bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
THE POTENTIAL OF PROBLEM‐BASED LEARNING TO ENHANCE ENGINEERING EDUCATION IN AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES
Authors: Abbott D. , Chipika S. , Wilson G. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractEngineering education underpins local capacity. As such, it forms a key component of sustainable engineering for development. While education is needed at all levels, this paper focuses on the tertiary level where it is assumed that graduating students aspire to become professional engineers. In much of Africa, however, university engineering education is criticised for being little changed since the early independence period. It uses outdated pedagogy, lacks professional relevance and fails to attract a diverse range of students. Through contrasting case studies, the paper examines, therefore: (i) the potential to move curriculum towards a problem‐based learning pedagogy where students focus on real‐world problems and associated engineering solutions; and (ii) the contribution of diverse case studies to this pedagogy and the content of courses. We argue that these twin shifts will broaden the curriculum beyond its habitual industry and physical infrastructure focus, is attractive to a wider range of students and links to human development as expressed through the United Nations sustainable development goals. It is also a major component in the pursuit by African institutions for international recognition of the quality of their engineering programmes. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ownership and Participation in Local–Global Partnerships: The Recovery of Shelter and Settlements after Humanitarian Crises
Authors: Babister Elizabeth 
Published: December 2019

AbstractLocal actors affected by humanitarian crises, including disasters and conflict, often attract the support of global actors with engineering resources to support the recovery of their shelter and settlements. Global initiatives increasingly prioritise the agency of local actors and the concept of local participation following humanitarian crises, and a critical mass of evidence of the role of local actors in the recovery of their shelter and settlements has now emerged. This study reviews this body of knowledge and considers its implications on the global humanitarian policy framework. Data have been collected from emerging literature on the recovery of shelter and settlements and extended with sampling cases of 25 crises over the past two decades. This study finds that for the successful recovery of shelter and settlements, the participation of affected households must prioritise their ownership of the recovery process, rather than simply their level of involvement. Furthermore, a focus on local participation appears to be most successful when tailored to the capacity households have to contribute and the shape of their plans for recovery. At the level of global humanitarian policy, a shift in priorities is required if local ownership and successful recovery is to be achieved. These priorities include more broadly assessing local capacity during the immediate aftermath of crisis, paired with systematically funding beyond the first 12 months after a crisis with adaptive funding instruments. The focus of this paper is the recovery of shelter and settlements, but the analysis could be used more generally in other contexts where the need for rapid global response with financial, technical and engineering knowledge coincides with the need to work with local social, political and technical knowledge and experiences.
Morphology and evolution of the snake cornea
Authors: Da Silva Mari‐Ann Otkjær , Gade Jacob Thorup , Damsgaard Christian , Wang Tobias , Heegaard Steffen , Bertelsen Mads Frost 
Published: December 2019

AbstractTo investigate whether the thickness of the cornea in snakes correlates with overall anatomy, habitat or daily activity pattern, we measured corneal thickness using optical coherence tomography scanning in 44 species from 14 families (214 specimens) in the collection at the Natural History Museum (Denmark). Specifically, we analyzed whether the thickness of the cornea varies among species in absolute terms and relative to morphometrics, such as body length, spectacle diameter, and spectacle thickness. Furthermore, we examined whether corneal thickness reflects adaptation to different habitats and/or daily activity patterns. The snakes were defined as arboreal (n = 8), terrestrial (n = 22), fossorial (n = 7), and aquatic (n = 7); 14 species were classified as diurnal and 30 as nocturnal. We reveal that the interspecific variation in corneal thickness is largely explained by differences in body size, but find a tendency towards thicker corneas in diurnal (313 ± 227 μm) compared to nocturnal species (205 ± 169 μm). Furthermore, arboreal snakes had the thickest corneas and fossorial snakes the thinnest. Our study shows that body length, habitat, and daily activity pattern could explain the interspecific variation in corneal morphology among snakes. This study provides a quantitative analysis of the evolution of the corneal morphology in snakes, and it presents baseline values of corneal thickness of multiple snake species. We speculate that the cornea likely plays a role in snake vision, despite the fact that results from previous studies suggest that the cornea in snakes is not relevant for vision (Sivak, Vision Research, 1977, 17, 293–298).
Laboratory Raman and VNIR spectroscopic studies of jarosite and other secondary mineral mixtures relevant to Mars
Authors: Liu Changqing , Ling Zongcheng , Zhang Jiang , Bi Xiangyu , Xin Yanqing 
Published: December 2019

