bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incessant Automatic Atrial Tachycardia in a Neonate Successfully Treated with Nadolol and Closely Spaced Doses of Flecainide: A Case Report
Authors: Belli Gilda , Giovannini Mattia , Porcedda Giulio , Moroni Marco , la Marca Giancarlo , Capponi Guglielmo , Favilli Silvia , De Simone Luciano
Published: November 2020

Supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVT) is the most common type of arrhythmia in childhood. Management can be challenging with an associated risk of mortality. A female neonate was diagnosed with episodes of SVT, controlled antenatally with digoxin. Flecainide was commenced prophylactically at birth. Despite treatment, the infant developed a narrow complex tachycardia at 5 days of age. The electrocardiogram features were suggestive of either re-entry tachycardia or of automatic atrial tachycardia (AAT). Following several unsuccessful treatments, a wide complex tachycardia developed. A transesophageal electrophysiological study led to a diagnosis of AAT. Stable sinus rhythm was finally achieved through increasing daily administrations of flecainide up to six times a day, in association with nadolol. The shortening of intervals to this extent has never been reported before and supports the evidence of a personal, age-specific variability in pharmacokinetics of flecainide. Larger studies are needed to better define the appropriate dose and timing of administration.
3-Pentylcatechol, a Non-Allergenic Urushiol Derivative, Displays Anti-Helicobacter pylori Activity In Vivo
Authors: Jeong Hang Yeon , Lee Tae Ho , Kim Ju Gyeong , Lee Sueun , Moon Changjong , Truong Xuan Trong , Jeon Tae-Il , Moon Jae-Hak
Published: November 2020

We previously reported that 3-pentylcatechol (PC), a synthetic non-allergenic urushiol derivative, inhibited the growth of Helicobacter pylori in an in vitro assay using nutrient agar and broth. In this study, we aimed to investigate the in vivo antimicrobial activity of PC against H. pylori growing in the stomach mucous membrane. Four-week-old male C57BL/6 mice (n = 4) were orally inoculated with H. pylori Sydney Strain-1 (SS-1) for 8 weeks. Thereafter, the mice received PC (1, 5, and 15 mg/kg) and triple therapy (omeprazole, 0.7 mg/kg; metronidazole, 16.7 mg/kg; clarithromycin, 16.7 mg/kg, reference groups) once daily for 10 days. Infiltration of inflammatory cells in gastric tissue was greater in the H. pylori-infected group compared with the control group and lower in both the triple therapy- and PC-treated groups. In addition, upregulation of cytokine mRNA was reversed after infection, upon administration of triple therapy and PC. Interestingly, PC was more effective than triple therapy at all doses, even at 1/15th the dose of triple therapy. In addition, PC demonstrated synergism with triple therapy, even at low concentrations. The results suggest that PC may be more effective against H. pylori than established antibiotics.
Clinical Efficacy of Single Application Local Drug Delivery and Adjunctive Agents in Nonsurgical Periodontal Therapy: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis
Authors: Tan Oi Leng , Safii Syarida Hasnur , Razali Masfueh
Published: November 2020

This review aimed to rank the clinical efficacy of commercially available single-application local drug delivery and adjunctive agents (LDAs) compared with subgingival mechanical debridement (SMD) in nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT). Randomized controlled clinical trials that compared LDAs against SMD alone or with placebo in adults (aged at least 18 years) diagnosed with periodontitis with a minimum of 6 months follow-up were included. A frequentist approach to random-effects network meta-analysis was implemented. The efficacies of the LDAs measured by probing pocket depth (PPD) reduction and clinical attachment level (CAL) gain were reported as mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The treatments were ranked according to their P-score. Four network meta-analyses suggested that sulfonic/sulfuric acid gel (PPD MD −1.13 mm, 95% CI −1.74 to −0.53, P-score 0.91; CAL MD −1.09 mm, 95% CI −1.58 to −0.61, P-score 0.95) and doxycycline hyclate gel (PPD MD −0.90 mm, 95% CI −1.50 to −0.30, P-score 0.93; CAL MD −0.84 mm, 95% CI −1.40 to −0.28, P-score 0.92) were the most effective in reducing PPD and gaining CAL in split-mouth and parallel studies, respectively (moderate certainty of evidence). LDAs have differing efficacies, but they present with possible clinical significance over SMD alone in NSPT.
Fabrication of Copper Sulfide Nanoparticles and Limonene Incorporated Pullulan/Carrageenan-Based Film with Improved Mechanical and Antibacterial Properties
Authors: Roy Swarup , Rhim Jong-Whan
Published: November 2020

