bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An analytical approach to analyze nonlinear dynamic response of eccentrically stiffened functionally graded circular cylindrical shells subjected to time dependent axial compression and external pressure. Part 1: Governing equations establishment
Authors: Dung Dao Van , Nam Vu Hoai
Published: September 2014

Based on the classical thin shell theory with the geometrical nonlinearity in von Karman-Donnell sense, the smeared stiffener technique and Galerkin method, this paper deals with the nonlinear dynamic problem of eccentrically stiffened functionally graded circular cylindrical shells subjected to time dependent axial compression and external pressure by analytical approach. The present novelty is that an approximate three-term solution of deflection taking into account the nonlinear buckling shape is chosen, the nonlinear dynamic second-order differential three equations system is established and the frequency-amplitude relation of nonlinear vibration is obtained in explicit form.
Estimation of car air resistance by CFD method
Authors: Tuan Phan Anh , Quang Vu Duy
Published: September 2014

Total car resistance is including rolling resistance and air resistance. Rolling resistance comes from car tires when it rolls over the roads with car weight. Air resistance comes from the body when it moves in the air with car body surface area. The air resistance of a car depends upon its shape. The bigger the surface area of a car body, the more air molecules the car will hit and so the larger the air resistance. This paper will mention to estimation of car air resistance by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. A 3D car body has used for simulation in ANSYS FLUENT CFD software. The k-\(\varepsilon\) turbulence model and segregated implicit solver was used to perform computation in this study.
Certificação ambiental de habitações: comparação entre LEED for Homes, Processo Aqua e Selo Casa Azul
Authors: Grünberg Paula Regina Mendes , Medeiros Marcelo Henrique Farias de , Tavares Sergio Fernando
Published: September 2014

Visando incentivar mudanças no setor da construção civil para adequação às agendas de sustentabilidade, foram desenvolvidos, em vários países, sistemas de certificação ambiental de edificações. Voltadas principalmente para questões relativas ao consumo de recursos naturais e impactos ao meio ambiente; essas ferramentas também são denominadas selos verdes para edifícios. Com o intuito de identificar a certificação de melhor desempenho a ser utilizada para edificações residenciais no Brasil, usou-se uma análise comparativa. Foram selecionados três sistemas de certificação, por se tratarem dos mais usuais no país, sendo eles o LEED for Homes, o Processo AQUA e o Selo Casa Azul. Para a investigação utilizou-se da ferramenta Análise Hierárquica (Analytic Hierarchic Process, AHP), que permite a avaliação de múltiplos critérios, com dados que podem ser tanto qualitativos como quantitativos. Este estudo demonstrou que o selo desenvolvido para a realidade brasileira, Selo Casa Azul, tem melhor desempenho para avaliar as edificações habitacionais do país.
Increasing forest loss worldwide from invasive pests requires new trade regulations
Authors: Roy Bitty A , Alexander Helen M , Davidson Jennifer , Campbell Faith T , Burdon Jeremy J , Sniezko Richard , Brasier Clive
Published: September 2014

Loss of forests due to non‐native invasive pests (including insects, nematodes, and pathogens) is a global phenomenon with profound population, community, ecosystem, and economic impacts. We review the magnitude of pest‐associated forest loss worldwide and discuss the major ecological and evolutionary causes and consequences of these invasions. After compiling and analyzing a dataset of pest invasions from 21 countries, we show that the number of forest pest invasions recorded for a given country has a significant positive relationship with trade (as indicated by gross domestic product) and is not associated with the amount of forested land within that country. We recommend revisions to existing international protocols for preventing pest entry and proliferation, including prohibiting shipments of non‐essential plants and plant products unless quarantined. Because invasions often originate from taxa that are scientifically described only after their introduction, current phytosanitary regulations – which target specific, already named organisms – are ineffective.
A practical approach for putting people in ecosystem‐based ocean planning
Authors: Kittinger John N , Koehn J Zachary , Le Cornu Elodie , Ban Natalie C , Gopnik Morgan , Armsby Matt , Brooks Cassandra , Carr Mark H , Cinner Joshua E , Cravens Amanda , D'Iorio Mimi , Erickson Ashley , Finkbeiner Elena M , Foley Melissa M , Fujita Rod , Gelcich Stefan , Martin Kevin St , Prahler Erin , Reineman Daniel R , Shackeroff Janna , White Crow , Caldwell Margaret R , Crowder Larry B
Published: September 2014

