bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molas Baju Wara: Hybridity in Manggarai Rap Music
Authors: Yuliantari Ans. Prawati
Published: July 2017

Rap music which has been popular since 2007 in Manggarai region, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, gave rise to rap hybrid phenomenon. The mixture between American rap music formats and local elements of Manggarai attracted the attention of young people in the region. One of the local songs that feature hybridity in rap Manggarai is "Molas Baju Wara" created by Lipooz, one of the pioneers of rap in Ruteng, the capital city of Manggarai district.

To discuss this phenomenon, the concept of hybridity in cultural territory proposed by James Lull is adopted. This concept is used particularly to analyze the forms of hybridity reflected in " Molas Baju Wara" and the ways they are used in showing the social and cultural conditions of Manggarai. "Molas Baju Wara" was selected as the object of study because the song is clearly showing the characteristics of hybridity in music.

The study shows that hybridity could be perceived in Manggarai rap music specifically in the use of local musical instruments like drums, cajon, and tambourine as a substitute for percussive sounds of drums, boombox, or turn-table which are commonly used by rap musicians in their home country, the U.S.A. In addition, there are elements of local sound such as the sound of rain that represents Ruteng as the rain city. Hybridity characteristics can also be found in the use of Manggarai vernacular in the whole lyrics as well as the narration of local themes and certain sites that represent Ruteng.
Designing and Developing Supplemental Technology of PACI Model Materials through Blended Learning Methods
Authors: Limbong Effendi
Published: July 2017

The 21st century English teachers and lecturers are required to have competencies in translating Content Knowledge (CK), integrating various Pedagogical Knolwedge (PK) and implementing Technological Knowledge (TK) in order to produce effective and efficient teaching. This research reveals and describes researchers efforts and pre-service EFL teachers (PSEFLTs) roles in designing and developing the supplemental teaching and learning materials with PowerPoint, Audacity, Camtasia and Internet. To transform researcher roles and model to introduce and implement Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, this research implemented blended learning: traditional face to face (F2F) and Facebook closed-group discussion (FBcgD) based on Project-Based Learning (PBL). This research employed the qualitative autobiography narrative of self-study from the researchers experiences to implement blended learning. Semi-structure interviews were conducted with four PSEFLTs of group A and five PSEFLTs of group B to seek the PSEFLTs experiences in designing and developing PACI model. The results suggested that blended learning is can effectively and efficiently integrate and implement the design and development of a PACI model. Most importantly both of researcher and two groups realized that in integration of TPACK during a Computer Literacy course, the subject matter may be shaped by the application of technology; teaching as well as learning might be changed by the use of technology and the way to represent and communicate specific lessons to students.
Evaluation of Gloriosa superba for Yield Attributing Characters and Quantification of Colchicine Originated from Different Agro Climatic Zones of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh
Authors: P. Arun Kumar , R. Elangaimannan
Published: July 2017

The study was conducted to evolve Gloriosa superba for yield characters and alkalodi content for
selecting elite genotypes for comercial exploitatio n. The genotypes were sowm in Variyankaval village,
Udayarpalayam taluk of Ariyalur district, Tamil Nadu. The highest mean value for fresh and dry seed yield was observed
in Chittor local. The genotype Mulanur local has recorded the highest mean value for number of pods per plant and
number of seeds per pod and Arupukotai local excelled the general mean for the traits seeds per pod, fresh and dry seed
yield and also for tuber characters.
An investigation was carried out to quantify the colchicine (alkaloid) present in tubers
by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) method. The genotypes collected from Arupukotai recorded the
highest colchicine content (0.760 mg/g) followed by Chittoor (0.578 mg/g) and Mulanur (0.496 mg/g) and there by these
three genotypes were utilized for further crop improvement.
Advancement of Riluzole in Neurodegenerative Disease
Authors: Viswanad Vidya , P. Anand , P. Shammika
Published: July 2017

Riluzole (Rilutek®) is currently achieved usingoff indication among the treatment of medical conditions in adult patients
and a lot of and a lot ofchildren. The scientist has gained more interest in the excitotoxic hypothesis in neurodegenerative
disease. Riluzole blocks glutamatergic neurotransmission and inhibits the liberation of aminoalkanoic acid from
corticostriatal neurons in-vivo. The effects of riluzole may be due to the effect of aminoalkanoic acid that results in the
inactivation of voltage-dependent metal channels terminals in resemblance with the activation of a G-protein-dependent
signal transduction technique along with the blocking of postsynaptic effectsby accommodating blockade of Nmethybaspartate
(NMDA) receptors. Riluzole has neuroprotective properties which is responsible for the inhibition of the
ischemia-evoked surge in aminoalkanoic acid that effect the glutamic-acid-uptake inhibitors.
The Effectiveness of Video Education How to Use Diskus® DryPowder inhaler on Out-Patients Copd In Mojokerto, Indonesia
Authors: A. Mahfouz S. , Ikawati Zullies , Wahyono Djoko
Published: July 2017

