bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biological Background of Resistance to Current Standards of Care in Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Mogollón Pedro , Díaz-Tejedor Andrea , Algarín Esperanza M. , Paíno Teresa , Garayoa Mercedes , Ocio Enrique M.
Published: November 2019

A high priority problem in multiple myeloma (MM) management is the development of resistance to administered therapies, with most myeloma patients facing successively shorter periods of response and relapse. Herewith, we review the current knowledge on the mechanisms of resistance to the standard backbones in MM treatment: proteasome inhibitors (PIs), immunomodulatory agents (IMiDs), and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). In some cases, strategies to overcome resistance have been discerned, and an effort should be made to evaluate whether resensitization to these agents is feasible in the clinical setting. Additionally, at a time in which we are moving towards precision medicine in MM, it is equally important to identify reliable and accurate biomarkers of sensitivity/refractoriness to these main therapeutic agents with the goal of having more efficacious treatments and, if possible, prevent the development of relapse.
MAP4K Family Kinases and DUSP Family Phosphatases in T-Cell Signaling and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Chuang Huai-Chia , Tan Tse-Hua
Published: November 2019

T cells play a critical role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which is a severe autoimmune disease. In the past 60 years, only one new therapeutic agent with limited efficacy has been approved for SLE treatment; therefore, the development of early diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for SLE is desirable. Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase kinases (MAP4Ks) and dual-specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) are regulators of MAP kinases. Several MAP4Ks and DUSPs are involved in T-cell signaling and autoimmune responses. HPK1 (MAP4K1), DUSP22 (JKAP), and DUSP14 are negative regulators of T-cell activation. Consistently, HPK1 and DUSP22 are downregulated in the T cells of human SLE patients. In contrast, MAP4K3 (GLK) is a positive regulator of T-cell signaling and T-cell-mediated immune responses. MAP4K3 overexpression-induced RORγt–AhR complex specifically controls interleukin 17A (IL-17A) production in T cells, leading to autoimmune responses. Consistently, MAP4K3 and the RORγt–AhR complex are overexpressed in the T cells of human SLE patients, as are DUSP4 and DUSP23. In addition, DUSPs are also involved in either human autoimmune diseases (DUSP2, DUSP7, DUSP10, and DUSP12) or T-cell activation (DUSP1, DUSP5, and DUSP14). In this review, we summarize the MAP4Ks and DUSPs that are potential biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets for SLE.
Development of a Stromal Microenvironment Experimental Model Containing Proto-Myofibroblast Like Cells and Analysis of Its Crosstalk with Melanoma Cells: A New Tool to Potentiate and Stabilize Tumor Suppressor Phenotype of Dermal Myofibroblasts
Authors: Avagliano Angelica , Ruocco Maria Rosaria , Nasso Rosarita , Aliotta Federica , Sanità Gennaro , Iaccarino Antonino , Bellevicine Claudio , Calì Gaetano , Fiume Giuseppe , Masone Stefania , Masullo Mariorosario , Montagnani Stefania , Arcucci Alessandro
Published: November 2019

Melanoma is one of the most aggressive solid tumors and includes a stromal microenvironment that regulates cancer growth and progression. The components of stromal microenvironment such as fibroblasts, fibroblast aggregates and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) can differently influence the melanoma growth during its distinct stages. In this work, we have developed and studied a stromal microenvironment model, represented by fibroblasts, proto-myofibroblasts, myofibroblasts and aggregates of inactivated myofibroblasts, such as spheroids. In particular, we have generated proto-myofibroblasts from primary cutaneous myofibroblasts. The phenotype of proto-myofibroblasts is characterized by a dramatic reduction of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein levels, as well as an enhancement of cell viability and migratory capability compared with myofibroblasts. Furthermore, proto-myofibroblasts display the mesenchymal marker vimentin and less developed stress fibers, with respect to myofibroblasts. The analysis of crosstalk between the stromal microenvironment and A375 or A2058 melanoma cells has shown that the conditioned medium of proto-myofibroblasts is cytotoxic, mainly for A2058 cells, and dramatically reduces the migratory capability of both cell lines compared with the melanoma-control conditioned medium. An array analysis of proto-myofibroblast and melanoma cell-conditioned media suggests that lower levels of some cytokines and growth factors in the conditioned medium of proto-myofibroblasts could be associated with their anti-tumor activity. Conversely, the conditioned media of melanoma cells do not influence the cell viability, outgrowth, and migration of proto-myofibroblasts from spheroids. Interestingly, the conditioned medium of proto-myofibroblasts does not alter the cell viability of both BJ-5ta fibroblast cells and myofibroblasts. Hence, proto-myofibroblasts could be useful in the study of new therapeutic strategies targeting melanoma.
Route of Infection Influences Zika Virus Shedding in a Guinea Pig Model
Authors: Saver Ashley E. , Crawford Stephanie A. , Joyce Jonathan D. , Bertke Andrea S.
Published: November 2019

