bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antibiotic Resistant Superbugs: Assessment of the Interrelationship of Occurrence in Clinical Settings and Environmental Niches
Authors: Adegoke Anthony , Faleye Adekunle , Singh Gulshan , Stenström Thor
Published: December 2016

The increasing threat to global health posed by antibiotic resistance remains of serious concern. Human health remains at higher risk due to several reported therapeutic failures to many life threatening drug resistant microbial infections. The resultant effects have been prolonged hospital stay, higher cost of alternative therapy, increased mortality, etc. This opinionated review considers the two main concerns in integrated human health risk assessment (i.e., residual antibiotics and antibiotic resistant genes) in various compartments of human environment, as well as clinical dynamics associated with the development and transfer of antibiotic resistance (AR). Contributions of quorum sensing, biofilms, enzyme production, and small colony variants in bacteria, among other factors in soil, water, animal farm and clinical settings were also considered. Every potential factor in environmental and clinical settings that brings about AR needs to be identified for the summative effects in overall resistance. There is a need to embrace coordinated multi-locational approaches and interrelationships to track the emergence of resistance in different niches in soil and water versus the hospital environment. The further integration with advocacy, legislation, enforcement, technological innovations and further research input and recourse to WHO guidelines on antibiotic policy would be advantageous towards addressing the emergence of antibiotic resistant superbugs.
Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of Indene Derivatives as Retinoic Acid Receptor α Agonists
Authors: Guan Xianghong , Luo Peihua , He Qiaojun , Hu Yongzhou , Ying Huazhou
Published: December 2016

A series of novel indene-derived retinoic acid receptor α (RARα) agonists have been designed and synthesized. The use of receptor binding, cell proliferation and cell differentiation assays demonstrated that most of these compounds exhibited moderate RARα binding activity and potent antiproliferative activity. In particular, 4-((3-isopropoxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-5-yl)-carbamoyl)benzoic acid (36d), which showed a moderate binding affinity, exhibited a great potential to induce the differentiation of NB4 cells (68.88% at 5 μM). Importantly, our work established indene as a promising skeleton for the development of novel RARα agonists.
Xanthohumol, a Prenylated Chalcone from Hops, Inhibits the Viability and Stemness of Doxorubicin-Resistant MCF-7/ADR Cells
Authors: Liu Ming , Yin Hua , Qian Xiaokun , Dong Jianjun , Qian Zhonghua , Miao Jinlai
Published: December 2016

Xanthohumol is a unique prenylated flavonoid in hops (Humulus lupulus L.) and beer. Xanthohumol has been shown to possess a variety of pharmacological activities. There is little research on its effect on doxorubicin-resistant breast cancer cells (MCF-7/ADR) and the cancer stem-like cells exiting in this cell line. In the present study, we investigate the effect of xanthohumol on the viability and stemness of MCF-7/ADR cells. Xanthohumol inhibits viability, induces apoptosis, and arrests the cell cycle of MCF-7/ADR cells in a dose-dependent manner; in addition, xanthohumol sensitizes the inhibition effect of doxorubicin on MCF-7/ADR cells. Interestingly, we also find that xanthohumol can reduce the stemness of MCF-7/ADR cells evidenced by the xanthohumol-induced decrease in the colony formation, the migration, the percentage of side population cells, the sphere formation, and the down-regulation of stemness-related biomarkers. These results demonstrate that xanthohumol is a promising compound targeting the doxorubicin resistant breast cancer cells and regulating their stemness, which, therefore, will be applied as a potential candidate for the development of a doxorubicin-resistant breast cancer agent and combination therapy of breast cancer.
Visible Light-Responsive Platinum-Containing Titania Nanoparticle-Mediated Photocatalysis Induces Nucleotide Insertion, Deletion and Substitution Mutations
Authors: Sun Der-Shan , Tseng Yao-Hsuan , Wu Wen-Shiang , Wong Ming-Show , Chang Hsin-Hou
Published: December 2016

Conventional photocatalysts are primarily stimulated using ultraviolet (UV) light to elicit reactive oxygen species and have wide applications in environmental and energy fields, including self-cleaning surfaces and sterilization. Because UV illumination is hazardous to humans, visible light-responsive photocatalysts (VLRPs) were discovered and are now applied to increase photocatalysis. However, fundamental questions regarding the ability of VLRPs to trigger DNA mutations and the mutation types it elicits remain elusive. Here, through plasmid transformation and β-galactosidase α-complementation analyses, we observed that visible light-responsive platinum-containing titania (TiO2) nanoparticle (NP)-mediated photocatalysis considerably reduces the number of Escherichia coli transformants. This suggests that such photocatalytic reactions cause DNA damage. DNA sequencing results demonstrated that the DNA damage comprises three mutation types, namely nucleotide insertion, deletion and substitution; this is the first study to report the types of mutations occurring after photocatalysis by TiO2-VLRPs. Our results may facilitate the development and appropriate use of new-generation TiO2 NPs for biomedical applications.
Pnma-BN: Another Boron Nitride Polymorph with Interesting Physical Properties
Authors: Ma Zhenyang , Han Zheng , Liu Xuhong , Yu Xinhai , Wang Dayun , Tian Yi
Published: December 2016

