bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydrophilic Linear Peptide with Histidine and Lysine Residues as a Key Factor Affecting Antifungal Activity
Authors: Park Seong-Cheol , Kim Jin-Young , Kim Eun-Ji , Cheong Gang-Won , Lee Yongjae , Choi Wonkyun , Lee Jung Ro , Jang Mi-Kyeong
Published: November 2018

Increases in the numbers of immunocompromised patients and the emergence of drug-resistance fungal pathogens have led to the need for new, safe, efficacious antifungal agents. In this study, we designed a histidine-lysine-lysine (HKK) motif and synthesized six HKK peptides with repetitions of the motif. These peptides showed length-dependent antifungal activity against drug-susceptible and drug-resistant fungal pathogens via membranolytic or non-membranolytic action. None of the peptides were cytotoxic to rat erythrocytes or NIH3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Short-length peptides were directly translocated in fungal cytosol and reacted with mitochondria, resulting in apoptosis. Membrane-permeabilizing activity occurred in the presence of long peptides, and peptides were able to transfer to the cytosol and induce reactive oxygen species. Our results suggest that peptides composed only of cationic amino acids may be good candidates as antifungal agents.
Translocation-Related Sarcomas
Authors: Nakano Kenji , Takahashi Shunji
Published: November 2018

Chromosomal translocations are observed in approximately 20% of soft tissue sarcomas (STS). With the advances in pathological examination technology, the identification of translocations has enabled precise diagnoses and classifications of STS, and it has been suggested that the presence of and differences in translocations could be prognostic factors in some translocation-related sarcomas. Most of the translocations in STS were not regarded as targets of molecular therapies until recently. However, trabectedin, an alkylating agent, has shown clinical benefits against translocation-related sarcoma based on a modulation of the transcription of the tumor’s oncogenic fusion proteins. Many molecular-targeted drugs that are specific to translocations (e.g., anaplastic lymphoma kinase and tropomyosin kinase related fusion proteins) have emerged. The progress in gene technologies has allowed researchers to identify and even induce new translocations and fusion proteins, which might become targets of molecular-targeted therapies. In this review, we discuss the clinical significance of translocation-related sarcomas, including their diagnoses and targeted therapies.
Melatonin and Its Metabolites Ameliorate UVR-Induced Mitochondrial Oxidative Stress in Human MNT-1 Melanoma Cells
Authors: Kleszczyński Konrad , Bilska Bernadetta , Stegemann Agatha , Flis Damian Jozef , Ziolkowski Wieslaw , Pyza Elżbieta , Luger Thomas A. , Reiter Russel J. , Böhm Markus , Slominski Andrzej T.
Published: November 2018

Melatonin (Mel) is the major biologically active molecule secreted by the pineal gland. Mel and its metabolites, 6-hydroxymelatonin (6(OH)Mel) and 5-methoxytryptamine (5-MT), possess a variety of functions, including the scavenging of free radicals and the induction of protective or reparative mechanisms in the cell. Their amphiphilic character allows them to cross cellular membranes and reach subcellular organelles, including the mitochondria. Herein, the action of Mel, 6(OH)Mel, and 5-MT in human MNT-1 melanoma cells against ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation was investigated. The dose of 50 mJ/cm2 caused a significant reduction of cell viability up to 48%, while investigated compounds counteracted this deleterious effect. UVB exposure increased catalase activity and led to a simultaneous Ca++ influx (16%), while tested compounds prevented these disturbances. Additional analysis focused on mitochondrial respiration performed in isolated mitochondria from the liver of BALB/cJ mice where Mel, 6(OH)Mel, and 5-MT significantly enhanced the oxidative phosphorylation at the dose of 10−6 M with lower effects seen at 10−9 or 10−4 M. In conclusion, Mel, 6(OH)Mel and 5-MT protect MNT-1 cells, which express melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) against UVB-induced oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, including the uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation.
Differentially-Expressed miRNAs in Ectopic Stromal Cells Contribute to Endometriosis Development: The Plausible Role of miR-139-5p and miR-375
Authors: Rekker Kadri , Tasa Tõnis , Saare Merli , Samuel Külli , Kadastik Ülle , Karro Helle , Götte Martin , Salumets Andres , Peters Maire
Published: November 2018

