bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Economic mechanism of safety agricultural enterprises
Authors: Marmul Larisa
Published: June 2019

Subject of research – theoretical and applied aspects of formation and improvement of economic mechanism of management of safety of agrarian enterprises. The purpose of the article is to identify threats and challenges of the safety of agrarian enterprises and to justify the tools and components of the economic mechanism for managing its preservation and enhancement. The methodology of the work is the use of general scientific and special methods and methods of research based on modern scientific concepts of managerial, economic and related sciences and the main provisions of economic theory, scientific works of domestic and foreign scientists on the problems of theory and practice of management of the safety of agrarian enterprises. The results of the work – considered the main challenges, problems and priorities of the formation of the security of agricultural enterprises and management.
According to them, the components of the mechanism for its implementation are proposed. Particular attention is paid to the need to address the problems of rural areas, the possible monopolization of agrarian markets by large agricultural corporations, and to overcome the corruption of the economy in the agro-sphere. The important role of the influence of factors of national and regional security on the mechanism of management of safety of agrarian enterprises is determined. The directions of improvement of the economic mechanism of management of safety of agrarian enterprises are grounded. Conclusions – considering the main problems of socioeconomic security and their solution in the long term, the focus should be focused on such challenges as: depression of rural areas; poverty of the rural population; the presence of refugees, the criminalization of the economy and society. Their overcoming is not only within the competence of the mechanism of management of agrarian enterprises, but also of the activities of rural communities.
Management of risks in the activity of industrial enterprises:
essence and classification
Authors: Shchukin Dmitry
Published: June 2019

The subject of research – risks in the activity of industrial enterprises: essence and classification.The purpose of the article is to study existing approaches to the interpretation of the concept of “risk” and develop its own definition of “risk”, analysis and classification of risks arising in the activities of industrial enterprises, the development of its own classification of the most common and actual risks of an industrial enterprise. Methodology of work – used methods of synthesis, analysis and synthesis (in the study of approaches to the interpretation of the concept of “risk” and the classification of risks of an industrial enterprise), expert methods of evaluation (in determining the most common and actual risks of an industrial enterprise). The results of the work – the proposed their own: the definition of the concept of “risk” and the classification of the most common and actual risks of an industrial enterprise. Conclusions – in modern scientific thought there is no single approach and the only universal definition of the “risk” category. This state of affairs is caused by the complexity of this category, the peculiarities of the research of scholars, in the context of which this category is considered. According to the research, we came to the conclusion that the risk is uncertainty, which causes a potential deviation from the planned goals and expected results.
Problems of innovative development of tourism industry in Ukraine
Authors: Gromozdova Larysa , Ablova Olena , Kotsenko Katerina
Published: June 2019

he purpose of the paper is to investigate and identify problems and prospects for the development of tourist services in the territory of Ukraine.The article highlights the results of studies on the development of tourism in Ukraine. The results of tourist streams of Ukraine during 2000-2018 are presented, problems and prospects of development of tourism industry in Ukraine are analyzed (namely, which regions are the most tourist attractiveness for foreign tourists). The methodology of the study was to use a combination of methods: dialectical, analytical, method of comparison. The scientific novelty of the results obtained is the comprehensive coverage of the results of the author’s quantitative and qualitative analysis of the problems of the tourism industry development in Ukraine by the end of 2018. Conclusions. In general, places that are attractive for tourists are those places that have the following three components: developed infrastructure, historical sites, regional attractiveness. However, the main problem of the tourist industry today remain: improper quality of services, lack of clear control, insufficient promotion of domestic Ukrainian tourist recreation. In Western Ukraine, there are no conditions for the emergence of inexpensive hotels. Currently, there are very few tourist information centers on the territory of Ukraine, where it would be possible to find out about interesting places of this or that region. There is also a language barrier that is currently trying to be overcome to the maximum in Ukraine.
Management of the sphere of tourism in a specific market of
Ukraine
Authors: Panchenko Svitlana
Published: June 2019

he subject of research – religious tourism as a promising direction for the development of tourism. The purpose of the article isimproving the management of religious tourism in the modern tourist market. Methodology of work –applying the methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison, synthesis, forecasting, as well as in the use of historical and cultural approaches. The results of the work – presents proposals for solving the problems of religious tourism, taking into account the specifics of this area. Highlight the problematic issues related to the field of tourism and suggested ways to solve them. Conclusions – as a result of the study, it was established that the religious and tourist potential of our country is not used at the proper level, and the creation of conditions for high-quality religious tourism of our compatriots and foreign citizens requires more active government policies and attracting investments in the tourism.
Estrogenic Compounds or Adiponectin Inhibit Cyclic AMP Response to Human Luteinizing Hormone in Mouse Leydig Tumor Cells
Authors: Nguyen Thi Mong Diep , Klett Danièle , Combarnous Yves
Published: June 2019

