bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Derivate Isocorydine (d-ICD) Suppresses Migration and Invasion of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell by Downregulating ITGA1 Expression
Authors: Liu Xiaoqin , Tian Hua , Li Hong , Ge Chao , Zhao Fangyu , Yao Ming , Li Jinjun
Published: February 2017

In our previous studies, we found that isocorydine (ICD) could be a potential antitumor agent in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Derivate isocorydine (d-ICD), a more effective antitumor agent, has been demonstrated to inhibit proliferation and drug resistance in HCC. In order to investigate the potential role of d-ICD on HCC cell migration and its possible mechanism, wound healing assay, trans-well invasion assay, western blot analysis, and qRT-PCR were performed to study the migration and invasion ability of HCC cells as well as relevant molecular alteration following d-ICD treatment. Results indicated that the migration and invasion ability of HCC cells were suppressed when cultured with d-ICD. Meanwhile, the expression level of ITGA1 was markedly reduced. Furthermore, we found that ITGA1 promotes HCC cell migration and invasion in vitro, and that ITGA1 can partly reverse the effect of d-ICD-induced migration and invasion suppression in HCC cells. In addition, dual luciferase reporter assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay were used to study the expression regulation of ITGA1, and found that E2F1 directly upregulates ITGA1 expression and d-ICD inhibits E2F1 expression. Taken together, these results reveal that d-ICD inhibits HCC cell migration and invasion may partly by downregulating E2F1/ITGA1 expression.
Textural, Structural and Biological Evaluation of Hydroxyapatite Doped with Zinc at Low Concentrations
Authors: Predoi Daniela , Iconaru Simona , Deniaud Aurélien , Chevallet Mireille , Michaud-Soret Isabelle , Buton Nicolas , Prodan Alina
Published: February 2017

The present work was focused on the synthesis and characterization of hydroxyapatite doped with low concentrations of zinc (Zn:HAp) (0.01 < xZn < 0.05). The incorporation of low concentrations of Zn2+ ions in the hydroxyapatite (HAp) structure was achieved by co-precipitation method. The physico-chemical properties of the samples were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), zeta-potential, and DLS and N2-BET measurements. The results obtained by XRD and FTIR studies demonstrated that doping hydroxyapatite with low concentrations of zinc leads to the formation of a hexagonal structure with lattice parameters characteristic to hydroxyapatite. The XRD studies have also shown that the crystallite size and lattice parameters of the unit cell depend on the substitutions of Ca2+ with Zn2+ in the apatitic structure. Moreover, the FTIR analysis revealed that the water content increases with the increase of zinc concentration. Furthermore, the Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDAX) and XPS analyses showed that the elements Ca, P, O, and Zn were found in all the Zn:HAp samples suggesting that the synthesized materials were zinc doped hydroxyapatite, Ca10−xZnx(PO4)6(OH), with 0.01 ≤ xZn ≤ 0.05. Antimicrobial assays on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacterial strains and HepG2 cell viability assay were carried out.
Experimental Study of Thermal Runaway Process of 18650 Lithium-Ion Battery
Authors: Liu Jingjing , Wang Zhirong , Gong Junhui , Liu Kai , Wang Hao , Guo Linsheng
Published: February 2017

This study addresses the effects of the SOC (State of Charge) and the charging–discharging process on the thermal runaway of 18650 lithium-ion batteries. A series of experiments were conducted on an electric heating and testing apparatus. The experimental results indicate that 6 W is the critical heating power for 40% SOC. With a 20 W constant heating rate, the thermal runaway initial temperature of the lithium-ion battery decreases with the increasing SOC. The final thermal runaway temperature increases with the SOC when the SOC is lower than 80%. However, a contrary conclusion was obtained when the SOC was higher than 80%. Significant mass loss, accompanied by an intense exothermic reaction, took place under a higher SOC. The critical charging current, beyond which the thermal runaway occurs, was found to be 2.6 A. The thermal runaway initial temperature decreases with the increasing charging current, while the intensity of the exothermic reaction varies inversely. Mass ejection of gas and electrolytes exists during thermal runaway when the charging current is higher than 10.4 A, below which only a large amount of gas is released. The thermal runaway initial temperature of discharging is higher than that of non-discharging.
Fabrication of p-Type ZnO:N Films by Oxidizing Zn3N2 Films in Oxygen Plasma at Low Temperature
Authors: Jin Yuping , Zhang Nuannuan , Zhang Bin
Published: February 2017

The oxygen vacancy (VO) is known as the main compensation center in p-type ZnO, which leads to the difficulty of fabricating high-quality p-type ZnO. To reduce the oxygen vacancies, we oxidized Zn3N2 films in oxygen plasma and successfully prepared p-type ZnO:N films at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 300 °C. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), non-Rutherford backscattering (non-RBS) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectrum, and Hall Effect. The results show that the nitrogen atoms successfully substitute the oxygen sites in the ZnO:N films. The film prepared at room temperature exhibits the highest hole concentration of 6.22 × 1018 cm−3, and the lowest resistivity of 39.47 Ω∙cm. In all ZnO:N films, the VO defects are reduced significantly. At 200 °C, the film holds the lowest value of VO defects and the strongest UV emission. These results imply that oxygen plasma is very efficient in reducing VO defects in p-type ZnO:N films, and could greatly reduce the reaction temperature. This method is significant for the development of ZnO-based optoelectronic devices.
The Stability Analysis Method of the Cohesive Granular Slope on the Basis of Graph Theory
Authors: Guan Yanpeng , Liu Xiaoli , Wang Enzhi , Wang Sijing
Published: February 2017

