bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic community- and hospital-based surveillance for enterovirus-D68 in three Canadian provinces, August to December 2014
Authors: Skowronski Danuta M , Chambers Catharine , Sabaiduc Suzana , Murti Michelle , Gustafson Reka , Pollock Sue , Hoyano Dee , Rempel Shirley , Allison Sandra , De Serres Gaston , Dickinson James A , Tellier Raymond , Fonseca Kevin , Drews Steven J , Martineau Christine , Reyes-Domingo Francesca , Wong Tom , Tang Patrick , Krajden Mel
Published: February 2016

Respiratory specimens collected from outpatients with influenza-like illness in three Canadian provinces (British Columbia (BC), Alberta and Quebec) participating in a community-based sentinel surveillance network were prospectively screened for enterovirus-D68 (EV-D68) from 1 August to 31 December 2014 and compared to specimens collected from 1 October 2013 to 31 July 2014. Eighteen (1%) of 1,894 specimens were EV-D68-positive: 1/348 (0.3%) collected from October to December 2013 and 11/460 (2.4%) from October to December 2014, an eight-fold increase in detection rates (p=0.01), consistent with epidemic circulation in autumn 2014. The remaining EV-D68 detections were in September 2014 (6/37). Enhanced passive surveillance was also conducted on all inpatient and outpatient EV-D68 cases (n=211) detected at the BC provincial reference laboratory from 28 August to 31 December 2014. Incidence of hospitalisations was 3/100,000 overall and 21, 17, 4 and 1/100,000 among those <5, 5–9, 10–19 and ≥20-years-old with male-to-female ratios >1 among paediatric but not adult cases. Three cases in BC with comorbidity or co-infection died and five exhibited neurological features persisting >9 months. Active surveillance in outpatient and inpatient settings is needed from more areas and additional seasons to better understand EV-D68 epidemiology and potential at-risk groups for severe or unusual manifestations.
Research–Practice Partnerships in Education
Authors: Coburn Cynthia E. , Penuel William R.
Published: February 2016

Policymakers, funders, and researchers today view research–practice partnerships (RPPs) as a promising approach for expanding the role of research in improving educational practice. Although studies in other fields provide evidence of the potential for RPPs, studies in education are few. This article provides a review of available evidence of the outcomes and dynamics of RPPs in education and related fields. It then outlines a research agenda for the study of RPPs that can guide funders’ investments and help developing partnerships succeed.
Improving Education in Developing Countries
Authors: Ganimian Alejandro J. , Murnane Richard J.
Published: February 2016

In this article, we reviewed and interpreted the evidence from 223 rigorous impact evaluations of educational initiatives conducted in 56 low- and middle-income countries. We considered for inclusion in our review all studies in recent syntheses that have reached seemingly conflicting conclusions about which interventions improve educational outcomes. We grouped interventions based on their theory of action. We derived four lessons from the studies we review. First, reducing the costs of going to school and expanding schooling options increase attendance and attainment, but do not consistently increase student achievement. Second, providing information about school quality, developmentally appropriate parenting practices, and the economic returns to schooling affects the actions of parents and the achievement of children and adolescents. Third, more or better resources improve student achievement only if they result in changes in children’s daily experiences at school. Fourth, well-designed incentives increase teacher effort and student achievement from very low levels, but low-skilled teachers need specific guidance to reach minimally acceptable levels of instruction.
Si(g)ns of Omission: The Books that Got Away
Authors: Chambers Ross
Published: February 2016

For this piece, Ross Chambers proposes a reflection on the academic ‘discipline’ – on writing, literary theory, history and hauntings, and on the time spent, lost, and bound up both with writing books and falling in love with books long dreamt of and planned out, but which fall by the wayside in the course of a life spent thinking, reading, and writing (e.g., studies of Berlioz and Gautier, on the audience as an ex-timate included/excluded third-party in theatre, or a ‘Big Book on Baudelaire’). In this poignant, powerful piece on personal and intellectual œuvres that are, in some sense, always bound to remain incomplete (or désœuvrées), Chambers takes us through, as idle fellow flâneurs, a kind of auto-bio-bibliography: that is, a texturing/textualization of the self as thinker and writer who has dedicated the last fifty years to interrogating the radically disruptive potential of that strange institution he calls loiterature.
Rancière and Vallès: Musings on the Time In-Between
Authors: Zuylen Marina van
Published: February 2016

