bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phaseolus acutifolius Lectin Fractions Exhibit Apoptotic Effects on Colon Cancer: Preclinical Studies Using Dimethilhydrazine or Azoxi-Methane as Cancer Induction Agents
Authors: Moreno-Celis Ulisses , López-Martínez Josué , Blanco-Labra Alejandro , Cervantes-Jiménez Ricardo , Estrada-Martínez Laura Elena , García-Pascalin Alejandro Eduardo , Guerrero-Carrillo María De Jesús , Rodríguez-Méndez Adriana Jheny , Mejía Carmen , Ferríz-Martínez Roberto Augusto , García-Gasca Teresa
Published: October 2017

Phaseolus acutifolius (Tepary bean) lectins have been studied as cytotoxic molecules on colon cancer cells. The toxicological profile of a Tepary bean lectin fraction (TBLF) has shown low toxicity in experimental animals; exhibiting anti-nutritional effects such as a reduction in body weight gain and a decrease in food intake when using a dose of 50 mg/kg on alternate days for six weeks. Taking this information into account, the focus of this work was to evaluate the effect of the TBLF on colon cancer using 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) or azoxy-methane/dextran sodium sulfate (AOM/DSS) as colon cancer inductors. Rats were treated with DMH or AOM/DSS and then administered with TBFL (50 mg/kg) for six weeks. TBLF significantly decreased early tumorigenesis triggered by DMH by 70%, but without any evidence of an apoptotic effect. In an independent experiment, AOM/DSS was used to generate aberrant cryptic foci, which decreased by 50% after TBLF treatment. TBLF exhibited antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects related to a decrease of the signal transduction pathway protein Akt in its activated form and an increase of caspase 3 activity, but not to p53 activation. Further studies will deepen our knowledge of specific apoptosis pathways and cellular stress processes such as oxidative damage.
Predictive QSAR Models for the Toxicity of Disinfection Byproducts
Authors: Qin Litang , Zhang Xin , Chen Yuhan , Mo Lingyun , Zeng Honghu , Liang Yanpeng
Published: October 2017

Several hundred disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water have been identified, and are known to have potentially adverse health effects. There are toxicological data gaps for most DBPs, and the predictive method may provide an effective way to address this. The development of an in-silico model of toxicology endpoints of DBPs is rarely studied. The main aim of the present study is to develop predictive quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) models for the reactive toxicities of 50 DBPs in the five bioassays of X-Microtox, GSH+, GSH−, DNA+ and DNA−. All-subset regression was used to select the optimal descriptors, and multiple linear-regression models were built. The developed QSAR models for five endpoints satisfied the internal and external validation criteria: coefficient of determination (R2) > 0.7, explained variance in leave-one-out prediction (Q2LOO) and in leave-many-out prediction (Q2LMO) > 0.6, variance explained in external prediction (Q2F1, Q2F2, and Q2F3) > 0.7, and concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) > 0.85. The application domains and the meaning of the selective descriptors for the QSAR models were discussed. The obtained QSAR models can be used in predicting the toxicities of the 50 DBPs.
Design, Synthesis and Antifungal Activity of Psoralen Derivatives
Authors: Yu Xiang , Wen Ya , Liang Chao-Gen , Liu Jia , Ding Yu-Bin , Zhang Wei-Hua
Published: October 2017

A series of linear furanocoumarins with different substituents have been designed and synthesized. Their structures were confirmed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy, high resolution mass spectra (EI-MS), IR, and X-ray single-crystal diffraction. All of the target compounds were evaluated in vitro for their antifungal activity against Rhizoctorzia solani, Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria solani, Gibberella zeae, Cucumber anthrax, and Alternaria leaf spot at 100 μg/mL, and some of the designed compounds exhibited potential antifungal activities. Compound 3a (67.9%) exhibited higher activity than the control Osthole (66.1%) against Botrytis cinerea. Furthermore, compound 4b (62.4%) represented equivalent antifungal activity as Osthole (69.5%) against Rhizoctonia solani. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) study demonstrates that linear furanocoumarin moiety has an important effect on the antifungal activity, promoting the idea of the coumarin ring as a framework that might be exploited in the future.
Systematic Identification of Machine-Learning Models Aimed to Classify Critical Residues for Protein Function from Protein Structure
Authors: Corral-Corral Ricardo , Beltrán Jesús , Brizuela Carlos , Del Rio Gabriel
Published: October 2017

