bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Six Weeks of Calorie Restriction Improves Body Composition and Lipid Profile in Obese and Overweight Former Athletes
Authors: Hołowko Joanna , Michalczyk Małgorzata Magdalena , Zając Adam , Czerwińska-Rogowska Maja , Ryterska Karina , Banaszczak Marcin , Jakubczyk Karolina , Stachowska Ewa
Published: June 2019

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the impact of 6 weeks of reducing daily caloric intake by 20% of total daily energy expenditure (TDEE)-CRI vs. reducing daily caloric intake by 30% of TDEE-CRII on body mass reduction and insulin metabolism in former athletes. Methods: 94 males aged 35.7 ± 5.3 years, height 180.5 ± 4.1 cm, and body mass 96.82 ± 6.2 kg were randomly assigned to the CRI (n = 49) or CRII (n = 45) group. Thirty-one participants (18 subjects from CRI and 13 from CRII) resigned from the study. The effects of both diets on the body composition variables (body mass—BM; body fat—BF; fat free mass—FFM; muscle mass—MM; total body water—TBW), lipid profile (total lipids—TL; total cholesterol—TCh; HDL cholesterol—HDL; LDL cholesterol—LDL; triglycerides—TG), and glucose control variables (glucose—GL, insulin—I, HOMA-IR, insulin-like growth factor-1—IGF-1, leptin and adiponectin) were measured. Results: After adhering to the CR I diet, significant differences were observed in FFM, MM and TG. After adhering to the CR II diet, significant differences were registered in tCh, TL and LDL. Both diets had a significant influence on leptin and adiponectin concentrations. Significant differences in FFM, MM, and tCh were observed between the CR I and CR II groups. At the end of the dietary intervention, significant differences in BF, FFM, MM and TBW were observed between the CR I and CR II groups. Conclusion: The 6 weeks of CR II diet appeared to be more effective in reducing BF and lipid profile and proved to be especially suitable for subjects with high body fat content and an elevated level of lipoproteins and cholesterol. Both reductive diets were effective in improving the levels of leptin and adiponectin in obese former athletes.
Prevalence and Predictors of Dietary and Nutritional Supplement Use in the Australian Army: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Baker Bradley , Probert Bianka , Pomeroy Diane , Carins Julia , Tooley Katie
Published: June 2019

Dietary supplements (DSs) and nutritional supplements (NSs) can enhance performance, recovery or training adaptations, however, some substances, dosages, and usage protocols are unsafe. Knowledge of the type and extent of use within populations enables strategies to be formulated to promote safe and effective use (where needed) and to avoid adverse side effects. The purpose of this study was to understand DS and NS use by active-duty Australian soldiers. Surveys were distributed by e-mail and hard copy to eligible participants (n = 23,195). Respondents (males n = 1833; females n = 296) comprised 9.3% of the total population. Use of ≥1 DSs/week was reported by 76.4% of males and 86.8% of females, and use of ≥1 NSs/week was reported by 21.7% of males and 20.9% of females. The most commonly used supplements were protein or amino acids (55.6%), multivitamins and minerals (38.2%), other DSs (37.8%), individual vitamins and minerals (33.0%), and combination products (32.8%). Logistic regression revealed the number of DSs respondents used simultaneously was significantly different between males and females, age groups, BMI ranges, and body weight actions. Engagement in special operations was a significant predictor of the use of any DS, individual vitamin and minerals and multivitamin and minerals. Approximately 16% of regular DS users reported experiencing one or more side effects, with the most common being palpitations (10.6%), tingling or numbness in the face, fingers, arms, or legs (5.5%), tremors or shaking (2.9%), flushing (2.3%), headache (2.0%), abdominal pain (1.6%), anxiety (1.4%), and dizziness or confusion (0.9%). The results revealed more prevalent use of several categories of DSs and NSs among some subgroups. Ongoing surveillance of DS and NS use is important for tracking trends in use over time and gauging the effectiveness of any strategies employed to enhance the quality of supplement use.
Asymmetric and Symmetric Protein Arginine Dimethylation: Concept and Postprandial Effects of High-Fat Protein Meals in Healthy Overweight Men
Authors: Bollenbach Alexander , Huneau Jean-François , Mariotti François , Tsikas Dimitrios
Published: June 2019

Asymmetric and symmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA and SDMA, respectively) are risk factors for the cardiovascular and renal systems. There is a paucity of data in humans regarding variations of protein L-arginine (Arg) methylation leading to ADMA and SDMA. In this study, we introduced and used Arg dimethylation indices based on the creatinine-corrected urinary excretion of SDMA and ADMA, and its major metabolite dimethylamine (DMA). The main objective of the present study was to assess whether, and to which extent, a high-fat protein meal (HFM), a classical allostatic load eliciting various adverse effects, may contribute to Arg dimethylation in proteins in humans. Reliable gas chromatography–mass spectrometry methods were used to measure the concentration of ADMA, DMA, SDMA, and creatinine in spot urine samples collected before (0 h), and after (2, 4, 6 h) three HFM sessions in 10 healthy overweight individuals. At baseline, urinary ADMA, DMA, and SDMA excretion correlated positively with circulating TNF-α and IL-6. Arg dimethylation indices did not change postprandially. Our study shows that three HFMs do not contribute to Arg dimethylation in proteins. The proposed indices should be useful to determine extent and status of the whole-body Arg dimethylation in proteins in humans under various conditions.
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Risk of Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Venø Stine Krogh , Schmidt Erik Berg , Bork Christian Sørensen
Published: June 2019