COPD therapy aims to prevent and overcome acute exacerbation on COPD which could be fatal and even lead to death.
Thus, it must be prevented with optimum medication during stable condition. Bronchodilator in the form of inhalation are
preferred in COPD medication because systemic bronchodilator has many side effects compared to that of topical
bronchodilator (inhalation). DPI (dry-powder inhaler) has been developed and introduced to the market since 1967 as a
solution or choice concerning MDI (metered-dose inhaler) setbacks where patients felt difficult in coordinating hands and
lungs. Evidences suggested that multi-unit dose DPI such as Diskus® offered most reliable and consistent performance
and it is preferred by patients. The improper using of inhaler is one of the main causes holding up asthma control since it
can affect patients dosage intake which is not optimal. This research aimed to know the efficacy of Diskus® preparation
usage education given to COPD patients. Method used in this research was one study group pre-test dan post test. The
number of respondents involved in this research was 55 respondents. The result of t-test suggested that t-count is fewer
than p-value (0.05) suggesting that there was difference between pre and post test score as a result of oral or motor
evaluation. It is then concluded that Diskus® usage education affected the patients in the improvement of inhaler usage
accuracy based on oral and motor evaluation. This research only reviewed COPD patients skill in using Diskus®, thus it
is required to conduct further research to dig the understanding in the usage of Diskus® like drug indications, interval, how
to notice side effects and how to overcome them. Also, this research only reviewed knowledge increase, but yet described
outcome improvement from the using of COPD therapy itself.
KOSAKATA SISTEM PERTANIAN TRADISIONAL SUNDA: KAJIAN STRUKTUR DAN MAKNA
Authors: Aras Taufik Setyadi
Published: July 2017

Identitas Indonesia sebagai negara agraris mulai luntur. Tidak sedikit petani tradisional beralih pekerjaan ke sektor industri sehingga berdampak pada pola perilaku masyarakat terhadap lingkungan serta mengikis pengetahuan dan keterampilan dalam tata cara bertani tradisional. Masalah yang diteliti adalah kosakata sistem pertanian tradisional berbahasa Sunda dengan menggunakan kajian struktur dan makna. Metode yang digunakan adalah metode deskriptif kualitatif. Teori yang digunakan yaitu teori Djajasudarma (2009 dan 2013), Kridalaksana (2005), dan Ramlan (1991) . Berdasarkan penelitian, diketahui empat kelas kata yang ditemukan, yaitu verba(l), nomina(l), numeralia, dan adjektiva. Struktur kosakata ada dua bentuk, yaitu bentuk dasar dan turunan. Bentuk turunan ada empat, yaitu berdasarkan afiksasi, reduplikasi, akronim, dan gabungan kata. Makna kosakata mengacu pada peralatan dan perkakas, aktivitas penggarapan, keadaan dan kondisi padi, proses penanaman, nama tempat dan wadah, nama waktu, upacara tradisional, tokoh masyarakat, hama padi, serta ukuran atau takaran.
Reflections on India’s ‘Guidelines on Cross Border Trade of Electricity’ Vis-a-vis Nepal’s ‘Electricity Development Decade 2016/’026’ and ‘2017/’018 Budget’
Authors: Pun Santa Bahadur
Published: July 2017

Nepal unfurled her 10,000 MW in 10 years Electricity Development Decade 2016/’026 in February 2016 supposedly with one eye on her own domestic consumption but definitely with the other eye on India’s growing hungry market. India, for ‘strategic, national and economic’ reasons, issued her Guidelines on December 5, 2016 whereby preferential treatment is given to Indian entities that wish to export power from Nepal to India. While Indian entities with 51% or more ownership require a one-time approval, all other participating entities are eligible to participate on ‘case to case basis.’ The concerned authorities of Nepal, thick-skinned as they are, made no fuss at all about India’s Guidelines. In fact, Nepal held the 5th Power Summit on December 16, 2016 concluding that, though the 10,000 MW is ambitious, it is realistic and achievable. In the immediate aftermath in January 2017, the USAID financed Delhi-based IRADe launched its report in Kathmandu wherein the Nepalese media was all agog reporting ‘Nepal can earn Rs 1 Trillion a year by selling power.’ This was then followed by the Nepal Investment Summit jamboree in March 2017 that boasted of garnering 13.6 billion US$ foreign commitments. All these were then topped by the Nepal government’s 2017/’018 budget that sanguinely hiked up the “10,000 MW in 10 years’ to an inconceivable ‘17,000 MW in 7 years!’Sans the electricity regulatory commission, sans the Indo-Nepal downstream benefit sharing mechanism from storage projects and sans the huge required capital skillfully throttled by India’s Guidelines, Nepal’s 17,000 MW in 7 years is an extremely tall order, more likely to end up in the manner of Som Sharma’s sattu! HYDRO Nepal JournalJournal of Water Energy and EnvironmentIssue: 21, July, 2017Page: 5-10Upload Date: July 18, 2017
Stabilization Measure Adopted for Controlling Landslide: A Case Study of Upper Mai Hydroelectric Project
Authors: Chaulagai Kanchan
Published: July 2017

Stability is the key issue in landslide stabilization. Methodology and component adopted in stabilizing the slide play vital role in this regards. In many occasion, stability measure adopted for controlling slide has been found to be unsuccessful, inadequate causing not only the safety risk but also huge economic loss. This paper describe history, effects, causes, stabilization measures and effectiveness of these measures played for controlling landslide of headwork area of Upper Mai Hydroelectric Project. The pioneering solution applied for landslide stabilization such as application of rock bolts, shotcrete and water management found to be highly effective in controlling the landslide.  HYDRO Nepal JournalJournal of Water Energy and EnvironmentIssue: 21, July, 2017Page: 11-14Upload Date: July 18, 2017
The Adoption of the Declaration of the Principles on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and Lessons for South Asia
Authors: Upadhyay Surya Nath , Gaudel Prakash
Published: July 2017

