bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cholesterol-Bearing Fluorescent G-Quadruplex Potassium Probes for Anchoring at the Langmuir Monolayer and Cell Membrane
Authors: Świtalska Angelika , Dembska Anna , Fedoruk-Wyszomirska Agnieszka , Juskowiak Bernard
Published: July 2018

The purpose of the present work was to design, synthesize and spectrally characterize cholesterol-anchored fluorescent oligonucleotide probes (Ch(F-TBA-T), Ch(py-TBA-py)), based on G-quadruplexes, which were able to incorporate into a lipid structure (Langmuir monolayer, living cell membrane). The probes, based on the thrombin-binding aptamer (TBA) sequence, were labeled with fluorescent dyes which enabled simultaneous monitoring of the formation of G-quadruplex structures and visualization of probe incorporation into the cellular membrane. The combinations of fluorophores used included fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and excimer emission approaches. The structural changes of the probes upon binding with K+ or Na+ ions were monitored with fluorescence techniques. These systems showed a very high binding preference for K+ over Na+ ions. The use of confocal fluorescence microscopy indicated successful anchoring of the cholesterol-bearing fluorescent probes to the living cell membrane. These structurally simple cholesterol-based fluorescent probes have good potential for opening up new and exciting opportunities in the field of biosensors; e.g., in vivo detection of K+ ions.
Automatic Annotation for Human Activity Recognition in Free Living Using a Smartphone
Authors: Cruciani Federico , Cleland Ian , Nugent Chris , McCullagh Paul , Synnes Kåre , Hallberg Josef
Published: July 2018

Data annotation is a time-consuming process posing major limitations to the development of Human Activity Recognition (HAR) systems. The availability of a large amount of labeled data is required for supervised Machine Learning (ML) approaches, especially in the case of online and personalized approaches requiring user specific datasets to be labeled. The availability of such datasets has the potential to help address common problems of smartphone-based HAR, such as inter-person variability. In this work, we present (i) an automatic labeling method facilitating the collection of labeled datasets in free-living conditions using the smartphone, and (ii) we investigate the robustness of common supervised classification approaches under instances of noisy data. We evaluated the results with a dataset consisting of 38 days of manually labeled data collected in free living. The comparison between the manually and the automatically labeled ground truth demonstrated that it was possible to obtain labels automatically with an 80–85% average precision rate. Results obtained also show how a supervised approach trained using automatically generated labels achieved an 84% f-score (using Neural Networks and Random Forests); however, results also demonstrated how the presence of label noise could lower the f-score up to 64–74% depending on the classification approach (Nearest Centroid and Multi-Class Support Vector Machine).
Reset Controller Design Based on Error Minimization for a Lane Change Maneuver
Authors: Cerdeira Miguel , Falcón Pablo , Delgado Emma , Barreiro Antonio
Published: July 2018

An intelligent vehicle must face a wide variety of situations ranging from safe and comfortable to more aggressive ones. Smooth maneuvers are adequately addressed by means of linear control, whereas more aggressive maneuvers are tackled by nonlinear techniques. Likewise, there exist intermediate scenarios where the required responses are smooth but constrained in some way (rise time, settling time, overshoot). Due to the existence of the fundamental linear limitations, which impose restrictions on the attainable time-domain and frequency-domain performance, linear systems cannot provide smoothness while operating in compliance with the previous restrictions. For this reason, this article aims to explore the effects of reset control on the alleviation of these limitations for a lane change maneuver under a set of demanding design conditions to guarantee a suitable ride quality and a swift response. To this end, several reset strategies are considered, determining the best reset condition to apply as well as the magnitude thereto. Concerning the reset condition that triggers the reset action, three strategies are considered: zero crossing of the controller input, fixed reset band and variable reset band. As far as the magnitude of the reset action is concerned, a full-reset technique is compared to a Lyapunov-based error minimization method to calculate the optimal reset percentage. The base linear controller subject to the reset action is searched via genetic algorithms. The proposed controllers are validated by means of CarSim.
Consensual Negotiation-Based Decision Making for Connected Appliances in Smart Home Management Systems
Authors: Bui Khac-Hoai Nam , Jung Jason J. , Camacho David
Published: July 2018

Recently, the concept of Internet of Agent has been introduced as a potential technology that pushes intelligence, data processing, analytics and communication capabilities down to the point where the data originates. In this paper, we introduce a novel approach for a Decentralized Home Energy Management System by applying the Internet of Agent concept. In particular, we first present an Internet of Agent framework in terms of sensing, communicating and collaborating among connected appliances. Then, the decentralized management based on consensual negotiation mechanism with several intelligent techniques are proposed for dynamic scheduling connected appliance. Specifically, by applying the Internet of Agent framework, connected appliances are regarded as smart agents that are able to make individual decisions by reaching agreement over the exchange of operations on competitive resources. Furthermore, in this study, the load balancing problem in which load shifting is able to reduce the electricity demand during peak hours is taken into account in order to emphasize the effectiveness of our approach. For the experiment, we develop a simulation of smart home environment to evaluate our approach using NetLogo, a tool which provides real-time analysis in the modeling and simulation domain of complex systems.
A Review on Systems-Based Sensory Gloves for Sign Language Recognition State of the Art between 2007 and 2017
Authors: Ahmed Mohamed Aktham , Zaidan Bilal Bahaa , Zaidan Aws Alaa , Salih Mahmood Maher , Lakulu Muhammad Modi bin
Published: July 2018

