bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Broken Bar Diagnosis for Squirrel Cage Induction Motors Using Frequency Analysis Based on MCSA and Continuous Wavelet Transform
Authors: , Danilo Granda , Aguilar Wilbert G. , Arcos-Aviles Diego , Sotomayor Danny
Published: April 2017

The importance of early fault detection in electric motors has attracted the attention of research groups, as the detection of incipient faults can prevent damage spreading and increase the lifetime of the motor. At present, studies have focused their attention on optimization procedures used for fault detection in induction machines to achieve a quick and easy-to-interpret assessment at an industrial level. This paper proposes an alternative approach based on the Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) for broken bar diagnosis in squirrel cage induction motors. This work uses the Motor Current Signature Analysis (MCSA) method to acquire the current signal of the induction motor. The novelty of this study lies in broken bar detection in electric machines operating at non-load by analyzing variations in the spectrum of the motor’s current signal. This way, the faults are presented as oscillations in the current signal spectrum. Additionally, a quantification of broken bars for the same type of motors operating at fullload is performed in this study. An experimental validation and the comparison with the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) technique are provided to validate the proposed technique.
Functional Assays in the Diagnosis of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia: A Review
Authors: Minet Valentine , Dogné Jean-Michel , Mullier François
Published: April 2017

A rapid and accurate diagnosis in patients with suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is essential for patient management but remains challenging. Current HIT diagnosis ideally relies on a combination of clinical information, immunoassay and functional assay results. Platelet activation assays or functional assays detect HIT antibodies that are more clinically significant. Several functional assays have been developed and evaluated in the literature. They differ in the activation endpoint studied; the technique or technology used; the platelet donor selection; the platelet suspension (washed platelets, platelet rich plasma or whole blood); the patient sample (serum or plasma); and the heparin used (type and concentrations). Inconsistencies in controls performed and associated results interpretation are common. Thresholds and performances are determined differently among papers. Functional assays suffer from interlaboratory variability. This lack of standardization limits the evaluation and the accessibility of functional assays in laboratories. In the present article, we review all the current activation endpoints, techniques and methodologies of functional assays developed for HIT diagnosis.
Novel Proteasome Inhibitors and Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors: Progress in Myeloma Therapeutics
Authors: Chhabra Saurabh
Published: April 2017

The unfolded protein response is responsible for the detection of misfolded proteins and the coordination of their disposal and is necessary to maintain the cellular homoeostasis. Multiple myeloma cells secrete large amounts of immunoglobulins, proteins that need to be correctly folded by the chaperone system. If this process fails, the misfolded proteins have to be eliminated by the two main garbage-disposal systems of the cell: proteasome and aggresome. The blockade of either of these systems will result in accumulation of immunoglobulins and other toxic proteins in the cytoplasm and cell death. The simultaneous inhibition of the proteasome, by proteasome inhibitors (PIs) and the aggresome, by histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) results in a synergistic increase in cytotoxicity in myeloma cell lines. This review provides an overview of mechanisms of action of second-generation PIs and HDACi in multiple myeloma (MM), the clinical results currently observed with these agents and assesses the potential therapeutic impact of the different agents in the two classes. The second-generation PIs offer benefits in terms of increased efficacy, reduced neurotoxicity as off-target effect and may overcome resistance to bortezomib because of their different chemical structure, mechanism of action and biological properties. HDACi with anti-myeloma activity in clinical development discussed in this review include vorinostat, panobinostat and selective HDAC6 inhibitor, ricolinostat.
Simultaneous Monitoring of the Effects of Multiple Ionic Strengths on Properties of Copolymeric Polyelectrolytes during Their Synthesis
Authors: Wu Aide , Zhu Zifu , Drenski Michael , Reed Wayne
Published: April 2017

A new Automatic Continuous Online Monitoring of Polymerization reactions (ACOMP) system has been developed with multiple light scattering and viscosity detection stages in serial flow, where solution conditions are different at each stage. Solution conditions can include ionic strength (IS), pH, surfactants, concentration, and other factors. This allows behavior of a polymer under simultaneous, varying solution conditions to be monitored at each instant of its synthesis. The system can potentially be used for realtime formulation, where a solution formulation is built up additively in successive stages. It can also monitor the effect of solution conditions on stimuli responsive polymers, as their responsiveness changes during synthesis. In this first work, the new ACOMP system monitored light scattering and reduced viscosity properties of copolymeric polyelectrolytes under various IS during synthesis. Aqueous copolymerization of acrylamide (Am) and styrene sulfonate (SS) was used. Polyelectrolytes in solution expand as IS decreases, leading to increased intrinsic viscosity (η) and suppression of light scattering intensity due to electrostatically enhanced second and third virial coefficients, A2 and A3. At a fixed IS, the same effects occur if polyelectrolyte linear charge density (ξ) increases. This work presents polyelectrolyte response to a series of IS and changing ξ during chemical synthesis.
Martin Luther and Lucas Cranach Teaching the Lord’s Prayer
Authors: McNair Bruce
Published: April 2017

