bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extending identity management system with multimodal biometric authentication
Authors: Jovanovic Bojan , Milenkovic Ivan , Bogicevic-Sretenovic Marija , Simic Dejan
Published: April 2016

Techniques for authentication that are used in today's identity management
systems are vulnerable when they are used over the network. In order to
prevent fraud and unauthorized data access, it is important to ensure the
identity of the person who submitted authentication credentials. The
authentication process can be additionally secured by using biometric data
for user verification. Moreover, precision of biometric authentication can be
improved by the use of multimodal biometrics. This paper presents a system
which has been designed for identity management based on FreeIPA solution for
digital identity management and MMBio framework for multimodal biometrics.
Proposed system provides multifactor authentication, where MMBio framework is
used for handling user biometric data. Developed prototype confirms possible
integration of identity management and multimodal biometric systems.
Sodium intake and dietary sources of sodium in undergraduate students from Novi Sad, Serbia
Authors: Jovicic-Bata Jelena , Grujicic Maja , Radjen Slavica , Novakovic Budimka
Published: April 2016

Background/Aim. Data on sodium intake and sources of sodium in the diet in
Serbia are limited. The aim of this study was to estimate the sodium intake
and identify the sources of sodium in the diet of undergraduate students
attending the University of Novi Sad. Methods. Students completed a
questionnaire to gather data on their gender, age and university faculty
attended, and then a 24 h dietary recall. The sodium intake of the students
was calculated using the dietary recall data and data on the sodium content
of foods. The contribution of different food groups as well as of specific
foodstuffs to the total sodium intake was calculated. Results. The mean
estimated sodium intake of the students was 3,938.5 ? 1,708.1 mg/day. The
sodium intake of 89.1% of the surveyed students exceeded the guideline for
sodium intake, the majority of the sodium coming from processed foods (78.9%
of the total sodium intake). The food groups that contributed the most to the
total sodium intake of the students were meat and meat products (21.7%) and
cereals and cereal-based products (18.6%). Bread and other bakery products
were responsible for 13.1% of the total sodium intake. Conclusion. High
sodium intake in students of the University of Novi Sad puts them at high
risk of developing high blood pressure. The food industry should work towards
reformulating products with high sodium content, especially bread and other
bakery products. Efforts should be taken to reduce sodium intake among
undergraduate students in Novi Sad.
In vitro assessment of antiproliferative action selectivity of dietary isothiocyanates for tumor versus normal human cells
Authors: Konic-Ristic Aleksandra , Stanojkovic Tatjana , Srdic-Rajic Tatjana , Dilber Sanda , Djordjevic Brizita , Stankovic Ivan , Juranic Zorica
Published: April 2016

Background/Aim. Numerous epidemiological studies have shown beneficial
effects of cruciferous vegetables consumption in cancer chemoprevention.
Biologically active compounds of different Brassicaceae species with
antitumor potential are isothiocyanates, present in the form of their
precursors - glucosinolates. The aim of this study was to determine the
selectivity of antiproliferative action of dietary isothiocyanates for
malignant versus normal cells. Methods. Antiproliferative activity of three
isothiocyanates abundant in human diet: sulforaphane, benzyl isothiocyanate
(BITC) and phenylethyl isothiocyanate, on human cervix carcinoma cell line -
HeLa, melanoma cell line - Fem-x, and colon cancer cell line - LS 174, and on
peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), with or without mitogen, were
determined by MTT colorimetric assay 72 h after their continuous action.
Results. All investigated isothiocyanates inhibited the proliferation of
HeLa, Fem-x and LS 174 cells. On all cell lines treated, BITC was the most
potent inhibitor of cell proliferation with half-maximum inhibitory
concentration (IC50) values of 5.04 mmoL m-3 on HeLa cells, 2.76 mmol m-3 on
Fem-x, and 14.30 mmol m-3 on LS 174 cells. Antiproliferative effects on human
PBMC were with higher IC50 than on malignant cells. Indexes of selectivity,
calculated as a ratio between IC50 values obtained on PBMC and malignant
cells, were between 1.12 and 16.57, with the highest values obtained for the
action of BITC on melanoma Fem-x cells. Conclusion. Based on its
antiproliferative effects on malignant cells, as well as the selectivity of
the action to malignant vs normal cells, benzyl isothiocyanate can be
considered as a promising candidate in cancer chemoprevention. In general,
the safety of investigated compounds, in addition to their antitumor
potential, should be considered as an important criterion in cancer
chemoprevention. Screening of selectivity is a plausible approach to the
evaluation of safety of both natural isothiocyanates and synthesised
analogues of these bioactive compounds.
Prmt7 Deficiency Causes Reduced Skeletal Muscle Oxidative Metabolism and Age-Related Obesity
Authors: Jeong Hyeon-Ju , Lee Hye-Jin , Vuong Tuan Anh , Choi Kyu-Sil , Choi Dahee , Koo Sung-Hoi , Cho Sung Chun , Cho Hana , Kang Jong-Sun
Published: April 2016

