bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sublethal Effects in Pest Management: A Surrogate Species Perspective on Fruit Fly Control
Authors: Banks John , Vargas Roger , Ackleh Azmy , Stark John
Published: August 2017

Tephritid fruit flies are economically important orchard pests globally. While much effort has focused on controlling individual species with a combination of pesticides and biological control, less attention has been paid to managing assemblages of species. Although several tephritid species may co-occur in orchards/cultivated areas, especially in mixed-cropping schemes, their responses to pesticides may be highly variable. Furthermore, predictive efforts about toxicant effects are generally based on acute toxicity, with little or no regard to long-term population effects. Using a simple matrix model parameterized with life history data, we quantified the responses of several tephritid species to the sublethal effects of a toxicant acting on fecundity. Using a critical threshold to determine levels of fecundity reduction below which species are driven to local extinction, we determined that threshold levels vary widely for the three tephritid species. In particular, Bactrocera dorsalis was the most robust of the three species, followed by Ceratitis capitata, and then B. cucurbitae, suggesting individual species responses should be taken into account when planning for area-wide pest control. The rank-order of susceptibility contrasts with results from several field/lab studies testing the same species, suggesting that considering a combination of life history traits and individual species susceptibility is necessary for understanding population responses of species assemblages to toxicant exposure.
Improvement of Ultrasound-Based Localization System Using Sine Wave Detector and CAN Network
Authors: Nguyen Tan-Sy , Nguyen Trong-Nghia , Tran Quoc-Sang , Huynh Thai-Hoang
Published: August 2017

This paper presents an improved indoor localization system based on radio frequency (RF) and ultrasonic signals, which we named the SNSH system. This system is composed of a transmitter mounted in a mobile target and a series of receiver nodes that are managed by a coordinator. By measuring the Time Delay of Arrival (TDoA) of RF and ultrasonic signals from the transmitter, the distance from the target to each receiver node is calculated and sent to the coordinator through the CAN network, then all the information is gathered in a PC to estimate the 3D position of the target. A sine wave detector and dynamic threshold filter are applied to provide excellent accuracy in measuring the range from the TDoA results before multilateration algorithms are realized to optimize the accuracy of coordinate determination. Specifically, Linear Least Square (LLS) and Nonlinear Least Square (NLS) techniques are implemented to contrast their performances in target coordinate estimation. RF signal encoding/decoding time, time delay in CAN network and math calculation time are carefully considered to ensure optimal system performance and prepare for field application. Experiments show that the sine wave detector algorithm has greatly improved the accuracy of range measurement, with a mean error of 2.2 mm and maximum error of 6.7 mm for distances below 5 m. In addition, 3D position accuracy is greatly enhanced by multilateration methods, with the mean error in position remaining under 15 mm. Furthermore, there are 90% confidence error values of 23 mm for LLS and 20 mm for NLS. The update in the overall system has been verified in real system operations, with a maximum rate of 25 ms, which is a better result than many other existing studies.
Preparation of Cationic MOFs with Mobile Anions by Anion Stripping to Remove 2,4-D from Water
Authors: Chen Tao , Zhang Cong , Qin Yuemei , Yang Haiguan , Zhang Peng , Ye Fanggui
Published: August 2017

A cationic porous framework with mobile anions (MIL-101(Cr)-Cl) was easily and successfully synthesized by utilizing the stronger affinity of F− to Al3+ than Cr3+ in the charge-balanced framework of MIL-101(Cr). The structure, morphology and porosity of MIL-101(Cr)-Cl were characterized. The obtained new materials retain the high surface area, good thermostability, and structure topology of MIL-101(Cr). With the mobile Cl− anion, MIL-101(Cr)-Cl can be used as an ion-exchange material for anionic organic pollutions. In this work, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was used as a model to test the absorption performance of this new material. This new material exhibited improved adsorbability compared to that of the original metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). At the same time, this material also shows high anti-interference performance with changing solution pH.
Analysis of Fatigue and Wear Behaviour in Ultrafine Grained Connecting Rods
Authors: Luri Rodrigo , Luis Carmelo J. , León Javier , Fuertes Juan P. , Salcedo Daniel , Puertas Ignacio
Published: August 2017

Over the last few years there has been an increasing interest in the study and development of processes that make it possible to obtain ultra-fine grained materials. Although there exists a large number of published works related to the improvement of the mechanical properties in these materials, there are only a few studies that analyse their in-service behaviour (fatigue and wear). In order to bridge the gap, in this present work, the fatigue and wear results obtained for connecting rods manufactured by using two different aluminium alloys (AA5754 and AA5083) previously deformed by severe plastic deformation (SPD), using Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP), in order to obtain the ultrafine grain size in the processed materials are shown. For both aluminium alloys, two initial states were studied: annealed and ECAPed. The connecting rods were manufactured from the previously processed materials by using isothermal forging. Fatigue and wear experiments were carried out in order to characterize the in-service behaviour of the components. A comparative study of the results was made for both initial states of the materials. Furthermore, Finite Element Modelling (FEM) simulations were used in order to compare experimental results with those obtained from simulations. In addition, dimensional wear coefficients were found for each of the aluminium alloys and initial deformation states. This research work aims to progress the knowledge of the behaviour of components manufactured from ultrafine grain materials.
Fabrication of Single-Crystalline Calcite Needle-Like Particles Using the Aragonite–Calcite Phase Transition
Authors: Kezuka Yuki , Kawai Kosuke , Eguchi Kenichiro , Tajika Masahiko
Published: August 2017

