bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Continuidades y discontinuidades en la experiencia laboral de mexicanas y dominicanas en Estados Unidos
Authors: Ariza Marina
Published: May 2017

En este artículo se contrastan las experiencias laborales de dos grupos de inmigrantes latinoamericanas (mexicanas y dominicanas) en dos subsectores de los servicios reproductivos en el hogar (servicio doméstico y de cuidado). Al hacerlo se destacan los factores socioinstitucionales y sociodemográficos que enmarcan la experiencia laboral. La precariedad en las condiciones de trabajo –sancionada en la institucionalidad del régimen laboral– y la especificidad del espacio doméstico como ámbito laboral son los factores que mayor continuidad otorgan a las vivencias de las inmigrantes. Las disimilitudes provienen de la interrelación entre el estatus migratorio y el régimen laboral en virtud del distinto papel que juegan estos dos flujos migratorios en el contexto de la migración latinoamericana a Estados Unidos, de ciertos rasgos sociodemográficos de las sociedades de origen, y del sentido que subjetivamente atribuyen a la actividad.
Una mirada al involucramiento paterno: participación de los hombres jefes de hogar de la Gran Área Metropolitana de Costa Rica en actividades de cuidado directo
Authors: Espinoza Herrera Rebeca
Published: May 2017

Producto de la división sexual del trabajo, a hombres y mujeres se les han definido los roles, tareas y espacios que deben asumir en la sociedad: a los hombres el trabajo productivo y a las mujeres el reproductivo. Si bien ellas se han incorporado al trabajo remunerado, los hombres no participan de la misma manera en las actividades no remuneradas. Esta desigualdad en la distribución de las tareas domésticas y de cuidado es lo que motiva en este artículo a analizar la participación de los hombres en el trabajo no remunerado, particularmente en el cuidado directo de hijos e hijas menores de 12 años. Se busca dar respuesta a preguntas como ¿participan los hombres padres y jefes de hogar de la Gran Área Metropolitana de Costa Rica, con hijos e hijas menores de 12 años, en las actividades de cuidado directo?, ¿en cuáles actividades y cuánto tiempo le dedican a las mismas?
Patrones de aglomeración espacial de la industria creativa en el Área Metropolitana de Monterrey
Authors: Villarreal González Amado , Gasca Sánchez Francisco Manuel , Flores Segovia Miguel Alejandro
Published: May 2017

Este artículo examina la naturaleza de los patrones de aglomeración de las empresas y establecimientos pertenecientes a la industria creativa. En él se realiza un análisis exploratorio de su distribución espacial resaltando la importancia de las formas de aglomeración y su grado de concentración en el Área Metropolitana de Monterrey (AMM). Mediante el uso de técnicas de estadística espacial, se determinaron aglomeraciones (clusters) de empresas de acuerdo a su tamaño y actividad económica. Los resultados permiten identificar clusters espaciales de empresas que no se encuentran distribuidas aleatoriamente, sino que presentan un fuerte patrón de concentración en la zona central del espacio urbano. Este trabajo contribuye a un mejor entendimiento de las zonas urbanas creativas y constituye una fuente de información para la formulación de políticas públicas dirigidas a la creación de sectores innovadores basados en el conocimiento.
La satisfacción de residentes con su colonia y el programa gubernamental Tu Casa en el estado de Zacatecas
Authors: Ibarra Salazar Jorge , Salazar Cantú José , Polendo Garza José
Published: May 2017

El grado de satisfacción residencial, considerado como un indicador de nivel de vida, tiene como uno de sus componentes la satisfacción con la colonia de los individuos. En este artículo estimamos una serie de modelos para analizar el grado de satisfacción con la colonia de una muestra de hogares en el estado de Zacatecas. Las estimaciones nos permiten determinar si el programa federal de vivienda Tu Casa en ese estado, operado de 2004 a 2009, tuvo alguna influencia en el grado de satisfacción con la colonia, de acuerdo con la percepción de los residentes entrevistados. Encontramos evidencia de que el referido programa causó un efecto significativo en el grado de satisfacción del grupo de familias beneficiarias. Además de ese resultado, la estimación por mínimos cuadrados ordinarios muestra que el acceso vial, la contaminación ambiental, la percepción del valor de la casa y el tiempo de vivir en la vivienda influyen de forma significativa en el grado de satisfacción con la colonia. En los modelos estimados por probit y logit encontramos evidencia de que la seguridad pública y la posesión del inmueble también influyen en tal satisfacción.
Uso de los parques recreativos en Mérida, Yucatán
Authors: Pérez Medina Susana , Fargher Lane F.
Published: May 2017

Este artículo es un análisis comparativo de la asistencia de los pobladores a parques recreativos de tres zonas de Mérida, Yucatán, que presentan diferentes y polarizadas características socioeconómicas. La metodología se basó en la aplicación de encuestas y de los softwares Google Earth y ArcGis 13. Los resultados muestran que ninguna de las zonas cuenta con una oferta suficiente de parques ni con los equipamientos adecuados; sin embargo, la accesibilidad de los usuarios, tanto física como percibida, sus contextos sociales y económicos, así como sus cualidades de consumo, hacen que cada grupo tenga particularidades en el uso de dichos espacios.
Una nueva mirada a la participación masculina en el trabajo doméstico y el cuidado de los hijos en México
Authors: Martínez Salgado Mario , Rojas Olga Lorena
Published: May 2017

