bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The patient perspective on overactive bladder: a mixed-methods needs assessment
Authors: Filipetto Frank A , Fulda Kimberly G , Holthusen Amy E , McKeithen Thomas M , McFadden Pam
Published: May 2014

Background

While overactive bladder is often managed in the primary care setting, a number of barriers including embarrassment, poor communication, and low patient adherence contribute to the under-treatment of patients with burdensome urinary symptoms. In order to address these challenges, it is crucial to have a fundamental understanding of patient perspectives toward OAB and urinary symptoms. To meet this aim, researchers designed and conducted a study to identify patients’ knowledge, experiences and attitudes, barriers to treatment adherence, and desires and tendencies regarding patient/clinician communications.

Methods

A mixed-methods qualitative/quantitative needs assessment of patients with overactive bladder and/or urinary symptoms. Researchers conducted in-depth qualitative interviews via telephone with 40 patients. Interview results informed the design and dissemination of a quantitative survey, which was completed by 200 self-selected respondents who had previously identified themselves as having overactive bladder or bladder problems. Statistical and qualitative analysis of results were conducted.

Results

Among survey respondents, an average of 3.5 years elapsed between symptom onset and seeking diagnosis by a physician. In the long term most patients do not experience improvement in symptoms. Medication non-adherence is common and is related to therapy effectiveness and adverse effects. Patients clearly indicate that communication and patient/physician relationships are important to them and they would prefer the clinician initiate the conversation on overactive bladder. Patient experiences, perspectives, and attitudes toward their bladder symptoms differ in many ways from clinicians’ assumptions.

Conclusions

The significant time gap between symptom onset and diagnosis indicates ongoing need for screening and diagnosis of overactive bladder. Contrary to guideline recommendations, urinalysis and physical examination are not widely used in clinical practice. Many patients experience no improvement in symptoms over time. Patients indicate that clinician/patient relationships and communication regarding their condition are important.
Diisocyanate-induced asthma in Switzerland: long-term course and patients’ self-assessment after a 12-year follow-up
Authors: Rüegger Martin , Droste Doreen , Hofmann Markus , Jost Marcel , Miedinger David
Published: May 2014

Background

Isocyanates are among the most common causes of occupational asthma (OA) in Switzerland. Patients with OA have been shown to have unfavourable medical, socioeconomic and psychological outcomes. We investigated long-term asthma and the socio-economic outcomes of diisocyanate-induced asthma (DIA) in Switzerland.

Patients and methods

We conducted an observational study on 49 patients with DIA and followed 35 of these patients over a mean exposure-free interval of 12 ± 0.5 (range 11.0-13.0) years. At the initial and follow-up examinations, we recorded data on respiratory symptoms and asthma medication; measured the lung function; and tested for bronchial hyperreactivity. We allowed the patients to assess their state of health and overall satisfaction using a visual analogue scale (VAS) at these visits.

Results

The 35 patients whom we could follow had a median symptomatic exposure time of 12 months, interquartile range (IQR) 26 months and a median overall exposure time of 51 (IQR 104) months. Their subjective symptoms (p < 0.001) and the use of asthma medication (p = 0.002), particularly the use of inhaled corticosteroids (p < 0.001), decreased by nearly 50%. At the same time, the self-assessment of the patients’ state of health and overall satisfaction increased considerably according to both symptomatology and income. In contrast, slight reductions in terms of FVC% predicted from 102% to 96% (p = 0.04), of FEV1% predicted from 91% to 87% (p = 0.06) and of the FEV1/FVC ratio of 3%; (p = 0.01) were observed while NSBHR positivity did not change significantly. In univariate as well as multivariate logistic analyses we showed significant associations between age, duration of exposure and FEV1/FVC ratio with persistent asthma symptoms and NSBHR.

Conclusions

We found that the patients’ symptoms, the extent of their therapy and the decrease in their lung volumes during the follow-up period were similar to the findings in the literature. The same hold true for some prognostic factors, whereas the patients’ self-assessment of their state of health and overall satisfaction improved considerably.
Predicting outcomes after blunt chest wall trauma: development and external validation of a new prognostic model
Authors: Battle Ceri Elisabeth , Hutchings Hayley , Lovett Simon , Bouamra Omar , Jones Sally , Sen Aruni , Gagg James , Robinson David , Hartford-Beynon Jake , Williams Jeremy , Evans Adrian
Published: May 2014

Introduction

Blunt chest wall trauma accounts for over 15% of all trauma admissions to Emergency Departments worldwide. Reported mortality rates vary between 4 and 60%. Management of this patient group is challenging as a result of the delayed on-set of complications. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a prognostic model that can be used to assist in the management of blunt chest wall trauma.

Methods

There were two distinct phases to the overall study; the development and the validation phases. In the first study phase, the prognostic model was developed through the retrospective analysis of all blunt chest wall trauma patients (n = 274) presenting to the Emergency Department of a regional trauma centre in Wales (2009 to 2011). Multivariable logistic regression was used to develop the model and identify the significant predictors for the development of complications. The model’s accuracy and predictive capabilities were assessed. In the second study phase, external validation of the model was completed in a multi-centre prospective study (n = 237) in 2012. The model’s accuracy and predictive capabilities were re-assessed for the validation sample. A risk score was developed for use in the clinical setting.

Results

Significant predictors of the development of complications were age, number of rib fractures, chronic lung disease, use of pre-injury anticoagulants and oxygen saturation levels. The final model demonstrated an excellent c-index of 0.96 (95% confidence intervals: 0.93 to 0.98).

