bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Printability Study of Bioprinted Tubular Structures Using Liquid Hydrogel Precursors in a Support Bath
Authors: Ding Houzhu , Chang Robert
Published: March 2018

Microextrusion-based bioprinting within a support bath material is an emerging additive manufacturing paradigm for complex three-dimensional (3D) tissue construct fabrication. Although a support bath medium enables arbitrary in-process geometries to be printed, a significant challenge lies in preserving the shape fidelity upon the extraction of the support bath material. Based on the bioprinting in a support bath paradigm, this paper advances quantitative analyses to systematically determine the printability of cell-laden liquid hydrogel precursors towards filament-based tissue constructs. First, a yield stress nanoclay material is judiciously selected as the support bath medium owing to its insensitivity to temperature and ionic variations that are considered in the context of the current gelatin-alginate bio-ink material formulation. Furthermore, phenomenological observations for the rheology-mediated print outcomes enable the compositions for the bio-ink material (10% gelatin, 3% alginate), in tandem with the support bath medium (4% nanoclay, 0.5% CaCl2), to be identified. To systematically evaluate the performance outcomes for bioprinting within a support bath, this paper advances an experimental parametric study to optimize the 3D structural shape fidelity by varying parameters such as the layer height, extrusion flowrate, printing temperature, and printhead speed, towards fabricating complex 3D structures with the stabilization of the desired shape outcome. Specifically, it is found that the layer height and printhead speed are determinant parameters for the extent of successive layer fusion. Moreover, maintenance of an optimal bath temperature is identified as a key parameter for establishing the printability for the hydrogel bio-ink. Studying this effect is enabled by the custom design of a PID temperature control system with integration with the bioprinter for real-time precision control of the support bath temperature. In order to qualify the printed construct, a surface irregularity metric, defined as the average height difference between consecutive local maximum and minimum points of the binary image contour for the printed structure, is advanced to evaluate the quality of the printed constructs. Complex one-to-four bifurcating tubular structure prints demonstrate the applicability of the optimized bioprinting parameter space to create exemplar 3D human vessel-like structures. Finally, a cell viability assay and perfusion test for a printed cell-laden tubular element demonstrates high cell survival rates and leakage-free flow, respectively.
Synthesis of Rectorite/Fe3O4/ZnO Composites and Their Application for the Removal of Methylene Blue Dye
Authors: Wang Huanhuan , Zhou Peijiang , Guo Rui , Wang Yifei , Zhan Hongju , Yuan Yunfei
Published: March 2018

A novel series of rectorite-based magnetic zinc oxide (ZnO) photocatalysts (REC/Fe3O4/ZnO) was synthesized and characterized in the present work. The fabricated REC/Fe3O4/ZnO composite possessed a high specific surface area and high capacity of adsorption and photocatalysis toward methylene blue (MB) dye. The adsorption isotherm of the dye on the composite fitted well to the Langmuir model, with a maximum adsorption of 35.1 mg/g. The high adsorption capacity increased the interactions between the dye and the REC/Fe3O4/ZnO, which enabled efficient decomposition of the dye under simulated solar radiation using REC/Fe3O4/ZnO as the photocatalyst. The degradation kinetics of MB dye followed the Langmuir–Hinshelwood model. More importantly, the degradation of MB dye and the mass loss of REC/Fe3O4/ZnO after three repetitive experiments were quite small. This suggests that the magnetic composite has great potential as an effective, stable, and easily recovered catalyst. Four major intermediates were detected during the degradation of MB dye and the degradation pathway was proposed.
High Performance of Manganese Porphyrin Sensitized p-Type CuFe2O4 Photocathode for Solar Water Splitting to Produce Hydrogen in a Tandem Photoelectrochemical Cell
Authors: Li Xia , Liu Aijuan , Chu Dongmei , Zhang Chunyong , Du Yukou , Huang Jie , Yang Ping
Published: March 2018

A novel composite composed of (5, 10, 15, 20-tetraphenyl) porphinato manganese sensitized p-type CuFe2O4 was developed for constructing the photocathode of a tandem photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell. The prepared material was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). Light-driven water splitting to produce hydrogen can be achieved through the PEC cell, and the results show that H2 and O2 can be collected separately at low applied bias. This work demonstrates that manganese porphyrin sensitized CuFe2O4 is an effective hybrid material for building the photocathode of a PEC cell for solar water splitting to produce H2.
Use of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (ATCC 53103) as Whole-Cell Biocatalyst for the Regio- and Stereoselective Hydration of Oleic, Linoleic, and Linolenic Acid
Authors: Serra Stefano , De Simeis Davide
Published: March 2018

