bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preparation of Poly (Allylthiourea-Co-Acrylic Acid) Derived Carbon Materials and Their Applications in Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Liang Limei , Li Chengpeng , Hou Tingting , Zhong Zhiying , Chen Dongchu , Li Sidong , Hu Zhang , Yang Haihua , Ye Xiufang
Published: March 2019

Functional carbon materials have been developed and applied in various sewage treatment applications in recent years. This article reports the fabrication, characterization, and application of a new kind of poly (allylthiourea-co-acrylic acid) (PAT–PAC) hydrogel-based carbon monolith. The results indicated that the poly acrylic acid component can endow the PAT–PAC hydrogel with an increased swelling ratio and enhanced thermal stability. During the carbonization process, O–H, N–H, C=N, and –COO– groups, etc. were found to be partly decomposed, leading to the conjugated C=C double bonds produced and the clear red shift of C=O bonds. Particularly, it was found that this shift was accelerated under higher carbonization temperature, which ultimately resulted in the complex conjugated C=C network with oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur atoms doped in-situ. The as-obtained carbon monoliths showed good removal capacity for Ni(II) ions, organic solvents, and dyes, respectively. Further analysis indicated that the Ni(II) ion adsorption process could be well described by pseudo-second-order and Freundlich models under our experimental conditions, respectively. The adsorption capacity for Ni(II) ions and paraffin oil was as high as 557 mg/g and 1.75 g/g, respectively. More importantly, the as-obtained carbon monoliths can be recycled and reused for Ni(II) ions, acetone, and paraffin oil removal. In conclusion, the proposed PAT–PAC-based carbonaceous monoliths are superior adsorbents for wastewater treatment.
Convenient Synthesis of 6,7,12,13-Tetrahydro-5H-Cyclohepta[2,1-b:3,4-b’]diindole Derivatives Mediated by Hypervalent Iodine (III) Reagent
Authors: Peng Lei , Zhang Xiaofei , Yang Chunhao
Published: March 2019

Bisindolyl alkaloids represent a large family of natural and synthetic products that display various biological activities. Among the bisindole compounds, 6,7,12,13-tetrahydro-5H-cyclohepta[2,1-b:3,4-b’]diindoles have received little attention. Only two methods have been developed for the construction of the 6,7,12,13-tetrahydro-5H-cyclohepta[2,1-b:3,4-b’]diindole scaffold thus far, including the classical Fischer indole synthesis conducted by reacting indole-fused cycloheptanone and hydrazines, and the condensation reaction to build the seven-membered ring. Here, we report for the first time a new route to synthesize 6,7,12,13-tetrahydro-5H-cyclohepta[2,1-b:3,4-b’]diindoles through intramolecular oxidative coupling of 1,3-di(1H-indol-3-yl)propanes in the presence of PIFA, DDQ and TMSCl with moderate to excellent yields.
Cohesive Energy Densities Versus Internal Pressures of Near and Supercritical Fluids
Authors: Roth Michal
Published: March 2019

Over half a century ago, Wiehe and Bagley suggested that a product of the internal pressure and molar volume of a liquid measures the energy of nonspecific intermolecular interactions whereas the cohesive energy reflects the total energy of intermolecular interactions in the liquid. This conjecture, however, has never been considered in connection with near and supercritical fluids. In this contribution, the cohesive energy density, internal pressure and their ratios are calculated from high precision equations of state for eight important fluids including water. To secure conformity to the principle of corresponding states when comparing different fluids, the calculations are carried out along the line defined by equality between the reduced temperature and the reduced pressure of the fluid (Tr = Pr). The results provide additional illustration of the tunability of the solvent properties of water that stands apart from those of other near and supercritical fluids in common use. In addition, an overview is also presented of the derivatives of cohesive energy density, solubility parameter and internal pressure with respect to temperature, pressure and molar volume.
High-Sensitive Ammonia Sensors Based on Tin Monoxide Nanoshells
Authors: Wu Han , Ma Zhong , Lin Zixia , Song Haizeng , Yan Shancheng , Shi Yi
Published: March 2019

Ammonia (NH3) is a harmful gas contaminant that is part of the nitrogen cycle in our daily lives. Therefore, highly sensitive ammonia sensors are important for environmental protection and human health. However, it is difficult to detect low concentrations of ammonia (≤50 ppm) using conventional means at room temperature. Tin monoxide (SnO), a member of IV–VI metal monoxides, has attracted much attention due to its low cost, environmental-friendly nature, and higher stability compared with other non-oxide ammonia sensing material like alkaline metal or polymer, which made this material an ideal alternative for ammonia sensor applications. In this work, we fabricated high-sensitive ammonia sensors based on self-assembly SnO nanoshells via a solution method and annealing under 300 °C for 1 h. The as fabricated sensors exhibited the response of 313%, 874%, 2757%, 3116%, and 3757% (∆G/G) under ammonia concentration of 5 ppm, 20 ppm, 50 ppm, 100 ppm, and 200 ppm, respectively. The structure of the nanoshells, which have curved shells that provide shelters for the core and also possess a large surface area, is able to absorb more ammonia molecules, leading to further improvements in the sensitivity. Further, the SnO nanoshells have higher oxygen vacancy densities compared with other metal oxide ammonia sensing materials, enabling it to have higher performance. Additionally, the selectivity of ammonia sensors is also outstanding. We hope this work will provide a reference for the study of similar structures and applications of IV–VI metal monoxides in the gas sensor field.
Photoelectrocatalytic Hydrogen Generation Enabled by CdS Passivated ZnCuInSe Quantum Dot-Sensitized TiO2 Decorated with Ag Nanoparticles
Authors: Li Weili , Geng Hongchao , Yao Lu , Cao Kesheng , Sheng Pengtao , Cai Qingyun
Published: March 2019

