bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
R-Norm Entropy and R-Norm Divergence in Fuzzy Probability Spaces
Authors: Markechová Dagmar , Mosapour Batool , Ebrahimzadeh Abolfazl
Published: April 2018

In the presented article, we define the R-norm entropy and the conditional R-norm entropy of partitions of a given fuzzy probability space and study the properties of the suggested entropy measures. In addition, we introduce the concept of R-norm divergence of fuzzy P-measures and we derive fundamental properties of this quantity. Specifically, it is shown that the Shannon entropy and the conditional Shannon entropy of fuzzy partitions can be derived from the R-norm entropy and conditional R-norm entropy of fuzzy partitions, respectively, as the limiting cases for R going to 1; the Kullback–Leibler divergence of fuzzy P-measures may be inferred from the R-norm divergence of fuzzy P-measures as the limiting case for R going to 1. We also provide numerical examples that illustrate the results.
Susceptibility of Trees to Windthrow Storm Damage in Partially Harvested Complex-Structured Multi-Species Forests
Authors: Coates K. , Hall Erin , Canham Charles
Published: April 2018

In Canada and elsewhere, logging practices in natural-origin forests have shifted toward retention systems where variable levels of mature trees are retained post-logging to promote a diversity of values. We examine multiple sites that experienced a wide range of prior harvest regimes (0–76% basal area removal) to evaluate how harvest intensity and proximity to a logging-created edge affects susceptibility to windthrow for a suite of tree species in complex-structured mature and old-growth mixed-species stand types in British Columbia. We found no increased susceptibility to windthrow as a function of the level of partial harvesting. We observed a reduced susceptibility to windthrow of smaller trees after partial harvesting. There were clear differences in susceptibility to windthrow among different tree species close to the edge of gaps and small openings (<1 ha in size) created by partial harvesting. Hemlock and redcedar, the two most common trees species, were unaffected by edge environments, whereas the less common conifers and deciduous species were more susceptible to windthrow along partial harvest edges. This suggests tree-marking guidelines should remove the species most prone to windthrow from edges around small openings in these forest types. Our study and others suggest use of retention systems in structurally diverse, multi-species forests does not lead to elevated risk of windthrow, especially if retention levels exceed 20–30%.
Friday Night Is Pizza Night: A Comparison of Children’s Dietary Intake and Maternal Perceptions and Feeding Goals on Weekdays and Weekends
Authors: Hoffmann Debra , Marx Jenna , Burmeister Jacob , Musher-Eizenman Dara
Published: April 2018

Childhood obesity is a serious issue in the U.S. While obesity is the result of a multitude of factors, a great deal of research has focused on children’s dietary intake. While children’s eating patterns vary throughout the week, not much else is known about weekday-weekend differences. Therefore, the current study examined differences in the frequency and portion size of school-age children’s consumption of common foods and beverages, as well as mothers’ perceptions of those items and their child feeding goals, on weekdays and weekends. A total of 192 mothers of children aged 7 to 11 were recruited through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk. Results showed a consistent pattern of more frequent consumption and larger portions of unhealthy foods and beverages on weekends. This aligned with mothers’ perceptions of those foods and beverages as weekend items, as well as their feeding goals of health and price being less important on weekends. It is quite possible that weekends are viewed as having less structure and facilitate schedules that allow children to consume more meals away from home. These findings shed light on additional risk factors in children’s eating patterns and highlight the serious implications that day of the week can have on childhood obesity.
Factors Related to Unemployment in Europe. A Cross-Sectional Study from the COURAGE Survey in Finland, Poland and Spain
Authors: Leonardi Matilde , Guido Davide , Quintas Rui , Silvaggi Fabiola , Guastafierro Erika , Martinuzzi Andrea , Chatterji Somnath , Koskinen Seppo , Tobiasz-Adamczyk Beata , Haro Josep Maria , Cabello Maria , Raggi Alberto
Published: April 2018

Background: Research addressing the impact of a large number of factors on unemployment is scarce. We aimed to comprehensively identify factors related to unemployment in a sample of persons aged 18–64 from Finland, Poland and Spain. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, factors from different areas were considered: socio-demographic indicators, health habits, chronic conditions, health state markers, vision and hearing indicators, and social networks and built environment scores. Results: Complete data were available for 5003 participants, mean age 48.1 (SD 11.5), 45.4% males. The most important factors connected to unemployment were health status indicators such as physical disability (OR = 2.944), self-rated health (OR = 2.629), inpatient care (OR = 1.980), and difficulties with getting to the toilet (OR = 2.040), while the most relevant factor related to employment were moderate alcohol consumption (OR = 0.732 for non-heavy drinkers; OR = 0.573 for infrequent heavy drinkers), and being married (OR = 0.734), or having been married (OR = 0.584). Other factors that played a significant role included presence of depression (OR = 1.384) and difficulties with near vision (OR = 1.584) and conversation hearing (OR = 1.597). Conclusions: Our results highlight the importance of selected factors related to unemployment, and suggest public health indications that could support concrete actions on modifiable factors, such as those aimed to promote physical activity and healthy behaviors, tackling depression or promoting education, in particular for the younger.
Race, Socioeconomic Status, and Health during Childhood: A Longitudinal Examination of Racial/Ethnic Differences in Parental Socioeconomic Timing and Child Obesity Risk
Authors: Jones Antwan
Published: April 2018