Edible biopolymer (pullulan/carrageenan) based functional composite films were fabricated by the addition of copper sulfide nanoparticles (CuSNP) and D-limonene (DL). The DL and CuSNP were compatible with the pullulan/carrageenan biopolymer matrix. The addition of CuSNP significantly increased the UV-blocking properties without substantially reducing the transparency of the film. The addition of CuSNP improved the film’s tensile strength by 10%; however, the DL addition did not significantly influence the strength, while the combined addition of CuSNP and DL increased the strength by 15%. The addition of the fillers did not significantly affect the thermal stability of the film, but the water vapor barrier property was slightly improved. There was no significant change in the moisture content and hydrophobicity of the composite film. Besides, the composite film showed some antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogenic bacteria. The fabricated pullulan/carrageenan-based film with antimicrobial and UV-barrier properties is likely to be used in active food packaging applications.
Synthesis Antifreezing and Antidehydration Organohydrogels: One-Step In-Situ Gelling versus Two-Step Solvent Displacement
Authors: Li Chun , Deng Xiaobo , Zhou Xiaohu
Published: November 2020

Organohydrogels with distinct antifreezing and antidehydration properties have aroused great interest among researchers, and various organohydrogels and organohydrogel-based applications have emerged recently. There are two popular synthesis strategies to prepare these antifreezing and antidehydration organohydrogels: the in-situ gelling and the solvent displacement strategies. Although both strategies have been widely applied, there is a lack of comparative study of these two strategies. In this work, to elucidate the comparative advantages of the two synthesis strategies, we studied and compared the mechanical and environmental tolerant properties of the organohydrogels synthesized from both strategies. The glycerol-based and ethylene glycol-based chemical polyacrylamide (PAAm) organohydrogel and the glycerol-based physical gelatin organohydrogel were synthesized and studied. Through the comparative study, we have found that the organohydrogels from different strategies with the same dispersion medium showed similar antifreezing and antidehydration properties but different mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of these organohydrogels are influenced by two opposite factors for each strategy: the enhanced physical interactions induced strengthening and solvent effect or swelling induced weakening. We hope this study may provide a better understanding of the synthesis strategies of organohydrogels and provide a valuable guide to choose the suitable synthesis strategy for each application.
Remediation of Lead and Nickel Contaminated Soil Using Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron (nZVI) Particles Synthesized Using Green Leaves: First Results
Authors: Francy Nimita , Shanthakumar Subramanian , Chiampo Fulvia , Sekhar Yendaluru Raja
Published: November 2020

Nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) particles have proved to be effective in the remediation of chlorinated compounds and heavy metals from contaminated soil. The present study aimed to analyze the performance of nanoparticles synthesized from low-cost biomass (green leaves) as chemical precursors, namely Azadirachta indica (neem) and Mentha longifolia (mint) leaves. These leaves were chosen because huge amounts of them are present in the region of Vellore. These nanoparticles were used to remove lead and nickel from contaminated soil. Characterization of nZVI particles was conducted using the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller isotherm (BET) techniques. Remediation was performed on two different soil samples, polluted with lead or nickel at an initial metal concentration around 250 mg/kg of soil. The results revealed that after 30 days, the lead removal efficiency with 0.1 g of nZVI particles/kg of soil was 26.9% by particles synthesized using neem leaves and 62.3% by particles synthesized using mint leaves. Similarly, nickel removal efficiency with 0.1 g of particles/kg of soil was 33.2% and 50.6%, respectively, by particles using neem and mint leaves. When the nanoparticle concentration was doubled, Pb and Ni removal improved, with similar trends obtained at a lower dosage (0.1 g of particles/kg of soil). These first results evidenced that: (1) the nZVI particles synthesized using green leaves had the potential to remove Pb and Ni from contaminated soil; (2) the neem-derived particles gave better Ni removal efficiency than Pb one; (3) the mint-derived particles showed better Pb removal efficiency than Ni one; (4) the highest removal efficiency for both metals was achieved with the mint-derived particles; (5) double higher dosage did not greatly improve the results.
Horseradish Peroxidase-Decorated Artificial Viral Capsid Constructed from β-Annulus Peptide via Interaction between His-Tag and Ni-NTA
Authors: Matsuura Kazunori , Shiomi Yuriko , Mizuta Toshihumi , Inaba Hiroshi
Published: November 2020

Artificial construction of spherical protein assemblies has attracted considerable attention due to its potential use in nanocontainers, nanocarriers, and nanoreactors. In this work, we demonstrate a novel strategy to construct peptide nanocapsules (artificial viral capsids) decorated with enzymes via interactions between His-tag and Ni-NTA. A β-annulus peptide derived from the tomato bushy stunt virus was modified with Ni-NTA at the C-terminus, which is directed toward the exterior surface of the artificial viral capsid. The β-annulus peptide bearing Ni-NTA at the C-terminus self-assembled into capsids of about 50 nm in diameter. The Ni-NTA-displayed capsids were complexed with recombinant horseradish peroxidase (HRP) with a C-terminal His-tag which was expressed in Escherichia coli. The β-annulus peptide-HRP complex formed spherical assemblies whose sizes were 30–90 nm, with the ζ-potential revealing that the HRP was decorated on the outer surface of the capsid.
A Practical Cross-Sectional Framework to Contextual Reactivity in Personality: Response Times as Indicators of Reactivity to Contextual Cues
Authors: Tamimy Zenab , Rózsa Sandor , Kõ Natasa , Molenaar Dylan
Published: November 2020

