bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Predicting Seed Germination of Safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius) Cultivars Using Hydrotime Model
Authors: Tabatabae S.A. , Ansari O. 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) is a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual plant. It is commercially cultivated for vegetable oil extracted from the seeds, which is cultivated under arid environments. In such environments, the water needed for germination is available for only a short time and, consequently, successful crop establishment depends not only on rapid and uniform germination of the seedlot, but also on its ability to germinate under low water availability. All of these attributes can be analyzed through the hydrotime model (HT). Safflower seeds were germinated in various polyethylene glycol (PEG 600) solutions to obtain water potentials of 0, -0.2, -0.4, -0.6, and -0.8 Mpa. Results indicated that germination of safflower cultivars decreased significantly with reduction of osmotic potential. The highest germination percentage for Sina (93.06 and 94.02%), Faraman (93.52 and 95.33%), Talaei (94.98 and 93.98%) and Kouseh (93.58 and 95.55%) cultivars were attained from distilled water (0 MPa) and -0.2 MPa, respectively. The hydrotime constant (θH) for Sina, Faraman, Talaei and Kouseh cultivars were 0.93, 0.84, 0.78 and 0.72 MPa d, and the water potential (Ψb(50)) for Sina, Faraman, Talaei and Kouseh cultivars were -0.56, -0.67, -0.64 and -0.77 MPa, respectively. Cumulative germination of safflower seed was higher in Kouseh cultivar, than in Sina, Faraman and Talaei cultivars. Results showed that, hydrotime model is suited to predicting seed germination of safflower seeds. In addition, the information gathered with this work allows us to build mathematical models to predict germination of safflower cultivars in the field under various environments.
Sequences of normative evaluation in two telecollaboration projects: A comparative study of multimodal feedback through desktop videoconference
Authors: Cappellini Marco , Azaoui Brahim 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
In our study we analyse how the same interactional dynamic is produced in two different pedagogical settings exploiting a desktop videoconference system. We propose to focus our attention on a specific type of conversational side sequence, known in the Francophone literature as sequences of normative evaluation. More particularly, we analyse data from two telecollaborative projects through desktop videoconference: a French-Chinese tandem, and a French-Irish telecollaboration between trainee teachers and learners of French as a foreign language. The comparison of two different pedagogical settings allows us to understand what types of interactional dynamics are co-constructed through the desktop videoconference environment and which characteristics are specific to each pedagogical setting. Within a socio-interactionist perspective, we analysed four hours of interactions, focusing particularly on the transmodal enactment of the sequences under scrutiny and its relation to learners’ uptake. Our results show on the one hand that there are some quantitative differences in the production of sequences of normative evaluation between the two pedagogical settings, and on the other hand that, contrary to our hypothesis, the co-construction of these sequences does not differ in multimodal density across the two contexts. We discuss these results and propose some tentative explanations for them.
Synchronous communication technologies for language learning: Promise and challenges in research and pedagogy
Authors: O’Rourke Breffni , Stickler Ursula 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWe propose a definition of synchronous communication based on joint attention, noting that in certain mediated communication settings joint attention is a matter of perception rather than determinable fact. The most salient properties of synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) are real-time pressure to communicate and a greater degree of social presence relative to asynchronous communication. These properties underlie the benefits and challenges of SCMC for language learning, which we discuss under three headings: (1) SCMC as learning tool; (2) SCMC as target competence; and (3) SCMC as setting for learner dialogue, intracultural and intercultural. We survey research themes in SCMC and preview the contributions of the Special Issue. Finally, we identify questions for future research.
