bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Study on Dual and Triple Therapy Using Oral Antidiabetic Drugs in Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Shakya Sangita , Bajracharya Smrity , Shakya Amit , Shakya Santosh , Chaudhary Shailendra , Gautam Suraj , Shankar Ravi
Published: February 2017

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a progressive complex disorder so most patients require dual and triple therapy using glucose- lowering agents.Purpose: To find the effectiveness of the dual therapy [glimepiride and metformin] and triple therapy [glimepiride, metformin and pioglitazone] for glycemic control.Method: The prospective study was conducted in Diabetes and Endocrinology Centre including 112 patients with Type 2 diabetes treating with oral antidiabetic drugs. Patients, age group between 30-70 years having pre- prandial blood glucose [≥ 110 mg/dl] and post-prandial blood glucose [≥ 140 mg/dl] were included. They were grouped into dual and triple therapy according to treatment they received. The blood glucose level was examined after one week of initial drug therapy. Patients taking oral antidiabetic drugs along with insulin therapy were excluded.Result: Type 2 diabetes mellitus was prevalent in the age group between 50- 60years. The reduction in pre-prandial blood glucose with dual therapy and triple therapy were 26.5 % and 27.1 % respectively and reduction in post-prandial blood sugar were 32.6 % and 30.5 % respectively. Hence the effectiveness of the dual therapy (p=0.827) and triple therapy (p=0.949) was similar in pre and post glycemic control .Conclusion: The dual and triple therapy may be equally effective for the treatment of type 2 DM.Journal of Advanced Academic Research Vol. 3, No. 2, 2016, Page: 128-137
A Newton Type Iterative Method with Fourth-order Convergence
Authors: Jnawali Jivandhar
Published: February 2017

The aim of this paper is to propose a fourth-order Newton type iterative method for solving nonlinear equations in a single variable. We obtained this method by combining the iterations of contra harmonic Newton’s method with secant method. The proposed method is free from second order derivative. Some numerical examples are given to illustrate the performance and to show this method’s advantage over other compared methods.Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 2016, 12 (1): 87-95
Analytic and Numerical Solutions of Couette Flow Problem: A Comparative Study
Authors: Thapa Dhak Bahadur , Uprety Kedar Nath
Published: February 2017

In this work, an incompressible viscous Couette flow is derived by simplifying the Navier-Stokes equations and the resulting one dimensional linear parabolic partial differential equation is solved numerically employing a second order finit difference Crank-Nicolson scheme. The numerical solution and the exact solution are presented graphically.Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 2016, 12(1): 105-113
CoMMoN: The Real-Time Container and Migration Monitoring as a Service in the Cloud
Authors: Dawadi Babu Ram , Shakya Subarna , Paudyal Rajendra
Published: February 2017

With the advancement of computing technologies, the modern cloud computing and virtualization system is highly distributed by the invention of better and light weight distributed applications packaging toolkit over the cloud environment, called the container technology. Cloud containers feature the management of applications with easy plug and play ability, migration, replication, relocation, upgrading et cetera in the real time. Such containers running different applications over the cloud infrastructure may consume different resources that require real time monitoring. Docker is an open source platform independent tool to create, deploy, and run applications by using Containers. Billions of applications for the end users and SMEs running over the cloud require efficient management, monitoring and operations to achieve better SLAs for cloud service providers. With this research, a Docker Container and Migration Monitoring System (CoMMoN) has been developed in which a customer running its application in a Container shall monitor its application in the real-time as well as take decision for the migration of Container to another network by service provider for liad balancing or by the customer under the violation of SLA. Once the customer registers its Container to the monitoring system, the monitoring probe collects different monitoring metrics and sends those parameters to remote monitoring system. The system which stores the monitoring metrics into InFluxDB, a time series database, also monitors the real-time migration of the Containers among the network.Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 2016, 12(1): 51-62
Donnalee Dox, Reckoning with Spirit in the Paradigm of Performance
Authors: Chambers Claire Maria
Published: February 2017

This book proposes that seriously considering embodied spiritual experience not only as performance but also as structuring performance might shift the “paradigm of performance” and current theories in performance studies.
Esther Kim Lee, The Theatre of David Henry Hwang
Authors: Woo Miseong
Published: February 2017

Esther Kim Lee’s The Theatre of David Henry Hwang is an able critical study of this important and well-known Asian-American playwright’s life and works. It pays close attention to the autobiographical elements in Hwang’s plays, as well as his theatrical forms and production styles, and engages with his signature theme of identity politics.
Dominika Laster, Grotowski’s Bridge Made of Memory: Embodied Memory, Witnessing and Transmission in the Grotowski Work
Authors: Salata Kris
Published: February 2017

Dominika Laster provides a comprehensive analysis and lucid synthesis of several periods of Grotowski’s work around the theme of memory in the performer’s craft, which is ultimately seen as the “work on oneself.”
Fabrication of Mechanically Stable Superhydrophobic Aluminium Surface with Excellent Self-Cleaning and Anti-Fogging Properties
Authors: Varshney Priya , Mohapatra Soumya , Kumar Aditya
Published: February 2017

