bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Motor Sequence Learning in Healthy Older Adults Is Not Necessarily Facilitated by Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)
Authors: Raw Rachael , Allen Richard , Mon-Williams Mark , Wilkie Richard
Published: December 2016

Background: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) of the primary motor cortex (M1) can modulate neuronal activity, and improve performance of basic motor tasks. The possibility that tDCS could assist in rehabilitation (e.g., for paresis post-stroke) offers hope but the evidence base is incomplete, with some behavioural studies reporting no effect of tDCS on complex motor learning. Older adults who show age-related decline in movement and learning (skills which tDCS could potentially facilitate), are also under-represented within tDCS literature. To address these issues, we examined whether tDCS would improve motor sequence learning in healthy young and older adults. Methods: In Experiment One, young participants learned 32 aiming movements using their preferred (right) hand whilst receiving: (i) 30 min Anodal Stimulation of left M1; (ii) 30 min Cathodal Stimulation of right M1; or (iii) 30 min Sham. Experiment Two used a similar task, but with older adults receiving Anodal Stimulation or Sham. Results: Whilst motor learning occurred in all participants, tDCS did not improve the rate or accuracy of motor learning for either age group. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the effects of tDCS may be limited to motor performance with no clear beneficial effects for motor learning.
Association among Complement Factor H Autoantibodies, Deletions of CFHR, and the Risk of Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome
Authors: Jiang Hong , Fan Meng-Nan , Yang Min , Lu Chao , Zhang Ming , Liu Xiao-Hong , Ma Le
Published: December 2016

To evaluate the association among complement factor H-related (CFHRs) gene deficiency, complement factor H (CFH) autoantibodies, and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) susceptibility. EMBASE, PubMed, and the ISI Web of Science databases were searched for all eligible studies on the relationship among CFHRs deficiency, anti-FH autoantibodies, and aHUS risk. Eight case-control studies with 927 cases and 1182 controls were included in this study. CFHR1 deficiency was significantly associated with an increased risk of aHUS (odds ratio (OR) = 3.61, 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.96, 6.63, p < 0.001), while no association was demonstrated in individuals with only CFHR1/R3 deficiency (OR = 1.32, 95% CI, 0.50, 3.50, p = 0.56). Moreover, a more significant correlation was observed in people with both FH-anti autoantibodies and CFHR1 deficiency (OR = 11.75, 95% CI, 4.53, 30.44, p < 0.001) in contrast to those with only CFHR1 deficiency. In addition, the results were essentially consistent among subgroups stratified by study quality, ethnicity, and gene detection methods. The present meta-analysis indicated that CFHR1 deletion was significantly associated with the risk of aHUS, particularly when combined with anti-FH autoantibodies, indicating that potential interactions among CFHR1 deficiency and anti-FH autoantibodies might impact the risk of aHUS.
Extraction and Simplification of Building Façade Pieces from Mobile Laser Scanner Point Clouds for 3D Street View Services
Authors: Li Yan , Hu Qingwu , Wu Meng , Liu Jianming , Wu Xuan
Published: December 2016

Extraction and analysis of building façades are key processes in the three-dimensional (3D) building reconstruction and realistic geometrical modeling of the urban environment, which includes many applications, such as smart city management, autonomous navigation through the urban environment, fly-through rendering, 3D street view, virtual tourism, urban mission planning, etc. This paper proposes a building facade pieces extraction and simplification algorithm based on morphological filtering with point clouds obtained by a mobile laser scanner (MLS). First, this study presents a point cloud projection algorithm with high-accuracy orientation parameters from the position and orientation system (POS) of MLS that can convert large volumes of point cloud data to a raster image. Second, this study proposes a feature extraction approach based on morphological filtering with point cloud projection that can obtain building facade features in an image space. Third, this study designs an inverse transformation of point cloud projection to convert building facade features from an image space to a 3D space. A building facade feature with restricted facade plane detection algorithm is implemented to reconstruct façade pieces for street view service. The results of building facade extraction experiments with large volumes of point cloud from MLS show that the proposed approach is suitable for various types of building facade extraction. The geometric accuracy of building façades is 0.66 m in x direction, 0.64 in y direction and 0.55 m in the vertical direction, which is the same level as the space resolution (0.5 m) of the point cloud.
Tagging in Volunteered Geographic Information: An Analysis of Tagging Practices for Cities and Urban Regions in OpenStreetMap
Authors: Davidovic Nikola , Mooney Peter , Stoimenov Leonid , Minghini Marco
Published: December 2016

In Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) projects, the tagging or annotation of objects is usually performed in a flexible and non-constrained manner. Contributors to a VGI project are normally free to choose whatever tags they feel are appropriate to annotate or describe a particular geographic object or place. In OpenStreetMap (OSM), the Map Features part of the OSM Wiki serves as the de-facto rulebook or ontology for the annotation of features in OSM. Within Map Features, suggestions and guidance on what combinations of tags to use for certain geographic objects are outlined. In this paper, we consider these suggestions and recommendations and analyse the OSM database for 40 cities around the world to ascertain if contributors to OSM in these urban areas are using this guidance in their tagging practices. Overall, we find that compliance with the suggestions and guidance in Map Features is generally average or poor. This leads us to conclude that contributors in these areas do not always tag features with the same level of annotation. Our paper also confirms anecdotal evidence that OSM Map Features is less influential in how OSM contributors tag objects.
The Emergence of the Dose–Response Concept in Biology and Medicine
Authors: Calabrese Edward
Published: December 2016

