bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrated Microwave Photonics for Wideband Signal Processing
Authors: Yi Xiaoke , Chew Suen , Song Shijie , Nguyen Linh , Minasian Robert
Published: November 2017

We describe recent progress in integrated microwave photonics in wideband signal processing applications with a focus on the key signal processing building blocks, the realization of monolithic integration, and cascaded photonic signal processing for analog radio frequency (RF) photonic links. New developments in integration-based microwave photonic techniques, that have high potentialities to be used in a variety of sensing applications for enhanced resolution and speed are also presented.
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index as an Estimator for Abundance and Quality of Avian Herbivore Forage in Arctic Alaska
Authors: Hogrefe Kyle , Patil Vijay , Ruthrauff Daniel , Meixell Brandt , Budde Michael , Hupp Jerry , Ward David
Published: November 2017

Tools that can monitor biomass and nutritional quality of forage plants are needed to understand how arctic herbivores may respond to the rapidly changing environment at high latitudes. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) has been widely used to assess changes in abundance and distribution of terrestrial vegetative communities. However, the efficacy of NDVI to measure seasonal changes in biomass and nutritional quality of forage plants in the Arctic remains largely un-evaluated at landscape and fine-scale levels. We modeled the relationships between NDVI and seasonal changes in aboveground biomass and nitrogen concentration in halophytic graminoids, a key food source for arctic-nesting geese. The model was calibrated based on data collected at one site and validated using data from another site. Effects of spatial scale on model accuracy were determined by comparing model predictions between NDVI derived from moderate resolution (250 × 250 m pixels) satellite data and high resolution (20 cm diameter area) handheld spectrometer data. NDVI derived from the handheld spectrometer was a superior estimator (R2 ≥ 0.67) of seasonal changes in aboveground biomass compared to satellite-derived NDVI (R2 ≤ 0.40). The addition of temperature and precipitation variables to the model for biomass improved fit, but provided minor gains in predictive power beyond that of the NDVI-only model. This model, however, was only a moderately accurate estimator of biomass in an ecologically-similar halophytic graminoid wetland located 100 km away, indicating the necessity for site-specific validation. In contrast to assessments of biomass, satellite-derived NDVI was a better estimator for the timing of peak percent of nitrogen than NDVI derived from the handheld spectrometer. We confirmed that the date when NDVI reached 50% of its seasonal maximum was a reasonable approximation of the period of peak spring vegetative green-up and peak percent nitrogen. This study demonstrates the importance of matching the scale of NDVI measurements to the vegetation properties of biomass and nitrogen phenology.
Depth-Based Detection of Standing-Pigs in Moving Noise Environments
Authors: Kim Jinseong , Chung Yeonwoo , Choi Younchang , Sa Jaewon , Kim Heegon , Chung Yongwha , Park Daihee , Kim Hakjae
Published: November 2017

In a surveillance camera environment, the detection of standing-pigs in real-time is an important issue towards the final goal of 24-h tracking of individual pigs. In this study, we focus on depth-based detection of standing-pigs with “moving noises”, which appear every night in a commercial pig farm, but have not been reported yet. We first apply a spatiotemporal interpolation technique to remove the moving noises occurring in the depth images. Then, we detect the standing-pigs by utilizing the undefined depth values around them. Our experimental results show that this method is effective for detecting standing-pigs at night, in terms of both cost-effectiveness (using a low-cost Kinect depth sensor) and accuracy (i.e., 94.47%), even with severe moving noises occluding up to half of an input depth image. Furthermore, without any time-consuming technique, the proposed method can be executed in real-time.
A New Low-Temperature Electrochemical Hydrocarbon and NOx Sensor
Authors: Sekhar Praveen , Moore Zachary , Aravamudhan Shyam , Khosla Ajit
Published: November 2017

In this article, a new investigation on a low-temperature electrochemical hydrocarbon and NOx sensor is presented. Based on the mixed-potential-based sensing scheme, the sensor is constructed using platinum and metal oxide electrodes, along with an Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ)/Strontium Titanate (SrTiO3) thin-film electrolyte. Unlike traditional mixed-potential sensors which operate at higher temperatures (>400 °C), this potentiometric sensor operates at 200 °C with dominant hydrocarbon (HC) and NOx response in the open-circuit and biased modes, respectively. The possible low-temperature operation of the sensor is speculated to be primarily due to the enhanced oxygen ion conductivity of the electrolyte, which may be attributed to the space charge effect, epitaxial strain, and atomic reconstruction at the interface of the YSZ/STO thin film. The response and recovery time for the NOx sensor are found to be 7 s and 8 s, respectively. The sensor exhibited stable response even after 120 days of testing, with an 11.4% decrease in HC response and a 3.3% decrease in NOx response.
Highly Sensitive FPW-Based Microsystem for Rapid Detection of Tetrahydrocannabinol in Human Urine
Authors: Lan Je-Wei , Hsieh Chia-Hsu , Huang I-Yu , Lin Yu-Cheng , Tsai Tsung-Yi , Wang Chua-Chin
Published: November 2017