Natural hydroxy fatty acids are relevant starting materials for the production of a number of industrial fine chemicals, such as different high-value flavour ingredients. Only a few of the latter hydroxy acid derivatives are available on a large scale. Therefore, their preparation by microbial hydration of unsaturated fatty acids, affordable from vegetable oils, is a new biotechnological challenge. In this study, we describe the use of the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosus (ATCC 53103) as whole-cell biocatalyst for the hydration of the most common unsaturated octadecanoic acids, namely oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid. We discovered that the addition of the latter fatty acids to an anaerobic colture of the latter strain, during the early stage of its exponential growth, allows the production of the corresponding mono-hydroxy derivatives. In these experimental conditions, the hydration reaction proceeds with high regio- and stereoselectivity. Only 10-hydroxy derivatives were formed and the resulting (R)-10-hydroxystearic acid, (S)-(12Z)-10-hydroxy-octadecenoic acid, and (S)-(12Z,15Z)-10-hydroxy-octadecadienoic acid were obtained in very high enantiomeric purity (ee > 95%). Although overall conversions usually do not exceed 50% yield, our biotransformation protocol is stereoselective, scalable, and holds preparative significance.
Some Socioeconomic Factors and Lifestyle Habits Influencing the Prevalence of Obesity among Adolescent Male Students in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alazzeh Awfa , AlShammari Eyad , Smadi Majdi , Azzeh Firas , AlShammari Bandar , Epuru Suneetha , Banu Shahidah , Bano Rafia , Sulaiman Shadi , Alcantara Jerold , Ashraf Syed , Qiblawi Samir
Published: March 2018

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the effect of some socioeconomic factors and lifestyle habits on the prevalence of obesity among adolescent male students in the Hail region, Saudi Arabia. A questionnaire was filled by 1495 male adolescents distributed among 12 schools in the Hail region. Body weight and height were taken, and the Z-score of students was measured using Anthroplus software with a cutoff 1–2 and +2 standard deviations to determine overweight and obesity, respectively. The study revealed that 21.3% of students were overweight and 27% were obese, respectively. There was a negative association between family size of >8 and obesity (OR: 0.68, CI: 0.48–0.92, p = 0.05). Family income of <5000 SR was negatively associated with obesity (OR: 0.59, CI: 0.36–0.97, p = 0.03). Whether a subject’s mother worked (odds ratio (OR): 1.43, confidence interval CI: 1.03–1.99, p = 0.03) as well as the subject’s mother’s education—whether she can read and write, has a middle school degree, or has done postsecondary studies—were positively associated with obesity. Exercise, regardless of the duration, was negatively associated with obesity. In addition, sleeping <6 h/day had a positive association with obesity. Conclusion: a >8 family size and a low family income were negatively associated with obesity, while having an educated and working mother was positively associated with obesity.
Evaluation of the Ultraviolet-Curing Kinetics of Ultraviolet-Polymerized Oligomers Cured Using Poly (Ethylene Glycol) Dimethacrylate
Authors: Park Ji-Won , Lee Jong-Gyu , Shim Gyu-Seong , Kim Hyun-Joong , Kim Young-Kwan , Moon Sang-Eun , No Dong-Hun
Published: March 2018

Ultraviolet (UV)-curable oligomers are increasingly being used in various industries because they can be applied rapidly and have excellent physical properties. Ultraviolet polymerization is used for manufacturing such oligomers. Reactive diluents, which are employed during the secondary curing of UV-curable oligomers, can help elucidate the curing behaviors of these oligomers. In this study, poly (ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) was used as the reactive diluent for UV-curable oligomers. Photodifferential scanning calorimetry (photo-DSC) and shrinkage measurements revealed that the curing behavior of the polymers was dependent on the size and number of molecules of PEGDMA. The effect of the small-size PEGDMA on curing behavior was greater than that of the larger molecules. Further, in most cases, the use of a larger amount of PEGDMA resulted in lower reactivity.
Direct Rehydrogenation of LiBH4 from H-Deficient Li2B12H12−x
Authors: Yan Yigang , Wang Hui , Zhu Min , Cai Weitong , Rentsch Daniel , Remhof Arndt
Published: March 2018

Li2B12H12 is commonly considered as a boron sink hindering the reversible hydrogen sorption of LiBH4. Recently, in the dehydrogenation process of LiBH4 an amorphous H-deficient Li2B12H12−x phase was observed. In the present study, we investigate the rehydrogenation properties of Li2B12H12−x to form LiBH4. With addition of nanostructured cobalt boride in a 1:1 mass ratio, the rehydrogenation properties of Li2B12H12−x are improved, where LiBH4 forms under milder conditions (e.g., 400 °C, 100 bar H2) with a yield of 68%. The active catalytic species in the reversible sorption reaction is suggested to be nonmetallic CoxB (x = 1) based on 11B MAS NMR experiments and its role has been discussed.
Training for Translocation: Predator Conditioning Induces Behavioral Plasticity and Physiological Changes in Captive Eastern Hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) (Cryptobranchidae, Amphibia)
Authors: Kenison Erin , Williams Rod
Published: March 2018

