bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of the Substrate on the Mineralization Potential of Microbial Mats in A Modern Freshwater River (Paris Basin, France)
Authors: Roche Adeline , Vennin Emmanuelle , Bundeleva Irina , Bouton Anthony , Payandi-Rolland Dahédrey , Amiotte-Suchet Philippe , Gaucher Eric C. , Courvoisier Hélène , Visscher Pieter T.
Published: June 2019

The relationship between environmental conditions and the development, mineralization and preservation of modern tufa microbialites was investigated in a 1.1 km long freshwater stream in Villiers-le-Bâcle, a tributary of Mérantaise river. Detailed mapping of the tufa microbialite distribution combined with sedimentological, petrographical and mineralogical analyses were coupled with chemical measurements. Six organosedimentary structures were identified; their distribution appears heterogeneous along the stream and responds to physicochemical conditions of water and specific biological components (e.g., microorganism, exopolymeric substance). Two of the organosedimentary structures show evidence of mineralization and only one is lithified. Based on field observations and in-situ deployment of mineralization markers (bricks), three zones with increasing mineralization intensities are defined, ranging from no mineralization to thick mineralized crusts forming riverine tufa. Both biotic and abiotic processes were proposed for the tufa microbialite formation. We explained changes in mineralization intensities by the specific physicochemical conditions (e.g., calcite saturation index (SIcalc) and partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and a closed proximity of the cyanobacterial biofilm and carbonates precipitates. The physical and chemical composition of substrate impact development of microbial communities, mineralization potential of tufa microbialite. Even though the physicochemical and biological conditions were optimal for mineral precipitation, the potential of lithification depended on the presence of a suitable (physical and chemical) substrate.
Structural Diagenesis in Carbonate Rocks as Identified in Fault Damage Zones in the Northern Tarim Basin, NW China
Authors: Wu Guanghui , Xie En , Zhang Yunfeng , Qing Hairuo , Luo Xinsheng , Sun Chong
Published: June 2019

The identification of structural diagenesis and the reconstruction of diagenetic paragenesis in fault damage zones is important for understanding fault mechanisms and fluid flow in the subsurface. Based on the examination of core and sample thin section data, we deciphered the diagenetic parasequence and their fault controls for Ordovician carbonates in the northern Tarim intracratonic basin in NW China (Halahatang area). In contrast to the uniform nature of diagenesis observed in country rocks, there is a relatively complicated style of compaction and pressure solution, multiple fracturing, and cementation and dissolution history along the carbonate fault damage zones. The relative paragenetic sequence of the structure related diagenesis suggests three cycles of fracture activities, following varied fracture enlargement and dissolution, and progressively weaker calcite cementation. These processes of structure related diagenesis are constrained to the fault damage zones, and their variation is affected by the fault activities. The results of this study suggest that the carbonate reservoir and productivity could be impacted by the structure related diagenesis locally along the fault damage zones.
A Method of Calculating the Kamlet–Abboud–Taft Solvatochromic Parameters Using COSMO-RS
Authors: Sherwood James , Granelli Joe , McElroy Con R. , Clark James H.
Published: June 2019

There is demand for safer and bio-based solvents, brought on by legislation and sustainability objectives. The prediction of physical properties is highly desirable to help design new molecules. Here we present an in silico approach to obtain calculated Kamlet–Abboud–Taft solvatochromic parameters using virtual experiments. The tautomerisation equilibrium of methyl acetoacetate and dimedone was calculated in different solvents with COSMO-RS theory and converted into estimates of solvent dipolarity and hydrogen bond accepting ability, respectively. Hydrogen bond donating ability was calculated as a function of the electron deficient surface area on protic solvents. These polarity descriptors correlate with rate constants and equilibria, and so ability of calculated Kamlet–Abboud–Taft solvatochromic parameters to recreate experimental free energy relationships was tested with sixteen case studies taken from the literature. The accuracy of the calculated parameters was also satisfactory for solvent selection, as demonstrated with a 1,4-addition reaction and a multicomponent heterocycle synthesis.
Preparation and Characterization of Carbon Paste Electrode Bulk-Modified with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes and Its Application in a Sensitive Assay of Antihyperlipidemic Simvastatin in Biological Samples
Authors: Ashrafi Amir M. , Richtera Lukáš
Published: June 2019

Determination of an antihyperlipidemic drug simvastatin (SIM) was carried out using a carbon paste electrode bulk-modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT-CPE). Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used for the characterization of the prepared electrodes. Different electrodes were prepared varying in mass percentage of MWCNTs to find out the optimum amount of MWCNTs in the paste. The MWCNT-CPE in which the mass percentage of MWCNTs was 25% (w/w) was found as the optimum. Then, the prepared electrode was used in a mechanistic study and sensitive assay of SIM in pharmaceutical dosage form and a spiked human plasma sample using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The prepared electrode shows better sensitivity compared to the bare carbon paste and glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The detection limit and the limit of quantification were calculated to be 2.4 × 10−7 and 8 × 10−7, respectively. The reproducibility of the electrode was confirmed by the low value of the relative standard deviation (RSD% = 4.8%) when eight measurements of the same sample were carried out. Determination of SIM in pharmaceutical dosage form was successfully performed with a bias of 0.3% and relative recovery rate of 99.7%. Furthermore, the human plasma as a more complicated matrix was spiked with a known concentration of SIM and the spiking recovery rate was determined with the developed method to be 99.5%.
Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles as Contrast Agents for Proton and Dual Proton/Fluorine MRI
Authors: Şologan Maria , Padelli Francesco , Giachetti Isabella , Aquino Domenico , Boccalon Mariangela , Adami Gianpiero , Pengo Paolo , Pasquato Lucia
Published: June 2019

