bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biodiversity of Actinobacteria from the South Pacific and the Assessment of Streptomyces Chemical Diversity with Metabolic Profiling
Authors: Cumsille Andrés , Undabarrena Agustina , González Valentina , Claverías Fernanda , Rojas Claudia , Cámara Beatriz
Published: September 2017

Recently, bioprospecting in underexplored habitats has gained enhanced focus, since new taxa of marine actinobacteria can be found, and thus possible new metabolites. Actinobacteria are in the foreground due to their versatile production of secondary metabolites that present various biological activities, such as antibacterials, antitumorals and antifungals. Chilean marine ecosystems remain largely unexplored and may represent an important source for the discovery of bioactive compounds. Various culture conditions to enrich the growth of this phylum were used and 232 bacterial strains were isolated. Comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences led to identifying genetic affiliations of 32 genera, belonging to 20 families. This study shows a remarkable culturable diversity of actinobacteria, associated to marine environments along Chile. Furthermore, 30 streptomycete strains were studied to establish their antibacterial activities against five model strains, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, demonstrating abilities to inhibit bacterial growth of Gram-positive bacteria. To gain insight into their metabolic profiles, crude extracts were submitted to liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) analysis to assess the selection of streptomycete strains with potentials of producing novel bioactive metabolites. The combined approach allowed for the identification of three streptomycete strains to pursue further investigations. Our Chilean marine actinobacterial culture collection represents an important resource for the bioprospection of novel marine actinomycetes and its metabolites, evidencing their potential as producers of natural bioproducts.
The Rise of Scalable Micro/Nanopatterning
Authors: Du Ke , Wathuthanthri Ishan , Choi Chang-Hwan
Published: September 2017

This is the golden age of scalable micro/nanopatterning, as these methods emerge as an answer to produce industrial-scale nano-objects with a focus on economical sustainability and reliability.[...]
Carbothermic Reduction of Ferruginous Manganese Ore for Mn/Fe Beneficiation: Morphology Evolution and Separation Characteristic
Authors: Yi Lingyun , Huang Zhucheng , Jiang Tao , Zhao Peng , Zhong Ronghai , Liang Zhikai
Published: September 2017

In the present paper, beneficiation of Fe and Mn elements from a ferruginous manganese ore via carbothermic reduction followed by magnetic separation process was investigated in detail. The effects of the experimental parameters were systematically discussed. Iron-rich products with an Fe grade of 62.3% and 88.2% of Fe recovery, and manganese-rich product with a Mn grade of 63.7% of and 70.4% of Mn recovery were obtained, respectively, at an optimal temperature of 1100 °C, with a roasting time of 100 min, anthracite addition of 25%, milling fineness of 90% passing 0.074 mm, and a magnetic intensity of 140 A/m. Furthermore, the morphology evolution and phase transformation laws along with reduction process were revealed by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-ray detector (SEM-EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and chemical phase analysis. The results demonstrated that the ferruginous manganese ore reduction can be described as follows: plate-like Fe-Mn symbiotic phase decomposition → granular MnO phase formation → fine metallic iron formation → aggregation of metallic iron → boundary development between Fe and Mn phases.
Visible Light-Cured Glycol Chitosan Hydrogel Containing a Beta-Cyclodextrin-Curcumin Inclusion Complex Improves Wound Healing In Vivo
Authors: Yoon Sun-Jung , Hyun Hoon , Lee Deok-Won , Yang Dae
Published: September 2017

Scarless wound healing is ideal for patients suffering from soft tissue defects. In this study, we prepared a novel wet dressing (β-CD-ic-CUR/GC) based on the visible light-cured glycol chitosan (GC) hydrogel and inclusion complex between beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and curcumin (CUR). We also evaluated its efficacy in the acceleration of wound healing as compared to that of CUR-loaded GC (CUR/GC). The conjugation of glycidyl methacrylate (GM) to GC for photo-curing was confirmed by 1H-NMR measurement, and the photo-cured GC hydrogel was characterized by the analyses of rheology, swelling ratio, SEM and degradation rate. After visible light irradiation, the surface/cross-sectional morphologies and storage (G′)/loss (G′′) moduli revealed the formation of hydrogel with interconnected porosity. The dressing β-CD-ic-CUR/GC exhibited a controlled release of 90% CUR in a sustained manner for 30 days. On the other hand, CUR/GC showed CUR release of 16%. β-CD acted as an excipient in improving the water-solubility of CUR and affected the release behavior of CUR. The in vivo animal tests including measurement of the remaining unhealed wound area and histological analyses showed that β-CD-ic-CUR/GC may have potential as a wet dressing agent to enhance soft tissue recovery in open fractures.
Synthesis of Bisimidazole Derivatives for Selective Sensing of Fluoride Ion
Authors: Zhang Liang , Liu Fang
Published: September 2017

