bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structure based screening of ligands against dTDP-6-deoxy-D-xylo-4-hexulose 3, 5-epimerase (RmlC): phytochemical as drug candidate for Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Rath Jyoti Prakash , Raval Mukesh Kumar
Published: July 2017

Objective: RmlC (dTDP-6-deoxy-D-xylo-4-hexulose 3, 5-epimerase) is a crucial enzyme for cell wall biosynthesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It’s absence in human host attest it as a valid target for drug designing. In the presented study an in-silico method is employed to find out the potential phytochemical inhibitors of RmlC.Methods: AutoDock 4.2 is used to study the binding affinity of ligands in the active site of the protein. The drug-likeness and oral toxicity evaluation is done using the online tools Molsoft and ProTox respectively.Results: Chrysophanol has binding affinity of -9.24 kcal/mole to RmlC active site. PASS tool predicts chrysophanol as antitubercular compound. Its druglikeness is 0.1, and toxicity class is 5 measured by ProTox. Hence, chrysophanol emerges as a lead molecule among the phytochemicals in the database.Conclusions: Crysophanol is the lead inhibitor against RmlC target. The lead molecule may work as a successful drug in future for tuberculosis treatment.
A comparative study on effect of polymers on release kinetics glimepiride matrix tablet
Authors: Chowdhury Sonia , Babu Mandava Nithin , Ankitha K. , Shirisha B. , Sirigadi Madhurika , Kavya Esarapu
Published: July 2017

Objective: The Present investigation was performed to find out the effect of synthetic and natural polymers on the release properties of glimepiride matrix tablet. Glimepiride is a first third generation sulphonyl urea agent for the treatment of type- II diabetes mellitus. Methocel K15M, Olibanum Gum were used as key release modifying polymers.Methods: Nine formulations were prepared taking different concentration of natural and synthetic polymers, The drug excipient mixtures were subjected to pre-compression studies. The tablets were prepared by direct compression method; all formulations were subjected to physicochemical studies, in- vitro drug release, kinetic studies and stability studies. The physicochemical results were found within the limits.Results: FTIR study interpretation did not show any drug–excipient interaction The drug release from the optimized formulation F-7 was extended for a period of 12 hours. The release kinetics of F-7 formulation showed that the release of drug follows zero order models. The optimized formulations were subjected to stability studies and shown there were no significant changes in drug content, physicochemical parameters and release pattern.Conclusions: Results of the present study indicated the suitability of the above mentioned polymers in the preparation of sustained release formulation of Glimepiride for the management of type-II diabetes mellitus effectively.
Preparation and evaluation of polyherbal formulation for its antidiabetic activity against streptozotocin induced diabetes rat model
Authors: Balakrishnaiah P. , Satyanarayana T.
Published: July 2017

Objective: The present work was executed to evaluate the anti-diabetic potency of a polyherbal preparation. The objective of this study is to induce experimental diabetes mellitus using streptozotocin in normal Albino wistar rats and study the antdiabetic activity of polyherbal formulation by comparison of changes in levels of glucose between normal and diabetic rats.Methods: The effect of methanol extract of poly herbal preparation containing aerial parts of Schrebera swietenoides, roots of Barleria montana and aerial parts of Rotula aquatica was investigated in normal and streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.Results: The lowest blood glucose levels were observed at 4 and 8th hr after the oral administration of 150 and 300 mg/kg b.w polyherbal formulation. The blood glucose levels at 24hrs after the oral administration of 150 and 300 mg/kg b. w of poly herbal formulation was significantly lowers the blood glucose levels.Conclusions: The display of synergy or antagonism by the composite herbal extracts in ameliorating hyperglycemia depended on the type and number of individual herbal extract used in constituting the experimental herbal formulations.
Understanding Bell's palsy –a review
Authors: Prabasheela B. , Sakithya V. , Nandhini V. , Logeshwari M.
Published: July 2017

Bell’s palsy is a unilateral, lower motor neuron weakness of the facial nerve. Facial dysfunction has a dramatic effect on a patient’s appearance, psychological wellbeing and quality of life. Bell’s palsy has been described in patients of all ages, and is more common in adults than in children.The causes of the paralysis still remain unknown. Establishing the correct diagnosis is imperative and choosing the correct treatment options can optimize the likelihood of recovery. Hence this review deals with etiology, signs and symptoms, diagnosis and treatment management for Bell’s palsy.
Reflecting back, looking forward: A content analysis of scientific programs from the 2013–2016 Canadian Sex Research Forum annual conferences
Authors: Lachowsky Nathan J. , Wentland Jocelyn J. , Kilimnik Chelsea D. , Levere D.D.
Published: July 2017

