bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unfolding Novel Mechanisms of Polyphenol Flavonoids for Better Glycaemic Control: Targeting Pancreatic Islet Amyloid Polypeptide (IAPP)
Authors: Sequeira Ivana , Poppitt Sally
Published: July 2017

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characterised by hyperglycaemia resulting from defective insulin secretion, insulin resistance, or both. The impact of over-nutrition and reduced physical activity, evidenced by the exponential rise in obesity and the prevalence of T2D, strongly supports the implementation of lifestyle modification programs. Accordingly, an increased consumption of fruits and plant-derived foods has been advocated, as their intake is inversely correlated with T2D prevalence; this has been attributed, in part, to their contained polyphenolic compounds. Over the last decade, a body of work has focussed on establishing the mechanisms by which polyphenolic compounds exert beneficial effects to limit carbohydrate digestion, enhance insulin-mediated glucose uptake, down-regulate hepatic gluconeogenesis and decrease oxidative stress; the latter anti-oxidative property being the most documented. Novel effects on the inhibition of glucocorticoid action and the suppression of amylin misfolding and aggregation have been identified more recently. Amyloid fibrils form from spontaneously misfolded amylin, depositing in islet cells to elicit apoptosis, beta cell degeneration and decrease insulin secretion, with amyloidosis affecting up to 80% of pancreatic islet cells in T2D. Therefore, intervening with polyphenolic compounds offers a novel approach to suppressing risk or progression to T2D. This review gives an update on the emerging mechanisms related to dietary polyphenol intake for the maintenance of glycaemic control and the prevention of T2D.
A Comprehensive Review of Common Bacterial, Parasitic and Viral Zoonoses at the Human-Animal Interface in Egypt
Authors: Helmy Yosra , El-Adawy Hosny , Abdelwhab Elsayed
Published: July 2017

Egypt has a unique geographical location connecting the three old-world continents Africa, Asia and Europe. It is the country with the highest population density in the Middle East, Northern Africa and the Mediterranean basin. This review summarizes the prevalence, reservoirs, sources of human infection and control regimes of common bacterial, parasitic and viral zoonoses in animals and humans in Egypt. There is a gap of knowledge conerning the epidemiology of zoonotic diseases at the human-animal interface in different localities in Egypt. Some zoonotic agents are “exotic” for Egypt (e.g., MERS-CoV and Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus), others are endemic (e.g., Brucellosis, Schistosomiasis and Avian influenza). Transboundary transmission of emerging pathogens from and to Egypt occurred via different routes, mainly importation/exportation of apparently healthy animals or migratory birds. Control of the infectious agents and multidrug resistant bacteria in the veterinary sector is on the frontline for infection control in humans. The implementation of control programs significantly decreased the prevalence of some zoonoses, such as schistosomiasis and fascioliasis, in some localities within the country. Sustainable awareness, education and training targeting groups at high risk (veterinarians, farmers, abattoir workers, nurses, etc.) are important to lessen the burden of zoonotic diseases among Egyptians. There is an urgent need for collaborative surveillance and intervention plans for the control of these diseases in Egypt.
Light-Driven Rotation and Pitch Tuning of Self-Organized Cholesteric Gratings Formed in a Semi-Free Film
Authors: Ma Ling-Ling , Duan Wei , Tang Ming-Jie , Chen Lu-Jian , Liang Xiao , Lu Yan-Qing , Hu Wei
Published: July 2017

Cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) has attracted intensive attention due to its ability to form a periodic helical structure with broad tunability. CLC gratings in open systems are especially promising in sensing and micromanipulation. However, there is still much to learn about the inherent mechanism of such gratings. We investigate the light-driven rotation and pitch-tuning behaviors of CLC gratings in semi-free films which are formed by spin-coating the CLC mixtures onto planarly photoaligned substrates. The doped azobenzene chiral molecular switch supplies great flexibility to realize the continuous grating rotation. The maximum continuous rotational angle reaches 987.8°. Moreover, dependencies of light-driven rotation and pitch tuning on the dopant concentration and exposure are studied. The model of director configuration in the semi-free film is constructed. Precise beam steering and synchronous micromanipulation are also demonstrated. Our work may provide new opportunities for the CLC grating in applications of beam steering, micromanipulation, and sensing.
Design and Study of a Novel Thermal-Resistant and Shear-Stable Amphoteric Polyacrylamide in High-Salinity Solution
Authors: Dai Caili , Xu Zhongliang , Wu Yining , Zou Chenwei , Wu Xuepeng , Wang Tao , Guo Xu , Zhao Mingwei
Published: July 2017

