bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fatima and the Clementine Thieves by M. Messier
Authors: Schock Katherine
Published: May 2018

Messier, Mireille. Fatima and the Clementine Thieves. Illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard. Red Deer Press, 2017Fatima helps her grandfather in their clementine orchard every day, caring not only for the trees and their harvest, but also for the spiders that protect the trees from insects. But when elephants ravage the orchard that she and her grandfather rely on, Fatima worries how they will save both the orchard and the elephants. Relying on advice from neighbours, Fatima’s grandfather determines to shoot the elephant mother and two calves, spending his last coins on a gun and ammunition. But Fatima seeks a solution outside human invention and rallies her spider friends to protect the orchard, saving both the orchard and the elephants from destruction.Messier’s Fatima is capable and inventive, driven not only by care for her family but also for the natural world: the spiders, the elephants, and the clementine trees. In a story otherwise populated by men, Fatima is a leader, embracing and befriending spiders who are usually feared or ignored, seeking solutions that will be best for all. Messier ensures that Fatima’s voice fills the pages; though the story is occasionally awkward in its transitions from scene to scene, her joy, her fear, her tenacity, and her words hold this story together. While the treatment of the orchard as the family’s sole livelihood is perhaps simplistic, Messier makes a strong statement about violence, in the end turning a gun into a support for a repaired clementine tree.Grimard’s beautifully warm illustrations are the star here, evoking Fatima’s joy and the grandfather’s devotion to her; the beauty and power of the elephants; and the strength of the smallest creatures, whether little girl or spider. Fatima and the Clementine Thieves is a lovely book that reminds readers how, with compassion and tenacity, someone small can make a powerful difference. Recommended for ages 5-7.Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Katherine SchockKatherine is a high school English teacher currently working on an MLIS at the University of Alberta. Her passion for children’s literature is kindled daily by her two small children and her much larger students.
Siuluk: The Last Tuniq by N. Sammurtok
Authors: Campbell Sandy
Published: May 2018

Sammurtok, Nadia. Siuluk: The Last Tuniq. Illustrated by Rob Nix. Inhabit Media, 2018.This picture book, published in both English and Inuktitut syllabic script, tells the story of the last of the Tuniit, or the giants of the Eastern Arctic. The story is connected to a large rock, near Chesterfied Inlet in Nunavut, which is called Siuluk’s Rock. Nadia Sammurtok who is from Rankin Inlet and heard the story from her father, recounts that people were unkind to Siuluk and teased him because he was different. Through a show of strength by lifting the very large rock, Siuluk convinced the Inuit people that he really was the strongest man and gained their respect.Both the language and the artwork in the book are simple. The clothing pictured is unadorned. Vegetation is suggested, but not detailed. Rob Nix has taken some liberties with the appearance of the individuals. Artwork left by the Tuniit (also known as the Dorset Culture), typically show rounded faces, similar to modern Inuit. Siuluk’s face is depicted as long and angular, with a prominent and high-bridged, convex nose, more common in some European people.Overall this is a good retelling of the traditional story and conveys the message of tolerance of difference. Libraries with children’s collections, and particularly those that collect polar children’s literature will want to include these volumes. Recommendation: 3 stars out of 4Reviewer: Sandy CampbellSandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines. Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give.
Lines, Bars and Circles: How William Playfair Invented Graphs by H. Becker
Authors: Pearce Hanne
Published: May 2018

Becker, Helaine. Lines, Bars and Circles: How William Playfair Invented Graphs. Illustrated by Marie-Ève Tremblay. Kids Can Press, 2017.Lines, Bars and Circles follows the life story of William Playfair. William was a dreamer and he saw the world differently than most people. Born in 1759 in Scotland, William was a joker with a unique sense of humour as a child. As he grew up, his independent spirit led him to leave home at fourteen to seek his fortune. He worked for inventors like William Watt and longed to invent something or make a discovery that would make him rich. Unfortunately, William’s dreaming and scheming did not yield much success and most of his ideas and businesses failed.William wrote books to make money and while doing so, used his unique way of thinking to describe the information he was writing about. His use of a vertical and horizontal line system to plot results, demonstrated a visual way of displaying numeric values, and thus invented the first line chart. Later he invented the bar graph and the pie chart. Despite interest from the King of France, William’s charts were not taken seriously at first, mostly because of his reputation. It was not until a hundred years after his death that his charts were revisited for their value. In our time, charts and graphs are used in infographics every day, and are greatly valued for their ability to make information easier to understand.Lines, Bars, and Circles is a great way to introduce both history and mathematics to young readers. The digitally drawn, textured illustrations by Marie-Ève Tremblay bring the 18th century to life with simplicity and whimsy. The Playfair caricature in the book reflects both his creativity and his self-involved personality, aspects of his character that led him to be viewed as uncommitted, ambitious to a fault, and an occupational drifter. Playfair’s story is an interesting one, as it shows how a unique independent spirit can be both a blessing and a curse. The book also shows how not all inventors are fabulously successful, and that one can never know which ideas will be the most impactful. Given the richness of topics in this book it would most suitable for older school age children ages 8-12. Small snippets of historical information are distributed throughout the narrative, about the people William knew and the times he lived in. The end of the book also provides a comprehensive biography of William Playfair. I would recommend this book for children with interests in math and/or history. Recommended: 3 out of 4 starsReviewer: Hanne PearceHanne Pearce has worked at the University of Alberta Libraries since 2004. She holds a BA and MLIS and is currently working towards her Master of Arts in Communications and Technology. Her research interests include: visual communication, digital literacy, information literacy and the intersections between communication work and information work. She is also a freelance photographer and graphic designer.
Mamaqtuq! by The Jerry Cans
Authors: Campbell Sandy
Published: May 2018