Conclusions

In our two phase study, we have developed and validated a prognostic model that can be used to assist in the management of blunt chest wall trauma patients. The final risk score provides the clinician with the probability of the development of complications for each individual patient.
Root resorption after leveling with super-elastic and conventional steel arch wires: a prospective study
Authors: Alzahawi Kawa , Færøvig Espen , Brudvik Pongsri , Bøe Olav Egil , Mavragani Maria
Published: May 2014

Background

The aim of this prospective study was to compare root resorption after the leveling phase of treatment, performed by either super-elastic or conventional multi-stranded stainless steel arch wires.

Methods

From a total of 156 future orthodontic patients in a private clinic, 82 were included in the study after excluding those who earlier had orthodontic or endodontic treatment or signs of resorption. Patients were equally arbitrary allocated into two groups, where leveling was performed either with super-elastic heat-activated or conventional multi-stranded stainless steel arch wires. Root length loss was calculated using pre-treatment and post-leveling periapical radiographs.

Results

The use of super-elastic arch wires did not significantly increase the severity of root resorption, except for tooth 31, while it reduced leveling time compared to conventional stainless steel wires. Crossbite of maxillary lateral incisors seemed to be a risk factor for resorption.

Conclusion

Incisor root resorption after leveling did not differ significantly between patients treated with super-elastic and conventional stainless steel arch wires, except for a mandibular incisor.
At the Bedside:Helicobacter pylori, dysregulated host responses, DNA damage, and gastric cancer
Authors: Dalal Rahul S , Moss Steven F
Published: May 2014

Clinical trials performed in populations at high GC risk have demonstrated that eradication of Helicobacter pylori from the stomach with a course of combination antimicrobials helps prevent gastric carcinogenesis when they are administered before precancerous lesions have yet developed. In this review, we consider the insights into H. pylori-associated gastric carcinogenesis that have been gained from these and many other clinical studies in the field to highlight priority areas for basic research and clinical investigation. Among these are defining the magnitude of the risk reduction that may be achieved in clinical practice and at a population level by H. pylori eradication and investigating when, during the slow multistep progression to GC, intervention will be of the most benefit. Additional strategies to prevent GC induced by H. pylori, including chemoprevention, dietary modification, and close endoscopic surveillance, may also have value in augmenting the risk reduction. Why only a small subpopulation of those infected by H. pylori go on to develop GC may be partially explained by genetic susceptibility related to SNPs in several genes regulating the intensity of the gastric inflammatory response to H. pylori. Investigation of the basic mechanisms underlying the promotion of GC by H. pylori and the associated inflammatory response will likely continue to improve clinical strategies for the prevention of one of the most common causes of cancer death globally. See related review, At the Bench: H. pylori, dysregulated host responses, DNA damage, and gastric cancer.
From Receptor Balance to Rational Glucocorticoid Therapy
Authors: de Kloet E. Ron
Published: May 2014

Corticosteroids secreted as end product of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis act like a double-edged sword in the brain. The hormones coordinate appraisal processes and decision making during the initial phase of a stressful experience and promote subsequently cognitive performance underlying the management of stress adaptation. This action exerted by the steroids on the initiation and termination of the stress response is mediated by 2 related receptor systems: mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) and glucocorticoid receptors (GRs). The receptor types are unevenly distributed but colocalized in abundance in neurons of the limbic brain to enable these complementary hormone actions. This contribution starts from a historical perspective with the observation that phasic occupancy of GR during ultradian rhythmicity is needed to maintain responsiveness to corticosteroids. Then, during stress, initially MR activation enhances excitability of limbic networks that are engaged in appraisal and emotion regulation. Next, the rising hormone concentration occupies GR, resulting in reallocation of energy to limbic-cortical circuits with a role in behavioral adaptation and memory storage. Upon MR:GR imbalance, dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis occurs, which can enhance an individual's vulnerability. Imbalance is characteristic for chronic stress experience and depression but also occurs during exposure to synthetic glucocorticoids. Hence, glucocorticoid psychopathology may develop in susceptible individuals because of suppression of ultradian/circadian rhythmicity and depletion of endogenous corticosterone from brain MR. This knowledge generated from testing the balance hypothesis can be translated to a rational glucocorticoid therapy.
Filamin A (FLNA) Plays an Essential Role in Somatostatin Receptor 2 (SST2) Signaling and Stabilization After Agonist Stimulation in Human and Rat Somatotroph Tumor Cells
Authors: Peverelli E. , Giardino E. , Treppiedi D. , Vitali E. , Cambiaghi V. , Locatelli M. , Lasio G. B. , Spada A. , Lania A. G. , Mantovani G.
Published: May 2014

