bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dimensi Kemanusiaan dalam Sistem Ekonomi Islam (Sebuah Kajian dengan Pendekatan Filsafat Hukum Islam)
Authors: Rosyid Masykur
Published: September 2015

Islam has provided an economical system which certainly reflects the utiliza- tion of resources given by Allah to fulfill humans principal needs and give them good life. Moreover, Islamic economical system is not only based on divinity and moral values, but also based on humanism principal. This be- comes the antithesis of the capitalism system which had been practiced all these times which forced human to be a hedonistic, secularist, and materialistic economy doer. Through the pattern of Islamic philosophical law, the prob- lems will be analyzed by thinking comprehensively, radically, and reflective- critically.Key word: Humanism Dimension, Humanism, Islamic Economical System, Capitalist Economical System
Peralihan Kekuasaan Presiden dalam Lintasan Sejarah Ketatanegaraan Indonesia
Authors: Naimah Hayatun
Published: September 2015

The process of the power transition from President Soekarno to President Soeharto left the story of political issues. One of the important issues marked the downfall of SukarnoaspresidentisNawaksaraincident.ThetransitionfromPresidentSuhartoto President BJ Habibie started with students strikes that forced Suharto to step down from his position as President. The strike was ended with resignation of Soeharto. Therefore, the vice president, Habibie, was appointed to be President. This raised a polemic about the legiticay of Habibie as President. The next power transition is from President Habibie to Abdurrahman Wahid and from President Abdurrahman Wahid to Megawati Sukarnoputri. The transition from President Abdurrahman Wahid to Megawati Sukarnoputri started with the emergence of many participant political parties in the election. It made more than one candidate for President so the election of President was done by MPR. That period is considered as the most democratic power transition process in the history of the Indonesian state administration. Susilo Bambang Yudoyono, who was the president after megawati, was the first president elected by people through direct election.Kata kunci : Peralihan Kekuasaan, Presiden
Mahar dalam Konteks Sosial Budaya Muslim (Mahar dan Status Sosial dalam Kehidupan Masyarakat Amuntai, Kalimantan Selatan)
Authors: Aini Nuryamin
Published: September 2015

Melalui pendekatan empiris terlihat bahwa mahar berfungsi sebagai indeks status social (mobilitas) seseorang. Status marital dan kelas social perempuan (baca: keluarga) berpengaruh signfikan terhadap besaran dan jenis mahar. Temuan ini mengimplikasikan urgenitas analisis sosiologis untuk menjelaskan realitas hukum di masyarakat (hukum tidak hanya apa yang tertulis, tetapi juga sebagai serangkaian nilai-nilai yang hidup dimasyarakat).
Population dynamics of a northern‐adapted mammal: disentangling the influence of predation and climate change
Authors: Pokallus John W. , Pauli Jonathan .N
Published: September 2015

Community structure and interspecific interactions are particularly vulnerable to rapidly changing climatic regimes. Recent changes in both climate and vertebrate community assemblages have created a unique opportunity to examine the impacts of two dynamic forces on population regulation. We examined the effects of warming winter conditions and the reestablishment of a previously extirpated predator, the fisher (Martes pennanti), on regulatory mechanisms in a northern‐adapted mammal, the porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), along their southern range boundary. Using a long‐term (17‐year) capture–recapture data set, we (1) quantified the impacts of climate change and increased fisher predation on the survival of adult porcupines at their regional southern terminus, (2) assessed recruitment (via both adult fecundity and juvenile survival) of porcupines, and (3) modeled the relative importance of predation and winter conditions on the demography and population growth rate (λ). Severe winters and abundant predators interacted synergistically to reduce adult survivorship by as much as 44%, while expanding predator populations led to near reproductive failure among porcupines. Increasing predatory pressure, disruptions in this community module, and more frequent extreme winter weather events led to predicted extirpation within 50 years, whereas in the absence of predators, the population was viable. Our results provide a mechanistic understanding behind distributional shifts resulting from climate change and may be broadly relevant for predicting future distributional shifts in other northern‐adapted mammalian species.
Beyond Latin Squares: A Brief Tour of Row‐Column Designs
Authors: Piepho Hans‐Peter , Williams Emlyn R. , Michel Volker
Published: September 2015

Field experiments often show heterogeneity and trend in both rows and columns. It is therefore useful to consider blocking in both rows and columns of the field layout of plots. We provide a brief review of row‐column designs and demonstrate the particular advantage of resolvable designs, which allow the treatments to be spread out over the experimental field by latinization of rows and/or columns of plots and by evenly distributing treatments between complete replicates, thus largely avoiding a clumped placement of replications of a treatment in a limited area of the experiment. An example from a field trial with silage maize (Zea maysL.) is used to illustrate the analysis of a latinized design using mixed model procedures.
Optimization of the thermal performance of multi-layer silicon microchannel heat sinks
Authors: Xu Shanglong , Wu Yihao , Cai Qiyu , Yang Lili , Li Yue
Published: September 2015

