bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep Convolutional Neural Network for Mapping Smallholder Agriculture Using High Spatial Resolution Satellite Image
Authors: Xie Bin , Zhang Hankui K. , Xue Jie
Published: May 2019

In classification of satellite images acquired over smallholder agricultural landscape with complex spectral profiles of various crop types, exploring image spatial information is important. The deep convolutional neural network (CNN), originally designed for natural image recognition in the computer vision field, can automatically explore high level spatial information and thus is promising for such tasks. This study tried to evaluate different CNN structures for classification of four smallholder agricultural landscapes in Heilongjiang, China using pan-sharpened 2 m GaoFen-1 (meaning high resolution in Chinese) satellite images. CNN with three pooling strategies: without pooling, with max pooling and with average pooling, were evaluated and compared with random forest. Two different numbers (~70,000 and ~290,000) of CNN learnable parameters were examined for each pooling strategy. The training and testing samples were systematically sampled from reference land cover maps to ensure sample distribution proportional to the reference land cover occurrence and included 60,000–400,000 pixels to ensure effective training. Testing sample classification results in the four study areas showed that the best pooling strategy was the average pooling CNN and that the CNN significantly outperformed random forest (2.4–3.3% higher overall accuracy and 0.05–0.24 higher kappa coefficient). Visual examination of CNN classification maps showed that CNN can discriminate better the spectrally similar crop types by effectively exploring spatial information. CNN was still significantly outperformed random forest using training samples that were evenly distributed among classes. Furthermore, future research to improve CNN performance was discussed.
Detecting Variable Resistance by Fluorescence Intensity Ratio Technology
Authors: Sheng Wanjun , Wang Xiangfu , Tao Yong , Yan Xiaohong
Published: May 2019

We report a new method for detecting variable resistance during short time intervals by using an optical method. A novel variable-resistance sensor composed of up-conversion nanoparticles (NaYF4:Yb3+,Er3+) and reduced graphene oxide (RGO) is designed based on characteristics of a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) resistive element. The fluorescence intensity ratio (FIR) technology based on green and red emissions is used to detect variable resistance. Combining the Boltzmann distributing law with Steinhart–Hart equation, the FIR and relative sensitivity SR as a function of resistance can be defined. The maximum value of SR is 1.039 × 10−3/Ω. This work reports a new method for measuring variable resistance based on the experimental data from fluorescence spectrum.
Kin-FOG: Automatic Simulated Freezing of Gait (FOG) Assessment System for Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Soltaninejad Sara , Cheng Irene , Basu Anup
Published: May 2019

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the leading neurological disorders in the world with an increasing incidence rate for the elderly. Freezing of Gait (FOG) is one of the most incapacitating symptoms for PD especially in the later stages of the disease. FOG is a short absence or reduction of ability to walk for PD patients which can cause fall, reduction in patients’ quality of life, and even death. Existing FOG assessments by doctors are based on a patient’s diaries and experts’ manual video analysis which give subjective, inaccurate, and unreliable results. In the present research, an automatic FOG assessment system is designed for PD patients to provide objective information to neurologists about the FOG condition and the symptom’s characteristics. The proposed FOG assessment system uses an RGB-D sensor based on Microsoft Kinect V2 for capturing data for 5 healthy subjects who are trained to imitate the FOG phenomenon. The proposed FOG assessment system is called “Kin-FOG”. The analysis of foot joint trajectory of the motion captured by Kinect is used to find the FOG episodes. The evaluation of Kin-FOG is performed by two types of experiments, including: (1) simple walking (SW); and (2) walking with turning (WWT). Since the standing mode has features similar to a FOG episode, our Kin-FOG system proposes a method to distinguish between the FOG and standing episodes. Therefore, two general groups of experiments are conducted with standing state (WST) and without standing state (WOST). The gradient displacement of the angle between the foot and the ground is used as the feature for discriminating between FOG and standing modes. These experiments are conducted with different numbers of FOGs for getting reliable and general results. The Kin-FOG system reports the number of FOGs, their lengths, and the time slots when they occur. Experimental results demonstrate Kin-FOG has around 90% accuracy rate for FOG prediction in both experiments for different tasks (SW, WWT). The proposed Kin-FOG system can be used as a remote application at a patient’s home or a rehabilitation clinic for sending a neurologist the required FOG information. The reliability and generality of the proposed system will be evaluated for bigger data sets of actual PD subjects.
Development of a System for Real-Time Monitoring of Pressure, Temperature, and Humidity in Casts
Authors: Tuan Chiu-Ching , Lu Chi-Heng , Wu Yi-Chao , Yeh Wen-Ling , Chen Mei-Chuan , Lee Tsair-Fwu , Chen Yu-Jing , Kao Hsuan-Kai
Published: May 2019