A historical assessment of the origin of the dose–response in modern toxicology and its integration as a central concept in biology and medicine is presented. This article provides an overview of how the threshold, linear and biphasic (i.e., hormetic) dose–response models emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and competed for acceptance and dominance. Particular attention is directed to the hormetic model for which a general description and evaluation is provided, including its historical basis, and how it was marginalized by the medical and pharmacology communities in the early decades of the 20th century.
The Performance Analysis of Smartphone-Based Pedestrian Dead Reckoning and Wireless Locating Technology for Indoor Navigation Application
Authors: Liao Jhen-Kai , Chiang Kai-Wei , Zhou Zhi-Ming
Published: December 2016

Recent developments in smartphone technology have increased user demand for indoors applications. The Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and the Inertial Navigation System (INS) are the two advanced systems for navigation technology. However, it is still difficult for GNSS to provide an accurate and practical navigation solution, especially in environments with little or no signal availability. These failings should be easy to overcome; because of their portability and multiple embedded hardware sensors, smartphones seem well positioned to make pedestrian navigation easy and convenient in any environment. Pedestrian Dead Reckoning (PDR) is one of the most commonly used technologies used for pedestrian navigation, but it is not always accurate because its positioning errors tend to accumulate over time. Therefore, this research introduces a new tool to overcome this failing; a Bluetooth Low-Energy (BLE) beacon can maintain and improve the accuracy of PDR. Moreover, a BLE beacon can be initialized from any user position in an indoor environment. The random and unpredictable positions of pedestrians inevitably result in the degradation of navigation guidance systems’ data. To rectify this problem, we have implemented activity recognition technology to notify the proposed system so as to provide a more accurate heading estimate. This study proposes a Personal Navigation System (PNS) based on this technology; it can estimate navigation solutions in real time and combines the advantages of PDR and Bluetooth positioning technology. A series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the accuracy of the system and the efficacy of our proposed algorithms. Preliminary results show the average relative precision of PDR to be about 2.5%, when using a mobile hand-held device. The error of initial position from 2-D beacon positioning is less than two meters. The proposed system works well without post-processing, and the multi-sensor activity recognition system can determine the placement of the device when it is being carried or used by someone with close to 100% accuracy.
An Analytical Calculation of Frictional and Bending Moments at the Head-Neck Interface of Hip Joint Implants during Different Physiological Activities
Authors: Farhoudi Hamidreza , Oskouei Reza , Pasha Zanoosi Ali , Jones Claire , Taylor Mark
Published: December 2016

This study predicts the frictional moments at the head-cup interface and frictional torques and bending moments acting on the head-neck interface of a modular total hip replacement across a range of activities of daily living. The predicted moment and torque profiles are based on the kinematics of four patients and the implant characteristics of a metal-on-metal implant. Depending on the body weight and type of activity, the moments and torques had significant variations in both magnitude and direction over the activity cycles. For the nine investigated activities, the maximum magnitude of the frictional moment ranged from 2.6 to 7.1 Nm. The maximum magnitude of the torque acting on the head-neck interface ranged from 2.3 to 5.7 Nm. The bending moment acting on the head-neck interface varied from 7 to 21.6 Nm. One-leg-standing had the widest range of frictional torque on the head-neck interface (11 Nm) while normal walking had the smallest range (6.1 Nm). The widest range, together with the maximum magnitude of torque, bending moment, and frictional moment, occurred during one-leg-standing of the lightest patient. Most of the simulated activities resulted in frictional torques that were near the previously reported oxide layer depassivation threshold torque. The predicted bending moments were also found at a level believed to contribute to the oxide layer depassivation. The calculated magnitudes and directions of the moments, applied directly to the head-neck taper junction, provide realistic mechanical loading data for in vitro and computational studies on the mechanical behaviour and multi-axial fretting at the head-neck interface.
Evaluation of Structural Stability of Materials through Mechanical Spectroscopy: Four Case Studies
Authors: Costanza Girolamo , Montanari Roberto , Richetta Maria , Tata Maria , Varone Alessandra
Published: December 2016

Microstructural stability is one of the utmost important requirements for metallic materials in engineering applications, particularly at high temperatures. The paper shows how Mechanical Spectroscopy (MS) (i.e., damping and dynamic modulus measurements) permits the monitoring of the evolution of lattice defects, porosity, and cracks which strongly affect the mechanical behavior of metals and sometimes lead to permanent damage. For this purpose, some applications of the technique to different metals and alloys (AISI 304 stainless steel, PWA 1483 single crystal superalloy, nanostructured FeMo prepared via SPS sintering and tungsten) of engineering interest are presented. These experiments have been carried out in lab conditions using bar-shaped samples at constant or increasing temperatures. The results can be used to orient the interpretation of frequency and damping changes observed through other instruments in components of complex shape during their in-service life.
The Metabolic Implications of Glucocorticoids in a High-Fat Diet Setting and the Counter-Effects of Exercise
Authors: Dunford Emily , Riddell Michael
Published: December 2016