microRNA (miRNA) expression level alterations between endometrial tissue and endometriotic lesions indicate their involvement in endometriosis pathogenesis. However, as both endometrium and endometriotic lesions consist of different cell types in various proportions, it is not clear which cells contribute to variability in miRNA levels and the overall knowledge about cell-type specific miRNA expression in ectopic cells is scarce. Therefore, we utilized fluorescence-activated cell sorting to isolate endometrial stromal cells from paired endometrial and endometrioma biopsies and combined it with high-throughput sequencing to determine miRNA alterations in endometriotic stroma. The analysis revealed 149 abnormally expressed miRNAs in endometriotic lesions, including extensive upregulation of miR-139-5p and downregulation of miR-375 compared to eutopic cells. miRNA transfection experiments in the endometrial stromal cell line ST-T1b showed that the overexpression of miR-139-5p resulted in the downregulation of homeobox A9 (HOXA9) and HOXA10 expression, whereas the endothelin 1 (EDN1) gene was regulated by miR-375. The results of this study provide further insights into the complex molecular mechanisms involved in endometriosis pathogenesis and demonstrate the necessity for cell-type-specific analysis of ectopic tissues to understand the interactions between different cell populations in disease onset and progression.
Construction of a Glutathione-Responsive and Silica-Based Nanocomposite for Controlled Release of Chelator Dimercaptosuccinic Acid
Authors: Zhai Hongqiang , Wang Yuli , Wang Menghua , Liu Shuai , Yu Feifei , Gao Chunsheng , Li Guiling , Wu Qiang
Published: November 2018

Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) is an oral heavy metal chelator. Although DMSA is the most acceptable chelator in the urinary excretion of toxic elements from children and adults, its defects in plasma binding and the membrane permeability limit its interaction with intracellular elements and affect its efficacy in chelation therapy. Herein, a novel nanocomposite composed of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs), disulfide bond, and DMSA was synthesized and characterized with a scanning/transmission electron microscope, IR and Raman spectra, and TGA analysis. The in vitro interactions with glutathione (GSH) and cellular uptake assays showed that it was able to be stable in extracellular environments such as in blood, be internalized by cells, and release DMSA inside via GSH-triggered disulfide cleavage reaction. The in vitro adsorption assays showed that MSNs-SH as its intracellular metabolite had strong adsorbability for models of Hg2+ or Pb2+. The hemolysis and cell viability assays showed that it was compatible with blood and cells even at a concentration of 1000 μg·mL−1. All above could not only enable it to be a GSH-responsive drug delivery system (DDS) for DMSA delivery but also to be a solution for its defects and efficacy. Thus, introduction of intelligent DDS might open a new avenue for DMSA-based chelation therapy.
An Inter-Frame Forgery Detection Algorithm for Surveillance Video
Authors: Li Qian , Wang Rangding , Xu Dawen
Published: November 2018

Surveillance systems are ubiquitous in our lives, and surveillance videos are often used as significant evidence for judicial forensics. However, the authenticity of surveillance videos is difficult to guarantee. Ascertaining the authenticity of surveillance video is an urgent problem. Inter-frame forgery is one of the most common ways for video tampering. The forgery will reduce the correlation between adjacent frames at tampering position. Therefore, the correlation can be used to detect tamper operation. The algorithm is composed of feature extraction and abnormal point localization. During feature extraction, we extract the 2-D phase congruency of each frame, since it is a good image characteristic. Then calculate the correlation between the adjacent frames. In the second phase, the abnormal points were detected by using k-means clustering algorithm. The normal and abnormal points were clustered into two categories. Experimental results demonstrate that the scheme has high detection and localization accuracy.
Health Behavior and Health and Psychosocial Planning for Retirement among Spanish Health Professionals
Authors: Hurtado María Dolores , Topa Gabriela
Published: November 2018

The aging of the workforce among health professionals demands attention to the study of their health behavior before retirement. The aim of the present study is to analyze the relationships between health planning and psychosocial planning—on the one hand—and health professionals’ health behavior, on the other. In addition, we will study the mediator role of public protection, self-insurance, and self-protection in the relationship between planning and health behavior. The sample includes 169 healthcare professionals from a public hospital in Spain. A serial mediation model estimating all of the parameters simultaneously was tested. The findings have confirmed the relationship between health planning and health behavior, as well as the serial mediation of the behaviors in this relationship. As the main causes of death in the Western world are not transmittable diseases, but cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other diseases that are closely linked to lifestyle factors, our findings strongly support that we are responsible for our long-term health status and well-being.
Testing the Motor Competence and Health-Related Variable Conceptual Model: A Path Analysis
Authors: Burns Ryan Donald , Fu You
Published: November 2018

The purpose of this study was to empirically test a comprehensive conceptual model linking gross motor skills, school day physical activity and health-related variables in a sample of sixth graders. Participants were a convenience sample of 84 sixth grade students (Mean age = 11.6 ± 0.6 years). Gross motor skills were assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-3rd Edition (TGMD-3), school day physical activity was assessed using pedometers, health-related fitness was assessed using Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) laps, perceived competence assessed using a validated questionnaire and the health-related outcome was assessed using Body Mass Index (BMI). The relationship between school day step counts and TGMD-3 scores was mediated through both perceived competence and PACER laps (p = 0.015) and the direct path coefficient between TGMD-3 scores and BMI was statistically significant (b = −0.22 kg/m2, p < 0.001). Overall there was good model fit with all indices meeting acceptable criteria (χ2 = 3.7, p = 0.293; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.062, 90% Confidence Interval (C.I.): 0.00–0.23; Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.98; Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = 0.96; Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) = 0.052). The comprehensive conceptual model explaining the inter-relationships among motor competence and health-related variables was empirically validated with the relationship between physical activity and gross motor skills mediated through both perceived competence and cardiorespiratory endurance in a sample of sixth graders.
Solidification and Segregation Behaviors of Superalloy IN718 at a Slow Cooling Rate
Authors: Shi Xiao , Duan Shengchao , Yang Wensheng , Guo Hanjie , Guo Jing
Published: November 2018

