bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
El Fuego y los Perros/ Los Coros Menores
Authors: Schopf Demian
Published: March 2018

En este Dossier visual se presenta la serie Los Coros Menores y el artículo el Fuego y los Perros. El artículo lo puede encontrar en la galerada bajo el título 01 PDF y la serie fotográfica: Los Coros Menores, en la galerada 02 PDF.

Numerosas veces me han preguntado cuál es la relación entre el paisaje y los bailarines en Los Coros Menores y siempre la respuesta más elemental resulta la de mayor precisión: ambos son hechos de un mismo mundo. Los personajes provienen de tres lugares: Alto Hospicio, en Chile, y El Alto y Oruro, en Bolivia. En el caso chileno, los retratados son danzantes de la fiesta de La Tirana, celebración relativa a la Virgen del Carmen. En la festividad boliviana, son bailarines del carnaval que, al igual que en el resto del mundo católico, se celebra en todo ese país a fines de febrero.
Investigating and Ranking Barriers to Strategic Implementation in Telecommunication Center of Tehran Province
Authors: Javaheri Shirin , Abdolvand Ahmad , Mohammadloo Aghdam
Published: March 2018

This study sought to investigate and rank the barriers to strategic implementation in Telecommunication Center in Tehran province. In terms of the objectives, it is an applied study and with regard to the methodology, it is descriptive as it describes the conditions of phenomena. The statistical population consisted of 140 managers, senior experts and elites of Telecommunication Center of Tehran province. Using Morgan's table, a total of 90 people were selected as the study sample. The instrument to collect the required data was a researcher-made questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by the experts in the field and the reliability within the pilot study was 0.87. In this research, four barriers were raised including: system and management barriers, barriers related to employees, barriers to strategic planning, and barriers to non-allocation of resources.Investigating the capability of fitting the strategic barriers model in Telecommunication Center of Tehran province revealed that all the barriers were within the acceptable limits. In this study, content validity was assessed using expert judgment and construct validity using the confirmatory factor analysis. The TOPSIS technique was then run to prioritize the barriers. Findings indicate that whereas the system and management barriers have the highest rank, the barriers related to employees have the lowest rank.
Indirect Effects of Active Labour Market Policies
Authors:   Motu Economic and Public Policy Research, Maré David
Published: March 2018

This paper provides an overview of the analysis of the indirect effects of active labour market policies. Indirect effects arise where some of the improved labour market outcomes for programme participants come at the expense of other workers or jobseekers. The paper outlines some common theories about how indirect effects operate, and discusses approaches to estimating the strength of indirect effects. It also presents a brief summary of relevant empirical findings. The paper is intended as a relatively non-technical guide for policy analysts working on the design, costing, and evaluation of active labour market policies.
As implicações linguísticas na aprendizagem dos alunos surdos fronteiriços de Ponta Porã/BR e Pedro Juan Caballero/PY
Authors: Florenciano Karla Alexandra Benites , Limberti Rita de Cássia Pacheco
Published: March 2018

Objetiva-se com este trabalho apontar o papel que exerce e a relevância que tem a Língua de Sinais (LS) na vida dos surdos, como também relatar como os usuários dessa língua lidam com um contexto fronteiriço, de Ponta Porã- Brasil/Pedro Juan Caballero-Paraguai, em que há a presença de duas LS, sendo elas: a Língua Brasileira de Sinais - LIBRAS e a Língua Paraguaia de Sinais - LSPY, além de três línguas orais: a Língua Portuguesa, o Espanhol e o Guarani.  Para tanto, a pesquisa bibliográfica foi o ponto de partida do estudo, a qual contribuiu para o levantamento de informações tanto gerais como específicas, relativas às teorias sobre a língua de sinais, suas particularidades linguísticas e seu contexto histórico. Este trabalho está organizado em três partes: na primeira parte apresenta-se uma visão histórica da educação dos surdos, as principais correntes metodológicas que nortearam essa especialidade de educação em diversos períodos históricos, bem como as semelhanças, diferenças e curiosidades da educação dos surdos no Paraguai e no Brasil. A segunda parte contém a metodologia utilizada na pesquisa. Na terceira parte apresentam-se os resultados e os relatos de alunos oriundos do Paraguai que estudam em escolas brasileiras e que lidam com essa condição linguística e cultural completamente híbrida.
O uso das TIC´s por surdos: relato de experiências
Authors: Ochiuto Eliane Francisca Alves da Silva
Published: March 2018

