bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two C3H Type Zinc Finger Protein Genes, CpCZF1 and CpCZF2, from Chimonanthus praecox Affect Stamen Development in Arabidopsis
Authors: Liu Huamin , Huang Renwei , Ma Jing , Sui Shunzhao , Guo Yulong , Liu Daofeng , Li Zhineng , Lin Yechun , Li Mingyang
Published: August 2017

Wintersweet (Chimonanthus praecox) is a popular garden plant because of its flowering time, sweet fragrance, and ornamental value. However, research into the molecular mechanism that regulates flower development in wintersweet is still limited. In this study, we sought to investigate the molecular characteristics, expression patterns, and potential functions of two C3H-type zinc finger (CZF) protein genes, CpCZF1 and CpCZF2, which were isolated from the wintersweet flowers based on the flower developmental transcriptome database. CpCZF1 and CpCZF2 were more highly expressed in flower organs than in vegetative tissues, and during the flower development, their expression profiles were associated with flower primordial differentiation, especially that of petal and stamen primordial differentiation. Overexpression of either CpCZF1 or CpCZF2 caused alterations on stamens in transgenic Arabidopsis. The expression levels of the stamen identity-related genes, such as AGAMOUS (AG), PISTILLATA (PI), SEPALLATA1 (SEP1), SEPALLATA2 (SEP2), SEPALLATA3 (SEP3), APETALA1 (AP1), APETALA2 (AP2), and boundary gene RABBIT EAR (RBE) were significantly up-regulated in CpCZF1 overexpression lines. Additionally, the transcripts of AG, PI, APETALA3 SEP1-3, AP1, and RBE were markedly increased in CpCZF2 overexpressed plant inflorescences. Moreover, CpCZF1 and CpCZF2 could interact with each other by using yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays. Our results suggest that CpCZF1 and CpCZF2 may be involved in the regulation of stamen development and cause the formation of abnormal flowers in transgenic Arabidopsis plants.
The Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Its Impact on a Child’s Classroom Performance: A Case Study of a Rural South African School
Authors: Lubbe Melissa , Van Walbeek Corné , Vellios Nicole
Published: August 2017

Alcohol consumption is high among farm labourers in the Western and Northern Cape of South Africa. Excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy is common, resulting in a high prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) among children. FAS causes intellectual and behavioural problems, which create considerable obstacles to a child’s education. The aim of this study is to provide a prevalence estimate of FAS in a rural school and to examine the effects of FAS on learners’ educational outcomes. The study was conducted at a farm school near Clanwilliam in theWestern Cape of South Africa. The sample comprises 166 learners from Grades 1 to 4. Educational outcomes include class scores (Afrikaans home language and mathematics), reading ability, and classroom behaviour. A physician diagnosed FAS using a three-stage process. We find FAS prevalence of 127 per 1000 (12.7%). Children with FAS score significantly lower (at the 10% level) for home language and behaviour than children who do not have FAS. Large-scale interventions in rural areas of the Western and Northern Cape that specifically target females of child-bearing age, as well as children with FAS, are necessary
Is Preoperative Patient-Reported Health Status Associated with Mortality after Total Hip Replacement?
Authors: Cnudde Peter , Nemes Szilard , Mohaddes Maziar , Timperley John , Garellick Göran , Burström Kristina , Rolfson Ola
Published: August 2017

The influence of comorbidities and worse physical status on mortality following total hip replacement (THR) leads to the idea that patient-reported health status may also be a predictor of mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between patient-reported health status before THR and the risk of dying up to 5 years post-operatively. For these analyses, we used register data on 42,862 THR patients with primary hip osteoarthritis operated between 2008 and 2012. The relative survival ratio was calculated by dividing the observed survival in the patient group by age- and sex-adjusted expected survival of the general population. Pre-operative responses to the five EQ-5D-3L (EuroQol Group) dimensions along with age, sex, education status, year of surgery, and hospital type were used as independent variables. Results shown that, as a group, THR patients had a better survival than the general population. Broken down by the five EQ-5D-3L dimensions we observed differentiated survival patters. For all dimensions, those reporting extreme problems had higher mortality than those reporting moderate or no problems. In conclusion, worse health status according to the EQ-5-3L before THR is associated with higher mortality up to five years after surgery. EQ-5D-3L responses may be useful in a multifactorial individualized risk assessment before THR.
High-Resolution Remote Sensing Data Classification over Urban Areas Using Random Forest Ensemble and Fully Connected Conditional Random Field
Authors: Sun Xiaofeng , Lin Xiangguo , Shen Shuhan , Hu Zhanyi
Published: August 2017

