bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative Analysis of Weld-Pore Size and Depth and Effect on Fatigue Life of Ti-6Al-2Zr-1Mo-1V Alloy Weldments
Authors: Zhang Weifang , Liu Xiaopeng , Wang Hongxun , Dai Wei , Fu Guicui
Published: October 2017

Titanium-alloy weldments have been extensively used in engineering structures, and accurate estimation of the fatigue life is beneficial for avoiding catastrophic failures in titanium-alloy structures. The weld pore is a common defect in these weldments that significantly influences the fatigue process. In this study, the weld-pore size and depth and its effect on the fatigue life of Ti-6Al-2Zr-1Mo-1V (TA15) alloy weldments are investigated by adopting fatigue tests and fracture observations. The results show that fatigue crack initiations occurred at the weld pores for all specimens. The diameter and depth of all weld pores on fracture surfaces were then measured, and an indicator, P, was proposed, defined as a combination of pore diameter and depth. It was found that all the fatigue cracks initiated from the pore have the smallest P indicator, which suggests that P can be used to judge the location of crack initiation in an individual sample. Moreover, a model was developed based on P to estimate the fatigue life of weldments, considering the effects of weld-pore size and depth. Finally, analogous fatigue tests were carried out for model verification, and results show that the proposed model has a higher accuracy compared with several typical models. The findings of this study can be helpful in estimating the fatigue life and fatigue design of titanium-alloy weldments.
Influence of Plant Growth Retardants on Quality of Codonopsis Radix
Authors: Liao Yinyin , Zeng Lanting , Li Pan , Sun Tian , Wang Chao , Li Fangwen , Chen Yiyong , Du Bing , Yang Ziyin
Published: October 2017

Plant growth retardant (PGR) refers to organics that can inhibit the cell division of plant stem tip sub-apical meristem cells or primordial meristem cell. They are widely used in the cultivation of rhizomatous functional plants; such as Codonopsis Radix, that is a famous Chinese traditional herb. However, it is still unclear whether PGR affects the medicinal quality of C. Radix. In the present study, amino acid analyses, targeted and non-targeted analyses by ultra-performance liquid chromatography combined with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS) and gas chromatography-MS were used to analyze and compare the composition of untreated C. Radix and C. Radix treated with PGR. The contents of two key bioactive compounds, lobetyolin and atractylenolide III, were not affected by PGR treatment. The amounts of polysaccharides and some internal volatiles were significantly decreased by PGR treatment; while the free amino acids content was generally increased. Fifteen metabolites whose abundance were affected by PGR treatment were identified by UPLC-TOF-MS. Five of the up-regulated compounds have been reported to show immune activity, which might contribute to the healing efficacy (“buqi”) of C. Radix. The results of this study showed that treatment of C. Radix with PGR during cultivation has economic benefits and affected some main bioactive compounds in C. Radix.
Synthesis of Novel Glycerol-Derived 1,2,3-Triazoles and Evaluation of Their Fungicide, Phytotoxic and Cytotoxic Activities
Authors: Costa Adilson Vidal , Oliveira Marcos Vinicius Lacerda de , Pinto Roberta Tristão , Moreira Luiza Carvalheira , Gomes Ediellen Mayara Corrêa , Alves Thammyres de Assis , Pinheiro Patrícia Fontes , Queiroz Vagner Tebaldi de , Vieira Larissa Fonseca Andrade , Teixeira Robson Ricardo , Júnior Waldir Cintra de Jesus
Published: October 2017

The synthesis of a series of 1,2,3-triazoles using glycerol as starting material is described. The key step in the preparation of these triazolic derivatives is the copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC), also known as click reaction, between 4-(azidomethyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolane (3) and different terminal alkynes. The eight prepared derivatives were evaluated with regard to their fungicide, phytotoxic and cytotoxic activities. The fungicidal activity was assessed in vitro against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, the causative agent of papaya anthracnose. It was found that the compounds 1-(1-((2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)methyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)-cyclo-hexanol (4g) and 2-(1-((2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4-yl)methyl)-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)propan-2-ol (4h) demonstrated high efficiency in controlling C. gloeosporioides when compared to the commercial fungicide tebuconazole. The triazoles did not present any phytotoxic effect when evaluated against Lactuca sativa. However, five derivatives were mitodepressive, inducing cell death detected by the presence of condensed nuclei and acted as aneugenic agents in the cell cycle of L. sativa. It is believed that glycerol derivatives bearing 1,2,3-triazole functionalities may represent a promising scaffold to be explored for the development of new agents to control C. gloeosporioides.
Rosmarinic Acid, a Rosemary Extract Polyphenol, Increases Skeletal Muscle Cell Glucose Uptake and Activates AMPK
Authors: Vlavcheski Filip , Naimi Madina , Murphy Brennan , Hudlicky Tomas , Tsiani Evangelia
Published: October 2017