It is surprising that despite its impassioned lobbying against the debilitating capital-driven purposefulness of time, Marx's work remains singularly resistant to the concept of pure leisure, to the idea of recreation for its own sake. When leisure does surface in Marx's discussion of alienated labour, it is frequently as a detail in a far grander plan, telling us little about the personal impact it had on its practitioners. Prevailing upon the radical forms and practices of leisure advocated, archived, and theorized by Paul Lafargue and Jacques Rancière, this essay proposes a reading of Jules Vallès's novel L'Enfant (1878) that sees in it a prolegomenon for a politics of idleness that both outstrips the restricted economy this notion takes on in Marx and offers a powerful, indisciplinary indictment of a world without ‘free time’. As with Lafargue and Rancière, Vallès leaves us scrutinizing the root radicality of those intermittent moments where things cease to happen, where idleness becomes, for the eponymous child of the novel's title, a transformative, emancipatory practice of the self in which time, space, and relations to others (and to the self) are reappropriated as sensuous, sociable ends-unto-themselves.
Oublier Napoléon: l’économie du travail immatériel dans les grands romans de Stendhal
Authors: Mecchia Giuseppina
Published: February 2016

Dans les romans de Stendhal, l'ascension sociale du jeune héros masculin ne peut se concevoir hors de ses activités professionnelles et du statut social qu'elles lui confèrent. À cet égard, Giuseppina Mecchia propose de voir dans ces trajectoires une réponse de Stendhal aux impératifs sociaux et politiques qui se sont imposés après la Révolution et qui ont inévitablement précipité l'affirmation de Napoléon comme chef de l'exécutif durant cette même période. Dans les années qui suivirent la chute de Napoléon, la disgrâce personnelle et politique de Stendhal, ainsi que son exil en Italie, nourrissent son détachement critique à l’égard de la ‘vanité’ française, cette obsession incessante par la promotion professionnelle et sociale. Cette analyse se concentrera donc sur trois de ces ‘héros’ stendhaliens, Julien dans Le Rouge et le noir, Lucien Leuwen dans le roman éponyme, publié à titre posthume en 1834, et enfin l'Italien Fabrice del Dongo dans La Chartreuse de Parme. L'objectif sera donc de confronter ces héros travailleurs à la ‘dolce far niente’, éthique italienne qui dès cette époque annonce la formulation de revendications plus radicales appelant à un ‘refus du travail’ dans les années 1970, en France et en Italie. Mais si, comme l'a montré Lazzarato, toute relation sociale est l'objet de transactions d'ordre économique, on peut se demander s'il est possible pour ces jeunes hommes de refuser le travail sans refuser toute forme de relation sociale – et pour l’écrivain sans mettre à mal le projet narratif lui-même.
What Do Radio Waves Tell Us about the Universe?
Authors: Scoles Sarah
Published: February 2016

Radio astronomy began in 1933 when an engineer named Karl Jansky accidentally discovered that radio waves come not just from inventions we create but also from natural stuff in space. Since then, astronomers have built better and better telescopes to find these cosmic radio waves and learn more about where they come from and what they can tell us about the universe. While scientists can learn a lot from the visible light they detect with regular telescopes, they can detect different objects and events – such as black holes, forming stars, planets in the process of being born, dying stars, and more – using radio telescopes. Together, telescopes that can see different kinds of waves – from radio waves to visible light waves to gamma rays – give a more complete picture of the universe than any one type of telescope can on its own.
Dogs on the Move: Factors Impacting Animal Shelter and Rescue Organizations’ Decisions to Accept Dogs from Distant Locations
Authors: Simmons Kaitlyn , Hoffman Christy
Published: February 2016

Long-distance dog transfer programs are a topic of burgeoning interest in the animal welfare community, but little research has focused on such programs. This exploratory study, which surveyed 193 individuals associated with animal shelter and rescue organizations in the United States, evaluated factors that impacted organizations’ decisions to transfer in dogs over long distances (>100 miles) and assessed what criteria were commonly valued by destination organizations. Specifically, we examined the following aspects of long-distance transfer programs: (1) logistics of long-distance dog transfers; (2) factors impacting dog selection; (3) medical requirements; (4) partnerships formed between source and destination organizations; and (5) perceptions of long-distance dog transfer programs by individuals affiliated with the destination organizations. This study revealed that many logistical considerations factor into transfer decisions and the formation of healthy partnerships between source and destination organizations. Participants indicated their organization’s willingness to receive dogs of various sizes, coat colors and ages, but organizations often had restrictions regarding the breeds they would accept. Study findings indicate some organizations have strict quarantine policies and pre-transfer medical requirements, while others have no such requirements.
Implementation of FPGA-Based Charge Control for a Self-Sufficient Solar Tracking Power Supply System
Authors: Chen Jui-Ho , Yau Her-Terng , Lu Jin-Han
Published: February 2016