This paper attempted to provide a method to calculate progressive failure of the cohesivefrictional granular geomaterial and the spatial distribution of the stability of the cohesive granular slope. The methodology can be divided into two parts: the characterization method of macro-contact and the analysis of the slope stability. Based on the graph theory, the vertexes, the edges and the edge sequences are abstracted out to characterize the voids, the particle contact and the macro-contact, respectively, bridging the gap between the mesoscopic and macro scales of granular materials. This paper adopts this characterization method to extract a graph from a granular slope and characterize the macro sliding surface, then the weighted graph is analyzed to calculate the slope safety factor. Each edge has three weights representing the sliding moment, the anti-sliding moment and the braking index of contact-bond, respectively, . The safety factor of the slope is calculated by presupposing a certain number of sliding routes and reducing Weight repeatedly and counting the mesoscopic failure of the edge. It is a kind of slope analysis method from mesoscopic perspective so it can present more detail of the mesoscopic property of the granular slope. In the respect of macro scale, the spatial distribution of the stability of the granular slope is in agreement with the theoretical solution.
Characterization of a New Trioxilin and a Sulfoquinovosyl Diacylglycerol with Anti-Inflammatory Properties from the Dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis marina
Authors: Yoon Eun , Yang A. , Park Jaeyeon , Moon Seung , Jeong Eun , Rho Jung-Rae
Published: February 2017

Two new compounds—a trioxilin and a sulfoquinovosyl diacylglycerol (SQDG)—were isolated from the methanolic extract of the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis marina cultivated by feeding on dried yeasts. The trioxilin was identified as (4Z,8E,13Z,16Z,19Z) -7(S),10(S),11(S)-trihydroxydocosapentaenoic acid (1), and the SQDG was identified as (2S)-1-O-hexadecanosy-2-O-docosahexaenoyl-3-O-(6-sulfo-α-d-quinovopyranosyl)-glycerol (2) by a combination of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra, mass analyses, and chemical reactions. The two compounds were associated with docosahexaenoic acid, which is a major component of O. marina. The two isolated compounds showed significant nitric oxide inhibitory activity on lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cells. Compound 2 showed no cytotoxicity against hepatocarcinoma (HepG2), neuroblastoma (Neuro-2a), and colon cancer (HCT-116) cells, while weak cytotoxicity was observed for compound 1 against Neuro-2a cells.
A Novel Methods for Fracture Toughness Evaluation of Tool Steels with Post-Tempering Cryogenic Treatment
Authors: Sola Ramona , Giovanardi Roberto , Parigi Giovanni , Veronesi Paolo
Published: February 2017

Cryogenic treatments are usually carried out immediately after quenching, but their use can be extended to post tempering in order to improve their fracture toughness. This research paper focuses on the influence of post-tempering cryogenic treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of tempered AISI M2, AISI D2, and X105CrCoMo18 steels. The aforementioned steels have been analysed after tempering and tempering + cryogenic treatment with scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction for residual stress measurements, and micro- and nano-indentation to determine Young’s modulus and plasticity factor measurement. Besides the improvement of toughness, a further aim of the present work is the investigation of the pertinence of a novel technique for characterizing the fracture toughness via scratch experiments on cryogenically-treated steels. Results show that the application of post-tempering cryogenic treatment on AISI M2, AISI D2, and X105CrCoMo18 steels induce precipitation of fine and homogeneously dispersed sub-micrometric carbides which do not alter hardness and Young’s modulus values, but reduce residual stresses and increase fracture toughness. Finally, scratch test proved to be an alternative simple technique to determine the fracture toughness of cryogenically treated steels.
Comprehensive Calibration of Strap-Down Tri-Axis Accelerometer Unit
Authors: Zhang Xi , Li Jie , Qin Li , Shen Chong
Published: February 2017

This paper proposes a comprehensive calibration method to improve the precision of a strap-down tri-axis accelerometer unit, in which parameters are divided into static and dynamic ones. The contribution of the manuscript is that it solves the problem of inappropriate installation and the size effect error for tri-axis accelerometer unit at high speed by using static and dynamic calibration method, respectively. The experiment results show the measuring accuracy of accelerometers is increased by more than one order of magnitude, and the navigation precision is increased by more than two orders of magnitude.
Glutathione Peroxidase-Like Activity of Amino-Substituted Water-Soluble Cyclic Selenides: A Shift of the Major Catalytic Cycle in Methanol
Authors: Arai Kenta , Tashiro Ayako , Osaka Yuui , Iwaoka Michio
Published: February 2017

