bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metodología contemporánea de Infraestructuras de Gestión de Proyectos, Prevención de controversias y Análisis de Retrasos = Contemporary Methodology for Infrastructure Project Management, Dispute Avoidance and Delay
Authors: Vacanas Yiannis , Themistocleous Kyriacos , Agapiou Athos , Danezis Chris
Published: April 2016

Resumen Las causas de las interrupciones y retrasos en los proyectos de construcción de infraestructura son conocidos pero inevitables, y los métodos actuales de análisis son caros. En este trabajo se propone una metodología moderna para el mantenimiento de registros eficiente y transparente, y para la gestión eficaz de los proyectos y resolución de disputas más barato. Herramientas tecnológicas modernas (imágenes UAV, escaneo láser 3D, tecnologías BIM, visualización 3D, tecnología GNSS y RFID) se utilizan para proporcionar información útil e importante a un servidor de Sistema de Información Geográfica (GIS) central, que a su vez proporciona informes relacionados con las obras del proyecto. Abstract The causes of disruption and delay to infrastructure construction projects are known but inevitable, and the current methods for delay analysis and dispute resolution are expensive and faced with suspiciousness. In this paper a contemporary methodology is proposed for efficient and transparent record keeping and sharing for effective project management, delay and dispute avoidance and cheaper dispute resolution. Modern technology tools (UAV images, Long-range 3D Laser scanning and BIM technologies can be used for data collection and 3D visual illustration of the milestone works progress; Time lapse camera images can provide visualisation of the daily progress of the works and indication of the conditions and presence of resources in any day; GNSS - Mobile technology can be used to pattern the machinery and human resources presence and motion on site; High resolution satellite images can give periodic images for the general progress of the works, RFID technology can be used for machinery and human resources monitoring and material quantities tracking and management) are utilized to provide important and useful information, both spatial and descriptive, to a Geographical Information System (GIS) central server, which in turn provides reports regarding milestone issues related to the project works.
Freedom of the Press In the Scope of Human Rights
Authors: Astuti Sri Ayu
Published: April 2016

Freedom of expression and press freedom is the embodiment of the recognition of human rights. Freedom of expression is also the existence of press to disclose the news with honesty and do not get a pressure to deliver the news to the public space, which in news production is known as a work of journalism. Now the  press has gained freedom of expression in the news production process which is guaranteed in the state constitution. Although Article 28 of the Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia 1945 does not point directly at the press, However, Article 28 F emphasis on processing and storage as well as ownership, excavations to information. It also contains provisions on the freedom of expression of others, which should be valued and respected. It shows equality for everyone in his position before the law in accordance with Article 27 1945 Constitution, which emphasizes the recognition of constitutional rights that belong to every person in the state of law in the Republic of Indonesia. Thus the press, which have freedom of expression in the writings of journalistic works are required to be responsible for the published news. So as not to face the legal issues and criminalization, then press should perform tasks and functions to enforce ethics as the precautionary principle when processing the news and broadcast it to the public space, as well as upholding human rights.
Labour Rights Protection in Industrial Relations Issues
Authors: Susanto Eko Adi
Published: April 2016

Many violations of the terms of employment at Surabaya, employment protection  and working conditions for workers who are not provided by employers to the maximum, according to the legislation in force, while the legal protection for workers constrained because of the weakness in the system of employment law, both the substance and the culture built by governments and companies. How To Cite: Susanto, E. (2015). Labour Rights Protection in Industrial Relations Issues. Rechtsidee, 2(2), 109-120. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.21070/jihr.v2i2.78
Application of Grid-Free Geostatistical Simulation to a Large Oil-Sands Reservoir
Authors: Zagayevskiy Yevgeniy , Deutsch Clayton V.
Published: April 2016

Geostatistical simulation is performed for reservoir characterization to depict local variability in the modeled properties. The conventional simulation methods are implemented in a grid-dependent manner that makes regridding of realizations, refinement of existing grids, and the simulation on irregular grids challenging. The grid-free-simulation (GFS) method has been recently developed for flexible reservoir characterization. The geostatistical realizations of a reservoir are expressed as an analytical function of the coordinates of the simulation locations and, thus, are infinitely resolvable. The resulting model is conditioned to primary scattered point-scale hard data and secondary exhaustively sampled block-scale soft data. The former data are sampled along wells, whereas the latter data are from seismic surveys. The GFS methodology is applied to the Firebag oil-sands thermal project operated in northern Alberta, Canada. The conditioning data are point-scale core measurements, log observations, and block-scale acoustic impedance (AI). The models of correlated porosity, permeability, and water saturation attributes are constructed on three different grids by facies and are consistent with each other. These models are intended for resource estimation, reserves estimation, and subsequent-flow simulation, respectively. The modeling results of the grid-independent simulation method are promising for industrial application to petroleum reservoir characterization.
A Novel Approach for Treatment and Transport of Waxy Crude Oils in Single, Bare Subsea Flowlines, Phase I: Initial Demonstration
Authors: Kalpakci B. , Amin R. , Win T. , Fung Gee , O’Sullivan James
Published: April 2016

