bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Indicadores técnicos e custos de produção de cana-de-açúcar, açúcar e etanol no Brasil: Fechamento de safra 2013/14
Authors: Bigaton Aline , Danelon André Felipe , Da Silva Torres Haroldo José , Xavier Carlos Eduardo Osório , Valentim Marques Pedro
Published: September 2016

O Programa de Educação Continuada em Economia e Gestão de Empresas (PECEGE) realizou, em parceria com a Confederação Nacional de Agricultura e Pecuária (CNA), o levantamento de custos de produção de cana-de-açúcar, açúcar e etanol no Brasil para a safra 2013/14. Os resultados dos levantamentos foram divulgados pelo relatório de fechamento de safra, apresentando os principais indicadores e os custos agroindustriais do setor canavieiro para os sistemas de produção de fornecedores e usinas. A análise dos indicadores demonstra que as variações mais impactantes no custo de produção foram produtividade agrícola e Açúcar Total Recuperável - ATR. Na safra 2013/14, o custo da cana produzida pelas usinas foram superiores aos preços pagos pela cana de fornecedores, indicando vantagens para usinas que compraram maiores parcelas da matéria-prima.
Análise de viabilidade para abertura de esmaltaria na cidade de Limeira-SP
Authors: Berion Leandro da Silva , Mota Edson Pereira da
Published: September 2016

Em todo o mundo, e também no Brasil, a indústria de higiene pessoal, perfumaria e cosméticos é uma das que mais crescem e, consequentemente, o setor de serviços prestados à essa área acompanha este crescimento. Tal fato é evidenciado pelo grande número de empreendimentos voltados a prestação de serviços na área da beleza onde se pode encontrar, em uma mesma microrregião (como municípios ou bairros), diversos prestadores deste tipo de serviço em um pequeno intervalo de espaço. Assim, como resultado a grande oferta de serviço, a diferenciação seja de atendimento e/ou produto se faz fundamental assistindo, também, a crescente exigência por parte dos clientes que buscam a inovação, o bem estar, o conforto e o atendimento exclusivo. Com isso, surgiu no Brasil um novo modelo de negócio especializado em beleza: a Esmaltaria. Neste trabalho, foi desenvolvida uma análise de viabilidade econômica voltada a implantação de uma Esmaltaria na cidade de Limeira-SP. Levantamentos foram realizados envolvendo todos os custos necessários para a implantação deste projeto e, também foram estimados os níveis de demanda e faturamento, possibilitando a projeção dos possíveis fluxos de caixa do negócio. As ferramentas econômicas utilizadas foram o Valor Presente Líquido, a Taxa Interna de Retorno, o Payback simples, o Payback descontado, o Índice Retorno sobre Investimento. Verificou-se que com uma receita mensal acima R$ 2.730,00 é viável a abertura de uma Esmaltaria na cidade de Limeira-SP.
A Bioeconomia e os Biocombustíveis no cenário Brasileiro
Authors: Oliveira Kênia Carvalho de , Zanin Vanclei
Published: September 2016

Os biocombustíveis vêm se tornando uma excelente fonte de energia alternativa ao petróleo. Eles são cada vez mais importantes no cenário global, principalmente por se tratarem de uma produção mais sustentável de energia. Neste contexto, países como o Brasil têm um papel fundamental, na produção dessa energia renovável. O objetivo desse trabalho foi discutir o impacto dos biocombustíveis no País. A pesquisa foi realizada de forma descritiva e os dados foram avaliados qualitativamente. As informações demonstraram que o agronegócio de biocombustíveis no Brasil é crescente, apesar do baixo apoio governamental. Cabe destacar, a cadeia de produção do etanol, que é bem organizada, porém está principalmente concentrada na região sudeste. Por sua vez, o Biodiesel, precisa evoluir bastante para se tornar mais competitivo, principalmente no norte e nordeste do Brasil, dessa forma os incentivos poderiam ser direcionados para o desenvolvimento sócio-econômico sobretudo nessas regiões. Por fim, conclui-se que a produção de biocombustíveis é uma importante oportunidade para o Brasil e, deve ser pensada de forma estratégica, com objetivo de gerar empregos, renda e desenvolvimento de forma sustentável.
A inclusão de juros nas vendas a prazo em operações B2B
Authors: Shinoda Carlos
Published: September 2016

Os tributos indiretos que incidem sobre o faturamento das empresas são recolhidos em datas fixas do mês subsequente ao da ocorrência do seu respectivo fato gerador, independentemente da venda ser realizada. Relativamente aos mencionados tributos as empresas devem colocar atenção em dois pontos principais: a data de ocorrência do fato gerador e o cálculo do custo financeiro ou de oportunidade nas vendas a prazo. Quanto mais no início do mês ocorrer a emissão de nota fiscal maior o benefício para a gestão de capital de giro da empresa fornecedora. Ou seja, se a venda for realizada à vista a empresa usará por maior tempo o valor do tributo para financiar o seu capital de giro. Nos fornecimentos a prazo, a cobrança de custo financeiro ou de custo de oportunidade sobre o valor da nota fiscal a vista não produzirá para a empresa fornecedora o mesmo valor líquido ajustado a valor presente. Isso porque os tributos indiretos incidem sobre o custo financeiro cobrado pelo fornecedor nas vendas a prazo, embora as datas de recolhimento dos tributos indiretos sejam as mesmas. Porém, regras do Pronunciamento Técnico CPC nº 12 os tributos incidentes sobre vendas não devem ser ajustados a valor presente e sim mantidos pelo seu valor nominal. Por sua vez, o comprador paga tributos sobre o custo financeiro, mas se para ele forem recuperáveis, se creditará pelo valor pago. São sugeridos, neste artigo, fórmulas para a correta inclusão de custo financeiro ou custo de oportunidade nos fornecimentos a prazo.
Análise da viabilidade econômica de uma Unidade de Beneficiamento de Sementes
Authors: Cunha Ana Paula , Harbs Ricardo
Published: September 2016