Prior research suggests that socioeconomic standing during the early years of life, particularly in utero, is associated with child health. However, it is unclear whether socioeconomic benefits are only maximized at very young ages. Moreover, given the link between socioeconomic status (SES) and race, research is inconclusive whether any SES benefits during those younger ages would uniformly benefit all racial and ethnic groups. Using 1986–2014 data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth (NLSY79), this study examines the impact of socioeconomic timing on child weight outcomes by race. Specifically, this research investigates whether specific points exist where socioeconomic investment would have higher returns on child health. Findings suggest that both the timing and the type of socioeconomic exposure is important to understanding child weight status. SES, particularly mother’s employment and father’s education, is important in determining child health, and each measure is linked to weight gain differently for White, Black, and Hispanic children at specific ages. Policies such as granting more educational access for men and work-family balance for women are discussed.
Hesitant Neutrosophic Linguistic Sets and Their Application in Multiple Attribute Decision Making
Authors: Pang Yongfeng , Yang Wei
Published: April 2018

In this paper, the hesitant neutrosophic linguistic set is first defined by extending a hesitant fuzzy set to accommodate linguistic terms and neutrosophic fuzzy values. Some operational laws are defined for hesitant neutrosophic linguistic fuzzy information. Several distance measures have been defined including generalized hesitant neutrosophic linguistic distance, generalized hesitant neutrosophic linguistic Hausdorff distance, and generalized hesitant neutrosophic linguistic hybrid distance. Some hesitant neutrosophic fuzzy linguistic aggregation operators based on the Choquet integral have been defined. A new multiple attribute decision making method for hesitant neutrosophic fuzzy linguistic information has been developed based on TOPSIS. In order to illustrate the feasibility and practical advantages of the new algorithm, we use it to select a company to invest. The new method is then compared with other methods.
Preparation of Hybrid Nanoparticle Nucleating Agents and Their Effects on the Crystallization Behavior of Poly(ethylene terephthalate)
Authors: Han Zhenzhen , Wang Yao , Wang Jiuxing , Wang Shichao , Zhuang Hongwei , Liu Jixian , Huang Linjun , Wang Yanxin , Wang Wei , Belfiore Laurence , Tang Jianguo
Published: April 2018

In this research contribution, the primary objective was to enhance the crystallization behavior of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). To accomplish this tack, three kinds of new nucleating agents SiO2-diethylene glycol-LMPET (PET-3), SiO2-triethylene glycol–LMPET(PET-4) and SiO2-tetraethylene glycol-LMPET (PET-5) nucleating agents were prepared via grafting different oligomers (diethylene glycol; triethylene glycol and tetraethylene glycol) to the surface of nano-SiO2 and then linking to the low molecular weight poly(ethylene terephthalate) (LMPET). These nano-particle nucleating agents facilitated the crystallization of PET. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies of the composites that pure PET blended with PET-3, PET-4 and PET-5 indicated that the longer ethoxy segment in the nucleating agents exhibited (i) higher degrees of crystallinity; (ii) faster rates of crystallization; and (iii) higher crystallization temperatures. The Jeziorny method was employed to analyze the non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of the composites. These works demonstrated that the PET-3, PET-4 and PET-5 were attractive nucleating agents for poly(ethylene terephthalate), and the longer the chain length of the ethoxy segment in the nucleating agents, the more efficient the nucleation effect.
UiO-66-NH2/GO Composite: Synthesis, Characterization and CO2 Adsorption Performance
Authors: Cao Yan , Zhang Hongmei , Song Fujiao , Huang Tao , Ji Jiayu , Zhong Qin , Chu Wei , Xu Qi
Published: April 2018

In this work, a new composite materials of graphene oxide (GO)-incorporated metal-organic framework (MOF)(UiO-66-NH2/GO) were in-situ synthesized, and were found to exhibit enhanced high performances for CO2 capture. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), N2 physical adsorption, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were applied to investigate the crystalline structure, pore structure, thermal stability, and the exterior morphology of the composite. We aimed to investigate the influence of the introduction of GO on the stability of the crystal skeleton and pore structure. Water, acid, and alkali resistances were tested for physical and chemical properties of the new composites. CO2 adsorption isotherms of UiO-66, UiO-66-NH2, UiO-66/GO, and UiO-66-NH2/GO were measured at 273 K, 298 K, and 318 K. The composite UiO-66-NH2/GO exhibited better optimized CO2 uptake of 6.41 mmol/g at 273 K, which was 5.1% higher than that of UiO-66/GO (6.10 mmol/g). CO2 adsorption heat and CO2/N2 selectivity were then calculated to further evaluate the CO2 adsorption performance. The results indicated that UiO-66-NH2/GO composites have a potential application in CO2 capture technologies to alleviate the increase in temperature of the earth’s atmosphere.
Mechanical Properties and Degradation Behavior of Mg(100−7x)Zn6xYx(x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) Alloys
Authors: Xiong Hanqing , Liang Zhuofan , Wang Zhifeng , Qin Chunling , Zhao Weimin , Yu Hui
Published: April 2018

