bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Health on Early Retirement and Post-Retirement Income Loss among Survivors of the 11 September 2001 World Trade Center Disaster
Authors: Yu Shengchao , Seil Kacie , Maqsood Junaid
Published: April 2019

The health consequences of the 9/11 World Trade Center (WTC) terrorist attacks are well documented, but few studies have assessed the disaster’s impact on employment among individuals exposed to the disaster. We examined the association between 9/11-related health conditions and early retirement among residents and workers who resided and/or worked near the WTC site on 9/11, and the association between such conditions and post-retirement income loss. The study included 6377 residents and/or area workers who completed the WTC Health Registry longitudinal health surveys in 2003–2004 and 2006–2007, and the 2017–2018 Health and Employment Survey. Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations. We found that 9/11-related health conditions were significantly associated with the likelihood of early retirement. Residents and/or area workers with more physical health conditions, especially when comorbid with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), were more likely to retire before age 60 than those with no conditions. For retirees, having PTSD or PTSD comorbid with any number of physical conditions increased the odds of reporting substantial post-retirement income loss. Disaster-related outcomes can negatively impact aging individuals in the form of early retirement and income loss. Long-term effects of major disasters must continue to be studied.
Levels of Satisfaction, Workload Stress and Support Amongst Informal Caregivers of Patients Receiving or Not Receiving Long-Term Home Nursing Care in Poland: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Stojak Zofia , Jamiolkowski Jacek , Chlabicz Slawomir , Marcinowicz Ludmila
Published: April 2019

The role of informal caregivers was included in the Assumptions of the Long-Term Senior Policy in Poland for 2014–2020. The document acknowledged the necessity of diagnosing the needs of informal caregivers of elderly people and to implement systemic solutions that would enable the provision of assistance for them. In response, this study aimed to describe the situation of caregivers of patients receiving versus patients not receiving Long-Term Home Nursing Care (LTHNC; i.e., a formal program including regular visits by a nurse specializing in home care) in terms of caregiver socio-demographic characteristics, health self-assessment, work overload, satisfaction derived from being a caregiver, and the quality of perceived support. A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Carers of Older People in Europe (COPE) Index in 2015 in the north-eastern part of Poland involving 170 caregivers of patients supported with LTHNC and 86 caregivers of patients staying at home and not receiving LTHNC. We found that caregivers for patients receiving LTHNC were significantly less overloaded with care work than caregivers for patients without LTHNC support (p < 0.001). LTHNC support was also related to the level of satisfaction with providing care: Caregivers for patients receiving LTHNC were significantly more satisfied with performing their role and felt greater support than caregivers for patients without LTHNC (p < 0.001). Our study provides evidence for a positive relationship between LTHNC and the situation of informal caregivers of dependent elderly people at home. A formal program of visits by a nurse specializing in long-term home care may facilitate the provision by caregivers of better informal care to patients staying at home.
A Survey of Deep Learning Methods for Cyber Security
Authors: Berman Daniel S. , Buczak Anna L. , Chavis Jeffrey S. , Corbett Cherita L.
Published: April 2019

This survey paper describes a literature review of deep learning (DL) methods for cyber security applications. A short tutorial-style description of each DL method is provided, including deep autoencoders, restricted Boltzmann machines, recurrent neural networks, generative adversarial networks, and several others. Then we discuss how each of the DL methods is used for security applications. We cover a broad array of attack types including malware, spam, insider threats, network intrusions, false data injection, and malicious domain names used by botnets.
High-Pressure Routes to New Pyrochlores and Novel Magnetism
Authors: Zhou Haidong , Wiebe Christopher R.
Published: April 2019

The pyrochlore structure (A2B2O7) has been an object of consistent study by materials scientists largely due to the stability of the cubic lattice with respect to a wide variety of chemical species on the A or B sites. The criterion for stability under ambient conditions is controlled by the ratio of these cations, which is empirically 1.36 < RA/RB < 1.71. However, under applied pressure synthesis conditions, the pyrochlore lattice is stable up to RA/RB ∼ 2.30, opening up possibilities for new compounds. In this review, we will highlight recent work in exploring new rare-earth pyrochlores such as the germanates RE2Ge2O7 and platinates RE2Pt2O7. We highlight recent discoveries made in these pyrochlores such as highly correlated spin ice behavior, spin liquid ground states, and exotic magnetic ordering.
Inhibition of let-7c Regulates Cardiac Regeneration after Cryoinjury in Adult Zebrafish
Authors: Narumanchi Suneeta , Kalervo Karri , Perttunen Sanni , Wang Hong , Immonen Katariina , Kosonen Riikka , Laine Mika , Ruskoaho Heikki , Tikkanen Ilkka , Lakkisto Päivi , Paavola Jere
Published: April 2019

