bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal follow-up of Zika virus RNA in semen of a traveller returning from Barbados to the Netherlands with Zika virus disease, March 2016
Authors: Reusken Chantal , Pas Suzan , GeurtsvanKessel Corine , Mögling Ramona , van Kampen Jeroen , Langerak Thomas , Koopmans Marion , van der Eijk Annemiek , van Gorp Eric
Published: June 2016

We report the longitudinal follow-up of Zika virus (ZIKV) RNA in semen of a traveller who developed ZIKV disease after return to the Netherlands from Barbados, March 2016. Persistence of ZIKV RNA in blood, urine, saliva and semen was followed until the loads reached undetectable levels. RNA levels were higher in semen than in other sample types and declined to undetectable level at day 62 post onset of symptoms.
Sexual transmission of Zika virus in Germany, April 2016
Authors: Frank Christina , Cadar Daniel , Schlaphof Alexander , Neddersen Neele , Günther Stephan , Schmidt-Chanasit Jonas , Tappe Dennis
Published: June 2016

Zika virus (ZIKV), an emerging mosquito-borne flavivirus, causes a mild dengue fever-like illness but has recently been associated with neurological disease and severe birth defects. The virus is currently causing a large epidemic in the Americas. Here, we report a male-to-female sexual transmission of ZIKV in Germany in April 2016, following travel to Puerto Rico of the male patient, demonstrated by subsequent seroconversions and molecular identification of identical virus sequences from both patients.
La fabrique de la RSE par les cadres intermédiaires
Authors: Valiorgue Bertrand
Published: June 2016

Cette recherche s’intéresse à l’intégration d’enjeux sociaux et environnementaux dans les entreprises. Les auteurs mobilisent les développements récents du courantstrategy-as-practiceet envisagent plus spécifiquement la contribution des cadres intermédiaires. Les résultats de leurs recherches empiriques menées dans le cadre d’une entreprise de travail temporaire détaillent les principales pratiques développées par les cadres intermédiaires afin de mettre en œuvre une démarche de responsabilité sociale. Ils formulent également des propositions sur les compétences cognitives, discursives et politiques que doivent développer les cadres intermédiaires pour contribuer à la fabrique de la responsabilité sociale de leurs entreprises. La mise en évidence de ces compétences et la mobilisation du courantstrategy-as-practiceouvrent de nouvelles pistes de recherche en matière de responsabilité sociale des entreprises.
Quelles stratégies pour gérer les asymétries d’interdépendance ?
Authors: Gandia Romain , Gardet Élodie , Guallino Gabriel
Published: June 2016

S’appuyant sur la théorie de la dépendance des ressources, cet article analyse les asymétries d’interdépendance au sein des relations dyadiques verticales. L’objectif est d’identifier les stratégies permettant aux PME de gérer les asymétries de pouvoir et de dépendance. Les résultats, basés sur l’analyse qualitative de quatre relations d’interdépendance symbiotique entre studio et éditeur de jeu vidéo, montrent que les asymétries peuvent être maîtrisées par la mise en place de stratégie de coopération horizontale ou d’intégration de ressources et compétences verticales.
Natural convection on heat transfer flow of non-newtonian second grade fluid over horizontal circular cylinder with thermal radiation
Authors: Prasad V. Ramachandra , Bhuvanavijaya R. , Bandaru Mallikarjuna
Published: June 2016

This article numerically studies for multi-physical transport of an optically-dense, free convective incompressible non-Newtonian second grade fluid past an isothermal, impermeable horizontal circular cylinder. The governing boundary layer equations for momentum and energy transport, which are parabolic in nature, have been reduced to non-similarity non-linear conservation equations using appropriate transformations and then solved numerically by employing with most validated, efficient implicit finite difference method with Keller box scheme. The numerical code is validated with previously existing results and found to be very good agreement. The results are reported graphically and in tabular form for various physical parameters; Deborah number, Prandtl number and thermal radiation on flow velocity and temperature profiles. Furthermore, the effects of these parameters on non dimensional wall shear stress (skin friction) and surface heat transfer rate (Nusselt number) are also investigated. Increasing the Deborah number reduces velocity profile, skin friction and Nusselt number where as it enhances the temperature profile. Increasing Prandtl number decelerates the flow velocity, temperature and skin friction but Nusselt number enhances considerably. Increase in radiation parameter retards the flow velocity, temperature profiles and skin friction. But Nusselt number enhances markedly with increase in radiation parameter. Applications of the model arise in polymer processing in chemical engineering, metallurgical material processing.
Numerical study of various geometries of breakwaters for the installation of floating wind turbines
Authors: Esmaeelpour Keyvan , Shafaghat Rouzbeh , Alamian Rezvan , Bayani Rasoul
Published: June 2016

