bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanofiber Scaffolds as Drug Delivery Systems to Bridge Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Faccendini Angela , Vigani Barbara , Rossi Silvia , Sandri Giuseppina , Bonferoni Maria , Caramella Carla , Ferrari Franca
Published: July 2017

The complex pathophysiology of spinal cord injury (SCI) may explain the current lack of an effective therapeutic approach for the regeneration of damaged neuronal cells and the recovery of motor functions. A primary mechanical injury in the spinal cord triggers a cascade of secondary events, which are involved in SCI instauration and progression. The aim of the present review is to provide an overview of the therapeutic neuro-protective and neuro-regenerative approaches, which involve the use of nanofibers as local drug delivery systems. Drugs released by nanofibers aim at preventing the cascade of secondary damage (neuro-protection), whereas nanofibrous structures are intended to re-establish neuronal connectivity through axonal sprouting (neuro-regeneration) promotion, in order to achieve a rapid functional recovery of spinal cord.
Structure of Composite Based on Polyheteroarylene Matrix and ZrO2 Nanostars Investigated by Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping
Authors: Sokolova Maria , Smirnov Michael , Bugrov Alexander , Geydt Pavel , Popova Elena , Lahderanta Erkki , Svetlichnyi Valentin , Toikka Alexander
Published: July 2017

It is known that structure of the interface between inorganic nanoparticles and polymers significantly influences properties of a polymer–inorganic composite. At the same time, amount of experimental researches on the structure and properties of material near the inorganic-polymer interface is low. In this work, we report for the first time the investigation of nanomechanical properties and maps of adhesion of material near the inorganic-polymer interface for the polyheteroarylene nanocomposites based on semi-crystalline poly[4,4′-bis (4″-aminophenoxy)diphenyl]imide 1,3-bis (3′,4-dicarboxyphenoxy) benzene, modified by ZrO2 nanostars. Experiments were conducted using quantitative nanomechanical mapping (QNM) mode of atomic force microscopy (AFM) at the surface areas where holes were formed after falling out of inorganic particles. It was found that adhesion of AFM cantilever to the polymer surface is higher inside the hole than outside. This can be attributed to the presence of polar groups near ZrO2 nanoparticle. QNM measurements revealed that polymer matrix has increased rigidity in the vicinity of the nanoparticles. Influence of ZrO2 nanoparticles on the structure and thermal properties of semi-crystalline polyheteroarylene matrix was studied with wide-angle X-ray scattering, scanning electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry.
Effect of Solar-Cloud-Satellite Geometry on Land Surface Shortwave Radiation Derived from Remotely Sensed Data
Authors: Wang Tianxing , Shi Jiancheng , Husi Letu , Zhao Tianjie , Ji Dabin , Xiong Chuan , Gao Bo
Published: July 2017

Clouds and their associated shadows are major obstacles to most land surface remote sensing applications. Meanwhile, solar-cloud-satellite geometry (SCSG) makes the effect of clouds and shadows on derived land surface biophysical parameters more complicated. However, in most existing studies, the SCSG effect has been frequently neglected although it is pointed out by many works that SCSG effect is a noticeable problem, especially in the field of land surface radiation budget. Taking shortwave downward radiation (SWDR) as a testing variable, this study quantified the SCSG effect on the derived SWDR, and proposed an operational scheme to correct the big effect. The results demonstrate that the proposed correcting scheme is very effective and works very well. It is revealed that a significant under- or overestimation is detected in retrieved SWDR if the SCSG effect is ignored. Typically, the induced error in SWDR can reach up to 80%. The scheme and findings of this study are expected to be inspirational for the land surface remote sensing community, wherein solar-cloud-satellite geometry is an unavoidable issue.
Parallel Seasonal Patterns of Photosynthesis, Fluorescence, and Reflectance Indices in Boreal Trees
Authors: Springer Kyle , Wang Ran , Gamon John
Published: July 2017