Martin Luther wrote and preached on the Lord’s Prayer many times over a 20-year period. When we consider his work on the Prayer we see significant developments as the historical context changes, so that he finds new ways to express his most fundamental theological principles, such as justification by faith alone, the alien and proper work of God, the corruption of the will and the hiddenness of God. Luther’s works on the Prayer were intended to teach complex ideas in easily accessible ways, and still do that for today’s undergraduates. In particular, Luther included in the Large Catechism of 1529 a series of Lucas Cranach woodcuts that provide unique illustrations of his developing theological principles.
“The No to Nothing, and the Nothing to Know”: Immanent Transcendence as Eschatological Mystery
Authors: Putt B.
Published: April 2017

At an annual American Academy of Religion conference thirty years ago, Robert Scharlemann presented a paper in which he compared and contrasted Barth and Tillich with reference to how they named God in their respective theologies. He suggested that the former labeled God the “no to nothing,” while the latter symbolized God as the “nothing to know”—appellations out of which he formed his presentation title “The No to Nothing and the Nothing to Know: Barth and Tillich and the Possibility of Theological Science.” I have purloined Scharlemann’s title for my own essay, with the intent not only to maintain its theological implications but also to use it as a rubric for prosecuting the putative relationships that obtain among anticipation, nihilism, transcendence, mystery, and eschatology. If there are various species of transcendence, and if one can use and not merely mention the word “mystery” in some constative manner, then how may one speak of the actuality and potentiality of meaning? Is there a futurity to existential significance that empowers a life-affirming hope, which, in turn, embraces the inescapability of the “nothing” without plunging, or leaping, into the abyss of nihilism—the “no to nothing?” Alternatively, may one genuinely anticipate eschatological aspirations while remaining open to the enigma of the unprogrammable aleatoric “to come”—the “nothing to know?” Furthermore, how might one name “God” under either of these circumstances, even were one not to hold to any type of confessional theological ontology? Using John Caputo’s radical theology of the insistence of “God” as my Virgil (or Beatrice, which ever applies!) to guide us through the various paths one might take towards a genuine hope, I propose to investigate the plurivocity of discourses on meaning by inter-relating Caputo’s “nihilism of grace” with several supplementary works, including Ray Hart’s God Being Nothing, Amie Thomasson’s Fiction and Metaphysics, Stuart Kaufmann’s Humanity in a Creative Universe, Catherine Keller’s Cloud of the Impossible, and Richard Kearney’s Anatheism. Additionally, I will also consult aesthetic vocabularies that address the issue, specifically the poetry of Robert Browning, Dan Fogelberg, and Wallace Stevens, along with the Abstract Expressionist work of Mark Rothko. I will conclude the essay by suggesting that although one may expound on the desire for existential meaning through diverse discourses, if there is genuinely any realization of that meaning, it will occur regardless of how it is articulated. That is to say, the creative and transformative function of any transcendent meaning may work ex opere operato in a manner similar to Shakespeare’s rose that does not depend on one exclusive naming.
A Knowledge-Based Search Strategy for Optimally Structuring the Terrain Dependent Rational Function Models
Authors: Jannati Mojtaba , Valadan Zoej Mohammad , Mokhtarzade Mehdi
Published: April 2017

Identifying the optimal structure of terrain dependent Rational Function Models (RFMs) not only decreases the number of Ground Control Points (GCPs) required, but also increases the accuracy of the model, by reducing the multi-collinearity of Rational Polynomials Coefficients (RPCs) and avoiding the ill-posed problem. Global optimization algorithms such as Genetic Algorithm (GA), evaluate the different combinations of parameters effectively. Therefore, they have a high ability to detect the optimal structure of RFMs. However, one drawback of these algorithms is their high computation cost. This article proposes a knowledge-based search strategy to overcome this deficiency. The backbone of the proposed method relies on the technical knowledge about the geometric condition of image at the time of acquisition, as well as the effect of external factors such as terrain relief on the image. This method was evaluated on four different datasets, including a SPOT-1A, a SPOT-1B, an IKONOS-Geo image, and a GeoEye-Geo imagery, using various number of GCPs. Experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method to achieve a sub-pixel accuracy using few GCPs (only 4–6 points) in all datasets. The results also indicate that the proposed method improves the computation speed by 140 times when comparing with GA.
A Waist-Worn Inertial Measurement Unit for Long-Term Monitoring of Parkinson’s Disease Patients
Authors: Rodríguez-Martín Daniel , Pérez-López Carlos , Samà Albert , Català Andreu , Moreno Arostegui Joan , Cabestany Joan , Mestre Berta , Alcaine Sheila , Prats Anna , Cruz Crespo María , Bayés Àngels
Published: April 2017

