bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of a Hybrid Solar-Assisted Trigeneration System
Authors: Marrasso Elisa , Roselli Carlo , Sasso Maurizio , Tariello Francesco
Published: September 2016

A hybrid solar-assisted trigeneration system is analyzed in this paper. The system is composed of a 20 m2 solar field of evacuated tube collectors, a natural gas fired micro combined heat and power system delivering 12.5 kW of thermal power, an absorption heat pump (AHP) with a nominal cooling power of 17.6 kW, two storage tanks (hot and cold) and an electric auxiliary heater (AH). The plant satisfies the energy demand of an office building located in Naples (Southern Italy). The electric energy of the cogenerator is used to meet the load and auxiliaries electric demand; the interactions with the grid are considered in cases of excess or over requests. This hybrid solution is interesting for buildings located in cities or historical centers with limited usable roof surface to install a conventional solar heating and cooling (SHC) system able to achieve high solar fraction (SF). The results of dynamic simulation show that a tilt angle of 30° maximizes the SF of the system on annual basis achieving about 53.5%. The influence on the performance of proposed system of the hot water storage tank (HST) characteristics (volume, insulation) is also studied. It is highlighted that the SF improves when better insulated and bigger HSTs are considered. A maximum SF of about 58.2% is obtained with a 2000 L storage, whereas the lower thermal losses take place with a better insulated 1000 L tank.
Mechanism of Fiscal and Taxation Policies in the Geothermal Industry in China
Authors: Jiang Yong , Lei Yalin , Li Li , Ge Jianping
Published: September 2016

Geothermal energy is one of the cleanest sources of energy which is gaining importance as an alternative to hydrocarbons. Geothermal energy reserves in China are enormous and it has a huge potential for exploitation and utilization. However, the development of the geothermal industry in China lags far behind other renewable energy sources because of the lack of fiscal and taxation policy support. In this paper, we adopt the system dynamics method and use the causal loop diagram to explore the development mechanism of fiscal and taxation policies in the geothermal industry. The effect of the fiscal and taxation policy on the development of the geothermal industry is analyzed. In order to promote sustainable development of the geothermal industry in China, the government should pay more attention to subsidies for the geothermal industry in the life-cycle stage of the geothermal industry. Furthermore, a plan is necessary to provide a reasonable system of fiscal and taxation policies.
Genetic Diversity of the Black Mangrove Avicennia germinans (L.) Stearn in Northwestern Mexico
Authors: Millán-Aguilar Olivia , Manzano-Sarabia Marlenne , Nettel-Hernanz Alejandro , Dodd Richard , Hurtado-Oliva Miguel , Velázquez-Velázquez Ernesto
Published: September 2016

Mangrove forests of Mexico have been threatened by the effects of anthropogenic activities during the last decades, mostly related to aquaculture, agriculture, livestock and urban development. Genetic diversity and fine-scale genetic structure of two generations of the black mangrove Avicennia germinans (L.) Stearn were investigated in perturbed and preserved sites from three lagoon systems in Sinaloa, Mexico. Genetic diversity and overall genetic structure were similar between perturbed and preserved sites. However, lower levels of fine-scale spatial genetic structure were observed in two of the younger (sapling) generations. We attribute this to differences in local dynamics of each lagoon system, their status of conservation and levels of fragmentation. Also, low connectivity and the effects of disturbance could restrict the movement of pollinators and seed dispersal capabilities, resulting in low levels of genetic diversity and signs of inbreeding. Perturbed populations of A. germinans may play an important role in in situ conservation of this complex ecosystem.
The Unmade City: Subjectivity, Buffalo and the Sad Fate of Studio Arena Theatre
Authors: Meyrick Julian
Published: September 2016

This article is a reflection on the disjointed and submerged cultural consciousness of the city of Buffalo, New York. It outlines the concept of subjectivity as put forward by the philosopher Alain Badiou, and maps it onto the history of Studio Arena, Buffalo’s main theatre company. Studio Arena Theatre (1927–2008) was one of the oldest and best known regional theatres in the USA. Its closure is a story fraught with conflict, misunderstanding and loss. That there has been no replacement theatre of comparable size and mandate says something about Buffalo’s diminished civic imaginary. While the link between the Theatre and the City is hard to formularise, it is a historically important relationship, going back to the time of Aristotle when theatre functioned as an informing resource for the lives of citizens. Those interested in urban renewal in Buffalo and other rust-belt US cities can profit not only from an understanding of Studio Arena Theatre’s history, but from a consideration of the kind of emotional engagement that this regional theatre represented.
Exploring Determinants of Handwashing with Soap in Indonesia: A Quantitative Analysis
Authors: Hirai Mitsuaki , Graham Jay , Mattson Kay , Kelsey Andrea , Mukherji Supriya , Cronin Aidan
Published: September 2016