Tomando en consideración los resultados más recientes de la investigación social en torno a la colaboración masculina en la vida doméstica y que han reportado importantes cambios en las responsabilidades paternas entre las generaciones más jóvenes, analizamos los datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Uso del Tiempo de 2009. Mediante un análisis estadístico multivariado del nivel de participación masculina en tiempo dedicado al trabajo doméstico y al cuidado de sus hijos/as, nuestros resultados confirman y actualizan los indicios que se tenían sobre la existencia en el país de un cambio generacional importante y aportan datos adicionales sobre las características sociodemográficas de los hombres mexicanos involucrados en este cambio.
Investigación sobre aborto en América Latina y el Caribe. Una agenda renovada para informar políticas públicas e incidencia (resumen ejecutivo)
Authors: Ramos Silvina
Published: May 2017

El tema del aborto en la región latinoamericana ha venido ocupando un lugar importante y creciente en el quehacer académico, el debate público y, en particular, en las agendas y políticas públicas desde hace más de dos décadas. La excelente y reciente publicación del Consorcio Latinoamericano contra el Aborto Inseguro (clacai), Investigación sobre aborto en América Latina y el Caribe. Una agenda renovada para informar políticas públicas e incidencia, cuyo resumen ejecutivo se presenta a continuación, nos ofrece un conocimiento riguroso y sólido de la evidencia científica de que se dispone en la región sobre este tema en el periodo de 2009 al 2014; con base en éste, nos propone los ejes temáticos prioritarios que deben ser indagados en el futuro inmediato. Sin duda esta publicación representa un insumo altamente valorizado que contribuye a comprender y difundir la situación del aborto en la región, sus causas, las consecuencias y los obstáculos que las mujeres enfrentan en su decisión de interrumpir su embarazo, así como las posturas de los diversos actores sociales que están a favor o en contra de la despenalización del aborto y las acciones que en los ámbitos institucionales, privados y públicos, influyen y participan en este proceso; dichos aspectos también están presentes en el debate público en numerosos países de otras regiones.
Los determinantes de la satisfacción residencial en México
Authors: Martínez Ibarra Alejandra , Ibarra Salazar Jorge
Published: May 2017

En este artículo analizamos los determinantes de la satisfacción residencial en México a partir de los resultados de la Encuesta de Satisfacción Residencial 2013. Los datos están agregados en 512 conjuntos habitacionales. Estimamos diferentes especificaciones por mínimos cuadrados generalizados para relacionar el índice de satisfacción residencial con variables independientes agrupadas en: características personales, aspectos económicos de la vivienda, medio ambiente físico, medio ambiente social, características de la vivienda, y localización y proximidad. Encontramos que las variables relacionadas con el medio ambiente físico y el medio ambiente social ayudan a explicar las variaciones en la satisfacción residencial promedio entre los conjuntos habitacionales en México. Estos hallazgos indican áreas de oportunidad para la política de vivienda que pueden mejorar el bienestar de los residentes.
Le Bras, H. (2016), Anatomie sociale de la France, París, Robert Laffont
Authors: Urteaga Eguzki
Published: May 2017

Le Bras, H. (2016), Anatomie sociale de la France, París, Robert Laffont
Profissionalização docente: reflexões e perspectivas no Brasil
Authors: Vasconcellos Katia Regina Teixeira , Bernardo Elisangela da Silva
Published: May 2017

A temática da formação docente tem provocado inúmeras produções, sendo um espaço de muita pesquisa. Autores como Nóvoa (1992), Schön (1992) e Tardif (2002), desde a década de 1990 e início dos anos 2000, apontam o professor como um profissional reflexivo, que se forma enquanto forma o outro. Esses teóricos aprofundam seus estudos em busca da compreensão de quem é o professor (identidade docente), que formação esse profissional efetivamente recebe e se essa formação é suficiente para o exercício de sua prática. Dessa forma, este texto apresenta um ciclo de três momentos comuns na trajetória profissional do professor e destaca entre os achados a importância da busca por formação em todos os ciclos da construção da carreira de professor e a conscientização da importância de seu fazer docente para a emancipação do sujeito, do profissional e do formador de outros.
The (im)possibility of the intellectual worker inside the neoliberal university
Authors: Banfield Grant , Haduntz Helen , Maisuria Alpesh
Published: May 2017

The university was born and has always existed in tension between the impulse to human freedom and resignation to the constraining powers of church, state and capital. In this era of neoliberalism where the global domination of capital is almost complete, the university has succumbed. The time has come to de-colonise, to de-capitalise and to build anew the universality (the university) of human freedom. In opening conversation around this provocation, work is drawn from a research project entitled The Changing Nature of University Academic Work. The project is an ongoing qualitative study employing in-depth interviews with Australian and English academics. It aims to shed light on how academics interpret changes over time to universities and their own day-to-day work. The analysis of interview data has revealed three dominant but inter-related themes: the rise of managerialism, the push to anti-intellectualism and the subservience of academic work to economic imperatives.
Chính sách nâng cao chất lượng quản lý dịch vụ du lịch Kon Tum
Authors: Phan Thị Thanh Trúc
Published: May 2017

