bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Yeats and Japan: The Dreaming of the Bones
Authors: Sekine Masaru
Published: April 2015

‘Yeats and Japan: The Dreaming of the Bones’ first investigates how the Noh came to influence Yeats, then analyzes Yeats's Four Plays for Dancers, focusing on The Dreaming of the Bones, and explains how this Yeats play is adapted into a new Noh play, Hone-no-Yume, in which the places, names and situations were changed to Japanese ones. An account is then given of the latter's production. Fenolossa came to Japan with an appointment to teach Ethics and Logic at the University of Tokyo in 1987, where he studied Noh with Minoru Umewaka, a Noh master. He also translated some Noh plays with the help of his students. After his death in London, his manuscripts were handed over to Ezra Pound by his second wife, Mary, and it is through Pound that Yeats came to read them. Inspired by them Yeats wrote Four Plays for Dancers. At the Hawk’s Well was later translated into two different Noh plays by Mario Yokomichi, thus completing the circle from Japan to Ireland and back.
Madness and Magic: Shakespeare's Macbeth
Authors: McGuinness Frank
Published: April 2015

Clearing away all assumptions of familiarity with Shakespeare's play, this essay examines Macbeth with penetrating clarity and passionate understanding. Structure, plot, and dark magic are interwoven as McGuinness follows the brutal ascent to power of Macbeth and his wife, paralleling this with the subsequently terrifying moral and personal disintegration of their marriage and their souls. The achievement of Macbeth in form, intricacy, internal coherence, and moral insight is poetically revealed.
Deprovincializing Brian Friel's Drama in America, 2009 and 2014: Dancing at Lughnasa in Fort Myers, Florida, and Faith Healer in Houston, Texas
Authors: Russell Richard Rankin
Published: April 2015

While American regional theatre has flourished for decades, hardly any critics with a national profile pay attention to it, but theatre critic Terry Teachout has recently argued that criticism must catch up with this ‘deprovincialized’ drama, drawing upon his viewing of Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa in a memorable 2009 production by the Florida Repertory Theatre in Fort Myers. I tentatively explore through that production of Lughnasa what implications its staging in a locale with a strong Hispanic concentration might have for American theatre and for its growing immigrant population as the United States becomes ever more divided, yet still idealizes plurality and immigration. I then assess the Stark Naked Theatre Company's stirring 2014 production of Faith Healer in Houston, Texas. Actors and local critics mostly neglected Irish aspects of the play – unlike their supposed more enlightened New York critics and audiences, who tend to read Irish drama through outmoded stereotypes – and instead privileged its spiritual qualities and its potential for showcasing theatre as an art form.
An Interview with Garry Hynes
Authors: Grene Nicholas
Published: April 2015

In this wide ranging interview between Druid's Artistic Director Garry Hynes and Nicholas Grene, she speaks of her work on the two marathon productions, DruidSynge in 2004–6 and DruidMurphy in 2012–13. She explains the origins of the idea of doing all of Synge's plays as a single event, the process of funding, casting, and designing the production. She offers comparable insights into DruidMurphy, how the three of Murphy's plays, A Whistle in the Dark, Conversations on a Homecoming, and Famine, were chosen to highlight emigration as one of the playwright's key themes. This is followed up by a supplementary interview about the production in September 2014 of Bailegangaire with Brigit, Murphy's new ‘prequel’ to it. The interview offers new insights into Hynes's working methods, and the logistic and creative challenges of these large scale theatrical enterprises.
Development of Flight Path Planning for Multirotor Aerial Vehicles
Authors: Tsai Yi-Ju , Lee Chia-Sung , Lin Chun-Liang , Huang Ching-Huei
Published: April 2015

This study addresses the flight-path planning problem for multirotor aerial vehicles (AVs). We consider the specific features and requirements of real-time flight-path planning and develop a rapidly-exploring random tree (RRT) algorithm to determine a preliminary flight path in three-dimensional space. Since the path obtained by the RRT may not be optimal due to the existence of redundant waypoints. To reduce the cost of energy during AV’s flight, the excessive waypoints need to be refined. We revise the A-star algorithm by adopting the heading of the AV as the key indices while calculating the cost. Bezier curves are finally proposed to smooth the flight path, making it applicable for real-world flight.
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Research Opportunities
Authors: Chahl Javaan
Published: April 2015

The aerospace community is planning for growth in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) funding and research opportunities. The premise that UAS will revolutionize aerospace appears to be unfolding based on current trends. There is also an anticipation of an increasing number of new platforms and research investment, which is likely but must be analysed carefully to determine where the opportunities lie. This paper draws on the state of technology, history and systems engineering. We explore what aspects of UAS will be the result of aerospace science advances and what aspects will be incremental engineering and systems integration. It becomes apparent that, for academia, the largest opportunities may exist in small and micro UAS domain due to the novelty of aerospace engineering on a small scale.
Joint Application of Concentration and δ18O to Investigate the Global Atmospheric CO Budget
Authors: Park Keyhong , Emmons Louisa , Wang Zhihui , Mak John
Published: April 2015

