bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PENGEMBANGAN SELANCAR (SURFING) MELALUI PEMBERDAYAAN MASYARAKAT (COMMUNITY BASED DEVELOPMENT) DI KAWASAN WISATA PANTAI KUTA, KABUPATEN BADUNG
Authors: Henny Andayani N. L.
Published: February 2017

Kuta merupakan salah satu kawasan wisata di Kabupaten Badung yang dilengkapi dengan beragam fasilitas wisata, seperti restoran, bar, hotel, laundry, dan money changer. Keberadaan kawasan wisata Kuta tidak terlepas dari atraksi wisata utama berupa keindahan pantai dengan pasir putihnya. Beragam aktifitas wisata seperti berjemur, dan surfing, dapat dilakukan di Kuta. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk (1) Mengetahui keterlibatan dan peran serta masyarakat local dalam pengembangan potensi wisata selancar (surfing) selama ini (2) Mengetahui strategi pengembangan aktifitas wisata selancar (surfing) sebagai daya tarik wisata baharí/tirta di Bali dengan memberdayakan masyarakat lokal. Pendekatan yang dilakukan dalam penelitian ini adalah pendekatan kualitatif dengan menggunakan teknik pengumpulan data, wawancara, observasi dan studi dokumentasi. Data yang diperoleh selanjutnya dianalisis dengan matriks internal eksternal dan dilanjutkan dengan analisis SWOT. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa peran serta dan keikutsertaan masyarakat lokal dalam pengembangan selancar (surfing) di kawasan wisata Kuta masih sedikit. Para pelaku dan investor mayoritas berasal dari luar wilayah Kuta. Berdasarkan analisis SWOT didapatkan strategi alternatif yang perlu dikembangkan di Kuta, antara lain: pengembangan surfing berbasis masyarakat lokal di kawasan Kuta, pengembangan usaha jasa pelayanan surfing yang dimiliki dan dikelola oleh masyarakat lokal, strategi peningkatan keamanan dan kenyamanan bagi wisatawan yang melakukan kegiatan surfing di Kawasan Kuta, dan strategi pengembangan kelembagaan terhadap kegiatan surfing.
MODEL PEMBERDAYAAN MASYARAKAT MISKIN DENGAN THE SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD APPROACH BERBASIS BUDAYA LOKAL DI DAERAH LAHAN KERING NUSA PENIDA KLUNGKUNG-BALI
Authors: Putu Mardana Ida Bagus
Published: February 2017

Masalah kemiskinan telah menjadi perhatian serius pemerintah sekarang ini. Penanganan kemiskinan yang  hanya melibatkan partisipasi keluarga miskin secara parsial, terbukti belum mampu menurunkan angka kemiskinan. Pada tahun 2012 (tahun-1) dilakukan pengkajian penanganan kemiskinan melalui pemberdayaan keluarga miskin dengan pendekatan the sustainable livelihood approach (SLA) berbasis budaya lokal. Populasi penelitian adalah seluruh keluarga miskin di 4 (empat) desa yang terpilih sebagai target penelitian, yakni desa Ped, desa Kutampi, desa Tanglad, dan desa Batukandik. Pengambilan sampel penelitian menggunakan teknik proporsive random sampling. Variabel panelitian adalah potensi wilayah dan budaya lokal, model pemberdayaan dengan SLA. Data dikumpulkan dengan pedoman survei, pedoman observasi, pencatatan dokumen dan fakta, kemudian dianalisis dengan interactive model of analysis. Hasil penelitian pada tahun 2012 menunjukkan bahwa wilayah penelitian memiliki daya dukung lahan yang cukup luas, dengan potensi pertanian-peternakan yang cukup tinggi; (2) budaya lokal masyarakat sebagian besar berakar dari nilai-nilai ajaran agama, ide/gagasan, norma dan aturan yang mewarnai aktivitas kehidupan personal dan komunal masyarakat, (3) model pemberdayaan masyarakat dengan SLA berbasis potensi budaya lokal secara sistemik terpayungi dalam kegiatan penyadaran keluarga miskin (awareness), pengkapasitasan (capacity), penguatan (strengthening), dan pelembagaan (institutionalzation), yang pengimplementasiannya dilakukan pada usaha produktif berbasis kelapa dan tani-ternak sapi/babi terpadu.
PELATIHAN PRAKTIKUM IPBA BAGI GURU SMP/SMA DI KOTA SINGARAJA MENUJU OLIMPIADE ASTRONOMI
Authors: Pujani Ni Made , Rapi Ni Ketut
Published: February 2017

Tujuan pengabdian pada masyarakat ini adalah untuk meningkatkan pengetahuan dan keterampilan praktikum bidang IPBA (Astronomi) bagi guru-guru SMP/SMA di Kota Singaraja dalam rangka mengantisipasi rendahnya prestasi belajar IPBA siswa serta sebagai persiapan menuju olimpiade Astronomi. Sasaran kegiatan adalah guru-guru SMP/SMA   yang   ada   di   Kota   Singaraja.   Realisasi   kegiatan   dilakukan   dengan memberikan ceramah dan pelatihan bertempat di Laboratorium Fisika Dasar Jurusan Pendidikan Fisika FMIPA Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha. Hasil pelatihan menunjukkan bahwa secara umum pelaksanaan pelatihan berjalan baik. Kegiatan pelatihan dapat meningkatkan keterampilan guru dalam melaksanakan praktikum dan mengobservasi objek langit malam; dapat meningkatkan penguasaan materi IPBA dari kategori  kurang  (rata-rata  pre  test  47,5)  menjadi  baik  (rata-rata  post  test  70,5). Demikian pula, respon peserta adalah positif dan guru-guru sangat antusias mengikuti pelatihan. Namun, dalam pelaksanaan praktikum hand on dibutuhkan waktu lebih banyak, sehingga topik pelatihan praktikum perlu dibatasi. Kepada pihak terkait disarankan agar dibentuk suatu wadah dimana para guru dapat sharing pengetahuan tentang pengamatan langit malam dan pembahasan soal-soal terkait dengan olimpiade astronomi.
PELATIHAN PENULISAN ARTIKEL ILMIAH BAGI GURU KIMIA DI KABUPATEN KARANGASEM
Authors: Redhana I Wayan , Kirna I Made , Suardana I Nyoman
Published: February 2017