Bài viết sử dụng mô hình IPA để đánh giá chất lượng dịch vụ du lịch tỉnh Kon Tum thông qua cảm nhận của du khách, với cỡ mẫu [1]. Kết quả khảo sát cho thấy chất lượng dịch vụ du lịch tỉnh còn nhiều hạn chế như cơ sở hạ tầng, dịch vụ hỗ trợ, độ tin cậy của dịch vụ thấp, trình độ, nghiệp vụ và giao tiếp của nhân viên kém…Tuy nhiên, bên cạnh đó, dịch vụ của tinh có nhiều điểm nổi trội như mức giá phù hợp, không có hiện tượng chặt chém, sự quan tâm, thân thiện của người dân địa phương khá tốt…Đó là căn cứ cho các nhà hoạch định chính sách đưa ra các chiến lược nâng cao sự hài lòng của khách hàng như thu hút đầu tư phát triển hạ tầng, thường xuyên kiểm tra các điểm du lịch, các đơn vị cung cấp dịch vụ, đào tạo và phát triển nguồn nhân lực cho du lịch…
Firewood management practice by hoteliers and non-hoteliers in Langtang valley, Nepal Himalayas
Authors: Chapagain Prem Sagar
Published: May 2017

Langtang Region is the third largest trekking destination in Nepal. The annual tourist flow was about 8000 by 2000. However, after 2000, the number of tourists were increased to about 15000 annually. Out of it, one third tourists visit to the Langtang Valley. With increasing number of tourists, the number of hotels and lodges are also rapidly increased there. Firewood has been the major source of energy for both hoteliers and non-hoteliers for a long time and its demand has been abruptly increased with increasing number of hotels and lodges. Both hoteliers and non-hoteliers collect firewood from nearby forest and also transport from the valley bottom to Langtang village and Kyanjing. However, there are major differences in collection places, and collection strategy especially in terms of distance, preference of tree species, purpose, and relation to nature.The Geographical Journal of Nepal Vol. 10: 55-72, 2017
Biodiversity resources and livelihoods: A case from Lamabagar Village Development Committee, Dolakha District, Nepal
Authors: Shrestha Uttam Sagar
Published: May 2017

Biodiversity resources are essential to both ecosystem and livelihood function of human population. The present paper discusses the availability of biodiversity resources and its contribution in the livelihood of local people in Lamabagar Village Development Committee, Dolakha district, Nepal. The results show that the livelihood of local people depends on biodiversity resources and people use these resources as fuel wood, timber, fodder and forage for household consumption. In addition, these resources are used as raw materials for local industry such as paper industry and are exported to other market towns to sell and generate income. Bio-diversity resources contribute about 22 per cent of the total household income in the study area. However, the biodiversity resources are at risk due to deforestation mainly for the development for infrastructures such roads and hydropower projects; over exploitation and absence of effective management practices.The Geographical Journal of Nepal Vol. 10: 105-119, 2017
Humanistic Geography: How it blends with human geography through methodology
Authors: Sapkota Kanhaiya
Published: May 2017

Humanistic geography is a genre of geography born in late 1960s. A series of theories came out which criticize the knowledge system of logical positivism. The philosophical fundaments of humanistic geography are existentialism and phenomenology. Yi-fu Tuan, Edward Relph, Anne Buttimer, David Ley, Marvyn Samuels and Nicholas Entrikin are the leaders of humanistic geography. Yi-fu Tuan published the first article about humanistic geography, which was collected in Human Geography (1976). The focus of humanistic geography is on people and their condition. However, in different geographic traditions, humanistic geography is often criticized for its weak methodology. I argue humanistic philosophy, can provide a sound epistemologicalframework in which to organize and strengthen this methodology in human geography research. The topics of geographical knowledge, territory and place, crowding and privacy, livelihood and economics, and religion are briefly noted from the humanistic perspective. The basic approach to these topics is by way of human experience, knowledge, and awareness. The application of this approach is emerging in the Nepalese context, however for long time Nepalese geographers followed the Western Eurocentric view and appear to be content in following western notions and ignored understanding our own social and cultural aspects/landscapes that enrich our knowledge of geography. The researcher claims that there is a need to rethink our research practices towards better understanding of the world with austerity of philosophical and methodological consistency.The Geographical Journal of Nepal Vol. 10: 121-140, 2017
Obituary for a Political Geographer – Mangal Siddhi Manandhar, 1941 – 2016
Authors: Editor The
Published: May 2017

No abstract.
Komplexitätsbewertung im Kontext Cyber-physischer Systeme
Authors: Brinzer Boris , Banerjee Amardeep
Published: May 2017

Cyber-physische Systeme gelten aktuell als Allheilmittel im Wettstreit um die globale Wettbewerbsfähigkeit, doch sie können die Systemkomplexität erhöhen. Die existierenden Komplexitätsmanagement-Strategien beruhen auf Vermeidung, Vorbeugung und Reduktion. In Literatur und Praxis gibt es allerdings keinen Konsens darüber, wie Komplexität in der Produktion zu definieren, zu modellieren und empirisch zu messen ist. Basierend auf einer Analyse der vorhandenen Literatur zum Thema Komplexitätsmanagement stellt dieser Beitrag einen neuen Ansatz zur Bewertung von Komplexität vor.
Smart Factory in der Einzel- und Kleinserienfertigung
Authors: Boos Wolfgang , Salmen Michael , Begovic Advan , Rittstieg Felix
Published: May 2017

