bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on Combustion and Emission Characteristics of Marine Diesel Oil and Water-In-Oil Emulsified Marine Diesel Oil
Authors: Kim Moonchan , Oh Jungmo , Lee Changhee
Published: July 2018

Compression ignition engines used as marine engines are the most efficient internal combustion engines. They are well-established products, and millions are already on the market. Water-in-MDO (marine diesel oil) emulsions are the best alternative fuel for compression ignition engines and can be utilised with the existing setup of 2.0 L automotive common rail direct injection (CRDI) engines. They have benefits for the simultaneous reduction of both NOx and smoke (black carbon). Furthermore, they have a significant impact on the improvement of combustion efficiency. Micro-explosions are the most important phenomenon of water-in-diesel emulsions inside an internal combustion engine chamber. They affect both the emission reduction and combustion efficiency improvements directly and indirectly in accordance with the brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) and rpm. Owing to the influence of micro-emulsions on the combustion and emissions of water-in-diesel emulsion fuel, the reduction ratios of NOx and smoke in a used engine are approximately 30% and 80%, respectively. The effect of the operating parameters on micro-emulsions is presented.
Ensemble Consensus-Guided Unsupervised Feature Selection to Identify Huntington’s Disease-Associated Genes
Authors: Guo Xia , Jiang Xue , Xu Jing , Quan Xiongwen , Wu Min , Zhang Han
Published: July 2018

Due to the complexity of the pathological mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases, traditional differentially-expressed gene selection methods cannot detect disease-associated genes accurately. Recent studies have shown that consensus-guided unsupervised feature selection (CGUFS) performs well in feature selection for identifying disease-associated genes. Since the random initialization of the feature selection matrix in CGUFS results in instability of the final disease-associated gene set, for the purposes of this study we proposed an ensemble method based on CGUFS—namely, ensemble consensus-guided unsupervised feature selection (ECGUFS) in order to further improve the accuracy of disease-associated genes and the stability of feature gene sets. We also proposed a bagging integration strategy to integrate the results of CGUFS. Lastly, we conducted experiments with Huntington’s disease RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) data and obtained the final feature gene set, where we detected 287 disease-associated genes. Enrichment analysis on these genes has shown that postsynaptic density and the postsynaptic membrane, synapse, and cell junction are all affected during the disease’s progression. However, ECGUFS greatly improved the accuracy of disease-associated gene prediction and the stability of the disease-associated gene set. We conducted a classification of samples with labels based on the linear support vector machine with 10-fold cross-validation. The average accuracy is 0.9, which suggests the effectiveness of the feature gene set.
Targeted Approaches for In Situ Gut Microbiome Manipulation
Authors: Lee Hui Ling , Shen Haosheng , Hwang In Young , Ling Hua , Yew Wen Shan , Lee Yung Seng , Chang Matthew Wook
Published: July 2018

Microbial communities and their collective genomes form the gut microbiome, of which bacteria are the major contributor. Through their secreted metabolites, bacteria interact with the host, influencing human health and physiology. Perturbation of the microbiota and metabolome has been associated with various diseases and metabolic conditions. As knowledge on fundamental host-microbiome interactions and genetic engineering tools becomes readily available, targeted manipulation of the gut microbiome for therapeutic applications gains favourable attention. Manipulation of the gut microbiome can be achieved by altering the microbiota population and composition, or by modifying the functional metabolic activity of the microbiome to promote health and restore the microbiome balance. In this article, we review current works that demonstrate various strategies employed to manipulate the gut microbiome in situ to various degrees of precision.
The Mechanism of Melatonin and Its Receptor MT2 Involved in the Development of Bovine Granulosa Cells
Authors: Wang Shujuan , Liu Wenju , Pang Xunsheng , Dai Sifa , Liu Guodong
Published: July 2018

Ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) are a critical approach to investigate the mechanism of gene regulation during folliculogenesis. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of MT2 in bovine GCs, and assess whether MT2 silencing affected GCs response to melatonin. We found that MT2 silencing significantly decreased the secretion of progesterone and estradiol, and increased the concentration of inhibin B and activin B. To further reveal the regulatory mechanism of MT2 silencing on steroids synthesis, it was found that the expression of CYP19A1 and CYP11A1 enzymes (steroid hormone synthesis) were down-regulated, while genes related to hormonal synthesis (StAR, RUNX2, INHA and INHBB) were up-regulated without affecting the expression of INHBA, suggesting that MT2 silencing may regulate hormone abundance. Furthermore, MT2 silencing significantly increased the expression of TGFBR3 and BMP6, and decreased the expression of LHR and DNMT1A without significant difference in the expression of FSHR and EGFR. In addition, MT2 silencing didn’t affect the effect of melatonin on increasing the expression of DNMT1A, EGFR, INHBA and LHR, and progesterone level, or decreasing INHA, TGFBR3 and StAR expression, and production of inhibin B. Moreover, MT2 silencing could disrupt the role of melatonin in decreasing the FSHR, INHBB and BMP6 expression, and activin B secretion. In conclusion, these results reveal that melatonin and MT2 are essential regulator of bovine GCs function by modulating reproduction-related genes expression, hormones secretion and other regulators of folliculogenesis.
Aspirin is Involved in the Cell Cycle Arrest, Apoptosis, Cell Migration, and Invasion of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Xiaoqi , Feng Hao , Li Ziyu , Guo Jie , Li Minqi
Published: July 2018