Here we present the photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen generation properties of CdS passivated ZnCuInSe (ZCISe) quantum dots (QDs) supported by TiO2 nanowires decorated with Ag nanoparticles. In this configuration, Ag nanoparticles were sandwiched between the photo-electrons collector (TiO2) and photo-sensitizers (ZCISe), and acted as an electron relay speeding up the charge carrier transport. ZCISe and CdS enabled the optical absorption of the photoelectrode ranging from ultraviolet to near infrared region, which significantly enhanced the solar-to-chemical energy conversion efficiency. A photocurrent of 10.5 mA/cm2 and a hydrogen production rate of about 52.9 μmol/h were achieved under simulated sunlight (1.5 AG).
Epigallocatechin Gallate-Gold Nanoparticles Exhibit Superior Antitumor Activity Compared to Conventional Gold Nanoparticles: Potential Synergistic Interactions
Authors: Chavva Suhash Reddy , Deshmukh Sachin Kumar , Kanchanapally Rajashekhar , Tyagi Nikhil , Coym Jason William , Singh Ajay Pratap , Singh Seema
Published: March 2019

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) possesses significant antitumor activity and binds to laminin receptors, overexpressed on cancer cells, with high affinity. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) serve as excellent drug carriers and protect the conjugated drug from enzymatic metabolization. Citrate-gold nanoparticles (C-GNPs) and EGCG-gold nanoparticles (E-GNPs) were synthesized by reduction methods and characterized with UV-visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Cytotoxicity of citrate, EGCG, C-GNPs, and E-GNPs was evaluated by the water-soluble tetrazolium salt (WST-1) assay. Nanoparticle cellular uptake studies were performed by TEM and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Dialysis method was employed to assess drug release. Cell viability studies showed greater growth inhibition by E-GNPs compared to EGCG or C-GNPs. Cellular uptake studies revealed that, unlike C-GNPs, E-GNPs were taken up more efficiently by cancerous cells than noncancerous cells. We found that E-GNP nanoformulation releases EGCG in a sustained fashion. Furthermore, data showed that E-GNPs induced more apoptosis in cancer cells compared to EGCG and C-GNPs. From the mechanistic standpoint, we observed that E-GNPs inhibited the nuclear translocation and transcriptional activity of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) with greater potency than EGCG, whereas C-GNPs were only minimally effective. Altogether, our data suggest that E-GNPs can serve as potent tumor-selective chemotoxic agents.
Crosslinked Sulfonated Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Graphene Oxide Electrospun Nanofibers as Polyelectrolytes
Authors: Gil-Castell Oscar , Galindo-Alfaro Diana , Sánchez-Ballester Soraya , Teruel-Juanes Roberto , Badia José David , Ribes-Greus Amparo
Published: March 2019

Taking advantage of the high functionalization capacity of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), bead-free homogeneous nanofibrous mats were produced. The addition of functional groups by means of grafting strategies such as the sulfonation and the addition of nanoparticles such as graphene oxide (GO) were considered to bring new features to PVA. Two series of sulfonated and nonsulfonated composite nanofibers, with different compositions of GO, were prepared by electrospinning. The use of sulfosuccinic acid (SSA) allowed crosslinked and functionalized mats with controlled size and morphology to be obtained. The functionalization of the main chain of the PVA and the determination of the optimum composition of GO were analyzed in terms of the nanofibrous morphology, the chemical structure, the thermal properties, and conductivity. The crosslinking and the sulfonation treatment decreased the average fiber diameter of the nanofibers, which were electrical insulators regardless of the composition. The addition of small amounts of GO contributed to the retention of humidity, which significantly increased the proton conductivity. Although the single sulfonation of the polymer matrix produced a decrease in the proton conductivity, the combination of the sulfonation, the crosslinking, and the addition of GO enhanced the proton conductivity. The proposed nanofibers can be considered as good candidates for being exploited as valuable components for ionic polyelectrolyte membranes.
Characteristics of Listeria Monocytogenes Strains Persisting in a Meat Processing Facility over a 4-Year Period
Authors: Stoller Andrea , Stevens Marc , Stephan Roger , Guldimann Claudia
Published: March 2019

