bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Virtual Sense of Community in a World of Warcraft® Storytelling Open Forum Thread
Authors: Gui Dean Anthony Fabi
Published: August 2018

World of Warcraft® (WoW), a massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) extends to its members a virtual landscape of live gaming opportunities through such platforms as “dice” rolled character stats, open-ended story development, and interactive AI. These affordances are underpinned by a kind of virtual sense of community bringing players together in order to develop relationships and the self, adventure together, build up wealth, and overcome obstacles in order to complete quests. In addition to live game-play (or “in-world”) communities, WoW residents create alternative communities through rich online forums—here, new members are recruited into guilds, disputes are spawned and slayed, and seasoned warriors reminisce over worlds and lives that once- were. However, a third type of community is also evident through particular threads crafted within forums specifically for collaborative storytelling (or roleplaying). This paper examines sense of community—a sense of “belonging to, importance of, and identification with a community”—through one particular thread, “The Darkening Grove Tavern” under the forum World’s End Tavern using an adaptation of McMillan and Chavis’ theory and Boellstorff, Nardi, Pearce & Taylor’s ethnographic data collection methodology for qualitative analysis of virtual worlds . Findings from players’ story text (or “turns”) suggest that online storytelling forum threads exhibit a linguistically and semiotically branded sense of virtual community.
Mixed-Reality Teaching Experiences Improve Preservice Special Education Students’ Perceptions of their Ability to Manage a Classroom
Authors: Hudson Melissa E. , Voytecki Karen S. , Zhang Guili
Published: August 2018

Classroom management is an important skill for classroom teachers that they typically learn while completing their teacher preparation program. Traditional ways of teaching classroom management skills, such as practicum and internship experiences, may not provide the intensity of instruction needed for preservice teachers to develop the classroom management skills needed to be successful in the classroom. An alternative to these traditional methods of teacher preparation is Mursion. Mursion is a mixed-reality environment that allows preservice candidates to practice teaching specially designed scenarios (simulations) with student avatars. In this mixed methods study, we evaluated the effects of Mursion teaching experiences on undergraduate special education juniors’ perceptions of readiness to manage a classroom. Twenty-five undergraduate students aged 18-29 participated in the study during the first semester of their junior year. Results indicated that following the Mursion experiences, most participants perceived that: they were better prepared to teach, Mursion was an effective way to practice new skills, the avatars seemed like real students, they had more confidence to manage undesired behaviors, and they felt like they were in a real classroom. Implications for practice indicate that Mursion provides a safe environment for preservice teachers to learn complex skills such as classroom management. Additional research is needed to evaluate how much time is optimal for learning in mixed-reality environments and the efficacy of using Mursion with distance education learners.
Editorial
Authors: Cox Angie Marie , Donovan Edgardo , Feng Miao , Nunes Felipe
Published: August 2018

Assembled 2018 Part Two includes, once again, five remarkable studies demonstrating rigor over a vast variety of themes tethered to Virtual World use. The five articles highlight new findings and pave the way for future research.
Second Life and Academia – Reframing the Debate between Supporters and Critics
Authors: Herold David Kurt
Published: August 2018

The introduction of new ICTs in education is usually discussed in terms of the many benefits new technologies offer, or of the negative impact they might have on the lives of their users. Focusing on the introduction of the 3D online world "Second Life" into higher education, this article shows how such discourses lead to an impasse between the advocates and the critics of new ICTs in education. To break the impasse, and to understand the impact of Second Life, or other ICTs, on education, requires a far more differentiated approach than the discourses around Second Life have shown so far. Based on the experiences of the author in creating a virtual campus for the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Second Life, the article advocates a shift in focus from the discussion of powerful ICTs and their impact on largely passive users, to the study of active individuals, and the ways in which they integrate new ICTs into their pre-existing social and technological practices.
Virtual Archaeology in Second Life and OpenSimulator
Authors: Sequeira Luís Miguel , Morgado Leonel Caseiro
Published: August 2018

Traditional approaches to virtual archaeology include dealing with research methods to capture information from heritage sites, creating models out of that information and how to present them to the public; these are intense technical procedures which might be too costly for some types of history or heritage-based projects. Virtual worlds allowed new types of models of/for heritage sites to be produced and disseminated at a fraction of the cost.Second Life®, and its open source counterpart, OpenSimulator, are virtual world platforms with user-generated content. 3D models are created in real time and instantly rendered for all visitors. This allows amateurs and researchers create their own virtual archaeology projects easily and with few costs, and to have the resulting models immediately available to a vast community of users. This article presents an overview of four different approaches to virtual archaeology projects that are present in these platforms and that have been publicly discussed and analyzed; in particular, the last type shows a novel approach to virtual archaeology which is not found in other platforms, and explains how researchers have managed to extend the concept to new areas and develop methodologies to incorporate the validation of historical accuracy to encompass these areas.
Distributed Immersive Participation as Crowd-Sensing in Culture Events
Authors: Kanter Theo , Rahmani Rahim , Walters Jamie , Sauter Willmar
Published: August 2018