Neuartige Ansätze im Rahmen der vierten industriellen Revolution bieten insbesondere für Unternehmen der Einzel- und Kleinserie Möglichkeiten, ihre Lern- und Wandlungsfähigkeit zu erhöhen und hiermit im dynamischen, hochkompetitiven Wettbewerb erfolgreich zu sein. Für die Identifizierung und Implementierung geeigneter Ansätze wurden am Werkzeugmaschinenlabor WZL der RWTH Aachen vier zentrale Handlungsfelder mit jeweiligen Handlungsempfehlungen speziell für Unternehmen der Einzel- und Kleinserienfertigung definiert.
Wirtschaftliche Beherrschung von Nachfragemengenschwankungen in der Produktion
Authors: Schmidt Maurice , Nyhuis Peter
Published: May 2017

Moderne Produktionsunternehmen stehen zunehmend volatilen Märkten und damit schwankenden Nachfragemengen gegenüber. Um diese zu beherrschen, werden Maßnahmen der Belastungssteuerung sowie Kapazitäts- und Prozessplanung eingesetzt, über deren Wirkung und Zusammenhänge jedoch meist keine durchdrungene Klarheit besteht. In diesem Beitrag werden die Maßnahmen anhand ihrer Wirkung allgemein definiert, differenziert sowie kategorisiert. Anschließend wird ein Ansatz zur zeitlichen und monetären Bewertung vorgestellt, durch den die Auswahl geeigneter Maßnahmenkombinationen gefördert werden soll.*)
Schaumstoffsubstitution durch Additive Fertigung
Authors: Kemnitzer Jan , Kafara Markus
Published: May 2017

Die Herstellung von Sitzschaumbauteilen für kleine Serien ist geprägt von hoher Fertigungsdauer und geringer Ressourceneffizienz. Ziel der Entwicklung war es, das vorhandene Optimierungspotential durch additive Fertigung aufzugreifen. Dementsprechend wurde eine Fertigungssystematik entwickelt, mit der additive Bauteile gefertigt werden können, die die gleichen Druckspannungs- und Verformungseigenschaften wie konventionelle Sitzschaumbauteile und ähnliche Produkte aufweisen.
Characterization of the Inverse Problem in Critical Dimension Measurement of Diffraction Gratings
Authors: Marák Károly
Published: May 2017

In this paper, the inverse problem of extracting critical dimensions of the grating is defined, using data obtained by ellipsometric spectrometry. We give an overview of theoretical models describing diffraction gratings and their interactions with incident light, with a special emphasis on the coupled-wave method. A method for mapping the output space (points on Poincaré’s sphere defined by the ellipsometric angles for each wavelength) to the input space (grating dimensions) is presented, where samples of the output space are picked equidistantly. Using this method, distribution of the measurement precision for a given type of experimental setup is established, and tested on examples from a set of permalloy gratings.
Correlation Analysis of China’s Urban Rail Transit Industry
Authors: Xin Xin , Li Menggang
Published: May 2017

Urban rail transit has provided safe, convenient, fast and comfortable transport services. Its development and construction not only require a huge investment but also have a long industry chain and involve industry sectors of different types. This paper studies backward linkage and forward linkage industries of urban rail transit industry according to input-output tables for urban rail transit of subdivided sectors in 2007 and 2012.
A Study on the Government Subsidies for CR Express Based on Dynamic Games of Incomplete Information
Authors: Du Qiwen , Shi Xianliang
Published: May 2017

CHINA RAILWAY Express (CR express) refers to the international container train running in the East Asian Economic Circle and the developed European Economic Circle, and it is an important link in the development of “The Belt and Road”. However, as CR Express is still in the early stages of development, it is still on the way to fully market-oriented operations, and also has some problems such as high overall transportation cost, disorderly competition and other issues. From the perspective of government subsidies, this paper by searching the relationship in incomplete information dynamic game between local government and local relevant enterprises, gets the optimal subsidy amount for the government to obtain the maximum social benefit. The results can provide a reference for the government to formulate a reasonable subsidy policy and for the CR express to realize market-oriented.
Analyzing the Characteristics of Soil Moisture Using GLDAS Data: A Case Study in Eastern China
Authors: Cai Jingze , Zhang Yuanzhi , Li Yu , Liang X. , Jiang Tingchen
Published: May 2017

In this paper, we use GLDAS (Global Land Data Assimilation System) to analyze the effects of air temperature and precipitation on the characteristics of soil moisture in the eastern region of China from 1961 to 2011. We find that the temperature and precipitation in different seasons have different degrees of influence on the characteristics of soil moisture in each layer. The results show that over the last 50 years, the soil moisture in eastern China has a tendency to dry out, especially between the late 1970s to the early 1980s. The change of soil moisture with the depth of soil layer has similar inter-annual and seasonal patterns. Soil moisture in different depths (0–200 cm) positively correlates with the air temperatures of spring, summer and autumn, but negatively correlates with the air temperature in winter at 0–10 cm, 40–100 cm and 100–200 cm. Similarly, soil moisture is positively related to the precipitation in spring, summer and autumn, and the opposite is true in winter. The results also show that precipitation has a significant effect on the shallow soil moisture (0–10 cm), while air temperature most affects the deep soil moisture (100–200 cm).
Species Richness, Taxonomic Distinctness and Environmental Influences on Euphausiid Zoogeography in the Indian Ocean
Authors: Sutton Alicia , Beckley Lynnath
Published: May 2017

