bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Work Zone Crash Cost Prediction with a Least Median Squares Linear Regression Model
Authors: Cheng Yang , Parker Steven T. , Ran Bin , Noyce David A.
Published: October 2016

Traffic safety considerations are an important component of work zone design and implementation plans. This study aimed to develop a safety estimation approach on the basis of work zone scheduling and configuration parameters to help engineers and decision makers during the work zone traffic management design stage. This approach has its basis in the fusion of multiple years of statewide work zone records, work zone–related crash reports, and traffic detection data. First, a matching algorithm was used to integrate those data sets to provide detailed circumstances of work zone crashes. Second, the actual vehicle miles traveled in work zones were calculated and used as the exposure measure. The work zone crash costs also were calculated. Third, a least median squares linear regression model was used to build the crash cost prediction tool on the basis of the work zone configurations and vehicle miles traveled. This model was tested, and the results indicated that it could accurately predict work zone crash costs. Recommendations for work zone scheduling and configuration parameters therefore could be made. Although the Wisconsin Lane Closure System work zone configurations are used for operational purposes and differ from the ones in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, other types of work zone configurations in similar systems can be incorporated easily into this approach. Thus this approach would be easy to adopt for use with the existing traffic management plan process as a proactive method to avoid high-risk work zone scenarios.
Variable Speed Limit Study Upstream of an Indiana Work Zone with Vehicle Matching
Authors: Mekker Michelle M. , Remias Stephen M. , Bunnell Wayne A. , Krohn Drake W. , Cox Edward D. , Bullock Darcy M.
Published: October 2016

Traffic management in work zones presents significant mobility and safety challenges for agencies. The goals of a work zone traffic management plan are to safely slow vehicles ahead of the work zone, maintain speeds that provide for the safety of motorists and construction workers, and manage the growth of queues. Historically, variable speed limits (VSLs) have been presented as a form of technology that can dynamically regulate speed in response to prevailing traffic conditions. However, techniques used to evaluate the impact of VSLs typically use aggregated statistics such as mean and standard deviation to determine the typical speed reduction. This paper presents a new methodology to evaluate the impact of VSL signage on the basis of individual vehicle matching. The speeds and speed changes of these matched vehicles were used to analyze individual driver response to the VSLs. This approach allows agencies to understand the impact that VSL signage has on the distribution of vehicle speeds. It was concluded that vehicles would need to observe multiple signs before any tangible reduction in speed limit would occur. The new vehicle-matching methodology showed that, after drivers observed a 15-mph drop in the speed limit for cars (10 mph for trucks) on three consecutive VSL signs, they reduced their speed by a median of 7.5 mph (5.8 mph for trucks). Overall, 4% of cars and 10% of trucks complied with the 55-mph speed limit after the observance of three VSL signs.
Examination of the Transferability of Safety Performance Functions for Developing Crash Modification Factors: Using the Empirical Bayes Method
Authors: Wang Jung-Han , Abdel-Aty Mohamed , Lee Jaeyoung
Published: October 2016

In this study, crash modification factors (CMFs) for the effect of signalization at intersections in Florida were estimated. This paper applies the empirical Bayes method to develop CMFs for KABCO, KABC, and rear-end crashes by using several safety performance functions (SPFs) from various jurisdictions, adjusted by calibration factors. [In the KABCO scale, K = fatal (killed), A = incapacitating injury, B = nonincapacitating injury, C = possible injury, and O = property damage only.] Florida and Ohio data were used to develop these SPFs. Also, the SPFs suggested in the Highway Safety Manual were used to calculate CMFs. Through development of the SPFs and comparison of SPFs from different states, the study concluded that it might not be suitable to apply SPFs from other states without thorough examination. The CMF was 0.785 for KABCO with the SPF from Florida, significantly smaller than 1; this result indicated that the signalization at intersections resulted in fewer total crashes. But when the SPFs from Ohio and the Highway Safety Manual were applied, higher CMFs of 1.06 and 1.07 were obtained, respectively. These were significantly larger than 1; this result shows that the signalization brings about more total crashes. CMFs for KABC and rear-end crashes are discussed in this paper as well. The major finding of this study is that the CMF values may be significantly different when SPFs developed from other states’ data are applied. Therefore, CMFs would be biased if SPFs are borrowed from other states without proper adjustments.
Pioneering Use of Continuous Pavement Friction Measurements to Develop Safety Performance Functions, Improve Crash Count Prediction, and Evaluate Treatments for Virginia Roads
Authors: de León Izeppi Edgar , Katicha Samer W. , Flintsch Gerardo W. , McGhee Kevin K.
Published: October 2016

