bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Zebrafish as an In Vivo Model to Assess Epigenetic Effects of Ionizing Radiation
Authors: Kong Eva , Cheng Shuk , Yu Kwan
Published: December 2016

Exposure to ionizing radiations (IRs) is ubiquitous in our environment and can be categorized into “targeted” effects and “non-targeted” effects. In addition to inducing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage, IR exposure leads to epigenetic alterations that do not alter DNA sequence. Using an appropriate model to study the biological effects of radiation is crucial to better understand IR responses as well as to develop new strategies to alleviate exposure to IR. Zebrafish, Danio rerio, is a scientific model organism that has yielded scientific advances in several fields and recent studies show the usefulness of this vertebrate model in radiation biology. This review briefly describes both “targeted” and “non-targeted” effects, describes the findings in radiation biology using zebrafish as a model and highlights the potential of zebrafish to assess the epigenetic effects of IR, including DNA methylation, histone modifications and miRNA expression. Other in vivo models are included to compare observations made with zebrafish, or to illustrate the feasibility of in vivo models when the use of zebrafish was unavailable. Finally, tools to study epigenetic modifications in zebrafish, including changes in genome-wide DNA methylation, histone modifications and miRNA expression, are also described in this review.
Molecular Characterization of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Implications for Diagnosis and Treatment
Authors: Rojas Veronica , Hirshfield Kim , Ganesan Shridar , Rodriguez-Rodriguez Lorna
Published: December 2016

Epithelial ovarian cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease characterized by multiple histological subtypes. Molecular diversity has been shown to occur within specific histological subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancer, between different tumors of an individual patient, as well as within individual tumors. Recent advances in the molecular characterization of epithelial ovarian cancer tumors have provided the basis for a simplified classification scheme in which these cancers are classified as either type I or type II tumors, and these two categories have implications regarding disease pathogenesis and prognosis. Molecular analyses, primarily based on next-generation sequencing, otherwise known as high-throughput sequencing, are allowing for further refinement of ovarian cancer classification, facilitating the elucidation of the site(s) of precursor lesions of high-grade serous ovarian cancer, and providing insight into the processes of clonal selection and evolution that may be associated with development of chemoresistance. Potential therapeutic targets have been identified from recent molecular profiling studies of these tumors, and the effectiveness and safety of a number of specific targeted therapies have been evaluated or are currently being studied for the treatment of women with this disease.
PACP: A Position-Independent Activity Recognition Method Using Smartphone Sensors
Authors: Yang Rong , Wang Baowei
Published: December 2016

Human activity recognition has been a hot topic in recent years. With the advances in sensor technology, there has been a growing interest in using smartphones equipped with a set of built-in sensors to solve tasks of activity recognition. However, in most previous studies, smartphones were used with a fixed position—like trouser pockets—during recognition, which limits the user behavior. In the position-independent cases, the recognition accuracy is not very satisfactory. In this paper, we studied human activity recognition with smartphones in different positions and proposed a new position-independent method called PACP (Parameters Adjustment Corresponding to smartphone Position), which can markedly improve the performance of activity recognition. In PACP, features were extracted from the raw accelerometer and gyroscope data to recognize the position of the smartphone first; then the accelerometer data were adjusted corresponding to the position; finally, the activities were recognized with the SVM (Support Vector Machine) model trained by the adjusted data. To avoid the interference of smartphone orientations, the coordinate system of the accelerometer was transformed to get more useful information during this process. Experimental results show that PACP can achieve an accuracy over 91%, which is more effective than previous methods.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improve Muscle Function Following Single Stretch Injury: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Brickson Stacey , Meyer Patrick , Saether Erin , Vanderby Ray
Published: December 2016

Stem cells have shown promise as a therapeutic intervention by enhancing skeletal muscle regeneration following muscle injury. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of mouse mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on muscle function following a single stretch injury in the calf muscle of C57BL/67 mice. A custom isokinetic device was used to induce a single stretch injury. An intramuscular injection of MSCs or saline was administered three days post-injury. Mechanical testing to measure peak isometric joint torque in vivo was done immediately and at seven or 14 days post-injury. Susceptibility to reinjury was assessed in the soleus muscle using an in situ repeated eccentric contraction (ECC) protocol. In vivo isometric torque of the plantar flexors dropped immediately following stretch injury by 50%. Treatment with MSCs attenuated the torque deficit at seven days, while there were no differences in torque deficit between groups at 14 days. In situ ECC testing of the soleus showed a significant specific force drop following injury, with the MSC group demonstrating a protective effect at seven and 14 days. These results demonstrate transient improvement in isometric torque and reduced susceptibility to reinjury following single stretch injury with intramuscular injection of MSCs.
Strain Rate Behavior in Tension of Reinforcing Steels HPB235, HRB335, HRB400, and HRB500
Authors: Lin Feng , Dong Yu , Kuang Xinxin , Lu Le
Published: December 2016

