bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Potential of Tree Fruit Stone and Seed Wastes in Greece as Sources of Bioactive Ingredients
Authors: Ordoudi Stella , Bakirtzi Christina , Tsimidou Maria
Published: March 2018

The inedible part (stones, husks, kernels, seeds) of the tree fruits that are currently processed in various regions of Greece constitutes a huge portion of the fruit processing solid waste that remains underexploited. In this review, the existing scientific background for the composition and content of fruit stone and seed in bioactive ingredients is highlighted for olives, stone fruits and citrus fruits that represent the economically most important tree crop products of the country. The content of bioactive compounds may vary considerably depending on the quality of the raw material and the treatment during processing. However, both the hydrophilic and the lipophilic fractions of the seeds contain significant amounts of the primary and the secondary plant metabolites. Among them, phytosterols and several types of polyphenols, but also squalene, tocopherols and some other terpenoids with a unique structure are of particular importance for the utilization and valorization of stones and seeds. Official and scholar records about the current management practices are also presented to highlight the dynamics of the Greek fruit sector. Prospects for the regionalization of fruit seed wastes, in line with EU-promoted Research and Innovation Strategies (RIS) for Smart Specialization are critically discussed.
Measuring Spirituality and Religiosity in Clinical Settings: A Scoping Review of Available Instruments
Authors: Austin Philip , Macdonald Jessica , MacLeod Roderick
Published: March 2018

Aims: Numerous measures exist that assess dimensions of spirituality and religiosity in health, theological and social settings. In this review, we aim to identify and evaluate measures assessing factors relating to spirituality and religiosity in clinical settings. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, EMBASE and PsycINFO databases with search terms relating to spirituality, religiosity that also included well-being, needs, distress and beliefs used in self-reporting and clinician-administered measures. Only articles relating to the validation and subsequent administration of measures used in clinical settings were eligible for review. Results: Of 75 measures selected for initial screening, 25 had been validated and used in clinical settings and were reviewed for this study. Most measures were validated in oncological and palliative care settings where the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Spiritual Well-being (FACIT-Sp12) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Spiritual, Religious and Personal Beliefs (WHOQOL-SRPB) were most validated and frequently used. Only six measures were found that assessed spiritual distress and/or the needs of which only two had been investigated more than twice. Two measures assessing spirituality and religious beliefs in healthcare staff were also reviewed. Conclusions: This review provides a current summary of measures evaluating several dimensions of spirituality and religiosity used in clinical settings. Currently there is a lack of reliable measures evaluating spiritual needs and distress.
Lambda Value at Risk and Regulatory Capital: A Dynamic Approach to Tail Risk
Authors: Hitaj Asmerilda , Mateus Cesario , Peri Ilaria
Published: March 2018

This paper presents the first methodological proposal of estimation of the Λ V a R . Our approach is dynamic and calibrated to market extreme scenarios, incorporating the need of regulators and financial institutions in more sensitive risk measures. We also propose a simple backtesting methodology by extending the V a R hypothesis-testing framework. Hence, we test our Λ V a R proposals under extreme downward scenarios of the financial crisis and different assumptions on the profit and loss distribution. The findings show that our Λ V a R estimations are able to capture the tail risk and react to market fluctuations significantly faster than the V a R and expected shortfall. The backtesting exercise displays a higher level of accuracy for our Λ V a R estimations.
Consistent Valuation Across Curves Using Pricing Kernels
Authors: Macrina Andrea , Mahomed Obeid
Published: March 2018

The general problem of asset pricing when the discount rate differs from the rate at which an asset’s cash flows accrue is considered. A pricing kernel framework is used to model an economy that is segmented into distinct markets, each identified by a yield curve having its own market, credit and liquidity risk characteristics. The proposed framework precludes arbitrage within each market, while the definition of a curve-conversion factor process links all markets in a consistent arbitrage-free manner. A pricing formula is then derived, referred to as the across-curve pricing formula, which enables consistent valuation and hedging of financial instruments across curves (and markets). As a natural application, a consistent multi-curve framework is formulated for emerging and developed inter-bank swap markets, which highlights an important dual feature of the curve-conversion factor process. Given this multi-curve framework, existing multi-curve approaches based on HJM and rational pricing kernel models are recovered, reviewed and generalised and single-curve models extended. In another application, inflation-linked, currency-based and fixed-income hybrid securities are shown to be consistently valued using the across-curve valuation method.
Impact of Sea Ice Drift Retrieval Errors, Discretization and Grid Type on Calculations of Ice Deformation
Authors: Griebel Jakob , Dierking Wolfgang
Published: March 2018

