bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Isolation, development and identification of salt-tolerant bacterial consortium from crude-oil-contaminated soil for degradation of di-azo dye Reactive Blue 220
Authors: Patel Vipul R. , Bhatt Nikhil
Published: July 2015

The objective of this study was development and characterization of a halophilic bacterial consortium for rapid decolorization and degradation of a wide range of dyes and their mixtures. The 16S rRNA gene analysis of developed halophilic consortium VN.1 showed that the bacterial consortium contained six bacterial strains, which were identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens HM480360, Enterobacter aerogenes HM480361, Shewanella sp. HM589853, Arthrobacter nicotianae HM480363, Bacillus beijingensis HM480362 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa JQ659549. Halophilic consortium VN.1 was able to decolorize up to 2,500 mg/L RB220 with >85% chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction under static condition at 30 °C and pH 8.0 in the presence of 7% NaCl. VN.1 also exhibited more than 85% COD reduction with >25 mg/(L h) rate of decolorization in the case of different reactive dye mixtures. We propose the symmetric cleavage of RB220 using Fourier transform infrared, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, and confirmed the formation of sodium-4-aminobenzenesulfonate, sodium-6-aminonepthalenesulfonate, and sodiumbenzene/nepthalenesulfonate. Toxicity studies confirm that the biodegraded products of RB220 effluent stimulate the growth of plants as well as the bacterial community responsible for soil fertility.
Recovery of salts from ion-exchange regeneration streams by a coupled nanoﬁltration–membrane distillation process
Authors: Jiříček Tomáš , De Schepper Wim , Lederer Tomáš , Cauwenberg Peter , Genné Inge
Published: July 2015

Ion-exchange tap water demineralization for process water preparation results in a saline regeneration wastewater (20–100 mS cm−1) that is increasingly problematic in view of discharge. A coupled nanofiltration–membrane distillation (NF-MD) process is evaluated for the recovery of water and sodium chloride from this wastewater. NF-MD treatment of mixed regeneration wastewater is compared to NF-MD treatment of separate anion- and cation-regenerate fractions. NF on mixed regeneration wastewater results in a higher flux (30 L m−2 h−1 at 7 bar) compared to NF on the separate fractions (6–9 L m−2 h−1 at 30 bar). NF permeate recovery is strongly limited by scaling (50% for separate and 60% for mixed, respectively). Physical signs of scaling were found during MD treatment of the NF permeates but did not result in flux decline for mixed regeneration wastewater. Final salt composition is expected to qualify as a road de-icing salt. NF-MD is an economically viable alternative compared to external disposal of wastewater for larger-scale installations (1.4 versus 2.5 euro m−3 produced demineralized water for a 10 m3 regenerate per day plant). The cost benefits of water re-use and salt recuperation are small when compared to total treatment costs for mixed regenerate wastewater.
Electrochemical removal of sulfate from petroleum produced water
Authors: Jain Pratiksha , Sharma Mohita , Kumar Manoj , Dureja Prem , Singh M. P. , Lal Banwari , Sarma Priyangshu M.
Published: July 2015

Petroleum produced water (PPW) is a waste-stream that entails huge cost on the petroleum industry. Along with other suspended and dissolved solids, it contains sulfate, which is a major hurdle for its alternative use intended toward enhanced oil recovery. This study proposes a two-step process for sulfate removal from PPW. A synthetic PPW was designed for the study using response surface methodology. During the first step, sulfate present in PPW was reduced to sulfide by anaerobic fermentation with 80% efficiency. In the second step, more than 70% of the accumulated sulfide was electrochemically oxidized. This integrated approach successfully removed sulfate from the synthetic wastewater indicating its applicability in the treatment of PPW and its subsequent applications in other oil field operations.
Treatment of landfill leachate by hybrid precipitation/microfiltration/nanofiltration process
Authors: Amaral M. C. S. , Pereira H. V. , Nani E. , Lange L. C.
Published: July 2015

This paper describes a promising method to treat stabilized landfill leachate. Such method consists of a combination of chemical precipitation processes, a cost-effective technique with high potential to remove contaminants with foulant nature, microfiltration aimed at removing the produced precipitate and nanofiltration (NF) for final polishing. This study was carried out on a bench unit comprising a precipitation reactor associated with a submerged hollow-fiber microfiltration membrane module and a flat NF membrane cell operated in batch and continuous mode with a treating capacity of 0.1 L h−1. Combining these processes yielded a clear and colorless permeate and proved to be very efficient at removing organic and inorganic matter. The results showed the importance of membrane processes to ensure treated landfill leachate quality. Also the precipitation associated with microfiltration as a pretreatment process is able to guarantee low membrane fouling due to the significant retention of humic substances which are known for their high potential to cause NF membrane fouling.
Modeling and Simulation of Aviation Engine Ignition Spark Frequency Disorder
Authors: Xudong Shi , Hongguang Li , Ruowen Wang , Meng Xu
Published: July 2015