Ischemic stroke is a major cause of death and morbidity worldwide. It has been suggested that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may be associated with a lower risk ischemic stroke, but this has been far less studied than their role for coronary heart disease. In this paper, we summarize the main findings from previous follow-up studies investigating associations between intake or biomarkers of the major PUFAs including alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), marine n-3 PUFAs and linoleic acid (LA) and the development of ischemic stroke. Several follow-up studies have suggested that marine n-3 PUFAs may be associated with a lower risk of ischemic stroke although results have not been consistent and limited knowledge exist on the individual marine n-3 PUFAs and ischemic stroke and its subtypes. The role of ALA is less clear, but most studies have not supported that ALA is appreciably associated with ischemic stroke risk. Some studies have supported that LA might be associated with a lower risk of total ischemic stroke, while limited evidence exist on PUFAs and ischemic stroke subtypes. The associations may depend on the macronutrients that PUFAs replace and this substitution aspect together with focus on dietary patterns represent interesting areas for future research.
A Review of Strongyloides spp. Environmental Sources Worldwide
Authors: A. F. White Mae , Whiley Harriet , E. Ross Kirstin
Published: June 2019

Strongyloides spp. are parasitic nematodes that are transmitted through the environment and are capable of causing disease. These nematodes affect an estimated 3–300 million humans worldwide. Identifying the environmental reservoirs of Strongyloides spp. is essential for the development of appropriate control strategies. This systematic literature review examined all published studies that identified Strongyloides stercoralis, Strongyloides fuelleborni, Strongyloides fuelleborni kellyi, and Strongyloides spp. from an environmental source. Most studies detected the nematode from dog and primate fecal samples. Other environmental sources identified were ruminants, cats, rodents, insects, water, soil, as well as fruit and vegetables. Most studies used microscopy-based identification techniques; however, several employed molecular-based techniques, which have become increasingly popular for the detection of Strongyloides spp. A limitation identified was a lack of studies that comprehensively screened all potential environmental samples in a region. Future research should undertake this holistic screening process to identify which environmental reservoirs pose the greatest significance to human health. Potential controls can be identified through the identification of environmental sources. Understanding where Strongyloides spp. is commonly found within the environment of endemic areas will inform environmental control strategies to reduce this neglected disease.
Potential Albumin-Based Antioxidant Nanoformulations for Ocular Protection against Oxidative Stress
Authors: Kim Daseul , Maharjan Pooja , Jin Minki , Park Taehoon , Maharjan Anjila , Amatya Reeju , Yang JaeWook , Min Kyoung Ah , Shin Meong Cheol
Published: June 2019

Amongst various drug administration methods, ophthalmic drug delivery has been a useful way for the treatment of eye-related diseases. However, therapeutic efficacy of ocular therapy for anterior or posterior eye segments through topical administration is considerably challenged by the number of anatomical and physiological barriers in the eyes affecting ocular bioavailability. In this respect, advanced biocompatible nanoformulations make it possible to improve drug delivery to the target sites and enhance ocular bioavailability of ophthalmic medicines. Various ocular diseases have been reported to be related to oxidative stresses in tissues, and polyphenolic compounds have been known for their antioxidant activities in various tissues, including the eyes. Despite drug efficacy, poor water solubility and intrinsic color of the compounds limit the drug’s inclusion into the development of ocular medicine. In the present study, we investigated the antioxidant protectant efficacy of rosmarinic or ursolic acid in the retinal epithelial cells, as compared to those of curcumin, by forming nanospheres with bovine serum albumin. Our results demonstrate that antioxidant-containing nanoformulations provide a significantly higher drug solubility and decreased ROS (reactive oxygen species) production in the retinal epithelial cells. Finally, we also found that albumin-based nanoformulations could improve bioavailability and increase antioxidant activity of rosmarinic or ursolic acid in the retina to be applied as efficient ocular protectant.
Delivery of Nanoparticles across the Intestinal Epithelium via the Transferrin Transport Pathway
Authors: Yong Jing M. , Mantaj Julia , Cheng Yiyi , Vllasaliu Driton
Published: June 2019