The everyday growing populations all over the world and the necessity of increase in consumption of fossil energies have made the human to discover new energy resources, which are clean, cheap and renewable. Wind energy is one of the renewable energy resources. Considerable wind speed has made settling of wind turbines at sea beneficial and appealing. For this purpose, choosing the appropriate plates to set up wind turbines on the surface of sea is necessary. Regarding the installation condition, by choosing suitable geometry for floating breakwaters, offshore wind turbine can be mounted on them. Suitable geometry of breakwater for multifunctional usage could be selected with analyzing and comparing pressure, force and moment produced by incoming waves. In this article, we implement boundary element method to solve governing differential equations by assuming potential flow. On the other hand, for promoting free surface in each time step, we employed Euler-Lagrangian method. Finally, to find the appropriate geometry for installing the wind turbine on the breakwater, moment and wave profile next to the right and left side of breakwater body are calculated. Among simulated geometries, breakwater with trapezoid geometry which its larger base is placed in the water has more sustainability and it is the most suitable geometry for wind turbine installation.
Becoming Native? The Wisdom of Plants in Margarita Engle's The Surrender Tree
Authors: Kokkola Lydia
Published: June 2016

This paper situates Margarita Engle's verse novel, The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom (2008), in both the historical context it depicts (the various wars against Spain 1850–99) and the emerging field of human-plant studies (HPS). Noting that Cuba's indigenous population was destroyed by genocide and imported illnesses, the paper suggests that the island itself, as portrayed in Engle's poetry, has colluded in human politics and played an active role in determining who can lay claim to Cuban nativity. Human-plant studies provide a rationale for suggesting that, in Engle's The Surrender Tree, the flora of the island determines the progress of the wars of independence. This argument is extended to crystals, which also ‘grow’ but which are not deemed to be ‘living’, to suggest that, in The Surrender Tree, it is not the people who choose their nation and fight for its independence or to maintain Cuba's connection to an empire of nations, but rather that the island itself chooses its people.
Ying Chen's Critical Path: The Writer's Search for a New Perspective
Authors: Parker Gabrielle
Published: June 2016

Ten years after Quatre mille marches. Un rêve chinois (2004), La Lenteur des montagnes (2014) reasserts Ying Chen's enduring critical engagement with the creative process. Chen has interrogated her own personal trajectory as a woman and a writer, more specifically as an ‘écrivain migratoire’ (her phrase): ‘Je vis la migration et l'écriture comme une seule et même expérience.’ Régine Robin's desire to ‘fictionnaliser l'inquiétante étrangeté que crée le choc culturel’ (1993) might be at play in Chen's series of novels ended with La Rive est loin (2013). However, it is the parallel quests of the female protagonist and that of the writer unfolding and evolving alongside that are of special interest. Having relinquished familiar bearings and language, both are seeking a new perspective and a new voice. If dis-location is at the heart of the exilic experience, writing is a way not only of re-grounding the self but also of bringing together old and new cultural landscapes. This essay will examine how critical reflection in its dialogical form has always been intertwined with Chen's creative project and informs it.
Dissolving Identities: The Representation of Alzheimer's in Marie Laberge's Oublier (1987), Robert Gravel's Il n'y a plus rien (1992) and Michel Tremblay's L'Impératif présent (2003)
Authors: Killick Rachel
Published: June 2016

Of all the degenerative diseases, Alzheimer's has a particular grip on the public interest and the collective imagination of the ageing populations of Western societies. In Québec the number of people affected currently stands at some 20,000, with a quarter of a million sufferers predicted in twenty years’ time. The failure of memory, the loss of social connection, the disappearance of self- and social awareness and the collapse of identity, all of them outrunning other bodily failures, are disturbing and harrowing features of the illness for sufferers themselves in the first instance, and increasingly, as degeneration runs its unstoppable course, for those around them. At the same time, the physiological particularities of the disease link into broader philosophical, psychological and social questions about the role of the memory in the constituting of individual and social identity, and about the conflicting pressures of autonomy and dependence in the field of personal and social interaction. These questions have always greatly interested creative writers, and the intensity of their refraction through the lens of Alzheimer's thus has a wide-ranging general relevance as well as being peculiarly topical. Representation of the illness on stage to a theatre audience poses however ethical and artistic challenges that substantially exceed the private, intimate modes of the novel and poetry. Some of the different ways in which playwrights in Québec have responded to these challenges, and their varying emphases on the complex impacts of the illness are examined here through a comparative and contrastive analysis of Marie Laberge's Oublier (1987), Robert Gravel's Il n'y a plus rien (1992) and Michel Tremblay's L'Impératif présent (2003).
Anne Leonora Blaakilde and Gabriella Nilsson (eds.) (2013). Nordic Seniors on the Move. Mobility and Migration in Later Life. Lund: Lund Studies in Arts and Cultural Sciences 4, 225 pp. ISBN 978 91 981458 0 9 (paperback), ISSN 2001 7510 (online)
Authors: Fristedt Sofi
Published: June 2016

Not Available.
Network Modeling and Assessment of Ecosystem Health by a Multi-Population Swarm Optimized Neural Network Ensemble
Authors: Shan Rong , Zhao Zeng-Shun , Chen Pan-Fei , Liu Wei-Jian , Xiao Shu-Yi , Hou Yu-Han , Cao Mao-Yong , Chang Fa-Liang , Wang Zhigang
Published: June 2016