O objetivo deste trabalho consiste em apurar a viabilidade econômica de instalação de uma Unidade de Beneficiamento de Sementes – UBS, em uma propriedade rural localizada no município de Brasília/DF. Antes do projeto (cenário A), a soja produzida com qualidade para semente era entregue à uma grande empresa do setor, que se encarregava das etapas de beneficiamento e comercialização, remunerando o produtor com uma bonificação de 9% sobre o preço da soja. Em um segundo momento (cenário B), considera-se que o produtor investirá na construção de uma UBS em sua propriedade, realizando o beneficiamento da soja e sendo remunerado com uma bonificação de 40% sobre o preço do produto entregue à empresa. Conhecendo os resultados gerados em cada cenário, é possível verificar qual será a variação da receita líquida operacional, proporcionada pelo investimento, e calcular indicadores de viabilidade financeira como Valor Presente Líquido – VPL, Taxa Interna de Retorno - TIR, Payback descontado – PBD e Índice de Rentabilidade - IR. Além destes indicadores, calculados sob a hipótese de uso de recursos próprios, o trabalho contém uma análise sobre as condições de financiamento do projeto. Quando se considera a obtenção de crédito, que possui uma taxa de juros real negativa, observa-se que o VPL sofre um aumento significativo, passando de R$ 11.082.279,19 (em caso de investimento com recursos próprios) para R$ 14.716.511,27.
Viabilidade econômica da implantação do sistema hidropônico para alface com recursos do PRONAF em Matão-SP
Authors: Leite Décio , Migliavacca Rafaela Alenbrant , Moreira Lílian Angélica , Albrecht Alfredo Junior Paiola , Fausto Daiane Aparecida
Published: September 2016

A Organização das Nações Unidas para Alimentação e Agricultura - FAO, afirma que, a agricultura familiar, através de sua grande importância econômica e social, recebe no Brasil e no mundo, políticas públicas de apoio e incentivo. Diante disso, este trabalho teve por objetivo estudar a viabilidade econômica e financeira da implantação do sistema de hidroponia para produção de alface no regime de agricultura familiar em uma propriedade rural no município de Matão, SP. A hidroponia exige um alto investimento inicial, mas exibe vantagens para o cultivo de folhosas em relação ao cultivo tradicional na terra. O estudo foi feito de acordo com o conceito brasileiro de agricultura familiar e para conseguir recursos financeiros, buscou-se avaliar a possibilidade do uso dos recursos de financiamento do programa PRONAF Mais Alimentos, na quantia de oitenta mil reais. Esta linha de crédito disponibiliza recursos para investimentos em máquinas e equipamentos com juros baixos, carência de 03 anos e 10 anos para pagamento. Para realizar o estudo de análise econômica, utilizou-se análise de Valor Presente Líquido - VPL, Taxa Interna de Retorno- TIR e Payback descontado. Com a metodologia aplicada, utilizando uma taxa de atratividade - TMA de 7%, foi possível encontrar um VPL de projeto de R$ 101.862,76. A TIR apresentou um patamar de 30,1% a.a. O retorno do investimento foi encontrado em apenas 4 anos, apresentando alta viabilidade de instalação do projeto.
Arbitragem entre açúcar e etanol em usinas vendedoras de energia elétrica
Authors: Volpe André Luís da Silva , Marjotta-Maistro Marta Cristina , Valsechi Octávio Antonio
Published: September 2016

Dado que a composição principal do portifólio atual de produtos do setor sucroenergético no Brasil envolve o açúcar, o etanol e a energia elétrica, o objetivo deste trabalho é analisar a influência da produção de energia elétrica na receita total da usina para cenários típicos, porém hipotéticos, de variação de mix de produção entre açúcar e etanol. Os principais dados técnicos para composição dos cenários foram retirados de trabalhos científicos relacionados com o setor sucroenergético e utilizados nas etapas de cálculo para modelagem dos cenários. Ao final do trabalho, identificou-se uma possível oportunidade de aumento da receita financeira a partir de mudanças no mix de produção e demonstrou-se a importância de realizar a mesma análise para cálculos reais das operações de arbitragem no setor.
Viabilidade econômica da criação de pacas (Cuniculus paca L.) em Presidente Tancredo Neves, Bahia
Authors: Mattos Antônio Jorge , Silva Valdson José
Published: September 2016