We previously reported that water-soluble cyclic selenides can mimic the antioxidative function of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in water through a simple catalytic cycle, in which the selenide (>Se) is oxidized by H2O2 to the selenoxide (>Se=O) and the selenoxide is reduced by a thiol back to the selenide. In methanol, however, the GPx-like activity could not be explained by this simple scenario. To look into the reasons for the unusual behaviors in methanol, monoamino-substituted cyclic selenides with a variable ring size were synthesized, and the intermediates of the catalytic cycle were characterized by means of 77Se-NMR and LC–MS spectroscopies. In water, it was confirmed that the selenide and the selenoxide mainly contribute to the antioxidative function, though a slight contribution from the dihydroxy selenane (>Se(OH)2) was also suggested. In methanol, on the other hand, other active species, such as hydroxyselenonium (>Se+–OH) and hydroxy perhydroxy selenane (>Se(OH)(OOH)), could be generated to build another catalytic cycle. This over-oxidation would be more feasible for amino-substituted cyclic selenides, probably because the ammonium (NH3+) group would transfer a proton to the selenoxide moiety to produce a hydroxyselenonium species in the absence of an additional proton source. Thus, a shift of the major catalytic cycle in methanol would make the GPx-like antioxidative function of selenides perplexing.
Impact of Age and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 on DNA Damage Responses in UV-Irradiated Human Skin
Authors: Kemp Michael , Spandau Dan , Travers Jeffrey
Published: February 2017

The growing incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) necessitates a thorough understanding of its primary risk factors, which include exposure to ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths of sunlight and age. Whereas UV radiation (UVR) has long been known to generate photoproducts in genomic DNA that promote genetic mutations that drive skin carcinogenesis, the mechanism by which age contributes to disease pathogenesis is less understood and has not been sufficiently studied. In this review, we highlight studies that have considered age as a variable in examining DNA damage responses in UV-irradiated skin and then discuss emerging evidence that the reduced production of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) by senescent fibroblasts in the dermis of geriatric skin creates an environment that negatively impacts how epidermal keratinocytes respond to UVR-induced DNA damage. In particular, recent data suggest that two principle components of the cellular response to DNA damage, including nucleotide excision repair and DNA damage checkpoint signaling, are both partially defective in keratinocytes with inactive IGF-1 receptors. Overcoming these tumor-promoting conditions in aged skin may therefore provide a way to lower aging-associated skin cancer risk, and thus we will consider how dermal wounding and related clinical interventions may work to rejuvenate the skin, re-activate IGF-1 signaling, and prevent the initiation of NMSC.
Facial Regioselective Synthesis of Novel Bioactive Spiropyrrolidine/Pyrrolizine-Oxindole Derivatives via a Three Components Reaction as Potential Antimicrobial Agents
Authors: Hassaneen Huwaida , Eid Elshimaa , Eid Hamid , Farghaly Thoraya , Mabkhot Yahia
Published: February 2017

This article presents the synthesis of new derivatives of spirooxindole-spiropiperidinone- pyrrolidines 6a–j and spirooxindole-spiropiperidinone-pyrrolizines 8a–j, through a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of azomethineylides generated from isatin, sarcosine, and l-proline, through a decarboxylative route with dipolarophile 4a–j. All of the newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities and their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against most of the test organisms. The tested compounds displayed excellent activity against all of the tested microorganisms.
Molecular Simulations of Disulfide-Rich Venom Peptides with Ion Channels and Membranes
Authors: Deplazes Evelyne
Published: February 2017

Disulfide-rich peptides isolated from the venom of arthropods and marine animals are a rich source of potent and selective modulators of ion channels. This makes these peptides valuable lead molecules for the development of new drugs to treat neurological disorders. Consequently, much effort goes into understanding their mechanism of action. This paper presents an overview of how molecular simulations have been used to study the interactions of disulfide-rich venom peptides with ion channels and membranes. The review is focused on the use of docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and free energy calculations to (i) predict the structure of peptide-channel complexes; (ii) calculate binding free energies including the effect of peptide modifications; and (iii) study the membrane-binding properties of disulfide-rich venom peptides. The review concludes with a summary and outlook.
Effect of Oxidative Stress on ABC Transporters: Contribution to Epilepsy Pharmacoresistance
Authors: Grewal Gurpreet , Kukal Samiksha , Kanojia Neha , Saso Luciano , Kukreti Shrikant , Kukreti Ritushree
Published: February 2017

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder affecting around 1%–2% of population worldwide and its treatment includes use of antiepileptic drugs to control seizures. Failure to respond to antiepileptic drug therapy is a major clinical problem and over expression of ATP-binding cassette transporters is considered one of the major reasons for pharmacoresistance. In this review, we have summarized the regulation of ABC transporters in response to oxidative stress due to disease and antiepileptic drugs. Further, ketogenic diet and antioxidants were examined for their role in pharmacoresistance. The understanding of signalling pathways and mechanism involved may help in identifying potential therapeutic targets and improving drug response.
Synthesis and Characterization of a New Bivalent Ligand Combining Caffeine and Docosahexaenoic Acid
Authors: Fernández-Dueñas Víctor , Azuaje Jhonny , Morató Xavier , Cordobilla Begoña , Domingo Joan , Sotelo Eddy , Ciruela Francisco
Published: February 2017