Due to the recent epidemic of Zika virus (ZIKV) infection and resulting sequelae, as well as concerns about both the sexual and vertical transmission of the virus, renewed attention has been paid to the pathogenesis of this unique arbovirus. Numerous small animal models have been used in various ZIKV pathogenicity studies, however, they are often performed using immunodeficient or immunosuppressed animals, which may impact disease progression in a manner not relevant to immunocompetent humans. The use of immunocompetent animal models, such as macaques, is constrained by small sample sizes and the need for specialized equipment/staff. Here we report the establishment of ZIKV infection in an immunocompetent small animal model, the guinea pig, using both subcutaneous and vaginal routes of infection to mimic mosquito-borne and sexual transmission. Guinea pigs developed clinical signs consistent with mostly asymptomatic and mild disease observed in humans. We demonstrate that the route of infection does not significantly alter viral tissue tropism but does impact mucosal shedding mechanics. We also demonstrate persistent infection in sensory and autonomic ganglia, identifying a previously unrecognized niche of viral persistence that could contribute to viral shedding in secretions. We conclude that the guinea pig represents a useful and relevant model for ZIKV pathogenesis.
iPSCs-Based Neural 3D Systems: A Multidimensional Approach for Disease Modeling and Drug Discovery
Authors: Costamagna Gianluca , Andreoli Luca , Corti Stefania , Faravelli Irene
Published: November 2019

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-based two-dimensional (2D) protocols have offered invaluable insights into the pathophysiology of neurological diseases. However, these systems are unable to reproduce complex cytoarchitectural features, cell-cell and tissue-tissue interactions like their in vivo counterpart. Three-dimensional (3D)-based culture protocols, though in their infancy, have offered new insights into modeling human diseases. Human neural organoids try to recapitulate the cellular diversity of complex tissues and can be generated from iPSCs to model the pathophysiology of a wide spectrum of pathologies. The engraftment of iPSCs into mice models and the improvement of differentiation protocols towards 3D cultures has enabled the generation of more complex multicellular systems. Consequently, models of neuropsychiatric disorders, infectious diseases, brain cancer and cerebral hypoxic injury can now be investigated from new perspectives. In this review, we consider the advancements made in modeling neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases with iPSC-derived organoids and their potential use to develop new drugs.
High Speed Ventral Plane Videography as a Convenient Tool to Quantify Motor Deficits during Pre-Clinical Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Authors: Zhan Jiangshan , Yakimov Vladislav , Rühling Sebastian , Fischbach Felix , Nikolova Elena , Joost Sarah , Kaddatz Hannes , Greiner Theresa , Frenz Julia , Holzmann Carsten , Kipp Markus
Published: November 2019

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is the most commonly used multiple sclerosis animal model. EAE mice typically develop motor deficits in a caudal-to-rostral pattern when inflammatory lesions have already developed. However, to monitor more subtle behavioral deficits during lesion development (i.e., pre-clinical phase), more sophisticated methods are needed. Here, we investigated whether high speed ventral plane videography can be applied to monitor early motor deficits during ‘pre-clinical’ EAE. For this purpose, EAE was induced in C57BL/6 mice and gait abnormalities were quantified using the DigiGait™ apparatus. Gait deficits were related to histopathological changes. 10 out of 10 control (100%), and 14 out of 18 (77.8%) pre-clinical EAE mice could be evaluated using DigiGait™. EAE severity was not influenced by DigiGait™-related mice handlings. Most gait parameters recorded from day 6 post-immunization until the end of the experiment were found to be stable in control mice. During the pre-clinical phase, when conventional EAE scorings failed to detect any functional impairment, EAE mice showed an increased Swing Time, increased %Swing Stride, decreased %Stance Stride, decreased Stance/Swing, and an increased Absolute Paw Angle. In summary, DigiGait™ is more sensitive than conventional scoring approaches to study motor deficits during the EAE pre-clinical phase.
Nanostructured Semiconducting Metal Oxide Gas Sensors for Acetaldehyde Detection
Authors: Mirzaei Ali , Kim Hyoun Woo , Kim Sang Sub , Neri Giovanni
Published: November 2019

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are among the most abundant air pollutants. Their high concentrations can adversely affect the human body, and therefore, early detection of VOCs is of outmost importance. Among the different VOCs, in this review paper we have focused our attention to the monitoring of acetaldehyde by chemiresistive gas sensors fabricated from nanostructured semiconducting metal oxides. These sensors can not only provide a high sensing signal for detection of acetaldehyde but also high thermal and mechanical stability along with a low price. This review paper is divided into three major sections. First, we will introduce acetaldehyde as an important VOC and the importance of its detection. Then, the fundamentals of chemiresistive gas sensors will be briefly presented, and in the last section, a survey of the literature on acetaldehyde gas sensors will be presented. The working mechanism of acetaldehyde sensors, their structures, and configurations are reviewed. Finally, the future development outlook and potential applications are discussed, giving a complete panoramic view for researchers working and interested in acetaldehyde detection for different purposes in many fundamental and applicative fields.
Challenges in Electrochemical Aptasensors and Current Sensing Architectures Using Flat Gold Surfaces
Authors: Rozenblum Guido T. , Pollitzer Ivan G. , Radrizzani Martin
Published: November 2019