Although two thirds of the world’s euphausiid species occur in the Indian Ocean, environmental factors influencing patterns in their diversity across this atypical ocean basin are poorly known. Distribution data for 56 species of euphausiids were extracted from existing literature and, using a geographic information system, spatially-explicit layers of species richness and average taxonomic distinctness (AveTD) were produced for the Indian Ocean. Species richness was high in tropical areas of the southern Indian Ocean (0–20° S), and this high richness extended southwards via the Agulhas and Leeuwin boundary currents. In contrast, the land-locked northern Indian Ocean exhibited lower species richness but higher AveTD, with the presence of the monotypic family Bentheuphausiidae strongly influencing the latter result. Generalised additive modelling incorporating environmental variables averaged over 0–300 m depth indicated that low oxygen concentrations and reduced salinity in the northern Indian Ocean correlated with low species richness. Depth-averaged temperature and surface chlorophyll a concentration were also significant in explaining some of the variation in species richness of euphausiids. Overall, this study has indicated that the patterns in species richness in the Indian Ocean are reflective of its many unusual oceanographic features, and that patterns in AveTD were not particularly informative because of the dominance by the family Euphausiidae.
Improved OCV Model of a Li-Ion NMC Battery for Online SOC Estimation Using the Extended Kalman Filter
Authors: Baccouche Ines , Jemmali Sabeur , Manai Bilal , Omar Noshin , Amara Najoua
Published: May 2017

Accurate modeling of the nonlinear relationship between the open circuit voltage (OCV) and the state of charge (SOC) is required for adaptive SOC estimation during the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery operation. Online SOC estimation should meet several constraints, such as the computational cost, the number of parameters, as well as the accuracy of the model. In this paper, these challenges are considered by proposing an improved simplified and accurate OCV model of a nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) Li-ion battery, based on an empirical analytical characterization approach. In fact, composed of double exponential and simple quadratic functions containing only five parameters, the proposed model accurately follows the experimental curve with a minor fitting error of 1 mV. The model is also valid at a wide temperature range and takes into account the voltage hysteresis of the OCV. Using this model in SOC estimation by the extended Kalman filter (EKF) contributes to minimizing the execution time and to reducing the SOC estimation error to only 3% compared to other existing models where the estimation error is about 5%. Experiments are also performed to prove that the proposed OCV model incorporated in the EKF estimator exhibits good reliability and precision under various loading profiles and temperatures.
Visualizing the Forest in a Boreal Forest Landscape—The Perspective of Swedish Municipal Comprehensive Planning
Authors: Thellbro Camilla , Stjernström Olof , Sandström Per , Lidestav Gun
Published: May 2017

At the international policy level, there is a clear link between access to information about forests and the work towards sustainable land use. However, involving forests in planning for sustainable development (SuD) at the Swedish local level, by means of municipal comprehensive planning (MCP), is complicated by sector structure and legislation. Currently, there is a gap or hole in the MCP process when it comes to use and access to knowledge about forest conditions and forest land use. This hole limits the possibilities to formulate well-informed municipal visions and goals for sustainable forest land use as well as for overall SuD. Here we introduce an approach for compilation and presentation of geographic information to increase the preconditions for integrating forest information into Swedish MCP. We produce information about forest ownership patterns and forest conditions in terms of age and significant ecological and social values in forests for a case study municipality. We conclude that it is possible to effectively compile geographic and forest-related information to fill the hole in the municipal land use map. Through our approach, MCP could be strengthened as a tool for overall land use planning and hence as a base in SuD planning.
A Method of Ship Detection under Complex Background
Authors: Nie Ting , He Bin , Bi Guoling , Zhang Yu , Wang Wensheng
Published: May 2017

The detection of ships in optical remote sensing images with clouds, waves, and other complex interferences is a challenging task with broad applications. Two main obstacles for ship target detection are how to extract candidates in a complex background, and how to confirm targets in the event that targets are similar to false alarms. In this paper, we propose an algorithm based on extended wavelet transform and phase saliency map (PSMEWT) to solve these issues. First, multi-spectral data fusion was utilized to separate the sea and land areas, and the morphological method was used to remove isolated holes. Second, extended wavelet transform (EWT) and phase saliency map were combined to solve the problem of extracting regions of interest (ROIs) from a complex background. The sea area was passed through the low-pass and high-pass filter to obtain three transformed coefficients, and the adjacent high frequency sub-bands were multiplied for the final result of the EWT. The visual phase saliency map of the product was built, and locations of ROIs were obtained by dynamic threshold segmentation. Contours of the ROIs were extracted by texture segmentation. Morphological, geometric, and 10-dimensional texture features of ROIs were extracted for target confirmation. Support vector machine (SVM) was used to judge whether targets were true. Experiments showed that our algorithm was insensitive to complex sea interferences and very robust compared with other state-of-the-art methods, and the recall rate of our algorithm was better than 90%.
A Map Spectrum-Based Spatiotemporal Clustering Method for GDP Variation Pattern Analysis Using Nighttime Light Images of the Wuhan Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Zhang Penglin , Liu Shuaijun , Du Juan
Published: May 2017

Estimates of gross domestic product (GDP) play a significant role in evaluating the economic performance of a country or region. Understanding the spatiotemporal process of GDP growth is important for estimating or monitoring the economic state of a region. Various GDP studies have been reported, and several studies have focused on spatiotemporal GDP variations. This study presents a map spectrum-based clustering approach to analyze the spatiotemporal variation patterns of GDP growth. First, a sequence of nighttime light images (from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program-Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS)) is used to support the spatial distribution of statistical GDP data. Subsequently, the time spectrum of each spatial unit is generated using a time series of dasymetric GDP maps, and then the spatial units with similar time spectra are clustered into one class. Each category has a similar spatiotemporal GDP variation pattern. Finally, the proposed approach is applied to analyze the spatiotemporal patterns of GDP growth in the Wuhan urban agglomeration. The experimental results illustrated regional discrepancies of GDP growth existed in the study area.
The Impact of Diet Protein and Carbohydrate on Select Life-History Traits of The Black Soldier Fly Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)
Authors: Cammack Jonathan , Tomberlin Jeffery
Published: May 2017

