bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictive Modeling of a Paradigm Mechanical Cooling Tower Model: II. Optimal Best-Estimate Results with Reduced Predicted Uncertainties
Authors: Fang Ruixian , Cacuci Dan , Badea Madalina
Published: September 2016

This work uses the adjoint sensitivity model of the counter-flow cooling tower derived in the accompanying PART I to obtain the expressions and relative numerical rankings of the sensitivities, to all model parameters, of the following model responses: (i) outlet air temperature; (ii) outlet water temperature; (iii) outlet water mass flow rate; and (iv) air outlet relative humidity. These sensitivities are subsequently used within the “predictive modeling for coupled multi-physics systems” (PM_CMPS) methodology to obtain explicit formulas for the predicted optimal nominal values for the model responses and parameters, along with reduced predicted standard deviations for the predicted model parameters and responses. These explicit formulas embody the assimilation of experimental data and the “calibration” of the model’s parameters. The results presented in this work demonstrate that the PM_CMPS methodology reduces the predicted standard deviations to values that are smaller than either the computed or the experimentally measured ones, even for responses (e.g., the outlet water flow rate) for which no measurements are available. These improvements stem from the global characteristics of the PM_CMPS methodology, which combines all of the available information simultaneously in phase-space, as opposed to combining it sequentially, as in current data assimilation procedures.
The Role of ATRX in the Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT) Phenotype
Authors: Amorim João , Santos Gustavo , Vinagre João , Soares Paula
Published: September 2016

Telomeres are responsible for protecting chromosome ends in order to prevent the loss of coding DNA. Their maintenance is required for achieving immortality by neoplastic cells and can occur by upregulation of the telomerase enzyme or through a homologous recombination-associated process, the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). The precise mechanisms that govern the activation of ALT or telomerase in tumor cells are not fully understood, although cellular origin may favor one of the other mechanisms that have been found thus far in mutual exclusivity. Specific mutational events influence ALT activation and maintenance: a unifying frequent feature of tumors that acquire this phenotype are the recurrent mutations of the Alpha Thalassemia/Mental Retardation Syndrome X-Linked (ATRX) or Death-Domain Associated Protein (DAXX) genes. This review summarizes the established criteria about this phenotype: its prevalence, theoretical molecular mechanisms and relation with ATRX, DAXX and other proteins (directly or indirectly interacting and resulting in the ALT phenotype).
“Turtles All the Way Down”: Mind, Emotion and Nothing
Authors: Maxwell Ian
Published: September 2016

This is an article in three movements. Each takes as its object a public phenomenon of emotion: first, the representation of human emotions as homunculi in a recent children’s movie; second, the performance of the Australian cricket captain at a press conference concerning the death, on the field, of a team-mate; and, finally, the mass contagion of public grief in response to that death. Using these three episodes, the article develops an understanding of Martin Heidegger’s thought in relation to, first, the “enframing” of human being within technology, in which the nothing from which being is brought into presence is concealed; second, the mood of anxiety in and through which Dasein—Heidegger’s term for the kind of being we “are”—asserts itself into that nothing; and, finally, the potential for post-aesthetic art to move beyond the logics of representation and subjectification, and in so doing, to reveal what Heidegger understands as the struggle between earth and world. The former refers to the “background” against and through which any particular “world” exists with the latter referring to a particular web of significances in which Dasein lives, and allowing truth to spring forth.
Associations between Trunk Extension Endurance and Isolated Lumbar Extension Strength in Both Asymptomatic Participants and Those with Chronic Low Back Pain
Authors: Conway Rebecca , Behennah Jessica , Fisher James , Osborne Neil , Steele James
Published: September 2016

Background: Strength and endurance tests are important for both clinical practice and research due to the key role they play in musculoskeletal function. In particular, deconditioning of the lumbar extensor musculature has been associated with low back pain (LBP). Due to the relationship between strength and absolute endurance, it is possible that trunk extension (TEX) endurance tests could provide a proxy measure of isolated lumbar extension (ILEX) strength and thus represent a simple, practical alternative to ILEX measurements. Though, the comparability of TEX endurance and ILEX strength is presently unclear and so the aim of the present study was to examine this relationship. Methods: Thirty eight healthy participants and nineteen participants with non-specific chronic LBP and no previous lumbar surgery participated in this cross-sectional study design. TEX endurance was measured using the Biering–Sorensen test. A maximal ILEX strength test was performed on the MedX lumbar-extension machine. Results: A Pearson’s correlation revealed no relationship between TEX endurance and ILEX strength in the combined group (r = 0.035, p = 0.793), the chronic LBP group (r = 0.120, p = 0.623) or the asymptomatic group (r = −0.060, p = 0.720). Conclusions: The results suggest that TEX is not a good indicator of ILEX and cannot be used to infer results regarding ILEX strength. However, a combination of TEX and ILEX interpreted together likely offers the greatest and most comprehensive information regarding lumbo-pelvic function during extension.
Uncovering Spatio-Temporal and Treatment-Derived Differences in the Molecular Physiology of a Model Coral-Dinoflagellate Mutualism with Multivariate Statistical Approaches
Authors: Mayfield Anderson
Published: September 2016

