bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic Effect of Rumex japonicus Houtt. on DNCB-Induced Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Lesions in Balb/c Mice and Human Keratinocyte HaCaT Cells
Authors: Yang Hye Ryeon , Lee Hyunkyoung , Kim Jong-Hyun , Hong Il-Hwa , Hwang Du Hyeon , Rho Il Rae , Kim Gon Sup , Kim Euikyung , Kang Changkeun
Published: March 2019

Rumex japonicus Houtt. (RJ) is traditionally used in folk medicines to treat patients suffering from skin disease in Korea and other parts of East Asia. However, the beneficial effect of RJ extract on atopic dermatitis (AD) has not been thoroughly examined. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of RJ on AD in vitro and in vivo. Treatment with RJ inhibited the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) as well as the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) stimulated in HaCaT cells. The five-week-old Balb/c mice were used as an AD-like mouse model by treating them with 1-chloro-2, 4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB). Topical administration of RJ to DNCB-treated mice significantly reduced clinical dermatitis severity, epidermal thickness, and decreased mast cell and eosinophil infiltration into skin and ear tissue. These results suggest that RJ inhibits the development of AD-like skin lesions by regulating the skin inflammation responses in HaCaT cells and Balb/c mice. Thus, RJ may be a potential therapeutic agent for AD.
Docosahexaenoic Acid Inhibits Proliferation of EoL-1 Leukemia Cells and Induces Cell Cycle Arrest and Cell Differentiation
Authors: Moustaka Kalliopi , Maleskou Eirini , Lambrianidou Andromachi , Papadopoulos Stelios , Lekka Marilena E. , Trangas Theoni , Kitsiouli Eirini
Published: March 2019

Τhe effect of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid) upon the proliferation of EoL-1 (Eosinophilic leukemia) cell line was assessed, while additional cellular events during the antiproliferative action were recorded. DHA inhibited EoL-1 cells growth dose-dependently by inducing growth arrest at G0/1 phase of the cell cycle. After DHA addition to the cells, the expression of MYC oncogene was decreased, PTAFR-mRNA overexpression was observed which was used as a marker of differentiation, and PLA2G4A-mRNA increase was recorded. The enzymatic activities of phospholipase A2 (PLA2), a group of hydrolytic enzymes, whose action precedes and leads to PAF biosynthesis through the remodeling pathway, as well as platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAFAH) which hydrolyses and deactivates PAF, were also measured. DHA had an effect on the levels of both the intracellular and secreted activities of PLA2 and PAFAH. The inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α were also detected in high levels. In conclusion, DHA-induced EoL-1 cells differentiation was correlated with downregulation of MYC oncogene, overexpression of PTAFR and PLA2G4A-mRNAs, increase of the inflammatory cytokines production, and alteration of the enzymatic activities that regulate PAF levels. DHA is a natural substance and the understanding of its action on EoL-1 cells on molecular level could be useful in further investigation as a future therapeutic tool against F/P + hypereosinophilic syndrome.
Dietary Polyphenols Targeting Arterial Stiffness: Interplay of Contributing Mechanisms and Gut Microbiome-Related Metabolism
Authors: De Bruyne Tess , Steenput Bieke , Roth Lynn , De Meyer Guido R. Y. , Santos Claudia Nunes dos , Valentová Kateřina , Dambrova Maija , Hermans Nina
Published: March 2019

Increased arterial stiffness is a degenerative vascular process, progressing with age that leads to a reduced capability of arteries to expand and contract in response to pressure changes. This progressive degeneration mainly affects the extracellular matrix of elastic arteries and causes loss of vascular elasticity. Recent studies point to significant interference of dietary polyphenols with mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology and progression of arterial stiffness. This review summarizes data from epidemiological and interventional studies on the effect of polyphenols on vascular stiffness as an illustration of current research and addresses possible etiological factors targeted by polyphenols, including pathways of vascular functionality, oxidative status, inflammation, glycation, and autophagy. Effects can either be inflicted directly by the dietary polyphenols or indirectly by metabolites originated from the host or microbial metabolic processes. The composition of the gut microbiome, therefore, determines the resulting metabolome and, as a consequence, the observed activity. On the other hand, polyphenols also influence the intestinal microbial composition, and therefore the metabolites available for interaction with relevant targets. As such, targeting the gut microbiome is another potential treatment option for arterial stiffness.
Spatial Association of Food Sales in Supermarkets with the Mean BMI of Young Men: An Ecological Study
Authors: Güsewell Sabine , Floris Joël , Berlin Claudia , Zwahlen Marcel , Rühli Frank , Bender Nicole , Staub Kaspar
Published: March 2019

