bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stepping It Up: Walking Behaviors in Children Transitioning from 5th to 7th Grade
Authors: Taverno Ross Sharon E. , Clennin Morgan N. , Dowda Marsha , Colabianchi Natalie , Pate Russell R.
Published: February 2018

The purpose of this study was to (1) describe children’s walking behaviors in 5th to 7th grade and change over time and (2) examine associations between walking behaviors and Walk Score®. Participants consisted of n = 586 students from the Transitions and Activity Changes in Kids (TRACK) Study. Children reported any walking behavior (e.g., exercise and transportation) over the past five days. Walk Score was calculated based on children’s home address. Descriptive statistics summarized walking behaviors by gender and time, and repeated measure mixed models examined the relationship between walking behaviors and Walk Score. Approximately 46.8% and 19.2% of 5th grade children reported walking for exercise and transportation, respectively, and these percentages declined through 7th grade. Girls reported higher levels of total walking behavior and walking for exercise than boys (p < 0.001). Girls with a higher Walk Score had 63% higher odds of reporting walking for transportation than girls with a lower Walk Score (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.02, 2.62). Walking behaviors among children were infrequent with significant declines over time, and of the nine associations examined with Walk Score, only one was significant. Efforts should prioritize frequent walking behavior and community design to increase children’s physical activity.
Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Work-Related Musculoskeletal Symptoms in Nursing Assistants Working in Nursing Homes
Authors: Cheung Kin , Szeto Grace , Lai Godfrey , Ching Shirley
Published: February 2018

The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms (WRMSs) in different body parts for nursing assistants (NAs) working in nursing homes is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the extent of WRMSs in nursing assistants and the factors associated with them. Four hundred and forty NAs from 52 nursing homes, recruited by convenience sampling, participated in this cross-sectional study in 2014–2015. A valid and reliable study questionnaire was used to collect data. The results of our study found that 88.4% of NAs reported at least one body part with WRMSs. These NAs reported more symptoms in the shoulders than lower back. Adverse workstyle (OR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.01–1.08) was the only factor associated with WRMSs after adjustment for potential confounders using multivariable logistic regression. This adverse workstyle could be developed because of physical and psychological work demands. Efforts should be directed at integrating “workstyle intervention” into lifestyle physical activity training to this group of healthcare workers.
Empirical Study on the Sustainability of China’s Grain Quality Improvement: The Role of Transportation, Labor, and Agricultural Machinery
Authors: Zhang Ming , Duan Fang , Mao Zisen
Published: February 2018

As a major part of farming sustainability, the issues of grain production and its quality improvement have been important in many countries. This paper aims to address these issues in China. Based on the data from the main production provinces and by applying the stochastic frontier analysis methodology, we find that the improvement of transportation and the use of agricultural machinery have become the main driving forces for grain quality improvement in China. After further studying different provinces’ potentials of grain quality improvement, we show that grain quality has increased steadily. Therefore, we can conclude China’s grain quality improvement is indeed sustainable. Furthermore, different grains like rice, wheat, and corn share similar characteristics in terms of quality improvement, but the improvement rate for rice is relatively low, while those of corn and wheat are relatively high. Moreover, the overall change of efficiency gain of grain quality improvement is not significant for different provinces. The efficiency gains of the quality improvements for rice and wheat even decrease slightly. In addition, we find that only expanding grain quality improvement potential can simultaneously achieve the dual objectives of improving grain quality and increasing yield.
Infectious Agents as Stimuli of Trained Innate Immunity
Authors: Rusek Paulina , Wala Mateusz , Druszczyńska Magdalena , Fol Marek
Published: February 2018

The discoveries made over the past few years have modified the current immunological paradigm. It turns out that innate immunity cells can mount some kind of immunological memory, similar to that observed in the acquired immunity and corresponding to the defense mechanisms of lower organisms, which increases their resistance to reinfection. This phenomenon is termed trained innate immunity. It is based on epigenetic changes in innate immune cells (monocytes/macrophages, NK cells) after their stimulation with various infectious or non-infectious agents. Many infectious stimuli, including bacterial or fungal cells and their components (LPS, β-glucan, chitin) as well as viruses or even parasites are considered potent inducers of innate immune memory. Epigenetic cell reprogramming occurring at the heart of the phenomenon may provide a useful basis for designing novel prophylactic and therapeutic strategies to prevent and protect against multiple diseases. In this article, we present the current state of art on trained innate immunity occurring as a result of infectious agent induction. Additionally, we discuss the mechanisms of cell reprogramming and the implications for immune response stimulation/manipulation.
Molecular Pharmacology of Rosmarinic and Salvianolic Acids: Potential Seeds for Alzheimer’s and Vascular Dementia Drugs
Authors: Habtemariam Solomon
Published: February 2018