Translocations are stressful, especially when captive animals are naïve to natural stimuli. Captive eastern hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) identify predatory fish as threats, but may be more vulnerable to predation and stress because of inexperience with them. We investigated the use of predator conditioning to prepare hellbenders, behaviorally and physiologically, for the presence of a common predator, largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). We reared hellbenders for 30 d with and without continuous exposure to largemouth bass kairomones and heterospecific alarm cues and found conditioned hellbenders became less active compared to unconditioned individuals (p = 0.017). After conditioning, we exposed hellbenders to water, a low concentration of kairomones, or a high concentration of kairomones in a closed respirometer system. We measured activity within respirometer chambers and routine metabolic rate. We found unconditioned hellbenders exposed to low and high concentrations of kairomones were 41% and 119% more active than conditioned animals (p = 0.002 and p < 0.001). Moreover, conditioned individuals had on average 6.5% lower metabolic rates across all three kairomone concentrations compared to unconditioned individuals (p = 0.017). Our data suggest that predator conditioning induces behavioral avoidance tactics and physiological changes that could improve future translocation efforts for hellbenders and other imperiled species.
Wave Resource Characterization Using an Unstructured Grid Modeling Approach
Authors: Wu Wei-Cheng , Yang Zhaoqing , Wang Taiping
Published: March 2018

This paper presents a modeling study conducted on the central Oregon coast for wave resource characterization, using the unstructured grid Simulating WAve Nearshore (SWAN) model coupled with a nested grid WAVEWATCH III® (WWIII) model. The flexibility of models with various spatial resolutions and the effects of open boundary conditions simulated by a nested grid WWIII model with different physics packages were evaluated. The model results demonstrate the advantage of the unstructured grid-modeling approach for flexible model resolution and good model skills in simulating the six wave resource parameters recommended by the International Electrotechnical Commission in comparison to the observed data in Year 2009 at National Data Buoy Center Buoy 46050. Notably, spectral analysis indicates that the ST4 physics package improves upon the ST2 physics package’s ability to predict wave power density for large waves, which is important for wave resource assessment, load calculation of devices, and risk management. In addition, bivariate distributions show that the simulated sea state of maximum occurrence with the ST4 physics package matched the observed data better than with the ST2 physics package. This study demonstrated that the unstructured grid wave modeling approach, driven by regional nested grid WWIII outputs along with the ST4 physics package, can efficiently provide accurate wave hindcasts to support wave resource characterization. Our study also suggests that wind effects need to be considered if the dimension of the model domain is greater than approximately 100 km, or O (102 km).
Do Technical Aids for Patient Handling Prevent Musculoskeletal Complaints in Health Care Workers?—A Systematic Review of Intervention Studies
Authors: Hegewald Janice , Berge Wera , Heinrich Philipp , Staudte Ronny , Freiberg Alice , Scharfe Julia , Girbig Maria , Nienhaus Albert , Seidler Andreas
Published: March 2018

The physical load ensuing from the repositioning and moving of patients puts health care workers at risk of musculoskeletal complaints. Technical equipment developed to aid with patient handling should reduce physical strain and workload; however, the efficacy of these aids in preventing musculoskeletal disorders and complaints is still unclear. A systematic review of controlled intervention studies was conducted to examine if the risk of musculoskeletal complaints and disorders is reduced by technical patient handling equipment. MEDLINE®/PubMed®, EMBASE®, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED), and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL®) were searched using terms for nursing, caregiving, technical aids, musculoskeletal injuries, and complaints. Randomized controlled trials and controlled before-after studies of interventions including technical patient handling equipment were included. The titles and abstracts of 9554 publications and 97 full-texts were screened by two reviewers. The qualitative synthesis included one randomized controlled trial (RCT) and ten controlled before-after studies. A meta-analysis of four studies resulted in a pooled risk ratio for musculoskeletal injury claims (post-intervention) of 0.78 (95% confidence interval 0.68–0.90). Overall, the methodological quality of the studies was poor and the results often based on administrative injury claim data, introducing potential selection bias. Interventions with technical patient handling aids appear to prevent musculoskeletal complaints, but the certainty of the evidence according to GRADE approach ranged from low to very low.
A Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) Simulation of PM10 Dispersion Caused by Rail Transit Construction Activity: A Real Urban Street Canyon Model
Authors: Wang Yang , Zhou Ying , Zuo Jian , Rameezdeen Raufdeen
Published: March 2018

Particle emissions derived from construction activities have a significant impact on the local air quality, while the canyon effect with reduced natural ventilation contributes to the highest particulate pollution in urban environments. This study attempted to examine the effect of PM10 emissions derived from the construction of a rail transit system in an urban street canyon. Using a 3D computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model based on a real street canyon with different height ratios, this study formulates the impact of height ratio and wind directions on the dispersion and concentration of PM10. The results indicate that parallel flow would cause the concentration of PM10 at the end of the street canyons in all height ratios, and the trends in horizontal, vertical and lateral planes in all street canyons are similar. While in the condition of perpendicular flow, double-eddy circulations occur and lead to the concentration of PM10 in the middle part of the street canyon and leeward of backwind buildings in all height ratios. Furthermore, perpendicular flow will cause the concentration of PM10 to increase if the upwind buildings are higher than the backwind ones. This study also shows that the dispersion of PM10 is strongly associated with wind direction in and the height ratios of the street canyons. Certain measures could, therefore, be taken to prevent the impact on people in terms of the PM10 concentration and the heights of street canyons identified in this research. Potential mitigation strategies are suggested, include measurements below 4 m according to governmental regulations, dust shields, and atomized water.
Coupling Plant-Derived Cyclotides to Metal Surfaces: An Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Study
Authors: Cao Pan , Yang Ying , Uche Fidelia , Hart Sarah , Li Wen-Wu , Yuan Chengqing
Published: March 2018

