bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Message from the Winners
Authors: Yamazaki Fumio ,   Professor, Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan, Zavala Carlos ,   Professor, CISMID, National University of Engineering, Lima, Peru
Published: June 2017

We are most honored to have been selected as winners of the First JDR Award – an unexpected surprise because we did not realize that we had contributed so much to the Journal of Disaster Research (JDR). The JDR provided us with a fine opportunity to present our results on a project of the Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development (SATREPS), making our work known to the world-wide scientific community. SATREPS is sponsored by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

From 2010 to 2015, Japanese and Peruvian researchers conducted a SATREPS project, Enhancement of Earthquake and Tsunami Disaster Mitigation Technology in Peru. To announce our research output, we chose the JDR and had our work published in 36 articles in two special issues, in 2013 and 2014. The JDR’s prompt peer reviews and publication processes are really helpful to projects such as SATREPS, which have time limits. Our results would otherwise have been published much later.

Congratulations on the JDR’s first-decade anniversary! We believe the JDR is an important journal in the natural hazard and disaster management field as it has been recognized as a Scopus indexed journal. The JDR’s open access and the fact that it enables papers to be downloaded free of charge from the web site is very helpful and convenient to readers and helps authors become known to broader audiences. We hope the JDR will get the Impact Factor of Thomson Reuters, becoming a major source of information in the disaster sciences field.

Fumio Yamazaki and Carlos Zavala

October 26, 2015
Polysubstance Use Among US Women of Reproductive Age Who Use Opioids for Nonmedical Reasons
Authors: Jarlenski Marian , Barry Colleen L. , Gollust Sarah , Graves Amy J. , Kennedy-Hendricks Alene , Kozhimannil Katy
Published: June 2017

Objectives. To determine the prevalence and patterns of polysubstance use among US reproductive-aged women who use opioids for nonmedical purposes.

Methods. We used the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (2005–2014) data on female respondents aged 18 to 44 years reporting nonmedical opioid use in the past 30 days (unweighted n = 4498). We categorized patterns of polysubstance use in the past 30 days, including cigarettes, binge drinking, and other legal and illicit substances and reported prevalence adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, and educational attainment.

Results. Of all women with nonmedical opioid use, 11% reported only opioid use. Polysubstance use was highest in non-Hispanic White women and women with lower educational attainment. The most frequently used other substances among women using opioids nonmedically were cigarettes (56.2% smoked > 5 cigarettes per day), binge drinking (49.7%), and marijuana (32.4%). Polysubstance use was similarly prevalent among pregnant women with nonmedical opioid use.

Conclusions. Polysubstance use is highly prevalent among US reproductive-aged women reporting nonmedical opioid use.

Public Health Implications. Interventions are needed that address concurrent use of multiple substances.
Unintentional Poisoning in China, 1990 to 2015: The Global Burden of Disease Study 2015
Authors: Tang Yumeng , Zhang Lan , Pan Jingju , Zhang Qingjun , He Tianjing , Wu Zeni , Zhan Jian , Li Qian
Published: June 2017

Objectives. To estimate the unintentional poisoning burden and risk factors in China from 1990 to 2015.

Methods. We extracted data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 to compare mortality, prevalence, disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years of life lost, years lived with a disability, and risk factors of unintentional poisoning in China. We determined the median of the percent change and 95% uncertainty interval for the period between 1990 and 2015.

Results. The age-standardized unintentional poisoning death rate decreased by 61.8% from 1990 (4.1 per 100 000) to 2015 (1.6 per 100 000). The age-standardized prevalence decreased from 1990 (87.9 per 100 000) to 2010 (39.0 per 100 000), but rebounded in 2015 (42.6 per 100 000). All risk factors combined accounted for 14.9% of unintentional poisoning DALYs in 2015. The leading risk factors for unintentional poisoning DALYs were alcohol and drug use and occupational risks.

Conclusions. China has made substantial progress in reducing the mortality attributable to unintentional poisoning, but the prevalence and absolute number of patients has been increasing again since 2010. The growing contribution from alcohol and drug use requires increased attention.
Evaluation of Fifteen Cultivars of Cool‐Season Perennial Grasses as Biofuel Feedstocks Using Near‐Infrared
Authors: Payne Courtney , Wolfrum Edward J. , Nagle Nick , Brummer Joe E. , Hansen Neil
Published: June 2017

Core Ideas

Harvest yield varies more across species than sugar content and accessibility.

Harvest yield and sugar accessibility are both critical parameters for conversion.

Near‐infrared/partial least square models are valuable for quickly evaluating biomass for bioconversion.