Handwashing with soap is recognized as a cost-effective intervention to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with enteric and respiratory infections. This study analyzes rural Indonesian households’ hygiene behaviors and attitudes to examine how motivations for handwashing, locations of handwashing space in the household, and handwashing moments are associated with handwashing with soap as potential determinants of the behavior. The analysis was conducted using results from a UNICEF cross-sectional study of 1700 households in six districts across three provinces of Indonesia. A composite measure of handwashing with soap was developed that included self-reported handwashing, a handwashing demonstration, and observed handwashing materials and location of facilities in the home. Prevalence ratios were calculated to analyze associations between handwashing with soap and hypothesized determinants of the behavior. Our results showed that determinants that had a significant association with handwashing with soap included: (1) a desire to smell nice; (2) interpersonal influences; (3) the presence of handwashing places within 10 paces of the kitchen and the toilet; and (4) key handwashing moments when hands felt dirty, including after eating and after cleaning child stools. This study concludes that handwashing with soap may be more effectively promoted through the use of non-health messages.
Can We Further Improve the Quality of Nephro-Urological Care in Children with Myelomeningocele?
Authors: Miklaszewska Monika , Korohoda Przemysław , Zachwieja Katarzyna , Wolnicki Michał , Mizerska-Wasiak Małgorzata , Drożdż Dorota , Pietrzyk Jacek
Published: September 2016

Myelomeningocele (MMC) results from a failure of normal neural tube fusion in early fetal development. Retrospective, observational study of medical data of 54 children treated in Pediatric Nephrology and Urology Clinics for five years was performed. The following data were analyzed: serum creatinine, eGFR, urine analysis, renal scintigraphy (RS), renal ultrasound, and urodynamics. Mean age of studied population: 12.3 years, median of eGFR at the beginning and at the end of survey was 110.25 and 116.5 mL/min/1.73 m2 accordingly. Median of frequency of urinary tract infections (fUTI): 1.2 episodes/year. In 24 children: low-pressure, in 30 children: high-pressure bladder was noted. Vesicouretral reflux (VUR) was noted in 23 children (42.6%). fUTI were more common in high-grade VUR group. High-grade VURs were more common in group of patients with severe renal damage. At the end of the survey 11.1% children were qualified to higher stages of chronic kidney disease. Renal parenchyma damage progression in RS was noted in 22.2% children. Positive VUR history, febrile recurrent UTIs, bladder wall trabeculation, and older age of the patients constitute risk factors of abnormal renal scans. More than 2.0 febrile, symptomatic UTIs annually increase by 5.6-fold the risk of severe renal parenchyma damage after five years.
Antimicrobial Resistance Profile of Planktonic and Biofilm Cells of Staphylococcus aureus and Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci
Authors: De Oliveira Adilson , Cataneli Pereira Valéria , Pinheiro Luiza , Moraes Riboli Danilo , Benini Martins Katheryne , Ribeiro de Souza da Cunha Maria
Published: September 2016

The objective of the present study was to determine the antimicrobial resistance profile of planktonic and biofilm cells of Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS). Two hundred Staphylococcus spp. strains were studied, including 50 S. aureus and 150 CoNS strains (50 S. epidermidis, 20 S. haemolyticus, 20 S. warneri, 20 S. hominis, 20 S. lugdunensis, and 20 S. saprophyticus). Biofilm formation was investigated by adherence to polystyrene plates. Positive strains were submitted to the broth microdilution method to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for planktonic and biofilm cells and the minimal bactericidal concentration for biofilm cells (MBCB). Forty-nine Staphylococcus spp. strains (14 S. aureus, 13 S. epidermidis, 13 S. saprophyticus, 3 S. haemolyticus, 1 S. hominis, 3 S. warneri, and 2 S. lugdunensis) were biofilm producers. These isolates were evaluated regarding their resistance profile. Determination of planktonic cell MIC identified three (21.4%) S. aureus strains that were resistant to oxacillin and six (42.8%) that were resistant to erythromycin. Among the CoNS, 31 (88.6%) strains were resistant to oxacillin, 14 (40%) to erythromycin, 18 (51.4%) to gentamicin, and 8 (22.8%) to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim. None of the planktonic isolates were resistant to vancomycin or linezolid. MICs were 2-, 4-, 8-, and up to 16-fold higher for biofilm cells than for planktonic cells. This observation was more common for vancomycin and erythromycin. The MBCB ranged from 8 to >256 µg/mL for oxacillin, 128 to >128 µg/mL for vancomycin, 256 to >256 µg/mL for erythromycin and gentamicin, >64 µg/mL for linezolid, and 32/608 to >32/608 µg/mL for sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim. The results showed considerably higher MICs for S. aureus and CoNS biofilm cells compared to planktonic cells. Analysis of MBCM confirmed that even high concentrations of vancomycin were unable to eliminate the biofilms of S. aureus and CoNS species. Linezolid was the most effective drug in inhibiting staphylococci in the biofilm, without an increase in the MIC, when compared to planktonic cells. None of the isolates were resistant to this drug.
Sugarcane Serine Peptidase Inhibitors, Serine Peptidases, and Clp Protease System Subunits Associated with Sugarcane Borer (Diatraea saccharalis) Herbivory and Wounding
Authors: Medeiros Ane , Mingossi Fabiana , Dias Renata , Franco Flávia , Vicentini Renato , Mello Marcia , Moura Daniel , Silva-Filho Marcio
Published: September 2016

