bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE ROLE OF RECORDING AND REPORTING PROCESS OF BASIC ACCOUNTING IN SMALL MEDIUM ENTERPRISES OF OMAH DUREN SURABAYA
Authors: Sonia Lucya Erlinda , Gianto Stefanie
Published: April 2018

Financial management is a problem that is quite difficult for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia. The lack of awareness and knowledge of SMEs owner regarding the accounting process considered as the root causes of their financial management difficulties. Based on that, researcher aims to help one of SMEs in Surabaya which is Omah Duren Surabaya, in order to know about the process of recording and reporting a SME, then find a way to improve it in a diligent way. Researcher uses interviews, observations and documents sheets to analyze and know-how Omah Duren business process. The information that gained from Omah Duren owner and transaction data, as well as direct observation in recording and reporting activities is one of researcher data sources. Researcher concluded that Omah Duren SME’s still not performing the simple accounting process in accordance with generally accepted. Therefore, researcher provide a recommendations in helping them in recording and reporting their financial effectively and efficiently. This research will also discuss the role of recording and reporting that is generally accepted for SMEs.
Bringing the Consumer Back in—The Motives, Perceptions, and Values behind Consumers and Rural Tourists’ Decision to Buy Local and Localized Artisan Food—A Swedish Example
Authors: Rytkönen Paulina , Bonow Madeleine , Girard Chloe , Tunón Håkan
Published: April 2018

This article highlights the motivational factors behind consumers’ and tourists’ decisions to buy local artisan cheese in Jämtland (Sweden). Empirically, the case itself diverts from the typical Franco-Mediterranean case in which both the actions of producers and consumers are embedded in historical, long-term culinary traditions and territorial features, nor is it the typical farmers’ market or another market-driven direct produce system. The main purpose is to shed light on the motivational factors behind the purchasing decision of consumers and tourists by studying the attributes that consumers embody in the products. The article is based on two consumer surveys/short interviews, the first conducted in June 2012 and the second in February 2017. The results were tested against/related to the wider local food discussion conceptualized through four types of attributes. Namely, intrinsic and extrinsic attributes; post-modernity and environmental attributes; geographical and territorial attributes; and local and rural development attributes. The results in this article clearly show that consumers value a combination of different attributes from both market-driven direct produce systems and close typicity systems. Therefore, the construction of proximity from the point of view of the consumer can be derived from a complex set of attributes and motivational factors not normally highlighted in the localized food discussion.
Use of Olive Oil Industrial By-Product for Pasta Enrichment
Authors: Padalino Lucia , D’Antuono Isabella , Durante Miriana , Conte Amalia , Cardinali Angela , Linsalata Vito , Mita Giovanni , Logrieco Antonio , Del Nobile Matteo
Published: April 2018

Background: During recent years food industries generally produce a large volume of wastes both solid and liquid, representing a disposal and potential environmental pollution problem. Objective: The goal of the study was to optimize, from both sensory and nutritional points of view, the formulation of durum wheat spaghetti enriched with an olive oil industrial by-product, indicated as olive paste. Methods: Three consecutive steps were carried out. In the first one, the olive paste was air-dried at low temperature, milled to record olive paste flour and properly analyzed for its biochemical composition. In the second step, the olive paste flour was added to the pasta dough at 10% and 15% (w/w). In the last step, different concentrations of transglutaminase were added to enriched pasta (10% olive paste) to further improve the quality. Sensory properties and nutritional content of enriched and control pasta were properly measured. Results: Spaghetti with 10% olive paste flour and 0.6% transglutaminase were considered acceptable to the sensory panel test. Nutritional analyses showed that addition of 10% olive paste flour to pasta considerably increased content of flavonoids and total polyphenols. Conclusions: The proper addition of olive paste flour and transglutaminase for pasta enrichment could represent a starting point to valorize olive oil industrial by-products and produce new healthy food products.
Accounting for Field-Scale Dry Deposition in Backward Lagrangian Stochastic Dispersion Modelling of NH3 Emissions
Authors: Häni Christoph , Flechard Christophe , Neftel Albrecht , Sintermann Jörg , Kupper Thomas
Published: April 2018

