bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preparation and Compatibilization of PBS/Whey Protein Isolate Based Blends
Authors: Coltelli Maria-Beatrice , Aliotta Laura , Gigante Vito , Bellusci Maria , Cinelli Patrizia , Bugnicourt Elodie , Schmid Markus , Staebler Andreas , Lazzeri Andrea
Published: July 2020

In this paper the production of biopolymeric blends of poly(butylene succinate) PBS and plasticized whey protein (PWP), obtained from a natural by-product from cheese manufacturing, has been investigated for the production of films and/or sheets. In order to add the highest possible whey protein content, different formulations (from 30 to 50 wt.%) were studied. It was found that by increasing the amount of PWP added to PBS, the mechanical properties were worsened accordingly. This trend was attributed to the low compatibility between PWP and PBS. Consequently, the effect of the addition of soy lecithin and glycerol monostearate (GMS) as compatibilizers was investigated and compared to the use of whey protein modified with oleate and laurate groups obtained by Schotten-Baumann reaction. Soy lecithin and the Schotten-Baumann modified whey were effective in compatibilizing the PWP/PBS blend. In fact, a significant increase in elastic modulus, tensile strength and elongation at break with respect to the not compatibilized blend was observed and the length of aliphatic chains as well as the degree of modification of the Schotten–Baumann proteins affected the results. Moreover, thanks to DSC investigations, these compatibilizers were also found effective in increasing the PBS crystallinity.
Bottom-Up Design Approach for OBOC Peptide Libraries
Authors: Kalafatovic Daniela , Mauša Goran , Rešetar Maslov Dina , Giralt Ernest
Published: July 2020

One-bead-one-compound peptide libraries, developed following the top-down experimental approach, have attracted great interest in the identification of potential ligands or active peptides. By exploiting a reverse experimental design approach based on the bottom-up strategy, we aimed to develop simplified, maximally diverse peptide libraries that resulted in the successful characterization of mixture components. We show that libraries of 32 and 48 components can be successfully detected in a single run using chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). The proposed libraries were further theoretically evaluated in terms of their composition and physico-chemical properties. By combining the knowledge obtained on single libraries we can cover larger sequence spaces and provide a controlled exploration of the peptide chemical space both theoretically and experimentally. Designing libraries by using the bottom-up approach opens up the possibility of rationally fine-tuning the library complexity based on the available analytical methods.
Non-Linear Optical Properties of Er3+–Yb3+-Doped NaGdF4 Nanostructured Glass–Ceramics
Authors: Velázquez José J. , Gorni Giulio , Balda Rolindes , Fernández Joaquin , Pascual Laura , Durán Alicia , Pascual Maria J.
Published: July 2020

Transparent oxyfluoride glass–ceramics containing NaGdF4 nanocrystals were prepared by melt-quenching and doped with Er3+ (0.5 mol%) and different amounts of Yb3+ (0–2 mol%). The selected dopant concentration the crystallization thermal treatments were chosen to obtain the most efficient visible up-conversion emissions, together with near infrared emissions. The crystal size increased with dopant content and treatment time. NaGdF4 NCs with a size ranging 9–30 nm were obtained after heat treatments at Tg + 20–80 °C as confirmed by X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Energy dispersive X-ray analysis shows the incorporation of rare earth ions into the NaGdF4 nanocrystals. Near-infrared emission spectra, together with the up-conversion emissions were measured. The optical characterization of the glass–ceramics clearly shows that Er3+ and Yb3+ ions are incorporated in the crystalline phase. Moreover, visible up-conversion emissions could be tuned by controlling the nanocrystals size through appropriated heat treatment, making possible a correlation between structural and optical properties.
Development of Thermo-Responsive Polycaprolactone–Polydimethylsiloxane Shrinkable Nanofibre Mesh
Authors: Hsieh Chia-Hsuan , Mohd Razali Nur Adila , Lin Wei-Chih , Yu Zhi-Wei , Istiqomah Dwita , Kotsuchibashi Yohei , Su Hsing-Hao
Published: July 2020

A thermally activated shape memory polymer based on the mixture of polycaprolactone (PCL) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was fabricated into the nanofibre mesh using the electrospinning process. The added percentages of the PDMS segment in the PCL-based polymer influenced the mechanical properties. Polycaprolactone serves as a switching segment to adjust the melting temperature of the shape memory electro-spun PCL–PDMS scaffolds to our body temperature at around 37 °C. Three electro-spun PCL–PDMS copolymer nanofibre samples, including PCL6–PDMS4, PCL7–PDMS3 and PCL8–PDMS2, were characterised to study the thermal and mechanical properties along with the shape memory responses. The results from the experiment showed that the PCL switching segment ratio determines the crystallinity of the copolymer nanofibres, where a higher PCL ratio results in a higher degree of crystallinity. In contrast, the results showed that the mechanical properties of the copolymer samples decreased with the PCL composition ratio. After five thermomechanical cycles, the fabricated copolymer nanofibres exhibited excellent shape memory properties with 98% shape fixity and above 100% recovery ratio. Moreover, biological experiments were applied to evaluate the biocompatibility of the fabricated PCL–PDMS nanofibre mesh. Owing to the thermally activated shape memory performance, the electro-spun PCL–PDMS fibrous mesh has a high potential for biomedical applications such as medical shrinkable tubing and wire.
Cyclic Hypoxia Exposure Accelerates the Progression of Amoebic Gill Disease
Authors: Oldham Tina , Dempster Tim , Crosbie Philip , Adams Mark , Nowak Barbara
Published: July 2020