This study used a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) with a Xilinx Spartan-3 FPGA to implement Reflex charge control in a dual-axis solar tracking system with maximum power point tracking (MPPT). The chaos embedded particle swarm optimization method was used to search for the optimum gain constants of the PI controller and the Reflex charging frequency. This scheme not only increases the output power of solar panels but also has a significant effect on switching loss and oscillation of solar charging. The experiment results showed that the proposed method can also significantly improve temperature rise, and that charging efficiency is also better than it is in a traditional charge mode. The results also showed that charging power was enough for solar tracking and the requirements of the charging system. The most significant contribution of this paper is that the scheme can be applied to any active solar tracking and charging system.
Design of an Image-Servo Mask Alignment System Using Dual CCDs with an XXY Stage
Authors: Lin Chih-Jer , Hsu Hui-Hsiang , Cheng Chiang-Ho , Li Yu-Chung
Published: February 2016

Mask alignment of photolithography technology is used in many applications, such as micro electro mechanical systems’ semiconductor process, printed circuits board, and flat panel display. As the dimensions of the product are getting smaller and smaller, the automatic mask alignment of photolithography is becoming more and more important. The traditional stacked XY-Θz stage is heavy and it has cumulative flatness errors due to its stacked assembly mechanism. The XXY stage has smaller cumulative error due to its coplanar design and it can move faster than the traditional XY-Θz stage. However, the relationship between the XXY stage’s movement and the commands of the three motors is difficult to compute, because the movements of the three motors on the same plane are coupling. Therefore, an artificial neural network is studied to establish a nonlinear mapping from the desired position and orientation of the stage to three motors’ commands. Further, this paper proposes an image-servo automatic mask alignment system, which consists of a coplanar XXY stage, dual GIGA-E CCDs with lens and a programmable automatic controller (PAC). Before preforming the compensation, a self-developed visual-servo provides the positioning information which is obtained from the image processing and pattern recognition according to the specified fiducial marks. To obtain better precision, two methods including the center of gravity method and the generalize Hough Transformation are studied to correct the shift positioning error.
Determinants of Body Mass Index and Intelligence Quotient of Elementary School Children in Mountain Area of Nepal: An Explorative Study
Authors: Ranabhat Chhabi , Kim Chun-Bae , Park Myung , Kim Chang , Freidoony Leila
Published: February 2016

The physical growth and cognitive development of elementary school children are very crucial and this group is large in number but has little research dedicated to it. The physical growth and cognitive development of children occur simultaneously and can be measured by body mass index (BMI) and intelligence quotient (IQ). Previous studies could not sufficiently focus on both aspects. The aim of this study was to identify determinants of BMI and IQ of students in two elementary schools in the Humla district of Nepal. Two randomly selected elementary schools and all children available there (n = 173) participated in the study. BMI was calculated with the objective of proper measurement of height and weight of the children. Likewise, the updated universal nonverbal intelligence test (UNIT) was applied for IQ. Descriptive statistics, t-test, analysis of variance and multiple linear regressions were used when appropriate. Study findings showed that one-tenth of the children had grade 2 thinness (-2SD) and about one-third had poor IQ (<85). The age of the children (p < 0.05) and household economic status (p < 0.001) were significant for the BMI. Likewise, frequencies of illness in the previous year, mother’s education (p < 0.05) and father’s education (p < 0.001) were significant factors for the IQ score. More commonly, BMI and IQ scores were significantly lower in the ultra-poor group. Economic status and parent education are still major determinants of IQ and BMI in these students. Special programs and strategies should be launched to improve the poor ranking of IQ and BMI.
A Common Methodology for Risk Assessment and Mapping of Climate Change Related Hazards—Implications for Climate Change Adaptation Policies
Authors: Papathoma-Köhle Maria , Promper Catrin , Glade Thomas
Published: February 2016

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 2014, suggests that an important increase in frequency and magnitude of hazardous processes related to climate change is to be expected at the global scale. Consequently, it is necessary to improve the level of preparedness and the level of public awareness, to fill institutional gaps, and to improve territorial planning in order to reduce the potentially disastrous impact of natural hazards related to climate change. This paper mainly presents a new framework for risk assessment and mapping which enables countries with limited data sources to assess their risk to climate change related hazards at the local level, in order to reduce potential costs, to develop risk reduction strategies, to harmonize their preparedness efforts with neighboring countries and to deal with trans-boundary risk. The methodology is based on the European Commission’s “Risk Assessment and Mapping Guidelines for Disaster Management” (2010) and considers local restrictions, such as a lack of documentation of historic disastrous events, spatial and other relevant data, offering alternative options for risk assessment, and the production of risk maps. The methodology is based on event tree analysis. It was developed within the European project SEERISK and adapted for a number of climate change-related hazards including floods, heat waves, wildfires, and storms. Additionally, the framework offers the possibility for risk assessment under different future scenarios. The implications for climate change adaptation policy are discussed.
Long-Term Trend Analysis of Precipitation and Air Temperature for Kentucky, United States
Authors: Chattopadhyay Somsubhra , Edwards Dwayne
Published: February 2016

