bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized by Using the Endophytic Bacterium Pantoea ananatis are Promising Antimicrobial Agents against Multidrug Resistant Bacteria
Authors: Monowar Tahmina , Rahman Md. Sayedur , Bhore Subhash J. , Raju Gunasunderi , Sathasivam Kathiresan V.
Published: December 2018

Antibiotic resistance is one of the most important global problems currently confronting the world. Different biomedical applications of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have indicated them to be promising antimicrobial agents. In the present study, extracellular extract of an endophytic bacterium, Pantoea ananatis, was used for synthesis of AgNPs. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized by UV–Vis spectroscopy, FTIR, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), and Zeta potential. The antimicrobial potential of the AgNPs against pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus (ATCC 11632), Bacillus cereus (ATCC 10876), Escherichia coli (ATCC 10536), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 10145) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231), and multidrug resistant (MDR) Streptococcus pneumoniae (ATCC 700677), Enterococcus faecium (ATCC 700221) Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 33592) Escherichia coli (NCTC 13351) was investigated. The synthesized spherical-shaped AgNPs with a size range of 8.06 nm to 91.32 nm exhibited significant antimicrobial activity at 6 μg/disc concentration against Bacillus cereus (ATCC 10876) and Candida albicans (ATCC 10231) which were found to be resistant to conventional antibiotics. The synthesized AgNPs showed promising antibacterial efficiency at 10 µg/disc concentration against the MDR strains. The present study suggests that AgNPs synthesized by using the endophytic bacterium P. ananatis are promising antimicrobial agent.
Antitumor Effect of n-Butylidenephthalide Encapsulated on B16/F10 Melanoma Cells In Vitro with a Polycationic Liposome Containing PEI and Polyethylene Glycol Complex
Authors: Gao Hong-Wei , Chang Kai-Fu , Huang Xiao-Fan , Lin Yu-Ling , Weng Jun-Cheng , Liao Kuang-Wen , Tsai Nu-Man
Published: December 2018

Advanced melanoma can metastasize to distal organs from the skin and yield an aggressive disease and poor prognosis even after treatment with chemotherapeutic agents. The compound n-Butylidenephthalide (BP) is isolated from Angelica sinensis, which is used to treat anemia and gynecological dysfunction in traditional Chinese medicine. Studies have indicated that BP can inhibit cancers, including brain, lung, prostate, liver, and colon cancers. However, because BP is a natural hydrophobic compound, it is quickly metabolized by the liver within 24 h, and thus has limited potential for development in cancer therapy. This study investigated the anticancer mechanisms of BP through encapsulation with a novel polycationic liposome containing polyethylenimine (PEI) and polyethylene glycol complex (LPPC) in melanoma cells. The results demonstrated that BP/LPPC had higher cytotoxicity than BP alone and induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in B16/F10 melanoma cells. The BP/LPPC-treated cell indicated an increase in subG1 percentage and TUNEL positive apoptotic morphology through induction of extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways. The combination of BP and LPPC and clinical drug 5-Fluorouracil had a greater synergistic inhibition effect than did a single drug. Moreover, LPPC encapsulation improved the uptake of BP values through enhancement of cell endocytosis and maintained BP cytotoxicity activity within 24 h. In conclusion, BP/LPPC can inhibit growth of melanoma cells and induce cell arrest and apoptosis, indicating that BP/LPPC has great potential for development of melanoma therapy agents.
Semantic Fusion for Natural Multimodal Interfaces using Concurrent Augmented Transition Networks
Authors: Zimmerer Chris , Fischbach Martin , Latoschik Marc Erich
Published: December 2018

Semantic fusion is a central requirement of many multimodal interfaces. Procedural methods like finite-state transducers and augmented transition networks have proven to be beneficial to implement semantic fusion. They are compliant with rapid development cycles that are common for the development of user interfaces, in contrast to machine-learning approaches that require time-costly training and optimization. We identify seven fundamental requirements for the implementation of semantic fusion: Action derivation, continuous feedback, context-sensitivity, temporal relation support, access to the interaction context, as well as the support of chronologically unsorted and probabilistic input. A subsequent analysis reveals, however, that there is currently no solution for fulfilling the latter two requirements. As the main contribution of this article, we thus present the Concurrent Cursor concept to compensate these shortcomings. In addition, we showcase a reference implementation, the Concurrent Augmented Transition Network (cATN), that validates the concept’s feasibility in a series of proof of concept demonstrations as well as through a comparative benchmark. The cATN fulfills all identified requirements and fills the lack amongst previous solutions. It supports the rapid prototyping of multimodal interfaces by means of five concrete traits: Its declarative nature, the recursiveness of the underlying transition network, the network abstraction constructs of its description language, the utilized semantic queries, and an abstraction layer for lexical information. Our reference implementation was and is used in various student projects, theses, as well as master-level courses. It is openly available and showcases that non-experts can effectively implement multimodal interfaces, even for non-trivial applications in mixed and virtual reality.
Charge Transfer Tuned by the Surrounding Dielectrics in TiO2-Ag Composite Arrays
Authors: Wang Yaxin , Yan Chao , Li Chunxiang , Lu Ziyang , Ma Changchang , Yan Yongsheng , Zhang Yongjun
Published: December 2018