A controlled ammonia (NH3) release experiment was performed at a grassland site. The aim was to quantify the effect of dry deposition between the source and the receptors (NH3 measurement locations) on emission rate estimates by means of inverse dispersion modelling. NH3 was released for three hours at a constant rate of Q = 6.29 mg s−1 from a grid of 36 orifices spread over an area of 250 m2. The increase in line-integrated NH3 concentration was measured with open-path optical miniDOAS devices at different locations downwind of the artificial source. Using a backward Lagrangian stochastic (bLS) dispersion model (bLSmodelR), the fraction of the modelled release rate to the emitted NH3 ( Q bLS / Q ) was calculated from the measurements of the individual instruments. Q bLS / Q was found to be systematically lower than 1, on average between 0.69 and 0.91, depending on the location of the receptor. We hypothesized that NH3 dry deposition to grass and soil surfaces was the main factor responsible for the observed depletion of NH3 between source and receptor. A dry deposition algorithm based on a deposition velocity approach was included in the bLS modelling. Model deposition velocities were evaluated from a ‘big-leaf’ canopy resistance analogy. Canopy resistances (generally termed R c ) that provided Q bLS / Q = 1 ranged from 75 to 290 s m−1, showing that surface removal of NH3 by dry deposition can plausibly explain the original underestimation of Q bLS / Q . The inclusion of a dry deposition process in dispersion modelling is crucial for emission estimates, which are based on concentration measurements of depositing tracers downwind of homogeneous area sources or heterogeneously-distributed hot spots, such as, e.g., urine patches on pastures in the case of NH3.
Announcing the Atmosphere 2018 Travel Award for Young Investigators
Authors:   Atmosphere Editorial Office
Published: April 2018

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Quantum and Semiclassical Stark Widths for Ar VII Spectral Lines
Authors: Aloui Rihab , Elabidi Haykel , Sahal-Bréchot Sylvie , Dimitrijević Milan S.
Published: April 2018

We present in this paper the results of a theoretical study of electron impact broadening for several lines of the Ar VII ion. The results have been obtained using our quantum mechanical method and the semiclassical perturbation one. Results are presented for electron density 1018 cm−3 and for electron temperatures ranging from 2 × 10 4 to 5 × 10 5 K required for plasma modeling. Our results have been compared to other semiclassical ones obtained using different sources of atomic data. A study of the strong collisions contributions to line broadening has been performed. The atomic structure and collision data used for the calculations of line broadening are also calculated by our codes and compared to available theoretical results. The agreement found between the two calculations ensures that our line broadening procedure uses adequate structure and collision data.
The Effect of Axon Resealing on Retrograde Neuronal Death after Spinal Cord Injury in Lamprey
Authors: Zhang Guixin , Rodemer William , Lee Taemin , Hu Jianli , Selzer Michael
Published: April 2018

Failure of axon regeneration in the central nervous system (CNS) of mammals is due to both extrinsic inhibitory factors and to neuron-intrinsic factors. The importance of intrinsic factors is illustrated in the sea lamprey by the 18 pairs of large, individually identified reticulospinal (RS) neurons, whose axons are located in the same spinal cord tracts but vary greatly in their ability to regenerate after spinal cord transection (TX). The neurons that are bad regenerators also undergo very delayed apoptosis, signaled early by activation of caspases. We noticed that the neurons with a low probability of axon regeneration tend to be larger than the good regenerators. We postulate that the poorly regenerating larger neurons have larger caliber axons, which reseal more slowly, allowing more prolonged entry of toxic signals (e.g., Ca++) into the axon at the injury site. To test this hypothesis, we used a dye-exclusion assay, applying membrane-impermeable dyes to the cut ends of spinal cords at progressively longer post-TX intervals. Axons belonging to the very small neurons (not individually identified) of the medial inferior RS nucleus resealed within 15 min post-TX. Almost 75% of axons belonging to the medium-sized identified RS neurons resealed within 3 h. At this time, only 36% of the largest axons had resealed, often taking more than 24 h to exclude the dye. There was an inverse relationship between an RS neuron’s size and the probability that its axon would regenerate (r = −0.92) and that the neuron would undergo delayed apoptosis, as indicated by staining with a fluorescently labeled inhibitor of caspases (FLICA; r = 0.73). The artificial acceleration of resealing with polyethylene glycol (PEG) reduced retrograde neuronal apoptosis by 69.5% at 2 weeks after spinal cord injury (SCI), suggesting that axon resealing is a critical determinant of cell survival. Ca++-free Ringer’s solution with EGTA prolonged the sealing time and increased apoptotic signaling, suggesting that factors other than Ca++ diffusion into the injured tip contribute to retrograde death signaling. A longer distance of the lesion from the cell body reduced apoptotic signaling independent of the axon sealing time.
From ‘Rigid’ to ‘Resilient’: A Proposed Self-Build Relocatable SIP Construction Mechanism for Sustainable Social Housing Models in UAE
Authors: Ahmed Khaled Galal
Published: April 2018

The current ‘rigid’ construction systems and material of Emirati social housing leave little room for residents to undertake their desired adaptations and extensions of their turn-key houses, which have been designed, built and submitted to them by federal and local social housing institutions. This lack of adaptability and responsiveness to the residents’ changing needs has caused undeniable problems with regard to social sustainability. In response, residents have reacted spontaneously by changing and extending their houses, but, unfortunately in many cases, these actions have resulted in structural, environmental and health hazards. On the other hand, the recently emerging Structured Insulated Panels (SIPs) systems have been investigated in this research as sustainable, resilient and relocatable external/internal wall-floor-roof construction systems replacing the current ‘rigid’ masonry-and-reinforced-concrete one used in the construction of UAE social housing. This would help achieve the resilience of social housing and, thus, allow residents to have the lead in adapting and extending/contracting their houses without compromising environmental, structural and safety considerations. This research indicates that the use of SIP systems is promising and thus proposes a self-build construction mechanism that would give the residents the upper hand in the decisions relevant to their houses.
NF-κB Signaling Regulates Epstein–Barr Virus BamHI-Q-Driven EBNA1 Expression
Authors: Verhoeven Rob , Tong Shuang , Zong Jingfeng , Chen Yixin , Tsao Sai-Wah , Pan Jianji , Chen Honglin
Published: April 2018

