bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nutritional and microbiological quality of germinated soy flour
Authors: Rahman MM , Rahman MM , Shahjadee UF , Rupa AZ , Hossain MN
Published: September 2016

This investigation was carried out to evaluate the nutritional and microbiological quality of germinated soy flour. Protein content of germinated soy flour was 6.90% higher than the non-germinated soy flour. Essential amino acids content, including Lysine, Valine and Threonine was increased by 8.53%, 8.50% and 7.93% respectively. In addition, vitamin B2 and iron contents were also increased by 14.29% & 8.80% respectively, compared to non-germinated soy flour. Germination  resulted in nutritionally enriched soy flour as compared to non-germinationated one. The microbiological quality parameters including total bacterial count, total coliform count, fecal indicator Escherichia coli and yeast & mold count was found to be within acceptable level throughout the 6 months of storage at ambient temperature. No food borne pathogen including Salmonella spp. Staphylococcus aureus was detected. Furthermore, spore forming bacteria including Bacillus cereus was not detected in any of the germinated soy flour sample tested. In addition, fungal metabolites including aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 could not be detected in any sample. Nutritional and microbiological finding of this study, indicate the germinated soy flour could be used as raw material or ingredient for making diverse food and bakery products.Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 51(3), 167-174, 2016
Assessment on the level of contamination of Turag river at Tongi area in Dhaka
Authors: Ahmed KS , Rahman AKML , Sarkar M , Islam JB , Jahan IA , Moniruzzaman M , Saha B , Bhoumik NC
Published: September 2016

Assessment on the level of pollution of Turag river water was performed by measuring various physico-chemical parameters. Water samples were collected five times in a year both dry and rainy season at five different locations: Bishwa Ijtema field, Tongi Bridge, Kachare ghate, River side of Dhaka Dying and Effluent of Dhaka Dying. Most of the measured parameters exceeded the permissible limit of standard level. Values for different parameters at different points were recorded such as Temperature (T): 23.9 to 31.2°C, pH: 7.2 to 10.1, Salinity: 64 to 933 ppm, Total dissolved solid (TDS): 90 to 1244 ppm, Electrical Conductivity (EC): 135 to 1856 µs/cm, Dissolve oxygen (DO): 0.5 to 3.6 mg/L and Chemical oxygen demand (COD): 220 to 1170 mg/L. The concentration (ppm) of heavy metals were also observed such as Chromium (Cr) 0.0339 to 0.6334, Cadmium (Cd) 0.0068 to 0.0170, Nickel (Ni) 0.1282 to 0.6207, Cooper (Cu) 0.0148 to 0.1703 and Zink (Zn) 0.0366 to 0.1890 at dry season. The values of different parameters determined are above the safe limits recommended by DoE, EQS and WHO. Therefore, it can be concluded that water relieved from selected locations were not suitable for human consumption during the period of experiments.Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 51(3), 193-202, 2016
Organic matter in coal seam-VI of the Barapukuria coal field in Bangladesh
Authors: Tahsin S , Hossain HMZ , Hossain MM
Published: September 2016

Organic matter sources and depositional environments of Permian Gondwana coals in the coal seam-VI, Barapukuria coal field, northwestern Bangladesh have been investigated using CHNS elemental analysis. A total of 8 coal samples were collected from the coal seam-VI within depth range between 118 and 509 m. Total organic carbon (TOC), hydrogen, nitrogen and sulfur contents range from 48 to 75 (average 61 wt.%), 3.89 to 5.80 (average 4.59 wt.%), 2.87 to 3.87 (average 3.28 wt.%), and 0.19 to 0.37 wt.% (average 0.30 wt.%), respectively. C/N ratio range between 14 and 21 (average 19), and a positive correlation between TOC and TN (r = 0.51) suggested that organic matter in the coals was derived largely from terrestrial plants. However, C/S ratio values (up to 376) and scatter distribution between TOC and TS indicates the coal seam-VI was deposited in fresh water dominated inland lake environments.Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 51(3), 221-230, 2016
Particleboard from coir pith
Authors: Ahmed E , Das AK , Hannan MO , Shams MI
Published: September 2016

This study aimed to find out the feasibility of coir pith as a raw material for particleboard production. Considering particle size, an attempt was taken to produce resin bonded coir pith particleboard and binder-less coir pith particleboard as well. The physical and mechanical properties of the board were examined. The particleboard made from medium size particle showed the best performance in aspect of properties. The particleboards made with 16% Melamine Urea Formaldehyde (MUF) had better product quality than binder-less coir pith board. The MOR, MOE, TS and IB were respectively 24.65, 2398, 22.55 and 1.52 N/mm2. Coir pith board may be a sustainable, cheap and durable building and packaging materials and timber substitute.Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 51(3), 239-245, 2016
Who Placed the Eye in the Center of a Sphere? Speculations about the Origins of Thomas Reid's Geometry of Visibles
Authors: Matthiessen Hannes Ole
Published: September 2016

Thomas Reid argued that the geometrical properties of visible figures equal the geometrical properties of their projections on the inside of a sphere centred around the eye. In recent scholarship there are only a few suggestions of which sources might have inspired Reid.