This paper presents a highly sensitive flexural plate-wave (FPW)-based microsystem for rapid detection of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in human urine. First, a circular-type interdigital transducer (IDT) was integrated with a circular-type silicon-grooved reflective grating structure (RGS) to reduce insertion loss. Then, with lower insertion loss (−38.758 dB), the FPW device was used to develop a novel THC biosensor, and the results reveal that this FPW-THC biosensor has low detection limit (1.5625 ng/mL) and high mass-sensitivity (126.67 cm2/g). Finally, this biosensor was integrated with field-programmable gate array (FPGA) board and discrete components for prototyping a FPW readout system, whose maximum error was 12.378 kHz to ensure that the linearity of detection up to R-square is equal to 0.9992.
An Advanced Hybrid Technique of DCS and JSRC for Telemonitoring of Multi-Sensor Gait Pattern
Authors: Wu Jianning , Wang Jiajing , Ling Yun , Xu Haidong
Published: November 2017

The jointly quantitative analysis of multi-sensor gait data for the best gait-classification performance has been a challenging endeavor in wireless body area networks (WBANs)-based gait telemonitoring applications. In this study, based on the joint sparsity of data, we proposed an advanced hybrid technique of distributed compressed sensing (DCS) and joint sparse representation classification (JSRC) for multi-sensor gait classification. Firstly, the DCS technique is utilized to simultaneously compress multi-sensor gait data for capturing spatio-temporal correlation information about gait while the energy efficiency of the sensors is available. Then, the jointly compressed gait data are directly used to develop a novel neighboring sample-based JSRC model by defining the sparse representation coefficients-inducing criterion (SRCC), in order to yield the best classification performance as well as a lower computational time cost. The multi-sensor gait data were selected from an open wearable action recognition database (WARD) to validate the feasibility of our proposed method. The results showed that when the comparison ratio and the number of neighboring samples are selected as 70% and 40%, respectively, the best accuracy (95%) can be reached while the lowest computational time spends only 60 ms. Moreover, the best accuracy and the computational time can increase by 5% and decrease by 40 ms, respectively, when compared with the traditional JSRC techniques. Our proposed hybrid technique can take advantage of the joint sparsity of data for jointly processing multi-sensor gait data, which greatly contributes to the best gait-classification performance. This has great potential for energy-efficient telemonitoring of multi-sensor gait.
E2mC: Improving Emergency Management Service Practice through Social Media and Crowdsourcing Analysis in Near Real Time
Authors: Havas Clemens , Resch Bernd , Francalanci Chiara , Pernici Barbara , Scalia Gabriele , Fernandez-Marquez Jose , Van Achte Tim , Zeug Gunter , Mondardini Maria , Grandoni Domenico , Kirsch Birgit , Kalas Milan , Lorini Valerio , Rüping Stefan
Published: November 2017

In the first hours of a disaster, up-to-date information about the area of interest is crucial for effective disaster management. However, due to the delay induced by collecting and analysing satellite imagery, disaster management systems like the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMS) are currently not able to provide information products until up to 48–72 h after a disaster event has occurred. While satellite imagery is still a valuable source for disaster management, information products can be improved through complementing them with user-generated data like social media posts or crowdsourced data. The advantage of these new kinds of data is that they are continuously produced in a timely fashion because users actively participate throughout an event and share related information. The research project Evolution of Emergency Copernicus services (E2mC) aims to integrate these novel data into a new EMS service component called Witness, which is presented in this paper. Like this, the timeliness and accuracy of geospatial information products provided to civil protection authorities can be improved through leveraging user-generated data. This paper sketches the developed system architecture, describes applicable scenarios and presents several preliminary case studies, providing evidence that the scientific and operational goals have been achieved.
Assessment of Embedded Conjugated Polymer Sensor Arrays for Potential Load Transmission Measurement in Orthopaedic Implants
Authors: Micolini Carolina , Holness Frederick , Johnson James , Price Aaron
Published: November 2017

Load transfer through orthopaedic joint implants is poorly understood. The longer-term outcomes of these implants are just starting to be studied, making it imperative to monitor contact loads across the entire joint implant interface to elucidate the force transmission and distribution mechanisms exhibited by these implants in service. This study proposes and demonstrates the design, implementation, and characterization of a 3D-printed smart polymer sensor array using conductive polyaniline (PANI) structures embedded within a polymeric parent phase. The piezoresistive characteristics of PANI were investigated to characterize the sensing behaviour inherent to these embedded pressure sensor arrays, including the experimental determination of the stable response of PANI to continuous loading, stability throughout the course of loading and unloading cycles, and finally sensor repeatability and linearity in response to incremental loading cycles. This specially developed multi-material additive manufacturing process for PANI is shown be an attractive approach for the fabrication of implant components having embedded smart-polymer sensors, which could ultimately be employed for the measurement and analysis of joint loads in orthopaedic implants for in vitro testing.
Study of Optical Fiber Sensors for Cryogenic Temperature Measurements
Authors: De Miguel-Soto Veronica , Leandro Daniel , Lopez-Aldaba Aitor , Beato-López Juan , Pérez-Landazábal José , Auguste Jean-Louis , Jamier Raphael , Roy Philippe , Lopez-Amo Manuel
Published: November 2017