Cultural Experiences and Successful Adjustment – A Case Study of Two Foreign Educators in Taiwan
Authors: Chu Curtis S. 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
Due to globalisation, Asian countries have been pressed to improve their English skills to maintain international competitiveness. Though foreign educators heeded the call to meet the high demand of English learning in Taiwan, their turn-over rate remained persistently high. Assuming cultural differences might be a crucial cause, this study inquired into the cultural experience and adjustment of two foreign educators in Taiwan from a narrative inquiry approach. In addition to an extensive review of local literature, the narratives of the participants revealed the following: (1) strong motives and low/ inaccurate expectations might benefit cultural adjustment; (2) self-initiated relocation could imply more challenges than organizationally assigned relocation; (3) support and social network seem beneficial to cultural transition; (4) cultural differences were found in food, living environment, transportation/traffic, and social interactions; (5) required cultural adjustments include perseverance, trial and error, learning local language, acceptance, and contentment. Such findings not only shed light on Taiwanese culture but also bear implications for successful adjustments through the lens of foreign educators.
Analysis of the Photoacoustic Helmholtz Resonator with Conical-Ended Duct
Authors: Suchenek Mariusz 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
The acoustic properties of the photoacoustic Helmholtz cell can be improved by conical modification of the duct ends. The cone profile of the duct ends was studied, and according to the previous work, not all modifications of the parameters provide an increase of the Q-factor of the resonator. The aim of this work is to investigate the influence of the conical modification of the duct using a step-approximated model.
A Comparative Analysis of Evolutionary Algorithms for Synthesis of Scanned Linear Array of Mutually Coupled Parallel Dipole Antennas
Authors: Patidar Hemant , Mahanti Gautam Kumar , Muralidharan Ramalingam 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
This paper presents a comparative analysis of three evolutionary algorithms, namely, Backtracking Search Algorithm, Cuckoo Search Algorithm and Artificial Bee Colony Algorithms for synthesis of a scanned linear array of uniformly spaced parallel half wavelength dipole antennas. Here, antenna parameters, namely Side Lobe Level, reflection coefficient and wide null depth are taken into consideration for comparison between algorithms. In addition to it, statistical parameters, namely best fitness value, mean and standard deviation of the fitness values obtained from algorithms are compared. Mutual coupling that exists among the antenna elements is included in obtaining radiation patterns and the self-impedances along with the mutual impedances are calculated by induced Electro-Motive Force method. Two different examples are shown in this paper to validate the effectiveness of the utilized approach. Although, this approach is applied to a linear array of dipole antennas; this can be utilized for other array geometries as well.
Voice recognition through the use of Gabor transform and heuristic algorithm
Authors: Woźniak Marcin , Połap Dawid 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
Increasingly popular use of verification methods based on specific characteristics of people like eyeball, fingerprint or voice makes inventing more accurate and irrefutable methods of that urgent. In this work we present voice verification based on Gabor transformation. Proposed approach involves creation of spectrogram, which serves as a habitat for the population in selected heuristic algorithm. The use of heuristic allows for feature extraction to enable identity verification using classical neural network. The results of the research are presented and discussed to show efficiency of the proposed methodology.
Mathematical Modelling and Analysis of Memristors with and without its Temperature Effects
Authors: Prasad Bhavani , Maddu Kamaraju , Lakshmi Venkata 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
In this paper the main goal is to study the principle structure and characteristics of single and multiple memristors and also the temperature effects. The complete analysis described here is done by using matlab Simulink. The relationship between the on resistance, off resistance and ionic mobility with respect to temperature has been analyzed and shown graphically. The memristor can be used as a High speed switch and it can be used in non volatile computer memories due to its higher switching speeds.
Base Station Energy Efficiency Improvement for Next Generation Mobile Networks
Authors: Mwashita Weston , Odhiambo Marcel Ohanga 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
As more and more Base Stations (BSs) are being deployed by mobile operators to meet the ever increasing data traffic, solutions have to be found to try and reduce BS energy consumption to make the BSs more energy efficient and to reduce the mobile networks’ operational expenditure (OPEX) and carbon dioxide emissions. In this paper, a BS sleeping technology deployable in heterogeneous networks (HetNets) is proposed. The proposed scheme is validated by using extensive OMNeT++/SimuLTE simulations. From the simulations, it is shown that some lightly loaded micro BSs can be put to sleep in a HetNet when the network traffic is very low without compromising the QoS of the mobile network.