Mouse Leydig Tumor cells (mLTC), transiently expressing cAMP-dependent luciferase, were used to study the influence of sexual steroids and of adiponectin (ADPN) on the cAMP response to luteinizing hormones (LH). While testosterone and progesterone had no significant effect, several molecules with estrogenic activity (17β-estradiol, ethynylestradiol, and bisphenol A) provoked a decrease in intracellular cyclic AMP accumulation under 0.7 nM human LH stimulation. Adiponectin exhibited a bimodal dose-effect on LH response: synergistic between 2–125 ng/mL and inhibitory between 0.5–5 µg/mL. In brief, our data indicate that estrogens and ADPN separately exert rapid (<1 h) inhibitory and/or synergistic effects on cAMP response to LH in mLTC-1 cells. As the inhibitory effect of each estrogenic molecule was observed after only 1-h preincubation, it might be mediated through the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) membrane receptor, but this remains to be demonstrated. The synergistic effect with low concentrations of ADPN with human Luteinizing Hormone (hLH) was observed with both fresh and frozen/thawed ADPN. In contrast, the inhibitory effect with high concentrations of ADPN was lost with frozen/thawed ADPN, suggesting deterioration of its polymeric structure.
Chemical Recycling of Consumer-Grade Black Plastic into Electrically Conductive Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Hedayati Ali , Barnett Chris , Swan Gemma , Orbaek White Alvin
Published: June 2019

The global plastics crisis has recently focused scientists’ attention on finding technical solutions for the ever-increasing oversupply of plastic waste. Black plastic is one of the greatest contributors to landfill waste, because it cannot be sorted using industrial practices based on optical reflection. However, it can be readily upcycled into carbon nanotubes (CNTs) using a novel liquid injection reactor (LIR) chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. In this work, CNTs were formed using black and white polystyrene plastics to demonstrate that off-the-shelf materials can be used as feedstock for growth of CNTs. Scanning electron microscopy analysis suggests the CNTs from plastic sources improve diameter distribution homogeneity, with slightly increased diameters compared with control samples. Slight improvements in quality, as determined by Raman spectroscopy of the D and G peaks, suggest that plastics could lead to increased quality of CNTs. A small device was constructed as a demonstrator model to increase impact and public engagement.
Aberrant MicroRNA Expression and Its Implications for Uveal Melanoma Metastasis
Authors: Smit Kyra N. , Chang Jiang , Derks Kasper , Vaarwater Jolanda , Brands Tom , Verdijk Rob M. , Wiemer Erik A.C. , Mensink Hanneke W. , Pothof Joris , de Klein Annelies , Kilic Emine
Published: June 2019

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most frequently found primary intra-ocular tumor in adults. It is a highly aggressive cancer that causes metastasis-related mortality in up to half of the patients. Many independent studies have reported somatic genetic changes associated with high metastatic risk, such as monosomy of chromosome 3 and mutations in BAP1. Still, the mechanisms that drive metastatic spread are largely unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the potential role of microRNAs in the metastasis of UM. Using a next-generation sequencing approach in 26 UM samples we identified thirteen differentially expressed microRNAs between high-risk UM and low/intermediate-risk UM, including the known oncomirs microRNA-17-5p, microRNA-21-5p, and miR-151a-3p. Integration of the differentially expressed microRNAs with expression data of predicted target genes revealed 106 genes likely to be affected by aberrant microRNA expression. These genes were involved in pathways such as cell cycle regulation, EGF signaling and EIF2 signaling. Our findings demonstrate that aberrant microRNA expression in UM may affect the expression of genes in a variety of cancer-related pathways. This implies that some microRNAs can be responsible for UM metastasis and are promising potential targets for future treatment.
High-Temperature Wear Behaviour of Spark Plasma Sintered AlCoCrFeNiTi0.5 High-Entropy Alloy
Authors: Löbel Martin , Lindner Thomas , Pippig Robert , Lampke Thomas
Published: June 2019

In this study, the wear behaviour of a powder metallurgically produced AlCoCrFeNiTi0.5 high-entropy alloy (HEAs) is investigated at elevated temperatures. Spark plasma sintering (SPS) of inert gas atomised feedstock enables the production of dense bulk material. The microstructure evolution and phase formation are analysed. The high cooling rate in the atomisation process results in spherical powder with a microstructure comprising two finely distributed body-centred cubic phases. An additional phase with a complex crystal structure precipitates during SPS processing, while no coarsening of microstructural features occurs. The wear resistance under reciprocating wear conditions increases at elevated temperatures due to the formation of a protective oxide layer under atmospherical conditions. Additionally, the coefficient of friction (COF) slightly decreases with increasing temperature. SPS processing is suitable for the production of HEA bulk material. An increase in the wear resistance at elevated temperature enables high temperature applications of the HEA system AlCoCrFeNiTi0.5.
Ordinal Patterns in Heartbeat Time Series: An Approach Using Multiscale Analysis
Authors: Muñoz-Guillermo María
Published: June 2019