Variation in quantities such as precipitation and temperature is often assessed by detecting and characterizing trends in available meteorological data. The objective of this study was to determine the long-term trends in annual precipitation and mean annual air temperature for the state of Kentucky. Non-parametric statistical tests were applied to homogenized and (as needed) pre-whitened annual series of precipitation and mean air temperature during 1950–2010. Significant trends in annual precipitation were detected (both positive, averaging 4.1 mm/year) for only two of the 60 precipitation-homogenous weather stations (Calloway and Carlisle counties in rural western Kentucky). Only three of the 42 temperature-homogenous stations demonstrated trends (all positive, averaging 0.01 °C/year) in mean annual temperature: Calloway County, Allen County in southern-central Kentucky, and urbanized Jefferson County in northern-central Kentucky. In view of the locations of the stations demonstrating positive trends, similar work in adjacent states will be required to better understand the processes responsible for those trends and to properly place them in their larger context, if any.
Epoxy Sol-Gel Hybrid Thermosets
Authors: Serra Angels , Ramis Xavier , Fernández-Francos Xavier
Published: February 2016

Sol-gel methodologies are advantageous in the preparation of hybrid materials in front of the conventional addition of nanoparticles, because of the fine dispersion of the inorganic phase that can be reached in epoxy matrices. In addition, the use of organoalkoxysilanes as coupling agents allows covalent linkage between organic and inorganic phases, which is the key point in the improvement of mechanical properties. The sol-gel process involves hydrolysis and condensation reactions under mild conditions, starting from hydrolysable metal alkoxides, generally alkoxy silanes. Using the sol-gel procedure, the viscosity of the formulation is maintained, which is an important issue in coating applications, whereas the transparency of the polymer matrix is also maintained. However, only the proper combination of the chemistries and functionalities of both organic and inorganic structures leads to thermosets with the desired characteristics. The adequate preparation of hybrid epoxy thermosets enables their improvement in characteristics such as mechanical properties (modulus, hardness, scratch resistance), thermal and flame resistance, corrosion and antimicrobial protection, and even optical performance among others.
Crystal-Structure Analysis with Moments of the Density-of-States: Application to Intermetallic Topologically Close-Packed Phases
Authors: Hammerschmidt Thomas , Ladines Alvin , Koßmann Jörg , Drautz Ralf
Published: February 2016

The moments of the electronic density-of-states provide a robust and transparent means for the characterization of crystal structures. Using d-valent canonical tight-binding, we compute the moments of the crystal structures of topologically close-packed (TCP) phases as obtained from density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. We apply the moments to establish a measure for the difference between two crystal structures and to characterize volume changes and internal relaxations. The second moment provides access to volume variations of the unit cell and of the atomic coordination polyhedra. Higher moments reveal changes in the longer-ranged coordination shells due to internal relaxations. Normalization of the higher moments leads to constant (A15,C15) or very similar (χ, C14, C36, μ, and σ) higher moments of the DFT-relaxed TCP phases across the 4d and 5d transition-metal series. The identification and analysis of internal relaxations is demonstrated for atomic-size differences in the V-Ta system and for different magnetic orderings in the C14-Fe 2 Nb Laves phase.
Relative Entropy in Biological Systems
Authors: Baez John , Pollard Blake
Published: February 2016

In this paper we review various information-theoretic characterizations of the approach to equilibrium in biological systems. The replicator equation, evolutionary game theory, Markov processes and chemical reaction networks all describe the dynamics of a population or probability distribution. Under suitable assumptions, the distribution will approach an equilibrium with the passage of time. Relative entropy—that is, the Kullback–Leibler divergence, or various generalizations of this—provides a quantitative measure of how far from equilibrium the system is. We explain various theorems that give conditions under which relative entropy is nonincreasing. In biochemical applications these results can be seen as versions of the Second Law of Thermodynamics, stating that free energy can never increase with the passage of time. In ecological applications, they make precise the notion that a population gains information from its environment as it approaches equilibrium.
Probability Density Function Characterization for Aggregated Large-Scale Wind Power Based on Weibull Mixtures
Authors: Gómez-Lázaro Emilio , Bueso María , Kessler Mathieu , Martín-Martínez Sergio , Zhang Jie , Hodge Bri-Mathias , Molina-García Angel
Published: February 2016