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) occurs in two major polymorphs: rhombohedral calcite and orthorhombic aragonite, the latter is thermodynamically metastable. In this study, we first prepared aragonite needle-like particles by introducing CO2-containing gas into Ca(OH)2 aqueous slurry. Then, the resulted aragonite particles were heat treated at 500 °C for 1 h, in order to induce the aragonite–calcite phase transition. Particle structures before and after the heat treatment were characterized mainly by powder X-ray diffractometry (XRD), field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We found that single-crystalline calcite needle-like particles with zigzag surface structures can be fabricated using the phase transition.
Development of a UPLC-MS/MS Method for Simultaneous Determination of Six Flavonoids in Rat Plasma after Administration of Maydis stigma Extract and Its Application to a Comparative Pharmacokinetic Study in Normal and Diabetic Rats
Authors: Wei Bin-Bin , Chen Zai-Xing , Liu Ming-Yan , Wei Min-Jie
Published: August 2017

Maydis stigma is an important medicine herb used in many parts of the world for treatment of diabetes mellitus, which main bioactive ingredients are flavonoids. This paper describes for the first time a study on the comparative pharmacokinetics of six active flavonoid ingredients of Maydis stigma in normal and diabetic rats orally administrated with the decoction. Therefore, an efficient and sensitive ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous determination of six anti-diabetic ingredients (cynaroside, quercetin, luteolin, isorhamnetin, rutin and formononetin) of Maydis stigma in rat plasma has been developed and validated in plasma samples, which showed good linearity over a wide concentration range (r2 > 0.99), and gave a lower limit of quantification of 1.0 ng·mL−1 for the analytes. The intra- and interday assay variability was less than 15% for all analytes. The mean extraction recoveries and matrix effect of analytes and IS from rats plasma were all more than 85.0%. The stability results showed the measured concentration for six analytes at three QC levels deviated within 15.0%. The results indicated that significant differences in the pharmacokinetic parameters of the analytes were observed between the two groups of animals, whereby the absorptions of these analytes in the diabetic group were all significantly higher than those in the normal group, which provides an experimental basis for the role of Maydis stigma in anti-diabetic treatment.
In Vitro Evaluation of Sub-Lethal Concentrations of Plant-Derived Antifungal Compounds on FUSARIA Growth and Mycotoxin Production
Authors: Morcia Caterina , Tumino Giorgio , Ghizzoni Roberta , Bara Assetou , Salhi Nesrine , Terzi Valeria
Published: August 2017

Phytopathogenic fungi can lead to significant cereal yield losses, also producing mycotoxins dangerous for human and animal health. The fungal control based on the use of synthetic fungicides can be complemented by "green" methods for crop protection, based on the use of natural products. In this frame, the antifungal activities of bergamot and lemon essential oils and of five natural compounds recurrent in essential oils (citronellal, citral, cinnamaldehyde, cuminaldehyde and limonene) have been evaluated against three species of mycotoxigenic fungi (Fusarium sporotrichioides, F. graminearum and F. langsethiae) responsible for Fusarium Head Blight in small-grain cereals. The natural products concentrations effective for reducing or inhibiting the in vitro fungal growth were determined for each fungal species and the following scale of potency was found: cinnamaldehyde > cuminaldehyde > citral > citronellal > bergamot oil > limonene > lemon oil. Moreover, the in vitro mycotoxin productions of the three Fusaria strains exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of the seven products was evaluated. The three fungal species showed variability in response to the treatments, both in terms of inhibition of mycelial growth and in terms of modulation of mycotoxin production that can be enhanced by sub-lethal concentrations of some natural products. This last finding must be taken into account in the frame of an open field application of some plant-derived fungicides.
Kinetics and Energetics of Thermal Cis-Trans Isomerization of a Resonance-Activated Azobenzene in BMIM-Based Ionic Liquids for PF6−/Tf2N− Comparison
Authors: Angelini Guido , Campestre Cristina , Scotti Luca , Gasbarri Carla
Published: August 2017

BMIM PF6 (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate) and BMIM Tf2N (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide) are two conventional room-temperature ionic liquids widely employed and investigated as reaction media. Despite the presence of the same imidazolium ring in their structure they are different in many chemical and physical properties due to the nature of the anions. The thermal cis-trans isomerization of an electronically activated azobenzene have been used as reaction model to compare the behavior of PF6− and Tf2N−. Rotation is the mechanism by which the investigated azobenzene is converted into the trans isomer spontaneously in the dark both in BMIM PF6 and in BMIM Tf2N. The kinetic rate constants of the process have been determined at different temperatures and the activation energies of the reaction have been calculated according to the Arrhenius and Eyring equations. The results presented herein highlight different solute-solvent interactions involving the PF6− and Tf2N− anions during the cis-trans isomerization.
Astragalosidic Acid: A New Water-Soluble Derivative of Astragaloside IV Prepared Using Remarkably Simple TEMPO-Mediated Oxidation
Authors: Qing Lin-Sen , Peng Shu-Lin , Liang Jian , Ding Li-Sheng
Published: August 2017