Most previous top-down global carbon monoxide (CO) budget estimates have used only concentration information and shown large differences in individual source estimates. Since CO from certain sources has a specific isotopic signature, coupling the concentration and isotope fraction information can provide a better constraint on CO source strength estimates. We simulate both CO concentration and its oxygen isotopologue C18O in the 3-D global chemical transport model MOZART-4 and compare the results with observations. We then used a Bayesian inversion to calculate the most probable global CO budget. In the analysis, δ18O information is jointly applied with concentration. The joint inversion results should provide more accurate and precise inversion results in comparison with CO-only inversion. Various methods combining the concentration and isotope ratios were tested to maximize the benefit of including isotope information. The joint inversion of CO and δ18O estimated total global CO production at 2951 Tg-CO/yr in 1997, 3084 Tg-CO/yr in 1998, and 2583 Tg-CO/yr in 2004. The updated CO budget improved both the modeled CO and δ18O. The clear improvement shown in the δ18O implies that more accurate source strengths are estimated. Thus, we confirmed that the observation of CO isotopes provide further substantial information for estimating a global CO budget.
Resilience in Physically Abused Children: Protective Factors for Aggression
Authors: Holmes Megan , Yoon Susan , Voith Laura , Kobulsky Julia , Steigerwald Stacey
Published: April 2015

Aggression continues to be a serious problem among children, especially those children who have experienced adverse life events such as maltreatment. However, there are many maltreated children who show resilient functioning. This study investigated potential protective factors (i.e., child prosocial skills, child internalizing well-being, and caregiver well-being) that promoted positive adaptation and increased the likelihood of a child engaging in the healthy, normative range of aggressive behavior, despite experiencing physical maltreatment. Logistic regression analyses were conducted using two waves of data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW-I). Children who were physically maltreated were more likely to exhibit clinical levels of aggressive behavior at Time 1 than children who were not physically maltreated. Children’s internalizing well-being, children’s prosocial behavior, and caregivers’ well-being were associated with lower likelihood of clinical levels of aggressive behavior at Time 1. Children’s internalizing well-being and children’s prosocial behavior remained significantly associated with nonclinical aggression 18 months later. These findings highlight the role of protective factors in fostering positive and adaptive behaviors in maltreated children. Interventions focusing on preventing early aggression and reinforcing child prosocial skills, child internalizing well-being, and caregiver well-being may be promising in promoting healthy positive behavioral adjustment.
Effects of Mechanical Stretching on the Morphology and Cytoskeleton of Vaginal Fibroblasts from Women with Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Authors: Wang Sumei , Zhang Zhenyu , Lü Dongyuan , Xu Qiuxiang
Published: April 2015

Mechanical load and postmenopausal hypoestrogen are risk factors for pelvic organ prolapse (POP). In this study, we applied a 0.1-Hz uniaxial cyclic mechanical stretching (CS) with 10% elongation and 10−8 M 17-β-estradiol to vaginal fibroblasts isolated from postmenopausal women with or without POP to investigate the effects of CS and estrogen on cell morphology and cytoskeletons of normal and POP fibroblasts. Under static culture condition, POP fibroblasts exhibited lower cell circularity and higher relative fluorescence intensities (RFIs) of F-actin, α-tubulin and vimentin. When cultured with CS, all fibroblasts grew perpendicular to the force and exhibited a decreased cell projection area, cell circularity and increased cell length/width ratio; normal fibroblasts exhibited increased RFIs of all three types of cytoskeleton, and POP fibroblasts exhibited a decreased RFI of F-actin and no significant differences of α-tubulin and vimentin. After being cultured with 17-β-estradiol and CS, normal fibroblasts no longer exhibited significant changes in the cell projection area and the RFIs of F-actin and α-tubulin; POP fibroblasts exhibited no significant changes in cell circularity, length/width ratio and F-actin even with the increased RFIs of α-tubulin and vimentin. These findings suggest that POP fibroblasts have greater sensitivity to and lower tolerance for mechanical stretching, and estrogen can improve the prognosis.
Relationship between Proinflammatory and Antioxidant Proteins with the Severity of Cardiovascular Disease in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: García-Fontana Beatriz , Morales-Santana Sonia , Longobardo Victoria , Reyes-García Rebeca , Rozas-Moreno Pedro , García-Salcedo José , Muñoz-Torres Manuel
Published: April 2015

Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients are at significant risk of cardiovascular disease, however, the pathophysiology of these complications is complex and incompletely known in this population. The aim of this study was to compare the serum proteome of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus presenting or not presenting cardiovascular disease with non-diabetic subjects to find essential proteins related to these cardiovascular complications. This cross-sectional study compares the serum proteome by a combination of protein depletion with 2D-DIGE (2-dimension Difference Gel Electrophoresis) methodology. The proteins differentially expressed were identified by MALDI TOF/TOF (Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and Time-Of-Flight ion detector) or LC-MS/MS (Liquid Chromatography coupled to Mass-Mass Spectrometry). Type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with cardiovascular disease showed higher expression of plasma retinol binding protein and glutathione peroxidase-3 compared to those without cardiovascular disease and non-diabetic controls. These results show that proteins related to the inflammatory and redox state appear to play an important role in the pathogenesis of the cardiovascular disease in the type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.
In Ovo Administration of Silver Nanoparticles and/or Amino Acids Influence Metabolism and Immune Gene Expression in Chicken Embryos
Authors: Bhanja Subrat , Hotowy Anna , Mehra Manish , Sawosz Ewa , Pineda Lane , Vadalasetty Krishna , Kurantowicz Natalia , Chwalibog André
Published: April 2015

