bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Formulation, Characterization and Properties of Hemp Seed Oil and Its Emulsions
Authors: Mikulcová Veronika , Kašpárková Věra , Humpolíček Petr , Buňková Leona
Published: April 2017

The formulation, characterization, and anticipated antibacterial properties of hemp seed oil and its emulsions were investigated. The oil obtained from the seeds of Cannabis sativa L. in refined and unrefined form was characterized using iodine, saponification, acid values, and gas chromatography, and was employed for the preparation of stable oil-in-water emulsions. The emulsions were prepared using pairs of non-ionic surfactants (Tween, Span). The effects of the emulsification method (spontaneous emulsification vs. high-intensity stirring), hydrophilic lipophilic balance (HLB), type and concentration of surfactant, and oil type on the size and distribution of the emulsion particles were investigated. It was found that the ability to form stable emulsions with small, initial particle sizes is primarily dependent on the given method of preparation and the HLB value. The most efficient method of emulsification that afforded the best emulsions with the smallest particles (151 ± 1 nm) comprised the high-energy method, and emulsions stable over the long-term were observed at HBL 9 with 10 wt % concentration of surfactants. Under high-intensity emulsification, refined and unrefined oils performed similarly. The oils as well as their emulsions were tested against the growth of selected bacteria using the disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods. The antibacterial effect of hemp seed oil was documented against Micrococcus luteus and Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus. The formulated emulsions did not exhibit the antibacterial activity that had been anticipated.
Evaluation of MODIS Land Surface Temperature Data to Estimate Near-Surface Air Temperature in Northeast China
Authors: Yang Yuan , Cai Wen , Yang Jian
Published: April 2017

Air temperature (Tair) near the ground surface is a fundamental descriptor of terrestrial environment conditions and one of the most widely used climatic variables in global change studies. The main objective of this study was to explore the possibility of retrieving high-resolution Tair from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land surface temperature (LST) products, covering complex terrain in Northeast China. The All Subsets Regression (ASR) method was adopted to select the predictors and build optimal multiple linear regression models for estimating maximum (Tmax), minimum (Tmin), and mean (Tmean) air temperatures. The relative importance of predictors in these models was evaluated via the Standardized Regression Coefficients (SRCs) method. The results indicated that the optimal models could estimate the Tmax, Tmin, and Tmean with relatively high accuracies (Model Efficiency ≥ 0.90). Both LST and day length (DL) predictors were important in estimating Tmax (SRCs: daytime LST = 0.53, DL = 0.35), Tmin (SRCs: nighttime LST = 0.74, DL = 0.23), and Tmean (SRCs: nighttime LST = 0.72, DL = 0.28). Models predicting Tmin and Tmean had better performance than the one predicting Tmax. Nighttime LST was better at predicting Tmin and Tmean than daytime LST data at predicting Tmax. Land covers had noticeable influences on estimating Tair, and even seasonal vegetation greening could result in temporal variations of model performance. Air temperature could be accurately estimated using remote sensing, but the model performance was varied across different spatial and temporal scales. More predictors should be incorporated for the purpose of improving the estimation of near surface Tair from the MODIS LST production.
A Type-2 Block-Component-Decomposition Based 2D AOA Estimation Algorithm for an Electromagnetic Vector Sensor Array
Authors: Gao Yu-Fei , Gui Guan , Xie Wei , Zou Yan-Bin , Yang Yue , Wan Qun
Published: April 2017

This paper investigates a two-dimensional angle of arrival (2D AOA) estimation algorithm for the electromagnetic vector sensor (EMVS) array based on Type-2 block component decomposition (BCD) tensor modeling. Such a tensor decomposition method can take full advantage of the multidimensional structural information of electromagnetic signals to accomplish blind estimation for array parameters with higher resolution. However, existing tensor decomposition methods encounter many restrictions in applications of the EMVS array, such as the strict requirement for uniqueness conditions of decomposition, the inability to handle partially-polarized signals, etc. To solve these problems, this paper investigates tensor modeling for partially-polarized signals of an L-shaped EMVS array. The 2D AOA estimation algorithm based on rank- ( L 1 , L 2 , · ) BCD is developed, and the uniqueness condition of decomposition is analyzed. By means of the estimated steering matrix, the proposed algorithm can automatically achieve angle pair-matching. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the present algorithm has the advantages of both accuracy and robustness of parameter estimation. Even under the conditions of lower SNR, small angular separation and limited snapshots, the proposed algorithm still possesses better performance than subspace methods and the canonical polyadic decomposition (CPD) method.
Auxiliary Truncated Unscented Kalman Filtering for Bearings-Only Maneuvering Target Tracking
Authors: Li Liang-Qun , Wang Xiao-Li , Liu Zong-Xiang , Xie Wei-Xin
Published: April 2017

Novel auxiliary truncated unscented Kalman filtering (ATUKF) is proposed for bearings-only maneuvering target tracking in this paper. In the proposed algorithm, to deal with arbitrary changes in motion models, a modified prior probability density function (PDF) is derived based on some auxiliary target characteristics and current measurements. Then, the modified prior PDF is approximated as a Gaussian density by using the statistical linear regression (SLR) to estimate the mean and covariance. In order to track bearings-only maneuvering target, the posterior PDF is jointly estimated based on the prior probability density function and the modified prior probability density function, and a practical algorithm is developed. Finally, compared with other nonlinear filtering approaches, the experimental results of the proposed algorithm show a significant improvement for both the univariate nonstationary growth model (UNGM) case and bearings-only target tracking case.
Time-Aware Service Ranking Prediction in the Internet of Things Environment
Authors: Huang Yuze , Huang Jiwei , Cheng Bo , He Shuqing , Chen Junliang
Published: April 2017

