variants of MC which exert severe animal and human health hazards through the inhibition of protein phosphatases (PP1 and PP2A) have been characterized. To minimize and prevent MC health consequences, the World Health Organization proposed 1 µg/L MC guidelines for safe drinking water quality. Further the utilization of bacteria that represent a promising biological treatment approach to degrade and remove MC from water bodies without harming the environment has gained global attention. Thus the present review described toxic effects and bacterial degradation of MCs.
Antibody Response to the Furin Cleavable Twenty-Seven Amino Acid Peptide (p27) of the Fusion Protein in Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infected Adult Hematopoietic Cell Transplant (HCT) Recipients
Authors: Ye Xunyan , Cabral de Rezende Wanderson , Iwuchukwu Obinna Patrick , Avadhanula Vasanthi , Ferlic-Stark Laura L. , Patel Kirtida D. , Piedra Felipe-Andres , Shah Dimpy P. , Chemaly Roy F. , Piedra Pedro A.
Published: April 2020

Background: Cleavage of the inactive precursor fusion protein (F0) of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) at two furin-recognition sites is required for membrane fusion activity, and the cleavage releases the twenty-seven amino acid peptide (p27). However, a recent study shows that p27 was an immunodominant epitope in RSV infected children, indicating that p27 was recognized as an immunogen. In the present study, we investigated the immunogenicity of p27 in an immunocompromised population of adults by measuring serum and mucosal antibody responses to p27 in samples from adult hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients. Methods: We prospectively enrolled a cohort of RSV infected HCT recipients. Serum and nasal-wash samples were obtained within the first week of RSV infection (acute) and 3 to 5 weeks post-infection (convalescent). We quantified the serum and mucosal IgG and IgA anti-p27 antibodies by a RSV/A p27 peptide enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and serum and mucosal p27 like antibodies (P27LA) by a p27 competitive antibody (P27CA) assay. Results: The lower limit of detection for the ELISA and P27CA assays was 0.2 and 50 ng/mL, respectively with no cross-reaction detected with a panel of monoclonal antibodies targeting pre-fusion and post-fusion antigenic sites. P27 antibodies were detected at nanogram concentration in sera and nasal washes in the majority of RSV infected HCT recipients. However, there was no significant difference in the geometric mean antibody concentrations between the acute and convalescent sera (except for serum P27LA), between HCT recipients who shed RSV <14 days and ≥14 days, as well as between RSV/A and RSV/B infected HCT recipients. In addition, approximately 30% of HCT recipients had a 4-fold or greater decrease in mucosal IgG and IgA anti-p27 antibodies during viral clearance. Conclusion: In conclusion, in RSV naturally infected adult HCT recipients, the antibodies against p27 were detectable in both serum and nasal wash samples with higher concentration in serum than that in nasal washes. However, nearly 30% of RSV infected HCT recipients had a significant decrease in their mucosal anti-p27 antibody, suggesting that IgG and IgA anti-p27 antibodies were binding to either free viruses or RSV infected cells containing p27, and that anti-p27 antibodies in the respiratory tract were part of the mucosal antibody response in controlling RSV infection.
Atypical Multibacterial Granulomatous Myositis in a Horse: First Report in Italy
Authors: Rifici Claudia , Attili Anna-Rita , De Biase Davide , Gonçalves dos Santos Roselane , Seyffert Núbia , De Paula Castro Thiago Luiz , Pereira Figueiredo Henrique Cesar , Scaramozzino Carmelo , Reale Stefano , Paciello Orlando , Cuteri Vincenzo , Spier Sharon Jane , Azevedo Vasco , Mazzullo Giuseppe
Published: April 2020

Infectious causes of myositis are reported relatively uncommonly in horses. Among them, bacterial causes include Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus, Actinobacillus equuli, Fusobacterium spp. Staphylococcus spp, and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. Infection can be spread to muscles via haematogenous or extension from skin lesions. Parasitic myositis has also been documented. In this report, a 12 year-old Italian Quarter Horse mare presented with diffuse subcutaneous nodules and masses ranging from 2 × 3 to 5 × 20 cm in size, and adherent to subcutis and muscles that were first macroscopically and cytologically diagnosed as pyogranulomas. Subsequently, histological, molecular, bacteriological, and biochemical investigations were performed. All the data obtained allowed to diagnose a severe and diffuse multibacterial granulomatous myositis caused by Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis and Corynebacterium amycolatum. Following the therapy and an initial disappearance of most of the lesions together with a general improvement of the mare, the clinical condition deteriorated, and new nodules appeared. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) and PCR techniques revealed the presence of bacteria as Glutamicibacter creatinolyticus and Dietzia spp. To the authors’ knowledge, this case report represents the first description of multibacterial granulomatous myositis due to Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, Corynebacterium amycolatum, Glutamicibacter creatinolyticus, and Dietzia spp. in a horse reared in Italy.