Both caffeic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid (danshensu) are synthesized through two distinct routs of the shikimic acid biosynthesis pathway. In many plants, especially the rosemary and sage family of Lamiaceae, these two compounds are joined through an ester linkage to form rosmarinic acid (RA). A further structural diversity of RA derivatives in some plants such as Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge is a form of RA dimer, salvianolic acid-B (SA-B), that further give rise to diverse salvianolic acid derivatives. This review provides a comprehensive perspective on the chemistry and pharmacology of these compounds related to their potential therapeutic applications to dementia. The two common causes of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and stroke, are employed to scrutinize the effects of these compounds in vitro and in animal models of dementia. Key pharmacological mechanisms beyond the common antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of polyphenols are highlighted with emphasis given to amyloid beta (Aβ) pathologies among others and neuronal regeneration from stem cells.
The Study of Anti-/Pro-Oxidant, Lipophilic, Microbial and Spectroscopic Properties of New Alkali Metal Salts of 5-O-Caffeoylquinic Acid
Authors: Kalinowska Monika , Bajko Ewelina , Matejczyk Marzena , Kaczyński Piotr , Łozowicka Bożena , Lewandowski Włodzimierz
Published: February 2018

Lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium and caesium salts of 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (chlorogenic acid, 5-CQA) were synthesized and described by FT-IR (infrared spectroscopy), FT-Raman (Raman spectroscopy), UV (UV absorption spectroscopy), 1H (400.15 MHz), 13C (100.63 MHz) NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy). The quantum–chemical calculations at the B3LYP/6-311++G** level were done in order to obtain the optimal structures, IR spectra, NBO (natural bond orbital) atomic charges, HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) and LUMO (lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) orbitals and chemical reactivity parameters for 5-CQA and Li, Na and K 5-CQAs (chlorogenates). The DPPH (α, α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl) and FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) assays were used for the preliminary estimation of the antioxidant properties of alkali metal chlorogenates and chlorogenic acid. In the DPPH assay the EC50 parameter were equal to 7.39 μM for 5-CQA and was in the range of 4.50–5.89 μM for salts. The FRAP values for two different concentrations (5 and 2.5 μM) of the studied compounds were respectively 114.22 and 72.53 μM Fe2+ for 5-CQA, whereas for salts they were 106.92–141.13 and 78.93–132.00 μM Fe2+. The 5-CQA and its alkali metal salts possess higher antioxidant properties than commonly applied antioxidants (BHA, BHT, l-ascorbic acid). The pro-oxidant action of these compounds on trolox oxidation was studied in the range of their concentration 0.05–0.35 μM. The lipophilicity (logkw) of chlorogenates and chlorogenic acid was determined by RP-HPLC (reverse phase—high performance liquid chromatography) using five different columns (C8, PHE (phenyl), CN (cyano), C18, IAM (immobilized artificial membrane)). The compounds were screened for their in vitro antibacterial activity against E. coli, Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus pyogenes and antifungal activity against Candida sp. The 5-CQA possessed lower antibacterial (minimal inhibitory concentration, MIC = 7.06 mM) and antifungal (MIC = 14.11 mM) properties than its alkali metal salts (MIC values: 6.46–2.63 mM and 12.91–5.27mM, respectively). The synthesized chlorogenates possessed better antioxidant, lipophilic, antimicrobial as well as lower pro-oxidant properties than the ligand alone. Moreover, a systematic change of the activity of alkali metal salts along the series Li→Cs suggests that there are correlations between the studied biological properties. The type of metal cation in the carboxylate group of chlorogenate is crucial for the activity of studied compounds.
The Fe Protein: An Unsung Hero of Nitrogenase
Authors: Jasniewski Andrew , Sickerman Nathaniel , Hu Yilin , Ribbe Markus
Published: February 2018

Although the nitrogen-fixing enzyme nitrogenase critically requires both a reductase component (Fe protein) and a catalytic component, considerably more work has focused on the latter species. Properties of the catalytic component, which contains two highly complex metallocofactors and catalyzes the reduction of N2 into ammonia, understandably making it the “star” of nitrogenase. However, as its obligate redox partner, the Fe protein is a workhorse with multiple supporting roles in both cofactor maturation and catalysis. In particular, the nitrogenase Fe protein utilizes nucleotide binding and hydrolysis in concert with electron transfer to accomplish several tasks of critical importance. Aside from the ATP-coupled transfer of electrons to the catalytic component during substrate reduction, the Fe protein also functions in a maturase and insertase capacity to facilitate the biosynthesis of the two-catalytic component metallocofactors: fusion of the [Fe8S7] P-cluster and insertion of Mo and homocitrate to form the matured [(homocitrate)MoFe7S9C] M-cluster. These and key structural-functional relationships of the indispensable Fe protein and its complex with the catalytic component will be covered in this review.
Epac Function and cAMP Scaffolds in the Heart and Lung
Authors: Laudette Marion , Zuo Haoxiao , Lezoualc’h Frank , Schmidt Martina
Published: February 2018