Abstract: Water-soluble polymers are widely used in oilfields. The rheological behaviors of these polymers in high-salinity solution are very important for stimulation of high-salinity reservoirs. In this work, a novel thermal-resistant and shear-stable amphoteric polyacrylamide (PASD), prepared from acrylamide (AM), sodium styrene sulfonate (SSS), and acryloxyethyl trimethylammonium chloride (DAC) monomers, was prepared by free-radical polymerization in high-salinity solution. The amphoteric polyacrylamide was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TG), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The amphoteric polyacrylamide exhibited excellent salinity tolerance. The slow increase in apparent viscosity of the polymer with increase in salinity was interesting. The amphoteric polyacrylamide showed perfect temperature resistance in high-salinity solution. The viscosity retention reached 38.9% at 120 °C and was restored to 87.8% of its initial viscosity when temperature was decreased to room temperature. The retention ratio of apparent viscosity reached 49.7% at 170 s−1 and could still retain it at 25.8% at 1000 s−1. All these results demonstrated that PASD had excellent thermal-resistance and shear-stability in high-salinity solution. We expect that this work could provide a new strategy to design polymers with excellent salinity-tolerance, thermal-resistance, and shear-stability performances.
Biphasic Calcium Phosphate (BCP)-Immobilized Porous Poly (d,l-Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid) Microspheres Enhance Osteogenic Activities of Osteoblasts
Authors: Shim Kyu-Sik , Kim Sung Eun , Yun Young-Pil , Choi Somang , Kim Hak-Jun , Park Kyeongsoon , Song Hae-Ryong
Published: July 2017

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of porous poly (d,l-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres (PMSs) immobilized on biphasic calcium phosphate nanoparticles (BCP NPs) (BCP-IM-PMSs) to enhance osteogenic activity. PMSs were fabricated using a fluidic device, and their surfaces were modified with l-lysine (aminated-PMSs), whereas the BCP NPs were modified with heparin–dopamine (Hep-DOPA) to obtain heparinized–BCP (Hep-BCP) NPs. BCP-IM-PMSs were fabricated via electrostatic interactions between the Hep-BCP NPs and aminated-PMSs. The fabricated BCP-IM-PMSs showed an interconnected pore structure. In vitro studies showed that MG-63 cells cultured on BCP-IM-PMSs had increased alkaline phosphatase activity, calcium content, and mRNA expression of osteocalcin (OCN) and osteopontin (OPN) compared with cells cultured on PMSs. These data suggest that BCP NP-immobilized PMSs have the potential to enhance osteogenic activity.
Introduction: Religion and the New Technologies
Authors: Herzfeld Noreen
Published: July 2017

In April 2000, Wired published a controversial article entitled “Why the Future Doesn’t Need Us” by Joy (2000), co-founder and chief scientist at Sun Microsystems.[...]
Influence of Ecological Factors on Estimation of Impervious Surface Area Using Landsat 8 Imagery
Authors: Jia Yuqiu , Tang Lina , Wang Lin
Published: July 2017

Estimation of impervious surface area is important to the study of urban environments and social development, but surface characteristics, as well as the temporal, spectral, and spatial resolutions of remote sensing images, influence the estimation accuracy. To investigate the effects of regional environmental characteristics on the estimation of impervious surface area, we divided China into seven sub-regions based on climate, soil type, feature complexity, and vegetation phenology: arid and semi-arid areas, Huang-Huai-Hai winter wheat production areas, typical temperate regions, the Pearl River Delta, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, typical tropical and subtropical regions, and the Qinghai Tibet Plateau. Impervious surface area was estimated from Landsat 8 images of five typical cities, including Yinchuan, Shijiazhuang, Shenyang, Ningbo, and Kunming. Using the linear spectral unmixing method, impervious and permeable surface areas were determined at the pixel-scale based on end-member proportions. We calculated the producer’s accuracy, user’s accuracy, and overall accuracy to assess the estimation accuracy, and compared the accuracies among images acquired from different seasons and locations. In tropical and subtropical regions, vegetation canopies can confound the identification of impervious surfaces and, thus, images acquired in winter, early spring, and autumn are most suitable; estimations in the Pearl River Delta, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River are influenced by soil, vegetation phenology, vegetation canopy, and water, and images acquired in spring, summer, and autumn provide the best results; in typical temperate areas, images acquired from spring to autumn are most effective for estimations; in winter wheat-growing areas, images acquired throughout the year are suitable; and in arid and semi-arid areas, summer and early autumn, during which vegetation is abundant, are the optimal seasons for estimations. Knowledge of optimal time frames, multi-source data, and intelligent algorithms should be integrated to reduce spectral confusion and improve the estimation of impervious surface area from Landsat 8 OLI imagery.
Lifetime Maximization via Hole Alleviation in IoT Enabling Heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Wadud Zahid , Javaid Nadeem , Khan Muhammad , Alrajeh Nabil , Alabed Mohamad , Guizani Nadra
Published: July 2017

In Internet of Things (IoT) enabled Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), there are two major factors which degrade the performance of the network. One is the void hole which occurs in a particular region due to unavailability of forwarder nodes. The other is the presence of energy hole which occurs due to imbalanced data traffic load on intermediate nodes. Therefore, an optimum transmission strategy is required to maximize the network lifespan via hole alleviation. In this regard, we propose a heterogeneous network solution that is capable to balance energy dissipation among network nodes. In addition, the divide and conquer approach is exploited to evenly distribute number of transmissions over various network areas. An efficient forwarder node selection is performed to alleviate coverage and energy holes. Linear optimization is performed to validate the effectiveness of our proposed work in term of energy minimization. Furthermore, simulations are conducted to show that our claims are well grounded. Results show the superiority of our work as compared to the baseline scheme in terms of energy consumption and network lifetime.
Classification of Alzheimer’s Patients through Ubiquitous Computing
Authors: Nieto-Reyes Alicia , Duque Rafael , Montaña José , Lage Carmen
Published: July 2017