The solidification and micro- and macro-segregation behaviors of as-cast INCONEL 718 (IN718) alloy at different temperatures under a slow cooling rate (5 °C/min) were investigated in this study. The results indicate that the solid-liquid interface grows into reticulation of hexagons during solidification. The variation trend of the solid fraction and transition rate of the solid phase with solidification time can be well characterized by the Boltzmann and Gaussian distribution, respectively. The order of segregation degree of negative segregation elements is: Fe > Cr > Al. Nb is the most principal positive segregation element, which is abundant in the long-term unsolidified remaining liquid. At the terminal stage of solidification, the increasing tendencies of the Nb and Mo contents in the liquid and the residual liquid density with decreasing temperature reverse due to the formation of the Laves phase. The freckles are most likely to form in the early stages of solidification, at which the liquid fraction is between 0.3 and 0.2, and the temperature range is about 1320 °C to 1310 °C. The information produced is expected to characterize the solidification and segregation behaviors of IN718 alloy when cooled at a slow rate characteristic of larger ingots typical of those required for industrial gas turbines and aircraft engines.
Fourier–Zernike Series of Convolutions on Disks
Authors: Ghaani Farashahi Arash , Chirikjian Gregory S.
Published: November 2018

This paper presents a systematic study of the analytic aspects of Fourier–Zernike series of convolutions of functions supported on disks. We then investigate different aspects of the presented theory in the cases of zero-padded functions.
Editorial for the Special Issue of Selected Papers from the 8th Symposium on Micro–Nano Science and Technology on Micromachines
Authors: Miki Norihisa , Miyazaki Koji , Morimoto Yuya
Published: November 2018

The Micro–Nano Science and Technology Division of JSME (Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers) promotes academic activities to pioneer novel research topics on microscopic mechanics. [...]
FAK and S6K1 Inhibitor, Neferine, Dually Induces Autophagy and Apoptosis in Human Neuroblastoma Cells
Authors: Pham Dinh-Chuong , Chang Yu-Chuan , Lin Shian-Ren , Fuh Yuh-Ming , Tsai May-Jywan , Weng Ching-Feng
Published: November 2018

Human neuroblastoma cancer is the most typical extracranial solid tumor. Yet, new remedial treatment therapies are demanded to overcome its sluggish survival rate. Neferine, isolated from the lotus embryos, inhibits the proliferation of various cancer cells. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-cancer activity of neferine in IMR32 human neuroblastoma cells and to expose the concealable molecular mechanisms. IMR32 cells were treated with different concentrations of neferine, followed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay to assess cell viability. In an effort to determine the molecular mechanisms in neferine-incubated IMR32 cells, cell cycle arrest, cell migration, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK), the 70-kDa ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (S6K1), poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), caspase-3, Beclin-1, and microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3) protein expressions were investigated. Neferine strongly disrupted the neuroblastoma cell growth via induction of G2/M phase arrest. Furthermore, neferine provoked autophagy and apoptosis in IMR32 cells, confirmed by p-FAK, and p-S6K1 reduction, LC3-II accumulation, Beclin-1 overexpression, and cleaved caspase-3/PARP improvement. Finally, neferine markedly retarded cell migration of neuroblastoma cancer cells. As a result, our findings for the first time showed an explicit anti-cancer effect of neferine in IMR32 cells, suggesting that neferine might be a potential candidate against human neuroblastoma cells to improve clinical outcomes with further in vivo investigation.
Improvement of Hydrogen Desorption Characteristics of MgH2 With Core-shell Ni@C Composites
Authors: An Cuihua , Deng Qibo
Published: November 2018

Magnesium hydride (MgH2) has become popular to study in hydrogen storage materials research due to its high theoretical capacity and low cost. However, the high hydrogen desorption temperature and enthalpy as well as the depressed kinetics, have severely blocked its actual utilizations. Hence, our work introduced Ni@C materials with a core-shell structure to synthesize MgH2-x wt.% Ni@C composites for improving the hydrogen desorption characteristics. The influences of the Ni@C addition on the hydrogen desorption performances and micro-structure of MgH2 have been well investigated. The addition of Ni@C can effectively improve the dehydrogenation kinetics. It is interesting found that: i) the hydrogen desorption kinetics of MgH2 were enhanced with the increased Ni@C additive amount; and ii) the dehydrogenation amount decreased with a rather larger Ni@C additive amount. The additive amount of 4 wt.% Ni@C has been chosen in this study for a balance of kinetics and amount. The MgH2-4 wt.% Ni@C composites release 5.9 wt.% of hydrogen in 5 min and 6.6 wt.% of hydrogen in 20 min. It reflects that the enhanced hydrogen desorption is much faster than the pure MgH2 materials (0.3 wt.% hydrogen in 20 min). More significantly, the activation energy (EA) of the MgH2-4 wt.% Ni@C composites is 112 kJ mol−1, implying excellent dehydrogenation kinetics.
Antifungal Agents: Design, Synthesis, Antifungal Activity and Molecular Docking of Phloroglucinol Derivatives
Authors: Teng Xingxing , Wang Yuanyuan , Gu Jinhua , Shi Peiqi , Shen Zhibin , Ye Lianbao
Published: November 2018