Modification of metal surfaces with antimicrobial peptides is a promising approach to reduce bacterial adhesion. Here, cyclic peptides or cycloids, possessing remarkable stability and antimicrobial activities, were extracted and purified from Viola philippica Cav., and identified using mass spectrometry. Cyclotides were subsequently utilized to modify stainless steel surfaces via polydopamine-mediated coupling. The resulting cyclotide-modified surfaces were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and contact angle analysis. The antibacterial capacity of these cyclotides against Staphylococcus aureus was assessed by Alamar blue assay. The antibiofilm capacity of the modified surfaces was assessed by crystal violet assay, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A composite of Kalata b1, Varv A, Viba 15 and Viba 17 (P1); Varv E (P2); and Viphi G (P3) were isolated and identified. FTIR analysis of the modified surfaces demonstrated that cyclotides bound to the surfaces and induced reduction of contact angles. Antimicrobial effects showed an order P3 > P1 and P2, with P3-treated surfaces demonstrating the strongest antibiofilm capacity. SEM confirmed reduced biofilm formation for P3-treated surfaces. This study provides novel evidence for cyclotides as a new class for development of antibacterial and antibiofilm agents.
Enhancement of RWSN Lifetime via Firework Clustering Algorithm Validated by ANN
Authors: Ali Ahmad , Ming Yu , Si Tapas , Iram Saima , Chakraborty Sagnik
Published: March 2018

Nowadays, wireless power transfer is ubiquitously used in wireless rechargeable sensor networks (WSNs). Currently, the energy limitation is a grave concern issue for WSNs. However, lifetime enhancement of sensor networks is a challenging task need to be resolved. For addressing this issue, a wireless charging vehicle is an emerging technology to expand the overall network efficiency. The present study focuses on the enhancement of overall network lifetime of the rechargeable wireless sensor network. To resolve the issues mentioned above, we propose swarm intelligence based hard clustering approach using fireworks algorithm with the adaptive transfer function (FWA-ATF). In this work, the virtual clustering method has been applied in the routing process which utilizes the firework optimization algorithm. Still now, an FWA-ATF algorithm yet not applied by any researcher for RWSN. Furthermore, the validation study of the proposed method using the artificial neural network (ANN) backpropagation algorithm incorporated in the present study. Different algorithms are applied to evaluate the performance of proposed technique that gives the best results in this mechanism. Numerical results indicate that our method outperforms existing methods and yield performance up to 80% regarding energy consumption and vacation time of wireless charging vehicle.
Online Learning of Discriminative Correlation Filter Bank for Visual Tracking
Authors: Wei Jian , Liu Feng
Published: March 2018

Accurate visual tracking is a challenging research topic in the field of computer vision. The challenge emanates from various issues, such as target deformation, background clutter, scale variations, and occlusion. In this setting, discriminative correlation filter (DCF)-based trackers have demonstrated excellent performance in terms of speed. However, existing correlation filter-based trackers cannot handle major changes in appearance due to severe occlusions, which eventually result in the development of a bounding box for target drift tracking. In this study, we use a set of DCFs called discriminative correlation filter bank (DCFB) for visual tracking to address the key causes of object occlusion and drift in a tracking-by-detection framework. In this work, we treat thxe current location of the target frame as the center, extract several samples around the target, and perform online learning of DCFB. The sliding window then extracts numerous samples within a large radius of the area where the object in the next frame is previously located. These samples are used for the DCFB to perform correlation operation in the Fourier domain to estimate the location of the new object; the coordinates of the largest correlation scores indicate the position of the new target. The DCFB is updated according to the location of the new target. Experimental results on the quantitative and qualitative evaluations on the challenging benchmark sequences show that the proposed framework improves tracking performance compared with several state-of-the-art trackers.
Towards a Simpler Characterization of Urban Sprawl across Urban Areas in Europe
Authors: Aurambout Jean-Philippe , Barranco Ricardo , Lavalle Carlo
Published: March 2018