The let-7c family of micro-RNAs (miRNAs) is expressed during embryonic development and plays an important role in cell differentiation. We have investigated the role of let-7c in heart regeneration after injury in adult zebrafish. let-7c antagomir or scramble injections were given at one day after cryoinjury (1 dpi). Tissue samples were collected at 7 dpi, 14 dpi and 28 dpi and cardiac function was assessed before cryoinjury, 1 dpi, 7 dpi, 14 dpi and 28 dpi. Inhibition of let-7c increased the rate of fibrinolysis, increased the number of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) positive cardiomyocytes at 7 dpi and increased the expression of the epicardial marker raldh2 at 7 dpi. Additionally, cardiac function measured with echocardiography recovered slightly more rapidly after inhibition of let-7c. These results reveal a beneficial role of let-7c inhibition in adult zebrafish heart regeneration.
A Retrospective Study of the Diagnostic Accuracy of In Vivo Reflectance Confocal Microscopy for Basal Cell Carcinoma Diagnosis and Subtyping
Authors: Lupu Mihai , Popa Iris Maria , Voiculescu Vlad Mihai , Boda Daniel , Caruntu Constantin , Zurac Sabina , Giurcaneanu Calin
Published: April 2019

Current national and European guidelines recommend distinct management approaches for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) based on tumor location, size, and histopathological subtype. In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a non-invasive skin imaging technique which may change the diagnostic pathway for BCC patients. This study aimed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of RCM for BCC diagnosis, assess the predictive values of several confocal criteria in correctly classifying BCC subtypes, and evaluate the intraobserver reliability of RCM diagnosis for BCC. We conducted a retrospective study in two tertiary care centers in Bucharest, Romania. We included adults with clinically and dermoscopic suspect BCCs who underwent RCM and histopathological examination of excision specimens. For RCM examinations, we used the VivaScope 1500 and histopathology of the surgical excision specimen was the reference standard. Of the 123 cases included in the analysis, BCC was confirmed in 104 and excluded in 19 cases. RCM showed both high sensitivity (97.1%, 95% CI (91.80, 99.40)) and specificity (78.95%, 95% CI (54.43, 93.95)) for detecting BCC. Several RCM criteria were highly predictive for BCC subtypes: cords connected to the epidermis for superficial BCC, big tumor islands, peritumoral collagen bundles and increased vascularization for nodular BCC, and hyporefractile silhouettes for aggressive BCC. Excellent intraobserver agreement (κ = 0.909, p < 0.001) was observed. This data suggests that RCM could be used for preoperative diagnosis and BCC subtype classification in patients with suspected BCCs seen in tertiary care centers.
Association of Sarcopenia with and Efficacy of Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 Therapy in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Nishioka Naoya , Uchino Junji , Hirai Soichi , Katayama Yuki , Yoshimura Akihiro , Okura Naoko , Tanimura Keiko , Harita Sachi , Imabayashi Tatsuya , Chihara Yusuke , Tamiya Nobuyo , Kaneko Yoshiko , Yamada Tadaaki , Takayama Koichi
Published: April 2019

Secondary sarcopenia is defined as a decrease in muscle mass due to disease or malnutrition. Several studies have reported that secondary sarcopenia is an indicator of postoperative recurrence. We hypothesized that there is a correlation between the effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and sarcopenia. We retrospectively analyzed 38 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were treated with ICIs between February 2016 and April 2018. Patients were divided into two groups according to the change rate of the psoas major muscle area (PMMA) at the L2–L3 position and investigated the correlation between the change rate of the PMMA and the efficacy of ICIs was investigated. The objective response and disease control rates were lower in patients with sarcopenia than in those without sarcopenia. Patients with sarcopenia exhibited a significantly shorter median progression-free survival (PFS) than non-sarcopenia patients. Moreover, focusing on good Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status patients, sarcopenia patients showed a shorter PFS than non-sarcopenia patients. Patients with sarcopenia are associated with poor outcomes for immunotherapy among those with advanced NSCLC, based on retrospective analysis. Further research is needed to validate the clinical biomarkers involved in ICI responders.
H. pylori Eradication Treatment Alters Gut Microbiota and GLP-1 Secretion in Humans
Authors: Cornejo-Pareja Isabel , Martín-Núñez Gracia M. , Roca-Rodríguez M. Mar , Cardona Fernando , Coin-Aragüez Leticia , Sánchez-Alcoholado Lidia , Gutiérrez-Repiso Carolina , Muñoz-Garach Araceli , Fernández-García José C. , Moreno-Indias Isabel , Tinahones Francisco J.
Published: April 2019

