bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Packaging Reliability Effect of ENIG and ENEPIG Surface Finishes in Board Level Thermal Test under Long-Term Aging and Cycling
Authors: Shen Chaobo , Hai Zhou , Zhao Cong , Zhang Jiawei , Evans John , Bozack Michael , Suhling Jeffrey
Published: April 2017

This study illustrates test results and comparative literature data on the influence of isothermal aging and thermal cycling associated with Sn-1.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC105) and Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) ball grid array (BGA) solder joints finished with ENIG and ENEPIG on the board side and ENIG on the package side compared with ImAg plating on both sides. The resulting degradation data suggests that the main concern for 0.4 mm pitch 10 mm package size BGA is package side surface finish, not board side. That is, ENIG performs better than immersion Ag for applications involving long-term isothermal aging. SAC305, with a higher relative fraction of Ag3Sn IMC within the solder, performs better than SAC105. SEM and polarized light microscope analysis show cracks propagated from the corners to the center or even to solder bulk, which eventually causes fatigue failure. Three factors are discussed: IMC, grain structure, and Ag3Sn particle. The continuous growth of Cu-Sn intermetallic compounds (IMC) and grains increase the risk of failure, while Ag3Sn particles seem helpful in blocking the crack propagation.
A Study on the Mechanical Properties and Impact-Induced Initiation Characteristics of Brittle PTFE/Al/W Reactive Materials
Authors: Ge Chao , Maimaitituersun Wubuliaisan , Dong Yongxiang , Tian Chao
Published: April 2017

Polytetrafluoroethylene/aluminum/tungsten (PTFE/Al/W) reactive materials of three different component mass ratios (73.5/26.5/0, 68.8/24.2/7 and 63.6/22.4/14) were studied in this research. Different from the PTFE/Al/W composites published elsewhere, the materials in our research were fabricated under a much lower sintering temperature and for a much shorter duration to achieve a brittle property, which aims to provide more sufficient energy release upon impact. Quasi-static compression tests, dynamic compression tests at room and elevated temperatures, and drop weight tests were conducted to evaluate the mechanical and impact-induced initiation characteristics of the materials. The materials before and after compression tests were observed by a scanning electron microscope to relate the mesoscale structural characteristics to their macro properties. All the three types of materials fail at very low strains during both quasi-static and dynamic compression. The stress-strain curves for quasi-static tests show obvious deviations while that for the dynamic tests consist of only linear-elastic and failure stages typically. The materials were also found to exhibit thermal softening at elevated temperatures and were strain-rate sensitive during dynamic tests, which were compared using dynamic increase factors (DIFs). Drop-weight test results show that the impact-initiation sensitivity increases with the increase of W content due to the brittle mechanical property. The high-speed video sequences and recovered sample residues of the drop-weight tests show that the reaction is initiated at two opposite positions near the edges of the samples, where the shear force concentrates the most intensively, indicating a shear-induced initiation mechanism.
Exploring the Modes of Action of Phosphorus-Based Flame Retardants in Polymeric Systems
Authors: Rabe Sebastian , Chuenban Yuttapong , Schartel Bernhard
Published: April 2017

Phosphorus-based flame retardants were incorporated into different, easily preparable matrices, such as polymeric thermoset resins and paraffin as a proposed model for polyolefins and investigated for their flame retardancy performance. The favored mode of action of each flame retardant was identified in each respective system and at each respective concentration. Thermogravimetric analysis was used in combination with infrared spectroscopy of the evolved gas to determine the pyrolysis behavior, residue formation and the release of phosphorus species. Forced flaming tests in the cone calorimeter provided insight into burning behavior and macroscopic residue effects. The results were put into relation to the phosphorus content to reveal correlations between phosphorus concentration in the gas phase and flame inhibition performance, as well as phosphorus concentration in the residue and condensed phase activity. Total heat evolved (fire load) and peak heat release rate were calculated based on changes in the effective heat of combustion and residue, and then compared with the measured values to address the modes of action of the flame retardants quantitatively. The quantification of flame inhibition, charring, and the protective layer effect measure the non-linear flame retardancy effects as functions of the phosphorus concentration. Overall, this screening approach using easily preparable polymer systems provides great insight into the effect of phosphorus in different flame retarded polymers, with regard to polymer structure, phosphorus concentration, and phosphorus species.
Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles Using Coriandrum sativum Leaf Extract and Their Structural-Magnetic Catalytic Properties
Authors: Azhagu Raj Ramakrishnan , AlSalhi Mohamad , Devanesan Sandhanasamy
Published: April 2017

In this paper, using Coriandrum sativum L., a leaf-extracted, assisted microwave method (MM) was used to synthesize nickel oxide formation. We synthesized nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO) with a crystal size in the range of 15–16 nm by a Coriandrum sativum leaf-assisted microwave method (LAMM). The synthesized materials show that an X-ray diffraction (XRD) study confirmed the formation of a single phase structure exhibiting a crystallite size in the range of 15–16 nm using Scherrer’s method. The nickel oxide prepared by the MM had a surface area of 60.35 m2/g, pore volume of 0.9427 cm3/g and an average pore diameter of 13.27 Å. Surface morphology was analyzed by the scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscope, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, and the vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Catalytic activity (CA) tended toward the oxidation of styrene to benzaldehyde. The inexpensive catalyst tested is likely effective as a catalyst due to synergistic interactions between metal oxides with high dispersion. In comparison with other findings, LAMM is easy and eco-friendly. The current study obtained nanocrystalline NiO that was suitable for potential applications in catalysis. The synthesized NiO could potentially be used in therapeutic field due to their competent antibacterial activity.
Microarray Selection of Cooperative Peptides for Modulating Enzyme Activities
Authors: Fu Jinglin
Published: April 2017