There is an urgent need for a water-soluble derivative of astragaloside IV for drug R&D. In the present study, a remarkably simple method for the preparation of such a water-soluble derivative of astragaloside IV has been developed. This protocol involves oxidative 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl free radical (TEMPO)-mediated transformation of astragaloside IV to its carboxylic acid derivative, which is a new compound named astragalosidic acid. The structure of astragalosidic acid was elucidated by means of spectroscopic analysis. Its cardioprotective activity was investigated using an in vitro model of cardiomyocyte damage induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation in H9c2 cells. The oxidative TEMPO-mediated transformation proposed in the present study could be applied to other natural saponins, offering an effective and convenient way to develop a new compound with greatly improved structure-based druggability.
Effect of Sunlight Radiation on the Growth and Chemical Constituents of Salvia plebeia R.Br.
Authors: Jang Hyun-Jae , Lee Seung-Jae , Kim Cha , Hwang Joo , Choi Jung , Park Jee , Lee Seung , Rho Mun-Chual
Published: August 2017

This study investigated the chemical composition changes of Salvia plebeia R.Br. cultivated under different light sources, including florescent light and sunlight. The plants were exposed to fluorescent light for four months and sunlight and then examined for the next 5–7 months. Plants were harvested monthly during the seven months, and we examined whether the difference in light source affected the phenolic and flavonoid contents and antioxidant activity. A simple and reliable HPLC method using a PAH C18 column was applied for the quantitative analysis of two triterpenoids from the S. plebeia groups. Oleanolic acid (OA) and ursolic acid (UA) showed good linearity (R2 > 0.9999) within the test ranges (0.005–0.05 mg/mL), and the average percentage recoveries of the OA and UA were 95.1–104.8% and 97.2–107.1%, respectively. The intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) were less than 2.0%. After exposure to sunlight, the phenolic contents, including rosmarinic acid, showed a reduced tendency, whereas the flavonoid contents, including homoplantaginin and luteolin 7-glucoside, were increased. The content of the triterpenoids also showed an increased tendency under sunlight irradiation, but the variance was not larger than those of the phenolic and flavonoid contents. Among experimental groups, the group harvested at six months, having been exposed to sunlight for two months, showed the most potent antioxidant activity. Therefore, these results showed that the chemical composition and antioxidant activities of S. plebeia R.Br. was affected from environmental culture conditions, such as light source. Our studies will be useful for the development of functional materials using S. plebeia R.Br.
Iron Supplementation during Three Consecutive Days of Endurance Training Augmented Hepcidin Levels
Authors: Ishibashi Aya , Maeda Naho , Kamei Akiko , Goto Kazushige
Published: August 2017

Iron supplementation contributes an effort to improving iron status among athletes, but it does not always prevent iron deficiency. In the present study, we explored the effect of three consecutive days of endurance training (twice daily) on the hepcidin-25 (hepcidin) level. The effect of iron supplementation during this period was also determined. Fourteen male endurance athletes were enrolled and randomly assigned to either an iron-treated condition (Fe condition, n = 7) or a placebo condition (Control condition; CON, n = 7). They engaged in two 75-min sessions of treadmill running at 75% of maximal oxygen uptake on three consecutive days (days 1–3). The Fe condition took 12 mg of iron twice daily (24 mg/day), and the CON condition did not. On day 1, both conditions exhibited significant increases in serum hepcidin and plasma interleukin-6 levels after exercise (p < 0.05). In the CON condition, the hepcidin level did not change significantly throughout the training period. However, in the Fe condition, the serum hepcidin level on day 4 was significantly higher than that of the CON condition (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the hepcidin level was significantly elevated following three consecutive days of endurance training when moderate doses of iron were taken.
Short-Term Effects of a Ready-to-Drink Pre-Workout Beverage on Exercise Performance and Recovery
Authors: Collins P. , Earnest Conrad , Dalton Ryan , Sowinski Ryan , Grubic Tyler , Favot Christopher , Coletta Adriana , Rasmussen Christopher , Greenwood Mike , Kreider Richard
Published: August 2017