Sugarcane’s (Saccharum spp.) response to Diatraea saccharalis (F.) (Lepidoptera: (Crambidae) herbivory was investigated using a macroarray spotted with 248 sugarcane Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) encoding serine peptidase inhibitors, serine peptidases. and Clp protease system subunits. Our results showed that after nine hours of herbivory, 13 sugarcane genes were upregulated and nine were downregulated. Among the upregulated genes, nine were similar to serine peptidase inhibitors and four were similar to Bowman-Birk Inhibitors (BBIs). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these sequences belong to a phylogenetic group of sugarcane BBIs that are potentially involved in plant defense against insect predation. The remaining four upregulated genes included serine peptidases and one homolog to the Arabidopsis AAA+ chaperone subunit ClpD, which is a member of the Clp protease system. Among the downregulated genes, five were homologous to serine peptidases and four were homologous to Arabidopsis Clp subunits (three homologous to Clp AAA+ chaperones and one to a ClpP-related ClpR subunit). Although the roles of serine peptidase inhibitors in plant defenses against herbivory have been extensively investigated, the roles of plant serine peptidases and the Clp protease system represent a new and underexplored field of study. The up- and downregulated D. saccharalis genes presented in this study may be candidate genes for the further investigation of the sugarcane response to herbivory.
Novel Anti-Melanogenesis Properties of Polydeoxyribonucleotide, a Popular Wound Healing Booster
Authors: Noh Tai , Chung Bo , Kim Su , Lee Mi , Kim Moon , Youn Choon , Lee Mi , Chang Sung
Published: September 2016

Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN), a deoxyribonucleotide polymer, is popularly used for faster healing of cutaneous wounds and boosting of neocollagenesis of photoaged skin among current dermatologic practitioners. Some patients receiving PDRN injection treatment also reported improvement of photoaging-associated mottled pigmentation (PMP). To investigate the effect of PDRN on cutaneous melanogenesis, we examined the effect of PDRN and an available product (Placentex®) containing PDRN on melanogenesis using human melanocytes-keratinocytes cocultures and mouse melanocytes. Melanin content, tyrosinase activity, and levels of microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase, and tyrosinase-related protein (TRP-1) were determined. Intracellular signaling pathways were assessed by Western blotting. PDRN and Placentex® led to decreases in melanin content, tyrosinase activity, and MITF and TRP-1 expression with concomitant increases in phosphorylated forms of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) and AKT in mouse melanocytes. More importantly, both PDRN and Placentex® significantly suppressed the melanin content in human melanocyte–keratinocyte cocultures. Clinical evaluation of six female patients with facial hyperpigmentation after three sessions of intradermal PDRN injections using a 5-point scale revealed that PDRN led to more than noticeable improvements in hyperpigmented lesions. This is the first study to demonstrate that PDRN, which is known for its wound-healing properties, may have novel anti-melanogenesis and potential skin whitening properties.
Alginate and Algal-Based Beads for the Sorption of Metal Cations: Cu(II) and Pb(II)
Authors: Wang Shengye , Vincent Thierry , Faur Catherine , Guibal Eric
Published: September 2016

Alginate and algal-biomass (Laminaria digitata) beads were prepared by homogeneous Ca ionotropic gelation. In addition, glutaraldehyde-crosslinked poly (ethyleneimine) (PEI) was incorporated into algal beads. The three sorbents were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX): the sorption occurs in the whole mass of the sorbents. Sorption experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of pH, sorption isotherms, and uptake kinetics. A special attention was paid to the effect of drying (air-drying vs. freeze-drying) on the mass transfer properties. For alginate, freeze drying is required for maintaining the porosity of the hydrogel, while for algal-based sorbents the swelling of the material minimizes the impact of the drying procedure. The maximum sorption capacities observed from experiments were 415, 296 and 218 mg Pb g−1 and 112, 77 and 67 mg Cu g−1 for alginate, algal and algal/PEI beads respectively. Though the sorption capacities of algal-beads decreased slightly (compared to alginate beads), the greener and cheaper one-pot synthesis of algal beads makes this sorbent more competitive for environmental applications. PEI in algal beads decreases the sorption properties in the case of the sorption of metal cations under selected experimental conditions.
Mental Health and Quality of Life Perception of Surviving Cancer Patients: A Pilot Study
Authors: Stefani Laura , Rotelli Mattia , Frulli Angelica , Amoroso Luca , Belloni Laura , Galanti Giorgio
Published: September 2016

Quality of life (QoL) is one of the most important factors for cancer patients related to survival. Literature supports the role of physical exercise as therapy for improving QoL in this category. This study aims to verify the impact of an unsupervised physical activity program at moderate intensity in this field. Fourteen breast and colon cancer patients, aged 63 ± 15, were prescribed a program of unsupervised exercise for at least six months. They were administered the SF36 questionnaire at the beginning of the program and after six months, to evaluate QoL parameters. Significant improvements in PF (physical functioning) and RP (role physical) (T0: 78.9; T6: 79.2; T0: 53.6; T6: 73.3), mental health role (T0: 54.6 ± 19.53; T6: 55.7) and RE (role emotional) (T0: 54.7; T6: 73.8), with a decrease particularly in pain perception (T0: 21.8; T6: 17.1), were found. A significant decrease in the intake of calories was also evident. In this study unsupervised exercise programs were seen to significantly improve QoL perception in a short time, considerably decreasing metabolic risk factors.
Passivation Characteristics of Alloy Corrosion-Resistant Steel Cr10Mo1 in Simulating Concrete Pore Solutions: Combination Effects of pH and Chloride
Authors: Ai Zhiyong , Sun Wei , Jiang Jinyang , Song Dan , Ma Han , Zhang Jianchun , Wang Danqian
Published: September 2016

