bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estrategias de control de Moniliophthora roreri y Moniliophthora perniciosa en Theobroma cacao L.: revisión sistemática
Authors: Tirado-Gallego Paola Andrea , Lopera-Álvarez Andrea , Ríos-Osorio Leonardo Alberto
Published: August 2016

Una de las limitaciones más importantes de la producción de cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) a nivel mundial es la presencia de enfermedades causadas principalmente por hongos fitopatógenos del género Moniliophthora sp., especialmente, Moniliophthora roreri y Moniliophthora perniciosa, causantes de las enfermedades moniliasis y escoba de bruja, respectivamente. Ambas enfermedades son altamente invasivas y endémicas del cacao. El objetivo de este estudio fue describir las estrategias de control implementadas para manejar dichas enfermedades. Este sondeo se llevó a cabo en conformidad con la declaración Prisma (ítems de información con mayor reconocimiento para las revisiones sistemáticas y los metaanálisis), con base en una búsqueda sistemática de literatura en las bases de datos ScienceDirect, Springer Link y Scopus. Se incluyeron artículos originales de investigación reportados en la literatura científica en los últimos 12 años y se aplicaron criterios de inclusión y exclusión. Se encontró que el año en que más artículos se reportaron sobre el tema fue el 2008, en países como Brasil y Costa Rica. Las estrategias más utilizadas para el control de estas enfermedades son la remoción de mazorcas con signos de enfermedad, el empleo de fungidas a base de cobre y los controladores biológicos como Trichoderma sp. y Bacillus sp. Una de las metodologías más recomendadas es la optimización de los tratamientos mediante la combinación de agentes químicos, físicos y biológicos.
Towards Promotion of Community rewards to Volunteer Community Health Workers? Lessons from Experiences of Village Health Teams in Luwero, Uganda
Authors: Turinawe Emmanueil Benon , Rwemisisi Jude T. , Musinguzi Laban K. , Groot Marije de , Muhangi Denis , Mafigiri David K. , De Vries Daniel H. , Pool Robert
Published: August 2016

In the debate regarding volunteer Community Health Workers (CHWs) some argue that lack of remuneration is exploitation while others caution that any promise to pay volunteers will decrease the volunteer spirit. In this paper we discuss the possibility of community rewards for CHWs. Ethnographic fieldwork that lasted 18 months utilised methods including participant observation, FGDs, in-depth interviews and key informant interviews to gain insight into the dynamic relationship between volunteer CHWs known as Village Health Teams (VHTs) and the community. Contextual transcription was done and data was thematically analysed. Findings show that community members are willing to reward volunteer CHWs with cash, material and symbolic rewards in appreciation for their help. Factors crucial for this gesture included: care and recognition of the VHTs’ work by medical staff, fulfilment of the promises made to the community by government and exemplary behaviour by CHWs. Therefore, effort should be made to facilitate volunteer CHWs to be seen as helpful to their communities. Especially, there needs to be a smooth operation at the intersection between the VHTs, local government and medical structures. Community rewards could be a more sustainable way of motivating CHWs while a solution to health personnel shortage is sought.
CIN85 Deficiency Prevents Nephrin Endocytosis and Proteinuria in Diabetes
Authors: Teng Beina , Schroder Patricia , Müller-Deile Janina , Schenk Heiko , Staggs Lynne , Tossidou Irini , Dikic Ivan , Haller Hermann , Schiffer Mario
Published: August 2016

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is the major cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. Podocytes are important for glomerular filtration barrier function and maintenance of size selectivity in protein filtration in the kidney. Podocyte damage is the basis of many glomerular diseases characterized by loss of interdigitating foot processes and decreased expression of components of the slit diaphragm. Nephrin, a podocyte-specific protein, is the main component of the slit diaphragm. Loss of nephrin is observed in human and rodent models of diabetic kidney disease. The long isoform of CIN85 (RukL) is a binding partner of nephrin that mediates nephrin endocytosis via ubiquitination in podocytes. Here we demonstrate that the loss of nephrin expression and the onset of proteinuria in diabetic mice correlate with an increased accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins and expression of CIN85/RukL in podocytes. CIN85/RukL deficiency preserved nephrin surface expression on the slit diaphragm and reduced proteinuria in diabetic mice, whereas overexpression of CIN85 in zebrafish induced severe edema and disruption of the filtration barrier. Thus, CIN85/RukL is involved in endocytosis of nephrin in podocytes under diabetic conditions, causing podocyte depletion and promoting proteinuria. CIN85/RukL expression therefore shows potential to be a novel target for antiproteinuric therapy in diabetes.
2013-2016: Años de retroceso en políticas de igualdad de género en el sector ambiental en México
Authors: Priego Karla , Soares Denise
Published: August 2016

La desigualdad de género es el eje alrededor del cual se estructuran o potencian otras desigualdades sociales, y se instaura un orden asimétrico bajo el cual hombres y mujeres se apropian diferencialmente de espacios, poderes, recursos, derechos y oportunidades, con profundas implicaciones en todas las dimensiones de la vida social y de la experiencia cotidiana.
Catholicism and Cosmopolitanism: the Confluence of Three Catholic Scholars and the Cosmopolitan Democrats on State Sovereignty and the Future of Global Governance
Authors: Bagot Matthew
Published: August 2016