In light of current global climate change forecasts, there is an urgent need to better understand how reef-building corals respond to changes in temperature. Multivariate statistical approaches (MSA), including principal components analysis and multidimensional scaling, were used herein to attempt to understand the response of the common, Indo-Pacific reef coral Seriatopora hystrix to temperature changes using data from laboratory-based temperature challenge studies performed in Southern Taiwan. S. hystrix and its dinoflagellate endosymbionts displayed physiological and molecular signatures that were characteristic of sampling time, site of colony origin, and/or temperature regime. Specifically, upon assessing a series of both host coral and Symbiodinium response variables, corals exposed to fluctuating temperatures were found to display greater variability in their physiological response than experimental controls incubated at stable temperatures. These findings further promote the utility of MSA for documenting biologically meaningful shifts in the physiological and/or sub-cellular response of marine invertebrates exposed to environmental change.
Patterns and Predictors of Recent Forest Conversion in New England
Authors: Thorn Alexandra , Thompson Jonathan , Plisinski Joshua
Published: September 2016

New England forests provide numerous benefits to the region’s residents, but are undergoing rapid development. We used boosted regression tree analysis (BRT) to assess geographic predictors of forest loss to development between 2001 and 2011. BRT combines classification and regression trees with machine learning to generate non-parametric statistical models that can capture non-linear relationships. Based on National Land Cover Database (NLCD) maps of land cover change, we assessed the importance of the biophysical and social variables selected for full region coverage and minimal collinearity in predicting forest loss to development, specifically: elevation, slope, distance to roads, density of highways, distance to built land, distance to cities, population density, change in population density, relative change in population density, population per housing unit, median income, state, land ownership categories and county classification as recreation or retirement counties. The resulting models explained 6.9% of the variation for 2001–2011, 4.5% for 2001–2006 and 1.8% for 2006–2011, fairly high values given the complexity of factors predicting land development and the high resolution of the spatial datasets (30-m pixels). The two most important variables in the BRT were “population density” and “distance to road”, which together made up 55.5% of the variation for 2001–2011, 49.4% for 2001–2006 and 42.9% for 2006–2011. The lower predictive power for 2006–2011 may reflect reduced development due to the “Great Recession”. From our models, we generated high-resolution probability surfaces, which can provide a key input for simulation models of forest and land cover change.
Monitoring Poisson’s Ratio Degradation of FRP Composites under Fatigue Loading Using Biaxially Embedded FBG Sensors
Authors: Akay Erdem , Yilmaz Cagatay , Kocaman Esat , Turkmen Halit , Yildiz Mehmet
Published: September 2016

The significance of strain measurement is obvious for the analysis of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites. Conventional strain measurement methods are sufficient for static testing in general. Nevertheless, if the requirements exceed the capabilities of these conventional methods, more sophisticated techniques are necessary to obtain strain data. Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors have many advantages for strain measurement over conventional ones. Thus, the present paper suggests a novel method for biaxial strain measurement using embedded FBG sensors during the fatigue testing of FRP composites. Poisson’s ratio and its reduction were monitored for each cyclic loading by using embedded FBG sensors for a given specimen and correlated with the fatigue stages determined based on the variations of the applied fatigue loading and temperature due to the autogenous heating to predict an oncoming failure of the continuous fiber-reinforced epoxy matrix composite specimens under fatigue loading. The results show that FBG sensor technology has a remarkable potential for monitoring the evolution of Poisson’s ratio on a cycle-by-cycle basis, which can reliably be used towards tracking the fatigue stages of composite for structural health monitoring purposes.
Chemical and Sensory Evaluation of Silicone and Polylactic Acid-Based Remedial Treatments for Elevated Methoxypyrazine Levels in Wine
Authors: Botezatu Andreea , Kemp Belinda , Pickering Gary
Published: September 2016

Alkylmethoxypyrazines (MPs) are a class of compounds that can elicit undesirable aroma and flavor characteristics in wine, and resist remediation using traditional wine making approaches. MPs are grape-derived constituents as well as contaminants from Coccinellidae beetles present during wine processing; the latter eliciting an off-flavor referred to as ‘ladybug taint’. In this study we investigated the capacity of two plastic polymers—one silicone-based, the other polylactic acid-based—applied with varying surface areas to reduce concentrations of isopropylmethoxypyrazine (IPMP), sec-butylmethoxypyrazine (SBMP) and isobutylmethoxypyrazine (IBMP) in a Merlot wine using multi-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and headspace solid phase microextraction (SPME-MDGCMS). The impact of treatments on the sensory characteristics of the wine (descriptive analysis) and volatile aroma compounds (VOCs) (SPME-MDGCMS) was also investigated. Results showed substantial reductions for all of the target odorants: up to 38%, 44% and 39% for IPMP, SBMP and IBMP, respectively, for the silicone polymer, and up to 75%, 78% and 77% for IPMP, SBMP and IBMP, respectively, for the polylactic acid polymer. These polymers had no or minimal effect on VOCs at applications of 200 cm2/L for silicone or for all polylactic acid treatments. Sensory impacts were less clear, but generally showed minimal effect from the treatments. Taken overall, the data confirm the utility of both polylactic acid and silicone polymers in reducing elevated levels of grape-derived MPs, as well as potentially improving wine contaminated by ladybug taint.
A Prenylated Xanthone, Cudratricusxanthone A, Isolated from Cudrania tricuspidata Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Neuroinflammation through Inhibition of NF-κB and p38 MAPK Pathways in BV2 Microglia
Authors: Yoon Chi-Su , Kim Dong-Cheol , Quang Tran , Seo Jungwon , Kang Dae , Lee Ho , Oh Hyuncheol , Kim Youn-Chul
Published: September 2016

