bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antifeedant Activities of Lignans from Stem Bark of Zanthoxylum armatum DC. against Tribolium castaneum
Authors: Zhang Wenjuan , Wang Yang , Geng Zhufeng , Guo Shanshan , Cao Juqin , Zhang Zhe , Pang Xue , Chen Zhenyang , Du Shushan , Deng Zhiwei
Published: March 2018

The speciation of a methanolic extract of Zanthoxylum armatum stem bark has enabled the isolation and characterization of 11 known lignans. Among them, five compounds (6, 8–11) are reported in this plant for the first time. All of the chemical structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR spectral analysis. Additionally, their antifeedant activities against Tribolium castaneum were evaluated scientifically. Among them, asarinin (1), with an EC50 of 25.64 ppm, exhibited a much stronger antifeedant activity than the positive control, toosendanin (EC50 = 71.69 ppm). Moreover, fargesin (2), horsfieldin (3), and magnolone (10), with EC50 values of 63.24, 68.39, and 78.37 ppm, showed almost the same antifeedant activity as the positive control. From the perspective of structure-effectiveness relationship, compounds with the chemical group of methylenedioxy exhibited higher antifeedant activities and have potential to be developed into novel antifeedants or potential lead compounds to protect food and crops in storage.
Which Dendrimer to Attain the Desired Properties? Focus on Phosphorhydrazone Dendrimers
Authors: Caminade Anne-Marie , Majoral Jean-Pierre
Published: March 2018

Among the six Critical Nanoscale Design Parameters (CNDPs) proposed by Prof. Donald A. Tomalia, this review illustrates the influence of the sixth one, which concerns the elemental composition, on the properties of dendrimers. After a large introduction that summarizes different types of dendrimers that have been compared with PolyAMidoAMine (PAMAM) dendrimers, this review will focus on the properties of positively and negatively charged phosphorhydrazone (PPH) dendrimers, especially in the field of biology, compared with other types of dendrimers, in particular PAMAM dendrimers, as well as polypropyleneimine (PPI), carbosilane, and p-Lysine dendrimers.
Isothiocyanates: An Overview of Their Antimicrobial Activity against Human Infections
Authors: Romeo Letizia , Iori Renato , Rollin Patrick , Bramanti Placido , Mazzon Emanuela
Published: March 2018

The use of plant-derived products as antimicrobial agents has been investigated in depth. Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are bioactive products resulting from enzymatic hydrolysis of glucosinolates (GLs), the most abundant secondary metabolites in the botanical order Brassicales. Although the antimicrobial activity of ITCs against foodborne and plant pathogens has been well documented, little is known about their antimicrobial properties against human pathogens. This review collects studies that focus on this topic. Particular focus will be put on ITCs’ antimicrobial properties and their mechanism of action against human pathogens for which the current therapeutic solutions are deficient and therefore of prime importance for public health. Our purpose was the evaluation of the potential use of ITCs to replace or support the common antibiotics. Even though ITCs appear to be effective against the most important human pathogens, including bacteria with resistant phenotypes, the majority of the studies did not show comparable results and thus it is very difficult to compare the antimicrobial activity of the different ITCs. For this reason, a standard method should be used and further studies are needed.
Microglial Immune Response to Low Concentrations of Combustion-Generated Nanoparticles: An In Vitro Model of Brain Health
Authors: Duffy Cayla , Swanson Jacob , Northrop William , Nixon Joshua , Butterick Tammy
Published: March 2018

The brain is the central regulator for integration and control of responses to environmental cues. Previous studies suggest that air pollution may directly impact brain health by triggering the onset of chronic neuroinflammation. We hypothesize that nanoparticle components of combustion-generated air pollution may underlie these effects. To test this association, a microglial in vitro biological sensor model was used for testing neuroinflammatory response caused by low-dose nanoparticle exposure. The model was first validated using 20 nm silver nanoparticles (AgNP). Next, neuroinflammatory response was tested after exposure to size-selected 20 nm combustion-generated nanoparticles (CGNP) collected from a modern diesel engine. We show that low concentrations of CGNPs promote low-grade inflammatory response indicated by increased pro-inflammatory cytokine release (tumor necrosis factor-α), similar to that observed after AgNP exposure. We also demonstrate increased production of reactive oxygen species and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) p65 phosphorylation in microglia after CGNP stimulation. Finally, we show conditioned media from CGNP-stimulated microglia significantly reduced hypothalamic neuronal survival in vitro. To our knowledge, this data show for the first time that exposure to AgNP and CGNP elicits microglial neuroinflammatory response through the activation of NF-κB.
Multi-Responsive Behaviors of Copolymers Bearing N-Isopropylacrylamide with or without Phenylboronic Acid in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Li Jiaxing , Yang Lei , Fan Xiaoguang , Wang Fei , Zhang Jing , Wang Zhanyong
Published: March 2018

