bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Data Management in the Long Tail: Science, Software, and Service
Authors: Borgman Christine L. , Golshan Milena S. , Sands Ashley E. , Wallis Jillian C. , Cummings Rebekah L. , Darch Peter T. , Randles Bernadette M.
Published: October 2016

Scientists in all fields face challenges in managing and sustaining access to their research data. The larger and longer term the research project, the more likely that scientists are to have resources and dedicated staff to manage their technology and data, leaving those scientists whose work is based on smaller and shorter term projects at a disadvantage. The volume and variety of data to be managed varies by many factors, only two of which are the number of collaborators and length of the project. As part of an NSF project to conceptualize the Institute for Empowering Long Tail Research, we explored opportunities offered by Software as a Service (SaaS). These cloud-based services are popular in business because they reduce costs and labor for technology management, and are gaining ground in scientific environments for similar reasons. We studied three settings where scientists conduct research in small and medium-sized laboratories. Two were NSF Science and Technology Centers (CENS and C-DEBI) and the third was a workshop of natural reserve scientists and managers. These laboratories have highly diverse data and practices, make minimal use of standards for data or metadata, and lack resources for data management or sustaining access to their data, despite recognizing the need. We found that SaaS could address technical needs for basic document creation, analysis, and storage, but did not support the diverse and rapidly changing needs for sophisticated domain-specific tools and services. These are much more challenging knowledge infrastructure requirements that require long-term investments by multiple stakeholders.Â
Studi Mutu Ikan Rinuak (Psilopsis sp) Olahan di Danau Maninjau, Kecamatan Tanjung Raya Kabupaten Agam Sumatera Barat
Authors: Yusra Yusra
Published: October 2016

ABSTRAK

Ikan Rinuak (Psilopsis sp) adalah ikan yang berukuran sangat kecil yang hidup di Danau Maninjau. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui mutu berbagai ikan Rinuak olahan (ikan Rinuak goreng dan palai ikan Rinuak, peyek ikan Rinuak) yang dipasarkan disekitar Danau Maninjau Kecamatan Tanjung Raya Kabupaten Agam. Uji yang dilakukan pada penelitian ini adalah uji proksimat dan organoleptik. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode deskriptif. Berdasarkan dari hasil analisis kimia didapatkan kadar protein ikan Rinuak goreng 41,78%, lemak 44,67%, air 4,81%, abu 8,02% dan karbohidrat 1,78%. Kadar protein palai ikan Rinuak 18,12%, lemak 2,62%,  air 76,50%, abu 2,91%, dan karbohidrat 0,85%. Kadar protein peyek ikan Rinuak  20,54%, lemak 41,11%,  air 2,40%, abu 3,82%, dan karbohidrat 32,18%. Berdasarkan uji organoleptik  Rinuak goreng B sangat disukai panelis dengan skor kenampakan 6,92, bau 6,84, rasa 6,36 dan tekstur 2,68. Palai Rinuak A memiliki skor kenampakan 7,32, bau, 8,20, rasa 7,88, tekstur 2,84. Peyek Rinuak A disukai panelis dengan skor kenampakan 7,32, bau 8,20, rasa 7,88 dan tekstur 2,84.

 

Kata Kunci : Rinuak, proksimat, mikrobiologi, organoleptik, Danau Maninjau

 

ABSTRACT

 

Rinuak (Psilopsis sp) is a very small fish that live in Maninjau lake. The aims of this study was to determine the quality various of Rinuak processed (fried Rinuak, palai Rinuak, peyek Rinuak) sold at Maninjau lake Tanjung Raya district, Agam regency. The tests was perfomed on proximate composition and organoleptic. The descriptive method was used in this study. Based on the results, the proximate composition of fried Rinuak 41,78%  protein, 44.67% fat, 4.81% moisture, 8.02%  ash, and 1.78%  carbohydrate content. Palai Rinuak has protein 18.12%, fat 2.62%, moisture 76.50%, ash 2.91%, and carbohydrate content 0.85% respectively. Peyek Rinuak has protein 20.54% , fat 41.11%, moisture 2.40%, ash 3.82%, and carbohydrate content 32.18% respectively. The organoleptic test showed  fried Rinuak sample B with score 6.92 for appearance, 6.84 for odour, 6.36 or flavour, and 2.68 for texture, respectively. Palai Rinuak A with appearance score 7.32, odour 8.20, flavour 7.88, and texture 2.84 respectively. Meanwhile, peyek Rinuak A more by panelists with appereance score 7.32, odour 8.20, flavour 7.88, and texture 2.84, respectively.