Caffeine is a promising drug for the management of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), demonstrating neuroprotective properties that have been attributed to its interaction with the basal ganglia adenosine A2A receptor (A2AR). However, the doses needed to exert these neuroprotective effects may be too high. Thus, it is important to design novel approaches that selectively deliver this natural compound to the desired target. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the major omega-3 fatty acid in the brain and can act as a specific carrier of caffeine. Furthermore, DHA displays properties that may lead to its use as a neuroprotective agent. In the present study, we constructed a novel bivalent ligand covalently linking caffeine and DHA and assessed its pharmacological activity and safety profile in a simple cellular model. Interestingly, the new bivalent ligand presented higher potency as an A2AR inverse agonist than caffeine alone. We also determined the range of concentrations inducing toxicity both in a heterologous system and in primary striatal cultures. The novel strategy presented here of attaching DHA to caffeine may enable increased effects of the drug at desired sites, which could be of interest for the treatment of PD.
Chemical Composition, In Vitro Antimicrobial, Free-Radical-Scavenging and Antioxidant Activities of the Essential Oil of Leucas inflata Benth
Authors: Mothana Ramzi , Noman Omar , Al-Sheddi Ebtesam , Khaled Jamal , Al-Said Mansour , Al-Rehaily Adnan
Published: February 2017

The essential oil of Leucas inflata Balf.f. (Lamiaceae), collected in Yemen, was analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. Forty-three components were recognized, representing 89.2% of the total oil. The L. inflata volatile oil was found to contain a high percentage of aliphatic acids (51.1%). Hexadecanoic acid (32.8%) and n-dodecanoic acid (7.8%) were identified as the major compounds. Oxygenated monoterpenes were distinguished as the second significant group of constituents (16.0%). Camphor (6.1%) and linalool (3.2%) were found to be the main components among the oxygenated monoterpenes. In addition, the volatile oil was assessed for its antimicrobial activity against four bacterial strains and one yeast species using broth micro-dilution assay for minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC). In addition, antioxidant activity was measured utilizing the anti-radical activity of the sable free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and β-Carotene-linoleic acid assays. The oil of L. inflata showed an excellent antibacterial activity against only the tested Gram-positive bacteria with a MIC-value of 0.81 mg/mL. Furthermore, the oil demonstrated, at a concentration of 1 mg/mL, a weak to moderate antiradical and antioxidant activity of 38% and 32%, respectively.
The Pharmaceutical Industry in 2016. An Analysis of FDA Drug Approvals from a Perspective of the Molecule Type
Authors: Torre Beatriz , Albericio Fernando
Published: February 2017

This is an analysis from a chemical point of view of the 22 drugs accepted by the FDA during 2016. The different drugs from the 2016 “harvest” have been classified according to their chemical structure: antibodies; TIDES (oligonucleotides and peptides); amino acids and natural products; drug combination; and small molecules.
Assessing the Validity and Reproducibility of an Iron Dietary Intake Questionnaire Conducted in a Group of Young Polish Women
Authors: Głąbska Dominika , Guzek Dominika , Ślązak Joanna , Włodarek Dariusz
Published: February 2017

The aim of the study was to analyse a designed brief iron dietary intake questionnaire based on a food frequency assessment (IRONIC-FFQ—IRON Intake Calculation-Food Frequency Questionnaire), including the assessment of validity and reproducibility in a group of 75 Polish women aged 20–30 years. Participants conducted 3-day dietary records and filled in the IRONIC-FFQ twice (FFQ1—directly after the dietary record and FFQ2—6 weeks later). The analysis included an assessment of validity (comparison with the results of the 3-day dietary record) and of reproducibility (comparison of the results obtained twice—FFQ1 and FFQ2). In the analysis of validity, the share of individuals correctly classified into tertiles was over 50% (weighted κ of 0.36), while analysis of correlation revealed correlation coefficients of almost 0.5. In the assessment of reproducibility, almost 80% of individuals were correctly classified and less than 3% were misclassified (weighted κ of 0.73), while a correlation coefficient higher than 0.85 was obtained. Both in the assessment of validity and of reproducibility, a Bland–Altman index of 6.7% was recorded (93.3% of compared pairs of results were in the acceptable range, attributed to differences within ± 2SD limit). Validation of the IRONIC-FFQ revealed a satisfactory level of validity and positively validated reproducibility.
Maternal Low-Protein Diet Modulates Glucose Metabolism and Hepatic MicroRNAs Expression in the Early Life of Offspring †
Authors: Zheng Jia , Xiao Xinhua , Zhang Qian , Wang Tong , Yu Miao , Xu Jianping
Published: February 2017

Emerging studies revealed that maternal protein restriction was associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adulthood. However, the mechanisms of its effects on offspring, especially during early life of offspring, are poorly understood. Here, it is hypothesized that impaired metabolic health in offspring from maternal low-protein diet (LPD) is associated with perturbed miRNAs expression in offspring as early as the weaning age. We examined the metabolic effects on the C57BL/6J mice male offspring at weaning from dams fed with LPD or normal chow diet (NCD) throughout pregnancy and lactation. Maternal LPD feeding impaired metabolic health in offspring. Microarray profiling indicated that mmu-miR-615, mmu-miR-124, mmu-miR-376b, and mmu-let-7e were significantly downregulated, while, mmu-miR-708 and mmu-miR-879 were upregulated in LPD offspring. Bioinformatic analysis showed target genes were mapped to inflammatory-related pathways. Serum tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels were higher and interleukin 6 (IL-6) had a tendency to be elevated in the LPD group. Finally, both mRNA and protein levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly increased in the LPD group. Our findings provide novel evidence that maternal LPD can regulate miRNAs expression, which may be associated with chronic inflammation status and metabolic health in offspring as early as the weaning age.
High-Speed, High-Performance DQPSK Optical Links with Reduced Complexity VDFE Equalizers
Authors: Nanou Maki , Politi Christina , Stavdas Alexandros , Georgoulakis Kristina , Glentis George-Othon
Published: February 2017

