bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fungal Endophyte Communities of Three Agricultural Important Grass Species Differ in Their Response Towards Management Regimes
Authors: Wemheuer Bernd , Thomas Torsten , Wemheuer Franziska
Published: January 2019

Despite the importance of endophytic fungi for plant health, it remains unclear how these fungi are influenced by grassland management practices. Here, we investigated the effect of fertilizer application and mowing frequency on fungal endophyte communities and their life strategies in aerial tissues of three agriculturally important grass species (Dactylis glomerata L., Festuca rubra L. and Lolium perenne L.) over two consecutive years. Our results showed that the management practices influenced fungal communities in the plant holobiont, but observed effects differed between grass species and sampling year. Phylogenetic diversity of fungal endophytes in D. glomerata was significantly affected by mowing frequency in 2010, whereas fertilizer application and the interaction of fertilization with mowing frequency had a significant impact on community composition of L. perenne in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Taken together, our research provides a basis for future studies on responses of fungal endophytes towards management practices. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study simultaneously assessing fungal endophyte communities in aerial parts of three agriculturally important grass species over two consecutive years.
Novel Bispecific Aptamer Enhances Immune Cytotoxicity Against MUC1-Positive Tumor Cells by MUC1-CD16 Dual Targeting
Authors: Li Zhaoyi , Hu Yan , An Yacong , Duan Jinhong , Li Xundou , Yang Xian-Da
Published: January 2019

A promising strategy in cancer immunotherapy is the employment of a bispecific agent that can bind with both tumor markers and immunocytes for recruitment of lymphocytes to tumor sites and enhancement of anticancer immune reactions. Mucin1 (MUC1) is a tumor marker overexpressed in almost all adenocarcinomas, making it a potentially important therapeutic target. CD16 is expressed in several types of immunocytes, including NK cells, γδ-T cells, monocytes, and macrophages. In this study, we constructed the first bispecific aptamer (BBiApt) targeting both MUC1 and CD16. This aptamer consisted of two MUC1 aptamers and two CD16 aptamers linked together by three 60 nt DNA spacers. Compared with monovalent MUC1 or CD16 aptamers, BBiApt showed more potent avidity to both MUC1-positive tumor cells and CD16-positive immunocytes. Competition experiments indicated that BBiApt and monovalent aptamers bound to the same sites on the target cells. Moreover, BBiApt recruited more CD16-positive immunocytes around MUC1-positive tumor cells and enhanced the immune cytotoxicity against the tumor cells in vitro. The results suggest that, apart from bispecific antibodies, bispecific aptamers may also potentially serve as a novel strategy for targeted enhancement of antitumor immune reactions against MUC1-expressing malignancies.
Large Scale Double-Path Illumination System with Split Field of View for the All-Optical Study of Inter-and Intra-Hemispheric Functional Connectivity on Mice
Authors: Conti Emilia , Allegra Mascaro Anna Letizia , Pavone Francesco Saverio
Published: January 2019

Recent improvements in optical tools that can perturb brain activity and simultaneously reveal the elicited alterations in the associated regions offer an exceptional means to understand and map the connectivity of the brain. In this work, we exploit a combination of recently developed optical tools to monitor neural population at the meso-scale level and to mould the cortical patterns of targeted neuronal population. Our goal was to investigate the propagation of neuronal activity over the mouse cortex that is triggered by optogenetic stimulation in the contralateral hemisphere. Towards this aim, we developed a wide-field fluorescence microscope that is characterized by a double illumination path allowing for the optogenetic stimulation of the transfected area in the left hemisphere and the simultaneous recording of cortical activity in the right hemisphere. The microscope was further implemented with a custom shutter in order to split the LED illumination path, resulting in a half-obscured field of view. By avoiding the spectral crosstalk between GCaMP6f and channelrhodopsin 2 (ChR2), this system offered the possibility of simultaneous “pumping and probing” of inter-hemispheric functional connectivity on Thy1-GCaMP6f mice.
Motility, Biofilm Formation and Antimicrobial Efflux of Sessile and Planktonic Cells of Achromobacter xylosoxidans
Authors: Nielsen Signe M. , Penstoft Line N. , Nørskov-Lauritsen Niels
Published: January 2019

Achromobacter xylosoxidans is an innately multidrug-resistant bacterium capable of forming biofilms in the respiratory tract of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. During the transition from the planktonic stage to biofilm growth, bacteria undergo a transcriptionally regulated differentiation. An isolate of A. xylosoxidans cultured from the sputum of a CF patient was separated into sessile and planktonic stages in vitro, and the transcriptomes were compared. The selected genes of interest were subsequently inactivated, and flagellar motility was found to be decisive for biofilm formation in vitro. The spectrum of a new resistance-nodulation-cell division (RND)-type multidrug efflux pump (AxyEF-OprN) was characterized by inactivation of the membrane fusion protein. AxyEF-OprN is capable of extruding some fluoroquinolones (levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin), tetracyclines (doxycycline and tigecycline) and carpabenems (ertapenem and imipenem), which are classes of antimicrobials that are widely used for treatment of CF pulmonary infections.
Antimicrobial Activity of Six Essential Oils Against a Group of Human Pathogens: A Comparative Study
Authors: Man Adrian , Santacroce Luigi , Iacob Romeo , Mare Anca , Man Lidia
Published: January 2019