The Jerry Cans. Mamaqtuq! Illustrated by Eric Kim. Inhabit Media, 2018.Mamaqtuq! means “delicious”.  This delightful Inuit board book tells a simple story of hunting all day for seal, running out of provisions and finally finding and catching a seal. It is written in Inuktitut and English, appropriately, at an early reader level. Erik Kim’s cartoon-like illustrations are bright, fun, and representative of the hunters, their clothing, and the environment. The book contains images of people using hunting rifles, but there are no images of seals being killed. As a stand-alone book it is a very good presentation of traditional hunting. However, the book is just one half of the story. The authors, The Jerry Cans, are a band from Iqualuit, whose music is a “unique mix of Inuktitut alt-country, throat singing and reggae.” The words in the Mamaqtuq! are the lyrics to a song. You can see the YouTube video at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DueVqYKWQxE. The piece looks like a skit, with a cardboard boat and people waving cloth to make waves. The seal is played by a young man, so the shooting part is a little more disturbing than in the book. There is also a realistic scene of lead vocalist, Andrew Morrison, eating raw, bloody meat. However, the production is exuberant, even festive, fun, and true to the culture. The book is highly recommended for elementary school libraries and public libraries.Recommendation: 4 stars out of 4Reviewer: Sandy CampbellSandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines. Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give.
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Authors: Pearce Hanne
Published: May 2018

Greetings all,It has been a long winter in the Edmonton Area so we are very happy to be welcoming spring weather and warm temperatures! This issue’s news items are a bit of a mixed bag of recaps and award announcements:Recap of TD Canadian Children’s Book Week & Lana Button TD Canadian Children’s Book Week was held May 5-12 across Canada. Events across the country featured 400 readings to 28,000 children in 175 communities. At the University of Alberta we featured Lana Button on May 9th for a presentation, showcasing her newest picture book, My Teacher’s Not Here! To read more about Lana Button check out the UAlberta Library Blog: Library News. To read more about other Book Week events see: http://bookweek.ca/CCBC AGMCanadian Children’s Book Centre is holding its Annual General Meeting 2018 on June 14, 2018. This year’s guest speaker is veteran publisher Jim Lorimer. CCBC members and the general public are welcome to attend.WHEN: Thursday, June 14, 2018 at 6:30 pmWHERE: Room 200, Northern District Library40 Orchard View Blvd.Toronto, Ontario The American Library Association Announces Youth Medal Awards for 2018  The annual ALA Medal Awards for 2018 were announced in February. Notable award winners were as follows:John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature: Hello, Universe written by Erin Entrada KellyRandolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children: Wolf in the Snow illustrated and written by Matthew CordellCoretta Scott King Book Awards recognizing African American authors and illustrators of outstanding books for children and young adults: Piecing Me Together written by Renée WatsonMichael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults: We Are Okay written by Nina LaCourStonewall Book Award – Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award given annually to English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender experience: Little & Lion written by Brandy Colbert and The 57 Bus written by Dashka SlaterFor a full description of all award winners see the announcement on the ALA website.Finally, as some food for thought I thought this article from the Family section of The New York Times (April 16, 2018) might be of interest to some our readers.  Perri Klass, M.D. writes about how Reading Aloud to Young Children Has Benefits for Behavior and Attention.All the best for an enjoyable spring!Hanne PearceCommunications Editor
Here’s a Brilliant Idea: Free Vending Machine Stories for Kids
Authors: Desmarais Robert
Published: May 2018