Structural, mechanical, electronic properties, and stability of boron nitride (BN) in Pnma structure were studied using first-principles calculations by Cambridge Serial Total Energy Package (CASTEP) plane-wave code, and the calculations were performed with the local density approximation and generalized gradient approximation in the form of Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof. This BN, called Pnma-BN, contains four boron atoms and four nitrogen atoms buckled through sp3-hybridized bonds in an orthorhombic symmetry unit cell with Space group of Pnma. Pnma-BN is energetically stable, mechanically stable, and dynamically stable at ambient pressure and high pressure. The calculated Pugh ratio and Poisson’s ratio revealed that Pnma-BN is brittle, and Pnma-BN is found to turn brittle to ductile (~94 GPa) in this pressure range. It shows a higher mechanical anisotropy in Poisson’s ratio, shear modulus, Young’s modulus, and the universal elastic anisotropy index AU. Band structure calculations indicate that Pnma-BN is an insulator with indirect band gap of 7.18 eV. The most extraordinary thing is that the band gap increases first and then decreases with the increase of pressure from 0 to 60 GPa, and from 60 to 100 GPa, the band gap increases first and then decreases again.
Recent Advances in Identification of RNA Modifications
Authors: Chen Wei , Lin Hao
Published: December 2016

RNA modifications are involved in a broad spectrum of biological and physiological processes. To reveal the functions of RNA modifications, it is important to accurately predict their positions. Although high-throughput experimental techniques have been proposed, they are cost-ineffective. As good complements of experiments, many computational methods have been proposed to predict RNA modification sites in recent years. In this review, we will summarize the existing computational approaches directed at predicting RNA modification sites. We will also discuss the challenges and future perspectives in developing reliable methods for predicting RNA modification sites.
Association between Serum 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin D and Aggressive Prostate Cancer in African American Men
Authors: Nelson Shakira , Batai Ken , Ahaghotu Chiledum , Agurs-Collins Tanya , Kittles Rick
Published: December 2016

African American men have higher incidence rates of aggressive prostate cancer, where high levels of calcium and serum vitamin D deficient levels play a role in the racial differences in incidence. In this study, we examined associations of serum vitamin D with aggressive prostate cancer to improve our understanding of higher susceptibility of aggressive disease in this racial cohort. From Howard University Hospital, 155 African American men with clinically-identified prostate cancer were identified; 46 aggressive cases, and 58 non-aggressive cases. Serum vitamin D was assessed from fasting blood samples, and total calcium intake was assessed using the Block Food Frequency Questionnaire. Vitamin D receptor polymorphisms from three different loci were genotyped; rs731236, rs1544410, and rs11568820. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to determine odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) comparing aggressive to non-aggressive prostate cancer. Vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL) significantly increased risk of aggressive disease (OR: 3.1, 95% CI: 1.03–9.57, p-value = 0.04). Stratification by total calcium showed high calcium levels (≥800 mg/day) modified this association (OR: 7.3, 95% CI: 2.15–47.68, p-interaction = 0.03). Genetic variant rs11568820 appeared to increase the magnitude of association between deficient serum vitamin D and aggressive prostate cancer (OR: 3.64, 95% CI: 1.12–11.75, p-value = 0.05). These findings suggest that high incidence of aggressive prostate cancer risk in African American men may be due in-part to deficient levels of serum vitamin D. Other factors, including genetics, should be considered for future studies.
A Method for Estimating the Aerodynamic Roughness Length with NDVI and BRDF Signatures Using Multi-Temporal Proba-V Data
Authors: Yu Mingzhao , Wu Bingfang , Yan Nana , Xing Qiang , Zhu Weiwei
Published: December 2016

Aerodynamic roughness length is an important parameter for surface fluxes estimates. This paper developed an innovative method for estimation of aerodynamic roughness length (z0m) over farmland with a new vegetation index, the Hot-darkspot Vegetation Index (HDVI). To obtain this new index, the normalized-difference hot-darkspot index (NDHD) is introduced using a semi-empirical, kernel-driven bidirectional reflectance model with multi-temporal Proba-V 300-m top-of-canopy (TOC) reflectance products. A linear relationship between HDVI and z0m was found during the crop growth period. Wind profiles data from two field automatic weather station (AWS) were used to calibrate the model: one site is in Guantao County in Hai Basin, in which double-cropping systems and crop rotations with summer maize and winter wheat are implemented; the other is in the middle reach of the Heihe River Basin from the Heihe Watershed Allied Telemetry Experimental Research (HiWATER) project, with the main crop of spring maize. The iterative algorithm based on Monin–Obukhov similarity theory is employed to calculate the field z0m from time series. Results show that the relationship between HDVI and z0m is more pronounced than that between NDVI and z0m for spring maize at Yingke site, with an R2 value that improved from 0.636 to 0.772. At Guantao site, HDVI also exhibits better performance than NDVI, with R2 increasing from 0.630 to 0.793 for summer maize and from 0.764 to 0.790 for winter wheat. HDVI can capture the impacts of crop residue on z0m, whereas NDVI cannot.
Estimating the Biomass of Maize with Hyperspectral and LiDAR Data
Authors: Wang Cheng , Nie Sheng , Xi Xiaohuan , Luo Shezhou , Sun Xiaofeng
Published: December 2016