In this paper, we simultaneously use two different scales in the analysis of ordinal patterns to measure the complexity of the dynamics of heartbeat time series. Rényi entropy and weighted Rényi entropy are the entropy-like measures proposed in the multiscale analysis in which, with the new scheme, four parameters are involved. First, the influence of the variation of the new parameters in the entropy values is analyzed when different groups of subjects (with cardiac diseases or healthy) are considered. Secondly, we exploit the introduction of multiscale analysis in order to detect differences between the groups.
An Early Fault Diagnosis Method of Rolling Bearings on the Basis of Adaptive Frequency Window and Sparse Coding Shrinkage
Authors: Wan Shuting , Peng Bo
Published: June 2019

Early fault information of rolling bearings is weak and often submerged by background noise, easily leading to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis. In order to solve this issue, the present paper puts forward a fault diagnosis method on the basis of adaptive frequency window (AFW) and sparse coding shrinkage (SCS). The proposed method is based on the idea of determining the resonance frequency band, extracting the narrowband signal, and envelope demodulating the extracted signal. Firstly, the paper introduces frequency window, which can slip on the frequency axis and extract the frequency band. Secondly, the double time domain feature entropy is proposed to evaluate the strength of periodic components in signal. The location of the optimal frequency window covering the resonance band caused by bearing fault is determined adaptively by this entropy index and the shifting/expanding frequency window. Thirdly, the signal corresponding to the optimal frequency window is reconstructed, and it is further filtered by the sparse coding shrinkage algorithm to highlight the impact feature and reduce the residue noise. Fourthly, the de-noised signal is demodulated by envelope operation, and the corresponding envelope spectrum is calculated. Finally, the bearing failure type can be judged by comparing the frequency corresponding to the spectral lines with larger amplitude in the envelope spectrum and the fault characteristic frequency. Two bearing vibration signals are applied to validate the proposed method. The analysis results illustrate that this method can extract more failure information and highlight the early failure feature. The data files of Case Western Reserve University for different operation conditions are used, and the proposed approach achieves a diagnostic success rate of 83.3%, superior to that of the AFW method, SCS method, and Fast Kurtogram method. The method presented in this paper can be used as a supplement to the early fault diagnosis method of rolling bearings.
Energy Scenario Analysis for the Nordic Transport Sector: A Critical Review
Authors: Salvucci Raffaele , Petrović Stefan , Karlsson Kenneth , Wråke Markus , Uteng Tanu Priya , Balyk Olexandr
Published: June 2019

Experiencing the highest growth in emissions since 1990 and relying mainly on oil, transport is considered the most complicated sector to decarbonize. Lately, the Nordic countries have shown remarkable success in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, especially in the power and heat sector. However, when it comes to transportation, the greatest source of Nordic GHG emissions, stronger measures are needed. Relying on a rich and diversified portfolio of renewable sources and expertise, the Nordic countries could benefit from a common mitigation strategy by encompassing a larger variety of solutions and potential synergies. This article reviews studies addressing integrated energy and transport scenario analysis for the Nordic region as a whole. The studies targeted are those applying energy system models, given their extensive adoption in supporting scenario analysis. Most notable of these studies is the “Nordic Energy Technology Perspectives 2016” to which a special focus is dedicated. The article reviews the methodological choices and the research content of the selected literature. Challenges/limitations are identified in light of recent transport research, and categorized as: “transport behavior”, “breakthrough technologies”, “domestic energy resources” and “geographical aggregation and system boundaries”. Lastly, a list of suggestions to tackle the identified gaps is provided based on the existing literature.
Predicting the Impact of Climate Change on Thermal Comfort in A Building Category: The Case of Linear-type Social Housing Stock in Southern Spain
Authors: Escandón Rocío , Suárez Rafael , Sendra Juan José , Ascione Fabrizio , Bianco Nicola , Mauro Gerardo Maria
Published: June 2019

The Climate Change scenario projected by the IPCC for the year 2050 predicts noticeable increases in temperature. In severe summer climates, such as the Mediterranean area, this would have very negative effects on thermal comfort in the existing housing stock, given the current high percentage of dwellings which are obsolete in energy terms and house a population at serious risk of energy poverty. The main aim of this paper is to generate a predictive model in order to assess the impact of this future climate scenario on thermal comfort conditions in an entire building category. To do so, calibrated models representing linear-type social multi-family buildings, dating from the post-war period and located in southern Spain, will be simulated extensively using transient energy analyses performed by EnergyPlus. In addition, a sensitivity analysis will be performed to identify the most influential parameters on thermal discomfort. The main results predict a generalized deterioration in indoor thermal comfort conditions due to global warming, increasing the average percentage of discomfort hours during the summer by more than 35%. This characterization of the future thermal behaviour of the residential stock in southern Spain could be a trustworthy tool for decision-making in energy retrofitting projects which are so badly needed. To do so, further work is required on some limitations of this model so that different user profiles and typologies can be represented in detail and an economic assessment can be included.
BRIM: An Accurate Electricity Spot Price Prediction Scheme-Based Bidirectional Recurrent Neural Network and Integrated Market
Authors: Chen Yiyuan , Wang Yufeng , Ma Jianhua , Jin Qun
Published: June 2019