One of the central questions in international relations today is how we should conceive of state sovereignty. The notion of sovereignty—’supreme authority within a territory’, as Daniel Philpott defines it—emerged after the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 as a result of which the late medieval crisis of pluralism was settled. But recent changes in the international order, such as technological advances that have spurred globalization and the emerging norm of the Responsibility to Protect, have cast the notion of sovereignty into an unclear light. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the current debate regarding sovereignty by exploring two schools of thought on the matter: first, three Catholic scholars from the past century—Luigi Sturzo, Jacques Maritain, and John Courtney Murray, S.J.—taken as representative of Catholic tradition; second, a number of contemporary political theorists of cosmopolitan democracy. The paper argues that there is a confluence between the Catholic thinkers and the cosmopolitan democrats regarding their understanding of state sovereignty and that, taken together, the two schools have much to contribute not only to our current understanding of sovereignty, but also to the future of global governance.
Farmer’s Knowledge and Perceptions on Rice Insect Pests and Their Management in Uganda
Authors: Alibu Simon , Otim Michael , Okello Stella , Lamo Jimmy , Ekobu Moses , Asea Godfrey
Published: August 2016

Rice is a new crop in Uganda, but has quickly grown in importance. Between 2000 and 2010, total area under rice cultivation in the country grew by 94% from 140,000 ha. Changes in the agro ecosystem due to expansion in rice area may have altered the pest status of rice insect pests. However, far too little attention has been paid to assessing the prevalence and importance of rice insect-pests in Uganda. In this study, we interviewed 240 lowland-rice farming households from eight districts within the north, east and central regions of Uganda about their perceived insect-pest problems and control measures employed, if any. A semi-structured questionnaire was used. The farmers ranked rice insect pests as the most important biotic constraint in rice production, with stem borers and the African rice gall midge (AfRGM) perceived to be the 1st and 2nd most detrimental insect pests, respectively. In spite of this, only 36% of the respondents could positively identify symptoms of AfRGM damage on rice plants, while 64% were familiar with stem borer damage. Over 60% of interviewed farmers expressed confidence in the effectiveness of insecticides for controlling rice insect pests. Cultural control measures were not popular among the farmers.
A New Maximum Power Point Estimator Control Strategy to Maximize Output Power of the Double Stator Permanent Magnet Generator
Authors: Misron Norhisam , Aravind Vaithilingam Chockalingam , Mailah Nashiren , Masaya Kudo , Hanamoto Tsuyoshi
Published: August 2016

A new control estimator to maximize the power generated with a maximum power point estimator is introduced. The power mapping characteristics from the double-stator generator are modeled as a mathematical equation which is used to develop the estimator for maximum power tracking to maximize the generated power. The proposed estimator automatically traces the instantaneous maximum power at various load conditions. However, to stabilize the output voltage, a boost converter is used from the inverter side. The developed double-stator generator is tested with the new estimator for the maximizing power generation capability under laboratory conditions. The experimental results confirm that with the new estimator, the average power generation capability is increased by 12% and the peak value is increase by 22%.
Decoherence Spectroscopy for Atom Interferometry
Authors: Trubko Raisa , Cronin Alexander
Published: August 2016

Decoherence due to photon scattering in an atom interferometer was studied as a function of laser frequency near an atomic resonance. The resulting decoherence (contrast-loss) spectra will be used to calibrate measurements of tune-out wavelengths that are made with the same apparatus. To support this goal, a theoretical model of decoherence spectroscopy is presented here along with experimental tests of this model.
Techniques and Challenges for Characterizing Metal Thin Films with Applications in Photonics
Authors: Whiteside Paul , Chininis Jeffrey , Hunt Heather
Published: August 2016

The proliferation of laser technologies has profoundly increased the demand for high-quality optical thin films whose physical properties are tunable and well defined. Such films are frequently deposited in thicknesses much shorter than the wavelengths of visible light and consequently present challenges for characterization by traditional microscopy. Metal films in particular exemplify these challenges, due to their broad range of refractive indices, optical absorption and often near-complete reflectivity in the visible spectrum. However, due to their relatively consistent crystalline structure, the bulk optical properties of metal thin films are chiefly dependent on their thickness. This review therefore presents a compendium of viable alternative characterization techniques to highlight their respective utilities, limitations and resolutions, specifically with regard to the characterization of the thickness of metal films. Furthermore, this review explicitly addresses the operating theories, methods and analyses relating to the five most predominantly utilized techniques: X-ray Reflectivity (XRR), Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). This work is intended as an introductory guide to thin film characterization modalities and their applicability for metal and optically-absorptive films, while also identifying AFM and SEM/EDS as being amongst the more reliable of the techniques.
Elastodynamic Analysis of a Hollow Cylinder with Decagonal Quasicrystal Properties: Meshless Implementation of Local Integral Equations
Authors: Hosseini Seyed , Sladek Jan , Sladek Vladimir
Published: August 2016