We studied two issues to be considered in the calculation of parameters characterizing sea ice deformation: the effect of uncertainties in an automatically retrieved sea ice drift field, and the influence of the type of drift vector grid. Sea ice deformation changes the local ice mass balance and the interaction between atmosphere, ice, and ocean, and constitutes a hazard to marine traffic and operations. Due to numerical effects, the results of deformation retrievals may predict, e.g., openings and closings of the ice cover that do not exist in reality. We focus specifically on fields of ice drift obtained from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery and analyze the Propagated Drift Retrieval Error (PDRE) and the Boundary Definition Error (BDE). From the theory of error propagation, the PDRE for the calculated deformation parameters can be estimated. To quantify the BDE, we devise five different grid types and compare theoretical expectation and numerical results for different deformation parameters assuming three scenarios: pure divergence, pure shear, and a mixture of both. Our findings for both sources of error help to set up optimal deformation retrieval schemes and are also useful for other applications working with vector fields and scalar parameters derived therefrom.
Hyperspectral Classification Based on Texture Feature Enhancement and Deep Belief Networks
Authors: Li Jiaojiao , Xi Bobo , Li Yunsong , Du Qian , Wang Keyan
Published: March 2018

With success of Deep Belief Networks (DBNs) in computer vision, DBN has attracted great attention in hyperspectral classification. Many deep learning based algorithms have been focused on deep feature extraction for classification improvement. Multi-features, such as texture feature, are widely utilized in classification process to enhance classification accuracy greatly. In this paper, a novel hyperspectral classification framework based on an optimal DBN and a novel texture feature enhancement (TFE) is proposed. Through band grouping, sample band selection and guided filtering, the texture features of hyperspectral data are improved. After TFE, the optimal DBN is employed on the hyperspectral reconstructed data for feature extraction and classification. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed classification framework outperforms some state-of-the-art classification algorithms, and it can achieve outstanding hyperspectral classification performance. Furthermore, our proposed TFE method can play a significant role in improving classification accuracy.
Ship Detection in Optical Remote Sensing Images Based on Saliency and a Rotation-Invariant Descriptor
Authors: Dong Chao , Liu Jinghong , Xu Fang
Published: March 2018

Major challenges for automatic ship detection in optical remote sensing (ORS) images include cloud, wave, island, wake clutters, and even the high variability of targets. This paper presents a practical ship detection scheme to resolve these existing issues. The scheme contains two main coarse-to-fine stages: prescreening and discrimination. In the prescreening stage, we construct a novel visual saliency detection method according to the difference of statistical characteristics between highly non-uniform regions which allude to regions of interest (ROIs) and homogeneous backgrounds. It can serve as a guide for locating candidate regions. In this way, not only can the targets be precisely detected, but false alarms are also significantly reduced. In the discrimination stage, to get a better representation of the target, both shape and texture features characterizing the ship target are extracted and concatenated as a feature vector for subsequent classification. Moreover, the combined feature is invariant to the rotation. Finally, a trainable Gaussian support vector machine (SVM) classifier is performed to validate real ships out of ship candidates. We demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed hierarchical detection method with detailed comparisons to existing efforts.
Hydrological Variability and Changes in the Arctic Circumpolar Tundra and the Three Largest Pan-Arctic River Basins from 2002 to 2016
Authors: Suzuki Kazuyoshi , Matsuo Koji , Yamazaki Dai , Ichii Kazuhito , Iijima Yoshihiro , Papa Fabrice , Yanagi Yuji , Hiyama Tetsuya
Published: March 2018

The Arctic freshwater budget is critical for understanding the climate in the northern regions. However, the hydrology of the Arctic circumpolar tundra region (ACTR) and the largest pan-Arctic rivers are still not well understood. In this paper, we analyze the spatiotemporal variations in the terrestrial water storage (TWS) of the ACTR and three of the largest pan-Arctic river basins (Lena, Mackenzie, Yukon). To do this, we utilize monthly Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) data from 2002 to 2016. Together with global land reanalysis, and river runoff data, we identify declining TWS trends throughout the ACTR that we attribute largely to increasing evapotranspiration driven by increasing summer air temperatures. In terms of regional changes, large and significant negative trends in TWS are observed mainly over the North American continent. At basin scale, we show that, in the Lena River basin, the autumnal TWS signal persists until the spring of the following year, while in the Mackenzie River basin, the TWS level in the autumn and winter has no significant impact on the following year. As expected global warming is expected to be particularly significant in the northern regions, our results are important for understanding future TWS trends, with possible further decline.
A Spectral Mapping Signature for the Rapid Ohia Death (ROD) Pathogen in Hawaiian Forests
Authors: Asner Gregory , Martin Roberta , Keith Lisa , Heller Wade , Hughes Marc , Vaughn Nicholas , Hughes R. , Balzotti Christopher
Published: March 2018