The mechanical properties and degradation behavior of both as-cast and extruded Mg(100−7x)Zn6xYx alloys (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 at %) were systematically studied in this paper. The results indicated that with the increase in x value, the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the Mg(100−7x)Zn6xYx alloys were improved. The extruded Mg95.8Zn3.6Y0.6 alloy exhibited excellent mechanical properties, showing a tensile strength of 320 MPa, yield strength of 240 MPa, and elongation of 16%, which is much higher than that of commercially extruded AZ31 alloy. The weight loss experiment presented a higher degradation rate for the extruded Mg95.8Zn3.6Y0.6 alloy compared with the wrought AZ31 alloy, indicating a good bioactivity and biocompatibility. More detailed and long-term studies for evaluating and further controlling the degradation behavior of Mg–Zn–Y-based alloys remain to be performed.
Tiberiobardiite, Cu9Al(SiO3OH)2(OH)12(H2O)6(SO4)1.5·10H2O, a New Mineral Related to Chalcophyllite from the Cretaio Cu Prospect, Massa Marittima, Grosseto (Tuscany, Italy): Occurrence and Crystal Structure
Authors: Biagioni Cristian , Pasero Marco , Zaccarini Federica
Published: April 2018

The new mineral species tiberiobardiite, ideally Cu9Al(SiO3OH)2(OH)12(H2O)6(SO4)1.5·10H2O, has been discovered in the Cretaio Cu prospect, Massa Marittima, Grosseto, Tuscany, Italy, as very rare, light green, vitreous, tabular {0001}, pseudo-hexagonal crystals, up to 200 μm in size and 5 μm in thickness, associated with brochantite. Electron microprobe analysis gave (in wt %, average of 5 spot analyses): SO3 10.37, P2O5 3.41, As2O5 0.05, SiO2 8.13, Al2O3 5.54, Fe2O3 0.74, CuO 62.05, and ZnO 0.03, for a total of 90.32. Based on an idealized O content of 42 atoms per formula unit, assuming the presence of 16 H2O groups and 13.5 cations (without H), the empirical formula of tiberiobardiite is (Cu8.69Al0.21Fe0.10)Σ9.00Al1.00(Si1.51P0.54)Σ2.05S1.44O12.53(OH)13.47·16H2O. The main diffraction lines, corresponding to multiple hkl indices, are [d in Å (relative visual intensity)]: 9.4 (s), 4.67 (s), 2.576 (m), 2.330 (m), and 2.041 (mw). The crystal structure study revealed tiberiobardiite to be trigonal, space group R 3 ¯ , with unit-cell parameters a = 10.6860(4), c = 28.3239(10) Å, V = 2801.0(2) Å3, and Z = 3. The crystal structure was refined to a final R1 = 0.060 for 1747 reflections with Fo > 4σ (Fo) and 99 refined parameters. Tiberiobardiite is the Si-analogue of chalcophyllite, with Si4+ replacing As5+ through the coupled substitution As5+ + O2− = Si4+ + (OH)−. The name tiberiobardiite honors Tiberio Bardi (b. 1960) for his contribution to the study of the mineralogy of Tuscany.
Fucoxanthin and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Co-Extraction by a Green Process
Authors: Delbrut Antoine , Albina Pierre , Lapierre Théo , Pradelles Rémi , Dubreucq Eric
Published: April 2018

By their autotrophic nature and their molecular richness, microalgae are serious assets in the context of current environmental and societal challenges. Some species produce both omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and xanthophylls, two molecular families widely studied for their bioactivities in the fields of nutrition and cosmetics. Whereas most studies separately deal with the two families, synergies could be exploited with extracts containing both PUFAs and xanthophylls. The purpose of our work was to determine cost effective and eco-friendly parameters for their co-extraction. The effect of several parameters (solvent, solvent/biomass ratio, temperature, duration) were studied, using two microalgal species, the non-calcifying Haptophyta Tisochrysis lutea, and the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, that presents a silicified frustule. Analyses of PUFAs and fucoxanthin (Fx), the main xanthophyll, allowed to compare kinetics and extraction yields between experimental protocols. Co-extraction yields achieved using 96% ethanol as solvent were 100% for Fx and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in one hour from T. lutea biomass, and respectively 95% and 89% for Fx and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in eight hours from P. tricornutum. These conditions are compatible with industrial applications.
NIR-Emitting Alloyed CdTeSe QDs and Organic Dye Assemblies: A Nontoxic, Stable, and Efficient FRET System
Authors: Ramírez-Herrera Doris , Rodríguez-Velázquez Eustolia , Alatorre-Meda Manuel , Paraguay-Delgado Francisco , Tirado-Guízar Antonio , Taboada Pablo , Pina-Luis Georgina
Published: April 2018

