bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Co-Culturing Approach Enables Discovery and Biosynthesis of a Bioactive Indole Alkaloid Metabolite
Authors: Maglangit Fleurdeliz , Fang Qing , Kyeremeh Kwaku , Sternberg Jeremy M. , Ebel Rainer , Deng Hai
Published: January 2020

Whole-genome sequence data of the genus Streptomyces have shown a far greater chemical diversity of metabolites than what have been discovered under typical laboratory fermentation conditions. In our previous natural product discovery efforts on Streptomyces sp. MA37, a bacterium isolated from the rhizosphere soil sample in Legon, Ghana, we discovered a handful of specialised metabolites from this talented strain. However, analysis of the draft genome of MA37 suggested that most of the encoded biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) remained cryptic or silent, and only a small fraction of BGCs for the production of specialised metabolites were expressed when cultured in our laboratory conditions. In order to induce the expression of the seemingly silent BGCs, we have carried out a co-culture experiment by growing the MA37 strain with the Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas sp. in a co-culture chamber that allows co-fermentation of two microorganisms with no direct contact but allows exchange of nutrients, metabolites, and other chemical cues. This co-culture approach led to the upregulation of several metabolites that were not previously observed in the monocultures of each strain. Moreover, the co-culture induced the expression of the cryptic indole alkaloid BGC in MA37 and led to the characterization of the known indolocarbazole alkaloid, BE-13793C 1. Neither bacterium produced compound 1 when cultured alone. The structure of 1 was elucidated by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry analyses and comparison of experimental with literature data. A putative biosynthetic pathway of 1 was proposed. Furthermore, BE-13793C 1 showed strong anti-proliferative activity against HT-29 (ATCC HTB-38) cells but no toxic effect to normal lung (ATCC CCL-171) cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report for the activity of 1 against HT-29. No significant antimicrobial and anti-trypanosomal activities for 1 were observed. This research provides a solid foundation for the fact that a co-culture approach paves the way for increasing the chemical diversity of strain MA37. Further characterization of other upregulated metabolites in this strain is currently ongoing in our laboratory.
Screening and Identification of the Main Metabolites of Schisantherin a In Vivo and In Vitro by Using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS
Authors: Feng Wei , Zhou Ling-Yu , Mu Rui-Feng , Gao Le , Xu Bing-Yuan , Liu Ming-Liang , Niu Li-Ying , Wang Xin-Guo
Published: January 2020

Schisantherin A is an active ingredient originating from Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) which has hepatoprotective and anti-oxidation activities. In this study, in vitro metabolisms investigated on rat liver microsomes (RLMs) and in vivo metabolisms explored on male Sprague Dawley rats of Schisantherin A were tested, respectively. The metabolites of Schisantherin A were identified using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid triple quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS). Based on the method, 60 metabolites were successfully identified and structurally characterized including 48 phase-I and 12 phase-II metabolites. Among the metabolites, 45 metabolites were reported for the first time. Moreover, 56 and eight metabolites were detected in urine and bile and 19 metabolites were identified in rats’ plasma. It demonstrated that hepatic and extra-hepatic metabolic pathways were both involved in Schisantherin A biotransformation in rats. Five in vitro metabolites were structurally characterized for the first time. The results indicated that the metabolic pathways mainly include oxidation, reduction, methylation, and conjugation with glucuronide, taurine, glucose, and glutathione groups. This study provides a practical strategy for rapidly screening and identifying metabolites, and the results provide basic data for future pharmacological and toxicology studies of Schisantherin A and other lignin ingredients.
Study on Direct Synthesis of Energy Efficient Multifunctional Polyaniline–Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite and Its Application in Aqueous Symmetric Supercapacitor Devices
Authors: Gul Hajera , Shah Anwar-ul-Haq Ali , Krewer Ulrike , Bilal Salma
Published: January 2020

The synthesis of promising nanocomposite materials can always be tricky and depends a lot on the method of synthesis itself. Developing such synthesis routes, which are not only simple but also can effectively catch up the synergy of the compositing material, is definitely a worthy contribution towards nanomaterial science. Carbon-based materials, such as graphene oxide, and conjugative polymers, such as conductive polyaniline, are considered materials of the 21st century. This study involves a simple one pot synthesis route for obtaining a nanocomposite of polyaniline and graphene oxide with synergistic effects. The study was carried out in a systematic way by gradually changing the composition of the ingredients in the reaction bath until the formation of nanocomposite took place at some particular reaction parameters. These nanocomposites were then utilized for the fabrication of electrodes for aqueous symmetric supercapacitor devices utilizing gold or copper as current collectors. The device manifested a good capacitance value of 264 F/g at 1 A/g, magnificent rate performance, and capacitance retention of 84.09% at a high current density (10 A/g) when gold sheet electrodes were used as the current collectors. It also showed a capacitance retention of 79.83% and columbic efficiency of 99.83% after 2000 cycles.
Hierarchical Cluster Analysis of Medical Chemicals Detected by a Bacteriophage-Based Colorimetric Sensor Array
Authors: Kim Chuntae , Lee Hansong , Devaraj Vasanthan , Kim Won-Geun , Lee Yujin , Kim Yeji , Jeong Na-Na , Choi Eun Jung , Baek Sang Hong , Han Dong-Wook , Sun Hokeun , Oh Jin-Woo
Published: January 2020