Recently, peptide microarrays have been used to distinguish proteins, antibodies, viruses, and bacteria based on their binding to random sequence peptides. We reported on the use of peptide arrays to identify enzyme modulators that involve screening an array of 10,000 defined and addressable peptides on a microarray. Primary peptides were first selected to inhibit the enzyme at low μM concentrations. Then, new peptides were found to only bind strongly with the enzyme–inhibitor complex, but not the native enzyme. These new peptides served as secondary inhibitors that enhanced the inhibition of the enzyme together with the primary peptides. Without the primary peptides, the secondary effect peptides had little effect on the enzyme activity. Conversely, we also selected peptides that recovered the activities of inhibited enzyme–peptide complex. The selection of cooperative peptide pairs will provide a versatile toolkit for modulating enzyme functions, which may potentially be applied to drug discovery and biocatalysis.
C-C Coupling Reactions between Benzofurazan Derivatives and 1,3-Diaminobenzenes
Authors: Micheletti Gabriele , Bordoni Silvia , Chugunova Elena , Boga Carla
Published: April 2017

Aromatic substitution reactions between 1,3-diaminobenzene and chloronitrobenzofurazan derivatives have never been reported so far. The aim of the current study was to synthesize novel electron-donor and -acceptor architectures of interest in applied fields and to provide new insights on the nucleophilic behavior of 1,3-diaminobenzenes. The reaction of 1,3-dipiperidinyl-, 1,3-dimorpholinyl-, 1,3-dipyrrolidinyl-, or 1,3-dimethylamino-benzene with 7-chloro-4,6-dinitrobenzofuroxan or with a series of chloro-nitrobenzofurazans has been carried out in mild conditions. The partners reactivity has been investigated by monitoring the reaction course through 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The reaction occurred in a regioselective way, providing in good yields the novel C-C coupling compounds. Indications on the reactivity behavior for the studied nucleophiles have been relieved.
Application of UHPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS to Identify Multiple Constituents in Processed Products of the Herbal Medicine Ligustri Lucidi Fructus
Authors: Li Hui , Yao Weifeng , Liu Qinan , Xu Jia , Bao Beihua , Shan Mingqiu , Cao Yudan , Cheng Fangfang , Ding Anwei , Zhang Li
Published: April 2017

Ligustri Lucidi Fructus (LLF), the fruit of Ligustrum lucidum Ait. (Oleaceae), has been used as a common herbal medicine in clinical practice in China for nearly 2000 years. In most cases, LLF is prescribed in decoctions in the form of processed products rather than crude drugs. In this study, an ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization-quadrupole-time of flight-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS) method was established for rapid separation and identification of multiple constituents in the 80% methanol extract of processed-LLF. A total of 50 compounds (one phenylethanoid, seven phenylethanoid glycosides, seven flavonoids, 25 iridoids, nine triterpenoids and one cyclohexanecarboxylic acid) were either unambiguously identified or tentatively characterized with the aid of authentic standards or published data. Luteolin-7-O-rutinoside, oleoside and secologanoside were detected in LLF for the first time. This study enriches the chemical profiling of processed-LLF and could provide valuable information for the quality control and further investigation of processed-LLF and crude LLF.
Quantification of a Novel Photosensitizer of Chlorin e6-C15-Monomethyl Ester in Beagle Dog Plasma Using HPLC: Application to Pharmacokinetic Studies
Authors: Li Xiuxiu , Wen Jun , Jiang Jingjing , Zhao Xin , Zhou Tingting , Fan Guorong
Published: April 2017

Chlorin e6-C15-monomethyl ester (CMME) is a novel photosensitizer, which is synthetized from the degradation products of silkworm excrement. Preclinical studies on the promising photosensitizer CMME are necessary to determine its therapeutic efficacy and druglikeness. A high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection (HPLC–UV) method was established for the determination of CMME in beagle dog plasma. The sample preparation involved a protein-precipitation method with acetonitrile after the addition of tanshinone IIA as an internal standard (IS). CMME and the IS were separated on a Diamonsil C18 (2) column (100 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) with a isocratic system of methanol–water containing 20 mM ammonium acetate with 0.3% glacial acetic acid (85:15, v/v). The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min with UV detection using a wavelength of 400 nm. The method was sensitive enough with a lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) of 0.05 μg/mL and had a good linearity (r2 > 0.999) over the linear range of 0.05–5.00 μg/mL. The intra-day and inter-day accuracies ranged from 98.5% to 102.8% and precisions (RSD) were within 6.8%. The validated method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of CMME after intravenous administration of single and multiple doses in beagle dogs.
Maternal Methyl Donor Supplementation during Gestation Counteracts the Bisphenol A-Induced Impairment of Intestinal Morphology, Disaccharidase Activity, and Nutrient Transporters Gene Expression in Newborn and Weaning Pigs
Authors: Liu Hong , Wang Jun , Mou Daolin , Che Lianqiang , Fang Zhengfeng , Feng Bin , Lin Yan , Xu Shengyu , Li Jian , Wu De
Published: April 2017

