bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimation of Residual Stresses in Laminated Composites by Slitting Method Utilizing Eigen Strains
Authors: Shokrieh M. M. , Kamangar M. A.
Published: April 2016

The manufacturing parameters such as curing process cause residual stresses in polymeric laminated composites. Therefore, an accurate method of measurement of residual stresses is essential for the design and analysis of composites structures. The slitting method is recently used for measurement of the residual stresses in laminated composites. However, this method has some drawbacks such as high sensitivity to noise of measurements and high scattering in the final results, which necessitate using of normalization techniques. Moreover, the form of polynomials, used in the conventional slitting method for calculation of the stiffness matrix, has a significant effect on final results. In this paper, it is shown that the major reason of the drawbacks of the slitting method in calculating the residual stresses is a direct use of the elastic released strains recorded by strain gages. In the present study, instead of direct calculation of residual stresses from the elastic released strains, eigen strain distribution as a constant and invariant field has been calculated from the recorded elastic strains. Then, by using the calculated eigen strain field in a finite-element model, the residual stress filed was obtained. Also, instead of using polynomials to calculate the compliance, a superposition method was used. The results show that the new method decreases the sensitivity of the final results to noise and scattering of the experimental data. It means that the normalization methods are not needed any more.
Use of a Gel Finger to Feel the Skin Temperatures of a Smartphone
Authors: Sripada Akshay , Rohlfing Morgan , Vijaendreh Raymond , Spetzler Brenden , Abdulhamid Ramsey , Porras Aaron , Lee Y. C. , Gupta Ashish , Harris Enisa
Published: April 2016

It is important to control the skin temperatures of smartphones, tablets, and wearable electronics. The comfort levels of the skin temperatures are determined by surveys with subjective evaluations on a limited number of configurations and/or materials. This study is the first attempt to develop a characterization tool that is objective, repeatable, and predictable. The first step is to apply a gel finger that replaces the human finger to measure temperatures after gel finger's contact with the skin, i.e., the case of a mobile system. The second step is to establish a model calibrated by the experimental results. The calibrated model can be used to simulate different effects on the temperatures at the interface between the gel finger and the skin. The temperatures of the polycarbonate skin “felt” by the gel finger are always lower than those of the aluminum skin. The difference could reach 2–6 °C depending on heat spreading inside the system and heat sources in the finger. The difference can be reduced from 6 to 3 °C by using a novel casing with thin film metal on polymer. The transient periods are approximately 100–200 s with shorter transient periods for the aluminum skin.
Constructal Design of Rectangular Fin Intruded Into Mixed Convective Lid-Driven Cavity Flows
Authors: Lorenzini G. , Machado B. S. , Isoldi L. A. , dos Santos E. D. , Rocha L. A. O.
Published: April 2016

The present work shows a numerical study of laminar, steady, and mixed convective flow inside lid-driven square cavity with intruded rectangular fin in its lower surface. The main purpose here is to maximize the heat transfer between the rectangular fin and the surrounding mixed convective flow inside a lid-driven cavity by means of constructal design. The problem is subject to two constraints, the lid-driven cavity and intruded fin areas. The ratio between the fin and cavity areas is kept fixed (ϕ = 0.05). The investigated geometry has one degree-of-freedom (DOF), the fin aspect ratio (H1/L1), which is varied in the range 0.1 ≤ H1/L1 ≤ 10. The aspect ratio of the cavity is maintained fixed (H/L = 1.0). The effect of the fin geometry over the Nusselt number is investigated for several Rayleigh (RaH = 103, 104, 105 and 106) and Reynolds numbers (ReH = 10, 102, 3.0 × 102, 5.0 × 102, 7.0 × 102 and 103). For all simulations, the Prantdl number is fixed (Pr = 0.71). The conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy are numerically solved with the finite volume method. Results showed that fin geometry (H1/L1) has strong influence over the Nusselt number in the fin. It was also observed that the effect of H1/L1 over Nusselt number changes considerably for different Rayleigh numbers and for the lowest magnitudes of Reynolds numbers, for example, differences of nearly 770% between RaH = 106 and forced convective flow were observed for the lowest Reynolds number studied (ReH = 10).
Adaptive Robust Stabilization of Rossler System With Time-Varying Mismatched Parameters Via Scalar Input
Authors: Arefi Mohammad Mehdi
Published: April 2016

This paper presents an adaptive robust controller for a class of uncertain chaotic Rossler system with time-varying mismatched parameters. The proposed controller is designed based on Lyapunov stability theory, and it is shown that using this controller all signals of the closed-loop system are uniformly ultimately bounded (UUB). In addition, the proposed scheme is such that it does not require a priori information about the bound of uncertainties. Furthermore, since all the signals are UUB, the control signal is smooth and feasible to implement. Simulation results on a third-order Rossler system with time-varying parameters confirm the effectiveness of the proposed controller.
Adaptive Modified Hybrid Robust Projective Synchronization Between Identical and Nonidentical Fractional-Order Complex Chaotic Systems With Fully Unknown Parameters
Authors: Delavari Hadi , Mohadeszadeh Milad
Published: April 2016