The strain rate effect of reinforcing steel bars is generally indispensable for modeling the dynamic responses of reinforced concrete structures in blast and impact events. A systematic experimental investigation was conducted on the strain rate behavior of reinforcing steel bar grades HPB235, HRB335, HRB400, and HRB500 which are widely used in the field of civil engineering in China. The dynamic testing was performed using a servo-hydraulic Instron VHS160/100-20 in a strain rate range from 2 to 75 s−1. Stress-strain curves at preset strain rates were obtained. The test data were then used to derive the parameters in a model based on the dynamic increase factors (DIFs) of strengths and the Johnson–Cook constitutive model. Results indicated that a significant strain rate effect was observed for the four rebar grades. The dynamic yield strengths increased from 13% to 41% and their ultimate strengths improved from 9% to 19% in the strain rate range during testing. The strain rate behavior of the four rebar grades could be appropriately predicted using the parameters in the model based on the DIFs of strengths and the Johnson–Cook model.
Microstructure-Dependent Visible-Light Driven Photoactivity of Sputtering-Assisted Synthesis of Sulfide-Based Visible-Light Sensitizer onto ZnO Nanorods
Authors: Liang Yuan-Chang , Chung Cheng-Chia , Lo Ya-Ju , Wang Chein-Chung
Published: December 2016

The ZnO-CdS core-shell composite nanorods with CdS shell layer thicknesses of 5 and 20 nm were synthesized by combining the hydrothermal growth of ZnO nanorods with the sputtering thin-film deposition of CdS crystallites. The microstructures and optical properties of the ZnO-CdS nanorods were associated with the CdS shell layer thickness. A thicker CdS shell layer resulted in a rougher surface morphology, more crystal defects, and a broader optical absorbance edge in the ZnO-CdS rods. The ZnO-CdS (20 nm) nanorods thus engaged in more photoactivity in this study. When they were further subjected to a postannealing procedure in ambient Ar/H2, this resulted in the layer-like CdS shell layers being converted into the serrated CdS shell layers. By contrast, the ZnO-CdS nanorods conducted with the postannealing procedure exhibited superior photoactivity and photoelectrochemical performance; the substantial changes in the microstructures and optical properties of the composite nanorods following postannealing in this study might account for the observed results.
Kunitz-Type Peptide HCRG21 from the Sea Anemone Heteractis crispa Is a Full Antagonist of the TRPV1 Receptor
Authors: Monastyrnaya Margarita , Peigneur Steve , Zelepuga Elena , Sintsova Oksana , Gladkikh Irina , Leychenko Elena , Isaeva Marina , Tytgat Jan , Kozlovskaya Emma
Published: December 2016

Sea anemone venoms comprise multifarious peptides modulating biological targets such as ion channels or receptors. The sequence of a new Kunitz-type peptide, HCRG21, belonging to the Heteractis crispa RG (HCRG) peptide subfamily was deduced on the basis of the gene sequence obtained from the Heteractis crispa cDNA. HCRG21 shares high structural homology with Kunitz-type peptides APHC1–APHC3 from H. crispa, and clusters with the peptides from so named “analgesic cluster” of the HCGS peptide subfamily but forms a separate branch on the NJ-phylogenetic tree. Three unique point substitutions at the N-terminus of the molecule, Arg1, Gly2, and Ser5, distinguish HCRG21 from other peptides of this cluster. The trypsin inhibitory activity of recombinant HCRG21 (rHCRG21) was comparable with the activity of peptides from the same cluster. Inhibition constants for trypsin and α-chymotrypsin were 1.0 × 10−7 and 7.0 × 10−7 M, respectively. Electrophysiological experiments revealed that rHCRG21 inhibits 95% of the capsaicin-induced current through transient receptor potential family member vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and has a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of 6.9 ± 0.4 μM. Moreover, rHCRG21 is the first full peptide TRPV1 inhibitor, although displaying lower affinity for its receptor in comparison with other known ligands. Macromolecular docking and full atom Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of the rHCRG21–TRPV1 complex allow hypothesizing the existence of two feasible, intra- and extracellular, molecular mechanisms of blocking. These data provide valuable insights in the structural and functional relationships and pharmacological potential of bifunctional Kunitz-type peptides.
Detection of the Magnetic Easy Direction in Steels Using Induced Magnetic Fields
Authors: Silva Edgard , Paula Alysson , Leite Josinaldo , Leite Joao , Andrade Lucia , De Albuquerque Victor , Tavares Joao
Published: December 2016

Conventional manufacturing processes cause plastic deformation that leads to magnetic anisotropy in processed materials. A deeper understanding of materials characterization under rotational magnetization enables engineers to optimize the overall volume, mass, and performance of devices such as electrical machines in industry. Therefore, it is important to find the magnetic easy direction of the magnetic domains in a simple and straightforward manner. The Magnetic easy direction can be obtained through destructive tests such as the Epstein frame method and the Single Sheet Tester by taking measurements in regions of irreversible magnetization usually called domains. In the present work, samples of rolled SAE 1045 steel (formed by perlite and ferrite microstructures) were submitted to induced magnetic fields in the reversibility region of magnetic domains to detect the magnetic easy direction. The magnetic fields were applied to circular samples with different thicknesses and angles varying from 0° to 360° with steps of 45°. A square sample with a fixed thickness was also tested. The results showed that the proposed non-destructive approach is promising to evaluate the magnetic anisotropy in steels independently of the geometry of the sample. The region studied presented low induction losses and was affected by magnetic anisotropy, which did not occur in other works that only took into account regions of high induction losses.
Microfabricated Physiological Models for In Vitro Drug Screening Applications
Authors: Ugolini Giovanni , Cruz-Moreira Daniela , Visone Roberta , Redaelli Alberto , Rasponi Marco
Published: December 2016