Due to their physicochemical and biological properties, silver nanoparticles (NanoAg) have a wide range of applications. In the present study, their roles as a carrier of nutrients and an immunomodulator were tested in chicken embryos. Cysteine (Cys)+NanoAg injected embryos had smaller livers but heavier breasts on the 19th day of embryogenesis. Cys injected embryos had lower oxygen consumption compared to threonine (Thr) or NanoAg injected embryos. The energy expenditure in Thr+NanoAg, or NanoAg injected embryos was higher than Cys or Cys+NanoAg but was not different from uninjected control embryos. Relative expression of the hepatic insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) gene was higher in Cys or NanoAg injected embryos after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induction. The gene expression of hepatic tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) did not differ among amino acids, NanoAg and uninjected controls in the non-LPS groups, but increased by many folds in the LPS treated NanoAg, Cys and Cys+NanoAg groups. In LPS treated spleens, TNF-α expression was also up-regulated by NanoAg, amino acids and their combinations, but interleukin-10 (IL-10) expression was down-regulated in Thr, Cys or Thr+NanoAg injected embryos. Toll like receptor-2 (TLR2) expression did not differ in NanoAg or amino acids injected embryos; however, toll like receptor-4 (TLR4) expression was higher in all treated embryos, except for Cys+NanoAg, than in uninjected control embryos. We concluded that NanoAg either alone or in combination with amino acids did not affect embryonic growth but improved immunocompetence, indicating that NanoAg and amino acid complexes can act as potential agents for the enhancement of innate and adaptive immunity in chicken.
An Exploratory Pilot Study of Genetic Marker for IgE-Mediated Allergic Diseases with Expressions of FcεR1α and Cε
Authors: Liao En-Chih , Chang Ching-Yun , Hsieh Chia-Wei , Yu Sheng-Jie , Yin Sui-Chu , Tsai Jaw-Ji
Published: April 2015

The high affinity immunoglobulin E (IgE) receptor-FcεR1 is mainly expressed on the surface of effector cells. Cross-linking of IgE Abs bound to FcεR1 by multi-valent antigens can induce the activation of these cells and the secretion of inflammatory mediators. Since FcεR1 plays a central role in the induction and maintenance of allergic responses, this study aimed to investigate the association of FcεR1 with the allergic phenotype of Cε expression and cytokine and histamine release from peripheral leukocytes. Peripheral leukocytes from 67 allergic and 50 non-allergic subjects were used for genotyping analysis. Peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were used for Cε expression and ELISpot analysis, while polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) were used for histamine release. The association between genotype polymorphism of the FcεR1α promoter region (rs2427827 and rs2251746) and allergic features of Cε expression and histamine were analyzed, and their effects on leukocytes function were compared with wild type. The genotype polymorphisms of FcεR1α promoter region with CT and TT in rs2427827 and TC in rs2251746 were significantly higher in allergic patients than in non-allergic controls. Patients with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of FcεR1α promoter region had high levels of total IgE, mite-specific Der p 2 (Group 2 allergen of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus)-specific IgE and IgE secretion B cells. The mRNA expression of FcεR1α was significantly increased after Der p2 stimulation in PBMCs with SNPs of the FcεR1α promoter region. Despite the increased Cε mRNA expression in PBMCs and histamine release from PMNs and the up-regulated mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 secretions after Der p2 stimulation, there was no statistically significant difference between SNPs of the FcεR1α promoter region and the wild type. SNPs of FcεR1α promoter region were associated with IgE expression, IgE producing B cells, and increased Der p2-induced FcεR1α mRNA expression. These SNPs may be used as a disease marker for IgE-mediated allergic inflammation caused by Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus.
Roles of Antioxidative Enzymes in Wound Healing
Authors: Kurahashi Toshihiro , Fujii Junichi
Published: April 2015

Since skin is the first barrier separating the body from the external environment, impaired wound healing can be life threatening to living organisms. Delayed healing processes are observed in animals under certain circumstances, such as advanced age, diabetes, and immunosuppression, but the underlying mechanisms of the abnormality remain elusive. Redox homeostasis is defined as the balance between the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants in which antioxidative enzymes play central roles in scavenging ROS. In addition to deleterious effects, ROS also exert beneficial functions on some cellular processes such as transducing phosphorylation signaling, but excessive antioxidants may impede the healing process. Hence, strict control over the amounts of antioxidants is desirable when applied for therapeutic purposes. Here we overview recent findings regarding the relationships between antioxidative enzymes and wound healing. Unveiling the role of antioxidative enzymes is expected to contribute to our understanding of the wound healing processes.
Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Effects of the Marine-Derived Compound Excavatolide B Isolated from the Culture-Type Formosan Gorgonian Briareum excavatum
Authors: Lin Yen-You , Lin Sung-Chun , Feng Chien-Wei , Chen Pei-Chin , Su Yin-Di , Li Chi-Min , Yang San-Nan , Jean Yen-Hsuan , Sung Ping-Jyun , Duh Chang-Yih , Wen Zhi-Hong
Published: April 2015

