bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Autophagy Genes and Their Expression Levels during Leaf Senescence, Chronic Nitrogen Limitation and in Response to Dark Exposure
Authors: Avila-Ospina Liliana , Marmagne Anne , Soulay Fabienne , Masclaux-Daubresse Céline
Published: February 2016

Barley is a cereal of primary importance for forage and human nutrition, and is a useful model for wheat. Autophagy genes first described in yeast have been subsequently isolated in mammals and Arabidopsis thaliana. In Arabidopsis and maize it was recently shown that autophagy machinery participates in nitrogen remobilization for grain filling. In rice, autophagy is also important for nitrogen recycling at the vegetative stage. In this study, HvATGs, HvNBR1 and HvATI1 sequences were identified from bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC), complementary DNA (cDNA) and expressed sequence tag (EST) libraries. The gene models were subsequently determined from alignments between genome and transcript sequences. Essential amino acids were identified from the protein sequences in order to estimate their functionality. A total of twenty-four barley HvATG genes, one HvNBR1 gene and one HvATI1 gene were identified. Except for HvATG5, all the genomic sequences found completely matched their cDNA sequences. The HvATG5 gene sequence presents a gap that cannot be sequenced due to its high GC content. The HvATG5 coding DNA sequence (CDS), when over-expressed in the Arabidopsis atg5 mutant, complemented the plant phenotype. The HvATG transcript levels were increased globally by leaf senescence, nitrogen starvation and dark-treatment. The induction of HvATG5 during senescence was mainly observed in the flag leaves, while it remained surprisingly stable in the seedling leaves, irrespective of the leaf age during stress treatment.
Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Surface Treatment of Rayon Flock Synthetic Leather with Tetramethylsilane
Authors: Kan Chi-Wai , Kwong Chi-Ho , Ng Sun-Pui
Published: February 2016

This paper investigates the use of atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) treatment for improving the surface hydrophobicity of rayon flock synthetic leather with organosilane precursor (tetramethylsilane (TMS)). Plasma deposition of TMS is regarded as an effective, simple, and low-pollution process. The results show that a highly hydrophobic surface is formulated on the rayon flock synthetic leather. Under a particular combination of treatment parameters, a hydrophobic surface was achieved on the APP-treated sample with a contact angle of 135° while the untreated sample had a contact angle of 0° (i.e., the fabric surface was completely drenched immediately). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the deposition of organosilane.
Enzyme Stability and Activity in Non-Aqueous Reaction Systems: A Mini Review
Authors: Wang Shihui , Meng Xianghe , Zhou Hua , Liu Yang , Secundo Francesco , Liu Yun
Published: February 2016

Enormous interest in biocatalysis in non-aqueous phase has recently been triggered due to the merits of good enantioselectivity, reverse thermodynamic equilibrium, and no water-dependent side reactions. It has been demonstrated that enzyme has high activity and stability in non-aqueous media, and the variation of enzyme activity is attributed to its conformational modifications. This review comprehensively addresses the stability and activity of the intact enzymes in various non-aqueous systems, such as organic solvents, ionic liquids, sub-/super-critical fluids and their combined mixtures. It has been revealed that critical factors such as Log P, functional groups and the molecular structures of the solvents define the microenvironment surrounding the enzyme molecule and affect enzyme tertiary and secondary structure, influencing enzyme catalytic properties. Therefore, it is of high importance for biocatalysis in non-aqueous media to elucidate the links between the microenvironment surrounding enzyme surface and its stability and activity. In fact, a better understanding of the correlation between different non-aqueous environments and enzyme structure, stability and activity can contribute to identifying the most suitable reaction medium for a given biotransformation.
A Memristor-Based Hyperchaotic Complex Lü System and Its Adaptive Complex Generalized Synchronization
Authors: Wang Shibing , Wang Xingyuan , Zhou Yufei , Han Bo
Published: February 2016

This paper introduces a new memristor-based hyperchaotic complex Lü system (MHCLS) and investigates its adaptive complex generalized synchronization (ACGS). Firstly, the complex system is constructed based on a memristor-based hyperchaotic real Lü system, and its properties are analyzed theoretically. Secondly, its dynamical behaviors, including hyperchaos, chaos, transient phenomena, as well as periodic behaviors, are explored numerically by means of bifurcation diagrams, Lyapunov exponents, phase portraits, and time history diagrams. Thirdly, an adaptive controller and a parameter estimator are proposed to realize complex generalized synchronization and parameter identification of two identical MHCLSs with unknown parameters based on Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, the numerical simulation results of ACGS and its applications to secure communication are presented to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.
High Temperature Oxidation and Corrosion Properties of High Entropy Superalloys
Authors: Tsao Te-Kang , Yeh An-Chou , Kuo Chen-Ming , Murakami Hideyuki
Published: February 2016

The present work investigates the high temperature oxidation and corrosion behaviour of high entropy superalloys (HESA). A high content of various solutes in HESA leads to formation of complex oxides, however the Cr and Al activities of HESA are sufficient to promote protective chromia or alumina formation on the surface. By comparing the oxidation and corrosion resistances of a Ni-based superalloy—CM247LC, Al2O3-forming HESA can possess comparable oxidation resistance at 1100 °C, and Cr2O3-forming HESA can exhibit superior resistance against hot corrosion at 900 °C. This work has demonstrated the potential of HESA to maintain surface stability in oxidizing and corrosive environments.
Negentropy in Many-Body Quantum Systems
Authors: Quarati Piero , Lissia Marcello , Scarfone Antonio
Published: February 2016

