bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of Vitamin B12 with Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines and Biochemical Markers Related to Cardiometabolic Risk in Saudi Subjects
Authors: Al-Daghri Nasser , Rahman Shakilur , Sabico Shaun , Yakout Sobhy , Wani Kaiser , Al-Attas Omar , Saravanan Ponnusamy , Tripathi Gyanendra , McTernan Philip , Alokail Majed
Published: September 2016

Background: This study aimed to examine the relationship between changes in systemic vitamin B12 concentrations with pro-inflammatory cytokines, anthropometric factors and biochemical markers of cardiometabolic risk in a Saudi population. Methods: A total of 364 subjects (224 children, age: 12.99 ± 2.73 (mean ± SD) years; BMI: 20.07 ± 4.92 kg/m2 and 140 adults, age: 41.87 ± 8.82 years; BMI: 31.65 ± 5.77 kg/m2) were studied. Fasting blood, anthropometric and biochemical data were collected. Serum cytokines were quantified using multiplex assay kits and B12 concentrations were measured using immunoassay analyzer. Results: Vitamin B12 was negatively associated with TNF-α (r = −0.14, p < 0.05), insulin (r = −0.230, p < 0.01) and HOMA-IR (r = −0.252, p < 0.01) in all subjects. In children, vitamin B12 was negatively associated with serum resistin (r = −0.160, p < 0.01), insulin (r = −0.248, p < 0.01), HOMA-IR (r = −0.261, p < 0.01). In adults, vitamin B12 was negatively associated with TNF-α (r = −0.242, p < 0.01) while positively associated with resistin (r = 0.248, p < 0.01). Serum resistin was the most significant predictor for circulating vitamin B12 in all subjects (r2 = −0.17, p < 0.05) and in children (r2 = −0.167, p < 0.01) while HDL-cholesterol was the predictor of B12 in adults (r2 = −0.78, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Serum vitamin B12 concentrations were associated with pro-inflammatory cytokines and biochemical markers of cardiometabolic risks in adults. Maintaining adequate vitamin B12 concentrations may lower inflammation-induced cardiometabolic risk in the Saudi adult population.
Rural-Urban Differences of Dietary Patterns, Overweight, and Bone Mineral Status in Chinese Students
Authors: Yang Yang , Hu Xiao-Mei , Chen Tian-Jiao , Bai Ming-Jie
Published: September 2016

China is an urban and rural social model country. In the past three decades, the developing speed of rural areas has been much slower than urban areas, which may lead to the differences in dietary patterns. This study aimed to investigate the disparities of dietary structures from urban and rural children, and to analyze the effects of different dietary patterns on their adverse outcome. Among 1590 students, aged 11 years to 17 years, from primary and middle schools, a cross-sectional study was conducted. There were three dietary patterns recognized: Westernization structure, meat diet structure, and Western and Chinese structure. Compared with rural students, more urban students were in the highest categories of the whole dietary patterns (p < 0.001). Overweight/obesity and central adiposity were more prevailing among urban students, while rural students had a more prevailing risk of bone fracture (p < 0.05). Through the adjustment for all confounding factors, the Westernization structure could increase the risk of overweight/obesity and central adiposity, the meat structure could increase the risk of elevated blood pressure/hypertension, while the risk of low bone mineral quality could be reduced by the Chinese and Western structure. In conclusion, a rural-urban disparity in dietary patterns was found in our study, and different dietary patterns were associated with the risk of some adverse outcomes. Therefore, there were different prevalences of the adverse outcomes between rural and urban students.
Associations between Dietary Patterns, ADRβ2 Gln27Glu and ADRβ3 Trp64Arg with Regard to Serum Triglyceride Levels: J-MICC Study
Authors: Nanri Hinako , Nishida Yuichiro , Nakamura Kazuyo , Tanaka Keitaro , Naito Mariko , Yin Guang , Hamajima Nobuyuki , Takashima Naoyuki , Suzuki Sadao , Nindita Yora , Kohno Michiko , Uemura Hirokazu , Koyama Teruhide , Hosono Satoyo , Mikami Haruo , Kubo Michiaki , Tanaka Hideo
Published: September 2016

Interactions between dietary patterns and 2 β-adrenergic receptor (ADRβ) gene polymorphisms (ADRβ2 Gln27Glu and ADRβ3 Trp64Arg) were examined with regard to the effects on serum triglyceride levels. The cross-sectional study comprised 1720 men and women (aged 35–69 years) enrolled in the Japan Multi-Institutional Collaborative Cohort (J-MICC) Study. Genotyping was conducted using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction-based invader assay. We used 46 items from a validated short food frequency questionnaire and examined major dietary patterns by factor analysis. We identified four dietary patterns: healthy, Western, seafood and bread patterns. There was no significant association between any dietary pattern and serum triglyceride levels. After a separate genotype-based analysis, significant interactions between ADRβ3 Trp64Arg genotype and the bread pattern (p for interaction = 0.01) were associated with serum triglyceride levels; specifically, after adjusting for confounding factors, Arg allele carriers with the bread pattern had lower serum triglycerides (p for trend = 0.01). However, the Trp/Trp homozygous subjects with the bread pattern showed no association with serum triglycerides (p for trend = 0.55). Interactions between other dietary patterns and ADRβ polymorphisms were not significant for serum triglyceride levels. Our findings suggest that ADRβ3 polymorphism modifies the effects of the bread pattern on triglyceride levels.
Reducing Breast Cancer Recurrence: The Role of Dietary Polyphenolics
Authors: Braakhuis Andrea , Campion Peta , Bishop Karen
Published: September 2016