A meshless approximation and local integral equation (LIE) formulation are proposed for elastodynamic analysis of a hollow cylinder made of quasicrystal materials with decagonal quasicrystal properties. The cylinder is assumed to be under shock loading. Therefore, the general transient elastodynamic problem is considered for coupled phonon and phason displacements and stresses. The equations of motion in the theory of compatible elastodynamics of wave type for phonons and wave-telegraph type for phasons are employed and can be easily modified to the elasto-hydro dynamic equations for quasicrystals (QCs). The angular dependence of the tensor of phonon–phason coupling coefficients handicaps utilization of polar coordinates, when the governing equations would be given by partial differential equations with variable coefficients. Despite the symmetry of the geometrical shape, the local weak formulation and meshless approximation are developed in the Cartesian coordinate system. The response of the cylinder in terms of both phonon and phason stress fields is obtained and studied in detail.
Graphene-Like ZnO: A Mini Review
Authors: Ta Huy , Zhao Liang , Pohl Darius , Pang Jinbo , Trzebicka Barbara , Rellinghaus Bernd , Pribat Didier , Gemming Thomas , Liu Zhongfan , Bachmatiuk Alicja , Rümmeli Mark
Published: August 2016

The isolation of a single layer of graphite, known today as graphene, not only demonstrated amazing new properties but also paved the way for a new class of materials often referred to as two-dimensional (2D) materials. Beyond graphene, other 2D materials include h-BN, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), silicene, and germanene, to name a few. All tend to have exciting physical and chemical properties which appear due to dimensionality effects and modulation of their band structure. A more recent member of the 2D family is graphene-like zinc oxide (g-ZnO) which also holds great promise as a future functional material. This review examines current progress in the synthesis and characterization of g-ZnO. In addition, an overview of works dealing with the properties of g-ZnO both in its pristine form and modified forms (e.g., nano-ribbon, doped material, etc.) is presented. Finally, discussions/studies on the potential applications of g-ZnO are reviewed and discussed.
An Efficient Method to Construct Parity-Check Matrices for Recursively Encoding Spatially Coupled LDPC Codes †
Authors: Si Zhongwei , Wang Sijie , Ma Junyang
Published: August 2016

Spatially coupled low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes have attracted considerable attention due to their promising performance. Recursive encoding of the codes with low delay and low complexity has been proposed in the literature but with constraints or restrictions. In this manuscript we propose an efficient method to construct parity-check matrices for recursively encoding spatially coupled LDPC codes with arbitrarily chosen node degrees. A general principle is proposed, which provides feasible and practical guidance for the construction of parity-check matrices. According to the specific structure of the matrix, each parity bit at a coupling position is jointly determined by the information bits at the current position and the encoded bits at former positions. Performance analysis in terms of design rate and density evolution has been presented. It can be observed that, in addition to the feature of recursive encoding, selected code structures constructed by the newly proposed method may lead to better belief-propagation thresholds than the conventional structures. Finite-length simulation results are provided as well, which verify the theoretical analysis.
Capacitor Current Feedback-Based Active Resonance Damping Strategies for Digitally-Controlled Inductive-Capacitive-Inductive-Filtered Grid-Connected Inverters
Authors: Lorzadeh Iman , Askarian Abyaneh Hossein , Savaghebi Mehdi , Bakhshai Alireza , Guerrero Josep
Published: August 2016

Inductive-capacitive-inductive (LCL)-type line filters are widely used in grid-connected voltage source inverters (VSIs), since they can provide substantially improved attenuation of switching harmonics in currents injected into the grid with lower cost, weight and power losses than their L-type counterparts. However, the inclusion of third order LCL network complicates the current control design regarding the system stability issues because of an inherent resonance peak which appears in the open-loop transfer function of the inverter control system near the control stability boundary. To avoid passive (resistive) resonance damping solutions, due to their additional power losses, active damping (AD) techniques are often applied with proper control algorithms in order to damp the LCL filter resonance and stabilize the system. Among these techniques, the capacitor current feedback (CCF) AD has attracted considerable attention due to its effective damping performance and simple implementation. This paper thus presents a state-of-the-art review of resonance and stability characteristics of CCF-based AD approaches for a digitally-controlled LCL filter-based grid-connected inverter taking into account the effect of computation and pulse width modulation (PWM) delays along with a detailed analysis on proper design and implementation.
Solar Farm Suitability Using Geographic Information System Fuzzy Sets and Analytic Hierarchy Processes: Case Study of Ulleung Island, Korea
Authors: Suh Jangwon , Brownson Jeffrey
Published: August 2016