This paper discusses how an upper riparian country can establish its water right of fulfilling own water needs through development of a transboundary river in a contested terrain of water management. Citing the case of the development of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and adoption of the Declaration of the Principles by the Eastern Nile Basin States, this paper highlights the major lessons that South Asia need to learn to achieve water security in the region through cooperation. This paper further argues that if, economically weak upstream riparian country, Ethiopia can initiate such an important and strategic project, then Nepal must also be in similar position to fulfill own demand without causing significant harm, rather benefiting the downstream countries. Like Egypt and Sudan, the lower riparian countries Bangladesh and more importantly India need to be in a position to acknowledge the downstream benefit principle. This paper states that without cooperation among riparian states of the Ganges basin, the sustainable development of the region seems limited. HYDRO Nepal JournalJournal of Water Energy and EnvironmentIssue: 21, July, 2017Page: 17-24Upload Date: July 18, 2017
Riverfront Restoration Plan Using Cipar Index: A Case Study of Gomti River, India
Authors: Tripathi Mansi , Singal Sunil Kumar
Published: July 2017

Restoration of a polluted river front is as important as conservation of a polluted river itself because its shore line has the potential of making the conservation project self-sustainable. In the present study, an attempt has been made to study the polluted river front of a river in India. A self-sustainable restoration and development experimental plan has been prepared for the area considered in the study. This experimental plan aims at utilizing arable land strips on both sides of the river, currently deserted or encroached by rank vegetation, open wastewater drains, etc. The cost estimates have also been presented for various items and actions proposed under this study to prove its economical sustainability in the long run. The proposed plan and the existing conditions have been compared using CIPAR index to ensure increased public accessibility. It has been found that the present unsatisfactory conditions of the riverfront considered in this study can be raised to more than 90 % satisfaction by implementation of the proposed plan in a period of 3 to 4 years. HYDRO Nepal JournalJournal of Water Energy and EnvironmentIssue: 21, July, 2017Page: 25-33Upload Date: July 18, 2017
STRUCTURAL AND ELECTRONIC PROPERTIES OF TRANSITION METAL DI-CHALCOGENIDES (MX2) M=(Mo, W) AND X=(S, Se) IN BULK STATE: A FIRST-PRINCIPLES STUDY
Authors: Sedhain Ram Prasad , Kaphle Gopi Chandra
Published: July 2017

Transition metal di-chalcogenides (MX2) M=(Mo, W) and X=(S, Se) in bulk state are of great interest due to their diverse applications in the field of modern technology as well as to understand the fundamental aspect of Physics. We performed structural and electronic properties of selected systems using density functional theory implemented in Tight Binding Linear Muffin- tin Orbital (TBLMTO) approach with subsequent refinement. The structural optimization is performed through energy minimization process and lattice parameters of optimized structures for MoS2, MoSe2, WS2 and WSe2 are found to be 3.20Å, 3.34Å, 3.27Å and 3.34Å respectively, which are within the error bar less than 5% with experimental values. The band gaps for all TMDCs are found to be of indirect types with semiconducting behaviours. The values of band gap of MoS2, MoSe2, WS2 and WSe2 in bulk state are found to be 1.16eV, 108eV, 1.50eV and 1.29eV respectively which are comparable with experimental and previously calculated data. Due to the symmetric nature of up spin and down spin channels of Density of States (DOS) all the systems selected are found to be non magnetic. However it fully supports the results obtained from band structure calculations. The potential and charge distributions plots support the results. The charge density plots reveals the covalent nature of bond in (100) plane. However (110) plane shows mixed types of bonding.Journal of Institute of Science and TechnologyVolume 22, Issue 1, July 2017, page: 41-50
REPRODUCTIVE ECOLOGY OF BIRDVILLE INDIGO, INDIGOFERA LINNAEI ALI. (FABACEAE)
Authors: Lakshminarayana G. , Solomon Raju A. J.
Published: July 2017

Indigofera linnaei, a low ground herb is an important species of herbaceous cover. It forms extensive mats of populations carpeting the soil. But, it is not known how it is able to increase its population size and spread into other areas. The knowledge of its reproductive ecology is important to understand its reproductive capabilities and evaluate its use in eco-restoration initiatives. The study aims to provide information on its reproductive ecology. I. linnaei flowers are papilionaceous, bisexual, monostylous, weakly protandrous, self-compatible, facultatively xenogamous and possess explosive pollination mechanism. High winds, high temperature and heavy rain trip the pollination mechanism and effect only selfing while bees and lycaenid butterflies trip pollination mechanism and affect both selfing and outcrossing. Thrips use the flower buds for breeding, emerge during anthesis and pollinate the flowers by feeding on pollen and nectar. The fruit is a pod which dehisces explosively to disperse seeds; long distance dispersal is facilitated by their irregular shape, oily nature, and carried away by wind and rain water. Therefore, ballistichory, anemochory and hydrochory are the functional modes of seed dispersal that enable the plant to invade and colonize especially open, sandy dry areas. The plant provides food for certain local insects and protects the soil cover with its clustered root system and spreading form of multi-stemmed branching pattern. Therefore, I. linnaei has the potential for use in the restoration of destroyed, degraded and damaged habitats.Journal of Institute of Science and TechnologyVolume 22, Issue 1, July 2017, Page: 84-93
IDENTIFICATION AND DIFFERENTIATION OF THE ASIAN ELEPHANT IVORY BY USING SCHREGER LINES
Authors: Jha Dinesh Kumar , Kshetry Nirajan Thapa , Pokharel Basanta Raj , Lal Sudhir K. , Panday Raju
Published: July 2017