Cool‐season (C3) perennial grasses have a long history of cultivation and use as animal forage. This study evaluated 15 cultivars of C3 grasses, when harvested in late June for increased biomass yield, as biofuel feedstocks using near‐ infrared spectroscopy (NIR) based partial least square (PLS) analysis. These grasses were grown near Iliff, CO, for three growing seasons (2009–2011). The carbohydrate composition and released carbohydrates (total glucose and xylose released from dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis [EH]) were predicted for samples from the study using NIR/PLS. The results were analyzed from a biofuels perspective, where composition combined with harvest yield provided information on the carbohydrate yield available for biomass conversion processes, and released carbohydrate yield provided information on the accessibility of those carbohydrates to conversion methods. The range in harvest yields varied more among cultivars (2900 kg ha−1) than did the range in carbohydrate composition (56.0 g kg−1) or released carbohydrates (60.0 g kg−1). When comparing carbohydrate yield to released carbohydrate yield between cultivars, an efficiency as high as 87% release of available carbohydrates was obtained for pubescent wheatgrass [Thinopyrum intermedium (Host) Barkworth & D.R. Dewey ‘Mansaka’], with a low of 71% for hybrid wheatgrass [Elytrigia repens (L.) nevski ´ pseudoroegneria spicata (PURSH) A. Love ‘Newhy’]. Though hybrid wheatgrass had the lowest release efficiency, its high harvest yield resulted in release of more total carbohydrates than half the other cultivars analyzed. This suggested that harvest yield, carbohydrate release, and carbohydrate composition, togetherplay significant roles in biofuel feedstock evaluation.
Application of leaching tests on phosphogypsum by infiltration-percolation
Authors: Hassoune H. , Lahhit M. , Khalid A. , Lachehab A.
Published: June 2017

The phosphoric acid production obtained by attacking phosphate rock by sulphuric acid cogenerates considerable quantities of phosphogypsum. The world cogeneration is estimated about 100–280 Mt per year. In another context of sustainable development, the phosphate chemical industry develops different ways of phosphogypsum valorization, which makes its storage stack in a suitable way for its potential use as an industrial by-product. Although, this storage can cause an environmental impact largely due to the transfer of trace elements (TEs) to groundwater by leaching. It is therefore important to evaluate the impact linked to the storage in order to limit this transfer. The evaluation is usually performed through leaching tests in columns or reactor. In this work, leaching tests were performed in columns by infiltration-percolation on two filter mediums: phosphogypsum and synthetic sandy soils. The results showed that the phosphogypsum is acting as a filter, which retains and releases the TEs. Most of these TEs (Pb, Se, Ag, Zn and Cu) were highly retained in the synthetic soils surfaces and their contents in waters were considerably lower than the maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). Although As, Cd, Cr and Ni were strongly transferred to groundwater, their respective contents were higher than the MCLs.
A “Performative Turn” in Translation Studies? Reflections from a sociological perspective
Authors: Wolf Michaela
Published: June 2017

The increasing interest in the analysis of the link between and interaction of performance and translation has been brought about not least in the wake of the emergence of a sociology of translation. This is particularly due to the emphasis in research on the figure of the translator and other agents involved in the translation process and more precisely to the exploration of the role and function of the translator as a co-subject of the translation performance. The following reflections will focus on the potential epistemological force of the concept of performance with reference both to the social occurrence of translation and to the term’s contribution to conceptualizing a wider, perhaps more metaphorically nourished perception of translation.
Effects of adolescent smartphone addiction on cybersexual delinquency
Authors: Choi Jin , Choi Ok-joo , Kim Joon-ho
Published: June 2017

We analyzed the relationship between smartphone addiction and cybersexual delinquency in a sample of Korean adolescents; further, we specifically delineated and analyzed the risk factors for smartphone addiction. Statistical analyses were performed based on the responses to a survey
conducted with 1,020 high school students across South Korea. Results showed that adolescent smartphone addiction had a significantly positive effect on the likelihood of accessing cybersexual content and the frequency of engaging in cyber-verbal violence. Furthermore, the accessing of cybersexual
content had a significantly positive effect on the frequency of engaging in cyber-verbal violence, and the frequency of engaging in cyber-verbal violence had a significantly positive effect on the development of cybersexual delinquency. Specifically, because adolescents are still in the process
of developing socially, they are vulnerable to smartphone addiction; therefore, there is a need for appropriate interventions to be developed for use with this population.
Interactive effects of appeal type and social distance on helping intention
Authors: Zhang Jin , Zhao Lijun
Published: June 2017

We examined the interplay of appeal type and social distance in prosocial behavior in 3 studies. Results of Study 1, which was a single-factor design, showed that participants (n = 85) were more likely to evaluate the impact of their help on recipients when they were socially
distant than when they were socially close. Results of Study 2 (n = 250) and Study 3 (n = 162), each of which was a 2 (appeal type: significance appeal vs. control appeal) × 2 (social distance: high vs. low) between-subjects design, showed that when the helper and recipient
were socially distant, appeals that emphasized the significance of the help to the recipient increased helping intention, because there was a greater likelihood that the favor would be returned. However, such effect was mitigated when the social distance was small. Results suggest that the
principles that are applied in interaction with others vary according to social distance. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Portrait of René Girard as a Post-Hegelian: Masters, Slaves, and Monstrous Doubles
Authors: Wilmes Andreas
Published: June 2017

This paper will analyze the evolution and the key aspects of René Girard’s critique of the Hegelian “struggle for recognition” and the master-slave dialectic. Through a discussion of Girard’s views on Identity, Difference, Violence, Desire and Negativity, the study will aim to highlight the philosophical uniqueness of the mimetic theory in respect to French Hegelianism and postHegelianism.
Elliptic Curve Cryptosystem in securing Communication across Unsecure Channel
Authors: Jimoh R. G. , AbdulRaheem M. , Salimonu I. R. , Mejabi O. V.
Published: June 2017

