bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using Optical Sensors to Identify Water Deprivation, Nitrogen Shortage, Weed Presence and Fungal Infection in Wheat
Authors: Peteinatos Gerassimos , Korsaeth Audun , Berge Therese , Gerhards Roland
Published: May 2016

The success of precision agriculture relies largely on our ability to identify how the plants’ growth limiting factors vary in time and space. In the field, several stress factors may occur simultaneously, and it is thus crucial to be able to identify the key limitation, in order to decide upon the correct contra-action, e.g., herbicide application. We performed a pot experiment, in which spring wheat was exposed to water shortage, nitrogen deficiency, weed competition (Sinapis alba L.) and fungal infection (Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici) in a complete, factorial design. A range of sensor measurements were taken every third day from the two-leaf stage until booting of the wheat (BBCH 12 to 40). Already during the first 10 days after stress induction (DAS), both fluorescence measurements and spectral vegetation indices were able to differentiate between non-stressed and stressed wheat plants exposed to water shortage, weed competition or fungal infection. This meant that water shortage and fungal infection could be detected prior to visible symptoms. Nitrogen shortage was detected on the 11–20 DAS. Differentiation of more than one stress factors with the same index was difficult.
Isolation, Identification, and Biotransformation of Teadenol A from Solid State Fermentation of Pu-erh Tea and In Vitro Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Su Xiao-qin , Zhang Gao-ju , Ma Yan , Chen Mao , Chen Sheng-hu , Duan Shuang-mei , Wan Jin-qiong , Hashimoto Fumio , Lv Hai-peng , Li Jia-hua , Lin Zhi , Zhao Ming
Published: May 2016

Post-fermented Pu-erh tea (PFPT) has several health benefits, however, little is known about the bioactive compounds. In this study, a PFPT compound was isolated by column chromatography and identified as Teadenol A by spectroscopic data analyses, including mass spectrometry and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Teadenol A in tea leaves was biotransformed by Aspergillus niger and A. tamari at 28 °C for 14 d at concentrations ranging from 9.85 ± 1.17 to 12.93 ± 0.38 mg/g. Additionally, the compound was detected in 22 commercial PFPTs at concentrations ranging from 0.17 ± 0.1 to 8.15 ± 0.1 mg/g. Teadenol A promoted the secretion of adiponectin and inhibited the expression of protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B. Antioxidant assays (e.g., 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), hydrogen donating ability, and superoxide anion radical scavenging capacity) revealed that Teadenol A has antioxidant properties. Therefore, Teadenol A is an important bio-active component of PFPT.
An Axiomatic Account of Question Evocation: The Propositional Case
Authors: Wiśniewski Andrzej
Published: May 2016

An axiomatic system for question evocation in Classical Propositional Logic is proposed. Soundness and completeness of the system are proven.
Development of a Novel Bidirectional DC/DC Converter Topology with High Voltage Conversion Ratio for Electric Vehicles and DC-Microgrids
Authors: Lai Ching-Ming
Published: May 2016

The main objective of this paper was to study a bidirectional direct current to direct current converter (BDC) topology with a high voltage conversion ratio for electric vehicle (EV) batteries connected to a dc-microgrid system. In this study, an unregulated level converter (ULC) cascaded with a two-phase interleaved buck-boost charge-pump converter (IBCPC) is introduced to achieve a high conversion ratio with a simpler control circuit. In discharge state, the topology acts as a two-stage voltage-doubler boost converter to achieve high step-up conversion ratio (48 V to 385 V). In charge state, the converter acts as two cascaded voltage-divider buck converters to achieve high voltage step-down conversion ratio (385 V to 48 V). The features, operation principles, steady-state analysis, simulation and experimental results are made to verify the performance of the studied novel BDC. Finally, a 500 W rating prototype system is constructed for verifying the validity of the operation principle. Experimental results show that highest efficiencies of 96% and 95% can be achieved, respectively, in charge and discharge states.
Change in Environmental Benefits of Urban Land Use and Its Drivers in Chinese Cities, 2000–2010
Authors: Song Xiaoqing , Chang Kang-tsung , Yang Liang , Scheffran Jürgen
Published: May 2016

Driven by rising income and urban population growth, China has experienced rapid urban expansion since the 1980s. Urbanization can have positive effects on the urban environment; however, improvement of urban environment quality, especially its divergence between relatively developed and undeveloped cities in China, is currently a rather rudimentary and subjective issue. This study analyzed urban environmental benefits among China’s prefectural cities based on their structure of urban land use in 2000 and 2010. First, we divided 347 prefectural cities into two groups, 81 coastal and capital cities in the relatively developed group (RD) and 266 other prefectural cities in the undeveloped group (RP). Then, we defined three areas of urban environmental benefits, including green infrastructure, industrial upgrade, and environmental management, and developed an assessment index system. Results showed that all prefectural cities saw improvement in urban environmental quality in 2000–2010. Although the RD cities had higher income and more population growth, they had less improvement than the RP cities during the same period. We also found that demographic and urban land agglomeration among RD cities restrained green infrastructure expansion, making green infrastructure unsuitable as a permanent solution to environmental improvement. It is therefore urgent for China to promote balanced improvement among the three areas of urban environmental benefits and between the RD and RP cities through regional differentiation policies.
A Comprehensive View on Urban Spatial Structure: Urban Density Patterns of German City Regions
Authors: Krehl Angelika , Siedentop Stefan , Taubenböck Hannes , Wurm Michael
Published: May 2016