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. In China, its 5-year survival rate is roughly 50%, owing to acquired chemotherapeutic resistance and metastasis of the disease. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that aspirin (ASA) acts as a preventive or therapeutic agent in multiple cancers; however, anti-tumor activities induced by aspirin are unclear in OSCC. To investigate the possible role of aspirin in OSCC development, we first employed bioinformatics to analyze the anti-OSCC effects of aspirin. We performed a genetic oncology (GO) enrichment analysis using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID), and the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis by Cytoscape for differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We also evaluated the potential effects of aspirin on cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and apoptosis in two well-characterized OSCC cell lines (TCA8113 and CAL27). The bioinformatic results revealed that aspirin could inhibit proliferation by blocking the cell cycle, and could reduce migration and invasion via the PI3K-Akt and focal adhesion pathways. We found that ASA could downregulate the OSCC cell proliferation colony formation, invasion, and migration, as well as upregulate apoptosis. Furthermore, we found that ASA suppressed the activation of the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and the phosphorylation of Akt, NF-κB, and STAT3. Overall, our data suggested that ASA may be developed as a chemopreventive agent to effectively treat OSCC.
Pattern of Response to Bronchial Challenge with Histamine in Patients with Non-Atopic Cough-Variant and Classic Asthma
Authors: Zugic Vladimir , Mujovic Natasa , Hromis Sanja , Jankovic Jelena , Drvenica Mirjana , Perovic Aleksandra , Kopitovic Ivan , Ilic Aleksandra , Nikolic Dejan
Published: July 2018

Background: The aim of this study was to establish whether non-atopic patients with cough variant asthma (CVA) have different pattern of response to direct bronchoconstrictors than non-atopic patients with classic asthma (CA). Method: A total of 170 patients of both sexes with stable CVA and CA were screened for the study and 153 were included. Patients with proven atopy were not included and 17 patients with worsening of their condition or with verified bronchial obstruction during screening were excluded. All included patients performed spirometry and underwent a bronchial challenge with histamine according to long-standing protocol in our laboratory. Results: Significantly higher frequency of bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) was found in patients with CA than in patients with CVA (63.9% vs. 44.9%, respectively; p < 0.05). Sensitivity was significantly lower in patients with CVA (p < 0.05), while no significant difference was found in maximal response and responsiveness. Only patients with positive challenge tests were included in the analysis. Conclusion: Adult non-atopic patients with CVA and CA have a pattern of response to non-specific bronchial stimuli similar to atopic patients with same conditions, with the exception of similar maximal response, which may reflect the efficacy of previous treatment. We believe that further studies are needed to clarify the mechanisms involved in airway response to non-specific stimuli in CVA and CA, especially in non-atopic patients. Further studies should also clarify whether this response pattern has any implications on clinical presentation or on treatment options.
Analysis of the Literature and Patents on Solid Dispersions from 1980 to 2015
Authors: Zhang Jinglu , Han Run , Chen Weijie , Zhang Weixiang , Li Ying , Ji Yuanhui , Chen Lijiang , Pan Hao , Yang Xinggang , Pan Weisan , Ouyang Defang
Published: July 2018

Background: Solid dispersions are an effective formulation technique to improve the solubility, dissolution rate, and bioavailability of water-insoluble drugs for oral delivery. In the last 15 years, increased attention was focused on this technology. There were 23 marketed drugs prepared by solid dispersion techniques. Objective: This study aimed to report the big picture of solid dispersion research from 1980 to 2015. Method: Scientific knowledge mapping tools were used for the qualitative and the quantitative analysis of patents and literature from the time and space dimensions. Results: Western Europe and North America were the major research areas in this field with frequent international cooperation. Moreover, there was a close collaboration between universities and industries, while research collaboration in Asia mainly existed between universities. The model drugs, main excipients, preparation technologies, characterization approaches and the mechanism involved in the formulation of solid dispersions were analyzed via the keyword burst and co-citation cluster techniques. Integrated experimental, theoretical and computational tools were useful techniques for in silico formulation design of the solid dispersions. Conclusions: Our research provided the qualitative and the quantitative analysis of patents and literature of solid dispersions in the last three decades.
Change of Petals′ Color and Chemical Components in Oenothera Flowers during Senescence
Authors: Teppabut Yada , Oyama Kin-ichi , Kondo Tadao , Yoshida Kumi
Published: July 2018