Marine and coastal ecosystems provide important benefits and services to coastal communities across the globe, but assessing the diversity of social relationships with oceans can prove difficult for conservation scientists and practitioners. This presents barriers to incorporating social dimensions of marine ecosystems into ecosystem‐based planning processes, which can in turn affect the success of planning and management initiatives. Following a global assessment of social research and related planning practices in ocean environments, we present a step‐by‐step approach for natural resource planning practitioners to more systematically incorporate social data into ecosystem‐based ocean planning. Our approach includes three sequential steps: (1) develop a typology of ocean‐specific human uses that occur within the planning region of interest; (2) characterize the complexity of these uses, including the spatiotemporal variability, intensity, and diversity thereof, as well as associated conflicts and compatibility; and (3) integrate social and ecological information to assess trade‐offs necessary for successful implementation of ecosystem‐based ocean planning. We conclude by showing how systematic engagement of social data – together with ecological information – can create advantages for practitioners to improve planning and management outcomes.
Ecological impacts of invasive alien species along temperature gradients: testing the role of environmental matching
Authors: Iacarella Josephine C. , Dick Jaimie T. A. , Alexander Mhairi E. , Ricciardi Anthony
Published: September 2014

Invasive alien species (IAS) can cause substantive ecological impacts, and the role of temperature in mediating these impacts may become increasingly significant in a changing climate. Habitat conditions and physiological optima offer predictive information for IAS impacts in novel environments. Here, using meta‐analysis and laboratory experiments, we tested the hypothesis that the impacts of IAS in the field are inversely correlated with the difference in their ambient and optimal temperatures. A meta‐analysis of 29 studies of consumptive impacts of IAS in inland waters revealed that the impacts of fishes and crustaceans are higher at temperatures that more closely match their thermal growth optima. In particular, the maximum impact potential was constrained by increased differences between ambient and optimal temperatures, as indicated by the steeper slope of a quantile regression on the upper 25th percentile of impact data compared to that of a weighted linear regression on all data with measured variances. We complemented this study with an experimental analysis of the functional response (the relationship between predation rate and prey supply) of two invasive predators (freshwater mysid shrimp, Hemimysis anomala and Mysis diluviana) across relevant temperature gradients; both of these species have previously been found to exert strong community‐level impacts that are corroborated by their functional responses to different prey items. The functional response experiments showed that maximum feeding rates of H. anomala and M. diluviana have distinct peaks near their respective thermal optima. Although variation in impacts may be caused by numerous abiotic or biotic habitat characteristics, both our analyses point to temperature as a key mediator of IAS impact levels in inland waters and suggest that IAS management should prioritize habitats in the invaded range that more closely match the thermal optima of targeted invaders.
Determining origin in a migratory marine vertebrate: a novel method to integrate stable isotopes and satellite tracking
Authors: Vander Zanden Hannah B. , Tucker Anton D. , Hart Kristen M. , Lamont Margaret M. , Fujisaki Ikuko , Addison David S. , Mansfield Katherine L. , Phillips Katrina F. , Wunder Michael B. , Bowen Gabriel J. , Pajuelo Mariela , Bolten Alan B. , Bjorndal Karen A.
Published: September 2014

Stable isotope analysis is a useful tool to track animal movements in both terrestrial and marine environments. These intrinsic markers are assimilated through the diet and may exhibit spatial gradients as a result of biogeochemical processes at the base of the food web. In the marine environment, maps to predict the spatial distribution of stable isotopes are limited, and thus determining geographic origin has been reliant upon integrating satellite telemetry and stable isotope data. Migratory sea turtles regularly move between foraging and reproductive areas. Whereas most nesting populations can be easily accessed and regularly monitored, little is known about the demographic trends in foraging populations. The purpose of the present study was to examine migration patterns of loggerhead nesting aggregations in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), where sea turtles have been historically understudied. Two methods of geographic assignment using stable isotope values in known‐origin samples from satellite telemetry were compared: (1) a nominal approach through discriminant analysis and (2) a novel continuous‐surface approach using bivariate carbon and nitrogen isoscapes (isotopic landscapes) developed for this study. Tissue samples for stable isotope analysis were obtained from 60 satellite‐tracked individuals at five nesting beaches within the GoM. Both methodological approaches for assignment resulted in high accuracy of foraging area determination, though each has advantages and disadvantages. The nominal approach is more appropriate when defined boundaries are necessary, but up to 42% of the individuals could not be considered in this approach. All individuals can be included in the continuous‐surface approach, and individual results can be aggregated to identify geographic hotspots of foraging area use, though the accuracy rate was lower than nominal assignment. The methodological validation provides a foundation for future sea turtle studies in the region to inexpensively determine geographic origin for large numbers of untracked individuals. Regular monitoring of sea turtle nesting aggregations with stable isotope sampling can be used to fill critical data gaps regarding habitat use and migration patterns. Probabilistic assignment to origin with isoscapes has not been previously used in the marine environment, but the methods presented here could also be applied to other migratory marine species.
Apparent competition and native consumers exacerbate the strong competitive effect of an exotic plant species
Authors: Orrock John L. , Dutra Humberto P. , Marquis Robert J. , Barber Nicholas
Published: September 2014