The electrochemical behaviour for passivation of new alloy corrosion-resistant steel Cr10Mo1 immersed in alkaline solutions with different pH values (13.3, 12.0, 10.5, and 9.0) and chloride contents (0.2 M and 1.0 M), was investigated by various electrochemical techniques: linear polarization resistance, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and capacitance measurements. The chemical composition and structure of passive films were determined by XPS. The morphological features and surface composition of the immersed steel were evaluated by SEM together with EDS chemical analysis. The results evidence that pH plays an important role in the passivation of the corrosion-resistant steel and the effect is highly dependent upon the chloride contents. In solutions with low chloride (0.2 M), the corrosion-resistant steel has notably enhanced passivity with pH falling from 13.3 to 9.0, but does conversely when in presence of high chloride (1.0 M). The passive film on the corrosion-resistant steel presents a bilayer structure: an outer layer enriched in Fe oxides and hydroxides, and an inner layer, rich in Cr species. The film composition varies with pH values and chloride contents. As the pH drops, more Cr oxides are enriched in the film while Fe oxides gradually decompose. Increasing chloride promotes Cr oxides and Fe oxides to transform into their hydroxides with little protection, and this is more significant at lower pH (10.5 and 9.0). These changes annotate passivation characteristics of the corrosion-resistant steel in the solutions of different electrolyte.
Effect of Stress Ratio and Loading Frequency on the Corrosion Fatigue Behavior of Smooth Steel Wire in Different Solutions
Authors: Wang Songquan , Zhang Dekun , Hu Ningning , Zhang Jialu
Published: September 2016

In this work, the effects of loading condition and corrosion solution on the corrosion fatigue behavior of smooth steel wire were discussed. The results of polarization curves and weight loss curves showed that the corrosion of steel wire in acid solution was more severe than that in neutral and alkaline solutions. With the extension of immersion time in acid solution, the cathodic reaction of steel wire gradually changed from the reduction of hydrogen ion to the reduction of oxygen, but was always the reduction of hydrogen ion in neutral and alkaline solutions. The corrosion kinetic parameters and equivalent circuits of steel wires were also obtained by simulating the Nyquist diagrams. In corrosion fatigue test, the effect of stress ratio and loading frequency on the crack initiation mechanism was emphasized. The strong corrosivity of acid solution could accelerate the nucleation of crack tip. The initiation mechanism of crack under different conditions was summarized according to the side and fracture surface morphologies. For the crack initiation mechanism of anodic dissolution, the stronger the corrosivity of solution was, the more easily the fatigue crack source formed, while, for the crack initiation mechanism of deformation activation, the lower stress ratio and higher frequency would accelerate the generation of corrosion fatigue crack source.
Antireflective SiC Surface Fabricated by Scalable Self-Assembled Nanopatterning
Authors: Ou Yiyu , Fadil Ahmed , Ou Haiyan
Published: September 2016

An approach for fabricating sub-wavelength antireflective structures on SiC material is demonstrated. A time-efficient scalable nanopatterning method by rapid thermal annealing of thin metal film is applied followed by a dry etching process. Size-dependent optical properties of the antireflective SiC structures have been investigated. It is found that the surface reflection of SiC in the visible spectral range is significantly suppressed by applying the antireflective structures. Meanwhile, optical transmission and absorption could be tuned by modifying the feature size of the structure. It is believed that this effective fabrication method of antireflective structures could also be realized on other semiconductor materials or devices.
Analysis of Sheng-Mai-San, a Ginseng-Containing Multiple Components Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine Using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Physical Examination by Electron and Light Microscopies
Authors: Cheng Yung-Yi , Tsai Tung-Hu
Published: September 2016

Sheng-Mai-San is a multi-component traditional Chinese herbal preparation. Due to the fact granulated additives, such as starch, carboxymethyl cellulose, lactose and raw herbal powder may alter the content of the bioactive markers in the herbal products, a developed ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was used to measure the herbal biomarkers of ginsenoside Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rg1, Rh1, compound K, ophiopogonin D and schizandrin from the Sheng-Mai-San herbal formulation. Besides, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the morphology of the herbal granular powders. Light microscopy with Congo red and iodine-KI reagent staining was used to identify the cellulose fiber and cornstarch added to pharmaceutical herbal products. The swelling power (SP), water solubility index (WSI), and crude fiber analysis were used to determine the contents of cellulose fiber and cornstarch in pharmaceutical herbal products. In this study, we developed a novel skill to assess the quantification of appended cornstarch in pharmaceutical herbal products using Aperio ImageScope software. Compared with the traditional cornstarch analysis, our analysis method is a rapid, simple and conversion process which could be applied to detect the percentage of added cornstarch in unknown powder products. The various range of the herbal content for the five pharmaceutical manufacturers varied by up to several hundreds-fold. The physical examination reveals that the morphology of the herbal pharmaceutical products is rough and irregular with sharp layers. This study provides a reference standard operating procedure guide for the quality control of the Chinese herbal pharmaceutical products of Sheng-Mai-San.
Recent Advances in Neurogenic Small Molecules as Innovative Treatments for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Herrera-Arozamena Clara , Martí-Marí Olaia , Estrada Martín , De la Fuente Revenga Mario , Rodríguez-Franco María
Published: September 2016