The vision of the Canadian Sex Research Forum (CSRF) is to be Canada's leading organization dedicated to interdisciplinary, theoretical, and applied sexuality research. We sought to determine the composition of four previous CSRF Annual Conference (2013–2016) scientific programs. We double-coded 356 abstracts on first author region, discipline, and faculty status; presentation format (oral/poster); and several non-exclusive yes/no questions regarding study populations, topics, and methods. We calculated odds ratios (OR) to assess trends (per year) and likelihood of oral versus poster presentation. Most of authors were from psychology (86.5%), although this decreased over time (98.1% to 80.5%). Most abstracts used quantitative methods (82.9%) and there was a decrease over time in abstracts using qualitative (26.4% to 16.3%) and experimental (17.0% to 7.3%) methods. For study population and topic, there were increases over time in clinical population foci (7.6% to 23.6%) and decreases in race/ethnicity foci (3.8% to 0.8%) and methods topics (18.9% to 5.7%). Half of the abstracts were oral presentations (44.9%), which were more frequently awarded to faculty (81.1% vs. 38.6%), sexual practice topics (50.7% vs. 40.8%), relationship topics (52.3% vs. 40.7%), methodology topics (50.0% vs. 44.2%), and theory papers (71.4% vs. 43.3%). Oral presentations were less frequently awarded to single sex/gender populations (36.7% vs. 48.4%), student-only populations (35.3% vs. 51.2%), race/ethnicity foci (20.0% vs. 45.5%), and quantitative methods (43.4% vs. 52.5%). To achieve CSRF's vision of “interdisciplinary, theoretical, and applied research,” we must undertake intentional strategic action (e.g., more content from non-psychology disciplines, more qualitative methods).
Using a Modified Bookmark Procedure to Help Identify Reasonable Consequences for Academic Integrity Violations
Authors: Royal Kenneth D. , Neel Jennifer A. , Munana Karen R. , Flammer Keven
Published: July 2017

It is recommended that institutions develop academic conduct policies to help preserve academic integrity, enforce compliance, and aid in legal defensibility. These policies should also articulate reasonable consequences for persons found in violation. The problem, however, is that all academic misconduct offenses are not created equal, and determining reasonable consequences for these violations can be particularly challenging due to their subjective nature. Thus, the purpose of this study was to introduce a novel method for more objectively determining reasonable sanctions for several academic misconduct offenses of varying degrees of severity. We utilized a variation of the Bookmark procedure, a popular standard-setting technique used primarily by psychometricians in high-stakes testing environments, to investigate empirical survey data and develop policy recommendations. We encourage others to use this procedure, where appropriate, to identify appropriate cut scores and ranges to aid in policy development across a variety of contexts.
Evaluation of Pharmacology Written Question Papers of MBBS Professional Examinations
Authors: Chowdhury Dipak Kumer Paul , Saha Debashish , Talukder Md Humayun Kabir , Habib Md Ahsan , Islam AFM Saiful , Ahmad Md Rasel , Hossin Md Immam
Published: July 2017

This cross sectional descriptive study was conducted to observe the quality of Pharmacology professional written question papers of Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), University of Chittagong (CU), University of Dhaka (DU), Rajshahi University (RU) and Shahjalal University of Science & Technology (SUST). For this purpose total 82 SAQ papers of five universities dated from January 2007 to July 2015 were reviewed. Question papers were reviewed to find out the coverage of recall, understanding and problem solving type questions, content coverage and presence of marking scheme in SAQ papers. Mean percentage of recall, understanding and problem questions were 54.3%, 44% and 01.7% respectively in SAQ papers. Mean of the recall questions of SUST statistically significantly differed from curriculum standard 60%. Other universities had no significant differences with the standard. Mean of the understanding questions of all the universities statistically significantly differed from curriculum standard 30% except BUP. There was statistically significant difference between mean of the problem solving questions of all the universities and curriculum standard 10% . Most of the SAQ papers (62%) were without problem based questions. No question paper was found having different types question as per curriculum standard. Total 15(18.3%) SAQ papers contained 100 % topics (all the 11 groups). Thirty nine (47.6) contained 10 groups and 22% contained 9 groups out of 11. Twelve percent SAQ papers contained less 80% topics Total 29 (35.4%) SAQ papers of all the universities showed marking scheme on the questions papers, rest 64.6% were devoid of it. Maximum 87.5% SAQ papers of RU had marking scheme. Findings of this study may be used to redefine the distribution of different types question in SAQ papers and to improve the quality of question papers by ensuring their coverage.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Education Vol.8(2) 2017: 12-17
A Novel Hybrid Approach to Deal with DVL Malfunctions for Underwater Integrated Navigation Systems
Authors: Zhu Yixian , Cheng Xianghong , Hu Jie , Zhou Ling , Fu Jinbo
Published: July 2017

