bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ALTO DÉFICIT DE CONOCIMIENTOS Y PERCEPCIONES ADECUADAS SOBRE ALIMENTACIÓN EN GESTANTES DEL HOSPITAL APOYO IQUITOS, 2012
Authors: Paima Irene , Zevallos Edwin
Published: October 2016

Los conocimientos y percepciones sobre los alimentos ingeridos en la gestación tienen una vital importancia porque dependiendo de una buena alimentación en esta etapa, periodo en el que se incrementan notablemente las necesidades nutritivas para el beneficio del binomio madre – feto, será de mayor ayuda para prevenir en cada nueva gestación un déficit nutricional. Se realizó un estudio de descriptivo y transversal, la población estuvo conformada por todas las gestantes que acudieron al servicio de control pre natal del Hospital Iquitos Cesar Garay García. La muestra fue de 220 gestantes se utilizó un cuestionario validado por expertos. Se evidenció un alto porcentaje de conocimiento deficiente (43%) sobre alimentación y percepciones inadecuadas (65%) sobre alimentación en las gestantes de nuestro estudio. Se evidencia la necesidad de mejorar el conocimiento sobre los alimentos importantes para presentar una gestación saludable.
IDENTIFICACIÓN DE MICROALGAS OLEAGINOSAS EN EL ÁREA DE CONCESIÓN PARA CONSERVACIÓN, CUENCA ALTA DEL RÍO ITAYA. LORETO-PERÚ
Authors: Cobos Ruiz Marianela , Castro Gómez Juan , Del Águila Chávez Javier , Soplín Bosmediano Herminio
Published: October 2016

Las microalgas oleaginosas constituyen una nueva alternativa para la producción de biodiesel, por su alta eficiencia fotobiosintética de triglicéridos y presentan productividades mayores de 10 a 100 veces que los cultivos convencionales. Además, que actúan como sumideros de CO2 y pueden usar aguas servidas para producir biodiesel. Sin embargo, los estudios sobre identificación de este tipo de microalgas en la amazonía son escasos. El objetivo del presente trabajo de investigación fue identificar especies de microalgas oleaginosas con potencial aplicación para la producción de biodiesel que se encuentran en ambientes acuáticos del Área de Concesión para Conservación de la Universidad Científica del Perú (UCP). La colecta de las muestras se realizó del 27/06/12 al 03/07/12 entre las 12 y 15 h utilizando red planctónica tipo cono y como preservante formol al 3%. La identificación microscópica se realizó en el Laboratorio de Ciencias Básicas de la UCP. La densidad de las microalgas fue realizada en base a su conteo en cámaras de Neubauer y Sedgwick-Rafter. Los resultados muestran la presencia de 20 especies de microalgas, de las cuales cinco son microalgas oleaginosas. Correspondiente a las del género Chlorella quienes presentaron la mayor densidad promedio (6x104 células/ml) en las tres cochas evaluadas.
Impacto de las loncheras escolares en el rendimiento académico
Authors: Saavedra Lomas Yuri Margott , Li Loo Kung Carlos , Dávila Panduro Susy Karina , Alva Angulo Miriam Ruth
Published: October 2016

El objetivo del estudio fue: Valorar el consumo de las loncheras escolares relacionado al rendimiento académico en niños de Instituciones Educativas Iniciales del distrito de Punchana, durante el año 2013; fue de tipo descriptivo correlacional no experimental, la población estuvo conformada por todos los niños de la I.E.I. Privada Nº 235 Internacional Elim: (45) y la I.E.I. Privada Buenas Nueva de Salvación (47), siendo un total de: 92 estudiantes, la muestra fue de tipo censal, por lo que fueron 92 estudiantes. La técnica fue la observación directa y el análisis documental, el instrumento fue la ficha de recolección de datos, y para el análisis se empleó el porcentaje y la media. Los resultados más relevantes fueron: En la I.E.I. Privada Nº 235 Internacional Elim el 92,2% de la muestra estudiada, tuvieron una calidad de lonchera “Buena”, en la I.E.I. Privada Nº 235 Internacional Elim el 82,8% de la muestra estudiada, obtuvieron un rendimiento académico de “A”, en la I.E.I. Privada Nº 235 Internacional Elim, al analizar los alimentos presentes en las loncheras se tiene que en un 96,7% tienen alimentos naturales, en la I.E.I. Privada Buenas Nueva de Salvación se pudo encontrar, el 57,8% de la muestra estudiada, tuvieron una calidad de lonchera “Buena”, en la I.E.I. Privada Buenas Nueva de Salvación, el 51,1% de la muestra estudiada, obtuvieron un rendimiento académico “B” y en la I.E.I. Privada Buenas Nueva de Salvación, al analizar los alimentos presentes en las loncheras se tiene que en un 94,2% tiene alimentos empacados.
Abundancia de ungulados y uso de hábitats entre los ríos Bajo Urubamba y Tambo, Amazonía Peruana
Authors: Aquino Rolando , García Gabriel , Charpentier Elvis
Published: October 2016