This study examined the impact of diet protein and carbohydrate percentages as well as moisture on the immature development, survivorship, and resulting adult longevity and egg production of the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae). Moisture impacted development and corresponding life-history traits more than protein:carbohydrate content; larvae were unable to develop on diets at 40% moisture. Larvae fed diets at 70% moisture developed faster, grew larger, and required less food than those reared on diets at 55% moisture. Larvae reared on the balanced diet (21% protein:21% carbohydrate) at 70% moisture developed the fastest on the least amount of food and had the greatest survivorship to the prepupal stage. Adult emergence and longevity were similar across treatments, indicating immature life-history traits were impacted the most. The control (Gainesville house fly) diet was superior to the artificial diets for all parameters tested. These differences could indicate that other constituents (e.g., associated microbes) serve a role in black soldier fly development. These data are valuable for industrialization of this insect as a “green” technology for recycling organic waste, which can be highly variable, to produce protein for use as feed in the livestock, poultry, and aquaculture industries, as well as for bioenergy production.
Sonic Hedgehog Signaling and Development of the Dentition
Authors: Seppala Maisa , Fraser Gareth , Birjandi Anahid , Xavier Guilherme , Cobourne Martyn
Published: May 2017

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is an essential signaling peptide required for normal embryonic development. It represents a highly-conserved marker of odontogenesis amongst the toothed vertebrates. Signal transduction is involved in early specification of the tooth-forming epithelium in the oral cavity, and, ultimately, in defining tooth number within the established dentition. Shh also promotes the morphogenetic movement of epithelial cells in the early tooth bud, and influences cell cycle regulation, morphogenesis, and differentiation in the tooth germ. More recently, Shh has been identified as a stem cell regulator in the continuously erupting incisors of mice. Here, we review contemporary data relating to the role of Shh in odontogenesis, focusing on tooth development in mammals and cartilaginous fishes. We also describe the multiple actions of this signaling protein at the cellular level.
Nonlinear Gronwall–Bellman Type Inequalities and Their Applications
Authors: Wang Weimin , Feng Yuqiang , Wang Yuanyuan
Published: May 2017

In this paper, some nonlinear Gronwall–Bellman type inequalities are established. Then, the obtained results are applied to study the Hyers–Ulam stability of a fractional differential equation and the boundedness of solutions to an integral equation, respectively.
The Missing Piece in Biosynthesis of Amphidinols: First Evidence of Glycolate as a Starter Unit in New Polyketides from Amphidinium carterae
Authors: Cutignano Adele , Nuzzo Genoveffa , Sardo Angela , Fontana Angelo
Published: May 2017

Two new members of the amphidinol family, amphidinol A (1) and its 7-sulfate derivative amphidinol B (2), were isolated from a strain of Amphidinium carterae of Lake Fusaro, near Naples (Italy), and chemically identified by spectroscopic and spectrometric methods. Amphidinol A showed antifungal activity against Candida albicans (MIC = 19 µg/mL). Biosynthetic experiments with stable isotope-labelled acetate allowed defining the elongation process in 1. For the first time the use of glycolate as a starter unit in the polyketide biosynthesis of amphidinol metabolites was unambiguously demonstrated.
Himatanthus drasticus Leaves: Chemical Characterization and Evaluation of Their Antimicrobial, Antibiofilm, Antiproliferative Activities
Authors: Figueiredo Cristiane , Branco Santos Joice , Castro Junior José , Wakui Vinícius , Rodrigues João , Arruda Mariana , Monteiro Andrea , Monteiro-Neto Valério , Bomfim Maria , Kato Lucília , Nascimento da Silva Luís , Grisotto Marcos
Published: May 2017

Plant-derived products have played a fundamental role in the development of new therapeutic agents. This study aimed to analyze antimicrobial, antibiofilm, cytotoxicity and antiproliferative potentials of the extract and fractions from leaves of Himatanthus drasticus, a plant from the Apocynaceae family. After harvesting, H. drasticus leaves were macerated and a hydroalcoholic extract (HDHE) and fractions were prepared. Antimicrobial tests, such as agar-diffusion, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimal Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) were carried out against several bacterial species. Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes and Klebsiella pneumoniae were inhibited by at least one extract or fraction in the agar-diffusion assay (inhibition halos from 12 mm to 30 mm). However, the lowest MIC value was found for HDHE against K. pneumoniae. In addition, HDHE and its fractions were able to inhibit biofilm formation at sub-inhibitory concentrations (780 µg/mL and 1.56 µg/mL). As the best activities were found for HDHE, we selected it for further assays. HDHE was able to increase ciprofloxacin (CIP) activity against K. pneumoniae, displaying synergistic (initial concentration CIP + HDHE: 2 µg/mL + 600 µg/mL and 2.5 µg/mL + 500 µg/mL) and additive effects (CIP + HDHE: 3 µg/mL + 400 µg/mL). This action seems to be associated with the alteration in bacterial membrane permeability induced by HDHE (as seen by propidium iodide labeling). This extract was non-toxic for red blood cell or human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Additionally, it inhibited the lipopolysaccharide-induced proliferation of PBMCs. The following compounds were detected in HDHE using HPLC-ESI-MS analysis: plumieride, plumericin or isoplumericin, rutin, quercetin and derivatives, and chlorogenic acid. Based on these results we suggest that compounds from H. drasticus have antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities against K. pneumoniae and display low cytotoxicity and anti-proliferative action in PBMC stimulated with lipopolysaccharide.
Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel 2-Pyrrolidone-Fused (2-Oxoindolin-3-ylidene)methylpyrrole Derivatives as Potential Multi-Target Tyrosine Kinase Receptor Inhibitors
Authors: Yang Ting-Hsuan , Lee Chun-I , Huang Wen-Hsin , Lee An-Rong
Published: May 2017