I point to a widely ignored body of early eighteenth-century literature – introductions into projective geometry, the use of celestial globes and astronomy – in which the model of the eye in the centre of a sphere was immensely popular. Moreover, I argue that Reid's account results naturally from some astronomical doctrines in conjunction with George Berkeley's theory of vision.
Newtonian and Non-Newtonian Elements in Hume
Authors: Slavov Matias
Published: September 2016

For the last forty years, Hume's Newtonianism has been a debated topic in Hume scholarship. The crux of the matter can be formulated by the following question: Is Hume a Newtonian philosopher? Debates concerning this question have produced two lines of interpretation. I shall call them ‘traditional’ and ‘critical’ interpretations. The traditional interpretation asserts that there are many Newtonian elements in Hume, whereas the critical interpretation seriously questions this.

In this article, I consider the main points made by both lines of interpretations and offer further arguments that contribute to this debate. I shall first argue, in favor of the traditional interpretation, that Hume is sympathetic to many prominently Newtonian themes in natural philosophy such as experimentalism, criticality of hypotheses, inductive proof, and criticality of Leibnizian principles of sufficient reason and intelligibility. Second, I shall argue, in accordance with the critical interpretation, that in many cases Hume is not a Newtonian philosopher: His conceptions regarding space and time, vacuum, reality of forces, specifics about causation, and the status of mechanism differ markedly from Newton's related conceptions. The outcome of the article is that there are both Newtonian and non/anti-Newtonian elements in Hume.
Synthesis of New Chiral Benzimidazolylidene–Rh Complexes and Their Application in Asymmetric Addition Reactions of Organoboronic Acids to Aldehydes
Authors: He Weiping , Zhou Bihui , Li Jie , Shi Jianyou
Published: September 2016

A series of novel chiral N-heterocyclic carbene rhodium complexes (NHC–Rh) based on benzimidazole have been prepared, and all of the NHC–Rh complexes were fully characterized by NMR and mass spectrometry. These complexes could be used as catalysts for the asymmetric 1,2-addition of organoboronic acids to aldehydes, affording chiral diarylmethanols with high yields and moderate enantioselectivities.
Polar Cyclone Identification from 4D Climate Data in a Knowledge-Driven Visualization System
Authors: Wang Feng , Li Wenwen , Wang Sizhe
Published: September 2016

Arctic cyclone activity has a significant association with Arctic warming and Arctic ice decline. Cyclones in the North Pole are more complex and less developed than those in tropical regions. Identifying polar cyclones proves to be a task of greater complexity. To tackle this challenge, a new method which utilizes pressure level data and velocity field is proposed to improve the identification accuracy. In addition, the dynamic, simulative cyclone visualized with a 4D (four-dimensional) wind field further validated the identification result. A knowledge-driven system is eventually constructed for visualizing and analyzing an atmospheric phenomenon (cyclone) in the North Pole. The cyclone is simulated with WebGL on in a web environment using particle tracing. To achieve interactive frame rates, the graphics processing unit (GPU) is used to accelerate the process of particle advection. It is concluded with the experimental results that: (1) the cyclone identification accuracy of the proposed method is 95.6% when compared with the NCEP/NCAR (National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research) reanalysis data; (2) the integrated knowledge-driven visualization system allows for streaming and rendering of millions of particles with an interactive frame rate to support knowledge discovery in the complex climate system of the Arctic region.
Deposition and Characterization of Si-Doped Diamond Films Using Tetraethoxysilane onto a WC-Co Substrate
Authors: Zhang Jianguo , Ji Xia , Bao Jinsong , Zheng Xiaohu
Published: September 2016

Silicon-doped (Si-doped) diamond films were deposited on a Co-cemented tungsten carbide (WC-Co) substrate using the hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) method with a mixture of acetone, tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), and hydrogen as the recant source. The as-deposited doped diamond films were characterized with field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Raman spectrum, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Furthermore, Rockwell C indentation tests were conducted to evaluate the adhesion of the Si-doped diamond films grown on the WC-Co substrate. The results demonstrated that the silicon concentration in the reactant source played an important role in the surface morphology and adhesion of diamond films. The size of diamond grain varied from 3 μm to 500 nm with silicon concentration increasing from 0 to 1.41 atom %. When the silicon concentration rose to 1.81 atom %, the grain size became bigger than that of the lower concentration. The ratio of diamond peak {220}/{111} varied with different silicon concentrations. Raman study features revealed high purity of as-deposited diamond films. The Raman spectra also demonstrated the presence of silicon in the diamond films with Si–Si, Si–C and Si–O bonds. Si-doped diamond films with strong adhesive strength on the WC-Co substrate was beneficial for diamond films applied on cutting tools and wear resistance components.
TimeTubes: Visualization of Polarization Variations in Blazars
Authors: Uemura Makoto , Itoh Ryosuke , Xu Longyin , Nakayama Masanori , Wu Hsiang-Yun , Watanabe Kazuho , Takahashi Shigeo , Fujishiro Issei
Published: September 2016