This study was conducted to explore whether exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) during pregnancy could change intestinal digestion and absorption function in offspring using pigs as a model, and whether methyl donor (MET) could counteract the BPA-induced impacts. Fifty Landrace × Yorkshire sows were divided into four dietary groups throughout gestation: control diet (CON); control diet supplemented with BPA (50 mg/kg); control diet supplemented with MET (3 g/kg betaine, 400 mg/kg choline, 150 μg/kg vitamin B12, and 15 mg/kg folic acid); and control diet with BPA and MET supplementation (BPA + MET). Intestine samples were collected from pigs’ offspring at birth and weaning. Maternal BPA exposure during pregnancy significantly reduced the ratio of jejunum villus height to crypt depth, decreased the jejunum sucrase activity, down-regulated the mRNA expression of jejunum peptide transporter 1 (Pept1) and DNA methyl transferase 3a (DNMT3a), and decreased the DNA methylation level of jejunum Pept1 in offspring (p < 0.05). Maternal MET supplementation significantly raised the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in jejunum and ileum, improved the jejunum lactase activity, up-regulated the mRNA expression of jejunum Pept1, lactase (LCT), DNMT1, DNMT3a, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), and increased the DNA methylation level of jejunum Pept1 in offspring (p < 0.05). However, the ratio of jejunum villus height to crypt depth was higher in BPA + MET treatment compared with CON and BPA treatment (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, there was no difference in the jejunum sucrase activity, the mRNA expression of jejunum Pept1 and DNMT3a, and the DNA methylation level of jejunum Pept1 between CON and BPA + MET treatment. These results indicated that maternal exposure to BPA during gestation might suppress offspring’s intestinal digestion and absorption function, whereas supplementation of MET could counteract these damages, which might be associated with DNA methylation.
Vitamin D and Calcium Are Required during Denosumab Treatment in Osteoporosis with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Nakamura Yukio , Suzuki Takako , Yoshida Tomohiko , Yamazaki Hideshi , Kato Hiroyuki
Published: April 2017

The aim of this 12-month retrospective study was to evaluate differences in the outcomes of denosumab alone or denosumab combined with vitamin D and calcium supplementation in patients having osteoporosis (OP) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients were divided into the denosumab monotherapy group (denosumab group, 22 cases) or denosumab plus vitamin D supplementation group (combination group, 21 cases). We measured serum bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), N-terminal propeptide of type 1 collagen (P1NP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP)-5b, and urinary N-terminal telopeptide of type-I collagen (NTX) at baseline, 1 week, and 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12 months. We also assessed bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar 1-4 vertebrae (L-BMD) and bilateral total hips (H-BMD) at baseline and 4, 8, and 12 months. Matrix metalloprotanase-3 (MMP-3), Disease Activity Score-28 C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP), Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI), and Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI) were assessed before treatment and at 12 months to evaluate RA conditions. The study results showed that BAP, TRACP-5b, and NTX were significantly decreased, but tended to return to pre-treatment levels around 6 and 12 months in both groups. While L-BMD and H-BMD substantially increased in both groups, H-BMD had become significantly higher in the combination group at 12 months (p < 0.01) as compared with the denosumab group. There were no significant differences between the groups regarding MMP-3, DAS28-CRP, SDAI, or HAQ-DI. Compared with denosumab monotherapy, combination therapy of denosumab with vitamin D and calcium significantly increased H-BMD in patients having OP with RA.
An Exploratory Study on the Influence of Psychopathological Risk and Impulsivity on BMI and Perceived Quality of Life in Obese Patients
Authors: Tambelli Renata , Cerniglia Luca , Cimino Silvia , Ballarotto Giulia , Paciello Marinella , Lubrano Carla , Marchitelli Serena , Gnessi Lucio , Lenzi Andrea
Published: April 2017

The present study aimed to assess the psychological profiles of adult male and female obese patients, as well as to verify the possible influence of their psychopathological risk and impulsivity on their body mass index (BMI) and perceived quality of life. A total of 64 obese subjects accessing a center for care of their obesity were assessed through anthropometric and psychometric measurements. All anthropometric measures in men were higher than in women, while in turn, women showed higher psychopathological symptoms. Furthermore, the symptoms of somatization and psychoticism were predictors for a higher BMI in men, but there was no effect of psychopathological symptoms on the perceived quality of life (QoL) of male subjects. Moreover, in women, somatization and attentional impulsivity were predictors for a higher BMI, whereas no correlation was found between their psychopathological risk and perceived QoL. The results of regression analysis underlined that somatization is a “core” psychopathological symptom in obese subjects regardless of their sex, which is a potential predictor for a higher BMI. The psychological difficulties of the subjects had no effect on their perceived QoL, suggesting that they find it difficult to reflect on the impact that obesity has on their life.
New Zealand Nurses’ Perceptions of Spirituality and Spiritual care: Qualitative Findings from a National Survey
Authors: Egan Richard , Llewellyn Rebecca , Cox Brian , MacLeod Rod , McSherry Wilfred , Austin Philip
Published: April 2017