Solar farm suitability in remote areas will involve a multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) process, particularly well suited for the geographic information system (GIS) environment. Photovoltaic (PV) solar farm criteria were evaluated for an island-based case region having complex topographic and regulatory criteria, along with high demand for low-carbon local electricity production: Ulleung Island, Korea. Constraint variables that identified areas forbidden to PV farm development were consolidated into a single binary constraint layer (e.g., environmental regulation, ecological protection, future land use). Six factor variables were selected as influential on-site suitability within the geospatial database to seek out increased annual average power performance and reduced potential investment costs, forming new criteria layers for site suitability: solar irradiation, sunshine hours, average temperature in summer, proximity to transmission line, proximity to roads, and slope. Each factor variable was normalized via a fuzzy membership function (FMF) and parameter setting based on the local characteristics and criteria for a fixed axis PV system. Representative weighting of the relative importance for each factor variable was assigned via pairwise comparison completed by experts. A suitability index (SI) with six factor variables was derived using a weighted fuzzy summation method. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess four different SI based on the development scenarios (i.e., the combination of factors being considered). From the resulting map, three highly suitable regions were suggested and validated by comparison with satellite images to confirm the candidate sites for solar farm development. The GIS-MCE method proposed can also be applicable widely to other PV solar farm site selection projects with appropriate adaption for local variables.
A Coordinated Control for Photovoltaic Generators and Energy Storages in Low-Voltage AC/DC Hybrid Microgrids under Islanded Mode
Authors: Liu Yao , Hou Xiaochao , Wang Xiaofeng , Lin Chao , Guerrero Josep
Published: August 2016

The increasing penetration of renewable generators can be a significant challenge due to the fluctuation of their power generation. Energy storage (ES) units are one solution to improve power supply quality and guarantee system stability. In this paper, a hybrid microgrid is built based on photovoltaic (PV) generator and ES; and coordinated control is proposed and developed to achieve power management in a decentralized manner. This control scheme contains three different droop strategies according to characteristics of PV and ES. First, the modified droop control is proposed for PV, which can take full utilization of renewable energy and avoid regulating output active power frequently. Second, to maintain the direct current (DC) bus voltage stability, a novel droop control incorporating a constant power band is presented for DC-side ES. Third, a cascade droop control is designed for alternating current (AC)-side ES. Thus, the ES lifetime is prolonged. Moreover, interlinking converters (ICs) provide a bridge between AC/DC buses in a hybrid microgrid. The power control of IC is enabled when the AC- or DC-side suffer from active power demand shortage. In particular, if the AC microgrid does not satisfy the reactive power demand, IC then acts as a static synchronous compensator (STATCOM). The effectiveness of the proposed strategies is verified by simulations.
Land-Use Change Modelling in the Upper Blue Nile Basin
Authors: Yalew Seleshi , Mul Marloes , Van Griensven Ann , Teferi Ermias , Priess Joerg , Schweitzer Christian , Van Der Zaag Pieter
Published: August 2016

Land-use and land-cover changes are driving unprecedented changes in ecosystems and environmental processes at different scales. This study was aimed at identifying the potential land-use drivers in the Jedeb catchment of the Abbay basin by combining statistical analysis, field investigation and remote sensing. To do so, a land-use change model was calibrated and evaluated using the SITE (SImulation of Terrestrial Environment) modelling framework. SITE is cellular automata based multi-criteria decision analysis framework for simulating land-use conversion based on socio-economic and environmental factors. Past land-use trajectories (1986–2009) were evaluated using a reference Landsat-derived map (agreement of 84%). Results show that major land-use change drivers in the study area were population, slope, livestock and distances from various infrastructures (roads, markets and water). It was also found that farmers seem to increasingly prefer plantations of trees such as Eucalyptus by replacing croplands perhaps mainly due to declining crop yield, soil fertility and climate variability. Potential future trajectory of land-use change was also predicted under a business-as-usual scenario (2009–2025). Results show that agricultural land will continue to expand from 69.5% in 2009 to 77.5% in 2025 in the catchment albeit at a declining rate when compared with the period from 1986 to 2009. Plantation forest will also increase at a much higher rate, mainly at the expense of natural vegetation, agricultural land and grasslands. This study provides critical information to land-use planners and policy makers for a more effective and proactive management in this highland catchment.
Transcriptional Reactivation of the FMR1 Gene. A Possible Approach to the Treatment of the Fragile X Syndrome
Authors: Tabolacci Elisabetta , Palumbo Federica , Nobile Veronica , Neri Giovanni
Published: August 2016

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common cause of inherited intellectual disability, caused by CGG expansion over 200 repeats (full mutation, FM) at the 5′ untranslated region (UTR) of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene and subsequent DNA methylation of the promoter region, accompanied by additional epigenetic histone modifications that result in a block of transcription and absence of the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). The lack of FMRP, involved in multiple aspects of mRNA metabolism in the brain, is thought to be the direct cause of the FXS phenotype. Restoration of FMR1 transcription and FMRP production can be obtained in vitro by treating FXS lymphoblastoid cell lines with the demethylating agent 5-azadeoxycytidine, demonstrating that DNA methylation is key to FMR1 inactivation. This concept is strengthened by the existence of rare male carriers of a FM, who are unable to methylate the FMR1 promoter. These individuals produce limited amounts of FMRP and are of normal intelligence. Their inability to methylate the FMR1 promoter, whose cause is not yet fully elucidated, rescues them from manifesting the FXS. These observations demonstrate that a therapeutic approach to FXS based on the pharmacological reactivation of the FMR1 gene is conceptually tenable and worthy of being further pursued.
Experimental and Numerical Simulation of the Dynamic Frictional Contact between an Aircraft Tire Rubber and a Rough Surface
Authors: Rosu Iulian , Elias-Birembaux Hélène , Lebon Frédéric , Lind Hagen , Wangenheim Matthias
Published: August 2016