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) is one of the few viral proteins expressed by EBV in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), most likely because of its essential role in maintaining the viral genome in EBV-infected cells. In NPC, EBNA1 expression is driven by the BamHI-Q promoter (Qp), which is regulated by both cellular and viral factors. We previously determined that the expression of another group of EBV transcripts, BamHI-A rightward transcripts (BARTs), is associated with constitutively activated nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling in NPC cells. Here, we show that, like the EBV BART promoter, the EBV Qp also responds to NF-κB signaling. NF-κB p65, but not p50, can activate Qp in vitro, and NF-κB signaling regulates Qp-EBNA1 expression in NPC cells, as well as in other EBV-infected epithelial cells. The introduction of mutations in the putative NF-κB site reduced Qp activation by the NF-κB p65 subunit. Binding of p65 to Qp was shown by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis, while electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) demonstrated that p50 can also bind to Qp. Inhibition of NF-κB signaling by the IκB kinase inhibitor PS-1145 resulted in the downregulation of Qp-EBNA1 expression in C666-1 NPC cells. Since EBNA1 has been reported to block p65 activation by inhibiting IKKα/β through an unknown mechanism, we suggest that, in NPC, NF-κB signaling and EBNA1 may form a regulatory loop which supports EBV latent gene expression, while also limiting NF-κB activity. These findings emphasize the role of NF-κB signaling in the regulation of EBV latency in EBV-associated tumors.
Microstructure Evolution of a Magnesium Phosphate Protective Layer on Concrete Structures in a Sulfate Environment
Authors: Li Jun , Ji Yongsheng , Huang Guodong , Zhang Linglei
Published: April 2018

This study investigates the resistance of an uncoated magnesium phosphate cement (MPC) protective layer to sulfate attacks through changes in its compressive strength and appearance. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) microanalyses are conducted on the MPC layer concrete both before and after etching, where changes in the microstructure of the magnesium phosphate protective layer are analyzed during the corrosion process. In addition, this study also explores the intrinsic mechanisms of the MPC protective layer in terms of the resistance of concrete to sulfate. The results showed that the erosion resistance of the concrete to sulfate can be dramatically improved by the MPC protective layer. The structure and composition of the MPC protective layer are different in the sulfate erosion environment compared with those exposed to other environments: the protective layer is more closely bonded to the concrete and has a more compact structure. Therefore, the MPC protective layer is verified to have a significant protective effect on concrete against sulfate corrosion.
Self-Assembled Composite Langmuir Films via Fluorine-Containing Bola-Type Derivative with Metal Ions
Authors: Qu Nianrui , Sun Shuxin , Zhao Qianran , Jiao Tifeng , Zhou Jingxin , Xing Ruirui , Gao Faming , Zhang Lexin , Peng Qiuming
Published: April 2018

The design and preparation of functional bolaamphiphile-based composite films are of key importance for application in a wide variety of fields. This study demonstrates a new approach to constructing composite films by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method using a fluorine-containing bola-type diacid derivative with different metal ions. The bola-type molecule we used could be spread on water surfaces and metal ion subphases to fabricate various nanostructured ultrathin films. The obtained data demonstrated that the employed metal ions, including Ag(I), Cu(II), and Eu(III) ions in subphase solutions, can regulate the organized molecular stacking and form interfacial nanostructures deposited in LB films. It was found that the interfacial coordinating interactions can easily occur between carboxyl groups in a molecular skeleton with metal ions in the formed composite films. The formation of composite films was confirmed by changes in the surface pressure-area isotherms, morphologies, and spectra of the transferred LB films. While various research works have achieved the regulation of functions and nanostructures of sophisticated bola-type compounds, we here demonstrate a simple routine to modulate the nanostructures and organized packing of bola-type compounds composite films by changing the metal ions in subphase solutions.
Fabrication of Self-healing Superhydrophobic Surfaces from Water-Soluble Polymer Suspensions Free of Inorganic Particles through Polymer Thermal Reconstruction
Authors: Shen Yalun , Wu Yitian , Shen Zhehong , Chen Hao
Published: April 2018

