bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Online postconcussion return-to-play instructions
Authors: Swallow Jennylee S. , Joseph Jacob R. , Willsey Kylene , Almeida Andrea A. , Lorincz Matthew T. , Park Paul , Szerlip Nicholas J. , Broglio Steven P.
Published: November 2017

OBJECTIVE

The authors of recent concussion guidelines have sought to form a consensus on injury management, but it is unclear if they have been effective in conveying this information to the public. Many parents and athletes obtain medical recommendations via the Internet. This review is aimed at evaluating consistency between online resources and published guideline statements in postconcussion return-to-play (RTP) decisions.

METHODS

Five websites were selected through a Google search for RTP after concussion, including a federal government institution (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) website, a national high school association (National Federation of State High School Associations) website, a popular nationally recognized medical website for patients (WebMD), a popular parent-driven website for parents of children who participate in sports (MomsTeam), and the website of a private concussion clinic (Sports Concussion Institute), along with a university hospital website (University of Michigan Medicine). Eight specific items from the Zurich Sport Concussion Consensus Statement 2012 were used as the gold standard for RTP recommendations. Three independent reviewers graded each website for each of the 8 recommendations (A = states guideline recommendations appropriately; B = mentions guideline recommendation; C = does not mention guideline recommendation; F = makes inappropriate recommendation).

RESULTS

A grade of A was assigned for 45.8% of the recommendations, B for 25.0%, C for 25.0%, and F for 4.2%. All the websites were assigned an A grade for the recommendation of no RTP on the day of injury. Only 1 website (WebMD) mentioned medication usage in conjunction with the Zurich statement, and only 2 websites (Sports Concussion Institute and University of Michigan Medicine) mentioned appropriate management of persistent symptoms. None of these websites commented correctly on all 8 guideline recommendations.

CONCLUSIONS

Online resources are inconsistent in relaying guideline recommendations for RTP and provide a potential source of confusion in the management of concussion for athletes and their parents, which can result in inappropriate RTP decisions.
The Scientific Dating of Standing Buildings
Authors: Alcock Nathaniel W.
Published: November 2017

The techniques of dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) and radiocarbon (14C) dating are described, as they are applied to historic buildings. Both rely on determining the felling dates of the trees used in their construction. For dendrochronology, the construction of master chronologies and the matching of individual ring-width sequences to them is described and, for radiocarbon dating, the use of tree-ring results in calibration. Results of dating are discussed, ranging from the cathedrals of Peterborough and Beauvais and the development of crown-post roof structures, to the dating and identification of standing medieval peasant houses, particularly those built using cruck construction.
Effect of salt and water stress on gas exchange, dry matter production and K+/NA+ ions selectivity in soybean
Authors: Khan MSA , Karim MA , Haque MM , Karim AJMS , Mian MAK
Published: November 2017

The experiment was conducted in a vinylhouse at the Banghabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Bangladesh during January to May, 2012 to evaluate the effect of salt and water stress on gas exchange characters, dry matter production and K+/Na+ ions selectivity in three selected soybean genotypes, namely Galarsum, BD 2331 and BARI Soybean-6. The genotypes were exposed to six treatments viz. (i) control (tap water), (ii) water shortage (irrigation with 70% depletion of available soil water when leaf began to wilt at 10:00 am), (iii) 50 mM NaCl irrigation, (iv) 50 mM NaCl irrigation + water shortage, (v) 75 mM NaCl irrigation, and (vi) 75 mM NaCl irrigation + water shortage conditions. The results revealed that 75 mM NaCl salt + water stress treatment drastically reduced stomatal conductance, photosynthesis and transpiration rate irrespective of soybean genotypes. However, the genotype Galarsum showed minimum transpiritional water loss (1.45 mmol H2O m-2 s-1) and maximum photosynthesis (20.45 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1) as compared to BD 2331 and BARI Soybean-6 under 75 mM NaCl salt + water stress condition. Combined salt and water stress caused greater inhibition of shoot growth than either of the two in soybean. The shoot dry weights were decreased to 24.58, 23.00 and 21.57% of the control in Galarsum, BD 2331 and BARI Soybean-6, respectively at 75 mM NaCl salt + water stress. The genotype Galarsum accumulated higher amount of K+ (1.19%) and lower amount of Na+ ( 0.11%) in leaf tissue under 75 mM NaCl salt + water stress. Results indicated that the genotype Galarsum was more capable to cope with the high levels of salt under water stress condition than the other two genotypes.Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 42(3): 487-501, September 2017
Determination of optimum and economic doses of fertilizers for rice production in saline and charlands ecosystem
Authors: Islam MN , Saha PK , Islam S
Published: November 2017

