bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Migrantes y vida pública en Cuba
Authors: Alfonso Liudmila Morales , Sánchez Liosday Landaburo
Published: December 2017

*Full article is in Spanish

English abstract:

The article analyzes how the participation of migrants in Cuban
public life has been reconfi gured, starting with the process of updating
the economic, political and social model that began in 2008. This group,
which had been excluded from national public life through an intersection
of offi cial policies and discourses—which supported the viewpoint
of migration without return, due to political causes, and an “us vs. them”
opposition—now benefi ts from a Cuba that is more open to the world
and consistent with transnational migration. Although the road to full
citizenship continues to be full of obstacles, there are new opportunities
for participation in public life, which the article measures from the integration
of Cubans residing in Ecuador in the formal and informal economies
to their maintenance of a migratory status in Cuba and the fl ow of
information and communication with their native country.

Spanish abstract:

El artículo analiza cómo se reconfi gura la participación de los
migrantes en la vida pública cubana, a partir del proceso de actualización
del modelo económico, político y social que inició en 2008. Este grupo,
que había sido excluido de la vida pública nacional por una conjunción
entre políticas y discursos ofi ciales —que sustentó el imaginario de una
migración sin retorno, por causas políticas, y de una oposición nosotros/
ellos— se benefi cia de una Cuba más abierta al mundo y consecuente
con la migración transnacional. Aunque el camino hacia una ciudadanía
plena continúe lleno de obstáculos, existen nuevas oportunidades de
participación en la vida pública, que el artículo mide desde la inserción
de cubanos residentes en Ecuador en la economía, formal e informal; el
mantenimiento de un status migratorio en Cuba y el fl ujo de información
y comunicación con su país natal.

French abstract:

L’article analyse la façon dont la participation des migrants à
la vie publique cubaine est reconfi gurée, en commençant par la mise à
jour du modèle économique, politique et social qui a débuté en 2008. Ce
groupe, exclu de la vie publique nationale conjointement par les politiques
et discours offi ciels - qui ont soutenu l’imaginaire d’une migration
sans retour, en raison de causes politiques et d’une opposition nous /
eux - bénéfi cie d’un Cuba plus ouvert au monde et compatible avec les
migrations transnationales. Et bien que le chemin vers la pleine citoyenneté
continue d’être semé d’obstacles, il existe de nouvelles possibilités
de participation à la vie publique que l’article met en évidence, depuis l’insertion des Cubains résidant en Équateur dans l’économie, formelle et
informelle ; le maintien d’un statut migratoire à Cuba et le fl ux d’informations
et de communication avec leur pays natal.
Les études de genre et les mouvements ethnico-raciaux en Colombie
Authors: Vigoya Mara Viveros
Published: December 2017

*Full forum is in French

English abstract:

This article presents the dilemmas faced in Colombian feminist and gender studies within the framework of the contemporary socio-political context in Colombia, which is characterized by the recognition of the multicultural nature of Latin American societies. The author first examines the process that Colombian feminism has gone through since the 1970s, developing its paradigms of action and refl ection, which have become increasingly diverse. Second, the author examines the current position of the social movements of autochthonous and Afro-descendant women in the Colombian feminist debates on the dilemmas and new perspectives that globalization has imposed on social movements.

Spanish abstract:

Este artículo se trata de una exposición de los dilemas que se enfrentan a los estudios femeninos colombianos y los que se centran en el género, en el contexto sociopolítico contemporáneo caracterizado por el reconocimiento de la multiculturalidad de las sociedades latinoamericanas. Para ello, primero examinaré el proceso que ha seguido el feminismo colombiano desde los años setenta, desarrollando sus paradigmas de acción y refl exión, cada vez más diversos. En segundo lugar, examinaré la posición actual de los movimientos sociales de mujeres indígenas y afrodescendientes en los debates feministas colombianos sobre los dilemas y las nuevas perspectivas que la globalización ha impuesto a los movimientos sociales.

French abstract:

Dans cet article, il s’agira d’exposer les dilemmes auxquels sont confrontées les études féministes colombiennes et celles portant sur le genre dans le contexte socio-politique contemporain caractérisé par la reconnaissance de la multiculturalité des sociétés latino-américaines. Pour ce faire, nous évoquerons d’abord les évolutions que le féminisme colombien a connues depuis les années 1970, en développant ses paradigmes d’action et de réflexion qui sont devenus de plus en plus diversifiés. Nous examinerons ensuite la position actuellement adoptée par les mouvements de femmes autochtones et afrodescendantes dans les débats féministes colombiens à propos des dilemmes et des nouvelles perspectives que la mondialisation a imposés aux mouvements sociaux.
Perfusion-Phase [18F]THK5351 Tau-PET Imaging as a Surrogate Marker for Neurodegeneration
Authors: Brendel Matthias , Wagner Leonie , Levin Johannes , Zach Christian , Lindner Simon , Bartenstein Peter , Okamura Nobuyuki , Rominger Axel
Published: December 2017