The development of a self-cleaning and anti-fogging superhydrophobic coating for aluminium surfaces that is durable in aggressive conditions has raised tremendous interest in materials science. In this work, a superhydrophobic Al surface was synthesized by employing chemical etching technique with a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids, followed by passivation with lauric acid. The surface morphology analysis revealed the presence of rough microstructures on the coated Al surface. Superhydrophobicity with water contact angle of 170 ± 3.9° and sliding angle of 4 ± 0.5° was achieved. The surface bounced off the high-speed water jet, indicating the excellent water-repellent nature of the coating. It also continuously floated on a water surface for four weeks, showing its excellent buoyancy. Additionally, the coating maintained its superhydrophobicity after undergoing 100 cycles of adhesive tape peeling test. Its superhydrophobic nature withstood 90° and 180° bending and repeated folding and de-folding. The coating exhibits an excellent self-cleaning property. In a low temperature condensation test, almost no accumulation of water drops on the surface showed the excellent anti-fogging property of the coating. This approach can be applied to any size and shape of Al surface, and hence has great industrial applications.
State-of-the-Art Methods for Skeletal Muscle Glycogen Analysis in Athletes—The Need for Novel Non-Invasive Techniques
Authors: Greene Jacob , Louis Julien , Korostynska Olga , Mason Alex
Published: February 2017

Muscle glycogen levels have a profound impact on an athlete’s sporting performance, thus measurement is vital. Carbohydrate manipulation is a fundamental component in an athlete’s lifestyle and is a critical part of elite performance, since it can provide necessary training adaptations. This paper provides a critical review of the current invasive and non-invasive methods for measuring skeletal muscle glycogen levels. These include the gold standard muscle biopsy, histochemical analysis, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and musculoskeletal high frequency ultrasound, as well as pursuing future application of electromagnetic sensors in the pursuit of portable non-invasive quantification of muscle glycogen. This paper will be of interest to researchers who wish to understand the current and most appropriate techniques in measuring skeletal muscle glycogen. This will have applications both in the lab and in the field by improving the accuracy of research protocols and following the physiological adaptations to exercise.
Genes, Gender, Environment, and Novel Functions of Estrogen Receptor Beta in the Susceptibility to Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Authors: Varshney Mukesh , Nalvarte Ivan
Published: February 2017

Many neurological disorders affect men and women differently regarding prevalence, progression, and severity. It is clear that many of these disorders may originate from defective signaling during fetal or perinatal brain development, which may affect males and females differently. Such sex-specific differences may originate from chromosomal or sex-hormone specific effects. This short review will focus on the estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) signaling during perinatal brain development and put it in the context of sex-specific differences in neurodevelopmental disorders. We will discuss ERβ’s recent discovery in directing DNA de-methylation to specific sites, of which one such site may bear consequences for the susceptibility to the neurological reading disorder dyslexia. We will also discuss how dysregulations in sex-hormone signaling, like those evoked by endocrine disruptive chemicals, may affect this and other neurodevelopmental disorders in a sex-specific manner through ERβ.
Neuronal Stress and Injury Caused by HIV-1, cART and Drug Abuse: Converging Contributions to HAND
Authors: Sanchez Ana , Kaul Marcus
Published: February 2017

Multiple mechanisms appear to contribute to neuronal stress and injury underlying HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), which occur despite the successful introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Evidence is accumulating that components of cART can itself be neurotoxic upon long-term exposure. In addition, abuse of psychostimulants, such as methamphetamine (METH), seems to compromise antiretroviral therapy and aggravate HAND. However, the combined effect of virus and recreational and therapeutic drugs on the brain is still incompletely understood. However, several lines of evidence suggest a shared critical role of oxidative stress, compromised neuronal energy homeostasis and autophagy in promotion and prevention of neuronal dysfunction associated with HIV-1 infection, cART and psychostimulant use. In this review, we present a synopsis of recent work related to neuronal stress and injury induced by HIV infection, antiretrovirals (ARVs) and the highly addictive psychostimulant METH.
Circulating Current Reduction Strategy for Parallel-Connected Inverters Based IPT Systems
Authors: Mai Ruikun , Lu Liwen , Li Yong , Lin Tianren , He Zhengyou
Published: February 2017

Multiple inverters connected in parallel is a promising method to upgrade the power capacity of inductive power transfer (IPT) systems. Due to a slight unbalance of the control signals, the inner resistances of the inverters and other uncertainties, circulating currents exist among the parallel units which reduce the reliability of IPT systems. Firstly, the series-parallel resonant tank is employed in the multiple inverters based IPT system to eliminate the DC and harmonic circulating currents. The fundamental circulating currents in the paralleled inverter units are analyzed in detail. Then, for eliminating the fundamental circulating currents, a current decomposition method and a control diagram are proposed to avoid acquiring the phase of the current by detecting zero cross current point which increases the accuracy of the control algorithm. Finally, a 1-kW parallel-connected inverter IPT system is provided to verify the proposed approach. The experimental results show that the proposed method is effective for eliminating the fundamental circulating currents. The maximum efficiency of the system is up to 92.18% which is 0.53% higher compared to that without the current phasor control (91.65%).
Qualitative Analysis of Transesterification of Waste Pig Fat in Supercritical Alcohols
Authors: Poudel Jeeban , Shah Malesh , Karki Sujeeta , Oh Sea
Published: February 2017

