bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Potential Use of Plant Natural Products and Plant Extracts with Antioxidant Properties for the Prevention/Treatment of Neurodegenerative Diseases: In Vitro, In Vivo and Clinical Trials
Authors: Pohl Franziska , Kong Thoo Lin Paul
Published: December 2018

Neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease, present a major health issue and financial burden for health care systems around the world. The impact of these diseases will further increase over the next decades due to increasing life expectancies. No cure is currently available for the treatment of these conditions; only drugs, which merely alleviate the symptoms. Oxidative stress has long been associated with neurodegeneration, whether as a cause or as part of the downstream results caused by other factors. Thus, the use of antioxidants to counter cellular oxidative stress within the nervous system has been suggested as a potential treatment option for neurological disorders. Over the last decade, significant research has focused on the potential use of natural antioxidants to target oxidative stress. However, clinical trial results have lacked success for the treatment of patients with neurological disorders. The knowledge that natural extracts show other positive molecular activities in addition to antioxidant activity, however, has led to further research of natural extracts for their potential use as prevention or treatment/management of neurodegenerative diseases. This review will cover several in vitro and in vivo research studies, as well as clinical trials, and highlight the potential of natural antioxidants.
Correction: Schreck, K. and Melzig, M.F. Intestinal Saturated Long-Chain Fatty Acid, Glucose and Fructose Transporters and their Inhibition by Natural Plant Extracts in Caco-2 Cells. Molecules, 2018, 23, 2544
Authors: Schreck Katharina , Melzig Matthias
Published: December 2018

The authors wish to make the following correction to their paper [...]
Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and Docking Studies of Benzoxazoles Derived from Thymoquinone
Authors: Glamočlija Una , Padhye Subhash , Špirtović-Halilović Selma , Osmanović Amar , Veljović Elma , Roca Sunčica , Novaković Irena , Mandić Boris , Turel Iztok , Kljun Jakob , Trifunović Snežana , Kahrović Emira , Kraljević Pavelić Sandra , Harej Anja , Klobučar Marko , Završnik Davorka
Published: December 2018

Thymoquinone (TQ), a natural compound with antimicrobial and antitumor activity, was used as the starting molecule for the preparation of 3-aminothymoquinone (ATQ) from which ten novel benzoxazole derivatives were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and NMR (1H, 13C) spectroscopy in solution. The crystal structure of 4-methyl-2-phenyl-7-isopropyl-1,3-benzoxazole-5-ol (1a) has been determined by X-ray diffraction. All compounds were tested for their antibacterial, antifungal and antitumor activities. TQ and ATQ showed better antibacterial activity against tested Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains than benzoxazoles. ATQ had the most potent antifungal effect against Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus brasiliensis. Three benzoxazole derivatives and ATQ showed the highest antitumor activities. The most potent was 2-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-methyl-7-isopropyl-1,3-benzoxazole-5-ol (1f). Western blot analyses have shown that this compound inhibited phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Receptor (IGF1R β) in HeLa and HepG2 cells. The least toxic compound against normal fibroblast cells, which maintains similar antitumor activities as TQ, was 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-4-methyl-7-isopropyl-1,3-benzoxazole-5-ol (1e). Docking studies indicated that 1e and 1f have significant effects against selected receptors playing important roles in tumour survival.
Supramolecular Modification of ABC Triblock Terpolymers in Confinement Assembly
Authors: Quintieri Giada , Saccone Marco , Spengler Matthias , Giese Michael , Gröschel André H.
Published: December 2018

The self-assembly of AB diblock copolymers in three-dimensional (3D) soft confinement of nanoemulsions has recently become an attractive bottom up route to prepare colloids with controlled inner morphologies. In that regard, ABC triblock terpolymers show a more complex morphological behavior and could thus give access to extensive libraries of multicompartment microparticles. However, knowledge about their self-assembly in confinement is very limited thus far. Here, we investigated the confinement assembly of polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine)-block-poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) (PS-b-P4VP-b-PT or SVT) triblock terpolymers in nanoemulsion droplets. Depending on the block weight fractions, we found spherical microparticles with concentric lamella–sphere (ls) morphology, i.e., PS/PT lamella intercalated with P4VP spheres, or unusual conic microparticles with concentric lamella–cylinder (lc) morphology. We further described how these morphologies can be modified through supramolecular additives, such as hydrogen bond (HB) and halogen bond (XB) donors. We bound donors to the 4VP units and analyzed changes in the morphology depending on the binding strength and the length of the alkyl tail. The interaction with the weaker donors resulted in an increase in volume of the P4VP domains, which depends upon the molar fraction of the added donor. For donors with a high tendency of intermolecular packing, a visible change in the morphology was observed. This ultimately caused a shape change in the microparticle. Knowledge about how to control inner morphologies of multicompartment microparticles could lead to novel carbon supports for catalysis, nanoparticles with unprecedented topologies, and potentially, reversible shape changes by light actuation.
Graphene-Based Perfect Absorption Structures in the Visible to Terahertz Band and Their Optoelectronics Applications
Authors: Guo Chucai , Zhang Jianfa , Xu Wei , Liu Ken , Yuan Xiaodong , Qin Shiqiao , Zhu Zhihong
Published: December 2018