The aim of this study was to probe whether the transferrin (Tf) transport pathway can be exploited for intestinal delivery of nanoparticles. Tf was adsorbed on 100 nm model polystyrene nanoparticles (NP), followed by size characterisation of these systems. Cell uptake of Tf and Tf-adsorbed NP was investigated in intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells cultured on multi-well plates and as differentiated polarised monolayers. Tf-NP demonstrated a remarkably higher cell uptake compared to unmodified NP in both non-polarised (5-fold) and polarised cell monolayers (16-fold difference). Application of soluble Tf significantly attenuated the uptake of Tf-NP. Notably, Tf-NP displayed remarkably higher rate (23-fold) of epithelial transport across Caco-2 monolayers compared to unmodified NP. This study therefore strongly suggests that the Tf transport pathway should be considered as a candidate biological transport route for orally-administered nanomedicines and drugs with poor oral bioavailability.
Synthesis of Intelligent pH Indicative Films from Chitosan/Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Anthocyanin Extracted from Red Cabbage
Authors: Vo Thuy-Vi , Dang Tan-Hiep , Chen Bing-Hung
Published: June 2019

In this study, pH indicative films were successfully synthesized from hydrogels made by blending 1% poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and 1% chitosan (CS) with anthocyanin (ATH) and sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP). Particularly, ATH extracted from red cabbage was used as the pH indicator, while STPP was utilized as the cross-linking agent to provide better mechanical properties of the cast films. FT-IR spectra confirmed the existence of the ATH in the cast films. Moreover, the tensile strength, the elongation-at-break, and the swelling indices of the cast films were measured. In general, these properties of pH indicative films were profoundly influenced by the compositions of PVA/CS and the STPP dosage applied in the hydrogels. For example, the tensile strength could change from 43.27 MPa on a film cast from pure PVA hydrogel to 29.89 MPa, if 35% of the PVA hydrogel was substituted with CS. The cast films were applied as a food wrap that could be used to monitor visually the quality of the enwrapped food via the color change of the film upon the variation in pH values of the enwrapped food. In practice, a sequential change in color was successfully observed on the pH indicative films partially enwrapping the pork belly, indicating the spoilage of the meat.
POSS Compounds as Modifiers for Rigid Polyurethane Foams (Composites)
Authors: Strąkowska Anna , Członka Sylwia , Strzelec Krzysztof
Published: June 2019

Three types of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSSs) with different functional active groups were used to modify rigid polyurethane foams (RPUFs). Aminopropylisobutyl-POSS (AP-POSS), trisilanoisobutyl-POSS (TS-POSS) and octa(3-hydroxy-3-methylbutyldimethylsiloxy-POSS (OH-POSS) were added in an amount of 0.5 wt.% of the polyol weight. The characteristics of fillers including the size of particles, evaluation of the dispersion of particles and their effect on the viscosity of the polyol premixes were performed. Next, the obtained foams were evaluated by their processing parameters, morphology (Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis, SEM), mechanical properties (compressive test, three-point bending test, impact strength), viscoelastic behavior (Dynamic Mechanical Analysis, DMA), thermal properties (Thermogravimetric Analysis, TGA, thermal conductivity) and application properties (contact angle, water absorption). The results showed that the morphology of modified foams is significantly affected by the fillers typology, which resulted in inhomogeneous, irregular, large cell shapes and further affected the physical and mechanical properties of the resulting materials. RPUFs modified with AP-POSS represent better mechanical properties compared to the RPUFs modified with other POSS.
Preparation of Half- and Post-Metallocene Hafnium Complexes with Tetrahydroquinoline and Tetrahydrophenanthroline Frameworks for Olefin Polymerization
Authors: Baek Jun Won , Kwon Su Jin , Lee Hyun Ju , Kim Tae Jin , Ryu Ji Yeon , Lee Junseong , Shin Eun Ji , Lee Ki Soo , Lee Bun Yeoul
Published: June 2019

Hafnium complexes have drawn attention for their application as post-metallocene catalysts with unique performance in olefin polymerization. In this work, a series of half-metallocene HfMe2 complexes, bearing a tetrahydroquinoline framework, as well as a series of [Namido,N,Caryl]HfMe2-type post-metallocene complexes, bearing a tetrahydrophenanthroline framework, were prepared; the structures of the prepared Hf complexes were unambiguously confirmed by X-ray crystallography. When the prepared complexes were reacted with anhydrous [(C18H37)2N(H)Me]+[B(C6F5)4]−, desired ion-pair complexes, in which (C18H37)2NMe coordinated to the Hf center, were cleanly afforded. The activated complexes generated from the half-metallocene complexes were inactive for the copolymerization of ethylene/propylene, while those generated from post-metallocene complexes were active. Complex bearing bulky isopropyl substituents (12) exhibited the highest activity. However, the activity was approximately half that of the prototype pyridylamido-Hf Dow catalyst. The comonomer incorporation capability was also inferior to that of the pyridylamido-Hf Dow catalyst. However, 12 performed well in the coordinative chain transfer polymerization performed in the presence of (octyl)2Zn, converting all the fed (octyl)2Zn to (polyolefinyl)2Zn with controlled lengths of the polyolefinyl chain.
Special Issue “Renewable Polymers: Processing and Chemical Modifications”
Authors: Mekonnen Tizazu , Dubé Marc
Published: June 2019

The use of renewable resources for polymer production is receiving substantial and ever-growing interest [...]
Loci of Leadership: The Quasi-Judicial Authority of Shariah Tribunals in the British Muslim Community
Authors: Al-Astewani Amin
Published: June 2019