In this paper a cold pipe continuous wax remover and slurry making device is described for use in long distance subsea tie back applications using single bare flow lines (Cold Flow). The basic principle of the Cold Flow solution is to eliminate the temperature differential between the production fluids and the walls of the flow line, thus eliminating the deposition of wax on the flow line walls. This is accomplished by cooling the fluids to ambient temperature and precipitating solid waxes in a controlled section of the pipeline (Treatment Loop) before entering the flow line. To increase the efficiency of cooling, and hence reduce the length of the treatment loop, wax deposits that form on the walls of the loop are constantly removed by using a continuously circulating unique mechanical device (WaxEater). The WaxEater consists of a train of circular discs, each having a diameter that leaves a small clearance within the inside diameter of the Treatment Loop. The WaxEater continuously circulates in the specially designed Treatment Loop, propelled by the produced fluids, and sweeps the wax deposits off the inner wall of the loop. The concept was successfully tested in an 800-ft fl loop. Several test runs were performed using waxy Gulf of Mexico (GoM) crude oils, with and without the WaxEater. This paper presents the results of these tests.
Oficina de plantas medicinais para vendedores informais das feiras livres de Caetité, Bahia, Brasil
Authors: Oliveira Joyce Silva , Pimentel Lílian Tibo De Souza , Lucas Cátia Ionara Santos , Junqueira Maria Elizangela Ramos , Saba Marileide Dias , Dourado Robson de Cássio Santos
Published: April 2016

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo orientar os vendedores informais e a população sobre o uso racional e seguro das espécies vegetais utilizadas tradicionalmente pelas comunidades locais. A apresentação de palestra, atividades práticas no herbário como confecção de exsicatas, e entrega de cartilha sobre as principais plantas comercializadas no local foram desenvolvidas no Campus VI, UNEB. Destacou-se a urgência em relação às precauções no uso das plantas medicinais, já que imprecisões na sua utilização podem causar sérios problemas à saúde dos usuários.Palavras chave: Conhecimento popular, etnomedicina, medicina alternativa, vendedores informais.Áreas temáticas: Cultura, educação e meio ambiente
Reflexões sobre ações contínuas de extensão e pesquisa em uma comunidade tradicional
Authors: Rocha Pires Herton Helder , Leite Dias João Victor , Gomes Murta Nadja Maria
Published: April 2016

O presente relato apresenta reflexões sobre as ações desenvolvidas ao longo de oito por Grupo de Extensão e Pesquisa da Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri em uma comunidade remanescente de quilombo do município de Diamantina, Minas Gerais. As atividades propostas permitiram o envolvimento direto da equipe envolvida no cotidiano da comunidade, sendo esse convívio constante reconhecido pelos moradores que, por sua vez demonstram confiança nos integrantes do grupo e os acolhem como mais que puramente pesquisadores, antes como entes contribuintes para a comunidade. Essa relação de confiança brindou a equipe com a incumbência de organizar a festa dos padroeiros, honraria até então partilhada somente entre os moradores ou pessoas com ascendência local.Finalmente, discute-se a importância de um vínculo de longo prazo e o retorno das informações como ações junto à comunidade em projetos de natureza extensionista.
Does Scapular Motion Regress with Aging and is It Restricted in Patients with Idiopathic Frozen Shoulder?
Authors: Endo Kazuhiro , Hamada Junichiro , Suzuki Kazuaki , Hagiwara Yoshihiro , Muraki Takayuki , Karasuno Hiroshi
Published: April 2016

Purposes:

It has been reported that the amount of posterior tilt and upward rotation in scapular motions decreases with aging. The purposes of the current study were to investigate age related scapular motion regression and scapular restriction in patients with idiopathic frozen shoulder (IFS).

Methods:

The groups were recruited as follows: two groups of 50 asymptomatic subjects aged in their twenties and fifties, and 56 patients with IFS. We passively moved the scapula toward 8 directions: elevation/depression; upward/downward rotation; external/internal rotation; and anterior/posterior tilt. The grading of scapular motion was ranged from 0 to 3 (3, normal; and 0, severe restriction) and the score for each direction and the total aggregated score for all directions were calculated.

Results:

Scapular restriction was present in 3 subjects (6%) in the normal 20s group, 10 (14%) in the 50s group, and 51 (91%) in the IFS group. The total score between the normal 20s and 50s groups did not show statistical difference; however, greater significance was present between the normal 50s group and the IFS group (p < 0.01). There was statistical significance in depression (p < 0.01), downward rotation (p < 0.01), and posterior tilt (p < 0.01) among the 3 groups.