A comprehensive pavement management system includes a pavement friction management (PFM) program to ensure that pavement surfaces are designed, constructed, and maintained to minimize friction-related crashes in a cost-effective manner. FHWA Technical Advisory 5040.38 on PFM canceled a previous advisory that focused only on the reduction of wet skid crashes. This new advisory recommends continuous friction measuring equipment as an appropriate method for evaluating pavements. The study described in this report developed a pavement friction inventory by using the GripTester. The friction data were then coupled with crash records to develop a strategy for network analysis to improve the ability to predict crash rates. The crash rate analysis applied a well-established methodology for the identification of areas of high crash risk by using safety performance functions (SPF), which included empirical Bayes rate estimation from observed crashes. The current Virginia Department of Transportation SPF models can be modified to include skid resistance and radius of curvature (Interstate and primary system only) to improve their predictive power. The same methodology was also used to contrast the effect of two friction repair treatments—an asphalt overlay and high-friction surface (HFS) treatments—to explore how their strategic use could affect network-level crash rates. The result suggests significant crash reductions with comprehensive economic savings ($100 million) when applied to a single relatively rural district. These findings easily justify an aggressive state-level PFM program and support continued research to quantify the influence of other pavement-related characteristics such as macrotexture, grade, and cross slope.
Development of Marx generator type pulsed power system with MOSFETs and underwater pulsed electric discharge
Authors: Sato Morihiko , Oya Ryusuke , Ishikawa Takeo
Published: October 2016

We have developed a ten stages Marx generator type pulsed power system with MOSFETs. The operation principle of the circuit has been clarified, and the experimental results have confirmed the operation of the developed circuit. In the case of ten stages system, the repetitive operation is verified at the frequency of 1 kHz, and the output voltage of 9.4 kV was obtained. The current was calculated as 36 A, and increasing of the current flowed in the system was achieved. The experiment of the underwater pulsed electrical discharge is performed, and the occurrence of the underwater pulsed electric discharge was confirmed.
The Proteasome Inhibition Model of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Bentea Eduard , Verbruggen Lise , Massie Ann
Published: October 2016

The pathological hallmarks of Parkinson’s disease are the progressive loss of nigral dopaminergic neurons and the formation of intracellular inclusion bodies, termed Lewy bodies, in surviving neurons. Accumulation of proteins in large insoluble cytoplasmic aggregates has been proposed to result, partly, from a failure in the function of intracellular protein degradation pathways. Evidence in support for such a hypothesis emerged in the beginning of the years 2000 with studies demonstrating structural and functional deficits in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in post-mortem nigral tissue of patients with Parkinson’s disease. These fundamental findings have inspired the development of a new generation of animal models based on the use of proteasome inhibitors to disturb protein homeostasis and trigger nigral dopaminergic neurodegeneration. In this review, we provide an updated overview of the current approaches in employing proteasome inhibitors to model Parkinson’s disease, with particular emphasis on rodent studies. In addition, the mechanisms underlying proteasome inhibition-induced cell death and the validity criteria (construct, face and predictive validity) of the model will be critically discussed. Due to its distinct, but highly relevant mechanism of inducing neuronal death, the proteasome inhibition model represents a useful addition to the repertoire of toxin-based models of Parkinson’s disease that might provide novel clues to unravel the complex pathogenesis of this disorder.
Cathcart Castle, Glasgow – Excavations 1980–81
Authors: Kerr Brian , Cox Adrian , Gallagher Dennis , Graves Pamela , Haggarty George , Hall Derek , Malden Eileen , Malden John , Smith Catherine , Stell Geoffrey , Munro David , Fyles Chris , Boag Lesley
Published: October 2016

Excavations on the site of the tower-house at Cathcart, demolished in 1980, produced evidence for the construction of the tower and associated barmkin, dated to the mid 15th century. No earlier structural remains were found but residual pottery suggests that the site was occupied prior to the construction of the tower. The interior of the tower was remodeled in circa 1630–40 in brickwork, an early dated example of the use of this material in Scotland, and decorated with elaborate plasterwork. The barmkin was dismantled and a new range of buildings added, also in the 17th century.

Significant finds included an important clearance assemblage of local and imported ceramics, ironwork and glass from the partial demolition of the castle in the mid 18th century, deposited with assemblages of 17th-century plasterwork.
Three-Phase PV CHB Inverter for a Distributed Power Generation System
Authors: Guerriero Pierluigi , Coppola Marino , Di Napoli Fabio , Brando Gianluca , Dannier Adolfo , Iannuzzi Diego , Daliento Santolo
Published: October 2016

This work deals with the design of a three-phase grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) cascade H-bridge inverter for distributed power conversion. The power balancing among the phases must be properly addressed. In fact, an intra-phase power imbalance—arising from uneven irradiance and temperature conditions—generates a per-phase power imbalance. This latter can be compensated by the injection of a proper zero-sequence voltage, while the intra-phase balance is ensured by means of a hybrid modulation method which is able to guarantee the handling of unequal DC (Direct Current) sources, stable circuit operation, and maximization of PV power production. The digital controller is developed and tested in Matlab/Simulink environment integrated with XSG (Xilinx System Generator), thus allowing an easy transfer on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) platform and accurately describing the behavior of a real hardware implementation. Thus, numerical results have been considered to prove the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Dependency-Aware Clustering of Time Series and Its Application on Energy Markets
Authors: Ruiz-Abellón María , Gabaldón Antonio , Guillamón Antonio
Published: October 2016

