bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Coir-Based Growing Medium with Municipal Solid Waste Compost or Biochar on Plant Growth, Mineral Nutrition, and Accumulation of Phytochemicals in Spinach
Authors: Machado Rui M. A. , Alves-Pereira Isabel , Morais Carolina , Alemão André , Ferreira Rui
Published: July 2022

The use of municipal solid waste compost (MSW) and biochar, two renewable resources with a low carbon footprint as components of substrates, may be an alternative to reducing peat and coir usage. The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of selectively collected MSW and biochar as components of the coir-based substrate to spinach grown. An experiment was carried out to evaluate five substrates, coir and four coir-based blends (coir + biochar + perlite, coir + municipal waste compost + perlite, coir + biochar + pine bark, and coir + biochar + pine bark) with 12% (v/v) MSW or biochar and 10% (v/v) perlite or pine bark. Spinach seedlings were transplanted into Styrofoam planting boxes filled with the substrate. Each planting box was irrigated daily by drip with a complete nutrient solution. Plants grown with MSW had a higher content of calcium. Shoot Mn increased in the biochar-containing mixes. The shoot dry weight of the plants grown in the different blends was higher than those grown in coir. Fresh yield was higher in mixes with MSW and perlite (3 kg/m2) or pine bark (2.87 kg/m2). Total phenols and DPPH antioxidant activity were not affected by the substrates. However, shoot ascorbate (AsA) content was higher or equal to those plants grown in coir. MSW and biochar are alternatives to reduce the use of coir and peat.
Effects of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (Fe3O4) on Growth, Photosynthesis, Antioxidant Activity and Distribution of Mineral Elements in Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Plants
Authors: Feng Yingming , Kreslavski Vladimir D. , Shmarev Alexander N. , Ivanov Anatoli A. , Zharmukhamedov Sergey K. , Kosobryukhov Anatoliy , Yu Min , Allakhverdiev Suleyman I. , Shabala Sergey
Published: July 2022

Engineered nanoparticles (NPs) are considered potential agents for agriculture as fertilizers and growth enhancers. However, their action spectrum differs strongly, depending on the type of NP, its concentrations, and plant species per se, ranging from growth stimulation to toxicity. This work aimed to investigate effects of iron oxide (Fe3O4) NPs on growth, photosynthesis, respiration, antioxidant activity, and leaf mineral content of wheat plants. Wheat seeds were treated with NP for 3 h and plants were grown in the soil at two light intensities, 120 and 300 μmol (photons) m−2·s−1, followed by physiological assessment at several time points. High NP treatment (200 and 500 mg·L−1) enhanced plant growth, photosynthesis and respiration, as well as increasing the content of photosynthetic pigments in leaves. This effect depended on both the light intensity during plant growth and the age of the plants. Regardless of concentration and light intensity, an effect of NPs on the primary photochemical processes was not observed. Seed treatment with NP also led to increased activity of ascorbate peroxidase and reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content in roots and leaves. Treatment with Fe3O4 also led to noticeable increases in the leaf Fe, P, and K content. It is concluded that iron oxide (Fe3O4)-based NP could enhance plant growth by improving photosynthetic performance and the availability of Fe and P.
Phenolic Profile and Antioxidant, Anticholinergic, and Antibacterial Properties of Corn Tassel
Authors: Al-Khayri Jameel M. , Yüksel Arzu Kavaz , Yüksel Mehmet , Işık Mesut , Dikici Emrah
Published: July 2022

Corn tassel (CT) is a waste part of the corn plant. It is a good co-product and rich in terms of bioactive compounds and phytochemicals. This research tried to show the phenolic profile, antioxidants, anticholinergic activities, and antibacterial properties of CT ethanol extract. The phenolic content analysis of the CT was determined quantitatively by LC-MS/MS, and the antioxidant capacity was measured using ABTS, DPPH, Cu2+–Cu+, and Fe3+–Fe2+ reducing methods. The anticholinergic measurements of CT were detected by inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The antibacterial activity was determined by MIC and disc diffusion methods. Many phenolic compounds such as vanillic acid, caffeic acid, fumaric acid, acetohydroxamic acid, butein, myricetin, resveratrol, catechin hydrate, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid were detected in ethanol extract of CT. The obtained plant ethanol extract had a 7.04% DPPH value, while it showed ABTS activity at 9.45%. Moreover, it had a 0.10 mg/mL inhibition effect on the AChE in terms of IC50 values. The ethanol extract of the CT had an antibacterial property on the investigated bacteria at different ratios. In conclusion, this research aims to consider CT as a source of phenolic compounds and to reveal its bioactive properties and its effects on the treatment of some diseases.
Highly Thermally Conductive Epoxy Composites with AlN/BN Hybrid Filler as Underfill Encapsulation Material for Electronic Packaging
Authors: Lee Sanchez William Anderson , Li Jia-Wun , Chiu Hsien-Tang , Cheng Chih-Chia , Chiou Kuo-Chan , Lee Tzong-Ming , Chiu Chih-Wei
Published: July 2022