Loss of the ability to speak or hear exerts psychological and social impacts on the affected persons due to the lack of proper communication. Multiple and systematic scholarly interventions that vary according to context have been implemented to overcome disability-related difficulties. Sign language recognition (SLR) systems based on sensory gloves are significant innovations that aim to procure data on the shape or movement of the human hand. Innovative technology for this matter is mainly restricted and dispersed. The available trends and gaps should be explored in this research approach to provide valuable insights into technological environments. Thus, a review is conducted to create a coherent taxonomy to describe the latest research divided into four main categories: development, framework, other hand gesture recognition, and reviews and surveys. Then, we conduct analyses of the glove systems for SLR device characteristics, develop a roadmap for technology evolution, discuss its limitations, and provide valuable insights into technological environments. This will help researchers to understand the current options and gaps in this area, thus contributing to this line of research.
Method Development of Phosphorus and Boron Determination in Fertilizers by ICP-AES
Authors: Viso Emanouela , Zachariadis George
Published: July 2018

Simultaneous determination of phosphorus and boron in fertilizers was performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES). Three different samples were analyzed, of which two were inorganic and one was of organic composition. Analysis of the samples was performed after heated acidic digestion to completely dissolve them, using two different acid mixtures. A solution of HCl + HNO3 was used to digest the inorganic fertilizers, and a solution of H2SO4 + HNO3 for the organic fertilizer. The spectral emission lines used were 213.617 nm and 214.917 nm for P and 249.772 nm, 249.677 nm and 208.957 nm for B. The detection and quantification limits for P were between 10–20 mg/kg and 40–80 mg/kg respectively, while for B they ranged between 10–30 mg/kg and 40–100 mg/kg respectively. The repeatability of the technique was found to be within the range 0.9–17.0% for P and 1.7–23.4% for B, expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD). The concentrations found by the proposed method are in good agreement with those reported on their package labels.
Repetition-to-Repetition Differences Using Cluster and Accentuated Eccentric Loading in the Back Squat
Authors: Wagle John , Taber Christopher , Carroll Kevin , Cunanan Aaron , Sams Matt , Wetmore Alexander , Bingham Garett , DeWeese Brad , Sato Kimitake , Stuart Charles , Stone Michael
Published: July 2018

The current investigation was an examination of the repetition-to-repetition magnitudes and changes in kinetic and kinematic characteristics of the back squat using accentuated eccentric loading (AEL) and cluster sets. Trained male subjects (age = 26.1 ± 4.1 years, height = 183.5 ± 4.3 cm, body mass = 92.5 ± 10.5 kg, back squat to body mass ratio = 1.8 ± 0.3) completed four load condition sessions, each consisting of three sets of five repetitions of either traditionally loaded straight sets (TL), traditionally loaded cluster sets (TLC), AEL cluster sets (AEC), and AEL straight sets where only the initial repetition had eccentric overload (AEL1). Eccentric overload was applied using weight releasers, creating a total eccentric load equivalent to 105% of concentric one repetition maximum (1RM). Concentric load was 80% 1RM for all load conditions. Using straight sets (TL and AEL1) tended to decrease peak power (PP) (d = −1.90 to −0.76), concentric rate of force development (RFDCON) (d = −1.59 to −0.27), and average velocity (MV) (d = −3.91 to −1.29), with moderate decreases in MV using cluster sets (d = −0.81 to −0.62). Greater magnitude eccentric rate of force development (RFDECC) was observed using AEC at repetition three (R3) and five (R5) compared to all load conditions (d = 0.21–0.65). Large within-condition changes in RFDECC from repetition one to repetition three (∆REP1–3) were present using AEL1 (d = 1.51), demonstrating that RFDECC remained elevated for at least three repetitions despite overload only present on the initial repetition. Overall, cluster sets appear to permit higher magnitude and improved maintenance of concentric outputs throughout a set. Eccentric overload with the loading protocol used in the current study does not appear to potentiate concentric output regardless of set configuration but may cause greater RFDECC compared to traditional loading.
Optimization Models to Improve Estimations and Reduce Nitrogen Excretion from Livestock Production
Authors: Segura Marina , Maroto Concepción , Ginestar Concepción , Segura Baldomero
Published: July 2018