Self-healing superhydrophobic surfaces have been fabricated by casting and drying water-soluble amphiphilic polymer suspensions at room temperature through thermal reconstruction. When compared with previous methods, this approach exploits modified natural hierarchical microstructures from wood instead of artificially constructing them for superhydrophobic morphology, which involves neither organic solvent nor inorganic particles nor complex procedures. The obtained superhydrophobic surface has acceptable resistance to abrasion. The surface can recover superhydrophobicity spontaneously at room temperature upon damage, which can be accelerated at a higher temperature. After depleting healing agents, the polymer suspension can be sprayed or cast onto wood surfaces to replenish healing agents and to restore self-healing ability. The superhydrophobic surface greatly increases the mold inhibition and water resistance of wood, which would prolong the service life of wood based materials.
Centered and Averaged Fuzzy Entropy to Improve Fuzzy Entropy Precision
Authors: Girault Jean-Marc , Humeau-Heurtier Anne
Published: April 2018

Several entropy measures are now widely used to analyze real-world time series. Among them, we can cite approximate entropy, sample entropy and fuzzy entropy (FuzzyEn), the latter one being probably the most efficient among the three. However, FuzzyEn precision depends on the number of samples in the data under study. The longer the signal, the better it is. Nevertheless, long signals are often difficult to obtain in real applications. This is why we herein propose a new FuzzyEn that presents better precision than the standard FuzzyEn. This is performed by increasing the number of samples used in the computation of the entropy measure, without changing the length of the time series. Thus, for the comparisons of the patterns, the mean value is no longer a constraint. Moreover, translated patterns are not the only ones considered: reflected, inversed, and glide-reflected patterns are also taken into account. The new measure (so-called centered and averaged FuzzyEn) is applied to synthetic and biomedical signals. The results show that the centered and averaged FuzzyEn leads to more precise results than the standard FuzzyEn: the relative percentile range is reduced compared to the standard sample entropy and fuzzy entropy measures. The centered and averaged FuzzyEn could now be used in other applications to compare its performances to those of other already-existing entropy measures.
Statistical Reasoning: Choosing and Checking the Ingredients, Inferences Based on a Measure of Statistical Evidence with Some Applications
Authors: Al-Labadi Luai , Baskurt Zeynep , Evans Michael
Published: April 2018

The features of a logically sound approach to a theory of statistical reasoning are discussed. A particular approach that satisfies these criteria is reviewed. This is seen to involve selection of a model, model checking, elicitation of a prior, checking the prior for bias, checking for prior-data conflict and estimation and hypothesis assessment inferences based on a measure of evidence. A long-standing anomalous example is resolved by this approach to inference and an application is made to a practical problem of considerable importance, which, among other novel aspects of the analysis, involves the development of a relevant elicitation algorithm.
Investigation of In-Cylinder Steam Injection in a Turbocharged Diesel Engine for Waste Heat Recovery and NOx Emission Control
Authors: Zhang Zhongbo , Li Lifu
Published: April 2018

In this study, an in-cylinder steam injection method is introduced and applied to a turbocharged diesel engine for waste heat recovery and NOx emission reduction. In the method, cool water was first heated into superheated steam by exhaust. Then the superheated steam was directly injected into the cylinder during the compression stroke. The potential for fuel savings and NOx emission reduction obtained by this method was investigated. First, a two-zone combustion model for the baseline engine was established and calibrated with the experimental data. Based on the model, the effects of steam injection mass, temperature, and timing on engine performance and NOx emission were investigated. The results demonstrate that in-cylinder steam injection can improve engine performance and reduce NOx emissions significantly at all engine speeds. Optimal steam injection mass is obtained under full load at engine speed from 1000 rpm to 1900 rpm when the steam injection timing and temperature are −30° and 550 K, respectively. Under those conditions, engine torque is increased by 9.5–10.9%, brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC) is reduced by 8.6–9.9%, and NOx emission is decreased by 83.4–91.8%. Steam injection mass and injection timing are the main parameters that significantly affect engine performance and NOx emission.
Optimal Scheduling of Residential Microgrids Considering Virtual Energy Storage System
Authors: Liu Weiliang , Liu Changliang , Lin Yongjun , Ma Liangyu , Bai Kang , Wu Yanqun
Published: April 2018

The increasingly complex residential microgrids (r-microgrid) consisting of renewable generation, energy storage systems, and residential buildings require a more intelligent scheduling method. Firstly, aiming at the radiant floor heating/cooling system widely utilized in residential buildings, the mathematical relationship between the operative temperature and heating/cooling demand is established based on the equivalent thermodynamic parameters (ETP) model, by which the thermal storage capacity is analyzed. Secondly, the radiant floor heating/cooling system is treated as virtual energy storage system (VESS), and an optimization model based on mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) for r-microgrid scheduling is established which takes thermal comfort level and economy as the optimization objectives. Finally, the optimal scheduling results of two typical r-microgrids are analyzed. Case studies demonstrate that the proposed scheduling method can effectively employ the thermal storage capacity of radiant floor heating/cooling system, thus lowering the operating cost of the r-microgrid effectively while ensuring the thermal comfort level of users.
Energy-Saving Potential of China’s Steel Industry According to Its Development Plan
Authors: He Kun , Wang Li , Zhu Hongliang , Ding Yulong
Published: April 2018