Amoebic gill disease (AGD), caused by the amoeba Neoparamoeba perurans, has led to considerable economic losses in every major Atlantic salmon producing country, and is increasing in frequency. The most serious infections occur during summer and autumn, when temperatures are high and poor dissolved oxygen (DO) conditions are most common. Here, we tested if exposure to cyclic hypoxia at DO saturations of 40–60% altered the course of infection with N. perurans compared to normoxic controls maintained at ≥90% DO saturation. Although hypoxia exposure did not increase initial susceptibility to N. perurans, it accelerated progression of the disease. By 7 days post-inoculation, amoeba counts estimated from qPCR analysis were 1.7 times higher in the hypoxic treatment than in normoxic controls, and cumulative mortalities were twice as high (16 ± 4% and 8 ± 2%), respectively. At 10 days post-inoculation, however, there were no differences between amoeba counts in the hypoxic and normoxic treatments, nor in the percentage of filaments with AGD lesions (control = 74 ± 2.8%, hypoxic = 69 ± 3.3%), or number of lamellae per lesion (control = 30 ± 0.9%, hypoxic = 27.9 ± 0.9%) as determined by histological examination. Cumulative mortalities at the termination of the experiment were similarly high in both treatments (hypoxic = 60 ± 2%, normoxic = 53 ± 11%). These results reveal that exposure to cyclic hypoxia in a diel pattern, equivalent to what salmon are exposed to in marine aquaculture cages, accelerated the progression of AGD in post-smolts.
Two Examples of RNA Aptamers with Antiviral Activity. Are Aptamers the Wished Antiviral Drugs?
Authors: Berzal-Herranz Alfredo , Romero-López Cristina
Published: July 2020

The current Covid-19 pandemic has pointed out some major deficiencies of the even most advanced societies to fight against viral RNA infections. Once more, it has been demonstrated that there is a lack of efficient drugs to control RNA viruses. Aptamers are efficient ligands of a great variety of molecules including proteins and nucleic acids. Their specificity and mechanism of action make them very promising molecules for interfering with the function encoded in viral RNA genomes. RNA viruses store essential information in conserved structural genomic RNA elements that promote important steps for the consecution of the infective cycle. This work describes two well documented examples of RNA aptamers with antiviral activity against highly conserved structural domains of the HIV-1 and HCV RNA genome, respectively, performed in our laboratory. They are two good examples that illustrate the potential of the aptamers to fill the therapeutic gaps in the fight against RNA viruses.
Food Effects on Oral Drug Absorption: Application of Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling as a Predictive Tool
Authors: Cheng Lisa , Wong Harvey
Published: July 2020

The bioavailability of an orally administered small molecule is often dictated by drug-specific physicochemical characteristics and is influenced by many biological processes. For example, in fed or fasted conditions, the transit time within the gastrointestinal tract can vary, confounding the ability to predict the oral absorption. As such, the effects of food on the pharmacokinetics of compounds in the various biopharmaceutics classification system (BCS) classes need to be assessed. The consumption of food leads to physiological changes, including fluctuations in the gastric and intestinal pH, a delay in gastric emptying, an increased bile secretion, and an increased splanchnic and hepatic blood flow. Despite the significant impact of a drug’s absorption and dissolution, food effects have not been fully studied and are often overlooked. Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models can be used to mechanistically simulate a compound’s pharmacokinetics under fed or fasted conditions, while integrating drug properties such as solubility and permeability. This review discusses the PBPK models published in the literature predicting the food effects, the models’ strengths and shortcomings, as well as future steps to mitigate the current knowledge gap. We observed gaps in knowledge which limits the ability of PBPK models to predict the negative food effects and food effects in the pediatric population. Overall, the further development of PBPK models to predict food effects will provide a mechanistic basis to understand a drug’s behavior in fed and fasted conditions, and will help enable the drug development process.
Expansion and Evaluation of Pharmacist Services in Primary Care
Authors: Hartkopf Katherine J. , Heimerl Kristina M. , McGowan Kayla M. , Arndt Brian G.
Published: July 2020