Skeletal muscle is a major insulin-target tissue and plays an important role in glucose homeostasis. Impaired insulin action in muscles leads to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. 5′ AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) is an energy sensor, its activation increases glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and AMPK activators have been viewed as a targeted approach in combating insulin resistance. We previously reported AMPK activation and increased muscle glucose uptake by rosemary extract (RE). In the present study, we examined the effects and the mechanism of action of rosmarinic acid (RA), a major RE constituent, in L6 rat muscle cells. RA (5.0 µM) increased glucose uptake (186 ± 4.17% of control, p < 0.001) to levels comparable to maximum insulin (204 ± 10.73% of control, p < 0.001) and metformin (202 ± 14.37% of control, p < 0.001). Akt phosphorylation was not affected by RA, while AMPK phosphorylation was increased. The RA-stimulated glucose uptake was inhibited by the AMPK inhibitor compound C and was not affected by wortmannin, an inhibitor of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). The current study shows an effect of RA to increase muscle glucose uptake and AMPK phosphorylation. RA deserves further study as it shows potential to be used as an agent to regulate glucose homeostasis.
Gypmacrophin A, a Rare Pentacyclic Sesterterpenoid, Together with Three Depsides, Functioned as New Chemical Evidence for Gypsoplaca macrophylla (Zahlbr.) Timdal Identification
Authors: Zhou Yuan-Fei , Shi Hai-Xia , Hu Kun , Tang Jian-Wei , Li Xing-Ren , Du Xue , Sun Han-Dong , Wang Li-Song , Pu Jian-Xin
Published: October 2017

The phytochemical investigation on 1 g of materials from Gypsoplaca macrophylla (Zahlbr.) Timdal resulted in the discovery of gypmacrophin A, a rare pentacyclic sesterterpenoid; brialmontin III, a new polysubstituted depside and two known ones, brialmontins I and II. The structure and absolute configurations of gypmacrophin A were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses and computational methods. Gypmacrophin A showed weak inhibition of AchE with an IC50 value of 32.03 μM. The four compounds provided new chemical evidence for G. macrophylla identification.
Wet-Chemical Preparation of TiO2-Based Composites with Different Morphologies and Photocatalytic Properties
Authors: Xiang Liqin , Zhao Xiaopeng
Published: October 2017

TiO2-based composites have been paid significant attention in the photocatalysis field. The size, crystallinity and nanomorphology of TiO2 materials have an important effect on the photocatalytic efficiency. The synthesis and photocatalytic activity of TiO2-based materials have been widely investigated in past decades. Based on our group’s research works on TiO2 materials, this review introduces several methods for the fabrication of TiO2, rare-earth-doped TiO2 and noble-metal-decorated TiO2 particles with different morphologies. We focused on the preparation and the formation mechanism of TiO2-based materials with unique structures including spheres, hollow spheres, porous spheres, hollow porous spheres and urchin-like spheres. The photocatalytical activity of urchin-like TiO2, noble metal nanoparticle-decorated 3D (three-dimensional) urchin-like TiO2 and bimetallic core/shell nanoparticle-decorated urchin-like hierarchical TiO2 are briefly discussed.
Orexin Receptor Multimerization versus Functional Interactions: Neuropharmacological Implications for Opioid and Cannabinoid Signalling and Pharmacogenetics
Authors: Thompson Miles , Sakurai Takeshi , Rainero Innocenzo , Maj Mary , Kukkonen Jyrki
Published: October 2017

Orexins/hypocretins are neuropeptides formed by proteolytic cleavage of a precursor peptide, which are produced by neurons found in the lateral hypothalamus. The G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) for these ligands, the OX1 and OX2 orexin receptors, are more widely expressed throughout the central nervous system. The orexin/hypocretin system has been implicated in many pathways, and its dysregulation is under investigation in a number of diseases. Disorders in which orexinergic mechanisms are being investigated include narcolepsy, idiopathic sleep disorders, cluster headache and migraine. Human narcolepsy has been associated with orexin deficiency; however, it has only rarely been attributed to mutations in the gene encoding the precursor peptide. While gene variations within the canine OX2 gene hcrtr2 have been directly linked with narcolepsy, the majority of human orexin receptor variants are weakly associated with diseases (the idiopathic sleep disorders, cluster headache and polydipsia-hyponatremia in schizophrenia) or are of potential pharmacogenetic significance. Evidence for functional and/or heterodimerization between wild-type variant orexin receptors and opioid and cannabinoid receptors is discussed in the context of its relevance to depression and epilepsy.
Did Anthropogenic Activities Trigger the 3 April 2017 Mw 6.5 Botswana Earthquake?
Authors: Albano Matteo , Polcari Marco , Bignami Christian , Moro Marco , Saroli Michele , Stramondo Salvatore
Published: October 2017

On 3 April 2017, a Mw 6.5 earthquake occurred in Botswana, representing the second-strongest earthquake registered since 1949. Such an intraplate event occurred in a low seismic hazard area and was suspected to be an artificial earthquake induced by nearby anthropogenic activities (gas extraction). The possible relation between anthropogenic activities and the earthquake occurrence has been qualitatively investigated. We estimated the geometric and kinematic characteristics of the causative fault from the modeling of Sentinel-1 InSAR interferograms. Our best-fit solution for the main shock is represented by a normal fault located at a depth greater than 20 km, dipping 65° northeast, with a right-lateral component, and a mean slip of 2.7 m. The retrieved fault geometry and mechanism are incompatible with the hypothetical stress perturbation caused by the anthropogenic activities performed in the area. Therefore, the 3 April 2017 Botswana earthquake can be classified as a natural intraplate earthquake.
Scene Semantic Understanding Based on the Spatial Context Relations of Multiple Objects
Authors: Zhong Yanfei , Wu Siqi , Zhao Bei
Published: October 2017