Dear Readers,The New York Times recently published a fascinating article about a cylindrical kiosk that spits out short stories on strips of paper of varying length determined by your preferred reading time (one, three, or five minutes). The Short Story Dispenser was conceived and created by a French start-up publisher called Short Édition whose aim is “to adapt literature to the modern world by combining short literature, the community and technology.” Short Édition has more information on its website for anyone wanting to learn how the dispenser can “bring literature to unexpected places”. I was delighted to learn that the stories are offered free of charge and the publisher has already collected more than 100,000 submissions. The good news is that authors receive royalty payments each time their work is accessed via the dispenser. The machines have an attractive design and they have already been installed in over 150 international locations, including airports, cafes, hospitals, universities, and libraries. In fact, I was thrilled to discover that my local airport installed a dispenser last January to provide passengers with access to short stories written by local writers. According to the Times article, the dispenser is available for $9,200 (US) plus an additional content fee of $190 per month. The publisher offers a variety of literary genres, so owners of dispensers can easily tailor their content offerings to different audiences. It would therefore be straightforward to offer free stories specifically for young readers. I sincerely hope that the dispenser continues to proliferate in locations where young people gather, such as libraries and schools. Perhaps this article will inspire some of you to advocate for a dispenser in your community. And perhaps others will consider writing receipt-sized stories for children that could be made available by Short Édition. Whatever you do, let’s take a moment to celebrate a new and innovative way of sharing stories with children and readers of all ages.Happy reading!Robert DesmaraisManaging Editor
Genus Moquiniastrum (Asteraceae): Overview of Chemical and Bioactivity Studies
Authors: de Moraes Gonçalves Victoria , Da Silveira Moreira Angelita , de Oliveira Patrícia Diaz
Published: May 2018

The genus Moquiniastrum belongs to the Asteraceae family and is widely and exclusively
dispersed throughout South America. Its species adapt easily to different cultivation conditions, and
present a varied chemical composition with a great performance in pharmacological and pharmacognosy
studies, mainly for sesquiterpene lactones. Moquiniastrum polymorphum is a species distinguished in
the genus, presenting socioeconomic potential in several sectors, besides great application in folk medicine
to treat respiratory diseases. The bioactive properties highlighted in the research are antioxidant,
allelopathic, anti-inflammatory, insecticidal, antiviral and antimicrobial activity, and toxicity against
different cancer lines, among others. To date, from 21 species belonging to the genus Moquiniastrum 11
species have been studied for their chemical composition, and only five species have been studied for
their biological or toxicological activity. Different parts of the plants have been analysed, such as flowers,
leaves and bark of the trunk and roots, and extracts obtained by different extraction methods and
solvents. The genus has in its chemical composition classes of molecules such as sesquiterpene lactones,
sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, flavonoids, coumarins, caffeic acid derivatives, acetylene and
non-protein amino acids. Isolation studies of the chemical constituents of the species are promising
considering that they are safe to use since they do not cause changes in DNA and can be used even during
the gestational period.
Application of Adaptive Wavelet Transform for Gear Fault Diagnosis Using Modified-LLMS Based Filtered Vibration Signal
Authors: Sahoo Sudarsan , Das Jitendra K.
Published: May 2018

Background:

Vibration signature acquired from a gear mesh can be used to identify the
defect present in a gear mesh hence can be used to diagnose the condition of a gear mesh. But the signal
acquired from the subject may not be noise free and may be non stationary.

Methods:

Before going for the analysis of the acquired signal a preprocessing on the acquired signal is
required to make it noise free. In the present work in first phase, the acquired vibration signal is filtered
to reduce the noise and to improve the SNR (signal to noise ratio). The filtering is done by an Adaptive
Noise Cancellation (ANC) technique. A modified Leaky Least Mean Square (LLMS) based adaptive
algorithm along with a digital filter is used to achieve the ANC. The signal acquired from a healthy gear
is used as the reference signal for the adaptive filter based de-noising process. In the second phase of the
present work Adaptive Wavelet Transform (AWT) is used to detect the fault by extracting the features
from the filtered vibration signal. From the signal pattern the adaptive wavelet is designed. The adaptive
wavelet scalogram is compared with the standard wavelet scalogram.

Results:

The result shows that the adaptive wavelet scalogram is better in analyzing the vibration signal.
In this work a gear drive experimental set-up is made. Two different types of defective gears are used
for the experiment. In type-1 defective gear one tooth is broken and in type-2 defective gear two teeth
are broken. Initially, the vibration signal is acquired from a healthy gear which is used as the reference
signal. Then the vibration signal from type-1 defective gear and type-2 defective gear is acquired and
processed for the analysis and to identify the defects.

Conclusion:

The present work shows that with the application of modified-LLMS algorithm and AWT
the proposed technique of signal processing is more suitable for the fault identification and hence for the
condition monitoring of the gear.
Network-on-Chip Especially for Video Coding Applications Using Multilayer Mesh Topology
Authors: Messaoudi Kamel , Toumi Salah , Bourennane El-Bay
Published: May 2018

Background:

Network on chip is proposed as new reusable and scalable communication system
for applications with important number of IPs. The NoC architecture characteristics are based on
several factors: the implementation strategy of IPs, the power dissipation, the placement of IPs, data
transfer time, the requirements of the given application, etc. The N×M Mesh topology combined with
the XY routing algorithm are generally chosen in many studies. Hardware IPs proposed in the literature,
for various applications as example video encoders, operates at different frequencies and generally implemented
according to several strategies and different bus sizes. Connecting these IPs using the same
communication system is very difficult.