O termo “inclusão” expressa uma necessidade inadiável nesta sociedade do conhecimento, interligada pelas redes digitais: inclusão social, inclusão digital, inclusão escolar. O relato de experiência, é fruto da realização do Subprojeto “O uso das Webtecnologias por portadores de deficiência auditiva”, que fez parte do Projeto de Extensão O uso das Webtecnologias na Educação Básica de Nova Andradina e Região, em uma “escola inclusiva” da Educação Básica de Nova Andradina, no ano de 2009-2010 visando a sua inclusão digital e, consequentemente, contribuindo para a sua inclusão social. As ações foram estruturadas em torno do ensino-aprendizagem da leitura e da escrita no meio digital (os hipertextos), em horário extraclasse, através dos recursos da Web interativa, tais como e-mails, chats, fóruns de discussão, blogs e wikis. Mediante as ações realizadas pelo subprojeto, tivemos como expectativas que os envolvidos no projeto se apropriassem de novas ferramentas tecnológicas, culturais e intelectuais, que lhes permitissem uma integração mais ampla no contexto escolar e social onde viviam, mas também que a sociedade se sensibilize para o fato de que os mesmos podem desenvolver o seu potencial como qualquer outro aluno normal, desde que devidamente assistidos em seu contexto familiar e/ou escolar.
O contexto da educação a distância no Corpo de Bombeiros Militar do Distrito Federal
Authors: Gomes Uendel Dourado , Vasques Letícia Veiga , Silva Sheldon William
Published: March 2018

Essa pesquisa retrata o contexto da Educação a Distância (EaD) no Corpo de Bombeiros Militar do Distrito Federal (CBMDF). Tal abordagem se faz necessária pelo pouco conhecimento dentro da Corporação sobre essa moderna modalidade de ensino. O objetivo deste trabalho é verificar a prática da EaD na Corporação e demonstrar sua importância para uma formação de qualidade de todos os seus integrantes. Busca-se alcançar esse propósito a partir da revisão bibliográfica e pesquisa documental. A pesquisa demonstrou que somente a partir do segundo semestre do ano de 2015 inicia-se a utilização de uma plataforma EaD. Outro dado obtido refere-se ao fato de que a EaD é pouco utilizada no CBMDF, perdendo grande oportunidade de capacitação a partir de sua acessibilidade e conectividade.
Blended learning: uma proposta para o ensino híbrido
Authors: Camillo Cíntia Moralles
Published: March 2018

Vive-se em uma época de mudanças, transformações e de grandes oportunidades do ponto de vista educacional, principalmente por meio das tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TICs). Com as TICs foram criadas diversas modalidades de ensino a distância, inclusive o ensino híbrido, que combina atividades presenciais e atividades educacionais a distância. Blended learning ou sala de aula invertida é uma das diferentes maneiras de combinar as atividades educacionais presenciais e a distância. O objetivo deste estudo é discutir as modalidades do ensino híbrido no ensino superior e, em especial a sala de aula invertida. Explorando o uso das TICs na implantação dessa abordagem pedagógica, as razões para a sua implantação, e os aspectos positivos e negativos, usando a abordagem da sala de aula invertida.
Infográficos e livros digitais como recursos no contexto escolar
Authors: Scaglioni Leticia Moralles , Camillo Cíntia Moralles
Published: March 2018

A escola para muitos representa a principal senão a única porta de acesso à leitura e à escrita, forma leitores e escritores, prepara cidadãos para a vida e não apenas para as atividades acadêmicas. Este estudo, apresenta o uso de recursos digitais como infográficos e livros, no contexto escolar. A partir da base teórica, apresentamos os recursos disponíveis na web, específicos para a produção de infográficos e livros, discutindo as vantagens e desvantagens de cada recurso. Objetivando também, apresentar a importância do infográfico e do livro digital como recurso a ser usado e explorado pelo educador.
MatLibras: um jogo para crianças surdas exercitarem as quatro operações básicas da matemática
Authors: Francisco Wesley Kelvyn , Padilha Thereza Patrícia , Lima Robson Soares , Brito Wilma Isôlda
Published: March 2018

Ao perceber que a maioria das crianças surdas não está em escolas regulares, é preciso que haja uma responsabilidade de incluí-las no meio social e, consequentemente, educacional. Na literatura, existem algumas ferramentas para estimular o poder de expressão e também seu raciocínio. Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar a ferramenta MatLibras, desenvolvida para exercitar as quatro operações básicas da matemática (soma, subtração, divisão e multiplicação), na língua de sinais brasileira (Libras), em cenários interativos e divertidos.
A produção de textos a distância com estudantes da Licenciatura do Campo da UFGD
Authors: Paulo Marco Antonio Rodrigues
Published: March 2018

Este texto tem a perspectiva de apresentar a experiência adquirida no desenvolvimento do projeto de extensão Leitura e Produção de textos Acadêmicos I. Esse projeto pretendia investir na melhoria das habilidades dos professores das escolas do campo do Mato Grosso do Sul e dos alunos da Licenciatura em Educação do Campo (LEDUC) da Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados - UFGD na leitura e produção de textos acadêmicos. Nesse percurso os professores das escolas do campo do Estado do Mato Grosso do Sul e os alunos da LEDUC foram auxiliados por professores da Universidade e acadêmicos do curso de Letras e da Pós-Graduação em Letras da UFGD. Cabe destacar, que essa ação possibilitou uma maior interação entre os alunos da Pós-Graduação e da Graduação da universidade com os professores do campo do Estado do Mato Grosso do Sul. Esse projeto pretendia possibilitar aos professores das escolas do campo e aos alunos da LEDUC o reconhecimento dos princípios básicos da norma culta, desenvolvendo habilidades de leitura e produção de textos coesos e coerentes, tendo como perspectiva o estudo da Língua Portuguesa para fins acadêmicos. Essa proposta vislumbrou o estabelecimento de uma relação profícua entre diferentes instâncias da universidade e a comunidade.
Comparing sets of patterns with the Jaccard index
Authors: Fletcher Sam , Islam Md Zahidul
Published: March 2018