M13 bacteriophage-based colorimetric sensors, especially multi-array sensors, have been successfully demonstrated to be a powerful platform for detecting extremely small amounts of target molecules. Colorimetric sensors can be fabricated easily using self-assembly of genetically engineered M13 bacteriophage which incorporates peptide libraries on its surface. However, the ability to discriminate many types of target molecules is still required. In this work, we introduce a statistical method to efficiently analyze a huge amount of numerical results in order to classify various types of target molecules. To enhance the selectivity of M13 bacteriophage-based colorimetric sensors, a multi-array sensor system can be an appropriate platform. On this basis, a pattern-recognizing multi-array biosensor platform was fabricated by integrating three types of sensors in which genetically engineered M13 bacteriophages (wild-, RGD-, and EEEE-type) were utilized as a primary building block. This sensor system was used to analyze a pattern of color change caused by a reaction between the sensor array and external substances, followed by separating the specific target substances by means of hierarchical cluster analysis. The biosensor platform could detect drug contaminants such as hormone drugs (estrogen) and antibiotics. We expect that the proposed biosensor system could be used for the development of a first-analysis kit, which would be inexpensive and easy to supply and could be applied in monitoring the environment and health care.
Nutritional Feeding Strategies in Pediatric Intestinal Failure
Authors: Olieman Joanne , Kastelijn Wendy
Published: January 2020

Intestinal failure is defined as a critical reduction of the gut mass or function, below the minimum needed to absorb nutrients and fluids. The ultimate goal in intestinal failure is to promote bowel adaptation and reach enteral autonomy while a healthy growth and development is maintained. The condition is heterogeneous and complex. Therefore, recommendations for the type and duration of parenteral, enteral, and oral nutrition are variable, with the child’s age as an additional key factor. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of nutritional feeding strategies in this heterogeneous population. Different perspectives on nutritional management, nutrition and adaptation, and microbiome and nutrition will be discussed.
Can Parenting Practices Moderate the Relationship between Reward Sensitivity and Adolescents’ Consumption of Snacks and Sugar-Sweetened Beverages?
Authors: Van Lippevelde Wendy , Vervoort Leentje , Vangeel Jolien , Goossens Lien
Published: January 2020

Background: Reward sensitivity has been associated with adolescents’ intake of unhealthy snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages. However, so far, there are no studies published describing the impact of parenting practices on this relationship. The present study will, therefore, investigate whether food parenting practices can moderate the association between reward sensitivity and diet intakes. Method: A cross-sectional research study was conducted among 14- to 16-year old Flemish adolescents (n = 867, age 14.7 ± 0.8 y, 48.1% boys) and a subset of their parents (n = 131), collecting data on daily intakes, reward sensitivity, and food parenting practices. Linear regression was used to assess the moderation effect of parenting practices (both adolescent- and parent-reported) on the relationship between reward sensitivity, and diet using SPSS 25.0. Results: In the main analysis (adolescent-reported), no significant moderation effects were found for parenting practices on the relationship between reward sensitivity and diet. However, the sensitivity analysis (parent-reported) showed a moderation effect for health-reducing parenting practices on the association between reward sensitivity and unhealthy snack intake (β = 0.297, 95% CI = 0.062, 0.531, p = 0.01). Conclusion: Given the difference in the effect of parenting practices between the adolescent- and parent-reported data, our inconclusive findings warrant more research in larger adolescent-parent dyad samples.
Chiral Perturbation Theory vs. Linear Sigma Model in a Chiral Imbalance Medium
Authors: Andrianov Alexander , Andrianov Vladimir , Espriu Domenec
Published: January 2020

We compare the chiral perturbation theory (ChPT) and the linear sigma model (LSM) as realizations of low energy quantum chromodynamics (QCD) for light mesons in a chirally-imbalanced medium. The relations between the low-energy constants of the chiral Lagrangian and the corresponding constants of the linear sigma model are established as well as the expressions for the decay constant of π -meson in the medium and for the mass of the a 0 . In the large N c count taken from QCD the correspondence of ChPT and LSM is remarkably good and provides a solid ground for the search of chiral imbalance manifestations in pion physics. A possible experimental detection of chiral imbalance (and therefore a phase with local parity breaking) is outlined in the charged pion decays inside the fireball.
Preparation and Characterization of Edible Dialdehyde Carboxymethyl Cellulose Crosslinked Feather Keratin Films for Food Packaging
Authors: Dou Yao , Zhang Liguang , Zhang Buning , He Ming , Shi Weimei , Yang Shiqing , Cui Yingde , Yin Guoqiang
Published: January 2020