Igniter is an important part of aircraft engine, which should be reliable to ensure safety. Spark frequency disorder
is common fault to the aviation ignition device, and it is great hidden danger to the aircraft engine. To guarantee the
safety and reliability of aviation igniter, the fault mechanism of the aviation ignition spark frequency disorder is researched
in this paper. The factors which will result in spark frequency disorder are studied, and the mathematical model
of the ignition circuit and circuit simulation are presented, which lays the foundation for the follow-up research on the design
of aviation ignition and the fault diagnosis.
Flow Characteristic and Trapping Characteristics of Cycloid Rotor Pump
Authors: Zhenxing Ren , Chunyan Liu , Yulong Li
Published: July 2015

To accurately calculate the flow rate of cycloid rotary pump as well as to correctly understand its trapped oil
phenomenon, firstly the instantaneous flow rate formula of cycloid rotary pump was established based on the method of
swept area, and then it was compared with the two present approximate formulas by an example. Secondly, based on the
established flow rate formula and the created trapped oil model in the present literature, the trapped oil pressure of a single
cavity near the minimum volume position was simulated. It was pointed that for cycloid rotary pump as an example, the
flow non-uniform coefficient was 6.45%, and in contrast, the flow non-uniformity coefficient of external gear pump was
21.2%. Relative to the accurate results, the two present approximate errors of flow rates were 1.93% and 2.90%; and the
present approximate error of flow non-uniform coefficient was 7.13%; when the minimum position angle was added by
0.5° or 1° or 2°, relative to discharge pressure of the pump, the corresponding maximum peak of trapped oil pressure
increased by 1.6% or 6.0% or 21.7%. The results indicate that the flow characteristics of cycloid rotary pump are better
than the external gear pump, the two present approximate errors of flow rate are little but the present approximate error of
flow non-uniform coefficient is higher. Also, there is a trapped oil phenomenon in cycloid rotary pump which is not
obvious.
Effects of Bileaflet Mechanical Mitral Valve Rotational Orientation on Left Ventricular Flow Conditions
Authors: Westerdale John C , Adrian Ronald , Squires Kyle , Chaliki Hari , Belohlavek Marek
Published: July 2015

We studied left ventricular flow patterns for a range of rotational orientations of a bileaflet mechanical heart valve (MHV) implanted in the mitral position of an elastic model of a beating left ventricle (LV). The valve was rotated through 3 angular positions (0, 45, and 90 degrees) about the LV long axis. Ultrasound scans of the elastic LV were obtained in four apical 2-dimensional (2D) imaging projections, each with 45 degrees of separation. Particle imaging velocimetry was performed during the diastolic period to quantify the in-plane velocity field obtained by computer tracking of diluted microbubbles in the acquired ultrasound projections. The resulting velocity field, vorticity, and shear stresses were statistically significantly altered by angular positioning of the mechanical valve, although the results did not show any specific trend with the valve angular position and were highly dependent on the orientation of the imaging plane with respect to the valve. We conclude that bileaflet MHV orientation influences hemodynamics of LV filling. However, determination of ‘optimal’ valve orientation cannot be made without measurement techniques that account for the highly 3-dimensional (3D) intraventricular flow.
Blunt Thoracic Aortic Injuries: New Perspectives in Management
Authors: Challoumas Dimitrios , Dimitrakakis Georgios
Published: July 2015

Blunt thoracic aortic injuries (BTAIs) present a great challenge because of their potentially fatal outcomes. Recent advancements in their management have proved to be beneficial in terms of various parameters, including mortality and complications. Endovascular repair is now the treatment of choice in most centres and is continuously replacing the traditional open surgical method. We present a mini-review of the most recent relevant literature that briefly describes the major shifts in the diagnosis and treatment of BTAIs and compares the outcomes of the conventional surgical approach to those of the endovascular method for the definitive repair of these injuries. Although both the reviewed literature and the most recently published guidelines are in support of the use of the endovascular approach, as short and midterm results are promising, its long-term outcomes still remain in question.
Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury (VILI) in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS): Volutrauma and Molecular Effects
Authors: Carrasco Loza R , Villamizar Rodríguez G , Medel Fernández N
Published: July 2015

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a clinical condition secondary to a variety of insults leading to a severe acute respiratory failure and high mortality in critically ill patients. Patients with ARDS generally require mechanical ventilation, which is another important factor that may increase the ALI (acute lung injury) by a series of pathophysiological mechanisms, whose common element is the initial volutrauma in the alveolar units, and forming part of an entity known clinically as ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI).

Injured lungs can be partially protected by optimal settings and ventilation modes, using low tidal volume (VT) values and high positive-end expiratory pressure (PEEP). The benefits in ARDS outcomes caused by these interventions have been conﬁrmed by several prospective randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and are attributed to reduction in volutrauma.