Evidence from numerous observational and clinical studies suggest that polyphenolic phytochemicals such as phenolic acids in olive oil, flavonols in tea, chocolate and grapes, and isoflavones in soy products reduce the risk of breast cancer. A dietary food pattern naturally rich in polyphenols is the Mediterranean diet and evidence suggests those of Mediterranean descent have a lower breast cancer incidence. Whilst dietary polyphenols have been the subject of breast cancer risk-reduction, this review will focus on the clinical effects of polyphenols on reducing recurrence. Overall, we recommend breast cancer patients consume a diet naturally high in flavonol polyphenols including tea, vegetables (onion, broccoli), and fruit (apples, citrus). At least five servings of vegetables and fruit daily appear protective. Moderate soy protein consumption (5–10 g daily) and the Mediterranean dietary pattern show the most promise for breast cancer patients. In this review, we present an overview of clinical trials on supplementary polyphenols of dietary patterns rich in polyphenols on breast cancer recurrence, mechanistic data, and novel delivery systems currently being researched.
Dilute Semiflexible Polymers with Attraction: Collapse, Folding and Aggregation
Authors: Zierenberg Johannes , Marenz Martin , Janke Wolfhard
Published: September 2016

We review the current state on the thermodynamic behavior and structural phases of self- and mutually-attractive dilute semiflexible polymers that undergo temperature-driven transitions. In extreme dilution, polymers may be considered isolated, and this single polymer undergoes a collapse or folding transition depending on the internal structure. This may go as far as to stable knot phases. Adding polymers results in aggregation, where structural motifs again depend on the internal structure. We discuss in detail the effect of semiflexibility on the collapse and aggregation transition and provide perspectives for interesting future investigations.
Enhanced Optoelectronic Properties of PFO/Fluorol 7GA Hybrid Light Emitting Diodes via Additions of TiO2 Nanoparticles
Authors: Al-Asbahi Bandar , Haji Jumali Mohammad , AlSalhi Mohamad
Published: September 2016

The effect of TiO2 nanoparticle (NP) content on the improvement of poly(9,9′-di-n-octylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) (PFO)/Fluorol 7GA organic light emitting diode (OLED) performance is demonstrated here. The PFO/Fluorol 7GA blend with specific ratios of TiO2 NPs was prepared via a solution blending method before being spin-coated onto an indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate to act as an emissive layer in OLEDs. A thin aluminum layer as top electrode was deposited onto the emissive layer using the electron beam chamber. Improvement electron injection from the cathode was achieved upon incorporation of TiO2 NPs into the PFO/Fluorol 7GA blend, thus producing devices with intense luminance and lower turn-on voltage. The ITO/(PFO/Fluorol 7GA/TiO2)/Al OLED device exhibited maximum electroluminescence intensity and luminance at 25 wt % of TiO2 NPs, while maximum luminance efficiency was achieved with 15 wt % TiO2 NP content. In addition, this work proved that the performance of the devices was strongly affected by the surface morphology, which in turn depended on the TiO2 NP content.
Mapping Arctic Plant Functional Type Distributions in the Barrow Environmental Observatory Using WorldView-2 and LiDAR Datasets
Authors: Langford Zachary , Kumar Jitendra , Hoffman Forrest , Norby Richard , Wullschleger Stan , Sloan Victoria , Iversen Colleen
Published: September 2016

Multi-scale modeling of Arctic tundra vegetation requires characterization of the heterogeneous tundra landscape, which includes representation of distinct plant functional types (PFTs). We combined high-resolution multi-spectral remote sensing imagery from the WorldView-2 satellite with light detecting and ranging (LiDAR)-derived digital elevation models (DEM) to characterize the tundra landscape in and around the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO), a 3021-hectare research reserve located at the northern edge of the Alaskan Arctic Coastal Plain. Vegetation surveys were conducted during the growing season (June–August) of 2012 from 48 1 m × 1 m plots in the study region for estimating the percent cover of PFTs (i.e., sedges, grasses, forbs, shrubs, lichens and mosses). Statistical relationships were developed between spectral and topographic remote sensing characteristics and PFT fractions at the vegetation plots from field surveys. These derived relationships were employed to statistically upscale PFT fractions for our study region of 586 hectares at 0.25-m resolution around the sampling areas within the BEO, which was bounded by the LiDAR footprint. We employed an unsupervised clustering for stratification of this polygonal tundra landscape and used the clusters for segregating the field data for our upscaling algorithm over our study region, which was an inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation. We describe two versions of PFT distribution maps upscaled by IDW from WorldView-2 imagery and LiDAR: (1) a version computed from a single image in the middle of the growing season; and (2) a version computed from multiple images through the growing season. This approach allowed us to quantify the value of phenology for improving PFT distribution estimates. We also evaluated the representativeness of the field surveys by measuring the Euclidean distance between every pixel. This guided the ground-truthing campaign in late July of 2014 for addressing uncertainty based on representativeness analysis by selecting 24 1 m × 1 m plots that were well and poorly represented. Ground-truthing indicated that including phenology had a better accuracy ( R 2 = 0.75 , R M S E = 9.94 ) than the single image upscaling ( R 2 = 0.63 , R M S E = 12.05 ) predicted from IDW. We also updated our upscaling approach to include the 24 ground-truthing plots, and a second ground-truthing campaign in late August of 2014 indicated a better accuracy for the phenology model ( R 2 = 0.61 , R M S E = 13.78 ) than only using the original 48 plots for the phenology model ( R 2 = 0.23 , R M S E = 17.49 ). We believe that the cluster-based IDW upscaling approach and the representativeness analysis offer new insights for upscaling high-resolution data in fragmented landscapes. This analysis and approach provides PFT maps needed to inform land surface models in Arctic ecosystems.
Estimation of Boreal Forest Attributes from Very High Resolution Pléiades Data
Authors: Persson Henrik
Published: September 2016