Leadership and authority were two central themes in the mission statement of the first ever Shariah tribunal to emerge in the UK. When the Islamic Shariah Council was established in 1982, it noted that its founding meeting had been attended by Muslim scholars from a number of mosques in the UK who represented the major schools of Islamic law. This ensured in its own words that it was widely accepted as an authoritative body with regards to Islamic law and that it was therefore able to cater to the basic religious needs of the Muslim community. Since their emergence in the 1980s, Shariah tribunals have played an important role in guiding the Muslim community through the provision of religious services. This paper seeks to enrich the literature on Shariah tribunals by critically assessing how such tribunals have used their expertise in Islamic law to wield quasi-judicial authority in the British Muslim community, within a legal system which does not directly grant legal jurisdiction to religious tribunals. The paper highlights the distinctive characteristics of the authority which Shariah tribunals exercise as religious institutions, which distinguish them from the secular courts of the state despite the judicial functions which both share in common.
Determination of Vegetation Thresholds for Assessing Land Use and Land Use Changes in Cambodia using the Google Earth Engine Cloud-Computing Platform
Authors: Venkatappa Manjunatha , Sasaki Nophea , Shrestha Rajendra Prasad , Tripathi Nitin Kumar , Ma Hwan-Ok
Published: June 2019

As more data and technologies become available, it is important that a simple method is developed for the assessment of land use changes because of the global need to understand the potential climate mitigation that could result from a reduction in deforestation and forest degradation in the tropics. Here, we determined the threshold values of vegetation types to classify land use categories in Cambodia through the analysis of phenological behaviors and the development of a robust phenology-based threshold classification (PBTC) method for the mapping and long-term monitoring of land cover changes. We accessed 2199 Landsat collections using Google Earth Engine (GEE) and applied the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and harmonic regression methods to identify phenological behaviors of land cover categories during the leaf-shedding phenology (LSP) and leaf-flushing phenology (LFS) seasons. We then generated 722 mean phenology EVI profiles for 12 major land cover categories and determined the threshold values for selected land cover categories in the mid-LSP season. The PBTC pixel-based classified map was validated using very high-resolution (VHR) imagery. We obtained a cumulative overall accuracy of more than 88% and a cumulative overall accuracy of the referenced forest cover of almost 85%. These high accuracy values suggest that the very first PBTC map can be useful for estimating the activity data, which are critically needed to assess land use changes and related carbon emissions under the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) scheme. We found that GEE cloud-computing is an appropriate tool to use to access remote sensing big data at scale and at no cost.
Multi-Temporal Dual- and Quad-Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar Data for Crop-Type Mapping
Authors: Valcarce-Diñeiro Rubén , Arias-Pérez Benjamín , Lopez-Sanchez Juan M. , Sánchez Nilda
Published: June 2019

Land-cover monitoring is one of the core applications of remote sensing. Monitoring and mapping changes in the distribution of agricultural land covers provide a reliable source of information that helps environmental sustainability and supports agricultural policies. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) can contribute considerably to this monitoring effort. The first objective of this research is to extend the use of time series of polarimetric data for land-cover classification using a decision tree classification algorithm. With this aim, RADARSAT-2 (quad-pol) and Sentinel-1 (dual-pol) data were acquired over an area of 600 km2 in central Spain. Ten polarimetric observables were derived from both datasets and seven scenarios were created with different sets of observables to evaluate a multitemporal parcel-based approach for classifying eleven land-cover types, most of which were agricultural crops. The study demonstrates that good overall accuracies, greater than 83%, were achieved for all of the different proposed scenarios and the scenario with all RADARSAT-2 polarimetric observables was the best option (89.1%). Very high accuracies were also obtained when dual-pol data from RADARSAT-2 or Sentinel-1 were used to classify the data, with overall accuracies of 87.1% and 86%, respectively. In terms of individual crop accuracy, rapeseed achieved at least 95% of a producer’s accuracy for all scenarios and that was followed by the spring cereals (wheat and barley), which achieved high producer’s accuracies (79.9%-95.3%) and user’s accuracies (85.5% and 93.7%).
Ground-Based MAX-DOAS Observations of CHOCHO and HCHO in Beijing and Baoding, China
Authors: Javed Zeeshan , Liu Cheng , Khokhar Muhammad , Tan Wei , Liu Haoran , Xing Chengzhi , Ji Xiangguang , Tanvir Aimon , Hong Qianqian , Sandhu Osama , Rehman Abdul
Published: June 2019