This paper presents the qualitative findings from the first national survey of New Zealand nurses’ views on spirituality and spiritual care. The importance of spirituality as a core aspect of holistic nursing care is gaining momentum. Little is currently known about New Zealand nurses’ understandings, perceptions and experience of spirituality. Design: A descriptive online survey. Method: A random sample of 2000 individuals resident in New Zealand whose occupation on the New Zealand electoral roll suggested nursing was their current or past occupation were invited via postcard to participate in an online survey. This paper reports on the free response section of the survey. Findings: Overall, 472 invitees responded (24.1%). From the respondents, 63% completed at least one of the optional free response sections. Thematic analysis generated three metathemes: ‘The role of spirituality in nursing practice’, ‘Enabling best practice’, and ‘Creating a supportive culture’. Conclusions: Spirituality was predominantly valued as a core aspect of holistic nursing care. However, clarity is needed surrounding what constitutes spiritual care and how this intersects with professional responsibilities and boundaries. Participants’ insights suggest a focus on improving the consistency and quality of spiritual care by fostering inter-professional collaboration, and improved provision of resources and educational opportunities.
The Role of Emissivity in the Detection of Arctic Night Clouds
Authors: Romano Filomena , Cimini Domenico , Nilo Saverio , Di Paola Francesco , Ricciardelli Elisabetta , Ripepi Ermann , Viggiano Mariassunta
Published: April 2017

Detection of clouds over polar areas from satellite radiometric measurements in the visible and IR atmospheric window region is rather difficult because of the high albedo of snow, possible ice covered surfaces, very low humidity, and the usual presence of atmospheric temperature inversion. Cold and highly reflective polar surfaces provide little thermal and visible contrast between clouds and the background surface. Moreover, due to the presence of temperature inversion, clouds are not always identifiable as being colder than the background. In addition, low humidity often causes polar clouds to be optically thin. Finally, polar clouds are usually composed of a mixture of ice and water, which leads to an unclear spectral signature. Single and bi-spectral threshold methods are sometimes inappropriate due to a large variability of surface emissivity and cloud conditions. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the crucial role played by surface emissivity in the detection of polar winter clouds and the potential improvement offered by infrared hyperspectral observations, such as from the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI). In this paper a new approach for cloud detection is proposed and validated exploiting active measurements from satellite sensors, i.e., the CloudSat cloud profiling radar (CPR) and the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) on board the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO). For a homogenous IASI field of view (FOVs), the proposed cloud detection scheme tallies with the combined CPR and CALIOP product in classifying 98.11% of the FOVs as cloudy and also classifies 97.54% of the FOVs as clear. The Hansen Kuipers discriminant reaches 0.95.
An Improved BLE Indoor Localization with Kalman-Based Fusion: An Experimental Study
Authors: Röbesaat Jenny , Zhang Peilin , Abdelaal Mohamed , Theel Oliver
Published: April 2017

Indoor positioning has grasped great attention in recent years. A number of efforts have been exerted to achieve high positioning accuracy. However, there exists no technology that proves its efficacy in various situations. In this paper, we propose a novel positioning method based on fusing trilateration and dead reckoning. We employ Kalman filtering as a position fusion algorithm. Moreover, we adopt an Android device with Bluetooth Low Energy modules as the communication platform to avoid excessive energy consumption and to improve the stability of the received signal strength. To further improve the positioning accuracy, we take the environmental context information into account while generating the position fixes. Extensive experiments in a testbed are conducted to examine the performance of three approaches: trilateration, dead reckoning and the fusion method. Additionally, the influence of the knowledge of the environmental context is also examined. Finally, our proposed fusion method outperforms both trilateration and dead reckoning in terms of accuracy: experimental results show that the Kalman-based fusion, for our settings, achieves a positioning accuracy of less than one meter.
Mining Productive-Associated Periodic-Frequent Patterns in Body Sensor Data for Smart Home Care
Authors: Ismail Walaa , Hassan Mohammad
Published: April 2017

The understanding of various health-oriented vital sign data generated from body sensor networks (BSNs) and discovery of the associations between the generated parameters is an important task that may assist and promote important decision making in healthcare. For example, in a smart home scenario where occupants’ health status is continuously monitored remotely, it is essential to provide the required assistance when an unusual or critical situation is detected in their vital sign data. In this paper, we present an efficient approach for mining the periodic patterns obtained from BSN data. In addition, we employ a correlation test on the generated patterns and introduce productive-associated periodic-frequent patterns as the set of correlated periodic-frequent items. The combination of these measures has the advantage of empowering healthcare providers and patients to raise the quality of diagnosis as well as improve treatment and smart care, especially for elderly people in smart homes. We develop an efficient algorithm named PPFP-growth (Productive Periodic-Frequent Pattern-growth) to discover all productive-associated periodic frequent patterns using these measures. PPFP-growth is efficient and the productiveness measure removes uncorrelated periodic items. An experimental evaluation on synthetic and real datasets shows the efficiency of the proposed PPFP-growth algorithm, which can filter a huge number of periodic patterns to reveal only the correlated ones.
Consensus-Based Cooperative Control Based on Pollution Sensing and Traffic Information for Urban Traffic Networks
Authors: Artuñedo Antonio , Del Toro Raúl , Haber Rodolfo
Published: April 2017