TiO2/Ag bilayer films sputtered onto a 2D polystyrene (PS) bead array in a magnetron sputtering system were found to form a nanocap-shaped nanostructure composed of a TiO2-Ag composite on each PS bead, in which the Ag nanoparticles were trapped partially or fully in the TiO2 matrix, depending on the TiO2 thickness. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) results showed the opposite shifts of binding energy for Ti 2p and Ag 3d, indicating the transfer of electrons from metallic Ag to TiO2 owing to the Ag-O-TiO2 composite formation. UV-Vis absorption spectra showed the blue shifts of the surface plasma resonance peaks, and the maximum absorption peak intensity was obtained for TiO2 at 30 nm. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) peak intensity first increased and then decreased when the TiO2 thickness changed. The observations of SERS, XPS, and UV-Vis absorption spectra were explained by the dependency of the charge-transfer process on TiO2 thickness, which was ascribed to the changing dielectric properties in the metal/semiconductor system.
A Prenatal DHA Test to Help Identify Women at Increased Risk for Early Preterm Birth: A Proposal
Authors: Jackson Kristina H. , Harris William S.
Published: December 2018

Fish intake and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a nutrient found in fish, have been favorably linked to several pregnancy outcomes. The risk of early preterm birth (ePT, <34 weeks gestation) is associated with low fish intake and DHA blood levels and can be reduced by supplemental DHA. Here, we summarize the evidence linking blood DHA levels with risk for ePT birth, and based on the available studies, propose that women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant aim for a red blood cell (RBC) DHA value of at least 5% (of total RBC fatty acids). In the US, ~70% of women of childbearing age are likely below this cut-point, and dietary intake data suggest that this group, including pregnant women, consumes ~60 mg/day DHA and that >90% of this group do not take an omega-3 supplement. Since the recommendations for women to consume fish and to take a 200 mg DHA supplement during pregnancy are not being heeded generally, there is a need to motivate practitioners and pregnant women to attend to these recommendations. Having an objective prenatal blood DHA test could provide such motivation. More research is needed to test the clinical utility of this proposed target prenatal DHA level.
Essential Amino Acid Profile in Parenteral Nutrition Mixtures: Does It Meet Needs?
Authors: Iacone Roberto , Scanzano Clelia , Santarpia Lidia , Alfonsi Lucia , Marra Maurizio , Pagano Maria Carmen , D’Isanto Anna , Frangipane Ignazio , Vitalone Andrea , D’Angeli Mariana , Contaldo Franco , Pasanisi Fabrizio
Published: December 2018

Background and Aims: The study compares the essential amino acid (EAA) composition of different parenteral nutrition (PN) mixtures with whey protein EAA profile and the theoretical daily EAA requirements (set by WHO/FAO/UNU or IAAO method). According to the individual EAA profile, the potential effect of several PN mixtures was evaluated on the skeletal muscle mass (SMM) of patients on home PN. Methods: Eight AA solutions and fifteen complete PN mixtures were considered. Twenty-nine clinically stable patients with short bowel syndrome on home total PN were retrospectively evaluated. SMM was estimated by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Results: The prescribed doses of EAA that showed a significant increase in home PN patients muscle mass were considerably greater than the theoretical ones, showing an EAA profile similar to whey protein. At the daily dose of 1 g of total AA s/kg body weight (BW), the considered PN mixtures mostly failed to improve SMM. Only prescribed doses which included more than 0.25 g/kg BW of total BCAA with at least 0.10 g/kg BW leucine, 0.08 g/kg BW isoleucine, and 0.06 g/kg BW methionine showed a significant increase in SMM. Conclusions: The theoretical daily requirement for each EAA was met by all considered PN solutions when the prescribed daily dose of total AAs was set at 1 g/kg BW. Nevertheless, our data suggest that only an increase in total BCAA, also richer in single AA leucine, isoleucine, and methionine, is associated with the maintenance and/or increase of SMM. According to these preliminary observations, we support the prescription of an EAA composition of PN mixtures close to that of whey protein for the preservation of SMM in patients on long-term total PN.
Physical Activity and Nutrition: Two Promising Strategies for Telomere Maintenance?
Authors: Balan Estelle , Decottignies Anabelle , Deldicque Louise
Published: December 2018

As the world demographic structure is getting older, highlighting strategies to counteract age-related diseases is a major public health concern. Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures that serve as guardians of genome stability by ensuring protection against both cell death and senescence. A hallmark of biological aging, telomere health is determined throughout the lifespan by a combination of both genetic and non-genetic influences. This review summarizes data from recently published studies looking at the effect of lifestyle variables such as nutrition and physical activity on telomere dynamics.
Remotely Sensed Single Tree Data Enable the Determination of Habitat Thresholds for the Three-Toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus)
Authors: Zielewska-Büttner Katarzyna , Heurich Marco , Müller Jörg , Braunisch Veronika
Published: December 2018

