bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
State-of-the-Art Native Mass Spectrometry and Ion Mobility Methods to Monitor Homogeneous Site-Specific Antibody-Drug Conjugates Synthesis
Authors: Deslignière Evolène , Ehkirch Anthony , Duivelshof Bastiaan L. , Toftevall Hanna , Sjögren Jonathan , Guillarme Davy , D’Atri Valentina , Beck Alain , Hernandez-Alba Oscar , Cianférani Sarah
Published: May 2021

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are biotherapeutics consisting of a tumor-targeting monoclonal antibody (mAb) linked covalently to a cytotoxic drug. Early generation ADCs were predominantly obtained through non-selective conjugation methods based on lysine and cysteine residues, resulting in heterogeneous populations with varying drug-to-antibody ratios (DAR). Site-specific conjugation is one of the current challenges in ADC development, allowing for controlled conjugation and production of homogeneous ADCs. We report here the characterization of a site-specific DAR2 ADC generated with the GlyCLICK three-step process, which involves glycan-based enzymatic remodeling and click chemistry, using state-of-the-art native mass spectrometry (nMS) methods. The conjugation process was monitored with size exclusion chromatography coupled to nMS (SEC-nMS), which offered a straightforward identification and quantification of all reaction products, providing a direct snapshot of the ADC homogeneity. Benefits of SEC-nMS were further demonstrated for forced degradation studies, for which fragments generated upon thermal stress were clearly identified, with no deconjugation of the drug linker observed for the T-GlyGLICK-DM1 ADC. Lastly, innovative ion mobility-based collision-induced unfolding (CIU) approaches were used to assess the gas-phase behavior of compounds along the conjugation process, highlighting an increased resistance of the mAb against gas-phase unfolding upon drug conjugation. Altogether, these state-of-the-art nMS methods represent innovative approaches to investigate drug loading and distribution of last generation ADCs, their evolution during the bioconjugation process and their impact on gas-phase stabilities. We envision nMS and CIU methods to improve the conformational characterization of next generation-empowered mAb-derived products such as engineered nanobodies, bispecific ADCs or immunocytokines.
UniPR1331: Small Eph/Ephrin Antagonist Beneficial in Intestinal Inflammation by Interfering with Type-B Signaling
Authors: Giorgio Carmine , Allodi Marika , Palese Simone , Grandi Andrea , Tognolini Massimiliano , Castelli Riccardo , Lodola Alessio , Flammini Lisa , Cantoni Anna Maria , Barocelli Elisabetta , Bertoni Simona
Published: May 2021

Eph receptors, comprising A and B classes, interact with cell-bound ephrins generating bidirectional signaling. Although mainly related to carcinogenesis and organogenesis, the role of Eph/ephrin system in inflammation is growingly acknowledged. Recently, we showed that EphA/ephrin-A proteins can modulate the acute inflammatory responses induced by mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion, while beneficial effects were granted by EphB4, acting as EphB/ephrin-B antagonist, in a murine model of Crohn’s disease (CD). Accordingly, we now aim to evaluate the effects of UniPR1331, a pan-Eph/ephrin antagonist, in TNBS-induced colitis and to ascertain whether UniPR1331 effects can be attributed to A- or B-type signaling interference. The potential anti-inflammatory action of UniPR1331 was compared to those of the recombinant proteins EphA2, a purported EphA/ephrin-A antagonist, and of ephrin-A1-Fc and EphA2-Fc, supposedly activating forward and reverse EphA/ephrin-A signaling, in murine TNBS-induced colitis and in stimulated cultured mononuclear splenocytes. UniPR1331 antagonized the inflammatory responses both in vivo, mimicking EphB4 protection, and in vitro; EphA/ephrin-A proteins were inactive or only weakly effective. Our findings represent a further proof-of-concept that blockade of EphB/ephrin-B signaling is a promising pharmacological strategy for CD management and highlight UniPR1331 as a novel drug candidate, seemingly working through the modulation of immune responses.
Scaling Approaches for Pediatric Dose Selection: The Fremanezumab (AJOVY®) Journey to Select a Phase 3 Dose Using Pharmacokinetic Data from a Phase 1 Study
Authors: Jones Aksana , Cohen-Barak Orit , Radivojevic Andrijana , Fiedler-Kelly Jill
Published: May 2021

Fremanezumab, a fully humanized IgG2Δa/kappa monoclonal antibody, selectively targets the calcitonin-gene-related peptide (CGRP) and prevents it from binding to the CGRP receptor. The safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and efficacy of fremanezumab for treating migraines administered as a once monthly 225 mg dose or a once quarterly 675 mg dose have been well characterized in adults. The fremanezumab exposure and body weight relationship supported the use of the approved 225 mg monthly adult dose for pediatric patients weighing ≥45 kg. In the pediatric Phase 3 program, a 120 mg dose for patients weighing <45 kg was determined using the results of an open-label study and a population PK modeling and simulation strategy. A thorough evaluation was conducted to further characterize the population PK of fremanezumab and assess the predictive performance of the adult population PK model when applied to the Phase 1 pediatric data, the predictive performance of alternative pediatric population PK models, and the predictive performance of the selected pediatric population PK model via a noncompartmental-based approach. This latter comparison to noncompartmental results provided additional evidence that the pediatric population PK model predicts the observed data well and supports the 120 mg monthly dose in patients weighing <45 kg.
Effective Failure Analysis for Packaged Semiconductor Lasers with a Simple Sample Preparation and Home-Made PEM System
Authors: Sun Tianyu , Qiao Lei , Xia Mingjun
Published: May 2021