Optical transmission technologies optimized for optical network segments sensitive to power consumption and cost, comprise modulation formats with direct detection technologies. Specifically, non-return to zero differential quaternary phase shift keying (NRZ-DQPSK) in deployed fiber plants, combined with high-performance, low-complexity electronic equalizers to compensate residual impairments at the receiver end, can be proved as a viable solution for high-performance, high-capacity optical links. Joint processing of the constructive and the destructive signals at the single-ended DQPSK receiver provides improved performance compared to the balanced configuration, however, at the expense of higher hardware requirements, a fact that may not be neglected especially in the case of high-speed optical links. To overcome this bottleneck, the use of partially joint constructive/destructive DQPSK equalization is investigated in this paper. Symbol-by-symbol equalization is performed by means of Volterra decision feedback-type equalizers, driven by a reduced subset of signals selected from the constructive and the destructive ports of the optical detectors. The proposed approach offers a low-complexity alternative for electronic equalization, without sacrificing much of the performance compared to the fully-deployed counterpart. The efficiency of the proposed equalizers is demonstrated by means of computer simulation in a typical optical transmission scenario.
Cell Proliferation on Polyethylene Terephthalate Treated in Plasma Created in SO2/O2 Mixtures
Authors: Recek Nina , Resnik Matic , Zaplotnik Rok , Mozetic Miran , Motaln Helena , Lah-Turnsek Tamara , Vesel Alenka
Published: February 2017

Samples of polymer polyethylene terephthalate were exposed to a weakly ionized gaseous plasma to modify the polymer surface properties for better cell cultivation. The gases used for treatment were sulfur dioxide and oxygen of various partial pressures. Plasma was created by an electrodeless radio frequency discharge at a total pressure of 60 Pa. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed weak functionalization of the samples’ surfaces with the sulfur, with a concentration around 2.5 at %, whereas the oxygen concentration remained at the level of untreated samples, except when the gas mixture with oxygen concentration above 90% was used. Atomic force microscopy revealed highly altered morphology of plasma-treated samples; however, at high oxygen partial pressures this morphology vanished. The samples were then incubated with human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Biological tests to determine endothelialization and possible toxicity of the plasma-treated polyethylene terephthalate samples were performed. Cell metabolic activity (MTT) and in vitro toxic effects of unknown compounds (TOX) were assayed to determine the biocompatibility of the treated substrates. The biocompatibility demonstrated a well-pronounced maximum versus gas composition which correlated well with development of the surface morphology.
Death, Resurrection, and Shrine Visitations: An Islamic Perspective
Authors: Elaskary Mohamed , Yun Eun
Published: February 2017

This paper discusses the concept of death, resurrection and shrine visitation from an Islamic point of view. It is divided into two integral parts. In the first part, we examine the Islamic eschatological concepts of death, resurrection, and the Day of Judgment. The second part deals with one of the most disputed topics in Islamic thought, those of graves and shrines and the cult of saints. We will be arguing that in spite of the fact that Muslims are not allowed (from a fundamentalist point of view) to construct ornamented tombs or shrines, the cult of saints is widespread in many parts of the Muslim world. We contend that this phenomenon stems from cultural rather than religious factors. In many cases, Muslims were unable to divest themselves of cultural aspects that interfered or were incompatible with their religious beliefs. We assert that the cult of saints is more common in Shia- than Sunni-dominated countries. In response to the ongoing recent attacks on shrines, the researchers suggest dialogue among Muslim sects.
Estimation of Downwelling Surface Longwave Radiation under Heavy Dust Aerosol Sky
Authors: Wang Chunlei , Tang Bo-Hui , Wu Hua , Tang Ronglin , Li Zhao-Liang
Published: February 2017

The variation of aerosols, especially dust aerosol, in time and space plays an important role in climate forcing studies. Aerosols can effectively reduce land surface longwave emission and re-emit energy at a colder temperature, which makes it difficult to estimate downwelling surface longwave radiation (DSLR) with satellite data. Using the latest atmospheric radiative transfer code (MODTRAN 5.0), we have simulated the outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and DSLR under different land surface types and atmospheric profile conditions. The results show that dust aerosol has an obvious “warming” effect to longwave radiation compared with other aerosols; that aerosol longwave radiative forcing (ALRF) increased with the increasing of aerosol optical depth (AOD); and that the atmospheric water vapor content (WVC) is critical to the understanding of ALRF. A method is proposed to improve the accuracy of DSLR estimation from satellite data for the skies under heavy dust aerosols. The AOD and atmospheric WVC under cloud-free conditions with a relatively simple satellite-based radiation model yielding the high accurate DSLR under heavy dust aerosol are used explicitly as model input to reduce the effects of dust aerosol on the estimation of DSLR. Validations of the proposed model with satellites data and field measurements show that it can estimate the DSLR accurately under heavy dust aerosol skies. The root mean square errors (RMSEs) are 20.4 W/m2 and 24.2 W/m2 for Terra and Aqua satellites, respectively, at the Yingke site, and the biases are 2.7 W/m2 and 9.6 W/m2, respectively. For the Arvaikheer site, the RMSEs are 23.2 W/m2 and 19.8 W/m2 for Terra and Aqua, respectively, and the biases are 7.8 W/m2 and 10.5 W/m2, respectively. The proposed method is especially applicable to acquire relatively high accurate DSLR under heavy dust aerosol using MODIS data with available WVC and AOD data.
Hyperspatial and Multi-Source Water Body Mapping: A Framework to Handle Heterogeneities from Observations and Targets over Large Areas
Authors: D’Andrimont Raphaël , Marlier Catherine , Defourny Pierre
Published: February 2017