For the benefit from accurate electricity price forecasting, not only can various electricity market stakeholders make proper decisions to gain profit in a competitive environment, but also power system stability can be improved. Nevertheless, because of the high volatility and uncertainty, it is an essential challenge to accurately forecast the electricity price. Considering that recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are suitable for processing time series data, in this paper, we propose a bidirectional long short-term memory (LSTM)-based forecasting model, BRIM, which splits the state neurons of a regular RNN into two parts: the forward states (using the historical electricity price information) are designed for processing the data in positive time direction and backward states (using the future price information available at inter-connected markets) for the data in negative time direction. Moreover, due to the fact that inter-connected power exchange markets show a common trend for other neighboring markets and can provide signaling information for each other, it is sensible to incorporate and exploit the impact of the neighboring markets on forecasting accuracy of electricity price. Specifically, future electricity prices of the interconnected market are utilized both as input features for forward LSTM and backward LSTM. By testing on day-ahead electricity prices in the European Power Exchange (EPEX), the experimental results show the superiority of the proposed method BRIM in enhancing predictive accuracy in comparison with the various benchmarks, and moreover Diebold-Mariano (DM) shows that the forecast accuracy of BRIM is not equal to other forecasting models, and thus indirectly demonstrates that BRIM statistically significantly outperforms other schemes.
Adaptive Forgetting Factor Recursive Least Square Algorithm for Online Identification of Equivalent Circuit Model Parameters of a Lithium-Ion Battery
Authors: Sun Xiangdong , Ji Jingrun , Ren Biying , Xie Chenxue , Yan Dan
Published: June 2019

With the popularity of electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries as a power source are an important part of electric vehicles, and online identification of equivalent circuit model parameters of a lithium-ion battery has gradually become a focus of research. A second-order RC equivalent circuit model of a lithium-ion battery cell is modeled and analyzed in this paper. An adaptive expression of the variable forgetting factor is constructed. An adaptive forgetting factor recursive least square (AFFRLS) method for online identification of equivalent circuit model parameters is proposed. The equivalent circuit model parameters are identified online on the basis of the dynamic stress testing (DST) experiment. The online voltage prediction of the lithium-ion battery is carried out by using the identified circuit parameters. Taking the measurable actual terminal voltage of a single battery cell as a reference, by comparing the predicted battery terminal voltage with the actual measured terminal voltage, it is shown that the proposed AFFRLS algorithm is superior to the existing forgetting factor recursive least square (FFRLS) and variable forgetting factor recursive least square (VFFRLS) algorithms in accuracy and rapidity, which proves the feasibility and correctness of the proposed parameter identification algorithm.
Field Measurements and Numerical Simulation for the Definition of the Thermal Stratification and Ventilation Performance in a Mechanically Ventilated Sports Hall
Authors: Seduikyte Lina , Stasiulienė Laura , Prasauskas Tadas , Martuzevičius Dainius , Černeckienė Jurgita , Ždankus Tadas , Dobravalskis Mantas , Fokaides Paris
Published: June 2019

Sports halls must meet strict requirements for energy and indoor air quality (IAQ); therefore, there is a great challenge in the design of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems of such buildings. IAQ in sports halls may be affected by thermal stratification, pollutants from different sources, the maintenance of building, and the HVAC system of the building, as well as by the activities performed inside the building. The aim of this study is to investigate thermal stratification conditions in accordance with the performance of the HVAC systems in the basketball training hall of Žalgirio Arena, Kaunas in Lithuania. Field measurements including temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 concentration were implemented between January and February in 2017. The temperature and relative humidity were measured at different heights (0.1, 1.7, 2.5, 3.9, 5.4, and 6.9 m) and at five different locations in the arena. Experimental results show that mixing the ventilation application together with air heating results in higher temperatures in the occupied zone than in the case of air heating without ventilation. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations revealed that using the same heating output as for warm air heating and underfloor heating, combined with mechanical mixing or displacement ventilation, ensures higher temperatures in the occupied zone, creating a potential for energy saving. An increase of air temperature was noticed from 3.9 m upwards. Since CO2 concentration near the ceiling was permissible, the study concluded that it is possible to recycle the air from the mentioned zone and use it again by mixing with the air of lower layers, thus saving energy for air heating.
Soliton Solution of Schrödinger Equation Using Cubic B-Spline Galerkin Method
Authors: Iqbal Azhar , Abd Hamid Nur Nadiah , Md. Ismail Ahmad Izani
Published: June 2019

