bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deriving the Reservoir Conditions for Better Water Resource Management Using Satellite-Based Earth Observations in the Lower Mekong River Basin
Authors: Ali Syed A. , Sridhar Venkataramana
Published: December 2019

The Mekong River basin supported a large population and ecosystem with abundant water and nutrient supply. However, the impoundments in the river can substantially alter the flow downstream and its timing. Using limited observations, this study demonstrated an approach to derive dam characteristics, including storage and flow rate, from remote-sensing-based data. Global Reservoir and Lake Monitor (GRLM), River-Lake Hydrology (RLH), and ICESat-GLAS, which generated altimetry from Jason series and inundation areas from Landsat 8, were used to estimate the reservoir surface area and change in storage over time. The inflow simulated by the variable infiltration capacity (VIC) model from 2008 to 2016 and the reservoir storage change were used in the mass balance equation to calculate outflows for three dams in the basin. Estimated reservoir total storage closely resembled the observed data, with a Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency and coefficient of determination more than 0.90 and 0.95, respectively. An average decrease of 55% in outflows was estimated during the wet season and an increase of up to 94% in the dry season for the Lam Pao. The estimated decrease in outflows during the wet season was 70% and 60% for Sirindhorn and Ubol Ratana, respectively, along with a 36% increase in the dry season for Sirindhorn. Basin-wide demand for evapotranspiration, about 935 mm, implicitly matched with the annual water diversion from 1000 to 2300 million m3. From the storage–discharge rating curves, minimum storage was also evident in the monsoon season (June–July), and it reached the highest in November. This study demonstrated the utility of remote sensing products to assess the impacts of dams on flows in the Mekong River basin.
A Bioinspired Twin Inverted Multiscale Matched Filtering Method for Detecting an Underwater Moving Target in a Reverberant Environment
Authors: Sheng Xueli , Dong Chaoping , Guo Longxiang , Li Li
Published: December 2019

To this day, biological sonar systems still have great performance advantages over artificial sonar systems, especially for detection in environments with clutter, strong reverberation, and a low signal to noise ratio (SNR). Therefore, mammal sonar systems, for instance, bats and toothed whales, have many characteristics worth learning from. This paper proposes a bioinspired twin inverted multiscale matched filtering method to detect underwater moving targets. This method can be mainly divided into three parts. Firstly, a hyperbolic frequency modulation (HFM) continuous wave (CW) multiharmonic detection signal was adopted after analyzing signals from bats and dolphins. This signal combines the advantages of CW and HFM signals and has excellent time measurement and speed measurement performance when detecting a moving target. Secondly, the twin inverted waveform was introduced to suppress strong linear reverberation and highlight moving targets. The pulse interval was determined by assessing the reverberation reduction time. Thirdly, when processing echoes, a multiscale matched filtering method was proposed to make use of multiharmonic information and improve detection performance. Finally, a channel pool experiment was carried out to test the performance of the proposed method. The experimental result demonstrates that the proposed method has better performance when detecting a moving target in a reverberant environment compared to the conventional matched filtering method. Related results can be applied to small underwater platforms or sensor network platforms for target detection and coastal defense applications.
Nanomaterials for Healthcare Biosensing Applications
Authors: Pirzada Muqsit , Altintas Zeynep
Published: December 2019

In recent years, an increasing number of nanomaterials have been explored for their applications in biomedical diagnostics, making their applications in healthcare biosensing a rapidly evolving field. Nanomaterials introduce versatility to the sensing platforms and may even allow mobility between different detection mechanisms. The prospect of a combination of different nanomaterials allows an exploitation of their synergistic additive and novel properties for sensor development. This paper covers more than 290 research works since 2015, elaborating the diverse roles played by various nanomaterials in the biosensing field. Hence, we provide a comprehensive review of the healthcare sensing applications of nanomaterials, covering carbon allotrope-based, inorganic, and organic nanomaterials. These sensing systems are able to detect a wide variety of clinically relevant molecules, like nucleic acids, viruses, bacteria, cancer antigens, pharmaceuticals and narcotic drugs, toxins, contaminants, as well as entire cells in various sensing media, ranging from buffers to more complex environments such as urine, blood or sputum. Thus, the latest advancements reviewed in this paper hold tremendous potential for the application of nanomaterials in the early screening of diseases and point-of-care testing.
An Evaluation of Historical Trends in New Mexico Beef Cattle Production in Relation to Climate and Energy
Authors: Zaied Ashraf , Geli Hatim , Holechek Jerry , Cibils Andres , Sawalhah Mohammed , Gard Charlotte
Published: December 2019

