bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laxative Effect of Spicatoside A by Cholinergic Regulation of Enteric Nerve in Loperamide-Induced Constipation: ICR Mice Model
Authors: Kim Ji Eun , Park Ji Won , Kang Mi Ju , Choi Hyeon Jun , Bae Su Ji , Choi Yusang , Lee Young Ju , Seo Sungbaek , Hong Jin Tae , Hwang Dae Youn
Published: March 2019

Researches on spicatoside A (SpiA)-containing natural products suggest the possibility of SpiA as a potential laxative to alleviate chronic constipation. However, no studies have been conducted with single compound administration of SpiA. To verify the laxative effects and mechanism of action of SpiA on chronic constipation, we investigated alterations in the excretion parameters, histological structure, and cholinergic regulation of the enteric nerve in the colons of Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice with loperamide (Lop)-induced constipation after exposure to 20 mg/kg of SpiA. Decrease in the number, weight and water contents of stools in the Lop+Vehicle treated group significantly recovered after SpiA treatment, and alterations in the histological structure and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images were improved in the Lop+SpiA treated group. Similar recovery effects were observed in the ability for mucin secretion and expression of the membrane water channel gene (aquaporin 8, AQP8). Furthermore, significant improvements were observed in the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and acetylcholine receptors’ (AChRs) downstream signaling pathway after treatment of SpiA. The levels of gastrointestinal (GI) hormones including cholecystokinin (CCK) and gastrin were also remarkably enhanced in the Lop+SpiA treated group as compared to the Lop+Vehicle treated group. The expression of receptor tyrosine kinase (C-kit) and protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5) in Cajal and neural cells, as well as the phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC) in smooth muscle cells, were recovered after SpiA exposure. Taken together, the results of the present study provide the first strong evidence that SpiA improves chronic constipation through muscarinic cholinergic regulation of the enteric nerve in a Lop-induced constipation ICR mice model.
Supercritical CO2 Fluid Extraction of Elaeagnus mollis Diels Seed Oil and Its Antioxidant Ability
Authors: Wang Chengxin , Duan Zhenhua , Fan Liuping , Li Jinwei
Published: March 2019

Supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SF-CO2) was used to extract oil from Elaeagnus mollis Diels (E. mollis Diels) seed and its antioxidant ability was also investigated. The effect of extraction pressure (20–35 MPa), extraction temperature (35–65 °C), extraction time (90–180 min) and seed particle size (40–100 mesh) on the oil yield were studied. An orthogonal experiment was conducted to determine the best operating conditions for the maximum extraction oil yield. Based on the optimum conditions, the maximum yield reached 29.35% at 30 MPa, 50 °C, 150 min, 80 mesh seed particle size and 40 g/min SF-CO2 flow rate. The E. mollis Diels seed (EDS) oil obtained under optimal SF-CO2 extraction conditions had higher unsaturated fatty acid content (91.89%), higher vitamin E content (96.24 ± 3.01 mg/100 g) and higher total phytosterols content (364.34 ± 4.86 mg/100 g) than that extracted by Soxhlet extraction (SE) and cold pressing (CP) methods. The antioxidant activity of the EDS oil was measured by DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging test. EDS oil extracted by different methods exhibited a dose-dependent antioxidant ability, with IC50 values of no significant differences. Based on the results of correlation between bioactive compounds, lupeol and γ-tocopherol was the most important antioxidant in EDS oil.
The Extracts of Artemisia absinthium L. Suppress the Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells through Induction of Apoptosis via Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Mitochondrial-Dependent Pathway
Authors: Wei Xianxian , Xia Lijie , Ziyayiding Dilinigeer , Chen Qiuyan , Liu Runqing , Xu Xiaoyu , Li Jinyao
Published: March 2019

Artemisia absinthium L. has pharmaceutical and medicinal effects such as antimicrobial, antiparasitic, hepatoprotective, and antioxidant activities. Here, we prepared A. absinthium ethanol extract (AAEE) and its subfractions including petroleum ether (AAEE-Pe) and ethyl acetate (AAEE-Ea) and investigated their antitumor effect on human hepatoma BEL-7404 cells and mouse hepatoma H22 cells. The cell viability of hepatoma cells was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The apoptosis, cell cycle, mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were analyzed by flow cytometry. The levels of proteins in the cell cycle and apoptotic pathways were detected by Western blot. AAEE, AAEE-Pe, and AAEE-Ea exhibited potent cytotoxicity for both BEL-7404 cells and H22 cells through the induction of cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Moreover, AAEE, AAEE-Pe, and AAEE-Ea significantly reduced Δψm, increased the release of cytochrome c, and promoted the cleavage of caspase-3, caspase-9, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in BEL-7404 and H22 cells. AAEE, AAEE-Pe, and AAEE-Ea significantly upregulated the levels of ROS and C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP). Further, AAEE, AAEE-Pe, and AAEE-Ea significantly inhibited tumor growth in the H22 tumor mouse model and improved the survival of tumor mice without side effects. These results suggest that AAEE, AAEE-Pe, and AAEE-Ea inhibited the growth of hepatoma cells through induction of apoptosis, which might be mediated by the endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial-dependent pathway.
Raman Study of Strain Relaxation from Grain Boundaries in Epitaxial Graphene Grown by Chemical Vapor Deposition on SiC
Authors: Chong Laiyuan , Guo Hui , Zhang Yuming , Hu Yanfei , Zhang Yimen
Published: March 2019

