bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abordaje de problemas de salud pública desde la responsabilidad social empresarial
Authors: Rincón Meléndez Magda Liliana
Published: July 2016

Histórica y teóricamente se ha planteado que la responsabilidad social empresarial debe tener un impacto social. Sin embargo, se observa que la tendencia de los programas de responsabilidad empresarial de muchas organizaciones, se orienta a desarrollar acciones que mejoren su reputación ante la sociedad, cuando deberían centrarse en la generación de políticas público-privadas para el bienestar de la población. Este trabajo pretende conocer la forma en que los programas de responsabilidad social empresarial de tres empresas privadas vienen abordando las problemáticas de salud pública, con el in de evidenciar si existen estrategias claras que permitan incidir de forma positiva en la solución de estos problemas. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, de carácter cualitativo y documental. La muestra fue por conveniencia, en donde se incluyeron tres empresas del sector privado ubicadas en Bogotá, que para el periodo 2010-2012 contaban con información documental virtual publicada, de libre acceso, relacionada con los objetivos, acciones y estrategias en responsabilidad social empresarial. Las tres empresas estudiadas demuestran interés en generar un impacto positivo en la solución de problemas de salud pública desde sus programas de responsabilidad social empresarial, evidenciando estrategias y acciones de abordaje para cada una de las categorías de análisis deinidas, relacionadas con las funciones esenciales de salud pública y los objetivos de desarrollo. Es evidente la necesidad de generar líneas de investigación que fortalezcan el estudio del papel del sector privado en el mejoramiento de la salud pública, que indaguen por el desarrollo del tema en Colombia y en Latinoamérica, y que logren deinir nuevas vías de trabajo en el sector empresarial, para el beneicio tanto de la organización como de la sociedad.
Una experiencia de construcción del aprendizaje en la formación del profesorado
Authors: Souza Fátima Cruz
Published: July 2016

Lo que presentamos aquí es una experiencia donde venimos trabajando en la aplicación de metodologías activas y participativas en las asignaturas de “Psicología de la Educación y del Desarrollo” que impartimos en dos especialidades de Magisterio. La búsqueda permanente de conectar las teorías y la práctica educativa es el hilo conductor de las asignaturas y el protagonismo del alumnado en el proceso de enseñanza‐aprendizaje es la base de nuestro planteamiento metodológico. Asumimos con Bruner (2001), que el aprendizaje es un proceso interactivo en el que las personas aprenden unas de otras, y no apenas enseñando y “diciendo”, los individuos que están aprendiendo se ayudan a aprender, cada cual de acuerdo a sus habilidades.
Rural Villagers’ Quality of Life Improvement by Economic Self-reliance Practices and Trust in the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy
Authors: Janmaimool Piyapong , Denpaiboon Chaweewan
Published: July 2016

The concept of economic self-reliance, widely known by Thai people as the philosophy of sufficiency economy, has been widely promoted in rural Thai societies. By practicing this philosophy, it is expected that the citizens’ quality of life and local environments could be sustainably improved. This study aims to explore the contribution of the community practices of the sufficiency economy philosophy to rural villagers’ quality of life improvement, and to investigate potential factors that determine the trust of villagers in the philosophy. With the purpose to propose strategies which could enhance trust and promote villagers’ practices of the philosophy, the study investigated influences of three relevant factors on trust towards the philosophy. Those factors included factors related to cognitive-based trust, factors related to emotional-based trust, and factors related to demographic characteristics. Questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews with community leaders and local villagers were conducted in the Ban Jamrung community, in Thailand’s Rayong province. The results of the statistical analysis revealed that the residents who applied the sufficiency economy philosophy in their daily lives experienced a relatively better quality of life. Additionally, it was found that trust in the philosophy could be predicted more by rational factors than by emotional factors. These findings could be utilized to develop strategies to maintain and enhance the trust of the people in the philosophy of sufficiency economy.
Simulation of Boiling Process in a Nanochannel with 700000 Argon Particles by Molecular Dynamics
Authors: Etminan Amin , Toghraie Davood , Sharifian Ahmad , Harun Zambri
Published: July 2016

In this paper, the boiling flow inside a nanochannel with 700000 argon particle has been simulated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. This approach has been employed to analysis the superheated flow and its heat transfer pattern as well. For all simulations an external thrust force varying from 1 PN to 12 PN is exerted on inlet nanoparticles along the channel to have the forced annular boiling flow. Computations reveal that saturation condition and superheat degree have significant impacts on the liquid-vapor interface. Furthermore, because of the major influence of surface tension throughout a nanochannel, the x-velocity of liquid film and vapor core has not considerable fluctuations and stay smooth. All provided results show the behaviors completely similar to the available outcomes in the literature.
JVLA wideband polarimetry observations on a sample of high Rotation Measure sources.
Authors: Pasetto Alice , Carrasco-Gonzalez Carlos , O'Sullivan Shane , Basu Aritra , Bruni Gabriele , Kraus Alex , Mack Karl-Heinz
Published: July 2016