Urban density must be considered a key concept in the description of a city’s urban spatial structure. Countless studies have provided evidence of a close relationship between built density and activity densities, on the one hand, and urban environmental conditions or social practices, on the other hand. However, despite the concept’s common use in urban research, urban density is a rather fuzzy and highly complex concept that is accompanied by a confusing variety of indicators and measurement approaches. To date, an internationally-accepted standard for the implementation of density indicators that permits a robust comparison of different countries, regions or cities is widely missing. This paper discusses the analytical opportunities that recent remote sensing data offer in regard to an objective and transparent measurement of built density patterns of city regions. It furthermore clarifies the interrelations between built and activity densities. We apply our approach to four German city regions to demonstrate the analytical capacity of spatially-refined density indicators for the purposes of comparative urban research at a regional scale. In so doing, we contribute to a more encompassing and robust understanding of the urban density concept when analyzing regional morphology.
NAFLD and NASH in HCV Infection: Prevalence and Significance in Hepatic and Extrahepatic Manifestations
Authors: Adinolfi Luigi , Rinaldi Luca , Guerrera Barbara , Restivo Luciano , Marrone Aldo , Giordano Mauro , Zampino Rosa
Published: May 2016

The aim of this paper is to review and up to date the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and their significance in both accelerating progression of HCV-related liver disease and development of HCV-associated extrahepatic diseases. The reported mean prevalence of HCV-related NAFLD was 55%, whereas NASH was reported in 4%–10% of cases. HCV genotype 3 directly induces fatty liver deposition, namely “viral steatosis” and it is associated with the highest prevalence and degree of severity, whereas, HCV non-3 genotype infection showed lower prevalence of steatosis, which is associated with metabolic factors and insulin resistance. The host’s genetic background predisposes him or her to the development of steatosis. HCV’s impairment of lipid and glucose metabolism causes fatty liver accumulation; this seems to be a viral strategy to optimize its life cycle. Irrespective of insulin resistance, HCV-associated NAFLD, in a degree-dependent manner, contributes towards accelerating the liver fibrosis progression and development of hepatocellular carcinoma by inducing liver inflammation and oxidative stress. Furthermore, NAFLD is associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and atherosclerosis. In addition, HCV-related “metabolic steatosis” impairs the response rate to interferon-based treatment, whereas it seems that “viral steatosis” may harm the response rate to new oral direct antiviral agents. In conclusion, a high prevalence of NAFLD occurs in HCV infections, which is, at least in part, induced by the virus, and that NAFLD significantly impacts progression of the liver disease, therapeutic response, and some extrahepatic diseases.
Computer-Aided Identification and Validation of Privacy Requirements
Authors: Meis Rene , Heisel Maritta
Published: May 2016

Privacy is a software quality that is closely related to security. The main difference is that security properties aim at the protection of assets that are crucial for the considered system, and privacy aims at the protection of personal data that are processed by the system. The identification of privacy protection needs in complex systems is a hard and error prone task. Stakeholders whose personal data are processed might be overlooked, or the sensitivity and the need of protection of the personal data might be underestimated. The later personal data and the needs to protect them are identified during the development process, the more expensive it is to fix these issues, because the needed changes of the system-to-be often affect many functionalities. In this paper, we present a systematic method to identify the privacy needs of a software system based on a set of functional requirements by extending the problem-based privacy analysis (ProPAn) method. Our method is tool-supported and automated where possible to reduce the effort that has to be spent for the privacy analysis, which is especially important when considering complex systems. The contribution of this paper is a semi-automatic method to identify the relevant privacy requirements for a software-to-be based on its functional requirements. The considered privacy requirements address all dimensions of privacy that are relevant for software development. As our method is solely based on the functional requirements of the system to be, we enable users of our method to identify the privacy protection needs that have to be addressed by the software-to-be at an early stage of the development. As initial evaluation of our method, we show its applicability on a small electronic health system scenario.
Measuring Knowledge Management Performance in Organizations: An Integrative Framework of Balanced Scorecard and Fuzzy Evaluation
Authors: Lyu Hongbo , Zhou Zhiying , Zhang Zuopeng
Published: May 2016