As a common device for underwater integrated navigation systems, Doppler velocity log (DVL) has the risk of malfunction. To improve the reliability of navigation systems, a hybrid approach is presented to forecast the measurements of the DVL while it malfunctions. The approach employs partial least squares regression (PLSR) coupled with support vector regression (SVR) to build a hybrid predictor. As the current and past calculating velocities of strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS) are taken as the predictor’s inputs, PLSR is applied to cope with the situation where there exists intense relativity among independent variables. Since PLSR is a linear regression, SVR is used to predict the residual components of the PLSR prediction to improve the accuracy. When the DVL works well, the hybrid predictor is trained online as a backup, whereas during malfunctions, the predictor offers the estimation of the DVL measurements for information fusion. The performance of the proposed approach is verified with simulations based on SINS/DVL/MCP/pressure sensor (PS) integrated navigation system. The comparison results indicate that the PLSR-SVR hybrid predictor can correctly provide the estimated DVL measurements and effectively extend the tolerance time on DVL malfunctions, thereby improving the navigation accuracy and reliability.
Revisiting Amazonian Plants for Skin Care and Disease
Authors: Burlando Bruno , Cornara Laura
Published: July 2017

This review concerns five species of trees and palm trees that occur as dominant plants in different rainforest areas of the Amazon region. Due to their abundance, these species can be exploited as sustainable sources of botanical materials and include Carapa guianensis Aubl., family Meliaceae; Eperua falcata Aubl., family Fabaceae; Quassia amara L., family Simaroubaceae; and Attalea speciosa Mart. and Oenocarpus bataua Mart., family Arecaceae. For each species, the general features, major constituents, overall medicinal properties, detailed dermatological and skin care applications, and possible harmful effects have been considered. The major products include seed oils from A. speciosa and C. guianensis, fruit oil from O. bataua, and active compounds such as limonoids from C. guianensis, flavonoids from E. falcata, and quassinoids from Q. amara. The dermatologic and cosmetic applications of these plants are growing rapidly but are still widely based on empiric knowledge. Applications include skin rehydration and soothing; anti-inflammatory, antiage, and antiparasite effects; hair care; burn and wound healing; and the amelioration of rosacea and psoriasis conditions. Despite a limited knowledge about their constituents and properties, these species appear as promising sources of bioactive compounds for skin care and health applications. An improvement of knowledge about their properties will provide added value to the exploitation of these forest resources.
An Improved Droop Control Strategy Based on Changeable Reference in Low-Voltage Microgrids
Authors: Dou Chunxia , Zhang Zhanqiang , Yue Dong , Gao Hanxiao
Published: July 2017

This paper proposes an improved droop control strategy based on changeable reference in low-voltage microgrids. To restore running frequency of distributed generation to a rated value without affecting its reactive power output, changeable frequency reference, mainly compensating for frequency deviation, are proposed corresponding to various load demands. In terms of active power sharing inaccuracy associated with mismatched line impedance, changeable voltage amplitude reference is proposed to obtain a droop line suitable for the actual voltage of distributed generations. By further improvement of the active droop coefficient, power sharing is accurate with a difference in actual voltages of distributed generations. Virtual negative inductance is used to neutralize the redundant line inductance for strictly improving sharing accuracy. A robust control method based on Lyapunov function is used to handle the robustness problem in case of load variation. The control scheme is entirely decentralized, so communication links among distributed generations are redundant. Finally, simulation studies demonstrate the effectiveness of a control strategy.
Investigation on the Development of a Sliding Mode Controller for Constant Power Loads in Microgrids
Authors: Hossain Eklas , Perez Ron , Padmanaban Sanjeevikumar , Siano Pierluigi
Published: July 2017

To implement renewable energy resources, microgrid systems have been adopted and developed into the technology of choice to assure mass electrification in the next decade. Microgrid systems have a number of advantages over conventional utility grid systems, however, they face severe instability issues due to the continually increasing constant power loads. To improve the stability of the entire system, the load side compensation technique is chosen because of its robustness and cost effectiveness. In this particular occasion, a sliding mode controller is developed for a microgrid system in the presence of constant power loads to assure a certain control objective of keeping the output voltage constant at 480 V. After that, a robustness analysis of the sliding mode controller against parametric uncertainties was performed and the sliding mode controller’s robustness against parametric uncertainties, frequency variations, and additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) are presented. Later, the performance of the proportional integral derivative (PID) and sliding mode controller are compared in the case of nonlinearity, parameter uncertainties, and noise rejection to justify the selection of the sliding mode controller over the PID controller. All the necessary calculations are reckoned mathematically and results are verified in a virtual platform such as MATLAB/Simulink with a positive outcome.
Transition of Future Energy System Infrastructure; through Power-to-Gas Pathways
Authors: Maroufmashat Azadeh , Fowler Michael
Published: July 2017

Power-to-gas is a promising option for storing interment renewables, nuclear baseload power, and distributed energy and it is a novel concept for the transition to increased renewable content of current fuels with an ultimate goal of transition to a sustainable low-carbon future energy system that interconnects power, transportation sectors and thermal energy demand all together. The aim of this paper is to introduce different Power-to-gas “pathways”, including Power to Hydrogen, Power to Natural Gas End-users, Power to Renewable Content in Petroleum Fuel, Power to Power, Seasonal Energy Storage to Electricity, Power to Zero Emission Transportation, Power to Seasonal Storage for Transportation, Power to Micro grid, Power to Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) to Pipeline (“Methanation”), and Power to Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) to Seasonal Storage. In order to compare the different pathways, the review of key technologies of Power-to-gas systems are studied and the qualitative efficiency and benefits of each pathway is investigated from the technical points of view. Moreover, different Power-to-gas pathways are discussed as an energy policy option that can be implemented to transition towards a lower carbon economy for Ontario’s energy systems.
Numerical Investigations of the Combined Effects of Flow Rate and Methanol Concentration on DMFC Performance
Authors: Hu Xuqu , Wang Xingyi , Chen Juanzhong , Yang Qinwen , Jin Dapeng , Qiu Xiang
Published: July 2017

