bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
La philosophie française postmoderne et les inventions narratives du roman moderniste américain
Authors: Petteni Oriane ,   Canadian Society for Continental Philosophy
Published: May 2019

Le but de cet article est de réévaluer l’impact du projet philosophique de Jean Wahl sur la philosophie française postmoderne. L’angle choisi consiste à replacer le projet wahlien dans le cadre des deux grands motifs de la philosophie française de la seconde moitié du XXe siècle: le rejet du paradigme dominant de la vision et le rapport ambivalent à l’hégélianisme, cristallisé dans la 􀏔igure de la conscience malheureuse. En suivant ces deux fils conducteurs, l’article retrace le parcours intellectuel de Jean Wahl depuis sa thèse de doctorat sur les philosophies pluralistes angloaméricaines, en passant par sa réception de l’hégélianisme, pour le mettre en relation avec sa période la moins commentée, celle de l’introduction dans le paysage philosophique français des grands noms du roman moderniste américain de l’époque.The goal of this paper is to re-evaluate the impact of Jean Wahl’s philosophical project on French postmodern philosophy. To complete this task, it is necessary to put the Wahlian project into the context of the two major aims of 20th Century French philosophy: the rejection of ocularcentrism and the ambiguous relationship to Hegelianism characterized by the figure of the Unhappy Consciousness. Following these two threads, the article reconstructs Wahl’s intellectual journey from his Ph.D. on American pluralism to his reception of Hegelianism in order to connect them to his less known work, which consists of introducing American modernist writers into the French philosophical landscape.
Arendt and Nancy
Authors: Sari Yasemin ,   Canadian Society for Continental Philosophy
Published: May 2019

In light of the recent political events, it is clear that democracy itself has come to be contested and modified in a plethora of democratic practices that have expanded the very articulation of equal citizenship. My argument in this article is twofold: first, I rearticulate Arendt’s conception of “revolution” found in her On Revolution by insisting on its “beginning” and “founding” dimensions for the appearance of freedom. Coupled with Jean-Luc Nancy’s insight into a “spirit of democracy” that does not reside in its “form, institution, regime,” I then develop a principle of democratic responsibility that consists in opening up a revolutionary space that enjoins us to become a demos. Such revolutionary space does not necessarily entail a “successful revolution,” but more so an attitude towards our existence together.À la lumière des événements politiques récents, il est clair que la démocratie elle-même en est venue à être contestée et modifiée en une myriade de pratiques démocratiques qui étendent l’articulation de la citoyenneté égalitaire. Mon argument dans cet article est double. Premièrement, je réarticule la conception arendtienne de « révolution » telle qu’on la retrouve dans De la révolution en insistant sur ses dimensions de « commencement » et de « fondation » pour l’apparition de la liberté. À l’aide de l’idée, articulée par Jean-Luc Nancy, d’un « esprit de la démocratie » qui ne réside pas dans une « forme, institution, ou régime », je développe, dans un deuxième temps, un principe de responsabilité démocratique qui consiste à ouvrir un espace révolutionnaire dans lequel nous sommes appelés à devenir un demos. Un tel espace n’implique en rien le « succès » de la révolution mais plutôt une attitude envers notre existence en commun.
Hobo Sacer ou l’hypothèse de l’oppression nécropolitique des sans-abris
Authors: Marion Nicolas , Tverdota Gábor ,   Canadian Society for Continental Philosophy
Published: May 2019

Cet article introduit l’hypothèse de l’oppression nécropolitique des sans-abris. Nous partons d’une analyse métaphorologique de propos tenus par les sans-abris sur leurs conditions d’existence, souvent décrites comme impliquant l’expérience vécue paradoxale d’une indifférenciation tendancielle entre la vie et la mort. Nous essayons de conceptualiser le contenu de ces descriptions en faisant appel au concept de nécropolitique développé par Norman Ajari dans le contexte des études critiques de la race. La nécropolitique sera comprise ici comme un idéal-type de gouvernance de la vie ne se réduisant ni à la biopolitique (soin de la vie de certaines populations), ni à la thanatopolitique (l’extermination de populations jugées indésirables), mais visant plutôt à brouiller les frontières qui séparent la mort de la vie. La nécropolitique est ce qui rend la vie quotidienne des sans-abris proprement invivable, aboutissant à cette vie vécue sous forme-de-mort dont font état les témoignages de certaines personnes sans-abri.This article introduces the hypothesis of the necropolitical oppression of the homeless. We begin with a metaphorological analysis of the discourses held by certain homeless persons regarding their conditions of existence, often described as involving the paradoxical experience of a tendential undifferentiation of life and death. We then build on the concept of necropolitics elaborated by Norman Ajari in the context of critical race theory. Necropolitics will be understood here as an ideal-type of the governance of life reducible neither to biopolitics (caring for the life of certain populations) nor to thanatopolitics (extermination of undesirable populations). Instead, the rationality of necropolitics as a form of oppression consists in constantly blurring the frontiers of life and death. In the case of the homeless, necropolitics is rendering their everyday life literally unlivable, an experience reflected in the analyzed testimonies of homeless persons.
Accuracy-Based Vitamin D Survey: Six Years of Quality Improvement Guided by Proficiency Testing
Authors: Erdman Patrick , Palmer-Toy Darryl E. , Horowitz Gary , Hoofnagle Andrew
Published: May 2019

Context.—

The goal of the College of American Pathologists Accuracy-Based Proficiency Testing Program is to promote the quality, standardization, and harmonization of clinical laboratory results through proficiency testing specimens that are free from matrix effects, have target values that are traceable to reference methods, and that probe the limitations of current methods.