Changes in the intestinal microbial community and some metabolic disturbances, including obesity and type2 diabetes, are related. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) regulates glucose homeostasis. Microbiota have been linked to incretin secretion. Antibiotic use causes changes in microbial diversity and composition. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between microbiota changes and GLP-1 secretion. A prospective case-control study with a Helicobacter pylori-positive patient model involving subjects under eradication therapy (omeprazole, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin). Forty patients with H. pylori infection and 20 matched participants, but negative for H. pylori antigen. Patients were evaluated before and two months after treatment. We analyzed anthropometric measurements, carbohydrate metabolism, lipid profile, and C-reactive protein. Gut microbiota composition was analyzed through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing (IlluminaMiSeq). Eradication treatment for H. pylori decreased bacterial richness (Chao1, p = 0.041). Changes in gut microbiota profiles were observed at phylum, family, genus and species levels. GLP-1 secretion and variables of carbohydrate metabolism were improved. Correlations were seen between GLP-1 changes and variations within microbial community abundances, specifically Bifidobacterium adolescentis, the Lachnobacterium genus, and Coriobacteriaceae family. A conventional treatment to eradicate H. pylori could improve carbohydrate metabolism possibly in relation with an increase in GLP-1 secretion. GLP-1 secretion may be related to alterations in intestinal microbiota, specifically Lachnobacterium, B. adolescentis and Coriobacteriaceae.
Knee-Cartilage Segmentation and Thickness Measurement from 2D Ultrasound
Authors: Desai Prajna , Hacihaliloglu Ilker
Published: April 2019

Ultrasound (US) could become a standard of care imaging modality for the quantitative assessment of femoral cartilage thickness for the early diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis. However, low contrast, high levels of speckle noise, and various imaging artefacts hinder the analysis of collected data. Accurate, robust, and fully automatic US image-enhancement and cartilage-segmentation methods are needed in order to improve the widespread deployment of this imaging modality for knee-osteoarthritis diagnosis and monitoring. In this work, we propose a method based on local-phase-based image processing for automatic knee-cartilage image enhancement, segmentation, and thickness measurement. A local-phase feature-guided dynamic-programming approach is used for the fully automatic localization of knee-bone surfaces. The localized bone surfaces are used as seed points for automating the seed-guided segmentation of the cartilage. We evaluated the Random Walker (RW), watershed, and graph-cut-based segmentation methods from 200 scans obtained from ten healthy volunteers. Validation against manual expert segmentation achieved a mean dice similarity coefficient of 0.90, 0.86, and 0.84 for the RW, watershed, and graph-cut segmentation methods, respectively. Automatically segmented cartilage regions achieved 0.18 mm localization accuracy compared to manual expert thickness measurement.
Towards a Tool for Early Detection and Estimation of Forest Cuttings by Remotely Sensed Data
Authors: Puletti Nicola , Bascietto Marco
Published: April 2019

Knowing the extent and frequency of forest cuttings over large areas is crucial for forest inventories and monitoring. Remote sensing has amply proved its ability to detect land cover changes, particularly in forested areas. Among various strategies, those focusing on mapping using classification approaches of remotely sensed time series are the most frequently used. The main limit of such approaches stems from the difficulty in perfectly and unambiguously classifying each pixel, especially over wide areas. The same procedure is of course simpler if performed over a single pixel. An automated method for identifying forest cuttings over a predefined network of sampling points (IUTI) using multitemporal Sentinel 2 imagery is described. The method employs normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) growth trajectories to identify the presence of disturbances caused by forest cuttings using a large set of points (i.e., 1580 “forest” points). We applied the method using a total of 51 S2 images extracted from the Google Earth Engine over two years (2016 and 2017) in an area of about 70 km2 in Tuscany, central Italy.
Towards an Optimal Pressure Tap Design for Fluid-Flow Characterisation at Microscales
Authors: Rodrigues Tomás , Galindo-Rosales Francisco J. , Campo-Deaño Laura
Published: April 2019

Measuring fluid pressure in microchannels is difficult and constitutes a challenge to even the most experienced of experimentalists. Currently, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no optimal solution are being used for the design of pressure taps, nor guidelines concerning their shape and its relation with the accuracy of the readings. In an attempt to address this issue, a parametric study was devised to evaluate the performance of different pressure tap designs, 18 in total. These were obtained by combining three shape parameters: sub-channel width (w) and sub-channel–tap radius (R) or angle (α), while having the sub-channel length kept constant. For each configuration, pressure drop measurements were carried out along several lengths of a straight microfluidic rectangular channel and later compared to an analytical solution. The microchannels were fabricated out of PDMS using standard soft-lithography techniques, pressure drop was measured with differential pressure sensors, the test fluid was DI water and the flow conditions varied from creeping flow up to R e c ∼100. Pressure taps, having smooth contours (characterised by the radius R) and a sub-channel width (w) of 108 μ m , performed the best with results from that of radius R = 50 μ m only falling short of the theory by a mere ∼ 5 % .
An Energy-Based Unified Approach to Predict the Low-Cycle Fatigue Life of Type 316L Stainless Steel under Various Temperatures and Strain-Rates
Authors: Tak Nae Hyung , Kim Jung-Seok , Lim Jae-Yong
Published: April 2019