Society is more and more interested in developing mathematical models to assess and forecast the environmental and biological health conditions of our planet. However, most existing models cannot determine the long-range impacts of potential policies without considering the complex global factors and their cross effects in biological systems. In this paper, the Markov property and Neural Network Ensemble (NNE) are utilized to construct an estimated matrix that combines the interaction of the different local factors. With such an estimation matrix, we could obtain estimated variables that could reflect the global influence. The ensemble weights are trained by multiple population algorithms. Our prediction could fit the real trend of the two predicted measures, namely Morbidity Rate and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It could be an effective method of reflecting the relationship between input factors and predicted measures of the health of ecosystems. The method can perform a sensitivity analysis, which could help determine the critical factors that could be adjusted to move the ecosystem in a sustainable direction.
Potential Infinity, Abstraction Principles and Arithmetic (Leśniewski Style)
Authors: Urbaniak Rafal
Published: June 2016

This paper starts with an explanation of how the logicist research program can be approached within the framework of Leśniewski’s systems. One nice feature of the system is that Hume’s Principle is derivable in it from an explicit definition of natural numbers. I generalize this result to show that all predicative abstraction principles corresponding to second-level relations, which are provably equivalence relations, are provable. However, the system fails, despite being much neater than the construction of Principia Mathematica (PM). One of the key reasons is that, just as in the case of the system of PM, without the assumption that infinitely many objects exist, (renderings of) most of the standard axioms of Peano Arithmetic are not derivable in the system. I prove that introducing modal quantifiers meant to capture the intuitions behind potential infinity results in the (renderings of) axioms of Peano Arithmetic (PA) being valid in all relational models (i.e. Kripke-style models, to be defined later on) of the extended language. The second, historical part of the paper contains a user-friendly description of Leśniewski’s own arithmetic and a brief investigation into its properties.
Categorization: The View from Animal Cognition
Authors: Smith J. , Zakrzewski Alexandria , Johnson Jennifer , Valleau Jeanette , Church Barbara
Published: June 2016

Exemplar, prototype, and rule theory have organized much of the enormous literature on categorization. From this theoretical foundation have arisen the two primary debates in the literature—the prototype-exemplar debate and the single system-multiple systems debate. We review these theories and debates. Then, we examine the contribution that animal-cognition studies have made to them. Animals have been crucial behavioral ambassadors to the literature on categorization. They reveal the roots of human categorization, the basic assumptions of vertebrates entering category tasks, the surprising weakness of exemplar memory as a category-learning strategy. They show that a unitary exemplar theory of categorization is insufficient to explain human and animal categorization. They show that a multiple-systems theoretical account—encompassing exemplars, prototypes, and rules—will be required for a complete explanation. They show the value of a fitness perspective in understanding categorization, and the value of giving categorization an evolutionary depth and phylogenetic breadth. They raise important questions about the internal similarity structure of natural kinds and categories. They demonstrate strong continuities with humans in categorization, but discontinuities, too. Categorization’s great debates are resolving themselves, and to these resolutions animals have made crucial contributions.
Modeling of Soybean under Present and Future Climates in Mozambique
Authors: Talacuece Manuel , Justino Flávio , Rodrigues Rafael , Flores Milton , Nascimento Jéssica , Santos Eduardo
Published: June 2016

This study aims to calibrate and validate the generic crop model (CROPGRO-Soybean) and estimate the soybean yield, considering simulations with different sowing times for the current period (1990–2013) and future climate scenario (2014–2030). The database used came from observed data, nine climate models of CORDEX (Coordinated Regional climate Downscaling Experiment)-Africa framework and MERRA (Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications) reanalysis. The calibration and validation data for the model were acquired in field experiments, carried out in the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 growing seasons in the experimental area of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Angónia, Mozambique. The yield of two soybean cultivars: Tgx 1740-2F and Tgx 1908-8F was evaluated in the experiments and modeled for two distinct CO2 concentrations. Our model simulation results indicate that the fertilization effect leads to yield gains for both cultivars, ranging from 11.4% (Tgx 1908-8F) to 15% (Tgx 1740-2Fm) when compared to the performance of those cultivars under current CO2 atmospheric concentration. Moreover, our results show that MERRA, the RegCM4 (Regional Climatic Model version 4) and CNRM-CM5 (Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques – Climatic Model version 5) models provided more accurate estimates of yield, while others models underestimate yield as compared to observations, a fact that was demonstrated to be related to the model’s capability of reproducing the precipitation and the surface radiation amount.
Synthesis and Crystal Structures of Two Novel O, N-Containing Spiro Compounds
Authors: Zeng Wulan , Jiang Jinhe
Published: June 2016

Two novel O, N-containing spiro compounds, C16H16ClNO4 (1) and C16H16N2O6 (2), were prepared by reactions of monosubstituted benzenamine (substituent = –NO2, –Cl) and 1,5-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane-2,4-dione in ethanol solution of trimethoxymethane. Their structures were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compound 1 is triclinic with space group P-1 and cell constants: a = 5.9448(12), b = 9.782(2), c = 13.480(3) Å, α = 100.28(3)°, β = 100.66(3)°, γ = 97.83(3)°, Mr = 321.75, V = 746.3(3) Å3, Z = 2, Dc = 1.432 g/cm3, F(000) = 336, μ(MoKa) = 0.274 mm−1, the final R = 0.0544 and wR = 0.1538. Compound 2 is monoclinic with space group P21/c and cell constants: a = 12.472(3), b = 11.856(2), c = 10.643(2) Å, β = 99.83(3)°, Mr = 332.31, V = 1550.7(5) Å3, Z = 4, Dc = 1.423 g/cm3, F(000) = 696, μ(MoKa) = 0.110 mm−1, the final R = 0.0444 and wR = 0.1187. In 1, there exist some intra- and inter-molecular hydrogen bonds and C–H···π supramolecular interactions, while there are still π···π stacking interactions except for some intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds in 2. Two compounds both form a three-dimensional network structure via above intermolecular interactions.
Mobile Diagnostics Based on Motion? A Close Look at Motility Patterns in the Schistosome Life Cycle
Authors: Linder Ewert , Varjo Sami , Thors Cecilia
Published: June 2016