In this work, the performance of five different fiber optic sensors at cryogenic temperatures has been analyzed. A photonic crystal fiber Fabry-Pérot interferometer, two Sagnac interferometers, a commercial fiber Bragg grating (FBG), and a π-phase shifted fiber Bragg grating interrogated in a random distributed feedback fiber laser have been studied. Their sensitivities and resolutions as sensors for cryogenic temperatures have been compared regarding their advantages and disadvantages. Additionally, the results have been compared with the given by a commercial optical backscatter reflectometer that allowed for distributed temperature measurements of a single mode fiber.
The Morphologies of the Semiconductor Oxides and Their Gas-Sensing Properties
Authors: Lin Tingting , Lv Xin , Li Shuang , Wang Qingji
Published: November 2017

Semiconductor oxide chemoresistive gas sensors are widely used for detecting deleterious gases due to low cost, simple preparation, rapid response and high sensitivity. The performance of gas sensor is greatly affected by the morphology of the semiconductor oxide. There are many semiconductor oxide morphologies, including zero-dimensional, one-dimensional, two-dimensional and three-dimensional ones. The semiconductor oxides with different morphologies significantly enhance the gas-sensing performance. Among the various morphologies, hollow nanostructures and core-shell nanostructures are always the focus of research in the field of gas sensors due to their distinctive structural characteristics and superior performance. Herein the morphologies of semiconductor oxides and their gas-sensing properties are reviewed. This review also proposes a potential strategy for the enhancement of gas-sensing performance in the future.
Using Spherical-Harmonics Expansions for Optics Surface Reconstruction from Gradients
Authors: Solano-Altamirano Juan , Vázquez-Otero Alejandro , Khikhlukha Danila , Dormido Raquel , Duro Natividad
Published: November 2017

In this paper, we propose a new algorithm to reconstruct optics surfaces (aka wavefronts) from gradients, defined on a circular domain, by means of the Spherical Harmonics. The experimental results indicate that this algorithm renders the same accuracy, compared to the reconstruction based on classical Zernike polynomials, using a smaller number of polynomial terms, which potentially speeds up the wavefront reconstruction. Additionally, we provide an open-source C++ library, released under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 (GPLv2), wherein several polynomial sets are coded. Therefore, this library constitutes a robust software alternative for wavefront reconstruction in a high energy laser field, optical surface reconstruction, and, more generally, in surface reconstruction from gradients. The library is a candidate for being integrated in control systems for optical devices, or similarly to be used in ad hoc simulations. Moreover, it has been developed with flexibility in mind, and, as such, the implementation includes the following features: (i) a mock-up generator of various incident wavefronts, intended to simulate the wavefronts commonly encountered in the field of high-energy lasers production; (ii) runtime selection of the library in charge of performing the algebraic computations; (iii) a profiling mechanism to measure and compare the performance of different steps of the algorithms and/or third-party linear algebra libraries. Finally, the library can be easily extended to include additional dependencies, such as porting the algebraic operations to specific architectures, in order to exploit hardware acceleration features.
Regional Economic Resilience: Resistance and Recoverability of Resource-Based Cities during Economic Crises in Northeast China
Authors: Tan Juntao , Lo Kevin , Qiu Fangdao , Liu Wenxin , Li Jing , Zhang Pingyu
Published: November 2017

This paper quantitatively analyzes the economic resilience of resource-based cities (RBCs) in Northeast China in terms of resistance and recoverability during two economic crises: the Asian financial crisis and the global financial crisis. Moreover, it analyzes the main factors that affected regional resilience. There are three main findings. First, the RBCs in general demonstrated poor resistance during both recessions, but there were variations among the different types of RBCs. Petroleum and metal cities demonstrated the most resistance, whereas coal cities performed the worst. Second, the influential factors affecting economic resilience varied across the two economic cycles, but location advantage, research and development (R and D) intensity, foreign trade dependence ratio, and supporting policies had positive effects on resilience during both economic cycles, while the proportion of employed persons in resource industries had a negative effect. Industrial diversity had a weak and ambiguous effect on resilience. Third, the secondary industry was more resilient during the Asian financial crisis, but the tertiary industry was more resilient during the global financial crisis. This shift may be attributed to both the nature of the crises and the strength of the sectors at the time of the crises.
Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Beijing’s Urbanization Efficiency from 2005 to 2014
Authors: Qi Wei , Gao Ying , Zhang Qian
Published: November 2017