Cudrania tricuspidata Bureau (Moraceae) is an important source of traditional Korean and Chinese medicines used to treat neuritis and inflammation. Cudratricusxanthone A (1), a prenylated xanthone, isolated from C. tricuspidata, has a variety of biological and therapeutic activities. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of compound 1 on neuroinflammation and characterize its mechanism of action in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglia. Cudratricusxanthone A (1) suppressed the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 enzymes and decreased the production of iNOS-derived nitric oxide and COX-2-derived prostaglandin E2 in LPS-stimulated mouse BV2 microglia. The compound also decreased tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-12 production; inhibited the phosphorylation and degradation of IκB-α; and blocked the nuclear translocation of p50 and p65 in mouse BV2 microglia induced by LPS. Cudratricusxanthone A (1) had inhibitory effects on nuclear factor kappa B DNA-binding activity. Additionally, it inhibited the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. Our data suggests that cudratricusxanthone A (1) may be a useful therapeutic agent in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases caused by neuroinflammation.
Screening of Potential Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors in Gnaphalium hypoleucum DC. by Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography and Ultrafiltration-Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Zhang Hong-Jian , Hu Yi-Juan , Xu Pan , Liang Wei-Qing , Zhou Jie , Liu Pei-Gang , Cheng Lin , Pu Jin-Bao
Published: September 2016

In this study, a new method based on immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) combined with ultrafiltration-ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UF-UPLC-MS) was developed for discovering ligands for xanthine oxidase (XO) in Gnaphalium hypoleucum DC., a folk medicine used in China for the treatment of gout. By IMAC, the high flavonoid content of G. hypoleucum could be determined rapidly and efficiently. UF-UPLC-MS was used to select the bound xanthine oxidase ligands in the mixture and identify them. Finally, two flavonoids, luteolin-4′-O-glucoside and luteolin, were successfully screened and identified as the candidate XO inhibitors of G. hypoleucum. They were evaluated in vitro for XO inhibitory activity and their interaction mechanism was studied coupled with molecular simulations. The results were in favor of the hypothesis that the flavonoids of G. hypoleucum might be the active content for gout treatment by inhibiting XO.
Does a Graphical Abstract Bring More Visibility to Your Paper?
Authors: Pferschy-Wenzig Eva-Maria , Pferschy Ulrich , Wang Dongdong , Mocan Andrei , Atanasov Atanas
Published: September 2016

A graphical abstract (GA) represents a piece of artwork that is intended to summarize the main findings of an article for readers at a single glance. Many publishers currently encourage authors to supplement their articles with GAs, in the hope that such a convenient visual summary will facilitate readers with a clearer outline of papers that are of interest and will result in improved overall visibility of the respective publication. To test this assumption, we statistically compared publications with or without GA published in Molecules between March 2014 and March 2015 with regard to several output parameters reflecting visibility. Contrary to our expectations, manuscripts published without GA performed significantly better in terms of PDF downloads, abstract views, and total citations than manuscripts with GA. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first empirical study on the effectiveness of GA for attracting attention to scientific publications.
Improving Decision Making about Natural Disaster Mitigation Funding in Australia—A Framework
Authors: Van den Honert Robin
Published: September 2016

Economic losses from natural disasters pose significant challenges to communities and to the insurance industry. Natural disaster mitigation aims to reduce the threat to people and assets from natural perils. Good decisions relating to hazard risk mitigation require judgments both about the scientific and financial issues involved, i.e., the efficacy of some intervention, and the ethical or value principles to adopt in allocating resources. A framework for selecting a set of mitigation options within a limited budget is developed. Project selection about natural disaster mitigation options needs to trade off benefits offered by alternative investments (e.g., fatalities and injuries avoided, potential property and infrastructure losses prevented, safety concerns of citizens, etc.) against the costs of investment. Such costs include capital and on-going operational costs, as well as intangible costs, such as the impact of the project on the visual landscape or the loss of societal cohesion in the event of the relocation of part of a community. Furthermore, dollar costs of any potential project will need to be defined within some prescribed budget and time frame. Taking all of these factors into account, this paper develops a framework for good natural hazard mitigation decision making and selection.
Seasonal Separation of African Savanna Components Using Worldview-2 Imagery: A Comparison of Pixel- and Object-Based Approaches and Selected Classification Algorithms
Authors: Kaszta Żaneta , Van De Kerchove Ruben , Ramoelo Abel , Cho Moses , Madonsela Sabelo , Mathieu Renaud , Wolff Eléonore
Published: September 2016