Microfluidics and microfabrication have recently been established as promising tools for developing a new generation of in vitro cell culture microdevices. The reduced amounts of reagents employed within cell culture microdevices make them particularly appealing to drug screening processes. In addition, latest advancements in recreating physiologically relevant cell culture conditions within microfabricated devices encourage the idea of using such advanced biological models in improving the screening of drug candidates prior to in vivo testing. In this review, we discuss microfluidics-based models employed for chemical/drug screening and the strategies to mimic various physiological conditions: fine control of 3D extra-cellular matrix environment, physical and chemical cues provided to cells and organization of co-cultures. We also envision future directions for achieving multi-organ microfluidic devices.
Electrokinetic Phenomena in Pencil Lead-Based Microfluidics
Authors: Bashirzadeh Yashar , Maruthamuthu Venkat , Qian Shizhi
Published: December 2016

Fabrication of microchannels and associated electrodes to generate electrokinetic phenomena often involves costly materials and considerable effort. In this study, we used graphite pencil-leads as low cost, disposable 3D electrodes to investigate various electrokinetic phenomena in straight cylindrical microchannels, which were themselves fabricated by using a graphite rod as the microchannel mold. Individual pencil-leads were employed as the micro-electrodes arranged along the side walls of the microchannel. Efficient electrokinetic phenomena provided by the 3D electrodes, including alternating current electroosmosis (ACEO), induced-charge electroosmosis (ICEO), and dielectrophoresis (DEP), were demonstrated by the introduced pencil-lead based microfluidic devices. The electrokinetic phenomena were characterized by micro-particle image velocimetry (micro-PIV) measurements and microscopy imaging. Highly efficient electrokinetic phenomena using 3D pencil-lead electrodes showed the affordability and ease of this technique to fabricate microfluidic devices embedded with electrodes for electrokinetic fluid and particle manipulations.
Vibration of Piezoelectric ZnO-SWCNT Nanowires
Authors: Xiao Yao , Wang Chengyuan , Feng Yuantian
Published: December 2016

A hybrid nanowire (HNW) was constructed by coating a single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) with piezoelectric zinc oxide (ZnO). The two components of the HNW interact with each other via the van der Waals (vdW) force. This paper aims to study the effect of the piezoelectricity in the ZnO layer and the inter-phase vdW interaction on the fundamental vibration of the HNWs. In doing this, a new model was developed where the two components of the HNWs were modeled as Euler beams coupled via the interphase vdW interaction. Based on the model, the dependence of the frequency on an applied electrical voltage was calculated for HNWs of different geometric sizes to reveal the voltage effect. The results were then compared with those calculated without considering the inter-phase vdW interaction. It was found that the interphase vdW interaction can substantially decrease the structural stiffness, leading to a greatly enhanced piezoelectric effect but a lower frequency for the vibration of the HNWs.
Phytochemical Pharmacokinetics and Bioactivity of Oat and Barley Flour: A Randomized Crossover Trial
Authors: Sawicki Caleigh , McKay Diane , McKeown Nicola , Dallal Gerard , Chen C. , Blumberg Jeffrey
Published: December 2016

While dietary fiber plays an important role in the health benefits associated with whole grain consumption, other ingredients concentrated in the outer bran layer, including alkylresorcinols, lignans, phenolic acids, phytosterols, and tocols, may also contribute to these outcomes. To determine the acute bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of the major phytochemicals found in barley and oats, we conducted a randomized, three-way crossover trial in 13 healthy subjects, aged 40–70 years with a body mass index (BMI) of 27–35.9 kg/m2. After a two-day run-in period following a diet low in phytochemicals, subjects were randomized to receive muffins made with either 48 g whole oat flour, whole barley flour, or refined wheat flour plus cellulose (control), with a one-week washout period between each intervention. At the same time, an oral glucose tolerance test was administered. In addition to plasma phytochemical concentrations, glucose and insulin responses, biomarkers of antioxidant activity, lipid peroxidation, inflammation, and vascular remodeling were determined over a 24-h period. There was no significant effect on acute bioavailability or pharmacokinetics of major phytochemicals. Administered concurrently with a glucose bolus, the source of whole grains did not attenuate the post-prandial response of markers of glucoregulation and insulin sensitivity, inflammation, nor vascular remodeling compared to the refined grain control. No significant differences were observed in the bioavailability or postprandial effects between whole-oat and whole-barley compared to a refined wheat control when administered with a glucose challenge. These null results may be due, in part, to the inclusion criteria for the subjects, dose of the whole grains, and concurrent acute administration of the whole grains with the glucose bolus.
Creep and Recovery Behaviour of Polyolefin-Rubber Nanocomposites Developed for Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Daver Fugen , Kajtaz Mladenko , Brandt Milan , Shanks Robert
Published: December 2016

Nanocomposite application in automotive engineering materials is subject to continual stress fields together with recovery periods, under extremes of temperature variations. The aim is to prepare and characterize polyolefin-rubber nanocomposites developed for additive manufacturing in terms of their time-dependent deformation behaviour as revealed in creep-recovery experiments. The composites consisted of linear low density polyethylene and functionalized rubber particles. Maleic anhydride compatibilizer grafted to polyethylene was used to enhance adhesion between the polyethylene and rubber; and multi-walled carbon nanotubes were introduced to impart electrical conductivity. Various compositions of nanocomposites were tested under constant stress in creep and recovery. A four-element mechanistic Burger model was employed to model the creep phase of the composites, while a Weibull distribution function was employed to model the recovery phase of the composites. Finite element analysis using Abaqus enabled numerical modelling of the creep phase of the composites. Both analytical and numerical solutions were found to be consistent with the experimental results. Creep and recovery were dependent on: (i) composite composition; (ii) compatibilizers content; (iii) carbon nanotubes that formed a percolation network.
An Indoor Positioning Method for Smartphones Using Landmarks and PDR
Authors: Wang Xi , Jiang Mingxing , Guo Zhongwen , Hu Naijun , Sun Zhongwei , Liu Jing
Published: December 2016

