bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Polysaccharides from Volvariella volvacea: Process Optimization and Structural Characterization
Authors: Cui Feng-Jie , Qian Li-Sun , Sun Wen-Jing , Zhang Jin-Song , Yang Yan , Li Na , Zhuang Hai-Ning , Wu Di
Published: July 2018

The aims of the present study were to optimize the operational parameters to maximize the yield of ultrasound-assisted polysaccharide extraction from Volvariella volvacea (straw mushroom) fruiting bodies by using for the first time one-factor-at-a-time and three-level Box-Behnken factorial designs. A maximum polysaccharide yield of 8.28 ± 0.23% was obtained under the optimized conditions of ultrasound power of 175 W, extraction temperature of 57 °C, extraction time of 33 min, and the ratio of liquid to raw material of 25:1, respectively. Compared to the hot-water extraction, the ultrasound-assistance favored the extraction of polysaccharides from V. volvacea for its higher polysaccharide yield and efficiency. Further preliminary polysaccharide structural characterization indicated that ultrasound treatment affected the monosaccharide compositions and ratios, and molecular weight range of polysaccharides extracted from V. volvacea.
Isolation and Identification of the Anti-Oxidant Constituents from Loropetalum chinense (R. Brown) Oliv. Based on UHPLC–Q-TOF-MS/MS
Authors: Chen Haifang , Li Mulan , Zhang Chen , Du Wendi , Shao Haihua , Feng Yulin , Zhang Wugang , Yang Shilin
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study was to identify the chemical constituents of Loropetalum chinense (R. Brown) Oliv. (LCO) and determine which of these had antioxidant effects. The chemical composition of a 70% ethanol extract of LCO was analyzed systematically using UHPLC–Q-TOF-MS/MS. The chemical components of the 70% ethanol extract of LCO were then separated and purified using macroporous resin and chromatographic techniques. Antioxidant activity was evaluated using a DPPH assay. In total, 100 compounds were identified tentatively, including 42 gallic acid tannins, 49 flavones, and 9 phenolic compounds. Of these, 7 gallium gallate, 4 flavonoid and 8 quinic acid compounds were separated and purified from the 70% ethanol extract of LCO. The compounds identified for the first time in LCO and in the genus Loropetalum were 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl-(6′-O-galloyl)-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, protocatechuic acid, ethyl gallate, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-O-diocaffeoylquinic acid, 4,5-O-diocaffeoylquinic acid and 3,4-O-diocaffeoylquinic acid. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of compounds 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, and ethyl gallate were 1.88, 1.05, 1.18, and 1.05 μg/mL, respectively. Compared with the control group (VC) (2.08 μg/mL), these compounds exhibited stronger anti-oxidation activity. This study offered considerable insight into the chemical composition of LCO, with preliminary identification of the antioxidant ingredients.
Effects of a Ruthenium Schiff Base Complex on Glucose Homeostasis in Diet-Induced Pre-Diabetic Rats
Authors: Mabuza Lindokuhle Patience , Gamede Mlindeli Wilkinson , Maikoo Sanam , Booysen Irvin Noel , Ngubane Phikelelani Siphosethu , Khathi Andile
Published: July 2018

Pre-diabetes is a condition that precedes type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) that is characterised by elevated glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). The management of pre-diabetes includes the combination of dietary and pharmacological interventions to increase insulin sensitivity. However, poor patient compliance has been reported with regard to dietary interventions, therefore, new alternative drugs are required that can be effective even without the dietary intervention. In our laboratory, we have synthesised a novel ruthenium complex that has been shown to have elevated biological activity. This study investigated the effects of this complex in both the presence and absence of dietary intervention on glucose handling in a diet-induced pre-diabetes rat model. Pre-diabetic animals were randomly assigned to respective treatment groups. The ruthenium complex was administered to pre-diabetic rats once a day every third day for 12 weeks. The administration of the ruthenium complex resulted in reduced fasting blood glucose, food intake, and body weight gain which was associated with decreased plasma ghrelin, insulin, and HbA1c levels in both the presence and absence of dietary intervention. The administration of the ruthenium complex ameliorated glycaemic control and insulin sensitivity in pre-diabetic rats. The results of this study warrant further investigations as this compound could potentially be able to re-sensitize insulin resistant cells and reduce the incidence of T2DM.
New Octadecanoid Enantiomers from the Whole Plants of Plantago depressa
Authors: Song Xiu-Qing , Zhu Kongkai , Yu Jin-Hai , Zhang Qianqian , Zhang Yuying , He Fei , Cheng Zhi-Qiang , Jiang Cheng-Shi , Bao Jie , Zhang Hua
Published: July 2018