Gold nanoparticles carrying fluorinated ligands in their monolayer are, by themselves, contrast agents for 19F magnetic resonance imaging displaying high sensitivity because of the high density of fluorine nuclei achievable by grafting suitable ligands on the gold core surface. Functionalization of these nanoparticles with Gd(III) chelates allows adding a further functional activity to these systems, developing materials also acting as contrast agents for proton magnetic resonance imaging. These dual mode contrast agents may allow capitalizing on the benefits of 1H and 19F magnetic resonance imaging in a single diagnostic session. In this work, we describe a proof of principle of this approach by studying these nanoparticles in a high field preclinical scanner. The Gd(III) centers within the nanoparticles monolayer shorten considerably the 19F T1 of the ligands but, nevertheless, these systems display strong and sharp NMR signals which allow recording good quality 19F MRI phantom images at nanoparticle concentration of 20 mg/mL after proper adjustment of the imaging sequence. The Gd(III) centers also influence the T1 relaxation time of the water protons and high quality 1H MRI images could be obtained. Gold nanoparticles protected by hydrogenated ligands and decorated with Gd(III) chelates are reported for comparison as 1H MRI contrast agents.
Re: Scragg–Emerging Evidence of Thresholds for Beneficial Effects from Vitamin D Supplementation
Authors: Boucher Barbara J , Grant William B.
Published: June 2019

Scragg reports increasing evidence for differences in the thresholds for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration [vitamin D repletion] that need to be reached in populations observationally, or to be achieved by vitamin D supplementation in deficiency, before health benefits become apparent in different conditions [...]
Dietary Inflammatory Index and Sleep Quality in Southern Italian Adults
Authors: Godos Justyna , Ferri Raffaele , Caraci Filippo , Cosentino Filomena I. I. , Castellano Sabrina , Shivappa Nitin , Hebert James R. , Galvano Fabio , Grosso Giuseppe
Published: June 2019

Background: Current evidence supports the central role of a subclinical, low-grade inflammation in a number of chronic illnesses and mental disorders; however, studies on sleep quality are scarce. The aim of this study was to test the association between the inflammatory potential of the diet and sleep quality in a cohort of Italian adults. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data of the Mediterranean healthy Eating, Aging, and Lifestyle (MEAL) study was conducted on 1936 individuals recruited in the urban area of Catania during 2014–2015 through random sampling. A food frequency questionnaire and other validated instruments were used to calculate the dietary inflammatory index (DII®) and assess sleep quality (Pittsburg sleep quality index). Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the association between exposure and outcome. Results: Individuals in the highest quartile of the DII were less likely to have adequate sleep quality (odds ratio (OR) = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.31, 0.78). Among individual domains of sleep quality, an association with the highest exposure category was found only for sleep latency (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.39, 0.93). Conclusions: The inflammatory potential of the diet appears to be associated with sleep quality in adults. Interventions to improve diet quality might consider including a dietary component that aims to lower chronic systemic inflammation to prevent cognitive decline and improve sleep quality.
Intracellular PD Modelling (PDi) for the Prediction of Clinical Activity of Increased Rifampicin Dosing
Authors: Aljayyoussi Ghaith , Donnellan Samantha , Ward Stephen A. , Biagini Giancarlo A.
Published: June 2019

Increasing rifampicin (RIF) dosages could significantly reduce tuberculosis (TB) treatment durations. Understanding the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamics (PK–PD) of increasing RIF dosages could inform clinical regimen selection. We used intracellular PD modelling (PDi) to predict clinical outcomes, primarily time to culture conversion, of increasing RIF dosages. PDi modelling utilizes in vitro-derived measurements of intracellular (macrophage) and extracellular Mycobacterium tuberculosis sterilization rates to predict the clinical outcomes of RIF at increasing doses. We evaluated PDi simulations against recent clinical data from a high dose (35 mg/kg per day) RIF phase II clinical trial. PDi-based simulations closely predicted the observed time-to-patient culture conversion status at eight weeks (hazard ratio: 2.04 (predicted) vs. 2.06 (observed)) for high dose RIF-based treatments. However, PDi modelling was less predictive of culture conversion status at 26 weeks for high-dosage RIF (99% predicted vs. 81% observed). PDi-based simulations indicate that increasing RIF beyond 35 mg/kg/day is unlikely to significantly improve culture conversion rates, however, improvements to other clinical outcomes (e.g., relapse rates) cannot be ruled out. This study supports the value of translational PDi-based modelling in predicting culture conversion rates for antitubercular therapies and highlights the potential value of this platform for the improved design of future clinical trials.
A Fisheye Image Matching Method Boosted by Recursive Search Space for Close Range Photogrammetry
Authors: Campos Mariana Batista , Tommaselli Antonio Maria Garcia , Castanheiro Letícia Ferrari , Oliveira Raquel Alves , Honkavaara Eija
Published: June 2019