Negentropy (negative entropy) is the negative contribution to the total entropy of correlated many-body environments. Negentropy can play a role in transferring its related stored mobilizable energy to colliding nuclei that participate in spontaneous or induced nuclear fusions in solid or liquid metals or in stellar plasmas. This energy transfer mechanism can explain the observed increase of nuclear fusion rates relative to the standard Salpeter screening. The importance of negentropy in these specific many-body quantum systems and its relation to many-body correlation entropy are discussed.
The Daunting Challenge of Ensuring Sustainable Development of Nanomaterials
Authors: Amorim Mónica
Published: February 2016

The development and implementation of nanomaterials (NMs) is rapid and a vast range of applications is already in place or foreseen.[...]
Identification and Evolution of Functional Alleles of the Previously Described Pollen Specific Myrosinase Pseudogene AtTGG6 in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Fu Lili , Han Bingying , Tan Deguan , Wang Meng , Ding Mei , Zhang Jiaming
Published: February 2016

Myrosinases are β-thioglucoside glucohydrolases and serve as defense mechanisms against insect pests and pathogens by producing toxic compounds. AtTGG6 in Arabidopsis thaliana was previously reported to be a myrosinase pseudogene but specifically expressed in pollen. However, we found that AlTGG6, an ortholog to AtTGG6 in A. lyrata (an outcrossing relative of A. thaliana) was functional, suggesting that functional AtTGG6 alleles may still exist in A. thaliana. AtTGG6 alleles in 29 A. thaliana ecotypes were cloned and sequenced. Results indicate that ten alleles were functional and encoded Myr II type myrosinase of 512 amino acids, and myrosinase activity was confirmed by overexpressing AtTGG6 in Pichia pastoris. However, the 19 other ecotypes had disabled alleles with highly polymorphic frame-shift mutations and diversified sequences. Thirteen frame-shift mutation types were identified, which occurred independently many times in the evolutionary history within a few thousand years. The functional allele was expressed specifically in pollen similar to the disabled alleles but at a higher expression level, suggesting its role in defense of pollen against insect pests such as pollen beetles. However, the defense function may have become less critical after A. thaliana evolved to self-fertilization, and thus resulted in loss of function in most ecotypes.
Benzyl Isothiocyanate Inhibits Prostate Cancer Development in the Transgenic Adenocarcinoma Mouse Prostate (TRAMP) Model, Which Is Associated with the Induction of Cell Cycle G1 Arrest
Authors: Cho Han , Lim Do , Kwon Gyoo , Kim Ji , Huang Zunnan , Song Hyerim , Oh Yoon , Kang Young-Hee , Lee Ki , Dong Zigang , Park Jung
Published: February 2016

Benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) is a hydrolysis product of glucotropaeolin, a compound found in cruciferous vegetables, and has been shown to have anti-tumor properties. In the present study, we investigated whether BITC inhibits the development of prostate cancer in the transgenic adenocarcinoma mouse prostate (TRAMP) mice. Five-week old, male TRAMP mice and their nontransgenic littermates were gavage-fed with 0, 5, or 10 mg/kg of BITC every day for 19 weeks. The weight of the genitourinary tract increased markedly in TRAMP mice and this increase was suppressed significantly by BITC feeding. H and E staining of the dorsolateral lobes of the prostate demonstrated that well-differentiated carcinoma (WDC) was a predominant feature in the TRAMP mice. The number of lobes with WDC was reduced by BITC feeding while that of lobes with prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia was increased. BITC feeding reduced the number of cells expressing Ki67 (a proliferation marker), cyclin A, cyclin D1, and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)2 in the prostatic tissue. In vitro cell culture results revealed that BITC decreased DNA synthesis, as well as CDK2 and CDK4 activity in TRAMP-C2 mouse prostate cancer cells. These results indicate that inhibition of cell cycle progression contributes to the inhibition of prostate cancer development in TRAMP mice treated with BITC.
Histologic Assessment of Drug-Eluting Grafts Related to Implantation Site
Authors: Tille Jean-Christophe , De Valence Sarra , Mandracchia Delia , Nottelet Benjamin , Innocente Francesco , Gurny Robert , Möller Michael , Walpoth Beat
Published: February 2016