With the rapid development of the Internet of things (IoT), building IoT systems with high quality of service (QoS) has become an urgent requirement in both academia and industry. During the procedures of building IoT systems, QoS-aware service selection is an important concern, which requires the ranking of a set of functionally similar services according to their QoS values. In reality, however, it is quite expensive and even impractical to evaluate all geographically-dispersed IoT services at a single client to obtain such a ranking. Nevertheless, distributed measurement and ranking aggregation have to deal with the high dynamics of QoS values and the inconsistency of partial rankings. To address these challenges, we propose a time-aware service ranking prediction approach named TSRPred for obtaining the global ranking from the collection of partial rankings. Specifically, a pairwise comparison model is constructed to describe the relationships between different services, where the partial rankings are obtained by time series forecasting on QoS values. The comparisons of IoT services are formulated by random walks, and thus, the global ranking can be obtained by sorting the steady-state probabilities of the underlying Markov chain. Finally, the efficacy of TSRPred is validated by simulation experiments based on large-scale real-world datasets.
Distributed Data Service for Data Management in Internet of Things Middleware
Authors: Cruz Huacarpuma Ruben , De Sousa Junior Rafael , De Holanda Maristela , De Oliveira Albuquerque Robson , García Villalba Luis , Kim Tai-Hoon
Published: April 2017

The development of the Internet of Things (IoT) is closely related to a considerable increase in the number and variety of devices connected to the Internet. Sensors have become a regular component of our environment, as well as smart phones and other devices that continuously collect data about our lives even without our intervention. With such connected devices, a broad range of applications has been developed and deployed, including those dealing with massive volumes of data. In this paper, we introduce a Distributed Data Service (DDS) to collect and process data for IoT environments. One central goal of this DDS is to enable multiple and distinct IoT middleware systems to share common data services from a loosely-coupled provider. In this context, we propose a new specification of functionalities for a DDS and the conception of the corresponding techniques for collecting, filtering and storing data conveniently and efficiently in this environment. Another contribution is a data aggregation component that is proposed to support efficient real-time data querying. To validate its data collecting and querying functionalities and performance, the proposed DDS is evaluated in two case studies regarding a simulated smart home system, the first case devoted to evaluating data collection and aggregation when the DDS is interacting with the UIoT middleware, and the second aimed at comparing the DDS data collection with this same functionality implemented within the Kaa middleware.
Energy Vulnerability Composite Index in Social Housing, from a Household Energy Poverty Perspective
Authors: Llera-Sastresa Eva , Scarpellini Sabina , Rivera-Torres Pilar , Aranda Juan , Zabalza-Bribián Ignacio , Aranda-Usón Alfonso
Published: April 2017

In Europe, the proportion of social housing is high, and such houses tend to be inhabited by below average-income households, which are particularly vulnerable to energy poverty. This article proposes a new methodological approach for defining an index for household energy vulnerability assessment. This method can be used to improve the management of social housing. After establishing a heuristic framework for household energy poverty–which stems from different causes such as income, the characteristics of the residence, energy installations, and the energy-consumption habits of household members–multi-criteria analytical methods, based on the aggregation of indicators which reveal the conditions leading to energy poverty, have been applied, and effective means of intervention are proposed. The method is also applied to a sample of social houses and thus validated as a useful tool in decision-making processes which concern the management of social housing from a household energy-poverty perspective.
A Preliminary Study on Connectivity and Perceived Values of Community Green Spaces
Authors: Park Sohyun
Published: April 2017

Green spaces in residential communities are important yet understudied features of the urban ecological system. While large urban parks and remnant wildlands in urban areas tend to receive public attention from conservation and management perspectives, less is known about the importance of spatial and ecological characteristics of the community-scale green space. This study investigates natural elements in four planned communities in the Phoenix metropolitan area, Arizona; two of which represent conventional types of neighborhoods and two which exemplify community development type with a proclaimed vision of sustainability. These distinct types of communities, which illustrate variations in age, location, open space type, and a cross-section of housing density, are compared with regard to landscape connectivity as a means of gauging the ecological condition for community sustainability. Using Geographical Information Systems and landscape connectivity indices, a community’s green space features were examined including size, physical connectedness, and ecological potential. Furthermore, a questionnaire survey was designed and implemented to examine the perceptional differences between the two types of community residents. The findings demonstrate that the green spaces in conventional communities are more physically connected than their counterparts, but the naturalness and ecological qualities manifested in the amount of the land that may serve as potential urban desert habitats were higher in the sustainable communities. The results of the survey indicated that the respondents inhabiting sustainable communities possess a higher level of satisfaction than the people in conventional types of communities. This is due mainly to the amount of easy access to, and the perceived ecological values of the green spaces in their neighborhoods and surrounding areas. The study concludes that careful community design with ecological consideration can help create sustainable communities which can benefit both site-scale ecosystems and perceived human well-being.
La leçon de Chicago. Sur une variante de la Généalogie des dieux païens de Boccace
Authors: Maréchaux Pierre
Published: April 2017