In this paper, a robust adaptive sliding mode controller is proposed. Under the existence of external disturbances, modified hybrid projective synchronization (MHPS) between two identical and two nonidentical fractional-order complex chaotic systems is achieved. It is shown that the response system could be synchronized with the drive system up to a nondiagonal scaling matrix. An adaptive controller and parameter update laws are investigated based on the Lyapunov stability theorem. The closed-loop stability conditions are derived based on the fractional-order Lyapunov function and Mittag-Leffler function. Finally, numerical simulations are given to verify the theoretical analysis.
Multistep Method for Grinding Face-Gear by Worm
Authors: Zhou Yuansheng , Tang Jinyuan , Zhou Heng , Yin Feng
Published: April 2016

With the original worm grinding method to manufacture face-gear, the mathematical models of shaper, worm, and face-gear are established at the beginning. Subsequently, a problem of the original grinding method is illustrated that the working part of the face-gear tooth surface may not be covered completely. To overcome this problem, multistep grinding method for completely grinding the whole working part is proposed by studying contact lines of the tooth surface and singularities of the worm thread surface. The proposed method is verified in matlab with theoretical analysis. Finally, the simulations of the original method and the multistep method in the vericut software verify the feasibility and correctness of the proposed method. The study provides an effective and precise approach to grinding the face-gear.
Microtube Laser Forming for Precision Component Alignment
Authors: Folkersma Ger , Brouwer Dannis , Römer Gert-Willem
Published: April 2016

A micro-actuator for precision alignment, using laser forming of a tube, is presented. Such an actuator can be used to align components after assembly. The positioning of an optical fiber with respect to a waveguide chip is used as a test case, where a submicron lateral alignment accuracy is required. A stainless steel tube with an outer diameter of 635 μm was used as a simple and compact actuator, where the fiber is mounted concentrically in the tube. An experimental setup has been developed to measure the fiber displacement in real time with a resolution better than 0.1 μm. In addition, this setup allows the axial and radial positioning of the laser spot over the surface of the tube. Several tube samples were (de)formed to move a fiber to a predefined position, using a laser with a wavelength of 1080 nm, a pulse length of 200 ms, and a power between 4 W and 10 W. On average of 18 laser pulses were required to reach the targeted position of the fiber with an accuracy of 0.1 μm. It has been found that increasing the laser power not only results in a larger bending angle but also in a larger uncertainty of this angle. The opposite is true for the radial bending direction, where the uncertainty decreases with increasing laser power.
Modeling of Temperature Distribution in Laser Welding of Lapped Martensitic Steel M1500 and Softening Estimation
Authors: Wang Hongze , Zhang Yansong , Chen Kunkun
Published: April 2016

With the implementation of more stringent emissions standards, ultrahigh strength steel has been increasingly used in vehicle body to reduce the carbon emissions, but softening in the heat-affected zone is one of the most serious issues faced with in welding of this steel. In this paper, a finite element model (FEM) was developed to estimate temperature distribution in laser welding of lapped martensitic steels M1500 considering the effect of interface. Three methods to characterize the effect of interface have been adopted. The comparison result shows that the method using two groups of contact elements with birth and death options could accurately characterize the thermal contact conductance properties of the interface before and after welding, respectively. Based on the simulated temperature–time curve, a carbon diffusion model was then developed to estimate the martensite tempering transformation in the softening zone. Maximum softening degree and location of the softening zone were estimated and validated by hardness measurement experiments.
Experimental Investigation of Heat Transfer and Friction Characteristics of Arc-Shaped Roughness Elements Having Central Gaps on the Absorber Plate of Solar Air Heater
Authors: Pandey Navneet Kumar , Bajpai Vijay Kumar
Published: April 2016

Thermal performance of solar air heater does not take into account the energy loss due to friction for propelling air through the duct. In this work, an experimental investigation has been carried out to study the effect of heat transfer and friction characteristics of turbulent flow of air passing through rectangular duct which is roughened by circular arcs having gaps of 2 mm in between arranged in angular fashion, and the roughened wall is uniformly heated. The thermal and friction characteristics are governed by duct aspect ratio (W/H), hydraulic diameter (D), and relative roughness pitch (P/e), angle of attack of angular arc (α), and Reynolds number (Re). Experiments encompassed the Reynolds number ranges from 3600 to 15,100, P/e ranges from 6 to 20, and angle of attack of angular arc of flow over the protrusions ranges from 15 deg to 75 deg. The results have also been compared to W-shaped roughness inclined at 45 deg. The maximum enhancement in heat transfer and friction factor is 3.15 and 3.93 times as compared with smooth duct. Arc with gaps have also been observed to be better than their W-shaped counterparts. These experimental results have been used to study their influence on Nusselt number and friction factor, and empirical relations have been derived using regression analysis.
Discrete-Time Adaptive Controller Based on Estimated Pseudopartial Derivative and Reaching Sliding Condition
Authors: Treesatayapun Chidentree
Published: April 2016

An adaptive controller based on sliding mode condition is developed with estimated pseudopartial derivative (PPD) of data-driven scheme. The controlled plant is considered as a class of unknown discrete-time systems with only output feedback, which allows the proposed controller to be applicable for practical plants operated by computerization systems. The convergence of estimated PPD is analyzed by Lyapunov direct method under reasonable assumptions. The control law is derived by the estimated PPD and reaching condition of sliding surface as a model-free of controlled plant. The performance of the proposed control scheme is validated by theoretical analysis and experimental system with direct current (DC) motor current control.
Cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy of antiphase boundaries in epitaxially grown GaP layers on Si(001)
Authors: Prohl Christopher , Döscher Henning , Kleinschmidt Peter , Hannappel Thomas , Lenz Andrea
Published: April 2016