Essential oils are concentrated natural extracts derived from plants, which were proved to be good sources of bioactive compounds with antioxidative and antimicrobial properties. This study followed the effect of some commonly used essential oils in micellar and aqueous extract on some of the most common pathogenic bacteria. Frankincense, myrtle, thyme, lemon, oregano and lavender essential oils were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Both micellar and aqueous extracts were used for determination of their minimal inhibitory (MIC) and bactericidal concentrations (MBC). The most active oils were oregano, thyme, lemon and lavender, while the least active were frankincense and myrtle. Oregano oil presented up to 64 times lower MICs/MBCs than ethylic alcohol, if considered as standard, on all bacteria. Most susceptible bacteria were the Gram-positive cocci, including methicillin resistant S. aureus, while the most resistant was P. aeruginosa. With some exceptions, the best activity was achieved by micelles suspension of essential oils, with MICs and MBCs ranging from 0.1% to > 50% v/v. Only oregano and lavender aqueous extracts presented bactericidal activity and only on K. pneumoniae (MIC = 6.3%). Thyme, lemon and oregano oils present significantly lower overall average MICs for their micellar form than for their aqueous extracts. The present results may suggest some formulas of colloid or micelle suspensions of whole essential oils such as oregano, thyme or lemon oil, that may help in antimicrobial fight. Aqueous extracts of oregano or thyme oil with good antibacterial activity could also be used in selected cases.
Virus–Host Interactions Involved in Lassa Virus Entry and Genome Replication
Authors: Loureiro María Eugenia , D’Antuono Alejandra , López Nora
Published: January 2019

Lassa virus (LASV) is the causative agent of Lassa fever, a human hemorrhagic disease associated with high mortality and morbidity rates, particularly prevalent in West Africa. Over the past few years, a significant amount of novel information has been provided on cellular factors that are determinant elements playing a role in arenavirus multiplication. In this review, we focus on host proteins that intersect with the initial steps of the LASV replication cycle: virus entry and genome replication. A better understanding of relevant virus–host interactions essential for sustaining these critical steps may help to identify possible targets for the rational design of novel therapeutic approaches against LASV and other arenaviruses that cause severe human disease.
On the Absolute Stereochemistry of Tolterodine: A Circular Dichroism Study
Authors: Górecki Marcin , Zullo Valerio , Iuliano Anna , Pescitelli Gennaro
Published: January 2019

Tolterodine (1) is a potent muscarinic receptor antagonist used in the treatment of overactive urinary bladder (OAB) syndrome. Tolterodine is chiral and it was patented, and is currently marketed, as the l-tartrate salt of the (R)-enantiomer. However, the existing literature does not offer an ultimate proof of a stereoselective mode of action of 1. A second open stereochemical issue concerns the absolute configuration (AC) of 1. Neither the original patents nor subsequent studies have established the AC of 1 in an unambiguous way, although the AC of the l-tartrate salt of 1 was assigned by X-ray diffractometry. Finally, neither electronic nor vibrational circular dichroism (ECD and VCD) spectra of 1 are reported so far. We performed a thorough ECD/VCD study of 1 in different solvents and at variable temperatures. Solvent and temperature dependence highlighted the existence of moderate flexibility which was confirmed by molecular modelling. ECD calculations with time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) accurately reproduced the experimental spectra and allowed us to confirm the AC of 1 in an independent way.
Taxonomical and Phytochemical Characterisation of 10 Stachys Taxa Recorded in the Balkan Peninsula Flora: A Review
Authors: Bilušić Vundać Vjera
Published: January 2019

The genus Stachys is one of the largest genera of the Lamiaceae, and it comprises about 300 species. Some species are highly polymorphic, with a number of infraspecific taxa. The aim of the present review is to summarise the available knowledge on 10 taxa belonging to the Balkan Peninsula flora (S. alpina L., S. germanica L., S. menthifolia Vis., S. obliqua Waldst. Et Kit., S. officinalis (L.) Trevis., S. palustris L., S. recta L. subsp. recta, S. recta L. subsp. subcrenata (Vis.) Briq., S. salviifolia Ten., and S. sylvatica L.) in order to enable insight into the identified biologically active substances and their possible application in intrageneric differentiation.
Meta-Analysis of Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Seedling-Stage Salt Tolerance in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Islam Md. Shofiqul , Ontoy John , Subudhi Prasanta K.
Published: January 2019