Functional data analysis and artificial neural networks are the building blocks of the proposed methodology that distinguishes the movement patterns among c’s patients on different stages of the disease and classifies new patients to their appropriate stage of the disease. The movement patterns are obtained by the accelerometer device of android smartphones that the patients carry while moving freely. The proposed methodology is relevant in that it is flexible on the type of data to which it is applied. To exemplify that, it is analyzed a novel real three-dimensional functional dataset where each datum is observed in a different time domain. Not only is it observed on a difference frequency but also the domain of each datum has different length. The obtained classification success rate of 83 % indicates the potential of the proposed methodology.
Hierarchical Stereo Matching in Two-Scale Space for Cyber-Physical System
Authors: Choi Eunah , Lee Sangyoon , Hong Hyunki
Published: July 2017

Dense disparity map estimation from a high-resolution stereo image is a very difficult problem in terms of both matching accuracy and computation efficiency. Thus, an exhaustive disparity search at full resolution is required. In general, examining more pixels in the stereo view results in more ambiguous correspondences. When a high-resolution image is down-sampled, the high-frequency components of the fine-scaled image are at risk of disappearing in the coarse-resolution image. Furthermore, if erroneous disparity estimates caused by missing high-frequency components are propagated across scale space, ultimately, false disparity estimates are obtained. To solve these problems, we introduce an efficient hierarchical stereo matching method in two-scale space. This method applies disparity estimation to the reduced-resolution image, and the disparity result is then up-sampled to the original resolution. The disparity estimation values of the high-frequency (or edge component) regions of the full-resolution image are combined with the up-sampled disparity results. In this study, we extracted the high-frequency areas from the scale-space representation by using difference of Gaussian (DoG) or found edge components, using a Canny operator. Then, edge-aware disparity propagation was used to refine the disparity map. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms previous methods.
A Noncontact Dibutyl Phthalate Sensor Based on a Wireless-Electrodeless QCM-D Modified with Nano-Structured Nickel Hydroxide
Authors: Chen Daqi , Sun Xiyang , Zhang Kaihuan , Fan Guokang , Wang You , Li Guang , Hu Ruifen
Published: July 2017

Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is a widely used plasticizer which has been found to be a reproductive and developmental toxicant and ubiquitously existing in the air. A highly sensitive method for DBP monitoring in the environment is urgently needed. A DBP sensor based on a homemade wireless-electrodeless quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) coated with nano-structured nickel hydroxide is presented. With the noncontact configuration, the sensing system could work at a higher resonance frequency (the 3rd overtone) and the response of the system was even more stable compared with a conventional quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The sensor achieved a sensitivity of 7.3 Hz/ppb to DBP in a concentration range of 0.4–40 ppb and an ultra-low detection limit of 0.4 ppb of DBP has also been achieved.
4SM: A Novel Self-Calibrated Algebraic Ratio Method for Satellite-Derived Bathymetry and Water Column Correction
Authors: Morel Yann , Favoretto Fabio
Published: July 2017

All empirical water column correction methods have consistently been reported to require existing depth sounding data for the purpose of calibrating a simple depth retrieval model; they yield poor results over very bright or very dark bottoms. In contrast, we set out to (i) use only the relative radiance data in the image along with published data, and several new assumptions; (ii) in order to specify and operate the simplified radiative transfer equation (RTE); (iii) for the purpose of retrieving both the satellite derived bathymetry (SDB) and the water column corrected spectral reflectance over shallow seabeds. Sea truth regressions show that SDB depths retrieved by the method only need tide correction. Therefore it shall be demonstrated that, under such new assumptions, there is no need for (i) formal atmospheric correction; (ii) conversion of relative radiance into calibrated reflectance; or (iii) existing depth sounding data, to specify the simplified RTE and produce both SDB and spectral water column corrected radiance ready for bottom typing. Moreover, the use of the panchromatic band for that purpose is introduced. Altogether, we named this process the Self-Calibrated Supervised Spectral Shallow-sea Modeler (4SM). This approach requires a trained practitioner, though, to produce its results within hours of downloading the raw image. The ideal raw image should be a “near-nadir” view, exhibit homogeneous atmosphere and water column, include some coverage of optically deep waters and bare land, and lend itself to quality removal of haze, atmospheric adjacency effect, and sun/sky glint.
Selecting Persuasive Strategies and Game Design Elements for Encouraging Energy Saving Behavior
Authors: Shih Li-Hsing , Jheng Yi-Cin
Published: July 2017

Design for sustainable behavior has become more important for product or service design considering environmental sustainability in the use stage. The goal of this work is to specifically help design for encouraging energy-saving behavior in selecting effective persuasive design strategies and game design elements by considering users’ differences. The work begins with screening commonly employed persuasive strategies based on literature and the analysis of existing cases in design for energy-saving behavior. Secondly, a questionnaire survey is conducted to investigate the possible demographic differences on the persuasiveness of the selected persuasive strategies. Thirdly, the selected persuasive strategies are mapped to twenty-nine useful game design elements via an affinity diagram method. The results could help designers choose effective persuasive strategies and game design elements for different user groups. At the end, an illustrative example is presented to show the application potential in design for energy-saving behavior.
IoT-Based Image Recognition System for Smart Home-Delivered Meal Services
Authors: Tseng Hsiao-Ting , Hwang Hsin-Ginn , Hsu Wei-Yen , Chou Pei-Chin , Chang I-Chiu
Published: July 2017