Recently location based services (LBS) have become increasingly popular in indoor environments. Among these indoor positioning techniques providing LBS, a fusion approach combining WiFi-based and pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) techniques is drawing more and more attention of researchers. Although this fusion method performs well in some cases, it still has some limitations, such as heavy computation and inconvenience for real-time use. In this work, we study map information of a given indoor environment, analyze variations of WiFi received signal strength (RSS), define several kinds of indoor landmarks, and then utilize these landmarks to correct accumulated errors derived from PDR. This fusion scheme, called Landmark-aided PDR (LaP), is proved to be light-weight and suitable for real-time implementation by running an Android application designed for the experiment. We compared LaP with other PDR-based fusion approaches. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme can achieve a significant improvement with an average accuracy of 2.17 m.
Towards Automated Large-Scale 3D Phenotyping of Vineyards under Field Conditions
Authors: Rose Johann , Kicherer Anna , Wieland Markus , Klingbeil Lasse , Töpfer Reinhard , Kuhlmann Heiner
Published: December 2016

In viticulture, phenotypic data are traditionally collected directly in the field via visual and manual means by an experienced person. This approach is time consuming, subjective and prone to human errors. In recent years, research therefore has focused strongly on developing automated and non-invasive sensor-based methods to increase data acquisition speed, enhance measurement accuracy and objectivity and to reduce labor costs. While many 2D methods based on image processing have been proposed for field phenotyping, only a few 3D solutions are found in the literature. A track-driven vehicle consisting of a camera system, a real-time-kinematic GPS system for positioning, as well as hardware for vehicle control, image storage and acquisition is used to visually capture a whole vine row canopy with georeferenced RGB images. In the first post-processing step, these images were used within a multi-view-stereo software to reconstruct a textured 3D point cloud of the whole grapevine row. A classification algorithm is then used in the second step to automatically classify the raw point cloud data into the semantic plant components, grape bunches and canopy. In the third step, phenotypic data for the semantic objects is gathered using the classification results obtaining the quantity of grape bunches, berries and the berry diameter.
Thermal Property Analysis of Axle Load Sensors for Weighing Vehicles in Weigh-in-Motion System
Authors: Burnos Piotr , Gajda Janusz
Published: December 2016

Systems which permit the weighing of vehicles in motion are called dynamic Weigh-in-Motion scales. In such systems, axle load sensors are embedded in the pavement. Among the influencing factors that negatively affect weighing accuracy is the pavement temperature. This paper presents a detailed analysis of this phenomenon and describes the properties of polymer, quartz and bending plate load sensors. The studies were conducted in two ways: at roadside Weigh-in-Motion sites and at a laboratory using a climate chamber. For accuracy assessment of roadside systems, the reference vehicle method was used. The pavement temperature influence on the weighing error was experimentally investigated as well as a non-uniform temperature distribution along and across the Weigh-in-Motion site. Tests carried out in the climatic chamber allowed the influence of temperature on the sensor intrinsic error to be determined. The results presented clearly show that all kinds of sensors are temperature sensitive. This is a new finding, as up to now the quartz and bending plate sensors were considered insensitive to this factor.
ON CORRELATED-NOISE ANALYSES APPLIED TO EXOPLANET LIGHT CURVES
Authors: Cubillos Patricio , Harrington Joseph , Loredo Thomas J. , Lust Nate B. , Blecic Jasmina , Stemm Madison
Published: December 2016

Time-correlated noise is a significant source of uncertainty when modeling exoplanet light-curve data. A correct assessment of correlated noise is fundamental to determine the true statistical significance of our findings. Here, we review three of the most widely used correlated-noise estimators in the exoplanet field, the time-averaging, residual-permutation, and wavelet-likelihood methods. We argue that the residual-permutation method is unsound in estimating the uncertainty of parameter estimates. We thus recommend to refrain from this method altogether. We characterize the behavior of the time averaging’s rms-versus-bin-size curves at bin sizes similar to the total observation duration, which may lead to underestimated uncertainties. For the wavelet-likelihood method, we note errors in the published equations and provide a list of corrections. We further assess the performance of these techniques by injecting and retrieving eclipse signals into synthetic and real Spitzer light curves, analyzing the results in terms of the relative-accuracy and coverage-fraction statistics. Both the time-averaging and wavelet-likelihood methods significantly improve the estimate of the eclipse depth over a white-noise analysis (a Markov-chain Monte Carlo exploration assuming uncorrelated noise). However, the corrections are not perfect; when retrieving the eclipse depth from Spitzer data sets, these methods covered the true (injected) depth within the 68% credible region in only ∼45%–65% of the trials. Lastly, we present our open-source model-fitting tool, Multi-Core Markov-Chain Monte Carlo (MC3). This package uses Bayesian statistics to estimate the best-fitting values and the credible regions for the parameters for a (user-provided) model. MC3 is a Python/C code, available at https://github.com/pcubillos/MCcubed.
THE MAIN SEQUENCES OF STAR-FORMING GALAXIES AND ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI AT HIGH REDSHIFT
Authors: Mancuso C. , Lapi A. , Shi J. , Cai Z.-Y. , Gonzalez-Nuevo J. , Béthermin M. , Danese L.
Published: December 2016