Close range photogrammetry (CRP) with large field-of-view images has become widespread in recent years, especially in terrestrial mobile mapping systems (TMMS). However, feature-based matching (FBM) with omnidirectional images (e.g., fisheye) is challenging even for state-of-the-art methods, such as the scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT), because of the strong scale change from image to image. This paper proposes an approach to boost FBM techniques on fisheye images with recursive reduction of the search space based on epipolar geometry. The epipolar restriction is calculated with the equidistant mathematical model and the initial exterior orientation parameters (EOPs) determined with navigation sensors from TMMS. The proposed method was assessed with data sets acquired by a low-cost TMMS. The TMMS is composed of a calibrated poly-dioptric system (Ricoh Theta S) and navigation sensors aimed at outdoor applications. The assessments show that Ricoh Theta S position and attitude were estimated in a global bundle adjustment with a precision (standard deviation) of 4 cm and 0.3°, respectively, using as observations the detected matches from the proposed method. Compared with other methods based on SIFT extended to the omnidirectional geometry, our approach achieved compatible results for outdoor applications.
Priority-Aware Price-Based Power Control for Co-Located WBANs Using Stackelberg and Bayesian Games
Authors: Wang Jingxian , Sun Yongmei , Ji Yuefeng , Luo Shuyun
Published: June 2019

According to the IEEE 802.15.6 standard, interference within each wireless body area network (WBAN) can be well addressed by the time division multiple access (TDMA)-based media access control (MAC) protocol. However, the inter-WBAN interference will be caused after multiple WBANs are gathered together. This paper proposes a priority-aware price-based power control (PPPC) scheme for mitigating the inter-WBAN interference. Specifically, to maximize the transmission data rate of sensors and control the aggregate interference suffered by coordinators, a Stackelberg game is established, in which the coordinators issue interference prices and the active sensors adjust their transmission power accordingly. On the other hand, since the information about the identities of the active sensors in a specific time slot is kept private, a Bayesian game is designed to model the interaction among sensors. Moreover, the timeliness and reliability of data transmission are guaranteed by designing the sensors’ priority factors and setting a priority-related active probability for each sensor. At last, a power control algorithm is designed to obtain optimal strategies of game players. Simulation results show that compared with other existing schemes, the proposed scheme achieves better fairness with a comparable network sum data rate and is more energy efficient.
Two Measurement Set Partitioning Algorithms for the Extended Target Probability Hypothesis Density Filter
Authors: Han Yulan , Han Chongzhao
Published: June 2019

The extended target probability hypothesis density (ET-PHD) filter cannot work well if the density of measurements varies from target to target, which is based on the measurement set partitioning algorithms employing the Mahalanobis distance between measurements. To tackle the problem, two measurement set partitioning approaches, the shared nearest neighbors similarity partitioning (SNNSP) and SNN density partitioning (SNNDP), are proposed in this paper. In SNNSP, the shared nearest neighbors (SNN) similarity, which incorporates the neighboring measurement information, is introduced to DP instead of the Mahalanobis distance between measurements. Furthermore, the SNNDP is developed by combining the DBSCAN algorithm with the SNN similarity together to enhance the reliability of partitions. Simulation results show that the ET-PHD filters based on the two proposed partitioning algorithms can achieve better tracking performance with less computation than the compared algorithms.
Spatially Consistent High-Resolution Land Surface Temperature Mosaics for Thermophysical Mapping of the Mojave Desert
Authors: Nowicki Scott A. , Inman Richard D. , Esque Todd C. , Nussear Kenneth E. , Edwards Christopher S.
Published: June 2019

Daytime and nighttime thermal infrared observations acquired by the ASTER and MODIS instruments onboard the NASA Terra spacecraft have produced a dataset that can be used to map thermophysical properties across large regions, which have implications on surface processes, thermal environments and habitat suitability for desert species. ASTER scenes acquired between 2004 and 2012 are combined using new mosaicking and data-fusion techniques to produce a map of daytime and nighttime land surface temperature with coverage exclusive of the effects of clouds and weather. These data are combined with Landsat 7 visible imagery to generate a consistent map of apparent thermal inertia (ATI), which is related to the presence of exposed bedrock, rocks, fine-grained sediments and water on the surface. The resulting datasets are compared to known geomorphic units and surface types to generate an interpreted mechanical composition map of the entire Mojave Desert at 100 m per pixel that is most sensitive to large clast size distinctions in grain size distribution.
Soft Magnetic Powdery Sensor for Tactile Sensing
Authors: Nagahama Shunsuke , Migita Kayo , Sugano Shigeki
Published: June 2019

Soft resistive tactile sensors are versatile devices with applications in next-generation flexible electronics. We developed a novel type of soft resistive tactile sensor called a soft magnetic powdery sensor (soft-MPS) and evaluated its response characteristics. The soft-MPS comprises ferromagnetic powder that is immobilized in a liquid resin such as polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) after orienting in a magnetic field. On applying an external force to the sensor, the relative distance between particles changes, thereby affecting its resistance. Since the ferromagnetic powders are in contact from the initial state, they have the ability to detect small contact forces compared to conventional resistive sensors in which the conductive powder is dispersed in a flexible material. The sensor unit can be made in any shape by controlling the layout of the magnetic field. Soft-MPSs with different hardnesses that could detect small forces were fabricated. The soft-MPS could be applied to detect collisions in robot hands/arms or in ultra-sensitive touchscreen devices.
Multispectral Depth-Resolved Fluorescence Lifetime Spectroscopy Using SPAD Array Detectors and Fiber Probes
Authors: Lagarto João L. , Credi Caterina , Villa Federica , Tisa Simone , Zappa Franco , Shcheslavskiy Vladislav , Pavone Francesco Saverio , Cicchi Riccardo
Published: June 2019