This article investigates new forms for creating and enabling massive and scalable participatory immersive experiences in live cultural events, characterized by processes, involving pervasive objects, places and people. The multi-disciplinary research outlines a new paradigm for collaborative creation and participation towards technological and social innovation, tapping into crowd-sensing. The approach promotes user-driven content-creation and offsets economic models thereby rewarding creators and performers. In response to these challenges, we propose a framework for bringing about massive and real-time presence and awareness on the Internet through an Internet-of-Things infrastructure to connect artifacts, performers, participants and places. Equally importantly, we enable the in-situ creation of collaborative experiences building on relevant existing and stored content, based on decisions leveraging multi-criteria clustering and proximity of pervasive information, objects, people and places. Finally, we investigate some new ways for immersive experiences via distributed computing but pointing forward to the necessity to do more with regard to collaborative creation.
Virtual Currencies, Micropayments and Monetary Policy: Where Are We Coming from and Where Does the Industry Stand?
Authors: Valdes-Benavides Ruy Alberto , Hernandez-Verme Paula Lourdes
Published: August 2018

The exponential growth of the micropayments industry and the expansion of social networks in the last few years have produced the necessary conditions for the birth and growing importance of a distinct object that is fairly new to many disciplines: virtual currencies. The present work is a pioneering study in this field, in which we attempt to survey the main issues and challenges posed to Economic Theory and to the design and implementation of economic policy. Particularly, we are interested in the implications that virtual currencies may have for: 1) The economic principles associated with voluntary holdings of different kinds of money; 2) The rate-of-return dominance by some currencies that may coexist with currencies offering lower real returns; and 3) The state-of-the-art Monetary Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium models with micro-foundations. We believe that virtual currencies share some important features of both fiat currencies—whose value is mainly determined by the issuer’s reputation and the people’s beliefs regarding its future acceptability in exchange for goods or services—and commodity currencies, with intrinsic value. However, virtual currencies are typically issued by private agents, rather than by governments, and thus regulation and appropriate monitoring arise as potential problems that we may have to deal with in the near future.
Gaming Experience and Spatial Learning in a Virtual Morris Water Maze
Authors: De Castell Suzanne , Jenson Jennifer , Larios Hector
Published: August 2018

Experience playing video games has been associated with perceptual and cognitive improvements (e.g., Castel, Pratt, & Drummond, 2005; Boot, Kramer, Simons, Fabiani, & Gratton, 2008; Colzato, van den Wildenberg, & Hommel, 2013; Oei & Patterson, 2013) For instance, video gamers show superior spatial abilities than non-gamers (Greenfield, Graig, & Lohr, 1994; Feng, Spence, and Pratt, 2007; Green & Bavelier, 2003). Given that such abilities have been associated with educational and vocational success in STEM fields (Wai, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2009), it is important to understand the relationship between them and video game experience. In past research, virtual versions of the Morris Water Maze (VMWM) have been used to investigate spatial learning in non-human subjects. Yet, the extent of VMWM’s ability to reliably and validly assess human spatial learning is relatively unknown. We developed a VMWM within the Second Life (2015) virtual world and conducted a pilot study with 12 eighth grade students. In the experiment, the participants learned to find the location of a platform in the VMWM. We analyzed performance on the task to identify data trends indicative of spatial learning. Specifically, we compared performance between males and females with varying levels of gaming expertise. In this article, we report on an analysis of navigation strategies as measured by participants’ path lengths and patterns, and we discuss the implications of these results in assessing spatial cognition.
Three Real Futures for Virtual Worlds
Authors: Boellstorff Tom
Published: August 2018

We are at a critical moment in the study of virtual worlds, where there is great need for theoretical work to clarify what research on virtual worlds can offer. In this article I seek to help set our theoretical affairs in order, with regard to the future of virtual worlds (and thus our research on virtual worlds). First, the false opposition between “virtual” and “real” fails to capture the many ways virtual worlds are real (and the many ways that not everything in the physical world is real). Second, virtual worlds are valuable to study regardless of their size; we should not mistake size for significance, and encourage study of larger and smaller virtual worlds. Third, virtual worlds share features with each other and with other online socialities, but also have specific aspects that differ; studying both these similarities and differences is valuable to comprehensive and comparative research.
‘I Create Therefore I Virtually Exist’: Digital Content Creation, Virtual Consumption, and Motivation in Second Life
Authors: Nagy Peter , Koles Bernadett
Published: August 2018

User-generated content (UGC) has been receiving increasing attention given its spread throughout digital media platforms and applications. Previous research focusing on Web 2.0 based platforms highlighted linkages with personal characteristics, user attitudes, and social as well as individual motivators. Interestingly, UGC has not been addressed on other platforms such as 3D virtual worlds, and the purpose of the current study is to fill this gap in the literature. More specifically, we explore virtual content creation within the particular 3D virtual world of Second Life, via comparing key demographic, usage and motivational attributes of creator versus non-creator residents. Results revealed differential patterns as a function of age, gender and usage. Digital content creators were also more likely to purchase goods reflecting stability, expand greater financial resources on the Second Life Marketplace, and while acknowledging greater difficulty in ease of use, reported higher esteem and self-actualization. Implications for scholars and practitioners are discussed.
Potential effects of deep seawater discharge by an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion plant on the marine microorganisms in oligotrophic waters
Authors: Giraud Mélanie , Garçon Véronique , De La Broise Denis , L'Helguen Stéphane , Sudre Joël , Boye Marie
Published: August 2018