As an important part of knowledge management (KM), the KM performance evaluation tries to find out the key factors restraining the enhancement of the enterprises' performance. This paper investigates the feasibility of the balanced scorecard (BSC) method in enterprise knowledge management and then proposes a simplified and applicable performance evaluation model based on the BSC approach. Finally, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) is used to evaluate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed model. The result shows that the model is useful for evaluating the performance of KM in enterprises.
Regulation of Silk Genes by Hox and Homeodomain Proteins in the Terminal Differentiated Silk Gland of the Silkworm Bombyx mori
Authors: Takiya Shigeharu , Tsubota Takuya , Kimoto Mai
Published: May 2016

The silk gland of the silkworm Bombyx mori is a long tubular organ that is divided into several subparts along its anteroposterior (AP) axis. As a trait of terminal differentiation of the silk gland, several silk protein genes are expressed with unique regional specificities. Most of the Hox and some of the homeobox genes are also expressed in the differentiated silk gland with regional specificities. The expression patterns of Hox genes in the silk gland roughly correspond to those in embryogenesis showing “colinearity”. The central Hox class protein Antennapedia (Antp) directly regulates the expression of several middle silk gland–specific silk genes, whereas the Lin-1/Isl-1/Mec3 (LIM)-homeodomain transcriptional factor Arrowhead (Awh) regulates the expression of posterior silk gland–specific genes for silk fiber proteins. We summarize our results and discuss the usefulness of the silk gland of Bombyx mori for analyzing the function of Hox genes. Further analyses of the regulatory mechanisms underlying the region-specific expression of silk genes will provide novel insights into the molecular bases for target-gene selection and regulation by Hox and homeodomain proteins.
A Field Trip to the Archaean in Search of Darwin’s Warm Little Pond
Authors: Damer Bruce
Published: May 2016

Charles Darwin’s original intuition that life began in a “warm little pond” has for the last three decades been eclipsed by a focus on marine hydrothermal vents as a venue for abiogenesis. However, thermodynamic barriers to polymerization of key molecular building blocks and the difficulty of forming stable membranous compartments in seawater suggest that Darwin’s original insight should be reconsidered. I will introduce the terrestrial origin of life hypothesis, which combines field observations and laboratory results to provide a novel and testable model in which life begins as protocells assembling in inland fresh water hydrothermal fields. Hydrothermal fields are associated with volcanic landmasses resembling Hawaii and Iceland today and could plausibly have existed on similar land masses rising out of Earth’s first oceans. I will report on a field trip to the living and ancient stromatolite fossil localities of Western Australia, which provided key insights into how life may have emerged in Archaean, fluctuating fresh water hydrothermal pools, geological evidence for which has recently been discovered. Laboratory experimentation and fieldwork are providing mounting evidence that such sites have properties that are conducive to polymerization reactions and generation of membrane-bounded protocells. I will build on the previously developed coupled phases scenario, unifying the chemical and geological frameworks and proposing that a hydrogel of stable, communally supported protocells will emerge as a candidate Woese progenote, the distant common ancestor of microbial communities so abundant in the earliest fossil record.
Effects of Low-Temperature Plasma-Sterilization on Mars Analog Soil Samples Mixed with Deinococcus radiodurans
Authors: Schirmack Janosch , Fiebrandt Marcel , Stapelmann Katharina , Schulze-Makuch Dirk
Published: May 2016

We used Ar plasma-sterilization at a temperature below 80 °C to examine its effects on the viability of microorganisms when intermixed with tested soil. Due to a relatively low temperature, this method is not thought to affect the properties of a soil, particularly its organic component, to a significant degree. The method has previously been shown to work well on spacecraft parts. The selected microorganism for this test was Deinococcus radiodurans R1, which is known for its remarkable resistance to radiation effects. Our results showed a reduction in microbial counts after applying a low temperature plasma, but not to a degree suitable for a sterilization of the soil. Even an increase of the treatment duration from 1.5 to 45 min did not achieve satisfying results, but only resulted in in a mean cell reduction rate of 75% compared to the untreated control samples.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Electropolymerization of Extended Fused-Ring Thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine-Based Terthienyls
Authors: Konkol Kristine , Schwiderski Ryan , Rasmussen Seth
Published: May 2016

The synthesis, characterization, and electropolymerization of a series of extended fused-ring thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine-based terthienyls are reported. The target terthienyls contain a central extended thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine analogue containing 2-thienyl units at the reactive α-positions of the central thiophene. The extended fused-ring thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine analogues studied include acenaphtho[1,2-b]thieno[3,4-e]pyrazine, dibenzo[f,h]thieno[3,4-b]quinoxaline, and thieno[3′,4′:5,6]-pyrazino[2,3-f][1,10]phenanthroline. Comparison of the electrochemical and photophysical properties to simple thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine-based terthienyls and their polymeric analogues are reported in order to provide structure-function relationships within this series of compounds and materials.
Ionoprinted Multi-Responsive Hydrogel Actuators
Authors: Morales Daniel , Podolsky Igor , Mailen Russell , Shay Timothy , Dickey Michael , Velev Orlin
Published: May 2016