Single Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) arrays are increasingly exploited and have demonstrated potential in biochemical and biomedical research, both for imaging and single-point spectroscopy applications. In this study, we explore the application of SPADs together with fiber-optic-based delivery and collection geometry to realize fast and simultaneous single-point time-, spectral-, and depth-resolved fluorescence measurements at 375 nm excitation light. Spectral information is encoded across the columns of the array through grating-based dispersion, while depth information is encoded across the rows thanks to a linear arrangement of probe collecting fibers. The initial characterization and validation were realized against layered fluorescent agarose-based phantoms. To verify the practicality and feasibility of this approach in biological specimens, we measured the fluorescence signature of formalin-fixed rabbit aorta samples derived from an animal model of atherosclerosis. The initial results demonstrate that this detection configuration can report fluorescence spectral and lifetime contrast originating at different depths within the specimens. We believe that our optical scheme, based on SPAD array detectors and fiber-optic probes, constitute a powerful and versatile approach for the deployment of multidimensional fluorescence spectroscopy in clinical applications where information from deeper tissue layers is important for diagnosis.
Human Rights Pathways to Just Sustainabilities
Authors: Haglund LaDawn
Published: June 2019

Ecosystem disruptions pose a threat to us all, but are most acutely felt by the vulnerable: climate refugees, those experiencing water and food insecurity, or those displaced by pollution and ecosystem degradation. We struggle to find “solutions,” but they often pale in comparison to the risks we face. Collaborative approaches to sustainability that strive for balance between humans and nature are necessary but insufficient for addressing destabilizing trends. This paper argues that shifting the focus to destructive social relations and imbalances among humans unveils critical insights into to our destructive relationship with nature. A sociological view of human rights—in particular where they meet sustainability challenges—can sharpen this focus, providing guardrails within which to conceptualize, measure, and address systemic sociopolitical dimensions of sustainability challenges. The relative clarity of human rights (compared to the more amorphous “justice”), their increasing institutionalization in law and policy, and their broad legitimacy provides a structure to give “teeth” to transformational efforts stymied by inertia or unyielding power dynamics. Examples from original research and secondary literature demonstrate the utility of human rights as mechanisms of social transformation, setting boundaries for accountability and conflict resolution and laying the ground for building more just and sustainable futures.
Exergy and Exergoeconomic Analyses of a Combined Power Producing System including a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell and an Organic Rankine Cycle
Authors: Seyed Mahmoudi S. M. , Sarabchi Niloufar , Yari Mortaza , Rosen Marc A.
Published: June 2019

Comprehensive exergy and exergoeconomic assessments are reported for a proposed power producing system, in which an organic Rankine cycle is employed to utilize the waste heat from the fuel cell stack. A complete mathematical model is presented for simulating the system performance while considering water management in the fuel cell. The simulation is performed for individual components of the fuel cell system, e.g., the compressor and humidifiers. A parametric study is conducted to evaluate the effects on the system’s thermodynamic and economic performance of parameters, such as the fuel cell operating pressure, current density, and turbine back pressure. The results show that an increase in the fuel cell operating pressure leads to a higher exergy efficiency and exergoeconomic factor for the overall system. In addition, it is observed that the overall exergy efficiency is 4.16% higher than the corresponding value that is obtained for the standalone fuel cell for the same value of fuel cell operating pressure. Furthermore, the results indicate that the compressor and condenser exhibit the worst exergoeconomic performance and that the exergoeconomic factor, the capital cost rate and the exergy destruction cost rate for the overall system are 40.8%, 27.21 $/h, and 39.49 $/h, respectively.
Factor Analysis of Packaging Visual Design for Happiness on Organic Food—Middle-Aged and Elderly as an Example
Authors: Tu Jui-Che , Chang Hsing-Tzu , Chen Shu-Bei
Published: June 2019

This study explored the visual images that affect middle-aged and elderly consumer groups in organic food packaging design, and summarized the happiness of visual design elements for organic food as a reference for design. This study used expert interviews, the KJ method to collect image vocabulary and select representative samples, and the Semantic Differential method (SD method) to evaluate the happiness image of organic food. Then, the questionnaire survey method was used to investigate the subjects’ attention regarding happiness in the visual design elements of organic food. This study adopted one-way ANOVA to understand the differences of consumers’ visual images for different organic food packages. The results show that the living patterns of the consumer groups in organic food packaging design can be classified into four groups. The “Self-actualization Group” thinks that happiness organic food packaging is healthy, reassuring, environment-friendly, healing, comfortable, and novel. The “Caring for Health Group” believes that happiness organic food packaging is healthy, reassuring, and environmentally friendly. The “Lohas Food Safety Group” believes that happiness organic food is packaged in a healthy, simple, and environment-friendly way. The “Extroverted Loyalty Group” believes that happiness organic food packaging is healthy, comfortable, professional, simple, environment-friendly, and novel.
Increasing Sustainability of Residential Areas Using Rain Gardens to Improve Pollutant Capture, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience
Authors: Morash Jennifer , Wright Amy , LeBleu Charlene , Meder Amanda , Kessler Raymond , Brantley Eve , Howe Julie
Published: June 2019