Separation of savanna land cover components is challenging due to the high heterogeneity of this landscape and spectral similarity of compositionally different vegetation types. In this study, we tested the usability of very high spatial and spectral resolution WorldView-2 (WV-2) imagery to classify land cover components of African savanna in wet and dry season. We compared the performance of Object-Based Image Analysis (OBIA) and pixel-based approach with several algorithms: k-nearest neighbor (k-NN), maximum likelihood (ML), random forests (RF), classification and regression trees (CART) and support vector machines (SVM). Results showed that classifications of WV-2 imagery produce high accuracy results (>77%) regardless of the applied classification approach. However, OBIA had a significantly higher accuracy for almost every classifier with the highest overall accuracy score of 93%. Amongst tested classifiers, SVM and RF provided highest accuracies. Overall classifications of the wet season image provided better results with 93% for RF. However, considering woody leaf-off conditions, the dry season classification also performed well with overall accuracy of 83% (SVM) and high producer accuracy for the tree cover (91%). Our findings demonstrate the potential of imagery like WorldView-2 with OBIA and advanced supervised machine-learning algorithms in seasonal fine-scale land cover classification of African savanna.
Stripe-PZT Sensor-Based Baseline-Free Crack Diagnosis in a Structure with a Welded Stiffener
Authors: An Yun-Kyu , Shen Zhiqi , Wu Zhishen
Published: September 2016

This paper proposes a stripe-PZT sensor-based baseline-free crack diagnosis technique in the heat affected zone (HAZ) of a structure with a welded stiffener. The proposed technique enables one to identify and localize a crack in the HAZ using only current data measured using a stripe-PZT sensor. The use of the stripe-PZT sensor makes it possible to significantly improve the applicability to real structures and minimize man-made errors associated with the installation process by embedding multiple piezoelectric sensors onto a printed circuit board. Moreover, a new frequency-wavenumber analysis-based baseline-free crack diagnosis algorithm minimizes false alarms caused by environmental variations by avoiding simple comparison with the baseline data accumulated from the pristine condition of a target structure. The proposed technique is numerically as well as experimentally validated using a plate-like structure with a welded stiffener, reveling that it successfully identifies and localizes a crack in HAZ.
Combined Dielectrophoresis and Impedance Systems for Bacteria Analysis in Microfluidic On-Chip Platforms
Authors: Páez-Avilés Cristina , Juanola-Feliu Esteve , Punter-Villagrasa Jaime , Del Moral Zamora Beatriz , Homs-Corbera Antoni , Colomer-Farrarons Jordi , Miribel-Català Pere , Samitier Josep
Published: September 2016

Bacteria concentration and detection is time-consuming in regular microbiology procedures aimed to facilitate the detection and analysis of these cells at very low concentrations. Traditional methods are effective but often require several days to complete. This scenario results in low bioanalytical and diagnostic methodologies with associated increased costs and complexity. In recent years, the exploitation of the intrinsic electrical properties of cells has emerged as an appealing alternative approach for concentrating and detecting bacteria. The combination of dielectrophoresis (DEP) and impedance analysis (IA) in microfluidic on-chip platforms could be key to develop rapid, accurate, portable, simple-to-use and cost-effective microfluidic devices with a promising impact in medicine, public health, agricultural, food control and environmental areas. The present document reviews recent DEP and IA combined approaches and the latest relevant improvements focusing on bacteria concentration and detection, including selectivity, sensitivity, detection time, and conductivity variation enhancements. Furthermore, this review analyses future trends and challenges which need to be addressed in order to successfully commercialize these platforms resulting in an adequate social return of public-funded investments.
Probe and Sensors Development for Level Measurement of Fats, Oils and Grease in Grease Boxes
Authors: Faria José , Sousa André , Reis Arsénio , Filipe Vitor , Barroso João
Published: September 2016

The wide spread of food outlets has become an environmental and sanitation infrastructure problem, due to Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG). A grease box is used at the industrials facilities to collect the FOG, in a specific time window, while its quality is good for recycling (e.g., biodiesel) and it is economically valuable. After this period, it will be disposed at a cost. For the proper management of the grease boxes, it is necessary to know the quantity of FOG inside the boxes, which is a major problem, as the boxes are sealed and permanently filled with water. The lack of homogeneity of the FOG renders it not detectable by current probes for level detection in liquids. In this article, the design, development and testing of a set of probes for FOG level measurement, based on the principles used in sensors for the detection of liquids inside containers, is described. The most suitable probe, based on the capacitance principle, together with the necessary hardware and software modules for data acquisition and transmission, was developed and tested. After the development phase, the probe was integrated on a metropolitan system for FOG collection and grease box management in partnership with a grease box management company.
An Improved InSAR Image Co-Registration Method for Pairs with Relatively Big Distortions or Large Incoherent Areas
Authors: Chen Zhenwei , Zhang Lei , Zhang Guo
Published: September 2016