Entre as espécies silvestres nativas de florestas tropicais, a paca (Cuniculus paca L.) apresenta grande potencial para exploração comercial; no entanto, no Brasil, a sua produção continua sendo considerada como nicho de mercado. O presente trabalho objetivou analisar a viabilidade econômica de um criadouro comercial de paca sob três cenários distintos: Cenário 1 (animais nascidos em cativeiro, consumindo alimentos adquiridos em comércio e ração comercial), Cenário 2 (início com animais legalmente capturados alimentando-se com resíduos de frutas, ração e coprodutos da mandioca) e Cenário 3 (mesmas premissas do Cenário 2, mas com autorização de manejo ocorrendo com dois anos de antecedência). Os cenários foram estudados para o município de Presidente Tancredo Neves, Bahia, Brasil. Foi elaborado o fluxo de caixa e analisado o Valor Presente Líquido [VPL], Taxa Interna de Retorno [TIR], Payback simples e Payback descontado para todos os cenários estudados. O fator alimentação fez com que os custos variáveis dos Cenários 2 e 3 fossem reduzidos em aproximadamente 76% em comparação ao Cenário 1. O cenário 1 apresentou fluxo de caixa inviável, enquanto que os Cenários 2 e 3 foram viáveis, porém com baixa rentabilidade e liquidez. O VPL do Cenário 2 foi quase 20% superior ao do Cenário 3, onde foi observado maior impacto do aumento do número de pacas no plantel, em comparação à tramitação burocrática, sobre os indicadores econômicos estudados.
Viabilidade econômica de construção de casas populares em Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul
Authors: Gomes Leandro Faria , Andrade Melina Teixeira
Published: September 2016

O déficit habitacional é um índice que mede a necessidade de substituição ou construção de novas moradias em um local. No Brasil, até 2008, havia uma enorme carência de habitações. Para reduzir este número, o Governo Federal lançou em 2009, o Programa Minha Casa, Minha Vida que tinha como objetivo produzir novas residências para famílias carentes. O programa teve sua segunda etapa iniciada em 2011 e alvejava a construção de mais 2,75 milhões de moradias até o fim de 2014, contando com orçamento de R$ 125,7 bilhões. Através de cálculo do Valor Presente Líquido [VPL] e Taxa Interna de Retorno [TIR] foi analisada a viabilidade econômica da construção de duas casas populares para venda pelo Programa Nacional de Habitação Urbana em cenários de variação de custo de produção, preço e tempo de venda. Obtiveram-se resultados positivos em todos os cenários e concluiu-se que este investimento deve ser realizado.
PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT IN RUSSIA IN THE CONDITIONS OF ECONOMIC CRISIS
Authors: Nidziy Elena Nikolaevna
Published: September 2016

The construction industry is one of the key fund-creating industries, the formation of the Russian economy greatly depends on it. The construction sector is cyclic, that’s why it has always been sensitive to the tendencies of the national economy. In the contemporary conditions of weak economical climate the construction industry is in a state of sluggish recession. The key indicators exercising restraining influence on the construction complex are analyzed. The author carried out calculations of the prices for residential real estate in the past years. The author’s view on the near-term prospects on the exit from recession state is formulated. From the view of the today’s state and the nearest development prospects, it can be stated that the construction industry is one of the most problematic among the basic economic sectors. Retrieval of the expansion rate of the construction industry is possible in case of the positive changes of general economic state.
STRESS-STRAIN STATE IN EMBEDMENT OF REINFORCEMENT IN CASE OF REPEATED LOADINGS
Authors: Mirsayapov Ilshat Talgatovich
Published: September 2016

The author offer transforming the diagram of ideal elastic-plastic deformations for the description of the stress-strain state of embedment of reinforcement behind a critical inclined crack at repeatedly repeating loadings. The endurance limit of the adhesion between concrete and reinforcement and its corresponding displacements in case of repeated loadings are accepted as the main indicators. This adhesion law is the most appropriate for the description of physical and mechanical phenomena in the contact zone in case of cyclic loading, because it simply and reliably describes the adhesion mechanism and the nature of the deformation, and greatly simplifies the endurance calculations compared to the standard adhesion law. On the basis of this diagram the author obtained the equations for the description of the distribution of pressures and displacements after cyclic loading with account for the development of deformations of cyclic creep of the concrete under the studs of reinforcement.
RESEARCH OF THE FOUNDATION CONSOLIDATED BY DIFFERENT-SIZED HORIZONTAL ELEMENTS
Authors: Isakova Elena Aleksandrovna , Bochkareva Tat’yana Mikhaylovna
Published: September 2016

The article is dedicated to the problem of geotechnics. The problems of the weak soil base are topical. Also there sometimes happen severe accidents of soil mass. A great number of such emergencies is of a progressive character, when a local crash leads to the crash of the whole construction. Tarring the soil with epoxy can ensure geotechnical safety of the basis. That’s why the improvement of this method is needed in order to reduce yielding of the base, create ground water cutoff or create building hoisting. In the article new structural solutions for reduction of settlement are presented. The authors suggest using the manufactured plane elements containing epoxy. Such elements have different sizes and lie underneath the foundation. Similar structural scheme can be used to reduce soil settlement. The authors carried out two series of plate-bearing model tests with manufactured plane epoxy elements. In the first series of tests the biggest element was closer to the foundation, the smallest element was closer to the biggest element. In the second series of tests the smallest element was closer to the foundation, the biggest element was closer to the smallest element. After the end of plate-bearing model tests the authors received values of the base settlement and the dependency diagrams “base settlement-soil pressure”. The new structural solution for reducing soil settlement proved to be effective. Settlement of base decreased sevenfold.
Subprodutos utilizados na alimentação de frangos de corte
Authors: Amorim Aline Ferreira , Silva Gerson Fausto da , Rodrigues Kênia Ferreira , Sousa Joana Patrícia Lira de , Soares José Ailton Rodrigues
Published: September 2016