Tree species in the boreal forest cycle between periods of active growth and dormancy alter their photosynthetic processes in response to changing environmental conditions. For deciduous species, these changes are readily visible, while evergreen species have subtler foliar changes during seasonal transitions. In this study, we used remotely sensed optical indices to observe seasonal changes in photosynthetic activity, or photosynthetic phenology, of six boreal tree species. We evaluated the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the photochemical reflectance index (PRI), the chlorophyll/carotenoid index (CCI), and steady-state chlorophyll fluorescence (FS) as a measure of solar-induced fluorescence (SIF), and compared these optical metrics to gas exchange to determine their efficacy in detecting seasonal changes in plant photosynthetic activity. The NDVI and PRI exhibited complementary responses. The NDVI paralleled photosynthetic phenology in deciduous species, but not in evergreens. The PRI closely paralleled photosynthetic activity in evergreens, but less so in deciduous species. The CCI and FS tracked photosynthetic phenology in both deciduous and evergreen species. The seasonal patterns of optical metrics and photosynthetic activity revealed subtle differences across and within functional groups. With the CCI and fluorescence becoming available from satellite sensors, they offer new opportunities for assessing photosynthetic phenology, particularly for evergreen species, which have been difficult to assess with previous methods.
GF-3 SAR Ocean Wind Retrieval: The First View and Preliminary Assessment
Authors: Wang He , Yang Jingsong , Mouche Alexis , Shao Weizeng , Zhu Jianhua , Ren Lin , Xie Chunhua
Published: July 2017

Gaofen-3 (GF-3) is the first Chinese civil C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) launched on 10 August 2016 by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), which operates in 12 imaging modes with a fine spatial resolution up to 1 m. As one of the primary users, the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) operationally processes GF-3 SAR Level-1 products into ocean surface wind vector and plans to officially release the near real-time SAR wind products in the near future. In this paper, the methodology of wind retrieval at C-band SAR is introduced and the first results of GF-3 SAR-derived winds are presented. In particular, the case of the coastal katabatic wind off the west coast of the U.S. captured by GF-3 is discussed. The preliminary accuracy assessment of wind speed and direction retrievals from GF-3 SAR is carried out against in situ measurements from National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) buoy measurements of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Only the buoys located inside the GF-3 SAR wind cell (1 km) were considered as co-located in space, while the time interval between observations of SAR and buoy was limited to less the 30 min. These criteria yielded 56 co-locations during the period from January to April 2017, showing the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 2.46 m/s and 22.22° for wind speed and direction, respectively. Different performances due to geophysical model function (GMF) and Polarization Ratio (PR) are discussed. The preliminary results indicate that GF-3 wind retrievals are encouraging for operational implementation.
Spatiotemporal Changes of Reference Evapotranspiration in the Highest-Latitude Region of China
Authors: Qi Peng , Zhang Guangxin , Xu Y. Jun , Wu Yanfeng , Gao Zongting
Published: July 2017

Reference evapotranspiration (ET0) is often used to make management decisions for crop irrigation scheduling and production. In this study, the spatial and temporal trends of ET0 in China’s most northern province as well as the country’s largest agricultural region were analyzed for the period from 1964 to 2013. ET0 was calculated with the Penman-Monteith of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations irrigation and drainage paper NO.56 (FAO-56) using climatic data collected from 27 stations. Inverse distance weighting (IDW) was used for the spatial interpolation of the estimated ET0. A Modified Mann–Kendall test (MMK) was applied to test the spatiotemporal trends of ET0, while Pearson’s correlation coefficient and cross-wavelet analysis were employed to assess the factors affecting the spatiotemporal variability at different elevations. The results from this study showed a clear decreasing trend for annual ET0 from the low elevation plain area to the high elevation mountainous area. Over the past five decades, ET0 in Heilongjiang Province decreased in all seasons, except for the winter months, during which a steady increase in temperature was found. Elevation played an important role in estimating ET0 in this higher-latitude region, while relative humidity was the most relevant meteorological factor that affected the spatiotemporal variation of ET0 in the province. Overall, the findings from the study suggest that winter ET0 in a high altitude region will continue to increase in the future as climate change persists, which could worsen spring droughts and irrigation management for semi-arid areas in the province.
Near-IR Transmission Spectrum of HAT-P-32b using HST/WFC3
Authors: Damiano M. , Morello G. , Tsiaras A. , Zingales T. , Tinetti G.
Published: July 2017