As the application requirements of semiconductor lasers continue to increase, severe challenges are brought to the reliability of semiconductor lasers. In order to promote the study of laser failure, this paper proposes an effective failure analysis method for packaged semiconductor lasers with a simple sample preparation and home-made photon emission microscopy (PEM) system. The new simple sample preparation process for failure analysis is presented and the necessary polishing fixture is designed so that sample can be obtained without expensive and complex micro-/nano-processing. Two types of home-made PEM experimental systems were established for observing the failure from the front facet and active region of semiconductor lasers. Experimental results showed that, with the proposed sample preparation flow, the home-made PEM experimental system effectively observed the leakage defects from the front facet and dark spot defects (DSDs) in the active region of semiconductor lasers. The method can help researchers and laser manufactures to perform effective failure analysis of packaged semiconductor lasers.
Preparation and Properties of Wet-Spun Microcomposite Filaments from Various CNFs and Alginate
Authors: Park Ji-Soo , Park Chan-Woo , Han Song-Yi , Lee Eun-Ah , Cindradewi Azelia , Kim Jeong-Ki , Kwon Gu-Joong , Seo Young-Ho , Yoo Won-Jae , Gwon Jaegyoung , Lee Seung-Hwan
Published: May 2021

We aimed to improve the mechanical properties of alginate fibers by reinforcing with various cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs). Pure cellulose nanofibril (PCNF), lignocellulose nanofibril (LCNF) obtained via deep eutectic solvent (DES) pretreatment, and TEMPO-oxidized lignocellulose nanofibril (TOLCNF) were employed. Sodium alginate (AL) was mixed with PCNF, LCNF, and TOLCNF with a CNF content of 5–30%. To fabricate microcomposite filaments, the suspensions were wet-spun in calcium chloride (CaCl2) solution through a microfluidic channel. Average diameters of the microcomposite filaments were in the range of 40.2–73.7 μm, which increased with increasing CNF content and spinning rate. The tensile strength and elastic modulus improved as the CNF content increased to 10%, but the addition of 30% CNF deteriorated the tensile properties. The tensile strength and elastic modulus were in the order of LCNF/AL > PCNF/AL > TOLCNF/AL > AL. An increase in the spinning rate improved the tensile properties.
Theoretical and Experimental Investigation of Bonded Patch Repairs of a Rubber Reinforced Composite Conveyor Belt
Authors: Kessentini Rawdha , Klinkova Olga , Tawfiq Imad , Haddar Mohamed
Published: May 2021

The present study proposes a reparation method for designing and optimizing a rubber to rubber and rubber to textile reinforcement. The present application is the conveyor belt used in the transport industry. The tensile behavior of the repaired specimens was studied using experimental results. A bidirectional linear analysis allows us to predict the effect of geometric parameters on the stress concentration zone of the repaired belt under hygro-thermo mechanical loading and its consequence on the integrity of the structure. A tensile test was carried out in order to investigate the behavior of a repaired specimen made with a rubber cover patch and an inner composite patch. Two stacking sequences of an inner composite patch and the material properties are considered in the parametric study in order to reduce the stress concentration in the parent belt. The correlation between the theoretical and experimental results allows us to define a strength tool to understand the load transfer from rubber to a textile rubber patch.
Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Cu2O Cabbage/RGO Nanocomposites under Visible Light Irradiation
Authors: Muthukrishnaraj Appusamy , Al-Zahrani Salma Ahmed , Al Otaibi Ahmed , Kalaivani Semmedu Selvaraj , Manikandan Ayyar , Balasubramanian Natarajan , Bilgrami Anwar L. , Ahamed Mohamed A. Riswan , Khan Anish , Asiri Abdulaah M. , Balasubramanian Natesan
Published: May 2021

Towards the utilization of Cu2O nanomaterial for the degradation of industrial dye pollutants such as methylene blue and methyl orange, the graphene-incorporated Cu2O nanocomposites (GCC) were developed via a precipitation method. Using Hummers method, the grapheme oxide (GO) was initially synthesized. The varying weight percentages (1–4 wt %) of GO was incorporated along with the precipitation of Cu2O catalyst. Various characterization techniques such as Fourier-transform infra-red (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–visible diffused reflectance (UV-DRS), Raman spectroscopy, thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and electro chemical impedance (EIS) were followed for characterization. The cabbage-like morphology of the developed Cu2O and its composites were ascertained from field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). In addition, the growth mechanism was also proposed. The results infer that 2 wt % GO-incorporated Cu2O composites shows the highest value of degradation efficiency (97.9% and 96.1%) for MB and MO at 160 and 220 min, respectively. Further, its catalytic performance over visible region (red shift) was also enhanced to an appreciable extent, when compared with that of other samples.
Non-Covalent Interactions on Polymer-Graphene Nanocomposites and Their Effects on the Electrical Conductivity
Authors: Apátiga Jorge Luis , del Castillo Roxana Mitzayé , del Castillo Luis Felipe , Calles Alipio G. , Espejel-Morales Raúl , Favela José F. , Compañ Vicente
Published: May 2021