Recent advances in remote sensing technologies and the cost reduction of surveying, along with the importance of natural resources management, present new opportunities for mapping land cover at a very high resolution over large areas. This paper proposes and applies a framework to update hyperspatial resolution (<1 m) land thematic mapping over large areas by handling multi-source and heterogeneous data. This framework deals with heterogeneity both from observation and the targeted features. First, observation diversity comes from the different platform and sensor types (25-cm passive optical and 1-m LiDAR) as well as the different instruments (three cameras and two LiDARs) used in heterogeneous observation conditions (date, time, and sun angle). Second, the local heterogeneity of the targeted features results from their within-type diversity and neighborhood effects. This framework is applied to surface water bodies in the southern part of Belgium (17,000 km2). This makes it possible to handle both observation and landscape contextual heterogeneity by mapping observation conditions, stratifying spatially and applying ad hoc classification procedures. The proposed framework detects 83% of the water bodies—if swimming pools are not taken into account—and more than 98% of those water bodies greater than 100 m2, with an edge accuracy below 1 m over large areas.
SERS Taper-Fiber Nanoprobe Modified by Gold Nanoparticles Wrapped with Ultrathin Alumina Film by Atomic Layer Deposition
Authors: Xu Wenjie , Chen Zhenyi , Chen Na , Zhang Heng , Liu Shupeng , Hu Xinmao , Wen Jianxiang , Wang Tingyun
Published: February 2017

A taper-fiber SERS nanoprobe modified by gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) with ultrathin alumina layers was fabricated and its ability to perform remote Raman detection was demonstrated. The taper-fiber nanoprobe (TFNP) with a nanoscale tip size under 80 nm was made by heated pulling combined with the chemical etching method. The Au-NPs were deposited on the TFNP surface with the electrostatic self-assembly technology, and then the TFNP was wrapped with ultrathin alumina layers by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. The results told us that with the increasing thickness of the alumina film, the Raman signals decreased. With approximately 1 nm alumina film, the remote detection limit for R6G aqueous solution reached 10−6 mol/L.
Utilization of a Terrestrial Laser Scanner for the Calibration of Mobile Mapping Systems
Authors: Hong Seunghwan , Park Ilsuk , Lee Jisang , Lim Kwangyong , Choi Yoonjo , Sohn Hong-Gyoo
Published: February 2017

This paper proposes a practical calibration solution for estimating the boresight and lever-arm parameters of the sensors mounted on a Mobile Mapping System (MMS). On our MMS devised for conducting the calibration experiment, three network video cameras, one mobile laser scanner, and one Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)/Inertial Navigation System (INS) were mounted. The geometric relationships between three sensors were solved by the proposed calibration, considering the GNSS/INS as one unit sensor. Our solution basically uses the point cloud generated by a 3-dimensional (3D) terrestrial laser scanner rather than using conventionally obtained 3D ground control features. With the terrestrial laser scanner, accurate and precise reference data could be produced and the plane features corresponding with the sparse mobile laser scanning data could be determined with high precision. Furthermore, corresponding point features could be extracted from the dense terrestrial laser scanning data and the images captured by the video cameras. The parameters of the boresight and the lever-arm were calculated based on the least squares approach and the precision of the boresight and lever-arm could be achieved by 0.1 degrees and 10 mm, respectively.
Coalition Game-Based Secure and Effective Clustering Communication in Vehicular Cyber-Physical System (VCPS)
Authors: Huo Yan , Dong Wei , Qian Jin , Jing Tao
Published: February 2017

In this paper, we address the low efﬁciency of cluster-based communication for the crossroad scenario in the Vehicular Cyber-Physical System (VCPS), which is due to the overload of the cluster head resulting from a large number of transmission bandwidth requirements. After formulating the issue as a coalition formation game, a coalition-based clustering strategy is proposed, which could converge into a Nash-stable partition to accomplish the clustering formation process. In the proposed strategy, the coalition utility is formulated by the relative velocity, relative position and the bandwidth availability ratio of vehicles among the cluster. Employing the coalition utility, the vehicles are denoted as the nodes that make the decision whether to switch to a new coalition or stay in the current coalition. Based on this, we can make full use of the bandwidth provided by cluster head under the requirement of clustering stability. Nevertheless, there exist selﬁsh nodes duringtheclusteringformation,soastointendtobeneﬁtfromnetworks. Thisbehaviormaydegrade the communication quality and even destroy the cluster. Thus, we also present a reputation-based incentive and penalty mechanism to stop the selﬁsh nodes from entering clusters. Numerical simulation results show that our strategy, CG-SECC, takes on a better performance for the tradeoff between the stability and efﬁciency of clustering communication. Besides, a case study demonstrates that the proposed incentive and penalty mechanism can play an important role in discovering and removing malicious nodes.
External Knowledge Sourcing and Green Innovation Growth with Environmental and Energy Regulations: Evidence from Manufacturing in China
Authors: Hou Jian , Chen Heng , Xu Jianzhong
Published: February 2017