As an intermediate step between raw remote sensing data and digital maps, remote sensing data classification has been a challenging and long-standing problem in the remote sensing research community. In this work, an automated and effective supervised classification framework is presented for classifying high-resolution remote sensing data. Specifically, the presented method proceeds in three main stages: feature extraction, classification, and classified result refinement. In the feature extraction stage, both multispectral images and 3D geometry data are used, which utilizes the complementary information from multisource data. In the classification stage, to tackle the problems associated with too many training samples and take full advantage of the information in the large-scale dataset, a random forest (RF) ensemble learning strategy is proposed by combining several RF classifiers together. Finally, an improved fully connected conditional random field (FCCRF) graph model is employed to derive the contextual information to refine the classification results. Experiments on the ISPRS Semantic Labeling Contest dataset show that the presented 3-stage method achieves 86.9% overall accuracy, which is a new state-of-the-art non-CNN (convolutional neural networks)-based classification method.
Smart Carriers and Nanohealers: A Nanomedical Insight on Natural Polymers
Authors: Raveendran Sreejith , Rochani Ankit , Maekawa Toru , Kumar D.
Published: August 2017

Biodegradable polymers are popularly being used in an increasing number of fields in the past few decades. The popularity and favorability of these materials are due to their remarkable properties, enabling a wide range of applications and market requirements to be met. Polymer biodegradable systems are a promising arena of research for targeted and site-specific controlled drug delivery, for developing artificial limbs, 3D porous scaffolds for cellular regeneration or tissue engineering and biosensing applications. Several natural polymers have been identified, blended, functionalized and applied for designing nanoscaffolds and drug carriers as a prerequisite for enumerable bionano technological applications. Apart from these, natural polymers have been well studied and are widely used in material science and industrial fields. The present review explains the prominent features of commonly used natural polymers (polysaccharides and proteins) in various nanomedical applications and reveals the current status of the polymer research in bionanotechnology and science sectors.
Effects of Bi Addition on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Nanocrystalline Ag Coatings
Authors: Wang Yuxin , Cheng Guang , Tay See Leng , Guo Yunxia , Sun Xin , Gao Wei
Published: August 2017

In this study we investigated the effects of Bi addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of an electrodeposited nanocrystalline Ag coating. Microstructural features were investigated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicate that the addition of Bi introduced nanometer-scale Ag-Bi solid solution particles and more internal defects to the initial Ag microstructures. The anisotropic elastic-plastic properties of the Ag nanocrystalline coating with and without Bi addition were examined with nanoindentation experiments in conjunction with the recently-developed inverse method. The results indicate that the as-deposited nanocrystalline Ag coating contained high mechanical anisotropy. With the addition of 1 atomic percent (at%) Bi, the anisotropy within Ag-Bi coating was very small, and yield strength of the nanocrystalline Ag-Bi alloy in both longitudinal and transverse directions were improved by over 100% compared to that of Ag. On the other hand, the strain-hardening exponent of Ag-Bi was reduced to 0.055 from the original 0.16 of the Ag coating. Furthermore, the addition of Bi only slightly increased the electrical resistivity of the Ag-Bi coating in comparison to Ag. Results of our study indicate that Bi addition is a promising method for improving the mechanical and physical performances of Ag coating for electrical contacts.
Fabrication and Characterization of 3D-Printed Highly-Porous 3D LiFePO4 Electrodes by Low Temperature Direct Writing Process
Authors: Liu Changyong , Cheng Xingxing , Li Bohan , Chen Zhangwei , Mi Shengli , Lao Changshi
Published: August 2017

LiFePO4 (LFP) is a promising cathode material for lithium-ion batteries. In this study, low temperature direct writing (LTDW)-based 3D printing was used to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) LFP electrodes for the first time. LFP inks were deposited into a low temperature chamber and solidified to maintain the shape and mechanical integrity of the printed features. The printed LFP electrodes were then freeze-dried to remove the solvents so that highly-porous architectures in the electrodes were obtained. LFP inks capable of freezing at low temperature was developed by adding 1,4 dioxane as a freezing agent. The rheological behavior of the prepared LFP inks was measured and appropriate compositions and ratios were selected. A LTDW machine was developed to print the electrodes. The printing parameters were optimized and the printing accuracy was characterized. Results showed that LTDW can effectively maintain the shape and mechanical integrity during the printing process. The microstructure, pore size and distribution of the printed LFP electrodes was characterized. In comparison with conventional room temperature direct ink writing process, improved pore volume and porosity can be obtained using the LTDW process. The electrochemical performance of LTDW-fabricated LFP electrodes and conventional roller-coated electrodes were conducted and compared. Results showed that the porous structure that existed in the printed electrodes can greatly improve the rate performance of LFP electrodes.
Contrasting Surficial Composition of Native Gold from Two Different Types of Gold Ore Deposits
Authors: Tauson Vladimir , Kravtsova Raisa , Makshakov Artem , Lipko Sergey , Arsent’ev Kirill
Published: August 2017