Working Class Hero? Interrogating the Social Bases of the Rise of Donald Trump
Authors: Manza Jeff , Crowley Ned 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWe present a political sociological analysis of the social bases of support for Donald Trump during the critical phase of his victory in the Republican nominating contest. In particular, we test the widely voiced hypothesis that a critical source of Trump’s support in the GOP primaries came from his appeal to working class and/or downwardly mobile and insecure middle class voters responding to a “populist” message. Drawing on both the ANES January 2016 pilot survey and exit poll data, we argue that Trump’s rise to the GOP nomination was facilitated by a broad-based appeal that centered on voters who have levels of education and income that are well above national and primary state averages.
Social Class As Racialized Political Experience
Authors: Michener Jamila 
Published: May 2017

AbstractCommon markers of social class include income, wealth, education and family background. Though these capture staple pedestrian elements of class, they understate something substantial – social class is produced by political experiences. Building on this observation, I argue that social class is constructed and reinforced via political institutions that differentially affect the daily experiences and life trajectories of Americans. Viewing class through this lens (instead of more simply as a function of income or education) enables clarity on two critical features of the American political system: (1) its deeply racialized institutional practices (2) its dual inclusionary/exclusionary governance structures. Most broadly, this essay pushes us beyond a view of class as a set of variables that affect political outcomes and towards inquiry into the ways that political institutions produce class. Ultimately, such a conceptual pivot illuminates additional pathways for transforming economic and political relations in the United States.
Adam Smith Would Be Spinning in His Grave
Authors: Carnes Nicholas 
Published: May 2017

AbstractPoliticians in the US tend to be vastly better off than the people they represent. But why, and does it matter? In the last decade, scholar of US politics have revived an old line of inquiry into the causes and consequences of government by the privileged, or what I call white-collar government. This article briefly reviews what scholars have learned, and what we still need to know. Most research to date has focused on the effects of government by the privileged; just as the shortage of female politicians seems to bias policy on gender issues, the shortage of politicians from lower-income and working-class backgrounds appears to tilt economic policy in favor of the more conservative positions typically favored by more affluent Americans. Why, then, do so few lower-income and working-class Americans go on to become politicians? On this point, scholars have more hunches than hard evidence.
Introduction to Liouville Numbers
Authors: Grabowski Adam , Korniłowicz Artur 
Published: May 2017

Summary
The article defines Liouville numbers, originally introduced by Joseph Liouville in 1844 [17] as an example of an object which can be approximated “quite closely” by a sequence of rational numbers. A real number x is a Liouville number iff for every positive integer n, there exist integers p and q such that q > 1 and

It is easy to show that all Liouville numbers are irrational. Liouville constant, which is also defined formally, is the first transcendental (not algebraic) number. It is defined in Section 6 quite generally as the sum

for a finite sequence {ak}k∈ℕ and b ∈ ℕ. Based on this definition, we also introduced the so-called Liouville number as

substituting in the definition of L(ak, b) the constant sequence of 1’s and b = 10. Another important examples of transcendental numbers are e and π [7], [13], [6]. At the end, we show that the construction of an arbitrary Lioville constant satisfies the properties of a Liouville number [12], [1]. We show additionally, that the set of all Liouville numbers is infinite, opening the next item from Abad and Abad’s list of “Top 100 Theorems”. We show also some preliminary constructions linking real sequences and finite sequences, where summing formulas are involved. In the Mizar [14] proof, we follow closely https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liouville_number. The aim is to show that all Liouville numbers are transcendental.