The ability to extract knowledge from data has been the driving force of Data Mining since its inception, and of statistical modeling long before even that. Actionable knowledge often takes the form of patterns, where a set of antecedents can be used to infer a consequent. In this paper we offer a solution to the problem of comparing different sets of patterns. Our solution allows comparisons between sets of patterns that were derived from different techniques (such as different classification algorithms), or made from different samples of data (such as temporal data or data perturbed for privacy reasons). We propose using the Jaccard index to measure the similarity between sets of patterns by converting each pattern into a single element within the set. Our measure focuses on providing conceptual simplicity, computational simplicity, interpretability, and wide applicability. The results of this measure are compared to prediction accuracy in the context of a real-world data mining scenario.
Detailed Metallographic Analysis of the Surface Layer Structure of Carbonitrided Case-Hardening Steels after Varied Tempering Treatments
Authors: Saddei P. , Meier P.
Published: March 2018

This work aimed at performing a more in-depth analysis of the influence of the tempering temperature on the microstructure development in carbonitrided case-hardening steels. To this end, X-ray measurements are performed alongside various metallographic methods. It was, above all, due to the unusually high tempering temperature of 280 °C for case-hardened samples that the conventional characterization methods initially did not yield satisfying results. Therefore, examinations in the scanning and the transmission electron microscope as well as EBSD investigations were performed alongside the light microscopy analyses. The motivation for the examinations was and is the challenge or rather the desire to gain better understanding of the correlation between load capacity results and the respective surface layer microstructures.
Fretting Fatigue Cracking of a Center Guide Bolt Supporting the Combustion Chamber in a Heavy-duty Gas Turbine Engine
Authors: Neidel A. , Fischer B. , Gädicke T.
Published: March 2018

The slotted center guide bolt of the center guide feature of the lower part of the outer shell of an annular combustion chamber was found fractured in a heavy-duty gas turbine engine used for power generation, after approximately 5.500 operating hours. The incident was a one-off event and not a recurring incident. No similar events were reported from the fleet; hence the failure was not considered a field issue. The metallurgical root cause investigation that was ordered to determine the failure mechanism revealed that the incident center guide bolt failed by fretting fatigue cracking, a high cycle fatigue (HCF) phenomenon.
A neonate with acute kidney injury
Authors: Ahmed Farzana , Dey Sanjoy Kumar , Mannan Md. Abdul , Shahidullah Mohammod
Published: March 2018

This article has no abstract. The first 100 words appear below:An outborn, 2 hours old male newborn was admitted at the neonatal intensive care unit due to delayed cry after birth and respiratory distress soon after birth. The baby was born at 39 weeks of gestation at another hospital to a 30 year old primi mother by lower uterine caesarian section due to the obstructed labor. Although the mother was not in regular antenatal checkup. Her pregnancy period was uncomplicated. The baby was limp and blue immediately after birth and was managed accordingly by the attending physician and was referred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University for better management.
Factors Informing Outcomes for Older Cats and Dogs in Animal Shelters
Authors: Hawes Sloane , Kerrigan Josephine , Morris Kevin
Published: March 2018

With advances in veterinary medicine that can increase the lifespan of cats and dogs and the effectiveness of spay/neuter programs in reducing the juvenile population of pets, animal shelters are experiencing an increasing population of older companion animals in their care. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors that inform the outcomes of these older cats and dogs. The sample consisted of 124 cats and 122 dogs that were over the age of 84 months (seven years) who were taken into a shelter over a one-year period. To assess the impact of condition at intake on the outcome for the senior animals, a multinomial logistic regression was performed. These findings indicate that preventative programming that can address the reasons these older animals are surrendered, as well as advancements in specialized medical or behavioral programs for ageing companion animals, may support an increase in live outcomes for older cats and dogs in shelters. Further study is needed to evaluate how the quality of life of older animals is impacted by remaining in the care of shelters rather than being euthanized.
Laser-Based Additive Manufacturing of Zirconium
Authors: Sahasrabudhe Himanshu , Bandyopadhyay Amit
Published: March 2018

Additive manufacturing of zirconium is attempted using commercial Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENSTM) technique. A LENSTM-based approach towards processing coatings and bulk parts of zirconium, a reactive metal, aims to minimize the inconvenience of traditional metallurgical practices of handling and processing zirconium-based parts that are particularly suited to small volumes and one-of-a-kind parts. This is a single-step manufacturing approach for obtaining near net shape fabrication of components. In the current research, Zr metal powder was processed in the form of coating on Ti6Al4V alloy substrate. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) as well as phase analysis via X-ray diffraction (XRD) were studied on these coatings. In addition to coatings, bulk parts were also fabricated using LENS™ from Zr metal powders, and measured part accuracy.
What Does It Mean to Be El Niño Ready?
Authors: Glantz Michael , Naranjo Lino , Baudoin Marie-Ange , Ramírez Ivan
Published: March 2018

