bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Hybrid Approach for Joint Simulation of Geometallurgical Variables with Inequality Constraint
Authors: Abildin Yerniyaz , Madani Nasser , Topal Erkan
Published: January 2019

Geometallurgical variables have a significant impact on downstream activities of mining projects. Reliable 3D spatial modelling of these variables plays an important role in mine planning and mineral processing, in which it can improve the overall viability of the mining projects. This interdisciplinary paradigm involves geology, geostatistics, mineral processing and metallurgy that creates a need for enhanced techniques of modelling. In some circumstances, the geometallurgical responses demonstrate a decent intrinsic correlation that motivates one to use co-estimation or co-simulation approaches rather than independent estimation or simulation. The latter approach allows us to reproduce that dependency characteristic in the final model. In this paper, two problems have been addressed, one is concerning the inequality constraint that might exist among geometallurgical variables, and the second is dealing with difficulty in variogram analysis. To alleviate the first problem, the variables can be converted to new variables free of inequality constraint. The second problem can also be solved by taking into account the minimum/maximum autocorrelation factors (MAF) transformation technique which allows defining a hybrid approach of joint simulation rather than conventional method of co-simulation. A case study was carried out for the total and acid soluble copper grades obtained from an oxide copper deposit. Firstly, these two geometallurgical variables are transferred to the new variables without inequality constraint and then MAF analysis is used for joint simulation and modelling. After back transformation of the results, they are compared with traditional approaches of co-simulation, for which they showed that the MAF methodology is able to reproduce the spatial correlation between the variables without loss of generality while the inequality constraint is honored. The results are then post processed to support probabilistic domaining of geometallurgical zones.
Glancing-Angle Deposition of Nanostructures on an Implant Material Surface
Authors: Ziegler Nadine , Sengstock Christina , Mai Viola , Schildhauer Thomas A. , Köller Manfred , Ludwig Alfred
Published: January 2019

Cell-compatible and antibacterial surfaces are needed for implants, which frequently have complex and rough surfaces. Bio-inspired columnar nanostructures can be grown on flat substrates; however, the application of these nanostructures on clinically relevant, complex, and rough surfaces was pending. Therefore, a titanium plasma spray (TPS) implant surface was coated with titanium nano-spikes via glancing angle magnetron sputter deposition (GLAD) at room temperature. Using GLAD, it was possible to cover the three-dimensional, highly structured macroscopic surface (including cavities, niches, clefts, and curved areas) of the TPS homogeneously with nano-spikes (TPS+), creating a cell-compatible and antibacterial surface. The adherence and spreading of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) were similar for TPS and TPS+ surfaces. However, MSC adherent to TPS+ expressed less and shorter pseudopodia. The induced osteogenic response of MSC was significantly increased in cells cultivated on TPS+ compared with TPS. In addition, Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli) adherent to the nano-spikes were partly destructed by a physico-mechanical mechanism; however, Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus) were not significantly damaged.
The Role of Nutrients in Reducing the Risk for Noncommunicable Diseases during Aging
Authors: Bruins Maaike J. , Van Dael Peter , Eggersdorfer Manfred
Published: January 2019

An increasing aging population worldwide accounts for a growing share of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) of the overall social and economic burden. Dietary and nutritional approaches are of paramount importance in the management of NCDs. As a result, nutrition programs are increasingly integrated into public health policies. At present, programs aimed at reducing the burden of NCDs have focused mostly on the excess of unhealthy nutrient intakes whereas the importance of optimizing adequate essential and semi-essential nutrient intakes and nutrient-rich diets has received less attention. Surveys indicate that nutrient intakes of the aging population are insufficient to optimally support healthy aging. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies in older adults are related to increased risk of NCDs including fatigue, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive and neuromuscular function impairments. Reviewed literature demonstrates that improving intake for certain nutrients may be important in reducing progress of NCDs such as musculoskeletal disorders, dementia, loss of vision, and cardiometabolic diseases during aging. Current knowledge concerning improving individual nutrient intakes to reduce progression of chronic disease is still emerging with varying effect sizes and levels of evidence. Most pronounced benefits of nutrients were found in participants who had low nutrient intake or status at baseline or who had increased genetic and metabolic needs for that nutrient. Authorities should implement ways to optimize essential nutrient intake as an integral part of their strategies to address NCDs.
Nutrients 2009–2019: The Present and the Future of Nutrition
Authors: Serra-Majem Lluis , Luz Fernandez Maria
Published: January 2019

As we move forward and continue to publish the most recent and prominent scientific findings in Nutritional Sciences for the next 10 years, the current editors-in-chief would like to take a look at the history of Nutrients[...]
Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, EPA and DHA: Bridging the Gap between Supply and Demand
Authors: Tocher Douglas , Betancor Monica , Sprague Matthew , Olsen Rolf , Napier Johnathan
Published: January 2019

