bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Agro-economic potential of capsicum with drip irrigation and mulching
Authors: Choudhary VK , Bhambri MC
Published: April 2014

A field experiment was conducted during 2006-07 and 2007-08 at Precision Farming Development Centre, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India, to evaluate the production, potential and economics of capsicum (Capsicum annum L.) as influenced by drip irrigation and mulches. Experiment was laid out in a split-plot design replicated thrice with irrigation levels 1.0 Epan (Pan evaporation) through drip, 0.8 Epan through drip, 0.6 Epan through drip and 1.0 Epan with flood irrigation (FI) in main plot and mulches (i.e. no mulch (Glyphosate @ 6.0 ml l-1 followed by 2 hand weedings), black polythene mulch (BPM: 40 ? thickness), transparent polythene mulch (TPM: 40 ? thickness), paddy straw mulch (PSM: 5 t ha-1) in sub plots. The growth parameters like plant height, number of primary and secondary branches, stem girth, leaf area, leaf area index, dry weight of leaf, stem, fruit and total dry weight were maximum with drip irrigation at 1.0 Epan followed by drip irrigation at 0.8 Epan. Among the mulches the maximum values of the growth parameters were noticed with black polythene mulch followed by paddy straw mulch. The yield attributes like fruit length, fruit volume, fruit girth, per cent fruit set, fruits/plant, green capsicum fruit weight and yields were higher with drip irrigation at 1.0 Epan followed by drip at 0.8 Epan. Among the mulches, all the yield attributes were found higher with black polythene mulch followed by paddy straw mulch; whereas least yield attributes were measured with no mulch. Marginal cost, marginal return, MR: MC, cost of cultivation, net returns and B: C were higher with drip irrigation at 1.0 Epan followed by drip irrigation at 0.8 Epan. Among different mulches all the economic parameters were higher with black polythene mulch followed by paddy straw mulch except MR: MC and B: C ratio. Capsicum with paddy straw mulch produced higher values of MR: MC and B: C ratios. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sja.v10i2.18323SAARC J. Agri., 10(2): 51-60 (2012)
Comparison of supermarket and traditional market supply vegetable farmers of two districts of India
Authors: Aparna Dr
Published: April 2014

The study was done on the economic analysis of tomato, brinjal and bhendi cultivation with a comparison of income, access to technology of supermarket and traditional market supply farmers in the two selected districts. The per hectare cost of cultivation of the three selected vegetables on supermarket and traditional market supply farms revealed that cost of cultivation of vegetables was remarkably higher for traditional farms than supermarket supplying farms. This was mainly due to excessive use of manures and fertilizers, irrigation, plant protection chemicals and human labour. The returns per rupee invested have been noted higher for supermarket supply farmers than that of traditional farmers. The evidence indicates that innovative institutions contribute in reducing production cost and augmenting farm profits. Discriminant function analysis shows that price, manures and fertilizers, yield, hired labour and net income contributed mostly to discriminate between two groups viz., supermarket and traditional market supplying farmers. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/sja.v10i2.18333 SAARC J. Agri., 10(2): 121-136 (2012)
From the Scholarly Edition to Visualization: Re-using Encoded Data for Historical Research
Authors: Rehbein Malte
Published: April 2014

This paper reports from the perspective of a historian who is investigating an early medieval manuscript, aiming at opening it up for further research and exploring its location in space, time, and intellectual context. The manuscript in question and the texts it carries show a complex, interwoven network of intra- and intertextual relations and the paper argues that only a combination, provided by computational means as the methodological key, of two usually distinct research approaches, namely close reading and distant reading, can deliver answers to the research questions imposed. The paper introduces some central methods of an interdisciplinary field, commonly known as digital humanities, in the realm of data representation (data modeling and text encoding) as well as core applications in the realm of data presentation and analysis (digital editing and visualization). As these supportive methods are neither the starting-point for historical research nor an end-in-itself, they are mirrored against scholarly practices of both, of the early Middle Ages and of modern scholarship.
The Importance of Web Archives for Humanities
Authors: Gomes Daniel , Costa Miguel
Published: April 2014

The web is the primary means of communication in developed societies. It contains descriptions of recent events generated through distinct perspectives. Thus, the web is a valuable resource for contemporary historical research. However, its information is extremely ephemeral. Several research studies have shown that only a small amount of information remains available on the web for longer than one year.