Challenges with primary care access and overextended providers present opportunities for pharmacists as patient care extenders for chronic disease management. The primary objective was to align primary care pharmacist services with organizational priorities and improve patient clinical outcomes. The secondary objective was to develop a technological strategy for service evaluation. An interdisciplinary workgroup developed primary care pharmacist services focused on improving performance measures and supporting the care team in alignment with ongoing population health initiatives. Pharmacist collaborative practice agreements (CPAs) were developed and implemented. An electronic dashboard was developed to capture service outcome measures. Blood pressure control to <140/90 mmHg was achieved in 74.15% of patients who engaged with primary care pharmacists versus 41.53% of eligible patients electing to follow usual care pathways. Appropriate statin use was higher in patients engaged with primary care pharmacists than in eligible patients electing to follow usual care pathways both for diabetes and ischemic vascular disease (12.4% and 2.2% higher, respectively). Seventeen of 54 possible process and outcome measures were identified and incorporated into an electronic dashboard. Primary care pharmacist services improve hypertension control and statin use. Service outcomes can be measured with discrete data from the electronic health record (EHR), and should align with organizational priorities.
Effects of Dark Septate Endophytes Strain A024 on Damping-off Biocontrol, Plant Growth and the Rhizosphere Soil Enviroment of Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica Annual Seedlings
Authors: Deng Xun , Song Xiaoshuang , Halifu Saiyaremu , Yu Wenjing , Song Ruiqing
Published: July 2020

Dark septate endophytes (DSEs) exert a vital role in promoting plant growth, improving mineral absorption, biological disease control, and enhancing plant stress resistance. The effects of dark septate endophyte strain, Phialocephala bamuru A024 on damping-off biocontrol, plant development, nutrients within the rhizosphere soil, as well as bacterial communities in the annual seedlings of P. sylvestris var. Mongolica were studied. According to our findings, following P. bamuru A024 inoculation, the damping-off disease morbidity decreased significantly compared with control, some physiological indices such as β-1,3-glucanase, chitinase enzyme activity as well as a soluble protein and proline content in P. sylvestris var. mongolica were elevated under R. solani stress. After inoculation with P. bamuru A024, the biomass in seedlings, nutrients in soil, root structure index, together with activities of soil enzymes were remarkably up-regulated relative to control (p < 0.05). As suggested by the results of high-throughput sequencing, the microbial structure in the rhizosphere soil of the P. sylvestris var. mongolica showed significant differences (p < 0.05) after P. bamuru A024 inoculation compared to control treatment and the rhizosphere soil bacterial community structure after DSE A024 inoculation was positively correlated to the main soil nutrition indices.
Use of Nanotechnology for the Bioremediation of Contaminants: A Review
Authors: Vázquez-Núñez Edgar , Molina-Guerrero Carlos Eduardo , Peña-Castro Julián Mario , Fernández-Luqueño Fabián , de la Rosa-Álvarez Ma. Guadalupe
Published: July 2020

Contaminants, organic or inorganic, represent a threat for the environment and human health and in recent years their presence and persistence has increased rapidly. For this reason, several technologies including bioremediation in combination with nanotechnology have been explored to identify more systemic approaches for their removal from environmental matrices. Understanding the interaction between the contaminant, the microorganism, and the nanomaterials (NMs) is of crucial importance since positive and negative effects may be produced. For example, some nanomaterials are stimulants for microorganisms, while others are toxic. Thus, proper selection is of paramount importance. The main objective of this review was to analyze the principles of bioremediation assisted by nanomaterials, nanoparticles (NPs) included, and their interaction with environmental matrices. It also analyzed the response of living organisms employed to remediate the contaminants in the presence of nanomaterials. Besides, we discuss the international regulatory frame applicable to these technologies and how they might contribute to sustainability.
Low-Carbon Composite Based on MOC, Silica Sand and Ground Porcelain Insulator Waste
Authors: Pivák Adam , Pavlíková Milena , Záleská Martina , Lojka Michal , Lauermannová Anna-Marie , Jankovský Ondřej , Pavlík Zbyšek
Published: July 2020

Magnesium oxychloride cement-based composites (MOC) with silica sand/porcelain waste blended fillers were designed and tested. The objective of the presented research was to design and test low carbon, eco-friendly and viable alternatives to Portland cement-based materials. To make new materials environmentally acceptable and sustainable, silica sand applied in the reference composite material was partially substituted by ground porcelain waste (PW) coming from used electrical insulators. The sand substitution ratio was 5, 10, and 15 vol.%. The chemical and mineralogical composition, morphology, and particle size distribution of porcelain waste were measured. For silica sand, porcelain waste, and MgO, specific density, loose bulk density, and Blaine fineness were determined. The effect of porcelain waste on the workability of fresh composite mixtures was characterized by spread diameter. The composites were characterized by their basic structural, mechanical, hygric, and thermal properties. The phase composition and thermal stability at high temperatures of MOC/porcelain waste pastes were also analyzed. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis helped to indicate main compounds formed within the precipitation of MOC phases and their reaction with porcelain waste. The usage of porcelain waste greatly decreased the porosity of composite matrix, which resulted in high mechanical resistance and reduced and decelerated water imbibition. The 10% sand substitution with porcelain waste brought the best mechanical resistance and the lowest water absorption due to the formation of amorphous phases, water-insoluble aluminosilicates. In case of the thermal performance of the examined composites, the low thermal conductivity of porcelain waste was the contradictory parameter to porosity and the high thermal stability of the phases present in porcelain slightly decreased the thermal decomposition of composites with porcelain waste dosage. Based on the results emerged from the experimental tests it was concluded that the partial substitution of silica sand in MOC composites enabled the development of materials possessing interesting and advanced function and technical parameters.
Electrochemical Hydrogen Production Using Separated-Gas Cells for Soybean Oil Hydrogenation
Authors: Verastegui Jorge Eduardo Esquerre , Zamora Antuñano Marco Antonio , Resendiz Juvenal Rodríguez , García García Raul , Kañetas Pedro Jacinto Paramo , Ordaz Daniel Larrañaga
Published: July 2020

