bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthetic diesel from biomass by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
Authors: A. Sauciuc  , A. Potetz  , G. Weber  , R. Rauch  , H. Hofbauer
Published: May 2017

The production of liquid hydrocarbons fuel from biomass by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis has become more and more attractive due to its advantages compared to fossil diesel: environmental friendliness by recycling wood and agricultural wastes and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases (CO, CO2 ,SO2,NOx,unburned hydrocarbons and particulate matters), absence of sulphur and nitrogen, higher combustion efficiency, higher cetane number and also the compatibility with existing diesel engines and infrastructure. In this paper the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process from biomass applied at the Güssing plant was investigated. Each stage of the installation: biomass gasification, gas cleaning and Fischer-Tropsch process, in terms of the equipment used and the parameters necessary for the synthesis, was analysed and discussed. Also, during the synthesis the gas composition of the syngas before and after each stage was analysed, using gas chromatography. The same analytical method was used in order to determine the carbon distribution of the Fischer-Tropsch fuels obtained in the process. The ASF model was applied and an α value of 0.89 was calculated for the products.
Three-phase Planar Actuator's Reduced Model Validation Using Exploratory Coils and Evaluation Applying Somaloy500 as Core Material
Authors: Neto, J. M.  , Sebastião, L.M  , Spacek, A. D  , Ferreira, A. C  , Ando Junior. O. H  , Schaeffer, L
Published: May 2017

This article applies the Three-phase Planar Actuator (T.P.A.) core in two configurations: complete and reduced model for analysis in numerical and real modes. The T.P.A. is a two degree of freedom induction machine similar as two linear motors in a unique traction element. To validate the simulations, a real T.P.A. was built with Steel1010 as core material. The magnetic flux was measured by exploratory coils and compared with numerical model software's results. After the validation, the core's material was substituted by SMC Somaloy500 – which has a high magnetic permeability allied with a higher resistivity than Steel1010 – and new simulations were made with variation of operating frequencies. The validation's results indicate a correct numerical modelled device with a maximum error of 9,64% and a better response with SMC Somaloy500 for force measurements – especially in relative high frequencies up to 120Hz. With Somaloy500 the x-axis force were almost 9 times higher than the Steel1010 as primary core material.
STRATEGI PEMETAAN KAWASAN DALAM MENENTUKAN LOKASI YANG TEPAT UNTUK AGROWISATA BUAH DI KABUPATEN SUMENEP
Authors: , Rusnani , Santosa Ribut , Chayati Cholilul
Published: May 2017

The natural beauty of Sumenep city is a potential that can be developed into natural and agricultural tourism. Besides the beauty of nature there is also the potential of superior fruits of various kinds and abundant but not yet maximally empowered. The purpose of this research is to know the map of potential areas and the right location for fruit agro-tourism in Sumenep regency. The method used is quantitative method which is the process of exploring the existing potential and understanding the behavior of individuals and groups through samples used with purposive sampling technique, location analysis using Location Quotietient (LQ) motion with primary and secondary data Expected expected output location Right for Fruit Agrowisata Conclusion, the potential location for agro tourism is Batuuan Village Batuan Subdistrict, commodity of plants that have the potential to be developed are dragon fruit, serikaya, watermelon, melon, orange, guava, guava and jackfruit.An appropriate development model is agro tourism Community-based.Keywords : Potential Mapping, Fruit Agro tourism.
ANALISIS POTENSI DAN TINGKAT PERKEMBANGAN DESA DI KABUPATEN SUMENEP
Authors: Zakki Nurdody , , Isdiantoni , Andini Isnani Yuli
Published: May 2017

Potential Data Village / kelurahan used to determine the level of general potential, development potential and typology of the village. The data is used as a reference for the Village Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMDes), investment and business development of the community, while the Village Development Rate Data is used to determine the rate of development of the village / kelurahan. The analysis of the rate of development of the village / kelurahan is used to determine the classification of the village / kelurahan (Swasembada, Swakarya and Swadaya) and the progress status of the village / kelurahan category of Mula, Madya dan lanjut. So it can be seen the value of community economic index, public education index, public health index, public participation index, security and order index, community participation index in development and development index of village / kelurahan. Objectives The formulation and empowerment of village / kelurahan profiles to provide relevant and valid primary data and information as reference for planning and implementation of development and empowerment of village / kelurahan community. The scope of this research was conducted in Errabu Village and Sera Tengah Village, Bluto Sub-District, Sumenep Regency. The method of this research is secondary data and primary data through observation process, interview (FGD), and Kuisioner from basic family data based on Directive of General Director of Community Empowerment and Village Kemendagri. The results of this study are for the classification of the annual development level of the two villages based on the results of the analysis of the indicators in the preparation of village profiles generated data with Category "Desa Lanjut", while for the classification of development level of 5 (Five) Annuals of Errabu Village belong to the "Swadaya".Keywords : Profile, Level of Development, Village.
Promoting Antimicrobial Stewardship and Combating Antimicrobial Resistance: Redefining the role of Critical Care Physicians
Authors: Fatema Kaniz
Published: May 2017