Elephant ivory is one of the highly priced, illegally traded wildlife trophies and its identification has always been a challenging task. A total of 21 Asian elephant tusks stored at the office of the Chitwan National Park, Kasara, Nepal were morphometrically studied with an aim to typify elephant ivory by using Schreger lines. The ivory samples were cleaned, their Schreger lines were photographed and their angles were measured by using a protractor. A total of 120 Schreger angles data from both outer and inner areas were obtained resulting both concave and convex appearance. The observed maximum and minimum Schreger angles values were 125° and 50° respectively. The mean Schreger angle was found to be 95.60° (±14.23). The Schreger lines were present in all studied samples. Thus, it is concluded that the presence of Schreger line is the identifying feature of an elephant tusk.Journal of Institute of Science and TechnologyVolume 22, Issue 1, July 2017, Page: 99-103
DELINEATION OF GROUNDWATER POTENTIAL ZONE IN THE INDO-GANGETIC PLAIN THROUGH GIS ANALYSIS
Authors: Pathak Dinesh
Published: July 2017

Water availability for domestic and irrigation purpose is the lifeline of the society and plays a dominant factor in the agriculture development of the country. Though Nepal is rich in water resources, nation-wide surface water irrigation network is yet to be established to meet the year round irrigation. The readily available shallow groundwater is considered as vital in meeting the domestic and irrigation water need. The shallow groundwater irrigation in the country has been emphasized and this system is contributing in the irrigation facility at present. Understanding the potential of shallow groundwater would support to further develop the shallow irrigation cluster wells in the Indo-Gangetic Plain. A systematic and comprehensive tube well database in GIS platform serves better for the groundwater potential delineation purpose. Thicknesses of aquifer material, well yield, hydraulic conductivity, water table are some of the decisive parameters for delineating the groundwater potential areas. However, all parameters are not always available. In such situation, the analysis can be performed with the thickness of aquifer material and yield of the well that are widely available in the reports of concerned organizations. Present study shows the GIS based analysis of aquifer parameters in one of the Terai districts of Nepal to delineate the shallow groundwater potential zones. The method adopted in the present study can be applied in other parts of the country, which would better serve for effective development planning and providing irrigation service to the farmers.Journal of Institute of Science and TechnologyVolume 22, Issue 1, July 2017, Page: 104-109
SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF COBALT (III) COMPLEX OF SALICYLALDEHYDE BENZOYL HYDRAZONE
Authors: Shrestha Sabita
Published: July 2017

Cobalt Complex of type [Co(Hsbh)2(NO3)(H2O)]. 3H2O was synthesized and characterized by different analytical procedures, molar conductance, infrared and electronic spectral studies. The complex was found to be 1:2 metal ligand ratio. Molar conductance measurement shows non electrolyte nature of complex. Dehydration studies indicate the presence of coordinated as well as lattice water molecules. Infrared spectral studies indicate that ligand undergo keto enol tautomerism and bond to the metal ion via enolic oxygen and NH2 group. The electronic spectrum shows octahedral geometry around central cobalt (III) atom.Journal of Institute of Science and TechnologyVolume 22, Issue 1, July 2017, page: 132-136
Novel Blood-Based Biomarkers of Cognition, Stress, and Physical or Cognitive Training in Older Adults at Risk of Dementia: Preliminary Evidence for a Role of BDNF, Irisin, and the Kynurenine Pathway
Authors: Küster Olivia C. , Laptinskaya Daria , Fissler Patrick , Schnack Cathrin , Zügel Martina , Nold Verena , Thurm Franka , Pleiner Sina , Karabatsiakis Alexander , von Einem Björn , Weydt Patrick , Liesener André , Borta Andreas , Woll Alexander , Hengerer Bastian , Kolassa Iris-Tatjana , von Arnim Christine A.F.
Published: July 2017

Psychosocial stress and physical, cognitive, and social activity predict the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. The aim of this study was to elucidate brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), irisin, and the kynurenine pathway (KP) as potential underlying biological correlates. We evaluated associations of irisin and the KP with BDNF in serum and with cognition, stress, and activities. Furthermore, changes in serum concentrations of BDNF, irisin, and KP metabolites were investigated after physical or cognitive training. Forty-seven older adults at risk of dementia were assigned to 10 weeks of physical training, cognitive training, or a wait-list control condition. Previous physical, cognitive, and social activities and stressful life events were recorded; global cognition, episodic memory, and executive functions were assessed. Serum levels of L-kynurenine, kynurenic acid, 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK), and quinolinic acid (QUIN) were determined by validated assays based on liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. BDNF and irisin serum levels were determined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. BDNF and irisin correlated positively with global cognition and episodic memory, while the neurotoxic metabolite QUIN correlated negatively with executive functions. Stressful life events were associated with reduced BDNF and increased 3-HK. 3-HK decreased after cognitive training, while BDNF tended to increase after physical training. This suggests that psychosocial stress as well as cognitive and physical training may impact BDNF serum levels and the KP. Irisin and QUIN may constitute novel serum biomarkers of cognitive impairment, in addition to BDNF. Larger scale trials are needed to replicate and extend these novel findings.
Genetic Mapping of Quantitative Trait Loci for Yield-Affecting Traits in a Barley Doubled Haploid Population Derived from Clipper × Sahara 3771
Authors: Vafadarshamasbi Ulduz , Jamali Seyed Hossein , Sadeghzadeh Behzad , Abdollahi Mandoulakani Babak
Published: July 2017