Tujuan kegiatan P2M ini adalah menghasilkan produk berupa artikel ilmiah yang siap diterbitkan  dalam  Jurnal  Pendidikan  Kimia  Indonesia  (JPKimIa).  Untuk  mencapai tujuan tersebut, dilakukan kegiatan pelatihan penulisan artkel ilmiah kepada guru-guru kimia yang tergabung dalam MGMP Kimia Kabupaten Karangasem. Kegiatan pelatihan yang dilakukan diawali dengan berkoordinasi dengan MGMP Kimia Kabupaten Karangasem mengenai jadwal dan tempat pelaksanaan P2M, pelatihan pencarian informasi atau browsing internet, pembekalan penulisan artikel ilmiah, pelatihan menganalisis artikel, dan pembuatan artikel ilmiah. Kegiatan dirancang selama satu bulan penuh dari tanggal 23 September sampai dengan tanggal 31 Oktober 2012 yang dilaksanakan  di   SMAN  1  Amplapura.  Kegiatan  pembekalan  tentang  pencarian informasi  atau  browsing  internet,  penulisan  proposal  penelitian  tindakan  kelas, penulisan artikel ilmiah, analisis artikel, dan pembuatan artikel ilmiah dilakukan pada tanggal 23 Septermber 2012. Jumlah peserta yang hadir pada kegiatan pembekalan tersebut ini sebanyak 16 orang dari 30 orang yang diundang. Pada pembekalan ini, peserta sangat antusias bertanya, tidak saja berkaitan dengan artikel yang akan dibuat, tetapi juga berkaitan dengan penelitian tindakan kelas. Setelah itu dilanjutkan dengan penulisan artikel yang dibimbing oleh dosen-dosen yang terlibat dalam kegiatan P2M ini. Penulisan artikel dilanjutkan di rumah masing-masing selama satu bulan. Selama penulisan artikel ini, peserta dapat berkonsultasi melalui telepon atau email. Kemudian, pada tanggal 31 Oktober 2012 peserta hadir membawa artikel yang telah dibuat dalam kegiatan pembimbingan. Jumlah peserta yang hadir pada kegiatan ini sebanyak 11 orang dari 30 orang yang diundang. Pada kegiatan ini peserta diberikan kesempatan untuk menanyakan  masalah-masalah  yang  dihadapi  berkaitan  dengan  penulisan  artikel. Jumlah artikel yang dapat dikumpulkan pada kegiatan ini sebanyak enam buah artikel
Effect of anesthesia-associated hypotension on neurologic outcome in dogs undergoing hemilaminectomy because of acute, severe thoracolumbar intervertebral disk herniation: 56 cases (2007–2013)
Authors: Dixon Alexandra , Fauber Amy E.
Published: February 2017

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of anesthesia-associated hypotension on final motor and urinary function in paraplegic dogs without nociception that underwent hemilaminectomy because of acute, severe thoracolumbar intervertebral disk herniation (IVDH).

DESIGN Retrospective case series.

ANIMALS 56 paraplegic dogs with acute thoracolumbar IVDH and absent nociception.

PROCEDURES Medical records were reviewed, and signalment, history, anesthetic details, and results of serial neurologic assessments performed for at least 4 weeks after surgery were recorded. Motor function was retrospectively scored with a 5-point scale, and urinary function was scored with a 3-point scale. Hypotension was defined as MAP ≤ 60 mm Hg or SAP ≤ 80 mm Hg for at least 2 consecutive readings 5 minutes apart. Associations between hypotension and outcome were assessed by use of the Fisher exact test.

RESULTS Thirty-three (59%) patients experienced hypotension during anesthesia. Thirty-four (61%) patients (20/33 with and 14/23 without hypotension) regained ambulation. Whether dogs regained motor or urinary function was not significantly associated with the occurrence of hypotension (P = 0.35 and P = 0.86, respectively), the duration of hypotension (P = 0.213 and P = 0.274), or the lowest blood pressure recorded (P = 0.556 and P = 0.699).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE For this group of dogs undergoing hemilaminectomy because of acute, severe thoracolumbar IVDH, anesthesia-associated hypotension was not significantly associated with whether dogs regained motor or urinary function after surgery. However, normotension should be the goal in all patients with spinal cord injuries, especially patients undergoing general anesthesia.
A Comparative Clinical Evaluation of Efficacy of Tramadol As An Adjuvant To Bupivacaine En Brachial Plexus Block For Upper Limb Surgery
Authors: Regmi Nabin Kumar , Subba Sangeeta , Sharma Uttam Chandra
Published: February 2017