Drug-eluting vascular prostheses represent a new direction in vascular surgery to reduce early thrombosis and late intimal hyperplasia for small calibre grafts. Subcutaneous implantation in rats is a rapid and cost-effective screening model to assess the drug-elution effect and could, to some extent, be useful to forecast results for vascular prostheses. We compared biological and histological responses to scaffolds in different implantation sites. Polycaprolactone (PCL), paclitaxel-loaded PCL (PCL-PTX) and dexamethasone-loaded PCL (PCL-DXM) electrospun scaffolds were implanted subcutaneously and in an infrarenal abdominal aortic model in rats for up to 12 weeks. At the conclusion of the study, a histological analysis was performed. Cellular graft invasion revealed differences in the progression of cellular infiltration between PCL-PTX and PCL/PCL-DXM groups in both models. Cell infiltration increased over time in the aortic model compared to the subcutaneous model for all groups. Cell counting revealed major differences in fibroblast, macrophage and giant cell graft colonisation in all groups and models over time. Macrophages and giant cells increased in the PCL aortic model; whereas in the subcutaneous model these cell types increased only after three weeks or even decreased in the drug-eluting PCL groups. Other major findings were observed only in the aortic replacement such as extracellular matrix deposition and neo-angiogenesis. The subcutaneous implant model can be used for screening, especially when drug-eluting effects are studied. However, major histological differences were observed in cell type reaction and depth of cell penetration compared to the aortic model. Our results demonstrate that the implantation site is a critical determinant of the biological response.
Algal Community Membership of Estuarine Mudflats from the Savannah River, United States
Authors: Manoylov Kalina , France Yenkang , Geletu Abeselom , Dominy Joseph
Published: February 2016

Algae represent a large and diverse group of photosynthetic organisms inhabiting all aquatic habitats. Although the traditional assessment of algal diversity relies mainly on microscopy-based morphological identification, certain limitations exist. In this study, we present a combined molecular and morphological assessment of algal diversity in mudflats from the Savannah River Estuary, Georgia. High diversity of diatoms was documented, and less than 20% of the algal community was physiologically active at the time of collection. From the total genomic DNA extracted from the field samples and lab isolates, 18S rDNA sequences were PCR amplified, cloned, sequenced, identified, and then compared to the taxa identified via microscopy. Only a few of the DNA sequences matched documented taxa, and the abundance of particular algal species was limited to morphological analysis. Surprisingly, upon examination of the remaining lysis buffer from the mechanical lysis step of algal cells, diatom species were left intact even in the presence of a detergent indicating that the diatom species resistant to lysis could be easily underrepresented. Generation of additional algal sequences data, tied to accurate taxonomic identification, is essential to current environmental sequencing projects and potentially would allow faster acquisition of algal community structure within these unique environments.
Porphyrin Cobalt(III) “Nitrene Radical” Reactivity; Hydrogen Atom Transfer from Ortho-YH Substituents to the Nitrene Moiety of Cobalt-Bound Aryl Nitrene Intermediates (Y = O, NH)
Authors: Goswami Monalisa , Rebreyend Christophe , De Bruin Bas
Published: February 2016

In the field of cobalt(II) porphyrin-catalyzed metallo-radical reactions, organic azides have emerged as successful nitrene transfer reagents. In the pursuit of employing ortho-YH substituted (Y = O, NH) aryl azides in Co(II) porphyrin-catalyzed nitrene transfer reactions, unexpected hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) from the OH or NH2 group in the ortho-position to the nitrene moiety of the key radical-intermediate was observed. This leads to formation of reactive ortho-iminoquinonoid (Y = O) and phenylene diimine (Y = NH) species. These intermediates convert to subsequent products in non-catalyzed reactions, as is typical for these free organic compounds. As such, the observed reactions prevent the anticipated cobalt-mediated catalytic radical-type coupling of the nitrene radical intermediates to alkynes or alkenes. Nonetheless, the observed reactions provide valuable insights into the reactivity of transition metal nitrene-radical intermediates, and give access to ortho-iminoquinonoid and phenylene diimine intermediates from ortho-YH substituted aryl azides in a catalytic manner. The latter can be employed as intermediates in one-pot catalytic transformations. From the ortho-hydroxy aryl azide substrates both phenoxizinones and benzoxazines could be synthesized in high yields. From the ortho-amino aryl azide substrates azabenzene compounds were obtained as the main products. Computational studies support these observations, and reveal that HAT from the neighboring OH and NH2 moiety to the nitrene radical moiety has a low energy barrier.
Catechin Hydrate Augments the Antibacterial Action of Selected Antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus Clinical Strains
Authors: Miklasińska Maria , Kępa Małgorzata , Wojtyczka Robert , Idzik Danuta , Dziedzic Arkadiusz , Wąsik Tomasz
Published: February 2016

Synergistic effects between commonly used antibiotics and natural substances may be an alternative to conventional antibacterial therapies. The objective of the presented study was to assess the in vitro antibacterial activity of catechin hydrate (CH) and evaluate the interactions of CH with selected antibiotics using Staphylococcus aureus clinical and reference strains. CH displayed diverse activity towards examined S. aureus strains, with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 256 to 2048 µg/mL. The interaction between CH and antibiotics was assessed by an E-test. The most significant synergistic effects were noticed for CH in combination with clindamycin and erythromycin. For cefoxitin and vancomycin a decrease of MIC values in the presence of CH was also observed, but it did not reach statistical significance. The obtained results demonstrate that CH shows antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus clinical strains. What is more, we proved a synergistic effect of CH with erythromycin and clindamycin.
Leccinum molle (Bon) Bon and Leccinum vulpinum Watling: The First Study of Their Nutritional and Antioxidant Potential
Authors: Reis Filipa , Barros Lillian , Martins Anabela , Vasconcelos M. , Morales Patricia , Ferreira Isabel
Published: February 2016