In this work, the characteristics of waste pig fat degradation using supercritical alcohols have been studied. Comparative analysis of the influence of supercritical methanol and supercritical ethanol as solvents on the transesterification was the primary focus of this research. The experiments were carried out with waste pig fat to alcohol weight ratios of 1:1.5 (molar ratio: 1:40.5 for methanol and 1:28 for ethanol), 1:2.0 (molar ratio: 1:54 for methanol and 1:37.5 for ethanol) and 1:2.5 (molar ratio: 1:67.5 for methanol and 1:47 for ethanol) at transesterification temperatures 250, 270 and 290 °C for holding time 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 min. Increase in the transesterification and holding time increased the conversion while increase in alcohol amount from 1:1.5 to 1:2.0 and 1:2.5 had minimal effect on the conversion. Further, majority of the ester composition in using SCM as solvent falls in the carbon range of C17:0, C19:1 and C19:2 while that for SCE falls in the carbon range of C18:0, C20:1 and C20:2. Glycerol was only present while using SCM as solvent.
A Numerical Study on Natural Convection Heat Transfer of Handheld Projectors with a Fin Array
Authors: Shyu Jin-Cherng , Chang Tsuni , Lee Shun-Ching
Published: February 2017

This study numerically investigates the effects of the number of bottom openings and the fin spacing on both the natural convection heat transfer and airflow field of the handheld projector with various orientations. The horizontally-oriented 120 mm × 53 mm × 19 mm handheld projector, which had 11 bottom openings and was installed with either 7 plate fins or 13 rows of square pin, was considered as the primary case. The fin number varied from 6 plates to 13 plates or from 7 pin rows to 16 pin rows, while the bottom openings varied from 11 to 15 in this study with handheld projector held at a specified inclination ranging from −90° to 90°. The results showed that the heat transfer coefficient of a specific surface of the plate-fin array installed in the primary handheld projector increased from 6 to 7 W/m2·K as the heating power increased from 2 W to 7 W. The optimal fin spacing in the handheld projector possessing 11 bottom openings was 2.875 mm and 3.375 mm for the plate-fin and pin-fin, respectively, at a heating power of 7 W. Although the velocity magnitude of the airflow between fins increased as the bottom opening increased, it was not able to offset the reduction of the airflow velocity resulting from the fin spacing reduction.
Histone H3 Acetyl K9 and Histone H3 Tri Methyl K4 as Prognostic Markers for Patients with Cervical Cancer
Authors: Beyer Susanne , Zhu Junyan , Mayr Doris , Kuhn Christina , Schulze Sandra , Hofmann Simone , Dannecker Christian , Jeschke Udo , Kost Bernd
Published: February 2017

Chromatin remodeling alters gene expression in carcinoma tissue. Although cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide, a systematic study about the prognostic value of specific changes in the chromatin structure, such as histone acetylation or histone methylation, is missing. In this study, the expression of histone H3 acetyl K9, which is known to denote active regions at enhancers and promoters, and histone H3 tri methyl K4, which preferentially identifies active gene promoters, were examined as both show high metastatic potential. A panel of patients with cervical cancer was selected and the importance of the histone modifications concerning survival-time (overall survival and relapse-free survival) was analyzed in 250 cases. Histone H3 acetyl K9 staining was correlated with low grading, low FIGO (TNM classification and the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) status, negative N-status and low T-status in cervical cancer, showing a higher expression in adenocarcinoma than in squamous cell carcinoma. Cytoplasmic expression of histone H3 tri methyl K4 in a cervical cancer specimen was correlated with advanced T-status and poor prognosis. While cytoplasmic H3K4me3 expression seemed to be a marker of relapse-free survival, nuclear expression showed a correlation to poor prognosis in overall survival. Within this study, we analyzed the chemical modification of two histone proteins that are connected to active gene expression. Histone H3 acetyl K9 was found to be an independent marker of overall survival. Histone H3 tri methyl K4 was correlated with poor prognosis and it was found to be an independent marker of relapse-free survival. Therefore, we could show that chromatin remodeling plays an important role in cervical cancer biology.
Secondary Metabolites from Polar Organisms
Authors: Tian Yuan , Li Yan-Ling , Zhao Feng-Chun
Published: February 2017

Polar organisms have been found to develop unique defences against the extreme environment environment, leading to the biosynthesis of novel molecules with diverse bioactivities. This review covers the 219 novel natural products described since 2001, from the Arctic and the Antarctic microoganisms, lichen, moss and marine faunas. The structures of the new compounds and details of the source organism, along with any relevant biological activities are presented. Where reported, synthetic and biosynthetic studies on the polar metabolites have also been included.
Quorum Sensing Inhibitors from the Sea Discovered Using Bacterial N-acyl-homoserine Lactone-Based Biosensors
Authors: Saurav Kumar , Costantino Valeria , Venturi Vittorio , Steindler Laura
Published: February 2017