In the context of Beijing’s accelerated economic growth, a high urbanization rate and associated urban problems pose challenges. We collected panel data for the period 2005–2014 to examine the relationship between Beijing’s urbanization efficiency and economic growth rate as well as its spatial patterns of dynamic and static urbanization efficiency. Specifically, we developed a comprehensive index system for assessing Beijing’s economic growth rate and urbanization efficiency at the district (county) level. Economic level was selected as an indicator of the economic growth rate. Economic urbanization and consumption levels were selected as indicators of urbanization efficiency. We applied a sequential Malmquist total factor productivity index to estimate the dynamic urbanization efficiency and economic growth rate at the district/country level from 2005 to 2014. We measured Beijing’s static urbanization efficiency in 2014 using a data envelopment analysis model and assessed its spatiotemporal dynamics and urbanization efficiency pattern using a Getis–Ord General Gi index. The results indicated an overall average increase of 1.07% in the total factor urbanization efficiency (TFUE), with an average value of 0.91, while the total factor economic growth rate (TFEE) remained stable at an average value of 0.979. The low TFUE level evidently continues to significantly constrain TFEE. Both TFUE and TFEE levels in the Capital Function Core (CFC) area were significant, exhibiting high inputs and outputs, while these levels in the Urban Function Development (UFD), City Development Zone (CDZ), and Ecological Conservation Development (ECD) areas were below 1 for most periods, strongly indicating inefficient factor allocation. In view of this spatial pattern, TFUE’s regional spatial distribution appears remarkable, showing a decreasing trend from north to south in Beijing, excluding CFC areas. During the period 2005–2014, the CFC area and northeastern Beijing gradually developed into high urbanization efficiency cluster regions. The dominant factors accounting for the difference in total factor productivity indices between TFUE and TFEE were technical change (TC) and scale efficiency change (SEC), and the main factors driving the regional spatial distribution pattern for urbanization efficiency were TC and technical efficiency change (TEC). Accordingly, local governments should promote TC, SEC, and TEC to improve urbanization levels, with optimal strategies entailing strengthening policy support and encouraging investments in technology in UFD, CDZ, and ECD areas. Within Beijing, Dongcheng, Xicheng, Shijingshan, Mentougou, and Yanqing demonstrated effectively balanced static urbanization efficiency levels in 2014, whereas these levels in the city’s remaining 11 districts were not optimal, with extensive development. County governments should therefore promote efforts to reduce input redundancy and improve pure technical efficiency to maintain sustainable and steady development.
An Empirical Study on the Relationship between Investor Protection, Government Behavior, and Financial Development
Authors: Chu Chien-Chi , Tsai Sang-Bing , Chen Yinghui , Li Xiyang , Zhai Yuming , Chen Quan , Jing Zeng , Ju Zeng-Zi , Li Bin
Published: November 2017

We studied the relationship between investor protection, government behavior, and financial development using data covering six provinces (Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong, Zhejiang, Henan, and Sichuan) and two provincial-level cities (Beijing and Shanghai) in China for the period 2005–2014. Using panel data estimation techniques, we found that there is a positive relationship between investor protection and financial development; by contrast, highly-intense government intervention leads to more financial impediments. Moreover, government intervention in education could promote financial development through its contribution to having a higher amount of the fund supply. Our empirical findings have important implications for policy-makers in terms of reforming the capital market regulation.
Stakeholder Analysis for the Food-Energy-Water Nexus in Phoenix, Arizona: Implications for Nexus Governance
Authors: White Dave , Jones J. , Maciejewski Ross , Aggarwal Rimjhim , Mascaro Giuseppe
Published: November 2017

Understanding the food-energy-water nexus is necessary to identify risks and inform strategies for nexus governance to support resilient, secure, and sustainable societies. To manage risks and realize efficiencies, we must understand not only how these systems are physically connected but also how they are institutionally linked. It is important to understand how actors who make planning, management, and policy decisions understand the relationships among components of the systems. Our question is: How do stakeholders involved in food, energy, and water governance in Phoenix, Arizona understand the nexus and what are the implications for integrated nexus governance? We employ a case study design, generate qualitative data through focus groups and interviews, and conduct a content analysis. While stakeholders in the Phoenix area who are actively engaged in food, energy, and water systems governance appreciate the rationale for nexus thinking, they recognize practical limitations to implementing these concepts. Concept maps of nexus interactions provide one view of system interconnections that be used to complement other ways of knowing the nexus, such as physical infrastructure system diagrams or actor-networks. Stakeholders believe nexus governance could be improved through awareness and education, consensus and collaboration, transparency, economic incentives, working across scales, and incremental reforms.
An Intelligent Luminance Control Method for Tunnel Lighting Based on Traffic Volume
Authors: Qin Li , Dong Li-Li , Xu Wen-Hai , Zhang Li-Dong , Leon Arturo
Published: November 2017

This paper presents an intelligent control method for tunnel lighting based on traffic volume. The monitoring data for a period of 12 days of the Chibai tunnel (located in the Jilin province of China) under different weather conditions was selected as the case study. The data used in the analysis included traffic volume, vehicle speed, the time of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) operating at their lowest luminance level, and the average time interval between two consecutive vehicles. The traffic flow analysis indicated that the tunnel has a relatively heavy traffic volume in the daytime (7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) and a relatively low traffic volume in the nighttime (12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.). Thus, we propose a tunnel lighting control method that distinguishes day and night operational strategies. In the daytime, the luminance of tunnel zones depends on tunnel exterior luminance, traffic volume and vehicle speed regardless of vehicle presence. In the night, the “vehicle in, light brightens; vehicle out, light darkens” control method is adopted for the tunnel luminance, which depends on vehicle presence.
Assessing the Sensitivity of Small-Scale Fishery Groups to Climate Change in Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe
Authors: Ndhlovu Nobuhle , Saito Osamu , Djalante Riyanti , Yagi Nobuyuki
Published: November 2017