In the present work, we synthesize Near Infrared (NIR)-emitting alloyed mercaptopropionic acid (MPA)-capped CdTeSe quantum dots (QDs) in a single-step one-hour process, without the use of an inert atmosphere or any pyrophoric ligands. The quantum dots are water soluble, non-toxic, and highly photostable and have high quantum yields (QYs) up to 84%. The alloyed MPA-capped CdTeSe QDs exhibit a red-shifted emission, whose color can be tuned between visible and NIR regions (608–750 nm) by controlling the Te:Se molar ratio in the precursor mixtures and/or changing the time reaction. The MPA-capped QDs were characterized by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and zeta potential measurements. Photostability studies were performed by irradiating the QDs with a high-power xenon lamp. The ternary MPA-CdTeSe QDs showed greater photostability than the corresponding binary MPA-CdTe QDs. We report the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from the MPA-capped CdTeSe QDs as energy donors and Cyanine5 NHS-ester (Cy5) dye as an energy acceptor with efficiency (E) up to 95%. The distance between the QDs and dye (r), the Förster distance (R0), and the binding constant (K) are reported. Additionally, cytocompatibility and cell internalization experiments conducted on human cancer cells (HeLa) cells revealed that alloyed MPA-capped CdTeSe QDs are more cytocompatible than MPA-capped CdTe QDs and are capable of ordering homogeneously all over the cytoplasm, which allows their use as potential safe, green donors for biological FRET applications.
Zinc Protects Articular Chondrocytes through Changes in Nrf2-Mediated Antioxidants, Cytokines and Matrix Metalloproteinases
Authors: Huang Tzu-Ching , Chang Wen-Tsan , Hu Yu-Chen , Hsieh Bau-Shan , Cheng Hsiao-Ling , Yen Jeng-Hsien , Chiu Pu-Rong , Chang Kee-Lung
Published: April 2018

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an age-related degenerative joint disease characterized by high oxidative stress, chondrocyte death and cartilage damage. Zinc has been implicated in the antioxidant capacity of the cell, and its deficiency might inhibit chondrocyte proliferation. The present study examined the potential of zinc as a preventive supplement against OA using the in vitro chondrosarcoma cell line SW1353 and an in vivo Wistar rat model to mimic OA progress induced by monosodium iodoacetate (MIA). The results demonstrated that, in SW1353 cells, 5 μM MIA exposure increased oxidative stress and decreased the expression of GPx1 and Mn-SOD but still increased GSH levels and HO-1 expression and enhanced the expression of interleukin (IL)-10, IL-1β, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13. Zinc addition could block these changes. Besides, the expression of Nrf2 and phosphorylated (p)-Akt was dramatically increased, implicating the p-Akt/Nrf2 pathway in the effects of zinc on MIA-treated cells. A rat model achieved similar results as those of cell culture, and 1.6 mg/kg/day of zinc supplementation is sufficient to prevent OA progress, while 8.0 mg/kg/day of zinc supplementation does not have a better effect. These findings indicate that zinc supplementation exerts a preventive effect with respect to MIA-induced OA progress.
“Mountains, Rivers, and the Whole Earth”: Koan Interpretations of Female Zen Practitioners
Authors: Van Overmeire Ben
Published: April 2018

Though recent years have seen a critical reappraisal of Buddhist texts from the angle of performance and gender studies, examinations of Zen Buddhist encounter dialogues (better known under their edited form as “koan”) within this framework are rare. In this article, I first use Rebecca Schneider’s notion of “reenactment” to characterize interpretative strategies developed by contemporary female Zen practitioners to contest the androcentrism found in koan commentary. Drawing on The Hidden Lamp (2013), I suggest that there are two ways of reading encounter dialogues. One of these, the “grasping way,” tends to be confrontational and full of masculine and martial imagery. The other, the “granting way,” foregrounds the (female) body and the family as sites of transmission, stressing connection instead of opposition. I then argue that these “granting” readings of encounter dialogues gesture towards a Zen lineage that is universal, extended to everyone, even to the non-human.
Hyperspectral Image Resolution Enhancement Approach Based on Local Adaptive Sparse Unmixing and Subpixel Calibration
Authors: Teng Yidan , Zhang Ye , Ti Chunli , Zhang Junping
Published: April 2018

Unmixing based fusion aims at generating a high spectral-spatial resolution image (HSS) with the same surface features of the high spatial resolution multispectral image (MS) and low spatial resolution hyperspectral image (HS). In this paper, a new fusion method is proposed to improve the fusion performance by taking further advantage of the distribution characteristics of ground objects. First, we put forward a local adaptive sparse unmixing based fusion (LASUF) algorithm, in which the sparsity of the abundance matrices is appended as the constraint to the optimization fusion, considering the limited categories of ground objects in a specific range and the local correlation of their distribution. Then, to correct the possible original subpixel misregistrations or those introduced by the fusion procedures, a subpixel calibration method based on optimal matching adaptive morphology filtering (OM-AMF) is designed. Experiments on various datasets captured by different sensors demonstrate that the proposed fusion algorithm surpasses other typical fusion techniques in both spatial and spectral domains. The proposed method effectively preserves the spectral composition features of the isolated ground objects within a small area. In addition, the OM-AMF postprocessing is able to spatially correct the fusion results at a subpixel level and preserve the spectral features simultaneously.
Analysis of Heating and Cooling Loads of Electrochromic Glazing in High-Rise Residential Buildings in South Korea
Authors: Oh Myunghwan , Tae Sungho , Hwang Sangkun
Published: April 2018