Urban sprawl is a concept commonly used to describe the physical expansion of urban areas. It is traditionally associated with lower residential density, poorer connectivity, and higher energy costs for heating and transport. From the period of 1980 to 2000, the extent of the built-up area in Europe has increased at a rate three times higher than that of population increase, and urban sprawl is now recognized as a major challenge. However, for policies to address this issue, it is essential to be able to identify and quantify sprawl. Yet, there is no internationally agreed upon definition of what constitutes sprawl, nor is there an agreed upon methodology on how to measure and define it in a quantitative manner. This paper describes an attempt at characterizing urban sprawl across urban areas at a pan European scale by presenting a new indicator, the Averaged Concentric Weighted Urban Proliferation (ACWUP) index. This index is calculated by aggregating the “sprawl profile” of urban areas, derived from an adapted version of the Weighted Urban Proliferation (WUP) index and applied to EU28-wide, 100 m resolution gridded population and land-use data. In comparison to other approaches, the proposed indicator (1) is data cheap and quick to produce, and (2) provides a unique synthetic value that characterizes the sprawl status of individual cities. We believe this indicator and its associated sprawl profile could be used as a first-pass approximation that characterizes and compares urban sprawl across cities.
High-Speed Measurements of Steel–Ice Friction: Experiment vs. Calculation
Authors: Scherge Matthias , Böttcher Roman , Spagni Alberto , Marchetto Diego
Published: March 2018

An ultra-thin water film plays the decisive role in steel–ice friction in bobsleighing. The water film has a thickness on the order of nanometers and results from the superposition of an existing quasi-liquid layer and additional surface water generated by frictional heat. When friction is measured as function of sliding velocity, the coefficients decrease according to the typical Stribeck behavior. However, for highest sliding velocities, it is still unknown whether friction decreases further or shows an increase due to viscous drag. Both tendencies are essential for the construction of safe bobsleighs and bobsleigh tracks. This contribution presents results of high-speed experiments up to 240 km/h for a steel slider on a disk of ice at different ice temperatures. In addition, using the friction model of Makkonen, friction coefficients were calculated as function of sliding velocity and ice temperature. The significant correlation between experimental results and model calculation supports the model conception of frictional melting and viscous shearing.
Marine Spongin: Naturally Prefabricated 3D Scaffold-Based Biomaterial
Authors: Jesionowski Teofil , Norman Małgorzata , Żółtowska-Aksamitowska Sonia , Petrenko Iaroslav , Joseph Yvonne , Ehrlich Hermann
Published: March 2018

The biosynthesis, chemistry, structural features and functionality of spongin as a halogenated scleroprotein of keratosan demosponges are still paradigms. This review has the principal goal of providing thorough and comprehensive coverage of spongin as a naturally prefabricated 3D biomaterial with multifaceted applications. The history of spongin’s discovery and use in the form of commercial sponges, including their marine farming strategies, have been analyzed and are discussed here. Physicochemical and material properties of spongin-based scaffolds are also presented. The review also focuses on prospects and trends in applications of spongin for technology, materials science and biomedicine. Special attention is paid to applications in tissue engineering, adsorption of dyes and extreme biomimetics.
Energy-Protein Supplementation and Lactation Affect Fatty Acid Profile of Liver and Adipose Tissue of Dairy Cows
Authors: Brzozowska Anna , Lukaszewicz Marek , Oprzadek Jolanta
Published: March 2018

This article addresses the hypothesis that lactation stage, parity and energy-protein feed additive affect fatty acid composition of blood, liver and adipose tissue of cows. The experiment was conducted on 24 Polish Holstein-Friesian cows divided into two feeding groups. One group of cows was fed solely a total mixed ration, while the other group was fed a ration with the addition of 2 kg of energy-protein supplement per cow/day. During the experiment, the samples of liver, adipose tissue and blood were taken and their fatty acid compositions were determined. Analysis of variance was applied to fatty acid relative weight percentage to determine the effect of the stage of lactation, parity, and energy-protein supplement on the fatty acid composition of the tissues. Stage of lactation had a significant impact on the content of many fatty acids in all examined tissues. We found that parity had no effect on fatty acid composition of blood, whereas it significantly affected C16:1 c9 in liver, and C16:1 c9 and C18:0 in adipose tissue. Energy-protein supplement significantly affected the content of most fatty acids in blood (e.g., C18:1 t11 and C18:3 n-3) and liver (C18:3 n-3, both isomers of conjugated linolenic acid and n-3 fatty acids derived from fish oil), but it did not affect the profile of the adipose tissue of cows. According to our best knowledge, this is the first study showing the relationship between parity, stage of lactation and the composition of fatty acids in blood, liver and adipose tissue of cows.
Resveratrol in Patients with Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy
Authors: Malaguarnera Giulia , Pennisi Manuela , Bertino Gaetano , Motta Massimo , Borzì Antonio , Vicari Enzo , Bella Rita , Drago Filippo , Malaguarnera Michele
Published: March 2018

Background: Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy (MHE) is characterized by an impairment of social interaction, emotional behavior, sleep disorders, physical and mental symptoms, and diminished Quality of Life (QoL). The aim of our study is evaluating the potential liver health promoting a perspective of Resveratrol (RV) activities and evaluate whether RV treatment may improve health related quality of life (HRQL) and reduce depression and anxiety in patients with MHE. Methods: We evaluated depression using the Beck Depression Inventory test, anxiety with State-trait anxiety inventory test, quality of life through SF-36 test, and ammonia serum levels in 70 MHE patients that were randomized into two groups. Results: In the comparison between RV group and placebo group we observed a decrease in Back Depression Inventory (BDI) (p < 0.001), in State-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) (p < 0.001), and improve in physical function (p < 0.001), in role physical (p < 0.05), in body pain (p < 0.05), in general health (p < 0.001), in vitality (p < 0.05), and in social function (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Resveratrol showed efficacy in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and ammonia serum levels, and improved the quality of life Of MHE patients.
Substandard Journal Management: Wastage of Authors’ Motivation
Authors: Sorooshian Shahryar , Parsia Yasaman
Published: March 2018