The development of edible films based on the natural biopolymer feather keratin (FK) from poultry feathers is of great interest to food packaging. Edible dialdehyde carboxymethyl cellulose (DCMC) crosslinked FK films plasticized with glycerol were prepared by a casting method. The effect of DCMC crosslinking on the microstructure, light transmission, aggregate structure, tensile properties, water resistance and water vapor barrier were investigated. The results indicated the formation of both covalent and hydrogen bonding between FK and DCMC to form amorphous FK/DCMC films with good UV-barrier properties and transmittance. However, with increasing DCMC content, a decrease in tensile strength of the FK films indicated that plasticization, induced by hydrophilic properties of the DCMC, partly offset the crosslinking effect. Reduction in the moisture content, solubility and water vapor permeability indicated that DCMC crosslinking slightly reduced the moisture sensitivity of the FK films. Thus, DCMC crosslinking increased the potential viability of the FK films for food packaging applications, offering a value-added product.
New Monomer Based on Eugenol Methacrylate, Synthesis, Polymerization and Copolymerization with Methyl Methacrylate–Characterization and Thermal Properties
Authors: Al-Odayni Abdel-Basit , Saeed Waseem Sharaf , Ahmed Ahmed Yacine Badjah Hadj , Alrahlah Ali , Al-Kahtani Abdullah , Aouak Taieb
Published: January 2020

Poly(eugenyl-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate) (PEUGMA), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(eugenyl-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate-co-methyl methacrylate) (PEUGMA-co-MMA) were synthesized by a free radical polymerization route in the presence of azobisisobutyronitrile. EUGMA was synthesized by etherification of the eugenol phenolic hydroxyl group with glycidyl methacrylate. Polymers and copolymers were characterized using size exclusion chromatography, Fourier transform infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance. The effects of the encumbering substituent on the thermal behavior of the polymers and copolymers were studied by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry (TG) and direct analysis, using real-time, time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (DART-ToF-MS) methods. The results obtained revealed that for PEUGMA, the average molecular weight was 1.08 × 105, and increased slowly with the decrease in the EUGMA content in the copolymer. The order of the distribution of dyads comonomer units in the copolymer chains estimated by the Igarashi method based on the reactivity ratio does reveal a random distribution with a tendency toward alternation. The glass transition temperature of PEUGMA (46 °C) increased with the MMA content in the copolymer, and those of the copolymer fit well with the Johnston’s linearized expression. The TG analysis of pure PEUGMA revealed a significantly high thermal stability compared to that of PMMA. During its degradation, the preliminary decomposition was at 340 °C, and decreased as the MMA units increased in the copolymer. The DART-ToF-MS analysis revealed that the isothermal decomposition of PEUGMA led to a regeneration of raw materials such as EUGMA, GMA and EUG, in which the maximum amount was achieved at 450 °C.
Piezoelectric Scaffolds as Smart Materials for Neural Tissue Engineering
Authors: Zaszczynska Angelika , Sajkiewicz Paweł , Gradys Arkadiusz
Published: January 2020

Injury to the central or peripheral nervous systems leads to the loss of cognitive and/or sensorimotor capabilities, which still lacks an effective treatment. Tissue engineering in the post-injury brain represents a promising option for cellular replacement and rescue, providing a cell scaffold for either transplanted or resident cells. Tissue engineering relies on scaffolds for supporting cell differentiation and growth with recent emphasis on stimuli responsive scaffolds, sometimes called smart scaffolds. One of the representatives of this material group is piezoelectric scaffolds, being able to generate electrical charges under mechanical stimulation, which creates a real prospect for using such scaffolds in non-invasive therapy of neural tissue. This paper summarizes the recent knowledge on piezoelectric materials used for tissue engineering, especially neural tissue engineering. The most used materials for tissue engineering strategies are reported together with the main achievements, challenges, and future needs for research and actual therapies. This review provides thus a compilation of the most relevant results and strategies and serves as a starting point for novel research pathways in the most relevant and challenging open questions.
Environmental Degradation of Plastic Composites with Natural Fillers—A Review
Authors: Brebu Mihai
Published: January 2020

Polymer composites are widely used modern-day materials, specially designed to combine good mechanical properties and low density, resulting in a high tensile strength-to-weight ratio. However, materials for outdoor use suffer from the negative effects of environmental factors, loosing properties in various degrees. In particular, natural fillers (particulates or fibers) or components induce biodegradability in the otherwise bio inert matrix of usual commodity plastics. Here we present some aspects found in recent literature related to the effect of aggressive factors such as temperature, mechanical forces, solar radiation, humidity, and biological attack on the properties of plastic composites containing natural fillers.
Preparation of Polyaniline/Emulsion Microsphere Composite for Efficient Adsorption of Organic Dyes
Authors: Liu Yuanli , Song Liushuo , Du Linlin , Gao Peng , Liang Nuo , Wu Si , Minami Tsuyoshi , Zang Limin , Yu Chuanbai , Xu Xu
Published: January 2020