The objective is to optimize the configuration sizes and thermal performance
of a multilayer silicon microchannel heat sink by the thermal resistance
network model. The effect of structural parameter on the thermal resistance
is analyzed by numercal simulation. Taking the thermal resistance as an
objective function, a nonlinear and multi-constrained optimization model are
proposed for the silicon microchannel heat sink in electronic chips cooling.
The sequential quadratic programming (SQP) method is used to do the
optimization design of the configuration sizes of the microchannel. For the
heat sink with the size of 20mm?20mm and the power of 400 W, the optimized
microchannel number, layer, height and width are 40 and 2, 2.2mm and 0.2mm,
respectively, and its corresponding total thermal resistance for whole
microchannel heat sink is 0.0424 K/W.
Unsteady free convection flow of a micropolar fluid with Newtonian heating: Closed form solution
Authors: Hussanan Abid , Salleh Mohd , Khan Ilyas , Tahar Razman
Published: September 2015

This article investigates the unsteady free convection flow of a micropolar fluid over a vertical plate oscillating in its own plane with Newtonian heating condition. The problem is modelled in terms of partial differential equations with some physical conditions. Closed form solutions in terms of exponential and complementary error functions of Gauss are obtained by using the Laplace transform technique. They satisfy the governing equations and impose boundary and initial conditions. The present solution in the absence of microrotation reduces to well-known solutions of Newtonian fluid. Graphs are plotted to study the effects of various physical parameters on velocity and microrotation. Numerical results for skin friction and wall couple stress is computed in tables. Apart from the engineering point of view, the present article has strong advantage over the published literature as the exact solutions obtained here can be used as a benchmark for comparison with numerical/ approximate solutions and experimental data.
Bioconvection heat transfer of a nanofluid over a stretching sheet with velocity slip and temperature jump
Authors: Shen Bingyu , Zheng Liancun , Zhang Chaoli , Zhang Xinxin
Published: September 2015

This paper presents an investigation for bioconvection heat transfer of a nanofluid containing gyrotactic microorganisms over a stretching sheet, in which the effects of radiation, velocity slip, and temperature jump are taken into account. The non-linear governing equations are reduced into four ordinary differential equations by similarity transformations and solved by homotopy analysis method, which is verified with numerical results in good agree. Results indicate that the density of motile microorganisms and gyrotactic microorganisms increase with bioconvection Rayleigh number, while decrease with increasing in bioconvection Peclet number and bioconvection Lewis number. It is also found that the Nusselt number, Sherwood number, and gyrotactic microorganisms density depend strongly on the buoyancy, nanofluids, and bioconvection parameters.
High resolution grid of potential incoming solar radiation for Serbia
Authors: Lukovic Jelena , Bajat Branislav , Kilibarda Milan , Filipovic Dejan
Published: September 2015

Solar radiation is a key driving force for many natural processes. At the
Earth?s surface solar radiation is the result of complex interactions
between the atmosphere and Earth?s surface. Our study highlights the
development and evaluation of a data base of potential solar radiation that
is based on a digital elevation model (DEM) with a resolution of 90 m over
Serbia. The main aim of this paper is to map solar radiation in Serbia using
DEM. This is so far the finest resolution being applied and presented using
DEM. The final results of the potential direct, diffuse and total solar
radiation as well as duration of insolation databases of Serbia are
portrayed as thematic maps that can be communicated and shared easily
through the cartographic web map-based service.
Comparison of Athletes with and without Burnout Using the Stroop Color and Word Test
Authors: Ryu Kwangmin , Kim Jingu , Ali Asif , Choi Sungmook , Kim Hyunji , Radlo Steven J.
Published: September 2015

The present study compared brain activity of adolescents with or without burnout during their responses to a computerized version of the Stroop Color and Word Test. The Sport Adaptation of the Maslach Burnout Inventory was administered to 460 Korean high school student athletes. Electroencephalographic data were recorded from frontal, central, parietal, and occipital brain regions while these participants were performing the Stroop Color and Word Test. A 2 (group) × 2 (condition) × 15 (electrodes) three-way analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. Results indicated that the athletes without burnout exhibited significantly higher accuracy than their counterparts with burnout on the Stroop Color and Word Test. The athletes without burnout also showed higher amplitudes for theta, alpha, and beta power in the frontal areas than the athletes with burnout.
The Functional Gait Assessment in Older Adults: Validation Through Rasch Modeling
Authors: Beninato Marianne , Ludlow Larry H.
Published: September 2015

Background

The Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), a measure of walking balance ability, was developed to eliminate the ceiling effect observed in the Dynamic Gait Index (DGI). Three presumably more difficult tasks were added and 1 easier task was removed from the original 8 DGI tasks. The effects of these modifications on item hierarchy have not previously been analyzed.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to determine: (1) the ordering of the 10 FGA tasks and the extent to which they map along a clinically logical difficulty continuum, (2) whether the spread of tasks is sufficient to measure patients of varying functional ability levels without a ceiling effect, (3) where the 3 added tasks locate along the task difficulty continuum, and (4) the psychometric properties of the individual FGA tasks.

Design

A retrospective chart review was conducted.

Methods

Functional Gait Assessment scores from 179 older adults referred for physical therapy for balance retraining were analyzed by Rasch modeling.