En este reporte se proporciona información sobre tamaño de grupo, densidad poblacional y preferencias de hábitats de los ungulados para el río Bajo Urubamba y el interfluvio del río Urubamba – río Tambo, localizados en la Amazonía central del Perú, área que fue muy poco explorado. Durante el recorrido de 425 km entre octubre – noviembre 2008 y abril – mayo 2009 se tuvo 249 registros entre directos e indirectos correspondientes a cuatro especies, siendo los más comunes Pecari tajacu (95 registros) y Mazama americana (85 registros). El tamaño de grupo en P. tajacu varió desde 2 a 8 individuos, mientras que el tamaño promedio estimado para T. pecari fue 19 individuos. La densidad poblacional más alta fue para P. tajacu (6,7 individuos/km2) y la más baja para Tapirus terrestris (1,2 individuos/km2). Con excepción de T. pecari, el resto de ungulados fueron más frecuentes en bosque primario denso (Bpd) y bosque primario semi denso con pacal (Bpsp).
Diversidad genética y filogenia molecular de poblaciones de Mauritia flexuosa L.f. “aguaje” de la Amazonía Peruana
Authors: Angulo Quintanilla Jorge , Marapara del Águila Jorge , Rengifo Trigoso Dixner , Adrianzén Julca Pedro , Ramírez Arévalo Freddy , Braga Vela Janeth , Castro Gómez Juan
Published: October 2016

Mauritia flexuosa es una especie vegetal amazónica que forma extensas poblaciones denominadas “aguajales”. Como los pobladores amazónicos emplean varios órganos de M. flexuosa para suplir sus necesidades y con fines comerciales, se está ejerciendo un gran impacto negativo sobre esta especie. A pesar de ello, a la fecha no se conoce la diversidad genética de esta especie en la Amazonía peruana. Consecuentemente, los planes de manejo para la especie serían limitados sin este tipo de información. Por tanto, el objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar la diversidad genética y filogenia molecular de poblaciones de M. flexuosa aledañas a la carretera Iquitos-Nauta. Las hojas se colectaron en seis zonas contiguas a la carretera Iquitos–Nauta. El ADN purificado con protocolos estándares fue amplificado mediante la técnica de ADN Polimórfico Amplificado al Azar (RAPD) con dos cebadores aleatorios.  En total se generaron 28 amplicones RAPD (26 polimórficos y 2 monomórficos). Dentro de los aguajales la diversidad genética fue tres veces mayor (75±19 %) que la diversidad genética entre las seis poblaciones de M. flexuosa (25±19 %). La diferenciación genética entre las poblaciones varió de 0,0 a 0,6. Los aguajales que se agruparon en clados en el dendrograma por su mayor similitud genética tuvieron proximidad geográfica. La similitud genética entre las poblaciones de M. flexuosa depende de la distancia geográfica, de tal manera que las poblaciones con más similitud genética están más próximas entre sí que las que tienen menos similitud genética.
Especies maderables y no maderables con sustancias colorantes utilizadas para el teñido y pintado de telas en 19 comunidades indígenas de la región Ucayali, Perú
Authors: Riveros Luisa , Castillo Andrés
Published: October 2016

Este trabajo de investigación se llevó a cabo en 19 comunidades indígenas de la etnia Shipibo-Conibo, en la Región Ucayali, con el objetivo de determinar que especies maderables y no  maderables son utilizadas, como materia prima para teñir o dibujar líneas en las telas, con el diseño característico de este grupo étnico.  La metodología utilizada fue descriptiva, con visitas a las diferentes comunidades indígenas, talleres participativos, conversaciones con los artesanos más experimentados y colecta botánica de las especies señaladas por ellos.  Se logró determinar que las especies con sustancias de coloración más utilizadas son Swietenia macrophylla (caoba), Trichilia maynasiana, Trichilia poeppigiana  (Meliaceae), Terminalia oblonga, Terminalia sp., Buchenavia parvifolia (Combretaceae), y Picramnia juniniana (Simaroubaceae). Las tonalidades que proporcionan son rojos, café oscuro, café claro y en el caso de Picramnia juniniana, lila. Los componentes químicos encontrados en las sustancias colorantes fueron taninos, flavonoides, lactonas y quinonas.
Riesgo de inundación de la ciudad de Iquitos, Perú
Authors: Soria Díaz Henry Francisco , Camarasa Belmonte Ana , Carmona González Pilar
Published: October 2016

El presente trabajo constituye un diagnóstico aproximado sobre el riesgo de inundación de la ciudad de Iquitos. La finalidad del estudio fue identificar las áreas que presentan riesgos de inundación, en referencia al registro histórico del caudal del río Amazonas en el 2012, para establecer propuestas de gestión y ordenación territorial. La metodología empleada para la elaboración de la cartografía de riesgo se basó en el trabajo de Camarasa y Soriano (2008, 2012),  como referencia para la identificación de las unidades de peligro de inundación y vulnerabilidad, a partir de las cartografías de geomorfología, uso actual del suelo, valoración económica del suelo y exposición humana.
Los resultados manifiestan que en la cartografía de riesgo de inundación, la unidad predominante fue el de riesgo “alto” que representó el 65,36% del área de estudio; en contraste, las unidades con riesgo “bajo y medio” constituyeron el 25,21%. Se propone el crecimiento urbano de la ciudad para los próximos veinte años hacia el área de influencia de la carretera Iquitos-Nauta, por tener condiciones de relieve alto, tales como las terrazas medias, altas, y colinas bajas.
Resúmenes Conferencias Magistrales
Authors: Vargas Arana Editor Gabriel
Published: October 2016

En este artículo se pueden encontrar los resúmenes de las conferencias magistrales del III Congreso Latinoamericano de Plantas Medicinales, desarrollado del 12 al 14 de agosto de 2015 en la ciudad de Iquitos, Perú.
Prevalencia de microfilariasis en la población humana de Iquitos y zonas peri urbanas, Loreto, Perú
Authors: Rimarachín Dolores , Flores Francisco , Vásquez Juan , Rocha Abraham , Forshey Brett M. , Morrison Amy C.
Published: October 2016