Signaling pathways of VEGFs and PDGFs are crucial in tumor angiogenesis, which is essential in solid tumor progression and metastasis. This study reports our strategy for designing and synthesizing a series of novel 2-pyrrolidone-fused (2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)methylpyrrole derivatives as potential multi-target tyrosine kinase receptor inhibitors. The target compounds were obtained by condensation of 5-substituted oxindoles with N-substituted 2-pyrrolidone aldehyde 7 in satisfactory yields. Of these, 11 and 12 had the highest potency and, compared to sunitinib, showed: (1) significant increase in anti-proliferation of various cancer cells with a favorable selective index (SI); (2) higher inhibitory potency against both VEGFR-2 and PDGFRβ. The molecular modeling results showed that, in terms of VEGFR-2 binding, the synthesized products had a similar binding mode to sunitinib but with tighter interaction.
Some Physical Properties of Protein Moiety of Alkali-Extracted Tea Polysaccharide Conjugates Were Shielded by Its Polysaccharide
Authors: Chen Xiaoqiang , Song Wei , Zhao Jin , Zhang Zhifa , Zhang Yuntian
Published: May 2017

Polysaccharide conjugates were alkali-extracted from green tea (TPC-A). Although it contained 11.80% covalently binding proteins, TPC-A could not bind to the Coomassie Brilliant Blue dyes G250 and R250. TPC-A had no expected characteristic absorption peak of protein in the UV-vis spectrum scanning in the range of 200–700 nm. The UV-vis wavelength of 280 nm was not suitable to detect the presence of the protein portion of TPC-A. The zeta potential of TPC-A merely presented the negative charge properties of polysaccharides instead of the acid–base property of its protein section across the entire pH range. Furthermore, TPC-A was more stable when the pH of solution exceeded 4.0. In addition, no precipitation or haze was generated in the TPC-A/(−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) mixtures during 12 h storage. TPC-A has emulsifying activity, which indicated that its protein moiety formed hydrophobic groups. Thus, it was proposed that some physical properties of TPC-A protein were shielded by its olysaccharide, since the protein moiety was wrapped by its polysaccharide chains.
Phenylboronic Acid-Functionalized Layer-by-Layer Assemblies for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Wang Baozhen , Yoshida Kentaro , Sato Katsuhiko , Anzai Jun-ichi
Published: May 2017

Recent progress in the development of phenylboronic acid (PBA)-functionalized layer-by-layer (LbL) assemblies and their biomedical applications was reviewed. Stimuli-sensitive LbL films and microcapsules that exhibit permeability changes or decompose in response to sugars and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) have been developed using PBA-bearing polymers. The responses of PBA-modified LbL assemblies arise from the competitive binding of sugars to PBA in the films or oxidative decomposition of PBA by H2O2. Electrochemical glucose sensors have been fabricated by coating the surfaces of electrodes by PBA-modified LbL films, while colorimetric and fluorescence sensors can be prepared by modifying LbL films with boronic acid-modified dyes. In addition, PBA-modified LbL films and microcapsules have successfully been used in the construction of drug delivery systems (DDS). Among them, much effort has been devoted to the glucose-triggered insulin delivery systems, which are constructed by encapsulating insulin in PBA-modified LbL films and microcapsules. Insulin is released from the PBA-modified LbL assemblies upon the addition of glucose resulting from changes in the permeability of the films or decomposition of the film entity. Research into insulin DDS is currently focused on the development of high-performance devices that release insulin in response to diabetic levels of glucose (>10 mM) but remain stable at normal levels (~5 mM) under physiological conditions.
Metallic Glass/PVDF Magnetoelectric Laminates for Resonant Sensors and Actuators: A Review
Authors: Gutiérrez Jon , Lasheras Andoni , Martins Pedro , Pereira Nélson , Barandiarán Jose , Lanceros-Mendez Senentxu
Published: May 2017

Among magnetoelectric (ME) heterostructures, ME laminates of the type Metglas-like/PVDF (magnetostrictive+piezoelectric constituents) have shown the highest induced ME voltages, usually detected at the magnetoelastic resonance of the magnetostrictive constituent. This ME coupling happens because of the high cross-correlation coupling between magnetostrictive and piezoelectric material, and is usually associated with a promising application scenario for sensors or actuators. In this work we detail the basis of the operation of such devices, as well as some arising questions (as size effects) concerning their best performance. Also, some examples of their use as very sensitive magnetic fields sensors or innovative energy harvesting devices will be reviewed. At the end, the challenges, future perspectives and technical difficulties that will determine the success of ME composites for sensor applications are discussed.
Science Possible Selves and the Desire to be a Scientist: Mindsets, Gender Bias, and Confidence during Early Adolescence
Authors: Wonch Hill Patricia , McQuillan Julia , Talbert Eli , Spiegel Amy , Gauthier G. , Diamond Judy
Published: May 2017