The purpose of this article is to present an approach to VILI pathophysiology focused on the effects of volutrauma that lead to lung injury and the ‘mechanotransduction’ mechanism. A more complete understanding about the molecular effects that physical forces could have, is essential for a better assessment of existing strategies as well as the development of new therapeutic strategies to reduce the damage resulting from VILI, and thereby contribute to reducing mortality in ARDS.
Farewell to „eternal peace“? New wars and their moral and legal challenges
Authors: Zaborowski Holger
Published: July 2015

This essay first discusses modern wars and the idea of ?eternal peace? as
developed in modernity. It shows how in the 20th century the reality of war
(as well as the concept of peace) was already transformed due to the
development of new technologies such as the nuclear bomb. Now, peace was
replaced by a ?cold war?. The essay then goes on to introduce the concept of
post-national wars (as opposed to modern national wars). It argues that this
concept fails fully to describe contemporary warfare. What is needed is a
deeper analysis that considers most recent technological developments such as
the world wide web or drone technology and the way these technologies
paradigmatically change the concept and reality of war (and of peace, too).
The essay concludes by arguing that the moral and legal challenges of this
kind of war deserve more attention than they are getting in the current
discussion.
State Pension Liabilities and Credit Assessments
Authors: Hallman Nicholas , Khurana Inder K.
Published: July 2015

SYNOPSIS

We examine the decision relevance of a commonly suggested adjustment to how state governments report governmental pension liabilities by recalculating such pension liabilities using the return on a portfolio of high-quality municipal bonds as the discount rate. Calculated as the difference between the state's expected rate of return and the municipal bond return, we find that the discount rate adjustment associates with lower credit ratings and higher interest costs. We also find that credit rating agencies are more likely to issue conflicting ratings when the calculation of the discount rate adjustment involves greater uncertainty. Overall, while financial statement users agree about the need for and the direction of a pension liability rate adjustment, there is less consensus about the proper magnitude of this adjustment, suggesting that current accounting treatment of pensions in the public sector leads to costly uncertainty among financial statement users.
Banks' Acquisition of Private Information about Financial Misreporting
Authors: Chen Po-Chang
Published: July 2015

This study investigates whether banks respond to financial misreporting as the borrowing firms release misstated financial reports, i.e., in the misreporting period. Drawing upon finance theory that recognizes banks' superior information access and processing abilities, this study predicts and finds that banks adjust loan contract terms in response to the ongoing misreporting. Compared with loans issued in the prior period, loans issued in the misreporting period have higher interest spread, are more likely to be secured by collateral, and have more restrictive covenants. Further analyses show that banks acquire indirect, rather than direct, information about the misreporting and that they do not fully adjust loan pricing until after the restatement announcement. Together, these findings suggest that banks make timely, but insufficient, adjustments during the misreporting period. Nevertheless, banks' early reactions appear to be unique, as equity investors do not respond to the ongoing misreporting, but react to the loan information when it becomes public.

JEL Classifications: D82; G21; M41.
Audit Quality and Analyst Forecast Accuracy: The Impact of Forecast Horizon and Other Modeling Choices
Authors: Wu Yi (Ava) , Wilson Mark
Published: July 2015

The accuracy and other properties of analyst earnings forecasts represent potentially useful proxies for the impact of audit quality on client financial reports. Extant research in the auditing literature, however, is characterized by diametrically opposite predictions and inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between audit quality and analyst forecast accuracy. We argue that a potential reason for the inconsistency in the literature reflects these studies' focus on end-of-year forecast accuracy, which is subject to competing effects of audit quality. High-quality auditors may simultaneously improve forecast accuracy through their impact on the decision usefulness of clients' prior period reports, and reduce forecast accuracy by constraining client attempts to manage earnings in the direction of the consensus forecast. We argue and present evidence in support of the conjecture that analysts' beginning-of-year forecasts are a superior metric for identifying the impact of audit quality on the properties of analyst forecasts because the decision usefulness effect of audit quality should be dominant with respect to those forecasts.

Data Availability: Data are available from sources identified in the article.
Are Lengthy Audit Report Lags a Warning Signal?
Authors: Blankley Alan I. , Hurtt David N. , MacGregor Jason E.
Published: July 2015

In this paper, we summarize our recent research into the association between abnormal audit report lags (the length of time between the fiscal year-end and the audit report date) and the likelihood of future restatements (Blankley, Hurtt, and MacGregor 2014). We find that as the audit report lag increases, the likelihood of a future restatement increases, and this dynamic appears to be associated with the effect of time pressure on the auditor. We will first summarize the motivation for the study, then discuss the empirical methods used, explain our results, and conclude with a discussion of the practical applications to practitioners.
Insights into Large Audit Firm Sampling Policies
Authors: Christensen Brant E. , Elder Randal J. , Glover Steven M.
Published: July 2015

Changes in the audit profession after Sarbanes-Oxley, including mandatory audits of internal control over financial reporting and PCAOB oversight and inspection of audit work, have potentially changed the nature and extent of audit sampling in the largest accounting firms. In our study, “Behind the Numbers: Insights into Large Audit Firm Sampling Policies” (Christensen, Elder, and Glover 2015), we administered an extensive, open-ended survey to the national offices of the Big 4 and two other international accounting firms regarding their firm's audit sampling policies. We find variation among the largest firms' policies in their use of different sampling methods and in inputs used in the sampling applications that could result in different sample sizes. We also provide evidence of some of the sampling topics firms find most problematic, as well as changes to firms' policies regarding revenue testing due to PCAOB inspections. Our evidence provides important insights into current sampling policies, which may be helpful to audit firms in evaluating their sampling inputs and overall sampling approaches.
On-Line Gaming, Financial Reporting, and Audit: Chester Games Corp.
Authors: Conrod Joan Davison , Cumby Judy
Published: July 2015