Although hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, it is not possible to find it in its purest state in nature. In this study, two-stage experimentation was carried out. The first stage was hydrogen production. The second stage was an electrochemical process to hydrogenate soybean oil in a PEM fuel cell. In the fist stage a Zirfon Perl UTP 500 membrane was used in an alkaline hydrolizer of separated gas to produce hydrogen, achieving 9.6 L/min compared with 5.1 L/min, the maximum obtained using a conventional membrane. The hydrogen obtained was used in the second stage to feed the fuel cell hydrogenating the soybean oil. Hydrogenated soybean oil showed a substantial diminished iodine index from 131 to 54.85, which represents a percentage of 58.13. This happens when applying a voltage of 90 mV for 240 min, constant temperature of 50 °C and one atm. This result was obtained by depositing 1 mg of Pt/cm 2 in the cathode of the fuel cell. This system represents a viable alternative for the use of hydrogen in energy generation.
Preparation of Spray-Dried Functional Food: Effect of Adding Bacillus clausii Bacteria as a Co-Microencapsulating Agent on the Conservation of Resveratrol
Authors: Vázquez-Maldonado Daniel , Espinosa-Solis Vicente , Leyva-Porras César , Aguirre-Bañuelos Patricia , Martinez-Gutierrez Fidel , Román-Aguirre Manuel , Saavedra-Leos María Z.
Published: July 2020

The effect of bacteria (Bacillus clausii) addition on the culturability and antioxidant activity of resveratrol prepared by spray drying was studied in this work. Inulin and lactose were employed as carrying agents and their performance compared. Resveratrol microencapsulated in inulin showed the highest antioxidant activity (26%) against free radicals. The co-encapsulated materials (bacteria and resveratrol) in inulin and lactose showed similar activities (21%, and 23%, respectively) suggesting that part of resveratrol was absorbed by the bacteria. Particles showed a regular spherical morphology with smooth surfaces, and size in the micrometer range (2–25 μm). The absence of bacteria in the SEM micrographs and the culturability activity suggested the preservation of the organisms within the micro and co-microencapsulated particles. The present work proposes the preparation of a functional food with probiotic and antioxidant properties.
Study of the Digestate as an Innovative and Low-Cost Adsorbent for the Removal of Dyes in Wastewater
Authors: Yao Sicong , Fabbricino Massimiliano , Race Marco , Ferraro Alberto , Pontoni Ludovico , Aimone Oriella , Chen Yao
Published: July 2020

Digestate, as an urban solid waste, was considered as an innovative adsorbent for colorant polluted wastewater. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out using digestate as an adsorbent material to remove various dyes belonging to different categories. The removal rate and adsorption capacity of dyes were evaluated and the dose of digestate, contact time, and initial dye concentration were studied. The maximum removal rate was approximately 96% for Methylene Blue. The equilibrium time for the Methylene Blue was 4 h, while for other dyes, a longer contact time was required to reach the equilibrium. The suspicion of colloidal matter release into the solution from solid fraction of the digestate led to the investigation of the consequence of a washing step of the digestate adsorbent upstream the adsorption experiment. Washed and not washed adsorbents were tested and the differences between them in terms of dye removal were compared. Moreover, experimental data were fitted by pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, and intra-partial diffusion kinetic models as well as Langmuir, Freundlich, and Sips isotherm models. The results from fitted models showed that the adsorption of various dyes onto the digestate was mostly well fitted by the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic model.
Bioink Temperature Influence on Shear Stress, Pressure and Velocity Using Computational Simulation
Authors: Gómez-Blanco J. Carlos , Mancha-Sánchez Enrique , Marcos Alfonso C. , Matamoros Manuel , Díaz-Parralejo Antonio , Pagador J. Blas
Published: July 2020