In this study, the effects of a hybrid filler composed of zero-dimensional spherical AlN particles and two-dimensional BN flakes on the thermal conductivity of epoxy resin were studied. The thermal conductivity (TC) of the pristine epoxy matrix (EP) was 0.22 W/(m K), while the composite showed the TC of 10.18 W/(m K) at the 75 wt% AlN–BN hybrid filler loading, which is approximately a 46-fold increase. Moreover, various essential application properties were examined, such as the viscosity, cooling rate, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), morphology, and electrical properties. In particular, the AlN–BN/EP composite showed higher thermal stability and lower CTE (22.56 ppm/°C) than pure epoxy. Overall, the demonstrated outstanding thermal performance is appropriate for the production of electronic packaging materials, including next-generation flip-chip underfills.
Micropatterned Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) Thin Films with Improved Color-Switching Rates and Coloration Efficiency
Authors: Lin Cheng-Lan , Cheng Tzung-Lin , Wu Nian-Jheng
Published: July 2022

Electrochromic materials carry out redox reactions and change their colors upon external bias. These materials are the primary component in constructing smart windows for energy saving in buildings or vehicles. Enhancing the electrochromic performances of the materials is crucial for their practical applications. Micropatterned poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (mPEDOT) thin films are electrodeposited on indium tin oxide conducting glass in this study. Their electrochromic properties, including transmittance modulation ability, color-switching rates, and coloration efficiency, are investigated and compared with nonpatterned PEDOT thin films. The mPEDOT thin films exhibited faster coloring and bleaching speeds and higher coloration efficiency than the PEDOT thin films while keeping similar transmittance modulation ability. The results suggest that micropatterning an electrochromic material thin film might enhance its electrochromic performances. This research demonstrates the possibility of promoting the color-switching rate of a PEDOT thin film by micropatterning it.
Single-Side Superhydrophobicity in Si3N4-Doped and SiO2-Treated Polypropylene Nonwoven Webs with Antibacterial Activity
Authors: Han Ming-Chao , Cai Shun-Zhong , Wang Ji , He Hong-Wei
Published: July 2022

Meltblown (MB) nonwovens as air filter materials have played an important role in protecting people from microbe infection in the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic enters the third year in this current global event, it becomes more and more beneficial to develop more functional MB nonwovens with special surface selectivity as well as antibacterial activities. In this article, an antibacterial polypropylene MB nonwoven doped with nano silicon nitride (Si3N4), one of ceramic materials, was developed. With the introduction of Si3N4, both the average diameter of the fibers and the pore diameter and porosity of the nonwovens can be tailored. Moreover, the nonwovens having a single-side moisture transportation, which would be more comfortable in use for respirators or masks, was designed by imparting a hydrophobicity gradient through the single-side superhydrophobic finishing of reactive organic/inorganic silicon coprecipitation in situ. After a nano/micro structural SiO2 precipitation on one side of the fabric surfaces, the contact angles were up to 161.7° from 141.0° originally. The nonwovens were evaluated on antibacterial activity, the result of which indicated that they had a high antibacterial activity when the dosage of Si3N4 was 0.6 wt%. The bacteriostatic rate against E. coli and S. aureus was up to over 96%. Due to the nontoxicity and excellent antibacterial activity of Si3N4, this MB nonwovens are promising as a high-efficiency air filter material, particularly during the pandemic.
Formulation and In Vitro Characterization of a Vacuum-Dried Drug–Polymer Thin Film for Intranasal Application
Authors: Inoue Daisuke , Yamashita Ayari , To Hideto
Published: July 2022

Intranasal drug applications show significant therapeutic potential for diverse pharmaceutical modalities. Because the formulation applied to the nasal cavity is discharged to the pharyngeal side by mucociliary clearance, the formulation should be dissolved effectively in a limited amount of mucus within its retention time in the nasal cavity. In this study, to develop novel formulations with improved dissolution behavior and compatibility with the intranasal environment, a thin-film formulation including drug and polymer was prepared using a vacuum-drying method. The poorly water-soluble drugs ketoprofen, flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, and loxoprofen were dissolved in a solvent comprising water and methanol, and evaporated to obtain a thin film. Physical analyses using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction analysis (PXRD), and scanning electron microscopy SEM revealed that the formulations were amorphized in the film. The dissolution behavior of the drugs was investigated using an in vitro evaluation system that mimicked the intranasal physiological environment. The amorphization of drugs formulated with polymers into thin films using the vacuum-drying method improved the dissolution rate in artificial nasal fluid. Therefore, the thin film developed in this study can be safely and effectively used for intranasal drug application.
Effect of the Addition of Different Amounts of Aramid Fibers on Metal Friction and Wear during Mixing
Authors: Han Deshang , Ma Quyang , Wang Jie , Chen Hongbo , Wang Chuansheng , Han Wenwen
Published: July 2022