Results

The FGA task hierarchy met clinical expectations, with the exception of the “walking on level” task, which locates in the middle of the difficulty continuum. There was no ceiling effect. Two of the 3 added tasks were the most difficult FGA tasks. Performance on the most difficult task (“gait with narrow base of support”) demonstrated greater variability than predicted by the Rasch model.

Limitations

The sample was limited to older adults who were community dwelling and independently ambulating. Findings cannot be generalized to other patient groups.

Conclusions

The revised scoring criteria of the FGA may have affected item hierarchy. The results suggest that the FGA is a measure of walking balance ability in older adults that is clinically appropriate and has construct validity. Administration of the FGA may be modified further to improve administration efficiency.
Re-emphasizing Secondary Prophylaxis on Acute Rheumatic in Resources Poor Settings
Authors: Simkhada Rabindra
Published: September 2015

Not Available.Journal of Universal College of Medical SciencesVol. 3, No. 1, 2015Page: 01
Primary Tubercular Parotitis
Authors: Dubey Tulika , Tulachan Bishwo , Borgohain BN , Rai Sabina
Published: September 2015

This is a case report of a 50 years old female who was diagnosed as primary tubercular parotitis. The clinical presentation was similar to that of a parotid neoplasm. She was treated with anti tubercular therapy.Tubercular parotitis is a very rare entity even in the countries where tuberculosis is highly prevelant. The presentation being similar to a neoplasm may bring about diagnostic dilemma and the patient may have to undergo unnecessary surgery. So in cases where we encounter a chronic parotid swelling, we have to be highly suspicious in diagnosing and a thorough workup in the line of tuberculosis has to be done even in the absence of clinically evident foci of tuberculosis elsewhere. Ultrasonography (USG) and Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC) prove to be very useful in diagnosing such cases and these cases are better treated medically.Journal of Universal College of Medical Sciences Vol. 3, No. 1, 2015: 48-50
Instrumented Mechanically Stabilized Earth Wall Reinforced with Polyester Straps
Authors: Luo Yushan , Leshchinsky Dov , Rimoldi Pietro , Lugli Giulia , Xu Chao
Published: September 2015

A wall of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) with large concrete panel facing, reinforced with polyester straps, is an emerging technology in the United States. To enable the design of this wall system through AASHTO's methodology, the system's classification of extensibility must be established. Therefore, a section of such a wall was instrumented as part of a newly constructed interchange on I-95 at Christiana, Delaware. The section was one of several similar walls that allow access to bridges composing the interchange. Monitoring included tensile force distribution at selected straps and force at the connection of a few straps to the large concrete panels. The recorded data were from April 2012, the beginning of construction of the instrumented wall, to June 2014, about 20 months after construction ended. When this reinforced wall system was classified as extensible, the maximum load in the straps and connections was about one-fourth the predicted value from using the AASHTO method, and the lengths of the reinforcing straps were adequate to enable the wall to sustain the required loads. The indicated conservatism of the measured versus the predicted maximum load in the reinforcements was attributed to significant underestimation of the reinforced soil strength in AASHTO's design and, potentially, to a large toe resistance. The data suggest that AASHTO's design, which is based on extensible reinforcement for this family of MSE walls, is adequate.
Development and Use of High-Quality Databases of Deep Foundation Load Tests
Authors: Abu-Hejleh Naser M. , Abu-Farsakh Murad , Suleiman Muhannad T. , Tsai Ching
Published: September 2015

Foundation load test databases are needed by researchers in reliability calibration to develop accurate and economical foundation geotechnical design methods (for implementation of load and resistance factor design) and by designers to evaluate and improve the geotechnical design for production foundations in their projects. These databases should include a complete and adequate number of high-quality records of data at load test sites. FHWA developed the Deep Foundation Load Test Database (DFLTD), which was used by researchers and state departments of transportation (DOTs) to develop their databases. Only a few reliability-based resistance factors for foundations have been developed by AASHTO and state DOTs because of a lack of high-quality databases of foundation load tests. Therefore, transportation agencies (e.g., state DOTs) and universities should work together to develop local, regional, and national databases of foundation load tests that cover all common foundation design and construction conditions encountered in the United States. The goal of this paper is to help transportation engineering agencies develop and use consistent and high-quality deep foundation load test databases. Initially, the paper describes the contents and applications of foundation load test databases and then the contents, limitations, and distribution of the DFLTD. Contents and use of other deep foundation load test databases are also described. Finally, recommendations for the development and sharing of high-quality databases of foundation load tests are presented, followed by a roadmap to implement the recommendations.
Performance of Reinforced–Stabilized Unpaved Test Sections Built over Native Soft Soil under Full-Scale Moving Wheel Loads
Authors: Tang Xiaochao , Abu-Farsakh Murad , Hanandeh Shadi , Chen Qiming
Published: September 2015