Conclusion:

Depression, downward rotation, and posterior tilt substantially regress with aging. Scapular motions towards depression, downward rotation, external rotation, and posterior tilt are severely restricted in the IFS group.
Valorization of crude glycerol from biodiesel production
Authors: Konstantinovic Sandra , Danilovic Bojana , Ciric Jovan , Ilic Slavica , Savic Dragisa , Veljkovic Vlada
Published: April 2016

The increased production of biodiesel as an alternative fuel involves the
simultaneous growth in production of crude glycerol as its main by-product.
Therefore, the feasibility and sustainability of biodiesel production
requires the effective utilization of crude glycerol. This review describes
various uses of crude glycerol as a potential green solvent for chemical
reactions, a starting raw material for chemical and biochemical conversions
into value-added chemicals, a substrate or co-substrate in microbial
fermentations for synthesis of valuable chemicals and production of biogas
and biohydrogen as well as a feedstuff for animal feed. A special attention
is paid to various uses of crude glycerol in biodiesel production.
Shoulder Electromyography Measurements During Activities of Daily Living and Routine Rehabilitation Exercises
Authors: Gurney A. Burke , Mermier Christine , LaPlante Michael , Majumdar Aditi , O'Neill Kathleen , Shewman Todd , Gurney James G.
Published: April 2016

Study Design

Controlled laboratory study.

Background

The activity of the rotator cuff muscles has not previously been measured with indwelling electromyography (EMG) comparing ambulation and other movements. Knowledge of the relative contribution of these muscles during various tasks may help to guide rehabilitation progression.

Objective

To measure activity of the rotator cuff muscles and other shoulder muscles during normal ambulation, shirt and sling donning and doffing, and rehabilitation tasks commonly performed after rotator cuff surgery.

Methods

In 28 volunteers (15 men, 13 women; mean age, 32.2 years), indwelling EMG activity was measured in the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis muscles during various tasks; and surface EMG activity was measured in the middle deltoid, biceps, and upper trapezius muscles.

Results

Using median EMG activity, in general, donning and doffing a shirt or sling recruited the rotator cuff muscles more than the other 7 tasks tested. Self-ranging motion using pulleys, especially in the scapular plane, was also consistently associated with greater recruitment of the shoulder muscles. Pendulum exercises, passive range of motion by a physical therapist, and self-ranging motion with a dowel recruited the shoulder muscles to a lesser extent.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that rehabilitation tasks such as pendulum exercises, passive range of motion by a physical therapist, and self-ranging motion with a dowel show low EMG activity, whereas pulleys in the sagittal plane and scapular plane show greater activity. Scapular plane activity was consistently higher than sagittal plane activity. Of all the tasks assessed, ambulation without a sling and donning and doffing a sling and a shirt consistently showed the highest activity. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2016;46(5):375–383. Epub 6 Apr 2016. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.6090
Maximizing Young Learners’ Input: An Intervention Program
Authors: Tragant Elsa , Muñoz Carmen , Spada Nina
Published: April 2016

This study reports on a year-long intervention based on comprehension practice of input-rich materials. It was inspired by an innovative program in Canada in which primary school francophone children learned English as a second language (ESL) through simultaneous reading and listening. In our study the participants are a class of 10- to 11-year-old students (N = 28) who spent 60% of their EFL instruction time at school in a reading-while-listening program. The program involved independent simultaneous reading and listening practice using graded readers and storybooks of their own choice. The goals were to examine how students experienced the reading/listening sessions and to compare learners’ perceptions of the program, as well as their linguistic gains, with that of a comparison group who received only teacher-led instruction. Instruments included oral and written language tests, self-reported data, and observations. Results indicate that students in the intervention group showed more positive attitudes toward English language learning and progressed at least as much as the students in the comparison group, in spite of having had much less teacher-led instruction time than the latter.
Color-Coded Sovereignty and the Men in Black
Authors: Goldstein Daniel M.
Published: April 2016

The appearance of effective security making—demonstrated through surveillance, visibility, and ongoing performance—is significant to contemporary sovereign authority in urban spaces characterized by quotidian violence and crime. This article examines La Cancha, Cochabamba, Bolivia’s enormous outdoor market, which is policed not by the state but by private security firms that operate as nonstate sovereign actors in the space of the market. The article provides an ethnographic account of one of these firms (the Men in Black), and documents the work of both municipal and national police—all of them distinguished by differently colored uniforms—in the management of crime, administration of justice, and establishment of public order in the market. Sovereignty here is derived through public performance, both violent and nonviolent, through which the Men in Black demonstrate and maintain their sovereign power.
Transformative cities
Authors: Susser Ida , Tonnelat Stéphane
Published: April 2016

When our article was first written, the Occupy
movement was in full swing and we were clearly
in optimistic mode. However, as all studies of
social movements have shown, from the antiapartheid
struggles of South Africa to the rebellious
nineteenth century in France or Britain,
the road of mobilization is never straightforward.
Nor did we assume that “Occupy” in the
United States or even the popular rebellions of
the Arab Spring would lead to a blossoming of
democratic nations. We take these understandings
from writers such as Eric Hobsbawm
(1996), who understood the French Revolution
and the British industrial revolution as complementary
processes that set the stage for the imperfect
and unequal nation-states of France and
Britain today. In South Africa (to pick one historic
moment), after the high school students
who took to the streets in protest in Soweto
were mowed down by South African army
tanks, the streets were virtually quiescent for a
decade. However, over 40 years of fascism in
South Africa, the 1950s bus boycotts, the 1960s
Sharpeville massacre, the famous trials of Mandela
and others, the Soweto school children,
and finally the union mobilization in a United
Front and international sanctions led to the end
of apartheid. But, as we are all now aware, these
battles did not end inequality or neoliberalism.
Cinemautism
Authors: Eastwood Steven
Published: April 2016