Web archiving aims to acquire, preserve and provide access to historical information published online. In April 2013, there were at least sixty four web archiving initiatives worldwide. Altogether, these archived collections of web documents form a comprehensive picture of our cultural, commercial, scientific and social history. Web archiving has also an important sociological impact because ordinary citizens are publishing personal information online without preservation concerns. In the future, web archives will probably be the only source of personal memories to many people. We provide some examples of tools that facilitate historical research over web archives highlighting their potential for Humanities.
The Role of Canonical Transient Receptor Potential Channels in Seizure and Excitotoxicity
Authors: Zheng Fang , Phelan Kevin
Published: April 2014

Canonical transient receptor potential (TRPC) channels are a family of polymodal cation channels with some degree of Ca2+ permeability. Although initially thought to be channels mediating store-operated Ca2+ influx, TRPC channels can be activated by stimulation of Gq-coupled G-protein coupled receptors, or by an increase in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration. Thus, activation of TRPC channels could be a common downstream event of many signaling pathways that contribute to seizure and excitotoxicity, such as N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated Ca2+ influx, or metabotropic glutamate receptor activation. Recent studies with genetic ablation of various TRPC family members have demonstrated that TRPC channels, in particular heteromeric TRPC1/4 channels and homomeric TRPC5 channels, play a critical role in both pilocarpine-induced acute seizures and neuronal cell death. However, exact underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated, and selective TRPC modulators and antibodies with better specificity are urgently needed for future research.
Taxing Strategies for Carbon Emissions: A Bilevel Optimization Approach
Authors: Wei Wei , Liang Yile , Liu Feng , Mei Shengwei , Tian Fang
Published: April 2014

This paper presents a quantitative and computational method to determine the optimal tax rate among generating units. To strike a balance between the reduction of carbon emission and the profit of energy sectors, the proposed bilevel optimization model can be regarded as a Stackelberg game between the government agency and the generation companies. The upper-level, which represents the government agency, aims to limit total carbon emissions within a certain level by setting optimal tax rates among generators according to their emission performances. The lower-level, which represents decision behaviors of the grid operator, tries to minimize the total production cost under the tax rates set by the government. The bilevel optimization model is finally reformulated into a mixed integer linear program (MILP) which can be solved by off-the-shelf MILP solvers. Case studies on a 10-unit system as well as a provincial power grid in China demonstrate the validity of the proposed method and its capability in practical applications.
European Monitoring Systems and Data for Assessing Environmental and Climate Impacts on Human Infectious Diseases
Authors: Nichols Gordon , Andersson Yvonne , Lindgren Elisabet , Devaux Isabelle , Semenza Jan
Published: April 2014

Surveillance is critical to understanding the epidemiology and control of infectious diseases. The growing concern over climate and other drivers that may increase infectious disease threats to future generations has stimulated a review of the surveillance systems and environmental data sources that might be used to assess future health impacts from climate change in Europe. We present an overview of organizations, agencies and institutions that are responsible for infectious disease surveillance in Europe. We describe the surveillance systems, tracking tools, communication channels, information exchange and outputs in light of environmental and climatic drivers of infectious diseases. We discuss environmental and climatic data sets that lend themselves to epidemiological analysis. Many of the environmental data sets have a relatively uniform quality across EU Member States because they are based on satellite measurements or EU funded FP6 or FP7 projects with full EU coverage. Case-reporting systems for surveillance of infectious diseases should include clear and consistent case definitions and reporting formats that are geo-located at an appropriate resolution. This will allow linkage to environmental, social and climatic sources that will enable risk assessments, future threat evaluations, outbreak management and interventions to reduce disease burden.
Spatial Analysis of HIV Positive Injection Drug Users in San Francisco, 1987 to 2005
Authors: Martinez Alexis , Mobley Lee , Lorvick Jennifer , Novak Scott , Lopez Andrea , Kral Alex
Published: April 2014

Spatial analyses of HIV/AIDS related outcomes are growing in popularity as a tool to understand geographic changes in the epidemic and inform the effectiveness of community-based prevention and treatment programs. The Urban Health Study was a serial, cross-sectional epidemiological study of injection drug users (IDUs) in San Francisco between 1987 and 2005 (N = 29,914). HIV testing was conducted for every participant. Participant residence was geocoded to the level of the United States Census tract for every observation in dataset. Local indicator of spatial autocorrelation (LISA) tests were used to identify univariate and bivariate Census tract clusters of HIV positive IDUs in two time periods. We further compared three tract level characteristics (% poverty, % African Americans, and % unemployment) across areas of clustered and non-clustered tracts. We identified significant spatial clustering of high numbers of HIV positive IDUs in the early period (1987–1995) and late period (1996–2005). We found significant bivariate clusters of Census tracts where HIV positive IDUs and tract level poverty were above average compared to the surrounding areas. Our data suggest that poverty, rather than race, was an important neighborhood characteristic associated with the spatial distribution of HIV in SF and its spatial diffusion over time.
Toxicity and Metabolism of Layered Double Hydroxide Intercalated with Levodopa in a Parkinson’s Disease Model
Authors: Kura Aminu , Ain Nooraini , Hussein Mohd , Fakurazi Sharida , Hussein-Al-Ali Samer
Published: April 2014