Strains in graphene play a significant role in graphene-based electronics, but many aspects of the grain boundary effects on strained graphene remain unclear. Here, the relationship between grain boundary and strain property of graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on the C-face of SiC substrate has been investigated by Raman spectroscopy. It is shown that abundant boundary-like defects exist in the graphene film and the blue-shifted 2D-band frequency, which results from compressive strain in graphene film, shifts downward linearly as 1/La increases. Strain relaxation caused by grain boundary diffusion is considered to be the reason and the mechanism is analyzed in detail.
Improvement in Diabetic Retinopathy through Protection against Retinal Apoptosis in Spontaneously Diabetic Torii Rats Mediated by Ethanol Extract of Osteomeles schwerinae C.K. Schneid
Authors: Kim Chan-Sik , Kim Junghyun , Kim Young Sook , Jo Kyuhyung , Lee Yun Mi , Jung Dong Ho , Lee Ik Soo , Kim Joo-Hwan , Kim Jin Sook
Published: March 2019

Retinal apoptosis plays a critical role in the progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR), a common diabetic complication. Currently, the tight control of blood glucose levels is the standard approach to prevent or delay the progression of DR. However, prevalence of DR among diabetic patients remains high. Focusing on natural nutrients or herbal medicines that can prevent or delay the onset of diabetic complications, we administered an ethanol extract of the aerial portion of Osteomeles schwerinae (OSSCE), a Chinese herbal medicine, over a period of 17 weeks to spontaneously diabetic Torii (SDT) rats. OSSCE was found to ameliorate retinal apoptosis through the regulation of advanced glycation end product (AGE) accumulation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial function via the inhibition of NF-κB activity, in turn, through the downregulation of PKCδ, P47phox, and ERK1/2. We further demonstrated in 25 mM glucose-treated human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs) that hyperoside (3-O-galactoside-quercetin), quercitrin (3-O-rhamnoside-quercetin), and 2″-O-acetylvitexin (8-C-(2″-O-acetyl-glucoside)-apigenin) were the active components of OSSCE that mediated its pharmacological action. Our results provide evidence that OSSCE is a powerful agent that may directly mediate a delay in the development or disease improvement in patients of DR.
A Preventive Prebiotic Supplementation Improves the Sweet Taste Perception in Diet-Induced Obese Mice
Authors: Bernard Arnaud , Ancel Déborah , Neyrinck Audrey M. , Dastugue Aurélie , Bindels Laure B. , Delzenne Nathalie M. , Besnard Philippe
Published: March 2019

Orosensory perception of sweet stimulus is blunted in diet-induced obese (DIO) rodents. Although this alteration might contribute to unhealthy food choices, its origin remains to be understood. Cumulative evidence indicates that prebiotic manipulations of the gut microbiota are associated with changes in food intake by modulating hedonic and motivational drive for food reward. In the present study, we explore whether a prebiotic supplementation can also restore the taste sensation in DIO mice. The preference and licking behavior in response to various sucrose concentrations were determined using respectively two-bottle choice tests and gustometer analysis in lean and obese mice supplemented or not with 10% inulin-type fructans prebiotic (P) in a preventive manner. In DIO mice, P addition reduced the fat mass gain and energy intake, limited the gut dysbiosis and partially improved the sweet taste perception (rise both of sucrose preference and number of licks/10 s vs. non-supplemented DIO mice). No clear effect on orosensory perception of sucrose was found in the supplemented control mice. Therefore, a preventive P supplementation can partially correct the loss of sweet taste sensitivity found in DIO mice, with the efficiency of treatment being dependent from the nutritional status of mice (high fat diet vs. regular chow).
Lactose-Free Dairy Products: Market Developments, Production, Nutrition and Health Benefits
Authors: Dekker Peter J. T. , Koenders Damiet , Bruins Maaike J.
Published: March 2019

Lactose-free dairy is able to provide the essential nutrients present in regular dairy products, like calcium and vitamins, to those that are not able to digest lactose. This product category currently has a wide and growing health appeal to consumers. In recent years, the quality and product variety in the lactose-free dairy segment has been increasing significantly, giving consumers more tempting products to decide from. As a result, lactose-free dairy is now the fastest growing market in the dairy industry. This review discusses the market developments and production possibilities and issues related to the wide variation of lactose-free dairy products that are currently available. Additionally, the health benefits that lactose-free dairy may offer compared to dairy avoidance are illustrated.
Effects of Sodium Montmorillonite on the Preparation and Properties of Cellulose Aerogels
Authors: Long Lin-Yu , Li Fen-Fen , Weng Yun-Xuan , Wang Yu-Zhong
Published: March 2019