Forest biodiversity conservation requires precise, area-wide information on the abundance and distribution of key habitat structures at multiple spatial scales. We combined airborne laser scanning (ALS) data with color-infrared (CIR) aerial imagery for identifying individual tree characteristics and quantifying multi-scale habitat requirements using the example of the three-toed woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus) (TTW) in the Bavarian Forest National Park (Germany). This bird, a keystone species of boreal and mountainous forests, is highly reliant on bark beetles dwelling in dead or dying trees. While previous studies showed a positive relationship between the TTW presence and the amount of deadwood as a limiting resource, we hypothesized a unimodal response with a negative effect of very high deadwood amounts and tested for effects of substrate quality. Based on 104 woodpecker presence or absence locations, habitat selection was modelled at four spatial scales reflecting different woodpecker home range sizes. The abundance of standing dead trees was the most important predictor, with an increase in the probability of TTW occurrence up to a threshold of 44–50 dead trees per hectare, followed by a decrease in the probability of occurrence. A positive relationship with the deadwood crown size indicated the importance of fresh deadwood. Remote sensing data allowed both an area-wide prediction of species occurrence and the derivation of ecological threshold values for deadwood quality and quantity for more informed conservation management.
Patterns and Determinants of Post-Soviet Cropland Abandonment in the Western Siberian Grain Belt
Authors: Nguyen Ho , Hölzel Norbert , Völker Andreas , Kamp Johannes
Published: December 2018

The transition from a command to a market economy resulted in widespread cropland abandonment across the former Soviet Union during the 1990s. Spatial patterns and determinants of abandonment are comparatively well understood for European Russia, but have not yet been assessed for the vast grain belt of Western Siberia, situated in the Eurasian forest steppe. This is unfortunate, as land-use change in Western Siberia is of global significance: Fertile black earth soils and vast mires store large amounts of organic carbon, and both undisturbed and traditional cultural landscapes harbor threatened biodiversity. We compared Landsat images from ca. 1990 (before the break-up of the Soviet Union) and ca. 2015 (current situation) with a supervised classification to estimate the extent and spatial distribution of abandoned cropland. We used logistic regression models to reveal important determinants of cropland abandonment. Ca. 135,000 ha classified as cropland around 1990 were classified as grassland around 2015. This suggests that ca. 20% of all cropland remain abandoned ca. 25 years after the end of the Soviet Union. Abandonment occurred mostly at poorly drained sites. The likelihood of cropland abandonment increased with decreasing soil quality, and increasing distance to medium-sized settlements, roads and railroads. We conclude that soil suitability, access to transport infrastructure and availability of workforce are key determinants of cropland abandonment in Western Siberia.
An Environmentally-Adaptive Positioning Method Based on Integration of GPS/DTMB/FM
Authors: Cong Li , Wang Haidong , Qin Honglei , Liu Luqi
Published: December 2018

The Global Positioning System (GPS) yields good precision and availability in open outdoor environment. However, the errors of GPS may suffer degradation in some complex environments, such as forests and urban canyons. To solve this problem, a new positioning method is designed integrating GPS, Digital Terrestrial Multimedia Broadcast (DTMB) and frequency-modulated (FM) radio signal. In this method, the DTMB transmitter acts as a pseudo-satellite to assist GPS positioning. Furthermore, the FM fingerprint positioning is used to correct the positioning bias. An adaptive selection scheme is proposed to provide an optimal integration mode of the sensors. Field experiments in complex environment were carried out for evaluation. Comparing to the GPS-only and GPS + DTMB approach, positioning accuracy was improved by at least 68.21 % and 21.27 % with the proposed method, respectively.
Reliable and Accurate Wheel Size Measurement under Highly Reflective Conditions
Authors: Pan Xiao , Liu Zhen , Zhang Guangjun
Published: December 2018

Structured-light vision sensor, as an important tool for obtaining 3D data, is widely used in fields of online high-precision measurement. However, the captured stripe images can show high-dynamic characteristics of low signal-to-noise ratio and uneven brightness due to the complexity of the onsite environment. These conditions seriously affect measurement reliability and accuracy. In this study, a wheel size measurement framework based on a structured-light vision sensor, which has high precision and reliability and is suitable for highly reflective conditions, is proposed. Initially, the quality evaluation criterion of stripe images is established, and the entire stripe is distinguished into high- and low-quality segments. In addition, the multi-scale Retinex theory is adopted to enhance stripe brightness, which improves the reliability of subsequent stripe center extraction. Experiments verify that this approach can remarkably improve measurement reliability and accuracy and has important practical value.
Device for Acoustic Support of Orientation in the Surroundings for Blind People
Authors: Kubanek Mariusz , Bobulski Janusz
Published: December 2018

The constant development of modern technologies allows the creation of new and, above all, mobile devices supporting people with disabilities. All work carried out to improve the lives of people with disabilities is an important element of the field of science. The work presents matters related to the anatomy and physiology of hearing, imaginative abilities of blind people and devices supporting these people. The authors elaborated a prototype of an electronic device that supports the orientation of blind people in the environment by means of sound signals. Sounds are denoted to present to a blind person a simplified map of the depth of space in front of the device user. An innovative element of the work is the use of Kinect sensor, scanning the space in front of the user, as well as a set of developed algorithms for learning and generating acoustic space, taking into account the inclination of the head. The experiments carried out indicate the correct interpretation of the modeled audible signals, and the tests carried out on persons with impaired vision organs demonstrate high efficiency of the developed concept.
An Integrated Investigation of Spatiotemporal Habitat Quality Dynamics and Driving Forces in the Upper Basin of Miyun Reservoir, North China
Authors: Yan Shengjun , Wang Xuan , Cai Yanpeng , Li Chunhui , Yan Rui , Cui Guannan , Yang Zhifeng
Published: December 2018