The energy consumption of China’s steel industry accounted for 53% of the global steel industry energy consumption in 2014. This paper aims to analyze the energy saving potential of China’s steel industry, according to its development plan of the next decade, and find the key of energy conservation. A multivariate energy intensity (MEI) model is developed for energy saving potential analysis based on the research on China’s energy statistics indexes and methods, which is able to capture the impacts of production routes, technology progress, industrial concentration, energy structure, and electricity (proportion and generation efficiency). Different scenarios have been set to describe future policy measures in relation to the development of the iron and steel industry. Results show that an increasing scrap ratio (SR) has the greatest energy saving effect of 16.8% when compared with 2014, and the maximum energy saving potential reaches 23.7% after counting other factors. When considering coal consumption of power generation, the energy saving effect of increasing SR drops to 7.9%, due to the increase on the proportion of electricity in total energy consumption, and the maximum energy saving potential is 15.5%, and they can increase to 10.1% and 17.5%, respectively, with improving China’s power generation technology level.
Delimbing and Cross-cutting of Coniferous Trees–Time Consumption, Work Productivity and Performance
Authors: Ciubotaru Arcadie , Câmpu Răzvan
Published: April 2018

This research established the time consumption, work time structure, and productivity for primary processing in felling areas of coniferous trees felled with a chainsaw. Delimbing and partial cross-cutting were taken into consideration. The research was conducted in a mixed spruce and fir tree stand situated in the Carpathian Mountains. The team of workers consisted of a chainsaw operator and assistant with over 10 years of experience. The results indicated a total time of 536.32 s·m−3 (1145.26 s·tree−1), work performance (including delays) of 6.716 m3·h−1 (3.14 tree·h−1), and work productivity (without delays) of 35.459 m3·h−1 (16.58 tree·h−1). The chainsaw productivity during tree cross-cutting was 82.29 cm2·s−1. Delimbing accounted for 96.18% of the real work time, while cross-cutting accounted for 3.82%. The time consumption for delimbing and cross-cutting, as well as the work productivity and performance in the primary processing of coniferous trees in the felling area, were influenced by the breast height diameter, stem length, and tree volume, while the chainsaw productivity was influenced by the diameter of the cross-cut sections. The relationships between the aforementioned dependent and independent variables were determined by simple and linear multiple regression equations.
Stem Photosynthesis of Twig and Its Contribution to New Organ Development in Cutting Seedlings of Salix Matsudana Koidz.
Authors: Liu Junxiang , Gu Lin , Yu Yongchang , Ju Guansheng , Sun Zhenyuan
Published: April 2018

The objective of this study was to illustrate the photosynthetic characteristics of current twigs of Salix matsudana Koidz., and clarify the effect of stem photosynthesis on the new organ development in cutting seedlings. Excised twigs were taken as the experimental samples. The response of the stem photosynthesis rate to increasing light intensity and the effective photochemical efficiency of the cross section of the twig were determined. Then, twigs were used as cuttings and exposed to 0, 20, and 100 μmol m−2 s−1 light intensities, respectively, to achieve distinctive stem photosynthetic rates. After 14 days of treatment, stem water and non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) content, as well as the biomass and carbon isotopic composition, of new organs in the cutting seedlings under different light treatments were examined. The results showed that the gross photosynthetic rate significantly increased within 400 μmol m−2 s−1 of light intensity, and the maximum rate was approximately 1.27 μmol m−2 s−1. The effective photochemical efficiency of the PSⅡ of the cortex was significantly higher than the inner tissues in the cross section of the twig. When twig cuttings were exposed to different light intensities, stem water and starch content, as well as bud and root biomass, were significantly higher in the cutting seedling subjected to 100 μmol m−2 s−1 than the case treated in darkness; however, the bud δ13C trend was the opposite. Stem photosynthesis played a positive role in the maintenance of stem water and starch supply for the cutting seedlings, and 13C depleted assimilates produced by stem photosynthesis contributed to bud biomass, revealing that stem photosynthesis promotes organ development in cutting seedlings of Salix matsudana.
Stock Volume Dependency of Forest Drought Responses in Yunnan, China
Authors: Luo Hui , Zhou Tao , Yi Chuixiang , Xu Peipei , Zhao Xiang , Gao Shan , Liu Xia
Published: April 2018