Many traits play essential roles in determining crop yield. Wide variation for morphological traits exists in Hordeum vulgare L., but the genetic basis of this morphological variation is largely unknown. To understand genetic basis controlling morphological traits affecting yield, a barley doubled haploid population (146 individuals) derived from Clipper × Sahara 3771 was used to map chromosome regions underlying days to awn appearance, plant height, fertile spike number, flag leaf length, spike length, harvest index, seed number per plant, thousands kernel weight, and grain yield. Twenty-seven QTLs for nine traits were mapped to the barley genome that described 3–69% of phenotypic variations; and some genomic regions harbor a given QTL for more than one trait. Out of 27 QTLs identified, 19 QTLs were novel. Chromosomal regions on 1H, 2H, 4H, and 6H associated with seed grain yield, and chromosome regions on 2H and 6H had major effects on grain yield (GY). One major QTL for seed number per plant was flanked by marker VRS1-KSUF15 on chromosome 2H. This QTL was also associated with GY. Some loci controlling thousands kernel weight (TKW), fertile spike number (FSN), and GY were the same. The major grain yield QTL detected on linkage PSR167 co-localized with TAM10. Two major QTLs controlling TKW and FSN were also mapped at this locus. Eight QTLs on chromosomes 1H, 2H, 3H, 4H, 5H, 6H, and 7H consistently affected spike characteristics. One major QTL (ANIONT1A-TACMD) on 4H affected both spike length (SL) and spike number explained 9 and 5% of the variation of SL and FSN, respectively. In conclusion, this study could cast some light on the genetic basis of the studied pivotal traits. Moreover, fine mapping of the identified major effect markers may facilitate the application of molecular markers in barley breeding programs.
Scaling Exponent and Moderate Deviations Asymptotics of Polar Codes for the AWGN Channel
Authors: Fong Silas , Tan Vincent
Published: July 2017

This paper investigates polar codes for the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel. The scaling exponent μ of polar codes for a memoryless channel q Y | X with capacity I ( q Y | X ) characterizes the closest gap between the capacity and non-asymptotic achievable rates as follows: For a fixed ε ∈ ( 0 , 1 ) , the gap between the capacity I ( q Y | X ) and the maximum non-asymptotic rate R n * achieved by a length-n polar code with average error probability ε scales as n - 1 / μ , i.e., I ( q Y | X ) - R n * = Θ ( n - 1 / μ ) . It is well known that the scaling exponent μ for any binary-input memoryless channel (BMC) with I ( q Y | X ) ∈ ( 0 , 1 ) is bounded above by 4 . 714 . Our main result shows that 4 . 714 remains a valid upper bound on the scaling exponent for the AWGN channel. Our proof technique involves the following two ideas: (i) The capacity of the AWGN channel can be achieved within a gap of O ( n - 1 / μ log n ) by using an input alphabet consisting of n constellations and restricting the input distribution to be uniform; (ii) The capacity of a multiple access channel (MAC) with an input alphabet consisting of n constellations can be achieved within a gap of O ( n - 1 / μ log n ) by using a superposition of log n binary-input polar codes. In addition, we investigate the performance of polar codes in the moderate deviations regime where both the gap to capacity and the error probability vanish as n grows. An explicit construction of polar codes is proposed to obey a certain tradeoff between the gap to capacity and the decay rate of the error probability for the AWGN channel.
Content Delivery in Fog-Aided Small-Cell Systems with Offline and Online Caching: An Information—Theoretic Analysis
Authors: Azimi Seyyed , Simeone Osvaldo , Tandon Ravi
Published: July 2017

The storage of frequently requested multimedia content at small-cell base stations (BSs) can reduce the load of macro-BSs without relying on high-speed backhaul links. In this work, the optimal operation of a system consisting of a cache-aided small-cell BS and a macro-BS is investigated for both offline and online caching settings. In particular, a binary fading one-sided interference channel is considered in which the small-cell BS, whose transmission is interfered by the macro-BS, has a limited-capacity cache. The delivery time per bit (DTB) is adopted as a measure of the coding latency, that is, the duration of the transmission block, required for reliable delivery. For offline caching, assuming a static set of popular contents, the minimum achievable DTB is characterized through information-theoretic achievability and converse arguments as a function of the cache capacity and of the capacity of the backhaul link connecting cloud and small-cell BS. For online caching, under a time-varying set of popular contents, the long-term (average) DTB is evaluated for both proactive and reactive caching policies. Furthermore, a converse argument is developed to characterize the minimum achievable long-term DTB for online caching in terms of the minimum achievable DTB for offline caching. The performance of both online and offline caching is finally compared using numerical results.
Reliable Approximation of Long Relaxation Timescales in Molecular Dynamics
Authors: Zhang Wei , Schütte Christof
Published: July 2017