Methods:

In this paper, we present a new topology based on multi-layer mesh topology and adapted for
video coding applications. The proposed topology exploits the video coding information regarding
groups of cores that communicate through two cores only. The idea is to use a specific NoC for each
group of cores and connect the NoCs with bridge in the positions of two communication cores. The
choice of parameters in each NoC depends on the characteristic of IPs in the same group in order to
maximize communication adaptivity and performance.

Results:

Synthesis results show that the proposed multi-layer mesh topology NoC uses much less resources
than the traditional NxM mesh topology NoC.

Conclusion:

This reduction in term of resources is assured by the considerable reduction in the length
and number of global interconnects, resulting in an increase in the performance and decrease in the
power consumption and area of wire limited circuits.
High Output Impedance Current-Mode Universal First-Order Filter With Three Inputs Using One DDCC
Authors: Horng Jiun-Wei
Published: May 2018

Background:

A current-mode universal first-order filter with three input terminals and one
output terminal is presented.

Methods:

The proposed circuit uses one differential difference current conveyor (DDCC), one grounded
capacitor and two resistors.

Results:

This circuit offers the following advantageous features: high output impedance, employing only
one active component, using a grounded capacitor, the versatility to synthesize any type of first-order
filter transfer functions.

Conclusion:

Each standard first-order filter function can be obtained by using only one current input
signal from the proposed circuit.
Popular Music and Canadian National Identity
Authors: Pattinson J. Richard
Published: May 2018

Background This article discusses citizen reactions to select musicians and/or their music in terms of Canadian national identity symbols.

Analysis A theoretical discussion of music as an identity marker is framed within nationalism theories and criteria for “national” music are proposed. The roles of popular culture and music are subsequently examined as mnemonic devices. Finally, the Canadian situation in terms of national identity, American influence, and Canadian music are briefly summarized, with suggested guidelines for government accreditation of Canadian music. The second part of the article relates a research project focusing on citizen reaction to Canadian music in terms of national identity, with comparisons made with responses to American musicians.

Conclusions and implications The findings indicate a generally favourable response to most of the selected musicians with regard to the musicians as identity symbols.
The Power of Myths and Storytelling in Nation Building: The Campaign for the Independence of Catalonia from Spain (2012–2015)
Authors: García César
Published: May 2018

Background There is no nation without its origin story. The recent success of the Catalan campaign for independence (2012–2015) can be explained by a strong capacity to build and convey a story capable of informing, persuading, and eliciting emotional responses from Catalans and other Spaniards.

Analysis The recent Catalan nationalism narrative has been forged by updating the foundational myths of Catalan nationalism through four main plots—quest, escape, revenge, and transformation—that with a pragmatic character have been able to integrate current affairs into the old myths.

Conclusion and implications This article explores the elements of the new Catalan nationalism narrative by analyzing the interaction of foundational myths, the use of master plots, current affairs, and the means of dissemination.
The Public’s Perception of Political Parties During the 2014 Québec Election on Twitter
Authors: Sanger William , Warin Thierry
Published: May 2018

Background This article investigates how to extract signals from social media (Twitter) concerning political parties during an election.

Analysis 670,000 messages were collected during the 2014 Québec election regarding each political party using a framing strategy. After associating each message to one of the four main topics of the campaign, two logistic models were developed to describe the election. While having been set by the incumbent party, the topic of “Independence” was not the most important topic of the campaign (“Economy” and “Society” were). When dominating in terms of mentions, each party was associated to a topic, and such association changed during the campaign.

Conclusion and implications From a practical standpoint, the findings of this article could be used to implement a framework to understand political campaigns dynamics through social media.
Spiral and Vortex: Robert Smithson and the Cinematic Spaces of Wyndham Lewis and Marshall McLuhan
Authors: Lauder Adam
Published: May 2018

Background The author argues for a reconsideration of Robert Smithson’s relationship to the spatial discourse and proto-media studies of Wyndham Lewis and his Canadian protégé Marshall McLuhan.

Analysis Through a comparative reading of a lesser-known Lewis text and Smithson’s photo-essays and related earthworks, the article sets out to re-evaluate the American artist’s mock-Platonic “earth maps” as mobilizing cinematic and spatial metaphors deployed by Lewis’ satirical travel writings; in particular, Lewis’ exploration of Atlantean images of postnational space as an alternative to a time-obsessed modernity in Filibusters in Barbary (1932).

Conclusion and implications The cinematic geographies of Smithson, Lewis, and McLuhan emerge as allied responses to, and radical reworkings of, Bergson’s discourse on time and media that materialize a shared critical optics and quest for utopia propelled by the lingering spectre of global conflict.
Revisiting the Privacy Paradox on Social Media: An Analysis of Privacy Practices Associated with Facebook and Twitter
Authors: Kwok Choon Mary Jane
Published: May 2018

Background Since the development of social media, social network sites (SNSs) such as Facebook and Twitter have been at the centre of privacy controversies and debates. Meanwhile, users continue to expose their personal information.