Continuing efforts to develop novel smart materials are anticipated to upgrade the quality of life of humans. Thermo-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and glucose-responsive phenylboronic acid—typical representatives—are often integrated as multi-stimuli-sensitive materials, but few are available for side-by-side comparisons with their properties. In this study, both copolymers bearing N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm), with or without 3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid (AAPBA), were synthesized by free radical polymerization, and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance hydrogen spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography. Dynamic light scattering was used to analyze and compare the responsive behaviors of the copolymers in different aqueous solutions. Atomic force microscopy was also employed to investigate the apparent morphology changes with particle sizes. The results demonstrated that the introduction of NIPAAm endowed the composite materials with thermosensitivity, whereas the addition of AAPBA lowered the molecular weight of the copolymers, intensified the intermolecular aggregation of the nanoparticles, reduced the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of the composites, and accordingly allowed the copolymers to respond to glucose. It was also concluded that the responding of smart copolymers to operating parameters can be activated only under special conditions, and copolymer dimension and conformation were affected by inter/intramolecular interactions.
Computer Modeling for Single-Screw Extrusion of Wood–Plastic Composites
Authors: Wilczyński Krzysztof , Buziak Kamila , Wilczyński Krzysztof , Lewandowski Adrian , Nastaj Andrzej
Published: March 2018

Experimental and theoretical studies have been performed on the single-screw extrusion of wood–plastics composites. Experimental research has been carried out on the flow and melting of polypropylene (PP)-based composites with different wood flour (WF) content in the single-screw extruder. Based on these experimental observations, elementary models of the process phenomena have been proposed and a global model of the process has been developed. This global computer model includes the models of solid conveying, melting dependent on the wood flour content, melt flow in the screw, and melt flow in the die. 3-D non-Newtonian finite element method (FEM) screw pumping characteristics have been applied to model the melt flow in the metering section of the screw. The model predicts the extrusion output, pressure and temperature profiles, melting profile, and power consumption. The model has been validated experimentally. An effect of material slip on the extruder operation has been discussed including both slipping in the screw/barrel surfaces and in the extruding die.
Structural Investigation of Poly(ethylene furanoate) Polymorphs
Authors: Maini Lucia , Gigli Matteo , Gazzano Massimo , Lotti Nadia , Bikiaris Dimitrios , Papageorgiou George
Published: March 2018

α and β crystalline phases of poly(ethylene furanoate) (PEF) were determined using X-ray powder diffraction by structure resolution in direct space and Rietveld refinement. Moreover, the α’ structure of a PEF sample was refined from data previously reported for PEF fiber. Triclinic α-PEF a = 5.729 Å, b = 7.89 Å, c = 9.62 Å, α = 98.1°, β = 65.1°, γ = 101.3°; monoclinic α’-PEF a = 5.912 Å, b = 6.91 Å, c = 19.73 Å, α = 90°, β = 90°, γ = 104.41°; and monoclinic β-PEF a = 5.953 Å, b = 6.60 Å, c = 10.52 Å, α = 90°, β = 107.0°, γ = 90° were determined as the best fitting of X-ray diffraction (XRD) powder patterns. Final atomic coordinates are reported for all polymorphs. In all cases PEF chains adopted an almost planar configuration.
The Discovery of an Iridium(III) Dimer Complex as a Potent Antibacterial Agent against Non-Replicating Mycobacterium smegmatis
Authors: Liao Guojian , Peng Xixi , Li Ting , Ye Zhengyuan , Xiang Xiaohong , Fu Chen
Published: March 2018

Novel agents are urgently needed to rapidly kill drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Noble metal complexes, particularly polypyridyl iridium complexes serving as therapeutic agents, have attracted considerable interest recently, due to their significant cytotoxic or antimicrobial activities. Here, we reported an polypyridyl iridium dimer complex [Ir(ppy)2Cl]2 (3), with ppy = phenylpyridine, which was found to be active against both exponential growing and non-replicating M. smegmatis, with minimum inhibitory concentration values of 2 μg/mL, and exhibited rapid bactericidal kinetics, killing pathogens within 30–60 min. Moreover, 3 was demonstrated to generate a large amount of reactive oxygen species and to be effective in drug-resistant strains. Taken together, the selectively active iridium(III) dimer complex showed promise for use as a novel drug candidate for the treatment of M. tuberculosis infection.
Evaluation of Three Parametric Models for Estimating Directional Thermal Radiation from Simulation, Airborne, and Satellite Data
Authors: Liu Xiangyang , Tang Bo-Hui , Li Zhao-Liang
Published: March 2018