Somatostatin receptor type 2 (SST2) is the main pharmacological target of medical therapy for GH-secreting pituitary tumors, but molecular mechanisms regulating its expression and signaling are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of cytoskeleton protein filamin A (FLNA) in SST2 expression and signaling in somatotroph tumor cells. We found a highly variable expression of FLNA in human GH-secreting tumors, without a correlation with SST2 levels. FLNA silencing in human tumoral cells did not affect SST2 expression and localization but abolished the SST2-induced reduction of cyclin D1 (−37% ± 15% in control cells, P < .05 vs basal) and caspase-3/7 activation (+63% ± 31% in control cells, P < .05 vs basal). Overexpression of a FLNA dominant-negative mutant that specifically prevents SST2-FLNA binding reduced SST2 expression after prolonged agonist exposure (−55% ± 5%, P < .01 vs untreated cells) in GH3 cells. Moreover, SST2-induced apoptotic effect (77% ± 54% increase of caspase activity, P < .05 vs basal) and SST2-mediated ERK1/2 inhibition (48% ± 17% reduction of ERK1/2 phosphorylation, P < .01 vs basal) were abrogated in cells overexpressing another FLNA mutant that prevents FLNA interaction with partner proteins but not with SST2, suggesting a scaffold function of FLNA in somatotrophs. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that FLNA is involved in SST2 stabilization and signaling in tumoral somatotrophs, playing both a structural and functional role.
Adiponectin Upregulates SHBG Production: Molecular Mechanisms and Potential Implications
Authors: Simó Rafael , Saez-Lopez Cristina , Lecube Albert , Hernandez Cristina , Fort Jose Manuel , Selva David M.
Published: May 2014

Epidemiological studies have shown that plasma SHBG levels correlate with plasma adiponectin levels, both in men and women. There are no reports describing any molecular mechanism by which adiponectin regulates hepatic SHBG production. The aim of the present study is to explore whether adiponectin regulates SHBG production by increasing HNF-4α levels through reducing hepatic lipid content. For this purpose, in vitro studies using human HepG2 cells, as well as human liver biopsies, were performed. Our results show that adiponectin treatment increased SHBG production via AMPK activation in HepG2 cells. Adiponectin treatment decreased the mRNA and protein levels of enzymes related to hepatic lipogenesis (ACC) and increased those related to fatty acid oxidation (ACOX and CPTI). These adiponectin-induced changes in hepatic enzymes resulted in a reduction of total TG and FFA and an increase of HNF-4α. When HNF-4α expression was silenced by using siRNA, adiponectin-induced SHBG overexpression was blocked. Furthermore, adiponectin-induced upregulation of SHBG production via HNF-4α overexpression was abrogated by the inhibition of fatty acid oxidation or by the induction of lipogenesis with a 30mM glucose treatment in HepG2 cells. Finally, adiponectin levels correlated positively and significantly with both HNF-4α and SHBG mRNA levels in human liver biopsies. Our results suggest for the first time that adiponectin increases SHBG production by activating AMPK, which reduces hepatic lipid content and increases HNF-4α levels.
Unarticulated Memories of the Battle of Okinawa: The Early Fiction of Second-Generation War Survivor Medoruma Shun
Authors: Ikeda Kyle
Published: May 2014

This article examines two early pieces of literary war fiction by Okinawa's leading contemporary writer, Medoruma Shun, that deal with two kinds of unarticulated memories of the Battle of Okinawa: memory constrained by social consequence and the inexpressible memory of trauma. Both stories constitute explorations of war memory that are not found in survivor testimony and, as such, simultaneously reveal and critique the limitations of survivor-authored narratives of the war. I first explicate how the war-survivor characters in “Fûon” (“The Crying Wind,” 1985 – 86) lived their lives since the war without telling anyone about their most haunting war experiences, in large part, I argue, because of the possible social consequences of disclosure. Drawing from Bessel A. van der Kolk and Onno van der Hart's, as well as Oka Mari's, scholarship on the nature of traumatic memory, I demonstrate how the traumatic war experiences of an elderly war-survivor character in “Heiwa dôri to nazukerareta machi or aruite” (“Walking the Street Named Peace Boulevard,” 1986) remain beyond her ability to narrate them.

The article argues that Medoruma's war fiction needs to be interpreted within the frame of second-generation survivorship in order to better reveal the ways in which his narratives contribute to understandings of the Battle of Okinawa and its ongoing effects on survivors. It is Medoruma's experience as the child, grandchild, and relative of numerous survivors of the Battle of Okinawa that has provided him with an intimate look at the nature of war trauma and made him aware of the gap between war stories that survivors recount in public and the inarticulate expressions of war trauma that haunt many of them in private. At the same time, because he has not directly experienced the war, Medoruma is removed enough from the traumatic event to be able to address that which survivors have avoided or have been unable to articulate.
Wushe, Literature, and Melodic Black Metal: The “Nonpolitics” Of Wuhe and the “Political” ChthoniC
Authors: Payne Christopher
Published: May 2014

This article revolves around the contemporary Taiwanese writer Wuhe and the Taiwanese melodic black-metal band ChthoniC (Shanling) and their “political” use of the Wushe Incident that occurred in 1930 in colonial Taiwan. The event, which was brutally repressed by the Japanese authorities immediately thereafter and, in many ways, lent impetus to the kominka (assimilationist) movement, has been represented and interpreted in numerous ways, shapes, and forms over the course of the last seventy plus years. Notably, during the postwar period, it was often interpreted as an anticolonial/anti-Japanese movement. More recently, however, the novelist Wuhe has highlighted its ambiguous nature in his award-winning novel The Remains of Life (Yusheng, 2000). For Wuhe, the incident is an entangled web of conflicting impulses: a violent confluence between modern politics and traditional culture(s). Conversely, the band ChthoniC has used the Wushe Incident to push an overtly political position, that of an independent Taiwan, in their fourth studio album Seediq bale (Chinese: Saideke balai, 2005). The fact that a melodic black-metal band has appropriated this event to convey a political stance is in itself intriguing, since their chosen genre of expression is generally viewed in Europe and the United States as being inherently apolitical. Coupled with the fact that it is a musical genre without the same kind of mass public appeal as Mando-pop or Canto-pop makes one ask not only why this band chose melodic black metal (an offshoot of death metal) but also why it is attempting to articulate a political position through such means. Reading Wuhe's more nuanced account on the incident with ChthoniC's use of it highlights the tension between history, memory, and its political usages and implications in contemporary Taiwanese society and helps to articulate a means to better understand a conflicted history and its national/nationalized memory.
The evolution of endothermy is explained by thyroid hormone-mediated responses to cold in early vertebrates
Authors: Little Alexander G. , Seebacher Frank
Published: May 2014