Soil and water salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses that reduce growth and productivity in major food crops including rice. The lack of congruence of salt tolerance quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in multiple genetic backgrounds and multiple environments is a major hindrance for undertaking marker-assisted selection (MAS). A genome-wide meta-analysis of QTLs controlling seedling-stage salt tolerance was conducted in rice using QTL information from 12 studies. Using a consensus map, 11 meta-QTLs for three traits with smaller confidence intervals were localized on chromosomes 1 and 2. The phenotypic variance of 3 meta-QTLs was ≥20%. Based on phenotyping of 56 diverse genotypes and breeding lines, six salt-tolerant genotypes (Bharathy, I Kung Ban 4-2 Mutant, Langmanbi, Fatehpur 3, CT-329, and IARI 5823) were identified. The perusal of the meta-QTL regions revealed several candidate genes associated with salt-tolerance attributes. The lack of association between meta-QTL linked markers and the level of salt tolerance could be due to the low resolution of meta-QTL regions and the genetic complexity of salt tolerance. The meta-QTLs identified in this study will be useful not only for MAS and pyramiding, but will also accelerate the fine mapping and cloning of candidate genes associated with salt-tolerance mechanisms in rice.
Integrated Hydrolysis of Mixed Agro-Waste for a Second Generation Biorefinery Using Nepenthes mirabilis Pod Digestive Fluids
Authors: Dlangamandla Nkosikho , Ntwampe Seteno Karabo Obed , Angadam Justine Oma , Itoba-Tombo Elie Fereche , Chidi Boredi Silas , Mekuto Lukhanyo
Published: January 2019

To sustainably operate a biorefinery with a low cost input in a commercial setting, the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass must be undertaken in a manner which will impart environmental tolerance while reducing fermenter inhibitors from the delignification process. The challenge lies with the highly recalcitrant lignin structure, which limits the conversion of the holocelluloses to fermentable total reducing sugars (TRS). Due to these challenges, sustainable and innovative methods to pre-treat biomass must be developed for delignocellulolytic operations. Herein, Nepenthes mirabilis digestive fluids shown to have ligninolytic, cellulolytic and xylanolytic activities were used as an enzyme cocktail to hydrolyse mixed agro-waste constituted by Citrus sinensis (orange), Malus domestica (apple) peels, cobs from Zea mays (maize) and Quercus robur (oak) yard waste. The digestive fluids contained carboxylesterases (529.41 ± 30.50 U/L), β-glucosidases (251.94 ± 11.48 U/L) and xylanases (36.09 ± 18.04 U/L), constituting an enzymatic cocktail with significant potential for the reduction in total residual phenolic compounds (TRPCs), while being appropriate for holocellulose hydrolysis. Furthermore, the maximum TRS obtainable was 310 ± 5.19 mg/L within 168 h, while the TRPCs were reduced from 6.25 ± 0.18 to 4.26 ± 0.09 mg/L, which was lower than that observed when conventional methods were used. Overall, N. mirabilis digestive fluids demonstrated an ability to support biocatalytic processes with minimised cellulases hydrolysis interference. Therefore, the digestive enzymes in N. mirabilis pods can be used in an integrated system for feedstock hydrolysis in a second generation biorefinery.
Comparison of Three Deoxidation Agents for Ozonated Broths Used in Anaerobic Biotechnological Processes
Authors: Pawlikowska Ewelina , Domanski Jaroslaw , Dziugan Piotr , Berlowska Joanna , Cieciura-Wloch Weronika , Smigielski Krzysztof , Kregiel Dorota
Published: January 2019

Anaerobic fermentation of organic compounds is used in many biotechnological processes and has been the subject of much research. A variety of process conditions and different growth media can be used to obtain microbial metabolites. The media must be free from contamination before fermentation. Sterilization is most often achieved by applying heat or other treatments, such as ozonation. Sterilization of liquid media using ozone can be very beneficial, but this method introduces high concentrations of residual oxygen, which inhibit anaerobic processes. Deoxidation is therefore necessary to remove the oxygen from ozonated broths. This study evaluates the effectiveness of three deoxidation agents for two kinds of fermentation media based on malt or molasses: ultrasound, iron(II) sulfate, and Metschnikowia sp. yeast. The time needed for deoxidation varied, depending on the kind of broth and the deoxidation agent. In general, the dynamics of oxygen removal were faster in malt broth. A comparative analysis showed that yeast biomass was the most effective agent, achieving deoxidation in the shortest time. Moreover, the fully deoxidated broth was supplemented with yeast biomass, which is rich in biogenic substrates, expressed as a protein content of 0.13–0.73 g/L. Application of Metschnikowia sp. may therefore be considered as an effective strategy for simultaneous deoxidation and nutrient supplementation of broths used in anaerobic biotechnological processes.
Is There a Social Life in Open Data? The Case of Open Data Practices in Educational Technology Research
Authors: Raffaghelli Juliana E. , Manca Stefania
Published: January 2019