In this study, 19 octadecanoid derivatives—four pairs of enantiomers (1–8), two racemic/scalemic mixtures (9–10), and nine biosynthetically related analogues—were obtained from the ethanolic extract of a Chinese medicinal plant, Plantago depressa Willd. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analyses, with the absolute configurations of the new compounds assigned by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT)-based electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Six of them (1, 3–6, and 9) were reported for the first time, while 2, 7, and 8 have been previously described as derivatives and are currently obtained as natural products. Our bioassays have established that selective compounds show in vitro anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells.
Construction of Thermo-Responsive Elastin-Like Polypeptides (ELPs)-Aggregation-Induced-Emission (AIE) Conjugates for Temperature Sensing
Authors: Chen Zhe , Ding Zhaoyang , Zhang Guangya , Tian Leilei , Zhang Xuanjun
Published: July 2018

In this work, an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) molecule (tetraphenylethene derivative, TPE-COOH) was conjugated to elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs40) via an amide bond to form ELPs40-TPE. The successful synthesis of ELPs40-TPE was confirmed by Circular Dichroism spectroscopy, gel electrophoresis, UV-vis absorption, and fluorescence emission spectroscopy. ELPs40-TPE possessed both amphiphilicity and the features of an AIE, and the fluorescence intensity was dependent on the local temperature. The Hela cells imaging indicated that ELPs40-TPE has great potential for bio-imaging applications because of its advantages of high fluorescence intensity, good water-solubility, and remarkable biocompatibility.
Solvent Extraction and Identification of Active Anticariogenic Metabolites in Piper cubeba L. through 1H-NMR-Based Metabolomics Approach
Authors: Raja Mazlan Raja Nur Asila , Rukayadi Yaya , Maulidiani M. , Ismail Intan Safinar
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of different solvents for extraction, liquid–liquid partition, and concentrations of extracts and fractions of Piper cubeba L. on anticariogenic; antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity against oral bacteria. Furthermore, 1H-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) coupled with multivariate data analysis (MVDA) was applied to discriminate between the extracts and fractions and examine the metabolites that correlate to the bioactivities. All tested bacteria were susceptible to Piper cubeba L. extracts and fractions. Different solvents extraction, liquid–liquid partition and concentrations of extracts and fractions have partially influenced the antibacterial activity. MTT assay showed that P. cubeba L. extracts and fractions were not toxic to RAW 264.7 cells at selected concentrations. Anti-inflammatory activity evaluated by nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated cells showed a reduction in NO production in cells treated with P. cubeba L. extracts and fractions, compared to those without treatment. Twelve putative metabolites have been identified, which are (1) cubebin, (2) yatein, (3) hinokinin, (4) dihydrocubebin, (5) dihydroclusin, (6) cubebinin, (7) magnosalin, (8) p-cymene, (9) piperidine, (10) cubebol, (11) d-germacrene and (12) ledol. Different extraction and liquid–liquid partition solvents caused separation in principal component analysis (PCA) models. The partial least squares (PLS) models showed that higher anticariogenic activity was related more to the polar solvents, despite some of the active metabolites also present in the non-polar solvents. Hence, P. cubeba L. extracts and fractions exhibited antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activity and have potential to be developed as the anticariogenic agent.
Study on the Photoluminescent and Thermal Properties of Zinc Complexes with a N6O4 Macrocyclic Ligand
Authors: Xue Xingyong , Wang Qijun , Mai Fusen , Liang Xing , Huang Yichen , Li Jiahe , Zhou Yanling , Yang Dengfeng , Ma Zhen
Published: July 2018

Reactions between a N6O4 macrocyclic ligand (L1) and several Zn(II) salts (trifluoromethane sulfonate, p-toluenesulfonate, acetate, benzoate, o-, m- or p-hydroxybenzoate) led to the formation of seven complexes, [Zn2L1 (DMSO)4](OSO2CF3)4 (1), [Zn2(p-OSO2PhCH3)4L1] (2), [Zn2(OCOCH3)4L1] (3), [Zn2(OCOPh)4L1] (4), [Zn2(o-OCOPhOH)4L1] (5), [Zn2(m-OCOPhOH)4 L1] (6) and [Zn2(p-OCOPhOH)4 L1] (7), which were characterized by elemental analysis, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, IR, fluorescence spectroscopies and single crystal X-ray diffraction. In 1, the Zn atom is pentacoordinated with a N3O2 irregular trigonal bipyramidal coordination environment, like the geometries in compounds 3–7, whereas in structure 2 the metal atom is envisaged as possessing a distorted N3O3 octahedronal environment. All the compounds show interesting photoluminescent properties in solid states and solutions in DMF and DMSO, which are reported along with their TG-DTA thermal decomposition processes, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and fluorescence quantum yields in DMF and DMSO.
Quick Multi-Class Determination of Residues of Antimicrobial Veterinary Drugs in Animal Muscle by LC-MS/MS
Authors: Zhang Meiyu , Li Erfen , Su Yijuan , Zhang Yingxia , Xie Jingmeng , He Limin
Published: July 2018