Objective.—

To summarize the first 6 years of the Accuracy-Based Vitamin D Survey and highlight key insights from the data generated as it relates to assay performance.

Design.—

Accuracy-based challenges were created by using pooled human serum samples. Certain samples were derived from participants in an institutional review board–approved protocol in which vitamin D–deficient participants were treated with ergocalciferol (vitamin D2). Reference targets for the survey were set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention using isotope-dilution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Each method was compared with the reference method procedure over the course of the program (n = 43 proficiency testing samples).

Results.—

Linear regression versus the reference method procedure revealed proportional biases across the methods, ranging from 0.0% to 16.7%. Pearson correlation coefficients (r2) ranged from 0.902 to 0.996. Results were influenced by the concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 as well as the C-3 epimer of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. During the 6 years, 2 manufacturers altered their assays to match the reference method procedure more closely.

Conclusions.—

There is considerable bias, both proportional bias and sample-specific matrix effects, affecting many assays. This ongoing accuracy-based proficiency testing program for vitamin D will provide the data needed for laboratories and manufacturers to improve their assays and thereby patient care.
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Versus Nonradiotherapeutic Ablative Procedures (Laser/Cryoablation and Electrocautery) for Early-Stage Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Baine Michael J. , Sleightholm Richard , Neilsen Beth K. , Oupický David , Smith Lynette M. , Verma Vivek , Lin Chi
Published: May 2019

Background: Despite the fact that stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is the only recommended first-line therapy for inoperable early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), several thermal ablative procedures (TAPs; defined herein as laser/cryoablation and electrocautery) are available. Studies showing outcomes of these procedures and how they compare with SBRT are scarce. We sought to evaluate the comparative efficacy of SBRT versus TAPs using the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Methods: The NCDB was queried for patients with early-stage NSCLC who did not undergo surgical resection. Treatment-specific inclusion criteria were applied to select for patients receiving either TAPs or SBRT. Univariate logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards modeling were performed, and Kaplan-Meier curves were generated. Serial propensity matches were performed using a modified greedy 8→n matching 1:1 algorithm. Results: A total of 27,734 patients were analyzed; 26,725 underwent SBRT and 1,009 underwent TAPs. Patients who received SBRT were older and more likely to have clinical stage IB (vs IA) disease. Despite this, SBRT was associated with longer median overall survival (mOS; 37.7 vs 33.5 months; P=.001) and 1-, 2-, and 5-year OS rates compared with the TAPs cohort (86.7% vs 83.1%, 67.5% vs 62.7%, and 30.6% vs 26.9%, respectively; P=.001). Upon propensity matching, improved OS with SBRT remained, with a mOS of 40.4 versus 33.4 months and 1-, 2-, and 5-year OS rates of 89.0% versus 82.9%, 69.7% versus 62.7%, and 34.4% versus 26.4%, respectively (P=.003). Conclusions: Despite being associated with more higher-risk factors, SBRT was associated with higher OS compared with TAPs for treatment of nonoperative patients diagnosed with early-stage NSCLC. However, causation cannot be implied owing to the inherent limitations of large heterogeneous datasets such as the NCDB.
KRAS G12V Mutation in Acquired Resistance to Combined BRAF and MEK Inhibition in Papillary Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Owen Dwight H. , Konda Bhavana , Sipos Jennifer , Liu Tom , Webb Amy , Ringel Matthew D. , Timmers Cynthia D. , Shah Manisha H.
Published: May 2019

BRAFV600E mutations occur in approximately 40% of all patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and are associated with a worse prognosis in population studies. Treatment with single-agent BRAF inhibitors can result in nondurable partial responses (PRs) in clinical trials, but resistance inevitably develops. The mechanisms of resistance are not completely understood, but in non-thyroid tumors harboringBRAFV600E mutations, resistance has been ascribed to concurrent or acquired mutations inMEK1/2, RAC1, KRAS,andNRAS.This case report describes a patient with radioactive iodine–refractory metastatic PTC treated in a clinical trial with combination BRAF and MEK inhibition who achieved a durable PR. At time of progression, biopsy revealed an acquiredKRASG12V–activating mutation. The patient subsequently went on to have a PR to cabozantinib therapy in the clinical trial. This is the first reported case of an acquiredKRAS-activating mutation that developed during treatment with BRAF and MEK inhibition in a patient withBRAF-mutated PTC. TheKRASmutation was also detected in peripheral blood samples taken as part of the trial, indicating that resistant mutations may be identified through noninvasive means. The identification of resistant mutations in patients at time of progression is necessary to identify possible therapeutic options including potential clinical trials.