We aimed to test if early, perfusion phase tau-PET imaging with [18F]THK5351 might substitute for [18F]FDG PET information on neurodegeneration, as has been previously shown for amyloid-tracers. A patient with cognitive impairment and positive amyloid-PET was examined by [18F]THK5351 tau-PET and [18F]FDG PET. The pattern of early phase of [18F]THK5351 uptake was compared to [18F]FDG visually and by the dice similarity coefficient. Visual inspection of axial slices and stereotactic-surface projection indicated a striking agreement between combined 0–2 min p.i. perfusion images of [18F]THK5351 and standard [18F]FDG 30–60 min p.i. A two-phase protocol of [18F]THK5351 PET might give information on neurodegeneration and tau pathology in a single session.
Prion Protein PRNP: A New Player in Innate Immunity? The Aβ Connection
Authors: Lathe Richard , Darlix Jean-Luc
Published: December 2017

The prion protein PRNP has been centrally implicated in the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), but its normal physiological role remains obscure. We highlight emerging evidence that PRNP displays antimicrobial activity, inhibiting the replication of multiple viruses, and also interacts directly with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide whose own antimicrobial role is now increasingly secure. PRNP and Aβ share share membrane-penetrating, nucleic acid binding, and antiviral properties with classical antimicrobial peptides such as LL-37. We discuss findings that binding of abnormal nucleic acids to PRNP leads to oligomerization of the protein, and suggest that this may be an entrapment and sequestration process that contributes to its antimicrobial activity. Some antimicrobial peptides are known to be exploited by infectious agents, and we cover evidence that PRNP is usurped by herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) that has evolved a virus-encoded ‘anti-PRNP’.unction. These findings suggest that PRNP, like LL-37 and Aβ, is likely to be a component of the innate immune system, with implications for the pathoetiology of both AD and TSE.
Thoughtful artificial intelligence: Forging a new partnership for data science and scientific discovery
Authors: Gil Yolanda
Published: December 2017

Artificial intelligence will play an increasingly more prominent role in scientific research ecosystems, and will become indispensable as more interdisciplinary science questions are tackled. While in recent years computers have propelled science by crunching through data and leading to a data science revolution, qualitatively different scientific advances will result from advanced intelligent technologies for crunching through knowledge and ideas. We propose seven principles for developing thoughtful artificial intelligence, which will turn intelligent systems into partners for scientists. We present a personal perspective on a research agenda for thoughtful artificial intelligence, and discuss its potential for data science and scientific discovery.
Earth’s insolation variation and its incorporation into physical and mathematical climate models
Authors: Fedorov V M
Published: December 2017

We review research on long-term variations in Earth’s insolation due to celestial mechanics processes. Based on an analytical survey of Earth’s insolation calculations, general problems encountered in the physical and mathematical modeling of climate are outlined.
Fluorescence Sensing Using DNA Aptamers in Cancer Research and Clinical Diagnostics
Authors: Musumeci Domenica , Platella Chiara , Riccardi Claudia , Moccia Federica , Montesarchio Daniela
Published: December 2017

Among the various advantages of aptamers over antibodies, remarkable is their ability to tolerate a large number of chemical modifications within their backbone or at the termini without losing significant activity. Indeed, aptamers can be easily equipped with a wide variety of reporter groups or coupled to different carriers, nanoparticles, or other biomolecules, thus producing valuable molecular recognition tools effective for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. This review reports an updated overview on fluorescent DNA aptamers, designed to recognize significant cancer biomarkers both in soluble or membrane-bound form. In many examples, the aptamer secondary structure switches induced by target recognition are suitably translated in a detectable fluorescent signal using either fluorescently-labelled or label-free aptamers. The fluorescence emission changes, producing an enhancement (“signal-on”) or a quenching (“signal-off”) effect, directly reflect the extent of the binding, thereby allowing for quantitative determination of the target in bioanalytical assays. Furthermore, several aptamers conjugated to fluorescent probes proved to be effective for applications in tumour diagnosis and intraoperative surgery, producing tumour-type specific, non-invasive in vivo imaging tools for cancer pre- and post-treatment assessment.
Determination of the Surface and Canopy Urban Heat Island in Athens Central Zone Using Advanced Monitoring
Authors: Georgakis Chrissa , Santamouris Mattheos
Published: December 2017

The present study aims to present all the findings of micro-climate measurements that were performed by the University of Athens in the center of Athens, during the summer period. The extended experimental campaign aimed to collect thermal and air flow measurements, in different measuring points along a main street in the city center, in order to estimate the surface and canopy heat island intensity. In this work, the methodology of collecting the data, the experimental procedure, the equipment used, and lastly, the results are being presented. Comparison with the meteorological conditions that are recorded in the National Observatory of Athens, for the same period, lead to important conclusions about the local microclimate in the center of Athens and specifically the magnitude of the heat island effect. Particularly, in the denser area of the city after midday, air temperature increases reaching values up to 5 degrees higher than the one recorded in the suburban area. On the contrary, early in the morning the air temperature of the “green area” of the city was found to be lower up to 2 degrees than the corresponding in the suburban area.
Correction: Halil, B.; Gökhan, S. Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Variable Baffle Spacing on the Thermal Performance of a Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger. Energies 2017, 10, 1156
Authors: Bayram Halil , Sevilgen Gökhan
Published: December 2017