We present preliminary results of JVLA wideband full polarization observations of a sample of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) with very high Rotation Measure (RM) values, sign of extreme environment. The polarization properties show a complex behaviour with the polarization angle (PA) and the fractional polarization (fp) that dramatically change within the wideband. The measured RM is not constant within the wide band. Its complex behaviour reflects the complexity of the medium with the presence of several Faraday components. The depolarization have been studied, modeling the Stokes parameters Q and U together with the polarization parameters (PA and fp) with wavelength by applying combinations of the simplest existing depolarisation models. With this JVLA study we could spectrally resolve multiple polarized components of unresolved AGN. These preliminary results reveal the complexity of these objects, still improvements have to be done on the depolairzation modeling to better understand the polarization structure of these sources.
Comparative risk of hip fractures in elderly nursing home patients with depression using paroxetine and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
Authors: Bali Vishal , Chatterjee Satabdi , Johnson Michael L , Chen Hua , Carnahan Ryan M , Aparasu Rajender R
Published: July 2016

Aim:
To evaluate comparative safety of paroxetine and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for the risk of hip fractures.
Patients & methods:
A propensity score-matched retrospective cohort study was conducted using 2007–2010 Minimum Data Set linked Medicare data. Robust Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the risk of hip fractures in depressed elderly nursing home residents.
Results:
Cox analysis did not find any significant difference in the risk of hip fractures for the paroxetine users (hazard ratio: 1.09; 95% CI: 0.91–1.32) when compared with other SSRIs. Results from the sensitivity analysis supported the main findings.
Conclusion:
There was no differential risk of hip fractures between paroxetine and other SSRIs. Future studies are needed to evaluate other anticholinergic effects of paroxetine.
Biological aspects of application of nanomaterials in tissue engineering
Authors: Markovic Dejan , Karadzic Ivana , Jokanovic Vukoman , Vukovic Ana , Vucic Vesna
Published: July 2016

Millions of patients worldwide need surgery to repair or replace tissue that
has been damaged through trauma or disease. To solve the problem of lost
tissue, a major emphasis of tissue engineering (TE) is on tissue
regeneration. Stem cells and highly porous biomaterials used as cell carriers
(scaffolds) have an essential role in the production of new tissue by TE.
Cellular component is important for the generation and establishment of the
extracellular matrix, while a scaffold is necessary to determine the shape of
the newly formed tissue and facilitate migration of cells into the desired
location, as well as their growth and differentiation. This review describes
the types, characteristics and classification of stem cells. Furthermore, it
includes functional features of cell carriers - biocompatibility,
biodegradability and mechanical properties of biomaterials used in developing
state-of-the-art scaffolds for TE applications, as well as suitability for
different tissues. Moreover, it explains the importance of nanotechnology and
defines the challenges and the purpose of future research in this rapidly
advancing field.
Conference Proceedings: Public Health Foundation Day 2014
Authors: Majumder Md Anwarul Azim
Published: July 2016

Abstract not availableSouth East Asia Journal of Public Health Vol.5(1) 2015: 55-87
Evaluation of Temperature and Humidity Profiles of Unified Model and ECMWF Analyses Using GRUAN Radiosonde Observations
Authors: Noh Young-Chan , Sohn Byung-Ju , Kim Yoonjae , Joo Sangwon , Bell William
Published: July 2016

Temperature and water vapor profiles from the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) and the United Kingdom Met Office (UKMO) Unified Model (UM) data assimilation systems and from reanalysis fields from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) were assessed using collocated radiosonde observations from the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) Reference Upper-Air Network (GRUAN) for January–December 2012. The motivation was to examine the overall performance of data assimilation outputs. The difference statistics of the collocated model outputs versus the radiosonde observations indicated a good agreement for the temperature, amongst datasets, while less agreement was found for the relative humidity. A comparison of the UM outputs from the UKMO and KMA revealed that they are similar to each other. The introduction of the new version of UM into the KMA in May 2012 resulted in an improved analysis performance, particularly for the moisture field. On the other hand, ECMWF reanalysis data showed slightly reduced performance for relative humidity compared with the UM, with a significant humid bias in the upper troposphere. ECMWF reanalysis temperature fields showed nearly the same performance as the two UM analyses. The root mean square differences (RMSDs) of the relative humidity for the three models were larger for more humid conditions, suggesting that humidity forecasts are less reliable under these conditions.
Aptasensors Based on Whispering Gallery Mode Resonators
Authors: Nunzi Conti Gualtiero , Berneschi Simome , Soria Silvia
Published: July 2016

In this paper, we review the literature on optical evanescent field sensing in resonant cavities where aptamers are used as biochemical receptors. The combined advantages of highly sensitive whispering gallery mode resonator (WGMR)-based transducers, and of the unique properties of aptamers make this approach extremely interesting in the medical field, where there is a particularly high need for devices able to provide real time diagnosis for cancer, infectious diseases, or strokes. However, despite the superior performances of aptamers compared to antibodies and WGMR to other evanescent sensors, there is not much literature combining both types of receptors and transducers. Up to now, the WGMR that have been used are silica microspheres and silicon oxynitride (SiON) ring resonators.
Flexible Molybdenum Electrodes towards Designing Affinity Based Protein Biosensors
Authors: Kamakoti Vikramshankar , Panneer Selvam Anjan , Radha Shanmugam Nandhinee , Muthukumar Sriram , Prasad Shalini
Published: July 2016