Nowadays many studies are being conducted to develop solutions for improving the performance of urban traffic networks. One of the main challenges is the necessary cooperation among different entities such as vehicles or infrastructure systems and how to exploit the information available through networks of sensors deployed as infrastructures for smart cities. In this work an algorithm for cooperative control of urban subsystems is proposed to provide a solution for mobility problems in cities. The interconnected traffic lights controller (TLC) network adapts traffic lights cycles, based on traffic and air pollution sensory information, in order to improve the performance of urban traffic networks. The presence of air pollution in cities is not only caused by road traffic but there are other pollution sources that contribute to increase or decrease the pollution level. Due to the distributed and heterogeneous nature of the different components involved, a system of systems engineering approach is applied to design a consensus-based control algorithm. The designed control strategy contains a consensus-based component that uses the information shared in the network for reaching a consensus in the state of TLC network components. Discrete event systems specification is applied for modelling and simulation. The proposed solution is assessed by simulation studies with very promising results to deal with simultaneous responses to both pollution levels and traffic flows in urban traffic networks.
A Modified Lamb Wave Time-Reversal Method for Health Monitoring of Composite Structures
Authors: Zeng Liang , Lin Jing , Huang Liping
Published: April 2017

Because the time reversal operator of Lamb waves varies with frequency in composite structures, the reconstructed signal deviates from the input signal even in undamaged cases. The damage index captures the discrepancy between the two signals without differentiating the effects of time reversal operator from those of damage. This results in the risk of false alarm. To solve this issue, a modified time reversal method (MTRM) is proposed. In this method, the frequency dependence of the time reversal operator is compensated by two steps. First, an amplitude modulation is placed on the input signal, which is related to the excitability, detectability, and attenuation of the Lamb wave mode. Second, the damage index is redefined to measure the deviation between the reconstructed signal and the modulated input signal. This could indicate the presence of damage with better performance. An experimental investigation is then conducted on a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminate to illustrate the effectiveness of the MTRM for identifying damage. The results show that the MTRM may provide a promising tool for health monitoring of composite structures.
Embedded Spherical Localization for Micro Underwater Vehicles Based on Attenuation of Electro-Magnetic Carrier Signals
Authors: Duecker Daniel-André , Geist A. , Hengeler Michael , Kreuzer Edwin , Pick Marc-André , Rausch Viktor , Solowjow Eugen
Published: April 2017

Self-localization is one of the most challenging problems for deploying micro autonomous underwater vehicles ( μ AUV) in confined underwater environments. This paper extends a recently-developed self-localization method that is based on the attenuation of electro-magnetic waves, to the μ AUV domain. We demonstrate a compact, low-cost architecture that is able to perform all signal processing steps present in the original method. The system is passive with one-way signal transmission and scales to possibly large μ AUV fleets. It is based on the spherical localization concept. We present results from static and dynamic position estimation experiments and discuss the tradeoffs of the system.
Detection of Hepatitis B Virus M204I Mutation by Quantum Dot-Labeled DNA Probe
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Chen Yiping , Liang Xinmiao , Zhang Guanhua , Ma Hong , Nie Leng , Wang Yu
Published: April 2017

Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanoparticles with a diameter of less than 10 nm, which have been widely used as fluorescent probes in biochemical analysis and vivo imaging because of their excellent optical properties. Sensitive and convenient detection of hepatitis B virus (HBV) gene mutations is important in clinical diagnosis. Therefore, we developed a sensitive, low-cost and convenient QDs-mediated fluorescent method for the detection of HBV gene mutations in real serum samples from chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients who had received lamivudine or telbivudine antiviral therapy. We also evaluated the efficiency of this method for the detection of drug-resistant mutations compared with direct sequencing. In CHB, HBV DNA from the serum samples of patients with poor response or virological breakthrough can be hybridized to probes containing the M204I mutation to visualize fluorescence under fluorescence microscopy, where fluorescence intensity is related to the virus load, in our method. At present, the limits of the method used to detect HBV genetic variations by fluorescence quantum dots is 103 IU/mL. These results show that QDs can be used as fluorescent probes to detect viral HBV DNA polymerase gene variation, and is a simple readout system without complex and expensive instruments, which provides an attractive platform for the detection of HBV M204I mutation.
An Adaptive Clustering Approach Based on Minimum Travel Route Planning for Wireless Sensor Networks with a Mobile Sink
Authors: Tang Jiqiang , Yang Wu , Zhu Lingyun , Wang Dong , Feng Xin
Published: April 2017