In this paper, we propose a novel approach for clustering time series, which combines three well-known aspects: a permutation-based coding of the time series, several distance measurements for discrete distributions and hierarchical clustering using different linkages. The proposed method classifies a set of time series into homogeneous groups, according to the degree of dependency among them. That is, time series with a high level of dependency will lie in the same cluster. Moreover, taking into account the nature of the codifying process, the method allows us to detect linear and nonlinear dependences. To illustrate the procedure, a set of fourteen electricity price series coming from different wholesale electricity markets worldwide was analyzed. We show that the classification results are consistent with the characteristics of the electricity markets in the study and with their degree of integration. Besides, we outline the necessity of removing the seasonal component of the price series before the analysis and the capability of the method to detect changes in the dependence level along time.
Power Stabilization Strategy of Random Access Loads in Electric Vehicles Wireless Charging System at Traffic Lights
Authors: Tan Linlin , Liu Han , Liu Zhiren , Guo Jinpeng , Yan Changxin , Wang Wei , Huang Xueliang
Published: October 2016

An opportunity wireless charging system for electric vehicles when they stop and wait at traffic lights is proposed in this paper. In order to solve the serious power fluctuation caused by random access loads, this study presents a power stabilization strategy based on counting the number of electric vehicles in a designated area, including counting method, power source voltage adjustment strategy and choice of counting points. Firstly, the circuit model of a wireless power system with multi-loads is built and the equation of each load is obtained. Secondly, after the counting method of electric vehicles is stated, the voltage adjustment strategy, based on the number of electric vehicles when the system is at a steady state, is set out. Then, the counting points are chosen according to power curves when the voltage adjustment strategy is adopted. Finally, an experimental prototype is implemented to verify the power stabilization strategy. The experimental results show that, with the application of this strategy, the charging power is stabilized with the fluctuation of no more than 5% when loads access randomly.
Sun Exposure and Its Effects on Human Health: Mechanisms through Which Sun Exposure Could Reduce the Risk of Developing Obesity and Cardiometabolic Dysfunction
Authors: Fleury Naomi , Geldenhuys Sian , Gorman Shelley
Published: October 2016

Obesity is a significant burden on global healthcare due to its high prevalence and associations with chronic health conditions. In our animal studies, ongoing exposure to low dose ultraviolet radiation (UVR, found in sunlight) reduced weight gain and the development of signs of cardiometabolic dysfunction in mice fed a high fat diet. These observations suggest that regular exposure to safe levels of sunlight could be an effective means of reducing the burden of obesity. However, there is limited knowledge around the nature of associations between sun exposure and the development of obesity and cardiometabolic dysfunction, and we do not know if sun exposure (independent of outdoor activity) affects the metabolic processes that determine obesity in humans. In addition, excessive sun exposure has strong associations with a number of negative health consequences such as skin cancer. This means it is very important to “get the balance right” to ensure that we receive benefits without increasing harm. In this review, we detail the evidence around the cardiometabolic protective effects of UVR and suggest mechanistic pathways through which UVR could be beneficial.
Urban Rural Differences in Breast Cancer in New Zealand
Authors: Lawrenson Ross , Lao Chunhuan , Elwood Mark , Brown Charis , Sarfati Diana , Campbell Ian
Published: October 2016

Many rural communities have poor access to health services due to a combination of distance from specialist services and a relative shortage of general practitioners. Our aims were to compare the characteristics of urban and rural women with breast cancer in New Zealand, to assess breast cancer-specific and all-cause survival using the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model, and to assess whether the impact of rurality is different for Māori and New Zealand (NZ) European women. We found that rural women tended to be older and were more likely to be Māori. Overall there were no differences between urban and rural women with regards their survival. Rural Māori tended to be older, more likely to be diagnosed with metastatic disease and less likely to be screen detected than urban Māori. Rural Māori women had inferior breast cancer-specific survival and all-cause survival at 10 years at 72.1% and 55.8% compared to 77.9% and 64.9% for urban Māori. The study shows that rather than being concerned that more needs to be done for rural women in general it is rural Māori women where we need to make extra efforts to ensure early stage at diagnosis and optimum treatment.
Socio-Economic and Environmental Factors Associated with Overweight and Obesity in Children Aged 6–8 Years Living in Five Italian Cities (the MAPEC_LIFE Cohort)
Authors: Grassi Tiziana , De Donno Antonella , Bagordo Francesco , Serio Francesca , Piscitelli Prisco , Ceretti Elisabetta , Zani Claudia , Viola Gaia , Villarini Milena , Moretti Massimo , Levorato Sara , Carducci Annalaura , Verani Marco , Donzelli Gabriele , Bonetta Sara , Bonetta Silvia , Carraro Elisabetta , Bonizzoni Silvia , Bonetti Alberto , Gelatti Umberto
Published: October 2016

The prevalence of obesity among Italian children has reached such alarming levels as to require detailed studies of the causes of the phenomenon. A cross-sectional study was carried out in order to assess the weight status of 1164 Italian children aged 6–8 years (the Monitoring Air Pollution Effects on Children for Supporting Public Health Policy (MAPEC_LIFE) cohort) and to identify any associations between selected socio-economic and environmental factors and overweight/obesity. The data were obtained by means of a questionnaire given to parents, and any associations were examined by binomial logistic regression analyses. Overweight was found to be positively associated with male gender, parents of non-Italian origin, and parents who smoke, and negatively associated with the parents’ level of education and employment. In addition, the frequency of overweight varied in relation to the geographical area of residence, with a greater prevalence of overweight children in the cities of central-southern Italy. This study highlights the need to implement appropriate obesity prevention programs in Italy, which should include educational measures concerning lifestyle for parents from the earliest stages of their child’s life.
Next-Generation Sequencing of Two Mitochondrial Genomes from Family Pompilidae (Hymenoptera: Vespoidea) Reveal Novel Patterns of Gene Arrangement
Authors: Chen Peng-Yan , Zheng Bo-Ying , Liu Jing-Xian , Wei Shu-Jun
Published: October 2016