This case examines selected financial reporting and audit issues in the context of the on-line gaming industry. Key issues are revenue recognition and asset impairment under IFRS. Revenue trends are critical for the company as it considers a public offering. The estimates inherent in recognizing revenue for virtual goods, both consumable goods and durable goods, make revenue recognition and audit of revenue especially judgmental. IAS 18 or IFRS 15 may be used as a framework to discuss revenue recognition. Judgment is also required to support impairment testing of an intangible asset and goodwill.
Exception Prioritization in the Continuous Auditing Environment: A Framework and Experimental Evaluation
Authors: Li Pei , Chan David Y. , Kogan Alexander
Published: July 2015

Researchers have found that the volume of exceptions generated by a continuous auditing system can be overwhelming for an internal audit department to handle. In this paper, we propose and validate a framework that systematically prioritizes exceptions based on the likelihood of an exception being erroneous or fraudulent and evaluate the framework using an experiment. The framework consists of six stages: (1) generation of exceptions using defined rules, (2) assignment of suspicion scores to exceptions using belief functions, (3) exception prioritization, (4) exception investigation, (5) rule confidence level update utilizing back propagation, and (6) rule(s) addition utilizing a rule learner algorithm. We also simulate the proposed framework using an experiment. The experiment results provide evidence that the framework can be effective in prioritizing exceptions and thus maximizing audit efficiency.
Carotid Intima-Media Thickness Progression and Risk of Vascular Events in People With Diabetes: Results From the PROG-IMT Collaboration
Authors: Lorenz Matthias W. , Price Jackie F. , Robertson Christine , Bots Michiel L. , Polak Joseph F. , Poppert Holger , Kavousi Maryam , Dörr Marcus , Stensland Eva , Ducimetiere Pierre , Ronkainen Kimmo , Kiechl Stefan , Sitzer Matthias , Rundek Tatjana , Lind Lars , Liu Jing , Bergström Göran , Grigore Liliana , Bokemark Lena , Friera Alfonsa , Yanez David , Bickel Horst , Ikram M. Arfan , Völzke Henry , Johnsen Stein Harald , Empana Jean Philippe , Tuomainen Tomi-Pekka , Willeit Peter , Steinmetz Helmuth , Desvarieux Moise , Xie Wuxiang , Schmidt Caroline , Norata Giuseppe D. , Suarez Carmen , Sander Dirk , Hofman Albert , Schminke Ulf , Mathiesen Ellisiv , Plichart Matthieu , Kauhanen Jussi , Willeit Johann , Sacco Ralph L. , McLachlan Stela , Zhao Dong , Fagerberg Björn , Catapano Alberico L. , Gabriel Rafael , Franco Oscar H. , Bülbül Alpaslan , Scheckenbach Frank , Pflug Anja , Gao Lu , Thompson Simon G.
Published: July 2015

OBJECTIVE

Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a marker of subclinical organ damage and predicts cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in the general population. It has also been associated with vascular risk in people with diabetes. However, the association of CIMT change in repeated examinations with subsequent CVD events is uncertain, and its use as a surrogate end point in clinical trials is controversial. We aimed at determining the relation of CIMT change to CVD events in people with diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

In a comprehensive meta-analysis of individual participant data, we collated data from 3,902 adults (age 33–92 years) with type 2 diabetes from 21 population-based cohorts. We calculated the hazard ratio (HR) per standard deviation (SD) difference in mean common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT) or in CCA-IMT progression, both calculated from two examinations on average 3.6 years apart, for each cohort, and combined the estimates with random-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Average mean CCA-IMT ranged from 0.72 to 0.97 mm across cohorts in people with diabetes. The HR of CVD events was 1.22 (95% CI 1.12–1.33) per SD difference in mean CCA-IMT, after adjustment for age, sex, and cardiometabolic risk factors. Average mean CCA-IMT progression in people with diabetes ranged between −0.09 and 0.04 mm/year. The HR per SD difference in mean CCA-IMT progression was 0.99 (0.91–1.08).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite reproducing the association between CIMT level and vascular risk in subjects with diabetes, we did not find an association between CIMT change and vascular risk. These results do not support the use of CIMT progression as a surrogate end point in clinical trials in people with diabetes.
Energy Balance After Sodium–Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibition
Authors: Ferrannini Giulia , Hach Thomas , Crowe Susanne , Sanghvi Arjun , Hall Kevin D. , Ferrannini Ele
Published: July 2015

OBJECTIVE

Sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors cause substantially less weight loss than expected from the energy excreted via glycosuria. Our aim was to analyze this phenomenon quantitatively.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Eighty-six patients with type 2 diabetes (HbA1c 7.8 ± 0.8% [62 ± 9 mmol/mol], estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] 89 ± 19 mL ⋅ min−1 ⋅ 1.73 m−2) received empagliflozin (25 mg/day) for 90 weeks with frequent (n = 11) assessments of body weight, eGFR, and fasting plasma glucose (FPG). Time-dependent glucose filtration was calculated as the product of eGFR and FPG; time-dependent glycosuria was estimated from previous direct measurements. The relation of calorie-to-weight changes was estimated using a mathematical model of human energy metabolism that simulates the time course of weight change for a given change in calorie balance and calculates the corresponding energy intake changes.