Climate change continues to pose threats to fisheries and fishery-dependent communities globally. Vulnerability to climate change is a function of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. Sensitivity is largely determined by the differences in socio-economic conditions among communities, and conflicts over resources often exacerbate this sensitivity. This study aims to understand factors affecting the sensitivity to climate change. The objectives are twofold: first, to develop indicators affecting sensitivity and to determine how they affect sensitivity, second, to compare sensitivity of two small-scale fishing groups (fishing camps and fishing villages). The study used twelve indicators, which are categorized into two; the community characteristics and assets, and threats and conflicts. Results show that fishing camps are less sensitive to climate change than fishing villages since they have more varied livelihood sources, such as crop farming. This allows for more sources of income. Both groups experience conflict with other lake users and wildlife attacks, which amplify their sensitivity through the reduction of fishing grounds and the damaging of fishing gear. It also shows that both climate and non-climate factors affect sensitivity, and understanding this can help to increase adaptive capacity. The findings allow for formulation of policy recommendations to help strengthen the livelihoods of small-scale fisheries.
The Small-Scale Hydropower Plants in Sites of Environmental Value: An Italian Case Study
Authors: Rotilio Marianna , Marchionni Chiara , De Berardinis Pierluigi
Published: November 2017

Since ancient times water has been accompanying technological change in the energy sector. Used as a source of hydraulic energy, it currently generates one-fifth of the global electricity production. However, according to collective imagination, hydroelectric plants are constructions of high environmental, acoustic, and visual impact, which may harm the preservation of the territory. This paper intends to address the topic of mini-hydropower that, in addition to providing the production of renewable energy, ensures a limited environmental impact even in delicate contexts with high landscape values, by elaborating a research methodology that makes these interventions compatible with them. The process of “global compatibility” checks developed to assess the feasibility of the intervention will be explained in the paper. We intend to describe here the research process undertaken to make the planning of this type of system sustainable, in contexts that need to be rehabilitated in relation both to the accessibility of citizens and to the environmental enhancement. The intervention planned will be characterized by the combined use of other renewable energy sources, in addition to water. The proposed methodology has been tested on a case study in the village of Roccacasale, in the province of L’Aquila.
Drivers for the Adoption of Different Eco-Innovation Types in the Fertilizer Sector: A Review
Authors: Hasler Kathrin , Olfs Hans-Werner , Omta Onno , Bröring Stefanie
Published: November 2017

Numerous innovations have been developed in the fertilizer and plant nutrition area in recent decades. However, the adoption of many new products and techniques at farm level is still low. In this paper, based on a literature review, we explore the main drivers for innovation adoption or rejection. By splitting up the extant research landscape into disruptive and continuous innovations and innovation types (product, process and innovation of other types), we aim to identify drivers explaining innovation adoption in the fertilizer sector in particular and in the agricultural sector in general.
Analyzing Supply Chain Uncertainty to Deliver Sustainable Operational Performance: Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Modeling Approaches
Authors: Salam Mohammad Asif , Ali Murad , Seny Kan Konan Anderson
Published: November 2017

The purpose of this study is to analyze different types of supply chain uncertainties and suggest strategies to deal with unexpected contingencies to deliver superior operational performance (OP) using symmetrical and asymmetrical modeling approaches. The data were collected through a survey given to 146 supply chain managers within the fast moving consumer goods industry in Thailand. Symmetrical modeling is applied via partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in order to assess the theoretical relationships among the latent variables, while asymmetrical modeling is applied via fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to emphasize their combinatory causal relation. The empirical results support the theory by highlighting the mediating effect of supply chain strategy (SCS) in the relation between supply chain uncertainty (SCU) and firms’ OP and, hence, deliver business sustainability for the firms, demonstrating that the choice of SCS should not be an “either-or” decision. This research contributes by providing an illustration of a PLS-SEM and fsQCA based estimation for the rapidly emerging field of sustainable supply chain management. This study provides empirical support for resource dependence theory (RDT) in explaining the relation between SCU and SCS, which leads to sustainable OP. From a methodological standpoint, this study also illustrates predictive validation testing of models using holdout samples and testing for causal asymmetry.
Site I Inactivation Impacts Calmodulin Calcium Binding and Activation of Bordetella pertussis Adenylate Cyclase Toxin
Authors: Johns Christian , Finley Natosha
Published: November 2017