Graphene has unique properties which make it an ideal material for photonic and optoelectronic devices. However, the low light absorption in monolayer graphene seriously limits its practical applications. In order to greatly enhance the light absorption of graphene, many graphene-based structures have been developed to achieve perfect absorption of incident waves. In this review, we discuss and analyze various types of graphene-based perfect absorption structures in the visible to terahertz band. In particular, we review recent advances and optoelectronic applications of such structures. Indeed, the graphene-based perfect absorption structures offer the promise of solving the key problem which limits the applications of graphene in practical optoelectronic devices.
Self-Assembled Triphenylphosphonium-Conjugated Dicyanostilbene Nanoparticles and Their Fluorescence Probes for Reactive Oxygen Species
Authors: Choi Wonjin , Lim Na Young , Choi Heekyoung , Seo Moo Lyong , Ahn Junho , Jung Jong Hwa
Published: December 2018

We report self-assembled novel triphenylphosphonium-conjugated dicyanostilbene-based as selective fluorescence turn-on probes for 1O2 and ClO−. Mono- or di-triphenylphosphonium-conjugated dicyanostilbene derivatives 1 and 2 formed spherical structures with diameters of ca. 27 and 56.5 nm, respectively, through π-π interaction between dicyanostilbene groups. Self-assembled 1 showed strong fluorescent emission upon the addition of 1O2 and ClO− compared to other ROS (O2−, •OH, NO, TBHP, H2O2, GSH), metal ions (K+, Na+), and amino acids (cysteine and histidine). Upon addition of 1O2 and ClO−, the spherical structure of 1 changed to a fiber structure (8-nm wide; 300-nm long). Upon addition of 1O2 and ClO−, the chemical structural conversion of 1 was determined by FAB-Mass, NMR, IR and Zeta potential analysis, and the strong emission of the self-assembled 1 was due to an aggregation-induced emission enhancement. This self-assembled material was the first for selective ROS as a fluorescence turn-on probe. Thus, a nanostructure change-derived turn-on sensing strategy for 1O2 or ClO− may offer a new approach to developing methods for specific guest molecules in biological and environmental subjects.
Significant Carrier Extraction Enhancement at the Interface of an InN/p-GaN Heterojunction under Reverse Bias Voltage
Authors: Svrcek Vladimir , Kolenda Marek , Kadys Arunas , Reklaitis Ignas , Dobrovolskas Darius , Malinauskas Tadas , Lozach Mickael , Mariotti Davide , Strassburg Martin , Tomašiūnas Roland
Published: December 2018

In this paper, a superior-quality InN/p-GaN interface grown using pulsed metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy (MOVPE) is demonstrated. The InN/p-GaN heterojunction interface based on high-quality InN (electron concentration 5.19 × 1018 cm−3 and mobility 980 cm2/(V s)) showed good rectifying behavior. The heterojunction depletion region width was estimated to be 22.8 nm and showed the ability for charge carrier extraction without external electrical field (unbiased). Under reverse bias, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) in the blue spectral region (300–550 nm) can be enhanced significantly and exceeds unity. Avalanche and carrier multiplication phenomena were used to interpret the exclusive photoelectric features of the InN/p-GaN heterojunction behavior.
Ototoxicity and Noise
Authors: Behar Alberto
Published: December 2018

In most cases, hearing loss is the result of exposure to high levels of noise for extended periods of time or as an effect of aging. Although this is found in most situations, hearing can also be damaged by certain chemical agents in pure state, or as a combination. These chemicals can even include parts of drugs used for the treatment of illnesses for which there are no other remedies. Ototoxic chemicals are also found in the workplace, in most occasions as solvents. The effects from these elements are worst when combined with exposure to a high level of noise. This paper examines the effects of these chemicals in isolation or in combination with noise and gives recommendations on how to deal with this problem.
Blood-Brain Delivery Methods Using Nanotechnology
Authors: Teleanu Daniel Mihai , Chircov Cristina , Grumezescu Alexandru Mihai , Volceanov Adrian , Teleanu Raluca Ioana
Published: December 2018

Pathologies of the brain, of which brain cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and multiple sclerosis, are some of the most prevalent, and that presently are poorly treated due to the difficulties associated with drug development, administration, and targeting to the brain. The existence of the blood-brain barrier, a selective permeability system which acts as a local gateway against circulating foreign substances, represents the key challenge for the delivery of therapeutic agents to the brain. However, the development of nanotechnology-based approaches for brain delivery, such as nanoparticles, liposomes, dendrimers, micelles, and carbon nanotubes, might be the solution for improved brain therapies.
Photocurable Bioinks for the 3D Pharming of Combination Therapies
Authors: Acosta-Vélez Giovanny F. , Linsley Chase S. , Zhu Timothy Z. , Wu Willie , Wu Benjamin M.
Published: December 2018