Protein structure and protein function should be related, yet the nature of this relationship remains unsolved. Mapping the critical residues for protein function with protein structure features represents an opportunity to explore this relationship, yet two important limitations have precluded a proper analysis of the structure-function relationship of proteins: (i) the lack of a formal definition of what critical residues are and (ii) the lack of a systematic evaluation of methods and protein structure features. To address this problem, here we introduce an index to quantify the protein-function criticality of a residue based on experimental data and a strategy aimed to optimize both, descriptors of protein structure (physicochemical and centrality descriptors) and machine learning algorithms, to minimize the error in the classification of critical residues. We observed that both physicochemical and centrality descriptors of residues effectively relate protein structure and protein function, and that physicochemical descriptors better describe critical residues. We also show that critical residues are better classified when residue criticality is considered as a binary attribute (i.e., residues are considered critical or not critical). Using this binary annotation for critical residues 8 models rendered accurate and non-overlapping classification of critical residues, confirming the multi-factorial character of the structure-function relationship of proteins.
Exploring the Degradation of Ibuprofen by Bacillus thuringiensis B1(2015b): The New Pathway and Factors Affecting Degradation
Authors: Marchlewicz Ariel , Guzik Urszula , Smułek Wojciech , Wojcieszyńska Danuta
Published: October 2017

Ibuprofen is one of the most often detected pollutants in the environment, particularly at landfill sites and in wastewaters. Contamination with pharmaceuticals is often accompanied by the presence of other compounds which may influence their degradation. This work describes the new degradation pathway of ibuprofen by Bacillus thuringiensis B1(2015b), focusing on enzymes engaged in this process. It is known that the key intermediate which transformation limits the velocity of the degradation process is hydroxyibuprofen. As the degradation rate also depends on various factors, the influence of selected heavy metals and aromatic compounds on ibuprofen degradation by the B1(2015b) strain was examined. Based on the values of non-observed effect concentration (NOEC) it was found that the toxicity of tested metals increases from Hg(II) < Cu(II) < Cd(II) < Co(II) < Cr(VI). Despite the toxic effect of metals, the biodegradation of ibuprofen was observed. The addition of Co2+ ions into the medium significantly extended the time necessary for the complete removal of ibuprofen. It was shown that Bacillus thuringiensis B1(2015b) was able to degrade ibuprofen in the presence of phenol, benzoate, and 2-chlorophenol. Moreover, along with the removal of ibuprofen, degradation of phenol and benzoate was observed. Introduction of 4-chlorophenol into the culture completely inhibits degradation of ibuprofen.
Association between Milk Consumption and Metabolic Syndrome among Korean Adults: Results from the Health Examinees Study
Authors: Shin Sangah , Lee Hwi-Won , Kim Claire E. , Lim Jiyeon , Lee Jong-koo , Kang Daehee
Published: October 2017

It has been suggested that a greater dairy consumption, particularly of milk, may have contributed in lowering the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS). A cross-sectional analysis was conducted to examine the association between milk consumption and MetS, and its components among Korean adults aged 40–69. A total of 130,420 subjects (43,682 men and 86,738 women) from the Health Examinees Study were selected for the final analysis. Milk consumption was estimated using a validated 106-item food frequency questionnaire. MetS was defined using the National Cholesterol Education Program, Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP III). Logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between milk consumption and MetS after adjusting for potential confounders. In this study, the average milk consumption was 77.9 g/day, with the overall prevalence of MetS being 26.1% (29.1% in men and 24.6% in women). We found that the prevalence of the MetS was significantly lower in subjects with higher milk consumption (p < 0.0001). Adjusted OR for MetS was significantly lower in the highest milk consumption category (≥1 serving/day among men; ≥2 serving/day among women) than those in the lowest milk consumption category (OR: 0.92 95%CI: 0.86–0.99, p trend = 0.0160 in men; OR: 0.68, 95%CI: 0.60–0.76, p trend < 0.0001 in women). Overall, higher milk consumption was inversely associated with the MetS components: elevated waist circumference, elevated triglyceride, and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (all p trend < 0.05). This study concludes that higher milk consumption is associated with the lower odds of MetS in Korean adults.
An Evaluation of the Healthiness of the Indian Packaged Food and Beverage Supply
Authors: Jones Alexandra , Dunford Elizabeth , Crossley Rachel , Thout Sudhir , Rayner Mike , Neal Bruce
Published: October 2017

Availability of less-healthy packaged food and beverage products has been implicated as an important driver of obesity and diet-related disease. An increasing number of packaged foods and beverages are sold in India. Our objective was to evaluate the healthiness of packaged foods sold by India’s largest manufacturers. Healthiness was assessed using the Australian Health Star Rating (HSR) system and the World Health Organization’s European Regional Office (WHO Euro) Nutrient Profile Model. Sales-value-weighted mean healthiness and the proportions of “healthy” products (using a validated HSR cut-off of ≥3.5, and products meeting WHO Euro criteria as healthy enough to market to children) were calculated overall, by company and by food category. Nutrient information for 943 products sold by the 11 largest Indian manufacturers was obtained from nutrient labels, company websites or directly from the manufacturer. Healthiness was low overall (mean HSR 1.8 out of 5.0 stars) with a low proportion defined as “healthy” by both HSR (17%) and also by WHO Euro criteria (8%). There were marked differences in the healthiness of similar products within food categories. Substantial variation between companies (minimum sales-value-weighted mean HSR 0.5 for Company G, versus maximum HSR 3.0 for Company F) was a result of differences in the types of products sold and the nutritional composition of individual products. There are clear opportunities for India’s largest food companies to improve both the nutritional quality of individual products and to improve their product mix to include a greater proportion of healthy products.
Pharmacy Practice and Education in the Czech Republic
Authors: Nachtigal Petr , Šimůnek Tomáš , Atkinson Jeffrey
Published: October 2017