Abstract. Installation of an Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion pilot plant (OTEC) off the Caribbean coast of Martinique is expected to use approximately 100 000 m3 h−1 of deep seawater for its functioning. This study examined the potential effects of the cold nutrient-rich deep seawater discharge on the phytoplankton community before the installation of the pilot plant. Thermal effect induced by the deep seawater upwelled by the OTEC was described using the Regional Ocean Modeling System. Numerical simulations of deep seawater discharge showed that a 3.0 °C temperature change, considered as a critical threshold for temperature impact, was never reached during an annual cycle on the top 150 m of the water column on two considered sections centered on the OTEC. The thermal effect should be limited, less than 1 km2 on the area exhibited a temperature difference of 0.3 °C (absolute value). The impact on phytoplankton of the resulting mixed deep and surface seawater was evaluated by in situ microcosm experiments. Two scenario of water mix ratio (2 % and 10 % of deep water) were tested at two incubation depths (deep chlorophyll-a maximum: DCM and bottom of the euphotic layer: BEL). The larger impact was obtained at DCM for the highest deep seawater addition (10 %), with a development of diatoms, whereas 2 % addition induced only a limited change of the phytoplankton community. This study suggested that the OTEC plant would significantly modify the phytoplankton assemblage only in the case of a discharge affecting the DCM and would be restricted to a local scale.
Arbeit, Identität und Leben in Biographien barocker Autoren. Adam Olearius und Johann Christian GüntherTrabajo, identidad y vida en las biografías de escritores barrocos: Adam Olearius y Johann Christian Günther
Authors: Fathy Hebatallah
Published: August 2018

En las dos novelas autobiográficas Ein turbulentes Leben. Adam Olearius. Gottorfer Hofgelehrter (2011) de Erich Maletzke, sobre el erudito y poeta del barroco Adam Olearius (1599-1671), y Schönheit der Verwilderung (2002, primera edición 1987) de Henning Boëtius, sobre la vida del poeta Johann Christian Günther (1695-1723), las categorías de trabajo y falta del trabajo caracte-rizan la representación de un discurso vital e identitario adoptando la forma literaria de una biografía. Este estudio trata de analizar las razones por las que vidas tan dispares –que en el sentido del barroco pueden clasificarse de exitosa y fracasada– sean de interés para biografías contemporáneas y cómo las categorías de trabajo y falta de trabajo, en el sentido de una búsqueda fracasada de un mecenas, influyen en la construcción de la identidad y su representación en las novelas biográficas.
Espacio en movimiento: el paisaje dinámico y sintiente en la Italia de "Das Marmorbild" de Joseph von Eichendorff
Authors: Amarís Duarte Olga
Published: August 2018

El presente artículo pretende analizar la función performativa de la palabra poética en la obra Das Marmorbild de Joseph von Eichendorff. La hipótesis de la que se parte es de la existencia de una doble operación simbólica por la cual el poeta no solo crea con la palabra el espacio, el entorno natura, sino que el propio paisaje se trasmuta en texto, en textura escrita que vierte su mensaje. En este sentido, el artículo dilucidará los distintos modos discursivos que permiten la representación narrativa en Das Marmorbild para crear un espacio dinámico, en movimiento constante, constituyendo a su vez un espacio vivido, erlebter Raum, reflectante y sintiente.
Assessing the Reality of Special Education Centers Management in the Light of the Learning Organization Approach in the Provence of South Jordan
Authors: Bairat Mohammad , Waswas Dima
Published: August 2018

This study aimed at assessing the reality of special education centers management in the light of the learning organization approach through the perspective of its staff and recognizing the effect of some variables in the responses of the sample’s members. To realize this purpose, the descriptive approach was used through collecting and analyzing the data of this problem by using a scale to assess the reality of special education centers management after being developed by the two researchers and divided into four domains.The sample consisted of (177) workers in special education centers: (52) administrators and (125) teachers. The results indicated that the private education centers management practices the domains of the learning organization with high estimation level as the first rank was taken by the domain of organizational structure flexibility and the domain of work teams. The third rank was occupied by the domain of knowledge management while the domain of sustained education took the fourth rank. The results also revealed the absence of statistically significant effect for the responses of the sample’s members due to the impact of gender variable, the presence of an effect of the work capacity for the work capacity variable in favor of the administrators, the presence of an effect for the years of experience variable in favor of the category of experience for more than 10 years and the presence of an effect of the academic qualification variable in favor of post graduate studies.
Análise de diferentes métricas para agrupamento de dados utilizando um algoritmo de busca paralela baseado em organismos simbióticos
Authors: Menezes Sandro Roberto Loiola de , Boiani Mateus , Parpinelli Rafael Stubs
Published: August 2018