Many interesting rare events in molecular systems, like ligand association, protein folding or conformational changes, occur on timescales that often are not accessible by direct numerical simulation. Therefore, rare event approximation approaches like interface sampling, Markov state model building, or advanced reaction coordinate-based free energy estimation have attracted huge attention recently. In this article we analyze the reliability of such approaches. How precise is an estimate of long relaxation timescales of molecular systems resulting from various forms of rare event approximation methods? Our results give a theoretical answer to this question by relating it with the transfer operator approach to molecular dynamics. By doing so we also allow for understanding deep connections between the different approaches.
New Adaptive Reclosing Technique in Unbalanced Distribution System
Authors: Seo Hun-Chul
Published: July 2017

The conventional reclosing of a distribution system is performed after a fixed dead time. However, it may lead to the increased outage time due to delayed reclosing. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a new adaptive reclosing scheme. The electrostatic induction is analyzed under at during-fault and post-fault conditions. Based on this analysis, the method to judge the fault clearance using the load current is proposed. The reclosing is adaptively performed after fault clearance. The distribution system and reclosing scheme are modelled by the electromagnetic transient program (EMTP). The various simulations according to the unbalanced ratio and various fault conditions are performed and analyzed. The superiority of the proposed scheme is verified by comparing with the conventional reclosing method.
Transverse Thermoelectricity in Fibrous Composite Materials
Authors: Qian Bosen , Ren Fei
Published: July 2017

Transverse thermoelectric elements have the potential to decouple the electric current and the heat flow, which could lead to new designs of thermoelectric devices. While many theoretical and experimental studies of transverse thermoelectricity have focused on layered structures, this work examines composite materials with aligned fibrous inclusions. A simplified mathematical model was derived based on the Kirchhoff Circuit Laws (KCL), which were used to calculate the equivalent transport properties of the composite structures. These equivalent properties, including Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity, compared well with finite element analysis (FEA) results. Peltier cooling performance was also examined using FEA, which exhibited good agreement to KCL model predictions. In addition, a survey was conducted on selected combinations of thermoelectric materials and metals to rank their transverse thermoelectricity with respect to the dimensionless figure of merit.
Pieter A. M. Gaemers. Taxonomy, Distribution and Evolution of Trisopterine Gadidae by Means of Otoliths and Other Characteristics. Fishes 2016, 1, 18–51.
Authors: Gaemers Pieter
Published: July 2017

The author has made the following corrections to his paper [1], which has been republished in order to comply with the rules of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (I.C.Z.N.). [...]
Game Theory of Pollution: National Policies and Their International Effects
Authors: Schüller Katharina , Staňková Kateřina , Thuijsman Frank
Published: July 2017

In this paper we put forward a simple game-theoretical model of pollution control, where each country is in control of its own pollution, while the environmental effects of policies do not stop at country borders. In our noncooperative differential game, countries as players minimize the present value of their own costs defined as a linear combination of pollution costs and costs of environmentally friendly policies, where the state vector of the system consists of the pollution stock per country. A player’s time-varying decision is her investment into clean policies, while her expected costs include also pollution caused by her neighbors. We analyze three variants of this game: (1) a Nash game in which each player chooses her investment into clean policies such that her expected costs are minimal, (2) a game in which the players imitate the investments into clean policies of their neighbors without taking the neighbor’s success concerning their costs into account and (3) a game in which each player imitates her neighbors’ investments into clean policies if this behavior seems to bring a profit. In each of these scenarios, we show under which conditions the countries have incentives to act environmentally friendly. We argue that the different results of these games can be used to understand and design effective environmental policies.
Cross-Sectional Study to Determine the Prevalence of Hepatitis B and C Virus Infection in High Risk Groups in the Northeast Region of Brazil
Authors: Ribeiro Barbosa Jakeline , Sousa Bezerra Cristianne , Carvalho-Costa Filipe , Pimentel de Azevedo Carolina , Lopes Flores Geane , Baima Colares Jeová , Malta Lima Danielle , Lampe Elisabeth , Melo Villar Lívia
Published: July 2017

Background: HBV (Hepatitis B Virus) and HCV (Hepatitis C Virus) infections are more prevalent in vulnerable populations than the general population. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of HBV and HCV infection in HIV-positive patients (GI), chronic renal failure (CRF) patients (GII) and coagulation disorder individuals (GIII). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2014 to March 2015. Serum samples were tested for markers of hepatitis B and C by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Sociodemographic, epidemiological, clinical and laboratory data and accompanying statistical analyses were performed using Epi Info™ 7. Results: A total of 348 individuals were recruited, i.e., 154 HIV-positive, 143 CRF and 51 coagulopathy patients. Among them, more than 66% were men, and the predominant age group was 26–35 years in GI and 56–65 years in GIII. Most patients had more than 8 years of education (66.2% in GI, 60.6% in GIII and 46.1% in GII), with a family income between 100–400 dollars in more than 48% of patients. The prevalence of the HBsAg marker was 3.9%, 7% and 3.9%, total anti-HBc was 28.6%, 55.9% and 31.4%, and anti-HCV was 1.3%, 12.6% and 47% for GI, GII and GIII, respectively. However, the prevalence of anti-HBs was greater than 70% in all groups. Conclusions: This study shows a high prevalence of HBV and HCV among specific groups compared to the general population. Factors such as age, income, number of sexual partners, sexually transmitted disease burden, blood transfusion history or blood products and blood transfusions before 1994 were associated with a higher prevalence for these infections.
The Role of Perceived Social Norms in Rural Sanitation: An Explorative Study from Infrastructure-Restricted Settings of South Ethiopia
Authors: Novotný Josef , Kolomazníková Jana , Humňalová Helena
Published: July 2017