 

Keywords: Rinuak , proximate, microbiological, organoleptic, Maninjau lake
FPGA Implementation of Multiplier for Floating-Point Numbers Based on IEEE 754-2008 Standard
Authors: Ibrahimy Muhammad Ibn
Published: October 2016

This paper illustrates designing and implementation process of floating point multiplier on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). Floating-point operations are used in many fields like, digital signal processing, digital image processing, multimedia data analysis etc. Implementation of floating-point multiplication is handy and easy for high level language. However it is a challenging task to implement a floating-point multiplication in hardware level/low level language due to the complexity of algorithm. A top-down approach has been applied for the prototyping of IEEE 754-2008 standard floating-point multiplier module using Verilog Hardware Description Language (HDL). Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tool of Altera Quartus II has been used for floating-point multiplier. The hardware implementation has been done by downloading the Verilog code onto Altera DE2 FPGA development board and found a satisfactory performance.
Effective Multi-Layer Security for Campus Network
Authors: Alimi Isiaka Ajewale
Published: October 2016

The development in different communication systems as well as multimedia applications and services leads to high rate of Internet usage. However, transmission of information over such networks can be compromised and security breaches such as virus, denial of service, unauthorized access, and theft of proprietary information which may have devastating impact on the system may occur if adequate security measures are not employed. Consequently, building viable, effective, and safe network is one of the main technical challenges of information transmission in campus networks. Furthermore, it has been observed that, network threats and attacks exist from the lower layers of network traffic to the application layer; therefore, this paper proposes an effective multi-layer firewall system for augmenting the functionalities of other network security technologies due to the fact that, irrespective of the type of access control being employed, attacks are still bound to occur. The effectiveness of the proposed network architecture is demonstrated using Cisco Packet Tracer. The simulation results show that, implementation of the proposed topology is viable and offers reasonable degree of security at different network layers.
Using manifold structure for automatic image annotation by fusion of multiple feature spaces
Authors: Zare Chahooki Mohammad Ali , Kargar Shooroki Hamid
Published: October 2016

Automatic image annotation has been an active research topic in recent years. Low level features like as color, texture, shape as well as object spatial relations are extracted to represent images in general. These syntaxes are further used to retrieve images from large image data sets.  However, the similarity of images could not be found correctly by similarity measures such as Euclidean distance in many situations. On the other hand, graph models have been shown powerful in solving many machine learning problems in recent years. In this paper, we propose a graph-based learning approach, named Conceptual Manifold Structure (CMS), based on transition from conceptual to observation space. In the proposed method, a graph including both the trained and tested samples is constructed by fusion of multiple feature spaces. Conceptual transition in graph structure is found by altering the edge values in an innovative manner. This is caused to learn the manifold structure where the samples dissimilarity is closer to the conceptual distance. Furthermore, the continuity between the instances of a semantic in the conceptual space is kept in feature space. Keeping the continuity in manifold structure is the main idea to decrease the semantic gap in this study. The experiments on different image data sets indicated that the geometrical distances between the samples on the manifold space are closer to their conceptual distance. The proposed method has been compared to other well-known approaches. The results confirmed the effectiveness and validity of the proposed method.
Marketing based on user behavior on Facebook social network through recommender system design
Authors: Shams Zamenjani Bahareh Shadi
Published: October 2016

t— the influence of social networks among people and at the same time inevitable spread of commercial use of them. Accordingly, in order to sell products, recommender systems designed based on user behavior on social networks, providing a variety of commercial offers tailored to the user. The accuracy of recommender systems that make recommendations to users, and how many of the proposals are accepted by the users is important. In this paper, a recommender system is designed based on user behavior in social network Facebook in two acts and suggests that users purchase their favorite products. The first step is to examine user behavior based on user interests will be given an offer to buy products. In the second stage recommender system uses data mining techniques and suggestions to the user that is associated with their previous purchases. This is real data and the real results of it and it is valid, as well as the results show a high level of accuracy recommender system is designed to offer suggestions to users.
An Image based Diagnostic System for Lung Disease Classification
Authors: Chandran Bhuvaneswari
Published: October 2016

Model-based detection and classification of nodules are two major steps in CAD systems design and evaluation. A common health problem, lung diseases are the most prevailing medical conditions throughout the world. In this paper, Lung diseases are automatically classified as Emphysema, Bronchitis, Pleural effusion and normal lung.The lung CT images are taken as input, preprocessing is applied, feature extraction is done by various methods such as Gabor filter extracts the texture features, walsh hadamard transform extracts the pixel co-efficient values, and a fusion method is proposed in this work which extracts the median absolute deviation values. Feature selection including statistical correlation based methods and Genetic Algorithm for searching in feature vector space are investigated. Four types of the classifiers are used where the Multi-Layer Perceptron Neural Network (MLP-NN) classifier with proposed fusion feature extraction method, genetic algorithm feature selection method gives promising result of 91% accuracy than J48, K- Nearest Neighbour and Naïve bayes classifiers.
Query Based Resource Allocation and Performance Prediction in Distributed Database
Authors: S. Jagannatha , Suresh Kumar T. V. , Rajanikanth K.
Published: October 2016

Resource allocation is one of the main issues for providing services in an efficient way on distributed database. Improving the performance is one of the key research issues by proper design of efficient distributed database and proper usage of resources in information technology. The cost of each computational service depends on the amount of computations. The system resources have to be allocated in order to handle the workload and minimize the cost of computing by using proper allocation strategy. Performance is strongly related to the allocation of resources and data fragments in distributed environment. The query requires data to be accessed from one or multiple sites. The required data are fragmented and placed in various data center, where resources exist. In this paper we propose an algorithm to minimize the total data-transfer cost required for processing the queries by proper allocation of resources. We are finding the optimum allocation strategy, which predicts the performance by estimating the cost.
Study of Process Parameters on Machining Process Using Single Point Cutting Tool
Authors: Batwara Amber
Published: October 2016