Maintenance of skeletal muscle function is critical for metabolic health and the disruption of which exacerbates many chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. Skeletal muscle responds to exercise or metabolic demands by a fiber-type switch regulated by signaling-transcription networks that remains to be fully defined. Here, we report that protein arginine methyltransferase 7 (Prmt7) is a key regulator for skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism. Prmt7 is expressed at the highest levels in skeletal muscle and decreased in skeletal muscles with age or obesity. Prmt7−/− muscles exhibit decreased oxidative metabolism with decreased expression of genes involved in muscle oxidative metabolism, including PGC-1α. Consistently, Prmt7−/− mice exhibited significantly reduced endurance exercise capacities. Furthermore, Prmt7−/− mice exhibit decreased energy expenditure, which might contribute to the exacerbated age-related obesity of Prmt7−/− mice. Similarly to Prmt7−/− muscles, Prmt7 depletion in myoblasts also reduces PGC-1α expression and PGC-1α–promoter driven reporter activities. Prmt7 regulates PGC-1α expression through interaction with and activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK), which in turn activates ATF2, an upstream transcriptional activator for PGC-1α. Taken together, Prmt7 is a novel regulator for muscle oxidative metabolism via activation of p38MAPK/ATF2/PGC-1α.
Essential Role of Transglutaminase 2 in Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor–Induced Vascular Leakage in the Retina of Diabetic Mice
Authors: Lee Yeon-Ju , Jung Se-Hui , Kim Su-Hyeon , Kim Min-Soo , Lee Sungeun , Hwang JongYun , Kim Soo-Youl , Kim Young-Myeong , Ha Kwon-Soo
Published: April 2016

Diabetic retinopathy is predominantly caused by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)–induced vascular leakage; however, the underlying mechanism is unclear. Here we designed an in vivo transglutaminase (TGase) activity assay in mouse retina and demonstrated that hyperglycemia induced vascular leakage by activating TGase2 in diabetic retina. VEGF elevated TGase2 activity through sequential elevation of intracellular Ca2+ and reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations in endothelial cells. The TGase inhibitors cystamine and monodansylcadaverin or TGase2 small interfering RNA (siRNA) prevented VEGF-induced stress fiber formation and vascular endothelial (VE)–cadherin disruption, which play a critical role in modulating endothelial permeability. Intravitreal injection of two TGase inhibitors or TGase2 siRNA successfully inhibited hyperglycemia-induced TGase activation and microvascular leakage in the retinas of diabetic mice. C-peptide or ROS scavengers also inhibited TGase activation in diabetic mouse retinas. The role of TGase2 in VEGF-induced vascular leakage was further supported using diabetic TGase2−/− mice. Thus, our findings suggest that ROS-mediated activation of TGase2 plays a key role in VEGF-induced vascular leakage by stimulating stress fiber formation and VE-cadherin disruption.
Age-Specific Trends From 2000–2011 in All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes: A Cohort Study of More Than One Million People
Authors: Harding Jessica L. , Shaw Jonathan E. , Peeters Anna , Davidson Susan , Magliano Dianna J.
Published: April 2016

OBJECTIVE

To analyze changes by age-group in all-cause and cause-specific mortality rates from 2000–2011 in people with diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A total of 1,189,079 (7.3% with type 1 diabetes) Australians with diabetes registered on the National Diabetes Service Scheme between 2000 and 2011 were linked to the National Death Index. Mortality rates in the total population were age standardized to the 2001 Australian population. Mortality rates were calculated for the following age-groups: 0 to <40 years, ≥ 40 to <60 years, and ≥60 to ≤85 years. Annual mortality rates were fitted using a Poisson regression model including calendar year as a covariate and age and sex where appropriate, with Ptrend reported.

RESULTS

For type 1 diabetes, all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and diabetes age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) decreased each year by 0.61, 0.35, and 0.14 per 1,000 person-years (PY), respectively, between 2000 and 2011, Ptrend < 0.05, while cancer mortality remained unchanged. By age, significant decreases in all-cause, CVD, and diabetes mortality rates were observed in all age-groups, excluding diabetes mortality in age-group 0–40 years. For type 2 diabetes, all-cause, CVD, and diabetes ASMRs decreased per year by 0.18, 0.15, and 0.03 per 1,000 PY, respectively, Ptrend < 0.001, while cancer remained unchanged. By age, these decreases were observed in all age-groups, excluding 0–40 years, where significant increases in all-cause and cancer mortality were noted and no change was seen for CVD and diabetes mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

All-cause, CVD, and diabetes ASMRs in type 1 and type 2 diabetes decreased between 2000 and 2011, while cancer ASMRs remained unchanged. However, younger populations are not benefiting from the same improvements as older populations. In addition, the absence of a decline in cancer mortality warrants urgent attention.
Movement-Pattern Training to Improve Function in People With Chronic Hip Joint Pain: A Feasibility Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Harris-Hayes Marcie , Czuppon Sylvia , Van Dillen Linda R. , Steger-May Karen , Sahrmann Shirley , Schootman Mario , Salsich Gretchen B. , Clohisy John C. , Mueller Michael J.
Published: April 2016

Study Design

Feasibility randomized clinical trial.