Population ageing is an important global issue. The Taiwanese government has used various Internet of Things (IoT) applications in the “10-year long-term care program 2.0”. It is expected that the efficiency and effectiveness of long-term care services will be improved through IoT support. Home-delivered meal services for the elderly are important for home-based long-term care services. To ensure that the right meals are delivered to the right recipient at the right time, the runners need to take a picture of the meal recipient when the meal is delivered. This study uses the IoT-based image recognition system to design an integrated service to improve the management of image recognition. The core technology of this IoT-based image recognition system is statistical histogram-based k-means clustering for image segmentation. However, this method is time-consuming. Therefore, we proposed using the statistical histogram to obtain a probability density function of pixels of a figure and segmenting these with weighting for the same intensity. This aims to increase the computational performance and achieve the same results as k-means clustering. We combined histogram and k-means clustering in order to overcome the high computational cost for k-means clustering. The results indicate that the proposed method is significantly faster than k-means clustering by more than 10 times.
Inactivation Effect of Antibiotic-Resistant Gene Using Chlorine Disinfection
Authors: Furukawa Takashi , Jikumaru Atsushi , Ueno Takahisa , Sei Kazunari
Published: July 2017

The aim of this study was to elucidate the inactivation effects on the antibiotic-resistance gene (vanA) of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) using chlorination, a disinfection method widely used in various water treatment facilities. Suspensions of VRE were prepared by adding VRE to phosphate-buffered saline, or the sterilized secondary effluent of a wastewater treatment plant. The inactivation experiments were carried out at several chlorine concentrations and stirring time. Enterococci concentration and presence of vanA were determined. The enterococci concentration decreased as chlorine concentrations and stirring times increased, with more than 7.0 log reduction occurring under the following conditions: 40 min stirring at 0.5 mg Cl2/L, 20 min stirring at 1.0 mg Cl2/L, and 3 min stirring at 3.0 mg Cl2/L. In the inactivation experiment using VRE suspended in secondary effluent, the culturable enterococci required much higher chlorine concentration and longer treatment time for complete disinfection than the cases of suspension of VRE. However, vanA was detected in all chlorinated suspensions of VRE, even in samples where no enterococcal colonies were present on the medium agar plate. The chlorine disinfection was not able to destroy antibiotic-resistance genes, though it can inactivate and decrease bacterial counts of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB). Therefore, it was suggested that remaining ARB and/or antibiotic-resistance gene in inactivated bacterial cells after chlorine disinfection tank could be discharged into water environments.
Simulation of Typhoon-Induced Storm Tides and Wind Waves for the Northeastern Coast of Taiwan Using a Tide–Surge–Wave Coupled Model
Authors: Chen Wei-Bo , Lin Lee-Yaw , Jang Jiun-Huei , Chang Chih-Hsin
Published: July 2017

The storm tide is a combination of the astronomical tide and storm surge, which is the actual sea water level leading to flooding in low-lying coastal areas. A full coupled modeling system (Semi-implicit Eulerian-Lagrangian Finite-Element model coupled with Wind Wave Model II, SELFE-WWM-II) for simulating the interaction of tide, surge and waves based on an unstructured grid is applied to simulate the storm tide and wind waves for the northeastern coast of Taiwan. The coupled model was driven by the astronomical tide and consisted of main eight tidal constituents and the meteorological forcings (air pressure and wind stress) of typhoons. SELFE computes the depth-averaged current and water surface elevation passed to WWM-II, while WWM-II passes the radiation stress to SELFE by solving the wave action equation. Hindcasts of wind waves and storm tides for five typhoon events were developed to validate the coupled model. The detailed comparisons generally show good agreement between the simulations and measurements. The contributions of surge induced by wave and meteorological forcings to the storm tide were investigated for Typhoon Soudelor (2015) at three tide gauge stations. The results reveal that the surge contributed by wave radiation stress was 0.55 m at Suao Port due to the giant offshore wind wave (exceeding 16.0 m) caused by Typhoon Soudelor (2015) and the steep sea-bottom slope. The air pressure resulted in a 0.6 m surge at Hualien Port because of an inverted barometer effect. The wind stress effect was only slightly significant at Keelung Port, contributing 0.22 m to the storm tide. We conclude that wind waves should not be neglected when modeling typhoon-induced storm tides, especially in regions with steep sea-bottom slopes. In addition, accurate tidal and meteorological forces are also required for storm tide modeling.
Sport, tourisme, environnement et développement local durable (activités récréatives et sportives et protection de l’environnement : le cas du Parc national de la Guadeloupe)
Authors: Breton Jean-Marie
Published: July 2017

La conciliation, dans les aires protégées, des activités sportives et de loisirs avec la protection de l’environnement et la conservation de la biodiversité pose des problèmes complexes en termes de politiques publiques comme de dispositifs normatifs. Le tourisme sportif et les sports de pleine nature, en particulier, y sont par définition confrontés aux exigences prioritaires qu’impose le statut des parcs nationaux, qui ne peuvent les tolérer qu’à la mesure de leur compatibilité avec celles-ci. La réforme de la législation concernée, en 2006, tend toutefois, dans son esprit comme dans sa lettre, à imposer la conciliation des objectifs a priori contradictoires de conservation environnementale et de développement local, au détriment des premiers. Le Parc national de la Guadeloupe, le premier et longtemps le seul de l’outre-mer français, doit ainsi répondre, dans ses stratégies et ses actions en faveur d’un tourisme durable qui ne remette pas en cause sa vocation fondamentale, au défi d’une gestion dont les objectifs et les enjeux ne sont pas exempts de difficultés sinon d’ambiguïtés.
L’OMC et les risques sanitaires : réflexions autour du rapport de l’organe d’appel dans l’affaire « Hormones II »
Authors: Truilhé-Marengo Eve
Published: July 2017