Layered hydroxide nanoparticles are generally biocompatible, and less toxic than most inorganic nanoparticles, making them an acceptable alternative drug delivery system. Due to growing concern over animal welfare and the expense of in vivo experiments both the public and the government are interested to find alternatives to animal testing. The toxicity potential of zinc aluminum layered hydroxide (ZAL) nanocomposite containing anti-Parkinsonian agent may be determined using a PC 12 cell model. ZAL nanocomposite demonstrated a decreased cytotoxic effect when compared to levodopa on PC12 cells with more than 80% cell viability at 100 µg/mL compared to less than 20% cell viability in a direct levodopa exposure. Neither levodopa-loaded nanocomposite nor the un-intercalated nanocomposite disturbed the cytoskeletal structure of the neurogenic cells at their IC50 concentration. Levodopa metabolite (HVA) released from the nanocomposite demonstrated the slow sustained and controlled release character of layered hydroxide nanoparticles unlike the burst uptake and release system shown with pure levodopa treatment.
Radioprotective and Antioxidant Effect of Resveratrol in Hippocampus by Activating Sirt1
Authors: Li Jianguo , Feng Li , Xing Yonghua , Wang Yan , Du Liqing , Xu Chang , Cao Jia , Wang Qin , Fan Saijun , Liu Qiang , Fan Feiyue
Published: April 2014

Reactive oxygen species can lead to functional alterations in lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, and an accumulation of ROS (Reactive oxygen species) is considered to be one factor that contributes to neurodegenerative changes. An increase in ROS production occurs following irradiation. Neuronal tissue is susceptible to oxidative stress because of its high oxygen consumption and modest antioxidant defenses. As a polyphenolic compound, resveratrol is frequently used as an activator of Sirt1 (Sirtuin 1). The present study was designed to explore the radioprotective and antioxidant effect of resveratrol on Sirt1 expression and activity induced by radiation and to provide a new target for the development of radiation protection drugs. Our results demonstrate that resveratrol inhibits apoptosis induced by radiation via the activation of Sirt1. We demonstrated an increase in Sirt1 mRNA that was present on 21 days of resveratrol treatment following irradiation in a concentration-dependent manner. Such mRNA increase was accompanied by an increase of Sirt1 protein and activity. Resveratrol effectively antagonized oxidation induced by irradiation, supporting its cellular ROS-scavenging effect. These results provide evidence that the mitochondrial protection and the antioxidant effect of resveratrol contribute to metabolic activity. These data suggest that Sirt1 may play an important role to protect neurons from oxidative stress.
Leucyl-tRNA Synthetase Regulates Lactation and Cell Proliferation via mTOR Signaling in Dairy Cow Mammary Epithelial Cells
Authors: Wang Lina , Lin Ye , Bian Yanjie , Liu Lili , Shao Li , Lin Lin , Qu Bo , Zhao Feng , Gao Xuejun , Li Qingzhang
Published: April 2014

The role of LeuRS, an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, as an intracellular l-leucine sensor for the mTORC1 pathway has been the subject of much research recently. Despite this, the association between LeuRS and lactation in dairy cow mammary epithelial cells (DCMECs) remains unknown. In this study, we found that LeuRS expression in mammary gland tissue was significantly higher during lactation than pregnancy. Moreover, our data demonstrates that LeuRS is localized in the cytoplasm. Treatment with leucine increased DCMECs viability and proliferation, as well as mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), p-mTOR, ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1), p-S6K1, β-Casein, sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), and Cyclin D1 mRNA and protein expression. Secretion of lactose and triglyceride were also increased. siRNA-mediated knockdown of LeuRS led to reduction in all of these processes. Based on these data, LeuRS up-regulates the mTOR pathway to promote proliferation and lactation of DCMECs in response to changes in the intracellular leucine concentration.
Oxidative Stress in Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Csányi Gábor , Jr. Francis
Published: April 2014

In the special issue “Oxidative Stress in Cardiovascular Disease” authors were invited to submit papers that investigate key questions in the field of cardiovascular free radical biology. The original research articles included in this issue provide important information regarding novel aspects of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated signaling, which have important implications in physiological and pathophysiological cardiovascular processes. The issue also included a number of review articles that highlight areas of intense research in the fields of free radical biology and cardiovascular medicine.
The Hydraulic Mechanism of the Unfolding of Hind Wings in Dorcus titanus platymelus (Order: Coleoptera)
Authors: Sun Jiyu , Ling Mingze , Wu Wei , Bhushan Bharat , Tong Jin
Published: April 2014

In most beetles, the hind wings are thin and fragile; when at rest, they are held over the back of the beetle. When the hind wing unfolds, it provides the necessary aerodynamic forces for flight. In this paper, we investigate the hydraulic mechanism of the unfolding process of the hind wings in Dorcus titanus platymelus (Oder: Coleoptera). The wing unfolding process of Dorcus titanus platymelus was examined using high speed camera sequences (400 frames/s), and the hydraulic pressure in the veins was measured with a biological pressure sensor and dynamic signal acquisition and analysis (DSA) during the expansion process. We found that the total time for the release of hydraulic pressure during wing folding is longer than the time required for unfolding. The pressure is proportional to the length of the wings and the body mass of the beetle. A retinal camera was used to investigate the fluid direction. We found that the peak pressures correspond to two main cross-folding joint expansions in the hind wing. These observations strongly suggest that blood pressure facilitates the extension of hind wings during unfolding.
Base Catalytic Approach: A Promising Technique for the Activation of Biochar for Equilibrium Sorption Studies of Copper, Cu(II) Ions in Single Solute System
Authors: Hamid Sharifah , Chowdhury Zaira , Zain Sharifuddin
Published: April 2014