Listeria monocytogenes can persist in food production facilities, resulting in serious threats to consumers due to the high mortality associated with listeriosis, especially in the very young, old and pregnant. We subtyped 124 strains of L. monocytogenes isolated from a meat processing facility in Switzerland by serotyping, multi locus sequence typing (MLST) typing and whole genome sequencing. We then analyzed their ability to form biofilms and their resistance to the disinfectants benzalkonium chloride (BC) and peracetic acid (PAA). The genotyping results of the strains showed that several clonal populations of L. monocytogenes belonging to CC9, CC204 and CC121 had persisted in this meat processing facility for at least four years. All of the strains showed biofilm forming capacity comparable to a known high biofilm forming strain. Known efflux pumps for BC were present in CC204, CC9 (brcABC) and CC121 (qacH) strains, while strains from other CC showed very low minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for BC. For PAA, minimal bactericidal concentrations of 1.2–1.6% for 20 min and minimal inhibitory concentrations between 0.1 and 0.2% were observed. These values were close to or above the recommended concentration for use (0.5–1%), suggesting that PAA might be ineffective at controlling L. monocytogenes in this and potentially other meat processing facilities.
Cycloartane-Type Triterpenes and Botanical Origin of Propolis of Stingless Indonesian Bee Tetragonula sapiens
Authors: Pujirahayu Niken , Suzuki Toshisada , Katayama Takeshi
Published: March 2019

This study clarifies the chemical constituents and botanical origin of Tetragonula sapiens Cockerell bee propolis collected from Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Propolis samples and resin of Mangifera indica were extracted with 99% ethanol to obtain an ethanol extract of propolis (EEP) and an ethanol extract of M. indica resin (EEM). Column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were developed and used for the separation and isolation of compounds from the ether-soluble fraction. The structure of the compounds was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic analysis, and their molecular weight analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The HPLC chromatogram of the EEP was then compared with the HPLC chromatogram of EEM to investigate the botanical origin of propolis. Five compounds were isolated from the EEP, and their structures were determined as mangiferolic acid, cycloartenol, ambonic acid, mangiferonic acid, and ambolic acid, which are cycloartane-type triterpenes. The characteristic peak of the HPLC chromatograms of EEP and EEM showed a similar pattern, which is that the main components of propolis were also found in M. indica resin. These results suggested that the propolis from Southeast Sulawesi was rich in cycloartane-type triterpenes, and the plant source of the propolis could be Mangifera indica (mango).
Magnetic Frequency Tuning of a Multimodal Vibration Energy Harvester
Authors: Bouhedma Sofiane , Zheng Yuhang , Lange Fred , Hohlfeld Dennis
Published: March 2019

In this paper, we present a novel vibration-based piezoelectric energy harvester, capable of collecting power at multiple operating frequencies and autonomously adapting itself to the dominant ambient frequencies. It consists of a compact dual-frequency resonator designed such that the first two fundamental natural frequencies are in the range of [50, 100] Hz, which is a typical frequency range for ambient vibrations in industrial environments. A magnetic frequency-tuning scheme is incorporated into the structure, which enables the frequency agility of the system. In contrast to single frequency harvesters, the presented approach combines multi-resonance and frequency tunability of both modes enabling a larger operative bandwidth. We experimentally demonstrate independent bi-directional tunability of our dual-frequency design. Furthermore, a control algorithm based on maximum amplitude tracking has been implemented for self-adaption of the system. The latter has been demonstrated in a system-level simulation model, which integrates the dual-frequency resonator, the magnetic tuning, and the control algorithm.
Visible Light Communication: A System Perspective—Overview and Challenges
Authors: Rehman Saeed , Ullah Shakir , Chong Peter , Yongchareon Sira , Komosny Dan
Published: March 2019

Visible light communication (VLC) is a new paradigm that could revolutionise the future of wireless communication. In VLC, information is transmitted through modulating the visible light spectrum (400–700 nm) that is used for illumination. Analytical and experimental work has shown the potential of VLC to provide high-speed data communication with the added advantage of improved energy efficiency and communication security/privacy. VLC is still in the early phase of research. There are fewer review articles published on this topic mostly addressing the physical layer research. Unlike other reviews, this article gives a system prespective of VLC along with the survey on existing literature and potential challenges toward the implementation and integration of VLC.
Optical-Radiation-Calorimeter Refinement by Virtual-Sensitivity Analysis
Authors: Hubley Lancia , Roberts Jackson , Meyer Juergen , Moggré Alicia , Marsh Steven
Published: March 2019

Digital holographic interferometry (DHI) radiation dosimetry has been proposed as an experimental metrology technique for measuring absorbed radiation doses to water with high spatial resolution via noninvasive optical calorimetry. The process involves digitally recording consecutive interference patterns resulting from variations in the refractive index as a function of the radiation-absorbed dose. Experiments conducted on prototype optical systems revealed the approach to be feasible but strongly dependent on environmental-influence quantities and setup configuration. A virtual dosimeter reflecting the prototype was created in a commercial optical modelling package. A number of virtual phantoms were developed to characterize the performance of the dosimeter under ideal conditions and with simulated disruptions in environmental-influence quantities, such as atmospheric and temperature perturbations as well as mechanical vibrations. Investigations into the error response revealed that slow drifts in atmospheric parameters and heat expansion caused the measured dose to vary between measurements, while atmospheric fluctuations and vibration contributed to system noise, significantly lowering the spatial resolution of the detector system. The impact of these effects was found to be largely mitigated with equalisation of the dosimeter’s reference and object path lengths, and by miniaturising the detector. Equalising path lengths resulted in a reduction of 97.5% and 96.9% in dosimetric error introduced by heat expansion and atmospheric drift, respectively, while miniaturisation of the dosimeter was found to reduce its sensitivity to vibrations and atmospheric turbulence by up to 41.7% and 54.5%, respectively. This work represents a novel approach to optical-detector refinement in which metrics from medical imaging were adapted into software and applied to a a virtual-detector system. This methodology was found to be well-suited for the optimization of a digital holographic interferometer.
Gravity-Based Methods for Heading Computation in Pedestrian Dead Reckoning
Authors: Manos Adi , Klein Itzik , Hazan Tamir
Published: March 2019