Background

Rehabilitation may be an appropriate treatment strategy for patients with chronic hip joint pain; however, the evidence related to the effectiveness of rehabilitation is limited.

Objectives

To assess feasibility of performing a randomized clinical trial to investigate the effectiveness of movement-pattern training (MPT) to improve function in people with chronic hip joint pain.

Methods

Thirty-five patients with chronic hip joint pain were randomized into a treatment (MPT) group or a control (wait-list) group. The MPT program included 6 one-hour supervised sessions and incorporated (1) task-specific training for basic functional tasks and symptom-provoking tasks, and (2) strengthening of hip musculature. The wait-list group received no treatment. Primary outcomes for feasibility were patient retention and adherence. Secondary outcomes to assess treatment effects were patient-reported function (Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score), lower extremity kinematics, and hip muscle strength.

Results

Retention rates did not differ between the MPT (89%) and wait-list groups (94%, P = 1.0). Sixteen of the 18 patients (89%) in the MPT group attended at least 80% of the treatment sessions. For the home exercise program, 89% of patients reported performing their home program at least once per day. Secondary outcomes support the rationale for conduct of a superiority randomized clinical trial.

Conclusion

Based on retention and adherence rates, a larger randomized clinical trial appears feasible and warranted to assess treatment effects more precisely. Data from this feasibility study will inform our future clinical trial.

Level of Evidence

Therapy, level 2b-. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2016;46(6):452–461. Epub 26 Apr 2016. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.6279
Environment in agent-oriented software engineering methodologies
Authors: Molesini Ambra , Omicini Andrea , Viroli Mirko
Published: April 2016

The key role of environment as a first-class abstraction in the engineering of MAS (multi-agent systems) is today generally acknowledged in the MAS community. However, the support for the notion of environment in today AOSE (agent-oriented software engineering) methodologies is still either absent, weak, or incomplete at best.

In this paper we first review, classify, and compare existing AOSE methodologies according to their support for the notion of MAS environment. Then we suggest a general approach for extending existing AOSE methodologies toward full environment support.
Location problems optimization by a self-organizing multiagent approach
Authors: Moujahed Sana , Simonin Olivier , Koukam Abderrafiaa
Published: April 2016

The Facility Location Problem (FLP) requires locating facilities in order to optimize some performance criteria. This problem occurs in many practical settings where facilities provide a service, such as the location of plants, bus-stops, fire stations, etc. Particularly, we deal with the continuous version of location problem where facilities have to be located in an Euclidean plane. This paper contributes to research on location problems by exploring a new approach based on reactive multiagent systems. The proposed model relies on a set of agents situated in a common environment which interact and attempt to reach a global optimization goal. The interactions between agents and their environment, which are based on the artificial potential fields approach, allow to locally optimize the agent's locations. The optimization of the whole system is the outcome of a process of agents self-organization. Then, we present how the model can be extended to the multi-level version of the location problem. Finally, the approach is evaluated to check its relevance. These evaluations concern both presented versions of the location problem.
Environment support for developing and configuring adaptive agents
Authors: Xiao Liang , Greer Des
Published: April 2016

Adaptivity is very often an important goal for software systems. This paper reviews existing approaches to achieving adaptivity in object oriented systems, particularly those using design patterns, and concludes that there are further opportunities for improving adaptivity in agent systems. The approach described proposes that agents should be coupled with the environment, rules and laws about agent behaviour being externalised in a continuously re-configurable knowledge repository. Tools have been implemented to support the re-configuration. Once new requirements are specified by business experts via the tools, the system automatically adapts its behaviour in the environment, without additional effort from developers. This novel approach pulls together a knowledgebase, configuration tools, and business experts as an integral environment through which the MAS achieves re-configurability ranging from overall infrastructure to individual policy sets. This fosters cost effective software evolution because much of the effort resulting from changes to business strategies and collaborations can be shifted from developers to customers, code change not being required since the environment maintains the dynamics instead.
Correction: Cytokines in the Germinal Center Niche Antibodies 2016, 5(1), 5
Authors: Jandl Christoph , King Cecile
Published: April 2016

The following corrections should be made to the references and bibliography of the published paper [1]:[...]
Semi-Quantitative Method for Streptococci Magnetic Detection in Raw Milk
Authors: Duarte Carla , Costa Tiago , Carneiro Carla , Soares Rita , Jitariu Andrei , Cardoso Susana , Piedade Moisés , Bexiga Ricardo , Freitas Paulo
Published: April 2016