Animal mitochondrial genomes have provided large and diverse datasets for evolutionary studies. Here, the first two representative mitochondrial genomes from the family Pompilidae (Hymenoptera: Vespoidea) were determined using next-generation sequencing. The sequenced region of these two mitochondrial genomes from the species Auplopus sp. and Agenioideus sp. was 16,746 bp long with an A + T content of 83.12% and 16,596 bp long with an A + T content of 78.64%, respectively. In both species, all of the 37 typical mitochondrial genes were determined. The secondary structure of tRNA genes and rRNA genes were predicted and compared with those of other insects. Atypical trnS1 using abnormal anticodons TCT and lacking D-stem pairings was identified. There were 49 helices belonging to six domains in rrnL and 30 helices belonging to three domains in rrns present. Compared with the ancestral organization, four and two tRNA genes were rearranged in mitochondrial genomes of Auplopus and Agenioideus, respectively. In both species, trnM was shuffled upstream of the trnI-trnQ-trnM cluster, and trnA was translocated from the cluster trnA-trnR-trnN-trnS1-trnE-trnF to the region between nad1 and trnL1, which is novel to the Vespoidea. In Auplopus, the tRNA cluster trnW-trnC-trnY was shuffled to trnW-trnY-trnC. Phylogenetic analysis within Vespoidea revealed that Pompilidae and Mutillidae formed a sister lineage, and then sistered Formicidae. The genomes presented in this study have enriched the knowledge base of molecular markers, which is valuable in respect to studies about the gene rearrangement mechanism, genomic evolutionary processes and phylogeny of Hymenoptera.
Do Atypical Antipsychotics Have Antisuicidal Effects? A Hypothesis-Generating Overview
Authors: Pompili Maurizio , Baldessarini Ross , Forte Alberto , Erbuto Denise , Serafini Gianluca , Fiorillo Andrea , Amore Mario , Girardi Paolo
Published: October 2016

Modern antipsychotic drugs are employed increasingly in the treatment of mood disorders as well as psychoses, stimulating interest in their possible contributions to altering suicidal risk. Clozapine remains the only treatment with an FDA-recognized indication for reducing suicidal risk (in schizophrenia). We carried out a systematic, computerized search for reports of studies involving antipsychotic drug treatment and suicidal behaviors. A total of 19 reports provide data with preliminary support for potential suicide risk-reducing effects of olanzapine, quetiapine, ziprasidone, aripiprazole, and asenapine in addition to clozapine, and provide some support for antipsychotic drug treatment in general. These preliminary findings encourage further testing of antipsychotics for effects on suicidal behavior, making use of explicit, pre-planned assessments of suicidal behavior.
In Vivo Analysis of Protein–Protein Interactions with Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET): Progress and Prospects
Authors: Sun Sihuai , Yang Xiaobing , Wang Yao , Shen Xihui
Published: October 2016

Proteins are the elementary machinery of life, and their functions are carried out mostly by molecular interactions. Among those interactions, protein–protein interactions (PPIs) are the most important as they participate in or mediate all essential biological processes. However, many common methods for PPI investigations are slightly unreliable and suffer from various limitations, especially in the studies of dynamic PPIs. To solve this problem, a method called Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET) was developed about seventeen years ago. Since then, BRET has evolved into a whole class of methods that can be used to survey virtually any kinds of PPIs. Compared to many traditional methods, BRET is highly sensitive, reliable, easy to perform, and relatively inexpensive. However, most importantly, it can be done in vivo and allows the real-time monitoring of dynamic PPIs with the easily detectable light signal, which is extremely valuable for the PPI functional research. This review will take a comprehensive look at this powerful technique, including its principles, comparisons with other methods, experimental approaches, classifications, applications, early developments, recent progress, and prospects.
T Cell Receptor Excision Circle (TREC) Monitoring after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation; a Predictive Marker for Complications and Clinical Outcome
Authors: Gaballa Ahmed , Sundin Mikael , Stikvoort Arwen , Abumaree Muhamed , Uzunel Mehmet , Sairafi Darius , Uhlin Michael
Published: October 2016

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a well-established treatment modality for a variety of malignant diseases as well as for inborn errors of the metabolism or immune system. Regardless of disease origin, good clinical effects are dependent on proper immune reconstitution. T cells are responsible for both the beneficial graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effect against malignant cells and protection against infections. The immune recovery of T cells relies initially on peripheral expansion of mature cells from the graft and later on the differentiation and maturation from donor-derived hematopoietic stem cells. The formation of new T cells occurs in the thymus and as a byproduct, T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) are released upon rearrangement of the T cell receptor. Detection of TRECs by PCR is a reliable method for estimating the amount of newly formed T cells in the circulation and, indirectly, for estimating thymic function. Here, we discuss the role of TREC analysis in the prediction of clinical outcome after allogeneic HSCT. Due to the pivotal role of T cell reconstitution we propose that TREC analysis should be included as a key indicator in the post-HSCT follow-up.
Learning the Relationship between the Primary Structure of HIV Envelope Glycoproteins and Neutralization Activity of Particular Antibodies by Using Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Buiu Cătălin , Putz Mihai , Avram Speranta
Published: October 2016