Once an El Niño event has been forecast, government warnings and news headlines highlight the need for society to get ready for the potential impacts of the event, whether drought, flood, heatwave, disease outbreak, or water shortage. The notion of readiness for a climate-, water- or weather-related hazard or disaster is a fuzzy term, subject to a wide range of conflicting perceptions. Not every government sees El Niño as a direct threat to the wellbeing of its citizens. In this paper, we conceptualize readiness and identify reasons that some governments do not as well as cannot prepare for El Niño’s foreseeable consequences. Central among those reasons are its characteristics: quasi-periodicity, event variability, difficulties with onset forecasting, and the fact that El Niño and its “teleconnections” are influenced by numerous other oceanic and atmospheric oscillations. As a result, there is no universally accepted approach to or reliable measure of readiness. The concept is often discussed qualitatively in terms of “shades of readiness”, such as hardly ready, somewhat ready, almost ready, and absolutely ready. Although El Niño is still difficult to forecast, the existing knowledge about it can provide usable information for decision makers to choose whether to pursue strategic or tactical disaster risk reduction policies.
Stark Broadening of Se IV, Sn IV, Sb IV and Te IV Spectral Lines
Authors: Dimitrijević Milan , Simić Zoran , Stamm Roland , Rosato Joël , Milovanović Nenad , Yubero Cristina
Published: March 2018

Stark broadening parameters, line width and shift, are needed for investigations, analysis and modelling of astrophysical, laboratory, laser produced and technological plasmas. Especially in astrophysics, due to constantly increasing resolution of satellite borne spectrographs, and large terrestrial telescopes, data on trace elements, which were previously insignificant, now have increasing importance. Using the modified semiempirical method of Dimitrijević and Konjević, here, Stark widths have been calculated for 2 Se IV, 6 Sn IV, 2 Sb IV and 1 Te IV transitions. Results have been compared with existing theoretical data for Sn IV. Obtained results will be implemented in the STARK-B database, which is also a part of Virtual atomic and molecular data center (VAMDC).
Metabolic Reprogramming and the Recovery of Physiological Functionality in 3D Cultures in Micro-Bioreactors
Authors: Wrzesinski Krzysztof , Fey Stephen
Published: March 2018

The recovery of physiological functionality, which is commonly seen in tissue mimetic three-dimensional (3D) cellular aggregates (organoids, spheroids, acini, etc.), has been observed in cells of many origins (primary tissues, embryonic stem cells (ESCs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), and immortal cell lines). This plurality and plasticity suggest that probably several basic principles promote this recovery process. The aim of this study was to identify these basic principles and describe how they are regulated so that they can be taken in consideration when micro-bioreactors are designed. Here, we provide evidence that one of these basic principles is hypoxia, which is a natural consequence of multicellular structures grown in microgravity cultures. Hypoxia drives a partial metabolic reprogramming to aerobic glycolysis and an increased anabolic synthesis. A second principle is the activation of cytoplasmic glutaminolysis for lipogenesis. Glutaminolysis is activated in the presence of hypo- or normo-glycaemic conditions and in turn is geared to the hexosamine pathway. The reducing power needed is produced in the pentose phosphate pathway, a prime function of glucose metabolism. Cytoskeletal reconstruction, histone modification, and the recovery of the physiological phenotype can all be traced to adaptive changes in the underlying cellular metabolism. These changes are coordinated by mTOR/Akt, p53 and non-canonical Wnt signaling pathways, while myc and NF-kB appear to be relatively inactive. Partial metabolic reprogramming to aerobic glycolysis, originally described by Warburg, is independent of the cell’s rate of proliferation, but is interwoven with the cells abilities to execute advanced functionality needed for replicating the tissues physiological performance.
Targeting Early Dementia: Using Lipid Cubic Phase Nanocarriers to Cross the Blood–Brain Barrier
Authors: D’Arrigo Joseph S.
Published: March 2018

Over the past decades, a frequent co-morbidity of cerebrovascular pathology and Alzheimer’s disease has been observed. Numerous published studies indicate that the preservation of a healthy cerebrovascular endothelium can be an important therapeutic target. By incorporating the appropriate drug(s) into biomimetic (lipid cubic phase) nanocarriers, one obtains a multitasking combination therapeutic, which targets certain cell surface scavenger receptors, mainly class B type I (i.e., SR-BI), and crosses the blood–brain barrier. This targeting allows for various cell types related to Alzheimer’s to be simultaneously searched out for localized drug treatment in vivo.
Recent Advances in Supported Metal Catalysts for Syngas Production from Methane
Authors: Mohamedali Mohanned , Henni Amr , Ibrahim Hussameldin
Published: March 2018