Contextual reactivity refers to the degree in which personality states are affected by contextual cues. Research into contextual reactivity has mainly focused on repeated measurement designs. In this paper, we propose a cross-sectional approach to study contextual reactivity. We argue that contextual reactivity can be operationalized as different response processes which are characterized by different mean response times and different measurement properties. We propose a within-person mixture modeling approach that adopts this idea and which enables studying contextual reactivity in cross-sectional data. We applied the model to data from the Revised Temperament and Character Inventory. Results indicate that we can distinguish between two response specific latent states. We interpret these states as a high contextual reactive state and a low contextual reactive state. From the results it appears that the low contextual reactive state is generally associated with smaller response times and larger discrimination parameters, as compared to the high contextual reactivity state. The utility of this approach in personality research is discussed.
Nonparametric Malliavin–Monte Carlo Computation of Hedging Greeks
Authors: Mancino Maria Elvira , Sanfelici Simona
Published: November 2020

We propose a way to compute the hedging Delta using the Malliavin weight method. Our approach, which we name the λ-method, generally outperforms the standard Monte Carlo finite difference method, especially for discontinuous payoffs. Furthermore, our approach is nonparametric, as we only assume a general local volatility model and we substitute the volatility and the other processes involved in the Greek formula with quantities that can be nonparametrically estimated from a given time series of observed prices.
Tree Species Classification and Health Status Assessment for a Mixed Broadleaf-Conifer Forest with UAS Multispectral Imaging
Authors: Abdollahnejad Azadeh , Panagiotidis Dimitrios
Published: November 2020

Automatic discrimination of tree species and identification of physiological stress imposed on forest trees by biotic factors from unmanned aerial systems (UAS) offers substantial advantages in forest management practices. In this study, we aimed to develop a novel workflow for facilitating tree species classification and the detection of healthy, unhealthy, and dead trees caused by bark beetle infestation using ultra-high resolution 5-band UAS bi-temporal aerial imagery in the Czech Republic. The study is divided into two steps. We initially classified the tree type, either as broadleaf or conifer, and we then classified trees according to the tree type and health status, and subgroups were created to further classify trees (detailed classification). Photogrammetric processed datasets achieved by the use of structure-from-motion (SfM) imaging technique, where resulting digital terrain models (DTMs), digital surface models (DSMs), and orthophotos with a resolution of 0.05 m were utilized as input for canopy spectral analysis, as well as texture analysis (TA). For the spectral analysis, nine vegetation indices (VIs) were applied to evaluate the amount of vegetation cover change of canopy surface between the two seasons, spring and summer of 2019. Moreover, 13 TA variables, including Mean, Variance, Entropy, Contrast, Heterogeneity, Homogeneity, Angular Second Moment, Correlation, Gray-level Difference Vector (GLDV) Angular Second Moment, GLDV Entropy, GLDV Mean, GLDV Contrast, and Inverse Difference, were estimated for the extraction of canopy surface texture. Further, we used the support vector machine (SVM) algorithm to conduct a detailed classification of tree species and health status. Our results highlighted the efficiency of the proposed method for tree species classification with an overall accuracy (OA) of 81.18% (Kappa: 0.70) and health status assessment with an OA of 84.71% (Kappa: 0.66). While SVM proved to be a good classifier, the results also showed that a combination of VI and TA layers increased the OA by 4.24%, providing a new dimension of information derived from UAS platforms. These methods could be used to quickly evaluate large areas that have been impacted by biological disturbance agents for mapping and detection, tree inventory, and evaluating habitat conditions at relatively low costs.
Influence of LiDAR Point Cloud Density in the Geometric Characterization of Rooftops for Solar Photovoltaic Studies in Cities
Authors: Sánchez-Aparicio María , Del Pozo Susana , Martín-Jiménez Jose Antonio , González-González Enrique , Andrés-Anaya Paula , Lagüela Susana
Published: November 2020

The use of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data for the definition of the 3D geometry of roofs has been widely exploited in recent years for its posterior application in the field of solar energy. Point density in LiDAR data is an essential characteristic to be taken into account for the accurate estimation of roof geometry: area, orientation and slope. This paper presents a comparative study between LiDAR data of different point densities: 0.5, 1, 2 and 14 points/m2 for the measurement of the area of roofs of residential and industrial buildings. The data used for the study are the LiDAR data freely available by the Spanish Institute of Geography (IGN), which is offered according to the INSPIRE Directive. The results obtained show different behaviors for roofs with an area below and over 200 m2. While the use of low-density point clouds (0.5 point/m2) presents significant errors in the estimation of the area, the use of point clouds with higher density (1 or 2 points/m2) implies a great improvement in the area results, with no significant difference among them. The use of high-density point clouds (14 points/m2) also implies an improvement of the results, although the accuracy does not increase in the same ratio as the increase in density regarding 1 or 2 points/m2. Thus, the conclusion reached is that the geometrical characterization of roofs requires data acquisition with point density of 1 or 2 points/m2, and that higher point densities do not improve the results with the same intensity as they increase computation time.
Combining Phenological Camera Photos and MODIS Reflectance Data to Predict GPP Daily Dynamics for Alpine Meadows on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhou Xuqiang , Wang Xufeng , Zhang Songlin , Zhang Yang , Bai Xuejie
Published: November 2020