This paper presents a numerical simulation of an aircraft tire in contact with a rough surface using a variable friction coefficient dependent on temperature and contact pressure. A sliding facility was used in order to evaluate this dependence of the friction coefficient. The temperature diffusion throughout the tire cross-section was measured by means of thermocouples. Both frictional heating and temperature diffusion were compared to numerical two- and three- dimensional simulations. An adequate temperature prediction could be obtained. In future simulations, wear should be taken into account in order to have a more accurate simulation especially in the case of high pressures and slipping velocities. A 3D finite element model for a rolling tire at a velocity of 37.79 knots (19.44 m/s) and in a cornering phase was investigated using a variable friction coefficient dependent on temperature and pressure. The numerical simulation tended to predict the temperature of the tire tread after a few seconds of rolling in skidding position, the temperature of the contact zone increases to 140 °C. Further investigations must be carried out in order to obtain the evolution of the temperature observed experimentally. The authors would like to point out that for confidentiality reasons, certain numerical data could not be revealed.
Parasitic Mistletoes of the Genera Scurrula and Viscum: From Bench to Bedside
Authors: Lim Ya , Rajabalaya Rajan , Lee Shirley , Tennakoon Kushan , Le Quang-Vuong , Idris Adi , Zulkipli Ihsan , Keasberry Natasha , David Sheba
Published: August 2016

The mistletoes, stem hemiparasites of Asia and Europe, have been used as medicinal herbs for many years and possess sophisticated systems to obtain nutrients from their host plants. Although knowledge about ethnomedicinal uses of mistletoes is prevalent in Asia, systematic scientific study of these plants is still lacking, unlike its European counterparts. This review aims to evaluate the literature on Scurrula and Viscum mistletoes. Both mistletoes were found to have anticancer, antimicrobial, antioxidant and antihypertensive properties. Plants from the genus Scurrula were found to inhibit cancer growth due to presence of phytoconstituents such as quercetin and fatty acid chains. Similar to plants from the genus Viscum, Scurrula also possesses TNFα activity to strengthen the immune system to combat cancer. In line with its anticancer activity, both mistletoes are rich in antioxidants that confer protection against cancer as well as neurodegeneration. Extracts from plants of both genera showed evidence of vasodilation and thus, antihypertensive effects. Other therapeutic effects such as weight loss, postpartum and gastrointestinal healing from different plants of the genus Scurrula are documented. As the therapeutic effects of plants from Scurrula are still in exploration stage, there is currently no known clinical trial on these plants. However, there are few on-going clinical trials for Viscum album that demonstrate the functionalities of these mistletoes. Future work required for exploring the benefits of these plants and ways to develop both parasitic plants as a source of pharmacological drug are explained in this article.
Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Some New Thiadiazoles, Thioamides, 5-Arylazothiazoles and Pyrimido[4,5-d][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyrimidines
Authors: Abdelhamid Abdou , El Sayed Ibrahim , Hussein Mohamed , Mangoud Mangoud
Published: August 2016

A novel series of 1,3,4-thiadiazoles, 5-arylazothiazoles and hexahydropyrimido-[4,5-d][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyrimidines were synthesized via reaction of hydrazonoyl halides with each of alkyl carbothioates, carbothioamides and 7-thioxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropyrimido-[4,5-d]pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-diones in the presence of triethylamine. The structures of the newly synthesized compounds were established based on their spectral data, elemental analyses and alternative synthetic routes whenever possible. Also, the newly synthesized compounds were screened for their antimicrobial activity against various microorganisms.
Immobilization of Glycoside Hydrolase Families GH1, GH13, and GH70: State of the Art and Perspectives
Authors: Graebin Natália , Schöffer Jéssie , Andrades Diandra , Hertz Plinho , Ayub Marco , Rodrigues Rafael
Published: August 2016

Glycoside hydrolases (GH) are enzymes capable to hydrolyze the glycosidic bond between two carbohydrates or even between a carbohydrate and a non-carbohydrate moiety. Because of the increasing interest for industrial applications of these enzymes, the immobilization of GH has become an important development in order to improve its activity, stability, as well as the possibility of its reuse in batch reactions and in continuous processes. In this review, we focus on the broad aspects of immobilization of enzymes from the specific GH families. A brief introduction on methods of enzyme immobilization is presented, discussing some advantages and drawbacks of this technology. We then review the state of the art of enzyme immobilization of families GH1, GH13, and GH70, with special attention on the enzymes β-glucosidase, α-amylase, cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase, and dextransucrase. In each case, the immobilization protocols are evaluated considering their positive and negative aspects. Finally, the perspectives on new immobilization methods are briefly presented.
Quantitative Analysis of Psoralea corylifolia Linne and its Neuroprotective and Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effects in HT22 Hippocampal Cells and BV-2 Microglia
Authors: Kim Yu , Lim Hye-Sun , Lee Jun , Jeong Soo-Jin
Published: August 2016