Sustainable food production plays a key role at different levels, such as countries, producers and consumers worldwide. Commitments of countries to reducing environmental impact include livestock production due to its contribution to greenhouse gases and other pollutants. The purpose of this research is to design and validate optimization models to improve assessments of emissions from livestock. As feed consumed is the principal source of the emissions, we have developed an aggregated optimization model to assess feed intake and therefore emissions at country level, by using the best technical and statistical data. This model provides a common framework to assess livestock emissions for all countries and in particular in the European Union. The model has been validated in the Spanish intensive pig sector, which is the principal producer by head count of the European Union. Results from several scenarios, which differ in animal protein and energy needs, have been compared to those from other methodologies and the Spanish National Inventory System, which assesses greenhouse gases and pollutants annually. This model can be adapted to other species, and applied to other countries and at farm level. Finally, this model is a useful tool to evaluate the effects on the emissions related to changes in animal nutrition, price and supply of raw materials, as well as agricultural and environmental policies.
Static and Dynamic Thermal Characterization of Timber Frame/Wheat (Triticum Aestivum) Chaff Thermal Insulation Panel for Sustainable Building Construction
Authors: Pavelek Miloš , Prajer Marek , Trgala Kamil
Published: July 2018

Common wheat is currently the most widely grown cereal and its grains are mainly used to produce white bread. Contrary to plant seeds, the plant itself may be considered an agricultural waste which is used as an animal feed, soil fertilizer, or pelletized solid fuel to produce heat energy. While wheat straw is used widely in sustainable building construction, mostly as straw bales, the use of the thin dry husk around the grain, the wheat chaff, remained unexplored. An insulation panel made of a medium-density fiberboard (MDF) envelope and wooden studs was manufactured. The 150-mm gap between the MDFs was filled with dry wheat chaff. The thermal transmittance of the panel was determined under static and dynamic thermal conditions using a modified guarded hot box method. The results were compared to an insulation panel of the same construction that was filled with mineral wool. The thermal transmittance of wheat chaff under steady-state and dynamic conditions was 0.307 W m−2 K−1 and 0.298 W m−2 K−1, respectively. While in steady-state conditions the mineral wool outperforms the wheat chaff insulation, after a period of dynamic thermal loading, the ability of both insulations to resist heat-energy dissipation becomes similar. In conclusion, wheat chaff agrowaste seems to be a promising environmentally friendly alternative to artificial thermal insulation. Moreover, the determination of the thermal transmittance of bio-based materials with relatively high specific heat capacities under dynamic thermal loading, provides more accurate results, compared to steady-state conditions.
The Long-Term Impact of Disaster Loans: The Case of Small Businesses after Hurricane Katrina
Authors: Hiramatsu Tomoko , Marshall Maria I.
Published: July 2018

The US government provided $2.6 billion of small business administration (SBA) disaster loans to individuals and businesses in Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. However, existing literature has not fully explored the firm-level effects of post-disaster loan aid, specifically, the effect on small businesses. The objective of this article is to examine whether SBA disaster loans played a significant role in the performance of small businesses after Hurricane Katrina. Data from a sample of 287 small businesses in Mississippi that were operating before Hurricane Katrina and still operating in 2013 were used in the analysis. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) small business owners that received SBA disaster loans have higher revenue change compared to before Katrina than those who did not receive the loan; (2) small business owners that received SBA disaster loans perceived their businesses to have higher revenue than before Katrina. Receiving a SBA disaster loan played a positive and statistically significant role in determining the actual revenue change and owners’ perception of revenue.
Application of AHP and DEMATEL Methods in Choosing and Analysing the Measures for the Distribution of Goods in Szczecin Region
Authors: Kijewska Kinga , Torbacki Witold , Iwan Stanisław
Published: July 2018

Urban areas are centres of business and innovation. Freight transport is indispensable for the proper functioning of any modern urban society. Urban areas cannot function without an appropriate freight transport system, due to the need to replenish stocks of food and other goods in retail shops. The complexity of the decisions concerning implementation of measures to improve the movement of goods in the city requires tools designed to support this process. In this context, a research gap and a research problem occur—how to obtain a reliable set of factors for development of sustainable urban freight transport (UFT). The purpose of this article is to introduce the possibility of applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as well as the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory Method (DEMATEL) in choosing a set of measures and in analysing the field of distribution logistics, which will help to solve delivery problems and streamline cargo flow in Szczecin, in the context of sustainable development. This paper presents the findings of a survey in which experts evaluate the main coefficients for sustainable freight transport in the city area. Using both AHP and DEMATEL methods, we have concluded that: (i) all coefficients from administrative, financial, technical and promotional measures are highly interconnected; (ii) strategy of freight transport development should take into consideration how these coefficients influence each other; (iii) P2—eco-driving trainings, T4—alternative delivery systems and P1—promotional campaigns for sustainable transport are the most important criteria and should be priorities for investments; (iv) A1—implementation of loading/unloading and transit restrictions—highly influences other coefficients; (v) T2—intelligent route guidance in freight transport is greatly influenced by them.
Characterizing Sand and Dust Storms (SDS) Intensity in China Based on Meteorological Data
Authors: Cao Hui , Fu Chao , Zhang Wanfeng , Liu Jian
Published: July 2018