Marine natural products with antibiotic activity have been a rich source of drug discovery; however, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains has turned attention towards the discovery of alternative innovative strategies to combat pathogens. In many pathogenic bacteria, the expression of virulence factors is under the regulation of quorum sensing (QS). QS inhibitors (QSIs) present a promising alternative or potential synergistic treatment since they disrupt the signaling pathway used for intra- and interspecies coordination of expression of virulence factors. This review covers the set of molecules showing QSI activity that were isolated from marine organisms, including plants (algae), animals (sponges, cnidarians, and bryozoans), and microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and cyanobacteria). The compounds found and the methods used for their isolation are the emphasis of this review.
Interaction of Plant Extracts with Central Nervous System Receptors
Authors: Lundstrom Kenneth , Pham Huyen , Dinh Long
Published: February 2017

Background: Plant extracts have been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various maladies including neurological diseases. Several central nervous system receptors have been demonstrated to interact with plant extracts and components affecting the pharmacology and thereby potentially playing a role in human disease and treatment. For instance, extracts from Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s wort) targeted several CNS receptors. Similarly, extracts from Piper nigrum, Stephania cambodica, and Styphnolobium japonicum exerted inhibition of agonist-induced activity of the human neurokinin-1 receptor. Methods: Different methods have been established for receptor binding and functional assays based on radioactive and fluorescence-labeled ligands in cell lines and primary cell cultures. Behavioral studies of the effect of plant extracts have been conducted in rodents. Plant extracts have further been subjected to mood and cognition studies in humans. Results: Mechanisms of action at molecular and cellular levels have been elucidated for medicinal plants in support of standardization of herbal products and identification of active extract compounds. In several studies, plant extracts demonstrated affinity to a number of CNS receptors in parallel indicating the complexity of this interaction. In vivo studies showed modifications of CNS receptor affinity and behavioral responses in animal models after treatment with medicinal herbs. Certain plant extracts demonstrated neuroprotection and enhanced cognitive performance, respectively, when evaluated in humans. Noteworthy, the penetration of plant extracts and their protective effect on the blood-brain-barrier are discussed. Conclusion: The affinity of plant extracts and their isolated compounds for CNS receptors indicates an important role for medicinal plants in the treatment of neurological disorders. Moreover, studies in animal and human models have confirmed a scientific basis for the application of medicinal herbs. However, additional investigations related to plant extracts and their isolated compounds, as well as their application in animal models and the conducting of clinical trials, are required.
Is Gamma Radiation Suitable to Preserve Phenolic Compounds and to Decontaminate Mycotoxins in Aromatic Plants? A Case-Study with Aloysia citrodora Paláu
Authors: Pereira Eliana , Barros Lillian , Antonio Amilcar , Cabo Verde Sandra , Santos-Buelga Celestino , Ferreira Isabel , Rodrigues Paula
Published: February 2017

This study aimed to determine the effect of gamma radiation on the preservation of phenolic compounds and on decontamination of dry herbs in terms of ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), using Aloysia citrodora Paláu as a case study. For this purpose, artificially contaminated dry leaves were submitted to gamma radiation at different doses (1, 5, and 10 kGy; at dose rate of 1.7 kGy/h). Phenolic compounds were analysed by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS and mycotoxin levels were determined by HPLC-fluorescence. Eleven phenolic compounds were identified in the samples and despite the apparent degradation of some compounds (namely verbasoside), 1 and 10 kGy doses point to a preservation of the majority of the compounds. The mean mycotoxin reduction varied between 5.3% and 9.6% for OTA and from 4.9% to 5.2% for AFB1. It was not observed a significant effect of the irradiation treatments on mycotoxin levels, and a slight degradation of the phenolic compounds in the irradiated samples was observed.
Evapotranspiration Estimates Derived Using Multi-Platform Remote Sensing in a Semiarid Region
Authors: Knipper Kyle , Hogue Terri , Scott Russell , Franz Kristie
Published: February 2017

Evapotranspiration (ET) is a key component of the water balance, especially in arid and semiarid regions. The current study takes advantage of spatially-distributed, near real-time information provided by satellite remote sensing to develop a regional scale ET product derived from remotely-sensed observations. ET is calculated by scaling PET estimated from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) products with downscaled soil moisture derived using the Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite and a second order polynomial regression formula. The MODis-Soil Moisture ET (MOD-SMET) estimates are validated using four flux tower sites in southern Arizona USA, a calibrated empirical ET model, and model output from Version 2 of the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS-2). Validation against daily eddy covariance ET indicates correlations between 0.63 and 0.83 and root mean square errors (RMSE) between 40 and 96 W/m2. MOD-SMET estimates compare well to the calibrated empirical ET model, with a −0.14 difference in correlation between sites, on average. By comparison, NLDAS-2 models underestimate daily ET compared to both flux towers and MOD-SMET estimates. Our analysis shows the MOD-SMET approach to be effective for estimating ET. Because it requires limited ancillary ground-based data and no site-specific calibration, the method is applicable to regions where ground-based measurements are not available.
A Mobility-Aware Adaptive Duty Cycling Mechanism for Tracking Objects during Tunnel Excavation
Authors: Kim Taesik , Min Hong , Jung Jinman
Published: February 2017