In a fundamental cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy investigation on epitaxially grown GaP layers on a Si(001) substrate, differently oriented antiphase boundaries are studied. They can be identified by a specific contrast and by surface step edges starting/ending at the position of an antiphase boundary. Moreover, a change in the atomic position of P and Ga atoms along the direction of growth is observed in agreement with the structure model of antiphase boundaries in the GaP lattice. This investigation opens the perspective to reveal the orientation and position of the antiphase boundaries at the atomic scale due to the excellent surface sensitivity of this method.
Temperature-stable quartz oscillator and its applications in pressure gauges, gas sensing, and gas concentration measurements
Authors: Suzuki Atsushi
Published: April 2016

In this paper, a temperature-stable quartz oscillator (TSQO) is introduced that eliminates the influence of temperature on the output, which is the electrical impedance (Z)-converted voltage. Z depends on the pressure, viscosity, and density of the measured gas. Temperature stability was confirmed for temperatures varying from 30 to 300 °C at atmospheric pressure. As temperature was increased from 31 to 200 °C, fluctuations were decreased to below 0.30% of the average TSQO output. The TSQO exhibited an improved temperature stability compared with the output fluctuation of a conventional quartz oscillator, which is usually approximately 2.0% of the output voltage over the temperature range of 15–85 °C. The measured fluctuation in the TSQO output over the temperature range of 31–100 °C is 0.22%, which is acceptable for outdoor hydrogen sensing. This is because the fluctuations are smaller than the 0.33% change induced by hydrogen (H2) contamination at a concentration of 0.33 vol. %. The concentration of contaminated hydrogen is sufficiently less than the minimum detection level, which is one-fourth of the fluctuation introduced by low-level explosions of H2 in air (4%). The TSQO output could be implemented in various measurement applications. The dependence of the TSQO output on the total pressure in the range of 0.5–100 kPa indicates that it can function as a pressure gauge. The difference between the TSQO output measured for pure nitrogen (N2) and 0.5 and 1.0 vol. % H2 in N2 at atmospheric pressure indicates that the TSQO can operate as a hydrogen sensor. Moreover, depending on the TSQO output on hydrogen concentration at atmospheric pressure confirmed that the TSQO can be used to measure hydrogen concentration. The hydrogen sensing and concentration measurement applications stated above were possible up to 300 °C. Therefore, it can be concluded that the TSQO is practically useful for carrying out various measurements under the conditions of temperature fluctuations and exhibits an optimum performance in the temperature range of 31−300 °C.
Temperature dependence of the dielectric function and interband transitions of pseudomorphic GeSn alloys
Authors: D'Costa Vijay Richard , Schmidt Daniel , Wang Wei , Yeo Yee-Chia
Published: April 2016

The authors investigated the temperature dependence of the complex dielectric function and interband transitions of pseudomorphic Ge1−xSnx (x = 0, 0.025, and 0.075) alloys using spectroscopic ellipsometry from 77 to 400 K. The dielectric functions and interband transitions of the alloys blue-shift with decreasing temperature. The dependence of E1, E1 + Δ1, and E2 transitions on temperature can be represented by either Varshni's empirical formula or an expression proportional to the Bose–Einstein statistical factor of an average phonon. The authors find that the temperature-dependence is similar to that of bulk Ge with the exception of an offset accounting for the alloying of α-Sn into Ge. In addition, the temperature-dependent E1 and E1 + Δ1 transition energies in pseudomorphic GeSn alloys can be predicted by combining their room-temperature compositional dependencies with the energy shifts resulting from the temperature dependence of these transitions in Ge.
Identification and quantification of soundscape components in the Marginal Ice Zone
Authors: Geyer Florian , Sagen Hanne , Hope Gaute , Babiker Mohamed , Worcester Peter F.
Published: April 2016

Acoustic experiments using an integrated ice station were carried out during August 2012 and September 2013 in the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) of Fram Strait. The two experiments lasted four days each and collected under-ice acoustic recordings together with wave-in-ice and meteorological data. Synthetic aperture radar satellite data provided information on regional ice conditions. Four major components of the under-ice soundscape were identified: ship cavitation noise, seismic airgun noise, marine mammal vocalizations, and natural background noise. Ship cavitation noise was connected to heavy icebreaking. It dominated the soundscape at times, with noise levels (NLs) 100 km from the icebreaker increased by 10–28 dB. Seismic airgun noise that originated from seismic surveys more than 800 km away was present during 117 out of 188 observation hours. It increased NLs at 20–120 Hz by 2–6 dB. Marine mammal vocalizations were a minor influence on measured NLs, but their prevalence shows the biological importance of the MIZ. The 10th percentile of the noise distributions was used to identify the ambient background noise. Background NLs above 100 Hz differed by 12 dB between the two experiments, presumably due to variations in natural noise sources.
Acoustic vector sensor beamforming reduces masking from underwater industrial noise during passive monitoring
Authors: Thode Aaron M. , Kim Katherine H. , Norman Robert G. , Blackwell Susanna B. , Greene Charles R.
Published: April 2016