In recent years, Wireless Sensor Networks with a Mobile Sink (WSN-MS) have been an active research topic due to the widespread use of mobile devices. However, how to get the balance between data delivery latency and energy consumption becomes a key issue of WSN-MS. In this paper, we study the clustering approach by jointly considering the Route planning for mobile sink and Clustering Problem (RCP) for static sensor nodes. We solve the RCP problem by using the minimum travel route clustering approach, which applies the minimum travel route of the mobile sink to guide the clustering process. We formulate the RCP problem as an Integer Non-Linear Programming (INLP) problem to shorten the travel route of the mobile sink under three constraints: the communication hops constraint, the travel route constraint and the loop avoidance constraint. We then propose an Imprecise Induction Algorithm (IIA) based on the property that the solution with a small hop count is more feasible than that with a large hop count. The IIA algorithm includes three processes: initializing travel route planning with a Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) algorithm, transforming the cluster head to a cluster member and transforming the cluster member to a cluster head. Extensive experimental results show that the IIA algorithm could automatically adjust cluster heads according to the maximum hops parameter and plan a shorter travel route for the mobile sink. Compared with the Shortest Path Tree-based Data-Gathering Algorithm (SPT-DGA), the IIA algorithm has the characteristics of shorter route length, smaller cluster head count and faster convergence rate.
Dynamic Collection Strategy and Coordination of a Remanufacturing Closed-Loop Supply Chain under Uncertainty
Authors: Huang Zongsheng , Nie Jiajia , Tsai Sang-Bing
Published: April 2017

This paper aims to investigate the uncertainty factors that impact the collection strategy of a remanufacturing closed-loop supply chain. The basis of this type of supply chain is the collection of used products, without which the remanufacturing of new products would be out of the question. In this paper, we considered the effect of stochastic disturbance on the collection process in a closed-loop supply chain consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer, in which the manufacturer is responsible for collecting the used products. Considering stochastic disturbance, in this research, we proposed a stochastic collection model, and derived the feedback control strategies for both the manufacturer and retailer. Next, we investigated the evolutionary path and probability distribution of the stochastic return rate. Finally, we proposed a contract to coordinate the decentralized closed-loop supply chain. The results showed that the manufacturer would improve the level of return effort as the intensity of stochastic disturbance increases. However, the disturbance would not affect the pricing strategies of the supply chain members. As a result of the stochastic disturbance, the return rate always hovered around the expected return rate, while the expectation and variance of the return rate remained stable from a long-term perspective. The expected value and variance of the return rate could decrease or increase with time, depending on the value of the initial return rate of the system.
Decomposition Analysis of Aggregate Energy Consumption in China: An Exploration Using a New Generalized PDA Method
Authors: Zhou Dequn , Liu Xiao , Zhou Peng , Wang Qunwei
Published: April 2017

As the largest energy consumer, China is facing greater pressure to guarantee energy supply and energy security. Investigating the driving factors of energy consumption is very important. Decomposition analysis is an analytical tool for decomposing an aggregate indicator into its contributing factors. This paper introduces index decomposition analysis (IDA) into production decomposition analysis (PDA) and provides a new decomposition framework for analyzing energy consumption. Two application studies are presented to illustrate the use of our proposed approach. The first deals with the decomposition of aggregate energy consumption from 1991 to 2012; the second application studies seven sectors of China from 2001 to 2012. The empirical studies result in four meaningful findings: (1) the rapid economic growth has already resulted in severe energy supply crises; (2) China’s energy sector consumption structure has changed significantly; (3) potential economic effect is the largest driving factor for energy consumption growth; (4) potential energy intensity effect and technical change of economic output effect were the two primary driving factors in reducing energy consumption.
Decomposition Analysis of Forest Ecosystem Services Values
Authors: Fujii Hidemichi , Sato Masayuki , Managi Shunsuke
Published: April 2017

Forest ecosystem services are fundamental for human life. To protect and increase forest ecosystem services, the driving factors underlying changes in forest ecosystem service values must be determined to properly implement forest resource management planning. This study examines the driving factors that affect changes in forest ecosystem service values by focusing on regional forest characteristics using a dataset of 47 prefectures in Japan for 2000, 2007, and 2012. We applied two approaches: a contingent valuation method for estimating the forest ecosystem service value per area and a decomposition analysis for identifying the main driving factors of changes in the value of forest ecosystem services. The results indicate that the value of forest ecosystem services has increased due to the expansion of forest area from 2000 to 2007. However, factors related to forest management and ecosystem service value per area have contributed to a decrease in the value of ecosystem services from 2000 to 2007 and from 2007 to 2012, respectively.
Assessing the Efficacy of First-Aid Measures in Physalia sp. Envenomation, Using Solution- and Blood Agarose-Based Models
Authors: Wilcox Christie , Headlam Jasmine , Doyle Thomas , Yanagihara Angel
Published: April 2017