Inertial measurement units (IMUs) are devices used, among other fields, in health applications, since they are light, small and effective. More concretely, IMUs have been demonstrated to be useful in the monitoring of motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). In this sense, most of previous works have attempted to assess PD symptoms in controlled environments or short tests. This paper presents the design of an IMU, called 9 × 3, that aims to assess PD symptoms, enabling the possibility to perform a map of patients’ symptoms at their homes during long periods. The device is able to acquire and store raw inertial data for artificial intelligence algorithmic training purposes. Furthermore, the presented IMU enables the real-time execution of the developed and embedded learning models. Results show the great flexibility of the 9 × 3, storing inertial information and algorithm outputs, sending messages to external devices and being able to detect freezing of gait and bradykinetic gait. Results obtained in 12 patients exhibit a sensitivity and specificity over 80%. Additionally, the system enables working 23 days (at waking hours) with a 1200 mAh battery and a sampling rate of 50 Hz, opening up the possibility to be used for other applications like wellbeing and sports.
A Low-Cost Environmental Monitoring System: How to Prevent Systematic Errors in the Design Phase through the Combined Use of Additive Manufacturing and Thermographic Techniques
Authors: Salamone Francesco , Danza Ludovico , Meroni Italo , Pollastro Maria
Published: April 2017

nEMoS (nano Environmental Monitoring System) is a 3D-printed device built following the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) approach. It can be connected to the web and it can be used to assess indoor environmental quality (IEQ). It is built using some low-cost sensors connected to an Arduino microcontroller board. The device is assembled in a small-sized case and both thermohygrometric sensors used to measure the air temperature and relative humidity, and the globe thermometer used to measure the radiant temperature, can be subject to thermal effects due to overheating of some nearby components. A thermographic analysis was made to rule out this possibility. The paper shows how the pervasive technique of additive manufacturing can be combined with the more traditional thermographic techniques to redesign the case and to verify the accuracy of the optimized system in order to prevent instrumental systematic errors in terms of the difference between experimental and actual values of the above-mentioned environmental parameters.
Integrating Spherical Panoramas and Maps for Visualization of Cultural Heritage Objects Using Virtual Reality Technology
Authors: Koeva Mila , Luleva Mila , Maldjanski Plamen
Published: April 2017

Development and virtual representation of 3D models of Cultural Heritage (CH) objects has triggered great interest over the past decade. The main reason for this is the rapid development in the fields of photogrammetry and remote sensing, laser scanning, and computer vision. The advantages of using 3D models for restoration, preservation, and documentation of valuable historical and architectural objects have been numerously demonstrated by scientists in the field. Moreover, 3D model visualization in virtual reality has been recognized as an efficient, fast, and easy way of representing a variety of objects worldwide for present-day users, who have stringent requirements and high expectations. However, the main focus of recent research is the visual, geometric, and textural characteristics of a single concrete object, while integration of large numbers of models with additional information—such as historical overview, detailed description, and location—are missing. Such integrated information can be beneficial, not only for tourism but also for accurate documentation. For that reason, we demonstrate in this paper an integration of high-resolution spherical panoramas, a variety of maps, GNSS, sound, video, and text information for representation of numerous cultural heritage objects. These are then displayed in a web-based portal with an intuitive interface. The users have the opportunity to choose freely from the provided information, and decide for themselves what is interesting to visit. Based on the created web application, we provide suggestions and guidelines for similar studies. We selected objects, which are located in Bulgaria—a country with thousands of years of history and cultural heritage dating back to ancient civilizations. The methods used in this research are applicable for any type of spherical or cylindrical images and can be easily followed and applied in various domains. After a visual and metric assessment of the panoramas and the evaluation of the web-portal, we conclude that this novel approach is a very effective, fast, informative, and accurate way to present, disseminate, and document cultural heritage objects.
Design and Implementation of an Intelligent Windowsill System Using Smart Handheld Device and Fuzzy Microcontroller
Authors: Wang Jing-Min , Yang Ming-Ta , Chen Po-Lin
Published: April 2017

With the advance of science and technology, people have a desire for convenient and comfortable living. Creating comfortable and healthy indoor environments is a major consideration for designing smart homes. As handheld devices become increasingly powerful and ubiquitous, this paper proposes an innovative use of smart handheld devices (SHD), using MIT App Inventor and fuzzy control, to perform the real-time monitoring and smart control of the designed intelligent windowsill system (IWS) in a smart home. A compact weather station that consists of environment sensors was constructed in the IWS for measuring of indoor illuminance, temperature-humidity, carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration and outdoor rain and wind direction. According to the measured environment information, the proposed system can automatically send a command to a fuzzy microcontroller performed by Arduino UNO to fully or partly open the electric curtain and electric window for adapting to climate changes in the indoor and outdoor environment. Moreover, the IWS can automatically close windows for rain splashing on the window. The presented novel control method for the windowsill not only expands the SHD applications, but greatly enhances convenience to users. To validate the feasibility and effectiveness of the IWS, a laboratory prototype was built and confirmed experimentally.
Use of the Magnetic Field for Improving Gyroscopes’ Biases Estimation
Authors: Munoz Diaz Estefania , De Ponte Müller Fabian , García Domínguez Juan
Published: April 2017