We report multi-responsive and double-folding bilayer hydrogel sheet actuators, whose directional bending response is tuned by modulating the solvent quality and temperature and where locally crosslinked regions, induced by ionoprinting, enable the actuators to invert their bending axis. The sheets are made multi-responsive by combining two stimuli responsive gels that incur opposing and complementary swelling and shrinking responses to the same stimulus. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) can be tuned to specific temperatures depending on the EtOH concentration, enabling the actuators to change direction isothermally. Higher EtOH concentrations cause upper critical solution temperature (UCST) behavior in the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAAm) gel networks, which can induce an amplifying effect during bilayer bending. External ionoprints reliably and repeatedly invert the gel bilayer bending axis between water and EtOH. Placing the ionoprint at the gel/gel interface can lead to opposite shape conformations, but with no clear trend in the bending behavior. We hypothesize that this is due to the ionoprint passing through the neutral axis of the bilayer during shrinking in hot water. Finally, we demonstrate the ability of the actuators to achieve shapes unique to the specific external conditions towards developing more responsive and adaptive soft actuator devices.
Living Cell Microarrays: An Overview of Concepts
Authors: Jonczyk Rebecca , Kurth Tracy , Lavrentieva Antonina , Walter Johanna-Gabriela , Scheper Thomas , Stahl Frank
Published: May 2016

Living cell microarrays are a highly efficient cellular screening system. Due to the low number of cells required per spot, cell microarrays enable the use of primary and stem cells and provide resolution close to the single-cell level. Apart from a variety of conventional static designs, microfluidic microarray systems have also been established. An alternative format is a microarray consisting of three-dimensional cell constructs ranging from cell spheroids to cells encapsulated in hydrogel. These systems provide an in vivo-like microenvironment and are preferably used for the investigation of cellular physiology, cytotoxicity, and drug screening. Thus, many different high-tech microarray platforms are currently available. Disadvantages of many systems include their high cost, the requirement of specialized equipment for their manufacture, and the poor comparability of results between different platforms. In this article, we provide an overview of static, microfluidic, and 3D cell microarrays. In addition, we describe a simple method for the printing of living cell microarrays on modified microscope glass slides using standard DNA microarray equipment available in most laboratories. Applications in research and diagnostics are discussed, e.g., the selective and sensitive detection of biomarkers. Finally, we highlight current limitations and the future prospects of living cell microarrays.
The Rationale for Insulin Therapy in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Ribarič Samo
Published: May 2016

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, with a prevalence that increases with age. By 2050, the worldwide number of patients with AD is projected to reach more than 140 million. The prominent signs of AD are progressive memory loss, accompanied by a gradual decline in cognitive function and premature death. AD is the clinical manifestation of altered proteostasis. The initiating step of altered proteostasis in most AD patients is not known. The progression of AD is accelerated by several chronic disorders, among which the contribution of diabetes to AD is well understood at the cell biology level. The pathological mechanisms of AD and diabetes interact and tend to reinforce each other, thus accelerating cognitive impairment. At present, only symptomatic interventions are available for treating AD. To optimise symptomatic treatment, a personalised therapy approach has been suggested. Intranasal insulin administration seems to open the possibility for a safe, and at least in the short term, effective symptomatic intervention that delays loss of cognition in AD patients. This review summarizes the interactions of AD and diabetes from the cell biology to the patient level and the clinical results of intranasal insulin treatment of cognitive decline in AD.
Food Group Intakes as Determinants of Iodine Status among US Adult Population
Authors: Lee Kyung , Shin Dayeon , Cho Mi , Song Won
Published: May 2016

Adequate intake of iodine is essential for proper thyroid function. Although dietary reference intakes for iodine have been established, iodine intake cannot be estimated due to the lack of data on iodine contents in foods. We aimed to determine if food group intakes can predict iodine status assessed by urinary iodine concentration (UIC) from spot urine samples of 5967 US adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–2012. From an in-person 24-h dietary recall, all foods consumed were aggregated into 12 main food groups using the individual food code of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA); dairy products, meat/poultry, fish/seaweed, eggs, legumes/nuts/seeds, breads, other grain products, fruits, vegetables, fats/oils, sugars/sweets, and beverages. Chi-square test, Spearman correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to investigate the predictability of food group intakes in iodine status assessed by UIC. From the multiple linear regressions, the consumption of dairy products, eggs, and breads, and iodine-containing supplement use were positively associated with UIC, whereas beverage consumption was negatively associated with UIC. Among various food group intakes, dairy product intake was the most important determinant of iodine status in both US men and women. Subpopulation groups with a high risk of iodine deficiency may need nutritional education regarding the consumption of dairy products, eggs, and breads to maintain an adequate iodine status. Efforts toward a better understanding of iodine content in each food and a continued monitoring of iodine status within US adults are both warranted.
Polypeptide-Nanoparticle Interactions and Corona Formation Investigated by Monte Carlo Simulations
Authors: Carnal Fabrice , Clavier Arnaud , Stoll Serge
Published: May 2016