AbstractJarosite is an indicator of ephemeral, acidic fluids in Martian history, which often occurs with some other secondary minerals based on Mars in situ and remote sensing detections. However, detailed Raman and visible and near‐infrared (VNIR) spectroscopic studies of jarosite and other secondary mineral mixtures relevant to Mars still lack, which are essential for jarosite identifications and hence a better understanding of Martian aqueous history. In this study, we prepared 44 binary mixtures of jarosite with four other secondary minerals (alunite, gypsum, kaolinite, and montmorillonite), and characterized their detailed Raman and VNIR spectral features. We find the Raman spectral patterns of jarosite, alunite and gypsum are distinctive and ready for their identification in mixtures, although mixtures with montmorillonite and kaolinite show high fluorescence background and their Raman spectral features are obscured by strong and sharp peaks of jarosite. The normalizing strengths of their characteristic Raman spectral features (e.g., ν1 for jarosite) change with jarosite mass fractions, and mineral distribution maps and volume percentages of endmembers are acquired using Raman imaging method. The band depths of absorption features in VNIR spectra are also correlated with jarosite mass proportions, and four models are proposed to evaluate jarosite mass fractions in the mixtures using a partial least squares algorithm. These detailed spectral properties of mixtures and models would provide valuable information for in situ Raman investigations on Mars (e.g., ExoMars and Mars 2020) and orbital VNIR remote sensing detections (e.g., Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars).
A pilot study on high wavenumber Raman analysis of human dental tissues
Authors: He Wencai , Livingston Jordan C. , Sobiesk Evan R. , Zhou Jiange , Zhu Xianchun , Duan Yuanyuan , Yang Shan 
Published: December 2019