Understanding changes in habitat quality and the driving forces of these changes at landscape scales is a critical part of effective ecosystem management. The present study investigated spatiotemporal habitat quality dynamics and related driving forces from 2005 to 2015 in the upper basin of Miyun Reservoir in North China by constructing an effective framework integrated InVEST and binary logistic regression models. This framework expanded the driving force analysis into an assessment of changes in habitat quality and intuitively verified the effectiveness of relevant environmental policies. The proposed method of combining the equidistant random sampling method and the method of introducing spatial lag variables in logistic regression equation can effectively solve spatial autocorrelation with a large enough number of sampling points. Overall, habitat quality improved during the study period. Spatially, a concentrated loss of habitat occurred in the southeastern part of the basin between the reservoir and mountainous areas, while other areas gradually recovered. Driving force analysis showed that lower elevation mountain land, gentle slopes, locations near rural land or roads, larger areas of grain cultivation, and areas with little population change had a higher likelihood of having changed in habitat quality in the upper basin of Miyun Reservoir. These results suggested that the present policy of protecting the ecosystem had a positive effect on improving habitat quality. In the future, the human activity management related to habitat quality needs to be strengthened. The present study would provide a reference for land use policy formulation and biodiversity conservation.
Relations between Agri-Environmental, Economic and Social Dimensions of Farms’ Sustainability
Authors: Sulewski Piotr , Kłoczko-Gajewska Anna , Sroka Wojciech
Published: December 2018

Attempts to measure sustainability of farms are usually based on indicators of a set of sustainability dimensions. According to the literature, analyses should (but quite often do not) cover not only the level, but also the relations between the sustainability dimensions, because we could expect complementarity, synergies or competition between the sustainability goals. The aim of this paper was to measure and assess the interdependencies between dimensions of farms’ sustainability. The research was carried out on 601 farms that participate in the Polish Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), with the use of standard FADN data supported by additional information from interviews. Based on many variables, economic, environmental, social, and composite sustainability indices were collected. From the correlation and correspondence analyses it was concluded that the farms reached the balance of all three dimensions simultaneously when the level of sustainability indices was medium, while a high level of sustainability in one dimension made it very difficult to reach a high level in the others. It was also emphasized that assessing farms’ sustainability with the use of a simple aggregation of variables may be not correct since sustainability goals may compete with each other.
Surface Water Resource Protection in a Mining Process under Varying Strata Thickness—A Case Study of Buliangou Coal Mine, China
Authors: Li Hao , Zhang Boyang , Bai Haibo , Wu Jianjun , Meng Qingbin , Xiao Ning , Li Feng , Wu Guangming
Published: December 2018

The mining of shallow buried and thick coal seams may cause ground settlement, loss of surface water, and even soil desertification in arid–semi-arid climate zones. The key to protecting surface water resources through the technology of separated strata grouting is to study the evolution of the separation space under the key stratum (KS) with the change of strata. Aiming at the section of underground strata characteristics of F6202 and F6208 working faces, similar simulation tests under three typical geological conditions were carried out. Based on the experimental results, a theoretical calculation model was established, and the practice of separation grouting was carried out. The results show that, under the conditions of a thick coal seam with one KS, the structure formed by breaking strata below the KS was relatively unstable, and the separation space was relatively large, which is likely to cause serious ground settlement. More seriously, with the increase of the weakly consolidated layer and coal seam thickness, the increase of the ratio of rock to soil in the weakly consolidated layer, and the decrease of the thickness of the strata below the KS (two KS condition), the separation space was further increased. Based on the above analysis, combined with the real-time feedback data of the grout amount and pressure on hydraulic support, the position of the grouting borehole was determined, and the speed of mining advance was adjusted in time, thus effectively controlling the curvature of the ground settlement, protecting the integrity of the red clay layer near the surface, and consequently protecting water resources.
Intellectual Capital, Financial Performance and Companies’ Sustainable Growth: Evidence from the Korean Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Xu Jian , Wang Binghan
Published: December 2018

Intellectual capital (IC) is considered to be a wealth generator and driver of financial performance thus creating competitive advantage and sustainability in business. This paper empirically investigates the impact of IC on financial performance and sustainable growth in the Korean manufacturing industry. Multiple regression models are applied with data collected from 390 manufacturing companies listed on the Korean Stock Exchange during 2012–2016. The results of the analysis show that IC has a positive impact on financial performance and companies’ sustainable growth. In addition, companies’ performance and sustainable growth are positively related to physical capital, human capital (HC), and relational capital (RC). RC is found to be the most influencing factor. Finally, innovative capital captures additional information on structural capital (SC) which negatively affects the performance of Korean manufacturing companies. The results extend the understanding of IC in creating corporate value and building sustainable advantages in emerging economies.
A Discovery of Multiple Levels of Open Innovation in Understanding the Economic Sustainability. A Case Study in the Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Kashan Alireza Javanmardi , Mohannak Kavoos , Perano Mirko , Casali Gian Luca
Published: December 2018

