bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Device for Instantaneously Estimating Duff Moisture Content Is also Effective for Grassland Fuels
Authors: McGranahan Devan Allen
Published: February 2019

Fine-fuel moisture is an important variable in the wildland fire environment, but measuring live fuel moisture is time-consuming. There is a strong incentive to develop technologies that provide instantaneous measurements of fine-fuel moisture. Campbell Scientific, Inc. markets a device that uses dielectric permittivity to measure the moisture content of duff fuels in forests; this Duff Moisture Meter (DMM600) might also be applied to herbaceous grassland fuels but its effectiveness has not been tested. This paper describes how grassland fuel samples collected for the DMM600 do well to represent the broader fuelbed, and that the dielectric permittivity values of the DMM600 correlate well with the actual moisture content of uncured grassland fuels. Results suggest the DMM600 can effectively estimate moisture content in uncured grassland fuels, including the overall fuelbed as well as live herbaceous fuels and well-aggregated samples of the grassland litter layer. Calibration equations and tips to ensure representative data are provided.
Skin Mucus Fatty Acid Composition of Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus Aurata): A Descriptive Study in Fish Fed Low and High Fish Meal Diets
Authors: Torrecillas Silvia , Montero Daniel , Domínguez David , Robaina Lidia , Izquierdo Marisol
Published: February 2019

Terrestrial protein and lipid sources are commonly used as substitutes for marine fishery-derived raw ingredients in fish diets. However, their use is related with several side-effects on marine fish performance, health, or disease resistance. Physical barriers of the skin, gills, and gut constitute the primary defense mechanism of fish. Skin mucus mucosal mucins, water, proteins, ions, and lipids determine the physical, chemical, and protective characteristics of skin mucus. Very little is known about the influence of diet composition on fish skin mucus fatty acid profile. Gilthead sea bream skin mucus contained 10% of total lipids (TL), which consisted of 50–60% neutral (NL) and 40–50% polar lipids (PL) fractions. Σn−3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) deposition was preferential in the NL fraction, whereas Σn−6LC-PUFA accumulation was similar in both lipid classes. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n−3) was the main LC-PUFA stored in skin mucus (14% TL) in relation to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n−3) (2–3% TL) and arachidonic acid (ARA; 20:4n−6) (2% TL). This study denotes the importance of DHA as component of skin mucus lipids compared to other essential fatty acids, such as EPA and ARA, as well as importance of maintaining an adequate Σn−3/ Σn−6 ratio, regardless of dietary intake.
Simultaneous Free Flow and Forcefully Driven Movement of Magma in Lamprophyre Dykes as Indicated by Magnetic Anisotropy: Case Study from the Central Bohemian Dyke Swarm, Czech Republic
Authors: Hrouda František , Faryad Shah W. , Kubínová Šárka , Verner Kryštof , Chlupáčová Marta
Published: February 2019

A composite lamprophyre dyke from the Central Bohemian Dyke Swarm (Czech Republic) shows both indications of magma free flow (normal magnetic fabric with magnetic foliation and lineation parallel to the dyke plane) as well as those of forcefully driven magma movement (intermediate and inverse magnetic fabrics with magnetic foliation perpendicular to the dyke plane). The overall characteristics of the magnetic parameters across the dyke indicate the existence of at least two slightly differing parts that probably represent two magma pulses. The marginal part of the dyke is formed by kersantite, while toward the axial part, the composition gradually changes to spessartite, and obtains an increasing degree of amphibolization. The rocks of the dyke are inhomogeneous, both compositionally and structurally. It is likely that some portions of ascending magma were more viscous than the others, and the magnetic minerals in the more viscous magma portions may have oriented according to their longer dimensions perpendicular to the dyke, creating an inverse fabric. The lengthening perpendicular to the dyke was compensated by the vertical escape of neighboring more fluid magma, creating a normal magnetic fabric. The frequent oblique magnetic fabrics may represent transitions between the above two mechanisms.
Traditional Diet and Environmental Contaminants in Coastal Chukotka IV: Recommended Intake Criteria
Authors: Dudarev Alexey A. , Yamin-Pasternak Sveta , Pasternak Igor , Chupakhin Valery S.
Published: February 2019

The article is the last in the series of four that present the results of a study on environmental contaminants in coastal Chukotka, conducted in the context of a multi-disciplinary investigation of Indigenous foodways in the region. The article presents the Recommended Food Daily Intake Limit (RFDIL) guidelines of the locally harvested foods in coastal Chukotka. The guidelines were developed based on the results of the analysis of the legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metals found in the samples of locally harvested food, which was collected in 2016 in the villages of Enmelen, Nunligran, and Sireniki on the south coast of the Chukchi Peninsula, Russian Arctic. The overall aim of the article is to expand the toolset for dealing with the challenges of: (1) setting the dietary recommendations when we assess multiple contaminants in a variety of foods (and our method of RFDILs calculation is an example of a possible approach), and (2) managing the real-life circumstances when many types of foods are mixed in many dishes regularly and the concentrations of contaminants in these mixed dishes become uncertain. Drawing on perspectives from the fields of environmental health sciences, humanities, social sciences, and visual art, the authors consider the RFDILs of the examined foods in the context of the culinary practices and aesthetics values (those that relate to the culturally held ideas of beauty ascribed to a dish or the processes of its preparation and consumption) of the Indigenous Arctic cuisine in the region of the Bering Strait, and in the broader dynamics of food and culture.
Semantic Modelling of Ship Behavior in Harbor Based on Ontology and Dynamic Bayesian Network
Authors: Wen Yuanqiao , Zhang Yimeng , Huang Liang , Zhou Chunhui , Xiao Changshi , Zhang Fan , Peng Xin , Zhan Wenqiang , Sui Zhongyi
Published: February 2019