Gross primary production (GPP) is the overall photosynthetic fixation of carbon per unit space and time. Due to uncertainties resulting from clouds, snow, aerosol, and topography, it is a challenging task to accurately estimate daily GPP. Daily digital photos from a phenological camera record vegetation daily greenness dynamics with little cloud or aerosol disturbance. It can be fused with satellite remote sensing data to improve daily GPP prediction accuracy. In this study, we combine the two types of datasets to improve the estimation accuracy of GPP for alpine meadow on the Tibetan Plateau. To examine the performance of different methods and vegetation indices (VIs), three experiments were designed. First, GPP was estimated with the light use efficiency (LUE) model with the green chromatic coordinate (GCC) from the phenological camera and vegetation index from MODIS, respectively. Second, GPP was estimated with the Backpropagation neural network machine learning algorithm (BNNA) method with GCC from the phenological camera and vegetation index from MODIS, respectively. Finally, GPP was estimated with the BNNA method using GCC and vegetation index as inputs at the same time. Compared with eddy covariance GPP, GPP predicted by the BNNA method with GCC and vegetation indices as inputs at the same time showed the highest accuracy of all the experiments. The results indicated that GCC had a higher accuracy than NDVI and EVI when only one vegetation index data was used in the LUE model or the BNNA method. The R2 of GPP estimated by BNNA and GPP from eddy covariance increased by 0.12 on average, RMSE decreased by 1.13 g C·m−2·day−1 on average, and MAD decreased by 0.87 g C·m−2·day−1 on average compared with GPP estimated by the traditional LUE model and GPP from eddy covariance. This study puts forth a new way to improve the estimation accuracy of GPP on the Tibetan Plateau. With the emergence of a large number of phenological cameras, this method has great potential for use on the Tibetan Plateau, which is heavily affected by clouds and snow.
Irrigation and Precipitation Hydrological Consistency with SMOS, SMAP, ESA-CCI, Copernicus SSM1km, and AMSR-2 Remotely Sensed Soil Moisture Products
Authors: Paciolla Nicola , Corbari Chiara , Al Bitar Ahmad , Kerr Yann , Mancini Marco
Published: November 2020

Numerous Surface Soil Moisture (SSM) products are available from remote sensing, encompassing different spatial, temporal, and radiometric resolutions and retrieval techniques. Notwithstanding this variety, all products should be coherent with water inputs. In this work, we have cross-compared precipitation and irrigation with different SSM products: Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS), Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP), European Space Agency (ESA) Climate Change Initiative (ESA-CCI) products, Copernicus SSM1km, and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2). The products have been analyzed over two agricultural sites in Italy (Chiese and Capitanata Irrigation Consortia). A Hydrological Consistency Index (HCI) is proposed as a means to measure the coherency between SSM and precipitation/irrigation. Any time SSM is available, a positive or negative consistency is recorded, according to the rainfall registered since the previous measurement and the increase/decrease of SSM. During the irrigation season, some agreements are labeled as “irrigation-driven”. No SSM dataset stands out for a systematic hydrological coherence with the rainfall. Negative consistencies cluster just below 50% in the non-irrigation period and lose 20–30% in the irrigation period. Hybrid datasets perform better (+15–20%) than single-technology measurements, among which active data provide slightly better results (+5–10%) than passive data.
Real-Time Orthophoto Mosaicing on Mobile Devices for Sequential Aerial Images with Low Overlap
Authors: Zhao Yong , Cheng Yuqi , Zhang Xishan , Xu Shibiao , Bu Shuhui , Jiang Hongkai , Han Pengcheng , Li Ke , Wan Gang
Published: November 2020

Orthophoto generation is a popular topic in aerial photogrammetry and 3D reconstruction. It is generally computationally expensive with large memory consumption. Inspired by the simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) workflow, this paper presents an online sequential orthophoto mosaicing solution for large baseline high-resolution aerial images with high efficiency and novel precision. An appearance and spatial correlation-constrained fast low-overlap neighbor candidate query and matching strategy is used for efficient and robust global matching. Instead of estimating 3D positions of sparse mappoints, which is outlier sensitive, we propose to describe the ground reconstruction with multiple stitching planes, where parameters are reduced for fast nonconvex graph optimization. GPS information is also fused along with six degrees of freedom (6-DOF) pose estimation, which not only provides georeferenced coordinates, but also converges property and robustness. An incremental orthophoto is generated by fusing the latest images with adaptive weighted multiband algorithm, and all results are tiled with level of detail (LoD) support for efficient rendering and further disk cache for reducing memory usages. Public datasets are evaluated by comparing state-of-the-art software. Results show that our system outputs orthophoto with novel efficiency, quality, and robustness in real-time. An android commercial application is developed for online stitching with DJIdrones, considering the excellent performance of our algorithm.
Impact of the Social Law on Truck Parking Sustainability in the EU
Authors: Poliak Miloš , Poliaková Adela , Čulík Kristián
Published: November 2020

