bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Semantic-Geographic Trajectory Pattern Mining Based on a New Similarity Measurement
Authors: Wan You , Zhou Chenghu , Pei Tao
Published: July 2017

Trajectory pattern mining is becoming increasingly popular because of the development of ubiquitous computing technology. Trajectory data contain abundant semantic and geographic information that reflects people’s movement patterns, i.e., who is performing a certain type of activity when and where. However, the variety and complexity of people’s movement activity and the large size of trajectory datasets make it difficult to mine valuable trajectory patterns. Moreover, most existing trajectory similarity measurements only consider a portion of the information contained in trajectory data. The patterns obtained cannot be interpreted well in terms of both semantic meaning and geographic distributions. As a result, these patterns cannot be used accurately for recommendation systems or other applications. This paper introduces a novel concept of the semantic-geographic pattern that considers both semantic and geographic meaning simultaneously. A flexible density-based clustering algorithm with a new trajectory similarity measurement called semantic intensity is used to mine these semantic-geographic patterns. Comparative experiments on check-in data from the Sina Weibo service demonstrate that semantic intensity can effectively measure both semantic and geographic similarities among trajectories. The resulting patterns are more accurate and easy to interpret.
Role Played by Signalling Pathways in Overcoming BRAF Inhibitor Resistance in Melanoma
Authors: Chan Xian , Singh Alamdeep , Osman Narin , Piva Terrence
Published: July 2017

The discovery of the BRAFV600E mutation led to the development of vemurafenib (PLX4032), a selective BRAF inhibitor specific to the kinase, for the treatment of metastatic melanomas. However, initial success of the drug was dampened by the development of acquired resistance. Melanoma was shown to relapse in patients following treatment with vemurafenib which eventually led to patients’ deaths. It has been proposed that mechanisms of resistance can be due to (1) reactivation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway via secondary mutations, amplification or activation of target kinase(s), (2) the bypass of oncogenic pathway via activation of alternative signalling pathways, (3) other uncharacterized mechanisms. Studies showed that receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) such as PDGFRβ, IGF1R, EGFR and c-Met were overexpressed in melanoma cells. Along with increased secretion of growth factors such as HGF and TGF-α, this will trigger intracellular signalling cascades. This review discusses the role MAPK and Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-protein kinase B-mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K-AKT-mTOR) pathways play in the mechanism of resistance of melanomas.
An Evaluation of Ischaemic Preconditioning as a Method of Reducing Ischaemia Reperfusion Injury in Liver Surgery and Transplantation
Authors: Robertson Francis , Fuller Barry , Davidson Brian
Published: July 2017

Liver Ischaemia Reperfusion (IR) injury is a major cause of post-operative liver dysfunction, morbidity and mortality following liver resection surgery and transplantation. There are no proven therapies for IR injury in clinical practice and new approaches are required. Ischaemic Preconditioning (IPC) can be applied in both a direct and remote fashion and has been shown to ameliorate IR injury in small animal models. Its translation into clinical practice has been difficult, primarily by a lack of knowledge regarding the dominant protective mechanisms that it employs. A review of all current studies would suggest that IPC/RIPC relies on creating a small tissue injury resulting in the release of adenosine and l-arginine which act through the Adenosine receptors and the haem-oxygenase and endothelial nitric oxide synthase systems to reduce hepatocyte necrosis and improve the hepatic microcirculation post reperfusion. The next key step is to determine how long the stimulus requires to precondition humans to allow sufficient injury to occur to release the potential mediators. This would open the door to a new therapeutic chapter in this field.
Manufacturing the Gas Diffusion Layer for PEM Fuel Cell Using a Novel 3D Printing Technique and Critical Assessment of the Challenges Encountered
Authors: Jayakumar Arunkumar , Singamneni Sarat , Ramos Maximiano , Al-Jumaily Ahmed , Pethaiah Sethu
Published: July 2017

The conventional gas diffusion layer (GDL) of polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells incorporates a carbon-based substrate, which suffers from electrochemical oxidation as well as mechanical degradation, resulting in reduced durability and performance. In addition, it involves a complex manufacturing process to produce it. The proposed technique aims to resolve both these issues by an advanced 3D printing technique, namely selective laser sintering (SLS). In the proposed work, polyamide (PA) is used as the base powder and titanium metal powder is added at an optimised level to enhance the electrical conductivity, thermal, and mechanical properties. The application of selective laser sintering to fabricate a robust gas diffusion substrate for PEM fuel cell applications is quite novel and is attempted here for the first time.
Synthesis and Characterization of Bio-Based Polyesters: Poly(2-methyl-1,3-propylene-2,5-furanoate), Poly(isosorbide-2,5-furanoate), Poly(1,4-cyclohexanedimethylene-2,5-furanoate)
Authors: Terzopoulou Zoi , Kasmi Nejib , Tsanaktsis Vasilios , Doulakas Nikolaos , Bikiaris Dimitrios N. , Achilias Dimitris S. , Papageorgiou George Z.
Published: July 2017