Cast fixation is a general clinical skill used for the treatment of fractures. However, it may cause many complications due to careless treatment procedures. Currently, swathing a cast for a patient can only be determined by a doctors’ experience; however, this cannot be determined by the value of pressure, temperature, or humidity with objective and reliable equipment. When swathing a cast for a patient, the end result is often too tight or too loose. Hence, in this paper we developed a sensor for detecting pressure, temperature, and humidity, respectively. This could provide reliable reference cast data to help physicians to understand the tightness of cast swathing and to adjust the tightness of cast swathing instantly to alleviate a patient’s complications caused by excessive pressure or overheating. In this paper, six pressure sensors and one temperature–humidity sensor are used to detect the pressure, temperature, and humidity in an arm swathed with a cast to confirm whether the tightness of the cast is fixing the fracture efficiently, while avoiding causing any damage by using excessive pressure. Currently, the variation in temperature and humidity can be detected by the inflammation of the wound, displaying secretions, and fever in the cast. Based on the experiments, the voltage and power conversion coefficients of the developed sensors could be compensated for by the nonlinear error of the sensor. The experimental results could be instantly displayed on a human interface, such as a smart mobile device. The average skin pressure in a swathed cast was 12.14 g and ranged from 5.0 g to 17.5 g. A few casts exceeded 37.50 g. The abnormal pressure of wrinkles produced during swathing a cast often ranged from 22.50 g to 38.75 g. This shows that cast wrinkles cause pressure on the skin. The pressure caused by cast wrinkles on bone protrusions ranged from 56.5 g to 84.4 g. Compared to other parts that lacked soft skin cushioning, the pressure of cast wrinkles that occurred in the ulna near the protrusion of the wrist bone increased averagely. The pressure error value was less than 2%, the temperature error was less than 1%, and the humidity error was less than 5%. Therefore, they were all in line with the specifications of commercially available products. The six pressure detection points and one temperature and humidity detection point in our newly designed system can accurately measure the pressure, temperature, and humidity inside the cast, and instantly display the corresponding information by mobile APP. Doctors receive reliable reference data and are instantly able to understand the tightness of the swathed cast and adjust it at any time to avoid complications caused by pressure or overheating due to excessive pressure.
The Glass Door of Academia: Unveiling New Gendered Bias in Academic Recruitment
Authors: Picardi Ilenia
Published: May 2019

Gender statistics and studies on gendering mechanisms have been developing over recent years on two parallel tracks. This research reveals the need to rethink the standard indicators used in European comparative analyses to identify (1) gender-related mechanisms responsible for the production and reproduction processes of gender asymmetries, (2) their specificities in different local contexts, and (3) the profound transformations that have characterized the academies and the research system in Europe in recent years. The paper analyses the data on the composition of Italian academia provided by the Italian Ministry of Education, universities and research from a gender perspective. The introduction of the glass door index, specifically designed to measure gendering processes taking place in the recruitment stages in Italian academia, discloses new forms of gender segregation in Italian universities after the last academic reform (Law 240/2010), despite the emphasis placed on the neutral and meritocratic criteria of the new recruitment and career progression rules.
“Wir Schaffen Das!”? Spatial Pitfalls of Neighborhood-Based Refugee Reception in Germany—A Case Study of Frankfurt-Rödelheim
Authors: Blank Martina
Published: May 2019

Refugee reception in Germany is a primarily municipal task that relies heavily on neighborhood-based volunteering. This paper asserts that there are fundamental spatial mismatches between municipal policies and neighborhood-based approaches that place additional burden on all of the stakeholders involved. Drawing from the case of Frankfurt-Rödelheim, which is a socially and ethnically mixed neighborhood in Frankfurt am Main, I show how the way the municipality accommodates refugees disregards the politically embraced work of neighborhood-based volunteers and how the ideal of neighborhood-based inclusion creates a spatial fetish that fails the living reality of the refugees. The findings are based on my ethnographic fieldwork as volunteer in a neighborhood-based welcome initiative.
Climate Change Scepticism at Universities: A Global Study
Authors: Leal Filho Walter , Mifsud Mark , Molthan-Hill Petra , J. Nagy Gustavo , Veiga Ávila Lucas , Salvia Amanda Lange
Published: May 2019

Scepticism about climate change is still a popular trend, despite the existence of scientific evidence that this phenomenon is taking place, and that it is influencing the lives of millions of people around the world. The aim of this paper is to assess the extent to which existing scepticism at the university level is found. The methodology consists of a survey undertaken on a sample of universities around the world, in the context of which attitudes and perceptions about climate change are identified. A total of 237 questionnaires were received from 51 countries around the world. The analysis consists basically of descriptive statistics and an investigation regarding trends on scepticism and the geographical location of the universities. The study concludes by outlining some of the presently seen scepticisms and suggests some ways to address them via curricular innovation and initiatives engaging students.
The Role of Environmental Regulation and Technological Innovation in the Employment of Manufacturing Enterprises: Evidence from China
Authors: Li Die , Zhu Jinsheng
Published: May 2019