Bovine mastitis is the most costly disease for dairy farmers and the most frequent reason for the use of antibiotics in dairy cattle; thus, control measures to detect and prevent mastitis are crucial for dairy farm sustainability. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a sensitive method to magnetically detect Streptococcus agalactiae (a Group B streptococci) and Streptococcus uberis in raw milk samples. Mastitic milk samples were collected aseptically from 44 cows with subclinical mastitis, from 11 Portuguese dairy farms. Forty-six quarter milk samples were selected based on bacterial identification by conventional microbiology. All samples were submitted to PCR analysis. In parallel, these milk samples were mixed with a solution combining specific antibodies and magnetic nanoparticles, to be analyzed using a lab-on-a-chip magnetoresistive cytometer, with microfluidic sample handling. This paper describes a point of care methodology used for detection of bacteria, including analysis of false positive/negative results. This immunological recognition was able to detect bacterial presence in samples spiked above 100 cfu/mL, independently of antibody and targeted bacteria used in this work. Using PCR as a reference, this method correctly identified 73% of positive samples for streptococci species with an anti-S. agalactiae antibody, and 41% of positive samples for an anti-GB streptococci antibody.
Finding Influential Users in Social Media Using Association Rule Learning
Authors: Erlandsson Fredrik , Bródka Piotr , Borg Anton , Johnson Henric
Published: April 2016

Influential users play an important role in online social networks since users tend to have an impact on one other. Therefore, the proposed work analyzes users and their behavior in order to identify influential users and predict user participation. Normally, the success of a social media site is dependent on the activity level of the participating users. For both online social networking sites and individual users, it is of interest to find out if a topic will be interesting or not. In this article, we propose association learning to detect relationships between users. In order to verify the findings, several experiments were executed based on social network analysis, in which the most influential users identified from association rule learning were compared to the results from Degree Centrality and Page Rank Centrality. The results clearly indicate that it is possible to identify the most influential users using association rule learning. In addition, the results also indicate a lower execution time compared to state-of-the-art methods.
Multi-Objective Optimization of Organic Rankine Cycle Power Plants Using Pure and Mixed Working Fluids
Authors: Andreasen Jesper , Kærn Martin , Pierobon Leonardo , Larsen Ulrik , Haglind Fredrik
Published: April 2016

For zeotropic mixtures, the temperature varies during phase change, which is opposed to the isothermal phase change of pure fluids. The use of such mixtures as working fluids in organic Rankine cycle power plants enables a minimization of the mean temperature difference of the heat exchangers, which is beneficial for cycle performance. On the other hand, larger heat transfer surface areas are typically required for evaporation and condensation when zeotropic mixtures are used as working fluids. In order to assess the feasibility of using zeotropic mixtures, it is, therefore, important to consider the additional costs of the heat exchangers. In this study, we aim at evaluating the economic feasibility of zeotropic mixtures compared to pure fluids. We carry out a multi-objective optimization of the net power output and the component costs for organic Rankine cycle power plants using low-temperature heat at 90 °C to produce electrical power at around 500 kW. The primary outcomes of the study are Pareto fronts, illustrating the power/cost relations for R32, R134a and R32/R134a (0.65/0.35mole). The results indicate that R32/R134a is the best of these fluids, with 3.4 % higher net power than R32 at the same total cost of 1200 k$.
In Vivo Delivery Systems for Therapeutic Genome Editing
Authors: Wang Luyao , Li Fangfei , Dang Lei , Liang Chao , Wang Chao , He Bing , Liu Jin , Li Defang , Wu Xiaohao , Xu Xuegong , Lu Aiping , Zhang Ge
Published: April 2016

Therapeutic genome editing technology has been widely used as a powerful tool for directly correcting genetic mutations in target pathological tissues and cells to cure of diseases. The modification of specific genomic sequences can be achieved by utilizing programmable nucleases, such as Meganucleases, zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and the clustered regularly-interspaced short palindromic repeat-associated nuclease Cas9 (CRISPR/Cas9). However, given the properties, such as large size, negative charge, low membrane penetrating ability, as well as weak tolerance for serum, and low endosomal escape, of these nucleases genome editing cannot be successfully applied unless in vivo delivery of related programmable nucleases into target organisms or cells is achieved. Here, we look back at delivery strategies having been used in the in vivo delivery of three main genome editing nucleases, followed by methodologies currently undergoing testing in clinical trials, and potential delivery strategies provided by analyzing characteristics of nucleases and commonly used vectors.
Definitions of Normal Liver Fat and the Association of Insulin Sensitivity with Acquired and Genetic NAFLD—A Systematic Review
Authors: Petäjä Elina , Yki-Järvinen Hannele
Published: April 2016

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) covers a spectrum of disease ranging from simple steatosis (NAFL) to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and fibrosis. “Obese/Metabolic NAFLD” is closely associated with obesity and insulin resistance and therefore predisposes to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. NAFLD can also be caused by common genetic variants, the patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3 (PNPLA3) or the transmembrane 6 superfamily member 2 (TM6SF2). Since NAFL, irrespective of its cause, can progress to NASH and liver fibrosis, its definition is of interest. We reviewed the literature to identify data on definition of normal liver fat using liver histology and different imaging tools, and analyzed whether NAFLD caused by the gene variants is associated with insulin resistance. Histologically, normal liver fat content in liver biopsies is most commonly defined as macroscopic steatosis in less than 5% of hepatocytes. In the population-based Dallas Heart Study, the upper 95th percentile of liver fat measured by proton magnetic spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in healthy subjects was 5.6%, which corresponds to approximately 15% histological liver fat. When measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based techniques such as the proton density fat fraction (PDFF), 5% macroscopic steatosis corresponds to a PDFF of 6% to 6.4%. In contrast to “Obese/metabolic NAFLD”, NAFLD caused by genetic variants is not associated with insulin resistance. This implies that NAFLD is heterogeneous and that “Obese/Metabolic NAFLD” but not NAFLD due to the PNPLA3 or TM6SF2 genetic variants predisposes to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Dielectric Spectroscopy in Biomaterials: Agrophysics
Authors: El Khaled Dalia , Castellano Nuria , Gázquez Jose , Perea-Moreno Alberto-Jesus , Manzano-Agugliaro Francisco
Published: April 2016