Over the past few years, great attention is paid to syngas production processes from different resources especially from abundant sources, such as methane. This review of the literature is intended for syngas production from methane through the dry reforming (DRM) and the steam reforming of methane (SRM). The catalyst development for DRM and SRM represents the key factor to realize a commercial application through the utilization of more efficient catalytic systems. Due to the enormous amount of published literature in this field, the current work is mainly dedicated to the most recent achievements in the metal-oxide catalyst development for DRM and SRM in the past five years. Ni-based supported catalysts are considered the most widely used catalysts for DRM and SRM, which are commercially available; hence, this review has focused on the recent advancements achieved in Ni catalysts with special focus on the various attempts to address the catalyst deactivation challenge in both DRM and SRM applications. Furthermore, other catalytic systems, including Co-based catalysts, noble metals (Pt, Rh, Ru, and Ir), and bimetallic systems have been included in this literature review to understand the observed improvements in the catalytic activities and coke suppression property of these catalysts.
Interdisciplinary Pediatric Palliative Care Team Involvement in Compassionate Extubation at Home: From Shared Decision-Making to Bereavement
Authors: Postier Andrea , Catrine Kris , Remke Stacy
Published: March 2018

Little is known about the role of pediatric palliative care (PPC) programs in providing support for home compassionate extubation (HCE) when families choose to spend their child’s end of life at home. Two cases are presented that highlight the ways in which the involvement of PPC teams can help to make the option available, help ensure continuity of family-centered care between hospital and home, and promote the availability of psychosocial support for the child and their entire family, health care team members, and community. Though several challenges to realizing the option of HCE exist, early consultation with a PPC team in the hospital, the development of strategic community partnerships, early referral to home based care resources, and timely discussion of family preferences may help to make this option a realistic one for more families. The cases presented here demonstrate how families’ wishes with respect to how and where their child dies can be offered, even in the face of challenges. By joining together when sustaining life support may not be in the child’s best interest, PPC teams can pull together hospital and community resources to empower families to make decisions about when and where their child dies.
Modeling the Construction Sector and Oil Prices toward the Growth of the Nigerian Economy: An Econometric Approach
Authors: Okoye Peter , Mbakwe Chinwendu , Igbo Evelyn
Published: March 2018

This study empirically examined the interrelationship between the construction sector, oil prices, and the actual gross domestic product (GDP) in Nigeria. Using annual economic data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin, and econometric statistics, we found that although very strong positive and significant correlations exist between the construction sector output and total GDP output (0.934), the construction sector output and oil prices (0.856), and the total GDP output and oil prices (0.822), these linear relationships only exist for a short time. However, these relationships do not result in any direct causal influence on each other, except for the uni-directional Granger causal relationship that flows from the total GDP output to the construction sector output, which implies that economic activities of other major non-oil sectors stimulate the construction activities in Nigeria. Thus, we argue that neither the construction sector nor the oil prices directly influence the aggregate economy; rather, the other sectors’ activities stimulate the construction sector in Nigeria. Two policy recommendations for achieving the Federal Government’s medium term Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) are suggested: (1) the Nigerian government should de-emphasize overreliance on the oil sector through policy readjustment and (2) an urgent need for economic diversification in Nigeria exists, since we revealed that an increase in the aggregate GDP output is due to the activities of other non-oil sectors.
Evaluation of Excess Heat Utilization in District Heating Systems by Implementing Levelized Cost of Excess Heat
Authors: Doračić Borna , Novosel Tomislav , Pukšec Tomislav , Duić Neven
Published: March 2018

District heating plays a key role in achieving high primary energy savings and the reduction of the overall environmental impact of the energy sector. This was recently recognized by the European Commission, which emphasizes the importance of these systems, especially when integrated with renewable energy sources, like solar, biomass, geothermal, etc. On the other hand, high amounts of heat are currently being wasted in the industry sector, which causes low energy efficiency of these processes. This excess heat can be utilized and transported to the final customer by a distribution network. The main goal of this research was to calculate the potential for excess heat utilization in district heating systems by implementing the levelized cost of excess heat method. Additionally, this paper proves the economic and environmental benefits of switching from individual heating solutions to a district heating system. This was done by using the QGIS software. The variation of different relevant parameters was taken into account in the sensitivity analysis. Therefore, the final result was the determination of the maximum potential distance of the excess heat source from the demand, for different available heat supplies, costs of pipes, and excess heat prices.
Renewable Energy in Urban Areas: Worldwide Research Trends
Authors: Perea-Moreno Miguel-Angel , Hernandez-Escobedo Quetzalcoatl , Perea-Moreno Alberto-Jesus
Published: March 2018

This study aims to highlight the contribution made by different international institutions in the field of urban generation of renewable energy, as a key element to achieve sustainability. This has been possible through the use of the Scopus Elsevier database, and the application of bibliometric techniques through which the articles content published from 1977 to 2017 has been analysed. The results shown by Scopus (e.g., journal articles and conferences proceedings) have been taken into account for further analysis by using the following search pattern (TITLE-ABS-KEY ({Renewable energy} AND ({urban} OR ({cit*})). In order to carry out this study, key features of the publications have been taken into consideration, such as type of document, language, thematic area, type of publication, and keywords. As far as keywords are concerned, renewable energy, sustainability, sustainable development, urban areas, city, and energy efficiency, have been the most frequently used. The results found have been broken down both geographically and by institution, showing that China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and India are the main research countries and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ministry of Education China and Tsinghua University the major contributing institutes. With regard to the categories, Energy, Environmental Sciences, and Engineering are positioned as the most active categories. The scientific community agrees that the study of the renewable energy generation in cities is of vital importance to achieve more sustainable cities, and for the welfare of a growing urban population. Moreover, this is in line with the energy policies adopted by most of developed countries in order to mitigate climate change effects.
Rectifier Current Control for an LLC Resonant Converter Based on a Simplified Linearized Model
Authors: Fang Zhijian , Wang Junhua , Duan Shanxu , Xiao Liangle , Hu Guozheng , Liu Qisheng
Published: March 2018