Sand and dust storms (SDS) are global phenomena that significantly impact the socio-economy, human health, and the environment. The characterization of SDS intensity is a fundamental aspect of SDS issues and studies. In this study, a sand and dust storms index (SDSI) is developed to characterize SDS intensity by addressing the potential impacts of sand and dust storms on sensitive elements. Compared with other indices, SDSI includes four SDS-related components: SDS frequency, SDS visibility, SDS duration, and SDS wind speed. Using SDSI, this study characterizes the SDS intensity in the Three-North Forest Shelterbelt Program (TNFSP) region of China. The SDSI results show that high values of SDSI are mostly concentrated in southern Xinjiang, western and central Inner Mongolia, western and central Gansu, and northern Ningxia. By analyzing the SDSI components, over half of the stations experienced sand and dust storms no more than once per year on average. Most of the SDS events reduced horizontal visibility to less than 500 m, one-third of SDS events last more than two hours, and the wind speed of over half of the SDS events varied between 10–17 m/s. In comparison with SDS frequency, SDSI performs better in reflecting the spatial and temporal variation of SDS events. Therefore, instead of SDS frequency, SDSI can be applied to studies relevant to SDS intensity. Finally, five major SDS transportation routes were identified based on the surface prevailing wind direction, SDSI, and the existing literature. The SDS routes, combined with SDSI, could help governments and policy-makers cooperate on a regional level to combat SDS events more effectively.
Reutilization of Green Waste as Compost for Soil Improvement in the Afforested Land of the Beijing Plain
Authors: Tong Jing , Sun Xiangyang , Li Suyan , Qu Bingpeng , Wan Long
Published: July 2018

Resource utilization of urban green waste compost for soil improvement in afforested land is an important way of digesting urban green waste. In this study, artificial Sophora japonica Linn. Woodland in the Beijing plain, where the million mu (66,700 ha) afforestation project was carried out, was taken as an experimental area to investigate the influences of urban green waste composting on soil improvement and soil microorganisms. Application amounts of green waste composts for each tree were as follows: CK treatment: no application of fertilizer; T1 treatment: 5 kg/each tree; T2 treatment: 10 kg/each tree; T3 treatment: 15 kg/each tree. Results showed that the application of green waste had a significant effect on soil improvement, such as improving of organic matter, available phosphorus, and available potassium content (p < 0.05). The high-level application amount (T3 treatment) had a greater effect on soil improvement. Compared with the control treatment (CK), soil pH in T3 treatment decreased to 7.28–7.45, Soil organic matter contents reached more than 35 g·kg−1, and soil total nitrogen, soil available phosphorus, and soil available potassium increased by 25–28%, 200–400%, and 80–177%, respectively. Soil carbon–nitrogen ratio has increasing to 15.61–24.38 in the three treatments, which would not obviously slow down the decomposition of organic matter by microorganisms in the soil. After the application of green waste compost, the soil microbial structure was changed. From the operational taxonomic unit (OTU) level, bacterial abundance increased by 12–13%, but the change in bacterial diversity was not significant. The influences of pH and contents of organic matter content, available phosphorus, and rapidly available potassium on the bacterial community were greater. This study will provide the necessary scientific basis for the application of green waste compost in the improvement of soil on afforested land in the Beijing plain.
The Influence of Noise, Vibration, Cycle Paths, and Period of Day on Stress Experienced by Cyclists
Authors: Nuñez Javier Yesid Mahecha , Teixeira Inaian Pignatti , Silva Antônio Nélson Rodrigues da , Zeile Peter , Dekoninck Luc , Botteldooren Dick
Published: July 2018

Urban and transport planners need to assess the stressful conditions experienced by cyclists, considering that highly stressful situations can discourage people from cycling as a transport mode. Therefore, this study has two objectives: (1) to present a method for monitoring stress and other environmental factors along cycling routes using smart sensors; and (2) to analyze the influence of noise, vibration, presence of cycle paths, and the period of the day on stress experienced by cyclists. Data were collected in the city of São Carlos, Brazil, using stress and noise sensors, accelerometers, and Global Positioning System (GPS). Primarily, heat maps generated from the data made it possible to identify critical points of stress along the routes. In addition, the results of a logistic regression model were analyzed to identify the influence of the studied variables on stress. Although high levels of noise increased the odds of experiencing stress by 4%, very uncomfortable vibrations increased the odds by 14%, and the presence of cycle paths reduced the odds by 8%, an analysis of p-values and odds ratio confidence intervals shows, with a 95% confidence level, that only the period of the day influenced stress, as confirmed by the data. In this case, the odds of having stress increased by 24% in the afternoon rush hour compared to the morning rush hour.
Risk Transfer among Housing Markets in Major Cities in China
Authors: Tsai I-Chun , Chiang Shu-Hen
Published: July 2018

This study explored risk transfer among the housing markets of five major cities in China, comprising three first-tier cities (i.e., Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen) and two second-tier cities (i.e., Tianjin and Chongqing). House price index data from January 2001 to June 2017 and a vector autoregressive–multivariate generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity model were employed to estimate correlations among these cities related to house price returns and volatility. In addition, volatility impulse-response functions were estimated to determine interactions among housing market risk in different cities. The results revealed that first-tier cities were more likely to transfer risk to second-tier cities, and that Beijing’s housing market exerted the greatest influence on risk in other cities’ housing markets. To consider the influence of the 2008 global financial crisis, data collected before and after the crisis were divided into two groups for subsequent investigation. The results revealed that these cities became more closely interrelated after the financial crisis, thereby escalating the risk of impulse influences. Finally, this study evaluated the influences of macroeconomic impulses on the housing markets of the three first-tier cities, indicating that real estate in these three cities can protect investors against inflation. The evidence presented in this paper can serve as a reference for the Chinese government regarding risk control.
What Conditions, in Combination, Drive Inter-Organizational Activities? Evidence from Cooperation on Environmental Governance in Nine Urban Agglomerations in China
Authors: Mu Rui , Jia Junting , Leng Wancong , Haershan Maidina , Jin Jiwei
Published: July 2018