On the basis of the highly sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry technique, a generic extraction solvent and a sample dilution method was developed for the residue analysis of different polar veterinary drugs known as fluoroquinolones, sulfonamides, macrolides, and tiamulin in chicken muscle. The results showed that the matrix-matched calibration curves of all 10 compounds were in an effective linear relationship (r2 ≥ 0.997) in the range of 0.2–100 μg L−1. At three spiking levels of 2 (5), 50, and 100 μg kg−1, average recoveries of analytes were between 67.1% and 96.6% with relative standard deviations of intra-day and inter-day below 20%. The limits of detection and limits of quantification of the method were in the range of 0.3–2.0 μg kg−1 and 2.0–5.0 μg kg−1, respectively, which were significantly lower than their maximum residue limits. In addition, the intensity of the target analytes and its corresponding matrix effects were obviously related to the sample dilution times (matrix concentration). There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in the average content of almost any of the analytes in medicated chickens between this method and the method in the literature for determining analytes. Lastly, the proposed method was successfully applied for the simultaneous analysis of 10 common veterinary drugs in food animal muscle tissues.
Debugging in Programming as a Multimodal Practice in Early Childhood Education Settings
Authors: Heikkilä Mia , Mannila Linda
Published: July 2018

The aim of this article is to broadly elaborate on how programming can be understood as a new teaching scope in preschools, focusing specifically on debugging as one of the phases involved in learning to program. The research question How can debugging as part of teaching and learning programming be understood as multimodal learning? has guided the analysis and the presentation of the data. In this study, and its analysis process, we have combined a multimodal understanding of teaching and learning practices with understandings of programming and how it is practiced. Consequently, the multidisciplinary approach in this study, combining theories from social sciences with theories and concepts from computer science, is central throughout the article. This is therefore also a creative, explorative process as there are no clear norms to follow when conducting multidisciplinary analyses. The data consist of video recordings of teaching sessions with children and a teacher engaged in programming activities. The video material was recorded in a preschool setting during the school year 2017–2018 and consists of 25 sessions of programming activities with children, who were four or five years old. The results show how debugging in early childhood education is a multimodal activity socially established by use of speech, pointing and gaze. Our findings also indicate that artefacts are central to learning debugging, and a term ‘instructional artefacts’ is therefore added. Finally, the material shows how basic programming concepts and principles can be explored with young children.
Nutritional Interventions as Beneficial Strategies to Delay Cognitive Decline in Healthy Older Individuals
Authors: Klímová Blanka , Vališ Martin
Published: July 2018

Current demographic trends indicate that the population is aging. The aging process is inevitably connected with cognitive decline, which manifests itself in worsening working memory, processing speed, and attention. Therefore, apart from pharmacological therapies, non-pharmacological approaches which can influence cognitive performance (such as physical activities or healthy diet), are being investigated. The purpose of this study is to explore the types of nutritional interventions and their benefits in the prevention and delay of cognitive delay in healthy older individuals. The methods used in this study include a literature review of the available studies on the research topic found in Web of Science, Scopus, and MEDLINE. The findings show that nutritional intervention has a positive impact on cognitive function in healthy older people. However, it seems that the interactions between more than one nutrient are most effective. The results reveal that specifically the Mediterranean diet appears to be effective in this respect. Moreover, the findings also indicate that multi-domain interventions including diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk monitoring have a far more significant effect on the enhancement of cognitive functions among healthy older individuals.
Betaine Improves Intestinal Functions by Enhancing Digestive Enzymes, Ameliorating Intestinal Morphology, and Enriching Intestinal Microbiota in High-salt stressed Rats
Authors: Wang Haichao , Li Sisi , Fang Shenglin , Yang Xiaojing , Feng Jie
Published: July 2018

To investigate the role of betaine in the intestinal functions of high-salt stressed rats, 32 four-week-old male Sprague–Dawley rats weighing 128.0 (SD 5.06) g were randomly allotted to four groups. The control group was fed with standard chow diet (0.4% NaCl), while the treatment groups were fed a high-salt diet (4.0% NaCl) supplemented with betaine at 0.0%, 0.5%, and 1.0%, respectively. The experiment lasted 28 days. The results showed that rats in the high-salt stressed groups had a significant increase in both water intake and kidney index (p < 0.05). The level of cortisol (COR) was increased in the high-salt stressed rats (p < 0.05), and returned to normal levels with betaine supplementation (p < 0.05). Aldosterone (ALD) was decreased in all high-salt diet groups (p < 0.05). Betaine supplementation decreased antidiuretic hormone (ADH) levels significantly (p < 0.05). High salt stress decreased the activities of amylase, lipase, trypsin, and chymotrypsin in the small intestinal luminal contents (p < 0.05), however, these activities increased with betaine supplementation (p < 0.05). The gut villus height of small intestine was significantly decreased in the high-salt diet group (p < 0.05). However, they were higher in the betaine supplementation groups than in the control group (p < 0.05). A similar result was observed in the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (p < 0.05). Both alpha diversity indexes and beta diversity indexes showed that high salt stress decreased the diversity of intestinal microbiota, while supplementation with betaine counteracted the negative effect. In conclusion, the results indicate that betaine improves intestinal function by enhancing the digestive enzymes, ameliorating intestinal morphology, and enriching intestinal microbiota of high-salt stressed rats.
Amorphous Nanosuspensions Aggregated from Paclitaxel–Hemoglobulin Complexes with Enhanced Cytotoxicity
Authors: Qin Chao , Xin Xiaofei , Pei Xue , Yin Lifang , He Wei
Published: July 2018