Oenothera flower petals change color during senescence. When in full bloom, the flowers of O. tetraptera are white and those of O. laciniata and O. stricta are yellow. However, the colors change to pink and orange, respectively, when the petals fade. We analyzed the flavonoid components in these petals as a function of senescence using HPLC-DAD and LC-MS. In all three species, cyanidin 3-glucoside (Cy3G) was found in faded petals. The content of Cy3G increased in senescence. In full bloom (0 h), no Cy3G was detected in any of the petals. However, after 12 h, the content of Cy3G in O. tetraptera was 0.97 µmol/g fresh weight (FW) and the content of Cy3G in O. laciniata was 1.82 µmol/g FW. Together with anthocyanins, major flavonoid components in petals were identified. Quercitrin was detected in the petals of O. tetraptera and isosalipurposide was found in the petals of O. laciniata and O. stricta. The content of quercitrin did not change during senescence, but the content of isosalipurposide in O. laciniata increased from 3.4 µmol/g FW at 0 h to 4.8 µmol/g FW at 12 h. The color change in all three Oenothera flowers was confirmed to be due to the de novo biosynthesis of Cy3G.
Quinazolinone-Amino Acid Hybrids as Dual Inhibitors of EGFR Kinase and Tubulin Polymerization
Authors: Zayed Mohamed F. , Rateb Heba S. , Ahmed Sahar , Khaled Osama A. , Ibrahim Sabrin R. M.
Published: July 2018

Some fluoroquinazolinones (A–H) were designed, synthesized and biologically evaluated for their antitumor activity against the two cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MBA-231. New derivative G (IC50 = 0.44 ± 0.01 µM) showed antitumor activity, better than that of the reference drug erlotinib (IC50 = 1.14 ± 0.04 µM) against MCF-7. New derivative E (IC50 = 0.43 ± 0.02 µM) showed higher activity than the reference drug erlotinib (IC50 = 2.55 ± 0.19 µM) against MDA-MBA-231. Furthermore, the EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) and tubulin inhibition assays were carried out for the highest active derivatives to reveal the expected mechanism of action. They exhibited significant results compared to the reference drugs. Molecular docking simulations were performed on EGFR and tubulin binding sites to rationalize the experimental results and describe their binding modes. The results of the molecular modeling study were correlated with that of the antitumor screening.
Understanding the Role of Anti-PEG Antibodies in the Complement Activation by Doxil in Vitro
Authors: Neun Barry W. , Barenholz Yechezkel , Szebeni Janos , Dobrovolskaia Marina A.
Published: July 2018

Infusion reactions (IRs) are common immune-mediated side effects in patients treated with a variety of drug products, including, but not limited to, nanotechnology formulations. The mechanism of IRs is not fully understood. One of the best studied mechanisms of IRs to nanomedicines is the complement activation. However, it is largely unknown why some patients develop reactions to nanomedicines while others do not, and why some nanoparticles are more reactogenic than others. One of the theories is that the pre-existing anti-polyethylene glycol (PEG) antibodies initiate the complement activation and IRs in patients. In this study, we investigated this hypothesis in the case of PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil), which, when used in a clinical setting, is known to induce IRs; referred to as complement activation-related pseudoallergy (CARPA) in sensitive individuals. We conducted the study in vitro using plasma derived from C57BL/6 mice and twenty human donor volunteers. We used mouse plasma to test a library of well-characterized mouse monoclonal antibodies with different specificity and affinity to PEG as it relates to the complement activation by Doxil. We determined the levels of pre-existing polyclonal antibodies that bind to PEG, methoxy-PEG, and PEGylated liposomes in human plasma, and we also assessed complement activation by Doxil and concentrations of complement inhibitory factors H and I in these human plasma specimens. The affinity, specificity, and other characteristics of the human polyclonal antibodies are not known at this time. Our data demonstrate that under in vitro conditions, some anti-PEG antibodies contribute to the complement activation by Doxil. Such contribution, however, needs to be considered in the context of other factors, including, but not limited to, antibody class, type, clonality, epitope specificity, affinity, and titer. In addition, our data contribute to the knowledge base used to understand and improve nanomedicine safety.
Recent Progress in Metal-Based Nanoparticles Mediated Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Sun Jingyao , Kormakov Semen , Liu Ying , Huang Yao , Wu Daming , Yang Zhaogang
Published: July 2018

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is able to non-invasively treat and diagnose various cancers and nonmalignant diseases by combining light, oxygen, and photosensitizers (PSs). However, the application of PDT is hindered by poor water solubility and limited light-penetration depth of the currently available photosensitizers (PSs). Water solubility of PSs is crucial for designing pharmaceutical formulation and administration routes. Wavelength of light source at visible range normally has therapeutic depth less than 1 mm. In this review, focus is on the recent research progress of metal-based nanoparticles being applied in PDT. The potential toxicity of these nanoscales and future directions are further discussed.
Hepatoprotective Principles and Other Chemical Constituents from the Mycelium of Phellinus linteus
Authors: Huang Shiow-Chyn , Wang Pei-Wen , Kuo Ping-Chung , Hung Hsin-Yi , Pan Tai-Long
Published: July 2018

In the dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced hepatic fibrosis Wistar rat model, the mycelium extract of Phellinus linteus (PLE) (20 mg/Kg) displayed significant protection against hepatic fibrosis. The present investigation characterized eleven new ionone derivatives, phellinulins D–N (4–14), from the P. linteus mycelium extract and the relative stereochemical structures were constructed according to the spectroscopic and spectrometric analytical results. Some purified compounds were examined for their inhibitory effects on activated rat hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and several isolates did exhibit significant protection. The results indicated that the mycelium of P. linteus could be explored as a hepatoprotective drug or healthy food candidate in the near future.
Giant Self-Kerr Nonlinearity in the Metal Nanoparticles-Graphene Nanodisks-Quantum Dots Hybrid Systems Under Low-Intensity Light Irradiance
Authors: Tohari Mariam M. , Lyras Andreas , AlSalhi Mohamad S.
Published: July 2018