An energy-based low-cycle fatigue model was proposed for applications at a range of temperatures. An existing model was extended to the integrated approach, incorporating the simultaneous effects of strain rate and temperature. A favored material at high temperature, type 316L stainless steel, was selected in this study and its material characteristics were investigated. Tensile tests and low-cycle fatigue tests were performed using several strain rates at a temperature ranging from room temperature to 650 °C. Material properties were obtained in terms of temperature using the displacement-controlled tensile tests and further material response were investigated using strain-controlled tensile tests. Consequently, no pronounced reduction in strengths occurred at temperatures between 300 and 550 °C, and a negative strain rate response was observed in the temperature range. Based on the low-cycle fatigue tests by varying strain rates and temperature, it was found that a normalized plastic strain energy density and a strain-rate modified cycle were successfully correlated. The accuracy of the model was discussed by comparing between predicted and experimental lives.
Intracellular Delivery of Biologically-Active Fungal Metabolite Gliotoxin Using Magnetic Nanoparticles
Authors: Comas Laura , Polo Esther , Domingo M , Hernández Yulán , Arias Maykel , Esteban Patricia , Martínez-Lostao Luis , Pardo Julián , Martínez de la Fuente Jesús , Gálvez Eva
Published: April 2019

Gliotoxin (GT), a secondary metabolite produced by Aspergillus molds, has been proposed as a potential anti-tumor agent. Here we have developed a nanoparticle approach to enhance delivery of GT in tumor cells and establish a basis for its potential use as therapeutical drug. GT bound to magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) retained a high anti-tumor activity, correlating with efficient intracellular delivery, which was increased in the presence of glucose. Our results show that the attachment of GT to MNPs by covalent bonding enhances intracellular GT delivery without affecting its biological activity. This finding represents the first step to use this potent anti-tumor agent in the treatment of cancer.
Purification of Polyphenols from Distiller’s Grains by Macroporous Resin and Analysis of the Polyphenolic Components
Authors: Wang Xiaoyuan , Wang Shuangshuang , Huang Shasha , Zhang Lihua , Ge Zhenzhen , Sun Liping , Zong Wei
Published: April 2019

We aimed to purify polyphenols from distiller’s grain extract using macroporous resins and to identify its polyphenolic components. The influence of operational parameters on purification efficiency was investigated. The polyphenolic composition was analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and then quantified by UPLC-MS using authenticated standards. The results showed that the optimal purifying conditions were D101 resin with a dosage of 3 g, four hours adsorption, three hours desorption time, and 60% ethanol as the eluent, producing the highest purification rate of 51%. The purified distiller’s grain extract exhibited stronger antioxidant activity than the unpurified extracts, which was assessed using DPPH and ABTS methods (IC50 DPPH = 34.03 and 16.21 μg/mL, respectively; IC50 ABTS = 20.31 and 5.73 μg/mL, respectively). UPLC-MS results indicated that (−)-epicatechin is the major compound found in distiller’s grain extract which was quantified as 562.7 μg/g extract, followed by ferulic acid (518.2 μg/g), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (417.7 μg/g), caffeic acid (217.1 μg/g), syringic acid (158.0 μg/g) and quercetin (147.8 μg/g). Two compounds, vanillic acid (66.5 μg/g) and gallic acid (41.4 μg/g), were found in lower concentrations. The findings of this study suggest that purification of polyphenolic compounds from distiller’s grain by macroporous resins is feasible, providing a new and effective method for the secondary use of distiller’s grain resources.
Preparation, Characterization and Properties of Porous PLA/PEG/Curcumin Composite Nanofibers for Antibacterial Application
Authors: Wang Feifei , Sun Zhaoyang , Yin Jing , Xu Lan
Published: April 2019

Polylactide/polyethylene glycol/curcumin (PLA/PEG/Cur) composite nanofibers (CNFs) with varying ratios of PEG were successfully fabricated by electrospinning. Characterizations of the samples, such as the porous structure, crystalline structure, pore size, wetting property and Cur release property were investigated by a combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV spectrophotometer. The antibacterial properties of the prepared porous CNFs against Escherichia coli bacteria were studied. The results showed that with the decrease of PEG in the CNFs, there appeared an evident porous structure on the CNF surface, and the porous structure could enhance the release properties of Cur from the CNFs. When the weight ratio (PEG:PLA) was 1:9, the pore structure of the nanofiber surface became most evident and the amount of Cur released was highest. However, the antibacterial effect of nonporous CNFs was better due to burst release over a short period of time. That meant that the porous structure of the CNFs could reduce the burst release and provide better control over the drug release.
Smart Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Protein Delivery
Authors: Liu Hai-Jun , Xu Peisheng
Published: April 2019

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) have attracted a lot of attention during the past decade which is attributable to their versatile and high loading capacity, easy surface functionalization, excellent biocompatibility, and great physicochemical and thermal stability. In this review, we discuss the factors affecting the loading of protein into MSN and general strategies for targeted delivery and controlled release of proteins with MSN. Additionally, we also give an outlook for the remaining challenges in the clinical translation of protein-loaded MSNs.
Logical Analogies: Interpretations, Oppositions, and Probabilism
Authors: Redmond Walter
Published: April 2019

