bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Drivers of Under-Five Stunting Trend in 14 Low- and Middle-Income Countries since the Turn of the Millennium: A Multilevel Pooled Analysis of 50 Demographic and Health Surveys
Authors: Argaw Alemayehu , Hanley-Cook Giles , De Cock Nathalie , Kolsteren Patrick , Huybregts Lieven , Lachat Carl
Published: October 2019

Background: Understanding the drivers contributing to the decreasing trend in stunting is paramount to meeting the World Health Assembly’s global target of 40% stunting reduction by 2025. Methods: We pooled data from 50 Demographic and Health Surveys since 2000 in 14 countries to examine the relationships between the stunting trend and potential factors at distal, intermediate, and proximal levels. A multilevel pooled trend analysis was used to estimate the association between the change in potential drivers at a country level and stunting probability for an individual child while adjusting for time trends and child-level covariates. A four-level mixed-effects linear probability regression model was fitted, accounting for the clustering of data by sampling clusters, survey-rounds, and countries. Results: Stunting followed a decreasing trend in all countries at an average annual rate of 1.04 percentage points. Among the distal factors assessed, a decrease in the Gini coefficient, an improvement in women’s decision-making, and an increase in urbanization were significantly associated with a lower probability of stunting within a country. Improvements in households’ access to improved sanitation facilities and drinking water sources, and children’s access to basic vaccinations were the important intermediate service-related drivers, whereas improvements in early initiation of breastfeeding and a decrease in the prevalence of low birthweight were the important proximal drivers. Conclusions: The results reinforce the need for a combination of nutrition-sensitive and -specific interventions to tackle the problem of stunting. The identified drivers help to guide global efforts to further accelerate stunting reduction and monitor progress against chronic childhood undernutrition.
Diet, Physical Activity, Obesity, and Breastfeeding: How French People Perceive Factors Associated with Cancer Risk
Authors: Lamore Kristopher , Ducrot Pauline , Latino-Martel Paule , Soler Marion , Foucaud Jérôme
Published: October 2019

The French Cancer Barometer, a population-based-survey, is carried out every five years and is, to date, one of the few national studies conducted to investigate individual perception linked to cancer risk factors. The aims of the present study were to describe the perceptions of the French population in 2015 and to assess their evolution over a 5-year period (2010–2015). The French Cancer Barometer surveyed a randomly selected sample of participants aged 15–75 years (n = 3345 in 2010) and 15–85 years (n = 3764 in 2015), representative of the French population. Questions were on perception of diet, physical activity, obesity, and breastfeeding as cancer risk factors. In 2015, nutritional/activity factors were perceived as having an important role in cancer development for the majority of those surveyed (diet (90.8%), obesity (76%), and physical activity (70%)) with the exception being breastfeeding (34%). However, there was a moderate perception of the risks of red meat (43%) and salt or salty food (55%) consumption. Perceptions of nutritional risk factors were mostly associated with age and education level. Interestingly, there was a greater perception of nutritional risk factors in 2015 compared to 2010, and the participants’ opinions were also stronger. Efforts should be made on individuals with lower educational level and to promote the beneficial effects of breastfeeding. However, to impact food behavior, measures are needed at the environmental level and not only at the individual one.
Ketogenic Diet: A New Light Shining on Old but Gold Biochemistry
Authors: Longo Raffaella , Peri Carolina , Cricrì Dalma , Coppi Lara , Caruso Donatella , Mitro Nico , De Fabiani Emma , Crestani Maurizio
Published: October 2019

Diets low in carbohydrates and proteins and enriched in fat stimulate the hepatic synthesis of ketone bodies (KB). These molecules are used as alternative fuel for energy production in target tissues. The synthesis and utilization of KB are tightly regulated both at transcriptional and hormonal levels. The nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α (PPARα), currently recognized as one of the master regulators of ketogenesis, integrates nutritional signals to the activation of transcriptional networks regulating fatty acid β-oxidation and ketogenesis. New factors, such as circadian rhythms and paracrine signals, are emerging as important aspects of this metabolic regulation. However, KB are currently considered not only as energy substrates but also as signaling molecules. β-hydroxybutyrate has been identified as class I histone deacetylase inhibitor, thus establishing a connection between products of hepatic lipid metabolism and epigenetics. Ketogenic diets (KD) are currently used to treat different forms of infantile epilepsy, also caused by genetic defects such as Glut1 and Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Deficiency Syndromes. However, several researchers are now focusing on the possibility to use KD in other diseases, such as cancer, neurological and metabolic disorders. Nonetheless, clear-cut evidence of the efficacy of KD in other disorders remains to be provided in order to suggest the adoption of such diets to metabolic-related pathologies.
Curcumin as a Therapeutic Strategy in Liver Diseases
Authors: Rezzani Rita , Franco Caterina , Rodella Luigi Fabrizio
Published: October 2019