In a double-blind, randomized and crossover manner, 25 resistance-trained participants ingested a placebo (PLA) beverage containing 12 g of dextrose and a beverage (RTD) containing caffeine (200 mg), β-alanine (2.1 g), arginine nitrate (1.3 g), niacin (65 mg), folic acid (325 mcg), and Vitamin B12 (45 mcg) for 7-days, separated by a 7–10-day. On day 1 and 6, participants donated a fasting blood sample and completed a side-effects questionnaire (SEQ), hemodynamic challenge test, 1-RM and muscular endurance tests (3 × 10 repetitions at 70% of 1-RM with the last set to failure on the bench press (BP) and leg press (LP)) followed by ingesting the assigned beverage. After 15 min, participants repeated the hemodynamic test, 1-RM tests, and performed a repetition to fatigue (RtF) test at 70% of 1-RM, followed by completing the SEQ. On day 2 and 7, participants donated a fasting blood sample, completed the SEQ, ingested the assigned beverage, rested 30 min, and performed a 4 km cycling time-trial (TT). Data were analyzed by univariate, multivariate, and repeated measures general linear models (GLM), adjusted for gender and relative caffeine intake. Data are presented as mean change (95% CI). An overall multivariate time × treatment interaction was observed on strength performance variables (p = 0.01). Acute RTD ingestion better maintained LP 1-RM (PLA: −0.285 (−0.49, −0.08); RTD: 0.23 (−0.50, 0.18) kg/kgFFM, p = 0.30); increased LP RtF (PLA: −2.60 (−6.8, 1.6); RTD: 4.00 (−0.2, 8.2) repetitions, p = 0.031); increased BP lifting volume (PLA: 0.001 (−0.13, 0.16); RTD: 0.03 (0.02, 0.04) kg/kgFFM, p = 0.007); and, increased total lifting volume (PLA: −13.12 (−36.9, 10.5); RTD: 21.06 (−2.7, 44.8) kg/kgFFM, p = 0.046). Short-term RTD ingestion maintained baseline LP 1-RM (PLA: −0.412 (−0.08, −0.07); RTD: 0.16 (−0.50, 0.18) kg/kgFFM, p = 0.30); LP RtF (PLA: 0.12 (−3.0, 3.2); RTD: 3.6 (0.5, 6.7) repetitions, p = 0.116); and, LP lifting volume (PLA: 3.64 (−8.8, 16.1); RTD: 16.25 (3.8, 28.7) kg/kgFFM, p = 0.157) to a greater degree than PLA. No significant differences were observed between treatments in cycling TT performance, hemodynamic assessment, fasting blood panels, or self-reported side effects.
Assessment of Bone Metastases in Patients with Prostate Cancer—A Comparison between 99mTc-Bone-Scintigraphy and [68Ga]Ga-PSMA PET/CT
Authors: Thomas Lena , Balmus Caroline , Ahmadzadehfar Hojjat , Essler Markus , Strunk Holger , Bundschuh Ralph
Published: August 2017

Purpose: Bone scintigraphy is the standard of reference in bone metastases in prostate cancer patients. However, new radiotracers employed in prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-ligands has led to the growing importance of PET/CT as diagnostic tool. The aim of our study was to investigate the difference between bone scan and PSMA-PET/CT for the detection of bone metastases in prostate cancer. Methods: Thirty patients with bone metastases originating from prostate cancer were examined by 99mTc-MDP bone scan and 68Ga-PSMA-PET/CT within an average of 21 days. Bone scans were analyzed visually according to the number of lesions and using the software package ExiniBONE by Exini Diagnostics. PET/CT data was analyzed visually. Numbers of detected lesions were compared for the different methods for the whole patient and for different regions. In addition, results were compared to serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone alkaline phosphatase (bALP), pro gastrin releasing peptide (pGRP) and eastern cooperative oncology group (ECOG) performance status. Results: In the bone scans, visual and semiautomatic lesion detection showed similar results with an average of 19.4 and 17.8 detected bone lesion per patient. However, in PSMA-PET/CT, on average double the numbers of lesions (40.0) were detected. The largest differences were found in the thorax and pelvis, which can be explained by the advantages of tomographic imaging. Bland-Altman analysis showed greater differences in patients with large numbers of bone metastases. Conclusion: No significant difference was found when using semiautomatic analysis compared to visual reading for bone scans. Fewer bone metastases were detected in bone scans than in PSMA-PET/CT. However, in none of our patients would the difference have led to clinical consequences. Therefore, it seems that for patients undergoing PSMA-PET/CT, there is no need to perform additional bone scans if the appropriate PET/CT protocols are applied.
A Robust Inversion Algorithm for Surface Leaf and Soil Temperatures Using the Vegetation Clumping Index
Authors: Bian Zunjian , Cao Biao , Li Hua , Du Yongming , Song Lisheng , Fan Wenjie , Xiao Qing , Liu Qinhuo
Published: August 2017

The inversion of land surface component temperatures is an essential source of information for mapping heat fluxes and the angular normalization of thermal infrared (TIR) observations. Leaf and soil temperatures can be retrieved using multiple-view-angle TIR observations. In a satellite-scale pixel, the clumping effect of vegetation is usually present, but it is not completely considered during the inversion process. Therefore, we introduced a simple inversion procedure that uses gap frequency with a clumping index (GCI) for leaf and soil temperatures over both crop and forest canopies. Simulated datasets corresponding to turbid vegetation, regularly planted crops and randomly distributed forest were generated using a radiosity model and were used to test the proposed inversion algorithm. The results indicated that the GCI algorithm performed well for both crop and forest canopies, with root mean squared errors of less than 1.0 °C against simulated values. The proposed inversion algorithm was also validated using measured datasets over orchard, maize and wheat canopies. Similar results were achieved, demonstrating that using the clumping index can improve inversion results. In all evaluations, we recommend using the GCI algorithm as a foundation for future satellite-based applications due to its straightforward form and robust performance for both crop and forest canopies using the vegetation clumping index.
A Novel Spaceborne Sliding Spotlight Range Sweep Synthetic Aperture Radar: System and Imaging
Authors: Wang Yan , Li Jingwen , Yang Jian , Sun Bing
Published: August 2017