Optical polarization provides important clues to the magnetic field in blazar jets. It is easy to find noteworthy patterns in the time-series data of the polarization degree (PD) and position angle (PA). On the other hand, we need to see the trajectory of the object in the Stokes Q U plane when the object has multiple polarized components. In this case, ironically, the more data we have, the more difficult it is to gain any knowledge from it. Here, we introduce TimeTubes, a new visualization scheme to explore the time-series data of polarization observed in blazars. In TimeTubes, the data is represented by tubes in 3D (Q, U, and time) space. The measurement errors of Q and U, color, and total flux of objects are expressed as the size, color, and brightness of the tubes. As a result, TimeTubes allows us to see the behavior of six variables in one view. We used TimeTubes for our data taken by the Kanata telescope between 2008 and 2014. We found that this tool facilitates the recognition of the patterns in blazar variations; for example, favored PA of flares and PA rotations associated with a series of flares.
Optical Outburst of the Blazar S4 0954+658 in Early 2015
Authors: Morozova Daria , Larionov Valeri , Jorstad Svetlana , Marscher Alan , Troitskaya Yulia , Troitskiy Ivan , Blinov Dmitriy , Borman Georg , Gurwell Mark
Published: September 2016

We analyze the behavior of the BL Lac object S4 0954+658 during an unprecedented bright optical flare in early 2015. The optical flare was accompanied by a powerful γ -ray flare and the detection of very-high-energy γ -ray emission. We analyze total and polarized intensity images obtained with the VLBA at 43 GHz and discover a new bright polarized superluminal knot, which was ejected from the VLBI-core during the peak of the flare.
Spatially-Aggregated Temperature Derivatives: Agricultural Risk Management in China
Authors: Zong Lu , Ender Manuela
Published: September 2016

In this paper, a new form of weather derivative contract, namely the climatic zone-based growth degree-day (GDD) contract, is introduced. The objective is to increase the risk management efficiency in the agricultural sector of China and to reduce the model dimension of multi-regional temperature-based weather derivatives pricing. Since the proposed contract serves as a risk management tool for all of the cities in the same climatic zone, we compare the risk hedging power between the climatic zone-based and the city-based GDD contracts. As a result, we find that the differences between the two types of temperature-based weather contracts are maintained within a certain range.
Influence of Preoperative Serum Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Level on the Prognosis of Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Chen Shu-Lin , Xue Ning , Wu Mian-Tao , Chen Hao , He Xia , Li Jian-Pei , Liu Wan-Li , Dai Shu-Qin
Published: September 2016

The purpose of this work is to analyze preoperative serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels and their effect on the prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after surgical operation. These analyses were performed retrospectively in patients with NSCLC followed by surgery; participants were recruited between January 2004 and January 2008. All clinical information and laboratory results were collected from medical records. We explored the association between preoperative serum AST and recurrence-free survival (RFS), and the overall survival (OS) of NSCLC patients. Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox multivariate analysis, stratified by the AST median value, were used to evaluate the prognostic effect. A chi-squared test was performed to compare clinical characteristics in different subgroups. A p-value of ≤0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. A total of 231 patients were enrolled. The median RFS and OS were 22 and 59 months, respectively. The AST levels were divided into two groups, using a cut-off value of 19 U/L: High AST (>19 U/L), n = 113 vs. low AST (≤19 U/L), n = 118. Multivariate analysis indicated that preoperative serum AST > 19 U/L (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.685, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.493–0.994, p = 0.046 for RFS, HR = 0.646, 95% CI: 0.438–0.954, p = 0.028 for OS) was an independent prognostic factor for both RFS and OS. High preoperative serum AST levels may serve as a valuable marker to predict the prognosis of NSCLC after operation.
MRI Dynamically Evaluates the Therapeutic Effect of Recombinant Human MANF on Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats
Authors: Wang Xian-Yun , Song Meng-Meng , Bi Si-Xing , Shen Yu-Jun , Shen Yu-Xian , Yu Yong-Qiang
Published: September 2016

As an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-inducible protein, mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) has been proven to protect dopaminergic neurons and nondopaminergic cells. Our previous studies had shown that MANF protected against ischemia/reperfusion injury. Here, we developed a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology to dynamically evaluate the therapeutic effects of MANF on ischemia/reperfusion injury. We established a rat focal ischemic model by using middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). MRI was performed to investigate the dynamics of lesion formation. MANF protein was injected into the right lateral ventricle at 3 h after reperfusion following MCAO for 90 min, when the obvious lesion firstly appeared according to MRI investigation. T2-weighted imaging for evaluating the therapeutic effects of MANF protein was performed in ischemia/reperfusion injury rats on Days 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 post-reperfusion combined with histology methods. The results indicated that the administration of MANF protein at the early stage after ischemia/reperfusion injury decreased the mortality, improved the neurological function, reduced the cerebral infarct volume, and alleviated the brain tissue injury. The findings collected from MRI are consistent with the morphological and pathological changes, which suggest that MRI is a useful technology for evaluating the therapeutic effects of drugs.
Nicotine Suppressed Fetal Adrenal StAR Expression via YY1 Mediated-Histone Deacetylation Modification Mechanism
Authors: Liu Lian , Wang Jian-Fei , Fan Jie , Rao Yi-Song , Liu Fang , Yan You-E , Wang Hui
Published: September 2016

Steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein plays a pivotal role in steroidogenesis. Previously, we have demonstrated that prenatal nicotine exposure suppressed fetal adrenal steroidogenesis via steroidogenic factor 1 deacetylation. This study further explored the potential role of the transcriptional repressor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) in nicotine-mediated StAR inhibition. Nicotine was subcutaneously administered (1.0 mg/kg) to pregnant rats twice per day and NCI-H295A cells were treated with nicotine. StAR and YY1 expression were analyzed by real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting. Histone modifications and the interactions between the YY1 and StAR promoter were assessed using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). Prenatal nicotine exposure increased YY1 expression and suppressed StAR expression. ChIP assay showed that there was a decreasing trend for histone acetylation at the StAR promoter in fetal adrenal glands, whereas H3 acetyl-K14 at the YY1 promoter presented an increasing trend following nicotine exposure. Furthermore, in nicotine-treated NCI-H295A cells, nicotine enhanced YY1 expression and inhibited StAR expression. ChIP assay showed that histone acetylation decreased at the StAR promoter in NCI-H295A cells and that the interaction between the YY1 and StAR promoter increased. These data indicated that YY1-medicated histone deacetylation modification in StAR promoters might play an important role in the inhibitory effect of nicotine on StAR expression.
Roles of Voltage-Gated Tetrodotoxin-Sensitive Sodium Channels NaV1.3 and NaV1.7 in Diabetes and Painful Diabetic Neuropathy
Authors: Yang Linlin , Li Quanmin , Liu Xinming , Liu Shiguang
Published: September 2016

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common chronic medical problem worldwide; one of its complications is painful peripheral neuropathy, which can substantially erode quality of life and increase the cost of management. Despite its clinical importance, the pathogenesis of painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is complex and incompletely understood. Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) link many physiological processes to electrical activity by controlling action potentials in all types of excitable cells. Two isoforms of VGSCs, NaV1.3 and NaV1.7, which are encoded by the sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit 3 and 9 (Scn3A and Scn9A) genes, respectively, have been identified in both peripheral nociceptive neurons of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and pancreatic islet cells. Recent advances in our understanding of tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-S) sodium channels NaV1.3 and NaV1.7 lead to the rational doubt about the cause–effect relation between diabetes and painful neuropathy. In this review, we summarize the roles of NaV1.3 and NaV1.7 in islet cells and DRG neurons, discuss the link between DM and painful neuropathy, and present a model, which may provide a starting point for further studies aimed at identifying the mechanisms underlying diabetes and painful neuropathy.
Erratum: Chen, C.Y.; Ward, D.M.; Williams, J.J.; Fisher, N.S. Metal Bioaccumulation by Estuarine Food Webs in New England, USA. J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2016, 4, 41
Authors: Chen Celia , Ward Darren , Williams Jason , Fisher Nicholas
Published: September 2016

The authors wish to correct the NIH grant number in this paper [1] as follows:[...]
Annealing Effect on (FAPbI3)1−x(MAPbBr3)x Perovskite Films in Inverted-Type Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Chen Lung-Chien , Wu Jia-Ren , Tseng Zhong-Liang , Chen Cheng-Chiang , Chang Sheng , Huang Jun-Kai , Lee King-Lien , Cheng Hsin-Ming
Published: September 2016

This study determines the effects of annealing treatment on the structure and the optical and electronic behaviors of the mixed (FAPbI3)1−x(MAPbBr3)x perovskite system. The experimental results reveal that (FAPbI3)1−x(MAPbBr3)x (x ~ 0.2) is an effective light-absorbing material for use in inverted planar perovskite solar cells owing to its large absorbance and tunable band gap. Therefore, good band-matching between the (FAPbI3)1−x(MAPbBr3)x and C60 in photovoltaic devices can be controlled by annealing at various temperatures. Accordingly, an inverted mixed perovskite solar cell with a record efficiency of 12.0% under AM1.5G irradiation is realized.
Protection of Reinforced Concrete Structures of Waste Water Treatment Reservoirs with Stainless Steel Coating Using Arc Thermal Spraying Technique in Acidified Water
Authors: Lee Han-Seung , Park Jin-Ho , Singh Jitendra , Ismail Mohamed
Published: September 2016

Waste water treatment reservoirs are contaminated with many hazardous chemicals and acids. Reservoirs typically comprise concrete and reinforcement steel bars, and the main elements responsible for their deterioration are hazardous chemicals, acids, and ozone. Currently, a variety of techniques are being used to protect reservoirs from exposure to these elements. The most widely used techniques are stainless steel plating and polymeric coating. In this study, a technique known as arc thermal spraying was used. It is a more convenient and economical method for protecting both concrete and reinforcement steel bar from deterioration in waste water treatment reservoirs. In this study, 316L stainless steel coating was applied to a concrete surface, and different electrochemical experiments were performed to evaluate the performance of coatings in different acidic pH solutions. The coating generated from the arc thermal spraying process significantly protected the concrete surface from corrosion in acidic pH solutions, owing to the formation of a double layer capacitance—a mixture of Cr3+ enriched with Cr2O3 and Cr-hydroxide in inner and Fe3+ oxide on the outer layer of the coating. The formation of this passive film is defective owing to the non-homogeneous 316L stainless steel coating surface. In the pH 5 solution, the growth of a passive film is adequate due to the presence of un-dissociated water molecules in the aqueous sulfuric acid solution. The coated surface is sealed with alkyl epoxide, which acts as a barrier against the penetration of acidic solutions. This coating exhibits higher impedance values among the three studied acidic pH solutions.
The Contact Ageing Effect on Fretting Damage of an Electro-Deposited Coating against an AISI52100 Steel Ball
Authors: Kim Kyungmok , Ko Joon
Published: September 2016