On-farm experiment was carried out for four consecutive seasons: Boro (dry season) 2011-12, Transplanted Aman (T. Aman, wet season) 2012, Boro 2012- 13 and T. Aman 2013 at the farmer’s field in Londonipara, Sonagazi, Feni to develop fertilizer recommendation for rice-based cropping systems in saline and charland ecosystem in Bangladesh. The experiments were designed with eight treatments and laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatment combinations were: T1 = 100% NPKSZn (STB), T2 = T1 + 25% N, T3 = T1 + 25% NP, T4 = T1 + 25% NK, T5 = T1 + 25% PK, T6 = T1 + 25% NPK, T7 = 75% of T1 and T8 = Absolute control. Results indicated that application of different fertilizers significantly affected the grain yield at all of the seasons. In Boro 2011-12, the highest grain yield was found in treatment T1 (100% STB) while T3 (T1 + 25% NP) gave highest grain yield in Boro 2012-13. Statistically identical yield was observed in Boro 2011-12 with all treatments except control (T8). Highest grain yield was found with T6 (T1 + 25% NPK) treatments in both of T. Aman 2012 and 2013 seasons. Annual straw yield was found more in T6 (T1 + 25% NPK) treatment. All the treatment combinations gave significantly higher yield over the control in all seasons. However, on the basis of yield performance, economic analysis and nutrient absorption, the treatment T6 = T1 + 25% NPK (N225P30K17.5S15Zn4 for Boro and N121P15K9S10Zn3 for T. Aman) performed the best among the treatments.Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 42(3): 521-529, September 2017
The Stability of New Single-Layer Combined Lattice Shell Based on Aluminum Alloy Honeycomb Panels
Authors: Zhao Caiqi , Zhao Yangjian , Ma Jun
Published: November 2017

This article proposes a new type of single-layer combined lattice shell (NSCLS); which is based on aluminum alloy honeycomb panels. Six models with initial geometric defect were designed and precision made using numerical control equipment. The stability of these models was tested. The results showed that the stable bearing capacity of NSCLS was approximately 16% higher than that of a lattice shell with the same span without a reinforcing plate. At the same time; the properties of the NSCLS were sensitive to defects. When defects were present; its stable bearing capacity was decreased by 12.3% when compared with the defect-free model. The model with random defects following a truncated Gaussian distribution could be used to simulate the distribution of defects in the NSCLS. The average difference between the results of the nonlinear analysis and the experimental results was 5.7%. By calculating and analyzing nearly 20,000 NSCLS; the suggested values of initial geometric defect were presented. The results of this paper could provide a theoretical basis for making and revising the design codes for this new combined lattice shell structure.
Moving-Target Position Estimation Using GPU-Based Particle Filter for IoT Sensing Applications
Authors: Kim Seongseop , Cho Jeonghun , Park Daejin
Published: November 2017

A particle filter (PF) has been introduced for effective position estimation of moving targets for non-Gaussian and nonlinear systems. The time difference of arrival (TDOA) method using acoustic sensor array has normally been used to for estimation by concealing the location of a moving target, especially underwater. In this paper, we propose a GPU -based acceleration of target position estimation using a PF and propose an efficient system and software architecture. The proposed graphic processing unit (GPU)-based algorithm has more advantages in applying PF signal processing to a target system, which consists of large-scale Internet of Things (IoT)-driven sensors because of the parallelization which is scalable. For the TDOA measurement from the acoustic sensor array, we use the generalized cross correlation phase transform (GCC-PHAT) method to obtain the correlation coefficient of the signal using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), and we try to accelerate the calculations of GCC-PHAT based TDOA measurements using FFT with GPU compute unified device architecture (CUDA). The proposed approach utilizes a parallelization method in the target position estimation algorithm using GPU-based PF processing. In addition, it could efficiently estimate sudden movement change of the target using GPU-based parallel computing which also can be used for multiple target tracking. It also provides scalability in extending the detection algorithm according to the increase of the number of sensors. Therefore, the proposed architecture can be applied in IoT sensing applications with a large number of sensors. The target estimation algorithm was verified using MATLAB and implemented using GPU CUDA. We implemented the proposed signal processing acceleration system using target GPU to analyze in terms of execution time. The execution time of the algorithm is reduced by 55% from to the CPU standalone operation in target embedded board, NVIDIA Jetson TX1. Also, to apply large-scaled IoT sensing applications, we use NVIDIA Tesla K40c as target GPU. The execution time of the proposed multi-state-space model-based algorithm is similar to the one-state-space model algorithm because of GPU-based parallel computing. Experimental results show that the proposed architecture is a feasible solution in terms of high-performance and area-efficient architecture.
Preparation and Properties of Asphalt Binders Modified by THFS Extracted From Direct Coal Liquefaction Residue
Authors: Ji Jie , Yao Hui , Zheng Wenhua , Suo Zhi , Shi Yuefeng , Xu Ying , Wu Hao , You Zhanping
Published: November 2017

This paper aims to study the preparation and viscoelastic properties of asphalt binder modified by tetrahydrofuran soluble fraction (THFS) extracted from direct coal liquefaction residue. The modified asphalt binders, which blended with SK-90 (control asphalt binder) and 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% THFS (by weight of SK-90), were fabricated. The preparation process for asphalt binder was optimized in terms of the orthogonal array test strategy and gray correlation analysis results. The properties of asphalt binder were measured by applying Penetration performance grade and Superpave performance grade specifications. In addition, the temperature step and frequency sweep test in Dynamic Shear Rheometer were conducted to predict the rheological behavior, temperature and frequency susceptibility of asphalt binder. The test results suggested the optimal preparation process, such as 150 °C shearing temperature, 45 min shearing time and 4000 rpm shearing rate. Subsequently, the addition of THFS was beneficial in increasing the high-temperature properties but decreased the low-temperature properties and resistance to fatigue. The content analysis of THFS showed the percentage of 4~6% achieved a balance in the high-and-low temperature properties of asphalt binder. The asphalt binder with higher THFS content exhibited higher resistance to rutting and less sensitivity to frequency and temperature.
Automated Defect Recognition as a Critical Element of a Three Dimensional X-ray Computed Tomography Imaging-Based Smart Non-Destructive Testing Technique in Additive Manufacturing of Near Net-Shape Parts
Authors: Szabo Istvan , Sun Jiangtao , Feng Guojin , Kanfoud Jamil , Gan Tat-Hean , Selcuk Cem
Published: November 2017