En analysant deux rédactions d'un important paragraphe du Livre XIV, chap. IV de la Généalogie, dans lequel Boccace trace un parallèle entre la vocation des poètes et l'activité mercantile des juristes, l'auteur montre de quelle façon Boccace, tout en condensant le texte initial, y intègre l'apport du De vita solitaria de Pétrarque. Mais le propos de Pétrarque (qui exalte la vie spirituelle) est recentré sur le thème de la renommée impérissable du poète et sur une sacralisation de la fiction poétique au nom de sa "nécessité allégorique".
Les faits divers dans le Diario fiorentino de Luca Landucci
Authors: Schuller Michelle
Published: April 2017

I faits divers nel Diario fiorentino di Luca Landucci

Il Diario fiorentino di Luca Landucci (1437-1516) — «speziale al Canto dei Tornaquinci» — è un'opera singolare, tra le grandi cronache medievali e i «Libri di famiglia» dei mercanti fiorentini, e costituisce una fonte d'informazioni di prima importanza sulla storia di Firenze dal tempo dei primi Medici alla battaglia di Marignano, soprattutto per quanto riguarda la vicenda di Savonarola. L'originalità di Landucci è che, oltre a questi grandi eventi storici, egli registra numerosi «fatti di cronaca», fenomeni naturali (temporali, terremoti, ecc., e nascite di mostri) come gli altri cronisti della stessa epoca, ma anche molti fatti di «cronaca nera» (assassini, stupri, rapine, suicidi, ecc.), che prendono semplicemente posto nell'ordine cronologico, unica struttura del testo. La tipologia di questi mirabilia che hanno sempre colpito gli uomini potrebbe trovare una lontanissima ed anacronistica similitudine con i faits divers odierni. Ma il loro interesse sta, soprattutto, nel modo con cui vengono narrati, che rivela alcuni aspetti della società fiorentina del tempo, e i suoi valori morali. Questi fatti straordinari, eccessivi, urtano le menti perché sono trasgressivi, rompono sia l'ordine della natura, sia l'ordine sociale. Richiedono quindi un'interpretazione : i fenomeni naturali sono letti come manifestazioni della giustizia divina ; gli atti umani devono essere sottomessi alla giustizia umana, perciò sono sempre inseriti nel discorso della giustizia e nella descrizione del castigo ; è da notare che gli atti di profanazione scandalizzano più di tutti gli altri. La narrazione di tali eventi, di cui per la più parte l'autore è stato testimone di persona, rivela una società violentissima, e anche profondamente impregnata dalla religione, dal timore, in un'epoca così turbata, di un Dio spietato. Landucci non ha, certo, una riflessione filosofica sulla storia, ci porta solo la testimonianza di un cittadino come gli altri. Il suo Diario costituisce una preziosa raccolta di momenti della vita della gente comune.
L'ordinaire et l'impondérable dans la «nuova poesia» de Cesare Viviani
Authors: Gatti Laura
Published: April 2017

L'ordinario e l'imponderabile nella «nuova poesia » di Cesare Viviani

Negli anni Novanta Cesare Viviani pubblica due raccolte poetiche (Preghiera del nome, 1990 e L'opera lasciata sola, 1993) in cui la presenza di forze destabilizzanti, estranee e imponderabili minaccia il quotidiano e fa affiorare sulla pagina un'idea di fait divers come accidente inspiegabile e straordinario che sfugge alla comprensione umana. Il confronto con l'indicibile si riflette in un linguaggio che rompe la coerenza stessa del discorso.

La relazione analizza le dicotomie ordinario / inesplicabile, quotidiano / acci¬ dentale, nome / indicibile, nel quadro di una scrittura che risente dell'influsso della neoavanguardia ma riesce ad andare oltre.
«La vita copia dall'arte»
Authors: Giannetti-Karsenti Valeria
Published: April 2017

«La vita copia dall'arte». Il fait divers ne Il fu Mattia Pascal

I «casi strani e diversi» messi in scena da Pirandello hanno sovente tutte le caratteristiche del fait divers : si producono a capriccio, senza ordine apparente, quando un evento improvviso e imprevedibile sopravviene a «contrariare» la vita. Convinto che la narrazione non può che nascere dai «fatti», dalla «realtà vera», Pirandello fa del fait divers la forma moderna del «documento umano» ; un documento nel quale si accusa lo scacco delle teorie sull'arte elaborate dalla «metafisica del positivismo». Se il romanzo non è più che racconto di eventi dal carattere anarchico, imponderabile, è proprio in quanto esso non ha potuto convertirsi in scienza del fatto umano. Il fu Mattia Pascal è in questa prospettiva opera paradigmatica. Il fait divers all'origine del racconto non si lascia analizzare come effetto di fattori o leggi determinate ; esso si rivela piuttosto espressione del «conflitto degli elementi», del «caos organico e naturale». Non governata né regolata, la vita, come la scrittura, non «conclude».
Storia di Michele Padovani, dimesso dal manicomio di Venezia il giorno della rivoluzione del Quarantotto
Authors: Brunello Piero
Published: April 2017

Histoire de Michele Padovani relâché de l'asile de Venise le jour de la révolution de 1848

Les biographes de Daniele Manin connaissent bien l'histoire de Michele Padovani, un modeste tailleur originaire de la province de Rovigo. Parce que l'avocat Daniele Manin, qui allait prendre, l'année suivante, la tête de la révolution vénitienne, lança en 1847 une protestation publique auprès de la police autrichienne à propos du sort de Padovani, interné depuis 1844 dans l'asile de Venise, sur l'île de San Servolo.