Surface-functionalized polymeric microspheres have wide applications in various areas. Herein, monodisperse poly(styrene–methyl methacrylate–acrylic acid) (PSMA) microspheres were prepared via emulsion polymerization. Polyaniline (PANI) was then coated on the PSMA surface via in situ polymerization, and a three-dimensional (3D) structured reticulate PANI/PSMA composite was, thus, obtained. The adsorption performance of the composite for organic dyes under different circumstances and the adsorption mechanism were studied. The obtained PANI/PSMA composite exhibited a high adsorption rate and adsorption capacity, as well as good adsorption selectivity toward methyl orange (MO). The adsorption process followed pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacity for MO was 147.93 mg/g. After five cycles of adsorption–desorption, the removal rate remained higher than 90%, which indicated that the adsorbent has great recyclability. The adsorbent materials presented herein would be highly valuable for the removal of organic dyes from wastewater.
Application and Mechanism of Sludge-Based Activated Carbon for Phenol and Cyanide Removal from Bio-Treated Effluent of Coking Wastewater
Authors: Liu Yali , Cheng Han , He Yueting
Published: January 2020

The toxic pollutants phenol and cyanide in the bio-treated effluent of coking wastewater still need advanced treatment to meet environmental requirements. In this study, activated carbon prepared from municipal sludge and bamboo waste (SBAC) was used for simultaneous adsorption of phenol and cyanide from bio-treated effluent of coking wastewater. The results showed that the optimum removal efficiencies of volatile phenol (69.7%) and total cyanide (80.1%) were observed at a SBAC dosage of 8 g/L, a pH value of 8.0, and a contact time of 80 min. The physical and chemical properties of SBAC were analyzed using Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area (SBET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. SBAC had high SBET (289.58 m2/g) and rich mesoporous structure (average pore diameter of 3.688 nm), and carboxylic groups on SBAC surfaces were enhanced due to the addition of bamboo waste. In addition, a kinetic model of pseudo-first-order fitted well with the experimental data of volatile phenol, while the adsorption of total cyanide onto the SBAC was better described by a pseudo-second-order kinetic model.
Analyses for Synthesis Gas from Municipal Solid Waste Gasification under Medium Temperatures
Authors: Gu Qinyang , Wu Wei , Jin Baosheng , Zhou Zheng
Published: January 2020

Municipal solid waste (MSW) gasification could be a novel method that shows the various advantages over traditional MSW treatments in China. Other research concluded that MSW gasification was operating by the assistant heat, and the gasification may occur under medium temperature. So, this study is aimed to investigate MSW gasification and pyrolysis behavior and analyze the syngas evolution and reaction mechanism. The MSW samples were collected in daily life and the experiments were carried out in a fixed tubular reactor below 650 °C. The effects of medium temperature and oxygen content on syngas quality were elucidated in depth. The results have shown that temperature can promote the syngas quality in the range of 550–650 °C, because the increasing temperature strengthens the reaction rate. The oxygen content should be controlled in a certain range, or oxidation reactions will be more prominent during gasification. The optimal gasification condition in this study was obtained at 650 °C and an oxygen concentration of 1.25%, the combustible gas yield and the lower heating value (LHV) of syngas of this condition were 0.296 L/g and 10.98 kJ/L, respectively. This study provides insights for MSW gasification under medium temperature, and a practical gasification system can be designed under a certain condition.
Surface Temperature of the Planet Earth from Satellite Data
Authors: Sobrino José Antonio , Julien Yves , García-Monteiro Susana
Published: January 2020

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change regular scientific assessments of global warming is based on measurements of air temperature from weather stations, buoys or ships. More specifically, air temperature annual means are estimated from their integration into climate models, with some areas (Africa, Antarctica, seas) being clearly underrepresented. Present satellites allow estimation of surface temperature for a full coverage of our planet with a sub-daily revisit frequency and kilometric resolution. In this work, a simple methodology is developed that allows estimating the surface temperature of Planet Earth with MODIS Terra and Aqua land and sea surface temperature products, as if the whole planet was reduced to a single pixel. The results, through a completely independent methodology, corroborate the temperature anomalies retrieved from climate models and show a linear warming trend of 0.018 ± 0.007 °C/yr.
Development of a Brain–Computer Interface Toggle Switch with Low False-Positive Rate Using Respiration-Modulated Photoplethysmography
Authors: Han Chang-Hee , Kim Euijin , Im Chang-Hwan
Published: January 2020

Asynchronous brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) based on electroencephalography (EEG) generally suffer from poor performance in terms of classification accuracy and false-positive rate (FPR). Thus, BCI toggle switches based on electrooculogram (EOG) signals were developed to toggle on/off synchronous BCI systems. The conventional BCI toggle switches exhibit fast responses with high accuracy; however, they have a high FPR or cannot be applied to patients with oculomotor impairments. To circumvent these issues, we developed a novel BCI toggle switch that users can employ to toggle on or off synchronous BCIs by holding their breath for a few seconds. Two states—normal breath and breath holding—were classified using a linear discriminant analysis with features extracted from the respiration-modulated photoplethysmography (PPG) signals. A real-time BCI toggle switch was implemented with calibration data trained with only 1-min PPG data. We evaluated the performance of our PPG switch by combining it with a steady-state visual evoked potential-based BCI system that was designed to control four external devices, with regard to the true-positive rate and FPR. The parameters of the PPG switch were optimized through an offline experiment with five subjects, and the performance of the switch system was evaluated in an online experiment with seven subjects. All the participants successfully turned on the BCI by holding their breath for approximately 10 s (100% accuracy), and the switch system exhibited a very low FPR of 0.02 false operations per minute, which is the lowest FPR reported thus far. All participants could successfully control external devices in the synchronous BCI mode. Our results demonstrated that the proposed PPG-based BCI toggle switch can be used to implement practical BCIs.
Automatic Classification of Squat Posture Using Inertial Sensors: Deep Learning Approach
Authors: Lee Jaehyun , Joo Hyosung , Lee Junglyeon , Chee Youngjoon
Published: January 2020