Rain gardens have become a widespread stormwater practice in the United States, and their use is poised to continue expanding as they are an aesthetically pleasing way to improve the quality of stormwater runoff. The terms rain garden and bioretention, are now often used interchangeably to denote a landscape area that treats stormwater runoff. Rain gardens are an effective, attractive, and sustainable stormwater management solution for residential areas and urban green spaces. They can restore the hydrologic function of urban landscapes and capture stormwater runoff pollutants, such as phosphorus (P), a main pollutant in urban cities and residential neighborhoods. Although design considerations such as size, substrate depth, substrate type, and stormwater holding time have been rigorously tested, little research has been conducted on the living portion of rain gardens. This paper reviews two studies—one that evaluated the effects of flooding and drought tolerance on the physiological responses of native plant species recommended for use in rain gardens, and another that evaluated P removal in monoculture and polyculture rain garden plantings. In the second study, plants and substrate were evaluated for their ability to retain P, a typical water pollutant. Although plant growth across species was sometimes lower when exposed to repeated flooding, plant visual quality was generally not compromised. Although plant selection was limited to species native to the southeastern U.S., some findings may be translated regardless of region. Plant tissue P was higher than either leachate or substrate, indicating the critical role plants play in P accumulation and removal. Additionally, polyculture plantings had the lowest leachate P, suggesting a polyculture planting may be more effective in preventing excess P from entering waterways from bioretention gardens. The findings included that, although monoculture plantings are common in bioretention gardens, polyculture plantings can improve biodiversity, ecosystem resilience, and rain garden functionality.
Skin Cancer Diagnostics with an All-Inclusive Smartphone Application
Authors: Kalwa Upender , Legner Christopher , Kong Taejoon , Pandey Santosh
Published: June 2019

Among the different types of skin cancer, melanoma is considered to be the deadliest and is difficult to treat at advanced stages. Detection of melanoma at earlier stages can lead to reduced mortality rates. Desktop-based computer-aided systems have been developed to assist dermatologists with early diagnosis. However, there is significant interest in developing portable, at-home melanoma diagnostic systems which can assess the risk of cancerous skin lesions. Here, we present a smartphone application that combines image capture capabilities with preprocessing and segmentation to extract the Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variegation, and Diameter (ABCD) features of a skin lesion. Using the feature sets, classification of malignancy is achieved through support vector machine classifiers. By using adaptive algorithms in the individual data-processing stages, our approach is made computationally light, user friendly, and reliable in discriminating melanoma cases from benign ones. Images of skin lesions are either captured with the smartphone camera or imported from public datasets. The entire process from image capture to classification runs on an Android smartphone equipped with a detachable 10x lens, and processes an image in less than a second. The overall performance metrics are evaluated on a public database of 200 images with Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE) (80% sensitivity, 90% specificity, 88% accuracy, and 0.85 area under curve (AUC)) and without SMOTE (55% sensitivity, 95% specificity, 90% accuracy, and 0.75 AUC). The evaluated performance metrics and computation times are comparable or better than previous methods. This all-inclusive smartphone application is designed to be easy-to-download and easy-to-navigate for the end user, which is imperative for the eventual democratization of such medical diagnostic systems.
Integral Transform Method to Solve the Problem of Porous Slider without Velocity Slip
Authors: Faraz Naeem , Khan Yasir , Lu Dian Chen , Goodarzi Marjan
Published: June 2019

This study is about the lubrication of a long porous slider in which the fluid is injected into the porous bottom. The similarity transformation reduces the Navier-Stokes equations to couple nonlinear, ordinary differential equations, which are solved by a new algorithm. The proposed technique is based on integral transformation. Apparently, there is great symmetry between proposed method and variation iteration method, Adomian decomposition method but in integral transform method all the boundary conditions are applied, then a recursive scheme is used for the analytical solutions, which is unlike the Variational Iteration Method, Adomian Decomposition Method, and other existing analytical methods. Solutions are obtained for much larger Reynolds numbers, and they are compared with analytical and numerical methods. Effects of Reynolds number on velocity components are presented.
Rapid Purification of Endotoxin-Free RTX Toxins
Authors: Stanek Ondrej , Masin Jiri , Osicka Radim , Jurnecka David , Osickova Adriana , Sebo Peter
Published: June 2019