Masking from industrial noise can hamper the ability to detect marine mammal sounds near industrial operations, whenever conventional (pressure sensor) hydrophones are used for passive acoustic monitoring. Using data collected from an autonomous recorder with directional capabilities (Directional Autonomous Seafloor Acoustic Recorder), deployed 4.1 km from an arctic drilling site in 2012, the authors demonstrate how conventional beamforming on an acoustic vector sensor can be used to suppress noise arriving from a narrow sector of geographic azimuths. Improvements in signal-to-noise ratio of up to 15 dB are demonstrated on bowhead whale calls, which were otherwise undetectable using conventional hydrophones.
Perceptions of Intuition among Campus Recreation Outdoor Program Professional Staff: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Frauman Eric D.
Published: April 2016

Authors have pointed to the role that intuition plays in organizational and managerial decision making. The primary purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of intuitive experiences and intuition in general among campus and university recreation outdoor program professional staff particularly in light of their positions of authority and influence on program direction and service. An online survey was administered to campus recreation outdoor program professionals in 2011/2012 with results indicating females are more likely to use intuitive experiences than males in the workplace. Work experience with a college outdoor program, how one believes intuition is acquired, and whether one has ignored their intuition did not differentiate respondents concerning their use of intuitive experiences. While further research is warranted findings from this study should provide useful information for campus recreation outdoor program professionals interested in more closely examining how gut feelings and instincts play a role in managing their respective programs.
Developing Learning Outcomes for a Collaborative Event: Highlighting a Recreational Soccer Tournament Designed to Connect International and Domestic Students
Authors: Buzzelli Armand
Published: April 2016

The purpose of this study was to exhibit best practices in a collaborative program between a campus recreation department and center for global engagement while demonstrating appropriate learning outcomes. The learning domains that were assessed in this program were intrapersonal development, interpersonal competence, humanitarianism and civic engagement, and practical competence. The program reviewed was a philanthropic recreational soccer tournament designed to specifically offer international and domestic students an opportunity to play recreational sports together while providing learning opportunities for all participants. Participants placed a higher value on participating in a charitable event and participating for health and wellness over seeking involvement with different types of people. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS and mean scores and standard deviations were reported from the respondent data gathered.
The fitness landscape of a tRNA gene
Authors: Li Chuan , Qian Wenfeng , Maclean Calum J. , Zhang Jianzhi
Published: April 2016

Epistasis and mutational fitness landscape

A fitness landscape of a gene defines the molecular potential of evolution. This can help us understand the current state of evolution as well as predict unrealized potential. Using deep sequencing to examine mutations in nonessential genes that affect the growth of yeast strains, two studies have generated fitness landscapes and measured the effect of epistatic interactions (see the Perspective by He and Liu). Li
et al.
generated a library of mutants in a transfer RNA gene, including all single and many double and multiple mutants. The RNA secondary structure was generally predictive of bases under selection. Similarly, Puchta
et al.
assessed a small nucleolar RNA gene for the fitness effects of individual mutations, which correlated with evolutionary conservation and structural stability. Both studies suggest that epistasis—the combined functional effect—for double substitutions is more often negative than positive.

Science
, this issue pp.
837
and
840
; see also p.
769
Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain DK1-NH57388A, a Stable Mucoid Cystic Fibrosis Isolate
Authors: Norman Anders , Ciofu Oana , Amador Cristina Isabel , Høiby Niels , Jelsbak Lars
Published: April 2016

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is an important opportunistic pathogen associated with chronic pulmonary infections and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Here, we present the complete genome sequence of stable mucoid
P. aeruginosa
strain DK1-NH57388A, a CF isolate which has previously been used to establish chronic lung infections in an animal model.
Draft Genome Sequence of a Salmonella enterica subsp.
enterica
Serovar Gallinarum bv. Gallinarum Isolate Associated with Fowl Typhoid Outbreaks in Brazil
Authors: De Carli Silvia , Gräf Tiago , Mayer Fabiana Q. , Cibulski Samuel , Lehmann Fernanda K. M. , Fonseca André S. K. , Ikuta Nilo , Lunge Vagner R.
Published: April 2016

Salmonella enterica
subsp.
enterica
serovar Gallinarum bv. Gallinarum strains are bird pathogens causing fowl typhoid (FT). Isolate BR_RS12 was obtained from a poultry flock with FT in 2014. The sequencing of this genome will enable to track the origin of the recent outbreaks in Brazil.
Genome Sequence of a Unique t2247-ST692-III Livestock-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strain from Chicken Carcass
Authors: Moon Dong Chan , Kim Byung-Yong , Tamang Migma Dorji , Nam Hyang-Mi , Jang Geum-Chan , Jung Suk-Chan , Lee Hee-Soo , Park Yong-Ho , Lim Suk-Kyung
Published: April 2016

We report the draft genome sequence of a novel livestock-associated t2247-ST692-III methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
strain designated K12S0375, which was isolated from a chicken carcass in South Korea. The K12S0375 strain contains uncommon genes, including antimicrobial resistance genes (
tetL
and
tetS
) and leukotoxin (
lukED
), and the genomic distance indicates a single lineage in a genome-based phylogenetic tree compared with 459
S. aureus
genome sequences. This genome sequence will contribute to understanding epidemiological and genomic features of the ST692 lineage, including antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes.
Draft Genome Sequences of Three Novel
Clostridium
Isolates from Northern Iraq
Authors: Rashid Srwa R. J. , Clokie Martha R. J. , Millard Andrew D.
Published: April 2016