Analysis This ethnographic research examines 20 young adults’ privacy practices and their relationship to privacy when they are using social network sites.

Conclusions and implications The privacy paradox is shaped by various factors, such as a limited knowledge of institutional surveillance practices, low visibility of these practices in context, a perception of control over the publication of information, and thin social trust. These findings provide empirical support for the application of the contextual integrity approach on social media and the development of a critical media education even at an adult age.
Implementación de sistemas evaluadores de conducta ansiolítica en ratones de laboratorio utilizando procesamiento digital de imágenes
Authors: Moreno Avilés David , Pazmiño Gordillo Juan José , Guerra Naranjo Mariela Patricia , Pilco Bonilla Gisela Alexandra , Zabala Haro Mónica Andrea
Published: May 2018

En la actualidad existen varias técnicas para evaluar la conducta ansiolítica en animales de laboratorio, debido a que su comportamiento es muy similar al del ser humano, dichas técnicas incluyen métodos manuales y visuales, donde el evaluador debe observar atentamente todo el experimento y documentar cada uno de los eventos de interés realizados por el ratón, o a su vez adquirir equipos electrónicos que cumplan esta función, sin embargo, esta alternativa podría ser demasiado costosa. El presente artículo plantea el diseño e implementación de dos equipos evaluadores de ansiedad de bajo costo (Laberinto en Cruz Elevada y Cuarto Claro Obscuro) mediante procesamiento digital de imágenes, los mismos que después de la validación del funcionamiento entrega resultados de manera automática a través de una aplicación desarrollada en Matlab. Los resultados brindados por la aplicación coinciden con aquellos que un observador obtendría de forma manual y visual, lo que facilita las labores del evaluador y reduce notablemente los posibles errores humanos y de ambigüedad existentes en las pruebas manuales.
Modeling Spatio-Temporal Shoreline Shifting of a Coastal Island in Bangladesh Using Geospatial Techniques and DSAS Extension
Authors: Salauddin Md. , Hossain Khandaker Tanvir , Tanim Istiaqe Ahmed , Kabir Md. Anisul , Saddam Mehedi Hasan
Published: May 2018

The study attempted to assess the changes in shoreline and erosion-accretion of newly formed island at the mouth of the Meghna river estuary in Bangladesh using multi temporal satellite images and GIS techniques. The current study used NDWI an MNDWI to delineate land and water boundary to extract the shoreline and also used some overlay analysis to measure the erosion-accretion. DSAS extension is used for analyzing the shifting of the shoreline. The results (1990-2015) show that the island has 1192 hectares of land accreted during this time period, and about 1 km of its shoreline lost during this time period as it has broken in few places. Most accretion found in the northwestern part and erosion in southeastern and southwestern part. The study area was divided into four different segments and about 115 transects were constructed, of which about 74 shows the seaward movement and 44 shows landward movement. Seaward movement and rate of shoreline shifting is higher in the northwestern part where net shoreline movement (NSM) is +1897 meters and end point rate (EPR) is +73 m/year. Landward movement and the rate of shoreline shifting are higher in southeastern and southwestern part of which net shoreline movement (NSM) is about -2680 meters and end point rate (EPR) is about -129 m/year. The highest landward movement is found as -2680 meters and highest seaward movement as +1897 meters. Accretion process is dominant while erosion process discontinued the shoreline in some places.
Investiganting Correlation LST and Vegetation Indices Using Landsat Images for the Warmest Month: A Case Study of Iasi County
Authors: Macarof Paul , Groza Stefan , Statescu Florian
Published: May 2018

In this paper is investigating correlation between land surface temperature and vegetation indices (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index - NDVI, Enhanced Vegetation Index 2 - EVI2 and Modified Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index - MSAVI) using Landsat images for august, the warmest month, for study area. Iaşi county is considered as study area in this research. Study Area is geographically situated on latitude 46°48'N to 47°35'N and longitude 26°29'E to 28°07'E. Land surface temperature (LST) can be used to define the temperature distribution at local, regional and global scale. First use of LST was in climate change models. Also LST is use to define the problems associated with the environment. A Vegetation Indices (VI) is a spectral transformation what suppose spatial-temporal intercomparisons of terrestrial photosynthetic dynamics and canopy structural variations. Landsat5 TM, Landsat7 ETM+ and Landsat8 OLI, all data were used in this study for modeling. Landsat images was taken for august 1994, 2006 and 2016. Preprocessing of Landsat 5/7/8 data stage represent that process that prepare images for subsequent analysis that attempts to compensate/correct for systematic errors. It was observed that the “mean” parameter for LST increased from 1994 to 2016 at approximately 5°C. Analyzing the data from VI, it can be assumed that the built-up area increased for the Iasi county, while the area occupied by dense vegetation has decreased. Many researches indicated that between LST and VI is a linear relationship. It is noted that the R2 values for the LST-VI correlations decrease from 1994 (i.g.R2= 0.72 for LST-NDVI) in 2016 (i.g.R2= 0.23 for LST-NDVI). In conclusion, these correlation can be used to study vegetation health, drought damage, and areas where Urban Heat Island can occur.
Landscape Change in the Steppe of Algeria South-West Using Remote Sensing
Authors: Sitayeb Tayeb , Belabbes Ishak
Published: May 2018