Site I inactivation of calmodulin (CaM) was used to examine the importance of aspartic acid 22 at position 3 in CaM calcium binding, protein folding, and activation of the Bordetella pertussis adenylate cyclase toxin domain (CyaA-ACD). NMR calcium titration experiments showed that site I in the CaM mutant (D22A) remained largely unperturbed, while sites II, III, and IV exhibited calcium-induced conformational changes similar to wild-type CaM (CaMWt). Circular dichroism analyses revealed that D22A had comparable α-helical content to CaMWt, and only modest differences in α-helical composition were detected between CaMWt-CyaA-ACD and D22A-CyaA-ACD complexes. However, the thermal stability of the D22A-CyaA-ACD complex was reduced, as compared to the CaMWt-CyaA-ACD complex. Moreover, CaM-dependent activity of CyaA-ACD decreased 87% in the presence of D22A. Taken together, our findings provide evidence that D22A engages CyaA-ACD, likely through C-terminal mediated binding, and that site I inactivation exerts functional effects through the modification of stabilizing interactions that occur between N-terminal CaM and CyaA-ACD.
Enhancement of Elliptic Flow of π− under Intense Magnetic Field in √ sNN = 200 GeV Au+Au Collisions: A (2 + 1)-Dimensional Reduced-MHD Model Study
Authors: Roy Victor
Published: November 2017

We investigate the effect of intense magnetic fields on the ( 2 + 1 ) -dimensional reduced- magnetohydrodynamical (MHD) expansion of hot and dense quark–gluon plasma (QGP) produced in s NN = 200 GeV Au+Au collisions. For the sake of simplicity, we consider the case in which the magnetic field points in the direction perpendicular to the reaction plane. We also consider this field to be external, with energy density parametrized as a two-dimensional Gaussian. The width of the Gaussian along the directions orthogonal to the beam axis varies with the centrality of the collision. The dependence of the magnetic field on proper time ( τ ) is parametrized for the case of zero and finite electrical conductivity of the QGP. We solve the equations of motion of ideal hydrodynamics for such an external magnetic field. For collisions with a non-zero impact parameter we observe a considerable increase in the elliptic-flow coefficient v 2 of π − in the presence of an external magnetic field, and the increment in v 2 is found to depend on the evolution and the initial magnitude of the magnetic field.
A novel synthetic approach to hydroimidazo[1,5-b]pyridazines by the recyclization of itaconimides and HPLC–HRMS monitoring of the reaction pathway
Authors: Vandyshev Dmitry Yu , Shikhaliev Khidmet S , Potapov Andrey Yu , Krysin Michael Yu , Zubkov Fedor I , Sapronova Lyudmila V
Published: November 2017

The novel cascade two-stage reaction between itaconimides and 1,2-diamino-4-phenylimidazole proceeds regio- and chemoselectively to form tetrahydroimidazo[1,5-b]pyridazines and includes nucleophilic C-addition by the activated C=C double bond and subsequent intramolecular recyclization of the intermediate with the amino group involved.
Radial Variations of Outward and Inward Alfvénic Fluctuations Based on Ulysses Observations
Authors: Yang L. , Lee L. C. , Li J. P. , Luo Q. Y. , Kuo C. L. , Shi J. K. , Wu D. J.
Published: November 2017

Ulysses magnetic and plasma data are used to study hourly scale Alfvénic fluctuations in the solar polar wind. The calculated energy ratio

(cal) of inward to outward Alfvén waves is obtained from the observed Walén slope through an analytical expression, and the observed

(obs) is based on a direct decomposition of original Alfvénic fluctuations into outward- and inward-propagating Alfvén waves. The radial variation of

(cal) shows a monotonically increasing trend with heliocentric distance r, implying the increasing local generation or contribution of inward Alfvén waves. The contribution is also shown by the radial increase in the occurrence of dominant inward fluctuations. We further pointed out a higher occurrence (

of a day in average) of dominant outward Alfvénic fluctuations in the solar wind than previously estimated. Since

(cal) is more accurate than

(obs) in the measurement of the energy ratio for dominant outward fluctuations, the values of

(cal) in our results are likely more realistic in the solar wind than those previously estimated as well as

(obs) in our results. The duration ratio R

T
of dominant inward to all Alfvénic fluctuations increases monotonically with r, and is about two or more times that from Voyager 2 observations at

. These results reveal new qualitative and quantitative features of Alfvénic fluctuations therein compared with previous studies and put constraints on modeling the variation of solar wind fluctuations.
Rutas y flujo de recursos económicos entre Paraguay y Cuyo del reino de Chile (1580-1700)
Authors: Gascón Margarita
Published: November 2017

Las primeras relaciones entre el corregimiento de Cuyo y Paraguay fueron un resultado de la estrategia defensiva de España Durante el siglo XVII el comercio de vino y yerba mate consolidó la articulación de estas regiones Basado en fuentes primarias y secundarias, el artículo subraya el rol de Santa Fe, puerto sobre el río Paraná, y analiza cómo el flujo de recursos relacionó Paraguay con Chile, vía el puerto de Santa Fe, Córdoba y Mendoza en Cuyo.
«Estando el fuego a las puertas». Acciones y representaciones de la justicia colonial (Jujuy, 1781)
Authors: Glatstein Lucía
Published: November 2017