Stings from the hydrozoan species in the genus Physalia cause intense, immediate skin pain and elicit serious systemic effects. There has been much scientific debate about the most appropriate first aid for these stings, particularly with regard to whether vinegar use is appropriate (most current recommendations recommend against vinegar). We found that only a small percentage (≤1.0%) of tentacle cnidae discharge during a sting event using an ex vivo tissue model which elicits spontaneous stinging from live cnidarian tentacles. We then tested a variety of rinse solutions on both Atlantic and Pacific Physalia species to determine if they elicit cnidae discharge, further investigating any that did not cause immediate significant discharge to determine if they are able to inhibit cnidae discharge in response to chemical and physical stimuli. We found commercially available vinegars, as well as the recently developed Sting No More® Spray, were the most effective rinse solutions, as they irreversibly inhibited cnidae discharge. However, even slight dilution of vinegar reduced its protective effects. Alcohols and folk remedies, such as urine, baking soda and shaving cream, caused varying amounts of immediate cnidae discharge and failed to inhibit further discharge, and thus likely worsen stings.
Urban Runoff Characteristics in Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs): Analysis of Storm Events in Southeastern Spain
Authors: García Juan , Espín-Leal Pablo , Vigueras-Rodriguez Antonio , Castillo Luis , Carrillo José , Martínez-Solano Pedro , Nevado-Santos Simón
Published: April 2017

Storm water overflows have an important impact on the environment in many European countries. Nowadays, a better knowledge of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) pollution is required for implementing measures to reduce these emissions. In this work, pollution flows mobilized during rainy events have been monitored and modeled in two urban catchments located in the city of Murcia (southeast Spain). For each analyzed event, rainfall volume, in-sewer turbidity and water flow depth have been continuously measured. Therefore, sets of pollutographs and hydrographs have been obtained for each event analyzed. Characteristic variables have been defined and obtained for each event such as the maximum concentration of turbidity, the total event rainfall, the previous dry weather period, the time to the peak of the hydrograph and to the peak of the pollutograph, among others. Relations between variables have been adjusted through a statistical model. The adjusted parameters are used to generate pollutographs that are compared with those measured in field. The present work provides tools to assist in the knowledge of pollution transported through sewer network during stormy events, suggesting the creation of design pollutographs which may facilitate the evaluation of measures to reduce urban runoff pollution.
Difficulties Found By Persons Living With Diabetes Mellitus: A Quantitative Analysis
Authors: Maximino Danielle Aurília Ferreira Macêdo , Silva Claudete Maria da , Bezerra Eva Pôrto , Oliveira Danielle Martins do Nascimento , Silva Cássia Surama Oliveira da , Filho Josélio Soares de Oliveira , Vir´gínio Nereide De Andrade , Souto Cláudia Germana Virgínio de , Silva Amanda Benício da , Ribeiro Gerson Da Silva , Mello Emmanuella Costa de Azevedo , Lima Andréa Márcia Cunha , Barbosa Lucas Cunha Pimenta , Cruz Déa Sílvia Moura da , Marques Daniela Karina Antão , De Souza Maurício Caxias
Published: April 2017

Goal: to know the main difficulties faced by DM patients, characterizing the socioeconomic situation of the interviewees, identifying the type of care received by DM patients.

Method: It was a research of the descriptive exploratory type with quantitative approach that was carried out in the Basic Health Care of the city of Camutanga/PE. The population was formed by one hundred (100) diabetic patients enrolled at the FHS of said municipality, the sample will be formed by one hundred (100) of diabetics from UBS Mini Posto. The instrument for data collection was a form. The data collection took place in September and October 2016 after approval by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculdade de Enfermagem Nova Esperança (FACENE). CAAE: 59111616.1.0000.517

Results and Discussion: the data obtained in the research show that 65% of the study participants are between the age group over 65 years; 67% have primary education; 53% are retired; 62% reported receiving a minimum wage. About the data related to the issue 31% report that they have diabetes between 05 to 10 years; 79% prevail with type 2; 100% make use of medication; 43% use glibenclamide and metformin.

Conclusion: in view of the foregoing, it is concluded that this municipality presents several positive points in caring for the patients, but there are still gaps to provide adequate care to the carriers.             

Descriptors: Diabetes Mellitus. Primary Health Care. Nursing.
Nursing care for children with gastrostomy: integrative review
Authors: Rodrigues Lidiane Nascimento , Penaforte da Silva Wandra Camila , Marçal Sampaio Maria Odete , Carvalho Fontenele Fernanda Maria , Sousa de Oliveira Daniela , Magalhães Moreira Thereza Maria , De Castro Maria Euridea , Camelo Chaves Edna Maria
Published: April 2017

Objective: To analyze national and international scientific production on nursing care for children with gastrostomy.

Method: Integrative review conducted in the databases Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences (LILACS), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SCIELO),Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) without temporal delimitation of publications. The following Health Sciences Descriptors (DeCS) and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) were used: gastrostomia/gastrostomy/cuidado da criança/children care/enfermagem/nursing. Twenty references were found in LILACS, four in SciELO, 116 in MEDLINE and 167 in CINAHL. The studies found in the LILACS and SciELO did not meet the inclusion criteria. Three articles were selected from MEDLINE and 02 from CINAHL; thus, 05 articles composed the sample of the study.

Results: We observed that gastrostomy brought about satisfaction to caregivers despite post-surgery complications. Improvements brought about by the use of the device and reduction of complications related to feeding difficulties, weight gain, decreased vomiting, abdominal distention and fatigue of the patient throughout the day were mentioned. It was also noted that caregivers in the studies felt fear and insecurity at decision-making on the insertion of gastrostomy, showing that the information for the care of these patients was a common concern among them.