In the present day, exchanging information is the essential of successful business in our society. Securing the information from unauthorized individuals as well as unauthorized access is more essential. Cases of hacking bank accounts, stealing credit card numbers and decoding secret information are common occurrence. With the rapid grow of internet technology and increasing computational power of computer, securing privilege information against unauthorized access is a source of concern to the business managers. Different organisation use different methods to secure sensitive information. Most of these methods have not provided the desired result. This paper proposes the use of Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) over finite fields to send and receive information in an unsecure channel without jeopardizing the security of the information. The basisof using ECC is because there is no known technique of finding solution of discrete logarithm problem, in a reasonable time, on a properly chosen elliptic curve. ECC has advantagesof smaller key sizes, faster computations, reductions in processing power, less storage space and low bandwidth rate consumption.In this paper, group theory, elliptic curves, finite fields and ECC encoding were explained.
Clarity Begins at Home: Internal Information Asymmetry and External Communication Quality
Authors: Chen Chen , Martin Xiumin , Roychowdhury Sugata , Wang Xin , Billett Matthew T.
Published: June 2017

This paper investigates the effect of internal information asymmetry (IIA) within conglomerate firms on the quality of management forecasts and financial statements. We develop a novel measure to capture IIA between divisional managers and top corporate managers, computed as the difference in their respective trading profits on their own company's stock (DIFRET). Numerous validation tests indicate that DIFRET indeed captures the information asymmetry between divisional managers and top managers. In our primary tests, we find that DIFRET is associated negatively with the accuracy, bias, specificity, and frequency of management forecasts. Furthermore, the likelihood of error-driven accounting restatements increases with DIFRET. Our results, thus, suggest that external communication quality suffers when the information asymmetry between divisional managers and top managers is more severe.
Improve Attendance Car Service Use Application
Authors: Wijaya Joseph Kevin
Published: June 2017

This application makes people can use it easily to obtain satisfactory service and best. Therefore we have ideas to add the latest features that have never been in the service of other service applications. The higher the technological growth, we believe we've created an application that will evolve in the future of
THE PETS:Game Introduction of Pets in Two Languages
Authors: Febriyanto Wahyu , Chandrawati Brenda , Widyarto Erdhi
Published: June 2017

Introducing environment is important for children. Included in this environment is the life of living beings such as humans, animals, and plants. The role of parents is needed in introducing the living creatures. One of the living creatures that endeared children are animals, especially the pets. Therefore made educational game The Pets. With the game "The Pets" is expected to help parents to teach the children in learning about pets based on place of living and food. In this paper describes how to design and create introducing pet game based on the type of food and its habitat in two different languages . "The Pets" has the Android platform with a minimum API Level 14 is created using the game engine Construct 2. Using two dimensional model and image with interesting coloring for children, and using the application CorelDraw X4. From results of the survey, "The Pets" can provide new knowledge and can assist children in learning about pets based on place of living and food. Children who previously could not mention animals vocabulary in English, after playing "The Pets" can name them into English.
Проблемы научного изучения и практического освоения тувинской музыки (на примере тувинского инструментального искусства)
Authors: Suzukey Valentina Yu.
Published: June 2017

В ХХ в. тувинская музыкальная культура пережила глубинные потрясения, трансформации. Сегодня есть острая необходимость переосмыс­ления достижений и потерь. Цель работы — попытка рассмотрения некоторых базовых параметров тувинской музыкальной культуры, сохраняющих системную целостность в звуковой структуре. Актуальность темы продиктована существующими концептуальными расхождениями между музыкальной практикой и научным ее освоением. В советское время унификация культуры на всей территории СССР была ориентирована исключительно на европейскую модель развития музыкального творчества без учета специфики этнических культурных практик. В настоящее время уменьшается число носителей традиционной культуры устно-слухового типа, увеличивается число выпускников музыкальных школ, училищ, консерваторий и университетов, академий культуры и искусств, воспитанных не на традиционных ценностных ориентирах. В тувинскую музыкальную практику активно внедряется академическая терминология и привносятся не свойственные критерии оценок и термины. Но тувинская культура была принципиально устной и выработала свою систему звукового строя, механизмы и методы бесписьменной передачи знаний. Но эти народные методы до сих пор остаются малоизученными. Автор утверждает, что система организации тувинской инструментальной музыки специфична и выступает основой, которая придает необычность звучанию музыкальных инструментов и хоомея (горлового пения). Характерный тембр и неповторимый колорит их звучания обеспечивается своеобразной системой бурдонно-обертоновых звуковых соотношений.Музыка является творением, предназначенным для слухового восприятия. А музыковеды, в основном российские, продолжают анализировать нотированные варианты записанных ими исполнений народной инструментальной музыки и хоомея. Такой подход ограничивает всю панораму традиционной инструментальной музыки.Положительно оценивается то, что современные тувинские музыканты владеют нотной грамотой, и приобщаются к шедеврам мировой музыкальной классики. Но, утверждает автор, было бы нормой и параллельное их обучение и методикам устно-слуховой традиции. В статье упоминаются получившие широкое распространение в мире методы: методика немецкого композитора Карла Орфа, основу которой составляет импровизационное музицирование; методика японского скрипача Шиничи Судзуки, основанная на подражании; методика безнотного обучения музыкальной Академии им. Я. Сибелиуса в Хельсинки и др.
Тувинская музыка в школах США
Authors: Quirk Sean P.
Published: June 2017