In this paper, a state of the art automated defect recognition (ADR) system is presented that was developed specifically for Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) of powder metallurgy (PM) parts using three dimensional X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) imaging, towards enabling online quality assurance and enhanced integrity confidence. PM parts exhibit typical defects such as microscopic cracks, porosity, and voids, internal to components that without an effective detection system, limit the growth of industrial applications. Compared to typical testing methods (e.g., destructive such as metallography that is based on sampling, cutting, and polishing of parts), CT provides full coverage of defect detection. This paper establishes the importance and advantages of an automated NDT system for the PM industry applications with particular emphasis on image processing procedures for defect recognition. Moreover, the article describes how to establish a reference library based on real 3D X-ray CT images of net-shape parts. The paper follows the development of the ADR system from processing 2D image slices of a measured 3D X-ray image to processing the complete 3D X-ray image as a whole. The introduced technique is successfully integrated into an automated in-line quality control system highly sought by major industry sectors in Oil and Gas, Automotive, and Aerospace.
The Spatial and Temporal Variation of Temperature in the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau during 1971–2015
Authors: Liu Zhaochen , Yang Meixue , Wan Guoning , Wang Xuejia
Published: November 2017

The Tibetan Plateau (TP), which is well known as “The Third Pole”, is of great importance to climate change in East Asia, and even the whole world. In this paper, we selected the monthly temperature (including the monthly mean and the maximum and minimum temperature) during 1971–2015 from 88 meteorological stations on the TP. The data were tested and corrected by using Penalized Maximal F Test (PMFT) based on RHtest. Afterwards, based on the Mann-Kendall test, we analyzed the seasonal and time-interval characteristics on each station in detail. The results show that the TP has experienced significant warming during 1971–2015. When comparing the selected elements, the warming rate of minimum temperature (Tmin) is the largest, the mean temperature (Tmean) comes second, and the maximum temperature (Tmax) is the smallest. The warming trends in four seasons are significant, and the highest warming rate occurs in winter. The warming trend on the TP has a prominent spatial difference, with a large warming rate on the eastern parts and a small one on the central regions. In different seasons, the warming trends on the TP have different characteristics in the time interval. Since 1998, the warming rate in spring increased markedly, spring has displaced winter as the season with the highest warming rate recently.
Site-Specific Antibody Conjugation for ADC and Beyond
Authors: Zhou Qun
Published: November 2017

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have become a promising class of antitumor agents with four conjugates being approved by regulatory agencies for treating cancer patients. To improve the conventional conjugations that are currently applied to generate these heterogeneous products, various site-specific approaches have been developed. These methods couple cytotoxins or chemotherapeutic drugs to specifically defined sites in antibody molecules including cysteine, glutamine, unnatural amino acids, short peptide tags, and glycans. The ADCs produced showed high homogeneity, increased therapeutic index, and strong antitumor activities in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, there are recent trends in using these next generation technologies beyond the cytotoxin-conjugated ADC. These site-specific conjugations have been applied for the generation of many different immunoconjugates including bispecific Fab or small molecule–antibody conjugates, immunosuppressive antibodies, and antibody–antibiotic conjugates. Thus, it is likely that additional technologies and related site-specific conjugates will emerge in the near future, with various chemicals or small molecular weight proteins in addition to cytotoxin for better treatment of many challenging diseases.
Liquid Biopsy and Therapeutic Targets: Present and Future Issues in Thoracic Oncology
Authors: Hofman Paul
Published: November 2017

The practice of liquid biopsy (LB) has revolutionized the care of patients with metastatic lung cancer. Many oncologists now use this approach in daily practice, applying precise procedures for the detection of activating or resistance mutations in EGFR. These tests are performed with plasma DNA and have been approved as companion diagnostic test for patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors. ALK is another important target in lung cancer since it leads to treatment of patients who are positive for a rearrangement in ALK identified with tumor tissue. By analogy with EGFR, LB for detection of genomic alterations in ALK (rearrangements or mutations) has been rapidly adopted in the clinic. However, this promising approach has some limitations and has not yet been disseminated as much as the blood test targeting EGFR. In addition to these two therapeutic targets LB can be used for evaluation of the genomic status of other genes of interest of patients with lung cancer (ROS1, RET, NTRK MET, BRAF, HER2, etc.). LB can be performed to evaluate a specific target or for a more or less complex panel of genes. Considering the number of potential targets for clinical trials, techniques of next-generation sequencing of circulating DNA are on the rise. This review will provide an update on the contribution of LB to care of patients with metastatic lung cancer, including the present limits of this approach, and will consider certain perspectives.
Catalytic Deoxygenation of Hexadecyl Palmitate as a Model Compound of Euglena Oil in H2 and N2 Atmospheres
Authors: Liu Yanyong , Inaba Megumu , Matsuoka Koichi
Published: November 2017