This paper adopts the slacks-based measure-directional distance function (SBM-DDF, 2009) method for deriving the “Green Innovation Growth” rates of 28 manufacturing industries in China. The results indicate that the overall level of green innovation growth in China’s manufacturing is relatively low, with a declining trend. The tradeoffs among energy, environment and economy are rather sharp, and the “Porter Effect (1995)” (environmental regulation will promote green technology innovation) is not currently realized quickly in manufacturing. These evaluations imply an unsustainable development model in China, with significant differences among industries. By using a dynamic panel threshold model and employing an industry-level panel dataset for 2008–2014, we show that external knowledge sourcing has a significant negative impact on green innovation growth but with different constraints on R&D levels among industries. With the strengthening of R&D levels, gradually surpassing “critical mass”, the negative role of external knowledge sourcing in driving this mechanism becomes smaller and smaller; it has a non-linear relationship with the “threshold effect”. Consequently, we provide insights into the relationship among energy consumption, environmental pollution and technology innovation, and show how the heterogeneity of the R&D threshold affects differences in external knowledge sourcing and green innovation growth. These insights lead to a better understanding of the driving force, realizing path and policy design for green innovation growth.
Getting Wasted at WOMADelaide: The Effect of Signage on Waste Disposal
Authors: Verdonk Sarah , Chiveralls Keri , Dawson Drew
Published: February 2017

In recent years, there has been a rise in environmental consciousness and community awareness of waste disposal issues. However, discrepancies remain between people’s attitude and their behavior regarding waste disposal and recycling; commonly known as the “attitude behavior gap”. This study was designed to aid in bridging this gap by exploring how signage, incorporating psychological principles and effective sign design, can encourage people to correctly dispose of their unwanted materials. The utilization of festivals, mass gatherings and events as spaces to test the impact of pro-environmental messaging on behavior is an emerging field of research. This study investigated the role of signage in aiding attendees of the world music festival WOMADelaide to correctly dispose of their unwanted materials. To complement and support the three-bin system utilized by the waste contractors for the event, four signs were developed and tested in the catering area. These signs included a baseline sign, as well as three motivational signs containing graphics and messages, based on different theoretical positions or psychological principles. The results gained from analyzing the concealed camera footage indicated that the bins under the three motivational signs elicited a greater number of deposits. However, the waste was no better sorted than those located under the baseline sign. The findings of this study support previous research into the “attitude behavior gap” and highlight areas for future research into signage in a festival setting.
Identifying Critical Factors Influencing the Rents of Public Rental Housing Delivery by PPPs: The Case of Nanjing
Authors: Yuan Jingfeng , Zheng Xiaodan , You Jia , Skibniewski Mirosław
Published: February 2017

The occupancy rate of Public Rental Housing (PRH) in China is relatively low due to the unreasonable rents. At the same time, the development of PRH using Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) increases the complexity of the rents. Therefore, the critical factors influencing the rents of PRH delivery by PPPs should be identified. Based on the comprehensive literature, this article identified a conceptual model for the factors influencing the rents of PRH delivery by PPPs in China, composed of 14 factors grouped in three factor packages, and discussed the relationships among three factor packages. A survey based on Nanjing was conducted to assess the relative significance of 14 factors. According to the results, six critical factors were identified: construction costs, household income, floor area and structure, transportation, market rents in the same district and public facilities. In addition, the proposed conceptual model had a good fit. The results also supported two hypothetical relationships among three factor packages: (1) the increase of the affordability of the target tenants had a positive effect on the increase of profits of private sectors; and (2) the increase of the affordability of the target tenants had a positive effect on the increase of level of the characteristics of PRH units. For future research, six critical factors and the relationships among three factor packages can be used to determine the reasonable rents for PRH delivery by PPPs in China.
Understanding Driving Forces and Implications Associated with the Land Use and Land Cover Changes in Portugal
Authors: Meneses Bruno , Reis Eusébio , Pereira Susana , Vale Maria , Reis Rui
Published: February 2017