We report here the analysis of the near-infrared transit spectrum of the hot Jupiter HAT-P-32b, which was recorded with the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) on board the Hubble Space Telescope. HAT-P-32b is one of the most inflated exoplanets discovered, making it an excellent candidate for transit spectroscopic measurements. To obtain the transit spectrum, we have adopted different analysis methods, both parametric and non-parametric (Independent Component Analysis, ICA), and compared the results. The final spectra are all consistent within 0.5σ. The uncertainties obtained with ICA are larger than those obtained with the parametric method by a factor of ∼1.6–1.8. This difference is the trade-off for higher objectivity due to the lack of any assumption about the instrument systematics compared to the parametric approach. The ICA error bars are therefore worst-case estimates. To interpret the spectrum of HAT-P-32b we used

-REx, our fully Bayesian spectral retrieval code. As for other hot Jupiters, the results are consistent with the presence of water vapor (

), clouds (top pressure between 5.16 and 1.73 bar). Spectroscopic data over a broader wavelength range are needed to de-correlate the mixing ratio of water vapor from clouds and identify other possible molecular species in the atmosphere of HAT-P-32b.
Pressure Profiles of Distant Galaxy Clusters in the Planck Catalogue
Authors: Bourdin H. , Mazzotta P. , Kozmanyan A. , Jones C. , Vikhlinin A.
Published: July 2017

Successive releases of Planck data have demonstrated the strength of the Sunyaev–Zeldovich (SZ) effect in detecting hot baryons out to the galaxy cluster peripheries. To infer the hot gas pressure structure from nearby galaxy clusters to more distant objects, we developed a parametric method that models the spectral energy distribution and spatial anisotropies of both the Galactic thermal dust (GTD) and the cosmic microwave background (CMB), which are combined with the cluster SZ and dust signals. Taking advantage of the best angular resolution of the High Frequency Instrument channels (5 arcmin) and using X-ray priors in the innermost cluster regions that are not resolved with Planck, this modeling allowed us to analyze a sample of 61 nearby members of the Planck Catalogue of SZ sources (

,

) using the full mission data, as well as to examine a distant sample of 23 clusters (

,

) that have been recently followed-up with XMM-Newton and Chandra observations. We find that (i) the average shape of the mass-scaled pressure profiles agrees with results obtained by the Planck Collaboration in the nearby cluster sample, and that (ii) no sign of evolution is discernible between averaged pressure profiles of the low- and high-redshift cluster samples. In line with theoretical predictions for these halo masses and redshift ranges, the dispersion of individual profiles relative to a self-similar shape stays well below 10% inside r
500 but increases in the cluster outskirts.
A Controlled Study of Cold Dust Content in Galaxies from z = 0–2
Authors: Kirkpatrick Allison , Pope Alexandra , Sajina Anna , Dale Daniel A. , Díaz-Santos Tanio , Hayward Christopher C. , Shi Yong , Somerville Rachel S. , Stierwalt Sabrina , Armus Lee , Kartaltepe Jeyhan S. , Kocevski Dale D. , McIntosh Daniel H. , Sanders David B. , Yan Lin
Published: July 2017

At

, the formation of new stars is dominated by dusty galaxies whose far-IR emission indicates they contain colder dust than local galaxies of a similar luminosity. We explore the reasons for the evolving IR emission of similar galaxies over cosmic time using (1) local galaxies from GOALS (

), (2) galaxies at

from 5MUSES (

), and (3) IR luminous galaxies spanning

from GOODS and Spitzer xFLS (

). All samples have Spitzer mid-IR spectra, and Herschel and ground-based submillimeter imaging covering the full IR spectral energy distribution, allowing us to robustly measure

,

, and

for every galaxy. Despite similar infrared luminosities,

dusty star-forming galaxies (DSFG) have a factor of 5 higher dust masses and 5 K colder temperatures. The increase in dust mass is linked to an increase in the gas fractions with redshift, and we do not observe a similar increase in stellar mass or star formation efficiency.