Padovani avait été enfermé car il avait affiché place Saint-Marc des placards contre l'Empereur. Ce n'était pas la première fois qu'il était interné ; cela s'était produit quelques années auparavant, pour des raisons semblables : il protestait alors «contre le système présent». Dans les deux cas, les autorités avaient hésité entre l'enfermement en hôpital, en asile, ou dans une prison.

Padovani fut relâché le 22 mars 1848, exactement le jour où éclata la révolution qui parvint à chasser les Autrichiens de Venise. Alors qu'il était transféré sur une barque de l'île de San Servolo au centre ville, les emblèmes et les insignes de l'Empire étaient enlevés des portes et des murs des maisons, et jetés dans les canaux. Autrement dit, on faisait bien pire que ce que Padovani avait commis en 1844. Et personne n'était inquiété à cause de cela. Au contraire, il n'y avait aucun garde dans les rues, les hommes s'embrassaient et partout résonnaient les chansons et les «viva» pour l'Italie, Pie IX, la République et Saint Marc.

Est-ce que ce qui arriva à Michele Padovani fait partie de l'histoire de 1848 ? Les chroniques de la révolution n'enregistrent pas son départ de l'asile. Et pourtant ses vicissitudes sont étroitement liées aux événements de 1848, car elles montrent l'espace de la révolution : les contextes dans lesquels liberté et fraternité pouvaient se manifester et ceux dans lesquels, au contraire, elles ne pouvaient pas pénétrer.
Fragments d'un discours politique
Authors: Tosatti Ada
Published: April 2017

Frammenti d'un discorso politico. La violenza illustrata di Nanni Balestrini

Interamente costruito attraverso il collage di testi preesistenti, secondo una pratica ricorrente di Nanni Balestrini fin dall'epoca neo-avanguardista, il romanzo La violenza illustrata (1976) si fonda su una poetica che mira a svelare, tramite il riuso metalinguistico di frammenti d'articoli di giornale, la valenza ideologica e l'apparente neutralità del linguaggio della comunicazione. Nel corso del romanzo, utilizzando come materiale di partenza il linguaggio giornalistico, Balestrini illustra svariati episodi di quella violenza politica o sociale che nel decennio Settanta esplodeva nelle fabbriche e nelle piazze, e costruisce un percorso che legittima la violenza rivoluzionaria come risposta alla violenza del sistema capitalistico. Partendo dalla celebre definizione del «fatto di cronaca» data da Roland Barthes, ci siamo soffermati in particolare su due capitoli del romanzo il cui contenuto è ascrivibile a questa categoria. Si è trattato di dimostrare come, tramite l'utilizzo di tecniche letterarie di scomposizione e ripetizione, Balestrini non solo perviene a mettere a nudo la «violenza simbolica» — per dirla con Pierre Bourdieu — che permea il linguaggio mediatico, obbligando il lettore a costituirsi in soggetto critico rispetto all'informazione, ma dà riprova del fatto che anche i «fatti di cronaca» possono essere interpretati come frammenti d'un discorso politico.
Le désert des anachorètes dans la forêt des ermites : trois adorations de Filippo Lippi (1450-1465)
Authors: Puma Giulia
Published: April 2017

L'articolo si ripropone di contribuire alla riflessione sull'interiorizzazione dell'esilio, inteso come autoesclusione, attraverso l'analisi di tre Adorazioni realizzate da Filippo Lippi tra il 1450 e il 1465. Lo studio di queste tre pale, popolate di penitenti, si sofferma tanto sugli eremiti stessi quanto sull'ambiente che li circonda : un "deserto" che assume l'aspetto di un bosco. Attraverso gli atteggiamenti dei santi e gli elementi simbolici presenti nel paesaggio, questi dipinti intendono fare l'elogio della penitenza in solitudine. Al tempo stesso, essi offrono una testimonianza visiva che non si discosta dalla rappresentazione che le Vitae Patrum di Cavalca propongono del penitente, uomo virtuoso in esilio lontano dalla città, che, nel proprio luogo di ritiro, funge da modello di una vita interamente consacrata a Dio.
De exiliis Dantis : raisons textuelles et culturelles de l'harmonie entre exil politique et exil anagogique chez Dante
Authors: Brilli Elisa
Published: April 2017