In the present study, three new biobased furanoate polyesters with potential use in food packaging applications, named poly(isosorbide furanoate) (PIsF), poly(methyl-propylene furanoate) (PMePF) and poly(1,4-cyclohexane-dimethylene 2,5-furanoate) (PCHDMF) were synthesized. As monomers for the preparation of the polyesters, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) and diols with irregular or complicated structure were used, including isosorbide (IS), 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol (MPD) and 1,4-cyclohexane-dimethanol (CHDM). The polymerization process was carried out via melt polycondensation method. The structural characteristics and thermal behavior of the polymers were studied. The kinetic fragility of the amorphous phase of the polymers was evaluated. The thermal degradation was studied by means of thermogravimetry and a pyrolysis Py-GC/MS (Pyrolysis-Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy) system to estimate the degradation mechanism.
Structure Elucidation and Botanical Characterization of Diterpenes from a Specific Type of Bee Glue
Authors: Aminimoghadamfarouj Noushin , Nematollahi Alireza
Published: July 2017

Investigation of the single plant source bee glue type originating from Southern Australia resulted in the isolation and structure elucidation of major serrulatane diterpenes, novel 7,8,18-trihydroxyserrulat-14-ene (1), along with its oxidized product, 5,18-epoxyserrulat-14-en-7,8-dione (3) and known (18RS)-5,18-epoxyserrulat-14-en-8,18-diol (2). Exploration into the botanical origin revealed Myoporum insulare R. Br, as the plant source of the bee glue materials. This discovery was made through comparative analysis of the myoporum bee glue samples collected from the beehives, analyses of plant resinous exudate, and resin carried on the hind legs of bees foraging for bee glue.
Ten-Year Trends (1999–2010) of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among the Balearic Islands’ Adult Population
Authors: Bibiloni Maria , González Mónica , Julibert Alicia , Llompart Isabel , Pons Antoni , Tur Josep
Published: July 2017

The aim of this work was to assess ten-year trends (1999–2010) of adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) among the Balearic Islands’ adult population. Two independent cross-sectional dietary surveys (1999–2000, n = 1200 and 2009–2010 n = 1388, including participants aged 16–65 years) were carried out in the Balearic Islands, Spain. Dietary habits were assessed by means of two 24 h diet recalls and a validated semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire that covers 145 food items. Adherence to the MDP was defined according to a score constructed considering the consumption of nine MDP characteristic components: high monounsaturated fatty acids:saturated fatty acids (MUFA:SFA) ratio, moderate ethanol consumption, high legumes, cereals and roots, fruits, vegetables, and fish consumption, and low consumption of meat and milk. Socio-economic status, education level, lifestyle factors and health status were also assessed. Adherence to the MDP was 43.1% (SD 5.8) in 1999–2000 and 44.6% (SD 8.3) in 2009–2010. Higher age was directly associated with higher adherence to the MDP, and this association was stronger in males than in females. Young generations and smokers showed the lowest adherence to MDP, whereas people with higher educational and socio-economic level, and who were physically active showed the highest adherence. According to the place of birth, the increase in the percentage of the adherence to the MDP was observed to be smaller among the Balearic Island’s natives than among people born abroad. In 2009–2010, individuals in the MDP’s fourth quartile were more likely to be older (aged 46–65 years), and were less likely to have a low occupational level, to have a light physical activity level and to be smoker than in 1999–2000. The adherence to the MDP has been stabilized and slightly recovered among the Balearic Islands’ adult population in the last decade.
The Effect of a 12-Week Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) Supplementation on Highly-Trained Combat Sports Athletes: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study
Authors: Durkalec-Michalski Krzysztof , Jeszka Jan , Podgórski Tomasz
Published: July 2017

The aim of this study was to verify the effect of beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) supplementation on physical capacity, body composition and the value of biochemical parameters in highly-trained combat sports athletes. Forty-two males highly-trained in combat sports were subjected to 12 weeks of supplementation with HMB and a placebo in a randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind crossover manner. Over the course of the experiment, aerobic and anaerobic capacity was determined, while analyses were conducted on body composition and levels of creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, testosterone, cortisol and lactate. Following HMB supplementation, fat-free mass increased (p = 0.049) with a simultaneous reduction of fat mass (p = 0.016) in comparison to placebo. In turn, after HMB supplementation, the following indicators increased significantly in comparison to the placebo: the time to reach ventilatory threshold (p < 0.0001), threshold load (p = 0.017) and the threshold HR (p < 0.0001), as well as anaerobic peak power (p = 0.005), average power (p = 0.029), maximum speed (p < 0.001) and post-exercise lactate concentrations (p < 0.0001). However, when compared to the placebo, no differences were observed in blood marker levels. The results indicate that supplying HMB promotes advantageous changes in body composition and stimulates an increase in aerobic and anaerobic capacity in combat sports athletes.
Pre-Flight SAOCOM-1A SAR Performance Assessment by Outdoor Campaign
Authors: Giudici Davide , Monti Guarnieri Andrea , Cuesta Gonzalez Juan
Published: July 2017

In the present paper, we describe the design, execution, and the results of an outdoor experimental campaign involving the Engineering Model of the first of the two Argentinean L-band Synthetic Aperture Radars (SARs) of the Satélite Argentino de Observación con Microondas (SAOCOM) mission, SAOCOM-1A. The experiment’s main objectives were to test the end-to-end SAR operation and to assess the instrument amplitude and phase stability as well as the far-field antenna pattern, through the illumination of a moving target placed several kilometers away from the SAR. The campaign was carried out in Bariloche, Argentina, during June 2016. The experiment was successful, demonstrating an end-to-end readiness of the SAOCOM-SAR functionality in realistic conditions. The results showed an excellent SAR signal quality in terms of amplitude and phase stability.
An Exploratory Assessment of Significant Tourism Sustainability Indicators for a Montane-Based Route in the Drakensberg Mountains
Authors: Mutana Sarudzai , Mukwada Geoffrey
Published: July 2017