The dependency between the primary structure of HIV envelope glycoproteins (ENV) and the neutralization data for given antibodies is very complicated and depends on a large number of factors, such as the binding affinity of a given antibody for a given ENV protein, and the intrinsic infection kinetics of the viral strain. This paper presents a first approach to learning these dependencies using an artificial feedforward neural network which is trained to learn from experimental data. The results presented here demonstrate that the trained neural network is able to generalize on new viral strains and to predict reliable values of neutralizing activities of given antibodies against HIV-1.
Bioactive Steroids from the Formosan Soft Coral Umbellulifera petasites
Authors: Huang Chiung-Yao , Chang Che-Wei , Tseng Yen-Ju , Lee Jessica , Sung Ping-Jyun , Su Jui-Hsin , Hwang Tsong-Long , Dai Chang-Feng , Wang Hui-Chun , Sheu Jyh-Horng
Published: October 2016

Three new steroids, petasitosterones A and B (1 and 2) and a spirosteroid petasitosterone C (3), along with eight known steroids (4–11), were isolated from a Formosan marine soft coral Umbellulifera petasites. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis and comparison of spectroscopic data with those reported. Compound 3 is a marine steroid with a rarely found A/B spiro[4,5]decane ring system. Compounds 1–3 and 5 displayed inhibitory activity against the proliferation of a limited panel of cancer cell lines, whereas 2 and 5 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity to inhibit nitric oxide (NO) production. The inhibitory activities for superoxide anion generation and elastase release of compounds 1–11 were also examined to evaluate the anti-inflammatory potential, and 2–4 were shown to exhibit significant activities.
Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel Tacrine-Ferulic Acid Hybrids as Multifunctional Drug Candidates against Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Fu Yingbo , Mu Yu , Lei Hui , Wang Pu , Li Xin , Leng Qiao , Han Li , Qu Xiaodan , Wang Zhanyou , Huang Xueshi
Published: October 2016

Five novel tacrine-ferulic acid hybrid compounds (8a–e) were synthesized and their structures were identified on the basis of a detailed spectroscopic analysis. The activities of inhibiting acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) and butyryl cholinesterase (BuChE), reducing self-induced β-amyloid (Aβ) aggregation and chelating Cu2+ were evaluated in vitro. Among them, 8c and 8d displayed the higher selectivity in inhibiting AChE over BuChE. Moreover, 8d also showed dramatic inhibition of self-Aβ aggregation, activity of chelating Cu2+ and activity against Aβ-induced neurotoxicity in Neuro-2A cells.
The Effect of Crystallinity on Compressive Properties of Al-PTFE
Authors: Feng Bin , Fang Xiang , Wang Huai-Xi , Dong Wen , Li Yu-Chun
Published: October 2016

Al-PTFE (Al-polytetrafluoroethene) is an important kind of Reactive Material (RM), however only limited importance was placed to the effect of crystallinity of PTFE on the mechanical and reactive behavior. This paper investigated the influence of crystallinity on the compression behavior of Al-PTFE at strain rates range from 10−2 to 3 × 103 s−1. Two kinds of samples were prepared by different sintering procedures to acquire different crystallinity. The samples’ crystallinity was characterized by the density method and X-ray diffraction method. The samples were tested using an electro-hydraulic press for quasi-static loading, and split Hopkinson pressure bars (SHPBs) for high strain rates. Low crystalline samples have consistently higher strength and toughness than the high crystalline samples. The phenomenon was explained by an “elastic-plastic network” model combined with the effect of chain entanglement density. A bilinear dependence of true stress on log ε ˙ was observed, and Johnson-Cook models were fitted separately according to the different strain rate sensitivity. Finally, a close connection between fracture and initiation of Al-PTFE was confirmed in quasi-static tests, SHPB tests, and drop weight tests. It was hypothesized that the high temperature at the crack tips of PTFE is an important promoting factor of initiation.
Stretchable Complementary Split Ring Resonator (CSRR)-Based Radio Frequency (RF) Sensor for Strain Direction and Level Detection
Authors: Eom Seunghyun , Lim Sungjoon
Published: October 2016

In this paper, we proposed a stretchable radio frequency (RF) sensor to detect strain direction and level. The stretchable sensor is composed of two complementary split ring resonators (CSRR) with microfluidic channels. In order to achieve stretchability, liquid metal (eutectic gallium-indium, EGaIn) and Ecoflex substrate are used. Microfluidic channels are built by Ecoflex elastomer and microfluidic channel frames. A three-dimensional (3D) printer is used for fabrication of microfluidic channel frames. Two CSRR resonators are designed to resonate 2.03 GHz and 3.68 GHz. When the proposed sensor is stretched from 0 to 8 mm along the +x direction, the resonant frequency is shifted from 3.68 GHz to 3.13 GHz. When the proposed sensor is stretched from 0 to 8 mm along the −x direction, the resonant frequency is shifted from 2.03 GHz to 1.78 GHz. Therefore, we can detect stretched length and direction from independent variation of two resonant frequencies.
Effective World Modeling: Multisensor Data Fusion Methodology for Automated Driving
Authors: Elfring Jos , Appeldoorn Rein , Van den Dries Sjoerd , Kwakkernaat Maurice
Published: October 2016