Molybdenum electrode based flexible biosensor on porous polyamide substrates has been fabricated and tested for its functionality as a protein affinity based biosensor. The biosensor performance was evaluated using a key cardiac biomarker; cardiac Troponin-I (cTnI). Molybdenum is a transition metal and demonstrates electrochemical behavior upon interaction with an electrolyte. We have leveraged this property of molybdenum for designing an affinity based biosensor using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. We have evaluated the feasibility of detection of cTnI in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and human serum (HS) by measuring impedance changes over a frequency window from 100 mHz to 1 MHz. Increasing changes to the measured impedance was correlated to the increased dose of cTnI molecules binding to the cTnI antibody functionalized molybdenum surface. We achieved cTnI detection limit of 10 pg/mL in PBS and 1 ng/mL in HS medium. The use of flexible substrates for designing the biosensor demonstrates promise for integration with a large-scale batch manufacturing process.
The Role of Proteomics in Biomarker Development for Improved Patient Diagnosis and Clinical Decision Making in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Tonry Claire , Leacy Emma , Raso Cinzia , Finn Stephen , Armstrong John , Pennington Stephen
Published: July 2016

Prostate Cancer (PCa) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men worldwide. Although increased expression of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is an effective indicator for the recurrence of PCa, its intended use as a screening marker for PCa is of considerable controversy. Recent research efforts in the field of PCa biomarkers have focused on the identification of tissue and fluid-based biomarkers that would be better able to stratify those individuals diagnosed with PCa who (i) might best receive no treatment (active surveillance of the disease); (ii) would benefit from existing treatments; or (iii) those who are likely to succumb to disease recurrence and/or have aggressive disease. The growing demand for better prostate cancer biomarkers has coincided with the development of improved discovery and evaluation technologies for multiplexed measurement of proteins in bio-fluids and tissues. This review aims to (i) provide an overview of these technologies as well as describe some of the candidate PCa protein biomarkers that have been discovered using them; (ii) address some of the general limitations in the clinical evaluation and validation of protein biomarkers; and (iii) make recommendations for strategies that could be adopted to improve the successful development of protein biomarkers to deliver improvements in personalized PCa patient decision making.
Comparative Life Cycle Cost Analysis of Hardening Options for Critical Loads
Authors: Park Sungmin , Park Sung-Yeul , Zhang Peng , Luh Peter , Rakotomavo Michel , Serna Camilo
Published: July 2016

In order to determine the most cost effective alternative among hardening options of power systems, the direct monetary benefits should be evaluated above all other things. Therefore, this paper presents a life-cycle cost model which describes total monetary costs experienced in annual time increments during the project with consideration for the time value of money. In addition, to minimize the risks associated with estimated cost errors due to uncertainties of input data, the stochastic input data are considered. Using the Monte Carlo method, the probabilities and cost ranges in the case studies can be predicted, in turn resulting in better decisions in the selection of hardening options which are cost effective.
Second-Log Branching in Multiaged Redwood and Douglas-Fir: Influence of Stand, Site, and Silviculture
Authors: Kirk Christopher , Berrill John-Pascal
Published: July 2016

We studied branching in Sequoia sempervirens (Lamb. ex D. Don) Endl. (coast redwood) and Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. menziesii (coast Douglas-fir) because of their commercial value to coastal northern California. We focused on branching in the second log, which constitutes an important part of a tree’s wood volume and potential value. We quantified branch size and branch growth of overstory trees in multiaged stands in Mendocino County, California, in response to topographic, silvicultural, and stand- and tree-related variables. Higher stand density—a measure of competition averaged across the sample plot—did not correlate with size of the largest second-log branch measured but was associated with a smaller average diameter of the largest branches measured on all sides of the study tree. The largest branch measured was smaller when in closer proximity to branches of its immediate neighbor tree. Redwood had larger branches than Douglas-fir but their size was more sensitive to an ecological gradient of soil-moisture deficit. Branches responded differently to individual tree selection harvest of conifers versus herbicide control of hardwoods. Residual conifer branches in harvested plots responded almost immediately with increased growth, but this release was short-lived. Branches in herbicide-treated plots exhibited a delayed release, giving more consistent branch growth throughout two five-year measurement periods after treatment.
Motor Vehicle Collision Involvement among Persons with Hemianopia and Quadrantanopia
Authors: McGwin Jr. Gerald , Wood Joanne , Huisingh Carrie , Owsley Cynthia
Published: July 2016

Persons with homonymous quadrantanopia and hemianopia experience driving restrictions, yet there is little scientific evidence to support driving prohibition among persons with these conditions. This retrospective cohort study compares motor vehicle collision (MVC) rates among 27 current licensed drivers with hemianopic and quadrantanopic field defects, who were ≥6 months from the brain injury date with that of 27 age-matched drivers with normal visual fields. Information regarding all police-reported MVCs that occurred over a period of nine years was obtained. MVC rates per year and per mile travelled were calculated and compared using conditional Poisson regression. Drivers with hemianopia or quadrantanopia had more MVCs per mile driven compared to drivers with normal visual fields; specifically their overall MVC rate was 2.45-times (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.89–3.95) higher and their at-fault MVC rate was 2.64-times (95% CI 1.03–6.80) higher. This study indicates that drivers with hemianopia or quadrantanopia have elevated MVC rates. This is consistent with previous research despite studies showing wide individual variability from excellent to poor driving skills. Future research should focus on the functional and driving performance characteristics associated with superior driving skills and/or those that may be amenable to improvement via behavioral and/or engineering interventions.
New Polyketides and New Benzoic Acid Derivatives from the Marine Sponge-Associated Fungus Neosartorya quadricincta KUFA 0081
Authors: Prompanya Chadaporn , Dethoup Tida , Gales Luís , Lee Michael , Pereira José , Silva Artur , Pinto Madalena , Kijjoa Anake
Published: July 2016