This paper assesses the use the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) indicators for monitoring tourism along a mountainous route. The study was carried out along a mountain route in the Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa. A survey was carried out among tourism businesses, local communities and local government officials located along the Maluti Route, which passes though the eastern part of the Free State Province of South Africa. This study constitutes the first assessment in which the GSTC indicators are applied in the assessment of the sustainability of route tourism in South Africa. The study first evaluated the importance of each indicator by considering the level of application in tourism business organisations before examining the perceptions of local community members and local government officials regarding the applicability of the indicators in the assessment of tourism sustainability. The results suggest that there is a general appreciation of tourism sustainability among tourism business operators although shortcomings were evident on environmental and socio-economic indicators. In conclusion, the paper suggests ways through which tourism sustainability could be enhanced among different players along the Maluti Route.
Financing High Performance Climate Adaptation in Agriculture: Climate Bonds for Multi-Functional Water Harvesting Infrastructure on the Canadian Prairies
Authors: Lazurko Anita , Venema Henry David
Published: July 2017

International capital markets are responding to the global challenge of climate change, including through the use of labeled green and climate bonds earmarked for infrastructure projects associated with de-carbonization and to a lesser extent, projects that increase resilience to the impacts of climate change. The potential to apply emerging climate bond certification standards to agricultural water management projects in major food production regions is examined with respect to a specific example of multi-functional distributed water harvesting on the Canadian Prairies, where climate impacts are projected to be high. The diverse range of co-benefits is examined using an ecosystem service lens, and they contribute to the overall value proposition of the infrastructure bond. Certification of a distributed water harvesting infrastructure bond under the Climate Bond Standard water criteria is feasible given climate bond issue precedents. The use of ecosystem service co-benefits as additional investment criteria are recommended as relevant bond certification standards continue to evolve.
Phage Display Analysis of Monoclonal Antibody Binding to Anthrax Toxin Lethal Factor
Authors: Goldstein Jason , Lee Joo , Tang Xiaoling , Boyer Anne , Barr John , Bagarozzi Jr. Dennis , Quinn Conrad
Published: July 2017

AVR1674 and AVR1675 are monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that bind with high specificity to anthrax toxin lethal factor (LF) and lethal toxin (LTx). These mAbs have been used as pivotal reagents to develop anthrax toxin detection tests using mass spectrometry. The mAbs were demonstrated to bind LF with good affinity (KD 10−7–10−9 M) and to enhance LF-mediated cleavage of synthetic peptide substrates in vitro. Sequence analysis indicated that the mAbs shared 100% amino acid identity in their complementarity determining regions (CDR). A phage display library based on a combinatorial library of random heptapeptides fused to the pIII coat protein of M13 phage was enriched and screened to identify peptide sequences with mAb binding properties. Selection and sequence analysis of 18 anti-LF-reactive phage clones identified a 7-residue (P1–P7) AVR1674/1675 consensus target binding sequence of TP1-XP2-K/RP3-DP4-D/EP5-ZP6-X/ZP7 (X = aromatic, Z = non-polar). The phage peptide sequence with highest affinity binding to AVR1674/1675 was identified as T-F-K-D-E-I-V. Synthetic oligopeptides were designed based on the phage sequences and interacted with mAbs with high affinity (KD ~ 10−9 M). Single amino acid substitutions of A, H, or Q in the peptides identified positions P1–P5 as critical residues for mAb-peptide interactions. CLUSTALW alignment of phage sequences with native LF implicated residues 644–650 (sequence T-H-Q-D-E-I-Y) as a putative linear epitope component located within a structural loop (L2) of LF Domain IV. The activation effects of these mAbs contribute to the analytic sensitivity of function-based LF detection assays.
Ability of Soil Isolated Actinobacterial Strains to Prevent, Bind and Biodegrade Ochratoxin A
Authors: Khoury Rachelle , Mathieu Florence , Atoui Ali , Kawtharani Hiba , Khoury Anthony , Afif Charbel , Maroun Richard , Khoury André
Published: July 2017

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is one of the most important mycotoxins, and contaminates several agricultural products, particularly cereals, grapes, maize, barley, spices and coffee. The aim of this project was to reduce the levels of OTA by supplementing the artificially contaminated solutions with seven strains of actinobacteria (AT10, AT8, SN7, MS1, ML5, G10 and PT1) in order to evaluate their capacity for binding and metabolizing the OTA, as well as their ability to reduce the expression of the genes responsible for its production in A. carbonarius. In the first part of this study, we evaluated the capacity of Streptomyces strains for binding OTA on their surfaces after 0, 30 and 60 min of incubation with PBS solution supplemented with OTA. In the second part, we tested the ability of these strains, as well as their supernatants, to detoxify the ISP2 medium. Finally, we studied the effect of the Streptomyces cocultured with Aspergillus carbonarius on the expression of OTA biosynthesis genes. Results showed that, among the strains co-cultured with A. carbonarius, the strain G10 was able to reduce the expression of acpks, acOTApks, acOTAnrps and vea genes, thus reducing OTA from solid PDA medium to 13.50% of reduction. This strain was remarkably able to detoxify and bind OTA up to 47.07%. Strain AT8 was stronger in detoxifying OTA (52.61%), but had no significant effect on the studied gene expression.
Optimal Combinations of Non-Sequential Regressors for ARX-Based Typhoon Inundation Forecast Models Considering Multiple Objectives
Authors: Ouyang Huei-Tau , Shih Shang-Shu , Wu Ching-Sen
Published: July 2017