This paper presents the findings from an ongoing research study that evaluated two recently developed geosynthetic products: a triaxial geogrid and a high-strength woven geotextile for reinforcing or stabilizing roads constructed over native soft soil in the state of Louisiana. Six full-scale test lane sections were constructed: two were reinforced by one and two layers of triaxial geogrids, respectively, while high-strength geotextile was used to reinforce two of the other sections with aggregate layers of different thicknesses. The remaining two sections were left as controls: one was constructed over a sand embankment 30 cm thick representing the common practice in southern Louisiana. The unpaved test sections were subjected to a full-scale moving wheel load applied by the accelerated loading facility. A variety of instrumentation was used to measure the load-associated and the environment-associated pavement responses and performance. Results of the full-scale testing on the unpaved test sections demonstrated the benefits of geosynthetic reinforcement–stabilization in reducing the permanent deformation in the pavement structure. The test sections’ resilient behavior did not seem to be influenced by the presence of geosynthetics. In addition, instead of the soft soil subgrade, the aggregate layer was the primary contributor to the total permanent deformation–surface rutting of the unpaved sections under the testing conditions in this study. Geosynthetics were mobilized and generally exhibited a strain around 0.2%.
Development of Equipment for Compacting Soil-Cement into Plastic Molds for Design and Quality Control Purposes
Authors: Sullivan W. Griffin , Howard Isaac L. , Anderson Brennan K.
Published: September 2015

In current soil–cement practice, a disconnection exists between laboratory mixture design, pavement layer thickness design, and construction quality control. A device was developed to integrate all three of those aspects by allowing compaction of soil–cement into single-use plastic cylinder molds. The device was a metal split-mold design that surrounded the slightly modified plastic mold to prevent distortion of the specimen during compaction. Compaction was performed by use of two methods: a custom-built compaction frame (similar in concept to the ASTM D-1632 device) and a manual modified-Proctor hammer. This paper's objectives are ( a) to demonstrate the feasibility of using the new device to produce suitable specimens and ( b) to discuss possible applications. More than 750 soil–cement specimens were compacted under laboratory conditions with the new device. Specimens were analyzed for final dimensions (e.g., diameter and height), variability in unconfined compressive strength, and elastic modulus. Analysis showed that the device could produce acceptable test specimens with variability in unconfined compressive strength similar to that of traditional Proctor specimens and that values of specimen elastic modulus were similar to those found in literature. Currently, the Mississippi Department of Transportation is working toward incorporating this new compaction device into its soil–cement practices.
Enzyme Stabilization of Low-Volume Gravel Roads
Authors: Guthrie W. Spencer , Simmons David O. , Eggett Dennis L.
Published: September 2015

The purpose of this research was to investigate the efficacy of enzyme stabilization on unpaved, low-volume roads through formal field experimentation with a control section. An experimental site was divided into six lanes for treatment with water only, portland cement, a combination of portland cement and Enzyme A, Enzyme A only, Enzyme B only, and a generic liquid soap. Testing was performed after 30, 60, and 270 days from the date of construction by using a dynamic cone penetrometer, portable falling-weight deflectometer, Clegg impact soil tester, and nuclear density gauge. The results were evaluated by using analysis of variance and pseudo-Bonferroni procedures. The analyses showed that treatment with cement or a combination of cement and Enzyme A yielded higher California bearing ratio, modulus, and Clegg impact values than the other treatments. This outcome occurred despite the fact that treatment with Enzyme A in particular yielded a statistically significant increase in dry density compared with the other treatments. With respect to curing time, the effects of freezing and thawing caused various degrees of deterioration in the material properties, as expected. Given the results of this study, the researchers recommend caution in applications of enzymes for soil stabilization; appropriate laboratory testing, field testing, or both are recommended before wide-scale stabilization that uses enzymes is attempted on any site.
Low Back Pain in Microgravity and Bed Rest Studies
Authors: Pool-Goudzwaard Annelies L. , Belavý Daniel L. , Hides Julie A. , Richardson Carolyn A. , Snijders Chris J.
Published: September 2015

Background: The prevalence of low back pain (LBP) for astronauts in space (68%) is higher than the 1-mo prevalence for the general population on Earth (39%). It is unclear whether differences occur between healthy subjects and astronauts with a history of LBP. Knowledge of this
issue is important to assess whether a history of LBP could have an operational impact.Methods: We evaluated LBP prospectively during short duration spaceflight (15 d; N = 20) and compared this with similar data collected during two bed rest studies (N = 40). Astronauts
completed a questionnaire 5–10 d preflight, during each flight day, and 5–10 d postflight.Results: All astronauts with a history of LBP also developed LBP in flight. These astronauts reported a significantly longer duration of LBP and a different pain location. LBP was
most often experienced in the central area of the lower back during spaceflight with an incidence of 70% and a mean pain level of 3 (on a scale of 0–10). Pain resolved within 10 d of flight. No neurological signs were present. The most frequently reported countermeasure was assuming
a “knees to chest (fetal tuck) position” combined with stretching. Greater LBP intensity was reported in spaceflight than bed rest with a trend indicating a greater number of days of pain during spaceflight.Discussion: The current study represents a prospective study
of LBP in spaceflight. The results indicate that LBP is self-limiting in spaceflight and should not pose an operational risk. Prior LBP on Earth appears to be a risk factor for LBP in spaceflight.Pool-Goudzwaard AL, Belavý DL, Hides JA, Richardson CA, Snijders CJ. Low back pain
in microgravity and bed rest studies. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2015; 86(6):541–547.
Ground and Helicopter Emergency Medical Services Time Tradeoffs Assessed with Geographic Information
Authors: Widener Michael J. , Ginsberg Zac , Schleith Daniel , Floccare Douglas J. , Hirshon Jon Mark , Galvagno Samuel
Published: September 2015