This article investigates the effect of contact ageing on fretting damage of an epoxy-based cathodic electro-deposited coating for use on automotive seat slide tracks (made of cold-rolled high strength steel). Static normal load was induced at the contact between the coating and an AISI52100 ball for a certain duration. It was identified that plastically deformed contact area increased logarithmically as a function of time when the contact was under static normal load. Fretting tests after various durations of static contact were conducted using a ball-on-flat plate apparatus. All fretting tests were halted when the friction coefficient reached a critical value of 0.5, indicating complete coating failure. The total number of fretting cycles to the critical friction coefficient was found to vary with the duration of static contact before fretting. It was identified that the number of cycles to the critical friction coefficient decreased with the increased duration of static contact. Meanwhile, the friction coefficient at steady-state sliding was not greatly affected by the duration of static contact before fretting. Finally, the relation between coating thickness after indentation creep and the number of cycles to the critical friction coefficient was found to be linear. Obtained results show that the duration of static contact before fretting has an influence on the fretting lifetime of an electro-deposited coating.
Solution for Rational Systems of Difference Equations of Order Three
Authors: El-Dessoky Mohamed
Published: September 2016

In this paper, we consider the solution and periodicity of the following systems of difference equations: x n + 1 = y n − 2 − 1 + y n − 2 x n − 1 y n , y n + 1 = x n − 2 ± 1 ± x n − 2 y n − 1 x n , with initial conditions x − 2 , x − 1 , x 0 , y − 2 , y − 1 , and y 0 are nonzero real numbers.
Characterization of Antifungal Natural Products Isolated from Endophytic Fungi of Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana)
Authors: Mousa Walaa , Schwan Adrian , Raizada Manish
Published: September 2016

Finger millet is an ancient African-Indian crop that is resistant to many pathogens including the fungus, Fusarium graminearum. We previously reported the first isolation of putative fungal endophytes from finger millet and showed that the crude extracts of four strains had anti-Fusarium activity. However, active compounds were isolated from only one strain. The objectives of this study were to confirm the endophytic lifestyle of the three remaining anti-Fusarium isolates, to identify the major underlying antifungal compounds, and to initially characterize the mode(s) of action of each compound. Results of confocal microscopy and a plant disease assay were consistent with the three fungal strains behaving as endophytes. Using bio-assay guided fractionation and spectroscopic structural elucidation, three anti-Fusarium secondary metabolites were purified and characterized. These molecules were not previously reported to derive from fungi nor have antifungal activity. The purified antifungal compounds were: 5-hydroxy 2(3H)-benzofuranone, dehydrocostus lactone (guaianolide sesquiterpene lactone), and harpagoside (an iridoide glycoside). Light microscopy and vitality staining were used to visualize the in vitro interactions between each compound and Fusarium; the results suggested a mixed fungicidal/fungistatic mode of action. We conclude that finger millet possesses fungal endophytes that can synthesize anti-fungal compounds not previously reported as bio-fungicides against F. graminearum.
Effects of Substitution on Solid-State Fluorescence in 9-Aryl-9-methyl-9H-9-silafluorenes
Authors: Yamanoi Yoshinori , Nakashima Takayuki , Shimada Masaki , Maeda Hiroaki , Nishihara Hiroshi
Published: September 2016

Aromatic groups were incorporated into 9H-9-silafluorene units at the 9-position (mono-9H-silafluorenes) and 9,9′-positions (di-9H-9-silafluorenes). The aryl substituents showed weak conjugation to the 9H-9-silafluorene for 9-aryl substituted ones 1–7 and a 9,9′-phenylene substituted one (compound 8) and they exhibited similar absorption and emission spectra. The 9H-9-silafluorene 10 containing a 5,5′-(2,2′-bithiophenyl) group showed a significantly red-shifted absorption and fluorescence maxima in the solid-state. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies found J-type aggregated structures formed by intermolecular CH–π interactions (ca. 2.6–2.7 Å). Density functional theory (DFT), time-dependent DFT (TD-DFT), and configuration interaction single (CIS) calculations were conducted to explain the observed optical properties.
Recent Advances in Recoverable Systems for the Copper-Catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition Reaction (CuAAC)
Authors: Mandoli Alessandro
Published: September 2016

The explosively-growing applications of the Cu-catalyzed Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction between organic azides and alkynes (CuAAC) have stimulated an impressive number of reports, in the last years, focusing on recoverable variants of the homogeneous or quasi-homogeneous catalysts. Recent advances in the field are reviewed, with particular emphasis on systems immobilized onto polymeric organic or inorganic supports.
C19-Norditerpenoid Alkaloids from Aconitum szechenyianum and Their Effects on LPS-Activated NO Production
Authors: Wang Fei , Yue Zhenggang , Xie Pei , Zhang Li , Li Zhen , Song Bei , Tang Zhishu , Song Xiaomei
Published: September 2016

