bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Students’ Engagement in Integrated Learning Model in A Blended Environment
Authors: Baranova Tatiana , Khalyapina Liudmila , Kobicheva Aleksandra , Tokareva Elena
Published: June 2019

As new informational conditions contribute to the discovery of new ways to improve the quality of the educational process, a new integrated learning model was elaborated. The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the students’ engagement in a newly-introduced integrated learning model, identify the impact of such a model on students’ learning outcomes, and to determine if students’ engagement levels influence their learning outcomes. For our research we used qualitative and quantitative data of students’ records of professional discipline and English testing, surveys and interviews on behavioral engagement, emotional engagement, and cognitive engagement (N = 63). Results on students’ engagement showed that online activity, especially the online international project, involved students more than face-to-face classes, but at the same time some of them noted that without lectures it would be difficult, or even impossible, to participate in a project. Thus the overall engagement level was quite high. Additionally, an integrated approach positively impacted learners’ outcomes. The correlation analysis showed that learners’ engagement played an influential role and highly impacted students’ learning results. In this case we can conclude that our integrated learning model contributes to students’ involvement in the educational process and, as a consequence, allows them to achieve greater results.
A Hybrid Spoken Language Processing System for Smart Device Troubleshooting
Authors: James Praveen Edward , Mun Hou Kit , Vaithilingam Chockalingam Aravind
Published: June 2019

The purpose of this work is to develop a spoken language processing system for smart device troubleshooting using human-machine interaction. This system combines a software Bidirectional Long Short Term Memory Cell (BLSTM)-based speech recognizer and a hardware LSTM-based language processor for Natural Language Processing (NLP) using the serial RS232 interface. Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficient (MFCC)-based feature vectors from the speech signal are directly input into a BLSTM network. A dropout layer is added to the BLSTM layer to reduce over-fitting and improve robustness. The speech recognition component is a combination of an acoustic modeler, pronunciation dictionary, and a BLSTM network for generating query text, and executes in real time with an 81.5% Word Error Rate (WER) and average training time of 45 s. The language processor comprises a vectorizer, lookup dictionary, key encoder, Long Short Term Memory Cell (LSTM)-based training and prediction network, and dialogue manager, and transforms query intent to generate response text with a processing time of 0.59 s, 5% hardware utilization, and an F1 score of 95.2%. The proposed system has a 4.17% decrease in accuracy compared with existing systems. The existing systems use parallel processing and high-speed cache memories to perform additional training, which improves the accuracy. However, the performance of the language processor has a 36.7% decrease in processing time and 50% decrease in hardware utilization, making it suitable for troubleshooting smart devices.
Analysis and Control of Fault Ride-Through Capability Improvement for Wind Turbine Based on a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator Using an Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Logic System
Authors: Gencer Altan
Published: June 2019

Recently, wind energy conversion systems in renewable energy sources have attracted attention due to their effective application. Wind turbine systems have a complex structure; however, traditional control systems are inadequate in answering the demands of complex systems. Therefore, expert control systems are applied to wind turbines, such as type-1 and interval type-2 fuzzy logic control (IT-2 FLC) systems. An IT-2 FLC system is used to solve the complexity of the wind turbine system and increases the efficiency of the wind turbine. This paper proposes a new control approach using the IT-2 FLC method applied to a wind turbine based on a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) to improve the transient stability during grid faults. An IT-2 FLC was designed to enhance the fault ride-through performance of a wind turbine and was implemented to control the machine side converter and grid side converter of a wind turbine. The proposed algorithm performance of a wind turbine based on a PMSG was investigated for different types of grid fault. The analysis results verify that the interval type-2 fuzzy logic control system is robustly utilized under different operational conditions.
Real-Time Energy Management of a Microgrid Using Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Ji Ying , Wang Jianhui , Xu Jiacan , Fang Xiaoke , Zhang Huaguang
Published: June 2019

Driven by the recent advances and applications of smart-grid technologies, our electric power grid is undergoing radical modernization. Microgrid (MG) plays an important role in the course of modernization by providing a flexible way to integrate distributed renewable energy resources (RES) into the power grid. However, distributed RES, such as solar and wind, can be highly intermittent and stochastic. These uncertain resources combined with load demand result in random variations in both the supply and the demand sides, which make it difficult to effectively operate a MG. Focusing on this problem, this paper proposed a novel energy management approach for real-time scheduling of an MG considering the uncertainty of the load demand, renewable energy, and electricity price. Unlike the conventional model-based approaches requiring a predictor to estimate the uncertainty, the proposed solution is learning-based and does not require an explicit model of the uncertainty. Specifically, the MG energy management is modeled as a Markov Decision Process (MDP) with an objective of minimizing the daily operating cost. A deep reinforcement learning (DRL) approach is developed to solve the MDP. In the DRL approach, a deep feedforward neural network is designed to approximate the optimal action-value function, and the deep Q-network (DQN) algorithm is used to train the neural network. The proposed approach takes the state of the MG as inputs, and outputs directly the real-time generation schedules. Finally, using real power-grid data from the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), case studies are carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
The Effects of Environmental Regulations on the Manufacturing Industry’s Performance: A Comparison of Green and Non-Green Sectors in Korea
Authors: Yoo Seulgi , Heshmati Almas
Published: June 2019