This study investigates what conditions, in combination, drive varying levels of intensity of inter-organizational activities regarding cooperation on environmental governance in nine urban agglomerations in China. This article distinguishes strong and weak inter-organizational activities; and through a literature review, the article distills five conditions influencing inter-organizational activity, including vertical meta-governance, horizontal meta-governance, leadership, autonomous capacity disparity and environmental status disparity. While these conditions are clearly unique, it is unclear if any of these conditions are necessary or sufficient and how they work collectively, for varying degrees of inter-organization activities. Through the method of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), the article examines this question. The findings suggest that strong horizontal meta-governance and strong leadership are both necessary conditions for strong inter-organizational involvement in joint environmental governance. Small disparities in autonomous capacity and environmental status are sufficient conditions for strong inter-organizational activities. Strong vertical meta-governance is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition. The QCA results reveal that local authorities should put energy in developing their formal structures favorable for cooperation and that local leaders should develop skills to facilitate joint actions between member cities in an agglomeration.
The Effect of Cultural Heritage Tourism on Tourist Word of Mouth: The Case of Lok Versa Festival, Pakistan
Authors: Naqvi Muhammad Hasnain Abbas , Jiang Yushi , Naqvi Mishal Hasnain , Miao Miao , Liang Changyong , Mehmood Shafaqat
Published: July 2018

Festivals are the most viable source of tourism promotion and provide recognition to different cultures and communities. This paper proposed and examined a holistic model of festival word of mouth (WOM), which is influenced by authenticity, promotion, loyalty, quality, and satisfaction. Accordingly, the current paper investigated the effect of the proposed model with reference to Lok Virsa handicrafts, the most famous festival of the Islamabad region in Pakistan. The findings revealed that the festival quality has direct impact on WOM and promotion. Promotion has a positive influence on loyalty, satisfaction, and WOM. Festival authenticity strongly influences promotion, quality, satisfaction, and WOM. Festival satisfaction is positively related to WOM and loyalty. Whereas, festival loyalty and WOM are significantly associated. The results suggest that festival organizers should deliver the claims and promises in the festival that they have made with tourists. This technique will harvest positive WOM and increase tourist re-visitation to upcoming festivals.
Second-Order Conditional Lie–Bäcklund Symmetries and Differential Constraints of Nonlinear Reaction–Diffusion Equations with Gradient-Dependent Diffusivity
Authors: Ji Lina , Feng Wei
Published: July 2018

The radially symmetric nonlinear reaction–diffusion equation with gradient-dependent diffusivity is investigated. We obtain conditions under which the equations admit second-order conditional Lie–Bäcklund symmetries and first-order Hamilton–Jacobi sign-invariants which preserve both signs (≥0 and ≤0) on the solution manifold. The corresponding reductions of the resulting equations are established due to the compatibility of the invariant surface conditions and the governing equations.
A Review of Image Processing Techniques Common in Human and Plant Disease Diagnosis
Authors: Petrellis Nikos
Published: July 2018

Image processing has been extensively used in various (human, animal, plant) disease diagnosis approaches, assisting experts to select the right treatment. It has been applied to both images captured from cameras of visible light and from equipment that captures information in invisible wavelengths (magnetic/ultrasonic sensors, microscopes, etc.). In most of the referenced diagnosis applications, the image is enhanced by various filtering methods and segmentation follows isolating the regions of interest. Classification of the input image is performed at the final stage. The disease diagnosis approaches based on these steps and the common methods are described. The features extracted from a plant/skin disease diagnosis framework developed by the author are used here to demonstrate various techniques adopted in the literature. The various metrics along with the available experimental conditions and results presented in the referenced approaches are also discussed. The accuracy achieved in the diagnosis methods that are based on image processing is often higher than 90%. The motivation for this review is to highlight the most common and efficient methods that have been employed in various disease diagnosis approaches and suggest how they can be used in similar or different applications.
Toxicity Assay for Citrinin, Zearalenone and Zearalenone-14-Sulfate Using the Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as Model Organism
Authors: Keller Julia , Borzekowski Antje , Haase Hajo , Menzel Ralph , Rueß Liliane , Koch Matthias
Published: July 2018