, a proxy for

, is strongly correlated with

independently of redshift. We measure merger classification and galaxy size for a subsample, and there is no obvious correlation between these parameters and

or

. In DSFG, the change in

can fully account for the observed colder dust temperatures, suggesting that any change in the spatial extent of the interstellar medium is a second-order effect.
Energy Input Flux in the Global Quiet-Sun Corona
Authors: Mac Cormack Cecilia , Vásquez Alberto M. , López Fuentes Marcelo , Nuevo Federico A. , Landi Enrico , Frazin Richard A.
Published: July 2017

We present first results of a novel technique that provides, for the first time, constraints on the energy input flux at the coronal base (r ∼ 1.025 R
⊙) of the quiet Sun at a global scale. By combining differential emission measure tomography of EUV images, with global models of the coronal magnetic field, we estimate the energy input flux at the coronal base that is required to maintain thermodynamically stable structures. The technique is described in detail and first applied to data provided by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager instrument, on board the Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory mission, and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly instrument, on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory mission, for two solar rotations with different levels of activity. Our analysis indicates that the typical energy input flux at the coronal base of magnetic loops in the quiet Sun is in the range ∼0.5–2.0 × 105 (erg s−1 cm−2), depending on the structure size and level of activity. A large fraction of this energy input, or even its totality, could be accounted for by Alfvén waves, as shown by recent independent observational estimates derived from determinations of the non-thermal broadening of spectral lines in the coronal base of quiet-Sun regions. This new tomography product will be useful for the validation of coronal heating models in magnetohydrodinamic simulations of the global corona.
Swift Observations of SMC X-3 during Its 2016–2017 Super-Eddington Outburst
Authors: Weng Shan-Shan , Ge Ming-Yu , Zhao Hai-Hui , Wang Wei , Zhang Shuang-Nan , Bian Wei-Hao , Yuan Qi-Rong
Published: July 2017

The Be X-ray pulsar SMC X-3 underwent a giant outburst from 2016 August to 2017 March, which was monitored with the Swift satellite. During the outburst, its broadband flux increased dramatically, and the unabsorbed X-ray luminosity reached an extreme value of

erg s−1 around August 24. Using the Swift/XRT data, we measured the observed pulse frequency of the neutron star to compute the orbital parameters of the binary system. After applying the orbital corrections to Swift observations, we found that the spin frequency increased steadily from 128.02 mHz on August 10 and approached the spin equilibrium of ∼128.74 mHz in 2017 January with an unabsorbed luminosity of

erg s−1, indicating a strong dipolar magnetic field of

G at the neutron star surface. The spin-up rate is tightly correlated with its X-ray luminosity during the super-Eddington outburst. The pulse profile in the Swift/XRT data is variable, showing double peaks at the early stage of outburst and then merging into a single peak at low luminosity. Additionally, we report that a low-temperature (

keV) thermal component emerges in the phase-averaged spectra as the flux decays, and it may be produced from the outer truncated disk or the boundary layer between the exterior flow and the magnetosphere.
The Effects of Magnetic Fields on the Dynamics of Radiation Pressure–dominated Massive Star Envelopes
Authors: Jiang 姜燕 Yan-Fei 飞 , Cantiello Matteo , Bildsten Lars , Quataert Eliot , Blaes Omer
Published: July 2017

We use three-dimensional radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations to study the effects of magnetic fields on the energy transport and structure of radiation pressure–dominated main sequence massive star envelopes at the region of the iron opacity peak. We focus on the regime where the local thermal timescale is shorter than the dynamical timescale, corresponding to inefficient convective energy transport. We begin with initially weak magnetic fields relative to the thermal pressure, from 100 to 1000 G in differing geometries. The unstable density inversion amplifies the magnetic field, increasing the magnetic energy density to values close to equipartition with the turbulent kinetic energy density. By providing pressure support, the magnetic field’s presence significantly increases the density fluctuations in the turbulent envelope, thereby enhancing the radiative energy transport by allowing photons to diffuse out through low-density regions. Magnetic buoyancy brings small-scale magnetic fields to the photosphere and increases the vertical energy transport, with the energy advection velocity proportional to the Alfvén velocity, although in all cases we study, photon diffusion still dominates the energy transport. The increased radiative and advective energy transport causes the stellar envelope to shrink by several scale heights. We also find larger turbulent velocity fluctuations compared with the purely hydrodynamic case, reaching

at the stellar photosphere. The photosphere also shows vertical oscillations with similar averaged velocities and periods of a few hours. The increased turbulent velocity and oscillations will have strong impacts on the line broadening and periodic signals in massive stars.
Constraints to Dark Energy Using PADE Parameterizations
Authors: Rezaei M. , Malekjani M. , Basilakos S. , Mehrabi A. , Mota D. F.
Published: July 2017