This study examines the effects of strengthened environmental regulations on employment and labor productivity in the Korean manufacturing industry using panel data from 2004 to 2015. It divides the industry into environmental (green and non-green) and carbon dioxide emitting (polluting and non-polluting) sectors to investigate the industrial sector’s response heterogeneity to tightened regulations. We draw several conclusions on the basis of our empirical results. Firstly, environmental policies measured by enacting the LCGG (Low-carbon green growth) Act led to negative effects on labor productivity and employment in polluting industries. These negative effects show that the polluting industries take a higher cost burden because of the environmental policies as compared to the less-polluting industries; this finding is in line with previous studies in literature. Secondly, the green sector is experiencing higher labor productivity and employment as compared to the non-green sector after the tightened environmental regulations. Thirdly, the regulation-related negative effects anticipated in polluting industries are off-set if a firm is also included in the green sector which produces environment-related products. Hence, this result suggests that in terms of labor productivity and employment, it is possible that the manufacturing industry enables the achievement of sustainable development targets. While regulations negatively affect the performance of non-green firms by increasing the costs of highly contaminated ones, in the case of the green sector the regulations promote labor productivity and employment. This shows that a firm in the green sector which has high carbon dioxide emissions can adapt faster than its counterparts in a non-environmental sector in the polluting industry to the constraints imposed by strengthened environmental regulations. These empirical results imply that there will be labor reallocation from non-green to green sectors.
Performance Simulation and Benefit Analysis of Ammonia Absorption Cooling and Heating Dual-Supply System Based on Off-Peak Electricity Heat Storage
Authors: Yin Shaowu , Shi Yongle , Tong Lige , Wang Li , Ding Yulong
Published: June 2019

The energy consumption of urban central heating in northern China is two to four times that in northern Europe and other countries. Beijing has adopted measures, such as ‘coal to gas’ and ‘coal to electricity’, to reduce environmental pollution caused by central heating. Given a peak-to-valley difference in the electricity supply of power plant, which is uneven day and night, this study proposes to store the night-time off-peak electricity in the form of heat energy and drive the ammonia absorption system in the form of steam or hot water during peak or flat electricity. Simulation results of ammonia absorption cooling and heating dual-supply system show that heat source temperature increases, evaporation temperature increases, and cooling water temperature decreases are all beneficial to improve the refrigeration coefficient in the summer cooling condition. In the meantime, heat source temperature increases, evaporation temperature increases, and cooling water temperature decreases are beneficial for increasing the heating coefficient in the winter heating condition. The heating and cooling coefficients of the system are 1.38 and 0.65 in the optimal working condition in winter and summer. Benefit analysis shows that, compared with central heating and cold storage air conditioning, the system can save 576,000 tons of standard coal and 1.417 million tons of carbon dioxide if used in 12% of the cooling and heat supply areas in Beijing. The potential for energy saving and emission reduction is large.
Hydrate Stability and Methane Recovery from Gas Hydrate through CH4–CO2 Replacement in Different Mass Transfer Scenarios
Authors: Pandey Jyoti , Solms Nicolas
Published: June 2019

CH4–CO2 replacement is a carbon-negative, safer gas production technique to produce methane gas from natural gas hydrate reservoirs by injecting pure CO2 or other gas mixtures containing CO2. Laboratory-scale experiments show that this technique produces low methane volume and has a slow replacement rate due to the mass transfer barrier created due to impermeable CO2 hydrate layer formation, thus making the process commercially unattractive. This mass-transfer barrier can be reduced through pressure reduction techniques and chemical techniques; however, very few studies have focused on depressurization-assisted and chemical-assisted CH4–CO2 replacement to lower mass-transfer barriers and there are many unknowns. In this work, we qualitatively and quantitatively investigated the effect of the pressure reduction and presence of a hydrate promoter on mixed hydrate stability, CH4 recovery, and risk of water production during CH4–CO2 exchange. Exchange experiments were carried out using the 500 ppm sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution inside a high-pressure stirred reactor. Our results indicated that mixed hydrate stability and methane recovery depends on the degree of pressure reduction, type, and composition of injected gas. Final selection between CO2 and CO2 + N2 gas depends on the tradeoff between mixed hydrate stability pressure and methane recovery. Hydrate morphology studies suggest that production of water during the CH4–CO2 exchange is a stochastic phenomenon that is dependent on many parameters.
Characterization of SiO2/4H-SiC Interfaces in 4H-SiC MOSFETs: A Review
Authors: Fiorenza Patrick , Giannazzo Filippo , Roccaforte Fabrizio
Published: June 2019