Three new C19-norditerpenoid alkaloids (1–3), along with two known C19-norditerpenoid alkaloids (4–5) have been isolated from Aconitum szechenyianum. Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic techniques and chemical methods as szechenyianine A (1), szechenyianine B (2), szechenyianine C (3), N-deethyl-3-acetylaconitine (4), and N-deethyldeoxyaconitine (5). Additionally, compounds 1–5 were tested for the inhibition of NO production on LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells with IC50 values of 36.62 ± 6.86, 3.30 ± 0.11, 7.46 ± 0.89, 8.09 ± 1.31, and 11.73 ± 1.94 μM, respectively, while the positive control drug dexamethasone showed inhibitory activity with IC50 value of 8.32 ± 1.45 μM. The structure-activity relationship of aconitine alkaloids were discussed.
PLA with Intumescent System Containing Lignin and Ammonium Polyphosphate for Flame Retardant Textile
Authors: Cayla Aurélie , Rault François , Giraud Stéphane , Salaün Fabien , Fierro Vanessa , Celzard Alain
Published: September 2016

Using bio-based polymers to replace of polymers from petrochemicals in the manufacture of textile fibers is a possible way to improve sustainable development for the textile industry. Polylactic acid (PLA) is one of the available bio-based polymers. One way to improve the fire behavior of this bio-based polymer is to add an intumescent formulation mainly composed of acid and carbon sources. In order to optimize the amount of bio-based product in the final material composition, lignin from wood waste was selected as the carbon source. Different formulations of and/or ammonium polyphosphate (AP) were prepared by melt extrusion and then hot-pressed into sheets. The thermal properties (thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)) and fire properties (UL-94) were measured. The spinnability of the various composites was evaluated. The mechanical properties and physical aspect (microscopy) of PLA multifilaments with lignin (LK) were checked. A PLA multifilament with up to 10 wt % of intumescent formulation was processed, and the fire behavior of PLA fabrics with lignin/AP formulation was studied by cone calorimeter.
Deep-Learning-Based Classification for DTM Extraction from ALS Point Cloud
Authors: Hu Xiangyun , Yuan Yi
Published: September 2016

Airborne laser scanning (ALS) point cloud data are suitable for digital terrain model (DTM) extraction given its high accuracy in elevation. Existing filtering algorithms that eliminate non-ground points mostly depend on terrain feature assumptions or representations; these assumptions result in errors when the scene is complex. This paper proposes a new method for ground point extraction based on deep learning using deep convolutional neural networks (CNN). For every point with spatial context, the neighboring points within a window are extracted and transformed into an image. Then, the classification of a point can be treated as the classification of an image; the point-to-image transformation is carefully crafted by considering the height information in the neighborhood area. After being trained on approximately 17 million labeled ALS points, the deep CNN model can learn how a human operator recognizes a point as a ground point or not. The model performs better than typical existing algorithms in terms of error rate, indicating the significant potential of deep-learning-based methods in feature extraction from a point cloud.
Mapping Daily Air Temperature for Antarctica Based on MODIS LST
Authors: Meyer Hanna , Katurji Marwan , Appelhans Tim , Müller Markus , Nauss Thomas , Roudier Pierre , Zawar-Reza Peyman
Published: September 2016

Spatial predictions of near-surface air temperature ( T a i r ) in Antarctica are required as baseline information for a variety of research disciplines. Since the network of weather stations in Antarctica is sparse, remote sensing methods have large potential due to their capabilities and accessibility. Based on the MODIS land surface temperature (LST) data, T a i r at the exact time of satellite overpass was modelled at a spatial resolution of 1 km using data from 32 weather stations. The performance of a simple linear regression model to predict T a i r from LST was compared to the performance of three machine learning algorithms: Random Forest (RF), generalized boosted regression models (GBM) and Cubist. In addition to LST, auxiliary predictor variables were tested in these models. Their relevance was evaluated by a Cubist-based forward feature selection in conjunction with leave-one-station-out cross-validation to reduce the impact of spatial overfitting. GBM performed best to predict T a i r using LST and the month of the year as predictor variables. Using the trained model, T a i r could be estimated with a leave-one-station-out cross-validated R 2 of 0.71 and a RMSE of 10.51 ∘ C. However, the machine learning approaches only slightly outperformed the simple linear estimation of T a i r from LST ( R 2 of 0.64, RMSE of 11.02 ∘ C). Using the trained model allowed creating time series of T a i r over Antarctica for 2013. Extending the training data by including more years will allow developing time series of T a i r from 2000 on.
Neural Network-Based Self-Tuning PID Control for Underwater Vehicles
Authors: Hernández-Alvarado Rodrigo , García-Valdovinos Luis , Salgado-Jiménez Tomás , Gómez-Espinosa Alfonso , Fonseca-Navarro Fernando
Published: September 2016

For decades, PID (Proportional + Integral + Derivative)-like controllers have been successfully used in academia and industry for many kinds of plants. This is thanks to its simplicity and suitable performance in linear or linearized plants, and under certain conditions, in nonlinear ones. A number of PID controller gains tuning approaches have been proposed in the literature in the last decades; most of them off-line techniques. However, in those cases wherein plants are subject to continuous parametric changes or external disturbances, online gains tuning is a desirable choice. This is the case of modular underwater ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles) where parameters (weight, buoyancy, added mass, among others) change according to the tool it is fitted with. In practice, some amount of time is dedicated to tune the PID gains of a ROV. Once the best set of gains has been achieved the ROV is ready to work. However, when the vehicle changes its tool or it is subject to ocean currents, its performance deteriorates since the fixed set of gains is no longer valid for the new conditions. Thus, an online PID gains tuning algorithm should be implemented to overcome this problem. In this paper, an auto-tune PID-like controller based on Neural Networks (NN) is proposed. The NN plays the role of automatically estimating the suitable set of PID gains that achieves stability of the system. The NN adjusts online the controller gains that attain the smaller position tracking error. Simulation results are given considering an underactuated 6 DOF (degrees of freedom) underwater ROV. Real time experiments on an underactuated mini ROV are conducted to show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Effect of the Urbanization of Wetlands on Microclimate: A Case Study of Xixi Wetland, Hangzhou, China
Authors: Zhang Wei , Zhu Yubi , Jiang Jingang
Published: September 2016