Co-registration is one of the most important steps in interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data processing. The standard offset-measurement method based on cross-correlating uniformly distributed patches takes no account of specific geometric transformation between images or characteristics of ground scatterers. Hence, it is inefficient and difficult to obtain satisfying co-registration results for image pairs with relatively big distortion or large incoherent areas. Given this, an improved co-registration strategy is proposed in this paper which takes both the geometric features and image content into consideration. Firstly, some geometric transformations including scale, flip, rotation, and shear between images were eliminated based on the geometrical information, and the initial co-registration polynomial was obtained. Then the registration points were automatically detected by integrating the signal-to-clutter-ratio (SCR) thresholds and the amplitude information, and a further co-registration process was performed to refine the polynomial. Several comparison experiments were carried out using 2 TerraSAR-X data from the Hong Kong airport and 21 PALSAR data from the Donghai Bridge. Experiment results demonstrate that the proposed method brings accuracy and efficiency improvements for co-registration and processing abilities in the cases of big distortion between images or large incoherent areas in the images. For most co-registrations, the proposed method can enhance the reliability and applicability of co-registration and thus promote the automation to a higher level.
A Sparsity-Promoted Decomposition for Compressed Fault Diagnosis of Roller Bearings
Authors: Wang Huaqing , Ke Yanliang , Song Liuyang , Tang Gang , Chen Peng
Published: September 2016

The traditional approaches for condition monitoring of roller bearings are almost always achieved under Shannon sampling theorem conditions, leading to a big-data problem. The compressed sensing (CS) theory provides a new solution to the big-data problem. However, the vibration signals are insufficiently sparse and it is difficult to achieve sparsity using the conventional techniques, which impedes the application of CS theory. Therefore, it is of great significance to promote the sparsity when applying the CS theory to fault diagnosis of roller bearings. To increase the sparsity of vibration signals, a sparsity-promoted method called the tunable Q-factor wavelet transform based on decomposing the analyzed signals into transient impact components and high oscillation components is utilized in this work. The former become sparser than the raw signals with noise eliminated, whereas the latter include noise. Thus, the decomposed transient impact components replace the original signals for analysis. The CS theory is applied to extract the fault features without complete reconstruction, which means that the reconstruction can be completed when the components with interested frequencies are detected and the fault diagnosis can be achieved during the reconstruction procedure. The application cases prove that the CS theory assisted by the tunable Q-factor wavelet transform can successfully extract the fault features from the compressed samples.
FGG-NUFFT-Based Method for Near-Field 3-D Imaging Using Millimeter Waves
Authors: Kan Yingzhi , Zhu Yongfeng , Tang Liang , Fu Qiang , Pei Hucheng
Published: September 2016

In this paper, to deal with the concealed target detection problem, an accurate and efficient algorithm for near-field millimeter wave three-dimensional (3-D) imaging is proposed that uses a two-dimensional (2-D) plane antenna array. First, a two-dimensional fast Fourier transform (FFT) is performed on the scattered data along the antenna array plane. Then, a phase shift is performed to compensate for the spherical wave effect. Finally, fast Gaussian gridding based nonuniform FFT (FGG-NUFFT) combined with 2-D inverse FFT (IFFT) is performed on the nonuniform 3-D spatial spectrum in the frequency wavenumber domain to achieve 3-D imaging. The conventional method for near-field 3-D imaging uses Stolt interpolation to obtain uniform spatial spectrum samples and performs 3-D IFFT to reconstruct a 3-D image. Compared with the conventional method, our FGG-NUFFT based method is comparable in both efficiency and accuracy in the full sampled case and can obtain more accurate images with less clutter and fewer noisy artifacts in the down-sampled case, which are good properties for practical applications. Both simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the FGG-NUFFT-based near-field 3-D imaging algorithm can have better imaging performance than the conventional method for down-sampled measurements.
Determining the Sustainability Factors and Performance of a Tourism Destination from the Stakeholders’ Perspective
Authors: Rodríguez Díaz Manuel , Espino Rodríguez Tomás
Published: September 2016

The competitiveness of a tourism destination depends on the sustainability of its economic and environmental resources. The aim of this paper is to determine the key factors in achieving the sustainability of a tourism destination in relation to the performance obtained. A methodology based on the opinions of stakeholders is developed to determine the sustainability factors and performance in the tourism destination of Gran Canaria. The variables used in the study are related to the environmental resources, the principal agents in the tourism supply chain, the governance of the destination, and the complementary characteristics that improve the competitiveness of the tourism destination, as well as the dimensions that determine security. Performance is measured by stakeholders from two perspectives, the destination and the customers, in order to establish the main variables that will influence the destination’s sustainability. The key sustainability factors were identified, and a regression analysis determined that there was a positive influence on long-term performance. The results showed that the key factors that have a direct and significant relationship with performance are the key resources and supply chain, security, alternative leisure, and governance.
Arms Race between Enveloped Viruses and the Host ERAD Machinery
Authors: Frabutt Dylan , Zheng Yong-Hui
Published: September 2016