Abstract not availableBangladesh Crit Care J March 2017; 5(1): 1-2
Design of a Binocular Pupil and Gaze Point Detection System Utilizing High Definition Images
Authors: Durna Yilmaz , Ari Fikret
Published: May 2017

This study proposes a novel binocular pupil and gaze detection system utilizing a remote full high definition (full HD) camera and employing LabVIEW. LabVIEW is inherently parallel and has fewer time-consuming algorithms. Many eye tracker applications are monocular and use low resolution cameras due to real-time image processing difficulties. We utilized the computer’s direct access memory channel for rapid data transmission and processed full HD images with LabVIEW. Full HD images make easier determinations of center coordinates/sizes of pupil and corneal reflection. We modified the camera so that the camera sensor passed only infrared (IR) images. Glints were taken as reference points for region of interest (ROI) area selection of the eye region in the face image. A morphologic filter was applied for erosion of noise, and a weighted average technique was used for center detection. To test system accuracy with 11 participants, we produced a visual stimulus set up to analyze each eye’s movement. Nonlinear mapping function was utilized for gaze estimation. Pupil size, pupil position, glint position and gaze point coordinates were obtained with free natural head movements in our system. This system also works at 2046 × 1086 resolution at 40 frames per second. It is assumed that 280 frames per second for 640 × 480 pixel images is the case. Experimental results show that the average gaze detection error for 11 participants was 0.76° for the left eye, 0.89° for right eye and 0.83° for the mean of two eyes.
The Role of the Orbitofrontal and Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortices in Aesthetic Preference for Art
Authors: Ticini Luca
Published: May 2017

The search for the underlying neural activation that occurs during subjective aesthetic experiences of artwork has been enhanced through neuroimaging techniques. Recently, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, alongside the orbitofrontal cortex, have been implicated in aesthetic appreciation, and this is the focus of the present paper. Here, the validity of this conclusion is examined through the discussion of its neuroanatomical connections and functional properties. It is proposed that the experimental evidence challenges the view that this area could hold a privileged position in a brain network involved in aesthetic preference.
Immunotherapy for Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Boland Patrick , Ma Wen
Published: May 2017

The recent success of anti-PD1 drugs in metastatic colorectal cancer patients with mismatch repair deficiency generated overwhelming enthusiasm for immunotherapy in the disease. However, patients with mismatch repair deficient colorectal cancer represent only a small subset of the metastatic population. Current research focuses on advancing immunotherapy to earlier stages of the disease including adjuvant and first-line metastatic settings, and on inducing sensitivity to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy through a combinatorial approach. Here, we review the contemporary understanding of the immune and molecular landscape in colorectal cancer and discuss ongoing clinical trials evaluating novel combination regimens based on immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Sources of Economic Growth in Zambia, 1970–2013: A Growth Accounting Approach
Authors: Mulungu Kelvin , Ng’ombe John
Published: May 2017

Most empirical work on sources of economic growth for different countries lack country-specific empirical evidence to guide policy choices in individual developing countries and previous studies of factor productivity tend to focus on the entire economy or a single sector. This provides fewer insights about a country’s structural evolution. Unlike previous studies, our study builds on this by taking a more comprehensive approach in estimating Zambia’s sources of economic growth by sectors—agriculture, industry, and service—in a systematic manner that yields insights into the country’s sources of structural transformation. We use recently developed growth accounting tools to explicitly determine sources of economic growth at both national and sectoral levels in Zambia between 1970 and 2013. We use data from World Development Indicators and Zambia’s Central Statistical Office. Results indicate that, on average, total factor productivity (TFP) contributes about 5.7% to economic growth. Sectoral analysis shows that agriculture contributes the least to GDP and that, within each sector, factors that contribute to growth differ. Structural transformation has been slow and contributed to the observed inefficiency. We outline the implications of the observed growth and provide recommendations.
Patch-Based Forest Change Detection from Landsat Time Series
Authors: Hughes M. , Kaylor S. , Hayes Daniel
Published: May 2017

In the species-rich and structurally complex forests of the Eastern United States, disturbance events are often partial and therefore difficult to detect using remote sensing methods. Here we present a set of new algorithms, collectively called Vegetation Regeneration and Disturbance Estimates through Time (VeRDET), which employ a novel patch-based approach to detect periods of vegetation disturbance, stability, and growth from the historical Landsat image records. VeRDET generates a yearly clear-sky composite from satellite imagery, calculates a spectral vegetation index for each pixel in that composite, spatially segments the vegetation index image into patches, temporally divides the time series into differently sloped segments, and then labels those segments as disturbed, stable, or regenerating. Segmentation at both the spatial and temporal steps are performed using total variation regularization, an algorithm originally designed for signal denoising. This study explores VeRDET’s effectiveness in detecting forest change using four vegetation indices and two parameters controlling the spatial and temporal scales of segmentation within a calibration region. We then evaluate algorithm effectiveness within a 386,000 km2 area in the Eastern United States where VeRDET has overall error of 23% and omission error across disturbances ranging from 22% to 78% depending on agent.
Chromatin Switches during Neural Cell Differentiation and Their Dysregulation by Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Authors: Gavin David , Grayson Dennis , Varghese Sajoy , Guizzetti Marina
Published: May 2017