Imaging at high resolution and subsequent image analysis with modified mobile phones have the potential to solve problems related to microscopy-based diagnostics of parasitic infections in many endemic regions. Diagnostics using the computing power of “smartphones” is not restricted by limited expertise or limitations set by visual perception of a microscopist. Thus diagnostics currently almost exclusively dependent on recognition of morphological features of pathogenic organisms could be based on additional properties, such as motility characteristics recognizable by computer vision. Of special interest are infectious larval stages and “micro swimmers” of e.g., the schistosome life cycle, which infect the intermediate and definitive hosts, respectively. The ciliated miracidium, emerges from the excreted egg upon its contact with water. This means that for diagnostics, recognition of a swimming miracidium is equivalent to recognition of an egg. The motility pattern of miracidia could be defined by computer vision and used as a diagnostic criterion. To develop motility pattern-based diagnostics of schistosomiasis using simple imaging devices, we analyzed Paramecium as a model for the schistosome miracidium. As a model for invasive nematodes, such as strongyloids and filaria, we examined a different type of motility in the apathogenic nematode Turbatrix, the “vinegar eel.” The results of motion time and frequency analysis suggest that target motility may be expressed as specific spectrograms serving as “diagnostic fingerprints.”
Testing Symmetry of Unknown Densities via Smoothing with the Generalized Gamma Kernels
Authors: Hirukawa Masayuki , Sakudo Mari
Published: June 2016

This paper improves a kernel-smoothed test of symmetry through combining it with a new class of asymmetric kernels called the generalized gamma kernels. It is demonstrated that the improved test statistic has a normal limit under the null of symmetry and is consistent under the alternative. A test-oriented smoothing parameter selection method is also proposed to implement the test. Monte Carlo simulations indicate superior finite-sample performance of the test statistic. It is worth emphasizing that the performance is grounded on the first-order normal limit and a small number of observations, despite a nonparametric convergence rate and a sample-splitting procedure of the test.
A Review of Process-Design Challenges for Industrial Fermentation of Butanol from Crude Glycerol by Non-Biphasic Clostridium pasteurianum
Authors: Sarchami Tahereh , Munch Garret , Johnson Erin , Kießlich Sascha , Rehmann Lars
Published: June 2016

Butanol, produced via traditional acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation, suffers from low yield and productivity. In this article, a non-ABE butanol production process is reviewed. Clostridium pasteurianum has a non-biphasic metabolism, alternatively producing 1,3-propanediol (PDO)-butanol-ethanol, referred to as PBE fermentation. This review discusses the advantages of PBE fermentation with an emphasis on applications using biodiesel-derived crude glycerol, currently an inexpensive and readily available feedstock. To address the process design challenges, various strategies have been employed and are examined and reviewed; genetic engineering and mutagenesis of C. pasteurianum, characterization and pretreatment of crude glycerol and various fermentation strategies such as bioreactor design and configuration, increasing cell density and in-situ product removal. Where research deficiencies exist for PBE fermentation, the process solutions as employed for ABE fermentation are reviewed and their suitability for PBE is discussed. Each of the obstacles against high butanol production has multiple solutions, which are reviewed with the end-goal of an integrated process for continuous high level butanol production and recovery using C. pasteurianum and biodiesel-derived crude glycerol.
Generation Mechanism and Prediction Model for Low Frequency Noise Induced by Energy Dissipating Submerged Jets during Flood Discharge from a High Dam
Authors: Lian Jijian , Zhang Wenjiao , Guo Qizhong , Liu Fang
Published: June 2016

As flood water is discharged from a high dam, low frequency (i.e., lower than 10 Hz) noise (LFN) associated with air pulsation is generated and propagated in the surrounding areas, causing environmental problems such as vibrations of windows and doors and discomfort of residents and construction workers. To study the generation mechanisms and key influencing factors of LFN induced by energy dissipation through submerged jets at a high dam, detailed prototype observations and analyses of LFN are conducted. The discharge flow field is simulated using a gas-liquid turbulent flow model, and the vorticity fluctuation characteristics are then analyzed. The mathematical model for the LFN intensity is developed based on vortex sound theory and a turbulent flow model, verified by prototype observations. The model results reveal that the vorticity fluctuation in strong shear layers around the high-velocity submerged jets is highly correlated with the on-site LFN, and the strong shear layers are the main regions of acoustic source for the LFN. In addition, the predicted and observed magnitudes of LFN intensity agree quite well. This is the first time that the LFN intensity has been shown to be able to be predicted quantitatively.
Enhancement of Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) as a Potential Chondrogenic Marker during Chondrogenic Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells
Authors: Arai Yoshie , Park Sunghyun , Choi Bogyu , Ko Kyoung-Won , Choi Won , Lee Joong-Myung , Han Dong-Wook , Park Hun-Kuk , Han Inbo , Lee Jong , Lee Soo-Hong
Published: June 2016