RESULTS

At week 90, weight loss averaged −3.2 ± 4.2 kg (corresponding to a median calorie deficit of 51 kcal/day [interquartile range (IQR) 112]). However, the observed calorie loss through glycosuria (206 kcal/day [IQR 90]) was predicted to result in a weight loss of –11.3 ± 3.1 kg, assuming no compensatory changes in energy intake. Thus, patients lost only 29 ± 41% of the weight loss predicted by their glycosuria; the model indicated that this difference was accounted for by a 13% (IQR 12) increase in calorie intake (269 kcal/day [IQR 258]) coupled with a 2% (IQR 5) increase in daily energy expenditure (due to diet-induced thermogenesis). This increased calorie intake was inversely related to baseline BMI (partial r = −0.34, P < 0.01) and positively to baseline eGFR (partial r = 0.29, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic glycosuria elicits an adaptive increase in energy intake. Combining SGLT2 inhibition with caloric restriction is expected to be associated with major weight loss.
Comparative Efficacy of Topical Calcipotriol (0.005%) Versus Topical Corticosteroid (Betamethasone 0.1%) in Treating Plaque Type Psoriasis
Authors: Ahmed Gulam Kazem Ali , Khandker Lubna , Nessa Moriom , Alam Mohd Nurul , Chakraborty Anjana , Yeasmin Farhana
Published: July 2015

A clinical trial was carried out to compare the efficacy of topical calcipotriol (0.005%) and topical corticosteroid (betamethasone 0.1%) in the treatment of plaque type psoriasis. The study was conducted from January 2012 to August 2012 and patients of plaque type psoriasis attending outpatient department of Dermatology and Venereology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka were the study population. Patients were divided into two groups, group A was treated with topical calcipotriol (0.005%) ointment and group B with topical corticosteroid (betamethasone 0.1%) ointment. The mean baseline PASI score was 6.7 ±4.5 and after 8 weeks, the mean PASI score was 2.0 ±1.4 for group A and mean baseline PASI score was 5.5 ±4.2 and after 8 weeks, the mean PASI score was 2.5 ±1.4 for group B. There was statistically significant reduction in PASI score from base line after 8 weeks of treatment in both treatment groups (p < 0.001). After 8th week of treatment moderate response was 11(73.3%) in group A and 9(60%) in group B. Very good response was 4 (26.7%) in group B and 2 (13.3%) in group A and minimal response of treatment occurs equally 2 (13.3%) in group A and group B. In the light of the findings of the study we conclude that each of the treatment of calcipotriol(0.005%) and betamethasone (0.1%) is individually effective. Further multicenter, randomized, double-blind study should be conducted with large sample size.Medicine Today 2014 Vol.26(2): 88-94
Is Cell Death Primary or Secondary in the Pathophysiology of Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease?
Authors: Schulz-Schaeffer Walter
Published: July 2015

Currently, the pathophysiology of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease is explained by a loss of mainly dopaminergic nerve cells that causes a neurotransmitter deficiency. In the final stage of the disease, there is a marked loss of neurons in the substantia nigra. In addition, Lewy bodies can be found in some of the remaining neurons, which serve as the pathological hallmark of the disease. These Lewy bodies are composed mainly of aggregated α-synuclein, a physiological presynaptic protein. Lewy bodies were thought to be the pathophysiologically relevant form of α-synuclein because their appearance coincided with neuron loss in the substantia nigra. In consequence, neuron loss was thought to be the primary step in the neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease. On the other hand, the clinical syndrome suggests a synaptic disorder. If α-synuclein aggregation was causally linked to the pathophysiology of disease, α-synuclein pathology should be found at the synapse. As recently demonstrated, one to two orders of magnitude more α-synuclein aggregates are present in presynaptic terminals than in Lewy bodies or Lewy neurites. Degeneration of dendritic spines associated with synaptic α-synuclein aggregates has been shown to occur in human disease. In experiments, using transgenic mice or cell cultures, mild (two- to three-fold) overexpression of α-synuclein caused an altered vesicle turnover and led to a reduction in neurotransmitter release. Different approaches linked these alterations to presynaptic aggregation of α-synuclein. These findings may fundamentally change the pathophysiological concept of Parkinson’s disease: not nerve cell loss, but the synaptic dysfunction of still existing nerve cells should become the focus of attention. From recent findings, it is quite evident that the death of dopaminergic neurons is a secondary event in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease.
Coordinated Control Strategies of VSC-HVDC-Based Wind Power Systems for Low Voltage Ride Through
Authors: Zhang Xinyin , Wu Zaijun , Hu Minqiang , Li Xianyun , Lv Ganyun
Published: July 2015