This study compares the impact of the recently developed electrochromic glazing technology on load reduction by comparing it with the double-glazing and shading devices that are sold commercially for high-rise residential buildings in Korea. These buildings are similar to large office buildings in terms of their high window-to-wall ratio. The energy consumption of such buildings was simulated using an analytical model of a high-rise residential building. The patterns between the heating and cooling loads were found to be similar to that of office buildings, in that the cooling load was considerably higher than the heating load. This study hypothesizes that the load reduction performance of electrochromic glazing with variable solar control and high solar radiation rejection is superior to that of existing double-glazing products and shading devices. This hypothesis was tested by analyzing the cooling and heating loads of buildings with different types of double glazings. Bleached electrochromic glazing exhibited lower transmittance than colored glass double glazing, low-e double glazing, and double glazing with a shading device, and is thus not effective in reducing heating load. Colored electrochromic glazing provided higher solar radiation rejection than colored glass double glazing and low-e double glazing, and thus is effective in reducing cooling load.
Effect of Three Types of Exogenous Organic Carbon on Soil Organic Matter and Physical Properties of a Sandy Technosol
Authors: Robin Paul , Morel Camille , Vial Franck , Landrain Brigitte , Toudic Aurore , Li Yinsheng , Akkal-Corfini Nouraya
Published: April 2018

Technosols made by covering agricultural soils with coastal sediments need additional organic matter (OM) to be suitable for agricultural use. Climate change will likely increase the frequency and intensity of droughts in several areas. The choice of the nature and quantity of OM to add depends on dose-response curves for soil quality. This study quantifies the influence of three contrasting organic materials (vermicompost (VF), green waste compost (GWC) and dairy manure (DM)) on four soil properties: soil organic carbon, evaporation rate, bulk density and structural stability. Soil was sampled in April and May 2014 in an artificial crop field of the vegetable production basin of Mont Saint-Michel (France) made with sediments from the bay of Mont Saint-Michel in 2013. Increasing the dose of OM increased soil organic carbon from 10 to 45 g C kg−1 dry soil and increased the porosity and the structural stability, thus decreasing compaction. Increasing the dose of OM also decreased the evaporation rate. VF and DM had similar effects, while those of GWC were weaker. Compared to DM, VF had greater biological stability. Therefore, high OM inputs along with soil decompaction can increase drought resistance by increasing rooting depth and water retention.
Formalization of Informal Waste Pickers’ Cooperatives in Blantyre, Malawi: A Feasibility Assessment
Authors: Kasinja Cidrick , Tilley Elizabeth
Published: April 2018

Poor road networks, inadequate financial resources and low levels of political will mean that many developing countries, especially their unplanned settlements, struggle with solid waste management. Recently, Informal Waste Pickers (IWPs) have been incorporated into waste management cooperatives by formalizing their operations as a strategy to improve the quality and efficiency of waste management in such areas. This study was conducted in Zingwangwa, an unplanned settlement in Blantyre, Malawi, to understand whether the formalization of IWPs into cooperatives could be effective and/or accepted as a way of managing Municipal Solid Waste in unplanned urban settlements in Malawi. Thirty-four IWPs in Zingwangwa were identified and interviewed using a structured questionnaire; personnel from the Blantyre City Council and middlemen were interviewed as key informants. We determined that IWPs experience challenges in all dimensions of their lives: low material prices with exploitative price fluctuations, negative public perception and a lack of transportation are a few of their struggles. Furthermore, a fear of decreased income, conflicts during proceeds sharing, free riding behaviors and an attachment to their independence mean that IWPs are unlikely to form a cooperative on their own though some would be willing to join if a third party initiated the formalization process.
First Approach to a Holistic Tool for Assessing RES Investment Feasibility
Authors: Flores-Arias José María , Ciabattoni Lucio , Monteriù Andrea , Bellido-Outeiriño Francisco José , Escribano Antonio , Palacios-Garcia Emilio José
Published: April 2018

Combining availability, viability, sustainability, technical options, and environmental impact in an energy-planning project is a difficult job itself for the today’s engineers. This becomes harder if the potential investors also need to be persuaded. Moreover, the problem increases even more if various consumptions are considered, as their patterns depend to a large extent on the type of facility and the activity. It is therefore essential to develop tools to assess the balance between generation and demand in a given installation. In this paper, a valuable tool is developed for the seamless calculation of the integration possibilities of renewable energies and the assessment of derived technical, financial and environmental impacts. Furthermore, it also considers their interaction with the power grid or other networks, raising awareness of the polluting emissions responsible for global warming. Through a series of Structured Query Language databases and a dynamic data parameterization, the software is provided with sufficient information to encode, calculate, simulate and graphically display information on the generation and demand of electric, thermal and transport energy, all in a user-friendly environment, finally providing an evaluation and feasibility report.
Bovine Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells Are More Sensitive to Deoxynivalenol Than Those Derived from Poultry and Swine
Authors: Novak Barbara , Vatzia Eleni , Springler Alexandra , Pierron Alix , Gerner Wilhelm , Reisinger Nicole , Hessenberger Sabine , Schatzmayr Gerd , Mayer Elisabeth
Published: April 2018