This paper gives an overview on some state-of-the-art characterization methods of SiO2/4H-SiC interfaces in metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs). In particular, the work compares the benefits and drawbacks of different techniques to assess the physical parameters describing the electronic properties and the current transport at the SiO2/SiC interfaces (interface states, channel mobility, trapping phenomena, etc.). First, the most common electrical characterization techniques of SiO2/SiC interfaces are presented (e.g., capacitance- and current-voltage techniques, transient capacitance, and current measurements). Then, examples of electrical characterizations at the nanoscale (by scanning probe microscopy techniques) are given, to get insights on the homogeneity of the SiO2/SiC interface and the local interfacial doping effects occurring upon annealing. The trapping effects occurring in SiO2/4H-SiC MOS systems are elucidated using advanced capacitance and current measurements as a function of time. In particular, these measurements give information on the density (~1011 cm−2) of near interface oxide traps (NIOTs) present inside the SiO2 layer and their position with respect to the interface with SiC (at about 1–2 nm). Finally, it will be shown that a comparison of the electrical data with advanced structural and chemical characterization methods makes it possible to ascribe the NIOTs to the presence of a sub-stoichiometric SiOx layer at the interface.
Energy Demand Forecast Models for Commercial Buildings in South Korea
Authors: Ha Sungkyun , Tae Sungho , Kim Rakhyun
Published: June 2019

With the Paris Agreement entering into full force, South Korea must submit its target greenhouse gas emissions for commercial buildings by 2030 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. To determine this target, the annual energy demands must be forecasted through appropriate models; the development of these models is the focus of our study. We developed a system to calculate energy demand forecasts by searching for suitable methods. We built distinct energy forecast models for petroleum, city gas, electricity, heat, and renewable energies. The results show that the most appropriate variable for the petroleum energy model is energy trend. Moreover, the annual increase rate of petroleum energy demand from 2019 to 2030 was forecasted to be −1.7%. The appropriate variable for city gas energy model was the floor area of commercial buildings, which was forecasted to increase at an annual average growth rate of 0.4% from 2019 to 2030. According to the forecast results of energy demand from 2019 to 2030, the annual average growth rates of electricity, heat, and renewable energy demands were 2.1%, −0.2%, and 1.3%, respectively.
Energy Consumption Analysis and Optimization of the Deep-Sea Self-Sustaining Profile Buoy
Authors: Liu Mingcong , Yang Shaobo , Li Hongyu , Xu Jiayi , Li Xingfei
Published: June 2019

In order to reduce the energy consumption of deep-sea self-sustaining profile buoy (DSPB) and extend its running time, a stage quantitative oil draining control mode has been proposed in this paper. System parameters have been investigated including oil discharge resolution (ODR), judgment threshold of the floating speed and frequency of oil draining on the energy consumption of the system. The single-objective optimization model with the total energy consumption of DSPB’s ascent stage as the objective function has been established by combining the DSPB’s floating kinematic model. At the same time, as the static working current of the DSPB can be further optimized, a multi-objective energy consumption optimization model with the floating time and the energy consumption of the oil pump motor as objective functions has been established. The non-dominated sorted genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) has been employed to optimized the energy consumption model in the ascent stage of the DSPB. The results showed that the NSGA-II method has a good performance in the energy consumption optimization of the DSPB, and can reduce the dynamic energy consumption in the floating process by 28.9% within 2 h considering the increase in static energy consumption.
Responses to Drought in Seedlings of European Larch (Larix decidua Mill.) from Several Carpathian Provenances
Authors: Plesa Ioana M. , Al Hassan Mohamad , González-Orenga Sara , Sestras Adriana F. , Vicente Oscar , Prohens Jaime , Boscaiu Monica , Sestras Radu E.
Published: June 2019

European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) has been reported either as more tolerant or as more sensitive to drought than conifers with perennial leaves. Previous studies have revealed that Carpathian populations of European larch display a high genetic variability. A comparative study of the responses of these populations to drought stress at the seedling stage might allow the identification of drought tolerant genotypes and reliable drought stress biomarkers, which could be eventually used for the early detection of drought effects in larch, not only under control greenhouse conditions, but also in their natural stands. Growth responses were analyzed in larch seedlings from six Romanian Carpathian populations, submitted to one month of mild drought stress under controlled conditions. Levels of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls a and b, and carotenoids), osmolytes (proline and total soluble sugars), monovalent cations (Na+ and K+), and malondialdehyde (MDA) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (total phenolics and flavonoids) were compared with control treatments and between populations. Growth and the pattern of the biochemical responses were very similar in the six populations. Drought stress lead to stem length decrease in all population, whereas reduction of fresh weight of needles was significant only in one population (BVVC), and reduction of water content of needles in two populations (BVVC and GuHo). The optimal biochemical traits for an early detection of drought symptoms in this species is the increase—in most populations—of total soluble sugars, MDA, and total phenolic compounds, whereas K+ reduction was significant in all populations. Photosynthetic pigments remained unchanged, except for the Anin population where they were reduced under stress. Multivariate principal component and hierarchical clustering analyses confirmed the impact of drought in the growth and physiology of European larch, and revealed that the humidity of the substrate was positively correlated with the growth parameters and the levels of K+ in needles, and negatively correlated with the levels of MDA, total soluble sugars, total phenolic compounds, and flavonoids in needles.
What (De)Motivates Forest Users’ Participation in Co-Management? Evidence from Nepal
Authors: Kimengsi Jude Ndzifon , Bhusal Prabin , Aryal Anisha , Fernandez Maria Vio Bianca Coronel , Owusu Raphael , Chaudhary Anand , Nielsen Wicki
Published: June 2019