Rapid and efficient analysis of fluoride ion is crucial to providing key information for fluoride ion hazard assessment and pollution management. In this study, we synthesized one symmetrical structure called 1,4-bis(4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)benzene (1a) and two asymmetrical structures, namely 2-(4-(4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)phenyl)-1H-phenanthro(9,10-d)imidazole (1b) and 2-(4-(4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)phenyl)-1H-imidazo(4,5-f)(1,10)phenanthroline (1c), which served as an efficient anion sensor for fluoride ion over a wide range of other anions (Cl−, Br−, I−, NO3−, ClO4−, HSO4−, BF4−, and PF6−) owing to imidazole group in the main backbone. The absorption intensity of compound 1a at λmax 358 nm slightly decreased; however, a new band at λmax 414 nm appeared upon the addition of fluoride ion, while no evident change occurred upon the addition of eight other anions. The photoluminescence intensity of compound 1a at λmax 426 nm was nearly quenched and fluorescence emission spectra were broadened when fluoride ion was added into dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solution of compound 1a. Compared with the optical behaviors of the DMSO solution of compound 1a in the presence of Bu4N+F−, compounds 1b and 1c exhibited considerable sensitivity to fluoride ion due to the increase in coplanarity. Furthermore, compared with the fluorescence emission behaviors of the DMSO solutions of compounds 1a and 1b in the presence of Bu4N+F−, compound 1c exhibited the most significant sensitivity to fluoride ion due to the charge transfer enhancement. Consequently, the detection limits of compounds 1a–1c increased from 5.47 × 10−6 M to 4.21 × 10−6 M to 9.12 × 10−7 M. Furthermore, the largest red shift (75 nm) of the DMSO solution compound 1c in the presence of fluoride ion can be observed. Our results suggest that the increase in coplanarity and the introduction of electron-withdrawing groups to the imidazole backbone can improve the performance in detecting fluoride ion.
Growth Method-Dependent and Defect Density-Oriented Structural, Optical, Conductive, and Physical Properties of Solution-Grown ZnO Nanostructures
Authors: Rana Abu , Lee Ji , Shahid Areej , Kim Hyun-Seok
Published: September 2017

It is time for industry to pay a serious heed to the application and quality-dependent research on the most important solution growth methods for ZnO, namely, aqueous chemical growth (ACG) and microwave-assisted growth (MAG) methods. This study proffers a critical analysis on how the defect density and formation behavior of ZnO nanostructures (ZNSs) are growth method-dependent. Both antithetical and facile methods are exploited to control the ZnO defect density and the growth mechanism. In this context, the growth of ZnO nanorods (ZNRs), nanoflowers, and nanotubes (ZNTs) are considered. The aforementioned growth methods directly stimulate the nanostructure crystal growth and, depending upon the defect density, ZNSs show different trends in structural, optical, etching, and conductive properties. The defect density of MAG ZNRs is the least because of an ample amount of thermal energy catered by high-power microwaves to the atoms to grow on appropriate crystallographic planes, which is not the case in faulty convective ACG ZNSs. Defect-centric etching of ZNRs into ZNTs is also probed and methodological constraints are proposed. ZNS optical properties are different in the visible region, which are quite peculiar, but outstanding for ZNRs. Hall effect measurements illustrate incongruent conductive trends in both samples.
Mechano-Physical Properties and Microstructure of Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Cement Paste after Thermal Load
Authors: Szeląg Maciej
Published: September 2017

The article presents the results obtained in the course of a study on the use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for the modification of a cement matrix. Carbon nanotubes were introduced into a cement paste in the form of an aqueous dispersion in the presence of a surfactant (SDS—sodium dodecyl sulfate), which was sonicated. The selected physical and mechanical parameters were examined, and the correlations between these parameters were determined. An analysis of the local microstructure of the modified cement pastes has been carried out using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray microanalysis (EDS). In addition, the effect of carbon nanotubes on the change in characteristics of the cementitious material exposed to the sudden, short-term thermal load, was determined. The obtained material was characterized by a much lower density than a traditional cement matrix because the phenomenon of foaming occurred. The material was also characterized by reduced durability, higher shrinkage, and higher resistance to the effect of elevated temperature. Further research on the carbon nanotube reinforced cement paste, with SDS, may contribute to the development of a modified cement binder for the production of a lightweight or an aerated concrete.
In Vitro Sonodynamic Therapeutic Effect of Polyion Complex Micelles Incorporating Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles
Authors: Yamamoto Satoshi , Ono Masafumi , Yuba Eiji , Harada Atsushi
Published: September 2017

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) can act as sonosensitizers, generating reactive oxygen species under ultrasound irradiation, for use in sonodynamic therapy. For TiO2 NPs delivery, we prepared polyion complex micelles incorporating TiO2 NPs (TiO2 NPs-PIC micelles) by mixing TiO2 NPs with polyallylamine bearing poly(ethylene glycol) grafts. In this study, the effects of polymer composition and ultrasound irradiation conditions on the sonodynamic therapeutic effect toward HeLa cells were evaluated experimentally using cell viability evaluation, intracellular distribution observation, and a cell staining assay. TiO2 NPs-PIC micelles with widely distributed features induced a significant decrease in cell viability under ultrasound irradiation. Furthermore, prolonging the irradiation time killed cells more effectively than did increasing the ultrasound power. The combination of TiO2 NP-PIC micelles and ultrasound irradiation was confirmed to induce apoptotic cell death.
Relationship between the Nutritional Status of Vitamin A per Trimester of Pregnancy with Maternal Anthropometry and Anemia after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
Authors: Cruz Sabrina , Matos Andréa , Da Cruz Suelem , Pereira Silvia , Saboya Carlos , Ramalho Andréa
Published: September 2017

