bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards Robot-Assisted Retinal Vein Cannulation: A Motorized Force-Sensing Microneedle Integrated with a Handheld Micromanipulator †
Authors: Gonenc Berk , Chae Jeremy , Gehlbach Peter , Taylor Russell H. , Iordachita Iulian
Published: September 2017

Retinal vein cannulation is a technically demanding surgical procedure where therapeutic agents are injected into the retinal veins to treat occlusions. The clinical feasibility of this approach has been largely limited by the technical challenges associated with performing the procedure. Among the challenges to successful vein cannulation are identifying the moment of venous puncture, achieving cannulation of the micro-vessel, and maintaining cannulation throughout drug delivery. Recent advances in medical robotics and sensing of tool-tissue interaction forces have the potential to address each of these challenges as well as to prevent tissue trauma, minimize complications, diminish surgeon effort, and ultimately promote successful retinal vein cannulation. In this paper, we develop an assistive system combining a handheld micromanipulator, called “Micron”, with a force-sensing microneedle. Using this system, we examine two distinct methods of precisely detecting the instant of venous puncture. This is based on measured tool-tissue interaction forces and also the tracked position of the needle tip. In addition to the existing tremor canceling function of Micron, a new control method is implemented to actively compensate unintended movements of the operator, and to keep the cannulation device securely inside the vein following cannulation. To demonstrate the capabilities and performance of our uniquely upgraded system, we present a multi-user artificial phantom study with subjects from three different surgical skill levels. Results show that our puncture detection algorithm, when combined with the active positive holding feature enables sustained cannulation which is most evident in smaller veins. Notable is that the active holding function significantly attenuates tool motion in the vein, thereby reduces the trauma during cannulation.
Hardware in the Loop Performance Assessment of LIDAR-Based Spacecraft Pose Determination
Authors: Opromolla Roberto , Fasano Giancarmine , Rufino Giancarlo , Grassi Michele
Published: September 2017

In this paper an original, easy to reproduce, semi-analytic calibration approach is developed for hardware-in-the-loop performance assessment of pose determination algorithms processing point cloud data, collected by imaging a non-cooperative target with LIDARs. The laboratory setup includes a scanning LIDAR, a monocular camera, a scaled-replica of a satellite-like target, and a set of calibration tools. The point clouds are processed by uncooperative model-based algorithms to estimate the target relative position and attitude with respect to the LIDAR. Target images, acquired by a monocular camera operated simultaneously with the LIDAR, are processed applying standard solutions to the Perspective-n-Points problem to get high-accuracy pose estimates which can be used as a benchmark to evaluate the accuracy attained by the LIDAR-based techniques. To this aim, a precise knowledge of the extrinsic relative calibration between the camera and the LIDAR is essential, and it is obtained by implementing an original calibration approach which does not need ad-hoc homologous targets (e.g., retro-reflectors) easily recognizable by the two sensors. The pose determination techniques investigated by this work are of interest to space applications involving close-proximity maneuvers between non-cooperative platforms, e.g., on-orbit servicing and active debris removal.
Improving Night Time Driving Safety Using Vision-Based Classification Techniques
Authors: Chien Jong-Chih , Chen Yong-Sheng , Lee Jiann-Der
Published: September 2017

The risks involved in nighttime driving include drowsy drivers and dangerous vehicles. Prominent among the more dangerous vehicles around at night are the larger vehicles which are usually moving faster at night on a highway. In addition, the risk level of driving around larger vehicles rises significantly when the driver’s attention becomes distracted, even for a short period of time. For the purpose of alerting the driver and elevating his or her safety, in this paper we propose two components for any modern vision-based Advanced Drivers Assistance System (ADAS). These two components work separately for the single purpose of alerting the driver in dangerous situations. The purpose of the first component is to ascertain that the driver would be in a sufficiently wakeful state to receive and process warnings; this is the driver drowsiness detection component. The driver drowsiness detection component uses infrared images of the driver to analyze his eyes’ movements using a MSR plus a simple heuristic. This component issues alerts to the driver when the driver’s eyes show distraction and are closed for a longer than usual duration. Experimental results show that this component can detect closed eyes with an accuracy of 94.26% on average, which is comparable to previous results using more sophisticated methods. The purpose of the second component is to alert the driver when the driver’s vehicle is moving around larger vehicles at dusk or night time. The large vehicle detection component accepts images from a regular video driving recorder as input. A bi-level system of classifiers, which included a novel MSR-enhanced KAZE-base Bag-of-Features classifier, is proposed to avoid false negatives. In both components, we propose an improved version of the Multi-Scale Retinex (MSR) algorithm to augment the contrast of the input. Several experiments were performed to test the effects of the MSR and each classifier, and the results are presented in experimental results section of this paper.
Secure Utilization of Beacons and UAVs in Emergency Response Systems for Building Fire Hazard
Authors: Seo Seung-Hyun , Choi Jung-In , Song Jinseok
Published: September 2017