It is well known that a small number of graphene nanoparticles embedded in polymers enhance the electrical conductivity; the polymer changes from being an insulator to a conductor. The graphene nanoparticles induce several quantum effects, non-covalent interactions, so the percolation threshold is accelerated. We studied five of the most widely used polymers embedded with graphene nanoparticles: polystyrene, polyethylene-terephthalate, polyether-ketone, polypropylene, and polyurethane. The polymers with aromatic rings are affected mainly by the graphene nanoparticles due to the π-π stacking, and the long-range terms of the dispersion corrections are predominant. The polymers with linear structure have a CH-π stacking, and the short-range terms of the dispersion corrections are the important ones. We used the action radius as a measuring tool to quantify the non-covalent interactions. This action radius was the main parameter used in the Monte-Carlo simulation to obtain the conductivity at room temperature (300 K). The action radius was the key tool to describe how the percolation transition works from the fundamental quantum levels and connect the microscopic study with macroscopic properties. In the Monte-Carlo simulation, it was observed that the non-covalent interactions affect the electronic transmission, inducing a higher mean-free path that promotes the efficiency in the transmission.
Effect of Additives during Interfacial Polymerization Reaction for Fabrication of Organic Solvent Nanofiltration (OSN) Membranes
Authors: Kim Su-Min , Hong Sena , Duy Nguyen Bao-Tran , Nguyen Thi Hai-Yen , Park Sang-Hee , Kim Jeong-F.
Published: May 2021

Thin film composite (TFC) membranes is the dominant type of desalination in the field of membrane technology. Most of the TFC membranes are fabricated via interfacial polymerization (IP) technique. The ingenious chemistry of reacting acyl chlorides with diamines at the interface between two immiscible phases was first suggested by Cadotte back in the 1980s, and is still the main chemistry employed now. Researchers have made incremental improvements by incorporating various organic and inorganic additives. However, most of the TFC membrane literature are focused on improving the water desalination performance. Recently, the application spectrum of membrane technology has been expanding from the aqueous environment to harsh solvent environments, now commonly known as Organic Solvent Nanofiltration (OSN) technology. In this work, some of the main additives widely used in the desalination TFC membranes were applied to OSN TFC membranes. It was found that tributyl phosphate (TBP) can improve the solubility of diamine monomer in the organic phase, and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant can effectively stabilize the IP reaction interface. Employing both TBP and SDS exhibited synergistic effect that improved the membrane permeance and rejection in solvent environments.
Novel Multifunctional Epoxy (Meth)Acrylate Resins and Coatings Preparation via Cationic and Free-Radical Photopolymerization
Authors: Bednarczyk Paulina , Irska Izabela , Gziut Konrad , Ossowicz-Rupniewska Paula
Published: May 2021

In this work, a series of novel multifunctional epoxy (meth)acrylate resins based on a low-viscosity aliphatic triepoxide triglycidyl ether of trimethylolethane (TMETGE) and acrylic acid (AA) or methacrylic acid (MMA) have been synthesized. Thanks to the performed modification, the obtained prepolymers have both epoxides as well as carbon–carbon double bonds and differ in their amount. The obtained results indicate that the carboxyl-epoxide addition esterification occurs in the presence of a catalyst (triphenylphosphine) at a temperature of 90 °C, whilst the required degree of conversion can be achieved simply by varying both the reagents ratio and reaction time. The structure of synthesized copolymers was confirmed by spectroscopic analyses (FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR) and studied regarding its nonvolatile matter content (NV), acid value (PAVs), as well as its epoxy equivalent value (EE). Due to the presence of both epoxy and double carbon–carbon pendant groups, one can apply two distinct mechanisms: (i) cationic ring-opening polymerization or (ii) free-radical polymerization to crosslink polymer chains. Synthesized epoxy (meth)acrylate prepolymers were further employed to formulate photocurable coating compositions. Hence, when cationic photoinitiators were applied, polyether-type polymer chains with pending acrylate or methacrylate groups were formed. In the case of free-radical polymerization, epoxy (meth)acrylates certainly formed a poly(meth)acrylate backbone with pending epoxy groups. Further, photopolymerization behavior and properties of cured coatings were investigated regarding some structural factors and parameters. Moreover, reaction rate coefficients of photo-cross-linking by both cationic ring-opening and free-radical photopolymerization of the received epoxy (meth)acrylate resins were determined via real-time infrared spectroscopy (RT-IR). Lastly, basic physicomechanical properties, such as tack-free time, hardness, adhesion, gloss, and yellowness index of cured coatings, were evaluated.
Synthesis and Properties of Thermotropic Copolyesters Based on Poly(ethylene terephthalate) and 4′-Acetoxy-4-biphenyl-carboxylic Acid
Authors: Mikhaylov Pavel A. , Zuev Kirill V. , Filatova Marina P. , Strelets Boris Kh. , Kulichikhin Valery G.
Published: May 2021