Recognizing ship behavior is important for maritime situation awareness and intelligent transportation management. Some scholars extracted ship behaviors from massive trajectory data by statistical analysis. However, the meaning of the behaviors, i.e., semantic meanings of behaviors and their relationships, are not explicit. Ship behaviors are affected by navigational area and traffic rules, so their meanings can be obtained only in specific maritime situations. The work establishes the semantic model of ship behavior (SMSB) to represent and reason the meaning of the behaviors. Firstly, a semantic network is built based on maritime traffic rules and good seamanship. The corresponding detection methods are then proposed to identify basic ship behaviors in various maritime scenes, including dock, anchorage, traffic lane, and general scenes. After that, dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) is used to reason potential ship behaviors. Finally, trajectory annotation and semantic query of the model are validated in the different scenes of harbor. The basic behaviors and potential behaviors in all typical scenes of any harbor can be obtained accurately and expressed conveniently using the proposed model. The model facilitates the ships behavior research, contributing to the semantic trajectory analysis.
Molecular Cloning and Bioinformatics Analysis of DQA Gene from Mink (Neovison vison)
Authors: Fan Zhaobin , Zhang Houfeng , Rong Min , Meng Dongmei , Yu Zhenxing , Jiang Lili , Jiang Peihong
Published: February 2019

In the present study, we cloned, sequenced, and explored the structural and functional characteristics of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-DQA gene from mink (Neovison vison) for the first time. The full-length sequence of DQA gene was 1147-bp-long, contained a coding region of 768-bp, which was predicted to encoding 255 amino acid residues. The comparison between DQA from mink (Neovison vison) and other MHC-DQA molecules from different animal species showed that nucleotide and encoded amino acid sequences of the mink DQA gene exhibited high similarity with the ferret (Mustela pulourius furo). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that mink (Neovison vison) DQA is grouped with that of ferret (Mustela pulourius furo). The cloned sequence contained a 23-amino acid NH2-terminal signal sequence with the signal peptide cutting site located in amino acids 23–24, and had three Asn-Xaa-Ser/Thr sequons. Three cysteine residues were also identified (Cys-85, Cys-121, and Cys-138). The 218 to 240 amino acids were predicted to be the transmembrane domains. The prediction of the secondary structure revealed three α-helixes and fourteen β-sheets in Neovison vison DQA protein, while random coil was a major pattern. In this study, the whole CDS sequence of Neovison vison DQA gene was successfully cloned, which was valuable for exploring the function and antiviral molecular mechanisms underlying the molecule. The findings of the present study have laid the foundation for the disease resistance and breeding of mink.
A Novel Method for Router-to-AS Mapping Based on Graph Community Discovery
Authors: Hu Hangyu , Liu Weiyi , Fei Gaolei , Yang Song , Hu Guangmin
Published: February 2019

The last decades have witnessed the progressive development of research on Internet topology at the router or autonomous systems (AS) level. Routers are essential components of ASes, which dominate their behaviors. It is important to identify the affiliation between routers and ASes because this contributes to a deeper understanding of the topology. However, the existing methods that assign a router to an AS, based on the origin AS of its IP addresses do not make full use of the information during the network interaction procedure. In this paper, we propose a novel method to assign routers to their owners’ AS, based on community discovery. First, we use the initial AS information along with router-pair similarities to construct a weighted router level graph; secondly, with the large amount of graph data (more than 2M nodes and 19M edges) from the CAIDA ITDK project, we propose a fast hierarchy clustering algorithm with time and space complexity, which are both linear for graph community discovery. Finally, router-to-AS mapping is completed, based on these AS communities. Experimental results show that the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method. Combining with AS communities, our method could have the higher accuracy rate reaching to 82.62% for Routers-to-AS mapping, while the best accuracy of prior works is plateaued at 65.44%.
4-D Computational Modeling of Cardiac Outflow Tract Hemodynamics over Looping Developmental Stages in Chicken Embryos
Authors: Courchaine Katherine , Gray MacKenzie J. , Beel Kaitlin , Thornburg Kent , Rugonyi Sandra
Published: February 2019