In this paper, a new Spaceborne Sliding Spotlight Range Sweep Synthetic Aperture Radar (SSS-RSSAR) is proposed to generate a high-resolution image of a Region of Interest (ROI) tilted with respect to the satellite track. Comparing to the traditional Spaceborne Sliding Spotlight Synthetic Aperture Radar (SSS-SAR), the SSS-RSSAR is superior in contributing to less data amount, lighter computational load and hence higher observation efficiency. Unlike the Spaceborne Stripmap Range Sweep Synthetic Aperture Radar (SS-RSSAR) proposed in a previous paper, the SSS-RSSAR not only continuously sweeps the beam in range for the ROI tracking, but also in azimuth to enlarge the synthetic aperture for an improved azimuth resolution. Two aspects of the SSS-RSSAR are focused: system and imaging. For the system part, a Continuous Varying Pulse Interval (CVPI) technique is proposed to avoid the transmission blockage problem by non-uniformly adjusting the pulse intervals based on the geometry. For the imaging part, a Modified Polar Format Algorithm (MPFA) is proposed to accommodate the original polar format algorithm to the echo received with the CVPI technique. Moreover, an integrate system parameter design flow for the SSS-RSSAR is also suggested. The presented approach is evaluated by exploiting the point target simulations.
Downscaling Land Surface Temperature in an Arid Area by Using Multiple Remote Sensing Indices with Random Forest Regression
Authors: Yang Yingbao , Cao Chen , Pan Xin , Li Xiaolong , Zhu Xi
Published: August 2017

Many downscaling algorithms have been proposed to address the issue of coarse-resolution land surface temperature (LST) derived from available satellite-borne sensors. However, few studies have focused on improving LST downscaling in arid regions (especially in deserts) because of inaccurate remote sensing LST products. In this study, LST was downscaled by a random forest model between LST and multiple remote sensing indices (such as soil-adjusted vegetation index, normalized multi-band drought index, modified normalized difference water index, and normalized difference building index) in an arid region with an oasis–desert ecotone. The proposed downscaling approach, which involves the selection of remote sensing indices, was evaluated using LST derived from the MODIS LST product of Zhangye City in Heihe Basin. The spatial resolution of MODIS LST was downscaled from 1 km to 500 m. Results of visual and quantitative analyses show that the distribution of downscaled LST matched that of the oasis and desert ecosystem. The lowest (approximately 22 °C) and highest temperatures (higher than 37 °C) were detected in the middle oasis and desert regions, respectively. Furthermore, the proposed approach achieves relatively satisfactory downscaling results, with coefficient of determination and root mean square error of 0.84 and 2.42 °C, respectively. The proposed approach shows higher accuracy and minimization of the MODIS LST in the desert region compared with other methods. Optimal availability occurs in the vegetated region during summer and autumn. In addition, the approach is also efficient and reliable for LST downscaling of Landsat images. Future tasks include reliable LST downscaling in challenging regions.
Mapping and Assessment of PM10 and O3 Removal by Woody Vegetation at Urban and Regional Level
Authors: Fusaro Lina , Marando Federica , Sebastiani Alessandro , Capotorti Giulia , Blasi Carlo , Copiz Riccardo , Congedo Luca , Munafò Michele , Ciancarella Luisella , Manes Fausto
Published: August 2017

This study is the follow up of the URBAN-MAES pilot implemented in the framework of the EnRoute project. The study aims at mapping and assessing the process of particulate matter (PM10) and tropospheric ozone (O3) removal by various forest and shrub ecosystems. Different policy levels and environmental contexts were considered, namely the Metropolitan city of Rome and, at a wider level, the Latium region. The approach involves characterization of the main land cover and ecosystems using Sentinel-2 images, enabling a detailed assessment of Ecosystem Service (ES), and monetary valuation based on externality values. The results showed spatial variations in the pattern of PM10 and O3 removal inside the Municipality and in the more rural Latium hinterland, reflecting the spatial dynamics of the two pollutants. Evergreen species displayed higher PM10 removal efficiency, whereas deciduous species showed higher O3 absorption in both rural and urban areas. The overall pollution removal accounted for 5123 and 19,074 Mg of PM10 and O3, respectively, with a relative monetary benefit of 161 and 149 Million Euro for PM10 and O3, respectively. Our results provide spatially explicit evidence that may assist policymakers in land-oriented decisions towards improving Green Infrastructure and maximizing ES provision at different governance levels.
Simultaneous Indoor Tracking and Activity Recognition Using Pyroelectric Infrared Sensors
Authors: Luo Xiaomu , Guan Qiuju , Tan Huoyuan , Gao Liwen , Wang Zhengfei , Luo Xiaoyan
Published: August 2017

Indoor human tracking and activity recognition are fundamental yet coherent problems for ambient assistive living. In this paper, we propose a method to address these two critical issues simultaneously. We construct a wireless sensor network (WSN), and the sensor nodes within WSN consist of pyroelectric infrared (PIR) sensor arrays. To capture the tempo-spatial information of the human target, the field of view (FOV) of each PIR sensor is modulated by masks. A modified partial filter algorithm is utilized to decode the location of the human target. To exploit the synergy between the location and activity, we design a two-layer random forest (RF) classifier. The initial activity recognition result of the first layer is refined by the second layer RF by incorporating various effective features. We conducted experiments in a mock apartment. The mean localization error of our system is about 0.85 m. For five kinds of daily activities, the mean accuracy for 10-fold cross-validation is above 92%. The encouraging results indicate the effectiveness of our system.
Position, Orientation and Velocity Detection of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) Using an Optical Detector Array
Authors: Eren Firat , Pe’eri Shachak , Thein May-Win , Rzhanov Yuri , Celikkol Barbaros , Swift M.
Published: August 2017