The aim of this paper is twofold: firstly, investigate the theory of governance and open innovation by adding the process of value creation and value capture; secondly, to discuss the potential link between open innovation and economic sustainability. With the current emphasis of the literature being on either the value creation or value capture processes, the phenomenon of open innovation is only partially understood. To help broaden this understanding, we conducted an in-depth case study of the processes behind the transformation of governance structures at Iran Khodro Company (IKCO), which led to the emergence of both value creation and capture processes. A multi project analysis (from 1994 to 2012) has point out that IKCO have created and developed a formal value creation and capture processes from the part level through to the architectural level, allowing a gradual openness at those levels and at the same time ensuring a greater economic sustainability of the IKCO business. These findings reveal the existence of four unique levels of open innovation in product development architecture. Practical implications are also provided relating the impact that each of these levels can have on the economic sustainable model of the firms in the manufacturing sector.
Population Matters: Identifying Metropolitan Sub-Centers from Diachronic Density-Distance Curves, 1960–2010
Authors: Mariani Francesca , Zambon Ilaria , Salvati Luca
Published: December 2018

The present study illustrates a simplified procedure identifying population sub-centers over 50 years in three Southern European cities (Barcelona, Rome, Athens) with the aim to define and characterize progressive shifts from mono-centric structures towards a polycentric spatial configuration of (growing) metropolitan regions. This procedure is based on a spatially-explicit, local-scale analysis of the standardized residuals from a log-linear model assessing the relationship between population concentration and the distance from a central place in each metropolitan region, under the hypotheses that (i) a mono-centric spatial structure is characterized by a linear relationship between the two variables and that (ii) population sub-centers—considered early signals of a more polycentric regional structure—are characterized by high and positive regression residuals. Results of this study indicate that the three cities have experienced distinctive urbanization waves influencing the overall metropolitan configuration, with variable impact on the original mono-centric structure. Population sub-centers include (i) peri-urban municipalities around the central city and more remote towns situated in rural districts (Barcelona); (ii) scattered towns at variable distances (20–30 km) from the central city (Rome); (iii) fringe municipalities and peri-urban locations in flat districts, 10–20 km away from the central city (Athens). These results may indicate a distinctive evolution path toward polycentric development in the three cities, more evident in Barcelona and Rome and less evident in Athens. The proposed methodology can be generalized and adapted to discriminate population from employment sub-centers in metropolitan regions all over Europe.
A Multi-Objective Ground Motion Selection Approach Matching the Acceleration and Displacement Response Spectra
Authors: Chen Yabin , Xu Longjun , Zhu Xingji , Liu Hao
Published: December 2018

For seismic resilience-based design (RBD), a selection of recorded time histories for dynamic structural analysis is usually required. In order to make individual structures and communities regain their target functions as promptly as possible, uncertainty of the structural response estimates is in great need of reduction. The ground motion (GM) selection based on a single target response spectrum, such as acceleration or displacement response spectrum, would bias structural response estimates leading significant uncertainty, even though response spectrum variance is taken into account. In addition, resilience of an individual structure is not governed by its own performance, but depends severely on the performance of other systems in the same community. Thus, evaluation of resilience of a community using records matching target spectrum at whole periods would be reasonable because the fundamental periods of systems in the community may be varied. This paper presents a GM selection approach based on a probabilistic framework to find an optimal set of records to match multiple target spectra, including acceleration and displacement response spectra. Two major steps are included in that framework. Generation of multiple sub-spectra from target displacement response spectrum for selecting sets of GMs was proposed as the first step. Likewise, the process as genetic algorithm (GA), evolvement of individuals previously generated, is the second step, rather than using crossover and mutation techniques. A novel technique improving the match between acceleration response spectra of samples and targets is proposed as the second evolvement step. It is proved computationally efficient for the proposed algorithm by comparing with two developed GM selection algorithms. Finally, the proposed algorithm is applied to select GM records according to seismic codes for analysis of four archetype reinforced concrete (RC) frames aiming to evaluate the influence of GM selection considering two design response spectra on structural responses. The implications of design response spectra especially the displacement response spectrum and GM selection algorithm are summarized.
Loxosceles gaucho Spider Venom: An Untapped Source of Antimicrobial Agents
Authors: Segura-Ramírez Paula J , Silva Júnior Pedro I
Published: December 2018

The remarkable ability of microorganisms to develop resistance to conventional antibiotics is one of the biggest challenges that the pharmaceutical industry currently faces. Recent studies suggest that antimicrobial peptides discovered in spider venoms may be useful resources for the design of structurally new anti-infective agents effective against drug-resistant microorganisms. In this work, we found an anionic antibacterial peptide named U1-SCRTX-Lg1a in the venom of the spider Loxosceles gaucho. The peptide was purified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), its antimicrobial activity was tested through liquid growth inhibition assays, and its chemical properties were characterized using mass spectrometry. U1-SCRTX-Lg1a was found to show a monoisotopic mass of 1695.75 Da, activity against Gram-negative bacteria, a lack of hemolytic effects against human red blood cells, and a lack of cytotoxicity against human cervical carcinoma cells (HeLa). Besides this, the sequence of the peptide exhibited great similarity to specific regions of phospholipases D from different species of Loxosceles spiders, leading to the hypothesis that U1-SCRTX-Lg1a may have originated from a limited proteolytic cleavage. Our data suggest that U1-SCRTX-Lg1a is a promising candidate for the development of new antibiotics that could help fight bacterial infections and represents an exciting discovery for Loxosceles spiders.
Characterization of A Staphylococcal Food Poisoning Outbreak in A Workplace Canteen during the Post-Earthquake Reconstruction of Central Italy
Authors: Guidi Fabrizia , Duranti Anna , Gallina Silvia , Nia Yacine , Petruzzelli Annalisa , Romano Angelo , Travaglini Valeria , Olivastri Alberto , Calvaresi Vincenzo , Decastelli Lucia , Blasi Giuliana
Published: December 2018