Road freight transport in its current form has significant issues in terms of sustainability. These problems arise from an increase in density as well as from legislative decisions. Although not obvious, the parking of freight vehicles and legislation are connected. EU legislative decisions have reduced the sustainability of the parking system. The first and main goal of our study was to test the hypothesis that social law requirements negatively impact truck parking. The second important goal was to create a methodology that can determine the necessary number of parking spaces that comply with the requirements of social law. The method used for this research included the counting and numbering of parking spaces on specific routes in the EU compared with the intensity of freight vehicles on these routes. Our study shows that it is not possible to meet the requirements of social law and that the current state of freight vehicle parking is unsustainable. Planning sustainable parking areas in accordance with regulatory requirements is necessary, otherwise drivers will circumvent the rules, leading to a distortion of the freight transport market. In this paper, we also outline the proposed methodology for numbering parking spaces in a specific area.
The Design of Sustainable City Multi-Floor Manufacturing Processes Under Uncertainty in Supply Chains
Authors: Dzhuguryan Tygran , Deja Agnieszka , Wiśnicki Bogusz , Jóźwiak Zofia
Published: November 2020

The application of multi-floor manufacturing (MFM) in huge cities is related to the rational use of urban areas and the solution to traffic problems. The operation of the city MFM clusters depends on the efficiency of production and transport management considering technical, economic, environmental, and other factors. The primary goal of this paper was to identify and analyze the drivers of sustainable supply chains (SSCs) that influence or encourage the design of sustainable processes in city MFM clusters under uncertainty in supply chains. This paper presents an SSC performance model for city MFM clusters under uncertainty. The proposed model is universal and is based on material flow analysis (MFA) methodology. The presented analysis helps to determine the conditions for rhythmic deliveries with the use of the multi-IRTs. The coefficients of rhythmic deliveries for multiple intelligent reconfigurable trolleys (IRTs) and the capacity loss of freight elevators allow us to periodically assess the sustainability processes in city MFM clusters related to the flow materials. These assessments are the basis for the decision-making and planning of SSCs.
Teachers’ Perceptions of the Use of ICTs in the Educational Response to Students with Disabilities
Authors: Ortiz-Jiménez Luis , Figueredo-Canosa Victoria , Castellary López Macarena , López Berlanga María Carmen
Published: November 2020

The educational response to students with specific needs for educational support associated with disability could not be understood within the current educational landscape without addressing how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is used within those responses. ICT support is not a matter of fashion or one-off use due to the current circumstances brought about by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Programmes and materials are already being developed to enable such application. Even from the Universal Learning Design approaches, it is precisely the use of technologies in learning processes, with special emphasis on educational inclusion processes, which are a key focus. This study deals with the perception that teachers have of this use of ICT with students with disabilities: How are the resources available to them and how good is their training in this respect? To do this, a section of a questionnaire was used, which forms part of the R + D + I project awarded under a national call in Spain, and which in one of its categories precisely focuses attention on this use of ICT. In turn, this category, according to the confirmatory factor analysis carried out, is subdivided into three subcategories: didactic use, spaces and resources, and finally teacher training. We are also interested in knowing if there are differences of opinion between population groups grouped according to sex, ownership of the education centre and location of the centre (urban, or rural). The results indicate that although there is good use and good preparation of teachers, the level of resources is low and teacher training needs to be reinforced.
4E Analyses of a Hybrid Waste-Driven CHP–ORC Plant with Flue Gas Condensation
Authors: Nami Hossein , Anvari-Moghaddam Amjad , Arabkoohsar Ahmad , Razmi Amir Reza
Published: November 2020

The combination of a waste-driven hybrid heat and power plant with a small organic Rankine cycle unit was recently proposed and investigated from a thermodynamic perspective. The present study provides a more comprehensive assessment from system operation through considering the energy, exergy, exergoeconomic, and exergoenvironmental (4E) aspects in a revised design of this concept to obtain a bigger picture of the system’s technical, economic, and environmental effects on existing and future energy systems. The revised design includes a flue gas condensation unit and alternative friendly organic working fluids. For this, the hybrid plant is modeled for its thermal, economic, and environmental performances. Then, the exergy losses and environmental effects of the system are scrutinized, the cost of losses and pollutions are predicted, and lastly, sorts of solutions are introduced to improve the exergoeconomic and exergoenvironmental performances of the system. The results indicate that the highest share of exergy destruction relates to the incineration (equipped with a steam generator) with a levelized cost of approximately USD 71/h for a power plant with almost 3.3 megawatt electricity output capacity. The hybridization proposal with the flue gas condensation unit increases the sustainability index of the system from 1.264 to 1.28.
An Empirical Study for European Countries: Factors Affecting Economic Growth and Self-Employment by Gender
Authors: González-Sánchez Víctor M. , Martínez Raya Antonio , de los Ríos-Sastre Susana
Published: November 2020