The Voltage Source Converter-HVDC (VSC-HVDC) system applied to wind power generation can solve large scale wind farm grid-connection and long distance transmission problems. However, the low voltage ride through (LVRT) of the VSC-HVDC connected wind farm is a key technology issue that must be solved, and it is currently lacking an economic and effective solution. In this paper, a LVRT coordinated control strategy is proposed for the VSC-HVDC-based wind power system. In this strategy, the operation and control of VSC-HVDC and wind farm during the grid fault period is improved. The VSC-HVDC system not only provides reactive power support to the grid, but also effectively maintains the power balance and DC voltage stability by reducing wind-farm power output, without increasing the equipment investment. Correspondingly, to eliminate the influence on permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG)-based wind turbine (WT) systems, a hierarchical control strategy is designed. The speed and validity of the proposed LVRT coordinated control strategy and hierarchical control strategy were verified by MATLAB/Simulink simulations.
Sex-Specific Patterns of Aberrant Brain Function in First-Episode Treatment-Naive Patients with Schizophrenia
Authors: Lei Wei , Li Mingli , Deng Wei , Zhou Yi , Ma Xiaohong , Wang Qiang , Guo Wanjun , Li Yinfei , Jiang Lijun , Han Yuanyuan , Huang Chaohua , Hu Xun , Li Tao
Published: July 2015

Male and female patients with schizophrenia show significant differences in a number of important clinical features, yet the neural substrates of these differences are still poorly understood. Here we explored the sex differences in the brain functional aberrations in 124 treatment-naïve patients with first-episode schizophrenia (61 males), compared with 102 age-matched healthy controls (50 males). Maps of degree centrality (DC) and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) were constructed using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data and compared between groups. We found that: (1) Selective DC reduction was observed in the right putamen (Put_R) in male patients and the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG) in female patients; (2) Functional connectivity analysis (using Put_R and MFG as seeds) found that male and female patients have disturbed functional integration in two separate networks, i.e., the sensorimotor network and the default mode network; (3) Significant ALFF alterations were also observed in these two networks in both genders; (4) Sex specific brain functional alterations were associated with various symptoms in patients. These results suggested that sex-specific patterns of functional aberration existed in schizophrenia, and these patterns were associated with the clinical features both in male and female patients.
Thyroid Hormone Mediated Modulation of Energy Expenditure
Authors: Vaitkus Janina , Farrar Jared , Celi Francesco
Published: July 2015

Thyroid hormone (TH) has diverse effects on mitochondria and energy expenditure (EE), generating great interest and research effort into understanding and harnessing these actions for the amelioration and treatment of metabolic disorders, such as obesity and diabetes. Direct effects on ATP utilization are a result of TH’s actions on metabolic cycles and increased cell membrane ion permeability. However, the majority of TH induced EE is thought to be a result of indirect effects, which, in turn, increase capacity for EE. This review discusses the direct actions of TH on EE, and places special emphasis on the indirect actions of TH, which include mitochondrial biogenesis and reduced metabolic efficiency through mitochondrial uncoupling mechanisms. TH analogs and the metabolic actions of T2 are also discussed in the context of targeted modulation of EE. Finally, clinical correlates of TH actions on metabolism are briefly presented.
Purification and Characterization of a Fucoidanase (FNase S) from a Marine Bacterium Sphingomonas paucimobilis PF-1
Authors: Kim Woo , Park Joo , Park Jae , Choi Doo , Park Yong
Published: July 2015

The Search for enzyme activities that efficiently degrade marine polysaccharides is becoming an increasingly important area for both structural analysis and production of lower-molecular weight oligosaccharides. In this study, an endo-acting fucoidanase that degrades Miyeokgui fucoidan (MF), a sulfated galactofucan isolated from the sporophyll (called Miyeokgui in Korean) of Undaria pinnatifida, into smaller-sized galactofuco-oligosaccharides (1000–4000 Da) was purified from a marine bacterium, Sphingomonas paucimobilis PF-1, by ammonium sulfate precipitation, diethylaminoethyl (DEAE)-Sepharose column chromatography, and chromatofocusing. The specific activity of this enzyme was approximately 112-fold higher than that of the crude enzyme, and its molecular weight was approximately 130 kDa (FNase S), as determined by native gel electrophoresis and 130 (S1), 70 (S2) and 60 (S3) kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The optimum pH and temperature of FNase S were pH 6.0–7.0 and 40–45 °C, respectively. FNase S activity was enhanced by Mn2+ and Na+ (115.7% and 131.2%), but it was inhibited by Ca2+, K+, Ba2+, Cu2+ (96%, 83.7%, 84.3%, and 89.3%, respectively), each at 1 mM. The Km, Vmax and Kcat values of FNase S on MF were 1.7 mM, 0.62 mg·min−1, and 0.38·S−1, respectively. This enzyme could be a valuable tool for the structural analysis of fucoidans and production of bioactive fuco-oligosaccharides.
Three-Dimensional Compound Comparison Methods and Their Application in Drug Discovery
Authors: Shin Woong-Hee , Zhu Xiaolei , Bures Mark , Kihara Daisuke
Published: July 2015

Virtual screening has been widely used in the drug discovery process. Ligand-based virtual screening (LBVS) methods compare a library of compounds with a known active ligand. Two notable advantages of LBVS methods are that they do not require structural information of a target receptor and that they are faster than structure-based methods. LBVS methods can be classified based on the complexity of ligand structure information utilized: one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D), and three-dimensional (3D). Unlike 1D and 2D methods, 3D methods can have enhanced performance since they treat the conformational flexibility of compounds. In this paper, a number of 3D methods will be reviewed. In addition, four representative 3D methods were benchmarked to understand their performance in virtual screening. Specifically, we tested overall performance in key aspects including the ability to find dissimilar active compounds, and computational speed.
Characteristic Conformation of Mosher’s Amide Elucidated Using the Cambridge Structural Database
Authors: Ichikawa Akio , Ono Hiroshi , Mikata Yuji
Published: July 2015