The omega-3 (n-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic (DHA, 22:6n-3) acids, are well accepted as being essential components of a healthy, balanced diet, having beneficial effects on development and in mitigating a range of pathological conditions. However, their global supply from all the traditional sources of these nutrients is insufficient to satisfy human nutritional requirements. For two decades there has been considerable research carried out into all possible alternatives to the main sources of n-3 LC-PUFA, marine fish oil and fishmeal, driven largely by the aquaculture sector, as both the major user and provider of EPA and DHA. In the last few years these efforts have focused increasingly on the development of entirely new supplies of n-3 LC-PUFA produced de novo. Recently, this has resulted in various new sources of EPA and/or DHA that are already available or likely to available in the near future. In this short review, we briefly summaries the current gap between supply and demand of EPA and DHA for human requirements, the role of aquaculture in providing n-3 LC-PUFA to human consumers, the range of potential novel sources, and suggest how these new products could be used effectively. We conclude that all the new sources have potentially important roles to play in increasing the supply of n-3 LC-PUFA so that they are available more widely and in higher concentrations providing more options and opportunities for human consumers to obtain sufficient EPA and DHA to support more healthy, balanced diets.
Effects of β-Fructans Fiber on Bowel Function: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: De Vries Jan , Le Bourgot Cindy , Calame Wim , Respondek Frédérique
Published: January 2019

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the effects of β-fructan supplementation on bowel function in healthy volunteers and patients. The search process was based on the selection of publications listed in the Pubmed and EUPMC database until December 2017, plus two unpublished studies, to identify studies evaluating the impact of β-fructans on bowel movement and stool parameters. Forty-seven publications were selected for inclusion. Primary parameter was frequency of bowel movements, evaluated by the number of defecations per day during the study period. Secondary outcomes were stool consistency, stool dry and wet weights, and transit time. Short-chain (DP < 10) β-fructans contributed to increased stool frequency (0.36 defecation +/− 0.06 per day; p < 0.001), while no significant effect was reported with long-chain (DP ≥ 10) β-fructans (−0.03 +/− 0.11, p = 0.82). A minimal increase in stool wet weight was also statistically demonstrated with short-chain β-fructans. Moreover, the meta-analysis highlighted significant differences in stool consistency in contrast to fecal dry weight after β-fructan supplementation. This systematic review and meta-analysis indicates that short-chain β-fructan supplementation has a positive effect on bowel function by significantly increasing the frequency of bowel movements.
Consumption of a Fermented Milk Product Containing Bifidobacterium lactis CNCM I-2494 in Women Complaining of Minor Digestive Symptoms: Rapid Response Which Is Independent of Dietary Fibre Intake or Physical Activity
Authors: Marteau Philippe , Le Nevé Boris , Quinquis Laurent , Pichon Caroline , Whorwell Peter J. , Guyonnet Denis
Published: January 2019

Background. Minor digestive symptoms are common and dietary approaches such as probiotic administration or fibre and fermentable carbohydrate intake adjustments are often recommended. A Fermented Milk Product (FMP) containing Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis CNCM I-2494 and lactic acid bacteria has been shown to improve digestive symptoms after 4 weeks of consumption, but the speed of onset of this effect and its dependence on fibre intake or physical activity is unknown. To answer these questions, data from two previously published trials on FMP for minor digestive symptoms were combined. Methods. In total, 538 participants provided weekly assessments of bloating, abdominal pain/discomfort, flatulence, borborygmi/rumbling stomach from which a composite score was calculated. At baseline in one study (n = 336), dietary fibre consumption was recorded and physical activity classified as high, moderate or low. The speed of the FMP’s effect was assessed by a repeated measure analysis of variance measuring the change from baseline for the composite score of digestive symptoms. Results. FMP consumption resulted in a significant decrease in the composite score of symptoms after only 2 weeks in both studies and the pooled data at week 1 (−0.35 [−0.69, 0.00]; p = 0.05), week 2 (−0.66 [−1.04, −0.27]; p < 0.001), week 3 (−0.49 [−0.89, −0.10]; p = 0.01) and week 4 (−0.46 [−0.88, −0.04]; p = 0.03). The interactions fibre intake-by-product group, physical activity-by-product group and time-by-product group were not statistically significant. Conclusion. FMP consumption leads to a rapid improvement in symptoms which is likely to encourage adherence to this dietary intervention. This effect is independent of dietary fibre and physical activity.
Serological Survey of Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Dogs from Central Italy: An Update (2013–2017)
Authors: Ebani Valentina Virginia
Published: January 2019

Ehrlichia canis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum are tick-borne bacteria of veterinary concern. Indirect immunofluorescent assay was carried out to detect antibodies against E. canis and A. phagocytophilum in 1026 owned dogs living in Central Italy during the period 2013–2017. One hundred and eighty-six (18.12%) dogs were positive for at least one pathogen and 14 (1.36%) for both agents. More in detail, 166 (16.18%) samples were positive for E. canis and 34 (3.31%) for A. phagocytophilum. No statistically significant differences in the seroprevalence values related to gender were detected, whereas the highest rate to E. canis occurred in animals aged more than 10 years. Mean seroprevalence values for both E. canis and A. phagocytophilum detected in 2014 and 2015 were statistically higher with respect to other years. Even though dogs’ owners are informed about the risk of pet infections by tick-borne pathogens and prophylaxis against ticks is often executed, E. canis and A. phagocytophilum are still present and infect the canine population in Central Italy.
Development of A New Delivery System Based on Drug-Loadable Electrospun Nanofibers for Psoriasis Treatment
Authors: Martínez-Ortega Leticia , Mira Amalia , Fernandez-Carvajal Asia , Mateo C. Reyes , Mallavia Ricardo , Falco Alberto
Published: January 2019