To keep pace with the rising number of detected mycotoxins, there is a growing need for fast and reliable toxicity tests to assess potential threats to food safety. Toxicity tests with the bacterial-feeding nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as the model organism are well established. In this study the C. elegans wildtype strain N2 (var. Bristol) was used to investigate the toxic effects of the food-relevant mycotoxins citrinin (CIT) and zearalenone-14-sulfate (ZEA-14-S) and zearalenone (ZEA) on different life cycle parameters including reproduction, thermal and oxidative stress resistance and lifespan. The metabolization of the mycotoxins by the nematodes in vivo was investigated using HPLC-MS/MS. ZEA was metabolized in vivo to the reduced isomers α-zearalenol (α-ZEL) and β-ZEL. ZEA-14-S was reduced to α-/β-ZEL-14-sulfate and CIT was metabolized to mono-hydroxylated CIT. All mycotoxins tested led to a significant decrease in the number of nematode offspring produced. ZEA and CIT displayed negative effects on stress tolerance levels and for CIT an additional shortening of the mean lifespan was observed. In the case of ZEA-14-S, however, the mean lifespan was prolonged. The presented study shows the applicability of C. elegans for toxicity testing of emerging food mycotoxins for the purpose of assigning potential health threats.
Erratum: Frame- and Metric-Like Higher-Spin Fermions
Authors:   Universe Editorial Office
Published: July 2018

The Universe Editorial Office would like to report errors in the published paper [1].[...]
Analyzing the Effect of Soil Hydraulic Conductivity Anisotropy on Slope Stability Using a Coupled Hydromechanical Framework
Authors: Yeh Hsin-Fu , Tsai Yi-Jin
Published: July 2018

In studies on the effect of rainfall on slope stability, soil hydraulic conductivity is usually assumed to be isotropic to simplify the analysis. In the present study, a coupled hydromechanical framework based on transient seepage analysis and slope stability analysis is used to investigate the effects of hydraulic conductivity anisotropy on rainfall infiltration and slope safety at various slope locations (the top of the slope, the slope itself and the toe of the slope). The results show that when the vertical hydraulic conductivity (Ky) is constant, the horizontal hydraulic conductivity (Kx) increases (i.e., anisotropy increases). This occurs because rainfall tends to infiltrate into the interior of the slope, resulting in the soil on top of the slope and on the slope itself being easily influenced by rainfall, leading to soil instability. The change of rainfall infiltration at the slope itself is the most significant. When the anisotropic ratio Kr (=Kx/Ky) increased from 1 to 100, the depth of the wetting zones for loam, silt and clay slopes increased by 23.3%, 33.3% and 50%, respectively. However, increased Kr led to a slower infiltration rate in the vertical direction at the toe of the slope. Compared to the results for Kr = 1 and for Kr = 100, the thickness of the wetting zones at the toe of loam and silt slopes decreased by 23.3% and 30.0%, respectively. For the clay slope, Kr changes did not significantly affect the wetting zones because of poor permeability. The results of this study suggest that the effect of soil hydraulic conductivity anisotropy should be considered when estimating slope stability to better understand the effect of rainfall on slopes.
The Suitability of Snow and Meteorological Conditions of South-Central Slovakia for Ski Slope Operation at Low Elevation—A Case Study of the Košútka Ski Centre
Authors: Mikloš Michal , Jančo Martin , Korísteková Katarína , Škvareninová Jana , Škvarenina Jaroslav
Published: July 2018

In this study, the snow conditions of South-Central Slovakia (Inner Western Carpathians; temperate zone) were analyzed to assess the suitability for ski slope operations without snow production under 1000 m a.s.l. For the study site of the Košútka Ski Centre, meteorological conditions for snowmaking, snowpack characteristics, and snow water equivalent (SWE) compared with seasonal precipitation were identified. To identify the months suitable for snowmaking, the number of potential snowmaking days (PSD) and the required number of snowmaking days (RNSD) were calculated for six winter seasons from 2010–2011 to 2015–2016. The results showed that the conditions of natural snow cover were not appropriate for ski slope operation because of a low natural snow depth. For the Košútka Ski Centre, it was concluded that the essential base layer snowmaking for ski slope operation is possible only for a few days in the winter season because of the increasing mean value of the mean average daily temperature and the consequently higher occurrence of liquid precipitation in the winter season. Essential high snow production results in the heterogeneous distribution of snow on the ski slope, and in high snow depth, density, and SWE of the ski slope snowpack, and in prolonged melting.
An Integrated Water-Saving and Quality-Guarantee Uncertain Programming Approach for the Optimal Irrigation Scheduling of Seed Maize in Arid Regions
Authors: Guo Shanshan , Wang Jintao , Zhang Fan , Wang Youzhi , Guo Ping
Published: July 2018