One of the common ways for solving indoor navigation is known as Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR), which employs inertial and magnetic sensors typically embedded in a smartphone carried by a user. Estimation of the pedestrian’s heading is a crucial step in PDR algorithms, since it is a dominant factor in the positioning accuracy. In this paper, rather than assuming the device to be fixed in a certain orientation on the pedestrian, we focus on estimating the vertical direction in the sensor frame of an unconstrained smartphone. To that end, we establish a framework for gravity direction estimation and highlight the important role it has for solving the heading in the horizontal plane. Furthermore, we provide detailed derivation of several approaches for calculating the heading angle, based on either the gyroscope or the magnetic sensor, all of which employ the estimated vertical direction. These various methods—both for gravity direction and for heading estimation—are demonstrated, analyzed and compared using data recorded from field experiments with commercial smartphones.
Implementation and Evaluation of a Wide-Range Human-Sensing System Based on Cooperating Multiple Range Image Sensors
Authors: Tokuoka Mikihiro , Komiya Naoki , Mizoguchi Hiroshi , Egusa Ryohei , Inagaki Shigenori , Kusunoki Fusako
Published: March 2019

A museum is an important place for science education for children. The learning method in the museum is reading exhibits and explanations. Museums are investing efforts to quantify interests using questionnaires and sensors to improve their exhibitions and explanations. Therefore, even in places where many people gather, such as in museums, it is necessary to quantify people’s interest by sensing behavior of multiple people. However, this has not yet been realized. We aim to quantify the interest by sensing a wide range of human behavior for multiple people by coordinating multiple noncontact sensors. When coordinating multiple sensors, the coordinates and the time of each sensor differ. To solve these problems, coordinates were transformed using a simultaneous transformation matrix and time synchronization was performed using unified time. The effectiveness of this proposal was verified through experimental evaluation. Furthermore, we evaluated the actual museum content. In this paper, we describe the proposed method and the results of the evaluation experiment.
Boosting a Weather Monitoring System in Low Income Economies Using Open and Non-Conventional Systems: Data Quality Analysis
Authors: Strigaro Daniele , Cannata Massimiliano , Antonovic Milan
Published: March 2019

In low-income and developing countries, inadequate weather monitoring systems adversely affect the capacity of managing natural resources and related risks. Low-cost and IoT devices combined with a large diffusion of mobile connection and open technologies offer a possible solution to this problem. This research quantitatively evaluates the data quality of a non-conventional, low-cost and fully open system. The proposed novel solution was tested for a duration of 8 months, and the collected observations were compared with a nearby authoritative weather station. The experimental weather station is based in Arduino and transmits data through the 2G General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) to the istSOS which is a software to set-up a web service to collect, share and manage observations from sensor networks using the Sensor Observation Service (SOS) standard of the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). The results demonstrated that this accessible solution produces data of appropriate quality for natural resource and risk management.
Automatic Individual Pig Detection and Tracking in Pig Farms
Authors: Zhang Lei , Gray Helen , Ye Xujiong , Collins Lisa , Allinson Nigel
Published: March 2019

Individual pig detection and tracking is an important requirement in many video-based pig monitoring applications. However, it still remains a challenging task in complex scenes, due to problems of light fluctuation, similar appearances of pigs, shape deformations, and occlusions. In order to tackle these problems, we propose a robust on-line multiple pig detection and tracking method which does not require manual marking or physical identification of the pigs and works under both daylight and infrared (nighttime) light conditions. Our method couples a CNN-based detector and a correlation filter-based tracker via a novel hierarchical data association algorithm. In our method, the detector gains the best accuracy/speed trade-off by using the features derived from multiple layers at different scales in a one-stage prediction network. We define a tag-box for each pig as the tracking target, from which features with a more local scope are extracted for learning, and the multiple object tracking is conducted in a key-points tracking manner using learned correlation filters. Under challenging conditions, the tracking failures are modelled based on the relations between responses of the detector and tracker, and the data association algorithm allows the detection hypotheses to be refined; meanwhile the drifted tracks can be corrected by probing the tracking failures followed by the re-initialization of tracking. As a result, the optimal tracklets can sequentially grow with on-line refined detections, and tracking fragments are correctly integrated into respective tracks while keeping the original identifications. Experiments with a dataset captured from a commercial farm show that our method can robustly detect and track multiple pigs under challenging conditions. The promising performance of the proposed method also demonstrates the feasibility of long-term individual pig tracking in a complex environment and thus promises commercial potential.
High Accuracy and Miniature 2-D Wind Sensor for Boundary Layer Meteorological Observation
Authors: Pan Yichen , Zhao Zhan , Zhao Rongjian , Fang Zhen , Wu Hong , Niu Xianghua , Du Lidong
Published: March 2019