Hexadecyl palmitate (C15H31COOC16H33, used as a model compound for Euglena oil) was deoxygenated to hydrocarbons over various solid catalysts in autoclave reactors. In a H2 atmosphere, 1 wt.% of Pd/Mg(Al)O catalyst, derived from a hydrotalcite precursor, yielded a C15H31COOC16H33 conversion close to 100%, and a C10‒C16 (aviation fuel range) hydrocarbon yield of 90.2% for the deoxygenation of C15H31COOC16H33 at 300 °C for 2 h. In a N2 atmosphere, 1 wt.% of Pd/Mg(Al)O catalyst yielded a C10‒C16 hydrocarbon yield of 63.5%, which was much higher than those obtained with Mg(Al)O (15.1%), H-ZSM-5 (8.3%), and 1 wt.% Pd/C (26.2%) for the deoxygenation of C15H31COOC16H33 at 300 °C for 2 h. The Pd metal site and the solid base site in Mg(Al)O had a synergetic effect on the deoxygenation of C15H31COOC16H33 in N2 atmosphere over the Pd/Mg(Al)O catalyst. By prolonging the reaction time to 5 h for reaction at 300 °C in N2 atmosphere, the yield of C10‒C16 hydrocarbons increased to 80.4% with a C15H31COOC16H33 conversion of 99.1% over the 1 wt.% Pd/Mg(Al)O catalyst.
First-Row-Transition Ion Metals(II)-EDTA Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles as Catalysts for Solvent-Free Microwave-Induced Oxidation of Alcohols
Authors: Martins Nuno , Martins Luísa , Amorim Carlos , Amaral Vitor , Pombeiro Armando
Published: November 2017

A series of first-row transition-metals combined with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), as metal-based N,O-chelating ligands, at the surface of ferrite magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) was prepared by a co-precipitation method. Those EDTA functionalized MNPs with general formula Fe3O4@EDTA-M2+ [M = Mn2+ (1), Fe2+ (2), Co2+ (3), Ni2+ (4), Cu2+ (5) or Zn2+ (6)] were characterized by FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) spectroscopy, powder XRD (X-ray Diffraction), SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), EDS (Energy Dispersive Spectrometer), VSM (Vibrating Sample Magnetometer) and TGA (Thermal Gravity Analysis). The application of the magnetic NPs towards the microwave-assisted oxidation of several alcohol substrates in a solvent-free medium was evaluated. The influence of reaction parameters such as temperature, time, type of oxidant, and presence of organic radicals was investigated. This study demonstrates that these MNPs can act as efficient catalysts for the conversion of alcohols to the corresponding ketones or aldehydes with high selectivity and yields up to 99% after 2 h of reaction at 110 °C using t-BuOOH as oxidant. Moreover, they have the advantage of being magnetically recoverable catalysts that can be easily recycled in following runs.
YCl3-Catalyzed Highly Selective Ring Opening of Epoxides by Amines at Room Temperature and under Solvent-Free Conditions
Authors: Natongchai Wuttichai , Khan Rais , Alsalme Ali , Shaikh Rafik
Published: November 2017

A simple, efficient, and environmentally benign approach for the synthesis of β-amino alcohols is herein described. YCl3 efficiently carried out the ring opening of epoxides by amines to produce β-amino alcohols under solvent-free conditions at room temperature. This catalytic approach is very effective, with several aromatic and aliphatic oxiranes and amines. A mere 1 mol % concentration of YCl3 is enough to deliver β-amino alcohols in good to excellent yields with high regioselectivity.
New Method of Measurement of Epidermal Turnover in Humans
Authors: Maeda Kazuhisa
Published: November 2017

This report describes a new and simple technique to detect alterations in the rate of turnover in the epidermis without using any toxic chemical, such as a radiolabeled material. The method involves measuring the time course of the decrease of darkening of an ultraviolet A-irradiated site, compared with a non-irradiated control site. The turnover time of the persistent pigmentation on the inner side of the male forearm was 36.2 ± 6.2 days (age: 37.3 ± 11.3 years, mean ± standard deviation, n = 6), which is in reasonable agreement with the epidermal turnover time previously measured by injecting [3H] thymidine into human skin.
Expression, Purification, Crystallization, and X-ray Structural Analysis of CRISPR-Associated Protein Cas6 from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii
Authors: Lee Ming-Chang , Tseng Shih-Ting , Yang Juan-Cheng , Hsieh Tung-Ju , Wu Shang-Chuen , Kuan Shu-Min , Chen Ming-Jen , Chang Ming-Chiu , Wang Chun-Chiu , Chen Hsiu-Lin , Fang Guor-Cheng , Huang Winn-Jung , Ko Tzu-Ping , Chen Yeh
Published: November 2017