Cardiogenesis is interdependent with blood flow within the embryonic system. Recently, a number of studies have begun to elucidate the effects of hemodynamic forces acting upon and within cells as the cardiovascular system begins to develop. Changes in flow are picked up by mechanosensors in endocardial cells exposed to wall shear stress (the tangential force exerted by blood flow) and by myocardial and mesenchymal cells exposed to cyclic strain (deformation). Mechanosensors stimulate a variety of mechanotransduction pathways which elicit functional cellular responses in order to coordinate the structural development of the heart and cardiovascular system. The looping stages of heart development are critical to normal cardiac morphogenesis and have previously been shown to be extremely sensitive to experimental perturbations in flow, with transient exposure to altered flow dynamics causing severe late stage cardiac defects in animal models. This paper seeks to expand on past research and to begin establishing a detailed baseline for normal hemodynamic conditions in the chick outflow tract during these critical looping stages. Specifically, we will use 4-D (3-D over time) optical coherence tomography to create in vivo geometries for computational fluid dynamics simulations of the cardiac cycle, enabling us to study in great detail 4-D velocity patterns and heterogeneous wall shear stress distributions on the outflow tract endocardium. This information will be useful in determining the normal variation of hemodynamic patterns as well as in mapping hemodynamics to developmental processes such as morphological changes and signaling events during and after the looping stages examined here.
FABP4 in Gestational Diabetes—Association between Mothers and Offspring
Authors: Patro-Małysza Jolanta , Trojnar Marcin , Kimber-Trojnar Żaneta , Mierzyński Radzisław , Bartosiewicz Jacek , Oleszczuk Jan , Leszczyńska-Gorzelak Bożena
Published: February 2019

Fetuses exposed to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have a higher risk of abnormal glucose homeostasis in later life. The molecular mechanisms of this phenomenon are still not fully understood. Fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) appears to be one of the most probable candidates involved in the pathophysiology of GDM. The main aim of the study was to investigate whether umbilical cord serum FABP4 concentrations are altered in term neonates born to GDM mothers. Two groups of subjects were selected—28 healthy controls and 26 patients with GDM. FABP4, leptin, and ghrelin concentrations in the umbilical cord serum, maternal serum, and maternal urine were determined via an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The umbilical cord serum FABP4 levels were higher in the GDM offspring and were directly associated with the maternal serum FABP4 and leptin levels, as well as the prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and the BMI at and after delivery; however, they correlated negatively with birth weight and lipid parameters. In the multiple linear regression models, the umbilical cord serum FABP4 concentrations depended positively on the maternal serum FABP4 and negatively on the umbilical cord serum ghrelin levels and the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. There are many maternal variables that can affect the level of FABP4 in the umbilical cord serum, thus, their evaluation requires further investigation.
Pentoxifylline for Renal Protection in Diabetic Kidney Disease. A Model of Old Drugs for New Horizons
Authors: Donate-Correa Javier , Tagua Víctor G. , Ferri Carla , Martín-Núñez Ernesto , Hernández-Carballo Carolina , Ureña-Torres Pablo , Ruiz-Ortega Marta , Ortiz Alberto , Mora-Fernández Carmen , Navarro-González Juan F.
Published: February 2019

Diabetic kidney disease is one of the most relevant complications in diabetes mellitus patients, which constitutes the main cause of end-stage renal disease in the western world. Delaying the progression of this pathology requires new strategies that, in addition to the control of traditional risk factors (glycemia and blood pressure), specifically target the primary pathogenic mechanisms. Nowadays, inflammation is recognized as a critical novel pathogenic factor in the development and progression of renal injury in diabetes mellitus. Pentoxifylline is a nonspecific phosphodiesterase inhibitor with rheologic properties clinically used for more than 30 years in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease. In addition, this compound also exerts anti-inflammatory actions. In the context of diabetic kidney disease, pentoxifylline has shown significant antiproteinuric effects and a delay in the loss of estimated glomerular filtration rate, although at the present time there is no definitive evidence regarding renal outcomes. Moreover, recent studies have reported that this drug can be associated with a positive impact on new factors related to kidney health, such as Klotho. The use of pentoxifylline as renoprotective therapy for patients with diabetic kidney disease represents a new example of drug repositioning.
Tolerating Permanent Faults in the Input Port of the Network on Chip Router
Authors: Mohammed Hala J. , Flayyih Wameedh N. , Rokhani Fakhrul Z.
Published: February 2019

Deep submicron technologies continue to develop according to Moore’s law allowing hundreds of processing elements and memory modules to be integrated on a single chip forming multi/many-processor systems-on-chip (MPSoCs). Network on chip (NoC) arose as an interconnection for this large number of processing modules. However, the aggressive scaling of transistors makes NoC more vulnerable to both permanent and transient faults. Permanent faults persistently affect the circuit functionality from the time of their occurrence. The router represents the heart of the NoC. Thus, this research focuses on tolerating permanent faults in the router’s input buffer component, particularly the virtual channel state fields. These fields track packets from the moment they enter the input component until they leave to the next router. The hardware redundancy approach is used to tolerate the faults in these fields due to their crucial role in managing the router operation. A built-in self-test logic is integrated into the input port to periodically detect permanent faults without interrupting router operation. These approaches make the NoC router more reliable than the unprotected NoC router with a maximum of 17% and 16% area and power overheads, respectively. In addition, the hardware redundancy approach preserves the network performance in the presence of a single fault by avoiding the virtual channel closure.
A Semianalytical Model for the Determination of Bistability and Curvature of Metallic Cylindrical Shells
Authors: Pavliuchenko Pavlo , Teller Marco , Grüber Markus , Hirt Gerhard
Published: February 2019