Inundation forecast models with non-sequential regressors are advantageous in efficiency due to their rather fewer input variables required to be processed. This type of model is nevertheless rare mainly because of the difficulty in finding the proper combination of regressors for the model to perform accurate prediction. A novel methodology is proposed in this study to tackle the problem. The approach involves integrating a Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) with forecast models based on ARX (Auto-Regressive model with eXogenous inputs) to transfer the search for the optimal combination of non-sequential regressors into an optimization problem. An innovative approach to codifying any combinations of model regressors into binary strings is developed and employed in MOGA. The Pareto optimal sets of three types of models including linear ARX (LARX), nonlinear ARX with Wavelet function (NLARX-W), and nonlinear ARX with Sigmoid function (NLARX-S) are searched for by the proposed methodology. The results show that the optimal models acquired through this approach have good inundation forecasting capabilities in every aspect in terms of accuracy, time shift error, and error distribution.
Flood Effect on Groundwater Recharge on a Typical Silt Loam Soil
Authors: Zhang Guohua , Feng Gary , Li Xinhu , Xie Congbao , Pi Xiaoyu
Published: July 2017

Floods are of great concern as the global climate changes, and investigations of flood water infiltration and groundwater recharge are important for water resource management worldwide, especially under conditions of global climate changes. However, information on the relationship between the flood water and groundwater recharge is limited. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between the flood water depth and the height of groundwater rise using lysimeters and numerical modeling in the floodplain of the Tarim River in northwestern China. The experimental results suggested that the rise in height of the groundwater table was closely related to the flood water ponding depth, and the groundwater depth decreased quickly after flooding due to the high infiltration rate of water originating at the Tarim River. The water table falling velocity was significantly less than the water table rising velocity. If the initial groundwater table was deeper, the variation in the water table rise depth was smaller and the water table falling velocity was slower. The numerical simulation results showed good agreement with the observed data, with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.87 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 63.91 cm. A good relationship (R2 = 0.789) between the initial groundwater table depth (H0), initial soil water content (W0), flood water depth (h), and height of the water table rise (H) was established. Considering that natural and artificial flood frequencies are related to flood time interval (dt), a relationship (R2 = 0.892) was developed between them. These results can enhance the understanding of flood recharge characteristics in the floodplains of inland rivers.
Chlorophyll-A Prediction of Lakes with Different Water Quality Patterns in China Based on Hybrid Neural Networks
Authors: Li Xue , Sha Jian , Wang Zhong-Liang
Published: July 2017

One of the most important water quality problems affecting lakes and reservoirs is eutrophication, which is caused by multiple physical and chemical factors. As a representative index of eutrophication, the concentration of chlorophyll-a has always been a key indicator monitored by environmental managers. The most influential factors on chlorophyll-a may be dependent on the different water quality patterns in lakes. In this study, data collected from 27 lakes in different provinces of China during 2009–2011 were analyzed. The self-organizing map (SOM) was first applied on the datasets and the lakes were classified into four clusters according to 24 water quality parameters. Comparison amongst the clusters revealed that Cluster I was the least polluted and at the lowest trophic level, while Cluster IV was the most polluted and at the highest trophic level. The genetic algorithm optimized back-propagation neural network (GA-BPNN) was applied to each lake cluster to select the most influential input variables for chlorophyll-a. The results of the four clusters showed that the performance of GA-BPNN was satisfied with nearly half of the input variables selected from the predictor pool. The selected factors varied for the lakes in different clusters, which indicates that the control for eutrophication should be separate for lakes in different provinces of one country.
Nitration of 5,11-dihydroindolo[3,2-b]carbazoles and synthetic applications of their nitro-substituted derivatives
Authors: Irgashev Roman A , Kazin Nikita A , Rusinov Gennady L , Charushin Valery N
Published: July 2017

A new general approach to double nitration of 6,12-di(hetero)aryl-substituted and 6,12-unsubstituted 5,11-dialkyl-5,11-dihydroindolo[3,2-b]carbazoles by acetyl nitrate has been developed to obtain their 2,8-dinitro and 6,12-dinitro derivatives, respectively. A formation of mono-nitro derivatives (at C-2 or C-6) from the same indolo[3,2-b]carbazoles has also been observed in several cases. Reduction of 2-nitro and 2,8-dinitro derivatives with zinc powder and hydrochloric acid has afforded 2-amino- and 2,8-diamino-substituted indolo[3,2-b]carbazoles, while reduction of 6,12-dinitro derivatives under similar reaction conditions has been accompanied by denitrohydrogenation of the latter compounds into 6,12-unsubstituted indolo[3,2-b]carbazoles. Formylation of 6,12-dinitro derivatives has proved to occur only at C-2, while bromination of these compounds has taken place at both C-2 and C-8 of indolo[3,2-b]carbazole scaffold. Moreover, 6,12-dinitro-substituted indolo[3,2-b]carbazoles have been modified by the reactions with S- and N-nucleophiles. Notably, the treatment of 6,12-dinitro compounds with potassium thiolates has resulted in the displacement of both nitro groups, unlike potassium salts of indole or carbazole, which have caused substitution of only one nitro group.
New Horizons Upper Limits on O2 in Pluto’s Present Day Atmosphere
Authors: Kammer J. A. , Stern S. A. , Young L. A. , Steffl A. J. , Gladstone G. R. , Olkin C. B. , Weaver H. A. , Ennico K. ,   The New Horizons Atmospheres and Alice UV Spectrograph Teams
Published: July 2017