A modified 3D numerical model on the energy conversion process in the anode side of a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) system was constructed and validated to published experimental results. Systematic simulations were performed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of the energy conversion process, and the combined effects of inlet flow rate and input methanol concentration were summarized systematically. The increase of flow rate was found to be an effective strategy to accelerate the internal flow fields, while the diffusion layer was proposed to be a critical component in the design of high-performance DMFC. The frontier for optimal conditions of DMFC’s output was also determined, which can be helpful to improve the energy conversion performance of DMFC in practical applications.
Growth and Tissue Elemental Composition Response of Butterhead Lettuce (Lactuca sativa, cv. Flandria) to Hydroponic and Aquaponic Conditions
Authors: Anderson Tyler , De Villiers David , Timmons Michael
Published: July 2017

The primary objective of this research was to compare lettuce performance under conventional hydroponics at pH 5.8 (referred to as H5), hydroponics at pH 7.0 (referred to as H7), and recirculated aquaponic water at pH 7.0 (referred to as A7). Aquaponic nutrients were supplied by continuously recirculating water between a fish rearing system (recirculating aquaculture system or RAS) and the lettuce growing system (with the sole addition being chelated iron). This paper builds upon our previous research where we found that H7 produced 26% less shoot fresh weight (FW) growth than H5 and an 18% reduction in dry weight (DW). In this research, we also evaluated the inorganic hydroponics nutrient solution at pH 7.0 (H7) to provide continuity between experiments and to isolate the pH effect. The A7 plant biomass responses were not different from H5 in all biomass response categories. H7 was different from H5 in shoot FW, DW, and DW/FW, as well as root FW and DW. H7 was different from the A7 in shoot FW, DW/FW, and root DW. There were no tissue elemental differences between H5 and H7 except Cu. The Ca and Na contents differed between H5 and A7, while the microelements Mn, Mo, and Zn differed. Generally, the elemental tissue differences between treatments were proportional to the differences for the same elements in the nutrient solutions. Aquaponic systems are often viewed to be more complicated and more risky because two complex systems are being joined (hydroponics plus RAS). However, the aquaponics system proved to be surprisingly simple to manage in daily operations. Our data suggested that the aquaponics system (A7), which was operated at a higher pH 7.0, was able to offset any negative biomass and elemental effects that occurred in the inorganic hydroponic pH 7.0 treatment (H7) from its increased pH and less optimized nutrient solution elemental concentrations.
Evaluation of Toluene Adsorption Performance of Mortar Adhesives Using Porous Carbon Material as Adsorbent
Authors: Wi Seunghwan , Chang Seong , Jeong Su-Gwang , Lee Jongki , Kim Taeyeon , Park Kyung-Won , Lee Dong , Kim Sumin
Published: July 2017

Porous carbon materials are advantageous in adsorbing pollutants due to their wide range of specific surface areas, pore diameter, and pore volume. Among the porous carbon materials in the current study, expanded graphite, xGnP, xGnP C-300, xGnP C-500, and xGnP C-750 were prepared as adsorbent materials. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis was conducted to select the adsorbent material through the analysis of the specific surface area, pore size, and pore volume of the prepared porous carbon materials. Morphological analysis using SEM was also performed. The xGnP C-500 as adsorbent material was applied to a mortar adhesive that is widely used in the installation of interior building materials. The toluene adsorption performances of the specimens were evaluated using 20 L small chamber. Furthermore, the performance of the mortar adhesive, as indicated by the shear bond strength, length change rate, and water retention rate, was analyzed according to the required test method specified in the Korean standards. It was confirmed that for the mortar adhesives prepared using the xGnP C-500 as adsorbent material, the toluene adsorption performance was excellent and satisfied the required physical properties.
Shallow V-Shape Nanostructured Pit Arrays in Germanium Using Aqua Regia Electroless Chemical Etching
Authors: Chaabane Ibtihel , Banerjee Debika , Touayar Oualid , Cloutier Sylvain
Published: July 2017