In support of Food-Energy-Water Systems (FEWS) analysis to enhance its sustainability for New Mexico (NM), this study evaluated observed trends in beef cattle population in response to environmental and economic changes. The specific goal was to provide an improved understanding of the behavior of NM’s beef cattle production systems relative to precipitation, temperature, rangeland conditions, production of hay and crude oil, and prices of hay and crude oil. Historical data of all variables were available for the 1973–2017 period. The analysis was conducted using generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity models. The results indicated declining trends in beef cattle population and prices. The most important predictors of beef cattle population variation were hay production, mean annual hay prices, and mean annual temperature, whereas mean annual temperature, cattle feed sold, and crude oil production were the most important predictors for calf population that weigh under 500 lb. Prices of beef cattle showed a strong positive relationship with crude oil production, mean annual hay prices, rangeland conditions, and mean annual precipitation. However, mean annual temperature had a negative relationship with mean annual beef prices. Variation in mean annual calf prices was explained by hay production, mean annual temperature, and crude oil production. This analysis suggested that NM’s beef cattle production systems were affected mainly and directly by mean annual temperature and crude oil production, and to a lesser extent by other factors studied in this research.
We Can’t Keep Meating Like This: Attitudes towards Vegetarian and Vegan Diets in the United Kingdom
Authors: Bryant Christopher J.
Published: December 2019

Animal agriculture is implicated as a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions, animal suffering and public health problems. This survey asked 1000 UK meat-eaters about their beliefs about vegetarian and vegan diets, and their intended consumption of meat and animal products one month in the future. One in six intended to reduce their meat consumption in the next month, and 14% intended to reduce their consumption of animal products. The majority agreed that vegetarian and vegan diets are ethical, good for the environment and healthy. The majority also agreed that both vegetarianism and veganism were socially acceptable. However, there were three consistent negative beliefs about vegetarian and vegan diets: that they are difficult, that they are not enjoyable and that they are expensive. Moreover, perceptions of vegan diets were significantly more negative than perceptions of vegetarian diets on most aspects. Significant differences in perceptions of each diet were observed between genders and by age. It is argued that most meat-eaters agree with the ethical and environmental arguments in favour of vegetarianism/veganism but do not follow these diets because of practical reasons relating to taste, price and convenience. New alternatives to animal products are discussed as a possible way to address these practical barriers. Finally, the case is made for more research on developing high-quality, low-cost and widely available animal product alternatives.
Composting of Vegetable Waste Using Microbial Consortium and Biocontrol Efficacy of Streptomyces Sp. Al-Dhabi 30 Isolated from the Saudi Arabian Environment for Sustainable Agriculture
Authors: Al-Dhabi Naif Abdullah , Esmail Galal Ali , Mohammed Ghilan Abdul-Kareem , Valan Arasu Mariadhas
Published: December 2019

Thirty-seven root-associated Actinomycetes were isolated from the tomato plant for plant growth promoting activity. Among these, ten were selected for phosphate solubilisation, the production of siderophores, and indole acetic acid. Out of ten, eight Actinomycetes solubilised phosphate, whereas, Streptomyces sp. Al-Dhabi 30 showed better activity (43.1 mg/dL). Actinomycetes produced siderophore and the concentration ranged between 1.6 and 42.1 μg/mL. Streptomyces sp. Al-Dhabi 30 showed the ability to produce a maximum amount of indole acetic acid (IAA) (43 μg/mL), chitinase (43.1 U/mL), cellulase (67 U/mL), and protease (121 U/mL) than other strains. Further, vegetable waste was used as the bulk material for composting using Streptomyces sp. Al-Dhabi 30 along with microbial consortium. Total nitrogen content was 3.8% in Streptomyces sp. Al-Dhabi 30 inoculated compost, whereas 2.7% organic nitrogen was detected in the control. In the compost vegetable waste, the C:N ratio was 10.07, whereas it was 17.51 in the control. The vegetable waste composted with Streptomyces sp. Al-Dhabi 30, Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 33222, and Candidautilis ATCC 9950 showed antagonistic activity and the supplemented compost enhanced shoot, root height, and total weightin tomato plants. These findings clearly suggest the use of Streptomyces sp. Al-Dhabi 30 as a potential biocontrol agent.
Factors Constraining International Growth in Nautical Tourism Firms
Authors: Lam-González Yen E. , Suárez-Rojas Chaitanya , León Carmelo J.
Published: December 2019

In tourism, entrepreneurial internationalisation is considered a measure of the development of the industry and a key driver of innovation, competitiveness and image enhancement. In nautical tourism, research is still scarce in terms of supporting business’ internationalisation. This paper analyses factors constraining the international growth of island-based nautical tourism organisations. For the research, a sample of 60 nautical tourism SMEs´ owners of six different islands in the Macaronesia Region (Canary Islands, Madeira and Cape Verde archipelagos) were interviewed. As a result, we provide up to date information about current conditions and barriers to the internationalisation process within the segment and also identify the profile of the firms with the best international performance. The study is of great usefulness for the industry as it guides on the areas that require special attention to enhance those social, environmental and economic conditions of nautical tourism firms that ensure sustainable international growth. Moreover, it helps policymakers of island destinations seeking specialisation and positioning within the international nautical tourism market to raise the efficiency of current incentive mechanisms for internationalisation, thus contributing to increase tourism competitiveness. Finally, the study highlights the importance of fostering wider cooperation among islands with common interests in nautical specialisation and the challenges that this represents for the tourism management.
The Effect of the Corporate Social Responsibility of Franchise Coffee Shops on Corporate Image and Behavioral Intention
Authors: Cha Jae-Bin , Jo Mi-Na
Published: December 2019