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are steroid hormones, naturally produced by activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, that mediate the immune and metabolic systems. Synthetic GCs are used to treat a number of inflammatory conditions and diseases including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Generally, chronic or high dose GC administration is associated with side effects such as steroid-induced skeletal muscle loss, visceral adiposity, and diabetes development. Patients who are taking exogenous GCs could also be more susceptible to poor food choices, but the effect that increasing fat consumption in combination with elevated exogenous GCs has only recently been investigated. Overall, these studies show that the damaging metabolic effects initiated through exogenous GC treatment are significantly amplified when combined with a high fat diet (HFD). Rodent studies of a HFD and elevated GCs demonstrate more glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, visceral adiposity, and skeletal muscle lipid deposition when compared to rodents subjected to either treatment on its own. Exercise has recently been shown to be a viable therapeutic option for GC-treated, high-fat fed rodents, with the potential mechanisms still being examined. Clinically, these mechanistic studies underscore the importance of a low fat diet and increased physical activity levels when individuals are given a course of GC treatment.
Dietary Compound Chrysin Inhibits Retinal Neovascularization with Abnormal Capillaries in db/db Mice
Authors: Kang Min-Kyung , Park Sin-Hye , Kim Yun-Ho , Lee Eun-Jung , Antika Lucia , Kim Dong , Choi Yean-Jung , Kang Young-Hee
Published: December 2016

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) develops in a significant proportion of patients with chronic diabetes, characterized by retinal macular edema and abnormal retinal vessel outgrowth leading to vision loss. Chrysin, a naturally-occurring flavonoid found in herb and honeycomb, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties. This study sought to determine the protective effects of chrysin on retinal neovascularization with abnormal vessels and blood-retinal barrier (BRB) breakdown in 33 mM glucose-exposed human retinal endothelial cells and in db/db mouse eyes. High glucose caused retinal endothelial apoptotic injury, which was inhibited by submicromolar chrysin. This compound diminished the enhanced induction of HIF-1α, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR2) in high glucose-exposed retinal endothelial cells. Consistently, oral administration of 10 mg/kg chrysin reduced the induction of these proteins in db/db mouse eye tissues. In addition, chrysin restored the decrement of VE-cadherin and ZO-1 junction proteins and PECAM-1 in hyperglycemia-stimulated retinal endothelial cells and diabetic mouse retina, possibly maintaining tight cell-cell interactions of endothelial cells and pericytes. Anti-apoptotic chrysin reduced the up-regulation of Ang-1, Ang-2, and Tie-2 crucial to retinal capillary occlusion and BRB permeability. Furthermore, orally treating chrysin inhibited acellular capillary formation, neovascularization, and vascular leakage observed in diabetic retinas. These observations demonstrate, for the first time, that chrysin had a capability to encumber diabetes-associated retinal neovascularization with microvascular abnormalities and BRB breakdown.
Vitamin D Status and Efficacy of Vitamin D Supplementation in Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kim Min , Kim Soo-Nyung , Lee Yang , Choe Yong , Ahn Kyu
Published: December 2016

Recent literature has highlighted the possible role of vitamin D in atopic dermatitis (AD), and that vitamin D supplementation might help to treat AD. This study determined the relationship between vitamin D level and AD, and assessed the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation. We searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases up to May 2015. Observational studies and randomized controlled trials were included based on the available data on the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level and quantified data available for severity assessed using the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) index or Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score. Compared with healthy controls, the serum 25(OH)D level was lower in the AD patients of all ages (standardized mean difference = −2.03 ng/mL; 95% confidence interval (CI) = −2.52 to −0.78), and predominantly in the pediatric AD patients (standardized mean difference = −3.03 ng/mL; 95% CI = −4.76 to −1.29). In addition, the SCORAD index and EASI score decreased after vitamin D supplementation (standardized mean difference = −5.85; 95% CI = −7.66 to −4.05). This meta-analysis showed that serum vitamin D level was lower in the AD patients and vitamin D supplementation could be a new therapeutic option for AD.
Xylobiose, an Alternative Sweetener, Ameliorates Diabetes-Related Metabolic Changes by Regulating Hepatic Lipogenesis and miR-122a/33a in db/db Mice
Authors: Lim Eunjin , Lim Ji , Kim Eunju , Kim Yoo-Sun , Shin Jae-Ho , Seok Pu , Jung Sangwon , Yoo Sang-Ho , Kim Yuri
Published: December 2016