As a result of the large semantic gap between the low-level features and the high-level semantics, scene understanding is a challenging task for high satellite resolution images. To achieve scene understanding, we need to know the contents of the scene. However, most of the existing scene classification methods, such as the bag-of-visual-words model (BoVW), feature coding, topic models, and neural networks, can only classify the scene while ignoring the components and the semantic and spatial relations between these components. Therefore, in this paper, a bottom-up scene understanding framework based on the multi-object spatial context relationship model (MOSCRF) is proposed to combine the co-occurrence relations and position relations at the object level. In MOSCRF, the co-occurrence relation features are modeled by the fisher kernel coding of objects (oFK), while the position relation features are represented by the multi-object force histogram (MOFH). The MOFH is the evolution of the force histogram between pairwise objects. The MOFH not only has the property of being invariant to rotation and mirroring, but also acquires the spatial distribution of the scene by calculating the acting force between multiple land-cover objects. Due to the utilization of the prior knowledge of the objects’ information, MOSCRF can explain the objects and their relations to allow understanding of the scene. The experiments confirm that the proposed MOSCRF can reflect the layout mode of the scene both semantically and spatially, with a higher precision than the traditional methods.
Desertification Susceptibility Mapping Using Logistic Regression Analysis in the Djelfa Area, Algeria
Authors: Djeddaoui Farid , Chadli Mohammed , Gloaguen Richard
Published: October 2017

The main goal of this work was to identify the areas that are most susceptible to desertification in a part of the Algerian steppe, and to quantitatively assess the key factors that contribute to this desertification. In total, 139 desertified zones were mapped using field surveys and photo-interpretation. We selected 16 spectral and geomorphic predictive factors, which a priori play a significant role in desertification. They were mainly derived from Landsat 8 imagery and Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission digital elevation model (SRTM DEM). Some factors, such as the topographic position index (TPI) and curvature, were used for the first time in this kind of study. For this purpose, we adapted the logistic regression algorithm for desertification susceptibility mapping, which has been widely used for landslide susceptibility mapping. The logistic model was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The model accuracy was 87.8%. We estimated the model uncertainties using a bootstrap method. Our analysis suggests that the predictive model is robust and stable. Our results indicate that land cover factors, including normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and rangeland classes, play a major role in determining desertification occurrence, while geomorphological factors have a limited impact. The predictive map shows that 44.57% of the area is classified as highly to very highly susceptible to desertification. The developed approach can be used to assess desertification in areas with similar characteristics and to guide possible actions to combat desertification.
Self-Taught Learning Based on Sparse Autoencoder for E-Nose in Wound Infection Detection
Authors: He Peilin , Jia Pengfei , Qiao Siqi , Duan Shukai
Published: October 2017

For an electronic nose (E-nose) in wound infection distinguishing, traditional learning methods have always needed large quantities of labeled wound infection samples, which are both limited and expensive; thus, we introduce self-taught learning combined with sparse autoencoder and radial basis function (RBF) into the field. Self-taught learning is a kind of transfer learning that can transfer knowledge from other fields to target fields, can solve such problems that labeled data (target fields) and unlabeled data (other fields) do not share the same class labels, even if they are from entirely different distribution. In our paper, we obtain numerous cheap unlabeled pollutant gas samples (benzene, formaldehyde, acetone and ethylalcohol); however, labeled wound infection samples are hard to gain. Thus, we pose self-taught learning to utilize these gas samples, obtaining a basis vector θ. Then, using the basis vector θ, we reconstruct the new representation of wound infection samples under sparsity constraint, which is the input of classifiers. We compare RBF with partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA), and reach a conclusion that the performance of RBF is superior to others. We also change the dimension of our data set and the quantity of unlabeled data to search the input matrix that produces the highest accuracy.
Improving the Accuracy and Training Speed of Motor Imagery Brain–Computer Interfaces Using Wavelet-Based Combined Feature Vectors and Gaussian Mixture Model-Supervectors
Authors: Lee David , Park Sang-Hoon , Lee Sang-Goog
Published: October 2017

In this paper, we propose a set of wavelet-based combined feature vectors and a Gaussian mixture model (GMM)-supervector to enhance training speed and classification accuracy in motor imagery brain–computer interfaces. The proposed method is configured as follows: first, wavelet transforms are applied to extract the feature vectors for identification of motor imagery electroencephalography (EEG) and principal component analyses are used to reduce the dimensionality of the feature vectors and linearly combine them. Subsequently, the GMM universal background model is trained by the expectation–maximization (EM) algorithm to purify the training data and reduce its size. Finally, a purified and reduced GMM-supervector is used to train the support vector machine classifier. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated for three different motor imagery datasets in terms of accuracy, kappa, mutual information, and computation time, and compared with the state-of-the-art algorithms. The results from the study indicate that the proposed method achieves high accuracy with a small amount of training data compared with the state-of-the-art algorithms in motor imagery EEG classification.
Transforming Urban Dichotomies and Challenges of South Asian Megacities: Rethinking Sustainable Growth of Dhaka, Bangladesh
Authors: Swapan Mohammad , Zaman Atiq , Ahsan Tahmina , Ahmed Fahmid
Published: October 2017