An accurate orientation is crucial to a satisfactory position in pedestrian navigation. The orientation estimation, however, is greatly affected by errors like the biases of gyroscopes. In order to minimize the error in the orientation, the biases of gyroscopes must be estimated and subtracted. In the state of the art it has been proposed, but not proved, that the estimation of the biases can be accomplished using magnetic field measurements. The objective of this work is to evaluate the effectiveness of using magnetic field measurements to estimate the biases of medium-cost micro-electromechanical sensors (MEMS) gyroscopes. We carry out the evaluation with experiments that cover both, quasi-error-free turn rate and magnetic measurements and medium-cost MEMS turn rate and magnetic measurements. The impact of different homogeneous magnetic field distributions and magnetically perturbed environments is analyzed. Additionally, the effect of the successful biases subtraction on the orientation and the estimated trajectory is detailed. Our results show that the use of magnetic field measurements is beneficial to the correct biases estimation. Further, we show that different magnetic field distributions affect differently the biases estimation process. Moreover, the biases are likewise correctly estimated under perturbed magnetic fields. However, for indoor and urban scenarios the biases estimation process is very slow.
Modeling DGNSS Pseudo-Range Correction Messages by Utilizing Satellite Repeat Time
Authors: Sohn Dong-Hyo , Park Kwan-Dong , Tae Hyunu
Published: April 2017

We developed and validated a pseudo-range correction (PRC) modeling system that can prevent degradation of positioning accuracy even in situations where one cannot obtain PRC messages for Differential Global Navigation Satellite System (DGNSS). A PRC modeling scheme was devised based on the repeat time of GNSS satellites and previously-collected PRC data. The difference between the modeled and real PRC values observed at the reference station showed a bias error of about ±1.0 m and a root mean square error (RMSE) less than 1.5 m. When we applied the predicted PRC to Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) and Differential BeiDou (DBDS) positioning, horizontal RMSE values were at a level of 1.0 m, while vertical RMSE was in the range of 1.8–3.0 m. We found that modelled PRCs can provide positioning results similar to those based on real PRCs and can provide significant improvement over standalone positioning without PRCs.
Fructose and Pectin Detection in Fruit-Based Food Products by Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Camerlingo Carlo , Portaccio Marianna , Tatè Rosarita , Lepore Maria , Delfino Ines
Published: April 2017

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) enables the investigation of samples with weak specific Raman signals, such as opaque samples, including fruit juices and pulp. In this paper, biological apple juices and apple/pear pulp have been studied in order to evidence the presence of fructose and pectin, which are components of great relevance for quality assessment of these kinds of products. In order to perform SERS measurements a low-cost home-made substrate consisting of a glass slide decorated with 30-nm-sized gold nanoparticles has been designed and used. By employing a conventional micro-Raman spectroscopy set-up and a suitable data treatment based on “wavelet” denoising algorithms and background subtraction, spectra of pectin and fructose with clear Raman features have been obtained. The results have confirmed the potential of SERS in the food industry for product characterization, also considering the low-cost and the relative ease of the fabrication process of the employed SERS substrate.
Antibacterial Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Cinnamon Bark, Honey, and Their Combination Effects against Acne-Causing Bacteria
Authors: Julianti Elin , Rajah Kasturi K. , Fidrianny Irda
Published: April 2017

Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis are the major skin bacteria that cause the formation of acne. The present study was conducted to investigate antibacterial activity of ethanolic extract of cinnamon bark, honey, and their combination against acne bacteria. The antibacterial activity of extract of cinnamon bark and honey were investigated against P. acnes and S. epidermidis using disc diffusion. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) were attained using Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute (CLSI) methods. The interaction between cinnamon bark extract and honey was determined using a checkerboards method. The results showed that the MICs of cinnamon bark extract and honey against P. acne were 256 µg/mL and 50% v/v, respectively, while those against S. epidermidis were 1024 µg/mL and 50% v/v, respectively. The MBC of cinnamon bark extract against P. acnes and S. epidermidis were more than 2048 µg/mL, whereas the MBC for honey against P. acnes and S. epidermidis were 100%. The combination of cinnamon bark extract and honey against P. acnes and S. epidermidis showed additive activity with a fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) value of 0.625. Therefore, the combination of cinnamon bark extract and honey has potential activity against acne-causing bacteria.
Long Distance Trade, Locational Dynamics and By-Product Development: Insights from the History of the American Cottonseed Industry
Authors: Desrochers Pierre , Szurmak Joanna
Published: April 2017

Using the historical development of the American cottonseed value chain as a case study, we show that the factors usually deemed significant in the spontaneous development of localized industrial symbiosis (e.g., high volumes of potentially valuable yet environmentally problematic residuals, an economically diverse industrial base, as well as personal interactions and short mental distances between economic actors) have long been observed at much larger geographical scales. Like cereal grains and livestock, but unlike unprocessed residuals (e.g., residual steam and gas), the development of by-products out of cottonseed further involved numerous intermediaries and steps through which a complex raw material was broken down into various components that were then often (re)combined with other materials in remote locations. Additionally, because of the insufficient size and/or demand by domestic consumers, distant markets proved crucial at an early stage. We suggest that self-organizing and market-driven long-distance recovery linkages warrant more attention on the part of industrial symbiosis theorists, especially in terms of the technical, economic, geospatial, social and institutional conditions required for their emergence.
A World without Hunger: Organic or GM Crops?
Authors: Taheri Fatemeh , Azadi Hossein , D’Haese Marijke
Published: April 2017