The National Autistic Society defines autism as affecting “how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people and how they make sense of the world around them.” People with autism oft en seek regulation of experience in order to manage the difficulty in inferring and understanding the provisional knowledge and subjectivities of others. Much like the neurotypical “other people” described by those with autism, the on-screen assemblage of normative cinema appears to know what to reveal, what to conceal, where and how to be. However, such a cinema is also required to be regulated, so as to be socialized to the reception and response of “others” (the audience) through normative techniques. But when and how might the much-debated screen-mind relationship produce a frustration of otherness or tamper with an audience’s ability to ascribe provisional knowledge to others? And what can the cinema learn from the autistic experience? This article proposes a form of cinema—cinemautism—to challenge a neurotypical cinematic form.
Between Noir and Sunshine
Authors: Gott Michael
Published: April 2016

Drive (U.S.A., 2011, FilmDistrict, Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. Screenplay, Hossein Amini, based on the book by James Sallis. With Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks).
Oral Hygiene Practice among the Students of a Selected School in Dhaka City
Authors: Jahan Mohammed Shahed , Abdullah Umme Salma , Rahman Dilruba , Quader SM Abdul , Islam AKM Shariful , Roknuzzaman Md
Published: April 2016

Aim: The purpose of the study was to explore the oral hygiene practice of the school children in Dhaka.Methods: A descriptive type of cross sectional study was conducted at M. A. Awal School in Dhaka. A total of 265 school children were purposively selected. Data were collected through structured questionnaires by face to face interview. The respondents of the study were aged between 5 to 13 years.Results: Among the respondent 45.75% are male and 54.25% are female. Among the respondents 92.5% brush their teeth regularly, 44.2% brushed their teeth twice daily, 52.5% brushed once daily, 56.2% brushed their teeth in the morning before breakfast and 2.67% brushed their teeth after breakfast. Only 1.5% brush after breakfast and before going to bed.27.9% brushed in the morning before breakfast and before going to bed.93.2% used brush and paste for cleaning their teeth. Unfortunately .4% used coal powder to clean their teeth, dy were aged between 5 to 13 years.Conclusion: The study revealed that, oral hygiene practice of school children may be called satisfactory but there is still scope to improve their oral hygiene practice.Update Dent. Coll. j: 2015; 5 (2): 18-22
An uneventful effect of accidental extrusion of excess sealer on periradicular healing: Two case reports
Authors: Ahmed Tahmeena Ishrat , Hossain Md Mahmud , Susta Farhana Haque
Published: April 2016

Accidental extrusion of sealer has been questioned regarding its fate, tissue reaction, and subsequent effect on the root canal seal and periradicular healing. These case reports demonstrate, radiographically, almost disappearance of excess sealer which has been expressed into the periradicular tissues during obturation and subsequent healing of periapical tissues despite this additional irritation.Update Dent. Coll. j: 2015; 5 (2): 52-56
Syntactic Parameters and a Coding Theory Perspective on Entropy and Complexity of Language Families
Authors: Marcolli Matilde
Published: April 2016

We present a simple computational approach to assigning a measure of complexity and information/entropy to families of natural languages, based on syntactic parameters and the theory of error correcting codes. We associate to each language a binary string of syntactic parameters and to a language family a binary code, with code words the binary string associated to each language. We then evaluate the code parameters (rate and relative minimum distance) and the position of the parameters with respect to the asymptotic bound of error correcting codes and the Gilbert–Varshamov bound. These bounds are, respectively, related to the Kolmogorov complexity and the Shannon entropy of the code and this gives us a computationally simple way to obtain estimates on the complexity and information, not of individual languages but of language families. This notion of complexity is related, from the linguistic point of view to the degree of variability of syntactic parameter across languages belonging to the same (historical) family.
The Effect of Spin Squeezing on the Entanglement Entropy of Kicked Tops
Authors: Ong Ernest , Chew Lock
Published: April 2016

In this paper, we investigate the effects of spin squeezing on two-coupled quantum kicked tops, which have been previously shown to exhibit a quantum signature of chaos in terms of entanglement dynamics. Our results show that initial spin squeezing can lead to an enhancement in both the entanglement rate and the asymptotic entanglement for kicked tops when the initial state resides in the regular islands within a mixed classical phase space. On the other hand, we found a reduction in these two quantities if we were to choose the initial state deep inside the chaotic sea. More importantly, we have uncovered that an application of periodic spin squeezing can yield the maximum attainable entanglement entropy, albeit this is achieved at a reduced entanglement rate.
Analysis and Optimization of Three-Resonator Wireless Power Transfer System for Predetermined-Goals Wireless Power Transmission
Authors: Zhang Jin , Cheng Chonghu
Published: April 2016