FGF21-receptor agonists: an emerging therapeutic class for obesity-related diseases
Authors: Sonoda Junichiro , Chen Mark Z. , Baruch Amos 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) analogs and FGF21 receptor agonists (FGF21RAs) that mimic FGF21 ligand activity constitute the new “FGF21-class” of anti-obesity and anti-diabetic molecules that improve insulin sensitivity, ameliorate hepatosteatosis and promote weight loss. The metabolic actions of FGF21-class proteins in obese mice are attributed to stimulation of brown fat thermogenesis and increased secretion of adiponectin. The therapeutic utility of this class of molecules is being actively investigated in clinical trials for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). This review is focused on various FGF21-class molecules, their molecular designs and the preclinical and clinical activities. These molecules include modified FGF21 as well as agonistic antibodies against the receptor for FGF21, namely the complex of FGF receptor 1 (FGFR1) and the obligatory coreceptor βKlotho (KLB). In addition, a novel approach to increase endogenous FGF21 activity by inhibiting the FGF21-degrading protease fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is discussed.
Galanin suppresses proliferation of human U251 and T98G glioma cells via its subtype 1 receptor
Authors: Mei Zhu , Yang Yutao , Li Yun , Yang Feiya , Li Junfa , Xing Nianzeng , Xu Zhi-Qing David 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
Galanin is a neuropeptide with a widespread distribution throughout the nervous and endocrine systems, and recent studies have shown an anti-proliferative effect of galanin on several types of tumors. However, whether and how galanin and its receptors are involved in the regulation of cell proliferation in glioma cells remains unclear. In this study, the roles of galanin and its subtype 1 receptor (GAL1) in the proliferation of human U251 and T98G glioma cells were investigated. We found that galanin significantly suppressed the proliferation of U251 and T98G cells as well as tumor growth in nude mice. However, galanin did not exert apoptotic or cytotoxic effects on these two cell lines. In addition, we showed that galanin decreased the proliferation of U251 and T98G cells via its GAL1 receptor. Finally, we found that the GAL1 receptor was involved in the suppressive effects of galanin by activating ERK1/2.
I36T↑T mutation in South African subtype C (C-SA) HIV-1 protease significantly alters protease-drug interactions
Authors: Maseko Sibusiso B. , Padayachee Eden , Govender Thavendran , Sayed Yasien , Kruger Gert , Maguire Glenn E.M. , Lin Johnson 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
The efficacy of HIV-1 protease (PR) inhibition therapies is often compromised by the emergence of mutations in the PR molecule that reduces the binding affinity of inhibitors while maintaining viable catalytic activity and affinity for natural substrates. In the present study, we used a recombinant HIV-1 C-SA PR and a recently reported variant for inhibition (Ki, IC50) and thermodynamic studies against nine clinically used inhibitors. This is the first time that binding free energies for C-SA PR and the mutant are reported. This variant PR harbours a mutation and insertion (I36T↑T) at position 36 of the C-SA HIV-1 PR, and did not show a significant difference in the catalytic effect of the HIV-1 PR. However, the nine clinically approved HIV PR drugs used in this study demonstrated weaker inhibition and lower binding affinities toward the variant when compared to the wild type HIV-1 PR. All the protease inhibitors (PIs), except Amprenavir and Ritonavir exhibited a significant decrease in binding affinity (p<0.0001). Darunavir and Nelfinavir exhibited the weakest binding affinity, 155- and 95-fold decreases respectively, toward the variant. Vitality values for the variant PR, against the seven selected PIs, confirm the impact of the mutation and insertion on the South African HIV-1 subtype C PR. This information has important clinical implications for thousands of patients in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Role of sigma 1 receptor in high fat diet-induced peripheral neuropathy
Authors: Song Tieying , Zhao Jianhui , Ma Xiaojing , Zhang Zaiwang , Jiang Bo , Yang Yunliang 
Published: May 2017

Abstract