This study investigated the effects of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of franchise coffee shops on their corporate image and their customers’ behavioral intention. From 5 October 2017 to 26 October 2017, a total of 300 survey questionnaires were distributed, out of which 285 were analyzed. Accordingly, among the dimensions of CSR, only the economic, discretionary, and legal responsibilities had significant effects on corporate image. Moreover, corporate image had a significant effect on customers’ behavioral intention. Therefore, the CSR of franchise coffee shops is an important antecedent of corporate image, while corporate image is an important antecedent of behavioral intention. With respect to the pyramid of CSR, economic responsibilities should be first fulfilled prior to other social responsibilities. In addition, CSR programs will become the core task of corporate sustainable management because CSR can potentially influence consumers to have a positive behavioral intention and can result in product preferences by conveying a particular corporate image.
Soil Microbiota of Dystric Cambisol in the High Tatra Mountains (Slovakia) after Windthrow
Authors: Šimonovičová Alexandra , Kraková Lucia , Piecková Elena , Planý Matej , Globanová Mária , Pauditšová Eva , Šoltys Katarína , Budiš Jaroslav , Szemes Tomáš , Gáfriková Jana , Pangallo Domenico
Published: December 2019

There has been much more damage to forests in the Slovak Republic in the second half of the 20th century than to other European countries. Forested mountain massifs have become a filter of industrial and transportation emissions from abroad, as well as from domestic origins. There are not only acidic deposits of sulphur and heavy metals present in forest soils, but other additional environmental problems, such as climate change, storms, fires, floods, droughts, are worsening the situation. Therefore, forest terrestrial ecosystems are becoming more vulnerable due to changes in natural and environmental conditions. In the High Tatra Mountains in Slovakia, which are protected as a national park, four internationally monitored localities were established after the windthrow disaster in 2004 and fire in 2005: REF, with intact forest; EXT, with extracted wood mass; NEX, with non-extracted wood mass; and FIR, the burnt locality. Soils from these localities were microbiologically analysed with special attention to fungi. Bacterial microbiota detected by high-throughput sequencing showed the prevalence of the genera Acidothermus, Mycobacterium, and Nocardia, and a very low presence of the genera Acidibacter, Burkholderia-Paraburkholderia, Optitus and the uncultured genus Desulfurellaceae H16 in the soil sample from the burnt locality when compared with the unburned sites. Additionally, soil mycocoenoses showed a low similarity between the locality with an intact forest ecosystem and the localities with extracted (REF–EXT) and non-extracted (REF–NEX) wood mass. There was no similarity with the burnt locality (FIR), where heat-resistant fungi dominated. It was shown that the windthrow disaster and subsequent extraction or non-extraction of wood mass did not affect the soil microbial communities or their development. On the other hand, the influence of fire was significant.
Using the Fuzzy Delphi Method to Study the Construction Needs of an Elementary Campus and Achieve Sustainability
Authors: Wang Jen Chun , Huang Kuo-Tsang , Ko Meng Yun
Published: December 2019

One of the crucial concerns for achieving a campus’s sustainable development is that the school buildings should meet the needs of students and teachers. The design of school buildings should not only facilitate teaching activities but also provide a teaching environment that stimulates or encourages autonomous learning in students. School buildings are the site of classroom instruction and also serve as a teaching tool that helps in achieving educational objectives and providing compulsory education. They must consider modern ideas before construction, since education is constantly reformed and updated using new policies. Elementary school teachers and students are the most frequent users of school buildings, and their needs must be prioritized vis-à-vis elementary school building construction. We invited a total of 29 scholars, experts, and school managers to help create questionnaires to assess user level of need for each item of school building design, employing the fuzzy Delphi method. Questionnaires were divided into four major dimensions, namely campus buildings, campus environment, athletic fields, and auxiliary facilities, and the dimensions were composed of 33 items. The targets of the survey were teachers and students at a school located in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan. The results suggest that teachers and students both most highly value improved athletic fields; in particular, an indoor stadium was the most highly desired construction project. For safety reasons, replacing school walls with dwarf hedges was the least desirable item among teachers and students. Our objective was to provide a school building design reference for school administrative authorities and architects.
Role of Waste Collection Efficiency in Providing a Cleaner Rural Environment
Authors: Mihai Florin-Constantin , Grozavu Adrian
Published: December 2019

The exposure of rural communities to illegal waste dumping practices associated with the lack of or poor waste collection schemes prior to the closure of rural dumpsites under EU regulations and the role of collection efficiency afterward in reducing this critical environmental threat constitutes a key issue in rural Romania. The present study reveals huge amounts of household uncollected waste released into the natural environment outside the official statistics of rural dumpsites. Despite the expansion of waste collection coverage towards rural areas since 2010, the problem of illegal dumping practice is difficult to solve. The improvement of collection efficiency, better law enforcement, and surveillance of environmental authorities coupled with educational and environmental awareness are necessary steps to combat this bad practice. A circular economy paradigm must be enacted in rural regions through separate collection schemes and to improve cost-efficient alternatives, such as home composting, and traditional and creative reuse practices, particularly in less developed regions.
The Scarecrow as an Indicator of Changes in the Cultural Heritage of Rural Poland
Authors: Król Karol , Kao Robert , Hernik Józef
Published: December 2019