We provide a novel, unifying physical interpretation on the origin, average shape, scatter, and cosmic evolution for the main sequences of star-forming galaxies and active galactic nuclei (AGNs) at high redshift

. We achieve this goal in a model-independent way by exploiting: (i) the redshift-dependent star formation rate functions based on the latest UV/far-IR data from HST/Herschel, and related statistics of strong gravitationally lensed sources; (ii) deterministic evolutionary tracks for the history of star formation and black hole accretion, gauged on a wealth of multiwavelength observations including the observed Eddington ratio distribution. We further validate these ingredients by showing their consistency with the observed galaxy stellar mass functions and AGN bolometric luminosity functions at different redshifts via the continuity equation approach. Our analysis of the main sequence for high-redshift galaxies and AGNs highlights that the present data are consistently interpreted in terms of an in situ coevolution scenario for star formation and black hole accretion, envisaging these as local, time-coordinated processes.
AGES OF 70 DWARFS OF THREE POPULATIONS IN THE SOLAR NEIGHBORHOOD: CONSIDERING O AND C ABUNDANCES IN STELLAR MODELS
Authors: Ge Z. S. , Bi S. L. , Chen Y. Q. , Li T. D. , Zhao J. K. , Liu K. , Ferguson J. W. , Wu Y. Q.
Published: December 2016

Oxygen and carbon are important elements in stellar populations. Their behavior refers to the formation history of the stellar populations. C and O abundances would also obviously influence stellar opacities and the overall metal abundance Z. With observed high-quality spectroscopic properties, we construct stellar models with C and O elements to give more accurate ages for 70 metal-poor dwarfs, which have been determined to be high-α halo, low-α halo, and thick-disk stars. Our results show that high-α halo stars are somewhat older than low-α halo stars by around 2.0 Gyr. The thick-disk population has an age range in between the two halo populations. The age distribution profiles indicate that high-α halo and low-α halo stars match the in situ accretion simulation by Zolotov et al., and the thick-disk stars might be formed in a relatively quiescent and long-lasting process. We also note that stellar ages are very sensitive to O abundance, since the ages clearly increase with increasing [O/Fe] values. Additionally, we obtain several stars with peculiar ages, including 2 young thick-disk stars and 12 stars older than the universe age.
UNRAVELLING THE COMPLEX STRUCTURE OF AGN-DRIVEN OUTFLOWS. II. PHOTOIONIZATION AND ENERGETICS
Authors: Karouzos Marios , Woo Jong-Hak , Bae Hyun-Jin
Published: December 2016

Outflows have been shown to be prevalent in galaxies hosting luminous active galactic nuclei (AGNs); they present a physically plausible way to couple the AGN energy output with the interstellar medium of their hosts. Despite their prevalence, accurate characterization of these outflows has been challenging. In the second of a series of papers, we use Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph integral field unit (IFU) data of six local (z < 0.1) and moderate-luminosity Type 2 AGNs to study the ionization properties and energetics of AGN-driven outflows. We find strong evidence connecting the extreme kinematics of the ionized gas to the AGN photoionization. The kinematic component related to the AGN-driven outflow is clearly separated from other kinematic components, such as virial motions or rotation, on the velocity and velocity dispersion diagram. Our spatially resolved kinematic analysis reveals that 30 to 90% of the total mass and kinetic energy of the outflow is contained within the central kpc of the galaxy. The spatially integrated mass and kinetic energy of the gas entrained in the outflow correlate well with the AGN bolometric luminosity and results in energy conversion efficiencies between 0.01% and 1%. Intriguingly, we detect ubiquitous signs of ongoing circumnuclear star formation. Their small size, the centrally contained mass and energy, and the universally detected circumnuclear star formation cast doubts on the potency of these AGN-driven outflows as agents of galaxy-scale negative feedback.
LAMOST SPECTROGRAPH RESPONSE CURVES: STABILITY AND APPLICATION TO FLUX CALIBRATION
Authors: Du Bing , Luo A-Li , Kong Xiao , Zhang Jian-Nan , Guo Yan-Xin , Cook Neil James , Hou Wen , Yang Hai-Feng , Li Yin-Bi , Song Yi-Han , Chen Jian-Jun , Zuo Fang , Wu Ke-Fei , Wang Meng-Xin , Wu Yue , Wang You-Fen , Zhao Yong-Heng
Published: December 2016

The task of flux calibration for Large sky Area Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) spectra is difficult due to many factors, such as the lack of standard stars, flat-fielding for large field of view, and variation of reddening between different stars, especially at low Galactic latitudes. Poor selection, bad spectral quality, or extinction uncertainty of standard stars not only might induce errors to the calculated spectral response curve (SRC) but also might lead to failures in producing final 1D spectra. In this paper, we inspected spectra with Galactic latitude