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [1][...]
SlbZIP38, a Tomato bZIP Family Gene Downregulated by Abscisic Acid, Is a Negative Regulator of Drought and Salt Stress Tolerance
Authors: Pan Yanglu , Hu Xin , Li Chunyan , Xu Xing , Su Chenggang , Li Jinhua , Song Hongyuan , Zhang Xingguo , Pan Yu
Published: December 2017

The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors have crucial roles in plant stress responses. In this study, the bZIP family gene SlbZIP38 (GenBank accession No: XM004239373) was isolated from a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Ailsa Craig) mature leaf cDNA library. The DNA sequence of SlbZIP38 encodes a protein of 484 amino acids, including a highly conserved bZIP DNA-binding domain in the C-terminal region. We found that SlbZIP38 was differentially expressed in various organs of the tomato plant and was downregulated by drought, salt stress, and abscisic acid (ABA). However, overexpression of SlbZIP38 significantly decreased drought and salt stress tolerance in tomatoes (Ailsa Craig). The findings that SlbZIP38 overexpression reduced the chlorophyll and free proline content in leaves but increased the malondialdehyde content may explain the reduced drought and salt tolerance observed in these lines. These results suggest that SlbZIP38 is a negative regulator of drought and salt resistance that acts by modulating ABA signaling.
Ovsiankina’s Great Relief: How Supplemental Work during the Weekend May Contribute to Recovery in the Face of Unfinished Tasks
Authors: Weigelt Oliver , Syrek Christine
Published: December 2017

Unfinished tasks have been identified as a significant job stressor that impairs employee recovery after work. Classic experimental research by Ovsiankina has shown that people tend to resume yet unfinished tasks to satisfy their need for closure. We apply this notion to current working life and examine supplemental work after hours as a means to achieve peace of mind. We investigate how progress towards goal accomplishment through supplemental work may facilitate recovery in terms of psychological detachment, relaxation, autonomy, and mastery experiences. We conducted a week-level diary study among 83 employees over a period of 14 consecutive weeks, which yielded 575 observations in total and 214 matched observations of unfinished tasks, supplemental work during the weekend, progress, and recovery experiences. Unfinished tasks were assessed on Friday. Supplemental work and recovery experiences were assessed on Monday. Multilevel modeling analyses provide evidence that unfinished tasks at the end of the work week are associated with lower levels of detachment at the intraindividual level, tend to relate to lower relaxation, but are unrelated to autonomy and mastery. Progress towards finishing tasks during the weekend alleviates the detrimental effects of unfinished tasks on both kinds of recovery experiences. Supplemental work is negatively linked to detachment, but largely unrelated to the other recovery experiences.
Association between Cesarean Section and Weight Status in Chinese Children and Adolescents: A National Survey
Authors: Liang Jingjing , Zhang Zheqing , Yang Wenhan , Dai Meixia , Lin Lizi , Chen Yajun , Ma Jun , Jing Jin
Published: December 2017

Previous research on the association between cesarean section (CS) and childhood obesity has yielded inconsistent findings. This study assessed the secular trend of CS and explored the relationship between CS and the risks of overweight and obesity in Chinese children and adolescents. Data came from a national multicenter school-based study conducted in seven provinces of China in 2013. Covariate data including weight, height and delivery mode were extracted. Poisson regression was applied to determine the risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the risks of overweight and obesity associated with the delivery mode. A total of 18,780 (41.2%) subjects were born by CS between 1997 and 2006. The rate of CS increased from 27.2% in 1997 to 54.1% in 2006. After adjusting for major confounders, the RRs (95% CI) of overweight and obesity among subjects born by CS were 1.21 (1.15 to 1.27) and 1.51 (1.42 to 1.61), respectively. Similar results were observed in different subgroups stratified by sex, age, and region. In summary, the CS rate increased sharply in China between 1997 and 2006. CS was associated with increased risks of overweight and obesity in offspring after accounting for major confounding factors.
Characterization of Crystallographic Structures Using Bragg-Edge Neutron Imaging at the Spallation Neutron Source
Authors: Song Gian , Lin Jiao , Bilheux Jean , Xie Qingge , Santodonato Louis , Molaison Jamie , Skorpenske Harley , M. Dos Santos Antonio , Tulk Chris , An Ke , Stoica Alexandru , Kirka Michael , Dehoff Ryan , Tremsin Anton , Bunn Jeffrey , Sochalski-Kolbus Lindsay , Bilheux Hassina
Published: December 2017