Scarecrows were commonly featuredin rural landscapes until recently. There are numerous rituals associated with creating a scarecrow and erecting it in the field, with many legends being linked to this character.The scarecrow itself has counterparts in many countries worldwide. However, with civilisation progressingand characterised withan emphasis on economic efficiency and agricultural engineering in the present day, scarecrows are disappearing from the rural landscape. Advanced electronic devices replace them, while scarecrows end up in museums and open-air museums calledskansens, as well as beingon display at local village festivals. The goal of this paper is to investigate the past and present functions of the scarecrow in rural areas in Poland as an indicator of changes occurring inthe cultural heritage in these areas. The survey and field studies were carried out in selected localities in Małopolskie Voivodeship that exhibited distinct qualities related to rural cultural heritage. The study involved photographic documentation and a diagnostic survey using the structured direct interview technique. The interview focused on local community leaders. Resultingly, scarecrows were demonstrated to be an essential indicator of changes in Poland’s rural cultural heritage.
Supply Chain Contracts under New Product Development Uncertainty
Authors: Hong Jihyun , Lee Pyoungsoo
Published: December 2019

New product development has been serving as a growth engine for companies; given this background, the innovation of suppliers that possess new technologies for new products has been a significant subject for manufacturers, particularly in high-tech industries. However, the technology uncertainty associated with the supplier’s development capability may become a considerable obstacle to new product development projects. In this paper, we further develop an analytical model that has been widely applied in the economics literature and examine two representative supply chain contracts, a revenue-sharing contract and a cost-sharing contract, for new product development through upstream innovation under technology uncertainty. We confirm that the supplier’s development capability has a significant impact on contract feasibility. The revenue-sharing contract helps to attain a higher new product quality level and profit for the supply chain. Furthermore, we explore the relationship between a manufacturer and a supplier concerning the performance of the new product development project. Adopting a Nash bargaining model, we analyze the two supply chain contracts under a cooperative relationship in which the manufacturer and supplier cooperatively determine the sharing portion of the revenue or cost. For both contracts, compared with the unilateral relationship, the cooperative relationship leads to a lower manufacturer profit, but a higher new product quality and a higher supply chain profit.
Differentiation of Rural Development Driven by Natural Environment and Urbanization: A Case Study of Kashgar Region, Northwest China
Authors: Lin Jinping , Lei Jun , Yang Zhen , Li Jiangang
Published: December 2019

With the socio-economic transformation, the recombination of regional development factors and the followed reconstruction of the rural development elements system have profoundly changed the rural landscape of the Kashgar region in Northwest China. The factors affecting the rural production and lifestyle interact with each other, shaping different types of rural development. Accordingly, basing on the main factors influencing the rural development ability and long-term development potential, the assessment indicator system of rural comprehensive development (RCD) was established to reveal the differentiation of rural development and identify the dominant factors affecting rural development. The principal component analysis method and the cluster analysis method was used to distinguish the different types. The results show that the high-level rural development areas are mainly concentrated in the center of the region, while the low-level areas are mainly distributed in the periphery, with significant spatial differentiation characteristics. We divided the rural development into three categories and 11 zones for which the basic natural conditions and external challenges are different. The categories reflect three possible results of rural development: grow, decline, and vanish, which is in the industrialization development stage. With the transformation of human society and the change of urban–rural relationship in its mode and content, the external economy, society, and changing environment has put pressures on rural areas. Therefore, according to different rural development types, it is necessary to take measures to strengthen the rural areas to cope with external environmental challenges.
Silo-Busting: Overcoming the Greatest Threat to Organizational Performance
Authors: de Waal André , Weaver Michael , Day Tammy , van der Heijden Beatrice
Published: December 2019

Most organizations are set up to operate in some form of silos, such as vertical divisions or horizontal functions. At best, silos offer a practical way for organizations to operate efficiently. At worst, they create a silo mentality where departments do not want to exchange knowledge or information, hindering internal collaboration and organizational learning, thus preventing achievement of high performance and organizational sustainability. The silo mentality issue has been recognized for a long time as a real tangible problem that has to be dealt with. On the basis of a questionnaire containing statements on organizational strength, collaboration, and silo-busting techniques applied, which was distributed to a sample of mainly large companies, we found that there are five factors that are important for breaking down silos and increasing the quality of cooperation.
Analytical and Experimental Investigation of the Critical Length in Casing–Liner Overlap
Authors: Al Ramadan Mustafa , Salehi Saeed , Ezeakacha Chinedum , Teodoriu Catalin
Published: December 2019