In this study, the potential of using very high resolution Pléiades imagery to estimate a number of common forest attributes for 10-m plots in boreal forest was examined, when a high-resolution terrain model was available. The explanatory variables were derived from three processing alternatives. Height metrics were extracted from image matching of the images acquired from different incidence angles. Spectral derivatives were derived by performing principal component analysis of the spectral bands and lastly, second order textural metrics were extracted from a gray-level co-occurrence matrix, computed with an 11 × 11 pixels moving window. The analysis took place at two Swedish test sites, Krycklan and Remningstorp, containing boreal and hemi-boreal forest. The lowest RMSE was estimated with 1.4 m (7.7%) for Lorey’s mean height, 1.7 m (10%) for airborne laser scanning height percentile 90, 5.1 m2·ha−1 (22%) for basal area, 66 m3·ha−1 (27%) for stem volume, and 26 tons·ha−1 (26%) for above-ground biomass, respectively. It was found that the image-matched height metrics were most important in all models, and that the spectral and textural metrics contained similar information. Nevertheless, the best estimations were obtained when all three explanatory sources were used. To conclude, image-matched height metrics should be prioritised over spectral metrics when estimation of forest attributes is concerned.
Global Surface Net-Radiation at 5 km from MODIS Terra
Authors: Verma Manish , Fisher Joshua , Mallick Kaniska , Ryu Youngryel , Kobayashi Hideki , Guillaume Alexandre , Moore Gregory , Ramakrishnan Lavanya , Hendrix Valerie , Wolf Sebastian , Sikka Munish , Kiely Gerard , Wohlfahrt Georg , Gielen Bert , Roupsard Olivier , Toscano Piero , Arain Altaf , Cescatti Alessandro
Published: September 2016

Reliable and fine resolution estimates of surface net-radiation are required for estimating latent and sensible heat fluxes between the land surface and the atmosphere. However, currently, fine resolution estimates of net-radiation are not available and consequently it is challenging to develop multi-year estimates of evapotranspiration at scales that can capture land surface heterogeneity and are relevant for policy and decision-making. We developed and evaluated a global net-radiation product at 5 km and 8-day resolution by combining mutually consistent atmosphere and land data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board Terra. Comparison with net-radiation measurements from 154 globally distributed sites (414 site-years) from the FLUXNET and Surface Radiation budget network (SURFRAD) showed that the net-radiation product agreed well with measurements across seasons and climate types in the extratropics (Wilmott’s index ranged from 0.74 for boreal to 0.63 for Mediterranean sites). Mean absolute deviation between the MODIS and measured net-radiation ranged from 38.0 ± 1.8 W∙m−2 in boreal to 72.0 ± 4.1 W∙m−2 in the tropical climates. The mean bias was small and constituted only 11%, 0.7%, 8.4%, 4.2%, 13.3%, and 5.4% of the mean absolute error in daytime net-radiation in boreal, Mediterranean, temperate-continental, temperate, semi-arid, and tropical climate, respectively. To assess the accuracy of the broader spatiotemporal patterns, we upscaled error-quantified MODIS net-radiation and compared it with the net-radiation estimates from the coarse spatial (1° × 1°) but high temporal resolution gridded net-radiation product from the Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES). Our estimates agreed closely with the net-radiation estimates from the CERES. Difference between the two was less than 10 W·m−2 in 94% of the total land area. MODIS net-radiation product will be a valuable resource for the science community studying turbulent fluxes and energy budget at the Earth’s surface.
Web of Objects Based Ambient Assisted Living Framework for Emergency Psychiatric State Prediction
Authors: Alam Md , Abedin Sarder , Al Ameen Moshaddique , Hong Choong
Published: September 2016

Ambient assisted living can facilitate optimum health and wellness by aiding physical, mental and social well-being. In this paper, patients’ psychiatric symptoms are collected through lightweight biosensors and web-based psychiatric screening scales in a smart home environment and then analyzed through machine learning algorithms to provide ambient intelligence in a psychiatric emergency. The psychiatric states are modeled through a Hidden Markov Model (HMM), and the model parameters are estimated using a Viterbi path counting and scalable Stochastic Variational Inference (SVI)-based training algorithm. The most likely psychiatric state sequence of the corresponding observation sequence is determined, and an emergency psychiatric state is predicted through the proposed algorithm. Moreover, to enable personalized psychiatric emergency care, a service a web of objects-based framework is proposed for a smart-home environment. In this framework, the biosensor observations and the psychiatric rating scales are objectified and virtualized in the web space. Then, the web of objects of sensor observations and psychiatric rating scores are used to assess the dweller’s mental health status and to predict an emergency psychiatric state. The proposed psychiatric state prediction algorithm reported 83.03 percent prediction accuracy in an empirical performance study.
A Greedy Scanning Data Collection Strategy for Large-Scale Wireless Sensor Networks with a Mobile Sink
Authors: Zhu Chuan , Zhang Sai , Han Guangjie , Jiang Jinfang , Rodrigues Joel
Published: September 2016