This research work studies the influence of cutting process parameters used in single point cutting tool based machining operations. In this study design of experiment methodology is used for some qualitative outcome. Taguchi method is used for experiment design. It is solved using ANSYS Explicit Dynamics software. ANOVA analysis is also performed in this study using Minitab software. Results show that most critical factor which affects stress generated during cutting operations are rake angle of tool and feed rate. In this study model equations are also generated for further analysis using linear regression modelling technique using Minitab software.
"Tails-up" capnogram: The role in detecting anaesthetic equipment malfunction
Authors: Mihailovic Stevan
Published: October 2016

Introduction. Capnography is an essential part and standard monitoring tool during the perioperative period, which can be invaluable in detecting anaesthetic equipment malfunction. Case report. The atypical, ??tails-up?? capnographic waveform was noticed during routine surgical operation. Comprehensive physico-mathematical and graphical explanation of this complex capnographic pattern has been given, together with in-depth analysis of possible differential diagnosis and clinical significance for routine clinical practice. Conclusion. ?Tails-up?? capnographic trace gives early clue to diagnosing and fixing the problem of cracks in sampling line, before leading to an inadequate course of action. The understanding of the physics and physiology behind capnography is of vital importance for the analysis of capnographic waveforms, for early detection of anaesthetic equipment malfunction and for safe clinical practice.
Characterization of the coatings covering esthetic orthodontic archwires and their influence on the bending and frictional properties
Authors: Muguruma Takeshi , Iijima Masahiro , Yuasa Toshihiro , Kawaguchi Kyotaro , Mizoguchi Itaru
Published: October 2016

Objective:

To analyze the coatings covering esthetic orthodontic wires and the influence of such coatings on bending and frictional properties.

Materials and Methods:

Four commercially available, coated esthetic archwires were evaluated for their cross-sectional dimensions, surface roughness (Ra), nanomechanical properties (nanohardness, nanoelastic modulus), three-point bending, and static frictional force. Matched, noncoated control wires were also assessed.

Results:

One of the coated wires had a similar inner core dimension and elasticity compared to the noncoated control wire, and no significant differences between their static frictional forces were observed. The other coated wires had significantly smaller inner cores and lower elasticity compared to the noncoated wires, and one of them showed less static frictional force than the noncoated wire, while the other two coated wires had greater static frictional force compared to their noncoated controls. The dimension and elastic modulus of the inner cores were positively correlated (r = 0.640), as were frictional force and total cross-sectional (r = 0.761) or inner core (r = 0.709) dimension, elastic modulus (r = 0.777), nanohardness (r = 0.802), and nanoelastic modulus (r = 0.926). The external surfaces of the coated wires were rougher than those of their matched controls, and the Ra and frictional force were negatively correlated (r = −0.333).

Conclusions:

Orthodontic coated wires with small inner alloy cores withstand less force than expected and may be unsuitable for establishing sufficient tooth movement. The frictional force of coated wires is influenced by total cross-section diameter, inner core diameter, nanohardness, nanoelastic modulus, and elastic modulus.
The Battle for the Galilee: Maronites and the Palestine Village of Jish during the 1948 War
Authors: Abbasi Mustafa
Published: October 2016

This article explores one of the Galilee battles that took place during the 1948 War. During the Israeli ‘Operation Hiram’ of October 1948 the IDF forces occupied large parts of the central Galilee including the Palestinian Arab village of Jish. Until October 1948 the majority of the population of Jish was Muslim. Today the population is predominantly Maronite Catholic and Melkite Greek Catholic Christians, with a Muslim minority. However, unlike many of the destroyed Palestinian villages in this region, Jish managed to survive the Nakba despite the hard battle of Jish, although many of its Muslim inhabitants were driven out to Lebanon. It is interesting to observe that local Christian leaders successfully coped with a major military operation. The article gives us a new perspective based on original sources on what took place in the Galilee and on the fate of the local Arab (Muslim and Christian) population in this region.
Women and Kirk Discipline: Prosecution, Negotiation, and the Limits of Control
Authors: Glaze Alice
Published: October 2016

This article won the Women's History Scotland Leah Leneman essay prize for 2014

This article examines some of the many ways in which women interacted with the Reformed Kirk of Scotland between 1613 and 1660, as recorded in the Canongate Kirk Session disciplinary records, focusing on cases that reveal the negotiation for control over women's bodies, their dignity, and their performances of gender and sexuality. These include the kirk session's prosecution of illicit sexuality, such as fornication, adultery, and prostitution; its protection, albeit limited, in cases of sexual assault; and its role as mediator in wet-nursing cases, and leniency towards wet-nursing fornication penitents. The article then examines the limits of the kirk session's powers in controlling its parishioners. It argues that the relationship between the kirk session and female parishioners was multifaceted, contradictory, and shifting. The kirk was a powerful social force in Canongate, but women were also active agents in the system of repentance, absolution and control in seventeenth-century Scotland.
Anthocyanin Accumulation in Muscadine Berry Skins Is Influenced by the Expression of the MYB Transcription Factors, MybA1, and MYBCS1
Authors: Oglesby Lillian , Ananga Anthony , Obuya James , Ochieng Joel , Cebert Ernst , Tsolova Violeta
Published: October 2016