In this study, first, a green and efficient NaOH/urea aqueous solution system was used to dissolve cellulose. Second, the resulting solution was mixed with sodium montmorillonite. Third, a cellulose/montmorillonite aerogel with a three-dimensional porous structure was prepared via a sol-gel process, solvent exchange and freeze-drying. The viscoelastic analysis results showed that the addition of montmorillonite accelerated the sol-gel process in the cellulose solution. During this process, montmorillonite adhered to the cellulose substrate surface via hydrogen bonding and then became embedded in the pore structure of the cellulose aerogel. As a result, the pore diameter of the aerogel decreased and the specific surface area of the aerogel increased. Furthermore, the addition of montmorillonite increased the compressive modulus and density of the cellulose aerogel and reduced volume shrinkage during the preparation process. In addition, the oil/water adsorption capacities of cellulose aerogels and cellulose/montmorillon aerogels were investigated.
Microfluidic Based Fabrication and Characterization of Highly Porous Polymeric Microspheres
Authors: Amoyav Benzion , Benny Ofra
Published: March 2019

Polymeric porous particles are currently used for various applications in biotechnology, tissue engineering and pharmaceutical science, e.g., floating drug delivery systems and inhaled formulations. Particle shape and size depend on variable parameters; among them, polymer type and concentration, stirring speed, pH and type of solvent. In this study, porous poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) and poly(d,l-lactide) (PLA) microspheres (MPs), with varying sizes and morphologies, were synthesized and optimized using both batch formulation and a flow-focusing microfluidic device. A well-established method of preparation utilizing solvent evaporation and the double emulsion technique was performed. Similar to other batch encapsulation methods, this technique is time and reagent consuming and consists of several steps. Hence, although porous structures provide tremendous opportunity in the design of new applications for tissue engineering and as improved controlled-release carriers, the synthesis of these particles with predefined properties remains challenging. We demonstrated the fabrication of porous MPs using a simple microfluidic device, compared to batch synthesis fabrication; and the effect of solvent, polymer concentration and type, post-hydrolysis treatment, on porosity degree. Moreover, a kinetic release study of fluorescent molecule was conducted for non-porous in comparison to porous particles. An overview of future prospects and the potential of these porous beads in this scientific area are discussed.
Morphology Control in a Dual-Cure System for Potential Applications in Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Campbell Jonathan A. , Inglis Harrison , Ng WeiLong Elson , McKinley Cheylan , Lewis David A.
Published: March 2019

The polymerisation, morphology and mechanical properties of a two-component in-situ reacting system consisting of a rubbery dimethacrylate and a rigid epoxy polymer were investigated. The methacrylate component of the mixture was photocured using UV light exposure and, in a second curing process, the mixture was thermally postcured. The polymers formed a partially miscible system with two glass transition temperature (Tg) peaks measured using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The composition and relative rate of reaction of the two orthogonal polymerisations influenced the extent of miscibility of the two polymer-rich phases and the samples were transparent, indicating that the two phases were finely dispersed. The addition of a glycidyl methacrylate compatibiliser further increased the miscibility of the two polymers. The utility of this polymer system for additive manufacturing was investigated and simulated through layer-by-layer processing of the mixture in two steps. Firstly, the methacrylate component was photocured to solidify the material into its final shape, whilst the second step of thermal curing was used to polymerise the epoxy component. With the use of a simulated photomask, a simple shape was formed using the two orthogonal polymerisation stages to produce a solid object. The mechanical properties of this two-phase system were superior to a control sample made only of the methacrylate component, indicating that some reinforcing due to polymerisation of the epoxy across the interfaces had occurred in the postcuring stage.
Tetracarbonatodiruthenium Fragments and Lanthanide(III) Ions as Building Blocks to Construct 2D Coordination Polymers
Authors: Gutiérrez-Martín Daniel , Cortijo Miguel , Martín-Humanes Álvaro , González-Prieto Rodrigo , Delgado-Martínez Patricia , Herrero Santiago , Priego José L. , Jiménez-Aparicio Reyes
Published: March 2019

Two-dimensional coordination polymers of [Pr(DMSO)2(OH2)3][Ru2(CO3)4(DMSO)(OH2)]·5H2O (Prα) and [Ln(OH2)5][Ru2(CO3)4(DMSO)]·xH2O (Ln = Sm (Smβ), Gd (Gdβ)) formulae have been obtained by reaction of the corresponding Ln(NO3)3·6H2O dissolved in dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) and K3[Ru2(CO3)4]·4H2O dissolved in water. Some DMSO molecules are coordinated to the metal atoms reducing the possibilities of connection between the [Ru2(CO3)4]3− and Ln3+ building blocks giving rise to the formation of two-dimensional networks. The size of the Ln3+ ion and the synthetic method seem to have an important influence in the type of two-dimensional structure obtained. Slow diffusion of the reagents gives rise to Prα that forms a 2D net that is built by Ln3+ ions as triconnected nodes and two types of Ru25+ units as bi- and tetraconnected nodes with (2-c)(3-c)2(4-c) stoichiometry (α structure). An analogous synthetic procedure gives Smβ and Gdβ that display a grid-like structure, (2-c)2(4-c)2, formed by biconnected Ln3+ ions and two types of tetraconnected Ru25+ fragments (β structure). The magnetic properties of these compounds are basically explained as the sum of the individual contributions of diruthenium and lanthanide species, although canted ferrimagnetism or weak ferromagnetism are observed at low temperature.
Consuming the Tower of Babel and Japanese Public Art Museums—The Exhibition of Bruegel’s “The Tower of Babel” and the Babel-mori Project
Authors: Uno Kei
Published: March 2019