The surprising discovery by the Rosetta spacecraft of molecular oxygen (O2) in the coma of comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko challenged our understanding of the inventory of this volatile species on and inside bodies from the Kuiper Belt. That discovery motivated our search for oxygen in the atmosphere of Kuiper Belt planet Pluto, because O2 is volatile even at Pluto’s surface temperatures. During the New Horizons flyby of Pluto in 2015 July, the spacecraft probed the composition of Pluto’s atmosphere using a variety of observations, including an ultraviolet solar occultation observed by the Alice UV spectrograph. As described in these reports, absorption by molecular species in Pluto’s atmosphere yielded detections of N2, as well as hydrocarbon species such as CH4, C2H2, C2H4, and C2H6. Our work here further examines this data to search for UV absorption from molecular oxygen (O2), which has a significant cross-section in the Alice spectrograph bandpass. We find no evidence for O2 absorption and place an upper limit on the total amount of O2 in Pluto’s atmosphere as a function of tangent height up to 700 km. In most of the atmosphere, this upper limit in line-of-sight abundance units is ∼3 × 1015 cm−2, which, depending on tangent height, corresponds to a mixing ratio of 10−6 to 10−4, far lower than in comet 67P/CG.
Microlensing Constraints on the Mass of Single Stars from HST Astrometric Measurements*
Authors: Kains N. , Calamida A. , Sahu K. C. , Casertano S. , Anderson J. , Udalski A. , Zoccali M. , Bond H. , Albrow M. , Bond I. , Brown T. , Dominik M. , Fryer C. , Livio M. , Mao S. , Rejkuba M.
Published: July 2017

We report on the first results from a large-scale observing campaign aiming to use astrometric microlensing to detect and place limits on the mass of single objects, including stellar remnants. We used the Hubble Space Telescope to monitor stars near the Galactic Center for three years, and we measured the brightness and positions of ∼2 million stars at each observing epoch. In addition to this, we monitored the same pointings using the VIMOS imager on the Very Large Telescope. The stars we monitored include several bright microlensing events observed from the ground by the OGLE collaboration. In this paper, we present the analysis of our photometric and astrometric measurements for six of these events, and derive mass constraints for the lens in each of them. Although these constraints are limited by the photometric precision of ground-based data, and our ability to determine the lens distance, we were able to constrain the size of the Einstein ring radius thanks to our precise astrometric measurements—the first routine measurements of this type from a large-scale observing program. This demonstrates the power of astrometric microlensing as a tool to constrain the masses of stars, stellar remnants, and, in the future, extrasolar planets, using precise ground- and space-based observations.
Treating Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis: Position Paper on Applying the Treat-to-target Concept to Canadian Daily Practice
Authors: Gladman Dafna D. , Poulin Yves , Adams Karen , Bourcier Marc , Barac Snezana , Barber Kirk , Chandran Vinod , Dutz Jan , Flanagan Cathy , Gooderham Melinda J. , Gulliver Wayne P. , Ho Vincent C. , Hong Chih-Ho , Karsh Jacob , Khraishi Majed M. , Lynde Charles W. , Papp Kim A. , Rahman Proton , Rohekar Sherry , Rosen Cheryl F. , Russell Anthony S. , Vender Ronald B. , Yeung Jensen , Ziouzina Olga , Zummer Michel
Published: July 2017

Objective.

To develop preliminary treat-to-target (T2T) recommendations for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) for Canadian daily practice.

Methods.

A task force composed of expert Canadian dermatologists and rheumatologists performed a needs assessment among Canadian clinicians treating these diseases as well as an extensive literature search on the outcome measures used in clinical trials and practice.

Results.

Based on results from the needs assessment and literature search, the task force established 5 overarching principles and developed 8 preliminary T2T recommendations.

Conclusion.