Due to its high refractive index, reflectance is often a problem when using Germanium for optoelectronic devices integration. In this work, we propose an effective and low-cost nano-texturing method for considerably reducing the reflectance of bulk Germanium. To do so, uniform V-shape pit arrays are produced by wet electroless chemical etching in a 3:1 volume ratio of highly-concentrated hydrochloridric and nitric acids or so-called aqua regia bath using immersion times ranging from 5 to 60 min. The resulting pit morphology, the crystalline structure of the surface and the changes in surface chemistry after nano-patterning are all investigated. Finally, broadband near-infrared reflectance measurements confirm a significant reduction using this simple wet etching protocol, while maintaining a crystalline, dioxide-free, and hydrogen-passivated surface. It is important to mention that reflectance could be further reduced using deeper pits. However, most optoelectronic applications such as photodetectors and solar cells require relatively shallow patterning of the Germanium to allow formation of a pn-junction close to the surface.
Recent Advances in Plant Phenolics
Authors: Jacobo-Velázquez Daniel , Cisneros-Zevallos Luis
Published: July 2017

The scientific interest in plant phenolics as chemopreventive and therapeutic agents against chronic and degenerative diseases has been increasing since the late 1990s, when the French paradox was associated with the high intake of phenolics present in red wine [1]. [...]
A Lanosteryl Triterpene from Protorhus longifolia Improves Glucose Tolerance and Pancreatic Beta Cell Ultrastructure in Type 2 Diabetic Rats
Authors: Mabhida Sihle , Mosa Rebamang , Penduka Dambudzo , Osunsanmi Foluso , Dludla Phiwayinkosi , Djarova Tryana , Opoku Andy
Published: July 2017

Type 2 diabetes remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Persistent hyperglycemia within a diabetic state is implicated in the generation of oxidative stress and aggravated inflammation that is responsible for accelerated modification of pancreatic beta cell structure. Here we investigated whether a lanosteryl triterpene, methyl-3β-hydroxylanosta-9,24-dien-21-oate (RA-3), isolated from Protorhus longifolia can improve glucose tolerance and pancreatic beta cell ultrastructure by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in high fat diet and streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes in rats. In addition to impaired glucose tolerance, the untreated diabetic rats showed increased fasting plasma glucose and C-peptide levels. These untreated diabetic rats further demonstrated raised cholesterol, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and lipid peroxidation levels as well as a destroyed beta cell ultrastructure. Treatment with RA-3 was as effective as metformin in improving glucose tolerance and antioxidant effect in the diabetic rats. Interestingly, RA-3 displayed a slightly more enhanced effect than metformin in reducing elevated IL-6 levels and in improving beta cell ultrastructure. Although the involved molecular mechanisms remain to be established, RA-3 demonstrates a strong potential to improve pancreatic beta cell ultrastructure by attenuating impaired glucose tolerance, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
Energy and Protein in Critically Ill Patients with AKI: A Prospective, Multicenter Observational Study Using Indirect Calorimetry and Protein Catabolic Rate
Authors: Sabatino Alice , Theilla Miriam , Hellerman Moran , Singer Pierre , Maggiore Umberto , Barbagallo Maria , Regolisti Giuseppe , Fiaccadori Enrico
Published: July 2017

The optimal nutritional support in Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) still remains an open issue. The present study was aimed at evaluating the validity of conventional predictive formulas for the calculation of both energy expenditure and protein needs in critically ill patients with AKI. A prospective, multicenter, observational study was conducted on adult patients hospitalized with AKI in three different intensive care units (ICU). Nutrient needs were estimated by different methods: the Guidelines of the European Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ESPEN) for both calories and proteins, the Harris-Benedict equation, the Penn-State and Faisy-Fagon equations for energy. Actual energy and protein needs were repeatedly measured by indirect calorimetry (IC) and protein catabolic rate (PCR) until oral nutrition start, hospital discharge or renal function recovery. Forty-two patients with AKI were enrolled, with 130 IC and 123 PCR measurements obtained over 654 days of artificial nutrition. No predictive formula was precise enough, and Bland-Altman plots wide limits of agreement for all equations highlight the potential to under- or overfeed individual patients. Conventional predictive formulas may frequently lead to incorrect energy and protein need estimation. In critically ill patients with AKI an increased risk for under- or overfeeding is likely when nutrient needs are estimated instead of measured.
Reply to Itkonen and Lamberg-Allardt’s Letter to the Editor Re: McClure et al. Nutrients 2017, 9, 95
Authors: McClure Scott , Appel Lawrence
Published: July 2017

We appreciate Drs. Itkonen and Lamberg-Allardt’s interest in our recent article “Dietary Sources of Phosphorus among Adults in the United States: Results from NHANES 2001–2014” [1] [...]
Inducing β Phase Crystallinity in Block Copolymers of Vinylidene Fluoride with Methyl Methacrylate or Styrene
Authors: Golzari Nahal , Adams Jörg , Beuermann Sabine
Published: July 2017