An appropriate model to correct thermal radiation anisotropy is important for the wide applications of land surface temperature (LST). This paper evaluated the performance of three published directional thermal radiation models—the Roujean–Lagouarde (RL) model, the Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) model, and the Vinnikov model—at canopy and pixel scale using simulation, airborne, and satellite data. The results at canopy scale showed that (1) the three models could describe directional anisotropy well and the Vinnikov model performed the best, especially for erectophile canopy or low leaf area index (LAI); (2) the three models reached the highest fitting accuracy when the LAI varied from 1 to 2; and (3) the capabilities of the three models were all restricted by the hotspot effect, plant height, plant spacing, and three-dimensional structure. The analysis at pixel scale indicated a consistent result that the three models presented a stable effect both on verification and validation, but the Vinnikov model had the best ability in the erectophile canopy (savannas and grassland) and low LAI (barren or sparsely vegetated) areas. Therefore, the Vinnikov model was calibrated for different land cover types to instruct the angular correction of LST. Validation with the Surface Radiation Budget Network (SURFRAD)-measured LST demonstrated that the root mean square (RMSE) of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) LST product could be decreased by 0.89 K after angular correction. In addition, the corrected LST showed better spatial uniformity and higher angular correlation.
Evaluation of the Ability of Spectral Indices of Hydrocarbons and Seawater for Identifying Oil Slicks Utilizing Hyperspectral Images
Authors: Zhao Dong , Cheng Xinwen , Zhang Hongping , Niu Yanfei , Qi Yangyang , Zhang Haitao
Published: March 2018

It is important to detect floating oil slicks after spill accidents, and hyperspectral remote sensing technology is capable of achieving this task. Traditional methods mainly utilize the spectral indices of hydrocarbons to detect floating oil slicks, but are poor at distinguishing the thickness of oil slicks and cannot detect sheens. Since the spectra of oil slicks should be affected by seawater as well as oil, this paper investigated the use of spectral indices of hydrocarbons and seawater to identify different thicknesses of oil slicks. In this research, a measurement, called index separability (IS), was proposed for quantitatively evaluating the identification ability of these spectral indices. Based on the evaluation results, experiments were conducted to validate the applicability of these spectral indices. The results show that the spectral indices of hydrocarbons are more suitable for detecting continuous true color oil slicks and emulsions and that spectral indices of seawater are more suitable for sheens and seawater. In addition, the spectral indices of hydrocarbons and seawater are complementary for detecting oil slicks. Finally, combining the spectral indices of hydrocarbons and seawater is conducive to achieving more accurate oil slick recognition results.
UAV Capability to Detect and Interpret Solar Radiation as a Potential Replacement Method to Hemispherical Photography
Authors: Abdollahnejad Azadeh , Panagiotidis Dimitrios , Surový Peter , Ulbrichová Iva
Published: March 2018

Solar radiation is one of the most significant environmental factors that regulates the rate of photosynthesis, and consequently, growth. Light intensity in the forest can vary both spatially and temporally, so precise assessment of canopy and potential solar radiation can significantly influence the success of forest management actions, for example, the establishment of natural regeneration. In this case study, we investigated the possibilities and perspectives of close-range photogrammetric approaches for modeling the amount of potential direct and diffuse solar radiation during the growing seasons (spring–summer), by comparing the performance of low-cost Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) RGB imagery vs. Hemispherical Photography (HP). Characterization of the solar environment based on hemispherical photography has already been widely used in botany and ecology for a few decades, while the UAV method is relatively new. Also, we compared the importance of several components of potential solar irradiation and their impact on the regeneration of Pinus sylvestris L. For this purpose, a circular fisheye objective was used to obtain hemispherical images to assess sky openness and direct/diffuse photosynthetically active flux density under canopy average for the growing season. Concerning the UAV, a Canopy Height Model (CHM) was constructed based on Structure from Motion (SfM) algorithms using Photoscan professional. Different layers such as potential direct and diffuse radiation, direct duration, etc., were extracted from CHM using ArcGIS 10.3.1 (Esri: California, CA, USA). A zonal statistics tool was used in order to extract the digital data in tree positions and, subsequently, the correlation between potential solar radiation layers and the number of seedlings was evaluated. The results of this study showed that there is a high relation between the two used approaches (HP and UAV) with R2 = 0.74. Finally, potential diffuse solar radiation derived from both methods had the highest significant relation (−8.06% bias) and highest impact in the modeling of pine regeneration.
Comparison of Wind Speeds from Spaceborne Microwave Radiometers with In Situ Observations and ECMWF Data over the Global Ocean
Authors: Zhang Lei , Shi Hanqing , Wang Zhenzhan , Yu Hong , Yin Xiaobin , Liao Qixiang
Published: March 2018

This study compares wind speeds derived from five satellite microwave radiometers with those directly observed by buoy-mounted anemometers and the global analyses produced by the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model. Buoy comparisons yield wind speed root mean square errors of 0.82 m/s for WindSat, 1.45 m/s for SSMIS F16, 1.39 m/s for SSMIS F17, 1.43 m/s for AMSR-E, and 1.45 m/s for AMSR2. The overall mean bias for each satellite is typically <0.25 m/s when averaged over all selected buoys for a given study time. The satellite wind speeds are underestimated with respect to the buoy observations at a band of the tropical Pacific Ocean from −8°S to 4°N. The mean buoy–satellite difference as a function of year is always <0.4 m/s, except for SSMIS F16. The selected satellite wind speeds show an obvious seasonal characteristic at high latitudes. In comparison with the ECMWF data, some obviously positive differences exist at high southern latitudes in January and at high northern latitudes in July.
A New Soil Moisture Downscaling Approach for SMAP, SMOS, and ASCAT by Predicting Sub-Grid Variability
Authors: Montzka Carsten , Rötzer Kathrina , Bogena Heye , Sanchez Nilda , Vereecken Harry
Published: March 2018