Direct and indirect effects can play a key role in invasions, but experiments evaluating both are rare. We examined the roles of direct competition and apparent competition by exotic Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) by manipulating (1) L. maackii vegetation, (2) presence of L. maackii fruits, and (3) access to plants by small mammals and deer. Direct competition with L. maackii reduced the abundance and richness of native and exotic species, and native consumers significantly reduced the abundance and richness of native species. Although effects of direct competition and consumption were more pervasive, richness of native plants was also reduced through apparent competition, as small‐mammal consumers reduced richness only when L. maackii fruits were present. Our experiment reveals the multiple, interactive pathways that affect the success and impact of an invasive exotic plant: exotic plants may directly benefit from reduced attack by native consumers, may directly exert strong competitive effects on native plants, and may also benefit from apparent competition.
Soil‐ and Plant‐Based Indices in Potato Production in Response to Polymer‐Coated Urea
Authors: Cambouris Athyna N. , St. Luce Mervin , Ziadi Noura , Zebarth Bernie J.
Published: September 2014

Polymer‐coated urea (PCU) is used in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production to maintain or improve tuber yield while minimizing N losses, but the mode of N release is different from conventional soluble N sources. Hence, it is not known how soil‐ and plant‐based indices of N availability would perform in response to PCU application. A 3‐yr study was conducted on a sandy‐loam soil in Quebec, Canada, to examine the effect of PCU application rate (0, 60, 120, 200, and 280 kg N ha−1) on petiole NO3–N concentrations, chlorophyll meter readings (SPAD readings), soil mineral N content, and total tuber yield. Nitrate availability throughout the growing season was monitored by measuring NO3 adsorbed by anion exchange membranes (NO3AEM). The NO3AEM values, petiole NO3–N concentrations, SPAD readings, soil mineral N content, and total tuber yield increased with PCU application rate. The NO3AEM values fluctuated during the growing season due to plant N uptake and variations in soil moisture content. Using all the PCU rates across years, we found that relative yield was better related to petiole NO3–N concentrations measured at 45 to 50 d after planting (DAP) (R2 = 0.95) and to cumulative NO3AEM values measured up to 49 DAP (R2 = 0.91) than soil mineral N (R2 = 0.67), soil NO3–N (R2 = 0.65), and SPAD readings (R2 = 0.53) measured at 45 to 50 DAP, respectively. This study showed that soil‐ and plant‐based indices of N availability can be used as early indicators of yield response in potato fertilized with PCU.
Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 Is Increased in Patients with Impaired Bone Density
Authors: Kotaška Karel , Kolárová Jitka , Jedličková Blanka , Čepová Jana , Kotaška Jan , Průša Richard
Published: September 2014

Background: Increased levels of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 are associated with atherosclerosis, and may contribute to cardiac disease. The aim of this study was to analyze serum levels of lipoprotein phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) in patients with impaired bone resorption and correlate the findings with markers of bone metabolism (osteocalcin) and other biochemical markers (cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, triacylglycerols).

Methods: Serum Lp-PLA2 was measured by a turbidimetric method in a group of currently treated 85 patients with impaired bone resorption and in a control group of 46 healthy individuals. Serum triacylglycerols was measured by the electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Cholesterol, low density lipoprotein and triacylglycerols were measured by commercially available enzymatic assays. Bone density was investigated by dual energy X-ray densitometry performed on the lower spine and hips.

Results: Concentrations of LP-PLA2 were significantly elevated in the patients with bone resorption compared to the control group of healthy individuals (225 ng/mL vs. 192 ng/mL, p>0.001) with the highest difference in patients with a T score below –2.5 SD (227 vs. 192 ng/mL). Serum levels of Lp-PLA2 also negatively correlated with decreased levels of serum osteocalcin in patients, and a significant difference in Lp-PLA2 (p=0.02) levels was observed between the control group and group with low levels of osteocalcin. Elevated Lp-PLA2 levels were significantly associated with the therapeutic procedures used, but not with age, gender and concentration of lipids.

Conclusions: Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 seems to play an important role also in bone metabolism.
Telling the Right Story: Environmental Violence and Liberation Narratives
Authors: Barca Stefania
Published: September 2014

Half a century ago, Silent Spring showed the world how violence against living and non-living matter, by way of petrochemcial contamination, is related to violence against humans. This is a fundamental lesson of twentieth century environmental thinking, I argue, that environmental historians should carry with them into the twenty-first. The first part of the paper draws attention on the category of environmental violence. I argue that environmental degradation and social inequality have common historical roots, lying within the sphere of corporate and/or State 'development' policies, premised on the production of sacrifice zones and disposable bodies. Environmental violence, in other words, acts according to configurations of environmental injustice. In the second part, I call attention on the ways in which industrial development in post-war Europe has produced certain forms of environmental violence which have deeply affected human and non-human life in a multitude of places, and offer some insights into how this could be analysed by environmental historians.
Environmental and Veterinary History - Some Themes and Suggested Ways Forward
Authors: Brown Karen
Published: September 2014