Hybrid nanocomposites can provide a promising platform for integrated optics. Optical nonlinearity can significantly widen the range of applications of such structures. In the present paper, a theoretical investigation is carried out by solving the density matrix equations derived for a metal nanoparticles-graphene nanodisks-quantum dots hybrid system interacting with weak probe and strong control fields, in the steady state. We derive analytical expressions for linear and third-order nonlinear susceptibilities of the probe field. A giant self-Kerr nonlinear index of refraction is obtained in the optical region with relatively low light intensity. The optical absorption spectrum of the system demonstrates electromagnetically induced transparency and amplification without population inversion in the linear optical response arising from the negative real part of the polarizabilities for the plasmonic components at the energy of the localized surface plasmon resonance of the graphene nanodisks induced by the probe field. We find that the self-Kerr nonlinear optical properties of the system can be controlled by the geometrical features of the system, the size of metal nanoparticles and the strength of the control field. The controllable self-Kerr nonlinearities of hybrid nanocomposites can be employed in many interesting applications of modern integrated optics devices allowing for high nonlinearity with relatively low light intensity.
Acute Effects of High-Intensity Interval and Moderate-Intensity Continuous Exercise on GLP-1, Appetite and Energy Intake in Obese Men: A Crossover Trial
Authors: Matos Victor A. F. , Souza Daniel C. , Santos Victor O. A. , Medeiros Ítalo F. , Browne Rodrigo A. V. , Nascimento Paulo R. P. , Marinho Cristiane S. R. , Serquiz Alexandre C. , Costa Eduardo C. , Fayh Ana Paula Trussardi
Published: July 2018

This study investigated the effect of high-intensity interval (HIIE) and moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE) on glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), appetite and energy intake (EI) in obese men. In a randomized crossover trial, 12 participants (28.4 ± 2.6 years, 35.5 ± 4.5 kg/m2, 39.8 ± 2.2% body fat) performed: (I) Control (CON, no exercise); (II) MICE (20 min, 70% of maximal heart rate) and (III) HIIE (10 × 1 min at 90% of maximal heart rate with 1 min recovery). GLP-1 and appetite were assessed at: (I) PRE: pre-exercise; (II) POST: immediately post-exercise; (III) POST-1 h: 1 h post-exercise. EI was assessed after an ad libitum meal offered 1 h post-exercise and over 24 h. There was a significant time × condition interaction for GLP-1 (p = 0.035). Higher GLP-1 levels in MICE vs. CON (p = 0.024) and a trend for HIIE vs. CON (p = 0.069) POST-1h was found. Hunger was reduced immediately post-HIIE compared to CON (p < 0.01), but was not sustained POST-1 h (p > 0.05). EI did not differ between the sessions 1 h post-exercise or over 24H (p > 0.05). In summary, although MICE increased GLP-1 levels POST-1h and HIIE induced a transient reduction in hunger, both exercise protocols did not impact EI in obese men.
A Vegetarian Diet Is a Major Determinant of Gut Microbiota Composition in Early Pregnancy
Authors: Barrett Helen L. , Gomez-Arango Luisa F. , Wilkinson Shelley A. , McIntyre H. David , Callaway Leonie K. , Morrison Mark , Dekker Nitert Marloes
Published: July 2018

The composition of the gut microbiota can be influenced by dietary composition. In pregnancy, the maternal gut microbiome has associations with maternal and infant metabolic status. There is little known regarding the impact of a vegetarian diet in pregnancy on maternal gut microbiota. This study explored the gut microbiota profile in women who were vegetarian or omnivorous in early gestation. Women were selected from participants in the Study of PRobiotics IN Gestational diabetes (SPRING) randomised controlled trial. Nine women identified as vegetarians were matched to omnivorous women in a 1:2 ratio. Microbiota analyses were performed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and analysed using the Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) and Calypso software tools. There was no difference in alpha diversity, but beta diversity was slightly reduced in vegetarians. There were differences seen in the relative abundance of several genera in those on a vegetarian diet, specifically a reduction in Collinsella, Holdemania, and increases in the relative abundances of Roseburia and Lachnospiraceae. In this sub-analysis of gut microbiota from women in early pregnancy, a vegetarian as compared to omnivorous diet, was associated with a different gut microbiome, with features suggesting alterations in fermentation end products from a mixed acid fermentation towards more acetate/butyrate.
Lactobacillus paracasei PS23 Delays Progression of Age-Related Cognitive Decline in Senescence Accelerated Mouse Prone 8 (SAMP8) Mice
Authors: Huang Shih-Yi , Chen Li-Han , Wang Ming-Fu , Hsu Chih-Chieh , Chan Ching-Hung , Li Jia-Xian , Huang Hui-Yu
Published: July 2018