Supermarket food sales data might serve as a simple indicator of population-level dietary habits that influence the prevalence of excess weight in local environments. To test this possibility, we investigated how variation in store-level food sales composition across Switzerland is associated with the mean Body Mass Index (BMI) of young men (Swiss Army conscripts) living near the stores. We obtained data on annual food sales (2011) for 553 stores from the largest supermarket chain in Switzerland, identified foods commonly regarded as “healthy” or “unhealthy” based on nutrient content, and determined their contribution to each store’s total sales (Swiss francs). We found that the sales percentages of both “healthy” and “unhealthy” food types varied by 2- to 3-fold among stores. Their balance ranged from −15.3% to 18.0% of total sales; it was positively associated with area-based socioeconomic position (r = 0.63) and negatively associated with the mean BMI of young men in the area (r = −0.42). Thus, even though we compared supermarkets from a single chain, different shopping behaviors of customers caused stores in privileged areas to sell relatively more healthy food. Knowledge about such patterns could help in designing in-store interventions for healthier nutrition and monitoring their effects over time.
Time Resolved Polarised Grazing Incidence Neutron Scattering from Composite Materials
Authors: Wolff Maximilian , Saini Apurve , Simonne David , Adlmann Franz , Nelson Andrew
Published: March 2019

Neutron scattering experiments are a unique tool in material science due to their sensitivity to light elements and magnetic induction. However, for kinetic studies the low brilliance at existing sources poses challenges. In the case of periodic excitations these challenges can be overcome by binning the scattering signal according to the excitation state of the sample. To advance into this direction we have performed polarised and time resolved grazing incidence neutron scattering measurements on an aqueous solution of the polymer F127 mixed with magnetic nano-particles. Magnetic nano-composites like this provide magnetically tuneable properties of the polymer crystal as well as magnetic meta-crystals. Even though the grazing incidence small angle scattering and polarised signals are too weak to be evaluated at this stage we demonstrate that such experiments are feasible. Moreover, we show that the intensity of the 111 Bragg peak of the fcc micellar crystal depends on the actual shear rate, with the signal being maximised when the shear rate is lowest (and vice-versa).
A New Method of Plugging the Fracture to Enhance Oil Production for Fractured Oil Reservoir using Gel Particles and the HPAM/Cr3+ System
Authors: Zhang Lei , Khan Nasir , Pu Chunsheng
Published: March 2019

Due to the strong heterogeneity between the fracture and the matrix in fractured oil reservoirs, injected water is mainly moved forward along the fracture, which results in poor water flooding. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce the water cut and increase oil production by using the conformance control technology. So far, gel particles and partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM)/Cr3+ gel are the most common applications due to their better suitability and low price. However, either of the two alone can only reduce the conductivity of the fracture to a certain extent, which leads to a poor effect. Therefore, to efficiently plug the fracture to enhance oil recovery, a combination of gel particles and the HPAM/Cr3+ system is used by laboratory tests according to their respective advantages. The first step is that the gel particles can compactly and uniformly cover the entire fracture and then the fracture channel is transformed into the gel particles media. This process can enhance the oil recovery to 18.5%. The second step is that a suitable HPAM/Cr3+ system based on the permeability of the gel particles media is injected in the fractured core. Thus, the fracture can be completely plugged and the oil in the matrix of the fractured core can be displaced by water flooding. This process can enhance oil recovery to 10.5%. During the whole process, the oil recovery is increased to 29% by this method. The results show that this principle can provide a new method for the sustainable and efficient development of fractured oil reservoirs.
An Efficient Energy Management in Office Using Bio-Inspired Energy Optimization Algorithms
Authors: Ullah Ibrar , Khitab Zar , Khan Muhammad Naeem , Hussain Sajjad
Published: March 2019

Energy is one of the valuable resources in this biosphere. However, with the rapid increase of the population and increasing dependency on the daily use of energy due to smart technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT), the existing resources are becoming scarce. Therefore, to have an optimum usage of the existing energy resources on the consumer side, new techniques and algorithms are being discovered and used in the energy optimization process in the smart grid (SG). In SG, because of the possibility of bi-directional power flow and communication between the utility and consumers, an active and optimized energy scheduling technique is essential, which minimizes the end-user electricity bill, reduces the peak-to-average power ratio (PAR) and reduces the frequency of interruptions. Because of the varying nature of the power consumption patterns of consumers, optimized scheduling of energy consumption is a challenging task. For the maximum benefit of both the utility and consumers, to decide whether to store, buy or sale extra energy, such active environmental features must also be taken into consideration. This paper presents two bio-inspired energy optimization techniques; the grasshopper optimization algorithm (GOA) and bacterial foraging algorithm (BFA), for power scheduling in a single office. It is clear from the simulation results that the consumer electricity bill can be reduced by more than 34.69% and 37.47%, while PAR has a reduction of 56.20% and 20.87% with GOA and BFA scheduling, respectively, as compared to unscheduled energy consumption with the day-ahead pricing (DAP) scheme.
Multiphase Open Phase Processes Differential Equations
Authors: Charykov Nikolay A. , Charykova Marina V. , Semenov Konstantin N. , Keskinov Victor A. , Kurilenko Alexey V. , Shaimardanov Zhassulan K. , Shaimardanova Botagoz K.
Published: March 2019