In summer 2017, a foodborne outbreak occurred in Central Italy, involving 26 workers employed in the post-earthquake reconstruction. After eating a meal provided by a catering service, they manifested gastrointestinal symptoms; 23 of them were hospitalized. The retrospective cohort study indicated the pasta salad as the most likely vehicle of poisoning. Foods, environmental samples, and food handlers’ nasal swabs were collected. Bacillus cereus (Bc) and coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS) including S. aureus, together with their toxins, were the targets of the analysis. CPS, detected in all the leftovers, exceeded 105 CFU/g in the pasta salad, in which we found Staphylococcal Enterotoxins (SEs) (0.033 ng SEA/g; 0.052 ng SED/g). None of the environmental and human swabs showed contamination. We characterized 23 S. aureus from foods. They all belonged to the human biotype, showed the same toxigenic profile (sea, sed, sej, and ser genes), and had the same Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern; none of them harbored mecA or mupA genes. We also detected Bc contamination in the pasta salad but none of the isolates harbored the ces gene for the emetic toxin cereulide. The EU Reference Laboratory for CPS confirmed the case as a strong-evidence outbreak caused by the ingestion of SEs produced by a single strain of S. aureus carried by the same human source. This outbreak was successfully investigated despite the emergency situation in which it occurred.
Results from the OPERA Experiment in the CNGS Beam
Authors: Paoloni Alessandro ,   on Behalf of OPERA Collaboration
Published: December 2018

The OPERA experiment was designed to observe ν μ → ν τ oscillations through τ appearance on the CERN Neutrino to Gran Sasso (CNGS) beam over a baseline of 730 km. OPERA was a hybrid experiment composed of lead plates and emulsion layers acting as a target for neutrino interactions. The experiment was complemented with electronic detectors: scintillator strips used as Target Trackers and muon spectrometers. A review of the OPERA final results is presented in this paper.
Abstracts from the Poster Session of the 2018 American Massage Therapy Association National Convention
Authors: Authors Various
Published: December 2018

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BALTIJOS ARTEZINIO BASEINO ŠVENTOSIOS–UPNINKŲ VANDENINGOJO KOMPLEKSO POŽEMINIO VANDENS GAMTINIŲ RESURSŲ MODELINIS ĮVERTINIMAS
Authors: BUJANAUSKAS Modestas , GREGORAUSKAS Marius , MOKRIK Robert
Published: December 2018

Šventosios–Upninkų vandeningojo komplekso požeminio vandens gamtiniai resursai įvertinti panaudojant bendrą erdvinį 3D Baltijos artezinio baseino (BAB) matematinį modelį. Modelis sukurtas ir kalibruotas panaudojant gausią geologinio–hidrogeologinio kartografavimo, gręžinių, monitoringo bei įvairių tyrimų informaciją. Modeliavimo rezultatai parodė, kad Šventosios–Upninkų vandeningasis kompleksas pasižymi dideliais gamtiniais požeminio vandens resursais, kurie siekia 3,4 mln. m3/d. Pagrindinis jų formavimosi šaltinis yra prietaka iš gruntinio bei aukščiau slūgstančių spūdinių vandeningųjų sluoksnių – 3,3 mln. m3/d (97 %). Didžioji dalis gamtinių resursų išteka į gruntinį ir aukščiau slūgstančius spūdinius vandeninguosius sluoksnius – 2,0 mln. m3/d (59 %), upes – 1 mln. m3/d (30 %), Baltijos jūrą – 238 tūkst. m3/d (7 %). Jų formavimą sąlygoja gretimų vandeningųjų ir vandeniui silpnai laidžių sluoksnių geologinė–hidrogeologinė sąranga, infiltracinė mityba ir iškrovos ypatumai į upių tinklą bei Baltijos jūros šelfe. Komplekso gamtinių resursų pasiskirstymas Baltijos regione nevienodas. Didžioji išteklių dalis koncentruojasi Baltijos bei Kuršo aukštumų ruožuose, kurie yra intensyviausios komplekso mitybos sritimis. Didėjant komplekso slūgsojimo gyliui dėl mažėjančios mitybos iš aukščiau slūgstančių vandeningųjų sluoksnių jo gamtinių resursų kiekis mažėja. Sudarytas filtracinis modelis ateityje suteiks galimybę įvertinti vandeningojo komplekso eksploatacinius požeminio vandens išteklius visame Baltijos regione.
GARSĄ SUGERIANČIŲ PLOKŠČIŲ PAVIRŠIAUS PLOTO ĮTAKOS PATALPOS AIDĖJIMO TRUKMEI VERTINIMAS
Authors: ASTRAUSKAS Tomas , GRUBLIAUSKAS Raimondas
Published: December 2018