Biomacromolecule activity is usually related to its ability to keep a specific structure. However, in solution, many parameters (pH, ionic strength) and external compounds (polyelectrolytes, nanoparticles) can modify biomacromolecule structure as well as acid/base properties, thus resulting in a loss of activity and denaturation. In this paper, the impact of neutral and charged nanoparticles (NPs) is investigated by Monte Carlo simulations on polypeptide (PP) chains with primary structure based on bovine serum albumin. The influence of pH, salt valency, and NP surface charge density is systematically studied. It is found that the PP is extended at extreme pH, when no complex formation is observed, and folded at physiological pH. PP adsorption around oppositely-charged NPs strongly limits chain structural changes and modifies its acid/base properties. At physiological pH, the complex formation occurs only with positively-charged NPs. The presence of salts, in particular those with trivalent cations, introduces additional electrostatic interactions, resulting in a mitigation of the impact of negative NPs. Thus, the corona structure is less dense with locally-desorbed segments. On the contrary, very limited impact of salt cation valency is observed when NPs are positive, due to the absence of competitive effects between multivalent cations and NP.
Advanced SAR Interferometric Analysis to Support Geomorphological Interpretation of Slow-Moving Coastal Landslides (Malta, Mediterranean Sea)
Authors: Mantovani Matteo , Devoto Stefano , Piacentini Daniela , Prampolini Mariacristina , Soldati Mauro , Pasuto Alessandro
Published: May 2016

An advanced SAR interferometric analysis has been combined with a methodology for the automatic classification of radar reflectors phase histories to interpret slope-failure kinematics and trend of displacements of slow-moving landslides. To accomplish this goal, the large dataset of radar images, acquired in more than 20 years by the two European Space Agency (ESA) missions ERS-1/2 and ENVISAT, was exploited. The analysis was performed over the northern sector of Island of Malta (central Mediterranean Sea), where extensive landslides occur. The study was assisted by field surveys and with the analysis of existing thematic maps and landslide inventories. The outcomes allowed definition of a model capable of describing the geomorphological evolution of slow-moving landslides, providing a key for interpreting such phenomena that, due to their slowness, are usually scarcely investigated.
Satellite Remote Sensing of Snow Depth on Antarctic Sea Ice: An Inter-Comparison of Two Empirical Approaches
Authors: Kern Stefan , Ozsoy-Çiçek Burcu
Published: May 2016

Snow on Antarctic sea ice plays a key role for sea ice physical processes and complicates retrieval of sea ice thickness using altimetry. Current methods of snow depth retrieval are based on satellite microwave radiometry, which perform best for dry, homogeneous snow packs on level sea ice. We introduce an alternative approach based on in-situ measurements of total (sea ice plus snow) freeboard and snow depth, which we use to compute snow depth on sea ice from Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) total freeboard observations. We compare ICESat snow depth for early winter and spring of the years 2004 through 2006 with the Advanced Scanning Microwave Radiometer aboard EOS (AMSR-E) snow depth product. We find ICESat snow depths agree more closely with ship-based visual and air-borne snow radar observations than AMSR-E snow depths. We obtain average modal and mean ICESat snow depths, which exceed AMSR-E snow depths by 5–10 cm in winter and 10–15 cm in spring. We observe an increase in ICESat snow depth from winter to spring for most Antarctic regions in accordance with ground-based observations, in contrast to AMSR-E snow depths, which we find to stay constant or to decrease. We suggest satellite laser altimetry as an alternative method to derive snow depth on Antarctic sea ice, which is independent of snow physical properties.
Reliability and Validity of the Early Years Physical Activity Questionnaire (EY-PAQ)
Authors: Bingham Daniel , Collings Paul , Clemes Stacy , Costa Silvia , Santorelli Gillian , Griffiths Paula , Barber Sally
Published: May 2016

Measuring physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) in young children (<5 years) is complex. Objective measures have high validity but require specialist expertise, are expensive, and can be burdensome for participants. A proxy-report instrument for young children that accurately measures PA and ST is needed. The aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of the Early Years Physical Activity Questionnaire (EY-PAQ). In a setting where English and Urdu are the predominant languages spoken by parents of young children, a sample of 196 parents and their young children (mean age 3.2 ± 0.8 years) from Bradford, UK took part in the study. A total of 156 (79.6%) questionnaires were completed in English and 40 (20.4%) were completed in transliterated Urdu. A total of 109 parents took part in the reliability aspect of the study, which involved completion of the EY-PAQ on two occasions (7.2 days apart; standard deviation (SD) = 1.1). All 196 participants took part in the validity aspect which involved comparison of EY-PAQ scores against accelerometry. Validty anaylsis used all data and data falling with specific MVPA and ST boundaries. Reliability was assessed using intra-class correlations (ICC) and validity by Bland–Altman plots and rank correlation coefficients. The test re-test reliability of the EY-PAQ was moderate for ST (ICC = 0.47) and fair for moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA)(ICC = 0.35). The EY-PAQ had poor agreement with accelerometer-determined ST (mean difference = −87.5 min·day−1) and good agreement for MVPA (mean difference = 7.1 min·day−1) limits of agreement were wide for all variables. The rank correlation coefficient was non-significant for ST (rho = 0.19) and significant for MVPA (rho = 0.30). The EY-PAQ has comparable validity and reliability to other PA self-report tools and is a promising population-based measure of young children’s habitual MVPA but not ST. In situations when objective methods are not possible for measurement of young children’s MVPA, the EY-PAQ may be a suitable alternative but only if boundaries are applied.
Quantitative Study on the Dynamic Mechanism of Smart Low-Carbon City Development in China
Authors: Fang Chuanglin , Pang Bo , Liu Haimeng
Published: May 2016