Mobile sink is widely used for data collection in wireless sensor networks. It can avoid ‘hot spot’ problems but energy consumption caused by multihop transmission is still inefficient in real-time application scenarios. In this paper, a greedy scanning data collection strategy (GSDCS) is proposed, and we focus on how to reduce routing energy consumption by shortening total length of routing paths. We propose that the mobile sink adjusts its trajectory dynamically according to the changes of network, instead of predetermined trajectory or random walk. Next, the mobile sink determines which area has more source nodes, then it moves toward this area. The benefit of GSDCS is that most source nodes are no longer needed to upload sensory data for long distances. Especially in event-driven application scenarios, when event area changes, the mobile sink could arrive at the new event area where most source nodes are located currently. Hence energy can be saved. Analytical and simulation results show that compared with existing work, our GSDCS has a better performance in specific application scenarios.
Selectivity Enhancement by Using Double-Layer MOX-Based Gas Sensors Prepared by Flame Spray Pyrolysis (FSP)
Authors: Rebholz Julia , Grossmann Katharina , Pham David , Pokhrel Suman , Mädler Lutz , Weimar Udo , Barsan Nicolae
Published: September 2016

Here we present a novel concept for the selective recognition of different target gases with a multilayer semiconducting metal oxide (SMOX)-based sensor device. Direct current (DC) electrical resistance measurements were performed during exposure to CO and ethanol as single gases and mixtures of highly porous metal oxide double- and single-layer sensors obtained by flame spray pyrolysis. The results show that the calculated resistance ratios of the single- and double-layer sensors are a good indicator for the presence of specific gases in the atmosphere, and can constitute some building blocks for the development of chemical logic devices. Due to the inherent lack of selectivity of SMOX-based gas sensors, such devices could be especially relevant for domestic applications.
Five Approaches to Social Sustainability and an Integrated Way Forward
Authors: Boyer Robert , Peterson Nicole , Arora Poonam , Caldwell Kevin
Published: September 2016

Sustainability is often conceived of as an attempt to balance competing economic, environmental and social priorities. Over the course of three decades of scholarship, however, the meaning and appropriate application of the ‘social pillar’ continues to inspire confusion. In this paper, we posit that the inherent challenge of understanding social sustainability is its many legitimate meanings plus a lack of interdisciplinary scholarship. We draw from literature in multiple disciplines to illustrate five different ways that the concept of social sustainability has been applied in scholarship and professional practice, and highlighting the importance of applications that acknowledge placed-based, process-oriented perspectives that understand social, economic, and environmental imperatives as integrated concepts. Ironically, this framing forecloses on social sustainability as an entity distinct from environmental and economic sustainability. We believe that organizing the conversation around these five applications can help advocates of sustainability use the concept of social sustainability in clear and powerful ways while avoiding applications that relegate the social dimensions of sustainability to an afterthought.
A Parametric Optimization Approach to Mitigating the Urban Heat Island Effect: A Case Study in Ancona, Italy
Authors: Cocci Grifoni Roberta , D’Onofrio Rosalba , Sargolini Massimo , Pierantozzi Mariano
Published: September 2016

The aim of this paper is to identify a parameterization method that considers existing connections and relationships between traditional indicators of environmental sustainability as a step in combating climate change via urban strategies. A typical Mediterranean city (Ancona, Italy) is investigated with a multi-objective optimization platform called modeFrontier, which uses Pareto optimality. This concept formalizes the trade-off between a given set of mutually contradicting objectives, such as high thermal comfort and low energy consumption, to identify a set of Pareto solutions. A solution is Pareto optimal when it is not possible to improve one objective without deteriorating at least one of the others. The optimization process employs given constraints (for example, meteorological scenarios with high temperature and low winds or morphological building parameters), custom procedural algorithms (recursive algorithms to generate the set of all non-dominated objective parameters), and genetic algorithms (inspired by the natural selection process) to examine a wide urban space and identify interesting relationships among relevant variables for typical summer scenarios. Multi-objective optimizers involve many evaluations of two objectives (i.e., energy consumption and thermal comfort in this study) while considering many analytical constraints. This approach entails a considerably more exhaustive search of environmental variables that can help the urban planning process to mitigate the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Three quantitative metrics related to urban morphology and local climate conditions, as well as a thermal comfort indicator (the predicted mean vote), are defined and applied to Ancona to examine the potential for new sustainability in urban design. The results show that two parameters examined—compacity and a building-scale energy indicator—can offer insight when designing comfortable cities, while a citywide energy indicator shows that it is more difficult to find optimal solutions when dealing with the city as a whole. The research serves as a proof-of-concept and the possibility of identifying some local strategies in order to combat the UHI is verified.
Consumer Behavior and Sustainable Development in China: The Role of Behavioral Sciences in Environmental Policymaking
Authors: Simões Fernando
Published: September 2016