Prenatal alcohol exposure causes persistent neuropsychiatric deficits included under the term fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Cellular identity emerges from a cascade of intrinsic and extrinsic (involving cell-cell interactions and signaling) processes that are partially initiated and maintained through changes in chromatin structure. Prenatal alcohol exposure influences neuronal and astrocyte development, permanently altering brain connectivity. Prenatal alcohol exposure also alters chromatin structure through histone and DNA modifications. However, the data linking alcohol-induced differentiation changes with developmental alterations in chromatin structure remain to be elucidated. In the first part of this review, we discuss the sequence of chromatin structural changes involved in neural cell differentiation during normal development. We then discuss the effects of prenatal alcohol on developmental histone modifications and DNA methylation in the context of neurogenesis and astrogliogenesis. We attempt to synthesize the developmental literature with the FASD literature, proposing that alcohol-induced changes to chromatin structure account for altered neurogenesis and astrogliogenesis as well as altered neuron and astrocyte differentiation. Together these changes may contribute to the cognitive and behavioral abnormalities in FASD. Future studies using standardized alcohol exposure paradigms at specific developmental stages will advance the understanding of how chromatin structural changes impact neural cell fate and maturation in FASD.
Hydration, Fluid Intake, and Related Urine Biomarkers among Male College Students in Cangzhou, China: A Cross-Sectional Study—Applications for Assessing Fluid Intake and Adequate Water Intake
Authors: Zhang Na , Du Songming , Tang Zhenchuang , Zheng Mengqi , Yan Ruixia , Zhu Yitang , Ma Guansheng
Published: May 2017

The objectives of this study were to assess the associations between fluid intake and urine biomarkers and to determine daily total fluid intake for assessing hydration status for male college students. A total of 68 male college students aged 18–25 years recruited from Cangzhou, China completed a 7-day cross-sectional study. From day 1 to day 7; all subjects were asked to complete a self-administered 7-day 24-h fluid intake record. The foods eaten by subjects were weighed and 24-h urine was collected for three consecutive days on the last three consecutive days. On the sixth day, urine osmolality, specific gravity (USG), pH, and concentrations of potassium, sodium, and chloride was determined. Subjects were divided into optimal hydration, middle hydration, and hypohydration groups according to their 24-h urine osmolality. Strong relationships were found between daily total fluid intake and 24-h urine biomarkers, especially for 24-h urine volume (r = 0.76; p < 0.0001) and osmolality (r = 0.76; p < 0.0001). The percentage of the variances in daily total fluid intake (R2) explained by PLS (partial least squares) model with seven urinary biomarkers was 68.9%; two urine biomarkers—24-h urine volume and osmolality—were identified as possible key predictors. The daily total fluid intake for assessing optimal hydration was 2582 mL, while the daily total fluid intake for assessing hypohydration was 2502 mL. Differences in fluid intake and urine biomarkers were found among male college students with different hydration status. A strong relationship existed between urine biomarkers and fluid intake. A PLS model identified that key variables for assessing daily total fluid intake were 24-h urine volume and osmolality. It was feasibility to use total fluid intake to judge hydration status.
Nasal Irrigation: An Imprecisely Defined Medical Procedure
Authors: Principi Nicola , Esposito Susanna
Published: May 2017

Nasal irrigation (NI) is an old practice of upper respiratory tract care that likely originated in the Ayurvedic medical tradition. It is used alone or in association with other therapies in several conditions—including chronic rhinosinusitis and allergic rhinitis—and to treat and prevent upper respiratory tract infections, especially in children. However, despite it being largely prescribed in everyday clinical practice, NI is not included or is only briefly mentioned by experts in the guidelines for treatment of upper respiratory tract diseases. In this review, present knowledge about NI and its relevance in clinical practice is discussed to assist physicians in understanding the available evidence and the potential use of this medical intervention. Analysis of the literature showed that NI seems to be effective in the treatment of several acute and chronic sinonasal conditions. However, although in recent years several new studies have been performed, most of the studies that have evaluated NI have relevant methodologic problems. Only multicenter studies enrolling a great number of subjects can solve the problem of the real relevance of NI, and these studies are urgently needed. Methods for performing NI have to be standardized to determine which solutions, devices and durations of treatment are adequate to obtain favorable results. This seems particularly important for children that suffer a great number of sinonasal problems and might benefit significantly from an inexpensive and simple preventive and therapeutic measure such as NI.
PCVMZM: Using the Probabilistic Classification Vector Machines Model Combined with a Zernike Moments Descriptor to Predict Protein–Protein Interactions from Protein Sequences
Authors: Wang Yanbin , You Zhuhong , Li Xiao , Chen Xing , Jiang Tonghai , Zhang Jingting
Published: May 2017

Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) are essential for most living organisms’ process. Thus, detecting PPIs is extremely important to understand the molecular mechanisms of biological systems. Although many PPIs data have been generated by high-throughput technologies for a variety of organisms, the whole interatom is still far from complete. In addition, the high-throughput technologies for detecting PPIs has some unavoidable defects, including time consumption, high cost, and high error rate. In recent years, with the development of machine learning, computational methods have been broadly used to predict PPIs, and can achieve good prediction rate. In this paper, we present here PCVMZM, a computational method based on a Probabilistic Classification Vector Machines (PCVM) model and Zernike moments (ZM) descriptor for predicting the PPIs from protein amino acids sequences. Specifically, a Zernike moments (ZM) descriptor is used to extract protein evolutionary information from Position-Specific Scoring Matrix (PSSM) generated by Position-Specific Iterated Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (PSI-BLAST). Then, PCVM classifier is used to infer the interactions among protein. When performed on PPIs datasets of Yeast and H. Pylori, the proposed method can achieve the average prediction accuracy of 94.48% and 91.25%, respectively. In order to further evaluate the performance of the proposed method, the state-of-the-art support vector machines (SVM) classifier is used and compares with the PCVM model. Experimental results on the Yeast dataset show that the performance of PCVM classifier is better than that of SVM classifier. The experimental results indicate that our proposed method is robust, powerful and feasible, which can be used as a helpful tool for proteomics research.
Regulation of TH17 Cells and Associated Cytokines in Wound Healing, Tissue Regeneration, and Carcinogenesis
Authors: Brockmann Leonie , Giannou Anastasios , Gagliani Nicola , Huber Samuel
Published: May 2017

Wound healing is a crucial process which protects our body against permanent damage and invasive infectious agents. Upon tissue damage, inflammation is an early event which is orchestrated by a multitude of innate and adaptive immune cell subsets including TH17 cells. TH17 cells and TH17 cell associated cytokines can impact wound healing positively by clearing pathogens and modulating mucosal surfaces and epithelial cells. Injury of the gut mucosa can cause fast expansion of TH17 cells and their induction from naïve T cells through Interleukin (IL)-6, TGF-β, and IL-1β signaling. TH17 cells produce various cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-17, and IL-22, which can promote cell survival and proliferation and thus tissue regeneration in several organs including the skin, the intestine, and the liver. However, TH17 cells are also potentially pathogenic if not tightly controlled. Failure of these control mechanisms can result in chronic inflammatory conditions, such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), and can ultimately promote carcinogenesis. Therefore, there are several mechanisms which control TH17 cells. One control mechanism is the regulation of TH17 cells via regulatory T cells and IL-10. This mechanism is especially important in the intestine to terminate immune responses and maintain homeostasis. Furthermore, TH17 cells have the potential to convert from a pro-inflammatory phenotype to an anti-inflammatory phenotype by changing their cytokine profile and acquiring IL-10 production, thereby limiting their own pathological potential. Finally, IL-22, a signature cytokine of TH17 cells, can be controlled by an endogenous soluble inhibitory receptor, Interleukin 22 binding protein (IL-22BP). During tissue injury, the production of IL-22 by TH17 cells is upregulated in order to promote tissue regeneration. To limit the regenerative program, which could promote carcinogenesis, IL-22BP is upregulated during the later phase of regeneration in order to terminate the effects of IL-22. This delicate balance secures the beneficial effects of IL-22 and prevents its potential pathogenicity. An important future goal is to understand the precise mechanisms underlying the regulation of TH17 cells during inflammation, wound healing, and carcinogenesis in order to design targeted therapies for a variety of diseases including infections, cancer, and immune mediated inflammatory disease.
Theranostic Probes for Targeting Tumor Microenvironment: An Overview
Authors: Sikkandhar Musafar , Nedumaran Anu , Ravichandar Roopa , Singh Satnam , Santhakumar Induja , Goh Zheng , Mishra Sachin , Archunan Govindaraju , Gulyás Balázs , Padmanabhan Parasuraman
Published: May 2017

Long gone is the time when tumors were thought to be insular masses of cells, residing independently at specific sites in an organ. Now, researchers gradually realize that tumors interact with the extracellular matrix (ECM), blood vessels, connective tissues, and immune cells in their environment, which is now known as the tumor microenvironment (TME). It has been found that the interactions between tumors and their surrounds promote tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. The dynamics and diversity of TME cause the tumors to be heterogeneous and thus pose a challenge for cancer diagnosis, drug design, and therapy. As TME is significant in enhancing tumor progression, it is vital to identify the different components in the TME such as tumor vasculature, ECM, stromal cells, and the lymphatic system. This review explores how these significant factors in the TME, supply tumors with the required growth factors and signaling molecules to proliferate, invade, and metastasize. We also examine the development of TME-targeted nanotheranostics over the recent years for cancer therapy, diagnosis, and anticancer drug delivery systems. This review further discusses the limitations and future perspective of nanoparticle based theranostics when used in combination with current imaging modalities like Optical Imaging, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Nuclear Imaging (Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon Emission Computer Tomography (SPECT)).
Visual Analysis of Relationships between Heterogeneous Networks and Texts: An Application on the IEEE VIS Publication Dataset
Authors: Zimmer Björn , Sahlgren Magnus , Kerren Andreas
Published: May 2017