Статья представляет собой наблюдения автора в области музыкальной антропологии; поднимается тема восприятия этнической музыки слушателями из другой культурной среды.Автор родился и вырос в США. Закончил колледж «Макалестер» в г. Сэйнт-Пол (Миннесота) со степенью бакалавр по музыке и древним языкам. Получив грант «Фулбрайт», в 2003 г. впервые приехал в Туву с целью изучения тувинского горлового пения, культуры и языка. Был учеником многих известных хоомейжи Тувы. Впоследствии вернулся в Туву, продолжил совершенствовать свое исполнение хоомея. Работал музыкантом Тувинского Национального оркестра. В совершенстве освоил тувинский язык. В 2008 г. ему присвоено звание «Заслуженный артист Республики Тыва». С 2015 г. работает специалистом-артистом в Центре развития тувинской традиционной культуры и ремесел, выступает в составе Национального оркестра Тувы.С 2006 г. стал менеджером тувинской фольклорной группы «Алаш». Успешно организует гастроли группы по всему миру, одновременно работая в ансамбле в качестве продюсера, менеджера, переводчика и звукорежиссера. Побывал с группой во многих странах. Был продюсером трех студийных альбомов ансамбля.Много концертных выступлений было организовано в учреждениях образования (в школах и колледжах) Америки. В своей статье автор описывает реакцию людей, которые впервые в своей жизни сталкиваются с тувинской музыкой и какой ошеломляющий эффект производит на них тувинская музыка. Его антропологические наблюдения представляют чрезвычайный интерес для таких наук, как музыковедение, культурная антропология, психология, культурология и т. д.
Психологические особенности профессиональной деятельности тувинских музыкантов
Authors: Sandyi Anna D.-B.
Published: June 2017

В статье представляется исследование психологических особенностей профессиональной деятельности тувинских музыкантов. Рассматривается влияние психологических характеристик на формирование ценностных аспектов профессионализма. Автор анализировал факторы, тормозящие процесс развития исполнительского, импровизационного мастерства и образовательного уровня, рассмотрел вопросы профессиональной готовности тувинских музыкантов к новациям.В 2016 г. были опрошены музыканты Центра развития традиционной тувинской культуры и ремесел, Национального оркестра Республики Тыва и самодеятельные исполнители хоомея. Общее количество респондентов составило 31 чел. в возрасте от 16 до 54 лет, все — мужчины. Использована методика акмеологических исследований. Применялись также методики тестирования, беседы, наблюдения, интервью, опросов.  Анализ полученных результатов показал, что исполнительская деятельность тувинских музыкантов имеет особенности. Они складываются из комплекса разных характеристик, условий, факторов. Самыми важными среди них являются черты национального характера тувинцев, традиции тувинской музыкальной культуры. Профессионализм тувинских музыкантов формируется далеко не за счет специального музыкального образования. Самообразование, которое человек получает традиционным путем передачи исполнительских практик, может иметь не меньшее значение.Подобное исследование автором уже производилось по отношению к другой профессиональной группе представителей тувинского этноса — педагогов в 2015 г., в связи с чем делается сопоставление полученных данных. Автор выделяет элементы ментальности, черт национального характера, которые присущи и тем, и другим в силу этнической идентификации, и которые в определенной степени способны влиять на профессионализм тех и других. Препятствующими профессиональному развитию чертами являются пассивность, низкая коммуникабельность, созерцательность, заниженная самооценка, а также нежелание быстрого принятия новаций. Тем не менее сильная традиционность, понимаемая как уникальность, самобытность, понимается как фактор, укрепляющий профессионализм.
О составности ладовых структур тувинских традиционных песен
Authors: Baranmaa Ayasmaa D.-B.
Published: June 2017

В настоящее время в тувинском музыкознании одна из важных сторон музыкального языка песенного фольклора тувинцев — ладовая — изучена недостаточно. Автор ставит целью рассмотрение действия принципа составности в ладозвукорядах тувинских народных песен. В качестве методологии анализа выступает теория монодийных ладов (С. П. Галицкая, Е. В. Герцман, Ю. Г. Кон, Х. С. Кушнарев и др.). Материалом для анализа послужили нотные расшифровки традиционных тувинских песен, опубликованные в ряде изданий российских музыковедов (А. Н. Аксенова, З. К. Кыргыс и др.).В результате анализа выявлено, что тувинские традиционные песни базируются обычно на двух- или трехзвенных составных звукорядных структурах. Это существенно обогащает содержательный аспект процесса: усложняются типы связей между звуками, материал становится еще более глубоким, компактным и цельным. Выявлены ладовые звенья и субзвенья, которые соединяются между собой четырьмя способами (раздельным, слитным, цепным, включающим). Принципы соединения показаны на примере нескольких народных песен.  Заметно преобладают цепной и включающий виды соединений. Выявлено огромное разнообразие сочетаний различных звеньев. Именно в этом проявляет себя неисчерпаемость интонационного богатства фольклорного мелоса.
Тувинская музыка и ее дискография (основные имена, названия, проблемы описания)
Authors: Abildsnes Morten
Published: June 2017