With population growth and water scarcity, efficient crop production has drawn attention worldwide. In the Hexi Corridor, the largest production base of maize seed in China, it is desired to develop efficient irrigation strategies for seed maize. Considering the double criteria of yield and seed quality, an integrated water-saving and quality-guarantee uncertain programming approach (IWQUP) was developed in this study to help with agricultural sustainable development. The IWQUP combined deficit irrigation theory, soil-water balance, and multiple uncertainties. The water-flowering model (WFM) and kernel weight prediction model with water production functions were used to reflect the relationship among water consumption, crop yield, and seed quality. Meanwhile, to deal with the widespread existence of uncertainties in nature and the decision-making process, interval programming and fuzzy programming were integrated within the framework of IWQUP, along with the use of the genetic algorithm and Monte Carlo simulation. The results showed that when the climatic condition is moist, decision-makers may use a low tolerance level in order to reduce the water waste, enhance the water use efficiency, and guarantee a relatively high seed quality. When the climate is harsh, a high tolerance level to water use constraints is recommended in order to guarantee yield. In addition, optimistic decision-makers could choose a relatively high tolerance level, but in moist years they should be careful in order to avoid water waste. The established model was compared with three other models to represent its practicability for offering decision-makers various references under different scenarios.
Increasing Staphylococcus Species Resistance in Peritoneal Dialysis-Related Peritonitis Over a 10-Year Period in a Single Taiwanese Center
Authors: Chen Ho-Ching , Shieh Chi-Chang , Sung Junne-Ming
Published: July 2018

Background

Peritonitis is a major complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD). Staphylococcus species are gram-positive bacteria that are most commonly associated with peritoneal peritonitis. The increasing antimicrobial resistance rate is a severe burden when considering the initial choice of antibiotics. This investigation examined the trends of staphylococcal infection as well as the resistance rate and clinical outcomes from 2006 to 2015 in southern Taiwan.

Methods

We retrospectively investigated all PD-related peritonitis episodes in southern Taiwan between January 2006 and December 2015 and evaluated the clinical characteristics of peritonitis, microbiological prevalence and resistance of Staphylococcus species, and outcomes in patients.

Results

Among 244 episodes of peritonitis, Staphylococcus species accounted for approximately 65% of the gram-positive bacteria that caused the infection. The methicillin resistance rate among Staphylococcus species substantially increased to 64% by 2015 in both Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci in southern Taiwan. Notably, patients with methicillin-resistant staphylococcal infection exhibited a significantly higher hospitalization rate than those with methicillin-sensitive staphylococcal infection. However, the catheter removal rate and transfer to hemodialysis exhibited no differences between the 2 groups.

Conclusion

Peritonitis is the most serious complication in patients on PD, and microbiological trends have changed over the past 10 years at a single center in southern Taiwan. The number of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus species has substantially increased. Empirical initial antibiotic therapy should be adapted on the basis of the growing microbiological resistance.
Progenitor Mass Distribution for Core-collapse Supernova Remnants in M31 and M33
Authors: Díaz-Rodríguez Mariangelly , Murphy Jeremiah W. , Rubin David A. , Dolphin Andrew E. , Williams Benjamin F. , Dalcanton Julianne J.
Published: July 2018

Using the star formation histories (SFHs) near

94

supernova remnants (SNRs), we infer the progenitor mass distribution for core-collapse supernovae. We use Bayesian inference and model each SFH with multiple bursts of star formation (SF), one of which is assumed to be associated with the SNR. Assuming single-star evolution, the minimum mass of CCSNe is

7.33

−
0.16

+
0.02

M

⊙

, the slope of the progenitor mass distribution is

α
=
−

2.96

−
0.25

+
0.45

, and the maximum mass is greater than

M

max

>
59

M

⊙

with a 68% confidence. While these results are consistent with previous inferences, they also provide tighter constraints. The progenitor distribution is somewhat steeper than a Salpeter initial mass function (α = −2.35). This suggests that either SNR catalogs are biased against the youngest SF regions, or the most massive stars do not explode as easily as lower mass stars. If SNR catalogs are biased, it will most likely affect the slope but not the minimum mass. The uncertainties are dominated by three primary sources of uncertainty, the SFH resolution, the number of SF bursts, and the uncertainty on SF rate in each age bin. We address the first two of these uncertainties, with an emphasis on multiple bursts. The third will be addressed in future work.
ALMA Observations of Polarized 872 μm Dust Emission from the Protostellar Systems VLA 1623 and L1527
Authors: Harris Robert J. , Cox Erin G. , Looney Leslie W. , Li Zhi-Yun , Yang Haifeng , Fernández-López Manuel , Kwon Woojin , Sadavoy Sarah , Segura-Cox Dominique , Stephens Ian , Tobin John
Published: July 2018

We present high-sensitivity (σ

I
∼ 0.2–0.5 mJy, σ

QU
∼ 0.05 mJy), high-resolution (∼0.″12 −0.″2) observations of polarized 872 μm dust emission from the young multiple system VLA 1623 in ρ Ophiuchus and the protostar L1527 in Taurus. We detect the circumstellar material of VLA 1623A, the extended Keplerian disk surrounding VLA 1623A that we call VLA 1623CBdisk, VLA 1623B, VLA 1623W, and L1527 strongly in the polarized emission, at the ∼1%–3% level. We spatially resolve VLA 1623A into two sources, VLA 1623Aa and VLA 1623Ab, separated by ∼30 au and located within a cavity of radius ∼50 au within the circumbinary Keplerian disk, as well as the edge-on disk of VLA 1623W. The polarization angle of the emission is uniform across each protostellar source and nearly coincides with each disk’s minor axis. The offsets between the minor axis position angle and the polarization angle are not uniformly distributed at the P ≲ 2 × 10−4 level. The circumbinary disk surrounding VLA 1623Aab is azimuthally symmetrically polarized. Each compact source’s emission is partially optically thick (τ ≳ 1) at 872 μm, complicating interpretations of polarization involving aligned grains. We find evidence against alignment by radiative flux in each source, particularly in the edge-on VLA 1623W and L1527. We detect astrometric offsets between the polarized emission and the total intensity in VLA 1623Aa, VLA 1623Ab, and VLA 1623B, as predicted if self-scattering in the optically thick limit operates. We conclude that self-scattering is likely responsible for disk-scale polarization at 872 μm in these systems.
Stars Behind Bars. I. The Milky Way's Central Stellar Populations
Authors: Buck Tobias , Ness Melissa K. , Macciò Andrea V. , Obreja Aura , Dutton Aaron A.
Published: July 2018