The non-linear Schrödinger (NLS) equation has often been used as a model equation in the study of quantum states of physical systems. Numerical solution of NLS equation is obtained using cubic B-spline Galerkin method. We have applied the Crank–Nicolson scheme for time discretization and the cubic B-spline basis function for space discretization. Three numerical problems, including single soliton, interaction of two solitons and birth of standing soliton, are demonstrated to evaluate to the performance and accuracy of the method. The error norms and conservation laws are determined and found to be in good agreement with the published results. The obtained results show that the approach is feasible and accurate. The proposed method has almost second order convergence. The linear stability of the method is performed using the Von Neumann method.
Gluten-Free Alternative Grains: Nutritional Evaluation and Bioactive Compounds
Authors: Niro Serena , D’Agostino Annacristina , Fratianni Alessandra , Cinquanta Luciano , Panfili Gianfranco
Published: June 2019

Interest in gluten-free grains is increasing, together with major incidences of celiac disease in the last years. Since to date, knowledge of the nutritional and bioactive compounds profile of alternative gluten-free grains is limited, we evaluated the content of water-soluble (thiamine and riboflavin) and liposoluble vitamins, such as carotenoids and tocols (tocopherols and tocotrienols), of gluten-free minor cereals and also of pseudocereals. The analysed samples showed a high content of bioactive compounds; in particular, amaranth, cañihua and quinoa are good sources of vitamin E, while millet, sorghum and teff (Eragrostis tef, or William’s Lovegrass) are good sources of thiamine. Moreover, millet provides a fair amount of carotenoids, and in particular of lutein. These data can provide more information on bioactive compounds in gluten-free grains. The use of these grains can improve the nutritional quality of gluten-free cereal-based products, and could avoid the monotony of the celiac diet.
Live Your Myth in Greece: Towards the Construction of a Heritage Identity
Authors: Stenou Myrto
Published: June 2019

Nowadays, top-rated tourist attractions in Greece are ancient archaeological places and islands with blue-and-white esthetics. The country’s projected impression is greatly based on these two distinguished representations, chosen for their distinctive architecture scattered in the Greek landscape. Both imageries seem to be officially promoted in order to configure today’s national identity. The classical antiquities are related to the birthplace of European civilization, whereas the notion of the unspoilt archipelago with the whitewashed Cycladic houses works as a symbol of purity and eternity. The present article focuses on the analysis of these two Greek heritage scenarios and, subsequently, on their deconstruction. It aims to investigate the interaction between myth and reality and their role in forming the perception of contemporary Greece. The article argues that there is not a unique architectural history to come to light and, therefore, the highlighting of specific periods of it probably conceals intentions concerning patrimony management: selective excavation among the layers of history, historic preservation of selected buildings, and laws which impose the maintenance of certain findings or specific colors are some indicative signs. It also investigates the ways in which national heritage is directed and affected according to certain policies—local or foreign—that aim at a cultural investment in the world history.
Catalytic Oxidation Process for the Degradation of Synthetic Dyes: An Overview
Authors: Javaid Rahat , Qazi Umair Yaqub
Published: June 2019

Dyes are used in various industries as coloring agents. The discharge of dyes, specifically synthetic dyes, in wastewater represents a serious environmental problem and causes public health concerns. The implementation of regulations for wastewater discharge has forced research towards either the development of new processes or the improvement of available techniques to attain efficient degradation of dyes. Catalytic oxidation is one of the advanced oxidation processes (AOPs), based on the active radicals produced during the reaction in the presence of a catalyst. This paper reviews the problems of dyes and hydroxyl radical-based oxidation processes, including Fenton’s process, non-iron metal catalysts, and the application of thin metal catalyst-coated tubular reactors in detail. In addition, the sulfate radical-based catalytic oxidation technique has also been described. This study also includes the effects of various operating parameters such as pH, temperature, the concentration of the oxidant, the initial concentration of dyes, and reaction time on the catalytic decomposition of dyes. Moreover, this paper analyzes the recent studies on catalytic oxidation processes. From the present study, it can be concluded that catalytic oxidation processes are very active and environmentally friendly methods for dye removal.
Positive Effects of Openness on Cognitive Aging in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A 13-Year Longitudinal Study
Authors: Nishita Yukiko , Tange Chikako , Tomida Makiko , Otsuka Rei , Ando Fujiko , Shimokata Hiroshi
Published: June 2019