Several studies currently strive to improve the spatial resolution of coarse scale high temporal resolution global soil moisture products of SMOS, SMAP, and ASCAT. Soil texture heterogeneity is known to be one of the main sources of soil moisture spatial variability. With the recent development of high resolution maps of basic soil properties such as soil texture and bulk density, relevant information to estimate soil moisture variability within a satellite product grid cell is available. We use this information for the prediction of the sub-grid soil moisture variability for each SMOS, SMAP, and ASCAT grid cell. The approach is based on a method that predicts the soil moisture standard deviation as a function of the mean soil moisture based on soil texture information. It is a closed-form expression using stochastic analysis of 1D unsaturated gravitational flow in an infinitely long vertical profile based on the Mualem-van Genuchten model and first-order Taylor expansions. We provide a look-up table that indicates the soil moisture standard deviation for any given soil moisture mean, available at https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.878889. The resulting data set helps identify adequate regions to validate coarse scale soil moisture products by providing a measure of representativeness of small-scale measurements for the coarse grid cell. Moreover, it contains important information for downscaling coarse soil moisture observations of the SMOS, SMAP, and ASCAT missions. In this study, we present a simple application of the estimated sub-grid soil moisture heterogeneity scaling down SMAP soil moisture to 1 km resolution. Validation results in the TERENO and REMEDHUS soil moisture monitoring networks in Germany and Spain, respectively, indicate a similar or slightly improved accuracy for downscaled and original SMAP soil moisture in the time domain for the year 2016, but with a much higher spatial resolution.
Automated Landslides Detection for Mountain Cities Using Multi-Temporal Remote Sensing Imagery
Authors: Chen Zhong , Zhang Yifei , Ouyang Chao , Zhang Feng , Ma Jie
Published: March 2018

Landslides that take place in mountain cities tend to cause huge casualties and economic losses, and a precise survey of landslide areas is a critical task for disaster emergency. However, because of the complicated appearance of the nature, it is difficult to find a spatial regularity that only relates to landslides, thus landslides detection based on only spatial information or artificial features usually performs poorly. In this paper, an automated landslides detection approach that is aiming at mountain cities has been proposed based on pre- and post-event remote sensing images, it mainly utilizes the knowledge of landslide-related surface covering changes, and makes full use of the temporal and spatial information. A change detection method using Deep Convolution Neural Network (DCNN) was introduced to extract the areas where drastic alterations have taken place; then, focusing on the changed areas, the Spatial Temporal Context Learning (STCL) was conducted to identify the landslides areas; finally, we use slope degree which is derived from digital elevation model (DEM) to make the result more reliable, and the change of DEM is used for making the detected areas more complete. The approach was applied to detecting the landslides in Shenzhen, Zhouqu County and Beichuan County in China, and a quantitative accuracy assessment has been taken. The assessment indicates that this approach can guarantee less commission error of landslide areal extent which is below 17.6% and achieves a quality percentage above 61.1%, and for landslide areas, the detection percentage is also competitive, the experimental results proves the feasibility and accuracy of the proposed approach for the detection landslides in mountain cities.
Tool Wear Prediction in Ti-6Al-4V Machining through Multiple Sensor Monitoring and PCA Features Pattern Recognition
Authors: Caggiano Alessandra
Published: March 2018

Machining of titanium alloys is characterised by extremely rapid tool wear due to the high cutting temperature and the strong adhesion at the tool-chip and tool-workpiece interface, caused by the low thermal conductivity and high chemical reactivity of Ti alloys. With the aim to monitor the tool conditions during dry turning of Ti-6Al-4V alloy, a machine learning procedure based on the acquisition and processing of cutting force, acoustic emission and vibration sensor signals during turning is implemented. A number of sensorial features are extracted from the acquired sensor signals in order to feed machine learning paradigms based on artificial neural networks. To reduce the large dimensionality of the sensorial features, an advanced feature extraction methodology based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is proposed. PCA allowed to identify a smaller number of features (k = 2 features), the principal component scores, obtained through linear projection of the original d features into a new space with reduced dimensionality k = 2, sufficient to describe the variance of the data. By feeding artificial neural networks with the PCA features, an accurate diagnosis of tool flank wear (VBmax) was achieved, with predicted values very close to the measured tool wear values.
A Data Cleaning Method for Big Trace Data Using Movement Consistency
Authors: Yang Xue , Tang Luliang , Zhang Xia , Li Qingquan
Published: March 2018