This article gives an overview of a number of contemporary trends in veterinary and environmental history. It opens with some ideas as to why veterinary history has become more popular in recent years and suggests that the global publicity granted to zoonotic diseases may be part of the reason. Our close links with domestic and indeed wild animals make us susceptible to disease spillovers from other species. The introductory section is followed by some discussion of the European historiography, where infections such as the cattle disease rinderpest have featured strongly. Efforts to control infections such as rinderpest played an important role in strengthening the regulatory power of many European, and indeed colonial, states. The final part focuses on Africa where interviews have indicated strong linkages between the state of the environment and outbreaks of livestock diseases. Finally, there are some suggestions about ways forward, with an emphasis on studies of local knowledge as a prism through which to explore veterinary and environmental histories in tandem.
The journalist, the minister and the lost cairnfield of Cathkin Braes
Authors: Mearns Jim
Published: September 2014

This paper reviews the use of sources in archaeological research, with particular reference to antiquarian material. Specific attention is paid to antiquarian texts by the Rev. David Ure and Mr Hugh MacDonald relating mainly to the site of Queen Mary's Cairn, Cathkin Braes, south-east of Glasgow. Brief biographical information is provided about the two antiquaries and their different approaches to recording sites discussed. The paper also looks at more recent work on the area and compares the modern approaches to reporting with the antiquarian and notes the uses of antiquarian sources in modern work.
Turning the World Upside Down: Playing as the Deliberate Creation of Uncertainty
Authors: Lester Stuart , Russell Wendy
Published: September 2014

Risk is big business. It has assumed almost universal acceptance as an ever-present reality of life, something out there waiting to cause harm (most notably to political, economic and health systems). It commands vast resources to develop preventative measures that are the preserve of experts issuing often contradictory advice and warnings. Children’s play is caught up in this account. No longer something that children just do, it is subject to adult scrutiny that simultaneously and paradoxically attempts to manage risk and promote “risk-taking” for its perceived instrumental benefits, primarily the development of risk assessing skills. Adults thus guide children’s play, rendering children passive and needy recipients of expertise. This article takes a broader perspective to consider how this contemporary understanding of risk plays out in material discursive practices in relation to childhood, play, health and wellbeing. It then draws on conceptual tools of relationality, materiality and performativity to reconfigure playing as an emergent co-production of entangled bodies, affects, objects, space and histories in ways that make life better for the time of playing. Such moments produce health-affirming potential as an intra-dependent phenomenon rather than an individual achievement. Finally, it considers implications for “health promotion” and health enabling environments.
Effect of Conformational Entropy on the Nanomechanics of Microcantilever-Based Single-Stranded DNA Sensors
Authors: Tan Zou-Qing , Zhang Neng-Hui
Published: September 2014

An entropy-controlled bending mechanism is presented to study the nanomechanics of microcantilever-based single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) sensors. First; the conformational free energy of the ssDNA layer is given with an improved scaling theory of thermal blobs considering the curvature effect; and the mechanical energy of the non-biological layer is described by Zhang’s two-variable method for laminated beams. Then; an analytical model for static deflections of ssDNA microcantilevers is formulated by the principle of minimum energy. The comparisons of deflections predicted by the proposed model; Utz–Begley’s model and Hagan’s model are also examined. Numerical results show that the conformational entropy effect on microcantilever deflections cannot be ignored; especially at the conditions of high packing density or long chain systems; and the variation of deflection predicted by the proposed analytical model not only accords with that observed in the related experiments qualitatively; but also appears quantitatively closer to the experimental values than that by the preexisting models. In order to improve the sensitivity of static-mode biosensors; it should be as small as possible to reduce the substrate stiffness.
Antioxidative Dietary Compounds Modulate Gene Expression Associated with Apoptosis, DNA Repair, Inhibition of Cell Proliferation and Migration
Authors: Wang Likui , Gao Shijuan , Jiang Wei , Luo Cheng , Xu Maonian , Bohlin Lars , Rosendahl Markus , Huang Wenlin
Published: September 2014

Many dietary compounds are known to have health benefits owing to their antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. To determine the molecular mechanism of these food-derived compounds, we analyzed their effect on various genes related to cell apoptosis, DNA damage and repair, oxidation and inflammation using in vitro cell culture assays. This review further tests the hypothesis proposed previously that downstream products of COX-2 (cyclooxygenase-2) called electrophilic oxo-derivatives induce antioxidant responsive elements (ARE), which leads to cell proliferation under antioxidative conditions. Our findings support this hypothesis and show that cell proliferation was inhibited when COX-2 was down-regulated by polyphenols and polysaccharides. Flattened macrophage morphology was also observed following the induction of cytokine production by polysaccharides extracted from viili, a traditional Nordic fermented dairy product. Coix lacryma-jobi (coix) polysaccharides were found to reduce mitochondrial membrane potential and induce caspase-3- and 9-mediated apoptosis. In contrast, polyphenols from blueberries were involved in the ultraviolet-activated p53/Gadd45/MDM2 DNA repair system by restoring the cell membrane potential. Inhibition of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 by saponin extracts of ginsenoside (Ginsen) and Gynostemma and inhibition of S100A4 by coix polysaccharides inhibited cancer cell migration and invasion. These observations suggest that antioxidants and changes in cell membrane potential are the major driving forces that transfer signals through the cell membrane into the cytosol and nucleus, triggering gene expression, changes in cell proliferation and the induction of apoptosis or DNA repair.
Río Tinto: A Geochemical and Mineralogical Terrestrial Analogue of Mars
Authors: Amils Ricardo , Fernández-Remolar David , The IPBSL Team
Published: September 2014