Revealing forest drought response characteristics and the potential impact factors is quite an important scientific issue against the background of global climate change, which is the foundation to reliably evaluate and predict the effects of future drought. Due to the high spatial heterogeneity of forest properties such as biomass, forest age, and height, and the distinct differences in drought stress in terms of frequency, intensity, and duration, current studies still contain many uncertainties. In this research, we used the forests in Yunnan Province in Southwest China as an example and aimed to reveal the potential impacts of forest properties (i.e., stock volume) on drought response characteristics. Specifically, we divided the forest into five groups of stock volume density values and then analyzed their drought response differences. To depict forest response to drought intensity, the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) was chosen as the explanatory variable, and the change in remote sensing-based enhanced vegetation index (deficit of MODIS-EVI, dEVI) was chosen as the response variable of drought stress. Given that the SPEI has different time scales, we first analyzed the statistical dependency of SPEIs with different time scales (1 to 36 months) to the response variable (i.e., dEVI). The optimal time scale of SPEI (SPEIopt) to interpret the maximum variation of dEVI (R-square) was then chosen to build the ultimate statistical models for the five groups of stock volume density. The main findings were as follows: (1) the impacts of drought showed hysteresis and cumulative effects, and the length of the hysteresis increased with stock volume densities; (2) forests with high stock volume densities required more soil water and were therefore more sensitive to the changes in water deficit; (3) compared with the optimal time scale of SPEI (SPEIopt), the SPEI with the commonly used time scale (e.g., 1, 6, and 12 months) could not well reflect the impacts of drought on forests and the simulation error of dEVI increased with stock volume densities; and (4) forests with higher stock volume densities were likely to experience a greater risk of degradation following higher atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5). As a result, both the time scale of the meteorological drought index and the spatial difference in forest stock volumes should be considered when evaluating forest drought responses at regional and global scales.
Enhanced Matching Game for Decoupled Uplink Downlink Context-Aware Handover
Authors: Ait Mansour Asmae , Enneya Nourddine , Ouadou Mohamed
Published: April 2018

In this paper, we address the problem of cell association during a handover performed in a dense heterogeneous network, where the preference of a mobile user’s equipment in terms of uplink traffic is not the same as for the downlink traffic. Therefore, since mobility is an intrinsic element of cellular networks, designing a handover from the perspective of the uplink and downlink is mandatory in the context of 5G cellular networks. Based on this arena, we propose a decoupled uplink-downlink handover scheme while making use of femtocells in order to maximize the overall network entity utilities and avoid overloading macrocells. However, the fact that the handover process is performed in a dense heterogeneous network makes the issue NP-hard. Therefore, taking into account the need for self-organizing solutions, we modeled the handover process as a matching game with externalities. Thus, we will provide an aspect of intelligence for the execution of the handover process to mobile user’s equipment (UE). To make the proposition more efficient, we integrate an assignment step to assist the matching game. Hence, the base stations will be investigated and filtered, keeping only the helpful base stations as the players in terms of the quality of service for the uplink and downlink. The numerical results verify the superiority of the proposed context-aware algorithm over traditional downlink handover and traditional decoupled uplink and downlink handover schemes, by improving the load balancing, increasing rates and reducing delays.
Chromatin Architectural Changes during Cellular Senescence and Aging
Authors: Sun Luyang , Yu Ruofan , Dang Weiwei
Published: April 2018

Chromatin 3D structure is highly dynamic and associated with many biological processes, such as cell cycle progression, cellular differentiation, cell fate reprogramming, cancer development, cellular senescence, and aging. Recently, by using chromosome conformation capture technologies, tremendous findings have been reported about the dynamics of genome architecture, their associated proteins, and the underlying mechanisms involved in regulating chromatin spatial organization and gene expression. Cellular senescence and aging, which involve multiple cellular and molecular functional declines, also undergo significant chromatin structural changes, including alternations of heterochromatin and disruption of higher-order chromatin structure. In this review, we summarize recent findings related to genome architecture, factors regulating chromatin spatial organization, and how they change during cellular senescence and aging.
Persistent Borrelia Infection in Patients with Ongoing Symptoms of Lyme Disease
Authors: Middelveen Marianne , Sapi Eva , Burke Jennie , Filush Katherine , Franco Agustin , Fesler Melissa , Stricker Raphael
Published: April 2018

Introduction: Lyme disease is a tickborne illness that generates controversy among medical providers and researchers. One of the key topics of debate is the existence of persistent infection with the Lyme spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, in patients who have been treated with recommended doses of antibiotics yet remain symptomatic. Persistent spirochetal infection despite antibiotic therapy has recently been demonstrated in non-human primates. We present evidence of persistent Borrelia infection despite antibiotic therapy in patients with ongoing Lyme disease symptoms. Methods: In this pilot study, culture of body fluids and tissues was performed in a randomly selected group of 12 patients with persistent Lyme disease symptoms who had been treated or who were being treated with antibiotics. Cultures were also performed on a group of ten control subjects without Lyme disease. The cultures were subjected to corroborative microscopic, histopathological and molecular testing for Borrelia organisms in four independent laboratories in a blinded manner. Results: Motile spirochetes identified histopathologically as Borrelia were detected in culture specimens, and these spirochetes were genetically identified as Borrelia burgdorferi by three distinct polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based approaches. Spirochetes identified as Borrelia burgdorferi were cultured from the blood of seven subjects, from the genital secretions of ten subjects, and from a skin lesion of one subject. Cultures from control subjects without Lyme disease were negative for Borrelia using these methods. Conclusions: Using multiple corroborative detection methods, we showed that patients with persistent Lyme disease symptoms may have ongoing spirochetal infection despite antibiotic treatment, similar to findings in non-human primates. The optimal treatment for persistent Borrelia infection remains to be determined.
Do Extended Cultivation Periods and Reduced Nitrogen Supply Increase Root Yield and Anthocyanin Content of Purple Carrots?
Authors: Schmidt Lilian , Sorg Sophia , Tittmann Susanne , Max Johannes , Zinkernagel Jana
Published: April 2018