Amorphous nanosuspensions (ANSs) enable rapid release and improved delivery of a poorly water-soluble drug; however, their preparation is challenging. Here, using hemoglobin (Hb) as a carrier, ANSs aggregated from paclitaxel (PTX)–Hb complexes were prepared to improve delivery of the hydrophobic anti-cancer agent. An affinity study demonstrated strong interaction between Hb and PTX. Importantly, the complexes could aggregate into <300 nm ANSs with high drug loading, which acidic condition facilitated their formation. Furthermore, the ANSs possessed improved cytotoxicity against cancer cells over the crystalline nanosuspensions. Taken together, ANSs aggregated from PTX–Hb complexes were developed, which could kill cancer cells with high efficiency.
Enhanced Properties of Biodegradable Poly(Propylene Carbonate)/Polyvinyl Formal Blends by Melting Compounding
Authors: Han Dongmei , Guo Zhen , Chen Shou , Xiao Min , Peng Xiaohua , Wang Shuanjin , Meng Yuezhong
Published: July 2018

Polyvinyl formal (PVF) was first synthesized via the reaction of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and formaldehyde. The synthesized PVF exhibits a high decomposition temperature, glass transition temperature, and low melting point compared to pristine PVA. The synthesized PVF can be melt processed at temperatures much lower than PVA. Poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) and the as-made PVF were melt blended in a Haake mixer. The mechanical properties, thermal behaviors, and morphologies of PPC/PVF blends were investigated. Compared to the pure PPC, PPC/PVF blends show higher tensile strength and Vicat softening temperature. Thermogravimetric (TGA) result reveals that the thermal stabilities of PPC/PVF blends decreased with the increase of the content of PVF. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation indicates that the interfacial compatibility of the PVF and PPC matrix is better than that of the PVA and PPC matrix. The PPC/PVF blends show much better comprehensive properties compared to pure commercial PPC, which provides a practical way to extend the application of PPC copolymer.
Shaping Streamflow Using a Real-Time Stormwater Control Network
Authors: Mullapudi Abhiram , Bartos Matthew , Wong Brandon , Kerkez Branko
Published: July 2018

“Smart” water systems are transforming the field of stormwater management by enabling real-time monitoring and control of previously static infrastructure. While the localized benefits of active control are well-established, the potential for system-scale control of watersheds is poorly understood. This study shows how a real-world smart stormwater system can be leveraged to shape streamflow within an urban watershed. Specifically, we coordinate releases from two internet-controlled stormwater basins to achieve desired control objectives downstream—such as maintaining the flow at a set-point, and generating interleaved waves. In the first part of the study, we describe the construction of the control network using a low-cost, open-source hardware stack and a cloud-based controller scheduling application. Next, we characterize the system’s control capabilities by determining the travel times, decay times, and magnitudes of various waves released from the upstream retention basins. With this characterization in hand, we use the system to generate two desired responses at a critical downstream junction. First, we generate a set-point hydrograph, in which flow is maintained at an approximately constant rate. Next, we generate a series of overlapping and interleaved waves using timed releases from both retention basins. We discuss how these control strategies can be used to stabilize flows, thereby mitigating streambed erosion and reducing contaminant loads into downstream waterbodies.
A PolSAR Image Segmentation Algorithm Based on Scattering Characteristics and the Revised Wishart Distance
Authors: Yi Huiguo , Yang Jie , Li Pingxiang , Shi Lei , Lang Fengkai
Published: July 2018

A novel segmentation algorithm for polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) images is proposed in this paper. The method is composed of two essential components: a merging order and a merging predicate. The similarity measured by the complex-kind Hotelling–Lawley trace (HLT) statistic is used to decide the merging order. The merging predicate is determined by the scattering characteristics and the revised Wishart distance between adjacent pixels, which can greatly improve the performance in speckle suppression and detail preservation. A postprocessing step is applied to obtain a satisfactory result after the merging operation. The decomposition and merging processes are iteratively executed until the termination criterion is met. The superiority of the proposed method was verified with experiments on two RADARSAT-2 PolSAR images and a Gaofen-3 PolSAR image, which demonstrated that the proposed method can obtain more accurate segmentation results and shows a better performance in speckle suppression and detail preservation than the other algorithms.
Deceptive Jamming Detection for SAR Based on Cross-Track Interferometry
Authors: Feng Qingqing , Xu Huaping , Wu Zhefeng , Liu Wei
Published: July 2018