Two Japanese public art museums, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Gallery and the National Art Museum of Osaka, hosted Project Babel, which included the Babel-mori (Heaping plate of food items imitating the Tower of Babel) project. This was part of an advertising campaign for the traveling exhibition “BABEL Collection of Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen: Bruegel’s ‘The Tower of Babel’ and Great 16th Century Masters” in 2017. However, Babel-mori completely misconstrued the meaning of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11:1–9. I explore the opinions of the curators at the art museums who hosted it and the university students who took my interview on this issue. I will also discuss the treatment of artwork with religious connotations in light of education in Japan. These exhibitions of Christian artwork provide important evidence on the contemporary reception of Christianity in Japan and, more broadly, on Japanese attitudes toward religious minorities.
Weighted Spatial Pyramid Matching Collaborative Representation for Remote-Sensing-Image Scene Classification
Authors: Liu Bao-Di , Meng Jie , Xie Wen-Yang , Shao Shuai , Li Ye , Wang Yanjiang
Published: March 2019

At present, nonparametric subspace classifiers, such as collaborative representation-based classification (CRC) and sparse representation-based classification (SRC), are widely used in many pattern-classification and -recognition tasks. Meanwhile, the spatial pyramid matching (SPM) scheme, which considers spatial information in representing the image, is efficient for image classification. However, for SPM, the weights to evaluate the representation of different subregions are fixed. In this paper, we first introduce the spatial pyramid matching scheme to remote-sensing (RS)-image scene-classification tasks to improve performance. Then, we propose a weighted spatial pyramid matching collaborative-representation-based classification method, combining the CRC method with the weighted spatial pyramid matching scheme. The proposed method is capable of learning the weights of different subregions in representing an image. Finally, extensive experiments on several benchmark remote-sensing-image datasets were conducted and clearly demonstrate the superior performance of our proposed algorithm when compared with state-of-the-art approaches.
Storm Event to Seasonal Evolution of Nearshore Bathymetry Derived from Shore-Based Video Imagery
Authors: Bergsma Erwin W. J. , Conley Daniel C. , Davidson Mark A. , O'Hare Tim J. , Almar Rafael
Published: March 2019

Coastal evolution occurs on a wide range of time-scales, from storms, seasonal and inter-annual time-scales to longer-term adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Measuring campaigns typically either measure morphological evolution on a short-time scale (days) with high frequency (hourly) or long-time scales (years) but intermittently (monthly). This leaves an important observational gap that limits morphological variability assessments. Traditional echo sounding measurements on this long time-scale and high-frequency sampling require a significant financial injection. Shore-based video systems with high spatiotemporal resolution can bridge this gap. For the first time, hourly Kalman filtered video-derived bathymetries covering 1.5 years of morphological evolution with an hourly resolution obtained at Porhtowan, UK are presented. Here, the long-term hourly dataset is used and aims to show its added value for, and provide an in-depth, morphological analyses with unprecedented temporal resolution. The time-frame includes calm and extreme (storm) wave conditions in a macro-tidal environment. The video-derived bathymetries allow hourly beach state classification while before this was not possible due to the dependence on foam patterns of wave breaking (e.g., saturation during storms). The study period covers extreme storm erosion during the most energetic winter season in 60 years (2013–2014). Recovery of the beach takes place on several time-scales: (1) an immediate initial recovery after the storm season (first 2 months), (2) limited recovery during low energetic summer conditions and (3) accelerated recovery as the wave conditions picked up in the subsequent fall—under wave conditions that are typically erosive. The video-derived bathymetries are shown to be effective in determining bar-positions, outer-bar three-dimensionality and volume analyses with an unprecedented hourly temporal resolution.
Multi-Scale Proposal Generation for Ship Detection in SAR Images
Authors: Liu Nengyuan , Cao Zongjie , Cui Zongyong , Pi Yiming , Dang Sihang
Published: March 2019

The classic ship detection methods in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images suffer from an extreme variance of ship scale. Generating a set of ship proposals before detection operation can effectively alleviate the multi-scale problem. In order to construct a scale-independent proposal generator for SAR images, we suggest four characteristics of ships in SAR images and the corresponding four procedures in this paper. Based on these characteristics and procedures, we put forward a framework to explore multi-scale ship proposals. The designed framework mainly contains two stages: hierarchical grouping and proposal scoring. Firstly, we extract edges, superpixels and strong scattering components from SAR images. The ship proposals are obtained at hierarchical grouping stage by combining the strong scattering components with superpixel grouping. Considering the difference of edge density and the completeness and tightness of contour, we obtain the scores to measure the confidence that a proposal contains a ship. Finally, the ranking proposals are obtained. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the four procedures. Our method achieves 0.70 the average best overlap (ABO) score, 0.59 the area under the curve (AUC) score and 0.85 best recall on a challenging dataset. In addition, the recall of our method on three scale subsets are all above 0.80. Experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm outperforms the approaches previously used for SAR images.
The Convective Rainfall Rate from Cloud Physical Properties Algorithm for Meteosat Second-Generation Satellites: Microphysical Basis and Intercomparisons using an Object-Based Method
Authors: Tapiador Francisco J. , Marcos Cecilia , Sancho Juan Manuel
Published: March 2019