The skin color of grape berry is very important in the wine industry. The red color results from the synthesis and accumulation of anthocyanins, which is regulated by transcription factors belonging to the MYB family. The transcription factors that activate the anthocyanin biosynthetic genes have been isolated in model plants. However, the genetic basis of color variation is species-specific and its understanding is relevant in many crop species. This study reports the isolation of MybA1, and MYBCS-1 genes from muscadine grapes for the first time. They are designated as VrMybA1 (GenBank Accession No. KJ513437), and VrMYBCS1 (VrMYB5a) (GenBank Accession No. KJ513438). The findings in this study indicate that, the deduced VrMybA1 and VrMYBCS1 protein structures share extensive sequence similarity with previously characterized plant MYBs, while phylogenetic analysis confirms that they are members of the plant MYB super-family. The expressions of MybA1, and MYBCS1 (VrMYB5a) gene sequences were investigated by quantitative real-time PCR using in vitro cell cultures, and berry skin samples at different developmental stages. Results showed that MybA1, and MYBCS1 genes were up-regulated in the veràison and physiologically mature red berry skins during fruit development, as well as in in vitro red cell cultures. This study also found that in ripening berries, the transcription of VrMybA1, and VrMYBCS1 in the berry skin was positively correlated with anthocyanin accumulation. Therefore, the upregulation of VrMybA1, and VrMYBCS1 results in the accumulation and regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis in berry development of muscadine grapes. This work greatly enhances the understanding of anthocyanin biosynthesis in muscadine grapes and will facilitate future genetic modification of the antioxidants in V. rotundifolia.
Design of a Solenoid Actuator for a Cylinder Valve in a Fuel Cell Vehicle
Authors: Lee Hyo , Ahn Jung , Kim Hwa
Published: October 2016

Green vehicles include electric vehicles, natural gas vehicles, fuel cell vehicles (FCV), and vehicles running on fuel such as a biodiesel or an ethanol blend. An FCV is equipped with a cylinder valve installed in an ultra-high pressure vessel to control the hydrogen flow. For this purpose, an optimum design of the solenoid actuator is necessary to ensure reliability when driving an FCV. In this study, an electromagnetic field analysis for ensuring reliable operation of the solenoid actuator was conducted by using Maxwell V15. The electromagnetic field analysis was performed by magneto static technique, according to the distance between magnetic poles, in order to predict the attraction force. Finally, the attraction force was validated through comparison between the Maxwell results and measurement results. From the results, the error of attraction force ranged from 2.33 to 3.85 N at testing conditions.
Translation Effects in Fluorine Doped Tin Oxide Thin Film Properties by Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Vapour Deposition
Authors: Afzaal Mohammad , Yates Heather , Hodgkinson John
Published: October 2016

In this work, the impact of translation rates in fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) thin films using atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition (APCVD) were studied. We demonstrated that by adjusting the translation speeds of the susceptor, the growth rates of the FTO films varied and hence many of the film properties were modified. X-ray powder diffraction showed an increased preferred orientation along the (200) plane at higher translation rates, although with no actual change in the particle sizes. A reduction in dopant level resulted in decreased particle sizes and a much greater degree of (200) preferred orientation. For low dopant concentration levels, atomic force microscope (AFM) studies showed a reduction in roughness (and lower optical haze) with increased translation rate and decreased growth rates. Electrical measurements concluded that the resistivity, carrier concentration, and mobility of films were dependent on the level of fluorine dopant, the translation rate and hence the growth rates of the deposited films.
Optimal Bidding of a Microgrid Based on Probabilistic Analysis of Island Operation
Authors: Lee Siyoung , Jin Younggyu , Jang Gilsoo , Yoon Yongtae
Published: October 2016

Island operation of a microgrid increases operation survivability and reliability when there is a large accident in a main grid. However, because a microgrid typically has limited generation capability, a microgrid operator (MGO) has to take the risk of island operation into account in its market participation and generation scheduling to ensure efficient operation. In this paper, a microgrid islanding event is interpreted as a trade suspension of a contract, and a set of islanding rules is presented in the form of a market rule. The risk of island operation is evaluated by modeling the microgrid islanding stochastically using an islanding probability function, which is defined in the form of a conditional probability to reflect the influence of outside conditions. An optimal bidding strategy is obtained for the MGO by formulating and solving an optimization problem to minimize the expected operating cost. The effectiveness of the proposed method was investigated by numerical simulations in which the proposed method and two other methods were applied to the same microgrid. Numerical sensitivity analyses of the coefficients of the islanding probability function were conducted to determine how an MGO copes with changes in outside conditions.
Operational Research Techniques Used for Addressing Biodiversity Objectives into Forest Management: An Overview
Authors: Ezquerro Marta , Pardos Marta , Diaz-Balteiro Luis
Published: October 2016