The aim of this study was to compare the nutritional status of vitamin A per trimester of pregnancy, as well as to assess its influence on pre-pregnancy BMI, total gestational weight gain (TGWG) and presence of anemia in women who had previously undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). An analytical, longitudinal and retrospective study comprising 30 pregnant women who had previously undergone RYGB was undertaken. In all trimesters of pregnancy, the serum concentrations of retinol, β-carotene, stages of vitamin A deficiency (VAD), night blindness (NB), anemia and anthropometric variables were assessed. VAD in pregnancy affected 90% of women, 86.7% developed NB and 82.8% had mild VAD. TGWG above/below the recommended range was related to the low serum concentrations of β-carotene (p = 0.045) in the second trimester and women with TGWG above the recommended range showed 100% of inadequacy of this nutrient in the third trimester. Among the pregnant women with anemia, 90.9% had VAD and 86.4% had NB. This study highlights the importance of monitoring the nutritional status of vitamin A in prenatal care, due to its relationship with TGWG and the high percentage of VAD and NB found since the beginning of pregnancy. It also reaffirms the use of the cut-off <1.05 μmol/L for determining VAD.
Protective Effects of Ethanolic Extracts from Artichoke, an Edible Herbal Medicine, against Acute Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury in Mice
Authors: Tang Xuchong , Wei Ruofan , Deng Aihua , Lei Tingping
Published: September 2017

Oxidative stress and inflammation are well-documented pathological factors in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) is a healthy food and folk medicine with anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the preventive effects of ethanolic extract from artichoke against acute alcohol-induced liver injury in mice. Male Institute of Cancer Research mice were treated with an ethanolic extract of artichoke (0.4, 0.8, and 1.6 g/kg body weight) by gavage once daily. Up to 40% alcohol (12 mL/kg body weight) was administered orally 1 h after artichoke treatment. All mice were fed for 10 consecutive days. Results showed that artichoke extract significantly prevented elevated levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and malondialdehyde. Meanwhile, the decreased levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione were elevated by artichoke administration. Histopathological examination showed that artichoke attenuated degeneration, inflammatory infiltration and necrosis of hepatocytes. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that expression levels of toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in liver tissues were significantly suppressed by artichoke treatment. Results obtained demonstrated that artichoke extract exhibited significant preventive protective effect against acute alcohol-induced liver injury. This finding is mainly attributed to its ability to attenuate oxidative stress and suppress the TLR4/NF-κB inflammatory pathway. To the best of our knowledge, the underlying mechanisms of artichoke on acute ALD have been rarely reported.
Finite Element Modeling for Debonding of FRP-to-Concrete Interfaces Subjected to Mixed-Mode Loading
Authors: Yu Hui , Bai Yu-Lei , Dai Jian-Guo , Gao Wan-Yang
Published: September 2017

This paper presents finite element (FE) modeling of the debonding behavior of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP)-to-concrete interfaces subject to mixed-mode loading, which is realized through a peeling test of FRP composites externally bonded onto a concrete substrate. A cohesive zone model (CZM) is implemented into the FE model to represent the behavior of the FRP-to-concrete interface. Two element schemes (orthotropic plane stress element and beam element) were employed to simulate the behavior of FRP composite plate in the peeling test. The orthotropic plane stress element scheme, bearing a clear physical background and with an easy definition of the material property parameters following the composite mechanics, is found to be superior to the beam element scheme, and thus is utilized to conduct parametric studies. The influences of the peeling angle, the interfacial parameters (i.e., the configuration of the cohesive zone models, the interfacial damage initiation law (DIL), the interfacial damage evolution law (DEL), the coupling of mode-I and mode-II components), on the mixed-mode failure of the FRP-concrete-interface are carefully investigated. The results showed that the mode I component plays a critical role in the debonding failure of FRP-to-concrete interfaces even when the peeling angle is very small. The failure of FRP-to-concrete interface transits promptly from a mode II-dominated one to a mode I-dominated one when the peeling angle increases to a relatively small value (e.g., 4 degree) and subsequently the peeling force (i.e., the debonding strength of FRP) decreases dramatically. Such mixity of the mode I and mode II components should be appropriately considered for refining the analysis of FRP-strengthened RC beams and the FRP debonding strength design, for which a pure mode II interfacial failure was usually assumed.
ECG Monitoring Garment Using Conductive Carbon Paste for Reduced Motion Artifacts
Authors: Lee Jin-Woo , Yun Kwang-Seok
Published: September 2017