Three
Clostridium
sp. strains were isolated from soil and sediment collected from the Kurdistan region of Iraq. All three isolates were found to harbor putative prophages, with a CRISPR-Cas system found in strains C105KSO13 and C105KSO14.
Whole-Genome Sequence of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Strain 226, Isolated from the Abscess of a Goat in California
Authors: Dias Larissa M. , Alves Jorianne T. C. , Veras Adonney A. O. , Baraúna Rafael A. , Sá Pablo H. C. G. , Spier Sharon , Edman Judy M. , Guimarães Luis C. , Rocha Flávia S. , Ramos Rommel T. J. , Azevedo Vasco , Silva Artur , Carneiro Adriana R.
Published: April 2016

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
is the etiological agent of a caseous lymphadenitis disease. Herein, we present the first complete genome sequencing of
C. pseudotuberculosis
strain 226, isolated from an abscess of the sub-iliac lymph node of a goat from California (USA). The genome contains 2,138 coding sequences (CDSs), 12 rRNAs, 49 tRNAs, and 72 pseudogenes.
Draft Whole-Genome Sequences of
Escherichia fergusonii
Strains Isolated from Beef Trim (GTA-EF02), Ground Beef (GTA-EF03), and Chopped Kale (GTA-EF04)
Authors: Manninger Paul , Koziol Adam , Carrillo Catherine D.
Published: April 2016

Escherichia fergusonii
is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming member of the
Enterobacteriaceae
family and is a bacterium with both biotechnological applications and implication in human clinical disease. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of three isolates of
E. fergusonii
from beef trim (GTA-EF02), ground beef (GTA-EF03), and chopped kale (GTA-EF04).
Draft Genome Sequence of the Strict Anaerobe
Clostridium neopropionicum
X4 (DSM 3847
T
)
Authors: Beck Matthias H. , Poehlein Anja , Bengelsdorf Frank R. , Schiel-Bengelsdorf Bettina , Daniel Rolf , Dürre Peter
Published: April 2016

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of
Clostridium neopropionicum
X4 (DSM 3847
T
), a strictly anaerobic bacterium capable of fermenting ethanol and CO
2
to propionate, acetate, and propanol. The genome consists of a single chromosome (3.19 Mb).
Draft Genome Sequence of Biocontrol Agent
Pythium oligandrum
Strain Po37, an Oomycota
Authors: Berger Harald , Yacoub Amira , Gerbore Jonathan , Grizard Damien , Rey Patrice , Sessitsch Angela , Compant Stéphane
Published: April 2016

The oomycota
Pythium oligandrum
Po37 is used as a biocontrol agent of plant diseases. Here, we present the first draft of the
P. oligandrum
Po37 genome sequence, which comprises 725 scaffolds with a total length of 35.9 Mb and 11,695 predicted protein-coding genes.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Klebsiella pneumoniae
YH43
Authors: Iwase Tadayuki , Ogura Yoshitoshi , Hayashi Tetsuya , Mizunoe Yoshimitsu
Published: April 2016

We report here the complete genome sequence of
Klebsiella pneumoniae
strain YH43, isolated from sweet potato. The genome consists of a single circular chromosome of 5,520,319 bp in length. It carries 8 copies of rRNA operons, 86 tRNA genes, 5,154 protein-coding genes, and the
nif
gene cluster for nitrogen fixation.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Clostridium sporogenes
Strain UC9000 Isolated from Raw Milk
Authors: La Torre Angela , Bassi Daniela , Zotta Teresa , Orrù Luigi , Lamontanara Antonella , Cocconcelli Pier Sandro
Published: April 2016

Clostridium sporogenes
is a causative agent of food spoilage and is often used as the nontoxigenic surrogate for
Clostridium botulinum
. Here, we described the draft genome sequence and annotation of
C. sporogenes
strain UC9000 isolated from raw milk.
Genome Sequences of Nine Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Isolates from South America
Authors: Fowler Veronica L. , King David J. , Howson Emma L. A. , Madi Mikidache , Pauszek Steven J. , Rodriguez Luis L. , Knowles Nick J. , Mioulet Valérie , King Donald P.
Published: April 2016

We report nine full-genome sequences of vesicular stomatitis virus obtained by Illumina next-generation sequencing of RNA, isolated from either cattle epithelial suspensions or cell culture supernatants. Seven of these viral genomes belonged to the New Jersey serotype/species (clade III), while two isolates belonged to the Indiana serotype/species.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Pseudomonas putida
BW11M1, a Banana Rhizosphere Isolate with a Diversified Antimicrobial Armamentarium
Authors: Ghequire Maarten G. K. , Swings Toon , Michiels Jan , Gross Harald , De Mot René
Published: April 2016

In this study, we report the draft genome of
Pseudomonas putida
BW11M1, a banana rhizosphere isolate producing various antimicrobial compounds, including a lectin-like bacteriocin, an R-type tailocin, the cyclic lipopeptide xantholysin, and the fatty acid–derived pseudopyronine.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Salmonella enterica
Serovar Typhimurium Strain YU15 (Sequence Type 19) Harboring the
Salmonella
Genomic Island 1 and Virulence Plasmid pSTV
Authors: Silva Claudia , Calva Edmundo , Puente José L. , Zaidi Mussaret B. , Vinuesa Pablo
Published: April 2016