Pathogenic invasions are a major source of change in both agricultural and natural ecosystems. In forests, fungal pathogens can kill habitat-generating plant species such as canopy trees, but methods for remote detection, mapping and monitoring of such outbreaks are poorly developed. Two novel species of the fungal genus Ceratocystis have spread rapidly across humid and mesic forests of Hawaiʻi Island, causing widespread mortality of the keystone endemic canopy tree species, Metrosideros polymorpha (common name: ʻōhiʻa). The process, known as Rapid Ohia Death (ROD), causes browning of canopy leaves in weeks to months following infection by the pathogen. An operational mapping approach is needed to track the spread of the disease. We combined field studies of leaf spectroscopy with laboratory chemical studies and airborne remote sensing to develop a spectral signature for ROD. We found that close to 80% of ROD-infected plants undergo marked decreases in foliar concentrations of chlorophyll, water and non-structural carbohydrates, which collectively result in strong consistent changes in leaf spectral reflectance in the visible (400–700 nm) and shortwave-infrared (1300–2500 nm) wavelength regions. Leaf-level results were replicated at the canopy level using airborne laser-guided imaging spectroscopy, with quantitative spectral separability of normal green-leaf canopies from suspected ROD-infected brown-leaf canopies in the visible and shortwave-infrared spectrum. Our results provide the spectral–chemical basis for detection, mapping and monitoring of the spread of ROD in native Hawaiian forests.
IEA Wind Task 32: Wind Lidar Identifying and Mitigating Barriers to the Adoption of Wind Lidar
Authors: Clifton Andrew , Clive Peter , Gottschall Julia , Schlipf David , Simley Eric , Simmons Luke , Stein Detlef , Trabucchi Davide , Vasiljevic Nikola , Würth Ines
Published: March 2018

IEA Wind Task 32 exists to identify and mitigate barriers to the adoption of lidar for wind energy applications. It leverages ongoing international research and development activities in academia and industry to investigate site assessment, power performance testing, controls and loads, and complex flows. Since its initiation in 2011, Task 32 has been responsible for several recommended practices and expert reports that have contributed to the adoption of ground-based, nacelle-based, and floating lidar by the wind industry. Future challenges include the development of lidar uncertainty models, best practices for data management, and developing community-based tools for data analysis, planning of lidar measurements and lidar configuration. This paper describes the barriers that Task 32 identified to the deployment of wind lidar in each of these application areas, and the steps that have been taken to confirm or mitigate the barriers. Task 32 will continue to be a meeting point for the international wind lidar community until at least 2020 and welcomes old and new participants.
Automatic Building Segmentation of Aerial Imagery Using Multi-Constraint Fully Convolutional Networks
Authors: Wu Guangming , Shao Xiaowei , Guo Zhiling , Chen Qi , Yuan Wei , Shi Xiaodan , Xu Yongwei , Shibasaki Ryosuke
Published: March 2018

Automatic building segmentation from aerial imagery is an important and challenging task because of the variety of backgrounds, building textures and imaging conditions. Currently, research using variant types of fully convolutional networks (FCNs) has largely improved the performance of this task. However, pursuing more accurate segmentation results is still critical for further applications such as automatic mapping. In this study, a multi-constraint fully convolutional network (MC–FCN) model is proposed to perform end-to-end building segmentation. Our MC–FCN model consists of a bottom-up/top-down fully convolutional architecture and multi-constraints that are computed between the binary cross entropy of prediction and the corresponding ground truth. Since more constraints are applied to optimize the parameters of the intermediate layers, the multi-scale feature representation of the model is further enhanced, and hence higher performance can be achieved. The experiments on a very-high-resolution aerial image dataset covering 18 km 2 and more than 17,000 buildings indicate that our method performs well in the building segmentation task. The proposed MC–FCN method significantly outperforms the classic FCN method and the adaptive boosting method using features extracted by the histogram of oriented gradients. Compared with the state-of-the-art U–Net model, MC–FCN gains 3.2% (0.833 vs. 0.807) and 2.2% (0.893 vs. 0.874) relative improvements of Jaccard index and kappa coefficient with the cost of only 1.8% increment of the model-training time. In addition, the sensitivity analysis demonstrates that constraints at different positions have inconsistent impact on the performance of the MC–FCN.
Integration of PSI, MAI, and Intensity-Based Sub-Pixel Offset Tracking Results for Landslide Monitoring with X-Band Corner Reflectors—Italian Alps (Corvara)
Authors: Darvishi Mehdi , Schlögel Romy , Bruzzone Lorenzo , Cuozzo Giovanni
Published: March 2018

This paper presents an analysis of the integration between interferometric and intensity-offset tracking-based SAR remote sensing for landslide hazard mitigation in the Italian Alps. Despite the advantages of Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR) methods for quantifying landslide deformation, some limitations remain. The temporal decorrelation, the 1-D Line Of Sight (LOS) observation restriction, the high velocity rate and the multi-directional movement properties make it difficult to monitor accurately complex landslides in areas covered by vegetation. Therefore, complementary and integrated approaches, such as offset tracking-based techniques, are needed to overcome these InSAR limitations for monitoring ground surface deformations. As sub-pixel offset tracking is highly sensitive to data spatial resolution, the latest generations of SAR sensors, such as TerraSAR-X and COSMO-SkyMed, open interesting perspective for a more accurate hazard assessment. In this paper, we consider high-resolution X-band data acquired by the COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) constellation for Permanent Scatterers Interferometry (PSI), Multi-Aperture Interferometry (MAI) and offset tracking processing. We analyze the offset tracking techniques considering area and feature-based matching algorithms to evaluate their applicability to CSK data by improving sub-pixel offset estimations. To this end, PSI and MAI are used for extracting LOS and azimuthal displacement components. Then, four well-known area-based and five feature-based matching algorithms (taken from computer vision) are applied to 16 X-band corner reflectors. Results show that offset estimation accuracy can be considerably improved up to less than 3% of the pixel size using the combination of the different feature-based detectors and descriptors. A sensitivity analysis of these techniques applied to CSK data to monitor complex landslides in the Italian Alps provides indications on advantages and disadvantages of each of them.
Miniaturized Sample Preparation and Rapid Detection of Arsenite in Contaminated Soil Using a Smartphone
Authors: Siddiqui Mohd Farhan , Kim Soocheol , Jeon Hyoil , Kim Taeho , Joo Chulmin , Park Seungkyung
Published: March 2018