In recent years, reagentless aptamer biosensors, named aptasensors, have shown significant advancements. Particularly, electrochemical aptasensors could change the field of biosensors in this era, where digitalization seems to be a common goal of many fields. Biomedical devices are integrating electronic technologies for detecting pathogens, biomolecules, small molecules, and ions, and the physical-chemical properties of nucleic acid aptamers makes them very interesting for these devices. Aptamers can be easily synthesized and functionalized with functional groups for immobilization and with redox chemical groups that allow for the conversion of molecular interactions into electrical signals. Furthermore, non-labeled aptamers have also been utilized. This review presents the current challenges involved in aptasensor architectures based on gold electrodes as transducers.
Surface Modification of Graphene for Use as a Structural Fortifier in Water-Borne Epoxy Coatings
Authors: Liu Ya , Xia Chao , Zehri Abdelhafid , Ye Lilei , Wang Nan , Zhmud Boris , Lu Hongbin , Liu Johan
Published: November 2019

Graphene, the typical two-dimensional sp2 hybridized carbon allotrope, is widely used as a filler for improving the mechanical performance of polymers. However, its superhydrophobic surface makes it a big challenge to obtain stable graphene dispersions, especially in water-borne systems. On the contrary, graphene oxide (GO) shows excellent dispersibility in water, but strong oxidants and acids destroy its structure and degrade its mechanical properties. This largely limits its application in water-borne coatings. In this work, graphene from mechanical exfoliation was surface modified by p-aminophenol derived diazonium salt to achieve a homogenous dispersion. Moreover, the hydroxyl groups in p-aminophenol are able to combine with epoxy resins during the curing process to improve mechanical performance of the final coatings. The result shows that functionalized graphene shows a lower coefficient of friction and better abrasion resistance compared to GO.
Thermal Cyclic Properties of Ti-Pd-Pt-Zr High-Temperature Shape Memory Alloys
Authors: Tasaki Wataru , Shimojo Masayuki , Yamabe-Mitarai Yoko
Published: November 2019

In this study, the thermal cyclic properties of Ti-(50−x)Pd-xPt-5Zr alloys (x = 5, 15, 25, at%), comprising B2 and B19 structures in austenite and martensite, were investigated by a thermal cyclic compression test under a constant load of between 15 and 200 MPa. The transformation temperature measured using differential scanning calorimetry increased with increasing Pt concentration. The highest austenite finishing (Af) temperature, 648 °C, was obtained in the Ti-25Pd-25Pt-5Zr alloy. Irrecoverable strain due to thermal cyclic testing was observed during each test, even at a stress of 50 MPa. The work output, calculated as the product of the transformation strain and the applied stress from strain–temperature curves, decreased with increasing Pt concentration. This was because of the lower strength of the austenite phase due to Af increasing with an increase in the concentration of Pt. Although irrecoverable strain was observed with the first thermal cycle test, it decreased after several thermal cyclic tests, which are called training.
Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases in Bacteria: Active Site, Structure, Function and Application
Authors: Oh Changsuk , Kim T. Doohun , Kim Kyeong Kyu
Published: November 2019

Carboxylic ester hydrolases (CEHs), which catalyze the hydrolysis of carboxylic esters to produce alcohol and acid, are identified in three domains of life. In the Protein Data Bank (PDB), 136 crystal structures of bacterial CEHs (424 PDB codes) from 52 genera and metagenome have been reported. In this review, we categorize these structures based on catalytic machinery, structure and substrate specificity to provide a comprehensive understanding of the bacterial CEHs. CEHs use Ser, Asp or water as a nucleophile to drive diverse catalytic machinery. The α/β/α sandwich architecture is most frequently found in CEHs, but 3-solenoid, β-barrel, up-down bundle, α/β/β/α 4-layer sandwich, 6 or 7 propeller and α/β barrel architectures are also found in these CEHs. Most are substrate-specific to various esters with types of head group and lengths of the acyl chain, but some CEHs exhibit peptidase or lactamase activities. CEHs are widely used in industrial applications, and are the objects of research in structure- or mutation-based protein engineering. Structural studies of CEHs are still necessary for understanding their biological roles, identifying their structure-based functions and structure-based engineering and their potential industrial applications.
Dactylonectria and Ilyonectria Species Causing Black Foot Disease of Andean Blackberry (Rubus Glaucus Benth) in Ecuador
Authors: Sánchez Jessica , Iturralde Paola , Koch Alma , Tello Cristina , Martinez Dennis , Proaño Natasha , Martínez Anibal , Viera William , Ayala Ligia , Flores Francisco
Published: November 2019