Wind speed and direction are important parameters in meteorological observation. A solid wind sensor is needed with a small quadcopter for boundary layer meteorological observation. In this paper, the principle of a cylindrical two-dimensional wind sensor is reported and the data from wind tunnel experiments are analyzed. A model is proposed to describe the distribution of the pressure difference across a diameter of a cylinder, and the wind sensor is fabricated with MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical System) differential pressure sensors. The wind sensor cylinder has a small size with a diameter of 30 mm and a height of 80 mm. In wind tunnel tests in the range of 1 to 40 m/s, the relative speed measuring errors and the direction measuring errors of the prototype are no more than ± (0.2 + 0.03 V) m/s (V is standard wind speed) and 5°, respectively. An inclination angle model is proposed to correct the influence of tilt angle on the quadcopter platform, the wind sensor can maintain the original wind speed and direction measurement accuracy within the 30° inclination range after compensation.
“My Family’s Weight on My Shoulders”: Experiences of Jewish Immigrant Women from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) in Toronto
Authors: Morgenshtern Marina
Published: March 2019

In dominant western society, we tend to interpret the experiences of immigrant women as emancipation and liberation, rather than as the complex experiences of subjects acting within several hegemonic systems. While intersectional and transnational feminism led to questioning this view through the discussion of the challenges faced by immigrant women from developing countries, their counterparts from socialist countries have been largely ignored. To address this gap, this article focuses on the employment and social reproduction experiences of 11 white, professional, heterosexual, immigrant Jewish women from the former Soviet Union (FSU) who are now living in Toronto, Canada. The data used in this article was collected as part of a study on lived experiences of Jewish immigrant couples from FSU in Toronto. This study utilized intersectional feminist analysis as a theoretical framework and combined the qualitative methodologies of Testimonio and Oral History. This data suggests that, for these women, immigration had mixed outcomes. Although the material conditions of their lives may have changed, the traditional moral associations between femininity, domesticity, and maternity remained strong. Apparent heterosexual privilege both challenged and reinforced their subordination, in that it facilitated their access to Canadian education and professional jobs and promoted their social legitimacy/status, while also resulting in greater subordination at work and home where they had more tasks to fulfill than in premigration life. These findings challenge the monolithic representation of immigrant women’s experience and enhance our ability to generate a more comprehensive theory of those experiences.
Numerical Study of Sediment Erosion Analysis in Francis Turbine
Authors: Rakibuzzaman Md , Kim Hyoung-Ho , Kim Kyungwuk , Suh Sang-Ho , Kim Kyung Yup
Published: March 2019

Effective hydraulic turbine design prevents sediment and cavitation erosion from impacting the performance and reliability of the machine. Using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques, this study investigated the performance characteristics of sediment and cavitation erosion on a hydraulic Francis turbine by ANSYS-CFX software. For the erosion rate calculation, the particle trajectory Tabakoff–Grant erosion model was used. To predict the cavitation characteristics, the study’s source term for interphase mass transfer was the Rayleigh–Plesset cavitation model. The experimental data acquired by this study were used to validate the existing evaluations of the Francis turbine. Hydraulic results revealed that the maximum difference was only 0.958% compared with the CFD data, and 0.547% compared with the experiment (Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM)). The turbine blade region was affected by the erosion rate at the trailing edge because of their high velocity. Furthermore, in the cavitation–erosion simulation, it was observed that abrasion propagation began from the pressure side of the leading edge and continued along to the trailing edge of the runner. Additionally, as sediment flow rates grew within the area of the attached cavitation, they increased from the trailing edge at the suction side, and efficiency was reduced. Cavitation–sand erosion results then revealed a higher erosion rate than of those of the sand erosion condition.
A Regional Sustainable Intensive Land Use Evaluation Based on Ecological Constraints: A Case Study in Jinan City
Authors: Qian Qian , Liu Haiyan , Zheng Xinqi
Published: March 2019

Intensive development is a sign of human social progress, and moderate intensification is a continuously pursued goal. However, how to conduct a moderately intensive land use evaluation remains a challenge. To solve this problem, this research proposes the concept of sustainable intensification variable and develops a sustainable intensification variable model to determine the appropriate interval of regional intensive land use and evaluate the intensification of land use. The evaluation method of the sustainable intensification variable model is based on the principle and method of the intensification variable, and the regional sustainable development evaluation factors in the model are revised based on rational land use and ecological constraints. To verify the rationality of the model and systematically evaluate the intensification of land use in the city of Jinan, this method was tested using land use data and social economic data on Jinan from 2001, 2011, and 2015. The results show that the model has a high accuracy in judging the moderately intensive interval of regional land use and evaluating intensive land use, and has important reference value for regional sustainable development decision-making.
Co-creation of Social Innovation: Corporate Universities as Innovative Strategies for Chinese Firms to Engage with Society
Authors: Chin Tachia , Yang Yin , Zhang Pei , Yu Xiaofen , Cao Luying
Published: March 2019