Conformations of the crystalline 3,3,3-trifluoro-2-methoxy-2-phenylpropanamide derivatives (MTPA amides) deposited in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) were examined statistically as Racid-enantiomers. The majority of dihedral angles (48/58, ca. 83%) of the amide carbonyl groups and the trifluoromethyl groups ranged from –30° to 0° with an average angle θ1 of −13°. The other conformational properties were also clarified: (1) one of the fluorine atoms was antiperiplanar (ap) to the amide carbonyl group, forming a staggered conformation; (2) the MTPA amides prepared from primary amines showed a Z form in amide moieties; (3) in the case of the MTPA amide prepared from a primary amine possessing secondary alkyl groups (i.e., Mosher-type MTPA amide), the dihedral angles between the methine groups and the carbonyl groups were syn and indicative of a moderate conformational flexibility; (4) the phenyl plane was inclined from the O–Cchiral bond of the methoxy moiety with an average dihedral angle θ2 of +21°; (5) the methyl group of the methoxy moiety was ap to the ipso-carbon atom of the phenyl group.
68Ga-Based Radiopharmaceuticals: Production and Application Relationship
Authors: Velikyan Irina
Published: July 2015

The contribution of 68Ga to the promotion and expansion of clinical research and routine positron emission tomography (PET) for earlier better diagnostics and individualized medicine is considerable. The potential applications of 68Ga-comprising imaging agents include targeted, pre-targeted and non-targeted imaging. This review discusses the key aspects of the production of 68Ga and 68Ga-based radiopharmaceuticals in the light of the impact of regulatory requirements and endpoint pre-clinical and clinical applications.
Self-Directed Weight Loss Strategies: Energy Expenditure Due to Physical Activity Is Not Increased to Achieve Intended Weight Loss
Authors: Elbelt Ulf , Schuetz Tatjana , Knoll Nina , Burkert Silke
Published: July 2015

Reduced physical activity and almost unlimited availability of food are major contributors to the development of obesity. With the decline of strenuous work, energy expenditure due to spontaneous physical activity has attracted increasing attention. Our aim was to assess changes in energy expenditure, physical activity patterns and nutritional habits in obese subjects aiming at self-directed weight loss. Methods: Energy expenditure and physical activity patterns were measured with a portable armband device. Nutritional habits were assessed with a food frequency questionnaire. Results: Data on weight development, energy expenditure, physical activity patterns and nutritional habits were obtained for 105 patients over a six-month period from an initial cohort of 160 outpatients aiming at weight loss. Mean weight loss was −1.5 ± 7.0 kg (p = 0.028). Patients with weight maintenance (n = 75), with substantial weight loss (>5% body weight, n = 20) and with substantial weight gain (>5% body weight, n = 10) did not differ in regard to changes of body weight adjusted energy expenditure components (total energy expenditure: −0.2 kcal/kg/day; non-exercise activity thermogenesis: −0.3 kcal/kg/day; exercise-related activity thermogenesis (EAT): −0.2 kcal/kg/day) or patterns of physical activity (duration of EAT: −2 min/day; steps/day: −156; metabolic equivalent unchanged) measured objectively with a portable armband device. Self-reported consumption frequency of unfavorable food decreased significantly (p = 0.019) over the six-month period. Conclusions: An increase in energy expenditure or changes of physical activity patterns (objectively assessed with a portable armband device) are not employed by obese subjects to achieve self-directed weight loss. However, modified nutritional habits could be detected with the use of a food frequency questionnaire.
ALOS/PALSAR InSAR Time-Series Analysis for Detecting Very Slow-Moving Landslides in Southern Kyrgyzstan
Authors: Teshebaeva Kanayim , Roessner Sigrid , Echtler Helmut , Motagh Mahdi , Wetzel Hans-Ulrich , Molodbekov Bolot
Published: July 2015

This study focuses on evaluating the potential of ALOS/PALSAR time-series data to analyze the activation of deep-seated landslides in the foothill zone of the high mountain Alai range in the southern Tien Shan (Kyrgyzstan). Most previous field-based landslide investigations have revealed that many landslides have indicators for ongoing slow movements in the form of migrating and newly developing cracks. L-band ALOS/PALSAR data for the period between 2007 and 2010 are available for the 484 km2 area in this study. We analyzed these data using the Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) time-series technique to assess the surface deformation related to the activation of landslides. We observed up to ±17 mm/year of LOS velocity deformation rates, which were projected along the local steepest slope and resulted in velocity rates of up to −63 mm/year. The obtained rates indicate very slow movement of the deep-seated landslides during the observation time. We also compared these movements with precipitation and earthquake records. The results suggest that the deformation peaks correlate with rainfall in the 3 preceding months and with an earthquake event. Overall, the results of this study indicated the great potential of L-band InSAR time series analysis for efficient spatiotemporal identification and monitoring of slope activations in this region of high landslide activity in Southern Kyrgyzstan.
Stimulating the Comfort of Textile Electrodes in Wearable Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation
Authors: Zhou Hui , Lu Yi , Chen Wanzhen , Wu Zhen , Zou Haiqing , Krundel Ludovic , Li Guanglin
Published: July 2015