Conclusion: The study allows us to conclude that the care provided by nurses to children with gastrostomy and family contributes to increase knowledge, thus facilitating decision-making during the management of the device. The use of educational technologies are to be highlighted as a strategy for promoting care during hospitalization and preparing parents to take care of the gastrostomy after hospital discharge.
Luminous Infrared Galaxies with the Submillimeter Array. V. Molecular Gas in Intermediate to Late-stage Mergers
Authors: Sliwa Kazimierz , Wilson Christine D. , Matsushita Satoki , Peck Alison B. , Petitpas Glen R. , Saito Toshiki , Yun Min
Published: April 2017

We present new high-resolution ALMA (13CO J = 1−0 and J = 2−1) and CARMA (12CO and 13CO J = 1−0) observations of two luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs), Arp 55 and NGC 2623. The new data are complementary to published and archival submillimeter array observations of 12CO J = 2−1 and J = 3−2. We perform a Bayesian likelihood non-local thermodynamic equilibrium analysis to constrain the molecular gas physical conditions such as temperature, column, and volume densities and the [12CO]/[13CO] abundance ratio. For Arp 55, an early/intermediate-staged merger, the line measurements are consistent with cold (∼10–20 K), dense (>

cm−3) molecular gas. For NGC 2623, the molecular gas is warmer (∼110 K) and less dense (

cm−3). Because Arp 55 is an early/intermediate stage merger, while NGC 2623 is a merger remnant, the difference in physical conditions may be an indicator of merger stage. Comparing the temperature and volume density of several LIRGs shows that the molecular gas, averaged over ∼kiloparsec scales, of advanced mergers is in general warmer and less dense than early/intermediate stage mergers. We also find that the [12CO]/[13CO] abundance ratio of NGC 2623 is unusually high (>250) when compared with the Milky Way; however, it follows a trend seen with other LIRGs in the literature. This high [12CO]/[13CO] value is very likely due to stellar nucleosynthesis enrichment of the interstellar medium. On the other hand, Arp 55 has a more Galactic [12CO]/[13CO] value with the most probable [12CO]/[13CO] value being 20–30. We measure the CO-to-H2 conversion factor,

, to be ∼0.1 and ∼0.7 (3 × 10−4/

) M
⊙ (K km s−1 pc2)−1 for Arp 55 and NGC 2623, respectively. Because Arp 55 is an early/intermediate-stage merger, this suggests that the transition from a Galactic conversion factor to a LIRG value happens at an even earlier merger stage.
Fermi Bubble Edges: Spectrum and Diffusion Function
Authors: Keshet Uri , Gurwich Ilya
Published: April 2017

Current measurements of the γ-ray Fermi bubbles (FB) are based on model-dependent tracers, carry substantial systematic uncertainties, and contain some discrepancies between each other. We show that gradient filters pick out the FB edges, which are found to smoothly connect to the bipolar X-ray structure emanating from the Galactic center, thus supporting the interpretation of the FBs as a Galactic-scale phenomenon. The sharp edges facilitate a direct, model-free measurement of the peripheral FB spectrum. The result is strikingly similar to the full FB-integrated spectrum, softened by a power law of index η ≃ (0.2–0.3). This is naturally explained, in both hadronic and leptonic models, if cosmic rays are injected at the edge, and diffuse away preferentially at higher energies E. The inferred, averaged diffusion function in the (more plausible) leptonic model,

, is consistent with estimates for Kraichnan-like turbulence. Our results, in particular the minute spatial variations in η, indicate that the FB edge is a strong, Mach ≳5, forward shock.
Timing Solution and Single-pulse Properties for Eight Rotating Radio Transients
Authors: Cui B.-Y. , Boyles J. , McLaughlin M. A. , Palliyaguru N.
Published: April 2017

Rotating radio transients (RRATs), loosely defined as objects that are discovered through only their single pulses, are sporadic pulsars that have a wide range of emission properties. For many of them, we must measure their periods and determine timing solutions relying on the timing of their individual pulses, while some of the less sporadic RRATs can be timed by using folding techniques as we do for other pulsars. Here, based on Parkes and Green Bank Telescope (GBT) observations, we introduce our results on eight RRATs including their timing-derived rotation parameters, positions, and dispersion measures (DMs), along with a comparison of the spin-down properties of RRATs and normal pulsars. Using data for 24 RRATs, we find that their period derivatives are generally larger than those of normal pulsars, independent of any intrinsic correlation with period, indicating that RRATs’ highly sporadic emission may be associated with intrinsically larger magnetic fields. We carry out Lomb–Scargle tests to search for periodicities in RRATs’ pulse detection times with long timescales. Periodicities are detected for all targets, with significant candidates of roughly 3.4 hr for PSR J1623−0841 and 0.7 hr for PSR J1839−0141. We also analyze their single-pulse amplitude distributions, finding that log-normal distributions provide the best fits, as is the case for most pulsars. However, several RRATs exhibit power-law tails, as seen for pulsars emitting giant pulses. This, along with consideration of the selection effects against the detection of weak pulses, imply that RRAT pulses generally represent the tail of a normal intensity distribution.