Probiotic supplements are potential therapeutic agents for age-related disorders due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the effect of probiotics on age-related brain dysfunction remains unclear. To investigate the effects of Lactobacillus paracasei PS23 (LPPS23) on the progression of age-related cognitive decline, male and female senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice were divided into two groups (n = 6 each): the control and PS23 groups. From the age of 16 weeks, these groups were given saline and LPPS23, respectively, because SAMP8 mice start aging rapidly after four months of age. After 12 weeks of treatment, we evaluated the effect of LPPS23 by analyzing their appearance, behavior, neural monoamines, anti-oxidative enzymes, and inflammatory cytokines. The PS23 group showed lower scores of senescence and less serious anxiety-like behaviors and memory impairment compared to the control group. The control mice also showed lower levels of neural monoamines in the striatum, hippocampus, and serum. Moreover, LPPS23 induced the anti-oxidative enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Higher levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP1) and lower levels of interleukin (IL)-10 indicated that LPPS23 modulated the inflammation. Our results suggest that LPPS23 supplements could delay age-related cognitive decline, possibly by preventing oxidation and inflammation and modulating gut–brain axis communication.
Bimetallic Aluminum 5,6-Dihydro-7,7-dimethyl quinolin-8-olates as Pro-Initiators for the ROP of ε-CL; Probing the Nuclearity of the Active Initiator
Authors: Zhang Qiurui , Zhang Wenjuan , Solan Gregory , Liang Tongling , Sun Wen-Hua
Published: July 2018

Six examples of aluminum 5,6-dihydro-7,7-dimethylquinolin-8-olates, [{2-R1-7,7-Me2-8-R2C9H6N-8-O}AlR32]2 (R1 = R2 = H, R3 = Me C1; R1 = R2 = H, R3 = Et C2; R1 = R2 = H, R3 = i-Bu C3; R1 = Cl, R2 = H, R3 = Me C4; R1 = H, R2 = R3 = Me C5; R1 = Cl, R2 = R3 = Me C6), have been prepared by treating the corresponding pro-ligand (L1–L4) with either AlMe3, AlEt3 or Al(i-Bu)3. All complexes have been characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and in the case of C1 and C4 by single crystal X-ray diffraction; dimeric species are a feature of their molecular structures. In the presence of PhCH2OH (BnOH), C1–C6 displayed good control and efficiency for the ROP of ε-CL with almost 100% conversion achievable in 10 min at 90 °C; the chloro-substituted C4 and C6 notably exhibited the lowest activity of the series. However, in the absence of BnOH, C1 showed only low activity with 15% conversion achieved in 30 min forming a linear polymer capped with either a methyl or a L1 group. By contrast, when one or more equivalents of BnOH was employed in combination with C1, the resulting catalyst was not only more active but gave linear polymers capped with BnO end-groups. By using 1H and 27Al NMR spectroscopy to monitor solutions of C1, C1/BnOH and C1/BnOH/10 ε-CL over a range of temperatures, some support for a monomeric species being the active initiator at the operational temperature is presented.
Valuation of Large Variable Annuity Portfolios Using Linear Models with Interactions
Authors: Gan Guojun
Published: July 2018

A variable annuity is a popular life insurance product that comes with financial guarantees. Using Monte Carlo simulation to value a large variable annuity portfolio is extremely time-consuming. Metamodeling approaches have been proposed in the literature to speed up the valuation process. In metamodeling, a metamodel is first fitted to a small number of variable annuity contracts and then used to predict the values of all other contracts. However, metamodels that have been investigated in the literature are sophisticated predictive models. In this paper, we investigate the use of linear regression models with interaction effects for the valuation of large variable annuity portfolios. Our numerical results show that linear regression models with interactions are able to produce accurate predictions and can be useful additions to the toolbox of metamodels that insurance companies can use to speed up the valuation of large VA portfolios.
GPS/BDS Medium/Long-Range RTK Constrained with Tropospheric Delay Parameters from NWP Model
Authors: Xu Ying , Wu Chen , Li Lei , Yan Lizi , Liu Min , Wang Shengli
Published: July 2018

Tropospheric delay is a major error source that affects the performance of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) Real Time Kinematic (RTK) positioning especially for the medium/long-range baseline. Although high precision tropospheric delay can be estimated by GNSS carrier phase measurement, together with position and ambiguity, a relatively long period of convergence time is necessary. In this study, we develop a new GPS/BDS RTK algorithm constrained with a tropospheric delay parameters from Numerical weather prediction (NWP) model for medium/long-range baselines. The accuracy of the tropospheric delays derived from NWP is assessed through comparisons with the results of GAMIT (GNSS at MIT). The positioning performance with standard GPS RTK, standard GPS/BDS RTK, the developed NWP-constrained GPS RTK and NWP-constrained GPS/BDS RTK over medium/long-range baselines are compared in terms of the initialization time and the positioning accuracy. Experiment results show that the mean differences between the NWP and GAMIT zenith tropospheric delay (ZTD) are between −5.50 mm and 5.60 mm, and the RMS values of the NWP ZTD residuals are from 24.02 mm to 32.62 mm. A reduction in the initialization time of over 41% and 58% for medium- and long-range baselines can be achieved with the NWP-constrained RTK (both GPS alone and GPS/BDS RTK solutions) compared to the standard RTK solution, respectively. An improvement of over 30% can be found with the GPS/BDS RTK compared with that of the GPS alone RTK for both standard and the NWP-constrained modes. The positioning precision of NWP-constrained GPS/BDS RTK is better than 3 cm in the horizontal direction and better than 5 cm in the vertical direction, which satisfies the requirement of the precise positioning service.
Mapping Forest Structure Using UAS inside Flight Capabilities
Authors: Kuželka Karel , Surový Peter
Published: July 2018