Andean blackberry (Rubus glaucus Benth) plants from the provinces of Tungurahua and Bolivar (Ecuador) started showing symptoms of black foot disease since 2010. Wilted plants were sampled in both provinces from 2014 to 2017, and fungal isolates were obtained from tissues surrounding necrotic lesions in the cortex of the roots and crown. Based on morphological characteristics and DNA sequencing of histone 3 and the translation elongation factor 1α gene, isolates were identified as one of seven species, Ilyonectria vredehoekensis, Ilyonectria robusta, Ilyonectria venezuelensis, Ilyonectria europaea, Dactylonectria torresensis, or Dactylonectria novozelandica. Pathogenicity tests with isolates from each species, excluding I. europaea and D. novozelandica whose isolates were lost due to contamination, confirmed that the four species tested can produce black foot disease symptoms in Andean blackberry. This is the first report of Dactylonectria and Ilyonectria species causing black foot disease of Andean blackberry.
A Review of Nontraditional Teaching Methods: Flipped Classroom, Gamification, Case Study, Self-Learning, and Social Media
Authors: Safapour Elnaz , Kermanshachi Sharareh , Taneja Piyush
Published: November 2019

Traditional teaching methods rely solely on the use of textbooks, but teaching effectiveness assessment methods have demonstrated that most students taught by this method do not absorb the course content up to the expected level. Multiple researchers have introduced nontraditional teaching methods, but there is no scientific consensus on the best nontraditional teaching methods that are tailored to learners’ abilities while most effectively addressing the course objectives. Therefore, the goal of this review was to address the following questions across all engineering disciplines, based on learners’ abilities and the course objectives: (a) What are the benefits of nontraditional teaching methods? and (b) How would you categorize the benefits of nontraditional teaching methods? A qualitative review was conducted to achieve these goals, and the initial search for papers, using relevant keywords, resulted in more than 2000 peer-reviewed articles that were published between 2000 and 2017. A total of 125 peer-reviewed articles pertaining to the most frequently studied nontraditional teaching methods were comprehensively studied and analyzed. The analysis resulted in practical guidelines, including a list of the benefits of the five studied nontraditional teaching methods (flipped classroom, gamification, case study, self-learning, and social media) belonging to four categories: technical/professional, personal skills/ability, personal attitude, and time and space. Based on the results, the authors established significant guidelines for instructors who aim to optimize learners’ achievements by adopting the most effective teaching styles, based on their course objectives and the learners’ abilities.
A Simulated Organic Vegetable Production and Marketing Environment by Using Ethereum
Authors: Shih Dong-Her , Lu Kuan-Chu , Shih Yi-Ting , Shih Po-Yuan
Published: November 2019

Agriculture is indispensable for every country. Farmers use pesticides in large quantities to increase productivity, thus causing serious damage to the agro-ecological environment. If consumers consume a large number of such vegetables, there can be an adverse effect on their health. Therefore, consumers shift from consuming general vegetables to organic vegetables. However, the price of organic vegetables is higher than that of general vegetables, and there are doubts about the authenticity of the production and marketing process. Unfortunately, production and sales records are often falsified. The blockchain may be able to guarantee the authenticity of organic vegetables because the blockchain is tamperproof and transparent. Therefore, we proposed an exercise environment for the production and marketing of organic vegetables by using Ethereum. This proposed system can ensure the authenticity of the production and sales record, it may increase the sales of organic vegetables and solve the problem of agricultural ecological environment pollution in the real world.
Benchmarking a Many-Core Neuromorphic Platform With an MPI-Based DNA Sequence Matching Algorithm
Authors: Urgese Gianvito , Barchi Francesco , Parisi Emanuele , Forno Evelina , Acquaviva Andrea , Macii Enrico
Published: November 2019

SpiNNaker is a neuromorphic globally asynchronous locally synchronous (GALS) multi-core architecture designed for simulating a spiking neural network (SNN) in real-time. Several studies have shown that neuromorphic platforms allow flexible and efficient simulations of SNN by exploiting the efficient communication infrastructure optimised for transmitting small packets across the many cores of the platform. However, the effectiveness of neuromorphic platforms in executing massively parallel general-purpose algorithms, while promising, is still to be explored. In this paper, we present an implementation of a parallel DNA sequence matching algorithm implemented by using the MPI programming paradigm ported to the SpiNNaker platform. In our implementation, all cores available in the board are configured for executing in parallel an optimised version of the Boyer-Moore (BM) algorithm. Exploiting this application, we benchmarked the SpiNNaker platform in terms of scalability and synchronisation latency. Experimental results indicate that the SpiNNaker parallel architecture allows a linear performance increase with the number of used cores and shows better scalability compared to a general-purpose multi-core computing platform.
SCATTER PHY: An Open Source Physical Layer for the DARPA Spectrum Collaboration Challenge
Authors: P. de Figueiredo Felipe A. , Stojadinovic Dragoslav , Maddala Prasanthi , Mennes Ruben , Jabandžić Irfan , Jiao Xianjun , Moerman Ingrid
Published: November 2019

DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency from the United States, has started the Spectrum Collaboration Challenge with the aim to encourage research and development of coexistence and collaboration techniques of heterogeneous networks in the same wireless spectrum bands. Team SCATTER has been participating in the challenge since its beginning, back in 2016. SCATTER’s open-source software defined physical layer (SCATTER PHY) has been developed as a standalone application, with the ability to communicate with higher layers through a set of well defined messages (created with Google’s Protocol buffers) and that exchanged over a ZeroMQ bus. This approach allows upper layers to access it remotely or locally and change all parameters in real time through the control messages. SCATTER PHY runs on top of USRP based software defined radio devices (i.e., devices from Ettus or National Instruments) to send and receive wireless signals. It is a highly optimized and real-time configurable SDR based PHY layer that can be used for the research and development of novel intelligent spectrum sharing schemes and algorithms. The main objective of making SCATTER PHY available to the research and development community is to provide a solution that can be used out of the box to devise disruptive algorithms and techniques to optimize the sub-optimal use of the radio spectrum that exists today. This way, researchers and developers can mainly focus their attention on the development of smarter (i.e., intelligent algorithms and techniques) spectrum sharing approaches. Therefore, in this paper, we describe the design and main features of SCATTER PHY and showcase several experiments performed to assess the effectiveness and performance of the proposed PHY layer.
A Pulse Generation Circuit for Studying Waveform Effects on Neurostimulation
Authors: Parodi Aquiles , Choi Jin-Woo
Published: November 2019

Electrical stimulation technology has advanced from cardiac pacemakers towards cochlear implants, physical rehabilitation, and treatment for Parkinson’s and other diseases. Electrical stimulation parameters, such as waveform, amplitude, and stimulation frequency, have been shown to affect neurostimulation properties. However, the effect of signal time rate of change on electrical stimulation applications has not been studied, and there are no stimulators that specifically allow the study of these effects. A novel pulse generator circuit is presented and characterized. An analytical expression is derived from the circuit, that allows for the design of pulse parameters, such as maximum amplitude voltage, time for peak amplitude, and stimulation duration. The analytical expression is verified to match design values and measurements in an electrical model and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution. The circuit is shown to operate at variable output stimulation frequencies, and an expression is derived in order to determine the limit of the output stimulation frequency. The pulse generation circuit is thought to be the first dedicated output pulse generator for research of the effect of signal time rate of change on electrical stimulation applications such as neurostimulation.
Polynomial Cancellation Coded DFT-s-OFDM for Low-PAPR Uplink Signaling
Authors: Cho Li , Kuo Yu-Ming , Wu Yi-Shin , Hsu Chau-Yun
Published: November 2019

The physical layer signaling of the 5G new radio still utilizes cyclic prefix orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (CP-OFDM) and discrete Fourier transform-spread-OFDM (DFT-s-OFDM) to support 5G services for the sake of system-backward compatibility. However, the transmission requirements among these services differ, and this poses a challenge to the adaptability of the waveforms with regard to the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) issue. In particular, DFT-s-OFDM serving as a low-PAPR option for uplink signaling still has room for PAPR improvement in cases such as machine-type and device-to-device communications. We propose polynomial cancellation coded (PCC)-DFT-s-OFDM to flexibly reduce the PAPR of conventional DFT-s-OFDM. The principle of the proposed method, including its transform, is analyzed in the time domain. The results show that it can also be regarded as a novel spectral shaping scheme for PAPR reduction. Through a parameter designed for adjusting the cost of spectral efficiency, the proposed method can regulate the extent of improvement compared with the conventional DFT-s-OFDM, not only in the PAPR, but also for the spectral radiation and bit error rate when considering the nonlinearity of the power amplifier. The increase in computational complexity is neglectable owing to the simplicity of generalized PCC, making it apt to be deployed in existing systems.
Effects of the Body Wearable Sensor Position on the UWB Localization Accuracy
Authors: Otim Timothy , Díez Luis E. , Bahillo Alfonso , Lopez-Iturri Peio , Falcone Francisco
Published: November 2019

Over the years, several Ultrawideband (UWB) localization systems have been proposed and evaluated for accurate estimation of the position for pedestrians. However, most of them are evaluated for a particular wearable sensor position; hence, the accuracy obtained is subject to a given wearable sensor position. This paper is focused on studying the effects of body wearable sensor positions i.e., chest, arm, ankle, wrist, thigh, forehead, and hand, on the localization accuracy. According to our results, the forehead and the chest provide the best and worst body sensor location for tracking a pedestrian, respectively. With the wearable sensor at the forehead and chest position, errors lower than 0.35 m (90th percentile) and 4 m can be obtained, respectively. The reason for such a contrast in the performance lies in the fact that, in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) situations, the chest generates the highest multipath of any part of the human body. Thus, the large errors obtained arise due to the signal arriving at the target wearable sensor by multiple reflections from interacting objects in the environment rather than by direct line-of-sight (LOS) or creeping wave propagation mechanism.
Neutral-Point Potential Balancing Control Strategy for Three-Level ANPC Converter Using SHEPWM Scheme
Authors: Zhang Yunlei , Hu Cungang , Wang Qunjing , Zhou Yufei , Sun Yue
Published: November 2019