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune systemic disease with an approximate incidence of 2% worldwide; it is commonly characterized by squamous lesions on the skin that present the typical pain, stinging, and bleeding associated with an inflammatory response. In this work, poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic ethyl monoester) (PMVEMA-ES) nanofibers have been designed as a delivery vehicle for three therapeutic agents with palliative properties for the symptoms of this disease (salicylic acid, methyl salicylate, and capsaicin). For such a task, the production of these nanofibers by means of the electrospinning technique has been optimized. Their morphology and size have been characterized by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). By selecting the optimal conditions to achieve the smallest and most uniform nanofibers, approximate diameters of up to 800–900 nm were obtained. It was also determined that the therapeutic agents that were used were encapsulated with high efficiency. The analysis of their stability over time by GC-MS showed no significant losses of the encapsulated compounds 15 days after their preparation, except in the case of methyl salicylate. Likewise, it was demonstrated that the therapeutic compounds that were encapsulated conserved, and even improved, their capacity to activate the transient receptor potential cation channel 1 (TRPV1) channel, which has been associated with the formation of psoriatic lesions.
Enhanced Delivery of Imatinib into Vaginal Mucosa via a New Positively Charged Nanocrystal-Loaded in Situ Hydrogel Formulation for Treatment of Cervical Cancer
Authors: Ci Li-qian , Huang Zhi-gang , Lv Feng-mei , Wang Jun , Feng Ling-lin , Sun Feng , Cao Shui-juan , Liu Zhe-peng , Liu Yu , Wei Gang , Lu Wei-yue
Published: January 2019

The present study was carried out to investigate the potential of cationic functionalization on imatinib nanocrystals to improve the mucoadhesiveness and, thus, delivery to the lesion of cervicovaginal tumors. Amino-group-functionalized imatinib nanocrystals (NC@PDA-NH2) were prepared with near-spheroid shape, nanoscale size distribution, positive zeta potential, and relatively high drug content with the aid of the polydopamine-coating technique. Efficient interaction between NC@PDA-NH2 and mucin was proven by mucin adsorption which was related to the positive zeta-potential value of NC@PDA-NH2 and the change in the size distribution on mixing of NC@PDA-NH2 and mucin. Cellular uptake, growth inhibition, and apoptosis induction in cervicovaginal cancer-related cells demonstrated the superiority of NC@PDA-NH2 over unmodified nanocrystals. For practical intravaginal administration, NC@PDA-NH2 was dispersed in Pluronic F127-based thermosensitive in situ hydrogel, which showed suitable gelation temperature and sustained-release profiles. In comparison with unmodified nanocrystals, NC@PDA-NH2 exhibited extended residence on ex vivo murine vaginal mucosa, prolonged in vivo intravaginal residence, and enhanced inhibition on the growth of murine orthotopic cervicovaginal model tumors indicated by smaller tumor size, longer median survival time, and more intratumor apoptosis with negligible mucosal toxicity. In conclusion, cationic functionalization endowed NC@PDA-NH2 significant mucoadhesiveness and, thus, good potential against cervicovaginal cancer via intravaginal administration.
Manufacture and Property of Warp-Knitted Fabrics with Polylactic Acid Multifilament
Authors: Yang Tong , Zhou Wei , Ma Pibo
Published: January 2019

This study investigates the properties of polylactic acid (PLA) multifilament and its warp-knitted fabrics. Multifilament properties were tested and compared with PET multifilament with different diameters. The 83.3 dtex PLA multifilament was used to knit the fabric, and the fabric properties before and after dyeing were studied. Results showed that the mechanical properties of PLA multifilament were comparable to those of PET. However, PLA had a higher heat shrinkage rate. The dyed PLA warp-knitted fabric has excellent color fastness. Due to the influence of temperature and dye particles during the dyeing process, the breaking strength, air permeability and moisture permeability of the fabric were decreased. On the contrary, the elongation at break, abrasion resistance, anti-pilling properties, drape and crochet value of the fabric were increased.
Some Wondrous Effects of Inner Calm, as Described and Explained in Yu Yan’s Zhouyi cantong qi fahui
Authors: Eskildsen Stephen
Published: January 2019

This essay examines what Yu Yan’s Zhouyi cantong qi fahui says about the suspension of breathing and pulse, as well as the extraordinary inner sensations and visions that accompany it. Yu Yan maintains that these things come about by simply bringing body and mind to the depths of stillness; they are not instigated through deliberate procedures such as holding of breath, visualization, incantation, gulping air, swallowing saliva, etc. Through sheer inner calm and single-minded concentration, breathing and pulse are suspended while an inner qi 氣 is generated that surges and circulates the body, bringing forth ravishing sensations and strange visions. Yu Yan explains why the inner qi and the visions come to be generated, and why one should and can disregard the visions. Yu Yan’s descriptions and explanations regarding inner calm and its wondrous effects help shed light on the Neidan (inner alchemy) methods of the major traditions of his time (especially Nanzong and Quanzhen), revealing details that tended to be obscured in abstruse metaphor or reserved for oral transmission.
Road Information Extraction from High-Resolution Remote Sensing Images Based on Road Reconstruction
Authors: Zhou Tingting , Sun Chenglin , Fu Haoyang
Published: January 2019