The convective rainfall rate from cloud physical properties (CRPh) algorithm for Meteosat second-generation satellites is a day-only precipitation algorithm developed at the Spanish Meteorological Agency (AEMET) for EUMETSAT’ Satellite Application Facility in support of nowcasting and very short-range forecasting (NWC SAF). It is therefore mainly intended to provide input for monitoring and near-real-time forecasts for a few hours. This letter critically discusses the theoretical basis of the algorithm with special emphasis on the empirical values and assumptions in the microphysics of precipitation, and compares the qualitative performances of the CRPh with its antecessor, the convective rainfall rate algorithm (CRR), using an object-based method applied to a case-study. The analyses show that AEMET’s CRPh is physically consistent and outperforms the CRR. The applicability of the algorithm for nowcasting and the challenges of improving the product to an all-day algorithm are also presented.
A Comparative Study of Bulk Parameterization Schemes for Estimating Cloudy-Sky Surface Downward Longwave Radiation
Authors: Cheng Jie , Yang Feng , Guo Yamin
Published: March 2019

Parameterization schemes (bulk formulae) are widely used to estimate all-sky surface downward longwave radiation (SDLR) due to the simple, readily available inputs and acceptable accuracy from local to regional scales. Seven widely used bulk formulae are evaluated using the ground measurements collected from 44 globally distributed flux measurement sites of five networks. The Bayesian model averaging (BMA) method is introduced to integrate multiple bulk formulae to obtain an estimate of cloudy-sky SDLR for the first time. The second multiple linear regression model of Carmona et al. (2014) performs the best, with BIAS, RMSE, and R2 of zero, 20.13 W·m−2 and 0.87, respectively. The BMA method can achieve balanced results that are close to the accuracy of the second multiple linear regression model of Carmona et al. (2014) and better than the average accuracy of seven bulk formulae, with BIAS, RMSE, and R2 of −1.08 W·m−2, 21.99 W·m−2 and 0.87, respectively. In addition, the bulk formula of Crawford and Duchon (1999) is preferred if there is insufficient data to calibrate the bulk formulae because it does not need local calibration and has an acceptable accuracy, with BIAS, RMSE, and R2 of 0.96 W·m−2, 26.58 W·m−2 and 0.82, respectively. The effects of climate type, land cover type, and surface elevation are also investigated to fully assess the applicability of each bulk formula and BMA. In general, there is no cloudy-sky bulk parametrization scheme that can be successfully applied everywhere.
Kernel-Based Nonlinear Spectral Unmixing with Dictionary Pruning
Authors: Li Zeng , Chen Jie , Rahardja Susanto
Published: March 2019

Spectral unmixing extracts subpixel information by decomposing observed pixel spectra into a collection of constituent spectra signatures and their associated fractions. Considering the restriction of linear unmixing model, nonlinear unmixing algorithms find their applications in complex scenes. Kernel-based algorithms serve as important candidates for nonlinear unmixing as they do not require specific model assumption and have moderate computational complexity. In this paper we focus on the linear mixture and nonlinear fluctuation model. We propose a two-step kernel-based unmixing algorithm to address the case where a large spectral library is used as the candidate endmembers or the sparse mixture case. The sparsity-inducing regularization is introduced to perform the endmember selection and the candidate library is then pruned to provide more accurate results. Experimental results with synthetic and real data, particularly those laboratory-created labeled, show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm compared with state-of-art methods.
Controlled Growth of an Mo2C—Graphene Hybrid Film as an Electrode in Self-Powered Two-Sided Mo2C—Graphene/Sb2S0.42Se2.58/TiO2 Photodetectors
Authors: Kang Zhe , Zheng Zhi , Wei Helin , Zhang Zhi , Tan Xinyu , Xiong Lun , Zhai Tianyou , Gao Yihua
Published: March 2019

The monotonic work function of graphene makes it difficult to meet the electrode requirements of every device with different band structures. Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides (TMCs), such as carbides in MXene, are considered good candidates for electrodes as a complement to graphene. Carbides in MXene have been used to make electrodes for use in devices such as lithium batteries. However, the small lateral size and thermal instability of carbides in MXene, synthesized by the chemically etching method, limit its application in optoelectronic devices. The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method provides a new way to obtain high-quality ultrathin TMCs without functional groups. However, the TMCs film prepared by the CVD method tends to grow vertically during the growth process, which is disadvantageous for its application in the transparent electrode. Herein, we prepared an ultrathin Mo2C—graphene (Mo2C—Gr) hybrid film by CVD to solve the above problem. The work function of Mo2C—Gr is between that of graphene and a pure Mo2C film. The Mo2C—Gr hybrid film was selected as a transparent hole-transporting layer to fabricate novel Mo2C—Gr/Sb2S0.42Se2.58/TiO2 two-sided photodetectors. The Mo2C—Gr/Sb2S0.42Se2.58/TiO2/fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) device could detect light from both the FTO side and the Mo2C—Gr side. The device could realize a short response time (0.084 ms) and recovery time (0.100 ms). This work is believed to provide a powerful method for preparing Mo2C—graphene hybrid films and reveals its potential applications in optoelectronic devices.
Time-Sensitive Network (TSN) Experiment in Sensor-Based Integrated Environment for Autonomous Driving
Authors: Lee Juho , Park Sungkwon
Published: March 2019