Background: In peripheral nerve blocks, adjuvants are added to local anaesthetics to improve the quality of anaesthesia and analgesia. We designed this randomized single blinded prospective study to compare the analgesic efficacy of tramadol used as an adjuvant to bupivacaine for supraclavicular brachial plexus block in patients undergoing orthopaedic surgeries of upper limb.Aim of study: In this study, we aimed to compare onset, duration and quality of analgesia along with respiratory, hemodynamic changes with tramadol as adjuvant to bupivacaine in supraclavicular brachial plexus block in the patients undergoing upper limb surgery.Method: In this prospective randomized control trial, two groups of 30 patients each were investigated. 28 ml. of 0.5% bupivacaine (plain) with 2 ml. normal saline was administered in group - I and 28 ml. of 0.5% bupivacaine (plain) with 2ml. (100 mg.) tramadol was administered in group - II. The onset of sensory and motor block, duration of analgesia, respiratory/hemodynamic parameters and post-operatively quality of analgesia via visual analogue scale were assessed.Results: The duration and quality of analgesia was significantly increased by adding tramadol in bupivacaine than bupivacaine alone (p=<0.001 and <0.001) whereas there was no statistically significant difference in onset of motor (p=>0.35) and sensory block (p=>0.75) and also hemodynamic and respiratory parameters.(HR p=>0.1, MAP p=>0.5, and SPO p=>0.5).Conclusion: The study suggests that tramadol when added to bupivacaine 2 for supraclavicular brachial plexus block enhances the quality of anaesthesia and analgesia without affecting respiratory/hemodynamic parameters.JNGMC Vol. 13 No. 2 December 2015, Page: 13-16
Radiological Findings In Thalassemia
Authors: Chaturvedi S. K.
Published: February 2017

Not Availabvle.JNGMC Vol. 13 No. 2 December 2015, Page: 46
Problems on Finite Automata and the Exponential Time Hypothesis
Authors: Fernau Henning , Krebs Andreas
Published: February 2017

We study several classical decision problems on finite automata under the (Strong) Exponential Time Hypothesis. We focus on three types of problems: universality, equivalence, and emptiness of intersection. All these problems are known to be CoNP-hard for nondeterministic finite automata, even when restricted to unary input alphabets. A different type of problems on finite automata relates to aperiodicity and to synchronizing words. We also consider finite automata that work on commutative alphabets and those working on two-dimensional words.
Round-Bale Silage Harvesting and Processing Effects on Overwintering Ability, Dry Matter Yield, Fermentation Quality, and Palatability of Dwarf Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach)
Authors: Fukagawa Satoru , Kataoka Kenichi , Ishii Yasuyuki
Published: February 2017

Round-bale silage harvesting and processing methods were assessed to evaluate overwintering ability and dry matter (DM) yield, fermentation quality and palatability of overwintered dwarf Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) in the two years following establishment in Nagasaki, Japan, in May 2013 using rooted tillers with a density of 2 plants/m2. In 2014, harvesting methods under no-wilting treatment were compared for flail-type harvesting with a round-baler (Flail/baler plot) and mower conditioning with a round-baler (Mower/baler plot), which is common for beef-calf–producing farmers in the region. In 2015, the effect of ensilage with wilting was investigated only in the Mower/baler plot. Dwarf Napiergrass was cut twice, in early August (summer) and late November (late autumn), each year. The winter survival rate was greater than 96% in May both years. The DM yield in the Mower/baler plot did not differ significantly for the first summer cutting or the annual total from the Flail/baler plot, but did show inferior yield for the second cutting. The fermentation quality of the second-cut plants, estimated using the V2-score, was higher in the Flail/baler plot than in the Mower/baler plot, possibly because of higher air-tightness, and the second-cut silage tended to have better fermentation quality than the first-cut silage in both harvesting plots. Wilting improved the fermentation quality of dwarf Napiergrass silage in summer, but not in autumn. The palatability of the silage, as estimated by alternative and voluntary intake trials using Japanese Black beef cattle, did not differ significantly between plots. The results suggest that dwarf Napiergrass can be better harvested using a mower conditioner with processing by a round-baler, an approach common to beef-calf–producing farmers, than with the flail/baler system, without reducing the persistence, yield, or palatability of the silage. Moreover, wilting treatment improved the fermentation quality of the dwarf Napiergrass silage when processed in summer.
SAR Interferogram Filtering of Shearlet Domain Based on Interferometric Phase Statistics
Authors: He Yonghong , Zhu Jianjun , Fu Haiqiang , Xie Qinghua , Xu Bing , Zhang Bing
Published: February 2017

This paper presents a new filtering approach for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) interferometric phase noise reduction in the shearlet domain, depending on the coherent statistical characteristics. Shearlets provide a multidirectional and multiscale decomposition that have advantages over wavelet filtering methods when dealing with noisy phase fringes. Phase noise in SAR interferograms is directly related to the interferometric coherence and the look number of the interferogram. Therefore, an optimal interferogram filter should incorporate information from both of them. The proposed method combines the phase noise standard deviation with the shearlet transform. Experimental results show that the proposed method can reduce the interferogram noise while maintaining the spatial resolution, especially in areas with low coherence.
Windthrow Variability in Central Amazonia
Authors: Negrón-Juárez Robinson , Jenkins Hillary , Raupp Carlos , Riley William , Kueppers Lara , Magnabosco Marra Daniel , Ribeiro Gabriel , Monteiro Maria , Candido Luis , Chambers Jeffrey , Higuchi Niro
Published: February 2017