In the landscape of Open Science, Open Data (OD) plays a crucial role as data are one of the most basic components of research, despite their diverse formats across scientific disciplines. Opening up data is a recent concern for policy makers and researchers, as the basis for good Open Science practices. The common factor underlying these new practices—the relevance of promoting Open Data circulation and reuse—is mostly a social form of knowledge sharing and construction. However, while data sharing is being strongly promoted by policy making and is becoming a frequent practice in some disciplinary fields, Open Data sharing is much less developed in Social Sciences and in educational research. In this study, practices of OD publication and sharing in the field of Educational Technology are explored. The aim is to investigate Open Data sharing in a selection of Open Data repositories, as well as in the academic social network site ResearchGate. The 23 Open Datasets selected across five OD platforms were analysed in terms of (a) the metrics offered by the platforms and the affordances for social activity; (b) the type of OD published; (c) the FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability) data principles compliance; and (d) the extent of presence and related social activity on ResearchGate. The results show a very low social activity in the platforms and very few correspondences in ResearchGate that highlight a limited social life surrounding Open Datasets. Future research perspectives as well as limitations of the study are interpreted in the discussion.
Speleothem Paleoclimatology for the Caribbean, Central America, and North America
Authors: Oster Jessica L. , Warken Sophie F. , Sekhon Natasha , Arienzo Monica M. , Lachniet Matthew
Published: January 2019

Speleothem oxygen isotope records from the Caribbean, Central, and North America reveal climatic controls that include orbital variation, deglacial forcing related to ocean circulation and ice sheet retreat, and the influence of local and remote sea surface temperature variations. Here, we review these records and the global climate teleconnections they suggest following the recent publication of the Speleothem Isotopes Synthesis and Analysis (SISAL) database. We find that low-latitude records generally reflect changes in precipitation, whereas higher latitude records are sensitive to temperature and moisture source variability. Tropical records suggest precipitation variability is forced by orbital precession and North Atlantic Ocean circulation driven changes in atmospheric convection on long timescales, and tropical sea surface temperature variations on short timescales. On millennial timescales, precipitation seasonality in southwestern North America is related to North Atlantic climate variability. Great Basin speleothem records are closely linked with changes in Northern Hemisphere summer insolation. Although speleothems have revealed these critical global climate teleconnections, the paucity of continuous records precludes our ability to investigate climate drivers from the whole of Central and North America for the Pleistocene through modern. This underscores the need to improve spatial and temporal coverage of speleothem records across this climatically variable region.
“I’m a Pacifist”: Peace in the Thought of Emmanuel Levinas
Authors: Lawrence Sean
Published: January 2019

This paper develops and examines the idea and importance of peace in the ethical philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas, starting from an anecdote regarding his parody of Ernst Cassirer during a student performance in Davos. It examines Levinas’s stated views on peace from across his career, arguing Levinas should be viewed as a pacifist, albeit a highly original one, who shows that political structures are characterized by violence but reveal their origins in the radical peace of the face-to-face encounter.
Jumping the Chain: How Downstream Manufacturers Engage with Deep Suppliers of Conflict Minerals
Authors: Young Steven B. , Fernandes Shannon , Wood Michael O.
Published: January 2019

Global manufacturing firms are engaging distant suppliers of critical raw materials to participate in responsible sourcing. Downstream firms are concerned about risks in mineral supply chains of violent conflict, human rights violations, and poor governance, but they are limited in seeing their suppliers. Descriptive data on 323 smelters and refiners of tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold (the “conflict minerals”) were complemented by interviews with downstream firms in the electronics industry. Results provided a narrative of supplier engagement, describing tactics used to identify “deep suppliers” at chokepoints in metals supply and to persuade producers into joining due diligence programs. Top-tier firms collaborate through a standards program to overcame barriers of geography and cultural distance in supply chain management beyond the visible horizon. Curiously, manufacturers do not need line-of-sight transparency to lower-tier suppliers. Rather, top-tier firms are “jumping the chain” to engage directly with “deep suppliers” who may—or may not—be their own actual physical suppliers. The research contributes empirical evidence to understanding multi-tier supply chains, examines how power is exercised by top-tier firms managing suppliers, and provides insights on supply chain transparency. Responsible sourcing, based on due diligence guidance and standards, is becoming expected of companies that are involved in supply chains of raw materials.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Robotics in 2018
Authors:   Robotics Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Mapping Substrate Types and Compositions in Shallow Streams
Authors: Niroumand-Jadidi Milad , Pahlevan Nima , Vitti Alfonso
Published: January 2019

Remote sensing of riverbed compositions could enable advances in hydro-morphological and habitat modeling. Substrate mapping in fluvial systems has not received as much attention as in nearshore, optically shallow inland, and coastal waters. As finer spatial-resolution image data become more available, a need emerges to expand research on the remote sensing of riverbed composition. For instance, research to date has primarily been based on spectral reflectance data from above the water surface without accounting for attenuation by the water-column. This study analyzes the impacts of water-column correction for substrate mapping in shallow fluvial systems (depth < 1 m). To do so, we performed three different experiments: (a) analyzing spectroscopic measurements in a hydraulic laboratory setting, (b) simulating water-leaving radiances under various optical scenarios, and (c) evaluating the potential to map bottom composition from a WorldView-3 (WV3) image of a river in Northern Italy. Following the retrieval of depth and diffuse attenuation coefficient ( K d ), bottom reflectances were estimated using a water-column correction method. The results indicated significant enhancements in streambed maps based on bottom reflectances relative to maps produced from above-water spectra. Accounting for deep-water reflectance, embedded in the water-column correction, was demonstrated to have the greatest impact on the retrieval of bottom reflectance in NIR bands, when the water column is relatively thick (>0.5 m) and/or when the water is turbid. We also found that the WV3’s red-edge band (i.e., 724 nm) considerably improved the characterization of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) densities from either above-water or retrieved bottom spectra. This study further demonstrated the feasibility of mapping SAV density classes from a WV3 image of the Sarca River in Italy by retrieving the bottom reflectances.
Improving the Topside Profile of Ionosonde with TEC Retrieved from Spaceborne Polarimetric SAR
Authors: Wang Cheng , Guo Wulong , Zhao Haisheng , Chen Liang , Wei Yiwen , Zhang Yuanyuan
Published: January 2019

