bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sounding the Alarm: Health in the Anthropocene
Authors: Butler Colin
Published: June 2016

There is growing scientific and public recognition that human actions, directly and indirectly, have profoundly changed the Earth system, in a still accelerating process, increasingly called the “Anthropocene”. Planetary transformation, including of the atmosphere, climate, ecosystems and biodiversity, has enormous implications for human health, many of which are deeply disturbing, especially in low-income settings. A few health consequences of the Anthropocene have been partially recognized, including within environmental epidemiology, but their long-term consequences remain poorly understood and greatly under-rated. For example Syria could be a “sentinel” population, giving a glimpse to a much wider dystopian future. Health-Earth is a research network, co-founded in 2014, which seeks, with other groups, to catalyse a powerful curative response by the wider health community. This paper builds on a symposium presented by Health-Earth members at the 2015 conference of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology. It reviews and synthesizes parts of the large literature relevant to the interaction between the changing Earth system and human health. It concludes that this topic should be prominent within future environmental epidemiology and public health. Created by our species, these challenges may be soluble, but solutions require far more understanding and resources than are currently being made available.
The Role of p38 MAPK in the Development of Diabetic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Wang Shudong , Ding Lijuan , Ji Honglei , Xu Zheng , Liu Quan , Zheng Yang
Published: June 2016

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a major complication of diabetes that contributes to an increase in mortality. A number of mechanisms potentially explain the development of DCM including oxidative stress, inflammation and extracellular fibrosis. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-mediated signaling pathways are common among these pathogenic responses. Among the diverse array of kinases, extensive attention has been given to p38 MAPK due to its capacity for promoting or inhibiting the translation of target genes. Growing evidence has indicated that p38 MAPK is aberrantly expressed in the cardiovascular system, including the heart, under both experimental and clinical diabetic conditions and, furthermore, inhibition of p38 MAPK activation in transgenic animal model or with its pharmacologic inhibitor significantly prevents the development of DCM, implicating p38 MAPK as a novel diagnostic indicator and therapeutic target for DCM. This review summarizes our current knowledge base to provide an overview of the impact of p38 MAPK signaling in diabetes-induced cardiac remodeling and dysfunction.
Analysis of the Interaction of Dp44mT with Human Serum Albumin and Calf Thymus DNA Using Molecular Docking and Spectroscopic Techniques
Authors: Xu Zhongjie , Liu Youxun , Zhou Sufeng , Fu Yun , Li Changzheng
Published: June 2016

Di-2-pyridylketone-4,4,-dimethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Dp44mT) exhibits significant antitumor activity. However, the mechanism of its pharmacological interaction with human serum albumin (HSA) and DNA remains poorly understood. Here, we aimed to elucidate the interactions of Dp44mT with HSA and DNA using MTT assays, spectroscopic methods, and molecular docking analysis. Our results indicated that addition of HSA at a ratio of 1:1 did not alter the cytotoxicity of Dp44mT, but did affect the cytotoxicity of the Dp44mT-Cu complex. Data from fluorescence quenching and UV-VIS absorbance measurements demonstrated that Dp44mT could bind to HSA with a moderate affinity (Ka = approximately 104 M−1). CD spectra revealed that Dp44mT could slightly disrupt the secondary structure of HSA. Dp44mT could also interact with Ct-DNA, but had a moderate binding constant (KEB = approximately 104 M−1). Docking studies indicated that the IB site of HSA, but not the IIA and IIIA sites, could be favorable for Dp44mT and that binding of Dp44mT to HSA involved hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic force, consistent with thermodynamic results from spectral investigations. Thus, the moderate binding affinity of Dp44mT with HSA and DNA partially contributed to its antitumor activity and may be preferable in drug design approaches.
Role of Aquaporins in a Composite Model of Water Transport in the Leaf
Authors: Yaaran Adi , Moshelion Menachem
Published: June 2016

Water-transport pathways through the leaf are complex and include several checkpoints. Some of these checkpoints exhibit dynamic behavior that may be regulated by aquaporins (AQPs). To date, neither the relative weight of the different water pathways nor their molecular mechanisms are well understood. Here, we have collected evidence to support a putative composite model of water pathways in the leaf and the distribution of water across those pathways. We describe how water moves along a single transcellular path through the parenchyma and continues toward the mesophyll and stomata along transcellular, symplastic and apoplastic paths. We present evidence that points to a role for AQPs in regulating the relative weight of each path in the overall leaf water-transport system and the movement of water between these paths as a result of the integration of multiple signals, including transpiration demand, water potential and turgor. We also present a new theory, the hydraulic fuse theory, to explain effects of the leaf turgor-loss-point on water paths alternation and the subsequent reduction in leaf hydraulic conductivity. An improved understating of leaf water-balance management may lead to the development of crops that use water more efficiently, and responds better to environmental changes.
PD-L1 Immunohistochemical Detection in Tumor Cells and Tumor Microenvironment: Main Considerations on the Use of Tissue Micro Arrays
Authors: Botti Gerardo , Scognamiglio Giosuè , Cantile Monica
Published: June 2016