Offshore drilling operations exhibit various difficulties attributed to shallow flows worldwide. One of the most common practices for drilling offshore wells is to use liners and liner hangers rather than using full casing strings. This reduces the cost of drilling operation. Liners and liner hangers are required to pass certain standards prior to their deployment in the field. This ensures their ability to withstand harsh downhole conditions and maintain the integrity of the well. A liner hanger contains an integrated seal assembly that acts as a barrier to prevent fluid migration. The cement that is placed within the casing–liner overlap is also considered a barrier, and it is critical that it maintains the integrity of the well by mitigating fluid migration to other formations and to the surface. The failure of this dual barrier (cement and seal assembly) system to seal the annular space can result in serious problems that might jeopardize a well’s integrity. Typically, in field applications, the length of a casing–liner overlap is chosen arbitrarily. In some cases, shorter overlaps (50 to 200 ft) are chosen because of the lower cost and easy identification of leaks during pressure tests. However, some loss of well control incidents (particularly the incident that motivated this study) have been linked to fluid leakages along the casing–liner overlap. This paper investigates the critical length of the casing–liner overlap by modeling gas leakage through the cement placed within the overlap using analytical and experimental approaches. Leakage scenarios were developed to mimic gas migration within the cement in the casing–liner overlap. The results showed that the longer the casing–liner overlap, the higher the leakage time. The results also showed that the current casing pressure test duration of 30 min may not be adequate to verify the integrity of the cement within the overlap. Based on the results and analyses, it is recommended to increase the pressure test duration to 90 min. In addition, the results suggest that the length of the casing–liner overlap should not be less than 300 ft to maintain the integrity of the well in the case of gas influx. Further details are highlighted in the results section. In practice, the current rationale behind the selection of a casing–liner overlap length is not sustainable. Thus, the major advantage of this study is that with field data, it provides both scientific and research-based evidence that can be used to inform the decision behind the selection of the casing–liner overlap length, especially in gas migration-prone zones.
Efficacy of N-Methyl-N-Nitrosourea Mutation on Physicochemical Properties, Phytochemicals, and Momilactones A and B in Rice
Authors: Kakar Kifayatullah , Xuan Tran Dang , Quan Nguyen Van , Wafa Imran Khan , Tran Hoang-Dung , Khanh Tran Dang , Dat Tran Dang
Published: December 2019

Attempts regarding the improvement and development of novel rice with better quality and higher productivity have been increasing. Among approaches, mutation is a direct alteration on the genome and considered as one of the most beneficial routes to acquire new beneficial traits in rice. An experiment was carried out to explore the effects of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) mutation on the antioxidant activities, phytochemical compounds, and momilactones A (MA) and B (MB) in rice. Two rice cultivars, K1 (an original cultivar DT84) and K2 (mutated DT84), were examined. Antioxidant activities, phenolic compounds, and momilactones of the rice grain, husk, and straw portions were measured and quantified. Antioxidant activities were higher in grain and straw of K2, whereas K1 showed greater antioxidant activity in rice husk. Additionally, K2 displayed higher total phenolic contents (TPC) in grain and straw as well as lower of it in the husk, but these variations significantly differed only in the straw portion. An increase in total flavonoid contents (TFC) was observed in the husk of K1, while K2 significantly enhanced TFC in straw. Both MA and MB, two compounds obtaining antidiabetes, anticancer, antimicrobial, antigout, and antiobesity properties, were detected and quantified in grain, husk, and straw of K1 and K2 samples. Generally, the contents of MA were higher than MB in all tested portions of rice crop. MA and MB were higher in straw followed by those in husk and grain, respectively. K2 contained higher amounts of MA and MB in straw and husk, but lower contents in grain compared with those in K1. This study illustrates that MNU mutation can improve grain quality and enhance bioactive compounds in straw, husk, and grain of rice. This approach has the potential to develop functional foods from rice, and therefore help farmers in developing countries to improve value in rice production.
An Environmental Impact Calculator for 24-h Diet Recalls
Authors: Bryan Thomas , Hicks Andrea , Barrett Bruce , Middlecamp Catherine
Published: December 2019

The production of food is associated with significant environmental impact. In this paper, we describe the first assessment of the environmental impact of food consumption in the United States using individually reported dietary intake data from a nationally representative sample. Using individual-level dietary intake data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and applying median environmental impact factors compiled by Poore and Nemecek (2018), we estimate that the daily diet that a non-institutionalized U.S. civilian reports results in a mean of 3.92 m2 (95% CI: 3.51–4.34) of land used, 2.26 kg (95% CI: 2.09–2.42)of CO2e emitted, and 159 L (95% CI: 150–168) of freshwater withdrawn. The scope of all impacts is agricultural; transportation, storage, and preparation were not included. These results suggest that the calculator is ready for further development. This calculator can be used to estimate the environmental impact of individual diets in the 5100 studies (as of November 2018) registered with the Automated Self-Administered 24-h Dietary Assessment Tool, in addition to the last two decades of the nationally representative NHANES research.
Symmetry and Balance as Factors of Aesthetic Appreciation: Ethel Puffer’s (1903) “Studies in Symmetry” Revised
Authors: Hübner Ronald , Thömmes Katja
Published: December 2019

Symmetry and balance are basic concepts in art theory for the composition of pictures. It is assumed that well-balanced pictures are preferred to unbalanced ones. One of the first experimental studies to test this assumption was conducted more than a century ago by Ethel Puffer. By applying a production method, she found little evidence for the hypothesis that balance is favorable for the aesthetical appreciation of pictures. Instead, she observed that other construction principles competing with balance, such as bilateral symmetry and closeness, were applied. The aim of the present study was to repeat some of Puffer’s experiments with modern methods and to examine whether her results are replicable. In two experiments, we also found little to no evidence for balance. Moreover, as in Puffer’s study, participants used closeness and bilateral symmetry as principles. However, compared to that study, the relative frequency of use of these principles was quite different.
Compensation for Geometrical Deviations in Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Hartmann Christoph , Lechner Philipp , Himmel Benjamin , Krieger Yannick , Lueth Tim C. , Volk Wolfram
Published: December 2019