Evidence collected over the last ten years indicates that Epac and cAMP scaffold proteins play a critical role in integrating and transducing multiple signaling pathways at the basis of cardiac and lung physiopathology. Some of the deleterious effects of Epac, such as cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and arrhythmia, initially described in vitro, have been confirmed in genetically modified mice for Epac1 and Epac2. Similar recent findings have been collected in the lung. The following sections will describe how Epac and cAMP signalosomes in different subcellular compartments may contribute to cardiac and lung diseases.
Design of Particulate-Reinforced Composite Materials
Authors: Muc Aleksander , Barski Marek
Published: February 2018

A microstructure-based model is developed to study the effective anisotropic properties (magnetic, dielectric or thermal) of two-phase particle-filled composites. The Green’s function technique and the effective field method are used to theoretically derive the homogenized (averaged) properties for a representative volume element containing isolated inclusion and infinite, chain-structured particles. Those results are compared with the finite element approximations conducted for the assumed representative volume element. In addition, the Maxwell–Garnett model is retrieved as a special case when particle interactions are not considered. We also give some information on the optimal design of the effective anisotropic properties taking into account the shape of magnetic particles.
Influence of Temperature on Corrosion Behavior of 2A02 Al Alloy in Marine Atmospheric Environments
Authors: Cao Min , Liu Li , Fan Lei , Yu Zhongfen , Li Ying , Oguzie Emeka E. , Wang Fuhui
Published: February 2018

The corrosion behavior of 2A02 Al alloy under 4 mg/cm2 NaCl deposition at different temperatures (from 30 to 80 °C) has been studied. This corrosion behavior was researched using mass-gain, scanning electron microscopy-SEM, laser scanning confocal microscopy-LSCM, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy-XPS and other techniques. The results showed and revealed that the corrosion was maximal at 60 °C after 200 h of exposure. The increase of temperature not only affected the solubility of oxygen gas in the thin film, but also promoted the transport of ions (such as Cl−), and the formation of protective AlO(OH), which further affects the corrosion speed.
A New Reliability Analysis Model of the Chegongzhuang Heat-Supplying Tunnel Structure Considering the Coupling of Pipeline Thrust and Thermal Effect
Authors: Zhang Jiawen , He Shaohui , Wang Dahai , Liu Yangpeng , Yao Wenbo , Liu Xiabing
Published: February 2018

Based on the operating Chegongzhuang heat-supplying tunnel in Beijing, the reliability of its lining structure under the action of large thrust and thermal effect is studied. According to the characteristics of a heat-supplying tunnel service, a three-dimensional numerical analysis model was established based on the mechanical tests on the in-situ specimens. The stress and strain of the tunnel structure were obtained before and after the operation. Compared with the field monitoring data, the rationality of the model was verified. After extracting the internal force of the lining structure, the improved method of subset simulation was proposed as the performance function to calculate the reliability of the main control section of the tunnel. In contrast to the traditional calculation method, the analytic relationship between the sample numbers in the subset simulation method and Monte Carlo method was given. The results indicate that the lining structure is greatly influenced by coupling in the range of six meters from the fixed brackets, especially the tunnel floor. The improved subset simulation method can greatly save computation time and improve computational efficiency under the premise of ensuring the accuracy of calculation. It is suitable for the reliability calculation of tunnel engineering, because “the lower the probability, the more efficient the calculation.”
Wafer-Scale Hierarchical Nanopillar Arrays Based on Au Masks and Reactive Ion Etching for Effective 3D SERS Substrate
Authors: Men Dandan , Wu Yingyi , Wang Chu , Xiang Junhuai , Yang Ganlan , Wan Changjun , Zhang Honghua
Published: February 2018

Two-dimensional (2D) periodic micro/nanostructured arrays as SERS substrates have attracted intense attention due to their excellent uniformity and good stability. In this work, periodic hierarchical SiO2 nanopillar arrays decorated with Ag nanoparticles (NPs) with clean surface were prepared on a wafer-scale using monolayer Au NP arrays as masks, followed by reactive ion etching (RIE), depositing Ag layer and annealing. For the prepared SiO2 nanopillar arrays decorated with Ag NPs, the size of Ag NPs was tuned from ca. 24 to 126 nanometers by controlling the deposition thickness of Ag film. Importantly, the SiO2 nanopillar arrays decorated with Ag NPs could be used as highly sensitive SERS substrate for the detection of 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) and rhodamine 6G (R6G) due to the high loading of Ag NPs and a very uniform morphology. With a deposition thickness of Ag layer of 30 nm, the SiO2 nanopillar arrays decorated with Ag NPs exhibited the best sensitive SERS activity. The excellent SERS performance of this substrate is mainly attributed to high-density “hotspots” derived from nanogaps between Ag NPs. Furthermore, this strategy might be extended to synthesize other nanostructured arrays with a large area, which are difficult to be prepared only via conventional wet-chemical or physical methods.
Understanding Chinese Medicine Patterns of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Related Biomarkers
Authors: Seca Susana , Franconi Giovanna
Published: February 2018