Pseudoaspidinol is a phloroglucinol derivative with Antifungal activity and is a major active component of Dryopteris fragrans. In our previous work, we studied the total synthesis of pseudoaspidinol belonging to a phloroglucinol derivative and investigated its antifungal activity as well as its intermediates. However, the results showed these compounds have low antifungal activity. In this study, in order to increase antifungal activities of phloroglucinol derivatives, we introduced antifungal pharmacophore allylamine into the methylphloroglucinol. Meanwhile, we remained C1–C4 acyl group in C-6 position of methylphloroglucinol using pseudoaspidinol as the lead compound to obtain novel phloroglucinol derivatives, synthesized 17 compounds, and evaluated antifungal activities on Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes in vitro. Molecular docking verified their ability to combine the protein binding site. The results indicated that most of the compounds had strong antifungal activity, in which compound 17 were found to be the most active on Trichophyton rubrum with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of 3.05 μg/mL and of Trichophyton mentagrophytes with MIC of 5.13 μg/mL. Docking results showed that compounds had a nice combination with the protein binding site. These researches could lay the foundation for developing antifungal agents of clinical value.
Characterization of a Carbonyl Reductase from Rhodococcus erythropolis WZ010 and Its Variant Y54F for Asymmetric Synthesis of (S)-N-Boc-3-Hydroxypiperidine
Authors: Ying Xiangxian , Zhang Jie , Wang Can , Huang Meijuan , Ji Yuting , Cheng Feng , Yu Meilan , Wang Zhao , Ying Meirong
Published: November 2018

The recombinant carbonyl reductase from Rhodococcus erythropolis WZ010 (ReCR) demonstrated strict (S)-stereoselectivity and catalyzed the irreversible reduction of N-Boc-3-piperidone (NBPO) to (S)-N-Boc-3-hydroxypiperidine [(S)-NBHP], a key chiral intermediate in the synthesis of ibrutinib. The NAD(H)-specific enzyme was active within broad ranges of pH and temperature and had remarkable activity in the presence of higher concentration of organic solvents. The amino acid residue at position 54 was critical for the activity and the substitution of Tyr54 to Phe significantly enhanced the catalytic efficiency of ReCR. The kcat/Km values of ReCR Y54F for NBPO, (R/S)-2-octanol, and 2-propanol were 49.17 s−1 mM−1, 56.56 s−1 mM−1, and 20.69 s−1 mM−1, respectively. In addition, the (S)-NBHP yield was as high as 95.92% when whole cells of E. coli overexpressing ReCR variant Y54F catalyzed the asymmetric reduction of 1.5 M NBPO for 12 h in the aqueous/(R/S)-2-octanol biphasic system, demonstrating the great potential of ReCR variant Y54F for practical applications.
Ekklesia and Ecumenism in the Body of Christ: Unity from the Ground-Up
Authors: Wendlinder Anastasia
Published: November 2018

This article explores the implications for Christian unity from the perspective of the lived faith community, the ekklesia. While bilateral and multilateral dialogues have borne great fruit in bringing Christian denominations closer together, as indeed it will continue to do so, considering how the ecclesiological identity of the faith community both forms and reflects its members may be helpful in moving forward in our ecumenical efforts. This calls for a ground-up approach as opposed to a top-down approach. By “ground-up” it is meant that the starting point for theological reflection on ecumenism begins not with doctrine but with praxis, particularly as it relates to the common believer in the pew. The ecclesiological model “Body of Christ” provides a helpful vocabulary in this exploration for a number of reasons, none the least that it is scripturally-based, presumes diversity and employs concrete imagery relating to everyday life. Further, “Body of Christ” language is used by numerous Christian denominations in their statements of self-identity, regardless of where they lie on the doctrinal or political spectrum. In this article, potential benefits and challenges of this ground-up perspective will be considered, and a way forward will be proposed to promote ecumenical unity across denomination borders.
Statistical and Hydrological Evaluations of Multi-Satellite Precipitation Products over Fujiang River Basin in Humid Southeast China
Authors: Sun Weiwei , Ma Jun , Yang Gang , Li Weiyue
Published: November 2018