The PHARMINE (“Pharmacy Education in Europe”) project studied the organisation of pharmacy education, practice and legislation in the European Union (EU) with the objectives of evaluating to what degree harmonisation had taken place with the EU, and producing documents on each individual EU member state. Part of this work was in the form of a survey of pharmacy education, practice, and legislation in the various member states. We will publish the individual member state surveys as reference documents. This paper presents the results of the PHARMINE survey on pharmacy education, training, and practice in the Czech Republic. Czech community pharmacies sell and provide advice on Rx and Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines; they also provide diagnostic services (e.g., blood pressure measurement). Pharmacists (lékárník in Czech) study for five years and graduate with a Magister (Mgr., equivalent to M.Pharm.) degree. The Mgr. diploma is the only requirement for registration as a pharmacist. Pharmacists can own and manage community pharmacies, or work as responsible pharmacists in pharmacies. All practising pharmacists must be registered with the Czech Chamber of Pharmacists. The ownership of a community pharmacy is not restricted to members of the pharmacy profession; the majority of pharmacies are organised into various pharmacy chains. There are two universities providing higher education in pharmacy in the Czech Republic: the Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, which was established in 1969, and the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Brno, which was established in 1991. The pharmacy curriculum is organized as a seamless, fully integrated, five-year master degree course. There is a six-month traineeship supervised by the university, which usually takes place during the fifth year. Thus, the pharmacy curriculum is organised in accordance with the EU directive on sectoral professions that lays down the imperatives for pharmacy education, training, and practice in the various member states of the EU. Currently, no specialisation courses are available at the university level. Specialisation is organised in the form of postgraduate, continuing professional development by the Czech Chamber of Pharmacists, and delivered by the Institute of Postgraduate Education for Health Professions.
Preparation of Isotactic Polypropylene/Exfoliated MoS2 Nanocomposites via In Situ Intercalative Polymerization
Authors: Zhang He-Xin , Zhang Xue-Quan , Yoon Keun-Byoung
Published: October 2017

In this research, a Ziegler–Natta catalyst intercalated MoS2 was synthesized through the intercalation of a Grignard reagent into MoS2 galleries, followed by the anchoring of TiCl4. During propylene polymerization, the intercalated MoS2 exfoliated in situ to form PP/exfoliated MoS2 (EMoS2) nanocomposites. The isotactic index values of the resultant PP/EMoS2 nanocomposites were as high as 99%, varying from 98.1% to 99.0%. It was found that the incorporation of the EMoS2 significantly improved the thermal stability and mechanical properties (tensile strength, modulus, and elongation at break) of PP. After introduction of EMoS2, the maximum increases in Td5% and Tdmax were 36.9 and 9.7 °C, respectively, relative to neat PP. After blending with commercial PP, the resultant nanocomposites increase in tensile strength and modulus up to 11.4% and 61.2% after 0.52 wt % EMoS2 loading. Thus, this work provides a new way to produce high-performance PP.
Ferrocene-Modified Block Copolymers for the Preparation of Smart Porous Membranes
Authors: Schöttner Sebastian , Hossain Rimjhim , Rüttiger Christian , Gallei Markus
Published: October 2017

The design of artificially generated channels featuring distinct remote-switchable functionalities is of critical importance for separation, transport control, and water filtration applications. Here, we focus on the preparation of block copolymers (BCPs) consisting of polystyrene-block-poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PHEMA) having molar masses in the range of 91 to 124 kg mol−1 with a PHEMA content of 13 to 21 mol %. The BCPs can be conveniently functionalized with redox-active ferrocene moieties by a postmodification protocol for the hydrophilic PHEMA segments. Up to 66 mol % of the hydroxyl functionalities can be efficiently modified with the reversibly redox-responsive units. For the first time, the ferrocene-containing BCPs are shown to form nanoporous integral asymmetric membranes by self-assembly and application of the non-solvent-induced phase separation (SNIPS) process. Open porous structures are evidenced by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and water flux measurements, while efficient redox-switching capabilities are investigated after chemical oxidation of the ferrocene moieties. As a result, the porous membranes reveal a tremendously increased polarity after oxidation as reflected by contact angle measurements. Additionally, the initial water flux of the ferrocene-containing membranes decreased after oxidizing the ferrocene moieties because of oxidation-induced pore swelling of the membrane.
Isolation and Characterization of Cellulose from Different Fruit and Vegetable Pomaces
Authors: Szymańska-Chargot Monika , Chylińska Monika , Gdula Karolina , Kozioł Arkadiusz , Zdunek Artur
Published: October 2017