Corporate social innovation is a novel, strategic means for enterprise to establish competitive advantage through collaboration with powerful stakeholders, like governments, where firms are simultaneously able to meet social needs and benefit themselves. There is, however limited empirical research investigating how such collaboration enables the co-creation of innovation between firms and society, particularly in emerging markets. In response, this paper takes corporate universities (CUs), a typical manifestation of corporate social innovation, as an example, and explores whether CUs encourage employees to engage in innovation and pro-environmental behaviors, thereby contributing to their firms and local communities in China. Using quantitative methods, we found that employees’ participation in CU training/education courses significantly affects employees’ innovation and environmentally-friendly behaviors in both work and life, and that it enhances their normative commitment (NC) to organizations. Moreover, this commitment mediates employees’ participation in the university program, in terms of both their innovation and pro-environmental behaviors. The main contribution of this paper is to enrich the innovation literature by suggesting a fresh, co-creation mechanism of social innovation between enterprise and government, while offering valuable first-hand evidence in a non-Western context. Our results allow policy makers and stakeholders to gain an in depth understanding of relevant issues.
Optimum Turf Grass Irrigation Requirements and Corresponding Water- Energy-CO2 Nexus across Harris County, Texas
Authors: Awal Ripendra , Fares Ali , Habibi Hamideh
Published: March 2019

Harris County is one of the most populated counties in the United States. About 30% of domestic water use in the U.S. is for outdoor activities, especially landscape irrigation and gardening. Optimum landscape and garden irrigation contributes to substantial water and energy savings and a substantial reduction of CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. Thus, the objectives of this work are to (i) calculate site-specific turf grass irrigation water requirements across Harris County and (ii) calculate CO2 emission reductions and water and energy savings across the county if optimum turf grass irrigation is adopted. The Irrigation Management System was used with site-specific soil hydrological data, turf crop water uptake parameters (root distribution and crop coefficient), and long-term daily rainfall and reference evapotranspiration to calculate irrigation water demand across Harris County. The Irrigation Management System outputs include irrigation requirements, runoff, and drainage below the root system. Savings in turf irrigation requirements and energy and their corresponding reduction in CO2 emission were calculated. Irrigation water requirements decreased moving across the county from its north-west to its south-east corners. However, the opposite happened for the runoff and excess drainage below the rootzone. The main reason for this variability is the combined effect of rainfall, reference evapotranspiration, and soil types. Based on the result, if the average annual irrigation water use across the county is 25 mm higher than the optimum level, this will result in 10.45 million m3 of water losses (equivalent water use for 30,561 single families), 4413 MWh excess energy use, and the emission of 2599 metric tons of CO2.
Hydrological Responses to Climate and Land Use Changes in a Watershed of the Loess Plateau, China
Authors: Yan Rui , Cai Yanpeng , Li Chunhui , Wang Xuan , Liu Qiang
Published: March 2019

This study researched the individual and combined impacts of future LULC and climate changes on water balance in the upper reaches of the Beiluo River basin on the Loess Plateau of China, using the scenarios of RCP4.5 and 8.5 of the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The climate data indicated that both precipitation and temperature increased at seasonal and annual scales from 2020 to 2050 under RCP4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. The future land use changes were predicted through the CA-Markov model. The land use predictions of 2025, 2035, and 2045 indicated rising forest areas with decreased agricultural land and grassland. In this study, three scenarios including only LULC change, only climate change, and combined climate and LULC change were established. The SWAT model was calibrated, validated, and used to simulate the water balance under the three scenarios. The results showed that increased rainfall and temperature may lead to increased runoff, water yield, and ET in spring, summer, and autumn and to decreased runoff, water yield, and ET in winter from 2020 to 2050. However, LULC change, compared with climate change, may have a smaller impact on the water balance. On an annual scale, runoff and water yield may gradually decrease, but ET may increase. The combined effects of both LULC and climate changes on water balance in the future were similar to the variation trend of climate changes alone at both annual and seasonal scales. The results obtained in this study provide further insight into the availability of future streamflow and can aid in water resource management planning in the study area.
Hit or Miss? Evaluating the Potential of a Research Niche: A Case Study in the Field of Virtual Quality Management
Authors: Weckenmann Albert , Bodi Ştefan , Popescu Sorin , Dragomir Mihai , Hurgoiu Dan , Comes Radu
Published: March 2019

When knowledge is developed fast, as it is the case so often nowadays, one of the main difficulties in initiating new research in any field is to identify the domain’s specific state-of-the-art and trends. In this context, to evaluate the potential of a research niche by assisting the literature review process and to add a new and modern large-scale and automated dimension to it, the paper proposes a methodology that uses “Latent Semantic Analysis” (LSA) for identifying trends, focused within the knowledge space created at the intersection of three sustainability-related methodologies/concepts: “virtual Quality Management” (vQM), “Industry 4.0”, and “Product Life-Cycle” (PLC). The LSA was applied to a significant number of scientific papers published around these concepts to generate ontology charts that describe the knowledge structure of each by the frequency, position, and causal relation of associated notions. These notions are combined for defining the common high-density knowledge zone from where new technological solutions are expected to emerge throughout the PLC. The authors propose the concept of the knowledge space, which is characterized through specific descriptors with their own evaluation scales, obtained by processing the emerging information as identified by a combination of classic and innovative techniques. The results are validated through an investigation that surveys a relevant number of general managers, specialists, and consultants in the field of quality in the automotive sector from Romania. This practical demonstration follows each step of the theoretical approach and yields results that prove the capability of the method to contribute to the understanding and elucidation of the scientific area to which it is applied. Once validated, the method could be transferred to fields with similar characteristics.
The Effect of Shrinkage-Compensation on the Performance of Strain-Hardening Cement Composite (SHCC)
Authors: Jang Seok-Joon , Kim Ji-Hyeon , Kim Sun-Woo , Park Wan-Shin , Yun Hyun-Do
Published: March 2019