The design of additive manufacturing processes, especially for batch production in industrial practice, is of high importance for the propagation of new additive manufacturing technology. Manual redesign procedures of the additive manufactured parts based on discrete measurement data or numerical meshes are error prone and hardly automatable. To achieve the required final accuracy of the parts, often, various iterations are necessary. To address these issues, a data-driven geometrical compensation approach is proposed that adapts concepts from forming technology. The measurement information of a first calibration cycle of manufactured parts is the basis of the approach. Through non-rigid transformations of the part geometry, a new shape for the subsequent additive manufacturing process was derived in a systematic way. Based on a purely geometrical approach, the systematic portion of part deviations can be compensated. The proposed concept is presented first and was applied to a sample fin-shaped part. The deviation data of three manufacturing cycles was utilised for validation and verification.
In-Vitro Application of a Qatari Burkholderia cepacia strain (QBC03) in the Biocontrol of Mycotoxigenic Fungi and in the Reduction of Ochratoxin A biosynthesis by Aspergillus carbonarius
Authors: Zeidan Randa , Ul-Hassan Zahoor , Al-Thani Roda , Migheli Quirico , Jaoua Samir
Published: December 2019

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by certain filamentous fungi, causing human and animal health issues upon the ingestion of contaminated food and feed. Among the safest approaches to the control of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxin detoxification is the application of microbial biocontrol agents. Burkholderia cepacia is known for producing metabolites active against a broad number of pathogenic fungi. In this study, the antifungal potential of a Qatari strain of Burkholderia cepacia (QBC03) was explored. QBC03 exhibited antifungal activity against a wide range of mycotoxigenic, as well as phytopathogenic, fungal genera and species. The QBC03 culture supernatant significantly inhibited the growth of Aspergillus carbonarius, Fusarium culmorum and Penicillium verrucosum in PDA medium, as well as A. carbonarius and P. verrucosum biomass in PDB medium. The QBC03 culture supernatant was found to dramatically reduce the synthesis of ochratoxin A (OTA) by A. carbonarius, in addition to inducing mycelia malformation. The antifungal activity of QBC03’s culture extract was retained following thermal treatment at 100 °C for 30 min. The findings of the present study advocate that QBC03 is a suitable biocontrol agent against toxigenic fungi, due to the inhibitory activity of its thermostable metabolites.
Immunogenic Properties of Recombinant Enzymes from Bothrops ammodytoides towards the Generation of Neutralizing Antibodies against Its Own Venom
Authors: Clement Herlinda , Corrales-García Ligia Luz , Bolaños Damaris , Corzo Gerardo , Villegas Elba
Published: December 2019

Bothropic venoms contain enzymes such as metalloproteases, serine-proteases, and phospholipases, which acting by themselves, or in synergism, are the cause of the envenomation symptoms and death. Here, two mRNA transcripts, one that codes for a metalloprotease and another for a serine-protease, were isolated from a Bothrops ammodytoides venom gland. The metalloprotease and serine-protease transcripts were cloned on a pCR®2.1-TOPO vector and consequently expressed in a recombinant way in E. coli (strains Origami and M15, respectively), using pQE30 vectors. The recombinant proteins were named rBamSP_1 and rBamMP_1, and they were formed by an N-terminal fusion protein of 16 amino acid residues, followed by the sequence of the mature proteins. After bacterial expression, each recombinant enzyme was recovered from inclusion bodies and treated with chaotropic agents. The experimental molecular masses for rBamSP_1 and rBamMP_1 agreed with their expected theoretical ones, and their secondary structure spectra obtained by circular dichroism were comparable to that of similar proteins. Additionally, equivalent mixtures of rBamSP_1, rBamMP_1 together with a previous reported recombinant phospholipase, rBamPLA2_1, were used to immunize rabbits to produce serum antibodies, which in turn recognized serine-proteases, metalloproteases and PLA2s from B. ammodytoides and other regional viper venoms. Finally, rabbit antibodies neutralized the 3LD50 of B. ammodytoides venom.
Equine Mx1 Restricts Influenza A Virus Replication by Targeting at Distinct Site of its Nucleoprotein
Authors: Fatima Urooj , Zhang Zhenyu , Zhang Haili , Wang Xue-Feng , Xu Ling , Chu Xiaoyu , Ji Shuang , Wang Xiaojun
Published: December 2019