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is the eleventh largest megacity city in the world, with a population of 18.2 million people living in an area of 1528 km2. This city profile traces the trajectories of its urban development to becoming a megacity and characterizes its emerging challenges due to informal urbanization and climate change impacts. Due to rapid population growth and uncontrolled urbanization, Dhaka currently faces various socio-economic and environmental challenges in aspects such as providing basic urban services; reliable transportation framework; constant water and energy supply; effective sanitation; sustainable waste management and affordable housing. Moreover, the urban setting has further deteriorated as Dhaka is already facing various adverse impacts of climate change. Studies predict that most of the urban sectors, public health and surrounding agriculture and fisheries in Dhaka will be severely impacted by climate change. Dhaka is trying to transform its existing “incremental development” model to an “integrated development” framework in order to effectively mitigate its extreme urban challenges. The future of Dhaka city significantly relies on the successful execution of integrated infrastructure and service planning, development, and management practices, operating under an accountable and good governance system.
Uncertainty of the Soil–Water Characteristic Curve and Its Effects on Slope Seepage and Stability Analysis under Conditions of Rainfall Using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo Method
Authors: Liu Weiping , Luo Xiaoyan , Huang Faming , Fu Mingfu
Published: October 2017

It is important to determine the soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC) for analyzing slope seepage and stability under the conditions of rainfall. However, SWCCs exhibit high uncertainty because of complex influencing factors, which has not been previously considered in slope seepage and stability analysis under conditions of rainfall. This study aimed to evaluate the uncertainty of the SWCC and its effects on the seepage and stability analysis of an unsaturated soil slope under conditions of rainfall. The SWCC model parameters were treated as random variables. An uncertainty evaluation of the parameters was conducted based on the Bayesian approach and the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method. Observed data from granite residual soil were used to test the uncertainty of the SWCC. Then, different confidence intervals for the model parameters of the SWCC were constructed. The slope seepage and stability analysis under conditions of rainfall with the SWCC of different confidence intervals was investigated using finite element software (SEEP/W and SLOPE/W). The results demonstrated that SWCC uncertainty had significant effects on slope seepage and stability. In general, the larger the percentile value, the greater the reduction of negative pore-water pressure in the soil layer and the lower the safety factor of the slope. Uncertainties in the model parameters of the SWCC can lead to obvious errors in predicted pore-water pressure profiles and the estimated safety factor of the slope under conditions of rainfall.
The Fragmentation Criteria in Local Vertically Stratified Self-gravitating Disk Simulations
Authors: Baehr Hans , Klahr Hubert , Kratter Kaitlin M.
Published: October 2017

Massive circumstellar disks are prone to gravitational instabilities, which trigger the formation of spiral arms that can fragment into bound clumps under the right conditions. Two-dimensional simulations of self-gravitating disks are useful starting points for studying fragmentation because they allow high-resolution simulations of thin disks. However, convergence issues can arise in 2D from various sources. One of these sources is the 2D approximation of self-gravity, which exaggerates the effect of self-gravity on small scales when the potential is not smoothed to account for the assumed vertical extent of the disk. This effect is enhanced by increased resolution, resulting in fragmentation at longer cooling timescales β. If true, it suggests that the 3D simulations of disk fragmentation may not have the same convergence problem and could be used to examine the nature of fragmentation without smoothing self-gravity on scales similar to the disk scale height. To that end, we have carried out local 3D self-gravitating disk simulations with simple β cooling with fixed background irradiation to determine if 3D is necessary to properly describe disk fragmentation. Above a resolution of ∼40 grid cells per scale height, we find that our simulations converge with respect to the cooling timescale. This result converges in agreement with analytic expectations which place a fragmentation boundary at β
crit = 3.
Stripped Elliptical Galaxies as Probes of ICM Physics. III. Deep Chandra Observations of NGC 4552: Measuring the Viscosity of the Intracluster Medium
Authors: Kraft R. P. , Roediger E. , Machacek M. , Forman W. R. , Nulsen P. E. J. , Jones C. , Churazov E. , Randall S. , Su Y. , Sheardown A.
Published: October 2017

We present results from a deep (200 ks) Chandra observation of the early-type galaxy NGC 4552 (M89), which is falling into the Virgo cluster. Previous shallower X-ray observations of this galaxy showed a remnant gas core, a tail to the South of the galaxy, and twin “horns” attached to the northern edge of the gas core. In our deeper data, we detect a diffuse, low surface brightness extension to the previously known tail, and measure the temperature structure within the tail. We combine the deep Chandra data with archival XMM-Newton observations to put a strong upper limit on the diffuse emission of the tail out to a large distance (10× the radius of the remnant core) from the galaxy center. In our two previous papers, we presented the results of hydrodynamical simulations of ram pressure stripping specifically for M89 falling into the Virgo cluster and investigated the effect of intracluster medium (ICM) viscosity. In this paper, we compare our deep data with our specifically tailored simulations and conclude that the observed morphology of the stripped tail in NGC 4552 is most similar to the inviscid models. We conclude that, to the extent the transport processes can be simply modeled as a hydrodynamic viscosity, the ICM viscosity is negligible. More generally, any micro-scale description of the transport processes in the high-β plasma of the cluster ICM must be consistent with the efficient mixing observed in the stripped tail on macroscopic scales.
GCM Simulations of Unstable Climates in the Habitable Zone
Authors: Paradise Adiv , Menou Kristen
Published: October 2017