Bioinks are usually cell-laden hydrogels widely studied in bioprinting performing experimental tests to tune their rheological properties, thus increasing research time and development costs. Computational Fluids Dynamics (CFD) is a powerful tool that can minimize iterations and costs simulating the material behavior using parametric changes in rheological properties under testing. Additionally, most bioinks have specific functionalities and their properties might widely change with temperature. Therefore, commercial bioinks are an excellent way to standardize bioprinting process, but they are not analyzed in detail. Therefore, the objective of this work is to study how three temperatures of the Cellink Bioink influence shear stress pressure and velocity through computational simulation. A comparison of three conical nozzles (20, 22, and 25G) for each temperature has been performed. The results show that shear stress, pressure, and velocity vary in negligible ranges for all combinations. Although these ranges are small and define a good thermo-responsive bioink, they do not generate a filament on the air and make drops during extrusion. In conclusion, this bioink provides a very stable behavior with low shear stress, but other bioprinting parameters must be set up to get a stable filament width.
Andrographis paniculata Extract Relieves Pain and Inflammation in Monosodium Iodoacetate-Induced Osteoarthritis and Acetic Acid-Induced Writhing in Animal Models
Authors: Lee Donghun , Baek Chae Yun , Hwang Ji Hong , Kim Mi-Yeon
Published: July 2020

Osteoarthritis (OA), being the most prominent degenerative joint disease is affecting millions of elderly people worldwide. Although Andrographis paniculata is an ethnic medicine with a long history of being used as analgesic agent, no study using a monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) model has investigated its potential activities against OA. In this study, experimental OA was induced in rats with a knee injection of MIA, which represents the pathological characteristics of OA in humans. A. paniculata extract (APE) substantially reversed the loss of hind limb weight-bearing and the cartilage damage resulted from the OA induction in rats. Additionally, the levels of serum pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α as well as the concentration of matrix metalloproteinases, including MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-8, and MMP-13 were decreased by APE administration. Acetic acid-induced writhing responses in mice which quantitatively measure pain were significantly reduced by APE. In vitro, APE inhibited the generation of NO and downregulated the expression of IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, and iNOS in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The above results suggest the potential use APE as a therapeutic agent against OA.
Green Method Synthesised Graphene-Silver Electrochemical Nanobiosensors for Ethambutol and Pyrazinamide
Authors: AjayI Rachel Fanelwa , Tshoko Siphokazi , Mgwili Yonela , Nqunqa Siphamandla , Mulaudzi Takalani , Mayedwa Noluthando , Iwuoha Emmanuel
Published: July 2020

A novel nanobiosensor was constructed with graphene oxide (GO) sheets coupled to pear extract-based green-synthesised silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) to which cytochrome P450-2D6 (CYP2D6) enzyme was attached. The biosensor was applied in the electrochemical detection of the tuberculosis (TB) treatment drugs, ethambutol (EMB) and pyrazinamide (PZA). The surface morphology of the green-synthesised nanocomposites was studied by performing High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM) and High-Resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy (HR-SEM). Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman Spectroscopy were used for structural analysis, while Ultraviolet Visible (UV-Vis) Spectroscopy was used in the optical characterisation of the nanocomposite material. Electrochemical studies on glassy carbon electrode (GCE), which were done by Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), showed that the GO|Ag-NPs||GCE electrode was highly conductive, and thereby indicating its suitability as a platform for nanobiosensor development. The non-toxic and low-cost green GO|Ag-NPs|CYP2D6||GCE nanobiosensor was used to determine EMB and PZA. The very low limit of detection (LOD) values of the biosensor for EMB (0.2962 × 10−2 nM, S/N = 3) and PZA (0.897 × 10−2 nM, S/N = 3) demonstrate that the green nanobiosensor is more sensitive than other biosensors reported for EMB and PZA.
Lattice Boltzmann Simulation of Ferrofluids Film Boiling
Authors: Abdollahzadeh Jamalabadi Mohammad Yaghoub
Published: July 2020

In the present investigation, two phase film boiling of ferrofluids under an external field delivered around a two-dimensional square cross-section heater was investigated using the lattice Boltzmann technique. The purpose of this work is to find the effect of magnetic field magnitude and direction on the Nusselt number in single and double heater geometry. The improving thermal efficiency in the horizontal and vertical placement of heaters is also presented. The governing equations of mass conservation, momentum conservation, and energy conservation are solved by using a central-moments-based Lattice Boltzmann scheme. The air pocket generated around heater raised incorporating magnetic effects. The heat transfer through this advancement has been explored quantitatively and abstractly. The results shows that with the development in the volumetric applied force at the bubble-fluid interface, the bubble boundary layer thickness around the square heater lessened which cause the Nusselt number augmented. Through the parameter study it found that the Nusselt number can be essentially extended by altering the course of magnet shafts, and that film rising outwardly of the bubble. The improvement and advancement of vapour phase in various heater arrangement made two column of bubble rises at the same time, which rose above each heater and in the end changed into one column of bubble. A correlation considering magnitude and angle of the magnetic field on time-averaged Nusselt number is presented. Finally, the Nusselt number can be controlled with the help of the incorporation of other heaters.
Semi-Automated Roadside Image Data Collection for Characterization of Agricultural Land Management Practices
Authors: Pilger Neal , Berg Aaron , Joosse Pamela
Published: July 2020