The co-management concept has been echoed in scientific literature for over two decades. Emphasis has been tailored towards an understanding of structural and functional issues linked to its application and the outcomes thereof. However, a crucial aspect which still begs for scientific and policy edification, concerns the motivational drivers of actors’ participation in co-management arrangements. Studies contend that actors are motivated to participate in co-management based on their perceived benefits (e.g., income). Conclusions from these lines of argument further raise a theoretical quagmire, requiring further grounding, with regards to context-specific (de)motivators of users’ participation in co-management. The case of Nepal is pertinent. Although Nepal has a rich community-based forest management history, scientific investigations have virtually ignored the motivational drivers of participation in the co-management of natural resources (forests). Against this background, this paper seeks to explore the following: (i) the decision-making and monitoring structure of rules regulating the co-management of forests, (ii) the implications of this system on users’ motivation to participate, and (iii) the motivational drivers of users’ participation in co-management. To achieve this, five focus group discussions and 10 key informant interviews were conducted in five villages (Kunjo, Titi, Parshyang, Cchayo, and Taglung) within the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA). We further employed narratives, framework, and thematic analyses to discuss the decision-making structure and motivational aspects of co-management. The results point to the following conclusions: (1) Despite the rather top-down decision-making setting, users remain motivated to participate in co-management. (2) Interestingly, the motivation by actors to participate is not largely driven by users’ perceived benefits. The results present another twist, a deviation from the previously understood rationale, which should be factored into co-management theory development. However, the paper equally makes a succinct request for further studies, including quantitative investigations, to ground this assertion.
Ethanol Production from Cheese Whey and Expired Milk by the Brown Rot Fungus Neolentinus lepideus
Authors: Okamoto Kenji , Nakagawa Saki , Kanawaku Ryuichi , Kawamura Sayo
Published: June 2019

The basidiomycete brown rot fungus Neolentinus lepideus is capable of assimilating and fermenting lactose to ethanol with a conversion yield comparable to those of lactose-fermenting yeasts. The ability of the fungus to ferment lactose is not influenced by the addition of glucose or calcium. Therefore, N. lepideus may be useful in ethanol production from materials composed mainly of lactose, such as cheese whey or expired cow’s milk. Whey is a by-product of cheese manufacturing, and approximately 50% of the total worldwide production of whey is normally disposed of without being utilized. We found that N. lepideus produced ethanol directly from cheese whey with a yield of 0.35 g of ethanol per gram of lactose consumed, and it also fermented expired milk containing lactose, protein, and fat with a similar yield. Our findings revealed that the naturally occurring basidiomycete fungus possesses a unique ability to produce ethanol from cheese whey and expired milk. Thus, N. lepideus may be useful in facilitating ethanol production from dairy wastes in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner.
The Role of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Sensory Factors in Sweetness Perception of Food and Beverages: A Review
Authors: Wang Qian Janice , Mielby Line Ahm , Junge Jonas Yde , Bertelsen Anne Sjoerup , Kidmose Ulla , Spence Charles , Byrne Derek Victor
Published: June 2019

When it comes to eating and drinking, multiple factors from diverse sensory modalities have been shown to influence multisensory flavour perception and liking. These factors have heretofore been strictly divided into either those that are intrinsic to the food itself (e.g., food colour, aroma, texture), or those that are extrinsic to it (e.g., related to the packaging, receptacle or external environment). Given the obvious public health need for sugar reduction, the present review aims to compare the relative influences of product-intrinsic and product-extrinsic factors on the perception of sweetness. Evidence of intrinsic and extrinsic sensory influences on sweetness are reviewed. Thereafter, we take a cognitive neuroscience perspective and evaluate how differences may occur in the way that food-intrinsic and extrinsic information become integrated with sweetness perception. Based on recent neuroscientific evidence, we propose a new framework of multisensory flavour integration focusing not on the food-intrinsic/extrinsic divide, but rather on whether the sensory information is perceived to originate from within or outside the body. This framework leads to a discussion on the combinability of intrinsic and extrinsic influences, where we refer to some existing examples and address potential theoretical limitations. To conclude, we provide recommendations to those in the food industry and propose directions for future research relating to the need for long-term studies and understanding of individual differences.
How Do Arabinoxylan Films Interact with Water and Soil?
Authors: Anderson Cassie , Simsek Senay
Published: June 2019