A selective harmonic elimination pulse width modulation (SHEPWM) control strategy is proposed to balance the neutral-point potential (NP) of a three-level active neutral-point-clamped (ANPC) converter. In this strategy, the chaotic ant colony algorithm (ACA) is adopted to solve the SHEPWM nonlinear equations, which does not require presetting the initial values of solutions and can get multiple solutions in the same modulation index. The influence of different solutions corresponding to the SHEPWM switching states on the NP is different, namely, some make the NP increase and others make the NP decrease. Therefore, the NP balancing can be effectively controlled by choosing appropriate solutions in different fundamental periods. The simulation and experimental results further verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the control strategy.
Effect of Bed Material on Bed Agglomeration for Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) Gasification in a Bubbling Fluidised Bed System
Authors: Kittivech Tanakorn , Fukuda Suneerat
Published: November 2019

The high level of potassium compounds in Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) induces ash-related problems, such as bed agglomeration, which is caused by the formation of a low-melting-point sticky compound: K2On·SiO2, especially in fluidised bed gasification using silica sand as bed material. Dolomite was found to be an effective alternative bed material for preventing bed agglomeration by the release of CaO via calcination processes during gasification. CaO acts as a catalyst to inhibit bed agglomeration by possibly enhancing the formation of K2CO3 instead of K2O·nSiO2. Alumina sand was also found to be a suitable alternative bed material to prevent bed agglomeration; however, due to the relatively high density of alumina sand, high gas velocity was needed to ensure good mixing and fluidisation. Using both dolomite and alumina sand as bed materials yielded a product gas having similar higher heating value (HHV) to that when using silica sand (i.e., 3.8–3.9 MJ/Nm3).
Assessment Techniques in Forest Biomass along the Timber Supply Chain
Authors: Woo Heesung , Acuna Mauricio , Cho Seungwan , Park Joowon
Published: November 2019

As a part of the renewable energy cycle, forest biomass resources are considered to be important renewable materials and energy sources in many countries. It is evident from international and local research into forest biomass utilization that several challenges must be addressed to ensure logging waste can be transformed into material of commercial value. Several logistical and supply chain challenges have already been identified, including uncertainty about the nature, amount, and quality of forest residues. In this context, this paper presents a summary review of estimation methods and techniques for managing forest and woody residue along the timber supply chain. The review examines both the opportunities and the challenges evident in the international forest residue estimation methods within each supply chain for primary and secondary forest resources. The review also discusses techniques for supply chain and management planning and highlights the limitations of existing information and communication technology (ICT) implemented for forest biomass research.
Event-Based Integrated Assessment of Environmental Variables and Wildfire Severity through Sentinel-2 Data
Authors: Picos Juan , Alonso Laura , Bastos Guillermo , Armesto Julia
Published: November 2019

To optimize suppression, restoration, and prevention plans against wildfire, postfire assessment is a key input. Since little research has been carried out on applying Sentinel-2 imagery through an integrated approach to evaluate how environmental parameters affect fire severity, this work aims to fill this gap. A set of large forest fires that occurred in northwest Spain during extreme weather conditions were adopted as a case study. Sentinel-2 information was used to build the fire severity map and to evaluate the relation between it and a set of its driving factors: land cover, aspect, slope, proximity to the nearest stream, and fire recurrence. The cover types most affected by fire were scrubland, rocky areas, and Eucalyptus. The presence of streams was identified as a major cause of the reduced severity of fires in broadleaves. The occurrence of fires in the past is linked to the severity of fires, depending on the land cover. This research aims to help fire researchers, authority managers, and policy makers distinguish the conditions under which the damage by fire is minimized and optimize the resources allocated to restoration and future fire suppression.
The Growth of Mountain Tourism in a Traditional Forest Area of Greece
Authors: Tampakis Stilianos , Andrea Veronika , Karanikola Paraskevi , Pailas Ioannis
Published: November 2019

The recreational value of forests in mountain areas creates significant potential for local growth. Indeed, in recent decades, it has been noted that there has been an increase in the popularity of forests recognized as tourism destinations with a strong recreational importance. In the forest area of Metsovo, the locals are aware of the role of tourism in local growth, and it is considered, along with forestry and livestock farming, as the major critical advantage for sustainable development. Research Highlights: Although the locals are satisfied with the quality of their lives, they consider that mountain tourism should be enhanced with certain prerequisites, such as forest infrastructure and improvement of the road network. Background and Objectives: The case study aims to examine and interpret the locals’ views in the mountain area of Metsovo on different factors that are able to support and encourage the growth of mountain tourism. Materials and Methods: Simple random sampling was applied, and data collection took place in 2018. In order to analyze and synthesize the locals’ views, reliability, factor, and hierarchical cluster analyses were used. Results: The main findings of the survey indicate that according to the locals’ views, there is a need for strategic organization addressing primarily forest recreation infrastructures from the Forest Service. Conclusions: The locals’ views are focused on mountain tourism-related exploitation with the aim of forest recreation infrastructures. Indeed, the locals acknowledge the important role of the forest service in conservation schemes, but they also identify that there are forest recreational potentials in their area that need to be enhanced by the central administration and locally by the Forest Service.
Temporal and Spatial Changes of Soil Organic Carbon Stocks in the Forest Area of Northeastern China
Authors: Wang Shuai , Zhuang Qianlai , Yang Zijiao , Yu Na , Jin Xinxin
Published: November 2019