This study examines the feasibility of catalytically pretreated biochar derived from the dried exocarp or fruit peel of mangostene with Group I alkali metal hydroxide (KOH). The pretreated char was activated in the presence of carbon dioxide gas flow at high temperature to upgrade its physiochemical properties for the removal of copper, Cu(II) cations in single solute system. The effect of three independent variables, including temperature, agitation time and concentration, on sorption performance were carried out. Reaction kinetics parameters were determined by using linear regression analysis of the pseudo first, pseudo second, Elovich and intra-particle diffusion models. The regression co-efficient, R2 values were best for the pseudo second order kinetic model for all the concentration ranges under investigation. This implied that Cu(II) cations were adsorbed mainly by chemical interactions with the surface active sites of the activated biochar. Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin isotherm models were used to interpret the equilibrium data at different temperature. Thermodynamic studies revealed that the sorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. The surface area of the activated sample was 367.10 m2/g, whereas before base activation, it was only 1.22 m2/g. The results elucidated that the base pretreatment was efficient enough to yield porous carbon with an enlarged surface area, which can successfully eliminate Cu(II) cations from waste water.
Zinc Oxide—From Synthesis to Application: A Review
Authors: Kołodziejczak-Radzimska Agnieszka , Jesionowski Teofil
Published: April 2014

Zinc oxide can be called a multifunctional material thanks to its unique physical and chemical properties. The first part of this paper presents the most important methods of preparation of ZnO divided into metallurgical and chemical methods. The mechanochemical process, controlled precipitation, sol-gel method, solvothermal and hydrothermal method, method using emulsion and microemulsion enviroment and other methods of obtaining zinc oxide were classified as chemical methods. In the next part of this review, the modification methods of ZnO were characterized. The modification with organic (carboxylic acid, silanes) and inroganic (metal oxides) compounds, and polymer matrices were mainly described. Finally, we present possible applications in various branches of industry: rubber, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, textile, electronic and electrotechnology, photocatalysis were introduced. This review provides useful information for specialist dealings with zinc oxide.
Hot Corrosion Behavior of Sputtered Nanocrystalline Coating with Yttrium Addition at 900 °C
Authors: Jiang Wei , Yu Ping , Wang Wen , Zhu Shenglong , Wang Fuhui
Published: April 2014

The high temperature corrosion behavior of sputtered nanocrystalline K38 coating with and without yttrium addition under mixed molten salt film in air was investigated. Accelerated corrosion occurred on the coating without yttrium (Y) addition locally after 60 h exposure at 900 °C, which resulted in negative weight gain in kinetics. A uniform and protective alumina scale formed on surface of the coating containing yttrium in comparison. Y enriched particle as corrosion product was observed on the top of alumina scale. The results indicated the beneficial influence of Y on the chemical stability of the protective scale in the presence of chloride. The mechanism was discussed.
Rapid Identification of Antioxidant Compounds of Genista saharae Coss. & Dur. by Combination of DPPH Scavenging Assay and HPTLC-MS
Authors: Meriane Djamila , Genta-Jouve Grégory , Kaabeche Mohamed , Michel Sylvie , Boutefnouchet Sabrina
Published: April 2014

Genista species are sources of antioxidant phenolic compounds such as O- and C-glycosylﬂavonoids and isoflavonoids. A combination of a DPPH scavenging assay with HPTLC-MS, a fast and efficient method for identification of bioactive compounds, has been applied for evaluation of the radical scavenging activity of metabolites from Genista saharae Coss. & Dur. Different organs collected at various periods have been compared. Identification of antioxidant compounds was obtained by elution of the major DPPH-inhibition zones. The resulting HPTLC-MS analysis under moderately polar conditions, coupled to the DPPH results led to the putative identification of two antioxidant isoflavone aglycones: 3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyisoflavone (1) and ficuisoflavone (3), whereas polar migration conditions led to the identification of the glycosides 5-methoxy-4',7-trihydroxy-8-glucopyranosylisoflavone (4) and 4',5-dihydroxy-7-methoxyisoflavone-4'-O-β-D-gluco-pyranoside (5). Evaluation of percentage of inhibition of DPPH radical by the purified isoflavone 4 from the root extract showed that it affords a moderate contribution to the total radical scavenging activity of the extract.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel 2-Methoxypyridylamino-Substituted Riminophenazine Derivatives as Antituberculosis Agents
Authors: Zhang Dongfeng , Liu Yang , Zhang Chunlin , Zhang Hao , Wang Bin , Xu Jian , Fu Lei , Yin Dali , Cooper Christopher , Ma Zhenkun , Lu Yu , Huang Haihong
Published: April 2014