The number of perception sensors on automated vehicles increases due to the increasing number of advanced driver assistance system functions and their increasing complexity. Furthermore, fail-safe systems require redundancy, thereby increasing the number of sensors even further. A one-size-fits-all multisensor data fusion architecture is not realistic due to the enormous diversity in vehicles, sensors and applications. As an alternative, this work presents a methodology that can be used to effectively come up with an implementation to build a consistent model of a vehicle’s surroundings. The methodology is accompanied by a software architecture. This combination minimizes the effort required to update the multisensor data fusion system whenever sensors or applications are added or replaced. A series of real-world experiments involving different sensors and algorithms demonstrates the methodology and the software architecture.
Factors Influencing Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Iran: A Case Study of Food Industry
Authors: Hosseininia Gholamhossein , Ramezani Ali
Published: October 2016

This study sought to establish the social and environmental factors that influence sustainable entrepreneurship (SE) in Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It also attempted to identify whether the demographic background of the entrepreneur influences the SE in SMEs of the Iranian food industry. A mixed method approach, employing the use of questionnaires and interviews from a sample size of approximately 130 participants and 12 owner-managers of SMEs in food industry, was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and several inferential analyses. Findings showed that certain characteristics of the entrepreneur, including work experience and education, have a significant impact on SE. Furthermore, out of the eight identified factors, according to the participants’ perception, the most important factors towards sustainable performance of SMEs in food industry are social factors, including customer orientation, as well as human resources and environmental factors, including recycling and the future of Earth. This research paper concludes that considering the social and environmental aspects of sustainability and employing experienced staff would majorly contribute to the pursuit of SE in SMEs of food industry.
Parameterization of a Hydrological Model for a Large, Ungauged Urban Catchment
Authors: Krebs Gerald , Kokkonen Teemu , Setälä Heikki , Koivusalo Harri
Published: October 2016

Urbanization leads to the replacement of natural areas by impervious surfaces and affects the catchment hydrological cycle with adverse environmental impacts. Low impact development tools (LID) that mimic hydrological processes of natural areas have been developed and applied to mitigate these impacts. Hydrological simulations are one possibility to evaluate the LID performance but the associated small-scale processes require a highly spatially distributed and explicit modeling approach. However, detailed data for model development are often not available for large urban areas, hampering the model parameterization. In this paper we propose a methodology to parameterize a hydrological model to a large, ungauged urban area by maintaining at the same time a detailed surface discretization for direct parameter manipulation for LID simulation and a firm reliance on available data for model conceptualization. Catchment delineation was based on a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) and model parameterization relied on a novel model regionalization approach. The impact of automated delineation and model regionalization on simulation results was evaluated for three monitored study catchments (5.87–12.59 ha). The simulated runoff peak was most sensitive to accurate catchment discretization and calibration, while both the runoff volume and the fit of the hydrograph were less affected.
L’iconographie des mosaïques hellénistiques de Chypre
Authors: Guimier-Sorbets Anne-Marie
Published: October 2016

Three figured mosaic pavements of the Hellenistic period have been found on the island of Cyprus. These are a floor that was discovered under the House of Dionysos at Nea Paphos, a mosaic made of large pebbles overlying a tomb at Kourion, and a second pavement in Paphos, dexposed in 1996 on Fabrika Hill, it too, in all probability, connected with a tomb. The iconography of all three pavements has a marine character, something that one must attempt to explain not – or, not only – as due to the insular nature of Cyprus, but through an examination of the panels within the iconographic context of Hellenistic pavements. These three mosaics were destined for spaces used for banqueting : in the andron of a house in Paphos, or in structures destined for the commemoration of the dead (heroa) at Kourion, as also, without doubt, on the hill of Fabrika. In this paper, an attempt will be made to show how these representations are related to the world of Dionysos. God of wine, of banqueting, of the joy of life and in this respect of the Greek house, Dionysos is also associated with the dead, and he frequently appears in funerary iconography.
Roman portraits on Cypriot grave reliefs
Authors: Poyiadji-Richter Elena
Published: October 2016

Le matériel qui a été retrouvé montre que la production de stèles funéraires avec des représentations humaines n’a jamais cessé à Chypre de l’époque archaïque jusqu’à la période romaine. Tandis que l’île recevait les influences étrangères (de Grèce, d’Asie Mineure, d’Égypte, etc.), les sculpteurs chypriotes ont développé leur propre tradition stylistique et l’ont poursuivie à travers les siècles. Cette communication porte sur les reliefs funéraires à portraits trouvés à Chypre et datés de l’époque romaine. Les objectifs principaux sont de rechercher les influences des portraits venus de Rome, ou des centres culturels voisins, d’identifier les parallèles entre les portraits chypriotes exécutés en relief ou en ronde bosse, de façon à déterminer s’ils proviennent d’un même atelier, ou d’officines différentes. On essaiera aussi d’identifier le contexte social du défunt.
Questions of trade: The case of the Mazotos Shipwreck
Authors: Démesticha Stella
Published: October 2016