Este artigo propõe uma abordagem para realizar agrupamento de dados utilizando o Algoritmo de Busca por Organismos Simbióticos (SOS) em uma arquitetura Hadoop MapReduce, chamado de MRCSOS. O algoritmo SOS é responsável pela exploração do espaço de busca enquanto a arquitetura Hadoop provê escalabilidade através do paralelismo. A principal contribuição deste trabalho é a correlação das métricas de pureza, entropia e diversidade genotípica utilizando diferentes métricas de agrupamento de dados durante o processo de otimização. Os resultados obtidos em três bases de dados mostraram que algumas métricas de agrupamento não mantém a qualidade do agrupamento durante toda otimização. Nas métricas analisadas, a função Silhueta (F5) foi a melhor de todas. Esta função consegue manter o melhor agrupamento durante todo processo de otimização. Além disto, o algoritmo MRCSOS com a função F5 obteve os melhores resultados, ou pelo menos competitivos, quando comparados com outras abordagens existentes na literatura.
State Policy on Ensuring Food Security in Conditions of Foreign Trade Restrictions
Authors: Melnikov Aleksandr B. , Trysyachny Vladimir I. , Kotenev Aleksandr D. , Mishulin Georgiy Markovich , Shirov Petr N. , Melnikov Boris A.
Published: August 2018

The influence of artificial and natural limitations on the development of the food market in the Russian Federation is considered. The effectiveness of the state policy on support of agricultural producers and the degree of its influence on the processes of import substitution and self-provision with food products are analyzed. It is proved that ensuring the necessary level of food security is related to the need to increase the competitiveness of domestic products in terms of price and quality parameters, stimulate export-oriented production and search for new global sales markets. The strategic priorities for the development of the agro-industrial complex are proposed, including a reduction in the level of technical and technological dependence, the development of territorial clusters with the aim of introducing innovative technologies for the production and processing of agricultural products.
Editorial
Authors: Oliveira Andreia Machado , Biancalana Gisela Reis , Santos Nara Cristina , Blanca Rosa Maria
Published: August 2018

A Revista do Programa de Pós-graduação em Artes Visuais da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (PPGART/UFSM) lança sua primeira publicação online para expandir as discussões no campo da Arte Contemporânea. A Revista busca tanto a divulgação dos resultados de pesquisas na área das Artes Visuais, quanto dar visibilidade aos processos e práticas investigativas em andamento nas Poéticas Visuais e na História, Teoria e Critica da Arte, nos Programas de Pós-graduação nacionais e internacionais.
A experiência da imagem em instalações interativas
Authors: Oliveira Andreia Machado
Published: August 2018

Trazemos, nesse artigo, uma concepção de imagem atrelada à experiência corporal a partir de produções em Arte Interativa. Buscamos um conceito de imagem não voltado a uma representação já individuada, mas sim que considere o processo de geração da própria imagem. Para Gilbert Simondon, a imagem é concebida como um ciclo dentro de uma abordagem sistêmica e processual da realidade. Nesse sentido, encontramos ressonâncias entre essa concepção de imagem e as produções de instalações interativas no LabInter, em especial nas obras coletivas: “EntreMeios” (2015), “Permanência do Gesto” (2017) e “Ambulações” (2017).
A prospective open‐label trial of a CBD/THC cannabis oil in dravet syndrome
Authors: McCoy Bláthnaid , Wang Laura , Zak Maria , Al‐Mehmadi Sameer , Kabir Nadia , Alhadid Kenda , McDonald Kyla , Zhang Grace , Sharma Rohit , Whitney Robyn , Sinopoli Katia , Snead O. Carter
Published: August 2018

Introduction

Both Δ9 Tetrahydrocannabidiol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) components of cannabis, have been shown to have anticonvulsant effects. Cannabis oils are used to treat seizures in drug‐resistant epilepsy (DRE). Recent trials provide data on dosing, side effects, and efficacy of CBD, yet there is a paucity of information on THC in epilepsy. Primary objective was to establish dosing and tolerability of TIL‐TC150 ‐ a cannabis plant extract produced by Tilray®, containing 100 mg/mL CBD and 2 mg/mL THC‐ in children with Dravet syndrome. Secondary objectives were to assess impact of therapy on seizures, electroencephalogram (EEG) and quality of life.

Methods

Twenty children received add‐on therapy with TIL‐TC150. The dose ranged from 2 to 16 mg/kg/day of CBD and 0.04 to 0.32 mg/kg/day of THC. Patients were monitored for tolerability and adverse events, and secondary objectives.

Results

Nineteen participants completed the 20‐week intervention. Mean dose achieved was 13.3 mg/kg/day of CBD (range 7–16 mg/kg/day) and 0.27 mg/kg/day of THC (range 0.14–0.32 mg/kg/day). Adverse events, common during titration included somnolence, anorexia, and diarrhea. Abnormalities of liver transaminases and platelets were observed with concomitant valproic acid therapy. There was a statistically significant improvement in quality of life, reduction in EEG spike activity, and median motor seizure reduction of 70.6%, with 50% responder rate of 63%.