In this paper, a rectifier current control for an LLC resonant converter is proposed, based on a simplified, two-order, linearized model that adds a rectifier current feedback inner loop to improve dynamic performance. Compared to the traditional large-signal model with seven resonant states, this paper utilizes a rectifier current state to represent the characteristics of the resonant states, simplifying the LLC resonant model from seven orders to two orders. Then, the rectifier current feedback inner loop is proposed to increase the control system damping, improving dynamic performance. The modeling and design methodology for the LLC resonant converter are also presented in this paper. A frequency analysis is conducted to verify the accuracy of the simplified model. Finally, a 200 W LLC resonant converter prototype is built to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. Compared to a traditional single-loop controller, the settling time and voltage droop were reduced from 10.8 ms to 8.6 ms and from 6.8 V to 4.8 V, respectively, using the proposed control strategy.
Empirical Analysis for the Heat Exchange Effectiveness of a Thermoelectric Liquid Cooling and Heating Unit
Authors: Lim Hansol , Cheon Seong-Yong , Jeong Jae-Weon
Published: March 2018

This study aims to estimate the performance of thermoelectric module (TEM) heat pump for simultaneous liquid cooling and heating and propose empirical models for predicting the heat exchange effectiveness. The experiments were conducted to investigate and collect the performance data of TEM heat pump where the working fluid was water. A total of 57 sets of experimental data were statistically analyzed to estimate the effects of each independent variable on the heat exchange effectiveness using analysis of variance (ANOVA). To develop the empirical model, the six design parameters were measured: the number of transfer units (NTU) of the heat exchangers (i.e., water blocks), the inlet water temperatures and temperatures of water blocks at the cold and hot sides of the TEM. As a result, two polynomial equations predicting heat exchange effectiveness at the cold and hot sides of the TEM heat pump were derived as a function of the six selected design parameters. Also, the proposed models and theoretical model of conventional condenser and evaporator for heat exchange effectiveness were compared with the additional measurement data to validate the reliability of the proposed models. Consequently, two conclusions have been made: (1) the possibility of using the TEM heat pump for simultaneous cooling and heating was examined with the maximum temperature difference of 30 °C between cold and hot side of TEM, and (2) it is revealed that TEM heat pump has difference with the conventional evaporator and condenser from the comparison results between the proposed models and theoretical model due to the heat conduction and Joule effect in TEM.
Optimizing Energy Storage Capacity in Islanded Microgrids Using Immunity-Based Multiobjective Planning
Authors: Hong Ying-Yi , Lai Yong-Zhen , Chang Yung-Ruei , Lee Yih-Der , Lin Chia-Hui
Published: March 2018

Microgrid operation is challenging because the amount of electricity that is produced from renewables is uncertain and the inertia of distributed generation resources is very small. Energy storage systems can regulate energy, improve the reliability of the power system and enhance the transient stability. This paper determines the optimal capacities of energy storage systems in an islanded microgrid that is composed of wind-turbine generators, photovoltaic arrays, and micro-turbine generators. The energy storage system can enhance the reliability of the microgrid and eliminate the unnecessary load shedding when a severe transient (such as a generator outage) occurs in the islanded microgrid. The studied problem is expressed as a multi-objective programming formulation, which is solved using an immunity-based algorithm. Four objective functions are optimized: minimum of energy storage capacity, minimum of load shedding, maximum of the lowest swing frequency, and minimum of the Customer Average Interruption Duration Index (CAIDI). These four objective functions are subject to both steady-state constraints and the transient-state equality constraint. The steady-state constraints include the total shed load limit, the feasible range of energy storage capacities while the transient-state equality constraint is expressed by the dynamic equation. The Pareto optimums are explored and optimality of the problem is investigated. The simulation results based on an islanded 15-bus microgrid show the applicability of the proposed method.
Retinal Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channels: From Pathophysiology to Therapy
Authors: Michalakis Stylianos , Becirovic Elvir , Biel Martin
Published: March 2018

The first step in vision is the absorption of photons by the photopigments in cone and rod photoreceptors. After initial amplification within the phototransduction cascade the signal is translated into an electrical signal by the action of cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels. CNG channels are ligand-gated ion channels that are activated by the binding of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) or cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). Retinal CNG channels transduce changes in intracellular concentrations of cGMP into changes of the membrane potential and the Ca2+ concentration. Structurally, the CNG channels belong to the superfamily of pore-loop cation channels and share a common gross structure with hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels and voltage-gated potassium channels (KCN). In this review, we provide an overview on the molecular properties of CNG channels and describe their physiological role in the phototransduction pathways. We also discuss insights into the pathophysiological role of CNG channel proteins that have emerged from the analysis of CNG channel-deficient animal models and human CNG channelopathies. Finally, we summarize recent gene therapy activities and provide an outlook for future clinical application.
Downregulation of BTLA on NKT Cells Promotes Tumor Immune Control in a Mouse Model of Mammary Carcinoma
Authors: Sekar Divya , Govene Luisa , Del Río María-Luisa , Sirait-Fischer Evelyn , Fink Annika , Brüne Bernhard , Rodriguez-Barbosa José , Weigert Andreas
Published: March 2018