Combination therapies mediate drug synergy to improve treatment efficacy and convenience, leading to higher levels of compliance. However, there are challenges with their manufacturing as well as reduced flexibility in dosing options. This study reports on the design and characterization of a polypill fabricated through the combination of material jetting and binder jetting for the treatment of hypertension. The drugs lisinopril and spironolactone were loaded into hydrophilic hyaluronic acid and hydrophobic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) photocurable bioinks, respectively, and dispensed through a piezoelectric nozzle onto a blank preform tablet composed of two attachable compartments fabricated via binder jetting 3D printing. The bioinks were photopolymerized and their mechanical properties were assessed via Instron testing. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to indicate morphological analysis. The polypill was ensembled and drug release analysis was performed. Droplet formation of bioinks loaded with hydrophilic and hydrophobic active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) was achieved and subsequently polymerized after a controlled dosage was dispensed onto preform tablet compartments. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed sustained release profiles for each of the loaded compounds. This study confirms the potential of material jetting in conjunction with binder jetting techniques (powder-bed 3D printing), for the production of combination therapy oral dosage forms involving both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs.
Analysis of the Difficulties of SMEs in Industry 4.0 Applications by Analytical Hierarchy Process and Analytical Network Process
Authors: Sevinç Ali , Gür Şeyda , Eren Tamer
Published: December 2018

The concept of Industry 4.0 is seen as a recent paradigm in the manufacturing sector. The use of new production and management technologies required by the concept of Industry 4.0 is very important for small enterprises in order to keep up with the competition. However, most enterprises look at these requirements in a negative way. This study analyzes the propulsion forces of Industry 4.0 adopted in small and medium enterprises. By analyzing the difficulties in the transition process of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to Industry 4.0, the company contributes to the determination of strategic steps taking these results into consideration. This will facilitate the transition of enterprises to Industry 4.0 and progress can be made towards efficient use of resources. A hierarchical structure was established under the four main criteria of innovation, organization, environmental, and financial aspects, and the relative weight of these criteria and sub-criteria were calculated. The surveys conducted on business managers were evaluated using multi-criteria decision-making methods by the analytic hierarchy process method and the analytic network process. At the same time, the interaction between these criteria was taken into consideration and the criteria were re-evaluated by the analytical network process method. The results of the two methods seem to support each other.
Credibility Methods for Individual Life Insurance
Authors: Gong Yikai (Maxwell) , Li Zhuangdi , Milazzo Maria , Moore Kristen , Provencher Matthew
Published: December 2018

Credibility theory is used widely in group health and casualty insurance. However, it is generally not used in individual life and annuity business. With the introduction of principle-based reserving (PBR), which relies more heavily on company-specific experience, credibility theory is becoming increasingly important for life actuaries. In this paper, we review the two most commonly used credibility methods: limited fluctuation and greatest accuracy (Bühlmann) credibility. We apply the limited fluctuation method to M Financial Group’s experience data and describe some general qualitative observations. In addition, we use simulation to generate a universe of data and compute Limited Fluctuation and greatest accuracy credibility factors for actual-to-expected (A/E) mortality ratios. We also compare the two credibility factors to an intuitive benchmark credibility measure. We see that for our simulated data set, the limited fluctuation factors are significantly lower than the greatest accuracy factors, particularly for low numbers of claims. Thus, the limited fluctuation method may understate the credibility for companies with favorable mortality experience. The greatest accuracy method has a stronger mathematical foundation, but it generally cannot be applied in practice because of data constraints. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) recognizes and is addressing the need for life insurance experience data in support of PBR—this is an area of current work.
Remote Sensing Assessment of Safety Risk of Iron Tailings Pond Based on Runoff Coefficient
Authors: Che Defu , Liang Aiman , Li Xuexin , Ma Baodong
Published: December 2018

Iron tailings ponds are engineered dam and dyke systems used to capture iron tailings. They are high-risk hazards with high potential energy. If the tailings dam broke, it would pose a serious threat to the surrounding ecological environment, residents’ lives, and property. Rainfall is one of the most important influencing factors causing the tailings dam break. This paper took Chengde Area, a typical iron-producing area, as the study area, and proposed a remote sensing method to evaluate the safety risk of tailings ponds under rainfall condition by using runoff coefficient and catchment area. Firstly, the vegetation coverage in the study area was estimated using the pixel dichotomy model, and the vegetation type was classified by the support vector machine (SVM) method from Landsat 8 OLI image. Based on DEM, the slope of the study area was extracted, and the catchment area of the tailings pond was plotted. Then, taking slope, vegetation coverage, and vegetation type as three influencing factors, the runoff coefficient was constructed by weight assignment of each factor using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model in both quantitative and qualitative way. Finally, the safety risk of tailings ponds was assessed according to average runoff coefficient and catchment area in the study area. The results showed that there were 124 low-risk tailings ponds, 16 moderate-risk tailings ponds, and 4 high-risk tailings ponds in the study area. This method could be useful for selecting targeted tailings ponds for focused safety monitoring. Necessary monitoring measurements should be carried out for the high-risk and moderate-risk tailings ponds in rainy season.
Theoretical and Experimental Analysis on the Influence of Rotor Non-Mechanical Errors of the Inductive Transducer in Active Magnetic Bearings
Authors: Yu Jinpeng , Zhou Yan , Mo Ni , Sun Zhe , Zhao Lei
Published: December 2018