Enveloped viruses represent a significant category of pathogens that cause serious diseases in animals. These viruses express envelope glycoproteins that are singularly important during the infection of host cells by mediating fusion between the viral envelope and host cell membranes. Despite low homology at protein levels, three classes of viral fusion proteins have, as of yet, been identified based on structural similarities. Their incorporation into viral particles is dependent upon their proper sub-cellular localization after being expressed and folded properly in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, viral protein expression can cause stress in the ER, and host cells respond to alleviate the ER stress in the form of the unfolded protein response (UPR); the effects of which have been observed to potentiate or inhibit viral infection. One important arm of UPR is to elevate the capacity of the ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) pathway, which is comprised of host quality control machinery that ensures proper protein folding. In this review, we provide relevant details regarding viral envelope glycoproteins, UPR, ERAD, and their interactions in host cells.
Markers for Ongoing or Previous Hepatitis E Virus Infection Are as Common in Wild Ungulates as in Humans in Sweden
Authors: Roth Anette , Lin Jay , Magnius Lars , Karlsson Marie , Belák Sándór , Widén Frederik , Norder Heléne
Published: September 2016

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a human pathogen with zoonotic spread, infecting both domestic and wild animals. About 17% of the Swedish population is immune to HEV, but few cases are reported annually, indicating that most infections are subclinical. However, clinical hepatitis E may also be overlooked. For identified cases, the source of infection is mostly unknown. In order to identify whether HEV may be spread from wild game, the prevalence of markers for past and/or ongoing infection was investigated in sera and stool samples collected from 260 hunted Swedish wild ungulates. HEV markers were found in 43 (17%) of the animals. The most commonly infected animal was moose (Alces alces) with 19 out of 69 animals (28%) showing HEV markers, followed by wild boar (Sus scrofa) with 21 out of 139 animals (15%), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) with 2 out of 30 animals, red deer (Cervus elaphus) with 1 out of 15 animals, and fallow deer (Dama dama) 0 out of 7 animals. Partial open reading frame 1 (ORF1) of the viral genomes from the animals were sequenced and compared with those from 14 endemic human cases. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that three humans were infected with HEV strains similar to those from wild boar. These results indicate that wild animals may be a source of transmission to humans and could be an unrecognized public health concern.
Shedding Light on Increasing Trends of Phosphorus Concentration in Upper Austrian Rivers
Authors: Zessner Matthias , Zoboli Ottavia , Hepp Gerold , Kuderna Max , Weinberger Christine , Gabriel Oliver
Published: September 2016

Phosphorus (P) impairment of surface waters still represents a major concern worldwide, despite decades of awareness and implementation of remedial measures. In view of this situation, it is all the more necessary to provide decision makers with reliable modelling tools, which can correctly estimate the effect of alternative management strategies. This work tests the performance of the semi-empirical model MONERIS (Modelling of Nutrient Emissions in River Systems) in depicting and quantifying trends of instream total phosphorus (TP) concentration in three catchments located in Upper Austria, a region affected by high agricultural nutrients emissions. The model correctly depicts both the existence of increasing trends (4–µ g TP L − 1 year − 1 ) and the lack thereof (<0.1 µ g TP L − 1 year − 1 ) in different sub-catchments within the period 2001–2014, although it systematically underestimates the trends magnitude. Furthermore, MONERIS together with an optimized data management system has allowed identifying the probable cause of such trends. The results suggest that, despite considerable improvements achieved through enhanced P removal from wastewater and through the implementation of an agri-environmental programme, changes in land use and in cultivated crop types have led to an offsetting increase of erosion-driven emissions. This methodology offers high potential to predict the effect of different management scenarios, but further model fine-tuning concerning erosion and retention processes is required to improve the model accuracy.
A workflow to preserve genome‐quality tissue samples from plants in botanical gardens and arboreta
Authors: Gostel Morgan R. , Kelloff Carol , Wallick Kyle , Funk Vicki A.
Published: September 2016

Premise of the study:

Internationally, gardens hold diverse living collections that can be preserved for genomic research. Workflows have been developed for genomic tissue sampling in other taxa (e.g., vertebrates), but are inadequate for plants. We outline a workflow for tissue sampling intended for two audiences: botanists interested in genomics research and garden staff who plan to voucher living collections.

Methods and Results:

Standard herbarium methods are used to collect vouchers, label information and images are entered into a publicly accessible database, and leaf tissue is preserved in silica and liquid nitrogen. A five‐step approach for genomic tissue sampling is presented for sampling from living collections according to current best practices.