I present two logical systems to show the “analogy of proportionality” common to several interpretations: modality (necessity and possibility), quantification, truth-functional relations, moral attitudes (deontic logic), states of knowledge (epistemic logic), and states of belief (doxastic logic). To display the two underlying analogical relations, I call upon the originally Scholastic convention, recently put to use again, of using squares, hexagons, and octagons “of opposition”. A combined epistemic–deontic logic happens to be found in the traditional “probabilist” theory of the “good conscience”, and I shall then briefly explain how this is so.
Organic Certification is Not Enough: The Case of the Methoxydecane Frankincense
Authors: Johnson Stephen , DeCarlo Anjanette , Satyal Prabodh , Dosoky Noura S. , Sorensen Aaron , Setzer William N.
Published: April 2019

Frankincense, the oleo-gum-resin of Boswellia trees, has been an important religious and medicinal element for thousands of years, and today is used extensively for essential oils. One of the most popular frankincense species is Boswellia sacra Flueck. (syn. Boswellia carteri Birdw.) from Somalia and Somaliland. Recent increases in demand have led to many areas being overharvested, emphasizing the need for incentives and monitoring for sustainable harvesting, such as certification schemes. Concurrently, a new chemical component, called methoxydecane, has emerged in oils claimed to be B. carteri, suggesting the possibility of a chemical marker of overharvesting or other stress that could aid in monitoring. To find the source of this new chemical component, we sampled resin directly from trees in areas producing the new methoxydecane chemotype. This revealed that methoxydecane comes not from Boswellia carteri, but from a newly described frankincense species, Boswellia occulta. The presence of Boswellia occulta oil in essential oil sold as pure B. carteri, including certified organic oil, emphasizes the current lack of traceability in the supply chain and the ineffectiveness of organic certification to secure purity and sustainable harvesting in wildcrafted species.
Functional and Genetic Diversity of Bacteria Associated with the Surfaces of Agronomic Plants
Authors: Ali Basharat
Published: April 2019

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity and agricultural significance of bacterial communities associated with the surfaces of selected agronomic plants (carrot, cabbage and turnip). The bacterial diversity of fresh agricultural produce was targeted to identify beneficial plant microflora or opportunistic human pathogens that may be associated with the surfaces of plants. Bacterial strains were screened in vitro for auxin production, biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance. 16S rRNA gene sequencing confirmed the presence of several bacterial genera including Citrobacter, Pseudomonas, Pantoea, Bacillus, Kluyvera, Lysinibacillus, Acinetobacter, Enterobacter, Serratia, Staphylococcus, Burkholderia, Exiguobacterium, Stenotrophomonas, Arthrobacter and Klebsiella. To address the biosafety issue, the antibiotic susceptibility pattern of strains was determined against different antibiotics. The majority of the strains were resistant to amoxicillin (25 µg) and nalidixic acid (30 µg). Strains were also screened for plant growth-promoting attributes to evaluate their positive interaction with colonized plants. Maximum auxin production was observed with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia MCt-1 (101 µg mL−1) and Bacillus cereus PCt-1 (97 µg mL−1). Arthrobacter nicotianae Lb-41 and Exiguobacterium mexicanum MCb-4 were strong biofilm producers. In conclusion, surfaces of raw vegetables were inhabited by different bacterial genera. Potential human pathogens such as Bacillus cereus, Bacillus anthracis, Enterobacter cloacae, Enterobacter amnigenus and Klebsiella pneumoniae were also isolated, which makes the biosafety of these vegetable a great concern for the local community. Nevertheless, these microbes also harbor beneficial plant growth-promoting traits that indicated their positive interaction with their host plants. In particular, bacterial auxin production may facilitate the growth of agronomic plants under natural conditions. Moreover, biofilm formation may help bacteria to colonize plant surfaces to show positive interactions with host plants.
Durability of Basalt/Hemp Hybrid Thermoplastic Composites
Authors: Sergi Claudia , Tirillò Jacopo , Seghini Maria Carolina , Sarasini Fabrizio , Fiore Vincenzo , Scalici Tommaso
Published: April 2019

The Achilles heel of thermoplastic natural fibre composites is their limited durability. The environmental degradation of the mechanical properties of hemp and hemp/basalt hybrid-reinforced high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites has been investigated with a special focus on the effects of water ageing and accelerated ageing, including hygrothermal and UV radiation. Modification of the matrix was carried out using a maleic anhydride high-density polyethylene copolymer (MAPE) as a compatibilizer. Hybridization of hemp fibres with basalt fibres and the incorporation of MAPE were found to significantly decrease the water uptake (up to 75%) and increase the retention of mechanical properties after accelerated ageing. Secondary crystallization phenomena occurring in the composites, as confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, were able to counteract the severe combined effects of hygrothermal stress and UV radiation, with the exception of hemp-fibre composites where permanent damage to the fibres occurred, with 2% and 20% reduction in tensile strength and modulus, respectively, for a 30 wt % hemp fibre-reinforced HDPE.
Characterization of Microchannel Replicability of Injection Molded Electrophoresis Microfluidic Chips
Authors: Jiang Bingyan , Zhu Laiyu , Min Liping , Li Xianglin , Zhai Zhanyu , Drummer Dietmar
Published: April 2019