En este artículo reevaluamos una serie de acciones colectivas ocurridas en 1781 en la ciudad, los valles surorientales y la frontera con el Chaco de Jujuy Reconstruimos para ello la intervención y las representaciones discursivas que autoridades coloniales de Jujuy y de la gobernación del Tucumán realizaron sobre el sitio a fuertes de la frontera, circulación de noticias y rumores sobre el Rey Inka en el Perú, reuniones y un inminente ataque a la ciudad de Jujuy.
La fin de vie des patients détenus
Authors: Chassagne Aline , Godard-Marceau Aurélie , Aubry Régis
Published: November 2017

La loi Française du 4 mars 2002 a introduit la possibilité de suspendre la peine des personnes détenues en fin de vie. Cependant, tous les détenus malades en fin de vie n'ont pas accès à cette mesure. La plupart d’entre eux sont accueillis dans une Unité Hospitalière Sécurisée Interrégionale (UHSI) souvent pendant plusieurs semaines, parfois jusqu’à leur décès. Le but de cet article est de mettre en évidence la perception des soins palliatifs des patients détenus et des professionnels les accompagnant. Après avoir exposé les conditions de notre enquête de terrain, nous montrons comment les contraintes spatiales et temporelles inhérentes au fonctionnement de l’UHSI entravent les possibilités d’accompagnement des détenus en fin de vie. Pour finir, nous montrons que la question de la mort reste impensée dans ce milieu contraint. Ainsi, la définition de la « bonne mort » et les objectifs de la sanction pénale sont questionnés.
La parenté au crible de la génétique
Authors: Déchaux Jean-Hugues
Published: November 2017

La procréation humaine, déjà soumise à une technicisation et une médicalisation croissantes, est depuis peu l’objet d’un processus de « marchandisation » dont le marché international des gamètes est une illustration. Dans le but de cerner les normes et valeurs promues par ce type de commerce, qui se développe principalement sur Internet, l’article procède à une analyse détaillée de l’offre de services de deux banques de sperme en position de leadership sur le marché européen. Il ressort que la communication commerciale et la gamme de services proposée entretiennent la croyance en une héritabilité des traits personnels et relèvent d’une logique de moindre risque pour laquelle la sélection biogénétique du donneur et des gamètes est présentée comme l’équivalent d’une assurance. La « marchandisation » du sperme produit donc des effets sur les représentations sociales de la procréation et de la parenté.
Apprendre à s’attacher
Authors: Rochat Line
Published: November 2017

Cet article vise à rendre compte des façons dont des femmes enceintes construisent des liens affectifs avec leur fœtus dans des contextes de grossesses considérées à risque d’accouchement avant terme. Il explore les implications pragmatiques de l’ambiguïté relationnelle qui marque deux figures progressivement construites dans le discours biomédical comme distinctes : le corps maternel et le corps fœtal. Sur la base de récits de femmes ayant vécu des expériences de ce type, il rend compte des manières dont elles se sont mises en relation avec leur fœtus et avec les professionnels qu’elles côtoyaient. Des grossesses sous étroite surveillance rythmées par des événements qui bouleversent les prédictions quant à leur aboutissement ont contraint ces femmes à repenser leur relation à leur fœtus à plusieurs reprises. Elles ont appris à s’attacher à leur fœtus de multiples manières : en identifiant chez ce dernier des signes de « volonté de vie », en acceptant de soumettre leur corps à de multiples interventions visant à « sauver » leur fœtus, mais également en acceptant la perte et la mort de ce dernier.
Watching a Singapore Drag Comedian: A Semiotic Analysis of Kumar in a YouTube Video
Authors: Sew Jyh Wee
Published: November 2017

This visual study of Kumar, a drag comedian from Singapore, examines aspects of political semiotics on aging in Singapore. As a digital record of performing arts, the YouTube-video (Nur Fasihah 2012, http://buttonsinthebread.com/2012/06/29/happy-ever-laughter/) shows footage of Kumar poking fun at Toh Yi Drive residents’ initial reactions to a government-proposed nursing home construction in their estate. The thunderous laughter from the floor suggests that Kumar manages successfully his comedic connection with a primarily English-speaking audience. Based on the audio-visual segment, this discussion identifies the discursive variables underpinning the incisive twists in Kumar’s onstage comical repertoire.
Alfred Raquez Over Java
Authors: Gibson William L. , Bruthiaux Paul
Published: November 2017

The work of fin-de-siècle fugitive writer and explorer Alfred Raquez has long been neglected, though a resurgence in interest is underway. While his book-length works are undergoing scholarly translation, his journalism remains largely unexplored. Yet within that corpus, there are instances of travel writing that merit examination. Raquez spent a month in Java in 1898. This article presents his writings on Java translated into English as well as the original French and provides an introduction to Raquez that briefly contextualizes his writings with contemporary French commentary. Raquez’s concise, dynamic observations about Java are worth studying as they add a new perspective on the French experience in colonial Southeast Asia.
RIKEN MetaDatabase
Authors: Kobayashi Norio , Kume Satoshi , Lenz Kai , Masuya Hiroshi
Published: November 2017