Conclusions:

Collecting genome‐quality samples from gardens is an economical and rapid way to make available for scientific research tissue from the diversity of plants on Earth. The Global Genome Initiative will facilitate and lead this endeavor through international partnerships.
Development and characterization of 27 microsatellite markers for the mangrove fern, Acrostichum aureum (Pteridaceae)
Authors: Yamamoto Takashi , Tsuda Yoshiaki , Mori Gustavo Maruyama , Cruz Mariana Vargas , Shinmura Yoshimi , Wee Alison K. S. , Takayama Koji , Asakawa Takeshi , Yamakawa Takeru , Suleiman Monica , Núñez‐Farfán Juan , Webb Edward L. , Watano Yasuyuki , Kajita Tadashi
Published: September 2016

Premise of the study:

Twenty‐seven nuclear microsatellite markers were developed for the mangrove fern, Acrostichum aureum (Pteridaceae), to investigate the genetic structure and demographic history of the only pantropical mangrove plant.

Methods and Results:

Fifty‐six A. aureum individuals from three populations were sampled and genotyped to characterize the 27 loci. The number of alleles and expected heterozygosity ranged from one to 15 and 0.000 to 0.893, respectively. Across the 26 polymorphic loci, the Malaysian population showed much higher levels of polymorphism compared to the other two populations in Guam and Brazil. Cross‐amplification tests in the other two species from the genus determined that seven and six loci were amplifiable in A. danaeifolium and A. speciosum, respectively.

Conclusions:

The 26 polymorphic microsatellite markers will be useful for future studies investigating the genetic structure and demographic history of of A. aureum, which has the widest distributional range of all mangrove plants.
A genomic approach for isolating chloroplast microsatellite markers for Pachyptera kerere (Bignoniaceae)
Authors: Francisco Jessica N. C. , Nazareno Alison G. , Lohmann Lúcia G.
Published: September 2016

Premise of the study:

In this study, we developed chloroplast microsatellite markers (cpSSRs) for Pachyptera kerere (Bignoniaceae) to investigate the population structure and genetic diversity of this species.

Methods and Results:

We used Illumina HiSeq data to reconstruct the chloroplast genome of P. kerere by a combination of de novo and reference‐guided assembly. We then used the chloroplast genome to develop a set of cpSSRs from intergenic regions. Overall, 24 primer pairs were designed, 21 of which amplified successfully and were polymorphic, presenting three to nine alleles per locus. The unbiased haploid diversity per locus varied from 0.207 (Pac28) to 0.817 (Pac04). All but one locus amplified for all other taxa of Pachyptera.

Conclusions:

The markers reported here will serve as a basis for studies to assess the genetic structure and phylogeographic history of Pachyptera.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci for the endangered wetland plant Adenophora palustris (Campanulaceae)
Authors: Otake Kuniaki , Kondo Toshiaki , Watanabe Sonoko , Masumoto Ikuko , Iwahori Katsumi , Isagi Yuji
Published: September 2016

Premise of the study:

Adenophora palustris (Campanulaceae) is an endangered wetland plant species in Japan. Although it is widely distributed in East Asia, only six extant populations are known in Japan, with fewer than 1000 individuals in total. We developed 15 microsatellite markers for this species and confirmed their utility for the closely related species A. triphylla var. japonica.

Methods and Results:

Ten polymorphic loci were characterized for genetic variation within three populations of A. palustris. The number of alleles per locus ranged from four to 15, with an average of 9.3; the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.48 to 0.89, with an average of 0.74. Nine loci were successfully amplified in A. triphylla var. japonica, and three of these loci showed polymorphism.

Conclusions:

These markers are useful for investigating genetic diversity and gene flow within and among remnant populations of A. palustris in Japan, and the results will provide crucial information for conservation.
Development of transcriptome‐derived SSR markers for Hoya ledongensis (Apocynaceae) and cross‐amplification in a congener
Authors: Chen Zheng , Deng Yuncheng , Zhou Renchao , He Shaoyun
Published: September 2016

Premise of the study:

To examine patterns of genetic diversity and test possible hybridization events, microsatellite markers were identified and characterized in Hoya ledongensis (Apocynaceae), and cross‐amplification was tested in a congener, H. jianfenglingensis.

Methods and Results:

Based on the transcriptome data of H. ledongensis, 46 microsatellite primer pairs were randomly selected for initial validation. From these, 28 primer pairs were successfully amplified, 12 of which were polymorphic in 36 individuals across three populations of H. ledongensis. The number of alleles per microsatellite locus ranged from two to 11. The observed and expected heterozygosities for the 12 loci ranged from 0.133 to 0.867 and 0.128 to 0.894, respectively. Cross‐species amplification was successful for these 12 loci in the congeneric species H. jianfenglingensis.