The CRISPR-associated protein 6, Cas6 protein, is an endoribonuclease that cleaves precursor CRISPR RNAs within the repeat sequence to release specific invader-targeting RNAs. Cas6 protein can recognize different sequences by their specific scaffold. To investigate its binding mode, we purified and crystallized a His-tagged Cas6 protein from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii (MjCas6) using the sitting-drop vapor-diffusion method. The crystals diffracted to a resolution of 1.85 Å and belonged to monoclinic space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 200.84 Å, b = 85.26 Å, c = 100.06 Å, β = 118.47°. The crystals of MjCas6 contain four molecules in the asymmetric unit. The protein fold is similar to the other Cas6 homologues, such as Pyrococcus furiosus Cas6, suggesting functional similarity. Moreover, in the C2 crystal the MjCas6 monomers formed a tandem array, which we hypothesize to possibly correlate with repetitive RNA precursors.
Understanding the Fractal Dimensions of Urban Forms through Spatial Entropy
Authors: Chen Yanguang , Wang Jiejing , Feng Jian
Published: November 2017

The spatial patterns and processes of cities can be described with various entropy functions. However, spatial entropy always depends on the scale of measurement, and it is difficult to find a characteristic value for it. In contrast, fractal parameters can be employed to characterize scale-free phenomena and reflect the local features of random multi-scaling structure. This paper is devoted to exploring the similarities and differences between spatial entropy and fractal dimension in urban description. Drawing an analogy between cities and growing fractals, we illustrate the definitions of fractal dimension based on different entropy concepts. Three representative fractal dimensions in the multifractal dimension set, capacity dimension, information dimension, and correlation dimension, are utilized to make empirical analyses of the urban form of two Chinese cities, Beijing and Hangzhou. The results show that the entropy values vary with the measurement scale, but the fractal dimension value is stable is method and study area are fixed; if the linear size of boxes is small enough (e.g., <1/25), the linear correlation between entropy and fractal dimension is significant (based on the confidence level of 99%). Further empirical analysis indicates that fractal dimension is close to the characteristic values of spatial entropy. This suggests that the physical meaning of fractal dimension can be interpreted by the ideas from entropy and scaling and the conclusion is revealing for future spatial analysis of cities.
Power Quality Improvement in a Cascaded Multilevel Inverter Interfaced Grid Connected System Using a Modified Inductive–Capacitive–Inductive Filter with Reduced Power Loss and Improved Harmonic Attenuation
Authors: Jayaraman Meenakshi , VT Sreedevi
Published: November 2017

Recently, multilevel inverters are more researched due to the advantages they offer over conventional voltage source inverters in grid connected applications. Passive filters are connected at the output of these inverters to produce sinusoidal waveforms with reduced harmonics and to satisfy grid interconnection standard requirements. This work proposes a new passive filter topology for a pulse width modulated five-level cascaded inverter interfaced grid connected system. The proposed passive filter inserts an additional resistance-capacitance branch in parallel to the filter capacitor of the traditional inductive–capacitive–inductive filter in addition to a resistance in series with it to reduce damping power loss. It can attenuate the switching frequency harmonic current components much better than the traditional filter while maintaining the same overall inductance, reduced capacitance and resistance values. The basic parameter design procedure and an approach to discover the parameters of the proposed filter is introduced. Further, a novel methodology using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is recommended to guarantee minimum damping loss while ensuring reduced peak during resonance. In addition, PSO algorithm is newly employed in this work to maximize harmonic attenuation in and around the switching frequency on the premise of allowable values of filter inductance and capacitance. A comparative discussion considering traditional passive filters and the proposed filter is presented and evaluated through experiments conducted on a 110 V, 1 kW five-level grid connected inverter. The modulation algorithm for the multilevel inverter is implemented using a SPARTAN 6-XC6SLX25 Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) processor. The analysis shows that the proposed filter not only provides decreased damping power loss but also is capable of providing considerable harmonic ripple reduction in the high frequency band, improved output waveforms and lesser Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) with improved power quality for the multilevel inverter based grid connected system.
A Framework for Cloud Based E-Government from the Perspective of Developing Countries
Authors: Joshi Pusp , Islam Shareeful , Islam Syed
Published: November 2017

Despite significant efforts to initiate electronic government projects, developing countries are still struggling to reap the benefits of using e-government services. An effective implementation of e-government infrastructure is necessary to increase the efficiency and transparency of the government services. There are several studies that observed causes like lack of infrastructure support, lack of payment gateway and improper e-government service delivery channel as main barriers to a wider adoption of e-government services. The main contribution of this research is to propose a cloud-based G2G (Government-to-government) e-government framework for a viable e-government solution from the perspective of developing countries. We have introduced a list of concepts and a systematic process to guide the implementation of e-government project based on the government’s vision, goals, chosen services through the service delivery channel to the appropriate cloud service and deployment model. We have used Nepal as a context of the case study and applied the framework to a real e-government project of driving licensing department using action research methodology. The results from the study show that the G2G approach of e-government implementation would be the best for providing effective government services to the stakeholders of developing countries. The proposed framework also supports a smooth integration of government services and reduces the time of the overall project.
Detection of Lard in Cocoa Butter—Its Fatty Acid Composition, Triacylglycerol Profiles, and Thermal Characteristics
Authors: Azir Marliana , Abbasiliasi Sahar , Tengku Ibrahim Tengku , Manaf Yanty , Sazili Awis , Mustafa Shuhaimi
Published: November 2017