With the development of new generation technology and the low-carbon economy, the smart low-carbon city has become one of the academic hotspots. Many studies on it have begun; however, the dynamic mechanism is rarely involved. Therefore, this paper uses the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method to creatively take a quantitative study on a Chinese smart low-carbon city’s dynamic mechanism. The results show that: (1) the three main dynamics of smart low-carbon city development in China are institutional and cultural conditions, facilities and functions conditions and economy and industry conditions, but the overall utility is relatively low; (2) the level of the dynamic operation mechanism of the Chinese smart low-carbon city is distinct between regions, indicating a diminishing spatial law from east to west and differences within regions; (3) the imbalance of the comprehensive dynamic mechanism and the operation status between smart low-carbon cities is prominent, showing a decreasing urban scale law of from big to small and differences within each scale, and a descending administration hierarchy law from high to low and differences within each class; (4) seven basic development patterns can be obtained, and most of the cities belong to the external strong/internal weak mode, which basically matches with its development realities. Finally, general policy recommendations and countermeasures of optimization and improvement are proposed.
Evaluating the Impact of China’s Rail Network Expansions on Local Accessibility: A Market Potential Approach
Authors: Wu Wenjie , Liang Yutian , Wu Di
Published: May 2016

This paper uses a market potential approach to examine the evolution of the rail transport network of China and its spatial distributional impacts on local accessibility, with a particular focus on high-speed rail improvements. Accessibility is measured by using a “market potential” function that was derived from the general equilibrium model of the economic geography literature, and is empirically calculated based on Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques. A key finding, albeit from a highly stylized model, is that rail improvements may help raise territorial polarizing patterns across counties. The results point to the profound implications of railroad network expansion on the accessibility dynamics in periphery regions relative to core regions.
ASSESSMENT OF NATIONAL INNOVATION PERFORMANCE OF THE BALTIC COUNTRIES
Authors: Peyravi Bahman
Published: May 2016

This paper’s aim is to assess national innovation performance of Baltic countries (Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia) based on European innovation scoreboard results. The paper leans on the performance on each indicator and analyses the main factors behind the development in innovation performances in each country. The main underline of the paper is to explore the main factors which have been developed after being member of the European Union. The results of the paper indicates the inability achieve the standard of human capital, the impact of small economy. Estonia has higher innovation performance among other Baltic states; successful attraction of the foreign investment can be seen as the main cause. Furthermore, the positive relation with Nordic states and favorable tax policy in notable force for higher innovation performance in Estonia.
SOCIAL COMPETENCIES AND PERSPECTIVES OF HUMAN RESOURCES IN LOGISTICS ORGANIZATION
Authors: Palšaitis Ramunas , Čižiunienė Kristina , Vaičiutė Kristina
Published: May 2016

Clients of logistics organizations often demand not only one service, but a total logistics package. Therefore, globalization of economic, social and cultural processes pose new challenges for human resource management. The paper analyzes the impact of human resource competence features and its use as a tool for development of logistics organization and logistics service quality assurance. Competence measurement is complicated, it requires sophisticated studies, thus competence is often assessed on the grounds of simple, easily expressed, but often frustrated total image indicators, such as education and training. The conducted qualitative research enabled the identification of human resource social competence problematics in logistics organizations.
PROSPECTIVE QUALITY ATTRIBUTES OF NURSING HOME CARE SERVICES
Authors: Ejdys Joanna
Published: May 2016

One of the forms of care for the elderly are the nursing homes, long-term care homes. Still, in many countries the low level of quality of such services is still the main criterion for the perception of objects as a final option, in the absence of alternative forms of care for an older person. The aim of the article is to seek answers to the questions about the expected quality of the services offered by nursing homes. The article presents the results of research on the expectations of the society in terms of quality of services, carried out on a sample of 602 Polish citizens. The study allowed to identify the key characteristics that determine the quality of services from the perspective of the future decisions related to the choice of the resort.
COMPLEX ASSESSMENT OF THE ECOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY’S REGIONS
Authors: Ginevičius Romualdas , Stasiukynas Andrius , Gedvilaitė Dainora
Published: May 2016