Three-resonator wireless power transfer (WPT) systems have been proposed to improve the power transfer efficiency (PTE) and power delivered to the load (PDL) in recent years. However, analysis formulas of a three-resonator WPT system are complicated, and the parameters for clarifying the transfer characteristics of this system are difficult to extract. In this paper, concise formulas for analyzing PTE and PDL of the three-resonator system are derived by introducing three factors. Diagram discriminance based on the derived formulas is proposed to obtain the frequency splitting criterions of PTE and PDL in this system. Further, at the transfer distances, where the PTE and PDL are low at original frequency due to frequency splitting phenomenon, the two predetermined-goals of maximizing PTE and PDL are achieved by optimizing coupling strength between the three resonators. The third predetermined-goal of obtaining a constant amount of PDL transfer at maximum PTE is also implemented based on basic algorithms in numerical software. Finally, Simulation and measurement results verify the correctness of analyzing the transfer characteristics of three-resonator WPT system using the presented concise formulas and discriminance. Moreover, effectiveness of realizing the three predetermined-goals via the proposed optimization method is confirmed with experiments.
Bioinformatics Analysis of MAPKKK Family Genes in Medicago truncatula
Authors: Li Wei , Xu Hanyun , Liu Ying , Song Lili , Guo Changhong , Shu Yongjun
Published: April 2016

Mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK) is a component of the MAPK cascade pathway that plays an important role in plant growth, development, and response to abiotic stress, the functions of which have been well characterized in several plant species, such as Arabidopsis, rice, and maize. In this study, we performed genome‐wide and systemic bioinformatics analysis of MAPKKK family genes in Medicago truncatula. In total, there were 73 MAPKKK family members identified by search of homologs, and they were classified into three subfamilies, MEKK, ZIK, and RAF. Based on the genomic duplication function, 72 MtMAPKKK genes were located throughout all chromosomes, but they cluster in different chromosomes. Using microarray data and high‐throughput sequencing‐data, we assessed their expression profiles in growth and development processes; these results provided evidence for exploring their important functions in developmental regulation, especially in the nodulation process. Furthermore, we investigated their expression in abiotic stresses by RNA‐seq, which confirmed their critical roles in signal transduction and regulation processes under stress. In summary, our genome‐wide, systemic characterization and expressional analysis of MtMAPKKK genes will provide insights that will be useful for characterizing the molecular functions of these genes in M. truncatula.
Seismic Hazard Analysis along Koyna Dam Area, Western Maharashtra, India: A Contribution of Remote Sensing and GIS
Authors: Theilen-Willige Barbara , Aher Sainath , Gawali Praveen , Venkata Laxmi
Published: April 2016

The Koyna-Warna area in Maharashtra, Western India, is one of the world’s best examples of reservoir-induced seismicity. The occurrence of earthquakes in the vicinity of Koyna Dam (Shivaji Sagar Lake) started since 1962, soon after the initiation of water impoundment. To understand the tectonics and seismicity of the region, recent Landsat 8 images and Sentinel radar data were evaluated in GIS, as well as SRTM and ASTER Digital Elevation Model data (DEM) and the DEM-derived morphometric maps. Geophysical and climate data were also included in the GIS database. The analysis of satellite data contributed towards understanding the tectonic framework of the Koyna reservoir area by visual lineament analysis. Thus, Landsat 8 and Sentinel radar data brought out the structural pattern and made visible larger fault zones. The detailed lineament analysis detected areas, presumed to have rocks of relatively higher permeability, supporting intrusion and infiltration of surface water. The resulting maps of weighted overlay procedures derived from causal morphometric factors that influence the susceptibility to ground motion revealed areas with higher, medium and lower susceptibility to soil amplification.
SAAFEC: Predicting the Effect of Single Point Mutations on Protein Folding Free Energy Using a Knowledge-Modified MM/PBSA Approach
Authors: Getov Ivan , Petukh Marharyta , Alexov Emil
Published: April 2016

Folding free energy is an important biophysical characteristic of proteins that reflects the overall stability of the 3D structure of macromolecules. Changes in the amino acid sequence, naturally occurring or made in vitro, may affect the stability of the corresponding protein and thus could be associated with disease. Several approaches that predict the changes of the folding free energy caused by mutations have been proposed, but there is no method that is clearly superior to the others. The optimal goal is not only to accurately predict the folding free energy changes, but also to characterize the structural changes induced by mutations and the physical nature of the predicted folding free energy changes. Here we report a new method to predict the Single Amino Acid Folding free Energy Changes (SAAFEC) based on a knowledge-modified Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann (MM/PBSA) approach. The method is comprised of two main components: a MM/PBSA component and a set of knowledge based terms delivered from a statistical study of the biophysical characteristics of proteins. The predictor utilizes a multiple linear regression model with weighted coefficients of various terms optimized against a set of experimental data. The aforementioned approach yields a correlation coefficient of 0.65 when benchmarked against 983 cases from 42 proteins in the ProTherm database. Availability: the webserver can be accessed via http://compbio.clemson.edu/SAAFEC/.
Matrix Hyaluronan Promotes Specific MicroRNA Upregulation Leading to Drug Resistance and Tumor Progression
Authors: Bourguignon Lilly
Published: April 2016