ClinicalTrials.govidentifier: NCT01723202
Antibacterial activity and physicochemical characteristics of honey from Mato Grossoâ€™s Amazon, Cerrado and Pantanal, Brazil
Authors: Franz Gabriela Maria , Galbiati Carla , Araujo Elias , Almeida-Muradian Ligia Bicudo de
Published: May 2019

The objective of this is report was to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics and the antibacterial activity of honey produced for human consumption in some counties in Amazon, Cerrado and Pantanal of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Honey samples were collected in 6 municipalities, totaling 18 samples, 3 samples per municipality. The physicochemical characteristics evaluated were moisture, reducing sugars, apparent sucrose, glucose and fructose by HPLC system, ashes, insoluble solids, free acidity, HMF, diastase activity, Lund, Fiehe and Lugol reactions, electrical conductivity and color. The content of total phenolic and flavonoids were quantified using standard curve of gallic acid and quercetin. The antibacterial activity of honey was evaluated by disk diffusion to five bacteria. Fifteen out of eighteen samples were reproved in some of the physicochemical characteristics. Honeysâ€™ average content of total phenolic was 35.68 mg GAE/100 g of honey. The content of total phenolic and flavonoids showed positive correlation with the color of the honeys. The studied honeys did not present antibacterial activity, but the phenolic and flavonoid contents originate potential antioxidant and prebiotic for the darkest honeys. Mato Grosso has potential to the production of the floral honey, in need of adequacy on the quality of the honey to the physicochemical characteristicâ€™s patterns.
Scatter Corrections in X-Ray Computed Tomography: A Physics-Based
Analysis
Authors: Levine Zachary H. , Blattner Timothy J. , Peskin Adele P. , Pintar Adam L.
Published: May 2019

Fundamental limits for the calculation of scattering corrections within X-ray
computed tomography (CT) are found within the independent atom approximation from an
analysis of the cross sections, CT geometry, and the Nyquist sampling theorem,
suggesting large reductions in computational time compared to existing methods. By
modifying the scatter by less than 1 %, it is possible to treat some of the elastic
scattering in the forward direction as inelastic to achieve a smoother elastic
scattering distribution. We present an analysis showing that the number of samples
required for the smoother distribution can be greatly reduced. We show that fixed
forced detection can be used with many fewer points for inelastic scattering, but
that for pure elastic scattering, a standard Monte Carlo calculation is preferred.
We use smoothing for both elastic and inelastic scattering because the intrinsic
angular resolution is much poorer than can be achieved for projective tomography.
Representative numerical examples are given.
Expert medico-legal reports: The relationship between levels of consistency and judicial outcomes in asylum seekers in the Netherlands
Authors: Aarts Rembrant , Wanrooij Lennard Van , Bloemen Evert , Smid Geert
Published: May 2019

Introduction: If asylum applicants need to prove that they have been persecuted in their home country, expert judgment of the psychological and physical consequences of torture may support the judicial process. Expert medico-legal reports can be used to assess whether the medical complaints of the asylum seeker are consistent with their asylum account. It is unclear which factors influence medical expert judgement about the consistency between an asylum seeker’s symptoms and story, and to what extent expert medico-legal reports are associated with judicial outcomes. Methods: We analysed 97 medico-legal reports on traumatised asylum seekers in the Netherlands. First, we evaluated the impact of trauma-related and other variables on experts’ judgments of the consistency of symptoms and story. Second, we evaluated the effect of experts’ judgments of symptom-story consistency on subsequent judicial outcomes. Results: Gender, receipt of mental health care and trauma-related variables were associated with symptomstory consistency. Positive asylum decisions were predicted by expert judgments about the presence of physical signs and symptoms of torture, and ill-treatment and their consistency with the refugee’s story, but not psychological symptoms. Conclusion: These results suggest that standardised procedures for the documenting of medical evidence by independent experts can improve judicial decision quality and the need to improve psychological and psychiatric assessments.
Psychosocial and community assessment of relatives of victims of extra-judicial killings in Peru: Informing international courts
Authors: Rivera-Holguín Miryam , Pérez-Sales Pau , Hildenbrand Adriana , Custodio Elba , Vargas Germán , Baca Nelida , Corveleyn Jozef , De Haene Lucia
Published: May 2019

