ALBERT

Beschreibung: Poor public health is always associated with the mismanagement of municipal solid waste (MSW). Many cities are besieged by MSW in the world. It is essential to do a good job in MSW management (MSWM). In order to improve the efficiency of MSWM, the Chinese government has intensively implemented relevant policies. There are still few studies on MSWM efficiency in China. The research aims to comprehensively analyze MSWM efficiency, find high-efficiency MSWM policy implementation routes and the breakthrough on improving MSWM efficiency. To measure Chinese MSWM efficiency accurately, this paper introduced the three-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) model into the research. According to the results of DEA, Fuzzy c-Means algorithm was used to the cluster analysis of 33 typical cities. After eliminating the interference of the external environment and random disturbance, the mean value of MSWM efficiency declined from 0.575 to 0.544. The mean of pure technical efficiency (PTE) was declined from 0.966 to 0.611, while the mean of scale efficiency (SE) increased from 0.600 to 0.907. The PTE of central and northeastern cities was relatively low. The SE of western cities was comparatively high and the efficiency distribution of the eastern region was relatively scattered. In general, MSWM efficiency is low and expected to be improved. Regional differences in MSWM efficiency have been shown. The management effectiveness of eight pilot cities (MSW classification) is affirmative but not that significant. To improve MSWM efficiency, differential management for four types of cities should be carried out.

Beschreibung: Short nuclear regulatory RNAs play a key role in the main stages of maturation of the precursors of the major RNA species. Small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs) form the core of the spliceosome and are responsible for the splicing of pre-mRNA molecules. Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) direct post-transcriptional modification of pre-rRNAs. A promising strategy for the development of non-coding RNA (ncRNAs) mimicking molecules is the introduction of modified nucleotides, which are normally present in natural ncRNAs, into the structure of synthetic RNAs. We have created a set of snoRNAs and snRNA analogs and studied the effect of base modifications, specifically, pseudouridine (Ψ) and 5-methylcytidine (m5C), on the immune-stimulating and cytotoxic properties of these RNAs. Here, we performed a whole-transcriptome study of the influence of synthetic snoRNA analogs with various modifications on gene expression in human cells. Moreover, we confirmed the role of PKR in the recognition of snoRNA and snRNA analogs using the short hairpin RNA (shRNA) technique. We believe that the data obtained will contribute to the understanding of the role of nucleotide modification in ncRNA functions, and can be useful for creating the agents for gene regulation based on the structure of natural snoRNAs and snRNAs.

Beschreibung: A series of graphite oxide samples were prepared using the modified Hummers method. Flake graphite was used as the raw material and the reaction temperature of the aqueous solution was changed (0 °C, 30 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C, 70 °C, 80 °C, and 100 °C). X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectral analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and contact angle tests were performed to characterize the structure, chemical bonding, type, and content of oxygen-containing functional groups of the graphite oxide samples. The results showed that the type and content of each oxygen-containing functional group could be controlled by changing the reaction temperature with the addition of water. As the temperature of the system increased, the degree of oxidation of the graphite oxide samples first increased and then decreased. Too high a temperature (100 °C) of the system led to the formation of epoxy groups by the decomposition of some hydroxyl groups in the samples, causing the reduction of oxygen-containing functional groups between the graphite layers, poor hydrophilic properties, and low moisture content. When the system temperature was 50 °C, the interlayer spacing of the graphite oxide samples was at its highest, the graphite was completely oxidized (C/O = 1.85), and the oxygen-containing functional groups were mainly composed of hydroxyl groups (accounting for approximately 28.88% of the total oxygen-containing functional groups). The high content of hydroxyl and carboxyl groups had good hydrophilic ability and showed the highest moisture content. The sample at 50 °C had better sensitivity to ammonia because of its high hydroxyl group and carboxyl group content, with the sample showing an excellent profile when the ammonia concentration was 20–60 ppm.

Beschreibung: The soil shrinkage behavior of mineral substrates needs to be considered for engineering long-term durable mineral liners of landfill capping systems. For this purpose, a novel three-dimensional laser scanning device was coupled with (a) a mathematical-empirical model and (b) in-situ tensiometer measurements as a combined approach to simultaneously determine the shrinkage behavior of a boulder marl, installed as top and bottom liner material at the Rastorf landfill (Northern Germany). The shrinkage behavior, intensity, and geometry were determined during a drying experiment with undisturbed soil cores (100 cm3) from two soil pits; the actual in-situ shrinkage was also determined in 0.2, 0.5, 0.8, and 1.0 m depth by pressure transducer tensiometer measurements during a four-year period. The volume shrinkage index was used to describe the pore size dependent shrinkage tendency and it was classified as low (4.9%) for the bottom liner. The in-situ matric potentials in the bottom liner ranged between −100 and −150 hPa, even during drier periods, thus, the previously highest observed drying range (pre-shrinkage stress) with values below −500 hPa and −1000 hPa was not exceeded. Therefore, the hydraulic stability of the bottom liner was given.

Beschreibung: In the published article, “Properties of Experimental Dental Composites Containing Antibacterial Silver-Releasing Filler” [...]