Bistable metal shells with a fully closed unfolded geometry are of great interest as lightweight construction parts which could be transported without housing and unfolded at the construction place. In order to achieve the effect of bistability in metallic shells, residual stresses with a specific distribution along the shell thickness are necessary. These residual stresses can be introduced in bending processes. The tools with specific bending radii are used to influence the curvature of the shell in the different stable states and thus determine whether a completely closed profile can be achieved. In addition to the forming process, the shell thickness and the shell material have an effect on the achievable geometries and stability. In order to manufacture bistable metallic cylindrical shells from different materials and shell thicknesses, it is necessary to be able to determine a promising process sequence and corresponding bending radii in advance. For this reason, this article presents a semianalytical model for the calculation of bistability and final curvatures. This model is applied to an incremental die-bending process using two bending operations with bending radii of 6 to 12 mm and a 0.2 mm thick steel shell of grade 1.1274 (AISI 1095). The calculation results show that bistability cannot be reached for all combinations of the two bending radii. Moreover, the model indicates that a bistable and fully closed shell is only achieved for a bending radii combination of R1 = 6 mm and R2 = 6 mm. With the aim of model verification, experiments with a closed-die incremental bending tool were performed. Calculated and experimental results show good correlation regarding bistability and curvature. In addition, X-ray diffraction measurement of the residual stresses shows a good qualitative agreement regarding the calculated and experimental results.
2D Numerical Study of the Stability of Trench under Wave Action in the Immersing Process of Tunnel Element
Authors: Chen Wei-Yun , Liu Cheng-Lin , Duan Lun-Liang , Qiu Hao-Miao , Wang Zhi-Hua
Published: February 2019

The evaluation of the trench stability under the action of ocean waves is an important issue in the construction of an immersed tunnel. In this study, a two-dimensional coupling model of a wave-seabed-immersed tunnel is proposed for the dynamic responses of a trench under wave action in the immersing process of tunnel elements. The porous seabed is characterized by Biot consolidation equations. The k − ε model and RANS equation are adopted to achieve the flow field simulation, and the level set method (LSM) is used to capture the free surface between the water and air. The proposed numerical model is verified using the experimental data and analytical results. Then, the transient liquefaction and shear failure in the vicinity of the trench are discussed at two different conditions, namely, after the foundation groove is excavated and after the tunnel element is placed. The pore pressure amplitude on the weather side slope is demonstrated to be significantly smaller than that on the lee side slope. Also, the distribution of the surrounding flow field and pressure field change dramatically after the tunnel element is settled, leading to the significant changes of seabed stability.
First-Arrival Travel Times Picking through Sliding Windows and Fuzzy C-Means
Authors: Gao Lei , Jiang Zhen-yun , Min Fan
Published: February 2019

First-arrival picking is a critical step in seismic data processing. This paper proposes the first-arrival picking through sliding windows and fuzzy c-means (FPSF) algorithm with two stages. The first stage detects a range using sliding windows on vertical and horizontal directions. The second stage obtains the first-arrival travel times from the range using fuzzy c-means coupled with particle swarm optimization. Results on both noisy and preprocessed field data show that the FPSF algorithm is more accurate than classical methods.
On Ulam Stability and Multiplicity Results to a Nonlinear Coupled System with Integral Boundary Conditions
Authors: Shah Kamal , Kumam Poom , Ullah Inam
Published: February 2019

This manuscript is devoted to establishing existence theory of solutions to a nonlinear coupled system of fractional order differential equations (FODEs) under integral boundary conditions (IBCs). For uniqueness and existence we use the Perov-type fixed point theorem. Further, to investigate multiplicity results of the concerned problem, we utilize Krasnoselskii’s fixed-point theorems of cone type and its various forms. Stability analysis is an important aspect of existence theory as well as required during numerical simulations and optimization of FODEs. Therefore by using techniques of functional analysis, we establish conditions for Hyers-Ulam (HU) stability results for the solution of the proposed problem. The whole analysis is justified by providing suitable examples to illustrate our established results.
Editorial for the Special Issue: Thermophiles and Thermozymes
Authors: González-Siso María-Isabel
Published: February 2019

Heat-loving microorganisms or thermophiles arouse noticeable scientific interest nowadays, not only with the aim to elucidate the mystery of life at high temperatures, but also due to the huge field of biotechnological applications of the enzymes they produce or thermozymes, able to function under industrial harsh conditions [...]
Quantum Mechanical Modeling of the Vibrational Spectra of Minerals with a Focus on Clays
Authors: Kubicki James , Watts Heath
Published: February 2019