The geomicrobiological characterization of the water column and sediments of Río Tinto (Huelva, Southwestern Spain) have proven the importance of the iron and the sulfur cycles, not only in generating the extreme conditions of the habitat (low pH, high concentration of toxic heavy metals), but also in maintaining the high level of microbial diversity detected in the basin. It has been proven that the extreme acidic conditions of Río Tinto basin are not the product of 5000 years of mining activity in the area, but the consequence of an active underground bioreactor that obtains its energy from the massive sulfidic minerals existing in the Iberian Pyrite Belt. Two drilling projects, MARTE (Mars Astrobiology Research and Technology Experiment) (2003–2006) and IPBSL (Iberian Pyrite Belt Subsurface Life Detection) (2011–2015), were developed and carried out to provide evidence of subsurface microbial activity and the potential resources that support these activities. The reduced substrates and the oxidants that drive the system appear to come from the rock matrix. These resources need only groundwater to launch diverse microbial metabolisms. The similarities between the vast sulfate and iron oxide deposits on Mars and the main sulfide bioleaching products found in the Tinto basin have given Río Tinto the status of a geochemical and mineralogical Mars terrestrial analogue.
Surface Chloride Concentration of Concrete under Shallow Immersion Conditions
Authors: Liu Jun , Tang Kaifeng , Pan Dong , Lei Zongru , Wang Weilun , Xing Feng
Published: September 2014

Deposition of chloride ions in the surface layer of concrete is investigated in this study. In real concrete structure, chloride ions from the service environment can penetrate into concrete and deposit in the surface layer, to form the boundary condition for further diffusion towards the interior. The deposit amount of chloride ions in the surface layer is normally a function of time, rather than a constant. In the experimental investigation, concrete specimens with different mix proportions are immersed in NaCl solution with a mass concentration of 5%, to simulate the shallow immersion condition in sea water, and the surface chloride concentrations are measured at different ages. It is found that the surface chloride concentration increases following the increasing immersion durations, and varies from a weight percentage of 0.161%–0.781% in concretes with different mix proportions. The w/c (water-to-cement ratio) influences the surface chloride concentration significantly, and the higher the w/c is, the higher the surface chloride concentration will be, at the same age. However, following the prolonging of immersion duration, the difference in surface chloride concentration induced by w/c becomes smaller and smaller. The incorporation of fly ash leads to higher surface chloride concentration. The phenomena are explained based on pore structure analyses.
Corrosion Resistance of a Sand Particle-Modified Enamel Coating Applied to Smooth Steel Bars
Authors: Tang Fujian , Chen Genda , Brow Richard , Koenigstein Michael
Published: September 2014

The protective performance of a sand particle-modified enamel coating on reinforcing steel bars was evaluated in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Seven percentages of sand particles by weight were investigated: 0%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 50% and 70%. The phase composition of the enamel coating and sand particles were determined with the X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. The surface and cross-sectional morphologies of the sand particle-modified enamel coating were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD tests revealed three phases of sand particles: SiO2, CaCO3 and MgCO3. SEM images demonstrated that the enamel coating wetted well with the sand particles. However, a weak enamel coating zone was formed around the sand particles due to concentrated air bubbles, leading to micro-cracks as hydrogen gas pressure builds up and exceeds the tensile strength of the weak zone. As a result, the addition of sand particles into the enamel coating reduced both the coating and corrosion resistances.
Preparation of Calcium- and Magnesium-Fortified Potato Starches with Altered Pasting Properties
Authors: Noda Takahiro , Takigawa Shigenobu , Matsuura-Endo Chie , Ishiguro Koji , Nagasawa Koichi , Jinno Masahiro
Published: September 2014