Biodegradable materials made from cereal arabinoxylan could provide an alternative source of packaging to replace current nonbiodegradable plastics. The main purpose of this research was to determine how arabinoxylan (AX) films made from wheat bran (WB) AX, maize bran (MB) AX, and dried distillers grain (DDG) AX made with either glycerol or sorbitol at varying levels (10, 25 or 50%) interacts with soil and water. The biodegradability of all films ranged from 49.4% biodegradable (DDG AX with 10% sorbitol) to 67.7% biodegradable (MB AX with 50% glycerol). In addition, the MB AX films with 25% sorbitol had the lowest moisture content at 9.7%, the MB AX films with 10% glycerol had the highest water solubility at 95.6%, and the MB AX films with 50% glycerol had the highest water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) at 90.8 g h−1 m−2. Despite these extreme trends in the MB AX films, the WB AX films were the least hydrophilic on average while the DDG AX films were the most hydrophilic on average. The 18 materials developed in this research demonstrate varying affinities for water and biodegradation. These materials can be used for many different packaging materials, based on their unique characteristics.
Effect of Thermal Processing on Carotenoids and Folate Changes in Six Varieties of Sweet Potato (Ipomoes batata L.)
Authors: Pan Zhijun , Sun Yiming , Zhang Fangyuan , Guo Xinbo , Liao Zhihua
Published: June 2019

Carotenoids and folate are two mandatory supplying micronutrients for children or pregnant women. Inadequate intake of these two nutrients was relevant to a higher mortality of both children and pregnancies. This study is intended to investigate the thermal impact on the changes of carotenoids and folate in sweet potato roots (SPRs). Carotenoids were identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) while the folate was estimated using a microbial assay. An obvious decline was observed in total carotenoids after heating. Nevertheless, the content of provitamin compound β-carotene exhibited incredible stability during steaming and α-carotene multiplied in certain varieties, evidencing that SPRs could be an efficient way for addressing Vitamin A deficiency (VAD). As for the total folate contents, two varieties were found no significant loss after thermal process while the others showed a significant decrease. The results indicated that steaming process led to generally loss of both carotenoids and folate while the α-carotene and β-carotene were well preserved. The information provided by this study might help with enhancing the food quality in processing industry and the understanding in the nutrition changes during steaming.
Changes in Serum Iron and Leukocyte mRNA Levels of Genes Involved in Iron Metabolism in Amateur Marathon Runners—Effect of the Running Pace
Authors: Grzybkowska Agata , Anczykowska Katarzyna , Ratkowski Wojciech , Aschenbrenner Piotr , Antosiewicz Jędrzej , Bonisławska Iwona , Żychowska Małgorzata
Published: June 2019

Iron is essential for physical activity due to its role in energy production pathways and oxygen transportation via hemoglobin and myoglobin. Changes in iron-related biochemical parameters after physical exercise in athletes are of substantial research interest, but molecular mechanisms such as gene expression are still rarely tested in sports. In this paper, we evaluated the mRNA levels of genes related to iron metabolism (PCBP1, PCBP2, FTL, FTH, and TFRC) in leukocytes of 24 amateur runners at four time points: before, immediately after, 3 h after, and 24 h after a marathon. We measured blood morphology as well as serum concentrations of iron, ferritin, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Our results showed significant changes in gene expression (except for TFRC), serum iron, CRP, and morphology after the marathon. However, the alterations in mRNA and protein levels occurred at different time points (immediately and 3 h post-run, respectively). The levels of circulating ferritin remained stable, whereas the number of transcripts in leukocytes differed significantly. We also showed that running pace might influence mRNA expression. Our results indicated that changes in the mRNA of genes involved in iron metabolism occurred independently of serum iron and ferritin concentrations.
Ankrd45 Is a Novel Ankyrin Repeat Protein Required for Cell Proliferation
Authors: Kang Yunsi , Xie Haibo , Zhao Chengtian
Published: June 2019

Ankyrin repeats, the most common protein–protein interaction motifs in nature, are widely present in proteins of both eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Ankyrin repeat-containing proteins play diverse biological functions. Here, we identified the gene ankrd45, which encodes a novel, two ankyrin repeat-containing protein. Zebrafish ankrd45 displayed a tissue specific expression pattern during early development, with high expression in ciliated tissues, including otic vesicles, Kupffer’s vesicles, pronephric ducts, and floor plates. Surprisingly, zebrafish ankrd45 mutants were viable and developed grossly normal cilia. In contrast, mutant larvae developed enlarged livers when induced with liver specific expression of KrasG12V, one of the common mutations of KRAS that leads to cancer in humans. Further, histological analysis suggested that multiple cysts developed in the mutant liver due to cell apoptosis. Similarly, knockdown of ANKRD45 expression with either siRNA or CRISPR/Cas9 methods induced apoptosis in cultured cells, similar to those in zebrafish ankrd45 mutant livers after induction. Using different cell lines, we show that the distribution of ANKRD45 protein was highly dynamic during mitosis. ANKRD45 is preferably localized to the midbody ring during cytokinesis. Together, our results suggest that ANKRD45 is a novel ankyrin repeat protein with a conserved role during cell proliferation in both zebrafish embryos and mammalian cells.
Determination of the Probabilities of Landslide Events—A Case Study of Bhutan
Authors: Sarkar Raju , Dorji Kelzang
Published: June 2019