Solid tumor invasion, metastasis and therapeutic drug resistance are the common causes for serious morbidity and cancer recurrence in patients. A number of research studies have searched for malignancy-related biomarkers and drug targets that are closely linked to tumor cell properties. One of the candidates is matrix hyaluronan (HA), which is known as one of the major extracellular matrix (ECM) components. HA serves as a physiological ligand for surface CD44 molecule and also functions as a bio-regulator. The binding of HA to CD44 has been shown to stimulate concomitant activation of a number of oncogenic pathways and abnormal cellular processes in cancer cells and cancer stem cells (CSCs). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) belong to a class of small RNAs containing ~20–25 nucleotides and are known to promote aberrant cellular functions in cancer cells. In this article, I have focused on the role of HA interaction with CD44 and several important signaling molecules in the regulation of unique miRNAs (e.g., miR-21, miR-302 and miR-10b) and their downstream targets leading to multiple tumor cell-specific functions (e.g., tumor cell growth, drug resistance and metastasis) and cancer progression. This new knowledge could provide the groundwork necessary for establishing new tumor markers and developing important, novel drugs targeted against HA/CD44-associated tumor progression, which can be utilized in the therapeutic treatment of metastatic cancer patients.
Quality Control of Slot-Die Coated Aluminum Oxide Layers for Battery Applications Using Hyperspectral Imaging
Authors: Gruber Florian , Wollmann Philipp , Schumm Benjamin , Grählert Wulf , Kaskel Stefan
Published: April 2016

Hyperspectral inspection using imaging systems is becoming more and more important for quality control tasks in several industries, replacing well trained operators or established machine vision systems based on RGB-systems. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) on thin coated substrates is challenging due to the high reflectivity of the substrates. Nevertheless, the thin films contribute to the spectral data and can be evaluated. Therefore, the performance of inspection systems can be increased significantly. However, the large amount of data generated by HSI has to be processed and evaluated for quality information about the product. In this paper, thin aluminum oxide (Al2O3) layers on stainless steel foil are investigated by HSI. These substrates can be used for the growth of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VA-SWCNT) for battery electrodes. HSI and spectral ellipsometry in combination with Partial Least Squares regression (PLS) was used to estimate the thickness of the Al2O3 layers and to calculate quality parameters for a possible monitoring process. The PLS model shows a R2CV of 0.979 and a RMSECV of 3.6.
Business Model Design and Architecture for the Internet of Everything
Authors: Pfisterer Dennis , Radonjic-Simic Mirjana , Reichwald Julian
Published: April 2016

Smart devices and cyber-physical systems, which are interconnected to IT systems and services, form the basis for the arising Internet of Everything, opening up new economic opportunities for its participants and users beyond its technological aspects and challenges. While today’s e-business scenarios are mostly dominated by a few centralized online platforms, future business models, which will be feasible for the Internet of Everything, need to address special requirements. Such business models, e.g., leveraging the possibilities of smart cities, need to cope with arbitrary combinations of products and services orchestrated into complex products in a highly distributed and dynamic environment. Furthermore, these arbitrary combinations are influenced by real-time context information derived from sensor networks or IT systems, as well as the users’ requirements and preferences. The complexity of finding the optimal product/service combination overstrains users and leads to decisions according to the principle of adverse selection (i.e., choosing good enough instead of optimal). Such e-business models require an appropriate underlying value generation architecture that supports users in this process. In this paper, we develop a business model that addresses these problems. In addition, we present the Distributed Market Spaces (DMS) software-system architecture as a possible implementation, which enables the aforementioned decentralized and context-centric e-business scenario and leverages the commercial possibilities of smart cities.
Code-Mixing and Mixed Verbs in Cantonese-English Bilingual Children: Input and Innovation
Authors: Yip Virginia , Matthews Stephen
Published: April 2016

In both child and adult Cantonese, code-mixing is used productively. We focus on the insertion of English verbs into Cantonese utterances. Data from nine simultaneous bilingual children in the Hong Kong Bilingual Child Language Corpus are analyzed. Case studies show that the children’s rates of mixing closely match the rate of mixing in the parental input, and that different input conditions influence rates of mixing. The bilingual children, nevertheless, show creativity, notably in inserting phrasal verb-particle combinations into a Cantonese frame. We argue that this is an innovation not derived from adult input.
Increasing Mechanical Properties of 2-D-Structured Electrospun Nylon 6 Non-Woven Fiber Mats
Authors: Xiang Chunhui , Frey Margaret
Published: April 2016

Tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and toughness of electrospun nylon 6 non-woven fiber mats were improved by increasing individual nanofiber strength and fiber–fiber load sharing. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were used as reinforcement to increase the strength of the electrospun nylon 6 nanofibers. Young’s modulus, tensile strength, and toughness of the nylon 6 non-woven fiber mats electrospun from 20 wt % solutions increased 51%, 87%, and 136%, respectively, after incorporating 1 wt % CNTs into the nylon 6 nanofibers. Three methods were investigated to enhance fiber–fiber load sharing: increasing friction between fibers, thermal bonding, and solvent bonding. The addition of beaded nylon 6 nanofibers into the non-woven fiber mats to increase fiber-fiber friction resulted in a statistically significantly increase in Young’s modulus over comparable smooth non-woven fiber mats. After annealing, tensile strength, elongation, and toughness of the nylon 6 non-woven fiber mats electrospun from 20 wt % + 10 wt % solutions increased 26%, 28%, and 68% compared to those from 20 wt % solutions. Solvent bonding with formic acid vapor at room temperature for 30 min caused increases of 56%, 67%, and 39% in the Young’s modulus, tensile strength, and toughness of non-woven fiber mats, respectively. The increases attributed to increased individual nanofiber strength and solvent bonding synergistically resulted in the improvement of Young’s modulus of the electrospun nylon 6 non-woven fiber mats.
In Vitro Testing of Scaffolds for Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Meniscus Tissue Engineering—Introducing a New Biocompatibility Scoring System
Authors: Achatz Felix , Kujat Richard , Pfeifer Christian , Koch Matthias , Nerlich Michael , Angele Peter , Zellner Johannes
Published: April 2016