Le 16 octobre 2008, l’Organe d’appel de l’OMC a rendu son rapport dans le litige opposant les Etats-Unis et le Canada d’un côté et la Communauté européenne de l’autre, concernant les suites du fameux contentieux sur la viande aux hormones. Si ce rapport ne tranche pas l’affaire au fond, il aborde de front la question du mandat des groupes spéciaux de l’OMC face aux éléments scientifiques contenus dans les litiges dont ils sont saisis : recours aux experts, traitement des informations scientifiques, notion d’incertitude scientifique font l’objet d’une mise au point significative par l’Organe d’appel. A travers une condamnation assez ferme du raisonnement développé en première instance, celui-ci réaffirme par ailleurs le libre choix du niveau de protection approprié pour chacun des Etats parties.
The Irritating Effects Of Exposure To Formaldehyde In User Students Of The Human Anatomy Laboratory
Authors: Lucena Jalles Dantas de , Silveira Helson Freitas da , De Paula Lívia Santiago , Ribeiro Junior Howard Lopes , Costa Sobrinho Osvaldo Osvaldo Pereira da , Leal Katarina Maria Brasileiro , Veríssimo Nathan Andrade , Pessoa Roberta Silva , Scafuri Ariel Gustavo , Barreto João Erivan Façanha , Cerqueira Antonio Jorge Santos , Gondim Delane Viana , Oliveira Roberta Costa de , Costa Deiziane Viana da Silva , Cerqueira Gilberto Santos
Published: July 2017

Formaldehyde (FA) is commonly used in cadaver fixation for years. FA vapors are released during the dissection process and macroscopic study of preserved anatomical pieces, raising their concentration in the Anatomy laboratory, causing greater exposure for students and teachers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate toxic reactions in 37 students, through a questionnaire, produced by exposure to FA used for preservation of cadaveric material used in Anatomy, Morphofunctional Department, Faculdades Integradas de Patos (FIP), Brazil. Of the 37 interviewees, 26 (70.3%) were affected by the unpleasant and irritating smell of FA, 10 (27%) had no problems, and 1 (2.7%) did not tolerate an irritation produced by FA, ​​not participating in the laboratory practical classes. Exposure to FA was followed by several symptoms: excessive lacrimation (54%), itchy eyes (48.5%), redness of the eyes (40.6%), coryza or congested nose (35.2%) and respiratory distress (29.7%), with persistent symptoms during the permanence in the laboratory for 32.5% of the students. All students wear a lab coat for individual protection. However, only 8% used mascara and did not wear glasses, increasing the risk of contamination. Medical schools should encourage the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the manipulation of FA, ensuring the protection of students and teachers in the Anatomy laboratory. Besides finding alternatives for the replacement of FA in the conservation of corpses.
The Impact of Green Supply Chain Management Practices on Performance: Moderating Role of Institutional Pressure with Mediating Effect of Green Innovation
Authors: Shafique Muhammad , Asghar Muhammad , Rahman Haji
Published: July 2017

Green supply chain management (GSCM), a cross-disciplinary field has grown during recent years with increasing interest from both academia and industry. GSCM considers emphasizing environmental issues in Traditional Supply Chain Management (TSCM). Due to the new trends in global warming, environmental sustainability has become a greater concern among the organizations and enterprises globally. This study will focus on green supply chain management practices in the presence of green innovation. Green innovation will improve organizational processes as well as products, which lead to economic and environmental performance. Different institutional actors are putting pressures to implement Green supply chain management practices. Population of this study is electronics industry in Pakistan. Sample size is 500 with cluster sampling technique. Data has been collected through a survey method based on the adopted questionnaire. The collected data will be tested through Cronbach Alpha, Descriptive Statistics, Pearson Correlation, Linear Regression, Moderated Regression, Multiple Logistic Regression and Hayes’s statistical tests to analyse the suggested research model. This study will enable organizations to implement green supply chain management practices to bear institutional pressure and move towards green innovation to enhance their economic and environmental performance that were never possible before this study.
Observational Bias and the Clustering of Distant Eccentric Kuiper Belt Objects
Authors: Brown Michael E.
Published: July 2017