Without expert coaching, inexperienced exercisers performing core exercises, such as squats, are subject to an increased risk of spinal or knee injuries. Although it is theoretically possible to measure the kinematics of body segments and classify exercise forms with wearable sensors and algorithms, the current implementations are not sufficiently accurate. In this study, the squat posture classification performance of deep learning was compared to that of conventional machine learning. Additionally, the location for the optimal placement of sensors was determined. Accelerometer and gyroscope data were collected from 39 healthy participants using five inertial measurement units (IMUs) attached to the left thigh, right thigh, left calf, right calf, and lumbar region. Each participant performed six repetitions of an acceptable squat and five incorrect forms of squats that are typically observed in inexperienced exercisers. The accuracies of squat posture classification obtained using conventional machine learning and deep learning were compared. Each result was obtained using one IMU or a combination of two or five IMUs. When employing five IMUs, the accuracy of squat posture classification using conventional machine learning was 75.4%, whereas the accuracy using deep learning was 91.7%. When employing two IMUs, the highest accuracy (88.7%) was obtained using deep learning for a combination of IMUs on the right thigh and right calf. The single IMU yielded the best results on the right thigh, with an accuracy of 58.7% for conventional machine learning and 80.9% for deep learning. Overall, the results obtained using deep learning were superior to those obtained using conventional machine learning for both single and multiple IMUs. With regard to the convenience of use in self-fitness, the most feasible strategy was to utilize a single IMU on the right thigh.
Molecular Scale Studies of Phosphorus Speciation and Transformation in Manure Amended and Microdose Fertilized Indigenous Vegetable Production Systems of Nigeria and Republic of Benin
Authors: Olaleye Abimfoluwa , Oyedele Durodoluwa , Akponikpe Pierre , Kar Gourango , Peak Derek
Published: January 2020

This study investigated the speciation, transformation, and availability of P during indigenous vegetable production by employing a combination of chemical and spectroscopic techniques. The study focused on sites in two ecozones of SSA, the dry savanna (lna, Republic of Benin) and rainforest (Ilesha, Nigeria). Both sites were cultivated with two indigenous vegetable species: local amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus (AC)) and African eggplant (Solanum macrocarpon (SM)). The soils were treated with 5 t/ha poultry manure and urea fertilizer at the rates of 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 kg N/ha. Soil samples were collected before planting and after harvest. Phosphorus K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy was used to determine P speciation in these soils. Quantitative analysis showed that adsorbed and organic P were the two dominant P species in the manure amended dry savanna (DS) soils before planting and after harvest in soils cultivated with both AC and SM, with the addition of urea (40 kg N/ha) causing an increase in the organic P form in dry savanna soils cultivated with AC. Soils of the rainforest (RF) cultivated with AC initially had large amounts of apatite P in the manure amended soils prior to planting, which was transformed to adsorbed and organic P after harvest. Urea addition to the rainforest soils shifted the dominant P species from organic P to adsorbed and apatite P, which was likely to limit P availability. Soils cultivated with SM had similar proportions of both organic and adsorbed P forms, with 40 kg N/ha addition slightly increasing the proportion of adsorbed P.
Window Design of Naturally Ventilated Offices in the Mediterranean Climate in Terms of CO2 and Thermal Comfort Performance
Authors: Abdullah Hardi K. , Alibaba Halil Z.
Published: January 2020

Natural ventilation through window openings is an inexpensive and effective solution to bring fresh air into internal spaces and improve indoor environmental conditions. This study attempts to address the “indoor air quality–thermal comfort” dilemma of naturally ventilated office buildings in the Mediterranean climate through the effective use of early window design. An experimental method of computational modelling and simulation was applied. The assessments of indoor carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and adaptive thermal comfort were performed using the British/European standard BS EN 15251:2007. The results indicate that when windows were opened, the first-floor zones were subjected to the highest CO2 levels, especially the north-facing window in the winter and the south-facing window in the summer. For a fully glazed wall, a 10% window opening could provide all the office hours inside category I of CO2 concentration. Such an achievement requires full and quarter window openings in the cases of 10% and 25% window-to-floor ratios (WFR), respectively. The findings of the European adaptive comfort showed that less than 50% of office hours appeared in category III with cross-ventilation. The concluding remarks and recommendations are presented.
Does Evil Prevail? The “Bright” and “Dark” Sides of Personality as Predictors of Adaptive Performance
Authors: Ramos-Villagrasa Pedro J. , Fernández-del-Río Elena , Barrada Juan Ramón
Published: January 2020