Liver diseases are classified as acute and chronic hepatic failures. In particular, chronic pathologies are the most common diseases in the World. Chronic pathologies of liver disease are the most common diseases in the world. There are many causes that induce a progressive and irreversible degeneration of the hepatic parenchyma, but, in general, they lead to the destruction of the normal balance between reactive oxygen stress (ROS) formation and ROS degradation within the liver. The prevalence of disabling diseases, including the hepatic diseases, is increasingly widespread, and it is important to find a safe, inexpensive, accessible and effective way to face this condition. Many recent studies have focused on different natural antioxidants, which could restore the physiological hepatic environment, thereby allowing the normal functioning of this organ. Natural products have been used to discover new leads for treating several diseases; among them, it is important to emphasize curcumin, which is a polyphenol obtained from Curcuma longa Linn, a plant naturally found throughout tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity (NCGS): Where Is the Culprit Hiding? Nutritional Tips for Gastroenterologists
Authors: Rinninella Emanuele , Cintoni Marco , Mele Maria Cristina , Gasbarrini Antonio
Published: October 2019

At least 40% of all the gastroenterological outpatient visits are due to functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs), among which irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common, accounting for a worldwide prevalence of about 12% [...]
Efficient Characterization of Tetraploid Watermelon
Authors: Zhang Na , Bao Yaning , Xie Zhouli , Huang Xing , Sun Yuhong , Feng Gang , Zeng Hongxia , Ren Jian , Li Yuhua , Xiong Jianshun , Chen Wei , Yan Chao , Tang Mi
Published: October 2019

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. &Nakai) is an economic crop, which is widely cultivated around the world. The ploidy study of watermelon has an important role in field breeding and production, therefore, timely and convenient ploidy detection is necessary to accelerate its application. Traditionally, the ploidy of watermelon was determined by a series of time-consuming, expensive, and less efficient methods. In this study, we developed a more efficient method to simplify and accelerate the polyploidy identification in watermelons. We first confirmed the ploidy of watermelon by traditional tetraploid morphological features and well-established flow cytometry (FCM). Then we developed a reliable real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) technique by quantifying the highly conserved 5S rDNA sequence and its copy numbers. This technique requires less sample collection and has comparable accuracy to FCM, it accelerates the analysis process and provides a new method for the identification of polyploidy of watermelon.
Side Chain Effect of Hydroxypropyl Cellulose Derivatives on Reflection Properties
Authors: Hayata Kenichiro , Furumi Seiichi
Published: October 2019

Some cellulose derivatives are known to exhibit thermotropic and lyotropic cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) phases with a visible reflection feature by changing the side chains and mixing with specific solvents, respectively. Although many studies have been reported so far, most of the derivatives have the side chains of linear alkyl groups, but not the bulky phenyl groups. In this report, we synthesized a series of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) derivatives that possessed both linear propionyl esters and bulky (trifluoromethyl)phenyl carbamates in the side chains. The reflection peaks of HPC derivatives shifted to longer wavelengths upon heating due to an increase in the CLC helical pitch. Such thermally induced shifting behavior of the reflection peak was crucially dependent on not only the propionyl esterification degree, but also the substituents in the side chains of HPC derivatives. When the side chains of HPC were chemically modified with both propionyl esters and bulky substituents such as 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl carbamates, the reflection peaks emerged at longer wavelengths at the same temperature. This probably happened because of the steric hindrance of bulky side chains, as supported by the empirical molecular modeling calculation. Although the occupied volumes of (trifluoromethyl)phenyl groups were independent of the CLC phase temperature with visible Bragg reflection, the substituent position, i.e., substituent orientation of trifluoromethyl groups affected the CLC phase temperature. Moreover, we found that the hydrogen bonds between carbamate moieties in the HPC side chains play an important role in the thermally induced shift of reflection peaks.
Synthesis of K-Carrageenan Flame-Retardant Microspheres and Its Application for Waterborne Epoxy Resin with Functionalized Graphene
Authors: Wang Na , Teng Haiwei , Yang Fei , You Jiaqi , Zhang Jing , Wang Deyi
Published: October 2019

In this article, the intumescent flame-retardant microsphere (KC-IFR) was prepared by inverse emulsion polymerizations, with the use of k-carrageenan (KC) as carbon source, ammonium polyphosphate (APP) as acid source, and melamine (MEL) as gas source. Meanwhile, benzoic acid functionalized graphene (BFG) was synthetized as a synergist. A “four-source flame-retardant system” (KC-IFR/BFG) was constructed with KC-IFR and BFG. KC-IFR/BFG was blended with waterborne epoxy resin (EP) to prepare flame-retardant coatings. The effects of different ratios of KC-IFR and BFG on the flame-retardant properties of EP were investigated. The results showed that the limiting oxygen index (LOI) values increased from 19.7% for the waterborne epoxy resin to 28.7% for the EP1 with 20 wt% KC-IFR. The addition of BFG further improved the LOI values of the composites. The LOI value reached 29.8% for the EP5 sample with 18 wt% KC-IFR and 2 wt% BFG and meanwhile, UL-94 test reached the V-0 level. In addition, the peak heat release (pHRR) and smoke release rate (SPR) of EP5 decreased by 63.5% and 65.4% comparing with EP0, respectively. This indicated the good flame-retardant and smoke suppression property of EP composites coating.
An Optimal Feedback Control Strategy for Nonlinear, Distributed-Parameter Processes
Authors: Dutta Debaprasad , Upreti Simant Ranjan
Published: October 2019