Authors who offer papers for publication to professional journals are under the impression that their work is publication-worthy. The editors as well as reviewers adjudge whether the manuscripts should be taken up for publication. This paper presents certain cases of unreliable journals’ management processes with an aim to show how a journal reviewer or editor could squander authors’ time and negatively impact the motivation of scholars to publish.
How to Communicate Lateran IV in 13th Century Ireland: Lessons from the Liber Exemplorum (c.1275)
Authors: Ryan Salvador , Shanahan Anthony
Published: March 2018

The Liber Exemplorum, a collection of preachers’ tales, was compiled c.1275 by an English Franciscan working in Ireland, and is the earliest Franciscan example of its type. Out of 213 exempla which survive in this manuscript, some 26 of these are found in no other source, and are drawn either from the compiler’s own experience or from his having heard of them second hand; these often mention Irish place names and feature Irish Christians as the main protagonists. The collection was compiled some 60 years after the calling of the Fourth Lateran Council, whose decrees would significantly shape the lives of medieval Christians for centuries. This article examines the manner in which some of the principal concerns of Lateran IV appear prominently as themes in this collection of preachers’ tales, and, furthermore, how such tales played a crucial role in the popular dissemination of the reforms envisaged by the council fathers. The tales themselves also offer a unique window on popular religious practice and ideas, both real and imagined, in late-13th-century Ireland.
Shortwave Radiation Affected by Agricultural Practices
Authors: Cierniewski Jerzy , Ceglarek Jakub , Karnieli Arnon , Ben-Dor Eyal , Królewicz Sławomir , Kaźmierowski Cezary
Published: March 2018

The albedo of bare soil depends on its organic matter, iron oxide, carbonate contents, and reflectance geometry, features considered stable over time, and also depends on salinity, moisture and roughness, which change dynamically due to agricultural practices. This paper deals with the quantitative estimation of the amount of shortwave radiation that could be reflected by air-dried bare soils in clear-sky conditions within arable lands in Israel throughout the year, assuming that they were shaped by a plough, a disk harrow, or a smoothing harrow. An area of bare soils was extracted from Landsat 8 images, within the contours of arable lands. The radiation reflected from the bare soils was calculated by equations predicting variations in their half-diurnal albedo as the solar zenith angle function. Accordingly, laboratory reflectance data of Israeli soil samples were used. The results clearly showed annual variation in the amount of short-wave radiation reflected from all bare soils within arable lands. The minimum radiation occurred in the winter, between the 1st and 70th day of the year (DOY), and the maximum was identified in the summer between 200th and 250th DOY. This could reach about 3–5 PJ/day and 16–23 PJ/day, respectively.
A New Algorithm for the On-Board Compression of Hyperspectral Images
Authors: Guerra Raúl , Barrios Yubal , Díaz María , Santos Lucana , López Sebastián , Sarmiento Roberto
Published: March 2018

Hyperspectral sensors are able to provide information that is useful for many different applications. However, the huge amounts of data collected by these sensors are not exempt of drawbacks, especially in remote sensing environments where the hyperspectral images are collected on-board satellites and need to be transferred to the earth’s surface. In this situation, an efficient compression of the hyperspectral images is mandatory in order to save bandwidth and storage space. Lossless compression algorithms have been traditionally preferred, in order to preserve all the information present in the hyperspectral cube for scientific purposes, despite their limited compression ratio. Nevertheless, the increment in the data-rate of the new-generation sensors is making more critical the necessity of obtaining higher compression ratios, making it necessary to use lossy compression techniques. A new transform-based lossy compression algorithm, namely Lossy Compression Algorithm for Hyperspectral Image Systems (HyperLCA), is proposed in this manuscript. This compressor has been developed for achieving high compression ratios with a good compression performance at a reasonable computational burden. An extensive amount of experiments have been performed in order to evaluate the goodness of the proposed HyperLCA compressor using different calibrated and uncalibrated hyperspectral images from the AVIRIS and Hyperion sensors. The results provided by the proposed HyperLCA compressor have been evaluated and compared against those produced by the most relevant state-of-the-art compression solutions. The theoretical and experimental evidence indicates that the proposed algorithm represents an excellent option for lossy compressing hyperspectral images, especially for applications where the available computational resources are limited, such as on-board scenarios.
Cooperative Vehicular Traffic Monitoring in Realistic Low Penetration Scenarios: The COLOMBO Experience
Authors: Bellavista Paolo , Caselli Federico , Corradi Antonio , Foschini Luca
Published: March 2018