The accurate estimation of crop biomass during the growing season is very important for crop growth monitoring and yield estimation. The objective of this paper was to explore the potential of hyperspectral and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data for better estimation of the biomass of maize. First, we investigated the relationship between field-observed biomass with each metric, including vegetation indices (VIs) derived from hyperspectral data and LiDAR-derived metrics. Second, the partial least squares (PLS) regression was used to estimate the biomass of maize using VIs (only) and LiDAR-derived metrics (only), respectively. Third, the fusion of hyperspectral and LiDAR data was evaluated in estimating the biomass of maize. Finally, the biomass estimates were validated by a leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) method. Results indicated that all VIs showed weak correlation with field-observed biomass and the highest correlation occurred when using the red edge-modified simple ratio index (ReMSR). Among all LiDAR-derived metrics, the strongest relationship was observed between coefficient of variation (H C V of digital terrain model (DTM) normalized point elevations with field-observed biomass. The combination of VIs through PLS regression could not improve the biomass estimation accuracy of maize due to the high correlation between VIs. In contrast, the H C V combined with H m e a n performed better than one LiDAR-derived metric alone in biomass estimation (R2 = 0.835, RMSE = 374.655 g/m2, RMSECV = 393.573 g/m2). Additionally, our findings indicated that the fusion of hyperspectral and LiDAR data can provide better biomass estimates of maize (R2 = 0.883, RMSE = 321.092 g/m2, RMSECV = 337.653 g/m2) compared with LiDAR or hyperspectral data alone.
Node Redeployment Algorithm Based on Stratified Connected Tree for Underwater Sensor Networks
Authors: Liu Jun , Jiang Peng , Wu Feng , Yu Shanen , Song Chunyue
Published: December 2016

During the underwater sensor networks (UWSNs) operation, node drift with water environment causes network topology changes. Periodic node location examination and adjustment are needed to maintain good network monitoring quality as long as possible. In this paper, a node redeployment algorithm based on stratified connected tree for UWSNs is proposed. At every network adjustment moment, self-examination and adjustment on node locations are performed firstly. If a node is outside the monitored space, it returns to the last location recorded in its memory along straight line. Later, the network topology is stratified into a connected tree that takes the sink node as the root node by broadcasting ready information level by level, which can improve the network connectivity rate. Finally, with synthetically considering network coverage and connectivity rates, and node movement distance, the sink node performs centralized optimization on locations of leaf nodes in the stratified connected tree. Simulation results show that the proposed redeployment algorithm can not only keep the number of nodes in the monitored space as much as possible and maintain good network coverage and connectivity rates during network operation, but also reduce node movement distance during node redeployment and prolong the network lifetime.
A Canopy Density Model for Planar Orchard Target Detection Based on Ultrasonic Sensors
Authors: Li Hanzhe , Zhai Changyuan , Weckler Paul , Wang Ning , Yang Shuo , Zhang Bo
Published: December 2016

Orchard target-oriented variable rate spraying is an effective method to reduce pesticide drift and excessive residues. To accomplish this task, the orchard targets’ characteristic information is needed to control liquid flow rate and airflow rate. One of the most important characteristics is the canopy density. In order to establish the canopy density model for a planar orchard target which is indispensable for canopy density calculation, a target density detection testing system was developed based on an ultrasonic sensor. A time-domain energy analysis method was employed to analyze the ultrasonic signal. Orthogonal regression central composite experiments were designed and conducted using man-made canopies of known density with three or four layers of leaves. Two model equations were obtained, of which the model for the canopies with four layers was found to be the most reliable. A verification test was conducted with different layers at the same density values and detecting distances. The test results showed that the relative errors of model density values and actual values of five, four, three and two layers of leaves were acceptable, while the maximum relative errors were 17.68%, 25.64%, 21.33% and 29.92%, respectively. It also suggested the model equation with four layers had a good applicability with different layers which increased with adjacent layers.
A Measurement Method for Large Parts Combining with Feature Compression Extraction and Directed Edge-Point Criterion
Authors: Liu Wei , Zhang Yang , Yang Fan , Gao Peng , Lan Zhiguang , Jia Zhenyuan , Gao Hang
Published: December 2016

High-accuracy surface measurement of large aviation parts is a significant guarantee of aircraft assembly with high quality. The result of boundary measurement is a significant parameter for aviation-part measurement. This paper proposes a measurement method for accurately measuring the surface and boundary of aviation part with feature compression extraction and directed edge-point criterion. To improve the measurement accuracy of both the surface and boundary of large parts, extraction method of global boundary and feature analysis of local stripe are combined. The center feature of laser stripe is obtained with high accuracy and less calculation using a sub-pixel centroid extraction method based on compress processing. This method consists of a compressing process of images and judgment criterion of laser stripe centers. An edge-point extraction method based on directed arc-length criterion is proposed to obtain accurate boundary. Finally, a high-precision reconstruction of aerospace part is achieved. Experiments are performed both in a laboratory and an industrial field. The physical measurements validate that the mean distance deviation of the proposed method is 0.47 mm. The results of the field experimentation show the validity of the proposed method.
Statistical Modeling of Indirect Paths for UWB Sensors in an Indoor Environment
Authors: Lee Moona , Lee Joon-Yong
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we present a statistical model of an indirect path generated in an ultra-wideband (UWB) human tracking scenario. When performing moving target detection, an indirect path signal can generate ghost targets that may cause a false alarm. For this purpose, we performed radar measurements in an indoor environment and established a statistical model of an indirect path based on the measurement data. The proposed model takes the form of a modified Saleh–Valenzuela model, which is used in a UWB channel model. An application example of the proposed model for mitigating false alarms is also presented.
DEP-On-Go for Simultaneous Sensing of Multiple Heavy Metals Pollutants in Environmental Samples
Authors: Biyani Madhu , Biyani Radhika , Tsuchihashi Tomoko , Takamura Yuzuru , Ushijima Hiromi , Tamiya Eiichi , Biyani Manish
Published: December 2016