In this work, an optimal state feedback control strategy is proposed for non-linear, distributed-parameter processes. For different values of a given parameter susceptible to upsets, the strategy involves off-line computation of a repository of optimal open-loop states and gains needed for the feedback adjustment of control. A gain is determined by minimizing the perturbation of the objective functional about the new optimal state and control corresponding to a process upset. When an upset is encountered in a running process, the repository is utilized to obtain the control adjustment required to steer the process to the new optimal state. The strategy is successfully applied to a highly non-linear, gas-based heavy oil recovery process controlled by the gas temperature with the state depending non-linearly on time and two spatial directions inside a moving boundary, and subject to pressure upsets. The results demonstrate that when the process has a pressure upset, the proposed strategy is able to determine control adjustments with negligible time delays and to navigate the process to the new optimal state.
Incidence of Heterotopic Ossification in Anterior Based Muscle Sparing Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Radiographic Review
Authors: McGrory Aidan C. , McGrory Brian J. , Rana Adam , Babikian George
Published: October 2019

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a known complication following total hip arthroplasty (THA). The anterior based muscle sparing (ABMS) approach is a variation of a direct anterior approach through the Watson–Jones interval. To date, few studies have evaluated HO formation following this surgery. We examine the incidence of HO in a consecutive series of THAs using this approach by three different surgeons at a single center. Standard preoperative radiographs were examined to determine the type of degenerative arthritis, and follow-up radiographs a minimum of 9 months after surgery were evaluated for the presence and classification of HO. The overall incidence of HO after ABMS THA in this study was 86/233, or 36.9%, which is comparable to recent studies of direct anterior and traditional approaches. Class III and IV HO is uncommon in ABMS surgery (3.9% and 1.3%, respectively) and appears to decrease with increased surgical experience with this technique.
Beyond Narcissism: Towards an Analysis of the Public, Political and Collective Forms of Contemporary Spirituality
Authors: Clot-Garrell Anna , Griera Mar
Published: October 2019

Holistic spirituality has often been characterized by academic literature as belonging to the private sphere, articulated through the market and anchored in the growth of narcissistic individualism. However, recent empirical evidence and theoretical developments suggest a more complex picture. Drawing on the analysis and comparison of two empirical cases—the organization of collective meditations in public spaces and the teaching of yoga in prisons by holistic volunteers —we explore the rise of social engagement initiatives, aiming to transform society through the promotion and use of holistic techniques. Our main conclusions revolve around four main issues (a) the move of holistic spirituality from the private to the public sphere and the increasing public resonance with (and acceptance of) the contemporary holistic milieu, (b) the emergence of an holistic imaginary of social change anchored in ethics of reciprocity and responsibility, (c) the role of the body as a central locus of resistance and social transformation and (d) the articulation of new forms of individualism that enable to make self-realization compatible with social and political commitment.
Role of Surface Melt and Icing Events in Livestock Mortality across Mongolia’s Semi-Arid Landscape
Authors: Pan Caleb G. , Kimball John S. , Munkhjargal Munkhdavaa , Robinson Nathaniel P. , Tijdeman Erik , Menzel Lucas , Kirchner Peter B.
Published: October 2019

Livestock production is a socioeconomic linchpin in Mongolia and is affected by large-scale livestock die-offs. Colloquially known as dzuds, these die-offs are driven by anomalous climatic events, including extreme cold temperatures, extended snow cover duration (SCD) and drought. As average temperatures across Mongolia have increased at roughly twice the global rate, we hypothesized that increasing cold season surface melt including soil freeze/thaw (FT), snowmelt, and icing events associated with regional warming have become increasingly important drivers of dzud events as they can reduce pasture productivity and inhibit access to grazing. Here, we use daily brightness temperature (Tb) observations to identify anomalous surface melt and icing events across Mongolia from 2003–2016 and their contribution to dzuds relative to other climatic drivers, including winter temperatures, SCD, and drought. We find a positive relationship between surface melt and icing events and livestock mortality during the fall in southern Mongolia and during the spring in the central and western regions. Further, anomalous seasonal surface melt and icing events explain 17–34% of the total variance in annual livestock mortality, with cold temperatures as the leading contributor of dzuds (20–37%). Summer drought showed the greatest explanatory power (43%) but overall had less statistically significant relationships relative to winter temperatures. Our results indicate that surface melt and icing events will become an increasingly important driver of dzuds as annual temperatures and livestock populations are projected to increase in Mongolia.
A Spatial-Socioeconomic Urban Development Status Curve from NPP-VIIRS Nighttime Light Data
Authors: Yang Chengshu , Yu Bailang , Chen Zuoqi , Song Wei , Zhou Yuyu , Li Xia , Wu Jianping
Published: October 2019