Los estudios de filariasis podrían ayudarnos a identificar casos febriles de etiología desconocida en los establecimientos de Salud. Se realizó un estudio epidemiológico, descriptivo, observacional, transversal y prospectivo; determinando la prevalencia de microfilariasis, relacionándola con las características epidemiológicas como sexo, edad y fiebre. Se procesaron 755 muestras. La microfilariasis fue detectada mediante microscopia simple, la prueba de Knott y Gota Gruesa fueron modificados por los autores. Se determinó una prevalencia de 6,2 %, encontrándose  Mansonella ozzardi  (2,0%) y una especie atípica, designada como Microfilaria sp. (4,1%); y la confección por ambas especies (0,1%). Las personas infectadas por Microfilaria sp., desarrollaban actividades en zona urbana; encontrándose una  frecuencia alta en mujeres de 4 a 12 años, procedentes de los distritos de San Juan, Iquitos y Punchana. Las infecciones por M. ozzardi  fueron  frecuentes en pacientes febriles del género masculino, de 22 a 39 años, procedentes del distrito de Belén, cuya actividad principal se desarrolla mayormente  en el campo.  Se encontró pobladores infectados con microfilarias en la ciudad de Iquitos y zonas peri urbanas; resultados que justifican investigaciones para determinar si el parásito Microfilaria sp., está causando síndromes clínicos y definir los ciclos de transmisión.
 
Comparativo de rendimiento de cuatro ecotipos de Solanum sessiliflorum Dunal, en la localidad de Zungarococha, Iquitos
Authors: Samanamud Curto Angelo F. , Ramírez Chung José F.
Published: October 2016

Desde el punto de vista de producción de cocona, conocer un ecotipo de buen rendimiento de frutos por planta es de mucha utilidad porque permite establecer un ecotipo ideal para iniciar un proyecto comercial. Se planteó el siguiente objetivo: Determinar cuál o cuáles de los cuatro ecotipos de Solanum sessiliflorum Dunal presentan los mayores rendimientos de frutos, en  la localidad de Zungarococha. Se utilizó el Diseño de Bloque Completo al Azar, con 4 tratamientos (04 ecotipos de cocona) y 4 repeticiones. Las variables que se estudiaron fueron: rendimiento de fruto (Tm/Ha), rendimiento de fruto (g/planta), peso de fruto (g/fruto), número de frutos/planta, largo de fruto (cm/fruto), diámetro de fruto (cm/fruto), altura de planta (m/planta), y diámetro de tallo (cm/planta). Se pudo observar que, para rendimiento de fruto, los ecotipos de fruto grande A y D son los que generaron mayor rendimiento (16,32 y 13,11 tm/ha respectivamente) en comparación con los ecotipos de frutos chicos B y C (8,54 y 6,64 Tm/Ha respectivamente), mostrando diferencias altamente significativas, muy a pesar de que estos últimos producen gran cantidad de frutos por planta (27,71 y 28,04 frutos para C y B respectivamente) contrastando con ecotipos de fruto grande (11,68 y 9,21 frutos para A y D respectivamente), siendo estas diferencias altamente significativas. De acuerdo a estos resultados, se concluye, que para rendimiento por unidad por superficie, los ecotipos con mayores rendimientos con un menor número de frutos por planta en las  condiciones agroecológicas donde se trabajó fueron los ecotipos A y D.
The role of NUPR1 in lymphocyte proliferation and apoptosis
Authors: Vujicic Milica , Vasic Bobana , Nikolic Ivana , Saksida Tamara , Stojanovic Ivana
Published: October 2016

Nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1) is a transcription cofactor that senses stressful
conditions and modulates cellular response by promoting or inhibiting
apoptosis. NUPR1 is usually highly expressed in tumor cells where it enables
them to adapt and resist environmental stress or chemotherapeutic compounds.
NUPR1 can be involved in cell proliferation. Data about the involvement of
NUPR1 in the proliferation and apoptosis of lymphocytes are scarce.
Therefore, in this study we focused on the role of NUPR1 in lymphocyte
physiology and found that NUPR1 might be involved in the initiation of their
proliferation. Lymphocytes were isolated from the cervical lymph nodes of
C57BL/6 mice. NUPR1 expression subsided 24 h after the induction of
proliferation by a mitogen. Also, stressful conditions after cell isolation
led to increased NUPR1 mRNA and protein expression in vitro that coincided
with cell apoptosis. Similarly, apoptosis induction by staurosporine, a
broad-range protein kinase inhibitor, led to increased NUPR1 expression. In
addition, NUPR1 inhibition by smallinterfering RNA prevented the
staurosporine-induced apoptosis (judging from decreased caspase activity) in
the whole cell population of cervical lymph nodes. However, NUPR1 absence was
irrelevant to the induction of apoptosis in CD3+ T lymphocytes, suggesting
that NUPR1 is probably a mediator of apoptosis in other immune cell
populations within the lymph node, such as B lymphocytes. In conclusion, our
results suggest that NUPR1 is important for the initiation of lymphocyte cell
division and for the apoptotic process of non-T cells during stressful
conditions.
Molecular characterization of potato virus y inducing potato tuber necrotic ringspot disease in Serbia
Authors: Ristic Danijela , Vucurovic Ivan , Kuzmanovic Slobodan , Milosevic Drago , Gasic Katarina , Dolovac Nenad , Starovic Mira
Published: October 2016