Understanding the processes of land use and land cover changes (LUCC) and the associated driving forces is important for achieving sustainable development. This paper presents the LUCC in Portugal at the regional level (NUTS II) from 1995 to 2010 and discusses the main driving forces and implications associated with these LUCC. The main objectives of this work are: (a) to quantify the land use and land cover (LUC) types (level I of LUC cartography) by NUT II in Portugal for the years 1995, 2007 and 2010; (b) to assess the spatio-temporal LUCC; and (c) to identify and discuss the main driving forces of LUCC and corresponding implications based on correlations and Principal Components Analysis. The results revealed large regional and temporal LUCC and further highlighted the different and sometimes opposite time trends between neighboring regions. By associating driving forces to LUCC, different influences at the regional level were observed, namely LUCC into agriculture land derived from the construction of dams (Alentejo region), or the conversion of coniferous forest into eucalypt forest (Centre region) associated with increased gross value added (GVA) and employment in industry and forestry. Temporal differentiation was also observed, particularly in the settlements that expanded between 1995 and 2007 due to the construction of large infrastructures (e.g., highways, industrial complexes, or buildings), which is reflected on employment in industry and construction and respective GVA. However, certain LUCC have implications, particularly in energy consumption, for which different behavior between regions can be highlighted in this analysis, but also on land-use sustainability.
In-Built Customised Mechanical Failure of 316L Components Fabricated Using Selective Laser Melting
Authors: Ilie Andrei , Ali Haider , Mumtaz Kamran
Published: February 2017

The layer-by-layer building methodology used within the powder bed process of Selective Laser Melting facilitates control over the degree of melting achieved at every layer. This control can be used to manipulate levels of porosity within each layer, effecting resultant mechanical properties. If specifically controlled, it has the potential to enable customisation of mechanical properties or design of in-built locations of mechanical fracture through strategic void placement across a component, enabling accurate location specific predictions of mechanical failure for fail-safe applications. This investigation examined the process parameter effects on porosity formation and mechanical properties of 316L samples whilst maintaining a constant laser energy density without manipulation of sample geometry. In order to understand the effects of customisation on mechanical properties, samples were manufactured with in-built porosity of up to 3% spanning across ~1.7% of a samples’ cross-section using a specially developed set of “hybrid” processing parameters. Through strategic placement of porous sections within samples, exact fracture location could be predicted. When mechanically loaded, these customised samples exhibited only ~2% reduction in yield strength compared to samples processed using single set parameters. As expected, microscopic analysis revealed that mechanical performance was closely tied to porosity variations in samples, with little or no variation in microstructure observed through parameter variation. The results indicate that there is potential to use SLM for customising mechanical performance over the cross-section of a component.
Effects of Electron Beam Irradiation on Zearalenone and Ochratoxin A in Naturally Contaminated Corn and Corn Quality Parameters
Authors: Luo Xiaohu , Qi Lijun , Liu Yuntao , Wang Ren , Yang Dan , Li Ke , Wang Li , Li Yanan , Zhang Yuwei , Chen Zhengxing
Published: February 2017

Zearalenone (ZEN) and ochratoxin A (OTA) are secondary toxic metabolites widely present in grains and grain products. In this study, the effects of electron beam irradiation (EBI) on ZEN and OTA in corn and the quality of irradiated corn were investigated. Results indicated that EBI significantly affected ZEN and OTA. The degradation rates of ZEN and OTA at 10 kGy in solution were 65.6% and 75.2%, respectively. The initial amounts significantly affected the degradation rate. ZEN and OTA in corn were decreased by the irradiation dose, and their degradation rates at 50 kGy were 71.1% and 67.9%, respectively. ZEN and OTA were more easily degraded in corn kernel than in corn flour. Moisture content (MC) played a vital role in ZEN and OTA degradation. High MC was attributed to high ZEN and OTA degradation. The quality of irradiated corn was evaluated on the basis of irradiation dose. L* value changed, but this change was not significant (p > 0.05). By contrast, a* and b* decreased significantly (p < 0.05) with irradiation dose. The fatty acid value increased significantly. The pasting properties, including peak, trough, breakdown, and final and setback viscosities, were also reduced significantly (p < 0.05) by irradiation. Our study verified that EBI could effectively degrade ZEN and OTA in corn. Irradiation could also affect corn quality.
Distribution and Risk of Mycolactone-Producing Mycobacteria Transmission within Buruli Ulcer Endemic Communities in Côte d’Ivoire
Authors: Dassi Christelle , Mosi Lydia , Narh Charles , Quaye Charles , Konan Danièle , Djaman Joseph , Bonfoh Bassirou
Published: February 2017

In Buruli ulcer (BU) endemic communities, most mycolactone-producing mycobacteria (MPM), including Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative agent, are present in water bodies used by inhabitants; yet, their mode of transmission is still unclear. This study aimed to assess the distribution of MPM strains, both from human suspected cases and aquatic environments, for identifying possible transmission modes within two BU endemic districts, Daloa and Tiassalé (Taabo), in Côte d’Ivoire. Collected samples were processed using conventional polymerase chain reaction and screened for the presence of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and MPMs using 16S rRNA, IS2404 and enoyl reductase (ER) primers. MPM-positive samples were further discriminated using variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) typing and sequencing. 16S rRNA and IS2404 sequences confirmed that 94% of the clinical samples contained MPMs. For environmental samples, 53% were contaminated with NTMs, of which 17% contained MPMs particularly M. ulcerans, suggesting that water-related activities could predispose inhabitants to BU transmission. MPM discrimination by VNTR at four M. ulcerans Agy99 loci identified genotype C, previously reported in Côte d’Ivoire as the most dominant profile. Phylogenetic clustering on the basis of genetic diversity in the MIRU 1 locus showed two main M. ulcerans lineages in Côte d’Ivoire.