Forest soil organic carbon (SOC) accounts for a large portion of global soil carbon stocks. Accurately mapping forest SOC stocks is a necessity for quantifying forest carbon cycling and forest soil sustainable management. In this study, we used a boosted regression trees (BRT) model to predict the spatial distribution of SOC stocks during two time periods (1990 and 2015) and calculated their spatiotemporal changes during 25 years in Liaoning Province, China. A total of 367 (1990) and 539 (2015) sampling sites and 9 environmental variables (climate, topography, remote sensing) were used in the BRT model. The ten-fold cross-validation technique was used to evaluate the prediction performance and uncertainty of the BRT model in two periods. It was found that the BRT model could account for 65% and 59% of SOC stocks, respectively for the two periods. MAP and NDVI were the main environmental variables controlling the spatial variability of SOC stocks. Over the 25-year period, the average SOC stocks increased from 5.66 to 6.61 kg m−2. In the whole study area, the SOC stocks were the highest in the northeast, followed by the southwest, and the lowest in the middle of the spatial distribution pattern in the two periods. Our accurate mapping of SOC stocks, their spatial distribution characteristics, influencing factors, and main controlling factors in forest areas will assist soil management and help assess environmental changes in the region.
The Processing of Non-Timber Forest Products through Small and Medium Enterprises—A Review of Enabling and Constraining Factors
Authors: Meinhold Kathrin , Darr Dietrich
Published: November 2019

Research Highlights: This study reviews the available literature on processed non-timber forest products (NTFPs) in order to comprehensively identify relevant factors enabling or constraining their potential to contribute to rural development. Background and Objectives: NTFPs, such as wild foods, medicinal plants, and raw materials for handicrafts, make significant contributions to rural livelihoods. NTFPs can help fulfil households’ subsistence and consumption needs, serve as a safety-net in times of crises, and provide cash income. In particular, the processing of NTFPs has often been suggested to positively influence sustainable economic development in rural areas. However, despite rising interest and recognition of the potential contributions of such industries as key sources of employment and their strategic role in overall growth strategies of developing countries, many NTFP processing enterprises remain in the informal sector and an in-depth understanding of the underlying factors is lacking. This review aims to identify enabling and constraining factors affecting NTFP processing enterprises. Materials and Methods: Using systematic review methodology, studies investigating commercialized, processed NTFPs and their economic impacts have been identified and the current evidence base with regard to NTFP processing and small and medium sized enterprise (SME) development synthesized. Results: Despite the diverse nature of NTFPs, a number of constraining and enabling factors affecting NTFP processing and commercialization were identified. The former includes aspects such as the lack of resource access (finances, skills, technologies, etc.), market information, and basic infrastructure; the latter, amongst others, the role of key entrepreneurs; and cooperation across the value chain, amongst producers, and among members of the institutional environment or an abundant resource base. Moving from small-scale NTFP commercialization in local markets to more mature NTFP value chains reaching export markets, the increasing role of cooperation and having a supportive institutional framework in place, becomes apparent. Conclusions: Overall, successful NTFP processing strongly depends on the socio-economic and environmental context in question, requiring a holistic approach tailored to the respective context and value chain.
Deforestation Processes in the Polish Mountains in the Context of Terrain Topography
Authors: Bałazy Radomir , Ciesielski Mariusz , Waraksa Patryk , Zasada Michał , Zawiła-Niedźwiecki Tomasz
Published: November 2019

In the 1980s, the Western Sudety Mountains were affected by a forest dieback process, resulting in large-scale deforestation covering an area of about 15,000 ha. A similar phenomenon is presently being observed in the Western Beskidy and Eastern Sudety Mountains, where the course of the process and the final effects are similar. The presented study analyzed the relationships between forest dieback processes today and in the past. Among others, the impact of the following factors was examined: exposure, slope, altitude, and topographic index, which was generated based on the airborne LIDAR (also airborne laser scanning abbreviated as ALS) data. The identification of forest dieback areas in the past was carried out based on the archived Landsat satellite imagery, as well as data obtained from the Polish State Forests. The identification of forest dieback areas at present was carried out based on the ALS data (single-tree detection approach) and color infrared aerial images. In the study, inter-dependencies between forest dieback today and in the past were compared. The performed analyses show significant differences between forests’ dieback specifics in all three areas. The process first occurred at 800–900 m a.s.l., and afterwards at over 900 m. Mortality was especially intensive on the western and southwestern slopes. Below 700 m a.s.l., forests survived quite well. In the 1980s, significantly higher concentrations of hazardous chemical compounds were noted, which resulted in respectively greater deforestations on aspects open to the operation of prevailing winds (mainly west). Nowadays, a proportionately higher number of trees die on the southern aspects, which is particularly visible in the Western Sudety Mountains.
Software Architecture for Mobile Cloud Computing Systems
Authors: Alreshidi Abdulrahman , Ahmad Aakash , B. Altamimi Ahmed , Sultan Khalid , Mehmood Rashid
Published: November 2019