Conventional methods for analyzing heavy metal contamination in soil and water generally require laboratory equipped instruments, complex procedures, skilled personnel and a significant amount of time. With the advancement in computing and multitasking performances, smartphone-based sensors potentially allow the transition of the laboratory-based analytical processes to field applicable, simple methods. In the present work, we demonstrate the novel miniaturized setup for simultaneous sample preparation and smartphone-based optical sensing of arsenic As(III) in the contaminated soil. Colorimetric detection protocol utilizing aptamers, gold nanoparticles and NaCl have been optimized and tested on the PDMS-chip to obtain the high sensitivity with the limit of detection of 0.71 ppm (in the sample) and a correlation coefficient of 0.98. The performance of the device is further demonstrated through the comparative analysis of arsenic-spiked soil samples with standard laboratory method, and a good agreement with a correlation coefficient of 0.9917 and the average difference of 0.37 ppm, are experimentally achieved. With the android application on the device to run the experiment, the whole process from sample preparation to detection is completed within 3 hours without the necessity of skilled personnel. The approximate cost of setup is estimated around 1 USD, weight 55 g. Therefore, the presented method offers the simple, rapid, portable and cost-effective means for onsite sensing of arsenic in soil. Combined with the geometric information inside the smartphones, the system will allow the monitoring of the contamination status of soils in a nation-wide manner.
Do Online Bicycle Routing Portals Adequately Address Prevalent Safety Concerns?
Authors: Loidl Martin , Hochmair Hartwig
Published: March 2018

Safety concerns are among the most prevalent deterrents for bicycling. The provision of adequate bicycling infrastructure is considered as one of the most efficient means to increase cycling safety. However, limited public funding does not always allow agencies to implement cycling infrastructure improvements at the desirable level. Thus, bicycle trip planners can at least partly alleviate the lack of adequate infrastructure by recommending optimal routes in terms of safety. The presented study provides a systematic review of 35 bicycle routing applications and analyses to which degree they promote safe bicycling. The results show that most trip planners lack corresponding routing options and therefore do not sufficiently address safety concerns of bicyclists. Based on these findings, we developed recommendations on how to better address bicycling safety in routing portals. We suggest employing current communication technology and analysis to consider safety concerns more explicitly.
Separation and Determination of Some of the Main Cholesterol-Related Compounds in Blood by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (Selected Ion Monitoring Mode)
Authors: Valverde-Som Lucia , Carrasco-Pancorbo Alegría , Sierra Saleta , Santana Soraya , Ruiz-Samblás Cristina , Navas Natalia , Burgos Javier , Cuadros-Rodríguez Luis
Published: March 2018

Oxysterols are metabolites produced in the first step of cholesterol metabolism, which is related to neurodegenerative disorder. They can be detected by testing blood, plasma, serum, or cerebrospinal fluid. In this study, some cholesterol precursors and oxysterols were determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The selected cholesterol-related compounds were desmosterol, lathosterol, lanosterol, 7α-hydroxycholesterol, 7β-hydroxycholesterol, 24(S)-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, 7-ketocholesterol, and 27-hydroxycholesterol. A powerful method was developed and validated considering various analytical parameters, such as linearity index, detection and quantification limits, selectivity and matrix effect, precision (repeatability), and trueness (recovery factor) for each cholesterol-related compound. 7α-hydroxycholesterol, 7β-hydroxycholesterol, and desmosterol exhibited the lowest detection and quantification limits, with 0.01 and 0.03 μg/mL, respectively, in the three cases. 7-ketocholesterol and lathosterol showed matrix effect percentages between 95.5% and 104.8%, respectively (demonstrating a negligible matrix effect), and very satisfactory repeatability values (i.e., overall performance of the method). Next, the method was applied to the analysis of a very interesting selection of mouse plasma samples (9 plasma extracts of non-transgenic and transgenic mice that had been fed different diets). Although the number of samples was limited, the current study led to some biologically relevant conclusions regarding brain cholesterol metabolism.
Sex-Free and Sex-Related Components of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) Neuroticism Scale among Finnish and Turkish Students
Authors: Lajunen Timo
Published: March 2018