Recently, the number and heterogeneity of life science datasets published on the Web have increased significantly. However, biomedical scientists face numerous serious difficulties finding, using and publishing useful databases. To address these issues, the authors developed a Resource Description Framework-based database platform, called the RIKEN MetaDatabase (http://metadb.riken.jp), that allows biologists to develop, publish and integrate multiple databases easily. The platform manages the metadata of both research and individual data described using standardised vocabularies and ontologies, and has a simple browser-based graphical user interface to view data including tabular and graphical forms. The platform was released in April 2015, and 113 databases, including mammalian, plant, bioresource and image databases, with 26 ontologies have been published using this platform as of January 2017. This paper describes the technical knowledge obtained through the development and operation of the RIKEN MetaDatabase to accelerate life science data distribution.
Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation in cardiac resynchronization therapy recipients: A primer for practicing clinicians
Authors: Ambrosetti Marco , Sarzi Braga Simona , Giada Franco , Pedretti Roberto F.E.
Published: November 2017

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a therapeutic option of increasing importance for chronic heart failure (CHF) and criteria for implantation now concern a large amount of patient populations. As a consequence, subjects with ongoing CRT (or immediately after CRT implantation) are more often referred to Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) programmes, and it has been recently estimated that about one third of CHF patients attending CR in Italy currently have this kind of device. The presence of CRT represents a modulating factor for exercise prescription and monitoring, since CRT patients may be considered per se as a target group for CR. Exercise therapy (ET) increases benefits from CRT on functional capacity, and recent evidence suggests an adjuvant role of ET in improving cardiovascular prognosis also. Both aerobic endurance and resistance training activities may involve CHF patients with CRT, while the potential role of aerobic interval training needs more studies and evidence. Prescription of an ET program should be associated with information regarding device programming and possible limiting factors associated with pacing therapy, tailoring of the basic principles of ET (in terms of type of exercise, intensity and program duration) in this patient group is mandatory.
О сравнении систем случайных величин с последовательностью Радемахера
Authors: Astashkin Sergei Vladimirovich
Published: November 2017

Рассмотрен вопрос, вытекают ли из неравенств для распределений скалярных полиномов двух последовательностей случайных величин, одна из которых - система Радемахера, аналогичные неравенства для распределений норм соответствующих векторных сумм в произвольном банаховом пространстве. Показано, что ответ положителен, если функции Радемахера образуют мажорирующую систему, и отрицателен в противоположном случае.
Библиография: 22 наименования.
Первая краевая задача для дробного диффузионно-волнового уравнения в нецилиндрической области
Authors: Pskhu Arsen Vladimirovich
Published: November 2017

В работе решена первая краевая задача в нецилиндрической области для диффузионно-волнового уравнения с оператором дробного дифференцирования Джрбашяна-Нерсесяна по временной переменной. Доказана теорема существования и единственности исследуемой задачи, построено представление решения. Показано, что достаточным условием однозначной разрешимости является условие гeльдеровой гладкости боковой границы рассматриваемой области. К частным случаям полученных результатов относятся соотвествующие результаты для уравнений с производными Римана-Лиувилля и Капуто.
Библиография: 34 наименования.
Dry versus wet marine particle optical properties: RH dependence of depolarization ratio, backscatter, and extinction from multiwavelength lidar measurements during SALTRACE
Authors: Haarig Moritz , Ansmann Albert , Gasteiger Josef , Kandler Konrad , Althausen Dietrich , Baars Holger , Radenz Martin , Farrell David A.
Published: November 2017

Abstract. Triple-wavelength lidar observations of the depolarization ratio and the backscatter coefficient of marine aerosol as a function of relative humidity (RH) are presented with a 5 min time resolution. The measurements were performed at Barbados (13° N, 59° W) during the Saharan Aerosol Long-range Transport and Aerosol-Cloud interaction Experiment (SALTRACE) winter campaign in February 2014. The phase transition from spherical sea salt particles to cubic-like sea salt crystals was observed with a polarization lidar. The radiosonde and water-vapor Raman lidar observations show a drop in RH below 50 % in the marine aerosol layer simultaneously with a strong increase in particle linear depolarization ratio, which reaches values up to 0.12 ± 0.08 (at 355 nm), 0.15 ± 0.03 (at 532 nm), and 0.10 ± 0.01 (at 1064 nm). The lidar ratio (extinction-to-backscatter ratio) increased from 19 and 23 sr for spherical sea salt particles to 27 and 25 sr (at 355 and 532 nm, respectively) for cubic-like particle ensembles. Furthermore the scattering enhancement due to hygroscopic growth of the marine aerosol particles under atmospheric conditions was measured. Extinction enhancement factors from 40 to 80 % RH of 1.94 ± 0.94 at 355 nm, 3.70 ± 1.14 at 532 nm, and 5.37 ± 1.66 at 1064 nm were found. The enhanced depolarization ratios and lidar ratios were compared to modeling studies of cubic sea salt particles.