The evolution of endothermy is one of the most intriguing and consistently debated topics in vertebrate biology, but the proximate mechanisms that mediated its evolution are unknown. Here, we suggest that the function of thyroid hormone in regulating physiological processes in response to cold is key to understanding the evolution of endothermy. We argue that the capacity of early chordates to produce thyroid hormone internally was the first step in this evolutionary process. Selection could then act on the capacity of thyroid hormone to regulate metabolism, muscle force production and cardiac performance to maintain their function against the negative thermodynamic effects of decreasing temperature. Thyroid-mediated cold acclimation would have been the principal selective advantage. The actions of thyroid hormone during cold acclimation in zebrafish are very similar to its role during endothermic thermogenesis. The thyroid-mediated increases in metabolism and locomotor performance in ectotherms eventually resulted in sufficient heat production to affect body temperature. From this point onwards, increased body temperature per se could be of selective advantage and reinforce thyroid-induced increases in physiological rates. Selection for increased body temperature would promote those mechanisms that maximise heat production, such as increased Na+/K+-ATPase activity, futile cycling by SERCA, and mitochondrial uncoupling, all of which are regulated by thyroid hormone. The specific end point of this broader evolutionary process would be endothermic thermoregulation. However, considering the evolution of endothermy in isolation is misleading because the selective advantages that drove the evolutionary process were independent from endothermy. In other words, without the selective advantages of thyroid-mediated cold acclimation in fish, there would be no endotherms.
Baseline hearing abilities and variability in wild beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas)
Authors: Castellote Manuel , Mooney T. Aran , Quakenbush Lori , Hobbs Roderick , Goertz Caroline , Gaglione Eric
Published: May 2014

While hearing is the primary sensory modality for odontocetes, there are few data addressing variation within a natural population. This work describes the hearing ranges (4–150 kHz) and sensitivities of seven apparently healthy, wild beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) during a population health assessment project that captured and released belugas in Bristol Bay, Alaska. The baseline hearing abilities and subsequent variations were addressed. Hearing was measured using auditory evoked potentials (AEPs). All audiograms showed a typical cetacean U-shape; substantial variation (>30 dB) was found between most and least sensitive thresholds. All animals heard well, up to at least 128 kHz. Two heard up to 150 kHz. Lowest auditory thresholds (35–45 dB) were identified in the range 45–80 kHz. Greatest differences in hearing abilities occurred at both the high end of the auditory range and at frequencies of maximum sensitivity. In general, wild beluga hearing was quite sensitive. Hearing abilities were similar to those of belugas measured in zoological settings, reinforcing the comparative importance of both settings. The relative degree of variability across the wild belugas suggests that audiograms from multiple individuals are needed to properly describe the maximum sensitivity and population variance for odontocetes. Hearing measures were easily incorporated into field-based settings. This detailed examination of hearing abilities in wild Bristol Bay belugas provides a basis for a better understanding of the potential impact of anthropogenic noise on a noise-sensitive species. Such information may help design noise-limiting mitigation measures that could be applied to areas heavily influenced and inhabited by endangered belugas.
The limits of applicability of the sound exposure level (SEL) metric to temporal threshold shifts (TTS) in beluga whales, Delphinapterus leucas
Authors: Popov Vladimir V. , Supin Alexander Ya. , Rozhnov Viatcheslav V. , Nechaev Dmitry I. , Sysueva Evgenia V.
Published: May 2014

The influence of fatiguing sound level and duration on post-exposure temporary threshold shift (TTS) was investigated in two beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas). The fatiguing sound was half-octave noise with a center frequency of 22.5 kHz. TTS was measured at a test frequency of 32 kHz. Thresholds were measured by recording rhythmic evoked potentials (the envelope following response) to a test series of short (eight cycles) tone pips with a pip rate of 1000 s−1. TTS increased approximately proportionally to the dB measure of both sound pressure (sound pressure level, SPL) and duration of the fatiguing noise, as a product of these two variables. In particular, when the noise parameters varied in a manner that maintained the product of squared sound pressure and time (sound exposure level, SEL, which is equivalent to the overall noise energy) at a constant level, TTS was not constant. Keeping SEL constant, the highest TTS appeared at an intermediate ratio of SPL to sound duration and decreased at both higher and lower ratios. Multiplication (SPL multiplied by log duration) better described the experimental data than an equal-energy (equal SEL) model. The use of SEL as a sole universal metric may result in an implausible assessment of the impact of a fatiguing sound on hearing thresholds in odontocetes, including under-evaluation of potential risks.
Adsorption of CO2 on Amine-Grafted Activated Carbon
Authors: Bezerra Diôgo P. , Silva Francisco W. M. da , de Moura Pedro A. S. , Sapag Karim , Vieira Rodrigo S. , Rodriguez-Castellon Enrique , de Azevedo Diana C.S.
Published: May 2014