Signals from spaceborne polarimetric synthetic aperture radar will suffer from Faraday rotations when they propagate through the ionosphere, especially those at L-band or lower frequencies, such as signals from the Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR). For this reason, Faraday rotation compensation should be considered. On the other hand, Faraday rotation could also be retrieved from distorted echoes. Moreover, combining Faraday rotation with the radar parameters and the model of magnetic field, we could derive the total electron content (TEC) along the signal path. Benefiting from the high spatial resolution of the SAR system, TEC obtained from PALSAR could be orders of magnitude higher in spatial resolution than that from GPS. Besides, we demonstrated that the precision of TEC from PALSAR is also much higher than that from GPS. With the precise TEC available, we could fuse it with data from other ionosphere detection devices to improve their performances. In this paper, we adopted it to help modify the empirically modeled topside profile of ionosonde. The results show that the divergence between the modified profile and the referenced incoherent scattering radar profile reduced by about 30 percent when compared to the original ionosonde topside profile.
Enhancement of the Humidity Sensing Performance in Mg-Doped Hexagonal ZnO Microspheres at Room Temperature
Authors: Lin Cunchong , Zhang Hongyan , Zhang Jun , Chen Chu
Published: January 2019

In this paper, Mg-doped black ZnO microspheres with the characteristics of large surface area and surface oxygen vacancies were synthesized using the sol-gel method. The humidity sensing behavior of the Mg-doped ZnO for relative humidity (RH) from 11% to 95% was measured at room temperature. The superior humidity sensing performance recorded for Mg-doped ZnO microspheres (1.5 mol%) exhibits a dramatic change of impedance of about four orders of magnitude, excellent sensing linearity, small hysteresis (4.1%), a fast sensing response time of as low as 24 s, and a recovery time of 12 s. Our studies demonstrate that Mg dopant can significantly enhance the humidity sensing performance of black ZnO. This benefits from the Mg-doped ZnO (1.5 mol%) microspheres having a high level of surface adsorption and the abundant oxygen vacancies on the surface. Such a new material could be very useful to develop simple and high-performance humidity sensors for future applications in varying commercial fields and industries.
A Comparison of Machine Learning and Deep Learning Techniques for Activity Recognition using Mobile Devices
Authors: Baldominos Alejandro , Cervantes Alejandro , Saez Yago , Isasi Pedro
Published: January 2019

We have compared the performance of different machine learning techniques for human activity recognition. Experiments were made using a benchmark dataset where each subject wore a device in the pocket and another on the wrist. The dataset comprises thirteen activities, including physical activities, common postures, working activities and leisure activities. We apply a methodology known as the activity recognition chain, a sequence of steps involving preprocessing, segmentation, feature extraction and classification for traditional machine learning methods; we also tested convolutional deep learning networks that operate on raw data instead of using computed features. Results show that combination of two sensors does not necessarily result in an improved accuracy. We have determined that best results are obtained by the extremely randomized trees approach, operating on precomputed features and on data obtained from the wrist sensor. Deep learning architectures did not produce competitive results with the tested architecture.
Practical Design Considerations for Compact Array-Fed Huygens’ Dielectric Lens Antennas
Authors: Seo Bora , Yoon Inseop , Oh Jungsuek
Published: January 2019

This paper presents a practical design consideration for the dielectric lens based on Huygens’ principle (HP) at a short distance (=λ0/2) from a feed antenna to overcome the limitation of the conventional design method. It is suggested that certain ranges of dielectric thickness values are not considered to exclude undesired resonant effects that hamper the effectiveness of Huygens’ lens which relies on phase shifting elements. In the proposed HP-based design method, phase distributions are captured at the target distance away from the feed array for the two cases of 2 × 2 and 1 × 4 array antennas and based on these, the proposed lens topology is designed to compensate the phase distributions for gain enhancement. A case study shows that the proposed HP-based design approach considering the actual phase information and undesired dielectric resonant phenomenology can achieve a gain enhancement of up to 5.34 dB compared to the conventional dielectric lens, depending on the feed array arrangement that can render circular or elliptic shapes of phase distributions for radiated fields.
Real-Time Interferometric Refractive Index Change Measurement for the Direct Detection of Enzymatic Reactions and the Determination of Enzyme Kinetics
Authors: Jepsen Søren T. , Jørgensen Thomas M. , Sørensen Henrik S. , Kristensen Søren R.
Published: January 2019