The visual exploration of large and complex network structures remains a challenge for many application fields. Moreover, a growing number of real-world networks is multivariate and often interconnected with each other. Entities in a network may have relationships with elements of other related datasets, which do not necessarily have to be networks themselves, and these relationships may be defined by attributes that can vary greatly. In this work, we propose a comprehensive visual analytics approach that supports researchers to specify and subsequently explore attribute-based relationships across networks, text documents and derived secondary data. Our approach provides an individual search functionality based on keywords and semantically similar terms over the entire text corpus to find related network nodes. For examining these nodes in the interconnected network views, we introduce a new interaction technique, called Hub2Go, which facilitates the navigation by guiding the user to the information of interest. To showcase our system, we use a large text corpus collected from research papers listed in the visualization publication dataset that consists of 2752 documents over a period of 25 years. Here, we analyze relationships between various heterogeneous networks, a bag-of-words index and a word similarity matrix, all derived from the initial corpus and metadata.
On-Line Multi-Damage Scanning Spatial-Wavenumber Filter Based Imaging Method for Aircraft Composite Structure
Authors: Ren Yuanqiang , Qiu Lei , Yuan Shenfang , Bao Qiao
Published: May 2017

Structural health monitoring (SHM) of aircraft composite structure is helpful to increase reliability and reduce maintenance costs. Due to the great effectiveness in distinguishing particular guided wave modes and identifying the propagation direction, the spatial-wavenumber filter technique has emerged as an interesting SHM topic. In this paper, a new scanning spatial-wavenumber filter (SSWF) based imaging method for multiple damages is proposed to conduct on-line monitoring of aircraft composite structures. Firstly, an on-line multi-damage SSWF is established, including the fundamental principle of SSWF for multiple damages based on a linear piezoelectric (PZT) sensor array, and a corresponding wavenumber-time imaging mechanism by using the multi-damage scattering signal. Secondly, through combining the on-line multi-damage SSWF and a PZT 2D cross-shaped array, an image-mapping method is proposed to conduct wavenumber synthesis and convert the two wavenumber-time images obtained by the PZT 2D cross-shaped array to an angle-distance image, from which the multiple damages can be directly recognized and located. In the experimental validation, both simulated multi-damage and real multi-damage introduced by repeated impacts are performed on a composite plate structure. The maximum localization error is less than 2 cm, which shows good performance of the multi-damage imaging method. Compared with the existing spatial-wavenumber filter based damage evaluation methods, the proposed method requires no more than the multi-damage scattering signal and can be performed without depending on any wavenumber modeling or measuring. Besides, this method locates multiple damages by imaging instead of the geometric method, which helps to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. Thus, it can be easily applied to on-line multi-damage monitoring of aircraft composite structures.
Discrete Element Method Simulations of the Inter-Particle Contact Parameters for the Mono-Sized Iron Ore Particles
Authors: Li Tongqing , Peng Yuxing , Zhu Zhencai , Zou Shengyong , Yin Zixin
Published: May 2017

Aiming at predicting what happens in reality inside mills, the contact parameters of iron ore particles for discrete element method (DEM) simulations should be determined accurately. To allow the irregular shape to be accurately determined, the sphere clump method was employed in modelling the particle shape. The inter-particle contact parameters were systematically altered whilst the contact parameters between the particle and wall were arbitrarily assumed, in order to purely assess its impact on the angle of repose for the mono-sized iron ore particles. Results show that varying the restitution coefficient over the range considered does not lead to any obvious difference in the angle of repose, but the angle of repose has strong sensitivity to the rolling/static friction coefficient. The impacts of the rolling/static friction coefficient on the angle of repose are interrelated, and increasing the inter-particle rolling/static friction coefficient can evidently increase the angle of repose. However, the impact of the static friction coefficient is more profound than that of the rolling friction coefficient. Finally, a predictive equation is established and a very close agreement between the predicted and simulated angle of repose is attained. This predictive equation can enormously shorten the inter-particle contact parameters calibration time that can help in the implementation of DEM simulations.
Editorial for Special Issue “New Insights in Stability, Structure and Properties of Porous Materials”
Authors: Martucci Annalisa , Cruciani Giuseppe
Published: May 2017

Porous materials (such as zeolites, clay minerals, and assemblies of oxide nanoparticles) are of great importance for the progress in many technological and environmental fields, such as catalysis, adsorption, separation, and ion exchange, because of their unique pore topologies, tunable structures, and the possibility of introducing active reaction sites.[...]
Chemical Composition of Laurencia obtusa Extract and Isolation of a New C15-Acetogenin
Authors: Esselin Hélène , Sutour Sylvain , Liberal Joana , Cruz Maria , Salgueiro Ligia , Siegler Benjamin , Freuze Ingrid , Castola Vincent , Paoli Mathieu , Bighelli Ange , Tomi Félix
Published: May 2017