Human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) have a capacity to undergo adipogenic, chondrogenic, and osteogenic differentiation. Recently, hASCs were applied to various fields including cell therapy for tissue regeneration. However, it is hard to predict the direction of differentiation of hASCs in real-time. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are one family of proteolytic enzymes that plays a pivotal role in regulating the biology of stem cells. MMPs secreted by hASCs are expected to show different expression patterns depending on the differentiation state of hASCs because biological functions exhibit different patterns during the differentiation of stem cells. Here, we investigated proteolytic enzyme activity, especially MMP-2 activity, in hASCs during their differentiation. The activities of proteolytic enzymes and MMP-2 were higher during chondrogenic differentiation than during adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation. During chondrogenic differentiation, mRNA expression of MMP-2 and the level of the active form of MMP-2 were increased, which also correlated with Col II. It is concluded that proteolytic enzyme activity and the level of the active form of MMP-2 were increased during chondrogenic differentiation, which was accelerated in the presence of Col II protein. According to our findings, MMP-2 could be a candidate maker for real-time detection of chondrogenic differentiation of hASCs.
User in the Loop: Adaptive Smart Homes Exploiting User Feedback—State of the Art and Future Directions
Authors: Karami Abir , Fleury Anthony , Boonaert Jacques , Lecoeuche Stéphane
Published: June 2016

Due to the decrease of sensor and actuator prices and their ease of installation, smart homes and smart environments are more and more exploited in automation and health applications. In these applications, activity recognition has an important place. This article presents a general architecture that is responsible for adapting automation for the different users of the smart home while recognizing their activities. For that, semi-supervised learning algorithms and Markov-based models are used to determine the preferences of the user considering a combination of: (1) observations of the data that have been acquired since the start of the experiment and (2) feedback of the users on decisions that have been taken by the automation. We present preliminarily simulated experimental results regarding the determination of preferences for a user.
The Repetitive Detection of Toluene with Bioluminescence Bioreporter Pseudomonas putida TVA8 Encapsulated in Silica Hydrogel on an Optical Fiber
Authors: Kuncová Gabriela , Ishizaki Takayuki , Solovyev Andrey , Trögl Josef , Ripp Steven
Published: June 2016

Living cells of the lux-based bioluminescent bioreporter Pseudomonas putida TVA8 were encapsulated in a silica hydrogel attached to the distal wider end of a tapered quartz fiber. Bioluminescence of immobilized cells was induced with toluene at high (26.5 mg/L) and low (5.3 mg/L) concentrations. Initial bioluminescence maxima were achieved after >12 h. One week after immobilization, a biofilm-like layer of cells had formed on the surface of the silica gel. This resulted in shorter response times and more intensive bioluminescence maxima that appeared as rapidly as 2 h after toluene induction. Considerable second bioluminescence maxima were observed after inductions with 26.5 mg toluene/L. The second and third week after immobilization the biosensor repetitively and semiquantitatively detected toluene in buffered medium. Due to silica gel dissolution and biofilm detachment, the bioluminescent signal was decreasing 20–32 days after immobilization and completely extinguished after 32 days. The reproducible formation of a surface cell layer on the wider end of the tapered optical fiber can be translated to various whole cell bioluminescent biosensor devices and may serve as a platform for in-situ sensors.
Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation Employing Environmental Isolates
Authors: Kim Gunjo , Youn Heejung
Published: June 2016

In this study, five microbes were employed to precipitate calcite in cohesionless soils. Four microbes were selected from calcite-precipitating microbes isolated from calcareous sand and limestone cave soils, with Sporosarcina pasteurii ATCC 11859 (standard strain) used as a control. Urease activities of the four microbes were higher than that of S. pasteurii. The microbes and urea–CaCl2 medium were injected at least four times into cohesionless soils of two different relative densities (60% and 80%), and the amount of calcite precipitation was measured. It was found that the relative density of cohesionless soils significantly affects the amount of calcite precipitation and that there is a weak correlation between urease activity and calcite precipitation.
Bio-Inspired Functional Surfaces Based on Laser-Induced Periodic Surface Structures
Authors: Müller Frank , Kunz Clemens , Gräf Stephan
Published: June 2016

Nature developed numerous solutions to solve various technical problems related to material surfaces by combining the physico-chemical properties of a material with periodically aligned micro/nanostructures in a sophisticated manner. The utilization of ultra-short pulsed lasers allows mimicking numerous of these features by generating laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). In this review paper, we describe the physical background of LIPSS generation as well as the physical principles of surface related phenomena like wettability, reflectivity, and friction. Then we introduce several biological examples including e.g., lotus leafs, springtails, dessert beetles, moth eyes, butterfly wings, weevils, sharks, pangolins, and snakes to illustrate how nature solves technical problems, and we give a comprehensive overview of recent achievements related to the utilization of LIPSS to generate superhydrophobic, anti-reflective, colored, and drag resistant surfaces. Finally, we conclude with some future developments and perspectives related to forthcoming applications of LIPSS-based surfaces.
Chemical Structure and Immunomodulating Activities of an α-Glucan Purified from Lobelia chinensis Lour
Authors: Li Xiao-Jun , Bao Wan-Rong , Leung Chung-Hang , Ma Dik-Lung , Zhang Ge , Lu Ai-Ping , Wang Shun-Chun , Han Quan-Bin
Published: June 2016