The relationship between openness (a psychological trait of curiosity) and a cognitive change was examined in middle-aged and older adults. Participants were 2214 men and women (baseline age range: 40 to 81 years). They were tested up to seven times over approximately 13 years. Openness at the baseline was assessed by the NEO Five-Factor Inventory. Cognitive abilities were assessed at each examination using the Wechsler adult intelligence scale-revised short form, which includes information, similarities, picture completion, and digit symbol subscales. General linear mixed models comprised fixed effects of openness, age at the baseline, follow-up time, their interactions, and the covariates. The results indicated that the main effects of openness were significant for all scores. Moreover, the interaction term openness × age × time was significant for the information and similarities test scores, indicating that changes in the information and similarities scores differed depending on the level of openness and baseline age. The estimated trajectory indicated that the differences in slopes between participants with high and low openness were significant after 60 years of age for the information, and after 65 years of age for the similarities scores. It is concluded that openness has a protective effect on the decline in general knowledge and logical abstract thinking in old age.
Two Sides of a Coin: A Crisis Response Perspective on Tourist Community Participation in a Post-Disaster Environment
Authors: Nian Sifeng , Zhang Jie , Zhang Honglei , Zhang Jinhe , Li Donghe , Wu Ke , Chen Xue , Yang Lingling
Published: June 2019

This study investigates the attitudes and behavioural intentions of community crisis response and tourism community participation in tourist destinations after the occurrence of a disaster. Further, we built a conceptual model of perceived community participation benefit, community attachment, community resilience, and crisis response and community participation intention and measured it using 556 samples surveyed after the Wenchuan earthquake, China. The results indicated that benefit perception, community attachment, and community resilience have a positive effect on crisis response and community participation. The study further reveals that the local tourism community gradually transforms the negative aspects of terrible disasters into development opportunities. Our case study particularly focuses on the initiative shown by and positive participation of the tourist community in the aforementioned transformation. The study proposes the Attachment, Benefit, and Capability framework of tourist community participation based on the crisis response perspective and expands the boundaries of tourist community participation research. The study has theoretical and practical significance, puts forward relevant countermeasures, and has significant implications.
Global Long-Term Care Research: A Scientometric Review
Authors: Fu Liping , Sun Zhaohui , He Lanping , Liu Feng , Jing Xiaoli
Published: June 2019

Since the early 1960s, long-term care (LTC) has attracted a broad range of attention from public health practitioners and researchers worldwide and produced a large volume of literature. We conducted a comprehensive scientometric review based on 14,019 LTC articles retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database from 1963 to 2018, to explore the status and trends of global LTC research. Using CiteSpace software, we conducted collaboration analysis, document co-citation analysis, and keyword co-occurrence analysis. The results showed a rapid increase in annual LTC publications, while the annual citation counts exhibited an inverted U-shaped relationship with years. The most productive LTC research institutions and authors are located primarily in North American and European countries. A simultaneous analysis of both references and keywords revealed that common LTC hot topics include dementia care, quality of care, prevalence and risk factors, mortality, and randomized controlled trial. In addition, LTC research trends have shifted from the demand side to the supply side, and from basic studies to practical applications. The new research frontiers are frailty in elderly people and dementia care. This study provides an in-depth understanding of the current state, popular themes, trends, and future directions of LTC research worldwide.
Mast Cells in Viral, Bacterial, and Fungal Infection Immunity
Authors: Piliponsky Adrian M. , Acharya Manasa , Shubin Nicholas J.
Published: June 2019

Mast cells are granule-rich immune cells that are distributed throughout the body in areas where microorganisms typically reside, such as mucosal tissues and the skin, as well as connective tissues. It is well known that mast cells have significant roles in IgE-mediated conditions, such as anaphylaxis, but, because of their location, it is also thought that mast cells act as innate immune cells against pathogens and initiate defensive immune responses. In this review, we discuss recent studies focused on mast cell interactions with flaviviruses and Candida albicans, and mast cell function in the cecal ligation and puncture model of sepsis. We selected these studies because they are clear examples of how mast cells can either promote host resistance to infection, as previously proposed, or contribute to a dysregulated host response that can increase host morbidity and mortality. Importantly, we can distill from these studies that the contribution of mast cells to infection outcomes depends in part on the infection model, including the genetic approach used to assess the influence of mast cells on host immunity, the species in which mast cells are studied, and the differential contribution of mast cell subtypes to immunity. Accordingly, we think that this review highlights the complexity of mast cell biology in the context of innate immune responses.
Non-Ionic Deep Eutectic Liquids: Acetamide–Urea Derived Room Temperature Solvents
Authors: Suriyanarayanan Subramanian , Olsson Gustaf , Kathiravan Subban , Ndizeye Natacha , Nicholls Ian
Published: June 2019

A family of non-ionic deep eutectic liquids has been developed based upon mixtures of solid N-alkyl derivatives of urea and acetamide that in some cases have melting points below room temperature. The eutectic behaviour and physical characteristics of a series of eleven eutectic mixtures are presented, along with a molecular dynamics study-supported hypothesis for the origin of the non-ideal mixing of these substances. Their use as solvents in applications ranging from natural product extraction to organic and polymer synthesis are demonstrated.
Translation Control of HAC1 by Regulation of Splicing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Xia Xuhua
Published: June 2019