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most prevalent mycotoxins, contaminating cereals and cereal-derived products. Its derivative deepoxy-deoxynivalenol (DOM-1) is produced by certain bacteria, which either occur naturally or are supplemented in feed additive. DON-induced impairments in protein synthesis are particularly problematic for highly proliferating immune cells. This study provides the first comparison of the effects of DON and DOM-1 on the concanavalin A-induced proliferation of porcine, chicken, and bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Therefore, isolated PBMCs were treated with DON (0.01–3.37 µM) and DOM-1 (1.39–357 µM) separately, and proliferation was measured using a bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) assay. Although pigs are considered highly sensitive to DON, the present study revealed a substantially higher sensitivity of bovine (IC50 = 0.314 µM) PBMCs compared to chicken (IC50 = 0.691 µM) and porcine (IC50 = 0.693 µM) PBMCs. Analyses on the proliferation of bovine T-cell subsets showed that all major subsets, namely, CD4+, CD8β+, and γδ T cells, were affected to a similar extent. In contrast, DOM-1 did not affect bovine PBMCs, but reduced the proliferation of chicken and porcine PBMCs at the highest tested concentration (357 µM). Results confirm the necessity of feed additives containing DON-to-DOM-1-transforming bacteria and highlights species-specific differences in the DON sensitivity of immune cells.
Melioidosis in Vietnam: Recently Improved Recognition but still an Uncertain Disease Burden after Almost a Century of Reporting
Authors: Trinh Trung , Nguyen Linh , Nguyen Trung , Tran Chuong , Le An , Nguyen Hao , Assig Karoline , Lichtenegger Sabine , Wagner Gabriel , Do Cuong , Steinmetz Ivo
Published: April 2018

The first cases of human melioidosis were described in Vietnam in the 1920s, almost a century ago. It was in Vietnam in the thirties that the saprophytic nature of B. pseudomallei was first recognized. Although a significant number of French and U.S. soldiers acquired the disease during the Vietnam wars, indigenous cases in the Vietnamese population were only sporadically reported over many decades. After reunification in 1975, only two retrospective studies reported relatively small numbers of indigenous cases from single tertiary care hospitals located in the biggest cities in the South and the North, respectively. Studies from provincial hospitals throughout the country were missing until the Research Network on Melioidosis and Burkholderia pseudomallei (RENOMAB) project started in 2014. From then on seminars, workshops, and national scientific conferences on melioidosis have been conducted to raise awareness among physicians and clinical laboratory staff. This led to the recognition of a significant number of cases in at least 36 hospitals in 26 provinces and cities throughout Vietnam. Although a widespread distribution of melioidosis has now been documented, there are still challenges to understand the true epidemiology of the disease. Establishment of national guidelines for diagnosis, management, and reporting of the disease together with more investigations on animal melioidosis, genomic diversity of B. pseudomallei and its environmental distribution are required.
Migration and Social Aspirations: Chinese Cosmopolitanism in Wenzhou Region (China)
Authors: Rodrigues Irene
Published: April 2018

This article explores what motivates the movements of Chinese migrants from China to Portugal. It presents an ethnographic account of social aspirations in Wenzhou, a port city located in South Zhejiang (Southeast China), where post-Mao economic prosperity, allied to the existence of networks of trade and migration, resulted in social and economic inequalities and great social pressure to become rich and successful. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Wenzhou and in Lisbon (Portugal) between 2008 and 2010, this paper argues that Wenzhou migratory projects are a result of modernity aspirations and desires for material modernization articulated with core Chinese values such as filial piety.
Characterization of a New Staphylococcus aureus Kayvirus Harboring a Lysin Active against Biofilms
Authors: Melo Luís , Brandão Ana , Akturk Ergun , Santos Silvio , Azeredo Joana
Published: April 2018

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most relevant opportunistic pathogens involved in many biofilm-associated diseases, and is a major cause of nosocomial infections, mainly due to the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant strains. Consequently, alternative methods to eradicate the pathogen are urgent. It has been previously shown that polyvalent staphylococcal kayviruses and their derived endolysins are excellent candidates for therapy. Here we present the characterization of a new bacteriophage: vB_SauM-LM12 (LM12). LM12 has a broad host range (>90%; 56 strains tested), and is active against several MRSA strains. The genome of LM12 is composed of a dsDNA molecule with 143,625 bp, with average GC content of 30.25% and codes for 227 Coding Sequences (CDSs). Bioinformatics analysis did not identify any gene encoding virulence factors, toxins, or antibiotic resistance determinants. Antibiofilm assays have shown that this phage significantly reduced the number of viable cells (less than one order of magnitude). Moreover, the encoded endolysin also showed activity against biofilms, with a consistent biomass reduction during prolonged periods of treatment (of about one order of magnitude). Interestingly, the endolysin was shown to be much more active against stationary-phase cells and suspended biofilm cells than against intact and scraped biofilms, suggesting that cellular aggregates protected by the biofilm matrix reduced protein activity. Both phage LM12 and its endolysin seem to have a strong antimicrobial effect and broad host range against S. aureus, suggesting their potential to treat S. aureus biofilm infections.
An Increase of Abundance and Transcriptional Activity for Acinetobacter junii Post Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Jumat Muhammad , Haroon Muhammad , Al-Jassim Nada , Cheng Hong , Hong Pei-Ying
Published: April 2018

A membrane bioreactor (MBR)-based wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Saudi Arabia is assessed over a five-month period in 2015 and once in 2017 for bacterial diversity and transcriptional activity using metagenomics, metatranscriptomics and real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Acinetobacter spp. are shown to be enriched in the chlorinated effluent. Members of the Acinetobacter genus are the most abundant in the effluent and chlorinated effluent. At the species level, Acinetobacter junii have higher relative abundances post MBR and chlorination. RNA-seq analysis show that, in A. junii, 288 genes and 378 genes are significantly upregulated in the effluent and chlorinated effluent, respectively, with 98 genes being upregulated in both. RT-qPCR of samples in 2015 and 2017 confirm the upregulation observed in RNA-seq. Analysis of the 98 genes show that majority of the upregulated genes are involved in cellular repair and metabolism followed by resistance, virulence, and signaling. Additionally, two different subpopulations of A. junii are observed in the effluent and chlorinated effluent. The upregulation of cellular repair and metabolism genes, and the formation of different subpopulations of A. junii in both effluents provide insights into the mechanisms employed by A. junii to persist in the conditions of a WWTP.
Groundwater Quality Assessment: An Improved Approach to K-Means Clustering, Principal Component Analysis and Spatial Analysis: A Case Study
Authors: Marín Celestino Ana , Martínez Cruz Diego , Otazo Sánchez Elena , Gavi Reyes Francisco , Vásquez Soto David
Published: April 2018