Tunnel construction workers face many dangers while working under dark conditions, with difficult access and egress, and many potential hazards. To enhance safety at tunnel construction sites, low latency tracking of mobile objects (e.g., heavy-duty equipment) and construction workers is critical for managing the dangerous construction environment. Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are the basis for a widely used technology for monitoring the environment because of their energy-efficiency and scalability. However, their use involves an inherent point-to-point delay caused by duty cycling mechanisms that can result in a significant rise in the delivery latency for tracking mobile objects. To overcome this issue, we proposed a mobility-aware adaptive duty cycling mechanism for the WSNs based on object mobility. For the evaluation, we tested this mechanism for mobile object tracking at a tunnel excavation site. The evaluation results showed that the proposed mechanism could track mobile objects with low latency while they were moving, and could reduce energy consumption by increasing sleep time while the objects were immobile.
On the Error State Selection for Stationary SINS Alignment and Calibration Kalman Filters—Part II: Observability/Estimability Analysis
Authors: Silva Felipe , Hemerly Elder , Leite Filho Waldemar
Published: February 2017

This paper presents the second part of a study aiming at the error state selection in Kalman filters applied to the stationary self-alignment and calibration (SSAC) problem of strapdown inertial navigation systems (SINS). The observability properties of the system are systematically investigated, and the number of unobservable modes is established. Through the analytical manipulation of the full SINS error model, the unobservable modes of the system are determined, and the SSAC error states (except the velocity errors) are proven to be individually unobservable. The estimability of the system is determined through the examination of the major diagonal terms of the covariance matrix and their eigenvalues/eigenvectors. Filter order reduction based on observability analysis is shown to be inadequate, and several misconceptions regarding SSAC observability and estimability deficiencies are removed. As the main contributions of this paper, we demonstrate that, except for the position errors, all error states can be minimally estimated in the SSAC problem and, hence, should not be removed from the filter. Corroborating the conclusions of the first part of this study, a 12-state Kalman filter is found to be the optimal error state selection for SSAC purposes. Results from simulated and experimental tests support the outlined conclusions.
Markov Chain Model-Based Optimal Cluster Heads Selection for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Ahmed Gulnaz , Zou Jianhua , Zhao Xi , Sadiq Fareed Mian
Published: February 2017

The longer network lifetime of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) is a goal which is directly related to energy consumption. This energy consumption issue becomes more challenging when the energy load is not properly distributed in the sensing area. The hierarchal clustering architecture is the best choice for these kind of issues. In this paper, we introduce a novel clustering protocol called Markov chain model-based optimal cluster heads (MOCHs) selection for WSNs. In our proposed model, we introduce a simple strategy for the optimal number of cluster heads selection to overcome the problem of uneven energy distribution in the network. The attractiveness of our model is that the BS controls the number of cluster heads while the cluster heads control the cluster members in each cluster in such a restricted manner that a uniform and even load is ensured in each cluster. We perform an extensive range of simulation using five quality measures, namely: the lifetime of the network, stable and unstable region in the lifetime of the network, throughput of the network, the number of cluster heads in the network, and the transmission time of the network to analyze the proposed model. We compare MOCHs against Sleep-awake Energy Efficient Distributed (SEED) clustering, Artificial Bee Colony (ABC), Zone Based Routing (ZBR), and Centralized Energy Efficient Clustering (CEEC) using the above-discussed quality metrics and found that the lifetime of the proposed model is almost 1095, 2630, 3599, and 2045 rounds (time steps) greater than SEED, ABC, ZBR, and CEEC, respectively. The obtained results demonstrate that the MOCHs is better than SEED, ABC, ZBR, and CEEC in terms of energy efficiency and the network throughput.
Design and Elementary Evaluation of a Highly-Automated Fluorescence-Based Instrument System for On-Site Detection of Food-Borne Pathogens
Authors: Lu Zhan , Zhang Jianyi , Xu Lizhou , Li Yanbin , Chen Siyu , Ye Zunzhong , Wang Jianping
Published: February 2017

A simple, highly-automated instrument system used for on-site detection of foodborne pathogens based on fluorescence was designed, fabricated, and preliminarily tested in this paper. A corresponding method has been proved effective in our previous studies. This system utilizes a light-emitting diode (LED) to excite fluorescent labels and a spectrometer to record the fluorescence signal from samples. A rotation stage for positioning and switching samples was innovatively designed for high-throughput detection, ten at most in one single run. We also developed software based on LabVIEW for data receiving, processing, and the control of the whole system. In the test of using a pure quantum dot (QD) solution as a standard sample, detection results from this home-made system were highly-relevant with that from a well-commercialized product and even slightly better reproducibility was found. And in the test of three typical kinds of food-borne pathogens, fluorescence signals recorded by this system are highly proportional to the variation of the sample concentration, with a satisfied limit of detection (LOD) (nearly 102–103 CFU·mL−1 in food samples). Additionally, this instrument system is low-cost and easy-to-use, showing a promising potential for on-site rapid detection of food-borne pathogens.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems for Remote Estimation of Flooded Areas Based on Complex Image Processing
Authors: Popescu Dan , Ichim Loretta , Stoican Florin
Published: February 2017