The neurobiological mechanisms of obesity-induced peripheral neuropathy are poorly understood. We evaluated the role of Sigma-1 receptor (Sig-1R) and NMDA receptor (NMDARs) in the spinal cord in peripheral neuropathy using an animal model of high fat diet-induced diabetes. We examined the expression of Sig-1R and NMDAR subunits GluN2A and GluN2B along with postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) in the spinal cord after 24-week HFD treatment in both wild-type and Sig-1R−/− mice. Finally, we examined the effects of repeated intrathecal administrations of selective Sig-1R antagonists BD1047 in HFD-fed wild-type mice on peripheral neuropathy. Wild-type mice developed tactile allodynia and thermal hypoalgesia after 24-week HFD treatment. HFD-induced peripheral neuropathy correlated with increased expression of GluN2A and GluN2B subunits of NMDARs, PDS-95, and Sig-1R, as well as increased Sig-1R-NMDAR interaction in the spinal cord. In contrast, Sig-1R−/− mice did not develop thermal hypoalgesia or tactile allodynia after 24-week HFD treatment, and the levels of GluN2A, GluN2B, and PSD-95 were not altered in the spinal cord of HFD-fed Sig-1R−/− mice. Finally, repeated intrathecal administrations of selective Sig-1R antagonists BD1047 in HFD-fed wild-type mice attenuated peripheral neuropathy. Our results suggest that obesity-associated peripheral neuropathy may involve Sig-1R-mediated enhancement of NMDAR expression in the spinal cord.
Intra- and inter-examiner reliability in angular measurements of the knee with a smartphone application
Authors: Derhon Viviane , Santos Rafael Aparecido , Brandalize Michelle , Brandalize Danielle , Rossi Luciano Pavan 
Published: May 2017

PurposeGoniometric smartphone applications to measure joint angles offer greater practicality and accessibility, which makes them potential alternatives to a conventional goniometer. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the intra- and inter-examiner reliability in measuring the angles of the range of motion of the knee with the use of the ROM<sup>©</sup> goniometric smartphone application.MethodThe total of 34 young healthy women with an at least 20° limitation in knee extension range of motion participated in the study. Angular measurements of knee flexion in the dominant leg were performed with the aid of the smartphone application by three trained examiners for the evaluation of the inter-examiner reliability. The second evaluation was carried out after a 48-hour period for the determination of the intra-examiner reliability.ResultsThe proposed method demonstrated excellent intra-examiner (intra-class correlation coefficient [ICC] > 0.80) and inter-examiner (ICC > 0.90) reliability, with good intra-examiner (<i>r</i> > 0.85) and strong inter-examiner (<i>r</i> > 0.90) correlations (<i>p</i> < 0.0001), an intra-examiner coefficient of determination (<i>R</i><sup>2</sup>) of 0.75, inter-examiner <i>R</i><sup>2</sup> of 0.91, and good level of agreement on the Bland-Altman plots for the measures.ConclusionsThe findings reveal that the ROM<sup>©</sup> goniometric smartphone application can be considered a useful tool for the evaluation of the knee range of motion in healthy women.
Comparing Four Methods for Estimating Tree-Based Treatment Regimes
Authors: Sies Aniek , Van Mechelen Iven 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWhen multiple treatment alternatives are available for a certain psychological or medical problem, an important challenge is to find an optimal treatment regime, which specifies for each patient the most effective treatment alternative given his or her pattern of pretreatment characteristics. The focus of this paper is on tree-based treatment regimes, which link an optimal treatment alternative to each leaf of a tree; as such they provide an insightful representation of the decision structure underlying the regime. This paper compares the absolute and relative performance of four methods for estimating regimes of that sort (viz., Interaction Trees, Model-based Recursive Partitioning, an approach developed by Zhang et al. and Qualitative Interaction Trees) in an extensive simulation study. The evaluation criteria were, on the one hand, the expected outcome if the entire population would be subjected to the treatment regime resulting from each method under study and the proportion of clients assigned to the truly best treatment alternative, and, on the other hand, the Type I and Type II error probabilities of each method. The method of Zhang et al. was superior regarding the first two outcome measures and the Type II error probabilities, but performed worst in some conditions of the simulation study regarding Type I error probabilities.