Calcium- and magnesium-fortified potato starches were prepared by immersion in various concentrations of CaCl2 and MgCl2 aqueous solutions, respectively. The pasting properties, i.e., peak viscosity and breakdown, of all the starches obtained above were analyzed using a Rapid Visco Analyzer. Furthermore, the gelatinization properties and in vitro digestibility of the representative calcium- and magnesium-fortified starches were tested. The maximum calcium content of the fortified potato starches was as high as 686 ppm with the addition of a high-concentration CaCl2 solution, while the calcium content of the control potato starch was 99 ppm. The magnesium content increased from 89 to 421 ppm by treatment of the potato starch with an MgCl2 solution. Markedly lower values of peak viscosity and breakdown were observed in calcium- and magnesium-fortified potato starches than in the control potato starch. However, the gelatinization temperature and enthalpy as well as resistant starch content of calcium- and magnesium-fortified potato starches were similar to those of the control potato starch. It is concluded that potato starches with altered pasting properties can be easily manufactured by the use of solutions containing high levels of calcium and magnesium.
Graphene-Based Nanomaterials as Heterogeneous Acid Catalysts: A Comprehensive Perspective
Authors: Garg Bhaskar , Bisht Tanuja , Ling Yong-Chien
Published: September 2014

Acid catalysis is quite prevalent and probably one of the most routine operations in both industrial processes and research laboratories worldwide. Recently, “graphene”, a two dimensional single-layer carbon sheet with hexagonal packed lattice structure, imitative of nanomaterials, has shown great potential as alternative and eco-friendly solid carbocatalyst for a variety of acid-catalyzed reactions. Owing to their exceptional physical, chemical, and mechanical properties, graphene-based nanomaterials (G-NMs) offer highly stable Brønsted acidic sites, high mass transfer, relatively large surface areas, water tolerant character, and convenient recoverability as well as recyclability, whilst retaining high activity in acid-catalyzed chemical reactions. This comprehensive review focuses on the chemistry of G-NMs, including their synthesis, characterization, properties, functionalization, and up-to-date applications in heterogeneous acid catalysis. In line with this, in certain instances readers may find herein some criticisms that should be taken as constructive and would be of value in understanding the scope and limitations of current approaches utilizing graphene and its derivatives for the same.
A Vibration-Based Strategy for Health Monitoring of Offshore Pipelines’ Girth-Welds
Authors: Razi Pejman , Taheri Farid
Published: September 2014

This study presents numerical simulations and experimental verification of a vibration-based damage detection technique. Health monitoring of a submerged pipe’s girth-weld against an advancing notch is attempted. Piezoelectric transducers are bonded on the pipe for sensing or actuation purposes. Vibration of the pipe is excited by two means: (i) an impulsive force; (ii) using one of the piezoelectric transducers as an actuator to propagate chirp waves into the pipe. The methodology adopts the empirical mode decomposition (EMD), which processes vibration data to establish energy-based damage indices. The results obtained from both the numerical and experimental studies confirm the integrity of the approach in identifying the existence, and progression of the advancing notch. The study also discusses and compares the performance of the two vibration excitation means in damage detection.
Industrial Ecology and Environmental Lean Management: Lights and Shadows
Authors: Ioppolo Giuseppe , Cucurachi Stefano , Salomone Roberta , Saija Giuseppe , Ciraolo Luigi
Published: September 2014

Current industrial production is driven by increasing globalization, which has led to a steady increase in production volumes and complexity of products aimed at the pursuit of meeting the needs of customers. In this context, one of the main tools in the management of customer value is Lean Manufacturing or Production, though it is considered primarily as a set of tools to reduce the total cost of the resources needed to achieve such needs. This philosophy has recently been enriched in the literature with case studies that link Lean Management (LM) with the improvement of environmental sustainability. The consequence is an expansion of the Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM); indeed, CIM, currently, combining and integrating the key business functions (e.g., business, engineering, manufacturing, and information management) with a view of the life cycle, does not highlight the strategic role of the environmental aspects. In order to deal with the increasingly rapid environmental degradation that is reflected in society, in terms of both economy and quality of life, Industrial Ecology (IE) introduced a new paradigm of principles and instruments of analysis and decision support (e.g., Life Cycle Assessment—LCA, Social Life Cycle Assessment -SLCA, Material Flow Account—MFA, etc.) that can be considered as the main basis for integrating the environmental aspects in each strategy, design, production, final product, and end of life management, through the re-engineering of processes and activities towards the development of an eco-industrial system. This paper presents the preliminary observations based on a analysis of both theories (LM-IE) and provides a possible assessment of the key factors relevant to their integration in a “lean environmental management”, highlighting both positives (lights) and possible barriers (shadows).
Generation of a Chimeric Hepatitis C Replicon Encoding a Genotype-6a NS3 Protease and Assessment of Boceprevir (SCH503034) Sensitivity and Drug-Associated Mutations
Authors: Aloia Amanda L , Eyre Nicholas S , Black Stuart , Bent Stephen J , Gaeguta Adriana , Guo Zhuyan , Narayana Sumudu K , Chase Robert , Locarnini Stephen , Carr Jill M , Howe John A , Beard Michael R
Published: September 2014

Background

Genotype (gt)6 HCV is common amongst HCV-positive populations of the Asia–Pacific region but cell culture models for this gt have only recently been developed. Boceprevir (SCH503034) is a clinically available inhibitor of the HCV NS3 protein. We investigated the efficacy of boceprevir for inhibiting replication of a chimeric gt1b replicon encoding a gt6a NS3 protease and defined the development of mutations in the protease when boceprevir treatment was applied.