The integration of biodiversity into forest management has traditionally been a challenge for many researchers and practitioners. In this paper, we have provided a survey of forest management papers that use different Operations Research (OR) methods in order to integrate biodiversity objectives into their planning models. One hundred and seventy-nine references appearing in the ISI Web of Science database in the last 30 years have been categorized and evaluated according to different attributes like model components, forest management elements, or biodiversity issues. The results show that many OR methods have been applied to deal with this challenging objective. Thus, up to 18 OR techniques, divided into four large groups, which have been employed in four or more articles, have been identified. However, it has been observed how the evolution of these papers in time apparently tended to increase only until 2008. Finally, two clear trends in this set of papers should be highlighted: the incorporation of spatial analysis tools into these operational research models and, second, the setting up of hybrid models, which combine different techniques to solve this type of problem.
Long-Term (13 Years) Decomposition Rates of Forest Floor Organic Matter on Paired Coniferous and Deciduous Watersheds with Contrasting Temperature Regimes
Authors: Qualls Robert
Published: October 2016

Two sets of paired watersheds on north and South facing slopes were utilized to simulate the effects of temperature differences that are on the scale of those expected with near-term climatic warming on decomposition. Two watersheds were pine plantations (Pinus strobus L.) and two were mature deciduous forests established at similar elevation ranges and precipitation at the Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, but they differed in slope aspect (north vs. South facing), solar radiation, and litter temperature by about 2.0 °C. Nylon netting was placed on plots each year for 13 years and litterfall was measured. This time span in which decomposition rate was measured encompassed the time until less than 8% of the initial C remained. Decomposition rates of foliar litter were significantly faster on the slightly warmer watersheds, in both the coniferous and deciduous forests (Analysis of Variance). The turnover rate (year−1) was 0.359 (±0.006) for the South facing vs. 0.295 (±0.011) for the North facing coniferous watersheds, and 0.328 (±0.011) vs. 0.297 (±0.012) for the corresponding deciduous watersheds. Turnover rates of pine vs. deciduous broadleaf litter over 13 years were not significantly different because of the high proportion of relatively refractory Quercus spp. in the deciduous litterfall and because of a trend towards convergence of the rates after two years. After a greater decomposition rate in the first year or two, years 2–13 fit a negative exponential curve well (a timespan not well represented in literature) and there was only a small accumulation of humus older than 13 years. The fate of C in litterfall in the South facing deciduous forest was as follows: 14.3% was lost as leaching of dissolved organic C, 2.2% was lost as downward fine particulate matter flux from the bottom of the forest floor, 78.2% was mineralized (by mass balance), leaving only 5.4% of foliar litter after 13 years of decomposition. In these soils with a mor type O horizon, there was evidence that translocation of DOC and in-situ root production must be more important sources of mineral soil organic matter than downward migration of particulate humus.
New Insights into Various Production Characteristics of Streptococcus thermophilus Strains
Authors: Cui Yanhua , Xu Tingting , Qu Xiaojun , Hu Tong , Jiang Xu , Zhao Chunyu
Published: October 2016

Streptococcus thermophilus is one of the most valuable homo-fermentative lactic acid bacteria, which, for a long time, has been widely used as a starter for the production of fermented dairy products. The key production characteristics of S. thermophilus, for example the production of extracellular polysaccharide, proteolytic enzymes and flavor substances as well as acidifying capacity etc., have an important effect on the quality of dairy products. The acidification capacity of the strains determines the manufacturing time and quality of dairy products. It depends on the sugar utilization ability of strains. The production of extracellular polysaccharide is beneficial for improving the texture of dairy products. Flavor substances increase the acceptability of dairy products. The proteolytic activity of the strain influences not only the absorption of the nitrogen source, but also the formation of flavor substances. Different strains have obvious differences in production characteristics via long-time evolution and adaptation to environment. Gaining new strains with novel and desirable characteristics is an important long-term goal for researchers and the fermenting industry. The understanding of the potential molecular mechanisms behind important characteristics of different strains will promote the screening and breeding of excellent strains. In this paper, key technological and functional properties of different S. thermophilus strains are discussed, including sugar metabolism, proteolytic system and amino acid metabolism, and polysaccharide and flavor substance biosynthesis. At the same time, diversity of genomes and plasmids of S. thermophilus are presented. Advances in research on key production characteristics and molecular levels of S. thermophilus will increase understanding of molecular mechanisms of different strains with different important characteristics, and improve the industrialization control level for fermented foods.
Selection of Suitable Reference Genes for Analysis of Salivary Transcriptome in Non-Syndromic Autistic Male Children
Authors: Panahi Yasin , Salasar Moghaddam Fahimeh , Ghasemi Zahra , Hadi Jafari Mandana , Shervin Badv Reza , Eskandari Mohamad , Pedram Mehrdad
Published: October 2016