The complete genome of
Salmonella enterica
subsp.
enterica
serovar Typhimurium sequence type 19 (ST19) strain YU15, isolated in Yucatán, Mexico, from a human baby stool culture, was determined using PacBio technology. The chromosome contains five intact prophages and the
Salmonella
genomic island 1 (SGI1). This strain carries the
Salmonella
virulence plasmid pSTV.
Genome Sequence of
Pseudomonas
sp. HUK17, Isolated from Hexachlorocyclohexane-Contaminated Soil
Authors: Gasc Cyrielle , Richard Jean-Yves , Peyret Pierre
Published: April 2016

Pseudomonas
sp. HUK17 has been isolated from hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) long-term contaminated soil. The genome of strain HUK17 was sequenced to elucidate its adaptation toward HCH and to evaluate the presence of pesticide degradation pathways. Here, we report the annotated draft genome sequence (~2.6 Mbp) of this strain.
Genome Sequences of EightAspergillus flavusspp. and OneA. parasiticussp., Isolated from Peanut Seeds in Georgia
Authors: Faustinelli Paola C. , Wang Xinye Monica , Palencia Edwin R. , Arias Renée S.
Published: April 2016

Aspergillus flavusandA. parasiticusfungi produce carcinogenic mycotoxins in peanut seeds, causing considerable impact on both human health and the economy. Here, we report nine genome sequences ofAspergillusspp., isolated from Georgia peanut seeds in 2014. The information obtained will lead to further biodiversity studies that are essential for developing control strategies.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Amino Acid-Fermenting
Clostridium propionicum
X2 (DSM 1682)
Authors: Poehlein Anja , Schlien Katja , Chowdhury Nilanjan Pal , Gottschalk Gerhard , Buckel Wolfgang , Daniel Rolf
Published: April 2016

Clostridium propionicum
is a strict anaerobic, Gram positive, rod-shaped bacterium that belongs to the clostridial cluster XIVb. The genome consists of one replicon (3.1 Mb) and harbors 2,936 predicted protein-encoding genes. The genome encodes all enzymes required for fermentation of the amino acids α-alanine, β-alanine, serine, threonine, and methionine.
Investigation of Microbial Diversity in Geothermal Hot Springs in Unkeshwar, India, Based on 16S rRNA Amplicon Metagenome Sequencing
Authors: Mehetre Gajanan T. , Paranjpe Aditi , Dastager Syed G. , Dharne Mahesh S.
Published: April 2016

Microbial diversity in geothermal waters of the Unkeshwar hot springs in Maharashtra, India, was studied using 16S rRNA amplicon metagenomic sequencing. Taxonomic analysis revealed the presence of
Bacteroidetes
,
Proteobacteria
,
Cyanobacteria
,
Actinobacteria
,
Archeae
, and OD1 phyla. Metabolic function prediction analysis indicated a battery of biological information systems indicating rich and novel microbial diversity, with potential biotechnological applications in this niche.
Full Genome of
Phialocephala scopiformis
DAOMC 229536, a Fungal Endophyte of Spruce Producing the Potent Anti-Insectan Compound Rugulosin
Authors: Walker Allison K. , Frasz Samantha L. , Seifert Keith A. , Miller J. David , Mondo Stephen J. , LaButti Kurt , Lipzen Anna , Dockter Rhyan B. , Kennedy Megan C. , Grigoriev Igor V. , Spatafora Joseph W.
Published: April 2016

We present the full genome of
Phialocephala scopiformis
DAOMC 229536 (Helotiales, Ascomycota), a foliar endophyte of white spruce from eastern Quebec. DAOMC 229536 produces the anti-insectan compound rugulosin, which inhibits a devastating forestry pest, the spruce budworm. This genome will enable fungal genotyping and host-endophyte evolutionary genomics in inoculated trees.
Juvenile otosclerosis: a case presentation and review of the literature
Authors: Markou Konstantinos , Stavrakas Marios , Karkos Petros , Psillas Georgios
Published: April 2016

Otosclerosis in childhood and adolescence or juvenile otosclerosis is a rare disorder resulting in conductive hearing loss. A 9-year-old boy presented to our clinic, suffering from moderate hearing loss. According to his parents, his hearing acuity had progressively deteriorated over the past 2 years. Otoscopy and tympanometry revealed bilateral secretory otitis media and the patient underwent bilateral grommet insertion. However, he continued to report of hearing loss and a right exploratory tympanotomy was performed. Stapedial fixation was confirmed, being compatible with juvenile otosclerosis, and we proceeded to a right stapedotomy. One year later, follow-up showed satisfactory outcome with an air-bone gap closure to 10 dB. Juvenile otosclerosis with the coexistence of persistent secretory otitis media can be overlooked. Affected children from 9 years of age are strongly motivated to undergo stapes surgery for juvenile otosclerosis, following parental consent.
Case of low dose clenbuterol toxicity
Authors: Waight Michael , McGuinness William
Published: April 2016

We present a case of acute clenbuterol toxicity following ingestion of 20 μg of clenbuterol, resulting in symptoms of sympathetic activation, sinus tachycardia and electrolyte derangement. The patient was managed conservatively with fluid resuscitation, electrolyte replacement and monitoring, and discharged following a 5-day stay in hospital.
Phytochemistry and Pharmacology ofCarthamus tinctoriusL.
Authors: Zhang Le-Le , Tian Ke , Tang Zheng-Hai , Chen Xiao-Jia , Bian Zhao-Xiang , Wang Yi-Tao , Lu Jin-Jian
Published: April 2016