The seeds of Psoralea corylifolia L. (P. corylifolia), also known as “Bo-Gol-Zhee” in Korea, are used in a traditional herbal medicine for treating various skin diseases. In the present study, we performed quantitative analyses of the seven standard components of P. corylifolia: psoralen, angelicin, neobavaisoflavone, psoralidin, isobavachalcone, bavachinin, and bakuchiol, using high-performance liquid chromatography. We also investigated the neuroprotective and anti-neuroinflammation effects of P. corylifolia and its standard components in the hippocampal cell line HT22 and microglia cell line BV-2. A 70% ethanol extract of P. corylifolia was prepared and the seven standard components were separated using C-18 analytical columns by gradient solvents with acetonitrile and water, and ultraviolet detection at 215, 225 and 275 nm. The analytical method showed high linearity, with a correlation coefficient of ≥0.9999. The amounts of the standard components ranged from 0.74 to 11.71 mg/g. Among the components, bakuchiol (11.71 mg/g) was the most potent phytochemical component of P. corylifolia. Furthermore, we analyzed the inhibitory effects of the components from P. corylifolia to determine the bioactive compound needed to regulate neuronal cell changes. Angelicin, isobavachalcone, and bakuchiol suppressed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated nitric oxide production in LPS-treated BV-2 microglia more significantly than did the other components. In HT22 hippocampal cells, neobavaisoflavone and bakuchiol had more potent inhibitory activity against hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death. Taken together of the quantification and efficacy analyses, bakuchiol appeared to be the most potent bioactive phytochemical component of P. corylifolia for the potential treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Evaluation of the Use of Sub-Pixel Offset Tracking Techniques to Monitor Landslides in Densely Vegetated Steeply Sloped Areas
Authors: Sun Luyi , Muller Jan-Peter
Published: August 2016

Sub-Pixel Offset Tracking (sPOT) is applied to derive high-resolution centimetre-level landslide rates in the Three Gorges Region of China using TerraSAR-X Hi-resolution Spotlight (TSX HS) space-borne SAR images. These results contrast sharply with previous use of conventional differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) techniques in areas with steep slopes, dense vegetation and large variability in water vapour which indicated around 12% phase coherent coverage. By contrast, sPOT is capable of measuring two dimensional deformation of large gradient over steeply sloped areas covered in dense vegetation. Previous applications of sPOT in this region relies on corner reflectors (CRs), (high coherence features) to obtain reliable measurements. However, CRs are expensive and difficult to install, especially in remote areas; and other potential high coherence features comparable with CRs are very few and outside the landslide boundary. The resultant sub-pixel level deformation field can be statistically analysed to yield multi-modal maps of deformation regions. This approach is shown to have a significant impact when compared with previous offset tracking measurements of landslide deformation, as it is demonstrated that sPOT can be applied even in densely vegetated terrain without relying on high-contrast surface features or requiring any de-noising process.
Hyper-Temporal C-Band SAR for Baseline Woody Structural Assessments in Deciduous Savannas
Authors: Main Russell , Mathieu Renaud , Kleynhans Waldo , Wessels Konrad , Naidoo Laven , Asner Gregory
Published: August 2016

Savanna ecosystems and their woody vegetation provide valuable resources and ecosystem services. Locally calibrated and cost effective estimates of these resources are required in order to satisfy commitments to monitor and manage change within them. Baseline maps of woody resources are important for analyzing change over time. Freely available, and highly repetitive, C-band data has the potential to be a viable alternative to high-resolution commercial SAR imagery (e.g., RADARSAT-2, ALOS2) in generating large-scale woody resources maps. Using airborne LiDAR as calibration, we investigated the relationships between hyper-temporal C-band ASAR data and woody structural parameters, namely total canopy cover (TCC) and total canopy volume (TCV), in a deciduous savanna environment. Results showed that: the temporal filter reduced image variance; the random forest model out-performed the linear model; while the TCV metric consistently showed marginally higher accuracies than the TCC metric. Combinations of between 6 and 10 images could produce results comparable to high resolution commercial (C- & L-band) SAR imagery. The approach showed promise for producing a regional scale, locally calibrated, baseline maps for the management of deciduous savanna resources, and lay a foundation for monitoring using time series of data from newer C-band SAR sensors (e.g., Sentinel1).
Assessing Global Forest Land-Use Change by Object-Based Image Analysis
Authors: Lindquist Erik , D’Annunzio Rémi
Published: August 2016