Over the past decade, wavelength-dependent neutron radiography, also known as Bragg-edge imaging, has been employed as a non-destructive bulk characterization method due to its sensitivity to coherent elastic neutron scattering that is associated with crystalline structures. Several analysis approaches have been developed to quantitatively determine crystalline orientation, lattice strain, and phase distribution. In this study, we report a systematic investigation of the crystal structures of metallic materials (such as selected textureless powder samples and additively manufactured (AM) Inconel 718 samples), using Bragg-edge imaging at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Spallation Neutron Source (SNS). Firstly, we have implemented a phenomenological Gaussian-based fitting in a Python-based computer called iBeatles. Secondly, we have developed a model-based approach to analyze Bragg-edge transmission spectra, which allows quantitative determination of the crystallographic attributes. Moreover, neutron diffraction measurements were carried out to validate the Bragg-edge analytical methods. These results demonstrate that the microstructural complexity (in this case, texture) plays a key role in determining the crystallographic parameters (lattice constant or interplanar spacing), which implies that the Bragg-edge image analysis methods must be carefully selected based on the material structures.
Electrospun PVA/Bentonite Nanocomposites Mats for Drug Delivery
Authors: Ferrández-Rives Mariola , Beltrán-Osuna Ángela , Gómez-Tejedor José , Gómez Ribelles José
Published: December 2017

Electrospun mats and films of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel are produced for drug delivery. To provide mechanical consistency to the gel a reinforcement by nanoclays is introduced in the polymer matrix. Four different suspensions of nanoparticles in the polymer solution are prepared in an adequate solvent. These suspensions are subjected to an electrospinning process to produce the nanofiber mat, while films are produced by casting. The influence of the process parameters over the nanofibers microstructure is analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effectiveness of nanoclay encapsulation in the nanocomposites is tested by a thermogravimetric analysis. A crosslinking reaction in solution is carried out to prevent the dissolution of the nanocomposites in aqueous media. A model protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA) is absorbed in the nanocomposites to characterize the release kinetics in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS).
Liposomal Circular Dichroism (L-CD) of Arenoyl Derivatives of Sphingolipids. Amplification of Cotton Effects in Ordered Lipid Bilayers
Authors: Molinski Tadeusz , Broaddus Caroline , Morinaka Brandon
Published: December 2017

Liposomal circular dichroism (L-CD) of acyclic amino alcohols exhibit amplification of Cotton effects when measured in highly uniform, unilamellar liposomes. The effect is likely due to intermolecular associations—H-aggregates—that self-assemble spontaneously within the lipid bilayer, and persists over long time scales. L-CD spectra of N,O,O′-tri-(6′methoxy-2′-naphthoyl)-d-erythro-sphingosine, or the corresponding dihydro-derivative (sphinganine), shows ~10-fold amplification of magnitudes of Cotton effects over conventional CD spectra recorded in isotropic solution.
Air Trapping Mechanism in Artificial Salvinia-Like Micro-Hairs Fabricated via Direct Laser Lithography
Authors: Tricinci Omar , Terencio Tercio , Pugno Nicola , Greco Francesco , Mazzolai Barbara , Mattoli Virgilio
Published: December 2017

Salvinia leaves represent an extraordinary example of how nature found a strategy for the long term retainment of air, and thus oxygen, on a surface, the so-called ‘Salvinia effect’, thanks to the peculiar three-dimensional and hierarchical shape of the hairs covering the leaves. Here, starting from the natural model, we have microfabricated hairs inspired by those present on the Salvinia molesta leaves, by means of direct laser lithography. Artificial hairs, like their natural counterpart, are composed of a stalk and a crown-like head, and have been reproduced in the microscale since this ensures, if using a proper design, an air-retaining behavior even if the bulk structural material is hydrophilic. We have investigated the capability of air retainment inside the heads of the hairs that can last up to 100 h, demonstrating the stability of the phenomenon. For a given dimension of the head, the greater the number of filaments, the greater the amount of air that can be trapped inside the heads since the increase in the number of solid–air interfaces able to pin the liquid phase. For this reason, such type of pattern could be used for the fabrication of surfaces for controlled gas retainment and gas release in liquid phases. The range of applications would be quite large, including industrial, medical, and biological fields.
Peripheral Endocannabinoid Responses to Hedonic Eating in Binge-Eating Disorder
Authors: Monteleone Alessio , Piscitelli Fabiana , Dalle Grave Riccardo , El Ghoch Marwan , Di Marzo Vincenzo , Maj Mario , Monteleone Palmiero
Published: December 2017

Reward mechanisms are likely implicated in the pathophysiology of binge-eating behaviour, which is a key symptom of binge-eating disorder (BED). Since endocannabinoids modulate food-related reward, we aimed to investigate the responses of anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) to hedonic eating in patients with BED. Peripheral levels of AEA and 2-AG were measured in 7 obese BED patients before and after eating favorite (hedonic eating) and non-favorite (non-hedonic eating) foods. We found that plasma levels of AEA progressively decreased after eating the non-favorite food and significantly increased after eating the favorite food, whereas plasma levels of 2-AG did not differ significantly between the two test conditions, although they showed a trend toward significantly different time patterns. The changes in peripheral AEA levels were positively correlated to the subjects’ sensations of the urge to eat and the pleasantness while eating the presented food, while changes in peripheral 2-AG levels were positively correlated to the subjects’ sensation of the pleasantness while eating the presented food and to the amount of food they would eat. These results suggest the occurrence of distinctive responses of endocannabinoids to food-related reward in BED. The relevance of such findings to the pathophysiology of BED remains to be elucidated.
Extraordinary Light-Trapping Enhancement in Silicon Solar Cell Patterned with Graded Photonic Super-Crystals
Authors: Hassan Safaa , Lowell David , Adewole Murthada , George David , Zhang Hualiang , Lin Yuankun
Published: December 2017