In recent years, several marine-derived compounds have been clinically evaluated. Diterpenes are secondary metabolites from soft coral that exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and cytotoxic activities. In the present study, we isolated a natural diterpene product, excavatolide B, from cultured Formosan gorgonian Briareum excavatum and investigated its anti-inflammatory activities. We found that excavatolide B significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of the proinflammatory mediators, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged murine macrophages (RAW 264.7). We also examined the anti-inflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of excavatolide B on intraplantar carrageenan-induced inflammatory responses. Excavatolide B was found to significantly attenuate carrageenan-induced nociceptive behaviors, mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia, weight bearing deficits and paw edema. In addition, excavatolide B inhibited iNOS, as well as the infiltration of immune cells in carrageenan-induced inflammatory paw tissue.
Does the Gut Microbiota Contribute to Obesity? Going beyond the Gut Feeling
Authors: Aguirre Marisol , Venema Koen
Published: April 2015

Increasing evidence suggests that gut microbiota is an environmental factor that plays a crucial role in obesity. However, the aetiology of obesity is rather complex and depends on different factors. Furthermore, there is a lack of consensus about the exact role that this microbial community plays in the host. The aim of this review is to present evidence about what has been characterized, compositionally and functionally, as obese gut microbiota. In addition, the different reasons explaining the so-far unclear role are discussed considering evidence from in vitro, animal and human studies.
Lectin Engineering, a Molecular Evolutionary Approach to Expanding the Lectin Utilities
Authors: Hu Dan , Tateno Hiroaki , Hirabayashi Jun
Published: April 2015

In the post genomic era, glycomics—the systematic study of all glycan structures of a given cell or organism—has emerged as an indispensable technology in various fields of biology and medicine. Lectins are regarded as “decipherers of glycans”, being useful reagents for their structural analysis, and have been widely used in glycomic studies. However, the inconsistent activity and availability associated with the plant-derived lectins that comprise most of the commercially available lectins, and the limit in the range of glycan structures covered, have necessitated the development of innovative tools via engineering of lectins on existing scaffolds. This review will summarize the current state of the art of lectin engineering and highlight recent technological advances in this field. The key issues associated with the strategy of lectin engineering including selection of template lectin, construction of a mutagenesis library, and high-throughput screening methods are discussed.
Photo-Crosslinking of Pendent Uracil Units Provides Supramolecular Hole Injection/Transport Conducting Polymers for Highly Efficient Light-Emitting Diodes
Authors: Shih Hsi-Kang , Chen Yi-Han , Chu Yu-Lin , Cheng Chih-Chia , Chang Feng-Chih , Zhu Chao-Yuan , Kuo Shiao-Wei
Published: April 2015

A new process for modifying a polymeric material for use as a hole injection transport layer in organic light-emitting diodes has been studied, which is through 2π + 2π photodimerization of a DNA-mimetic π-conjugated poly(triphenylamine-carbazole) presenting pendent uracil groups (PTC-U) under 1 h of UV irradiation. Multilayer florescence OLED (Organic light-emitting diodes) device with the PTC-U-1hr as a hole injection/transport layer (ITO (Indium tin oxide)/HITL (hole-injection/transport layer) (15 nm)/N,N'-di(1-naphthyl)- N,N'-diphenyl-(1,1'-biphenyl)-4,4'-diamine (NPB) (15 nm)/Tris-(8-hydroxyquinoline) aluminum (Alq3) (60 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (100 nm)) is fabricated, a remarkable improvement in performance (Qmax (external quantum efficiency) = 2.65%, Bmax (maximum brightness) = 56,704 cd/m2, and LE (luminance efficiency)max = 8.9 cd/A) relative to the control PTC-U (Qmax = 2.40%, Bmax = 40,490 cd/m2, and LEmax = 8.0 cd/A). Multilayer phosphorescence OLED device with the PTC-U-1hr as a hole injection/transport layer (ITO/HITL (15 nm)/Ir(ppy)3:PVK (40 nm)/BCP (10nm)/Alq3 (40 nm)/LiF (1 nm)/Al (100 nm)) is fabricated by successive spin-coating processes, a remarkable improvement in performance (Qmax = 9.68%, Bmax = 41,466 cd/m2, and LEmax = 36.6 cd/A) relative to the control PTC-U (Qmax = 8.35%, Bmax = 34,978 cd/m2, and LEmax = 30.8 cd/A) and the commercial product (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate) PEDOT:PSS (Qmax = 4.29%, Bmax = 15,678 cd/m2, and LEmax = 16.2 cd/A) has been achieved.
End-to-End Simulation for a Forest-Dedicated Full-Waveform Lidar Onboard a Satellite Initialized from Airborne Ultraviolet Lidar Experiments
Authors: Shang Xiaoxia , Chazette Patrick
Published: April 2015