Microfluidic chips have been widely applied in biochemical analysis, DNA sequencing, and disease diagnosis due to their advantages of miniaturization, low consumption, rapid analysis, and automation. Injection molded microfluidic chips have attracted great attention because of their short processing time, low cost, and mass production. The microchannel is the critical element of a microfluidic chip, and thus the microchannel replicability directly affects the performance of the microfluidic chip. In the current paper, a new method is proposed to evaluate the replicability of the microchannel profile via the root mean square value of the actual profile curve and the ideal profile curve of the microchannel. To investigate the effects of injection molding parameters (i.e., mold temperature, melting temperature, holding pressure, holding time, and injection rate) on microchannel replicability, a series of single-factor experiments were carried out. The results showed that, within the investigated experimental range, the increase of mold temperature, melt temperature, holding pressure, holding time, and injection rate could improve microchannel replicability accuracy. Specifically, the microchannels along the flow direction of the polymer melt were significantly affected by the mold temperature and melt temperature. Moreover, the replicability of the microchannel was influenced by the distance from the injection gate. The effect of microchannel replication on electrophoresis was demonstrated by a protein electrophoresis experiment.
Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Bilberry and Red Currant Waste Extracts
Authors: Zuorro Antonio , Iannone Annalaura , Natali Stefano , Lavecchia Roberto
Published: April 2019

The production of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) from bilberry waste (BW) and red currant waste (RCW) extracts was studied. Red fruit extracts were obtained by treating BW and RCW with aqueous ethanol (50% v/v) at 40 °C. The formation of nanoparticles was monitored spectrophotometrically by measuring the intensity of the surface plasmon resonance band (SPR) of silver. The effects of temperature (20–60 °C) and pH (8–12) on the reaction kinetics and on the properties of Ag-NPs were investigated. Characterization by XRD and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques showed that Ag-NPs were highly crystalline, with a face-centered cubic structure and a hydrodynamic diameter of 25–65 nm. The zeta potential was in the range of −35.6 to −20.5 mV. Nanoparticles obtained from BW were slightly smaller and more stable than those from RCW. A kinetic analysis by the initial-rate method showed that there was an optimum pH, around 11, for the production of Ag-NPs. Overall, the results obtained suggest that BW and RCW can be advantageously used as a source of reducing and stabilizing agents for the green synthesis of Ag-NPs.
Special Issue on “Process Design, Integration, and Intensification”
Authors: Foo Dominic C. Y. , El-Halwagi Mahmoud
Published: April 2019

With the growing emphasis on enhancing the sustainability and efficiency of industrial plants, process integration and intensification are gaining additional interest throughout the chemical engineering community [...]
Across Date Species Detection Using Airborne Imaging Spectroscopy
Authors: Laybros Anthony , Schläpfer Daniel , Féret Jean-Baptiste , Descroix Laurent , Bedeau Caroline , Lefevre Marie-Jose , Vincent Grégoire
Published: April 2019

Imaging spectroscopy is a promising tool for airborne tree species recognition in hyper-diverse tropical canopies. However, its widespread application is limited by the signal sensitivity to acquisition parameters, which may require new training data in every new area of application. This study explores how various pre-processing steps may improve species discrimination and species recognition under different operational settings. In the first experiment, a classifier was trained and applied on imaging spectroscopy data acquired on a single date, while in a second experiment, the classifier was trained on data from one date and applied to species identification on data from a different date. A radiative transfer model based on atmospheric compensation was applied with special focus on the automatic retrieval of aerosol amounts. The impact of spatial or spectral filtering and normalisation was explored as an alternative to atmospheric correction. A pixel-wise classification was performed with a linear discriminant analysis trained on individual tree crowns identified at the species level. Tree species were then identified at the crown scale based on a majority vote rule. Atmospheric corrections did not outperform simple statistical processing (i.e., filtering and normalisation) when training and testing sets were taken from the same flight date. However, atmospheric corrections became necessary for reliable species recognition when different dates were considered. Shadow masking improved species classification results in all cases. Single date classification rate was 83.9% for 1297 crowns of 20 tropical species. The loss of mean accuracy observed when using training data from one date to identify species at another date in the same area was limited to 10% when atmospheric correction was applied.
Simultaneous Transmission of Photonic Services over One Fiber with an ITU 100 GHz Grid
Authors: Horvath Tomas , Munster Petr , Vojtech Josef , Smotlacha Vladimir
Published: April 2019