The Potato virus Y (PVY) is the most important limiting factor for potato
seed production in Serbia. Currently, PVY is a major concern for the potato
seed growers. Initially, serological (ELISA) tests were carried out on 100
potato seed tubers from each of the seven potato cv. during 2013. The
infection rates with the PVYN was between 5 and 36%. A complete genome
sequencing of the most common Serbian isolate of PVY (3D), followed by
molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis has been performed to
show what group it belongs to. Our isolate?s complete genome sequence
(KJ946936) showed that the Serbian PVY isolate (3D) is 99.7% identical at nt
level, with other tuber necrosis strain group (PVYNTN) from Europe.
Phylogenetic analysis revealed three consistent lineages of isolates, showing
that our isolate was clustered with the isolates from Europe and North
America in the PVYN lineage which induces potato tuber necrotic ringspot
disease (PTNRD). The Serbian isolate of PVYNTN together with the isolates
from Europe was clustered in the branch of European sublineage, with a high
bootstrap support and no genetic diversity. This is the first study in Serbia
demonstrating phylogenetic distinction between our isolate and other isolates
of PVY.
The application of protein markers in conversion of maize inbred lines to the cytoplasmic male sterility basis
Authors: Stevanovic Milan , Camdzija Zoran , Pavlov Jovan , Markovic Ksenija , Vancetovic Jelena , Mladenovic-Drinic Snezana , Filipovic Milomir
Published: October 2016

A total of seven maize inbred lines of different origin and maturity group
were used in the trial set up according to the split-plot randomized complete
block design in five environments. Each inbred was observed in five variants:
original inbred (N); cytoplasmic male sterile C-type (CMS-C); restorer for
CMS-C (RfC); cytoplasmic male sterile S-type (CMS-S) and restorer for CMS-S
(RfS). The objective was to compare grain yield of original inbreds and their
CMS and Rf variants and to apply Isoelectric focusing (IEF) to determine
whether the conversion of original inbreds to their CMS and Rf counterparts
have been done completely. Protein markers have shown that conversion of
almost all inbreds was done good and completely. Only original inbreds ZPL2
and ZPL5 did not concur on banding patterns with their RfC variants. The type
of cytoplasm had a very significant impact on grain yield. Namely, CMS-C
counterparts significantly out yielded their CMS-S versions, while the
inbreds with C and S cytoplasm over yielded inbreds with N cytoplasm, as well
as their RfC and RfS versions.
Difference in apolipoprotein E genotype distribution between dentate and edentulous elderly patients with Alzheimer disease
Authors: Popovac Aleksandra , Stancic Ivica , Despotovic Nebojsa , Nikolic Nadja , Stefanova Elka , Milasin Jelena
Published: October 2016

Association between dementia and tooth loss has been shown although the
nature of that association is not clear. It has also been shown that risk of
dementia was increased in apolipoprotein E4 allele carriers. The objective of
this study was to determine the frequency of APOE alleles and their
association with the dental status in elderly demented patients. Dental
status of 67 patients with dementia was recorded. DNA was isolated from
buccal swabs and genotyping was done by PCR-RFLP. The majority of
participants had E3/E4 genotype (55.2%) and these heterozygotes were
significantly more frequent than any other genotype (p<0.001). There was no
significant association between dental status and genotype. However, partial
edentulousness with very few teeth in both jaws (1-9 teeth) was significantly
more frequent among demented patients with E3/E4 genotype (p=0.021). Patients
with Alzheimer disease most frequently had E3/E4 genotype and had very few or
no teeth.
Corrigendum: Ashrafi F., A. Hashemi, K. Mardani, and R. Darvishzadeh (2014): Study on genetic variability in MHC-DRB1 second exon in makuie sheep breed population. Genetika, vol 46, no. 1, 269-275. DOI: 10.2298/GENSR1401269A
Authors: Editorial E
Published: October 2016

The Editor-in-Chief has been informed that the results in Table 1 presented
in the article: Study on genetic variability in MHC-DRB1 second exon in
makuie sheep breed population published in the Genetika in 2014, Vol. 46,
no.1 partially overlap with the results in Tables 2, published in the article
Fereshteh Ashrafi, Karim Mardani, Ali Hashemi, Reza Darvishzadeh, Mohammad
Farhadian Association of molecular polymorphism in exon 2 of
Ovar-DRB1genewith weight traits in Iranian Makuie sheep breed, Turkish
Journal of Veterinary and Animal SciencesTurk J Vet Anim Sci (2014) 38:
126-132,doi:10.3906/vet-1305-46 without proper cross-referencing. This claim
is correct and we are reporting this overlap in order to provide appropriate
cross-referencing to the another work.

 Link to the corrected article 10.2298/GENSR1401269A
Governing Global Aeromobility
Authors: Edwards Bret
Published: October 2016

This article surveys Canada’s regulatory response to global aeromobility in the late twentieth century. It examines the Canadian state’s strategies to restrict the movement of refugee claimants landing at airports during the 1980s and the national discourse around this process. Mass air travel enabled more refugees, particularly from the Global South, to travel to Canada and, in the process, challenged how the country governed aerial and cosmopolitan populations. In response, Canadian authorities erected an enforcement regime at the country’s international airports, which transformed them into contested entry points to national space and normative citizenship where links between mobility, borders, and nation were simultaneously reinforced and contested. This article thus provides an integral case study of national ambivalence toward
global aeromobility in the late twentieth century.
Time and the Other in Nineteenth-Century German Travel Writing on Africa
Authors: Reimann-Dawe Tracey
Published: October 2016