In order to study forests at the global scale, a detailed link budget for a lidar system onboard satellite is presented. It is based on an original approach coupling airborne lidar observations and an end-to-end simulator. The simulator is initialized by airborne lidar measurements performed over temperate and tropical forests on the French territory, representing a wide range of forests ecosystems. Considering two complementary wavelengths of 355 and 1064 nm, the end-to-end simulator computes the performance of spaceborne lidar systems for different orbits. The analysis is based on forest structural (tree top height, quadratic mean canopy height) and optical (forest optical thickness) parameters. Although an ultraviolet lidar appears to be a good candidate for airborne measurements, our results show that the limited energy is not favorable for spaceborne missions with such a wavelength. A near infrared wavelength at 1064 nm is preferable, requiring ~100 mJ laser emitted energy, which is in agreement with current and future spaceborne missions involving a lidar. We find that the signal-to-noise ratio at the ground level to extract both the structural and optical parameters of forests must be larger than 10. Hence, considering the presence of clouds and aerosols in the atmosphere and assuming a stationary forest, a good detection probability of 99% can be reached when 4 or 5 satellite revisits are considered for a lidar system onboard the ISS or ICESat, respectively. This concerns ~90% of forest covers observed from the lidar, which have an optical thickness less than 3.
Effect of Cloud Fraction on Near-Cloud Aerosol Behavior in the MODIS Atmospheric Correction Ocean Color Product
Authors: Várnai Tamás , Marshak Alexander
Published: April 2015

Characterizing the way satellite-based aerosol statistics change near clouds is important for better understanding both aerosol-cloud interactions and aerosol direct radiative forcing. This study focuses on the question of whether the observed near-cloud increases in aerosol optical thickness and particle size may be explained by a combination of two factors: (i) Near-cloud data coming from areas with higher cloud fractions than far-from-cloud data and (ii) Cloud fraction being correlated with aerosol optical thickness and particle size. This question is addressed through a statistical analysis of aerosol parameters included in the MODIS (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) ocean color product. Results from ten Septembers (2002–2011) over part of the northeast Atlantic Ocean confirm that the combination of these two factors working together explains a significant but not dominant part (in our case, 15%–30%) of mean optical thickness changes near clouds. Overall, the findings show that cloud fraction plays a large role in shaping the way aerosol statistics change with distance to clouds. This implies that both cloud fraction and distance to clouds are important to consider when aerosol-cloud interactions or aerosol direct radiative effects are examined in satellite or modeling studies.
Tidal Volume Estimation Using the Blanket Fractal Dimension of the Tracheal Sounds Acquired by Smartphone
Authors: Reljin Natasa , Reyes Bersain , Chon Ki
Published: April 2015

In this paper, we propose the use of blanket fractal dimension (BFD) to estimate the tidal volume from smartphone-acquired tracheal sounds. We collected tracheal sounds with a Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone, from five (N = 5) healthy volunteers. Each volunteer performed the experiment six times; first to obtain linear and exponential fitting models, and then to fit new data onto the existing models. Thus, the total number of recordings was 30. The estimated volumes were compared to the true values, obtained with a Respitrace system, which was considered as a reference. Since Shannon entropy (SE) is frequently used as a feature in tracheal sound analyses, we estimated the tidal volume from the same sounds by using SE as well. The evaluation of the performed estimation, using BFD and SE methods, was quantified by the normalized root-mean-squared error (NRMSE). The results show that the BFD outperformed the SE (at least twice smaller NRMSE was obtained). The smallest NRMSE error of 15.877% ± 9.246% (mean ± standard deviation) was obtained with the BFD and exponential model. In addition, it was shown that the fitting curves calculated during the first day of experiments could be successfully used for at least the five following days.
Novel Monitoring Techniques for Characterizing Frictional Interfaces in the Laboratory
Authors: Selvadurai Paul , Glaser Steven
Published: April 2015

A pressure-sensitive film was used to characterize the asperity contacts along a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) interface in the laboratory. The film has structural health monitoring (SHM) applications for flanges and other precision fittings and train rail condition monitoring. To calibrate the film, simple spherical indentation tests were performed and validated against a finite element model (FEM) to compare normal stress profiles. Experimental measurements of the normal stress profiles were within −7.7% to 6.6% of the numerical calculations between 12 and 50 MPa asperity normal stress. The film also possessed the capability of quantifying surface roughness, an important parameter when examining wear and attrition in SHM applications. A high definition video camera supplied data for photometric analysis (i.e., the measure of visible light) of asperities along the PMMA-PMMA interface in a direct shear configuration, taking advantage of the transparent nature of the sample material. Normal stress over individual asperities, calculated with the pressure-sensitive film, was compared to the light intensity transmitted through the interface. We found that the luminous intensity transmitted through individual asperities linearly increased 0.05643 ± 0.0012 candelas for an increase of 1 MPa in normal stress between normal stresses ranging from 23 to 33 MPa.
A PDMS-Based 2-Axis Waterproof Scanner for Photoacoustic Microscopy
Authors: Kim Jin , Lee Changho , Park Kyungjin , Lim Geunbae , Kim Chulhong
Published: April 2015

Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) is an imaging tool to provide in vivo optically sensitive images in biomedical research. To achieve a small size, fast imaging speed, wide scan range, and high signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) in a water environment, we introduce a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based 2-axis scanner for a flexible and waterproof structure. The design, theoretical background, fabrication process and performance of the scanner are explained in details. The designed and fabricated scanner has dimensions of 15 × 15 × 15 mm along the X, Y and Z axes, respectively. The characteristics of the scanner are tested under DC and AC conditions. By pairing with electromagnetic forces, the maximum scanning angles in air and water are 18° and 13° along the X and Y axes, respectively. The measured resonance frequencies in air and water are 60 and 45 Hz along the X axis and 45 and 30 Hz along the Y axis, respectively. Finally, OR-PAM with high SNRs is demonstrated using the fabricated scanner, and the PA images of micro-patterned samples and microvasculatures of a mouse ear are successfully obtained with high-resolution and wide-field of view. OR-PAM equipped with the 2-axis PDMS based waterproof scanner has lateral and axial resolutions of 3.6 μm and 26 μm, respectively. This compact OR-PAM system could potentially and widely be used in preclinical and clinical applications.
A Self-Alignment Algorithm for SINS Based on Gravitational Apparent Motion and Sensor Data Denoising
Authors: Liu Yiting , Xu Xiaosu , Liu Xixiang , Yao Yiqing , Wu Liang , Sun Jin
Published: April 2015

Initial alignment is always a key topic and difficult to achieve in an inertial navigation system (INS). In this paper a novel self-initial alignment algorithm is proposed using gravitational apparent motion vectors at three different moments and vector-operation. Simulation and analysis showed that this method easily suffers from the random noise contained in accelerometer measurements which are used to construct apparent motion directly. Aiming to resolve this problem, an online sensor data denoising method based on a Kalman filter is proposed and a novel reconstruction method for apparent motion is designed to avoid the collinearity among vectors participating in the alignment solution. Simulation, turntable tests and vehicle tests indicate that the proposed alignment algorithm can fulfill initial alignment of strapdown INS (SINS) under both static and swinging conditions. The accuracy can either reach or approach the theoretical values determined by sensor precision under static or swinging conditions.
Reversible NO2 Optical Fiber Chemical Sensor Based on LuPc2 Using Simultaneous Transmission of UV and Visible Light
Authors: Bueno Antonio , Lahem Driss , Caucheteur Christophe , Debliquy Marc
Published: April 2015

In this paper, an NO2 optical fiber sensor is presented for pollution monitoring in road traffic applications. This sensor exploits the simultaneous transmission of visible light, as a measurement signal, and UV light, for the recovery of the NO2 sensitive materials. The sensor is based on a multimode fiber tip coated with a thin film of lutetium bisphthalocyanine (LuPc2). The simultaneous injection of UV light through the fiber is an improvement on the previously developed NO2 sensors and allows the simplification of the sensor head, rendering the external UV illumination of the film unnecessary. Coatings of different thicknesses were deposited on the optical fiber tips and the best performance was obtained for a 15 nm deposited thickness, with a sensitivity of 5.02 mV/ppm and a resolution of 0.2 ppb in the range 0–5 ppm. The response and recovery times are not dependent on thickness, meaning that NO2 does not diffuse completely in the films.
A High-Resolution Demodulation Algorithm for FBG-FP Static-Strain Sensors Based on the Hilbert Transform and Cross Third-Order Cumulant
Authors: Huang Wenzhu , Zhen Tengkun , Zhang Wentao , Zhang Fusheng , Li Fang
Published: April 2015

Static strain can be detected by measuring a cross-correlation of reflection spectra from two fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs). However, the static-strain measurement resolution is limited by the dominant Gaussian noise source when using this traditional method. This paper presents a novel static-strain demodulation algorithm for FBG-based Fabry-Perot interferometers (FBG-FPs). The Hilbert transform is proposed for changing the Gaussian distribution of the two FBG-FPs’ reflection spectra, and a cross third-order cumulant is used to use the results of the Hilbert transform and get a group of noise-vanished signals which can be used to accurately calculate the wavelength difference of the two FBG-FPs. The benefit by these processes is that Gaussian noise in the spectra can be suppressed completely in theory and a higher resolution can be reached. In order to verify the precision and flexibility of this algorithm, a detailed theory model and a simulation analysis are given, and an experiment is implemented. As a result, a static-strain resolution of 0.9 nε under laboratory environment condition is achieved, showing a higher resolution than the traditional cross-correlation method.
Recurrent Selection and Participatory Plant Breeding for Improvement of Two Organic Open-Pollinated Sweet Corn (Zea mays L.) Populations
Authors: Shelton Adrienne , Tracy William
Published: April 2015

Organic growers face unique challenges when raising sweet corn, and benefit from varieties that maintain high eating quality, germinate consistently, deter insect pests, and resist diseases. Genotype by environment rank changes can occur in the performance of cultivars grown on conventional and organic farms, yet few varieties have been bred specifically for organic systems. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the changes made to open-pollinated sweet corn populations using recurrent selection and a participatory plant breeding (PPB) methodology. From 2008 to 2011, four cycles of two open-pollinated (OP) sweet corn populations were selected on a certified organic farm in Minnesota using a modified ear-to-row recurrent selection scheme. Selections were made in collaboration with an organic farmer, with selection criteria based on traits identified by the farmer. In 2012 and 2013, the population cycles were evaluated in a randomized complete block design in two certified organic locations in Wisconsin, with multiple replications in each environment. Significant linear trends were found among cycles of selection for quantitative and qualitative traits, suggesting the changes were due to recurrent selection and PPB methodology for these populations. However, further improvement is necessary to satisfy the requirements for a useful cultivar for organic growers.
On Charge Conjugation, Chirality and Helicity of the Dirac and Majorana Equation for Massive Leptons
Authors: Marsch Eckart
Published: April 2015

