bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical Simulation of Fluid-Solid Coupling in Fractured Porous Media with Discrete Fracture Model and Extended Finite Element Method
Authors: Zeng Qingdong , Yao Jun
Published: November 2015

Fluid-solid coupling is ubiquitous in the process of fluid flow underground and has a significant influence on the development of oil and gas reservoirs. To investigate these phenomena, the coupled mathematical model of solid deformation and fluid flow in fractured porous media is established. In this study, the discrete fracture model (DFM) is applied to capture fluid flow in the fractured porous media, which represents fractures explicitly and avoids calculating shape factor for cross flow. In addition, the extended finite element method (XFEM) is applied to capture solid deformation due to the discontinuity caused by fractures. More importantly, this model captures the change of fractures aperture during the simulation, and then adjusts fluid flow in the fractures. The final linear equation set is derived and solved for a 2D plane strain problem. Results show that the combination of discrete fracture model and extended finite element method is suited for simulating coupled deformation and fluid flow in fractured porous media.
Physiochemical Characterization of Iodine (V) Oxide Part II: Morphology and Crystal Structure of Particulate Films
Authors: Little Brian , Emery Samuel , Lindsay C.
Published: November 2015

In this study, the production of particulate films of iodine (V) oxides is investigated. The influence that sonication and solvation of suspended particles in various alcohol/ketone/ester solvents have on the physical structure of spin or drop cast films is examined in detail with electron microscopy, powder x-ray diffraction, and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. Results indicate that sonicating iodine oxides in alcohol mixtures containing trace amounts of water decreases deposited particle sizes and produces a more uniform film morphology. UV-visible spectra of the pre-cast suspensions reveal that for some solvents, the iodine oxide oxidizes the solvent, producing I2 and lowering the pH of the suspension. Characterizing the crystals within the cast films reveal their composition to be primarily HI3O8, their orientations to exhibit a preferential orientation, and their growth to be primarily along the ac-plane of the crystal, enhanced at higher spin rates. Spin-coating at lower spin rates produces laminate-like particulate films versus higher density, one-piece films of stacked particles produced by drop casting. The particle morphology in these films consists of a combination of rods, plates, cubes, and rhombohedra structure.
Oral Candida Carriage and Morphotype Differentiation in Chronic Periodontitis Patients with and without Diabetes in the Indian Sub-Continent
Authors: Venkatesan Gomathinayagam , Uppoor Ashita , Naik Dilip , Kadkampally David , Maddi Abhiram
Published: November 2015

The aim of this study was to assess the oral Candida carriage and morphotype differentiation of Candida species in chronic periodontitis patients, with and without diabetes mellitus. This cross sectional study included 30 subjects in the age range of 40–60 years, who were divided into two groups: 15 chronic periodontitis only (CP) patients, and 15 chronic periodontitis patients with diabetes (CPD). Clinical measurements included plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), and fasting blood sugar level (FBS). The unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected for fungal analysis. Candida carriage was analyzed by measuring colony forming units (CFU) following the culture of samples. Qualitative morphotype differentiation of Candida species from yeast to hyphal form was analyzed using Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. There was no statistically significant difference between CP and CPD groups for the periodontal parameters. However, a significantly higher Candida species CFU count was found in CPD (0.33 ± 0.23) as compared to CP (0.05 ± 0.04) group. This pilot study suggests that the occurrence of Candida species is higher in the saliva of chronic periodontitis patients with diabetes as compared to patients with chronic periodontitis alone.
Analytical Solutions of the Black–Scholes Pricing Model for European Option Valuation via a Projected Differential Transformation Method
Authors: Edeki Sunday , Ugbebor Olabisi , Owoloko Enahoro
Published: November 2015

In this paper, a proposed computational method referred to as Projected Differential Transformation Method (PDTM) resulting from the modification of the classical Differential Transformation Method (DTM) is applied, for the first time, to the Black–Scholes Equation for European Option Valuation. The results obtained converge faster to their associated exact solution form; these easily computed results represent the analytical values of the associated European call options, and the same algorithm can be followed for European put options. It is shown that PDTM is more efficient, reliable and better than the classical DTM and other semi-analytical methods since less computational work is involved. Hence, it is strongly recommended for both linear and nonlinear stochastic differential equations (SDEs) encountered in financial mathematics.
Entropy Generation of Desalination Powered by Variable Temperature Waste Heat
Authors: Warsinger David , Mistry Karan , Nayar Kishor , Chung Hyung , Lienhard John
Published: November 2015