The thermodynamic approach for the description of multiphase open phase processes is developed based on van der Waals equation in the metrics of Gibbs and incomplete Gibbs potentials. Examples of thermodynamic modeling of the multiphase and multicomponent A3B5 systems (In-Ga-As-Sb and In-P-As-Sb) and Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+//Cl−, SO42−-H2O water–salt system are presented. Topological isomorphism of different type phase diagrams is demonstrated.
Shakespeare and the English Poets: The Influence of Native Speaking English Reviewers on the Acceptance of Journal Articles
Authors: Strauss Pat
Published: March 2019

The vast majority of highly ranked academic journals use English as the means of communication. That means that academics who wish to have their research internationally recognised need to publish in English. For those who are not native speakers of English (non-anglophone), this requirement is challenging. Research indicates that these authors are at a distinct disadvantage, and that to a certain extent, this disadvantage may be exacerbated by the attitudes of reviewers. This study sought to investigate the attitudes of journal reviewers who are native speakers of English (anglophone). Eight academics who regularly review for international journals took part in semistructured interviews about their attitudes towards the kind of English they believe should be used in articles they would recommend for publication. It appears that there is a bias against language that differs from native speaker use, and that authors who employ nonstandard English might well be regarded negatively, regardless of the merits of their research. It is important, therefore, that the issue of what is regarded as appropriate English for international journals enjoys a great deal more careful consideration.
Not the Same Old Story: Dante’s Re-Telling of The Odyssey
Authors: Chapman David W.
Published: March 2019

Dante’s Divine Comedy is frequently taught in core curriculum programs, but the mixture of classical and Christian symbols can be confusing to contemporary students. In teaching Dante, it is helpful for students to understand the concept of noumenal truth that underlies the symbol. In re-telling the Ulysses’ myth in Canto XXVI of The Inferno, Dante reveals that the details of the narrative are secondary to the spiritual truth he wishes to convey. Dante changes Ulysses’ quest for home and reunification with family in the Homeric account to a failed quest for knowledge without divine guidance that results in Ulysses’ destruction.
Development of a Robotic Airboat for Online Water Quality Monitoring in Lakes
Authors: Melo Marcelo , Mota Francisco , Albuquerque Victor , Alexandria Auzuir
Published: March 2019

Maintenance of water resources through collection of water followed by laboratory analysis, is a key factor in the measurement of water quality. The main difficulty for water collection and analysis is the logistics of the process, since the collections are often made by mall boats in very distant aquifers, applying manual processes, and are sometimes based on few samples. In this paper, the development, construction, and implementation of a robotic airboat to measure water quality in lakes has been described. The airboat was developed in the form of a mini-boat, in a fiberglass structure, whose interior housed a battery, a Raspberry Pi mini-computer, a Wi-Fi router for connection to a notebook, tablet or cell phone, and sensors connected to the Arduino platform. The airboat was validated in two lagoons in Fortaleza, and in a reservoir in the city of Pacatuba. The results were collected with the purpose of analyzing the parameters of each lagoon. The main contribution of this work was the development of an autonomous system of acquiring water parameters from several points of the lagoon.
Fusion of Multispectral and Panchromatic Images via Spatial Weighted Neighbor Embedding
Authors: Zhang Kai , Zhang Feng , Yang Shuyuan
Published: March 2019

Fusing the panchromatic (PAN) image and low spatial-resolution multispectral (LR MS) images is an effective technology for generating high spatial-resolution MS (HR MS) images. Some image-fusion methods inspired by neighbor embedding (NE) are proposed and produce competitive results. These methods generally adopt Euclidean distance to determinate the neighbors. However, closer Euclidean distance is not equal to greater similarity in spatial structure. In this paper, we propose a spatial weighted neighbor embedding (SWNE) approach for PAN and MS image fusion, by exploring the similar manifold structures existing in the observed LR MS images to those of HR MS images. In SWNE, the spatial neighbors of the LR patch are found first. Second, the weights of these neighbors are estimated by the alternative direction multiplier method (ADMM), in which the neighbors and their weights are determined simultaneously. Finally, the HR patches are reconstructed by the sum of HR patches corresponding to the LR patches multiplying with their weights. Due to the introduction of spatial structures in objective function, outlier patches can be eliminated effectively by ADMM. Compared with other methods based on NE, more reasonable neighbor patches and their weights are estimated simultaneously. Some experiments are conducted on datasets collected by QuickBird and Geoeye-1 satellites to validate the effectiveness of SWNE, and the results demonstrate a better performance of SWNE in spatial and spectral information preservation.
Characterization of Nucleobases in Broadband Terahertz Spectra from 0.5 to 10 THz with the Air-Biased-Coherent-Detection Technique
Authors: Yu Miao , Yan Shihan , Sun Yong-qiang , Sheng Wang , Tang Fu , Peng Xiao-yu , Hu Yuan
Published: March 2019

Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) is an effective coherent detection technique for deeply understanding the structures and functions of biomolecules. However, generally not full information in the whole THz range can be obtained due to the limited detection bandwidth (usually less than 5 THz) of the traditional THz-TDS systems. In this paper, effective THz absorption spectra in 0.5–10 THz range of five typical nucleobases of DNA/RNA are characterized with a super broadband THz detection technique, called the air-biased- coherent-detection (THz-ABCD) technique. Few unexpected characteristic absorption peaks appeared in the low-frequency region and meanwhile a series of anticipated characteristic absorption peaks are found in the high-frequency region. The fingerprint spectra of these nucleobases are helpful for further analysis on the vibration and twisting behavior of hydrogen bonds, van der Waals and electrostatic forces etc. between and within DNA/RNA biomolecules.
An Emergency Response System: Construction, Validation, and Experiments for Disaster Management in a Vehicular Environment
Authors: Khaliq Kishwer Abdul , Chughtai Omer , Shahwani Abdullah , Qayyum Amir , Pannek Jürgen
Published: March 2019

Natural disasters and catastrophes not only cost the loss of human lives, but adversely affect the progress toward sustainable development of the country. As soon as disaster strikes, the first and foremost challenge for the concerned authorities is to make an expeditious response. Consequently, they need to be highly-organized, properly-trained, and sufficiently-equipped to effectively respond and limit the destructive effects of a disaster. In such circumstances, communication plays a vital role, whereby the consequences of tasks assigned to the workers for rescue and relief services may be streamlined by relaying necessary information among themselves. Moreover, most of the infrastructure is either severely damaged or completely destroyed in post-disaster scenarios; therefore, a Vehicular Ad Hoc Network (VANET) is used to carry out the rescue operation, as it does not require any pre-existing infrastructure. In this context, the current work proposes and validates an effective way to relay the crucial information through the development of an application and the deployment of an experimental TestBed in a vehicular environment. The TestBed may able to provide a way to design and validate the algorithms. It provides a number of vehicles with onboard units embedded with a credit-card-size microcomputer called Raspberry Pi and a Global Positioning System (GPS) module. Additionally, it dispatches one of the pre-defined codes of emergency messages based on the level of urgency through multiple hops to a central control room. Depending on the message code received from a client, the server takes appropriate action. Furthermore, the solution also provides a graphical interface that is easy to interpret and to understand at the control room to visualize the rescue operation on the fly.
Noninvasive Electromagnetic Wave Sensing of Glucose
Authors: Zhang Ruochong , Liu Siyu , Jin Haoran , Luo Yunqi , Zheng Zesheng , Gao Fei , Zheng Yuanjin
Published: March 2019

Diabetic patients need long-term and frequent glucose monitoring to assist in insulin intake. The current finger-prick devices are painful and costly, which places noninvasive glucose sensors in high demand. In this review paper, we list several advanced electromagnetic (EM)-wave-based technologies for noninvasive glucose measurement, including infrared (IR) spectroscopy, photoacoustic (PA) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, fluorescence, optical coherence tomography (OCT), Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, and microwave sensing. The development of each method is discussed regarding the fundamental principle, system setup, and experimental results. Despite the promising achievements that have been previously reported, no established product has obtained FDA approval or survived a marketing test. The limitations of, and prospects for, these techniques are presented at the end of this review.
Pattern-Based Decoding for Wi-Fi Backscatter Communication of Passive Sensors
Authors: Hwang Hwanwoong , Lim Jae-Han , Yun Ji-Hoon , Jeong Byung Jang
Published: March 2019

Ambient backscatter communication enables passive sensors to convey sensing data on ambient RF signals in the air at ultralow power consumption. To extract data bits from such signals, threshold-based decoding has generally been considered, but suffers against Wi-Fi signals due to severe fluctuation of OFDM signals. In this paper, we propose a pattern-matching-based decoding algorithm for Wi-Fi backscatter communications. The key idea is the identification of unique patterns of signal samples that arise from the inevitable smoothing of Wi-Fi signals to filter out noisy fluctuation. We provide the mathematical basis of obtaining the pattern of smoothed signal samples as the slope of a line expressed in a closed-form equation. Then, the new decoding algorithm was designed to identify the pattern of received signal samples as a slope rather than classifying their amplitude levels. Thus, it is more robust against signal fluctuation and does not need tricky threshold configuration. Moreover, for even higher reliability, the pattern was identified for a pair of adjacent bits, and the algorithm decodes a bit pair at a time rather than a single bit. We demonstrate via testbed experiments that the proposed algorithm significantly outperforms conventional threshold-based decoding variants in terms of bit error rate for various distances and data rates.
Identification of the Rumination in Cattle Using Support Vector Machines with Motion-Sensitive Bolus Sensors
Authors: Hamilton Andrew , Davison Chris , Tachtatzis Christos , Andonovic Ivan , Michie Craig , Ferguson Holly , Somerville Laura , Jonsson Nicholas
Published: March 2019