We revisit the charge-conjugation operation for the Dirac equation in its chiral representation. A new decomposition of the Dirac spinor field is suggested and achieved by means of projection operators based on charge conjugation, which is discussed here in a non-standard way. Thus, two separate two-component Majorana-type field equations for the eigenfields of the charge-conjugation operator are obtained. The corresponding free fields are entirely separated without a gauge field, but remain mixed and coupled together through an electromagnetic field term. For fermions that are charged and, thus, subjected to the gauge field of electrodynamics, these two Majorana fields can be reassembled into a doublet, which is equivalent to a standard four-component Dirac spinor field. In this way, the Dirac equation is retained in a new guise, which is fully equivalent to that equation in its chiral form.
Drought Mitigation Ability Index and Application Based on Balance between Water Supply and Demand
Authors: Liu Shaohua , Yan Denghua , Wang Jianhua , Weng Baisha , Wang Gang , Yang Meijian
Published: April 2015

Drought impacts not only nature, but also the socioeconomic system and results from the imbalance of water supply and demand. It is necessary to estimate the ability of drought mitigation on the basis of water allocation. In this research, the drought mitigation ability index (DMAI) was constructed by the ratio of theoretical water supply and demand obtained from the optimal water allocation. Then, the DMAI was applied to Daqinghe watershed for temporal-spatial validation compared with the agricultural affected areas and the distribution of groundwater overexploitation. In addition, the historical (1961–2010) and future (2020) DMAI in Daqinghe watershed were analyzed. The results show that DMAI can overall represent the temporal-spatial characteristics of the drought mitigation ability. Furthermore, the DMAI of Daqinghe watershed is significantly decreased in the last 50 years, and groundwater resources play a prominent role in drought mitigation. Although the water from the South-to-North Water Transfer Project (SNWTP) can improve DMAI of Daqinghe watershed, the drought risk continues to be serious in the future.
Grey Forecast Rainfall with Flow Updating Algorithm for Real-Time Flood Forecasting
Authors: Ho Jui-Yi , Lee Kwan
Published: April 2015

The dynamic relationship between watershed characteristics and rainfall-runoff has been widely studied in recent decades. Since watershed rainfall-runoff is a non-stationary process, most deterministic flood forecasting approaches are ineffective without the assistance of adaptive algorithms. The purpose of this paper is to propose an effective flow forecasting system that integrates a rainfall forecasting model, watershed runoff model, and real-time updating algorithm. This study adopted a grey rainfall forecasting technique, based on existing hourly rainfall data. A geomorphology-based runoff model can be used for simulating impacts of the changing geo-climatic conditions on the hydrologic response of unsteady and non-linear watershed system, and flow updating algorithm were combined to estimate watershed runoff according to measured flow data. The proposed flood forecasting system was applied to three watersheds; one in the United States and two in Northern Taiwan. Four sets of rainfall-runoff simulations were performed to test the accuracy of the proposed flow forecasting technique. The results indicated that the forecast and observed hydrographs are in good agreement for all three watersheds. The proposed flow forecasting system could assist authorities in minimizing loss of life and property during flood events.
Comparative Analysis of Spatial Interpolation Methods in the Mediterranean Area: Application to Temperature in Sicily
Authors: Piazza Annalisa , Conti Francesco , Viola Francesco , Eccel Emanuele , Noto Leonardo
Published: April 2015

An exhaustive comparison among different spatial interpolation algorithms was carried out in order to derive annual and monthly air temperature maps for Sicily (Italy). Deterministic, data-driven and geostatistics algorithms were used, in some cases adding the elevation information and other physiographic variables to improve the performance of interpolation techniques and the reconstruction of the air temperature field. The dataset is given by air temperature data coming from 84 stations spread around the island of Sicily. The interpolation algorithms were optimized by using a subset of the available dataset, while the remaining subset was used to validate the results in terms of the accuracy and bias of the estimates. Validation results indicate that univariate methods, which neglect the information from physiographic variables, significantly entail the largest errors, while performances improve when such parameters are taken into account. The best results at the annual scale have been obtained using the the ordinary kriging of residuals from linear regression and from the artificial neural network algorithm, while, at the monthly scale, a Fourier-series algorithm has been used to downscale mean annual temperature to reproduce monthly values in the annual cycle.
L’ancienne église abbatiale de Saint-Jean-d’Angély et sa place dans l’architecture gothique
Authors: Blomme Yves
Published: April 2015