In the United States, gender gaps in science interest widen during the middle school years. Recent research on adults shows that gender gaps in some academic fields are associated with mindsets about ability and gender-science biases. In a sample of 529 students in a U.S. middle school, we assess how explicit boy-science bias, science confidence, science possible self (belief in being able to become a scientist), and desire to be a scientist vary by gender. Guided by theories and prior research, we use a series of multivariate logistic regression models to examine the relationships between mindsets about ability and these variables. We control for self-reported science grades, social capital, and race/ethnic minority status. Results show that seeing academic ability as innate (“fixed mindsets”) is associated with boy-science bias, and that younger girls have less boy-science bias than older girls. Fixed mindsets and boy-science bias are both negatively associated with a science possible self; science confidence is positively associated with a science possible self. In the final model, high science confident and having a science possible self are positively associated with a desire to be a scientist. Facilitating growth mindsets and countering boy-science bias in middle school may be fruitful interventions for widening participation in science careers.
Careful with That Axe, Gene, Genome Perturbation after a PEG-Mediated Protoplast Transformation in Fusarium verticillioides
Authors: Scala Valeria , Grottoli Alessandro , Aiese Cigliano Riccardo , Anzar Irantzu , Beccaccioli Marzia , Fanelli Corrado , Dall’Asta Chiara , Battilani Paola , Reverberi Massimo , Sanseverino Walter
Published: May 2017

Fusarium verticillioides causes ear rot disease in maize and its contamination with fumonisins, mycotoxins harmful for humans and livestock. Lipids, and their oxidized forms, may drive the fate of this disease. In a previous study, we have explored the role of oxylipins in this interaction by deleting by standard transformation procedures a linoleate diol synthase-coding gene, lds1, in F. verticillioides. A profound phenotypic diversity in the mutants generated has prompted us to investigate more deeply the whole genome of two lds1-deleted strains. Bioinformatics analyses pinpoint significant differences in the genome sequences emerged between the wild type and the lds1-mutants further than those trivially attributable to the deletion of the lds1 locus, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms, small deletion/insertion polymorphisms and structural variations. Results suggest that the effect of a (theoretically) punctual transformation event might have enhanced the natural mechanisms of genomic variability and that transformation practices, commonly used in the reverse genetics of fungi, may potentially be responsible for unexpected, stochastic and henceforth off-target rearrangements throughout the genome.
SWE-SPHysics Simulation of Dam Break Flows at South-Gate Gorges Reservoir
Authors: Gu Shenglong , Zheng Xianpei , Ren Liqun , Xie Hongwei , Huang Yuefei , Wei Jiahua , Shao Songdong
Published: May 2017

This paper applied a Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) approach to solve Shallow Water Equations (SWEs) to study practical dam-break flows. The computational program is based on the open source code SWE-SPHysics, where a Monotone Upstream-centered Scheme for Conservation Laws (MUSCL) reconstruction method is used to improve the Riemann solution with Lax-Friedrichs flux. A virtual boundary particle method is applied to treat the solid boundary. The model is first tested on two benchmark collapses of water columns with the existence of downstream obstacle. Subsequently the model is applied to forecast a prototype dam-break flood, which might occur in South-Gate Gorges Reservoir area of Qinghai Province, China. It shows that the SWE-SPH modeling approach could provide a promising simulation tool for practical dam-break flows in engineering scale.
Effect of Adaptive Compression and Fast-Acting WDRC Strategies on Sentence Recognition in Noise in Mandarin-Speaking Pediatric Hearing Aid Users
Authors: Liu Haihong , Liu Yuanhu , Li Ying , Jin Xin , Li Jing , Zhou Yi , Ge Wentong , Ni Xin
Published: May 2017

Background:Wide dynamic range compression (WDRC) has been widely used in hearing aid technology. However, several reports indicate that WDRC may improve audibility at the expense of speech intelligibility. As such, a modified amplification compression scheme, named adaptive compression,
was developed. However, the effect of compression strategies on speech perception in pediatric hearing aid users has not been clearly reported.Purpose:The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of adaptive compression and fast-acting WDRC processing strategies on
sentence recognition in noise with Mandarin, pediatric hearing aid users.Research Design:This study was set up using a double-blind, within-subject, repeated-measures design.Study Sample:Twenty-six children who spoke Mandarin Chinese as their primary language and had bilateral
sensorineural hearing loss participated in the study.Data Collection and Analysis:Sentence recognition in noise was evaluated in behind-the-ear technology with both adaptive compression processing and fast-acting WDRC processing and was selected randomly for each child. Percent correct
sentence recognition in noise with fast-acting WDRC and adaptive compression was collected from each participant. Correlation analysis was performed to examine the effect of gender, age at assessment, and hearing threshold of the better ear on signal-to-noise ratio, and a paired-samples t
test was employed to compare the performance of the adaptive compression strategy and fast-acting WDRC processing.Results:The mean percentage correct of sentence recognition in noise with behind-the-ear technology with fast-acting WDRC and adaptive compression processing were 62.24%
and 68.71%, respectively. The paired-samples t test showed that the performance of the adaptive compression strategy was significantly better than the fast-acting WDRC processing (t = 3.190, p = 0.004).Conclusions:Compared with the fast-acting WDRC, adaptive compression
provided better sentence recognition in noise for Mandarin pediatric hearing aid users.