It has recently been proposed that Earth-like planets in the outer regions of the habitable zone experience unstable climates, repeatedly cycling between glaciated and deglaciated climatic states. While this result has been confirmed and also extended to explain early Mars climate records, all existing work relies on highly idealized low-dimensional climate models. Here, we confirm that the phenomenology of climate cycles remains in 3D Earth climate models with considerably more degrees of freedom. To circumvent the computational barrier of integrating climate on Gyr timescales, we implement a hybrid 0D-3D integrator that uses a general circulation model (GCM) as a short relaxation step along a long evolutionary climate sequence. We find that GCM climate cycles are qualitatively consistent with reported low-dimensional results. This establishes on a firmer ground the notion that outer habitable zone planets may be preferentially found in transiently glaciated states.
Flare Ribbons Approach Observed by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph and the Solar Dynamics Observatory
Authors: Li Ting , Zhang Jun , Hou Yijun
Published: October 2017

We report flare ribbons approach (FRA) during a multiple-ribbon M-class flare on 2015 November 4 in NOAA AR 12443, obtained by the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph and the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The flare consisted of a pair of main ribbons and two pairs of secondary ribbons. The two pairs of secondary ribbons were formed later than the appearance of the main ribbons, with respective time delays of 15 and 19 minutes. The negative-polarity main ribbon spread outward faster than the first secondary ribbon with the same polarity in front of it, and thus the FRA was generated. Just before their encounter, the main ribbon was darkening drastically and its intensity decreased by about 70% in 2 minutes, implying the suppression of main-phase reconnection that produced two main ribbons. The FRA caused the deflection of the main ribbon to the direction of secondary ribbon with a deflection angle of about 60°. A post-approach arcade was formed about 2 minutes later and the downflows were detected along the new arcade with velocities of 35–40 km s−1, indicative of the magnetic restructuring during the process of FRA. We suggest that there are three topological domains with footpoints outlined by the three pairs of ribbons. Close proximity of these domains leads to deflection of the ribbons, which is in agreement with the magnetic field topology.
Stacked Average Far-infrared Spectrum of Dusty Star-forming Galaxies from the Herschel/SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectrometer∗
Authors: Wilson Derek , Cooray Asantha , Nayyeri Hooshang , Bonato Matteo , Bradford Charles M. , Clements David L. , De Zotti Gianfranco , Díaz-Santos Tanio , Farrah Duncan , Magdis Georgios , Michałowski Michał J. , Pearson Chris , Rigopoulou Dimitra , Valtchanov Ivan , Wang Lingyu , Wardlow Julie
Published: October 2017

We present stacked average far-infrared spectra of a sample of 197 dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) at

using about 90% of the Herschel Space Observatory SPIRE Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) extragalactic data archive based on 3.5 years of science operations. These spectra explore an observed-frame 447–1568 GHz frequency range, allowing us to observe the main atomic and molecular lines emitted by gas in the interstellar medium. The sample is subdivided into redshift bins, and a subset of the bins are stacked by infrared luminosity as well. These stacked spectra are used to determine the average gas density and radiation field strength in the photodissociation regions (PDRs) of DSFGs. For the low-redshift sample, we present the average spectral line energy distributions of CO and H2O rotational transitions and consider PDR conditions based on observed [C i] 370 and 609 μm, and CO (7-6) lines. For the high-z (

) sample, PDR models suggest a molecular gas distribution in the presence of a radiation field that is at least a factor of 103 larger than the Milky Way and with a neutral gas density of roughly

–

cm−3. The corresponding PDR models for the low-z sample suggest a UV radiation field and gas density comparable to those at high-z. Given the challenges in obtaining adequate far-infrared observations, the stacked average spectra we present here will remain the measurements with the highest signal-to-noise ratio for at least a decade and a half until the launch of the next far-infrared facility.
Halo Intrinsic Alignment: Dependence on Mass, Formation Time, and Environment
Authors: Xia Qianli , Kang Xi , Wang Peng , Luo Yu , Yang Xiaohu , Jing Yipeng , Wang Huiyuan , Mo Houjun
Published: October 2017

In this paper we use high-resolution cosmological simulations to study halo intrinsic alignment and its dependence on mass, formation time, and large-scale environment. In agreement with previous studies using N-body simulations, it is found that massive halos have stronger alignment. For the first time, we find that for a given halo mass older halos have stronger alignment and halos in cluster regions also have stronger alignment than those in filaments. To model these dependencies, we extend the linear alignment model with inclusion of halo bias and find that the halo alignment with its mass and formation time dependence can be explained by halo bias. However, the model cannot account for the environment dependence, as it is found that halo bias is lower in clusters and higher in filaments. Our results suggest that halo bias and environment are independent factors in determining halo alignment. We also study the halo alignment correlation function and find that halos are strongly clustered along their major axes and less clustered along the minor axes. The correlated halo alignment can extend to scales as large as 100 h
−1 Mpc, where its feature is mainly driven by the baryon acoustic oscillation effect.
Isothermal Bondi Accretion in Jaffe and Hernquist Galaxies with a Central Black Hole: Fully Analytical Solutions
Authors: Ciotti Luca , Pellegrini Silvia
Published: October 2017