Cytolytic leukotoxins of the repeat in toxin (RTX) family are large proteins excreted by gram-negative bacterial pathogens through the type 1 secretion system (T1SS). Due to low yields and poor stability in cultures of the original pathogens, it is useful to purify recombinant fatty-acylated RTX cytolysins from inclusion bodies produced in E. coli. Such preparations are, however, typically contaminated by high amounts of E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS or endotoxin). We report a simple procedure for purification of large amounts of biologically active and endotoxin-free RTX toxins. It is based on the common feature of RTX cytolysins that are T1SS-excreted as unfolded polypeptides and fold into a biologically active toxin only upon binding of calcium ions outside of the bacterial cell. Mimicking this process, the RTX proteins are solubilized from inclusion bodies with buffered 8 M urea, bound onto a suitable chromatographic medium under denaturing conditions and the contaminating LPS is removed through extensive on-column washes with buffers containing 6 to 8 M urea and 1% Triton X-100 or Triton X-114. Extensive on-column rinsing with 8 M urea buffer removes residual detergent and the eluted highly active RTX protein preparations then contain only trace amounts of LPS. The procedure is exemplified using four prototypic RTX cytolysins, the Bordetella pertussis CyaA and the hemolysins of Escherichia coli (HlyA), Kingella kingae (RtxA), and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (ApxIA).
Venom Toxins as Potential Targeted Therapies
Authors: Kwok Hang Fai
Published: June 2019

Targeted therapy has been a very hot research topic in the last decade [...]
Multiverse Predictions for Habitability: The Number of Stars and Their Properties
Authors: Sandora McCullen
Published: June 2019

In a multiverse setting, we expect to be situated in a universe that is exceptionally good at producing life. Though the conditions for what life needs to arise and thrive are currently unknown, many will be tested in the coming decades. Here we investigate several different habitability criteria, and their influence on multiverse expectations: Does complex life need photosynthesis? Is there a minimum timescale necessary for development? Can life arise on tidally locked planets? Are convective stars habitable? Variously adopting different stances on each of these criteria can alter whether our observed values of the fine structure constant, the electron to proton mass ratio, and the strength of gravity are typical to high significance. This serves as a way of generating predictions for the requirements of life that can be tested with future observations, any of which could falsify the multiverse scenario.
Lnc-ITM2C-1 and GPR55 Are Proviral Host Factors for Hepatitis C Virus
Authors: Hu Pan , Wilhelm Jochen , Gerresheim Gesche , Shalamova Lyudmila , Niepmann Michael
Published: June 2019

Multiple host factors are known to play important roles in hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication, in immune responses induced by HCV infection, or in processes that facilitate virus escape from immune clearance, while yet only few studies examined the contribution of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs/lncRs). Using microarrays, we identified lncRNAs with altered expression levels in HCV replicating Huh-7.5 hepatoma cells. Of these, lncR 8(Lnc-ITM2C-1/LOC151484) was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to be upregulated early after HCV infection. After suppressing the expression of lncR 8, HCV RNA and protein were downregulated, confirming a positive correlation between lncR 8 expression and HCV replication. lncR 8 knockdown in Huh-7.5 cells reduced expression of the neighboring gene G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55) mRNA level at early times, and leads to increased levels of several Interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) including ISG15, Mx1 and IFITM1. Importantly, the effect of lncR 8 on ISGs and GPR55 precedes its effect on HCV replication. Furthermore, knockdown of GPR55 mRNA induces ISG expression, providing a possible link between lncR 8 and ISGs. We conclude that HCV induces lncR 8 expression, while lncR 8 indirectly favors HCV replication by stimulating expression of its neighboring gene GPR55, which in turn downregulates expression of ISGs. The latter fact is also consistent with an anti-inflammatory role of GPR55. These events may contribute to the failure to eliminate ongoing HCV infection.
Estimating Real-Time Water Area of Dongting Lake Using Water Level Information
Authors: Long Yuannan , Tang Rong , Wu Changshan , Jiang Changbo , Hu Shixiong
Published: June 2019

Dongting Lake, the second largest freshwater lake in China, is an important water source for the Yangtze River Basin. The water area of Dongting Lake fluctuates significantly daily, which may cause flooding and other relevant disasters. Although remote sensing techniques may provide lake area estimates with reasonable accuracy, they are not available in real-time and may be susceptible to weather conditions. To address this issue, this paper attempted to examine the relationship between lake area and the water levels at the hydrological stations. Multi-temporal water area data were derived through analyzing Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery using the Automatic Water Extraction Index (AWEI). Then we analyzed the inter- and intra-annual variations in the water area of the Dongting Lake. Corresponding water level information at hydrological stations of the Dongting Lake were obtained. Simple linear regression (SLR) models and stepwise multiple linear regression (SMLR) models were constructed using water levels and water level differences from the upstream and downstream hydrological stations. We used the data from 2004 to 2012 and 2012, respectively, to build the model, and applied the data from 2013 to 2015 to evaluate the models. Results suggest that the maximum water area of the Dongting Lake during 2000–2015 has a clear decreasing trend. The variations in the water area were characterized by hydrological seasons, with the annual minimum and maximum water areas occurring in January and September, respectively. The water level at the Chengjingji station, and water level differences between upstream stations and the Chengjingji station, play a major role in estimating the water area. Further, results also show that the SMLR established in 2012 performs the best in estimating water area of the Dongting Lake, especially with high water levels.
A comunicação em ambientes governamentais de Juiz de Fora (MG): percepções e questionamentos sobre as noções de administração, promoção e utilidade pública
Authors: Farnese de Lima Pedro Augusto , Lopes Filho Boanerges Balbno , Veroneze Júnior Ademir Antônio
Published: June 2019