A new fractionation process was developed to achieve valorization of fruit and vegetable pomaces. The importance of the residues from fruits and vegetables is still growing; therefore; the study presents the novel route of a fractioning process for the conversion of agro-industrial biomasses, such as pomaces, into useful feedstocks with potential application in the fields of fuels, chemicals, and polymers. Hence, the biorefinery process is expected to convert them into various by-products offering a great diversity of low-cost materials. The final product of the process is the cellulose of the biofuel importance. The study presents the novel route of the fractioning process for the conversion of agro-industrial biomasses, such as pomaces, into useful feedstocks with a potential application in the fields of fuels, chemicals, and polymers. Therefore the aim of this paper was to present the novel route of the pomaces fraction and the characterization of residuals. Pomaces from apple, cucumber, carrot, and tomato were treated sequentially with water, acidic solution, alkali solution, and oxidative reagent in order to obtain fractions reach in sugars, pectic polysaccharides, hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin. Pomaces were characterized by dry matter content, neutral detergent solubles, hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin. Obtained fractions were characterized by the content of pectins expressed as galacturonic acid equivalent and hemicelluloses expressed as a xyloglucan equivalent. The last fraction and residue was cellulose characterized by crystallinity degree by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), microfibril diameter by atomic force microscope (AFM), and overall morphology by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The hemicelluloses content was similar in all pomaces. Moreover, all the materials were characterized by the high pectins level in extracts evaluated as galacturonic acid content. The lignins content compared with other plant biomasses was on a very low level. The cellulose fraction was the highest in cucumber pomace. The cellulose fraction was characterized by crystallinity degree, microfibril diameter, and overall morphology. Isolated cellulose had a very fine structure with relatively high crystalline index but small crystallites.
Habermas and Religious Communication: The Insufficiency of the Translation Proviso
Authors: Rhodin Lars
Published: October 2017

Much has been debated and written about the translation proviso, its implications, and its rationality. At its core, it is about communication and a transition in religious communication that means it can become secularly engaged. This paper argues that the theory of the translation proviso is insufficient to accommodate religious communication and, in order to support the arguments made, considers associated aspects of the work of Habermas, such as solidarity, tolerance and universalism, as well, of course, as communication. Considerations in this wider context lead to a growing awareness that the translation proviso and its prescriptive tendencies may be seen as being an ominous contradiction of much of the other work of Habermas and that, far from being postmetaphysical and postmodern, it may have elements of being a ‘big idea’.
A Modified Multi-Source Parallel Model for Estimating Urban Surface Evapotranspiration Based on ASTER Thermal Infrared Data
Authors: Zhang Yu , Li Long , Chen Longqian , Liao Zhihong , Wang Yuchen , Wang Bingyi , Yang Xiaoyan
Published: October 2017

To date, little attention has been given to remote sensing-based algorithms for inferring urban surface evapotranspiration. A multi-source parallel model based on ASTER data was one of the first examples, but its accuracy can be improved. We therefore present a modified multi-source parallel model in this study, which has made improvements in parameterization and model accuracy. The new features of our modified model are: (1) a characterization of spectrally heterogeneous urban impervious surfaces using two endmembers (high- and low-albedo urban impervious surface), instead of a single endmember, in linear spectral mixture analysis; (2) inclusion of an algorithm for deriving roughness length for each land surface component in order to better approximate to the actual land surface characteristic; and (3) a novel algorithm for calculating the component net radiant flux with a full consideration of the fraction and the characteristics of each land surface component. HJ-1 and ASTER data from the Chinese city of Hefei were used to test our model’s result with the China–ASEAN ET product. The sensitivity of the model to vegetation and soil fractions was analyzed and the applicability of the model was tested in another built-up area in the central Chinese city of Wuhan. We conclude that our modified model outperforms the initial multi-source parallel model in accuracy. It can obtain the highest accuracy when applied to vegetation-dominated (vegetation proportion > 50%) areas. Sensitivity analysis shows that vegetation and soil fractions are two important parameters that can affect the ET estimation. Our model is applicable to estimate evapotranspiration in other urban areas.
Cooperative Localization for Multi-AUVs Based on GM-PHD Filters and Information Entropy Theory
Authors: Zhang Lichuan , Wang Tonghao , Zhang Feihu , Xu Demin
Published: October 2017

Cooperative localization (CL) is considered a promising method for underwater localization with respect to multiple autonomous underwater vehicles (multi-AUVs). In this paper, we proposed a CL algorithm based on information entropy theory and the probability hypothesis density (PHD) filter, aiming to enhance the global localization accuracy of the follower. In the proposed framework, the follower carries lower cost navigation systems, whereas the leaders carry better ones. Meanwhile, the leaders acquire the followers’ observations, including both measurements and clutter. Then, the PHD filters are utilized on the leaders and the results are communicated to the followers. The followers then perform weighted summation based on all received messages and obtain a final positioning result. Based on the information entropy theory and the PHD filter, the follower is able to acquire a precise knowledge of its position.
Wireless Biological Electronic Sensors
Authors: Cui Yue
Published: October 2017