Glyoxal (CHOCHO) and formaldehyde (HCHO) trace gases were successfully retrieved from a multi-axis differential optical absorption spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) system in Beijing (39.95°N, 116.32°E) and Baoding (39.15°N, 115.40°E), China. The measurements of these trace gases span the period from May 2017 to April 2018. Higher levels of trace gases were observed in Beijing most likely due to increased transport and industrial activities compared to Baoding. Different time scales were analyzed from seasonal to daily levels. Seasonal variation categorized by wintertime maximum and summertime minimum was observed for CHOCHO, while for HCHO maximum values were recorded during summer at both observation points. Variations in the diurnal cycle of trace gases were examined. The results are consistent with strong links to photo-oxidations of VOCs for HCHO production, whereas the CHOCHO diurnal variation can be related to anthropogenic effects in the evening. Weekends didn’t have any significant effect on both HCHO and CHOCHO. We investigated the temperature dependency of HCHO and CHOCHO. HCHO shows positive correlation with air temperature, which strengthened the argument that HCHO production is linked to photo-oxidation of VOCs. CHOCHO is anti-correlated with air temperature. This suggests that photolysis is a major sink for CHOCHO in Beijing and Baoding. We also investigated the relationship between CHOCHO and HCHO VCDs with enhanced vegetation index (EVI) data obtained from MODIS, which represents a direct relation with biogenic emissions. The positive correlations were observed among monthly mean HCHO VCDs and monthly mean EVI at both monitoring stations. The strong correlation of HCHO with EVI found, suggests that oxidation of isoprene and HCHO production is strongly related, while negative correlation was observed among CHOCHO VCDs and EVI.
Coral Reef Change Detection in Remote Pacific Islands Using Support Vector Machine Classifiers
Authors: Gapper Justin J. , El-Askary Hesham , Linstead Erik , Piechota Thomas
Published: June 2019

Despite the abundance of research on coral reef change detection, few studies have been conducted to assess the spatial generalization principles of a live coral cover classifier trained using remote sensing data from multiple locations. The aim of this study is to develop a machine learning classifier for coral dominated benthic cover-type class (CDBCTC) based on ground truth observations and Landsat images, evaluate the performance of this classifier when tested against new data, then deploy the classifier to perform CDBCTC change analysis of multiple locations. The proposed framework includes image calibration, support vector machine (SVM) training and tuning, statistical assessment of model accuracy, and temporal pixel-based image differencing. Validation of the methodology was performed by cross-validation and train/test split using ground truth observations of benthic cover from four different reefs. These four locations (Palmyra Atoll, Kingman Reef, Baker Island Atoll, and Howland Island) as well as two additional locations (Kiritimati Island and Tabuaeran Island) were then evaluated for CDBCTC change detection. The in-situ training accuracy against ground truth observations for Palmyra Atoll, Kingman Reef, Baker Island Atoll, and Howland Island were 87.9%, 85.7%, 69.2%, and 82.1% respectively. The classifier attained generalized accuracy scores of 78.8%, 81.0%, 65.4%, and 67.9% for the respective locations when trained using ground truth observations from neighboring reefs and tested against the local ground truth observations of each reef. The classifier was trained using the consolidated ground truth data of all four sites and attained a cross-validated accuracy of 75.3%. The CDBCTC change detection analysis showed a decrease in CDBCTC of 32% at Palmyra Atoll, 25% at Kingman Reef, 40% at Baker Island Atoll, 25% at Howland Island, 35% at Tabuaeran Island, and 43% at Kiritimati Island. This research establishes a methodology for developing a robust classifier and the associated Controlled Parameter Cross-Validation (CPCV) process for evaluating how well the model will generalize to new data. It is an important step for improving the scientific understanding of temporal change within coral reefs around the globe.
A Simple Similarity Index for the Comparison of Remotely Sensed Time Series with Scarce Simultaneous Acquisitions
Authors: Fasbender Dominique , Vajsová Blanka , Wirnhardt Csaba , Lemajic Slavko
Published: June 2019

Emergence of new state-of-the-art technologies has enabled an unprecedented amount of high spatial resolution satellite data having great potential for exploitation of extracted time series for a vast range of applications. Despite the high temporal resolution of time series, the number of real observations of optical data that can be utilized is reduced due to meteorological conditions (such as cloud or haze) prevailing at the time of acquisition. This fact has an effect on the density of the retrieved time series and subsequently on a number of coincidental observations when comparing the similarity of time series from two different data sources for which the simultaneous acquisition date is already scarce. Classical tools for assessing the similarity of such time series can prove to be difficult or even impossible because of a lack of simultaneous observations. In this paper, we propose a simple method in order to circumvent this scarcity issue. In the first step, we rely on an interpolation in order to produce artificial time series on the union of the original acquisition dates. Then, we extend the theory of the correlation coefficient (CC) estimator to these interpolated time series. After validation on synthetic data, this simple approach proved to be extremely efficient on a real case study where Sentinel-2 and PlanetScope NDVI time series on parcels in The Netherlands are compared. Indeed, compared to other methods, it reduced the number of undecided cases while also improving the power of the statistical test on the similarity between both types of time series and the precision of the estimated CC.
Towards Global Volcano Monitoring Using Multisensor Sentinel Missions and Artificial Intelligence: The MOUNTS Monitoring System
Authors: Valade Sébastien , Ley Andreas , Massimetti Francesco , D’Hondt Olivier , Laiolo Marco , Coppola Diego , Loibl David , Hellwich Olaf , Walter Thomas R.
Published: June 2019