Landslides have been and are prominent and devastating natural disasters in Bhutan due to its orography and intense monsoonal rainfall. The damage caused by landslides is huge, causing significant loss of lives, damage to infrastructure and loss of agricultural land. Several methods have been developed to understand the relationship between rainfall and landslide incidences. The most common method to understand the relationship is by defining thresholds using empirical methods which are expressed in either intensity-duration or event rainfall-duration terms. However, such thresholds determine the results in a binary form which may not be useful for landslide cases. Apart from defining thresholds, it is significant to validate the results. The article attempts to address both these issues by adopting a probabilistic approach and validating the results. The region of interest is the Chukha region located along the Phuentsholing-Thimphu Highway, which is a significant trade route between neighbouring countries and the national capital Thimphu. In the present study, probabilities are determined by Bayes’ theorem considering rainfall and landslide data from 2004 to 2014. Singular (rainfall intensity, rainfall duration and event rainfall) along with a combination (rainfall intensity and rainfall duration) of precipitation parameters were considered to determine the probabilities for landslide events. A sensitivity analysis was performed to verify the determined probabilities. The results depict that a combination of rainfall parameters is a better indicator to forecast landslides as compared to single rainfall parameter. Finally, the probabilities are validated using landslide records for 2015 using a threat score. The validation signifies that the probabilities can be used as the first line of action for an operational landslide warning system.
Extent Changes in the Perennial Snowfields of Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Authors: Tedesche Molly E. , Trochim Erin D. , Fassnacht Steven R. , Wolken Gabriel J.
Published: June 2019

Perennial snowfields in Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (GAAR) in the central Brooks Range of Alaska are a critical component of the cryosphere. They serve as habitat for an array of wildlife, including caribou, a species that is crucial as a food and cultural resource for rural subsistence hunters and Native Alaskans. Snowfields also influence hydrology, vegetation, permafrost, and have the potential to preserve valuable archaeological artifacts. By deriving time series maps using cloud computing and supervised classification of Landsat satellite imagery, we calculated areas and evaluated extent changes. We also derived changes in elevations of the perennial snowfields that remained stable for at least four years. For the study period of 1985 to 2017, we found that total areas of perennial snowfields in GAAR are decreasing, with most of the notable changes in the latter half of the study period. Equilibrium areas, or bright areas, of the snowfields are shrinking, while ablation, or dark areas, are growing. We also found that the snowfields occur at higher elevations over time. Climate change may be altering the distribution, elevation, and extent of perennial snowfields in GAAR, which could affect caribou populations and subsistence lifestyles in rural Alaska.
Current Status of the Adoption, Utilization and Helpfulness of Health Information Systems in Korea
Authors: Seo Kyunghwa , Kim Han-Nah , Kim Hyeongsu
Published: June 2019

As interest in medical informatization has been increasing steadily worldwide, the adoption of health information systems (HISs) in medical institutions is essential. In this study, we intended to identify users’ adoption, utilization and helpfulness derived from HISs to determine the status of medical informatization by using 2016 Korean Physician Survey data. A total of 8564 members responded to the 2016 survey, we extracted the data of 6949 HISs related part for this study. As a result, about 68% of the self-employed physicians adopted the Order Communication System and Electronic Medical Records, while only one-third adopted the Picture Archiving and Communication System. Overall, the proportions of utilization and helpfulness of HISs were higher for females; for employed physicians or professors; for physicians working in hospitals; and for those specializing in surgical medicine. As applying information technology to the medical environment becomes more important, HIS will become a necessary requirement and the demand for information systems considering user and patient oriented information environments will be increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss the HISs use environment considering not only technical aspects but also users’ or patients’ viewpoints. In that respect, this study will give a meaningful evidence of HIS related policies.
Stability of Three Different Sanitary Shoes on Healthcare Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Sánchez-Sáez José Manuel , Palomo-López Patricia , Becerro-de-Bengoa-Vallejo Ricardo , Calvo-Lobo César , Losa-Iglesias Marta Elena , López-del-Amo-Lorente Andrés , López-López Daniel
Published: June 2019

Background: The main purpose of this research was to determine the stability of three different sanitary shoes on nurses with eyes open and closed with respect to barefoot condition. In addition, the secondary aim was to determine the reliability of stability measurements under these different conditions. Methods: A crossover quasi-experimental study (NCT03764332) was performed. Twenty-six nurses who wore different sanitary shoes (Eva Plus Ultralight®, Gym Step® and Milan-SCL Liso®) were evaluated with respect to barefoot condition for stability measures on the Podoprint® podobarometric and stabilometry tool and with eyes open and closed. Furthermore, the reliability of stability measurements was determined by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) under these different conditions. Results: Between-groups comparisons of the static and stabilometry podobarometric data with eyes open showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). Milan-SCL Liso® sanitary shoes improved podobarometric data of forefoot force and distribution with respect to barefoot condition. Eva Plus Ultralight® and Gym Step® sanitary shoes increased the stroke length mean, stroke surface mean, and anterior speed mean as well as reduced y axis displacement mean with respect to barefoot condition. Similar findings were determined for measurements with eyes closed. ICCs ranged from poor to excellent reliability (ICC = 0.010–0.995). Conclusions: Sanitary shoes improved podobarometric and stabilometry stability with respect to barefoot condition.
Design and Development of a Mobile App for Accessible Beach Tourism Information for People with Disabilities
Authors: Mayordomo-Martínez Diego , Sánchez-Aarnoutse Juan-Carlos , Carrillo-de-Gea Juan M. , García-Berná José A. , Fernández-Alemán José Luis , García-Mateos Ginés
Published: June 2019