The heart is a fundamental organ of the human circulatory system and the continuous measurement of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals is of great importance for pre-detection of heart diseases. Dry electrodes that do not require electrolyte gel have been developed for wearable ECG monitoring applications. However, this kind of electrode often introduces motion artifacts because of the high contact impedance between the electrode and skin. We propose a wearable ECG monitoring garment that employs electrodes made of conductive carbon-based paste. This paste is directly applied to the skin and after drying for 5 min, it forms a patch electrode that is detachable and flexible. The contact impedance between the patch electrode and the skin is very low because the paste covers the skin in a conformal manner. The experimental results show that the contact area of the carbon-based paste on the skin replica is almost 100%. At frequencies under 10 Hz, the contact impedance of the patch electrode is of 70.0 kΩ, much lower than the typical 118.7 kΩ impedance of a Ag/AgCl electrode. We also demonstrate that the ECG signals measured using the custom-designed garment and the patch electrodes are very stable even during actions such as walking and running.
Integration of Information Theory, K-Means Cluster Analysis and the Logistic Regression Model for Landslide Susceptibility Mapping in the Three Gorges Area, China
Authors: Wang Qian , Wang Yi , Niu Ruiqing , Peng Ling
Published: September 2017

In this work, an effective framework for landslide susceptibility mapping (LSM) is presented by integrating information theory, K-means cluster analysis and statistical models. In general, landslides are triggered by many causative factors at a local scale, and the impact of these factors is closely related to geographic locations and spatial neighborhoods. Based on these facts, the main idea of this research is to group a study area into several clusters to ensure that landslides in each cluster are affected by the same set of selected causative factors. Based on this idea, the proposed predictive method is constructed for accurate LSM at a regional scale by applying a statistical model to each cluster of the study area. Specifically, each causative factor is first classified by the natural breaks method with the optimal number of classes, which is determined by adopting Shannon’s entropy index. Then, a certainty factor (CF) for each class of factors is estimated. The selection of the causative factors for each cluster is determined based on the CF values of each factor. Furthermore, the logistic regression model is used as an example of statistical models in each cluster using the selected causative factors for landslide prediction. Finally, a global landslide susceptibility map is obtained by combining the regional maps. Experimental results based on both qualitative and quantitative analysis indicated that the proposed framework can achieve more accurate landslide susceptibility maps when compared to some existing methods, e.g., the proposed framework can achieve an overall prediction accuracy of 91.76%, which is 7.63–11.5% higher than those existing methods. Therefore, the local scale LSM technique is very promising for further improvement of landslide prediction.
Assessment of Anthropogenic Methane Emissions over Large Regions Based on GOSAT Observations and High Resolution Transport Modeling
Authors: Janardanan Rajesh , Maksyutov Shamil , Ito Akihiko , Yukio Yoshida , Matsunaga Tsuneo
Published: September 2017

Abstract: Methane is an important greenhouse gas due to its high warming potential. While quantifying anthropogenic methane emissions is important for evaluation measures applied for climate change mitigation, large emission uncertainties still exist for many source categories. To evaluate anthropogenic methane emission inventory in various regions over the globe, we extract emission signatures from column-average methane observations (XCH4) by GOSAT (Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite) satellite using high-resolution atmospheric transport model simulations. XCH4 abundance due to anthropogenic emissions is estimated as the difference between polluted observations from surrounding cleaner observations. Here, reduction of observation error, which is large compared to local abundance, is achieved by binning the observations over large region according to model-simulated enhancements. We found that the local enhancements observed by GOSAT scale linearly with inventory based simulations of XCH4 for the globe, East Asia and North America. Weighted linear regression of observation derived and inventory-based XCH4 anomalies was carried out to find a scale factor by which the inventory agrees with the observations. Over East Asia, the observed enhancements are 30% lower than suggested by emission inventory, implying a potential overestimation in the inventory. On the contrary, in North America, the observations are approximately 28% higher than model predictions, indicating an underestimation in emission inventory. Our results concur with several recent studies using other analysis methodologies, and thus confirm that satellite observations provide an additional tool for bottom-up emission inventory verification.
Combining Multi-Source Remotely Sensed Data and a Process-Based Model for Forest Aboveground Biomass Updating
Authors: Lu Xiaoman , Zheng Guang , Miller Colton , Alvarado Ernesto
Published: September 2017

Monitoring and understanding the spatio-temporal variations of forest aboveground biomass (AGB) is a key basis to quantitatively assess the carbon sequestration capacity of a forest ecosystem. To map and update forest AGB in the Greater Khingan Mountains (GKM) of China, this work proposes a physical-based approach. Based on the baseline forest AGB from Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) images in 2008, we dynamically updated the annual forest AGB from 2009 to 2012 by adding the annual AGB increment (ABI) obtained from the simulated daily and annual net primary productivity (NPP) using the Boreal Ecosystem Productivity Simulator (BEPS) model. The 2012 result was validated by both field- and aerial laser scanning (ALS)-based AGBs. The predicted forest AGB for 2012 estimated from the process-based model can explain 31% (n = 35, p < 0.05, RMSE = 2.20 kg/m2) and 85% (n = 100, p < 0.01, RMSE = 1.71 kg/m2) of variation in field- and ALS-based forest AGBs, respectively. However, due to the saturation of optical remote sensing-based spectral signals and contribution of understory vegetation, the BEPS-based AGB tended to underestimate/overestimate the AGB for dense/sparse forests. Generally, our results showed that the remotely sensed forest AGB estimates could serve as the initial carbon pool to parameterize the process-based model for NPP simulation, and the combination of the baseline forest AGB and BEPS model could effectively update the spatiotemporal distribution of forest AGB.
High-Performance Wireless Ammonia Gas Sensors Based on Reduced Graphene Oxide and Nano-Silver Ink Hybrid Material Loaded on a Patch Antenna
Authors: Wu Bian , Zhang Xingfei , Huang Beiju , Zhao Yutong , Cheng Chuantong , Chen Hongda
Published: September 2017

Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) has been studied as a resistive ammonia gas sensor at room temperature. The sensitive hybrid material composed of rGO and nano-silver ink (Ag-ink) was loaded on a microstrip patch antenna to realize high-performance wireless ammonia sensors. The material was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Firstly, interdigital electrodes (IDEs) printed on the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by direct printing were employed to measure the variation of resistance of the sensitive material with the ammonia concentration. The results indicated the response of sensor varied from 4.25% to 14.7% under 15–200 ppm ammonia concentrations. Furthermore, the hybrid material was loaded on a microstrip patch antenna fabricated by a conventional printed circuit board (PCB) process, and a 10 MHz frequency shift of the sensor antenna could be observed for 200 ppm ammonia gas. Finally, the wireless sensing property of the sensor antenna was successfully tested using the same emitted antenna outside the gas chamber with a high gain of 5.48 dBi, and an increased reflection magnitude of the emitted antenna due to the frequency mismatch of the sensor antenna was observed. Therefore, wireless ammonia gas sensors loaded on a patch antenna have significant application prospects in the field of Internet of Things (IoTs).
Underdetermined Blind Source Separation of Synchronous Orthogonal Frequency Hopping Signals Based on Single Source Points Detection
Authors: Zhang Chaozhu , Wang Yu , Jing Fulong
Published: September 2017

This paper considers the complex-valued mixing matrix estimation and direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation of synchronous orthogonal frequency hopping (FH) signals in the underdetermined blind source separation (UBSS). A novel mixing matrix estimation algorithm is proposed by detecting single source points (SSPs) where only one source contributes its power. Firstly, the proposed algorithm distinguishes the SSPs by the comparison of the normalized coefficients of time frequency (TF) points, which is more effective than existing detection algorithms. Then, mixing matrix of FH signals can be estimated by the hierarchical clustering method. To sort synchronous orthogonal FH signals, a modified subspace projection method is presented to obtain the DOAs of FH. One superiority of this paper is that the estimation accuracy of the mixing matrix can be significantly improved by the proposed SSPs detection criteria. Another superiority of this paper is that synchronous orthogonal FH signals can be sorted in underdetermined condition. The experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of the two proposed algorithms.
Establishing a Framework to Evaluate the Effect of Energy Countermeasures Tackling Climate Change and Air Pollution: The Example of China
Authors: Yuan Jiehui , Ou Xunmin , Wang Gehua
Published: September 2017

Due to the large-scale utilization of high-carbon fossil energy, considerable amounts of critical air pollutants (CAPs) and greenhouse gas (GHG) have been emitted, which has led to increasingly serious global climate change and local air pollution problems. Given that climate change and air pollution have the same source, energy systems, the rational development and use of energy for collaborative governance should be emphasized to solve these problems in parallel. This paper presents a multi-dimensional, multi-perspective and achievable analysis framework to quantitatively evaluate the emission reduction effects of energy countermeasures aimed at tackling climate change and governing air pollution in support of sustainable development. As a typical developing country pursuing sustainable development, China is taken as an example to demonstrate an application of the proposed framework to assess the emission reduction effects of energy countermeasures issued for tackling climate change and governing air pollution on CAPs and GHG. The results indicate that the key energy actions proposed in this paper would result in emission reductions of approximately 6 million tons (Mt) of CAPs and 575 Mt of GHG in 2016. By 2020 and 2030, emission reductions of 12 Mt of CAPs and 1094 Mt of GHG and of 21 Mt of CAPs and 1975 Mt of GHG, respectively, will be achieved. The proposed framework can effectively help China identify the emissions reduction effect of a given energy countermeasure and support the development of policy describing the next steps for tackling climate change and haze pollution. The proposed framework in this paper is also beneficial for countries similar to China in their efforts to simultaneously address climate change and improve air quality.
Effect of Uncertainties in Estimated Carbon Reduction from Deforestation and Forest Degradation on Required Incentive Payments in Developing Countries
Authors: Sheng Jichuan
Published: September 2017

For reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) programs, it is particularly important that monitoring for emission reductions is tied to the revenues a developing country receives from REDD+ projects; any estimated uncertainties will have significant impacts on the emission reduction estimation and incentive scheme of REDD+. However, the effects of estimated uncertainties on incentives for developing countries have not been deeply discussed in the current literature. To fill this gap, two estimation approaches for emission reductions are introduced by considering the incentive coefficient by the principle of reliable minimum estimation. The relationship between estimated uncertainties and incentive coefficient is simulated to illustrate the effects of estimated uncertainties on the emission reduction estimation and incentive scheme. Data from six tropical developing countries are used, including Nigeria, Honduras, Indonesia, Cambodia, Ghana, and Brazil. The results indicate that both the errors of referential and actual carbon stock must be considered when estimating and predicting emission reductions. The effects of the error of actual carbon stock on the emission reduction estimation and incentive coefficient were determined to be more influential. The current incentive scheme was more favorable to developing countries with high carbon stock variability, while developing countries with low carbon stock variability had insufficient incentives to implement REDD+ project.
Spatio-Temporal Symmetry—Point Groups with Time Translations
Authors: Padmanabhan Haricharan , Kingsland Maggie , Munro Jason , Litvin Daniel , Gopalan Venkatraman
Published: September 2017

Spatial symmetries occur in combination with temporal symmetries in a wide range of physical systems in nature, including time-periodic quantum systems typically described by the Floquet formalism. In this context, groups formed by three-dimensional point group symmetry operations in combination with time translation operations are discussed in this work. The derivation of these ’spatio-temporal’ groups from conventional point groups and their irreducible representations is outlined, followed by a complete listing. The groups are presented in a template similar to space group operations, and are visualized using a modified version of conventional stereographic projections. Simple examples of physical processes that simultaneously exhibit symmetry in space and time are identified and used to illustrate the application of spatio-temporal groups.
Analysis of Class I Major Histocompatibility Complex Gene Transcription in Human Tumors Caused by Human Papillomavirus Infection
Authors: Gameiro Steven , Zhang Ali , Ghasemi Farhad , Barrett John , Nichols Anthony , Mymryk Joe
Published: September 2017

Oncoproteins from high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) downregulate the transcription of the class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC-I) antigen presentation apparatus in tissue culture model systems. This could allow infected or transformed cells to evade the adaptive immune response. Using data from over 800 human cervical and head & neck tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we determined the impact of HPV status on the mRNA expression of all six MHC-I heavy chain genes, and the β2 microglobulin light chain. Unexpectedly, these genes were all expressed at high levels in HPV positive (HPV+) cancers compared with normal control tissues. Indeed, many of these genes were expressed at significantly enhanced levels in HPV+ tumors. Similarly, the transcript levels of several other components of the MHC-I peptide-loading complex were also high in HPV+ cancers. The coordinated expression of high mRNA levels of the MHC-I antigen presentation apparatus could be a consequence of the higher intratumoral levels of interferon γ in HPV+ carcinomas, which correlate with signatures of increased infiltration by T- and NK-cells. These data, which were obtained from both cervical and oral tumors in large human cohorts, indicates that HPV oncoproteins do not efficiently suppress the transcription of the antigen presentation apparatus in human tumors.
Equine Assisted Interventions (EAIs): Methodological Considerations for Stress Assessment in Horses
Authors: De Santis Marta , Contalbrigo Laura , Borgi Marta , Cirulli Francesca , Luzi Fabio , Redaelli Veronica , Stefani Annalisa , Toson Marica , Odore Rosangela , Vercelli Cristina , Valle Emanuela , Farina Luca
Published: September 2017

Equine assisted interventions (EAIs) are recently facing an increasing popularity, and are characterized by a wide diversity of practices. However, information on the welfare of animals involved in this kind of activity is often lacking. Horses are highly susceptible to work stressors related to physical constraints and/or to the need to control emotions while interacting with humans. Considerations of the emotional state of horses involved in EAIs have multiple valences: for the safety of humans and animals involved, for the quality and efficacy of interventions, as well as for ethical reasons. The aim of this unsystematic narrative review is to summarize the different approaches used for the evaluation of horses’ stress responses, investigate their application in the context of EAIs, and discuss some methodological considerations for researchers and practitioners involved in EAI. The sources of information are mostly based on electronic databases (i.e., Medline, Scopus and Google scholar), as well as on hand searches of the references of retrieved literature, and discussions with experts in the field. At present, a few studies have investigated horses’ stress responses during EAIs, and further studies are recommended, with the final aim to derive a reliable multidimensional method for assessing a horse’s reaction during therapeutic programs, ultimately helping professionals to better develop interventions by taking into consideration the animal’s perspective.
Velocity Distribution and 3D Turbulence Characteristic Analysis for Flow over Water-Worked Rough Bed
Authors: Pu Jaan , Wei Jiahua , Huang Yuefei
Published: September 2017

To reproduce the natural flow topography in a laboratory environment, it is crucial to recapture its bed condition in order to ensure the accurate representation. Water-worked bed represents a state-of-the-art experimentally formed bed to imitate the natural-formed channel in most rivers or natural streams. Recently, this technique has been intensively studied through experimental and computational approaches; however, its actual influence towards the near-bed flow as compared to experimentally prepared rough bed in well-packed bedform order are still yet to be investigated deeply. This experimental study systematically investigated and compared the differences in velocity distribution and three-dimensional (3D) turbulence characteristics, including turbulence intensities and Reynolds stresses, between uniform smooth bed, laboratory-prepared rough bed and water-worked bed open channel flows. The flow comparisons were concentrated at near-bed region where clear flow behaviour change can be observed. Through these comparisons, the study inspected the characteristics of water-worked bedform thoroughly, in order to inform future experimental research that tries to reproduce natural stream behaviours.
On the Relation between the In Situ Properties and the Coronal Sources of the Solar Wind
Authors: Zhao L. , Landi E. , Lepri S. T. , Gilbert J. A. , Zurbuchen T. H. , Fisk L. A. , Raines J. M.
Published: September 2017