An intelligent emergency system for hazard monitoring and building evacuation is a very important application area in Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Through the use of smart sensors, such a system can provide more vital and reliable information to first-responders and also reduce the incidents of false alarms. Several smart monitoring and warning systems do already exist, though they exhibit key weaknesses such as a limited monitoring coverage and security, which have not yet been sufficiently addressed. In this paper, we propose a monitoring and emergency response method for buildings by utilizing beacons and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) on an IoT security platform. In order to demonstrate the practicability of our method, we also implement a proof of concept prototype, which we call the UAV-EMOR (UAV-assisted Emergency Monitoring and Response) system. Our UAV-EMOR system provides the following novel features: (1) secure communications between UAVs, smart sensors, the control server and a smartphone app for security managers; (2) enhanced coordination between smart sensors and indoor/outdoor UAVs to expand real-time monitoring coverage; and (3) beacon-aided rescue and building evacuation.
Application of CMOS Technology to Silicon Photomultiplier Sensors
Authors: D’Ascenzo Nicola , Zhang Xi , Xie Qingguo
Published: September 2017

We use the 180 nm GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF) BCDLite CMOS process for the production of a silicon photomultiplier prototype. We study the main characteristics of the developed sensor in comparison with commercial SiPMs obtained in custom technologies and other SiPMs developed with CMOS-compatible processes. We support our discussion with a transient modeling of the detection process of the silicon photomultiplier as well as with a series of static and dynamic experimental measurements in dark and illuminated environments.
Average Throughput Performance of Myopic Policy in Energy Harvesting Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Gul Omer , Demirekler Mubeccel
Published: September 2017

This paper considers a single-hop wireless sensor network where a fusion center collects data from M energy harvesting wireless sensors. The harvested energy is stored losslessly in an infinite-capacity battery at each sensor. In each time slot, the fusion center schedules K sensors for data transmission over K orthogonal channels. The fusion center does not have direct knowledge on the battery states of sensors, or the statistics of their energy harvesting processes. The fusion center only has information of the outcomes of previous transmission attempts. It is assumed that the sensors are data backlogged, there is no battery leakage and the communication is error-free. An energy harvesting sensor can transmit data to the fusion center whenever being scheduled only if it has enough energy for data transmission. We investigate average throughput of Round-Robin type myopic policy both analytically and numerically under an average reward (throughput) criterion. We show that Round-Robin type myopic policy achieves optimality for some class of energy harvesting processes although it is suboptimal for a broad class of energy harvesting processes.
Pulsed Eddy Current Sensing for Critical Pipe Condition Assessment
Authors: Ulapane Nalika , Alempijevic Alen , Vidal Calleja Teresa , Valls Miro Jaime
Published: September 2017

Pulsed Eddy Current (PEC) sensing is used for Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) of the structural integrity of metallic structures in the aircraft, railway, oil and gas sectors. Urban water utilities also have extensive large ferromagnetic structures in the form of critical pressure pipe systems made of grey cast iron, ductile cast iron and mild steel. The associated material properties render NDE of these pipes by means of electromagnetic sensing a necessity. In recent years PEC sensing has established itself as a state-of-the-art NDE technique in the critical water pipe sector. This paper presents advancements to PEC inspection in view of the specific information demanded from water utilities along with the challenges encountered in this sector. Operating principles of the sensor architecture suitable for application on critical pipes are presented with the associated sensor design and calibration strategy. A Gaussian process-based approach is applied to model a functional relationship between a PEC signal feature and critical pipe wall thickness. A case study demonstrates the sensor’s behaviour on a grey cast iron pipe and discusses the implications of the observed results and challenges relating to this application.
Towards a Transferable UAV-Based Framework for River Hydromorphological Characterization
Authors: Rivas Casado Mónica , González Rocío , Ortega José , Leinster Paul , Wright Ros
Published: September 2017

The multiple protocols that have been developed to characterize river hydromorphology, partly in response to legislative drivers such as the European Union Water Framework Directive (EU WFD), make the comparison of results obtained in different countries challenging. Recent studies have analyzed the comparability of existing methods, with remote sensing based approaches being proposed as a potential means of harmonizing hydromorphological characterization protocols. However, the resolution achieved by remote sensing products may not be sufficient to assess some of the key hydromorphological features that are required to allow an accurate characterization. Methodologies based on high resolution aerial photography taken from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have been proposed by several authors as potential approaches to overcome these limitations. Here, we explore the applicability of an existing UAV based framework for hydromorphological characterization to three different fluvial settings representing some of the distinct ecoregions defined by the WFD geographical intercalibration groups (GIGs). The framework is based on the automated recognition of hydromorphological features via tested and validated Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). Results show that the framework is transferable to the Central-Baltic and Mediterranean GIGs with accuracies in feature identification above 70%. Accuracies of 50% are achieved when the framework is implemented in the Very Large Rivers GIG. The framework successfully identified vegetation, deep water, shallow water, riffles, side bars and shadows for the majority of the reaches. However, further algorithm development is required to ensure a wider range of features (e.g., chutes, structures and erosion) are accurately identified. This study also highlights the need to develop an objective and fit for purpose hydromorphological characterization framework to be adopted within all EU member states to facilitate comparison of results.
Energy Neutral Wireless Bolt for Safety Critical Fastening
Authors: Seyoum Biruk , Rossi Maurizio , Brunelli Davide
Published: September 2017

Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are now capable of powering the abundant low power electronics from very small (just a few degrees Celsius) temperature gradients. This factor along with the continuously lowering cost and size of TEGs, has contributed to the growing number of miniaturized battery-free sensor modules powered by TEGs. In this article, we present the design of an ambient-powered wireless bolt for high-end electro-mechanical systems. The bolt is equipped with a temperature sensor and a low power RF chip powered from a TEG. A DC-DC converter interfacing the TEG with the RF chip is used to step-up the low TEG voltage. The work includes the characterizations of different TEGs and DC-DC converters to determine the optimal design based on the amount of power that can be generated from a TEG under different loads and at temperature gradients typical of industrial environments. A prototype system was implemented and the power consumption of this system under different conditions was also measured. Results demonstrate that the power generated by the TEG at very low temperature gradients is sufficient to guarantee continuous wireless monitoring of the critical fasteners in critical systems such as avionics, motorsport and aerospace.
Methodology of Correspondence Testing for Employment Discrimination Involving Ethnic Minority Applications: Dutch and English Case Studies of Muslim Applicants for Employment
Authors: Abubaker Mahmoud , Bagley Christopher
Published: September 2017

We comment on methodological issues in the use of correspondence testing for discrimination in access to employment—that of submitting identical CVs to employers, but differing by the name (implying their ethnicity) of the candidate. After contrasting changing social structures in Britain and The Netherlands regarding ethnicity and Muslim integration, we report two case studies using correspondence testing for discrimination in employment involving a Muslim woman (in Manchester, England) and a Muslim man (in Rotterdam, Netherlands), outlining the recent socio-political situation concerning ethnic relations in The Netherlands. The methods used indicated apparent discrimination in employment involving both applicants. However, the novel methods we have employed require further verification using both traditional and novel methodologies. Findings from the two case studies are discussed and compared, with further research proposed.
Influence of Dynamic Strength Index on Countermovement Jump Force-, Power-, Velocity-, and Displacement-Time Curves
Authors: McMahon John , Jones Paul , Dos’Santos Thomas , Comfort Paul
Published: September 2017

The dynamic strength index (DSI), often calculated as the ratio of countermovement jump (CMJ) propulsion peak force to isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP) peak force, is said to inform whether ballistic or maximal strength training is warranted for a given athlete. CMJ propulsion peak force is highly influenced by jump strategy, however, which is not highlighted by the DSI alone. This study aimed to quantitatively compare CMJ force-, power-, velocity-, and displacement-time curves between athletes who achieved high versus low DSI scores. Fifty-three male collegiate athletes performed three CMJs and IMTPs on a force platform. Athletes were ranked based on DSI score and the CMJ kinetic and kinematic-time curves of the bottom and top twenty athletes were compared. The low DSI group (0.55 ± 0.10 vs. 0.92 ± 0.11) produced greater IMTP peak force (46.7 ± 15.0 vs. 31.1 ± 6.6 N·kg−1) but a larger braking net impulse in the CMJ, leading to greater braking velocity and larger countermovement displacement. This strategy resulted in a similar CMJ propulsion peak force (25.9 ± 2.2 vs. 25.4 ± 3.1 N·kg−1) to the high DSI group. These results, taken together with those of previous studies, support the notion of ballistic versus maximal strength training likely being better suited to low versus high DSI scorers, respectively.
A Study of Lightweight Door Hinges of Commercial Vehicles Using Aluminum Instead of Steel for Sustainable Transportation
Authors: Yılmaz Tufan , Tüfekçi Mustafa , Karpat Fatih
Published: September 2017

Recently, lightweight design concepts have come into prominence for vehicle industry, especially for economic and environmental sustainability. Vehicle manufacturers have investigated new material usage to reduce fuel consumption and air pollution as increasing concerns. On the other hand, new legal obligations and global competition have accelerated this research and development process. Designing components with low-density materials is one the most common methods for reducing CO2 emissions. Among these materials, aluminum alloys stand out due to their adequate mechanical properties and specific strength. In this work, the study of lightening door hinges of a commercial vehicle is presented. To reduce the weight of vehicle door hinge, three different aluminum alloys are tried out and compared with steel. Finite element analysis (FEA) and experiments are conducted to determine if the safety requirements are fulfilled or not. According to results with an Al7075-T73 alloy, the weight of door hinge can be reduced by approximately 65%. Stress and strain values are suitable for FMVSS0206 standards. Additionally, it passed the corrosion test.
Marcellus Shale Fracking and Susquehanna River Stakeholder Attitudes: A Five-Year Update
Authors: Heuer Mark , Yan Shan
Published: September 2017