Conclusions

TIL‐TC150 was safe and well tolerated in our subjects. TIL‐TC150 treatment resulted in a reduction in seizure counts, spike index on EEG, and improved quality of life measures. This study provides safety and dosing information for THC‐containing cannabinoid preparations.
Gas Therapy: An Emerging “Green” Strategy for Anticancer Therapeutics
Authors: Jin Qiao , Deng Yongyan , Jia Fan , Tang Zhe , Ji Jian
Published: August 2018

As an emerging area, gas therapy has attracted more and more attention in treating many diseases including cancer. The fabrication of stimuli‐responsive delivery systems with on‐demand release behavior is very promising for precision gas therapy, which can obtain optimal therapeutic performance without gas poisoning risks. In this review, the authors introduce the recent progress in the preparation of different kinds of gas carriers for efficient delivery of gaseous molecules (NO, H2S, CO, O2). Particularly, in order to achieve targeted accumulation of gaseous molecules in tumor tissues, gaseous molecules–integrated nanoparticles were constructed. Most importantly, by combination of gas therapy with other therapeutic modalities such as chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and radiotherapy, various multifunctional nanocarriers have been designed for synergistic cancer therapy. Especially, the recent developments of multifunctional gas‐carrying nanocarriers for synergistic cancer therapy are discussed in detail.
Recycled moulded polyimide materials obtained by high‐energy ball milling
Authors: Olifirov Leonid K. , Kaloshkin Sergei D. , Zadorozhnyy Michail Yu , Zadorozhnyy Vladislav Yu , Tcherdyntsev Viktor V. , Danilov Vladimir D.
Published: August 2018

This article presents a method of manufacturing moulding polyimide (PI) from recycling pyromellitic dianhydride‐4,4′oxydianiline PI films. Recycled PI powders were obtained by grinding PI films in high‐energy ball mill. In order to improve the sintering behavior of the recycled PI, a commercial PI powder (trade mark PM‐69) and a liquid PI resin (trade mark SP‐97) were chosen as modifying additions. PI/PM‐69 and PI/SP‐97 compositions were obtained by high‐energy ball mill. Bulk samples were obtained by compression moulding at 400 °C. The mechanical properties of the moulded PI and the reinforcing action of the PM‐69 and SP‐97 are strongly dependent on the mean size of the recycled PI powders. The flexural strength of 87 MPa and the deformation at failure −4.2% were achieved for the moulded PI/SP‐97 (10 wt %) samples. The resulting materials showed linear behavior of elastic modulus in a temperature range of 50–350 °C. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46733.
Does Calorie Restriction in Primates Increase Lifespan? Revisiting Studies on Macaques (Macaca mulatta) and Mouse Lemurs (Microcebus murinus)
Authors: Le Bourg Eric
Published: August 2018

The effects of calorie restriction have now been studied in two non‐human primates, the macaque Macaca mulatta and the mouse lemur Microcebus murinus. The study on lemurs and one of the two studies on macaques have reported a lifespan increase. In this review, I argue that these results are better explained by a lifespan decrease in the control group because of a bad diet and/or overfeeding, rather than by a real lifespan increase in calorie‐restricted animals. If these results can be readily translated to humans, it would mean that no beneficial effect of calorie restriction on lifespan can be expected in normal‐weight or lean people, but that overweight and/or obese people could benefit to some extent from a decrease in excessive food intake.
Indium Phosphide/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composites as High‐Performance Anodes in Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Liu Shuling , Wei Wei , He Xiaodong
Published: August 2018

Indium phosphide/reduced graphene oxide (InP/rGO) composites were synthesized successfully through a facile one‐step route at 180 °C. The InP nanoparticles can be anchored uniformly on the surface of rGO nanosheets, forming a stable composite. Moreover, the size and dispersibility of InP nanoparticles can be greatly affected by the added rGO amount. The as‐prepared InP/rGO composites show better electrochemical performance than single‐component rGO nanosheets or InP nanoparticles. But, when the amount of rGO added is 5 mg, the electrochemical performance of InP/rGO composite is optimum. It delivers an initial discharge capacity of 1872 mAh g−1 and the reversible specific discharge capacity can remain at 689 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 100 mA g−1. Even at a current density of 500 mA g−1, the reversible specific capacity could still reach 500 mAh g−1. The enhanced electrochemical performances of as‐prepared composites might be attributed to the strong interaction between InP nanoparticles and rGO nanosheets.
Optimized Potentiometric Assay for Non‐invasive Investigation of Skin Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Brainina Khiena Z. , Markina Maria G. , Stozhko Natalia Yu.
Published: August 2018

The paper presents a new variant of non‐invasive potentiometric method for determination of human skin antioxidant activity (AOA). The use of a porous cellulose acetate membrane as the carrier for reagent solution (potassium hexacyanoferrate (III)) is presented. The increase of reagent shelf life, improvement the reproducibility of the results (during the day Sr≤0.08, interday Sr≤0.13) in comparison with previously described variant is demonstrated. It was shown that the components of the skin hydrolipid mantle and pH do not affect the potentiometric signal. The values of skin AOA determined by the developed method lie in the range 20–4000 μM‐eq. Recovery is Raverage=99 %. The skin of healthy people was studied by the developed method. The obtained results indicate the prospects of using a new non‐invasive approach in the study of the oxidation‐reduction balance of human skin.
Anticancer properties of tocotrienols: A review of cellular mechanisms and molecular targets
Authors: Montagnani Marelli Marina , Marzagalli Monica , Fontana Fabrizio , Raimondi Michela , Moretti Roberta Manuela , Limonta Patrizia
Published: August 2018