Background: A considerable number of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients only experience side effects from treatment, with little to no actual pain relief. The combination of disease diagnosis in biomedicine and multi-disciplinary integrative approaches such as Chinese Medicine (CM), can help to identify different functional diagnosis of RA in the context of biomarker discovery. We aimed to analyse CM patterns in RA and their biomarker profiles. Methods: Four electronic databases (web of science, CINAHL, Scopus and PubMed) were searched. The reference list of all identified reports and articles were searched for additional studies. All study designs were included and no date limits were set. Studies were considered if they were published in English and explored the possible biomarkers profiles in RA patients, classified according to the American College of Rheumatology and categorized in CM as either cold, heat/hot or deficiency patterns. Methodological quality of included studies was assessed using checklists adapted from the ©Critical Appraisal Skills Programme by two independent reviewers. A narrative synthesis was conducted, using thematic analysis. Results: A total of 10 articles were included. The studies examined 77 healthy volunteers and 1150 RA patients categorized as cold, heat/hot or deficiency pattern and related biomarkers were identified individually or concomitantly. Conclusions: CM pattern differentiation based on clinical signs and symptoms showed a diverse range of biomolecules, proteins and genes from RA patients correlated well with cold, heat/hot or deficiency phenotype-based CM patterns and could be used as diagnostic biomarkers for early detection, disease monitoring and therapeutic targets.
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: A Case Study
Authors: Teixeira Joana , Santos Maria , Matos Luís , Machado Jorge
Published: February 2018

Background: Osteoarthritis is a widespread chronic disease seen as a continuum of clinical occurrences within several phases, which go from synovial inflammation and microscopic changes of bone and cartilage to painful destructive changes of all the joint structures. Being the most common joint disease, it is the leading cause of disability in working individuals above 50 years of age. In some cases, conventional treatments produce just a mild and brief pain reduction and have considerable side-effects. Contemporary Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a model of systems biology based on a logically accessible theoretical background. It integrates several therapeutic approaches, among them acupuncture, which has shown effective results in the treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis, minimizing pain, improving functionality and consequently leading to a better quality of life. Methods: The present case study included two patients with clinical signs of osteoarthritis and diagnosis of medial pain, as defined by the Heidelberg Model of TCM. Over 6 weeks, those patients were treated with acupuncture, with a frequency of one session a week. The sessions lasted for thirty minutes and were based on the needling of 4 local acupoints. Before and after each session, pain and mobility assessments were performed. Results: The results were positive, with significant reduction of pain and increased knee joint flexion amplitude and mobility. Conclusion: Acupuncture was effective as an alternative or complementary treatment of knee osteoarthritis, with high levels of improvement within a modest intervention period.
Gas Transport in Glassy Polymers: Prediction of Diffusional Time Lag
Authors: Minelli Matteo , Sarti Giulio
Published: February 2018

The transport of gases in glassy polymeric membranes has been analyzed by means of a fundamental approach based on the nonequilibrium thermodynamic model for glassy polymers (NET-GP) that considers the penetrant chemical potential gradient as the actual driving force of the diffusional process. The diffusivity of a penetrant is thus described as the product of a purely kinetic quantity, the penetrant mobility, and a thermodynamic factor, accounting for the chemical potential dependence on its concentration in the polymer. The NET-GP approach, and the nonequilibrium lattice fluid (NELF) model in particular, describes the thermodynamic behavior of penetrant/polymer mixtures in the glassy state, at each pressure or composition. Moreover, the mobility is considered to follow a simple exponential dependence on penetrant concentration, as typically observed experimentally, using only two adjustable parameters, the infinite dilution penetrant mobility L10 and the plasticization factor β, both determined from the analysis of the dependence of steady state permeability on upstream pressure. The available literature data of diffusional time lag as a function of penetrant upstream pressure has been reviewed and compared with model predictions, obtained after the values of the two model parameters (L10 and β), have been conveniently determined from steady state permeability data. The model is shown to be able to describe very accurately the experimental time lag behaviors for all penetrant/polymer pairs inspected, including those presenting an increasing permeability with increasing upstream pressure. The model is thus more appropriate than the one based on Dual Mode Sorption, which usually provides an unsatisfactory description of time lag and required an ad hoc modification.
Idebenone: Novel Strategies to Improve Its Systemic and Local Efficacy
Authors: Montenegro Lucia , Turnaturi Rita , Parenti Carmela , Pasquinucci Lorella
Published: February 2018

The key role of antioxidants in treating and preventing many systemic and topical diseases is well recognized. One of the most potent antioxidants available for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use is Idebenone (IDE), a synthetic analogue of Coenzyme Q10. Unfortunately, IDE’s unfavorable physicochemical properties such as poor water solubility and high lipophilicity impair its bioavailability after oral and topical administration and prevent its parenteral use. In recent decades, many strategies have been proposed to improve IDE effectiveness in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and skin disorders. After a brief description of IDE potential therapeutic applications and its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile, this review will focus on the different approaches investigated to overcome IDE drawbacks, such as IDE incorporation into different types of delivery systems (liposomes, cyclodextrins, microemulsions, self-micro-emulsifying drug delivery systems, lipid-based nanoparticles, polymeric nanoparticles) and IDE chemical modification. The results of these studies will be illustrated with emphasis on the most innovative strategies and their future perspectives.
Chitosan Loaded into a Hydrogel Delivery System as a Strategy to Treat Vaginal Co-Infection
Authors: Perinelli Diego , Campana Raffaella , Skouras Athanasios , Bonacucina Giulia , Cespi Marco , Mastrotto Francesca , Baffone Wally , Casettari Luca
Published: February 2018