Carthamus tinctorius L. is a multifunctional cash crop. Its flowers and seeds are extensively used in traditional herbal medicine in China, Korea, Japan, and other Asian countries, for treating various ailments such as gynecological, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular diseases as well as blood stasis and osteoporosis. More than 100 compounds have been isolated and identified from C. tinctorius. Flavonoids and alkaloids, especially the quinochalcone c-glycoside hydroxysafflor yellow A, N-(p-Coumaroyl)serotonin, and N-feruloylserotonin, are responsible for most of the pharmacological activities of C. tinctorius. In this paper, comprehensive and up-to-date information on the phytochemistry and pharmacology of C. tinctorius is presented. This information will be helpful for further explorations of the therapeutic potential of C. tinctorius and may provide future research opportunities.
Baicalin Activates Glycine and γ-Aminobutyric Acid Receptors on Substantia Gelatinosa Neurons of the Trigeminal Subsnucleus Caudalis in Juvenile Mice
Authors: Yin Hua , Bhattarai Janardhan Prasad , Oh Sun Mi , Park Soo Joung , Ahn Dong Kuk , Han Seong Kyu
Published: April 2016

The substantia gelatinosa (SG) of the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis (Vc) receives nociceptive afferent inputs from thin-myelinated A[Formula: see text] fibers and unmyelinated C fibers and has been shown to be involved in the processing of orofacial nociceptive information. Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Huang-Qin, SbG), one of the 50 fundamental herbs of Chinese herbology, has been used historically as anti-inflammatory and antineoplastic medicine. Baicalin, one of the major compounds of SbG, has been reported to have neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. However, the receptor type activated by baicalin and its precise action mechanism on the SG neurons of Vc have not yet been studied. The whole-cell patch clamp technique was performed to examine the ion channels activated by baicalin on the SG neurons of Vc. In high Cl[Formula: see text] pipette solution, the baicalin (300[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M) induced repeatable inward currents ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]pA, [Formula: see text]) without desensitization on all the SG neurons tested. Further, the inward currents showed a concentration (0.1–3[Formula: see text]mM) dependent pattern. The inward current was sustained in the presence of tetrodotoxin (0.5[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M), a voltage sensitive Na[Formula: see text] channel blocker. In addition, baicalin-induced inward currents were reduced in the presence of picrotoxin (50[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M), a GABAAreceptor antagonist, flumazenil (100[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M), a benzodiazepine-sensitive GABAAreceptor antagonist, and strychnine (2[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M), a glycine receptor antagonist, respectively. These results indicate that baicalin has inhibitory effects on the SG neurons of the Vc, which are due to the activation of GABAAand/or the glycine receptor. Our results suggest that baicalin may be a potential target for orofacial pain modulation.
HEALTH INSURANCE AND MEDICAL IMPOVERISHMENT IN RURAL CHINA: EVIDENCE FROM GUIZHOU PROVINCE
Authors: ZHANG YUMEI , FILIPSKI MATEUSZ J. , CHEN KEVIN Z.
Published: April 2016

We analyze the effects of the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme (NCMS) on poverty, using micro-level household data from 17 villages in a poor area of China’s Guizhou province. A four-wave panel dataset allows us to follow NCMS through its reforms. First-order impact assessments suggest NCMS helps reduce the poverty rate by up to 3 percentage points, and the poverty gap by up to 15 percentage points. It also reduces the contribution of health expenditures to inequality as measured by Gini coefficient. The benefits of NCMS in terms of poverty and inequality appear considerably larger after major reforms in 2009, which expanded benefits and coverage.
Holographic entanglement entropy for noncommutative anti-de Sitter space
Authors: Momeni Davood , Raza Muhammad , Myrzakulov Ratbay
Published: April 2016

A metric is proposed to explore the noncommutative form of the anti-de Sitter (AdS) space due to quantum effects. It has been proved that the noncommutativity in AdS space induces a single component gravitoelectric field. The holographic Ryu–Takayanagi (RT) algorithm is then applied to compute the entanglement entropy (EE) in dual CFT2. This calculation can be exploited to compute ultraviolet–infrared (UV–IR) cutoff dependent central charge of the certain noncommutative CFT2. This noncommutative computation of the EE can be interpreted in the form of the surface/state correspondence. We have shown that noncommutativity increases the dimension of the effective Hilbert space of the dual conformal field theory (CFT).
On the late-time cosmology of a condensed scalar field
Authors: Ghalee Amir
Published: April 2016

We study the late-time cosmology of a scalar field with a kinetic term non-minimally coupled to gravity. It is demonstrated that the scalar field dominate the radiation matter and the cold dark matter (CDM). Moreover, we show that eventually the scalar field will be condensed and results in an accelerated expansion. The metric perturbations around the condensed phase of the scalar field are investigated and it has been shown that the ghost instability and gradient instability do not exist.
Generalized Stability-Triangle for Guaranteeing the Stability-Margin of the Second-Order Digital Filter
Authors: Deng Tian-Bo
Published: April 2016