Currently research in poultry nutrition is directed to the use of by-products in order to minimize their discharge to the environment and lower costs in the manufacture of animal feed. Countless are the byproducts produced by Brazil and studies in this area are of great importance. For the use of these by-products in animal feed is necessary knowledge of their chemical composition and the highest levels of use that must meet the requirements at each stage of production. The objective of this review to address scientific papers that show the use of by-products of vegetable and animal origin in feed for broilers.
Resposta de Andropogon gayanus cv. Planaltina a inoculação de micorrizas arbusculares e fertilização com fosfato de rocha
Authors: Costa Newton de Lucena , Townsend Claudio Ramalho , Magalhães João Avelar , Paulino Valdinei Tadeu , Rodrigues Antônio Neri Azevedo , Nascimento Lucia Elenícia da Silva , Rodrigues Maria Jucinei de Aguiar
Published: September 2016

The effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) inoculation – Acaulospora muricata – and Araxá rock phosphate levels (0, 100 and 200 kg of P2O5/ha), on dry matter (DM) yield, and nitrogen and phosphorus uptake of Andropogon gayanus cv. Planaltina, were evaluated in a glasshouse trial, utilizing a Yellow Latosol (Oxisol), clayey, previously sterilized. The AM inoculation, alone or combined with rock phosphate fertilization, promoted an increments on DM yields and nitrogen and phosphorus uptake. However, there were significant effects of phosphorus levels. Rock phosphate fertilization improved the efficiency of response to AM inoculation, occurred a synergistic effect. The root colonization did not affected by rock phosphate fertilization.
Perspectives in Pediatric Pathology, Chapter 25. Testicular and Paratesticular Tumors in the Pediatric Age Group
Authors: Nistal Manuel , Paniagua Ricardo , González-Peramato Pilar , Reyes-Múgica Miguel
Published: September 2016

Testicular tumors in the prepubertal age are relatively rare, representing only 9.4% of the total testicular and paratesticular specimens from a 20-year review performed at a large pediatric hospital [ 1 ]. They account for 1% to 2% of all solid tumors in the pediatric age group, with an annual incidence between 0.5/100000 and 2/100000 boys according to Coppes et al [ 2 ] and data from the Prepubertal Testicular Tumor Registry [ 3 ]. Similar to other neoplasms afflicting children, a bimodal age distribution is observed. The first peak is between birth and 3 years of age, and a second one occurs at the onset of puberty, extending to the fourth decade. Reports on their frequency vary because some investigators include the adolescent period, while others do not [ 4 ]. The vast majority of testicular tumors are germ cell neoplasms, accounting for 95% across all ages [ 5 ]. In children, germ cell tumors also predominate, representing 71% of all testicular neoplasms. These include yolk sac tumors (49%), teratomas (13%), seminomas and mixed germ cell tumors (9%), and sex-cord stromal tumors (29%). Malignant potential is significantly lower (less than 70%) in the pediatric age group compared to adults (90%) [ 6 ]. According to Pohl et al, 74% of prepubertal testicular tumors are benign [ 7 ].
Cytomorphological study of palpable breast lumps
Authors: Choudhary PK , Koirala A , Rimal HS , Deo A
Published: September 2016

Background: Breast lump is a very common clinical presentation for which fine needle aspiration cytology is often sought for. Because of it’s significant diagnositic value, FNAC has become a routine tool in the evaluation of the nature of the lesion. The objective of this study was to determine the cytomorphological patterns of breast lump in eastern part of Nepal among individuals attending Nobel Medical College. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective descriptive study done in department of pathology from December 2012 to June 2015. All individuals presenting with breast lumps was included in this study. FNAC was done as per standard procedure and categorized as per United Kingdom National Health Survey Breast Screening Programme (UK-NHS-BSP) categories and further also categorized in to neoplastic and non-neolastic categories. Results: We studied 771 cases of breast lumps. Occurrence of breast lump was more common in female (97.4%). Neoplastic lesions accounted for 84.1% of cases out of which benign comprised of 94.6% and malignant comprised of 5.6%. Common benign lesions observed were that of fibroadenona (264) and fibrocystic changes (204). Ductal carcinoma was the most common malignant lesions. All malignant lesions were observed in older age and female sex population.Conclusion: Most of the cases of breast lumps are benign in nature and very few accounted for malignant cases. There is predominance of benign lesions in young age and increased malignancy in older age and female population.
Mast cells in relation Helicobacter pylori and chronic active gastritis
Authors: K.C. Geetika , K.C. Shiva Raj
Published: September 2016