Two new pentaketides, including a new benzofuran-1-one derivative (1) and a new isochromen-1-one (5), and seven new benzoic acid derivatives, including two new benzopyran derivatives (2a, b), a new benzoxepine derivative (3), two new chromen-4-one derivatives (4b, 7) and two new benzofuran derivatives (6a, b), were isolated, together with the previously reported 2,3-dihydro-6-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one (4a), from the culture of the marine sponge-associated fungus Neosartorya quadricincta KUFA 0081. The structures of the new compounds were established based on 1D and 2D NMR spectral analysis, and in the case of compounds 1, 2a, 4b, 5, 6a and 7, the absolute configurations of their stereogenic carbons were determined by an X-ray crystallographic analysis. None of the isolated compounds were active in the tests for antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as multidrug-resistant isolates from the environment (MIC > 256 μg/mL), antifungal activity against yeast (Candida albicans ATTC 10231), filamentous fungus (Aspergillus fumigatus ATTC 46645) and dermatophyte (Trichophyton rubrum FF5) (MIC > 512 µg/mL) and in vitro growth inhibitory activity against the MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), NCI-H460 (non-small cell lung cancer) and A375-C5 (melanoma) cell lines (GI50 > 150 µM) by the protein binding dye SRB method.
Lead Discovery of Type II BRAF V600E Inhibitors Targeting the Structurally Validated DFG-Out Conformation Based upon Selected Fragments
Authors: Zhang Qingwen , Zhang Xuejin , You Qidong
Published: July 2016

The success of the first approved kinase inhibitor imatinib has spurred great interest in the development of type II inhibitors targeting the inactive DFG-out conformation, wherein the Phe of the DFG motif at the start of the activation loop points into the ATP binding site. Nevertheless, kinase inhibitors launched so far are heavily biased toward type I inhibitors targeting the active DFG-in conformation, wherein the Phe of the DFG motif flips by approximately 180° relative to the inactive conformation, resulting in Phe and Asp swapping their positions. Data recently obtained with structurally validated type II inhibitors supported the conclusion that type II inhibitors are more selective than type I inhibitors. In our type II BRAF V600E inhibitor lead discovery effort, we identified phenylaminopyrimidine (PAP) and unsymmetrically disubstituted urea as two fragments that are frequently presented in FDA-approved protein kinase inhibitors. We therefore defined PAP and unsymmetrically disubstituted urea as privileged fragments for kinase drug discovery. A pharmacophore for type II inhibitors, 4-phenylaminopyrimidine urea (4-PAPU), was assembled based upon these privileged fragments. Lead compound SI-046 with BRAF V600E inhibitory activity comparable to the template compound sorafenib was in turn obtained through preliminary structure–activity relationship (SAR) study. Molecular docking suggested that SI-046 is a bona fide type II kinase inhibitor binding to the structurally validated “classical DFG-out” conformation of BRAF V600E. Our privileged fragments-based approach was shown to efficiently deliver a bona fide type II kinase inhibitor lead. In essence, the theme of this article is to showcase the strategy and rationale of our approach.
Evaluation of the Antidepressant Activity, Hepatotoxicity and Blood Brain Barrier Permeability of Methyl Genipin
Authors: Che Xin , Wang Meiyu , Wang Tian , Fan Huaying , Yang Mingyan , Wang Wenyan , Xu Hui
Published: July 2016

Geniposide (GE) is the main bioactive component of Gardeniae Fructus. The hepatotoxicity of geniposide limited clinical application. In order to get a new geniposide derivative that has less hepatotoxicity and still possesses the antidepressant activity, a new C-1 hydroxyl methylation derivative named methyl genipin (MG) was synthesized from geniposide. In the present study, we demonstrated that MG did not increase the liver index, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspirate aminotransferase (AST). Histopathological examination suggested that no toxic damages were observed in rats treated orally with MG (0.72 mmol/kg). More importantly, a 7-day treatment with MG at 0.13, 0.26, and 0.52 mmol/kg/day could reduce the duration of immobility. It showed that the antidepressant-like effects of MG were similar to GE in the tail suspension test and the forced swim test. Furthermore, we found MG could be detected in the brain homogenate of mice treated orally with MG 0.52 mmol/kg/day for 1 day by HPLC. The area under the curve (AUC) of MG in the brain homogenate was enhanced to 21.7 times that of GE. The brain amount and distribution speed of MG were improved significantly after oral administration. This study demonstrated that MG possessed the antidepressant effects and could cross the blood–brain barrier, but had less hepatotoxicity.
Computational Approaches for the Discovery of Human Proteasome Inhibitors: An Overview
Authors: Guedes Romina , Serra Patrícia , Salvador Jorge , Guedes Rita
Published: July 2016