Hac1p is a key transcription factor regulating the unfolded protein response (UPR) induced by abnormal accumulation of unfolded/misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The accumulation of unfolded/misfolded proteins is sensed by protein Ire1p, which then undergoes trans-autophosphorylation and oligomerization into discrete foci on the ER membrane. HAC1 pre-mRNA, which is exported to the cytoplasm but is blocked from translation by its intron sequence looping back to its 5’UTR to form base-pair interaction, is transported to the Ire1p foci to be spliced, guided by a cis-acting bipartite element at its 3’UTR (3’BE). Spliced HAC1 mRNA can be efficiently translated. The resulting Hac1p enters the nucleus and activates, together with coactivators, a large number of genes encoding proteins such as protein chaperones to restore and maintain ER homeostasis and secretary protein quality control. This review details the translation regulation of Hac1p production, mediated by the nonconventional splicing, in the broad context of translation control and summarizes the evolution and diversification of the UPR signaling pathway among fungal, metazoan and plant lineages.
Opportunities for Overcoming Mycobacterium tuberculosis Drug Resistance: Emerging Mycobacterial Targets and Host-Directed Therapy
Authors: Torfs Eveline , Piller Tatiana , Cos Paul , Cappoen Davie
Published: June 2019

The ever-increasing incidence of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections has invigorated the focus on the discovery and development of novel treatment options. The discovery and investigation of essential mycobacterial targets is of utmost importance. In addition to the discovery of novel targets, focusing on non-lethal pathways and the use of host-directed therapies has gained interest. These adjunctive treatment options could not only lead to increased antibiotic susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but also have the potential to avoid the emergence of drug resistance. Host-directed therapies, on the other hand, can also reduce the associated lung pathology and improve disease outcome. This review will provide an outline of recent opportunities.
A Review of a Class of Emerging Contaminants: The Classification, Distribution, Intensity of Consumption, Synthesis Routes, Environmental Effects and Expectation of Pollution Abatement to Organophosphate Flame Retardants (OPFRs)
Authors: Yang Jiawen , Zhao Yuanyuan , Li Minghao , Du Meijin , Li Xixi , Li Yu
Published: June 2019

Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) have been detected in various environmental matrices and have been identified as emerging contaminants (EC). Given the adverse influence of OPFRs, many researchers have focused on the absorption, bioaccumulation, metabolism, and internal exposure processes of OPFRs in animals and humans. This paper first reviews the evolution of various types of flame retardants (FRs) and the environmental pollution of OPFRs, the different absorption pathways of OPFRs by animals and humans (such as inhalation, ingestion, skin absorption and absorption), and then summarizes the environmental impacts of OPFRs, including their biological toxicity, bioaccumulation, persistence, migration, endocrine disruption and carcinogenicity. Based on limited available data and results, this study also summarizes the bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential of OPFRs in different types of biological and food nets. In addition, a new governance idea for the replacement of existing OPFRs from the source is proposed, seeking environmentally friendly alternatives to OPFRs in order to provide new ideas and theoretical guidance for the removal of OPFRs.
ZnO-Controlled Growth of Monolayer WS2 through Chemical Vapor Deposition
Authors: Xu Zhuhua , Lv Yanfei , Huang Feng , Zhao Cong , Zhao Shichao , Wei Guodan
Published: June 2019

Monolayer tungsten disulfide (2D WS2) films have attracted tremendous interest due to their unique electronic and optoelectronic properties. However, the controlled growth of monolayer WS2 is still challenging. In this paper, we report a novel method to grow WS2 through chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with ZnO crystalline whisker as a growth promoter, where partially evaporated WS2 reacts with ZnO to form ZnWO4 by-product. As a result, a depletion region of W atoms and S-rich region is formed which is favorable for subsequent monolayer growth of WS2, selectively positioned on the silicon oxide substrate after the CVD growth.
Growth of U-Shaped Graphene Domains on Copper Foil by Chemical Vapor Deposition
Authors: Pan Ming , Wang Chen , Li Hua-Fei , Xie Ning , Wu Ping , Wang Xiao-Di , Zeng Zheling , Deng Shuguang , Dai Gui-Ping
Published: June 2019

U-shaped graphene domains have been prepared on a copper substrate by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which can be precisely tuned for the shape of graphene domains by optimizing the growth parameters. The U-shaped graphene is characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman. These show that the U-shaped graphene has a smooth edge, which is beneficial to the seamless stitching of adjacent graphene domains. We also studied the morphology evolution of graphene by varying the flow rate of hydrogen. These findings are more conducive to the study of morphology evolution, nucleation, and growth of graphene domains on the copper substrate.
Solvent Effects on Gelation Behavior of the Organogelator Based on L-Phenylalanine Dihydrazide Derivatives
Authors: Yu Yang , Chu Ning , Pan Qiaode , Zhou Miaomiao , Qiao Sheng , Zhao Yanan , Wang Chuansheng , Li Xiangyun
Published: June 2019