Powering desalination by waste heat is often proposed to mitigate energy consumption and environmental impact; however, thorough technology comparisons are lacking in the literature. This work numerically models the efficiency of six representative desalination technologies powered by waste heat at 50, 70, 90, and 120 °C, where applicable. Entropy generation and Second Law efficiency analysis are applied for the systems and their components. The technologies considered are thermal desalination by multistage flash (MSF), multiple effect distillation (MED), multistage vacuum membrane distillation (MSVMD), humidification-dehumidification (HDH), and organic Rankine cycles (ORCs) paired with mechanical technologies of reverse osmosis (RO) and mechanical vapor compression (MVC). The most efficient technology was RO, followed by MED. Performances among MSF, MSVMD, and MVC were similar but the relative performance varied with waste heat temperature or system size. Entropy generation in thermal technologies increases at lower waste heat temperatures largely in the feed or brine portions of the various heat exchangers used. This occurs largely because lower temperatures reduce recovery, increasing the relative flow rates of feed and brine. However, HDH (without extractions) had the reverse trend, only being competitive at lower temperatures. For the mechanical technologies, the energy efficiency only varies with temperature because of the significant losses from the ORC.
Dependable Control for Wireless Distributed Control Systems
Authors: Short Michael , Abugchem Fathi , Abrar Usama
Published: November 2015

The use of wireless communications for real-time control applications poses several problems related to the comparatively low reliability of the communication channels. This paper is concerned with adaptive and predictive application-level strategies for ameliorating the effects of packet losses and burst errors in industrial sampled-data Distributed Control Systems (DCSs), which are implemented via one or more wireless and/or wired links, possibly spanning multiple hops. The paper describes an adaptive compensator that reconstructs the best estimates (in a least squares sense) of a sequence of one or more missing sensor node data packets in the controller node. At each sample time, the controller node calculates the current control, and a prediction of future controls to apply over a short time horizon; these controls are forwarded to the actuator node every sample time step. A simple design method for a digital Proportional Integral Derivative (PID)-like adaptive controller is also described for use in the controller node. Together these mechanisms give robustness to packet losses around the control loop; in addition, the majority of the computational overhead resides in the controller node. An implementation of the proposed techniques is applied to a case study using a Hardware in the Loop (HIL) test facility, and favorable results (in terms of both performance and computational overheads) are found when compared to an existing robust control method for a DCS experiencing artificially induced burst errors.
Operation Modes of a Secondary-Side Phase-Shifted Resonant Converter
Authors: Hu Song , Li Xiaodong , Lu Ming , Luan Bo-Yue
Published: November 2015

In this work, a unidirectional full-bridge resonant converter with secondary-side phase-shifted control is addressed. With the variation of voltage gain and power level, this converter may enter into different operational modes, including three continuous current modes and one discontinuous current mode. The details in each operation mode are discussed one by one. The boundary conditions between these modes have been identified. Additionally, the steady-state analysis of all continuous current modes is performed uniformly by using the fundamental harmonics approximation approach. Experimental results based on a lab prototype converter are also included to verify the operation modes predicted by the theoretical analysis.
Sliding-Mode Controller for Maximum Power Point Tracking in Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems
Authors: Valencia Paula , Ramos-Paja Carlos
Published: November 2015

The maximum power point tracking (MPPT) of photovoltaic systems must be as fast and accurate as possible to increase the power production, which eventually increases the PV system profitability. This paper proposes and mathematically analyses a sliding-mode controller to provide a fast and accurate maximum power point tracking in grid-connected photovoltaic systems using a single control stage. This approach avoids the circular dependency in the design of classical cascade controllers used to optimize the photovoltaic system operation, and at the same time, it reduces the number of controllers and avoids the use of linearized models to provide global stability in all the operation range. Such a compact solution also reduces the system cost and implementation complexity. To ensure the stability of the proposed solution, detailed mathematical analyses are performed to demonstrate the fulfillment of the transversality, reachability and equivalent control conditions. Finally, the performance of the proposed solution is validated using detailed simulations, executed in the power electronics simulator PSIM, accounting for both environmental and load perturbations.
Low Temperature Performance of Selective Catalytic Reduction of NO with NH3 under a Concentrated CO2 Atmosphere
Authors: Gou Xiang , Wu Chunfei , Zhang Kai , Xu Guoyou , Si Meng , Wang Yating , Wang Enyu , Liu Liansheng , Wu Jinxiang
Published: November 2015

Selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3 (NH3-SCR) has been widely investigated to reduce NOx emissions from combustion processes, which cause environmental challenges. However, most of the current work on NOx reduction has focused on using feed gas without CO2 or containing small amounts of CO2. In the future, oxy-fuel combustion will play an important role for power generation, and this process generates high concentrations of CO2 in flue gas. Therefore, studies on the SCR process under concentrated CO2 atmosphere conditions are important for future SCR deployment in oxy-fuel combustion processes. In this work, Mn- and Ce-based catalysts using activated carbon as support were used to investigate the effect of CO2 on NO conversion. A N2 atmosphere was used for comparison. Different process conditions such as temperature, SO2 concentration, H2O content in the feed gas and space velocity were studied. Under Mn-Ce/AC conditions, the results suggested that Mn metal could reduce the inhibition effect of CO2 on the NO conversion, while Ce metal increased the inhibition effect of CO2. High space velocity also resulted in a reduction of CO2 inhibition on the NO conversion, although the overall performance of SCR was greatly reduced at high space velocity. Future investigations to design novel Mn-based catalysts are suggested to enhance the SCR performance under concentrated CO2 atmosphere conditions.
A Bayesian Spatial Model Highlights Distinct Dynamics in Deforestation from Coca and Pastures in an Andean Biodiversity Hotspot
Authors: Chadid Maria , Dávalos Liliana , Molina Jorge , Armenteras Dolors
Published: November 2015