The present study investigates the detection of lard in cocoa butter through changes in fatty acids composition, triacylglycerols profile, and thermal characteristics. Cocoa butter was mixed with 1% to 30% (v/v) of lard and analyzed using a gas chromatography flame ionization detector, high performance liquid chromatography, and differential scanning calorimetry. The results revealed that the mixing of lard in cocoa butter showed an increased amount of oleic acid in the cocoa butter while there was a decrease in the amount of palmitic acid and stearic acids. The amount of POS, SOS, and POP also decreased with the addition of lard. A heating thermogram from the DSC analysis showed that as the concentration of lard increased from 3% to 30%, two minor peaks at −26 °C and 34.5 °C started to appear and a minor peak at 34.5 °C gradually overlapped with the neighbouring major peak. A cooling thermogram of the above adulterated cocoa butter showed a minor peak shift to a lower temperature of −36 °C to −41.5 °C. Values from this study could be used as a basis for the identification of lard from other fats in the food authentication process.
Novel Insights into Antiviral Gene Regulation of Red Swamp Crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, Infected with White Spot Syndrome Virus
Authors: Yi Shaokui , Li Yanhe , Shi Linlin , Zhang Long
Published: November 2017

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV), one of the major pathogens of Procambarus clarkii, has caused severe disruption to the aquaculture industry of P. clarkii in China. To reveal the gene regulatory mechanisms underlying WSSV infection, a comparative transcriptome analysis was performed among WSSV-infected susceptible individuals (GS), viral resistant individuals (GR), and a non-infected control group (GC). A total of 61,349 unigenes were assembled from nine libraries. Subsequently, 515 and 1033 unigenes exhibited significant differential expression in sensitive and resistant crayfish individuals compared to the control group (GC). Many differentially expressed genes (e.g., C-type lectin 4, Peroxinectin, Prophenoloxidase, and Serine/threonine-protein kinase) observed in GR and GS play critical roles in pathogen recognition and viral defense reactions after WSSV infection. Importantly, the glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis-chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate pathway was identified to play critical roles in defense to WSSV infection for resistant crayfish individuals by upregulating the chondroitin sulfate related genes for the synthesis of WSSV-sensitive, functional chondroitin sulfate chains containing E units. Numerous genes and the key pathways identified between resistant and susceptible P. clarkii individuals provide valuable insights regarding antiviral response mechanisms of decapoda species and may help to improve the selective breeding of P. clarkii WSSV-resistance.
Assessment of Future Water Resources Availability under Climate Change Scenarios in the Mékrou Basin, Benin
Authors: Alamou Eric Adéchina , Obada Ezéchiel , Afouda Abel
Published: November 2017

This work aims to evaluate future water availability in the Mékrou catchment under climate change scenarios. To reach this goal, data from Regional Climate Models (RCMs) were used as the input for four rainfall-runoff models which are ModHyPMA (Hydrological Model based on Least Action Principe), HBV (Hydrologiska Byråns Vattenbalansavdelning), AWBM (Australian Water Balance Model), and SimHyd (Simplified Hydrolog). Then the mean values of the hydro-meteorological data of three different projected periods (2011–2040, 2041–2070 and 2071–2100) were compared to their values in the baseline period. The results of calibration and validation of these models show that the meteorological data from RCMs give performances that are as good as performances obtained with the observed meteorological data in the baseline period. The comparison of the mean values of the hydro-meteorological data of the baseline period to their values for the different projected periods indicates that for PET there is a significantly increase until 2100 for both Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5 (RCP4.5) and RCP8.5 scenarios. Therefore, the rate’s increase of potential evapotranspiration (PET) under the RCP8.5 scenario is higher than that obtained under the RCP8.5 scenario. Changes in rainfall amounts depend on the scenario of climate change and the projected periods. For the RCP4.5 scenario, there is a little increase in the annual rainfall amounts over the period from 2011 to 2040, while there is a decrease in the rainfall amounts over the other two projected periods. According to the RCP8.5 scenario, the contrary of changes observed with the RCP4.5 scenario are observed. At a monthly scale, the rainfall amounts will increase for August and September and decrease for July and October. These changes in rainfall amounts greatly affect yearly and monthly discharge at the catchment outlet. Over the three projected periods and for both RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, the mean annual discharge will significantly increase related to the baseline periods. However, the magnitude of increases will depend on the projected period and the RCP scenario. At a monthly scale, it was found that runoff increases significantly from August to November for all projected periods and the climate change scenario.
Conceptual Design of a Mobile Application for Geography Fieldwork Learning
Authors: Wang Xiaoling , Van Elzakker Corné , Kraak Menno-Jan
Published: November 2017