Studies show that the long-term operation of a rubber mixer results in wear at the end face of the mixer. End face wear increases the gap between the mixing chamber and the end face, resulting in leakage and a reduction in the mixing performance, affecting the final product’s quality. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the wear of the metal face during the mixing process. The present study added aramid fibers to a rubber compound using a mechanical blender to obtain a composite material. Then, the influence of the aramid fibers on the metal friction and wear of the end face of the mixer was analyzed. This article introduces the concept of the wear ratio and explores the friction and wear of metals from the perspective of formulation technology for the first time. With the addition of aramid fibers, the proportion of abrasive wear of rubber on metal decreased, and the proportion of corrosive wear increased during the mixing process; however, when the addition of aramid fibers exceeded 3 phr, the balance of abrasive wear of rubber on metal increased and the proportion of corrosive wear decreased. It was found that aramid fibers have the property of friction reduction, which reduces the wear of the rubber blend on the metal. When the amount of aramid fibers added was 3 phr, the amount of abrasion of the rubber compound on the metal was the lowest.
Polymeric Nanoparticles in Brain Cancer Therapy: A Review of Current Approaches
Authors: Caraway Chad A. , Gaitsch Hallie , Wicks Elizabeth E. , Kalluri Anita , Kunadi Navya , Tyler Betty M.
Published: July 2022

Translation of novel therapies for brain cancer into clinical practice is of the utmost importance as primary brain tumors are responsible for more than 200,000 deaths worldwide each year. While many research efforts have been aimed at improving survival rates over the years, prognosis for patients with glioblastoma and other primary brain tumors remains poor. Safely delivering chemotherapeutic drugs and other anti-cancer compounds across the blood–brain barrier and directly to tumor cells is perhaps the greatest challenge in treating brain cancer. Polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) are powerful, highly tunable carrier systems that may be able to overcome those obstacles. Several studies have shown appropriately-constructed polymeric NPs cross the blood–brain barrier, increase drug bioavailability, reduce systemic toxicity, and selectively target central nervous system cancer cells. While no studies relating to their use in treating brain cancer are in clinical trials, there is mounting preclinical evidence that polymeric NPs could be beneficial for brain tumor therapy. This review includes a variety of polymeric NPs and how their associated composition, surface modifications, and method of delivery impact their capacity to improve brain tumor therapy.
Chitin Nanocrystals Provide Antioxidant Activity to Polylactic Acid Films
Authors: Yanat Murat , Colijn Ivanna , Schroën Karin
Published: July 2022

About 1/3rd of produced food goes to waste, and amongst others, advanced packaging concepts need to be developed to prevent this from happening. Here, we target the antioxidative functionality of food packaging to thus address food oxidation without the need for the addition of antioxidants to the food product, which is not desirable from a consumer point of view. Chitin nanocrystals (ChNC) have been shown to be promising bio-fillers for improving the mechanical strength of biodegradable plastics, but their potential as active components in plastic films is rather unexplored. In the current study, we investigate the antioxidant activity of chitin nanocrystals as such and as part of polylactic acid (PLA) films. This investigation was conducted using DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity. Chitin nanocrystals produced via acid hydrolysis showed five times higher activity compared to crude chitin powder. When using these crystals as part of a polylactic acid film (either inside or on top), in both scenarios, antioxidant activity was found, but the effect was considerably greater when the particles were at the surface of the film. This is an important proof of the principle that it is possible to create biodegradable plastics with additional functionality through the addition of ChNC.
Biodegradable Nanoparticles Prepared from Chitosan and Casein for Delivery of Bioactive Polysaccharides
Authors: Lin Chi , Hsu Fang-Yu , Lin Wei-Ting , Cha Chia-Yun , Ho Yi-Cheng , Mi Fwu-Long
Published: July 2022

Ophiopogon japonicus polysaccharides (OJPs) have great anti-inflammation and immunomodulatory abilities. However, the low bioavailability of OJPs reduces its applicability in the biomedical and pharmaceutical fields. Chitosan (CS) has excellent mucoadhesive properties and absorption-enhancing ability in oral administration. Casein hydrolysate (CL) has good interfacial diffusivity and emulsifying ability, and can interact with polysaccharides to form complexes combining the individual properties of both. Therefore, chitosan and casein hydrolysate are good candidates for developing nanoformulations for oral delivery. In this study, bioactive polysaccharides (OJPs), CS and CL, were combined to prepare CS/OJPs/CL co-assembled biodegradable nanoparticles. The interactions between polysaccharides (CS and OJPs) and peptide (CL) resulted in the formation of nanoparticles with an average particle size of 198 nm and high OJPs loading efficiency. The colloidal properties of the nanoparticles were pH-dependent, which were changed significantly in simulated digestive fluid at different pH values. OJPs released from the CS/OJPs/CL nanoparticles were greatly affected by pH and enzymatic degradation (trypsin and lysozyme). The nanoparticles were easily internalized by macrophages, thereby enhancing the OJPs’ inhibitory ability against Ni2+-induced cytotoxicity and LPS-induced nitric oxide production. This study demonstrates that prepared polysaccharide/protein co-assembled nanoparticles can be potential nanocarriers for the oral delivery of bioactive polysaccharides with anti-inflammatory functions.
Thermal Protective Properties and Breathability of Multilayer Protective Woven Fabrics for Wildland Firefighting
Authors: Kalazić Ana , Brnada Snježana , Kiš Ana
Published: July 2022