This paper presents a proof-of-concept optical detector array sensor system to be used in Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) navigation. The performance of the developed optical detector array was evaluated for its capability to estimate the position, orientation and forward velocity of UUVs with respect to a light source fixed in underwater. The evaluations were conducted through Monte Carlo simulations and empirical tests under a variety of motion configurations. Monte Carlo simulations also evaluated the system total propagated uncertainty (TPU) by taking into account variations in the water column turbidity, temperature and hardware noise that may degrade the system performance. Empirical tests were conducted to estimate UUV position and velocity during its navigation to a light beacon. Monte Carlo simulation and empirical results support the use of the detector array system for optics based position feedback for UUV positioning applications.
Olive Actual “on Year” Yield Forecast Tool Based on the Tree Canopy Geometry Using UAS Imagery
Authors: Sola-Guirado Rafael , Castillo-Ruiz Francisco , Jiménez-Jiménez Francisco , Blanco-Roldan Gregorio , Castro-Garcia Sergio , Gil-Ribes Jesus
Published: August 2017

Olive has a notable importance in countries of Mediterranean basin and its profitability depends on several factors such as actual yield, production cost or product price. Actual “on year” Yield (AY) is production (kg tree−1) in “on years”, and this research attempts to relate it with geometrical parameters of the tree canopy. Regression equation to forecast AY based on manual canopy volume was determined based on data acquired from different orchard categories and cultivars during different harvesting seasons in southern Spain. Orthoimages were acquired with unmanned aerial systems (UAS) imagery calculating individual crown for relating to canopy volume and AY. Yield levels did not vary between orchard categories; however, it did between irrigated orchards (7000–17,000 kg ha−1) and rainfed ones (4000–7000 kg ha−1). After that, manual canopy volume was related with the individual crown area of trees that were calculated by orthoimages acquired with UAS imagery. Finally, AY was forecasted using both manual canopy volume and individual tree crown area as main factors for olive productivity. AY forecast only by using individual crown area made it possible to get a simple and cheap forecast tool for a wide range of olive orchards. Finally, the acquired information was introduced in a thematic map describing spatial AY variability obtained from orthoimage analysis that may be a powerful tool for farmers, insurance systems, market forecasts or to detect agronomical problems.
Crowd Sensing-Enabling Security Service Recommendation for Social Fog Computing Systems
Authors: Wu Jun , Su Zhou , Wang Shen , Li Jianhua
Published: August 2017

Fog computing, shifting intelligence and resources from the remote cloud to edge networks, has the potential of providing low-latency for the communication from sensing data sources to users. For the objects from the Internet of Things (IoT) to the cloud, it is a new trend that the objects establish social-like relationships with each other, which efficiently brings the benefits of developed sociality to a complex environment. As fog service become more sophisticated, it will become more convenient for fog users to share their own services, resources, and data via social networks. Meanwhile, the efficient social organization can enable more flexible, secure, and collaborative networking. Aforementioned advantages make the social network a potential architecture for fog computing systems. In this paper, we design an architecture for social fog computing, in which the services of fog are provisioned based on “friend” relationships. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt at an organized fog computing system-based social model. Meanwhile, social networking enhances the complexity and security risks of fog computing services, creating difficulties of security service recommendations in social fog computing. To address this, we propose a novel crowd sensing-enabling security service provisioning method to recommend security services accurately in social fog computing systems. Simulation results show the feasibilities and efficiency of the crowd sensing-enabling security service recommendation method for social fog computing systems.
A Miniaturized QEPAS Trace Gas Sensor with a 3D-Printed Acoustic Detection Module
Authors: Yang Xiaotao , Xiao Youhong , Ma Yufei , He Ying , Tittel Frank
Published: August 2017

A 3D printing technique was introduced to a quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) sensor and is reported for the first time. The acoustic detection module (ADM) was designed and fabricated using the 3D printing technique and the ADM volume was compressed significantly. Furthermore, a small grin lens was used for laser focusing and facilitated the beam adjustment in the 3D-printed ADM. A quartz tuning fork (QTF) with a low resonance frequency of 30.72 kHz was used as the acoustic wave transducer and acetylene (C2H2) was chosen as the analyte. The reported miniaturized QEPAS trace gas sensor is useful in actual sensor applications.
Practical Considerations before Installing Ground-Based Geodetic Infrastructure for Integrated InSAR and cGNSS Monitoring of Vertical Land Motion
Authors: Parker Amy L. , Featherstone Will E. , Penna Nigel T. , Filmer Mick S. , Garthwaite Matthew C.
Published: August 2017