PD-1/PD-L1 (programmed death 1/programmed death ligand 1) pathway plays a critical role in immune escape of tumor cells. Recent studies have described that PD-L1 is heterogeneously expressed in various types of cancer, although its prognostic/predictive value is still uncertain. These problems are partly due to a not well defined operating protocol for its detection by immunohistochemistry, but also because most of the studies conducted on large case series were made by Tissue Micro Array (TMA). We are going to discuss this latter point, to highlight that TMA must be set up in an appropriate manner, especially for some markers, such as PD-L1, which, besides being poorly expressed in tumor cells, can be expressed by cells of the tumor microenvironment.
The Salicylic Acid-Mediated Release of Plant Volatiles Affects the Host Choice of Bemisia tabaci
Authors: Shi Xiaobin , Chen Gong , Tian Lixia , Peng Zhengke , Xie Wen , Wu Qingjun , Wang Shaoli , Zhou Xuguo , Zhang Youjun
Published: June 2016

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) causes serious crop losses worldwide by transmitting viruses. We have previously shown that salicylic acid (SA)-related plant defenses directly affect whiteflies. In this study, we applied exogenous SA to tomato plants in order to investigate the interaction between SA-induced plant volatiles and nonviruliferous B. tabaci B and Q or B- and Q-carrying tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV). The results showed that exogenous SA caused plants to repel nonviruliferous whiteflies, but the effect was reduced when the SA concentration was low and when the whiteflies were viruliferous. Exogenous SA increased the number and quantity of plant volatiles—especially the quantity of methyl salicylate and δ-limonene. In Y-tube olfactometer assays, methyl salicylate and δ-limonene repelled the whiteflies, but the repellency was reduced for viruliferous Q. We suggest that the release of plant volatiles as mediated by SA affects the interaction between whiteflies, plants, and viruses. Further studies are needed to determine why viruliferous Q is less sensitive than nonviruliferous Q to repellent plant volatiles.
The Development of High-Density Vertical Silicon Nanowires and Their Application in a Heterojunction Diode
Authors: Chang Wen-Chung , Su Sheng-Chien , Wu Chia-Ching
Published: June 2016

Vertically aligned p-type silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays were fabricated through metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) of Si wafers. An indium tin oxide/indium zinc oxide/silicon nanowire (ITO/IZO/SiNW) heterojunction diode was formed by depositing ITO and IZO thin films on the vertically aligned SiNW arrays. The structural and electrical properties of the resulting ITO/IZO/SiNW heterojunction diode were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and current−voltage (I−V) measurements. Nonlinear and rectifying I−V properties confirmed that a heterojunction diode was successfully formed in the ITO/IZO/SiNW structure. The diode had a well-defined rectifying behavior, with a rectification ratio of 550.7 at 3 V and a turn-on voltage of 2.53 V under dark conditions.
Production of the Marine Carotenoid Astaxanthin by Metabolically Engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum
Authors: Henke Nadja , Heider Sabine , Peters-Wendisch Petra , Wendisch Volker
Published: June 2016

Astaxanthin, a red C40 carotenoid, is one of the most abundant marine carotenoids. It is currently used as a food and feed additive in a hundred-ton scale and is furthermore an attractive component for pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications with antioxidant activities. Corynebacterium glutamicum, which naturally synthesizes the yellow C50 carotenoid decaprenoxanthin, is an industrially relevant microorganism used in the million-ton amino acid production. In this work, engineering of a genome-reduced C. glutamicum with optimized precursor supply for astaxanthin production is described. This involved expression of heterologous genes encoding for lycopene cyclase CrtY, β-carotene ketolase CrtW, and hydroxylase CrtZ. For balanced expression of crtW and crtZ their translation initiation rates were varied in a systematic approach using different ribosome binding sites, spacing, and translational start codons. Furthermore, β-carotene ketolases and hydroxylases from different marine bacteria were tested with regard to efficient astaxanthin production in C. glutamicum. In shaking flasks, the C. glutamicum strains developed here overproduced astaxanthin with volumetric productivities up to 0.4 mg·L−1·h−1 which are competitive with current algae-based production. Since C. glutamicum can grow to high cell densities of up to 100 g cell dry weight (CDW)·L−1, the recombinant strains developed here are a starting point for astaxanthin production by C. glutamicum.
Optimization of Acid Leaching of Rare-Earth Elements from Mongolian Apatite-Based Ore
Authors: Kim Rina , Cho Heechan , Han Kenneth , Kim Kihong , Mun Myoungwook
Published: June 2016

Optimization of the acid leaching process for Mongolian apatite-based ore containing rare-earth elements (REEs) was studied. The ore contained approximately 10% of REEs as total rare earth oxides, and the major impurities were Ca (33% as CaO) and Fe (23% as Fe2O3). Fe bearing minerals could be removed by passing the sample through a wet high-intensity magnetic separator before leaching. After magnetic separation, basic leaching tests were conducted to investigate the influence of the acid type and concentration, temperature, and the pH on the REE leaching level and kinetics. Hydrochloric acid was found to be the most effective leaching agent, leaching more than 90% of REEs in an hour. However, the concentrations of Ca ions in the leachate were also high, which would complicate recovery of the REEs. Therefore, to reduce the amount of Ca ions in the leachate, a two-stage leaching procedure was attempted. In stage 1, the sample was preleached using 1.0 M hydrochloric acid to dissolve Ca. In stage 2, the solid residue of stage 1 was leached using 2.0 M hydrochloric acid to dissolve REEs. Consequently, this two-stage leaching significantly reduced the Ca concentration in the final leachate without affecting the leaching levels of REEs.
Photochemistry of 1,4-Dihydropyridine Derivatives: Diradical Formation, Delocalization and Trapping as a Route to Novel Tricyclic and Tetracyclic Nitrogen Heterocyclic Ring Systems
Authors: Al-Jalal Nader , Ibrahim Yehia , Al-Awadi Nouria , Ibrahim Maher , Sayed Osama
Published: June 2016