Al di là del dato storico, l'esilio di Dante costituisce un dato testuale, evocato sistematicamente nelle opere posteriori al bando e trasformato in elemento macrotestuale dell'architettura della Commedia. I riferimenti al proprio destino di esule, disseminati nel poema attraverso le rivelazioni profetiche, vengono strettamente legati alla missione profetico-apostolica che Dante rivendica per se stesso. L'autobiografia politica contribuisce così a forgiare dell 'auctor del poema l'immagine di un nuovo profeta e scriba Dei. Tuttavia, questa non è l'unica autobiografia che il poeta offre di sé. Nella Commedia, essa coesiste con il racconto autobiografico del percorso che dal peccato conduce alla redenzione, evocato da Beatrice al momento dell'incontro con Dante nell'Eden. Come si articolano, quindi, l'esilio politico, segno dell'elezione divina, e l'esilio anagogico, segno del peccato individuale e exemplum del peccato dell'umanità peregrinami Gennaro Sasso (Le autobiografie di Dante , Aragno 2008) ha avuto il merito di porre questo interrogativo a una tradizione di studi che di solito lo elude. Dopo aver mostrato i limiti degli approcci consueti, questo contributo prende come punto di partenza la «dissonanza » autobiografica messa in luce da Sasso per illustrare la presenza duratura di tale tensione nella produzione di Dante, per cogliere la tecnica compositiva che gli ha permesso di tenerla sotto controllo nel testo e, inoltre, per riflettere alla polisemia dell'esilio nella cultura medievale.
Bilinguisme et sociétés bilingues [Bilingualism and bilingual societies]
Authors: Garmadi Salah
Published: April 2017

By stressing both the general characteristics and the complexity of those situations in which bilingualism occurs today, the author sets out a brief typology of bilingual societies which distinguishes the following categories :

1) «Developed» countries with an official language in international use ; 2) «developed» countries with an official language confined to the state within which it is spoken ; and 3) «developing» countries which have recently attained independence and possess languages or dialects which are little used outside the national frontiers and which are sometimes confined to the rôle of a popular vernacular alongside the language bequeathed by the former colonizing nation. Strictly speaking, bilingualism presents no problem in the first two types of society. In the last case, it gives rise to a major problem culminating in the national choice of an official language.

The author then goes on within this context to examine the linguistic situation which has evolved in Tunisia. The linguistic situation in Tunisia was marked before independence by the opposition of French, imposed by French rule, and Arabic. The situation was complicated further by the division of the latter language into classical Arabic and its spoken dialectic variety. At the present time the linguistic debate mirrors the stratification of this society which belongs to the third category mentioned above. One current of opinion, represented by the governmental leaders and the State civil servants, is in favour of a combination of French and a form of Arabic spoken by the masses ; the educated elite aims at maintaining the norms of classical Arabic ; and, lastly, the bulk of the population favours the use of spoken Arabic. There results the division between the use of French for written communication and a form of Arabic half-way between the classical and dialectic varieties for everyday speech. In this context of Franco-Arabic bilingualism, French has not declined since independence as a result of the approval it enjoys from the governing body, and this in spite of the desire for a widespread extension of Arabic. In fact, a resolution to uphold bilingualism definitively appears to have been taken. Arabic is now defined as the language of culture and French as a medium of communication. The essential reason behind this choice lies, it would seem, in the fact the people responsible for realizing the propagation of Arab culture are in fact a French-speaking elite. The author concludes with the observation that, ultimately, language is one sign among others of a nation's wealth, and the poor or richer disposition of language can create diverse states of imbalance within both the individual and the nation. If bilingualism is desirable, it is only on condition that the imported language or languages make some contribution to the indigenous language which, in the present instance, would be Arabic.
Les mariages franco-américains en France [French-American marriages in France]
Authors: Parmentier Elisabeth
Published: April 2017

Prior to undertaking an investigation of Franco-Iranian marriages, the author attempts to delineate the perspective from which the research will proceed by focusing on the social-cultural context in which the couples must live as well as on the 'cultural distance' which separates the spouses. Given the evolution of family and choice of spouse in Iran — as presented by Iranian sociologists — the Franco-Iranian marriage, though an exception, still exhibits many of the characteristics of the modern Iranian marriage. It is in this light that the integration of this 'mixed' marriage in Iranian society will be observed. Cultural factors in mixed marriages result in a greater degree of cultural heterogamy between the spouses ; but these same factors might also contribute to increasing homogamy in other spheres which have yet to be examined. The author questions the tendency to consider cultural distance only as a generator of conflicts and suggests that it might be the sensitivity to this distance which causes conflict. The study of Franco-Iranian marriages, in the context of the author's research, is also aimed at shedding some light on the adaptation of French women to a feminine condition different from that for which they have been prepared and at a better understanding of their position as cultural vectors in a foreign setting, as well as the poten¬ tial of this role. As a Franco-Iranian marriage is first and foremost a marriage, its study should also further the understanding of the couple.
miR-126-5p Restoration Promotes Cell Apoptosis in Cervical Cancer by Targeting Bcl2l2
Authors: Wang Changlin , Zhou Bin , Liu Min , Liu Ying , Gao Rui
Published: April 2017