A new C15-acetogenin, sagonenyne (20), exhibiting an unusual single tetrahydropyran ring was isolated from an ethyl acetate extract of Laurencia obtusa collected on the Corsican coastline. Its structure was established by detailed NMR spectroscopic analysis, mass spectrometry, and comparison with literature data. Twenty-three known compounds were identified in the same extract by means of column chromatography steps, using a 13C-NMR computer aided method developed in our laboratory. In addition to sesquiterpenes, which represent the main chemical class of this extract, diterpenes, sterols, and C15-acetogenins were identified. The crude extract was submitted to a cytotoxicity assay and was particularly active against THP-1 cells, a human leukemia monocytic cell line.
The Effect of Dietary Glycemic Properties on Markers of Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, and Body Composition in Postmenopausal American Women: An Ancillary Study from a Multicenter Protein Supplementation Trial
Authors: Stojkovic Violeta , Simpson Christine , Sullivan Rebecca , Cusano Anna , Kerstetter Jane , Kenny Anne , Insogna Karl , Bihuniak Jessica
Published: May 2017

Controversy exists as to whether high glycemic index/glycemic load (GI/GL) diets increase the risk of chronic inflammation, which has been postulated as a pathogenic intermediary between such diets and age-related alterations in body composition and insulin resistance. We conducted an ancillary study to a randomized, double-blind trial comparing the effects of a whey protein supplement (PRO, n = 38) and a maltodextrin supplement (CHO, n = 46) on bone density to evaluate the impact of a calibrated increase in GI/GL on inflammation, insulin resistance, and body composition in a healthy aging population. Markers of inflammation, HOMA, body composition, and GI/GL (estimated from 3-day food records) were assessed at baseline and 18 months. By 18 months, the GL in the CHO group increased by 34%, 88.4 ± 5.2 → 118.5 ± 4.9 and did not change in the PRO group, 86.5 ± 4.1 → 82.0 ± 3.6 (p < 0.0001). Despite this change there were no differences in serum CRP, IL-6, or HOMA at 18 months between the two groups, nor were there significant associations between GL and inflammatory markers. However, trunk lean mass (p = 0.0375) and total lean mass (p = 0.038) were higher in the PRO group compared to the CHO group at 18 months There were also significant associations for GL and change in total fat mass (r = 0.3, p = 0.01), change in BMI (r = 0.3, p = 0.005), and change in the lean-to-fat mass ratio (r = −0.3, p = 0.002). Our data suggest that as dietary GL increases within the moderate range, there is no detectable change in markers of inflammation or insulin resistance, despite which there is a negative effect on body composition.
“And Thou, all-Shaking Thunder…”A Theological Notation to Lines 1–38 of King Lear, Act III, Scene II
Authors: Hackett William
Published: May 2017

In the dramas of Shakespeare, the madman and the fool speak in prose; wisdom and sanity are properly poeticised. King Lear is no exception: I go some way in providing a theological notation to a crucial moment of Lear’s descent into madness, the fracturing of his blank verse into prose. Is the storm on the heath a representation of the turmoil of his mind? Or is it a theophany, the manifestation of divine displeasure at human foolishness? Finding between the verse and the prose the theological tradition of Christianity will allow us to negotiate this question and to understand a little more clearly the peculiar wisdom of poetry for Christianity.
Autonomous Sensors for Measuring Continuously the Moisture and Salinity of a Porous Medium
Authors: Chavanne Xavier , Frangi Jean-Pierre
Published: May 2017

The article describes a new field sensor to monitor continuously in situ moisture and salinity of a porous medium via measurements of its dielectric permittivity, conductivity and temperature. It intends to overcome difficulties and biases encountered with sensors based on the same sensitivity principle. Permittivity and conductivity are determined simultaneously by a self-balanced bridge, which measures directly the admittance of sensor electrodes in medium. All electric biases are reduced and their residuals taken into account by a physical model of the instrument, calibrated against reference fluids. Geometry electrode is optimized to obtain a well representative sample of the medium. The sensor also permits acquiring a large amount of data at high frequency (six points every hour, and even more) and to access it rapidly, even in real time, owing to autonomy capabilities and wireless communication. Ongoing developments intend to simplify and standardize present sensors. Results of field trials of prototypes in different environments are presented.
A Blade Tip Timing Method Based on a Microwave Sensor
Authors: Zhang Jilong , Duan Fajie , Niu Guangyue , Jiang Jiajia , Li Jie
Published: May 2017

Blade tip timing is an effective method for blade vibration measurements in turbomachinery. This method is increasing in popularity because it is non-intrusive and has several advantages over the conventional strain gauge method. Different kinds of sensors have been developed for blade tip timing, including optical, eddy current and capacitance sensors. However, these sensors are unsuitable in environments with contaminants or high temperatures. Microwave sensors offer a promising potential solution to overcome these limitations. In this article, a microwave sensor-based blade tip timing measurement system is proposed. A patch antenna probe is used to transmit and receive the microwave signals. The signal model and process method is analyzed. Zero intermediate frequency structure is employed to maintain timing accuracy and dynamic performance, and the received signal can also be used to measure tip clearance. The timing method uses the rising and falling edges of the signal and an auto-gain control circuit to reduce the effect of tip clearance change. To validate the accuracy of the system, it is compared experimentally with a fiber optic tip timing system. The results show that the microwave tip timing system achieves good accuracy.
Measuring Tree Properties and Responses Using Low-Cost Accelerometers
Authors: Van Emmerik Tim , Steele-Dunne Susan , Hut Rolf , Gentine Pierre , Guerin Marceau , Oliveira Rafael , Wagner Jim , Selker John , Van de Giesen Nick
Published: May 2017