Textile electrodes are becoming an attractive means in the facilitation of surface electrical stimulation. However, the stimulation comfort of textile electrodes and the mechanism behind stimulation discomfort is still unknown. In this study, a textile stimulation electrode was developed using conductive fabrics and then its impedance spectroscopy, stimulation thresholds, and stimulation comfort were quantitatively assessed and compared with those of a wet textile electrode and a hydrogel electrode on healthy subjects. The equivalent circuit models and the finite element models of different types of electrode were built based on the measured impedance data of the electrodes to reveal the possible mechanism of electrical stimulation pain. Our results showed that the wet textile electrode could achieve similar stimulation performance as the hydrogel electrode in motor threshold and stimulation comfort. However, the dry textile electrode was found to have very low pain threshold and induced obvious cutaneous painful sensations during stimulation, in comparison to the wet and hydrogel electrodes. Indeed, the finite element modeling results showed that the activation function along the z direction at the depth of dermis epidermis junction of the dry textile electrode was significantly larger than that of the wet and hydrogel electrodes, thus resulting in stronger activation of pain sensing fibers. Future work will be done to make textile electrodes have similar stimulation performance and comfort as hydrogel electrodes.
VisitSense: Sensing Place Visit Patterns from Ambient Radio on Smartphones for Targeted Mobile Ads in Shopping Malls
Authors: Kim Byoungjip , Kang Seungwoo , Ha Jin-Young , Song Junehwa
Published: July 2015

In this paper, we introduce a novel smartphone framework called VisitSense that automatically detects and predicts a smartphone user’s place visits from ambient radio to enable behavioral targeting for mobile ads in large shopping malls. VisitSense enables mobile app developers to adopt visit-pattern-aware mobile advertising for shopping mall visitors in their apps. It also benefits mobile users by allowing them to receive highly relevant mobile ads that are aware of their place visit patterns in shopping malls. To achieve the goal, VisitSense employs accurate visit detection and prediction methods. For accurate visit detection, we develop a change-based detection method to take into consideration the stability change of ambient radio and the mobility change of users. It performs well in large shopping malls where ambient radio is quite noisy and causes existing algorithms to easily fail. In addition, we proposed a causality-based visit prediction model to capture the causality in the sequential visit patterns for effective prediction. We have developed a VisitSense prototype system, and a visit-pattern-aware mobile advertising application that is based on it. Furthermore, we deploy the system in the COEX Mall, one of the largest shopping malls in Korea, and conduct diverse experiments to show the effectiveness of VisitSense.
Design of a High-Performance Micro Integrated Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensor Based on Silicon-On-Insulator Rib Waveguide Array
Authors: Yuan Dengpeng , Dong Ying , Liu Yujin , Li Tianjian
Published: July 2015

Based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) rib waveguide with large cross-section, a micro integrated surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biochemical sensor platform is proposed. SPR is excited at the deeply etched facet of the bend waveguide by the guiding mode and a bimetallic configuration is employed. With the advantages of SOI rib waveguide and the silicon microfabrication technology, an array of the SPR sensors can be composed to implement wavelength interrogation of the sensors’ output signal, so the spectrometer or other bulky and expensive equipment are not necessary, which enables the SPR sensor to realize the miniaturization and integration of the entire sensing system. The performances of the SPR sensor element are verified by using the two-dimensional finite-different time-domain method. The parameters of the sensor element and the array are optimized for the achievement of high performance for biochemical sensing application. As a typical example, a single bimetallic SPR sensor with 3 nm Au over 32 nm Al possesses a high sensitivity of 3.968 × 104 nm/RIU, a detection-accuracy of 14.7 μm−1. For a uniparted SPR sensor, it can achieve a detection limit of 5.04 × 10−7 RIU. With the relative power measurement accuracy of 0.01 dB, the refractive index variation of 1.14 × 10−5 RIU can be detected by the SPR sensor array.
Prioritizing Climate Change Adaptations in Canadian Arctic Communities
Authors: Champalle Clara , Ford James , Sherman Mya
Published: July 2015

Arctic regions are experiencing the most rapid climate change globally and adaptation has been identified as a priority across scales. Anticipatory planning to adapt to the impacts of climate change usually follows a number of steps: assess current and future vulnerability, identify potential adaptations, prioritize options, implement prioritized options, and monitor and evaluate implementation. While most of these steps are well documented, there has been limited examination of the process of adaptation prioritization in Arctic communities. In this paper, we build upon existing tools and propose a framework for prioritizing adaptation options and guiding decision-making for implementation in Arctic regions. Using four adaptation performance criteria (timescale, equity, sustainability and total costs) to evaluate options through a multi-criteria decision analysis coupled with a network centric approach, our Adaptation Prioritization Framework promotes a participatory approach for adaptation prioritization and planning. We illustrate application of the framework using a hypothetical example from the territory of Nunavut in the Canadian Arctic.