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in females, with a high incidence and mortality around the world. However, the pathogenesis in cervical cancer is not completely known. In the present study, we investigated the role of miR-126-5p and Bcl2l2 in cervical cancer cells.
First, miR-126-5p expression was aberrantly downregulated in human cervical cancer tumor tissues in comparison with normal tissues, as evaluated by RT-PCR. Consistently, the levels of miR-126-5p were also significantly reduced in cervical cancer cell lines when compared to normal cervical
epithelial cells. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the rate of apoptosis of cervical cancer cells was significantly increased by miR-126-5p overexpression but inhibited by miR-126-5p inhibitor. A similar change pattern was observed in the expression of apoptosis-regulated protein caspase
3 in cervical cancer cells transfected with miR-126-5p mimic or inhibitor. By bioinformatic prediction with online databases and verification using luciferase reporter assay, we then identified that Bcl2l2 is a direct target of miR-126-5p in cervical cancer cells. The expression of Bcl2l2
was strongly downregulated by the miR-126-5p mimic but upregulated by the miR-126-5p inhibitor in cervical cancer cells, and Bcl2l2 expression was significantly increased in human cervical cancer tumor tissues, which was negatively correlated with miR-126-5p levels. Furthermore, we confirmed
that the rate of apoptosis was significantly increased by Bcl2l2 silencing in cervical cancer cells, which was not affected by the miR-126-5p inhibitor. In addition, the increased apoptosis of cells by the miR-126-5p mimic was inhibited by Bcl2l2 overexpression. In summary, miR-126-5p plays
an inhibitory role in human cervical cancer progression, regulating the apoptosis of cancer cells via directly targeting Bcl2l2. This might provide a potential therapeutic target for cervical cancer.
CDGSH Iron Sulfur Domain 2 Activates Proliferation and EMT of Pancreatic Cancer Cells via Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway and Has Prognostic Value in Human Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Yang Yang , Bai Yuan-song , Wang Qing
Published: April 2017

Recently, increasing evidence has shown that CDGSH iron sulfur domain 2 (CISD2) is involved in the initiation and metastasis of several cancers. However, the evidence of its potential role in pancreatic cancer is still lacking. In our present study, CISD2 was found to be increased in
pancreatic cancer samples and multiple cell lines. Moreover, statistical analysis revealed that a high level of CISD2 was related to advanced clinical stage, advanced T-stage, positive vascular invasion, positive distant metastasis, and larger tumor size. In addition, multivariate analysis
suggests that CISD2 was an independent prognostic factor in pancreatic cancer. Importantly, downregulation of CISD2 was capable of inhibiting the survival and growth of pancreatic cancer cells. Mechanistic study showed that inactivation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway contributed to the
CISD2 deficit-induced death of pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, we showed that CISD2 silencing significantly inhibited EMT via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Finally, in nude mice, the CISD2 deficit suppressed the tumorigenesis of pancreatic cancer cells. Collectively, our study demonstrated
that CISD2 could be an independent prognostic factor for pancreatic cancer and suggested that the CISD2/Wnt/β-catenin pathway contributes to the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells and EMT, hinting at a novel promising molecular target in the therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer.
Validity of Osteoprotegerin and Receptor Activator of NF-κB Ligand for the Detection of Bone Metastasis in Breast Cancer
Authors: Elfar Gamal A. , Ebrahim Mohamed A. , Elsherbiny Nehal M. , Eissa Laila A.
Published: April 2017

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a robust antiresorptive molecule that acts as a decoy receptor for the receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), the mediator of osteoclastogenesis. This study was designed to explore the possible role of serum OPG and RANKL in detecting
bone metastasis in breast cancer and its interaction with clinicopathologic parameters. Serum levels of RANKL and OPG were estimated in 44 metastatic and 36 nonmetastatic breast cancer patients using ELISA kits. Serum OPG levels were significantly reduced in patients with bone metastasis and
correlated negatively with the number of bone lesions and CA 15-3 levels. At concentrations ≤82 pg/ml, OPG showed a high specificity in identifying the presence of bone metastasis (92%), albeit with low sensitivity (59%), which improved after the exclusion of diabetics and patients treated
with aromatase inhibitors (AI). Serum RANKL levels were significantly higher in the presence of bone metastasis and hypercalcemia. At concentrations >12.5 pg/ml, RANKL had an associated sensitivity of 86%, albeit with low specificity (53%), in detecting bone metastasis. The RANKL/OPG ratio
significantly increased in the presence of bone metastasis with appropriate sensitivity and specificity (73% and 72%, respectively) at a cutoff of ≥0.14 for the detection of bone metastasis. Serum OPG and RANKL/OPG ratios are promising biomarkers for detecting bone metastasis in breast
cancer patients.
Creating Public Value Through Parasport Events
Authors: McPherson Gayle , Misener Laura , McGillivray David , Legg David
Published: April 2017

The hosting of major events presents an opportunity to shape public policy and potentially enable social change. In this article we discuss two different parasport events, the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the 2015 Toronto Pan Am/Parapan American Games, which espoused a philosophy
of social inclusion and creating social change in sport for persons with disabilities as an outcome of the events. We contend that, as in wider policies for sport, social inclusion has been more illusory than real, sometimes based on increases in facility usage rather than necessarily developing
a broader base of participation. Such outcomes stand in contrast to Bozeman and Johnson's criteria for public value. We argue that the two parasport events were used by policy makers to demonstrate meaningful avenues to social inclusion, social change, and how those in public policy positions
have the power to influence and create potential. We examine key policies and policy decision-maker's perspectives, utilizing Bozeman's theory on progressive opportunity, regarding the value of two major parasport events in creating social change for persons with disabilities. We conclude
that Bozeman's model of progressive opportunity allows for a more sustainable model for bringing the interests of the market and government agencies together to lead to foreseeable and sustainable social change. Notwithstanding, a clear understanding that policy makers need to realize that
structural and societal change will not necessarily happen during the life cycle of Games time.
Development of an Electrochemical Process for Blackwater Disinfection in a Freestanding, Additive-Free Toilet
Authors:   RTI International, Sellgren Katelyn , Gregory Christopher , Hunt Michael , Raut Ashkay , Hawkins Brian , Parker Charles , Klem Ethan , Piascik Jeffrey , Stoner Brian
Published: April 2017