Introduction: During the Peruvian internal armed conflict, fifteen members of the Santa Barbara community were collectively executed by state agents, and their relatives were made victims of persecution, torture, and imprisonment. The case, known as the Santa Barbara massacre, was brought to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The documentation of individual, family and community impacts for the Court became a challenge due to the need to address cultural, geographical, political and community aspects. This paper aims to discuss the complexities of forensic documentation of human rights violations using a psychosocial and communitarian background. Method: The assessment included seven survivors from three different families. Both qualitative and quantitative instruments were used. A participative action research framework guided the design, documentation process, and discussion of outcomes with the survivors. Results/ discussion: The report included four levels of documentation exhibited in the Istanbul Protocol framework: clinical impacts from a western perspective, emic formulations and cultural idioms of distress, communitarian perspectives, and a proposal of reparation measures for the Court. Individual analysis revealed chronic mental health sequelae of forced displacement, imprisonment and torture. Local idioms of distress (in Quechuan, “pinsamientuwan,” “llaki,” “ñakary,” “umananay” and “iquyay”) deepened the understanding of the damage faced by the survivors. The analysis of the community uncovered three main areas of collective damage: broken social and cultural identity, lack of political participation, and loss of perspective on the future. Regarding reparations, survivors highlighted the pursuit for justice, the dignified remembrance of their loved ones, social re-inclusion of displaced persons into the community, education for offspring, and measures for the preservation of their community’s identity and culture. Conclusions: Psycholegal accompaniment for victims through a participatory research approach is essential for the proper documentation of the consequences of violence in complex contexts. It is also essential in guaranteeing that the forensic documentation of the impact of political violence can be proposed as reparative for the survivors in itself.
THE IMPACT OF INDUSTRY 4.0 ON THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE BANKING SECTOR
Authors: Mekinjić Boško
Published: May 2019

Industry 4.0 or Digital Revolution ischanging the way we live, changing interactions withclients and companies, which inevitably implies thatboth existing business methods and financial servicesare not exempt from this change. In the bankingworld, accelerated digitalization has made banks intensivelyre-examine traditional business models,which means that they have to respond quickly andefficiently to the demands of their clients while offeringsafe and simple services for use. Security and trust arestill key determinants, and banks have developed innovativebanking services and products over the pastfew years, including secured systems that reliably protectdata and money of clients. However, just like anyindustrial revolution, both Industry 4.0 and its impacton the transformation of the banking sector carrywith themselves both positive and negative consequencesof this transformation. Digitalization of thebanking sector is in full capacity, with the fact that thisprocess also includes other component parts of the Industry4.0, such as blockchain networks, artificial intelligence,IoT, biometrics, cooperation of banks withFinTech companies, preparation of the platform andother services for the Generation Z and other.In this paper, we explore how increased competition,new legislation, and all the changes that camewith digitalization, will affect the banking sector inthe upcoming period, will the banking sector look significantlydifferent in the upcoming years, and will, despiteall technological changes, human factor, trustand security still be the key determinants.
Deep transcriptomic analysis of Chromera velia under Mercury-stress condition
Authors: Sharaf Abdoallah , De Michele Roberto , Sharma Ayush , Oborník Miroslav
Published: May 2019

The heavy metal pollution in ecosystems is of increasing global concern. The main sources of the metal toxicity are the industrial waste, mining and the use of pesticides containing heavy metals. Out of all heavy metals, mercury (Hg) is considered to be the one, easily accumulated in terrestrial plants as well as aquatic organism. Hg can induce more severe oxidative stress by triggering the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and damage macro-molecules. ROS serve not only as dangerous molecules that damage proteins, lipids and DNA but also as signalling molecules in the regulation of biological processes such as biotic and abiotic stress responses, growth and development. This study shows the change in the Chromera velia transcriptome due to Hg stress. C. velia is the recently discovered closest known relative of apicomplexans. Our study shows the first deep transcriptomic analysis of C. velia, specifically focusing on the expression level of the genes involved in detoxification defence systems under heavy metal stress. The results show that in total 1239 genes are differentially expressed. DEGs (Differentially expressed genes) showed overall up-regulation (1,070 genes) and only 169 up-regulated genes in cultures under Mercury stress (Cvel_mer) when compared to the control level (Cvel_cont). The qPCR expression analysis exhibited a positive correlation with the findings of RNA-seq data.
Context-dependent signaling of coincident auditory and visual events in primary visual cortex
Authors: Deneux Thomas , Harrell Evan R , Kempf Alexandre , Ceballo Sebastian , Filipchuk Anton , Bathellier Brice
Published: May 2019

Detecting rapid, coincident changes across sensory modalities is essential for recognition of sudden threats or events. Using two-photon calcium imaging in identified cell types in awake, head-fixed mice, we show that, among the basic features of a sound envelope, loud sound onsets are a dominant feature coded by the auditory cortex neurons projecting to primary visual cortex (V1). In V1, a small number of layer 1 interneurons gates this cross-modal information flow in a context-dependent manner. In dark conditions, auditory cortex inputs lead to suppression of the V1 population. However, when sound input coincides with a visual stimulus, visual responses are boosted in V1, most strongly after loud sound onsets. Thus, a dynamic, asymmetric circuit connecting AC and V1 contributes to the encoding of visual events that are coincident with sounds.
Structure of the gene therapy vector, adeno-associated virus with its cell receptor, AAVR
Authors: Meyer Nancy L , Hu Guiqing , Davulcu Omar , Xie Qing , Noble Alex J , Yoshioka Craig , Gingerich Drew S , Trzynka Andrew , David Larry , Stagg Scott M , Chapman Michael Stewart
Published: May 2019