Urban development status is closely related to the urban economy, environment, ecology, and health. Spatial and socioeconomic processes are the two key aspects of urban development, so the absence of any of them will affect the assessment of urban development status. In this study, using both spatial and socioeconomic information from land cover data and nighttime light data, respectively, we proposed an exponential model, Spatial–Socioeconomic Urban Development Curve (SSUDC), to provide a quantitative expression of the relationship between the two key processes of urban development and analyze urban development status. The SSUDC was calculated from the artificial surface ratio at 1% intervals obtained from Globeland30 land cover data and the corresponding average NPP-VIIRS nighttime light radiance data, using a nonlinear least-squares method. We generated SSUDCs for 330 prefecture-level cities in Mainland China, 208 of which had coefficients of determination (R2) greater than 0.6. Taking Ordos and Guiyang as two typical examples, we analyzed the importance and advantages of SSUDC. The coefficients α and β of the exponential SSUDC were shown to indicate the base intensity socioeconomic activity and the concentration of socioeconomic activities, respectively, and can be used to reveal the urban socioeconomic development status and functional type of cities. At the internal urban level, the residuals of SSUDC can imply the demand for urban physical or economic construction in different areas of the city, and even the urban growth type, together with the distribution of the artificial surface ratio. In summary, the proposed SSUDC provides a simple way to combine the spatial and socioeconomic processes of urban development, which is beneficial to the analysis of urban development at different scales and a rewarding tool for urban planning.
Point-of-Care Strategies for Detection of Waterborne Pathogens
Authors: Kumar Sandeep , Nehra Monika , Mehta Jyotsana , Dilbaghi Neeraj , Marrazza Giovanna , Kaushik Ajeet
Published: October 2019

Waterborne diseases that originated due to pathogen microorganisms are emerging as a serious global health concern. Therefore, rapid, accurate, and specific detection of these microorganisms (i.e., bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and parasitic pathogens) in water resources has become a requirement of water quality assessment. Significant research has been conducted to develop rapid, efficient, scalable, and affordable sensing techniques to detect biological contaminants. State-of-the-art technology-assisted smart sensors have improved features (high sensitivity and very low detection limit) and can perform in a real-time manner. However, there is still a need to promote this area of research, keeping global aspects and demand in mind. Keeping this view, this article was designed carefully and critically to explore sensing technologies developed for the detection of biological contaminants. Advancements using paper-based assays, microfluidic platforms, and lateral flow devices are discussed in this report. The emerging recent trends, mainly point-of-care (POC) technologies, of water safety analysis are also discussed here, along with challenges and future prospective applications of these smart sensing technologies for water health diagnostics.
Comparison between Intramuscular Multichannel Electrodes and Supramysial Multichannel Electrodes via EMG Measurements for Potential Use as Larynx Stimulation Electrodes: In Vivo Animal Analysis
Authors: Faenger Bernd , Schumann Nikolaus P. , Anders Christoph , Arnold Dirk , Grassme Roland , Guntinas-Lichius Orlando , Scholle Hans-Christoph
Published: October 2019

One of the most common causes for larynx paralysis is the injury of the recurrent laryngeal nerve which, among others, causes the paralysis of the posterior cricoarytenoideus muscle (PCA). Electrical stimulation of PCA offers an approach to retaining the function of the paralyzed larynx muscle. The study aim was to test the applicability of an intramuscular multichannel array electrode as a measuring electrode for myoelectrical potentials and as a possible electrode for stimulation, e.g., posterior cricoarytenoideus muscle stimulation. For this purpose, two different kinds of electrodes were compared. 42 intramuscular multichannel array electrodes and 11 supramysial multichannel electrodes were implanted into the triceps brachii muscle of rats. The triceps brachii muscle of rats is suitable to serve as a substitute muscle for the human PCA muscle in an in vivo animal model. It has the same striated muscle cells, is of comparable size, and fundamentally serves a similar function to the human PCA muscle during normal respiration. Walking and breathing are circular functions that cause minimal muscle fatigue when carried out steadily. In total, the myoelectrical activity of 6703 steps could be recorded, allowing a comparison and statistical analysis of the EMG amplitudes and EMG activation patterns. Small differences can be detected between the EMG signals of both electrode types which, however, can be explained physiologically. Both electrode types reveal the basic characteristics of the triceps brachii muscle activity, namely the muscle contraction strength and the coordination pattern. This indicates that the intramuscular electrode may be applied for a detailed analysis of the human larynx.
Hydrogen Detection with SAW Polymer/Quantum Dots Sensitive Films
Authors: Constantinoiu Izabela , Viespe Cristian
Published: October 2019