L’ancienne église abbatiale de Saint-Jean-d’Angély a jusqu’ici peu retenu l’attention des archéologues. Pourtant, les ruines encore en place révèlent un édifice rayonnant très aérien pourvu d’une voûte de 30 m, tout à fait isolé dans le sud-ouest et plus particulièrement en Saintonge. Au chevet, un premier niveau, de la fin du XIIe siècle peut s’expliquer par des influences locales (abbayes de Baignes et de La Couronne, cathédrale de Périgueux). Vers le milieu du XIIIe siècle, il lui fut superposé un haut vaisseau pourvu d’un triforium-grille aveugle et d’un clair-étage atteignant à lui seul la moitié de l’élévation totale. Le chevet était percé d’une vaste baie dont on peut affirmer que les écoinçons supérieurs étaient à jour. Un dessin ancien, datant du début du XVIIe siècle, révèle encore que l’église était pourvue de tours sur le transept. C’est probablement l’affluence de reliques nouvelles, consécutive à la prise de Constantinople en 1204, en particulier d’un chef de saint Jean-Baptiste détenu à Amiens, qui détermina les bénédictins à entreprendre ces transformations grandioses dans le but de mettre en relief leur propre relique du chef du Précurseur, qu’ils prétendaient posséder au moins depuis le IXe siècle.
Climate Change, Invasive Alien Flora and Concerns for their Management in Sri Lanka
Authors: Iqbal M.C.M , Wijesundara D.S.A. , Ranwala S.M.W.
Published: April 2015

Climate is the key driver of diversity of life in ecosystems. Changes in the climate, would not only alter the spatial distribution of species but also facilitate some of the non-native species to become invasive. This would further imbalance the status quo of native species and may bring about irreversible changes in some ecosystems imposing large economic costs for their management. Few researchers have addressed the issue of the interaction of climate change and invasive species in developing countries. We review the ecological impacts of invasive alien flora on the environment and the necessity to assess the economics of these impacts, particularly in developing countries. The potential implications of climate change on invasive alien flora relevant to Sri Lanka are discussed, highlighting how disturbances to ecosystems during climate change would facilitate the dispersal, establishment and spread of these invasive species and result in a change in the species distribution of native flora within ecosystems. The management of invasive alien species is already formulated for Sri Lanka. We draw attention to how climate change aspects should be incorporated into these management strategies. Important aspects to be considered are assessment of risk, targeting ecosystems vulnerable to climate change and mapping to monitor the location and progress of invasive flora.Ceylon Journal of Science (Bio. Sci.) 43 (2): 1-15, 2014
Identification of Sri Lankan Muroid Rodents using Hair Anatomy
Authors: Niroshini D.M.C. , Meegaskumbura Suyama
Published: April 2015

We report here characteristic features of hair anatomy of all fifteen muroid rodent species occurring in Sri Lanka. We examined cuticular scale patterns, cross-sections, medullae patterns, hair profile and made measurements (length and maximum width) of dorsal guard hairs. We also developed a dichotomous key for identification of rodent species based on hair anatomy, supported with photomicrographs of cuticular scales, medullae and illustrations of cross-sections. All species except spiny rats (Mus mayori and M. fernandoni) can reliably be distinguished from each other using hair anatomy, in most cases using a combination of characters. Spiny rats can only be distinguished as a group. Cuticular scale patterns and cross-sections show more heterogeneity among species, compared to other characters. Medullary cell shape, their arrangement, maximum number of cells in the widest region of the hair, hair dimensions and profiles are also useful in species identification.Ceylon Journal of Science (Bio. Sci.) 43 (2): 17-30, 2014
DNA Marker Analysis Reveals Genomic Diversity and Putative QTL Associated with Drupe Traits in Phyllanthus emblica L.
Authors: Mawalagedera S.M.U.P. , Janaththani P , Dunuwille S.W.M.B. , Perera G.A.D. , Weebadde C.K. , Wijesundara D.S.A. , Sooriyapathirana S.D.S.S.
Published: April 2015

Phyllanthus emblica L.(V. Nelli) is an important constituent of indigenous medicine and a commercially important fresh fruit species. The genomic diversity of the P. emblica germplasm in Sri Lanka has not been studied in detail. Therefore, the present study was conducted to molecularly characterize the P. emblica germplasm in Sri Lanka. Young tender leaves from 66 trees of P. emblica were collected from various parts of the country for DNA assessment. Genomic DNA was extracted using DNeasy Plant mini kit. Six microsatellite (SSR) markers and one SCAR marker developed for P. emblica were used in the PCR amplification. The PCR products were size separated by using 6% denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A binary scoring matrix was constructed on presence and absence of alleles in each single locus and a dendrogram based on genetic similarities was constructed. For each allele, allele frequency, heterozygosity and polymorphic information content were calculated. Cluster analysis was conducted based on marker data and association analysis was carried out to detect putative QTL associated with drupe traits. The dendrogram based on seven DNA marker alleles, showed two major clusters at 14.67% molecular similarity coefficient. A total of 51 alleles were detected in the sampled P. emblica germplasm with the six SSR markers and the SCAR marker used. Out of the six SSR markers, four were polymorphic, one was monomorphic and the other one did not produce clear bands. Heterozygosity of the tested markers ranged from 0.44. to 0.89. Allele at 176 bp of the marker Phyll112 showed a significant association (P<0.001 and P<0.0001) with commercially important traits such as drupe height, width, weight and mesocarp thickness. The P. emblica germplasm has a higher variation in Sri Lanka and this diversity can be used to develop genetically superior varieties in the future and also to dissect underlying molecular genetic mechanisms of drupe development.Ceylon Journal of Science (Bio. Sci.) 43 (2): 31-46, 2014
"Flowering plants of the Western Ghats India, Volume 1 and 2"
Authors: Rubasinghe S.C.K.
Published: April 2015

Ceylon Journal of Science (Bio. Sci.) 43 (2): 85, 2014