One of the most active fields of research of modern-day astrophysics is that of massive black hole formation and coevolution with the host galaxy. In these investigations, ranging from cosmological simulations, to semi-analytical modeling, to observational studies, the Bondi solution for accretion on a central point-mass is widely adopted. In this work we generalize the classical Bondi accretion theory to take into account the effects of the gravitational potential of the host galaxy, and of radiation pressure in the optically thin limit. Then, we present the fully analytical solution, in terms of the Lambert–Euler W-function, for isothermal accretion in Jaffe and Hernquist galaxies with a central black hole. The flow structure is found to be sensitive to the shape of the mass profile of the host galaxy. These results and the formulae that are provided, most importantly, the one for the critical accretion parameter, allow for a direct evaluation of all flow properties, and are then useful for the abovementioned studies. As an application, we examine the departure from the true mass accretion rate of estimates obtained using the gas properties at various distances from the black hole, under the hypothesis of classical Bondi accretion. An overestimate is obtained from regions close to the black hole, and an underestimate outside a few Bondi radii; the exact position of the transition between the two kinds of departure depends on the galaxy model.
ALMA Shows that Gas Reservoirs of Star-forming Disks over the Past 3 Billion Years Are Not Predominantly Molecular
Authors: Cortese Luca , Catinella Barbara , Janowiecki Steven
Published: October 2017

Cold hydrogen gas is the raw fuel for star formation in galaxies, and its partition into atomic and molecular phases is a key quantity for galaxy evolution. In this Letter, we combine Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array and Arecibo single-dish observations to estimate the molecular-to-atomic hydrogen mass ratio for massive star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 0.2 extracted from the HIGHz survey, i.e., some of the most massive gas-rich systems currently known. We show that the balance between atomic and molecular hydrogen in these galaxies is similar to that of local main-sequence disks, implying that atomic hydrogen has been dominating the cold gas mass budget of star-forming galaxies for at least the past three billion years. In addition, despite harboring gas reservoirs that are more typical of objects at the cosmic noon, HIGHz galaxies host regular rotating disks with low gas velocity dispersions suggesting that high total gas fractions do not necessarily drive high turbulence in the interstellar medium.
Detection of Three-minute Oscillations in Full-disk Lyα Emission during a Solar Flare
Authors: Milligan Ryan O. , Fleck Bernhard , Ireland Jack , Fletcher Lyndsay , Dennis Brian R.
Published: October 2017

In this Letter we report the detection of chromospheric 3-minute oscillations in disk-integrated EUV irradiance observations during a solar flare. A wavelet analysis of detrended Lyα (from GOES/EUVS) and Lyman continuum (from Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)/EVE) emission from the 2011 February 15 X-class flare (SOL2011-02-15T01:56) revealed a ∼3 minute period present during the flare’s main phase. The formation temperature of this emission locates this radiation at the flare’s chromospheric footpoints, and similar behavior is found in the SDO/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly 1600 and 1700 Å channels, which are dominated by chromospheric continuum. The implication is that the chromosphere responds dynamically at its acoustic cutoff frequency to an impulsive injection of energy. Since the 3-minute period was not found at hard X-ray (HXR) energies (50–100 keV) in Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager data we can state that this 3-minute oscillation does not depend on the rate of energization of non-thermal electrons. However, a second period of 120 s found in both HXR and chromospheric lightcurves is consistent with episodic electron energization on 2-minute timescales. Our finding on the 3-minute oscillation suggests that chromospheric mechanical energy should be included in the flare energy budget, and the fluctuations in the Lyα line may influence the composition and dynamics of planetary atmospheres during periods of high activity.
Off-axis Prompt X-Ray Transients from the Cocoon of Short Gamma-Ray Bursts
Authors: Lazzati Davide , López-Cámara Diego , Cantiello Matteo , Morsony Brian J. , Perna Rosalba , Workman Jared C.
Published: October 2017

We present the results of numerical simulations of the prompt emission of short-duration gamma-ray bursts. We consider emission from the relativistic jet, the mildly relativistic cocoon, and the non-relativistic shocked ambient material. We find that the cocoon material is confined between off-axis angles

and gives origin to X-ray transients with a duration of a few to ∼10 s, delayed by a few seconds from the time of the merger. We also discuss the distance at which such transients can be detected, finding that it depends sensitively on the assumptions that are made about the radiation spectrum. Purely thermal cocoon transients are detectable only out to a few Mpc, while Comptonized transients can instead be detected by the Fermi Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) out to several tens of Mpc.
A busca por financiamento da inovação na indústria da construção civil – Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Gomes Sílvia Valeriano , Dos Santos João Alberto Neves , Terra Branca Regina Cantisano dos Santos e Silva Riscado
Published: October 2017