Inductive transducers are widely applied to active magnetic bearings (AMBs). However, when the rotor rotates at a high speed, the rotor defects will affect the measuring signal (the magnetic field generated by transducer coils) and then reduce the transducer measuring accuracy. The rotor in AMBs is assembled with laminations, which will result in rotor non-mechanical errors. In this paper, rotor non-mechanical errors, including the anisotropic internal permeability and anisotropic surface conductivity, and their influence on double-pole variable-gap inductive transducers are explored in depth. The anisotropic internal permeability will affect the transducer measuring accuracy and bring about 1.3 ± 0.1 % measurement error. The anisotropic surface conductivity leads to different eddy currents around the rotor, influences the equivalent reluctance of the magnetic circuit, and then affectsthe transducer measuring accuracy. The experiments prove that rotor non-mechanical errors have a significant influence on transducer measurement accuracy, and the reduction of the transducer excitation frequency can reduce the measurement error and improve the AMB control performance.
Sensory Polymeric Foams as a Tool for Improving Sensing Performance of Sensory Polymers
Authors: Pascual Blanca S. , Vallejos Saúl , Ramos Cipriano , Sanz María Teresa , Reglero Ruiz José A. , García Félix C. , García José M.
Published: December 2018

Microcellular sensory polymers prepared from solid sensory polymeric films were tested in an aqueous Hg(II) detection process to analyze their sensory behavior. First, solid acrylic-based polymeric films of 100 µm thickness were obtained via radical copolymerization process. Secondly, dithizone sensoring motifs were anchored in a simple five-step route, obtaining handleable colorimetric sensory films. To create the microporous structure, films were foamed in a ScCO2 batch process, carried out at 350 bar and 60 °C, resulting in homogeneous morphologies with cell sizes around 5 µm. The comparative behavior of the solid and foamed sensory films was tested in the detection of mercury in pure water media at 2.2 pH, resulting in a reduction of the response time (RT) around 25% and limits of detection and quantification (LOD and LOQ) four times lower when using foamed films, due to the increase of the specific surface associated to the microcellular structure.
Nonlinear Steering Wheel Angle Control Using Self-Aligning Torque with Torque and Angle Sensors for Electrical Power Steering of Lateral Control System in Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Kim Wonhee , Kang Chang Mook , Son Young-Seop , Chung Chung Choo
Published: December 2018

The development of sensor technology enabled the use of composite sensors to measure the torque and angle of steering wheels at gradually decreasing costs while maintaining the required safety. The electric power steering (EPS) is vital to the safety of the car, therefore it is not worth sacrificing safety to save cost and the SWA control with angle sensor gradually becomes the mainstream. Existing methods to control steering wheel angle (SWA) for EPS consider the self-aligning torque as a disturbance that should be rejected. However, this torque is useful to return the SWA from an outward to the center position. Hence, we propose a nonlinear control of SWA using the self-aligning torque for EPS in the lateral control system of autonomous vehicles. The proposed method consists of a high-gain disturbance observer and a backstepping controller, where the former aims to estimate the self-aligning torque, and an auxiliary state variable prevents using the derivative of the measured signal. The nonlinear controller is designed via backstepping to bound the SWA tracking error. The self-aligning torque provides damping that can improve the controller tracking when following the same direction of the input torque on the steering wheel control. In this case, the control input can be reduced by the damping effect of the self-aligning torque. The performance of the proposed method is validated through EPS hardware-in-the-loop simulation.
Lane Endpoint Detection and Position Accuracy Evaluation for Sensor Fusion-Based Vehicle Localization on Highways
Authors: Jang Eun Seok , Suhr Jae Kyu , Jung Ho Gi
Published: December 2018

Landmark-based vehicle localization is a key component of both autonomous driving and advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Previously used landmarks in highways such as lane markings lack information on longitudinal positions. To address this problem, lane endpoints can be used as landmarks. This paper proposes two essential components when using lane endpoints as landmarks: lane endpoint detection and its accuracy evaluation. First, it proposes a method to efficiently detect lane endpoints using a monocular forward-looking camera, which is the most widely installed perception sensor. Lane endpoints are detected with a small amount of computation based on the following steps: lane detection, lane endpoint candidate generation, and lane endpoint candidate verification. Second, it proposes a method to reliably measure the position accuracy of the lane endpoints detected from images taken while the camera is moving at high speed. A camera is installed with a mobile mapping system (MMS) in a vehicle, and the position accuracy of the lane endpoints detected by the camera is measured by comparing their positions with ground truths obtained by the MMS. In the experiment, the proposed methods were evaluated and compared with previous methods based on a dataset acquired while driving on 80 km of highway in both daytime and nighttime.
Hyperspectral Image-Based Variety Classification of Waxy Maize Seeds by the t-SNE Model and Procrustes Analysis
Authors: Miao Aimin , Zhuang Jiajun , Tang Yu , He Yong , Chu Xuan , Luo Shaoming
Published: December 2018