Traditional road extraction algorithms, which focus on improving the accuracy of road surfaces, cannot overcome the interference of shelter caused by vegetation, buildings, and shadows. In this paper, we extract the roads via road centerline extraction, road width extraction, broken centerline connection, and road reconstruction. We use a multiscale segmentation algorithm to segment the images, and feature extraction to get the initial road. The fast marching method (FMM) algorithm is employed to obtain the boundary distance field and the source distance field, and the branch backing-tracking method is used to acquire the initial centerline. Road width of each initial centerline is calculated by combining the boundary distance fields, before a tensor field is applied for connecting the broken centerline to gain the final centerline. The final centerline is matched with its road width when the final road is reconstructed. Three experimental results show that the proposed method improves the accuracy of the centerline and solves the problem of broken centerline, and that the method reconstructing the roads is excellent for maintain their integrity.
Studies of General Precipitation Features with TRMM PR Data: An Extensive Overview
Authors: Li Nan , Wang Zhenhui , Chen Xi , Austin Geoffrey
Published: January 2019

The Precipitation Radar (PR), the first space-borne precipitation radar onboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, could observe three-dimensional precipitation in global tropical regions and acquire continuous rainfall information with moderate temporal and high spatial resolutions. TRMM PR had carried out 17 years of observations and ended collecting data in April, 2015. So far, comprehensive and abundant research results related to the application of PR data have been analyzed in the current literature, but overall precipitation features are not yet identified, a gap that this review intends to fill. Studies on comparisons with ground-based radars and rain gauges are first introduced to summarize the reliability of PR observations or estimates. Then, this paper focuses on general precipitation features abstracted from about 130 studies, from 2000 to 2018, regarding lightning analysis, latent heat retrieval, and rainfall observation by PR data. Finally, we describe the existing problems and limitations as well as the future prospects of the space-borne precipitation radar data.
Comparison of Computational Intelligence Methods Based on Fuzzy Sets and Game Theory in the Synthesis of Safe Ship Control Based on Information from a Radar ARPA System
Authors: Lisowski Józef , Mohamed-Seghir Mostefa
Published: January 2019

This article presents safe ship control optimization design for navigator advisory system. Optimal safe ship control is presented as multistage decision-making in a fuzzy environment and as multistep decision-making in a game environment. The navigator’s subjective and the maneuvering parameters are taken under consideration in the model process. A computer simulation of fuzzy neural anticollision (FNAC) and matrix game anticollision (MGAC) algorithms was carried out on MATLAB software on an example of the real navigational situation of passing three encountered ships in the Skagerrak Strait, in good and restricted visibility at sea. The developed solution can be applied in decision-support systems on board a ship.
Semantic Segmentation on Remotely Sensed Images Using an Enhanced Global Convolutional Network with Channel Attention and Domain Specific Transfer Learning
Authors: Panboonyuen Teerapong , Jitkajornwanich Kulsawasd , Lawawirojwong Siam , Srestasathiern Panu , Vateekul Peerapon
Published: January 2019

In the remote sensing domain, it is crucial to complete semantic segmentation on the raster images, e.g., river, building, forest, etc., on raster images. A deep convolutional encoder–decoder (DCED) network is the state-of-the-art semantic segmentation method for remotely sensed images. However, the accuracy is still limited, since the network is not designed for remotely sensed images and the training data in this domain is deficient. In this paper, we aim to propose a novel CNN for semantic segmentation particularly for remote sensing corpora with three main contributions. First, we propose applying a recent CNN called a global convolutional network (GCN), since it can capture different resolutions by extracting multi-scale features from different stages of the network. Additionally, we further enhance the network by improving its backbone using larger numbers of layers, which is suitable for medium resolution remotely sensed images. Second, “channel attention” is presented in our network in order to select the most discriminative filters (features). Third, “domain-specific transfer learning” is introduced to alleviate the scarcity issue by utilizing other remotely sensed corpora with different resolutions as pre-trained data. The experiment was then conducted on two given datasets: (i) medium resolution data collected from Landsat-8 satellite and (ii) very high resolution data called the ISPRS Vaihingen Challenge Dataset. The results show that our networks outperformed DCED in terms of F 1 for 17.48% and 2.49% on medium and very high resolution corpora, respectively.
Evaluation of Ground Surface Models Derived from Unmanned Aerial Systems with Digital Aerial Photogrammetry in a Disturbed Conifer Forest
Authors: Graham Alexander , Coops Nicholas , Wilcox Michael , Plowright Andrew
Published: January 2019