Ecological development is one of the three components of sustainable development. To be able to analyse the impact of economic and social development on the ecological situation of the region, ecological development has to be assessed using quantitative methods. The ecological development of a region can be seen as a complex integrated phenomenon observed in many aspects. After formalizing them, i. e. converting them into criteria, we can form a system that upon applying multi-criteria methods will allow us to carry out a complex assessment of the ecological development of a region. The objective of this article is to provide methods for the quantitative assessment of the ecological state of a country’s regions. Review of scientific literature, analysis of statistical data and the methods applied in the theory multiple criteria have been used for the research.
REVENUE AUTONOMY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT: FISCAL DECENTRALIZATION ASPECT
Authors: Slavinskaitė Neringa , Ginevičius Romualdas
Published: May 2016

The empriral studies of fiscal decentralization depend critically on the correct measurement of fiscal decentralization. Fiscal decentralization is an important aspect of fiscal institutions in both developing and developed countries. One of the most important aspect of fiscal decentralization is revenue autonomy of local government. In this paper we calculated an index of revenue autonomy for selected Europe countries. The most important indicator is tax autonomy in revenue autonomy of local govenment, which based on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) methodology. The empirical results show that, in general, the degree of local government revenue autonomy is higher in developed Europe countries than in most developing Europe countries.
TRANSITION OF ENTREPRENEURIAL UNIVERSITY: FROM LOCAL TO INTERNATIONAL
Authors: Girdzijauskaitė Eglė , Radzevičienė Asta , Jakubavičius Artūras
Published: May 2016

Universities are becoming entrepreneurial due to highly competitive environment, decreased government funding and external and internal pressure to generate income from research and education services. It is argued in literature that the competitiveness of higher education institutions (HEIs) will increasingly depend on their ability to operate internationally in the near future. However, the knowledge of entrepreneurial university management especially the ways to create the international presence and provide educational services cross-border is lacking and this research is contribution to filling this gap. The transition of higher education conception from public good to private good or tradable service in line with the contemporary theories and practices in international higher education have been analysed in the paper to illustrate the shift in approach to international activities of HEIs. The paper undertakes an analysis of the premises associated with the entrepreneurial model of university management, as well as analysis illustrating the growing transnational education (TNE) consumption globally and the growth of international education market as the potential venue of an entrepreneurial university.
ENERGY SECURITY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY ISSUES: HOUSEHOLD PERSPECTIVE IN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
Authors: Tvaronavičienė Manuela
Published: May 2016

Aim of presented paper is provide the latest approaches towards energy security, to examine methodological foundations used, and to contribute to the contemporary discussion by providing new insights stemming from emerging needs of enhancing energy security. In the presented paper a role of energy efficiency among other constituents of energy security is being discussed. The second – analytical – part of paper is devoted to forecasting of long-term (until year 2050) energy intensities in household sectors in the following countries: Lithuania, Estonia, Belgium, Germany, Luxemburg and Bulgaria. Author claims, that revealed differences provide theoretically grounded foundations for further benchmarking of energy intensities.
MIGRANT ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN EUROPE: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Authors: Davidavičienė Vida , Lolat Ingrida
Published: May 2016

In the last decades a handful of scientist investigated the topic of migrant entrepreneurship in Europe. Therefore historical background, reasons of migrant self-employment or the impacts for host countries, home countries and at the European level could be identified. Still nowadays, there exist no corporate understanding of the term and the limited statistics do not use common definitions or measurements. The purpose of this article identify migrant self-employment in Europe challenges and identify migrant friendly EU countries in terms of e-services for new business establishment. Consequently existing literature and institutions were taken into consideration, analysis of statistics and countries e-government development were analysed.
ROADMAPPING IN POLISH FORESIGHT INITIATIVES – BEST PRACTICES
Authors: Kononiuk Anna , E. Gudanowska Alicja
Published: May 2016

The aim of the article is to present the best practices of technology roadmapping application to the Polish foresight initiatives. The first part of the article is devoted to presentation of the conceptualisation of the best practices for the context of foresight studies and serves as the proposal of the possible criteria of technology roadmapping method benchmarking. In the second part of the article, there have been presented the results of technology roadmapping evaluation in the context of Polish foresight initiatives with the special emphasis on the best practices. The final part of the article offers recommendations for technology roadmapping application to foresight studies.
THE VALUE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE AS A FUNDAMENTAL DIMENSION OF THE BUSINESS MODEL OF COMPANIES IN THE TFL SECTOR, FOCUSED ON SALES REVENUE
Authors: Debkowska Katarzyna
Published: May 2016

This article aims to examine the relationship between the fundamental dimension of the business model and the amount of sales revenue. The study was conducted using data from the TFL sector companies. The research task was performed with the use of statistical methods. In order to identify services significantly differentiating the revenues of companies from the researched sector, non-parametric Mann- Whitney test was used. The article also makes an attempt on predicting, with the use of regression trees, the amount of sales revenues, depending on the type of the offered service. The study allowed for the adoption of a revised research hypothesis stating that a properly selected set of services in the business model translates into higher revenues from the sale of the businesses from the TFL sector.
PRICING IN THE RAILWAY TRANSPORT
Authors: Jarocka Marta , Ryciuk Urszula
Published: May 2016