Recently, large amounts of data traffic from various sensors and image and navigation systems within vehicles are generated for autonomous driving. Broadband communication networks within vehicles have become necessary. New autonomous Ethernet networks are being considered as alternatives. The Ethernet-based in-vehicle network has been standardized in the IEEE 802.1 time-sensitive network (TSN) group since 2006. The Ethernet TSN will be revised and integrated into a subsequent version of IEEE 802.1Q-2018 published in 2018 when various new TSN-related standards are being newly revised and published. A TSN integrated environment simulator is developed in this paper to implement the main functions of the TSN standards that are being developed. This effort would minimize the performance gaps that can occur when the functions of these standards operate in an integrated environment. As part of this purpose, we analyzed the simulator to verify that the traffic for autonomous driving satisfies the TSN transmission requirements in the in-vehicle network (IVN) and the preemption (which is one of the main TSN functions) and reduces the overall End-to-End delay. An optimal guard band size for the preemption was also found for autonomous vehicles in our work. Finally, an IVN model for autonomous vehicles was designed and the performance test was conducted by configuring the traffic to be used for various sensors and electronic control units (ECUs).
Photo-Rheological Fluid-Based Colorimetric Ultraviolet Light Intensity Sensor
Authors: Min Kyung-Pyo , Kim Gi-Woo
Published: March 2019

This study presents an introduction to a new type of ultraviolet (UV) light intensity sensor using photo-rheological (PR) fluids whose properties, such as color, can be changed by UV light. When the PR fluids were irradiated by UV light, colorimetric transitions were observed. Effectively, this means that their color changed gradually from yellow to red. The degree of the color change depended on the UV light intensity and was characterized by the hue value of the images acquired with a compact image sensor. We demonstrated that UV light-responsive capabilities can be readily imparted to PR fluids, and that the colorimetric responses to different UV light intensities can be used to measure the UV light intensities.
How and to What Extent Does Topography Control the Results of Soil Function Assessment: A Case Study From the Alps in South Tyrol (Italy)
Authors: Gruber Fabian Ernst , Schaber Elisabeth , Baruck Jasmin , Geitner Clemens
Published: March 2019

Soil function assessments (SFA) are becoming increasingly important as a tool to integrate soil-related issues in decision-making processes in order to maintain soil quality. We present the SEPP (Soil Evaluation for Planning Procedures) tool, which calculates a level of fulfillment for 14 soil functions based on the information generally collected in soil pit descriptions. By using a statistical modeling approach based on support vector machine classification, we investigate how and to what extent topography, as representated by local terrain parameters and landform classes computed with the GRASS GIS tool r.geomorphon algorithm, controls soil parameters and hence the output of the SEPP tool. A feature selection procedure is applied which highlights those topographic attributes best suited for modeling the various soil function fulfillment levels. By evaluating the model for each soil function using cross-validation we show that the prediction accuracy varies from function to function. While some terrain attributes are directly implemented in the SFA algorithms of SEPP, others are implemented indirectly due to the link between topography and land use. Minimal curvature and slope were found to be first indicators of function fulfillment level for a number of soil functions.
Perception and Attitude toward GM Technology among Agribusiness Managers in China as Producers and as Consumers
Authors: Deng Haiyan , Hu Ruifa , Pray Carl , Jin Yanhong
Published: March 2019

China is one of the biggest consumers of genetically modified (GM) products, importing maize, soybeans and canola, and producing GM cotton. The cultivation of GM food crop, however, is still not permitted. Many studies argue that consumers’ attitude toward GM food safety is a major barrier to GM food crop production in China. Recent studies suggest that special interest groups such as biotechnology scientists with an economic interest in biotechnology are more supportive of the technology than groups with nothing to gain. Others believe that agribusiness groups influence the debate about GM food production. This is the first study that examined agribusiness managers’ attitudes toward GM biosafety and their support for GM crop production. The sample was 160 firms in the seed, pesticide, feed and food processing industries. We found most agribusiness leaders are concerned about GM food consumption and oppose GM crop production. Using regression models, we found business managers’ attitudes toward GM crop cultivation are more supportive if they expect to profit, if they are already using GM crops in their firm or are doing research on GM crops.
Spatial Production and Governance of Urban Agglomeration in China 2000–2015: Yangtze River Delta as a Case
Authors: Ye Chao , Liu Zhaojing , Cai Wenbo , Chen Ruishan , Liu Liangliang , Cai Yongli
Published: March 2019