The hypothesis that a massive Planet Nine exists in the outer solar system on a distant eccentric orbit was inspired by observations showing that the objects with the most distant eccentric orbits in the Kuiper Belt have orbits that are physically aligned, that is, they are clustered in longitude of perihelion and have similar orbital planes. Questions have remained, however, about the effects of observational bias on these observations, particularly on the longitudes of perihelion. Specifically, distant eccentric Kuiper Belt objects (KBOs) tend to be faint and only observable near their perihelia, suggesting that the longitudes of perihelion of the known distant objects could be strongly biased by the limited number of locations in the sky where deep surveys have been carried out. We have developed a method to rigorously estimate the bias in longitude of perihelion for Kuiper Belt observations. We find that the probability that the 10 known KBOs with semimajor axis beyond 230 au are drawn from a population with uniform longitude of perihelion is 1.2%. Combined with the observation that the orbital poles of these objects are also clustered, the overall probability of detecting these two independent clusterings in a randomly distributed sample is 0.025%. While observational bias is clearly present in these observations, it is unlikely to explain the observed alignment of the distant eccentric KBOs.
Eccentric Companions to Kepler-448b and Kepler-693b: Clues to the Formation of Warm Jupiters
Authors: Masuda Kento
Published: July 2017

I report the discovery of non-transiting close companions to two transiting warm Jupiters (WJs), Kepler-448/KOI-12b (orbital period

, radius

) and Kepler-693/KOI-824b (

,

), via dynamical modeling of their transit timing and duration variations (TTVs and TDVs). The companions have masses of

(Kepler-448c) and

(Kepler-693c), and both are on eccentric orbits (

for Kepler-448c and

for Kepler-693c) with periastron distances of

. Moderate eccentricities are detected for the inner orbits as well (

for Kepler-448b and

for Kepler-693b). In the Kepler-693 system, a large mutual inclination between the inner and outer orbits (

or

) is also revealed by the TDVs. This is likely to induce a secular oscillation in the eccentricity of the inner WJ that brings its periastron close enough to the host star for tidal star–planet interactions to be significant. In the Kepler-448 system, the mutual inclination is weakly constrained, and such an eccentricity oscillation is possible for a fraction of the solutions. Thus these WJs may be undergoing tidal migration to become hot Jupiters (HJs), although the migration via this process from beyond the snow line is disfavored by the close-in and massive nature of the companions. This may indicate that WJs can be formed in situ and could even evolve into HJs via high-eccentricity migration inside the snow line.
The Densities of Planets in Multiple Stellar Systems
Authors: Furlan E. , Howell S. B.
Published: July 2017

We analyze the effect of companion stars on the bulk density of 29 planets orbiting 15 stars in the Kepler field. These stars have at least one stellar companion within 2″, and the planets have measured masses and radii, allowing an estimate of their bulk density. The transit dilution by the companion star requires the planet radii to be revised upward, even if the planet orbits the primary star; as a consequence, the planetary bulk density decreases. We find that if planets orbited a faint companion star, they would be more volatile-rich, and in several cases their densities would become unrealistically low, requiring large, inflated atmospheres or unusually large mass fractions in an H/He envelope. In addition, for planets detected in radial velocity data, the primary star has to be the host. We can exclude 14 planets from orbiting the companion star; the remaining 15 planets in seven planetary systems could orbit either the primary or the secondary star, and for five of these planets the decrease in density would be substantial even if they orbited the primary, since the companion is of almost equal brightness as the primary. Substantial follow-up work is required in order to accurately determine the radii of transiting planets. Of particular interest are small, rocky planets that may be habitable; a lower mean density might imply a more volatile-rich composition. Reliable radii, masses, and thus bulk densities will allow us to identify which small planets are truly Earth-like.
Improvement in the Accuracy of Flux Measurement of Radio Sources by Exploiting an Arithmetic Pattern in Photon Bunching Noise
Authors: Lieu Richard
Published: July 2017

A hierarchy of statistics of increasing sophistication and accuracy is proposed to exploit an interesting and fundamental arithmetic structure in the photon bunching noise of incoherent light of large photon occupation number, with the purpose of suppressing the noise and rendering a more reliable and unbiased measurement of the light intensity. The method does not require any new hardware, rather it operates at the software level with the help of high-precision computers to reprocess the intensity time series of the incident light to create a new series with smaller bunching noise coherence length. The ultimate accuracy improvement of this method of flux measurement is limited by the timing resolution of the detector and the photon occupation number of the beam (the higher the photon number the better the performance). The principal application is accuracy improvement in the signal-limited bolometric flux measurement of a radio source.
Long-term Study of the Light Curve of PKS 1510-089 in GeV Energies
Authors: Prince Raj , Majumdar Pratik , Gupta Nayantara
Published: July 2017

We have analyzed data from the flat-spectrum radio quasar PKS 1510-089 collected over a period of eight years from 2008 August to 2016 December with the Fermi-LAT. We have identified several flares of this highly variable source, studied their temporal and spectral properties in detail, and compared with previous works on flares of PKS 1510-089. Five major flares and a few subflares or substructures have been identified in our study. The fastest variability time is found to be 1.30 ± 0.18 hr between MJD 55852.063 and 55852.188, where we estimate the minimum size of the emission region to be 4.85 × 1015 cm. In most of the flares, the spectral energy distributions are better fitted with a log-parabolic distribution compared to a simple power law or a power law with exponential cutoffs. This has strong physics implications regarding the nature of the high-energy gamma-ray emission region.
Lessons Learned from the Three-view Determination of CME Mass
Authors: de Koning Curt A.
Published: July 2017