Natural Killer T cells (NKT cells) are emerging as critical regulators of pro- and anti-tumor immunity, both at baseline and in therapeutic settings. While type I NKT cells can promote anti-tumor immunity, their activity in the tumor microenvironment may be limited by negative regulators such as inhibitory immune checkpoints. We observed dominant expression of B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) on type I NKT cells in polyoma middle T oncogene-driven (PyMT) murine autochthonous mammary tumors. Other immune checkpoint receptors, such as programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) were equally distributed among T cell populations. Interference with BTLA using neutralizing antibodies limited tumor growth and pulmonary metastasis in the PyMT model in a therapeutic setting, correlating with an increase in type I NKT cells and expression of cytotoxic marker genes. While therapeutic application of an anti-PD-1 antibody increased the number of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells and elevated IL-12 expression, tumor control was not established. Expression of ZBTB16, the lineage-determining transcription factor of type I NKT cells, was correlated with a favorable patient prognosis in the METABRIC dataset, and BTLA levels were instrumental to further distinguish prognosis in patents with high ZBTB16 expression. Taken together, these data support a role of BTLA on type I NKT cells in limiting anti-tumor immunity.
Gold Nanoparticle-Induced Cell Death and Potential Applications in Nanomedicine
Authors: Sun Hainan , Jia Jianbo , Jiang Cuijuan , Zhai Shumei
Published: March 2018

Cell death is crucial to human health and is related to various serious diseases. Therefore, generation of new cell death regulators is urgently needed for disease treatment. Nanoparticles (NPs) are now routinely used in a variety of fields, including consumer products and medicine. Exhibiting stability and ease of decoration, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) could be used in diagnosis and disease treatment. Upon entering the human body, GNPs contact human cells in the blood, targeting organs and the immune system. This property results in the disturbance of cell function and even cell death. Therefore, GNPs may act as powerful cell death regulators. However, at present, we are far from establishing a structure–activity relationship between the physicochemical properties of GNPs and cell death, and predicting GNP-induced cell death. In this review, GNPs’ size, shape, and surface properties are observed to play key roles in regulating various cell death modalities and related signaling pathways. These results could guide the design of GNPs for nanomedicine.
Mechanical Characteristics, In Vitro Degradation, Cytotoxicity, and Antibacterial Evaluation of Zn-4.0Ag Alloy as a Biodegradable Material
Authors: Li Ping , Schille Christine , Schweizer Ernst , Rupp Frank , Heiss Alexander , Legner Claudia , Klotz Ulrich E. , Geis-Gerstorfer Jürgen , Scheideler Lutz
Published: March 2018

Zn-based biodegradable metallic materials have been regarded as new potential biomaterials for use as biodegradable implants, mainly because of the ideal degradation rate compared with those of Mg-based alloys and Fe-based alloys. In this study, we developed and investigated a novel Zn-4 wt % Ag alloy as a potential biodegradable metal. A thermomechanical treatment was applied to refine the microstructure and, consequently, to improve the mechanical properties, compared to pure Zn. The yield strength (YS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and elongation of the Zn-4Ag alloy are 157 MPa, 261 MPa, and 37%, respectively. The corrosion rate of Zn-4Ag calculated from released Zn ions in DMEM extracts is approximately 10.75 ± 0.16 μg cm–2 day–1, which is higher than that of pure Zn. In vitro cytotoxicity tests showed that the Zn-4Ag alloy exhibits acceptable toxicity to L929 and Saos-2 cells, and could effectively inhibit initial bacteria adhesion. This study shows that the Zn-4Ag exhibits excellent mechanical properties, predictable degradation behavior, acceptable biocompatibility, and effective antibacterial properties, which make it a candidate biodegradable material.
Urinary Polyamine Biomarker Panels with Machine-Learning Differentiated Colorectal Cancers, Benign Disease, and Healthy Controls
Authors: Nakajima Tetsushi , Katsumata Kenji , Kuwabara Hiroshi , Soya Ryoko , Enomoto Masanobu , Ishizaki Tetsuo , Tsuchida Akihiko , Mori Masayo , Hiwatari Kana , Soga Tomoyoshi , Tomita Masaru , Sugimoto Masahiro
Published: March 2018