This work presents the chemical profile of two edible species of mushrooms from the genus Leccinum: Leccinum molle (Bon) Bon and Leccinum vulpinum Watling, both harvested on the outskirts of Bragança (Northeastern Portugal). Both species were prepared and characterized regarding their content in nutrients (i.e., free sugars, fatty acids and vitamins), non-nutrients (i.e., phenolic and other organic acids) and antioxidant activity. To the best of our knowledge, no previous studies on the chemical characterization and bioactivity of these species have been undertaken. Accordingly, this study intends to increase the available information concerning edible mushroom species, as well as to highlight another important factor regarding the conservation of the mycological resources—their potential as sources of nutraceutical/pharmaceutical compounds. Overall, both species revealed similar nutrient profiles, with low fat levels, fructose, mannitol and trehalose as the foremost free sugars, and high percentages of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. They also revealed the presence of bioactive compounds, namely phenolic (e.g., gallic acid, protocatechuic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid) and organic acids (e.g., citric and fumaric acids) and presented antioxidant properties.
Chemistry and Pharmacology of Citrus sinensis
Authors: Favela-Hernández Juan , González-Santiago Omar , Ramírez-Cabrera Mónica , Esquivel-Ferriño Patricia , Camacho-Corona María
Published: February 2016

Presently the search for new drugs from natural resources is of growing interest to the pharmaceutical industry. Natural products have been the source of new drugs since ancient times. Plants are a good source of secondary metabolites which have been found to have beneficial properties. The present study is a review of the chemistry and pharmacology of Citrus sinensis. This review reveals the therapeutic potential of C. sinensis as a source of natural compounds with important activities that are beneficial for human health that could be used to develop new drugs.
Multicomponent Synthesis and Evaluation of New 1,2,3-Triazole Derivatives of Dihydropyrimidinones as Acidic Corrosion Inhibitors for Steel
Authors: González-Olvera Rodrigo , Román-Rodríguez Viridiana , Negrón-Silva Guillermo , Espinoza-Vázquez Araceli , Rodríguez-Gómez Francisco , Santillan Rosa
Published: February 2016

An efficient one-pot synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives of dihydropyrimidinones has been developed using two multicomponent reactions. The aldehyde-1,2,3-triazoles were obtained in good yields from in situ-generated organic azides and O-propargylbenzaldehyde. The target heterocycles were synthesized through the Biginelli reaction in which the aldehyde-1,2,3-triazoles reacted with ethyl acetoacetate and urea in the presence of Ce(OTf)3 as the catalyst. The corrosion inhibition of steel grade API 5 L X52 in 1 M HCl by the synthesized compounds was investigated using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique. The measurements revealed that these heterocycles are promising candidates to inhibit acidic corrosion of steel.
Phenolics from Garcinia mangostana Inhibit Advanced Glycation Endproducts Formation: Effect on Amadori Products, Cross-Linked Structures and Protein Thiols
Authors: Abdallah Hossam , El-Bassossy Hany , Mohamed Gamal , El-Halawany Ali , Alshali Khalid , Banjar Zainy
Published: February 2016

Accumulation of Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs) in body tissues plays a major role in the development of diabetic complications. Here, the inhibitory effect of bioactive metabolites isolated from fruit hulls of Garcinia mangostana on AGE formation was investigated through bio-guided approach using aminoguanidine (AG) as a positive control. Including G. mangostana total methanol extract (GMT) in the reaction mixture of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and glucose or ribose inhibited the fluorescent and non-fluorescent AGEs formation in a dose dependent manner. The bioassay guided fractionation of GMT revealed isolation of four bioactive constituents from the bioactive fraction; which were identified as: garcimangosone D (1), aromadendrin-8-C-glucopyranoside (2), epicatechin (3), and 2,3′,4,5′,6-pentahydroxybenzophenone (4). All the tested compounds significantly inhibited fluorescent and non-fluorescent AGEs formation in a dose dependent manner whereas compound 3 (epicatechin) was found to be the most potent. In search for the level of action, addition of GMT, and compounds 2–4 inhibited fructosamine (Amadori product) and protein aggregation formation in both glucose and ribose. To explore the mechanism of action, it was found that addition of GMT and only compound (3) to reaction mixture increased protein thiol in both glucose and ribose while compounds 1, 2 and 4 only increased thiol in case of ribose. In conclusion, phenolic compounds 1–4 inhibited AGEs formation at the levels of Amadori product and protein aggregation formation through saving protein thiol.
Sake Protein Supplementation Affects Exercise Performance and Biochemical Profiles in Power-Exercise-Trained Mice
Authors: Chen Yi-Ming , Lin Che-Li , Wei Li , Hsu Yi-Ju , Chen Kuan-Neng , Huang Chi-Chang , Kao Chin-Hsung
Published: February 2016