The attitudes of Susquehanna River stakeholders regarding natural gas hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the Marcellus Shale region reflect differing concerns on economic, social, and environmental issues based on gender, education level, and income. The focus on the U.S. State of Pennsylvania section of the Susquehanna River derives from the U.S. States of New York and Maryland, neighbors of Pennsylvania to the immediate north and south, respectively, enacting bans on fracking, while Pennsylvania has catapulted, through Marcellus fracking, to become the second largest natural gas producing state in the U.S. In this Pennsylvania survey, female and more highly educated stakeholders favor a moratorium on fracking, while males and lower income stakeholders support fracking. Of the four categories used to organize the survey, i.e. economic opportunity, health and safety, communities, and energy security, the category of health and safety ranked first in both the 2012 and 2017 survey.
Becoming Urban: Exploring the Transformative Capacity for a Suburban-to-Urban Transition in Australia’s Low-Density Cities
Authors: Newton Peter , Meyer Denny , Glackin Stephen
Published: September 2017

Metropolitan planning and development of Australia’s cities for much of the past 75 years has been strongly influenced by what could be termed the “North American model” of low-density, car-dependent suburban development on greenfield master-planned housing estates. The negative social, economic and environmental consequences associated with perpetuating this low-density greenfield model were becoming evident by the 1990s and “compact city” policies began to feature, albeit in piecemeal fashion, in the long-term metropolitan planning strategies of the major capital cities in Australia. This compact city transition, from “suburban” to “urban” (i.e., from a low-density urban form dominated by detached housing with its own surrounding private space to one where there is a significant presence of medium-density and apartment accommodation), remains a challenging work in progress, as reflected in a rapid succession of metropolitan planning strategies—and reviews—for cities such as Melbourne and Sydney since the beginning of this century. Urban infill targets of 70% for new housing construction in these cities now represents a major break with the past and a challenge to the major stakeholders involved in urban development in Australia: state and local government, the property development industry and residents of the established, ageing “greyfield” suburbs that are a focus for intensified redevelopment. This paper comprises four parts. The introduction identifies the multiple challenges confronting 21st-century urban development in Australia. The second part frames transitions required for a regenerative retrofitting of the established suburbs of its major cities, with particular focus on the greyfields. The third section extends transition management research into an examination of the transformative capacity of each of the four key stakeholder groups that are central to achieving such a regenerative transition. To date, the greatest resistance to more intensive redevelopment has come from urban residents. The final section of the paper focuses on this stakeholder group, and draws on data from a major household survey that examines the attitudes of resident property owners in the middle suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne to neighborhood change and medium-density housing development.
Role of Human Knowledge and Communication on Operational Benefits Gained from Six Sigma
Authors: García-Alcaraz Jorge , Avelar-Sosa Liliana , Latorre-Biel Juan , Jiménez-Macías Emilio , Alor-Hernández Giner
Published: September 2017

Six Sigma (SS) is a production philosophy focused on human experiences and knowledge, aimed to minimize defects of products and services. The appropriate implementation of SS requires an education process, reliable data analysis, efficient didactic material, statistical techniques and human knowledge to improve communication and operational benefits. In this article, we present a structural equation model integrating those aspects as latent variables and relating them with ten hypotheses. Data for hypothesis validation were gathered among 301 manufacturing companies, and assessed using partial least squares (PLS) to estimate direct, indirect, and total effects. As results, we found that access to reliable information, trusted analysis and knowledgeable management are crucial for SS implementation at the problem definition stage. Likewise, to execute and control SS projects, it is important to be trained in statistical techniques through clear didactic materials.
Research on the Sustainable Development of an Economic-Energy-Environment (3E) System Based on System Dynamics (SD): A Case Study of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region in China
Authors: Zuo Yi , Shi Ying-ling , Zhang Yu-zhuo
Published: September 2017