INTRODUCTION: We describe how geographic information systems (GIS) can be used to assess and compare estimated transport time for helicopter and ground emergency medical services. Recent research shows that while the odds of a trauma patient’s survival increase with helicopter
emergency medical services (HEMS), they may not increase to the extent necessary to make HEMS cost effective. This study offers an analytic tool to objectively quantify the patient travel time advantage that HEMS offers compared to ground emergency medical services (GEMS).METHODS:
Using helicopter dispatch data from the Maryland State Police from 2000–2011, we computed transport time estimates for HEMS and GEMS, compare these results to a reference transport time of 60 min, and use geospatial interpolation to extrapolate the total response times for each mode
across the study region.RESULTS: Mapping the region’s trauma incidents and modeling response times, our findings indicate the GIS framework for calculating transportation time tradeoffs is useful in identifying which areas can be better served by HEMS or GEMS.DISCUSSION:
The use of GIS and the analytical methodology described in this study present a method to compare transportation by air and ground in the prehospital setting that accounts for how mode, distance, and road infrastructure impact total transport time. Whether used to generate regional maps in
advance or applied real-time, the presented framework provides a tool to identify earlier incident locations that favor HEMS over GEMS transport modes.Widener MJ, Ginsberg Z, Schleith D, Floccare DJ, Hirshon JM, Galvagno S. Ground and helicopter emergency medical services time tradeoffs
assessed with geographic information. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2015; 86(7):620–627.
Under One (Inherited) Imperial Crown: The Tudor Origins of Britain and its Empire, 1603–1625
Authors: Hower Jessica S.
Published: September 2015

This article investigates the existence in early Stuart Britain of a vibrant, conscious, and global imperial inheritance, as well as the meaning and significance of this legacy for British interactions with the wider world in the seventeenth century. It explores the ways in which a new, transnational and colonial approach to a still-stubbornly insular Tudor History unearths over a century of British experimentation from 1485 in Europe, the Isles, the Americas, Africa, and the East, mutually-reinforced by consolidation and identity-formation at home. I examine the tangible, enduring importance of these examples – that is, the continued relevance of ideology and practice forged in sixteenth-century interactions beyond England – to the subsequent development of Britain and its Empire.

The New British History, New Imperial History, and Atlantic History have transformed and complicated our understanding of Britain and the connections between Britain and Empire. Yet these turns have had greater success in privileging the seventeenth century, the Isles, and Anglo-America, relegating Britain to latecomer status in the New World and elsewhere while reinforcing dynastic periodization and obscuring an essential basis of Jacobean and later global involvement.

This article seeks to cross the historiographic divides between chronological boundaries, between Tudor and Stuart, insular and global, using 1603–1625 as a case study. With interests sparked, sustained, and legitimized by experience, British subjects active in Ireland, Newfoundland, Virginia, and Guiana in the first quarter of the new century carefully deployed, manipulated, even shucked elements of Tudor nation and empire. Continuity in personnel and the survival of popular texts merged with changes wrought by or circa the new dynasty, as Jacobean flatters and critics fashioned history to fit their ends. By recalling Tudor policy, they acknowledged and memorialized an extra-national past, perpetuating certain images, diction, objectives, and regions of interest across 1603 to influence Stuart global engagement. This paper demonstrates that we cannot understand the development of Britain in the transformative seventeenth century and beyond without looking back and overseas.
Targeting RTK Signaling Pathways in Cancer
Authors: Regad Tarik
Published: September 2015

The RAS/MAP kinase and the RAS/PI3K/AKT pathways play a key role in the regulation of proliferation, differentiation and survival. The induction of these pathways depends on Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs) that are activated upon ligand binding. In cancer, constitutive and aberrant activations of components of those pathways result in increased proliferation, survival and metastasis. For instance, mutations affecting RTKs, Ras, B-Raf, PI3K and AKT are common in perpetuating the malignancy of several types of cancers and from different tissue origins. Therefore, these signaling pathways became prime targets for cancer therapy. This review aims to provide an overview about the most frequently encountered mutations, the pathogenesis that results from such mutations and the known therapeutic strategies developed to counteract their aberrant functions.
Removal of Toluene over NaX Zeolite Exchanged with Cu2+
Authors: Romero Douglas , Chlala Dayan , Labaki Madona , Royer Sébastien , Bellat Jean-Pierre , Bezverkhyy Igor , Giraudon Jean-Marc , Lamonier Jean-François
Published: September 2015