We describe a simple and affordable “Disposable electrode printed (DEP)-On-Go” sensing platform for the rapid on-site monitoring of trace heavy metal pollutants in environmental samples for early warning by developing a mobile electrochemical device composed of palm-sized potentiostat and disposable unmodified screen-printed electrode chips. We present the analytical performance of our device for the sensitive detection of major heavy metal ions, namely, mercury, cadmium, lead, arsenic, zinc, and copper with detection limits of 1.5, 2.6, 4.0, 5.0, 14.4, and, 15.5 μg·L−1, respectively. Importantly, the utility of this device is extended to detect multiple heavy metals simultaneously with well-defined voltammograms and similar sensitivity. Finally, “DEP-On-Go” was successfully applied to detect heavy metals in real environmental samples from groundwater, tap water, house dust, soil, and industry-processed rice and noodle foods. We evaluated the efficiency of this system with a linear correlation through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and the results suggested that this system can be reliable for on-site screening purposes. On-field applications using real samples of groundwater for drinking in the northern parts of India support the easy-to-detect, low-cost (<1 USD), rapid (within 5 min), and reliable detection limit (ppb levels) performance of our device for the on-site detection and monitoring of multiple heavy metals in resource-limited settings.
A Fiber-Optic Interferometric Tri-Component Geophone for Ocean Floor Seismic Monitoring
Authors: Chen Jiandong , Chang Tianying , Fu Qunjian , Lang Jinpeng , Gao Wenzhi , Wang Zhongmin , Yu Miao , Zhang Yanbo , Cui Hong-Liang
Published: December 2016

For the implementation of an all fiber observation network for submarine seismic monitoring, a tri-component geophone based on Michelson interferometry is proposed and tested. A compliant cylinder-based sensor head is analyzed with finite element method and tested. The operation frequency ranges from 2 Hz to 150 Hz for acceleration detection, employing a phase generated carrier demodulation scheme, with a responsivity above 50 dB re rad/g for the whole frequency range. The transverse suppression ratio is about 30 dB. The system noise at low frequency originated mainly from the 1/f fluctuation, with an average system noise level −123.55 dB re rad / Hz ranging from 0 Hz to 500 Hz. The minimum detectable acceleration is about 2 ng / Hz , and the dynamic range is above 116 dB.
Multi-Objective Sliding Mode Control on Vehicle Cornering Stability with Variable Gear Ratio Actuator-Based Active Front Steering Systems
Authors: Ma Xinbo , Wong Pak , Zhao Jing , Xie Zhengchao
Published: December 2016

Active front steering (AFS) is an emerging technology to improve the vehicle cornering stability by introducing an additional small steering angle to the driver’s input. This paper proposes an AFS system with a variable gear ratio steering (VGRS) actuator which is controlled by using the sliding mode control (SMC) strategy to improve the cornering stability of vehicles. In the design of an AFS system, different sensors are considered to measure the vehicle state, and the mechanism of the AFS system is also modelled in detail. Moreover, in order to improve the cornering stability of vehicles, two dependent objectives, namely sideslip angle and yaw rate, are considered together in the design of SMC strategy. By evaluating the cornering performance, Sine with Dwell and accident avoidance tests are conducted, and the simulation results indicate that the proposed SMC strategy is capable of improving the cornering stability of vehicles in practice.
Two Contrasting Scenarios for a Zero-Emission Future in a High-Consumption Society
Authors: Xue Jin , Walnum Hans , Aall Carlo , Næss Petter
Published: December 2016

The Paris agreement on climate took effect on 4 November 2016. The agreement plans on holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels. This paper compares an ecological modernisation (EM) development path with a degrowth development path, using urban and land-use planning impact on housing and transportation as cases. The two positions (EM and degrowth) agree on the need for a fundamental reduction in climate gases but disagree on which strategies should be pursued. EM transitions do not challenge the values associated with the capitalistic market economy and believe that policies, such as the right-price signals, should nudge producers and consumers in an environmentally benign direction. Conversely, degrowth rejects the EM belief in green growth, and holds that it will not be possible to decouple the economy from environmental loads to the necessary extent if the economy keeps growing. We conclude that we need a fundamental transformational change in society, i.e., a steering away from the growth ideology, and pursue policies that introduce maximum housing standards and limit mobility to succeed with the goals of the Paris agreement.
Employees’ Participation in Corporate Social Responsibility and Organizational Outcomes: The Moderating Role of Person–CSR Fit
Authors: Im Seunghee , Chung Yang , Yang Ji
Published: December 2016