The loss of tropical forests has continued in recent decades despite wide recognition of their importance to maintaining biodiversity. Here, we examine the conversion of forests to pastures and coca crops (illicit activity) on the San Lucas Mountain Range, Colombia for 2002–2007 and 2007–2010. Land use maps and biophysical variables were used as inputs to generate land use and cover change (LUCC) models using the DINAMICA EGO software. These analyses revealed a dramatic acceleration of the pace of deforestation in the region, with rates of conversion from forest to pasture doubling from the first to the second period. Altitude, distance to other crops, and distance to rivers were the primary drivers of deforestation. The influence of these drivers, however, differed markedly depending on whether coca cultivation or pastures replaced forest. Conversion to coca was more probable farther from other crops and from settlements. In contrast, proximity to other crops and to settlements increased conversion to pasture. These relationships highlight the different roles of coca and pastures in forest loss, with coca tending to open up new forest frontiers, and pastures tending to consolidate agricultural expansion and urban influence. Large differences between LUCC processes for each period suggest highly dynamic changes, likely associated with shifting underlying causes of deforestation. These changes may relate to shifts in demand for illicit crops, land, or mining products; however, the data to test these hypotheses are currently lacking. More frequent and detailed monitoring is required to guide actions to decrease the loss of forest in this highly vulnerable biodiversity hotspot in the Northern Andes.
Increased Foraging in Outdoor Organic Pig Production—Modeling Environmental Consequences
Authors: Jakobsen Malene , Preda Teodora , Kongsted Anne , Hermansen John
Published: November 2015

Consumers’ motivations for buying organic products include a wish of acquiring healthy, environmentally friendly products from production systems that also ensure a high level of animal welfare. However, the current Danish organic pig production faces important challenges regarding environmental impact of the system. High ammonia emissions arise from outdoor concrete areas with growing pigs and sows on pasture possess an increased risk of nitrogen (N) leaching. Direct foraging in the range area is suggested as a way to improve the nutrient efficiency at farm level and to support a more natural behavior of the pig. Thus, by modeling, we investigated the environmental consequences of two alternative scenarios with growing pigs foraging in the range area and different levels of crops available for foraging—grass–clover or a combination of Jerusalem artichokes and lucerne. It was possible to have growing pigs on free-range without increasing N leaching compared to the current practice. The alternative system with Jerusalem artichokes and lucerne (high integration of forage) showed the lowest carbon foot print with 3.12 CO2 eq kg−1 live weight pig compared to the current Danish pasture based system with 3.69 kg CO2 eq kg−1 live weight pig. Due to positive impact on soil carbon sequestration, the second alternative system based on grass-clover (low integration of forage) showed a similar carbon foot print compared to current practice with 3.68 kg CO2 eq kg−1 live weight pig. It is concluded that in practice there is room for development of organic farming systems where direct foraging plays a central role.
Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Essential Oils of Selected Aromatic Plants from Tajikistan
Authors: Sharopov Farukh , Braun Markus , Gulmurodov Isomiddin , Khalifaev Davlat , Isupov Salomiddin , Wink Michael
Published: November 2015

Antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities of the essential oils of 18 plant species from Tajikistan (Central Asia) were investigated. The essential oil of Origanum tyttanthum showed a strong antibacterial activity with both minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values of 312.5 µg/mL for E. coli, 625 µg/mL (MIC) and 1250 µg/mL (MBC) for MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), respectively. The essential oil of Galagania fragrantissima was highly active against MRSA at concentrations as low as 39.1 µg/mL and 78.2 µg/mL for MIC and MBC, respectively. Origanum tyttanthum essential oil showed the highest antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 0.12 mg/mL for ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) and 0.28 mg/mL for DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl). Galagania fragrantissima and Origanum tyttanthum essential oils showed the highest anti-inflammatory activity; IC50 values of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) inhibition were 7.34 and 14.78 µg/mL, respectively. In conclusion, essential oils of Origanum tyttanthum and Galagania fragrantissima exhibit substantial antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. They are interesting candidates in phytotherapy.
The Meaning of Visual Thinking Strategies for Nursing Students
Authors: Moorman Margaret
Published: November 2015