and reliable stellar parameters, determined through the LAMOST Stellar Parameter Pipeline (LASP), to study the stability of the spectrograph. To guarantee that the selected stars had been observed by each fiber, we selected 37,931 high-quality exposures of 29,000 stars from LAMOST DR2, and more than seven exposures for each fiber. We calculated the SRCs for each fiber for each exposure and calculated the statistics of SRCs for spectrographs with both the fiber variations and time variations. The result shows that the average response curve of each spectrograph (henceforth ASPSRC) is relatively stable, with statistical errors ≤10%. From the comparison between each ASPSRC and the SRCs for the same spectrograph obtained by the 2D pipeline, we find that the ASPSRCs are good enough to use for the calibration. The ASPSRCs have been applied to spectra that were abandoned by the LAMOST 2D pipeline due to the lack of standard stars, increasing the number of LAMOST spectra by 52,181 in DR2. Comparing those same targets with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), the relative flux differences between SDSS spectra and LAMOST spectra with the ASPSRC method are less than 10%, which underlines that the ASPSRC method is feasible for LAMOST flux calibration.
X-RAY AND GAMMA-RAY EMISSION FROM MIDDLE-AGED SUPERNOVA REMNANTS IN CAVITIES. I. SPHERICAL SYMMETRY
Authors: Tang竹唐 Zhu , Reynolds Stephen P. , Ressler Sean M.
Published: December 2016

We present analytical and numerical studies of models of supernova-remnant (SNR) blast waves in one spatial dimension expanding into uniform media and interacting with a denser cavity wall. We predict the nonthermal emission from such blast waves: synchrotron emission at radio and X-ray energies, and bremsstrahlung, inverse-Compton emission (from cosmic-microwave-background seed photons; ICCMB), and emission from the decay of

mesons produced in inelastic collisions between accelerated ions and thermal gas, at GeV and TeV energies. Accelerated-particle spectra are assumed to be power laws with exponential cutoffs at energies limited by the remnant age or (for electrons, if lower) by radiative losses. We compare the results with those from homogeneous (“one-zone”) models. Such models give fair representations of the 1D results for uniform media, but cavity-wall interactions produce effects for which one-zone models are inadequate. We study the time evolution of SNR morphology and emission with time. Strong morphological differences exist between ICCMB and

-decay emission; at some stages, the TeV emission can be dominated by the former and the GeV by the latter, resulting in strong energy dependence of morphology. Integrated gamma-ray spectra show apparent power laws of slopes that vary with time, but do not indicate the energy distribution of a single population of particles. As observational capabilities at GeV and TeV energies improve, spatial inhomogeneity in SNRs will need to be accounted for.
A SYSTEMATIC SEARCH FOR X-RAY CAVITIES IN GALAXY CLUSTERS, GROUPS, AND ELLIPTICAL GALAXIES
Authors: Shin Jaejin , Woo Jong-Hak , Mulchaey John S.
Published: December 2016

We perform a comprehensive study of X-ray cavities using a large sample of X-ray targets selected from the Chandra archive. The sample is selected to cover a large dynamic range including galaxy clusters, groups, and individual galaxies. Using β-modeling and unsharp masking techniques, we investigate the presence of X-ray cavities for 133 targets that have sufficient X-ray photons for analysis. We detect 148 X-ray cavities from 69 targets and measure their properties, including cavity size, angle, and distance from the center of the diffuse X-ray gas. We confirm the strong correlation between cavity size and distance from the X-ray center similar to previous studies. We find that the detection rates of X-ray cavities are similar among galaxy clusters, groups and individual galaxies, suggesting that the formation mechanism of X-ray cavities is independent of environment.
Predictors of Mortality in People with Recent-onset Gout: A Prospective Observational Study
Authors: Vincent Zoë L. , Gamble Greg , House Meaghan , Knight Julie , Horne Anne , Taylor William J. , Dalbeth Nicola
Published: December 2016

Objective.

To determine mortality rates and predictors of death at baseline in people with a recent onset of gout.

Methods.

People with gout disease duration < 10 years were recruited from primary and secondary care settings. Comprehensive clinical assessment was completed at baseline. Participants were prospectively followed for at least 1 year. Information about death was systematically collected from primary and secondary health records. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated and risk factors for mortality were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard regression models.

Results.

The mean (SD) followup duration was 5.1 (1.6) years (a total 1511 patient-yrs accrued). Of the 295 participants, 43 (14.6%) had died at the time of censorship (SMR 1.96, 95% CI 1.44–2.62). In the reduced Cox proportional hazards model, these factors were independently associated with an increased risk of death from all causes: older age (70–80 yrs: HR 9.96, 95% CI 3.30–30.03; 80–91 yrs: HR 9.39, 95% CI 2.68–32.89), Māori or Pacific ethnicity (HR 2.48, 95% CI 1.17–5.29), loop diuretic use (HR 3.99, 95% CI 2.15–7.40), serum creatinine (per 10 µmol/l change; HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00–1.07), and the presence of subcutaneous tophi (HR 2.85, 95% CI 1.49–5.44). The presence of subcutaneous tophi was the only baseline variable independently associated with both cardiovascular (CV) cause of death (HR 3.13, 95% CI 1.38–7.10) and non-CV cause of death (HR 3.48, 95% CI 1.25–9.63).

Conclusion.

People with gout disease duration < 10 years have an increased risk of death. The presence of subcutaneous tophi at baseline is an independent predictor of mortality, from both CV and non-CV causes.
Patient-reported Flares in Ankylosing Spondylitis: A Cross-sectional Analysis of 234 Patients
Authors: Jacquemin Charlotte , Maksymowych Walter P. , Boonen Annelies , Gossec Laure
Published: December 2016

Objective.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is characterized by periodic flares. The objective of this study was to assess the frequency of patient-reported flares and their related factors.

Methods.