This study investigated the moderating effects of person–corporate social responsibility (CSR)-fit for the relationships between CSR participation and job satisfaction, organizational identification, and organizational commitment. The study was conducted in South Korea and sampled 393 full-time employees from several conglomerates. The study found CSR participation to be positively related with job satisfaction, organizational identification, and organizational commitment. Furthermore, person–CSR fit significantly moderated the relationships between CSR participation and job satisfaction, organizational identification, and organizational commitment. These findings suggest that CSR participation positively affects organizational outcomes and that person–CSR fit enhances the relationships between CSR participation and the organizational outcomes. Therefore, the study suggests the importance of CSR participation and person–CSR fit in CSR initiatives, as CSR participation and person–CSR can promote a healthy work environment.
Topological Transitions in Collective Housing Units of South Korea
Authors: Ham Sungil , Lee Hyunsoo
Published: December 2016

Collective housing in South Korea started its introduction from the early 1960s, and became the most important residential type in 50 years. Because of the importance of collective housing in many countries and in South Korea, many studies on collective housing have been conducted. Although these studies can provide criteria and methods quantitatively and objectively, classification of types is dependent on researcher’s judgment, and classification of type without considering the plan’s time of creation has a limitation to derive changes in type patterns. The purpose of this study is to analyze changes quantitatively and objectively in patterns of spatial structure and to derive types of spatial structure of collective housing in South Korea algorithmically using a time-based joining method that produced a phylogenetic tree using similarities of spatial structure and plan creation time. This study also supports a research frame for researchers who want the use of a time-based joining method. The study analyzed the relationships of changes in spatial structures of 890 collective housing unit plans in Seoul, South Korea, constructed from 1970 to 2015.
Food Waste Drivers in Europe, from Identification to Possible Interventions
Authors: Canali Massimo , Amani Pegah , Aramyan Lusine , Gheoldus Manuela , Moates Graham , Östergren Karin , Silvennoinen Kirsi , Waldron Keith , Vittuari Matteo
Published: December 2016

The growing volumes of food globally lost or wasted and implications for food security and sustainability have raised the concern of researchers, governments, international organizations and grass-root movements. Much research and experiences investigating food waste causes and drivers focus on one specific segment of the food supply chain and limit the analysis to the situation of one or few countries, while the few studies of wider geographical scope also target other relevant and diversified objectives (e.g., food waste definition, quantification, environmental and economic impacts, and recommendations for interventions). This study, carried out by a network of European institutions involved in research and initiatives against food waste, focuses on the analysis of a broad area, Europe, through a wide and systematic literature review and consultation with stakeholders in international focus groups. The food supply chain was divided into seven segments and three main contexts were defined for the examination of food waste sources: Technological, Institutional (related to organisational factors, i.e., business management, economy, legislation, and policy), and Social (related to consumers’ behaviours and lifestyles). Results suggest a wide and multifaceted problem, interconnected across all stages of the food supply chain, from primary production, to final consumption. Within each context, the identified drivers have been grouped according to the possibilities and the type of interventions for food waste reduction. A final cross-contextual prioritization distinguished food waste sources related to (A) inherent characteristics of food; (B) social and economic factors; (C) individual non-readily changeable behaviours; (D) other priorities targeted by private and public stakeholders; (E) diversified factors, such as mismanagement, inefficient legislation, lack of awareness or information; and sub-optimal use of available technologies, which could be more promptly changed. Such diversification of causes calls for specific monitoring systems, targeted policy measures, and actions of individual stakeholders at each stage of the food supply chain.
Characteristics of Suspended Sediment Loadings under Asian Summer Monsoon Climate Using the Hydrological Simulation Program-FORTRAN
Authors: Jeon Ji-Hong , Park Chan-Gi , Choi Donghyuk , Kim Taedong
Published: December 2016

The extreme variation in the amount of annual precipitation and rainfall during single events is typical of the East Asian monsoon climate and may greatly influence the characteristics of the suspended sediment load. The turbidity in Lake Imha which is the eighth largest multipurpose dam in Korea has been the cause of major water quality problems for use as drinking water. The turbidity rose to 882 NTU, and it remained over 30 NTU continuously for 170 days during 2002, as the result of significant amounts of soil erosion from the watershed during the Asian monsoon typhoon. In this study, characteristics of suspended sediment loadings under the Asian summer monsoon climate was investigated by comparing the variation of yearly suspended sediment loads and the ratio of maximum suspended sediment loads in a single event to yearly suspended sediment load from Lake Imha watershed using the Hydrologic Simulation Program-FORTRAN (HSPF). The model calibration is performed according to the 2009–2010 events, and simulation results characterized suspended sediment loadings under the Asian summer monsoon climate for 2001–2010. Water sampling and flow rate measurements were performed every 4–6 h, and calibration was performed using hourly simulated sediment loads. The calibration results demonstrated good agreement with the observed data. The characteristics of suspended sediment loadings under the Asian summer monsoon climate are a high variance of the yearly suspended sediment load and a significant of amount of suspended sediment load during a single event influenced by the typhoon intensity. The maximum yearly suspended sediment load was 10 times higher than the minimum yearly value. About half of the yearly suspended sediment load was loaded with a single event under the Asian summer monsoon climate and the ratio of suspended sediment loads by a single event to total yearly loads ranged from 29% to 90%. Structural best management practices (BMPs) to trap suspended sediment in stormwater such as stormwater ponds or wetlands rely on much more storage volume or area and non-structural BMPs to minimize soil erosion by source control such as mulching or revegetation in disturbed areas, which are important BMPs, especially in the Asian summer monsoon region.
Non-Local Meta-Conformal Invariance, Diffusion-Limited Erosion and the XXZ Chain
Authors: Henkel Malte
Published: December 2016