The turbulent context in which organizations operate today makes them search for adaptable workers. Previous studies have shown the predictive value of the “Big Five” personality traits on adaptive performance, but some authors suggest extending personality domain with the “dark” traits of personality, that is, Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy (i.e., the “Dark Triad”), and sadism (which, along with the aforementioned traits, composes the “Dark Tetrad”). The present research investigates the incremental validity of the dark traits in the prediction of adaptive performance over the Big Five. The study follows a cross-sectional design with a convenience sample of 613 participants (46% women; mean age 38.78 years, SD = 14.05; mean job experience = 16.93 years, SD = 13.39) from different organizations who fill in a questionnaire with the variables. Our results showed that the Dark Triad improved the predictive model with respect to the Big Five (R2 = 0.202, ΔR2 = 0.030, p < 0.001). The statistically significant predictors were neuroticism (β = −0.127, p = 0.010), openness to experience (β = 0.155, p < 0.001), conscientiousness (β = 0.164, p = 0.001), narcissism (β = 0.134 p < 0.002), and psychopathy (β = −0.137, p = 0.005). The incorporation of sadism did not improve the Dark Triad model (R2 = 0.202, ΔR2= −0.001, p = 0.541).
The Impacts of the Expansion of Urban Impervious Surfaces on Urban Heat Islands in a Coastal City in China
Authors: Hua Lizhong , Zhang Xinxin , Nie Qin , Sun Fengqin , Tang Lina
Published: January 2020

The effect of the expansion of urban impervious surfaces on surface urban heat islands (UHIs) has attracted research attention due to its relevance for studies of local climatic change and habitat comfort. In this study, using five satellite images of Xiamen city, Southeast China (four images from the Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and one from the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager/Thermal Infrared Sensor (OLI/TIRS)) acquired in summer between 1989 and 2016, together with spatial statistical methods, the changes in impervious surface area (ISA) were investigated, the spatiotemporal variation of the intensity of urban heat islands (UHIs) was explored, and the relationships between land surface temperature (LST) and the percentage of impervious surface area (ISA%), the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and fractional vegetation coverage (Fv) were investigated. The results showed the following: (1) According to the biophysical composition index (BCI) combined with an ISA post-processing method, Xiamen has witnessed a substantial increase in ISA, showing a 6.1-fold increase from 1989 to 2016. The direction of ISA expansion was consistent throughout the study period in each of the five districts of Xiamen; (2) a bay-like UHI form is observed in the study area, which is remarkably distinct from the central-radial UHI form observed in previous studies of other cities; (3) the extent of UHIs in Xiamen greatly increased between 1989 and 2016, experiencing a 4.7-fold increase in UHI areas during this time. However, during the same period, the urban heat island ratio index (URI)—that is, the ratio of UHI area to ISA—decreased slightly. The UHI area decreased in some urban parts of Xiamen due to a significant increase in vegetation coverage, urban village redevelopment, and the construction of new parks; (4) sea ports and heavy industrial zones are the greatest contributor to surface UHI, followed by urban villages; and (5) LST is strongly positively correlated with ISA%. Each 10% increase in ISA was associated with an increase in summer LST of 0.41 to 0.91 K, which compares well with the results of related studies. This study presents valuable information for the development of regional urban planning strategies to mitigate the effects of UHIs during rapid urbanization.
Analysis of Interpersonal Competences in the Use of ICT in the Spanish University Context
Authors: Vázquez-Cano Esteban , León Urrutia Manuel , Parra-González María Elena , López Meneses Eloy
Published: January 2020

This article analyzes Higher Education students’ development of interpersonal competences when using Information and Communication Technologies. The participating sample was made up of 1490 students from three Spanish universities: Complutense University of Madrid (Spain), Pablo de Olavide University (Spain), and National Distance Education University (UNED). The data were collected through a questionnaire called “Basic digital skills 2.0 of university students” COBADI® (Registered trademark: 2970648). A factorial analysis was performed to determine possible groupings of representative factors and subsequently the trees technique was applied by running the CHAID (Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detector) algorithm. This made it possible to develop a map of possible differences between universities, ages, and gender of students. The results showed that university students have higher competences in communicating through interactive presentations and video-images, as well as in collaborating and working with documents online through mobile devices.
The Revolution of Mobile Phone-Enabled Services for Agricultural Development (m-Agri Services) in Africa: The Challenges for Sustainability
Authors: Emeana Ezinne M. , Trenchard Liz , Dehnen-Schmutz Katharina
Published: January 2020