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are preeminent in emerging clinical gene therapies. Generalizing beyond the most tractable genetic diseases will require modulation of cell specificity and immune neutralization. Interactions of AAV with its cellular receptor, AAVR, are key to understanding cell-entry and trafficking with the rigor needed to engineer tissue-specific vectors. Cryo-electron tomography shows ordered binding of part of the flexible receptor to the viral surface, with distal domains in multiple conformations. Regions of the virus and receptor in close physical proximity can be identified by cross-linking/mass spectrometry. Cryo-electron microscopy with a two-domain receptor fragment reveals the interactions at 2.4 Å resolution. AAVR binds between AAV’s spikes on a plateau that is conserved, except in one clade whose structure is AAVR-incompatible. AAVR’s footprint overlaps the epitopes of several neutralizing antibodies, prompting a re-evaluation of neutralization mechanisms. The structure provides a roadmap for experimental probing and manipulation of viral-receptor interactions.
PLK4 promotes centriole duplication by phosphorylating STIL to link the procentriole cartwheel to the microtubule wall
Authors: Moyer Tyler Chistopher , Holland Andrew Jon
Published: May 2019

Centrioles play critical roles in organizing the assembly of the mitotic spindle and templating the formation of primary cilia. Centriole duplication occurs once per cell cycle and is regulated by Polo-like kinase 4 (PLK4). Although significant progress has been made in understanding centriole composition, we have limited knowledge of how PLK4 activity controls specific steps in centriole formation. Here, we show that PLK4 phosphorylates its centriole substrate STIL on a conserved site, S428, to promote STIL binding to CPAP. This phospho-dependent binding interaction is conserved in Drosophila and facilitates the stable incorporation of both STIL and CPAP into the centriole. We propose that procentriole assembly requires PLK4 to phosphorylate STIL in two different regions: phosphorylation of residues in the STAN motif allow STIL to bind SAS6 and initiate cartwheel assembly, while phosphorylation of S428 promotes the binding of STIL to CPAP, linking the cartwheel to microtubules of the centriole wall.
Ultraviolet-B band lasers fabricated on highly relaxed thick Al0.55Ga0.45N films grown on various types of AlN wafers
Authors: Kawase Yuta , Ikeda Syunya , Sakuragi Yusuke , Yasue Shinji , Iwayama Sho , Iwaya Motoaki , Takeuchi Tetsuya , Kamiyama Satoshi , Akasaki Isamu , Miyake Hideto
Published: May 2019

In this paper, we investigated the dependence of threshold power density on the Al0.55Ga0.45N underlying layer film thickness in ultraviolet-B band (UV-B) lasers on various AlN wafers (four types). We also prepared and compared AlN templates for AlN freestanding substrates, AlN films fabricated by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy, and annealed sputtered AlN templates at high temperature. The initial growth of AlGaN became three-dimensional by inserting a homoepitaxial Ga-doped AlN layer between the AlN template and Al0.55Ga0.45N, before it shifted to two-dimensional growth. It is possible to reduce the dislocation in Al0.55Ga0.45N using this mode. The dependence of AlGaN film thickness and that of the AlN template on samples with an inserted homoepitaxial Ga-doped AlN layer were studied. Compared with Al0.55Ga0.45N having a thickness of 5 μm, there was almost no noticeable difference between the dark spot density characterized by cathodoluminescence and the threshold power density in UV-B lasers for the AlN template. Besides, the characteristics were noticeably different for the film thickness of Al0.55Ga0.45N. The threshold power density in UV-B laser and dark spot density were reduced by increasing the film thickness. Through the optimization of the crystal growth condition, the threshold power density in UV-B laser and dark spot density were reduced to 36 kW cm−2 and 7.5 × 108 cm−2, respectively.
Recent progress of Na-flux method for GaN crystal growth
Authors: Mori Yusuke , Imanishi Masayuki , Murakami Kosuke , Yoshimura Masashi
Published: May 2019

In this review, the history of research and development of the Na-flux method for growing single GaN crystals is summarized from its discovery in 1994 until the present. Underlying the development of the Na-flux method, which has become one of the more important technologies for growing high quality GaN crystals, there have been several important innovations without which it would have been impossible to achieve current technical levels. Here, we describe the development of the Na-flux method through these innovations, including a method for controlling nucleation by adding carbon, single- and multipoint seed techniques, and a hybrid of the flux-film coated and multipoint seed approaches.
Chemodiversity ofCalophyllum inophyllumL. oil bioactive components related to their specific geographical distribution in the South Pacific region
Authors: Ginigini Joape , Lecellier Gaël J. , Nicolas Mael , Nour Mohammed , Hnawia Edouard , Lebouvier Nicolas , Herbette Gaëtan , Lockhart Peter , Raharivelomanana Phila
Published: May 2019

Background

Different parts of the treeCalophyllum inophyllumL. (nuts, leaves, roots, bark, fruits, nut oil and resin) are used as traditional medicines and cosmetics in most of the Pacific Islands. The oil efficiency as a natural cure and in traditional cosmetics has been largely described throughout the South Pacific, which led us to investigateC. inophyllum’s chemical and genetic diversity. A correlative study of the nut resin and leaf DNA from three distinct archipelagos in the South Pacific was carried out in order to identify diversity patterns inC. inophyllumacross the South Pacific.