The reticuloruminal function is central to the digestive efficiency in ruminants. For cattle, collar- and ear tag-based accelerometer monitors have been developed to assess the time spent ruminating on an individual animal. Cattle that are ill feed less and so ruminate less, thus, the estimation of the time spent ruminating provides insights into the health of individual animals. pH boluses directly provide information on the reticuloruminal function within the rumen and extended (three hours or more) periods during which the ruminal pH value remains below 5.6 is an indicator that dysfunction and poor welfare are likely. Accelerometers, incorporated into the pH boluses, have been used to indicate changes in behaviour patterns (high/low activity), utilised to detect the onset of oestrus. The paper demonstrates for the first time that by processing the reticuloruminal motion, it is possible to recover rumination periods. Reticuloruminal motion energy and the time between reticuloruminal contractions are used as inputs to a Support Vector Machine (SVM) to identify rumination periods with an overall accuracy of 86.1%, corroborated by neck mounted rumination collars.
Time Series Data Fusion Based on Evidence Theory and OWA Operator
Authors: Liu Gang , Xiao Fuyuan
Published: March 2019

Time series data fusion is important in real applications such as target recognition based on sensors’ information. The existing credibility decay model (CDM) is not efficient in the situation when the time interval between data from sensors is too long. To address this issue, a new method based on the ordered weighted aggregation operator (OWA) is presented in this paper. With the improvement to use the Q function in the OWA, the effect of time interval on the final fusion result is decreased. The application in target recognition based on time series data fusion illustrates the efficiency of the new method. The proposed method has promising aspects in time series data fusion.
Efficient Distributed Method for NLOS Cooperative Localization in WSNs
Authors: Chen Shiwa , Zhang Jianyun , Mao Yunxiang , Xu Chengcheng , Gu Yu
Published: March 2019

The accuracy of cooperative localization can be severely degraded in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) environments. Although most existing approaches modify models to alleviate NLOS impact, computational speed does not satisfy practical applications. In this paper, we propose a distributed cooperative localization method for wireless sensor networks (WSNs) in NLOS environments. The convex model in the proposed method is based on projection relaxation. This model was designed for situations where prior information on NLOS connections is unavailable. We developed an efficient decomposed formulation for the convex counterpart, and designed a parallel distributed algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM), which significantly improves computational speed. To accelerate the convergence rate of local updates, we approached the subproblems via the proximal algorithm and analyzed its computational complexity. Numerical simulation results demonstrate that our approach is superior in processing speed and accuracy to other methods in NLOS scenarios.
Real-Time Thermal Modulation of High Bandwidth MOX Gas Sensors for Mobile Robot Applications
Authors: Xing Yuxin , Vincent Timothy A. , Cole Marina , Gardner Julian W.
Published: March 2019

A new signal processing technique has been developed for resistive metal oxide (MOX) gas sensors to enable high-bandwidth measurements and enhanced selectivity at PPM levels (<5 PPM VOCs). An embedded micro-heater is thermally pulsed from a temperature of 225 to 350 °C, which enables the chemical reaction kinetics of the sensing film to be extracted using a fast Fourier transform. Signal processing is performed in real-time using a low-cost microcontroller integrated into a sensor module. Three sensors, coated with SnO2, WO3 and NiO respectively, were operated and processed at the same time. This approach enables the removal of long-term baseline drift and is more resilient to changes in ambient temperature. It also greatly reduced the measurement time from ~10 s to 2 s or less. Bench-top experimental results are presented for 0 to 200 ppm of acetone, and 0 ppm to 500 ppm of ethanol. Our results demonstrate our sensor system can be used on a mobile robot for real-time gas sensing.
A Fog Computing Solution for Context-Based Privacy Leakage Detection for Android Healthcare Devices
Authors: Gu Jingjing , Huang Ruicong , Jiang Li , Qiao Gongzhe , Du Xiaojiang , Guizani Mohsen
Published: March 2019

Intelligent medical service system integrates wireless internet of things (WIoT), including medical sensors, wireless communications, and middleware techniques, so as to collect and analyze patients’ data to examine their physical conditions by many personal health devices (PHDs) in real time. However, large amount of malicious codes on the Android system can compromise consumers’ privacy, and further threat the hospital management or even the patients’ health. Furthermore, this sensor-rich system keeps generating large amounts of data and saturates the middleware system. To address these challenges, we propose a fog computing security and privacy protection solution. Specifically, first, we design the security and privacy protection framework based on the fog computing to improve tele-health and tele-medicine infrastructure. Then, we propose a context-based privacy leakage detection method based on the combination of dynamic and static information. Experimental results show that the proposed method can achieve higher detection accuracy and lower energy consumption compared with other state-of-art methods.
An Area Coverage and Energy Consumption Optimization Approach Based on Improved Adaptive Particle Swarm Optimization for Directional Sensor Networks
Authors: Peng Song , Xiong Yonghua
Published: March 2019