Urbanization affects the microclimate and forms a unique urban climate environment. To deepen the understanding on the microclimate regulation function of an urban wetland, this study analyzed the influence of a suburb wetland’s urbanization process on the local climate through contrast observations of the protected wetland area and the former wetland area in Xixi wetland. Results show that the urbanization of suburb wetlands has an impact on the local microclimate and decreases human comfort, and that wetlands can effectively regulate the microclimate. The fragmentation of urban wetlands caused by urban sprawl decreases their microclimate regulation function, a decrease that is particularly evident in summer. Additionally, wetlands stabilize the microclimate in all seasons. For every land cover type in wetlands, vegetation has a better stabilizing effect on temperature, whereas a water body has a better stabilizing effect on wind speed and humidity. Meteorological conditions also affect the microclimate regulation function of wetlands. Temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and wind speed influence the cooling function of urban wetlands, while solar radiation modifies the humidifying function of urban wetlands.
Impact of Battery’s Model Accuracy on Size Optimization Process of a Standalone Photovoltaic System
Authors: Ibrahim Ibrahim , Khatib Tamer , Mohamed Azah
Published: September 2016

This paper presents a comparative study between two proposed size optimization methods based on two battery’s models. Simple and complex battery models are utilized to optimally size a standalone photovoltaic system. Hourly meteorological data are used in this research for a specific site. Results show that by using the complex model of the battery, the cost of the system is reduced by 31%. In addition, by using the complex battery model, the sizes of the PV array and the battery are reduced by 5.6% and 30%, respectively, as compared to the case which is based on the simple battery model. This shows the importance of utilizing accurate battery models in sizing standalone photovoltaic systems.
Factors Promoting Environmental Responsibility in European SMEs: The Effect on Performance
Authors: Sáez-Martínez Francisco , Díaz-García Cristina , González-Moreno Ángela
Published: September 2016

There is increasing social and political awareness of the importance of developing environmental responsibility at a corporate level. When focusing on issues of responsibility, large companies are frequently perceived to be more responsible for driving climate change and resource depletion. However, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) contribute significantly to the use of resources such as material and energy and produce approximately 64% of the pollution in Europe. Drawing on evidence from “The Eurobarometer 381 Survey on SMEs, Resource Efficiency and Green Markets”, we analyze the environmental responsibility of European SMEs, studying their compliance with environmental legislation and how several factors drive environmental orientation among SMEs. Our sample consists of 3647 SMEs operating in 38 countries. Only around a fifth of the firms go beyond environmental regulations, showing the highest levels of environmental responsibility. We conduct OLS regressions to analyze the factors that affect a positive environmental attitude among European SMEs (internal drivers being more significant than external ones) and then, to observe the positive effect of environmental responsibility and firm’s experience in offering green services/products on performance, although a conjoint effect was not found. Implications for practitioners, academics, and policy-makers are outlined.
T-Regulatory Cells and Vaccination “Pay Attention and Do Not Neglect Them”: Lessons from HIV and Cancer Vaccine Trials
Authors: Brezar Vedran , Godot Véronique , Cheng Liang , Su Lishan , Lévy Yves , Seddiki Nabila
Published: September 2016

Efficient vaccines are characterized by the establishment of long-lived memory T cells, including T-helper (effectors and follicular) and T-regulatory cells (Tregs). While the former induces cytotoxic or antibody responses, the latter regulates immune responses by maintaining homeostasis. The role of Tregs in inflammatory conditions is ambiguous and their systematic monitoring in vaccination along with effector T-cells is not instinctive. Recent studies from the cancer field clearly showed that Tregs suppress vaccine-induced immune responses and correlate with poor clinical benefit. In HIV infection, Tregs are needed during acute infection to preserve tissue integrity from an overwhelmed activation, but are not beneficial in chronic infection as they suppress anti-HIV responses. Current assays used to evaluate vaccine-induced specific responses are limited as they do not take into account antigen-specific Tregs. However, new assays, such as the OX40 assay, which allow for the simultaneous detection of a full range of Th-responses including antigen-specific Tregs responses, can overcome these issues. In this review article we will revise the role of Tregs in vaccination and review the recent work performed in the field, including the available tools to monitor them, from novel assays to humanized mouse models.
Fabrication and characterization of branched carbon nanostructures
Authors: Malik Sharali , Nemoto Yoshihiro , Guo Hongxuan , Ariga Katsuhiko , Hill Jonathan P
Published: September 2016