Variety classification is an important step in seed quality testing. This study introduces t-distributed stochastic neighbourhood embedding (t-SNE), a manifold learning algorithm, into the field of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and proposes a method for classifying seed varieties. Images of 800 maize kernels of eight varieties (100 kernels per variety, 50 kernels for each side of the seed) were imaged in the visible- near infrared (386.7–1016.7 nm) wavelength range. The images were pre-processed by Procrustes analysis (PA) to improve the classification accuracy, and then these data were reduced to low-dimensional space using t-SNE. Finally, Fisher’s discriminant analysis (FDA) was used for classification of the low-dimensional data. To compare the effect of t-SNE, principal component analysis (PCA), kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) and locally linear embedding (LLE) were used as comparative methods in this study, and the results demonstrated that the t-SNE model with PA pre-processing has obtained better classification results. The highest classification accuracy of the t-SNE model was up to 97.5%, which was much more satisfactory than the results of the other models (up to 75% for PCA, 85% for KPCA, 76.25% for LLE). The overall results indicated that the t-SNE model with PA pre-processing can be used for variety classification of waxy maize seeds and be considered as a new method for hyperspectral image analysis.
Paper-Based Magneto-Resistive Sensor: Modeling, Fabrication, Characterization, and Application
Authors: Akin Meriem , Pratt Autumn , Blackburn Jennifer , Dietzel Andreas
Published: December 2018

In this work, we developed and fabricated a paper-based anisotropic magneto-resistive sensor using a sputtered permalloy (Ni 81 Fe 19 ) thin film. To interpret the characteristics of the sensor, we proposed a computational model to capture the influence of the stochastic fiber network of the paper surface and to explain the physics behind the empirically observed difference in paper-based anisotropic magneto-resistance (AMR). Using the model, we verified two main empirical observations: (1) The stochastic fiber network of the paper substrate induces a shift of 45 ∘ in the AMR response of the paper-based Ni 81 Fe 19 thin film compared to a Ni 81 Fe 19 film on a smooth surface as long as the fibrous topography has not become buried. (2) The ratio of magnitudes of AMR peaks at different anisotropy angles and the inverted AMR peak at the 90 ∘ -anisotropy angle are explained through the superposition of the responses of Ni 81 Fe 19 inheriting the fibrous topography and smoother Ni 81 Fe 19 on buried fibrous topographies. As for the sensitivity and reproducibility of the sensor signal, we obtained a maximum AMR peak of 0.4 % , min-max sensitivity range of [ 0.17 , 0.26 ] % , average asymmetry of peak location of 2.7 kA m within two consecutive magnetic loading cycles, and a deviation of 250–850 A m of peak location across several anisotropy angles at a base resistance of ∼100 Ω . Last, we demonstrated the usability of the sensor in two educational application examples: a textbook clicker and interactive braille flashcards.
All-Fiber CO2 Sensor Using Hollow Core PCF Operating in the 2 µm Region
Authors: Mejia Quintero Sully Milena , Guedes Valente Luiz Carlos , De Paula Gomes Marcos Sebastião , Gomes da Silva Hugo , Caroli de Souza Bernardo , Morikawa Sergio R. K.
Published: December 2018

A realistic implementation of an all-fiber CO2 sensor, using 74 cm of hollow core photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF) as the cavity for light/gas interaction, has been implemented. It is based on CO2 absorbance in the 2 µm region. The working range is from 2% to 100% CO2 concentration at 1 atm total pressure and the response time obtained was 10 min. Depending on the concentration level, the sensor operates at one of three different wavelengths (2003.5 nm, 1997.0 nm and 1954.5 nm) to maintain a high sensitivity across all the working range.
The Effect of Gamma and Beta Radiation on a UVTRON Flame Sensor: Assessment of the Impact on Implementation in a Mixed Radiation Field
Authors: Crompton Anita J. , Gamage Kelum A. A. , Trivedi Divyesh , Jenkins Alex
Published: December 2018

Due to the short path length of alpha particles in air, a detector that can be used at a distance from any potential radiological contamination reduces the time and hazard that traditional alpha detection methods incur. This would reduce costs and protect personnel in nuclear power generation and decommissioning activities, where alpha detection is crucial to full characterisation and contamination detection. Stand-off alpha detection could potentially be achieved by the detection of alpha-induced radioluminescence, especially in the ultraviolet C (UVC) wavelength range (180–280 nm) where natural and artificial background lighting is less likely to interfere with detection. However, such a detector would also have to be effective in the field, potentially in the presence of other radiation sources that could mask the UVC signal. This work exposed a UVC sensor, the UVTRON (Hamamatsu, Japan) and associated electronics (driver circuit, microprocessor) to sources of beta and gamma radiation in order to assess its response to both of these types of radiation, as may be found in the field where a mixed radiation environment is likely. It has been found that the UVTRON is affected by both gamma and beta radiation of a magnitude that would mask any UVC signal being detected. 152Eu generated 0.01 pulses per second per Bq through beta and gamma interactions, compared to 210Po, which generates 4.72 × 10−8 cps per Bq from UVC radioluminescence, at 20 mm separation. This work showed that UVTRON itself is more susceptible to this radiation than the associated electronics. The results of this work have implications for the use of the UVTRON as a sensor in a stand-off detection system, highlighting the necessity for shielding from both potential gamma and beta radiation in any detector design.
Interdomain I/O Optimization in Virtualized Sensor Networks
Authors: Jiang Congfeng , Fan Tiantian , Qiu Yeliang , Wu Hongyuan , Zhang Jilin , Xiong Neal , Wan Jian
Published: December 2018