The perception of social sanitation norms (PSSNs) around unacceptability of open defecation has been a key aspect of recent sanitation interventions. However, underlying mechanisms through which “reconstructed” PSSNs affect sanitation outcomes have been a black box. This explorative cross-sectional study examines direct and indirect links between PSSNs and sanitation safety using data from structured interviews and observations in 368 households in rural South Ethiopia. In addition to a positive association between PSSNs and sanitation safety, we propose and examine the following two mechanisms: First, we confirm a potentially adverse feedback of PSSNs on future sanitation safety by enhancing the emotional satisfaction with current sanitation practice (satisfaction independent of the functionality of sanitation facilities). Second, inspired by the social amplification/attenuation of risk framework, we demonstrate that PSSNs work as a “social filter” that can amplify or attenuate the effects of other variables targeted in sanitation interventions such as perceived health-related and non-health risks and benefits associated with open defecation and private latrine ownership, respectively, and factual hygiene and sanitation knowledge. These findings imply that PSSNs are not only important per se, but they are also important instrumentally because sanitation outcomes depend upon the capacity of social influences to shape the perception of sanitation risks and benefits and sanitation-related awareness in desirable ways. The mechanisms outlined in this paper as well as the sustainability of sanitation outcomes depend on whether and how social sanitation norms are internalized.
Individual and Interactive Effects of Socio-Ecological Factors on Dengue Fever at Fine Spatial Scale: A Geographical Detector-Based Analysis
Authors: Cao Zheng , Liu Tao , Li Xing , Wang Jin , Lin Hualiang , Chen Lingling , Wu Zhifeng , Ma Wenjun
Published: July 2017

Background: Large spatial heterogeneity was observed in the dengue fever outbreak in Guangzhou in 2014, however, the underlying reasons remain unknown. We examined whether socio-ecological factors affected the spatial distribution and their interactive effects. Methods: Moran’s I was applied to first examine the spatial cluster of dengue fever in Guangzhou. Nine socio-ecological factors were chosen to represent the urbanization level, economy, accessibility, environment, and the weather of the 167 townships/streets in Guangzhou, and then the geographical detector was applied to analyze the individual and interactive effects of these factors on the dengue outbreak. Results: Four clusters of dengue fever were identified in Guangzhou in 2014, including one hot spot in the central area of Guangzhou and three cold spots in the suburban districts. For individual effects, the temperature (q = 0.33) was the dominant factor of dengue fever, followed by precipitation (q = 0.24), road density (q = 0.24), and water body area (q = 0.23). For the interactive effects, the combination of high precipitation, high temperature, and high road density might result in increased dengue fever incidence. Moreover, urban villages might be the dengue fever hot spots. Conclusions: Our study suggests that some socio-ecological factors might either separately or jointly influence the spatial distribution of dengue fever in Guangzhou.
Socioeconomic Differences in and Predictors of Home-Based Palliative Care Health Service Use in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Cai Jiaoli , Guerriere Denise N. , Zhao Hongzhong , Coyte Peter C.
Published: July 2017

The use of health services may vary across people with different socioeconomic statuses, and may be determined by many factors. The purposes of this study were (i) to examine the socioeconomic differences in the propensity and intensity of use for three main home-based health services, that is, home-based palliative care physician visits, nurse visits and personal support worker (PSW) hours; and (ii) to explore the determinants of the use of home-based palliative care services. A prospective cohort study was employed. A total of 181 caregivers were interviewed biweekly over the course of the palliative care trajectory, yielding a total of 994 interviews. The propensity and intensity of health service use were examined using logistic regression and negative binomial regression, respectively. The results demonstrated that both the propensity and intensity of home-based nurse and PSW visits fell with socioeconomic status. The use of home-based palliative care services was not concentrated in high socioeconomic status groups. The common predictors of health service use in the three service categories were patient age, the Palliative Performance Scale (PPS) score and place of death. These findings may assist health service planners in the appropriate allocation of resources and service packages to meet the complex needs of palliative care populations.
Autophagy Induced FHL2 Upregulation Promotes IL-6 Production by Activating the NF-κB Pathway in Mouse Aortic Endothelial Cells after Exposure to PM2.5
Authors: Xia Wen-Rong , Fu Wenliang , Wang Qin , Zhu Xiaoming , Xing Wei-Wei , Wang Min , Xu Dong-Qun , Xu Dong-Gang
Published: July 2017