Purple carrots are rich in anthocyanins which are interesting as natural dyes in food and beverages. It is, thus, relevant to increase the concentration of anthocyanins by agricultural practices. We tested whether the combination of reduced nitrogen (N) supply and extended harvesting periods maximized the anthocyanin concentration of purple carrot roots, ideally without reducing their yield. The carrot variety ‘Deep Purple’ was grown with total N supplies of 220 kg N ha−1 (controls) and 73 kg N ha−1 (reduced N), respectively. Upon harvests in September, October and November, root yield and quality were assessed. Concentrations of chlorophylls (leaves) and anthocyanins (roots and leaves) were determined by spectroscopic and chemical analyses, and carbon and N content were quantified. Reduced N supply neither affected leaf or root biomass nor their chemical composition. Later harvests did not impact the yield of roots, but increased their diameter by 8.5–20%. Additionally, the anthocyanin concentrations of the roots increased by 40–50% in the controls, but not in N-limited plants, at late harvests. Consequently, extending the harvesting period might increase the anthocyanin concentration in roots of ‘Deep Purple’. Moreover, N supply might be reduced for this carrot variety without negative effects on root yield.
Information to Improve Public Perceptions of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA’s) Tobacco Regulatory Role
Authors: Osman Amira , Kowitt Sarah , Sheeran Paschal , Jarman Kristen , Ranney Leah , Goldstein Adam
Published: April 2018

While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has had regulatory authority over tobacco products since 2009, public awareness of this authority remains limited. This research examines several broad types of information about FDA tobacco regulatory mission that may improve the perceptions of FDA as a tobacco regulator. Using Amazon Mechanical Turk, 1766 adults, smokers and non-smokers, were randomly assigned to view a statement about FDA regulatory authority that varied three information types in a 2 × 2 × 2 between subjects experimental design: (1) FDA’s roles in regulating tobacco (yes/no); (2) The scientific basis of regulations (yes/no); and (3) A potential protective function of regulations (yes/no). Using factorial ANOVA, we estimated the main and interactive effects of all three types of information and of smoking status on the perceptions of FDA. Participants that were exposed to information on FDA roles reported higher FDA credibility and a greater perceived knowledge of FDA than those who did not. Exposure to information about the scientific basis of regulations led to more negative views of the tobacco industry. Participants who learned of the FDA’s commitment to protecting the public reported higher FDA credibility and more positive attitudes toward regulations than those who did not learn of this commitment. We observed no significant interaction effects. The findings suggest that providing information about the regulatory roles and protective characterization of the FDA’s tobacco regulatory mission positively influence public perceptions of FDA and tobacco regulations.
Spatial-Temporal Event Detection from Geo-Tagged Tweets
Authors: Huang Yuqian , Li Yue , Shan Jie
Published: April 2018

As one of the most popular social networking services in the world, Twitter allows users to post messages along with their current geographic locations. Such georeferenced or geo-tagged Twitter datasets can benefit location-based services, targeted advertising and geosocial studies. Our study focused on the detection of small-scale spatial-temporal events and their textual content. First, we used Spatial-Temporal Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (ST-DBSCAN) to spatially-temporally cluster the tweets. Then, the word frequencies were summarized for each cluster and the potential topics were modeled by the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) algorithm. Using two years of Twitter data from four college cities in the U.S., we were able to determine the spatial-temporal patterns of two known events, two unknown events and one recurring event, which then were further explored and modeled to identify the semantic content about the events. This paper presents our process and recommendations for both finding event-related tweets as well as understanding the spatial-temporal behaviors and semantic natures of the detected events.
Serum Is Not Necessary for Prior Pharmacological Activation of AMPK to Increase Insulin Sensitivity of Mouse Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Jørgensen Nicolas , Wojtaszewski Jørgen , Kjøbsted Rasmus
Published: April 2018

Exercise, contraction, and pharmacological activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) by 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR) have all been shown to increase muscle insulin sensitivity for glucose uptake. Intriguingly, improvements in insulin sensitivity following contraction of isolated rat and mouse skeletal muscle and prior AICAR stimulation of isolated rat skeletal muscle seem to depend on an unknown factor present in serum. One study recently questioned this requirement of a serum factor by showing serum-independency with muscle from old rats. Whether a serum factor is necessary for prior AICAR stimulation to increase insulin sensitivity of mouse skeletal muscle is not known. Therefore, we investigated the necessity of serum for this effect of AICAR in mouse skeletal muscle. We found that the ability of prior AICAR stimulation to improve insulin sensitivity of mouse skeletal muscle did not depend on the presence of serum during AICAR stimulation. Although prior AICAR stimulation did not enhance proximal insulin signaling, insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of Tre-2/BUB2/CDC16- domain family member 4 (TBC1D4) Ser711 was greater in prior AICAR-stimulated muscle compared to all other groups. These results imply that the presence of a serum factor is not necessary for prior AMPK activation by AICAR to enhance insulin sensitivity of mouse skeletal muscle.
Cloning, Characterization, and Functional Investigation of VaHAESA from Vitis amurensis Inoculated with Plasmopara viticola
Authors: Liu Shaoli , Zhang Chi , Chao Nan , Lu Jiang , Zhang Yali
Published: April 2018