This study investigated the effects of shrinkage compensation on the tensile and cracking responses of strain-hardening cement composite (SHCC) by adding calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA)-based expansive additive (EXA) to the mixture. Such responses are closely related to the durability of concrete structures, of dumbbell-shaped SHCC specimens, and reinforced SHCC ties. For this study, two SHCC mixtures and a conventional concrete mixture with a specific compressive strength value of 30 MPa were prepared and measured in terms of shrinkage history, compressive strength, flexural strength, and direct tensile strength. The test results show that the mechanical properties of shrinkage-compensated SHCC with 10% CSA-based EXA are superior to those of conventional SHCC and concrete mixtures. Also, reinforced tension ties with shrinkage-compensated SHCC exhibited the best multiple cracking and tension-stiffening behavior among the three types of tension ties tested. The results show that shrinkage compensation using CSA-based EXA in SHCC with rich mixture is effective for resisting crack damage. Shrinkage-compensated SHCC may be used for civil infrastructure facilities that require high levels of durability and are exposed to extreme environments.
Exploring the Factors Influencing Business Model Innovation Using Grounded Theory: The Case of a Chinese High-End Equipment Manufacturer
Authors: Tian Qingfeng , Zhang Shuo , Yu Huimin , Cao Guangming
Published: March 2019

Business model innovation is vitally important for firms to gain competitive advantages and improve their performance. While it has attracted much attention recently, considerable work is still needed to properly understand business model innovation. This study aims to examine the factors influencing business model innovation through a case study of Shaanxi Blower, a high-end equipment manufacturer in China. Using grounded theory in terms of open coding, axial coding and selective coding, this case study found seven main factors that influenced business model innovation, namely, market pressure, government policy, entrepreneurship, culture and strategy, technology, human resources, and organizational capabilities. Market pressure, government policy and information technology are external factors, whereas, entrepreneurship and technological innovation are internal factors. Culture and strategy, human resources, and organizational capabilities are the guarantee factors. This study’s findings add to the growing literature by developing a more holistic understanding of the factors that influence business model innovation in the Chinese context, which indicates a possibility for Chinese high-end equipment manufacturers to improve their competitiveness and performance through better management of their business model innovation.
Recent Results from LUX and Prospects for Dark Matter Searches with LZ
Authors: Kudryavtsev Vitaly A.
Published: March 2019

Weakly Interacting Massive Particle (WIMP) remains one of the most promising dark matter candidates. Many experiments around the world are searching for WIMPs and the best current sensitivity to WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross-section is about 10 − 10 pb. LUX has been one of the world-leading experiments in the search for dark matter WIMPs. Results from the LUX experiment on WIMP searches for different WIMP masses are summarised in this paper. The LUX detector will be replaced by its successor, the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) detector. With 50 times larger fiducial mass and an increased background rejection power due to specially-designed veto systems, the LZ experiment (due to take first data in 2020) will achieve a sensitivity to WIMPs exceeding the current best limits by more than an order of magnitude (for spin-independent interactions and for WIMP masses exceeding a few GeV). An overview of the LZ experiment is presented and LZ sensitivity is discussed based on the accurately modelled background and the high-sensitivity material screening campaign.
Christopher Alexander and His Life’s Work: The Nature of Order
Authors: Jiang Bin
Published: March 2019

This editorial briefly introduces Christopher Alexander, as a theorist, as a design practitioner, as an architect, and importantly as a scientist, as well as his life’s work—The Nature of Order—focusing not only on the trinity of wholeness, life, beauty, but also on his new organic cosmology.
ON THE STRENGTH RESERVE OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES DUE TO CONDITIONS OF RESTRAINED FLEXURE/APIE BETONINŲ KONSTRUKCIŲ STIPRUMO REZERVĄ SUVARŽYTO LENKIMO SĄLYGOMIS
Authors: Janas Marek , Sokół-Supel Joanna
Published: March 2019

Suvaržytą lenkimą apibūdina skersinis lenkimas, esant suvaržytiems arba neleistiniems atraminių taškų poslinkiams. Jei medžiagos tempimo ir gniuždymo savybės skiriasi, suvaržyti poslinkiai gali iš esmės pakeisti konstrukcijos atsparumą. Betoninėse konstrukcijose atsiranda svarbios gniuždymo membraninės jėgos. Šis reiškinys vadinamas arkos efektu [1, 2]. Jis sustiprina konstrukciją bet daro neigiamą. įtaką jos pastovumui (1 pav.).