A series of novel copolyesters based on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and 4′-hydroxy-biphenyl-4-carboxylic acid (HBCA) was obtained by melt polycondensation of bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate and 4′-acetoxybiphenyl-4-carboxylic acid (ABCA) as co-monomers with Sb2O3 as a catalyst. Using this synthetic procedure, a set of copolymers containing 20–80 mol% of HBCA units was prepared. According to NMR spectroscopy, the copolymers were of random composition. Copolyesters comprising 60–80 mol% of HBCA possessed increased heat resistance and formed nematic melts at 270 °C and higher. The liquid crystal (LC) phase formation was accompanied by transition to non-Newtonian characteristics of the melt flow, as well as an equalization of storage and loss moduli values. According to XRD and polarizing microscopy, the LC glassy phase of the copolyesters coexists with crystalline regions of poly-(4′-hydroxy-4-biphenylcarboxylate), non-melting up to 400 °C and above. The mechanical characteristics of these LC copolyesters showed similar or better values than those of well-known LC polymers. These novel copolyesters can be useful in obtaining heat-resistant materials with an ordered structure and, as a consequence, improved performance.
Migration Behavior of Lubricants in Polypropylene Composites under Accelerated Thermal Aging
Authors: Bak Mun-Gyu , Won Jong-Sung , Koo Seon-Woong , Oh Arom , Lee Han-Ki , Kim Dae-Sik , Lee Seung-Goo
Published: May 2021

The surface migration of lubricants degrades the quality of thermoplastic polymer composites. In this study, the surface migration of lubricants in polypropylene composites were studied to improve the quality of the composites. Polypropylene (PP)/lubricant composites were manufactured using a co-rotating twin-screw extruder and injection molding, and the migration phenomena of the lubricant in the PP/lubricant composites were investigated under accelerated aging conditions with temperatures in the range of 20 to 90 °C and humidity of 100% for 72 h. The interrelation between the surface migration properties of PP/lubricant composites were investigated by considering their microstructural and morphological features, which were influenced by the thermal aging conditions. Further, the microstructural and morphological features were examined by contact angle, surface energy, attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, close-up digital imaging, and atomic force microscopy analyses. The polypropylene composites containing the magnesium stearate as the lubricant were found to exhibit a more stable migration behavior than the polypropylene composites containing a calcium stearate lubricant. This is attributed to multiple synergistic factors, such as interfacial tension and work of adhesion between PP and the lubricant. The findings of this study can be utilized to effectively manufacture high-quality thermoplastic composites for the fourth industrial revolution.
Properties Enhancement of High Molecular Weight Polylactide Using Stereocomplex Polylactide as a Nucleating Agent
Authors: Purnama Purba , Samsuri Muhammad , Iswaldi Ihsan
Published: May 2021

As one of the most attractive biopolymers nowadays in terms of their sustainability, degradability, and material tune-ability, the improvement of polylactide (PLA) homopolymer properties by studying the utilization of stereocomplex polylactide (s-PLA) effectively and efficiently is needed. In this sense, we have studied the utilization of s-PLA compared to poly D-lactide (PDLA) homopolymers as a nucleating agent for PLA homopolymers. The mechanical and thermal properties and crystallization behavior of PLA homopolymers in the presence of nucleating agents have been evaluated using a universal testing machine, differential scanning calorimeter, and X-ray diffractometer instruments, respectively. PDLA and s-PLA materials can be used to increase the thermal and mechanical properties of poly L-lactide (PLLA) homopolymers. The s-PLA materials increased the mechanical properties by increasing crystallinity of the PLLA homopolymers. PLLA/s-PLA enhanced mechanical properties to a certain level (5% s-PLA content), then decreased them due to higher s-PLA materials affecting the brittleness of the blends. PDLA homopolymers increased mechanical properties by forming stereocomplex PLA with PLLA homopolymers. Non-isothermal and isothermal evaluation showed that s-PLA materials were more effective at enhancing PLLA homopolymer properties through nucleating agent mechanism.
Self-Assembly Preparation of Nano-Lignin/Cationic Polyacrylamide Complexes
Authors: Tian Guoyu , Zhong Xiuhong , Wu Xuehai , Wang Zhaojiang
Published: May 2021

The present work describes the preparation of nano-lignin particles from calcium lignosulfonate (CL). The nano-lignin was fabricated from colloidal lignin–polyacrylamide complexes via self-assembly. The sizes of the nano-lignin particles were examined by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that the average particle size of the prepared nano-lignin was approximately 100 nm. In addition, the obtained nano-lignin exhibited enhanced fluorescence intensity when compared with the original lignin, which might represent a potential application of this nano-particle product.
Stability of a Viscous Liquid Jet in a Coaxial Twisting Compressible Airflow
Authors: Guo Li-Mei , Lü Ming , Ning Zhi
Published: May 2021