Urban agglomeration plays an essential role in world urbanization. Urban agglomerations in developing countries like China, although have the same characteristics as the developed countries because of globalization, often show a more different and dynamic process. Urban agglomerations in China are generally dominated and planned as a mode of organizing and improving urbanization by the Chinese government; however, in different regions, urban agglomeration has different trajectories based on a different historical and geographical context. The paper applies a new social theory, production of space, into explaining the development and governance of urban agglomeration in China, which is effective and meaningful to help understand the developmental process of urban agglomeration and urbanization. The theory of spatial production focuses on the relation between society and space, in which ‘society’ has a broad meaning and can be divided into three factors or parts: power, capital, and class. This paper chooses YRD (the Yangtze River Delta) as a typical case and designs a simple index system to reflect the influences of these three factors on urban agglomeration. The governance of urban agglomeration will be indicated by national or regional policies analysis. According to such a synthesis method of index assessment, GIS (Geographic Information System), and policies analysis, we find Chinese urban agglomeration is a capital-intensive region, and the national policies tend to regard it as an intensive investment object. Planning and governance from top-down power have more influence than the market in the evolving process of urban agglomeration. There is a contradiction between spatial production and people-oriented urbanization, with the latter more important than the former, but China’s urbanization often emphasizes the former. It is high time to link the techniques and methods such as GIS to the social theories like the production of space in urban studies.
Crop Productivity and Nitrogen Balance as Influenced by Nitrogen Deposition and Fertilizer Application in North China
Authors: Liu Jie , Li Jumei , Ma Yibing , Wang Enli , Liang Qiong , Jia Yuehui , Li Tingshu , Wang Guocheng
Published: March 2019

In spite of the importance of N management in agricultural production, closing the full nitrogen balance remains a challenge, mainly due to the uncertainties in both fluxes of nitrogen input and output. We analyzed N deposition and its influence on crop productivity and field nitrogen balance based on data from three of 15 years (1990–2005) of experiments in North China. The results showed that the average annual nitrogen deposition was 76, 80, and 94 kg N/ha at Changping, Zhengzhou, and Yangling in a wheat-maize rotation system, respectively. The deposited N could support a corresponding total biomass production (wheat plus maize) of 9.6, 10.6, and 8.8 Mg/ha with a total grain yield of 3.8, 4.8, and 3.7 Mg/ha, however, that did not cause a further decline in soil organic matter. N fertilizer application could increase total biomass (grain) by 244% (259%) and 74% (119%) for wheat and maize, respectively. Under optimal N management, N deposition accounted for 17–21% of the total N inputs, which affected significantly the recovery efficiency of applied N. N deposition showed a significant spatial variation in terms of the fraction of dry and wet depositions. On an annual average, N deposition roughly balanced out N losses due to NH3 volatilization and N2O loss from nitrification and denitrification. NH3 volatilization and NO3−-N leaching each accounted for 16–20% of the total N outputs. A system modeling approach is recommended to investigate the spatial variation of N leaching as affected by climatic conditions, and to fully account for the nitrogen fluxes. The N deposition derived from this study can be used as the background N input into the wheat-maize double cropping system for N balance.
Partial Replacement of Fine Aggregate Using Water Purification Sludge in Producing CLSM
Authors: Tang Chao-Wei , Cheng Chiu-Kuei
Published: March 2019

This study investigated the mix design and engineering properties of controlled low-strength material (CLSM) by partial replacement of fine aggregate using water purification sludge (WPS). First, an investigation was performed at laboratory scale to assess the effects of the constituent materials and their quantities on the properties of the resulting CLSM. The Taguchi method of experimental design was used to determine optimal parameters for the mix design of CLSM. The parameters investigated included sludge content, water–binder ratio, slag content, accelerator agent content, and coarse aggregate content. Then, a cost analysis of a large-scale production CLSM containing WPS in a commercially available ready-mix concrete batching plant was performed. The results indicated that the water–binder ratio was the most significant factor that contributed to the target value (17.5 cm) of the tube flow of the mixture. The main contributions of experimental factors were water–binder ratio (78.00%), slag content (18.71%), accelerator agent content (2.41%), and sludge content (0.88%). Moreover, the strength of mixtures containing WPS was lower than that of mixtures without WPS. In particular, when the replacement percentage of fine aggregates with WPS was more than 20%, the strength was significantly reduced. The material cost per cubic meter of CLSM containing WPS is about NT$297.42 lower than that of ordinary CLSM, which can reduce the cost by 17.53%.
Spatiotemporal Characteristic of Land Use/Land Cover Changes in the Middle and Lower Reaches of Shule River Basin Based on an Intensity Analysis
Authors: Da Fuwen , Chen Xingpeng , Qi Jinghui
Published: March 2019

The vegetation response to climatic factors is a hot topic in global change research. With the Support of ArcGIS and ENVI software, six sets of Landsat remote sensing images of the middle and lower reaches of the Shule River Basin were interpreted. Eight types of land use and land covers were obtained and the spatiotemporal characteristics of the land use/land cover changes (LUCCs) were analyzed using an intensity analysis to provide a basis for decision-making on the sustainable development of the basin. In the past 29 years, the area of cropland, construction land and shrubland had a net increase, while high-coverage grassland (HCG), medium-coverage grassland (MCG), low-coverage grassland (LCG), wetland and non-vegetation land all presented a net decrease. The area of artificial vegetation (cropland) presented an expanding trend and increased by 1105.56 km2 in total, while the natural vegetation (grassland, shrubland, wetland) showed a shrinking tendency and decreased by 917.69 km2. The intensity analysis revealed that the rate of LUCC in the period of 2000~2006 and 2006~2010 was relatively higher, although the rate of LUCC in other periods was much lower. The change intensities of MCG and HCG were greatest, followed by LCG, shrubland and wetland. Construction land and cropland were in third place, while non-vegetation land was in last place. The pattern of regional LUCC was generally stable except for cropland loss and the gain/loss change of other land-use/land-cover types was always in an active state. For spatial distribution, few changes were observed in the old irrigated area within the oasis. The LUCC was mainly concentrated in the oasis fringe area, natural vegetation cover area and emigrant arrangement regions.
Estimating Residential and Industrial City Gas Demand Function in the Republic of Korea—A Kalman Filter Application
Authors: Lim Chansu
Published: March 2019