Given the popularization of GPS technologies, the massive amount of spatiotemporal GPS traces collected by vehicles are becoming a new kind of big data source for urban geographic information extraction. The growing volume of the dataset, however, creates processing and management difficulties, while the low quality generates uncertainties when investigating human activities. Based on the conception of the error distribution law and position accuracy of the GPS data, we propose in this paper a data cleaning method for this kind of spatial big data using movement consistency. First, a trajectory is partitioned into a set of sub-trajectories using the movement characteristic points. In this process, GPS points indicate that the motion status of the vehicle has transformed from one state into another, and are regarded as the movement characteristic points. Then, GPS data are cleaned based on the similarities of GPS points and the movement consistency model of the sub-trajectory. The movement consistency model is built using the random sample consensus algorithm based on the high spatial consistency of high-quality GPS data. The proposed method is evaluated based on extensive experiments, using GPS trajectories generated by a sample of vehicles over a 7-day period in Wuhan city, China. The results show the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method.
Mapping Wildfire Ignition Probability Using Sentinel 2 and LiDAR (Jerte Valley, Cáceres, Spain)
Authors: Sánchez Sánchez Yolanda , Martínez-Graña Antonio , Santos Francés Fernando , Mateos Picado Marina
Published: March 2018

Wildfire is a major threat to the environment, and this threat is aggravated by different climatic and socioeconomic factors. The availability of detailed, reliable mapping and periodic and immediate updates makes wildfire prevention and extinction work more effective. An analyst protocol has been generated that allows the precise updating of high-resolution thematic maps. For this protocol, images obtained through the Sentinel 2A satellite, with a return time of five days, have been merged with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data with a density of 0.5 points/m2 in order to obtain vegetation mapping with an accuracy of 88% (kappa = 0.86), which is then extrapolated to fuel model mapping through a decision tree. This process, which is fast and reliable, serves as a cartographic base for the later calculation of ignition-probability mapping. The generated cartography is a fundamental tool to be used in the decision making involved in the planning of preventive silvicultural treatments, extinguishing media distribution, infrastructure construction, etc.
A Backpack-Mounted Omnidirectional Camera with Off-the-Shelf Navigation Sensors for Mobile Terrestrial Mapping: Development and Forest Application
Authors: Campos Mariana , Tommaselli Antonio , Honkavaara Eija , Prol Fabricio , Kaartinen Harri , El Issaoui Aimad , Hakala Teemu
Published: March 2018

The use of Personal Mobile Terrestrial System (PMTS) has increased considerably for mobile mapping applications because these systems offer dynamic data acquisition with ground perspective in places where the use of wheeled platforms is unfeasible, such as forests and indoor buildings. PMTS has become more popular with emerging technologies, such as miniaturized navigation sensors and off-the-shelf omnidirectional cameras, which enable low-cost mobile mapping approaches. However, most of these sensors have not been developed for high-accuracy metric purposes and therefore require rigorous methods of data acquisition and data processing to obtain satisfactory results for some mapping applications. To contribute to the development of light, low-cost PMTS and potential applications of these off-the-shelf sensors for forest mapping, this paper presents a low-cost PMTS approach comprising an omnidirectional camera with off-the-shelf navigation systems and its evaluation in a forest environment. Experimental assessments showed that the integrated sensor orientation approach using navigation data as the initial information can increase the trajectory accuracy, especially in covered areas. The point cloud generated with the PMTS data had accuracy consistent with the Ground Sample Distance (GSD) range of omnidirectional images (3.5–7 cm). These results are consistent with those obtained for other PMTS approaches.
A Surface Plasmon Resonance-Based Optical Fiber Probe Fabricated with Electropolymerized Molecular Imprinting Film for Melamine Detection
Authors: Li Wei , Zheng Yongping , Zhang Tingwei , Wu Songjie , Zhang Jue , Fang Jing
Published: March 2018

Molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) films prepared by bulk polymerization suffer from numerous deficiencies, including poor mass transfer ability and difficulty in controlling reaction rate and film thickness, which usually result in poor repeatability. However, polymer film synthesized by electropolymerization methods benefit from high reproducibility, simplicity and rapidity of preparation. In the present study, an Au film served as the refractive index-sensitive metal film to couple with the light leaked out from optical fiber core and the electrode for electropolymerizing MIP film simultaneously. The manufactured probe exhibited satisfactory sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, the surface morphology and functional groups of the synthesized MIP film were characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (FTIR) for further insights into the adsorption and desorption processes. Given the low cost, label-free test, simple preparation process and fast response, this method has a potential application to monitor substances in complicated real samples for out-of-lab test in the future.
An Experimental Study on Static and Dynamic Strain Sensitivity of Embeddable Smart Concrete Sensors Doped with Carbon Nanotubes for SHM of Large Structures
Authors: Meoni Andrea , D’Alessandro Antonella , Downey Austin , García-Macías Enrique , Rallini Marco , Materazzi A. , Torre Luigi , Laflamme Simon , Castro-Triguero Rafael , Ubertini Filippo
Published: March 2018