Toluene is a major air pollutant emitted from painting and metal coating processes and might have some health effects. Adsorption and catalytic complete oxidation are promising ways to retain or convert toluene into harmless products. The present work aims to develop a bifunctional material which can be used as an adsorbent and catalyst for low-temperature toluene removal. Copper zeolites were obtained by exchanging the sodium in the parent NaX zeolite with copper from aqueous solutions of Cu(NO3)2∙2.5H2O. Several characterization techniques, H2-TPR, XPS, XRD and N2 physisorption, were used in order to evaluate the redox, surface, structural and textural properties of the materials, respectively. The various materials were tested in adsorption and catalytic processes. The sample with low copper content (1 wt. %) exhibited promising features in terms of toluene adsorption capacity and total oxidation. The results can be correlated to the presence of micropores and well-dispersed CuO species.
TiO2-Impregnated Porous Silica Tube and Its Application for Compact Air- and Water-Purification Units
Authors: Ochiai Tsuyoshi , Tago Shoko , Hayashi Mio , Tawarayama Hiromasa , Hosoya Toshifumi , Fujishima Akira
Published: September 2015

A simple, convenient, reusable, and inexpensive air- and water-purification unit including a one-end sealed porous amorphous-silica (a-silica) tube coated with TiO2 photocatalyst layers has been developed. The porous a-silica layers were formed through outside vapor deposition (OVD). TiO2 photocatalyst layers were formed through impregnation and calcination onto a-silica layers. The resulting porous TiO2-impregnated a-silica tubes were evaluated for air-purification capacity using an acetaldehyde gas decomposition test. The tube (8.5 mm e.d. × 150 mm) demonstrated a 93% removal rate for high concentrations (ca. 300 ppm) of acetaldehyde gas at a single-pass condition with a 250 mL/min flow rate under UV irradiation. The tube also demonstrated a water purification capacity at a rate 2.0 times higher than a-silica tube without TiO2 impregnation. Therefore, the tubes have a great potential for developing compact and in-line VOC removal and water-purification units.
Recent Advances on Electro-Oxidation of Ethanol on Pt- and Pd-Based Catalysts: From Reaction Mechanisms to Catalytic Materials
Authors: Wang Ye , Zou Shouzhong , Cai Wen-Bin
Published: September 2015

The ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) has drawn increasing interest in electrocatalysis and fuel cells by considering that ethanol as a biomass fuel has advantages of low toxicity, renewability, and a high theoretical energy density compared to methanol. Since EOR is a complex multiple-electron process involving various intermediates and products, the mechanistic investigation as well as the rational design of electrocatalysts are challenging yet essential for the desired complete oxidation to CO2. This mini review is aimed at presenting an overview of the advances in the study of reaction mechanisms and electrocatalytic materials for EOR over the past two decades with a focus on Pt- and Pd-based catalysts. We start with discussion on the mechanistic understanding of EOR on Pt and Pd surfaces using selected publications as examples. Consensuses from the mechanistic studies are that sufficient active surface sites to facilitate the cleavage of the C–C bond and the adsorption of water or its residue are critical for obtaining a higher electro-oxidation activity. We then show how this understanding has been applied to achieve improved performance on various Pt- and Pd-based catalysts through optimizing electronic and bifunctional effects, as well as by tuning their surface composition and structure. Finally we point out the remaining key problems in the development of anode electrocatalysts for EOR.
Ciliary/Flagellar Protein Ubiquitination
Authors: Long Huan , Wang Qiyu , Huang Kaiyao
Published: September 2015

Cilia/flagella are conserved eukaryotic organelles that play an important role in the control of cell motility and detection of environmental cues. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying ciliary/flagellar assembly, maintenance, disassembly, and signal transduction are not yet completely understood. Recent studies demonstrated that post-translational modifications (PTMs) such as phosphorylation, methylation, glutamylation, and ubiquitination are involved in these processes. In this mini review, we present a summary of research progress in ciliary/flagellar protein ubiquitination, including the ubiquitin conjugation system identified by proteomics as well as the role of ciliary/flagellar protein ubiquitination in flagellar disassembly, motility, and signal transduction. Moreover, we described putative further research directions in the study of ciliary/flagellar protein ubiquitination.
Ginseng Metabolites on Cancer Chemoprevention: An Angiogenesis Link?
Authors: Wang Chong-Zhi , Cai Yi , Anderson Samantha , Yuan Chun-Su
Published: September 2015

Cancer is a leading cause of death in the United States. Angiogenesis inhibitors have been introduced for the treatment of cancer. Based on the fact that many anticancer agents have been developed from botanical sources, there is a significant untapped resource to be found in natural products. American ginseng is a commonly used herbal medicine in the U.S., which possesses antioxidant properties. After oral ingestion, natural ginseng saponins are biotransformed to their metabolites by the enteric microbiome before being absorbed. The major metabolites, ginsenoside Rg3 and compound K, showed significant potent anticancer activity compared to that of their parent ginsenosides Rb1, Rc, and Rd. In this review, the molecular mechanisms of ginseng metabolites on cancer chemoprevention, especially apoptosis and angiogenic inhibition, are discussed. Ginseng gut microbiome metabolites showed significant anti-angiogenic effects on pulmonary, gastric and ovarian cancers. This review suggests that in addition to the chemopreventive effects of ginseng compounds, as angiogenic inhibitors, ginsenoside metabolites could be used in combination with other cancer chemotherapeutic agents in cancer management.
Movement Pattern Analysis Based on Sequence Signatures
Authors: Chavoshi Seyed , De Baets Bernard , Neutens Tijs , Delafontaine Matthias , De Tré Guy , De Weghe Nico
Published: September 2015