We evaluated two unmanned aerial systems (UASs), namely the DJI Phantom 4 Pro and DJI Mavic Pro, for 3D forest structure mapping of the forest stand interior with the use of close-range photogrammetry techniques. Assisted flights were performed within two research plots established in mature pure Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest stands. Geotagged images were used to produce georeferenced 3D point clouds representing tree stem surfaces. With a flight height of 8 m above the ground, the stems were precisely modeled up to a height of 10 m, which represents a considerably larger portion of the stem when compared with terrestrial close-range photogrammetry. Accuracy of the point clouds was evaluated by comparing field-measured tree diameters at breast height (DBH) with diameter estimates derived from the point cloud using four different fitting methods, including the bounding circle, convex hull, least squares circle, and least squares ellipse methods. The accuracy of DBH estimation varied with the UAS model and the diameter fitting method utilized. With the Phantom 4 Pro and the least squares ellipse method to estimate diameter, the mean error of diameter estimates was −1.17 cm (−3.14%) and 0.27 cm (0.69%) for spruce and beech stands, respectively.
A Software-Defined Networking Framework to Provide Dynamic QoS Management in IEEE 802.11 Networks
Authors: Manzanares-Lopez Pilar , Malgosa-Sanahuja Josemaria , Muñoz-Gea Juan Pedro
Published: July 2018

In this paper, the concept of SDN (Software Defined Networking) is extended to be applied to wireless networks. Traditionally, in a wired SDN environment, the OpenFlow protocol is the communication protocol used to configure the flow table of forwarding elements (i.e., switches and Access Points). However, although in IEEE 802.11 networks there is no concept of forwarding, the SDN paradigm could also be applied to set up the wireless network dynamically, in order to improve the performance. In this case, not only the network elements, that is the Access Points, but also the mobile elements should configure their link and physical layers parameters following the guidelines of a centralized SDN controller. In particular, we propose a mechanism called DEDCA (Dynamic Enhanced Distributed Channel Access) to manage the channel access in wireless networks, and a framework that enables its implementation in 802.11-based wireless networks using SDN technology. The key aspect of this alternative solution is the control over the contention window size of the wireless terminals. Thus, an adequate response to dynamic and short-term Quality of Service (QoS) requirements can be offered to services running on these networks. DEDCA mechanism relies upon the use of a scalar parameter called gain. The mathematical model which has allowed us to obtain this parameter is presented and evaluated in this paper. Finally, the usefulness of the proposed solutions have been evaluated by means of their implementation in an example case.
Estimation of Human Body Vital Signs Based on 60 GHz Doppler Radar Using a Bound-Constrained Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Zhang Ting , Sarrazin Julien , Valerio Guido , Istrate Dan
Published: July 2018

In this study, a bound-constrained optimization algorithm is applied for estimating physiological data (pulse and breathing rate) of human body using 60 GHz Doppler radar, by detecting displacements induced by breathing and the heartbeat of a human subject. The influence of mutual phasing between the two movements is analyzed in a theoretical framework and the application of optimization algorithms is proved to be able to accurately detect both breathing and heartbeat rates, despite intermodulation effects between them. Different optimization procedures are compared and shown to be more robust to receiver noise and artifacts of random body motion than a direct spectrum analysis. In case of a large-scale constrained bound, a parallel optimization procedure executed in subranges is proposed to realize accurate detection in a reduced span of time.
Upstream Pricing Schemes, Trade Liberalization, Trade and Environmental Policies of Downstream Countries
Authors: Li Bo , Xing Fei , Yu Mark
Published: July 2018

Trade liberalization has a significant impact on the environment and social welfare of countries. In the real world, almost all industries exist upstream and downstream firms but the existing literature on the impact of trade liberalization rarely discuss the interaction between upstream and downstream firms. The goal of this study is to analyze the effects of trade liberalization on the trade policies, environmental policies and social welfare of downstream exporting countries when different pricing schemes (uniform pricing vs. discriminatory pricing) are implemented by upstream monopoly firms. By constructing a three-stage dynamic game model we found that, regardless of pricing schemes, trade liberalization leads to increase both environmental taxes and import taxes. Trade liberalization increases the social welfare of downstream countries under discriminatory pricing, while trade liberalization first reduces and then increases the social welfare of downstream countries under uniform pricing. The results indicate that the downstream countries always have the incentive to participate in trade agreements that integrate markets when discriminatory pricing schemes will be implemented by upstream firms. This finding is the most significant contribution of this paper which has not been addressed in the previous literature.
Employees’ Perception of Corporate Social Responsibility Impact on Employee Outcomes: Mediating Role of Organizational Justice for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Authors: Sarfraz Muddassar , Qun Wang , Abdullah Muhammad Ibrahim , Alvi Adnan Tariq
Published: July 2018