Type 2 diabetes is a major public health concern worldwide. Xylobiose (XB) consists of two molecules of d-xylose and is a major disaccharide in xylooligosaccharides that are used as prebiotics. We hypothesized that XB could regulate diabetes-related metabolic and genetic changes via microRNA expression in db/db mice. For six weeks, C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice received 5% XB as part of the total sucrose content of their diet. XB supplementation improved glucose tolerance with reduced levels of OGTT AUC, fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, insulin, and HOMA-IR. Furthermore, XB supplementation decreased the levels of total triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL-C. The expression levels of miR-122a and miR-33a were higher and lower in the XB group, respectively. In the liver, expressions of the lipogenic genes, including, fatty acid synthase (FAS), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1C (SREBP-1C), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-2 (SREBP-2), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), HMG-CoA reductase (HMGCR), ATP-binding cassette transporter G5/G8 (ABCG5/8), cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7A1), and sterol 12-alpha-hydroxylase (CYP8B1), as well as oxidative stress markers, including superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and catalase, were also regulated by XB supplementation. XB supplementation inhibited the mRNA expressions levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, interleukin (IL)-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, as well as phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2). These data demonstrate that XB exhibits anti-diabetic, hypolipogenic, and anti-inflammatory effects via regulation of the miR-122a/33a axis in db/db mice.
Real-Time Analysis of Isoprene in Breath by Using Ultraviolet-Absorption Spectroscopy with a Hollow Optical Fiber Gas Cell
Authors: Iwata Takuro , Katagiri Takashi , Matsuura Yuji
Published: December 2016

A breath analysis system based on ultraviolet-absorption spectroscopy was developed by using a hollow optical fiber as a gas cell for real-time monitoring of isoprene in breath. The hollow optical fiber functions as an ultra-small-volume gas cell with a long path. The measurement sensitivity of the system was evaluated by using nitric-oxide gas as a gas sample. The evaluation result showed that the developed system, using a laser-driven, high-intensity light source and a 3-m-long, aluminum-coated hollow optical fiber, could successfully measure nitric-oxide gas with a 50 ppb concentration. An absorption spectrum of a breath sample in the wavelength region of around 200–300 nm was measured, and the measured spectrum revealed the main absorbing components in breath as water vapor, isoprene, and ozone converted from oxygen by radiation of ultraviolet light. The concentration of isoprene in breath was estimated by multiple linear regression. The regression analysis results showed that the proposed analysis system enables real-time monitoring of isoprene during the exhaling of breath. Accordingly, it is suitable for measuring the circadian variation of isoprene.
A Fault Tolerance Mechanism for On-Road Sensor Networks
Authors: Feng Lei , Guo Shaoyong , Sun Jialu , Yu Peng , Li Wenjing
Published: December 2016

On-Road Sensor Networks (ORSNs) play an important role in capturing traffic flow data for predicting short-term traffic patterns, driving assistance and self-driving vehicles. However, this kind of network is prone to large-scale communication failure if a few sensors physically fail. In this paper, to ensure that the network works normally, an effective fault-tolerance mechanism for ORSNs which mainly consists of backup on-road sensor deployment, redundant cluster head deployment and an adaptive failure detection and recovery method is proposed. Firstly, based on the N − x principle and the sensors’ failure rate, this paper formulates the backup sensor deployment problem in the form of a two-objective optimization, which explains the trade-off between the cost and fault resumption. In consideration of improving the network resilience further, this paper introduces a redundant cluster head deployment model according to the coverage constraint. Then a common solving method combining integer-continuing and sequential quadratic programming is explored to determine the optimal location of these two deployment problems. Moreover, an Adaptive Detection and Resume (ADR) protocol is deigned to recover the system communication through route and cluster adjustment if there is a backup on-road sensor mismatch. The final experiments show that our proposed mechanism can achieve an average 90% recovery rate and reduce the average number of failed sensors at most by 35.7%.
A Novel Wireless Wearable Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Monitoring Device with Disposable Sensors
Authors: Deng Yue , Chen Cheng , Xian Xiaojun , Tsow Francis , Verma Gaurav , McConnell Rob , Fruin Scott , Tao Nongjian , Forzani Erica
Published: December 2016

A novel portable wireless volatile organic compound (VOC) monitoring device with disposable sensors is presented. The device is miniaturized, light, easy-to-use, and cost-effective. Different field tests have been carried out to identify the operational, analytical, and functional performance of the device and its sensors. The device was compared to a commercial photo-ionization detector, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and carbon monoxide detector. In addition, environmental operational conditions, such as barometric change, temperature change and wind conditions were also tested to evaluate the device performance. The multiple comparisons and tests indicate that the proposed VOC device is adequate to characterize personal exposure in many real-world scenarios and is applicable for personal daily use.
Boundary-Layer Detection at Cryogenic Conditions Using Temperature Sensitive Paint Coupled with a Carbon Nanotube Heating Layer
Authors: Goodman Kyle , Lipford William , Watkins Anthony
Published: December 2016

Detection of flow transition on aircraft surfaces and models can be vital to the development of future vehicles and computational methods for evaluating vehicle concepts. In testing at ambient conditions, IR thermography is ideal for this measurement. However, for higher Reynolds number testing, cryogenic facilities are often used, in which IR thermography is difficult to employ. In these facilities, temperature sensitive paint is an alternative with a temperature step introduced to enhance the natural temperature change from transition. Traditional methods for inducing the temperature step by changing the liquid nitrogen injection rate often change the tunnel conditions. Recent work has shown that adding a layer consisting of carbon nanotubes to the surface can be used to impart a temperature step on the model surface with little change in the operating conditions. Unfortunately, this system physically degraded at 130 K and lost heating capability. This paper describes a modification of this technique enabling operation down to at least 77 K, well below the temperature reached in cryogenic facilities. This is possible because the CNT layer is in a polyurethane binder. This was tested on a Natural Laminar Flow model in a cryogenic facility and transition detection was successfully visualized at conditions from 200 K to 110 K. Results were also compared with the traditional temperature step method.
Detection of Ciprofloxacin in Urine through Sensitized Lanthanide Luminescence
Authors: Singha Subhankar , Ahn Kyo
Published: December 2016

Ciprofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, is widely used for the treatment of bacterial infection in humans due to its broad antibacterial spectrum. An excessive use or overdose of ciprofloxacin on the other hand can cause several adverse effects not only to humans but also to microorganisms. Unabsorbed ciprofloxacin in the body is mostly excreted through urine and finally goes to the environment, providing a drug resistance pressure on bacteria. Hence a simple and efficient detection method of ciprofloxacin is necessary, which, for example, can be used to analyze ciprofloxacin content in urine. Although ciprofloxacin itself shows inherent fluorescence, direct fluorescent detection of ciprofloxacin in raw urine sample is difficult due to autofluorescence of urine by other components. Herein we report that a Tb(III) complex of DO3A (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-triacetic acid) can be efficiently sensitized by ciprofloxacin to emit luminescence separately from the urine autofluorescence wavelength region. Tb-DO3A shows excellent sensitivity with a detection limit of three parts per billion in aqueous buffer solution. Further, Tb-DO3A is used to detect ciprofloxacin with high sensitivity and selectivity in a raw urine sample without any purification or separation procedures in the concentrations ranging from 1 µg·mL−1 to 50 µg·mL−1. The direct measurement of ciprofloxacin excreted in urine may be used to control overdose of the drug.
Electrical Impedance Monitoring of C2C12 Myoblast Differentiation on an Indium Tin Oxide Electrode
Authors: Park Ilhwan , Hong Yeonhee , Jun Young-Hoo , Lee Ga-Yeon , Jun Hee-Sook , Pyun Jae-Chul , Choi Jeong-Woo , Cho Sungbo
Published: December 2016

Electrical cell-substrate impedance sensing is increasingly being used for label-free and real-time monitoring of changes in cell morphology and number during cell growth, drug screening, and differentiation. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of using ECIS to monitor C2C12 myoblast differentiation using a fabricated indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode-based chip. C2C12 myoblast differentiation on the ITO electrode was validated based on decreases in the mRNA level of MyoD and increases in the mRNA levels of myogenin and myosin heavy chain (MHC). Additionally, MHC expression and morphological changes in myoblasts differentiated on the ITO electrode were comparable to those in cells in the control culture dish. From the monitoring the integration of the resistance change at 21.5 kHz, the cell differentiation was label-free and real-time detectable in 30 h of differentiation (p < 0.05).
Empirical Relationships among Technological Characteristics, Global Orientation, and Internationalisation of South Korean New Ventures
Authors: Yoon Junghyun , Kim Dae-su
Published: December 2016

International new ventures (INVs) that pursue rapid internationalisation have received a growing amount of attention worldwide. This study, therefore, examined characteristics of INVs, and hence investigated empirically the relationships among the technological characteristics of INVs, the characteristics of their chief executive officers (CEOs) (i.e., global orientation), and their internationalisation such as the level of internationalisation. The findings of this study can be summarised as follows: all of the technological characteristics (e.g., technological capacity, imitation, innovation, and standardisation) have significant effects on the internationalisation of INVs. Furthermore, the CEO’s global orientation mediated the relationship between the technological characteristics and internationalisation.
Evaluation of a Regional Retrofit Programme to Upgrade Existing Housing Stock to Reduce Carbon Emissions, Fuel Poverty and Support the Local Supply Chain
Authors: Patterson Joanne
Published: December 2016

The first-ever legally binding global climate deal that will be adopted by 195 countries was introduced in Paris in 2015, highlighting that climate change is being recognised as a real and urgent global problem. Legislative interventions need to be accompanied by significant action across all sectors of the built environment through reducing energy demand, providing energy supply from low carbon sources and combining with this with energy storage to enable necessary targets to be met. Retrofitting existing buildings is critical to making these cuts as 80% of buildings currently in existence will still be present in 2050. These retrofits need to be undertaken rapidly using replicable and affordable solutions that benefit both the householder whilst significantly reducing emissions. This paper will present an evaluation of a £9.6 million regional scale retrofit programme funded under the Welsh Governments Arbed 1 Programme which aimed to reduce fuel poverty, reduce carbon emissions and support the energy efficiency and renewable supply chain and encourage recruitment and training in the sector. Results have been obtained from desk top data collection and energy modelling calculations. The evaluation work presents the technical, environmental and economic impacts of the programme and demonstrates lessons learnt to help improve the implementation of the other regional retrofit projects providing evidence of the impacts of a large scale retrofit programme that are necessary for the deep carbon reductions required in the near future.
Robust Sliding Mode Control of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator-Based Wind Energy Conversion Systems
Authors: Zhuo Guangping , Hostettler Jacob , Gu Patrick , Wang Xin
Published: December 2016