Between 1848 and 1914 a wave of German academic explorers traveled to Africa,
enticed by the promise of geographical, anthropological and botanical discoveries. These Afrikareisende (African explorers) composed narrative accounts of their journeys, which at the time were the main channel for disseminating their experiences to the public. This article focuses on three works from the first three decades of German exploration of Africa prior to German unification in 1871. The common aim of scientific discovery unified Afrikareisende and their passage through foreign space. An inextricable feature of this scientific ideology is the connection to rational, linear time. This article demonstrates how the perception and relevance of time is employed to transfer knowledge of the Self and Other to a German readership. This knowledge reflects not only the explorers’ experience of their personal identity but also the tentative beginnings of a collective German identity as it is defined in colonial space.
Development of an Ionic Liquid-Based Ultrasonic/Microwave-Assisted Simultaneous Distillation and Extraction Method for Separation of Camptothecin, 10-Hydroxycamptothecin, Vincoside-Lactam, and Essential Oils from the Fruits of Camptotheca acuminata Decne
Authors: Zhao Chunjian , Zhang Yukun , Li Chunying , He Xin , Yang Lei , Fu Yujie , Zhang Jingjing , Zhao Wenyan , Zu Yuangang
Published: October 2016

An ionic liquid-based ultrasonic/microwave-assisted simultaneous distillation and extraction (IL-UMASDE) method for isolating camptothecin (CPT), 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT), vincoside-lactam (VCS-LT), and essential oils (EOs) from Camptotheca acuminata Decne fruits was developed. The important parameters were optimized using single-factor and central composite design experiments. The optimum conditions were 0.75 M 1-octyl-3-methylimidazolium ([C8mim]Br) as the extraction solvent, a liquid–solid ratio of 13.7 mL/g, an extraction time of 33.2 min, a microwave power of 582 W, and a fixed ultrasonic power of 50 W. The yields of CPT, HCPT, and VCS-LT obtained under the optimum conditions were 2.463, 0.164, and 0.297 mg/g, respectively; these are 1.08-, 1.12-, and 1.04-fold higher, respectively, than those obtained by conventional 55% ethanol heat reflux extraction (HRE). The extraction time for the equilibrium yields of CPT, HCPT and VCS-LT using IL-UMASDE was 33.6%, 58.5%, 63.1%, and 66.8%, respectively, less than the corresponding times using IL-MASDE, IL-ultrasonic-assisted extraction (IL-UAE), 55% ethanol UAE and 55% ethanol HRE. The yield of EOs obtained using IL-UMASDE was 0.793 mg/g, i.e., 1.31-fold higher than that obtained by conventional hydrodistillation extraction (HDE). The components of the EOs obtained using IL-UMASDE and HDE were similar. The extraction time for the equilibrium yields of EOs using IL-UMASDE is 33.6%, 58.5%, 52.6%, and 72.3% lower than those for IL-MASDE, water-UMASDE, water-MASDE, and HDE, respectively. Compared with other extraction methods, IL-UMASDE gave the highest yields of CPT, HCPT, VCS-LT, and EOs and also had the shortest extraction time. IL-UMASDE is a potential green and highly efficient technique for the extraction of CPT, HCPT, VCS-LT, and EOs from Camptotheca acuminata Decne fruits.
Boltzmann Sampling by Degenerate Optical Parametric Oscillator Network for Structure-Based Virtual Screening
Authors: Sakaguchi Hiromasa , Ogata Koji , Isomura Tetsu , Utsunomiya Shoko , Yamamoto Yoshihisa , Aihara Kazuyuki
Published: October 2016

A structure-based lead optimization procedure is an essential step to finding appropriate ligand molecules binding to a target protein structure in order to identify drug candidates. This procedure takes a known structure of a protein-ligand complex as input, and structurally similar compounds with the query ligand are designed in consideration with all possible combinations of atomic species. This task is, however, computationally hard since such combinatorial optimization problems belong to the non-deterministic nonpolynomial-time hard (NP-hard) class. In this paper, we propose the structure-based lead generation and optimization procedures by a degenerate optical parametric oscillator (DOPO) network. Results of numerical simulation demonstrate that the DOPO network efficiently identifies a set of appropriate ligand molecules according to the Boltzmann sampling law.
Easy as Pi: A Network Coding Raspberry Pi Testbed
Authors: Sørensen Chres , Hernández Marcano Néstor , Cabrera Guerrero Juan , Wunderlich Simon , Lucani Daniel , Fitzek Frank
Published: October 2016

In the near future, upcoming communications and storage networks are expected to tolerate major difficulties produced by huge amounts of data being generated from the Internet of Things (IoT). For these types of networks, strategies and mechanisms based on network coding have appeared as an alternative to overcome these difficulties in a holistic manner, e.g., without sacrificing the benefit of a given network metric when improving another. There has been recurrent issues on: (i) making large-scale deployments akin to the Internet of Things; (ii) assessing and (iii) replicating the obtained results in preliminary studies. Therefore, finding testbeds that can deal with large-scale deployments and not lose historic data in order to evaluate these mechanisms are greatly needed and desirable from a research perspective. However, this can be hard to manage, not only due to the inherent costs of the hardware, but also due to maintenance challenges. In this paper, we present the required key steps to design, setup and maintain an inexpensive testbed using Raspberry Pi devices for communications and storage networks with network coding capabilities. This testbed can be utilized for any applications requiring results replicability.
Comparative Study of Local and National Media Reporting: Conflict around the TV Oak in Stockholm, Sweden
Authors: Östberg Johan , Kleinschmit Daniela
Published: October 2016