Most of the world’s 1500 active volcanoes are not instrumentally monitored, resulting in deadly eruptions which can occur without observation of precursory activity. The new Sentinel missions are now providing freely available imagery with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions, with payloads allowing for a comprehensive monitoring of volcanic hazards. We here present the volcano monitoring platform MOUNTS (Monitoring Unrest from Space), which aims for global monitoring, using multisensor satellite-based imagery (Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar SAR, Sentinel-2 Short-Wave InfraRed SWIR, Sentinel-5P TROPOMI), ground-based seismic data (GEOFON and USGS global earthquake catalogues), and artificial intelligence (AI) to assist monitoring tasks. It provides near-real-time access to surface deformation, heat anomalies, SO2 gas emissions, and local seismicity at a number of volcanoes around the globe, providing support to both scientific and operational communities for volcanic risk assessment. Results are visualized on an open-access website where both geocoded images and time series of relevant parameters are provided, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the temporal evolution of volcanic activity and eruptive products. We further demonstrate that AI can play a key role in such monitoring frameworks. Here we design and train a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) on synthetically generated interferograms, to operationally detect strong deformation (e.g., related to dyke intrusions), in the real interferograms produced by MOUNTS. The utility of this interdisciplinary approach is illustrated through a number of recent eruptions (Erta Ale 2017, Fuego 2018, Kilauea 2018, Anak Krakatau 2018, Ambrym 2018, and Piton de la Fournaise 2018–2019). We show how exploiting multiple sensors allows for assessment of a variety of volcanic processes in various climatic settings, ranging from subsurface magma intrusion, to surface eruptive deposit emplacement, pre/syn-eruptive morphological changes, and gas propagation into the atmosphere. The data processed by MOUNTS is providing insights into eruptive precursors and eruptive dynamics of these volcanoes, and is sharpening our understanding of how the integration of multiparametric datasets can help better monitor volcanic hazards.
Monitoring of Heart Rate from Photoplethysmographic Signals Using a Samsung Galaxy Note8 in Underwater Environments
Authors: Askarian Behnam , Jung Kwanghee , Chong Jo Woon
Published: June 2019

Photoplethysmography (PPG) is a commonly used in determining heart rate and oxygen saturation (SpO2). However, PPG measurements and its accuracy are heavily affected by the measurement procedure and environmental factors such as light, temperature, and medium. In this paper, we analyzed the effects of different mediums (water vs. air) and temperature on the PPG signal quality and heart rate estimation. To evaluate the accuracy, we compared our measurement output with a gold-standard PPG device (NeXus-10 MKII). The experimental results show that the average PPG signal amplitude values of the underwater environment decreased considerably (22% decrease) compared to PPG signals of dry environments, and the heart rate measurement deviated 7% (5 beats per minute on average. The experimental results also show that the signal to noise ratio (SNR) and signal amplitude decrease as temperature decreases. Paired t-test which compares amplitude and heart rate values between the underwater and dry environments was performed and the test results show statistically significant differences for both amplitude and heart rate values (p < 0.05). Moreover, experimental results indicate that decreasing the temperature from 45 °C to 5 °C or changing the medium from air to water decreases PPG signal quality, (e.g., PPG signal amplitude decreases from 0.560 to 0.112). The heart rate is estimated within 5.06 bpm deviation at 18 °C in underwater environment, while estimation accuracy decreases as temperature goes down.
Study on Machine Tool Positioning Uncertainty Due to Volumetric Verification
Authors: Aguado Sergio , Pérez Pablo , Albajez José Antonio , Santolaria Jorge , Velazquez Jesús
Published: June 2019

Volumetric verification is based on the machine tool (MT) kinematic model, along with its geometric errors. Although users often ignore the uncertainty of verification, the use of the MT as a traceable measurement system in the manufacturing process has increased the need for professionals to be aware of it. This paper presents an improvement in the MT kinematic model, introducing in it the influence of verification uncertainty sources. These sources have been classified into four groups: the MT, the measurement system itself, the measurement strategy, and the optimization strategy. As the developed model exhibits non-linear behavior, the Monte Carlo method was used to determine the influence of the measurement system on verification uncertainty using synthetic tests. In this manner, an improved estimation of the MT uncertainty can be obtained. Therefore, if the MT is used as a traceable measurement system, its accuracy should not be higher than the laser tracker (LT) verification influence. It hence shows the importance of LT influence.
Metal-Organic Frameworks in Green Analytical Chemistry
Authors: Rocío-Bautista Priscilla , Taima-Mancera Iván , Pasán Jorge , Pino Verónica
Published: June 2019

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous hybrid materials composed of metal ions and organic linkers, characterized by their crystallinity and by the highest known surface areas. MOFs structures present accessible cages, tunnels and modifiable pores, together with adequate mechanical and thermal stability. Their outstanding properties have led to their recognition as revolutionary materials in recent years. Analytical chemistry has also benefited from the potential of MOF applications. MOFs succeed as sorbent materials in extraction and microextraction procedures, as sensors, and as stationary or pseudo-stationary phases in chromatographic systems. To date, around 100 different MOFs form part of those analytical applications. This review intends to give an overview on the use of MOFs in analytical chemistry in recent years (2017–2019) within the framework of green analytical chemistry requirements, with a particular emphasis on possible toxicity issues of neat MOFs and trends to ensure green approaches in their preparation.
An Exploratory Case Study of Mental Toughness Variability and Potential Influencers over 30 Days
Authors: Cooper Ken Bradford , Wilson Mark , Jones Martin Ian
Published: June 2019