Nurse educators are called upon to provide innovative experiences for students to prepare them to work in complex healthcare settings. As part of this preparation, developing observational and communication skills is critical for nurses and can directly affect patient outcomes. Visual thinking strategies (VTS) is a teaching method that has been studied in primary education to develop communication and observational skills. VTS has potential to improve these same skills in nursing yet only one study has been done including nursing students and none have researched what meaning VTS has for them. This research study sought to answer the following questions: What meaning does VTS have for nursing students? How do nursing students use it in caring for patients? Students at a large Midwestern university in a Bachelor of Science program were recruited for participation. Students who voluntarily participated in a previous VTS experience were invited to participate in a second one, followed by an interview. Interpretive phenomenology was used to analyze the interviews and the following themes were identified: Feeling safe in learning and seeing and thinking differently. A literature review was performed to further expand these themes. Analysis of the findings and implications for future research are discussed.
Bacteria that Travel: The Quality of Aircraft Water
Authors: Handschuh Harald , Dwyer Jean , Adley Catherine
Published: November 2015

The travelling population is increasing globally year on year. International tourist arrival figures reached 1087 million in 2013 and 1133 million in 2014; of which 53% and 54% respectively accounted for air transport. The water on board aircraft is sourced from surface or ground water; piped to a central filling point and distributed to each aircraft by water service vehicles at the home base or at the destination airport. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the microbial, chemical (pH; Total and Free chlorine) and physical (temperature) quality of water from two aircraft, long- and short-haul, as well as from the original water source and the water service vehicle. A total of 154 water samples were collected and analysed. Long-haul flights were found to be significantly poorer in terms of microbial quality than short haul flights (p = 0.015). Furthermore, correlation and regression analysis showed that the water service vehicle was a significant source of increased microbial load in aircraft. Microbial diversity was also demonstrated, with 37 bacterial species identified belonging to eight classes: γ-Proteobacteria; β-Proteobacteria; α-Proteobacteria; Bacilli; Actinobacteria; Flavobacteria; Sphingobacteria and Cytophaga; using phenotypic and 16S rDNA sequence-based analysis. We present a novel quantified study of aircraft-related potable water supplies.
Validation of the MINI (DSM IV) Tool for the Assessment of Alcohol Dependence among Young People in Northern Tanzania Using the Alcohol Biomarker Phosphatidylethanol (PEth)
Authors: Francis Joel , Helander Anders , Kapiga Saidi , Weiss Helen , Grosskurth Heiner
Published: November 2015

The alcohol dependence section of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview questionnaire (MINI) has not been evaluated in young Africans. We applied the MINI in a cross-sectional study of 202 alcohol users from northern-Tanzania, aged 18–24 years (103 male casual workers and 99 students), and validated it against phophatidylethanol (PEth) at a cut-off suggesting heavy chronic alcohol use (≥0.30 µmol/L). Blood was assayed for PEth (16:0/18:1-subform) by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The MINI dependence criteria (≥3 positive responses) were met by 39% participants although their PEth levels were low. Contrary, many young people with high PEth levels were not classified as dependent. The sensitivity of the MINI ranged from 0% to 69% (female students and male workers, respectively) and specificity from 52% to 85% (workers and female students, respectively). The highest AUROC (0.68) occurred with a cut-off of ≥4 positive responses. A modified MINI with three affirmative responses to five questions increased specificity to 92%–97%; however, sensitivity remained low. The performance of the MINI in detecting dependence among young people from northern-Tanzania is unsatisfactory. Specificity was improved using a modified version but sensitivity remained low. An accurate tool for the diagnosis of alcohol dependence is needed for epidemiological and clinical purposes.
Ambulatory Care Visits to Pediatricians in Taiwan: A Nationwide Analysis
Authors: Yang Ling-Yu , Lynn An-Min , Chen Tzeng-Ji
Published: November 2015

Pediatricians play a key role in the healthy development of children. Nevertheless, the practice patterns of pediatricians have seldom been investigated. The current study analyzed the nationwide profiles of ambulatory visits to pediatricians in Taiwan, using the National Health Insurance Research Database. From a dataset that was randomly sampled one out of every 500 records among a total of 309,880,000 visits in 2012 in the country, 9.8% (n = 60,717) of the visits were found paid to pediatricians. Children and adolescents accounted for only 69.3% of the visits to pediatricians. Male pediatricians provided 80.5% of the services and the main workforces were those aged 40–49 years. The most frequent diagnoses were respiratory tract diseases (64.7%) and anti-histamine agents were prescribed in 48.8% of the visits to pediatricians. Our detailed results could contribute to evidence-based discussions on health policymaking.
Disease Burden from Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Guangdong Province, China
Authors: Xiao Jianpeng , Lin Hualiang , Liu Tao , Zeng Weilin , Li Xing , Shao Xiaoping , Tan Qiu , Xu Yanjun , Xu Xiaojun , Zheng Huizhen , Ma Wenjun
Published: November 2015