Methods

We constructed a chimeric gt1b subgenomic replicon encoding a gt6 NS3 protease (NS3p) sequence (gt6NS3p_gt1b). The boceprevir EC50 value against replication of this replicon was determined using quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR. Next-generation sequencing was used to identify nucleotide changes associated with boceprevir resistance. The replication capacities of chimeric replicons containing mutations associated with boceprevir resistance were determined by colony formation efficiency assays.

Results

The boceprevir EC50 value for the gt6NS3p_gt1b replicon was 535 ±79 nM. Boceprevir-resistant gt6NS3p_gt1b replicon cell lines could be selected and they demonstrated drug-associated amino acid changes that have previously been reported in other HCV gts. Interestingly, no mutations were observed at A156, a position defined for boceprevir resistance in gt1 NS3p, while mutation at N122, which is rarely reported in boceprevir-resistant gt1 proteases, was frequently observed. Re-introduction of these mutations into the chimeric replicon altered their replication capacity, ranging from complete abolishment of replication (A156T) to increasing replication capacity (V36A, N122S). This report provides the first characterization of gt6 HCV resistance to boceprevir.

Conclusions

A chimeric HCV replicon encoding gt6 NS3 protease is sensitive to boceprevir and develops drug-resistant mutations at amino acid sites previously reported for other gts. Mutation at N122 also appears to be associated with boceprevir resistance in the gt6 NS3 protease.
Preserving digital remix video
Authors: Fraimow Rebecca
Published: September 2014

Digital content, particularly audiovisual material, sourced on the Internet is unlikely to remain usable and discoverable into the long term as a result of file corruption, format obsolescence, unreliable hosting sites, and insufficient metadata. In this overview, the risks to the material, the current preservation efforts being undertaken by remix communities, and suggested methods that creators of remix video can use to help their material survive into the next digital generation are presented.
Redefining genderswap fan fiction: A "Sherlock" case study
Authors: McClellan Ann
Published: September 2014

Using BBC Sherlock (2010–) fan fiction as case study, this article looks at how fans use and understand such concepts as biological sex and gender in genderswap fan fiction, arguing that the label often minimizes the importance of the physical body in determining gender identity. The label genderswap, most often used to describe stories where characters have become differently sexed, reflects and reinforces common cultural misunderstandings about differences between sex and gender. By teasing out definitions of genderswap, sex, gender, cisgender, and transgender, the article analyzes what genderswap includes and excludes from discussions of gender and identity within contemporary fan fiction, ultimately arguing for a broader conceptual understanding that grounds the genre within contemporary transgender theory.
"Manga's cultural crossroads," edited by Jaqueline Berndt and Bettina Kümmerling-Meibauer
Authors: Lamerichs Nicolle
Published: September 2014

Review of Jaqueline Berndt and Bettina Kümmerling-Meibauer, eds. Manga's cultural crossroads. New York: Routledge, 2013, hardcover, $118.75 (282p) ISBN 978-0415504508.
Knowledge-Based Recommendation Systems
Authors: Bouraga Sarah , Jureta Ivan , Faulkner Stéphane , Herssens Caroline
Published: September 2014

Knowledge-Base Recommendation (or Recommender) Systems (KBRS) provide the user with advice about a decision to make or an action to take. KBRS rely on knowledge provided by human experts, encoded in the system and applied to input data, in order to generate recommendations. This survey overviews the main ideas characterizing a KBRS. Using a classification framework, the survey overviews KBRS components, user problems for which recommendations are given, knowledge content of the system, and the degree of automation in producing recommendations.
Process Model for Content Extraction from Weblogs
Authors: Schieber Andreas , Hilbert Andreas
Published: September 2014

This paper develops and evaluates a BPMN-based process model which identifies and extracts blog content from the web and stores its textual data in a data warehouse for further analyses. Depending on the characteristics of the technologies used to create the weblogs, the process has to perform specific tasks in order to extract blog content correctly. The paper describes three phases: extraction, transformation and loading of data in a repository specifically adapted for blog content extraction. It highlights the objectives in these phases which must be achieved to ensure the correct extraction. The authors integrate the described process in a previously developed framework for blog mining. The authors' process model closes the conceptual gap in this framework as well as the gap in current research of blog mining process models. Furthermore, it can easily be adapted for other web extraction proposals.
Diagnosis of Interactive Conjoint Analysis Based on Social Comparison
Authors: Castel Dennis , Wei Fei , Saga Ryosuke , Tsuji Hiroshi
Published: September 2014