The TV oak (Television Oak) conflict concerned felling an old tree in a wealthy area of Stockholm. The case received great public attention in different media formats with different scopes (e.g., newspapers, television, internet). The TV Oak issue involved actors with different, partly conflicting perceptions. Assuming that the relevance of urban tree management issues in particular leads to increased interest among the local audience, this paper compared differences in reporting on the TV Oak case in local and national newspapers. The comparison comprised the actors “speaking” in the newspapers, the interest roles attributed to different actors and the frames used. The empirical materials used were articles concerning the TV Oak published between October 2011 and June 2012 in one local and two national Swedish newspapers. Quantitative analysis of statements in these articles showed that the geographical scope of the newspaper was not the major driving force framing the TV Oak conflict and that variety of framings, ranging from a humanised perception of the oak to a more analytical hazard perception, were used. Differences between the interest roles allocated to different actors (e.g., in terms of victim, causer, and helper in the oak conflict) showed that the framing of conflicts very much depended on single actors, in particular a high profile journalist in the national newspapers and private individuals writing letters to the editor in the local newspaper.
The Effect of Straight-Line and Accelerated Depreciation Rules on Risky Investment Decisions—An Experimental Study
Authors: Ackermann Hagen , Fochmann Martin , Wolf Nadja
Published: October 2016

The aim of this study is to analyze how depreciation rules influence the decision behavior of investors. For this purpose, we conduct a laboratory experiment in which participants decide on the composition of an asset portfolio in different choice situations. Using an experimental setting with different payment periods, we show that accelerated compared to straight-line depreciation can increase the willingness to invest as hypothesized by theory. However, this expected behavior is only observed in a more complex environment (with a subsidy) and not in a less complex environment (without a subsidy).
Panax ginseng Fraction F3 Extracted by Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Protects against Oxidative Stress in ARPE-19 Cells
Authors: Yang Chao-Chin , Chen Chiu-Yuan , Wu Chun-Chi , Koo Malcolm , Yu Zer-Ran , Wang Be-Jen
Published: October 2016

In our previous work, the ethanolic extract of Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer was successively partitioned using supercritical carbon dioxide at pressures in series to yield residue (R), F1, F2, and F3 fractions. Among them, F3 contained the highest deglycosylated ginsenosides and exerted the strongest antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of P. ginseng fractions against cellular oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Viability of adult retinal pigment epithelium-19 (ARPE-19) cells was examined after treatments of different concentrations of fractions followed by exposure to H2O2. Oxidative levels (malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and reactive oxygen species (ROS)) and levels of activity of antioxidant enzymes were assessed. Results showed that F3 could dose-dependently protected ARPE-19 cells against oxidative injury induced by H2O2. F3 at a level of 1 mg/mL could restore the cell death induced by H2O2 of up to 60% and could alleviate the increase in cellular oxidation (MDA, 8-OHdG, and ROS) induced by H2O2. Moreover, F3 could restore the activities of antioxidant enzymes suppressed by H2O2. In conclusion, F3 obtained using supercritical carbon dioxide fractionation could significantly increase the antioxidant capacity of P. ginseng extract. The antioxidant capacity was highly correlated with the concentration of F3.
Endogenous Multiple Exon Skipping and Back-Splicing at the DMD Mutation Hotspot
Authors: Suzuki Hitoshi , Aoki Yoshitsugu , Kameyama Toshiki , Saito Takashi , Masuda Satoru , Tanihata Jun , Nagata Tetsuya , Mayeda Akila , Takeda Shin’ichi , Tsukahara Toshifumi
Published: October 2016

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe muscular disorder. It was reported that multiple exon skipping (MES), targeting exon 45–55 of the DMD gene, might improve patients’ symptoms because patients who have a genomic deletion of all these exons showed very mild symptoms. Thus, exon 45–55 skipping treatments for DMD have been proposed as a potential clinical cure. Herein, we detected the expression of endogenous exons 44–56 connected mRNA transcript of the DMD using total RNAs derived from human normal skeletal muscle by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and identified a total of eight types of MES products around the hotspot. Surprisingly, the 5′ splice sites of recently reported post-transcriptional introns (remaining introns after co-transcriptional splicing) act as splicing donor sites for MESs. We also tested exon combinations to generate DMD circular RNAs (circRNAs) and determined the preferential splice sites of back-splicing, which are involved not only in circRNA generation, but also in MESs. Our results fit the current circRNA-generation model, suggesting that upstream post-transcriptional introns trigger MES and generate circRNA because its existence is critical for the intra-intronic interaction or for extremely distal splicing.
Dielectric Characteristics and Microwave Absorption of Graphene Composite Materials
Authors: Rubrice Kevin , Castel Xavier , Himdi Mohamed , Parneix Patrick
Published: October 2016

Nowadays, many types of materials are elaborated for microwave absorption applications. Carbon-based nanoparticles belong to these types of materials. Among these, graphene presents some distinctive features for electromagnetic radiation absorption and thus microwave isolation applications. In this paper, the dielectric characteristics and microwave absorption properties of epoxy resin loaded with graphene particles are presented from 2 GHz to 18 GHz. The influence of various parameters such as particle size (3 µm, 6–8 µm, and 15 µm) and weight ratio (from 5% to 25%) are presented, studied, and discussed. The sample loaded with the smallest graphene size (3 µm) and the highest weight ratio (25%) exhibits high loss tangent (tanδ = 0.36) and a middle dielectric constant ε′ = 12–14 in the 8–10 GHz frequency range. As expected, this sample also provides the highest absorption level: from 5 dB/cm at 4 GHz to 16 dB/cm at 18 GHz.
Flavin-Dependent Redox Transfers by the Two-Component Diketocamphane Monooxygenases of Camphor-Grown Pseudomonas putida NCIMB 10007
Authors: Willetts Andrew , Kelly David
Published: October 2016