The subject of this paper pertains to sliding mode control and its application in nonlinear electrical power systems as seen in wind energy conversion systems. Due to the robustness in dealing with unmodeled system dynamics, sliding mode control has been widely used in electrical power system applications. This paper presents first and high order sliding mode control schemes for permanent magnet synchronous generator-based wind energy conversion systems. The application of these methods for control using dynamic models of the d-axis and q-axis currents, as well as those of the high speed shaft rotational speed show a high level of efficiency in power extraction from a varying wind resource. Computer simulation results have shown the efficacy of the proposed sliding mode control approaches.
Distribution and Potential Health Risks of Arsenic, Selenium, and Fluorine in Natural Waters in Tibet, China
Authors: Tian Yuan , Yu Chengqun , Zha Xinjie , Wu Jianshang , Gao Xing , Feng Chujian , Luo Kunli
Published: December 2016

The contents of major and trace elements were analyzed in 204 different types of water samples in 138 villages across 51 counties and cities of Tibet. The average concentrations of arsenic (As), selenium, and fluorine for each water category decreased in the following order: arsenic (in μg/L: hot spring 241.37 > lake 27.46 > stream 22.11 > shallow well 11.57 > deep well 6.22), selenium (in μg/L: deep well 0.85 > shallow well 0.68 > stream 0.62 > hot spring 0.39 > lake 0.36), and fluorine (in mg/L: hot spring 2.10 > lake 1.06 > deep well 0.45 > stream 0.20 > shallow well 0.15). The distribution of arsenic in Tibetan waters ranged between 77.35 μg/L in Ali prefecture and 1.17 μg/L in Chamdo prefecture, with intermediate values of 4.39, 2.52, 2.10, 1.68, and 1.51 μg/L in the prefectures of Shigatse, Nagchu, Lhasa, Lhoka, and Nyingchi, respectively. Carbonatite is a major source of elements in these waters. The non-carcinogenic risk in Tibet caused by heavy metals in drinking water is low overall, except in Ali prefecture’s surface and shallow ground waters, which contain high levels of As. Thus, deep well water in Tibet is safe to drink.
Water Balance and Level Change of Lake Babati, Tanzania: Sensitivity to Hydroclimatic Forcings
Authors: Mbanguka René , Lyon Steve , Holmgren Karin , Girons Lopez Marc , Jarsjö Jerker
Published: December 2016

We develop and present a novel integrated water balance model that accounts for lake water—groundwater interactions, and apply it to the semi-closed freshwater Lake Babati system, Northern Tanzania, East Africa. The model was calibrated and used to evaluate the lake level sensitivity to changes in key hydro-climatic variables such as temperature, precipitation, humidity and cloudiness. The lake response to the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, Phase 5 (CMIP5) output on possible future climate outcomes was evaluated, an essential basis in understanding future water security and flooding risk in the region. Results show high lake level sensitivity to cloudiness. Increased focus on cloud fraction measurement and interpretation could likely improve projections of lake levels and surface water availability. Modelled divergent results on the future (21st century) development of Lake Babati can be explained by the precipitation output variability of CMIP5 models being comparable to the precipitation change needed to drive the water balance model from lake dry-out to overflow; this condition is likely shared with many other East African lake systems. The developed methodology could be useful in investigations on change-driving processes in complex climate—drainage basin—lake systems, which are needed to support sustainable water resource planning in data scarce tropical Africa.
Continuous-flow synthesis of primary amines: Metal-free reduction of aliphatic and aromatic nitro derivatives with trichlorosilane
Authors: Porta Riccardo , Puglisi Alessandra , Colombo Giacomo , Rossi Sergio , Benaglia Maurizio
Published: December 2016

The metal-free reduction of nitro compounds to amines mediated by trichlorosilane was successfully performed for the first time under continuous-flow conditions. Aromatic as well as aliphatic nitro derivatives were converted to the corresponding primary amines in high yields and very short reaction times with no need for purification. The methodology was also extended to the synthesis of two synthetically relevant intermediates (precursors of baclofen and boscalid).
Rethinking the shadow economy in terms of happiness. Evidence for the European Union Member States
Authors: ACHIM Monica Violeta , BORLEA Sorin Nicolae , GĂBAN Lucian Vasile , CUCEU Ionut Constantin
Published: December 2016

This paper’s goal is to highlight how happiness affects the level of shadow economy, by using many control variables within different types of potentially determining factors of shadow economy. Another main contribution consists in the systematic comparison between old and new European Union member states in terms of determinants of shadow economy, including happiness. Our findings consist in the fact that happier people are more likely to act honestly, thus causing a decrease in the size of shadow economy and this result is valid both for old and new European Union countries. In addition, we found that the quality of public governance and the richness of a country are associated with a lower propensity towards shadow economy for all the member states. However, the relationship between public governance and shadow economy are never sig-nificant when the happiness and richness variables vary simultaneously. Our research reveals that the shadow economy in European Union countries is explained in percent of about 62% by richness and happiness of the people. Contrary to our expectations, the fiscal pressure seems not to be a determinant for shadow economy in the European Union space.
THE SPACEINN–SISMA DATABASE: CHARACTERIZATION OF A LARGE SAMPLE OF VARIABLE AND ACTIVE STARS BY MEANS OF HARPS SPECTRA
Authors: Rainer M. , Poretti E. , Mistò A. , Panzera M. R. , Molinaro M. , Cepparo F. , Roth M. , Michel E. , Monteiro M. J. P. F. G.
Published: December 2016