Mobile cloud computing (MCC) has recently emerged as a state-of-the-art technology for mobile systems. MCC enables portable and context-aware computation via mobile devices by exploiting virtually unlimited hardware and software resources offered by cloud computing servers. Software architecture helps to abstract the complexities of system design, development, and evolution phases to implement MCC systems effectively and efficiently. This paper aims to identify, taxonomically classify, and systematically map the state of the art on architecting MCC-based software. We have used an evidence-based software engineering (EBSE) approach to conduct a systematic mapping study (SMS) based on 121 qualitatively selected research studies published from 2006 to 2019. The results of the SMS highlight that architectural solutions for MCC systems are mainly focused on supporting (i) software as a service for mobile computing, (ii) off-loading mobile device data to cloud-servers, (iii) internet of things, edge, and fog computing along with various aspects like (iv) security and privacy of mobile device data. The emerging research focuses on the existing and futuristic challenges that relate to MCC-based internet of things (IoTs), mobile-cloud edge systems, along with green and energy-efficient computing. The results of the SMS facilitate knowledge transfer that could benefit researchers and practitioners to understand the role of software architecture to develop the next generation of mobile-cloud systems to support internet-driven computing.
Effect of Slaughter Age on Muscle Fiber Composition, Intramuscular Connective Tissue, and Tenderness of Goat Meat during Post-Mortem Time
Authors: Bakhsh Allah , Hwang Young-Hwa , Joo Seon-Tea
Published: November 2019

This study evaluated the effects of slaughter age and post-mortem time on meat quality traits, tenderness, histochemical analyses, and perimysium thickness in the longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle of the Korean native black goat (KNBG) maintained at 4 °C for up to 21 days post mortem. Samples of LT muscle were obtained from the carcasses of 24 KNBGs, including old and young goats (AG, n = 12, 18 months of age; YG, n = 12, 9 months of age), to measure all analyses during 21 days of post-mortem time. AGs had a higher percentage of type I fiber but a lower percentage of type IIA fiber than YGs (p < 0.05). AGs had higher a* value, lower released water (RW) %, and higher Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF) value than YGs (p < 0.05). The perimysium thickness (PMT) of AGs was also higher than that of YGs (p < 0.05). Although the PMT did not change during post-mortem period, the WBSF value of AGs was higher than that of YGs after 21 days post mortem (p < 0.05). The results imply that AGs are tougher than YGs due to their muscle fiber characteristics and thicker perimysium.
Comparison of Conventional and Sustainable Lipid Extraction Methods for the Production of Oil and Protein Isolate from Edible Insect Meal
Authors: Laroche Myriam , Perreault Véronique , Marciniak Alice , Gravel Alexia , Chamberland Julien , Doyen Alain
Published: November 2019

Edible insects represent an interesting alternative source of protein for human consumption but the main hurdle facing the edible insect sector is low consumer acceptance. However, increased acceptance is anticipated when insects are incorporated as a processed ingredient, such as protein-rich powder, rather than presented whole. To produce edible insect fractions with high protein content, a defatting step is necessary. This study investigated the effects of six defatting methods (conventional solvents, three-phase partitioning, and supercritical CO2) on lipid extraction yield, fatty profiles, and protein extraction and purification of house cricket (Acheta domesticus) and mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) meals. Ethanol increased the lipid extraction yield (22.7%–28.8%), irrespective of the insect meal used or the extraction method applied. Supercritical CO2 gave similar lipid extraction yields as conventional methods for Tenebrio molitor (T. molitor) (22.1%) but was less efficient for Acheta domesticus (A. domesticus) (11.9%). The protein extraction yield ranged from 12.4% to 38.9% for A. domesticus, and from 11.9% to 39.3% for T. molitor, whereas purification rates ranged from 58.3% to 78.5% for A. domesticus and from 48.7% to 75.4% for T. molitor.
Artificial Intelligence Applied to Flavonoid Data in Food Matrices
Authors: Guardado Yordi Estela , Koelig Raúl , Matos Maria J. , Pérez Martínez Amaury , Caballero Yailé , Santana Lourdes , Pérez Quintana Manuel , Molina Enrique , Uriarte Eugenio
Published: November 2019

Increasing interest in constituents and dietary supplements has created the need for more efficient use of this information in nutrition-related fields. The present work aims to obtain optimal models to predict the total antioxidant properties of food matrices, using available information on the amount and class of flavonoids present in vegetables. A new dataset using databases that collect the flavonoid content of selected foods has been created. Structural information was obtained using a structural-topological approach called TOPological Sub-Structural Molecular (TOPSMODE). Different artificial intelligence algorithms were applied, including Machine Learning (ML) methods. The study allowed us to demonstrate the effectiveness of the models using structural-topological characteristics of dietary flavonoids. The proposed models can be considered, without overfitting, effective in predicting new values of Oxygen Radical Absorption capacity (ORAC), except in the Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) algorithm. The best optimal model was obtained by the Random Forest (RF) algorithm. The in silico methodology we developed allows us to confirm the effectiveness of the obtained models, by introducing the new structural-topological attributes, as well as selecting those that most influence the class variable.