A firefighter in the wildland fields spends an average of 8 to 16 h during which he encounters enormous physical effort and very demanding outdoor conditions of high temperatures. Research shows that the most common injuries are due to the occurrence of heat stress, and not due to lack of protection against burns. Therefore, for this very specific field of firefighting, it is necessary to provide clothing that will, in addition to adequate flame protection, provide good comfort properties such as lightweight suits, good porosity and breathability, so that gaseous sweat and heat generated by body heating can be released into the environment. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of structural parameters of multi-weft woven fabrics on two mutually contradictory properties—breathability and thermal protection. When designing fabrics, the goal was to produce a structure with a high proportion of volume pores, which, regardless of the increased volume of the fabric, insure the fabric mass would be acceptably small. Volume pores in the fabric have two roles—as a heat insulator and as an inhibitor of the breathability of the material. The analysis of the obtained results showed that the thickness and mass of the fabric have a greater influence on the water vapor resistance, while the heat transmission property is more affected by the thickness, porosity and fiber content.
Effect of Volume Fraction on Shear Mode Properties of Fe-Co and Fe-Ni Filled Magneto-Rheological Elastomers
Authors: Tahir Shayan , Usman Muhammad , Umer Malik Adeel
Published: July 2022

In this research, the synergistic behavior of magnetorheological elastomers containing nickel and cobalt along with iron particles as magnetically polarizable fillers is examined experimentally under dynamic shear loading. Two different types of magnetorheological elastomer were fabricated having equal proportions of iron and nickel in one kind, and iron and cobalt in the other. The concentrations of magnetic particles in each type are varied from 10% to 40% and investigated for several frequencies, displacement amplitude, and magnetic field values. A test assembly with moveable permanent magnets was used to vary magnetic field density. Force displacement hysteresis loops were studied for dynamic response of magnetorheological elastomers (MREs). It was observed that MREs showed a linear behavior at low strains while nonlinearity increased with increasing strain. The percentage filler content and frequency increased the MRE stiffness whereas it decreased with displacement amplitude. The computed maximum magnetorheological (MR) effect was 55.56 percent. While MRE with iron and cobalt gave the highest effective stiffness, MRE with iron and nickel gave the highest MR effect.
Virtual Screening of Drug Proteins Based on the Prediction Classification Model of Imbalanced Data Mining
Authors: Yin Lili , Du Xiaokang , Ma Chao , Gu Hengwen
Published: July 2022

We propose a virtual screening method based on imbalanced data mining in this paper, which combines virtual screening techniques with imbalanced data classification methods to improve the traditional virtual screening process. First, in the actual virtual screening process, we apply k-means and smote heuristic oversampling method to deal with imbalanced data. Meanwhile, to enhance the accuracy of the virtual screening process, a particle swarm optimization algorithm is introduced to optimize the parameters of the support vector machine classifier, and the concept of ensemble learning is brought in. The classification technique based on particle swarm optimization, support vector machine and adaptive boosting is used to screen the molecular docking conformation to improve the accuracy of the prediction. Finally, in the experimental construction and analysis section, the proposed method was validated using relevant data from the protein data bank database and PubChem database. The experimental results indicated that the proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy of virus screening and has practical guidance for new drug development. This research regards virtual screening as a problem of imbalanced data classification, which has obvious guiding significance and also provides a certain reference for the problems faced by virtual screening technology.
Purification and Characterization of a Novel Factor of Crotoxin Inter-CRO (V-1), a New Phospholipase A2 Isoform from Crotalus durissus collilineatus Snake Venom Using an In Vitro Neuromuscular Preparation
Authors: Vera-Gonzales Corina , Arenas-Chávez Carlos Alberto , Ponce-Soto Luis A. , Alvarez-Risco Aldo , Del-Aguila-Arcentales Shyla , Davies Neal M. , Yáñez Jaime A.
Published: July 2022

The fractionation of Crotalus durissus collilineatus whole venom through an HPLC chromatographic method enabled the purification of a new V-1 neurotoxin. Inter-CRO (V-1) presents similarity in its primary structure to crotoxin B (CB), suggesting another isoform of this toxin. The aim of this study was to compare V-1 to the crotoxin complex (CA/CB) and CB to elucidate aspects related to its functionality. The homogeneity of the purified protein was confirmed with a molecular mass of 1425.45 Da, further verified by mass spectrometry. The sequence of the protein showed high similarity to other viperid snake venom PLA2 proteins. The results of this study report that V-1 is an uncharacterized novel toxin with different biological activities from CB. V-1 maintained catalytic activity but presented neurotoxic activity as observed by the 2.5-fold increase in twitch tension record compared to control values on isolated muscle cells.
‘The Whole Concept of Social Cohesion, I Thought, “This Is So Qur’anic”’: Why Australian Muslim Women Work to Counter Islamophobia
Authors: Carland Susan
Published: July 2022