We created a large database of physical parameters and variability indicators by fully reducing and analyzing the large number of spectra taken to complement the asteroseismic observations of the COnvection, ROtation and planetary Transits (CoRoT) satellite. 7103 spectra of 261 stars obtained with the ESO echelle spectrograph HARPS have been stored in the VO-compliant database Spectroscopic Indicators in a SeisMic Archive (SISMA), along with the CoRoT photometric data of the 72 CoRoT asteroseismic targets. The remaining stars belong to the same variable classes of the CoRoT targets and were observed to better characterize the properties of such classes. Several useful variability indicators (mean line profiles, indices of differential rotation, activity and emission lines) together with

and radial-velocity measurements have been extracted from the spectra. The atmospheric parameters

, and [Fe/H] have been computed following a homogeneous procedure. As a result, we fully characterize a sample of new and known variable stars by computing several spectroscopic indicators, also providing some cases of simultaneous photometry and spectroscopy.
COLORS OF ELLIPTICALS FROM GALEX TO SPITZER
Authors: Schombert James M.
Published: December 2016

Multi-color photometry is presented for a large sample of local ellipticals selected by morphology and isolation. The sample uses data from the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX), Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS), and Spitzer to cover the filters NUV, ugri, JHK and 3.6 μm. Various two-color diagrams, using the half-light aperture defined in the 2MASS J filter, are very coherent from color to color, meaning that galaxies defined to be red in one color are always red in other colors. Comparison to globular cluster colors demonstrates that ellipticals are not composed of a single age, single metallicity (e.g., [Fe/H]) stellar population, but require a multi-metallicity model using a chemical enrichment scenario. Such a model is sufficient to explain two-color diagrams and the color–magnitude relations for all colors using only metallicity as a variable on a solely 12 Gyr stellar population with no evidence of stars younger than 10 Gyr. The [Fe/H] values that match galaxy colors range from −0.5 to +0.4, much higher (and older) than population characteristics deduced from Lick/IDS line-strength system studies, indicating an inconsistency between galaxy colors and line indices values for reasons unknown. The NUV colors have unusual behavior, signaling the rise and fall of the UV upturn with elliptical luminosity. Models with blue horizontal branch tracks can reproduce this behavior, indicating the UV upturn is strictly a metallicity effect.
ACTIVITY OF 50 LONG-PERIOD COMETS BEYOND 5.2 au
Authors: Sárneczky K. , Szabó Gy. M. , Csák B. , Kelemen J. , Marschalkó G. , Pál A. , Szakáts R. , Szalai T. , Szegedi-Elek E. , Székely P. , Vida K. , Vinkó J. , Kiss L. L.
Published: December 2016

Remote investigations of ancient matter in the solar system have traditionally been carried out through observations of long-period (LP) comets, which are less affected by solar irradiation than their short-period counterparts orbiting much closer to the Sun. Here we summarize the results of our decade-long survey of the distant activity of LP comets. We found that the most important separation in the data set is based on the dynamical nature of the objects. Dynamically new comets are characterized by a higher level of activity on average: the most active new comets in our sample can be characterized by Afρ values >3–4, higher than those for our most active returning comets. New comets develop more symmetric comae, suggesting a generally isotropic outflow. In contrast to this, the comae of recurrent comets can be less symmetrical, ocassionally exhibiting negative slope parameters, which suggest sudden variations in matter production. The morphological appearance of the observed comets is rather diverse. A surprisingly large fraction of the comets have long, tenuous tails, but the presence of impressive tails does not show a clear correlation with the brightness of the comets.
UNDERCOVER EUV SOLAR JETS OBSERVED BY THE INTERFACE REGION IMAGING SPECTROGRAPH
Authors: Chen N.-H. , Innes D. E.
Published: December 2016

It is well-known that extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission emitted at the solar surface is absorbed by overlying cool plasma. Especially in active regions, dark lanes in EUV images suggest that much of the surface activity is obscured. Simultaneous observations from the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph, consisting of UV spectra and slit-jaw images (SJI), give vital information with sub-arcsecond spatial resolution on the dynamics of jets not seen in EUV images. We studied a series of small jets from recently formed bipole pairs beside the trailing spot of active region 11991, which occurred on 2014 March 5 from 15:02:21 UT to 17:04:07 UT. Collimated outflows with bright roots were present in SJI 1400 Å (transition region) and 2796 Å (upper chromosphere) that were mostly not seen in Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) 304 Å (transition region) and AIA 171 Å (lower corona) images. The Si iv spectra show a strong blue wing enhancement, but no red wing, in the line profiles of the ejecta for all recurrent jets, indicating outward flows without twists. We see two types of Mg ii line profiles produced by the jets spires: reversed and non-reversed. Mg ii lines remain optically thick, but turn optically thin in the highly Doppler shifted wings. The energy flux contained in each recurrent jet is estimated using a velocity differential emission measure technique that measures the emitting power of the plasma as a function of the line-of-sight velocity. We found that all the recurrent jets release similar energy (108 erg cm−2 s−1) toward the corona and the downward component is less than 3%.
EXTENDED CALCULATIONS WITH SPECTROSCOPIC ACCURACY: ENERGY LEVELS AND TRANSITION PROPERTIES FOR THE FLUORINE-LIKE ISOELECTRONIC SEQUENCE WITH Z = 24–30
Authors: Si R. , Li S. , Guo X. L. , Chen Z. B. , Brage T. , Jönsson P. , Wang K. , Yan J. , Chen C. Y. , Zou Y. M.
Published: December 2016