Windthrows are a recurrent disturbance in Amazonia and are an important driver of forest dynamics and carbon storage. In this study, we present for the first time the seasonal and interannual variability of windthrows, focusing on Central Amazonia, and discuss the potential meteorological factors associated with this variability. Landsat images over the 1998–2010 time period were used to detect the occurrence of windthrows, which were identified based on their spectral characteristics and shape. Here, we found that windthrows occurred every year but were more frequent between September and February. Organized convective activity associated with multicell storms embedded in mesoscale convective systems, such as northerly squall lines (that move from northeast to southwest) and southerly squall lines (that move from southwest to northeast) can cause windthrows. We also found that southerly squall lines occurred more frequently than their previously reported ~50 year interval. At the interannual scale, we did not find an association between El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and windthrows.
Effect of Experimental Hand Pain on Training-Induced Changes in Motor Performance and Corticospinal Excitability
Authors: Mavromatis Nicolas , Neige Cécilia , Gagné Martin , Reilly Karen , Mercier Catherine
Published: February 2017

Pain influences plasticity within the sensorimotor system and the aim of this study was to assess the effect of pain on changes in motor performance and corticospinal excitability during training for a novel motor task. A total of 30 subjects were allocated to one of two groups (Pain, NoPain) and performed ten training blocks of a visually-guided isometric pinch task. Each block consisted of 15 force sequences, and subjects modulated the force applied to a transducer in order to reach one of five target forces. Pain was induced by applying capsaicin cream to the thumb. Motor performance was assessed by a skill index that measured shifts in the speed–accuracy trade-off function. Neurophysiological measures were taken from the first dorsal interosseous using transcranial magnetic stimulation. Overall, the Pain group performed better throughout the training (p = 0.03), but both groups showed similar improvements across training blocks (p < 0.001), and there was no significant interaction. Corticospinal excitability in the NoPain group increased halfway through the training, but this was not observed in the Pain group (Time × Group interaction; p = 0.01). These results suggest that, even when pain does not negatively impact on the acquisition of a novel motor task, it can affect training-related changes in corticospinal excitability.
Ruthenium–Platinum Catalysts and Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFC): A Review of Theoretical and Experimental Breakthroughs
Authors: Moura Ana , Fajín José , Mandado Marcos , Cordeiro Maria
Published: February 2017

The increasing miniaturization of devices creates the need for adequate power sources and direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) are a strong option in the various possibilities under current development. DMFC catalysts are mostly based on platinum, for its outperformance in three key areas (activity, selectivity and stability) within methanol oxidation framework. However, platinum poisoning with products of methanol oxidation led to the use of alloys. Ruthenium–platinum alloys are preferred catalysts active phases for methanol oxidation from an industrial point of view and, indeed, ruthenium itself is a viable catalyst for this reaction. In addition, the route of methanol decomposition is crucial in the goal of producing H2 from water reaction with methanol. However, the reaction pathway remains elusive and new approaches, namely in computational methods, have been ensued to determine it. This article reviews the various recent theoretical approaches for determining the pathway of methanol decomposition, and systematizes their validation with experimental data, within methodological context.
An Artificial Neural Network for Analyzing Overall Uniformity in Outdoor Lighting Systems
Authors: Corte-Valiente Antonio , Castillo-Sequera José , Castillo-Martinez Ana , Gómez-Pulido José , Gutierrez-Martinez Jose-Maria
Published: February 2017

Street lighting installations are an essential service for modern life due to their capability of creating a welcoming feeling at nighttime. Nevertheless, several studies have highlighted that it is possible to improve the quality of the light significantly improving the uniformity of the illuminance. The main difficulty arises when trying to improve some of the installation’s characteristics based only on statistical analysis of the light distribution. This paper presents a new algorithm that is able to obtain the overall illuminance uniformity in order to improve this sort of installations. To develop this algorithm it was necessary to perform a detailed study of all the elements which are part of street lighting installations. Because classification is one of the most important tasks in the application areas of artificial neural networks, we compared the performances of six types of training algorithms in a feed forward neural network for analyzing the overall uniformity in outdoor lighting systems. We found that the best algorithm that minimizes the error is “Levenberg-Marquardt back-propagation”, which approximates the desired output of the training pattern. By means of this kind of algorithm, it is possible to help to lighting professionals optimize the quality of street lighting installations.
Mode Shift Control for a Hybrid Heavy-Duty Vehicle with Power-Split Transmission
Authors: Huang Kun , Xiang Changle , Ma Yue , Wang Weida , Langari Reza
Published: February 2017

Given that power-split transmission (PST) is considered to be a major powertrain technology for hybrid heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs), the development and application of PST in the HDVs make mode shift control an essential aspect of powertrain system design. This paper presents a shift schedule design and torque control strategy for a hybrid HDV with PST during mode shift, intended to reduce the output torque variation and improve the shift quality (SQ). Firstly, detailed dynamic models of the hybrid HDV are developed to analyze the mode shift characteristics. Then, a gear shift schedule calculation method including a dynamic shift schedule and an economic shift schedule is provided. Based on the dynamic models and the designed shift schedule, a mode shift performance simulator is built using MATLAB/Simulink, and simulations are carried out. Through analysis of the dynamic equations, it is seen that the inertia torques of the motor–generator lead to the occurrence of transition torque. To avoid the unwanted transition torque, we use a mode shift control strategy that coordinates the motor–generator torque to compensate for the transition torque. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the output torque variation during mode shift is effectively reduced by the proposed control strategy, thereby improving the SQ.
Risk-Based Probabilistic Voltage Stability Assessment in Uncertain Power System
Authors: Deng Weisi , Zhang Buhan , Ding Hongfa , Li Hang
Published: February 2017