Consistent estimates of forest land-use and change over time are important for understanding and managing human activities on the Earth’s surface, parameterizing models used for global and regional climate change analyses and a critical component of reporting requirements faced by countries as part of the international effort to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD). In this study, object-based image analysis methods were applied to a global sample of Landsat imagery from years 1990, 2000 and 2005 to produce a land cover classification suitable for expert human review, revision and translation into forest and non-forest land use classes. We describe and analyse here the derivation and application of an automated, multi-date image segmentation, neural network classification method and independent, automated change detection procedure to all sample sites. The automated results were compared against expert human interpretation and found to have an overall agreement of ~76% for a 5-class land cover classification and ~88% agreement for change/no-change assessment. The establishment of a 5 ha minimum mapping unit affected the ability of the segmentation methods to detect small or irregularly-shaped land cover change and, combined with aggregation rules that favour forest, added bias to the automated results. However, the OBIA methods provided an efficient means of processing over 11,000 sample sites, 33,000 Landsat 20 × 20 km sample tiles and more than 6.5 million individual polygons over three epochs and adequately facilitated human expert review, revision and conversion to a global forest land-use product.
Superconducting Gap Symmetry of LaFeP(O,F) Observed by Impurity Doping Effect
Authors: Miyasaka Shigeki , Suzuki Sinnosuke , Tajima Setsuko
Published: August 2016

We have investigated Mn, Co and Ni substitution effects on polycrystalline samples of LaFePO0.95F0.05 by resistivity and magnetoresistance measurements. In LaFe1-xMxPO0.95F0.05 (M = Mn, Co and Ni), the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) monotonously decreases with increasing the impurity doping level of x. There is a clear difference of Tc suppression rates among Mn, Co and Ni doping cases, and the decreasing rate of Tc by Mn doping as a magnetic impurity is larger than those by the nonmagnetic doping impurities (Co/Ni). This result indicates that in LaFePO0.95F0.05, Tc is rapidly suppressed by the pair-breaking effect of magnetic impurities, and the pairing symmetry is a full-gapped s-wave. In the nonmagnetic impurity-doped systems, the residual resistivity in the normal state has nearly the same value when Tc becomes zero. The residual resistivity value is almost consistent with the universal value of sheet resistance for two-dimensional superconductors, suggesting that Tc is suppressed by electron localization in Co/Ni-doped LaFePO0.95F0.05.
Groundwater Governance: The Role of Legal Frameworks at the Local and National Level—Established Practice and Emerging Trends
Authors: Mechlem Kerstin
Published: August 2016

Legal frameworks play a crucial role for effective groundwater governance. They flank and support water policy and provide users and the administration with rights and obligations to use, manage, and protect vital resources in order to achieve the overall goal of equitable and sustainable water use. This paper discusses key challenges that have to be addressed in water law to manage and protect groundwater effectively. It will provide an overview of established practice in groundwater legislation and discuss recent trends and developments in light of current challenges. It focuses on permit-based systems of administrative water rights but will to a limited extent also deal with customary, community-based, and informal arrangements. It will show that increasingly domestic groundwater legislation is strengthened and ranked on a par with surface water regimes, ideally by dealing with all water resources in an integrated manner.
Water Resource Variability and Climate Change
Authors: Li Yingkui , Urban Michael
Published: August 2016

A significant challenge posed by changing climates is how water cycling and surficial and subsurface water availability will be affected at global and regional scales. Such alterations are critical as they often lead to increased vulnerability in ecosystems and human society. Understanding specifically how climate change affects water resource variability in different locations is of critical importance to sustainable development in different parts of the world. The papers included in this special issue focus on three broad perspectives associated with water resource variability and climate change. Six papers employ remote sensing, meteorological station-based observational data, and tree-ring records to empirically determine how water resources have been changing over historical time periods. Eight of the contributions focus on modeling approaches to determine how known processes are likely to manifest themselves as climate shifts over time. Two others focus on human perceptions and adaptation strategies in the midst of unstable or unsettled water availability. The findings and methods presented in this collection of papers provide important contributions to the increased study and awareness of climate change on water resources.
Controlling Stormwater Quality with Filter Soil—Event and Dry Weather Testing
Authors: Cederkvist Karin , Jensen Marina , Ingvertsen Simon , Holm Peter
Published: August 2016

The use of filter soil is increasing for control of quality of stormwater runoff prior to infiltration or discharge. This study aimed to gain knowledge about treatment efficacy of filter soils at field scale. Percolate samples from swale-trench systems with filter soil based on agricultural till with/without limestone were monitored for 15 and 9 rain events respectively. Further, two curb extensions with filter soil based on landfill soil were monitored for 10 and 8 events. Pollutant concentrations in percolate were compared to influent samples from the catchment area. Additionally one of the curb extensions was tested twice by adding high-dose synthetic influent containing runoff pollutants of concern. Despite generally low influent pollutant levels, phosphorus, copper, zinc, lead and some polyaromatic hydrocarbons exceeded guiding criteria for protection of groundwater and freshwater. Concentrations in the percolate were in most cases reduced, but phosphorus increased and despite reduced concentrations copper, lead and benzo(a)pyrene still exceeded guiding criteria. Pollutants from the synthetic influent were efficiently retained, except the pesticide MCPA. Filter soil based on landfill soil tended to perform better than agricultural till. No impact of limestone was observed. Overall the filter soils performed well in retaining pollutants, despite simultaneous processes of mobilization and immobilization.
Evaluation of Soil Water Availability (SWA) Based on Hydrological Modelling in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas: A Case Study in Handan City, China
Authors: Gao Xuerui , Wang Jianhua , Wu Pute , Zhao Yong , Zhao Xining , He Fan
Published: August 2016