Land cover management practices, including the adoption of cover crops or retaining crop residue during the non-growing season, has important impacts on soil health. To broadly survey these practices, a number of remotely sensed products are available but issues with cloud cover and access to agriculture fields for validation purposes may limit the collection of data over large regions. In this study, we describe the development of a mobile roadside survey procedure for obtaining ground reference data for the remote sensing of agricultural land use practices. The key objective was to produce a dataset of geo-referenced roadside digital images that can be used in comparison to in-field photos to measure agricultural land use and land cover associated with crop residue and cover cropping in the non-growing season. We found a very high level of correspondence (>90% level of agreement) between the mobile roadside survey to in-field ground verification data. Classification correspondence was carried out with a portion of the county-level census image data against 114 in-field manually categorized sites with a level of agreement of 93%. The few discrepancies were in the differentiation of residue levels between 30–60% and >60%, both of which may be considered as achieving conservation practice standards. The described mobile roadside image capture system has advantages of relatively low cost and insensitivity to cloudy days, which often limits optical remote sensing acquisitions during the study period of interest. We anticipate that this approach can be used to reduce associated field costs for ground surveys while expanding coverage areas and that it may be of interest to industry, academic, and government organizations for more routine surveys of agricultural soil cover during periods of seasonal cloud cover.
Soil Moisture Estimate Uncertainties from the Effect of Soil Texture on Dielectric Semiempirical Models
Authors: Liu Jing , Liu Qinhuo
Published: July 2020

Soil texture has been shown to affect the dielectric behavior of soil over the entire frequency range. Three universally employed dielectric semiempirical models (SEMs), the Dobson model, the Wang–Schmugge model and the Mironov model, as well as a new improved SEM known as the soil semi-empirical mineralogy-related-to-water dielectric model (SSMDM), incorporate a significant soil texture effect in different ways. In this paper, soil moisture estimate uncertainties from the effect of soil texture on these four SEMs are systematically and widely investigated over all soil texture cases at different frequencies between 1.4 and 18 GHz for volumetric water content levels between 0.0 and 0.4 m3/m3 from the perspective of two aspects: soil dielectric model discordance and soil texture discordance. Firstly, the effect of soil texture on these four dielectric SEMs is analyzed. Then, soil moisture estimate uncertainties due to the effect of soil texture are carefully investigated. Finally, the applicability of these SEMs is discussed, which can supply references for their choice. The results show that soil moisture estimate uncertainties are small and satisfy the 4% volumetric water content retrieval requirement in some cases. However, in other cases, it may contribute relatively significant uncertainties to soil moisture estimates and correspond to a difference that exceeds the 4% volumetric water content requirement, with potential for the largest deviations to exceed 0.22 m3/m3.
A Waypoint Tracking Controller for Autonomous Road Vehicles Using ROS Framework
Authors: Gutiérrez Rodrigo , López-Guillén Elena , Bergasa Luis M. , Barea Rafael , Pérez Óscar , Gómez-Huélamo Carlos , Arango Felipe , del Egido Javier , López-Fernández Joaquín
Published: July 2020

Automated Driving Systems (ADSs) require robust and scalable control systems in order to achieve a safe, efficient and comfortable driving experience. Most global planners for autonomous vehicles provide as output a sequence of waypoints to be followed. This paper proposes a modular and scalable waypoint tracking controller for Robot Operating System (ROS)-based autonomous guided vehicles. The proposed controller performs a smooth interpolation of the waypoints and uses optimal control techniques to ensure robust trajectory tracking even at high speeds in urban environments (up to 50 km/h). The delays in the localization system and actuators are compensated in the control loop to stabilize the system. Forward velocity is adapted to path characteristics using a velocity profiler. The controller has been implemented as an ROS package providing scalability and exportability to the system in order to be used with a wide variety of simulators and real vehicles. We show the results of this controller using the novel and hyper realistic CARLA Simulator and carrying out a comparison with other standard and state-of-art trajectory tracking controllers.
Analysis of Satellite Compass Error’s Spectrum
Authors: Felski Andrzej , Jaskólski Krzysztof , Zwolak Karolina , Piskur Paweł
Published: July 2020