The use of mobile applications on smartphones has a vast potential to support learning in the field. However, all learning technologies should be properly designed. To this end, we adopt User-Centered Design (UCD) to design a mobile application, called GeoFARA (Geography Fieldwork Augmented Reality Application), for university geography fieldwork. This paper is about the conceptual design of GeoFARA based on its use and user requirements. The paper first establishes a review of selected existing mobile AR applications for outdoor use, in order to identify the innovative aspects and the improvements of GeoFARA. Thereafter, we present the results of use and user requirements derived from (1) an online survey of the current use of tools in undergraduate geography fieldwork, (2) a field experiment in which the use of paper maps and a mobile mapping tool were compared, (3) investigations during a human geography fieldwork, (4) post-fieldwork surveys among undergraduates from two universities, (5) our use case, and (6) a use scenario. Based on these requirements, a conceptual design of GeoFARA is provided in terms of technical specifications, main contents, functionalities, as well as user interactions and interfaces. This conceptual design will guide the future prototype development of GeoFARA.
The Impact of Message Replication on the Performance of Opportunistic Networks for Sensed Data Collection
Authors: Amah Tekenate , Kamat Maznah , Bakar Kamalrulnizam , Rahman Syed , Mohammed Muhammad , Abali Aliyu , Moreira Waldir , Oliveira-Jr Antonio
Published: November 2017

Opportunistic networks (OppNets) provide a scalable solution for collecting delay‑tolerant data from sensors for their respective gateways. Portable handheld user devices contribute significantly to the scalability of OppNets since their number increases according to user population and they closely follow human movement patterns. Hence, OppNets for sensed data collection are characterised by high node population and degrees of spatial locality inherent to user movement. We study the impact of these characteristics on the performance of existing OppNet message replication techniques. Our findings reveal that the existing replication techniques are not specifically designed to cope with these characteristics. This raises concerns regarding excessive message transmission overhead and throughput degradations due to resource constraints and technological limitations associated with portable handheld user devices. Based on concepts derived from the study, we suggest design guidelines to augment existing message replication techniques. We also follow our design guidelines to propose a message replication technique, namely Locality Aware Replication (LARep). Simulation results show that LARep achieves better network performance under high node population and degrees of spatial locality as compared with existing techniques.
Materials for Wind Turbine Blades: An Overview
Authors: Mishnaevsky Leon , Branner Kim , Petersen Helga , Beauson Justine , McGugan Malcolm , Sørensen Bent
Published: November 2017

A short overview of composite materials for wind turbine applications is presented here. Requirements toward the wind turbine materials, loads, as well as available materials are reviewed. Apart from the traditional composites for wind turbine blades (glass fibers/epoxy matrix composites), natural composites, hybrid and nanoengineered composites are discussed. Manufacturing technologies for wind turbine composites, as well their testing and modelling approaches are reviewed.
Bamboo–Polylactic Acid (PLA) Composite Material for Structural Applications
Authors: Pozo Morales Angel , Güemes Alfredo , Fernandez-Lopez Antonio , Carcelen Valero Veronica , De La Rosa Llano Sonia
Published: November 2017

Developing an eco-friendly industry based on green materials, sustainable technologies, and optimum processes with low environmental impact is a general societal goal, but this remains a considerable challenge to achieve. Despite the large number of research on green structural composites, limited investigation into the most appropriate manufacturing methodology to develop a structural material at industrial level has taken place. Laboratory panels have been manufactured with different natural fibers but the methodologies and values obtained could not be extrapolated at industrial level. Bamboo industry panels have increased in the secondary structural sector such as building application, flooring and sport device, because it is one of the cheapest raw materials. At industrial level, the panels are manufactured with only the inner and intermediate region of the bamboo culm. However, it has been found that the mechanical properties of the external shells of bamboo culm are much better than the average cross-sectional properties. Thin strips of bamboo (1.5 mm thick and 1500 mm long) were machined and arranged with the desired lay-up and shape to obtain laminates with specific properties better than those of conventional E-Glass/Epoxy laminates in terms of both strength and stiffness. The strips of bamboo were bonded together by a natural thermoplastic polylactic acid (PLA) matrix to meet biodegradability requirements. The innovative mechanical extraction process developed in this study can extract natural strip reinforcements with high performance, low cost, and high rate, with no negative environmental impact, as no chemical treatments are used. The process can be performed at the industrial level. Furthermore, in order to validate the structural applications of the composite, the mechanical properties were analyzed under ageing conditions. This material could satisfy the requirements for adequate mechanical properties and life cycle costs at industrial sectors such as energy or automotive.
Substrate-Influenced Thermo-Mechanical Fatigue of Copper Metallizations: Limits of Stoney’s Equation
Authors: Bigl Stephan , Wurster Stefan , Cordill Megan , Kiener Daniel
Published: November 2017

Rapid progress in the reduction of substrate thickness for silicon-based microelectronics leads to a significant reduction of the device bending stiffness and the need to address its implication for the thermo-mechanical fatigue behavior of metallization layers. Results on 5 µm thick Cu films reveal a strong substrate thickness-dependent microstructural evolution. Substrates with hs = 323 and 220 µm showed that the Cu microstructure exhibits accelerated grain growth and surface roughening. Moreover, curvature-strain data indicates that Stoney’s simplified curvature-stress relation is not valid for thin substrates with regard to the expected strains, but can be addressed using more sophisticated plate bending theories.
An Insight into Sargassum muticum Cytoprotective Mechanisms against Oxidative Stress on a Human Cell In Vitro Model
Authors: Pinteus Susete , Lemos Marco , Silva Joana , Alves Celso , Neugebauer Agnieszka , Freitas Rafaela , Duarte Adriana , Pedrosa Rui
Published: November 2017