The provision of information through mobile phone-enabled agricultural information services (m-Agri services) has the potential to revolutionise agriculture and significantly improve smallholder farmers’ livelihoods in Africa. Globally, the benefits of m-Agri services include facilitating farmers’ access to financial services and sourcing agricultural information about input use, practices, and market prices. There are very few published literature sources that focus on the potential benefits of m-Agri services in Africa and none of which explore their sustainability. This study, therefore, explores the evolution, provision, and sustainability of these m-Agri services in Africa. An overview of the current landscape of m-Agri services in Africa is provided and this illustrates how varied these services are in design, content, and quality. Key findings from the exploratory literature review reveal that services are highly likely to fail to achieve their intended purpose or be abandoned when implementers ignore the literacy, skills, culture, and demands of the target users. This study recommends that, to enhance the sustainability of m-Agri services, the implementers need to design the services with the users involved, carefully analyse, and understand the target environment, and design for scale and a long-term purpose. While privacy and security of users need to be ensured, the reuse or improvement of existing initiatives should be explored, and projects need to be data-driven and maintained as open source. Thus, the study concludes that policymakers can support the long-term benefit of m-Agri services by ensuring favourable policies for both users and implementers.
Research on Residents’ Travel Behavior under Sudden Fire Disaster Based on Prospect Theory
Authors: Lin Ciyun , Wang Kang , Wu Dayong , Gong Bowen
Published: January 2020

The decision-making process of travel behaviors under uncertainty and risk shall be analyzed in order to solve the emergency traffic management or evacuation problem under sudden fire disaster in a high-density urban environment. Firstly, this paper attempts to acquire the travel risk attitude thought online survey questionnaires. In the questionnaire, we focused on obtaining the traveler’s response thought set a scene and obtain the traveler’s risk attitude. Secondly, we explore the relationship between traveler’s personal attributes and risk attitudes through questionnaires. Finally, the questionnaire data were used to calibrate and adjust the parameters in the proposed prospect theory (PT) based model. Subsequently, the K-T model and Wang’s model were used to compare and verify the accuracy and validity of the proposed model. The results presented that the proposed model is more accurate and the largest prediction error of travel route selection behavior is only nine percent.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Applications in Smart Production: Progress, Trends, and Directions
Authors: Cioffi Raffaele , Travaglioni Marta , Piscitelli Giuseppina , Petrillo Antonella , De Felice Fabio
Published: January 2020

Adaptation and innovation are extremely important to the manufacturing industry. This development should lead to sustainable manufacturing using new technologies. To promote sustainability, smart production requires global perspectives of smart production application technology. In this regard, thanks to intensive research efforts in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), a number of AI-based techniques, such as machine learning, have already been established in the industry to achieve sustainable manufacturing. Thus, the aim of the present research was to analyze, systematically, the scientific literature relating to the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning (ML) in industry. In fact, with the introduction of the Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence and machine learning are considered the driving force of smart factory revolution. The purpose of this review was to classify the literature, including publication year, authors, scientific sector, country, institution, and keywords. The analysis was done using the Web of Science and SCOPUS database. Furthermore, UCINET and NVivo 12 software were used to complete them. A literature review on ML and AI empirical studies published in the last century was carried out to highlight the evolution of the topic before and after Industry 4.0 introduction, from 1999 to now. Eighty-two articles were reviewed and classified. A first interesting result is the greater number of works published by the USA and the increasing interest after the birth of Industry 4.0.
Evaluation of Development Potential of Ports in the Yangtze River Delta Using FAHP-Entropy Model
Authors: Mou Naixia , Wang Chunying , Yang Tengfei , Zhang Lingxian
Published: January 2020

Port development potential refers to the potential but unrealized status and capacity of ports, which can become a reality when external conditions permit. A correct analysis of port development potential helps to better formulate investment response plans and national development strategies, and finally achieve the sustainable development of the ports. Based on the Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, basic port data, hinterland city data, traffic network data, and relevant economic and policy data, we constructed an evaluation index system of port development potential, and evaluated the development potential of eight representative ports in the Yangtze River Delta port group of China with the methods of FAHP-entropy (FAHP—Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process). The results show that: (1) The development potential of the port group in the Yangtze River Delta is positioned in the upper middle level; its development prospects are considerable, and other countries or ports could give priority of cooperation with it to maximize its benefits. (2) Port economy and policy are the primary core indicators affecting the development potential of ports, while per capita GDP (gross domestic product), number of berths, and port network status are the secondary core indicators affecting the development potential of ports. (3) Ports with larger development potential usually have one or more outstanding indicators, while the potential of ports with balanced development among all indicators is relatively weak.
Dynamic Behavior Analysis of a High-Rise Traction System with Tensioned Pulley Acting on Compensating Rope
Authors: Wang Lei , Cao Guohua , Wang Naige , Zhang Yunchang
Published: January 2020