Regarding the use of hydrogen as a fuel, it is necessary to measure its concentration in air at room temperature. In this paper, sensitive composite films have been developed for surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors, using quantum dots (QDs) and polymers. Si/SiO2 QDs were used due to having a high specific surface area, which considerably improves the sensitivity of the sensors compared to those that only have a polymer. Si/SiO2 QDs were obtained by laser ablation and analyzed by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Two types of polymers were used: polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). Polymer and polymer with QDs compositions were deposited on the sensor substrate by drop casting. A heat treatment was performed on the films at 80 °C with a thermal dwell of two hours. The sensors obtained were tested at different hydrogen concentrations at room temperature. A limit of detection (LOD) of 452 ppm was obtained by the sensor with PDMS and Si/SiO2 QDs, which was heat treated. The results demonstrated the potential of using QDs to improve the sensitivity of the SAW sensors and to achieve a heat treatment that increases its adsorption capacity of the gas molecules.
PRICHAIN: A Partially Decentralized Implementation of UbiPri Middleware Using Blockchain
Authors: Sestrem Ochôa Iago , Silva Luis Augusto , de Mello Gabriel , Alves da Silva Bruno , de Paz Juan Francisco , Villarrubia González Gabriel , Garcia Nuno M. , Reis Quietinho Leithardt Valderi
Published: October 2019

With the popularization of the Internet-of-Things, various applications have emerged to make life easier. These applications generate a large amount of user data. Analyzing the data obtained from these applications, one can infer personal information about each user. Considering this, it is clear that ensuring privacy in this type of application is essential. To guarantee privacy various solutions exist, one of them is UbiPri middleware. This paper presents a decentralized implementation of UbiPri middleware using the Ethereum blockchain. Smart contracts were used in conjunction with a communication gateway and a distributed storage service to ensure users privacy. The results obtained show that the implementation of this work ensures privacy at different levels, data storage security, and performance regarding scalability in the Internet of Things environments.
Packaging Technology for an Implantable Inner Ear MEMS Microphone
Authors: Prochazka Lukas , Huber Alexander , Dobrev Ivo , Harris Francesca , Dalbert Adrian , Röösli Christof , Obrist Dominik , Pfiffner Flurin
Published: October 2019

Current cochlear implant (CI) systems provide substantial benefits for patients with severe hearing loss. However, they do not allow for 24/7 hearing, mainly due to the external parts that cannot be worn in all everyday situations. One of the key missing parts for a totally implantable CI (TICI) is the microphone, which thus far has not been implantable. The goal of the current project was to develop a concept for a packaging technology for state-of-the-art microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) microphones that record the liquid-borne sound inside the inner ear (cochlea) as a microphone signal input for a TICI. The packaging concept incorporates requirements, such as biocompatibility, long-term hermeticity, a high sensing performance and a form factor that allows sensing inside the human cochlea and full integration into the existing CI electrode array. The present paper (1) describes the sensor packaging concept and the corresponding numerical and experimental design verification process and (2) gives insight into new engineering solutions for sensor packaging. Overall, a packaging concept was developed that enables MEMS microphone technology to be used for a TICI system.
Virtual User in the IoT: Definition, Technologies and Experiments
Authors: Girau Roberto , Cossu Raimondo , Farina Massimo , Pilloni Virginia , Atzori Luigi
Published: October 2019

Virtualization technologies are characterizing major advancements in the Internet of Things (IoT) arena, as they allow for achieving a cyber-physical world where everything can be found, activated, probed, interconnected, and updated at both the virtual and the physical levels. We believe these technologies should apply to human users other than things, bringing us the concept of the Virtual User (VU). This should represent the virtual counterpart of the IoT users with the ultimate goal of: (i) avoiding the user from having the burden of following the tedious processes of setting, configuring and updating IoT services the user is involved in; (ii) acting on behalf of the user when basic operations are required; (iii) exploiting to the best of its ability the IoT potentialities, always taking always account the user profile and interests. Accordingly, the VU is a complex representation of the user and acts as a proxy in between the virtual objects and IoT services and application; to this, it includes the following major functionalities: user profiling, authorization management, quality of experience modeling and management, social networking and context management. In this respect, the major contributions of this paper are to: provide the definition of VU, present the major functionalities, discuss the legal issues related to its introduction, provide some implementation details, and analyze key performance aspects in terms of the capability of the VU to correctly identify the user profile and context.
Robust and Accurate Hand–Eye Calibration Method Based on Schur Matric Decomposition
Authors: Liu Jinbo , Wu Jinshui , Li Xin
Published: October 2019

To improve the accuracy and robustness of hand–eye calibration, a hand–eye calibration method based on Schur matric decomposition is proposed in this paper. The accuracy of these methods strongly depends on the quality of observation data. Therefore, preprocessing observation data is essential. As with traditional two-step hand–eye calibration methods, we first solve the rotation parameters and then the translation vector can be immediately determined. A general solution was obtained from one observation through Schur matric decomposition and then the degrees of freedom were decreased from three to two. Observation data preprocessing is one of the basic unresolved problems with hand–eye calibration methods. A discriminant equation to delete outliers was deduced based on Schur matric decomposition. Finally, the basic problem of observation data preprocessing was solved using outlier detection, which significantly improved robustness. The proposed method was validated by both simulations and experiments. The results show that the prediction error of rotation and translation was 0.06 arcmin and 1.01 mm respectively, and the proposed method performed much better in outlier detection. A minimal configuration for the unique solution was proven from a new perspective.
Love Wave Surface Acoustic Wave Sensor with Laser-Deposited Nanoporous Gold Sensitive Layer
Authors: Viespe Cristian , Dinca Valentina , Popescu-Pelin Gianina , Miu Dana
Published: October 2019