Adsorption on amine-grafted materials may be a potentially attractive alternative to capture CO2 from power plants. Activated carbon (AC) has been proposed as a potential adsorbent due to its natural affinity for CO2 and the possibility of tailoring its textural properties and surface chemistry to enhance capacity and selectivity. An AC commercial sample was functionalized with monoethanolamine to obtain nitrogen-enriched AC with two different loadings (ACN10 and ACN20). Characterization of the sample was carried out by nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms at 77 K, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and adsorption microcalorimetry. The CO2 equilibrium adsorption experiments were carried out in a volumetric system within the pressure range from vacuum to 13 bar, at 298 and 348 K. Impregnated AC showed different chemical and textural characteristics with a significant reduction in the surface area, depending on the amine loading. A high adsorption capacity at room temperature (298 K) and high pressure was observed for the pristine AC as compared with the modified samples. The reduction in surface area affected the adsorption capacity of CO2 at 298 and 348 K, except for adsorption on ACN10 at 348 K, which suggests the occurrence of chemisorption.
Batch and Column Studies for the Removal of Lead from Aqueous Solutions Using Activated Carbons from Viticultural Industry Wastes
Authors: Deiana A.C. , Gimenez M.G. , Rómoli S. , Sardella M.F. , Sapag K.
Published: May 2014

Adsorption studies (kinetic, batch and dynamic assays) were carried out for lead removal from aqueous solutions using wastes from the wine industry. The adsorbents used were obtained from grape stalk and pomace#. These materials were carbonized, briquetted and activated with steam. Addition of a leaching step before activation lowered the high ash content of the materials. The products were characterized by elemental and proximate analysis, point of zero charge pH, specific surface area, pore-size distribution, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and surface acidic and basic groups. Considering the physicochemical and textural properties of the adsorbents, a comparative analysis of the results was made. These solids showed a marked basic character; therefore, the pH was a very important variable in adsorption tests, and thus it was necessary to maintain the pH in a favourable range. Batch equilibrium assays showed that the tested adsorbents had good adsorption capacities, better than the ones reported previously for similar materials. In dynamic tests, the removal of lead by both activated carbon briquettes was good and attributed to the coupling of adsorption and precipitation as a result of the increase in the pH values, which could not be controlled.
Water Remediation Based on Oil Adsorption Using Nanosilicates Functionalized with a Petroleum Vacuum Residue
Authors: Franco Camilo A. , Martínez Maricelly , Benjumea Pedro , Patiño Edgar , Cortés Farid B.
Published: May 2014

Discharging water from oilfields has become one of the major environmental issues related to the oil industry. This work presents a study on the adsorption of oil onto nanoparticles of hydrophobic silica and silica nanoparticles functionalized with a petroleum vacuum residue (VR) at 2 and 4 wt% to reduce the amount of oil in oil–brine and oil–water emulsions at different pH values (5, 7 and 9). The initial concentration of crude oil in water ranged from 500 to 1500 mg/l. The change in oil concentration after adsorption was determined using a UV–VIS spectrophotometer. Experimental data on the adsorption kinetics were fitted to pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models, with better results being obtained for the latter. Results of the study showed 100% oil removal for all the systems studied and a better performance was achieved for oil-saltwater emulsions than the experiments performed using oil-saltwater emulsions. In addition, the adsorption equilibrium was achieved faster for the oil–water emulsion using the salty medium. Adsorption velocity was higher for neutral and basic systems compared with acid ones, and it was improved by increasing the amount of VR on silica surface.
Adsorption of Volatile Carboxylic Acids on Activated Carbon Synthesized from Watermelon Shells
Authors: López-Velandia Catalina , Moreno-Barbosa Jonathan Julian , Sierra-Ramirez Rocio , Giraldo Liliana , Moreno-Piraján Juan Carlos
Published: May 2014

Because of the high energy costs involved in using the MixAlco process in the separation of fermentation water, it is necessary to implement a separation method in which the absorbates can be adsorbed onto activated carbon (AC). For this purpose, in this study, we synthesized AC from watermelon shells (CAS) and the synthesized carbon was modified with NaOH (CASM) in order to improve its adsorption efficiency. Adsorption kinetic studies of short-chain carboxylic acids (acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid) onto the synthesized ACs were performed. The CASM had an adsorption efficiency of 71%, 70% and 63% for acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid, respectively. This efficiency was higher than that of CAS, which presented an efficiency of 32%, 30% and 27% for the respective acids. The AC from watermelon shells was synthesized by chemical activation with phosphoric acid (40% wt/wt), producing a yield of 84%. The carbon was modified by adding 10M NaOH. Finally, the physical and chemical characteristics of the synthesized AC were studied, which gave the following results: The surface area was 710 m2/g for CAS and 864 m2/g for CASM, a microporous and mesoporous structure, pore-size distribution of 0.39–4.54 nm for CAS and 0.39–6.0 nm for CASM, pore volume of 0.26 cm3/g for CAS and 0.55 cm3/g for CASM. The CAS modification caused an increase in the pore volume with a distribution below 10 nm, an increase in the number of basic groups on the carbon surface and a decrease in the carboxylic groups. All of these factors favoured the adsorption of the acids.
Formación TIC del profesorado para garantizar el éxito en la integración de la tecnología
Authors: Pico Silvia
Published: May 2014