Based on the linear stability analysis, a mathematical model for the stability of a viscous liquid jet in a coaxial twisting compressible airflow has been developed. It takes into account the twist and compressibility of the surrounding airflow, the viscosity of the liquid jet, and the cavitation bubbles within the liquid jet. Then, the effects of aerodynamics caused by the gas–liquid velocity difference on the jet stability are analyzed. The results show that under the airflow ejecting effect, the jet instability decreases first and then increases with the increase of the airflow axial velocity. When the gas–liquid velocity ratio A = 1, the jet is the most stable. When the gas–liquid velocity ratio A > 2, this is meaningful for the jet breakup compared with A = 0 (no air axial velocity). When the surrounding airflow swirls, the airflow rotation strength E will change the jet dominant mode. E has a stabilizing effect on the liquid jet under the axisymmetric mode, while E is conducive to jet instability under the asymmetry mode. The maximum disturbance growth rate of the liquid jet also decreases first and then increases with the increase of E. The liquid jet is the most stable when E = 0.65, and the jet starts to become more easier to breakup when E = 0.8425 compared with E = 0 (no swirling air). When the surrounding airflow twists (air moves in both axial and circumferential directions), given the axial velocity to change the circumferential velocity of the surrounding airflow, it is not conducive to the jet breakup, regardless of the axisymmetric disturbance or asymmetry disturbance.
New Analytical Method for Determination of Phthalates in Wastewater by on Line LC-GC-MS Using the TOTAD Interface and Fraction Collector
Authors: Espinosa Francisco J. , Toledano Rosa M. , Andini Juan C. , Cortés Jose M. , Vázquez Ana M.
Published: May 2021

There is an increasing demand for automatic, reliable and sensitive analytical methods for determining trace levels of phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in environmental samples. While on line coupled liquid chromatography-gas chromatography (LC-GC) has been proof to be a powerful tool for trace-level analyses in complex matrices, the present work presents a new totally automated on line LC-GC method, using the Through Oven Transfer Adsorption Desorption (TOTAD) interface, for the analysis of four of the main phthalates, dibuthyl phthalate (DBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), dimethyl phthalate (DMP) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), in a matrix as complex as leachate. The sample is directly injected into the LC injector valve with no sample pretreatment other than simple filtration. The LC step separates the target analytes from matrix interference. Two different LC fractions are collected in a purposely designed fraction collector and then transferred to the TOTAD interface, which concentrates the analytes, totally eliminates the solvent and transfers the analytes to the GC-MS system, where the analysis is carried out. The LOD of the method varied from 0.1 µg/L (DEHP) to 1.4 µg/L (DMP), RSD for retention time below 0.14% and for absolute peak areas below 12% and linearity from 1 µg/L to 1000 µg/L (R2 > 0.99), except in the case of DEHP (linearity from 1 to 250 µg/L, R2 = 0.94). The method was applied to the analysis of the target analytes in samples collected from a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill in Rosario (Argentina).
Research on Critical Liquid-Carrying Model in Wellbore and Laboratory Experimental Verification
Authors: Ke Wenqi , Hou Lintong , Wang Lisong , Niu Jun , Xu Jingyu
Published: May 2021

Liquid loading in gas wells may slash production rates, shorten production life, or even stop production. In order to reveal the mechanism of liquid loading in gas wells and predict its critical flowrates, theoretical research and laboratory experiments were conducted in this work. A new model of liquid-film reversal was established based on Newton’s law of internal friction and gas–liquid two-phase force balance, with the critical reverse point obtained using the minimum gas–liquid interface shear force method. In this model, the influences of the pipe angle on the liquid film thickness were considered, and the friction coefficient of the gas–liquid interface was refined based on the experimental data. The results showed that the interfacial shear force increases by increasing the liquid superficial velocity, which leads first to an increase of the critical liquid-carrying gas velocity and then to a decrease, and the critical production also decreases. With 0° as the vertical position of the pipeline and an increase of the inclination angle, the critical liquid-carrying velocity first increases and then decreases, and the maximum liquid-carrying velocity appears in the range of 30–40°. In addition, the critical liquid-carrying gas velocity is positively correlated with the pipe diameter. Compared with the previous model, the model in this work performed better considering its prediction discrepancy with experiment data was less than 10%, which shows that the model can be used to calculate the critical liquid-carrying flow rate of gas wells. The outcome of this work provides better understanding of the liquid-loading mechanism. Furthermore, the prediction model proposed can provide guidance in field design to prevent liquid loading.
Assessment of Close-Range Remote Sensing Methods for DTM Estimation in a Lowland Deciduous Forest
Authors: Jurjević Luka , Gašparović Mateo , Liang Xinlian , Balenović Ivan
Published: May 2021