Irradiation of an acetonitrile solution of 4-aryl-3,5-dibenzoyl-1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives 1a–c and maleimides 2a–c using medium pressure Hg-arc lamp (λ > 290) nm afforded three different cycloadducts 4, 5, 6 in addition to the oxidation products 3. These results indicate that compounds 1a–c undergoes intermolecular cycloaddition reaction through three biradical intermediates and behave photochemically different than those reported previously for the analogous 3,5-diacetyl and 3,5-dicarboxylic acid derivatives. The present work also offers simple access to novel tricyclic and tetracyclic nitrogen heterocyclic ring systems of potential biological and synthetic applications. The structure of the photoproducts was established spectroscopically and by single crystal X-ray crystallography.
Simultaneous Quantification and Differentiation of Streptococcus suis Serotypes 2 and 9 by Quantitative Real-Time PCR, Evaluated in Tonsillar and Nasal Samples of Pigs
Authors: Dekker Niels , Daemen Ineke , Verstappen Koen , De Greeff Astrid , Smith Hilde , Duim Birgitta
Published: June 2016

Invasive Streptococcus suis (S. suis) infections in pigs are often associated with serotypes 2 and 9. Mucosal sites of healthy pigs can be colonized with these serotypes, often multiple serotypes per pig. To unravel the contribution of these serotypes in pathogenesis and epidemiology, simultaneous quantification of serotypes is needed. A quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) targeting cps2J (serotypes 2 and 1/2) and cps9H (serotype 9) was evaluated with nasal and tonsillar samples from S. suis exposed pigs. qPCR specifically detected serotypes in all pig samples. The serotypes loads in pig samples estimated by qPCR showed, except for serotype 9 in tonsillar samples (correlation coefficient = 0.25), moderate to strong correlation with loads detected by culture (correlation coefficient > 0.65), and also in pigs exposed to both serotypes (correlation coefficient > 0.75). This qPCR is suitable for simultaneous differentiation and quantification of important S. suis serotypes.
An Osteoconductive Antibiotic Bone Eluting Putty with a Custom Polymer Matrix
Authors: Curley John , Hasan Mohammad , Larson Jacob , Brooks Benjamin , Liu Qianhui , Jain Tanmay , Joy Abraham , Brooks Amanda
Published: June 2016

With the rising tide of antibiotic resistant bacteria, extending the longevity of the current antibiotic arsenal is becoming a necessity. Developing local, controlled release antibiotic strategies, particularly for difficult to penetrate tissues such as bone, may prove to be a better alternative. Previous efforts to develop an osteoconductive local antibiotic release device for bone were created as solid molded composites; however, intimate contact with host bone was found to be critical to support host bone regrowth; thus, an osteocondconductive antibiotic releasing bone void filling putty was developed. Furthermore, a controlled releasing polymer matrix was refined using pendant-functionalized diols to provide tailorable pharmacokinetics. In vitro pharmacokinetic and bioactivity profiles were compared for a putty formulation with an analogous composition as its molded counterpart as well as four new pendant-functionalized polymers. A best-fit analysis of polymer composition in either small cylindrical disks or larger spheres revealed that the new pendant-functionalized polymers appear to release vancomycin via both diffusion and erosion regardless of the geometry of the putty. In silico simulations, a valuable technique for diffusion mediated controlled release models, will be used to confirm and optimize this property.
Conducting Polymer Based Nanobiosensors
Authors: Park Chul , Lee Changsoo , Kwon Oh
Published: June 2016

In recent years, conducting polymer (CP) nanomaterials have been used in a variety of fields, such as in energy, environmental, and biomedical applications, owing to their outstanding chemical and physical properties compared to conventional metal materials. In particular, nanobiosensors based on CP nanomaterials exhibit excellent performance sensing target molecules. The performance of CP nanobiosensors varies based on their size, shape, conductivity, and morphology, among other characteristics. Therefore, in this review, we provide an overview of the techniques commonly used to fabricate novel CP nanomaterials and their biosensor applications, including aptasensors, field-effect transistor (FET) biosensors, human sense mimicking biosensors, and immunoassays. We also discuss prospects for state-of-the-art nanobiosensors using CP nanomaterials by focusing on strategies to overcome the current limitations.
Charting Policy Directions for Mining’s Sustainability with Circular Economy
Authors: Balanay Raquel , Halog Anthony
Published: June 2016

This paper discusses circular economy (CE) as an option to mitigate the environmental impacts of mining operations, and a framework based on the three dimensions of sustainability, the possible uses of mining wastes, the life cycle, and the systems approaches to determine the policies that will induce initiatives towards designing out wastes for a mining-based circular economy. Previous research has been reviewed to determine CE configuration and the basis for the framework to guide in the development of CE-related mining policies. The Chinese model of circular economy, noted for the introduction of industrial symbiosis through eco-industrial parks at the meso level, and public participation at the macro level, forms the basic structure of the framework aimed at curbing mining waste, and closing the loop in mining. Holistic research is important in taking proactive CE technology actions, strategic measures, and policies, which can use life cycle assessment (LCA) methods (environmental and social LCA and life cycle costing) and systems dynamic modeling. With systems dynamic modeling, the framework introduced in this work can be expanded to cover as many important aspects as possible, and can check for areas of policy resistance that have been the reason for most policy failures.
Fast Binary Coding for the Scene Classification of High-Resolution Remote Sensing Imagery
Authors: Hu Fan , Xia Gui-Song , Hu Jingwen , Zhong Yanfei , Xu Kan
Published: June 2016