Interferon-mediated host factors myxovirus (Mx) proteins are key features in regulating influenza A virus (IAV) infections. Viral polymerases are essential for viral replication. The Mx1 protein has been known to interact with viral nucleoprotein (NP) and PB2, resulting in the influence of polymerase activity and providing interspecies restriction. The equine influenza virus has evolved as an independent lineage to influenza viruses from other species. We estimated the differences in antiviral activities between human MxA (huMxA) and equine Mx1 (eqMx1) against a broad range of IAV strains. We found that huMxA has antiviral potential against IAV strains from non-human species, whereas eqMx1 could only inhibit the polymerase activity of non-equine species. Here, we demonstrated that NP is the main target of eqMx1. Subsequently, we found adaptive mutations in the NP of strains A/equine/Jilin/1/1989 (H3N8JL89) and A/chicken/Zhejiang/DTID-ZJU01/2013 (H7N9ZJ13) that confer eqMx1 resistance and sensitivity respectively. A substantial reduction in Mx1 resistance was observed for the two mutations G34S and H52N in H3N8JL89 NP. Thus, eqMx1 is an important dynamic force in IAV nucleoprotein evolution. We, therefore, suggest that the amino acids responsible for Mx1 resistance should be regarded as a robust indicator for the pandemic potential of lately evolving IAVs.
Crocodilepox Virus Evolutionary Genomics Supports Observed Poxvirus Infection Dynamics on Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus)
Authors: Sarker Subir , Isberg Sally R. , Moran Jasmin L. , Araujo Rachel De , Elliott Nikki , Melville Lorna , Beddoe Travis , Helbig Karla J.
Published: December 2019

Saltwater crocodilepox virus (SwCRV), belonging to the genus Crocodylidpoxvirus, are large DNA viruses posing an economic risk to Australian saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) farms by extending production times. Although poxvirus-like particles and sequences have been confirmed, their infection dynamics, inter-farm genetic variability and evolutionary relationships remain largely unknown. In this study, a poxvirus infection dynamics study was conducted on two C. porosus farms. One farm (Farm 2) showed twice the infection rate, and more concerningly, an increase in the number of early- to late-stage poxvirus lesions as crocodiles approached harvest size, reflecting the extended production periods observed on this farm. To determine if there was a genetic basis for this difference, 14 complete SwCRV genomes were isolated from lesions sourced from five Australian farms. They encompassed all the conserved genes when compared to the two previously reported SwCRV genomes and fell within three major clades. Farm 2′s SwCRV sequences were distributed across all three clades, highlighting the likely mode of inter-farm transmission. Twenty-four recombination events were detected, with one recombination event resulting in consistent fragmentation of the P4c gene in the majority of the Farm 2 SwCRV isolates. Further investigation into the evolution of poxvirus infection in farmed crocodiles may offer valuable insights in evolution of this viral family and afford the opportunity to obtain crucial information into natural viral selection processes in an in vivo setting.
Effect of Urban Stormwater Road Runoff of Different Land Use Types on an Urban River in Shenzhen, China
Authors: Liu Yang , Wang Chunyi , Yu Yang , Chen Yongyu , Du Longfei , Qu Xiaodong , Peng Wenqi , Zhang Min , Gui Chenxin
Published: December 2019

Urban storm runoff is a major source of pollutants in receiving water bodies. To assess the impact of urban stormwater runoff on an urban river, the runoff process of total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium (NH4), and total phosphorus (TP) were investigated on road surfaces classified as arterial road (AR), residential area (RA), and industrial area (IA) in the Pingshan River (PSR) watershed in Shenzhen, China. Event mean concentration (EMC) was calculated to analyze the water quality of road runoff, and the dimensionless M(V) cumulative curves were used to estimate the course of decreasing concentration of runoff pollutants during each rainfall event. Multicriteria decision making methods (PROMETHEE-GAIA) were used to identify the linkage between runoff pollutants, land use types, and rainfall intensity. The EMCs of COD and TP in runoff exceeded the class IV level of the water quality standard for surface water (China). RA was a major potential source for NH4, COD, and TP in the river. Controlling the first flush is critical to decrease the effect of road runoff on receiving water bodies, as most runoff pollutants in AR, RA, and IA had a first flush effect during heavy rainfall. The specific management measure for runoff pollution varied with land use type. Reducing road TSS concentrations was effective for controlling runoff pollution in AR and RA because NH4, TP, and COD attached to particulate matter. In IA, the collection and reuse of stormwater in the initial rainfall period were effective for reducing the effect of soluble pollutants in runoff on receiving water bodies. This study provides new information for managing urban road stormwater runoff in different land use types.
Water Footprint Assessment of Eggs in a Parent-Stock Layer Breeder Farm
Authors: Xing Haohan , Zheng Weichao , Li Baoming , Liu Zhidan , Zhang Yuanhui
Published: December 2019