The sustainable development of an economic-energy-environment (3E) system has received increasing attention by the government because it both determines national development and individuals’ health at the macro and micro level. In this paper, we synthetically consider various important factors based on analysis of the existing literature and use system dynamics (SD) to establish models of sustainable development of a 3E system. The model not only clearly shows the complex logical relationship between the factors but also reveals the process of the 3E system. In addition, the paper provides a case study of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in China by using a scenario analysis method. The models proposed in this paper can facilitate an understanding of the sustainable development pattern of a 3E coordination system and help to provide references for policy-making institutions. The results show that the long-term development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region’s 3E system is not sustainable, but it can be changed through the adjustment of the energy structure and an increase in investment in environmental protection, which can improve the environmental quality and ensure continuous growth rather than excessive growth of energy consumption and the gross domestic product (GDP).
Drought Dynamics and Vegetation Productivity in Different Land Management Systems of Eastern Cape, South Africa—A Remote Sensing Perspective
Authors: Graw Valerie , Ghazaryan Gohar , Dall Karen , Delgado Gómez Andoni , Abdel-Hamid Ayman , Jordaan Andries , Piroska Ruben , Post Joachim , Szarzynski Jörg , Walz Yvonne , Dubovyk Olena
Published: September 2017

Eastern Cape Province in South Africa has experienced extreme drought events during the last decade. In South Africa, different land management systems exist belonging to two different land tenure classes: commercial large scale farming and communal small-scale subsistence farming. Communal lands are often reported to be affected by land degradation and drought events among others considered as trigger for this process. Against this background, we analyzed vegetation response to drought in different land management and land tenure systems through assessing vegetation productivity trends and monitoring the intensity, frequency and distribution of the drought hazard in grasslands and communal and commercial croplands during drought and non-drought conditions. For the observation period 2000–2016, we used time series of 250 m Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) based on the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and Climate Hazard Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) precipitation data with 5 km resolution. For the assessment of vegetation dynamics, we: (1) analyzed vegetation productivity in Eastern Cape over the last 16 years with EVI; (2) analyzed the impact of drought events on vegetation productivity in grasslands as well as commercial and communal croplands; and (3) compared precipitation-vegetation dynamics between the drought season 2015/2016 and the non-drought season 2011/2012. Change in total annual vegetation productivity could detect drought years while drought dynamics during the season could be rather monitored by the VCI. Correlation of vegetation condition and precipitation indicated areas experiencing significant vegetation productivity trends showing low and even negative correlation coefficients indicating other drivers for productivity change and drought impact besides rainfall.
Spatial Association of Shrubs and Their Interrelation to Burrowing Site Preference of Subterranean Rodents on Dune Slope in the Otindag Sandy Land, China
Authors: Jiang Lina , Wang Xiao , Li Long , Shi Zhongjie , Yang Xiaohui
Published: September 2017

Rangelands worldwide have more shrubs now, and subterranean rangeland rodents show close interaction to shrubs when choosing a burrowing site. The study was conducted in Otindag Sandy Land in Inner Mongolia, China with the objective of determining the effects of slope position on spatial pattern and interaction of shrubs; how rodents choose their habitat in different slope; and shrubs and rodents influence each other. To accomplish the objective set, we used three physiographic units: Plot 1 (upper slope), Plot 2 (middle slope), and Plot 3 (lower slope), and all individual woody plants and rodent holes in the three plots were mapped. The result of the study showed that: (1) two shrub species show a random distribution trend in all three plots except an aggregated trend only at the smaller scale on the upper slope; (2) the majority of subterranean rodents preferred to select their burrowing sites under the shrub crown, and these selected shrub individuals had generally larger crown length than those unselected individuals. At the same time, the majority of these burrowing sites were located on the lower right direction. (3) The distribution of rodents holes differ across the slopes in the study area. In the three samples, the relative locations of burrowing sites to shrubs are mostly distributed down slope of shrubs. From upper slope to lower slope, this trend gradually enhanced. Our conclusion is that the increase in shrubs represents a pioneer phase in the rehabilitation of degraded sandy land ecosystems, and colonization of subterranean rangeland rodents near the shrubs is a clear indicator of stabilization of sand dunes.
Erratum: Marzouk, M., et al. Assessing Environmental Impact Indicators in Road Construction Projects in Developing Countries. Sustainability 2017, 9, 843
Authors: Marzouk Mohamed , Abdelkader Eslam , El-zayat Mohamed , Aboushady Ahmed
Published: September 2017

The authors of this paper [1] have agreed they would like to add Eslam Mohammed Abdelkader as the second co-author, as he made a significant contribution to the research methodology [...]
Does Operation Scheduling Make a Difference: Tapping the Potential of Optimized Design for Skipping-Stop Strategy in Reducing Bus Emissions
Authors: Chen Xumei , Han Xiaomi , Yu Lei , Wei Changhai
Published: September 2017