Block copolymers of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) with either styrene or methyl methacrylate (MMA) were synthesized and analyzed with respect to the type of the crystalline phase occurring. PVDF with iodine end groups (PVDF-I) was prepared by iodine transfer polymerization either in solution with supercritical CO2 or in emulsion. To activate all iodine end groups Mn2(CO)10 is employed. Upon UV irradiation Mn(CO)5 radicals are obtained, which abstract iodine from PVDF-I generating PVDF radicals. Subsequent polymerization with styrene or methyl methacrylate (MMA) yields block copolymers. Size exclusion chromatography and NMR results prove that the entire PVDF-I is converted. XRD, FT-IR, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses allow for the identification of crystal phase transformation. It is clearly shown that the original α crystalline phase of PVDF-I is changed to the β crystalline phase in case of the block copolymers. For ratios of the VDF block length to the MMA block length ranging from 1.4 to 5 only β phase material was detected.
Fabrication of Highly Crosslinked Gelatin Hydrogel and Its Influence on Chondrocyte Proliferation and Phenotype
Authors: Li Xiaomeng , Zhang Jing , Kawazoe Naoki , Chen Guoping
Published: July 2017

Gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) hydrogels have been widely studied for biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering and drug delivery, because of their good biocompatibility and injectability. However, the quick degradation and low mechanical property of GelMA hydrogels need to be improved for further applications, especially for long-term implantation. In this study, a sequential double modification of gelatin was used to achieve high density of photocrosslinkable double bonds in gelatin derivatives. The amino groups in gelatin were first reacted with methacrylic anhydride. After this, the hydroxyl and carboxyl groups in gelatin were reacted with glycidyl methacrylate to obtain the double modified gelatin macromer. The double modified gelatin macromer was used to prepare gelatin hydrogels with high crosslinking density. The hydrogels exhibited high storage modulus and low degradation. Culture of bovine articular chondrocytes in the gelatin hydrogels showed that chondrocytes had round morphology and maintained a cartilaginous phenotype while cell proliferation was hampered. This method for increasing crosslinking density should be useful for preparation of stable hydrogels for cartilage tissue engineering.
Flexible Polymer Device Based on Parylene-C with Memory and Temperature Sensing Functionalities
Authors: Lin Min , Chen Qingyu , Wang Zongwei , Fang Yichen , Liu Jianfeng , Yang Yuchao , Wang Wei , Cai Yimao , Huang Ru
Published: July 2017

Polychloro-para-xylylene (parylene-C) is a flexible and transparent polymer material which has excellent chemical stability and high biocompatibility. Here we demonstrate a polymer device based on single-component parylene-C with memory and temperature sensing functionalities. The device shows stable bipolar resistive switching behavior, remarkable storage window (>104), and low operation voltages, exhibiting great potential for flexible resistive random-access memory (RRAM) applications. The I-V curves and conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM) results verify the metallic filamentary-type switching mechanism based on the formation and dissolution of a metal bridge related to the redox reaction of the active metal electrode. In addition, due to the metallic properties of the low-resistance state (LRS) in the polymer device, the resistance in the LRS exhibits a nearly linear relationship at the temperature regime between 25 °C and 100 °C. With a temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of 2.136 × 10−3/°C, the device is also promising for the flexible temperature sensor applications.
Correcting InSAR Topographically Correlated Tropospheric Delays Using a Power Law Model Based on ERA-Interim Reanalysis
Authors: Zhu Bangyan , Li Jiancheng , Tang Wei
Published: July 2017

Tropospheric delay caused by spatiotemporal variations in pressure, temperature, and humidity in the lower troposphere remains one of the major challenges in Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) deformation monitoring applications. Acquiring an acceptable level of accuracy (millimeter-level) for small amplitude surface displacement is difficult without proper delay estimation. Tropospheric delay can be estimated from the InSAR phase itself using the spatiotemporal relationship between the phase and topography, but separating the deformation signal from the tropospheric delay is difficult when the deformation is topographically related. Approaches using external data such as ground GPS networks, space-borne spectrometers, and meteorological observations have been exploited with mixed success in the past. These methods are plagued, however, by low spatiotemporal resolution, unfavorable weather conditions or limited coverage. A phase-based power law method recently proposed by Bekaert et al. estimates the tropospheric delay by assuming the phase and topography following a power law relationship. This method can account for the spatial variation of the atmospheric properties and can be applied to interferograms containing topographically correlated deformation. However, the parameter estimates of this method are characterized by two limitations: one is that the power law coefficients are estimated using the sounding data, which are not always available in a study region; the other is that the scaled factor between band-filtered topography and phase is inverted by least squares regression, which is not outlier-resistant. To address these problems, we develop and test a power law model based on ERA-Interim (PLE). Our version estimates the power law coefficients by using ERA-Interim (ERA-I) reanalysis. A robust estimation technique was introduced in the PLE method to estimate the scaled factor, which is insensitive to outliers. We applied the PLE method to ENVISAT ASAR images collected over Southern California, US, and Tianshan, China. We compared tropospheric corrections estimated from using our PLE method with the corrections estimated using the linear method and ERA-I method. Accuracy was evaluated by using delay measurements from the Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) onboard the ENVISAT satellite. The PLE method consistently delivered greater standard deviation (STD) reduction after tropospheric corrections than both the linear method and ERA-I method and agreed well with the MERIS measurements.
Gauging the Severity of the 2012 Midwestern U.S. Drought for Agriculture
Authors: Zhang Xiang , Wei Chehan , Obringer Renee , Li Deren , Chen Nengcheng , Niyogi Dev
Published: July 2017