The progressive titres of key monooxygenases and their requisite native donors of reducing power were used to assess the relative contribution of various camphor plasmid (CAM plasmid)- and chromosome-coded activities to biodegradation of (rac)-camphor at successive stages throughout growth of Pseudomonas putida NCIMB 10007 on the bicylic monoterpenoid. A number of different flavin reductases (FRs) have the potential to supply reduced flavin mononucleotide to both 2,5- and 3,6-diketocamphane monooxygenase, the key isoenzymic two-component monooxygenases that delineate respectively the (+)- and (−)-camphor branches of the convergent degradation pathway. Two different constitutive chromosome-coded ferric reductases able to act as FRs can serve such as role throughout all stages of camphor-dependent growth, whereas Fred, a chromosome-coded inducible FR can only play a potentially significant role in the relatively late stages. Putidaredoxin reductase, an inducible CAM plasmid-coded flavoprotein that serves an established role as a redox intermediate for plasmid-coded cytochrome P450 monooxygenase also has the potential to serve as an important FR for both diketocamphane monooxygenases (DKCMOs) throughout most stages of camphor-dependent growth.
Dietary Components and Metabolic Dysfunction: Translating Preclinical Studies into Clinical Practice
Authors: Santulli Gaetano
Published: October 2016

The importance of diet in the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome is well acknowledged [1–3] and may be crucial in the determination of cardiovascular risk and the development of cardiovascular complications [4–7].[...]
Associations of Milk Consumption and Vitamin B2 and Β12 Derived from Milk with Fitness, Anthropometric and Biochemical Indices in Children. The Healthy Growth Study
Authors: Moschonis George , Van den Heuvel Ellen , Mavrogianni Christina , Singh-Povel Cécile , Leotsinidis Michalis , Manios Yannis
Published: October 2016

The benefits of dairy consumption seem to extend beyond its significant contribution to ensuring nutrient intake adequacy as indicated by the favourable associations with several health outcomes reported by different studies. The aims of the present study were to examine the associations of milk consumption with fitness, anthropometric and biochemical indices in children and further explore whether the observed associations are attributed to vitamins B2 and B12 derived from milk. A representative subsample of 600 children aged 9–13 years participating in the Healthy Growth Study was examined. Data were collected on children’s dietary intake, using 24 h recalls, as well as on fitness, anthropometric and biochemical indices. Regression analyses were performed for investigating the research hypothesis, adjusting for potential confounders and for B-vitamin status indices (i.e., plasma riboflavin, methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine concentrations), dietary calcium intake and plasma zinc concentrations that could possibly act as effect modifiers. Milk consumption was positively associated with the number of stages performed in the endurance run test (ERT) (β = 0.10; p = 0.017) and negatively with body mass index (BMI) (β = −0.10; p = 0.014), after adjusting for several potential confounders and effect modifiers. Dietary intakes of vitamin B2 and B12 derived from milk were also positively associated with the number of ERT stages (β = 0.10; p = 0.015 and β = 0.10; p = 0.014 respectively). In conclusion, higher intake of milk as well as vitamin B2 and B12 derived from milk were independently associated with higher cardiorespiratory fitness in Greek preadolescents. The key roles of these B-vitamins in substrate oxidation, energy production, haemoglobin synthesis and erythropoiesis could provide a basis for interpreting these associations. However, further research is needed to confirm this potential interpretation.
An In Vitro Procedure for Phenotypic Screening of Growth Parameters and Symbiotic Performances in Lotus corniculatus Cultivars Maintained in Different Nutritional Conditions
Authors: Valkov Vladimir , Chiurazzi Maurizio
Published: October 2016

The establishment of legumes crops with phenotypic traits that favour their persistence and competitiveness in mixed swards is a pressing task in sustainable agriculture. However, to fully exploit the potential benefits of introducing pasture-based grass-legume systems, an increased scientific knowledge of legume agronomy for screening of favourable traits is needed. We exploited a short-cut phenotypic screening as a preliminary step to characterize the growth capacity of three different Lotus corniculatus cvs cultivated in different nutritional conditions as well as the evaluation of their nodulation capacities. This experimental scheme, developed for legume species amenable to grow on agar plates conditions, may represent a very preliminary step to achieve phenotypic discrimination on different cultivars.
Towards an Explanation Generation System for Robots: Analysis and Recommendations
Authors: Meadows Ben , Sridharan Mohan , Colaco Zenon
Published: October 2016

A fundamental challenge in robotics is to reason with incomplete domain knowledge to explain unexpected observations and partial descriptions extracted from sensor observations. Existing explanation generation systems draw on ideas that can be mapped to a multidimensional space of system characteristics, defined by distinctions, such as how they represent knowledge and if and how they reason with heuristic guidance. Instances in this multidimensional space corresponding to existing systems do not support all of the desired explanation generation capabilities for robots. We seek to address this limitation by thoroughly understanding the range of explanation generation capabilities and the interplay between the distinctions that characterize them. Towards this objective, this paper first specifies three fundamental distinctions that can be used to characterize many existing explanation generation systems. We explore and understand the effects of these distinctions by comparing the capabilities of two systems that differ substantially along these axes, using execution scenarios involving a robot waiter assisting in seating people and delivering orders in a restaurant. The second part of the paper uses this study to argue that the desired explanation generation capabilities corresponding to these three distinctions can mostly be achieved by exploiting the complementary strengths of the two systems that were explored. This is followed by a discussion of the capabilities related to other major distinctions to provide detailed recommendations for developing an explanation generation system for robots.
Evaluation of the Performance of Three Satellite Precipitation Products over Africa
Authors: Serrat-Capdevila Aleix , Merino Manuel , Valdes Juan , Durcik Matej
Published: October 2016