China’s astonishing economic development over the last decades has produced a momentous impact on the country’s environmental equilibrium. Chinese officials are now confronted with the need to tackle environmental problems without disrupting the country’s development. The Chinese government seems keen on striking a balance between these two apparently contradictory goals by promoting the concept of “ecological civilization”, a notion that emphasizes the importance of individual behavior. Over the last few years, environmental policymaking worldwide has been giving a lower profile to the role of the State and placing increasing responsibility for many environmental issues on citizens/consumers. Individuals are increasingly perceived as agents for environmental change and their behaviors are subject to tighter scrutiny. Due to the emergence of a consumer society in China, individual behaviors are increasingly a source of environmental problems and a key component of efficient and long-lasting solutions. Accordingly, Chinese policymakers should recognize the environmental significance of individual behaviors and look beyond traditional policy tools. This article argues that Behavioral Sciences can offer important lessons and help in designing new strategies that can speak directly to the Chinese people as a source of environmental harm, thus reducing their impact on the environment.
Patent-Enhancing Strategies by Industry in Korea Using a Data Envelopment Analysis
Authors: Lee BangRae , Won DongKyu , Park Jun-Hwan , Kwon LeeNam , Moon Young-Ho , Kim Han-Joon
Published: September 2016

Global competition has increased the importance of patents as a means to protect and strengthen technology and competitiveness. The purposes of our study were to identify what industries in South Korea are strong or weak in terms of patent applications and to identify some strategies to enable weak industries to become strong. For this, we gathered statistics on seven variables as follows: number of businesses, number of employees, research and development investment, number of full-time equivalent researchers, number of research institutions, domestic market size, and number of patent applications. Especially, to compare the ratio of patent applications and the ratio of domestic market size across industries, the industries were classified into the following three categories: strong-, weak-, and no-patent. Furthermore, data envelopment analysis (DEA) suggested some strategies to strengthen patent applications for each industry. In the DEA analysis, the number of patent applications was used as the output variable and the other six variables were used as input variables. Our study will particularly assist industries where protection by patents is an important aspect of their businesses.
Effects of the Post-Olympics Driving Restrictions on Air Quality in Beijing
Authors: Ma Hua , He Guizhen
Published: September 2016

To reduce congestion and air pollution, 20% driving restriction, a license plate-based traffic control measure, has been implemented in Beijing since October 2008. While the long-term impacts of this policy remain controversial, it is important to understand how and why the policy effects of driving restrictions change over time. In this paper, the short- and long-run effects of the 20% driving restrictions in Beijing and the key factors shaping the effects are analyzed using daily PM10 pollution data. The results showed that in the short run, 20% driving restriction could effectively reduce ambient PM10 levels. However, this positive effect rapidly faded away within a year due to long-term behavioral responses of residents. A modified 20% restriction, designed to replace the original 20% restriction system since April 2009, which is less stringent and provides more possibility for intertemporal driving substitution, has shown some positive influence on air quality over the long run comparing with that under the original policy design. Temporarily, the more stringent the driving restriction was, the better effects it would have on air quality. In the long-run, however, the policy was likely to cause a vicious circle, and more stringent policy might induce stronger negative incentives which would result in even worse policy effects. Lessons learned from study of the effects of driving restrictions in Beijing will help other major cities in China and abroad to use driving restrictions more prudently and effectively in the future. Decision-makers should carefully consider the pros and cons of a transport policy and conduct the ex-ante and ex-post evaluations on it.
Unpacking Resilience for Adaptation: Incorporating Practitioners’ Experiences through a Transdisciplinary Approach to the Case of Drought in Chile
Authors: Aldunce Paulina , Bórquez Roxana , Adler Carolina , Blanco Gustavo , Garreaud René
Published: September 2016

Current debate on the implementation of resilience in addressing climatic impacts calls for more pragmatic means of reducing losses. In this study we aimed to generate context-specific knowledge about resilience factors for addressing the impacts of drought, with the expectation that bringing forth experiential knowledge on how impacts were addressed in the past would shed light on what constitutes key resilience factors for practitioners working in urban contexts. The study was carried in three of the largest cities in Chile: Santiago, Concepción, and Valdivia. The analytical framework consists of urban and regional resilience incorporating transdisciplinary approaches applying the Resilience-Wheel tool, combined with participatory methods for the co-production of knowledge and qualitative content analysis of documents and workshops. Results show that key determinants of building resilience to drought were: improving education and access to information, enhancing preparedness, promoting technology transfer, reinforcing organizational linkages and collaboration, decentralizing governance, and encouraging citizen participation. The Resilience-Wheel was useful for navigating the conceptual complexity and diversity of perspectives inherent among social actors. The transdisciplinary approach allowed us to co-produce key knowledge that can be applied to build resilience in future, through a bottom-up approach that bridges the science–policy interface.
Energy Conservation Law in Industrial Architecture: An Approach through Geometric Algebra
Authors: Bravo Juan , Castilla Manuel
Published: September 2016