Clofazimine, a member of the riminophenazine class, is one of the few antibiotics that are still active against multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). However, the clinical utility of this agent is limited by its undesirable physicochemical properties and skin pigmentation potential. With the goal of maintaining potent antituberculosis activity while improving physicochemical properties and lowering skin pigmentation potential, a series of novel riminophenazine derivatives containing a 2-methoxypyridylamino substituent at the C-2 position of the phenazine nucleus were designed and synthesized. These compounds were evaluated for antituberculosis activity against M. tuberculosis H37Rv and screened for cytotoxicity. Riminophenazines bearing a 3-halogen- or 3,4-dihalogen-substituted phenyl group at the N-5 position exhibited potent antituberculosis activity, with MICs ranging from 0.25~0.01 μg/mL. The 3,4-dihalogen- substituted compounds displayed low cytotoxicity, with IC50 values greater than 64 μg/mL. Among these riminophenazines, compound 15 exhibited equivalent in vivo efficacy against M. tuberculosis infection and reduced skin discoloration potential in an experimental mouse infection model as compared to clofazimine. Compound 15, as compared to clofazimine, also demonstrated improved physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetic profiles with a short half-life and less drug tissue accumulation. This compound is being evaluated as a potential drug candidate for the treatment of multidrug resistant tuberculosis.
Proteomic Profiling of Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris) Leaves during Rhizomania Compatible Interactions
Authors: Webb Kimberly , Broccardo Carolyn , Prenni Jessica , Wintermantel William
Published: April 2014

Rhizomania, caused by Beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV), severely impacts sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) production throughout the world, and is widely prevalent in most production regions. Initial efforts to characterize proteome changes focused primarily on identifying putative host factors that elicit resistant interactions with BNYVV, but as resistance breaking strains become more prevalent, effective disease control strategies will require the application of novel methods based on better understanding of disease susceptibility and symptom development. Herein, proteomic profiling was conducted on susceptible sugar beet, infected with two strains of BNYVV, to clarify the types of proteins prevalent during compatible virus-host plant interactions. Total protein was extracted from sugar beet leaf tissue infected with BNYVV, quantified, and analyzed by mass spectrometry. A total of 203 proteins were confidently identified, with a predominance of proteins associated with photosynthesis and energy, metabolism, and response to stimulus. Many proteins identified in this study are typically associated with systemic acquired resistance and general plant defense responses. These results expand on relatively limited proteomic data available for sugar beet and provide the ground work for additional studies focused on understanding the interaction of BNYVV with sugar beet.
CPAC: Energy-Efficient Data Collection through Adaptive Selection of Compression Algorithms for Sensor Networks
Authors: Lee HyungJune , Kim HyunSeok , Chang Ik
Published: April 2014

We propose a technique to optimize the energy efficiency of data collection in sensor networks by exploiting a selective data compression. To achieve such an aim, we need to make optimal decisions regarding two aspects: (1) which sensor nodes should execute compression; and (2) which compression algorithm should be used by the selected sensor nodes. We formulate this problem into binary integer programs, which provide an energy-optimal solution under the given latency constraint. Our simulation results show that the optimization algorithm significantly reduces the overall network-wide energy consumption for data collection. In the environment having a stationary sink from stationary sensor nodes, the optimized data collection shows 47% energy savings compared to the state-of-the-art collection protocol (CTP). More importantly, we demonstrate that our optimized data collection provides the best performance in an intermittent network under high interference. In such networks, we found that the selective compression for frequent packet retransmissions saves up to 55% energy compared to the best known protocol.
Security Analysis and Improvements of Two-Factor Mutual Authentication with Key Agreement in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Kim Jiye , Lee Donghoon , Jeon Woongryul , Lee Youngsook , Won Dongho
Published: April 2014

User authentication and key management are two important security issues in WSNs (Wireless Sensor Networks). In WSNs, for some applications, the user needs to obtain real-time data directly from sensors and several user authentication schemes have been recently proposed for this case. We found that a two-factor mutual authentication scheme with key agreement in WSNs is vulnerable to gateway node bypassing attacks and user impersonation attacks using secret data stored in sensor nodes or an attacker’s own smart card. In this paper, we propose an improved scheme to overcome these security weaknesses by storing secret data in unique ciphertext form in each node. In addition, our proposed scheme should provide not only security, but also efficiency since sensors in a WSN operate with resource constraints such as limited power, computation, and storage space. Therefore, we also analyze the performance of the proposed scheme by comparing its computation and communication costs with those of other schemes.
Low-Power Wearable Respiratory Sound Sensing
Authors: Oletic Dinko , Arsenali Bruno , Bilas Vedran
Published: April 2014