We categorize the types of solar wind using a new classification scheme based on the location of the wind’s coronal source regions in the solar atmosphere and near-solar heliosphere. We first trace the solar wind measured by ACE/SWEPAM and SWICS from 1998 to 2011 at 1 au back to a

2.5

R

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solar surface using ballistic mapping at constant proton speed; then we map them back to their magnetic footpoints on the

1

R

s

solar surface via the potential field source surface (PFSS) model. Coronal structures are identified using a classification scheme based on the pixel brightness in the SOHO or STEREO EUV Carrington images. The angular distances between each mapped solar wind footpoint to the different coronal structure pixels are calculated and used as a criterion to identify the type of solar wind source region. Depending on the proximity of the solar wind footpoints to a given coronal or heliospheric structure, we classify the solar wind into six types: active region (AR), AR-boundary, quiet Sun (QS), coronal hole (CH), CH-boundary, and helmet-streamer associated wind. The in situ properties of these six types of solar winds are then examined and compared, and their solar cycle dependences are also discussed.
The Mass Function of GX 339–4 from Spectroscopic Observations of Its Donor Star*
Authors: Heida M. , Jonker P. G. , Torres M. A. P. , Chiavassa A.
Published: September 2017

We obtained 16 VLT/X-shooter observations of GX 339−4 in quiescence during the period 2016 May–September and detected absorption lines from the donor star in its NIR spectrum. This allows us to measure the radial velocity curve and projected rotational velocity of the donor for the first time. We confirm the 1.76 day orbital period and we find that K
2 = 219 ± 3 km s−1, γ = 26 ± 2 km s−1, and

v
sin
i

= 64 ± 8 km s−1. From these values we compute a mass function f(M) = 1.91 ± 0.08

M

⊙

, a factor ∼3 lower than previously reported, and a mass ratio q = 0.18 ± 0.05. We confirm the donor is a K-type star and estimate that it contributes

∼
4
%
–
50
%

of the light in the J- and H-bands. We constrain the binary inclination to 37° 

<

i

<

 78° and the black hole (BH) mass to

2.3

M

⊙

<

M

BH

<

9.5

M

⊙

. GX 339−4 may therefore be the first BH to fall in the “mass-gap” of 2–5 M
⊙.
Constraining Parameters in Pulsar Models of Repeating FRB 121102 with High-energy Follow-up Observations
Authors: Xiao Di , Dai Zi-Gao
Published: September 2017

Recently, a precise (sub-arcsecond) localization of the repeating fast radio burst (FRB) 121102 led to the discovery of persistent radio and optical counterparts, the identification of a host dwarf galaxy at a redshift of z = 0.193, and several campaigns of searches for higher-frequency counterparts, which gave only upper limits on the emission flux. Although the origin of FRBs remains unknown, most of the existing theoretical models are associated with pulsars, or more specifically, magnetars. In this paper, we explore persistent high-energy emission from a rapidly rotating highly magnetized pulsar associated with FRB 121102 if internal gradual magnetic dissipation occurs in the pulsar wind. We find that the efficiency of converting the spin-down luminosity to the high-energy (e.g., X-ray) luminosity is generally much smaller than unity, even for a millisecond magnetar. This provides an explanation for the non-detection of high-energy counterparts to FRB 121102. We further constrain the spin period and surface magnetic field strength of the pulsar with the current high-energy observations. In addition, we compare our results with the constraints given by the other methods in previous works and expect to apply our new method to some other open issues in the future.
CLASP/SJ Observations of Rapid Time Variations in the Lyα Emission in a Solar Active Region
Authors: Ishikawa Shin-nosuke , Kubo Masahito , Katsukawa Yukio , Kano Ryouhei , Narukage Noriyuki , Ishikawa Ryohko , Bando Takamasa , Winebarger Amy , Kobayashi Ken , Trujillo Bueno Javier , Auchère Frédéric
Published: September 2017

The Chromospheric Lyα SpectroPolarimeter (CLASP) is a sounding rocket experiment launched on 2015 September 3 to investigate the solar chromosphere and transition region. The slit-jaw (SJ) optical system captured Lyα images with a high time cadence of 0.6 s. From the CLASP/SJ observations, many variations in the solar chromosphere and transition region emission with a timescale of <1 minute were discovered. In this paper, we focus on the active region within the SJ field of view and investigate the relationship between short (<30 s) temporal variations in the Lyα emission and the coronal structures observed by Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA). We compare the Lyα temporal variations at the coronal loop footpoints observed in the AIA 211 Å (≈2 MK) and AIA 171 Å (≈0.6 MK) channels with those in the regions with bright Lyα features without a clear association with the coronal loop footpoints. We find more short (<30 s) temporal variations in the Lyα intensity in the footpoint regions. Those variations did not depend on the temperature of the coronal loops. Therefore, the temporal variations in the Lyα intensity at this timescale range could be related to the heating of the coronal structures up to temperatures around the sensitivity peak of 171 Å. No signature was found to support the scenario that these Lyα intensity variations were related to the nanoflares. Waves or jets from the lower layers (lower chromosphere or photosphere) are possible causes for this phenomenon.
Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea in High-Risk Populations: Clinical Implications
Authors: Mallah Mai El , Bailey Evan , Trivedi Michelle , Kremer Ted , Rhein Lawrence M.
Published: September 2017