Continuously operating Global Navigation Satellite Systems (cGNSS) can be used to convert relative values of vertical land motion (VLM) derived from Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) to absolute values in a global or regional reference frame. Artificial trihedral corner reflectors (CRs) provide high-intensity and temporally stable reflections in SAR time series imagery, more so than naturally occurring permanent scatterers. Therefore, it is logical to co-locate CRs with cGNSS as ground-based geodetic infrastructure for the integrated monitoring of VLM. We describe the practical considerations for such co-locations using four case-study examples from Perth, Australia. After basic initial considerations such as land access, sky visibility and security, temporary test deployments of co-located CRs with cGNSS should be analysed together to determine site suitability. Signal to clutter ratios from SAR imagery are used to determine potential sites for placement of the CR. A significant concern is whether the co-location of a deliberately designed reflecting object generates unwanted multipath (reflected signals) in the cGNSS data. To mitigate against this, we located CRs >30 m from the cGNSS with no inter-visibility. Daily RMS values of the zero-difference ionosphere-free carrier-phase residuals, and ellipsoidal heights from static precise point positioning GNSS processing at each co-located site were then used to ascertain that the CR did not generate unwanted cGNSS multipath. These steps form a set of recommendations for the installation of such geodetic ground-infrastructure, which may be of use to others wishing to establish integrated InSAR-cGNSS monitoring of VLM elsewhere.
Identification and Quantification of Celery Allergens Using Fiber Optic Surface Plasmon Resonance PCR
Authors: Daems Devin , Peeters Bernd , Delport Filip , Remans Tony , Lammertyn Jeroen , Spasic Dragana
Published: August 2017

Abstract: Accurate identification and quantification of allergens is key in healthcare, biotechnology and food quality and safety. Celery (Apium graveolens) is one of the most important elicitors of food allergic reactions in Europe. Currently, the golden standards to identify, quantify and discriminate celery in a biological sample are immunoassays and two-step molecular detection assays in which quantitative PCR (qPCR) is followed by a high-resolution melting analysis (HRM). In order to provide a DNA-based, rapid and simple detection method suitable for one-step quantification, a fiber optic PCR melting assay (FO-PCR-MA) was developed to determine different concentrations of celery DNA (1 pM–0.1 fM). The presented method is based on the hybridization and melting of DNA-coated gold nanoparticles to the FO sensor surface in the presence of the target gene (mannitol dehydrogenase, Mtd). The concept was not only able to reveal the presence of celery DNA, but also allowed for the cycle-to-cycle quantification of the target sequence through melting analysis. Furthermore, the developed bioassay was benchmarked against qPCR followed by HRM, showing excellent agreement (R2 = 0.96). In conclusion, this innovative and sensitive diagnostic test could further improve food quality control and thus have a large impact on allergen induced healthcare problems.
Optimization of a VOC Sensor with a Bilayered Diaphragm Using FBAR as Strain Sensing Elements
Authors: Guo Huihui , Guo Aohui , Gao Yang , Liu Tingting
Published: August 2017

Film bulk acoustic resonators (FBARs) are widely applied in mass bio-sensing and pressure sensors, owing to their extreme sensitivity and integration ability, and ability to miniaturize circuits. A volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor with a polymer-coated diaphragm, using FBARs as a strain sensing element is proposed and optimized. This vapor sensor is based on organic vapor-induced changes of mechanical deformation of the micro-diaphragm. The four FBARs are located at the edge of the bi-layer diaphragm comprising silicon nitride and silicon oxide for strain extraction. In this work, the strain distribution of the FBAR area under vapor loads is obtained using the finite element analysis (FEA) and the response frequency changes of the FBARs under vapor loads are obtained based on both the first-principle methods to deduce the elastic coefficient variation of aluminum nitride film in FBARs under the bending stresses and the Mason equivalent circuit model of the sensor using ADS software. Finally, optimizations are performed on both the bilayered diaphragm structure and sensing film. The diaphragm with a 0.7 μm silicon nitride layer and a 0.5 μm silicon oxide layer are considered to be the optimized design. The optimal coverage area of the sensing film for the diaphragm is around 0.8.
Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity and Growth Control Properties of Nonoscale Structure Produced from Aloe vera var. littoralis Extract on Clinical Isolates of Salmonella
Authors: Ranjbar Reza , Arjomandzadegan Mohammad , Hosseiny Hossein
Published: August 2017

The aim of the study was to examine antibacterial properties of microemulsion structure produced from Aloe vera var. littoralis extract as a new tool of nanoscale drug-like materials. Aloe vera var. littoralis (A. littoralis) extract was prepared by distillation method. A nonocarrier structure in the microemulsion system was prepared from the extract. Serial concentrations were prepared from 8 mg/mL extract and the nonocarrier containing 0.1 mg/mL pure extract and were evaluated by a disk diffusion method for 35 Salmonella clinical isolates. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined by microbroth dilution assay using MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) method by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) Microplate Reader apparatus. Antioxidant activity of the extract was determined by measuring the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay. From 35 clinical isolates of Salmonella, 17 isolates—including resistant isolates of S.E.1103 and S.E.49—had a zone of inhibition (ZI) of 7 to 32 mm in 0.007 mg/mL of the extract. S.E.76 isolate exposed to 30 µg/mL ceftazidime disk had a ZI of 12 mm but had 10 mm in 7µg/mL of A. littoralis extract. The inhibitory effect of a nanocarrier at a concentration of 25 µg/mL by 20 mm ZI was comparable by the ceftazidime (30 µg/mL) effect. MIC50 was 0.25 mg/mL and MBC50 was 0.5 mg/mL by MTT method for the extract. It was shown that A.littoralis extract had antioxidant activity of 31.67 µM/mg that could be increased based on concentration. It was concluded that the nanocarrier had a significant effect on the studied isolates in comparison with ordinary antibiotics and had potential for use as a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial material in complementary medicine.
Sustainable Vehicles-Based Alternatives in Last Mile Distribution of Urban Freight Transport: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Oliveira Cintia , Albergaria De Mello Bandeira Renata , Vasconcelos Goes George , Schmitz Gonçalves Daniel , D’Agosto Márcio
Published: August 2017