Islamophobia is on the rise in many Western countries, and while previous research has considered the causes of Islamophobia and the impact it has on its victims, little research has investigated the attitudes and experiences of Muslims who are working to counter Islamophobia, and particularly those of Muslim women. This research investigates the motivations and intentions of Australian Muslim women who run public engagement events for non-Muslims to counter Islamophobia and build social cohesion. Data were obtained via in-depth interviews with 31 Sunni, Shia, Ahmadiyya Muslim women in four Australian capital cities. The three main themes that emerged were that the women wanted to connect with the non-Muslims who attended the events, create positive social change, and increase the knowledge that non-Muslims had about Islam and Muslims. Significantly, the women said that their most important motivator was their faith, and they rejected the idea that they were doing such work to appease non-Muslims. Instead, they saw work was an affirmation of their identity as Muslim women and their commitment to God.
Encountering the Other. André Scrima’s Hermeneutics of Spiritual Hospitality
Authors: Tătaru-Cazaban Bogdan
Published: July 2022

A key figure in the ecumenical dialogue in the second half of the 20th Century, Fr André Scrima was also involved in the academic and interreligious life in Lebanon as a co-founder of the Institut d’Études Islamo-Chrétiennes at St.-Joseph Catholic University. In his courses, articles, and occasional papers, he developed a hermeneutical method to study the diversity of religious traditions, especially of the three Monotheisms, and to make possible the encounter with the religious otherness. This article aimed to shed light on hospitality as a hermeneutical category and spiritual practice in Scrima’s thought, having as a background Louis Massignon’s intellectual and mystical perspective on the relations between Christianity and Islam.
The Effect of Option Grants on Managerial Risk Taking: A Review
Authors: Lin Guoyu , Liu Chenyong , Mette Jehu , Crichton Rohan
Published: July 2022

This article presents a systematic review of the theoretical and empirical literature on option grants and managerial risk taking. One of the objectives is the motivation of further research on the topic. Risk-averse managers hold less diversified portfolios and, thus, tend to take less risk than optimal for shareholders. More option grants may encourage risk taking and result in higher firm value or alternatively increase the sensitivity of wealth to stock-price fluctuations mitigating overall risk-taking incentives. The net effect of options on risk-taking behavior is, therefore, ambiguous and calls for more empirical investigation. This is crucial for fiscal policymaking and regulation reforms. Yet, establishing a causal link between option granting and managerial risk taking has been challenging due to reverse causality, omitted correlated variables and measurement errors. In this review, we revisit the VegaDelta question by synthesizing the relevant research in economics, finance and accounting. We find that the empirical literature has successfully utilized natural experiments (e.g., regulation changes) to better establish causality, even though some mixed results are also documented. Finally, we also emphasize potential future research avenues especially relating to accounting disclosure, earnings management and tax policy.
An SAR Ship Object Detection Algorithm Based on Feature Information Efficient Representation Network
Authors: Yu Jimin , Wu Tao , Zhou Shangbo , Pan Huilan , Zhang Xin , Zhang Wei
Published: July 2022

In the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) ship image, the target size is small and dense, the background is complex and changeable, the ship target is difficult to distinguish from the surrounding background, and there are many ship-like targets in the image. This makes it difficult for deep-learning-based target detection algorithms to obtain effective feature information, resulting in missed and false detection. The effective expression of the feature information of the target to be detected is the key to the target detection algorithm. How to improve the clear expression of image feature information in the network has always been a difficult point. Aiming at the above problems, this paper proposes a new target detection algorithm, the feature information efficient representation network (FIERNet). The algorithm can extract better feature details, enhance network feature fusion and information expression, and improve model detection capabilities. First, the convolution transformer feature extraction (CTFE) module is proposed, and a convolution transformer feature extraction network (CTFENet) is built with this module as a feature extraction block. The network enables the model to obtain more accurate and comprehensive feature information, weakens the interference of invalid information, and improves the overall performance of the network. Second, a new effective feature information fusion (EFIF) module is proposed to enhance the transfer and fusion of the main information of feature maps. Finally, a new frame-decoding formula is proposed to further improve the coincidence between the predicted frame and the target frame and obtain more accurate picture information. Experiments show that the method achieves 94.14% and 92.01% mean precision (mAP) on SSDD and SAR-ship datasets, and it works well on large-scale SAR ship images. In addition, FIERNet greatly reduces the occurrence of missed detection and false detection in SAR ship detection. Compared to other state-of-the-art object detection algorithms, FIERNet outperforms them on various performance metrics on SAR images.
A Joint LINET and ISS-LIS View of Lightning Distribution over the Mt. Cimone Area within the GAMMA-FLASH Program
Authors: Tiberia Alessandra , Arnone Enrico , Ursi Alessandro , Fuschino Fabio , Virgilli Enrico , Preziosi Enrico , Tavani Marco , Dietrich Stefano
Published: July 2022