Building upon the findings from the field of automated recognition of respiratory sound patterns, we propose a wearable wireless sensor implementing on-board respiratory sound acquisition and classification, to enable continuous monitoring of symptoms, such as asthmatic wheezing. Low-power consumption of such a sensor is required in order to achieve long autonomy. Considering that the power consumption of its radio is kept minimal if transmitting only upon (rare) occurrences of wheezing, we focus on optimizing the power consumption of the digital signal processor (DSP). Based on a comprehensive review of asthmatic wheeze detection algorithms, we analyze the computational complexity of common features drawn from short-time Fourier transform (STFT) and decision tree classification. Four algorithms were implemented on a low-power TMS320C5505 DSP. Their classification accuracies were evaluated on a dataset of prerecorded respiratory sounds in two operating scenarios of different detection fidelities. The execution times of all algorithms were measured. The best classification accuracy of over 92%, while occupying only 2.6% of the DSP’s processing time, is obtained for the algorithm featuring the time-frequency tracking of shapes of crests originating from wheezing, with spectral features modeled using energy.
A Novel High-Sensitivity, Low-Power, Liquid Crystal Temperature Sensor
Authors: Algorri José , Urruchi Virginia , Bennis Noureddine , Sánchez-Pena José
Published: April 2014

A novel temperature sensor based on nematic liquid crystal permittivity as a sensing magnitude, is presented. This sensor consists of a specific micrometric structure that gives considerable advantages from other previous related liquid crystal (LC) sensors. The analytical study reveals that permittivity change with temperature is introduced in a hyperbolic cosine function, increasing the sensitivity term considerably. The experimental data has been obtained for ranges from −6 °C to 100 °C. Despite this, following the LC datasheet, theoretical ranges from −40 °C to 109 °C could be achieved. These results have revealed maximum sensitivities of 33 mVrms/°C for certain temperature ranges; three times more than of most silicon temperature sensors. As it was predicted by the analytical study, the micrometric size of the proposed structure produces a high output voltage. Moreover the voltage’s sensitivity to temperature response can be controlled by the applied voltage. This response allows temperature measurements to be carried out without any amplification or conditioning circuitry, with very low power consumption.
Advances in Bio-Tactile Sensors for Minimally Invasive Surgery Using the Fibre Bragg Grating Force Sensor Technique: A Survey
Authors: Abushagur Abdulfatah , Arsad Norhana , Reaz Mamun , Bakar A.
Published: April 2014

The large interest in utilising fibre Bragg grating (FBG) strain sensors for minimally invasive surgery (MIS) applications to replace conventional electrical tactile sensors has grown in the past few years. FBG strain sensors offer the advantages of optical fibre sensors, such as high sensitivity, immunity to electromagnetic noise, electrical passivity and chemical inertness, but are not limited by phase discontinuity or intensity fluctuations. FBG sensors feature a wavelength-encoding sensing signal that enables distributed sensing that utilises fewer connections. In addition, their flexibility and lightness allow easy insertion into needles and catheters, thus enabling localised measurements inside tissues and blood. Two types of FBG tactile sensors have been emphasised in the literature: single-point and array FBG tactile sensors. This paper describes the current design, development and research of the optical fibre tactile techniques that are based on FBGs to enhance the performance of MIS procedures in general. Providing MIS or microsurgery surgeons with accurate and precise measurements and control of the contact forces during tissues manipulation will benefit both surgeons and patients.
Energy and Exergy Analyses of a New Combined Cycle for Producing Electricity and Desalinated Water Using Geothermal Energy
Authors: Akbari Mehri , Mahmoudi Seyed , Yari Mortaza , Rosen Marc
Published: April 2014

A new combined cogeneration system for producing electrical power and pure water is proposed and analyzed from the viewpoints of thermodynamics and economics. The system uses geothermal energy as a heat source and consists of a Kalina cycle, a LiBr/H2O heat transformer and a water purification system. A parametric study is carried out in order to investigate the effects on system performance of the turbine inlet pressure and the evaporator exit temperature. For the proposed system, the first and second law efficiencies are found to be in the ranges of 16%–18.2% and 61.9%–69.1%, respectively. For a geothermal water stream with a mass flow rate of 89 kg/s and a temperature of 124 °C, the maximum production rate for pure water is found to be 0.367 kg/s.
Differences in Pattern and Driving Forces between Urban and Rural Settlements in the Coastal Region of Ningbo, China
Authors: Chen Mingxing , Ye Chao
Published: April 2014

Rapid urbanization on the coast of China has attracted much attention. The objective of this study was to explore the differences in dynamics and related driving forces between urban and rural settlements. Applying the quantitative method, we demonstrate that substantial heterogeneity in settlement growth, landscape pattern metrics, change, land sources and driving forces is exhibited across the different types of urban and rural settlements. The spatial growth of urban settlements is dominated by in situ expansion, while rural settlements tend to be scattered and shrinking rapidly. The sprawl of human settlements has mainly occupied farm land, but reclamation projects are increasingly becoming important land sources for urban settlements. Local government has played a critical role in urban settlements, while the expansion of rural settlements is mainly driven by individual choice and village collective organizations. Such differences may account for differential options for the management of human settlements scientifically.
Using Web Crawler Technology for Geo-Events Analysis: A Case Study of the Huangyan Island Incident
Authors: Hu Hao , Ge Yuejing , Hou Dongyang
Published: April 2014