In economic literature, the relationship between entrepreneurship and economic growth has been widely discussed for some time now. In addition to the different theoretical approaches, a considerable amount of empirical works in recent decades have sought to verify the direct link between both variables by analyzing datasets from several distinct geographic areas. On one hand, it highlights the absence of a common indicator to measure entrepreneurship in practice relating to a country’s economic growth; on the other hand, it shows a great diversity of factors determining them. With the aim of providing new empirical evidence in the field of European entrepreneurship, this paper has analyzed data relating to 31 European countries over the last decade by introducing self-employment as an empirical proxy of entrepreneurship. In particular, this study contrasts the positive effect of public expenditure, investment, human capital, and entrepreneurship on economic growth for a wide range of countries and examines the impact of some economic and educational variables on self-employment, such as unemployment, taxes, education, and early school leaving. The estimation method used in this research had to consider the Ordinary Least Squares through a multiple regression model of constant coefficients based on annual Eurostat statistics for the period of 2010 to 2019. The results obtained verify the positive effect of public expenditure, investment, human capital, and entrepreneurship on economic growth. Moreover, the analysis of other factors affecting entrepreneurship, segregated by gender, shows how unemployment and the level of education have a positive impact on self-employment, while significant increases in the tax rate on capital and early school leaving harmed such variable. No significant differences were found between males and females.
Valorization of MSWI Bottom Ash as a Function of Particle Size Distribution, Using Steam Washing
Authors: Destefanis Enrico , Caviglia Caterina , Bernasconi Davide , Bicchi Erica , Boero Renato , Bonadiman Costanza , Confalonieri Giorgia , Corazzari Ingrid , Mandrone Giuseppe , Pastero Linda , Pavese Alessandro , Turci Francesco , Wehrung Quentin
Published: November 2020

Treatments to reduce the leaching of contaminants (chloride, sulfate, heavy metals) into the environment from bottom ash (BA) are investigated, as a function of the ash’s particle size (s). The aim is to make BA suitable for reuse as secondary raw material, in accordance with the legal requirements. Such treatments must be economically feasible and, possibly, have to use by-products of the plant (in this case, steam in excess from the turbine). For the sake of completeness and comparison, carbonation is performed on those BA particle size classes that are not positively responsive to steam washing. BA is partitioned into four different particle size classes (s ≥ 4.75, 4.75 > s ≥ 2, 2 > s ≥ 1 and s < 1 mm, corresponding to 36, 24, 13 and 27 wt%, respectively). In the case of s ≥ 2 mm (60 wt%), steam washing is effective in reducing to under the legal limits the leaching of chlorides, sulfate and heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb). It has been observed that steam washing causes both removal and dissolution of thin dust adherent to the BA’s surface. BA with 2 > s ≥ 1 (~13 wt% of total BA) requires a combination of steam washing and carbonation to achieve a leaching below the legal limits. The finest BA fraction, s < 1 mm (~27 wt% of total BA), is treated by carbonation, which reduces heavy metals leaching by 85%, but it fails to sufficiently curb chlorides and sulfates.
Fishers’ Perceptions and Attitudes toward Weather and Climate Information Services for Climate Change Adaptation in Senegal
Authors: Diouf Ndèye Seynabou , Ouedraogo Issa , Zougmoré Robert B. , Niang Madické
Published: November 2020

Climate variability has become a major issue for vital sectors in the context of climate change. In fisheries, in particular, the effects of climate change are reflected in the decline of fishing yield and loss of lives during extreme weather events in the sea. This study analyzed the perception of climate variability and change by fisher-folks, the attitude of fisher-folks toward the weather forecast and the adoption rate of the use of the weather forecast as well as the factors determining its use in Senegal. To this end, 576 fisher-folks belonging to 41 local fishing committees along the coastal areas were surveyed and focus group discussions were organized with key informants. The adoption rate was identified using the method of the average treatment effect (ATE) and the test of independency (chi-square) was used to analyze the perceptions of and beliefs on climate change. The results showed that 96% of fisher-folks perceive the change in the climate, though the effects are differently appreciated across the coastline. The most frequently observed effects are: coastal erosion, change in wind direction, increase in extreme swells and sea level rise. Nearly half of fisher-folks confirm that they noticed these changes over the past five years. In the Southern Coast in particular, 40% of fisher-folks stated that these changes happened 10 years ago. This statement is confirmed by the qualitative data. More than 90% of the respondents ascertain the weather forecast before going to fish, 63% regularly receive the weather forecast and 53% avoid going to sea during extreme events. In addition, the results showed that if the weather forecast was made accessible to the majority of fisher-folks, more than 83% would avoid going to sea during periods of extreme weather extreme events, thus reducing significantly the number of fatalities. The best way to protect the fisher-folks from the harmful effects of climate change is to ensure large-scale access to and use of accurate weather forecasts.
Standardized Recipes and Their Influence on the Environmental Impact Assessment of Mixed Dishes: A Case Study on Pizza
Authors: Stylianou Katerina S. , McDonald Emily , Fulgoni III Victor L. , Jolliet Olivier
Published: November 2020