Scene classification of high-resolution remote sensing (HRRS) imagery is an important task in the intelligent processing of remote sensing images and has attracted much attention in recent years. Although the existing scene classification methods, e.g., the bag-of-words (BOW) model and its variants, can achieve acceptable performance, these approaches strongly rely on the extraction of local features and the complicated coding strategy, which are usually time consuming and demand much expert effort. In this paper, we propose a fast binary coding (FBC) method, to effectively generate efficient discriminative scene representations of HRRS images. The main idea is inspired by the unsupervised feature learning technique and the binary feature descriptions. More precisely, equipped with the unsupervised feature learning technique, we first learn a set of optimal “filters” from large quantities of randomly-sampled image patches and then obtain feature maps by convolving the image scene with the learned filters. After binarizing the feature maps, we perform a simple hashing step to convert the binary-valued feature map to the integer-valued feature map. Finally, statistical histograms computed on the integer-valued feature map are used as global feature representations of the scenes of HRRS images, similar to the conventional BOW model. The analysis of the algorithm complexity and experiments on HRRS image datasets demonstrate that, in contrast with existing scene classification approaches, the proposed FBC has much faster computational speed and achieves comparable classification performance. In addition, we also propose two extensions to FBC, i.e., the spatial co-occurrence matrix and different visual saliency maps, for further improving its final classification accuracy.
Three-Dimensional Surface Displacement Field Associated with the 25 April 2015 Gorkha, Nepal, Earthquake: Solution from Integrated InSAR and GPS Measurements with an Extended SISTEM Approach
Authors: Luo Haipeng , Chen Ting
Published: June 2016

Three-dimensional surface displacement field associated with the 25 April 2015 Gorkha, Nepal earthquake is derived from an integration of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) and Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements, with an extended SISTEM (Simultaneous and Integrated Strain Tensor Estimation From Geodetic and Satellite Deformation Measurements) approach (ESISTEM) proposed in this study. In ESISTEM approach, both surrounding InSAR and GPS measurements can be used as constraints in deriving surface displacements; while only surrounding GPS measurements are used in SISTEM approach. Besides the constraints from surrounding GPS measurements, the ESISTEM approach makes surrounding InSAR measurements available for constraining the derived deformations based on surface elastic theory for the first time. From the north to the south, derived surface displacement field shows prevailing southward horizontal deformations, and gradually varied vertical deformations ranging from −0.95 to 1.40 m within 120 km to the north of Kathmandu. This reveals that ruptures of Main Himalayan thrust (MHT) system were confined in subsurface and did not propagate to the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT) fault, in accordance with field investigation as well as geodetic and seismic studies. Relation between vertical deformations and earthquake-induced landslides is briefly discussed.
Mapping Dynamics of Inundation Patterns of Two Largest River-Connected Lakes in China: A Comparative Study
Authors: Wu Guiping , Liu Yuanbo
Published: June 2016

Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake are the two largest freshwater lakes in China. The lakes are located approximately 300 km apart on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and are differently connected through their respective tributary systems, which will lead to different river–lake water exchanges and discharges. Thus, differences in their morphological and hydrological conditions should induce individual lake spatio-temporal inundation patterns. Quantitative comparative analyses of the dynamic inundation patterns of Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake are of great importance to basic biogeochemical and ecological studies. In this study, using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectoradiometer (MODIS) satellite imagery and a geographic information system (GIS) analysis method, we systematically compared the spatio-temporal inundation patterns of the two river-connected lakes by analyses of the lake area, the inundation frequencies (IFs) and the water variation rates (WVRs). The results indicate that there was a significant declining trend in the lakes’ inundation area from 2000 to 2011. The inundation areas of Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake, decreased by 54.74% and 40.46%, with an average annual decrease rate of 109.74 km2/y and 52.37 km2/y, respectively. The alluvial regions near Dongting Lake expressed much lower inundation frequencies, averaged over multiple years, than the alluvial regions near Poyang Lake. There was an obvious spatial gradient in the distribution of water inundation for Poyang Lake; the monthly mean IF slowly increased from north to south during the low-water, rising, and high-water periods. However, Dongting Lake expressed a clear zonal distribution of water inundation, especially in the low-water and rising periods. In addition, the WVRs of the two lakes differently changed in space throughout the year, but were in good agreement with the changing processes of water expansion or shrinkage. The different inundation frequencies and water variation rates in the two lakes may possibly depend on many intrinsic factors, including surface discharges from their respective tributaries, river–lake water exchanges and the lakes’ topographical characteristics. These findings are valuable for policymakers because they may lead to different decisions and policies for these two complex river–lake systems.
Robust Behavior Recognition in Intelligent Surveillance Environments
Authors: Batchuluun Ganbayar , Kim Yeong , Kim Jong , Hong Hyung , Park Kang
Published: June 2016