Background: Gastritis is commonly reported using several parameters such as infiltration by neutrophils, lymphocytes, intestinal metaplasia, atrophy and Helicobacter pylori. In recent years, mast cells are also suggested in several studies to play central role in development of gastritis. This study tires to look at the relation between the mast cell count and infiltration by neutrophils and Helicobacter pylori.Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study which includes endoscopic gastric biopsies received at the histopathology department of GRP polyclinic that have been diagnosed as chronic gastritis. Clinical information regarding associated gastrointestinal symptoms and conditions were obtained from the medical database. Patients taking antibiotics, proton-pump inhibitors, H2- antagonists, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids were excluded from the study. Also excluded are patients with dysplasia or carcinoma. Sections were then stained by H&E and Giemsa for the evaluation of H pylori infection and inflammation. These sections were examined by two pathologists. Mast cells were counted in 1000 epithelial cells in 40x.Three different counts were performed by each pathologists and an average score was taken for every case.Result: A total of 534 cases were included in the study. Mast cells were detected in all the cases. However, mast cells were seen mostly in mild grade 60%. 98% of our cases showed H.pylori positivity and 72% of cases had active gastritis. A positive correlation was found between mast cells density and infiltration by neutrophils as well as Helicobacter pylori infection with significant P value of 0.0001 in each.Conclusion: Mast cells are seen in a significant number of biopsies with gastritis showing positive correlation with neutrophilic infiltration and Helicobacter pylori infection.
Histopathology of orodental biopsies
Authors: Baral R , Sharma BP , Sherpa P
Published: September 2016

Background: Tissue diagnosis is an essential step to come to a confirmed diagnosis in oral lesions where clinical examination alone can often be difficult and inaccurate. The aim of this study was to assess the use of histopathological services by the dental department and to correlate the clinicopathological diagnosis.Materials and Methods: This is an histopathological database analysis of dental biopsies in 23 years from 1989 to 2012 in Patan Hospital. The variables studied were age, sex, clinical and histopathological diagnosis. SPSS version 16 was used as an analytical tool.Results: Out of 396 dental biopsies 203 (51.3%) were females and 193 (48.7%) were males with  mean age 34.34 years and standard deviation of 17.9 years. The neoplastic and non neoplastic conditions were 44% and 56% respectively.Conclusion: Most diagnoses were benign in nature and had an inflammatory etiology.
Primary small cell carcinoma of urinary bladder
Authors: Kushwah A , Koirala A , Shrestha A
Published: September 2016

Primary pure small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder is an extremely rare and highly aggressive tumor with an average five-year survival rate of less than 10% as cited by multiple case reports. It accounts for about 0.5-1% of all bladder tumors. We present the case of an 87-years-old man; smoker hospitalized in the Department of Urology, from the Institute of Medicine, Kathmandu for intermittent painless hematuria. Ultrasonography showed a sessile tumoral growth. Transurethral resection of the tumor mass was performed and tissue fragments were sent to the pathologic lab to establish the histologic type, the degree of differentiation and invasion. Fragments of the tumor were fixed in 10% formaldehyde, paraffin embedded and processed as standard technique; the sections were stained with H and E and immunohistochemically with NSE and Cytokeratin.  A diagnosis of small cell carcinoma was established. Because of aggressive behavior and distinct treatment, the pathologist should watch out for the presence of small cell carcinoma component.
T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma with generalized lymphadenopathy and bone marrow involvement
Authors: Pant AD
Published: September 2016

A 16-year-old girl presented to the out patient department in Grande International Hospital with complaints of fever since 3 weeks, tonsillitis and multiple lymphadenopathy.  Fine needle aspiration cytology from one of the cervical lymph nodes showed atypical lymphoid cells with prominent nucleoli in some cells; hence, a diagnosis of Non Hodgkin lymphoma was made.  Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy also showed presence of similar atypical lymphoid cells.  One of the lymph nodes was also excised for purpose of immunohistochemistry, and the biopsy showed effacement of lymph node architecture with diffuse proliferation of intermediate sized atypical lymphoid cells.  These tumor cells showed positivity for CD3, TdT, and Ki-67.  A diagnosis of T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma was made.Lymphoblastic lymphomas are rare, accounting for 2% of all lymphomas, of which majority are of T-cell type.  TCLL usually occurs in young males.  In addition to lymphadenopathy, other common sites of involvement include mediastinum, CNS and bone marrow.  It runs an aggressive course and overall survival of patients is poor.
Don't Just Build It, They Probably Won't Come: Data Sharing and the Social Life of Data in the Historical Quantitative Social Sciences
Authors: Mostern Ruth , Arksey Marieka
Published: September 2016

Historians and historical quantitative social scientists, motivated by a renewed interest in quantitative history and by sophisticated tools for digital infrastructure, are developing data repositories for global-scale and collaborative analysis. However, their archives have been slow to grow. This article is directed toward historians who are contemplating such projects. Repository development is very valuable. On the other hand, studies show that repository projects that rely upon voluntary contribution from numerous researchers seldom reach critical mass. Our surveys and our study of the Collaborative for Historical Information and Analysis Data Hoover Project confirm this assessment. We conclude that historical data repositories remain poorly aligned with present day scholarly practices and are unlikely to realize their promise until the social life of data becomes a part of the profession. Because we believe that this is possible we introduce four strategies, each one backed by a successful project, that will help to make data sharing a part of professional practice. These suggestions are: 1) hiring ‘data hoovers’ to solicit and curate data, 2) appealing to close-knit communities and networking their domain-specific archives, 3) rightsizing crowdsourcing tasks, and 4) incorporating peer review.
The Food For Life Catering Mark: Implementing the Sustainability Transition in University Food Procurement
Authors: Stahlbrand Lori
Published: September 2016