The Weibull probability distribution has been widely applied to characterize wind speeds for wind energy resources. Wind power generation modeling is different, however, due in particular to power curve limitations, wind turbine control methods, and transmission system operation requirements. These differences are even greater for aggregated wind power generation in power systems with high wind penetration. Consequently, models based on one-Weibull component can provide poor characterizations for aggregated wind power generation. With this aim, the present paper focuses on discussing Weibull mixtures to characterize the probability density function (PDF) for aggregated wind power generation. PDFs of wind power data are firstly classified attending to hourly and seasonal patterns. The selection of the number of components in the mixture is analyzed through two well-known different criteria: the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and the Bayesian information criterion (BIC). Finally, the optimal number of Weibull components for maximum likelihood is explored for the defined patterns, including the estimated weight, scale, and shape parameters. Results show that multi-Weibull models are more suitable to characterize aggregated wind power data due to the impact of distributed generation, variety of wind speed values and wind power curtailment.
Simulation of Wind Speed in the Ventilation Tunnel for Surge Tanks in Transient Processes
Authors: Yang Jiandong , Wang Huang , Guo Wencheng , Yang Weijia , Zeng Wei
Published: February 2016

Hydroelectric power plants’ open-type surge tanks may be built in mountains subject to the provision of atmospheric air. Hence, a ventilation tunnel is indispensable. The air flow in the ventilation tunnel is associated with the fluctuation of water-level in the surge tank. There is a great relationship between the wind speed and the safe use and project investment of ventilation tunnels. To obtain the wind speed in a ventilation tunnel for a surge tank during transient processes, this article adopts the one-dimensional numerical simulation method and establishes a mathematical model of a wind speed by assuming the boundary conditions of air discharge for a surge tank. Thereafter, the simulation of wind speed in a ventilation tunnel, for the case of a surge tank during transient processes, is successfully realized. Finally, the effective mechanism of water-level fluctuation in a surge tank and the shape of the ventilation tunnel (including length, sectional area and dip angle) for the wind speed distribution and the change process are discovered. On the basis of comparison between the simulation results of 1D and 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD), the results indicate that the one-dimensional simulation method as proposed in this article can be used to accurately simulate the wind speed in the ventilation tunnel of a surge tank during transient processes. The wind speed fluctuations can be superimposed by using the low frequency mass wave (i.e., fundamental wave) and the high frequency elastic wave (i.e., harmonic wave). The water-level fluctuation in a surge tank and the sectional area of the ventilation tunnel mainly affect the amplitude of fundamental and harmonic waves. The period of a fundamental wave can be determined from the water-level fluctuations. The length of the ventilation tunnel has an effect on the period and amplitude of harmonic waves, whereas the dip angle influences the amplitude of harmonic waves.
Allometric Models Based on Bayesian Frameworks Give Better Estimates of Aboveground Biomass in the Miombo Woodlands
Authors: Kuyah Shem , Sileshi Gudeta , Rosenstock Todd
Published: February 2016

The miombo woodland is the most extensive dry forest in the world, with the potential to store substantial amounts of biomass carbon. Efforts to obtain accurate estimates of carbon stocks in the miombo woodlands are limited by a general lack of biomass estimation models (BEMs). This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of most commonly employed allometric models for estimating aboveground biomass (AGB) in miombo woodlands, and to develop new models that enable more accurate estimation of biomass in the miombo woodlands. A generalizable mixed-species allometric model was developed from 88 trees belonging to 33 species ranging in diameter at breast height (DBH) from 5 to 105 cm using Bayesian estimation. A power law model with DBH alone performed better than both a polynomial model with DBH and the square of DBH, and models including height and crown area as additional variables along with DBH. The accuracy of estimates from published models varied across different sites and trees of different diameter classes, and was lower than estimates from our model. The model developed in this study can be used to establish conservative carbon stocks required to determine avoided emissions in performance-based payment schemes, for example in afforestation and reforestation activities.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Games in 2015
Authors:   Games Editorial Office
Published: February 2016

The editors of Games would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2015. [...]
Impacts of Climatic Variability on Vibrio parahaemolyticus Outbreaks in Taiwan
Authors: Hsiao Hsin-I , Jan Man-Ser , Chi Hui-Ju
Published: February 2016

This study aimed to investigate and quantify the relationship between climate variation and incidence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Taiwan. Specifically, seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models (including autoregression, seasonality, and a lag-time effect) were employed to predict the role of climatic factors (including temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, ocean temperature and ocean salinity) on the incidence of V. parahaemolyticus in Taiwan between 2000 and 2011. The results indicated that average temperature (+), ocean temperature (+), ocean salinity of 6 months ago (+), maximum daily rainfall (current (−) and one month ago (−)), and average relative humidity (current and 9 months ago (−)) had significant impacts on the incidence of V. parahaemolyticus. Our findings offer a novel view of the quantitative relationship between climate change and food poisoning by V. parahaemolyticus in Taiwan. An early warning system based on climate change information for the disease control management is required in future.
A Geosimulation Approach for Data Scarce Environments: Modeling Dynamics of Forest Insect Infestation across Different Landscapes
Authors: Anderson Taylor , Dragicevic Suzana
Published: February 2016