Methods

Calophyllum inophyllumplants were sampled from French Polynesia, New Caledonia and Fiji. We extracted tamanu oil (nut oil) resin for chemo-diversity studies and sampled leaf tissues for genetic studies. We applied an analysis method designed for small quantities (at a microscale level), and used High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) to establish the chemo-diversity of tamanu oil resin. In-house standards were co-eluted for qualitative determination. Genetic diversity was assessed using chloroplast barcoding markers (the Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (accD) gene and the psaA-ycf3 intergenic spacer region).

Results

Our HPLC analysis revealed 11 previously known tamanu oil constituents, with variability among plant samples. We also isolated and characterized two new neoflavonoids from tamanu oil resin namely, tamanolide E1 and E2 which are diastereoisomers. Although genetic analysis revealed low genetic variation, our multivariate analysis (PCA) of the tamanu oil resin chemical profiles revealed differentiation among geographic regions.

Conclusion

We showed here that chromatographic analysis using formalized in-house standards of oil resin compounds for co-elution studies against oil resin samples could identify patterns of variation among samples ofC. inophyllum,and discriminate samples from different geographical origins.
Aromatisation of steroids in the bivalveMytilus trossulus
Authors: Hallmann Anna , Konieczna Lucyna , Swiezak Justyna , Milczarek Ryszard , Smolarz Katarzyna
Published: May 2019

In this study, we demonstrated the presence of the enzymatic complex able to perform aromatization (estrogen synthesis) in both, the microsomal and mitochondrial fractions of gills and gonads fromMytilus trossulus. Based on in vitro experiments, we highlighted the importance of temperature as the limiting factor of aromatisation efficiency (AE) in mussels. After testing range of temperatures (4–23 °C), the highest AE was found during incubation at 8 °C and pH 7.6 (41.66 pmol/h/mg protein in gills and 58.37 pmol/h/mg protein in gonads). The results were confirmed during field studies where the most efficient aromatisation occurred in bivalves collected in spring while the least effective in those collected in winter. During in vitro studies, AE turned out to be more intensive in female gonads than in male gonads. The process was also more intensive in mitochondrial fraction than in microsomal one (62.97 pmol/h/mg protein in male gills and 73.94 pmol/h/mg protein in female gonads). Enzymatic complex (aromatase-like enzyme) catalysing aromatisation in mussels was found to be insensitive to inhibitory effect of selective inhibitors of mammalian aromatase such as letrozole and anastrazole, suggesting its different structure from vertebrate aromatase. Further in vivo studies using13C-labeled steroids at 8 °C temperature window confirmed that bivalves are able to uptake testosterone and androstenedione from the ambient environment and metabolise them to estrone and 17β-estradiol thus confirming endogenous estrogen’ synthesis.
Antennas
Authors: Christodoulou C. G. , Wahid P. F.
Published: November 2024

This article provides an overview of the characteristics of various antennas used in the RF/microwave region. A brief history of antennas is presented. Starting from simple wire antennas, the article goes on to describe reflector antennas, lens antennas, horn antennas, frequency‐independent antennas, conformal antennas, and reconfigurable antennas. The salient properties of each of these antennas are presented and discussed.
Calibration of a Circular Loop Antenna
Authors: Aykan Aydin
Published: November 2024

The calibration of a measuring loop antenna means assigning an antenna factor
K
for each frequency in the entire measurement band. This factor can be found either by calculating the impedance of the loop or by using a well‐defined standard magnetic field of a transmitting antenna. For both methods, it is necessary to obtain an accurate relation between the magnetic field and the geometric dimensions of the loops. Generally, a manufactured loop has a complex geometric shape with complex electrical behavior so that its impedance cannot be accurately determined analytically. In such cases, the standard magnetic field method remains as the only alternative for calibration. The formulas needed for implementation of the method, which takes into account the dimensions of the loops with finite conductor radii as well as the current distribution along the loop, are given. With the procedure presented here, the calibration is reduced to an accurate measurement of attenuation.
Directive antennas
Authors: Alexeff Igor , Rader Mark , Kang Weng Lock
Published: November 2024

Radio antennas that are directive have many advantages
over stationary antennas. They can observe in one direction
while ignoring much larger signals coming in from
the sides. In addition, as transmitting antennas, they can
direct a small amount of radiation directly to the proper
receiver. Conventional directive antennas use large mirrors
for short waves, such as are used in radar. For longerwave
antennas, they use reflector and director elements
aligned with the antenna. The basic problem with such
arrays is that they are mechanically steered, which is slow
and difficult to do with large antennas, especially in the
presence of wind, ice, or snow.
Horn Antennas
Authors: Jull Edward V.
Published: November 2024

A “horn” antenna is a length of conducting tube, flared at one end, and used for the transmission and reception of electromagnetic waves. For an efficient transition between guided and radiated waves, the horn dimensions must be comparable to the wavelength. Consequently horns are used mostly at centimeter and millimeter wavelengths. At lower or higher frequencies they are inconveniently large or small, respectively. They are most popular at microwave frequencies (3–30 GHz), as antennas of moderate directivity or as feeds for reflectors or elements of arrays.
Integrated Antenna Systems
Authors: Fujimoto Kyohei
Published: November 2024

An antenna system is ordinarily designed independently from transmitter or receiver circuitry, to which the antenna is connected by a transmission line. Unlike such an ordinary antenna system, an integrated antenna system (IAS) incorporates components, either passive, active, or both, into the antenna structure. The term integration here implies unification of an antenna and device or circuitry so that the performance of the antenna system is determined by both the antenna and the integrated device or circuitry. By means of integration, one can expect either improvement or modification of the antenna characteristics, or enhancement of antenna performance due to the addition of functions introduced by the integration.
Waveguide Antennas
Authors: Kummer Winifred E.
Published: November 2024

Waveguide antennas are useful for a variety of airborne, ground‐based, space, and missile applications in the microwave frequency band because they offer high radiating efficiency, a high degree of control over the radiation pattern, compact architecture, and low weight.