Food and diet life cycle assessment (LCA) studies offer insights on the environmental performance and improvement potential of food systems and dietary patterns. However, the influence of ingredient resolution in food-LCAs is often overlooked. To address this, four distinct decomposition methods were used to determine ingredients for mixed dishes and characterize their environmental impacts, using the carbon footprint of the U.S. daily pizza intake as a case study. Pizza-specific and daily pizza intake carbon footprints varied substantially between decomposition methods. The carbon footprint for vegetarian pizza was 0.18–0.45 kg CO2eq/serving, for meat pizza was 0.56–0.73 kg CO2eq/serving, and for currently consumed pizzas in the U.S. (26.3 g/person/day; 75 pizzas types) was 0.072–0.098 kg CO2eq/person/day. These ranges could be explained by differences in pizza coverage, ingredient resolution, availability of ingredient environmental information, and ingredient adjustability for losses between decomposition methods. From the approaches considered, the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, which reports standardized food recipes in relative weights, appears to offer the most appropriate and useful food decompositions for food-LCAs. The influence and limitations of sources of reference flows should be better evaluated and acknowledged in food and diet LCAs.
Dark Clouds over the Silk Road: Challenges Facing Mountain Environments in Central Asia
Authors: Sidle Roy C.
Published: November 2020

Central Asia is a vital link in the huge Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that follows much of the ancient Silk Road routes in this region. Other than the economic expansion and trade benefits associated with this complex infrastructure system, little is known about the many of the exogenous issues and direct environmental and socioeconomic impacts surrounding the BRI in Central Asia. This opinion paper takes a sharper look at some of these externalities and potential effects through a sustainability lens. Major environmental concerns focus on the proliferation of spur roads that will develop off upgraded or new Belt Roads to promote exploitation of natural resources. Steep, high-elevation landscapes in the Pamirs and Tien Shan pose problems for road location and construction, and the history of road building in less formidable terrain in Yunnan, China is unsustainable, leading to epic landslide and gully erosion, which degrade river systems. Furthermore, many socioeconomic issues may arise like debt dependencies of poor countries, spread of communicable diseases into remote communities, depletion of mineral resources, and implicit compliance with pro-China policies. While some of the poorer post-Soviet nations can reap short-term benefits from BRI plans, it is urged that they assess the long-term sustainability of BRI development and play an active role in determining the conditions for implementation.
Biocatalyzed Sulfoxidation in Presence of Deep Eutectic Solvents
Authors: de Gonzalo Gonzalo
Published: November 2020

The flavin-containing monooxygenase from Methylophaga sp. strain SK1 (mFMO) is a valuable biocatalyst for the preparation of optically active sulfoxides, among other valuable compounds. In this study, we explored to benefits of using Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NADESs) when doing oxidation with this biocatalyst, fused to phosphite dehydrogenase for cofactor regeneration (PTDH-mFMO). It was found that optically active sulfoxides could be obtained with slightly higher conversions in 10% v/v NADES when working at substrate concentrations of 50–200 mM, whereas there was no loss in the enantioselectivity. With these results, it is demonstrated for the first time that flavin-containing monooxygenases can be employed as biocatalysts in presence of NADESs.
One-Pot, Metal-Free Synthesis of Dimethyl Carbonate from CO2 at Room Temperature
Authors: Khokarale Santosh , Bui Thai , Mikkola Jyri-Pekka
Published: November 2020

Herein, we report on the metal-free, one-pot synthesis of industrially important dimethyl carbonate (DMC) from molecular CO2 under ambient conditions. In this process, initially the CO2 was chemisorbed through the formation of a switchable ionic liquid (SIL), [DBUH] [CH3CO3], by the interaction of CO2 with an equivalent mixture of organic superbase 1,8-diazabicyclo-[5.4.0]-undec-7-ene (DBU) and methanol. The obtained SIL further reacted with methyl iodide (CH3I) to form DMC. The synthesis was carried out in both dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and methanol. Methanol is preferred, as it not only served as a reagent and solvent in CO2 capture and DMC synthesis, but it also assisted in controlling the side reactions between chemical species such as CH3I and [DBUH]+ cation and increased the yield of DMC. Hence, the use of methanol avoided the loss of captured CO2 and favored the formation of DMC with high selectivity. Under the applied reaction conditions, 89% of the captured CO2 was converted to DMC. DBU was obtained, achieving 86% recovery of its salts formed during the synthesis. Most importantly, in this report we describe a simple and renewable solvent-based process for a metal-free approach to DMC synthesis under industrially feasible reaction conditions.
A User Biology Preference Prediction Model Based on the Perceptual Evaluations of Designers for Biologically Inspired Design
Authors: Luo Shijian , Zhang Yufei , Zhang Jie , Xu Junheng
Published: November 2020