Being dependent on temperature and frequency, dielectric properties are related to various types of food. Predicting multiple physical characteristics of agri-food products has been the main objective of non-destructive assessment possibilities executed in many studies on horticultural products and food materials. This review manipulates the basic fundamentals of dielectric properties with their concepts and principles. The different factors affecting the behavior of dielectric properties have been dissected, and applications executed on different products seeking the characterization of a diversity of chemical and physical properties are all pointed out and referenced with their conclusions. Throughout the review, a detailed description of the various adopted measurement techniques and the mostly popular equipment are presented. This compiled review serves in coming out with an updated reference for the dielectric properties of spectroscopy that are applied in the agrophysics field.
Schottky Barrier Height Tuning via the Dopant Segregation Technique through Low-Temperature Microwave Annealing
Authors: Fu Chaochao , Zhou Xiangbiao , Wang Yan , Xu Peng , Xu Ming , Wu Dongping , Luo Jun , Zhao Chao , Zhang Shi-Li
Published: April 2016

The Schottky junction source/drain structure has great potential to replace the traditional p/n junction source/drain structure of the future ultra-scaled metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), as it can form ultimately shallow junctions. However, the effective Schottky barrier height (SBH) of the Schottky junction needs to be tuned to be lower than 100 meV in order to obtain a high driving current. In this paper, microwave annealing is employed to modify the effective SBH of NiSi on Si via boron or arsenic dopant segregation. The barrier height decreased from 0.4–0.7 eV to 0.2–0.1 eV for both conduction polarities by annealing below 400 °C. Compared with the required temperature in traditional rapid thermal annealing, the temperature demanded in microwave annealing is ~60 °C lower, and the mechanisms of this observation are briefly discussed. Microwave annealing is hence of high interest to future semiconductor processing owing to its unique capability of forming the metal/semiconductor contact at a remarkably lower temperature.
Polysaccharides from the Marine Environment with Pharmacological, Cosmeceutical and Nutraceutical Potential
Authors: Ruocco Nadia , Costantini Susan , Guariniello Stefano , Costantini Maria
Published: April 2016

Carbohydrates, also called saccharides, are molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They are the most abundant biomolecules and essential components of many natural products and have attracted the attention of researchers because of their numerous human health benefits. Among carbohydrates the polysaccharides represent some of the most abundant bioactive substances in marine organisms. In fact, many marine macro- and microorganisms are good resources of carbohydrates with diverse applications due to their biofunctional properties. By acting on cell proliferation and cycle, and by modulating different metabolic pathways, marine polysaccharides (including mainly chitin, chitosan, fucoidan, carrageenan and alginate) also have numerous pharmaceutical activities, such as antioxidative, antibacterial, antiviral, immuno-stimulatory, anticoagulant and anticancer effects. Moreover, these polysaccharides have many general beneficial effects for human health, and have therefore been developed into potential cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals. In this review we describe current advances in the development of marine polysaccharides for nutraceutical, cosmeceutical and pharmacological applications. Research in this field is opening new doors for harnessing the potential of marine natural products.
Metabolic Inflammation-Differential Modulation by Dietary Constituents
Authors: Lyons Claire , Kennedy Elaine , Roche Helen
Published: April 2016

Obesity arises from a sustained positive energy balance which triggers a pro-inflammatory response, a key contributor to metabolic diseases such as T2D. Recent studies, focused on the emerging area of metabolic-inflammation, highlight that specific metabolites can modulate the functional nature and inflammatory phenotype of immune cells. In obesity, expanding adipose tissue attracts immune cells, creating an inflammatory environment within this fatty acid storage organ. Resident immune cells undergo both a pro-inflammatory and metabolic switch in their function. Inflammatory mediators, such as TNF-α and IL-1β, are induced by saturated fatty acids and disrupt insulin signaling. Conversely, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids do not interrupt metabolism and inflammation to the same extent. AMPK links inflammation, metabolism and T2D, with roles to play in all and is influenced negatively by obesity. Lipid spillover results in hepatic lipotoxicity and steatosis. Also in skeletal muscle, excessive FFA can impede insulin’s action and promote inflammation. Ectopic fat can also affect pancreatic β-cell function, thereby contributing to insulin resistance. Therapeutics, lifestyle changes, supplements and dietary manipulation are all possible avenues to combat metabolic inflammation and the subsequent insulin resistant state which will be explored in the current review.
Assessing Future Vegetation Trends and Restoration Prospects in the Karst Regions of Southwest China
Authors: Tong Xiaowei , Wang Kelin , Brandt Martin , Yue Yuemin , Liao Chujie , Fensholt Rasmus
Published: April 2016