Digital terrain models (DTMs) are important for a variety of applications in geosciences as a valuable information source in forest management planning, forest inventory, hydrology, etc. Despite their value, a DTM in a forest area is typically lower quality due to inaccessibility and limited data sources that can be used in the forest environment. In this paper, we assessed the accuracy of close-range remote sensing techniques for DTM data collection. In total, four data sources were examined, i.e., handheld personal laser scanning (PLShh, GeoSLAM Horizon), terrestrial laser scanning (TLS, FARO S70), unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry (UAVimage), and UAV laser scanning (ULS, LS Nano M8). Data were collected within six sample plots located in a lowland pedunculate oak forest. The reference data were of the highest quality available, i.e., total station measurements. After normality and outliers testing, both robust and non-robust statistics were calculated for all close-range remote sensing data sources. The results indicate that close-range remote sensing techniques are capable of achieving higher accuracy (root mean square error < 15 cm; normalized median absolute deviation < 10 cm) than airborne laser scanning (ALS) and digital aerial photogrammetry (DAP) data that are generally understood to be the best data sources for DTM on a large scale.
LabelRS: An Automated Toolbox to Make Deep Learning Samples from Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Li Junjie , Meng Lingkui , Yang Beibei , Tao Chongxin , Li Linyi , Zhang Wen
Published: May 2021

Deep learning technology has achieved great success in the field of remote sensing processing. However, the lack of tools for making deep learning samples with remote sensing images is a problem, so researchers have to rely on a small amount of existing public data sets that may influence the learning effect. Therefore, we developed an add-in (LabelRS) based on ArcGIS to help researchers make their own deep learning samples in a simple way. In this work, we proposed a feature merging strategy that enables LabelRS to automatically adapt to both sparsely distributed and densely distributed scenarios. LabelRS solves the problem of size diversity of the targets in remote sensing images through sliding windows. We have designed and built in multiple band stretching, image resampling, and gray level transformation algorithms for LabelRS to deal with the high spectral remote sensing images. In addition, the attached geographic information helps to achieve seamless conversion between natural samples, and geographic samples. To evaluate the reliability of LabelRS, we used its three sub-tools to make semantic segmentation, object detection and image classification samples, respectively. The experimental results show that LabelRS can produce deep learning samples with remote sensing images automatically and efficiently.
Lightning Detection and Imaging Based on VHF Radar Interferometry
Authors: Yin Wenjie , Jin Weizheng , Zhou Chen , Liu Yi , Tang Qiong , Liu Moran , Chen Guanyi , Zhao Zhengyu
Published: May 2021

In this study, detection and three-dimensional (3D) imaging of lightning plasma channels are presented using radar interferometry. Experiments were carried out in Leshan, China with a 48.2 MHz VHF radar configured with an interferometric antenna array. The typical characteristics of lightning echoes are studied in the form of amplitude, phase, and doppler spectra derived from the raw in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) data. In addition, the 3D structure of lightning channels is reconstructed using the interferometry technique. The localization results of lightning are verified with the locating results of lightning detection networks operating at VLF ranges, which indicate the feasibility of using VHF radar for lightning mapping. The interpretation of the observational results is complicated by the dendric structure of lightning channel and the overlap between passive electromagnetic radiations and return echoes. Nevertheless, some parts of the characteristics of lightning are still evident. The observational result of return echoes shows good consistency with the overdense assumption of lightning channels. The transition from the overdense channel to the underdense channel in the form of amplitude and phase is clearly observed. This technique is very promising to reveal the typical characteristics of lightning return echoes and structure of lightning propagation processes.
A New Approach to the Quality Control of Slope and Aspect Classes Derived from Digital Elevation Models
Authors: Alba-Fernández M. V. , Ariza-López F. J. , Jiménez-Gamero M. D.
Published: May 2021

The usefulness of the parameters (e.g., slope, aspect) derived from a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is limited by its accuracy. In this paper, a thematic-like quality control (class-based) of aspect and slope classes is proposed. A product can be compared against a reference dataset, which provides the quality requirements to be achieved, by comparing the product proportions of each class with those of the reference set. If a distance between the product proportions and the reference proportions is smaller than a small enough positive tolerance, which is fixed by the user, it will be considered that the degree of similarity between the product and the reference set is acceptable, and hence that its quality meets the requirements. A formal statistical procedure, based on a hypothesis test, is developed and its performance is analyzed using simulated data. It uses the Hellinger distance between the proportions. The application to the slope and aspect is illustrated using data derived from a 2×2 m DEM (reference) and 5×5 m DEM in Allo (province of Navarra, Spain).
Detection of Movement Events of Long-Track Speed Skating Using Wearable Inertial Sensors
Authors: Tomita Yosuke , Iizuka Tomoki , Irisawa Koichi , Imura Shigeyuki
Published: May 2021

Inertial measurement units (IMUs) have been used increasingly to characterize long-track speed skating. We aimed to estimate the accuracy of IMUs for use in phase identification of long-track speed skating. Twelve healthy competitive athletes on a university long-track speed skating team participated in this study. Foot pressure, acceleration and knee joint angle were recorded during a 1000-m speed skating trial using the foot pressure system and IMUs. The foot contact and foot-off timing were identified using three methods (kinetic, acceleration and integrated detection) and the stance time was also calculated. Kinetic detection was used as the gold standard measure. Repeated analysis of variance, intra-class coefficients (ICCs) and Bland-Altman plots were used to estimate the extent of agreement between the detection methods. The stance time computed using the acceleration and integrated detection methods did not differ by more than 3.6% from the gold standard measure. The ICCs ranged between 0.657 and 0.927 for the acceleration detection method and 0.700 and 0.948 for the integrated detection method. The limits of agreement were between 90.1% and 96.1% for the average stance time. Phase identification using acceleration and integrated detection methods is valid for evaluating the kinematic characteristics during long-track speed skating.
Internet of Things for System Integrity: A Comprehensive Survey on Security, Attacks and Countermeasures for Industrial Applications
Authors: Abosata Nasr , Al-Rubaye Saba , Inalhan Gokhan , Emmanouilidis Christos
Published: May 2021

The growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) offers numerous opportunities for developing industrial applications such as smart grids, smart cities, smart manufacturers, etc. By utilising these opportunities, businesses engage in creating the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). IoT is vulnerable to hacks and, therefore, requires various techniques to achieve the level of security required. Furthermore, the wider implementation of IIoT causes an even greater security risk than its benefits. To provide a roadmap for researchers, this survey discusses the integrity of industrial IoT systems and highlights the existing security approaches for the most significant industrial applications. This paper mainly classifies the attacks and possible security solutions regarding IoT layers architecture. Consequently, each attack is connected to one or more layers of the architecture accompanied by a literature analysis on the various IoT security countermeasures. It further provides a critical analysis of the existing IoT/IIoT solutions based on different security mechanisms, including communications protocols, networking, cryptography and intrusion detection systems. Additionally, there is a discussion of the emerging tools and simulations used for testing and evaluating security mechanisms in IoT applications. Last, this survey outlines several other relevant research issues and challenges for IoT/IIoT security.
Community-Based Strategies as Transformative Approaches for Health Promotion and Empowerment among Commercial Sex Workers in India
Authors: Dasgupta Satarupa
Published: May 2021

The current paper examines the utilization of community mobilization as a strategic health communication technique in an intervention to reduce human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sexually transmitted infections (STI) rates among marginalized and at-risk populations such as commercial female sex workers in a red-light district in India. The research documents the struggles of a historically exploited community in India to mitigate its marginalization through implementation of a multilayered strategy of capacity building and economic empowerment. Semi-structured interviews of 37 commercial female sex workers were conducted in a red-light district of India. Qualitative analysis of the interview transcripts showed the prevalence of three themes which demonstrated the different facets of the community mobilization framework within the context of a health communication intervention. The findings of this research delineate how STI risk reduction as well as participation and empowerment can be achieved through a community-based health promotion project targeted towards commercial female sex workers within the context of their lived realities of marginalization and oppression.
Macroscopic Lane Change Model—A Flexible Event-Tree-Based Approach for the Prediction of Lane Change on Freeway Traffic
Authors: Ng Christina , Susilawati Susilawati , Kamal Md Abdus Samad , Leng Irene Chew Mei
Published: May 2021

Binary logistic regression has been used to estimate the probability of lane change (LC) in the Cell Transmission Model (CTM). These models remain rigid, as the flexibility to predict LC for different cell size configurations has not been accounted for. This paper introduces a relaxation method to refine the conventional binary logistic LC model using an event-tree approach. The LC probability for increasing cell size and cell length was estimated by expanding the LC probability of a pre-defined model generated from different configurations of speed and density differences. The reliability of the proposed models has been validated with NGSIM trajectory data. The results showed that the models could accurately estimate the probability of LC with a slight difference between the actual LC and predicted LC (95% Confidence Interval). Furthermore, a comparison of prediction performance between the proposed model and the actual observations has verified the model’s prediction ability with an accuracy of 0.69 and Area Under Curve (AUC) value above 0.6. The proposed method was able to accommodate the presence of multiple LCs when cell size changes. This is worthwhile to explore the importance of such consequences in affecting the performance of LC prediction in the CTM model.
Growing the Green Giant: Ecological Threats, Political Threats, and U.S. Membership in Sierra Club, 1892–Present
Authors: Coley Jonathan S. , Schachle Jessica
Published: May 2021

A growing body of research examines questions related to the emergence of environmental organizations and the growth of the environmental organizational field in the United States, but we need to know more about why particular environmental organizations grow or decline in terms of membership size over time. In this article, we draw on both qualitative and quantitative data to assess factors contributing to the growth of the Sierra Club, one of the United States’ oldest and largest environmental organizations. First, through an analytic narrative that synthesizes insights from secondary accounts of the history of the Sierra Club, we identify a variety of ecological and political threats that have led to growth in the Sierra Club from its founding in 1892 to the present day. Then, through time-series analyses of quantitative data, we show that two particular types of environmental and political threats—growth in carbon dioxide emissions and the presence of Republican Presidents—have led to growth in the Sierra Club from 1960 (when it began mass recruitment of members) to 2016. We contextualize these findings within the broader social scientific literature on neoliberalism and its consequences for environmental degradation and environmental mobilization. Overall, our findings provide support for threat-based models of mobilization and hold significant implications for research on environmental organizations.
Change of Direction Speed and Technique Modification Training Improves 180° Turning Performance, Kinetics, and Kinematics
Authors: Dos’Santos Thomas , Thomas Christopher , McBurnie Alistair , Comfort Paul , Jones Paul A.
Published: May 2021