Objective: To estimate the disease burden and financial burden attributed to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Guangdong Province. Methods: Based on the data of incidence, mortality and healthcare cost of HBV-related diseases and other socio-economic data in Guangdong Province, we estimated deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and economic cost for the three HBV-related diseases—hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis and liver cancer—in Guangdong following the procedures developed for the global burden of disease study. Then disease burden and economic cost attributed to HBV infection was estimated. Results: HBV infection was estimated to have caused 33,600 (95% confidence interval (CI): 29,300–37,800) premature deaths and the loss of 583,200 (95% CI: 495,200–671,100) DALYs in Guangdong in 2005. The greatest loss of deaths and DALYs were from liver cancer. The 45–59 years age group had the greatest burden attributable to HBV infection. The estimated total annual cost of HBV-related diseases in Guangdong was RMB 10.8 (95% CI: 8.7–13.0) billion，the direct and indirect cost were RMB 2.6 (95% CI: 2.1–3.2) and 8.2 (95% CI: 6.6–9.8) billion. Conclusions: HBV infection is a great medical challenge as well as a significant economic burden to Guangdong Province. The results suggest that substantial health benefits could be gained by extending effective public health and clinical interventions to reduce HBV infection in Guangdong Province.
Proteomics Analysis of Cellular Proteins Co-Immunoprecipitated with Nucleoprotein of Influenza A Virus (H7N9)
Authors: Sun Ningning , Sun Wanchun , Li Shuiming , Yang Jingbo , Yang Longfei , Quan Guihua , Gao Xiang , Wang Zijian , Cheng Xin , Li Zehui , Peng Qisheng , Liu Ning
Published: November 2015

Avian influenza A viruses are serious veterinary pathogens that normally circulate among avian populations, causing substantial economic impacts. Some strains of avian influenza A viruses, such as H5N1, H9N2, and recently reported H7N9, have been occasionally found to adapt to humans from other species. In order to replicate efficiently in the new host, influenza viruses have to interact with a variety of host factors. In the present study, H7N9 nucleoprotein was transfected into human HEK293T cells, followed by immunoprecipitated and analyzed by proteomics approaches. A series of host proteins co-immunoprecipitated were identified with high confidence, some of which were found to be acetylated at their lysine residues. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that spliceosome might be the most relevant pathway involved in host response to nucleoprotein expression, increasing our emerging knowledge of host proteins that might be involved in influenza virus replication activities.
GHRH, PRP-PACAP and GHRHR Target Sequencing via an Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine Reveals an Association with Growth in Orange-Spotted Grouper (Epinephelus coioides)
Authors: Guo Liang , Xia Junhong , Yang Sen , Li Mingming , You Xinxin , Meng Zining , Lin Haoran
Published: November 2015

Growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and the receptor, GHRHR, constitute important components of the hypothalamus-pituitary growth axis and act on the downstream growth hormone (GH). PACAP-related peptide/pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PRP-PACAP) is a paralog of GHRH. These genes all play key roles in development and growth patterns. To improve the quality of cultured fish strains, natural genetic variation must be examined and understood. A mixed linear model has been widely used in association mapping, taking the population structures and pairwise kinship patterns into consideration. In this study, a mass cross population of orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) was examined. These candidate genes were found to harbor low nucleotide diversity (θw from 0.00154 to 0.00388) and linkage disequilibrium levels (delay of 50% within 2 kbp). Association mapping was employed, and two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (KR269823.1:g.475A>C and KR269823.1:g.2143T>C) were found to be associated with growth (false discovery rate Q < 0.05), explaining 9.0%–17.0% of the phenotypic variance. The association of KR269823.1:g.2143T>C was also found via haplotype-based association (p < 0.05). The identified associations offer new insights into gene functions, and the associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may be used for breeding purposes.
Homeodomain Protein Scr Regulates the Transcription of Genes Involved in Juvenile Hormone Biosynthesis in the Silkworm
Authors: Meng Meng , Liu Chun , Peng Jian , Qian Wenliang , Qian Heying , Tian Ling , Li Jiarui , Dai Dandan , Xu Anying , Li Sheng , Xia Qingyou , Cheng Daojun
Published: November 2015

The silkworm Dominant trimolting (Moltinism, M3) mutant undergoes three larval molts and exhibits precocious metamorphosis. In this study, we found that compared with the wild-type (WT) that undergoes four larval molts, both the juvenile hormone (JH) concentration and the expression of the JH-responsive gene Krüppel homolog 1 (Kr-h1) began to be greater in the second instar of the M3 mutant. A positional cloning analysis revealed that only the homeodomain transcription factor gene Sex combs reduced (Scr) is located in the genomic region that is tightly linked to the M3 locus. The expression level of the Scr gene in the brain-corpora cardiaca-corpora allata (Br-CC-CA) complex, which controls the synthesis of JH, was very low in the final larval instar of both the M3 and WT larvae, and exhibited a positive correlation with JH titer changes. Importantly, luciferase reporter analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) demonstrated that the Scr protein could promote the transcription of genes involved in JH biosynthesis by directly binding to the cis-regulatory elements (CREs) of homeodomain protein on their promoters. These results conclude that the homeodomain protein Scr is transcriptionally involved in the regulation of JH biosynthesis in the silkworm.
Bacterial Infection Increases Reproductive Investment in Burying Beetles
Authors: Reavey Catherine , Silva Farley , Cotter Sheena
Published: November 2015