Native gold grains sampled at two different gold ore deposits in Eastern Russia have been studied by the techniques of electron spectroscopy (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES)), electron microprobe analysis (EMPA), and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM-EDX). The high-fineness gold of the deposit hosted by relatively high temperature gold-quartz-sulfide mesothermal ore formation contains no oxidized Au constituents on grain surfaces, whereas the less fine gold of the epithermal Au-Ag deposit contains gold oxidized to the Au (I) state, or higher, in half of the cases. At this deposit the surface of native Au consists of a thin layer (~15 nm) with elevated Ag and S contents and an underlying SiO2–containing layer ~30–60 nm thick. Such a composite coating can perform a protective function and prevent the gold-silver sulfides in surficial parts of AuAg grains from oxidation. The sulfur-enriched marginal parts of native gold particles do not always correlate with the stoichiometry of well-known binary AuAg-sulfides and have a variable composition. This may be due to the existence of solid solutions, Ag2−xAuxS, if there is enough S or S adsorption-stabilized cluster agglomerates, AgnAumS, under sulfur deficit. The effect of the formation of nano-scale surficial zonality on the surface of native gold is quite common in nature and applicable to geological exploration and technology of gold-ore processing. It can facilitate establishing the geochemical environment and genetic type of Au mineralization.
Potential Development of Tumor-Targeted Oral Anti-Cancer Prodrugs: Amino Acid and Dipeptide Monoester Prodrugs of Gemcitabine
Authors: Tsume Yasuhiro , Drelich Adam , Smith David , Amidon Gordon
Published: August 2017

One of the main obstacles for cancer therapies is to deliver medicines effectively to target sites. Since stroma cells are developed around tumors, chemotherapeutic agents have to go through stroma cells in order to reach tumors. As a method to improve drug delivery to the tumor site, a prodrug approach for gemcitabine was adopted. Amino acid and dipeptide monoester prodrugs of gemcitabine were synthesized and their chemical stability in buffers, resistance to thymidine phosphorylase and cytidine deaminase, antiproliferative activity, and uptake/permeability in HFF cells as a surrogate to stroma cells were determined and compared to their parent drug, gemcitabine. The activation of all gemcitabine prodrugs was faster in pancreatic cell homogenates than their hydrolysis in buffer, suggesting enzymatic action. All prodrugs exhibited great stability in HFF cell homogenate, enhanced resistance to glycosidic bond metabolism by thymidine phosphorylase, and deamination by cytidine deaminase compared to their parent drug. All gemcitabine prodrugs exhibited higher uptake in HFF cells and better permeability across HFF monolayers than gemcitabine, suggesting a better delivery to tumor sites. Cell antiproliferative assays in Panc-1 and Capan-2 pancreatic ductal cell lines indicated that the gemcitabine prodrugs were more potent than their parent drug gemcitabine. The transport and enzymatic profiles of gemcitabine prodrugs suggest their potential for delayed enzymatic bioconversion and enhanced resistance to metabolic enzymes, as well as for enhanced drug delivery to tumor sites, and cytotoxic activity in cancer cells. These attributes would facilitate the prolonged systemic circulation and improved therapeutic efficacy of gemcitabine prodrugs.
Cardio-Metabolic Benefits of Plant-Based Diets
Authors: Kahleova Hana , Levin Susan , Barnard Neal
Published: August 2017

Cardio-metabolic disease, namely ischemic heart disease, stroke, obesity, and type 2 diabetes, represent substantial health and economic burdens. Almost one half of cardio-metabolic deaths in the U.S. might be prevented through proper nutrition. Plant-based (vegetarian and vegan) diets are an effective strategy for improving nutrient intake. At the same time, they are associated with decreased all-cause mortality and decreased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and coronary heart disease. Evidence suggests that plant-based diets may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease events by an estimated 40% and the risk of cerebral vascular disease events by 29%. These diets also reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes by about one half. Properly planned vegetarian diets are healthful, effective for weight and glycemic control, and provide metabolic and cardiovascular benefits, including reversing atherosclerosis and decreasing blood lipids and blood pressure. The use of plant-based diets as a means of prevention and treatment of cardio-metabolic disease should be promoted through dietary guidelines and recommendations.
Impact of Frequency of Multi-Vitamin/Multi-Mineral Supplement Intake on Nutritional Adequacy and Nutrient Deficiencies in U.S. Adults
Authors: Blumberg Jeffrey , Frei Balz , Fulgoni Victor , Weaver Connie , Zeisel Steven
Published: August 2017

Although >50% of U.S. adults use dietary supplements, little information is available on the impact of supplement use frequency on nutrient intakes and deficiencies. Based on nationally representative data in 10,698 adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) 2009 to 2012, assessments were made of intakes from food alone versus food plus multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplements (MVMS) of 17 nutrients with an Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) and a Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), and of the status of five nutrients with recognized biomarkers of deficiency. Compared to food alone, MVMS use at any frequency was associated with a lower prevalence of inadequacy (p < 0.01) for 15/17 nutrients examined and an increased prevalence of intakes >UL for 7 nutrients, but the latter was ≤4% for any nutrient. Except for calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D, most frequent MVMS use (≥21 days/30 days) virtually eliminated inadequacies of the nutrients examined, and was associated with significantly lower odds ratios of deficiency for the examined nutrient biomarkers except for iron. In conclusion, among U.S. adults, MVMS use is associated with decreased micronutrient inadequacies, intakes slightly exceeding the UL for a few nutrients, and a lower risk of nutrient deficiencies.
Role of Microbial Modulation in Management of Atopic Dermatitis in Children
Authors: Hulshof Lies , Van’t Land Belinda , Sprikkelman Aline , Garssen Johan
Published: August 2017

The pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis (AD) is multifactorial and is a complex interrelationship between skin barrier, genetic predisposition, immunologic development, skin microbiome, environmental, nutritional, pharmacological, and psychological factors. Several microbial modulations of the intestinal microbiome with pre- and/or probiotics have been used in AD management, with different clinical out-come (both positive, as well as null findings). This review provides an overview of the clinical evidence from trials in children from 2008 to 2017, aiming to evaluate the effect of dietary interventions with pre- and/or pro-biotics for the treatment of AD. By searching the PUBMED/MEDLINE, EMBADE, and COCHRANE databases 14 clinical studies were selected and included within this review. Data extraction was independently conducted by two authors. The primary outcome was an improvement in the clinical score of AD severity. Changes of serum immunological markers and/or gastrointestinal symptoms were explored if available. In these studies some dietary interventions with pre- and/or pro-biotics were beneficial compared to control diets in the management of AD in children, next to treatment with emollients, and/or local corticosteroids. However, heterogeneity between studies was high, making it clear that focused clinical randomized controlled trials are needed to understand the potential role and underlying mechanism of dietary interventions in children with AD.
Effects of Vegetables on Cardiovascular Diseases and Related Mechanisms
Authors: Tang Guo-Yi , Meng Xiao , Li Ya , Zhao Cai-Ning , Liu Qing , Li Hua-Bin
Published: August 2017

Epidemiological studies have shown that vegetable consumption is inversely related to the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, research has indicated that many vegetables like potatoes, soybeans, sesame, tomatoes, dioscorea, onions, celery, broccoli, lettuce and asparagus showed great potential in preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases, and vitamins, essential elements, dietary fibers, botanic proteins and phytochemicals were bioactive components. The cardioprotective effects of vegetables might involve antioxidation; anti-inflammation; anti-platelet; regulating blood pressure, blood glucose, and lipid profile; attenuating myocardial damage; and modulating relevant enzyme activities, gene expression, and signaling pathways as well as some other biomarkers associated to cardiovascular diseases. In addition, several vegetables and their bioactive components have been proven to protect against cardiovascular diseases in clinical trials. In this review, we analyze and summarize the effects of vegetables on cardiovascular diseases based on epidemiological studies, experimental research, and clinical trials, which are significant to the application of vegetables in prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Bridging the Gap between Gut Microbial Dysbiosis and Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Lau Kimberley , Srivatsav Varun , Rizwan Ayesha , Nashed Andrew , Liu Rui , Shen Rui , Akhtar Mahmood
Published: August 2017

The human gut is heavily colonized by a community of microbiota, primarily bacteria, that exists in a symbiotic relationship with the host and plays a critical role in maintaining host homeostasis. The consumption of a high-fat (HF) diet has been shown to induce gut dysbiosis and reduce intestinal integrity. Recent studies have revealed that dysbiosis contributes to the progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) by promoting two major CVD risk factors—atherosclerosis and hypertension. Imbalances in host–microbial interaction impair homeostatic mechanisms that regulate health and can activate multiple pathways leading to CVD risk factor progression. Dysbiosis has been implicated in the development of atherosclerosis through metabolism-independent and metabolite-dependent pathways. This review will illustrate how these pathways contribute to the various stages of atherosclerotic plaque progression. In addition, dysbiosis can promote hypertension through vascular fibrosis and an alteration of vascular tone. As CVD is the number one cause of death globally, investigating the gut microbiota as a locus of intervention presents a novel and clinically relevant avenue for future research, with vast therapeutic potential.
Silane-Treated Basalt Fiber–Reinforced Poly(butylene succinate) Biocomposites: Interfacial Crystallization and Tensile Properties
Authors: Sang Lin , Zhao Mingyuan , Liang Qiushi , Wei Zhiyong
Published: August 2017

In this work, an economical modifier silane agent—KH550—was used for surface treatment of basalt fiber. Then, a biodegradable poly(butylene succinate) (PBS)/modified basalt fiber (MBF) biocomposite was successfully developed. The effects of silane treatment and fiber mass content on crystalline structure, isothermal crystallization process and mechanical performance of composites were evaluated. The interfacial crystallization of PBS on the surface of MBF was investigated by using a polarized optical microscope (POM). The transcrystalline (TC) structure could be clearly observed and it grew perpendicular to the surface of MBF, which boosted the nucleation ability on PBS crystallization and the strong interfacial interaction between PBS and silane-treated basalt fiber. Under isothermal crystallization kinetics, the incorporation of basalt fiber enhanced the crystallization rate and reduced the crystallization half-time values of composites compared with that of neat PBS due to a heterogeneous nucleation effect. Furthermore, tensile results confirmed that the presence of MBF could greatly improve the tensile strength and modulus. The predicted interfacial shear strength (IFSS) suggested that an enhancement of interfacial bonding could be realized via interfacial crystallization, which was also verified by SEM images. The PBS/MBF biocomposites can be applied in many fields as a low-cost, lightweight, and biodegradable composite material.
Long Lived Photoexcitation Dynamics in π-Conjugated Polymer/PbS Quantum Dot Blended Films for Photovoltaic Application
Authors: Wang Ruizhi , Yan Xiaoliang , Yang Xiao , Wang Yuchen , Li Heng , Sheng Chuanxiang
Published: August 2017