The proposed recommendations should improve management of psoriasis and PsA in Canadian daily practice. However, these recommendations must be further validated in a real-world observational study to ensure that their use leads to better longterm outcomes.
Insight on the Ancient Arabian Horse from North Arabian Petroglyphs
Authors: Olsen Sandra L.
Published: July 2017

The origin of the Arabian horse breed has been the topic of much speculation. The earliest clear depictions of horses with Arabian attributes are in Egyptian New Kingdom tomb art, although they were likely first obtained as war booty during Asian battles. Rock art from the 1st millennium BCE to early 1st millennium CE indicates a possible start date for their arrival in the Arabian Peninsula. This study focuses on petroglyphs near Taymāʾ, Ḥāʾil, and al-ʿUlā oases, important caravan way stations along the incense route. Regional artists developed a characteristic style for depicting horses and camels, distinguishing them temporally and spatially. From its initial appearance the breed was closely associated with chariots, but its eventual value to equestrians is equally evident in Arabian rock art. Petroglyphs in this region elucidate physical conformation, military roles, and high status. Practical aspects and cultural indicators such as training, tack, grooming, and henna body painting are revealed in the detailed illustrations.
Contiguity-Based Optimization Models for Political Redistricting Problems
Authors: Kim Myung , Xiao Ningchuan
Published: July 2017

Political redistricting is a process used to redraw political boundaries based on a number of criteria that include population equality, minority representation, contiguity, and compactness. Redistricting plans can be difficult to draw manually and since the 1970s the use of computers in the creation of redistricting plans has increased dramatically. The purpose of this paper is to formulate the problem of finding redistricting plans as optimization problems on the basis of population equality and contiguity. The authors specifically address the problem from the contiguity perspective. They developed two exact optimal models: one based on a minimum spanning tree and one based on network flows. They discuss the spatial representation and the formulation of contiguity for both models and compare the performance of these two models, along with a third model developed in the literature, using a variety of synthetic and real data. The authors' results confirm that such a problem is computationally intensive and more efficient methods are needed for large size problems, but with appropriate formulation approaches they can obtain useful baseline solutions to these problems with relatively small size. They also find that multiple optimal solutions with different spatial configurations may exist for the same problem, which presents a new challenge to the development of solution methods for political redistricting problems.
Creating a Dynamic Regional Model of the U.S. Corn Belt
Authors: Laingen Christopher R.
Published: July 2017

The U.S. Department of Agriculture last delineated the regional boundary of the Corn Belt in 1950. Mixed-grain and livestock farming practices have today transitioned to annually rotating corn and soybeans, which has altered the geographic bounds of this region. To illustrate the changing geography of the Corn Belt, ArcGIS geoprocessing and spatial analysis tools, along with a simple, summative assessment using Census of Agriculture data, were used to map how the region's boundary has changed as myriad internal and external driving forces influence where farmers grow corn. Since 1950 the region's core has remained spatially stable as corn production has intensified, while the region's periphery has shifted to the northwest. The methods used to create this contemporary Corn Belt region illustrate how a regional boundary and internal regional intensities can be used to map agricultural land use change.
A Recommender System Based on Multi-Criteria Aggregation
Authors: Fomba Soumana , Zarate Pascale , Kilgour Marc , Camilleri Guy , Konate Jacqueline , Tangara Fana
Published: July 2017

Recommender systems aim to support decision-makers by providing decision advice. We review briefly tools of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), including aggregation operators, that could be the basis for a recommender system. Then we develop a multi-criteria recommender system, STROMa (SysTem of RecOmmendation Multi-criteria), to support decisions by aggregating measures of performance contained in a performance matrix. The system makes inferences about preferences using a partial order on criteria input by the decision-maker. To determine a total ordering of the alternatives, STROMa uses a multi-criteria aggregation operator, the Choquet integral of a fuzzy measure. Thus, recommendations are calculated using partial preferences provided by the decision maker and updated by the system. An integrated web platform is under development.
Cities for New Growth and Socio-Economic Dynamism?
Authors: Kulkki Seija
Published: July 2017

The article argues for a strategic role for cities and regions in renewing the social and economic foundations of societies, locally and globally. The cities offer an opportunity to develop - through their own strategic RDI - new human-centric social and economic dynamism for the wellbeing of human beings and the Nature. The article elaborates on sources of growth, value and wealth creation that are based on strategic RDI of cities and city-regions with firms, public agencies and citizens. This RDI may bring about new social and economic activities and means of solving major societal challenges. The article discusses (1) how to design for transformative RDI, (2) what are the forms of participative RDI and their impact on participative democracy, (3) what are the new mechanisms of governance that reflect the central role of cities in societal renewal, and (4) what is the impact of cities on overall entrepreneurial spirit, economic efficiency, and wealth creation?
Citizen Involvement in Public Services Design
Authors: Opromolla Antonio , Volpi Valentina , Pollini Alessandro , Verioli Alice , Mesenzani Maurizio , Medaglia Carlo Maria
Published: July 2017

In the last years new relational systems between citizens and Institutions have been arising. One of the main effects of such transformation is an increasing citizen engagement in designing public services. The motivations, modes, and effects concerning this practice are relevant research topics addressing political, social, and economic issues. In this paper the authors present the SPAC3 project, as it involved the citizens in the design process. The project aims to allow families of the Municipality of Bergamo (Italy) to access services and information dedicated to them in a more effective way. Here, the authors will focus on the analysis carried out in the project, by pointing out the methodology and the main achieved outcomes, and the features of the identified solution. In the end, the SPAC3 project has been a good opportunity to think about the complex relationship between citizens and Institutions in order to strengthen it.
Performance of Secured and Robust Watermarking Using Evolutionary Computing Technique
Authors: Sekhar B.V.D. S. , Reddy P.V.G.D. Prasad , Varma G.P.S.
Published: July 2017