Diffusion-limited erosion is a distinct universality class of fluctuating interfaces. Although its dynamical exponent z = 1 , none of the known variants of conformal invariance can act as its dynamical symmetry. In d = 1 spatial dimensions, its infinite-dimensional dynamic symmetry is constructed and shown to be isomorphic to the direct sum of three loop-Virasoro algebras. The infinitesimal generators are spatially non-local and use the Riesz-Feller fractional derivative. Co-variant two-time response functions are derived and reproduce the exact solution of diffusion-limited erosion. The relationship with the terrace-step-kind model of vicinal surfaces and the integrable XXZ chain are discussed.
Quantum Sensing of Noisy and Complex Systems under Dynamical Control
Authors: Kurizki Gershon , Alvarez Gonzalo , Zwick Analia
Published: December 2016

We review our unified optimized approach to the dynamical control of quantum-probe interactions with noisy and complex systems viewed as thermal baths. We show that this control, in conjunction with tools of quantum estimation theory, may be used for inferring the spectral and spatial characteristics of such baths with high precision. This approach constitutes a new avenue in quantum sensing, dubbed quantum noise spectroscopy.
Agustin de Betancourt’s Wind Machine for Draining Marshy Ground: Approach to Its Geometric Modeling with Autodesk Inventor Professional
Authors: Rojas-Sola José , De la Morena-de la Fuente Eduardo
Published: December 2016

The present study shows the process followed in making the three-dimensional model and geometric documentation of a historical invention of the renowned Spanish engineer Agustin de Betancourt y Molina, which forms part of his rich legacy. Specifically, this was a wind machine for draining marshy ground, designed in 1789. The present research relies on the computer-aided design (CAD) techniques using Autodesk Inventor Professional software, based on the scant information provided by the only two drawings of the machine, making it necessary to propose a number of dimensional and geometric hypotheses as well as a series of movement restrictions (degrees of freedom), to arrive at a consistent design. The results offer a functional design for this historic invention.
Comparative Analysis between Ecotoxicity of Nitrogen-, Phosphorus-, and Potassium-Based Fertilizers and Their Active Ingredients
Authors: Simplício Nathan , Muniz Daphne , Rocha Fernanda , Martins Denis , Dias Zélia , Farias Bruno , Oliveira-Filho Eduardo
Published: December 2016

This study aimed to analyze the ecotoxicity of nitrogen-, phosphorus-, and potassium-based compounds to organisms of two different trophic levels in order to compare the toxic effect between high-purity substances and these substances as components of fertilizers. Dilutions were made with the fertilizers’ potassium chloride, potassium nitrate, superphosphate, urea, and their equivalent reagents, to conduct assays to establish the acute lethal concentration for half of the population (LC50). Ten individuals of the benthic snail Biomphalaria glabrata and the fish Danio rerio were exposed to each concentration of tested compounds. As a result, the toxicity levels of potassium chloride, potassium nitrate, and urea were obtained for B. glabrata and D. rerio, with the fish being more susceptible to potassium chloride in the fertilizer and the snail to potassium nitrate and urea, in both commercial and reagent forms. Regarding superphosphate, no significant toxicity was found. This study concluded that among the tested substances, KNO3 and KCl were the most toxic substances and urea the least toxic. It was not possible to establish the most sensitive species since, for KCl, the fish were more susceptible to the fertilizer and the snail to the reagent, while for KNO3 the opposite was observed.
Annealing-induced recovery of indents in thin Au(Fe) bilayer films
Authors: Kosinova Anna , Schwaiger Ruth , Klinger Leonid , Rabkin Eugen
Published: December 2016

We employed depth-sensing nanoindentation to produce ordered arrays of indents on the surface of 50 nm-thick Au(Fe) films deposited on sapphire substrates. The maximum depth of the indents was approximately one-half of the film thickness. The indented films were annealed at a temperature of 700 °C in a forming gas atmosphere. While the onset of solid-state dewetting was observed in the unperturbed regions of the film, no holes to the substrate were observed in the indented regions. Instead, the film annealing resulted in the formation of hillocks at the indent locations, followed by their dissipation and the formation of shallow depressions nearby after subsequent annealing treatments. This annealing-induced evolution of nanoindents was interpreted in terms of annihilation of dislocation loops generated during indentation, accompanied by the formation of nanopores at the grain boundaries and their subsequent dissolution. The application of the processes uncovered in this work show great potential for the patterning of thin films.
DETECTION OF ROTATIONAL SPECTRAL VARIATION ON THE M-TYPE ASTEROID (16) PSYCHE
Authors: Sanchez Juan A. , Reddy Vishnu , Shepard Michael K. , Thomas Cristina , Cloutis Edward A. , Takir Driss , Conrad Albert , Kiddell Cain , Applin Daniel
Published: December 2016