Vitamin E is composed of two groups of compounds: α‐, β‐, γ‐, and δ‐tocopherols (TPs), and the corresponding unsaturated tocotrienols (TTs). TTs are found in natural sources such as red palm oil, annatto seeds, and rice bran. In the last decades, TTs (specifically, γ‐TT and δ‐TT) have gained interest due to their health benefits in chronic diseases, based on their antioxidant, neuroprotective, cholesterol‐lowering, anti‐inflammatory activities. Several in vitro and in vivo studies pointed out that TTs also exert a significant antitumor activity in a wide range of cancer cells. Specifically, TTs were shown to exert antiproliferative/proapoptotic effects and to reduce the metastatic or angiogenic properties of different cancer cells; moreover, these compounds were reported to specifically target the subpopulation of cancer stem cells, known to be deeply involved in the development of resistance to standard therapies. Interestingly, recent studies pointed out that TTs exert a synergistic antitumor effect on cancer cells when given in combination with either standard antitumor agents (i.e., chemotherapeutics, statins, “targeted” therapies) or natural compounds with anticancer activity (i.e., sesamin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), resveratrol, ferulic acid). Based on these observations, different TT synthetic derivatives and formulations were recently developed and demonstrated to improve TT water solubility and to reduce TT metabolism in cancer cells, thus increasing their biological activity. These promising results, together with the safety of TT administration in healthy subjects, suggest that these compounds might represent a new chemopreventive or anticancer treatment (i.e., in combination with standard therapies) strategy. Clinical trials aimed at confirming this antitumor activity of TTs are needed.
Resveratrol inhibits Erk1/2‐mediated adhesion of cancer cells via activating PP2A–PTEN signaling network
Authors: Chen Xin , Hu Xiaoyu , Li Yue , Zhu Cuilan , Dong Xiaoqing , Zhang Ruijie , Ma Jing , Huang Shile , Chen Long
Published: August 2018

Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol compound, has been shown to possess anticancer activity. However, how resveratrol inhibits cancer cell adhesion has not been fully elucidated. Here, we show that resveratrol suppressed the basal or type I insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐1‐stimulated adhesion of cancer cells (Rh1, Rh30, HT29, and HeLa cells) by inhibiting the extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2) pathway. Inhibition of Erk1/2 with U0126, knockdown of Erk1/2, or overexpression of dominant‐negative mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MKK1) strengthened resveratrol’s inhibition of the basal or IGF‐1‐stimulated of Erk1/2 phosphorylation and cell adhesion, whereas ectopic expression of constitutively active MKK1 attenuated the inhibitory effects of resveratrol. Further research revealed that both protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)–Akt were implicated in resveratrol‐inactivated Erk1/2‐dependent cell adhesion. Inhibition of PP2A with okadaic acid or overexpression of dominant‐negative PP2A rendered resistance to resveratrol’s suppression of the basal or IGF‐1‐stimulated phospho‐Erk1/2 and cell adhesion, whereas expression of wild‐type PP2A enhanced resveratrol’s inhibitory effects. Overexpression of wild‐type PTEN or dominant‐negative Akt or inhibition of Akt with Akt inhibitor X strengthened resveratrol’s inhibition of the basal or IGF‐1‐stimulated Erk1/2 phosphorylation and cell adhesion. Furthermore, inhibition of mechanistic/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) with rapamycin or silencing mTOR enhanced resveratrol’s inhibitory effects on the basal and IGF‐1‐induced inhibition of PP2A–PTEN, activation of Akt–Erk1/2, and cell adhesion. The results indicate that resveratrol inhibits Erk1/2‐mediated adhesion of cancer cells via activating PP2A–PTEN signaling network. Our data highlight that resveratrol has a great potential in the prevention of cancer cell adhesion.
PDZRN3 regulates differentiation of myoblasts into myotubes through transcriptional and posttranslational control of Id2
Authors: Honda Takeshi , Inui Makoto
Published: August 2018

PDZRN3 (also known as LNX3) is a member of the PDZ domain‐containing RING finger protein family. We previously showed that PDZRN3 is essential for differentiation of myoblasts into myotubes and that depletion of PDZRN3 inhibits such differentiation downstream of the upregulation of myogenin, a basic helix‐loop‐helix (bHLH) transcription factor required for completion of the differentiation process. However, the mechanism by which PDZRN3 controls this process has remained unclear. Myogenin is rendered active during the late stage of myogenic differentiation by the downregulation of Id2, a negative regulator of bHLH transcription factors. We now show that depletion of PDZRN3 inhibits the differentiation of C2C12 cells by inducing the upregulation of Id2 and thereby delaying its downregulation. Knockdown of Id2 by RNA interference restores the differentiation of PDZRN3‐depleted cells. Luciferase reporter assays revealed that a putative binding site for STAT5b in the Id2 gene promoter is required for the upregulation of Id2 expression by PDZRN3 depletion. In addition, the amount of phosphorylated Id2 was reduced and that of the nonphosphorylated protein concomitantly increased in PDZRN3‐depleted cells, with the inhibitory effect of Id2 on bHLH transcription factors having previously been shown to be attenuated by phosphorylation of Id2 catalyzed by the complex of Cdk2 with cyclin A2 or E1. Indeed, the expression of cyclin A2, but not that of cyclin E1, was reduced in PDZRN3‐depleted cells. Our results thus indicate that PDZRN3 plays a key role in the differentiation of myoblasts into myotubes by regulating Id2 at both transcriptional and posttranslational levels.
Scytalidium candidum 3C is a new name for the Geotrichum candidum Link 3C strain
Authors: Pavlov Ivan Yu. , Bobrov Kirill S. , Sumacheva Anastasiya D. , Masharsky Alexey E. , Polev Dmitrii E. , Zhurishkina Elena V. , Kulminskaya Anna A.
Published: August 2018