With the increasingly severe emission reduction pressures, it is an inevitable choice for China to improve the intensity of environmental regulation. At the same time, the impact of technological innovation on enterprise employment may lead to some new changes under the environmental regulation constraints. However, existing studies have not included environmental regulation into the theoretical framework of technological innovation and enterprise employment, nor has the influencing mechanism of environmental regulation and technological innovation in the employment of manufacturing enterprises been explored. This paper uses the panel data of listed manufacturing companies in the A-share market of Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2011 to 2017 to examine the impact of environmental regulation and technological innovation on the employment of manufacturing enterprises, and explore their influence mechanisms in a theoretical framework based the moderating effect model. The findings demonstrate the following: First, the technological innovation has a positive creative effect on enterprise employment. Second, the impact of environmental regulation on enterprise employment is significantly positive. Third, environmental regulation has a negative moderating effect on the impact of technological innovation on enterprise employment. Finally, the impacts of both environmental regulation and technological innovation on the employment of manufacturing enterprises are heterogeneous across enterprises due to differences in ownership structure, the degree of pollution, and technical density. Therefore, faced with the objective reality that environmental carrying capacity has reached or approached the upper limit, China needs to formulate a differentiated and diversified technological innovation system and environmental protection policy, improve the environmental innovation level of manufacturing enterprises, and form a green development model, which is of great significance for achieving high-quality development and stable employment.
Changes in Land Plot Morphology Resulting from the Construction of a Bypass: The Example of a Polish City
Authors: Kowalczyk Cezary , Kil Jacek , Kurowska Krystyna
Published: May 2019

Road development projects are expansive and they exert a significant impact on the environment, landscape, spatial planning, and land management. In this study, we developed a research hypothesis that analysis of the shape factor of plots can be the basis for determining the factors affecting the level of urbanization. This article evaluates changes in the spatial structure of plots resulting from the construction of a city bypass. The proposed method is based on a morphological analysis of plots located in the vicinity of the motorway lane. In the next steps, lines located at a distance of 400 m and 800 m from the beltway were determined and then shape indicators were determined for the plots cut by these lines. The analysis confirmed the change in the shape of the plots, along with the distance from the beltway. Plots located further from the bypass of the city had smaller areas and the aspect ratio was similar for plots intended for development. The proposed method allows us to identify spatial effects occurring after entering a suburban road. The method should be used at the design stage of the beltway and not at the stage of impact assessment after its construction. This will allow for maintenance of a coherent spatial policy at the interface between urban and rural areas. At the same time, the study of changes in the morphology of plots allows earlier identification of urban processes.
Assessment of Photovoltaic Potential of Mining Sites in Uzbekistan
Authors: Mardonova Mokhinabonu , Choi Yosoon
Published: May 2019

The present study analyzed the potential of eight operational mining sites in Uzbekistan for the installation of photovoltaic (PV) systems: Sarmich, Ingichka, Kuytosh, Yakhton, Chauli, Sherobod, Chorkesar, and Tebinbuloq. A PV system with 1 MW capacity, which required a total of 4926 m2 of project land, was considered. The renewable energy analysis software RETScreen, developed by Natural Resources Canada (NRC), was used to calculate energy production, greenhouse gas reduction, and financial factors of the PV systems in the selected study areas. The iron mine Tebinbuloq in Karakalpak showed the highest potential, with annual electricity production of approximately 1685 MWh, equating to a potential reduction of approximately 930 tons of greenhouse gases. The economic benefit of the PV system in this mine was $2.217 million USD net present value with a project payback period of approximately 13 years. The results of precision checks of satellite- and ground-based solar measurements showed high correlations; hence, satellite-based data can be applied for solar project assessments where solar monitoring meteorological stations are not available.
Impact of Small-to-Medium Size Forest Enterprises on Rural Livelihood: Evidence from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Authors: Zada Muhammad , Shah Syed Jamal , Yukun Cao , Rauf Tariq , Khan Naveed , Shah Syed Asad Ali
Published: May 2019

Small-to-medium-sized forest enterprises (SMFEs) offer numerous benefits to rural communities and society as a whole. Less attention has been paid to the sustainability of SMFEs in terms of improving the livelihood of rural communities. This study aims to assess the impact of SMFEs in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan, and evaluate their potential role in reducing poverty and promoting rural livelihoods. Primary data were collected from 350 household heads and analyzed using econometric methodologies: The ordinary least squares (OLS) and ordered logit model. Household income, a wealth index, and five capitals of sustainable livelihood have been considered to gauge the impact of SMFEs. The results of the study reveal that there is a strong positive association between SMFEs and improvement in a rural community’s livelihood. The results further showed that households engaged in SMFE-related activities earn 3% more income and possess about 24% more assets. These findings are robust for various dimensions of sustainable livelihood and show positive effects of SMFEs on livelihood assets. This study continues the discussion on several practical implications along with recommendations for future research.
Farmers’ Intention to Climate Change Adaptation in Agriculture in the Red River Delta Biosphere Reserve (Vietnam): A Combination of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Protection Motivation Theory (PMT)
Authors: Luu The Anh , Nguyen An Thinh , Trinh Quoc Anh , Pham Van Tuan , Le Ba Bien , Nguyen Duc Thanh , Hoang Quoc Nam , Pham Ha T.T. , Nguyen The Kien , Luu Van Nang , Hens Luc
Published: May 2019