In waveguide slot arrays the radiating and transmission structures are inexorably intertwined, thus it is appropriate to treat the history of the waveguides together with that of slot radiators.
Bandpass Filters
Authors: Ramirez-Angulo Jaime
Published: November 2024

Bandpass filters are common building blocks of many electronic systems. They find applications in diverse fields such as communications, audio, instrumentation, and biomedicine. Bandpass filters are used on the receiver side in order to select or “filter out” only one of the signals transmitted in the channel. A process called demodulation is used to shift the spectrum of the selected signal back to baseband (to a zero center frequency).
Filter Synthesis
Authors: Lueder Ernst
Published: November 2024

The most common types of components for classical filters are lossless inductors and capacitors, as well as ideal transformers for the two‐port and resistances R1 and R2 as internal resistance of the source and as the terminating load. This case is treated in this article. Other types of components are switches such as FETs, capacitors, and operational amplifiers in so‐called switched capacitor filters or delays, adders and multipliers in digital filters or resistors, capacitors and operational amplifiers in RC‐active filters, or electromechanical transducers and a set of electrodes in surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters, which are treated in the last section.

Guidelines will be presented on how to determine from filter tables the component values of a filter meeting given specifications. This should enable a system engineer to achieve a quick filter design by selecting the appropriate type of filter and by then finding the component values in a table.
Low Noise Amplifiers: Device Noise Characterization and Design
Authors: Lee Sungjae , Webb Kevin J.
Published: November 2024

The basic procedures for device noise characterization and the design of low noise amplifiers are described.
Low‐Pass Filters
Authors: Choi Chiu H.
Published: November 2024

A lowpass filter suppresses the high‐frequency components of a signal, leaving intact the low‐frequency ones.

An approach to design a circuit (a lowpass filter) whose frequency response satisfies the lowpass requirements consists of two steps: approximation of the requirements by a transfer function and synthesis of the transfer function.

There are several approximation methods, for instance, Butterworth, Chebyshev, inverse Chebyshev, and Cauer approximations. A transfer function obtained by one method is different from those obtained by the others, and has different properties. However, the frequency response of each of the transfer functions satisfies the lowpass requirements.
MIMO Systems for Wireless Communications
Authors: Iyanda Sulyman Ahmed , Ibnkahla Mohamed
Published: November 2024

Demands for high‐speed, reliable wireless data communications have increased rapidly. Multiple input–multiple output (MIMO) communication systems have recently been embraced as an effective means to achieve high data rate transmission over wireless channels. Several MIMO signal processing techniques have thus been exploited, each of them aimed at providing high data rate while optimizing various other additional performance criteria. These techniques include spacetime codes, MIMO beamforming, and spatial multiplexing systems among others. In this article, an overview of these MIMO algorithms is presented. Performance improvement of the MIMO communications system over the conventional wireless communications system is then illustrated. Equalization techniques employed in MIMO receivers for transmissions over frequency‐selective channels are then reviewed.
Personal Area Networking with Bluetooth
Authors: Zeadally S. , Kumar A.
Published: November 2024

The availability and adoption of a wide range of mobile computing devices (e.g., laptops, personal digital assistants (PDA s), wearable computers) of varying sizes and processing capabilities, along with the emergence of wireless local‐area networks (WLAN s) and wireless personal‐area networks (WPAN s), are enabling the ubiquitous access of information anywhere, anytime. These networks are frequently being used as extensions to the Internet, and end users are increasingly exploiting them to access wireless Internet services. One of the emerging short‐range wireless networking technologies that shows great promise as an enabling technology in the deployment of WPAN s is the recent industry‐standard Bluetooth. In this article, we explore by design, implementation, and experimental performance evaluation, mechanisms and approaches that enable Bluetooth devices to achieve (1) seamless IP connectivity to external IP ‐based networks, (2) high performance even in the presence of IEEE 802.11 interfering traffic, and (3) efficient support for high‐quality audio by exploiting the Audio/Video Distribution Transport Protocol (AVDTP ). We anticipate that our reported experiences and practical results will benefit network designers, developers, and users of Bluetooth technology in WPAN environments.
Capacitance Extraction
Authors: Yu Wenjian , Wang Zeyi
Published: November 2024