This study aimed to examine the effects of change of direction (COD) speed and technique modification training on 180° turning performance (completion time, ground contact time [GCT], and exit velocity), kinetics, and kinematics. A non-randomised 6 week intervention study was administered. Thirteen male multidirectional sport athletes formed the intervention group (IG), participating in two COD speed and technique modification sessions per week. A total of 12 male multidirectional sport athletes formed the control group (CG). All subjects performed six modified 505 trials, whereby pre-to-post-intervention biomechanical changes were evaluated using three-dimensional motion analysis. Two-way mixed analysis of variances revealed significant interaction effects (group × time) for completion time, mean horizontal propulsive force (HPF), horizontal to vertical mean braking and propulsive force ratios for the penultimate (PFC) and final foot contact (FFC), FFC peak knee flexion and PFC hip flexion angle (p ≤ 0.040, η2 = 0.170–0.417). The IG displayed small to large improvements post-intervention in these aforementioned variables (p ≤ 0.058, g = 0.49–1.21). Turning performance improvements were largely to very largely (p ≤ 0.062, r or ρ = 0.527–0.851) associated with increased mean HPF, more horizontally orientated FFC propulsive force and PFC braking force, and greater pelvic rotation, PFC hip flexion, and PFC velocity reductions. COD speed and technique modification is a simple, effective training strategy that enhances turning performance.
Barley Straw Use for Animal Feed and Soil Mulch in Ethiopian Highlands Mixed Crop-Livestock Systems
Authors: Keno Mulugeta Tilahun , Wamatu Jane , Alkhtib Ashraf , Tolemariam Taye , Demeke Solomon , Janssens Geert Paul Jules
Published: May 2021

Barley straw serves as livestock feed and mulch for soil and water conservation in the mixed barley-livestock systems of the Ethiopian highlands. High demand for barley straw biomass in the system creates competition between the two uses. This study aimed to identify the determinants of the utilization of barley straw for mulch and feed. Data on the production and use of barley straw were collected from 236 households using a structured questionnaire. Use of the straw for the purposes of soil mulch at three levels, 0–15% (marginal mulching), 15–35% (optimal mulching), 35–100% (over-mulching), was analyzed using a multinomial logit model. The optimal proportion of barley straw used as soil mulch was positively affected by the educational level of the household head, family size, distance between cropping land and homestead, number of equines in the household and amount of straw production. Female-headed households were more likely to mulch less than the optimal amount of barley straw. In general, the more the farmer’s exposure to formal extension, the less the proportion of barley straw used for soil mulching. This study provides guidance for the proportional utilization of barley straw. This will contribute to the design of appropriate biomass utilization strategies in barley-livestock farming systems.
Research on Collaborative Innovation of Intelligent Connected Vehicles Industry Based on Test Field: Embedded Case Study from the Perspective of Open Innovation
Authors: Zhou Fei , Liu Yingqi , Chen Ruijun
Published: May 2021

Intelligent Connected Vehicles (ICV) are reshaping the pattern of traditional automobile industry, and they have gradually become the strategic direction of more and more countries. The test field and demonstration zones, as important bridges linking the technology side and market side of the ICV, are crucial in the development of its technology and industry. At the same time, the integrated construction of the test field and demonstration zones also provides a platform for collaborative innovation in the industry. In this paper, the test field and demonstration zones of the ICV industry in Beijing are selected as the case study object, and the grounded theory research method is used for reference. Based on the logic of “motivation-behavior-result”, the story line of collaborative innovation of ICV industry that is based on the test field is explored. Furthermore, open innovation is incorporated to analyze and optimize the industrial collaborative innovation mechanism that is based on the test field. On this basis, the paper discusses two collaborative innovation paths of the ICV industry based on the test field: the path that is led by the core enterprises in the test field and the path led by the test field. Finally, from the perspective of the government and management departments, several suggestions are put forward for promoting the collaborative innovation of the ICV industry based on the test field, in order to provide reference for the construction and operation of the domestic ICV test field and demonstration zones and the collaborative innovation development of the ICV industry.
The Impact of Sustainability Awareness and Moral Values on Environmental Laws
Authors: Li Rita Yi Man , Li Yi Lut , Crabbe M. James C. , Manta Otilia , Shoaib Muhammad
Published: May 2021

We argue that environmental legislation and regulation of more developed countries reflects significantly their moral values, but in less developed countries it differs significantly from their moral values. We examined this topic by using the keywords “sustainability” and “sustainable development”, studying web pages and articles published between 1974 to 2018 in Web of Science, Scopus and Google. Australia, Zimbabwe, and Uganda were ranked as the top three countries in the number of Google searches for sustainability. The top five cities that appeared in sustainability searches through Google are all from Africa. In terms of academic publications, China, India, and Brazil record among the largest numbers of sustainability and sustainable development articles in Scopus. Six out of the ten top productive institutions publishing sustainable development articles indexed in Scopus were located in developing countries, indicating that developing countries are well aware of the issues surrounding sustainable development. Our results show that when environmental law reflects moral values for betterment, legal adoption is more likely to be successful, which usually happens in well-developed regions. In less-developed states, environmental law differs significantly from moral values, such that changes in moral values are necessary for successful legal implementation. Our study has important implications for the development of policies and cultures, together with the enforcement of environmental laws and regulations in all countries.