A neutral α-glucan, named BP1, with a molecular mass of approximately 9.45 kDa, was isolated from Lobelia chinensis by hot-water extraction, a Q-Sepharose Fast Flow column and Superdex-75 column chromatography. Its chemical structure was characterized by monosaccharide analysis, methylation analysis and analysis of its FT-IR, high performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC) and 1D/2D-NMR spectra data. The backbone of BP1 consists of →6α-d-Glcp1→6,3α-d-Glcp1→(6α-d-Glcp1)x-6,3α-d-Glcp1-(6α-d-Glcp1)y→. The side chains were terminal α-d-Glcp1→ and α-d-Glcp1→ (6α-d-Glcp1)z→4α-d-Glcp1→3α-d-Glcp1→4α-d-Glcp1→ (x + y + z = 5), which are attached to the backbone at O-3 of 3,6α-d-Glcp1. The results of the effect of BP1 on mouse macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 indicate that BP1 enhances the cell proliferation, phagocytosis, nitric oxide production and cytokine secretion in a dose-dependent manner. Because the inhibitor of Toll-like receptor 4 blocks the BP1-induced secretion of TNF-α and IL-6, we hypothesize that α-glucan BP1 activates TLR4, which mediates the above-mentioned immunomodulating effects.
Variation of the Phytochemical Constituents and Antioxidant Activities of Zingiber officinale var. rubrum Theilade Associated with Different Drying Methods and Polyphenol Oxidase Activity
Authors: Ghasemzadeh Ali , Jaafar Hawa , Rahmat Asmah
Published: June 2016

The effects of different drying methods (freeze drying, vacuum oven drying, and shade drying) on the phytochemical constituents associated with the antioxidant activities of Z. officinale var. rubrum Theilade were evaluated to determine the optimal drying process for these rhizomes. Total flavonoid content (TFC), total phenolic content (TPC), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity were measured using the spectrophotometric method. Individual phenolic acids and flavonoids, 6- and 8-gingerol and shogaol were identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography method. Ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays were used for the evaluation of antioxidant activities. The highest reduction in moisture content was observed after freeze drying (82.97%), followed by vacuum oven drying (80.43%) and shade drying (72.65%). The highest TPC, TFC, and 6- and 8-shogaol contents were observed in samples dried by the vacuum oven drying method compared to other drying methods. The highest content of 6- and 8-gingerol was observed after freeze drying, followed by vacuum oven drying and shade drying methods. Fresh samples had the highest PPO activity and lowest content of flavonoid and phenolic acid compounds compared to dried samples. Rhizomes dried by the vacuum oven drying method represent the highest DPPH (52.9%) and FRAP activities (566.5 μM of Fe (II)/g DM), followed by freeze drying (48.3% and 527.1 μM of Fe (II)/g DM, respectively) and shade drying methods (37.64% and 471.8 μM of Fe (II)/g DM, respectively) with IC50 values of 27.2, 29.1, and 34.8 μg/mL, respectively. Negative and significant correlations were observed between PPO and antioxidant activity of rhizomes. Vacuum oven dried rhizomes can be utilized as an ingredient for the development of value-added food products as they contain high contents of phytochemicals with valuable antioxidant potential.
Ag Nanoparticle–Functionalized Open-Ended Freestanding TiO2 Nanotube Arrays with a Scattering Layer for Improved Energy Conversion Efficiency in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Rho Won-Yeop , Chun Myeung-Hwan , Kim Ho-Sub , Kim Hyung-Mo , Suh Jung , Jun Bong-Hyun
Published: June 2016

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated using open-ended freestanding TiO2 nanotube arrays functionalized with Ag nanoparticles (NPs) in the channel to create a plasmonic effect, and then coated with large TiO2 NPs to create a scattering effect in order to improve energy conversion efficiency. Compared to closed-ended freestanding TiO2 nanotube array–based DSSCs without Ag or large TiO2 NPs, the energy conversion efficiency of closed-ended DSSCs improved by 9.21% (actual efficiency, from 5.86% to 6.40%) with Ag NPs, 6.48% (actual efficiency, from 5.86% to 6.24%) with TiO2 NPs, and 14.50% (actual efficiency, from 5.86% to 6.71%) with both Ag NPs and TiO2 NPs. By introducing Ag NPs and/or large TiO2 NPs to open-ended freestanding TiO2 nanotube array–based DSSCs, the energy conversion efficiency was improved by 9.15% (actual efficiency, from 6.12% to 6.68%) with Ag NPs and 8.17% (actual efficiency, from 6.12% to 6.62%) with TiO2 NPs, and by 15.20% (actual efficiency, from 6.12% to 7.05%) with both Ag NPs and TiO2 NPs. Moreover, compared to closed-ended freestanding TiO2 nanotube arrays, the energy conversion efficiency of open-ended freestanding TiO2 nanotube arrays increased from 6.71% to 7.05%. We demonstrate that each component—Ag NPs, TiO2 NPs, and open-ended freestanding TiO2 nanotube arrays—enhanced the energy conversion efficiency, and the use of a combination of all components in DSSCs resulted in the highest energy conversion efficiency.
Vitamin D Status and Quality of Life in Healthy Male High-Tech Employees
Authors: Tepper Sigal , Dabush Yael , Shahar Danit , Endevelt Ronit , Geva Diklah , Ish-Shalom Sofia
Published: June 2016