This article presents a case study of the application of the Soil Association’s Food For Life Catering Mark at two universities in England: Nottingham Trent University and University of the Arts London. This procurement initiative has had noteworthy success in the U.K., with more than 1.6 million Catering Mark meals served each weekday. This article, based on 31 in-depth interviews conducted in 2015, is the first to examine its impact and significance at the university level. In particular, this article tests the concepts of the niche, regime and landscape in the multi-level perspective (MLP), a prominent theoretical approach to sustainability transition, against the experience of the Food For Life Catering Mark. The article confirms the importance of the landscape level of the MLP in the food sustainability transition, while adding additional considerations that need to be specified when applying the MLP to the food sector. By highlighting the essential role of civil society organizations (CSOs), public institutions and many champions, this article proposes that more room must be made within the MLP for the explicit role of agency, champions and the implementation process itself. Indeed, this article argues that implementation, the daily practice, is deserving of both increased recognition and theory.
Study on the Inherent Complex Features and Chaos Control of IS–LM Fractional-Order Systems
Authors: Ma Junhai , Ren Wenbo , Zhan Xueli
Published: September 2016

Based on the traditional IS–LM economic theory, which shows the relationship between interest rates and output in the goods and services market and the money market in macroeconomic. We established a four-dimensional IS–LM model involving four variables. With the Caputo fractional calculus theory, we improved it into a fractional order nonlinear model, analyzed the complexity and stability of the fractional order system. The existences conditions of attractors under different order conditions are compared, and obtain the orders when the system reaches a stable state. Have the detail analysis on the dynamic phenomena, such as the strange attractor, sensitivity to initial values through phase diagram and the power spectral. The order changes in two ways: orders changes synchronously or single order changes. The results show regardless of which the order situation is, the economic system will enter into multiple states, such as strong divergence, strange attractor and the convergence, finally, system will enter into the stable state under a certain order; parameter changes have similar effects on the economic system. Therefore, selecting an appropriate order is significant for an economic system, which guarantees a steady development. Furthermore, this paper construct the chaos control to IS–LM fractional-order macroeconomic model by means of linear feedback control method, by calculating and adjusting the feedback coefficient, we make the system return to the convergence state.
Study of a New Quick-Charging Strategy for Electric Vehicles in Highway Charging Stations
Authors: Chen Lixing , Huang Xueliang , Chen Zhong , Jin Long
Published: September 2016

To solve the problem, because of which conventional quick-charging strategies (CQCS) cannot meet the requirements of quick-charging for multiple types of electric vehicles (EV) on highways where vehicle inflow is excessive, this paper proposed a new quick-charging strategy (NQCS) for EVs: on the premise of not affecting those EVs being charged, the remaining power of the quick-charging pile with multiple power output interfaces is used to provide a synchronous charging service for EVs waiting in the queue. To verify the effectiveness of this strategy, a power distribution model of charging pile and a queuing model of charging station (CS) were constructed. In addition, based on an actual highway service area where vehicle inflow is excessive during the simulation period (0:00–24:00), charging situations of CQCS and NQCS were respectively simulated in a charging station (CS), with different number of chargers, by basic queuing algorithm and an improved queuing algorithm. The simulation results showed that when the relative EV inflow is excessive, compared to CQCS, NQCS not only can reduce user waiting time, charging time, and stay time, but also can improve the utilisation rate of charging infrastructure and service capacity of CS and reduce the queue length of CS. At the same time, NQCS can reduce the impact on the power grid. In addition, in NQCS, the on-demand power distribution method is more efficient than the average power distribution method. Therefore, NQCS is more suitable for quick-charging for multiple types of EVs on highways where vehicle inflow is excessive.
Exploring the Housing and Household Energy Pathways to Stress: A Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Hernández Diana , Phillips Douglas , Siegel Eva
Published: September 2016

Chronic stress, known to contribute to negative physical and mental health outcomes, is closely associated with broader issues of material hardship, poor neighborhood conditions, residential instability, and inadequate housing conditions. However, few studies have comprehensively explored pathways to stress in a low-income housing environment. A mixed-methods pilot study investigated the concept of energy insecurity by looking at the impacts of weatherization and energy efficiency interventions on low-income households in the South Bronx neighborhood of New York City. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 low-income heads of household; participants also completed health, housing and budget assessments. Physical deficiencies, economic hardship, and health issues all interacted to directly and indirectly produce living conditions that contribute to chronic stress. Households with higher stress reported more health problems. Poor quality housing led to coping responses that increased expenses, which in turn increased stress around housing and energy affordability. This study provides further support for the connections between both health and the built environment and between low socio-economic status populations and net negative health outcomes. Energy insecurity is an important contributor to chronic stress in low-income households, and isolating pathways to stress where there is potential for interventions is important for future policy and housing-based strategies.
Analysis of Small RNAs in Streptococcus mutans under Acid Stress—A New Insight for Caries Research
Authors: Liu Shanshan , Tao Ye , Yu Lixia , Zhuang Peilin , Zhi Qinghui , Zhou Yan , Lin Huancai
Published: September 2016

Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is the major clinical pathogen responsible for dental caries. Its acid tolerance has been identified as a significant virulence factor for its survival and cariogenicity in acidic conditions. Small RNAs (sRNAs) are recognized as key regulators of virulence and stress adaptation. Here, we constructed three libraries of sRNAs with small size exposed to acidic conditions for the first time, followed by verification using qRT-PCR. The levels of two sRNAs and target genes predicted to be bioinformatically related to acid tolerance were further evaluated under different acid stress conditions (pH 7.5, 6.5, 5.5, and 4.5) at three time points (0.5, 1, and 2 h). Meanwhile, bacterial growth characteristics and vitality were assessed. We obtained 1879 sRNAs with read counts of at least 100. One hundred and ten sRNAs were perfectly mapped to reported msRNAs in S. mutans. Ten out of 18 sRNAs were validated by qRT-PCR. The survival of bacteria declined as the acid was increased from pH 7.5 to 4.5 at each time point. The bacteria can proliferate under each pH except pH 4.5 with time. The levels of sRNAs gradually decreased from pH 7.5 to 5.5, and slightly increased in pH 4.5; however, the expression levels of target mRNAs were up-regulated in acidic conditions than in pH 7.5. These results indicate that some sRNAs are specially induced at acid stress conditions, involving acid adaptation, and provide a new insight into exploring the complex acid tolerance for S. mutans.
Astroglial Activation by an Enriched Environment after Transplantation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Enhances Angiogenesis after Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury
Authors: Cho Sung-Rae , Suh Hwal , Yu Ji , Kim Hyongbum , Seo Jung , Seo Cheong
Published: September 2016

Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has paracrine effects; however, the effects are known to be largely limited. Here we investigated the combination effects of cell transplantation and enriched environment (EE) in a model of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Brain damage was induced in seven-day-old mice by unilateral carotid artery ligation and exposure to hypoxia (8% O2 for 90 min). At six weeks of age, the mice were randomly assigned to four groups: phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-control (CON), PBS-EE, MSC-CON, and MSC-EE. Rotarod and grip strength tests were performed to evaluate neurobehavioral functions. Histologic evaluations were also performed to confirm the extent of astrocyte activation and endogenous angiogenesis. An array-based multiplex ELISA and Western blot were used to identify growth factors in vivo and in vitro. Two weeks after treatment, levels of astrocyte density and angiogenic factors were increased in MSC-EE mice, but glial scarring was not increased. Eight weeks after treatment, angiogenesis was increased, and behavioral outcomes were synergistically improved in the MSC-EE group. Astrocytes co-cultured with MSCs expressed higher levels of angiogenic factors than astrocytes cultured alone. The mechanisms of this synergistic effect included enhanced repair processes, such as increased endogenous angiogenesis and upregulation of angiogenic factors released from activated astrocytes.
Expression of Transglutaminase in Foreskin of Children with Balanitis Xerotica Obliterans
Authors: Russo Tiziana , Currò Monica , Barbera Anna , Caccamo Daniela , Antonuccio Pietro , Arena Salvatore , Montalto Angela , Parisi Saveria , Marseglia Lucia , Gitto Eloisa , Ientile Riccardo , Impellizzeri Pietro , Romeo Carmelo
Published: September 2016

Balanitis xerotica obliterans (BXO) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder of unclear etiology. The etiology and the exact molecular mechanisms underlying the disease are still unknown. The human transglutaminase (TG) family consists of several proteins with catalytic activity essential for biological processes. In the present research we investigated the transcript levels of three TGs in patients operated on for congenital phimosis without or with histologically confirmed BXO; Thirty children with acquired phimosis were enrolled. The removed foreskins were sent both for histological diagnosis and for quantitative real-time PCR to evaluate the transcript levels of keratinocyte (TG1), tissue (TG2), and epidermal (TG3) transglutaminase; We observed a decrease in TG1 and TG3 transcripts by about 70% (p < 0.001) in foreskins from patients with BXO (n = 15) in comparison with patients without BXO (n = 15) and an increase in TG2 mRNA levels by 2.9 folds (p < 0.001); Reduced expression of both TG1 and TG3 was associated with the altered structure of the foreskin in BXO and can be a consequence of damage to keratinocytes. Increased expression of TG2 can be the result of chronic inflammation. TG2 overexpression can play a pivotal role in triggering and maintaining the inflammatory response in BXO patients.
Perspectives on Geoacoustic Inversion of Ocean Bottom Reflectivity Data
Authors: Chapman N.
Published: September 2016

This paper focuses on acoustic reflectivity of the ocean bottom, and describes inversion of reflection data from an experiment designed to study the physical properties and structure of the ocean bottom. The formalism of Bayesian inference is reviewed briefly to establish an understanding of the approach for inversion that is in widespread use. A Bayesian inversion of ocean bottom reflection coefficient versus angle data to estimate geoacoustic model parameters of young oceanic crust is presented. The data were obtained in an experiment to study the variation of sound speed in crustal basalt with age of the crust at deep water sites in the Pacific Ocean where the sediment deposits overlying the basalt are very thin. The inversion results show that sound speed of both compressional and shear waves is increasing with crustal age over the track of the experiment where age increased from 40 to 70 million years.
Extensive Characterization of Oxide-Coated Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles Synthesized by Laser Ablation in Liquid
Authors: Intartaglia Romuald , Rodio Marina , Abdellatif Mohamed , Prato Mirko , Salerno Marco
Published: September 2016