To help non-professional background respondents to get awareness from complicated calculations of conjoint analysis, this paper presents overview and functions of preference diagnosis, transforming results of conjoint analysis from tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge. This process also leads to the creation of new knowledge. In addition, this paper also discusses a design of diagnosis model by positioning on individual, groups and clusters. A simple example is also discussed. The proposal includes two types of strategy: by-individual feature, a diagnosis generated in the result of conjoint analysis for individual and by-social feature, a diagnosis based on the comparison with analytical result of other respondents.
Organizational Culture and Effect on Organizational Performance
Authors: Bashayreh Anas M.
Published: September 2014

Organizational culture is an important part to be considered by dynamic organizations in order to develop some competitive advantage to ensure enhanced organizational performance. This study aims to close the gap between understanding the role of organizational culture and the effect on organizational performance among the employees in insurance companies. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between the dimensions of organizational culture and organizational performance among insurance companies operating in the Jordanian market. A sample of 240 respondents that were selected randomly from insurance companies participated in this study. Data were collected by survey questionnaire. Both descriptive and influential statistic namely frequency, mean, and multiple regression were used to analyze the data. The result shows that there is limited significant relationship between organizational expectations, encourage development, behavioral styles, and stability and communication and organizational performance. The results also showed that a significant relationship exists between policies and procedures and organizational performance. This study explored the results of the effect of organizational culture dimensions on organizational performance and to assess which organizational culture dimensions have a larger marginal impact on organizational performance. This study improved the managers' understanding on a way to improve organizational culture dimensions that have a vital impact on overall performance.
Analysis of Pedestrian Road Crossing Behaviour in Urban Areas
Authors: Papadimitriou Eleonora , Yannis George , Golias John
Published: September 2014

The objective of this research is the analysis of pedestrians behaviour along entire trips in urban road networks, with focus on their interaction with the traffic and the road environment while crossing roads. For this purpose, a special field survey was designed and carried out, which involved the recording of pedestrians road crossing behaviour along entire trips in real time by means of camera in motion at the centre of Athens, Greece. Based on the results of the field survey, an analysis of road crossing behaviour of pedestrians is presented, concerning characteristics of the trips, the pedestrians, the road environment and the traffic conditions. The results indicate that basic parameters of pedestrian trips (i.e. trip length, walking speed, number of crossings) can be described by appropriate probability distributions. They also reveal a tendency of pedestrians to cross either in the beginning or in the end of the trip, an increased probability of crossing at signalized junctions when these are available, and increased probability of crossing at mid-block in low traffic volume and on one-way roads. Furthermore, there is an overall tendency of pedestrians cross to at mid-block when the road and traffic conditions are favourable. On the contrary, more traffic lanes and increased traffic volume appear to discourage pedestrians from accepting important interaction with the vehicles and to lead them towards the choice of protected crossing locations. The proposed data collection method and the results of the analysis can be exploited in further research for the development of models of pedestrian crossing behaviour along entire trips in urban areas.
Pareto Evolutionary Optimization of Joint Network Design and Pricing Strategies Related to Emissions in Urban Networks
Authors: Dimitriou Loukas , Kaltsounis Antonios , Stathopoulos Antony
Published: September 2014

In the current social, physical, economical and environmental circumstances of scarcity, the design and management of vital lifelines like transportation systems, especially within the metropolitan context, are subject to the implementation of multiple objectives in a unified framework. Thus, one of the most important issues is the identification of optimal trade-offs among crucial objectives both from the designer's as well as from the users' perspective. In the current study a comprehensive framework for estimating optimal interrelations and dilemmas among emissions-related carbon footprint and other (social- and economic-related) features of urban road networks design and operation are presented and analyzed, based on techniques of multi-objective and hierarchical mathematical programming with equilibrium constraints, solved by suitable hybridization of evolutionary algorithms. The results of the proposed optimization methodological approach provide the Pareto Frontier of solutions, which corresponds to optimal trade-offs amongst multiple objectives. The computational experience from the application of the proposed methodological approach on a part of a realistic urban network is presented, providing evidence on the applicability as well as on the computational burden of such transportation design paradigms, but most importantly, on the dilemmas emerging in sustainable design and planning of transportation systems.
Reliability of Dynamic Causal Modeling using the Statistical Parametric Mapping Toolbox
Authors: Hosseini Pegah T. , Wang Shouyan , Brinton Julie , Bell Steven , Simpson David M.
Published: September 2014

Dynamic causal modeling (DCM) is a recently developed approach for effective connectivity measurement in the brain. It has attracted considerable attention in recent years and quite widespread used to investigate brain connectivity in response to different tasks as well as auditory, visual, and somatosensory stimulation. This method uses complex algorithms, and currently the only implementation available is the Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM8) toolbox with functionality for use on EEG and fMRI. The objective of the current work is to test the robustness of the toolbox when applied to EEG, by comparing results obtained from various versions of the software and operating systems when using identical datasets. Contrary to expectations, it was found that estimated connectivities were not consistent between different operating systems, the version of SPM8, or the version of MATLAB being used. The exact cause of this problem is not clear, but may relate to the high number of parameters in the model. Caution is thus recommended when interpreting the results of DCM estimated with the SPM8 software.