Laser-deposited gold immobilization layers with different porosities were incorporated into Love Wave Surface Acoustic Wave sensors (LW-SAWs). Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme was immobilized onto three gold interfaces with different morphologies, and the sensor response to chloroform was measured. The response of the sensors to various chloroform concentrations indicates that their sensing properties (sensitivity, limit of detection) are considerably improved when the gold layers are porous, in comparison to a conventional dense gold layer. The results obtained can be used to improve properties of SAW-based biosensors by controlling the nanostructure of the gold immobilization layer, in combination with other enzymes and proteins, since the design of the present sensor is the same as that for a Love Wave biosensor.
Simultaneous Assessment of Urinary and Fecal Volatile Organic Compound Analysis in De Novo Pediatric IBD
Authors: el Manouni el Hassani Sofia , Bosch Sofie , Lemmen Jesse , Brizzio Brentar Marina , Ayada Ibrahim , Wicaksono Alfian , Covington James , Benninga Marc , de Boer Nanne , de Meij Tim
Published: October 2019

Endoscopic evaluation is mandatory in establishing the diagnosis of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but unfortunately carries a high burden on patients. Volatile organic compounds (VOC) have been proposed as alternative, noninvasive diagnostic biomarkers for IBD. The current study aimed to assess and compare the potential of fecal and urinary VOC as diagnostic biomarkers for pediatric IBD in an intention-to-diagnose cohort. In this cohort study, patients aged 4–17 years, referred to the outpatient clinic of a tertiary referral center under suspicion of IBD, were eligible to participate. The diagnosis was established by endoscopic and histopathologic assessment, participants who did not meet the criteria of IBD were allocated to the control group. Participants were instructed to concurrently collect a fecal and urinary sample prior to bowel lavage. Samples were analyzed by means of gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry. In total, five ulcerative colitis patients, five Crohn’s disease patients, and ten age and gender matched controls were included. A significant difference was demonstrated for both fecal (p-value, area under the curve; 0.038, 0.73) and urinary (0.028, 0.78) VOC profiles between IBD and controls. Analysis of both fecal and urinary VOC behold equal potential as noninvasive biomarkers for pediatric IBD diagnosis.
Exploring Deep Physiological Models for Nociceptive Pain Recognition
Authors: Thiam Patrick , Bellmann Peter , Kestler Hans A. , Schwenker Friedhelm
Published: October 2019

Standard feature engineering involves manually designing measurable descriptors based on some expert knowledge in the domain of application, followed by the selection of the best performing set of designed features for the subsequent optimisation of an inference model. Several studies have shown that this whole manual process can be efficiently replaced by deep learning approaches which are characterised by the integration of feature engineering, feature selection and inference model optimisation into a single learning process. In the following work, deep learning architectures are designed for the assessment of measurable physiological channels in order to perform an accurate classification of different levels of artificially induced nociceptive pain. In contrast to previous works, which rely on carefully designed sets of hand-crafted features, the current work aims at building competitive pain intensity inference models through autonomous feature learning, based on deep neural networks. The assessment of the designed deep learning architectures is based on the BioVid Heat Pain Database (Part A) and experimental validation demonstrates that the proposed uni-modal architecture for the electrodermal activity (EDA) and the deep fusion approaches significantly outperform previous methods reported in the literature, with respective average performances of 84.57 % and 84.40 % for the binary classification experiment consisting of the discrimination between the baseline and the pain tolerance level ( T 0 vs. T 4 ) in a Leave-One-Subject-Out (LOSO) cross-validation evaluation setting. Moreover, the experimental results clearly show the relevance of the proposed approaches, which also offer more flexibility in the case of transfer learning due to the modular nature of deep neural networks.
Traffic Monitoring via Mobile Device Location
Authors: Martín Juan , Khatib Emil J. , Lázaro Pedro , Barco Raquel
Published: October 2019

Measuring traffic in real time is one of the main functionalities of Smart Cities. To reduce the costs of deployment and operation, traffic measurement with mobile devices has been widely studied. In this paper, a traffic monitoring system using mobile devices is proposed. The proposed algorithm has the advantage of having a very low computational cost, allowing most of the pre-processing to be done in the mobile device and therefore making possible the centralized collection of a massive number of measurements. The proposed system is composed of three algorithms; a map-matching algorithm to correct minor location errors, a Virtual Inductive Loop that estimates the traffic and a traffic data collector that aggregates the information from many devices and combines it with other information sources. The system has been tested in a real scenario, comparing its accuracy with a traditional traffic sensor, showing its accuracy.
A New pH-Dependent Macrocyclic Rhodamine B-Based Fluorescent Probe for Copper Detection in White Wine
Authors: Doumani Nour , Bou-Maroun Elias , Maalouly Jacqueline , Tueni Maya , Dubois Adrien , Bernhard Claire , Denat Franck , Cayot Philippe , Sok Nicolas
Published: October 2019