Detailed vertical forest structure information can be remotely sensed by combining technologies of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and digital aerial photogrammetry (DAP). A key limitation in the application of DAP methods, however, is the inability to produce accurate digital elevation models (DEM) in areas of dense vegetation. This study investigates the terrain modeling potential of UAS-DAP methods within a temperate conifer forest in British Columbia, Canada. UAS-acquired images were photogrammetrically processed to produce high-resolution DAP point clouds. To evaluate the terrain modeling ability of DAP, first, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to estimate optimal parameters of three ground-point classification algorithms designed for airborne laser scanning (ALS). Algorithms tested include progressive triangulated irregular network (TIN) densification (PTD), hierarchical robust interpolation (HRI) and simple progressive morphological filtering (SMRF). Points were classified as ground from the ALS and served as ground-truth data to which UAS-DAP derived DEMs were compared. The proportion of area with root mean square error (RMSE) <1.5 m were 56.5%, 51.6% and 52.3% for the PTD, HRI and SMRF methods respectively. To assess the influence of terrain slope and canopy cover, error values of DAP-DEMs produced using optimal parameters were compared to stratified classes of canopy cover and slope generated from ALS point clouds. Results indicate that canopy cover was approximately three times more influential on RMSE than terrain slope.
Highly Sensitive Voltammetric Glucose Biosensor Based on Glucose Oxidase Encapsulated in a Chitosan/Kappa-Carrageenan/Gold Nanoparticle Bionanocomposite
Authors: Rassas Ilhem , Braiek Mohamed , Bonhomme Anne , Bessueille Francois , Raffin Guy , Majdoub Hatem , Jaffrezic-Renault Nicole
Published: January 2019

In this work, an enzymatic sensor, based on a bionanocomposite film consisting of a polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) (Chitosan/kappa-carrageenan) doped with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) encapsulating glucose oxidase (GOD) deposited on a gold electrode (Au) for glucose sensing, is described. Using the electrocatalytic synergy of AuNPs and GOD as a model of enzyme, the variation of the current (µA) as a function of the log of the glucose concentration (log [glucose]), shows three times higher sensitivity for the modified electrode (283.9) compared to that of the PEC/GOD modified electrode (93.7), with a detection limit of about 5 µM and a linearity range between 10 µM and 7 mM. The response of the PEC/AuNPs/GOD based biosensor also presents good reproducibility, stability, and negligible interfering effects from ascorbic acid, uric acid, urea, and creatinine. The applicability of the PEC/AuNPs/GOD based biosensor was tested in glucose-spiked saliva samples and acceptable recovery rates were obtained.
A Multi-User Personal Indoor Localization System Employing Graph-Based Optimization
Authors: Nowicki Michał R. , Skrzypczyński Piotr
Published: January 2019

Personal indoor localization with smartphones is a well-researched area, with a number of approaches solving the problem separately for individual users. Most commonly, a particle filter is used to fuse information from dead reckoning and WiFi or Bluetooth adapters to provide an accurate location of the person holding a smartphone. Unfortunately, the existing solutions largely ignore the gains that emerge when a single localization system estimates locations of multiple users in the same environment. Approaches based on filtration maintain only estimates of the current poses of the users, marginalizing the historical data. Therefore, it is difficult to fuse data from multiple individual trajectories that are usually not perfectly synchronized in time. We propose a system that fuses the information from WiFi and dead reckoning employing the graph-based optimization, which is widely applied in robotics. The presented system can be used for localization of a single user, but the improvement is especially visible when this approach is extended to a multi-user scenario. The article presents a number of experiments performed with a smartphone inside an office building. These experiments demonstrate that graph-based optimization can be used as an efficient fusion mechanism to obtain accurate trajectory estimates both in the case of a single user and in a multi-user indoor localization system. The code of our system together with recorded dataset will be made available when the paper gets published.
Investigation of Bonding Behavior of FRP and Steel Bars in Self-Compacting Concrete Structures Using Acoustic Emission Method
Authors: Di Bo , Wang Jingkai , Li Haotian , Zheng Jinhang , Zheng Yu , Song Gangbing
Published: January 2019

To extend understanding of the bonding behavior of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) and steel bars in self-compacting concrete (SCC), an experimental series consisting of 36 direct pull-out tests monitored by acoustic emission (AE) were performed in this paper. The test variables involved rebar type, bar diameter, embedded length, and polypropylene (PP) fiber volume content. For each test, the pull-out force and free end slip were continuously measured and compared with the corresponding AE signals. It was found that the proposed AE method was effective in detecting the debonding process between the FRP/steel bars and the hosting concrete. The AE signal strength exhibited a good correlation with the actual bond stress-slip relationship measured in each specimen. Based on the AE location technique, the invisible non-uniform distribution of bonding stress along the bar was further revealed, the initial location of damage and the debonding process were captured. Additionally, the contribution of bar-to-concrete load-bearing mechanism (chemical adhesion, friction, and mechanical interlocking) to sustain the pull-out force was effectively clarified by studying the collected signals in the frequency domain of AE methods. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed AE method has potential to detect the debonding damage of FRP/steel bar reinforced SCC structures accurately.
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Techniques Comparison for Underwater Optical Wireless Communication Systems
Authors: Lian Jie , Gao Yan , Wu Peng , Lian Dianbin
Published: January 2019