Insect infestation behaves as a complex system, characterized by non-linear spatial dynamics and emergent patterns that evolve from smaller to larger spatial scales. The emerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive species that has infested and killed millions of ash trees across North America. Existing EAB models use traditional statistical approaches that often cannot address the spatiotemporal complexity emerging from EAB infestation processes. Moreover, these studies of insect infestation are limited by a lack of sufficient time series data. The objective of this study is to develop a geosimulation approach to overcome the challenge of data scarcity and represent EAB infestation at a regional scale. Geographic information systems (GIS), multi-criteria evaluation (MCE), and cellular automata (CA) are used to model EAB spread across different hypothetical landscape types. Simulation results represent EAB propagation and indicate different dynamics of spread for each landscape. Urban environments are identified as being at the greatest risk to the infestation. The proposed approach offers a theoretical framework and a modeling tool to represent the propagation of EAB infestation that can be applied with real geospatial datasets and potentially used in forest management strategies.
Effects of Atorvastatin Dose and Concomitant Use of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors on Renal Function Changes over Time in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Wieczorek-Surdacka Ewa , Świerszcz Jolanta , Surdacki Andrzej
Published: February 2016

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and statins are widely used in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Our aim was to compare changes in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) over time in subjects with stable CAD according to atorvastatin dose and concomitant use of ACEI. We studied 78 men with stable CAD referred for an elective coronary angiography who attained the then-current guideline-recommended target level of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol below 2.5 mmol/L in a routine fasting lipid panel on admission and were receiving atorvastatin at a daily dose of 10–40 mg for ≥3 months preceding the index hospitalization. Due to an observational study design, atorvastatin dosage was not intentionally modified for other reasons. GFR was estimated during index hospitalization and at about one year after discharge from our center. Irrespective of ACEI use, a prevention of kidney function loss was observed only in those treated with the highest atorvastatin dose. In 38 subjects on ACEI, both of the higher atorvastatin doses were associated with increasing beneficial effects on GFR changes (mean ± SEM: −4.2 ± 2.4, 1.1 ± 1.6, 5.2 ± 2.4 mL/min per 1.73 m2 for the 10-mg, 20-mg and 40-mg atorvastatin group, respectively, p = 0.02 by ANOVA; Spearman’s rho = 0.50, p = 0.001 for trend). In sharp contrast, in 40 patients without ACEI, no significant trend effect was observed across increasing atorvastatin dosage (respective GFR changes: −1.3 ± 1.0, −4.7 ± 2.1, 4.8 ± 3.6 mL/min per 1.73 m2, p = 0.02 by ANOVA; rho = 0.08, p = 0.6 for trend). The results were substantially unchanged after adjustment for baseline GFR or time-dependent variations of LDL cholesterol. Thus, concomitant ACEI use appears to facilitate the ability of increasing atorvastatin doses to beneficially modulate time-dependent changes in GFR in men with stable CAD.
Molecular Pathological Classification of Neurodegenerative Diseases: Turning towards Precision Medicine
Authors: Kovacs Gabor
Published: February 2016

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are characterized by selective dysfunction and loss of neurons associated with pathologically altered proteins that deposit in the human brain but also in peripheral organs. These proteins and their biochemical modifications can be potentially targeted for therapy or used as biomarkers. Despite a plethora of modifications demonstrated for different neurodegeneration-related proteins, such as amyloid-β, prion protein, tau, α-synuclein, TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43), or fused in sarcoma protein (FUS), molecular classification of NDDs relies on detailed morphological evaluation of protein deposits, their distribution in the brain, and their correlation to clinical symptoms together with specific genetic alterations. A further facet of the neuropathology-based classification is the fact that many protein deposits show a hierarchical involvement of brain regions. This has been shown for Alzheimer and Parkinson disease and some forms of tauopathies and TDP-43 proteinopathies. The present paper aims to summarize current molecular classification of NDDs, focusing on the most relevant biochemical and morphological aspects. Since the combination of proteinopathies is frequent, definition of novel clusters of patients with NDDs needs to be considered in the era of precision medicine. Optimally, neuropathological categorizing of NDDs should be translated into in vivo detectable biomarkers to support better prediction of prognosis and stratification of patients for therapy trials.
Transcriptome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling Analysis of Chrysanthemum Trihelix Transcription Factors
Authors: Song Aiping , Wu Dan , Fan Qingqing , Tian Chang , Chen Sumei , Guan Zhiyong , Xin Jingjing , Zhao Kunkun , Chen Fadi
Published: February 2016