Nagrinėjami viena kryptimi armuotų gelžbetoninių plokščių iteraciniai sprendimai, taikant baigtinius elementus ir tampraus-plastiško tempiamo betono modelį (2 pav.) bei skirtingas jo aproksimacijas. Analizė gali būti atliekama naudojant ir standartinę baigtinių elementų programą (ABAQUS), tačiau ji gana sudėtinga ir jautri pradiniams duomenims. Todėl baigtinių elementų programų panaudojimas inžneriniams tikslams yra abejotinas, reikia supaprastinto metodo. Toks metodas pateikiamas 3 skyriuje. Jo pagrindas yra netampraus (už plastinio deformavimo ribos) apskaičiavimo metodas, remtasi ir autorių ankstesniais pasiūlymais [3,7].

Metodas pagrįstas ribinės pusiausvyros metodu (standus plastinis modelis) (6 pav.), įvertinant tamprias plokštės ir jos atramų deformacijas. Metodo taikymas viena kryptimi armuotoms gelžbetoninėms plokštėms (4) leidžia kokybiškai tiksliai aprašyti apkrovos-įlinkio priklausomybę.

Analitiniai apskaičiavimo rezultatai (4) lyginami su iteracine BEM analizės rezultatais standžiai įtvirtintoms juostoms (7 pav.). Rezultatų atitikimas taikant abu metodus yra pakankamas, jeigu juostos vidutinis pasiduodamumas Cbr yra lygus pusei tampraus pasiduodamumo (2). Rezultatai, gauti taikant abu metodus, yra palyginti su bandymų rezultatais (8 pav.), įvertinant jų priklausomybę nuo atramų plokštumoje pasiduodamumo. Deformuojamų atramų atveju geresnis rezultatų atitikimas yra gaunamas tuo atveju, kai įvertinama armavimo pasiskirstymo įtaka juostos standumui, skaičiuojamam pagal (10).

Paprastos aproksimacijos metodas, kuriam nereikia papildomų žinių, priešingai negu kad elementari ribinė analizė, leidžia patikimai įvertinti ribinį vienos krypties armuotos suvaržytos plokštės stiprumą.
Connecting data and expertise: a new alliance for biodiversity knowledge
Authors: Hobern Donald , Baptiste Brigitte , Copas Kyle , Guralnick Robert , Hahn Andrea , van Huis Edwin , Kim Eun-Shik , McGeoch Melodie , Naicker Isayvani , Navarro Laetitia , Noesgaard Daniel , Price Michelle , Rodrigues Andrew , Schigel Dmitry , Sheffield Carolyn A. , Wieczorek John
Published: March 2019

There has been major progress over the last two decades in digitising historical knowledge of biodiversity and in making biodiversity data freely and openly accessible. Interlocking efforts bring together international partnerships and networks, national, regional and institutional projects and investments and countless individual contributors, spanning diverse biological and environmental research domains, government agencies and non-governmental organisations, citizen science and commercial enterprise. However, current efforts remain inefficient and inadequate to address the global need for accurate data on the world's species and on changing patterns and trends in biodiversity. Significant challenges include imbalances in regional engagement in biodiversity informatics activity, uneven progress in data mobilisation and sharing, the lack of stable persistent identifiers for data records, redundant and incompatible processes for cleaning and interpreting data and the absence of functional mechanisms for knowledgeable experts to curate and improve data.

Recognising the need for greater alignment between efforts at all scales, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) convened the second Global Biodiversity Informatics Conference (GBIC2) in July 2018 to propose a coordination mechanism for developing shared roadmaps for biodiversity informatics. GBIC2 attendees reached consensus on the need for a global alliance for biodiversity knowledge, learning from examples such as the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) and the open software communities under the Apache Software Foundation. These initiatives provide models for multiple stakeholders with decentralised funding and independent governance to combine resources and develop sustainable solutions that address common needs.

This paper summarises the GBIC2 discussions and presents a set of 23 complementary ambitions to be addressed by the global community in the context of the proposed alliance. The authors call on all who are responsible for describing and monitoring natural systems, all who depend on biodiversity data for research, policy or sustainable environmental management and all who are involved in developing biodiversity informatics solutions to register interest at https://biodiversityinformatics.org/ and to participate in the next steps to establishing a collaborative alliance.

The supplementary materials include brochures in a number of languages (English, Arabic, Spanish, Basque, French, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese, Russian, Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese). These summarise the need for an alliance for biodiversity knowledge and call for collaboration in its establishment.
Stephanospora mayana (Stephanosporaceae, Russulales), a new sequestrate fungus from Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico
Authors: de la Fuente Javier Isaac , Gonzalo Guevara-Guerrero Gonzalo , Oros-Ortega Iván , Sánchez-Zavalegui Romeo , Córdova-Lara Iván , García-Jiménez Jesús
Published: March 2019

Stephanosporamayana is presented as a new species from the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. This species is distinguished by the yellowish pileus, basidiospores with a small corona (4–6 × 1–2.5 µm), and variable size (8.0–17.0 × 6.0–11.0), thin pileus (21–40 µm) and the ecological association to lowland forest with Haematoxylumcampechianum, Gymnopodiumfloribundum, Coccolobadiversifolia, Metopiumbrownei and Pinuscaribaea. It differs from the American species of Stephanospora, like S.michoacanensis and S.chilensis, by its larger basidiospores. Descriptions, photographs and discussions are presented.