Coverage is a vital indicator which reflects the performance of directional sensor networks (DSNs). The random deployment of directional sensor nodes will lead to many covergae blind areas and overlapping areas. Besides, the premature death of nodes will also directly affect the service quality of network due to limited energy. To address these problems, this paper proposes a new area coverage and energy consumption optimization approach based on improved adaptive particle swarm optimization (IAPSO). For area coverage problem, we set up a multi-objective optimization model in order to improve coverage ratio and reduce redundancy ratio by sensing direction rotation. For energy consumption optimization, we make energy consumption evenly distribute on each sensor node by clustering network. We set up a cluster head selection optimization model which considers the total residual energy ratio and energy consumption balance degree of cluster head candidates. We also propose a cluster formation algorithm in which member nodes choose their cluster heads by weight function. We next utilize an IAPSO to solve two optimization models to achieve high coverage ratio, low redundancy ratio and energy consumption balance. Extensive simulation results demonstrate the our proposed approach performs better than other ones.
Fetal Heart Rate Monitoring Implemented by Dynamic Adaptation of Transmission Power of a Flexible Ultrasound Transducer Array
Authors: Hamelmann Paul , Mischi Massimo , Kolen Alexander F. , van Laar Judith O. E. H. , Vullings Rik , Bergmans Jan W. M.
Published: March 2019

Fetal heart rate (fHR) monitoring using Doppler Ultrasound (US) is a standard method to assess fetal health before and during labor. Typically, an US transducer is positioned on the maternal abdomen and directed towards the fetal heart. Due to fetal movement or displacement of the transducer, the relative fetal heart location (fHL) with respect to the US transducer can change, leading to frequent periods of signal loss. Consequently, frequent repositioning of the US transducer is required, which is a cumbersome task affecting clinical workflow. In this research, a new flexible US transducer array is proposed which allows for measuring the fHR independently of the fHL. In addition, a method for dynamic adaptation of the transmission power of this array is introduced with the aim of reducing the total acoustic dose transmitted to the fetus and the associated power consumption, which is an important requirement for application in an ambulatory setting. The method is evaluated using an in-vitro setup of a beating chicken heart. We demonstrate that the signal quality of the Doppler signal acquired with the proposed method is comparable to that of a standard, clinical US transducer. At the same time, our transducer array is able to measure the fHR for varying fHL while only using 50% of the total transmission power of standard, clinical US transducers.
Cylindrical Dielectric Resonator Antenna-Based Sensors for Liquid Chemical Detection
Authors: Iqbal Amjad , Smida Amor , Saraereh Omar A. , Alsafasfeh Qais H. , Mallat Nazih Khaddaj , Lee Byung Moo
Published: March 2019

A compact, cylindrical dielectric resonator antenna (CDRA), using radio frequency signals to identify different liquids is proposed in this paper. The proposed CDRA sensor is excited by a rectangular slot through a 3-mm-wide microstrip line. The rectangular slot has been used to excite the CDRA for H E M 11 mode at 5.25 GHz. Circuit model values (capacitance, inductance, resistance and transformer ratios) of the proposed CDRA are derived to show the true behaviour of the system. The proposed CDRA acts as a sensor due to the fact that different liquids have different dielectric permittivities and, hence, will be having different resonance frequencies. Two different types of CDRA sensors are designed and experimentally validated with four different liquids (Isopropyl, ethanol, methanol and water).
Evaluating Safety Systems for Machine Tools with Computer Numerical Control using Analytic Hierarchy Process
Authors: Racz Sever-Gabriel , Breaz Radu-Eugen , Cioca Lucian-Ionel
Published: March 2019

Computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools are complex production systems with fully automatic machine parts. Nowadays, high feed rates and machining speeds are used during the machining process. Human operators are still needed to set-up the machine, load/unload workpieces and parts, load the machining code, and supervise the machining process. The operators work in an environment where automated high-speed motions occur, and consequently, CNC machine tools have to be equipped with safety systems. The approach presented in this paper was to evaluate the main safety systems of CNC machine tools based upon the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The analyzed systems were divided into six main categories and compared pairwise using five criteria proposed by the authors. The approach and the obtained results significantly relied upon the situation found at the industrial company used as a benchmark for the research. The analysis reveals that, among considered safety devices, manually operated controls are the most efficient ones. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to test the stability of the AHP solution.
The Roles of Growth, Maturation, Physical Fitness, and Technical Skills on Selection for a Portuguese Under-14 Years Basketball Team
Authors: Guimarães Eduardo , Baxter-Jones Adam , Maia José , Fonseca Pedro , Santos Américo , Santos Eduardo , Tavares Fernando , Janeira Manuel António
Published: March 2019