We present an evaluation of daily estimates from three near real-time quasi-global Satellite Precipitation Products—Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA), Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks (PERSIANN), and Climate Prediction Center (CPC) Morphing Technique (CMORPH)—over the African continent, using the Global Precipitation Climatology Project one Degree Day (GPCP-1dd) as a reference dataset for years 2001 to 2013. Different types of errors are characterized for each season as a function of spatial classifications (latitudinal bands, climatic zones and topography) and in relationship with the main rain-producing mechanisms in the continent: the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and the East African Monsoon. A bias correction of the satellite estimates is applied using a probability density function (pdf) matching approach, with a bias analysis as a function of rain intensity, season and latitude. The effects of bias correction on different error terms are analyzed, showing an almost elimination of the mean and variance terms in most of the cases. While raw estimates of TMPA show higher efficiency, all products have similar efficiencies after bias correction. PERSIANN consistently shows the smallest median errors when it correctly detects precipitation events. The areas with smallest relative errors and other performance measures follow the position of the ITCZ oscillating seasonally over the equator, illustrating the close relationship between satellite estimates and rainfall regime.
Urban Land Cover Change Modelling Using Time-Series Satellite Images: A Case Study of Urban Growth in Five Cities of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alqurashi Abdullah , Kumar Lalit , Sinha Priyakant
Published: October 2016

This study analyses the expansion of urban growth and land cover changes in five Saudi Arabian cities (Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Al-Taif and the Eastern Area) using Landsat images for the 1985, 1990, 2000, 2007 and 2014 time periods. The classification was carried out using object-based image analysis (OBIA) to create land cover maps. The classified images were used to predict the land cover changes and urban growth for 2024 and 2034. The simulation model integrated the Markov chain (MC) and Cellular Automata (CA) modelling methods and the simulated maps were compared and validated to the reference maps. The simulation results indicated high accuracy of the MC–CA integrated models. The total agreement between the simulated and the reference maps was >92% for all the simulation years. The results indicated that all five cities showed a massive urban growth between 1985 and 2014 and the predicted results showed that urban expansion is likely to continue going for 2024 and 2034 periods. The transition probabilities of land cover, such as vegetation and water, are most likely to be urban areas, first through conversion to bare soil and then to urban land use. Integrating of time-series satellite images and the MC–CA models provides a better understanding of the past, current and future patterns of land cover changes and urban growth in this region. Simulation of urban growth will help planners to develop sustainable expansion policies that may reduce the future environmental impacts.
A Bio-Inspired Model-Based Approach for Context-Aware Post-WIMP Tele-Rehabilitation
Authors: López-Jaquero Víctor , Rodríguez Arturo , Teruel Miguel , Montero Francisco , Navarro Elena , Gonzalez Pascual
Published: October 2016

Tele-rehabilitation is one of the main domains where Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) have been proven useful to move healthcare from care centers to patients’ home. Moreover, patients, especially those carrying out a physical therapy, cannot use a traditional Window, Icon, Menu, Pointer (WIMP) system, but they need to interact in a natural way, that is, there is a need to move from WIMP systems to Post-WIMP ones. Moreover, tele-rehabilitation systems should be developed following the context-aware approach, so that they are able to adapt to the patients’ context to provide them with usable and effective therapies. In this work a model-based approach is presented to assist stakeholders in the development of context-aware Post-WIMP tele-rehabilitation systems. It entails three different models: (i) a task model for designing the rehabilitation tasks; (ii) a context model to facilitate the adaptation of these tasks to the context; and (iii) a bio-inspired presentation model to specify thoroughly how such tasks should be performed by the patients. Our proposal overcomes one of the limitations of the model-based approach for the development of context-aware systems supporting the specification of non-functional requirements. Finally, a case study is used to illustrate how this proposal can be put into practice to design a real world rehabilitation task.
Fault Diagnosis Based on Chemical Sensor Data with an Active Deep Neural Network
Authors: Jiang Peng , Hu Zhixin , Liu Jun , Yu Shanen , Wu Feng
Published: October 2016

Big sensor data provide significant potential for chemical fault diagnosis, which involves the baseline values of security, stability and reliability in chemical processes. A deep neural network (DNN) with novel active learning for inducing chemical fault diagnosis is presented in this study. It is a method using large amount of chemical sensor data, which is a combination of deep learning and active learning criterion to target the difficulty of consecutive fault diagnosis. DNN with deep architectures, instead of shallow ones, could be developed through deep learning to learn a suitable feature representation from raw sensor data in an unsupervised manner using stacked denoising auto-encoder (SDAE) and work through a layer-by-layer successive learning process. The features are added to the top Softmax regression layer to construct the discriminative fault characteristics for diagnosis in a supervised manner. Considering the expensive and time consuming labeling of sensor data in chemical applications, in contrast to the available methods, we employ a novel active learning criterion for the particularity of chemical processes, which is a combination of Best vs. Second Best criterion (BvSB) and a Lowest False Positive criterion (LFP), for further fine-tuning of diagnosis model in an active manner rather than passive manner. That is, we allow models to rank the most informative sensor data to be labeled for updating the DNN parameters during the interaction phase. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated in two well-known industrial datasets. Results indicate that the proposed method can obtain superior diagnosis accuracy and provide significant performance improvement in accuracy and false positive rate with less labeled chemical sensor data by further active learning compared with existing methods.