Since 1892, the electrical engineering scientific community has been seeking a power theory for interpreting the power flow within electric networks under non-sinusoidal conditions. Although many power theories have been proposed regarding non-sinusoidal operation, an adequate solution is yet to be found. Using the framework based on complex algebra in non-sinusoidal circuit analysis (frequency domain), the verification of the energy conservation law is only possible in sinusoidal situations. In this case, reactive energy turns out to be proportional to the energy difference between the average electric and magnetic energies stored in the loads and its cancellation is mathematically trivial. However, in industrial architecture, apparent power definition of electric loads (non-sinusoidal conditions) is inconsistent with the energy conservation law. Up until now, in the classical complex algebra approach, this goal is only valid in the case of purely resistive loads. Thus, in this paper, a new circuit analysis approach using geometric algebra is used to develop the most general proof of energy conservation in industrial building loads. In terms of geometric objects, this powerful tool calculates the voltage, current, and apparent power in electrical systems in non-sinusoidal, linear/nonlinear situations. In contrast to the traditional method developed by Steinmetz, the suggested powerful tool extends the concept of phasor to multivector-phasors and is performed in a new Generalized Complex Geometric Algebra structure (CGn), where Gn is the Clifford algebra in n-dimensional real space and C is the complex vector space. To conclude, a numerical example illustrates the clear advantages of the approach suggested in this paper.
The Contents of Ustiloxins A and B along with Their Distribution in Rice False Smut Balls
Authors: Wang Xiaohan , Fu Xiaoxiang , Lin Fengke , Sun Weibo , Meng Jiajia , Wang Ali , Lai Daowan , Zhou Ligang , Liu Yang
Published: September 2016

Ustiloxins are cyclopeptide mycotoxins isolated from rice false smut balls (FSBs), the ball-like colonies transformed from the individual grains through the filament infection by the fungal pathogen Villosiclava virens. There were no obvious relations between ustiloxin content and any of the collection areas, collection times, or average weight of each FSB. The rice false smut balls at early, middle, and late maturity stages were respectively divided into different parts (glume, chlamydospores, mycelia, and pseudoparenchyma). The highest content of ustiloxins A and B of rice FSBs was found at the early maturity stage. Both ustiloxins A and B were mainly distributed in the middle layer containing mycelia and immature chlamydospores of the FSBs. When the rice FSBs were at the early maturity stage, the total yield of ustiloxins A and B in the middle layer of each ball was 48.3 µg, which was 3.20-fold of the yield (15.1 µg) of the inner part of the ball. The rice FSBs at the early maturity stage are the appropriate materials for the production of ustiloxins A and B.
Degradation of Acetaminophen and Its Transformation Products in Aqueous Solutions by Using an Electrochemical Oxidation Cell with Stainless Steel Electrodes
Authors: López Zavala Miguel , Espinoza Estrada Eunice
Published: September 2016

In this study, a novel electrochemical oxidation cell using stainless steel electrodes was found to be effective in oxidizing acetaminophen and its transformation products in short reaction times. Aqueous solutions of 10 mg/L-acetaminophen were prepared at pH 3, 5, 7, and 9. These solutions were electrochemically treated at direct current (DC) densities of 5.7 mA/cm2, 7.6 mA/cm2, and 9.5 mA/cm2. The pharmaceutical and its intermediates/oxidation products were determined by using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that electrochemical oxidation processes occurred in the cell. Acetaminophen degradation rate constants increased proportionally with the increase of current intensity. High current densities accelerated the degradation of acetaminophen; however, this effect diminished remarkably at pH values greater than 5. At pH 3 and 9.5 mA/cm2, the fastest degradation of acetaminophen and its intermediates/oxidation products was achieved. To minimize the wear down of the electrodes, a current density ramp is recommended, first applying 9.5 mA/cm2 during 2.5 min or 7.6 mA/cm2 during 7.5 min and then continuing the electrochemical oxidation process at 5.7 mA/cm2. This strategy will hasten the acetaminophen oxidation, extend the electrode’s life, and shorten the reaction time needed to degrade the pharmaceutical and its intermediates/oxidation products. DC densities up to 9.5 mA/cm2 can be supplied by photovoltaic cells.
YOUNG STELLAR CLUSTERS CONTAINING MASSIVE YOUNG STELLAR OBJECTS IN THE VVV SURVEY
Authors: Borissova J. , Alegría S. Ramírez , Alonso J. , Lucas P. W. , Kurtev R. , Medina N. , Navarro C. , Kuhn M. , Gromadzki M. , Retamales G. , Fernandez M. A. , Agurto-Gangas C. , Chené A.-N. , Minniti D. , Pena C. Contreras , Catelan M. , Decany I. , Thompson M. A. , Morales E. F. E. , Amigo P.
Published: September 2016

The purpose of this research is to study the connections of the global properties of eight young stellar clusters projected in the Vista Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) ESO Large Public Survey disk area and their young stellar object (YSO) populations. The analysis is based on the combination of spectroscopic parallax-based reddening and distance determinations with main-sequence and pre-main-sequence ishochrone fitting to determine the basic parameters (reddening, age, distance) of the sample clusters. The lower mass limit estimations show that all clusters are low or intermediate mass (between 110 and 1800 M
⊙), the slope Γ of the obtained present-day mass functions of the clusters is close to the Kroupa initial mass function. The YSOs in the cluster’s surrounding fields are classified using low resolution spectra, spectral energy distribution fits with theoretical predictions, and variability, taking advantage of multi-epoch VVV observations. All spectroscopically confirmed YSOs (except one) are found to be massive (more than 8 M
⊙). Using VVV and GLIMPSE color–color cuts we have selected a large number of new YSO candidates, which are checked for variability and 57% are found to show at least low-amplitude variations. In few cases it was possible to distinguish between YSO and AGB classifications on the basis of light curves.
HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS OF ACTIVE ASTEROID 324P/La SAGRA
Authors: Jewitt David , Agarwal Jessica , Weaver Harold , Mutchler Max , Li Jing , Larson Stephen
Published: September 2016