The global increase in the proportion of the population with disabilities has caused a greater awareness toward guaranteeing their use of public services. In particular, there is emphasis on the accessibility and inclusivity of tourism resources, to improve the enjoyment and well-being for people with motor disabilities. This paper presents a case study on accessibility to beaches in the Region of Murcia, Spain, which is one of the main tourist areas in the country. First, the most important elements that allow for the accessible use of beaches are analyzed and exposed in detail. Then, an extensive field-work in the area of interest has been carried out and its results are evaluated. Finally, the development of a new mobile app is described. The objective of this tool is to provide updated, accurate, and reliable accessibility information regarding the beaches. As a result, more than a third of the beaches analyzed had a high level of accessibility, while almost another third are totally inaccessible. The proposed application is a valuable tool, not only to help people with physical and motor disabilities, but also to raise awareness among local authorities to create and improve accessible services.
Problematic Attachment to Social Media: Five Behavioural Archetypes
Authors: Altuwairiqi Majid , Jiang Nan , Ali Raian
Published: June 2019

Today, social media play an important role in people’s daily lives. Many people use social media to satisfy their personal and social needs, such as enhancing self-image, acquiring self-esteem, and gaining popularity. However, when social media are used obsessively and excessively, behavioural addiction symptoms can occur, leading to negative impacts on one’s life, which is defined as a problematic attachment to social media. Research suggests that tools can be provided to assist the change of problematic attachment behaviour, but it remains unclear how such tools should be designed and personalised to meet individual needs and profiles. This study makes the first attempt to tackle this problem by developing five behavioural archetypes, characterising how social media users differ in their problematic attachments to them. The archetypes are meant to facilitate effective ideation, creativity, and communication during the design process and helping the elicitation and customisation of the variability in the requirements and design of behaviour change tools for combatting problematic usage of social media. This was achieved by using a four-phase qualitative study where the diary study method was considered at the initial stage, and also the refinement and confirmation stage, to enhance ecological validity.
Machine Learning-Based Integration of High-Resolution Wildfire Smoke Simulations and Observations for Regional Health Impact Assessment
Authors: Zou Yufei , O’Neill Susan M. , Larkin Narasimhan K. , Alvarado Ernesto C. , Solomon Robert , Mass Clifford , Liu Yang , Odman M. Talat , Shen Huizhong
Published: June 2019

Large wildfires are an increasing threat to the western U.S. In the 2017 fire season, extensive wildfires occurred across the Pacific Northwest (PNW). To evaluate public health impacts of wildfire smoke, we integrated numerical simulations and observations for regional fire events during August-September of 2017. A one-way coupled Weather Research and Forecasting and Community Multiscale Air Quality modeling system was used to simulate fire smoke transport and dispersion. To reduce modeling bias in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and to optimize smoke exposure estimates, we integrated modeling results with the high-resolution Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction satellite aerosol optical depth and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency AirNow ground-level monitoring PM2.5 concentrations. Three machine learning-based data fusion algorithms were applied: An ordinary multi-linear regression method, a generalized boosting method, and a random forest (RF) method. 10-Fold cross-validation found improved surface PM2.5 estimation after data integration and bias correction, especially with the RF method. Lastly, to assess transient health effects of fire smoke, we applied the optimized high-resolution PM2.5 exposure estimate in a short-term exposure-response function. Total estimated regional mortality attributable to PM2.5 exposure during the smoke episode was 183 (95% confidence interval: 0, 432), with 85% of the PM2.5 pollution and 95% of the consequent multiple-cause mortality contributed by fire emissions. This application demonstrates both the profound health impacts of fire smoke over the PNW and the need for a high-performance fire smoke forecasting and reanalysis system to reduce public health risks of smoke hazards in fire-prone regions.
Screening of the Maturity Status of the Tibial Tuberosity by Ultrasonography in Higher Elementary School Grade Schoolchildren
Authors: Ohtaka Maiko , Hiramoto Izumi , Minagawa Hiroshi , Matsuzaki Masashi , Kodama Hideya
Published: June 2019