A series of organogelators based on L-phenylalanine has been synthesized and their gelation properties in various organic solvents were investigated. The results showed that these organogelators were capable of forming stable thermal and reversible organogels in various organic solvents at low concentrations, and the critical gel concentration (CGC) of certain solvents was less than 1.0 wt%. Afterward, the corresponding enthalpies (ΔHg) were extracted by using the van ’t Hoff equation, as the gel–sol temperature (TGS) was the function of the gelator concentration. The study of gelling behaviors suggested that L-phenylalanine dihydrazide derivatives were excellent gelators in solvents, especially BOC–Phe–OdHz (compound 4). The effects of the solvent on the self-assembly of gelators were analyzed by the Kamlet–Taft model, and the gelation ability of compound 4 in a certain organic solvent was described by Hansen solubility parameters and a Teas plot. Morphological investigation proved that the L-phenylalanine dihydrazide derivatives could assemble themselves into an ordered structure such as a fiber or sheet. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) studies indicated that hydrogen bonding, π–π stacking, and van der Waals forces played important roles in the formation of a gel.
Phase Change Material Used for Masonry Joints to Reduce the Thermal Bridge Effect
Authors: Jiang Wei , Liu Dan
Published: June 2019

In this paper, a numerical calculation and application analysis of composite phase change material masonry mortar applied to wall parts are performed during the research process. Instead of the conventional “sandwich” phase change material wall, our research group mainly uses phase change materials in the wall parts to build masonry joints to reduce the thermal bridge effect. The influence of masonry joints on the heat transfer of the wall is demonstrated. A quantitative description of the transient heat transfer coefficient is obtained to measure the heat preservation performance of the phase change material wall. Furthermore, the influence of different proportions of phase change materials on the wall heat transfer in different external environments is discussed, supplemented by the influence of the working range and sensitivity on the heat transfer. In summary, the use of phase change materials in the construction of masonry joints is a great innovation for conventional “sandwich” phase change material walls, optimizing the form, the thermal bridge effect and the heat preservation performance of wall parts. The quantitative description of the transient heat transfer coefficient expands the development of wall heat transfer theories. In addition, the conclusions are of great guiding significance for the structure and the phase change material’s blending proportion for the innovative heat preservation phase change material wall.
A Review of The Lesser-Studied Microemulsion-Based Synthesis Methodologies Used for Preparing Nanoparticle Systems of The Noble Metals, Os, Re, Ir and Rh
Authors: Soleimani Zohr Shiri Mohammad , Henderson William , Mucalo Michael R.
Published: June 2019

This review focuses on the recent advances in the lesser-studied microemulsion synthesis methodologies of the following noble metal colloid systems (i.e., Os, Re, Ir, and Rh) using either a normal or reverse micelle templating system. The aim is to demonstrate the utility and potential of using this microemulsion-based approach to synthesize these noble metal nanoparticle systems. Firstly, some fundamentals and important factors of the microemulsion synthesis methodology are introduced. Afterward, a review of the investigations on the microemulsion syntheses of Os, Re, Ir, and Rh nanoparticle (NP) systems (in all forms, viz., metallic, oxide, mixed-metal, and discrete molecular complexes) is presented for work published in the last ten years. The chosen noble metals are traditionally very reactive in nanosized dimensions and have a strong tendency to aggregate when prepared via other methods. Also, the particle size and particle size distribution of these colloids can have a significant impact on their catalytic performance. It is shown that the microemulsion approach has the capability to better stabilize these metal colloids and can control the size of the synthesized NPs. This generally leads to smaller particles and higher catalytic activity when they are tested in applications.
Biological Potential and Medical Use of Secondary Metabolites
Authors: Seca Ana M. L. , Pinto Diana C. G. A.
Published: June 2019

This Medicines special issue focuses on the great potential of secondary metabolites for therapeutic applications. The special issue contains 16 articles reporting relevant experimental results and overviews of bioactive secondary metabolites. Their biological effects and new methodologies that improve the lead compounds’ synthesis were also discussed. We would like to thank all 83 authors, from all over the world, for their valuable contributions to this special issue.
A Comparative Study of Black and White Allium sativum L.: Nutritional Composition and Bioactive Properties
Authors: Botas Joana , Fernandes Ângela , Barros Lillian , Alves Maria José , Carvalho Ana Maria , Ferreira Isabel C.F.R.
Published: June 2019

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) has been used worldwide not only for its being a subject of dietary interest, but also for medicinal purposes, in prophylaxis, and for the treatment of diverse pathologies. New processing techniques have been developed and placed on the market in recent years to improve the organoleptic and nutritional value of food products. The present work aimed to study bulbils (cloves) of white (commercial and traditionally cultivated samples with different proveniences) and black (processed samples) garlic. All samples were compared with regard to their nutritional composition as well as their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Black garlic had the lowest moisture content but the highest total amount of sugars and energetic value. Black garlic also presented the highest antioxidant and antimicrobial (especially against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) activities. Thus, black garlic, obtained by processing techniques, can be considered a promising product with high value that will be able to be exploited by the functional food/nutraceutical industry.