В статье представлена авторская работа по систематизации дискографии тувинской музыки ХХ века. Автор много лет собирает материал и планирует проект «Тувинская музыка на компакт-дисках» к последующему отдельному изданию. Цель проекта — дать всем интересующимся, в том числа самим тувинцам, обзор распространения тувинской музыки по миру. Западные компакт-диски относительно редки в продаже в Туве. Запись и выпуск таких издании часто связаны с гастролями тувинских артистов за рубежом.Дискография начинается с записей тувинской музыки на семи пластинках Московской фабрики звукозаписи 1934 г. Вторая серия грампластинок тувинской музыки (17 пластинок) 1958 г. мало известна. В 1971 г. появилась первая долгоиграющая пластинка с тувинскими мелодиями «Тыва аялгалар / Мелодии Тувы». У ансамблей «Саяны» и «Аян» в 1980-е гг. вышли мини-альбомы. Последние виниловые мини-альбомы с тувинской музыкой, наверно, являются приложениями к академическим изданиям тувинского фольклора.Полная дискография компакт-дисков охватывает диски, изданные за пределами Республики Тыва — в Западной Европе, в США, а также в Москве. Первые компакт-диски были выпущены в 1989 г.: сборник концертных записей советских артистов, а также сборник музыки, связанный с документальным фильмом о Туве «The Herders of Mongun-Taiga» (Великобритания). Самая большая дискография всех тувинских артистов у Саинхо Намчылак. Ее диски хорошо представлены в свободной международной дискографии Discogs, информация по другим тувинским артистам менее полная. В статье также отмечаются примеры семплов тувинского горлового пения в творчестве других музыкальных коллективов, называются диски.У групп «Хун-Хурту», «Ят-Ха» есть много изданий, и собственные, и совместные компакт-диски. Кульминация коммерческого интереса к тувинской музыке выразилась в издании одной из самых больших фирм грамзаписи мира Warner Bros сольного компакт-диска Конгар-оола Ондара в 1999 г. В последующие годы количество новых компакт-дисков тувинского содержания падает.В последнее время появляются альбомы из цифровых файлов, доступные для скачивания или через потоковые мультимедиа. В самой Туве сначала большое распространение имели кассеты. В последнее время распространились компакт-диски, но почти исключительно как CD-R.
Позвольте мне петь ваши песни: как финны нашли хоомей
Authors: Heikkilä Sauli
Published: June 2017

Автор — музыкант, основатель Ассоциации горлового пения Финляндии (1997), рассказывает о появлении в Финляндии объединения людей, практикующих горловое пение, и особенностях их обучения. Он повествует о своих собственных музыкальных увлечениях и о поворотном для себя 1995 г., когда побывал на недельном семинаре музыканта Бориса Салчака из Тувы. Спустя два года он и другие увлеченные тувинским хоомеем основали Ассоциацию горлового пения, начали организовывать фестивали с приглашением тувинским певцов и курсы обучения горловому пению. Автор пишет о сотрудничестве с известными тувинскими исполнителями, а также исследователями горлового пения из США, Нидерландов, Великобритании, Италии и др.По мнению музыканта, исполнение горлового, или обертонного, пения представляет собой особую практику звукоизвлечения. Свои наблюдения он сравнивает с известными ему техниками пения коренных народов Африки, Северной Америки, Японии, Тибета. Практика горлового пения тесно связывается с мировосприятием людей древней культуры, близкой к природе. Финны также считаются людьми, тесно связанными с природой. На этом основании автор считает вполне понятным большое увлечение финнов горловым пением. Он насчитывает десятки финнов, активно практикующих хоомей и сотни тех, которые им также занимаются. Это в разы больше, чем в других странах Европы.Автор рассказывает о своих курсах обучения горловому пению и делится наблюдениями о мотивах своих учеников, об особенностях их обучения, об адаптивности методики в зависимости от желаний и намерений обучающихся. По его мнению, пению способны научиться почти все, горловому стилю — также многие. Объясняются основные сложности для начинающих. Отмечаются особенностей стилей хоомея. Подчеркивается, что горловое пение освоить за короткое время невозможно, необходим длительный труд, регулярные занятия.
Burgon's Expectation: Ancient and New Cartographic Visualization for Numismatic Data and Coin Finds
Authors: Favretto Andrea , Callegher Bruno
Published: June 2017

Using Callegher's catalogue of ancient coin finds in the Trieste Province of NE Italy from the Ritrovamenti monetali di età romana nel Friuli Venezia Giulia, a spatial database of the findings (third century bce to sixth century ce) was created. The authors later developed a client side Web mapping application. All Free and Open Source Software tools were used to build both a spatial database (postgreSQL and PostGIS) and a Web mapping application (QGIS and Leaflet). The Web mapping application allows the user to find the territorial distribution of Celtic, Roman (Republican and Imperial), Byzantine, and Longobard coins. Each coin was georeferenced and linked to the denomination of the ancient coin, the authority that issued it, the coin mint, and the finding site. This project highlights not only the efficiency of the database methodology in managing numismatic data, but also the great potential of the geographic visualization process to reveal hidden relationships between the finding sites and the data connected with the ancient use of coins (e.g., ancient monetary areas, economic and commercial buffer zones, trade routes)
Bodily Processing: The Role of Morphological Computation
Authors: Nowakowski Przemysław
Published: June 2017