Hubble Space Telescope observations of active asteroid 324P/La Sagra near perihelion show continued mass loss consistent with the sublimation of near-surface ice. Isophotes of the coma measured from a vantage point below the orbital plane are best matched by steady emission of particles having a nominal size  of a ∼ 100 μm. The inferred rate of mass loss, dM

d
/dt ∼ 0.2 kg s−1, can be supplied by sublimation of water ice in thermal equilibrium with sunlight from an area as small as 930 m2, corresponding to about 0.2% of the nucleus surface. Observations taken from a vantage point only 0.°6 from the orbital plane of 324P set a limit to the velocity of ejection of dust in the direction perpendicular to the plane, V
⊥ < 1 m s−1. Short-term photometric variations of the near-nucleus region, if related to rotation of the underlying nucleus, rule-out periods ≤3.8 hr and suggest that rotation probably does not play a central role in driving the observed mass loss. We estimate that, in the previous orbit, 324P lost about 4 × 107 kg in dust particles, corresponding to 6 × 10−5 of the mass of a 550 m spherical nucleus of assumed density ρ = 1000 kg m−3. If continued, mass loss at this rate would limit the lifetime of 324P to ∼1.6 × 104 orbits (about 105 years). To survive for the 100–400 Myr timescales corresponding to dynamical and collisional stability requires a duty cycle of 2 × 10−4 ≤ f

d
 ≤ 8 × 10−4. Unless its time in orbit is overestimated by many orders of magnitude, 324P is revealed as a briefly active member of a vast population of otherwise dormant ice-containing asteroids.
THE AGE OF THE YOUNG BULGE-LIKE POPULATION IN THE STELLAR SYSTEM TERZAN 5: LINKING THE GALACTIC BULGE TO THE HIGH-Z UNIVERSE*
Authors: Ferraro F. R. , Massari D. , Dalessandro E. , Lanzoni B. , Origlia L. , Rich R. M. , Mucciarelli A.
Published: September 2016

The Galactic bulge is dominated by an old, metal-rich stellar population. The possible presence and the amount of a young (a few gigayears old) minor component is one of the major issues debated in the literature. Recently, the bulge stellar system Terzan 5 was found to harbor three sub-populations with iron content varying by more than one order of magnitude (from 0.2 up to two times the solar value), with chemical abundance patterns strikingly similar to those observed in bulge field stars. Here we report on the detection of two distinct main-sequence turnoff points in Terzan 5, providing the age of the two main stellar populations: 12 Gyr for the (dominant) sub-solar component and 4.5 Gyr for the component at super-solar metallicity. This discovery classifies Terzan 5 as a site in the Galactic bulge where multiple bursts of star formation occurred, thus suggesting a quite massive progenitor possibly resembling the giant clumps observed in star-forming galaxies at high redshifts. This connection opens a new route of investigation into the formation process and evolution of spheroids and their stellar content.
SIGNATURES OF STEADY HEATING IN TIME LAG ANALYSIS OF CORONAL EMISSION
Authors: Viall Nicholeen M. , Klimchuk James A.
Published: September 2016

Among the multitude of methods used to investigate coronal heating, the time lag method of Viall & Klimchuk is becoming increasingly prevalent as an analysis technique that is complementary to those that are traditionally used. The time lag method cross correlates light curves at a given spatial location obtained in spectral bands that sample different temperature plasmas. It has been used most extensively with data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on the Solar Dynamics Observatory. We have previously applied the time lag method to entire active regions and surrounding the quiet Sun and created maps of the results. We find that the majority of time lags are consistent with the cooling of coronal plasma that has been impulsively heated. Additionally, a significant fraction of the map area has a time lag of zero. This does not indicate a lack of variability. Rather, strong variability must be present, and it must occur in phase between the different channels. We have previously shown that these zero time lags are consistent with the transition region response to coronal nanoflares, although other explanations are possible. A common misconception is that the zero time lag indicates steady emission resulting from steady heating. Using simulated and observed light curves, we demonstrate here that highly correlated light curves at zero time lag are not compatible with equilibrium solutions. Such light curves can only be created by evolution.
X-RAY AND OPTICAL CORRELATION OF TYPE I SEYFERT NGC 3516 STUDIED WITH SUZAKU AND JAPANESE GROUND-BASED TELESCOPES
Authors: Noda Hirofumi , Minezaki Takeo , Watanabe Makoto , Kokubo Mitsuru , Kawaguchi Kenji , Itoh Ryosuke , Morihana Kumiko , Saito Yoshihiko , Nakao Hikaru , Imai Masataka , Moritani Yuki , Takaki Katsutoshi , Kawabata Miho , Nakaoka Tatsuya , Uemura Makoto , Kawabata Koji , Yoshida Michitoshi , Arai Akira , Takagi Yuhei , Morokuma Tomoki , Doi Mamoru , Itoh Yoichi , Yamada Shin’ya , Nakazawa Kazuhiro , Fukazawa Yasushi , Makishima Kazuo
Published: September 2016