The pricing policy seems to be very important part of the strategy of the entire enterprise. The company’s position on a competitive market depends on the ability to make optimal pricing decisions. The article discusses the determinants of transport services’ prices and methods of their calculation (cost method, demand method and method based on competition). The main objective of the paper is the identification of the pricing determinants in the context of the rail transport. According to the authors, the most important determinants of rail transport services prices are mainly connected to prime cost, but also to factors classified into following groups: transportation enterprise, customer, market and competition. The introduction to the research was the examination of the largest rail operators in Poland and their pricing models.
MESA ISOCHRONES AND STELLAR TRACKS (MIST). I. SOLAR-SCALED MODELS
Authors: Choi Jieun , Dotter Aaron , Conroy Charlie , Cantiello Matteo , Paxton Bill , Johnson Benjamin D.
Published: May 2016

This is the first of a series of papers presenting the Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA) Isochrones and Stellar Tracks (MIST) project, a new comprehensive set of stellar evolutionary tracks and isochrones computed using MESA, a state-of-the-art open-source 1D stellar evolution package. In this work, we present models with solar-scaled abundance ratios covering a wide range of ages (

), masses (

), and metallicities (

). The models are self-consistently and continuously evolved from the pre-main sequence (PMS) to the end of hydrogen burning, the white dwarf cooling sequence, or the end of carbon burning, depending on the initial mass. We also provide a grid of models evolved from the PMS to the end of core helium burning for

. We showcase extensive comparisons with observational constraints as well as with some of the most widely used existing models in the literature. The evolutionary tracks and isochrones can be downloaded from the project website at http://waps.cfa.harvard.edu/MIST/.
SOAR OPTICAL AND NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY OF NEWLY DISCOVERED MASSIVE STARS IN THE PERIPHERY OF GALACTIC MASSIVE STAR CLUSTERS I-NGC 3603
Authors: Roman-Lopes A. , Franco G. A. P. , Sanmartim D.
Published: May 2016

In this work, we present the results of a spectroscopic study of very massive stars (VMSs) found outside the center of the massive stellar cluster NGC 3603. From the analysis of the associated Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) Telescope spectroscopic data and related optical–near-IR (NIR) photometry, we confirm the existence of several VMSs in the periphery of NGC 3603. The first group of objects (MTT58, WR42e, and RF7) is composed of three new Galactic exemplars of the OIf*/WN type, all of them with probable initial masses well above 100

and estimated ages of about 1 Myr. Based on our Goodman blue-optical spectrum of another source in our sample (MTT68), we can confirm the previous finding in the NIR of the only other Galactic exemplar (besides HD 93129A) of the O2If* type known to date. Based on its position relative to a set of theoretical isochrones in a Hertzprung–Russel (H–R) diagram, we concluded that the new O2If* star could be one of the most massive (150

) and luminous (M

V
= −7.3) O-stars in the Galaxy. Also, another remarkable result is the discovery of a new O2v star (MTT31), which is the first exemplar of that class so far identified in the Milk Way. From its position in the H–R diagram it is found that this new star probably had an initial mass of 80

, as well as an absolute magnitude of M

V
= −6.0, corresponding to a luminosity similar to other known O2v stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Finally, we also communicate the discovery of a new Galactic O3.5If* star (RFS8) that is quite an intriguing case. Indeed, it is located far to the south of the NGC 3603 center, in apparent isolation at a large radial projected linear distance of ∼62 pc. Its derived luminosity is similar to that of the other O3.5If* (Sh18) found in NGC 3603's innermost region, and the fact that a such high mass star is observed so isolated in the field led us to speculate that perhaps it could have been expelled from the innermost parts of the complex by a close fly-by dynamical encounter with a very massive hard binary system.
THE INFLUENCE OF QUANTUM VACUUM FRICTION ON PULSARS
Authors: Coelho Jaziel G. , Pereira Jonas P. , Araujo José C. N. de
Published: May 2016

We first revisit the energy loss mechanism known as quantum vacuum friction (QVF), clarifying some of its subtleties. Then we investigate the observables that could easily differentiate QVF from the classical magnetic dipole radiation for pulsars with accurately measured braking indices (n). We show that this is particularly the case for the time evolution of a pulsar’s magnetic dipole direction (

) and surface magnetic field (

). As is well known in the context of the classic magnetic dipole radiation, n < 3 would only be possible for positive

, which, for instance, leads to

(

) when ϕ (B
0) is constant. On the other hand, we show that QVF can result in very different predictions with respect to those above. Finally, even if

has the same sign in both of the aforementioned models for a pulsar, then, for a given ϕ, we show that they give rise to different associated timescales, which could be another way to falsify QVF.