The asteroid (16) Psyche is of scientific interest because it contains ∼1% of the total mass of the asteroid belt and is thought to be the remnant metallic core of a protoplanet. Radar observations have indicated the significant presence of metal on the surface with a small percentage of silicates. Prior ground-based observations showed rotational variations in the near-infrared (NIR) spectra and radar albedo of this asteroid. However, no comprehensive study that combines multi-wavelength data has been conducted so far. Here we present rotationally resolved NIR spectra (0.7–2.5 μm) of (16) Psyche obtained with the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. These data have been combined with shape models of the asteroid for each rotation phase. Spectral band parameters extracted from the NIR spectra show that the pyroxene band center varies from ∼0.92 to 0.94 μm. Band center values were used to calculate the pyroxene chemistry of the asteroid, whose average value was found to be Fs30En65Wo5. Variations in the band depth (BD) were also observed, with values ranging from 1.0% to 1.5%. Using a new laboratory spectral calibration method, we estimated an average orthopyroxene content of 6% ± 1%. The mass-deficit region of Psyche, which exhibits the highest radar albedo, also shows the highest value for the spectral slope and the minimum BD. The spectral characteristics of Psyche suggest that its parent body did not have the typical structure expected for a differentiated body or that the sequence of events that led to its current state was more complex than previously thought.
DETECTION OF WATER AND/OR HYDROXYL ON ASTEROID (16) Psyche
Authors: Takir Driss , Reddy Vishnu , Sanchez Juan A. , Shepard Michael K. , Emery Joshua P.
Published: December 2016

In order to search for evidence of hydration on M-type asteroid (16) Psyche, we observed this object in the 3 μm spectral region using the long-wavelength cross-dispersed (LXD: 1.9–4.2 μm) mode of the SpeX spectrograph/imager at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility. Our observations show that Psyche exhibits a 3 μm absorption feature, attributed to water or hydroxyl. The 3 μm absorption feature is consistent with the hydration features found on the surfaces of water-rich asteroids, attributed to OH- and/or H2O-bearing phases (phyllosilicates). The detection of a 3 μm hydration absorption band on Psyche suggests that this asteroid may not be a metallic core, or it could be a metallic core that has been impacted by carbonaceous material over the past 4.5 Gyr. Our results also indicate rotational spectral variations, which we suggest reflect heterogeneity in the metal/silicate ratio on the surface of Psyche.
GEMINI NEAR INFRARED FIELD SPECTROGRAPH OBSERVATIONS OF THE SEYFERT 2 GALAXY MRK 573: IN SITU ACCELERATION OF IONIZED AND MOLECULAR GAS OFF FUELING FLOWS
Authors: Fischer Travis C. , Machuca C. , Diniz M. R. , Crenshaw D. M. , Kraemer S. B. , Riffel R. A. , Schmitt H. R. , Baron F. , Storchi-Bergmann T. , Straughn A. N. , Revalski M. , Pope C. L.
Published: December 2016

We present near-infrared and optical emission-line and stellar kinematics of the Seyfert 2 galaxy Mrk 573 using the Near-Infrared Field Spectrograph (NIFS) at Gemini North and Dual Imaging Spectrograph at Apache Point Observatory, respectively. By obtaining full kinematic maps of the infrared ionized and molecular gas and stellar kinematics in a ∼700 × 2100 pc2 circumnuclear region of Mrk 573, we find that kinematics within the Narrow-Line Region are largely due to a combination of both rotation and in situ acceleration of material originating in the host disk. Combining these observations with large-scale, optical long-slit spectroscopy that traces ionized gas emission out to several kpcs, we find that rotation kinematics dominate the majority of the gas. We find that outflowing gas extends to distances less than 1 kpc, suggesting that outflows in Seyfert galaxies may not be powerful enough to evacuate their entire bulges.
TIME DELAY ANALYSIS OF THE LENSED QUASAR SDSS J1001+5027
Authors: Aghamousa Amir , Shafieloo Arman
Published: December 2016

We modify the algorithm we proposed in Aghamousa & Shafieloo for the time delay estimation of strongly lensed systems incorporating the weighted cross-correlation and weighted summation of correlation coefficients. We show the high performance of this algorithm by applying it to Time Delay Challenge (TDC1) simulated data. We apply then our proposed method to the light curves of the lensed quasar SDSS J1001+5027 since this system has been well studied by other groups, to compare our results with their findings. In this work we propose a new estimator, the “mirror” estimator, along with a list of criteria for reliability testing of the estimation. Our mirror estimator results are 

and

using simple Monte Carlo simulations and simulated light curves provided by Rathna Kumar et al., respectively. Although the TDC1 simulations do not reflect the properties of the SDSS J1001+5027 light curves, using these simulations results in a smaller uncertainty, which shows that the higher quality observations can lead to a substantially more precise time delay estimation. Our time delay estimation is in agreement with the findings of the other groups for this strongly lensed system, and the difference in the size of the error bars reflects the importance of appropriate light curve simulations.
DISCERNING THE GAMMA-RAY-EMITTING REGION IN THE FLAT SPECTRUM RADIO QUASARS
Authors: Zheng Y. G. , Yang C. Y. , Zhang L. , Wang J. C.
Published: December 2016