The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the quality and hydrological utility of four popular satellite precipitation products, including the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) product (3B42V7), near real-time product (3B42RT), and the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) MORPHing technique (CMORPH) satellite–gauge merged product (CMORPH BLD) and bias-corrected product (CMORPH CRT) over Fujiang River basin, China. First, we provided a statistical assessment of the four precipitation products at multiple spatiotemporal scales. The results show that: (1) all the products except 3B42RT capture the spatial pattern of annual precipitation fairly well; (2) in general, CMORPH BLD benefits from the application of the probability density function-optimal interpolation (PDF-OI) gauge adjustment algorithm and performs best among all the products with Pearson correlation coefficients (CC) of 0.84 and 0.94, equitable threat score (ETS) of 0.56 and 0.63 in grid and basin scales, respectively, followed by 3B42V7 and CMORPH CRT; whereas 3B42RT performs worst across all the metrics; (3) according to the occurrence frequencies of rainfall, satellite estimates mainly fall into the bin of 0–1 mm/day and tend to underestimate light precipitation. In addition, the performance of all the products in warm season is much better than in cold season in both grid and basin scales. Subsequently, a physically based distributed model is established to further evaluate the hydrological utility of different precipitation products. The results reveal that: (1) the errors in precipitation products mainly propagate into hydrological simulations, resulting in the best hydrological performance in CMORPH BLD in both daily and monthly scales after recalibrating the model, while 3B42RT shows limited skills in reproducing the daily observed hydrograph; (2) after recalibrating the model with the respective satellite data, significant improvements are observed for all the products; (3) CMORPH BLD no longer shows its superiority during near-real-time monitoring of floods. There is still a great challenge for the application of current satellite-based estimates into local flood monitoring. This study could be used as guidance for choosing alternative satellite precipitation products for hydrological applications in a local community, particularly in basins in which rainfall gauges are scarce.
Tri-Camera High-Speed Videogrammetry for Three-Dimensional Measurement of Laminated Rubber Bearings Based on the Large-Scale Shaking Table
Authors: Tong Xiaohua , Luan Kuifeng , Liu Xianglei , Liu Shijie , Chen Peng , Jin Yanmin , Lu Wensheng , Huang Baofeng
Published: November 2018

Laminated rubber bearings are widely used for the mitigation of seismic damage of large-scale structures and equipment. However, owing to the flexibility in horizontal direction, the traditional contacted transducer is difficult to acquire the displacement data accurately in the three directions, respectively. In this paper, three-dimensional displacement measurement of laminated rubber bearing based on the large-scale shaking table is achieved by the use of a tri-camera high-speed videogrammetric system consisting of three complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) cameras, one synchronous controller, and one pair of 1000 watt light sources, which are used to simultaneously acquire the tri-camera image sequences of laminated rubber bearing at a speed of 300 frames per second (fps). Firstly, this paper proposes a fast image block technique for detecting and tracking targets in tri-camera image sequences by integration of techniques morphological edge detection, attribute based ellipse extraction and least-squares-based fitting adjustment. Secondly, this paper presents an integrated bundle adjustment approach, which brings continuous tracking points into one collinearity condition equation, to reconstruct the three dimensional coordinates of continuous tracking points, for the purpose of improving the accuracy of three-dimensional coordinates of tracking points based on tri-camera image sequences. At last, an empirical experiment was conducted to measure the three-dimensional displacement of laminated rubber bearings on the shaking table by the use of the proposed method. The experimental results showed that the proposed method could obtain three-dimensional displacement of laminated rubber bearings with an accuracy of more than 0.5 mm.
Crowd-Sourced Mapping of New Feature Layer for High-Definition Map
Authors: Kim Chansoo , Cho Sungjin , Sunwoo Myoungho , Jo Kichun
Published: November 2018

A High-Definition map (HD map) is a precise and detailed map composed of various landmark feature layers. The HD map is a core technology that facilitates the essential functions of intelligent vehicles. Recently, it has come to be required for the HD map to continuously add new feature layers in order to increase the performances of intelligent vehicles in more complicated environments. However, it is difficult to generate a new feature layer for the HD map, because the conventional method of generating the HD map based on several professional mapping cars has high costs in terms of time and money due to the need to re-drive on all of the public roads. In order to reduce these costs, we propose a crowd-sourced mapping process of the new feature layer for the HD map. This process is composed of two steps. First, new features in the environments are acquired from multiple intelligent vehicles. The acquired new features build each new feature layer in each intelligent vehicle using the HD map-based GraphSLAM approach, and these new feature layers are conveyed to a map cloud through a mobile network system. Next, the crowd-sourced new feature layers are integrated into a new feature layer in a map cloud. In the simulation, the performance of the crowd-sourced process is then analyzed and evaluated. Experiments in real driving environments confirm the results of the simulation.
Improved Target Signal Source Tracking and Extraction Method Based on Outdoor Visible Light Communication Using a Cam-Shift Algorithm and Kalman Filter
Authors: Huang Mouxiao , Guan Weipeng , Fan Zhibo , Chen Zenghong , Li Jingyi , Chen Bangdong
Published: November 2018