A combination of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and scaffolds seems to be a promising approach for meniscus repair. To facilitate the search for an appropriate scaffold material a reliable and objective in vitro testing system is essential. This paper introduces a new scoring for this purpose and analyzes a hyaluronic acid (HA) gelatin composite scaffold and a polyurethane scaffold in combination with MSCs for tissue engineering of meniscus. The pore quality and interconnectivity of pores of a HA gelatin composite scaffold and a polyurethane scaffold were analyzed by surface photography and Berliner-Blau-BSA-solution vacuum filling. Further the two scaffold materials were vacuum-filled with human MSCs and analyzed by histology and immunohistochemistry after 21 days in chondrogenic media to determine cell distribution and cell survival as well as proteoglycan production, collagen type I and II content. The polyurethane scaffold showed better results than the hyaluronic acid gelatin composite scaffold, with signs of central necrosis in the HA gelatin composite scaffolds. The polyurethane scaffold showed good porosity, excellent pore interconnectivity, good cell distribution and cell survival, as well as an extensive content of proteoglycans and collagen type II. The polyurethane scaffold seems to be a promising biomaterial for a mesenchymal stem cell-based tissue engineering approach for meniscal repair. The new score could be applied as a new standard for in vitro scaffold testing.
New Concept of Polymethyl Methacrylate (PMMA) and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Surface Coating by Chitosan
Authors: Wieckiewicz Mieszko , Wolf Eric , Richter Gert , Meissner Heike , Boening Klaus
Published: April 2016

Chitosan is known for its hemostatic and antimicrobial properties and might be useful for temporary coating of removable dentures or intraoral splints to control bleeding after oral surgery or as a supportive treatment in denture stomatitis. This study investigated a new method to adhere chitosan to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). There were 70 cylindrical specimens made from PMMA and 70 from PET (13 mm diameter, 6 mm thickness). The materials with ten specimens each were sandblasted at 2.8 or 4.0 bar with aluminum oxide 110 μm or/and aluminum oxide coated with silica. After sandblasting, all specimens were coated with a 2% or 4% acetic chitosan solution with a thickness of 1 mm. Then the specimens were dried for 120 min at 45 °C. The precipitated chitosan was neutralized with 1 mol NaOH. After neutralization, all specimens underwent abrasion tests using the tooth-brushing simulator with soft brushes (load 2N, 2 cycles/s, 32 °C, 3000 and 30,000 cycles). After each run, the specimen surfaces were analyzed for areas of remaining chitosan by digital planimetry under a light microscope. The best chitosan adhesion was found after sandblasting with aluminum oxide coated with silica (U-Test, p < 0.05) in both the PMMA and the PET groups. Hence, with relatively simple technology, a reliable bond of chitosan to PMMA and PET could be achieved.
Land Cover Mapping in Southwestern China Using the HC-MMK Approach
Authors: Lei Guangbin , Li Ainong , Bian Jinhu , Zhang Zhengjian , Jin Huaan , Nan Xi , Zhao Wei , Wang Jiyan , Cao Xiaomin , Tan Jianbo , Liu Qiannan , Yu Huan , Yang Guangbin , Feng Wenlan
Published: April 2016

Land cover mapping in mountainous areas is a notoriously challenging task due to the rugged terrain and high spatial heterogeneity of land surfaces as well as the frequent cloud contamination of satellite imagery. Taking Southwestern China (a typical mountainous region) as an example, this paper established a new HC-MMK approach (Hierarchical Classification based on Multi-source and Multi-temporal data and geo-Knowledge), which was especially designed for land cover mapping in mountainous areas. This approach was taken in order to generate a 30 m-resolution land cover product in Southwestern China in 2010 (hereinafter referred to as CLC-SW2010). The multi-temporal native HJ (HuanJing, small satellite constellation for disaster and environmental monitoring) CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) images, Landsat TM (Thematic Mapper) images and topographical data (including elevation, aspect, slope, etc.) were taken as the main input data sources. Hierarchical classification tree construction and a five-step knowledge-based interactive quality control were the major components of this proposed approach. The CLC-SW2010 product contained six primary categories and 38 secondary categories, which covered about 2.33 million km2 (accounting for about a quarter of the land area of China). The accuracies of primary and secondary categories for CLC-SW2010 reached 95.09% and 87.14%, respectively, which were assessed independently by a third-party group. This product has so far been used to estimate the terrestrial carbon stocks and assess the quality of the ecological environments. The proposed HC-MMK approach could be used not only in mountainous areas, but also for plains, hills and other regions. Meanwhile, this study could also be used as a reference for other land cover mapping projects over large areas or even the entire globe.
Study of the Remote Sensing Model of FAPAR over Rugged Terrains
Authors: Zhao Peng , Fan Wenjie , Liu Yuan , Mu Xihan , Xu Xiru , Peng Jingjing
Published: April 2016