We present an overview of how to use quantum mechanical calculations to predict vibrational frequencies of molecules and materials such as clays and silicates. Other methods of estimating vibrational frequencies are mentioned, such as classical molecular dynamics simulations; references are given for additional information on these approaches. Herein, we discuss basic vibrational theory, calculating Raman and infrared intensities, steps for creating realistic models, and applications to spectroscopy, thermodynamics, and isotopic fractionation. There are a wide variety of programs and methods that can be employed to model vibrational spectra, but this work focuses on hybrid density functional theory (DFT) approaches. Many of the principles are the same when used in other programs and DFT methods, so a novice can benefit from simple examples that illustrate key points to consider when modeling vibrational spectra. Other methods and programs are listed to give the beginner a starting point for exploring and choosing which approach will be best for a given problem. The modeler should also be aware of the numerous analytical methods available for obtaining information on vibrations of atoms in molecules and materials. In addition to traditional infrared and Raman spectroscopy, sum-frequency generation (SFG) and inelastic neutron scattering (INS) are also excellent techniques for obtaining vibrational frequency information in certain circumstances.
Isomers of β,β-Dinitro-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin Derivatives: Valuable Starting Materials for Further Transformations
Authors: Mikus Agnieszka , Rosa Mariusz , Ostrowski Stanisław
Published: February 2019

The synthesis, chromatographic isolation, and structure elucidation of β,β-substituted isomers of dinitro-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin complexes are described. meso-Tetraphenyl-porphyrin chelates (CuII, NiII, CoII) upon reaction wit e.g., nitric acid (yellow HNO3, d = 1.52, diluted to 25–50%) in CHCl3 formed a mixture of nitro-derivatives with combined yields of ca 80%. This nitration (under optimized conditions: 25–30% HNO3, 30–40 min, r.t.) can be carried out selectively to give mainly β,β-dinitro-compounds in yields of up to 73%. From the above mixtures of five possible regioisomers that can be formed, usually two or three of them were isolated, for which the structures were assigned on the basis of 1H NMR spectra including COSY and NOESY measure-ments. These types of products are attractive starting materials for synthesis of potential anticancer PDT agents with unique structures, being practically unavailable by any other alternative method.
Cytotoxic Furan- and Pyrrole-Containing Scalarane Sesterterpenoids Isolated from the Sponge Scalarispongia sp.
Authors: Lee Yeon-Ju , Kim Su Hyun , Choi Hansol , Lee Hyi-Seung , Lee Jong Seok , Shin Hee Jae , Lee Jihoon
Published: February 2019

Three furan-containing scalarane sesterterpenoids (1–3) and a novel pyrrole-containing analog (4) were isolated from the sponge Scalarispongia species. Compound 3, reported in the literature as a synthetic derivative of furoscalarol 2, was for the first time isolated from a natural source. During the separation performed using a silica column in the presence of methanol, 16-methoxy derivatives (5, 6) were obtained from the unintended reaction of 2. The isolated natural products 3 and 4 and the artifact 5 showed moderate to high cytotoxicity against six human cancer cell lines, whereas compound 6, the C-16 epimer of 5, showed no cytotoxicity at a concentration of 60 μΜ.
Hungry Cat—A Serious Game for Conveying Spatial Information to the Visually Impaired
Authors: Chai Carmen , Lau Bee Theng , Pan Zheng
Published: February 2019

Navigation is done through obtaining spatial information from the environment and forming a spatial map about it. The visually impaired rely mainly on orientation and mobility training by a certified specialist to acquire spatial navigation skills. However, it is manpower intensive and costly. This research designed and developed a serious game, Hungry Cat. This game can convey spatial information of virtual rooms to children with visual impairment through game playing. An evaluation with 30 visually impaired participants was conducted by allowing them to explore each virtual room in Hungry Cat. After exploration, the food finding test, which is a game mode available in Hungry Cat, was conducted, followed by the physical wire net test to evaluate their ability in forming the spatial mental maps of the virtual rooms. The positive results of the evaluation obtained demonstrate the ability of Hungry Cat, in conveying spatial information about virtual rooms and aiding the development of spatial mental maps of these rooms through game playing.
Exploring How Interactive Technology Enhances Gesture-Based Expression and Engagement: A Design Study
Authors: Zhao Shichao
Published: February 2019

The interpretation and understanding of physical gestures play a significant role in various forms of art. Interactive technology and digital devices offer a plethora of opportunities for personal gesture-based experience and they assist in the creation of collaborative artwork. In this study, three prototypes for use with different digital devices (digital camera, PC camera, and Kinect) were designed. Subsequently, a series of workshops were conducted and in-depth interviews with participants from different cultural and occupational backgrounds. The latter were designed to explore how to specifically design personalised gesture-based expressions and how to engage the creativity of the participants in their gesture-based experiences. The findings indicated that, in terms of gesture-based interaction, the participants preferred to engage with the visual traces that were displayed at specific timings in multi-experience spaces. Their gesture-based interactions could effectively support non-verbal emotional expression. In addition, the participants were shown to be strongly inclined to combine their personal stories and emotions into their own gesture-based artworks. Based on the participants’ different cultural and occupational backgrounds, their artistic creation could be spontaneously formed.
Optical Nonlinearity of ZrS2 and Applications in Fiber Laser
Authors: Li Lu , Lv Ruidong , Wang Jiang , Chen Zhendong , Wang Huizhong , Liu Sicong , Ren Wei , Liu Wenjun , Wang Yonggang
Published: February 2019