AbstractWater plays a critical role in dental tissues including enamel and dentin. The characterization of water structure was primarily conducted by nuclear magnetic resonance. Raman spectroscopy is a powerful analytic technology with capability for structure analysis in materials. However, acquiring high wavenumber Raman signals from dental tissues was challenging due to either the fluorescence interference under laser illumination or reduced sensitivity of charge‐coupled device based detectors. In this study, we demonstrate a pilot research on high wavenumber Raman analysis in dental tissues using a customized Raman spectrometer based on an InGaAs detector. A signal located at 3,570 cm−1 is found dominating the O─H region Raman spectra of enamel but is barely detectable from dentin. The profiles of the high wavenumber region Raman spectra change with the locations in enamel, as well as the polarization of the excitation laser beam. The results suggest that the size or crystallinity differences of hydroxyapatite crystals are the main cause of the spectral variation from dentin to enamel and could be partially responsible for the variation among different locations in enamel.
Dissipation of fluazinam in citrus groves and a risk assessment for its dietary intake
Authors: Zhao Junlong , Tan Zhenchao , Wen Yan , Fan Shuai , Liu Chenglan 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBACKGROUNDCitrus is one of the most important fruit crops worldwide. Fluazinam is a fungicide that is used to control fungal diseases, and its dissipation and residue in citrus fruits should be studied.RESULTSA Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) procedure combined with gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC‐ECD) has been developed. The fortified recoveries ranged from 82.1% to 105.9%, with relative standard deviations (RSDs) of less than 5.7%. Fluazinam dissipated relatively quickly following first‐order kinetics, with a half‐life of 8.5–9.5 days. The experiments on the terminal residue of fluazinam in citrus were conducted at six locations in China, and the risk quotient (RQ) method was applied to citrus fruits for dietary exposure risk assessment based on the terminal residue test. The RQs of fluazinam at three preharvest intervals (PHIs) (21, 28, and 35 days) were all less than 100%, which is an acceptable level for human consumption. The present study provides a reference for the establishment of maximum residue limit (MRL) for fluazinam in citrus.CONCLUSIONSThe dissipation and residues of fluazinam in citrus were monitored. The half‐life of less than 10 days showed that fluazinam could degrade relatively easily in citrus. The risk assessment also indicated the intake safety of fluazinam in citrus. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Effect of garden cress in reducing blood glucose, improving blood lipids, and reducing oxidative stress in a mouse model of diabetes induced by a high‐fat diet and streptozotocin
Authors: Chen Xi , Yuan Huaibo , Shi Fangfang , Zhu Yudong 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBACKGROUNDA mouse model in which diabetes mellitus was induced by low‐dose streptozotocin (STZ) injection combined with a high‐fat diet was used to study the effect of two water cress (Lepidium savitum) preparations. Diabetic mice were treated with dried cress powder or with water‐soluble extracts (tested at two doses), together with proper control groups. The mice were evaluated after 4 weeks of continuous intervention for type 2 diabetic and associated markers. We determined blood glucose, body weight, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low‐density lipoprotein (LDL), high‐density lipoprotein (HDL), serum insulin levels, and DNA integrity of hepatic cells. The concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and lipid peroxide (LPO) and the activities of four enzymes that are part of the antioxidant defense system were determined in liver samples, as well as gene expression (by semi‐quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) and enzyme activity of IRS‐1, IRS‐2, PI3K, AKT‐2, and GLUT4.RESULTSAfter 4 weeks of intervention, the levels of TC, TG, and LDL cholesterol were significantly (P < 0.5) decreased and HDL cholesterol was significantly increased. Enzyme activities of liver superoxide dismutase, glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase were significantly increased, whereas MDA and LPO concentrations were significantly reduced. The transcription level of the five genes assessed was increased, with corresponding increases in protein expression.CONCLUSIONOral uptake of garden cress can significantly reduce the blood glucose and improve the blood lipid metabolism of diabetic mice. Considerable improvements in the activity of antioxidant defense enzymes were observed in type 2 diabetic mice that improved the body's antioxidant emergency response. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Development and comparative study of a pat/bar real‐time PCR assay for integrating the screening strategy of a GMO testing laboratory
Authors: Verginelli Daniela , Paternò Annalisa , De Marchis Maria Laura , Quarchioni Cinzia , Vinciguerra Daniela , Bonini Pamela , Peddis Stefania , Fusco Cristiana , Misto Marisa , Marfoglia Cristina , Pomilio Francesco , Marchesi Ugo 
Published: December 2019

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe number and variety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) used globally for the production of food and feed, and potentially circulating in the European Union (EU), is constantly increasing. This implies an additional effort for the EU enforcement laboratories to optimize available resources, to contain costs and time. A well established approach for streamlining the analytical workflow is the introduction of a screening step, typically based on a smart set of real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening methods. The multiplexing strategy, allowing the detection of several screening elements simultaneously, is a further optimization of this step.RESULTSIn this study, we present the validation of a real‐time PCR duplex assay for the pat and bar screening elements to be easily incorporated in the GMO diagnostic routine. We also provide a comparison between this method and the related singleplex and pre‐spotted assays.CONCLUSIONOur results fully respect all the validation parameters suggested by the Minimum Performance Criteria of the European Network of GMO Laboratories. Furthermore, the duplex assay is equivalent in terms of performance compared to the other two methods, but it shows a higher overall flexibility and cost effectiveness. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Characterization and identification of the metabolites of Menthae Haplocalycis Herba water extracts in rat plasma, urine, and feces by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with linear ion trap‐Orbitrap mass spectrometry
Authors: Zhang Wei , Xu Lu‐lu , Yu Xiao , Jiang Yan‐yan , Zhang Jia‐yu , Liu Bin 
Published: December 2019