To evaluate the spatial and temporal soil water availability (SWA) and improve the soil water use efficiency in agriculture, this study established a new index system for SWA evaluation considering the soil storage capacity, the temporal and spatial matching degree between soil water supply and crop water demand, and the soil water transformation and utilization efficiency. To quantitatively calculate the indexes, a self-developed hydrological model (MODCYCLE) was introduced and applied in Handan City. The results show that MODCYCLE performed well in simulating the soil hydrological processes. A comparison of the observed soil moisture data and the simulated values revealed relative errors below 10% and correlation coefficients all above 0.7. According to the evaluation results, the SWA for different typical years was very unevenly distributed in Handan City. The average SWA in a normal year is 0.71, which is higher than that in dry years at 0.62 and in wet years at 0.65. Regarding different regions, the average SWA was generally much higher in the eastern plain area than that in the western mountainous area. Generally, there is a great potential for improving SWA and further the sustainable development of soil water resource, particularly for dryland farming in similar areas.
Chômage partiel, outil partial ? Comparer le chômage partiel en Allemagne et en France
Authors: Clouet Hadrien
Published: August 2016

Cet article a pour objet la mise en œuvre effective des dispositifs de chômage partiel déployés en Allemagne et, dans une moindre mesure, en France depuis 2008. Il s’appuie sur une enquête de terrain menée sur les sites de deux constructeurs automobiles, français et allemand, qui ont recouru au chômage partiel entre septembre 2012 et avril 2013. Il rend compte de la polyvalence du dispositif, qui peut servir différents objectifs et produire différents effets selon les acteurs qui parviennent à s’imposer dans l’exécution. En outre, il révèle la plasticité du chômage partiel, qui n’est pas limité à son objectif institutionnel de préservation d’emplois. Le dispositif modifie le rapport entre les syndicats et l’employeur, et génère des controverses entre élus salariés. En outre, il peut même concourir à supprimer indirectement des emplois, notamment en accompagnant des restructurations d’autres sites.
Identification of Associations between Clinical Signs and Hosts to Monitor the Web for Detection of Animal Disease Outbreaks
Authors: Arsevska Elena , Roche Mathieu , Hendrikx Pascal , Chavernac David , Falala Sylvain , Lancelot Renaud , Dufour Barbara
Published: August 2016

In a context of intensification of international trade and travels, the transboundary spread of emerging human or animal pathogens represents a growing concern. One of the missions of the national veterinary services is to implement international epidemiological intelligence for a timely and accurate detection of emerging animal infectious diseases (EAID) worldwide, and take early actions to prevent their introduction on the national territory. For this purpose, an efficient use of the information published on the web is essential. The authors present a comprehensive method for identification of relevant associations between terms describing clinical signs and hosts to build queries to monitor the web for early detection of EAID. Using text and web mining approaches, they present statistical measures for automatic selection of relevant associations between terms. In addition, expert elicitation is used to highlight the most relevant terms and associations among those automatically selected. The authors assessed the performance of the combination of the automatic approach and expert elicitation to monitor the web for a list of selected animal pathogens.
Adoption of Near Field Communication (NFC) for Mobile Payments in the UAE
Authors: Halaweh Mohanad , Al Qaisi Hashem
Published: August 2016

Near Field Communication (NFC) is one of the emerging technologies that enables mobile devices to wirelessly exchange data at short ranges. NFC technology has great potential, making it convenient to process payments through mobile phones. The aim of this research is to explore the challenges and factors which influence the adoption of the NFC payment system by merchants and retailers in the UAE. This paper presents the results of semi-structured interviews conducted amongst the UAE merchants and retailers. The analysis of data revealed a lack of knowledge, awareness and experience, from both merchants and retailers, about the NFC mobile payment system. Security, promptness and business sustainability were found to be important factors for merchants to contemplate before adopting the new technology. Furthermore, technology infrastructure, switching cost, availability and ecosystem complexity impeded the spreading of NFC mobile payment technology in the UAE market.
The Effect of Utilitarian Website Features on Online Saudi Arabia Consumers Loyalty in the Case of Online Flight Booking
Authors: Azam Afshan
Published: August 2016

The last couple of decades have witnessed rapid technological advancements, which have consequently caused dramatic changes in the lives of consumers and their purchase behavior. Of the many causes of the rapid growth of Internet use in the last few decades, most researchers confer that the critical contribution has been the growth of Web content. This paper attempts to report a study investigating the impact of utilitarian website features on Saudi Arabian customer loyalty for booking flights online. Data collected from 340 respondents were used to test the hypotheses. Structural Equation Modeling was deployed to analyze valid data points. The study found the importance of creating loyalty by focusing on utilitarian website features. Calculative commitment is significantly influenced by utilitarian features whereas affective commitment didn't showed significantly influence by utilitarian features. Limitations, managerial implications and future research directions are discussed at the end of the paper.