Sargassum muticum is a brown seaweed with strong potential to be used as a functional food ingredient, mainly due to its antioxidant properties. It is widely used in traditional oriental medicine for the treatment of numerous diseases. Nevertheless, few studies have been conducted to add scientific evidence on its effects as well as on the mechanisms of action involved. In this work, the human cell line MCF-7 was used as an in vitro cellular model to evaluate the capability of Sargassum muticum enriched fractions to protect cells on an oxidative stress condition. The concentration of the bioactive compounds was obtained by vacuum liquid chromatography applied on methanol (M) and 1:1 methanol:dichloromethane (MD) crude extracts, resulting in seven enriched fractions from the M extraction (MF2–MF8), and eight fractions from the MD extraction (MDF1–MDF8). All fractions were tested for cytotoxic properties on MCF-7 cells and the nontoxic ones were tested for their capacity to blunt the damaging effects of hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress. The nontoxic effects were also confirmed in 3T3 fibroblast cells as a nontumor cell line. The antioxidant potential of each fraction, as well as changes in the cell’s real-time hydrogen peroxide production, in the mitochondrial membrane potential, and in Caspase-9 activity were evaluated. The results suggest that the protective effects evidenced by S. muticum can be related with the inhibition of hydrogen peroxide production and the inhibition of Caspase-9 activity.
Experimental Validation of an FSW Model with an Enhanced Friction Law: Application to a Threaded Cylindrical Pin Tool
Authors: Dialami Narges , Cervera Miguel , Chiumenti Michele , Segatori Antonio , Osikowicz Wojciech
Published: November 2017

This work adopts a fast and accurate two-stage computational strategy for the analysis of FSW (Friction stir welding) processes using threaded cylindrical pin tools. The coupled thermo-mechanical problem is equipped with an enhanced friction model to include the effect of non-uniform pressure distribution under the pin shoulder. The overall numerical strategy is successfully validated by the experimental measurements provided by the industrial partner (Sapa). The verification of the numerical model using the experimental evidence is not only accomplished in terms of temperature evolution but also in terms of torque, longitudinal, transversal and vertical forces.
Amaranth Protein Hydrolysates Efficiently Reduce Systolic Blood Pressure in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Ramírez-Torres Giovanni , Ontiveros Noé , Lopez-Teros Verónica , Ibarra-Diarte Jesús , Reyes-Moreno Cuauhtémoc , Cuevas-Rodríguez Edith , Cabrera-Chávez Francisco
Published: November 2017

Alcalase is the enzyme of choice to release antihypertensive peptides from amaranth proteins, but the hydrolysis conditions have not been optimized yet. Furthermore, in vivo assays are needed to confirm such a hypotensive effect. Our aim was to optimize the hydrolysis of amaranth protein with alcalase and to test in vivo the hypotensive effect of the hydrolysates. A response surface analysis was carried out to optimize the hydrolysis reaction. The response variable was the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE-I) inhibition. The hydrolysis degree was determined (free alpha-amino groups measurement). The optimized hydrolysate bioavailability was assessed in the sera of mice and the hypotensive effect was assessed in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Control groups were administered captopril or water. The optimized hydrolysis conditions were: pH = 7.01, temperature = 52 °C, enzyme concentration 0.04 mU/mg, and time = 6.16 h. The optimized hydrolysate showed a 93.5% of ACE-I inhibition and a hydrolysis degree of 74.77%. After supplementation, the hydrolysate was bioavailable in mice from 5 to 60 min, and the hypotensive effect started at 4 h in spontaneously hypertensive rats (p < 0.05 vs. water group). This effect was similar to the captopril hypotensive effect for the next 3 h (p > 0.05). The use of amaranth-optimized hydrolysates as hypotensive supplements or ingredient for functional foods seems feasible.
The Electrospun Ceramic Hollow Nanofibers
Authors: Homaeigohar Shahin , Davoudpour Yalda , Habibi Youssef , Elbahri Mady
Published: November 2017

Hollow nanofibers are largely gaining interest from the scientific community for diverse applications in the fields of sensing, energy, health, and environment. The main reasons are: their extensive surface area that increases the possibilities of engineering, their larger accessible active area, their porosity, and their sensitivity. In particular, semiconductor ceramic hollow nanofibers show greater space charge modulation depth, higher electronic transport properties, and shorter ion or electron diffusion length (e.g., for an enhanced charging–discharging rate). In this review, we discuss and introduce the latest developments of ceramic hollow nanofiber materials in terms of synthesis approaches. Particularly, electrospinning derivatives will be highlighted. The electrospun ceramic hollow nanofibers will be reviewed with respect to their most widely studied components, i.e., metal oxides. These nanostructures have been mainly suggested for energy and environmental remediation. Despite the various advantages of such one dimensional (1D) nanostructures, their fabrication strategies need to be improved to increase their practical use. The domain of nanofabrication is still advancing, and its predictable shortcomings and bottlenecks must be identified and addressed. Inconsistency of the hollow nanostructure with regard to their composition and dimensions could be one of such challenges. Moreover, their poor scalability hinders their wide applicability for commercialization and industrial use.