Biology provides a rich and novel source of inspiration for product design. An increasing number of industrial designers are gaining inspiration from nature, producing creative products by extracting, classifying, and reconstructing biological features. However, the current process of gaining biological inspiration is still limited by the prior knowledge and experience of designers, so it is necessary to investigate the designer’s perception of biological features. Herein, we investigate designer perceptions of bionic object features based on Kansei engineering, achieving a highly comprehensive structured expression of biological features forming five dimensions—Overall Feeling, Ability and Trait, Color and Texture, Apparent Tactile Sensation, and Structural Features—using factor analysis. Further, producing creative design solutions with a biologically inspired design (BID) has a risk of failing to meet user preferences and market needs. A user preference prediction support tool may address this bottleneck. We examine user preference by questionnaire and explore its association with the perceptual evaluation of designers, obtaining a user preference prediction model by conducting multiple linear regression analysis. This provides a statistical model for identifying the relative weighting of the perception dimensions of each designer in the user preference for an animal, giving the degree of contribution to the user preference. The experiment results show that the dimension “Overall Feeling” of the designer perception is positively correlated with the “like” level of the user preference and negatively correlated with the “dislike” level of the user preference, indicating that this prediction model bridges the gap caused by the asymmetry between designers and users by matching the designer perception and user preference. To a certain extent, this research solves the problems associated with the cognitive limitations of designers and the differences between designers and users, facilitating the use of biological features in product design and thereby enhancing the market importance of BID schemes.
A Review of Unsupervised Keyphrase Extraction Methods Using Within-Collection Resources
Authors: Sun Chengyu , Hu Liang , Li Shuai , Li Tuohang , Li Hongtu , Chi Ling
Published: November 2020

An essential part of a text generation task is to extract critical information from the text. People usually obtain critical information in the text via manual extraction; however, the asymmetry between the ability to process information manually and the speed of information growth makes it impossible. This problem can be solved by automatic keyphrase extraction. In this paper, the mainstream unsupervised methods to extract keyphrases are summarized, and we analyze in detail the reasons for the differences in the performance of methods then provided some solutions.
Non-Random Sister Chromatid Segregation in Human Tissue Stem Cells
Authors: Panchalingam Krishnanchali , Jacox Laura , Cappiello Benjamin D. , Sherley James L.
Published: November 2020

The loss of genetic fidelity in tissue stem cells is considered a significant cause of human aging and carcinogenesis. Many cellular mechanisms are well accepted for limiting mutations caused by replication errors and DNA damage. However, one mechanism, non-random sister chromatid segregation, remains controversial. This atypical pattern of chromosome segregation is restricted to asymmetrically self-renewing cells. Though first confirmed in murine cells, non-random segregation was originally proposed by Cairns as an important genetic fidelity mechanism in human tissues. We investigated human hepatic stem cells expanded by suppression of asymmetric cell kinetics (SACK) for evidence of non-random sister chromatid segregation. Cell kinetics and time-lapse microscopy analyses established that an ex vivo expanded human hepatic stem cell strain possessed SACK agent-suppressible asymmetric cell kinetics. Complementary DNA strand-labeling experiments revealed that cells in hepatic stem cell cultures segregated sister chromatids non-randomly. The number of cells cosegregating sister chromatids with the oldest “immortal DNA strands” was greater under conditions that increased asymmetric self-renewal kinetics. Detection of this mechanism in a human tissue stem cell strain increases support for Cairns’ proposal that non-random sister chromatid segregation operates in human tissue stem cells to limit carcinogenesis.
Zebrafish Embryonic Exposure to BPAP and Its Relatively Weak Thyroid Hormone-Disrupting Effects
Authors: Lee Sangwoo , Eghan Kojo , Lee Jieon , Yoo Donggon , Yoon Seokjoo , Kim Woo-Keun
Published: November 2020

Safe endocrine-disrupting alternatives for bisphenol A (BPA) are needed because its adverse health effects have become a public concern. Some bisphenol analogues (bisphenol F and S) have been applied, but their endocrine-disrupting potential is either not negligible or weaker than that of BPA. However, the endocrine-disrupting potential of bisphenol AP (BPAP), another BPA alternative, has not yet been fully assessed. Hence, we evaluated the thyroid hormone (TH)-disrupting potency of BPAP because THs are essential endocrine hormones. Zebrafish embryos were exposed to BPAP (0, 18.2, 43.4, or 105.9 μg/L) for 120 h, and TH levels, the transcription of 16 TH-related genes, the transcriptome, development, and behavior were evaluated. In our study, a decrease in T4 level was observed only at the maximum nonlethal concentration, but significant changes in the T3 and TSHβ levels were not detected. BPAP did not cause significant changes in transcription and gene ontology enrichment related to the TH system. Developmental and behavioral changes were not observed. Despite T4 level reduction, other markers were not significantly affected by BPAP. These might indicate that BPAP has weak or negligible potency regarding TH disruption as a BPA alternative. This study might provide novel information on the TH-disrupting potential of BPAP.
Fungal Bioactive Anthraquinones and Analogues
Authors: Masi Marco , Evidente Antonio
Published: November 2020

This review, covering the literature from 1966 to the present (2020), describes naturally occurring fungal bioactive anthraquinones and analogues biosynthesized by the acetate route and concerning several different functionalized carbon skeletons. Hydrocarbons, lipids, sterols, esters, fatty acids, derivatives of amino acids, and aromatic compounds are metabolites belonging to other different classes of natural compounds and are generated by the same biosynthetic route. All of them are produced by plant, microorganisms, and marine organisms. The biological activities of anthraquinones and analogues comprise phytotoxic, antibacterial, antiviral, anticancer, antitumor, algicide, antifungal, enzyme inhibiting, immunostimulant, antiplatelet aggregation, cytotoxic, and antiplasmodium activities. The review also covers some practical industrial applications of anthraquinones.