Deceptive jamming against synthetic aperture radar (SAR) can create false targets or deceptive scenes in the image effectively. Based on the difference in interferometric phase between the target and deceptive jamming signals, a novel method for detecting deceptive jamming using cross-track interferometry is proposed, where the echoes with deceptive jamming are received by two SAR antennas simultaneously and the false targets are identified through SAR interferometry. Since the derived false phase is close to a constant in interferogram, it is extracted through phase filtering and frequency detection. Finally, the false targets in the SAR image are obtained according to the detected false part in the interferogram. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated by simulation results based on the TanDEM-X system.
Effects of Applying Different Resonance Amplitude on the Performance of the Impedance-Based Health Monitoring Technique Subjected to Damage
Authors: Na Wongi S. , Seo Dong-Woo , Kim Byeong-Cheol , Park Ki-Tae
Published: July 2018

Smart materials such as piezoelectric transducers can be used for monitoring the health of building structures. In this study, a structural health monitoring technique known as the electromechanical impedance (EMI) method is investigated. Although the EMI method has the advantage of using a single piezoelectric patch that acts both as the actuator and as the sensor, there are still many issues to be addressed. To further understand the problem, the performance of the EMI method on a structure subjected to progressive damage at different resonance frequency ranges and peak amplitudes was investigated using three different statistical metrics: root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), mean absolute percentage deviation (MAPD) and correlation coefficient deviation (CCD). Metal plates were used throughout the study. The results acquired could be used to further understand the damage identification performance of the EMI method.
Model-Based Position and Reflectivity Estimation of Fiber Bragg Grating Sensor Arrays
Authors: Werzinger Stefan , Zibar Darko , Köppel Max , Schmauss Bernhard
Published: July 2018

We propose an efficient model-based signal processing approach for optical fiber sensing with fiber Bragg grating (FBG) arrays. A position estimation based on an estimation of distribution algorithm (EDA) and a reflectivity estimation method using a parametric transfer matrix model (TMM) are outlined in detail. The estimation algorithms are evaluated with Monte Carlo simulations and measurement data from an incoherent optical frequency domain reflectometer (iOFDR). The model-based approach outperforms conventional Fourier transform processing, especially near the spatial resolution limit, saving electrical bandwidth and measurement time. The models provide great flexibility and can be easily expanded in complexity to meet different topologies and to include prior knowledge of the sensors. Systematic errors due to crosstalk between gratings caused by multiple reflections and spectral shadowing could be further considered with the TMM to improve the performance of large-scale FBG array sensor systems.
Evaluating Geometric Measurement Accuracy Based on 3D Reconstruction of Automated Imagery in a Greenhouse
Authors: Zhou Jing , Fu Xiuqing , Schumacher Leon , Zhou Jianfeng
Published: July 2018

Geometric dimensions of plants are significant parameters for showing plant dynamic responses to environmental variations. An image-based high-throughput phenotyping platform was developed to automatically measure geometric dimensions of plants in a greenhouse. The goal of this paper was to evaluate the accuracy in geometric measurement using the Structure from Motion (SfM) method from images acquired using the automated image-based platform. Images of nine artificial objects of different shapes were taken under 17 combinations of three different overlaps in x and y directions, respectively, and two different spatial resolutions (SRs) with three replicates. Dimensions in x, y and z of these objects were measured from 3D models reconstructed using the SfM method to evaluate the geometric accuracy. A metric power of unit (POU) was proposed to combine the effects of image overlap and SR. Results showed that measurement error of dimension in z is the least affected by overlap and SR among the three dimensions and measurement error of dimensions in x and y increased following a power function with the decrease of POU (R2 = 0.78 and 0.88 for x and y respectively). POUs from 150 to 300 are a preferred range to obtain reasonable accuracy and efficiency for the developed image-based high-throughput phenotyping system. As a study case, the developed system was used to measure the height of 44 plants using an optimal POU in greenhouse environment. The results showed a good agreement (R2 = 92% and Root Mean Square Error = 9.4 mm) between the manual and automated method.
Optimization of Scanning and Counting Sensor Layout for Full Route Observability with a Bi-Level Programming Model
Authors: Shan Donghui , Sun Xiaoduan , Liu Jianbei , Sun Ming
Published: July 2018

Utilizing the data obtained from both scanning and counting sensors is critical for efficiently managing traffic flow on roadways. Past studies mainly focused on the optimal layout of one type of sensor, and how to optimize the arrangement of more than one type of sensor has not been fully researched. This paper develops a methodology that optimizes the deployment of different types of sensors to solve the well-recognized network sensors location problem (NSLP). To answer the questions of how many, where and what types of sensors should be deployed on each particular link of the network, a novel bi-level programming model for full route observability is presented to strategically locate scanning and counting sensors in a network. The methodology works in two steps. First, a mathematical program is formulated to determine the minimum number of scanning sensors. To solve this program, a new ‘differentiating matrix’ is introduced and the corresponding greedy algorithm of ‘differentiating first’ is put forward. In the second step, a scanning map and an incidence matrix are incorporated into the program, which extends the theoretical model for multiple sensors’ deployment and provides the replacement method to reduce total cost of sensors without loss of observability. The algorithm developed at the second step involved in two coefficient matrixes from scanning map and incidence parameter enumerate all possibilities of replacement schemes so that cost of different combination schemes can be compared. Finally, the proposed approach is demonstrated by comparison of Nguyen-Dupuis network and real network, which indicates the proposed method is capable to evaluate the trade-off between cost and all routes observability.
Short-Term Traffic State Prediction Based on the Spatiotemporal Features of Critical Road Sections
Authors: Yang Gang , Wang Yunpeng , Yu Haiyang , Ren Yilong , Xie Jindong
Published: July 2018