Proteasome emerged as an important target in recent pharmacological research due to its pivotal role in degrading proteins in the cytoplasm and nucleus of eukaryotic cells, regulating a wide variety of cellular pathways, including cell growth and proliferation, apoptosis, DNA repair, transcription, immune response, and signaling processes. The last two decades witnessed intensive efforts to discover 20S proteasome inhibitors with significant chemical diversity and efficacy. To date, the US FDA approved to market three proteasome inhibitors: bortezomib, carfilzomib, and ixazomib. However new, safer and more efficient drugs are still required. Computer-aided drug discovery has long being used in drug discovery campaigns targeting the human proteasome. The aim of this review is to illustrate selected in silico methods like homology modeling, molecular docking, pharmacophore modeling, virtual screening, and combined methods that have been used in proteasome inhibitors discovery. Applications of these methods to proteasome inhibitors discovery will also be presented and discussed to raise improvements in this particular field.
Curcumin AntiCancer Studies in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Bimonte Sabrina , Barbieri Antonio , Leongito Maddalena , Piccirillo Mauro , Giudice Aldo , Pivonello Claudia , De Angelis Cristina , Granata Vincenza , Palaia Raffaele , Izzo Francesco
Published: July 2016

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide. Surgical resection remains the only curative therapeutic treatment for this disease, although only the minority of patients can be resected due to late diagnosis. Systemic gemcitabine-based chemotherapy plus nab-paclitaxel are used as the gold-standard therapy for patients with advanced PC; although this treatment is associated with a better overall survival compared to the old treatment, many side effects and poor results are still present. Therefore, new alternative therapies have been considered for treatment of advanced PC. Several preclinical studies have demonstrated that curcumin, a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound, has anticancer effects against different types of cancer, including PC, by modulating many molecular targets. Regarding PC, in vitro studies have shown potent cytotoxic effects of curcumin on different PC cell lines including MiaPaCa-2, Panc-1, AsPC-1, and BxPC-3. In addition, in vivo studies on PC models have shown that the anti-proliferative effects of curcumin are caused by the inhibition of oxidative stress and angiogenesis and are due to the induction of apoptosis. On the basis of these results, several researchers tested the anticancer effects of curcumin in clinical trials, trying to overcome the poor bioavailability of this agent by developing new bioavailable forms of curcumin. In this article, we review the results of pre-clinical and clinical studies on the effects of curcumin in the treatment of PC.
A Simple Analytical Model for Predicting the Collapsed State of Self-Attractive Semiflexible Polymers
Authors: Huang Wenjun , Huang Ming , Lei Qi , Larson Ronald
Published: July 2016

We develop an analytical model to predict the collapse conformation for a single semiflexible polymer chain in solution, given its length, diameter, stiffness, and self-attractiveness. We construct conformational phase diagrams containing three collapsed states, namely torus, bundle, and globule over a range of dimensionless ratios of the three energy parameters, namely solvent-water surface energy ( γ s ), energy of bundle end folds ( γ e ), and bending energy per unit length in a torus ( γ b ). Our phase diagram captures the general phase behavior of a single long chain (>10 Kuhn lengths) at moderately high (order unity) dimensionless temperature, which is the ratio of thermal energy to the attractive interaction between neighboring monomers. We find that the phase behavior approaches an asymptotic limit when the dimensionless chain length to diameter ratio (L*) exceeds 300. We successfully validate our analytical results with Brownian Dynamics (BD) simulations, using a mapping of the simulation parameters to those used in the phase diagram. We evaluate the effect of three different bending potentials in the range of moderately high dimensionless temperature, a regime not been previously explored by simulations, and find qualitative agreement between the model and simulation results. We, thus, demonstrate that a rather simplified analytical model can be used to qualitatively predict the final collapsed state of a given polymer chain.
Low Density Nanocellular Polymers Based on PMMA Produced by Gas Dissolution Foaming: Fabrication and Cellular Structure Characterization
Authors: Martín-de León Judith , Bernardo Victoria , Rodríguez-Pérez Miguel
Published: July 2016

This paper describes the processing conditions needed to produce low density nanocellular polymers based on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) with relative densities between 0.45 and 0.25, cell sizes between 200 and 250 nm and cell densities higher than 1014 cells/cm3. To produce these nanocellular polymers, the foaming parameters of the gas dissolution foaming technique using CO2 as blowing agent have been optimized. Taking into account previous works, the amount of CO2 uptake was maintained constant (31% by weight) for all the materials. Foaming parameters were modified between 40 °C and 110 °C for the foaming temperature and from 1 to 5 min for the foaming time. Foaming temperatures in the range of 80 to 100 °C and foaming times of 2 min allow for production of nanocellular polymers with relative densities as low as 0.25. Cellular structure has been studied in-depth to obtain the processing-cellular structure relationship. In addition, it has been proved that the glass transition temperature depends on the cellular structure. This effect is associated with a confinement of the polymer in the cell walls, and is one of the key reasons for the improved properties of nanocellular polymers.
Intergenerational Transmission of Religious Giving: Instilling Giving Habits across the Life Course
Authors: Herzog Patricia , Mitchell Scott
Published: July 2016