The central nervous system of adult mammals has long been considered as a complex static structure unable to undergo any regenerative process to refurbish its dead nodes. This dogma was challenged by Altman in the 1960s and neuron self-renewal has been demonstrated ever since in many species, including humans. Aging, neurodegenerative, and some mental diseases are associated with an exponential decrease in brain neurogenesis. Therefore, the controlled pharmacological stimulation of the endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) niches might counteract the neuronal loss in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other pathologies, opening an exciting new therapeutic avenue. In the last years, druggable molecular targets and signalling pathways involved in neurogenic processes have been identified, and as a consequence, different drug types have been developed and tested in neuronal plasticity. This review focuses on recent advances in neurogenic agents acting at serotonin and/or melatonin systems, Wnt/β-catenin pathway, sigma receptors, nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) and nuclear erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2).
Palladium(II) Catalyzed Cyclization-Carbonylation-Cyclization Coupling Reaction of (ortho-Alkynyl Phenyl) (Methoxymethyl) Sulfides Using Molecular Oxygen as the Terminal Oxidant
Authors: Shen Rong , Kusakabe Taichi , Yatsu Tomofumi , Kanno Yuichiro , Takahashi Keisuke , Nemoto Kiyomitsu , Kato Keisuke
Published: September 2016

An efficient PdII/Pd0-p-benzoquinone/hydroquinone-CuCl2/CuCl catalyst system was developed that uses environmentally friendly molecular oxygen as the terminal oxidant to catalyze the cyclization-carbonylation-cyclization coupling reaction (CCC-coupling reaction) of (o-alkynyl phenyl) (methoxymethyl) sulfides.
Prevalence and Predictors of Low Vitamin B6 Status in Healthy Young Adult Women in Metro Vancouver
Authors: Ho Chia-ling , Quay Teo , Devlin Angela , Lamers Yvonne
Published: September 2016

Low periconceptional vitamin B6 (B6) status has been associated with an increased risk of preterm birth and early pregnancy loss. Given many pregnancies are unplanned; it is important for women to maintain an adequate B6 status throughout reproductive years. There is limited data on B6 status in Canadian women. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of B6 deficiency and predictors of B6 status in young adult women in Metro Vancouver. We included a convenience sample of young adult non-pregnant women (19–35 years; n = 202). Vitamin B6 status was determined using fasting plasma concentrations of pyridoxal 5’-phosphate (PLP). Mean (95% confidence interval) plasma PLP concentration was 61.0 (55.2, 67.3) nmol/L. The prevalence of B6 deficiency (plasma PLP < 20 nmol/L) was 1.5% and that of suboptimal B6 status (plasma PLP = 20–30 nmol/L) was 10.9%. Body mass index, South Asian ethnicity, relative dietary B6 intake, and the use of supplemental B6 were significant predictors of plasma PLP. The combined 12.4% prevalence of B6 deficiency and suboptimal status was lower than data reported in US populations and might be due to the high socioeconomic status of our sample. More research is warranted to determine B6 status in the general Canadian population.
Eicosapentaenoic and Docosahexaenoic Acid-Enriched High Fat Diet Delays Skeletal Muscle Degradation in Mice
Authors: Soni Nikul , Ross Alastair , Scheers Nathalie , Savolainen Otto , Nookaew Intawat , Gabrielsson Britt , Sandberg Ann-Sofie
Published: September 2016

Low-grade chronic inflammatory conditions such as ageing, obesity and related metabolic disorders are associated with deterioration of skeletal muscle (SkM). Human studies have shown that marine fatty acids influence SkM function, though the underlying mechanisms of action are unknown. As a model of diet-induced obesity, we fed C57BL/6J mice either a high fat diet (HFD) with purified marine fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (HFD-ED), a HFD with corn oil, or normal mouse chow for 8 weeks; and used transcriptomics to identify the molecular effects of EPA and DHA on SkM. Consumption of ED-enriched HFD modulated SkM metabolism through increased gene expression of mitochondrial β-oxidation and slow-fiber type genes compared with HFD-corn oil fed mice. Furthermore, HFD-ED intake increased nuclear localization of nuclear factor of activated T-cells (Nfatc4) protein, which controls fiber-type composition. This data suggests a role for EPA and DHA in mitigating some of the molecular responses due to a HFD in SkM. Overall, the results suggest that increased consumption of the marine fatty acids EPA and DHA may aid in the prevention of molecular processes that lead to muscle deterioration commonly associated with obesity-induced low-grade inflammation.
Additive Manufacture of Three Dimensional Nanocomposite Based Objects through Multiphoton Fabrication
Authors: Liu Yaan , Hu Qin , Zhang Fan , Tuck Christopher , Irvine Derek , Hague Richard , He Yinfeng , Simonelli Marco , Rance Graham , Smith Emily , Wildman Ricky
Published: September 2016