Optical wireless communication is an energy-efficient and cost-effective solution for high-speed and highly-secure wireless connections. In this paper, we compare, discuss, and analyze three popular optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) techniques, such as DC-biased optical OFDM (DCO-OFDM), asymmetrically-clipped optical OFDM (ACO-OFDM), and unipolar OFDM (U-OFDM), for underwater optical wireless communication systems. The peak power constraint, bandwidth limit of the light source, turbulence fading underwater channel, and the channel estimation error are taken into account. To maximize the achievable data propagation distance, we propose to optimize the modulation index that controls the signal magnitude, and a bitloading algorithm is applied. This optimization process trades off the clipping distortion caused by the peak power constraint and the signal to noise ratio (SNR). The SNR and clipping effects of the three compared OFDM techniques are modeled in this paper. From the numerical results, DCO-OFDM outperforms ACO- and U-OFDM when the transmitted bit rate is high compared to the channel bandwidth. Otherwise, U-OFDM can provide a longer propagation distance or requires less transmitted power.
Optimization of the Energy Consumption of Depth Tracking Control Based on Model Predictive Control for Autonomous Underwater Vehicles
Authors: Yao Feng , Yang Chao , Zhang Mingjun , Wang Yujia
Published: January 2019

For long-term missions in complex seas, the onboard energy resources of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are limited. Thus, energy consumption reduction is an important aspect of the study of AUVs. This paper addresses energy consumption reduction using model predictive control (MPC) based on the state space model of AUVs for trajectory tracking control. Unlike the previous approaches, which use a cost function that consists of quadratic deviations of the predicted controlled output from the reference trajectory and quadratic input changes, a term of quadratic energy (i.e., quadratic input) is introduced into the cost function in this paper. Then, the MPC control law with the new cost function is constructed, and an analysis on the effect of the quadratic energy term on the stability is given. Finally, simulation results for depth tracking control are given to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the improved MPC on energy consumption optimization for AUVs.
Multi-Features Fusion for Fault Diagnosis of Pedal Robot Using Time-Speed Signals
Authors: Zhu Yuhao , Fu Zeyu , Fu Zhuang , Chen Xi , Wu Qi
Published: January 2019

In order to realize automation of the pollutant emission tests of vehicles, a pedal robot is designed instead of a human-driven vehicle. Sometimes, the actual time-speed curve of the vehicle will deviate from the upper or lower limit of the worldwide light-duty test cycle (WLTC) target curve, which will cause a fault. In this paper, a new fault diagnosis method is proposed and applied to the pedal robot. Since principal component analysis (PCA), t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE), and Autoencoder cannot extract feature information adequately when they are used alone, three types of feature components extracted by PCA, t-SNE, and Autoencoder are fused to form a nine-dimensional feature set. Then, the feature set is reduced into three-dimensional space via Treelet Transform. Finally, the fault samples are classified by Gaussian process classifier. Compared with the methods using only one algorithm to extract features, the proposed method has the minimum standard deviation, 0.0078, and almost the maximum accuracy, 98.17%. The accuracy of the proposed method is only 0.24% lower than that without Treelet Transform, but the processing time is 6.73% less than that without Treelet Transform. These indicate that the multi-features fusion model and Treelet Transform method is quite effective. Therefore, the proposed method is quite helpful for fault diagnosis of the pedal robot.
The Effects of Whey vs. Pea Protein on Physical Adaptations Following 8-Weeks of High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT): A Pilot Study
Authors: Banaszek Amy , Townsend Jeremy R. , Bender David , Vantrease William C. , Marshall Autumn C. , Johnson Kent D.
Published: January 2019

This study examined the effects of whey and pea protein supplementation on physiological adaptations following 8-weeks of high-intensity functional training (HIFT). Fifteen HIFT men (n = 8; 38.6 ± 12.7 y, 1.8 ± 0.1 m, 87.7 ± 15.8 kg) and women (n = 7; 38.9 ± 10.9 y, 1.7 ± 0.10 m, 73.3 ± 10.5 kg) participated in this study. Participants completed an 8-week HIFT program consisting of 4 training sessions per week. Participants consumed 24 g of either whey (n = 8) or pea (n = 7) protein before and after exercise on training days, and in-between meals on non-training days. Before and after training, participants underwent ultrasonography muscle thickness measurement, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), two benchmark WODs (workout of the day), 1-Repetition Maximum (1RM) squat and deadlift testing, and Isometric Mid-thigh Pull (IMTP) performance. Separate analyses of covariance (ANCOVA) were performed on all measures collected at POST. Both groups experienced increased strength for 1RM back squat (p = 0.006) and deadlift (p = 0.008). No training effect (p > 0.05) was found for body composition, muscle thickness, IMTP peak force, IMTP rate of force development, or performance in either WOD. Using PRE values as the covariate, there were no group differences for any measured variable. We conclude that ingestion of whey and pea protein produce similar outcomes in measurements of body composition, muscle thickness, force production, WOD performance and strength following 8-weeks of HIFT.
Out of the City Heat—Way to Less or More Sustainable Futures?
Authors: Juschten Maria , Brandenburg Christiane , Hössinger Reinhard , Liebl Ursula , Offenzeller Martina , Prutsch Andrea , Unbehaun Wiebke , Weber Fabian , Jiricka-Pürrer Alexandra
Published: January 2019