Floods are natural disasters which cause the most economic damage at the global level. Therefore, flood monitoring and damage estimation are very important for the population, authorities and insurance companies. The paper proposes an original solution, based on a hybrid network and complex image processing, to this problem. As first novelty, a multilevel system, with two components, terrestrial and aerial, was proposed and designed by the authors as support for image acquisition from a delimited region. The terrestrial component contains a Ground Control Station, as a coordinator at distance, which communicates via the internet with more Ground Data Terminals, as a fixed nodes network for data acquisition and communication. The aerial component contains mobile nodes—fixed wing type UAVs. In order to evaluate flood damage, two tasks must be accomplished by the network: area coverage and image processing. The second novelty of the paper consists of texture analysis in a deep neural network, taking into account new criteria for feature selection and patch classification. Color and spatial information extracted from chromatic co-occurrence matrix and mass fractal dimension were used as well. Finally, the experimental results in a real mission demonstrate the validity of the proposed methodologies and the performances of the algorithms.
Functional Differentiation and Sustainability: A New Stage of Development in the Chinese Container Port System
Authors: Wang Liehui , Notteboom Theo , Lau Yui-yip , Ng Adolf
Published: February 2017

Adjacent ports played a significant role in the evolution of the port system. In our study, we selected five pairs (i.e., Dalian–Yingkou, Qingdao–Yantai, Shanghai–Ningbo, Xiamen–Quanzhou, and Shenzhen–Guangzhou) of the most important adjacent ports in China to reveal the recent trend of China unique port system development; how and why will port system development be de-concentrated; and integrate the conceptual modal into in-depth analysis. The major findings are as follows: (1) There is functional differentiation in adjacent ports. To some big ports’ sustainability, they focus on foreign trade while other small ports, in order to achieve sustainable development, they focus on domestic trade; (2) First-mover advantage and dislocation competition is a mechanism of China ports functional differentiation; (3) Shanghai and Ningbo are unique in that both ports are similarly focused on foreign trade because they both have deep-water harbors, excellent geographical location, export-oriented hinterland economy, and close foreign investment relationships.
Cultural Capital and Expenditures of Classical Music Festival Visitors
Authors: Lee Kyoung-Joo
Published: February 2017

A better understanding of predictors of festival expenditures is critical for festival organizers to be able to conduct marketing promotion effectively, organize attractive programs, and accurately estimate economic impact. In an attempt to identify predictors of festival consumption,
this study focuses on the influence of the cultural capital of music festival visitors. Based on a survey of visitors to a classic music festival in Korea, this article analyzes the divergent effects on festival expenditures of four different forms of cultural capital: embodied, objectified,
institutionalized, and familial capital. The empirical research shows that institutionalized and familial cultural capital have a positive and significant effect on the expenditures of festival visitors while embodied and objectified capital do not. The research findings suggest that cultural
taste aspect of cultural capital may explain festival participation but economic resource aspect of capital is more deeply related to the amount of consumption at festivals.
Intent Scales in Economic Impact Studies: A Case Study
Authors: Anderson Donna M.
Published: February 2017

The portion of the economic impact of an event attributable to nonlocal visitor spending typically involves surveying visitors on the amount of money they spent or planned on spending at local businesses. However, this self-reported information can overstate the direct effect portion
of an economic impact if the planned spending does not occur. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of intent scale translations that convert a respondent's stated purchase intentions into actual purchase probabilities. Using in-person surveys of a sample of visitors to a Midwestern
US wildlife festival, results show a significant difference exists between total reported spending and spending when intent scales are considered. Thus, the use of intent scales has the potential of providing a more accurate estimate of planned visitor spending.
Pulsational Pair-instability Supernovae
Authors: Woosley S. E.
Published: February 2017

The final evolution of stars in the mass range 70–140

M

⊙

is explored. Depending upon their mass loss history and rotation rates, these stars will end their lives as pulsational pair-instability supernovae (PPISN) producing a great variety of observational transients with total durations ranging from weeks to millennia and luminosities from 1041 to over 1044 erg s−1. No nonrotating model radiates more than

5
×

10

50

erg of light or has a kinetic energy exceeding

5
×

10

51

erg, but greater energies are possible, in principle, in magnetar-powered explosions, which are explored. Many events resemble SNe Ibn, SNe Icn, and SNe IIn, and some potential observational counterparts are mentioned. Some PPISN can exist in a dormant state for extended periods, producing explosions millennia after their first violent pulse. These dormant supernovae contain bright Wolf–Rayet stars, possibly embedded in bright X-ray and radio sources. The relevance of PPISN to supernova impostors like Eta Carinae, to superluminous supernovae, and to sources of gravitational radiation is discussed. No black holes between 52 and 133

M

⊙

are expected from stellar evolution in close binaries.
Residual Gas and Dust around Transition Objects and Weak T Tauri Stars*
Authors: Doppmann Greg W. , Najita Joan R. , Carr John S.
Published: February 2017