This cross-sectional study analyzed the 2004 data of a Canadian cohort. Participants had AS according to the modified New York criteria. Current flare status (“Are you experiencing a current flare”?), number of flares over the past 3 months, their average duration, the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity and Functional Index (BASDAI and BASFI, respectively), and the AS Quality of Life questionnaire were assessed by self-report. Univariate and multivariate regressions analyzed the factors associated with current flare.

Results.

Among 234 analyzed patients, 169 (73.5%) were men, mean age was 45.5 (± 11.8) years, mean disease duration of 21.7 (± 11.7) years, and mean BASDAI and BASFI (0–10) of 4.4 (± 2.3) and 3.4 (± 2.6), respectively; 18 (7.7%) received antitumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF). Overall, 175 patients (74.8%) reported flares and 117 (50%) were currently in flare. Patients reporting flares had a median of 3 flares in 3 months, with a median duration of 2 weeks. Overall, the 234 patients spent a median of 25% of their time in flare. In multivariate analyses, current flare was significantly associated with higher BASDAI (OR 2.01, p = 0.01), worse quality of life (OR 1.37, p = 0.004), shorter AS duration (OR 1.19, p = 0.04), and less anti-TNF (OR 7.14, p = 0.03).

Conclusion.

In this population, before the wide use of biologics, flares were frequent and long. As expected, flare was associated with higher disease activity, suggesting the validity of the concept of patient-reported flares.
Responsabiliser la Commission européenne : la promesse des actes délégués
Authors: Brandsma Gijs Jan
Published: December 2016

Dans le présent article, nous nous intéressons à un nouveau type de règles que l’Union européenne peut adopter : les actes législatifs pris par délégation. Même si cet instrument est nouveau, il est le résultat d’une controverse déjà ancienne à propos des moyens dont dispose le Parlement européen pour obliger la Commission européenne à s’expliquer quand elle adopte des règles d’exécution. Notre article se fonde sur des entretiens et des preuves documentaires pour vérifier dans quelle mesure le nouveau système remplit sa promesse, à savoir renforcer l’imputabilité. Même si le nouveau système en est encore à ses balbutiements, nous allons voir que les règles formelles, les normes internes et les pratiques sont déjà révélatrices d’un contrôle législatif renforcé. Les problèmes de capacités au sein du Parlement européen ainsi que l’absence de transparence publique pourraient cependant bien s’avérer préjudiciables lorsque le nombre d’actes délégués augmentera. Remarques à l’intention des praticiens Dans le présent article, nous évaluons la mesure dans laquelle le Parlement européen (PE) est en mesure de demander à la Commission de s’expliquer lorsqu’elle adopte des actes législatifs pris par délégation. Les actuels systèmes et méthodes d’imputabilité en sont toujours à leurs balbutiements, mais on observe déjà clairement des signes d’un renforcement du contrôle législatif sur la Commission. Les problèmes de capacités au sein du PE et l’absence de transparence des actes législatifs pris par délégation vont cependant compromettre l’imputabilité lorsque le nombre d’actes délégués augmentera.
Évaluation législative ex post dans l’Union européenne : questionnement de l’utilisation d’évaluations en tant qu’instruments d’imputabilité
Authors: Zwaan Pieter , van Voorst Stijn , Mastenbroek Ellen
Published: December 2016

Les évaluations peuvent jouer un rôle clé dans les systèmes politiques en offrant aux parlements une base pour demander des comptes à leurs responsables. C’est également le cas dans l’Union européenne. Pour autant, plusieurs facteurs peuvent entraver l’utilisation d’évaluations de l’Union européenne à des fins d’imputabilité. Les membres du Parlement européen sont soumis à d’importantes contraintes de temps, et il se peut que les responsables n’aient que de maigres incitants pour produire des évaluations de qualité supérieure. C’est la raison pour laquelle le présent article s’interroge sur la mesure dans laquelle les membres du Parlement européen ont recours à des évaluations législatives ex post, et sur le moment où ils le font. Nous présentons une analyse de 220 évaluations en examinant combien d’entre elles ont été mentionnées dans des questions parlementaires. Notre principale conclusion est que 16 % des évaluations font l’objet d’un suivi sous forme de questions. Néanmoins, les questions parlementaires servent rarement des objectifs d’imputabilité ; les membres du Parlement européen les utilisent généralement à des fins de fixation d’ordre du jour. Le niveau de conflit entre le Parlement européen et la Commission au cours du processus législatif est la principale variable expliquant les différences dans l’utilisation des évaluations. Remarques à l’intention des praticiens Le présent article étudie, par une analyse des questions du Parlement européen, l’utilisation des évaluations ex post de la législation de l’Union européenne par les membres du Parlement européen à des fins d’imputabilité. Il démontre que les MPE posent plusieurs types de question en référence aux évaluations ex post. La plupart des questions révèlent des motifs prospectifs plutôt que rétrospectifs, en vue de la fixation d’un ordre du jour et d’un changement politique plutôt que de l’imputabilité. Il conclut que la variance dans les questions parlementaires au niveau du suivi des résultats de l’évaluation peut s’expliquer par le niveau de conflit entre le Parlement européen et la Commission au stade législatif.
L’évolution du paysage de l’imputabilité dans l’Union européenne : une Union de plus en plus dense
Authors: Wille Anchrit
Published: December 2016