We have performed extensive multiconfiguration Dirac–Hartree–Fock calculations and second-order many-body perturbation calculations for F-like ions with Z = 24–30. Energy levels and transition rates for electric dipole (E1), electric-quadrupole (E2), electric-octupole (E3), magnetic dipole (M1), and magnetic-quadrupole (M2) transitions, as well as radiative lifetimes, are provided for the lowest 200 levels belonging to the

,

,

,

,

, and

configurations of each ion. The results from the two sets of calculations are in excellent agreement. Extensive comparisons are also made with other theoretical results and observed data from the CHIANTI and NIST databases. The present energies and wavelengths are believed to be accurate enough to aid line identifications involving the n = 3 and n = 4 configurations, for which observations are largely missing. The calculated wavelengths and transition data will be useful in the modeling and diagnostics of astrophysical and fusion plasmas.
WHAT IS EATING OZONE? THERMAL REACTIONS BETWEEN SO2 AND O3: IMPLICATIONS FOR ICY ENVIRONMENTS
Authors: Loeffler Mark J. , Hudson Reggie L.
Published: December 2016

Laboratory studies are presented, showing for the first time that thermally driven reactions in solid H2O + SO2 + O3 mixtures can occur below 150 K, with the main sulfur-containing product being bisulfate (

). Using a technique not previously applied to the low-temperature kinetics of either interstellar or solar-system ice analogs, we estimate an activation energy of 32 kJ mol−1 for

formation. These results show that at the temperatures of the Jovian satellites, SO2 and O3 will efficiently react making detection of these molecules in the same vicinity unlikely. Our results also explain why O3 has not been detected on Callisto and why the SO2 concentration on Callisto appears to be highest on that world’s leading hemisphere. Furthermore, our results predict that the SO2 concentration on Ganymede will be lowest in the trailing hemisphere, where the concentration of O3 is the highest. Our work suggests that thermal reactions in ices play a much more important role in surface and sub-surface chemistry than generally appreciated, possibly explaining the low abundance of sulfur-containing molecules and the lack of ozone observed in comets and interstellar ices.
Frontera, narcotráfico y género: las heroínas alternativas de la ficcionalización de la violencia en México
Authors: Demeyer Lise
Published: December 2016

Violencia y poder son dos conceptos que se suelen atribuir a un ámbito masculino. Sin embargo, cada vez más se elige a una mujer para encarnar al personaje principal de la historia en las obras de ficción mexicanas que remiten a la frontera y al narcotráfico. Partiendo de esta nueva tendencia, el trabajo se basará en tres novelas cuyas similitudes y diferencias en la construcción del personaje principal permitirán señalar nuevas pistas creativas: Diablo Guardián (2003) de Xavier Velasco, Señales que precederán el fin del mundo (2009) de Yuri Herrera y Perra Brava (2010) de Orfa Alarcón.
El infierno sobre rieles. La violencia que no cesa en La Mara de Rafael Ramírez Heredia
Authors: Camacho Delgado José Manuel
Published: December 2016

La Mara (2004) es una de las grandes novelas hispanoamericanas sobre la violencia que azota la frontera que hay entre México y Guatemala, donde operan las maras, los narcotraficantes y todo tipo de bandas mafiosas. Rafael Ramírez Heredia recrea el peregrinaje lastimoso de miles de inmigrantes indocumentados que tratan de cruzar México a lomos del tren conocido como la Bestia.
Construcción y operatividad de las galeras del Perú durante la segunda mitad del siglo XVI
Authors: Sánchez Baena Juan José
Published: December 2016

Estudio técnico y operativo sobre las primeras galeras que se construyen en América como parte de la política naval de la Monarquía Hispánica, para la defensa de las costas del virreinato del Perú en la segunda mitad del siglo XVI. Se analizan los principales aspectos materiales, humanos y económicos que impidieron que estas embarcaciones a remo tuvieran en el Pacífico una óptima utilización.
El comercio gaditano con el Perú entre 1814 y 1826, ¿desaparición o adaptación?
Authors: Ruiz de Gordejuela Urquijo Jesús
Published: December 2016

El artículo se propone analizar y aportar nuevas conclusiones sobre el comercio gaditano con el Perú entre los años 1814 y 1826. Para ello nos hemos servido de la correspondencia inédita del comerciante Francisco de Carranza, testigo directo de los acontecimientos, con los más importantes comerciantes limeños. Conoceremos las enormes dificultades que padecieron estos hombres de negocios en tiempos de tribulación y las estrategias utilizadas para sobrevivir en un comercio que parecía abocado a su fin. Asimismo podremos saber si desapareció o se adaptó el comercio entre ambos territorios.