Rural alpine areas are affected by climate change in multiple ways. Today, many lower regions already face challenges in winter. However, several authors indicated new potentials for near-metropolitan areas in summer. As the first study for a metropolitan area, this paper discusses results of a large-scale quantitative survey (n = 877) from Vienna (Austria) to evaluate the intentions of urban residents to seek refreshment in nearby mountainous regions. The results regarding their adaptation behavior confirm the likely increase in demand to escape to nearby refreshing areas during heatwaves. This trend could lead to (re-)vitalization potential for rural near-metropolitan areas in Eastern Austria, which are often characterized by depopulation and degradation of infrastructure. A closer look at the respondents’ mobility behavior, reveals a high risk for unsustainable developments. Although the high and increasing share of car-free households in Vienna would suggest a strong demand for public transport, the likelihood to travel by car towards such destinations is high even among this group. Focusing predominantly on on-site mobility offers would be recommended since many travelers did not use their car within the destination. At last, the attractiveness of climate-friendly travel options is discussed considering mobility-related needs and preferences of three touristic motive groups.
What is Smart for the Future City? Mobilities and Automation
Authors: Freudendal-Pedersen Malene , Kesselring Sven , Servou Eriketti
Published: January 2019

Cities have changed their pulse, their pace, and reach, and the urban scale is an interconnected element of the global “network society” with new forms of social, cultural and economic life emerging. The increase in the amount and speed of mobilities has strong impacts on ecological conditions, and, so far, no comprehensive sustainable solutions are in sight. This paper focuses on the discussion around smart cities, with a specific focus on automation and sustainability. Discourses on automated mobility in urban spaces are in a process of creation and different stakeholders contribute in shaping the urban space and its infrastructures for automated driving in the near or distant future. In many ways, it seems that the current storylines, to a high degree, reinforce and (re)produce the “system of automobility”. Automobility is still treated as the iconic and taken-for-granted form of modern mobility. It seems that most actors from industry, planning, and politics consider it as being sustained through smart and green mobility innovations and modifications. The paper discusses the implication of these techno-policy discourses and storylines for urban planning. It presents preliminary results from ongoing research on policy promotion strategies of automated driving in the region of Munich, Germany.
Erratum: Albort-Morant, G., et al. Potential and Realized Absorptive Capacity as Complementary Drivers of Green Product and Process Innovation Performance. Sustainability 2018, 10, 381
Authors: Albort-Morant Gema , Henseler Jörg , Cepeda-Carrión Gabriel , Leal-Rodríguez Antonio L.
Published: January 2019

The corresponding author wishes to make the following corrections to this paper [...]
Mental Model Analysis of Biogas Energy Perceptions and Policy Reveals Potential Constraints in a Japanese Farm Community
Authors: Asai Masayasu , Hayashi Takashi , Yamamoto Mitasu
Published: January 2019

Biogas systems are complex and involve many local stakeholders who produce and utilize energy and digestate. If the systems are managed properly, they offer environmental and socioeconomic benefits to the community. However, further expansion may be challenging when differences in values and perspectives exist among stakeholders. This study analyzed perceptions among local biogas stakeholders by using a mental model approach. A local community in a northern Japanese island was chosen as a case study, and 22 stakeholders were asked to develop individual mental models of the biogas system. We found that many stakeholders shared the cognitive benefits of biogas, while there were perception differences regarding digestate use. Arable farmers mentioned technical and non-technical constraints for accepting digestate, while dairy and non-farmers were ambivalent about these demand-side constraints. This perception difference may lead to potential obstacles for future expansion of biogas systems in the region. Therefore, biogas policy should incorporate actions for better usage of digestate. These include the mandatory planning of digestate use when designing a new biogas plant, as well as actions to improve the attractiveness of digestate for arable farmers. These findings are useful for other livestock-intensive areas where the number of biogas plants is rapidly increasing but digestate management is yet organized.
Ocimum Sanctum [Tulsi]—An Alternative Additional Livelihood Option for the Poor and Smallholder Farmers
Authors: Shah Ghulam-Muhammad , Ahmad Farid , Panwar Shailesh , Khadka Manbar S. , Ali Ajaz , Bisht Suman
Published: January 2019