We used continuous wave photoinduced absorption (PIA) spectroscopy to investigate long-lived polarons in a blend of PbS quantum dot and regio-regular poly (3-hexylthiophene) (RR-P3HT). The charge transfer from RR-P3HT to PbS as well as from PbS to RR-P3HT were observed after changing the capping ligand of PbS from a long chain molecular to a short one. Therefore, PbS could be used to extend the working spectral range in hybrid solar cells with a proper capping ligand. However, we found that the recombination mechanism in the millisecond time region is dominated by the trap/defects in blended films, while it improves to a bimolecular recombination partially after ligand exchange. Our results suggest that passivating traps of nanocrystals by improving surface ligands will be crucial for relevant solar cell applications.
Estimation of Satellite-Based SO42− and NH4+ Composition of Ambient Fine Particulate Matter over China Using Chemical Transport Model
Authors: Si Yidan , Li Shenshen , Chen Liangfu , Yu Chao , Zhu Wende
Published: August 2017

Epidemiologic and health impact studies have examined the chemical composition of ambient PM2.5 in China but have been constrained by the paucity of long-term ground measurements. Using the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model and satellite-derived PM2.5 data, sulfate and ammonium levels were estimated over China from 2004 to 2014. A comparison of the satellite-estimated dataset with model simulations based on ground measurements obtained from the literature indicated our results are more accurate. Using satellite-derived PM2.5 data with a spatial resolution of 0.1 × 0.1°, we further presented finer satellite-estimated sulfate and ammonium concentrations in anthropogenic polluted regions, including the NCP (the North China Plain), the SCB (the Sichuan Basin) and the PRD (the Pearl River Delta). Linear regression results obtained on a national scale yielded an r value of 0.62, NMB of −35.9%, NME of 48.2%, ARB_50% of 53.68% for sulfate and an r value of 0.63, slope of 0.67, and intercept of 5.14 for ammonium. In typical regions, the satellite-derived dataset was significantly robust. Based on the satellite-derived dataset, the spatial-temporal variation of 11-year annual average satellite-derived SO42− and NH4+ concentrations and time series of monthly average concentrations were also investigated. On a national scale, both exhibited a downward trend each year between 2004 and 2014 (SO42−: −0.61%; NH4+: −0.21%), large values were mainly concentrated in the NCP and SCB. For regions captured at a finer resolution, the inter-annual variation trends presented a positive trend over the periods 2004–2007 and 2008–2011, followed by a negative trend over the period 2012–2014, and sulfate concentrations varied appreciably. Moreover, the seasonal distributions of the 11-year satellite-derived dataset over China were presented. The distribution of both sulfate and ammonium concentrations exhibited seasonal characteristics, with the seasonal concentrations ranking as follows: winter > summer > autumn > spring. High concentrations of these species were concentrated in the NCP and SCB, originating from coal-fired power plants and agricultural activities, respectively. Efforts to reduce sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions have yielded remarkable results since the government has adopted stricter control measures in recent years. Moreover, ammonia emissions should be controlled while reducing the concentration of sulfur, nitrogen and particulate matter. This study provides an assessment of the population’s exposure to certain chemical components.
Distinctive Responses in an In Vitro Human Dendritic Cell-Based System upon Stimulation with Different Influenza Vaccine Formulations
Authors: Tapia-Calle Gabriela , Stoel Maaike , De Vries-Idema Jacqueline , Huckriede Anke
Published: August 2017

Vaccine development relies on testing vaccine candidates in animal models. However, results from animals cannot always be translated to humans. Alternative ways to screen vaccine candidates before clinical trials are therefore desirable. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the main orchestrators of the immune system and the link between innate and adaptive responses. Their activation by vaccines is an essential step in vaccine-induced immune responses. We have systematically evaluated the suitability of two different human DC-based systems, namely the DC-cell line MUTZ-3 and primary monocyte-derived DCs (Mo-DCs) to screen immunopotentiating properties of vaccine candidates. Two different influenza vaccine formulations, whole inactivated virus (WIV) and subunit (SU), were used as model antigens as they represent a high immunogenic and low immunogenic vaccine, respectively. MUTZ-3 cells were restricted in their ability to respond to different stimuli. In contrast, Mo-DCs readily responded to WIV and SU in a vaccine-specific way. WIV stimulation elicited a more vigorous induction of activation markers, immune response-related genes and secretion of cytokines involved in antiviral responses than the SU vaccine. Furthermore, Mo-DCs differentiated from freshly isolated and freeze/thawed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) showed a similar capacity to respond to different vaccines. Taken together, we identified human PBMC-derived Mo-DCs as a suitable platform to evaluate vaccine-induced immune responses. Importantly, we show that fresh and frozen PBMCs can be used indistinctly, which strongly facilitates the routine use of this system. In vitro vaccine pre-screening using human Mo-DCs is thus a promising approach for evaluating the immunopotentiating capacities of new vaccine formulations that have not yet been tested in humans.
A Review of Phosphorus Removal Structures: How to Assess and Compare Their Performance
Authors: Penn Chad , Chagas Isis , Klimeski Aleksandar , Lyngsie Gry
Published: August 2017