Coastal communities living in the low delta areas of Vietnam are increasingly vulnerable to tropical storms and related natural hazards of global climate change. Particularly in the Red River Delta Biosphere Reserve (RRDBR), farmers change the crop structure and diversify agricultural systems to adapt to the changing climate. The paper deals with a quantitative approach combined with behavior theories and surveyed data to analyze farmers’ intention to climate change adaptation in agriculture. Based on the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), seven constructs are developed to a questionnaire surveying 526 local farmers: risk perception, belief, habit, maladaptation, subjective norm, adaptation assessment, and adaptation intention. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is implemented to extract eight factors and to quantify the relationship between protective behavior factors with the adaptation intention of the surveyed farmers. Two bootstrap samples of sizes 800 and 1200 are generated to estimate the coefficients and standard errors. The SEM result suggests a regional and three local structural models for climate change adaptation intention of farmers living in the RRDBR. Farmers show a higher adaptation intention when they perceive higher climate risks threatening their physical health, finances, production, social relationships, and psychology. In contrast, farmers are less likely to intend to adapt when they are subject to wishful thinking, deny the climate risks, or believe in fatalism.
On Cauchy’s Interlacing Theorem and the Stability of a Class of Linear Discrete Aggregation Models Under Eventual Linear Output Feedback Controls
Authors: De la Sen Manuel
Published: May 2019

This paper links the celebrated Cauchy’s interlacing theorem of eigenvalues for partitioned updated sequences of Hermitian matrices with stability and convergence problems and results of related sequences of matrices. The results are also applied to sequences of factorizations of semidefinite matrices with their complex conjugates ones to obtain sufficiency-type stability results for the factors in those factorizations. Some extensions are given for parallel characterizations of convergent sequences of matrices. In both cases, the updated information has a Hermitian structure, in particular, a symmetric structure occurs if the involved vector and matrices are complex. These results rely on the relation of stable matrices and convergent matrices (those ones being intuitively stable in a discrete context). An epidemic model involving a clustering structure is discussed in light of the given results. Finally, an application is given for a discrete-time aggregation dynamic system where an aggregated subsystem is incorporated into the whole system at each iteration step. The whole aggregation system and the sequence of aggregated subsystems are assumed to be controlled via linear-output feedback. The characterization of the aggregation dynamic system linked to the updating dynamics through the iteration procedure implies that such a system is, generally, time-varying.
Low-Complexity Channel Estimation in 5G Massive MIMO-OFDM Systems
Authors: Saraereh Omar A. , Khan Imran , Alsafasfeh Qais , Alemaishat Salem , Kim Sunghwan
Published: May 2019

Pilot contamination is the reuse of pilot signals, which is a bottleneck in massive multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems as it varies directly with the numerous antennas, which are utilized by massive MIMO. This adversely impacts the channel state information (CSI) due to too large pilot overhead outdated feedback CSI. To solve this problem, a compressed sensing scheme is used. The existing algorithms based on compressed sensing require that the channel sparsity should be known, which in the real channel environment is not the case. To deal with the unknown channel sparsity of the massive MIMO channel, this paper proposes a structured sparse adaptive coding sampling matching pursuit (SSA-CoSaMP) algorithm that utilizes the space–time common sparsity specific to massive MIMO channels and improves the CoSaMP algorithm from the perspective of dynamic sparsity adaptive and structural sparsity aspects. It has a unique feature of threshold-based iteration control, which in turn depends on the SNR level. This approach enables us to determine the sparsity in an indirect manner. The proposed algorithm not only optimizes the channel estimation performance but also reduces the pilot overhead, which saves the spectrum and energy resources. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm has improved channel performance compared with the existing algorithm, in both low SNR and low pilot overhead.
A Hybrid Contraction that Involves Jaggi Type
Authors: Karapınar Erdal , Fulga Andreea
Published: May 2019

In this manuscript, we aim to provide a new hybrid type contraction that is a combination of a Jaggi type contraction and interpolative type contraction in the framework of complete metric spaces. We investigate the existence and uniqueness of such a hybrid contraction in separate theorems. We consider a solution to certain fractional differential equations as an application of the given results. In addition, we provide an example to indicate the genuineness of the given results.
Geometric Properties of Certain Classes of Analytic Functions Associated with a q-Integral Operator
Authors: Mahmood Shahid , Raza Nusrat , AbuJarad Eman S. A. , Srivastava Gautam , Srivastava H. M. , Malik Sarfraz Nawaz
Published: May 2019

This article presents certain families of analytic functions regarding q-starlikeness and q-convexity of complex order γ ( γ ∈ C \ 0 ) . This introduced a q-integral operator and certain subclasses of the newly introduced classes are defined by using this q-integral operator. Coefficient bounds for these subclasses are obtained. Furthermore, the ( δ , q )-neighborhood of analytic functions are introduced and the inclusion relations between the ( δ , q )-neighborhood and these subclasses of analytic functions are established. Moreover, the generalized hyper-Bessel function is defined, and application of main results are discussed.
Strong Convergence of a System of Generalized Mixed Equilibrium Problem, Split Variational Inclusion Problem and Fixed Point Problem in Banach Spaces
Authors: Abbas Mujahid , Ibrahim Yusuf , Khan Abdul Rahim , de la Sen Manuel
Published: May 2019