Depuis novembre 2007, une fouille sous-marine est menée autour d’une épave qui a coulé près de Mazotos, au large de la côte sud de Chypre. Sa cargaison comprend essentiellement des amphores vinaires de Chios, datées du troisième quart du ive siècle avant J.-C. Afin de replacer cette épave dans son contexte économique, l’article analyse les échanges commerciaux entre Chypre et l’Égée, et plus particulièrement leurs fluctuations à l’époque classique.
Structure du capillitium de Margarita metallica (Myxomycète, Margaritacée).
Authors: Locquin Marcel
Published: October 2016

Le capillitium de Margarita metallica présente des inclusions fortement dichroïques et biréfringentes à infrastructure spiralée noyée dans une texture sphéritique.
Sur les membranes externes de l'épiderme du G. Ceratophyllum L. - La cuticule
Authors: Mouravieff Igor
Published: October 2016

L'examen microchimique des cuticules isolées des feuilles et des tiges des deux espèces du g. Ceratophyllum L. montre qu'il n'y a pas lieu de considérer la cuticule des feuilles comme formée par une cutine «métamorphosée». Il est toujours possible de caractériser nettement la cutine dans ces formations, même dans les feuilles du C. submersion L., où la cuticule est particulièrement délicate.
Deformation-driven catalysis of nanocrystallization in amorphous Al alloys
Authors: Hebert Rainer J , Perepezko John H , Rösner Harald , Wilde Gerhard
Published: October 2016

Nanocrystals develop in amorphous alloys usually during annealing treatments with growth- or nucleation-controlled mechanisms. An alternative processing route is intense deformation and nanocrystals have been shown to develop in shear bands during the deformation process. Some controversy surrounded the idea of adiabatic heating in shear bands during their genesis, but specific experiments have revealed that the formation of nanocrystals in shear bands has to be related to localized deformation rather than thermal effects. A much less debated issue has been the spatial distribution of deformation in the amorphous alloys during intense deformation. The current work examines the hypothesis that intense deformation affects the regions outside shear bands and even promotes nanocrystal formation in those regions upon annealing. Melt-spun amorphous Al88Y7Fe5 alloy was intensely cold rolled. Microcalorimeter measurements at 60 °C indicated a slight but observable growth of nanocrystals in shear bands over the annealing time of 10 days. When the cold-rolled samples were annealed at 210 °C for one hour, transmission electron images did not show any nanocrystals for as-spun ribbons, but nanocrystals developed outside shear bands for the cold rolled samples. X-ray analysis indicated an increase in intensity of the Al peaks following the 210 °C annealing while the as-spun sample remained “X-ray amorphous”. These experimental observations strongly suggest that cold rolling affects regions (i.e., spatial heterogeneities) outside shear bands and stimulates the formation of nanocrystals during annealing treatments at temperatures well below the crystallization temperature of undeformed ribbons.
SPECTROSCOPIC CONFIRMATION OF THE DWARF SPHEROIDAL GALAXY d0994+71 AS A MEMBER OF THE M81 GROUP OF GALAXIES
Authors: Toloba Elisa , Sand David , Guhathakurta Puragra , Chiboucas Kristin , Crnojević Denija , Simon Joshua D.
Published: October 2016

We use Keck/DEIMOS spectroscopy to measure the first velocity and metallicity of a dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxy beyond the Local Group using resolved stars. Our target, d0944+71, is a faint dSph found in the halo of the massive spiral galaxy M81 by Chiboucas et al. We coadd the spectra of 27 individual stars and measure a heliocentric radial velocity of −38 ± 10 km s−1. This velocity is consistent with d0944+71 being gravitationally bound to M81. We coadd the spectra of the 23 stars that are consistent with being red giant branch stars and measure an overall metallicity of [Fe/H] = −1.3 ± 0.3 based on the calcium triplet lines. This metallicity is consistent with d0944+71 following the metallicity−luminosity relation for Local Group dSphs. We investigate several potential sources of observational bias but find that our sample of targeted stars is representative of the metallicity distribution function of d0944+71 and any stellar contamination due to seeing effects is negligible. The low ellipticity of the galaxy and its position in the metallicity−luminosity relation suggest that d0944+71 has not been affected by strong tidal stripping.
Maraviroc Ameliorates the Increased Adipose Tissue Macrophage Recruitment Induced by a High-Fat Diet in a Mouse Model of Obesity
Authors: Pérez-Matute Patricia , Pichel José G , Iñiguez María , Recio-Fernández Emma , Pérez-Martínez Laura , Torrens Raquel , Blanco José Ramón , Oteo José Antonio
Published: October 2016

Background

Any strategy designed to decrease the macrophage content in adipose tissue (AT) is of great value as a way to decrease inflammation in this fat depot and also as a way to prevent or treat obesity and associated disorders. Maraviroc (MVC), a CCR5 antagonist approved for the treatment of HIV-infected patients, has beneficial effects on metabolism. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of MVC on AT macrophage recruitment in a mouse model of obesity. The plausible underlying mechanisms of action were also investigated.