Watermarking emerged as versatile technique of hiding confidential or copy right protect information. The image embedded with watermark is often prone to several security vulnerabilities due to several attacks. It is desired to secure the information in the form of watermark by making it immune to these attacks. Several techniques are prevailing which use image transform techniques for efficient watermark de-noising and extraction. However, in the recent past the evolutionary computing techniques evolved as promising methods. In this paper, one such attempt of integrating the popular image transform techniques with PSO for developing efficient watermarking scheme. Embedding and extraction of the watermark are demonstrated and finally the efficiency of the technique is evaluated in terms of calculated PNSR. Gray scale image is used as WM image and a color image is considered for hosting the WM image. The technique utilises only one frame of the color image for hiding securely the WM image instead of conventional method of using all the three frames.
Study of Heavy Metal Ions Mn(II), Zn(II), Fe(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Co(II) Adsorption Using MFe2O4 (M=Co2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, and Ni2+) Magnetic Nanoparticles as Adsorbent
Authors: Aji Wahyu Waskito , Suharyadi Edi
Published: July 2017

Removal of heavy metal ions (Co2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, and Ni2+) from artificial wastewater has been successfully perfomed by adsorption process using magnetic ferrite (MFe2O4; M=Co2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, and Ni2+) nanoparticles. Ferrite nanoparticles were synthesized using coprecipitation method and used as absorbent in heavy metal ions removal with concentration of 5 g/L and 10 g/L. The adsorption and desorption ability of each ferrite nanoparticles, the effect of heavy metal ion in adsorption and desorption process, and the endurance of ferrite nanoparticles were investigated using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The removal process has been conducted for wastewater at pH 7.It showed the presence of heavy metal precipitate in solution. The result shows that MgFe2O4 has the highest adsorption ability than other ferrite and MnFe2O4 is the lowest. Desorption ability of all ferrites is high except for Fe ion removal. Desorption of Fe ion shows very low result which might due to FeO bond from Fe ion reaction in acid solution. The endurance of MnFe2O4 and Fe3O4 as adsorbent after repeated adsorption and desorption process is up to 4 times and more than 6 times. The MnFe2O4 nanoparticles show a stability in adsorption ability after 4 times repetition adsorption and desorption process.
Toxicity Test of Chromium and Glutaraldehyde to Determine Greener Chemical in Tannery Industry
Authors: Rachmawati Laili , Udkhiyati Mustafidah
Published: July 2017

The aim of this study was to investigate the toxicity level of chromium and glutaraldehyde. This research was conducted by testing the resistance level of fungi (Aspergillus niger sp.) toward glutaraldehyde and chromium in the medium of Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA). Variable of this experiment was the growth of Aspergillus niger sp. that indicates the resistance level of Aspergillus niger sp. The growth rate of Aspergillus niger sp. was classified on four scales. They were, (I) scale 1: zero growth; (II) scale 2: low growth (+); (III) scale 3: medium growth (++); (IV) Scale: 4 high growth (+++). All collected data were analysed by One Way ANOVA. The result showed that the toxicity of chromium and glutaraldehyde tanning material were highly significantly different toward Aspergillus niger (P<0,01). The Aspergillus niger sp. growth rate scale in chromium medium was high (scale 4: 4.00±0.00). Meanwhile, the growth rate scale of the Aspergillus niger sp. in glutaraldehyde medium was low (scale 2: 1.33 ± 0.58). Based on the fungi growth rate, it can be concluded that glutaraldehyde was more toxic than chromium tanning material toward Aspergillus niger sp. Furthermore, it can be said that glutaraldehyde is not quite ideal to be used as an alternative of chromium as a tanning material.
Investigation on Palm Fatty Acid Distillate (PFAD) Based Alkyd Resin and Styrene as a Coating Material
Authors: Rochmadi Rochmadi , Budhijanto Budhijanto , Fahrurrozi Mohammad , Suhandono Suhandono , Setyaningrum Febbie , Prasetyaaji Adimas
Published: July 2017

The Abundant production of Palm Fatty Acid Distillate (PFAD) can be utilized to make high value product, such as alkyd resins for coating materials. In this research, PFAD was reacted with glycerol and phthalic anhydride at various composition and temperature for 4-5 hours, employing one-step and two-step methods. The alkyd resin product was analyzed its acid value, iodine number, viscosity of 5% solution in xylene, and curing possibility with styrene monomer. The results showed that reaction temperature at 180° - 220°C influenced the acid value, but not significant for iodine number, and had no effect to molecular weight of alkyd resin product. Phthalic anhydride had more effect upon acid number than PFAD. Iodine number of the alkyd resin product was generally low, which indicated that this alkyd resin could not be used as drying oil. All alkyd resins produced either by one and two steps could only harden with 20% alkyd resin - 80% styrene using MEKP initiator. Viscosity of 5% alkyd resin solution in xylene was around 11-14 cp, independent of composition and reaction temperature.
Effect of Blend Ratio on Morphology and Swelling Properties of PVA/Chitosan Nanofibers
Authors: Nasikhudin Nasikhudin , Puspitasari Intan , Diantoro Markus , Kusumaatmaja Ahmad , Triyana Kuwat
Published: July 2017