To alleviate the severe rocky desertification and improve the ecological conditions in Southwest China, the national and local Chinese governments have implemented a series of Ecological Restoration Projects since the late 1990s. In this context, remote sensing can be a valuable tool for conservation management by monitoring vegetation dynamics, projecting the persistence of vegetation trends and identifying areas of interest for upcoming restoration measures. In this study, we use MODIS satellite time series (2001–2013) and the Hurst exponent to classify the study area (Guizhou and Guangxi Provinces) according to the persistence of future vegetation trends (positive, anti-persistent positive, negative, anti-persistent negative, stable or uncertain). The persistence of trends is interrelated with terrain conditions (elevation and slope angle) and results in an index providing information on the restoration prospects and associated uncertainty of different terrain classes found in the study area. The results show that 69% of the observed trends are persistent beyond 2013, with 57% being stable, 10% positive, 5% anti-persistent positive, 3% negative, 1% anti-persistent negative and 24% uncertain. Most negative development is found in areas of high anthropogenic influence (low elevation and slope), as compared to areas of rough terrain. We further show that the uncertainty increases with the elevation and slope angle, and areas characterized by both high elevation and slope angle need special attention to prevent degradation. Whereas areas with a low elevation and slope angle appear to be less susceptible and relevant for restoration efforts (also having a high uncertainty), we identify large areas of medium elevation and slope where positive future trends are likely to happen if adequate measures are utilized. The proposed framework of this analysis has been proven to work well for assessing restoration prospects in the study area, and due to the generic design, the method is expected to be applicable for other areas of complex landscapes in the world to explore future trends of vegetation.
Search Techniques for the Web of Things: A Taxonomy and Survey
Authors: Zhou Yuchao , De Suparna , Wang Wei , Moessner Klaus
Published: April 2016

The Web of Things aims to make physical world objects and their data accessible through standard Web technologies to enable intelligent applications and sophisticated data analytics. Due to the amount and heterogeneity of the data, it is challenging to perform data analysis directly; especially when the data is captured from a large number of distributed sources. However, the size and scope of the data can be reduced and narrowed down with search techniques, so that only the most relevant and useful data items are selected according to the application requirements. Search is fundamental to the Web of Things while challenging by nature in this context, e.g., mobility of the objects, opportunistic presence and sensing, continuous data streams with changing spatial and temporal properties, efficient indexing for historical and real time data. The research community has developed numerous techniques and methods to tackle these problems as reported by a large body of literature in the last few years. A comprehensive investigation of the current and past studies is necessary to gain a clear view of the research landscape and to identify promising future directions. This survey reviews the state-of-the-art search methods for the Web of Things, which are classified according to three different viewpoints: basic principles, data/knowledge representation, and contents being searched. Experiences and lessons learned from the existing work and some EU research projects related to Web of Things are discussed, and an outlook to the future research is presented.
Numerical Simulation of Output Response of PVDF Sensor Attached on a Cantilever Beam Subjected to Impact Loading
Authors: Dung Cao , Sasaki Eiichi
Published: April 2016

Polyvinylidene Flouride (PVDF) is a film-type polymer that has been used as sensors and actuators in various applications due to its mechanical toughness, flexibility, and low density. A PVDF sensor typically covers an area of the host structure over which mechanical stress/strain is averaged and converted to electrical energy. This study investigates the fundamental “stress-averaging” mechanism for dynamic strain sensing in the in-plane mode. A numerical simulation was conducted to simulate the “stress-averaging” mechanism of a PVDF sensor attached on a cantilever beam subjected to an impact loading, taking into account the contribution of piezoelectricity, the cantilever beam’s modal properties, and electronic signal conditioning. Impact tests and FEM analysis were also carried out to verify the numerical simulation results. The results of impact tests indicate the excellent capability of the attached PVDF sensor in capturing the fundamental natural frequencies of the cantilever beam. There is a good agreement between the PVDF sensor’s output voltage predicted by the numerical simulation and that obtained in the impact tests. Parametric studies were conducted to investigate the effects of sensor size and sensor position and it is shown that a larger sensor tends to generate higher output voltage than a smaller one at the same location. However, the effect of sensor location seems to be more significant for larger sensors due to the cancelling problem. Overall, PVDF sensors exhibit excellent sensing capability for in-plane dynamic strain induced by impact loading.
Hydrophobin-Based Surface Engineering for Sensitive and Robust Quantification of Yeast Pheromones
Authors: Hennig Stefan , Rödel Gerhard , Ostermann Kai
Published: April 2016