Residual gas in disks around young stars can spin down stars, circularize the orbits of terrestrial planets, and whisk away the dusty debris that is expected to serve as a signpost of terrestrial planet formation. We have carried out a sensitive search for residual gas and dust in the terrestrial planet region surrounding young stars ranging in age from a few to ∼10 Myr. Using high-resolution 4.7 μm spectra of transition objects (TOs) and weak T Tauri stars, we searched for weak continuum excesses and CO fundamental emission, after making a careful correction for the stellar contribution to the observed spectrum. We find that the CO emission from TOs is weaker and located farther from the star than CO emission from nontransition T Tauri stars with similar stellar accretion rates. The difference is possibly the result of chemical and/or dynamical effects (i.e., a low CO abundance or close-in low-mass planets). The weak T Tauri stars show no CO fundamental emission down to low flux levels (5 × 10−20 to 10−18 W m−2). We illustrate how our results can be used to constrain the residual disk gas content in these systems and discuss their potential implications for star and planet formation.
Prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade em industriários petroleiros de Coari/AM
Authors: Lima Alex Barreto de , Ribeiro Gustavo Dos Santos , Lopes André Luis
Published: February 2017

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade e estratificar o risco cardiovascular em industriários petroleiros da cidade de Coari/AM.MÉTODOS: A amostra foi composta por 289 trabalhadores do sexo masculino, alocados em 4 grupos de acordo com a faixa etária (20-29, 30-39, 40-49 e 50-59 anos). Foram aferidas estatura, massa corporal e perímetro da cintura. O índice de massa corporal foi usado para identificar o estado nutricional. O risco cardiovascular foi estratificado por dois índices antropométricos conforme preconiza o American College Sports of Medicine. O tratamento estatístico foi realizado no GraphPad Prism aplicando o teste Kolmogorov-Smirnov para analisar a distribuição dos dados e os testes ANOVA one-way com o post-hoc de Tukey para comparar os grupos.RESULTADOS: Apenas 42% dos petroleiros entre 20 e 29 anos não exibem sobrepeso ou obesidade. Este percentual reduz para menos de 20% nos demais grupos. Em relação ao risco cardiovascular, apenas 42% dos trabalhadores de 20 a 29 anos apresentaram baixo risco cardiovascular. Nas demais faixas etárias, este índice ficou entre 15 e 20%. Observou-se maior incidência de risco muito elevado com o avanço da idade (8% vs 12% vs 21% vs 27%, respectivamente). De forma geral, aproximadamente 79% dos trabalhadores apresentam excesso de peso e moderado a alto risco cardiovascular.CONCLUSÕES: A alta prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade nos industriários petroleiros da cidade de Coari/AM reflete no alto risco cardiovascular observado na amostra, evidenciando a necessidade de ações destinadas a prevenir e combater o excesso de peso e, consequentemente, o risco de eventos cardiovasculares.
Spatiotemporal bioeconomic performance of artificial shelters in a small-scale, rights-based managed Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) fishery
Authors: Headley Maren , Seijo Juan Carlos , Hernández Álvaro , Cuevas Jiménez Alfonso , Villanueva Poot Raúl
Published: February 2017

This study presents a bioeconomic analysis of artificial shelter performance in a fishery targeting a spiny lobster meta-population, with spatially allocated, individual exclusive benthic property rights for shelter introduction and harvest of species. Insights into fishers’ short-run decisions and fishing strategies are also provided. Spatiotemporal bioeconomic performance of shelters located in ten fishing areas during four seasons was compared using two-way ANOVAs and Pearson correlations. Results show that there was spatiotemporal heterogeneity in bioeconomic variables among fishing areas, with mean catch per unit effort (CPUE, kg shelter–1) ranging from 0.42 kg to 1.3 kg per trip, mean quasi-profits of variable costs per shelter harvested ranging from USD6.00 to USD19.57 per trip, and mean quasi-profits of variable costs ranging from USD338 to USD1069 per trip. Positive moderate correlations between shelter density and CPUE (kg shelter–1 km–2) were found. Bioeconomic performance of the shelters was influenced by spatiotemporal resource abundance and distribution, fishing area location in relation to the port, shelter density, heterogeneous fishing strategies and the management system. The results provide empirical information on the spatiotemporal performance of shelters and fishing strategies and can contribute to management at the local-scale of a meta-population distributed throughout the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
Augmented Reality
Authors: Salinas Patricia
Published: February 2017

This chapter intends to advance a sociocultural perspective to frame the integration of augmented reality technology for the learning of mathematics. It is discussed the design of an application already produced with this technology. The purpose of the application is to promote the development of spatial ability while also reviewing the visualization of some calculus topics at college. The author contends the benefits of focusing in the graphical representation to approach mathematics knowledge, especially because digital devices are part of the modern culture. Students today are familiar to explore in digital media, and this should be an opportunity to inquire the power of digital design to engage in mathematical thinking.
Interfaces Between Don Idhe, Merleau-Ponty, and Gretchen Schiller´s Embodiment Concepts Applied to Mediadance
Authors: Misi Mirella , Pimentel Ludmila Martinez
Published: February 2017