It has been estimated that the world population will increase to 9.2 billion by 2050; supplying the growing population with food will require a significant increase in agricultural production. A number of agricultural and ecological scientists believe that a large-scale shift to organic farming (OF) would not only increase the world’s food supply, but might be the only way to eradicate hunger sustainably. Nevertheless, OF has recently come under new scrutiny, not just from critics who fear that a large-scale shift in this direction would cause billions to starve but also from farmers and development agencies who question whether such a shift could improve food security. Meanwhile, the use of genetically modified (GM) crops is growing around the world, leading to possible opportunities to combat food insecurity and hunger. However, the development of GM crops has been a matter of considerable interest and worldwide public controversy. So far, no one has comprehensively analyzed whether a widespread shift to OF or GM would be the sole solution for both food security and safety. Using a literature review from databases of peer-reviewed scientific publications, books, and official publications, this study aims to address this issue. Results indicate that OF and GM, to different extents, are able to ensure food security and safety. In developed countries, given that there are relatively few farmers and that their productivity, even without GMOs, is relatively high, OF could be more a viable option. However, OF is significantly less efficient in land-use terms and may lead to more land being used for agriculture due to its lower yield. In developing countries, where many small-scale farmers have low agricultural productivity and limited access to agricultural technologies and information, an approach with both GM and OF might be a more realistic approach to ensure food security and safety.
A Fuzzy Logic-Based Tool for the Assessment of Corporate Sustainability: A Case Study in the Food Machinery Industry
Authors: Bottani Eleonora , Gentilotti Maria Carmen , Rinaldi Marta
Published: April 2017

This paper develops a quantitative tool for the assessment of sustainability at the company’s level, taking into account its three key perspectives, i.e., economic, environmental and social. The proposed framework is grounded on fuzzy logic and in particular on a monotonic hierarchical fuzzy inference tool, as an effective means to gather the judgements and scores against the key performance indicators (KPIs) of each sustainability perspective into an aggregated index. In developing the fuzzy inference tool, we also solve some typical issues related to the assessment of sustainability, e.g., the identification of benchmark values to rate the company’s performance against each sustainability KPI. The architecture of the fuzzy inference tool was embodied in an ad hoc software developed in Microsoft ExcelTM (Microsoft Corporation, Albuquerque, NM, USA), which makes it easy to use the proposed framework in practical situations. The potential of the software tool developed is illustrated by means of a case study, targeting a food machinery company, for which the overall evaluation of sustainability is carried out.
The PeRvasive Environment Sensing and Sharing Solution
Authors: Bellavista Paolo , Giannelli Carlo , Zamagna Riccardo
Published: April 2017

To stimulate better user behavior and improve environmental and economic sustainability, it is of paramount importance to make citizens effectively aware of the quality of the environment in which they live every day. In particular, we claim that users could significantly benefit from cost-effective efficient Internet-of-Things (IoT) solutions that provide them with up-to-date live information about air pollution in the areas where they live, suitably adapted to different situations and with different levels of dynamically selected granularities (e.g., at home/district/city levels). Our PeRvasive Environment Sensing and Sharing (PRESS) project has the ambition of increasing users’ awareness of the natural environment they live in, as a first step towards improved sustainability; the primary target is the efficient provisioning of real-time user-centric information about environmental conditions in the surroundings, and in particular about air pollution. To this purpose, we have designed, implemented, and thoroughly evaluated the PRESS framework, which is capable of achieving good flexibility and scalability while integrating heterogeneous monitoring data, ranging from sensed air pollution to user-provided quality perceptions. Among the elements of technical originality, PRESS exploits extended Kura IoT gateways with novel congestion detection and recovery mechanisms that allow us to optimize bandwidth allocation between in-the-field PRESS components and the cloud. The reported performance results show the feasibility of the proposed solution, by pointing out not only the scalability and efficiency of the adopted message-based solution that uses Message Queue Telemetry Transport (MQTT) and WebSockets, but also the capability of PRESS to quickly identify and manage traffic congestions, thus, ensuring good quality levels to final users.
A Study of Walkable Spaces with Natural Elements for Urban Regeneration: A Focus on Cases in Seoul, South Korea
Authors: Shafray Ekaterina , Kim Seiyong
Published: April 2017