In the 1970s, the strain Geotrichum candidum Link 3C was isolated from rotting rope and since then has been extensively studied as a source of cellulose and xylan‐degrading enzymes. The original identification of the strain was based only on morphological characters of the fungal mycelium in culture. Recent comparison of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) fragments derived from the draft genome published in 2015 did not show its similarity to G. candidum species. Given the value of the strain 3C in lignocellulosic biomass degradation, we performed morphological and molecular studies to find the appropriate taxonomic placement for this fungal strain within the Ascomycota phylum. ITS, 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA sequences, and RPB2 encoding genes were used to construct phylogenetic trees with Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods. Based on sequence comparison and multiple gene sequencing, we conclude that the fungal strain designated as Geotrichum candidum Link 3C should be placed into the genus Scytalidium (Pezizomycotina, Leotiomycetes) and is redescribed herein as Scytalidium candidum 3C comb. nov.
Filling the European blank spot—Swiss soil erodibility assessment with topsoil samples
Authors: Schmidt Simon , Ballabio Cristiano , Alewell Christine , Panagos Panos , Meusburger Katrin
Published: August 2018

Soil erodibility, commonly expressed as the K‐factor in USLE‐type erosion models, is a crucial parameter for determining soil loss rates. However, a national soil erodibility map based on measured soil properties did so far not exist for Switzerland. As an EU non‐member state, Switzerland was not included in previous soil mapping programs such as the Land Use/Cover Area frame Survey (LUCAS). However, in 2015 Switzerland joined the LUCAS soil sampling program and extended the topsoil sampling to mountainous regions higher 1500 m asl for the first time in Europe. Based on this soil property dataset we developed a K‐factor map for Switzerland to close the gap in soil erodibility mapping in Central Europe. The K‐factor calculation is based on a nomograph that relates soil erodibility to data of soil texture, organic matter content, soil structure, and permeability. We used 160 Swiss LUCAS topsoil samples below 1500 m asl and added in an additional campaign 39 samples above 1500 m asl. In order to allow for a smooth interpolation in context of the neighboring regions, additional 1638 LUCAS samples of adjacent countries were considered. Point calculations of K‐factors were spatially interpolated by Cubist Regression and Multilevel B‐Splines. Environmental features (vegetation index, reflectance data, terrain, and location features) that explain the spatial distribution of soil erodibility were included as covariates. The Cubist Regression approach performed well with an RMSE of 0.0048 t ha h ha−1 MJ−1 mm−1. Mean soil erodibility for Switzerland was calculated as 0.0327 t ha h ha−1 MJ−1 mm−1 with a standard deviation of 0.0044 t ha h ha−1 MJ−1 mm−1. The incorporation of stone cover reduces soil erodibility by 8.2%. The proposed Swiss erodibility map based on measured soil data including mountain soils was compared to an extrapolated map without measured soil data, the latter overestimating erodibility in mountain regions (by 6.3%) and underestimating in valleys (by 2.5%). The K‐factor map is of high relevance not only for the soil erosion risk of Switzerland with a particular emphasis on the mountainous regions but also has an intrinsic value of its own for specific land use decisions, soil and land suitability and soil protection.
Synthesis of Film‐Forming Photoactive Latex Particles by Emulsion Polymerization–Induced Self‐Assembly to Produce Singlet Oxygen
Authors: Boussiron Charlène , Le Bechec Mickaël , Petrizza Luca , Sabalot Julia , Lacombe Sylvie , Save Maud
Published: August 2018

The design of photoactive polymer substrates producing singlet oxygen under visible light irradiation has great technological potential. Aqueous dispersion of novel photoactive core–shell particles was synthesized by surfactant‐free reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) emulsion polymerization of n‐butyl acrylate. The surface of the nanoparticles is directly decorated thanks to the polymerization‐induced self‐assembly process using a hydrophilic macromolecular chain transfer agent (macro‐CTA) functionalized with the organic photosensitizer. The macro‐CTA was synthesized by statistical copolymerization of acrylic acid and 2‐Rose Bengal ethyl acrylate (RBEA) at 80 °C mediated with 4‐cyano‐4‐[(dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonyl)sulfanyl]pentanoic acid. Monitoring polymerization kinetics of RAFT polymerization highlights that increasing amount of RBEA induces retardation, still more pronounced when using the vinylbenzyl Rose Bengal comonomer. The present work provides insight into the quantum yield of singlet oxygen production in water (ΦΔ = 0.2–0.6) for the three types of synthesized polymers (hydrophilic polymer, latex particles, and polymer film). The photoactive core–shell latex particles enabled the easy preparation of photoactive polymer film by simple casting.
Near‐surface ventilation as a key for modeling the thermal regime of coarse blocky rock glaciers
Authors: Pruessner Luisa , Phillips Marcia , Farinotti Daniel , Hoelzle Martin , Lehning Michael
Published: August 2018