Group VIB transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have been successfully demonstrated as saturable absorbers (SAs) for pulsed fiber lasers. For the group comprising IVB TMDs, applications in this field remain unexplored. In this work, ZrS2-based SA is prepared by depositing a ZrS2 nanostructured film onto the side surface of a D-shaped fiber. The nonlinear optical properties of the prepared SA are investigated, which had a modulation depth of 3.3% and a saturable intensity of 13.26 MW/cm2. In a pump power range of 144–479 mW, the Er-doped fiber (EDF) laser with ZrS2 can operate in the dual-wavelength Q-switching state. The pulse duration declined from 10.0 μs down to 2.3 μs. The single pulse energy reached 53.0 nJ. The usage of ZrS2 as a SA for pulse generation in fiber lasers is presented for the first time. Compared to the experimental results of dual-wavelength Q-switched fiber lasers with two-dimensional (2D) materials, our laser performance was better. Our work indicates that the group comprising IVB TMD ZrS2 has bright prospects for nonlinear optical applications.
Vitamin C Activates Osteoblastogenesis and Inhibits Osteoclastogenesis via Wnt/β-Catenin/ATF4 Signaling Pathways
Authors: Choi Hyeon Kyeong , Kim Gyeong-Ji , Yoo Han-Seok , Song Da Hye , Chung Kang-Hyun , Lee Kwon-Jai , Koo Young Tae , An Jeung Hee
Published: February 2019

This study evaluated the effects of vitamin C on osteogenic differentiation and osteoclast formation, and the effects of vitamin C concentration on bone microstructure in ovariectomized (OVX) Wistar rats. Micro-computed tomography analysis revealed the recovery of bone mineral density and bone separation in OVX rats treated with vitamin C. Histomorphometrical analysis revealed improvements in the number of osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteocytes; the osteoblast and osteoclast surface per bone surface; and bone volume in vitamin C-treated OVX rats. The vitamin C-treated group additionally displayed an increase in the expression of osteoblast differentiation genes, including bone morphogenetic protein-2, small mothers against decapentaplegic 1/5/8, runt-related transcription factor 2, osteocalcin, and type I collagen. Vitamin C reduced the expression of osteoclast differentiation genes, such as receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B, receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase, and cathepsin K. This study is the first to show that vitamin C can inhibit osteoporosis by promoting osteoblast formation and blocking osteoclastogenesis through the activation of wingless-type MMTV integration site family/β-catenin/activating transcription factor 4 signaling, which is achieved through the serine/threonine kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. Therefore, our results suggest that vitamin C improves bone regeneration.
Wedge Surface Plasmon Polariton Waveguides Based on Wet-Bulk Micromachining
Authors: Huong Nguyen Thanh , Chinh Nguyen Van , Hoang Chu Manh
Published: February 2019

In this paper, we propose and investigate the modal characteristics of wedge surface plasmon polariton (SPP) waveguides for guiding surface plasmon waves. The wedge SPP waveguides are composed of a silver layer deposited onto the surface of a wedge-shaped silicon dielectric waveguide. The wedge-shaped silicon dielectric waveguides are explored from the anisotropic wet etching property of single crystal silicon. The wedge SPP waveguides are embedded in a dielectric medium to form the metal–dielectric interface for guiding the surface plasmon waves. The propagation characteristics of the wedge SPP waveguides at the optical telecommunication wavelength of 1.55 μm are evaluated by a numerical simulation. The influence of the physical parameters such as the dimensions of the wedge SPP waveguide and the refractive index of the dielectric medium on the propagation of the surface plasmon wave is investigated. In addition, by comparing the propagation characteristics, we derive the wedge SPP waveguide with the optimal performance.
Integration of Membrane Bioreactor and Nanofiltration for the Treatment Process of Real Hospital Wastewater in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Authors: Tran Thanh , Nguyen Thanh Binh , Ho Huu Loc , Le Duc Anh , Lam Tri Duc , Nguyen Duy Chinh , Hoang Anh Tuan , Do Trung Sy , Hoang Luong , Nguyen Trinh Duy , Bach Long Giang
Published: February 2019

Hospital wastewater contains pharmaceutical residues, chemicals, and pathogens that cause coloration and nourish pathogenic microorganisms. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a medical wastewater treatment system at Military Hospital 175 (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) that combined a membrane bioreactor (MBR) system with nanofiltration (NF). The influent of the system was the wastewater discharged from the operating rooms of the hospital. The system has a capacity of 50 L/day and operates at three organic load rates (OLR) of 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 kgCOD/m3day (COD: Chemical oxygen demand), in which each load rate operates for 40 days. The results showed that most nutritional criteria generally achieved positive results. Specifically, the average COD removal was shown to be consistently high throughout the three phases at 94%, 93.3%, and 92.7%, respectively. For removal of nitrogen, the system demonstrated efficiencies of 75%, 79%, and 83%, respectively, to three phases. The log removal value (LRV) for Escherichia coli and coliform bacteria were higher than four throughout the study period. The average removal efficiency for color and total iron was approximately 98% and 99%, respectively. The water quality after treatment, especially after NF, meets the Vietnamese standard of grade A. The arrangement in which the MBR preceded NF was also found to limit the amount of soil and solids entering subsequent treatment, which therefore improved the efficiency of NF, as demonstrated by the stability of post-NF transmembrane pressures throughout three cycles renewed by two backwashes.
A Novel Method for Gas Turbine Condition Monitoring Based on KPCA and Analysis of Statistics T2 and SPE
Authors: Zeng Li , Long Wei , Li Yanyan
Published: February 2019