Recently, short-term traffic prediction under conditions with corrupted or missing data has become a popular topic. Since a road section has predictive power regarding the adjacent roads at a specific location, this paper proposes a novel hybrid convolutional long short-term memory neural network model based on critical road sections (CRS-ConvLSTM NN) to predict the traffic evolution of global networks. The critical road sections that have the most powerful impact on the subnetwork are identified by a spatiotemporal correlation algorithm. Subsequently, the traffic speed of the critical road sections is used as the input to the ConvLSTM to predict the future traffic states of the entire network. The experimental results from a Beijing traffic network indicate that the CRS-ConvLSTM outperforms prevailing deep learning (DL) approaches for cases that consider critical road sections and the results validate the capability and generalizability of the model when predicting with different numbers of critical road sections.
Sensors for Enhanced Detection of Acetone as a Potential Tool for Noninvasive Diabetes Monitoring
Authors: Rydosz Artur
Published: July 2018

Measurement of blood-borne volatile organic compounds (VOCs) occurring in human exhaled breath as a result of metabolic changes or pathological disorders is a promising tool for noninvasive medical diagnosis, such as exhaled acetone measurements in terms of diabetes monitoring. The conventional methods for exhaled breath analysis are based on spectrometry techniques, however, the development of gas sensors has made them more and more attractive from a medical point of view. This review focuses on the latest achievements in gas sensors for exhaled acetone detection. Several different methods and techniques are presented and discussed as well.
Efficient 3D Objects Recognition Using Multifoveated Point Clouds
Authors: Oliveira Fabio F. , Souza Anderson A. S. , Fernandes Marcelo A. C. , Gomes Rafael B. , Goncalves Luiz M. G.
Published: July 2018

Technological innovations in the hardware of RGB-D sensors have allowed the acquisition of 3D point clouds in real time. Consequently, various applications have arisen related to the 3D world, which are receiving increasing attention from researchers. Nevertheless, one of the main problems that remains is the demand for computationally intensive processing that required optimized approaches to deal with 3D vision modeling, especially when it is necessary to perform tasks in real time. A previously proposed multi-resolution 3D model known as foveated point clouds can be a possible solution to this problem. Nevertheless, this is a model limited to a single foveated structure with context dependent mobility. In this work, we propose a new solution for data reduction and feature detection using multifoveation in the point cloud. Nonetheless, the application of several foveated structures results in a considerable increase of processing since there are intersections between regions of distinct structures, which are processed multiple times. Towards solving this problem, the current proposal brings an approach that avoids the processing of redundant regions, which results in even more reduced processing time. Such approach can be used to identify objects in 3D point clouds, one of the key tasks for real-time applications as robotics vision, with efficient synchronization allowing the validation of the model and verification of its applicability in the context of computer vision. Experimental results demonstrate a performance gain of at least 27.21% in processing time while retaining the main features of the original, and maintaining the recognition quality rate in comparison with state-of-the-art 3D object recognition methods.
Smart Meter Data Collection Using Public Taxis
Authors: Ngandu Kabeya Gilbert , Ouahada Khmaies , Rimer Suvendi
Published: July 2018

The advent of wireless sensor networks (WSN) has opened up an array of applications. Due to the ad-hoc nature of WSN and the small size of wireless nodes, multiple system configurations are possible. In order to collect data from WSN, some systems utilize static nodes with a network setup that consists of multiple relays to facilitate the dissemination of data to a gateway. Other WSN architectures consist of a mixture of static and mobile nodes. Mobile nodes are able to collect data from the WSN when in close proximity to a static node. Such nodes are referred to as data mules. Data mules presents multiple advantages including the improvement of the network life as communication usually takes place via a single hop. In order to collect smart meter data, we propose the usage of mini-bus taxis carrying a data collector node as an alternative to traditional GSM models where data collected is directly uploaded from a data concentrator to a server. Using the vast network of mini-bus taxis in South Africa, data collection in areas lacking GSM network will be possible. This paper will attempt to present all the relevant parameters required for such data collection scheme to be successful.
Anticancer Activity Evaluation of New Thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-ones and Thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-one Derivatives
Authors: Shyyka Olga , Pokhodylo Nazariy , Finiuk Nataliya , Matiychuk Vasyl , Stoika Rostyslav , Obushak Mykola
Published: July 2018