The relevance of effective and efficient solutions for vehicle traffic surveillance is widely recognized in order to enable advanced strategies for traffic management, e.g., based on dynamically adaptive and decentralized traffic light management. However, most related solutions in the literature, based on the powerful enabler of cooperative vehicular communications, assume the complete penetration rate of connectivity/communication technologies (and willingness to participate in the collaborative surveillance service) over the targeted vehicle population, thus making them not applicable nowadays. The paper originally proposes an innovative solution for cooperative traffic surveillance based on vehicular communications capable of: (i) working with low penetration rates of the proposed technology and (ii) of collecting a large set of monitoring data about vehicle mobility in targeted areas of interest. The paper presents insights and lessons learnt from the design and implementation work of the proposed solution. Moreover, it reports extensive performance evaluation results collected on realistic simulation scenarios based on the usage of iTETRIS with real traces of vehicular traffic of the city of Bologna. The reported results show the capability of our proposal to consistently estimate the real vehicular traffic even with low penetration rates of our solution (only 10%).
Computerized Hammer Sounding Interpretation for Concrete Assessment with Online Machine Learning
Authors: Ye Jiaxing , Kobayashi Takumi , Iwata Masaya , Tsuda Hiroshi , Murakawa Masahiro
Published: March 2018

Developing efficient Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled systems to substitute the human role in non-destructive testing is an emerging topic of considerable interest. In this study, we propose a novel hammering response analysis system using online machine learning, which aims at achieving near-human performance in assessment of concrete structures. Current computerized hammer sounding systems commonly employ lab-scale data to validate the models. In practice, however, the response signal patterns can be far more complicated due to varying geometric shapes and materials of structures. To deal with a large variety of unseen data, we propose a sequential treatment for response characterization. More specifically, the proposed system can adaptively update itself to approach human performance in hammering sounding data interpretation. To this end, a two-stage framework has been introduced, including feature extraction and the model updating scheme. Various state-of-the-art online learning algorithms have been reviewed and evaluated for the task. To conduct experimental validation, we collected 10,940 response instances from multiple inspection sites; each sample was annotated by human experts with healthy/defective condition labels. The results demonstrated that the proposed scheme achieved favorable assessment accuracy with high efficiency and low computation load.
The Mapping of On-Line Learning to Flipped Classroom: Small Private Online Course
Authors: Zheng Muqiang , Chu Chien-Chi , Wu Yenchun , Gou Wanxing
Published: March 2018

This study uses an integrated pedagogical tool for knowledge learning as an on-line tool for flipped classroom activities and as an off-line capability training tool. Theoretically, the Experiential Learning Cycle (ELC) plays a critical role in promoting students learning effectiveness and performance. However, a dearth of research has applied M-learning and flipped classroom in combination with the ELC stages such as concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation to examine the knowledge and ability learning outcomes for students. This study integrates the On line to Off line (O2O) classroom development and usage derived from the four stages of ELC based on on-line knowledge learning and off-line ability training in Microeconomics courses. The results revealed significant improvements in students learning outcomes after O2O mode was implemented. In comparison with traditional teaching methods, not only does O2O teaching significantly improve the students’ learning result of professional knowledge, but O2O teaching also significantly enhanced the capabilities of the students. Furthermore, this study reports the findings from major activities of each ELC stage in O2O classroom practice along with the mapping of on-line learning and off-line training included in the aforementioned stages. Finally, the study provides pedagogical implications and future research directions.
Barriers and Facilitators of Physical Activity in Children of a South Asian Ethnicity
Authors: Smith Lee , López Sánchez Guillermo , Díaz Suárez Arturo , Stubbs Brendon , Dowling Mathew , Scruton Adrian , Roberts Justin , Johnstone James , Pardhan Shahina
Published: March 2018

Children of South Asian ethnicity residing in England have low levels of physical activity. Limited literature exists on correlates, barriers, and facilitators to activity in South Asian children. The aim of this study was to fill this gap in the literature. Interviews were conducted with 10 parents of South Asian ethnicity residing in the UK. Interviews covered a description of the family setup, participants’ opinions of physical activity including barriers and facilitators and their children’s participation, as well as approaches to general parenting, and how children spend their free time. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Key themes identified included (i) restraints on parents’ and children’s time to be physically active; (ii) the role of the family in children’s physical activity participation; (iii) situational barriers to physical activity; (iv) physical activity not a priority; (v) opportunities to be active; and (vi) perception of activity level and health. A number of key barriers to South Asian children’s participation in physical activity were identified, including (i) restraints on parents and children’s time; (ii) parents providing limited support for physical activity; and (iii) physical activity having a low priority. A number of facilitators were also identified (i) play; (ii) school-time; and (iii) extra-curricular clubs. In this sample of South Asian parents residing in the UK several socio-cultural barriers and facilitators of their children’s physical activity have been identified. The study provides preliminary data for a larger study to ascertain if such barriers and facilitators are representative of the wider South Asian community, so that recommendations for intervention and policies can be made.
Retailing of Processed Dairy and Grain Products in Mali: Evidence from a City Retail Outlet Inventory
Authors: Theriault Veronique , Vroegindewey Ryan , Assima Amidou , Keita Naman
Published: March 2018