Landscape dynamics is the result of interactions between social systems and the environment, these systems evolving significantly over time. climatic conditions and biophysical phenomena are the main factors of landscape dynamics. Also, currently man is responsible for most changes affecting natural ecosystems. The objective of this work is to study the dynamics of a typical landscape of western Algeria in time and space, and to map the distribution of vegetation groups constitute the vegetation cover of this ecosystem. as well as using a method of monitoring the state of a fragile ecosystem by remote sensing to understand the processes of changes in this area. The steppe constitutes a large arid area, with little relief, covered with low and sparse vegetation. it lies between the annual isohyets of 100 to 400 mm, subjected to a very old human exploitation with an activity of extensive breeding of sheep, goats, and camels. Landsat satellite data were used to mapping vegetation groups in the Mecheria Steppe at a scale of 1: 300,000. Then, a comparison was made between the two maps obtained by a classification of Landsat-8 sensor Operational Land Imager (OLI) acquired on March 18, 2014, and Landsat-5 sensor Thematic Mapper (TM) acquired on April 25, 1987. The results obtained show the main changes affecting the natural distribution of steppe species, a strong change in land occupied by the Stipa tenacissima steppe with 65% of change, this steppe is replaced by Thymelaea microphylla, Salsola vermiculata, lygeum spartum and Peganum harmala steppe. an absence from the steppe Artemisia herba-alba that has also been replaced by the same previous steppes species. The groups with Quercus ilex and Juniperus phoenicea are characterized by a strong regression that was lost 60% of its global surface and transformed by steppe to stipa tenacissima and bare soil.
Geo-Spatial Mapping of Land Use and Land Cover Changes in the Core and Periphery Area of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, India, 1975–2015
Authors: Bhanwar Vishvendra Raj Singh , Sen Anjan
Published: May 2018

In the near future, natural resources are very rapidly diminishing all over the globe. Which is very unhealthy for land ecosystem services. In the biodiversity, Tiger is an icon of healthy wildlife which is considered as a vital factor for maintaining Universal Food Chain System. This research paper is based on “Geo-Spatial Mapping of land use and land cover changes in the Core and Periphery Area of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, India, 1975-2015, it’s a micro level Study based on primary and secondary data through GIS mapping and consider as a Socio-Economic & Physical factors to inter-connect with Tiger habitats. Especially, core and periphery LULC have been obtained from the Multispectral images from ETM and ETM+ sensors of Landsat and LISS-III and AWiFS sensors of Resourcesat-satellites. This study examines the spatial and temporal patterns of LULC change along the boundary of Ranthambhore in the Rajasthan from 1975 to 2015. Tiger Landscape change within all ecological zones will be evaluated. The Landsat TM and ETM imagery will be used to produce LULC classification maps for both areas using a hybrid supervised/unsupervised methods. LULC changes are measured using landscape metrics and change maps created by post-classification through change detection. Using all the raster maps and the final change detection of the reserve will be done through spatial analysis using the raster calculator tool in ArcGIS and Erdas and MS Excel 13. The study comes out with land use and land cover change in core and periphery areas of the reserve. The research also describes Human Encroachment, Impact on human colonization, interfere with domestic animals, Interbreeding, and the Migration in core and periphery areas, finally, the situation would be alarming for biodiversity of tiger habitat due to the high pressure of anthropogenic activities.
Quality of Housing Environment and Health Status Among the Female Bidi Workers: A Micro Level Study of Indian Villages
Authors: Hoque Areful
Published: May 2018

Housing environment can influence our health in many ways. Health can be adversely affected by poor water quality, bad sanitation condition, nature of houses, housing using fuels and nature of works done by the dwellers for earning the bread. Bidi is also called poor man’s cigarette, made up of coarse uncured tobacco, tied with a string at one end. The bidi rolling is mainly a labor-intensive industry in India, coming under the category of un-organized sector, the lion share being women. The principle objective of this paper is to understand and analyze the quality of housing environment and status of health among the bidi workers. Malda district of West Bengal (India) has been selected as a study area, famous for mango cultivation and sericulture activities. The study is based on primary and secondary sources of data. Health is the most serious problems of workers in bidi industry. The working places of bidi industry are unhygienic, dingy and overcrowded, having little facilities of drinking water, even toilet facility and first aid. During the entire working time the bidi workers are exposed to tobacco fumes, thus these incidences create serious diseases (major and minor). The study also provoked that among the major diseases cough and cold diseases are mostly found (33.33 per cent) and Tuberculosis disease is at the lowest (9.00 per cent). The researchers suggested that there is an urgent need to issue the Health Card to the workers for treatment and curing of various diseases at government hospitals at subsidy rate.
Field and laboratory screening of anthurium cultivars for resistance to foliar bacterial blight and the induced activities of defence-related enzymes
Authors: Niu Junhai , Cao Yu , Lin Xinge , Leng Qingyun , Chen Yanmei , Yin Junmei
Published: May 2018