Social networking and network socialization provide abundant text information and social relationships into our daily lives. Making full use of these data in the big data era is of great significance for us to better understand the changing world and the information-based society. Though politics have been integrally involved in the hyperlinked world issues since the 1990s, the text analysis and data visualization of geo-events faced the bottleneck of traditional manual analysis. Though automatic assembly of different geospatial web and distributed geospatial information systems utilizing service chaining have been explored and built recently, the data mining and information collection are not comprehensive enough because of the sensibility, complexity, relativity, timeliness, and unexpected characteristics of political events. Based on the framework of Heritrix and the analysis of web-based text, word frequency, sentiment tendency, and dissemination path of the Huangyan Island incident were studied by using web crawler technology and the text analysis. The results indicate that tag cloud, frequency map, attitudes pie, individual mention ratios, and dissemination flow graph, based on the crawled information and data processing not only highlight the characteristics of geo-event itself, but also implicate many interesting phenomenon and deep-seated problems behind it, such as related topics, theme vocabularies, subject contents, hot countries, event bodies, opinion leaders, high-frequency vocabularies, information sources, semantic structure, propagation paths, distribution of different attitudes, and regional difference of net citizens’ response in the Huangyan Island incident. Furthermore, the text analysis of network information with the help of focused web crawler is able to express the time-space relationship of crawled information and the information characteristic of semantic network to the geo-events. Therefore, it is a useful tool to collect information for understanding the formation and diffusion of web-based public opinions in political events.
Evaluating the Sustainability of a Small-Scale Low-Input Organic Vegetable Supply System in the United Kingdom
Authors: Markussen Mads , Kulak Michal , Smith Laurence , Nemecek Thomas , Østergård Hanne
Published: April 2014

Resource use and environmental impacts of a small-scale low-input organic vegetable supply system in the United Kingdom were assessed by emergy accounting and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). The system consisted of a farm with high crop diversity and a related box-scheme distribution system. We compared empirical data from this case system with two modeled organic food supply systems representing high- and low-yielding practices for organic vegetable production. Further, these systems were embedded in a supermarket distribution system and they provided the same amount of comparable vegetables at the consumers’ door as the case system. The on-farm resource use measured in solar equivalent Joules (seJ) was similar for the case system and the high-yielding model system and higher for the low-yielding model system. The distribution phase of the case system was at least three times as resource efficient as the models and had substantially less environmental impacts when assessed using LCA. The three systems ranked differently for emissions with the high-yielding model system being the worst for terrestrial ecotoxicity and the case system the worst for global warming potential. As a consequence of being embedded in an industrial economy, about 90% of resources (seJ) were used for supporting labor and service.
Superresolution Imaging of Human Cytomegalovirus vMIA Localization in Sub-Mitochondrial Compartments
Authors: Bhuvanendran Shivaprasad , Salka Kyle , Rainey Kristin , Sreetama Sen , Williams Elizabeth , Leeker Margretha , Prasad Vidhya , Boyd Jonathan , Patterson George , Jaiswal Jyoti , Colberg-Poley Anamaris
Published: April 2014

The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) viral mitochondria-localized inhibitor of apoptosis (vMIA) protein, traffics to mitochondria-associated membranes (MAM), where the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contacts the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM). vMIA association with the MAM has not been visualized by imaging. Here, we have visualized this by using a combination of confocal and superresolution imaging. Deconvolution of confocal microscopy images shows vMIA localizes away from mitochondrial matrix at the Mitochondria-ER interface. By gated stimulated emission depletion (GSTED) imaging, we show that along this interface vMIA is distributed in clusters. Through multicolor, multifocal structured illumination microscopy (MSIM), we find vMIA clusters localize away from MitoTracker Red, indicating its OMM localization. GSTED and MSIM imaging show vMIA exists in clusters of ~100–150 nm, which is consistent with the cluster size determined by Photoactivated Localization Microscopy (PALM). With these diverse superresolution approaches, we have imaged the clustered distribution of vMIA at the OMM adjacent to the ER. Our findings directly compare the relative advantages of each of these superresolution imaging modalities for imaging components of the MAM and sub-mitochondrial compartments. These studies establish the ability of superresolution imaging to provide valuable insight into viral protein location, particularly in the sub-mitochondrial compartments, and into their clustered organization.
Percutaneous thermal microwave ablation of thyroid nodules
Authors: Happel C. , Heck K. , Ackermann H. , Grünwald F. , Korkusuz H.
Published: April 2014