The satellite compass is one of new variants of satellite navigational devices. Is it still treated with caution on International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) vessels, but has become popular on the fishing vessels and pleasure crafts. The standard data obtained by such devices suggest accuracy of satellite compasses at a level of about 1 degree, so it seems to be as accurate as gyro or the magnetic equivalent. A changeability of heading errors, especially its frequency spectrum, is analyzed and presented in the paper. The results of comparison of an onboard standard gyrocompass, a fiber-optic gyrocompass (FOG) and a satellite compass in real shipping circumstances have been discussed based on the available literature and previous research. The similar comportment of these compasses are confirmed, however, in real circumstances it is difficult to separate heading oscillations produced by the ships yaw (or helmsman abilities) from the oscillations of the compass. Analysis of the heading oscillations has been performed based on the measurements of the heading indications of stationary compass devices and the devices mounted on the vehicles moving on the straight line (straight part of a road and tram line) to separate the impact of the vessel steering system. Results of heading changeability in the frequency domain are presented based on the Fourier transform theory.
Inverse Malthusianism and Recycling Economics: The Case of the Textile Industry
Authors: Salas-Molina Francisco , Pla-Santamaria David , Vercher-Ferrándiz Maria Luisa , Reig-Mullor Javier
Published: July 2020

The current use of natural resources in the textile industry leads us to introduce a new economic concept called inverse Malthusianism describing a context in which population grows linearly and resource consumption grows exponentially. Inverse Malthusianism implies an exponential increase in environmental impact that recycling may contribute to reduce. Our main goal is to extend the analysis of materials selection under the principle of equimarginality proposed by Jevons. As a first result, we show the particular circumstances under which policies excluding recycled supplies are never optimal. We also aim to overcome the difficulties of reducing environmental aspects to monetary units. To this end, we propose a multicriteria approach to solve the conventional-recycled materials dilemma considering not only economic but also environmental criteria. Then, we allow producers to enrich their decision-making process with relevant information about the environmental impact of materials selection. Although we use examples of the textile industry to illustrate our results, most of the insights in this paper can be extended to other industries.
Ecological Prototypes: Initiating Design Innovation in Green Construction
Authors: Sunguroğlu Hensel Defne
Published: July 2020

This article identifies a gap in the approaches to Green Construction (GC), and initiates a line of research in the area of the so-called “ecological prototypes”. Ecological prototypes, stands for a new type of GC, which are integrated and adaptive systems of design, construction and practices that link architecture, horticulture and agriculture, landscape and ecology. This type of system greatly expands the existing GC design space with the aim to tackle environmental challenges in the context of rapid urbanization. This new type of GC seeks to reconcile the different environmental needs and goals, and balance intensification and restoration trade-offs. They are considered as a key strategy for supporting ecosystems and the delivery of ecosystem services, especially in degraded peri-urban and urban contexts. This effort commences with a review of selected historical cases that have evolved over time as vital part of horticultural and agricultural systems. These historical studies can both inform future research on the development of ecological prototypes and aid their design. Following the examination of selected cases and a field survey, the role of information modelling and data-driven computational methods in designing ecological prototypes is discussed. The decision support system for this new type of GC based on information and knowledge modelling (computational ontologies) is given a particular attention. Finally, further research questions and steps are outlined.
Examining Fractional Vegetation Cover Dynamics in Response to Climate from 1982 to 2015 in the Amur River Basin for SDG 13
Authors: Yang Ran , Li Xiaoyan , Mao Dehua , Wang Zongming , Tian Yanlin , Dong Yulin
Published: July 2020

The impacts of climate and the need to improve resilience to current and possible future climate are highlighted in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13. Vegetation in the Amur River Basin (ARB), lying in the middle and high latitudes and being one of the 10 largest basins worldwide, plays an important role in the regional carbon cycle but is vulnerable to climate change. Based on GIMMS NDVI3g and CRU TS4.01 climate data, this study investigated the spatiotemporal patterns of fractional vegetation cover (FVC) in the ARB and their relationships with climatic changes from 1982 to 2015 varying over different seasons, vegetation types, geographical gradients, and countries. The results reveal that the FVC presented significant increasing trends (P < 0.05) in growing season (May to September) and autumn (September to October), but insignificant increasing trends in spring (April to May) and summer (June to August), with the largest annual FVC increase occurring in autumn. However, some areas showed significant decreases of FVC in growing season, mainly located on the China side of the ARB, such as the Changbai mountainous area, the Sanjiang plain, and the Lesser Khingan mountainous area. The FVC changes and their relationships varied among different vegetation types in various seasons. Specifically, grassland FVC experienced the largest increase in growing season, spring, and summer, while woodland FVC changed more dramatically in autumn. FVC correlated positively with air temperature in spring, especially for grassland, and correlated negatively with precipitation, especially for woodland. The correlations between FVC and climatic factors in growing season were zonal in latitude and longitude, while 120° E and 50° N were the approximate boundaries at which the values of mean correlation coefficients changed from positive to negative, respectively. These findings are beneficial to a better understanding the responses of vegetation in the middle and high latitudes to climate change and could provide fundamental information for sustainable ecosystem management in the ARB and the northern hemisphere.
Viability of Agroecological Systems under Climatic Uncertainty
Authors: Oubraham Aïchouche , Saint-Pierre Patrick , Zaccour Georges
Published: July 2020