Previous studies have suggested that the Neuroticism scale (N) of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) reflects two different dimensions, of which the first is sex-related (N-S) and the second sex-free (N-A). The N-S component is characterized by social sensitivity and worry while N-A reflects moodiness, irritability and boredom. The purpose of this study was to investigate the internal structure of the N scale in samples of 320 Finnish and 230 Turkish students. The bi-dimensional structure suggested by Francis had an acceptable fit to data in the Finnish and Turkish samples. Higher N-S and N scores correlated with being a woman in the Turkish sample. Neither N nor N-S scores were related to sex in the Finnish sample. ANOVA results showed the main effect of sex on N and N-S scores and the main effect of culture (Finnish vs. Turkish) on N and N-A. Turkish women scored higher in N and N-S scales than the other groups. The possible cultural and social reasons for the sex differences on the N scale score were discussed.
Change of Title: Soils Becomes Soil Systems
Authors: Fendorf Scott ,   Soil Systems Editorial Office
Published: March 2018

We are excited to announce a journal name change from Soils to Soil Systems.[...]
Examining the Reaction Times of International Level Badminton Players Under 15
Authors: Yüksel Mehmet , Tunç Gülsen
Published: March 2018

This research was conducted to examine the simple visual and auditory reaction times of badminton players of the national teams and to examine the possible effects of reaction-time average values of badminton players under the age of 15 who participated in the fifth International Rumi Child Sport Games. In total, 48 players (male = 24; female = 24) from six countries (Turkey, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia, Georgia) participated in the study. Stature, bodyweight, BMI, dominant and non-dominant hand visual and auditory reaction time values of the participants were detected. At the end of the study, it was determined that there were statistically significant differences between the countries in terms of male dominant and non-dominant hand visual reaction values, and male dominant hand auditory reaction values. It was also determined that there were statistically significant differences between the countries in terms of female bodyweight, BMI, dominant and non-dominant hand visual reaction values, and female non-dominant hand auditory reaction values. There was statistically significant difference between female and male players with regards to dominant and non-dominant hand visual, and non-dominant hand auditory reaction values. In conclusion, it was determined that the reaction times of the top ranking countries in the fifth International Rumi Child Sport Games under-15 were at a better level, and it can be concluded that this factor played an important role for success alongside with technique and tactic features.
Can Genetics Predict Sports Injury? The Association of the Genes GDF5, AMPD1, COL5A1 and IGF2 on Soccer Player Injury Occurrence
Authors: McCabe Kiah , Collins Christopher
Published: March 2018

Genetics plays an integral role in athletic performance and is increasingly becoming recognised as an important risk factor for injury. Ankle and knee injuries are the most common injuries sustained by soccer players. Often these injuries result in players missing training and matches, which can incur significant costs to clubs. This study aimed to identify genotypes associated with ankle and knee injuries in soccer players and how these impacted the number of matches played. 289 soccer players, including 46 professional, 98 semi-professional and 145 amateur players, were genetically tested. Ankle and knee injuries and the number of matches played were recorded during the 2014/15 season. Four genes were assessed in relation to injury. Genotypes found to be associated with injury included the TT (nucleobase) genotype of the GDF5 gene, TT and CT (nucleobase) genotypes of AMPD1 gene, TT genotype of COL5A1 and GG (nucleobase) genotype of IGF2 gene. These genes were also associated with a decrease in the number of matches played.
Entrepreneurship Education: An Experimental Study with Information and Communication Technology
Authors: Wu Yenchun , Yuan Chih-Hung , Pan Chia-I
Published: March 2018

Entrepreneurship has been regarded as a new science in the promotion of economic development, which has led to rapid development in entrepreneurship education. The growing number of students enrolled in entrepreneurship programs creates unprecedented challenges on educators. Although multiple teaching and learning activities are adopted in entrepreneurship education, these are mainly carried out using traditional classroom lectures, case studies and group discussions. Nowadays, information & communication technology (ICT) is used to enhance the effectiveness of traditional teaching methods and competency training. PowToon is a web-based ICT tool that hat allows teachers and students to quickly and easily create animated presentations. Using quasi-experimental design and qualitative method, this study is to examine whether PowToon is an effective tool for business plan presentation. The study find that the animated presentations attracted more investment than the groups that did not prepare animated videos. It reflects that developed videos which helps entrepreneurial team to better deliver their business ideas to investors in a well-thought out way. In addition, the results of the study show that individuals who generate a business idea did not necessarily significantly influence their investment decisions. Our findings challenge the concept on self-biases evaluations of the economic potential of their own business ideas. Finally, the students were very willing to adopt new ways of delivering their business ideas.
The Impact of Technical–Nontechnical Factors Synergy on Innovation Performance: The Moderating Effect of Talent Flow
Authors: Shi Hong-Bo , Cui Yong-Cai , Tsai Sang-Bing , Wang Dong-Mei
Published: March 2018