The artworks that fall nowadays within the umbrella term ‘mediadance,' characterized by the hybridism on the intersection of dance, moving image, digital technology and communication and information technologies, are representing and simulating not only new types of dancing body configurations but also promoting a new way for the audience to experience dance. This article presents and reflects on Gretchen Schiller's (2003) concepts of ‘mediadance' and ‘kinesfield,' revisiting Maurice Merleau-Ponty's (1945, 1962) thoughts on phenomenology of perception for theoretical support to analyze the forms of embodiment that mediadance promotes. Finally, we adopt Don Idhe's post-phenomenological claim that the experience interlaced between body and digital technology is a re-embodiment stage and never, as some authors can propose, a disembodiment stage.
Movement in Architecture
Authors: Perin Gavin , Bowman Christopher
Published: February 2017

The digital processing of three-dimensional movement data often leads to instrumental design methods. This problem-solution design paradigm limits spatial design practices because they do more than solve singular problems. The question is whether spatial design practice can exploit the mediating effects of hardware and software. Robin Evans' essay ‘Translations from Drawing to Building' argues that architecture needs to embrace the mediating effects of the drawing. To this end digital motion capture systems open numerous new mapping and diagramming techniques. The unique condition sponsored by movement data is that architecture must find new ways of drawing the relationship between drawing, data and experience. These new drawings also open numerous issues around the representational and formal opportunities raised by movement capture technologies. Accordingly, the architectural exploration of movement data needs to assess the basis by which all design disciplines can approach movement data through generative rather than instrumental design acts.
Exploratory Study of Internet Banking Technology Adoption
Authors: Safeena Rahmath , Kammani Abdullah , Date Hema
Published: February 2017

Internet has brought significant impact on the way people conduct life in the present-day scenario. In this premise the Indian economy has experienced rapid growth over the last decade, developing Internet Banking Technology (IBT) for transforming the traditional lines of banking. This shift has brought profound challenges and opportunities to both bank and its customers. Customers have found in IBT a new ease to do the financial transaction. Review of these literatures indicates that there are not many studies on IBT Adoption in Indian scenario. The review shows that existing study on IBT adoption in Indian context has shown little evidence of an integrated model for IBT Adoption. This indicates that a comprehensive research in the area of IBT adoption under Indian context is very much limited. This research attempts to analyse existing technology adoption theories for formulating an integrated framework to investigate the factors of IBT adoption in India.
Nitrogen Diffusion and Stresses during Expanded Austenite Formation in Nitriding
Authors: Tkacz-Śmiech Katarzyna , Wierzba Bartek , Bożek Bogdan , Danielewski M.
Published: February 2017

Low-temperature nitriding of austenitic stainless steels or chromium containing alloys can produce expanded austenite, known as S-phase, with combined improvement in wear and corrosion resistance. In the paper a critical review of various models for nitrogen diffusion during nitriding is presented. A special attention is paid to the expanded austenite growth. A new model based on bi-velocity method and including stresses is presented. Basic equations and boundary conditions are discussed. Composition dependent nitrogen diffusion coefficient is assumed. Numerical solutions are obtained for the growth of the S-phase layer in steel. The results are compared with previous experiment and calculations.
Surfactant Protein A Inhibits Growth and Adherence of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli To Protect the Bladder from Infection
Authors: Hashimoto Jiro , Takahashi Motoko , Saito Atsushi , Murata Masaki , Kurimura Yuichiro , Nishitani Chiaki , Takamiya Rina , Uehara Yasuaki , Hasegawa Yoshihiro , Hiyama Yoshiki , Sawada Norimasa , Takahashi Satoshi , Masumori Naoya , Kuroki Yoshio , Ariki Shigeru
Published: February 2017

Surfactant protein A (SP-A) is a multifunctional host defense collectin that was first identified as a component of pulmonary surfactant. Although SP-A is also expressed in various tissues, including the urinary tract, its innate immune functions in nonpulmonary tissues are poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that adherence of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) to the bladder was enhanced in SP-A–deficient mice, which suggests that SP-A plays an important role in innate immunity against UPEC. To understand the innate immune functions of SP-A in detail, we performed in vitro experiments. SP-A directly bound to UPEC in a Ca2+-dependent manner, but it did not agglutinate UPEC. Our results suggest that a bouquet-like arrangement seems unsuitable to agglutinate UPEC. Meanwhile, SP-A inhibited growth of UPEC in human urine. Furthermore, the binding of SP-A to UPEC decreased the adherence of bacteria to urothelial cells. These results indicate that direct action of SP-A on UPEC is important in host defense against UPEC. Additionally, adhesion of UPEC to urothelial cells was decreased when the cells were preincubated with SP-A. Adhesion of UPEC to urothelial cells is achieved via interaction between FimH, an adhesin located at bacterial pili, and uroplakin Ia, a glycoprotein expressed on the urothelium. SP-A directly bound to uroplakin Ia and competed with FimH for uroplakin Ia binding. These results lead us to conclude that SP-A plays important roles in host defense against UPEC.