A necessidade de se inovar está cada vez mais evidenciada como sendo caminho, pelo qual os países têm a oportunidade de agregar valor as suas respectivas economias. Além de ser necessário à resolução de questões como, o alto volume de resíduos sólidos na construção civil. Para isso existe a necessidade de fomento governamental como forma de indução do processo de inovação. Objetivou-se identificar as dificuldades de acesso ao financiamento junto à agência de fomento governamental, no caso, a Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de janeiro - FAPERJ. Através do mapeamento dos editais lançados de 2010 a 2014 e seus respectivos projetos contemplados, foi possível obter   a classificação dos projetos por área de conhecimento, o que tornou possível averiguar que a Engenharia Civil obteve financiamento junto à Agência de apenas 1,12% do total projetos aprovados. Foi aplicado um survey conseguindo mapear 12 Fatores críticos, que dificultam o acesso ao financiamento no processo. A confiabilidade encontrada foi de 0,867, na validação do conteúdo encontrou-se uma perda de 6,10% onde consta os 12 Fatores críticos validos. Na validação do constructo, tem-se o Teste de KMO com 0,837 e o teste de esfericidade dei Bartlett’s 0,000. Através da análise dos carregamentos dos fatores críticos comprovou a existência de um único constructo, sendo este composto por três subconstructos (Problemas inerentes à Agência de fomento; Problemas relacionados aos profissionais; e Problemas referentes aos Editais – Agência e Legislação).
Análise crítica da gestão por competências em universidades federais
Authors: Perseguino Silvana Aparecida , Alves Pedro Wilson José
Published: October 2017

Este artigo desenvolve uma reflexão sobre o estágio de adoção do modelo de gestão por competências em universidades federais, pautada em revisão de literatura sobre o tema e em resultados da primeira etapa de pesquisa envolvendo a perspectiva dos gestores da área de gestão de pessoas dessas instituições. De uma amostra de cinquenta universidades, identificou-se oito instituições que adotaram o modelo de gestão por competências, cuja maioria contempla o modelo no nível estratégico de gestão.  Quanto aos referenciais teóricos adotados por essas instituições, alguns são recorrentes e talvez indiquem uma possível aderência com a esfera pública. Mesmo assim, na amostra ficou evidente que o modelo de gestão por competências, apesar de não consolidado no contexto das universidades federais, está em construção e, na visão dos gestores, alguns desafios precisam ser superados relacionados especialmente no que tange a: cultura organizacional, pessoal qualificado, limitações da legislação no setor público e limitações orçamentárias para adequação de sistemas. Também se identificou que o processo de expansão das universidades federais requer novos modelos de gestão e a gestão por competências se insere nessa modalidade.
Jovens indígenas Tabajara: âncoras no processo de reivindicações na busca do bem viver no século XXI
Authors: De Farias Eliane Silva , Barcellos Lusival Antonio
Published: October 2017

A academia vem demonstrando um crescente interesse sobre a temática indígena no século XXI, mas continua bastante invisível e pouco divulgada a participação/mobilização do protagonismo dos jovens indígenas na atualidade. A realidade dos povos indígenas atual é muito conflituosa: de um lado, interesses econômicos e mercadológicos; do outro, a luta por sobrevivência física, espiritual e por sua cultura milenar. O estudo tem como objetivo investigar como os jovens Tabajara são âncoras atuantes nas atividades das aldeias, nas lutas por reinvindicações políticas, nos processos de retomadas, nas reelaborações e propagação da cultura, enfim no processo de etnogênese contemporâneo na busca do Bem Viver. A pesquisa está aportada em autores como Barcellos e Farias (2015), Chamorro (2016), Boff (2016), dentre outros. A metodologia de cunho qualitativo utiliza entrevistas semiestruturadas. Os resultados revelam a força da juventude Tabajara com ações para apoiar as demandas contemporâneas, mas com visões profundas na preservação do ser e do viver ancestral indígena.
Avaliação da acessibilidade pela perspectiva da pessoa com mobilidade reduzida
Authors: Machado Mariza Helena , Lima Josiane Palma
Published: October 2017

O andar a pé é a forma mais antiga e a mais utilizada de deslocamento. Por outro lado, pessoas com mobilidade reduzida ocupam uma parcela expressiva da população, com pouca participação nos ambientes de trabalho e convivência social, na maioria das vezes, pela falta de acessibilidade. Portanto, o trabalho objetiva avaliar a acessibilidade a pé em espaços públicos de circulação urbana sob a perspectiva da pessoa com mobilidade reduzida. Definiu-se pelo uso de duas metodologias, o Processo Hieráquico Analítico (Analytic Hierarchy Process), por considerar os múltiplos critérios que definem a acessibilidade pedonal e o método dos Percursos Comentados (Methode des Parcours Commentes) com vistas à apreciação da vivência prática subjetiva. Os resultados identificaram trechos com diferentes níveis de acessibilidade e possibilitou o levantamento dos elementos que influenciaram nas dificuldades de deslocamento, bem como as emoções e sentimentos despertados em relação ao percurso.
An Upgrade Pinning Block: A Mechanical Practical Aid for Fast Labelling of the Insect Specimens
Authors: Ghafouri Moghaddam Mohammad Hossein , Ghafouri Moghaddam Mostafa , Rakhshani Ehsan , Mokhtari Azizollah
Published: October 2017