Polymeric hydrogels are common dosage forms designed for the topical administration of antimicrobial drugs to treat vaginal infections. One of the major advantages of using chitosan in these formulations is related to the intrinsic and broad antimicrobial activity exerted on bacteria and fungi by this natural polymer. Most vaginal yeast infections are caused by the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. However, despite the anti-Candida activity towards and strains susceptibility to low molecular weight chitosan being documented, no information is available regarding the antimicrobial efficacy of mixed hydrogels in which chitosan is dispersed in a polymeric matrix. Therefore, the aim of the study is to evaluate the anti-Candida activity against eight different albicans and non-albicans strains of a mixed hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)/chitosan hydrogel. Importantly, chitosan was dispersed in HPMC matrix either assembled in nanoparticles or in a monomolecular state to eventually correlate any variation in terms of rheological and mucoadhesive properties, as well as anti-Candida activity, with the chitosan form. Hydrogels containing 1% w/w chitosan, either as free polymer chain or assembled in nanoparticles, showed an improved mucoadhesiveness and an anti-Candida effect against all tested albicans and non-albicans strains. Overall, the results demonstrate the feasibility of preparing HPMC/CS mixed hydrogels intended for the prevention and treatment of Candida infections after vaginal administration.
Synthesis of Silicalite Membrane with an Aluminum-Containing Surface for Controlled Modification of Zeolitic Pore Entries for Enhanced Gas Separation
Authors: Yang Shaowei , Arvanitis Antonios , Cao Zishu , Sun Xinhui , Dong Junhang
Published: February 2018

The separation of small molecule gases by membrane technologies can help performance enhancement and process intensification for emerging advanced fossil energy systems with CO2 capture capacity. This paper reports the demonstration of controlled modification of zeolitic channel size for the MFI-type zeolite membranes to enhance the separation of small molecule gases such as O2 and N2. Pure-silica MFI-type zeolite membranes were synthesized on porous α-alumina disc substrates with and without an aluminum-containing thin skin on the outer surface of zeolite membrane. The membranes were subsequently modified by on-stream catalytic cracking deposition (CCD) of molecular silica to reduce the effective openings of the zeolitic channels. Such a pore modification caused the transition of gas permeation from the N2-selective gaseous diffusion mechanism in the pristine membrane to the O2-selective activated diffusion mechanism in the modified membrane. The experimental results indicated that the pore modification could be effectively limited within the aluminum-containing surface of the MFI zeolite membrane to minimize the mass transport resistance for O2 permeation while maintaining its selectivity. The implications of pore modification on the size-exclusion-enabled gas selectivity were discussed based on the kinetic molecular theory. In light of the theoretical analysis, experimental investigation was performed to further enhance the membrane separation selectivity by chemical liquid deposition of silica into the undesirable intercrystalline spaces.
Workspace Limiting Strategy for 6 DOF Force Controlled PKMs Manipulating High Inertia Objects
Authors: La Mura Francesco , Romanó Piergiorgio , Fiore Enrico , Giberti Hermes
Published: February 2018

This article describes an efficient and effective strategy for limiting the workspace of a six degrees of freedom parallel manipulator, with challenging motion smoothness requirements due to both the high inertia objects carried by the end effector and the pose references coming from a force feedback loop. Firstly, a suitable formulation of the workspace is studied, distinguishing between different conventions and procedures. Thereafter a discrete and analytical formulation of the workspace is obtained and developed in order to suit this application. Having obtained the limits, a methodology to evaluate the robot pose is discussed, taking into account the reference pose buffering technique and the real time pose estimation through the numeric solution of the nonlinear forward kinematics equations. The safety algorithm designed checks the actual robot pose and future poses to be commanded, and takes control of the reference pose generation process, if an exit of the safety workspace is detected. The result obtained is a soft compliant surface within which the robot is free to move, but outside of which a “force field” pushes the robot end-effector to return smoothly. To reach this objective, the control deflects the end effector trajectory safely and smoothly and moves it back to within the workspace limits. Nevertheless, this preserves the continuity of the velocity and controls the acceleration, to avoid dangerous vibrations and shocks. Simulation and experimental result tests are conducted to verify the algorithm effectiveness and the efficient implementation.
Adaptive Image Thresholding of Yellow Peppers for a Harvesting Robot
Authors: Ostovar Ahmad , Ringdahl Ola , Hellström Thomas
Published: February 2018