Certain common medical conditions are associated with a higher risk of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A lower threshold for screening is therefore indicated for such patient cohorts. In this article, we briefly discuss the high prevalence of OSA in children born prematurely, and in those with Down syndrome, craniofacial disorders, and neuromuscular disorders. Primary care providers should have an increased index of suspicion for OSA in these children, considering the neurocognitive disability that occurs in these high-risk groups when OSA is left untreated.

[
Pediatr Ann
. 2017;46(9):e336–e339.]
Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Asthma: Clinical Implications
Authors: Trivedi Michelle , Mallah Mai El , Bailey Evan , Kremer Ted , Rhein Lawrence M.
Published: September 2017

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and asthma are common conditions in children with preventable long-term consequences. There is significant overlap in symptomatology and pathophysiology for pediatric OSA and asthma. Recent evidence supports clear associations between the two diseases; however, causality has not been demonstrated. Regardless, it is important to recognize the overlap and evaluate for the other condition when one is present. For example, in patients with severe OSA, clinical evaluation for asthma should be considered, including history for typical asthma symptoms and spirometry. For patients with severe or poorly controlled asthma, OSA should be considered as a complicating condition. Clinical history for OSA as well as pediatric sleep questionnaires may be helpful tools in evaluation of the child with severe asthma. To decrease long-term consequences from asthma and OSA in children, clinicians should consider the relationship between these two diseases.

[
Pediatr Ann
. 2017;46(9):e332–e335.]
Boreoheptagyia ortladamellica sp. nov. (Diptera, Chironomidae) from Italian Alps
Authors: Rossaro B.
Published: September 2017

A new species from Italian Alps, Boreoheptagyia ortladamellica (Diptera, Chironomidae), is here described. The species is presently known only as adult male, it is similar to B. tibetica, because of the female-like antenna in adult male, but it can be separated by the following characters: much larger size, darker colour, medially pointed aedeagal lobe, knob-like and heavy sclerotized inferior volsella, gonostylus enlarged at basis with short spiniform setae at apex.
Mer Bleue, Ontario, Arctic surrogate study site project, 2016: global navigation satellite system survey report
Authors: Prévost C , White H P
Published: September 2017

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) has the mandate of providing essential geographic information. An improved knowledge of our physical environment represents one of the cores of this mandate. The Arctic is an important but challenging region to study, especially
for wetland monitoring. To reduce survey costs, researchers often use surrogate sites located in less remote areas. The Mer Bleue Bog Peatlands, a conveniently accessible sub-arctic wetland similar to wetlands found in the Arctic environment, is being used as arctic surrogate study site for the
MBASSS Project.
This study site is used for the calibration and validation of various types of optical (spectral) remote sensing data acquired by several project partners using satellite, airborne and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms. Precisely geo-located products require ground control points (reference
points) which are visible to the sensor on the platform and whose geographic location is known with precision. To fulfill this need, high precision GNSS surveys are required.
This highly illustrated document describes in detail the methods and results of the GNSS surveys required for the geographic rectification of imagery, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicle photographs, airborne hyperspectral imagery, and space borne multi-spectral imagery acquired within the scope of
MBASSS during 2016.
Mechanisms to promote board gender diversity in South Africa
Authors: Viviers Suzette , Mans-Kemp Nadia , Fawcett Rebecca
Published: September 2017

Research purpose: Board gender diversity is gaining increasing attention globally and in South Africa. Although more women are serving on the boards of companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), they only represent approximately one-fifth of all directors. This situation mirrors international trends. A review of the extant literature revealed three prominent mechanisms to increase the appointment of female directors, namely mandatory board gender quotas, voluntary targets and shareholder activism. The authors critically evaluated these three mechanisms with the aim of suggesting the most appropriate ones in the South African context.Motivation for the study: The study was undertaken given the paucity of comparative research on the three change mechanisms and the need to promote greater board gender diversity in South Africa.Research design: Judgement and snowball sampling were used to identify a sample of experienced local asset managers. Semi-structured personal interviews were conducted to gauge these individuals’ views on the applicability of these change mechanisms in South Africa. The qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis.Key findings: Although the participants acknowledged the importance of board gender female board representation, none of them have engaged investee companies on the topic over the period 2011–2016. This study provides evidence that legislation is the least preferred mechanism to promote board gender diversity in South Africa. Voluntary targets and public pressure from shareholders might be more effective.Contribution: Whereas existing research mainly centres on the rationale for board gender diversity, this study goes a step further by investigating three prominent mechanisms to promote female board representation. A contribution is made to the body of knowledge on diversity management. Context-specific recommendations are offered.