Light-trapping enhancement in newly discovered graded photonic super-crystals (GPSCs) with dual periodicity and dual basis is herein explored for the first time. Broadband, wide-incident-angle, and polarization-independent light-trapping enhancement was achieved in silicon solar cells patterned with these GPSCs. These super-crystals were designed by multi-beam interference, rendering them flexible and efficient. The optical response of the patterned silicon solar cell retained Bloch-mode resonance; however, light absorption was greatly enhanced in broadband wavelengths due to the graded, complex unit super-cell nanostructures, leading to the overlap of Bloch-mode resonances. The broadband, wide-angle light coupling and trapping enhancement mechanism are understood to be due to the spatial variance of the index of refraction, and this spatial variance is due to the varying filling fraction, the dual basis, and the varying lattice constants in different directions.
Microencapsulation of Lactobacillus Acidophilus by Xanthan-Chitosan and Its Stability in Yoghurt
Authors: Shu Guowei , He Yunxia , Chen Li , Song Yajuan , Meng Jiangpeng , Chen He
Published: December 2017

Microencapsulations of Lactobacillus acidophilus in xanthan-chitosan (XC) and xanthan-chitosan-xanthan (XCX) polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) gels were prepared in this study. The process of encapsulation was optimized with the aid of response surface methodology (RSM). The optimum condition was chitosan of 0.68%, xanthan of 0.76%, xanthan-L. acidophilus mixture (XLM)/chitosan of 1:2.56 corresponding to a high viable count (1.31 ± 0.14) × 1010 CFU·g−1, and encapsulation yield 86 ± 0.99%, respectively. Additionally, the application of a new encapsulation system (XC and XCX) in yoghurt achieved great success in bacterial survival during the storage of 21 d at 4 °C and 25 °C, respectively. Specially, pH and acidity in yogurt were significantly influenced by the new encapsulation system in comparison to free suspension during 21 d storage. Our study provided a potential encapsulation system for probiotic application in dairy product which paving a new way for functional food development.
Systematic and Model-Assisted Evaluation of Solvent Based- or Pressurized Hot Water Extraction for the Extraction of Artemisinin from Artemisia annua L.
Authors: Sixt Maximilian , Strube Jochen
Published: December 2017

In this study, the solvent based extraction of artemisinin from Artemisia annua L. using acetone in percolation mode is compared to the method of pressurized hot water extraction. Both techniques are simulated by a physico-chemical process model. The model as well as the model parameter determination, including the thermal degradation of artemisinin are shown and discussed. For the conventional extraction, a solvent screening is performed considering various organic solvents. A temperature screening is presented for the systematic design of the pressurized hot water extraction. The best temperature with regards to thermal decomposition and high productivity was found to be 80 °C. Both, conventional percolation and Pressurized Hot Water Extraction (PHWE) are suitable for the extraction of artemisinin. The extraction curves show a high conformity with the simulation results.
Towards a Theory and Practice of Religious Literacy: A Case Study of Religion and Belief Engagement in a UK University
Authors: Dinham Adam , Francis Matthew , Shaw Martha
Published: December 2017

This article reports on research undertaken in 2011–2012 into the role of religion and belief in one British university. In this indicative qualitative case study, we observed six important features in relation to religion and belief: a clear divide in attitudes to the place of religion and belief between operations and curriculum; a lack of knowledge and understanding of the religious landscape within the institution; differing and localized responses to religion and belief within and between departments; variation in the approaches of different academic disciplines; very strong desire to promote a good student experience, which included a recognition that some students identify as religious; and that religious and non-religious perspectives are widely conceived of as binary, meaning either ‘secular’ or religious. We conclude that these findings demonstrate, at this institution, a struggle to think and act strategically and consistently on religion and belief, and suggest that, because of their influential educational positions, this reflects and reproduces muddled thinking and acting about religion and belief in wider society.
Experimental Evaluation of Several Key Factors Affecting Root Biomass Estimation by 1500 MHz Ground-Penetrating Radar
Authors: Bain John , Day Frank , Butnor John
Published: December 2017

Accurate quantification of coarse roots without disturbance represents a gap in our understanding of belowground ecology. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) has shown significant promise for coarse root detection and measurement, however root orientation relative to scanning transect direction, the difficulty identifying dead root mass, and the effects of root shadowing are all key factors affecting biomass estimation that require additional research. Specifically, many aspects of GPR applicability for coarse root measurement have not been tested with a full range of antenna frequencies. We tested the effects of multiple scanning directions, root crossover, and root versus soil moisture content in a sand-hill mixed oak community using a 1500 MHz antenna, which provides higher resolution than the oft used 900 MHz antenna. Combining four scanning directions produced a significant relationship between GPR signal reflectance and coarse root biomass (R2 = 0.75) (p < 0.01) and reduced variability encountered when fewer scanning directions were used. Additionally, significantly fewer roots were correctly identified when their moisture content was allowed to equalize with the surrounding soil (p < 0.01), providing evidence to support assertions that GPR cannot reliably identify dead root mass. The 1500 MHz antenna was able to identify roots in close proximity of each other as well as roots shadowed beneath shallower roots, providing higher precision than a 900 MHz antenna. As expected, using a 1500 MHz antenna eliminates some of the deficiency in precision observed in studies that utilized lower frequency antennas.
Short-Term Impacts of the Air Temperature on Greening and Senescence in Alaskan Arctic Plant Tundra Habitats
Authors: May Jeremy , Healey Nathan , Ahrends Hella , Hollister Robert , Tweedie Craig , Welker Jeffrey , Gould William , Oberbauer Steven
Published: December 2017