O artigo busca apresentar nuances da comunicação desenvolvida em ambientes organizacionais denominados mais comumente no país pela tríade: pública, governamental ou estatal, e institucional, com o intuito de promover reflexões necessárias envolvendo a observação das singularidades e contradições. Para dar suporte ao texto, além de uma revisão bibliográfica de autores que estudam o segmento, foram realizadas entrevistas qualitativas em condições semiestruturadas com jornalistas, responsáveis pelas áreas de assessoria de imprensa ou de comunicação em três instâncias na cidade de Juiz de Fora (MG): Prefeitura, Câmara dos Vereadores e Universidade Federal. O monitoramento circunstancial de conteúdo dos sites e portais das respectivas organizações também permitiu algumas inferências, facilitando comparações ilustrativas entre as falas dos entrevistados e as ações de divulgação a partir de três categorias: administrativa, promoção e utilidade pública.O resultado da reflexão aponta para uma realidade que, observadas as condições previstas para o exercício pleno de uma comunicação conceitualmente bem aplicada, pode provocar transformações efetivas nas estruturas organizacionais.
Desdobrando o conceito de engajamento: revisão bibliográfica sobre seus aspectos comportamentais, emocionais e cognitivos
Authors: Oliveira Thaiane , Wanick Vanissa
Published: June 2019

A proposta deste artigo é buscar traçar algumas aproximações conceituais sobre a noção de engajamento, abrangendo diferentes níveis de experiência dos sujeitos. Para tanto, será realizada uma revisão bibliográfica, buscando, com isso, apresentar princípios da compreensão sobre a noção de engajamento em seus aspectos comportamentais, emocionais e cognitivos, e discutir as diretrizes que influenciam a experiência do consumidor mediada pelo engajamento em jogos e em produções multiplataformas.
Netativismo: problematizando o mito do Estado-nação nas redes digitais
Authors: Roza Erick , Carbonaro Gustavo
Published: June 2019

O objetivo deste trabalho é discutir em que medida as redes digitais questionam a legitimidade do mito e da narrativa do Estado-nação. Para isso, desenvolvemos um pensamento sobre as transformações na ideia de Estado-nação como comunidade imaginada capaz de criar uma coincidência entre comunidade cultural e política. Nesse percurso, recuperamos conceito caro a esse tipo de estudo, a saber: a invenção das tradições. Na sequência, analisamos o período de consolidação do mito nacional nas sociedades modernas coincidente com a ascensão da burguesia ao poder, que encontra no Estado-nação uma forma de legitimar sua nova posição social, manipulando fatos passados e “inventando” tradições para criar narrativas históricas que representassem toda sociedade. A ilusão da comunidade nacional foi materializada e internalizada no imaginário coletivo com tamanha força, que permanece até hoje como parâmetro de organização social em todo o mundo.Argumentaremos quea própria definição de Estado (entendido como sistema pelo qual se exerce a gestão dos territórios, populações, fronteiras e sua economia) é colocada à prova pelos fluxos informativos e pelas redes digitais que fazem circular ideias, ações e recursos de uma nação a outra em poucos segundos. A tecnologia não reconhece fronteiras artificiais organizadas para gerir esses espaços de dominação entre os homens e nem mesmo seus diversos subprodutos na modernidade, partidos, sindicatos, burocracia, eleições representativas e também suas narrativas. Em resumo, é a tensão entre a forma Estado e a potência das redes digitais junto do netativismo que debatemos aqui.
Impacto no jornalismo online: cultura do clique, métricas e relevância social
Authors: Vieira Livia de Souza , Christofoletti Rogério
Published: June 2019

O jornalismo, como atividade econômica, precisa ser sustentável e oferecer resultados que ajudam a assegurar a sua permanência. Como atividade social, ele necessita demonstrar finalidade pública, relevância comunitária e comprometimento com a coletividade. Tanto financeira quanto socialmente, espera-se que o jornalismo tenha impacto. Numa época de audiências flutuantes, dispersas e dinâmicas, medir impacto é uma tarefa cada vez mais complexa. Neste artigo, conceituamos e refletimos sobre as métricas de audiência, tensionando-as com preocupações éticas que lhe são inerentes. Para isso, analisamos a reportagem de maior repercussão pública recente de um dos jornais de referência no sul do Brasil, o Diário Catarinense. Os resultados permitem insistir num conceito de métricas que se orientem mais por aspectos sociais e editoriais do que meramente quantitativos.
Apresentação: Dossiê - Narrativas midiáticas, dialogias, migrações e mutações
Authors: Thomé Cláudia , Aurélio Reis Marco , Musse Christina
Published: June 2019

Apresentação do dossiê Narrativas midiáticas, dialogias, migrações e mutações
A DIMENSÃO RELIGIOSA NO ENFRENTAMENTO (COPING) EM ARTIGOS CIENTÍFICOS BRASILEIROS
Authors: Huang Monica Frederigue de Castro , Torres Camila Mendonça
Published: June 2019