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new algorithm to approximate a common solution for a system of generalized mixed equilibrium problems, split variational inclusion problems of a countable family of multivalued maximal monotone operators, and fixed-point problems of a countable family of left Bregman, strongly asymptotically non-expansive mappings in uniformly convex and uniformly smooth Banach spaces. A strong convergence theorem for the above problems are established. As an application, we solve a generalized mixed equilibrium problem, split Hammerstein integral equations, and a fixed-point problem, and provide a numerical example to support better findings of our result.
Tremorgenic Mycotoxins: Structure Diversity and Biological Activity
Authors: Reddy Priyanka , Guthridge Kathryn , Vassiliadis Simone , Hemsworth Joanne , Hettiarachchige Inoka , Spangenberg German , Rochfort Simone
Published: May 2019

Indole-diterpenes are an important class of chemical compounds which can be unique to different fungal species. The highly complex lolitrem compounds are confined to Epichloë species, whilst penitrem production is confined to Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus spp. These fungal species are often present in association with pasture grasses, and the indole-diterpenes produced may cause toxicity in grazing animals. In this review, we highlight the unique structural variations of indole-diterpenes that are characterised into subgroups, including paspaline, paxilline, shearinines, paspalitrems, terpendoles, penitrems, lolitrems, janthitrems, and sulpinines. A detailed description of the unique biological activities has been documented where even structurally related compounds have displayed unique biological activities. Indole-diterpene production has been reported in two classes of ascomycete fungi, namely Eurotiomycetes (e.g., Aspergillus and Penicillium) and Sordariomycetes (e.g., Claviceps and Epichloë). These compounds all have a common structural core comprised of a cyclic diterpene skeleton derived from geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) and an indole moiety derived from tryptophan. Structure diversity is generated from the enzymatic conversion of different sites on the basic indole-diterpene structure. This review highlights the wide-ranging biological versatility presented by the indole-diterpene group of compounds and their role in an agricultural and pharmaceutical setting.
Selecting Potential Moss Species for Green Roofs in the Mediterranean Basin
Authors: Cruz de Carvalho Ricardo , Varela Zulema , do Paço Teresa Afonso , Branquinho Cristina
Published: May 2019

Green roofs are important infrastructures to address the effects of climate change in urban areas. However, most studies and applications have been done in cooler and wetter regions of the northern hemisphere. Climate change will lead to more extreme weather events, such as increased drought and decreased precipitation with intense flash rain events. Increase desertification is expected especially in the Mediterranean Basin, where in summer, radiation and temperature are high and water is scarce. Therefore, while vascular plants increase water consumption in green roofs during warmer periods, mosses present themselves as potential candidates due to their poikilohydric nature, responding to the environmental availability of water, completely drying out and recovering upon rehydration. Although criteria for the selection of vascular plants adapted to the Mediterranean and suitable for green roofs have been developed, no information is available regarding the selection of mosses based on scientific criteria. Here we propose selection criteria for moss species based on ecological preferences according to Ellenberg’s values and help to define moss traits suitable for a nonirrigated, nature-based green roof that tolerates the Mediterranean climate. The main result is a table of potential candidate mosses that can be either used as standalone or in conjunction with vascular plants to decrease water usage and/or manage stormwater through an easily applicable selection methodology. For green roof practitioners, we proposed that acrocarpous mosses exhibiting turf/cushion life forms and colonist or perennial life strategies best fit the requirements for such a green infrastructure in extreme climate regions with scarce water resources.
Animals as Reservoir for Human Norovirus
Authors: Villabruna Nele , Koopmans Marion P. G. , de Graaf Miranda
Published: May 2019

Norovirus is the most common cause of non-bacterial gastroenteritis and is a burden worldwide. The increasing norovirus diversity is currently categorized into at least 10 genogroups which are further classified into more than 40 genotypes. In addition to humans, norovirus can infect a broad range of hosts including livestock, pets, and wild animals, e.g., marine mammals and bats. Little is known about norovirus infections in most non-human hosts, but the close genetic relatedness between some animal and human noroviruses coupled with lack of understanding where newly appearing human norovirus genotypes and variants are emerging from has led to the hypothesis that norovirus may not be host restricted and might be able to jump the species barrier. We have systematically reviewed the literature to describe the diversity, prevalence, and geographic distribution of noroviruses found in animals, and the pathology associated with infection. We further discuss the evidence that exists for or against interspecies transmission including surveillance data and data from in vitro and in vivo experiments.
Characterization of Mutational Tolerance of a Viral RNA–Protein Interaction
Authors: Prostova Maria A. , Smertina Elena , Bakhmutov Denis V. , Gasparyan Anna A. , Khitrina Elena V. , Kolesnikova Marina S. , Shishova Anna A. , Gmyl Anatoly P. , Agol Vadim I.
Published: May 2019