Innovation and talent are the guarantee of the sustainable development of an enterprise. However, internet companies are facing two major problems: innovation scarcity and frequent talent flow. The gradual intensification of competition is leading internet companies to realize the importance of collaborative innovation of an enterprise’s internal elements. Previous studies have pointed out that appropriate talent flow is conducive to improve the corporation’s innovation performance, too low or too high talent flow has a negative impact on the enterprise’s innovation ability. This study explores the relationship between talent flow, technical–nontechnical element synergy and collaborative innovation performance in the internet industry. The results show that the technical–nontechnical element synergy is beneficial to improve the collaborative innovation performance, and the comprehensive coordination of the elements can generate integration advantages that single element synergy cannot produce. As a moderator variable, talent flow can positively moderate the relationship between technical–market synergy, technical–strategy synergy, technical–institution synergy and collaborative innovation performance. However, because of the particularity of organization and culture, talent flow has no moderating effect on the relationship between technical–culture synergy, technical–organization synergy and innovation performance. Finally, this paper puts forward some suggestions on how to promote internet enterprise internal element synergy and use the talent flow frequency to improve collaborative innovation performance.
Ensuring Efficient Incentive and Disincentive Values for Highway Construction Projects: A Systematic Approach Balancing Road User, Agency and Contractor Acceleration Costs and Savings
Authors: Lee Eul-Bum , Alleman Douglas
Published: March 2018

United States State Highway Agencies (SHAs) use Incentive/Disincentives (I/D) to minimize negative impacts of construction on the traveling public through construction acceleration. Current I/D practices have the following short-comings: not standardized, over- or under-compensate contractors, lack of auditability result in disincentives that leave SHAs vulnerable to contractor claims and litigation and are based on agency costs/savings rather than contractor acceleration. Presented within this paper is an eleven-step I/D valuation process. The processes incorporate a US-nationwide RUC and agency cost calculation program, CA4PRS and a time-cost tradeoff I/D process. The incentive calculation used is the summation of the contractor acceleration and a reasonable contractor bonus (based on shared agency savings) with an optional reduction of contractor’s own saving from schedule compression (acceleration). The process has a capability to be used both within the US and internationally with minor modifications, relies on historical costs, is simple and is auditable and repeatable. As such, it is a practical tool for optimizing I/D amounts and bridges the gap in existing literature both by its industry applicability, integrating the solution into existing SHA practices and its foundation of contractor acceleration costs.
A Concession Period and Price Determination Model for PPP Projects: Based on Real Options and Risk Allocation
Authors: Ma Guofeng , Du Qingjuan , Wang Kedi
Published: March 2018

Concession period of PPP (Public–Private Partnership) projects is the most essential feature in determining the time span of various rights, obligations and responsibilities between the government and concessionaire. Most traditional methods are based on the analysis of the future cash flow to determine the concession period, but either ignored the potential values or the risks that might emerge during the project life span, thus failing to find the proper concession period for the project. This paper builds a new model taking both recognized real option value and risk into concession period decision-making, and considering the distribution coefficient of option value, which uses game theory integrated with risk sharing, which increases the flexibility of the negotiation. Real option theory is introduced based on traditional NPV (Net Present Value); its potential value and strategic importance are further exploited. A case shows that the project concession period and the price of the sewage disposal are different when considering option value and risk sharing simultaneously and respectively, which give the two side’s references during negotiation. Allocating the option value and the risk properly between the government and concessionaire can also avoid dispute and promote cooperation.
Daily Monitoring of Shallow and Fine-Grained Water Patterns in Wet Grasslands Combining Aerial LiDAR Data and In Situ Piezometric Measurements
Authors: Rapinel Sébastien , Rossignol Nicolas , Gore Oliver , Jambon Olivier , Bouger Guillaume , Mansons Jérome , Bonis Anne
Published: March 2018

The real-time monitoring of hydrodynamics in wetlands at fine spatial and temporal scales is crucial for understanding ecological and hydrological processes. The key interest of light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data is its ability to accurately detect microtopography. However, how such data may account for subtle wetland flooding changes in both space and time still needs to be tested, even though the degree to which these changes impact biodiversity patterns is of upmost importance. This study assesses the use of 1 m × 1 m resolution aerial LiDAR data in combination with in situ piezometric measurements in order to predict the flooded areas at a daily scale along a one-year hydrological period. The simulation was applied over 663 ha of wet grasslands distributed on six sites across the Marais Poitevin (France). A set of seven remote sensing images was used as the reference data in order to validate the simulation and provide a high overall accuracy (76–94%). The best results were observed in areas where the ditch density was low, whereas the highly drained sites showed a discrepancy with the predicted flooded areas. The landscape proportion index was calculated for the daily steps. The results highlighted the spatiotemporal dynamics of the shallow flooded areas. We showed that the differences in the flooding durations among the years were mainly related to a narrow contrast in topography (40 cm), and occurred over a short period of time (two months).
Cooling Effects and Regulating Ecosystem Services Provided by Urban Trees—Novel Analysis Approaches Using Urban Tree Cadastre Data
Authors: Scholz Tobias , Hof Angela , Schmitt Thomas
Published: March 2018