Patalpos aidėjimo trukmė RT,60 labiausiai priklauso nuo garsą sugeriančių medžiagų paviršiaus ploto patalpoje. Patalpų aidėjimo trukmei mažinti gyvenamuosiuose ir visuomeninės paskirties pastatuose naudojamos lengvos, perforuotos medžiagos, kurios dažniausiai yra naudojamos lubų konstrukcijose. Šiame darbe yra tiriama tiesioginė garsą sugeriančios medžiagos paviršiaus ploto priklausomybė nuo patalpos aidėjimo trukmės natūrinėmis (in-situ) sąlygomis. Tyrimų metu buvo keičiamas garsą sugeriančios medžiagos bendras paviršiaus plotas ir išdėstymas patalpoje, siekiant išsiaiškinti koreliaciją tarp sugeriančio paviršiaus patalpoje ir aidėjimo trukmės. Gauti rezultatai parodė, kad teorinis modelis yra teisingas. Eksperimentiniu būdu nustatytas reverberacijos laikas kito nuo 1,2 iki 2,25 s atitinkamai esant visoms garsą sugeriančioms plokštėms ir jų nesant. Kalbos perdavimo indeksas atitinkamai kito nuo 0,72 iki 0,83.
SVETIMŽODŽIŲ IR JŲ ATITIKMENŲ VARTOSENOS POKYČIAI GLOBALIZACIJOS KONTEKSTE
Authors: ŽUKIENĖ Regina
Published: December 2018

Didėjanti svetimybių vartosenos sklaida visuomenės kalboje neigiamai veikia technikos mokslo kalbą, todėl akademinėje aplinkoje daugėja svetimžodžių – tai neišvengiamas spartėjančios globalizacijos, gamybinių bei kalbinių kontaktų rezultatas. Tyrimo tikslas – atskleisti svetimžodžių ir jų lietuviškų atitikmenų vartosenos Vilniaus Gedimino technikos universiteto (VGTU) Aplinkos inžinerijos fakulteto magistro studijų studentų kalboje santykį. Pateikiami tyrimo, atlikto 2016–2017 m., lyginamieji duomenys. Analizuojami svetimžodžių ir jų atitikmenų vartosenos motyvai ir galimi socialinės aplinkos įtakos veiksniai, kurie lemia magistrantų pasirinkimą vartoti arba nevartoti svetimžodžius.
IMPROVEMENT OF AN OPTIMAL BUS SCHEDULING MODEL BASED ON TRANSIT SMART CARD DATA IN SEOUL
Authors: Nam Kihwan , Park Myungkeun
Published: December 2018

This study was initiated with a goal of improving the bus scheduling model using the past data of “smart card”. Traffic congestion level of Seoul is keep aggravating and it also has negative influence on air pollution and our health. Additionally, this heavy traffic causes high congestion costs. The continuous quantitative growth of the public transportation system brings the necessity of its efficient operation system for its future qualitative growth. The improvement of operation system is necessary also to improve public transportation operation cost efficiency of Seoul. In other words, the systematic planning is necessary for maximizing passengers’ satisfaction level and the public transportation operation cost efficiency of Seoul. The current allocation interval of Seoul bus system is designed based on the empirical data of the past, which is incapable of immediate response to rapidly changing passenger demands. This research analyses passengers’ behaviour and makes a proposal for the traffic network operation by analysing the “traffic card (smart card) big data”, which comes from over 90% of the passengers so as to be flexible in dealing with rapid changes in demand.
NIGHT DELIVERIES AND CARRIER-LED CONSOLIDATION STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE URBAN GOODS DISTRIBUTION
Authors: Estrada Miquel , Campos-Cacheda José-Magín , Robusté Francesc
Published: December 2018

Night distribution and consolidation strategies have been proposed in many cities to increase the efficiency of the urban goods distribution system and to reduce the external effects that it causes in terms of emissions. However, the deployment of these initiatives presents a new reallocation of costs and incomes among collaborative stakeholders that take part in. In this paper, an analytical model to estimate the new economic effects caused by these strategies on the involved agents is presented, based on continuous approximations. This model allows decision makers to estimate the transportation cost and emissions savings that will be obtained by each strategy as well as the range of retailer demand in which these strategies are not economically feasible. The results show that night distribution generally outperforms the carrier cost reduction and emissions savings, especially when large vehicles are used in night periods.
Accurate Computation of Light Curves and the Rossiter–McLaughlin Effect in Multibody Eclipsing Systems
Authors: Short Donald R , Orosz Jerome A , Windmiller Gur , Welsh William F
Published: December 2018

We present an efficient method for computing the visible flux for each body during a multibody eclipsing event for all commonly used limb-darkening laws. Our approach follows the idea put forth by Pál to apply Green’s theorem on the limb-darkening integral, thus transforming the two-dimensional flux integral over the visible disk into a one-dimensional integral over the visible boundary. We implement this idea through an iterative process that combines a fast method for describing the visible boundary of each body with a fast numerical integration scheme to compute the integrals. For the two-body case, our method compares well in speed with both that of Mandel & Agol and that of Giménez. The strength of the method is that it works for any number of spherical bodies with a computational accuracy that is adjustable through the use of a tolerance parameter. Most significantly, the method offers two main advantages over previously used techniques: (i) it can employ a multitude of limb-darkening laws, including all of the commonly used ones; and (ii) it can compute the Rossiter–McLaughlin effect for rigid-body rotation with an arbitrary orientation of the rotation axis using any of these limb-darkening laws. In addition, we can compute the Rossiter–McLaughlin effect for stars exhibiting differential rotation using the quadratic limb-darkening law. We provide the mathematical background for the method and explain in detail how to implement the technique with the help of several examples and codes that we make available.
The HST PanCET Program: Hints of Na i and Evidence of a Cloudy Atmosphere for the Inflated Hot Jupiter WASP-52b
Authors: Alam Munazza K. , Nikolov Nikolay , López-Morales Mercedes , Sing David K. , Goyal Jayesh M. , Henry Gregory W. , Sanz-Forcada Jorge , Williamson Michael H. , Evans Thomas M. , Wakeford Hannah R. , Bruno Giovanni , Ballester Gilda E. , Stevenson Kevin B. , Lewis Nikole K. , Barstow Joanna K. , Bourrier Vincent , Buchhave Lars A. , Ehrenreich David , Muñoz Antonio García
Published: December 2018