We show for the first time that a fully cosmological hydrodynamical simulation can reproduce key properties of the innermost region of the Milky Way (MW). Our high-resolution simulation reproduces qualitatively the profile and kinematics of the MW’s boxy/peanut-shaped bulge, and hence we can use it to reconstruct and understand the bulge assembly. In particular, the age dependence of the X-shape morphology of the simulated bulge parallels the observed metallicity-dependent split in the red clump stars of the inner Galaxy. We use this feature to propose an observational metric that (after calibrated against a larger set of simulations) might allow us to quantify when the bulge formed from the disk. The metric we propose can be employed with upcoming survey data to constrain the age of the MW bar. From the split in stellar counts we estimate the formation of the 4 kpc scale bar in the simulation to have happened

Gyr ago, in good agreement with conventional methods to measure bar formation in simulations. We test the prospects for observationally differentiating the stars that belong to the bulge/bar compared to the surrounding disk, and we find that the inner disk and bulge are practically indistinguishable in both chemistry and ages.
A Powerful Radio-loud Quasar at the End of Cosmic Reionization
Authors: Bañados Eduardo , Carilli Chris , Walter Fabian , Momjian Emmanuel , Decarli Roberto , Farina Emanuele P. , Mazzucchelli Chiara , Venemans Bram P.
Published: July 2018

We present the discovery of the radio-loud quasar PSO J352.4034–15.3373 at z = 5.84 ± 0.02. This quasar is the radio brightest source known, by an order of magnitude, at z ∼ 6 with a flux density in the range of 8–100 mJy from 3 GHz to 230 MHz and a radio loudness parameter

. This source provides an unprecedented opportunity to study powerful jets and radio-mode feedback at the highest redshifts, and presents the first real chance to probe deep into the neutral intergalactic medium by detecting 21 cm absorption at the end of cosmic reionization.
HST Follow-up Observations of Two Bright z ∼ 8 Candidate Galaxies from the BoRG Pure-parallel Survey
Authors: Livermore R. C. , Trenti M. , Bradley L. D. , Bernard S. R. , Holwerda B. W. , Mason C. A. , Treu T.
Published: July 2018

We present follow-up imaging of two bright (L > L*) galaxy candidates at z ≳ 8 from the Brightest of Reionizing Galaxies (BoRG) survey with the F098M filter on the Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Camera 3 (HST/WFC3). The F098M filter provides an additional constraint on the flux blueward of the spectral break, and the observations are designed to discriminate between low- and high-z photometric redshift solutions for these galaxies. Our results confirm one galaxy, BoRG_0116+1425_747, as a highly probable z ∼ 8 source, but reveal that BoRG_0116+1425_630—previously the brightest known z > 8 candidate (m
AB = 24.5)—is likely to be a z ∼ 2 interloper. As this source was substantially brighter than any other z > 8 candidate, removing it from the sample has a significant impact on the derived UV luminosity function in this epoch. We show that while previous BoRG results favored a shallow power-law decline in the bright end of the luminosity function prior to reionization, there is now no evidence for departure from a Schechter function form and therefore no evidence for a difference in galaxy formation processes before and after reionization.
They Might Be Giants: An Efficient Color-based Selection of Red Giant Stars
Authors: Conroy Charlie , Bonaca Ana , Naidu Rohan P. , Eisenstein Daniel J. , Johnson Benjamin D. , Dotter Aaron , Finkbeiner Douglas P.
Published: July 2018

We present a color-based method for identifying red giants based on the Pan-STARRS grz and WISE
W1 and W2 photometry. We utilize a subsample of bright stars with precise parallaxes from Gaia’s second data release (DR2) to verify that the color-based selection reliably separates dwarfs from giants. The selection is conservative in the sense that contamination is small (≈30%) but not all giants are included (the selection primarily identifies K giants). The color-based selection can be applied to stars brighter than W1 ≈ 16, more than two magnitudes fainter than techniques relying on shallower 2MASS photometry. Many streams and clouds are visible in the resulting sky maps, especially when binned by Gaia DR2 proper motions, including the Sagittarius stream, the Hercules–Aquila Cloud, the Eastern Banded Structure, Monoceros, and the Virgo Overdensity. In addition to the characterization of new and known stellar streams, we expect that this method for selecting red giants will enable detailed analysis of the diffuse stellar halo to distances exceeding 100 kpc.