The scope of Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) as an alternative crop and means of livelihood, particularly for the rural poor, has not been extensively explored. Tulsi is in much demand for its medicinal and aromatic properties, particularly in Ayurveda. With increased depredation of cereal crops by wildlife, increased pest incidence, and decreasing availability of water for agriculture, an attempt was made to explore alternative livelihoods through Tulsi cultivation and value chain development. Using cross-sectional survey data of beneficiary households, the study employed the ordinary least squares method to examine the relationship between total crop income and the income from Tulsi for 2016 and 2017. The findings suggest that the average household’s gross profit more than doubled within a span of two years. Total crop income of beneficiary farmers increased by 0.8 percent for every 1 percent increase in income from Tulsi. Most importantly, the intervention has shown a tremendous adoption rate. Initially, in 2013, 200 farmers cultivated Tulsi on 8.72 hectors of unirrigated and fallow land in the five beneficiary villages, but by 2017, towards the end of the intervention period, 400 farmers were cultivating the crop on 19.6 hectors of unirrigated, fallow land in 19 villages in Chamoli District. Tulsi farming and value chain development intervention not only provided marginal and smallholder farmers in these villages with a sustainable alternative additional livelihood option but also an opportunity where they were able to sustainably generate income from unirrigated, fallow land.
A Collaborative Stakeholder Decision-Making Approach for Sustainable Urban Logistics
Authors: Semanjski Ivana , Gautama Sidharta
Published: January 2019

Cities strongly rely on efficient urban logistics to ensure their attractiveness, quality of life, and economic development. In the same time, they strive to ensure livable and safe environments around its road network, where the increased presence of light and heavy goods vehicles raises questions of regarding safety and environmental impacts. Recent literature has well-recognized the need to consider different stakeholders’ perspectives on these issues, in order to achieve desired outcomes. In this paper, we introduce a collaborative stakeholders’ decision-making approach for sustainable urban logistics, and demonstrate its applicability on a real-life example. The suggested approach extends existing route planning approaches by considering route sustainability as a part of an arc’s traversal cost. The integration of route sustainability is based on the adoption of a multi-criterial decision-making approach, with the possibility of including different stakeholders’ points of view, and evaluating the sustainability cost concerning the route’s spatial context. To demonstrate the applicability of the suggested approach, we extract the route sustainability cost from the traffic sign database, and implement the findings on a real-life example. Furthermore, the suggested approach exhibits a high level of transferability to various local contexts, where local stakeholders might have a different view on the route sustainability than is the case in our example.
Terraced Landscapes and Hydrogeological Risk. Effects of Land Abandonment in Cinque Terre (Italy) during Severe Rainfall Events
Authors: Agnoletti Mauro , Errico Alessandro , Santoro Antonio , Dani Andrea , Preti Federico
Published: January 2019

During 25 October 2011, an extremely intense rainfall event occurred in Eastern Liguria and Northern Tuscany. Severe damages were registered in the Monterosso and Vernazza basins, located in the famous area of Cinque Terre, which have been affected by hundreds of landslides, mud flows, and erosions. The main feature of the Cinque Terre landscape is the presence of terraced cultivations on steep slopes facing the sea. The area represents a remarkable cultural landscape, is a National Park, and is included in the World Heritage List of the UNESCO. This work aims to analyze the effect of abandoned terraced land on hydrogeological risks and in landslide prevention, by comparing what happened in Cinque Terre to other experiences presented in scientific literature. The cessation of maintenance of dry stone terraces due to the crisis of traditional agriculture was identified as the main cause of failure during the heavy rainfall event. However, we found some contrasting and, in some cases, unexpected results in the literature regarding the effects of the vegetation that develops on abandoned terraces. This paper compares different results in order to better understand what the future of terraced landscapes is and which are the best management strategies for such complex and fragile territories. In particular, where they represent a cultural heritage and a resource for the rural economy.
Lactobacillus bulgaricus or Lactobacillus rhamnosus Suppresses NF-κB Signaling Pathway and Protects against AFB1-Induced Hepatitis: A Novel Potential Preventive Strategy for Aflatoxicosis?
Authors: Chen Yuanyuan , Li Ruirui , Chang Qiaocheng , Dong Zhihao , Yang Huanmin , Xu Chuang
Published: January 2019

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a mycotoxin found in food and feed, is immunotoxic to animals and poses significant threat to the food industry and animal production. The primary target of AFB1 is the liver. To overcome aflatoxin toxicity, probiotic-mediated detoxification has been proposed. In the present study, to investigate the protective effects and molecular mechanisms of Lactobacillus bulgaricus or Lactobacillus rhamnosus against liver inflammatory responses to AFB1, mice were administered with AFB1 (300 μg/kg) and/or Lactobacillus intragastrically for 8 weeks. AML12 cells were cultured and treated with AFB1, BAY 11-7082 (an NF-κB inhibitor), and different concentrations of L. bulgaricus or L. rhamnosus. The body weight, liver index, histopathological changes, biochemical indices, cytokines, cytotoxicity, and activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway were measured. AFB1 exposure caused changes in liver histopathology and biochemical functions, altered inflammatory response, and activated the NF-κB pathway. Supplementation of L. bulgaricus or L. rhamnosus significantly prevented AFB1-induced liver injury and alleviated histopathological changes and inflammatory response by decreasing NF-κB p65 expression. The results of in vitro experiments revealed that L. rhamnosus evidently protected against AFB1-induced inflammatory response and decreased NF-κB p65 expression when compared with L. bulgaricus. These findings indicated that AFB1 exposure can cause inflammatory response by inducing hepatic injury, and supplementation of L. bulgaricus or L. rhamnosus can produce significant protective effect against AFB1-induced liver damage and inflammatory response by regulating the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway.