bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Formulation and Characterisation of a Combination Captopril and Hydrochlorothiazide Microparticulate Dosage Form
Authors: Chikukwa Mellisa T. R. , Walker Roderick B. , Khamanga Sandile M. M.
Published: July 2020

Cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and cardiac failure in South African children and adolescents are effectively managed long term, using a combination treatment of captopril and hydrochlorothiazide. The majority of commercially available pharmaceutical products are designed for adult patients and require extemporaneous manipulation, prior to administration to paediatric patients. There is a need to develop an age appropriate microparticulate dosing technology that is easy to swallow, dose and alter doses whilst overcoming the pharmacokinetic challenges of short half-life and biphasic pharmacokinetic disposition exhibited by hydrochlorothiazide and captopril. An emulsion solvent evaporation approach using different combinations of polymers was used to manufacture captopril and hydrochlorothiazide microparticles. Design of experiments was used to develop and analyse experimental data, and identifyoptimum formulation and process conditions for the preparation of the microparticles. Characterisation studies to establish encapsulation efficiency, in vitro release, shape, size and morphology of the microparticles were undertaken. The microparticles produced were in the micrometre size range, with an encapsulation efficiency >75% for both hydrochlorothiazide and captopril. The microparticulate technology is able to offer potential resolution to the half-life mediated dosing frequency of captopril as sustained release of the molecule was observed over a 12-h period. The release of hydrochlorothiazide of >80% suggests an improvement in solubility limited dissolution.
Transcriptome Response of Metallicolous and a Non-Metallicolous Ecotypes of Noccaea goesingensis to Nickel Excess
Authors: Domka Agnieszka , Rozpądek Piotr , Ważny Rafał , Jędrzejczyk Roman Jan , Hubalewska-Mazgaj Magdalena , Gonnelli Cristina , Benny Jubina , Martinelli Federico , Puschenreiter Markus , Turnau Katarzyna
Published: July 2020

Root transcriptomic profile was comparatively studied in a serpentine (TM) and a non-metallicolous (NTM) population of Noccaea goesingensis in order to investigate possible features of Ni hyperaccumulation. Both populations were characterised by contrasting Ni tolerance and accumulation capacity. The growth of the TM population was unaffected by metal excess, while the shoot biomass production in the NTM population was significantly lower in the presence of Ni in the culture medium. Nickel concentration was nearly six- and two-fold higher in the shoots than in the roots of the TM and NTM population, respectively. The comparison of root transcriptomes using the RNA-seq method indicated distinct responses to Ni treatment between tested ecotypes. Among differentially expressed genes, the expression of IRT1 and IRT2, encoding metal transporters, was upregulated in the TM population and downregulated/unchanged in the NTM ecotype. Furthermore, differences were observed among ethylene metabolism and response related genes. In the TM population, the expression of genes including ACS7, ACO5, ERF104 and ERF105 was upregulated, while in the NTM population, expression of these genes remained unchanged, thus suggesting a possible regulatory role of this hormone in Ni hyperaccumulation. The present results could serve as a starting point for further studies concerning the plant mechanisms responsible for Ni tolerance and accumulation.
Classification of Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) Genotypes for Zinc Efficiency
Authors: Behera Sanjib Kumar , Shukla Arvind Kumar , Tiwari Pankaj Kumar , Tripathi Ajay , Singh Pooja , Trivedi Vivek , Patra Ashok Kumar , Das Soumitra
Published: July 2020

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) is grown globally for its protein-rich seed. However, low availability of soil zinc (Zn) adversely affects the seed yield of pigeonpea. The present study was therefore conducted to assess the Zn efficiency of pigeonpea genotypes based on seed yield and seed Zn uptake efficiency. Field experiments were conducted at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research–Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal, India with twenty different pigeonpea genotypes and two levels of Zn application under a split-plot design. The two levels of Zn were low (without application of Zn fertilizer) and high (with application of 20 kg Zn ha−1 (as ZnSO4∙7H2O) as basal soil application, in conjunction with three foliar sprays of 0.50% (w/v) ZnSO4∙7H2O aqueous solution) (with 0.25% lime as neutralizing agent) at flowering, pod formation, and pod filling stages). Application of Zn improved plant height, branches plant−1, pods plant−1, seeds pod−1, and 100 seed weight of pigeonpea genotypes differently. The mean seed yield, seed Zn concentration, and seed Zn uptake of the genotypes increased from 1.71 to 2.12 t ha−1, 32.4 to 43.0 mg kg−1, and 54.9 to 90.6 g ha−1, respectively, with application of Zn. The seed yield efficiency index (SYEI) and Zn uptake efficiency index (ZUEI) of pigeonpea genotypes varied from 67.0 to 92.5 and from 47.0 to 69.9, respectively. Based on SYEI and ZUEI, the genotypes were classified as efficient and responsive (Virsa Arhar-1, GT-1, GT-101, SKNP 05-05, BDN-2, AAUT 2007-04, BSMR 853, T 15-15, DT 23, Pusa 9), efficient and non-responsive (ICPL 87119, PKV Trombay), inefficient and responsive (AKT 8811, Hisar Paras), and inefficient and non-responsive (AAUT 2007-10, JKM 7, Hisar Manak, C 11, Hisar HO2-60, GAUT 93-17). The efficient and responsive genotypes are the most useful as they yield well under low soil Zn conditions and also respond to Zn fertilizer application. The inefficient and responsive genotypes could be utilized for plant breeding programs by plant breeders for identification and utilization of responsive traits.
Influence of Cathodic Water Invigoration on the Emergence and Subsequent Growth of Controlled Deteriorated Pea and Pumpkin Seeds
Authors: Fatokun Kayode , Beckett Richard P. , Varghese Boby , Cloete Jacques , Pammenter Norman W.
Published: July 2020

The quality of seeds in gene banks gradually deteriorates during long-term storage, which is probably, at least in part, a result of the progressive development of oxidative stress. Here, we report a greenhouse study that was carried out to test whether a novel approach of seed invigoration using priming with cathodic water (cathodic portion of an electrolysed calcium magnesium solution) could improve seedling emergence and growth in two deteriorated crop seeds. Fresh seeds of Pisum sativum and Cucurbita pepo were subjected to controlled deterioration to 50% viability at 14% seed moisture content (fresh weight basis), 40 °C and 100% relative humidity. The deteriorated seeds were thereafter primed with cathodic water, calcium magnesium solution and deionized water. In addition, to study the mechanism of the impacts of invigoration, the effects of such priming on the lipid peroxidation products malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and on the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase were also determined in the fresh and deteriorated seeds. All priming treatments improved seed emergence parameters, subsequent seedling photosynthesis and growth relative to the unprimed seeds. In general, cathodic water was most effective at invigorating deteriorated seeds. Analysis of the lipid peroxidation products and antioxidant enzyme activities in invigorated seeds provided support for the hypothesis that the effectiveness of cathodic water in invigoration of debilitated orthodox seeds in general and of pea and pumpkin seeds in particular derive from its ability to act as an antioxidant.
First Steps in the Successful Fertilization of Rice and Arabidopsis: Pollen Longevity, Adhesion and Hydration
Authors: Moon Sunok , Jung Ki-Hong
Published: July 2020

Understanding the behavior of pollen during pollination is important for food security in the future. The elucidation of pollen development and growth regulation largely relies on the study of the dicotyledonous model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. However, rice (Oryza sativa) pollen exhibits different characteristics to that of Arabidopsis. The latter undergoes programmed dehydration and withstands adverse environmental conditions, whereas rice pollen is sensitive to desiccation. Moreover, the short longevity of rice pollen significantly hampers hybrid seed production. Although the “omics” data for mature rice pollen have been accumulated, few genes that control pollination and pollen hydration have been identified. Therefore, to facilitate future studies, it is necessary to summarize the developmental processes involved in pollen production in rice and to consolidate the underlying mechanisms discovered in previous studies. In this review, we describe the pollen developmental processes and introduce gametophytic mutants, which form defective pollen in Arabidopsis and rice. In addition, we discuss the perspectives on the research on pollen longevity, adhesion and hydration.
Enhanced Biodegradation/Photodegradation of Organophosphorus Fire Retardant Using an Integrated Method of Modified Pharmacophore Model with Molecular Dynamics and Polarizable Continuum Model
Authors: Yang Jiawen , Li Qing , Li Yu
Published: July 2020

A comprehensive 3D-quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) pharmacophore model was constructed using the values of comprehensive biodegradation/photodegradation effects of 17 organophosphorus flame retardants (OPFRs) evaluated by a normalization method to modify OPFRs with high biodegradation/photodegradation, taking tris(chloro-isopropyl) phosphate (TCPP), tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) and tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP)—which occur frequently in the environment, and are the most difficult to degrade as target molecules. OPFR-derivative molecules TCPP–OH shows the highest improvement in biodegradation and photodegradation (55.48% and 46.37%, respectively). On simulating the biodegradation path and photodegradation path, it is found that the energy barrier of TCPP–OH for phosphate bond cleavage is reduced by 15.73% and 52.52% compared to TCPP after modification, respectively. Finally, in order to further significantly improve its biodegradability and photodegradation, the efficiency enhancement in the biodegradation and photodegradation of TCPP–OH are analyzed under the simulated environment by molecular dynamics and polarizable continuum model, respectively. The results of molecular dynamics show that the biodegradation efficiency of the TCPP–OH increased by 75.52% compared to TCPP. The UV spectral transition energy (4.07 eV) of TCPP–OH under the influence of hydrogen peroxide solvation effect is 44.23% lower than the actual transition energy (7.29 eV) of TCPP.
Effect of Iignocellulosic Nanoparticles Extracted from Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis) on the Structural, Thermal, Optical and Barrier Properties of Mechanically Recycled Poly(lactic acid)
Authors: Beltrán Freddys R. , Arrieta Marina P. , Gaspar Gerald , de la Orden María U. , Martínez Urreaga Joaquín
Published: July 2020

In this work, yerba mate nanoparticles (YMNs) were extracted from Ilex paraguairiencis yerba mate wastes and further used to improve the overall performance of mechanically recycled PLA (PLAR). Recycled PLA was obtained by melt reprocessing PLA subjected to an accelerated ageing process, which involved photochemical, thermal and hydrothermal ageing steps, as well as a final demanding washing step. YMNs (1 and 3 wt. %) were added to the PLAR during the melt reprocessing step and further processed into films. The main goal of the development of PLAR-YMNs bionanocomposites was to increase the barrier properties of recycled PLA, while showing good overall performance for food packaging applications. Thus, optical, structural, thermal, mechanical and barrier properties were evaluated. The incorporation of YMNs led to transparent greenish PLAR-based films with an effective blockage of harmful UV radiation. From the backbone FTIR stretching region (bands at 955 and 920 cm−1), it seems that YMNs favor the formation of crystalline domains acting as nucleating agents for PLAR. The morphological investigations revealed the good dispersion of YMNs in PLAR when they are used in the lowest amount of 1 wt. %, leading to bionanocomposites with improved mechanical performance. Although the addition of high hydrophilic YMNs increased the water vapor transmission, the addition of 1 wt. % of YMNs enhanced the oxygen barrier performance of the produced bionanocomposite films. These results show that the synergistic revalorization of post-consumer PLA and nanoparticles obtained from agri-food waste is a potential way for the production of promising packaging materials that meet with the principles of the circular economy.
Effect of the Fiber Treatment on the Stiffness of Date Palm Fiber Reinforced PP Composites: Macro and Micromechanical Evaluation of the Young’s Modulus
Authors: Chihaoui Belgacem , Serra-Parareda Ferran , Tarrés Quim , Espinach Francesc Xavier , Boufi Sami , Delgado-Aguilar Marc
Published: July 2020

The present work aims at determining the potential of date palm wastes to be applied as reinforcement in polypropylene. For this, fibers were separated from the raw biomass via mechanical defibration in Sprout Waldron equipment. Then, three different treatment strategies were adopted on the fibers, being (i) mechanical, (ii) chemical with NaOH, and (iii) enzymatical with xylanases and pectinases. Fibers were characterized in terms of chemical composition, morphology and SEM. Additionally, PP was reinforced with date palm fibers and the composites’ stiffness was evaluated. The analysis was performed from a macro and micro mechanical viewpoint. The incorporation of 40 and 60 wt.% of DPF-E enhanced the Young’s modulus of PP by 205 and 308%, respectively. The potential of enzymatically treated fibers to replace glass fibers in composites was studied, exhibiting similar stiffening abilities at 60 wt.% of date palm fiber (6.48 GPa) and 40% of glass fibers (6.85 GPa). The intrinsic Young’s modulus of the fibers was set at values around 16, 20 and 24 GPa for mechanical, chemical and enzymatic fibers. From the micromechanical analysis, the efficiency of the reinforcement as well as the contribution of the length and orientation to the Young’s modulus of the composite was evaluated.
Utilization of Noxious Weed Water Hyacinth Biomass as a Potential Feedstock for Biopolymers Production: A Novel Approach
Authors: Saratale Rijuta Ganesh , Cho Si-Kyung , Ghodake Gajanan S. , Shin Han-Seung , Saratale Ganesh Dattatraya , Park Yooheon , Lee Hee-Seok , Bharagava Ram Naresh , Kim Dong-Su
Published: July 2020

This study aims to utilize a noxious weed water hyacinth biomass (WH) for polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) production. Alkaline and peracetic acid pretreatment was employed for the hydrolysis of WH and consequently enzymatic saccharification to produce fermentable sugars for PHB production. The pretreatment competence was determined using various operational parameters. By applying ambient conditions, alkaline pretreatment gave higher lignin removal of 65.0%, with 80.8% hydrolysis yield, and on enzyme hydrolysis (40 FPU/g of dry WH), produced total reducing sugar of about 523 mg/g of WH. The resulted WH enzymatic hydolysates were evaluated for the production of PHB by Ralstonia eutropha (ATCC 17699). The WH hydrolysates cultivation was compared to synthetic hydrolysates that contain a similar carbon composition in terms of bacterial growth and PHB synthesis. The effects of various supplements to enhance PHB production were estimated. Supplementation of corn steep liquor (CSL) as a cheap nitrogen source with WH hydrolysates favored a higher amount of PHB synthesis (73%), PHB titer of 7.30 g/L and PHB yield of 0.429 g/g of reducing sugar. Finally, using standard analytical tools, the physical and thermal characteristics of the extracted PHB were evaluated. The findings revealed WH was a promising and technically feasible option for transforming biomass into sustainable biopolymer conversion on a large scale.
Thermally Reversible Polymeric Networks from Vegetable Oils
Authors: Yuliati Frita , Hong Jennifer , Indriadi Keshia S. , Picchioni Francesco , Bose Ranjita K.
Published: July 2020

Low cross-link density thermally reversible networks were successfully synthesized from jatropha and sunflower oils. The oils were epoxidized and subsequently reacted with furfurylamine to attach furan groups onto the triglycerides, preferably at the epoxide sites rather than at the ester ones. Under the same reaction conditions, the modified jatropha oil retained the triglyceride structure more efficiently than its sunflower-based counterpart, i.e., the ester aminolysis reaction was less relevant for the jatropha oil. These furan-modified oils were then reacted with mixtures of aliphatic and aromatic bismaleimides, viz. 1,12-bismaleimido dodecane and 1,1′-(methylenedi-4,1-phenylene)bismaleimide, resulting in a series of polymers with Tg ranging between 3.6 and 19.8 °C. Changes in the chemical structure and mechanical properties during recurrent thermal cycles suggested that the Diels–Alder and retro-Diels–Alder reactions occurred. However, the reversibility was reduced over the thermal cycles due to several possible causes. There are indications that the maleimide groups were homopolymerized and the Diels–Alder adducts were aromatized, leading to irreversibly cross-linked polymers. Two of the polymers were successfully applied as adhesives without modifications. This result demonstrates one of the potential applications of these polymers.
Ultrathin Electrolyte Membranes with PFSA-Vinylon Intermediate Layers for PEM Fuel Cells
Authors: KIM Jedeok , Yamasaki Kazuya , Ishimoto Hitoshi , Takata Yusuke
Published: August 2020

We prepared ultrathin PFSA/PFSA-vinylon/PFSA laminated electrolyte membranes (thickness = 10 μm) for fuel cells without using a reinforcing material. Nafion and Aquivion solutions were used as PFSA polymers. Vinylon was synthesized by formalizing polyvinyl alcohol. From the current-voltage measurements using ultrathin PFSA/PFSA-vinylon/PFSA membranes; the cell resistances are significantly lower than that using a 50 μm Nafion membrane. A high current density was obtained under both low- and high-humidity conditions. Ultrathin PFSA/PFSA-vinylon/PFSA laminated membranes will help to further improve the performance of PEMFCs.
Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Sequential Structure and Crystallization Properties for Hydrophilic Modified Polyester
Authors: Sun Lina , Huang Liqian , Wang Xueli , Hu Hongmei , Guo Juanzi , Zhu Ruishu , He Shuang
Published: August 2020

The hydrophilic copolyester polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (ENCDP-X) was successfully synthesized by chemical modification consisting of copolymerization and blending and the comonomers, including sodium isophthalate-5-sulfonate (SIPE), polyethylene glycol (PEG), 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol (NPG) and matting agent TiO2 with different content. Moreover, the structural characterization of sequential structure, crystallization and thermal properties were studied. The results showed that the comonomers were successfully embedded in the copolyester, the actual molar ratio in the copolyester was consistent with the relative feed ratio and the degree of randomness was calculated to be 0.99, showing that the random copolymers synthesized during the melt polycondensation process and the chemical structure was roughly consistent with the expected molecular chain sequence structure. The thermal parameters of the modified copolyester, containing the glass transition temperature (Tg), melting point (Tm), crystallinity (Xc) and thermal degradation temperature, were decreased, and the cold crystallization temperature (Tc) was increased. In addition, with the increasing of the TiO2 content, it improves the thermal performance of the copolyester and it is beneficial to processing and application. The above conclusion is further verified by non-isothermal kinetic analysis. In addition, the copolyester exhibited the better hydrophilicity than pure PET.
Moving beyond Discontinuity in Religious Conversion in Africa: A Preface to the Special Issue
Authors: Bruner Jason , Hurlbut David Dmitri
Published: August 2020

This Special Issue emerged through a conversation about how to foster new lines of analysis with respect to religious, cultural, and social change on the African continent [...]
Deep Local Volatility
Authors: Chataigner Marc , Crépey Stéphane , Dixon Matthew
Published: August 2020

Deep learning for option pricing has emerged as a novel methodology for fast computations with applications in calibration and computation of Greeks. However, many of these approaches do not enforce any no-arbitrage conditions, and the subsequent local volatility surface is never considered. In this article, we develop a deep learning approach for interpolation of European vanilla option prices which jointly yields the full surface of local volatilities. We demonstrate the modification of the loss function or the feed forward network architecture to enforce (hard constraints approach) or favor (soft constraints approach) the no-arbitrage conditions and we specify the experimental design parameters that are needed for adequate performance. A novel component is the use of the Dupire formula to enforce bounds on the local volatility associated with option prices, during the network fitting. Our methodology is benchmarked numerically on real datasets of DAX vanilla options.
Retrieval of Vertical Foliage Profile and Leaf Area Index Using Transmitted Energy Information Derived from ICESat GLAS Data
Authors: Cui Lei , Jiao Ziti , Zhao Kaiguang , Sun Mei , Dong Yadong , Yin Siyang , Li Yang , Chang Yaxuan , Guo Jing , Xie Rui , Zhu Zidong , Li Sijie
Published: August 2020

The vertical foliage profile (VFP) and leaf area index (LAI) are critical descriptors in terrestrial ecosystem modeling. Although light detection and ranging (lidar) observations have been proven to have potential for deriving the VFP and LAI, existing methods depend only on the received waveform information and are sensitive to additional input parameters, such as the ratio of canopy to ground reflectance. In this study, we proposed a new method for retrieving forest VFP and LAI from Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) data over two sites similar in their biophysical parameters. Our method utilized the information from not only the interaction between the laser and the forest but also the sensor configuration, which brought the benefit that our method was free from an empirical input parameter. Specifically, we first derived the transmitted energy profile (TEP) through the lidar 1-D radiative transfer model. Then, the obtained TEP was utilized to calculate the vertical gap distribution. Finally, the vertical gap distribution was taken as input to derive the VFP based on the Beer–Lambert law, and the LAI was calculated by integrating the VFP. Extensive validations of our method were carried out based on the discrete anisotropic radiative transfer (DART) simulation data, ground-based measurements, and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) LAI product. The validation based on the DART simulation data showed that our method could effectively characterize the VFP and LAI under various canopy architecture scenarios, including homogeneous turbid and discrete individual-tree scenes. The ground-based validation also proved the feasibility of our method: the VFP retrieved from the GLAS data showed a similar trend with the foliage distribution density in the GLAS footprints; the GLAS LAI had a high correlation with the field measurements, with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.79, root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.49, and bias of 0.17. Once the outliers caused by low data quality and large slope were identified and removed, the accuracy was further improved, with R2 = 0.85, RMSE = 0.35, and bias = 0.10. However, the MODIS LAI product did not present a good relationship with the GLAS LAI. Relative to the GLAS LAI, the MODIS LAI showed an overestimation in the low and middle ranges of the LAI and a saturation at high values of approximately LAI = 5.5. Overall, this method has the potential to produce continental- and global-scale VFP and LAI datasets from the spaceborne lidar system.
Increasing Historical Tropical Cyclone-Induced Extreme Wave Heights in the Northern East China Sea during 1979 to 2018
Authors: Li Shuiqing , Jiang Haoyu , Hou Yijun , Wang Ning , Lu Jiuyou
Published: August 2020

Tropical cyclone (TC)-induced wind waves are a major concern in coastal safety, therefore quantifying the long-term change in extreme TC waves is critical for the design of coastal infrastructures and for understanding variations in coastal morphology. In this study, a trend analysis is performed on the TC-induced extreme wave heights in the northern East China Sea using numerically simulated wave height data during the period of 1979 to 2018. The simulation was forced with historical TC winds constructed using a parametric TC wind model with satellite-observed TC best-track data as the input. The results show consistently increasing extreme wave heights throughout the study region, which are induced predominantly by the increasing TC intensity. The increase rates (0.01–0.08 m yr−1) are relatively large (small) in offshore (nearshore) waters and at relatively high (low) latitudes. The spatial variability of the wave height trend is highly sensitive to the type of TC track. An analytical model of extreme wave height trend is developed that can efficiently estimate the rate of change in the extreme wave heights using extreme wind speed information.
GIS-Based Machine Learning Algorithms for Gully Erosion Susceptibility Mapping in a Semi-Arid Region of Iran
Authors: Lei Xinxiang , Chen Wei , Avand Mohammadtaghi , Janizadeh Saeid , Kariminejad Narges , Shahabi Hejar , Costache Romulus , Shahabi Himan , Shirzadi Ataollah , Mosavi Amir
Published: August 2020

In the present study, gully erosion susceptibility was evaluated for the area of the Robat Turk Watershed in Iran. The assessment of gully erosion susceptibility was performed using four state-of-the-art data mining techniques: random forest (RF), credal decision trees (CDTree), kernel logistic regression (KLR), and best-first decision tree (BFTree). To the best of our knowledge, the KLR and CDTree algorithms have been rarely applied to gully erosion modeling. In the first step, from the 242 gully erosion locations that were identified, 70% (170 gullies) were selected as the training dataset, and the other 30% (72 gullies) were considered for the result validation process. In the next step, twelve gully erosion conditioning factors, including topographic, geomorphological, environmental, and hydrologic factors, were selected to estimate gully erosion susceptibility. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to estimate the performance of the models. The results revealed that the RF model had the best performance (AUC = 0.893), followed by the KLR (AUC = 0.825), the CDTree (AUC = 0.808), and the BFTree (AUC = 0.789) models. Overall, the RF model performed significantly better than the others, which may support the application of this method to a transferable susceptibility model in other areas. Therefore, we suggest using the RF, KLR, and CDT models for gully erosion susceptibility mapping in other prone areas to assess their reproducibility.
Automatic Mapping of Landslides by the ResU-Net
Authors: Qi Wenwen , Wei Mengfei , Yang Wentao , Xu Chong , Ma Chao
Published: August 2020

Massive landslides over large regions can be triggered by heavy rainfalls or major seismic events. Mapping regional landslides quickly is important for disaster mitigation. In recent years, deep learning methods have been successfully applied in many fields, including landslide automatic identification. In this work, we proposed a deep learning approach, the ResU-Net, to map regional landslides automatically. This method and a baseline model (U-Net) were collectively tested in Tianshui city, Gansu province, where a heavy rainfall triggered more than 10,000 landslides in July 2013. All models were performed on a 3-band (near infrared, red, and green) GeoEye-1 image with a spatial resolution of 0.5 m. At such a fine spatial resolution, the study area is spatially heterogeneous. The tested study area is 128 km2, 80% of which was used to train models and the remaining 20% was used to validate accuracy of the models. This proposed ResU-Net achieved higher accuracy than the baseline U-Net model in this mountain region, where F1 improved by 0.09. Compared with the U-Net model, this proposed model (ResU-Net) performs better in discriminating landslides from bare floodplains along river valleys and unplanted terraces. By incorporating environmental information, this ResU-Net may also be applied to other landslide mapping, such as landslide susceptibility and hazard assessment.
Validation of a Rapid GC-MS Procedure for Quantitative Distinction between 3-O-Methyl- and 4-O-Methyl-Hexoses and Its Application to a Complex Carbohydrate Sample
Authors: Pfeifer Lukas , Classen Birgit
Published: August 2020

Methylation of one hydroxyl group of monosaccharides occurs in some bacteria, fungi, worms, molluscs, and also in plants. Although knowledge on the exact functions of this process is missing, methylation is an option to modulate glycan structures thereby leading to new biological activities. In plants, methylated monosaccharides are often present in minor amounts and, therefore, overseen in analytical investigations. A special difficulty is the distinction between 3-O-methyl- and 4-O-methyl-hexoses, due to similar fragmentation patterns of methylated alditol acetates in gas-chromatography with mass spectrometric detection and, in the case of galactose, identical retention times due to symmetry. We, therefore, developed and validated an easy method for the quantitative distinction between 3-O-methyl- and 4-O-methyl-hexoses and showed its functionality by quantification of 3-O-methyl galactose in a high molecular weight polysaccharide mixture from the charophyte Spirogyra. A systematic search for methylated monosaccharides in different plant lineages may offer new insights in plant cell wall evolution.
Smart Facility Management: Future Healthcare Organization through Indoor Positioning Systems in the Light of Enterprise BIM
Authors: Evjen Tor Åsmund , Hosseini Raviz Seyed Reza , Petersen Sobah Abbas , Krogstie John
Published: August 2020

Synthesizing the Internet of Things (IoT) with building information modeling (BIM) can improve the performance of the data collection. In this regard, BIM endeavors to enable real-time monitoring conditions of buildings. This paper is focused on the indoor positioning system (IPS) as a key enabling technology for IoT applications, which uses smart and non-smart mobile devices (object tags and beacons) with the aim of positioning and objects tracking that lead to a smart approach in the field of facility management (FM). Hence, we have surveyed the joint use of IPS and BIM in FM based on the concept of enterprise BIM (EBIM). EBIM forms the basis for the future strategic real estate management using virtual models and open standards. As a result, we gained the ability to collect positioning data continuously, save them in a BIM database, and present them on two-dimensional (2D) maps. This is a part of an ongoing study that aims to use data collection effectively for FM as an organizational function in large and complex buildings. Hence, for this purpose, we have considered St. Olavs Hospital, one of the biggest healthcare centers in Norway, as a case study. The effectiveness of data collection by IoT devices installed in buildings and how the combination of BIM and IoT technology can support a holistic view of the status of the buildings, which subsequently can enhance data usage efficiency and FM development, will be demonstrated.
The Impact of Drainage on the Performance of Low Volume Sealed Roads
Authors: Otto Andrew , Rolt John , Mukura Kenneth
Published: July 2020

Under the Research for Community Access Partnership (ReCAP) funded by the United Kingdom Aid (UKaid) program, a project entitled ‘Development of Specifications for Low Volume Sealed Roads through Back Analysis’ was carried out. Previous studies on the performance of low volume sealed roads have emphasized the importance of good drainage to ensure good performance. The emphasis has been on providing sealed shoulders, adequate crown height, and adequate camber. These studies have not related these cross-sectional features with materials characteristics. This paper investigates the influence of each of these features on the performance of low volume sealed roads and their relation to pavement materials. The features were considered each one at time, using a matrix of three levels of the value of each feature and three levels of performance categories. Thus, presenting a 3 × 3 performance matrix for each factor. Assessment of the matrices showed that provision of sealed shoulders permits the use of materials of higher plasticity (PI ≤ 16 and PM ≤ 560) without compromising performance compared to that permissible for sections with unsealed shoulders (PI ≤ 10 and PM ≤ 240). These results can be used to supplement existing selection criteria for road base material of low volume roads.
Bartenders and Customers’ Interactions. Influence on Sexual Assaults in Nightlife
Authors: Duque Elena , Rodríguez-Conde Javier , Puigvert Lídia , Peña-Axt Juan C.
Published: July 2020

Nightlife establishments are meeting points for what the scientific literature has called “hookups” or “one-night stands”—that is, uncommitted sexual relationships that can sometimes result in unwanted or even violent experiences. The scientific literature has identified that sexual assault has usually been connected with alcohol abuse. Other studies have found that nightlife staff can be an active or passive party to violent events (sexual or otherwise), especially bouncers. However, less attention has been paid to bartenders, and their involvement in such events has not been analyzed in depth. This article presents an exploration of how some male bartenders interact with some male customers in the nightlife context to promote sexual relationships and how their interactions might influence possible sexual assault situations. The results of this study shed light on and help us to understand why sexual assault occurs in these spaces.
Trade Credit Management Strategies in SMEs and the COVID-19 Pandemic—A Case of Poland
Authors: Zimon Grzegorz , Dankiewicz Robert
Published: July 2020

Every large or small enterprise needs to have financial liquidity and to be able to generate profits to develop. It is not important in which sector it operates, whether it is a private or public one, but profits and safety are two elements every enterprise is not able to function without. The low performance of these two measures can cause a number of difficulties for managers. To avoid this, leading companies, especially the smallest ones, should optimize the trade credit management policy. Most often, SMEs’ (small and medium-sized enterprises) owners try to work together as part of a group purchasing organization, which positively affects trade credit management. The aim of the paper is to present the trade credit management strategy in Polish group purchasing organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study uses data on the construction sector because it is one of the most important segments of the Polish economy, which is financed to a large extent with trade credit. The paper indicates the mechanisms whose applications allowed SMEs operating in purchasing groups to change trade credit management strategies in such a way that these units could operate calmly and safely in the market. These changes could be observed in purchasing goods with a large reserve, strictly controlling all receivables, switching to cash sales or limiting sales on long-term trade credit. The analysis showed that enterprises changed trade credit management strategies from moderately conservative to highly conservative.
New Extensions and Applications of the Modified Chumanov Model for Calculating Entry Capacity of Single-Lane Roundabouts
Authors: Pompigna Andrea , Guerrieri Marco , Mauro Raffaele
Published: July 2020

Over the past decades many models for roundabout capacity have been proposed. Attention to this research sector has never stopped and still today new formulations are always being studied, especially in view of their direct application in design practice. This paper reports the first noteworthy results of a research concerning the Modified Chumanov (MC) model, which can be used to estimate the capacity of single-lane roundabout entrances. After a detailed examination of the original model recommended by the Russian guidelines for small urban roundabouts, the paper proposes some extensions which allow using the revised model even for larger intersections. The MC model also includes some parameterizations that allow its application with different road pavement surface conditions (i.e., dry and wet conditions). The MC entry capacity model, as function of circulating flow and other parameters dependent on geometry and environmental conditions, was compared with 15 widespread models considering a typical medium-sized single-lane roundabout. A validation test was carried out considering four capacity–circulating flow datasets from the literature. The proposed MC model showed good flexibility in adapting to data. This flexibility appears better than the most recent models by Highway Capacity Manual, in the absence of local calibration of the psychotechnical parameters.
Preferences and Consumption of Pigeon Peas among Rural Households as Determinants for Developing Diversified Products for Sustainable Health
Authors: Majili Zahra Saidi , Nyaruhucha Cornelio , Kulwa Kissa , Mutabazi Khamaldin , Rybak Constance , Sieber Stefan
Published: July 2020

Pigeon peas are legumes with a high nutritional value. Existing studies of pigeon peas in Tanzania mainly examine production and marketing, but little has been documented with respect to consumer preferences and the consumption of pigeon peas. This study assesses the preferences surrounding pigeon peas and their consumption as bases for the development of diversified and shelf-stable products for nutrition and income improvement. This study comprised 303 randomly selected farming households. Furthermore, 60 farmers participated in six focus group discussions in the Lindi region. A structured questionnaire and a checklist with guided questions were provided for data collection. The analysis uses SPSS (V.21), with differences between groups established using Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests. The associations were tested using Spearman’s ρ at p < 0.05. The mean pigeon peas consumption during the harvesting and lean seasons was 80 g/person/day and 18 g/person/day, respectively. The frequency of consumption was higher during the harvesting season (92%) than the lean (29%) season. The majority of farmers (91%) preferred to consume the local variety, with 84% of them consuming pigeon peas as stew. Five pigeon pea recipes exist in the area. The farmers identified availability, taste, source of income, and familiarity as the factors determining pigeon pea consumption and preferences. With limited recipes and other barriers limiting consumption, the creation of innovative ideas for the development of diversified and shelf-stable products fitting their consumption preferences is needed.
In-Situ Energy Dispersive X-ray Reflectivity Applied to Polyoxometalate Films: An Approach to Morphology and Interface Stability Issues in Organic Photovoltaics
Authors: Generosi Amanda , Guaragno Marco , Zhu Qirong , Proust Anna , Barrett Nicholas T. , Tortech Ludovic , Paci Barbara
Published: July 2020