Back scatter interferometry (BSI) is a sensitive method for detecting changes in the bulk refractive index of a solution in a microfluidic system. Here we demonstrate that BSI can be used to directly detect enzymatic reactions and, for the first time, derive kinetic parameters. While many methods in biomedical assays rely on detectable biproducts to produce a signal, direct detection is possible if the substrate or the product exert distinct differences in their specific refractive index so that the total refractive index changes during the enzymatic reaction. In this study, both the conversion of glucose to glucose-6-phosphate, catalyzed by hexokinase, and the conversion of adenosine-triphosphate to adenosine di-phosphate and mono-phosphate, catalyzed by apyrase, were monitored by BSI. When adding hexokinase to glucose solutions containing adenosine-triphosphate, the conversion can be directly followed by BSI, which shows the increasing refractive index and a final plateau corresponding to the particular concentration. From the initial reaction velocities, KM was found to be 0.33 mM using Michaelis–Menten kinetics. The experiments with apyrase indicate that the refractive index also depends on the presence of various ions that must be taken into account when using this technique. This study clearly demonstrates that measuring changes in the refractive index can be used for the direct determination of substrate concentrations and enzyme kinetics.
Research on the Algorithm Model for Measuring Ocean Waves Based on Satellite GPS Signals in China
Authors: Qi Zhanhui , Li Shaowu , Li Mingbing , Dang Chaoqun , Sun Dongbo , Zhang Dongliang , Liu Ning , Zhang Suoping
Published: January 2019

In recent years, the GPS wave buoy has been developed for in situ wave monitoring based on satellite GPS signals. Many research works have been completed on the GPS-based wave measurement technology and great progress has been achieved. The basic principle of the GPS wave buoy is to calculate the movement velocity of the buoy using the Doppler frequency shift of satellite GPS signals, and then to calculate the wave parameters from the movement velocity according to ocean wave theory. The shortage of the GPS wave buoy is the occasional occurrence of some unusual values in the movement velocity. This is mainly due to the fact that the GPS antenna is occasionally covered by sea water and cannot normally receive high-quality satellite GPS signals. The traditional solution is to remove these unusual movement velocity values from the records, which requires furthering extend the acquisition time of satellite GPS signals to ensure there is a large enough quantity of effective movement velocity values. Based on the traditional GPS wave measurement technology, this paper presents the algorithmic flow and proposes two improvement measures. On the one hand, the neural network algorithm is used to correct the unusual movement velocity data so that extending the acquisition time of satellite GPS signals is not necessary and battery power is saved. On the other hand, the Gaussian low-pass filter is used to correct the raw directional wave spectrum, which can further eliminate the influence of noise spectrum energy and improve the measurement accuracy. The on-site sea test of the SBF7-1A GPS wave buoy, developed by the National Ocean Technology Center in China, and the gravity-acceleration-type DWR-MKIII Waverider buoy are highlighted in this article. The wave data acquired by the two buoys are analyzed and processed. It can be seen from the processed results that the ocean wave parameters from the two kinds of wave buoys, such as wave height, wave period, wave direction, wave frequency spectrum, and directional wave spectrum, are in good consistency, indicating that the SBF7-1A GPS wave buoy is comparable to the traditional gravity-acceleration-type wave buoy in terms of its accuracy. Therefore, the feasibility and validity of the two improvement measures proposed in this paper are confirmed.
Embedded Smart Antenna for Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation (NDT&E) of Moisture Content and Deterioration in Concrete
Authors: Teng Kah , Kot Patryk , Muradov Magomed , Shaw Andy , Hashim Khalid , Gkantou Michaela , Al-Shamma’a Ahmed
Published: January 2019

Concrete failure will lead to serious safety concerns in the performance of a building structure. It is one of the biggest challenges for engineers to inspect and maintain the quality of concrete throughout the service years in order to prevent structural deterioration. To date, a lot of research is ongoing to develop different instruments to inspect concrete quality. Detection of moisture ingress is important in the structural monitoring of concrete. This paper presents a novel sensing technique using a smart antenna for the non-destructive evaluation of moisture content and deterioration inspection in concrete blocks. Two different standard concrete samples (United Kingdom and Malaysia) were investigated in this research. An electromagnetic (EM) sensor was designed and embedded inside the concrete to detect the moisture content within the structure. In addition, CST microwave studio was used to validate the theoretical model of the EM sensor against the test data. The results demonstrated that the EM sensor at 2.45 GHz is capable of detecting the moisture content in the concrete with linear regression of R2 = 0.9752. Furthermore, identification of different mix ratios of concrete were successfully demonstrated in this paper. In conclusion, the EM sensor is capable of detecting moisture content non-destructively and could be a potential technique for maintenance and quality control of the building performance.
Designing Paper-Based Immunoassays for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Hristov Delyan R. , Rodriguez-Quijada Cristina , Gomez-Marquez Jose , Hamad-Schifferli Kimberly
Published: January 2019