The presented work is part of the H2020 project SWEEPER with the overall goal to develop a sweet pepper harvesting robot for use in greenhouses. As part of the solution, visual servoing is used to direct the manipulator towards the fruit. This requires accurate and stable fruit detection based on video images. To segment an image into background and foreground, thresholding techniques are commonly used. The varying illumination conditions in the unstructured greenhouse environment often cause shadows and overexposure. Furthermore, the color of the fruits to be harvested varies over the season. All this makes it sub-optimal to use fixed pre-selected thresholds. In this paper we suggest an adaptive image-dependent thresholding method. A variant of reinforcement learning (RL) is used with a reward function that computes the similarity between the segmented image and the labeled image to give feedback for action selection. The RL-based approach requires less computational resources than exhaustive search, which is used as a benchmark, and results in higher performance compared to a Lipschitzian based optimization approach. The proposed method also requires fewer labeled images compared to other methods. Several exploration-exploitation strategies are compared, and the results indicate that the Decaying Epsilon-Greedy algorithm gives highest performance for this task. The highest performance with the Epsilon-Greedy algorithm ( ϵ = 0.7) reached 87% of the performance achieved by exhaustive search, with 50% fewer iterations than the benchmark. The performance increased to 91.5% using Decaying Epsilon-Greedy algorithm, with 73% less number of iterations than the benchmark.
Seismic Remote Sensing of Super Typhoon Lupit (2009) with Seismological Array Observation in NE China
Authors: Lin Jianmin , Wang Yating , Wang Weitao , Li Xiaofeng , Fang Sunke , Chen Chao , Zheng Hong
Published: February 2018

The p-wave double-frequency (DF) microseisms generated by super typhoon Lupit (14–26 October 2009) over the western Pacific Ocean were detected by an on-land seismological array deployed in Northeastern China. We applied a frequency-domain beamforming method to investigate their source regions. Comparing with the best-track data and satellite observations, the located source regions of the p-wave DF microseisms, which corresponded to the strongest ocean wave–wave interactions, were found to be comparable to the typhoon centers in the microseismic frequency band of ~0.18–0.21 Hz. The p-wave DF microseisms were probably excited by the nonlinear interaction of ocean waves generated by the typhoon at different times, in good agreement with the Longuet–Higgins theory for the generation of DF microseisms. The localization deviation, which was ~120 km for typhoon Lupit in this study, might depend on the speed and direction of typhoon movement, the geometry of the seismological array, and the heterogeneity of the solid Earth structure. The p-wave DF microseisms generated in coastal source regions were also observed in the beamformer outputs, but with relatively lower dominant frequency band of ~0.14–0.16 Hz. These observations show that the p-wave DF microseisms generated near typhoon centers could be used as a seismic remote sensing proxy to locate and track typhoons over the oceans from under water in a near-real-time and continuous manner.
Flood Extent Mapping from Time-Series SAR Images Based on Texture Analysis and Data Fusion
Authors: Ouled Sghaier Moslem , Hammami Imen , Foucher Samuel , Lepage Richard
Published: February 2018

Nowadays, satellite images are considered as one of the most relevant sources of information in the context of major disasters management. Their availability in extreme weather conditions and their ability to cover wide geographic areas make them an indispensable tool toward an effective disaster response. Among the various available sensors, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is distinguished in the context of flood management by its ability to penetrate cloud cover and its robustness to unfavourable weather conditions. This work aims at developing a new technique for flooded areas extraction from high resolution time-series SAR images. The proposed approach is mainly based on three steps: first, homogeneous regions characterizing water surfaces are extracted from each SAR image using a local texture descriptor. Then, mathematical morphology is applied to filter tiny artifacts and small homogeneous areas present in the image. And finally, spatial and radiometric information embedded in each pixel are extracted and are fused with the same pixel information but from another image to decide if the current pixel belongs to a flooded region. In order to assess the performance of the proposed algorithm, our methodology was applied to time-series images acquired before and during three different flooding events: (1) Richelieu River and lake Champlain floods, Quebec, Canada in 2011; (2) Evros River floods, Greece in 2014 and (3) Western and southwestern of Iran floods in 2016. Experiments show that our approach gives very promising results compared to existing techniques.
Identification of Leveled Archeological Mounds (Höyük) in the Alluvial Plain of the Ceyhan River (Southern Turkey) by Satellite Remote-Sensing Analyses
Authors: Bini Monica , Isola Ilaria , Zanchetta Giovanni , Ribolini Adriano , Ciampalini Andrea , Baneschi Ilaria , Mele Daniela , D’Agata Anna Lucia
Published: February 2018

The alluvial plain of the Ceyhan River (SE Turkey) has been populated since the Neolithic. In 1954, Marjory Veronica Seton-Williams described for this area several archeological mounds (höyük), which are the remains of ancient settlements. Today, according to the archeological research carried out in the area, some of these mounds result to have been leveled by agricultural activities. In this work, we identified many color anomalies by low-cost remote-sensing analyses of satellite images. We checked the nature of these anomalies in a dedicated survey and we found a good correspondence between color anomalies and archeological remains consistent with leveled höyük. We compared the grain size and chemical characteristics of the soil collected inside the color anomalies with the soil collected in other areas of the alluvial plain. We found irrelevant differences in grain-size characteristics, but a higher content of CaCO3 in soils collected inside the anomalies with respect to those collected outside. Therefore, the content of CaCO3 could be considered the feature that makes the color anomalies visible. The reason for this higher content of CaCO3 is related to the anthropogenic material used in the different phases of höyük growth. This work suggests a low-cost analysis useful for rapid identification and preservation of archeological information on the history of Mediterranean settlement.
Naive Bayes Bearing Fault Diagnosis Based on Enhanced Independence of Data
Authors: Zhang Nannan , Wu Lifeng , Yang Jing , Guan Yong
Published: February 2018