Trees play a crucial role in the water, carbon and nitrogen cycle on local, regional and global scales. Understanding the exchange of momentum, heat, water, and CO 2 between trees and the atmosphere is important to assess the impact of drought, deforestation and climate change. Unfortunately, ground measurements of tree properties such as mass and canopy interception of precipitation are often expensive or difficult due to challenging environments. This paper aims to demonstrate the concept of using robust and affordable accelerometers to measure tree properties and responses. Tree sway is dependent on mass, canopy structure, drag coefficient, and wind forcing. By measuring tree acceleration, we can relate the tree motion to external forcing (e.g., wind, precipitation and related canopy interception) and tree physical properties (e.g., mass, elasticity). Using five months of acceleration data of 19 trees in the Brazilian Amazon, we show that the frequency spectrum of tree sway is related to mass, canopy interception of precipitation, and canopy–atmosphere turbulent exchange.
A Human Activity Recognition System Based on Dynamic Clustering of Skeleton Data
Authors: Manzi Alessandro , Dario Paolo , Cavallo Filippo
Published: May 2017

Human activity recognition is an important area in computer vision, with its wide range of applications including ambient assisted living. In this paper, an activity recognition system based on skeleton data extracted from a depth camera is presented. The system makes use of machine learning techniques to classify the actions that are described with a set of a few basic postures. The training phase creates several models related to the number of clustered postures by means of a multiclass Support Vector Machine (SVM), trained with Sequential Minimal Optimization (SMO). The classification phase adopts the X-means algorithm to find the optimal number of clusters dynamically. The contribution of the paper is twofold. The first aim is to perform activity recognition employing features based on a small number of informative postures, extracted independently from each activity instance; secondly, it aims to assess the minimum number of frames needed for an adequate classification. The system is evaluated on two publicly available datasets, the Cornell Activity Dataset (CAD-60) and the Telecommunication Systems Team (TST) Fall detection dataset. The number of clusters needed to model each instance ranges from two to four elements. The proposed approach reaches excellent performances using only about 4 s of input data (~100 frames) and outperforms the state of the art when it uses approximately 500 frames on the CAD-60 dataset. The results are promising for the test in real context.
Analysis of the Relative Sustainability of Land Devoted to Bioenergy: Comparing Land-Use Alternatives in China
Authors: Huang Jiashun , Li Weiping , Huang Xijie , Guo Lijia
Published: May 2017

When developing land to meet various human needs, conducting assessments of different alternatives regarding their sustainability is critical. Among different alternatives of land-use, devoting land to bioenergy is relatively novel, in high demand, and important for addressing the energy crisis and mitigating carbon emissions. Furthermore, the competition and disputes among limited land-use for bioenergy and the combination of food production and housing are tense. Thus, which alternative of land-use is more sustainable is an important question, yet it is still under-investigated. The main purposes of this study are to investigate the merits and problems of land-use for bioenergy and to compare the relative sustainability of land-use for bioenergy, food production, and housing based on habitants’ perceptions. Multi-criteria analysis is applied to the case study in the context of China, evaluating multiple criteria in economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Therefore, this study presents a comprehensive assessment of different scenarios of land-use designed to be implemented and some implications for optimum land-use policies.
Implementation of Objective PASC-Derived Taxon Demarcation Criteria for Official Classification of Filoviruses
Authors: Bào Yīmíng , Amarasinghe Gaya , Basler Christopher , Bavari Sina , Bukreyev Alexander , Chandran Kartik , Dolnik Olga , Dye John , Ebihara Hideki , Formenty Pierre , Hewson Roger , Kobinger Gary , Leroy Eric , Mühlberger Elke , Netesov Sergey , Patterson Jean , Paweska Janusz , Smither Sophie , Takada Ayato , Towner Jonathan , Volchkov Viktor , Wahl-Jensen Victoria , Kuhn Jens
Published: May 2017

The mononegaviral family Filoviridae has eight members assigned to three genera and seven species. Until now, genus and species demarcation were based on arbitrarily chosen filovirus genome sequence divergence values (≈50% for genera, ≈30% for species) and arbitrarily chosen phenotypic virus or virion characteristics. Here we report filovirus genome sequence-based taxon demarcation criteria using the publicly accessible PAirwise Sequencing Comparison (PASC) tool of the US National Center for Biotechnology Information (Bethesda, MD, USA). Comparison of all available filovirus genomes in GenBank using PASC revealed optimal genus demarcation at the 55–58% sequence diversity threshold range for genera and at the 23–36% sequence diversity threshold range for species. Because these thresholds do not change the current official filovirus classification, these values are now implemented as filovirus taxon demarcation criteria that may solely be used for filovirus classification in case additional data are absent. A near-complete, coding-complete, or complete filovirus genome sequence will now be required to allow official classification of any novel “filovirus.” Classification of filoviruses into existing taxa or determining the need for novel taxa is now straightforward and could even become automated using a presented algorithm/flowchart rooted in RefSeq (type) sequences.
Carbon allocation to growth and storage in two evergreen species of contrasting successional status
Authors: Piper Frida I. , Sepúlveda Paulina , Bustos‐Salazar Angela , Zúñiga‐Feest Alejandra
Published: May 2017