Intelligent surveillance systems have been studied by many researchers. These systems should be operated in both daytime and nighttime, but objects are invisible in images captured by visible light camera during the night. Therefore, near infrared (NIR) cameras, thermal cameras (based on medium-wavelength infrared (MWIR), and long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) light) have been considered for usage during the nighttime as an alternative. Due to the usage during both daytime and nighttime, and the limitation of requiring an additional NIR illuminator (which should illuminate a wide area over a great distance) for NIR cameras during the nighttime, a dual system of visible light and thermal cameras is used in our research, and we propose a new behavior recognition in intelligent surveillance environments. Twelve datasets were compiled by collecting data in various environments, and they were used to obtain experimental results. The recognition accuracy of our method was found to be 97.6%, thereby confirming the ability of our method to outperform previous methods.
Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanoparticles for Formaldehyde Sensing with QCM
Authors: Hussain Munawar , Kotova Kira , Lieberzeit Peter
Published: June 2016

Herein, we report on molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for detecting formaldehyde vapors in air streams. A copolymer thin film consisting of styrene, methacrylic acid, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate on quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) yielded a detection limit of 500 ppb formaldehyde in dry air. Surprisingly, these MIPs showed specific behavior when tested against a range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as acetaldehyde, methanol, formic acid, and dichloromethane. Despite thus being a suitable receptor in principle, the MIPs were not useful for measurements at 50% humidity due to surface saturation by water. This was overcome by introducing primary amino groups into the polymer via allyl amine and by changing the coating morphology from thin film to nanoparticles. This led to the same limit of detection (500 ppb) and selectivity as before, but at the real-life conditions of 50% relative humidity.
Inequalities in Human Well-Being in the Urban Ganges Brahmaputra Meghna Delta
Authors: Szabo Sylvia , Hajra Rituparna , Baschieri Angela , Matthews Zoe
Published: June 2016

The recently endorsed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda unanimously agrees on the need to focus on inclusive development, the importance of eradicating extreme poverty and managing often complex human well-being impacts of rapid urban growth. Sustainable and inclusive urbanisation will accelerate progress towards the SDGs and contribute to eradicating extreme poverty. In tropical delta regions, such as the Ganges Brahmaputra Meghna delta region, urban growth and resulting intra-urban inequalities are accelerated by the impact of environmental and climate change. In this context, the present study uses the 2010 Household Income and Expenditure Survey to analyse the extent of wealth-based inequalities in human well-being in the urban delta region and the determinants of selected welfare measures. The results suggest that the extent of intra-urban inequalities is greatest in educational attainment and access to postnatal healthcare and relatively low in the occurrence of gastric disease. The paper concludes by providing policy recommendations to reduce increasing wealth inequalities in urban areas, thus contributing to sustainable development of the region.
The Development and Full-Scale Experimental Validation of an Optimal Water Treatment Solution in Improving Chiller Performances
Authors: Chiang Chen-Yu , Yang Ru , Yang Kuan-Hsiung
Published: June 2016

An optimal solution, in combining physical and chemical water treatment methods, has been developed. This method uses a high voltage capacitance based (HVCB) electrodes, coupled with biocides to form a sustainable solution in improving chiller plant performances. In this study, the industrial full-scale tests, instead of laboratory tests, have been conducted on chiller plants at the size of 5000 RT to 10,000 RT cooling capacities under commercial operation for more than two years. The experimental results indicated that the condenser approach temperatures can be maintained at below 1 °C for over two years. It has been validated that the coefficient of performance (COP) of a chiller can be improved by over 5% by implementing this solution. Every 1 °C reduction in condenser approach temperature can yield approximately 3% increase on chiller COP, which warrants its future application potential in the HVAC industry, where Ta can degrade by 1 °C every three to six months. The solution developed in this study could also reduce chemical dosages and conserve makeup water substantially and is more environment friendly.
Assessing India’s Innovation Ecosystem: The Case Study of Gujarat
Authors: Elledge Myles , Jones Jamie , Pandiyan Moline
Published: June 2016

India is a growing, global economic powerhouse experiencing rapid growth and industry diversification. India’s rich tradition of science, large and youthful population, and emerging corporate strength bode well for future possibilities. However, India currently ranks very low on global scales for innovation, intellectual property (IP) and patents, and levels of public and private-sector R&D funding. This research brief presents an innovation ecosystem assessment for the State of Gujarat, India. Building on stakeholder interviews with leading governments, universities, entrepreneurs, industry actors, and innovation enablers in Gujarat, the assessment looks at a range of dimensions that make up a well-functioning innovation ecosystem. The elements of human capital, research and knowledge creation, know-how transfer, IP, and sector collaboration are the building blocks to an effective innovation ecosystem. This review frames key themes emerging from the stakeholder engagement, and presents a set of practical recommendations to strengthen the innovation ecosystem in Gujarat.
ON THE SOCIAL TRAITS OF LUMINOUS BLUE VARIABLES
Authors: Humphreys Roberta M. , Weis Kerstin , Davidson Kris , Gordon Michael S.
Published: June 2016