The bearing is the key component of rotating machinery, and its performance directly determines the reliability and safety of the system. Data-based bearing fault diagnosis has become a research hotspot. Naive Bayes (NB), which is based on independent presumption, is widely used in fault diagnosis. However, the bearing data are not completely independent, which reduces the performance of NB algorithms. In order to solve this problem, we propose a NB bearing fault diagnosis method based on enhanced independence of data. The method deals with data vector from two aspects: the attribute feature and the sample dimension. After processing, the classification limitation of NB is reduced by the independence hypothesis. First, we extract the statistical characteristics of the original signal of the bearings effectively. Then, the Decision Tree algorithm is used to select the important features of the time domain signal, and the low correlation features is selected. Next, the Selective Support Vector Machine (SSVM) is used to prune the dimension data and remove redundant vectors. Finally, we use NB to diagnose the fault with the low correlation data. The experimental results show that the independent enhancement of data is effective for bearing fault diagnosis.
The Research on International Development Path of China’s Marine Biopharmaceutical Industry
Authors: Fu Xiu-Mei , Jiang Shan-Shan , Wang Na , Wang Shi-Qi , Wang Chang-Yun
Published: February 2018

Under the backdrop of the Maritime Silk Road Initiative, the study on the international development of China’s marine biopharmaceutical industry based on factor allocation is of great practical significance for industrial sustainability and building the industry into a leading international player in the global market. In this paper, we first identify the leading factors that influence the development of the marine biopharmaceutical industry, namely, resources, technologies, talents, investments and policies. Furthermore, the hierarchical structure model of these factors was established and analyzed using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The importance ranking of these constraints was identified, as follows: technologies > talents > resources > policies > investments. Then, based on the theory of comparative advantage and game theory, we analyzed the necessity of China’s marine biopharmaceutical industry going global, that is, international cooperation may lay a solid foundation for the win-win outcome of this industry in countries along the Maritime Silk Road. According to the status quo of China’s marine biopharmaceutical industry, based on these findings, an international factor–allocation cooperation path was designed, and the path chart of the international development of the marine biopharmaceutical industry was drawn. Finally, methods for the development of China’s marine biopharmaceutical industry were proposed, which covers efforts to protect marine resources, promote R&D for core technologies, establish a strong talent pool, encourage more investments, provide policy support and promote worldwide cooperation. It is the first report to investigate the path of the sustainable exploitation of the marine biopharmaceutical industry from the perspective of factor allocation amidst the backdrop of the Maritime Silk Road Initiative.
Sustainable Investment in a Supply Chain in the Big Data Era: An Information Updating Approach
Authors: Cheng Yanping , Kuang Yunjuan , Shi Xiutian , Dong Ciwei
Published: February 2018

We are now living in the big data era, where firms can improve their decision makings by adopting big data technology to utilize mass information. To explore the effects of the big data technology, we build an analytical model to study the sustainable investment in a supply chain, consisting of one manufacturer and one retailer, by using Bayesian information updating approach. We derive the optimal sustainable investment level for the manufacturer and the optimal order quantity for the retailer. Comparing the results with and without the big data technology, we find that whether the manufacturer should make more sustainable investment when the retailer adopts the big data technology depends on the service level at the retailer side. Interestingly, it is not always optimal for the retailer to adopt the big data technology. We identify the conditions under which the manufacturer and retailer are better off with the big data technology. In addition, we investigate the impact of the number of observations regarding the market information and find that the optimal decisions and profits increase in the number of the observations, if and only if the service level is low.
Investigating the Influence of Various Stormwater Runoff Control Facilities on Runoff Control Efficiency in a Small Catchment Area
Authors: Itsukushima Rei , Ogahara Yohei , Iwanaga Yuki , Sato Tatsuro
Published: February 2018

Urbanization causes an increase in the flood discharge because of the infiltration capacity. Furthermore, extreme precipitation events have been an increasing concern for many regions worldwide. This study aimed to investigate the influence of different outflow control facilities on runoff reduction in a small watershed. We focused on the soil-improvement technology and rainwater tanks as outflow control facilities and conducted a runoff calculation using a rainfall event of a magnitude that is likely to occur once in a hundred years. The calculation showed that the soil-improvement technology reduced runoff during long-term continuous rainfall, whereas in a concentrated short-term rainfall event, a significant difference in the runoff reduction effect between rainfall tanks of various volumes was observed. Since effective countermeasures for runoff reduction differ depending on the rainfall distribution pattern, we suggested both facilities for storing initial rainfall and initiating countermeasures for penetration improvement over the long term.
Comprehensive Sustainability Evaluation of High-Speed Railway (HSR) Construction Projects Based on Unascertained Measure and Analytic Hierarchy Process
Authors: Chang Yongzhi , Yang Yang , Dong Suocheng
Published: February 2018