The availability of new self-sensing cement-based strain sensors allows the development of dense sensor networks for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of reinforced concrete structures. These sensors are fabricated by doping cement-matrix mterials with conductive fillers, such as Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs), and can be embedded into structural elements made of reinforced concrete prior to casting. The strain sensing principle is based on the multifunctional composites outputting a measurable change in their electrical properties when subjected to a deformation. Previous work by the authors was devoted to material fabrication, modeling and applications in SHM. In this paper, we investigate the behavior of several sensors fabricated with and without aggregates and with different MWCNT contents. The strain sensitivity of the sensors, in terms of fractional change in electrical resistivity for unit strain, as well as their linearity are investigated through experimental testing under both quasi-static and sine-sweep dynamic uni-axial compressive loadings. Moreover, the responses of the sensors when subjected to destructive compressive tests are evaluated. Overall, the presented results contribute to improving the scientific knowledge on the behavior of smart concrete sensors and to furthering their understanding for SHM applications.
Sustainable Site Selection for Offshore Wind Farms in the South Aegean—Greece
Authors: Vagiona Dimitra , Kamilakis Manos
Published: March 2018

The present research study develops and implements an integrated methodology for the evaluation and prioritization of appropriate sites for sustainable offshore wind-farm development at a regional level. The methodological framework includes the application of several siting criteria (technical, spatial, economic, social and environmental) proposed either by the national legislative framework (Specific Plan for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development for Renewable Energy) or the international literature with the combined use of geographic information systems (GIS) and multi-criteria decision methods, namely the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). The whole methodology provides a decision-making process for offshore wind-farm planning at regional level. The proposed methodology and the outputs of this work can be used to ensure the sustainable spatial development and policy of renewable energy resources.
Exploring the Strategic Inclinations of Japanese Environmental NPOs in Post-Fukushima Japan
Authors: Heuer Mark , Yan Shan
Published: March 2018

Following Sine and David’s research on the potential of environmental jolts shifting the status quo in U.S. energy policy, we focus on the potential for environmental non-profit organizations in Japan to shift the status quo through institutional entrepreneurial efforts following the environmental jolt from the Fukushima nuclear power catastrophe. We evaluate the institutionalization of energy policy in Japan both pre- and post-Fukushima as the context for examining the potential for change in Japan’s energy policy. We utilize mixed qualitative and quantitative research methods to evaluate the attitudes and strategic inclinations of privately funded Japanese environmental non-profit organizations. Following Dreiling and Wolf’s model of material–organizational dependencies versus ideological motivations of non-profit organizations, we develop a typology to identify which, if any, segments of environmental Japanese non-profit organizations might pursue institutional entrepreneurial (Levy and Scully) opportunities in support of renewable energy policy.
The Shadow Prices of Carbon Emissions in China’s Planting Industry
Authors: Guan Xiaoliang , Zhang Junbiao , Wu Xianrong , Cheng Linlin
Published: March 2018

The shadow prices of carbon emissions are essential for assessing emission abatement costs and formulating environmental public policies. By adopting the directional distance function method, this paper studies the shadow prices of carbon emissions caused by three main emission sources from China’s planting industry for a panel of 30 provinces spanning the period 1997–2014. We find that there is considerable regional heterogeneity in the shadow prices, and, of the 30 provinces, 23 are characterized by decreasing trends while only seven are on the rise over time. This implies that there is inefficiency of resource allocation among provinces, and the capacity for abatement increases during the observed period. The results support the following recommendation: It might be worth attempting to bring agriculture in China into line with its emission rights trading scheme, not only to help motivate the reduction of emissions but also to improve resource allocation. Also, policymakers are required to enhance regional cooperation and facilitate carbon-reduction technology transfer, to improve the immaterial production factors’ contribution to planting industry growth.
Does Trust Matter? Analyzing the Impact of Trust on the Perceived Risk and Acceptance of Nuclear Power Energy
Authors: Ryu Yeonjae , Kim Sunhee , Kim Seoyong
Published: March 2018

Recently, trust has been in vogue in the social sciences. However, in risk studies, there have been few causal models of trust. This study proposes and tests a causal model of trust in which (1) source credibility influences trust and (2) two kinds of trust—i.e., trust in government and trust in regulation—affect the perceived risk and acceptance of nuclear energy. Based on survey data with a sample of 1014 local residents living near a nuclear power station, we tested a causal model using structural equation modeling. As for the results of the analysis: first, we confirmed the validity of the proposed causal model of trust. Second, on the causal path, credibility directly influenced trust in government and trust in regulation and indirectly affected the perceived risk and acceptance of nuclear power. Third, the two kinds of trust had (in)direct impacts on perceived risk and acceptance. Trust in regulation had more power to explain perceived risks and acceptance than trust in government. Trust is important, but the kind of trust is more important.
Development of a Resilient 3-D Printer for Humanitarian Crisis Response
Authors: Savonen Benjamin , Mahan Tobias , Curtis Maxwell , Schreier Jared , Gershenson John , Pearce Joshua
Published: March 2018