O presente trabalho é fruto do levantamento de artigos científicos brasileiros publicados até o primeiro semestre de 2016 sobre coping (enfrentamento), em sua relação com aspectos da religiosidade e espiritualidade. Os estudos foram apresentados, parágrafo a parágrafo, de acordo com três grupos: Estudos sobre coping (enfrentamento) e Religião/ Espiritualidade; Estudos sobre coping (enfrentamento) religioso/espiritual com inventários e Artigos com revisões de literatura no estudo do coping (enfrentamento) religioso/espiritual; seguidos de uma breve conclusão. A importância do estudo do enfrentamento e a complexidade do tema demandam que mais estudos sejam desenvolvidos, aprofundando tendências anteriormente apontadas.
Cultura visual e religião em diálogo com intersemiótica para uma metodologia de análise interpretativa para o campo das ciências das religiões na obra “Xenogenesis” de Octavia Estelle Butler
Authors: Moraes Suelma Souza , Alvez Rocha Francisca Raquel Queiroz
Published: June 2019

Este trabalho contribui para a abordagem da “Cultura Visual e Religião”, ao ampliar as discussões epistemológicas da linguagem no campo da área das Ciências das Religiões, a partir, do diálogo da intersemiótica, cuja hermenêutica crítica privilegia esta preocupação com o ato de narrar, as formas e modalidades dispersas do jogo de narrar, que coloca a prova a capacidade de seleção e de organização da própria linguagem, a procura de um caminho que nos conduza a compreender a identidade, características, escolhas e aproximações da Lilith negra-híbrida de Octavia Estelle Butler e sua homônima judaico-cristã, existentes na trilogia de ficção científica distópica Xenogenesis presentes na cultura visual marcada pela religião.
Entrevista com Faustino Teixeira sobre sua experiência como egresso da primeira graduação de Ciência da Religião no Brasil
Authors: Costa Matheus Oliva da
Published: June 2019

Na presente entrevista, realizada por email, um egresso da primeira turma de um curso de graduação em Ciência da Religião, nos relata sua experiência como estudante desse curso. Por um lado, o entrevistado Faustino Teixeira narra aspectos até então inéditos da primeira turma de cientistas das religiões formada no Brasil. Por outro lado, este professor também se formou em Filosofia e se tornou mestre e doutor em Teologia pela PUC-RJ e PUG-Ítalia, respectivamente. Toda essa formação lhe deu bases para se tornar um importante pesquisador no campo mais geral de estudos sobre religiões, e da Ciência da Religião, especificamente.  Posteriormente até mesmo retornou como docente dos cursos de pós-graduação em Ciência da Religião na mesma universidade em que se formou nas suas duas graduações, a Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF). O diálogo que se segue apresenta elementos de história do primeiro curso de Ciência da Religião do ponto de vista de um dos seus estudantes dos anos 1970, mistos com a percepção posterior desse intelectual que deixou (e continua a deixar) sua marca nessa área. O principal objetivo da entrevista é registrar narrativas sobre as primeiras reflexões e fatos históricos que aludem a profissionalização de cientistas das religiões no Brasil. Mas também muitas outras questões são postas, fruto da complexidade do pensamento e da rica história do entrevistado.
Quando a ideia se autorreconhece: psique e autoconsciência em Carl Gustav Carus
Authors: Noé Sidnei Vilmar
Published: June 2019

Resumo: Carl Gustav Carus (*1789 – Leipzig; † 1869 – Dresden) é um representante tardio do Romantismo Alemão. Situa-se teoricamente em uma linha que se estende desde Platão (se bem que, com uma incursão decisiva em ARISTÓTELES) até F. W. J. von schelling, passando por G. W. Leibniz, J. G. von herder e, especialmente J. W. von Goethe. O autor apresenta, ao longo de toda a sua obra, uma compreensão de um mundo «orgânico» em que tudo está intrinsecamente inter-relacionado. Isto, porque há um princípio, uma potência, uma ideia absoluta, que subjaz a tudo e quer se realizar em ato através de todas as manifestações da vida, passíveis de apreensão pelos sentidos. Esta ideia absoluta, em última análise, é o próprio deus. No ser humano esta potência pode se realizar em seu sentido pleno, através do percurso que parte de um estágio de inconsciência absoluta, passando por uma inconsciência relativa, até chegar à autoconsciência. Esta autoconsciência é idêntica, se bem que jamais possa alcançá-la plenamente, à consciência do fundamento da ideia que lhe deu origem; portanto, do próprio deus. Dela o ser humano emana e a ela, assim como as demais formas de vida, retorna, não sem deixar um rastro subjetivo no aprimoramento da própria ideia, através da sua mais ou menos bem-sucedida realização ao longo da vida.
Perlaboração e contemplação meditativa: antropologia do imaginário e o Dharma de Buda como terapêutica potencial
Authors: Durazzo Leandro
Published: June 2019

Este texto procura esclarecer os sentidos de uma noção psicanalítica bastante específica, mas também presente na literatura sobre a teoria do imaginário, a saber, a noção de perlaboração. A fim de apresentar seu significado para além da explanação teórica, ilustraremos o procedimento perlaborativo com uma técnica análoga, vinda da literatura budista. Nossa intenção é demonstrar como uma prática de auto-cultivo, oriunda de uma consolidada tradição religiosa, apresenta dinâmicas psíquicas presentes também em certa tradição científica ocidental – ampliando, com isso, certas abordagens simbólicas de uma antropologia do imaginário com relação a processos de equilibração psíquica. Através dessa comparação, por fim, poderemos evidenciar de maneira mais efetiva alguns procedimentos e efeitos de ambas as tradições.