The integration of embodied and computational approaches to cognition requires that non-neural body parts be described as parts of a computing system, which realizes cognitive processing. In this paper, based on research about morphological computations and the ecology of vision, I argue that nonneural body parts could be described as parts of a computational system, but they do not realize computation autonomously, only in connection with some kind of—even in the simplest form—central control system. Finally, I integrate the proposal defended in the paper with the contemporary mechanistic approach to wide computation.
Hypoxic Preconditioning Promotes the Bioactivities of Mesenchymal Stem Cells via the HIF-1α-GRP78-Akt Axis
Authors: Lee Jun , Yoon Yeo , Lee Sang
Published: June 2017

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are ideal materials for stem cell-based therapy. As MSCs reside in hypoxic microenvironments (low oxygen tension of 1% to 7%), several studies have focused on the beneficial effects of hypoxic preconditioning on MSC survival; however, the mechanisms underlying such effects remain unclear. This study aimed to uncover the potential mechanism involving 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) to explain the enhanced MSC bioactivity and survival in hindlimb ischemia. Under hypoxia (2% O2), the expression of GRP78 was significantly increased via hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α. Hypoxia-induced GRP78 promoted the proliferation and migration potential of MSCs through the HIF-1α-GRP78-Akt signal axis. In a murine hind-limb ischemia model, hypoxic preconditioning enhanced the survival and proliferation of transplanted MSCs through suppression of the cell death signal pathway and augmentation of angiogenic cytokine secretion. These effects were regulated by GRP78. Our findings indicate that hypoxic preconditioning promotes survival, proliferation, and angiogenic cytokine secretion of MSCs via the HIF-1α-GRP78-Akt signal pathway, suggesting that hypoxia-preconditioned MSCs might provide a therapeutic strategy for MSC-based therapies and that GRP78 represents a potential target for the development of functional MSCs.
Moringa Leaves Prevent Hepatic Lipid Accumulation and Inflammation in Guinea Pigs by Reducing the Expression of Genes Involved in Lipid Metabolism
Authors: Almatrafi Manal , Vergara-Jimenez Marcela , Murillo Ana , Norris Gregory , Blesso Christopher , Fernandez Maria
Published: June 2017

To investigate the mechanisms by which Moringa oleifera leaves (ML) modulate hepatic lipids, guinea pigs were allocated to either control (0% ML), 10% Low Moringa (LM) or 15% High Moringa (HM) diets with 0.25% dietary cholesterol to induce hepatic steatosis. After 6 weeks, guinea pigs were sacrificed and liver and plasma were collected to determine plasma lipids, hepatic lipids, cytokines and the expression of genes involved in hepatic cholesterol (CH) and triglyceride (TG) metabolism. There were no differences in plasma lipids among groups. A dose-response effect of ML was observed in hepatic lipids (CH and TG) with the lowest concentrations in the HM group (p < 0.001), consistent with histological evaluation of lipid droplets. Hepatic gene expression of diglyceride acyltransferase-2 and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-γ, as well as protein concentrations interleukin (IL)-1β and interferon-γ, were lowest in the HM group (p < 0.005). Hepatic gene expression of cluster of differentiation-68 and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c were 60% lower in both the LM and HM groups compared to controls (p < 0.01). This study demonstrates that ML may prevent hepatic steatosis by affecting gene expression related to hepatic lipids synthesis resulting in lower concentrations of cholesterol and triglycerides and reduced inflammation in the liver.
Effect of Carbon in Fabrication Al-SiC Nanocomposites for Tribological Application
Authors: Hekner Bartosz , Myalski Jerzy , Pawlik Tomasz , Sopicka-Lizer Małgorzata
Published: June 2017

Aluminium-based hybrid composites are a new class of advanced materials with the potential of satisfying the demands in engineering applications. This paper describes the effects of carbon addition on the formation and properties of AMC with SiC nanoparticles reinforcement. The composites were produced via mechanical alloying followed by hot pressing. Three forms of carbon, graphite (GR), multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and, for the first time, glassy carbon (GC), were used for the hybrid composites manufacturing and compared with tribological properties of Al-SiC composite without carbon addition. GC and CNTs enhanced formation of Al-SiC composite particles and resulted in a homogeneous distribution of reinforcing particles. On the other hand, GR addition altered mechanochemical alloying and did not lead to a proper distribution of nanoparticulate SiC reinforcement. Hot pressing technique led to the reaction between Al and carbon as well as SiC particles and caused the formation of Al4C3 and γ-Al2O3. The subsistence of carbon particles in the composites altered the predominant wear mechanisms since the wear reduction and the stabilization of the friction coefficient were observed. GC with simultaneous γ-Al2O3 formation in the hybrid Al-SiC(n)-C composites turned out to be the most effective additive in terms of their tribological behaviour.
Experimental and Theoretical Modal Analysis of Full-Sized Wood Composite Panels Supported on Four Nodes
Authors: Guan Cheng , Zhang Houjiang , Wang Xiping , Miao Hu , Zhou Lujing , Liu Fenglu
Published: June 2017