environmental protection issues and the monitoring of pollution, especially for the largest cities in Asia, are becoming increasingly prominent factors for inclusive urban planning of public open spaces. Recently, a walkability concept was implemented in many cities, and in 2016 it became a campaign direction for development in Seoul. This paper considers conditions of implementation for the walkability concept, using examples of pedestrian walkway-making initiatives, and regeneration of existing walkways along water streams in urban case studies in Seoul, South Korea. The role of nature-based solutions was considered in relation to aesthetics, and social and environmental characteristics (e.g., air pollution, oxygenation through greenery) obtained through literature reviews for the case studies. Considering the complexity of the situation, with factors such as Air Quality Index (AQI) warning conditions, and the general positive impact of walkability on enhancing a healthy life style and social interaction and on reducing congestion, this study contributes to the discussion on walkability, and the importance of nature-based urban regeneration projects for densely populated areas in cities. The results of particular cases in this paper suggest the need for careful monitoring and consideration of various factors for urban regeneration walkable design projects.
Vitis vinifera Extract Ameliorate Hepatic and Renal Dysfunction Induced by Dexamethasone in Albino Rats
Authors: Hasona Nabil , Alrashidi Ahmed , Aldugieman Thamer , Alshdokhi Ali , Ahmed Mohammed
Published: April 2017

This study was conducted to evaluate the biochemical effects of grape seed extract against dexamethasone-induced hepatic and renal dysfunction in a female albino rat. Twenty-eight adult female rats were divided randomly into four equal groups: Group 1: animals were injected subcutaneously with saline and consider as normal control one. Group 2: animals were injected subcutaneously with dexamethasone in a dose of 0.1 mg/kg body weight. Group 3: animals were injected subcutaneously with 0.1 mg/kg body weight of dexamethasone, and then treated with a grape seed extract in a dose of 200 mg/kg body weight by oral gavage. Group 4: animals were injected subcutaneously with 0.1 mg/kg body weight of dexamethasone, and then treated with a grape seed extract in a dose of 400 mg/kg body weight by oral gavage. After 4 weeks, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities, albumin, uric acid, creatinine, and glucose levels were assayed. Hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH), total protein content, and catalase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activities were also assayed. Dexamethasone administration caused elevation of serum levels of glucose, uric acid, creatinine, ALT, AST activities, and a decrease in other parameters such as hepatic glutathione, total protein levels, and catalase enzyme activity. Treatment with Vitis vinifera L. seed extract showed a significant increase in the body weight of rats in the group treated with Vitis vinifera L. seed extract orally compared with the dexamethasone control group. An increase in GSH and catalase activity in response to oral treatment with Vitis vinifera L. seed extract was observed after treatment. Grape seed extract positively affects glucocorticoid-induced hepatic and renal alteration in albino rats.
Differences in Ribosome Binding and Sarcin/Ricin Loop Depurination by Shiga and Ricin Holotoxins
Authors: Li Xiao-Ping , Tumer Nilgun
Published: April 2017

Both ricin and Shiga holotoxins display no ribosomal activity in their native forms and need to be activated to inhibit translation in a cell-free translation inhibition assay. This is because the ribosome binding site of the ricin A chain (RTA) is blocked by the B subunit in ricin holotoxin. However, it is not clear why Shiga toxin 1 (Stx1) or Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2) holotoxin is not active in a cell-free system. Here, we compare the ribosome binding and depurination activity of Stx1 and Stx2 holotoxins with the A1 subunits of Stx1 and Stx2 using either the ribosome or a 10-mer RNA mimic of the sarcin/ricin loop as substrates. Our results demonstrate that the active sites of Stx1 and Stx2 holotoxins are blocked by the A2 chain and the B subunit, while the ribosome binding sites are exposed to the solvent. Unlike ricin, which is enzymatically active, but cannot interact with the ribosome, Stx1 and Stx2 holotoxins are enzymatically inactive but can interact with the ribosome.
Proteolysis in Helicobacter pylori-Induced Gastric Cancer
Authors: Posselt Gernot , Crabtree Jean , Wessler Silja
Published: April 2017

Persistent infections with the human pathogen and class-I carcinogen Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are closely associated with the development of acute and chronic gastritis, ulceration, gastric adenocarcinoma and lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) system. Disruption and depolarization of the epithelium is a hallmark of H. pylori-associated disorders and requires extensive modulation of epithelial cell surface structures. Hence, the complex network of controlled proteolysis which facilitates tissue homeostasis in healthy individuals is deregulated and crucially contributes to the induction and progression of gastric cancer through processing of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, cell surface receptors, membrane-bound cytokines, and lateral adhesion molecules. Here, we summarize the recent reports on mechanisms how H. pylori utilizes a variety of extracellular proteases, involving the proteases Hp0169 and high temperature requirement A (HtrA) of bacterial origin, and host matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs), a disintegrin and metalloproteinases (ADAMs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). H. pylori-regulated proteases represent predictive biomarkers and attractive targets for therapeutic interventions in gastric cancer.
Relative Performance and Predictive Values of Plasma and Dried Blood Spots with Filter Paper Sampling Techniques and Dilutions of the Lymphatic Filariasis Og4C3 Antigen ELISA for Samples from Myanmar
Authors: Masson Jesse , Douglass Jan , Roineau Maureen , Aye Khin , Htwe Kyi , Warner Jeffrey , Graves Patricia
Published: April 2017