Paper-based sensors and assays have been highly attractive for numerous biological applications, including rapid diagnostics and assays for disease detection, food safety, and clinical care. In particular, the paper immunoassay has helped drive many applications in global health due to its low cost and simplicity of operation. This review is aimed at examining the fundamentals of the technology, as well as different implementations of paper-based assays and discuss novel strategies for improving their sensitivity, performance, or enabling new capabilities. These innovations can be categorized into using unique nanoparticle materials and structures for detection via different techniques, novel biological species for recognizing biomarkers, or innovative device design and/or architecture.
Track-Before-Detect Framework-Based Vehicle Monocular Vision Sensors
Authors: Gonzalez Hernan , Rodriguez Sergio , Elouardi Abdelhafid
Published: January 2019

This paper proposes a Track-before-Detect framework for a multibody motion segmentation (named TbD-SfM). Our contribution relies on a tightly coupled tracking before detection strategy intended to reduce the complexity of existing Multibody Structure from Motion approaches. Efforts were done towards an algorithm variant closer and aimed to a further embedded implementation for dynamic scene analysis while enhancing processing time performances. This generic motion segmentation approach can be transposed to several transportation sensor systems since no constraints are considered on segmented motions (6-DOF model). The tracking scheme is analyzed and its performance is evaluated under thorough experimental conditions including full-scale driving scenarios from known and available datasets. Results on challenging scenarios including the presence of multiple and simultaneous moving objects observed from a moving camera are reported and discussed.
Connectivity Analysis of Cognitive Radio Ad-Hoc Networks with Multi-Pair Primary Networks
Authors: The Dung Le , Choi Seong-Gon
Published: January 2019

In this paper, we study the connectivity of cognitive radio ad-hoc networks (CRAHNs) where primary users (PUs) and secondary users (SUs) are randomly distributed in a given area following a homogeneous Poisson process. Moreover, for the sake of more realistic CRAHNs, contrary to previous works in the literature, we consider the case that primary network is comprised of multiple communication pairs which are spatial-temporal distributed in the network area. We also take into consideration the differences in transmission range and interference range of both PUs and SUs. The connectivity of such CRAHN is studied from three viewpoints. First, we mathematically analyze the probability of isolated secondary transmitter and secondary receiver. Second, we derive the approximation expression of the link probability between two adjacent SUs. Third, we investigate the path connectivity between two arbitrary SUs by using the simulation analysis approach. The correctness of our mathematical expressions is confirmed by comparing analytical results with simulation results. The results in this paper provide insights into how multiple communication pairs in primary network affect the connectivity of secondary network, which can be useful guidelines for the design of CRAHNs.
Enthalpy-Sensing Microsystem Effective in Continuous Flow
Authors: Mhammedi Taoufik , Camberlein Lionel , Polet Frédéric , Bêche Bruno , Gaviot Etienne
Published: January 2019

A new microsystem designed to detect and measure in real time the enthalpy of mixing of two fluid constituents is presented. A preliminary approach to quantify the enthalpy of dilution values or mixing is first discussed. Then, a coherent rationale leading to structure devices operating in real time is formulated, considering the straightforward assessment of heat-flux transducers (HFTs) capability. Basic thermodynamic observations regarding the analogy between thermal and electrical systems are highlighted prior consideration of practical examples involving mixing water and alcohols. Fundamentals about HFT design are highlighted before presenting an adequate way to integrate both functions of mixing and measuring the entailed heat exchange as two continuously flowing fluids interact with one another. Thereby, the development of a relevant prototype of such a dedicated microsystem is discussed. Its design, fabrication and implementation under real operating conditions are presented together with its assessed performance and limits so as to highlight the advantages and shortcomings of the concept.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Scientia Pharmaceutica in 2018
Authors:   Scientia Pharmaceutica Editorial Office
Published: January 2019

Rigorous peer-review is the corner-stone of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Perceptual Knots and Black Identity Politics: Linked Fate, American Heritage, and Support for Trump Era Immigration Policy
Authors: Carter Niambi M. , King-Meadows Tyson D.
Published: January 2019

Since the 2016 U.S. presidential election, much ado has been made about how racial anxiety fueled White vote choice for Donald Trump. Far less empirical attention has been paid to whether the 2016 election cycle triggered black anxieties and if those anxieties led blacks to reevaluate their communities’ standing relative to Latinos and immigrants. Employing data from the 2016 Collaborative Multiracial Post-Election Survey, we examine the extent to which race consciousness both coexists with black perceptions of Latinos and shapes black support for anti-immigrant legislation. Our results address how the conflation of Latino with undocumented immigrant may have activated a perceptional and policy backlash amongst black voters.
Social Relationships, Child Poverty, and Children’s Life Satisfaction
Authors: Haanpää Leena , Kuula Mirka , Hakovirta Mia
Published: January 2019