While low vitamin D status has been shown to be associated with decreased quality of life in unhealthy populations and women, only limited data are available regarding healthy adult men. Our aim was to evaluate the associations between health-related quality of life (QoL) and vitamin D status in adult men. High-tech employees aged 25–65 year were recruited from an occupational periodic examination clinic at Rambam Health Campus. QoL was assessed using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Health-related quality of life questionnaire (HRQOL-4). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and Body Mass Index (BMI) were measured; further information was collected about physical activity, education, sun exposure, sick-days, and musculoskeletal pain severity (visual analog scale). Three hundred and fifty-eight men were enrolled in the study; mean serum 25(OH)D level was 22.1 ± 7.9 ng/mL (range 4.6–54.5 ng/mL). In a multivariate logistic regression model, 25(OH)D was a significant independent determinant of self-rated health; Odds Ratio (OR) for self-rated health was 0.91 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.85–0.97, p = 0.004), adjusted for age, BMI, pain severity, physical activity, and sun exposure. Every 1 ng/mL increase of 25(OH)D was associated with 9% reduction in the odds of reporting self-rated health as fair or poor. Poisson regression model demonstrated an association between physically unhealthy days and 25(OH)D levels (rate ratio 0.95, p < 0.001). In conclusion, serum levels of 25(OH)D were associated with self-rated health and with physically unhealthy days of HRQOL in healthy high-tech male workers. Future intervention studies are required to test the impact of vitamin D supplementation on QoL.
Piceatannol and Other Wine Stilbenes: A Pool of Inhibitors against α-Synuclein Aggregation and Cytotoxicity
Authors: Temsamani Hamza , Krisa Stéphanie , Decossas-Mendoza Marion , Lambert Olivier , Mérillon Jean-Michel , Richard Tristan
Published: June 2016

The aggregation of α-synuclein is one on the key pathogenic events in Parkinson’s disease. In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory capacities of stilbenes against α-synuclein aggregation and toxicity. Thioflavin T fluorescence, transmission electronic microscopy, and SDS-PAGE analysis were performed to investigate the inhibitory effects of three stilbenes against α-synuclein aggregation: piceatannol, ampelopsin A, and isohopeaphenol. Lipid vesicle permeabilization assays were performed to screen stilbenes for protection against membrane damage induced by aggregated α-synuclein. The viability of PC12 cells was examined using an MTT assay to assess the preventive effects of stilbenes against α-synuclein-induced toxicity. Piceatannol inhibited the formation of α synuclein fibrils and was able to destabilize preformed filaments. It seems to induce the formation of small soluble complexes protecting membranes against α-synuclein-induced damage. Finally, piceatannol protected cells against α-synuclein-induced toxicity. The oligomers tested (ampelopsin A and hopeaphenol) were less active.
State of the Art Robotic Grippers and Applications
Authors: Tai Kevin , El-Sayed Abdul-Rahman , Shahriari Mohammadali , Biglarbegian Mohammad , Mahmud Shohel
Published: June 2016

In this paper, we present a recent survey on robotic grippers. In many cases, modern grippers outperform their older counterparts which are now stronger, more repeatable, and faster. Technological advancements have also attributed to the development of gripping various objects. This includes soft fabrics, microelectromechanical systems, and synthetic sheets. In addition, newer materials are being used to improve functionality of grippers, which include piezoelectric, shape memory alloys, smart fluids, carbon fiber, and many more. This paper covers the very first robotic gripper to the newest developments in grasping methods. Unlike other survey papers, we focus on the applications of robotic grippers in industrial, medical, for fragile objects and soft fabrics grippers. We report on new advancements on grasping mechanisms and discuss their behavior for different purposes. Finally, we present the future trends of grippers in terms of flexibility and performance and their vital applications in emerging areas of robotic surgery, industrial assembly, space exploration, and micromanipulation. These advancements will provide a future outlook on the new trends in robotic grippers.
Measurement Sensitivity Improvement of All-Optical Atomic Spin Magnetometer by Suppressing Noises
Authors: Chen Xiyuan , Zhang Hong , Zou Sheng
Published: June 2016

Quantum manipulation technology and photoelectric detection technology have jointly facilitated the rapid development of ultra-sensitive atomic spin magnetometers. To improve the output signal and sensitivity of the spin-exchange-relaxation-free (SERF) atomic spin magnetometer, the noises influencing on the output signal and the sensitivity were analyzed, and the corresponding noise suppression methods were presented. The magnetic field noises, including the residual magnetic field noise and the light shift noise, were reduced to approximately zero by employing the magnetic field compensation method and by adjusting the frequency of the pump beam, respectively. With respect to the operation temperature, the simulation results showed that the temperature of the potassium atomic spin magnetometer realizing the spin-exchange relaxation-free regime was 180 °C. Moreover, the fluctuation noises of the frequency and the power were suppressed by using the frequency and the power stable systems. The experimental power stability results showed that the light intensity stability was enhanced 10%. Contrast experiments on the sensitivity were carried out to demonstrate the validity of the suppression methods. Finally, a sensitivity of 13 fT/Hz1/2 was successfully achieved by suppressing noises and optimizing parameters.
Multi-Target State Extraction for the SMC-PHD Filter
Authors: Si Weijian , Wang Liwei , Qu Zhiyu
Published: June 2016