Three-dimensional structures prepared from a gold-polymer composite formulation have been fabricated using multiphoton lithography. In this process, gold nanoparticles were simultaneously formed through photoreduction whilst polymerisation of two possible monomers was promoted. The monomers, trimethylopropane triacrylate (TMPTA) and pentaerythritol triacrylate (PETA) were mixed with a gold salt, but it was found that the addition of a ruthenium(II) complex enhanced both the geometrical uniformity and integrity of the polymerised/reduced material, enabling the first production of 3D gold-polymer structures by single step multiphoton lithography.
Integration of Ground and Multi-Resolution Satellite Data for Predicting the Water Balance of a Mediterranean Two-Layer Agro-Ecosystem
Authors: Battista Piero , Chiesi Marta , Rapi Bernardo , Romani Maurizio , Cantini Claudio , Giovannelli Alessio , Cocozza Claudia , Tognetti Roberto , Maselli Fabio
Published: September 2016

The estimation of site water budget is important in Mediterranean areas, where it represents a crucial factor affecting the quantity and quality of traditional crop production. This is particularly the case for spatially fragmented, multi-layer agricultural ecosystems such as olive groves, which are traditional cultivations of the Mediterranean basin. The current paper aims at demonstrating the effectiveness of spatialized meteorological data and remote sensing techniques to estimate the actual evapotranspiration (ETA) and the soil water content (SWC) of an olive orchard in Central Italy. The relatively small size of this orchard (about 0.1 ha) and its two-layer structure (i.e., olive trees and grasses) require the integration of remotely sensed data with different spatial and temporal resolutions (Terra-MODIS, Landsat 8-OLI and Ikonos). These data are used to drive a recently proposed water balance method (NDVI-Cws) and predict ETA and then site SWC, which are assessed through comparison with sap flow and soil wetness measurements taken in 2013. The results obtained indicate the importance of integrating satellite imageries having different spatio-temporal properties in order to properly characterize the examined olive orchard. More generally, the experimental evidences support the possibility of using widely available remotely sensed and ancillary datasets for the operational estimation of ETA and SWC in olive tree cultivation systems.
Low-Rank Matrix Recovery Approach for Clutter Rejection in Real-Time IR-UWB Radar-Based Moving Target Detection
Authors: Sabushimike Donatien , Na Seung , Kim Jin , Bui Ngoc , Seo Kyung , Kim Gil
Published: September 2016

The detection of a moving target using an IR-UWB Radar involves the core task of separating the waves reflected by the static background and by the moving target. This paper investigates the capacity of the low-rank and sparse matrix decomposition approach to separate the background and the foreground in the trend of UWB Radar-based moving target detection. Robust PCA models are criticized for being batched-data-oriented, which makes them inconvenient in realistic environments where frames need to be processed as they are recorded in real time. In this paper, a novel method based on overlapping-windows processing is proposed to cope with online processing. The method consists of processing a small batch of frames which will be continually updated without changing its size as new frames are captured. We prove that RPCA (via its Inexact Augmented Lagrange Multiplier (IALM) model) can successfully separate the two subspaces, which enhances the accuracy of target detection. The overlapping-windows processing method converges on the optimal solution with its batch counterpart (i.e., processing batched data with RPCA), and both methods prove the robustness and efficiency of the RPCA over the classic PCA and the commonly used exponential averaging method.
Achieving a Near-Theoretical Maximum in Peak Capacity Gain for the Forensic Analysis of Ignitable Liquids Using GC×GC-TOFMS
Authors: Nizio Katie , Cochran Jack , Forbes Shari
Published: September 2016

At present, gas chromatography–quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-qMS) is considered the gold standard amongst analytical techniques for fire debris analysis in forensic laboratories worldwide, specifically for the detection and classification of ignitable liquids. Due to the highly complex and unpredictable nature of fire debris, traditional one-dimensional GC-qMS often produces chromatograms that display an unresolved complex mixture containing only trace levels of the ignitable liquid among numerous background pyrolysis products that interfere with pattern recognition necessary to verify the presence and identification of the ignitable liquid. To combat these challenges, this study presents a method optimized to achieve a near-theoretical maximum in peak capacity gain using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) for the forensic analysis of petroleum-based ignitable liquids. An overall peak capacity gain of ~9.3 was achieved, which is only ~17% below the system’s theoretical maximum of ~11.2. In addition, through the preservation of efficient separation in the first dimension and optimal stationary phase selection in the second dimension, the presented method demonstrated improved resolution, enhanced sensitivity, increased peak detectability and structured chromatograms well-suited for the rapid classification of ignitable liquids. As a result, the method generated extremely detailed fingerprints of petroleum-based ignitable liquids including gasoline, kerosene, mineral spirits and diesel fuel. The resultant data was also shown to be amenable to chromatographic alignment and multivariate statistical analysis for future evaluation of chemometric models for the rapid, objective and automated classification of ignitable liquids in fire debris extracts.
Increasing Soil Organic Matter Enhances Inherent Soil Productivity while Offsetting Fertilization Effect under a Rice Cropping System
Authors: Zhao Ya-Nan , He Xin-Hua , Huang Xing-Cheng , Zhang Yue-Qiang , Shi Xiao-Jun
Published: September 2016