This study investigated the roles of growth, maturation, physical fitness, and technical skills on selection onto an under-14 years basketball team. The sample consisted of 150 male players, aged 13.3 ± 0.7 years, divided into selected (SE—top players chosen by coaching staff to form an elite regional team) and non-selected (NSE—remaining players) groups. Anthropometry, body composition, biological maturation, and training experience data were collected using standard procedures. Physical fitness was assessed using the Yo-Yo IE2, sit-ups, handgrip, squat jump, countermovement jump, 3 kg medicine ball throw, 20 m sprint, and T-Test. Technical skills were acquired using the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD)’s basketball-specific test battery. Groups were compared using a Student’s t test and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA), with training experience and biological maturation as covariates. A forward stepwise discriminant function analysis was employed to identify variables that maximized the separation between groups. The results showed that SE players were taller, had greater fat-free mass, greater strength, power, and agility, and were technically more skillful compared with NSE players (p < 0.05) when controlling for training experience and maturation. It was also found that players were best discriminated by the 3 kg medicine ball throw and control dribble, revealing the importance of qualified training to achieve excellence in youth basketball. 92.7% of the basketballers were correctly classified into their original groups. It is therefore confirmed that the additional effects of training experience and biological maturation positively influenced the performance of young basketball players. We recommend that coaches focus not only on players’ body sizes, but also on their skill level, especially during adolescence, when selecting teams in order to promote sustainable long-term development.
Influences on the Implementation of Community Urban Agriculture: Insights from Agricultural Professionals
Authors: Tiraieyari Neda , Karami Roya , Ricard Robert M. , Badsar Mohammad
Published: March 2019

Limited studies have investigated the relative influence of both external and internal factors in the implementation of community-based urban agriculture (UA) (ICUA). Furthermore, little research exists explaining how different mechanisms might influence urban residents’ decision to participate in UA. Our research tested the direct effect of several predictors on ICUA using structural equational modelling. In addition, we tested the mediation effect between the predictors and the ICUA that may exist as well. Results are based on data from 200 agricultural professionals in the Zanjan province in northwest Iran. We found that “personal characteristics”, “UA positive and negative consequences”, “sociocultural”, and “economic” factors affect ICUA. Among all factors, “personal characteristics” had the strongest direct effect on ICUA. The indirect model incorporating “attitude” provided support for the mediation model. We found “personal characteristics”, “UA positive and negative consequences”, and “sociocultural” influenced ICUA indirectly through “attitude.” Among all factors, “sociocultural” had the strongest indirect effect on ICUA. This information is of use to policy-makers and program planners in identifying points of policy interventions and mechanisms for promoting UA.
Threshold Effect of High-Tech Industrial Scale on Green Development—Evidence from Yangtze River Economic Belt
Authors: Liu Yanhong , Huang Xinjian , Chen Weiliang
Published: March 2019

Based on the panel data of 11 regions in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 1998 to 2016, we tested and analyzed the effects of high-tech industrial expansion on green development. For these regions in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, we wanted to investigate the potential linear relationship between the scale of high-tech industry and green development or the possible threshold effect. We wanted to determine if this relationship is different in various regions of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. According to the empirical test, we found that: (1) for the entire Yangtze River Economic Belt region, the influence of high-tech industrial scale on green development doubled the threshold effect, and a marginal efficiency diminishing effect existed with the further increase in scale; (2) due to the differences among the regions, the threshold effect was different in different regions, with a double threshold effect in the lower reaches, a single threshold effect in the middle reaches, and no threshold effect in the upper reaches; and (3) regarding the high-tech industrial scale, the downstream areas were too large to weaken its promoting effect on green development. In the middle reaches, the positive impact on green development was still increasing, and the high-tech industrial scale should be further expanded. However, in the upstream areas, high-tech industrial scales did not reach the threshold value and the relationship between the high-tech industrial scale and green development was linear. Therefore, local high-tech industries should be cultivated and developed.
Adaptability of Inter-Organizational Information Systems Based on Organizational Identity: Some Factors of Partnership for the Goals
Authors: Liu Yang , Esangbedo Moses Olabhele , Bai Sijun
Published: March 2019

Given the current trade friction between the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China, the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) may slow down in some areas in both countries, and there is a need for organizations to understand more of the factors that affect the adaptability of inter-organization information systems (AIOISs) in order to support the 17th Sustainable Development Goal. This research proposes a new model for the adaptability of IOISs based on organizational identity. The hypotheses for this research were deduced from the literature in order to identify and extract the factors for adaptability and partnership. Subsequently, a conceptual model has been developed and empirically tested using the data from 259 samples. The exploratory and confirmatory analysis showed that organizational learning mechanisms (OLM) and knowledge sharing (KS) have a significant positive effect on the identity of multi-organization alliances (IMOAs), and on the adaptability of IOISs, as well as indirectly affecting the adaptability of IOISs through the mediating role of the identity of the multi-organization alliance. In addition, organizational collaboration (OC), commitment, and trust have a significant positive effect on the identity of a multi-organization alliance, whereas there is no direct relationship between organizational collaboration, commitment, trust, and the adaptability of the IOIS. Lastly, the mediating roles of IMOA on AIOIS are supported.
Entrepreneurial Intentions of Business and Economics Students in Germany and Cyprus: A Cross-Cultural Comparison
Authors: Kaya Tuğberk , Erkut Burak , Thierbach Nadine
Published: March 2019

The World Economic Forum in Davos suggested that promoting entrepreneurship could be a solution to the problem of youth employment, which is a serious issue with 75 million young people out of work around the world. The entrepreneurial decisions of young people are especially important in regions where economic opportunities are restricted and people choose to move from that region. Two of such regions are East Germany and Northern Cyprus. In this article, the authors are interested in analyzing entrepreneurial tendencies of business and economics students from Northern Cyprus and East Germany in order to provide context-specific knowledge. For this purpose, a survey was conducted at the Technische Universität Dresden and the Near East University with n = 293 participants in 2016. The results were analyzed by using a logistic regression analysis. The study includes with policy implications on the transformation towards entrepreneurial universities to meet the different needs of small and poor cities.
Evaluation of the Relation between Lean Manufacturing, Industry 4.0, and Sustainability
Authors: Varela Leonilde , Araújo Adriana , Ávila Paulo , Castro Hélio , Putnik Goran
Published: March 2019

Nowadays, Lean Manufacturing, Industry 4.0, and Sustainability are important concerns for the companies and in a general way for the society, principally, the influence of the two production philosophies, Lean Manufacturing and Industry 4.0, in the three main pillars of sustainability: economic, environmental, and social. According to the literature review done in this work, these relations are not well known and are dispersed by different sustainability’s criteria. To address this gap, this research proposes a structural equation model, with six hypotheses, to quantitatively measure the effects of Lean Manufacturing and Industry 4.0, in Sustainability. To statistically validate such hypotheses, we collected 252 valid questionnaires from industrial companies of Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain). Results show that: (1) it is not conclusive that Lean Manufacturing is correlated with any of the sustainability pillars; and (2) Industry 4.0 shows a strong correlation with the three sustainability pillars. These results can contribute as an important decision support for the industrial companies and its stakeholders, even because not all the results are in line with other opinions and studies.
Influence of Ownership Structure on the Determinants of Effective Tax Rates of Spanish Companies
Authors: Fernández-Rodríguez Elena , García-Fernández Roberto , Martínez-Arias Antonio
Published: March 2019

This paper examines the effect of state ownership on the effective tax rates of Spanish companies. Using information regarding 3169 companies during the period of 2008–2014, we show that there are significant differences between the tax burdens of non-state-owned enterprises (NSOEs) and state-owned enterprises (SOEs), with the effective tax rates of private ownership companies being higher than those of state-owned firms. Company features, such as size, leverage, research and development investment, profitability, firm age, foreign operations, and auditing determine the tax burden of private ownership firms. That of state-owned companies, however, is affected only by leverage and capital intensity. For both SOEs and NSOEs, the tax burden is lower when they are taxed under the Spanish special taxation regime for small- and medium-sized enterprises. In short, company characteristics are more important in private ownership firms, in which almost all the variables considered have certain repercussions. This result may be because private ownership companies devote more resources to tax avoidance, and their fiscal strategy may determine their economic and financial structure. However, SOEs present significantly lower effective tax rates than NSOEs, probably because of the tax incentives that the law provides for them to support their sustainability.
Coupling Coordination Relationships between Urban-industrial Land Use Efficiency and Accessibility of Highway Networks: Evidence from Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration, China
Authors: Li Chenxi , Gao Xing , He Bao-Jie , Wu Jingyao , Wu Kening
Published: March 2019

The implementation of the Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei coordinated development strategy has seriously increased the influence of land use and urban traffic. Thus, understanding the coordination between urban land and transportation systems is important for the efficient and sustainable development of cities, especially in this rapidly urbanizing era. Urban–industrial land and highway networks are, respectively, primary types of urban land and transportation systems, and have significant impacts on social and economic development. However, limited studies have been conducted to examine the relationships between urban–industrial land and highway networks. Therefore, this paper aims to examine the coupling coordination relationship between urban–industrial land use efficiency, and the accessibility of the highway networks of cities. Specifically, in the context of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration, the coupling coordination between urban-industrial land use efficiency and accessibility of the highway traffic network was empirically analyzed. The results show that: (i) The differences in urban-industrial land use efficiency in the BTH region are significant. Capital cities in the BTH urban agglomeration have higher economic, social, and comprehensive efficiency, while in industrial cities, the use of urban–industrial land should prioritize ecological and environmental issues. (ii) Because of its good geographical location Beijing has the best accessibility, with an accessibility index of 1.416, while Qinhuangdao had the lowest accessibility index of 0.039. (iii) In most BTH cities, the urban-industrial comprehensive land use level has fallen behind the highway network development level. The results of this study can provide references for the coordinated development of the BTH urban agglomeration.