In virtualized sensor networks, virtual machines (VMs) share the same hardware for sensing service consolidation and saving power. For those VMs that reside in the same hardware, frequent interdomain data transfers are invoked for data analytics, and sensor collaboration and actuation. Traditional ways of interdomain communications are based on virtual network interfaces of bilateral VMs for data sending and receiving. Since these network communications use TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) stacks, they result in lengthy communication paths and frequent kernel interactions, which deteriorate the I/O (Input/Output) performance of involved VMs. In this paper, we propose an optimized interdomain communication approach based on shared memory to improve the interdomain communication performance of multiple VMs residing in the same sensor hardware. In our approach, the sending data are shared in memory pages maintained by the hypervisor, and the data are not transferred through the virtual network interface via a TCP/IP stack. To avoid security trapping, the shared data are mapped in the user space of each VM involved in the communication, therefore reducing tedious system calls and frequent kernel context switches. In implementation, the shared memory is created by a customized shared-device kernel module that has bidirectional event channels between both communicating VMs. For performance optimization, we use state flags in a circular buffer to reduce wait-and-notify operations and system calls during communications. Experimental results show that our proposed approach can provide five times higher throughput and 2.5 times less latency than traditional TCP/IP communication via a virtual network interface.
Transformerless Ultrasonic Ranging System with the Feature of Intrinsic Safety for Explosive Environment
Authors: Wang Yu , Qiao Yuheng , Zhang Hongjuan , Gao Yan , Zhang Ming , Tan Heng , Wang Dong , Jin Baoquan
Published: December 2018

The transformer used in the conventional ultrasonic ranging system could provide a huge instantaneous driving voltage for the generation of ultrasonic wave, which leads to the safety problem in the explosive mixture. This paper proposes a transformerless ultrasonic ranging system powered by the intrinsically safe power source and analog switches. The analysis of intrinsic characteristics of ultrasonic driving circuit is realized in normal and fault conditions. The echo-processing circuit combined with LIN bus technology is further adopted in order to improve the system stability. After the analysis of the timing diagram of ranging instruction, the evaluation experiments of ranging accuracy and ranging stability are completed. The results show that the system can realize reliable bidirectional communication between the LIN master node circuit and the ultrasonic transceiver unit, which realizes the transformerless driving. The system can realize the distance measurement within the range of 250–2700 mm, and the measurement error is less than 30 mm. The measurement fluctuation is less than 10 mm, which provides a new solution for the ultrasonic ranging system in the potentially explosive atmosphere.
Comparisons of Predictive Power for Traffic Accident Involvement; Celeration Behaviour versus Age, Sex, Ethnic Origin, and Experience
Authors: Af Wåhlberg Anders
Published: December 2018

Driver celeration behaviour theory (DCBT) assumes that risk for a driver of causing a road crash is linearly related to speed change in any given moment and that the speed change variable (celeration) captures all risk (all vehicle control movements can be measured as acceleration). When sampling driver behaviour, the celeration variable is calculated as the average of all absolute values of acceleration when the vehicle is moving. DCBT predicts that no other variable can be a stronger predictor of (the same set of) traffic accident involvements than celeration, given equal reliability of the predictors. Also, other predictors, regardless of which ones, should associate with celeration in ways that are similar to how they correlate with accidents. Predictions were tested in a sample of bus drivers, against variables with reliabilities close to 1 (age, sex, experience, ethnic origin), which are not necessarily optimal predictors for testing but were the only predictors available. The results were largely as predicted from theory. The principles for testing the kind of predictions made from celeration theory were discussed, outlining the importance of a larger number of variables, preferably with repeated measurements.
Cyberbullying Victimization and Perpetration, Connectedness, and Monitoring of Online Activities: Protection from Parental Figures
Authors: Doty Jennifer L. , Gower Amy L. , Sieving Renee E. , Plowman Shari L. , McMorris Barbara J.
Published: December 2018

Cyberbullying victimization and perpetration are associated with poor mental health outcomes for adolescents, including depressive symptoms, anxiety, and suicide ideation. Although most cyberbullying occurs at home, few interventions have been developed for parents of adolescents. We examined parental connectedness and parental online monitoring in relation to cyberbullying victimization and perpetration, with the goal of understanding how parents buffer young teens from involvement in cyberbullying. We leveraged data from an existing study involving three racially and ethnically diverse middle schools in a metropolitan area in the Midwest of the U.S. (n = 570). In the spring of sixth grade, students reported on cyberbullying involvement, parental connectedness, and parental monitoring. Greater parental connectedness was related to a lower likelihood of cyberbullying victimization and perpetration in logistic regression models. Parental monitoring of online activities was not related to cyberbullying victimization but was marginally related to a lower likelihood of cyberbullying perpetration. Results suggest that cyberbullying prevention programs should consider ways to foster parent/youth connectedness.
Green Jobs: The Present and Future of the Building Industry. Evolution Analysis
Authors: Araújo Noelia , Cardoso Lucília , Fraiz Brea Jose Antonio , De Araújo Arthur Filipe
Published: December 2018