With only single-viewpoint, total-brightness images, it is not possible to calculate the true mass of a coronal mass ejection (CME) because total-brightness images do not contain any depth information. If two viewpoints are available, it has been suggested that total-brightness images might be used to simultaneously derive the CME deprojected mass and propagation direction. Exploiting all available data provided by SOHO, STEREO-A, and STEREO-B supplies three combinations of spacecraft pairs for double-viewpoint analysis. We show that, if only aleatory variation is reckoned, then the CME deprojected mass can vary by as much as 100% between different pairs of spacecraft. Going beyond multiple double-viewpoint analyses, we also utilize these spacecraft to simultaneously estimate the CME deprojected mass and propagation direction with triple-viewpoint analysis. However, once again, if only aleatory variation is reckoned, then, for many events, there is no common mass value estimated by the three viewpoints. This indicates that epistemic uncertainty is significant and must be reckoned also. We consider in detail the mass in the coronagraph field of view, from one, two, and three viewpoints, for the CME observed on 2007 December 31, focusing especially on the approximations used and uncertainties in this process. Altogether, we use triple-viewpoint analysis to estimate the mass of eight CMEs. When simultaneously estimating the CME deprojected mass and propagation direction using total-brightness images, the single degree of freedom provided by a third, independent viewpoint clarifies the calculation of, and reduces ambiguity in, the deprojected mass; however, the deprojected mass should not be confused with the true mass.
An Incipient Debris Disk in the Chamaeleon I Cloud
Authors: Espaillat C. C. , Ribas Á. , McClure M. K. , Hernández J. , Owen J. E. , Avish N. , Calvet N. , Franco-Hernández R.
Published: July 2017

The point at which a protoplanetary disk becomes a debris disk is difficult to identify. To better understand this, here we study the ∼40 au separation binary T 54 in the Chamaeleon I cloud. We derive a K5 spectral type for T 54 A (which dominates the emission of the system) and an age of ∼2 Myr. However, the dust disk properties of T 54 are consistent with those of debris disks seen around older- and earlier-type stars. At the same time, T 54 has evidence of gas remaining in the disk, as indicated by [Ne ii], [Ne iii], and [O i] line detections. We model the spectral energy distribution of T 54 and estimate that

of small dust grains (<0.25 μm) are present in an optically thin circumbinary disk along with at least

of larger (>10 μm) grains within a circumprimary disk. Assuming a solar-like mixture, we use Ne line luminosities to place a minimum limit on the gas mass of the disk

) and derive a gas-to-dust mass ratio of ∼0.1. We do not detect substantial accretion, but we do see Hα in emission in one epoch, which is suggestive that there may be intermittent dumping of small amounts of matter onto the star. Considering the low dust mass, the presence of gas, and young age of T 54, we conclude that this system is on the bridge between the protoplanetary and debris disk stages.
The SAMI Galaxy Survey: Mass as the Driver of the Kinematic Morphology–Density Relation in Clusters
Authors: Brough Sarah , van de Sande Jesse , Owers Matt S. , d’Eugenio Francesco , Sharp Rob , Cortese Luca , Scott Nicholas , Croom Scott M. , Bassett Rob , Bekki Kenji , Bland-Hawthorn Joss , Bryant Julia J. , Davies Roger , Drinkwater Michael J. , Driver Simon P. , Foster Caroline , Goldstein Gregory , López-Sánchez Á. R. , Medling Anne M. , Sweet Sarah M. , Taranu Dan S. , Tonini Chiara , Yi Sukyoung K. , Goodwin Michael , Lawrence J. S. , Richards Samuel N.
Published: July 2017

We examine the kinematic morphology of early-type galaxies (ETGs) in eight galaxy clusters in the Sydney-AAO Multi-object Integral-field spectrograph Galaxy Survey. The clusters cover a mass range of

and we measure spatially resolved stellar kinematics for 315 member galaxies with stellar masses

within 1 R
200 of the cluster centers. We calculate the spin parameter, λ

R
, and use this to classify the kinematic morphology of the galaxies as fast or slow rotators (SRs). The total fraction of SRs in the ETG population is F
SR = 0.14 ± 0.02 and does not depend on host cluster mass. Across the eight clusters, the fraction of SRs increases with increasing local overdensity. We also find that the slow-rotator fraction increases at small clustercentric radii (R
cl < 0.3 R
200), and note that there is also an increase in the slow-rotator fraction at R
cl ∼ 0.6 R
200. The SRs at these larger radii reside in the cluster substructure. We find that the strongest increase in the slow-rotator fraction occurs with increasing stellar mass. After accounting for the strong correlation with stellar mass, we find no significant relationship between spin parameter and local overdensity in the cluster environment. We conclude that the primary driver for the kinematic morphology–density relationship in galaxy clusters is the changing distribution of galaxy stellar mass with the local environment. The presence of SRs in the substructure suggests that the cluster kinematic morphology–density relationship is a result of mass segregation of slow-rotating galaxies forming in groups that later merge with clusters and sink to the cluster center via dynamical friction.
Constraints on a Proton Synchrotron Origin of VHE Gamma Rays from the Extended Jet of AP Librae
Authors: Basumallick Partha Pratim , Gupta Nayantara
Published: July 2017