A model-dependent method is proposed to determine the location of the γ-ray-emitting region for a given flat spectrum radio quasar (FSRQ). In the model, the extra-relativistic electrons are injected at the base of the jet and non-thermal photons are produced by both synchrotron radiation and inverse-Compton (IC) scattering in the energy dissipation region. The target photons dominating IC scattering originate from both synchrotron photons and external ambient photon fields, and the energy density of external radiation field is a function of the distance between the position of the dissipation region and a central supermassive black hole, and their spectra are seen in the comoving frame. Moreover, the energy dissipation region could be determined by the model parameter through reproducing the γ-ray spectra. Such a model is applied to reproduce the quasi-simultaneous multi-wavelength observed data for 36 FSRQs. In order to define the width of the broad-line region (BLR) shell and dusty molecular torus (MT) shell, a simple numerical constraint is used to determine the outer boundary of the BLR and dusty MT. Our results show that (1) the γ-ray-emitting regions are located at the range from 0.1 to 10 pc; (2) the γ-ray-emitting regions are located outside the BLRs and within the dusty molecular tori; and (3) the γ-ray-emitting regions are located closer to the dusty MT ranges than the BLRs. Therefore, it may be concluded that direct evidence for the far site scenario could be obtained on the basis of the model results.
THE CHANDRA DEEP FIELD-SOUTH SURVEY: 7 MS SOURCE CATALOGS
Authors: Luo B. , Brandt W. N. , Xue Y. Q. , Lehmer B. , Alexander D. M. , Bauer F. E. , Vito F. , Yang G. , Basu-Zych A. R. , Comastri A. , Gilli R. , Gu Q.-S. , Hornschemeier A. E. , Koekemoer A. , Liu T. , Mainieri V. , Paolillo M. , Ranalli P. , Rosati P. , Schneider D. P. , Shemmer O. , Smail I. , Sun M. , Tozzi P. , Vignali C. , Wang J.-X.
Published: December 2016

We present X-ray source catalogs for the ≈7 Ms exposure of the Chandra Deep Field-South (CDF-S), which covers a total area of 484.2 arcmin2. Utilizing wavdetect for initial source detection and ACIS Extract for photometric extraction and significance assessment, we create a main source catalog containing 1008 sources that are detected in up to three X-ray bands: 0.5–7.0 keV, 0.5–2.0 keV, and 2–7 keV. A supplementary source catalog is also provided, including 47 lower-significance sources that have bright (

) near-infrared counterparts. We identify multiwavelength counterparts for 992 (98.4%) of the main-catalog sources, and we collect redshifts for 986 of these sources, including 653 spectroscopic redshifts and 333 photometric redshifts. Based on the X-ray and multiwavelength properties, we identify 711 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the main-catalog sources. Compared to the previous ≈4 Ms CDF-S catalogs, 291 of the main-catalog sources are new detections. We have achieved unprecedented X-ray sensitivity with average flux limits over the central ≈1 arcmin2 region of ≈1.9 × 10−17, 6.4 × 10−18, and 2.7 × 10−17 erg cm−2 s−1 in the three X-ray bands, respectively. We provide cumulative number-count measurements observing, for the first time, that normal galaxies start to dominate the X-ray source population at the faintest 0.5–2.0 keV flux levels. The highest X-ray source density reaches ≈50,500 deg−2, and 47% ± 4% of these sources are AGNs (≈23,900 deg−2).
ANGULAR MOMENTUM OF DWARF GALAXIES
Authors: Butler Kirsty M. , Obreschkow Danail , Oh Se-Heon
Published: December 2016

We present measurements of baryonic mass

and specific angular momentum (sAM)

in 14 rotating dwarf Irregular (dIrr) galaxies from the LITTLE THINGS sample. These measurements, based on 21 cm kinematic data from the Very Large Array and stellar mass maps from the Spitzer Space Telescope, extend previous AM measurements by more than two orders of magnitude in

. The dwarf galaxies show systematically higher

values than expected from the

scaling of spiral galaxies, representative of a scale-free galaxy formation scenario. This offset can be explained by decreasing baryon mass fractions

(where

is the dynamical mass) with decreasing

(for

). We find that the sAM of neutral atomic hydrogen (H i) alone is about 2.5 times higher than that of the stars. The M–j relation of H i is significantly steeper than that of the stars, as a direct consequence of the systematic variation of the H i fraction with

.
Balkans, du corridor au cul-de-sac
Authors: Dujmovic Morgane
Published: December 2016

No man’s land frontaliers où sont piégés les exilés, multiplication et militarisation des espaces de confinement, subventions pour les contrôles aux frontières, expulsions du système « Dublin-Eurodac », désinformation étatique, pénalisation des défenseurs et défenseures des droits de l’Homme, « chasse aux migrants » tolérée ou soutenue par les autorités et les médias dominants… Un an après la mal-nommée « crise des réfugiés », la criminalisation des populations en migration et de leurs soutiens dans les Balkans a de quoi inquiéter.