Increased affordability and deployment of advanced tracking technologies have led researchers from various domains to analyze the resulting spatio-temporal movement data sets for the purpose of knowledge discovery. Two different approaches can be considered in the analysis of moving objects: quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis. This research focuses on the latter and uses the qualitative trajectory calculus (QTC), a type of calculus that represents qualitative data on moving point objects (MPOs), and establishes a framework to analyze the relative movement of multiple MPOs. A visualization technique called sequence signature (SESI) is used, which enables to map QTC patterns in a 2D indexed rasterized space in order to evaluate the similarity of relative movement patterns of multiple MPOs. The applicability of the proposed methodology is illustrated by means of two practical examples of interacting MPOs: cars on a highway and body parts of a samba dancer. The results show that the proposed method can be effectively used to analyze interactions of multiple MPOs in different domains.
Walk This Way: Improving Pedestrian Agent-Based Models through Scene Activity Analysis
Authors: Crooks Andrew , Croitoru Arie , Lu Xu , Wise Sarah , Irvine John , Stefanidis Anthony
Published: September 2015

Pedestrian movement is woven into the fabric of urban regions. With more people living in cities than ever before, there is an increased need to understand and model how pedestrians utilize and move through space for a variety of applications, ranging from urban planning and architecture to security. Pedestrian modeling has been traditionally faced with the challenge of collecting data to calibrate and validate such models of pedestrian movement. With the increased availability of mobility datasets from video surveillance and enhanced geolocation capabilities in consumer mobile devices we are now presented with the opportunity to change the way we build pedestrian models. Within this paper we explore the potential that such information offers for the improvement of agent-based pedestrian models. We introduce a Scene- and Activity-Aware Agent-Based Model (SA2-ABM), a method for harvesting scene activity information in the form of spatiotemporal trajectories, and incorporate this information into our models. In order to assess and evaluate the improvement offered by such information, we carry out a range of experiments using real-world datasets. We demonstrate that the use of real scene information allows us to better inform our model and enhance its predictive capabilities.
Quality Evaluation of VGI Using Authoritative Data—A Comparison with Land Use Data in Southern Germany
Authors: Dorn Helen , Törnros Tobias , Zipf Alexander
Published: September 2015

Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI) such as data derived from the OpenStreetMap (OSM) project is a popular data source for freely available geographic data. Normally, untrained contributors gather these data. This fact is frequently a cause of concern regarding the quality and usability of such data. In this study, the quality of OSM land use and land cover (LULC) data is investigated for an area in southern Germany. Two spatial data quality elements, thematic accuracy and completeness are addressed by comparing the OSM data with an authoritative German reference dataset. The results show that the kappa value indicates a substantial agreement between the OSM and the authoritative dataset. Nonetheless, for our study region, there are clear variations between the LULC classes. Forest covers a large area and shows both a high OSM completeness (97.6%) and correctness (95.1%). In contrast, farmland also covers a large area, but for this class OSM shows a low completeness value (45.9%) due to unmapped areas. Additionally, the results indicate that a high population density, as present in urbanized areas, seems to denote a higher strength of agreement between OSM and the DLM (Digital Landscape Model). However, a low population density does not necessarily imply a low strength of agreement.
Towards Measuring and Visualizing Sustainable National Power—A Case Study of China and Neighboring Countries
Authors: Liao Hua , Dong Weihua , Liu Huiping , Ge Yuejing
Published: September 2015

This paper presents a new perspective of national power—sustainable national power (SNP)—emphasizing both the traditional comprehensive national power (CNP) and social and environmental sustainability. We propose a measurement to quantify the SNP based on the measurement of comprehensive national power and a sustainable adjusted index. In addition, density-equalizing maps are adopted to visualize the sustainable national power of countries in order to gain a better understanding for its current state and future development from a cartographic perspective. China and its neighboring countries are selected as a case study area. The results show that China outperforms other countries in most of the CNP dimensions but performs poorly in various SNP-adjusted dimensions within the study area. The composite score shows that China is with the highest regional SNP, followed by Japan, Russia, South Korea and India. Furthermore, time series of cartograms reveal evidence showing power transitions among countries. In addition, the effectiveness of cartograms for cartographic communication is discussed.
Current Proceedings in the Molecular Dissection of Hepatocellular Adenomas: Review and Hands-on Guide for Diagnosis
Authors: Goltz Diane , Fischer Hans-Peter
Published: September 2015

Molecular dissection of hepatocellular adenomas has brought forward a diversity of well-defined entities. Their distinction is important for routine practice, since prognosis is tightly related to the individual subgroup. Very recent activity has generated new details on the molecular background of hepatocellular adenoma, which this article aims to integrate into the current concepts of taxonomy.
Chlorella vulgaris Attenuates Dermatophagoides Farinae-Induced Atopic Dermatitis-Like Symptoms in NC/Nga Mice
Authors: Kang Heerim , Lee Chang , Kim Jong , Kwon Jung , Seo Sang , Han Jae , Kim Byung , Kim Jong-Eun , Lee Ki
Published: September 2015