Climate change is warming the temperatures and lengthening the Arctic growing season with potentially important effects on plant phenology. The ability of plant species to acclimate to changing climatic conditions will dictate the level to which their spatial coverage and habitat-type dominance is different in the future. While the effect of changes in temperature on phenology and species composition have been observed at the plot and at the regional scale, a systematic assessment at medium spatial scales using new noninvasive sensor techniques has not been performed yet. At four sites across the North Slope of Alaska, changes in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) signal were observed by Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platforms (MISP) that are suspended over 50 m transects spanning local moisture gradients. The rates of greening (measured in June) and senescence (measured in August) in response to the air temperature was estimated by changes in NDVI measured as the difference between the NDVI on a specific date and three days later. In June, graminoid- and shrub-dominated habitats showed the greatest rates of NDVI increase in response to the high air temperatures, while forb- and lichen-dominated habitats were less responsive. In August, the NDVI was more responsive to variations in the daily average temperature than spring greening at all sites. For graminoid- and shrub-dominated habitats, we observed a delayed decrease of the NDVI, reflecting a prolonged growing season, in response to high August temperatures. Consequently, the annual C assimilation capacity of these habitats is increased, which in turn may be partially responsible for shrub expansion and further increases in net summer CO2 fixation. Strong interannual differences highlight that long-term and noninvasive measurements of such complex feedback mechanisms in arctic ecosystems are critical to fully articulate the net effects of climate variability and climate change on plant community and ecosystem processes.
A Large-Scale Multi-Hop Localization Algorithm Based on Regularized Extreme Learning for Wireless Networks
Authors: Zheng Wei , Yan Xiaoyong , Zhao Wei , Qian Chengshan
Published: December 2017

A novel large-scale multi-hop localization algorithm based on regularized extreme learning is proposed in this paper. The large-scale multi-hop localization problem is formulated as a learning problem. Unlike other similar localization algorithms, the proposed algorithm overcomes the shortcoming of the traditional algorithms which are only applicable to an isotropic network, therefore has a strong adaptability to the complex deployment environment. The proposed algorithm is composed of three stages: data acquisition, modeling and location estimation. In data acquisition stage, the training information between nodes of the given network is collected. In modeling stage, the model among the hop-counts and the physical distances between nodes is constructed using regularized extreme learning. In location estimation stage, each node finds its specific location in a distributed manner. Theoretical analysis and several experiments show that the proposed algorithm can adapt to the different topological environments with low computational cost. Furthermore, high accuracy can be achieved by this method without setting complex parameters.
Soils—An Open Access Journal
Authors: Fendorf Scott
Published: December 2017

Soils are crucial for life.[...]
The Safety of Transnational Imported Second-Hand Cars: A Case Study on Vehicle-to-Vehicle Crashes in Romania
Authors: Coșciug Anatolie , Ciobanu Silviu , Benedek József
Published: December 2017

Certain features of imported second-hand cars (e.g., age, degree of wear and tear, technical design) can increase their likelihood for traffic crashes. Three official datasets which cover an eight year period (2008–2015) are used to test the connection between importation of second-hand cars and different types of traffic crashes. The traffic crashes database was provided by the Traffic Department of the General Inspectorate of Romanian Police (GIRPTD). The car registration database was provided by Driving-License and Vehicles-Registration Direction (DLVRD). Right-hand driving (RHD) cars database was provided by the Romanian Automotive Registry (RAR). A spatio-temporal visualization of data was performed using Geographic Information System (GIS) while for the statistical analysis we use regression models and Pearson-Correlation-coefficient. The analysis suggests that a significant part of the variation in the volume of traffic accidents can be explained by the volume of imported second-hand cars at the county level. Moreover, an even stronger direct relation exists between the number of imported second-hand cars and Severe Traffic Accidents but also in the case of RHD imported second-hand cars. The overall impact of imported second-hand cars on the traffic safety in Romania is significant but small in comparison to other types of car registration. Study results belong to the category of empirical evidence production which can improve the quality of existing traffic regulations focused both on organizing and ensuring traffic safety, and on the policy of sustainable transport infrastructure development.
The Role of Bioeconomy Sectors and Natural Resources in EU Economies: A Social Accounting Matrix-Based Analysis Approach
Authors: Fuentes-Saguar Patricia , Mainar-Causapé Alfredo , Ferrari Emanuele
Published: December 2017