As in many sub-Saharan African countries, Mali is experiencing an unprecedented rate of urbanization and, with it, changes to its agri-food system. As more people live in urban areas, the demand for processed foods has been increasing rapidly. These changes have important implications for food and nutrition security. Yet, little is known about the scale and scope of the retailing of processed foods. To better understand this segment, we conducted a city retail outlet inventory of processed dairy and cereal foods in 2016. The main findings are that: (1) food availability is greater in the capital, high-income neighborhoods, and supermarkets; (2) there is a high prevalence of imported foods; (3) added sugar and vegetable fats are listed as a top-three ingredient in a quarter of processed products, highlighting issues related to healthfulness; (4) price premiums are paid for products that are imported from Europe, use improved packaging, and are retailed in supermarkets. Taken together, our findings indicate that the transformation in the Malian agri-food system is still at an early stage. The growing demand for processed foods presents economic opportunities for Malian farmers and processors, especially if they can improve product quality, packaging, and distribution.
Challenge for One Health: Co-Circulation of Zoonotic H5N1 and H9N2 Avian Influenza Viruses in Egypt
Authors: Kim Shin-Hee
Published: March 2018

Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 viruses are currently endemic in poultry in Egypt. Eradication of the viruses has been unsuccessful due to improper application of vaccine-based control strategies among other preventive measures. The viruses have evolved rapidly with increased bird-to-human transmission efficacy, thus affecting both animal and public health. Subsequent spread of potentially zoonotic low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) H9N2 in poultry has also hindered efficient control of avian influenza. The H5N1 viruses acquired enhanced bird-to-human transmissibility by (1) altering amino acids in hemagglutinin (HA) that enable binding affinity to human-type receptors, (2) loss of the glycosylation site and 130 loop in the HA protein and (3) mutation of E627K in the PB2 protein to enhance viral replication in mammalian hosts. The receptor binding site of HA of Egyptian H9N2 viruses has been shown to contain the Q234L substitution along with a H191 mutation, which can increase human-like receptor specificity. Therefore, co-circulation of H5N1 and H9N2 viruses in poultry farming and live bird markets has increased the risk of human exposure, resulting in complication of the epidemiological situation and raising a concern for potential emergence of a new influenza A virus pandemic. For efficient control of infection and transmission, the efficacy of vaccine and vaccination needs to be improved with a comprehensive control strategy, including enhanced biosecurity, education, surveillance, rapid diagnosis and culling of infected poultry.
Assessing Eutrophication Potential of a Freshwater Lake by Relating Its Bioproductivity and Biodiversity: A Case Study of Lake Wilson on Central Oahu, Hawaii
Authors: Lee Tsu-Chuan , Liu Clark
Published: March 2018

Algal bloom in a freshwater lake is a rapid increase of aquatic plants, which disrupts the ecological balance and its potential for beneficial uses. This problem has been managed by relating the trophic levels of a lake with nutrient loading. This traditional management approach is less than satisfactory as it neglects considering the intricate relationship between nutrient loading and the algal community. As a result, it often fails to detect an imminent algal bloom and fails to formulate and implement timely remedial measures. The advancement of modern molecular biosciences has provided an opportunity to improve this traditional approach. In this study, field and laboratory experiments on lake bioproductivity and biodiversity were conducted in Lake Wilson on central Oahu, Hawaii. Bioproductivity or algal productivity was evaluated in terms of the rate of chlorophyll growth in the lake water, and the biodiversity or genetic biodiversity was evaluated by using the method of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of the algae species and the Shannon index. Research results indicated that eukaryote communities in Lake Wilson were more diverse under the mesotrophic state of algal productivity than those under the oligotrophic and eutrophic states. Therefore, the reduction of the biodiversity of a mesotrophic lake can be used in water quality management as a warning sign of an imminent algal bloom.
Le Rhône romain dans sa basse plaine et dans son delta. Variations territoriales, sociétales et environnementales
Authors: Leveau Philippe
Published: March 2018

En 1999, le Rhône avait fait l’objet d’un dossier qui traitait de la relation entre ce fleuve et sa vallée à l’époque romaine. Cet article dresse un bilan des recherches qui se sont poursuivies depuis sa publication sur la diffluence à l’amont d’Arles et sur le delta du Rhône. Deux thèmes son privilégiés : l’aménagement du fleuve et de ses bras d’embouchure pour la navigation, celui de ses rives et de ses plaines alluviale et deltaïque pour l’habitat et l’agriculture. Une première partie dresse un état de la question dans ses dimensions environnementale et historique. Une deuxième partie présente l’apport d’opérations archéologiques réalisées ou en cours sur la ville d’Arles, sur la vallée et sur la plaine deltaïque. La date de la diffluence du Rhône à Fourques est l’objet d’un débat. Une attention particulière est portée à cette question ainsi qu’aux bras occidentaux du fleuve le long du plateau des Costières. Une troisième partie traite de la gestion du risque d’inondation pour la ville d’Arles et des aménagements dont les bras du fleuve ont fait l’objet. Le point de vue adopté est historiographique.