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most daunting diseases due to its increasing worldwide prevalence, which requires imperative development of minimally or non-invasive screening tests. Urinary polyamines have been reported as potential markers to detect CRC, and an accurate pattern recognition to differentiate CRC with early stage cases from healthy controls are needed. Here, we utilized liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry to profile seven kinds of polyamines, such as spermine and spermidine with their acetylated forms. Urinary samples from 201 CRCs and 31 non-CRCs revealed the N1,N12-diacetylspermine showing the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), 0.794 (the 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.704–0.885, p < 0.0001), to differentiate CRC from the benign and healthy controls. Overall, 59 samples were analyzed to evaluate the reproducibility of quantified concentrations, acquired by collecting three times on three days each from each healthy control. We confirmed the stability of the observed quantified values. A machine learning method using combinations of polyamines showed a higher AUC value of 0.961 (95% CI: 0.937–0.984, p < 0.0001). Computational validations confirmed the generalization ability of the models. Taken together, polyamines and a machine-learning method showed potential as a screening tool of CRC.
A Three–MicroRNA Signature as a Potential Biomarker for the Early Detection of Oral Cancer
Authors: Chang Yi-An , Weng Shun-Long , Yang Shun-Fa , Chou Chih-Hung , Huang Wei-Chih , Tu Siang-Jyun , Chang Tzu-Hao , Huang Chien-Ning , Jong Yuh-Jyh , Huang Hsien-Da
Published: March 2018

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is often diagnosed at a late stage and may be malignantly transformed from oral leukoplakia (OL). This study aimed to identify potential plasma microRNAs (miRNAs) for the early detection of oral cancer. Plasma from normal, OL, and OSCC patients were evaluated. Small RNA sequencing was used to screen the differently expressed miRNAs among the groups. Next, these miRNAs were validated with individual samples by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays in the training phase (n = 72) and validation phase (n = 178). The possible physiological roles of the identified miRNAs were further investigated using bioinformatics analysis. Three miRNAs (miR-222-3p, miR-150-5p, and miR-423-5p) were identified as differentially expressed among groups; miR-222-3p and miR-423-5p negatively correlated with T stage, lymph node metastasis status, and clinical stage. A high diagnostic accuracy (Area under curve = 0.88) was demonstrated for discriminating OL from OSCC. Bioinformatics analysis reveals that miR-423-5p and miR-222-3p are significantly over-expressed in oral cancer tissues and involved in various cancer pathways. The three-plasma miRNA panel may be useful to monitor malignant progression from OL to OSCC and as potential biomarkers for early detection of oral cancer.
Quantitative Proteomic Approach Targeted to Fibrinogen β Chain in Tissue Gastric Carcinoma
Authors: Repetto Ombretta , Maiero Stefania , Magris Raffaella , Miolo Gianmaria , Cozzi Maria , Steffan Agostino , Canzonieri Vincenzo , Cannizzaro Renato , De Re Valli
Published: March 2018

Elevated plasma fibrinogen levels and tumor progression in patients with gastric cancer (GC) have been largely reported. However, distinct fibrinogen chains and domains have different effects on coagulation, inflammation, and angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to characterize fibrinogen β chain (FGB) in GC tissues. Retrospectively we analyzed the data of matched pairs of normal (N) and malignant tissues (T) of 28 consecutive patients with GC at diagnosis by combining one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis (1DE and 2DE) with immunoblotting and mass spectrometry together with two-dimensional difference in gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE). 1DE showed bands of the intact FGB at 50 kDa and the cleaved forms containing the fragment D at ~37–40 kDa, which corresponded to 19 spots in 2DE. In particular, spot 402 at ~50 kDa and spots 526 and 548 at ~37 kDa were of interest by showing an increased expression in tumor tissues. A higher content of spot 402 was associated with stomach antrum, while spots 526 and 548 amounts correlated with corpus and high platelet count (>208 × 109/L). The quantification of FGB and cleaved products may help to further characterize the interconnections between GC and platelet/coagulation pathways.
Antimelanogenic Effect of an Oroxylum indicum Seed Extract by Suppression of MITF Expression through Activation of MAPK Signaling Protein
Authors: Zhao Peijun , Alam Md , An Hongyan , Choi Hee-Jeong , Cha Yeong , Yoo Chi-Yeol , Kim Hyo-Hyun , Lee Sang-Han
Published: March 2018

In this study, the antimelanogenic effect of an ethyl acetate fraction of Oroxylum indicum Vent. seeds (OISEA) and its underlying mechanisms in melan-a cells were investigated. Antimelanogenesis activity was confirmed by assessing inhibition of tyrosinase activity and melanin content in the cells. Both transcriptional and translational expression of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, and tyrosinase related protein-1 and 2 (TYRP-1 and TYRP-2), were also examined. The results depicted that pretreatment of OISEA significantly inhibits not only tyrosinase activity, but melanin production and intracellular tyrosinase activity. By repressing the expression of tyrosinase, TYRP-1, TYRP-2, and MITF, OISEA interrupted melanin production. Additionally, OISEA interfered with the phosphorylation of p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), with the reversal of OISEA-induced melanogenesis inhibition after treatment with the specific inhibitors SB239063, U0126, and SP600125. Overall, these results suggest that OISEA can stimulate p38, ERK1/2, JNK phosphorylation, and subsequent suppression of melanin, leading to the inhibition of melanogenic enzymes and melanin production, possibly owing to the presence of polyphenolic compounds.