This paper investigates the research question: How do religious youth learn to give? While it is likely that youth learn religious financial giving from a variety of different sources, this investigation focuses primarily on how parents teach giving to their children. Supplementary data are also analyzed on the frequency in which youth hear extra-familial calls to give within their religious congregations. In focusing on parental transmission, the analysis identifies a number of approaches that parents report using to teach their children religious financial giving. It also investigates thoughts and feelings about religious financial giving by the children of these parents as a means of assessing the potential impacts of parental methods. Additionally, congregation member reflections on how they learned to give provide insights on giving as a process that develops across the life course, often instilled in childhood, but not appearing behaviorally until adulthood. As such, this paper contributes to a life course understanding of religious giving and has implications for giving across generations.
Portable Wind Energy Harvesters for Low-Power Applications: A Survey
Authors: Nabavi Seyedfakhreddin , Zhang Lihong
Published: July 2016

Energy harvesting has become an increasingly important topic thanks to the advantages in renewability and environmental friendliness. In this paper, a comprehensive study on contemporary portable wind energy harvesters has been conducted. The electrical power generation methods of portable wind energy harvesters are surveyed in three major groups, piezoelectric-, electromagnetic-, and electrostatic-based generators. The paper also takes another view of this area by gauging the required mechanisms for trapping wind flow from ambient environment. In this regard, rotational and aeroelastic mechanisms are analyzed for the portable wind energy harvesting devices. The comparison between both mechanisms shows that the aeroelastic mechanism has promising potential in producing an energy harvester in smaller scale although how to maintain the resonator perpendicular to wind flow for collecting the maximum vibration is still a major challenge to overcome for this mechanism. Furthermore, this paper categorizes the previously published portable wind energy harvesters to macro and micro scales in terms of their physical dimensions. The power management systems are also surveyed to explore the possibility of improving energy conversion efficiency. Finally some insights and research trends are pointed out based on an overall analysis of the previously published works along the historical timeline.
The Joint Adaptive Kalman Filter (JAKF) for Vehicle Motion State Estimation
Authors: Gao Siwei , Liu Yanheng , Wang Jian , Deng Weiwen , Oh Heekuck
Published: July 2016

This paper proposes a multi-sensory Joint Adaptive Kalman Filter (JAKF) through extending innovation-based adaptive estimation (IAE) to estimate the motion state of the moving vehicles ahead. JAKF views Lidar and Radar data as the source of the local filters, which aims to adaptively adjust the measurement noise variance-covariance (V-C) matrix ‘R’ and the system noise V-C matrix ‘Q’. Then, the global filter uses R to calculate the information allocation factor ‘β’ for data fusion. Finally, the global filter completes optimal data fusion and feeds back to the local filters to improve the measurement accuracy of the local filters. Extensive simulation and experimental results show that the JAKF has better adaptive ability and fault tolerance. JAKF enables one to bridge the gap of the accuracy difference of various sensors to improve the integral filtering effectivity. If any sensor breaks down, the filtered results of JAKF still can maintain a stable convergence rate. Moreover, the JAKF outperforms the conventional Kalman filter (CKF) and the innovation-based adaptive Kalman filter (IAKF) with respect to the accuracy of displacement, velocity, and acceleration, respectively.
Changes in Erosion and Runoff due to Replacement of Pasture Land with Sugarcane Crops
Authors: Youlton Cristian , Wendland Edson , Anache Jamil , Poblete-Echeverría Carlos , Dabney Seth
Published: July 2016

The planting of sugarcane crops has expanded in the last decade in the southeast of Brazil, mainly due to its use for biofuel production, such as ethanol. This expansion in the State of São Paulo has occupied land that was previously used for cattle production. The change in land use affects soil and water through changes in ground cover and disturbance associated with farming practices. The objective of the following study was to determine the impact on runoff and erosion resulting from the conversion of pastureland to sugarcane for biofuel production. Erosion plots measuring 100 m2 were built on a farm in Itirapina-SP, Brazil, on land with a slope gradient of 9% and soil composed of Quartz-sand Neosols (Typic quartzipsaments). The treatments were an 18-year old pasture and a new sugarcane plantation, with three replicates for each. After each rainfall episode, erosion and runoff were monitored during the first and second years after sugarcane was planted. The results show increased runoff and soil loss during the first year, though levels decreased in the second year when the sugarcane residue mulch ground cover increased. In addition, the necessary rainfall characteristics (e.g., intensity, duration) required to produce runoff and soil erosion were identified.
Generalized Linear Models to Identify Key Hydromorphological and Chemical Variables Determining the Occurrence of Macroinvertebrates in the Guayas River Basin (Ecuador)
Authors: Damanik-Ambarita Minar , Everaert Gert , Forio Marie , Nguyen Thi , Lock Koen , Musonge Peace , Suhareva Natalija , Dominguez-Granda Luis , Bennetsen Elina , Boets Pieter , Goethals Peter
Published: July 2016