Corporate social responsibility is emerging topic in the modern business world. Employees are vital assets for any organization. Corporate Social Responsibility practices have a significant influence on employee’s performance. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between employee perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and employee’s outcome in Pakistan for SMEs. Additionally, it examined the relationship of Employee’ Perception of CSR as an independent variable. Further, this study considers mediating role of organizational justice between employee’s perception of CSR and employee’ outcomes. The quantitative method was used to collect data from 300 SME’s. Hypotheses were tested by using statistical software (SPSS). Correlation analysis shows the significant relationship between variables, i.e., employee’s perception of CSR and employee outcomes. Moreover, regression analysis was performed for mediation analysis. The results show that organizational justice partially mediated between employee’s perception of corporate social responsibility and employee’s outcomes. Practical implications were discussed, and future research directions were recommended.
Government Support and Market Proximity: Exploring Their Relationship with Supply Chain Agility and Financial performance
Authors: Avelar-Sosa Liliana , García-Alcaraz Jorge L. , Mejía-Muñoz José M. , Maldonado-Macías Aidé A. , Hernández Giner Alor
Published: July 2018

The current paper presents a structural equation model with four variables (Government, Infrastructure, Proximity to market, and supply chain Agility) affecting the Financial performance of a company. Six hypotheses or relationships among variables are proposed, supposing that Government and market Proximity are key elements to achieve a greater Agility in supply chains, considering the regional Infrastructure to determine the impact on Financial performance in manufacturing companies. The model is validated with data from a survey applied to 225 persons in 65 manufacturing companies located in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico. The model is evaluated using partial least squares, and the findings indicate that there is a direct and positive effect from the Government on regional Infrastructure with a rate of 0.436. When the Government supports the availability of land, energy resources, transportation, telecommunications, mobile telephones, and other services, a positive change is achieved in the Infrastructure and supply chain Agility. Furthermore, the Government also has a direct and positive effect on the market Proximity at a rate of 0.171; consequently, the regional Infrastructure also has an effect on it. Similarly, the market Proximity directly and positively influences the supply chain Agility, as well as a company’s Financial performance at a rate of 0.506.
Environmental Features of Chinese Architectural Heritage: The Standardization of Form in the Pursuit of Equilibrium with Nature
Authors: Almodovar-Melendo Jose-Manuel , Cabeza-Lainez Joseph-Maria
Published: July 2018

We present a scientific discussion about Chinese historical architecture and cultural paradigms in order to analyze the formation of building patterns objectively connected to environmental features. In this regard, we will demonstrate the process of standardization from architectural modules related in different levels of composition around “voids”, onto cosmological urban tissues in harmony with nature. The conclusions show that we can only understand Chinese architectural patterns in relation to Dào or nature, and in turn, they possess profound social and environmental values from which we receive useful lessons to advance towards sustainability in architecture and urban planning. The authors believe that it is critical for China and the world to find a new approach to the building construction industry with an ecological and philosophical background recognizable as “Chinese” and based in its own past. In order to support the information provided in the first part of the article, the authors have conducted an environmental analysis of the traditional Chinese urban layout whose results greatly confirm the initial hypotheses, i.e. the historical fashion of constructing neighborhoods improves conditions of the town in terms of comfort and is able to save energy, thus reducing pernicious change effects.
Establishment of a New Zealand White Rabbit Model for Lethal Toxin (LT) Challenge and Efficacy of Monoclonal Antibody 5E11 in the LT-Challenged Rabbit Model
Authors: Zhang Duanyang , Liu Weicen , Wen Zhonghua , Li Bing , Liu Shuling , Li Jianmin , Chen Wei
Published: July 2018

Anthrax caused by Bacillus anthracis is a lethal infectious disease, especially when inhaled, and the mortality rate approaches 100% without treatment. The anthrax antitoxin monoclonal antibody (MAb) 5E11 is a humanized antibody that targets the anthrax protective antigen (PA). The efficacy of 5E11 needs proper animal models. However, anthrax spores are extremely dangerous, so experiments must be conducted under Biosafety Level 3 conditions. Considering the critical effects of lethal toxin (LT) on hosts during infection, we report the establishment of a LT-challenged rabbit model, which caused 100% mortality with a dose of 2 mg PA + 1 mg LF, while a 4 mg PA + 2 mg LF challenge could limit death to within three days. Then, we evaluated 5E11 efficacy against LT. A prophylactic study showed that the i.v. administration of 40 mg/kg 5E11 four days before lethal dose LT challenge could lead to 100% survival. In therapeutic studies, the i.v. administration of 40 mg/kg 5E11 10 min after lethal dose LT challenge could provide complete protection. Overall, we developed a new LT-challenged rabbit model, and our results indicate that 5E11 shows potential for the clinical application in anthrax treatment.
Ranking of Production Animal Welfare and Ethics Issues in Australia and New Zealand by Veterinary Students
Authors: Cornish Amelia , Fisher Andrew D. , Collins Teresa , Degeling Chris , Freire Rafael , Hazel Susan J. , Hood Jennifer , Lloyd Janice K. F. , Phillips Clive J. C. , Stafford Kevin J. , Tzioumis Vicky , McGreevy Paul D.
Published: July 2018