In a recent paper, Smith & Tombleson state that the luminous blue variables (LBVs) in the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds are isolated; they are not spatially associated with young O-type stars. They propose a novel explanation that would overturn the standard view of LBVs. In this paper we test their hypothesis for the LBVs in M31 and M33, as well as the LMC and SMC. We show that in M31 and M33 the LBVs are associated with luminous young stars and supergiants that are appropriate to their luminosities and positions on the H-R diagram. Moreover, in the Smith and Tombleson scenario most of the LBVs should be runaway stars, but the stars’ velocities are consistent with their positions in the respective galaxies. In the Magellanic Clouds, those authors’ sample was a mixed population. We reassess their analysis, removing seven stars that have no clear relation to LBVs. When we separate the more massive classical and the less luminous LBVs, the classical LBVs have a distribution similar to the late O-type stars, while the less luminous LBVs have a distribution like the red supergiants. None of the confirmed LBVs have high velocities or are candidate runaway stars. These results support the accepted description of LBVs as evolved massive stars that have shed a lot of mass and are now close to their Eddington limit.
EPISODIC HIGH-VELOCITY OUTFLOWS FROM V899 Mon: A CONSTRAINT ON THE OUTFLOW MECHANISMS*
Authors: Ninan J. P. , Ojha D. K. , Philip N. S.
Published: June 2016

We report the detection of large variations in the outflow wind velocity from a young eruptive star, V899 Mon, during its ongoing high accretion outburst phase. Such large variations in the outflow velocity (from −722 to −425 km s−1) have never been reported previously in this family of objects. Our continuous monitoring of this source shows that the multi-component, clumpy, and episodic high velocity outflows are stable in the timescale of a few days, and vary over the timescale of a few weeks to months. We detect significant decoupling in the instantaneous outflow strength to accretion rate. From the comparison of various possible outflow mechanisms in magnetospheric accretion of young stellar objects, we conclude magnetically driven polar winds to be the most consistent mechanism for the outflows seen in V899 Mon. The large scale fluctuations in outflow over the short period makes V899 Mon the most ideal source to constrain various magnetohydrodynamics simulations of magnetospheric accretion.
3FGL DEMOGRAPHICS OUTSIDE THE GALACTIC PLANE USING SUPERVISED MACHINE LEARNING: PULSAR AND DARK MATTER SUBHALO INTERPRETATIONS
Authors: Mirabal N. , Charles E. , Ferrara E. C. , Gonthier P. L. , Harding A. K. , Sánchez-Conde M. A. , Thompson D. J.
Published: June 2016

Nearly one-third of the sources listed in the Third Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) catalog (3FGL) remain unassociated. It is possible that predicted and even unanticipated gamma-ray source classes are present in these data waiting to be discovered. Taking advantage of the excellent spectral capabilities achieved by the Fermi LAT, we use machine-learning classifiers (Random Forest and XGBoost) to pinpoint potentially novel source classes in the unassociated 3FGL sample outside the Galactic plane. Here we report a total of 34 high-confidence Galactic candidates at

. The currently favored standard astrophysical interpretations for these objects are pulsars or low-luminosity globular clusters hosting millisecond pulsars (MSPs). Yet these objects could also be interpreted as dark matter annihilation taking place in ultra-faint dwarf galaxies or dark matter subhalos. Unfortunately, Fermi LAT spectra are not sufficient to break degeneracies between the different scenarios. Careful visual inspection of archival optical images reveals no obvious evidence for low-luminosity globular clusters or ultra-faint dwarf galaxies inside the 95% error ellipses. If these are pulsars, this would bring the total number of MSPs at

to 106, down to an energy flux ≈4.0 × 10−12 erg cm−2 s−1 between 100 MeV and 100 GeV. We find this number to be in excellent agreement with predictions from a new population synthesis of MSPs that predicts 100–126 high-latitude 3FGL MSPs depending on the choice of high-energy emission model. If, however, these are dark matter substructures, we can place upper limits on the number of Galactic subhalos surviving today and on dark matter annihilation cross sections. These limits are beginning to approach the canonical thermal relic cross section for dark matter particle masses below ∼100 GeV in the bottom quark (

) annihilation channel.
STAR FORMATION AND AGN ACTIVITY IN GALAXY CLUSTERS FROM z = 1–2: A MULTI-WAVELENGTH ANALYSIS FEATURING HERSCHEL/PACS
Authors: Alberts Stacey , Pope Alexandra , Brodwin Mark , Chung Sun Mi , Cybulski Ryan , Dey Arjun , Eisenhardt Peter R. M. , Galametz Audrey , Gonzalez Anthony H. , Jannuzi Buell T. , Stanford S. Adam , Snyder Gregory F. , Stern Daniel , Zeimann Gregory R.
Published: June 2016

We present a detailed, multi-wavelength study of star formation (SF) and active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity in 11 near-infrared (IR) selected, spectroscopically confirmed massive (≳1014
M
⊙) galaxy clusters at 1 < z < 1.75. Using new deep Herschel/PACS imaging, we characterize the optical to far-IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for IR-luminous cluster galaxies, finding that they can, on average, be well described by field galaxy templates. Identification and decomposition of AGNs through SED fittings allows us to include the contribution to cluster SF from AGN host galaxies. We quantify the star-forming fraction, dust-obscured SF rates (SFRs) and specific SFRs for cluster galaxies as a function of cluster-centric radius and redshift. In good agreement with previous studies, we find that SF in cluster galaxies at z ≳ 1.4 is largely consistent with field galaxies at similar epochs, indicating an era before significant quenching in the cluster cores (r < 0.5 Mpc). This is followed by a transition to lower SF activity as environmental quenching dominates by z ∼ 1. Enhanced SFRs are found in lower mass (