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic and inflammatory skin disease that can place a significant burden on quality of life for patients. AD most frequently appears under the age of six and although its prevalence is increasing worldwide, therapeutic treatment options are limited. Chlorella vulgaris (CV) is a species of the freshwater green algae genus chlorella, and has been reported to modulate allergy-inducible factors when ingested. Here, we examined the effect of CV supplementation on AD-like symptoms in NC/Nga mice. CV was orally administrated for six weeks while AD-like symptoms were induced via topical application of Dermatophagoides farinae extract (DFE). CV treatment reduced dermatitis scores, epidermal thickness, and skin hydration. Histological analysis also revealed that CV treatment reduced DFE-induced eosinophil and mast cell infiltration into the skin, while analysis of serum chemokine levels indicated that CV treatment downregulated thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC) and macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC) levels. In addition, CV treatment downregulated mRNA expression levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ. Taken together, these results suggest that CV extract may have potential as a nutraceutical ingredient for the prevention of AD.
Water Oxidation by Ru-Polyoxometalate Catalysts: Overpotential Dependency on the Number and Charge of the Metal Centers
Authors: Piccinin Simone , Fabris Stefano
Published: September 2015

Water oxidation is efficiently catalyzed by several Ru-based polyoxometalate (POM) molecular catalysts differing in the number, local atomistic environment and oxidation state of the Ru sites. We employ density functional theory calculations to rationalize the dependency of the reaction overpotential on the main structural and electronic molecular properties. In particular, we compare the thermodynamics of the water oxidation cycle for single-site Ru-POM and multiple-site Ru4-POM complexes. For the Ru-POM case, we also investigate the reaction free energy as a function of the Ru oxidation state. We find that the overpotential of these molecular catalysts is primarily determined by the oxidation state of the metal center and is minimum for Ru(IV). In solution, the number of active sites is shown to play a minor role on the reaction energetics. The results are rationalized and discussed in terms of the local structure around the active sites and of the electrostatic screening due to the molecular structure or the solvent.
13C Tracers for Glucose Degrading Pathway Discrimination in Gluconobacter oxydans 621H
Authors: Ostermann Steffen , Richhardt Janine , Bringer Stephanie , Bott Michael , Wiechert Wolfgang , Oldiges Marco
Published: September 2015

Gluconobacter oxydans 621H is used as an industrial production organism due to its exceptional ability to incompletely oxidize a great variety of carbohydrates in the periplasm. With glucose as the carbon source, up to 90% of the initial concentration is oxidized periplasmatically to gluconate and ketogluconates. Growth on glucose is biphasic and intracellular sugar catabolism proceeds via the Entner–Doudoroff pathway (EDP) and the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). Here we studied the in vivo contributions of the two pathways to glucose catabolism on a microtiter scale. In our approach we applied specifically 13C labeled glucose, whereby a labeling pattern in alanine was generated intracellularly. This method revealed a dynamic growth phase-dependent pathway activity with increased activity of EDP in the first and PPP in the second growth phase, respectively. Evidence for a growth phase-independent decarboxylation-carboxylation cycle around the pyruvate node was obtained from 13C fragmentation patterns of alanine. For the first time, down-scaled microtiter plate cultivation together with 13C-labeled substrate was applied for G. oxydans to elucidate pathway operation, exhibiting reasonable labeling costs and allowing for sufficient replicate experiments.
Exploring the Oxidation of Lignin-Derived Phenols by a Library of Laccase Mutants
Authors: Pardo Isabel , Camarero Susana
Published: September 2015

Saturation mutagenesis was performed over six residues delimiting the substrate binding pocket of a fungal laccase previously engineered in the lab. Mutant libraries were screened using sinapic acid as a model substrate, and those mutants presenting increased activity were selected for exploring the oxidation of lignin-derived phenols. The latter comprised a battery of phenolic compounds of interest due to their use as redox mediators or precursors of added-value products and their biological activity. The new laccase variants were investigated in a multi-screening assay and the structural determinants, at both the substrate and the protein level, for the oxidation of the different phenols are discussed. Laccase activity greatly varied only by changing one or two residues of the enzyme pocket. Our results suggest that once the redox potential threshold is surpassed, the contribution of the residues of the enzymatic pocket for substrate recognition and binding strongly influence the overall rate of the catalytic reaction.
Synthesis and Preliminary Biological Evaluation of 1,3,5-Triazine Amino Acid Derivatives to Study Their MAO Inhibitors
Authors: Khattab Sherine , Khalil Hosam , Bekhit Adnan , El-Rahman Mohamed , El-Faham Ayman , Albericio Fernando
Published: September 2015

Three series of 4,6-dimethoxy-, 4,6-dipiperidino- and 4,6-dimorpholino-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl) amino acid derivatives were synthesized and characterized. A preliminary study for their monoamine oxidase inhibitory activity showed that compounds 7, 18, and 25 had MAO-A inhibition activity comparable to that of the standard clorgyline, with apparently more selective inhibitory activity toward MAO-A than MAO-B and no significant acute toxicity.