To cope with ever-increasing demand and ensure food security, agronomic systems have shifted over time from traditional agriculture, based on the organic fertilization of soils, to intensive and specialized farming that use chemical fertilization. This resulted in increased soil productivity in the short term, but caused serious ecological drawbacks over time (degradation of soil quality, pollution of water and air, loss of biodiversity, erosion, etc.), and even reversed the trend of agricultural productivity. In this paper, we propose a viability theory–based model to study the sustainability of an agricultural system subject to climate uncertainty. Our objective is to determine what farming practices and activity sequences restore soil quality to a desired level while ensuring an acceptable level of productivity in the presence of the risk of major climatic disasters. The model is applied to Guadeloupe, an island in the West French Indies. We found that the results are highly sensitive to the direct effect of hurricanes on the soil’s quality, which, in turn, strongly affects the impact of the other parameters and that the export oriented sector is more vulnerable and less resilient to climatic uncertainties than the sector aimed at the local market.
Quality Education as a Sustainable Development Goal in the Context of 2030 Agenda: Bibliometric Approach
Authors: González García Erika , Colomo Magaña Ernesto , Cívico Ariza Andrea
Published: July 2020

Quality education is understood as one of the most powerful and proven drivers for ensuring sustainable development, which can be applied in various educational contexts, formal and non-formal, and which can generate multiple benefits for the general public. Given its relevance, this article presents a bibliometric approach of the scientific production generated around Sustainable Development Goal (SPG) 4 that seeks to “Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning” as a priority objective of 2030 Agenda. To develop this research, a literature search was conducted in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The final sample was 240 publications. The data were analyzed around ten variables: year of publication, type of document, area of indexation, periodical publications, most productive authors, institutions, countries, languages, most cited articles, and key words. The findings of this study indicate that quality education, within the Sustainable Development Goals, is gaining relevance, with 2019 being the year with the highest scientific production. This is a growing theme that is transmitted mainly through articles and papers in English, and there are no institutions, research groups or authors with a broad scientific background and production. The conclusion is that this bibliometric approach is important and necessary to know the reality of scientific production on this subject and to be able to make proposals and lines of research for its development.
Importance of Employee Care in Corporate Social Responsibility: An AHP-Based Study from the Perspective of Corporate Commitment
Authors: Chen Hsu-Lin , Hu Yi-Chung , Lee Ming-Yen , Yen Ghi-Feng
Published: July 2020

The original intent of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is to encourage enterprises to earn money from society and give back to society. In other words, enterprises should aim to not merely earn profits for shareholders, but also contribute to social and environmental sustainability. This study discusses the importance of corporate commitment when enterprises engage in CSR. Therefore, enterprises’ fulfillment of their CSR enables them to realize organizational development and sustainable management, in which human resource development plays a significant role. Based on a review of the literature and using the Delphi method, combined with expert interviews and consultations, this study analysed the concepts and practices concerning employee training, care, and safety, to identify relevant dimensions and criteria of corporate commitment. Using the analytic hierarchy process method (AHP), this study determined the weights of various factors. The findings will help enterprises formulate optimal strategies of corporate commitment, thus facilitating effective practices of CSR.
Dynamic Modeling and Vibration Characteristics Analysis of Transmission Process for Dual-Motor Coupling Drive System
Authors: Fan Wei , Yang Yongfei , Su Xiangang
Published: July 2020

The dual-motor coupling drive system (DCDS), which is widely used in electric vehicles, has attracted increasing attention due to its high transmission efficiency and economical fuel consumption. Current research has mainly focused on the control scheme of dual motors and has ignored the dynamic characteristics of the asymmetrical transmission structure. This paper presents an investigation of a dynamic model and an analysis method of the transmission process for the DCDS. The entire dynamic model of the DCDS was established by considering the planetary gear, differential bevel gear, and drive shaft with the transfer matrix method (TMM). Then, a detailed theoretical analysis was developed to study the influence of meshing stiffness and excitation source on the dynamic characteristics. Finally, the DCDS experimental platform was utilized to validate the effectiveness of the proposed dynamic model. For susceptibility to low-frequency vibrations, the first four natural frequencies and vibration modes of the DCDS were analyzed through the processing and analysis of acceleration signals. The experimental dynamic responses were generally consistent with the numerically computed results, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed dynamic model with TMM. Furthermore, the proposed dynamic analysis method may be helpful for developing effective control algorithms to suppress vibrations and achieving highly smooth motions for electric vehicles.
Enantioselective Catalytic Synthesis of N-alkylated Indoles
Authors: Trubitsõn Dmitri , Kanger Tõnis
Published: July 2020

During the past two decades, the interest in new methodologies for the synthesis of chiral N-functionalized indoles has grown rapidly. The review illustrates efficient applications of organocatalytic and organometallic strategies for the construction of chiral α-N-branched indoles. Both the direct functionalization of the indole core and indirect methods based on asymmetric N-alkylation of indolines, isatins and 4,7-dihydroindoles are discussed.