The bio-based economy will be crucial in achieving a sustainable development, covering all ranges of natural resources. In this sense, it is very relevant to analyze the economic links between the bioeconomic sectors and the rest of the economy, determining their total and decomposed impact on economic growth. One of the major problems in carrying out this analysis is the lack of information and complete databases that allow analysis of the bioeconomy and its effects on other economic activities. To overcome this issue, disaggregated social accounting matrices have been obtained for the highly bio-based sectors of the 28 European Union member states. Using this complex database, a linear multiplier analysis shows the future key role of bio-based sectors in boosting economic development in the EU. Results show that the bioeconomy has not yet unleashed its full potential in terms of output and job creation. Thus, output and employment multipliers show that many sectors related to the bioeconomy are still underperforming compared to the EU average, particularly those with higher value added; although, they are still crucial sectors for the wealth creation.
A Design for Genetically Oriented Rules-Based Incremental Granular Models and Its Application
Authors: Byeon Yeong-Hyeon , Kwak Keun-Chang
Published: December 2017

In this paper, we develop a genetically oriented rule-based Incremental Granular Model (IGM). The IGM is designed using a combination of a simple Linear Regression (LR) model and a local Linguistic Model (LM) to predict the modeling error obtained by the LR. The IGM has been successfully applied to various examples. However, the disadvantage of IGM is that the number of clusters in each context is determined, with the same number, by trial and error. Moreover, a weighting exponent is set to the typical value. In order to solve these problems, the goal of this paper is to design an optimized rule-based IGM with the use of a Genetic Algorithm (GA) to simultaneously optimize the number of cluster centers in each context, the number of contexts, and the weighting exponent. The experimental results regarding a coagulant dosing process in a water purification plant, an automobile mpg (miles per gallon) prediction, and a Boston housing data set revealed that the proposed GA-based IGM showed good performance, when compared with the Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN), LM, Takagi–Sugeno–Kang (TSK)-Linguistic Fuzzy Model (LFM), GA-based LM, and IGM itself.
Food-Borne Outbreak Investigation and Molecular Typing: High Diversity of Staphylococcus aureus Strains and Importance of Toxin Detection
Authors: Denayer Sarah , Delbrassinne Laurence , Nia Yacine , Botteldoorn Nadine
Published: December 2017

Staphylococcus aureus is an important aetiological agent of food intoxications in the European Union as it can cause gastro-enteritis through the production of various staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) in foods. Reported enterotoxin dose levels causing food-borne illness are scarce and varying. Three food poisoning outbreaks due to enterotoxin-producing S. aureus strains which occurred in 2013 in Belgium are described. The outbreaks occurred in an elderly home, at a barbecue event and in a kindergarten and involved 28, 18, and six cases, respectively. Various food leftovers contained coagulase positive staphylococci (CPS). Low levels of staphylococcal enterotoxins ranging between 0.015 ng/g and 0.019 ng/g for enterotoxin A (SEA), and corresponding to 0.132 ng/g for SEC were quantified in the food leftovers for two of the reported outbreaks. Molecular typing of human and food isolates using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and enterotoxin gene typing, confirmed the link between patients and the suspected foodstuffs. This also demonstrated the high diversity of CPS isolates both in the cases and in healthy persons carrying enterotoxin genes encoding emetic SEs for which no detection methods currently exist. For one outbreak, the investigation pointed out to the food handler who transmitted the outbreak strain to the food. Tools to improve staphylococcal food poisoning (SFP) investigations are presented.
Biology of Porcine Parvovirus (Ungulate parvovirus 1)
Authors: Mészáros István , Olasz Ferenc , Cságola Attila , Tijssen Peter , Zádori Zoltán
Published: December 2017

Porcine parvovirus (PPV) is among the most important infectious agents causing infertility in pigs. Until recently, it was thought that the virus had low genetic variance, and that prevention of its harmful effect on pig fertility could be well-controlled by vaccination. However, at the beginning of the third millennium, field observations raised concerns about the effectiveness of the available vaccines against newly emerging strains. Subsequent investigations radically changed our view on the evolution and immunology of PPV, revealing that the virus is much more diverse than it was earlier anticipated, and that some of the “new” highly virulent isolates cannot be neutralized effectively by antisera raised against “old” PPV vaccine strains. These findings revitalized PPV research that led to significant advancements in the understanding of early and late viral processes during PPV infection. Our review summarizes the recent results of PPV research and aims to give a comprehensive update on the present understanding of PPV biology.
The rational design of a Au(I) precursor for focused electron beam induced deposition
Authors: Marashdeh Ali , Tiesma Thiadrik , van Velzen Niels J C , Harder Sjoerd , Havenith Remco W A , De Hosson Jeff T M , van Dorp Willem F
Published: December 2017