Childhood autism is a severe form of complex genetically heterogeneous and behaviorally defined set of neurodevelopmental diseases, collectively termed as autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Reverse transcriptase quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) is a highly sensitive technique for transcriptome analysis, and it has been frequently used in ASD gene expression studies. However, normalization to stably expressed reference gene(s) is necessary to validate any alteration reported at the mRNA level for target genes. The main goal of the present study was to find the most stable reference genes in the salivary transcriptome for RT-qPCR analysis in non-syndromic male childhood autism. Saliva samples were obtained from nine drug naïve non-syndromic male children with autism and also sex-, age-, and location-matched healthy controls using the RNA-stabilizer kit from DNA Genotek. A systematic two-phased measurement of whole saliva mRNA levels for eight common housekeeping genes (HKGs) was carried out by RT-qPCR, and the stability of expression for each candidate gene was analyzed using two specialized algorithms, geNorm and NormFinder, in parallel. Our analysis shows that while the frequently used HKG ACTB is not a suitable reference gene, the combination of GAPDH and YWHAZ could be recommended for normalization of RT-qPCR analysis of salivary transcriptome in non-syndromic autistic male children.
The Differential Effect of Low-Dose Mixtures of Four Pesticides on the Pea Aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum
Authors: Taillebois Emiliane , Thany Steeve
Published: October 2016

The modes of action of most insecticides are known, but little information exists regarding the toxicological interactions involving insecticide mixtures at low doses. The effects of mixtures of four insecticides were investigated using LC10 values (concentration leading to 10% mortality), acetamiprid (ACE, 0.235 µg/mL), chlorpyriphos (CHL, 107.0 µg/mL), deltamethrin (DEL, 5.831 µg/mL), and fipronil (FIP, 3.775 µg/mL) on the larvae of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum. After 24 h exposure, 6 of the 11 tested combinations, DEL/FIP, ACE/DEL, CHL/FIP, ACE/DEL/FIP, ACE/CHL/FIP, and ACE/DEL/CHL/FIP, were toxic through an additive effect. Four combinations, ACE/FIP, DEL/CHL, ACE/CHL, and ACE/DEL/CHL had a synergistic effect, whereas only one DEL/CHL/FIP showed an antagonistic effect. The toxic effect of these mixtures was confirmed after 48 h of exposure, revealing an enhanced toxicity of CHL, DEL, and FIP in combination with ACE. We suggest that an insect pest management strategy should be evaluated in the future using different combinations of insecticides.
Picrotoxane Sesquiterpene Glycosides and a Coumarin Derivative from Coriaria nepalensis and Their Neurotrophic Activity
Authors: Wang Yuan-Yuan , Tian Jun-Mian , Zhang Cheng-Chen , Luo Bo , Gao Jin-Ming
Published: October 2016

Two picrotoxane sesquiterpene lactone glycosides, nepalactones A (1) and B (2), and one new coumarin, nepalarin (3), were isolated from the root barks of the poisonous plant Coriaria nepalensis. Their structures were elucidated via HRESIMS and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses, and further verified via transformation methods. In addition, compounds 1–3 and five semisynthetic congeners (1a–e) were assayed for the activity to induce neurite outgrowth in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. As a result, nepalactone A derivative 1c and nepalarin (3) significantly enhanced nerve growth factor (NGF)-mediated neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells.
Gallic Acid Content in Taiwanese Teas at Different Degrees of Fermentation and Its Antioxidant Activity by Inhibiting PKCδ Activation: In Vitro and in Silico Studies
Authors: Kongpichitchoke Teeradate , Chiu Ming-Tzu , Huang Tzou-Chi , Hsu Jue-Liang
Published: October 2016

Teas can be classified according to their degree of fermentation, which has been reported to affect both the bioactive components in the teas and their antioxidative activity. In this study, four kinds of commercial Taiwanese tea at different degrees of fermentation, which include green (non-fermented), oolong (semi-fermented), black (fully fermented), and Pu-erh (post-fermented) tea, were profiled for catechin levels by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The result indicated that the gallic acid content in tea was directly proportional to the degree of fermentation in which the lowest and highest gallic acid content were 1.67 and 21.98 mg/g from green and Pu-erh tea, respectively. The antioxidative mechanism of the gallic acid was further determined by in vitro and in silico analyses. In vitro assays included the use of phorbol ester-induced macrophage RAW264.7 cell model for determining the inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and PKCδ and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase subunit (p47) activations. The results showed that only at a concentration of 5.00 μM could gallic acid significantly (p < 0.05) reduce ROS levels in phorbol ester-activated macrophages. Moreover, protein immunoblotting expressed similar results in which activations of PKCδ and p47 were only significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated by 5.00 μM treatment. Lastly, in silico experiments further revealed that gallic acid could block PKCδ activation by occupying the phorbol ester binding sites of the protein.
Evaluation of Hydrogel Suppositories for Delivery of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid and Hematoporphyrin Monomethyl Ether to Rectal Tumors
Authors: Ye Xuying , Yin Huijuan , Lu Yu , Zhang Haixia , Wang Han
Published: October 2016