Exercise and fitness training programs have attracted the public’s attention in recent years. Sports nutrition supplementation is an important issue in the global sports market. Purpose: In this study, we designed a power exercise training (PET) program with a mouse model based on a strength and conditional training protocol for humans. We tested the effect of supplementation with functional branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-rich sake protein (SP) to determine whether the supplement had a synergistic effect during PET and enhanced athletic performance and resistance to fatigue. Methods: Male ICR mice were divided into three groups (n = 8 per group) for four-week treatment: sedentary controls with vehicle (SC), and PET and PET groups with SP supplementation (3.8 g/kg, PET + SP). Exercise performance was evaluated by forelimb grip strength and exhaustive swimming time as well as changes in body composition and anti-fatigue activity levels of serum lactate, ammonia, glucose, and creatine kinase (CK) after a 15-min swimming exercise. The biochemical parameters were measured at the end of the experiment. Results: four-week PET significantly increased grip strength and exhaustive swimming time and decreased epididymal fat pad (EFP) weight and area. Levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine, and uric acid (UA) were significantly increased. PET + SP supplementation significantly decreased serum lactate, ammonia and CK levels after the 15-min swimming exercise. The resting serum levels of AST, ALT, CREA and UA were all significantly decreased with PET + SP. Conclusion: The PET program could increase the exercise performance and modulate the body composition of mice. PET with SP conferred better anti-fatigue activity, improved biochemical profiles, and may be an effective ergogenic aid in strength training.
Application of the Naive Bayes Classifier for Representation and Use of Heterogeneous and Incomplete Knowledge in Social Robotics
Authors: Trovato Gabriele , Chrupała Grzegorz , Takanishi Atsuo
Published: February 2016

As societies move towards integration of robots, it is important to study how robots can use their cognition in order to choose effectively their actions in a human environment, and possibly adapt to new contexts. When modelling these contextual data, it is common in social robotics to work with data extracted from human sciences such as sociology, anatomy, or anthropology. These heterogeneous data need to be efficiently used in order to make the robot adapt quickly its actions. In this paper we describe a methodology for the use of heterogeneous and incomplete knowledge, through an algorithm based on naive Bayes classifier. The model was successfully applied to two different experiments of human-robot interaction.
Remote Sensing of Soil Alkalinity and Salinity in the Wuyu’er-Shuangyang River Basin, Northeast China
Authors: Bai Lin , Wang Cuizhen , Zang Shuying , Zhang Yuhong , Hao Qiannan , Wu Yuexiang
Published: February 2016

The Songnen Plain of the Northeast China is one of the three largest soda saline-alkali regions worldwide. To better understand soil alkalinization and salinization in this important agricultural region, it is vital to explore the distribution and variation of soil alkalinity and salinity in space and time. This study examined soil properties and identified the variables to extract soil alkalinity and salinity via physico-chemical, statistical, spectral, and image analysis. The physico-chemical and statistical results suggested that alkaline soils, coming from the main solute Na2CO3 and NaHCO3 in parent rocks, characterized the study area. The pH and electric conductivity (EC ) were correlated with both narrow band and broad band reflectance. For soil pH, the sensitive bands were in short wavelength (VIS) and the band with the highest correlation was 475 nm (r = 0.84). For soil EC, the sensitive bands were also in VIS and the band with the highest correlation was 354 nm (r = 0.84). With the stepwise regression, it was found that the pH was sensitive to reflectance of OLI band 2 and band 6, while the EC was only sensitive to band 1. The R2Adj (0.73 and 0.72) and root mean square error (RMSE) (0.98 and 1.07 dS/m) indicated that, the two stepwise regression models could estimate soil alkalinity and salinity with a considerable accuracy. Spatial distributions of soil alkalinity and salinity were mapped from the OLI image with the RMSE of 1.01 and 0.64 dS/m, respectively. Soil alkalinity was related to salinity but most soils in the study area were non-saline soils. The area of alkaline soils was 44.46% of the basin. Highly alkaline soils were close to the Zhalong wetland and downstream of rivers, which could become a severe concern for crop productivity in this area.
A Layered Approach for Robust Spatial Virtual Human Pose Reconstruction Using a Still Image
Authors: Guo Chengyu , Ruan Songsong , Liang Xiaohui , Zhao Qinping
Published: February 2016

Pedestrian detection and human pose estimation are instructive for reconstructing a three-dimensional scenario and for robot navigation, particularly when large amounts of vision data are captured using various data-recording techniques. Using an unrestricted capture scheme, which produces occlusions or breezing, the information describing each part of a human body and the relationship between each part or even different pedestrians must be present in a still image. Using this framework, a multi-layered, spatial, virtual, human pose reconstruction framework is presented in this study to recover any deficient information in planar images. In this framework, a hierarchical parts-based deep model is used to detect body parts by using the available restricted information in a still image and is then combined with spatial Markov random fields to re-estimate the accurate joint positions in the deep network. Then, the planar estimation results are mapped onto a virtual three-dimensional space using multiple constraints to recover any deficient spatial information. The proposed approach can be viewed as a general pre-processing method to guide the generation of continuous, three-dimensional motion data. The experiment results of this study are used to describe the effectiveness and usability of the proposed approach.
A Dual-Linear Kalman Filter for Real-Time Orientation Determination System Using Low-Cost MEMS Sensors
Authors: Zhang Shengzhi , Yu Shuai , Liu Chaojun , Yuan Xuebing , Liu Sheng
Published: February 2016