The purpose of this study was to explore whether mental toughness varies across a 30-day training block and whether such variability is associated with specific antecedents. This exploratory case study research investigated mental toughness variability using the Mental Toughness Index (MTI) with thirteen elite master runners across a series of self-selected training sessions, followed by interviews and follow-up questionnaires, to identify primary influencers of variability. There were significant differences in the MTI scores between baseline (before the training period), and the minimum and the maximum reported score over five self-selected training sessions (p’s < 0.004). The proceeding follow-up interviews and questionnaires then provided insights into factors influencing this intra-individual variability. These higher-level themes included foundational wellbeing, specific preparation, and actions utilized in the moment. This study is the first to demonstrate within-person MTI variability across specific training sessions and provides initial insights for both athletes and practitioners into potential influencers of mental toughness.
A Case Study on Large Deformation Failure Mechanism and Control Techniques for Soft Rock Roadways in Tectonic Stress Areas
Authors: Xue Guangzhe , Gu Chao , Fang Xinqiu , Wei Tao
Published: June 2019

Large deformation and failure of soft rock are pressing problems in the mining practice. This paper provides a case study on failure mechanisms and support approaches for a water-rich soft rock roadway in tectonic stress areas of the Wangzhuang coal mine, China. Mechanic properties of rock mass related to the roadway are calibrated via a geological strength index method (GSI), based on which a corresponding numerical simulation model is established in the Universal Discrete Element Code (UDEC) software. The failure mechanism of the roadway under water-saturating and weathering conditions is revealed by field tests and numerical simulation. It is found that the stress evolution and crack development are affected by weathering and horizontal tectonic stresses. The roadway roof and floor suffer from high stress concentration and continuous cracking, and are consequently seen with rock failure, strength weakening, and pressure relief. Unfortunately, the current support system fails to restrain rock weathering and strength weakening, and the roadway is found with serious floor heave, roof subsidence, and large asymmetric deformation. Accordingly, a new combined support system of “bolt–cable–mesh–shotcrete + grouting” is proposed. Moreover, numerical simulation and field testing are conducted to validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed approach, the results of which demonstrate the capacity of the proposed new support method to perfectly control the surrounding rock. Findings of this research can provide valuable references for support engineering in the soft rock roadway under analogous geological conditions.
Negotiating Improved Multifunctional Landscape Use: Trails as Facilitators for Collaboration Among Stakeholders
Authors: Godtman Kling Kristin , Dahlberg Annika , Wall-Reinius Sandra
Published: June 2019

Trails are significant features in landscapes, and many ancient pathways have developed into routes of great importance for recreation and tourism in contemporary societies. Nevertheless, international research on recreational trails has hitherto mainly focused on managerial and environmental aspects of trails and less on trails from a social science perspective, such as conflict management. This study explores the role of recreational trails as a potential tool for managing conflicts in a multifunctional landscape. The findings originate from a case study of the southern Jämtland mountain region in Sweden, an area where land-use conflicts exist and where tourism is a major concern. The study examines the recreational trail as an applied example where actors in the mountain landscape “negotiate” and collaborate. through the recreational trail, dialogue and discussions are made possible among stakeholders. Findings show that trails can function as facilitators for communication and can thus enhance the possibilities of building trust and promoting collaboration between actors. This research contributes to the existing literature on handling multiple land-use interests and adds to previous knowledge by taking on a rather new approach, where the recreational trail becomes a facilitator for communication.
Circular Economy Strategies in Eight Historic Port Cities: Criteria and Indicators Towards a Circular City Assessment Framework
Authors: Gravagnuolo Antonia , Angrisano Mariarosaria , Fusco Girard Luigi
Published: June 2019

The circular city is emerging as new concept and form of practice in sustainable urban development. This is a response to the complex and pressing challenges of urbanization, as highlighted in the New Urban Agenda (NUA). The concept of a “circular city” or “circular city-region” derives from the circular economy model applied in the spatial territorial dimension. It can be associated with the concept of a “self-sustainable” regenerative city, as stated in paragraph n.71 of the NUA. This paper aims to develop an extensive form of “screening” of circular economy actions in emerging circular cities, focusing on eight European historic port cities self-defined as “circular”. The analysis is carried out as a review of circular economy actions in the selected cities, and specifically aims to identify the key areas of implementation in which the investments in the circular economy are more oriented, as well as to analyze the spatial implications of the reuse of buildings and sites, proposing a set of criteria and indicators for ex-ante and ex-post evaluations and monitoring of circular cities. Results show that the built environment (including cultural heritage), energy and mobility, waste management, water management, industrial production (including plastics, textiles, and industry 4.0 and circular design), agri-food, and citizens and communities can be adopted as strategic areas of implementation of the circular city model in historic cities, highlighting a lack of indicators in some sectors and identifying a possible framework for “closed” urban metabolism evaluation from a life-cycle perspective, focusing on evaluation criteria and indicators in the (historic) built environment.
Selecting the House-of-Quality-Based Energy Investment Policies for the Sustainable Emerging Economies
Authors: Tang Ziyuan , Dinçer Hasan
Published: June 2019