We evaluated the potential utility of hydrogels for delivery of the photosensitizing agents 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME) to rectal tumors. Hydrogel suppositories containing ALA or HMME were administered to the rectal cavity of BALB/c mice bearing subcutaneous tumors of SW837 rectal carcinoma cells. For comparison, ALA and HMME were also administered by three common photosensitizer delivery routes; local administration to the skin and intratumoral or intravenous injection. The concentration of ALA-induced protoporphyrin IX or HMME in the rectal wall, skin, and subcutaneous tumor was measured by fluorescence spectrophotometry, and their distribution in vertical sections of the tumor was measured using a fluorescence spectroscopy system. The concentration of ALA-induced protoporphyrin IX in the rectal wall after local administration of suppositories to the rectal cavity was 9.76-fold (1 h) and 5.8-fold (3 h) higher than in the skin after cutaneous administration. The maximal depth of ALA penetration in the tumor was ~3–6 mm at 2 h after cutaneous administration. Much lower levels of HMME were observed in the rectal wall after administration as a hydrogel suppository, and the maximal depth of tumor penetration was <2 mm after cutaneous administration. These data show that ALA more readily penetrates the mucosal barrier than the skin. Administration of ALA as an intrarectal hydrogel suppository is thus a potential delivery route for photodynamic therapy of rectal cancer.
A Reliable Method for the Evaluation of the Anaphylactoid Reaction Caused by Injectable Drugs
Authors: Wang Fang , Weng Zebin , Li Cunyu , Peng Guoping
Published: October 2016

Adverse reactions of injectable drugs usually occur at first administration and are closely associated with the dosage and speed of injection. This phenomenon is correlated with the anaphylactoid reaction. However, up to now, study methods based on antigen detection have still not gained wide acceptance and single physiological indicators cannot be utilized to differentiate anaphylactoid reactions from allergic reactions and inflammatory reactions. In this study, a reliable method for the evaluation of anaphylactoid reactions caused by injectable drugs was established by using multiple physiological indicators. We used compound 48/80, ovalbumin and endotoxin as the sensitization agents to induce anaphylactoid, allergic and inflammatory reactions. Different experimental animals (guinea pig and nude rat) and different modes of administration (intramuscular, intravenous and intraperitoneal injection) and different times (15 min, 30 min and 60 min) were evaluated to optimize the study protocol. The results showed that the optimal way to achieve sensitization involved treating guinea pigs with the different agents by intravenous injection for 30 min. Further, seven related humoral factors including 5-HT, SC5b-9, Bb, C4d, IL-6, C3a and histamine were detected by HPLC analysis and ELISA assay to determine their expression level. The results showed that five of them, including 5-HT, SC5b-9, Bb, C4d and IL-6, displayed significant differences between anaphylactoid, allergic and inflammatory reactions, which indicated that their combination could be used to distinguish these three reactions. Then different injectable drugs were used to verify this method and the results showed that the chosen indicators exhibited good correlation with the anaphylactoid reaction which indicated that the established method was both practical and reliable. Our research provides a feasible method for the diagnosis of the serious adverse reactions caused by injectable drugs which could be used in the clinical practice.
Methodology for the Construction of the Bicyclo[4.3.0]nonane Core
Authors: Eddy Nicholas , Ichalkaranje Pranjali
Published: October 2016

The bicyclo[4.3.0]nonane scaffold, commonly known as a hydrindane, is a common structural motif found in many terpenoid structures and one that remains a challenge for synthetic chemists to elaborate with appropriate regio- and stereo-selectivity. Over the course of the study of terpene natural products, the elaboration of the hydrindane structure has seen progress on the utilization of both old and newer methods to achieve the desired outcomes. This review seeks to serve as a general overview of these methods, and detail specific examples.
Chemical Compositions of Ligusticum chuanxiong Oil and Lemongrass Oil and Their Joint Action against Aphis citricola Van Der Goot (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Authors: Zhang Chao , Liu Runqiang , He Jun , Ma Zhiqing , Zhang Xing
Published: October 2016

In order to develop novel botanical insecticides, the joint action of Ligusticum chuanxiong oil (LCO) and lemongrass oil (LO) against Aphis citricola van der Goot was determined systematically indoors and outdoors. The chemical profiles of LCO and LO as determined by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed that the main compounds from LCO were (Z)-ligustilide (44.58%) and senkyunolide A (26.92%), and that of LO were geranial (42.16%) and neral (32.58%), respectively. The mixture of LCO and LO showed significant synergy against A. citricola, with a common-toxicity coefficient (CTC) value of 221.46 at the optimal ratio of LCO to LO (4:1, w:w). Based on the results of solvents and emulsifiers screening, L. chuanxiong oil·Lemongrass oil 20% emulsifiable concentrate (20% LCO·LO EC) was developed, and its stability was confirmed with tests of cold and thermal storage. Field trials indicated that the insecticidal activity of the diluted 20% LCO·LO EC (1000 fold dilution) was comparable to conventional pesticide (20% imidacloprid EC) on A. citricola seven days after application. Thus, the mixture of LCO and LO has the potential to be further developed as a botanical pesticide.
Mapping the Mechanical Properties of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) Banded Spherulites by Nanoindentation
Authors: Enrique-Jimenez Patricia , Vega Juan , Martínez-Salazar Javier , Ania Fernando , Flores Araceli
Published: October 2016