The Nicrophorus genus lives and breeds in a microbe rich environment. As such, it would be expected that strategies should be in place to counter potentially negative effects of the microbes common to this environment. In this study, we show the response of Nicrophorus vespilloides to the common soil bacterium, Bacillus subtilis. Phenoloxidase (PO) levels are not upregulated in response to the challenge and the bacteria are observed to multiply within the haemolymph of the host. Despite the growth of B. subtilis, survival is not affected, either in virgin or in breeding beetles. Some limit on bacterial growth in the haemolymph does seem to be occurring, suggesting mechanisms of resistance, in addition to tolerance mechanisms. Despite limited detrimental effects on the individual, the challenge by Bacillus subtilis appears to act as a cue to increase reproductive investment. The challenge may indicate a suite of negative environmental conditions that could compromise future breeding opportunities. This could act as a cue to increase parental investment in the current bout.
Damage Characterization of Bio and Green Polyethylene–Birch Composites under Creep and Cyclic Testing with Multivariable Acoustic Emissions
Authors: Bravo Alencar , Toubal Lotfi , Koffi Demagna , Erchiqui Fouad
Published: November 2015

Despite the knowledge gained in recent years regarding the use of acoustic emissions (AEs) in ecologically friendly, natural fiber-reinforced composites (including certain composites with bio-sourced matrices), there is still a knowledge gap in the understanding of the difference in damage behavior between green and biocomposites. Thus, this article investigates the behavior of two comparable green and biocomposites with tests that better reflect real-life applications, i.e., load-unloading and creep testing, to determine the evolution of the damage process. Comparing the mechanical results with the AE, it can be concluded that the addition of a coupling agent (CA) markedly reduced the ratio of AE damage to mechanical damage. CA had an extremely beneficial effect on green composites because the Kaiser effect was dominant during cyclic testing. During the creep tests, the use of a CA also avoided the transition to new damaging phases in both composites. The long-term applications of PE green material must be chosen carefully because bio and green composites with similar properties exhibited different damage processes in tests such as cycling and creep that could not be previously understood using only monotonic testing.
Nitric Oxide Synthase in the Central Nervous System and Peripheral Organs of Stramonita haemastoma: Protein Distribution and Gene Expression in Response to Thermal Stress
Authors: Toni Mattia , De Angelis Federica , Di Patti Maria , Cioni Carla
Published: November 2015

Nitric oxide (NO) is generated via the oxidation of l-arginine by the enzyme NO synthase (NOS) both in vertebrates and invertebrates. Three NOS isoforms, nNOS, iNOS and eNOS, are known in vertebrates, whereas a single NOS isoform is usually expressed in invertebrates, sharing structural and functional characteristics with nNOS or iNOS depending on the species. The present paper is focused on the constitutive Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent nNOS recently sequenced by our group in the neogastropod Stramonita haemastoma (ShNOS). In this paper we provide new data on cellular distribution of ShNOS in the CNS (pedal ganglion) and peripheral organs (osphradium, tentacle, eye and foot) obtained by WB, IF, CM and NADPHd. Results demonstrated that NOS-like proteins are widely expressed in sensory receptor elements, neurons and epithelial cells. The detailed study of NOS distribution in peripheral and central neurons suggested that NOS is both intracellular and presynaptically located. Present findings confirm that NO may have a key role in the central neuronal circuits of gastropods and in sensory perception. The physiological relevance of NOS enzymes in the same organs was suggested by thermal stress experiments demonstrating that the constitutive expression of ShNOS is modulated in a time- and organ-dependent manner in response to environmental stressors.
Structure Elucidation and in Vitro Toxicity of New Azaspiracids Isolated from the Marine Dinoflagellate Azadinium poporum
Authors: Krock Bernd , Tillmann Urban , Potvin Éric , Jeong Hae , Drebing Wolfgang , Kilcoyne Jane , Al-Jorani Ahmed , Twiner Michael , Göthel Qun , Köck Matthias
Published: November 2015

Two strains of Azadinium poporum, one from the Korean West coast and the other from the North Sea, were mass cultured for isolation of new azaspiracids. Approximately 0.9 mg of pure AZA-36 (1) and 1.3 mg of pure AZA-37 (2) were isolated from the Korean (870 L) and North Sea (120 L) strains, respectively. The structures were determined to be 3-hydroxy-8-methyl-39-demethyl-azaspiracid-1 (1) and 3-hydroxy-7,8-dihydro-39-demethyl-azaspiracid-1 (2) by 1H- and 13C-NMR. Using the Jurkat T lymphocyte cell toxicity assay, (1) and (2) were found to be 6- and 3-fold less toxic than AZA-1, respectively.
Effect of Cholesterol on the Structure of a Five-Component Mitochondria-Like Phospholipid Membrane
Authors: Cathcart Kelly , Patel Amit , Dies Hannah , Rheinstädter Maikel , Fradin Cécile
Published: November 2015