Organic solar cells, characterized by a symmetrical regular layered structure, are very promising systems for developing green, low cost, and flexible solar energy conversion devices. Despite the efficiencies being appealing (over 17%), the technological transfer is still limited by the low durability. Several processes, in bulk and at interface, are responsible. The quick downgrading of the performance is due to a combination of physical and chemical degradations. These phenomena induce instability and a drop of performance in working conditions. Close monitoring of these processes is mandatory to understand the degradation pathways upon device operation. Here, an unconventional approach based on Energy Dispersive X-ray Reflectivity (ED-XRR) performed in-situ is used to address the role of Wells–Dawson polyoxometalate (K6-P2W18O62, hereafter K6-P2W18) as hole transporting layer in organic photovoltaics. The results demonstrate that K6-P2W18 thin films, showing ideal bulk and interface properties and superior optical/morphological stability upon prolonged illumination, are attractive candidates for the interface of durable OPV devices.
Research and Application of Filtering Grid Scale in Detached Eddy Simulation Model
Authors: Dong Liang , Guo Chao , Wang Ying , Liu Houlin , Dai Cui
Published: July 2020

The existing definition method of filter grid scale in a Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) hybrid model is unreasonable, which will lead to the unreasonable trigger of a boundary layer large eddy simulation and reduce computational efficiency. In view of this problem, the filter grid scale is discussed in this paper. The 90° square curved elbow is selected as the research object. The effects of three grid definition methods: geometric mean (ΔGM), arithmetic mean (ΔAM) and quadratic mean (ΔQM) on the simulation results of the DES model are compared, and the velocity distribution of the flow cross section and the distribution of the flow pressure coefficient on the outer arc surface are compared with the experimental results of Taylor. The results show that the order of the three definition methods is ΔGM≤ΔAM≤ΔQM. Meanwhile, within 30° < polar angle(θ) < 75°, the results are closer to the experiment, and the development trends and numerical values of ΔAM and ΔQM are closer to the experiment in general. However, when θ > 60°, the value of ΔQM is slightly closer to the experimental result than ΔAM. ΔQM is more suitable for calculating the internal flow in a curved elbow than the other two methods.
Are Water User Associations Prepared for a Second-Generation Modernization? The Case of the Valencian Community (Spain)
Authors: González-Pavón César , Arviza-Valverde Jaime , Balbastre-Peralta Ibán , Carot Sierra José Miguel , Palau-Salvador Guillermo
Published: July 2020

This work focuses on the situation of the technological transition to new technologies in drip irrigation in the Valencian Community (Spain). The study covers the last decade with data from interviews to managers of Irrigation Communities in 2010 and 2018. We analyze the main technological problems in seven topics: (i) Catchment & Pumping; (ii) Storage & Regulation; (iii) Treatment & Filtering; (iv) Transport & Distribution; (v) Maneuver, Regulation & Protection; (vi) Automation; (vii) Theft and Vandalism. We also have researched the influence of the performance of the Automation system, the presence of a technician in the Irrigation Community and the use of sensors or climatic data. Results show that problems related to technological maintenance of filtering systems or automation are very common and important and they are more important in large Irrigation Communities. We have also observed that mostly large ICs are using sensors or climatic data for their irrigation schedule. We can conclude that their current situation is focused in the daily maintenance of technological problems, inherited from the first modernization processes at the beginning of 21st century. Hence, they are far away from a second stage of modernization or the smart irrigation pushed by the new advances on technology.
River Water Quality of the Selenga-Baikal Basin: Part I—Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Dissolved and Suspended Metals
Authors: Kasimov Nikolay , Shinkareva Galina , Lychagin Mikhail , Kosheleva Natalia , Chalov Sergey , Pashkina Margarita , Thorslund Josefin , Jarsjö Jerker
Published: July 2020

Lake Baikal is the largest freshwater body on Earth, once famous for its pristine conditions. However, the lake and its drainage basin with their unique ecosystems have in recent decades been subject to both climate warming above the world average and severe anthropogenic pressures from mining and agriculture. Although previous studies have targeted various hydroclimatic, geochemical, and biological conditions of the Lake Baikal basin, the heterogeneous nature and large size of the basin leave considerable knowledge gaps regarding ongoing metal contamination of the basin’s suspended sediments and waters. To address these knowledge gaps, the main objectives of this study are to (i) determine regional background values for water and suspended sediment quality with respect to multiple metals (representing undisturbed conditions) and (ii) further evaluate spatio-temporal concentration patterns of these metals, including regions with heavy anthropogenic impacts. We synthesize data from extensive field measurements within the Selenga River basin performed between 2011 and 2016, covering over 100 sampling locations. Results show that although the background metal concentrations (of both dissolved and suspended metal forms) in the alkaline Selenga River waters were close to the world averages, metal concentrations of up to two orders of magnitude above the background values were seen for Zn, As, Cd, Cu, Mo, and Pb in regions subject to anthropogenic impacts (cities and the mining industry). Specifically, dissolved As levels within the Selenga River basin were 2–5 times higher than the world average and well above the global guideline value in several regions. Notable hotspots for anthropogenic impacts of Cd were particularly found in Zakamensk and Ulaanbaatar. Our results highlight clear anthropogenic impacts and large-scale spreading of several pollutants of concern, with risks even to downstream parts including the Selenga delta and Lake Baikal. We expect that these results will aid in increasing the understanding of large-scale metal transport processes, as well as for designing relevant measures to mitigate further spreading of metals to Lake Baikal.