In this paper, dynamic characteristics of the symmetrical traction system with tensioned pulley acting on compensating rope is theoretically investigated. Due to the excitations from drum, the traction system will occur longitudinal and transverse vibration. In order to explore the differences between traditional traction system and tensioned traction system with different tensioned methods and seek the optimal method of vibration suppression, the damping cylinder and terminal tension acting on compensating rope between tensioned pulley and ground are placed. Caused by the change of the rope’s property, the system will produce different dynamic responses. Here, the differential-algebraic equations (DAEs) are derived using Hamilton principle. The transverse and longitudinal nonlinear coupling of ropes are considered. The generalized- α method is selected to solve the DAEs. Based on the response characteristics of the system, the time-frequency characteristics with different terminal damping are obtained by CWT (continuous wavelet transform) and FFT (fast Fourier transform). From results, it can be seen that tensioned pulley plays an important role in suppressing transverse and longitudinal vibration of the symmetrical traction system compared with traditional traction system, especially by adding damping cylinder. The amplitude of system decreases exponentially with the increase of the terminal damping acting on tensioned pulley. Different running speeds of tensioned traction system are discussed. The results can inform the development of relevant mitigating strategies to minimize the effects of excessive vibrations.
Angle Estimation for Knee Joint Movement Based on PCA-RELM Algorithm
Authors: Deng Yanxia , Gao Farong , Chen Huihui
Published: January 2020

Surface electromyogram (sEMG) signals are easy to record and offer valuable motion information, such as symmetric and periodic motion in human gait. Due to these characteristics, sEMG is widely used in human-computer interaction, clinical diagnosis and rehabilitation medicine, sports medicine and other fields. This paper aims to improve the estimation accuracy and real-time performance, in the case of the knee joint angle in the lower limb, using a sEMG signal, in a proposed estimation algorithm of the continuous motion, based on the principal component analysis (PCA) and the regularized extreme learning machine (RELM). First, the sEMG signals, collected during the lower limb motion, are preprocessed, while feature samples are extracted from the acquired and preconditioned sEMG signals. Next, the feature samples dimensions are reduced by the PCA, as well as the knee joint angle system is measured by the three-dimensional motion capture system, are followed by the normalization of the feature variable value. The normalized sEMG feature is used as the input layer, in the RELM model, while the joint angle is used as the output layer. After training, the RELM model estimates the knee joint angle of the lower limbs, while it uses the root mean square error (RMSE), Pearson correlation coefficient and model training time as key performance indicators (KPIs), to be further discussed. The RELM, the traditional BP neural network and the support vector machine (SVM) estimation results are compared. The conclusions prove that the RELM method, not only has ensured the validity of results, but also has greatly reduced the learning train time. The presented work is a valuable point of reference for further study of the motion estimation in lower limb.
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Provides Molecular Insights into the Interaction of Beet necrotic yellow vein virus and Beet soil-borne mosaic virus with Their Host Sugar Beet
Authors: Fernando Gil Jose , Wibberg Daniel , Eini Omid , Savenkov Eugene I. , Varrelmann Mark , Liebe Sebastian
Published: January 2020

Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) and Beet soil-borne mosaic virus (BSBMV) are closely related species, but disease development induced in their host sugar beet displays striking differences. Beet necrotic yellow vein virus induces excessive lateral root (LR) formation, whereas BSBMV-infected roots appear asymptomatic. A comparative transcriptome analysis was performed to elucidate transcriptomic changes associated with disease development. Many differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were specific either to BNYVV or BSBMV, although both viruses shared a high number of DEGs. Auxin biosynthesis pathways displayed a stronger activation by BNYVV compared to BSBMV-infected plants. Several genes regulated by auxin signalling and required for LR formation were exclusively altered by BNYVV. Both viruses reprogrammed the transcriptional network, but a large number of transcription factors involved in plant defence were upregulated in BNYVV-infected plants. A strong activation of pathogenesis-related proteins by both viruses suggests a salicylic acid or jasmonic acid mediated-defence response, but the data also indicate that both viruses counteract the SA-mediated defence. The ethylene signal transduction pathway was strongly downregulated which probably increases the susceptibility of sugar beet to Benyvirus infection. Our study provides a deeper insight into the interaction of BNYVV and BSBMV with the economically important crop sugar beet.
The RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase NIb of Potyviruses Plays Multifunctional, Contrasting Roles during Viral Infection
Authors: Shen Wentao , Shi Yan , Dai Zhaoji , Wang Aiming
Published: January 2020

Potyviruses represent the largest group of known plant RNA viruses and include many agriculturally important viruses, such as Plum pox virus, Soybean mosaic virus, Turnip mosaic virus, and Potato virus Y. Potyviruses adopt polyprotein processing as their genome expression strategy. Among the 11 known viral proteins, the nuclear inclusion protein b (NIb) is the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase responsible for viral genome replication. Beyond its principal role as an RNA replicase, NIb has been shown to play key roles in diverse virus–host interactions. NIb recruits several host proteins into the viral replication complexes (VRCs), which are essential for the formation of functional VRCs for virus multiplication, and interacts with the sumoylation pathway proteins to suppress NPR1-mediated immunity response. On the other hand, NIb serves as a target of selective autophagy as well as an elicitor of effector-triggered immunity, resulting in attenuated virus infection. These contrasting roles of NIb provide an excellent example of the complex co-evolutionary arms race between plant hosts and potyviruses. This review highlights the current knowledge about the multifunctional roles of NIb in potyvirus infection, and discusses future research directions.