Replication of RNA viruses is generally markedly error-prone. Nevertheless, these viruses usually retain their identity under more or less constant conditions due to different mechanisms of mutation tolerance. However, there exists only limited information on quantitative aspects of the mutational tolerance of distinct viral functions. To address this problem, we used here as a model the interaction between a replicative cis-acting RNA element (oriL) of poliovirus and its ligand (viral protein 3CD). The mutational tolerance of a conserved tripeptide of 3CD, directly involved in this interaction, was investigated. Randomization of the relevant codons and reverse genetics were used to define the space of viability-compatible sequences. Surprisingly, at least 11 different amino acid substitutions in this tripeptide were not lethal. Several altered viruses exhibited wild-type-like phenotypes, whereas debilitated (but viable) genomes could increase their fitness by the acquisition of reversions or compensatory mutations. Together with our study on the tolerance of oriL (Prostova et al., 2015), the results demonstrate that at least 42 out of 51 possible nucleotide replacements within the two relevant genomic regions are viability-compatible. These results provide new insights into structural aspects of an important viral function as well as into the general problems of viral mutational robustness and evolution.
Impact Analysis of Slope on the Head Loss of Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Siphon Pipe
Authors: Zhang Xiaoying , Li Lin , Jin Sheng , Tan Yihai , Wu Yangfeng
Published: May 2019

Through an analysis of the head loss of the gas–liquid two-phase flow in a siphon pipe, this paper measures the bubble velocity, pressure drop, and gas fraction under various conditions. The influence of varied head, gradient, and installation heights of the pipe on the air mass movement, head loss, and resistance coefficient of the gas–liquid two-phrase flow is analyzed on the basis of the test results. The results show that the bubble velocity reaches its minimum on the flat slope, and the velocity on the positive slope is higher than that on the reverse slope. The head loss of pipelines in both the positive slope and reverse slope increases as the gradient increases, while the head loss on the reverse slope is larger than that on the positive slope under the same gradient. When the gas fraction α is between 8% and 30%, the resistance coefficient λm is related to the gradient, gas fraction, and the Reynolds number Re. Furthermore, λm is proportionate to α and inversely proportionate to i of the bottom slope and the Re number. The calculation formula of the resistance coefficient λm under various gradients within the scope of the above gas fraction is derived on the basis of the test data, while the relative error is controlled within the allowable range.
Ordered Mesoporous Carbons for Adsorption of Paracetamol and Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs: Ibuprofen and Naproxen from Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Jedynak Katarzyna , Szczepanik Beata , Rędzia Nina , Słomkiewicz Piotr , Kolbus Anna , Rogala Paweł
Published: May 2019

The adsorption of paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ibuprofen and naproxen) on ordered mesoporous carbons (OMC) and, for comparison, on commercial activated carbon, were investigated in this work. OMC adsorbents were obtained by the soft-templating method and were characterized by low-temperature nitrogen adsorption and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of contact time and initial concentration of organic adsorbates on the adsorption were studied. The contact time to reach equilibrium for maximum adsorption was 360 min for all the studied adsorbates. The adsorption mechanism was found to fit pseudo-second-order and intra particle-diffusion models. Freundlich, Langmuir and Langmuir-Freundlich isotherm models were used to analyze equilibrium adsorption data. Based on the obtained experimental data, the adsorption isotherm in the applied concentration range for all the studied adsorbates was well represented by the Freundlich-Langmuir model. The adsorption ability of ordered mesoporous carbon materials was much higher for paracetamol and naproxen in comparison to commercial activated carbon. The removal efficiency for ibuprofen was significantly lower than for other studied pharmaceuticals and comparable for all adsorbents. Theoretical calculations made it possible to obtain optimized chemical structures of (S)-naproxen, ibuprofen, and paracetamol molecules. Knowledge of charge distributions of these adsorbate molecules can be helpful to explain why paracetamol and naproxen can react more strongly with the surface of adsorbents with a large numbers of acidic groups compared to ibuprofen facilitating more efficient adsorption of these pharmaceuticals on ordered mesoporous carbons.
A Greedy Algorithm for Optimal Sensor Placement to Estimate Salinity in Polder Networks
Authors: Aydin Boran Ekin , Hagedooren Hugo , Rutten Martine M. , Delsman Joost , Oude Essink Gualbert H. P. , van de Giesen Nick , Abraham Edo
Published: May 2019

We present a systematic approach for salinity sensor placement in a polder network, where the objective is to estimate the unmeasured salinity levels in the main polder channels. We formulate this problem as optimization of the estimated salinity levels using root mean square error (RMSE) as the “goodness of fit” measure. Starting from a hydrodynamic and salt transport model of the Lissertocht catchment (a low-lying polder in the Netherlands), we use principal component analysis (PCA) to produce a low-order PCA model of the salinity distribution in the catchment. This model captures most of the relevant salinity dynamics and is capable of reconstructing the spatial and temporal salinity variation of the catchment. Just using three principal components (explaining 93% of the variance of the dataset) for the low-order PCA model, three optimally placed sensors with a greedy algorithm make the placement robust for modeling and measurement errors. The performance of the sensor placement for salinity reconstruction is evaluated against the detailed hydrodynamic and salt transport model and is shown to be close to the global optimum found by an exhaustive search with a RMSE of 82.2 mg/L.
Development of Climate Data Bias Corrector (CDBC) Tool and Its Application over the Agro-Ecological Zones of India
Authors: Gupta Rishabh , Bhattarai Rabin , Mishra Ashok
Published: May 2019