Conclusions:

These polymorphic transcriptome‐derived simple sequence repeat markers have the potential to be used as multilocus molecular markers to study the population genetics and natural hybridization in species of Hoya.
THE INTERPLANETARY NETWORK RESPONSE TO LIGO GW150914
Authors: Hurley K. , Svinkin D. S. , Aptekar R. L. , Golenetskii S. V. , Frederiks D. D. , Boynton W. , Mitrofanov I. G. , Golovin D. V. , Kozyrev A. S. , Litvak M. L. , Sanin A. B. , Rau A. , Kienlin A. von , Zhang X. , Connaughton V. , Meegan C. , Cline T. , Gehrels N.
Published: September 2016

We have performed a blind search for a gamma-ray transient of arbitrary duration and energy spectrum around the time of the LIGO gravitational-wave event GW150914 with the six-spacecraft interplanetary network (IPN). Four gamma-ray bursts were detected between 30 hr prior to the event and 6.1 hr after it, but none could convincingly be associated with GW150914. No other transients were detected down to limiting 15–150 keV fluences of roughly 5 ×10−8–5 × 10−7 erg cm−2. We discuss the search strategies and temporal coverage of the IPN on the day of the event and compare the spatial coverage to the region where GW150914 originated. We also report the negative result of a targeted search for the Fermi-GBM event reported in conjunction with GW150914.
NATAL KICKS AND TIME DELAYS IN MERGING NEUTRON STAR BINARIES: IMPLICATIONS FOR r-PROCESS NUCLEOSYNTHESIS IN ULTRA-FAINT DWARFS AND IN THE MILKY WAY
Authors: Beniamini Paz , Hotokezaka Kenta , Piran Tsvi
Published: September 2016

Merging neutron star binaries are prime candidate sources for heavy r-process nucleosynthesis. The amount of heavy r-process material is consistent with the mass ejection and rates of mergers, and abundances of relic radioactive materials suggest that heavy r-process material is produced in rare events. Observations of possible macronovae provide further support for this model. Still, some concerns remain. One is the observation of heavy r-process elements in ultra-faint dwarf (UFD) galaxies. The escape velocities from UFDs are so small that the natal kicks, taking place at neutron stars’ birth, might eject such binaries from UFDs. Furthermore, the old stellar populations of UFDs require that r-process nucleosynthesis must have taken place very early on, while it may take several Gyr for compact binaries to merge. This last problem arises also within the Milky Way where heavy r-process materials have been observed in some low-metallicity stars. We show here that

of neutron star binaries form with a sufficiently small proper motion to remain bound even in a UFD. Furthermore, approximately 90% of double neutron stars with an initial separation of 1011 cm merge within 300 Myr and

merge in less than 100 Myr. This population of “rapid mergers” explains the appearance of heavy r-process material in both UFDs and in the early Milky Way.
A NEW GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE SIGNATURE FROM STANDING ACCRETION SHOCK INSTABILITY IN SUPERNOVAE
Authors: Kuroda Takami , Kotake Kei , Takiwaki Tomoya
Published: September 2016

We present results from fully relativistic three-dimensional core-collapse supernova simulations of a non-rotating

star using three different nuclear equations of state (EoSs). From our simulations covering up to ∼350 ms after bounce, we show that the development of the standing accretion shock instability (SASI) differs significantly depending on the stiffness of nuclear EoS. Generally, the SASI activity occurs more vigorously in models with softer EoS. By evaluating the gravitational-wave (GW) emission, we find a new GW signature on top of the previously identified one, in which the typical GW frequency increases with time due to an accumulating accretion to the proto-neutron star (PNS). The newly observed quasi-periodic signal appears in the frequency range from ∼100 to 200 Hz and persists for ∼150 ms before neutrino-driven convection dominates over the SASI. By analyzing the cycle frequency of the SASI sloshing and spiral modes as well as the mass accretion rate to the emission region, we show that the SASI frequency is correlated with the GW frequency. This is because the SASI-induced temporary perturbed mass accretion strikes the PNS surface, leading to the quasi-periodic GW emission. Our results show that the GW signal, which could be a smoking-gun signature of the SASI, is within the detection limits of LIGO, advanced Virgo, and KAGRA for Galactic events.
A study of group reminiscence therapy and emotional intelligence among elderly members
Authors: Bazooband Azam , Baghbanian Abdolvahab , Torkfar Ghazal
Published: September 2016

This study aims to investigate the effects of group reminiscence therapy on elderly’s emotional intelligence. A quasi-experimental research with a pre-test-post-test control group was conducted in July 2015, with a sample of 40 elderly members referring to an (anonymous) Community Center in the city of Shiraz, Iran. A predesigned instrument, i.e., the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire developed by Schering, was applied to collect data. SPSS Statistics v. 22.0 (Released 2013; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) was used to analyze data, with a 95% confidence level and a measurement error of α=0.05. Hypothesis tests were mainly conducted to examine whether group reminiscence therapy correlates with emotional intelligence among the respondents. Findings revealed that the applied intervention i.e., group reminiscence therapy significantly associates with various dimensions of emotional intelligence including self-awareness, self-control, self-motivation, empathy and social skills in the older adults within the experiment group; i.e., the mean scores of the variables for the post-test administered on the experimental group were significantly higher than those on the control group. Group reminiscence therapy has the potential to enhance emotional intelligence in the elderly by helping them control their thoughts and emotions and learn problem-solving skills.