Cellular membranes have a complex phospholipid composition that varies greatly depending on the organism, cell type and function. In spite of this complexity, most structural data available for phospholipid bilayers concern model systems containing only one or two different phospholipids. Here, we examine the effect of cholesterol on the structure of a complex membrane reflecting the lipid composition of mitochondrial membranes, with five different types of headgroups (phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylserine (PS) and cardiolipin (CL)) and a variety of hydrocarbon tails. This particular system was chosen because elevated cholesterol contents in mitochondrial membranes have been linked to a breaking down of Bax-mediated membrane permeabilization and resistance to cancer treatments. High resolution electron density profiles were determined by X-ray reflectivity, while the area per phospholipid chain, Apc, and the chain order parameter, SX-ray, were determined by wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS). We show that chain order increases upon the addition of cholesterol, resulting in both a thickening of the lipid bilayer and a reduction in the average surface area per phospholipid chain. This effect, well known as cholesterol’s condensation effect, is similar, but not as pronounced as for single-component phospholipid membranes. We conclude by discussing the relevance of these findings for the insertion of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax in mitochondrial membranes with elevated cholesterol content.
Examining Means of Reaching Adolescent Girls for Iron Supplementation in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
Authors: Mulugeta Afework , Tessema Masresha , H/sellasie Kiday , Seid Omer , Kidane Gebremedhin , Kebede Aweke
Published: November 2015

Background: Iron deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in adolescent girls from the developing world. One of the recommended interventions to improve iron status in adolescent girls is iron supplementation. Yet the provision of iron supplements to adolescent girls proved to be a challenging task for the health systems across the developing world. Objective: The objective of the study was to examine means of reaching adolescent girls for iron supplementation in Northern Ethiopia. Methodology: Analytical cross-sectional study consisting of both quantitative and qualitative approaches to data collection and analysis was used in this study. Stratified multi-stage systematic random sampling technique was adopted and primary quantitative data were collected from 828 (578 school attending and 250 non school attending) adolescent girls recruited from nine districts of Tigray. The primary quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. The qualitative data collected through key informant interviews and focus group discussions were transcribed verbatim and qualitatively analyzed. Results: The mean (SD) age of the girls was 16.7 (1.4) years. Four hundred forty seven (54%), 355 (42.9%) and 26 (3.1%) of the adolescent girls had low, medium and high diet diversity scores, respectively. More than half, 467 (56%), of the adolescent girls believed that adolescent girls were overloaded with household jobs everyday compared to boys from their respective communities. Key informants said that, there is no adolescent nutrition message promoted in the study area. Low community awareness, perceiving iron tablet as a contraceptive, religious and cultural influences, and lack of confidence in supplementation value of iron tablets, are some of the potential barriers mentioned by the key informant and focus group discussion participants. Schools (45%), health centers (27%) and health posts (26%) were the preferred public facilities for provision of iron supplements to student adolescent girls whereas schools (11%), health centers (47%) and health posts (41%) were the preferred public facilities for provision of iron supplements to adolescent girls who were not attending schools from the study communities. Conclusion: The health posts and health centers were the preferred health facilities for iron supplementation to adolescent girls who were not attending schools while the school was the preferred facility for iron supplementation of student adolescent girls.
Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Concentration at Birth in Belgian Neonates and Cognitive Development at Preschool Age
Authors: Trumpff Caroline , De Schepper Jean , Vanderfaeillie Johan , Vercruysse Nathalie , Van Oyen Herman , Moreno-Reyes Rodrigo , Tafforeau Jean , Vanderpas Jean , Vandevijvere Stefanie
Published: November 2015

The main objective of the study was to investigate the effect of MID during late pregnancy, assessed by the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration at neonatal screening, on cognitive development of preschool children. A retrospective cohort study including 311 Belgian preschool children of 4–6 years old was conducted. Children were selected at random from the total list of neonates screened in 2008, 2009, and 2010 by the Brussels new-born screening center. Infants with congenital hypothyroidism, low birth weight, and/or prematurity were excluded from the selection. The selected children were stratified by gender and TSH-range (0.45–15 mIU/L). Cognitive abilities were assessed using Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence—third edition. In addition, several socioeconomic, parental, and child confounding factors were assessed. Neonatal TSH concentration—a surrogate marker for MID—was not associated with Full Scale and Performance IQ scores in children. Lower Verbal IQ scores were found in children with neonatal TSH values comprised between 10–15 mIU/L compared to lower TSH levels in univariate analysis but these results did not hold when adjusting for confounding factors. Current levels of iodine deficiency among pregnant Belgian women may not be severe enough to affect the neurodevelopment of preschool children.
Effects of Four-Week Supplementation with a Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Preparation on Mood and Blood Biomarkers in Young Adults: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: White David , Cox Katherine , Peters Riccarda , Pipingas Andrew , Scholey Andrew
Published: November 2015