The development of wireless biological electronic sensors could open up significant advances for both fundamental studies and practical applications in a variety of areas, including medical diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and defense applications. One of the major challenges in the development of wireless bioelectronic sensors is the successful integration of biosensing units and wireless signal transducers. In recent years, there are a few types of wireless communication systems that have been integrated with biosensing systems to construct wireless bioelectronic sensors. To successfully construct wireless biological electronic sensors, there are several interesting questions: What types of biosensing transducers can be used in wireless bioelectronic sensors? What types of wireless systems can be integrated with biosensing transducers to construct wireless bioelectronic sensors? How are the electrical sensing signals generated and transmitted? This review will highlight the early attempts to address these questions in the development of wireless biological electronic sensors.
Joint Power Charging and Routing in Wireless Rechargeable Sensor Networks
Authors: Jia Jie , Chen Jian , Deng Yansha , Wang Xingwei , Aghvami Abdol-Hamid
Published: October 2017

The development of wireless power transfer (WPT) technology has inspired the transition from traditional battery-based wireless sensor networks (WSNs) towards wireless rechargeable sensor networks (WRSNs). While extensive efforts have been made to improve charging efficiency, little has been done for routing optimization. In this work, we present a joint optimization model to maximize both charging efficiency and routing structure. By analyzing the structure of the optimization model, we first decompose the problem and propose a heuristic algorithm to find the optimal charging efficiency for the predefined routing tree. Furthermore, by coding the many-to-one communication topology as an individual, we further propose to apply a genetic algorithm (GA) for the joint optimization of both routing and charging. The genetic operations, including tree-based recombination and mutation, are proposed to obtain a fast convergence. Our simulation results show that the heuristic algorithm reduces the number of resident locations and the total moving distance. We also show that our proposed algorithm achieves a higher charging efficiency compared with existing algorithms.
Determination of Cadmium in Brown Rice Samples by Fluorescence Spectroscopy Using a Fluoroionophore after Purification of Cadmium by Anion Exchange Resin
Authors: Hafuka Akira , Takitani Akiyoshi , Suzuki Hiroko , Iwabuchi Takuya , Takahashi Masahiro , Okabe Satoshi , Satoh Hisashi
Published: October 2017

Simple analytical methods are needed for determining the cadmium (Cd) content of brown rice samples. In the present study, we developed a new analytical procedure consisting of the digestion of rice using HCl, Cd purification using anion exchange resin, and then determining the Cd content using fluorescence spectroscopy. Digestion with 0.1 M HCl for 10 min at room temperature was sufficient to extract Cd from the ground rice samples. The Cd in the extract was successfully purified in preference to other metals using Dowex 1X8 chloride form resin. Low concentrations of Cd in the eluate could be determined using fluorescence spectroscopy with a fluoroionophore. Overall, the actual limit of quantification value for the Cd content in rice was about 0.1 mg-Cd/kg-rice, which was sufficiently low compared with the regulatory value (0.4 mg-Cd/kg-rice) given by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. We analyzed authentic brown rice samples using our new analytical procedure and the results agreed well with those determined using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Since the fluoroionophore recognized Zn2+ and Hg2+ as well as Cd2+, a sample containing high concentration of Zn2+ or Hg2+ might cause a false positive result.
Polymethacrylate Coated Electrospun PHB Fibers as a Functionalized Platform for Bio-Diagnostics: Confirmation Analysis on the Presence of Immobilized IgG Antibodies against Dengue Virus
Authors: Hosseini Samira , Azari Pedram , Jiménez-Moreno Martín , Rodriguez-Garcia Aida , Pingguan-Murphy Belinda , Madou Marc , Martínez-Chapa Sergio
Published: October 2017

In this article, a combination of far field electrospinning (FFES) and free-radical polymerization has been used to create a unique platform for protein immobilization via the physical attachment of biomolecules to the surface of the fiber mats. The large specific surface area of the fibers with its tailored chemistry provides a desirable platform for effective analyte-surface interaction. The detailed analysis of protein immobilization on a newly developed bio-receptive surface plays a vital role to gauge its advantages in bio-diagnostic applications. We relied on scanning electron microscopy (SEM), diameter range analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), along with thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), water-in-air contact angle analysis (WCA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to study our developed platforms and to provide valuable information regarding the presence of biomolecular entities on the surface. Detailed analyses of the fiber mats before and after antibody immobilization have shown obvious changes on the surface of the bioreceptive surface including: (i) an additional peak corresponding to the presence of an antibody in TGA analysis; (ii) extra FTIR peaks corresponding to the presence of antibodies on the coated fiber platforms; and (iii) a clear alteration in surface roughness recorded by AFM analysis. Confirmation analyses on protein immobilization are of great importance as they underlay substantial grounds for various biosensing applications.
Exact Finite Differences. The Derivative on Non Uniformly Spaced Partitions
Authors: Martínez-Pérez Armando , Torres-Vega Gabino
Published: October 2017

We define a finite-differences derivative operation, on a non uniformly spaced partition, which has the exponential function as an exact eigenvector. We discuss some properties of this operator and we propose a definition for the components of a finite-differences momentum operator. This allows us to perform exact discrete calculations.
On the Fibration Defined by the Field Lines of a Knotted Class of Electromagnetic Fields at a Particular Time
Authors: Arrayás Manuel , Trueba José
Published: October 2017