In the recent context of environmental sustainability awareness, a new trend has emerged in the construction industry: the use of green energy and green jobs. Such practices are particularly frequent in the mentioned sector, precisely because it is amongst those with the greatest energy use and workforce demand. Such a trend characterizes the green building phenomenon, on which the present work aims at achieving a deeper understanding of by analyzing its evolution, examining the most studied topics, and verifying whether they are related to current studies. To this end, a literature review of the most recent works, as well as a bibliometric analysis of papers published in the Scopus database, have been carried out. Next, the collected material was subjected to a deductive content analysis, followed by an Intraclass Correlation Analysis. Findings point to a convergence of the most studied topics within the three analyzed fields (green building, green jobs, and renewable energy), which are also strongly correlated.
Comparison of Change of Direction Speed Performance and Asymmetries between Team-Sport Athletes: Application of Change of Direction Deficit
Authors: Dos’Santos Thomas , Thomas Christopher , Comfort Paul , Jones Paul A.
Published: December 2018

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to examine differences in change of direction (COD) performance and asymmetries between team-sports while considering the effects of sex and sport; (2) to evaluate the relationship between linear speed, COD completion time, and COD deficit. A total of 115 (56 males, 59 females) athletes active in cricket, soccer, netball, and basketball performed the 505 for both left and right limbs and a 10-m sprint test. All team-sports displayed directional dominance (i.e., faster turning performance/shorter COD deficits towards a direction) (p ≤ 0.001, g = −0.62 to −0.96, −11.0% to −28.4%) with, male cricketers tending to demonstrate the greatest COD deficit asymmetries between directions compared to other team-sports (28.4 ± 26.5%, g = 0.19–0.85), while female netballers displayed the lowest asymmetries (11.0 ± 10.1%, g = 0.14–0.86). Differences in sprint and COD performance were observed between sexes and sports, with males demonstrating faster 10-m sprint times, and 505 times compared to females of the same sport. Male soccer and male cricketers displayed shorter COD deficits compared to females of the same sport; however, female court athletes demonstrated shorter COD deficits compared to male court athletes. Large significant associations (ρ = 0.631–0.643, p < 0.001) between 505 time and COD deficit were revealed, while trivial, non-significant associations (ρ ≤ −0.094, p ≥ 0.320) between COD deficit and 10-m sprint times were observed. In conclusion, male and female team-sport athletes display significant asymmetries and directional dominance during a high approach velocity 180° turning task. Coaches and practitioners are advised to apply the COD deficit for a more isolated measure of COD ability (i.e., not biased towards athletes with superior acceleration and linear speed) and perform COD speed assessments from both directions to establish directional dominance and create a COD symmetry profile.
Acute Toxicity of the Recombinant and Native Phα1β Toxin: New Analgesic from Phoneutria nigriventer Spider Venom
Authors: Dallegrave Eliane , Taschetto Eliane , Bainy Leal Mirna , Techera Antunes Flavia Tasmim , Gomez Marcus Vinicius , Hubner de Souza Alessandra
Published: December 2018

Phα1β, a purified peptide from the venom of the spider Phoneutria nigriventer, and its recombinant form CTK 01512-2 are voltage-dependent calcium channel (CaV) blockers of types N, R, P/Q, and L with a preference for type N. These peptides show analgesic action in different pain models in rats. The aim of this study was to evaluate the acute intrathecal toxicity of the native and recombinant Phα1β toxin in Wistar rats. Clinical signs, serum biochemistry, organ weight, and histopathological alterations were evaluated in male and/or female rats. Dyspnea was observed in males, hyporesponsiveness in females, and Straub tail and tremors in both genders. There were no significant differences in male organ weight, although significant differences in the female relative weight of the adrenal glands and spleen have been observed; these values are within the normal range. Serum biochemical data revealed a significant reduction within the physiological limits of species related to urea, ALT, AST, and FA. Hepatic and renal congestion were observed for toxin groups. In renal tissue, glomerular infiltrates were observed with increased glomerular space. These histological alterations were presented in focal areas and in mild degree. Therefore, Phα1β and CTK 01512-2 presented a good safety profile with transient toxicity clinical signals in doses higher than used to obtain the analgesic effect.
Towards a Circular Economy: A Case Study of Waste Conversion into Housing Units in Cotonou, Benin
Authors: Allam Zaheer , Jones David Sydney
Published: December 2018