Electrochemical disinfection has gained interest as an alternative to conventional wastewater treatment because of its high effectiveness and environmental compatibility. Two and a half billion people currently live without improved sanitation facilities. Our research efforts are focused on developing and implementing a freestanding, additive-free toilet system that treats and recycles blackwater on site. In this study, we sought to apply electrochemical disinfection to blackwater. We compared commercially available boron-doped diamond (BDD) and mixed metal oxide (MMO) electrodes for disinfection efficiency in E. coli–inoculated model wastewater. The MMO electrodes were found to be more efficient and thus selected for further study with blackwater. The energy required for disinfection by the MMO electrodes increased with the conductivity of the medium, decreased with increased temperature, and was independent of the applied voltage. Fecal contamination considerably increased the energy required for blackwater disinfection compared to model wastewater, demonstrating the need for testing in effluents representing the conditions of the final application.
Orbits for the Impatient: A Bayesian Rejection-sampling Method for Quickly Fitting the Orbits of Long-period Exoplanets
Authors: Blunt Sarah , Nielsen Eric L. , De Rosa Robert J. , Konopacky Quinn M. , Ryan Dominic , Wang Jason J. , Pueyo Laurent , Rameau Julien , Marois Christian , Marchis Franck , Macintosh Bruce , Graham James R. , Duchêne Gaspard , Schneider Adam C.
Published: April 2017

We describe a Bayesian rejection-sampling algorithm designed to efficiently compute posterior distributions of orbital elements for data covering short fractions of long-period exoplanet orbits. Our implementation of this method, Orbits for the Impatient (OFTI), converges up to several orders of magnitude faster than two implementations of Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) in this regime. We illustrate the efficiency of our approach by showing that OFTI calculates accurate posteriors for all existing astrometry of the exoplanet 51 Eri b up to 100 times faster than a Metropolis–Hastings MCMC. We demonstrate the accuracy of OFTI by comparing our results for several orbiting systems with those of various MCMC implementations, finding the output posteriors to be identical within shot noise. We also describe how our algorithm was used to successfully predict the location of 51 Eri b six months in the future based on less than three months of astrometry. Finally, we apply OFTI to 10 long-period exoplanets and brown dwarfs, all but one of which have been monitored over less than 3% of their orbits, producing fits to their orbits from astrometric records in the literature.
Outer Architecture of Kepler-11: Constraints from Coplanarity
Authors: Jontof-Hutter Daniel , Weaver Brian P. , Ford Eric B. , Lissauer Jack J. , Fabrycky Daniel C.
Published: April 2017

The outer architectures of Kepler’s compact systems of multiple transiting planets remain poorly constrained, and few of these systems have lower bounds on the orbital distance of any massive outer planets. We infer a minimum orbital distance and upper limits on the inclination of a hypothetical Jovian-mass planet orbiting exterior to the six transiting planets at Kepler-11. Our constraints are derived from dynamical models together with observations provided by the Kepler mission. First, the lack of transit timing variations (TTV) in the outermost transiting planet Kepler-11 g imply that the system does not contain a Jovian-mass perturber within 2 au from the star. Second, we test under what initial conditions a Jovian-mass planet moderately inclined from the transiting planets would make their co-transiting configuration unlikely. The transiting planets are secularly coupled and exhibit small mutual inclinations over long timescales, although the outermost transiting planet, Kepler-11 g, is weakly coupled to the inner five. We rule out a Jovian-mass planet on a 3° inclination within 3.0 au, and higher inclinations out to farther orbital distances, unless an undetected planet exists orbiting in the dynamical gap between Kepler-11 f and Kepler-11 g. Our constraints depend little on whether we assume the six transiting planets of Kepler-11 were initially perfectly coplanar or whether a minimum initial mutual inclination between the transiting planets is adopted based on the measured impact parameters of the transiting planets.
Variation in GMC Association Properties across the Bars, Spiral Arms, Inter-arms, and Circumnuclear Region of M100 (NGC 4321) Extracted from ALMA Observations
Authors: Pan Hsi-An , Kuno Nario
Published: April 2017

We study the physical properties of giant molecular cloud associations (GMAs) in M100 (NGC 4321) using the ALMA Science Verification feathered (12 m+ACA) data in 12CO (1–0). To examine the environmental dependence of their properties, GMAs are classified based on their locations in various environments as circumnuclear ring (CNR), bar, spiral, and inter-arm GMAs. The CNR GMAs are massive and compact, while the inter-arm GMAs are diffuse, with low surface density. GMA mass and size are strongly correlated, as suggested by Larson. However, the diverse power-law index of the relation implies that the GMA properties are not uniform among the environments. The CNR and bar GMAs show higher velocity dispersion than those in other environments. We find little evidence for a correlation between GMA velocity dispersion and size, which indicates that the GMAs are in diverse dynamical states. Indeed, the virial parameter of the GMAs spans nearly two orders of magnitude. Only the spiral GMAs are generally self-gravitating. Star formation activity decreases in order over the CNR, spiral, bar, and inter-arm GMAs. The diverse GMA and star formation properties in different environments lead to variations in the Kennicutt–Schmidt relation. A combination of multiple mechanisms or gas phase change is necessary to explain the observed slopes. Comparisons of GMA properties acquired with the use of the 12 m array observations with those from the feathered data are also presented. The results show that the missing flux and extended emission cannot be neglected for the study of environmental dependence.
The Slowest Spinning X-Ray Pulsar in an Extragalactic Globular Cluster
Authors: Zolotukhin Ivan Yu. , Bachetti Matteo , Sartore Nicola , Chilingarian Igor V. , Webb Natalie A.
Published: April 2017