An improved Cam-Shift algorithm with a Kalman filter applied to image-sensor based on outdoor visible light communication (OVLC) is presented in this paper. The proposed optimized tracking algorithm is used to track and extract the region of the target signal source Light Emitting Diode (LED) that carries modulated information for data transmission. Extracting the target signal source LED area is the premise of an image-sensor-based VLC system, especially in outdoor dynamic scenes. However, most of the existing VLC studies focus on data transmission rate, visible light positioning, etc. While the actual first step of realizing communication is usually ignored in the field of VLC, especially when the transmitter (signal source LED) or the receiver (image sensor) is moving in a more complex outdoor environment. Therefore, an improved tracking algorithm is proposed in this paper, aiming at solving the problem of extracting the region of the target signal source LED accurately in dynamic scenes with different interferences so as to promote the feasibility of VLC applications in outdoor scenes. The proposed algorithm considers color characteristics and special distribution characteristics of the moving target at the same time. The image is converted to a color probability distribution map based on the color histogram of the target and adaptively adjusts the location and size of the search window based on the results obtained from the previous frame. Meanwhile, it predicts the motion state of the target in the next frame according to the position and velocity information of the current frame to enhance accuracy and robustness of tracking. Experimental results show that the tracking error of the proposed algorithm is 0.85 cm and the computational time of processing one frame is 0.042 s. Besides, results also show that the improved algorithm can track and extract the target signal source LED area completely and accurately in an environment of many interference factors. This study confirms that the proposed algorithm can be applied to an OVLC system with many interferences to realize the actual first step of communication in an image-sensor-based VLC system, laying foundations for subsequent data transmission and other steps.
A Semantic-Based Gas Source Localization with a Mobile Robot Combining Vision and Chemical Sensing
Authors: Monroy Javier , Ruiz-Sarmiento Jose-Raul , Moreno Francisco-Angel , Melendez-Fernandez Francisco , Galindo Cipriano , Gonzalez-Jimenez Javier
Published: November 2018

This paper addresses the localization of a gas emission source within a real-world human environment with a mobile robot. Our approach is based on an efficient and coherent system that fuses different sensor modalities (i.e., vision and chemical sensing) to exploit, for the first time, the semantic relationships among the detected gases and the objects visually recognized in the environment. This novel approach allows the robot to focus the search on a finite set of potential gas source candidates (dynamically updated as the robot operates), while accounting for the non-negligible uncertainties in the object recognition and gas classification tasks involved in the process. This approach is particularly interesting for structured indoor environments containing multiple obstacles and objects, enabling the inference of the relations between objects and between objects and gases. A probabilistic Bayesian framework is proposed to handle all these uncertainties and semantic relations, providing an ordered list of candidates to be the source. This candidate list is updated dynamically upon new sensor measurements to account for objects not previously considered in the search process. The exploitation of such probabilities together with information such as the locations of the objects, or the time needed to validate whether a given candidate is truly releasing gases, is delegated to a path planning algorithm based on Markov decision processes to minimize the search time. The system was tested in an office-like scenario, both with simulated and real experiments, to enable the comparison of different path planning strategies and to validate its efficiency under real-world conditions.
Assessing Farmers’ Willingness to Participate in Campaign-Based Watershed Management: Experiences from Boset District, Ethiopia
Authors: Assefa Samuel , Kessler Aad , Fleskens Luuk
Published: November 2018

This study assessed farmers’ perceptions of the outcomes of the Campaign-Based Watershed Management (CBWM) program in Ethiopia, and how this influences their willingness to participate in the program. Key informant interviews, a household survey, and the Google Earth Engine were used to collect and analyze the relevant data. Results show that farmers’ perceived outcomes of the CBWM program hardly motivated them to participate in the program. Particularly, farmers were not motivated by the physical effects of the program, because of the limited direct benefits to individual households, and destruction of previously developed micro-watersheds by frequent runoff and human and animal disturbances. Similarly, farmers were not motivated by the economic effects of the program, because of the limitations/absence of benefit-sharing mechanisms and resultant conflicts among farmers. The only motivating outcome of the program concerned its effect on personal capacities, which was particularly appreciated in localities that were vulnerable to erosion. The results of the study suggest the need to (1) better integrate actions at watershed level to come to effective water runoff control, (2) enhance the participation of all local actors to come to more effective area closure initiatives with transparent benefit-sharing mechanisms, and (3) give much more emphasis to capacity building as a cross-cutting component in the program. Hence, in order to enhance the willingness of farmers to genuinely participate in the CBWM, the program should adopt a more participatory and integrated approach.
Measure or Management?—Resource Use Indicators for Policymakers Based on Microdata by Households
Authors: Buhl Johannes , Liedtke Christa , Teubler Jens , Bienge Katrin , Schmidt Nicholas
Published: November 2018

Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12) requires sustainable production and consumption. One indicator named in the SDG for resource use is the (national) material footprint. A method and disaggregated data basis that differentiates the material footprint for production and consumption according to, e.g., sectors, fields of consumption as well as socioeconomic criteria does not yet exist. We present two methods and its results for analyzing resource the consumption of private households based on microdata: (1) an indicator based on representative expenditure data in Germany and (2) an indicator based on survey data from a web tool. By these means, we aim to contribute to monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals, especially the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources. Indicators based on microdata ensure that indicators can be disaggregated by socioeconomic characteristics like age, sex, income, or geographic location. Results from both methods show a right-skewed distribution of the Material Footprint in Germany and, for instance, an increasing Material Footprint with increasing household income. The methods enable researchers and policymakers to evaluate trends in resource use and to differentiate between lifestyles and along socioeconomic characteristics. This, in turn, would allow us to tailor sustainable consumption policies to household needs and restrictions.
Consumer Attitude and Behavioral Intention toward Collaborative Consumption of Shared Services
Authors: Billows Geena , McNeill Lisa
Published: November 2018

The emerging market model of collaborative consumption, where underused resources can be collaboratively shared between consumers, is proving to be an increasingly profitable commercial business concept encouraging traditional non-sharing firms to seek models of shared access for their consumers. In terms of consumption reduction, however, the concept has seen slower uptake among consumers. For example, despite the promotion of car sharing and public transportation solutions, cities around the world report increasing car use and an increasing concentration of businesses in urban areas demanding parking spaces. Where it is known that private vehicle use in urban centers persists, this study explores consumer attitude and behavioral intention toward collaborative consumption of shared services, in the context of personal transport and the built, inner-city environment. The study reports survey data gathered from self-driving employees of businesses located in congested urban areas. Six motivational determinants of collaborative consumption and how they influence attitude and intention toward two different shared parking scenarios were explored using regression analysis. In this study, shared carparks are treated as an incremental step toward shifting more stubborn user perceptions of access over ownership in urban transport, as well as a solution to one aspect of the problems associated with increased urban density and underused land resources. Overall, the study finds a strong relationship between perceptions of ownership and risk reduction, with access models that protect a “primary” user, and allow for user flexibility, preferred by respondents. This offers clear guidelines for the development of successful shared space options in the parking context but can also be extended to other sharing service solutions.
Governing Interfirm Relationships for Social Sustainability: The Relationship between Governance Mechanisms, Sustainable Collaboration, and Cultural Intelligence
Authors: Awan Usama , Kraslawski Andrzej , Huiskonen Janne
Published: November 2018

The concept of social sustainability is gaining attention within the field of supply chain relationships and international business. There are conflicting arguments regarding the effectiveness of contract governance and collaboration in an interfirm relationship. Previous studies have investigated the effect of a national culture on contract governance and opportunism. This study examines the effects of contract governance on collaboration, incorporating the moderating influence of cultural intelligence. Survey data were collected from 239 export manufacturing firms in different industries. The current authors suggest that contract governance might be more effective under conditions of a greater level of firm cultural intelligence capabilities. Cultural intelligence plays an important role in the shaping and implementation of collaboration and is the key to manage cross-culture relationship management in a supply chain. Cultural intelligence constitutes one potential way for the export industry to manage intercultural differences and profitably achieve an increase in collaboration. Collaboration with a socially responsible partner brings about improved social performance. The social dimensions of sustainability, such as fair labor practices and decent worker conditions, health and safety, no child labor, and employee empowerment must be addressed to accomplish the most sustainable growth. Managers also need to take advantage of cultural intelligence to adapt, collaborate, and share cultural knowledge.
Bioenergy in an Agroforestry Economy under Crisis: Complement and Conflict. La Araucanía, Chile, 1990–2016
Authors: Almonacid Fabián
Published: November 2018

Following the collapse of Chile’s energy mix in 2000, standalone bioenergy generation plants were installed in Lautaro, Region of La Araucanía, in 2011, purchasing biomass from the forest and agricultural industries. This article resorts to a historical method, using government sources—particularly projects submitted to the State’s environmental approval process; news reports; corporate information and documents; interviews with employees, entrepreneurs and experts; field visits; and general literature. This article focuses on the success case of a bioenergy generation company and its relationship with wood and agricultural biomass suppliers in a region where traditional farming and forest plantations are under crisis. Currently, two additional bioenergy projects are underway in the Region. Beyond the economic crisis that is currently affecting this Region, local communities have increasingly been opposing the new plants and the price of electric energy has dropped, leading to an uncertain future for bioenergy in the south of Chile.
An Evaluation of the Paired Assistance to Disaster-Affected Areas Program in Disaster Recovery: The Case of the Wenchuan Earthquake
Authors: Yi Fangxin , Tu Yong
Published: November 2018