The sequential Monte Carlo probability hypothesis density (SMC-PHD) filter has been demonstrated to be a favorable method for multi-target tracking. However, the time-varying target states need to be extracted from the particle approximation of the posterior PHD, which is difficult to implement due to the unknown relations between the large amount of particles and the PHD peaks representing potential target locations. To address this problem, a novel multi-target state extraction algorithm is proposed in this paper. By exploiting the information of measurements and particle likelihoods in the filtering stage, we propose a validation mechanism which aims at selecting effective measurements and particles corresponding to detected targets. Subsequently, the state estimates of the detected and undetected targets are performed separately: the former are obtained from the particle clusters directed by effective measurements, while the latter are obtained from the particles corresponding to undetected targets via clustering method. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method yields better estimation accuracy and reliability compared to existing methods.
Biomass Power Generation Investment in China: A Real Options Evaluation
Authors: Zhang Mingming , Zhou Dequn , Ding Hao , Jin Jingliang
Published: June 2016

This paper proposes a real options model for evaluating the biomass power generation investment in China. The uncertainties in the market price of electricity, CO2 price and straw price are considered. Meanwhile the dynamic relationship between installed capacity and fuel cost, as well as the long-term reduction of subsidy are described. Two scenarios, i.e., with the carbon emission trading scheme existent and non-existent, respectively, is built to empirically analyze the investment of a 25-MW straw-based power generation project. The results show that investors should undertake the investment in 2030 under two scenarios. Investment values are 14,869,254.8 and 37,608,727 Chinese Yuan (RMB), respectively. The implementation of the carbon emission trading scheme theoretically helps improve investment value and advance the most likely optimal investment time. However, the current CO2 price is not sufficient to advance the most likely optimal investment time. The impacts of several factors, including subsidy policy, CO2 price, straw price, installed capacity, correlation structure and the validity period of investment, on the optimal investment strategy are also examined. It is suggested that governments take some measures, including increasing subsidy, setting the growth pattern of subsidy and establishing and perfecting a nationwide carbon trading market, to improve the investment environment and attract more investments.
Brief Review on Black Hole Loop Quantization
Authors: Olmedo Javier
Published: June 2016

Here, we present a review about the quantization of spherically-symmetric spacetimes adopting loop quantum gravity techniques. Several models that have been studied so far share similar properties: the resolution of the classical singularity and some of them an intrinsic discretization of the geometry. We also explain the extension to Reissner–Nordström black holes. Besides, we review how quantum test fields on these quantum geometries allow us to study phenomena, like the Casimir effect or Hawking radiation. Finally, we briefly describe a recent proposal that incorporates spherically-symmetric matter, discussing its relevance for the understanding of black hole evolution.
Motivation-based Segmentation of Cruise Tourists: A Case Study on International Cruise Tourists Visiting Kuşadasi, Turkey
Authors: Caber Meltem , Albayrak Tahir , Ünal Caner
Published: June 2016

This study segments cruise tourists by their travel motivations. Two groups were obtained by cluster analysis from the sample of international cruise tourists visiting Kuşadasi Harbour, Turkey. The first group members were named as Variety Focused, while the second group
members were named as Utilitarian and Ambitious tourists, according to their motivations. Variety Focused people are mostly the elderly, social, and repeat cruise tourists who are motivated by escaping needs from their normal environment and routine daily life. Utilitarian
and Ambitious people are the tourists at different age groups, who are socially active and benefit seeking. By knowing the main motivations of tourist segments, cruise companies may generate specific services to meet the needs and expectations of the customers.
Troubled Seas: The Politics of Activism Related to the Cruise Industry
Authors: Klein Ross A. , Sitter Kathleen C.
Published: June 2016

Although most port cities seek and work to grow cruise tourism, in some cases there is broad-based public activism against cruise ships and cruise tourism. This article looks at 10 case studies where grassroots movements have confronted cruise tourism, with varying degrees of success. The study seeks to understand factors associated with the success of some groups and the lack of success of others. In addition to looking at traditional methods of community activism, the analysis looks at the use and effectiveness of social media in campaigns where it is used. The article concludes with implications for success based on a range of strategies and internal and external factors.
Messages in the Bottle: Customers' Reactions to Expertise, Blame, and Compensation After a Severe Cruising Crisis
Authors: Soulard Joelle , Petrick James F.
Published: June 2016

This study experimentally examined the effects of expertness, source of accident, and compensation on the ratings of a cruise line's brand image and potential cruisers' intentions to purchase. Participants (n=213) were randomly assigned to one of eight experimental conditions presented as written testimonies from cruise passengers recalling a severe crisis they experienced while at sea. The main effect for recovery was significant (p<0.05) in terms of both brand image and purchase intentions. There was also a significant interaction between the storytellers' expertise and blame attribution (p<0.05) in terms of both purchase intentions and brand image. Results offer both theoretical and practical insights in terms of advertising strategies and crisis management for cruise lines.