Bacterial blight (BB) caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. dieffenbachiae (Xad) is the most destructive disease of ornamental anthurium. In the present study, foliar resistance of 21 anthurium cultivars were assessed under shaded field and laboratory conditions by injection inoculation of 3 × 108 cfu/ml Xad; disease severity was evaluated using a pretransformed rating scale after symptoms survey. Then six selected cultivars with different resistance levels were evaluated for the induced activities of six defence-related enzymes. The obtained results indicated that the same cultivar shared identical resistance under both conditions, but there was a great variation among the cultivars. Anthurium cv. Pink Champion and Manaka showed the highest resistance, and five other cultivars were highly susceptible. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POD) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) in the resistant cultivars increased much faster and reached much higher peak levels than those in susceptible cultivars. Further analyses revealed that the relative resistance index (RRI) significantly positively correlated with the activities of SOD, APX, POD and PAL, but not with catalase (CAT) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO), suggesting that early rapid accumulation of SOD, APX, PAL and POD might be an important mechanism of defence against Xad and could serve as one of the valuable physiological indices for the prediction of BB resistance in anthurium germplasm. Consequently, the identified resistant cultivars and the induced defence enzymes will facilitate the phytopathological research and enhance blight resistance selection in future breeding.
A Concept for Ontology-Based Value of Cybersecurity Knowledge
Authors: Aviad Adiel , Węcel Krzysztof , Abramowicz Witold
Published: May 2018

This paper focuses on cybersecurity knowledge, claiming that this knowledge may have a value of its own, and suggests a market mechanism to foster the creation of this kind of value. The goal is to elaborate the value of cybersecurity knowledge and propose a semantic approach with an example model to enable better handling of the relevant body of knowledge and its value. The problem of attributing value to cybersecurity should be perceived as analogous to that in information technology. We have examined the relevant body of knowledge with a focus on its characteristics from the viewpoint of different types of market players and their interests. By applying our model, it is possible to increase the accessibility of knowledge and observe externalities from sharing thereof.
Should income be taken for granted as a sole driver of welfare? Bayesian insight on the relevance of non-income drivers of welfare
Authors: Wiśniewski Tomasz P.
Published: May 2018

Abstract: The paper consists of a discussion on the relevance of non-income drivers of welfare. This discussion is based on a subjective Bayesian reasoning, where welfare perceptions are subjectively rational decisions of individuals, who are, as author suggests, the ultimate decision-makers in respect of what welfare actually means for them. The objective of the paper is to investigate if income should be taken for granted as a sole driver of welfare. The conclusion is drawn from a methodological investigation of this question in a Bayesian concept of probability with a consideration for correlations among income and non-income drivers of welfare. It suggests that income should not be taken for granted as a sole driver of welfare since the non-income factors, which are not correlated with income, appear to be relevantly affecting individuals’ perceptions of welfare with Bayesian probability of almost 65%. Thereby, the paper is a reaffirmation of a need for further research in the area of welfare measures that might constitute an alternative to income-dominated indicators. Its value emanates from unambiguous answer in favour of the relevance of non-income drivers across welfare perceptions, which, without Bayesian reasoning, could remain unsolved at the point of 50% odds for relevance (irrelevance).
Agglomeration Economies and Foreign Direct Investment in Advanced Business Services in Poland
Authors: Klimek Artur
Published: May 2018

For many years, services attracted most of the foreign direct investment (FDI) in Central and Eastern European countries. Recently, a distinctive type of business services, i.e., advanced business services (ABS), has become the focal point in FDI in the region. This paper is aimed at defining the role of agglomeration economies in FDI in ABS in Poland. The topic is important from the policy point of view, as foreign investment is supported by the host country’s authorities, and various incentives are provided. The research method applied in this paper is the negative binomial regression. The outcome variable was the number of firms operating in ABS in particular regions. Explanatory variables pertain to the characteristics of 16 regions classified as Level 2 under the Nomenclature des Unités territoriales statistiques (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics or NUTS) in Poland. The main conclusion of the research is that agglomeration economies are important in the decision of the firms investing in ABS in Poland. The most important factor is the concentration of supply factors, such as abundance of educated employees. The specific features of ABS are associated with lower importance of demand factors in a region.
Perioperative Stress-Induced (Takotsubo) Cardiomyopathy in Liver Transplant Recipients
Authors: Vitin Alexander A. , Azamfirei Leonard , Tomescu Dana
Published: May 2018