Methods

32 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to the following groups: control, MVC (300 mg/l MVC in drinking water), high-fat diet (HFD) or HFD+MVC. After 16 weeks of treatment, histopathological and molecular analyses were performed on epididymal fat.

Results

Our results demonstrated that MVC reduced the presence of macrophages in epididymal fat despite the ingestion of an HFD. The inhibition of MCP-1 gene expression and JNK signalling pathway along with the upregulation of protective cytokines such as cardiotrophin-1 could contribute to these actions. MVC effects on AT macrophage recruitment were associated with a lower body weight gain and a partial improvement in insulin resistance despite an HFD.

Conclusions

We have demonstrated the ability of MVC to ameliorate the increased AT macrophage recruitment induced by an HFD in a mouse model of obesity. These actions could be of interest when designing antiretroviral treatments in HIV-patients.
De Clinton à Obama : effets d’apprentissage et filtrage des alternatives
Authors: Lepont Ulrike
Published: October 2016

Généralement mobilisée comme une variable explicative, la notion d’apprentissage fait rarement l’objet d’une analyse approfondie permettant d’en restituer la dimension politique. À partir du cas de la réforme du système de protection maladie américain de 2010, cet article interroge le processus politique par lequel, face à la diversité des interprétations possibles d’un même événement, certaines « leçons » s’imposent sur d’autres, réduisant ainsi le spectre des alternatives de politiques publiques envisagées. L’article questionne en particulier le ralliement des démocrates, après 1993, à l’idée de la nécessité d’un compromis bipartisan pour faire aboutir toute réforme du système de santé américain. Cette idée, considérée comme une leçon de l’échec de la réforme Clinton, a conduit à accentuer encore la place accordée au marché et à la responsabilité individuelle. En se concentrant sur les experts impliqués dans l’élaboration des politiques de santé auprès des démocrates, l’article montre par qui et comment cette interprétation a été formulée dans le milieu de l’expertise et identifie les ressources institutionnelles et sociales qui ont permis à ses promoteurs d’en faire un cadre d’interprétation dominant.
Governance risk, liquidity and stock performance: empirical evidence after global financial crises
Authors: Ezzine Hanene , Olivero Bernard
Published: October 2016

La crise financière donne lieu au risque de tunneling par les actionnaires de contrôle ou les dirigeants. Celui-ci est observable d’une part sur la maitrise du risque de la gouvernance d'entreprise et d’autre part sur l’impact de  la liquidité sur la performance boursière des firmes NASDAQ après la crise financière de 2007. Nous montrons la défaillance de la structure du conseil et de l'audit à gérer les risques et à améliorer la performance boursière. Le durcissement des exigences en matière de gouvernance des bourses américaines en ce qui concerne les droits des actionnaires et la rémunération impactent significativement la performance boursière. Cependant, nous trouvons une relation non significative entre la liquidité et le rendement des actions. La liquidité a augmenté la capacité de l'actionnaire majoritaire à exproprier les autres investisseurs.
The role of accounting in economic development: case of IFRS adoption in Western Africa
Authors: Randriamiarana Joëlle
Published: October 2016

L’adoption des normes comptables IFRS représente un enjeu économique majeur dans la région d’Afrique de l’Ouest. La visibilité internationale, le développement du secteur privé, la comparabilité des informations sont autant de critères qui justifient l’application des standards internationaux par les entreprises. Ces dernières se heurtent à diverses difficultés dans la mise en œuvre des normes IFRS liées en particulier à la culture, à la rapidité des changements imposés, aux différences notables avec le système en vigueur SYSCOHADA. Un système de communication fiable, une formation adéquate et la réduction du secteur informel sont les conditions de réussite d’un tel changement.
Alkali-based pre-treatment may prevent ochratoxin A in grapes
Authors: Özcan S. , Gökmen V.
Published: October 2016

In traditional raisin production process in Turkey, one of the major raisin producers in the world, grapes undergo an alkali treatment prior to drying. This procedure involves dipping grapes in a potassium carbonate solution for 10-15 seconds to remove the wax layer on the surface to accelerate the drying process. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of alkali treatment on ochratoxin A (OTA), an important risk factor for grapes and grape-derived products. First, the stability of the OTA was examined under variable pH (4-12), ion type (Na+, K+), ionic strength (0.1-10%) and temperature (4-60 °C). Then,Aspergillus ochraceus contaminated grapes were treated with an alkaline solution and a subsequent OTA analysis was performed through a high performance liquid chromatography-fluorescence detection. OTA started to decompose at pH values exceeding 10.0. The degradation followed a first order kinetics. Although both sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate solutions were at the same alkali pH and they both triggered the OTA degradation at increasing concentrations, potassium carbonate was more effective even at low concentrations. Elevated temperatures were also found to effect degradation. The degradation rate constant at 40 °C was approximately 5 times greater than the one at 25 °C. Furthermore, OTA levels dropped up to 50% in contaminated grapes after the alkali treatment. Our results confirmed that the amide bond of OTA rapidly hydrolysed to a non-toxic ochratoxin-alpha and phenylalanine under strong alkaline conditions. The results suggest that the alkaline pre-treatment unintentionally offers a great advantage to reduce OTA levels in raisins and it could be a viable approach for other dried fruits through the application of good manufacturing practice.