To provide a long-time reliable orientation, sensor fusion technologies are widely used to integrate available inertial sensors for the low-cost orientation estimation. In this paper, a novel dual-linear Kalman filter was designed for a multi-sensor system integrating MEMS gyros, an accelerometer, and a magnetometer. The proposed filter precludes the impacts of magnetic disturbances on the pitch and roll which the heading is subjected to. The filter can achieve robust orientation estimation for different statistical models of the sensors. The root mean square errors (RMSE) of the estimated attitude angles are reduced by 30.6% under magnetic disturbances. Owing to the reduction of system complexity achieved by smaller matrix operations, the mean total time consumption is reduced by 23.8%. Meanwhile, the separated filter offers greater flexibility for the system configuration, as it is possible to switch on or off the second stage filter to include or exclude the magnetometer compensation for the heading. Online experiments were performed on the homemade miniature orientation determination system (MODS) with the turntable. The average RMSE of estimated orientation are less than 0.4° and 1° during the static and low-dynamic tests, respectively. More realistic tests on two-wheel self-balancing vehicle driving and indoor pedestrian walking were carried out to evaluate the performance of the designed MODS when high accelerations and angular rates were introduced. Test results demonstrate that the MODS is applicable for the orientation estimation under various dynamic conditions. This paper provides a feasible alternative for low-cost orientation determination.
Urbanization and the Change of Fertilizer Use Intensity for Agricultural Production in Henan Province
Authors: Jiang Li , Li Zhihui
Published: February 2016

China’s urbanization has resulted in significant changes in agricultural land use. However, understanding of the linkages between urbanization and fertilizer use intensity is limited. Using county-level panel data for Henan Province, 1995–2008 and panel econometric models, we investigate the impact of urbanization and other socioeconomic factors on fertilizer use intensity, with a focus on the two key processes related to urbanization—shrinking agricultural land area and increasing urban wages. Our results show that declining agricultural land per capita is associated with greater fertilizer use intensity. Urban wages is positively correlated with fertilizer use intensity. We also find that GDP per capita and per capita expenditure of government for agriculture both positively contribute to the increase of fertilizer use intensity, which is consistent with expectations. Our results imply that other than land conversion, urbanization contains some positive influences on land use sustainability. However, on the other hand, urbanization contributes to agriculture-based environmental pollution by increasing the level of fertilizer use in agricultural production.
How Achieving the Millennium Development Goals Increases Subjective Well-Being in Developing Nations
Authors: Fukuda Shizuki , Murakami Michio , Noda Keigo , Oki Taikan
Published: February 2016

The target date in 2015 for the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was reached, and a new period of global goals for the post-2015 is dawning. To assess whether and how regional progress towards achieving the MDGs has contributed to better quality of life in developing nations, we formulated a correlation between various aspects of human development, indicated by MDG indicators, and subjective well-being (SWB), a response to the question of how much people feel happy or satisfied. We demonstrated that national levels of SWB can be explained by the degree of development; poverty reduction is the strongest determinant, and achieving the MDGs is associated with higher SWB levels. Scenario assessment of SWB allowed which domain of development should be improved preferentially in each region to be determined, hence the SWB approach is expected to offer an innovative proxy of human development for the assessment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Optimal Distributed Generator Allocation Method Considering Voltage Control Cost
Authors: Liu Wenxia , Xu Huiting , Niu Shuya , Xie Jiang
Published: February 2016

Up till now, the high penetration of intermittent distributed generation (DG) has posed great challenges to the planning and operation of the grid. To achieve the best balance between economic cost and acceptable capacity of DG, this paper proposes a new integrated planning method of the active distribution network while considering voltage control cost. Firstly, characteristics of decentralized and centralized voltage control methods were analyzed. The technical frameworks, voltage control strategies and economical models of different voltage control systems were put forward. Then, an integrated planning model with objectives to minimize the comprehensive cost and maximize clean energy utilization under the constraint of maintaining acceptable voltage was implemented. Simulations were conducted using the Multi-objective Differential Evolution Algorithm (MODE). IEEE 33-bus test systems were employed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach is able to connect larger distributed generators and decrease the economic cost of Distribution Network Operators while maintaining voltage within the statutory limits.
Revealing Social Values by 3D City Visualization in City Transformations
Authors: Johansson Tim , Segerstedt Eugenia , Olofsson Thomas , Jakobsson Mats
Published: February 2016

Social sustainability is a widely used concept in urban planning research and practice. However, knowledge of spatial distributions of social values and aspects of social sustainability is required. Visualization of these distributions is also highly valuable, but challenging, and rarely attempted in sparsely populated urban environments in rural areas. This article presents a method that highlights social values in spatial models through 3D visualization, describes the methodology to generate the models, and discusses potential applications. The models were created using survey, building, infrastructure and demographic data for Gällivare, Sweden, a small city facing major transformation due to mining subsidence. It provides an example of how 3D models of important social sustainability indices can be designed to display citizens’ attitudes regarding their financial status, the built environment, social inclusion and welfare services. The models helped identify spatial variations in perceptions of the built environment that correlate (inter alia) with closeness to certain locations, gender and distances to public buildings. Potential uses of the model for supporting efforts by practitioners, researchers and citizens to visualize and understand social values in similar urban environments are discussed, together with ethical issues (particularly regarding degrees of anonymity) concerning its wider use for inclusive planning.
Bee Venom Phospholipase A2: Yesterday’s Enemy Becomes Today’s Friend
Authors: Lee Gihyun , Bae Hyunsu
Published: February 2016