The multiwavelength photon spectrum from the BL Lac object AP Librae extends from radio to TeV gamma rays. The X-ray to very high-energy gamma-ray emission from the extended jet of this source has been modeled with inverse Compton (IC) scattering of relativistic electrons off the cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons. The IC/CMB model requires the kpc-scale extended jet to be highly collimated with a bulk Lorentz factor close to 10. Here we discuss the possibility of a proton synchrotron origin of X-rays and gamma rays from the extended jet with a bulk Lorentz factor of 3. This scenario requires an extreme proton energy of 3.98 × 1021 eV and a high magnetic field of 1 mG of the extended jet with jet power ∼5 × 1048 erg s−1 in particles and the magnetic field (which is more than 100 times the Eddington luminosity of AP Librae) to explain the very high-energy gamma-ray emission. Moreover, we have shown that X-ray emission from the extended jets of 3C 273 and PKS 0637-752 could be possible by proton synchrotron emission with jet power comparable to the Eddington luminosities.
Expanding and Contracting Coronal Loops as Evidence of Vortex Flows Induced by Solar Eruptions
Authors: Dudík J. , Zuccarello F. P. , Aulanier G. , Schmieder B. , Démoulin P.
Published: July 2017

Eruptive solar flares were predicted to generate large-scale vortex flows at both sides of the erupting magnetic flux rope. This process is analogous to a well-known hydrodynamic process creating vortex rings. The vortices lead to advection of closed coronal loops located at the peripheries of the flaring active region. Outward flows are expected in the upper part and returning flows in the lower part of the vortex. Here, we examine two eruptive solar flares, the X1.1-class flare SOL2012-03-05T03:20 and the C3.5-class SOL2013-06-19T07:29. In both flares, we find that the coronal loops observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly in its 171 Å, 193 Å, or 211 Å passbands show coexistence of expanding and contracting motions, in accordance with the model prediction. In the X-class flare, multiple expanding and contracting loops coexist for more than 35 minutes, while in the C-class flare, an expanding loop in 193 Å appears to be close by and cotemporal with an apparently imploding loop arcade seen in 171 Å. Later, the 193 Å loop also switches to contraction. These observations are naturally explained by vortex flows present in a model of eruptive solar flares.
The Optical Counterpart to the Accreting Millisecond X-Ray Pulsar SAX J1748.9-2021 in the Globular Cluster NGC 6440*
Authors: Cadelano M. , Pallanca C. , Ferraro F. R. , Dalessandro E. , Lanzoni B. , Patruno A.
Published: July 2017

We used a combination of deep optical and

images of the Galactic globular cluster NGC 6440, acquired with the Hubble Space Telescope, to identify the optical counterpart to the accreting millisecond X-ray pulsar SAX J1748.9-2021 during quiescence. A strong

emission has been detected from a main-sequence star (hereafter COM-SAX J1748.9-2021) located at only 0.″15 from the nominal position of the X-ray source. The position of the star also agrees with the optical counterpart found by Verbunt et al. during an outburst. We propose this star as the most likely optical counterpart to the binary system. By direct comparison with isochrones, we estimated that COM-SAX J1748.9-2021 has a mass of

, a radius of

, and a superficial temperature of 5250 ± 80 K. These parameters, combined with the orbital characteristics of the binary, suggest that the system is observed at a very low inclination angle (

) and that the star is filling or even overflowing its Roche lobe. This, together with the EW of the

emission (∼20 Å), suggests possible ongoing mass transfer. The possible presence of such an ongoing mass transfer during a quiescence state also suggests that the radio pulsar is not active yet and thus this system, despite its similarity with the class of redback millisecond pulsars, is not a transitional millisecond pulsar.
J-type Carbon Stars: A Dominant Source of 14N-rich Presolar SiC Grains of Type AB
Authors: Liu Nan , Stephan Thomas , Boehnke Patrick , Nittler Larry R. , Alexander Conel M. O’D. , Wang Jianhua , Davis Andrew M. , Trappitsch Reto , Pellin Michael J.
Published: July 2017

We report Mo isotopic data of 27 new presolar SiC grains, including 12 14N-rich AB (14N/15N > 440, AB2) and 15 mainstream (MS) grains, and their correlated Sr and Ba isotope ratios when available. Direct comparison of the data for the MS grains, which came from low-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars with large s-process isotope enhancements, with the AB2 grain data demonstrates that AB2 grains show near-solar isotopic compositions and lack s-process enhancements. The near-normal Sr, Mo, and Ba isotopic compositions of AB2 grains clearly exclude born-again AGB stars, where the intermediate neutron-capture process (i-process) takes place, as their stellar source. On the other hand, low-mass CO novae and early R- and J-type carbon stars show 13C and 14N excesses but no s-process enhancements and are thus potential stellar sources of AB2 grains. Because both early R-type carbon stars and CO novae are rare objects, the abundant J-type carbon stars (10%–15% of all carbon stars) are thus likely to be a dominant source of AB2 grains.
Subungual Nail Pigmentation and Malalignment of the Great Toe Nail in a Cancer Patient - A Diagnostic Challenge
Authors: Wollina Uwe , Tchernev Georgi
Published: July 2017

Subungual pigmentation may have a variety of underlying pathologies, but clinicians should consider malignancies such as subungual melanoma or metastasis, even if they are not common. A delayed diagnosis can dramatically worsen the prognosis. Therefore, histologic examination is highly recommended. We present a 75-year-old female cancer patient presenting with subungual blackish pigmentation of the great toe nail for several years suspicious of a subungual melanoma even by dermoscopy. Nail avulsion and histological investigations excluded melanoma. The final diagnosis was subungual hematoma with growth malalignment of the great toe nail.