The use of global and regional climate models has been increasing in the past few decades, in order to analyze the future of natural resources and the socio-economic aspects of climate change. However, these climate model outputs can be quite biased, which makes it challenging to use them directly for analysis purpose. Therefore, a tool named Climate Data Bias Corrector was developed to correct the bias in climatic projections of historical and future periods for three primary climatic variables—rainfall, temperature (maximum and minimum), and solar radiation. It uses the quantile mapping approach, known for its efficiency and low computational cost for bias correction. Its Graphical User Interface (GUI) was made to be feasible to take input and give output in commonly used file formats—comma and tab delimited file formats. It also generates month-wise cumulative density function (CDF) plot of a random station/grid to allow the user to investigate the effectiveness of correction statistically. The tool was verified with a case study on several agro-ecological zones of India and found to be efficient.
Transformative Approaches for Sustainable Water Management in the Urban Century
Authors: Moglia Magnus , Cook Stephen
Published: May 2019

Sustainable Urban Water Management (SUWM) approaches highlighted in this special issue have the potential to contribute to the transformation of urban water systems. The aim of the transformation is to accommodate population and economic growth and at the same time enable a system which is environmentally sustainable and resilient to future challenges such as climate change. These approaches have increasingly entered mainstream dialogue over the last ten years as knowledge on the approaches has developed, and there is an acceptance that there needs to be a change to how urban water systems are designed and operated. However, there are still a range of aspects of these approaches that are maturing and require further research to realize the objectives of SUWM. The issue explored supply-side interventions, such as rainwater harvesting and stormwater harvesting, demand-side interventions, and water storage solutions that have the potential to enable a range of recycling technologies. The issue also highlighted a novel method for better managing the integrity of a conventional sewer system. Furthermore, there are articles that explore methods for integrated assessments, integrated decision making and an exploration of what factors may promote community adoption of technology.
Variation and Driving Factors of Water Discharge and Sediment Load in Different Regions of the Jinsha River Basin in China in the Past 50 Years
Authors: Liu Shang-Wu , Zhang Xiao-Feng , Xu Quan-Xi , Liu De-Chun , Yuan Jing , Wang Miao-Lin
Published: May 2019

The Jinsha River is the main source of sediment in the Yangtze River Basin. The variation of water discharge and sediment load not only affects the operation of the cascade reservoirs in the basin but also change the water and sediment conditions into the Three Gorges Reservoir. The Jinsha River Basin is divided into six regions based on the measured data of hydrological stations. Herein, the variation regularity and driving factors of water discharge and sediment load in the Jinsha River Basin are analyzed in the past 50 years using the Mann–Kendall and Rank Sum Test. Results show that the source of water and sediment in the Jinsha River Basin is different, and the abrupt and trend changes of water discharge and sediment load in different regions are evident different. Changes in precipitation, water and soil conservation projects, and the construction of reservoirs are the main driving factors of sediment load variation. The average annual sediment reduction load in the Jinsha River from 1998 to 2015 is approximately 99.57 × 106 t/y, of which the contributions of water discharge change and human activities to sediment load are 18.9% and 81.1%, respectively. The reduction of sediment load in the Jinsha River Basin can result in evident decrease in the sedimentation of cascade reservoirs, erosion of the downstream channel of the river, and considerable reduction of sediment load into the Three Gorges Reservoir.
Synthetical Optimization of a Gravity-Driven Irrigation Pipeline Network System with Pressure-Regulating Facilities
Authors: Zhao Rong-Heng , Zhang Zi-Han , He Wu-Quan , Lou Zong-Ke , Ma Xiao-Yi
Published: May 2019

Due to the influence of topographic drops, a large elevation difference often occurs in the middle and lower sections of the main pipe of a gravity-driven irrigation pipe network (GDIPN) system. This elevation difference must be reduced appropriately through pressure reduction facilities (pressure-regulating ponds (PRPs) or pressure-reducing valves (PRVs)). The number and locations of PRPs are crucial factors in regulating and balancing the pressure head of the main pipe of a GDIPN system as well as in reducing the project cost. However, there are few studies on the optimization of this kind of pipe network system. In this paper, first, we generalize such type of GDIPN system, and a simplified mathematical model for such system optimization was established. A genetic algorithm based on a fixed proportion and direct comparison (GA-FPDC) was introduced to solve the model. Two existing projects were tested by the proposed method. The results show that the presented method not only improved the design efficiency and rationality but also greatly decreased the project cost. The presented method is effective and efficient to address optimization design of such GDIPN system problems.
PROTOTIPO DE VEHÍCULO DE GUIADO AUTÓNOMO PARA SISTEMA DE ALMACENAMIENTO Y RECUPERACIÓN AUTOMÁTICO DE LIBROS
Authors: Meneses Benavides Gustavo , Velasquez Gómez Camilo , Grisales Arboleda Richard
Published: May 2019