Bee venom therapy has been used to treat immune-related diseases such as arthritis for a long time. Recently, it has revealed that group III secretory phospholipase A2 from bee venom (bee venom group III sPLA2) has in vitro and in vivo immunomodulatory effects. A growing number of reports have demonstrated the therapeutic effects of bee venom group III sPLA2. Notably, new experimental data have shown protective immune responses of bee venom group III sPLA2 against a wide range of diseases including asthma, Parkinson’s disease, and drug-induced organ inflammation. It is critical to evaluate the beneficial and adverse effects of bee venom group III sPLA2 because this enzyme is known to be the major allergen of bee venom that can cause anaphylactic shock. For many decades, efforts have been made to avoid its adverse effects. At high concentrations, exposure to bee venom group III sPLA2 can result in damage to cellular membranes and necrotic cell death. In this review, we summarized the current knowledge about the therapeutic effects of bee venom group III sPLA2 on several immunological diseases and described the detailed mechanisms of bee venom group III sPLA2 in regulating various immune responses and physiopathological changes.
Porcine Circovirus 2 Deploys PERK Pathway and GRP78 for Its Enhanced Replication in PK-15 Cells
Authors: Zhou Yingshan , Qi Baozhu , Gu Yuanxing , Xu Fei , Du Huahua , Li Xiaoliang , Fang Weihuan
Published: February 2016

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) infection induces autophagy and apoptosis. These cellular responses could be connected with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. It remains unknown if PCV2 induces ER stress and if autophagy or apoptosis is primary to PCV2 infection or secondary responses following ER stress. Here, we demonstrate that PCV2 triggered unfolded protein response (UPR) in PK-15 cells by activating the PERK/eIF2α pathway without concomitant activation of IRE1 or ATF6. Since ATF4 and CHOP were induced later than PERK/eIF2α, it is clear that persistent PCV2 infection could lead to selective activation of PERK via the PERK-eIF2α-ATF4-CHOP axis. Therefore, PERK activation could be part of the pro-apoptotic signaling via induced expression of CHOP by PCV2. Since PERK inhibition by GSK2606414 or RNA silencing or suppression of eIF2α dephosphorylation by salubrinal limited viral replication, we suppose that PCV2 deploys UPR to enhance its replication. Over-expression of GRP78 or treatment with tauroursodeoxycholic acid could enhance viral capsid expression and/or viral titers, indicating that these chaperones, endogenous or exogenous, could help correct folding of viral proteins. Our findings provide the first evidence that ER stress plays a role in the pathogenesis of PCV2 infection probably as part of autophagic and apoptotic responses.
Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotype Distribution and Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Serotype Coverage among Pediatric Patients in East and Southeast Asia, 2000–2014: a Pooled Data Analysis
Authors: Tai Stanley
Published: February 2016

Pneumococcal infection is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, especially in children of developing and underdeveloped countries. Capsular polysaccharide-based vaccines are available for the prevention of this disease. A 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) was licensed in 2000 for use in children less than two years of age. Subsequently, to broaden the protection, 10-valent (PCV10) and 13-valent (PCV13) vaccines were licensed in 2009 and 2010, respectively. All of these conjugate vaccines elicit an immune response that only provides protection against the infection of S. pneumoniae serotypes included in the formulation. Profiles of S. pneumoniae serotype distribution and serotype coverage for both PCV7 and PCV13 have been reported in some Asian countries/territories. But the published results cannot provide conclusive information due to the difference in studied population and geographic areas. The goals of this review are to obtain an accurate estimate of serotype coverage for PCV7, PCV10, and PCV13 and examine the change in the S. pneumoniae serotype distribution after PCV7 use among pediatric patients in East and Southeast Asia through the analysis of pooled data that were published in the English literature between 2000 and 2014.
Les réseaux techniques face aux inondations, ou comment définir des indicateurs de performance de ces réseaux pour évaluer la résilience urbaine (Urban networks and floods : how to define performance indicators to evaluate urban resiliency)
Authors: Lhomme Serge , Serre Damien , Diab Youssef , Laganier Richard
Published: February 2016

La résilience est un concept polysémique et pluridisciplinaire. Son introduction dans le domaine de la gestion des risques soulève un certain nombre de questions. Quelle définition donner à la résilience urbaine ? Comment placer ce concept par rapport aux concepts préexistants en gestion des risques ? Comment étudier la résilience urbaine ? Nous définissons la résilience urbaine comme la capacité d'une ville à absorber une perturbation et à récupérer ses fonctions à la suite de celle-ci. De plus, nous plaçons ce concept et celui de la vulnérabilité dans un même continuum. Puis, nous proposons d'étudier la performance des réseaux techniques urbains pour évaluer la résilience urbaine en s 'appuyant sur une approche systémique de la ville face aux risques d'inondations.
La résilience dans les politiques françaises de gestion des inondations urbaines : quelques pistes d'analyse. (Resilience in French policies for the management of urban floods : a few leads for analysis)
Authors: Reghezza-Zitt Magali
Published: February 2016