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the sustainable energy investments based on house of quality. For that, a hybrid decision-making approach to interval type 2 (IT2) fuzzy sets under the hesitancy is proposed. The novelties of the study are to construct an integrated IT2-based modelling and a set of dimensions and criteria for the sustainable energy investments for the emerging countries. The DEMATEL method is used for weighting the customer expectations of sustainable energy investments. The TOPSIS method is applied for ranking the house-of-quality-based investment policies with the technical requirements for the emerging economies. The results show that the capacity issue of energy industry is the most prominent issue for the technical requirements of energy investments. However, it is concluded that increasing communication with the capacity facilities is the most valuable strategy based on the house of quality evaluation. The results are also discussed for further studies and sustainable policies.
An Examination of Corporate Social Responsibility and Employee Behavior: The Case of Pakistan
Authors: Zulfiqar Sehar , Sadaf Rabeea , Popp József , Vveinhardt Jolita , Máté Domicián
Published: June 2019

The internal dimension of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to the socially responsible behavior of an organization towards its employees. The CSR relationship to employee behavior has received some attention but in general, there is little knowledge about the underlying explanatory mechanisms that can describe this relationship. In this study, a theoretical model of mediation and moderation is developed to explain how CSR can influence employee behavior. Organizational identification and work engagement are used as proxies for employee behavior in the model and internal dimension of CSR is assumed to affect both of them positively. Further, it is proposed that CSR influences the organizational identification positively and this relationship will be stronger in a collectivist culture, which will eventually lead to higher work engagement. A proposed model was tested on a sample of bank employees in Pakistan by using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method. The results of this study provide contextual and empirical insights into how CSR influences employee behavior.
A Study of Transport Behaviour of Academic Communities
Authors: Romanowska Aleksandra , Okraszewska Romanika , Jamroz Kazimierz
Published: June 2019

An important challenge to achieving sustainable university campuses is ensuring that the academic community makes sustainable transport choices. The objective of this study was to investigate the daily commuting patterns, identify the potential for change, and determine the factors and criteria affecting the transport decisions of academic communities of two universities located in Gdansk, Poland. This paper summarizes the results of trip generation measurements and a comprehensive online survey of 3678 respondents, including the universities’ staff and students. Analysis of survey results revealed clear differences between students and university staff in terms of travel patterns and factors that influence their choices. Staff usually (57%) choose the car for daily commutes with students opting for public transport (59%). The choice of travel mode in particular groups is determined mostly by car availability, trip origin location, and accessibility. The choices also depend on transport user individual requirements such as trip quality, costs, or ecology. With approximately 1400 trips daily per 1000 students, the universities are large traffic generators. Thus, how the staff and students behave determines the effect the universities have on the urban transport system. Understanding the behaviour can help to estimate whether it can be changed and how.
People Analytics of Semantic Web Human Resource Résumés for Sustainable Talent Acquisition
Authors: Necula Sabina-Cristiana , Strîmbei Cătălin
Published: June 2019

The purpose of this study was to define a data science architecture for talent acquisition. The approach was to propose analytics that derive data. The originality of this paper consists in proposing an architecture to work within the process of obtaining semantically enriched data by using data science and Semantic Web technologies. We applied the proposed architecture and developed a case study-based prototype that uses analytics techniques for résumé data integrated with Linked Data technologies. We conducted a case study to identify skills by applying classification via regression, k-nearest neighbors (k-NN), random forest, naïve Bayes, support vector machine, and decision tree algorithms to résumé data that we previously described with terms from publicly available ontologies. We labeled data from résumés using terms from existing human resource ontologies. The main contribution is the extraction of skills from résumés and the mining of data that was previously described with the Semantic Web.
Towards a Science Map on Sustainability in Higher Education
Authors: Alejandro-Cruz Jesus S. , Rio-Belver Rosa M. , Almanza-Arjona Yara C. , Rodriguez-Andara Alejandro
Published: June 2019

This article analyses how the concept of sustainability is being incorporated into global research of higher education. This study utilizes different scientometric reviews of global research between 1991 and 2018 using text mining techniques in order to generate first and second-generation bibliometric indicators, the latter are displayed in science maps. A total of 6724 articles and conference proceedings were collected from the Web of Science and Scopus databases to generate this research. From the results obtained, it was possible to build a canvas of the main institutions that have significantly contributed to the topic of sustainability in higher education, and it was found that 40.58% of the records originated in institutions from the United States, China, United Kingdom, and Australia. This study also provides an insight into emerging trend themes, and patterns of research in the area of sustainability worldwide. Terms such as regional planning and environmental protection inside the top keywords found, suggest a greater interest in issues of sustainable planning and social awareness and that higher education is becoming the cornerstone of environmental awareness, innovation, and guidance to achieve sustainability goals in higher education institutions, as well as in society and government.