Key elastic properties of full-sized wood composite panels (WCPs) must be accurately determined not only for safety, but also serviceability demands. In this study, the modal parameters of full-sized WCPs supported on four nodes were analyzed for determining the modulus of elasticity (E) in both major and minor axes, as well as the in-plane shear modulus of panels by using a vibration testing method. The experimental modal analysis was conducted on three full-sized medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and three full-sized particleboard (PB) panels of three different thicknesses (12, 15, and 18 mm). The natural frequencies and mode shapes of the first nine modes of vibration were determined. Results from experimental modal testing were compared with the results of a theoretical modal analysis. A sensitivity analysis was performed to identify the sensitive modes for calculating E (major axis: Ex and minor axis: Ey) and the in-plane shear modulus (Gxy) of the panels. Mode shapes of the MDF and PB panels obtained from modal testing are in a good agreement with those from theoretical modal analyses. A strong linear relationship exists between the measured natural frequencies and the calculated frequencies. The frequencies of modes (2, 0), (0, 2), and (2, 1) under the four-node support condition were determined as the characteristic frequencies for calculation of Ex, Ey, and Gxy of full-sized WCPs. The results of this study indicate that the four-node support can be used in free vibration test to determine the elastic properties of full-sized WCPs.
Comment on: “Melanisation of Aspergillus terreus—Is Butyrolactone I Involved in the Regulation of Both DOPA and DHN Types of Pigments in Submerged Culture? Microorganisms 2017, 5, 22”
Authors: Geib Elena , Brock Matthias
Published: June 2017

A recent article by Palonen et al. describes the effect of butyrolactone I on the expression of a secondary metabolite biosynthesis gene cluster from Aspergillus terreus that shows similarities to fusarubin biosynthesis gene clusters from Fusarium species. The authors claim that two different types of pigments are formed in Aspergillus terreus conidia, whereby one pigment is termed a DOPA-type melanin and the second a DHN-type melanin. Unfortunately, the terminology of the classification of melanin-types requires revision as Asp-melanin present in A. terreus conidia is clearly distinct from DOPA-melanins. In addition, some hypotheses in this manuscript are based on questionable data published previously, resulting in incorrect conclusions. Finally, as biochemical data are lacking and metabolite production is only deduced from bioinformatics and transcriptomic data, the production of a second pigment type in A. terreus conidia appears highly speculative.
Studies on the Two Thymine Residues in the Catalytic Core of 10-23 DNAzyme: The Impact on the Catalysis of Their 5-Substituted Functional Groups
Authors: Li Pengyu , Du Shanshan , Li Yang , He Junlin
Published: June 2017

In the 15-mer catalytic core of 10-23 DNAzyme, each residue contributes to the catalytic conformation differently. Here, the critically conserved T4 and the least conserved T8 were modified on their 5-position with hydroxyl, imidazolyl, and amino groups with a hydrogen-bonding ability. These external functional groups induced new interactions within the catalytic core, resulting in both negative and positive effects on the catalytic activity of 10-23 DNAzyme, and the different linkages could be used to modulate the effect of the functional groups. The conservation of T4 and T8 could be recognized at the level of the nucleobase, but at the level of the functional group, T4 is not completely conserved. Their 5-methyl groups could be modified for a better performance in terms of the DNAzyme.
Compressed-Sensing Reconstruction Based on Block Sparse Bayesian Learning in Bearing-Condition Monitoring
Authors: Sun Jiedi , Yu Yang , Wen Jiangtao
Published: June 2017

Remote monitoring of bearing conditions, using wireless sensor network (WSN), is a developing trend in the industrial field. In complicated industrial environments, WSN face three main constraints: low energy, less memory, and low operational capability. Conventional data-compression methods, which concentrate on data compression only, cannot overcome these limitations. Aiming at these problems, this paper proposed a compressed data acquisition and reconstruction scheme based on Compressed Sensing (CS) which is a novel signal-processing technique and applied it for bearing conditions monitoring via WSN. The compressed data acquisition is realized by projection transformation and can greatly reduce the data volume, which needs the nodes to process and transmit. The reconstruction of original signals is achieved in the host computer by complicated algorithms. The bearing vibration signals not only exhibit the sparsity property, but also have specific structures. This paper introduced the block sparse Bayesian learning (BSBL) algorithm which works by utilizing the block property and inherent structures of signals to reconstruct CS sparsity coefficients of transform domains and further recover the original signals. By using the BSBL, CS reconstruction can be improved remarkably. Experiments and analyses showed that BSBL method has good performance and is suitable for practical bearing-condition monitoring.
Ag Nanoparticles Drop-Casting Modification of Screen-Printed Electrodes for the Simultaneous Voltammetric Determination of Cu(II) and Pb(II)
Authors: Pérez-Ràfols Clara , Bastos-Arrieta Julio , Serrano Núria , Díaz-Cruz José , Ariño Cristina , De Pablo Joan , Esteban Miquel
Published: June 2017

A new silver nanoparticle modified screen-printed electrode was developed and applied to the simultaneous determination of Pb(II) and Cu(II). Two different types of silver nanoparticles with different shapes and sizes, Ag nanoseeds and Ag nanoprisms, were microscopically characterized and three different carbon substrates, graphite, graphene and carbon nanofibers, were tested. The best analytical performance was achieved for the combination of Ag nanoseeds with a carbon nanofiber modified screen-printed electrode. The resulting sensor allowed the simultaneous determination of Pb(II) and Cu(II) at trace levels and its applicability to natural samples was successfully tested with a groundwater certified reference material, presenting high reproducibility and trueness.
Analysis of Maneuvering Targets with Complex Motions by Two-Dimensional Product Modified Lv’s Distribution for Quadratic Frequency Modulation Signals
Authors: Jing Fulong , Jiao Shuhong , Hou Changbo , Si Weijian , Wang Yu
Published: June 2017