Beschreibung: The elevated supply of fine-grained sediment to a river system negatively impacts the water quality and ecosystem health. Therefore, quantification of the relative contribution from different sources to in-stream sediment is of major interest to target sediment mitigation best management practices (BMPs). The objective of this study was to determine the relative contribution from different sources of suspended sediment in an urbanized watershed (31 km2) located in the eastern part of Alabama, USA. Estimates of relative contributions from individual source types were assessed for two different particle size fractions, 63–212 μm (fine sand) and 〈63 μm (silt and clay). Results of this study indicate that the construction sites were the dominant source of suspended sediment in this watershed. The average annual subwatershed-level surface runoff determined using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model varied from 2.3 to 11,980 mm ha−1 year−1. Areas that generate high surface runoff have the potential to contribute disproportionately high amounts of sediment to streams and therefore should be targeted for BMPs. The results of this study show that it is important to consider spatial and temporal variability in suspended sediment sources in order to develop and target sediment control management strategies. The sources of suspended sediment and sediment deposited on the stream bed might not necessarily be the same. Therefore, sampling both suspended sediment and stream bed sediment will improve our knowledge of watershed-level sediment transport processes.

Beschreibung: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are increasing worldwide. This is mainly due to an unhealthy nutrition, implying that variation in CVD risk may be due to variation in the capacity to manage a nutritional load. We examined the genomic basis of postprandial metabolism. Our main purpose was to introduce the GEMM Family Study (Genetics of Metabolic Diseases in Mexico) as a multi-center study carrying out an ongoing recruitment of healthy urban adults. Each participant received a mixed meal challenge and provided a 5-hours’ time course series of blood, buffy coat specimens for DNA isolation, and adipose tissue (ADT)/skeletal muscle (SKM) biopsies at fasting and 3 h after the meal. A comprehensive profiling, including metabolomic signatures in blood and transcriptomic and proteomic profiling in SKM and ADT, was performed to describe tendencies for variation in postprandial response. Our data generation methods showed preliminary trends indicating that by characterizing the dynamic properties of biomarkers with metabolic activity and analyzing multi-OMICS data it could be possible, with this methodology and research design, to identify early trends for molecular biology systems and genes involved in the fasted and fed states.

Beschreibung: Ammonia (NH3) emission from agriculture is an environmental threat and a loss of nitrogen for crop production. Mineral fertilizers and manure are significant sources of NH3; therefore, abatement technologies have been introduced to mitigate these emissions. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that low-cost measuring techniques are suitable to assess NH3 emissions in smaller plots, appropriate to test different managements. Two experiments were established to quantify NH3 emissions from urea application in a multi-plot design with radii of 5 (R5) and 20 m (R20). Field was bare soil partially surrounded by shelterbelts. Measurement techniques included passive flux samplers (Leuning), and passive concentration samplers (ALPHA) coupled to WindTrax dispersion model. NH3 emission from R5 was consistent with the emission from R20 when the surface-to-atmosphere exchange was not affected by shelterbelts, and wind speed near surface was greater than 1 m s−1. Both measurement methods gave unreliable NH3 quantification in combination with wind speed lower than 1 m s−1 and low emission strength. Cumulative emission over 60 h was 2% of the supplied N from the plots not affected by the shelterbelt, and 1% from the plots affected by shelterbelts, indicating that these structures can significantly reduce NH3 emissions.

Beschreibung: To achieve superior rice-grain quality, more emphasis has been placed on the genetic diversity of breeding programs, although this improvement could be seriously restricted in the absence of comparable agricultural management practices. Nitrogen (N) application and planting density are two important agronomic practices influencing rice growth, yield, and grain quality. This study investigated the four main aspects of rice-grain quality, namely, milling (brown-rice, milled-rice, and head-rice percentage), appearance (length/width ratio, chalky-kernel percentage, and chalkiness), nutrition (protein content), and cooking and eating quality (apparent amylose content, gel consistency, and pasting viscosities) of two rice cultivars (Shendao 47 and Jingyou 586) under four N rates (0, 140, 180, and 220 kg ha−1), and three planting densities (25 × 104, 16.7 × 104, and 12.5 × 104 hills ha−1) in a field trial from 2015 to 2016. The four main aspects of rice-grain quality were significantly influenced by cultivar. Several aspects were affected by the interactions of N rate and cultivar. No significant interaction between N rate and plating density was detected for all grain-quality parameters. A higher N rate increased the percentages of brown rice and head rice, chalky-kernel percentage, and setback and peak time values, but reduced the length/width ratio, chalkiness, apparent amylose content, gel consistency, and peak-, trough-, and final-viscosity values. These results indicate that the N rate has a beneficial effect on milling and nutritional quality, but a detrimental effect on appearance and cooking and eating quality. Jingyou 586 and Shendao 47 had different responses to planting density in terms of grain quality. Our study indicates that low planting density for Jingyou 586, but a medium one for Shendao 47, is favorable for grain quality.

Beschreibung: This paper aims at exploring how conservative and liberal newspapers in South Korea framed PyeongChang 2018 directly. Our research questions addressed four points: first, different attitudes of conservative and liberal newspapers in the PyeongChang news reporting; second, their success and failure in influencing public opinion; third, South Koreans’ perceptions on PyeongChang 2018; and fourth, South Korean public reliance on the newspapers. To investigate the framing differences, we employed a big data analytic method (automated semantic network analysis) with NodeXL (analytic software). Conclusively, we were able to find out four main findings. First, the conservative media showed pessimistic attitudes to the Olympics, and the liberal media did conversely. Second, despite the conservative media’s resourcefulness, they could not succeed in influencing public opinion. Third, the conservative media perceived the Olympics as an undesirable event, but the liberal media did the Olympics as a significant event for further peace promotion. Fourth, the conservative media’s framings did not considerably influence upon the public opinion. As a conclusion, the public are no longer passive recipients of the messages from the media. Instead, they tend to selectively accept the information from the media based on ‘collective intelligence’. This trend provides a significant implication for enhancing the sustainability of the media environment in South Korea.