A class of vacuum electromagnetic fields in which the field lines are knotted curves are reviewed. The class is obtained from two complex functions at a particular instant t = 0 so they inherit the topological properties of red the level curves of these functions. We study the complete topological structure defined by the magnetic and electric field lines at t = 0 . This structure is not conserved in time in general, although it is possible to red find special cases in which the field lines are topologically equivalent for every value of t.
Surrogate Models for Sub-Region Groundwater Management in the Beijing Plain, China
Authors: Zhang Menglin , Hu Litang , Yao Lili , Yin Wenjie
Published: October 2017

Overexploitation of groundwater resources has caused groundwater-related problems all over the world. Effective groundwater governance is a favorable guarantee for its protection and sustainable utilization. Accurate prediction of groundwater level (GWL) or depth to groundwater (GWD) plays an important role in groundwater resource management. Due to the limitations and complexity of numerical models, this study aims to develop surrogate models that can dually control the GWL (or GWD) and groundwater quantity (GWQ) in each district of the Beijing Plain, China, using the methods of multiple linear regression (MLR) and back propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN). This study used 180 monthly GWD data records, including the first 168 data records for model development (training) and the remaining 12 data records for model verification. The results indicate that the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE) and correlation coefficient (R) for both the MLR and BP-ANN models are high in most districts and that the MLR models are more appropriate in this study. Fifteen scenarios under different conditions of groundwater use and precipitation are designed to demonstrate the applicability of the developed model in groundwater management. The surrogate models are effective tools that can be used by decision-makers for groundwater management.
Adapting to Variable Water Supply in the Truckee-Carson River System, Western USA
Authors: Sterle Kelley , Singletary Loretta
Published: October 2017

In snow-fed inland river systems in the western United States, water supply depends upon timing, form, and amount of precipitation. In recent years, this region has experienced unprecedented drought conditions due to decreased snowpack, exacerbated by exceptionally warmer winter temperatures averaging 3–4 °C above normal. In the snow-fed Truckee-Carson River System, two sets of interviews were conducted as part of a larger collaborative modeling case study with local water managers to examine local adaptation to current drought conditions. A comparative analysis of these primary qualitative data, collected during the fourth and fifth consecutive years of continued warmer drought conditions, identifies shifts in adaptation strategies and emergent adaptation barriers. That is, under continuous exposure to climate stressors, managers shifted their adaptation focus from short-term efforts to manage water demand toward long-term efforts to enhance water supply. Managers described the need to: improve forecasts and scientific assessments of snowmelt timing, groundwater levels, and soil moisture content; increase flexibility of prior appropriation water allocation rules based on historical snowpack and streamflow timing; and foster collaboration and communication among water managers across the river system. While water scarcity and insufficient water delivery infrastructure remain significant impediments in this arid region, climate uncertainty emerged as a barrier surrounding adaptation to variable water supply. Existing prior appropriation based water institutions were also described as an adaptation barrier, meriting objective evaluation to assess how to best modify these historical institutions to support dynamic adaptation to climate-induced water supply variability. This study contributes to a growing body of research that assesses drought adaptation in snow-fed inland river systems, and contributes a unique report concerning how adaptation strategies and barriers encountered by local water managers change over time under continuous exposure to climate stressors. These locally identified adaptation strategies forward a larger collaborative modeling case study by informing alternative water management scenarios simulated through a suite of hydrologic and operations models tailored to this river system.
Crisis and Meaning: F. Kafka and the Law
Authors: Anckaert Luc , Burggraeve Roger
Published: October 2017

The parable “Before the Law” is a pivotal text in the work of Franz Kafka. It tells of a man who looks for the law as the quintessence of his life. But his quest for meaning comes to a crisis because of a fundamental deception. Instead of interpreting the law as a personal mystery, he somehow objectifies it. His abstract view on life begets the obstacle-character that embodies all those who could bar him from finding the law. In this narrative, the failure of finding the law results in a murder in which human life is reduced to bestial death. In this sense, Kafka’s narrative is a tale of anti-creation. In a close reading we analyze the text with attention for the ternary structure, i.e. the intertwined complex of the I-Thou relation and the I-It relation (Martin Buber). The literary text is interpreted for its philosophical relevance. Franz Rosenzweig and Emmanuel Levinas but also Gilles Deleuze and Jacques Derrida have an important role in this way of reading.
Explosive Chromospheric Evaporation and Warm Rain in a C3.1 Flare Observed by IRIS, Hinode/EIS, and RHESSI
Authors: Brosius Jeffrey W. , Inglis Andrew R.
Published: October 2017