We put constraints on dark energy (DE) properties using PADE parameterization, and compare it to the same constraints using Chevalier–Polarski–Linder (CPL) and ΛCDM, at both the background and the perturbation levels. The DE equation of the state parameter of the models is derived following the mathematical treatment of PADE expansion. Unlike CPL parameterization, PADE approximation provides different forms of the equation of state parameter that avoid the divergence in the far future. Initially we perform a likelihood analysis in order to put constraints on the model parameters using solely background expansion data, and we find that all parameterizations are consistent with each other. Then, combining the expansion and the growth rate data, we test the viability of PADE parameterizations and compare them with CPL and ΛCDM models, respectively. Specifically, we find that the growth rate of the current PADE parameterizations is lower than ΛCDM model at low redshifts, while the differences among the models are negligible at high redshifts. In this context, we provide for the first time a growth index of linear matter perturbations in PADE cosmologies. Considering that DE is homogeneous, we recover the well-known asymptotic value of the growth index (namely

), while in the case of clustered DE, we obtain

. Finally, we generalize the growth index analysis in the case where γ is allowed to vary with redshift, and we find that the form of

in PADE parameterization extends that of the CPL and ΛCDM cosmologies, respectively.
The need for the implementation of an Ecosystem Services assessment in Greece: drafting the national agenda
Authors: Dimopoulos Panayotis , Drakou Evangelia , Kokkoris Ioannis , Katsanevakis Stelios , Kallimanis Athanasios , Tsiafouli Maria , Bormpoudakis Dimitrios , Kormas Konstantinos , Arends Jeroen
Published: July 2017

This paper presents the establishment and the first outcomes of the Hellenic Ecosystem Services Partnership (HESP), a scientific-technical committee aiming at the guidance and coordination of the Ecosystem Services (ES) assessment in Greece. HESP consists of experts from different disciplines (ecology, marine biology, socio-ecological system science) and aims to: i) coordinate ES assessment efforts under a shared framework; ii) promote the ES approach in Greece; iii) support the European implementation of ES at the national level (Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystem and their Services initiative), and iv) fulfill priority actions regarding the ES implementation and the obligations derived from the National Biodiversity Strategy. In this paper, we present the first drafting of the National Agenda including short- and long-term objectives towards the national implementation of MAES, we outline the HESP Action Plan to 2020, as well as the timeline of the basic steps to be taken, to achieve decision making on the basis of ES maintenance and enhancement. It will also serve as a call for action to encourage more ES assessments at the national level, but also as a primer for the inclusion of protected areas and other areas of special importance for ES assessments at the EU level.
A new species of Aleuromarginatus Corbett, 1935 with a key and checklist of Chinese species (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae)
Authors: Wang Ji-Rui , Xu Zhi-Hong , Du Yu-Zhou
Published: July 2017

A new whitefly species,Aleuromarginatus dielsianaeWang & Xu,sp. n.collected fromMillettia dielsianaHarms (Rosales: Fabaceae) in Jiangshan (28°40'N, 118°40'E, 512 m) and Xinchang (29°22'N, 120°46'E, 308 m), Zhejiang, China, is described and illustrated. This new species is characterized by the dark brown lateral margin area and a pair of longitudinal furrows extending from the cephalothorax to the vasiform orifice. The submargin has an elongate-oval fold at the base of each marginal tooth and with 3-4 rows of irregular shaped papillae, nine pairs submedian setae and 13 pairs submarginal setae. Thoracic and caudal tracheal folds and pores discernible. An identification key and checklist of species ofAleuromarginatusknown from China are provided.
Protesting on Twitter: Citizenship and empowerment from public education
Authors: Saura Geo , Muñoz-Moreno José-Luis , Luengo-Navas Julián , Martos-Ortega José-Manuel
Published: July 2017