Notre article a pour but de faire la lumière sur l’imputabilité de l’exécutif européen en retraçant l’évolution de l’actuel paysage de l’imputabilité qui entoure les principaux acteurs de l’exécutif européen. Nous nous pencherons sur l’évolution et la diversification des instances (et des mécanismes) d’imputabilité dans l’UE : quelles instances et quelles modalités a-t-on mises en place pour rendre les instances exécutives de l’Union comptables de leurs actes ? Plutôt que de nous intéresser aux différents aspects de l’imputabilité, nous allons examiner l’évolution de l’imputabilité dans l’Union européenne en la traitant comme un paysage complexe. Et plutôt que de nous baser sur un équilibre, nous prendrons pour point de départ la nature évolutive de ce paysage. Sur la base de cette étude, nous essayerons de comprendre comment le cadre d’imputabilité institutionnelle de l’UE a évolué dans le cadre d’une mosaïque de dispositifs, et comment cette évolution contribue à l’apparition d’un cadre de gouvernance à niveaux multiples et complexe afin de répondre aux postulats actuels en faveur de la nécessité de contrôler le pouvoir et d’assurer l’imputabilité. Remarques à l’intention des praticiens Le paysage des institutions chargées d’assurer l’imputabilité dans l’UE devient peu à peu plus dense. Le fait de passer d’une élaboration des politiques au niveau national, basée sur l’État, à une élaboration au niveau de l’Union, et le développement continu de la sphère exécutive dans l’UE s’accompagnent de questionnements de plus en plus nombreux sur la façon d’organiser l’imputabilité démocratique dans le réseau complexe et à plusieurs niveaux de la gouvernance européenne. La création de nouvelles institutions de surveillance (comme le médiateur, l’Office de lutte contre la corruption, les commissions techniques, les auditeurs, une loi sur la protection des lanceurs d’alerte) et le renforcement des mesures d’examen sont le signe de l’importance accrue de l’imputabilité et du contrôle sur l’exécutif de l’UE.
L’adoption des IPSAS : un défi pour la modernisation et l’harmonisation de la comptabilité du secteur public
Authors: Brusca Isabel , Martínez Juan Carlos
Published: December 2016

Les normes comptables internationales du secteur public (IPSAS) sont considérées comme la voie à suivre vers la modernisation de la comptabilité publique et beaucoup de pays se sont efforcés de les adopter. Le présent article a pour but d’analyser les facteurs qui favorisent ou qui entravent l’adoption des IPSAS ainsi que leurs principaux avantages au moyen d’un modèle d’équation structurelle. La méthodologie de recherche s’appuie sur un questionnaire, qui a été envoyé à des pays d’Amérique et de l’Union européenne et qui a servi à construire le modèle structurel, et nos résultats indiquent que la comparabilité et la modernisation sont des bienfaits directs de l’application des IPSAS et que tant les pays qui les ont adoptées que les autres apprécient ces conséquences positives. Ces observations justifient le processus d’harmonisation que la Commission européenne a récemment lancé. Remarques à l’intention des praticiens L’analyse de l’impact des IPSAS dans le contexte international indique la mesure dans laquelle l’adoption des IPSAS est utile à la modernisation de la comptabilité publique et à l’amélioration de la comparabilité comptable. Le fait de décrire l’expérience des pays qui ont adopté les IPSAS peut aider les praticiens et les professionnels qui participent à la modernisation des systèmes comptables, comme l’Union européenne. Beaucoup de pays passent à présent aux IPSAS et les expériences des premiers pays peuvent enrichir le processus d’apprentissage. Dans notre article, nous verrons que l’introduction des IPSAS peut avoir de nombreux avantages dans la pratique et que les pays qui ont appliqué ces normes estiment qu’elles leur permettent d’améliorer la transparence et l’imputabilité.
La conceptualisation de l’attrait des pays : aperçu des recherches
Authors: Lee Kwang-Hoon
Published: December 2016

Malgré les études de plus en plus nombreuses sur l’attrait des pays, qui abordent un vaste éventail de domaines de recherche, très peu d’efforts ont été réalisés en ce qui concerne la conceptualisation de cette idée dans l’administration publique. Dans le présent article, nous tentons d’enrichir les études déjà réalisées en précisant le concept et en opérationnalisant ses dimensions multiples pour expliquer les effets de l’attrait des nations sur la base d’un fondement théorique. Nous essayons, plus précisément, en examinant les études antérieures qui ont été menées dans les recherches sur le commerce international, le tourisme et la migration, de réorganiser les éléments constitutifs du concept pour créer un cadre multidimensionnel du point de vue du développement durable. Le concept se compose de trois sphères : l’attrait économique, social et environnemental. Le contexte théorique pour chaque effet dimensionnel est issu des théories du signal et de la puissance douce ( soft power ). Dans notre article, nous présentons une synthèse du concept destinée à couvrir tous les aspects des observations empiriques. Remarques à l’intention des praticiens Face à la concurrence grandissante suscitée par la mondialisation, il est impératif que chaque pays emploie des stratégies/politiques de marketing et de promotion afin de mieux se faire connaître, au niveau mondial, des parties prenantes, comme les entreprises, les clients, les citoyens, les touristes et les migrants qualifiés. Les chercheurs dans l’administration publique et les décideurs doivent par conséquent prendre en considération la notion d’attrait du pays, l’élément central de la puissance douce d’un pays, cette idée pouvant jouer un rôle essentiel dans l’amélioration de l’efficacité des stratégies et des politiques des pays dans les différents domaines de la concurrence internationale.