Controlling dissolved phosphorus (P) losses to surface waters is challenging as most conservation practices are only effective at preventing particulate P losses. As a result, P removal structures were developed to filter dissolved P from drainage water before reaching a water body. While many P removal structures with different P sorption materials (PSMs) have been constructed over the past two decades, there remains a need to evaluate their performances and compare on a normalized basis. The purpose of this review was to compile performance data of pilot and field-scale P removal structures and present techniques for normalization and comparison. Over 40 studies were normalized by expressing cumulative P removal as a function of cumulative P loading to the contained PSM. Results were further analyzed as a function of retention time (RT), inflow P concentration, and type of PSM. Structures treating wastewater were generally more efficient than non-point drainage water due to higher RT and inflow P concentrations. For Ca-rich PSMs, including slag, increased RT allowed for greater P removal. Among structures with low RT and inflow P concentrations common to non-point drainage, Fe-based materials had an overall higher cumulative removal efficiency compared to non-slag and slag materials.
Numerical Simulations of Particle Acceleration at Interplanetary Quasi-perpendicular Shocks
Authors: Kong F.-J. , Qin G. , Zhang L.-H.
Published: August 2017

Using test particle simulations we study particle acceleration at highly perpendicular (

) shocks under conditions of modeling magnetic turbulence. We adopt a backward-in-time method to solve the Newton–Lorentz equation using the observed shock parameters for quasi-perpendicular interplanetary shocks, and compare the simulation results with ACE/EPAM observations to obtain the injection energy and timescale of particle acceleration. With our modeling and observations, we find that a large upstream speed is responsible for efficient particle acceleration. Our results also show that the quasi-perpendicular shocks are capable of accelerating thermal particles to high energies of the order of MeV for both kappa and Maxwellian upstream distributions, which may originate from the fact that in our model, the local background magnetic field has a component parallel to the shock normal.
A millimeter Continuum Size–Luminosity Relationship for Protoplanetary Disks
Authors: Tripathi Anjali , Andrews Sean M. , Birnstiel Tilman , Wilner David J.
Published: August 2017

We present a survey at subarcsecond resolution of the 340 GHz dust continuum emission from 50 nearby protoplanetary disks, based on new and archival observations with the Submillimeter Array. The observed visibility data were modeled with a simple prescription for the radial surface brightness profile. The results were used to extract intuitive, empirical estimates of the emission “size” for each disk,

, defined as the radius that encircles a fixed fraction of the total continuum luminosity,

. We find a significant correlation between the sizes and luminosities, such that

, providing a confirmation and quantitative characterization of a putative trend that was noted previously. This correlation suggests that these disks have roughly the same average surface brightness interior to their given effective radius, ∼0.2 Jy arcsec−2 (or 8 K in brightness temperature). The same trend remains, but the 0.2 dex of dispersion perpendicular to this relation essentially disappears, when we account for the irradiation environment of each disk with a crude approximation of the dust temperatures based on the stellar host luminosities. We consider two (not mutually exclusive) explanations for the origin of this size–luminosity relationship. Simple models of the growth and migration of disk solids can account for the observed trend for a reasonable range of initial conditions, but only on timescales that are much shorter than the nominal ages present in the sample. An alternative scenario invokes optically thick emission concentrated on unresolved scales, with filling factors of a few tens of percent, which is perhaps a manifestation of localized particle traps.
A New 95 GHz Methanol Maser Catalog. I. Data
Authors: Yang Wenjin , Xu Ye , Chen Xi , Ellingsen Simon P. , Lu Dengrong , Ju Binggang , Li Yingjie
Published: August 2017

The Purple Mountain Observatory 13.7 m radio telescope has been used to search for 95 GHz (80–71A+) class I methanol masers toward 1020 Bolocam Galactic Plane Survey (BGPS) sources, leading to 213 detections. We have compared the line width of the methanol and HCO+ thermal emission in all of the methanol detections, and on that basis, we find that 205 of the 213 detections are very likely to be masers. This corresponds to an overall detection rate of 95 GHz methanol masers toward our BGPS sample of 20%. Of the 205 detected masers, 144 (70%) are new discoveries. Combining our results with those of previous 95 GHz methanol maser searches, a total of 481 95 GHz methanol masers are now known. We have compiled a catalog listing the locations and properties of all known 95 GHz methanol masers.
Traditional use of fly larvae by small poultry farmers in Benin
Authors: Pomalégni S.C.B. , Gbemavo D.S.J.C. , Kpadé C.P. , Kenis M. , Mensah G.A.
Published: August 2017