For targets with complex motion, such as ships fluctuating with oceanic waves and high maneuvering airplanes, azimuth echo signals can be modeled as multicomponent quadratic frequency modulation (QFM) signals after migration compensation and phase adjustment. For the QFM signal model, the chirp rate (CR) and the quadratic chirp rate (QCR) are two important physical quantities, which need to be estimated. For multicomponent QFM signals, the cross terms create a challenge for detection, which needs to be addressed. In this paper, by employing a novel multi-scale parametric symmetric self-correlation function (PSSF) and modified scaled Fourier transform (mSFT), an effective parameter estimation algorithm is proposed—referred to as the Two-Dimensional product modified Lv’s distribution (2D-PMLVD)—for QFM signals. The 2D-PMLVD is simple and can be easily implemented by using fast Fourier transform (FFT) and complex multiplication. These measures are analyzed in the paper, including the principle, the cross term, anti-noise performance, and computational complexity. Compared to the other three representative methods, the 2D-PMLVD can achieve better anti-noise performance. The 2D-PMLVD, which is free of searching and has no identifiability problems, is more suitable for multicomponent situations. Through several simulations and analyses, the effectiveness of the proposed estimation algorithm is verified.
Graphene-Ag Hybrids on Laser-Textured Si Surface for SERS Detection
Authors: Zhang Chentao , Lin Kun , Huang Yuanqing , Zhang Jianhuan
Published: June 2017

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been extensively investigated as an effective approach for trace species detection. Silver nanostructures are high-sensitivity SERS substrates in common use, but their poor chemical stability impedes practical applications. Herein, a stable and sensitive SERS substrate based on the hybrid structures of graphene/silver film/laser-textured Si (G/Ag/LTSi) was developed, and a simple, rapid, and low-cost fabrication approach was explored. Abundant nanoparticles were directly created and deposited on the Si surface via laser ablation. These aggregated nanoparticles functioned as hotspots after a 30 nm Ag film coating. A monolayer graphene was transferred to the Ag film surface to prevent the Ag from oxidation. The SERS behavior was investigated by detecting R6G and 4-MBT molecules. The experimental results indicate that the maximum enhancement factor achieved by the G/Ag/LTSi substrate is over 107 and less than 23% SERS signals lost when the substrate was exposed to ambient conditions for 50 days. The covering graphene layer played crucial roles in both the Raman signals enhancement and the Ag nanostructure protection. The stable and sensitive SERS performance of G/Ag/LTSi substrate evince that the present strategy is a useful and convenient route to fabricate large-area graphene-silver plasmonic hybrids for SERS applications.
A Study for Texture Feature Extraction of High-Resolution Satellite Images Based on a Direction Measure and Gray Level Co-Occurrence Matrix Fusion Algorithm
Authors: Zhang Xin , Cui Jintian , Wang Weisheng , Lin Chao
Published: June 2017

To address the problem of image texture feature extraction, a direction measure statistic that is based on the directionality of image texture is constructed, and a new method of texture feature extraction, which is based on the direction measure and a gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) fusion algorithm, is proposed in this paper. This method applies the GLCM to extract the texture feature value of an image and integrates the weight factor that is introduced by the direction measure to obtain the final texture feature of an image. A set of classification experiments for the high-resolution remote sensing images were performed by using support vector machine (SVM) classifier with the direction measure and gray level co-occurrence matrix fusion algorithm. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were applied to assess the classification results. The experimental results demonstrated that texture feature extraction based on the fusion algorithm achieved a better image recognition, and the accuracy of classification based on this method has been significantly improved.
Enhancing the Sustainability Narrative through a Deeper Understanding of Sustainable Development Indicators
Authors: Liu Gengyuan , Brown Mark , Casazza Marco
Published: June 2017

Different sustainability indicators tend to reflect different or even converse outcomes in terms of countries. A careful comparative study is needed to clarify whether these indicators are actually coherent with each other. We analyze and compare five sustainable development indicators. Pearson correlation was used to make a comparative study among them. Within the two groups, the indicators are positively correlated. The Sustainable Development Index (SDI) of the second group also shares a negative correlation with the Human Development Index. On the other side, the Emergy Sustainability Index was negatively correlated with the Environmental Performance Index, and had little or no correlation with the Environmental Sustainability Index. Furthermore, when examining the scores obtained from the different SDIs, the results demonstrate that they might present somewhat conflicting findings, if not considering their complementarity. This, from one side, depends on the fact that Human Development Index (HDI), Environmental Performance Index (EPI), and Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) provide a short-term local perspective on “sustainability”, while the Emergy-based Sustainability Index (EmSI) and Surplus Biocapacity are more long-term and global in their perspective. HDI, EPI, and ESI have a more social and economic focus, including indicators whose dynamics are disjoined from the natural one. The emerging differences might be explained through the analysis of the individual sub-indicators for each of the SDIs.