Rapid manufacturing using 3-D printing is a potential solution to some of the most pressing issues for humanitarian logistics. In this paper, findings are reported from a study that involved development of a new type of 3-D printer. In particular, a novel 3-D printer that is designed specifically for reliable rapid manufacturing at the sites of humanitarian crises. First, required capabilities are developed with design elements of a humanitarian 3-D printer, which include, (1) fused filament fabrication, (2) open source self-replicating rapid prototyper design, (3) modular, (4) separate frame, (5) protected electronics, (6) on-board computing, (7) flexible power supply, and (8) climate control mechanisms. The technology is then disclosed with an open source license for the Kijenzi 3-D Printer. A swarm of five Kijenzi 3-D printers are evaluated for rapid part manufacturing for two months at health facilities and other community locations in both rural and urban areas throughout Kisumu County, Kenya. They were successful for their ability to function independently of infrastructure, transportability, ease of use, ability to withstand harsh environments and costs. The results are presented and conclusions are drawn about future work necessary for the Kijenzi 3-D Printer to meet the needs of rapid manufacturing in a humanitarian context.
Looking for the Phase Transition—Recent NA61/SHINE Results
Authors: Turko Ludwik
Published: March 2018

The fixed-target NA61/SHINE experiment at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) seeks to find the critical point (CR) of strongly interacting matter as well as the properties of the onset of deconfinement. The experiment provides a scan of measurements of particle spectra and fluctuations in proton–proton, proton–nucleus, and nucleus–nucleus interactions as functions of collision energy and system size, corresponding to a two-dimensional phase diagram (T- μ B ). New NA61/SHINE results are shown here, including transverse momentum and multiplicity fluctuations in Ar+Sc collisions as compared to NA61 p+p and Be+Be data, as well earlier NA49 A+A results. Recently, a preliminary effect of change in the system size dependence, labelled as the “percolation threshold” or the “onset of fireball”, was observed in NA61/SHINE data. This effect is closely related to the vicinity of the hadronic phase space transition region and will be discussed in the text.
Natural Variation in Resistance to Virus Infection in Dipteran Insects
Authors: Palmer William , Varghese Finny , Van Rij Ronald
Published: March 2018

The power and ease of Drosophila genetics and the medical relevance of mosquito-transmitted viruses have made dipterans important model organisms in antiviral immunology. Studies of virus–host interactions at the molecular and population levels have illuminated determinants of resistance to virus infection. Here, we review the sources and nature of variation in antiviral immunity and virus susceptibility in model dipteran insects, specifically the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and vector mosquitoes of the genera Aedes and Culex. We first discuss antiviral immune mechanisms and describe the virus-specificity of these responses. In the following sections, we review genetic and microbiota-dependent variation in antiviral immunity. In the final sections, we explore less well-studied sources of variation, including abiotic factors, sexual dimorphism, infection history, and endogenous viral elements. We borrow from work on other pathogen types and non-dipteran species when it parallels or complements studies in dipterans. Understanding natural variation in virus–host interactions may lead to the identification of novel restriction factors and immune mechanisms and shed light on the molecular determinants of vector competence.
Antiviral Effects of ABMA against Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Dai Wenwen , Wu Yu , Bi Jinpeng , Wang Shuai , Li Fang , Kong Wei , Barbier Julien , Cintrat Jean-Christophe , Gao Feng , Gillet Daniel , Su Weiheng , Jiang Chunlai
Published: March 2018

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) is the causative pathogen of genital herpes and is closely associated with the occurrence of cervical cancer and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The absence of an effective vaccine and the emergence of drug resistance to commonly used nucleoside analogs emphasize the urgent need for alternative antivirals against HSV-2. Recently, ABMA [1-adamantyl (5-bromo-2-methoxybenzyl) amine] has been demonstrated to be an inhibitor of several pathogens exploiting host-vesicle transport, which also participates in the HSV-2 lifecycle. Here, we showed that ABMA inhibited HSV-2-induced cytopathic effects and plaque formation with 50% effective concentrations of 1.66 and 1.08 μM, respectively. We also preliminarily demonstrated in a time of compound addition assay that ABMA exerted a dual antiviral mechanism by impairing virus entry, as well as the late stages of the HSV-2 lifecycle. Furthermore, in vivo studies showed that ABMA protected BALB/c mice from intravaginal HSV-2 challenge with an improved survival rate of 50% at 5 mg/kg (8.33% for the untreated virus infected control). Consequently, our study has identified ABMA as an effective inhibitor of HSV-2, both in vitro and in vivo, for the first time and presents an alternative to nucleoside analogs for HSV-2 infection treatment.
Hepatocyte Wnts Are Dispensable During Diethylnitrosamine and Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Injury and Hepatocellular Cancer
Authors: Preziosi Morgan , Poddar Minakshi , Singh Sucha , Monga Satdarshan P.
Published: March 2018

Activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling is reported in large subsets of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Upregulation of Wnt genes is one contributing mechanism. In the current study, we sought to address the role of hepatocyte-derived Wnts in a model of hepatic injury, fibrosis,
and carcinogenesis. We subjected hepatocyte-specific Wntless knockout mice (HP-KO), unable to secrete Wnts from hepatocytes, and littermate controls (HP-CON) to diethylnitrosamine and carbon tetrachloride (DEN/CCl4) and harvested at 3, 5, and 6 months for histological and molecular
analysis. Analysis at 5 months displayed increased hepatic expression of several Wnts and upregulation of some, but not all, β-catenin targets, without mutations in Ctnnb1. At 5 months, HP-CON and HP-KO had comparable tumor burden and injury; however, HP-KO uniquely showed small CK19+
foci within tumors. At 6 months, both groups were moribund with comparable tumor burden and CK19 positivity. While HCC histology was indistinguishable between the groups, HP-KO exhibited increased active β-catenin and decreased c-Myc, Brd4, E-cadherin, and others. Hepatic injury, inflammation,
and fibrosis were also indistinguishable at 3 months between both groups. Thus, lack of Wnt secretion from hepatocytes did not affect overall injury, fibrosis, or HCC burden, although there were protein expression differences in the tumors occurring in the two groups.
Perfusion double-channel micropipette probes for oxygen flux mapping with single-cell resolution
Authors: Gao Yang , Li Bin , Singhal Riju , Fontecchio Adam , Pelleg Ben , Orynbayeva Zulfiya , Gogotsi Yury , Friedman Gary
Published: March 2018

Measuring cellular respiration with single-cell spatial resolution is a significant challenge, even with modern tools and techniques. Here, a double-channel micropipette is proposed and investigated as a probe to achieve this goal by sampling fluid near the point of interest. A finite element model (FEM) of this perfusion probe is validated by comparing simulation results with experimental results of hydrodynamically confined fluorescent molecule diffusion. The FEM is then used to investigate the dependence of the oxygen concentration variation and the measurement signal on system parameters, including the pipette’s shape, perfusion velocity, position of the oxygen sensors within the pipette, and proximity of the pipette to the substrate. The work demonstrates that the use of perfusion double-barrel micropipette probes enables the detection of oxygen consumption signals with micrometer spatial resolution, while amplifying the signal, as compared to sensors without the perfusion system. In certain flow velocity ranges (depending on pipette geometry and configuration), the perfusion flow increases oxygen concentration gradients formed due to cellular oxygen consumption. An optimal perfusion velocity for respiratory measurements on single cells can be determined for different system parameters (e.g., proximity of the pipette to the substrate). The optimum perfusion velocities calculated in this paper range from 1.9 to 12.5 μm/s. Finally, the FEM model is used to show that the spatial resolution of the probe may be varied by adjusting the pipette tip diameter, which may allow oxygen consumption mapping of cells within tissue, as well as individual cells at subcellular resolution.
Effect of Luting Cements On the Bond Strength to Turkom-Cera All-Ceramic Material
Authors: Al–Makramani Bandar M. A. , Razak Abdul A. A. , Abu–Hassan Mohamed I. , Al–Sanabani Fuad A. , Albakri Fahad M.
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND: The selection of the appropriate luting cement is a key factor for achieving a strong bond between prepared teeth and dental restorations.AIM: To evaluate the shear bond strength of Zinc phosphate cement Elite, glass ionomer cement Fuji I, resin-modified glass ionomer cement Fuji Plus and resin luting cement Panavia-F to Turkom-Cera all-ceramic material.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Turkom-Cera was used to form discs 10mm in diameter and 3 mm in thickness (n = 40). The ceramic discs were wet ground, air - particle abraded with 50 - μm aluminium oxide particles and randomly divided into four groups (n = 10). The luting cement was bonded to Turkom-Cera discs as per manufacturer instructions. The shear bond strengths were determined using the universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. The data were analysed using the tests One Way ANOVA, the nonparametric Kruskal - Wallis test and Mann - Whitney Post hoc test.RESULTS: The shear bond strength of the Elite, Fuji I, Fuji Plus and Panavia F groups were: 0.92 ± 0.42, 2.04 ± 0.78, 4.37 ± 1.18, and 16.42 ± 3.38 MPa, respectively. There was the statistically significant difference between the four luting cement tested (p < 0.05).CONCLUSION: the phosphate-containing resin cement Panavia-F exhibited shear bond strength value significantly higher than all materials tested.
Microperforated Hymen Presenting Spontaneous Pregnancy with Cesarean Delivery and Hymenotomy Surgery: A Case Report
Authors: Elshani Brikene , Arifi Heroid , Daci Armond
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND: Female genital tract anomalies including imperforate hymen affect sexual life and fertility.CASE PRESENTATION: In the present case, we describe a pregnant woman diagnosed with imperforate hymen which never had penetrative vaginal sex. A 27–year-old married patient with 2 months of amenorrhea presented in a clinic without any other complications. Her history of difficult intercourse and prolonged menstrual flow were reported, and subsequent vaginal examination confirmed the diagnosis of imperforate hymen even though she claims to made pinhole surgery in hymen during puberty. Her urine pregnancy test was positive, and an ultrasound examination revealed 8.3 weeks pregnant. The pregnancy was followed up to 39.5 weeks when she entered in cesarean delivery in urgency. Due to perioperative complications in our study, a concomitant hymenotomy was successfully performed. The patient was discharged with the baby, and vaginal anatomy was restored.CONCLUSIONS: This case study suggests that even though as microperforated hymen surgery in puberty can permit pregnancy and intervention with cesarean section and hymenotomy is a good option to reduce the resulting perioperative complications which indirectly affect the increase of the fertilisation and improvement of later sexual life.