AbstractMenthae Haplocalycis Herba has been utilized for food and medicinal purposes in China for thousands of years. It has various efficacies, including dispelling wind and heat and relieving sore throat. M. Haplocalycis Herba has been also widely used in food, cosmetics, spices, and other fields. Exploring the constituents and detecting the metabolites of M. Haplocalycis are of great significance to clarify the effective substances. However, the in vivo metabolites of M. Haplocalycis Herba water extract are still unclear. Herein, a sensitive and specific method, ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography with linear ion trap‐Orbitrap mass spectrometry, established in this assay was used to study the metabolism of M. Haplocalycis Herba water extract in rat plasma, urine, and feces. We characterized and identified 9, 50, and 34 metabolites in plasma, urine, and feces, respectively. Seven metabolic pathways, including phase Ⅰ (isomerization, demethylation, hydroxylation, and dehydration) and phase Ⅱ (sulfation and glucuronidation) were mainly involved in the metabolism. It is the first systematic study on the metabolism of M. Haplocalycis Herba water extract in vivo, which enrich current understanding of the metabolic behavior of M. Haplocalycis Herba water extract and provide a metabolic rationale for further in‐depth in vivo biotransformation and pharmacokinetic analysis.
When truth is power: Institutional ethnography of a think tank
Authors: Xiao Honggen , Dai Bin 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThis study offers an institutional ethnography of a tourism think tank in a large origin/destination economy. The roles of China Tourism Academy as advisors, academics, advocates, and brokers are discussed in the context of theory and practice, where government think tank researchers are found to be speaking truth both to and for power as they develop an ambition or sense of loftiness of serving and contributing to the state through doing research and mobilizing knowledge (zhishi baoguo). Although the inquirers' positions or perspectives should be acknowledged, this ethnography contributes to future research into think tanks or other knowledge agencies in different origin/destination societies.
Cobalt‐promoted MoS2 nanosheets: A promising novel diesel hydrodesulfurization catalyst
Authors: Abbasi Ali , Karimi Ali , Aghabozorg Hamidreza , Sadighi Sepehr , Aval Maryam Alizadeh 
Published: December 2019

AbstractMoS2 has been commonly used as a catalyst in hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of petroleum cuts in crude oil refineries. In this study, the synthesis of unsupported MoS2 and Co‐promoted MoS2 nanosheets produced from molybdenum oxide and thiourea is reported. The synthesized samples were characterized by using x‐ray fluorescence, x‐ray diffraction, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), temperature‐programmed reduction, thermal gravimetric analysis, and transmission electron microscopy methods, and then they were utilized for HDS of diesel through a fixed‐bed catalytic reactor. Results indicated that a cobalt promoter affected both the number and the performance of active sites of the molybdenum sulfides, and the activity of the promoted MoS2 catalyst was consistently higher than that of the MoS2 catalyst. More significantly, the activity of the promoted catalyst was slightly declined during 48 h continuous HDS reaction, which indicated the stability of this catalyst. Additionally, during 12 h of test run, the HDS activity of the promoted catalyst was about 60% higher than MoS2 one.
Retracted: Luminescent In(III)‐based coordination polymer for selectively sensing Cr2O72−, antibacterial and anti‐inflammatory effect on the infectious abortion
Authors: Xu Lin‐Fen , Huang Ling‐Na , Lu Yan‐Fang , Chen Xiu‐Juan 
Published: December 2019