For efficiently measuring copper (II) ions in the acidic media of white wine, a new chemosensor based on rhodamine B coupled to a tetraazamacrocyclic ring (13aneN4CH2NH2) was designed and synthesized by a one-pot reaction using ethanol as a green solvent. The obtained chemosensor was characterized via NMR, UV and fluorescent spectra. It was marked with no color emission under neutral pH conditions, with a pink color emission under acidic conditions, and a magenta color emission under acidic conditions where copper (II) ions were present. The sensitivity towards copper (II) ions was tested and verified over Ca2+, Ag+, Zn2+, Mg2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Fe2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Fe3+, and Mn2+, with a detection limit of 4.38 × 10−8 M in the fluorescence spectrum.
Start from Scratch: A Crowdsourcing-Based Data Fusion Approach to Support Location-Aware Applications
Authors: Jiang Yonghang , Liu Bingyi , Wang Ze , Yi Xiaoquan
Published: October 2019

As one of the most important breakthroughs for modern transportation, the indoor location-based technology has been gradually penetrating into our daily lives and underlines the foundation of the Internet of Things (IoT). To improve the positioning accuracy and efficiency, crowdsourcing has been widely applied in indoor localization in recent years. However, the crowdsourced data can hardly be fused easily to enable usable applications for the reason that the data are collected by different users, in different locations, at different times, with different noises and distortions. Although different data fusing methods have been implemented in different crowdsourcing services, we find that they may not fully leverage the data collected from multiple dimensions that can potentially lead to a better fusion results. In order to address this problem, we propose a more general solution, which can fuse the multi-dimensional crowdsourced data together and align them with the consistent time and location stamps, by using the features of the sensory data only, and thus build high quality crowdsourcing services from the raw data samplings collected from the environment. Finally, we conduct extensive evaluations and experiments using different commercial devices to validate the effectiveness of the method we proposed.
Passive Source Localization Using Compressive Sensing
Authors: Zhao Hangfang , Irshad M. Jehanzeb , Shi Huihong , Xu Wen
Published: October 2019

This paper presents an underwater passive source localization method by forming an underdetermined linear inversion problem. The signal strength on a specified grid is evaluated using sparse reconstruction algorithms by exploiting the spatial sparsity of the source signals. Our strategy leads to a high ratio of measurements to sparsity (RMS), an increase in the peak sharpness with a low side lobe level, and minimization of the dimensionality of the problem due to the formulation of the system equation of the multiple snapshots based on the data correlation matrix. Furthermore, to reduce the computational burden, pre-locating with Bartlett is presented. Our proposed technique can perform close to Bartlet and white noise gain constraint processes in the single-source scenario, but it can give slightly better results while localizing multiple sources. It exhibits the respective characteristics of traditionally used Bartlett and white noise gain constraint methods, such as robustness to environmental/system mismatch and high resolution. Both the simulated and experimental data are processed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method for underwater source localization.
Mobile Phone Passive Positioning through the Detection of Uplink Signals for Search and Rescue
Authors: Gao Yuhui , Deng Zhongliang , Zhang Yao , Sun Shihua , Li Zhen
Published: October 2019

To satisfy the service requirements of high accuracy and efficient life detection and location for search and rescue (SAR) missions after a disaster, we developed a passive positioning method to locate mobile phones by capturing the random access preamble, which can be applied to fourth-generation (4G) and even fifth-generation (5G) communication systems. We analyzed the characteristics of the random access procedure of a communication system and established a way to detect mobile phones by combining the time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) estimation to determine the location. Then, we performed an experiment and a simulation of preamble sequence acquisition, and the results proved that the method is feasible and has high detection accuracy in high-noise conditions.
‘You Can’t Say That!’: Critical Thinking, Identity Politics, and the Social Work Academy
Authors: Fenton Jane , Smith Mark
Published: October 2019

Recent years have witnessed an eruption of what have been termed culture wars, often converging around the messier aspects of interpersonal relationships and corresponding identity issues that are complex, sensitive, and contested. These are emotive topics that are often colonised by activist groups, and consequently have become enveloped in particular regimes of truth and assertive identity politics. They are often also, by their nature, the kind of issues that are central to social work practice. This can lead to pressure on social workers and social work students to think that these orthodoxies ought to underpin and define the profession, which in turn can lead to the silencing of alternative opinions and the closing down of dissent. This article seeks to locate identity politics in a political and cultural context. It goes on to set out classic arguments for free speech, viewpoint diversity, and for the need for social work to embrace and engage with such. It explores the notion that the closing down of debate about contentious issues, the disincentives that exist to expressing controversial opinions, and the uncritical adoption of ideological orthodoxies work against the development of the critical thinking skills that are essential for social work practice.
Building Regional Sustainable Development Scenarios with the SSP Framework
Authors: Yang Shuhui , Cui Xuefeng
Published: October 2019