The Wenchuan earthquake, which happened in May 2008 in China, was one of the most destructive natural disasters of the past decade. The Chinese government implemented several aid programs, including the Paired Assistance to Disaster-Affected Areas (PADAA) program, to assist with disaster recovery. Although the Wenchuan earthquake has gained much scholarly attention, previous studies often adopted different recovery measures and provided fragmented empirical evidence on how an aid program may have influenced the recovery process in both the short and long term. To bridge the gap, this paper collects eight social, economic, and institutional indicators to measure four types of recovery processes, namely, economic recovery, social recovery, institutional recovery, and built environment recovery. The data, collected between 2002 and 2015, covers 269 earthquake-stricken counties. Based on this data, we constructed a set of disaster recovery indexes. We then evaluated the impacts of the PADAA program on the disaster recovery process across the 269 counties in both the short and long term. We concluded that the impact of the PADAA program on the post-disaster economic recovery was significant in both the short and long term, whereas its impact on the recovery of the institutional and built environment occurred in the short term. Its impact on post-disaster social recovery was inconclusive.
The Numerical Modeling of Coupled Motions of a Moored Floating Body in Waves
Authors: Cheng Lin , Lin Pengzhi
Published: November 2018

Nonlinear interactions between water waves and a moored floating body are investigated using the virtual boundary force (VBF) method. The paper first introduces an in-house three-dimensional viscous incompressible flow model (NEWTANK), which is used to simulate wave-floating structure interaction by using the VBF method. Then the coupling procedure between the mooring line model and the floater model is described. Some validation cases of the developed model, including the motions of a free-floating box in two different water waves, are presented. The present numerical results will be compared with the available experimental data and other numerical results from the published literature. After that, the validity of the mooring line in the numerical model is simulated by simulating the motions of a floating box in still water. Finally, the verified model is applied to analyze the wave-induced motions of a catenary moored floating structure, investigating the motion responses and mooring forces responses. The numerical results agree well with the experimental measurements on the whole. This indicates that the present numerical model can correctly capture the main features of the wave-moored floating structure interaction.
Numerical Simulation of Liquid Sloshing with Different Filling Levels Using OpenFOAM and Experimental Validation
Authors: Chen Yichao , Xue Mi-An
Published: November 2018

A series of numerical simulations were performed to explore the influences of filling level, excitation frequency and amplitude on liquid sloshing by using the open source Computational Fluid Dynamics toolbox OpenFOAM (Open Field Operation and Manipulation), which was fully validated by the experimental data. The results show that the dynamic impact pressure is proportional to the external excitation amplitude only in non-resonance frequency ranges. Pressure-frequency response curves demonstrate a transition process from a ‘soft-spring’ response to a ‘hard-spring’ response following the changes of the filling level. Such a transition process is found to be dominated by the ratio of the filling level to tank length and the critical value can be obtained. It is also found that wave breaking influences the period of sloshing wave in tanks and ultimately alters the resonance frequency from the linear theory.
The conundrum of acute chest pain in general practice: a nationwide survey in The Netherlands
Authors: Harskamp Ralf , van Peet Petra , Bont Jettie , Ligthart Suzanne , Lucassen Wim , van Weert Henk
Published: November 2018

Background

GPs are frequently confronted with patients with acute onset chest pain. Although usually benign, approximately 5% is due to acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Unfortunately, ACS is not always recognised, leading to a missed diagnosis in 2–5% of presentations.

Aim

The authors set out to study the level of risk GPs are willing to accept with regards to missing an ACS diagnosis, and the receptiveness of implementing new clinical decision aids.

Design & setting

This study involved an online survey among GPs in the Netherlands.

Method

A concept survey was constructed, which was tested among a panel of 24 GPs. The survey was then modified to achieve content validity. This survey was electronically distributed among 1000 GPs.

Results

A total of 313 (31.3%) GPs completed the survey. Of those surveyed, the median age was 50 years (interquartile range 41–57), 53.0% were female, and 6.4% were specialist GPs ('kaderarts') in cardiology or acute care. GPs estimated the missed ACS rate to be <5.0% in clinical practice, most often estimating a chance of 1.0–2.5% (35.2%) or 0.5–1.0% (29.7%). For atypical case presentations, 70% of GPs would accept a 0.1–1.0% missed diagnosis rate, while keeping the referral threshold to a maximum of 50 unnecessary referrals for each ACS case (75% of responders). GPs would welcome additional decision aids, with 79.2% favouring a clinical decision aid, 77.1% favouring troponin point-of-care (POC) testing, and 85.5% favoring a combination of a clinical decision aid and a troponin POC test.

Conclusion

GPs perceive that they miss more ACS cases than they feel comfortable with, which is reflected in a defensive referral strategy. The vast majority of GPs would welcome the use of clinical decision aids and/or cardiac biomarker POC testing for ruling out ACS, if accompanied by more certainty than based on clinical judgment alone.