PVA/chitosan nanofibers have been prepared by electrospinning method. A novel nanofibers mat was prepared in a various blend ratio of PVA to chitosan. The structure of PVA/chitosan nanofibers was examined by FTIR and SEM. The results showed that PVA/chitosan nanofibers were successfully formed. The result of FTIR indicates that PVA and chitosan exist in PVA/chitosan Nanofibers. SEM observation showed that the fiber has several hundred nanometers with a smooth surface. It also observed that fibers diameters decreased by increase percentage of chitosan, this occurs because of the conductivity of electrospun solution increase and the viscosity decrease. Reduction of fiber diameter followed by a decrease in pore size, this is a very important property of a membrane having a small pore size with high porosity. PVA/chitosan nanofibers have pH sensitive of swelling properties and better-swelling properties in acid conditions.
Synthesis of Fe3O4/TiO2-Ni Composite as a Magnetically Recoverable Photocatalyst
Authors: Ashmarisya Shuluh , Kunarti Eko Sri , Kartini Indriana
Published: July 2017

The Fe3O4/TiO2-Ni composites have been prepared by incorporating magnetic particles with doped photoactive titania using sono-coprecipitation and sol-gel methods. The composite was characterised by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Disperse X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), Vibrating Sample Magnetometry (VSM) and Specular Reflectance Ultraviolet-Visible light spectroscopy (SR-UV). The results indicated that the composite of Fe3O4/TiO2-Ni had been synthesised. XRD and FTIR results showed that the composite had a good anatase phase. SEM-EDX result confirmed the atomic percentage of element presence in the synthesised product and VSM result proved that the composite has an excellent magnetisation moment of 8.76 emus. SR-UV result suggested that the composite had a good bandgap property compared to that of synthesised undoped titania.
Effect of Shot-Peening on Hardness and Pitting Corrosion Rate on Load-Bearing Implant Material AISI 304
Authors: Iswanto Priyo Tri , Malau Viktor , Priyambodo Bambang Hari , Wibowo Trio Nur , Amin Nur
Published: July 2017

AISI 304 is a type of stainless steel used for load bearing implants due to relatively low cost. However, its mechanical properties and corrosion resistance must be improved to the level of AISI 316L, cobalt-based alloys, titanium and titanium alloy properties. Its fatigue characteristic is also one of the most important criteria have to be evaluated to achieve the overall service performance requirements, when this material subjected to dynamic load. High surface hardness may delay fatigue crack initiation and decrease corrosion rate because these two processes initiated at surface layer. The purpose of this research is to investigate the change in mechanical and corrosion characteristics of AISI 304 due to shot peening processes.Surface treatment with shot peening process were done by regulating the variation time for 0, 5, 10, 20, 30 and 40 minutes at the firing pressure of 7 bar; using 0,6 mm steel ball with hardness of 40-50 HRC. Firing distance between the nozzle with the specimen surface is 100 mm. Surface hardness was tested using indentation load of 10 grams for 10 seconds. Pitting corrosion test of treated AISI304 and non treated AISI316L was conducted in intravenous Otsu-RL brands as corrosion media. Pitting corrosion was performed using cyclic polarization methodThe hardness of surface layer increase with increasing shot-peening time. According to increase of length of shot-peening time from 0, 5, 10, 20, 30 and 40 minutes the hardness of these specimen increase to 241, 404, 418, 437, 481 and 496 VHN, respectively. The pitting corrosion rate tend to significantly decrease with increasing of shot peening time. According to increase of length of shot peening time from 0, 5, 10, 20, 30 and 40 minutes the pitting corrosion rate of these specimen also decrease to 0.853, 0.619, 0.086, 0.017, 0.116 and 0.036 mpy, respectively. Pitting corrosion rate of AISI316L is 0.042 mpy. Best pitting corrosion rate of treated AISI304 is 2.5 times smaller than that of non treated AISI316L. Therefore, shot-peening could be used to increase hardness number and reduce pitting corrosion rate, significanly.
Transfection of FcγRIIIa (CD16) Alone Can Be Sufficient To Enable Human αβTCR T Lymphocytes To Mediate Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity
Authors: Ollier Jocelyn , Vivien Régine , Vié Henri , Clémenceau Béatrice
Published: July 2017

To combine the immune potential of T cells and Ab therapy, we and others have previously shown that T cells transduction with a fusion receptor that binds the Fc portion of human Ig enable them to mediate Ab-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC). The fusion receptors previously described included the FcγRIIIa (CD16) receptor coupled to different chains intended to translate the signal. In this work, we questioned whether the transfection of CD16 alone into T human lymphocytes and NK cells could be sufficient for CD16 expression and function, or whether the cotransfection of a transducing chain was mandatory. Our results demonstrated that: 1) transfection of CD16 alone into a human NK cell line and primary T cells can be sufficient for CD16 expression and function; 2) cotransfection of CD3ζ or FcεRIγ increased CD16 expression; 3) yet this increased CD16 expression increased the ADCC score only for trastuzumab, not for rituximab or cetuximab; and 4) compared with that of peripheral NK cells, ADCC scores by autologous CD16-transfected T cells ranked differently according to the opsonized target cell. Together, these results showed that neither the use of a fusion receptor nor the cotransfection of a transducing chain is mandatory to transfer the ADCC function to human lymphocytes. Thus, depending on the effector/Ab/target combination considered, transfection of CD16 alone can be sufficient to enable T cells to mediate ADCC. In the context of immunotherapy, such a strategy is by nature safer than the use of a chimeric receptor, and is freely available.