This study explored the effects of four-week multi-vitamin and mineral (MVM) supplementation on mood and neurocognitive function in healthy, young adults. Fifty-eight healthy adults, 18–40 years of age (M = 25.82 years, SD = 4.87) participated in this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, in which mood and blood biomarkers were assessed at baseline and after four weeks of supplementation. Compared to placebo, MVM supplementation was associated with significantly lowered homocysteine and increased blood B-vitamin levels (p < 0.01). MVM treatment was also associated with significantly improved mood, as measured by reduced scores on the “depression-dejection” subscale of the Profile of Mood States (p = 0.018). These findings suggest that the four weeks of MVM supplementation may have beneficial effects on mood, underpinned by elevated B-vitamins and lowered homocysteine in healthy young adults.
A Review of Natural Fiber Reinforced Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Based Composites: Application and Opportunity
Authors: Tan Boon , Ching Yern , Poh Sin , Abdullah Luqman , Gan Seng
Published: November 2015

Natural fibers are fine examples of renewable resources that play an important role in the composites industry, which produces superior strength comparable to synthetic fibers. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) composites in particular have attracted enormous interest in view of their satisfactory performance, properties and biodegradability. Their performance in many applications such as consumer, biomedical, and agriculture is well defined and promising. This paper reviews the utilization of natural fibers from macro to nanoscale as reinforcement in PVA composites. An overview on the properties, processing methods, biodegradability, and applications of these composites is presented. The advantages arising from chemical and physical modifications of fibers or composites are discussed in terms of improved properties and performance. In addition, proper arrangement of nanocellulose in composites helps to prevent agglomeration and results in a better dispersion. The limitations and challenges of the composites and future works of these bio-composites are also discussed. This review concludes that PVA composites have potential for use in numerous applications. However, issues on technological feasibility, environmental effectiveness, and economic affordability should be considered.
Self-Guided Segmentation and Classification of Multi-Temporal Landsat 8 Images for Crop Type Mapping in Southeastern Brazil
Authors: Schultz Bruno , Immitzer Markus , Formaggio Antonio , Sanches Ieda , Luiz Alfredo , Atzberger Clement
Published: November 2015

Only well-chosen segmentation parameters ensure optimum results of object-based image analysis (OBIA). Manually defining suitable parameter sets can be a time-consuming approach, not necessarily leading to optimum results; the subjectivity of the manual approach is also obvious. For this reason, in supervised segmentation as proposed by Stefanski et al. (2013) one integrates the segmentation and classification tasks. The segmentation is optimized directly with respect to the subsequent classification. In this contribution, we build on this work and developed a fully autonomous workflow for supervised object-based classification, combining image segmentation and random forest (RF) classification. Starting from a fixed set of randomly selected and manually interpreted training samples, suitable segmentation parameters are automatically identified. A sub-tropical study site located in São Paulo State (Brazil) was used to evaluate the proposed approach. Two multi-temporal Landsat 8 image mosaics were used as input (from August 2013 and January 2014) together with training samples from field visits and VHR (RapidEye) photo-interpretation. Using four test sites of 15 × 15 km2 with manually interpreted crops as independent validation samples, we demonstrate that the approach leads to robust classification results. On these samples (pixel wise, n ≈ 1 million) an overall accuracy (OA) of 80% could be reached while classifying five classes: sugarcane, soybean, cassava, peanut and others. We found that the overall accuracy obtained from the four test sites was only marginally lower compared to the out-of-bag OA obtained from the training samples. Amongst the five classes, sugarcane and soybean were classified best, while cassava and peanut were often misclassified due to similarity in the spatio-temporal feature space and high within-class variabilities. Interestingly, misclassified pixels were in most cases correctly identified through the RF classification margin, which is produced as a by-product to the classification map.
Dynamic Performance Comparison of Two Kalman Filters for Rate Signal Direct Modeling and Differencing Modeling for Combining a MEMS Gyroscope Array to Improve Accuracy
Authors: Yuan Guangmin , Yuan Weizheng , Xue Liang , Xie Jianbing , Chang Honglong
Published: November 2015

In this paper, the performance of two Kalman filter (KF) schemes based on the direct estimated model and differencing estimated model for input rate signal was thoroughly analyzed and compared for combining measurements of a sensor array to improve the accuracy of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gyroscopes. The principles for noise reduction were presented and KF algorithms were designed to obtain the optimal rate signal estimates. The input rate signal in the direct estimated KF model was modeled with a random walk process and treated as the estimated system state. In the differencing estimated KF model, a differencing operation was established between outputs of the gyroscope array, and then the optimal estimation of input rate signal was achieved by compensating for the estimations of bias drifts for the component gyroscopes. Finally, dynamic simulations and experiments with a six-gyroscope array were implemented to compare the dynamic performance of the two KF models. The 1σ error of the gyroscopes was reduced from 1.4558°/s to 0.1203°/s by the direct estimated KF model in a constant rate test and to 0.5974°/s by the differencing estimated KF model. The estimated rate signal filtered by both models could reflect the amplitude variation of the input signal in the swing rate test and displayed a reduction factor of about three for the 1σ noise. Results illustrate that the performance of the direct estimated KF model is much higher than that of the differencing estimated KF model, with a constant input signal or lower dynamic variation. A similarity in the two KFs’ performance is observed if the input signal has a high dynamic variation.