Face à des inondations urbaines qui apparaissent comme inéluctables, face à des situations d'incertitude créées par la complexité des systèmes métropolitains, les gestionnaires cherchent à associer aux volets prévention et protection, des dispositifs qui doivent permettre un retour à la normale le plus rapide possible. Mais si la résilience apparaît ici comme une propriété désirable à développer, le contenu même du concept reste flou tandis que les références explicites à la notion sont finalement rares, aussi bien dans les corpus académiques que dans le discours des praticiens, et ce, à la différence du monde anglo-saxon. Ce constat peut s 'expliquer en particulier par le référentiel dominant de gestion et les pratiques qui y sont associées. Pourtant, l'attention portée à la résilience peut constituer désormais, dans le cadre de la promotion du «développement urbain durable », une opportunité pour faire évoluer les logiques gestionnaires en modifiant la façon d'envisager le risque.
Les (micro)-réseaux à la reconquête de la ville : le cas de Khartoum. (Micro-networks and the reconquest of the city : a case study in Khartoum)
Authors: Crombé Laure , Blanchon David
Published: February 2016

La ville de Khartoum construite sur la confluence des deux Nils ne manque pas à proprement parler de ressource en eau, d'autant qu'elle bénéficie aussi de nappes phréatiques. Cependant les infrastructures ont longtemps été et sont encore sous-dimensionnées pour répondre à la demande croissante. L'explosion démographique de Khartoum, dans les années 1980-1990, a conduit à une mise en crise de l 'approvisionnement en eau potable dans la ville. En effet, dans les quartiers centraux anciennement connectés la demande a continué de croître mais c 'est surtout dans les périphéries et les aires de relogements de déplacés que l 'approvisionnement en eau a posé le plus de problèmes. Aujourd'hui la situation reste très contrastée entre centre et périphéries. La société nationale des eaux tente donc d'étendre le réseau d'adduction d'eau dans les périphéries mais aussi de réhabiliter l'ancien réseau pour satisfaire les exigences en quantité et qualité des classes supérieures. Dans les périphéries l'approvisionnement en eau est traditionnellement assuré par des forages puis un système de revendeurs d'eau à domicile. Ce système, certes précaire, qui a permis de fournir pendant des années de l 'eau à toute une partie de la population, est progressivement remplacé par celui des micro-réseaux. Ces nouveaux réseaux redessinent les territoires urbains et en modifient le fonctionnement. Ils sont également le signe du retour des investissements de l 'État et de nouveaux entrepreneurs privés.
La résilience du système hydraulique de Phnom Penh au risque des investisseurs privés. (The resiliency of Phnom Penh hydraulic system at the risk of private investors)
Authors: Pierdet Céline
Published: February 2016

We assimilate to an opened system the city of Phnom Penh which has spread in the floodplain of the Mekong river by dikes and embankment successive. The major crisis suffered under the Khmer Rouge damaged hydraulic networks. Since 1979 through ad hoc interventions of "pioneer actors" on the networks the city-system comes into resilience, despite the occurrence of new crises. While these networks are hardly rebuilt, the high land and property speculation for years 2005-2008 leads to a densification and a verticalization of the urban fabric, which is a source of new imbalances for this system.
Modeling the effects of local climate change on crop acreage
Authors: Lee Hyunok , Sumner Daniel A.
Published: February 2016

The impacts of climate change on agriculture depend on local conditions and crops grown. For instance, warmer winter temperatures in a given area would reduce chill hours, potentially cutting yields for some crops but extending the growing season for others. Using a century of climate data and six decades of acreage data, we established quantitative economic relationships between the evolution of local climate and acreage of 12 important crops in Yolo County. We then used the historical trend in climate change to project future crop acreages in the county. Only marginal changes in acreage in 2050 were projected for tree and vine crops there, in part because chill hours, although lower, remained above critical values. Walnuts were the most vulnerable tree crop, and the projections indicated some cultivars might be marginal in years with particularly warm winters. Processing tomato acreage might increase, due to a longer growing season, and also alfalfa acreage, if water availability and other factors remain constant.
Revisión del complejo supra-específico Alphasida (Glabrasida) castellana (Graells, 1858) (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae)
Authors: Pérez-Vera Francisco , Ávila Sánchez-Jofré José Miguel
Published: February 2016

En el curso de una revisión general del subgénero Alphasida (Glabrasida) en la región Paleártica, se analizan algunas especies conflictivas, de gran dispersión geográfica o de una variabilidad muy notoria. Este es el caso de Alphasida (Glabrasida) castellana (Graells, 1858), taxón complejo que consideramos realmente formado por cuatro especies: A. (Glabrasida) candeledana nov. sp., A. (Glabrasida) gredosana nov. sp., A. (Glabrasida) robledana nov. sp. y A. (Glabrasida) castellana, esta última constituida por tres taxones de rango subespecífico: A. (Glabrasida) castellana castellana, A. (Glabrasida) castellana bejarana nov. ssp. y A. (Glabrasida) castellana piedralavesana nov. ssp. Se establece la clave de identificación de estas entidades y se presenta un catalogo comentado de las mismas.
A Successful Approach to Study Skills: Go4C´s Projects Strengthen Teamwork
Authors: Utesch Matthias Christoph
Published: February 2016

The Pupils´ Academy of Serious Gaming at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) deploys the business game Go4C as a tool to learn study skills. Especially, the project management feature of Go4C is a reliable instrument to successfully strengthen teamwork skills of students at the upper vocational schools of Bavaria/ Germany. We enable the pupils to change their learning perspective from school student to university student by participating in a regular course at TUM based on project-based learning with Go4C. The goal is to learn how to self-assess and develop those activities which are important for one´s personal study skills at an early stage before leaving school.