Typical features of lightning distribution in the mountain area of Mt. Cimone (2165 m a.s.l., Northern-Central Italy) have been studied through detections provided by the ground-based LIghtning NETwork data (LINET) and the Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) onboard the International Space Station (ISS-LIS). This study was performed within the context of the Gamma-Flash program, which includes the in situ observation of high-energy radiation (e.g., Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs), gamma-ray glows) and neutron emissions from thunderstorms at the mountain-top “O. Vittori” climate observatory. LINET VLF/LF radio measurements allowed the characterization of both cloud-to-ground (CG) and intra-cloud (IC) strokes’ geographical distribution and an altitude of occurrence from 2012 through 2020. The lightning distribution showed a remarkable clustering of CGs at the mountain top in contrast to a homogeneous distribution of ICs, highlighting the likely impact of orography. IC strokes peaked around 4 to 6 km altitude, in agreement with the observed typical cloud range. The joint exploitation of ISS-LIS optical observations of LINET detections extended the study to further features of flashes not seen in radio wavelengths and stands as the cross-validation of the two detection methods over such a complex orography. These results gave the quantitative indication of the expected occurrence of lightning and ionizing radiation emissions in the Mt. Cimone area and an example of mountain-driven changes in lightning occurrence.
RSEDM: A New Rotational-Scan Exponential Decay Model for Extracting the Surface Urban Heat Island Footprint
Authors: Yang Ke , Zhou Tong , Wang Chuling , Wang Zilong , Han Qile , Tao Fei
Published: July 2022

Surface urban heat islands are widely focused on due to their close relationship with a series of environmental issues. Obtaining a precise footprint is an important prerequisite for heat island research. However, the land surface temperature curves used for calculating footprint are affected by factors such as the complexity of land-use types, thereby affecting the accuracy of footprint. Therefore, the rotational-scan exponential decay model is developed in this paper, which first takes the gravity center of an urban area as the origin of polar coordinates, specifies due north as the starting direction, and rotationally scans the suburbs that are within 20 km outside urban areas in a clockwise direction at an angle of 1°. The eligible suburbs are screened out according to the built-up area rate, water body rate, and merge tolerance. Then, exponential decay fitting of the temperature curve is performed to obtain the extension distance of the heat island and the background temperature, which are used to determine the final footprint. Based on the method, the footprints of 15 cities were calculated and compared with those of the traditional method. The results show that: (1) this method could effectively eliminate the influence of a large number of contiguous built-up areas and water bodies in the suburbs on the footprint calculation, thus greatly improving the accuracy of the temperature curve and footprint. (2) Three of four cities had the largest footprint boundary in spring. All four cities had the strongest heat island intensity in summer and the smallest footprint boundary and intensity in winter. (3) Coupling effect would aggravate the negative impact of heat islands in the suburbs and threaten the suburban environment. As a state-of-the-art method, it can enhance the calculation accuracy and precisely reflect the spatial pattern of footprint, which is of great significance for the sustainable development of cities.
Identifying the Impact of Regional Meteorological Parameters on US Crop Yield at Various Spatial Scales Using Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Yoo Cheolhee , Kang Daehyun , Park Seonyoung
Published: July 2022

This study investigates the influence of meteorological parameters such as temperature and precipitation on gross primary production (GPP) in the continental United States (CONUS) during boreal summer using satellite-based temperature and precipitation indices and GPP data at various scales (i.e., pixel, county, and state levels). The strong linear relationship between temperature and precipitation indices is presented around the central United States, particularly in the Great Plains, where the year-to-year variation of GPP is very sensitive to meteorological conditions. This sensitive GPP variation is mostly attributable to the semi-arid climate in the Great Plains, where crop productivity and temperature are closely related. The more specific information for the regionality of the relationships across the variables manifests itself at higher resolutions. The impact of the summer meteorological condition on the annual crop yield is particularly significant. Maize and soybean yields show a strong correlation with both Temperature Condition Index (TCI) and Precipitation Condition Index (PCI) in the Great Plains, with a relatively higher relationship with TCI than PCI, which is consistent with the relationship compared with GPP. This study suggests that in-depth investigations into the relationship between maize and soybean yields and the climate are required. The region-dependent relationship between GPP and meteorological conditions in our study would guide agricultural decision making in the future climate.
Wearable Travel Aids for Blind and Partially Sighted People: A Review with a Focus on Design Issues
Authors: Hersh Marion
Published: July 2022

The ability to travel (independently) is very important for participation in education, work, leisure activities, and all other aspects of modern life. Blind and partially sighted people experience a number of barriers to travel, including inaccessible information and environments, and consequently require support from technology or other people to overcome them. Despite the potential of advanced technologies and the development of electronic travel aids, the long cane and guide dog remains the most commonly used solutions. Wearable technologies are becoming increasingly popular. They have the particular advantage of keeping the hands free, thereby facilitating the use of a long cane, guide dog or another device at the same time. They also have the potential to change the ways in which users interact with the environment. The main contributions of this paper are surveying the current state-of-the-art of travel aids from a design perspective and investigating the following issues: (1) The important design issues in wearable travel aids and the extent to which they are taken into account in different devices; (2) The relationship, if any, between where and how travel aids are worn and their design, features and functions; (3) Limitations of existing devices, gaps in provision and future research directions, particularly with regard to meeting potential users’ needs.
FLACS-Based Simulation of Combustible Gases Leaked from the Pressure Device for the Optimizing of Gas Detectors’ Setup
Authors: Liu Rui , Deng Hong-Bo , Mou Chuan-Lin , Wang Lin-Yuan , Wang Fei , Xiong Xin-Yu , Li Ya-Dong
Published: July 2022