In a changing climate, ice‐rich permafrost features such as rock glaciers will experience drastic changes. Modeling the heat transport through the blocky surface layer with its large interstitial pore spaces poses some challenges as various modes of non‐conductive heat transport—advective forms in particular—can occur. Here, we show that the 1D physics‐based model SNOWPACK can be used with a suitably adapted parameterization of ventilation to represent heat transport with reasonable accuracy. To do so, only one site‐specific parameter, which is linked to the size of the pores in the blocky layer, is used. Inclusion of this ventilation parameterization is shown to be important for modeling the thermal regime at three experimental sites in the Swiss Alps. Furthermore, it could be shown that (i) snow depth dynamics exert a strong control on the thermal regime, (ii) the ice‐content stratigraphy needs to be known precisely and (iii) the augmented heat flux through the blocky layer caused by ventilation in both snow and blocks is important.
True sustainable development of green technology: The influencers and risked moderation of sustainable motivational behavior
Authors: Chen Shang‐Yu
Published: August 2018

To explore the essence of sustainable behaviour, a comparison was made between users' and non‐users' attitudes towards bike sharing, a green technological mode of transport. The effects of three concepts on the sustainable motivational behaviour of using a bike‐sharing service were studied: (i) the individual's own sustainable consciousness and self‐ability (the sustainable aptitude of an object and the belief in one's skills); (ii) confidence in the service's health and environmental benefits (a positive anticipation of health and environmental benefits); and (iii) other people's sustainable norms (behaviour based on other people's sustainable attitudes). A multi‐group analysis indicated significant differences in the users' and non‐users' path estimates, and a risked moderator was obvious for non‐users' sustainable consciousness. Other people's sustainable norms have a greater effect, particularly for users, and confidence is also a critical mediating factor for non‐users of the green technology for truly sustainable development.
Direct Synthesis of Amides from Oxidative Coupling of Benzyl Alcohols or Benzylamines with N‐Substituted Formamides Using a Cu‐Fe‐Based Heterogeneous Catalyst
Authors: Gupta Shyam Sunder R. , Nakhate Akhil V. , Deshmukh Gunjan P. , Periasamy Selvakannan , Samudrala Priya S. , Bhargava Suresh K. , Lakshmi Kantam Mannepalli
Published: August 2018

Here we report a highly active and recyclable Cu−Fe based heterogeneous catalytic system for the oxidative coupling of benzyl alcohols as well as benzylamines with N‐substituted formamides. The Cu−Fe Metal Oxide (Cu−Fe MO) catalyst was prepared by a co‐precipitation method and was characterized by X‐ray diffraction ( XRD), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy ( XPS), Energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS), Field Emission Gun‐Scanning Electron Microscopy (FEG‐SEM) and N2 physical adsorption techniques. The catalytic activity of the as‐prepared Cu−Fe MO catalyst was evaluated towards amidation reactions and a broad spectrum of aromatic amides have been synthesized in good to moderate yields by oxidative coupling of benzyl alcohols or benzylamines bearing various substituents with N‐substituted formamides. The control experiments revealed that the benzyl alcohol or benzylamine gets converted to an acyl radical and on the other side the N‐substituted formamides form an aminyl radical in presence of the catalyst and tert‐Butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP). Successive coupling of the in‐situ generated acyl and aminyl radicals affords the desired product amide. Furthermore, the heterogeneous Cu−Fe MO catalyst recycled for four times towards the amidation of benzyl alcohol and the fidelity of the spent catalyst has been confirmed by XRD analysis.
Assessment of frequency performance by wind integration in a large‐scale power system
Authors: Castellanos Bustamante Rafael , Roman Messina Arturo , Ramirez Gonzalez Miguel , Calderon Guizar Guillermo
Published: August 2018

Large‐scale grid integration of wind energy particularly in the southeastern portion of the Mexican interconnected power system has affected available transfer capability and imposed additional uncertainty on power system operation. Integrating large amounts of wind energy into the system is challenging because of the variability in power system dynamics and a more complex active and reactive power dispatch.

Wind plants have been installed in the Mexican systems during the past few years. The total installed wind energy capacity of the system is around 2.5 GW; the total wind energy generation represents 4% of current installed generation in the Mexican system. Increase of the wind power is expected to have an impact on power system control and transient behavior, especially as the amount of wind generation represents a significant portion of the local generation and wind farms grow in size and complexity.

Using recent planning and operation wind data, detailed studies on the effects of new wind generation on power system dynamic behavior are carried out. Analyses of the dynamic impact of large wind parks on power system dynamic performance are conducted. Operating impact studies include frequency behavior and the response of wind farms to major disturbances.

Simulation studies on a realistic 4000‐bus dynamic model of the Mexican interconnected system show that large wind generating plants have a significant effect on system dynamic behavior.