Egg production and consumption of eggs in China account for about 40% of the global total, and this constitutes a significant demand for water resources. The shortage of water resources in China means egg production in this country has serious water challenges. However, there are few studies concerning water use in egg production. In this study, the water footprint network (WFN) methodology was applied to analyze the water footprint (WF) of intensive egg production using a typical parent-stock layer breeder farm in North China as a model, which raises 208,663 layer breeders and produces about 2791.39 t eggs per year. The feed and water consumption over 353 days were collected for analysis, and the water footprint of chicken eggs was estimated at the farm level. The water footprint of eggs in a parent-stock layer breeder farm in China was therefore assessed in detail for the first time, and suggestions are put forward to reduce the egg water footprint from the perspective of the production chain and improving water use efficiency on the farm. The results show that (1) the green WF of eggs (water volume/egg weight) ranged from 1.917 to 2.114 m3/kg, the blue WF was 0.584 to 0.644 m3/kg and the grey WF was 0.488 to 0.538 m3/kg; (2) the indirect WF generated by feed contributed over 99.8% of the total; (3) eggs laid by Hy-line Brown hens have a lower WF than those from Hy-line Sonia hens, and the studied layer breeder farm had a higher WF than the global average based on the literature. In this paper, the variation of the WF was also analyzed, and some advice on water management for layer farms in China is provided.
Transferring Innovative Erosion and Sediment Control Research Results into Industry Practice
Authors: Perez Michael A. , Zech Wesley C. , Donald Wesley N. , Turochy Rod , Fagan Barry G.
Published: December 2019

Erosion and sediment controls (ESCs) are essential components of construction projects in minimizing downstream environmental impact. Since 2014, the Auburn University—Erosion and Sediment Control Testing Facility has hosted training events focused on disseminating results of innovative construction stormwater research to practitioners to help close the gap between research results and implementation. The purpose of training is to provide participants with the opportunity to learn about various practices used in construction settings to manage stormwater runoff. The result is increased knowledge of stormwater management which will translate into better protection of water resources. The facility has the unique capability of producing flows to simulate runoff typical of construction activities using research apparatuses, allowing attendees to understand how devices react when subject to field-like runoff conditions. The facility has provided training through a total of nine offerings with 764 participants. The purpose of this manuscript is to evaluate the effectiveness of the delivery style of these courses in providing technology transfer to industry professionals. In distributed surveys, attendees were asked to rank their level of knowledge prior to and after attending the training programs in ten specific focus areas covered during training. Overall, knowledge measurements indicated that technical knowledge level was improved across all measured areas with an average increase in perceived knowledge of 82% for a 1.5-day hands-on installer training event and 36% for a 1-day field day.
Prematürite Retinopatisi Tedavi Sonuçlarımız
Authors: MAYALI Hüseyin , SARIGÜL Cansu , KURT Emin , KAYIKÇIOĞLU Özcan Rasim , İLKER Süleyman Sami
Published: December 2019

Amaç:
Kliniğimizde prematüre retinopatisi (ROP) ile tedavi edilen hastaların özelliklerini
paylaşmakGereç-Yöntem: Manisa Celal Bayar
Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesinde Temmuz 2013-Aralık 2017 tarihleri
arasında prematürite retinopatisi açısından değerlendirilen 36.gebelik
haftasından önce doğmuş bebeklerin verileri incelendi. Prematürite retinopatisi
saptanmayan bebekler periferik retinal vaskularizasyon tamamlanana,retinopati
saptanan tedavi gereksinimi olmayan bebekler postnatal 45.haftaya kadar 1-2
haftalık aralıklarla takip edildi.Retinopatisi ileri derecede olan veya
takiplerinde ilerleme saptanan bebeklere indirekt laser oftalmoskopi ile diod laser
tedavisi uygulandıBulgular: 1394 bebek
değerlendirildi.İleri evrede retinopati saptanan ve indirekt laser oftalmoskopi
ile diod laser tedavisi uygulanan bebek sayısı 106(%7,6)idi.Bebeklerin
44’si(%41,5)kız, 62’si(%58,4)erkekti, 32 (%30,1) bebek çoğul gebelik sonucunda
dünyaya gelmişti.Bu bebeklerin 89’u(%83,9)solunum cihazına
bağlı,17’u(%16,1)bağlanmamış idi. Doğum haftası ortalama 27,7 (±2,5) (22-33)
hafta,ortalama doğum ağırlığı 1113,94(±362)(500-2020) gramdı. 106 hastanın 212
gözüne tedavi uygulandı.Bu gözlerden 53’inde(%25)zon 1’de 151’ünde(%71,2)zon
2’de,9’sında(%4,2)zon 3’te ROP izlendi.Laser tedavisi uygulanan retinopatili
bebeklerin hepsinde evre 2-3/plus hastalığı ve en az sekiz saat kadranını
içeren lezyon mevcuttu.Hastalara her göz için ortalama 827,5±300,1(150-1450)
atış yapıldı.Tedavi uygulanan bebeklerin işlem sonrası kontrollerinde 2 hasta
haricinde hepsinde retinopatide gerileme izlendi. Retinopatisi gerilemeyen ve
retina dekolmanı izlenen 2 hasta vitrektomi yapılmak üzere dış merkeze sevk
edildi. Bir hastada ise takiplerinde katarakt gelişimi izlendi.Sonuç: Takip ettiğimiz bebeklerin
106(%7,6)‘sına laser tedavisi uygulandı. Tedavi sonrası 2 hasta dışında bütün
bebeklerde retinopati geriledi, 1 hastada ise takiplerde katarakt gelişti.
Prematürite retinopatisi çocukluk çağı körlük nedenlerinin başındadır ve risk
faktörleri barındıran prematür doğumlar dikkatlice muayene ve tedavi edilmeleri
önemlidir.