Plant pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are essential for immune responses and establishing symbiosis. Plants detect invaders via the recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by PRRs. This phenomenon is termed PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI). We investigated disease resistance in Vitis amurensis to identify PRRs that are important for resistance against downy mildew, analyzed the PRRs that were upregulated by incompatible Plasmopara viticola infection, and cloned the full-length cDNA of the VaHAESA gene. We then analyzed the structure, subcellular localization, and relative disease resistance of VaHAESA. VaHAESA and PRR-receptor-like kinase 5 (RLK5) are highly similar, belonging to the leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-RLK family and localizing to the plasma membrane. The expression of PRR genes changed after the inoculation of V. amurensis with compatible and incompatible P. viticola; during early disease development, transiently transformed V. vinifera plants expressing VaHAESA were more resistant to pathogens than those transformed with the empty vector and untransformed controls, potentially due to increased H2O2, NO, and callose levels in the transformants. Furthermore, transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana showed upregulated expression of genes related to the PTI pathway and improved disease resistance. These results show that VaHAESA is a positive regulator of resistance against downy mildew in grapevines.
An Architecture to Manage Incoming Traffic of Inter-Domain Routing Using OpenFlow Networks
Authors: Silva Walber
Published: April 2018

The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is the current state-of-the-art inter-domain routing between Autonomous Systems (ASes). Although BGP has different mechanisms to manage outbound traffic in an AS domain, it lacks an efficient tool for inbound traffic control from transit ASes such as Internet Service Providers (ISPs). For inter-domain routing, the BGP’s destination-based forwarding paradigm limits the granularity of distributing the network traffic among the multiple paths of the current Internet topology. Thus, this work offered a new architecture to manage incoming traffic in the inter-domain using OpenFlow networks. The architecture explored direct inter-domain communication to exchange control information and the functionalities of the OpenFlow protocol. Based on the achieved results of the size of exchanging messages, the proposed architecture is not only scalable, but also capable of performing load balancing for inbound traffic using different strategies.
Quality Management in Big Data
Authors: Ge Mouzhi , Dohnal Vlastislav
Published: April 2018

Due to the importance of quality issues in Big Data, Big Data quality management has attracted significant research attention on how to measure, improve and manage the quality for Big Data. This special issue in the Journal of Informatics thus tends to address the quality problems in Big Data as well as promote further research for Big Data quality. Our editorial describes the state-of-the-art research challenges in the Big Data quality research, and highlights the contributions of each paper accepted in this special issue.
Why Insurers Are Wrong about Adverse Selection
Authors: Thomas R. Guy
Published: April 2018

Insurers typically argue that regulatory limits on their ability to use genetic tests will induce ‘adverse selection’; they say that this has disadvantages not just for insurers, but also for society as a whole. I argue that, even on its own terms, this argument is often flawed. From the viewpoint of society as a whole, not all adverse selection is adverse. Limits on genetic discrimination that induce the right amount of adverse selection (but not too much adverse selection) can increase ‘loss coverage’, and so make insurance work better for society as a whole.
Mechanisms and FEM Simulation of Chip Formation in Orthogonal Cutting In-Situ TiB2/7050Al MMC
Authors: Xiong Yifeng , Wang Wenhu , Jiang Ruisong , Lin Kunyang , Shao Mingwei
Published: April 2018

The in-situ TiB2/7050Al composite is a new kind of Al-based metal matrix composite (MMC) with super properties, such as low density, improved strength, and wear resistance. This paper, for a deep insight into its cutting performance, involves a study of the chip formation process and finite element simulation during orthogonal cutting in-situ TiB2/7050Al MMC. With chips, material properties, cutting forces, and tool geometry parameters, the Johnson–Cook (J–C) constitutive equation of in-situ TiB2/7050Al composite was established. Then, the cutting simulation model was established by applying the Abaqus–Explicit method, and the serrated chip, shear plane, strain rate, and temperature were analyzed. The experimental and simulation results showed that the obtained material’s constitutive equation was of high reliability, and the saw-tooth chips occurred commonly under either low or high cutting speed and small or large feed rate. From result analysis, it was found that the mechanisms of chip formation included plastic deformation, adiabatic shear, shearing slip, and crack extension. In addition, it was found that the existence of small, hard particles reduced the ductility of the MMC and resulted in segmental chips.