Cotonou is the largest city and main economic centre of the nation of Benin, Africa. Following independence, the city has experienced major population growth resulting in the extensive development of slums on flood plains and marshes causing the loss of biodiversity of these fragile ecosystems. Infrastructural development, unable to keep pace with informal settlement development, and a cumbersome municipal service system, have led to the illegal dumping of organic and plastic wastes, and extensive land pollution. In addition, due to its primary dune coastal location, Cotonou is facing sea level rise risks demonstrating the urgent need to sustainably address urban development. Through a socio-technical framework, this paper considers the use of transformed plastic wastes as new settlement building blocks to reduce solid waste, create jobs, and develop low-cost housing. This new strategy offers employment empowerment and a strategy to generate an income of US$2,380,000 per annum and the creation of 3200 permanent jobs.
Serotype-Specific IgG Antibody Waning after Pneumococcal Conjugate Primary Series Vaccinations with either the 10-Valent or the 13-Valent Vaccine
Authors: Van Westen Els , Knol Mirjam J. , Wijmenga-Monsuur Alienke J. , Tcherniaeva Irina , Schouls Leo M. , Sanders Elisabeth A. M. , Van Els Cecile A. C. M. , Berbers Guy A. M. , Rots Nynke Y.
Published: December 2018

The two currently available ten- and thirteen-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV10 and PCV13) both induce serotype-specific IgG anti-polysaccharide antibodies and are effective in preventing vaccine serotype induced invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) as well as in reducing overall vaccine-serotype carriage and transmission and thereby inducing herd protection in the whole population. IgG levels decline after vaccination and could become too low to prevent carriage acquisition and/or pneumococcal disease. We compared the levels of 10-valent (PCV10) and 13-valent (PCV13) pneumococcal vaccine induced serum IgG antibodies at multiple time points after primary vaccinations. Data from two separate studies both performed in the Netherlands in infants vaccinated at 2, 3, and 4 months of age with either PCV10 or PCV13 were compared. Antibody levels were measured at 5, 8, and 11 months of age, during the interval between the primary immunization series and the 11-months booster dose. Serotype-specific IgG levels were determined by multiplex immunoassay. Although antibody kinetics showed significant variation between serotypes and between vaccines for the majority of the 10 shared serotypes, i.e., 1, 5, 7F, 9V, 14, 18C, and 23F, antibody concentrations were sufficiently high for both vaccines, immediately after the primary series and throughout the whole period until the booster dose. In contrast, for serotypes 4 and 19F in the PCV10 group and for serotypes 4 and 6B in the PCV13 group, IgG antibody concentrations already come within reach of the frequently used seroprotection level of 0.35 μg/mL immediately after the primary series at the five month time point and/or at eight months. This paper addresses the importance of revealing differences in serotype-specific and pneumococcal vaccine-dependent IgG antibody patterns during the interval between the primary series and the booster dose, an age period with a high IPD incidence. Trial registration: www.trialregister.nl NTR3069 and NTR2316.
INVESTIGATING HERITAGE SITES THROUGH THE LENS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Authors: Farahani Leila Mahmoudi , Motamed Bahareh , Ghadirinia Maedeh
Published: December 2018

Today, our understanding and experience of heritage sites have been reframed by the advent of social media and the ubiquitous use of smartphones that offer more participatory ways of interacting with heritage. The lifespan of a heritage site is highly concerned with how it is understood and experienced by visitors. This study aims to investigate a heritage site and its participatory culture through the lens of social media and how a certain heritage site could be understood by these online networks. The historic city of Shiraz packed with several monumental buildings and heritage sites has been chosen as the case study of this research. Three social media platforms of Flickr, 500px and Instagram were investigated during 2015 and their photos of Shiraz were downloaded for analysis. The analysis of more than 186 images from these websites has provided an opportunity to investigate how the historical district of Shiraz is remembered in the eyes of social media users. Based on the initial photo audits, Nasir-al-Molk Mosque with more than 74 published images was the most published building and therefore was selected for an in-depth photo survey analysis. The Nasir-al-Molk Mosque images were studied regarding the physical and spiritual qualities of its building and how they contribute to its popularity among social media photographers.
3He-rich Solar Energetic Particles from Sunspot Jets
Authors: Bučík Radoslav , Wiedenbeck Mark E. , Mason Glenn M. , Gómez-Herrero Raúl , Nitta Nariaki V. , Wang Linghua
Published: December 2018

Solar sources of suprathermal (<1 MeV nucleon−1) 3He-rich solar energetic particles (SEPs) have been commonly associated with jets originating in small, compact active regions at the periphery of near-equatorial coronal holes. Sources of relatively rare, high-energy (>10 MeV nucleon−1) 3He-rich SEPs remain unexplored. Here we present two of the most intense 3He-rich (3He/4He > 1) SEP events of the current solar cycle 24 measured on the Advanced Composition Explorer at energy >10 MeV nucleon−1. Although 3He shows high intensities, Z > 2 ions are below the detection threshold. The events are accompanied by type-III radio bursts, but no type-II emission as typically seen for suprathermal 3He-rich SEPs. The corresponding solar sources were analyzed using high-resolution, extreme-ultraviolet imaging and photospheric magnetic field observations on the Solar Dynamics Observatory. We find the sources of these events associated with jets originating at the boundary of large sunspots with complex βγδ magnetic configuration. Thus, details of the underlying photospheric field apparently are important to produce 3He to high energies in the examined events.