This paper aims to evaluate the sustainability of high-speed railway (HSR) construction projects in a comprehensive manner. To this end, the author established an index system, involving 4 primary indices, 9 secondary indices, and 32 tertiary indices. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and the unascertained measure were introduced to calculate the weights of these indices. Then, the index system was applied to evaluate the sustainability of the China’s Harbin-Dalian Passenger Dedicated Line (PDL). The results show that the Harbin-Dalian PDL project achieved good results in terms of process, economic benefit, impact, and sustainability, and will bring long-term benefits in the fields of tourism, economy, and transport capacity, as well as many other fields. In spite of its good overall sustainability, the project needs to further increase its economic benefits and reduce its negative environmental impact. For this purpose, it is necessary to adopt the management mode of “separation between network and transportation” and apply noise prevention measures like noise barriers, tunnels, and overhead viaducts. This research lays a solid basis for the sustainability evaluation of HSR construction projects, and simplifies the modelling process for designers of HSR.
Identity, Commons and Sustainability: An Economic Perspective
Authors: Setti Marco , Garuti Matteo
Published: February 2018

Commons represent a wide, heterogeneous class of resources but its composition is the subject of growing tensions. The question “What is a commons?” has become even more complex while the answer still remains elusive. Current research focuses on two main attributes of commons—nonexclusivity and rivalry—centered on regulatory and operational aspects, conveying the notion of usability. Instead, this study argues that the definition of commons should be derived from their function. It is proposed that identity, in its individual and collective integrated dimensions, is the ultimate goal of commons. Despite the pivotal function that commons can perform, availability of resources is indeed just one of the conditions for human development. Moreover, commons can deploy their identity-oriented functions only if a sustainability transition is pursued. Based on these considerations, the study analyzes the concept of sustainability, and addresses the question “What is to be sustained?” While the capability approach offers a coherent conceptualization of the diversity of individuals—a crucial issue for sustainability—some limitations arise when it is adopted as evaluative space of well-being. This study argues that the assumed notion of identity delivers a broader concept of sustainability and delineates the ultimate goal of sustainability (sustainable identity).
Transfer of Virtual Water of Woody Forest Products from China
Authors: Luo Kaisheng , Tao Fulu , Moiwo Juana
Published: February 2018

Global freshwater resources are under increasing pressure. It is reported that international trade of water-intensive products (the so-called virtual water trade) can be used to ease global water pressure. In spite of the significant amount of international trade of woody forest products, virtual water of woody forest products (VWWFP) and the corresponding international trade are largely ignored. However, virtual water research has progressed steadily. This study maps VWWFP and statistically analyzes China’s official data for the period 1993–2014. The results show a rapid increase in the trend of VWWFP flow from China, reaching 7.61 × 1012 m3 or 3.48 times annual virtual water trade for agricultural products. The export and import volumes of China are respectively 1.27 × 1012 m3 and 6.34 × 1012 m3 for 1993–2014. China imported a total of 5.07 × 1012 m3 of VWWFP in 1993–2014 to lessen domestic water pressure, which is five times the annual water transfer via China’s South–North Water Transfer project. Asia and Europe account for the highest contribution (50.52%) to China’s import. Other contributors include the Russian Federation (16.63%), Indonesia (13.45%), Canada (13.41%), the United States of America (9.60%), Brazil (7.23%) and Malaysia (6.33%). China mainly exports VWWFP to Asia (47.68%), North America (23.24%), and Europe (20.01%). The countries which export the highest amount of VWWFP include the United States of America, Japan, Republic of Korea and Canada. Then the countries which import the highest amount of VWWFP include the Russian Federation, Canada, United States of America, and Brazil. The VWWFP flow study shows an obvious geographical distribution that is driven by proximity and traffic since transportation cost of woody forest products could be significant.
Candidacidal Activity of a Novel Killer Toxin from Wickerhamomyces anomalus against Fluconazole-Susceptible and -Resistant Strains
Authors: Giovati Laura , Santinoli Claudia , Ferrari Elena , Ciociola Tecla , Martin Elena , Bandi Claudio , Ricci Irene , Epis Sara , Conti Stefania
Published: February 2018

The isolation and characterization from the sand fly Phlebotomus perniciosus of a Wickerhamomyces anomalus yeast strain (Wa1F1) displaying the killer phenotype was recently reported. In the present work, the killer toxin (KT) produced by Wa1F1 was purified and characterized, and its antimicrobial activity in vitro was investigated against fluconazole- susceptible and -resistant clinical isolates and laboratory strains of Candida albicans and C. glabrata displaying known mutations. Wa1F1-KT showed a differential killing ability against different mutant strains of the same species. The results may be useful for the design of therapeutic molecules based on Wa1F1-KT and the study of yeast resistance mechanisms.