Different drought indices often provide different diagnoses of drought severity, making it difficult to determine the best way to evaluate these different drought monitoring results. Additionally, the ability of a newly proposed drought index, the Process-based Accumulated Drought Index (PADI) has not yet been tested in United States. In this study, we quantified the severity of 2012 drought which affected the agricultural output for much of the Midwestern US. We used several popular drought indices, including the Standardized Precipitation Index and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index with multiple time scales, Palmer Drought Severity Index, Palmer Z-index, VegDRI, and PADI by comparing the spatial distribution, temporal evolution, and crop impacts produced by each of these indices with the United States Drought Monitor. Results suggested this drought incubated around June 2011 and ended in May 2013. While different drought indices depicted drought severity variously. SPI outperformed SPEI and has decent correlation with yield loss especially at a 6 months scale and in the middle growth season, while VegDRI and PADI demonstrated the highest correlation especially in late growth season, indicating they are complementary and should be used together. These results are valuable for comparing and understanding the different performances of drought indices in the Midwestern US.
Pulsed Polarization-Based NOx Sensors of YSZ Films Produced by the Aerosol Deposition Method and by Screen-Printing
Authors: Exner Jörg , Albrecht Gaby , Schönauer-Kamin Daniela , Kita Jaroslaw , Moos Ralf
Published: July 2017

The pulsed polarization technique on solid electrolytes is based on alternating potential pulses interrupted by self-discharge pauses. Since even small concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in the ppm range significantly change the polarization and discharge behavior, pulsed polarization sensors are well suited to measure low amounts of NOx. In contrast to all previous investigations, planar pulsed polarization sensors were built using an electrolyte thick film and platinum interdigital electrodes on alumina substrates. Two different sensor layouts were investigated, the first with buried Pt electrodes under the electrolyte and the second one with conventional overlying Pt electrodes. Electrolyte thick films were either formed by aerosol deposition or by screen-printing, therefore exhibiting a dense or porous microstructure, respectively. For screen-printed electrolytes, the influence of the electrolyte resistance on the NOx sensing ability was investigated as well. Sensors with buried electrodes showed little to no response even at higher NOx concentrations, in good agreement with the intended sensor mechanism. Electrolyte films with overlying electrodes, however, allowed the quantitative detection of NOx. In particular, aerosol deposited electrolytes exhibited high sensitivities with a sensor output signal ΔU of 50 mV and 75 mV for 3 ppm of NO and NO2, respectively. For screen-printed electrolytes, a clear trend indicated a decrease in sensitivity with increased electrolyte resistance.
A Disposable Amperometric Sensor Based on High-Performance PEDOT:PSS/Ionic Liquid Nanocomposite Thin Film-Modified Screen-Printed Electrode for the Analysis of Catechol in Natural Water Samples
Authors: Krampa Francis , Aniweh Yaw , Awandare Gordon , Kanyong Prosper
Published: July 2017

A conducting polymer-based composite material of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT): poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) doped with different percentages of a room temperature ionic liquid (IL), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([EMIM][BF4]), was prepared and a very small amount of the composite (2.0 µL) was drop-coated on the working area of a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE). The SPCE, modified with PEDOT:PSS/IL composite thin-film, was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), profilometry and sessile contact angle measurements. The prepared PEDOT:PSS/IL composite thin-film exhibited a nano-porous microstructure and was found to be highly stable and conductive with enhanced electrocatalytic properties towards catechol, a priority pollutant. The linear working range for catechol was found to be 0.1 µM–330.0 µM with a sensitivity of 18.2 mA·mM·cm−2 and a calculated limit of detection (based on 3× the baseline noise) of 23.7 µM. When the PEDOT:PSS/IL/SPCE sensor was used in conjunction with amperometry in stirred solution for the analysis of natural water samples, the precision values obtained on spiked samples (20.0 µM catechol added) (n = 3) were 0.18% and 0.32%, respectively, with recovery values that were well over 99.0%.
Effects of Ambient Temperature and Relative Humidity on Subsurface Defect Detection in Concrete Structures by Active Thermal Imaging
Authors: Tran Quang Huy , Han Dongyeob , Kang Choonghyun , Haldar Achintya , Huh Jungwon
Published: July 2017

Active thermal imaging is an effective nondestructive technique in the structural health monitoring field, especially for concrete structures not exposed directly to the sun. However, the impact of meteorological factors on the testing results is considerable and should be studied in detail. In this study, the impulse thermography technique with halogen lamps heat sources is used to detect defects in concrete structural components that are not exposed directly to sunlight and not significantly affected by the wind, such as interior bridge box-girders and buildings. To consider the effect of environment, ambient temperature and relative humidity, these factors are investigated in twelve cases of testing on a concrete slab in the laboratory, to minimize the influence of wind. The results showed that the absolute contrast between the defective and sound areas becomes more apparent with an increase of ambient temperature, and it increases at a faster rate with large and shallow delaminations than small and deep delaminations. In addition, the absolute contrast of delamination near the surface might be greater under a highly humid atmosphere. This study indicated that the results obtained from the active thermography technique will be more apparent if the inspection is conducted on a day with high ambient temperature and humidity.
Clean Technologies in Agriculture—How to Prioritise Measures?
Authors: Scharfy Deborah , Boccali Norman , Stucki Matthias
Published: July 2017