The provision of ecosystem services by urban trees is not yet routinely integrated in city administrations’ planting scenarios because the quantification of these services is often time-consuming and expensive. Accounting for these welfare functions can enhance life quality for city dwellers. We present innovative approaches that may appeal to the numerous city administrations that keep tree inventory or cadastre databases of all trees growing on city property for civil law liability reasons. Mining these ubiquitous data can be a feasible alternative to field surveys and improve cost–benefit ratios for ecosystem service assessment. We present methods showing how data gaps (in particular tree height and crown light exposure) in the cadastre data can be filled to estimate ecosystem services with i-Tree Eco. Furthermore, we used the i-Tree Eco output for a noval approach which focus on predicting energy reduction as a proxy for cooling benefits provided by trees. The results for the total publicly owned and managed street trees in our study site of Duisburg (Germany) show that the most important ecosystem services are the removal of particulate matter by 16% of the city emissions and the reduction of 58% of the direct and thermal radiation in the effective range of the trees in the cadastre.
Conceptual Urban Water Balance Model for Water Policy Testing: An Approach for Large Scale Investigation
Authors: Zeisl Peter , Mair Michael , Kastlunger Ulrich , Bach Peter , Rauch Wolfgang , Sitzenfrei Robert , Kleidorfer Manfred
Published: March 2018

Urban water management will face various challenges in the future. Growing population in cities, changing climatic conditions and uncertain availability of water resources necessitate forward-looking water policy strategies. In this paper, we introduce a new water balance model to evaluate urban water strategies at a city scale. The aim is to evaluate decentralised water management measures within a large-scale investigation and to reduce external potable water demand. The upscaling process of local information (water demand, areal data) to a conceptual model approach is described. The modelling approach requires simplification of detailed processes to enable the execution with limited computing capacity. The model was applied to Greater Metropolitan Melbourne, Australia, a highly sprawled city with nearly four million inhabitants. Scenario analysis demonstrated the impact of using different water resources of different quality classes, the extensive implementation of water saving appliances and decentralised water storage strategies on the city’s water balance. Results indicate a potential reduction of potable water demand of up to 25% with a conservative rainwater reuse and, even 60% with widespread implementation of rain- and greywater recycling. Furthermore, we demonstrate that even small systems implemented at a local level can have noticeable effects when operated as clustered schemes.
Carbon Reduction Measures-Based LCA of Prefabricated Temporary Housing with Renewable Energy Systems
Authors: Dong Ling , Wang Yu , Li Hong , Jiang Boya , Al-Hussein Mohamed
Published: March 2018

Temporary housing plays an important role in providing secure, hygienic, private, and comfortable shelter in the aftermath of disaster (such as flood, fire, earthquake, etc.). Additionally, temporary housing can also be used as a sustainable form of on-site residences for construction workers. While most of the building components used in temporary housing can be manufactured in a plant, prefabrication technology improves the production efficiency of temporary housing; furthermore, integrated renewable energy systems, for example, solar photovoltaic (PV) system, offer benefits for temporary housing operations. In order to assess the environmental impacts of prefabricated temporary housing equipped with renewable energy systems, this study first divides the life cycle of temporary housing into six stages, and then establishes a life cycle assessment (LCA) model for each stage. Furthermore, with the aim of reducing the environmental impacts, life cycle carbon reduction measures are proposed for each stage of temporary housing. The proposed methodology is demonstrated using a case study in China. Based on the proposed carbon reduction measures, the LCA of a prefabricated temporary housing case study building equipped with renewable energy systems indicates a carbon emissions intensity of 35.7 kg/m2·per year, as well as a reduction in material embodied emissions of 18%, assembly emissions of 17.5%, and operational emissions of 91.5%. This research proposes a carbon reduction-driven LCA of temporary housing and contributes to promoting sustainable development of prefabricated temporary housing equipped with renewable energy systems.
Erbium Salts as Non-Toxic Catalysts Compatible with Alternative Reaction Media
Authors: Oliverio Manuela , Nardi Monica , Costanzo Paola , Di Gioia Maria , Procopio Antonio
Published: March 2018

Green catalysts must be non-toxic, easy to manage, able to be recovered and reused, active under alternative reaction conditions and cheap. Erbium salts meet all the previously listed characteristics and today they are emerging as a valuable catalytic solution to a number of organic transformations needing a Lewis acid catalyst in wet conditions or under alternative heating sources. This review aims to summarize the application of erbium salts in green organic transformations, with particular emphasis on their versatility under both homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions. The erbium salts’ role in bifunctional catalysis is also presented.
Exergoecology Assessment of Mineral Exports from Latin America: Beyond a Tonnage Perspective
Authors: Palacios Jose-Luis , Calvo Guiomar , Valero Alicia , Valero Antonio
Published: March 2018