Detection and quantification of small peptides, such as yeast pheromones, are often challenging. We developed a highly sensitive and robust affinity-assay for the quantification of the α-factor pheromone of Saccharomyces cerevisiae based on recombinant hydrophobins. These small, amphipathic proteins self-assemble into highly stable monolayers at hydrophilic-hydrophobic interfaces. Upon functionalization of solid supports with a combination of hydrophobins either lacking or exposing the α-factor, pheromone-specific antibodies were bound to the surface. Increasing concentrations of the pheromone competitively detached the antibodies, thus allowing for quantification of the pheromone. By adjusting the percentage of pheromone-exposing hydrophobins, the sensitivity of the assay could be precisely predefined. The assay proved to be highly robust against changes in sample matrix composition. Due to the high stability of hydrophobin layers, the functionalized surfaces could be repeatedly used without affecting the sensitivity. Furthermore, by using an inverse setup, the sensitivity was increased by three orders of magnitude, yielding a novel kind of biosensor for the yeast pheromone with the lowest limit of detection reported so far. This assay was applied to study the pheromone secretion of diverse yeast strains including a whole-cell biosensor strain of Schizosaccharomyces pombe modulating α-factor secretion in response to an environmental signal.
Structural Changes in the Korean Housing Market before and after Macroeconomic Fluctuations
Authors: Kim Sanghyun , Kim Juhyung , Kim Jaejun
Published: April 2016

The purpose of this paper is to identify structural changes in the Korean housing market for evaluating the sustainability of the Korean housing market and to derive important implications to seek housing business strategies and public policies. Two time periods were analyzed: April 2001–December 2007 and January 2008–December 2014 to identify the impact after the global financial crisis of 2008. The market was divided into transaction, chonsei, and monthly rent. The correlations were analyzed using a vector error correction model (VECM). A key result was that during the economic depression, demand for chonsei did not flow to the transaction market; this phenomenon affected the overall recovery of the housing market. The supply of chonsei today is rapidly decreasing with the depression in the transaction. Increases in chonsei prices are expected to continue along with the possibility that demand for chonsei will flow into the transaction or monthly rent market. Based on recent trends, the chonsei market, once main stream, will gradually weaken, and the Korean housing market will reorganize into transactions and monthly rent. This structural change may turn the Korean housing market into a target for long-term investments.
Constructed Wetlands for Agricultural Wastewater Treatment in Northeastern North America: A Review
Authors: Rozema Eric , VanderZaag Andrew , Wood Jeff , Drizo Aleksandra , Zheng Youbin , Madani Ali , Gordon Robert
Published: April 2016

Constructed wetlands (CW) are a treatment option for agricultural wastewater. Their ability to adequately function in cold climates continues to be evaluated as they are biologically active systems that depend on microbial and plant activity. In order to assess their performance and to highlight regional specific design considerations, a review of CWs in Eastern Canada and the Northeastern USA was conducted. Here, we synthesize performance data from 21 studies, in which 25 full-scale wetlands were assessed. Where possible, data were separated seasonally to evaluate the climatic effects on treatment performance. The wastewater parameters considered were five-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), total suspended solids (TSS), E. coli, fecal coliforms, total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), ammonia/ammonium (NH3/NH4+-N), nitrate-nitrogen (NO3−-N), and total phosphorus (TP). Average concentration reductions were: BOD5 81%, TSS 83%, TKN 75%, NH4+-N 76%, NO3−-N 42%, and TP 64%. Average log reductions for E. coli and fecal coliforms were 1.63 and 1.93, respectively. Average first order areal rate constants (ka, m·y−1) were: BOD5 6.0 m·y−1, TSS 7.7 m·y−1, E. coli 7.0 m·y−1, fecal coliforms 9.7 m·y−1, TKN 3.1 m·y−1, NH4+-N 3.3 m·y−1, NO3−-N 2.5 m·y−1, and TP 2.9 m·y−1. In general, CWs effectively treated a variety of agricultural wastewaters, regardless of season.
CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF COLLAPSING LOW-MASS PRESTELLAR DENSE CORES
Authors: Hincelin U. , Commerçon B. , Wakelam V. , Hersant F. , Guilloteau S. , Herbst E.
Published: April 2016

The first hydrostatic core, also called the first Larson core, is one of the first steps in low-mass star formation as predicted by theory. With recent and future high-performance telescopes, the details of these first phases are becoming accessible, and observations may confirm theory and even present new challenges for theoreticians. In this context, from a theoretical point of view, we study the chemical and physical evolution of the collapse of prestellar cores until the formation of the first Larson core, in order to better characterize this early phase in the star formation process. We couple a state-of-the-art hydrodynamical model with full gas-grain chemistry, using different assumptions for the magnetic field strength and orientation. We extract the different components of each collapsing core (i.e., the central core, the outflow, the disk, the pseudodisk, and the envelope) to highlight their specific physical and chemical characteristics. Each component often presents a specific physical history, as well as a specific chemical evolution. From some species, the components can clearly be differentiated. The different core models can also be chemically differentiated. Our simulation suggests that some chemical species act as tracers of the different components of a collapsing prestellar dense core, and as tracers of the magnetic field characteristics of the core. From this result, we pinpoint promising key chemical species to be observed.
CONVECTION IN CONDENSIBLE-RICH ATMOSPHERES
Authors: Ding F. , Pierrehumbert R. T.
Published: April 2016