The idea of corporate social responsibility has promoted bus operation agencies to rethink how to provide not only efficient but also environmentally friendly services for residents. A study on the potential of using an optimized design of skip-stop services, one of the essential operational strategies in practice, to reduce emissions is conducted in this paper. The underlying scheduling problem is formulated as a nonlinear programming problem with the primary objective of optimizing the total costs for both passengers and operating agencies, as well as with the secondary objective of minimizing bus emissions. A solution method is developed to solve the problem. A real-world case of Route 16 in Beijing is studied, in which the optimal scheduling strategy that maximizes the cost savings and environmental benefits is determined. The costs and emissions of the proposed scheduling strategy are compared with the optimal scheduling with skip-stop services without considering bus emissions. The results show that the proposed scheduling strategy outperforms the other operating strategy with respect to operational costs and bus emissions. A sensitivity study is then conducted to investigate the impact of the fleet size in operations and passenger demand on the effectiveness of the proposed stop-skipping strategy considering bus emissions.
Solvability of the Class of Two-Dimensional Product-Type Systems of Difference Equations of Delay-Type (1, 3, 1, 1)
Authors: Stević Stevo
Published: September 2017

This paper essentially presents the last and important steps in the study of (practical) solvability of two-dimensional product-type systems of difference equations of the following form z n = α z n - k a w n - l b , w n = β w n - m c z n - s d , n ∈ N 0 , where k , l , m , s ∈ N , a , b , c , d ∈ Z , and where α , β and the initial values are complex numbers. It is devoted to the most complex case which has not been considered so far (the case k = l = s = 1 and m = 3 ). Closed form formulas for solutions to the system are found in all possible cases. The structure of the solutions to the system is considered in detail. The following five cases: (1) b = 0 ; (2) c = 0 ; (3) d = 0 ; (4) a c ≠ 0 ; (5) a = 0 , b c d ≠ 0 , are considered separately. Some of the situations appear for the first time in the literature.
Testing Lorentz Symmetry Using High Energy Astrophysics Observations
Authors: Stecker Floyd
Published: September 2017

We discuss some of the tests of Lorentz symmetry made possible by astrophysical observations of ultrahigh energy cosmic rays, γ -rays and neutrinos. These are among the most sensitive tests of Lorentz invariance violation because they are the highest energy phenomena known to man.
Estimating Potential Methane Emission from Municipal Solid Waste and a Site Suitability Analysis of Existing Landfills in Delhi, India
Authors: Singh Chander , Kumar Anand , Roy Soumendu
Published: September 2017

The management of rapidly growing municipal solid waste (MSW) is one of the major challenges in developing countries. The current study also estimates the suitability of a site through a geographical information system using multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for landfill sites in National Capital Territory (NCT). The results of the suitability index indicate that only 58.7 km2 of the land is suitable for the construction of landfill sites, while 194.27 km2 of the total area is moderately suitable. The existing three landfill sites that are currently functional and used by government organizations as landfills are found to be moderately suitable. A large fraction of MSW is disposed in landfills, which emit one third of the total anthropogenic methane (CH4) and are considered an important contributor of Green House Gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. Thus, there is a need for the proper estimation of GHG emission from landfills, specifically CH4, which contributes 20% of the GHGs that contribute to global warming. The current study aims to estimate the CH4 emission from landfills in the NCT, Delhi, India using GHG inventory guidelines from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The CH4 emission from landfills has doubled from 31.06 Gg/yr to 65.16 Gg/yr from 1999 and 2000 to 2015. The generation of CH4 from MSW is strongly correlated (R2 = 0.58) with the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), which is an indicator of wellbeing.
Rapid Detection and Identification of Mycotoxigenic Fungi and Mycotoxins in Stored Wheat Grain
Authors: Sadhasivam Sudharsan , Britzi Malka , Zakin Varda , Kostyukovsky Moshe , Trostanetsky Anatoly , Quinn Elazar , Sionov Edward
Published: September 2017

This study aimed to assess the occurrence of toxigenic fungi and mycotoxin contamination in stored wheat grains by using advanced molecular and analytical techniques. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) strategy was established for rapid identification of mycotoxigenic fungi, and an improved analytical method was developed for simultaneous multi-mycotoxin determination in wheat grains by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) without the need for any clean-up. The optimized multiplex PCR method was highly specific in detecting fungal species containing species-specific and mycotoxin metabolic pathway genes. The method was applied for evaluation of 34 wheat grain samples collected from storage warehouses for the presence of mycotoxin-producing fungi, and a few samples were found positive for Fusarium and Aspergillus species. Further chemical analysis revealed that 17 samples contained mycotoxins above the level of detection, but only six samples were found to be contaminated over the EU regulatory limits with at least one mycotoxin. Aflatoxin B1, fumonisins, and deoxynivalenol were the most common toxins found in these samples. The results showed a strong correlation between the presence of mycotoxin biosynthesis genes as analyzed by multiplex PCR and mycotoxin detection by LC/MS/MS. The present findings indicate that a combined approach might provide rapid, accurate, and sensitive detection of mycotoxigenic species and mycotoxins in wheat grains.
Characterization of Post-Translational Modifications and Cytotoxic Properties of the Adenylate-Cyclase Hemolysin Produced by Various Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis Isolates
Authors: Bouchez Valérie , Douché Thibaut , Dazas Mélody , Delaplane Sophie , Matondo Mariette , Chamot-Rooke Julia , Guiso Nicole
Published: September 2017

Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis are the causal agents of whooping cough in humans. They produce diverse virulence factors, including adenylate cyclase-hemolysin (AC-Hly), a secreted toxin of the repeat in toxins (RTX) family with cyclase, pore-forming, and hemolytic activities. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are essential for the biological activities of the toxin produced by B. pertussis. In this study, we compared AC-Hly toxins from various clinical isolates of B. pertussis and B. parapertussis, focusing on (i) the genomic sequences of cyaA genes, (ii) the PTMs of partially purified AC-Hly, and (iii) the cytotoxic activity of the various AC-Hly toxins. The genes encoding the AC-Hly toxins of B. pertussis and B. parapertussis displayed very limited polymorphism in each species. Most of the sequence differences between the two species were found in the C-terminal part of the protein. Both toxins harbored PTMs, mostly corresponding to palmitoylations of the lysine 860 residue and palmoylations and myristoylations of lysine 983 for B. pertussis and AC-Hly and palmitoylations of lysine 894 and myristoylations of lysine 1017 for B. parapertussis AC-Hly. Purified AC-Hly from B. pertussis was cytotoxic to macrophages, whereas that from B. parapertussis was not.
Canonical and Non-Canonical Autophagy in HIV-1 Replication Cycle
Authors: Leymarie Olivier , Lepont Leslie , Berlioz-Torrent Clarisse
Published: September 2017

Autophagy is a lysosomal-dependent degradative process essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis, and is a key player in innate and adaptive immune responses to intracellular pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). In HIV-1 target cells, autophagy mechanisms can (i) selectively direct viral proteins and viruses for degradation; (ii) participate in the processing and presentation of viral-derived antigens through major histocompatibility complexes; and (iii) contribute to interferon production in response to HIV-1 infection. As a consequence, HIV-1 has evolved different strategies to finely regulate the autophagy pathway to favor its replication and dissemination. HIV-1 notably encodes accessory genes encoding Tat, Nef and Vpu proteins, which are able to perturb and hijack canonical and non-canonical autophagy mechanisms. This review outlines the current knowledge on the complex interplay between autophagy and HIV-1 replication cycle, providing an overview of the autophagy-mediated molecular processes deployed both by infected cells to combat the virus and by HIV-1 to evade antiviral response.
Immunogenicity of eGFP-Marked Recombinant Lactobacillus casei against Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus and Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus
Authors: Yu Meiling , Wang Li , Ma Sunting , Wang Xiaona , Wang Yusai , Xiao Ya , Jiang Yanping , Qiao Xinyuan , Tang Lijie , Xu Yigang , Li Yijing
Published: September 2017

Porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) are the causative agents of highly fatal acute diarrhea in pigs, resulting in enormous losses in the pig industry worldwide. To develop an effective bivalent oral vaccine against TGEV and PEDV infection, the D antigenic site of the TGEV spike (S) protein and the major antigen site (core neutralizing epitope—COE) of the PEDV S protein were used as immunogens, and the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) gene was used as a reporter to construct genetically engineered Lactobacillus casei rLpPGF-T7g10-eGFP-6D-COE. The expression of proteins of interest by the recombinant L. casei was confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy and a Western blot assay, and the immunogenicity of rLpPGF-T7g10-eGFP-6D-COE in orally immunized mice was evaluated. The results showed that levels of anti-PEDV and anti-TGEV serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and mucosal secreted immunoglobulin A (sIgA) antibodies obtained from the mice immunized with rLpPGF-T7g10-eGFP-6D-COE, as well as the proliferation levels of lymphocytes, were significantly higher than those in mice orally administered phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or rLpPG-T7g10. Moreover, the serum IgG antibodies showed neutralizing effects against PEDV and TGEV. Our data suggest that the antibiotic resistance-free genetically engineered L. casei bivalent oral vaccine provides a safe and promising strategy for vaccine development against PEDV and TGEV.
Removing Organic Matter and Nutrients from Swine Wastewater after Anaerobic–Aerobic Treatment
Authors: Saucedo Terán Rubén , De la Mora Orozco Celia , González Acuña Irma , Gómez Rosales Sergio , Domínguez Araujo Gerardo , Rubio Arias Héctor
Published: September 2017