The leakage and diffusion of hazardous gases from steam methane reforming (SMR) equipment are investigated by Flame Acceleration Simulator (FLACS) software to optimize the layout of combustible gas detectors. A typical accident scenario, with the gases leaked from converter tubes with leak apertures of 5 mm, 25 mm, and 100 mm and medium pressure of 0.1 MPa, 1 MPa, and 10 MPa, is established. At the same time, the influence of the environment wind speeds from 0.2 m·s−1 to 6 m·s−1 on the diffusion process is also investigated. The research results show that the leakage source concentration and diffusion distance positively correlate with the leakage aperture. Suggestion on the distance between combustible gas detectors and possible leak point is within 5 m, 10 m, and 15 m in the scenario of the leak aperture of 5 mm (small-hole leak aperture), 25 mm (middle-hole leak aperture), and 100 mm (big-hole leak aperture). The most dangerous scenario is at the static ambient wind speed, and the diffusion process strengthens with the raising of wind speed. The turning point scenario occurs at a wind speed of 1 m·s−1, where the flammable area is minimal. The medium pressure relates to the jet speed of the combustible gases. The wind speed should be comprehensively determined when considering the layout of the combustible gas detectors affected by this factor. The orthogonal experimental design shows that the most significant influence factor on the diffusion process of the combustible gas is the leak aperture, followed by the medium pressure and, finally, by the ambient wind speed. Recommendations are listed for the optimization of the layout of gas detectors in related enterprises.
Secured Protocol with Collaborative IoT-Enabled Sustainable Communication Using Artificial Intelligence Technique
Authors: Islam Naveed , Haseeb Khalid , Ali Muhammad , Jeon Gwanggil
Published: July 2022

In recent years, 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT) have been integrated into a variety of applications to support sustainable communication systems. In the presence of intermediate hardware, IoT devices collect the network data and transfer them to cloud technologies. The interconnect machines provide essential information to the connected devices over the Internet. Many solutions have been proposed to address the dynamic and unexpected characteristics of IoT-based networks and to support smart developments. However, more work needs to explore efficient quality-aware data routing for distributed processing. Additionally, to handle the massive amount of data created by smart cities and achieve the transportation objectives for resource restrictions, artificial intelligence (AI)-oriented approaches are necessary. This research proposes a secured protocol with collaborative learning for IoT-enabled sustainable communication using AI techniques. This approach increases systems’ reaction times in critical conditions and also controls the smart functionalities for inter-device communication. Furthermore, fitness computing can help in balancing the contribution of quality-aware metrics to achieve load balancing and efficient energy consumption. To deal with security, IoT communication is broken down into stages, resulting in a more dependable network for unpredictable environments. The simulation results of the proposed protocol have been compared to existing approaches and improved the performance of response time by 17%, energy consumption by 14%, number of re-transmissions by 16%, and computing overhead by 16%, under a varying number of nodes and data packets.
Experimental Study of Varying Heat Transfer Fluid Parameters within a Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage System Enhanced by Fins
Authors: Shank Kyle , Bernat Jessica , Regal Ethan , Leise Joel , Ji Xiaoxu , Tiari Saeed
Published: July 2022

Latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems can be used to combat the limited collection and long-term storage of renewable energy sources. The key component of an LHTES system is its phase change material (PCM), which thermally stores energy. Despite extensive research on thermal conductivity enhancement within PCM, little attention has been paid to the heat transfer fluid (HTF) within the system. This study aimed to observe the impact of variable HTF flow rates and temperatures on the speed of charging and discharging an LHTES system enhanced with annular fins. Two copper fin configurations of 10 and 20 annular fins were tested within an LHTES system with Rubitherm RT-55 PCM. The configurations were tested during charging processes with HTF parameters of 65 °C and 70 °C at 1, 2, and 3 gpm. Discharging processes were tested with HTF parameters of 15 °C and 20 °C at 0.5, 1, and 1.5 gpm. The system energy response and PCM temperature were recorded throughout the tests. The results of the study revealed that a higher flow rate produced a shorter processing time, but furthermore, that a larger temperature gradient between the PCM and HTF caused a more significant decrease in charging and discharging times.
Czech Drivers’ Glare Perception Survey
Authors: Viktorová Lucie , Mičková Klára , Stanke Ladislav
Published: July 2022