Latin America has traditionally been a raw material supplier since colonial times. In this paper, we analyze mineral exports from an exergoecology perspective from twenty countries in Latin American (LA-20). We apply material flow analysis (MFA) principles along with the concept of the exergy replacement cost (ERC), which considers both quantity and thermodynamic quality of minerals, reflecting their scarcity in the crust. ERC determines the energy that would be required to recover minerals to their original conditions in the mines once they have been totally dispersed into the Earth’s crust, with prevailing technology. Using ERC has helped us identify the importance of certain traded minerals that could be overlooked in a traditional MFA based on a mass basis only. Our method has enabled us to determine mineral balance, both in mass (tonnes) and in ERC terms (Mtoe). Using indicators, both in mass and ERC, we have assessed the self-sufficiency and dependency of the region. We have also analyzed the mineral exports flows from Latin America for 2013. Results show that half of the mineral production from LA-20 was mainly exported. High-quality minerals, such as, gold, silver, and aluminum were largely exported to China and the United States. Extraction of high-quality minerals also implies higher losses of natural stock and environmental overburdens in the region.
Changes in Phenylpropanoid and Trichothecene Production by Fusarium culmorum and F. graminearum Sensu Stricto via Exposure to Flavonoids
Authors: Bilska Katarzyna , Stuper-Szablewska Kinga , Kulik Tomasz , Buśko Maciej , Załuski Dariusz , Jurczak Sebastian , Perkowski Juliusz
Published: March 2018

Flavonoids are a group of hydroxylated polyphenolic compounds widely distributed in the plant kingdom. Biosynthesis of these compounds involves type III PKSs, whose presence has been recently predicted in some fungal species through genome sequencing efforts. In this study, for the first time it was found that Fusaria produce flavonoids on solid YES medium. Naringenin, as the central precursor of all flavonoids, was produced at highest quantities, followed by quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin and luteolin. In plants, flavonoids are involved in the protection of cereals to a wide range of stresses, including host defense against Fusaria. Under in vitro conditions, strains of Fusarium culmorum and F. graminearum sensu stricto were incubated at levels of flavonoids close to amounts produced by cereals in response to fungal infection. The amounts of exogenous naringenin, apigenin, luteolin, kaempferol and quercetin were reduced and converted by fungi to the other flavonoid derivatives. Treatment of fungi with naringenin derivatives led to the inhibition of naringenin production. Correspondingly, the production of fungal-derived phenolic acids decreased in flavonoid treated samples, although this effect appeared to be dependent on the strain, flavonoid molecule and its concentration. Fusaria showed high variability in trichothecene production in response to flavonoids. With emphasis on quercetin, mycotoxin accumulation in the media was significantly decreased by luteolin, kaempferol, naringenin and apigenin. However, in some cases, apigenin led to the increase of mycotoxin content in the media. Gene expression experiments of Tri genes responsible for trichothecene biosynthesis (Tri4, Tri5 and Tri10) proved that the inhibition of mycotoxin production by flavonoids occurred at the transcriptional level. However, the changes in Tri transcript levels were not significant in most apigenin and all kaempferol-treated cultures. In this study, a link was established between antioxidant and antiradical properties of flavonoids and their effects on fungi.
UDP-Glucosyltransferases from Rice, Brachypodium, and Barley: Substrate Specificities and Synthesis of Type A and B Trichothecene-3-O-β-d-glucosides
Authors: Michlmayr Herbert , Varga Elisabeth , Malachová Alexandra , Fruhmann Philipp , Piątkowska Marta , Hametner Christian , Šofrová Jana , Jaunecker Günther , Häubl Georg , Lemmens Marc , Berthiller Franz , Adam Gerhard
Published: March 2018

Trichothecene toxins are confirmed or suspected virulence factors of various plant-pathogenic Fusarium species. Plants can detoxify these to a variable extent by glucosylation, a reaction catalyzed by UDP-glucosyltransferases (UGTs). Due to the unavailability of analytical standards for many trichothecene-glucoconjugates, information on such compounds is limited. Here, the previously identified deoxynivalenol-conjugating UGTs HvUGT13248 (barley), OsUGT79 (rice) and Bradi5g03300 (Brachypodium), were expressed in E. coli, affinity purified, and characterized towards their abilities to glucosylate the most relevant type A and B trichothecenes. HvUGT13248, which prefers nivalenol over deoxynivalenol, is also able to conjugate C-4 acetylated trichothecenes (e.g., T-2 toxin) to some degree while OsUGT79 and Bradi5g03300 are completely inactive with C-4 acetylated derivatives. The type A trichothecenes HT-2 toxin and T-2 triol are the kinetically preferred substrates in the case of HvUGT13248 and Bradi5g03300. We glucosylated several trichothecenes with OsUGT79 (HT-2 toxin, T-2 triol) and HvUGT13248 (T-2 toxin, neosolaniol, 4,15-diacetoxyscirpenol, fusarenon X) in the preparative scale. NMR analysis of the purified glucosides showed that exclusively β-D-glucosides were formed regio-selectively at position C-3-OH of the trichothecenes. These synthesized standards can be used to investigate the occurrence and toxicological properties of these modified mycotoxins.