Climate change is having an increasing effect on human society and ecosystems. The United Nations has established 17 sustainable development goals, one of which is to cope with climate change. How to scientifically explore uncertainties and hazards brought about by climate change in the future is crucial. The new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has proposed shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) to project climate change scenarios. SSP has been analyzed globally, but how regions and nations respond to the global climate change and mitigation policies is seldom explored, which do not meet the demand for regional environmental assessment and social sustainable development. Therefore, in this paper, we reviewed and discussed how SSPs were applied to regions, and this can be summarized into four main categories: (1) integrated assessment model (IAM) scenario analysis, (2) SSPs-RCPs-SPAs framework scenario analysis, (3) downscaling global impact assessment model, and (4) regional impact assessment model simulation. The study provides alternative ways to project land use, water resource, energy, and ecosystem service in regions, which can carry out related policies and actions to address climate change in advance and help achieve sustainable development.
Characterizing the Sharing Economy State of the Research: A Systematic Map
Authors: Laurenti Rafael , Singh Jagdeep , Cotrim Joao Miguel , Toni Martina , Sinha Rajib
Published: October 2019

The sharing economy is an emerging niche for innovation capable of disrupting established socio-technical and economic regimes. Because of this potential to cause radical changes in a wide array of domains, research in multiple disciplines addressing various aspects entailing this phenomenon is proliferating. In this emerging body of literature, the understanding and framing of the sharing economy are often different. Without knowledge about the current state of the research related to the sharing economy, delineating research trends, gaps, and needs for directing effectively primary research are not possible. This study aimed to synthesize the state and distribution of existing publications related to the sharing economy in multiple disciplines. We used the systematic mapping technique to scope, identify, and classify the publications at a fine level of granularity. We reviewed 589 journal articles (published from 1978 to 2017), and 454 met the selection criteria. The journal articles reviewed were published in 284 different journals. Intriguingly, 15 journals published five to 13 publications each and 221 journals had a single article about the topic. Journals belonging to the subject areas “business, management and accounting” (42.1%) and “social sciences” (35.2%) published more than 70% of the reviewed publications. Accommodation (19.8%) and car and ridesharing (17.2%) were the two most prominent sectors; 50.2% of the publications addressed C2C transactions (10.6% B2C, 24.4% more than one type); 62.3% were about accessing resources, and 5.1% concerned transfer of ownership (i.e., second-hand or donation); and 19.2% covered access and transfer of ownership simultaneously. While empirical studies were the majority (53.1%, when comparing with conceptual ones), qualitative approaches were most common (51.5% against 24.9% quantitative and 17.4% mixed methods). Literature review (22.9%), survey (13.2%), case study (7.3%) and interview (7%) were the most frequently used methods. User behavior (26.4%), business models and organizational aspects (22.7%), institution and governance system (18.7%), conceptualization matters (17%), and sustainability evaluation (15.3%) are research clusters identified from a grounded approach. The link between user behavior and net environmental impacts of sharing options was the largest gap found in the research needing attention from a sustainability perspective. Accordingly, multidisciplinary investigations quantifying behavioral root causes, magnitude, and likelihood of environmental rebound effects using real-world data are strongly encouraged.
Analysis of Particulate Matter Concentration Variability and Origin in Selected Urban Areas in Poland
Authors: Sówka Izabela , Chlebowska-Styś Anna , Pachurka Łukasz , Rogula-Kozłowska Wioletta , Mathews Barbara
Published: October 2019

The work presents the results of research and analyses related to measurements of concentration and chemical composition of three size fractions of particulate matter (PM), PM10, PM2.5 and PM1.0. The studies were conducted in the years 2014–2016 during both the heating and non-heating season in two Polish cities: Wrocław and Poznań. The studies indicate that in Wrocław and Poznań, the highest annual concentrations of particulate matter (PM1.0, PM2.5, and PM10) were observed in 2016, and the mean concentrations were respectively equal to 18.16 μg/m3, 30.88 μg/m3 and 41.08 μg/m3 (Wrocław) and 8.5 μg/m3, 30.8 μg/m3 and 32.9 μg/m3 (Poznań). Conducted analyses of the chemical composition of the particulate matter also indicated higher concentrations of organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC), and water-soluble ions in a measurement series which took place in the heating season were studied. Analyses with the use of principal component analysis (PCA) indicated a dominating percentage of fuel combustion processes as sources of particulate matter emission in the areas considered in this research. Acquired results from these analyses may indicate the influence of secondary aerosols on air quality. In the summer season, a significant role could be also played by an influx of pollutants—mineral dust—originating from outside the analyzed areas or from the resuspension of mineral and soil dust.