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have atomically smooth surfaces and tend not to form covalent bonds with composite matrix materials. Thus, it is the magnitude of the CNT/fiber interfacial strength that limits the amount of nanomechanical interlocking when using conventional CNTs to improve the structural behavior of composite materials through reinforcement. This arises from two well-known, long standing problems in this research field: (a) inhomogeneous dispersion of the filler, which can lead to aggregation and (b) insufficient reinforcement arising from bonding interactions between the filler and the matrix. These dispersion and reinforcement issues could be addressed by using branched multiwalled carbon nanotubes (b-MWCNTs) as it is known that branched fibers can greatly enhance interfacial bonding and dispersability. Therefore, the use of b-MWCNTs would lead to improved mechanical performance and, in the case of conductive composites, improved electrical performance if the CNT filler was better dispersed and connected. This will provide major benefits to the existing commercial application of CNT-reinforced composites in electrostatic discharge materials (ESD): There would be also potential usage for energy conversion, e.g., in supercapacitors, solar cells and Li-ion batteries. However, the limited availability of b-MWCNTs has, to date, restricted their use in such technological applications. Herein, we report an inexpensive and simple method to fabricate large amounts of branched-MWCNTs, which opens the door to a multitude of possible applications.
Estudo do tempo de secagem em amostras líquidas com a técnica de speckle
Authors: Da Silva Sidney Leal , Junior Carlos Narducci , De Jesus Mateus Aquino , Walsechi Renan , Da Silva Charles Rodrigues , Amorim Thamires Cristina de A. , Oliveira Samuel De , Cerqueira Aline Soares
Published: September 2016

Nesse trabalho, utilizou-se a técnica de speckle para estudar o tempo médio de secagem em amostras líquidas: corretivo líquido, liquid paper, colas de madeira e branca. Os dados, vídeos, foram capturados por uma câmera digital após o laser interagir, por reflexão, com a superfície das amostras. Cada vídeo foi separado em 16 grupos de 256 quadros, utilizados para obtenção dos arquivos THSP, Time History Speckle Pattern, que foram transformados em arquivos MOC, Matrizes de Coocorrências. Cada matriz MOC foi transformada em um valor de MI, Momento de Intensidades. Como cada MI está associado à um intervalo de tempo, foram construídos gráficos MI versus tempo para obtenção dos tempos de secagem das amostras. Com esses resultados, concluiu-se que o método apresentado é eficiente na determinação de tempos de secagem das amostras líquidas utilizadas nesse trabalho.
Aprendizes de língua inglesa e seus usos de tecnologia
Authors: Leão Márcia Magarinos de Souza
Published: September 2016

Esta investigação teve por objetivo conhecer os hábitos tecnológicos de aprendizes de língua inglesa em relação ao estudo que fazem fora de sala de aula. Primeiramente, há uma discussão sobre como a geração do milênio realmente é, com base em Prensky (2001, 2010, 2011), Pedró (2006), Keeter e Taylor (2009), Hargittai (2010) e Ala-Mutka (2011), e uma exposição sobre uso de tecnologia no ensino de língua inglesa em sala de aula. Em seguida, o perfil do(a)s aluno(a)s é traçado a partir de uma pesquisa de levantamento com 254 estudantes entre 18 e 25 anos que cursam o ensino superior. Os resultados confirmam que o(a)s jovens, apesar de tecnologicamente equipado(a)s, não dominam todos os recursos disponíveis para auxiliá-lo(a)s.
O envolvimento da universidade pública em relação à tecnologia social
Authors: Klossowski Andressa , Freitas Carlos Cesar Garcia , Freitas Flaviane Pelloso Molina
Published: September 2016

O presente artigo analisa o envolvimento das Universidades Públicas em relação aos projetos de Tecnologia Social. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa de caráter descritiva, com abordagem quantitativa, junto a um universo de 500 Tecnologias Sociais, por meio de análise documental. Entre os resultados obtidos destaca-se: foi identificado um total de setenta e sete projetos de TS que tiveram envolvimento da universidade pública, sendo a participação em sua maioria, 52 projetos, na condição de parceira. Apenas em vinte e cinco projetos a universidade tomou a iniciativa como responsável. As instituições com maior participação foram: Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso e Universidade Federal de Viçosa. Em relação às demandas sociais, os projetos privilegiaram: renda, educação, meio ambiente e alimentação. Foram identificados quinze tipos de públicos diferentes atendidos, constituídos de mais de 349.000 pessoas, com maior ênfase para agricultores-familiares (27 projetos), estudantes (24 projetos) e famílias de baixa renda (20 projetos). Além destes, merece destaque, qualitativo, os projetos que atenderam: indígenas, quilombolas, gestantes, analfabetos e idosos. A diversidade de aplicações por meio da TS indicou a importância desta, como instrumento de aplicação da extensão universitária e o cumprimento do papel social da universidade pública
Obstáculos à inovação na indústria brasileira: uma análise setorial
Authors: Maia Mariana De Melo Alexandre , Silva Filho Jose Carlos Lazaro
Published: September 2016

O objetivo do artigo é analisar as diferenças entre as percepções dos obstáculos enfrentados à inovação em diferentes setores da indústria brasileira. Para alcançar esse objetivo foi utilizada uma técnica estatística multivariada, a Análise de Cluster. O banco de dados utilizado foi a pesquisa PINTEC 2009-2011 (IBGE 2013) e que utiliza como referência conceitual e metodológica o Manual de Oslo e a Community Innovation Survey (CIS), realizada pela EUROSTAT na Europa. Os resultados mostram a formação de seis clusters e os fatores que menos discriminaram foram os riscos econômicos, a rigidez organizacional e os elevados custos à inovação.