Gas turbines are widely used all over the world, in order to ensure the normal operation of gas turbines, it is necessary to monitor the condition of gas turbine and analyze the tested parameters to find the state information contained in parameters. There is a problem in gas turbine condition monitoring that how to locate the fault accurately if failure occurs. To solve the problem, this paper proposes a method to locate the fault of gas turbine components by evaluating the sensitivity of tested parameters to fault. Firstly, the tested parameters are decomposed by the kernel principal component analysis. Then construct the statistics of T2 and SPE in the principal elements space and residual space, respectively. Furthermore, the thresholds of the statistics must be calculated. The influence of tested parameters on faults is analyzed, and the degree of influence is quantified. The fault location can be realized according to the analysis results. The research results show that the proposed method can realize fault diagnosis and location accurately.
Psychological Study of Perceived Religious Discrimination and Its Consequences for a Muslim Population
Authors: Ameline Anaïs , Ndobo André , Roussiau Nicolas
Published: February 2019

This study focuses on the consequences of perceived religious discrimination on a Muslim population. Specifically, the purpose of this research was to assess the impact of perceived religious discrimination in the news media on a number of individual variables (self-esteem and perceived stress). It was also aimed at studying identification as a coping mechanism. A total of 88 Muslim participants took part in this study. The mediation analyses carried out confirm that group identification plays a mediating role in the indirect relationship between perceived religious discrimination in the news media and perceived stress. This discussion highlights the benefits of social support against the deleterious effects of discrimination.
Interactive Camera Network Design Using a Virtual Reality Interface
Authors: Bogaerts Boris , Sels Seppe , Vanlanduit Steve , Penne Rudi
Published: February 2019

The traditional literature on camera network design focuses on constructing automated algorithms. These require problem-specific input from experts in order to produce their output. The nature of the required input is highly unintuitive, leading to an impractical workflow for human operators. In this work we focus on developing a virtual reality user interface allowing human operators to manually design camera networks in an intuitive manner. From real world practical examples we conclude that the camera networks designed using this interface are highly competitive with, or sometimes even superior to, those generated by automated algorithms, but the associated workflow is more intuitive and simple. The competitiveness of the human-generated camera networks is remarkable because the structure of the optimization problem is a well known combinatorial NP-hard problem. These results indicate that human operators can be used in challenging geometrical combinatorial optimization problems, given an intuitive visualization of the problem.
Impact of Conductive Yarns on an Embroidery Textile Moisture Sensor
Authors: Martínez-Estrada Marc , Moradi Bahareh , Fernández-Garcia Raúl , Gil Ignacio
Published: February 2019

In this work, two embroidered textile moisture sensors are characterized with three different conductive yarns. The sensors are based on a capacitive interdigitated structure embroidered on a cotton substrate with an embroidered conductor yarn. The performance comparison of three different type of conductive yarns has been addressed. In order to evaluate the sensor sensitivity, the impedance of the sensor has been measured by means of an LCR meter from 20 Hz to 20 kHz on a climatic chamber with a sweep of the relative humidity from 30% to 65% at 20 °C. The experimental results show a clear and controllable dependence of the sensor impedance with the relative humidity and the chosen conductor yarns. This dependence points out the optimum conductive yarn to be used to develop wearable applications for moisture measurement.
Long-Term Monitoring with Fiber Optics Distributed Temperature Sensing at Campi Flegrei: The Campi Flegrei Deep Drilling Project
Authors: Somma Renato , Troise Claudia , Zeni Luigi , Minardo Aldo , Fedele Alessandro , Mirabile Maurizio , De Natale Giuseppe
Published: February 2019

Monitoring volcanic phenomena is a key question, for both volcanological research and for civil protection purposes. This is particularly true in densely populated volcanic areas, like the Campi Flegrei caldera, which includes part of the large city of Naples (Italy). Borehole monitoring of volcanoes is the most promising way to improve classical methods of surface monitoring, although not commonly applied yet. Fiber optics technology is the most practical and suitable way to operate in such high temperature and aggressive environmental conditions. In this paper, we describe a fiber optics Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) sensor, which has been designed to continuously measure temperature all along a 500 m. deep well drilled in the west side of Naples (Bagnoli area), lying in the Campi Flegrei volcanic area. It has then been installed as part of the international ‘Campi Flegrei Deep Drilling Project’, and is continuously operating, giving insight on the time variation of temperature along the whole borehole depth. Such continuous monitoring of temperature can in turn indicate volcanic processes linked to magma dynamics and/or to changes in the hydrothermal system. The developed monitoring system, working at bottom temperatures higher than 100 °C, demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of using DTS for borehole volcanic monitoring.
Black Phosphorus-New Nanostructured Material for Humidity Sensors: Achievements and Limitations
Authors: Korotcenkov Ghenadii
Published: February 2019