This paper analyzes the city gas demand function in Korea from 1998 to 2018. The demand function of city gas is derived by a Kalman filter method, and price and income elasticities varying with time are estimated. In the case of residential city gas, the price elasticity gradually decreased to a value of approximately 0.57, while income elasticity increased to approximately 1.48 from 1998 to 2018. Alternatively, industrial city gas demand’s price and income elasticities have been estimated as inelastic, as their absolute values were less than unity over time. The absolute values of price and income elasticities are estimated to be larger for residential than industrial city gas, and thus, city gas consumers are more likely to respond to changes in price and income for residential than industrial city gas. There is a substantial income effect on demand for residential city gas in Korea, whereas industrial city gas is found to have relatively small income and price effects. The results of this study provide policy makers with a Kalman filter method to access more accurate information on the city gas demand function’s elasticities, which change with time.
Spatial Distribution and Simulation of Cropland Abandonment in Wushan County, Chongqing, China
Authors: Guo Yuchen , Song Wei
Published: March 2019

Cropland abandonment (CRA) is an extreme case of cropland marginalization. With the continuous development of global industrialization and urbanization, the phenomenon of CRA gradually spreads from developed countries such as eastern and western European countries and the United States to developing countries such as China, especially in regions with poor geographical conditions such as mountainous areas. However, research on CRA in developing countries is sparse, and adequate identification methods and spatial distribution information are lacking in China, impeding the comprehensive understanding of the status quo of CRA as well as the formulation of related policies and measures. Therefore, taking Wushan County in Chongqing as an example, we developed a CRA extraction method to identify cropland. Landsat 8 OLI_TIRS remote sensing images were adopted in the extraction. Subsequently, Google Earth images were used to verify the extraction results, and the extraction accuracy of abandoned cropland plaques reached 89.33%. The CRA rate in Wushan between 2011 and 2016 was 28.71%, and abandoned cropland was highly scattered across the region. In areas above 800 m and with slopes of more than 15°, large areas were abandoned. However, an increasing irrigation radius resulted in higher labor costs and, ultimately, larger abandoned areas. Using the Conversion of Land Use and its Effects-Small (CLUE-S) model, the CRA status under different scenarios was simulated, and under the scenario of economic development, the CRA rate in the next 20 years was as low as 28.84%, while under the scenario of natural growth, the rate reached 33.54%. When the model used the scenario of ecological protection, the cropland area in Wushan County decreased significantly, and the CRA rate reached 42.11%.
Food and Earth Systems: Priorities for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation for Agriculture and Food Systems
Authors: Loboguerrero Ana , Campbell Bruce , Cooper Peter , Hansen James , Rosenstock Todd , Wollenberg Eva
Published: March 2019

Human activities and their relation with land, through agriculture and forestry, are significantly impacting Earth system functioning. Specifically, agriculture has increasingly become a key sector for adaptation and mitigation initiatives that address climate change and help ensure food security for a growing global population. Climate change and agricultural outcomes influence our ability to reach targets for at least seven of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. By 2015, 103 nations had committed themselves to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture, while 102 countries had prioritized agriculture in their adaptation agenda. Adaptation and mitigation actions within agriculture still receive insufficient support across scales, from local to international level. This paper reviews a series of climate change adaptation and mitigation options that can support increased production, production efficiency and greater food security for 9 billion people by 2050. Climate-smart agriculture can help foster synergies between productivity, adaptation, and mitigation, although trade-offs may be equally apparent. This study highlights the importance of identifying and exploiting those synergies in the context of Nationally Determined Contributions. Finally, the paper points out that keeping global warming to 2 °C above pre-industrial levels by 2100 requires going beyond the agriculture sector and exploring possibilities with respect to reduced emissions from deforestation, food loss, and waste, as well as from rethinking human diets.
Ksar Said: Building Tunisian Young People’s Critical Engagement with Their Heritage
Authors: Di Giuseppantonio Di Franco Paola , Winterbottom Mark , Galeazzi Fabrizio , Gogan Mike
Published: March 2019

This paper describes the work undertaken as part of the ‘Digital Documentation of Ksar Said’ Project. This project, funded by the British Council, combined education, history, and heritage for the digital preservation of tangible and intangible aspects of heritage associated with the 19th century Said Palace (Ksar Said) in Tunis. We produced an interactive 3D model of Ksar Said and developed learning resources to build Tunisian students’ critical engagement with their heritage through inquiry learning activities within the 3D model. We used a user-centred approach, based on pre-assessment (i.e., co-creation of contents), mid-term evaluation (i.e., feedback on contents and preliminary design of virtual activities), and post-assessment design (i.e., user trial). Our results demonstrate the potential of this novel approach to virtual learning and inform future co-design, evaluation and implementation choices for improving the generative power of three dimensional virtual replication of heritage sites in the cultural heritage sector.