AbstractA novel water‐stable metal‐organic framework based on In(III), namely, [In3(btta)2(OH)3(H2O)]·(DMA)2 (1, DMA = N,N‐dimethylacetamide), constructed from a novel ligand (2E,2′E,2″E)‐3,3′,3″‐(benzene‐1,3,5‐triyl)triacrylic acid (H3btta), was obtained by a solvothermal reaction and structurally characterized by X‐ray diffraction of single crystal along with elemental analysis. Owing to its high porosity and insensitive luminescent emission at room temperature, it was studied as a light‐emitting sensor for detecting toxic Cr2O72− anion in water, which shows high selectivity and sensitivity. To solve the bacterial problem, the protective effect of the compound against bacterial infection after missed abortion was evaluated. In the in vivo model, after the treatment with the compound, the clonal formation unit (CFU) in the uterine tissue was evaluated, and the animal weight was measured and recorded. In addition to this, the level of IL‐18, C‐reactive protein, TNF‐α, as well as IL‐1β within the infectious tissues was detected by the ELISA method. Pose scoring software and molecular docking showed that the compound might bind to the NF‐κB protein, and this might offer a latent regulatory mechanism for the compound.
Does 3D volumetric analysis predict the reach of endoscopically harvested buccal fat pad flap
Authors: Subramaniam Somasundaram , Gomez Matias , Maza Guillermo , Prevedello Daniel M. , Carrau Ricardo L. 
Published: December 2019

ObjectivesTo determine if the volume of buccal fat, ascertained by computed tomography (CT) scanning, would correspond to surface area and reach (length and width) of the flap intraoperatively to aid in the reconstruction of selected skull base defects.MethodsCadaveric study of five specimens, 10 sides. Methods CT imaging and evaluation using the Osirix 9 software (Pixmeo; Bernex, Switzerland). of cadaveric heads to calculate the volume of the buccal fat bilaterally. The flap was then harvested endoscopically. Measurements were taken. Two heads were also dissected via a transfacial approach.ResultsThe volume of the buccal fat pad (BFP) as well as the maximum length and width of the endoscopically harvested flap were documented. There was a positive correlation shown between the calculated volume of the BFP based on CT imaging and the dissected length and width of the flap (Pearson correlation, r = 0.83 and r = 0.80, respectively). The transfacial dissection demonstrated the lobes of the BFP well, showing that most of the endoscopic mobilization of the BFP was limited to the posterior lobe, in particular to the temporalis and pterygoid components, with minimal displacement of the superficial components. This minimized the risk of visibly hollowing the buccal fullness.ConclusionPreoperative calculation of the CT‐based volume of the BFP correlates positively with the intraoperative maximum reach of the flap for both length and width. Whereas the volume may be lower in some instances, the BFP would still have adequate reach to provide coverage for the lower and mid‐clival region in most patients.Level of EvidenceNA.Laryngoscope, 130:1670–1673, 2020
Drivers of tropical forest cover increase: A systematic review
Authors: Borda‐Niño Mónica , Meli Paula , Brancalion Pedro H. S. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractPromoting natural regeneration can be a viable strategy to achieve ambitious restoration commitments, but predicting where native forest cover is likely to expand is challenging. Different biophysical and socioeconomic factors may determine the chances of native forest regrowth at different spatial and temporal scales, producing complex spatial patterns in the landscape and adding more and deeper information about potential for different forms of forest restoration. On the basis of a systematic literature review including 64 peer‐reviewed articles from the global tropics and subtropics published from 1990 to 2017, we assessed the methodologies employed to remotely detect forest cover increase and to identify its biophysical and socioeconomic drivers. Automatic classification of multitemporal images and transition matrices were the most popular methods to detect areas of forest regrowth, whereas regression analysis was the most used analytical approaches to assess drivers. Forest cover increased more often on steeper slopes, close to forest remnants, inside protected areas, and far from population centers. However, the effects of most drivers varied among scales of evaluation and may be further affected by the scale of forest regrowth. The most influential biophysical and socioeconomic drivers of forest cover increase identified here can be used to develop predictive models on the likelihood of native forest regrowth to guide the implementation of cost‐effective tropical forest restoration, thus contributing to the mitigation of climate change and species extinction. Current remote‐sensing literature evaluating forest cover changes seems to be largely focused on deforestation dynamics, with little attention given to forest cover increase.