Anticancer screening of several novel thienopyrimidines has been performed. The thienopyrimidine derivatives were synthesized from available starting materials according to the convenient synthetic procedures using a one-pot solvent-free reaction which gave a wide access to thienopyrimidine-derivative production. The synthesized compounds were preselected via molecular docking to be tested for their anticancer activity in NCI 60 cell lines. It was observed that some compounds showed remarkable anticancer activity. It was found that the most active compound among thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine-4(3H)-ones is 2-(benzylamino)-5,6-dimethylthieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-one, which possesses cytotoxic activity on almost all cancer cell lines with mean growth 51.01%, where the most sensitive was the melanoma cell line MDA-MB-435 with GP (Growth Percent) = −31.02%. The patterns of structure–activity that are important for further optimization of the structure and the creation of more selective and active anticancer agents were proposed.
The Impact of the Great Recession on Perceived Immigrant Threat: A Cross-National Study of 22 Countries
Authors: Kwak Joonghyun , Wallace Michael
Published: July 2018

In an increasingly globalized world, anti-immigrant sentiment has become more prevalent. Competitive threat theory suggests that anti-immigrant attitudes increase when adverse economic circumstances intensify competition with immigrants for scarce resources, but past studies using this approach are inconclusive. In this study, we investigate the impact of the Great Recession on perceived immigrant threat—an index of seven items measuring attitudes toward immigrants—using the 2013 International Social Survey Program survey. Using multilevel models, we analyze responses from 18,433 respondents nested within 22 countries. We create a country-level measure of the Great Recession Index comprised of four dimensions—the housing crash, the financial crisis, economic decline, and employment loss—and assess its impact on perceived immigrant threat. After controlling for a variety of individual-level and country-level covariates, we find that the Great Recession is positively associated with perceived immigrant threat. We also identify important interaction effects between the Great Recession Index and change in government expenditures, age, educational levels, citizenship, and urbanization. The study contributes to competitive threat theory by showing the effect of the Great Recession in exacerbating anti-immigrant sentiment.
Monetary Valuation of Urban Forest Attributes in Highly Developed Urban Environments: An Experimental Study Using a Conjoint Choice Model
Authors: Hong Sung-Kwon , Kim Ju-Mi , Jo Hyun-Kil , Lee Sang-Woo
Published: July 2018

It is important to integrate user preferences and demands into the design, planning, and management of urban forests. This is particularly important in highly urbanized areas where land is extremely limited. Based on a survey with 600 participants selected by quota sampling in Seoul, Korea, we developed a conjoint choice model for determining the preferences of urban dwellers on urban forest attributes, the levels of attributes, and the preferences for particular attributes. Then, the preferences were transformed into monetary values. The results indicated that urban dwellers preferred broadleaved forests over coniferous forests, soil-type pavement materials over porous elastic pavement materials on trails, and relatively flat trails over trails with steep slopes. The model indicated that participants were willing to pay an additional 11.42 USD to change coniferous forest to broadleaved forest, 15.09 USD to alter porous elastic pavement materials on trails to soil-type pavement materials on trails, and 23.8 USD to modify steeply sloping trails to relatively flat trails. As previously reported, considerable distance decay effects have been observed in the user preferences for urban forests. We also found a significant difference in the amount of the mean marginal willingness to pay among sociodemographic subgroups. In particular, there were significant positive responses from the male group to changes in urban forest attributes and their levels in terms of their willingness to pay additional funds. By contrast, the elderly group had the opposite response. In this study, we were not able to integrate locality and spatial variation in user preferences for urban forests derived from locational characteristics. In future studies, the role of limiting factors in user preferences for urban forests and their attributes should be considered.
Sustainable Use and Management of Natural Resources in Buildings and in the Built Environment
Authors: Conte Emilia
Published: July 2018

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Psychological Factors Linking Perceived CSR to OCB: The Role of Organizational Pride, Collectivism, and Person–Organization Fit
Authors: Oo Eaint Yadanar , Jung Heajung , Park In-Jo
Published: July 2018

Despite a growing amount of research on the impact of perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) on employee behavior, psychological factors explaining why and for whom the relationship holds have yet to be fully investigated. Drawing on social identity theory, this study examined organizational pride as the underlying psychological mechanism explaining the relationship between CSR perception and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), and tested the moderating effects by two individual difference variables: collectivism orientation and person–organization fit. Analyses of survey data collected from 210 employees in South Korea showed that organizational pride mediated the CSR perception–OCB relationship. In addition, collectivism orientation strengthens the CSR–pride relationship, while person–organization fit strengthens the OCB–pride relationship. This research contributes to the relevant literature by stressing the importance of individual characteristics in predicting and understanding the effects of CSR perception on employee behavior.
A Framework to Assess Fiscal Vulnerability: Empirical Evidence for European Union Countries
Authors: Stoian Andreea , Obreja Brașoveanu Laura , Brașoveanu Iulian Viorel , Dumitrescu Bogdan
Published: July 2018