The risk-based assessment is a new approach to the voltage stability assessment in power systems. Under several uncertainties, the security risk of static voltage stability with the consideration of wind power can be evaluated. In this paper, we first build a probabilistic forecast model for wind power generation based on real historical data. Furthermore, we propose a new probability voltage stability approach based on Conditional Value-at-Risk (CVaR) and Quasi-Monte Carlo (QMC) simulation. The QMC simulation is used to speed up Monte Carlo (MC) simulation by improving the sampling technique. Our CVaR-based model reveals critical characteristics of static voltage stability. The distribution of the local voltage stability margin, which considers the security risk at a forecast operating time interval, is estimated to evaluate the probability voltage stability. Tested on the modified IEEE New England 39-bus system and the IEEE 118-bus system, results from the proposal are compared against the result of the conventional proposal. The effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method are demonstrated by the test results.
Review and Extension of CO2-Based Methods to Determine Ventilation Rates with Application to School Classrooms
Authors: Batterman Stuart
Published: February 2017

The ventilation rate (VR) is a key parameter affecting indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and the energy consumption of buildings. This paper reviews the use of CO2 as a “natural” tracer gas for estimating VRs, focusing on applications in school classrooms. It provides details and guidance for the steady-state, build-up, decay and transient mass balance methods. An extension to the build-up method and an analysis of the post-exercise recovery period that can increase CO2 generation rates are presented. Measurements in four mechanically-ventilated school buildings demonstrate the methods and highlight issues affecting their applicability. VRs during the school day fell below recommended minimum levels, and VRs during evening and early morning were on the order of 0.1 h−1, reflecting shutdown of the ventilation systems. The transient mass balance method was the most flexible and advantageous method given the low air change rates and dynamic occupancy patterns observed in the classrooms. While the extension to the build-up method improved stability and consistency, the accuracy of this and the steady-state method may be limited. Decay-based methods did not reflect the VR during the school day due to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system shutdown. Since the number of occupants in classrooms changes over the day, the VR expressed on a per person basis (e.g., L·s−1·person−1) depends on the occupancy metric. If occupancy measurements can be obtained, then the transient mass balance method likely will provide the most consistent and accurate results among the CO2-based methods. Improved VR measurements can benefit many applications, including research examining the linkage between ventilation and health.
Relationship between Sedentariness and Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity in Youth: A Multivariate Multilevel Study
Authors: Gomes Thayse , Hedeker Donald , Dos Santos Fernanda , Souza Michele , Santos Daniel , Pereira Sara , Katzmarzyk Peter , Maia José
Published: February 2017

This study aimed to jointly analyse moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentariness, and their correlates, in children within their school contexts, using a multivariate multilevel approach. The sample comprises 499 Portuguese children (284 girls) from 23 schools. MVPA and sedentary time were estimated by accelerometer. A set of predictor variables from both child and school levels was tested. Overall, schools explained a small amount of the total variance in both MVPA (5.6%) and sedentariness (3.2%), and a correlation coefficient of −0.45 (p < 0.05) was found between MVPA and sedentariness at the child level. Number of siblings and socioeconomic status (SES) were significantly associated with both sedentariness (SES: β = 2.372 ± 1.183; siblings: β = −8.127 ± 2.759) and MPVA (SES: β = −1.535 ± 0.421; siblings: β = 2.822 ± 0.977), but with opposite signs. Body Mass Index (BMI) (β = −4.804 ± 1.898) and sex (male) (β = 21.561 ± 3.496) were only associated with MVPA. None of the school correlates were statistically significant in their joint effects to simultaneously explain sedentariness and MVPA. These results suggest that although MVPA and sedentariness may be different constructs, they are correlated and this should be taken into account when designing strategies to reduce children’s sedentariness and increase their MVPA. In addition, the small effect of the school context on this relationship highlights the important roles of child and family characteristics.
Overexpression of SKP2 Inhibits the Radiation-Induced Bystander Effects of Esophageal Carcinoma
Authors: Wang Xiao-Chun , Zhang Tie-Jun , Guo Zi-Jian , Xiao Chang-Yan , Ding Xiao-Wen , Fang Fang , Sheng Wen-Tao , Shu Xu , Li Jue
Published: February 2017

Background: To investigate the effects of S-phase kinase protein 2 (SKP2) expression on the radiation induced bystander effect (RIBE) in esophageal cancer (EC) cells. Materials and Methods: Western blot was used to detect the levels of SKP2, Rad51, and Ku70 in EC cells. Positive transfection, RNAi, micronucleus (MN), and γ-H2AX focus formation assay were used to investigate the effects of SKP2 on RIBE induced by irradiated cells. Results: We found a significant negative correlation between SKP2 expression and MN frequency (p < 0.05) induced by RIBE. The results were further confirmed by positive transfection, RNAi, and rescue experiments.γ-H2AX focus formation assay results indicated that overexpression of SKP2 in the irradiated cells inhibited the DNA damage of RIBE cells. However, when SKP2 expression decreased in irradiated cells, the DNA damage of RIBE cells increased. Increased or decreased expression levels of SKP2 had effects on Rad51 expression under the conditions of RIBE. Conclusions: These results showed, for the first time, that SKP2 expression can inhibit RIBE of EC cells. The mechanism may function, at least partly, through the regulation of Rad51 in the ability to repair DNA damage.
Investigating Public Facility Characteristics from a Spatial Interaction Perspective: A Case Study of Beijing Hospitals Using Taxi Data
Authors: Kong Xiaoqing , Liu Yu , Wang Yuxia , Tong Daoqin , Zhang Jing
Published: February 2017