As agriculture continues to be under pressure due to its negative environmental impacts, resource-efficiency and the use of clean technologies gain importance. Meanwhile, there is an abundance of technological solutions that help “clean” agriculture’s hotspots, either by reducing inputs, by producing renewable energy or by protecting ecosystems. Decisions about clean technologies remain difficult due to the variety of options, difficulties in cost-benefit calculations, and potential trade-offs in sustainability. We therefore addressed the issue of decision-making regarding clean technologies in agriculture. A multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) was used to rank the most sustainable technologies. Evaluation of 17 selected clean technologies was based on literature information and expert opinion. Wireless sensor irrigation networks, frequency converters for vacuum pumps and stable air conditioning, PV electricity and drip irrigation were the five technologies with the highest sustainability scores, outperforming the 12 other clean technologies. When all sustainability dimensions and criteria were equally weighted, PV electricity was superseded by variable speed drive technology for irrigation in the top five. This paper shows that MCDAs are a useful method for choosing between sustainable clean technology options. By applying different weighting, the MCDA can reflect the priorities of the decision maker and provide customised results.
Livestock Animal Displacement on Rural Tourism Destinations: Placing Livestock's “Pest” Role in the Background
Authors: Tang Guorong , Zhang Jinhe , Zhang Yu
Published: July 2017

Rural tourism is becoming increasingly embedded in the livestock animal management in rural areas. Drawing on a multi-methods approach, this exploratory research shows how to construct the livestock animal displacement actor-networks. As is found, human actors (local governments, tourists, and local residents), non-human animal (livestock) and quasi-object (human dwellings) construct an interaction network in a structured way. The critical action route of livestock animal displacement demonstrated in this research is aimed to improve residents' participation willingness and further to change the local livestock feeding model and traditional dwelling by rural environment governance and rural tourism landscape consumption. Through the process of translation, problematization, interest, enrollment, mobilization and opposition, the livestock displacement actor-networks were constructed to build a heterogeneous network of the local government, tourists, local residents, livestock and human dwelling. The ultimate goal is to change the traditional human dwelling to a dis-dwelling; the most important thing is to promote residents’ participation willingness in the livestock displacement actor-networks. This article attempts to perform compelling exploratory research to elucidate the livestock displacement actor-networks in hope to provide a meaningful contribution to the epistemology and methodology of livestock management on rural tourism destination and open a new path for research on rural livestock-human relations.
Remote Sensing Techniques for Urban Heating Analysis: A Case Study of Sustainable Construction at District Level
Authors: Bonafoni Stefania , Baldinelli Giorgio , Verducci Paolo , Presciutti Andrea
Published: July 2017

In recent years, many new districts in urban centres have been planned and constructed to reshape the structure and functions of specific areas. Urban regeneration strategies, planning and design principles have to take into account both socioeconomic perspectives and environmental sustainability. A district located in the historical city centre of Terni (Italy), Corso del Popolo, was analysed to assess the construction effects in terms of surface urban heat island (SUHI) mitigation. This district is an example of urban texture modification planned in the framework of the regeneration of the ancient part of the town. The changes were realised starting from 2006; the new area was completed on June 2014. The analysis was carried out by processing Landsat 7 ETM+ images before and after the interventions, retrieving land surface temperature (LST) and albedo maps. The map analysis proved the SUHI reduction of the new area after the interventions: as confirmed by the literature, such SUHI mitigation can be ascribed to the presence of green areas, the underground parking, the partial covering of the local roadway and the shadow effect of new multi-storey buildings. Moreover, an analysis of other parameters linked to the impervious surfaces (albedo, heat transfer and air circulation) driving LST variations is provided to better understand SUHI behaviour at the district level. The district regeneration shows that wisely planned and developed projects in the construction sector can improve urban areas not only economically and socially, but can also enhance the environmental impact.
Atopic Dermatitis in Animals and People: An Update and Comparative Review
Authors: Marsella Rosanna , De Benedetto Anna
Published: July 2017

Atopic dermatitis is an extremely common, pruritic, and frustrating disease to treat in both people and animals. Atopic dermatitis is multifactorial and results from complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Much progress has been done in recent years in terms of understanding the complex pathogenesis of this clinical syndrome and the identification of new treatments. As we learn more about it, we appreciate the striking similarities that exist in the clinical manifestations of this disease across species. Both in animals and people, atopic disease is becoming increasingly common and important similarities exist in terms of immunologic aberrations and the propensity for allergic sensitization. The purpose of this review is to highlight the most recent views on atopic dermatitis in both domestic species and in people emphasizing the similarities and the differences. A comparative approach can be beneficial in understanding the natural course of this disease and the variable response to existing therapies.