The increasing interest in distributed sensors and the decreasing price of optical components have led to leveraging the use of existing fiber in deployments over optical networks and more application possibilities (from seismic activity measurement to perimeter protection and tunnel fire detection). Because of the possibility of data interference in single fibers, dark fibers are used. On the one hand, optical networks are able to transfer popular services, such as streaming and data transmission, and on the other hand, special advanced services such as an accurate time, a stable frequency, and high-power optical sensor signals can be provided. In our work, we address the simultaneous transmission of an accurate time, 100 G data, and a high-power optical sensor based on Phase-sensitive optical time domain reflectometer ( Φ -OTDR). The measurement setup consists of the optical fiber G.652 (7 km), G.653 (7 km), and G.655 (10 km) and a combination of G.652D + G.653 (14 km). Moreover, we also provide results for their combination. The services were transferred in single fiber with an ITU 100 GHz channel spacing grid. We performed a set of measurements with an evaluation of the BER value for data transmission affected by a high-power sensor system and accurate time values. The results confirmed our assumptions that 100 GHz spacing is not large enough, especially with the increasing power level of the sensor system. The main aim of the article is to determine whether data are disturbed with normal 100 GHz channel spacing.
Framing ‘Friend’: Media Framing of ‘Man’s Best Friend’ and the Pattern of Police Shootings of Dogs
Authors: Thacker Thomas Devon , Vermilya Jenny R.
Published: April 2019

The representation and framing of events by news sources plays a critical role in the way society comes to understand a given phenomenon. For example, the use of force by police officers against civilians is covered regularly by news media outlets. Far less widely examined, however, is the excessive use of force against companion animals or pets. Thus, to understand the ways in which police use of force against animals is framed in the media, we conducted qualitative content analyses of 189 print news articles published in diverse regions of the U.S. over the course of a six-year period (2011–2016). Drawing on symbolic interactionism, analysis reveals that the media’s representation of incidents of police shootings of dogs speaks not only to the social value dogs have in society, but also to the acceptability of friendships between humans and dogs. Specifically, we argue that some dog–human relationships are more socially acceptable than others and, therefore, shootings against some dogs are perceived as less acceptable than others. Ultimately, we find that news media representation and the ways in which incidents are framed reify existent social hierarchies. This research contributes to growing bodies of literature on police violence, the shift in perspectives on animals in society, and the power of the media to affect public perception of incidents.
Pricing Strategies in the Italian Retail Sector: The Case of Pasta
Authors: Cacchiarelli Luca , Sorrentino Alessandro
Published: April 2019

In the last years, Italian food retailing has experienced some developments related to rising concentration levels, heterogeneous distribution along the country of the different outlet categories, and an increase of products sold as private brand labels. In the Italian agro-food industry, pasta represents a strategic product, since Italy has the peculiarity of being, at the same time, the main producer and consumer of pasta. A useful way to investigate food retailers’ behavior and strategies is to derive a measure of price rigidity, through a “frequency approach”, which permits computation of both regular prices and price promotions, and the frequency and the magnitude of price increases and decreases. We employ such methodology in order to evaluate retailers’ strategies in the Italian pasta market in terms of price rigidity and price promotions according to brand categories (Italian pasta brands versus private label brands) and regional areas for the period 2011–2013. The results show that retailers’ strategies for national pasta brands, in terms of price rigidity and price promotions, are completely different with respect to private label brands. Among the various national pasta brands, retailers adopt different strategies by, in various regional cases, employing the tool of price promotion rather than intervening with regular price changes.
The Influence of Slope Positions on the Recovery Response of Compacted Soil Properties and Enzyme Activity in an Oriental Beech Stand in the Hyrcanian Forests, Iran
Authors: Jourgholami Meghdad , Ramineh Alireza , Zahedi Amiri Ghavamodin , Labelle Eric R.
Published: April 2019

Several studies emphasize the effects of slope position on divergences of soil properties in forest ecosystems, but limited data is available on the impact of slope position on recovery levels of soil, which were exposed to compaction due to machine traffic. This study examined the effects of slope position (i.e., S; summit, BS; backslope, and TS; toeslope) on recovery rate of soil properties and enzyme activity four years after ground-based harvesting operations were performed on machine operating trails, compared to the undisturbed areas (UND) in the Hyrcanian forests (north of Iran). Soil properties and enzyme activity of compacted soil in machine operating trails showed significant trend differences among the slope positions. A significantly lower soil bulk density, penetration resistance, soil moisture, aggregate stability, pH, sand, and C/N ratio were found in TS compared to the values recorded in the BS and S treatments. Conversely, total porosity, macroporosity, silt, clay, organic C, total N, available nutrients (i.e., P, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+), fulvic and humic acid, earthworm density and dry mass as well as fine root biomass were higher in TS than in the BS and S treatments. Soil microbial respiration, MBC, NH4+, NO3−, N mineralization, and MBN were significantly higher in the UND areas followed by TS > BS > S treatment. The highest activity levels of enzymes (i.e., urease, acid phosphatase, arylsulfatase, invertase, and ß-N-acetylglucosaminidase) were detected in the UND areas, followed by TS > BS > S treatment. The highest recovery levels of all soil properties and enzyme activity were found in TS, followed by BS > S treatment. However, the full recovery of soil properties did not occur even after a 4-year period, compared to the UND areas. Our study results highlight the significance of the slope position in augmenting divergence in soil properties and enzyme activity after ground-based machine traffic.
Sustainable Development in World Trade Law: Application of the Precautionary Principle in Korea-Radionuclides
Authors: Cai Yan , Kim Eunmi
Published: April 2019