House fly larvae (Musca domestica) are a suitable and sustainable source of protein for poultry in Africa, but their traditional use in family farming has never been demonstrated and quantified. A large survey among traditional poultry farmers in Benin shows that on the average, 5.7% of them produce house fly larvae to feed their poultry. In one politico-administrative sub-unit (department) 25.7% of farmer feed their poultry with larvae. The farmers using house fly larvae as protein source tend to have a higher income from poultry farming; have higher level of education and a larger flock than those that do not use larvae. They also give termites to their poultry more often than other farmers. Farmers keeping their poultry in confinement also use fly larvae more often than those whose flocks are scavenging. Fly larvae are produced by exposing various wastes as substrates to attract naturally occurring flies. A total of 28 substrates used to produce larvae were cited by farmers. The most cited substrates were soy and maize bran, pig and chicken manure as well as animal cadavers. This information will be used to optimise the dissemination of the use of fly larvae in poultry feed to smallholder farmers in Benin. The fact that poultry farmers already produce fly larvae on farm also provides opportunities to integrate indigenous knowledge in the development of new technologies.
“Show Me What You Are Saying”
Authors: Wright Kristina
Published: August 2017

Visual literacy is a requirement in many college composition programs; yet explicit methods for teaching it are often undefined. This chapter provides a pedagogical resource for composition instructors who seek foundational approaches for teaching visual literacy in the first-year and sophomore writing classroom. The pedagogy includes classroom exercises and assignments which emphasize teaching visual literacy using a combination of mass media (advertisements, magazines, Photojournalism) and popular media (social media, YouTube, music videos, video games, Websites, and screen-based technologies). Such media signify the visual rhetorical environments with which college students engage regularly, but less often consider critically. The author demonstrates a variety of approaches for teaching students to become engaged participants in their own visual meaning making. Sample assignments include a personal narrative photo essay, a visual argument essay, a multimodal research project, and a student-designed Website.
Unlikely Dinner Guests
Authors: Salas Consuelo Carr
Published: August 2017

This work opens a space where Visual Rhetorics, Cultural Rhetorics, Food Studies, Technical Communication, and Critical Race Theory can expand and work together to understand how visuals associated with racial and ethnic groups and their food products contributes to perception of cultures. This work is necessary because food product packages are largely unexamined spaces within the field of Rhetoric; however, because one image associated with a food product is so intimately connected with the home culture it has the potential to create, a single essentialized interpretation, of a group.
Visual Literacy, Rhetoric, and Design at the Graduate Level
Authors: Galin Jeffrey Robert , Swartz Haley , Gleyzer Marianna , Copley Rachel , Marino Nicholas Mennona
Published: August 2017

While much has been written about visual literacy and multimodal teaching, almost nothing has been published on preparing instructors and graduate teaching assistants to provide students with the mechanics of visual design, rhetoric, and cultural criticism to help them build complex, multimodal projects that go beyond visual inclusion and critique. This chapter focuses on a graduate course on visual literacy, rhetoric, and design that was taught by one of the authors and taken by the other four. Grounded in previous claims for visual literacy in the field, the authors open by introducing how and why students can be helped to develop visual arguments. It then introduces the graduate course, and 10 strategies for successful multimodal, project-based teaching, which are exemplified by graduate and undergraduate project examples. The chapter concludes with example assignments from two of the graduate authors and a call for a dedicated cross-disciplinary graduate course for multimodal pedagogy.
Picturing Writing
Authors: Buono-Magri Marilyn
Published: August 2017

Whether an image is still or moving, created digitally or by hand, it has the capacity to communicate ideas and emotions that are often difficult for a student to actualize in their writing, especially in a culture where the image seems to have become more ubiquitous than text. Therefore, when the visual becomes a primary component of the composition class, students learn to literally and figuratively read and design their worlds and words in different ways. As Kress (2003) observes, “The world told is a different world to the world shown” (p. 1). The implications for the integration of a multimodal approach to college writing are rich with potential. Moreover, for the Millennial college writer who is thought to be underprepared, the less prescribed and more widely inclusive approach offered through multimodal social semiotic theories offers tangible, liberatory, and egalitarian ways through which the notion of deficit can be repudiated.
Embedding Career Competencies in Learning and Talent Development
Authors: Mulhall Sue , Campbell Mark
Published: August 2017

The chapter researches theoretical positions and practical applications that enable educationalists to equip students with the knowledge and skills to self-manage their careers and develop professionally, thus facilitating the successful transition of students from the academic environment to the workplace. It locates the discussion within a context which recognises the different models that business schools can adopt when providing learning and talent development generally, and career and professional development specifically. The main focus of the chapter relates to three inter-related themes that underpin career management and professional development. First, situating career management and professional development within a contextualising discourse. Second, exploring the contemporary career concepts that influence career management and professional development. Third, considering career management and professional development from three varying perspectives. Issues and solutions are offered to educationalists through the integration of theory and practice.
Benefits of Bring Your Own Device in Healthcare
Authors: Portela Filipe , Moreira da Veiga Ailton , Santos Manuel Filipe
Published: August 2017