Understanding the role of soil organic matter (SOM) in soil quality and subsequent crop yield and input requirements is useful for agricultural sustainability. SOM is widely considered to affect a wide range of soil properties, however, great uncertainty still remains in identifying the relationships between SOM and crop yield due to the difficulty in separating the effect of SOM from other yield-limiting factors. Based on 543 on-farm experiments, where paired treatments with and without NPK fertilizer were conducted during 2005–2009, we quantified the inherent soil productivity, fertilization effect, and their contribution to rice yield and further evaluated their relationships with SOM contents under a rice cropping system in the Sichuan Basin of China. The inherent soil productivity assessed by rice grain yield under no fertilization (Y-CK) was 5.8 t/ha, on average, and contributed 70% to the 8.3 t/ha of rice yield under NPK fertilization (Y-NPK) while the other 30% was from the fertilization effect (FE). No significant correlation between SOM content and Y-NPK was observed, however, SOM content positively related to Y-CK and its contribution to Y-NPK but negatively to FE and its contribution to Y-NPK, indicating an increased soil contribution but a decreased fertilizer contribution to rice yield with increasing SOM. There were significantly positive relationships between SOM and soil available N, P, and K, indicating the potential contribution of SOM to inherent soil productivity by supplying nutrients from mineralization. As a result, approaches for SOM accumulation are practical to improve the inherent soil productivity and thereafter maintain a high crop productivity with less dependence on chemical fertilizers, while fertilization recommendations need to be adjusted with the temporal and spatial SOM variation.
Sustainable Digitalization of Cultural Heritage—Report on Initiatives and Projects in Brandenburg, Germany
Authors: Preuss Ulf
Published: September 2016

While digitalization opens up new possibilities for cultural heritage and tourism it also brings new challenges. Initiatives such as “Europeana”, an internet portal for cultural heritage within the European Union, support institutions with the display of their collections. National initiatives complement these efforts. This report describes initiatives and projects for generating and sustaining digital cultural heritage resources in the German state of Brandenburg. With the cultural heritage distributed throughout the state and managed by hundreds of institutions, the task of digitalization is a common challenge for all of these institutions. Digitalization and digital sustainability is limited by shortcomings in areas of human resources, knowledge and IT infrastructure. In light of these limitations, the cultural heritage community addresses challenges with an interdisciplinary approach. It is based on a collaborative model with four levels: (1) a statewide strategy of an interdisciplinary task force; (2) cooperative projects; (3) cooperative IT infrastructure; and (4) an overall coordination. The priorities are: (1) creating and displaying digital content; (2) establishing best practices and workflows; (3) developing cooperative infrastructures for sustainment. Since 2012, several projects have been implemented based on that collaborative model. More than 50 participating institutions benefited from cooperative planning, managing, digitizing and digital presentation. With regard to the third priority, the task force’s next step is finding solutions for digital preservation. Considering the lack of funding and resources in the cultural heritage sector, options for creating and sustaining digital resources are limited. Digital cultural heritage requires interdisciplinary thinking, cooperative initiatives, reliable IT infrastructures and additional funding.
Infrared Human Posture Recognition Method for Monitoring in Smart Homes Based on Hidden Markov Model
Authors: Cai Xingquan , Gao Yufeng , Li Mengxuan , Song Wei
Published: September 2016

Smart homes are the most important sustainability technology of our future. In smart homes, intelligent monitoring is an important component. However, there is currently no effective method for human posture detection for monitoring in smart homes. So, in this paper, we provide an infrared human posture recognition method for monitoring in sustainable smart homes based on a Hidden Markov Model (HMM). We also trained the model parameters. Our model can be used to effectively classify human postures. Compared with the traditional HMM, this paper puts forward a method to solve the problem of human posture recognition. This paper tries to establish a model of training data according to the characteristics of human postures. Accordingly, this complex problem can be decomposed. Thereby, it can reduce computational complexity. In practical applications, it can improve system performance. Through experimentation in a real environment, the model can identify the different body movement postures by observing the human posture sequence, matching identification and classification process. The results show that the proposed method is feasible and effective for human posture recognition. In addition, for human movement target detection, this paper puts forward a human movement target detection method based on a Gaussian mixture model. For human object contour extraction, this paper puts forward a human object contour extraction method based on the Sobel edge detection operator. Here, we have presented an experiment for human posture recognition, and have also examined our cloud-based monitoring system for elderly people using our method. We have used our method in our actual projects, and the experimental results show that our method is feasible and effective.
Is Sustainability Compatible with Profitability? An Empirical Analysis on Family Farming Activity
Authors: Piedra-Muñoz Laura , Galdeano-Gómez Emilio , Pérez-Mesa Juan
Published: September 2016

Sustainability is a social concern and a new strategic factor for productive and economic viability. Nevertheless, research on this subject in a holistic approach is limited, and even to a lesser extent when dealing with family farms. This paper analyzes the impact of different aspects of sustainability (socio-economic characteristics, environmentally respectful practices, and innovation) on profitability. The data collection instruments include a survey questionnaire on farming in Almería, a province in Southeast Spain, and the methodology followed involves a two-step regression model. The main results show how several socio-economic and environmental-innovation features of family farms have positive effects on their economic performance. Among others, profitability increases when there are better educated and younger family farm decision-makers; the farm is specialized and supported by more efficient cooperatives: and, particularly, when the family farm displays greater concern for environmental practices and better disposition towards agroecological innovation.
Analysis of the Prevalence of HTLV-1 Proviral DNA in Cervical Smears and Carcinomas from HIV Positive and Negative Kenyan Women
Authors: He Xiaotong , Maranga Innocent , Oliver Anthony , Gichangi Peter , Hampson Lynne , Hampson Ian
Published: September 2016