Au(I) complexes are studied as precursors for focused electron beam induced processing (FEBIP). FEBIP is an advanced direct-write technique for nanometer-scale chemical synthesis. The stability and volatility of the complexes are characterized to design an improved precursor for pure Au deposition. Aurophilic interactions are found to play a key role. The short lifetime of ClAuCO in vacuum is explained by strong, destabilizing Au–Au interactions in the solid phase. While aurophilic interactions do not affect the stability of ClAuPMe3, they leave the complex non-volatile. Comparison of crystal structures of ClAuPMe3 and MeAuPMe3 shows that Au–Au interactions are much weaker or partially even absent for the latter structure. This explains its high volatility. However, MeAuPMe3 dissociates unfavorably during FEBIP, making it an unsuitable precursor. The study shows that Me groups reduce aurophilic interactions, compared to Cl groups, which we attribute to electronic rather than steric effects. Therefore we propose MeAuCO as a potential FEBIP precursor. It is expected to have weak Au–Au interactions, making it volatile. It is stable enough to act as a volatile source for Au deposition, being stabilized by 6.5 kcal/mol. Finally, MeAuCO is likely to dissociate in a single step to pure Au.
ASSESSMENT OF TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER OFFICE PERFORMANCE FOR VALUE CREATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
Authors: STANKEVIČIENĖ Jelena , KRAUJALIENĖ Lidija , VAICIUKEVIČIŪTĖ Agnė
Published: December 2017

Innovative activities, knowledge exchange, patenting and commercialization of know-how are crucial to the value creation process in higher education institutions and other research organizations. The article analyses the technology transfer performance indicators of value creation. The methodology to identify and assess the technology transfer activities with the highest impact on created value are proposed in the paper. The following research methods were invoked: FARE method, allowed to calculate weights of each technology transfer performance indicator, when TOPSIS method redress all different indicators’ results and rank universities. The application of the proposed methodology was based on empirical data collected from Lithuanian universities. The results of the study reveal the importance of science business partnerships, TTO competence and scientists’ trust of TTO, applying particular technology transfer policy. The obtained results would be beneficial for universities technology transfer policy formation to maximize universities created value.
ERRATUM
Authors: CHEN Jieh-Haur , ONG Chuan Fang , ZHENG Linzi , HSU Shu-Chien
Published: December 2017

"Erratum." International Journal of Strategic Property Management, 21(4), p. 417
The Performance of the Robo-AO Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics System at the Kitt Peak 2.1 m Telescope
Authors: Jensen-Clem Rebecca , Duev Dmitry A. , Riddle Reed , Salama Maïssa , Baranec Christoph , Law Nicholas M. , Kulkarni S. R. , Ramprakash A. N.
Published: December 2017

Robo-AO is an autonomous laser guide star adaptive optics (AO) system recently commissioned at the Kitt Peak 2.1 m telescope. With the ability to observe every clear night, Robo-AO at the 2.1 m telescope is the first dedicated AO observatory. This paper presents the imaging performance of the AO system in its first 18 months of operations. For a median seeing value of 1.″44, the average Strehl ratio is 4% in the

band. After post processing, the contrast ratio under sub-arcsecond seeing for a

primary star is five and seven magnitudes at radial offsets of 0.″5 and 1.″0, respectively. The data processing and archiving pipelines run automatically at the end of each night. The first stage of the processing pipeline shifts and adds the rapid frame rate data using techniques optimized for different signal-to-noise ratios. The second “high-contrast” stage of the pipeline is eponymously well suited to finding faint stellar companions. Currently, a range of scientific programs, including the synthetic tracking of near-Earth asteroids, the binarity of stars in young clusters, and weather on solar system planets are being undertaken with Robo-AO.
Optical Quasi-periodic Oscillation of the BL Lacertae Object S5 0716+714 during the Faint State
Authors: Hong Shanwei , Xiong Dingrong , Bai Jinming
Published: December 2017

In order to search for the evidence of quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) in blazars, multicolor optical observations of the BL Lacertae object S5 0716+714 were performed from 2005 to 2012. For I band observations on 2010 March 19 with low variability amplitude and low flux level, the same QPO

minutes at the 99% significance level is confirmed by the ZDCF method, Lomb–Scargle method, REDFIT, and fitting sinusoidal curves. The observed QPO is likely to be explained by accretion disk variability. If the observed QPO indicates an innermost stable orbital period from the accretion disk, the QPO ≃ 50 minutes corresponds to a black hole mass of

for a non-rotating Schwarzschild black hole and

for a maximally rotating Kerr black hole.
A Search for Binary Star Companions to the KELT Planet Hosts and a Comparison Sample. I. Results of DSSI Observations
Authors: Coker Carl T. , Gaudi B. Scott , Pogge Richard W. , Horch Elliott
Published: December 2017

We are conducting a search for binary companions around 11 hot-Jupiter hosts from the Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope (KELT) survey and a large comparison sample of stars shown by KELT to not host a transiting hot Jupiter. The primary stars are bright (7.5 < V < 11) and of similar distance from Earth (100 < d < 300 pc). In this paper, we present the results of our observations using the Differential Speckle Survey Instrument. We observed 9 of the 14 KELT planet hosts that are visible from the northern hemisphere and 51 comparison stars, discovering two new potential companions and re-observing two previously known possible binary systems and one confirmed binary system. We provide an estimate of the chance alignment probability for our observed candidate binaries.