Services provided by public facilities are essential to people’s lives and are closely associated with human mobility. Traditionally, public facility access characteristics, such as accessibility, equity issues and service areas, are investigated mainly based on static data (census data, travel surveys and particular records, such as medical records). Currently, the advent of big data offers an unprecedented opportunity to obtain large-scale human mobility data, which can be used to study the characteristics of public facilities from the spatial interaction perspective. Intuitively, spatial interaction characteristics and service areas of different types and sizes of public facilities are different, but how different remains an open question, so we, in turn, examine this question. Based on spatial interaction, we classify public facilities and explore the differences in facilities. In the research, based on spatial interaction extracted from taxi data, we introduce an unsupervised classification method to classify 78 hospitals in 6 districts of Beijing, and the results better reflect the type of hospital. The findings are of great significance for optimizing the spatial configuration of medical facilities or other types of public facilities, allocating public resources reasonably and relieving traffic pressure.
A Dual-Modality System for Both Multi-Color Ultrasound-Switchable Fluorescence and Ultrasound Imaging
Authors: Kandukuri Jayanth , Yu Shuai , Cheng Bingbing , Bandi Venugopal , D’Souza Francis , Nguyen Kytai , Hong Yi , Yuan Baohong
Published: February 2017

Simultaneous imaging of multiple targets (SIMT) in opaque biological tissues is an important goal for molecular imaging in the future. Multi-color fluorescence imaging in deep tissues is a promising technology to reach this goal. In this work, we developed a dual-modality imaging system by combining our recently developed ultrasound-switchable fluorescence (USF) imaging technology with the conventional ultrasound (US) B-mode imaging. This dual-modality system can simultaneously image tissue acoustic structure information and multi-color fluorophores in centimeter-deep tissue with comparable spatial resolutions. To conduct USF imaging on the same plane (i.e., x-z plane) as US imaging, we adopted two 90°-crossed ultrasound transducers with an overlapped focal region, while the US transducer (the third one) was positioned at the center of these two USF transducers. Thus, the axial resolution of USF is close to the lateral resolution, which allows a point-by-point USF scanning on the same plane as the US imaging. Both multi-color USF and ultrasound imaging of a tissue phantom were demonstrated.
Sphingosine Kinase-1 Involves the Inhibitory Action of HIF-1α by Chlorogenic Acid in Hypoxic DU145 Cells
Authors: Lee Myoung-Sun , Lee Seon-Ok , Kim Kyu-Ri , Lee Hyo-Jeong
Published: February 2017

Hypoxia enhances cancer development in a solid tumor. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α (HIF-1α) is a transcription factor that is dominantly expressed under hypoxia in solid tumor cells and is a key factor that regulates tumor. HIF-1α regulates several target genes involved in many aspects of cancer progression, including angiogenesis, metastasis, anti-apoptosis and cell proliferation as well as imparts resistance to cancer treatment. In this study, we assessed Crataegus Pinnatifida Bunge var. typical Schneider ethanol extract (CPE) for its anti-cancer effects in hypoxia-induced DU145 human prostate cancer cell line. CPE decreased the abundance of HIF-1α and sphingosine kinase-1 (SPHK-1) in hypoxia-induced prostate cancer DU145 cells. CPE decreased HIF-1α and SPHK-1 as well as SPHK-1 activity. Chlorogenic acid (CA) is one of four major compounds of CPE. Compared to CPE, CA significantly decreased the expression of HIF-1α and SPHK-1 as well as SPHK-1 activity in hypoxia-induced DU145 cells. Furthermore, CA decreased phosphorylation AKT and GSK-3β, which are associated with HIF-1α stabilization and affected SPHK-1 in a concentration-dependent manner. We confirmed the mechanism of CA-induced inhibition of HIF-1α by SPHK-1 signaling pathway using SPHK-1 siRNA and SPHK inhibitor (SKI). CA decreased the secretion and cellular expression of VEGF, thus inhibiting hypoxia-induced angiogenesis. Treatment of DU145cells with SPHK1 siRNA and CA for 48 h decreased cancer cell growth, and the inhibitory action of SPHK siRNA and CA on cell growth was confirmed by decrease in the abundance of Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA).
The Dynamics of the Defense Strategy of Pea Induced by Exogenous Nitric Oxide in Response to Aphid Infestation
Authors: Woźniak Agnieszka , Formela Magda , Bilman Piotr , Grześkiewicz Katarzyna , Bednarski Waldemar , Marczak Łukasz , Narożna Dorota , Dancewicz Katarzyna , Mai Van , Borowiak-Sobkowiak Beata , Floryszak-Wieczorek Jolanta , Gabryś Beata , Morkunas Iwona
Published: February 2017

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of exogenous nitric oxide (NO), i.e., S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), on the metabolic status of Pisum sativum L. cv. Cysterski leaves infested by Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris, population demographic parameters and A. pisum feeding activity. A reduction in the level of semiquinone radicals in pea seedling leaves pretreated with exogenous NO occurred 24 h after A. pisum infestation, which was earlier than in non-pretreated leaves. A decrease in the level of O2•− was observed in leaves pretreated with GSNO and infested by aphids at 48 and 72 h post-infestation (hpi). Directly after the pretreatment with GSNO, an increase in the level of metal ions was recorded. NO considerably induced the relative mRNA levels for phenylalanine ammonia-lyase in 24-h leaves pretreated with NO donors, both non-infested and infested. NO stimulated the accumulation of pisatin in leaves until 24 h. The Electrical Penetration Graph revealed a reduction in the feeding activity of the pea aphid on leaves pretreated with NO. The present study showed that foliar application of NO donors induced sequentially defense reactions of pea against A. pisum and had a deterrent effect on aphid feeding and limited the population growth rate.
Behavior of Gingival Fibroblasts on Titanium Implant Surfaces in Combination with either Injectable-PRF or PRP
Authors: Wang Xuzhu , Zhang Yufeng , Choukroun Joseph , Ghanaati Shahram , Miron Richard
Published: February 2017