Epidemiological and clinical studies have increasingly shown that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, which share the common feature of PM2.5-induced vascular inflammation; however, the underlying mechanisms of how PM2.5 triggers increased inflammatory response in vascular endothelial cells are not well understood. After treating mouse aortic endothelial cells (MAECs) with different concentrations of PM2.5, we assessed interleukin (IL)-6 and four and a half LIM domains 2 (FHL2) expression in cell supernatant by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot, respectively, as well as activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB and immune-response signaling pathways. Additionally, changes in pathway activation, IL-6 expression, and autophagy were evaluated under PM2.5 exposure, following FHL2 knockdown with small interfering RNA. Our results indicated that PM2.5 exposure induced FHL2 expression and IL-6 secretion, as well as activation of pathways associated with immune response. Additionally, following FHL2 knockdown, the activation of NF-κB-related pathways and IL-6 secretion was inhibited under PM2.5 exposure, although the Akt- and p38-signaling pathways were not affected. Furthermore, PM2.5 exposure induced autophagy, whereas autophagy inhibition eventually inhibited PM2.5-induced FHL2 expression. These findings suggested a novel link between autophagy induced FHL2 upregulation and IL-6 production in MAECs under PM2.5 exposure.
Current Knowledge in Thyroid Cancer—From Bench to Bedside
Authors: Grimm Daniela
Published: July 2017

Thyroid cancer is the most common malignant endocrine tumour.[...]
Macrophage Phenotypes Regulate Scar Formation and Chronic Wound Healing
Authors: Hesketh Mark , Sahin Katherine B. , West Zoe E. , Murray Rachael Z.
Published: July 2017

Macrophages and inflammation play a beneficial role during wound repair with macrophages regulating a wide range of processes, such as removal of dead cells, debris and pathogens, through to extracellular matrix deposition re-vascularisation and wound re-epithelialisation. To perform this range of functions, these cells develop distinct phenotypes over the course of wound healing. They can present with a pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype, more often found in the early stages of repair, through to anti-inflammatory M2 phenotypes that are pro-repair in the latter stages of wound healing. There is a continuum of phenotypes between these ranges with some cells sharing phenotypes of both M1 and M2 macrophages. One of the less pleasant consequences of quick closure, namely the replacement with scar tissue, is also regulated by macrophages, through their promotion of fibroblast proliferation, myofibroblast differentiation and collagen deposition. Alterations in macrophage number and phenotype disrupt this process and can dictate the level of scar formation. It is also clear that dysregulated inflammation and altered macrophage phenotypes are responsible for hindering closure of chronic wounds. The review will discuss our current knowledge of macrophage phenotype on the repair process and how alterations in the phenotypes might alter wound closure and the final repair quality.
Metallothionein from Wild Populations of the African Catfish Clarias gariepinus: From Sequence, Protein Expression and Metal Binding Properties to Transcriptional Biomarker of Metal Pollution
Authors: M’kandawire Ethel , Mierek-Adamska Agnieszka , Stürzenbaum Stephen R. , Choongo Kennedy , Yabe John , Mwase Maxwell , Saasa Ngonda , Blindauer Claudia A.
Published: July 2017

Anthropogenic pollution with heavy metals is an on-going concern throughout the world, and methods to monitor release and impact of heavy metals are of high importance. With a view to probe its suitability as molecular biomarker of metal pollution, this study has determined a coding sequence for metallothionein of the African sharptooth catfish Clarias gariepinus. The gene product was recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli in presence of Zn(II), Cd(II), or Cu, and characterised by Electrospray Ionisation Mass Spectrometry and elemental analysis. C. gariepinus MT displays typical features of fish MTs, including 20 conserved cysteines, and seven bound divalent cations (Zn(II) or Cd(II)) when saturated. Livers from wild C. gariepinus fish collected in all three seasons from four different sites on the Kafue River of Zambia were analysed for their metal contents and for MT expression levels by quantitative PCR. Significant correlations were found between Zn and Cu levels and MT expression in livers, with MT expression clearly highest at the most polluted site, Chililabombwe, which is situated in the Copperbelt region. Based on our findings, hepatic expression of MT from C. gariepinus may be further developed as a major molecular biomarker of heavy metal pollution resulting from mining activities in this region.
Systematics of the Ceracis furcifer Species-Group (Coleoptera: Ciidae): The Specialized Consumers of the Blood-Red Bracket Fungus Pycnoporus sanguineus
Authors: Pecci-Maddalena Italo , Lopes-Andrade Cristiano
Published: July 2017

The Ceracis furcifer species-group (Coleoptera: Ciidae) originally comprised nine species names: Ceracis cornifer (Mellié, 1849); C. cylindricus (Brèthes, 1922); C. furcifer Mellié, 1849; C. hastifer (Mellié, 1849); C. monocerus Lawrence, 1967; C. ruficornis Pic, 1916; C. simplicicornis (Pic, 1916); C. semipallidus Pic, 1922 and C. unicornis Gorham, 1898. Ceracis semipallidus was synonymised with C. furcifer and then no further changes were made to the composition of the group. Here, we provide a taxonomic revision of the Ceracis furcifer species-group and new data on the geographic distribution and host fungi of the included species. Lectotypes are designated for C. cornifer, C. furcifer, C. hastifer, C. ruficornis, C. semipallidus and C. unicornis. As results we: (i) synonymise C. cylindricus, C. monocerus, C. simplicicornis, C. unicornis with C. cornifer; (ii) confirm the synonymy of C. semipallidus with C. furcifer; (iii) redescribe C. cornifer, C. hastifer, C. furcifer and C. ruficornis; and (iv) provide an identification key for species in the furcifer group. The frontoclypeal horn and body coloration showed great intraspecific variation. We show that species in the furcifer group have distributions wider than previously known and use mainly Pycnoporus sanguineus as host fungus. Species of the furcifer group are the only animals specialized in feeding on basidiomes of P. sanguineus.