Nanoindentation provides clear evidence that spherulite banding can be associated with a continuous modulation of mechanical properties from the more compliant peaks to the stiffer valleys. The structural arrangement in polymer-banded spherulites has intrigued scientists for many decades, and the debate has been recently intensified with the advent of new experimental evidence. The present paper approaches this issue by exploring the local mechanical properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)-ringed spherulites via nanoindentation and discussing the confidence of the results. It was found that storage modulus and hardness across the banding morphology can be described as a sequence of regular oscillations with a periodicity that exactly matches the one observed using optical and atomic force microscopy. Results are consistent with the model of regular twisting of the lamellae, with flat-on arrangement in the low regions and edge-on lamellae in the crests.
Microcystin-Bound Protein Patterns in Different Cultures of Microcystis aeruginosa and Field Samples
Authors: Wei Nian , Hu Lili , Song Lirong , Gan Nanqin
Published: October 2016

Micocystin (MC) exists in Microcystis cells in two different forms, free and protein-bound. We examined the dynamic change in extracellular free MCs, intracellular free MCs and protein-bound MCs in both batch cultures and semi-continuous cultures, using high performance liquid chromatography and Western blot. The results showed that the free MC per cell remained constant, while the quantity of protein-bound MCs increased with the growth of Microcystis cells in both kinds of culture. Significant changes in the dominant MC-bound proteins occurred in the late exponential growth phase of batch cultures, while the dominant MC-bound proteins in semi-continuous cultures remained the same. In field samples collected at different months in Lake Taihu, the dominant MC-bound proteins were shown to be similar, but the amount of protein-bound MC varied and correlated with the intracellular MC content. We identified MC-bound proteins by two-dimensional electrophoresis immunoblots and mass spectrometry. The 60 kDa chaperonin GroEL was a prominent MC-bound protein. Three essential glycolytic enzymes and ATP synthase alpha subunit were also major targets of MC-binding, which might contribute to sustained growth in semi-continuous culture. Our results indicate that protein-bound MC may be important for sustaining growth and adaptation of Microcystis sp.
Governing for Integrated Water and Flood Risk Management: Comparing Top-Down and Bottom-Up Approaches in Spain and California
Authors: Serra-Llobet Anna , Conrad Esther , Schaefer Kathleen
Published: October 2016

Flood risk management in the context of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) is becoming widely accepted as an approach to improving resilience in light of increasing flood risks due to climate change and other factors. This paper contributes to a better understanding of the governance arrangements needed for effectively implement integrated approaches to managing flood risk. We compare how IWRM and flood risk management have been operationalized within “top-down” and “bottom-up” governance arrangements in the European Union and the United States. We focus in particular on two case study regions, the Catalan coastal region in Spain and the San Francisco Bay Area in California, which have strong similarities in economy, climate, and environmental values, but different institutional settings. Our findings contribute empirical evidence of the need for a balance between “top-down” and “bottom-up” approaches. While the San Francisco Bay Area’s strongly collaborative and participatory approach has generated new connections among flood managers and other stakeholders, the lack of a central entity with the capacity and mandate for on-going coordination and region-wide risk assessments appears to constrain its ability to support integrated and adaptive management. The European Union’s top-down approach and the presence of a central authority at the river basin scale have led to a consolidated regional plan in Catalonia encompassing all phases of flood risk management, but the degree of engagement and opportunities for knowledge-sharing among participants may be more limited.
Workplace Stress: Implications for Organizational Performance in a Nigerian Public University
Authors: Osibanjo Omotayo A. , Salau Odunayo P. , Falola Hezekiah O. , Oyewunmi Adebukola E.
Published: October 2016

This study investigated the implications of workplace stress on organizational performance in a Nigerian Public University. The survey method was deployed in sampling one hundred and seventy (170) staff members of the University. The Structural Equation Modelling was adopted using AMOS to establish fitness. Results of the analyses indicate that role congruence, equity, recognition, and distance, have significant influence on organizational performance. This makes it imperative for organizations to invest necessary resources in developing strategies and interventions to reduce workplace stress. If this is achieved, there will be endless opportunities in terms of increased performance and overall sustainability.
Social Media as Platform for Stimulating Urban Changes
Authors: Zača Evija
Published: October 2016

Images have always been an important part of city planning – current images of place, images with planned improvements, maps and sketches. Some time ago all that was a private property of stakeholders like planner and client. But nowadays this confidentiality rather much has vanished – no copyrights or competition is noteworthy. Plans do not have their privacy anymore. They are exposed even before they got implemented. This article will display why city planners share the images of their ideas, of their dreams in public (mostly in blogs and social networks) – why it is important for them and what kind of feedback they are waiting for. This article is based on case study where 12 respondents (urban planners, architects, lecturers) were interviewed. They explained their own experience and how this type of communication with a wider public inspires some new initiatives and even realisation of some plans. This article is an insight of nowadays communication between planners and society that can result in some practical outcomes.