Trihelix transcription factors are thought to feature a typical DNA-binding trihelix (helix-loop-helix-loop-helix) domain that binds specifically to the GT motif, a light-responsive DNA element. Members of the trihelix family are known to function in a number of processes in plants. Here, we characterize 20 trihelix family genes in the important ornamental plant chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium). Based on transcriptomic data, 20 distinct sequences distributed across four of five groups revealed by a phylogenetic tree were isolated and amplified. The phylogenetic analysis also identified four pairs of orthologous proteins shared by Arabidopsis and chrysanthemum and five pairs of paralogous proteins in chrysanthemum. Conserved motifs in the trihelix proteins shared by Arabidopsis and chrysanthemum were analyzed using MEME, and further bioinformatic analysis revealed that 16 CmTHs can be targeted by 20 miRNA families and that miR414 can target 9 CmTHs. qPCR results displayed that most chrysanthemum trihelix genes were highly expressed in inflorescences, while 20 CmTH genes were in response to phytohormone treatments and abiotic stresses. This work improves our understanding of the various functions of trihelix gene family members in response to hormonal stimuli and stress.
Cross-Entropy-Based Energy-Efficient Radio Resource Management in HetNets with Coordinated Multiple Points
Authors: Yu Jia , Konaka Shinsuke , Akutagawa Masatake , Zhang Qinyu
Published: February 2016

Energy efficiency and spectrum efficiency are the most important issues for future mobile systems. Heterogeneous networks (HetNets) with coordinated multiple points (CoMP) are wildly approved as a promising solution to meet increasing demands of mobile data traffic and to reduce energy consumptions. However, hyper-dense deployments and complex coordination mechanisms introduce several challenges in radio resource management (RRM) of mobile communication systems. To address this issue, we present an RRM approach for CoMP-based HetNets, which aims to maximize weighted energy efficiency while guaranteeing the data rate of each transmission. The proposed RRM approach is based on a cross-entropy (CE) optimization method that is an effective and low-complexity heuristic algorithm. Furthermore, we also give the implementations of the proposed RRM approach in centralized and decentralized mode, respectively. At last, extensive simulations are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed schemes.
Integrated Pest Management of Coffee Berry Borer: Strategies from Latin America that Could Be Useful for Coffee Farmers in Hawaii
Authors: Aristizábal Luis , Bustillo Alex , Arthurs Steven
Published: February 2016

The coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) is the primary arthropod pest of coffee plantations worldwide. Since its detection in Hawaii (September 2010), coffee growers are facing financial losses due to reduced quality of coffee yields. Several control strategies that include cultural practices, biological control agents (parasitoids), chemical and microbial insecticides (entomopathogenic fungi), and a range of post-harvest sanitation practices have been conducted to manage CBB around the world. In addition, sampling methods including the use of alcohol based traps for monitoring CBB populations have been implemented in some coffee producing countries in Latin America. It is currently unclear which combination of CBB control strategies is optimal under economical, environmental, and sociocultural conditions of Hawaii. This review discusses components of an integrated pest management program for CBB. We focus on practical approaches to provide guidance to coffee farmers in Hawaii. Experiences of integrated pest management (IPM) of CBB learned from Latin America over the past 25 years may be relevant for establishing strategies of control that may fit under Hawaiian coffee farmers’ conditions.
Titan as the Abode of Life
Authors: McKay Christopher
Published: February 2016

Titan is the only world we know, other than Earth, that has a liquid on its surface. It also has a thick atmosphere composed of nitrogen and methane with a thick organic haze. There are lakes, rain, and clouds of methane and ethane. Here, we address the question of carbon-based life living in Titan liquids. Photochemically produced organics, particularly acetylene, in Titan’s atmosphere could be a source of biological energy when reacted with atmospheric hydrogen. Light levels on the surface of Titan are more than adequate for photosynthesis, but the biochemical limitations due to the few elements available in the environment may lead only to simple ecosystems that only consume atmospheric nutrients. Life on Titan may make use of the trace metals and other inorganic elements produced by meteorites as they ablate in its atmosphere. It is conceivable that H2O molecules on Titan could be used in a biochemistry that is rooted in hydrogen bonds in a way that metals are used in enzymes by life on Earth. Previous theoretical work has shown possible membrane structures, azotosomes, in Titan liquids, azotosomes, composed of small organic nitrogen compounds, such as acrylonitrile. The search for a plausible information molecule for life in Titan liquids remains an open research topic—polyethers have been considered and shown to be insoluble at Titan temperatures. Possible search strategies for life on Titan include looking for unusual concentrations of certain molecules reflecting biological selection. Homochirality is a special and powerful example of such biology selection. Environmentally, a depletion of hydrogen in the lower atmosphere may be a sign of metabolism. A discovery of life in liquid methane and ethane would be our first compelling indication that the universe is full of diverse and wondrous life forms.
Upscaling the Use of Mixed Recycled Aggregates in Non-Structural Low Cement Concrete
Authors: López-Uceda Antonio , Ayuso Jesús , Jiménez José , Agrela Francisco , Barbudo Auxiliadora , De Brito Jorge
Published: February 2016