The biotic integrity of the Guayas River basin in Ecuador is at environmental risk due to extensive anthropogenic activities. We investigated the potential impacts of hydromorphological and chemical variables on biotic integrity using macroinvertebrate-based bioassessments. The bioassessment methods utilized included the Biological Monitoring Working Party adapted for Colombia (BMWP-Col) and the average score per taxon (ASPT), via an extensive sampling campaign that was completed throughout the river basin at 120 sampling sites. The BMWP-Col classification ranged from very bad to good, and from probable severe pollution to clean water based on the ASPT scores. Generalized linear models (GLMs) and sensitivity analysis were used to relate the bioassessment index to hydromorphological and chemical variables. It was found that elevation, nitrate-N, sediment angularity, logs, presence of macrophytes, flow velocity, turbidity, bank shape, land use and chlorophyll were the key environmental variables affecting the BMWP-Col. From the analyses, it was observed that the rivers at the upstream higher elevations of the river basin were in better condition compared to lowland systems and that a higher flow velocity was linked to a better BMWP-Col score. The nitrate concentrations were very low in the entire river basin and did not relate to a negative impact on the macroinvertebrate communities. Although the results of the models provided insights into the ecosystem, cross fold model development and validation also showed that there was a level of uncertainty in the outcomes. However, the results of the models and sensitivity analysis can support water management actions to determine and focus on alterable variables, such as the land use at different elevations, monitoring of nitrate and chlorophyll concentrations, macrophyte presence, sediment transport and bank stability.
Beta-hydroxyphosphonate ribonucleoside analogues derived from 4-substituted-1,2,3-triazoles as IMP/GMP mimics: synthesis and biological evaluation
Authors: Nguyen Van Tai , Hospital Audrey , Lionne Corinne , Jordheim Lars P , Dumontet Charles , Périgaud Christian , Chaloin Laurent , Peyrottes Suzanne
Published: July 2016

A series of seventeen β-hydroxyphosphonate ribonucleoside analogues containing 4-substituted-1,2,3-triazoles was synthesized and fully characterized. Such compounds were designed as potential inhibitors of the cytosolic 5’-nucleotidase II (cN-II), an enzyme involved in the regulation of purine nucleotide pools. NMR and molecular modelling studies showed that a few derivatives adopted similar structural features to IMP or GMP. Five derivatives were identified as modest inhibitors with 53 to 64% of cN-II inhibition at 1 mM.
One-pot synthesis of tetracyclic fused imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines via a three-component reaction
Authors: Yang Bo , Tao Chuanye , Shao Taofeng , Gong Jianxian , Che Chao
Published: July 2016

A novel three-component reaction has been developed to assemble biologically and pharmaceutically important tetracyclic fused imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines in a one-pot fashion utilizing readily available 2-aminopyridines, isatins and isocyanides. The three-component coupling proceeds through the Groebke–Blackburn–Bienaymé reaction followed by a retro-aza-ene reaction and subsequent nucleophilic reaction of the in-situ generated imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines bearing an isocyanate functional group.
TRACKING THE DISTRIBUTION OF 26Al AND 60Fe DURING THE EARLY PHASES OF STAR AND DISK EVOLUTION
Authors: Kuffmeier Michael , Mogensen Troels Frostholm , Haugbølle Troels , Bizzarro Martin , Nordlund Åke
Published: July 2016

The short-lived 26Al and 60Fe radionuclides are synthesized and expelled into the interstellar medium by core-collapse supernova events. The solar system’s first solids, calcium–aluminum refractory inclusions (CAIs), contain evidence for the former presence of the 26 Al nuclide defining the canonical 26Al/27 Al ratio of

. A different class of objects temporally related to canonical CAIs are CAIs with fractionation and unidentified nuclear effects (FUN CAIs), which record a low initial 26Al/27Al of 10−6. The contrasting level of 26Al between these objects is often interpreted as reflecting the admixing of the 26Al nuclides during the early formative phase of the Sun. We use giant molecular cloud scale adaptive mesh-refinement numerical simulations to trace the abundance of 26Al and 60Fe in star-forming gas during the early stages of accretion of individual low-mass protostars. We find that the 26Al/27Al and 60Fe/56Fe ratios of accreting gas within a vicinity of 1000 au of the stars follow the predicted decay curves of the initial abundances at the time of star formation without evidence of spatial or temporal heterogeneities for the first 100 kyr of star formation. Therefore, the observed differences in 26Al/27Al ratios between FUN and canonical CAIs are likely not caused by admixing of supernova material during the early evolution of the proto-Sun. Selective thermal processing of dust grains is a more viable scenario to account for the heterogeneity in 26Al/27Al ratios at the time of solar system formation.
REVEALING A DETAILED MASS DISTRIBUTION OF A HIGH-DENSITY CORE MC27/L1521F IN TAURUS WITH ALMA
Authors: Tokuda Kazuki , Onishi Toshikazu , Matsumoto Tomoaki , Saigo Kazuya , Kawamura Akiko , Fukui Yasuo , Inutsuka Shu-ichiro , Machida Masahiro N. , Tomida Kengo , Tachihara Kengo , André Philippe
Published: July 2016

We present the results of ALMA observations of dust continuum emission and molecular rotational lines toward a dense core MC27 (aka L1521F) in Taurus, which is considered to be at a very early stage of star formation. The detailed column density distributions on size scales from a few tens to ∼10,000 AU are revealed by combining the ALMA (12 m array + 7 m array) data with the published/unpublished single-dish data. The high angular resolution observations at 0.87 mm with a synthesized beam size of ∼0.″74 × 0.″32 reveal that a protostellar source, MMS-1, is not spatially resolved and lacks associated gas emission, while a starless high-density core, MMS-2, has substructures in both dust and molecular emission. The averaged radial column density distribution of the inner part of MC27/L1521F (r ≲ 3000 AU) is