Diagnostic testing of blood samples for parasite antigen Og4C3 is used to assess Wuchereria bancrofti in endemic populations. However, the Tropbio ELISA recommends that plasma and dried blood spots (DBS) prepared using filter paper be used at different dilutions, making it uncertain whether these two methods and dilutions give similar results, especially at low levels of residual infection or resurgence during the post-program phase. We compared results obtained using samples of plasma and DBS taken simultaneously from 104 young adults in Myanmar in 2014, of whom 50 (48.1%) were positive for filariasis antigen by rapid antigen test. Results from DBS tests at recommended dilution were significantly lower than results from plasma tested at recommended dilution, with comparisons between plasma and DBS at unmatched dilutions yielding low sensitivity and negative predictive values of 60.0% and 70.6% respectively. While collection of capillary blood on DBS is cheaper and easier to perform than collecting plasma or serum, and does not need to be stored frozen, dilutions between different versions of the test must be reconciled or an adjustment factor applied.
Using Spatial Video to Analyze and Map the Water-Fetching Path in Challenging Environments: A Case Study of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Authors: Smiley Sarah , Curtis Andrew , Kiwango Joseph
Published: April 2017

Access to clean drinking water remains a significant health problem in the developing world. Traditional definitions of water access oversimplify the geographic context of water availability, the burden of water collection, and challenges faced along the path, mainly due to a lack of fine scale spatial data. This paper demonstrates how spatial video collected in three informal areas of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, can be used to quantify aspects of the walk to water. These include impediments encountered along the path such as changes in elevation and proximity to traffic. All are mapped along with classic health-related environmental and social information, such as standing water, drains, and trash. The issue of GPS error was encountered due to the built environment that is typical of informal settlements. The spatial video allowed for the correction of the path to gain a more accurate estimate of time and distance for each walk. The resulting mapped health risks at this fine scale of detail reveal micro-geographies of concern. Spatial video is a useful tool for visualizing and analyzing the challenges of water collection. It also allows for data generated along the walk to become part of both a household and local area risk assessment.
How to Reconstruct a Varying Speed of Light Signal from Baryon Acoustic Oscillations Surveys
Authors: Salzano Vincenzo
Published: April 2017

We describe an alternative way to use future Baryon Acoustic Oscillation observations to perform non-mainstream research. We focus on the so-called Varying Speed of Light theories, in which the speed of light is made to vary in time. Using prescriptions from future BAO surveys (BOSS, DESI, WFirst-2.4 and SKA), we show that, within such surveys, a 1% Varying Speed of Light (VSL) signal could be detected at 3 sigmas confidence level, in the redshift interval [0.75, 1.45]. Smaller signals will be hardly detected. We also discuss some possible problems related to such kinds of observation, in particular, the degeneracy between a VSL signal and a non-null spatial curvature.
T Cell-Mediated Immunity towards Yellow Fever Virus and Useful Animal Models
Authors: Watson Alan , Klimstra William
Published: April 2017

The 17D line of yellow fever virus vaccines is among the most effective vaccines ever created. The humoral and cellular immunity elicited by 17D has been well characterized in humans. Neutralizing antibodies have long been known to provide protection against challenge with a wild-type virus. However, a well characterized T cell immune response that is robust, long-lived and polyfunctional is also elicited by 17D. It remains unclear whether this arm of immunity is protective following challenge with a wild-type virus. Here we introduce the 17D line of yellow fever virus vaccines, describe the current state of knowledge regarding the immunity directed towards the vaccines in humans and conclude with a discussion of animal models that are useful for evaluating T cell-mediated immune protection to yellow fever virus.
Discharge Measurements of Snowmelt Flood by Space-Time Image Velocimetry during the Night Using Far-Infrared Camera
Authors: Fujita Ichiro
Published: April 2017

The space time image velocimetry (STIV) technique is presented and shown to be a useful tool for extracting river flow information non-intrusively simply by taking surface video images. This technique is applied to measure surface velocity distributions on the Uono River on Honshu Island, Japan. At the site, various measurement methods such as a radio-wave velocity meter, an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) or imaging techniques were implemented. The performance of STIV was examined in various aspects such as a night measurement using a far-infrared-ray (FIR) camera and a comparison to ADCP data for checking measurement accuracy. All the results showed that STIV is capable of providing reliable data for surface velocity and water discharge that agree fairly well with ADCP data. In particular, it was demonstrated that measurements during the night can be conducted without any difficulty using an FIR camera and the STIV technique. In particular, using the FIR camera, the STIV technique can capture water surface features better than conventional cameras even at low resolution. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that measurements during the night can be conducted without any difficulty.
Comorbidity and polypharmacy in chronic heart failure: a large cross-sectional study in primary care
Authors: Baron-Franco Bosco , McLean Gary , Mair Frances S , Roger Veronique L , Guthrie Bruce , Mercer Stewart W
Published: April 2017

Background

Comorbidity is common in heart failure, but previous prevalence estimates have been based on a limited number of conditions using mainly non-primary care data sources.