Neutron stars are thought to be born rapidly rotating and then exhibit a phase of rotation-powered pulsations as they slow down to 1–10 s periods. The significant population of millisecond pulsars observed in our Galaxy is explained by the recycling concept: during an epoch of accretion from a donor star in a binary system, the neutron star is spun up to millisecond periods. However, only a few pulsars are observed during this recycling process, with relatively high rotational frequencies. Here we report the detection of an X-ray pulsar with

in the globular cluster B091D in the Andromeda galaxy, the slowest pulsar ever found in a globular cluster. This bright (up to 30% of the Eddington luminosity) spinning-up pulsar, persistent over the 12 years of observations, must have started accreting less than 1 Myr ago and has not yet had time to accelerate to hundreds of Hertz. The neutron star in this unique wide binary with an orbital period

in a 12 Gyr old, metal-rich star cluster accretes from a low-mass, slightly evolved post-main-sequence companion. We argue that we are witnessing a binary formed at a relatively recent epoch by getting a ∼0.8

star in a dynamical interaction—a viable scenario in a massive, dense globular cluster like B091D with high global and specific stellar encounter rates. This intensively accreting non-recycled X-ray pulsar therefore provides a long-sought missing piece in the standard pulsar recycling picture.
Flavor-dependent Neutrino Angular Distribution in Core-collapse Supernovae
Authors: Tamborra Irene , Hüdepohl Lorenz , Raffelt Georg G. , Janka Hans-Thomas
Published: April 2017

According to recent studies, the collective flavor evolution of neutrinos in core-collapse supernovae depends strongly on the flavor-dependent angular distribution of the local neutrino radiation field, notably on the angular intensity of the electron lepton number carried by neutrinos. To facilitate further investigations of this subject, we study the energy and angle distributions of the neutrino radiation field computed with the Vertex neutrino-transport code for several spherically symmetric (1D) supernova simulations (of progenitor masses 11.2, 15, and 25 M
⊙) and explain how to extract this information from additional models of the Garching group. Beginning in the decoupling region (“neutrino sphere”), the distributions are more and more forward peaked in the radial direction with an angular spread that is largest for ν

e
, smaller for

, and smallest for ν

x
, where x = μ or τ. While the energy-integrated ν

e
minus

angle distribution has a dip in the forward direction, it does not turn negative in any of our investigated cases.
Listing of 502 Times When the Ulysses Magnetic Fields Instrument Observed Waves Due to Newborn Interstellar Pickup Protons
Authors: Cannon Bradford E. , Smith Charles W. , Isenberg Philip A. , Vasquez Bernard J. , Joyce Colin J. , Murphy Neil , Nuno Raquel G.
Published: April 2017

In two earlier publications we analyzed 502 intervals of magnetic waves excited by newborn interstellar pickup protons that were observed by the Ulysses spacecraft. Due to the considerable effort required in identifying these events, we provide a list of the times for the 502 wave event intervals previously identified. In the process, we provide a brief description of how the waves were found and what their properties are. We also remind the reader of the conditions that permit the waves to reach observable levels and explain why the waves are not seen more often.
Impacts of HBV rtH55R Polymerase Substitution on Viral Replication and rtM204I/V Resistance to Nucleoside/Nucleotide Antiviral Drugs
Authors: Xiang Kuan-Hui , Zhao Cheng-Yu , Wang Shuai , Li Yao , Su Ming-Ze , Wang Qiang-Yi , Xu Xi-Zhan , Deng Juan , Zhuang Hui , Li Tong
Published: April 2017

Background

High genetic variability at the reverse transcriptase (RT) region of HBV could confer resistance to nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NUCs). The aim of this study was to identify new RT amino acid (AA) substitutions related to NUC resistance.

Methods

HBV RT sequences of genotype C from 501 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients were analysed to identify potential RT substitutions related to NUC resistance. In vitro studies without and with NUCs were performed in a HepG2 cell line transfected by clones with RT harbouring wild-type or substituted AA(s) of interest.

Results

Among 261 NUC-treated CHB patients, we found a high detection rate of rtM204I/V substitution (30.7% [80/261]). We identified a new substitution of rtH55R, and its detection rate had a significantly increasing trend from 3.8% (9/240) in the untreated group to 7.2% (13/181) or 33.8% (27/80) in the treated group with rtM204 or with rtM204I/V substitutions ( P<0.0001). In vitro studies showed that rtH55R had a similar HBV DNA level compared to wild type. The rtH55R+rtM204I clone had a significantly better replication capacity than the rtM204I clone without NUCs ( P<0.05). The replication capacity of the rtM204I clone was found to significantly decrease under lamivudine treatment, but this was not found in the rtH55R+rtM204I clone.

Conclusions

We identified a new HBV RT substitution of rtH55R in genotype-C-infected CHB patients. It is frequently found in combination with rtM204I/V substitution under NUC treatment. In vitro studies suggest that it might play some replication compensatory role in rtM204I mutants under lamivudine treatment.