Worldwide, road-users complain about glare from oncoming cars’ headlights, often blaming new light sources such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs). However, drivers’ own behavior and attitudes might contribute to the issue of glare. The aim of this research was to establish the prevalence of on-road glare and its associations with drivers’ attitudes in a sample of Czech drivers. We used an online survey and gained responses from 539 passenger-car-drivers. The majority experienced glare at least once a week or almost daily, identifying mainly white- or bluish-colored headlights as the source of glare. However, about 60% of participants would prefer the view of the road that is provided by these sources, and an association was found between the preferred part of the lighting color spectrum and the perceived glare source color. A large proportion of drivers were also not aware of the specifics of the lighting sources that they used. These findings suggest the need for driver education in the area of automotive lighting and glare prevention.
Latin American Cattle Ranching Sustainability Debate: An Approach to Social-Ecological Systems and Spatial-Temporal Scales
Authors: Figueroa Daniela , Galicia Leopoldo , Suárez Lastra Manuel
Published: July 2022

The significance of Latin America (LA) in the global food supply is large and prominent. The livestock sector at this time faces social-ecological challenges that will be accentuated in the future and will be incredibly challenging for small and medium producers. We conducted a systematic literature review to understand the role of LA cattle ranching in the current sustainability debate. In addition, we identified the main components of cattle ranching social-ecological systems and evaluated the institutional and ecological interactions of livestock studies by identifying spatial and temporal scales. Our results show a broad debate on livestock sustainability in LA; nevertheless, efforts to measure sustainability and analyze cattle ranching systemically are scarce. The study of LA cattle ranching in the 21st century was geographically concentrated on the main producing countries (Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Argentina) and was consistently promoted by government and academic institutions aiming to understand management strategies that improve yields. However, it less often focused on analyzing their impacts on ecosystems and climate. The complexity and dynamism of cattle ranching in LA make it necessary to address sustainable planning from a systemic approach to guide viable transformations through spatial scales.
Environmental Uncertainties and Competitive Advantage: A Sequential Mediation Model of Supply Chain Integration and Supply Chain Agility
Authors: Koç Erdinç , Delibaş Muhammet Burak , Anadol Yaprak
Published: July 2022

In this study, the direct effect of environmental uncertainty on competitive advantage and its indirect effect through the sequential mediator variables of supply chain integration and supply chain agility were investigated. The sample of the study consists of company managers operating in the manufacturing sector in Turkey. An online survey was sent to company managers through connections established on LinkedIn and an analysis was carried out with the data collected from 414 participants. As a result of the analysis, it has been determined that environmental uncertainty has a direct, significant and positive effect on competitive advantage. In addition, the results of the research show that supply chain integration and supply chain agility have a partial mediating role in the relationship between environmental uncertainty and competitive advantage. According to the results of this study, in conditions of high environmental uncertainty, companies can increase their supply chain agility capabilities by establishing a more integrated structure with their supply chain partners, and thus gain a unique competitive advantage over their competitors. It has been observed that the relationships between the concepts, which are the subject of the study, have been investigated separately in different studies in the literature. This study will contribute to the literature by investigating the relationships between concepts in a holistic way.
Establishing an Intelligent Emotion Analysis System for Long-Term Care Application Based on LabVIEW
Authors: Yao Kai-Chao , Huang Wei-Tzer , Chen Teng-Yu , Wu Cheng-Chun , Ho Wei-Sho
Published: July 2022

In this study, the authors implemented an intelligent long-term care system based on deep learning techniques, using an AI model that can be integrated with the Lab’s Virtual Instrumentation Engineering Workbench (LabVIEW) application for sentiment analysis. The input data collected is a database of numerous facial features and environmental variables that have been processed and analyzed; the output decisions are the corresponding controls for sentiment analysis and prediction. Convolutional neural network (CNN) is used to deal with the complex process of deep learning. After the convolutional layer simplifies the processing of the image matrix, the results are computed by the fully connected layer. Furthermore, the Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) model embedded in LabVIEW is constructed for numerical transformation, analysis, and predictive control; it predicts the corresponding control of emotional and environmental variables. Moreover, LabVIEW is used to design sensor components, data displays, and control interfaces. Remote sensing and control is achieved by using LabVIEW’s built-in web publishing tools.
The Effect of Dependency Burden on Household Entrepreneurial Exit Behavior: Empirical Evidence from Chinese Households
Authors: Wang Jie , Cai Zhijian
Published: July 2022

The elderly dependency ratio in China has increased from 10.7% in 2003 to 17.8% in 2019, and there may be a link between the widespread withdrawal of family entrepreneurship in society and the increased dependency burden. Based on China Family Panel Studies, we empirically examine the impact of dependency burden on household entrepreneurial exit behavior. We find that the likelihood of household exit from entrepreneurial activity increases as the population ages. Compared to active exit from entrepreneurship, dependency burden mainly induces failure exit from household entrepreneurship. In addition to reducing physical capital accumulation and labor supply, dependency burden also reduces the household workforce’s mental and physical health, leading to the entrepreneurial exit. The application of digital technology can mitigate the negative effects of dependency burden in household entrepreneurship. The mitigating effect of digital technology will be enhanced with the deepening of the application. Therefore, government and academia need to pay attention to the negative effects of dependency burden on the sustainability of household entrepreneurship.