En este artículo se definen algunas claves para que la integración de la tecnología en el currículum sea un proceso claro y sencillo, incidiendo en los puntos fuertes sobre los que debe reflexionar la formación del profesorado, tanto la inicial como la permanente. Teniendo en cuenta la formación metodológica, debemos tratar de encontrar el equilibro y la metodología TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) puede ser la respuesta de hacia dónde debe dirigirse la formación TIC de los docentes. Pero hay que ir un paso más allá en esta cuestión, ampliando nuestros horizontes hacia una formación permanente que se caracterice por la iniciativa propia, basándonos en nuestro entorno personal de aprendizaje. Por último, a modo de conclusión, se definen una serie de cualidades óptimas que debería poseer todo docente cuyo objetivo sea integrar las TIC para mejorar el aprendizaje de sus alumnos.
Lectura i TIC: l’ús de les TIC per al treball de les lectures d’obres literàries proposades a l’alumnat
Authors: Moral Reig Ignasi
Published: May 2014

L’ensenyament secundari recull, entre els seus objectius, el foment de la lectura i la creació d’un hàbit lector entre l’alumnat. La introducció de les TIC en l’ensenyament pot funcionar com a element motivador i dinamitzador al servei d’aquesta finalitat. Aquest article té com a objectiu analitzar l’ús de les TIC entre el professorat de l’àrea de «Valencià: llengua i literatura» per al treball de la lectura d’obres literàries completes i descriure la relació entre foment de la lectura i l’ús de les TIC.
@live, un projecte de premsa escrita trilingüe
Authors: Romero Riera María Carmen
Published: May 2014

@live és una revista digital trilingüe en anglés, valencià i castellà realitzada per alumnat de 7 nacionalitats diferents d’Educació Secundària Obligatòria de l’IES La Nucia (Alacant). És un mitjà de comunicació d’alumnes dirigits a la resta de la comunitat educativa, on s’utilitzen les tres llengües en contextos comunicatius reals, s’atén a la diversitat i es fomenta l’ús de les TIC i l’autonomia en el seu procés d’aprenentatge.
Treball per projectes amb TIC a l’educació primària
Authors: Devesa Zamora Maria del Carmen
Published: May 2014

El present treball pretén explicar la metodologia duta a terme al llarg d’un curs escolar al tercer cicle de l’Educació Primària, basada en l’aprenentatge per projectes a l’àrea de Coneixement del Medi, conjuntament amb l’ús de les TIC. La unió de l’aprenentatge per projectes i les TIC és el resultat d’una reflexió centrada en la necessitat d’un canvi metodològic i un acostament més real al món dels xiquets i xiquetes. És una altra manera d’educar, més significativa per a l’alumnat. Emprar un enfocament per projectes dóna oportunitats a l’alumnat per a participar del treball autèntic i desenvolupar les destreses del segle XXI: la col·laboració, la resolució de problemes i el pensament crític. L’èmfasi ja no és a l’ensenyament, sinó a l’aprenentatge, els protagonistes ja no són els mestres, són els alumnes. I és per això mateix —perquè ells i elles són els i les protagonistes— que els docents ens hem d’adaptar als nous temps, a la nova realitat, a unes necessitats educatives d’un món que canvia contínuament i en el qual les TIC estan presents. A la fi, ningú ja no dubta que la tecnologia web 2.0 s’ha d’integrar de forma normalitzada en els processos d’ensenyamentaprenentatge. Quan són ben dissenyats, els projectes fonamentats en el currículum poden arribar a resultats d’alta qualitat per a l’alumnat i poden ser, també, una experiència gratificant per als docents. En aquest article provaré de demostrar que conjuminar l’enfocament per projectes i les TIC ofereix molts avantatges.
Juguem a definir la ciència: recursos per treballar el lèxic acadèmic col·laborativament
Authors: Estopà Rosa
Published: May 2014

El coneixement de la ciència i la tècnica es representa i es transfereix a través de paraules que tenen un significat especialitzat, precís i concís. L’accés al coneixement especialitzat permet l’ús adequat de la terminologia. Treballar el llenguatge juntament amb el coneixement científic des dels inicis és crucial. En el projecte «Jugant a definir la ciència» (I i II) partim del supòsit que les bases del coneixement especialitzat es comencen a adquirir en els primers anys de vida d’una persona. El nostre objecte d’estudi és presentar recursos per treballar col·laborativament paraules bàsiques de la ciència a l’escola com ara aigua, espai, estrella, cervell, gel, mort, sol, calor, velocitat, aire, vida, etc. Enguany, el projecte ha saltat a la xarxa. En aquest article presentem, a més, la plataforma digital, «El club lèxic», que fomenta el treball col·laboratiu.
Dormint entre les TIC
Authors: Tudón i Donat Laura
Published: May 2014

Treballar a l’aula, compartir informació, ajudar majors i menuts, pot estar englobat en una mateixa eina web, com pot ser un bloc, un web personal o un web de recursos. Si, a més, volem millorar l’educació del nostre alumnat, podem recórrer a les pissarres digitals interactives (PDI). Què són? Com podem treballar-hi? No són un eina fàcil; tanmateix, us animem a fer-les servir, a investigar-hi i a aprofitar-les en la vostra tasca educativa. En aquest article expliquem la nostra experiència amb les TIC, com a professional en l’Educació Infantil, a través de dos eines: el blog El Racó de l’Infant i la PDI. Hem desenvolupat aquesta tasca en les tres aules de 5 anys de CEIP Villar Palasí (Sagunt). Dues d’aquestes aules tenen com a llengua vehicular el valencià i una, el castellà. En aquesta darrera aula s’ha treballat amb tot l’alumnat; en l’aula de valencià, en canvi, només amb l’alumnat que anava més endarrerit en l’adquisició de la lectoescriptura.
Interferència i préstec en la literatura popular
Authors: Armangué i Herrero Joan
Published: May 2014