Sustainable development (SD) is one of the objectives of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and in order to achieve SD, the precautionary principle (PP) is one of the most appropriate means that can be used. This study aims to explore whether the WTO promotes SD through its legal interpretation of the PP and to provide suggestions for realizing the balance between trade liberalization and sustainable development in the WTO. To this end, this study conducts a case analysis on the Korea-Import Bans, and Testing and Certification Requirements for Radionuclides (DS495) dispute from legal and political-economic perspectives, and finds that the WTO’s rigorous examinations of the four requirements presented in Article 5.7 of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the SPS Agreement) remain a significant impediment for the incorporation of the PP into WTO jurisprudence, and can also cause systemic problems. This study suggests that efforts from three dimensions—the WTO adjudicating parties, the government, and the lobbying groups of importing countries—are required to promote SD in the WTO.
Does Identification Influence Continuous E-Commerce Consumption? The Mediating Role of Intrinsic Motivations
Authors: Chen Xi , Fang Shaofen , Li Yujie , Wang Haibin
Published: April 2019

The motivation behind online consumption behavior is different from that of online social behavior, and research is lacking regarding the impact of identification on e-commerce consumption. The current research examines the influence of identification, which is perceived anonymity, and intrinsic motivation on the continuous purchasing behaviors on retailing e-commerce websites based on self-determination theory. The mediating role of intrinsic motivation was also empirically tested from a sample of 661 frequent consumers using the partial least squares approach. The findings were: (1) Identification negatively influences perceived anonymity, and its low, but significantly positive, influence on continuous e-commerce consumption were totally mediated by perceived competence, perceived autonomy, and perceived relatedness. (2) Perceived anonymity positively influences self-determination factors, which has partly mediating impact between perceived anonymity and continuous consumption. (3) The authenticity and concealment of identity are based on different mechanisms, but both of them are conducive to promoting continuous purchases. On retailing e-commerce websites, customers’ identity management should consider both identification in the background and anonymity perception in the service, and the contributions of the service to promote consumers’ perceived competence and perceived autonomy are important in continuous consumption.
A Retrospective Comparison of Water Quality Treatment in a Bioretention Cell 16 Years Following Initial Analysis
Authors: Johnson Jeffrey P. , Hunt William F.
Published: April 2019

One of the most popular stormwater practices in (sub-)urban North Carolina is bioretention. While bioretention has been researched intensively to determine the most efficient designs, few long-term studies have attempted to assess the performance of older bioretention. However, previous research and design guidance for bioretention has predicted long-term water quality treatment. This study compared discharged concentrations and loads of nitrogen and phosphorus from a bioretention cell (1) post-construction and (2) following 17 years of treatment. A conventionally-drained bioretention cell with lateral underdrains in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, was first monitored post-construction for 10-months from 2002–2003 and, again following continuous use, for 14 months from 2017–2018. Estimated mass load reductions during the initial monitoring period were 40% for total nitrogen (TN) and 65% for total phosphorus (TP). Mass load reductions were increased 17 years after construction, with reductions of 72% and 79% for TN and TP, respectively. Plant growth, death, and decay over the 17-year life of the bioretention cell are hypothesized to have contributed additional nitrogen assimilation and carbon to the fill media, serving as a catalyst for nitrogen treatment. Phosphorus removal remained relatively unchanged between the two monitoring periods. Filter media samples indicated the top 20 cm of filter media were nearing phosphorus saturation, but with 1.2 m of filter media, lower depths would most likely continue to provide treatment. If designed, built, and maintained correctly, bioretention appears to provide sustained treatment of stormwater runoff for nitrogen and phosphorus for nearly two decades, and likely longer.
Exploring the Adequacy of Massive Constructed Public Housing in China
Authors: Gan Xiaolong , Zuo Jian , Wen Tao , She Yujuan
Published: April 2019

Public housing programs are an effective strategy to provide adequate housing, not only in developed countries, but also developing countries. This study holistically investigates the sitting occupants’ perception of adequate housing towards their public housing units using Chongqing, a typical city in western China, as a case study. Results showed that generally, the public rental housing (PRH) programs were perceived to be adequate by their residents in the estates sampled. The components of neighborhood environment, housing unit, and affordability were the top three factors affecting the overall housing adequacy. The importance of physical aspects as well as the nonphysical aspects of adequate housing is likely to change according to their residential purpose. Therefore, the residential purpose of residents should be taken into consideration when planning the physical and nonphysical elements of public housing programs. Meanwhile, socioeconomic characteristics of age, family income, family members, residence length, and housing types have significant effects on overall housing adequacy and its components. These findings shed some useful insights on the sustainable development of public housing in China and provide a useful reference for future public housing developments in developing countries. The provision of adequate housing also helps to attract and retain talent, which consequently improves the competitiveness of the city.