Colloidal gold nanoparticles are a widespread nanomaterial with many potential applications, but their aggregation in suspension is a critical issue which is usually prevented by organic surfactants. This solution has some drawbacks, such as material contamination and modifications of its functional properties. The gold nanoparticles presented in this work have been synthesized by ultra-fast laser ablation in liquid, which addresses the above issues by overcoating the metal nanoparticles with an oxide layer. The main focus of the work is in the characterization of the oxidized gold nanoparticles, which were made first in solution by means of dynamic light scattering and optical spectroscopy, and then in dried form by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and finally by surface potential measurements with atomic force microscopy. The light scattering assessed the nanoscale size of the formed particles and provided insight in their stability. The nanoparticles’ size was confirmed by direct imaging in transmission electron microscopy, and their crystalline nature was disclosed by X-ray diffraction. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed measurements compatible with the presence of surface oxide, which was confirmed by the surface potential measurements, which are the novel point of the present work. In conclusion, the method of laser ablation in liquid for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles has been presented, and the advantage of this physical approach, consisting of coating the nanoparticles in situ with gold oxide which provides the required morphological and chemical stability without organic surfactants, has been confirmed by using scanning Kelvin probe microscopy for the first time.
Molecular-Based Fluorescent Nanoparticles Built from Dedicated Dipolar Thienothiophene Dyes as Ultra-Bright Green to NIR Nanoemitters
Authors: Mastrodonato Cristiano , Pagano Paolo , Daniel Jonathan , Vaultier Michel , Blanchard-Desce Mireille
Published: September 2016

Fluorescent Organic Nanoparticles (FONs), prepared by self-aggregation of dedicated dyes in water, represent a promising green alternative to the toxic quantum dots (QDs) for bioimaging purposes. In the present paper, we describe the synthesis and photophysical properties of new dipolar push-pull derivatives built from thieno[3,2-b]thiophene as a π-conjugated bridge that connects a triphenylamine moiety bearing various bulky substituents as electron-releasing moiety to acceptor end-groups of increasing strength (i.e., aldehyde, dicyanovinyl and diethylthiobarbiturate). All dyes display fluorescence properties in chloroform, which shifts from the green to the NIR range depending on the molecular polarization (i.e., strength of the end-groups) as well as a large two-photon absorption (TPA) band response in the biological spectral window (700–1000 nm). The TPA bands show a bathochromic shift and hyperchromic effect with increasing polarization of the dyes with maximum TPA cross-section reaching 2000 GM for small size chromophore. All dyes are found to form stable and deeply colored nanoparticles (20–45 nm in diameter) upon nanoprecipitation in water. Although their fluorescence is strongly reduced upon aggregation, all nanoparticles show large one-photon (up to 108 M−1·cm−1 in the visible region) and two-photon (up to 106 GM in the NIR) brightness. Interestingly, both linear and non-linear optical properties are significantly affected by interchromophoric interactions, which are promoted by the molecular confinement and modulated by both the dipolar strength and the presence of the bulky groups. Finally, we exploited the photophysical properties of the FONs to design optimized core-shell nanoparticles built from a pair of complementary dipolar dyes that promotes an efficient core-to-shell FRET process. The resulting molecular-based core-shell nanoparticles combine large two-photon absorption and enhanced emission both located in the NIR spectral region, thanks to a major amplification (by a factor of 20) of the core fluorescence quantum yield. These novel nanoparticles, which combine huge one-and two-photon brightness, hold major promise for in vivo optical bioimaging.
Special Issue “Biomaterials and Bioprinting”
Authors: Chua Chee , Yeong Wai , An Jia
Published: September 2016

The emergence of bioprinting in recent years represents a marvellous advancement in 3D printing technology. It expands the range of 3D printable materials from the world of non-living materials into the world of living materials. Biomaterials play an important role in this paradigm shift. This Special Issue focuses on biomaterials and bioprinting and contains eight articles covering a number of recent topics in this emerging area.
Organosolv Lignin-Based Wood Adhesive. Influence of the Lignin Extraction Conditions on the Adhesive Performance
Authors: Dababi Issam , Gimello Olinda , Elaloui Elimame , Quignard Françoise , Brosse Nicolas
Published: September 2016

Ethanol organosolv alfa grass lignins were extracted in the presence of sulfuric acid or Lewis acids (Sc(OTf)3, FeCl3) as catalysts and subjected to a comprehensive structural characterization by solid state 13C NMR, GPC, MALDI-TOF, and ASAP-MS/MS. The impact of the severity of the treatment and of the nature of the acid catalyst on the recovered lignin structure was investigated. The lignins isolated at high severity were highly recondensed and partly composed of regular structures composed of furan-like rings. The alfa (Stipa tenacissima L.) organosolv lignins were used for the preparation of formaldehyde-free adhesives which were characterized by TMA and used for the preparation of particleboard without any addition of synthetic resin. It has been demonstrated for the first time that: (1) the addition of 10% to 30% of organosolv alfa lignin in a tannin-based adhesive improved the adhesive performance; and (2) the conditions of the lignin extraction strongly impact the lignin-based adhesive performances. The highly recondensed lignin extracted with sulfuric acid as a catalyst allowed the production of resins with improved performances. Formulations composed of 50% glyoxalated alfa lignin and 50% of Aleppo Pine tannins yielded good internal bond strength results for the panels (IB = 0.45 MPa) and satisfied relevant international standard specifications for interior-grade panels.