We present an optical to near-infrared transmission spectrum of the inflated hot Jupiter WASP-52b using three transit observations from the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph mounted on the Hubble Space Telescope, combined with Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera photometry at 3.6 and 4.5 μm. Since WASP-52 is a moderately active (log(L
x/L
bol) = −4.7) star, we correct the transit light curves for the effect of stellar activity using ground-based photometric monitoring data from the All-sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN) and Tennessee State University’s Automatic Imaging Telescope. We bin the data in 38 spectrophotometric light curves from 0.29 to 4.5 μm and measure the transit depths to a median precision of 90 ppm. We compare the transmission spectrum to a grid of forward atmospheric models and find that our results are consistent with a cloudy spectrum and evidence of sodium at 2.3σ confidence, but we find no observable evidence of potassium absorption even in the narrowest spectroscopic channel. We find that the optical transmission spectrum of WASP-52b is similar to that of the well-studied inflated hot Jupiter HAT-P-1b, which has comparable surface gravity, equilibrium temperature, mass, radius, and stellar irradiation levels. At longer wavelengths, however, the best-fitting models for WASP-52b and HAT-P-1b predict quite dissimilar properties, which could be confirmed with observations at wavelengths longer than ∼1 μm. The identification of planets with common atmospheric properties and similar system parameters will be insightful for comparative atmospheric studies with the James Webb Space Telescope.
Investigating Inner and Large-scale Physical Environments of IRAS 17008-4040 and IRAS 17009-4042 toward L = 345.°5, B = 0.°3
Authors: Dewangan L. K. , Baug T. , Ojha D. K. , Ghosh S. K.
Published: December 2018

We present a multiwavelength observational study of IRAS 17008-4040 and IRAS 17009-4042 to probe the star formation (SF) mechanisms operational in both the sites. Each IRAS site is embedded within a massive ATLASGAL 870 μm clump (∼2430–2900 M
⊙), and several parsec-scale filaments at 160 μm are radially directed toward these clumps (at T

d
∼ 25–32 K). The analysis of the Spitzer and VVV photometric data depicts a group of infrared-excess sources toward both the clumps, suggesting the ongoing SF activities. In each IRAS site, high-resolution GMRT radio maps at 0.61 and 1.28 GHz confirm the presence of H ii regions, which are powered by B-type stars. In the site IRAS 17008-4040, a previously known O-star candidate without an H ii region is identified as an infrared counterpart of the 6.7 GHz methanol maser emission (i.e., IRcmme). Based on the Very Large Telescope/NAOS-CONICA adaptive-optics L′ image (resolution ∼0.″1), the source IRcmme is resolved into two objects (i.e., IRcmme1 and IRcmme2) within a scale of 900 au that are found to be associated with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array core G345.50M. IRcmme1 is characterized as the main accreting high mass protostellar object candidate before the onset of an ultracompact H ii region. In the site IRAS 17009-4042, the 1.28 GHz map has resolved two radio sources that were previously reported as a single radio peak. Altogether, in each IRAS site, the junction of the filaments (i.e., massive clump) is investigated with the cluster of infrared-excess sources and the ongoing massive SF. This evidence is consistent with the “hub-filament” systems as proposed by Myers.
Dependence of the Spiral Arms Pitch Angle on Wavelength as a Test of the Density Wave Theory
Authors: Yu Si-Yue , Ho Luis C.
Published: December 2018

Large-scale galactic shocks, predicted by density wave theory, trigger star formation (SF-arms) downstream from the potential of the oldest stars (P-arms), resulting in a color jump from red to blue across spiral arms in the direction of rotation, while aging of these newly formed young stars induces the opposite but coexisting classic age gradient further downstream from the SF-arms. As the techniques for measuring pitch angle are intensity-weighted, they trace both the SF-arms and P-arms and are not sensitive to the classic age gradient. Consequently, the measured pitch angle of spiral arms should be systematically smaller in bluer bandpasses compared to redder bandpasses. We test these predictions using a comprehensive sample of high-quality optical (BVRI) images of bright, nearby spiral galaxies acquired as part of the Carnegie-Irvine Galaxy Survey, supplemented by Spitzer 3.6 μm data to probe evolved stars and Galaxy Evolution Explorer ultraviolet images to trace recent star formation. We apply one-dimensional and two-dimensional techniques to measure the pitch angle of spiral arms, paying close attention to adopt consistent procedures across the different bandpasses to minimize error and systematic bias. We find that the pitch angle of spiral arms decreases mildly but statistically significantly from the reddest to the bluest bandpass, demonstrating conclusively that young stars trace tighter spiral arms than old stars. Furthermore, the correlation between the pitch angle of blue and red bandpasses is nonlinear, such that the absolute value of pitch angle offset increases with increasing pitch angle. Both effects can be naturally explained in the context of the density wave theory for spiral structure.