Mountainous areas with rugged terrains are widely distributed around the world. Remotely sensed values of the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FAPAR) suffer from the effect of rugged terrain. In this study, the effect of rugged terrain was incorporated into the FAPAR model based on recollision probability (FAPAR-P), which was improved in two aspects: calculating the sky viewing factor to correct for the fraction of diffuse sky radiation to the total radiation, and correcting the interception probability according to the slope and aspect of each pixel. The newly developed model is called FAPAR-PR (FAPAR-P Model for Rugged Terrain Area). Two study areas were chosen to validate the proposed model: the Dayekou watershed in Gansu Province, and Weichang in Hebei Province, China. The FAPAR values derived from the models were compared with FAPAR values measured in situ using photon flux sensors and the SunScan canopy analysis system (Delta-T Devices Ltd., Cambridge, UK). The validation results show that the FAPAR-PR model is applicable to rugged terrain areas, and it achieves a high level of accuracy. The FAPAR retrieval at different scales was also conducted to estimate the effect of terrain on the FAPAR-P and FAPAR-PR models. In our chosen study area, the effect of rugged terrain was significant in fine resolution pixels, but it was not obvious at larger scales, as the effects of slope and aspect were partly eliminated by the upscaling of the digital elevation model.
Beadwork and the Plasticity of Disability: (Un)Making Bodily Difference, Gender and Apprenticeship in Kinshasa, DR Congo
Authors: De Coster Jori , Nkayilu Eric , Devlieger Patrick
Published: April 2016

Plastic beads have recently become of importance in the lives of women with disabilities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo). Using a materialist approach that focuses on such specific items, this article deviates from most materialist approaches to disability that are focused on the built environment, medical objects, or assistive technology. Rather, the focus is on “things” (this term is to be understood as items being alive in meshworks of social relations) that are explanatory of disability, gender, and world formation or “making”. We show how the interplay of materials, gender, and disability results in acts of creation and performance, and involves an unfolding of life and orientation towards the future.
Geospatial Techniques for Improved Water Management in Jordan
Authors: Al-Bakri Jawad , Shawash Sari , Ghanim Ali , Abdelkhaleq Rania
Published: April 2016

This research shows a case from Jordan where geospatial techniques were utilized for irrigation water auditing. The work was based on assessing records of groundwater abstraction in relation to irrigated areas and estimated crop water consumption in three water basins: Yarmouk, Amman-Zarqa and Azraq. Mapping of irrigated areas and crop water requirements was carried out using remote sensing data of Landsat 8 and daily weather records. The methodology was based on visual interpretation and the unsupervised classification for remote sensing data, supported by ground surveys. Net (NCWR) and gross (GCWR) crop water requirements were calculated by merging crop evapotranspiration (ETc), calculated from daily weather records, with maps of irrigated crops. Gross water requirements were compared with groundwater abstractions recorded at a farm level to assess the levels of abstraction in relation to groundwater safe yield. Results showed that irrigated area and GCWR were higher than officially recorded cropped area and abstracted groundwater. The over abstraction of groundwater was estimated to range from 144% to 360% of the safe yield in the three basins. Overlaying the maps of irrigation and groundwater wells enabled the Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MWI) to detect and uncover violations and illegal practices of irrigation, in the form of unlicensed wells, incorrect metering of pumped water and water conveyance for long distances. Results from the work were utilized at s high level of decision-making and changes to the water law were made, with remote sensing data being accredited for monitoring water resources in Jordan.
Agent Based Modelling for Water Resource Allocation in the Transboundary Nile River
Authors: Ding Ning , Erfani Rasool , Mokhtar Hamid , Erfani Tohid
Published: April 2016

Water resource allocation is the process of assessing and determining a mechanism on how water should be distributed among different regions, sectors and users. Over the recent decades, the optimal solution for water resource allocation has been explored both in centralised and decentralised mechanisms. Conventional approaches are under central planner suggesting a solution which maximises total welfare to the users. Moving towards the decentralised modelling, the techniques consider individuals as if they act selfishly in their own favour. While central planner provides an efficient solution, it may not be acceptable for some selfish agents. The contrary is true as well in decentralised solution, where the solution lacks efficiency leading to an inefficient usage of provided resources. This paper develops a parallel evolutionary search algorithm to introduce a mechanism in re-distributing the central planner revenue value among the competing agents based on their contribution to the central solution. The result maintains the efficiency and is used as an incentive for calculating a fair revenue for each agent. The framework is demonstrated and discussed to allocate water resources along the Nile river basin, where there exist eleven competing users represented as agents in various sectors with upstream-downstream relationships and different water demands and availability.