PREMISE OF THE STUDY:

A prevailing hypothesis in forest succession is that shade‐tolerant species grow more slowly than shade‐intolerant species, across light conditions, because they prioritize carbon (C) allocation to storage. We examined this hypothesis in a confamilial pair of species, including one of the fastest‐growing tree species in the world (Eucalyptus globulus) and a shade‐tolerant, slow‐growing species (Luma apiculata).

METHODS:

Seedlings were subjected to one out of four combinations of light (high vs. low) and initial defoliation (90% defoliated vs. nondefoliated) for four months. Growth, C storage concentration in different organs, leaf shedding, and lateral shoot formation were measured at the end of the experiment.

KEY RESULTS:

Eucalyptus globulus grew faster than L. apiculata in high light, but not in low light. Both species had lower C storage concentration in low than in high light, but similar C storage concentrations in each light condition. Defoliation had no effect on C storage, except in the case of the old leaves of both species, which showed lower C storage levels in response to defoliation. Across treatments, leaf shedding was 96% higher in E. globulus than in L. apiculata while, in contrast, lateral shoot formation was 87% higher in L. apiculata.

CONCLUSIONS:

In low light, E. globulus prioritized C storage instead of growth, whereas L. apiculata prioritized growth and lateral branching. Our results suggest that shade tolerance depends on efficient light capture rather than C conservation traits.
Expression, purification and structural analysis of functional GABA transporter 1 using the baculovirus expression system
Authors: Hu Jing , Weise Chris , Böttcher Christoph , Fan Hua , Yin Jian
Published: May 2017

The γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter 1 (GAT1) belongs to a family of Na+ and Cl−-coupled transport proteins and possesses 12 putative transmembrane domains. To perform structural analyses of the GAT1 protein, the GAT1/green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein was functionally expressed in insect Sf9 cells by the BAC-TO-BAC® baculovirus expression system. A two-step procedure to purify the GAT1/GFP fusion protein from insect Sf9 cells has been established and involves immunoaffinity chromatography using self-prepared anti-GFP antibodies and size-exclusion fast protein liquid chromatography (SE-FPLC). A yield of 200–300 μg of the GAT1/GFP protein could be purified from 400–600 mL of infected Sf9 cells. The purified protein was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which revealed that the GAT1/GFP fusion protein was isolated in its monomeric form.
Tidal Tails around the Outer Halo Globular Clusters Eridanus and Palomar 15
Authors: Myeong G. C. , Jerjen Helmut , Mackey Dougal , Da Costa Gary S.
Published: May 2017

We report the discovery of tidal tails around the two outer halo globular clusters, Eridanus and Palomar 15, based on gi-band images obtained with DECam at the CTIO 4 m Blanco Telescope. The tidal tails are among the most remote stellar streams currently known in the Milky Way halo. Cluster members have been determined from the color–magnitude diagrams and used to establish the radial density profiles, which show, in both cases, a strong departure in the outer regions from the best-fit King profile. Spatial density maps reveal tidal tails stretching out on opposite sides of both clusters, extending over a length of ∼760 pc for Eridanus and ∼1160 pc for Palomar 15. The great circle projected from the Palomar 15 tidal tails encompasses the Galactic Center, while that for Eridanus passes close to four dwarf satellite galaxies, one of which (Sculptor) is at a comparable distance to that of Eridanus.
Are LIGO's Black Holes Made from Smaller Black Holes?
Authors: Fishbach Maya , Holz Daniel E. , Farr Ben
Published: May 2017

One proposed formation channel for stellar mass black holes (BHs) is through hierarchical mergers of smaller BHs. Repeated mergers between comparable mass BHs leave an imprint on the spin of the resulting BH since the final BH spin is largely determined by the orbital angular momentum of the binary. We find that for stellar mass BHs forming hierarchically the distribution of spin magnitudes is universal, with a peak at

and little support below

. We show that the spin distribution is robust against changes to the mass ratio of the merging binaries, the initial spin distribution of the first generation of BHs, and the number of merger generations. While we assume an isotropic distribution of initial spin directions, spins that are preferentially aligned or antialigned do not qualitatively change our results. We also consider a “cluster catastrophe” model for BH formation in which we allow for mergers of arbitrary mass ratios and show that this scenario predicts a unique spin distribution that is similar to the universal distribution derived for major majors. We explore the ability of spin measurements from ground-based gravitational-wave (GW) detectors to constrain hierarchical merger scenarios. We apply a hierarchical Bayesian mixture model to mock GW data and argue that the fraction of BHs that formed through hierarchical mergers will be constrained with

LIGO binary black hole detections, while with

detections we could falsify a model in which all component BHs form hierarchically.