This research aims to produce non-structural concrete with mixed recycled aggregates (MRA) in upscaled applications with low-cement content. Four slabs were executed with concrete made with different ratios of coarse MRA (0%, 20%, 40% and 100%), using the mix design, the mixing procedures and the facilities from a nearby concrete production plant. The analysis of the long-term compressive and splitting tensile strengths in concrete cores, extracted from the slabs, allowed the highlighting of the long-term high strength development potential of MRA incorporation. The study of cast specimens produced in situ under the same conditions as the slabs showed, firstly, that the use of MRA has a great influence on the properties related to durability, secondly, that the loss of compressive strength for total MRA incorporation relative to control concrete increases proportionally with the class strength, and, thirdly, that the mechanical properties (including Schmidt hammer results) from the concrete slabs showed no significant differences relative to the control concrete for coarse aggregates replacements up to 40%. Therefore, this upscaled experimental study supports the application of concrete with 100% coarse MRA incorporation and low cement content in non-structural civil works such as bike lanes, gutters, ground slabs, leveling surfaces, and subgrades for foundations. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there have not been any upscaled applications of concrete with MRA and low cement content.
Ti/Al Multi-Layered Sheets: Differential Speed Rolling (Part B)
Authors: Romberg Jan , Freudenberger Jens , Watanabe Hiroyuki , Scharnweber Juliane , Eschke Andy , Kühn Uta , Klauß Hansjörg , Oertel Carl-Georg , Skrotzki Werner , Eckert Jürgen , Schultz Ludwig
Published: February 2016

Differential speed rolling has been applied to multi-layered Ti/Al composite sheets, obtained from accumulative roll bonding with intermediate heat treatments being applied. In comparison to conventional rolling, differential speed rolling is more efficient in strengthening the composite due to the more pronounced grain refinement. Severe plastic deformation by means of rolling becomes feasible if the evolution of common rolling textures in the Ti layers is retarded. In this condition, a maximum strength level of the composites is achieved, i.e., an ultimate tensile strength of 464 MPa, while the strain to failure amounts to 6.8%. The deformation has been observed for multi-layered composites. In combination with the analysis of the microstructure, this has been correlated to the mechanical properties.
Recent Development of Plasmonic Resonance-Based Photocatalysis and Photovoltaics for Solar Utilization
Authors: Fan Wenguang , Leung Michael
Published: February 2016

Increasing utilization of solar energy is an effective strategy to tackle our energy and energy-related environmental issues. Both solar photocatalysis (PC) and solar photovoltaics (PV) have high potential to develop technologies of many practical applications. Substantial research efforts are devoted to enhancing visible light activation of the photoelectrocatalytic reactions by various modifications of nanostructured semiconductors. This review paper emphasizes the recent advancement in material modifications by means of the promising localized surface plasmonic resonance (LSPR) mechanisms. The principles of LSPR and its effects on the photonic efficiency of PV and PC are discussed here. Many research findings reveal the promise of Au and Ag plasmonic nanoparticles (NPs). Continual investigation for increasing the stability of the plasmonic NPs will be fruitful.
Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Studies of Imogolite and Fe-Modified Imogolite Nanotubes
Authors: Castro Carmen , Arancibia-Miranda Nicolas , Acuña-Rougier Cristina , Escudey Mauricio , Tasca Federico
Published: February 2016

Carbon nanotubes and other forms of carbon nanoparticles, as well as metal nanoparticles have been widely used in film electrochemistry because they allow for the immobilization of larger amounts of catalyst (either biological or inorganic) on the top of the modified electrodes. Nevertheless, those nanoparticles present high costs of synthesis and of separation and purification that hamper their employment. On the other hand, imogolites (Im), with the general formula (OH)3Al2O3SiOH, are naturally-occurring nanomaterials, which can be obtained from glassy volcanic ash soils and can also be synthesized at mild conditions. In this research paper, we characterize through spectroscopic techniques (i.e., fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM)) synthetized Im and Fe-modified imogolite (Im(Fe)). Moreover, the Im and Im(Fe) were physically adsorbed on the top of a graphite electrode (GE) and were characterized electrochemically in the potential region ranging from −0.8 to 0.8 V vs. the saturated calomel electrode (SCE). When the film of the Im or of the Im(Fe) was present on the top of the electrode, the intensity of the charging/discharging current increased two-fold, but no redox activity in the absence of O2 could be appreciated. To show that Im and Im(Fe) could be used as support for catalysts, iron phthalocyanine (FePc) was adsorbed on the top of the Im or Im(Fe) film, and the electrocatalytic activity towards the O2 reduction was measured. In the presence of the Im, the measured electrocatalytic current for O2 reduction increased 30%, and the overpotential drastically decreased by almost 100 mV, proving that the Im can act as a good support for the electrocatalysts.