The prospects of using nanostructured black phosphorus for the development of humidity sensors are considered. It was shown that black phosphorus has a set of parameters that distinguish it from other two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene, silicone, and dichalcogenides. At the same time, an analysis of shortcomings, limiting the use of black phosphorus as a humidity sensitive material in devices aimed for market of humidity sensors, was also conducted.
The Global Navigation Satellite Systems Reflectometry (GNSS-R) Microwave Interferometric Reflectometer: Hardware, Calibration, and Validation Experiments
Authors: Onrubia Raul , Pascual Daniel , Querol Jorge , Park Hyuk , Camps Adriano
Published: February 2019

This manuscript describes the Microwave Interferometric Reflectometer (MIR) instrument, a multi-beam dual-band GNSS-Reflectometer with beam-steering capabilities built to assess the performance of a PAssive Reflectrometry and Interferometry System—In Orbit Demonstrator (PARIS-IoD) like instrument and to compare the performance of different GNSS-R techniques and signals. The instrument is capable of tracking up to 4 different GNSS satellites, two at L1/E1 band, and two at L5/E5 band. The calibration procedure of the up- and down-looking arrays is presented, the calibration performance is evaluated, and the results of the validation experiments carried out before the field experiments are shown in this paper.
Young Romanians’ Transition from School to Work in a Path Dependence Context
Authors: Istrate Marinela , Horea-Serban Raluca , Muntele Ionel
Published: February 2019

For the past 25 years, Romania crossed a contradictory evolution between the social–educational and economic aspects. From the inflexible educational system of the totalitarian regime, when all graduates from different levels of education immediately received a job (to avoid unemployment—a phenomenon that the communist authorities did not tolerate), there was a transition to an educational system marked by frequent structural and methodological changes and by an increasing gap between the educational offer and the real necessities of the labor market. In this context, the aim of this paper was to analyzes, in the light of the sociology of education, the difficulties met by the new generations that enter the labor market after following a previously established educational model, often intended to be changed according to European sociological principles, but with deeply rooted mentalities and structure, actually difficult to alter. The ability to adapt to the new socio-economic context and to adjust educational programs to the new labor market requirements, in a strong correlation with the European policies, is constantly taken into account by interpreting the results in the spirit of the sociology of education and sustainable development.
Scissors-Type Haptic Device Using Magnetorheological Fluid Containing Iron Nanoparticles
Authors: Waga Mioto , Aita Yuuki , Noma Junichi , Kikuchi Takehito , Nonomura Yoshimune
Published: February 2019

The mechanical ability and usefulness of simulation systems can be improved by combining a tactile display with a remote control or medical simulation systems. In this study, a scissors-type haptic device containing magnetorheological fluid (MR fluid) in its fulcrum is developed. We evaluate the mechanical response to the applied voltage and realize the presence of mechanical stimuli when a subject grasps or cuts the corresponding objects. When the magnetic field around the MR fluid is controlled by an electric voltage of 150–500 mV, the torque linearly increases from 0.007 ± 0.000 to 0.016 ± 0.000 N m. The device can provide tactile stimuli with 0.1 s of resolution. We also determined the voltage profiles based on typical force profiles obtained during grasping/cutting processes and evaluated the torque using a mechanical evaluation system. Features of the force profiles related to the soft and sticky feels were reconstructed well.
A One Health Approach to Investigating Leptospira Serogroups and Their Spatial Distributions among Humans and Animals in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 2013–2015
Authors: Polo Noemi , Machado Gustavo , Rodrigues Rogerio , Nájera Hamrick Patricia , Munoz-Zanzi Claudia , Pereira Martha , Bercini Marilina , Timm Loeci , Schneider Maria
Published: February 2019

Leptospirosis is an endemic zoonotic disease in Brazil and is widespread throughout rural populations in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. This study aimed to identify presumptive infecting Leptospira serogroups in human and animal cases and describe their occurrences within the ecoregions of the state by animal species. Data for human and animal leptospirosis cases were gathered from the government’s passive surveillance systems and presumptive infecting serogroups were identified based on a two-fold titer difference in serogroups in the microscopic agglutination test (MAT) panel. A total of 22 different serogroups were reported across both human and animal cases. Serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae was the most common among humans, while serogroup Sejroe predominated among animal cases, particularly bovines. Each ecoregion had a large distribution of cases, with 51% of the human cases in the Parana–Paraiba ecoregion, and 81% of the animal cases in the Savannah ecoregion. Identifying and mapping the serogroups circulating using the One Health approach is the first step for further understanding the distribution of the disease in the state. This study has the potential to aid in guiding public health and agricultural practices, furthering the need for a human vaccine in high-risk populations to complement control and prevention efforts.