Various strategies have been employed to speed tissue regeneration using bioactive molecules. Interestingly, platelet concentrates derived from a patient’s own blood have been utilized as a regenerative strategy in recent years. In the present study, a novel liquid platelet formulation prepared without the use of anti-coagulants (injectable-platelet-rich fibrin, i-PRF) was compared to standard platelet-rich plasma (PRP) with gingival fibroblasts cultured on smooth and roughened titanium implant surfaces. Standard PRP and i-PRF (centrifuged at 700 rpm (60× g) for 3 min) were compared by assays for fibroblast biocompatibility, migration, adhesion, proliferation, as well as expression of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), collagen1 (COL1) and fibronectin (FN). The results demonstrate that i-PRF induced significantly higher cell migration, as well as higher messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of PDGF, TGF-β, collagen1 and fibronectin when compared to PRP. Furthermore, collagen1 synthesis was highest in the i-PRF group. These findings demonstrate that liquid platelet concentrates can be formulated without the use of anticoagulants and present much translational potential for future research. Future animal and clinical trials are now necessary to further investigate the potential of utilizing i-PRF for soft tissue regenerative protocols in combination with various biomaterials.
Developing and Evaluating a Flexible Wireless Microcoil Array Based Integrated Interface for Epidural Cortical Stimulation
Authors: Wang Xing , Chaudhry Sharjeel , Hou Wensheng , Jia Xiaofeng
Published: February 2017

Stroke leads to serious long-term disability. Electrical epidural cortical stimulation has made significant improvements in stroke rehabilitation therapy. We developed a preliminary wireless implantable passive interface, which consists of a stimulating surface electrode, receiving coil, and single flexible passive demodulated circuit printed by flexible printed circuit (FPC) technique and output pulse voltage stimulus by inductively coupling an external circuit. The wireless implantable board was implanted in cats’ unilateral epidural space for electrical stimulation of the primary visual cortex (V1) while the evoked responses were recorded on the contralateral V1 using a needle electrode. The wireless implantable board output stable monophasic voltage stimuli. The amplitude of the monophasic voltage output could be adjusted by controlling the voltage of the transmitter circuit within a range of 5–20 V. In acute experiment, cortico-cortical evoked potential (CCEP) response was recorded on the contralateral V1. The amplitude of N2 in CCEP was modulated by adjusting the stimulation intensity of the wireless interface. These results demonstrated that a wireless interface based on a microcoil array can offer a valuable tool for researchers to explore electrical stimulation in research and the dura mater-electrode interface can effectively transmit electrical stimulation.
High Specific Selectivity and Membrane-Active Mechanism of Synthetic Cationic Hybrid Antimicrobial Peptides Based on the Peptide FV7
Authors: Tan Tingting , Wu Di , Li Weizhong , Zheng Xin , Li Weifen , Shan Anshan
Published: February 2017

Hybrid peptides integrating different functional domains of peptides have many advantages, such as remarkable antimicrobial activity, lower hemolysis and ideal cell selectivity, compared with natural antimicrobial peptides. FV7 (FRIRVRV-NH2), a consensus amphiphilic sequence was identified as being analogous to host defense peptides. In this study, we designed a series of hybrid peptides FV7-LL-37 (17–29) (FV-LL), FV7-magainin 2 (9–21) (FV-MA) and FV7-cecropin A (1–8) (FV-CE) by combining the FV7 sequence with the small functional sequences LL-37 (17–29) (LL), magainin 2 (9–21) (MA) and cecropin A (1–8) (CE) which all come from well-described natural peptides. The results demonstrated that the synthetic hybrid peptides, in particular FV-LL, had potent antibacterial activities over a wide range of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria with lower hemolytic activity than other peptides. Furthermore, fluorescent spectroscopy indicated that the hybrid peptide FV-LL exhibited marked membrane destruction by inducing outer and inner bacterial membrane permeabilization, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) demonstrated that FV-LL damaged membrane integrity by disrupting the bacterial membrane. Inhibiting biofilm formation assays also showed that FV-LL had similar anti-biofilm activity compared with the functional peptide sequence FV7. Synthetic cationic hybrid peptides based on FV7 could provide new models for combining different functional domains and demonstrate effective avenues to screen for novel antimicrobial agents.
Oxidative Radical Cyclization–Cyclization Reaction Leading to 1H-Benzo[f]isoindole Derivatives
Authors: Yoshioka Eito , Miyabe Hideto
Published: February 2017

The synthesis of 1H-benzo[f]isoindole derivatives was achieved by the cascade radical cyclization–cyclization reaction of the active methine substrate having an allyl group and phenyl group as different two radical acceptors. This oxidative transformation proceeded by using iron(III) chloride FeCl3 as a mild oxidant via the intramolecular radical addition to the allyl group followed by the second radical addition to the phenyl group.
High Responsivity MgZnO Ultraviolet Thin-Film Phototransistor Developed Using Radio Frequency Sputtering
Authors: Li Jyun-Yi , Chang Sheng-Po , Hsu Ming-Hung , Chang Shoou-Jinn
Published: February 2017