Microwave ablation (MWA) is a new minimal invasive method for thermal ablation of benign thyroid nodules. In contrast to well-established radiofrequency ablation (RFA), MWA offers several advantages with similarly successful results. There has not been any use of functional imaging with 99mTc-per- technetate and 99mTc-MIBI-scans as a mere qualitative analysis of this imaging in the field of MWA in Europe until now. The aim of this study has been to demonstrate the feasibility of MWA as well as the applicability of functional imaging to verify effectiveness with a centerspecific score. Patients, methods: 11 patients (5 women, 6 men, average age 62.3 years) with 18 benign thyroid nodules were treated. MWA was operated under local anesthesia with a system working in a wavelength field of 902 to 928 MHz (Avecure MWG881, MedWaves, Inc. San Diego, CA). Pre- and postablative scans were controlled by two specialists in nuclear medicine with longtime work experience. Results: A center specific functional imaging score (CSFIS) was defined, a decrease of 1.4 points at an average was noticeable (range 1-3 points). In 66.7% (n = 12) of all nodules the score decreased by 1 point, 27.8% (n = 5) by 2 points and 5.6% (n = 1) by 3 points. The treatment was well tolerated and no severe complications were observed. Conclusion: The preliminary data suggests that MWA is an effective method to treat benign thyroid nodules. Functional imaging is a promising technique for early verification of effectiveness of thermal ablation.
Happiness, Satisfaction, and Risk Perception
Authors: Filep Sebastian , Klint Louise Munk , Whitelaw Paul , Dominey-Howes Dale , DeLacy Terry
Published: April 2014

This article examines the relationship between reported levels of happiness, satisfaction, and risk perceptions during holiday experiences. Empirical examinations of this relationship have received limited attention by researchers, yet examining this topic has theoretical and practical
value. Specifically, the purpose of our study was to examine perceptions of risk to holiday activities and hazards, levels of hedonic satisfaction and positive emotions, and sense of engagement and meaning in life as three core elements of happiness for international tourists visiting Vanuatu.
The research method consisted of a 100-item self-completed questionnaire; the questionnaire items were based on consumer behavior, psychology, hazard, and risk perception literatures. Results show that our international tourist respondents report high levels of happiness and hedonic satisfaction,
perceive the majority of holiday activities as safe, and regard the majority of hazards as posing no threat to their tourist experiences. The study suggests that personal characteristics may influence satisfaction, happiness levels, and risk perceptions, but significant correlations among
satisfaction, happiness, and risk perceptions are limited. Theoretically, the study contributes to the growing literature on risk and satisfaction in tourism. Practical recommendations arising from this study include targeted education and awareness campaigns.
Molecular recognition of isomeric protonated amino acid esters monitored by ESI-mass spectrometry
Authors: Liesenfeld Andrea , Lützen Arne
Published: April 2014

Two new 9,9’-spirobifluorene-derived crown ethers were prepared and used to recognise constitutionally isomeric amino acid derivatives. The performance of the receptors was evaluated by ESI-mass spectrometry using the isomer labelled guest method (ILGM). This method revealed the preferred binding of L-norleucine and L-leucine compared to L-isoleucine for both receptors. Furthermore, non-covalent isotope effects demonstrate the relevance of dispersive interactions for the overall binding event. These effects also provide hints for the relative spatial orientation of the guest molecules within the host–guest complex, and thereby prove the importance of the spirobifluorene moiety for the observed binding of the protonated amino acid esters.
OVERQUALIFICATION, SKILL MISMATCHES AND WAGES IN PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYMENT IN EUROPE
Authors: Budría Santiago , Moro-Egido Ana
Published: April 2014

This paper uses a sample of private sector male workers from the European Community Household Panel to examine the wage effects of educational mismatches across segments of the earnings distribution in 12 countries. We consider two types of mismatch, overqualification and skills mismatches. By differentiating between quantiles, we discriminate between groups of workers with different unobservable earnings conditions. We find that the detrimental effects of skill mismatches on wages are larger than those of overqualification in most segments of the earnings distribution. Moreover, we find that the pay penalty of educational mismatch tends to be higher among workers with higher unconditional wages. This finding suggests that the mismatch phenomenon entails wage losses over and above those attributable to unobservable earnings determinants, including ability and skills possessed by workers.
The EU ECENTRE Project
Authors: Edgar-Nevill Denis
Published: April 2014

Since the EU Cybercrime Convention in 2000 (EU 2001), there has been a clear recognition of the accelerating threats to society posed by those who would exploit computers for crime and the logical progression to cyber-terrorism and cyberwarfare. Since that time the capacity to deal with cybercrime (crimes involving the use of computers) has improved but the problem has grown alarmingly. The European Commission recognises the increasing threat of cybercrime and has committed significant research and development funding in seeking to protect the community from cybercrime and cyberwar. This paper discusses a new European Commission funded project ECENTRE – England's Cybercrime Centre of Excellence Network for Training, Research and Education. On 20th December 2012 the European Commission signed the €0.935million (£760,000) contract for the project. The contract is awarded under the Programme Prevention of and Fight against Internet Crime Targeted Call – ISEC 2011 Action Grants– Project Number HOME/2011/ISEC/AG/INT/4000002226. The author is the Project Manager and Principal Investigator for the project. ECENTRE forms part of a wider European network of centres of excellence to share expertise, promote best practice and provide training opportunities for law enforcement across the EU. The challenges in establishing effecting cooperation and sharing are discussed. The considerable problem of keeping pace with the fast-developing, complex, problem posed by threats to national infrastructure, organisations and individuals is examined; highlighting the role of education as a fundamental weapon in the fight. The more we know about a threat (real or potential) – the better protected against it we become.