Condensible substances are nearly ubiquitous in planetary atmospheres. For the most familiar case—water vapor in Earth’s present climate—the condensible gas is dilute, in the sense that its concentration is everywhere small relative to the noncondensible background gases. A wide variety of important planetary climate problems involve nondilute condensible substances. These include planets near or undergoing a water vapor runaway and planets near the outer edge of the conventional habitable zone, for which CO2 is the condensible. Standard representations of convection in climate models rely on several approximations appropriate only to the dilute limit, while nondilute convection differs in fundamental ways from dilute convection. In this paper, a simple parameterization of convection valid in the nondilute as well as dilute limits is derived and used to discuss the basic character of nondilute convection. The energy conservation properties of the scheme are discussed in detail and are verified in radiative-convective simulations. As a further illustration of the behavior of the scheme, results for a runaway greenhouse atmosphere for both steady instellation and seasonally varying instellation corresponding to a highly eccentric orbit are presented. The latter case illustrates that the high thermal inertia associated with latent heat in nondilute atmospheres can damp out the effects of even extreme seasonal forcing.
La légitimation de la violence selon le genre et le contexte en Tunisie
Authors: Ben Alaya Dorra
Published: April 2016

Dans cet article, on vise à explorer l’effet du genre de l’agressé, du genre de l’agresseur et du contexte, sur le degré de légitimité perçue de la violence, chez un échantillon représentatif de la population tunisienne (N = 720). La recherche a consisté à soumettre les sujets à une série de scenarii décrivant des situations violentes combinant systématiquement les différentes modalités des variables indépendantes. Les résultats mettent en évidence un effet de genre de l’agresseur et de l’agressé ainsi qu’une modulation par l’effet du contexte, de l’homo/hétérogénéité de l’appartenance sexuelle des acteurs et de l’appartenance sexuelle de l’évaluateur de la violence.
Usages et mésusages de l’objet transitionnel
Authors: Guillaume Jean-Claude
Published: April 2016

Dans un monde envahi par les objets, l’oralité première est saturée avant même que le manque soit accessible. L’objet transitionnel, fruit de l’illusion première, destiné normalement à disparaître après avoir joué son rôle d’étayage de la psyché au moment du sevrage et de l’individuation se voit souvent enfermé dans une concrétude trompeuse nécessitant une observation fine de son usage, indispensable pour en apprécier l’exacte fonction, et justifiant chez l’analyste d’une fonction de pensée en éveil.
Comprendre les émotions : enquêtes sur les motivations affectives
Authors: Deonna Julien A.
Published: April 2016

Cette introduction vise à situer dans l’histoire de la philosophie et à justifier l’intérêt d’un programme d’enquêtes sur les motivations affectives pour mettre en perspective et en dialogue les quatre articles qui suivent dans ce fascicule.
Study Replacement of Cement with Recycled Cement Powder and the Environmental Assessment
Authors: Pavlů Tereza , Kočí Vladimír , Šefflová Magdaléna
Published: April 2016

This investigation is focused on possibility of partial cement replacement in concrete mixture and its environmental assessment. The cement in concrete mixture is replaced by recycled cement powder from modified construction and demolition (C&D) waste. Recycled cement powder were prepared in laboratory from C&D waste of high quality road concrete. The main goal of this investigation is optimize amount of recycled cement powder used as partial replacement of cement in concrete mixture according to mechanical, deformation and physical properties of concrete and environmental impact. The properties of the fine-aggregate concrete with partial replacement of cement by recycled cement powder were tested for this verification. The life cycle analysis was calculated for this optimization. The properties and environmental assessment of the fine-aggregate concrete with partial replacement of fine aggregate by fine recycled aggregate were examined for comparison.
Study of a Novel Underwater Cable With Whole Cable Monitoring
Authors: Chen Jiawang , Xu Chunying , Chen Ying , Ji Jian , Yan Dongxu
Published: April 2016

AbstractThis paper describes a novel concept for detecting and tracking underwater cables that differs from common detection methods, including visual, acoustic and magnetic detection, which are based on a survey platform, such as remotely operated vehicles and autonomous
underwater vehicles, and have high costs and require long-time monitoring. The proposed detection method can be performed in locations that are difficult to observe using cameras without the use of magnetic fields. The concept relies on low-cost flex sensors that provide underwater, real-time,
whole cable detection. Building off of this concept, a detection system and an error analysis system were incorporated, which includes the characteristics of the flex sensors, the mounting structure for the flex sensors, and the underwater cable as well as the 2-D cable bend model and a water
tank test. The detected data set, which was rendered on an observation monitor, provided visual feedback regarding any bending or warping problems. To evaluate the detection accuracy, mean absolute error and similarity analyses were performed using the observational data and sensor data obtained
from the water tank test. The results of these analyses showed strong agreement between the fitted curve to the detected data and the observational curve, indicating acceptable error. These results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed system for effective underwater cable detection.
Thus, the results of this investigation clearly reveal the potential of the novel sensing technique for practical underwater cable detection and monitoring applications. However, the 2-D cable bending detection model is not suitable for 3-D bending or torsion, which will be considered in future
research.