∼

, clearly flatter than that of the outer part, ∼

. The complex velocity/spatial structure obtained with previous ALMA observations is located inside the inner flatter region, which may reflect the dynamical status of the dense core.
STAR-FORMATION ACTIVITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF W–R 1503-160L STAR IN THE MID-INFRARED BUBBLE N46
Authors: Dewangan L. K. , Baug T. , Ojha D. K. , Janardhan P. , Ninan J. P. , Luna A. , Zinchenko I.
Published: July 2016

In order to investigate star-formation (SF) processes in extreme environments, we have carried out a multi-wavelength analysis of the mid-infrared bubble N46, which hosts a WN7 Wolf–Rayet (W–R) star. We have used 13CO line data to trace an expanding shell surrounding the W–R star containing about five condensations within the molecular cloud associated with the bubble. The W–R star is associated with a powerful stellar wind having a mechanical luminosity of ∼4 × 1037 erg s−1. A deviation of the H-band starlight mean polarization angles around the bubble has also been traced, indicating the impact of stellar wind on the surroundings. The Herschel temperature map shows a temperature range of ∼18–24 K toward the five molecular condensations. The photometric analysis reveals that these condensations are associated with the identified clusters of young stellar objects, revealing ongoing SF process. The densest among these five condensations (peak N(H2) ∼9.2 × 1022 cm−2 and A

V
∼ 98 mag) is associated with a 6.7 GHz methanol maser, an infrared dark cloud, and the CO outflow, tracing active massive SF within it. At least five compact radio sources (CRSs) are physically linked with the edges of the bubble, and each of them is consistent with the radio spectral class of a B0V–B0.5V-type star. The ages of the individual infrared counterparts of three CRSs (∼1–2 Myr) and a typical age of WN7 W–R star (∼4 Myr) indicate that the SF activities around the bubble are influenced by the feedback of the W–R star.
STAR FORMATION SUPPRESSION DUE TO JET FEEDBACK IN RADIO GALAXIES WITH SHOCKED WARM MOLECULAR GAS
Authors: Lanz Lauranne , Ogle Patrick M. , Alatalo Katherine , Appleton Philip N.
Published: July 2016

We present Herschel observations of 22 radio galaxies, selected for the presence of shocked, warm molecular hydrogen emission. We measured and modeled spectral energy distributions in 33 bands from the ultraviolet to the far-infrared to investigate the impact of jet feedback on star formation activity. These galaxies are massive, early-type galaxies with normal gas-to-dust ratios, covering a range of optical and infrared colors. We find that the star formation rate (SFR) is suppressed by a factor of ∼3–6, depending on how molecular gas mass is estimated. We suggest that this suppression is due to the shocks driven by the radio jets injecting turbulence into the interstellar medium (ISM), which also powers the luminous warm H2 line emission. Approximately 25% of the sample shows suppression by more than a factor of 10. However, the degree of SFR suppression does not correlate with indicators of jet feedback including jet power, diffuse X-ray emission, or intensity of warm molecular H2 emission, suggesting that while injected turbulence likely impacts star formation, the process is not purely parameterized by the amount of mechanical energy dissipated into the ISM. Radio galaxies with shocked warm molecular gas cover a wide range in SFR–stellar mass space, indicating that these galaxies are in a variety of evolutionary states, from actively star-forming and gas-rich to quiescent and gas-poor. SFR suppression appears to have the largest impact on the evolution of galaxies that are moderately gas-rich.
THE ROLE OF MAJOR GAS-RICH MERGERS ON THE EVOLUTION OF GALAXIES FROM THE BLUE CLOUD TO THE RED SEQUENCE
Authors: Guo Rui , Hao Cai-Na , Xia X. Y. , Mao Shude , Shi Yong
Published: July 2016

With the aim of exploring the fast evolutionary path from the blue cloud of star-forming galaxies to the red sequence of quiescent galaxies in the local universe, we select a local advanced merging infrared luminous and ultraluminous galaxy (adv-merger (U)LIRGs) sample and perform careful dust extinction corrections to investigate their positions in the star formation rate–M
*, u − r, and NUV − r color–mass diagrams. The sample consists of 89 (U)LIRGs at the late merger stage, obtained from cross-correlating the Infrared Astronomical Satellite Point Source Catalog Redshift Survey and 1 Jy ULIRGs samples with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR7 database. Our results show that

of adv-merger (U)LIRGs are localized above the 1σ line of the local star-forming galaxy main sequence. We also find that all adv-merger (U)LIRGs are more massive than and as blue as the blue cloud galaxies after corrections for Galactic and internal dust extinctions, with

and

of them outside the blue cloud on the u − r and NUV − r color–mass diagrams, respectively. These results, combined with the short timescale for exhausting the molecular gas reservoir in adv-merger (U)LIRGs (

to

years), imply that the adv-merger (U)LIRGs are likely at the starting point of the fast evolutionary track previously proposed by several groups. While the number density of adv-merger (U)LIRGs is only

of the blue cloud star-forming galaxies in the local universe, this evolutionary track may play a more important role at high redshift.