Anaerobic digesters generate effluent containing about 3000 mg L−1 of organic matter in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD). This effluent must be treated before being reused or discharged into the environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of a trickling filter packed with red volcanic rock for the treatment of anaerobic digester effluent with COD concentrations of around 3000 mg L−1. The trickling filter consisted of an aluminum cylinder, 2 mm thick, 3 m high, and 1 m in diameter. To evaluate the efficiency of the treatment system, there were three experimental runs, each lasting 20 days (d). The predictor variable was the initial COD concentration, which ranged from 2002 to 3074 mg L−1. The hydraulic retention time was 9 h. The influent flow was 2.2 L min−1, which amounts to a hydraulic load of 4033 m3 m−2 day−1 and an organic load of 0.006342 to 0.009738 kg m−3 day−1 of COD. Independent of the initial concentration, COD removal efficiency was very high, varying from 90 to 96%. Final effluents met all the maximum permissible limits to be used as irrigation water, as well as for its release into natural or artificial water reservoirs, stored for agricultural crop irrigation.
The Free-Swimming Device Leakage Detection in Plastic Water-filled Pipes through Tuning the Wavelet Transform to the Underwater Acoustic Signals
Authors: Kumar Dileep , Tu Dezhan , Zhu Naifu , Shah Reehan , Hou Dibo , Zhang Hongjian
Published: September 2017

The conventional fixed acoustic sensors leak detection methods have been demonstrated to be very practical for locating leakages in water distribution pipelines. However, these methods demand proper installation of sensors, and therefore cannot be implemented on buried long water distribution pipelines for condition assessment, early leak detection, and the estimation of leak size effect. Due to these limitations, a free-swimming device is developed. The free-swimming device with the potential of high acoustic sensitivity is capable of detecting the small underwater leakages in the plastic water-filled pipes. Despite the fact that a number of factors influence the underwater acoustic signals, such as water flow noise. Therefore, the interpretation of the leakage and influence of leakage size is considerably challenging from the underwater measured signals. The new method is proposed for reliable leakage detection by tuning the wavelet transform to underwater water acoustic signals. In this method, firstly, Short-Time Fourier Transforms (STFT) of underwater acoustic signals over a relatively long time-interval is monitored to capture the leakage-signals signature. The captured signals efficiently lead in the selection of mother wavelet (tuned wavelet) for the excellent signal localization in the time-frequency domain. Finally, the acoustic signals are analyzed in the tuned wavelet transform to detect the events. In this paper, the practical application of the proposed method, the controlled experiments are designed, and acoustic signals are collected from an experimental setup by launching the free-swimming device. The measured acoustic signals are used to identify the leakage-signals signature from unwanted interfering signals (instantaneous pipe vibrations, water flow noise, pipe's natural frequencies, and background noise). The evaluation of results validated that the free-swimming device and the tuned wavelet transform together can efficiently lead to reliable underwater leakage detection, as well as the influence of the leakage size in plastic water-filled pipes.
Simulating Climate Change Induced Thermal Stress in Coldwater Fish Habitat Using SWAT Model
Authors: Chambers Britta , Pradhanang Soni , Gold Arthur
Published: September 2017

Climate studies have suggested that inland stream temperatures and average streamflows will increase over the next century in New England, thereby putting aquatic species sustained by coldwater habitats at risk. This study uses the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to simulate historical streamflow and stream temperatures within three forested, baseflow-driven watersheds in Rhode Island, USA followed by simulations of future climate scenarios for comparison. Low greenhouse gas emission scenarios are based on the 2007 International Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) B1 scenario and the high emissions are based on the SRES A1fi scenario. The output data are analyzed to identify daily occurrences where brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) are exposed to stressful events, defined herein as any day where Q25 or Q75 flows occur simultaneously with stream temperatures exceeding 21 °C. Results indicate that under both high- and low-emission greenhouse gas scenarios, coldwater fish species such as brook trout will be increasingly exposed to stressful events. The percent chance of stressful event occurrence increased by an average of 6.5% under low-emission scenarios and by 14.2% under high-emission scenarios relative to the historical simulations.
Effects of Climate, Limnological Features and Watershed Clearcut Logging on Long-Term Variation in Zooplankton Communities of Boreal Shield Lakes
Authors: Lévesque David , Pinel-Alloul Bernadette , Méthot Ginette , Steedman Robert
Published: September 2017

In Canada, climate change and forest harvesting may both threaten the ecological integrity of boreal lakes. To disentangle the effects of natural variation in climate and lake environments from those of logging, we evaluated long-term variation (1991–2003) in zooplankton communities of six boreal lakes in Ontario. We monitored concomitantly changes in zooplankton abundance and composition in three undisturbed and three harvested lakes, five years prior and eight years after watershed clearcut logging. We tested the hypothesis that long-term natural variation in climate and lake environments will be more important drivers of zooplankton community changes than short-term impacts of logging. We used space/time interaction tests and asymmetric eigenvector maps to model zooplankton responses to environmental changes and logging. Year-to-year variation in zooplankton abundance and composition were almost an order of magnitude whereas among-lake variation was stable through time. Breakpoints in time series of zooplankton in each lake were not directly related to logging. Climatic and limnological features were the most important drivers of long-term variation in the zooplankton community, shading the effect of logging. These results highlight the need to better understand the pressures exerted by climate change on boreal lake ecosystems in the context of anthropogenic pressure, such as logging.