IRIS and EIS observed a GOES C3.1 flare in stare mode on 2014 March 15. The GOES flare started at 00:21:35 and peaked at 00:26:30 UT. The IRIS slit pointed near the center of the flare, while the EIS slit pointed

to its west. About 4 minutes before the GOES flare start, the IRIS C ii and Si iv intensities became (and remained) greater than their pre-flare averages, indicating that the flare had begun and that the chromosphere and transition region were involved. IRIS first detected blueshifted Fe xxi emission at 00:22:42 UT, by which time the C ii and Si iv intensities had increased by factors around 100 and their profiles were redshifted. Simultaneous, cospatial blueshifted Fe xxi emission with redshifted C ii and Si iv emission indicates explosive chromospheric evaporation. EIS spectra reveal Fe xxiii emission that is too weak to measure velocities, and intensity enhancements by factors about 1.7 in the Fe xiv and Fe xvi emission. Lines from both of these coronal ions show redshifts ≈9 km s−1 around 00:24:00 UT, and the Fe xiv 264.7/274.2 intensity ratio reveals an increase of n

e
from

before to

cm−3 during the flare. The redshifted coronal line emission and increased n

e
are consistent with warm rain falling and accumulating in the remote area observed by EIS. A fit to the RHESSI hard X-ray spectrum yields a nonthermal energy injection rate of

erg s−1, from which we estimate a HXR beam energy flux range consistent with explosive evaporation.
Crowded Field Galaxy Photometry: Precision Colors in the CLASH Clusters
Authors: Connor Thomas , Donahue Megan , Kelson Daniel D. , Moustakas John , Coe Dan , Postman Marc , Bradley Larry D. , Koekemoer Anton M. , Melchior Peter , Umetsu Keiichi , Voit G. Mark
Published: October 2017

We present a new method for photometering objects in galaxy clusters. We introduce a mode-filtering technique for removing spatially variable backgrounds, improving both detection and photometric accuracy (roughly halving the scatter in the red sequence compared to previous catalogs of the same clusters). This method is based on robustly determining the distribution of background pixel values and should provide comparable improvement in photometric analysis of any crowded fields. We produce new multiwavelength catalogs for the 25 CLASH cluster fields in all 16 bandpasses from the UV through the near-IR, as well as rest-frame magnitudes. A comparison with spectroscopic values from the literature finds a

decrease in the redshift deviation from previously released CLASH photometry. This improvement in redshift precision, in combination with a detection scheme designed to maximize purity, yields a substantial upgrade in cluster member identification over the previous CLASH galaxy catalog. We construct luminosity functions for each cluster, reliably reaching depths of at least 4.5 mag below M* in every case, and deeper still in several clusters. We measure M* , α, and their redshift evolution, assuming the cluster populations are coeval, and find little to no evolution of

, and M* values consistent with passive evolution. We present a catalog of galaxy photometry, photometric and spectroscopic redshifts, and rest-frame photometry for the full fields of view of all 25 CLASH clusters. Not only will our new photometric catalogs enable new studies of the properties of CLASH clusters, but mode-filtering techniques, such as those presented here, should greatly enhance the data quality of future photometric surveys of crowded fields.
Pressure Distortion of the H2–He Collision-induced Absorption at the Photosphere of Cool White Dwarf Stars
Authors: Blouin S. , Kowalski P. M. , Dufour P.
Published: October 2017

Collision-induced absorption (CIA) from molecular hydrogen is a dominant opacity source in the atmosphere of cool white dwarfs. It results in a significant flux depletion in the near-IR and IR parts of their spectra. Because of the extreme conditions of helium-rich atmospheres (where the density can be as high as a few g cm−3), this opacity source is expected to undergo strong pressure distortion and the currently used opacities have not been validated at such extreme conditions. To check the distortion of the CIA opacity, we applied state-of-the-art ab initio methods of computational quantum chemistry to simulate the CIA opacity at high densities. The results show that the CIA profiles are significantly distorted above densities of

in a way that is not captured by the existing models. The roto-translational band is enhanced and shifted to higher frequencies as an effect of the decrease of the interatomic separation of the H2 molecule. The vibrational band is blueward shifted and split into Q

R
and Q

P
branches, separated by a pronounced interference dip. Its intensity is also substantially reduced. The distortions result in a shift of the maximum of the absorption from 2.3 μm to 3–7 μm, which could potentially explain the spectra of some very cool, helium-rich white dwarfs.
Spatially Resolved Spectroscopy of Narrow-line Seyfert 1 Host Galaxies
Authors: Scharwächter J. , Husemann B. , Busch G. , Komossa S. , Dopita M. A.
Published: October 2017

We present optical integral field spectroscopy for five

narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxies, probing their host galaxies at

scales. Emission lines from the active galactic nucleus (AGN) and the large-scale host galaxy are analyzed separately, based on an AGN–host decomposition technique. The host galaxy gas kinematics indicates large-scale gas rotation in all five sources. At the probed scales of