K-means clustering and principal component analysis (PCA) are widely used in water quality analysis and management. Nevertheless, numerous studies have pointed out that K-means with the squared Euclidean distance is not suitable for high-dimensional datasets. We evaluate a methodology (K-means based on PCA) for water quality evaluation. It is based on the PCA method to reduce the dataset from high dimensional to low for the improvement of K-means clustering. For this, a large dataset of 28 hydrogeochemical variables and 582 wells in the coastal aquifer are classified with K-means clustering for high dimensional and K-means clustering based on PCA. The proposed method achieved increased quality cluster cohesion according to the average Silhouette index. It ranged from 0.13 for high dimensional k-means clustering to 5.94 for K-means based on PCA and the practical spatial geographic information systems (GIS) evaluation of clustering indicates more quality results for K-means clustering based on PCA. K-means based on PCA identified three hydrogeochemical classes and their sources. High salinity was attributed to seawater intrusion and the mineralization process, high levels of heavy metals related to domestic-industrial wastewater discharge and low heavy metals concentrations were associated with industrial wastewater punctual discharges. This approach allowed the demarcation of natural and anthropogenic variation sources in the aquifer and provided greater certainty and accuracy to the data classification.
Research on the Treatment and Comprehensive Utilization of Phenylhydrazine Hydrochloride Effluent
Authors: Liu Xide , Zhou Di , Zhang Heng
Published: April 2018

In the production process of 1 ton of phenylhydrazine hydrochloride (PHH); ~10 tons of liquid waste are formed, which includes multiple contaminants but also recyclable resources. In order to realize the recyclingof residual PHH in liquid waste; a liquid ammonia neutralization method is utilized, and extraction-reextraction technology is adopted. As a result, the recovery rate of PHH reachedup to 90.0%. Meanwhile, 3.8 tons of ammonium salts can be obtained after the iquid ammonia neutralization reaction which can be reused as raw materials for compound fertilizer. During the treatment process, there is no discharge of the three wastes, which meets the requirements of harmless treatment. Finally, these results provide important reference values for PHH production enterprises to solve the problems of waste pollution and to achieve recycling of resources.
Advanced Hydroinformatic Techniques for the Simulation and Analysis of Water Supply and Distribution Systems
Authors: Herrera Manuel , Meniconi Silvia , Alvisi Stefano , Izquierdo Joaquín
Published: April 2018

This document is intended to be a presentation of the Special Issue “Advanced Hydroinformatic Techniques for the Simulation and Analysis of Water Supply and Distribution Systems”. The final aim of this Special Issue is to propose a suitable framework supporting insightful hydraulic mechanisms to aid the decision-making processes of water utility managers and practitioners. Its 18 peer-reviewed articles present as varied topics as: water distribution system design, optimization of network performance assessment, monitoring and diagnosis of pressure pipe systems, optimal water quality management, and modelling and forecasting water demand. Overall, these articles explore new research avenues on urban hydraulics and hydroinformatics, showing to be of great value for both Academia and those water utility stakeholders.
Experimental Studies on Surface Vortex Mitigation Using the Floating Anti-Vortex Device in Sump Pumps
Authors: Park Inhwan , Kim Hyung-Jun , Seong Hoje , Rhee Dong
Published: April 2018

The maintenance of the performance of sump pumps is important to mitigate flood damage in urban areas and lowlands. However, the air-entraining vortex in the sump leads to undesirable performance degradation. Thus, in this study, the newly designed floating anti-vortex device (F-AVD) was employed in the intake pipe to enhance the efficiency of water intake in the sump by decreasing the surface vortex. The performance of the F-AVD was evaluated from the model experiments, in which the sump model was designed to represent the pump station that operates in Korea. The flow in the sump was measured using the particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique, and the velocity and vorticity distributions were compared both with and without the adoption of the F-AVD. The experimental results indicated that the vortex structures behind the intake pipe were effectively mitigated by installing the F-AVD. The vorticity magnitude behind the intake pipe was reduced in range of 24.8–52.5% after the installation of the F-AVD. However, in the case of a flow rate increase, the efficiency of the F-AVD decreased because of the strong vortex. Thus, an additional anti-vortex device (AVD), which is attached to the backwall or the floor in the sump, is required to prevent the air entrainment in conditions with high flow rates.
Climate Change Impacts on Nutrient Losses of Two Watersheds in the Great Lakes Region
Authors: Wang Lili , Flanagan Dennis , Wang Zhonggen , Cherkauer Keith
Published: April 2018