El contacte entre llengües pot tenir, per a l’estudiós de la literatura popular i tradicional, un valor afegit. L’aplicació dins l’àmbit de l’etnopoètica de criteris consensuats en l’àmbit de la sociolingüística permet estudiar la manera com el contacte entre literatures pot influir, més o menys, en la recepció i l’adopció d’una altra tradició, segons si es tracta de poesia o prosa, i segons, també, quins aspectes sociològics intervenen en el fenomen. La ciutat de l’Alguer, i la seva literatura tradicional, es demostra en aquest aspecte com un laboratori privilegiat per a l’estudi dels fenòmens escollits.
Cap a una bibliografia musical de Màrius Torres
Authors: Ferrando Morales Àngel Lluís
Published: May 2014

Com és ben sabut, en el cas del poeta lleidatà Màrius Torres (1910-1942), la relació entre la poesia i la música esdevé una vinculació essencial. Més enllà, la formació musical de Torres el va dur a musicar alguns poemes, on es barregen els trobadors medievals i els textos modernistes. Aquesta relació dual que estableix Torres amb la música ha generat al llarg dels anys una bibliografia específica que cal organitzar, definir i ampliar. Aquest article té la voluntat d’aportar un estat de la qüestió pel que fa a la bibliografia musical de Torres, no sols per les abundants referències a elements o aspectes musicals dins la seua obra, sinó també per la necessària revisió dels materials musicals manuscrits que hi conservem. Davant el projecte d’una edició de les seues obres completes, i com una mena de pas previ, el treball repassa les diferents aportacions que s’han fet des de la mort del poeta, així com les manifestacions musicals que ha generat la seua obra.
Ressenya de Les trobades. 25 anys d’Escola Valenciana, de Víctor Labrado (Andana Llibres, 2011, 174 pàgines)
Authors: Escolano i López Josep Manuel
Published: May 2014

Ressenya de: Les trobades. 25 anys d’Escola Valenciana, de Víctor Labrado (Andana Llibres, 2011, 174 pàgines).
Ressenya de Conéixer Benimantell, de Josep Martines, Vicent Martines i Juan P. Martínez (ed.) (Institut Alacantí de Cultura Juan Gil-Albert, Alacant, 2013, 286 pàgines)
Authors: Francés Mira Maria Jesús
Published: May 2014

Ressenya de Conéixer Benimantell, de Josep Martines, Vicent Martines i Juan P. Martínez (ed.) (Institut Alacantí de Cultura Juan Gil-Albert, Alacant, 2013, 286 pàgines).
Ressenya d’Erotisme i tabús en l’etnopoètica, d’Anna Francés i Jaume Guiscafrè (ed.) (Institut Alacantí de Cultura Juan Gil-Albert - Arxiu de Tradicions de l’Alguer – Grup d’Estudis Etnopoètics, Alacant-l’Alguer-Barcelona, 2013, 300 pàgines)
Authors: Llopis i Alarcon Moisés
Published: May 2014

Ressenya d’Erotisme i tabús en l’etnopoètica, d’Anna Francés i Jaume Guiscafrè (ed.) (Institut Alacantí de Cultura Juan Gil-Albert - Arxiu de Tradicions de l’Alguer – Grup d’Estudis Etnopoètics, Alacant-l’Alguer-Barcelona, 2013, 300 pàgines).
Campanhas de prevenção do cancro no contexto da Publicidade de Serviço Púbico: uma análise das mensagens e dos recursos criativos
Authors: Ribeiro Cardoso Paulo , Van Schoor Maria
Published: May 2014

Este estudo tem como objectivo comprender a estrutura das campanhas de prevenção contra o cancro, a nível internacional, incidindo a sua análise sobre os argumentos utilizados e sobre a forma como são transmitidos. Na componente empírica do trabalho, realizou-se uma análise de conteúdo de 72 filmes publicitários provenientes de diversos continentes e que ilustram, em grande parte, as diferentes abordagens utilizadas actualmente neste campo. Como principais conclusões, foi possível constatar que as campanhas de prevenção do cancro utilizam uma considerável percentagem de anúncios com um enquadramento positivo, nos quais não é usado o medo nem apresentadas consequências chocantes como resultado dos comportamentos de risco. As principais mensagens apontam para uma perspectiva preventiva através de formatos criativos que procuram uma grande empatia e proximidade com o público-alvo.
La llegada del offset a la prensa de Canarias: implicaciones en el tratamiento de la imagen
Authors: Ardèvol Abreu Alberto
Published: May 2014

El presente artículo forma parte de un trabajo de investigación más extenso sobre la evolución de la fotografía de prensa en Canarias desde el período 1975-1980 hasta la primera década del siglo XXI. Durante la segunda mitad de la década de 1970 se produjo en el archipiélago, de manera paulatina, la transición del sistema de impresión tipográfica al sistema offset. A través de estas páginas pretendemos analizar la influencia que tuvo en la fotografía de prensa de las islas la llegada de este nuevo sistema de impresión, que mejoró de manera significativa la calidad física de los periódicos del archipiélago. La impresión offset, mucho más limpia que su predecesora tipográfica, se publicitaba en Inglaterra bajo el lema “We don't print on your hand, we print on paper” (no imprimimos en sus manos, imprimimos el papel). Los cambios se llevaron a cabo de forma muy gradual, casi imperceptible en un primer momento, coincidiendo, además, con los años de transición política, y trajeron consigo modificaciones en la serie visual no lingüística (fotografías, dibujos, color...), así como en los restantes elementos del periódico, desde el formato al diseño, pasando incluso por los contenidos. Los resultados obtenidos se basan en el muestreo sistemático de dos de las cabeceras más importantes en aquellos momentos en las islas: El tinerfeño El Día y el vespertino Diario de Las Palmas.
Elementos diferenciales en la forma audiovisual de los videojuegos. Vinculación, presencia e inmersión
Authors: Pestano Rodríguez José Manuel , Gabino Campos María , Delponti Patricia
Published: May 2014