This study aimed to obtain screening data on the maturity status of the tibial tuberosity in schoolchildren of higher elementary school grades for risk management of Osgood–Schlatter disease (OSD). The maturity stages and cartilage thicknesses at the tibial tuberosity were determined by ultrasonography on the occasion of a school-based musculoskeletal examination for 124 grade 5–6 elementary schoolchildren, and their associations with the students’ demographic characteristics and OSD were examined. The time-dependent changes of the maturity status of the tibial tuberosity were also examined in grade 5 students (n = 26) by a longitudinal survey. The cross-sectional survey showed that the epiphyseal stage was reached in 89% of girls and 35% of boys. The girls who had experienced menarche (n = 28) were all in the epiphyseal stage and had a decreased cartilage thickness (p = 0.004, after adjusting maturity stages). Students with OSD (n = 5) were all girls in the epiphyseal stage, and only two of them had an increased cartilage thickness. During the longitudinal survey, a marked increase in cartilage thickness from the previous measurement was observed in three boys (without clinical symptoms) and a girl who newly developed OSD. Two students with OSD without chronic pain had thin cartilage. In conclusion, for schoolchildren of higher elementary school grades, the risk of OSD is higher among girls with the epiphyseal stage. Cartilage thickness may not contribute to the diagnosis of OSD, since thick cartilage is not very common in OSD. However, cartilage thickness may reflect the status of OSD.
Ultrasound-Enhanced Catalytic Ozonation Oxidation of Ammonia in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Liu Chen , Chen Yunnen , He Caiqing , Yin Ruoyu , Liu Jun , Qiu Tingsheng
Published: June 2019

Excessive ammonia is a common pollutant in the wastewater, which can cause eutrophication, poison aquatic life, reduce water quality and even threaten human health. Ammonia in aqueous solution was converted using various systems, i.e., ozonation (O3), ultrasound (US), catalyst (SrO-Al2O3), ultrasonic ozonation (US/O3), ultrasound-enhanced SrO-Al2O3 (SrO-Al2O3/US), SrO-Al2O3 ozonation (SrO-Al2O3/O3) and ultrasound-enhanced SrO-Al2O3 ozonation (SrO-Al2O3/US/O3) under the same experimental conditions. The results indicated that the combined SrO-Al2O3/US/O3 process achieved the highest NH4+ conversion rate due to the synergistic effect between US, SrO-Al2O3 and O3. Additionally, the effect of different operational parameters on ammonia oxidation in SrO-Al2O3/O3 and SrO-Al2O3/US/O3 systems was evaluated. It was found that the ammonia conversion increased with the increase of pH value in both systems. The NH3(aq) is oxidized by both O3 and ·OH at high pH, whereas the NH4+ oxidation is only carried out through ·OH at low pH. Compared with the SrO-Al2O3/O3 system, the ammonia conversion was significantly increased, the reaction time was shortened, and the consumption of catalyst dosage and ozone were reduced in the SrO-Al2O3/US/O3 system. Moreover, reasonable control of ultrasonic power and duty cycle can further improve the ammonia conversion rate. Under the optimal conditions, the ammonia conversion and gaseous nitrogen yield reached 83.2% and 51.8%, respectively. The presence of tert-butanol, CO32−, HCO3−, and SO42− inhibited the ammonia oxidation in the SrO-Al2O3/US/O3 system. During ammonia conversion, SrO-Al2O3 catalyst not only has a certain adsorption effect on NH4+ but accelerates the O3 decomposition to ·OH.
Characteristics of Inorganic Phosphate-Solubilizing Bacteria from the Sediments of a Eutrophic Lake
Authors: Li Yong , Zhang Jiejie , Zhang Jianqiang , Xu Wenlai , Mou Zishen
Published: June 2019

Inorganic phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (IPB) are an important component of microbial populations in lake sediments. The phosphate that they decompose and release becomes an important source of phosphorus for eutrophic algae. The IPB strains were screened and isolated from the sediments of Sancha Lake using National Botanical Research Institute’s phosphate (NBRIP) plates. Their taxonomy was further determined by the 16S rDNA technique. The tricalcium phosphate-solubilizing ability of obtained IPB strains was evaluated using NBRIP- bromophenol blue (BPB) plates and Pikovskaya (PVK) liquid medium. Then, the ability of IPB strains to release phosphorus from the sediments were investigated by mimicking the lake environment. In this study, a total of 43 IPB strains were screened and isolated from the sediments of Sancha Lake, belonging to three phyla, eight families, and ten genera. Among them, two potentially new strains, SWSI1728 and SWSI1734, belonged to genus Bacillus, and a potentially new strain, SWSI1719, belonged to family Micromonosporaceae. Overall, the IBP strains were highly diverse and Bacillus and Paenibacillus were the dominant genera. In the tricalcium phosphate-solubilizing experiment, only 30 of the 43 IPB strains exhibited clear halo zones on plates, while in the liquid culture experiment, all strains were able to dissolve tricalcium phosphate. The phosphate-solubilizing abilities of the strains varied significantly, and the strain SWSI1725 of the Bacillus genus showed the strongest ability with a phosphate-solubilizing content of 103.57 mg/L. The sterilized systems demonstrated significantly elevated phosphorus hydrochloride (HCl–P) decomposition and release from the sediments after the inoculation of IPB strains, whereas no significant effect was demonstrated on the phosphonium hydroxide (NaOH-P). Thus, the IPB strains in the sediments of Sancha Lake possessed rich diversity and the ability to release phosphorus in sediments.