Non-point sources (NPS) of agricultural chemical pollution are one major reason for the water quality degradation of the Great Lakes, which impacts millions of residents in the states and provinces that are bordering them. Future climate change will further impact water quality in both direct and indirect ways by influencing the hydrological cycle and processes of nutrient transportation and transformation, but studies are still rare. This study focuses on quantifying the impacts of climate change on nutrient (Nitrogen and Phosphorus) losses from the two small watersheds (Walworth watershed and Green Lake watershed) within the Great Lakes region. Analysis focused on changes through this century (comparing the nutrient loss prediction of three future periods from 2015 to 2099 with 30 years for each period against the historical nutrient estimation data from 1985 to 2008). The effects on total phosphorus and nitrate-nitrogen losses due to changes in precipitation quantity, intensity, and frequency, as well as air temperature, are evaluated for the two small watersheds, under three special report emission scenarios (SRES A2, A1B, B1). The newly developed Water Erosion Prediction Project-Water Quality (WEPP-WQ) model is utilized to simulate nutrient losses with downscaled and bias corrected future climate forcing from two General Circulation Models (GFDL, HadCM3). For each watershed, the observed runoff and nutrient loads are used to calibrate and validate the model before the application of the WEPP-WQ model to examine potential impacts from future climate change. Total phosphorus loss is projected to increase by 28% to 89% for the Green Lake watershed and 25% to 108% for the Walworth watershed mainly due to the combined effects of increase of precipitation quantity, extreme storm events in intensity and frequency, and air temperature. Nitrate-nitrogen losses are projected to increase by 1.1% to 38% for the Green Lake watershed and 8% to 95% for the Walworth watershed with the different major influencing factors in each future periods.
Topological Taxonomy of Water Distribution Networks
Authors: Giudicianni Carlo , Di Nardo Armando , Di Natale Michele , Greco Roberto , Santonastaso Giovanni , Scala Antonio
Published: April 2018

Water Distribution Networks (WDNs) can be regarded as complex networks and modeled as graphs. In this paper, Complex Network Theory is applied to characterize the behavior of WDNs from a topological point of view, reviewing some basic metrics, exploring their fundamental properties and the relationship between them. The crucial aim is to understand and describe the topology of WDNs and their structural organization to provide a novel tool of analysis which could help to find new solutions to several arduous problems of WDNs. The aim is to understand the role of the topological structure in the WDNs functioning. The methodology is applied to 21 existing networks and 13 literature networks. The comparison highlights some topological peculiarities and the possibility to define a set of best design parameters for ex-novo WDNs that could also be used to build hypothetical benchmark networks retaining the typical structure of real WDNs. Two well-known types of network ((a) square grid; and (b) random graph) are used for comparison, aiming at defining a possible mathematical model for WDNs. Finally, the interplay between topology and some performance requirements of WDNs is discussed.
Assessment of the Spatiotemporal Effects of Land Use Changes on Runoff and Nitrate Loads in the Talar River
Authors: Kavian Ataollah , Mohammadi Maziar , Gholami Leila , Rodrigo-Comino Jesús
Published: April 2018

This research surveyed the effects of land use changes on flow nitrate pollution in the Talar River (northern Iran), using Landsat images of 1991 and 2013 and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The results indicated that forest areas decreased by 14.9% and irrigated crops, dry land farming areas, range lands and residential areas increased by 46.8%, 31.1%, 4.7% and 17.5%, respectively. To calibrate and validate the studied period, the Nash Sutcliffe model efficiency (NSE) and coefficient of determination (R2) were applied, ranging from 0.57 to 0.75 and from 0.62 to 0.76 for flow simulation and 0.84 and 0.63 and 0.75 and 0.83 for nitrate simulation, respectively. The results of land use scenarios indicated that respective water flow and nitrate loads increased by 34.4% and 42.2% in 1991–2013 and may even increase by 42.3% and 55.9% in the simulated period of 2013–2050 in all sub-basins. It is likely that the main reason for these results was due to the increase in agricultural activities and the decrease in forestry areas. Our findings showed the useful combination of modelling techniques (land cover changes and SWAT) to develop valuable maps able to design correct land management plans and nature-based solutions for water quality of runoff water harvesting systems in the future.
Using Ionic Liquid Modified Zeolite as a Permeable Reactive Wall to Limit Arsenic Contamination of a Freshwater Lake—Pilot Tests
Authors: Liao Libing , Li Zhaohui , Lv Guocheng , Mei Lefu , Wang Haijuan , Shi Shuliu , Wei Yaozu , Wang Xiaoyu , Ning Ping , Wei Yanke
Published: April 2018

Arsenic (As) contamination of surface water has long been a threat to human health. Extensive studies were made at the bench-scale for the removal of As from water. Commonly-used materials for the removal of As include Al and Fe hydroxides that will form complexes with As. Recently, modification of Earth materials to reverse their surface charge to positive to reduce the mobility of arsenite and arsenate also attracted great attention. In 2008, a severe As contamination was reported in the lake of Yangzonghai, Yunnan, China. Although the As concentration was maintained below 0.05 mg/L for the lake, after 28 months of restoration, the discharge of mine tailings from a nearby fertilizer plants was still one of the contributors to the As in the lake. In this study, zeolite was modified by ionic liquids and the modified materials were installed as a permeable reactive wall (PRW) to contain the As movement. Preliminary results showed more than an 80% reduction in As after surface water moved through the PWR over the six-month sampling period confirming the effectiveness of ionic liquid-modified Earth materials for environmental application.