The oncogenic retrovirus human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is endemic in some countries although its prevalence and relationship with other sexually transmitted infections in Sub-Saharan Africa is largely unknown. A novel endpoint PCR method was used to analyse the prevalence of HTLV-1 proviral DNA in genomic DNA extracted from liquid based cytology (LBC) cervical smears and invasive cervical carcinomas (ICCs) obtained from human immunodeficiency virus-positive (HIV+ve) and HIV-negative (HIV−ve) Kenyan women. Patient sociodemographic details were recorded by structured questionnaire and these data analysed with respect to HIV status, human papillomavirus (HPV) type (Papilocheck®) and cytology. This showed 22/113 (19.5%) of LBC’s from HIV+ve patients were positive for HTLV-1 compared to 4/111 (3.6%) of those from HIV−ve women (p = 0.0002; odds ratio (OR) = 6.42 (2.07–26.56)). Only 1/37 (2.7%) of HIV+ve and none of the 44 HIV−ve ICC samples were positive for HTLV-1. There was also a significant correlation between HTLV-1 infection, numbers of sexual partners (p < 0.05) and smoking (p < 0.01). Using this unique method, these data suggest an unexpectedly high prevalence of HTLV-1 DNA in HIV+ve women in this geographical location. However, the low level of HTLV-1 detected in HIV+ve ICC samples was unexpected and the reasons for this are unclear.
Assessment of Drought Evolution Characteristics and Drought Coping Ability of Water Conservancy Projects in Huang-Huai-Hai River Basin, China
Authors: Lu Yajing , Yan Denghua , Qin Tianling , Song Yifan , Weng Baisha , Yuan Yong , Dong Guoqiang
Published: September 2016

Based on the national precipitation dataset in the Huang-Huai-Hai River Basin of China for the 1961–2011 period, the China-Z growing season index was calculated to analyze the characteristics of the evolution of meteorological droughts. Data from statistical droughts (the droughts which are defined and classified by the actual statistic data) were compared with those of meteorological droughts during the 2000–2011 period. Nine indexes were selected to evaluate the drought coping ability of water conservancy projects based on the fuzzy comprehensive assessment model. The results showed that the China-Z growing season index was a downward trend with a rate of −0.063 per decade from 1961 to 2011, which indicates an increasing trend in drought intensity. Droughts were more frequent than average during the 1961–1979 period and returned to normal frequency during the 1980–2011 period. Both the ratio of drought affected area (RDAA) and the ratio of drought suffering area (RDSA) of statistical droughts decreased more quickly than those of meteorological droughts (2000–2011). The indexes of water conservancy projects were lower than the average all-China indexes. Half of the 59 three-level water resources districts exhibited a relatively poor drought coping ability, which means that enhancing the drought coping ability of the water conservancy project was quite important.
Soil CO2 Uptake in Deserts and Its Implications to the Groundwater Environment
Authors: Wang Wenfeng , Chen Xi , Zheng Hongwei , Yu Ruide , Qian Jing , Zhang Yifan , Yu Jianjun
Published: September 2016

Recent studies of soil carbon cycle in arid and semi-arid ecosystems demonstrated that there exists an abiotic CO2 absorption by saline-alkali soils (Aa) at desert ecosystems and suggested potential contributions of CO2 dissolution beneath deserts to the terrestrial ecosystems carbon balance. However, the overall importance of such soil CO2 uptake is still undetermined and its implications to the groundwater environment remain unaddressed. In this manuscript, a simple method is proposed for the direct computation of Aa from the total soil CO2 flux (Fa) as well as for the evaluation of Aa importance to Fa. An artificial soil-groundwater system was employed to investigate the implications to groundwater environment and it was found that soil CO2 uptake in deserts can contribute a possible influence on the evolution of the groundwater environment, providing that the absorbed CO2 largely remained in the soil-groundwater system.
Impact of Climate Change on Runoff in the Gilgel Abbay Watershed, the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia
Authors: Ayele Hailu , Li Ming-Hsu , Tung Ching-Pin , Liu Tzu-Ming
Published: September 2016

Hydrological assessment is critical to the successful implementation of adaption measures. In this study, projections of seven global circulation models (GCMs) associated with high and medium–low Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 8.5 and RCP 4.5) for the period 2021–2040 and 2081–2100 were adopted to assess changes on runoffs in the Gilgel Abbay watershed, the upper Blue Nile basin. A weather generator was employed to generate daily temperature and precipitation to drive a hydrological model for impact assessment. Despite the projected magnitude of changes varied among different GCMs and RCPs, increasing runoffs in wet-season and decreasing in dry-season are observed in both periods, mainly attributed to the change in projected precipitation. Such changes are profound in cases of RCP 8.5 with respect to those of RCP 4.5 and in cases of 2081–2100 with respect to those of 2021–2040. Although the increasing runoffs would provide greater inflow to Lake Tana, the increase of precipitation in wet-season would imply a higher possibility of flash floods. On the other hand, decrease runoffs in dry-season further intensify existing shortage of irrigation water demand. These changes will have deleterious consequences on the economic wellbeing of the country and require successful implementation of adaption measures to reduce vulnerability.