The advent of new technologies in last mile deliveries is about to cause a disruption in the traditional business model applied in urban cargo transportation, thus presenting innumerous research opportunities in this field of knowledge. In this context, identifying new operation models and vehicles that could be applied for last mile deliveries in urban areas becomes crucial. Therefore, this paper aims to identify, through a systematic literature review, the main types of vehicles addressed in the literature that could be used in the last mile of urban freight distribution in order to increase the sustainability of this type of operation. The results indicate a trend for the implementation of smaller and lighter vehicles for last mile deliveries in urban areas: 47% of the studies suggest, among other alternatives, the use of bicycles and tricycles; while 53% of the articles support the use of light commercial vehicles. Another trend observed in this type of distribution, indicated in 64% of the studies, is the shift from conventional (fossil fuels) to alternative sources of energy (electricity).
The Influence of Green External Integration on Firm Performance: Does Firm Size Matter?
Authors: Song Yongtao , Feng Taiwen , Jiang Wenbo
Published: August 2017

Although the importance of green external integration has been widely recognized, our understanding of how firm size influences its link with firm performance is still limited. This study develops a conceptual framework in which firm size is proposed to moderate the relationships between green external integration, the time-to-market of environmentally friendly products and firm performance. We examine this model using data collected from 176 Chinese manufacturing companies. The results reveal that firm size moderates the relationship between green customer integration and business performance, the relationship between green supplier integration and operational performance, and the relationship between the time-to-market of environmentally friendly products and business performance. In addition, green customer and supplier integration improve both operational and business performance entirely by decreasing the time-to-market of environmentally friendly products for large firms, while green customer integration enhances operational performance entirely by shortening the time-to-market of environmentally friendly products for small and medium firms. These findings have important implications for research and practice in the fields of green supply chain integration and green innovation.
Impact of Public Education and Regional Economic Growth in China: A Shadow-Price Perspective
Authors: Yu Zhiqian , Zhu Ning , Baležentis Tomas
Published: August 2017

Education development is a critical component for a modern economy as the illiteracy rate can hinder economic growth. The illiteracy rate in China has decreased rapidly since 1980s, but there still exists an imbalance in distribution of educational resources among different regions. In order to explore the impacts of education quality on regional economic growth, we employ a quadratic directional distance function to derive the shadow prices of illiteracy for 31 provinces in China. In this case, shadow price is interpreted as the opportunity cost of reducing the illiteracy rate. The results show that the highest shadow price of illiteracy is observed in the middle region. Looking at individual provinces, Zhejiang shows the lowest shadow price of illiteracy, whereas Shanxi features the highest one. The shadow price of illiteracy showed a downward trend in the eastern region, while increasing trends were observed for the middle and the western regions during 2005–2011. Moreover, the gap between the eastern region on the one side and the middle and the western regions on the other side has been increasing.
Identifying the Conditions for Rural Sustainability through Place-Based Culture: Applying the CIPM and CDPM Models into Meibei Ancient Village
Authors: Lin Jing , Cai Jianming , Han Yan , Liu Jiansheng
Published: August 2017

Transitional rural China faces more serious challenges in its sustainable development. How to regain the vital momentum of those historically and culturally preeminent villages, among over 680,000 administrative villages in total, has become the pressing agenda for all the stakeholders, due to the fact that these villages have huge potential to be the leverage for successful rural transition and new urbanization in China. This paper therefore tries to diagnose and identify the current situation of those villages from a cultural perspective by taking the Meibei ancient village as the case. By applying the proposed Cultural Inverted Pyramid Model (CIPM) and Cultural Dual Pyramid Model (CDPM) with seven layers, i.e., root/vision, value, symbol, hero, ritual, lifestyle, and governance & management, Meibei’s development mechanism has been systematically explored from a cultural perspective through the comparison between its past prosperity and present challenges. It is found that the great merit of Meibei’s past prosperity lied in the organic integration of cultural elements in all the layers through the five development dimensions, i.e., economic, social, institutional, environmental and cultural dimensions. The empirical study proves that CIPM is a useful tool for diagnosing and identifying the current situation of the village, while CDPM is an effective instrument for planning and designing a culture-embedded and improved place for the future. Unless Meibei can recreate a new cultural ecosystem with resilience fitting to its existed heritage with cultural excellence and tourism promotion, the village cannot catch up with its past prosperity. Finally, this paper calls for more in-depth culture-oriented research to improve the CIPM and CDPM paradigm to allow for the realization of rural sustainability, particularly from the perspectives of policy options and academic concerns.