With the advances in integrated circuit (IC) technology, the effects of electromagnetic coupling among the metal interconnect lines have greatly influenced circuit performance in both VLSI circuits and microwave ICs. Therefore, the modeling and accurate extraction of interconnect capacitance has become a subject of advanced research in these fields. In this article, the fundamental theory, contemporary methodology, and algorithms of capacitance extraction are presented. First, the electrostatic basis of the capacitor is introduced and the capacitance for a multiconductor system is defined. Then, the practical methodologies of capacitance extraction for VLSI interconnects are presented, ranging from 1D, 2D, 2.5D to 3D methods and including the technique used for the task of current full‐chip extraction. Various numerical techniques of 3D capacitance extraction are discussed, some of which represent the frontier of this research field. For 3D capacitance extraction, the state of the art in fast boundary‐element methods and semianalytical approaches are surveyed, with a fairly complete list of references. Finally, some future tends on capacitance extraction are discussed.
Boundary‐Value Problems
Authors: Beker Benjamin , Cokkinides George , Jin Kong Myung
Published: November 2024

This article strictly concentrates on the use of the finite‐difference method (FDM) in the numerical analysis of boundary value problems associated with primarily static and to some extent quasistatic electromagnetic (EM) fields. Although all examples presented herein deal with EM‐related engineering applications, some numerical aspects of FDM are also covered.

The emphasis will be placed on the applications of FDM to three‐dimensional boundary value problems involving objects with arbitrary geometric shapes that are composed of complex dielectric materials.
BiCMOS Devices and RF Integrated Circuits
Authors: Chen Yupeng , Yang Xiaomin , Thomas X. Wu
Published: November 2024

In this article, BiCMOS technology development focusing on the most recent achievements of SiGe BiCMOS technology is reviewed first. Several important figures of merit of SiGe device for RFIC designers such asfT,fmax, BVCEO(collector–emitter breakdown voltage with an open base), and NFminare studied in detail. We begin with the stringent system requirements of typical modern wireless communication standards. Commercial available technology options for RFIC are compared according to performance, power consumption, level of integration, and cost with special emphasis on GaAs, RF CMOS, and SiGe BiCMOS. Passive devices are also explored with respect to their impacts on RFIC design. The design of key wireless system building blocks is investigated. Recently reported results of SiGe BiCMOS low‐noise amplifiers (LNAs), power amplifiers (PAs) and integrated voltage‐controlled oscillators (VCOs) are reviewed. Finally, future trends of RF integrated system adopting SiGe BiCMOS technology are discussed.
Radar Remote Sensing of Irregular Stratified Layers
Authors: Bahar Ezekiel
Published: November 2024

A variational full‐wave approach to electromagnetic scattering from irregular stratified media with multiple scale features is presented. Since the scales of the irregular features, such as surface roughness, are often a continuum from very large to very small compared to the wavelength, a two‐scale unified full‐wave approach is applied. The method used to smoothly decompose the random medium fluctuations into larger‐scale and smaller‐scale fluctuations is illustrated for random media characterized by Gaussian and Pearson–Moskowitz‐type spectral density functions. The variational parameter is related to the two‐scale subdivision of the random features of media. It is shown that the total scatter cross section of the irregular stratified media is stationary over a very broad range of the variational parameter. Thus the full‐wave solutions, which are expressed as weighted sums of two cross sections, are practically insensitive to the precise decomposition into two‐scale features.
Underground Propagation
Authors: Zhang Y. P.
Published: November 2024

This article presents both natural and guided propagation of radiowaves in underground structures. By natural propagation, we mean that no special‐purpose cables are strung in underground structures to guide radiowaves, whereas by guided propagation we mean that special‐purpose cables such as leaky feeders are strung in underground structures to guide radiowaves. The imperfect waveguide model is developed for the analysis of natural propagation. It predicts that natural propagation is that of waveguide modes. The fundamental mode is important for long‐distance propagation as it suffers the least attenuation, whereas higher order modes are problematic as they cause fluctuation because of addition or subtraction of these modes. The geometrical optical model is also developed for the analysis of natural propagation. It predicts that natural propagation is achieved via a direct ray and many reflected rays. Only the direct ray and those rays with fewer reflections are significant for long‐distance propagation. The diffuse model is developed for the analysis of guided propagation by coupled‐type leaky feeders. It undertakes to calculate the mean power flow per unit solid angle from a coupled‐type leaky feeder according to Lambert's cosine law. The geometrical optical model is developed for the analysis of guided propagation by radiated‐type leaky feeders. It compares a radiated‐type leaky feeder with an array of magnetic diploes, which radiate energy in a certain direction. Furthermore, the statistical characteristics of both natural and guided propagation are also discussed.
Electronic Warfare
Authors: Spezio Anthony E. , Duckworth Alan N. , Klemm Francis J. , Moroz Stanley A. , Talley James M.
Published: November 2024

Electronic warfare (EW) is the systems discipline that exploits an adversary's use of the electromagnetic spectrum to overcome threats that use communications, navigation, and radar systems. This article includes a description of the EW timeline and the various phases of conflict. Also provided is a summary description of the signal environment in which EW systems operate.

This article includes a description of the EW timeline and the various phases of conflict. Also provided is a summary description of the signal environment in which EW systems operate.