) cluster galaxies. We find significant variation in SF from cluster to cluster within our uniformly selected sample, indicating that caution should be taken when evaluating individual clusters. We examine AGNs in clusters from z = 0.5–2, finding an excess AGN fraction at z ≳ 1, suggesting environmental triggering of AGNs during this epoch. We argue that our results—a transition from field-like to quenched SF, enhanced SF in lower mass galaxies in the cluster cores, and excess AGNs—are consistent with a co-evolution between SF and AGNs in clusters and an increased merger rate in massive halos at high redshift.
DETECTING PLANET PAIRS IN MEAN MOTION RESONANCES VIA THE ASTROMETRY METHOD
Authors: Wu Dong-Hong , Liu Hui-Gen , Yu Zhou-Yi , Zhang Hui , Zhou Ji-Lin
Published: June 2016

Gaia is leading us into a new era with a high astrometry precision of ∼10 μas. Under such precision, astrometry can play an important role in detecting and characterizing exoplanets. In particular, we can identify planet pairs in mean motion resonances (MMRs), which constrain the formation and evolution of planetary systems. In accordance with observations, we consider two-Jupiter or two-super-Earth systems in 1:2, 2:3, and 3:4 MMRs. Our simulations show that the false alarm probabilities (FAPs) of a third planet are extremely small, while the two real planets can be fitted well with a signal-to-noise ratio (S/N)

. The probability of reconstructing a resonant system is related to the eccentricities and the resonance intensity. Generally, when the S/N

, if the eccentricities of both planets are larger than 0.01 and the resonance is quite strong, the probability of reconstructing the planet pair in MMRs is

. Jupiter pairs in MMRs are reconstructed more easily than super-Earth pairs with similar S/N when we consider dynamical stability. FAPs are also calculated when we detect planet pairs in or near MMRs. The FAPs for 1:2 MMRs are the largest, i.e., FAP

when S/N

. Extrapolating from the Kepler planet pairs near MMRs and assuming a S/N ∼ 3, we discover and reconstruct a few tens of Jupiter pairs and hundreds of super-Earth pairs in 2:3 and 1:2 MMRs within 30 pc. We also compare the differences between even and uneven data cadence and find that planets are better measured with more uniform phase coverage.
BEYOND THE KUIPER BELT EDGE: NEW HIGH PERIHELION TRANS-NEPTUNIAN OBJECTS WITH MODERATE SEMIMAJOR AXES AND ECCENTRICITIES
Authors: Sheppard Scott S. , Trujillo Chadwick , Tholen David J.
Published: June 2016

We are conducting a survey for distant solar system objects beyond the Kuiper Belt edge (∼50 au) with new wide-field cameras on the Subaru and CTIO telescopes. We are interested in the orbits of objects that are decoupled from the giant planet region to understand the structure of the outer solar system, including whether a massive planet exists beyond a few hundred astronomical units as first reported in 2014 by Trujillo & Sheppard. In addition to discovering extreme trans-Neptunian objects detailed elsewhere, we found several objects with high perihelia (q > 40 au) that differ from the extreme and inner Oort cloud objects due to their moderate semimajor axes (50 < a < 100 au) and eccentricities (e ≲ 0.3). Newly discovered objects 2014 FZ71 and 2015 FJ345 have the third and fourth highest perihelia known after Sedna and 2012 VP113, yet their orbits are not nearly as eccentric or distant. We found several of these high-perihelion but moderate orbit objects and observe that they are mostly near Neptune mean motion resonances (MMRs) and have significant inclinations (i > 20°). These moderate objects likely obtained their unusual orbits through combined interactions with Neptune’s MMRs and the Kozai resonance, similar to the origin scenarios for 2004 XR190. We also find the distant 2008 ST291 has likely been modified by the MMR+KR mechanism through the 6:1 Neptune resonance. We discuss these moderately eccentric distant objects along with some other interesting low inclination outer classical belt objects like 2012 FH84 discovered in our ongoing survey.
INTERFEROMETRIC MAPPING OF MAGNETIC FIELDS: THE ALMA VIEW OF THE MASSIVE STAR-FORMING CLUMP W43-MM1
Authors: Cortes Paulo C. , Girart Josep M. , Hull Charles L. H. , Sridharan Tirupati K. , Louvet Fabien , Plambeck Richard , Li Zhi-Yun , Crutcher Richard M. , Lai Shih-Ping
Published: June 2016

Here, we present the first results from ALMA observations of 1 mm polarized dust emission toward the W43-MM1 high-mass star-forming clump. We have detected a highly fragmented filament with source masses ranging from 14 M

to 312 M

, where the largest fragment, source A, is believed to be one of the most massive in our Galaxy. We found a smooth, ordered, and detailed polarization pattern throughout the filament, which we used to derived magnetic field morphologies and strengths for 12 out of the 15 fragments detected ranging from 0.2 to 9 mG. The dynamical equilibrium of each fragment was evaluated finding that all the fragments are in a super-critical state that is consistent with previously detected infalling motions toward W43-MM1. Moreover, there are indications suggesting that the field is being dragged by gravity as the whole filament is collapsing.
L’Arabie saoudite et les États-Unis : une alliance ambivalente et pérenne
Authors: Ekovich Steven
Published: June 2016