From 2013 April to 2014 April, we performed X-ray and optical simultaneous monitoring of the type 1.5 Seyfert galaxy NGC 3516. We employed Suzaku and five Japanese ground-based telescopes—the Pirka, Kiso Schmidt, Nayuta, MITSuME, and the Kanata telescopes. The Suzaku observations were conducted seven times with various intervals ranging from days or weeks to months, with an exposure of ∼50 ks each. The optical B-band observations not only covered those of Suzaku almost simultaneously, but also followed the source as frequently as possible. As a result, NGC 3516 was found in its faint phase with a 2–10 keV flux of 0.21–2.70 × 10−11 erg s−1 cm−2. The 2–45 keV X-ray spectra were composed of a dominant variable hard power-law (PL) continuum with a photon index of ∼1.7 and a non-relativistic reflection component with a prominent Fe–Kα emission line. Producing the B-band light curve by differential image photometry, we found that the B-band flux changed by ∼2.7 × 10−11 erg s−1 cm−2, which is comparable to the X-ray variation, and we detected a significant flux correlation between the hard PL component in X-rays and the B-band radiation, for the first time in NGC 3516. By examining their correlation, we found that the X-ray flux preceded that in the B band by

days (1σ error). Although this result supports the X-ray reprocessing model, the derived lag is too large to be explained by the standard view, which assumes a “lamppost”-type X-ray illuminator located near a standard accretion disk. Our results are better explained by assuming a hot accretion flow and a truncated disk.
A BAYESIAN ANALYSIS OF THE AGES OF FOUR OPEN CLUSTERS
Authors: Jeffery Elizabeth J. , Hippel Ted von , Dyk David A. van , Stenning David C. , Robinson Elliot , Stein Nathan , Jefferys William H.
Published: September 2016

In this paper we apply a Bayesian technique to determine the best fit of stellar evolution models to find the main sequence turn-off age and other cluster parameters of four intermediate-age open clusters: NGC 2360, NGC 2477, NGC 2660, and NGC 3960. Our algorithm utilizes a Markov chain Monte Carlo technique to fit these various parameters, objectively finding the best-fit isochrone for each cluster. The result is a high-precision isochrone fit. We compare these results with the those of traditional “by-eye” isochrone fitting methods. By applying this Bayesian technique to NGC 2360, NGC 2477, NGC 2660, and NGC 3960, we determine the ages of these clusters to be 1.35 ± 0.05, 1.02 ± 0.02, 1.64 ± 0.04, and 0.860 ± 0.04 Gyr, respectively. The results of this paper continue our effort to determine cluster ages to a higher precision than that offered by these traditional methods of isochrone fitting.
Managing the Cutaneous Sinus Tract of Dental Origine
Authors: Janev Edvard , Redzep Enis
Published: September 2016

BACKGROUND: Draining cutaneous sinus tract in chin area may be caused by chronic periapical dental infections. Misdiagnosis of these lesions usually leads to destructive invasive treatment of the sinus tract that is not correct and curative.CASE REPORT: A 31-year-old male patient referred to us with a chronically draining lesion on his chin. The lesion previously was misdiagnosed by medical doctors and had undergone two times surgery with a focus on the skin lesion and had received antibiotic therapy for a prolonged period of time. After clinical and radiologic examination the dental origin of the lesion was evident and proper endodontic and surgical treatment was performed. Three months later, after the treatment, the lesion showed total healing and reoccurrence occurred.CONCLUSION: The key to successful treatment of cutaneous sinus tract of dental origin must be in appropriate communication between the dentist and the physician in order to achieve correct diagnosis and therapy in such cases.
L’Approche centrée sur la personne dans les soins quotidiens
Authors: Pörtner Marlis
Published: September 2016

Cet article présente une manière de vivre le travail quotidien dans les milieux médico-sociaux accueillant des personnes dépendantes, porteuses d’un handicap ou atteintes de troubles psychiques, en se fondant sur les valeurs humanistes issues de l’Approche centrée sur la personne (empathie, congruence, regard positif inconditionnel), mais dans un cadre qui n’est pas thérapeutique. Cette démarche, sensible à l’informel dans le travail du soignant, propose des fils conducteurs aux soignants, intègre les apports de la pré-thérapie (fonctions de contact) et offre des critères de qualité.
Une forme de psychothérapie non-directive islamique exposée à travers le travail d’une thérapeute musulmane dans l’État du Qatar
Authors: Al-Thani Aisha , Moore Judy , Graap Caroline , Ducroux-Biass Françoise
Published: September 2016

Entre 2006 et 2010, sous la supervision académique de Judy Moore, Aisha Al-Thani a examiné les effets de l’introduction d’une forme de psychothérapie non-directive sur une sélection de clients dépressifs du Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), dans l’État du Qatar. Cet article expose la conception de la psychothérapie 1 au Moyen-Orient qui demande une sensibilité culturelle à l’enseignement de l’Islam lors de l’introduction de la pratique d’une thérapie non-directive dans cette société. Les séances de thérapie enregistrées ont été transcrites en arabe puis traduites en anglais ; les clients ont été classés selon l’Inventaire de Dépression de Beck. Les résultats de neuf cas sont énumérés et suivis d’une brève discussion sur la directivité et sur la non-directivité. Le cas de Faimah, pieuse musulmane qui répondit particulièrement bien à la thérapie non-directive est relaté plus en détail à titre d’exemple. Il est évident que le partage des références est extrêmement important pour le succès de la thérapie et que cette thérapie non-directive peut fonctionner dans une culture musulmane quand elle y est introduite par une sensibilité « initiée ».