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) has become very popular topic in information technology because this approach allows the employees to bring their personal devices into organization and they want to use them to access the organization information. This trend has some benefits both for organization and to employees. This paper aims to identify those benefits as well the advantages and disadvantages of BYOD usage in organization. Also, it is present a SWOT analysis of BYOD usage. It is introduced an approach about BYOD in healthcare also. Utilizing personal devices at work is beneficial to organizational employees because they are in some way satisfies, and they have more freedom and choice to use their devices. This freedom and choice can easily lead the employees to be more productivity, flexibility. The organization who embraces BYOD policies found their employees happier, more productive, and more collaborative.
Swarm-Based Nature-Inspired Metaheuristics for Neural Network Optimization
Authors: Narayanan Swathi Jamjala , Perumal Boominathan , Rohra Jayant G.
Published: August 2017

Nature-inspired algorithms have been productively applied to train neural network architectures. There exist other mechanisms like gradient descent, second order methods, Levenberg-Marquardt methods etc. to optimize the parameters of neural networks. Compared to gradient-based methods, nature-inspired algorithms are found to be less sensitive towards the initial weights set and also it is less likely to become trapped in local optima. Despite these benefits, some nature-inspired algorithms also suffer from stagnation when applied to neural networks. The other challenge when applying nature inspired techniques for neural networks would be in handling large dimensional and correlated weight space. Hence, there arises a need for scalable nature inspired algorithms for high dimensional neural network optimization. In this chapter, the characteristics of nature inspired techniques towards optimizing neural network architectures along with its applicability, advantages and limitations/challenges are studied.
A New Data Hiding Scheme Combining Genetic Algorithm and Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Chatterjee Ayan , Barik Nikhilesh
Published: August 2017

Today, in the time of internet based communication, steganography is an important approach. In this approach, secret information is embedded in a cover medium with minimum distortion of it. Here, a video steganography scheme is developed in frequency domain category. Frequency domain is more effective than spatial domain due to variation data insertion domain. To change actual domain of entropy pixels of the video frames, uniform crossover of Genetic Algorithm (GA) is used. Then for data insertion in video frames, single layer perceptron of Artificial Neural Network is used. This particular concept of information security is attractive due to its high security during wireless communication. The effectiveness of the proposed technique is analyzed with the parameters PSNR (Peak Signal to Noise Ratio), IF and Payload (bpb).
Defect Detection of Fabrics by Grey-Level Co-Occurrence Matrix and Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Choudhury Dilip k. , Dash Sujata
Published: August 2017

The class of Textiles produced from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol by condensation polymerization has many end-uses for example these are used as filter fabric in railway track to prevent soil erosion, in cement industry these are used in boiler department as filter fabric to prevent the fly-ash from mixing in the atmosphere. Presently, the quality checking is done by the human in the naked eye. The automation of quality check of the non-Newtonian fabric can be termed as Image Analysis or texture analysis problem. A Simulation study was carried out by the process of Image Analysis which consists of two steps the former is feature extraction and the later part is recognition. Various techniques or tools that are presently studied in research for texture feature extraction are Grey level co-occurrence matrix(GLCM), Markov Random Field, Gabor filter. A GLCM matrix with 28 Haralick features were taken as input for this chapter.
A Survey of Big Data Analytics Using Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Moorthy Usha , Gandhi Usha Devi
Published: August 2017

Big data is information management system through the integration of various traditional data techniques. Big data usually contains high volume of personal and authenticated information which makes privacy as a major concern. To provide security and effective processing of collected data various techniques are evolved. Machine Learning (ML) is considered as one of the data technology which handles one of the central and hidden parts of collected data. Same like ML algorithm Deep Learning (DL) algorithm learn program automatically from the data it is considered to enhance the performance and security of the collected massive data. This paper reviewed security issues in big data and evaluated the performance of ML and DL in a critical environment. At first, this paper reviewed about the ML and DL algorithm. Next, the study focuses towards issues and challenges of ML and their remedies. Following, the study continues to investigate DL concepts in big data. At last, the study figures out methods adopted in recent research trends and conclude with a future scope.
Intrapreneurship in Business Innovation
Authors: Martín Irene , Ramos Mercedes , Herrero Luis Alberto Rivas
Published: August 2017

Corporate entrepreneurship or intrapreneurship is increasingly seen as a way of generating competitive advantages in companies and institutions. The current climate calls for organisations to innovate their management strategies to bring them in line with these new requirements. One such alternative is to capitalise on the commitment, capacity, ingenuity and creativity of their human talent. Companies need to be more streamlined. They need entrepreneurial employees, capable of working internally as if they were a start-up. That intellectual capital (IC) generated by the corporate entrepreneurs is the most valuable resource and most important dynamic capability that knowledge-intensive institutions (learning organizations) have in order to achieve future competitive positioning. The legal protection of IC is deemed essential to protect the base of the core competences. This article describes and justifies the need to foster and develop corporate entrepreneurship and the internal conditions required to do so.