The importance of animal welfare and ethics (AWE) within the veterinary education should reflect community concerns and expectations about AWE, and the professional demands of veterinary accreditation on the first day of practice (or ‘Day One’ competences). Currently, much interest and debate surrounds the treatment of production animals, particularly around live export. To explore the attitudes to AWE of veterinary students in Australia and New Zealand, a survey was undertaken to (i) understand what students consider important AWE topics for initial production animal competence; and (ii) ascertain how these priorities correlated with gender, area of intended practice and stage-of-study. The results from 575 veterinary students showed that all students ranked strategies to address painful husbandry procedures as the most important issues on their first day in production animal practice. Additionally, it was found that the importance students assigned to an understanding of human–animal interactions declined as they progressed through the veterinary course. In contrast, the importance of an understanding of euthanasia issues for production animals increased for male students as they progressed through the course, and remained consistently high in females. Females also gave higher ranking to the importance of understanding production animal stress associated with transport, and ranked strategies to address painful husbandry procedures more important than did males. These findings should help the development of AWE teaching resources that address students’ attitudes and competence and that can be delivered when students are most receptive.
A Comparative Analysis of the Wind and Wave Climate in the Black Sea Along the Shipping Routes
Authors: Rusu Liliana , Raileanu Alina Beatrice , Onea Florin
Published: July 2018

The aim of the present work is to assess the wind and wave climate in the Black Sea while considering various data sources. A special attention is given to the areas with higher navigation traffic. Thus, the results are analyzed for the sites located close to the main harbors and also along the major trading routes. The wind conditions were evaluated considering two different data sets, the reanalysis data provided by NCEP-CFSR (U.S. National Centers for Environmental Prediction-Climate Forecast System Reanalysis) and the hindcast results given by a Regional Climate Model (RCM) that were retrieved from EURO-CORDEX (European Domain-Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment). For the waves, there were considered the results coming from simulations with the SWAN (Simulating Wave Nearshore) model, forced with the above-mentioned two different wind fields. Based on these results, it can be mentioned that the offshore sites seem to show the best correlation between the two datasets for both wind and waves. As regards the nearshore sites, there is a good agreement between the average values of the wind data that are provided by the different datasets, except for the points located in the southern part of the Black Sea. The same trends noticed for the average values remain also valid for the extreme values. Finally, it can be concluded that the results obtained in this study are useful for the evaluation of the wind and wave climate in the Black Sea. Also, they give a more comprehensive picture on how well the wind field provided by the Regional Climate Model, and the wave model forced with this wind, can represent the features of a complex marine environment as the Black Sea is.
L'industrialisation et les multiples insatisfactions qu'elle engendre à l'Ouest, à l'Est et au Sud
Authors: Hirschman Albert O.
Published: July 2018

Les principales critiques concernant le phénomène d'industrialisation moderne, qui sont émises à l'heure actuelle en Europe de l'Est et en Amérique latine, présentent un contraste intéressant : en Europe de l'Est, elles portent sur le peu d'intérêt accordé aux biens de consommation ; en Amérique latine, au contraire, l'accent est mis sur l'incapacité de l'industrie à fournir des biens de production plus complexes. Ces critiques sont examinées dans le contexte des inquiétudes suscitées antérieurement par l'essor de l'industrie à l'Ouest, en particulier en Angleterre et en France au début de l'industrialisation, et en Allemagne à la fin du XIXe siècle et au commencement du XXe siècle.
L'intégration régionale hier et aujourd'hui
Authors: de Melo Jaime , Montenegro Claudio E. , Panagariya Arvind
Published: July 2018

Après deux décennies de léthargie, l'intégration régionale (IR) connaît actuellement un regain de faveur, plusieurs initiatives récentes donnant à penser que le système commercial mondial pourrait évoluer vers une division en trois blocs articulés autour de la CEE, des Etats-Unis et du Japon. Pour les pays en développement, la question est de savoir s'il faut adhérer à un dispositif d'intégration régional (IR) ou opter pour une libéralisation commerciale unilatérale. L'article commence par une évaluation des dispositifs d'IR passés et récents, en notant que les conditions sont différentes aujourd'hui de celles du régionalisme des années 60. Les arrangements commerciaux préférentiels sont ensuite analysés sous l'angle de l'économie du bien-être. Enfin, une estimation économétrique fait apparaître que, une fois neutralisées les différences des taux d'investissement, les pays qui ont choisi l'intégration n'ont pas connu une croissance plus rapide que celle des autres pays. Toutefois, l'existence d'un phénomène de rattrapage tend à montrer l'intérêt des arrangements d'IR allant dans le sens de rapprochements Nord-Sud.
Croissance endogène, ouverture sur l'extérieur et développement. Points de vue récents
Authors: Laffargue Jean-Pierre
Published: July 2018

Endogenous growth models have introduced a new dimension in the analysis of inter¬ national trade under imperfect competition. These models explain the expansion of wealth by the unbounded development of knowledge. A first approach embodies knowledge in manpower ; a second approach rather integrates it in capital and consumption goods, of which the quality improves and the number of varieties increases steadily. This makes possible the analysis of such questions as the divergence of growth rates between nations, direct investment flows, the inequality of factor-prices between countries, the dynamics of specialization, the localisation of research and development and the consequences of exchange control regimes.