In the design of recursive digital filters, the stability of the recursive digital filters must be guaranteed. Furthermore, it is desirable to add a certain amount of margin to the stability so as to avoid the violation of stability due to some uncertain perturbations of the filter coefficients. This paper extends the well-known stability-triangle of the second-order digital filter into more general cases, which results in dented stability-triangles and generalized stability-triangle. The generalized stability-triangle can be viewed as a special case of the dented stability-triangles if the two upper bounds on the radii of the two poles are the same, which is a generalized version of the existing conventional stability-triangle and can guarantee the radii of the two poles of the second-order recursive digital filter below some prescribed upper bound. That is, it is able to provide a prescribed stability-margin in terms of the upper bound of the pole radii. As a result, the generalized stability-triangle increases the flexibility for guaranteeing a prescribed stability-margin. Since the generalized stability-triangle is parameterized by using the upper bound of pole radii, i.e., the stability-margin is parameterized as a function of the upper bound, the proposed generalized stability-triangle facilitates the stability-margin guarantee in the design of the second-order as well as high-order recursive digital filters.
A Power-Efficient Compact Pipelined ADC for ZigBee Receiver Applications
Authors: Shi Zuochen , Yang Yintang , Li Di , Liu Yang
Published: April 2016

A pipelined analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that exhibits both power and area efficiencies is presented in this paper for ZigBee receiver applications. A combined opamp- and capacitor-sharing technique which presents a novel method to eliminate the memory effect is proposed. Fabricated in a 0.13-[Formula: see text]m CMOS process, the prototype 7-bit 16-MS/s ADC occupies 0.16[Formula: see text]mm2 active die area and achieves 41.9[Formula: see text]dB signal-to-noise-and-distortion ratio (SNDR), 52.1[Formula: see text]dB spurious-free dynamic rage (SFDR). The experimental results show that the figure of merit (FOM) is 1.12[Formula: see text]pJ/step and power dissipation is 1.82[Formula: see text]mW from a 1.2[Formula: see text]V supply.
INNOVATION, FIRM PERFORMANCE AND RISKINESS: EVIDENCE FROM THE LEADING WORLDWIDE INNOVATIVE FIRMS
Authors: SYED ALI MURAD , RIAZ ZAHID , WAHEED ABDUL
Published: April 2016

The research and development (R&D) expenditure results in the innovation for any firm but affects the financial performance and riskiness of the firm at the same time. The relation among innovation, the riskiness of the firm and financial performance is discussed in this study. This study determined the impact of innovation on financial performance and also looked into the impact of innovation on riskiness of the firms. This study is conducted on the most innovative firms according to Forbes magazine over the period 1998–2012. Our findings show positive, significant and robust relationship between innovation and financial performance which is consistent with the existing literature. On the other hand, impact of innovation on riskiness is positive and significant which shows that more innovative firms are more riskier and ultimately profitability is increased for those firms.
Environmental Assessment of Cross-Border Development : China and the Third Pole
Authors: Marsden Simon
Published: April 2016

This paper examines China’s role in the regulatory framework for environmental assessment in the ‘Third Pole’ sub-region of South Asia: the Tibetan Plateau and related mountain ranges, in particular the Himalayas. To date development has been limited, partly as a result of poverty, conflict and relative inaccessibility. However, recent collaboration between China and Pakistan, improved communication between India and China, Chinese development of Tibet, and the export of Chinese development to other countries in the sub-region financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, is likely to change things dramatically. Major infrastructure development, such as railways and hydroelectric dams, will place the environment under considerable pressure in the future. Given the cross-border focus of this development, the paper examines transboundary solutions to environmental protection, in particular transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) under international law and the development of a new environmental safeguards policy.
Unsupervised Extraction of Popular Product Attributes from E-Commerce Web Sites by Considering Customer Reviews
Authors: Bing Lidong , Wong Tak-Lam , Lam Wai
Published: April 2016

We develop an unsupervised learning framework for extracting popular product attributes from product description pages originated from different E-commerce Web sites. Unlike existing information extraction methods that do not consider the popularity of product attributes, our proposed framework is able to not only detect popular product features from a collection of customer reviews but also map these popular features to the related product attributes. One novelty of our framework is that it can bridge the vocabulary gap between the text in product description pages and the text in customer reviews. Technically, we develop a discriminative graphical model based on hidden Conditional Random Fields. As an unsupervised model, our framework can be easily applied to a variety of new domains and Web sites without the need of labeling training samples. Extensive experiments have been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of our framework.
Urban cultural landscapes in the information age
Authors: Gabriel Maria Alejandra
Published: April 2016

The objective of this research is to generate new knowledge to estimate the potential benefit of digital media within communication for sustainable development of urban cultural landscapes. This dissertation project is being conducted in cooperation with the University of Bonn. It will investigate the way regional parks in Germany communicate the importance of urban cultural landscape in German metropolitan regions by using digital media and how it could be done better in future. The empirical investigation will be carried out in an interdisciplinary working process with the combination of theory and practice. It is focused on three parts of the research, to better identify the current situation of using digital media, its potentials for development and finally, with the help of examples, to show its advantages and opportunities. The results of this work will provide a solid basis for building advanced communication, which promotes the public involvement and information, the citizen participation for urban development, the appreciation for the urban cultural landscapes and for contributing to the field of environmental communication and awareness-raising on urban environmental issues.