Se presenta el proceso de diseño e implementación de un prototipo de vehículo de guiado autónomo (AGV por sus siglas en inglés) que debe realizar tareas de ubicación/recolección automática de libros en un ambiente de pruebas bajo condiciones controladas. El prototipo de AGV actúa como el elemento central de un sistema de almacenamiento y recuperación automático en el que también se integra la tecnología de identificación por radiofrecuencia con elementos mecatrónicos, de sensórica y de comunicaciones inalámbricas, mediados por interfaces de usuario para el monitoreo del vehículo y el control de inventario. El protocolo de comunicación MiWi P2P, que está basado en el estándar IEEE 802.15.4, se ha elegido para cubrir las comunicaciones inalámbricas del sistema en el ambiente de prueba.
Teknologi Fermentasi Menggunakan Kapang Trichoderma sp untuk Meningkatkan Kualitas Nutrisi Kulit Kopi sebagai Pakan Ternak Ruminansia
Authors: Daning Dewi Ratih Ayu , Karunia Artka Dowi
Published: May 2019

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk pemanfaatan limbah kulit kopi menggunakan Trichoderma sp untuk meningkatkan kualitas nutrisi dari limbah kulit kopi. Manfaat fermentasi dengan teknologi ini antara lain meningkatkan kandungan protein, menurunkan kandungan serat kasar, menurunkan kandungan tannin. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalahTrichoderma starter diperoleh dari produk komersil Kulit kopi (5 kg), Air (60% x 5 kg = 3 Liter untuk ciptakan kelembaban; 3% x 5 kg = 1,5 Liter untuk larutan), Tetes tebu (3% x 1,5 Liter = 150 ml), Trichoderma cair (1% x 150 ml = 1,5 ml). Perlakuan diulang sebanyak 3 kali pembuatan diwaktu yang berbeda dan dibuat ulangan sebanyak 12 kantong plastic. Dari hasil penelitian teknologi fermentasi menggunakan kapang Trichoderma pada limbah kulit kopi yang telah dilaksanakan, diperoleh kesimpulan sebagai berikut: Sampel kulit kopi yang telah difermentasikan menggunakan kapang Trichoderma (cair) dominan berwarna kuning kecoklatan, memiliki tekstur yang kasar dan berbau asam segar; pH pada kulit kopi hasil fermentasi berkisar antara 4. Melalui analisis proksimat diperoleh hasil bahwa sampel kulit kopi yang telah difermentasikan menggunakan kapang Trichoderma (cair) memiliki kandungan protein sebesar 13,67%, serat kasar sebesar 26,95% dan lemak kasar 1,03%.

 Kata kunci— kulit kopi, fermentasi, trichoderma sp, kualitas nutrisi

 

 This study aims to use Trichoderma sp as starter fermentation to improve the quality of nutrients from coffee peel. The benefits of fermentation with this technology include increasing protein content, reducing crude fiber content, and reducing tannin content. The material and method used in this study is trichoderma starter obtained from commercial products, coffee waste (5 kg), water (60% x 5 kg = 3 liters to create moisture; 3% x 5 kg = 1.5 liters for solution), sugarcane drops ( 3% x 1.5 Liter = 150 ml), Trichoderma liquid (1% x 150 ml = 1.5 ml). The treatment was repeated 3 times at different times and 12 plastic bags were repeated. From the results of research on fermentation technology using Trichoderma on coffee waste that has been carried out, the following conclusions are obtained: Coffee samples that have been fermented using dominant Trichoderma (liquid) mold are brownish yellow, have a rough texture and smell fresh sour; The pH of fermented coffee peels ranged from 4. Through proximate analysis, the results showed that coffee skin samples fermented using Trichoderma (liquid) mold had a protein content of 13.67%, crude fiber of 26.95% and crude fat of 1.03 %

 Keywords— coffee peel, fermentation, Trichoderma sp, nutrient quality
Pengaruh Penggunaan Rebung Bambu Sebagai Zat Pengatur Tumbuh Terhadap Pertumbuhan Dan Produksi Bawang Merah (Allium Ascolonicum L) Varietas Lokal Bauji
Authors: Nizar Achmad
Published: May 2019

Penelitian  bertujuan untuk mengetahui konsentrasi zat pengatur tumbuh organik yang terbuat dari rebung bambu pada pertumbuhan dan produksi bawang merah varietas lokal bauji. Penelitian dilaksanakan di lahan Sekolah Tinggi Penyuluhan Pertanian (STPP) Malang pada Bulan Januari sampai dengan Bulan Maret 2018. Metode penelitian menggunakan rancangan acak kelompok (RAK). Perlakuan yang digunakan terdiri dari P0 = tanpa perlakuan, P1=10 ml/Lt, P2=40 ml/Lt, P3=70 ml/Lt air. Sebelum ditanam, benih direndam selama 15 menit. Setiap perlakuan diulang 6 kali. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan kosentrasi 40 ml/liter air mempengaruhi secara nyata jumlah daun, jumlah umbi, diameter umbi, berat umbi basah, dan berat umbi kering.