, the host galaxy gas is found to be predominantly ionized by star formation without any evidence of a strong AGN contribution. None of the five objects shows specific star formation rates (SFRs) exceeding the main sequence of low-redshift star-forming galaxies. The specific SFRs for MCG-05-01-013 and WPVS 007 are roughly consistent with the main sequence, while ESO 399-IG20, MS 22549-3712, and TON S180 show lower specific SFRs, intermediate to the main sequence and the red quiescent galaxies. The host galaxy metallicities, derived for the two sources with sufficient data quality (ESO 399-IG20 and MCG-05-01-013), indicate central oxygen abundances just below the low-redshift mass–metallicity relation. Based on this initial case study, we outline a comparison of AGN and host galaxy parameters as a starting point for future extended NLS1 studies with similar methods.
A Catalog of Stellar Unified Properties (CATSUP) for 951 FGK-Stars within 30 pc
Authors: Hinkel Natalie R. , Mamajek Eric E. , Turnbull Margaret C. , Osby Ella , Shkolnik Evgenya L. , Smith Graeme H. , Klimasewski Alexis , Somers Garrett , Desch Steven J.
Published: October 2017

Almost every star in our Galaxy is likely to harbor a terrestrial planet, but accurate measurements of an exoplanet’s mass and radius demand accurate knowledge of the properties of its host star. The imminent TESS and CHEOPS missions are slated to discover thousands of new exoplanets. Along with WFIRST, which will directly image nearby planets, these surveys make urgent the need to better characterize stars in the nearby solar neighborhood (<30 pc). We have compiled the CATalog of Stellar Unified Properties (CATSUP) for 951 stars, including such data as: Gaia astrometry; multiplicity within stellar systems; stellar elemental abundance measurements; standardized spectral types; Ca ii H and K stellar activity indices; GALEX NUV and FUV photometry; and X-ray fluxes and luminosities from ROSAT, XMM, and Chandra. We use this data-rich catalog to find correlations, especially between stellar emission indices, colors, and galactic velocity. Additionally, we demonstrate that thick-disk stars in the sample are generally older, have lower activity, and have higher velocities normal to the galactic plane. We anticipate that CATSUP will be useful for discerning other trends among stars within the nearby solar neighborhood, for comparing thin-disk versus thick-disk stars, for comparing stars with and without planets, and for finding correlations between chemical and kinematic properties.
Star Formation, Supernovae, Iron, and α: Consistent Cosmic and Galactic Histories
Authors: Maoz Dan , Graur Or
Published: October 2017

Recent versions of the observed cosmic star formation history (SFH) have resolved an inconsistency with the stellar mass density history. We show that the revised SFH also scales up the delay-time distribution (DTD) of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), as determined from the observed volumetric SN Ia rate history, aligning it with other field-galaxy SN Ia DTD measurements. The revised-SFH-based DTD has a

form and a Hubble-time-integrated production efficiency of

SNe Ia per

of formed stellar mass. Using these revised histories and updated empirical iron yields of the various SN types, we re-derive the cosmic iron accumulation history. Core-collapse SNe and SNe Ia have contributed about equally to the total mass of iron in the universe today. We find the track of the average cosmic gas element in the [α/Fe] versus [Fe/H] abundance-ratio plane. The track is broadly similar to the observed main locus of Galactic stars in this plane, indicating a Milky Way (MW) SFH similar in form to the cosmic one. We easily find a simple MW SFH that makes the track closely match this stellar locus. Galaxy clusters appear to have a higher-normalization DTD. This cluster DTD, combined with a short-burst MW SFH peaked at z = 3, produces a track that matches remarkably well the observed “high-α” locus of MW stars, suggesting the halo/thick-disk population has had a galaxy-cluster-like formation mode. Thus, a simple two-component SFH, combined with empirical DTDs and SN iron yields, suffices to closely reproduce the MW’s stellar abundance patterns.
Expansion of Magnetic Neutron Stars in an Energy (in)Dependent Spacetime
Authors: Panah B. Eslam , Bordbar G. H. , Hendi S. H. , Ruffini R. , Rezaei Z. , Moradi R.
Published: October 2017

Regarding the strong magnetic field of neutron stars and the high-energy regime scenario that is based on the high-curvature region near the compact objects, one is motivated to study magnetic neutron stars in an energy-dependent spacetime. In this paper, we show that such a strong magnetic field and energy dependency of spacetime have considerable effects on the properties of neutron stars. We examine the variations of maximum mass and related radius, Schwarzschild radius, average density, gravitational redshift, Kretschmann scalar, and Buchdahl theorem due to the magnetic field and energy dependency of the metric. First, it will be shown that the maximum mass and radius of neutron stars are increasing functions of the magnetic field, while average density, redshift, strength of gravity, and Kretschmann scalar are decreasing functions of it. These results are due to a repulsive-like force behavior for the magnetic field. Next, the effects of gravity’s rainbow will be studied, and it will be shown that by increasing the rainbow function, the neutron stars could enjoy an expansion in their structures. Then, we obtain a new relation for the upper mass limit of a static spherical neutron star with uniform density in gravity’s rainbow (Buchdahl limit) in which such an upper limit is modified as

. In addition, stability and energy conditions for the equation of state of neutron star matter are investigated, and a comparison with empirical results is done. It is notable that the numerical study in this paper is conducted by using the lowest-order constrained variational approach in the presence of a magnetic field employing AV
18 potential.