Les États-Unis et l’Arabie saoudite partagent des relations étroites depuis les années 1930, quand une compagnie pétrolière américaine a bénéficié d’un droit exclusif de forer le pétrole saoudien. Les Américains ont largement accompagné les Saoudiens dans leur développement depuis lors, jusqu’aux horizons d’un pays postmoderne de nos jours. Mais on ne peut pas restreindre une analyse des relations entre les deux pays exclusivement à l’accès au pétrole. Contrairement à une vision commune et superficielle, l’alliance n’a jamais été simplement fondée sur « pétrole pour sécurité ». D’autres impératifs stratégiques ont été et continuent d’être présents. Néanmoins, l’alliance bute toujours sur la tension profonde entre les valeurs libérales états-unisiennes et le conservatisme religieux saoudien.
Les élections présidentielles au Liban : entre espoir et retour douloureux de l’Histoire
Authors: Malsagne Stéphane
Published: June 2016

L’impossible élection d’un chef d’Etat au Liban depuis la fin de la présidence Sleiman est, le plus souvent et à juste titre, expliquée par des blocages liés à des facteurs d’ordre institutionnel et régional. Contrairement aux espoirs suscités par la perspective d’une élection enfin aboutie, le poste et la fonction présidentielle ont pourtant été souvent discrédités dans l’histoire libanaise contemporaine. Dans un Etat actuellement très instable, confronté à des enjeux d’existence et dont les élites politiques n’ont cessé de se couper d’une partie croissante de la société civile, le profil et le parcours historique des candidats en lice pour la succession est à bien des égards un facteur supplémentaire d’accroissement des tensions de nature à renforcer l’impasse dans lequel se situe le pays.
Les vies des morts de la migration
Authors: Kobelinsky Carolina
Published: June 2016

Depuis des dizaines d’années, des migrant·e·s meurent aux frontières de l’Europe. On peut s’étonner de la différence de traitement réservé aux vivants et aux morts. Pour les premiers, les technologies les plus avancées pour identifier et garantir la traçabilité des nouveaux arrivants. Pour les seconds, le silence et l’anonymat. Objet anthropologique par excellence pour appréhender une société donnée, la mort pose d’autres questions dès lors qu’elle touche des personnes qui n’en sont pas membres.
Le théâtre au service de la cause immigrée (1970-1990)
Authors: Hadj Belgacem Samir
Published: June 2016

Le théâtre a joué un rôle souvent sous-estimé dans l’histoire du mouvement de la « cause immigrée ». Il n’a pas été seulement un moyen d’expression politique ou culturelle, mais a aussi été un outil de mobilisation et de formation militante. La pratique théâtrale participe en effet d’un répertoire d’action militant à part entière.
Assurance maladie obligatoire et demande de soins : une analyse par microsimulation
Authors: de Lagasnerie Grégoire
Published: June 2016

La microsimulation a souvent été utilisée pour simuler les effets de réformes du remboursement des soins, mais le plus souvent dans un cadre statique sans modification des comportements des patients. Geoffard et de Lagasnerie [2013] ont notamment suivi cette méthodologie pour examiner l’impact de l’instauration d’une franchise, d’un ticket modérateur unique et d’un plafond de reste à charge. Cet article prolonge ce travail en y introduisant des réactions comportementales calibrées à partir des conclusions des études empiriques mesurant l’élasticité-prix de la demande de soins, c’est-à-dire la variation de consommation de soins consécutive à une modification de la couverture des soins. En intégrant dans le modèle de microsimulation des réactions comportementales, cette étude montre que, jusqu’à une certaine valeur de la franchise (égale à environ 100 euros pour une élasticité-prix de la demande de soins fixée à – 0,2), l’effet de renchérissement du coût des soins du fait de la franchise et du ticket modérateur domine l’effet du plafonnement de reste à charge qui réduit le coût des soins pour certains assurés. Dans ces cas, il est possible de diminuer le plafond de reste à charge grâce au surplus engendré pour l’assurance maladie publique par la diminution de la consommation des assurés. À partir d’une franchise de 100 euros, l’effet s’inverse et il est alors nécessaire d’augmenter le plafond pour garder le même niveau de dépenses pour l’assurance maladie publique.
Chefs des finances et contrôleurs : entre obligation de conformité et leadership stratégique
Authors: Jerman Lambert , Sponem Samuel
Published: June 2016

Les chefs des finances et les contrôleurs doivent à la fois assumer des responsabilités en matière de reddition de comptes et jouer un rôle de partenaire d’affaires auprès de la haute direction et des différentes unités d’une organisation. Comment peuvent-ils concilier ces deux exigences ?
Salomon : quand l’audace soulève des montagnes
Authors: Lord Simon , Couput Jean-Yves , Sarazin Benoît
Published: June 2016

La société française Salomon, spécialisée dans le matériel sportif, notamment l’équipement pour les sports de montagne, a réussi à se démarquer du peloton de ses concurrents en abandonnant les approches traditionnelles et en puisant dans deux immenses réservoirs de potentiel créatif : les communautés sportives et les spécialistes dans divers domaines liés à son créneau. Portrait d’une entreprise qui met tout en œuvre pour que chacun des athlètes auxquels elle s’adresse trouve chaussure à son pied.
Entreprises : écoutez davantage vos clients !
Authors: Sychterz Thomas
Published: June 2016

Garder la même idée, la même technologie ou le même modèle d’affaires est synonyme d’échec à long terme. Si une entreprise n’est pas prête à se remettre en question, elle risque de voir son marché et ses activités se faire bouleverser, à l’instar du secteur du taxi avec Uber. Devant cette menace d’innovation de rupture, 50 % des entreprises Fortune 500 déclarent cocréer et s’impliquer activement avec leur communauté en l’écoutant davantage. Cette stratégie s’avère très payante.