A comprehensive analysis of published cases of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, occurred in liver transplant recipients in the perioperative period, has been attempted in this review. Predisposing factors, precipitating events, potential physiological mechanisms, acute and post-event management have been discussed.
Severe Fatal Systemic Embolism Due to Non-Bacterial Thrombotic Endocarditis as the Initial Manifestation of Gastric Adenocarcinoma: Case Report
Authors: Moţăţăianu Anca , Maier Smaranda , Gothard Anita , Bajkó Zoltán , Bălaşa Rodica
Published: May 2018

Introduction Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE), also known as marantic endocarditis, is a rare, underdiagnosed complication of cancer, in the context of a hypercoagulable state. NBTE represents a serious complication due to the high risk of embolisation from the sterile cardiac vegetations. If these are not properly diagnosed and treated, infarctions in multiple arterial territories may occur. Case presentation The case of a 47-year-old male is described. The patient was diagnosed with a gastric adenocarcinoma, in which the first clinical manifestation was NBTE. Subsequently, a hypercoagulability syndrome was associated with multi-organ infarctions, including stroke and eventually resulted in a fatal outcome. Conclusions NBTE must be considered in patients with multiple arterial infarcts with no cardiovascular risk factors, in the absence of an infectious syndrome and negative blood cultures. Cancer screening must be performed to detect the cause of the prothrombotic state.
Incidental Finding of a Left Atrial Myxoma while Characterising an Autoimmune Disease
Authors: Garcia-Carretero Rafael , Naranjo-Mansilla Gema , Luna-Heredia Esther , Arias-Baldo Paloma , Beamonte-Vela Blanca-Nieves
Published: May 2018

Although cardiac tumours are uncommon, cardiac myxomas account for more than fifty percent of all cases and are the most frequent primary cardiac tumour. They have a broad clinical spectrum, usually related to cardiac symptoms, peripheral embolic events or systemic manifestations. We present a case report of a 68-year-old man who presented with systemic symptoms and analytical features suggestive of an autoimmune disease. In the ensuing diagnostic procedures, a cardiac myxoma was found, and after surgical resection, both the systemic manifestations and the analytical abnormalities disappeared.
Endotracheal Tube Biofilm and its Impact on the Pathogenesis of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia
Authors: Diaconu Olguța , Siriopol Ianis , Poloșanu Laura Iulia , Grigoraș Ioana
Published: May 2018

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common and serious nosocomial infection in mechanically ventilated patients and results in high mortality, prolonged intensive care unit- (ICU) and hospital-length of stay and increased costs. In order to reduce its incidence, it is imperative to better understand the involved mechanisms and to identify the source of infection. The role of the endotracheal tube (ET) in VAP pathogenesis became more prominent over the last decades, along with extensive research dedicated to medical device-related infections and biofilms. ET biofilm formation is an early and constant process in intubated patients. New data regarding its temporal dynamics, composition, germ identification and consequences enhance knowledge about VAP occurrence, microbiology, treatment response and recurrence. This paper presents a structured analysis of the medical literature to date, in order to outline the role of ET biofilm in VAP pathogenesis and to review recommended methods to identify ET biofilm microorganisms and to prevent or decrease VAP incidence.
City Greening by Rain Gardens - Costs and Benefits
Authors: Siwiec Ewelina , Erlandsen Anne Maren , Vennemo Haakon
Published: May 2018

In urban areas, the most pressing adaptation challenges are associated with the problem of poor retention of rainstorm water. Hence, recommended actions focus on improving rainwater retention in the landscape. One of the strategic direction of adaptation to climate change is including green infrastructure solutions like green roofs, green walls, water reservoirs along streets - supplying high vegetation, permeable ground cover and rain gardens. Due to a variety of proposals, the costs and benefits resulting from the implementation of a chosen solution should be regarded when selecting an appropriate action. Considering the above, the article attempts to show the costs and benefits of one of the solutions - a green garden. When analysing the cost of green garden implementation, account should be taken of the cost of investment and upholding, as well as the alternative cost of land use. Then again, the benefits of the rain garden comprise the losses avoided by limiting the effects of rainstorm as well as improving the quality and quantity of water in the urban landscape. The cost and benefit monetization makes it possible to decide on the financial viability of implementing rain gardens in the city.
Technologies of Coke Wastewater Treatment in the Frame of Legislation in Force
Authors: Bargieł Piotr , Zabochnicka-Świątek Magdalena
Published: May 2018

The paper focuses on the present legal requirements regarding the quality of coke wastewater resulting from coal coking and coke-oven gas treatment before discharge to water, ground or sewage of an external entity. Characteristics of coke wastewater were carried out and the methods of coke wastewater treatment currently used in installation in Poland were presented