We investigated the electrical and optoelectronic properties of a magnesium zinc oxide thin-film phototransistor. We fabricate an ultraviolet phototransistor by using a wide-bandgap MgZnO thin film as the active layer material of the thin film transistor (TFT). The fabricated device demonstrated a threshold voltage of 3.1 V, on–off current ratio of 105, subthreshold swing of 0.8 V/decade, and mobility of 5 cm2/V·s in a dark environment. As a UV photodetector, the responsivity of the device was 3.12 A/W, and the rejection ratio was 6.55 × 105 at a gate bias of −5 V under 290 nm illumination.
Influence of Curing Mode on the Surface Energy and Sorption/Solubility of Dental Self-Adhesive Resin Cements
Authors: Kim Hyun-Jin , Bagheri Rafat , Kim Young , Son Jun , Kwon Tae-Yub
Published: February 2017

This study investigated the influence of curing mode (dual- or self-cure) on the surface energy and sorption/solubility of four self-adhesive resin cements (SARCs) and one conventional resin cement. The degree of conversion (DC) and surface energy parameters including degree of hydrophilicity (DH) were determined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and contact angle measurements, respectively (n = 5). Sorption and solubility were assessed by mass gain or loss after storage in distilled water or lactic acid for 60 days (n = 5). A linear regression model was used to correlate between the results (%DC vs. DH and %DC/DH vs. sorption/solubility). For all materials, the dual-curing consistently produced significantly higher %DC values than the self-curing (p < 0.05). Significant negative linear regressions were established between the %DC and DH in both curing modes (p < 0.05). Overall, the SARCs showed higher sorption/solubility values, in particular when immersed in lactic acid, than the conventional resin cement. Linear regression revealed that %DC and DH were negatively and positively correlated with the sorption/solubility values, respectively. Dual-curing of SARCs seems to lower the sorption and/or solubility in comparison with self-curing by increased %DC and occasionally decreased hydrophilicity.
Microstructure Characterization and Wear-Resistant Properties Evaluation of an Intermetallic Composite in Ni–Mo–Si System
Authors: Huang Boyuan , Song Chunyan , Liu Yang , Gui Yongliang
Published: February 2017

Intermetallic compounds have been studied for their potential application as structural wear materials or coatings on engineering steels. In the present work, a newly designed intermetallic composite in a Ni–Mo–Si system was fabricated by arc-melting process with commercially pure metal powders as starting materials. The chemical composition of this intermetallic composite is 45Ni–40Mo–15Si (at %), selected according to the ternary alloy diagram. The microstructure was characterized using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and the wear-resistant properties at room temperature were evaluated under different wear test conditions. Microstructure characterization showed that the composite has a dense and uniform microstructure. XRD results showed that the intermetallic composite is constituted by a binary intermetallic compound NiMo and a ternary Mo2Ni3Si metal silicide phase. Wear test results indicated that the intermetallic composite has an excellent wear-resistance at room-temperature, which is attributed to the high hardness and strong atomic bonding of constituent phases NiMo and Mo2Ni3Si.
A Method for Design of Modular Reconfigurable Machine Tools
Authors: Xu Zhengyi , Xi Fengfeng , Liu Lilan , Chen Li
Published: February 2017

Presented in this paper is a method for the design of modular reconfigurable machine tools (MRMTs). An MRMT is capable of using a minimal number of modules through reconfiguration to perform the required machining tasks for a family of parts. The proposed method consists of three steps: module identification, module determination, and layout synthesis. In the first step, the module components are collected from a family of general-purpose machines to establish a module library. In the second step, for a given family of parts to be machined, a set of needed modules are selected from the module library to construct a desired reconfigurable machine tool. In the third step, a final machine layout is decided though evaluation by considering a number of performance indices. Based on this method, a software package has been developed that can design an MRMT for a given part family.
On-Surface Locomotion of Particle Based Microrobots Using Magnetically Induced Oscillation
Authors: Cheang U , Ali Jamel , Kim Hoyeon , Rogowski Louis , Kim Min
Published: February 2017

The low Reynolds number condition presents a fundamental constraint on designing locomotive mechanisms for microscale robots. We report on the use of an oscillating magnetic field to induce on-surface translational motion of particle based microrobots. The particle based microrobots consist of microparticles, connected in a chain-like manner using magnetic self-assembly, where the non-rigid connections between the particles provide structural flexibility for the microrobots. Following the scallop theorem, the oscillation of flexible bodies can lead to locomotion at low Reynolds numbers, similar to the beating motion of sperm flagella. We characterized the velocity profiles of the microrobots by measuring their velocities at various oscillating frequencies. We also demonstrated the directional steering capabilities of the microrobots. This work will provide insights into the use of oscillation as a viable mode of locomotion for particle based microrobots near a surface.
Early Taste Experiences and Later Food Choices
Authors: De Cosmi Valentina , Scaglioni Silvia , Agostoni Carlo
Published: February 2017

Background. Nutrition in early life is increasingly considered to be an important factor influencing later health. Food preferences are formed in infancy, are tracked into childhood and beyond, and complementary feeding practices are crucial to prevent obesity later in life. Methods. Through a literature search strategy, we have investigated the role of breastfeeding, of complementary feeding, and the parental and sociocultural factors which contribute to set food preferences early in life. Results. Children are predisposed to prefer high-energy, -sugar, and -salt foods, and in pre-school age to reject new foods (food neophobia). While genetically determined individual differences exist, repeated offering of foods can modify innate preferences. Conclusions. Starting in the prenatal period, a varied exposure through amniotic fluid and repeated experiences with novel flavors during breastfeeding and complementary feeding increase children’s willingness to try new foods within a positive social environment.