Following the financial crisis of 2007 and the sovereign debt crisis in 2010 that affected the soundness and reduced the strength of public finance in European countries, there has been a growing interest in developing methodologies to the help assess and signal the vulnerability of fiscal policy. Therefore, the aim of this study is to develop a new framework (V-L-D) to assess fiscal vulnerability. V-L-D represents a new methodology on the measurement of fiscal vulnerability that relies on the assumption that vulnerability can occur even during calm times. In comparison with previous methodologies that studied fiscal vulnerability around crisis and fiscal distress times, our framework investigates fiscal vulnerability near fiscal adjustments episodes. Our methodology relies on two distinct indicators: one showing the vulnerabilities indicated by the level of the cyclically adjusted budget balance and distance-to-stability, and one showing the vulnerabilities pointed out through the changes of the cyclically adjusted budget balance and public debt. V-L-D is able to classify fiscal vulnerability into five distinct categories having scores from 0 (no fiscal vulnerability) to 4 (extreme fiscal vulnerability). Using annual data ranging over 1990–2013 for 28 European Union countries, we evidenced 310 episodes of fiscal vulnerability, out of which 128 episodes of low vulnerability, 94 of moderate, 62 of strong, and 26 of extreme fiscal vulnerability. We also found that over 2004–2013, Greece, Portugal, Romania, United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, and Slovenia were the most fiscally vulnerable countries in the Union. United Kingdom and Greece went through the longest episodes of fiscal vulnerability, counting 12 and 11 consecutive years, respectively. We tested our framework’s effectiveness against the Excessive Deficit Procedure. We found that the overall performance is good: V-L-D assessed moderate fiscal vulnerability during the procedure, strong fiscal vulnerability in the first year when procedure was initiated, and extreme vulnerability one year before the initiation.
The Effect of Cyanobacterial LPS Antagonist (CyP) on Cytokines and Micro-RNA Expression Induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis LPS
Authors: Molteni Monica , Bosi Annalisa , Rossetti Carlo
Published: July 2018

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg-LPS) is a key bacterial structure involved in the maintenance of a chronic pro-inflammatory environment during periodontitis. Similar to other gram-negative LPS, Pg-LPS induces the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines through interaction with Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4) and is able to stimulate negative TLR4 regulatory pathways, such as those involving microRNA (miRNA). In this work, we employed CyP, an LPS with TLR4-MD2 antagonist activity obtained from the cyanobacterium Oscillatoria planktothrix FP1, to study the effects on pro-inflammatory cytokine production and miRNA expression in human monocytic THP-1 cells stimulated with Pg-LPS or E. coli LPS (Ec-LPS). Results showed that CyP inhibited TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-8 expression more efficiently when co-incubated with Pg-LPS rather than with Ec-LPS. The inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine production was maintained even when CyP was added 2 h after LPS. The analysis of the effects of CyP on miRNA expression showed that, although being an antagonist, CyP did not inhibit miR-146a induced by Pg-LPS or Ec-LPS, whereas it significantly inhibited miR-155 only in the cultures stimulated with Ec-LPS. These results suggest that CyP may modulate the pro-inflammatory response induced by Pg-LPS, not only by blocking TLR4-MD2 complex, but also by preserving miR-146a expression.
Milk Production and Sanitary Risk along the Food Chain in Five Cities in Burkina Faso
Authors: Cissé Hama , Sawadogo Adama , Kagambèga Boureima , Zongo Cheikna , Traoré Yves , Savadogo Aly
Published: July 2018

Livestock is the third largest currency provider in Burkina Faso after gold and cotton. The objective of this study was to assess the socio-economic characteristics of actors, level of production and sanitary risks along the food chain of local fermented milk. A literature search and an investigation were conducted. Sphinx Plus2-V5 software was used for data processing and analysis. Results obtained show that milk processing is essentially a female activity and Fulani is the most active tribe in the milk sector. The curdling is done mainly using a curdled whey. Nutritional characteristics of fermented milk depend on the milk used, the milking conditions, the technology used, and a good curd must have a pleasant smell with a sweet and sour taste. The precariousness of milking, the lack of training in hygiene, the ignorance of the rules of hygiene, the state of environment of processing/sale, the strong use of antibiotics, the negligence of campaigns of vaccinations, and the non-compliance with the waiting period generate significant sanitary risks for consumers and animals. Livestock is the mainstay of the white revolution in Burkina Faso and contributes to food and socio-economic security.
Effective Evaluation of Infiltration and Storage Measures in Sponge City Construction: A Case Study of Fenghuang City
Authors: Zhou Jinjun , Liu Jiahong , Shao Weiwei , Yu Yingdong , Zhang Kun , Wang Ying , Mei Chao
Published: July 2018

In recent years, urban waterlogging problems have become more and more serious, which has led to flood disasters in some cities. The Chinese government launched the sponge city pilot construction in 2015 to mitigate the risk of urban flooding and control the runoff in source areas. Rain-runoff control is one of the main indices of a sponge city, thus, evaluating its control effect is essential for sponge city construction. This paper chose Fenghuang city, located in the west of Hunan province, as a case study area to assess the rainwater control effect by using the MIKE FLOOD model. The results showed that: (1) the total annual runoff control rate (TARCR) of sponge city design was a reasonable indicator for daily rainwater control; (2) the goal of Fenghuang Sponge City was close to the 1-year rainfall event; and (3) infiltration and storage measures could reduce but not eliminate urban waterlogging. The capacity of the drainage system should be fundamentally improved to enhance the prevention standards of urban waterlogging.