Child subjective well-being is determined by various personal, social, and contextual factors. Few studies have found reliable differences in the prediction power of these factors; however, the results vary especially when it comes to sociodemographic factors, such as the effect of child’s socioeconomic background on life satisfaction. This paper examines how poverty and social relationships affect the perceived life satisfaction of Finnish schoolchildren. Drawing on survey data of Finnish schoolchildren, from grades 5, 7, and 9 (n = 1793), linear regression was used to test how life satisfaction would be associated with socio-demographic variables, poverty, and child–parent and peer relationships. The results emphasize the complex nature of the determinants of children’s life satisfaction. The greatest unique contribution for change of life satisfaction was made by the time spent with mother (β(p) = 0.189). Overall, the model showed a good fit (R2 19.9). These findings have important implications for family policies and services that promote good parenting and positive parent–child relationships. Furthermore, this study highlights relational well-being as a key determinant of children’s life satisfaction.
Work and Family Life Reconciliation Policies in Turkey: Europeanisation or Ottomanisation?
Authors: Kazanoğlu Nazlı
Published: January 2019

This paper is an endeavour to explore and explain the Europeanisation patterns of gender equality in a longstanding candidate country, Turkey, with regard to the specific policy areas of work and family life reconciliation over the last two decades. To achieve this goal, this paper has utilised a combination of literature review, document analysis and 43 semi-structured in-depth interviews with European Union (EU) officials, representatives of social partners and international women’s organisations, as well as Turkish political elites and representatives of civil society organisations. The collected data have been analysed through the thematic analysis research method. Relying on an extensive review of the related literature and policy documents together with the data collected, this paper contends that the process of Europeanising Turkish work and family life reconciliation policies has remained contradictory, incomplete and patchy. Although the Turkish government has made various legislative changes in response to the adaptational pressure coming from the EU, a closer examination of those legislative amendments indicates a continued disconnect between Turkey and the EU in the specific policy area of work and family life reconciliation.
An Examination of the Impact of Astroturfing on Nationalism: A Persuasion Knowledge Perspective
Authors: Henrie Kenneth M. , Gilde Christian
Published: January 2019

One communication approach that lately has become more common is astroturfing, which has been more prominent since the proliferation of social media platforms. In this context, astroturfing is a fake grass-roots political campaign that aims to manipulate a certain audience. This exploratory research examined how effective astroturfing is in mitigating citizens’ natural defenses against politically persuasive messages. An experimental method was used to examine the persuasiveness of social media messages related to coal energy in their ability to persuade citizens’, and increase their level of nationalism. The results suggest that citizens are more likely to be persuaded by an astroturfed message than people who are exposed to a non-astroturfed message, regardless of their political leanings. However, the messages were not successful in altering an individual’s nationalistic views at the moment of exposure. The authors discuss these findings and propose how in a long-term context, astroturfing is a dangerous addition to persuasive communication.
Positive Discrimination Policies and Indigenous-Based ECEC Services in Bogota, Colombia
Authors: Sanchez Caro Carmen María
Published: January 2019

This article aims to present a few tensions and contradictions when implementing children’s rights using the case of three Casas de Pensamiento Indígena (CPI)—indigenous childcare services—in Bogotá. It questions global policies and local interpretations of early childhood education. Its main purpose is to find insights on what it means to attend to young children from minority groups. Could early childhood education and care (ECEC) services be reduced to ethnic backgrounds? In the struggle to deal with global, local, and community discourses, policy makers see positive discrimination not only as a way to justify their actions and their policies but also as a way to respond to the question of equity and diversity, regardless of equality. Therefore, this article highlights this discussion on positive discrimination as a way to intensify social inequality or reproduce inequalities at another level with a different name. Rancière’s dissertation on politics (Rancière 1998) and on the different meanings of politics and politique is used to understand the subtle relationship between equity and diversity. Considering all of this, it was decided to do fieldwork to comprehend the daily lives of CPI settings and the complexity of their formalization/institutionalization. The study highlights how CPI both differs from and is part of conventional services, and how indigenous caregivers and children face an institutional script that asks them to perform indigenism.
Accurate and Precise Prediction of Soil Properties from a Large Mid-Infrared Spectral Library
Authors: Dangal Shree R. S. , Sanderman Jonathan , Wills Skye , Ramirez-Lopez Leonardo
Published: January 2019

Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) is emerging as a rapid and cost-effective alternative to routine laboratory analysis for many soil properties. However, it has primarily been applied in project-specific contexts. Here, we provide an assessment of DRS spectroscopy at the scale of the continental United States by utilizing the large (n > 50,000) USDA National Soil Survey Center mid-infrared spectral library and associated soil characterization database. We tested and optimized several advanced statistical approaches for providing routine predictions of numerous soil properties relevant to studying carbon cycling. On independent validation sets, the machine learning algorithms Cubist and memory-based learner (MBL) both outperformed random forest (RF) and partial least squares regressions (PLSR) and produced excellent overall models with a mean R2 of 0.92 (mean ratio of performance to deviation = 6.5) across all 10 soil properties. We found that the use of root-mean-square error (RMSE) was misleading for understanding the actual uncertainty about any particular prediction; therefore, we developed routines to assess the prediction uncertainty for all models except Cubist. The MBL models produced much more precise predictions compared with global PLSR and RF. Finally, we present several techniques that can be used to flag predictions of new samples that may not be reliable because their spectra fall outside of the calibration set.