Aim

To compare prevalence rates of comorbidity and polypharmacy in those with and without chronic heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD).

Design and setting

A cross-sectional study of 1.4 million patients in primary care in Scotland.

Method

Data on the presence of LVSD, 31 other physical, and seven mental health comorbidities, and prescriptions were extracted from a database of 1 424 378 adults. Comorbidity prevalence was compared in patients with and without LVSD, standardised by age, sex, and deprivation. Pharmacology data were also compared between the two groups.

Results

There were 17 285 patients (1.2%) who had a diagnosis of LVSD. Compared with standardised controls, the LVSD group had greater comorbidity, with the biggest difference found for seven or more conditions (odds ratio [OR] 4.10; 95% confidence interval (CI] = 3.90 to 4.32). Twenty-five physical conditions and six mental health conditions were significantly more prevalent in those with LVSD relative to standardised controls. Polypharmacy was higher in the LVSD group compared with controls, with the biggest difference found for ≥11 repeat prescriptions (OR 4.81; 95% CI = 4.60 to 5.04). However, these differences in polypharmacy were attenuated after controlling for the number of morbidities, indicating that much of the additional prescribing was accounted for by multimorbidity rather than LVSD per se.

Conclusion

Extreme comorbidity and polypharmacy is significantly more common in patients with chronic heart failure due to LVSD. The efficient management of such complexity requires the integration of general and specialist expertise.
Digitizing specimens in a small herbarium: A viable workflow for collections working with limited resources
Authors: Harris Kari M. , Marsico Travis D.
Published: April 2017

Premise of the study:

Small herbaria represent a significant portion of herbaria in the United States, but many are not digitizing their collections.

Methods:

At the Arkansas State University Herbarium (STAR), we have created a viable workflow to help small herbaria begin the digitization process, including suggestions for publishing data on the Internet. We calculated hourly rates of each phase of the digitization process. We also mapped accessions at the county level to determine geographic strengths in the collection.

Results:

All 17,678 accessioned flowering plant specimens at STAR are imaged, databased in Specify, and available electronically on the herbarium's website. Students imaged the specimens at a mean rate of 145/h. We found differences in databasing rates between the graduate student leading the project (47/h) and undergraduate assistants (25/h). The majority of specimens at STAR were collected within the counties neighboring the institution.

Discussion:

With this workflow, we estimate that one person can digitize a 20,000‐specimen collection in less than 2.5 yr by working only 10 h/wk. Because STAR is a small herbarium with limited resources, the application of the workflow described should assist curators of similar‐sized collections as they contemplate and undertake the digitization process.
Development and characterization of 18 polymorphic SSR markers for Barthea barthei (Melastomataceae)
Authors: Huang Guilian , Liu Haijun , Sun Hongbin , Liu Ying , Zhou Renchao , Liao Wenbo , Fan Qiang
Published: April 2017

Premise of the study:

To examine population differentiation, simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were developed in Barthea barthei, a shrub with a disjunct distribution in the southern mainland of China and Taiwan.

Methods and Results:

We used Illumina HiSeq technology to sequence a genomic library for SSR identification. Twenty‐seven SSR loci were developed, of which 18 SSR loci were polymorphic in three populations composed of two varieties of B. barthei. At the population level, the number of alleles ranged from one to seven, and the observed and expected heterozygosity varied from 0 to 0.850 and from 0 to 0.809, respectively. Higher genetic differentiation between the two populations of B. barthei var. barthei (FST = 0.474) was observed relative to the two varieties (FST = 0.387 and 0.418, respectively).

Conclusions:

These polymorphic SSR markers may be useful for understanding phytogeographic history of B. barthei. Lower genetic differentiation between the two varieties than between the two populations of B. barthei var. barthei suggests that the taxonomic treatment may not hold.
Development of microsatellite loci in Mediterranean sarsaparilla (Smilax aspera; Smilacaceae) using transcriptome data
Authors: Qi Zhe‐Chen , Shen Chao , Han Yu‐Wei , Shen Wei , Yang Man , Liu Jinliang , Liang Zong‐Suo , Li Pan , Fu Cheng‐Xin
Published: April 2017

Premise of the study:

Although several microsatellite markers of Smilax aspera (Smilacaceae) have been reported in a previous study, due to universality issues in cross‐population amplification, we have newly developed microsatellite markers for S. aspera based on transcriptome data to further investigate gene flow and genetic structure of its circum‐Mediterranean, East African, and South Asian populations.

Methods and Results:

A total of 4854 simple sequence repeat (SSR) primer pairs were designed from 99,193 contigs acquired from public transcriptome data of S. bona‐nox. Forty‐six microsatellite loci were selected for further genotyping in 12 S. aspera populations. The number of alleles varied from three to 28, and 93.5% of the developed microsatellite markers could be cross‐amplified in least one of three congeneric Smilax species.

Conclusions:

The SSR markers developed in this study will facilitate further studies on genetic diversity and phylogeographic patterns of S. aspera in intercontinental geographical scales.