A new mechanical innovation is described to deal with standard labelling of dried specimens on triangular cards and/or pinned specimens in personal and public collections. It works quickly, precisely, and easily and is very useful for maintaining label uniformity in collections. The tools accurately sets the position of labels in the shortest possible time. This tools has advantages including rapid processing, cost effectiveness, light weight, and high accuracy, compared to conventional methods. It is fully customisable, compact, and does not require specialist equipment to assemble. Conventional methods generally require locating holes on the pinning block surface when labelling with a resulting risk to damage of the specimens. Insects of different orders can be labelled by this simple and effective tool.
Ecosystem services in Norway
Authors: Skre Oddvar
Published: October 2017

The present study is reviewing public reports and research articles in order to estimate and validate ecosystem services in Norway, and investigate conflicts between stakeholders representing different ecosystem services, by means of direct and indirect methods, for different main ecosystem categories,e.g. mountain ecosystems, forests,agricultural areas, freshwater ecosystems, marine ecosystems and urban areas. The ecosystem services (ES) are based on the three main well-known categories (providing, regulating and cultural services). The provisional services in Norway include some very important ES like fish & seafood production, timber and pulp products, bioenergy and genetic resources, while the regulating services in Norway include important services like flood and landslide protection, pest and disease control in forestry and farming, carbon fixation in forests and air quality regulation. These services are also influenced by climate, pollution, urbanization and invasive species. Finally, the cultural services, like recreation & ecotourism, health and well-being, knowledge & learning and spiritual enrichment, are included. The values of the ES are estimated and quantified by direct (market based) and indirect methods (e.g. preferences).

The relative importance of these ES is estimated by questionnaires and cost/benefit analysis, and administrative measures are suggested to compensate for threats and lack of sustainability. However, non-renewable resources like oil, gas and minerals are not included in the present overview. Among the ES in mountains, the value of outdoor activity as estimated from preference studies is totally dominating over the value of hunting and reindeer husbandry. Among the ES in forests the highest values are related to the health benefit from recreation, followed by the value of carbon fixation. The willingness to protect certain forests with high biodiversity is also high. Among ES from agricultural areas the provisional services (food and food processing) are dominating, while in freshwater ecosystems the value of wild salmon fishing measured by payment willingness, is dominating over the willingness to pay for improved water quality. Finally, the most important ES in Norway in monetary terms are found in marine ecosystems. Among the urban ES, the value of outdoor recreation and improved air quality represent the highest values. The most frequent conflicts in Norway are probably those dealing with energy production (windmills, hydropower production, oil drilling) and sea farming vs. biodiversity and recreation, between mass tourism and nature conservation and between sheep farming and conservation of big predators like wolf, bear, lynx and wolverine.
A Tailor-Made Exercise Program for Improving Balance and Mobility in Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Ng Thomas Ka-Wai , Kwan Rachel Lai Chu , Lo Sing Kai , Cheing Gladys Lai-Ying
Published: October 2017

Effectiveness of an exercise program designed for improving postural control and mobility in older adults with type 2 diabetes was investigated. Ninety-three adults 65 or older diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and able to walk unaided were recruited. The intervention group received exercise training focused on ankle strengthening and mobility twice per week for 10 weeks. The control group did not participate in any exercise program. After 10 weeks, the intervention group showed significantly greater improvement in the mean Sensory Organization Test composite score (4.4 vs. 0.3;
p
= 0.01) as well as visual ratio (0.1 vs. 0.002;
p
= 0.01) and vestibular ratio (0.1 vs. 0.003;
p
< 0.001) than the control group after adjusting for covariates. A greater trend of improvement in the Timed Up and Go and Single-Leg Stance Test was also found in the intervention group. Exercise training focusing on the ankle is effective in enhancing the postural stability of older adults with type 2 diabetes and can potentially be effective in improving single-leg standing balance and mobility. [
Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 44
(2), 41–48.]
Surgical Outcome of Intermittent Exotropia With Improvement in Control Grade Subsequent to Part-time Preoperative Occlusion Therapy
Authors: Bang Seung Pil , Lee Dong Cheol , Lee Se Youp
Published: October 2017

Purpose:

To evaluate the effect of improvement in the control grade of intermittent exotropia using part-time occlusion therapy on the final postoperative outcome.

Methods:

Control of intermittent exotropia was graded as good, fair, or poor in 89 consecutive patients with intermittent exotropia during their first visit. The patients were reevaluated after part-time preoperative occlusion therapy and divided into two groups (improvement and no improvement) according to whether they showed improvement in control grade. The surgical success rate was compared retrospectively between the two groups.

Results:

The mean angle of deviation on the first visit was 27.61 ± 5.40 prism diopters (PD) at distance and 29.82 ± 5.28 PD at near. There were significant improvements in the angles of deviation for distance (26.17 ± 5.09 PD) and near (27.26 ± 5.56 PD) after part-time occlusion (both
P
< .001). The 49 patients who had a significantly improved control grade had a significantly better surgical success rate (77.6%) than the 40 patients who did not (50%;
P
= .007).

Conclusions:

Part-time occlusion therapy improves the control grade of intermittent exotropia, leading to a better likelihood of successful surgery and a reduction of the angles of deviation for distance and near.

[
J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus
. 2018;55(1):59–64.]