En poco más de dos décadas los videojuegos alcanzan las primeras posiciones del sector audiovisual. Distintos hechos y factores técnicos, económicos y sociales hacen posible que los videojuegos sean en estos años la referencia de ocio para una cifra creciente de millones de personas. A este fenómeno contribuye también que sus creadores desarrollan relatos junto a elementos de interacción con el objetivo de conseguir una elevada inversión temporal por parte de los usuarios. Indagamos en los conceptos de vinculación, presencia e inmersión por sus implicaciones en el universo sensorial de los videojuegos y mostramos el estado en el que se encuentra la investigación audiovisual en este campo en la primera década del siglo XXI.
Credibilidad de los medios: un análisis bivariado de las opiniones de los españoles
Authors: Roses Sergio , Farias-Battle Pedro
Published: May 2014

La credibilidad es un tema central en el debate sobre los medios. Sus implicaciones sobre la calidad de los medios y su posible asociación con los comportamientos de las personas en el consumo de noticias justifican su estudio. Este artículo examina la opinión de los españoles sobre cuál es medio con mayor credibilidad. Se explora su asociación con el género, edad, nivel de estudios, medio preferido para informarse, nivel de exposición a las noticias, nivel de diversidad de la dieta mediática-informativa y patrón de consumo habitual de noticias de los encuestados. Se analizan datos de una encuesta suministrada en 2010 a una muestra representativa (n= 1.205) de la población española. Los resultados esclarecen que, para la mayoría de los españoles, la televisión es el medio más creíble. Sin embargo, los resultados varían según las características individuales de las personas estudiadas. La opinión sobre cuál es el medio más creíble está asociada principalmente al nivel de estudios. Las personas con mayor formación creen que el medio con mayor credibilidad es la prensa. La asociación con el patrón de consumo habitual de noticias y el medio preferido para informarse sugieren que los encuestados atribuyen más credibilidad a los medios que consumen habitualmente, por tanto, la credibilidad relativa refleja en mayor medida el grado de afectividad por un medio que un juicio comparativo sobre la veracidad de los contenidos.
Herramientas Web en el proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje del ciberperiodismo en la Comunidad Valenciana
Authors: Ivars-Nicolás Begoña
Published: May 2014

Internet es un recurso de trabajo imprescindible en la tarea del ciberperiodista. Los profesionales de este campo utilizan la red como fuente de información, para crear, editar y distribuir contenidos informativos. Estas nuevas formas de trabajo, apoyadas en entornos telemáticos, se están haciendo extensibles a la universidad española, donde se está produciendo un proceso de adaptación de metodologías, técnicas y herramientas en los estudios de Periodismo. Para facilitar este proceso de ajuste por parte de los profesores de ciberperiodismo, esta investigación pretende establecer una tipología del uso de estos instrumentos en línea según los objetivos planteados en las guías docentes. Para ello, se han estudiado los programas de las asignaturas relacionadas con la docencia del ciberperiodismo en la Comunidad Valenciana. Se han seleccionado los instrumentos Web más utilizados por los profesores y se han organizado en una tabla según criterios de finalidad, acción y tipo de interacción que realiza el alumno con las herramientas y asimismo los objetivos ciberperiodísticos que pueden lograrse con cada una de ellas. La tabla ofrece información general de cada herramienta. El propósito es facilitar a los profesores un criterio de selección para elegir y profundizar en los espacios e instrumentos docentes más adecuados según las competencias que el alumno debe adquirir durante el proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje en estos estudios.
Apuntes sobre la percepción subconsciente en el cine. El ejemplo de Alien, el octavo pasajero (1979) y su propuesta orgánica de atracción/repulsión
Authors: Carrasco Molina Enrique
Published: May 2014

En una revisión profunda en la que se aportan datos hasta ahora inéditos, el presente artículo analiza nuevas claves de por qué la película Alien, el octavo pasajero (Ridley Scott, 1979), ha causado una atracción sobredimensionada del espectador en su estreno y reposición a lo largo de más de tres décadas. Se propone la tesis de que  el film emplea un conjunto de símbolos audiovisuales ocultos o semi-ocultos que provocan sensaciones de placer/displacer (eros y tanatos) y son las causantes directas de sus nutridas afinidades. Se explicita además cómo en el diseño/ presentación de un universo alienígena aparentemente nuevo (respecto al cine de ciencia ficción precedente) el espectador asume una mímesis identificativa y orgánica que se introduce en las profundidades del inconsciente, despertando un interés sorprendente entre audiencias de diferentes generaciones y edades. Se analiza el fenómeno subliminal o subconsciente en el cine, desde el punto de vista de la percepción, a partir de los experimentos publicitarios de los años 50 en una sala de exhibición de los Estados Unidos. También se estudia por primera vez el curioso paralelismo del argumento de la película con el impacto mediático previo y simultáneo del primer bebé probeta nacido el 25 de julio de 1978, en pleno inicio del rodaje de este film en los estudios londinenses Shepperton.