The use of social networks for protest purposes has been an essential element in recent global protests against the economic measures of privatization of public services. Social networks are changing political communication, mobilization and organization of collective protests. Taking into account the relationship between collective protests and new forms of network communication, the aim of this article is to analyze the new forms of citizenship empowerment from the collective protests in defense of public education in Spain. In the last five years the movement “Marea Verde” has generated protests on twitter that have generated new forms of empowerment of citizenship in the Spanish context. In this article we have analyzed three accounts of twitter with great activity and prominence, by the numbers of followers and tweets, of the social networks by «Marea Verde». In this article four categories of analysis have emerged that agglutinate and characterize the demands of collective protests through social networks. Two of the categories have been generated to reject the privatization of education and the standardized tests of the new educational reform act in the Spanish context. The other two categories claim for public education and an educational consensus between the political forces and the educational community.

La utilización de las redes sociales con fines reivindicativos ha sido un elemento esencial en las recientes protestas globales contra las medidas económicas de privatización de los servicios públicos. Las redes sociales están cambiando la comunicación política, la movilización y la organización de las protestas colec-tivas. Tomando en cuenta la relación entre las protestas colectivas y las nuevas formas de comunicación en red, el objetivo del artículo es analizar las nuevas formas de empoderamiento ciudadano desde las protestas colectivas por la defensa de la educación pública en España. En los últimos cinco años, en el contexto español, el movimiento «Marea Verde» ha generado protestas en Twitter que han dado lugar a nuevas formas de empoderamiento de la ciudadanía. En este artículo han sido analizadas tres cuentas de Twitter con gran actividad y protagonismo, por el número de seguidores y tweets, de las redes sociales de la «Marea Verde». Han emergido cuatro categorías de análisis que aglutinan y caracterizan las demandas de los movimientos sociales a través de las redes sociales. Dos de las categorías se han producido como medio de rechazo a la privatización de la educación y a las pruebas de evaluación estandarizadas de la nueva reforma educativa española. Las otras dos categorías reclaman la defensa de la escuela pública y el logro de un pacto educativo entre las fuerzas políticas y la comunidad educativa.
Cyberactivisim in the process of political and social change in Arab Countries
Authors: Soengas-Pérez Xosé , Assif Mohamed
Published: July 2017

This research analyses the contribution of cyberactivism to the political and social change in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, as well as the opinion of young Arabs on the present context. Meaningful information has been extracted from regular interviews to 30 undergraduates over a five-year period. These students had already participated in the process boosting the Arab Spring in 2011, and they keep practising cyberactivism ever since. The use of a mixed method research allows for carrying out a study where quantitative elements are complemented by qualitative ones. Findings show that Arab countries have not yet shaken off the former structures that supported the regimes preceding 2011, which are those that hamper the consolidation of a modern country. At the moment, there are still two conflicting realities between millenary traditions and values connected to revolutions and symbols of progressivism in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. In a context where the unity of action action is needed, cyberactivism plays an essential role, as it brings together critical citizens in a common and virtual space. These groups are committed to change, they keep in touch with the outside world and beyond censorship, they make protests visible to the international arena, and monitor government actions.

Esta investigación analiza la contribución del ciberactivismo al cambio político y social en Túnez, en Egipto y en Libia, y la opinión de los jóvenes árabes sobre la situación actual. Para disponer de información relevante sobre estos hechos se ha entrevistado periódicamente durante los últimos cinco años a 30 universitarios que ya habían participado en el proceso que impulsó las revueltas de 2011 y que siguen siendo ciberactivistas desde entonces. La utilización de una metodología mixta permite realizar un estudio donde los aspectos de carácter cuantitativo se complementan con contenidos cualitativos. Los resultados demuestran que los países árabes todavía no se han desprendido de muchas de las estructuras que sostenían a los regímenes anteriores a 2011, que son las que dificultan la consolidación de un sistema moderno. En este momento en Túnez, en Egipto y en Libia todavía conviven dos realidades que provocan un choque permanente entre las tradiciones milenarias, muy arraigadas en determinados sectores de la sociedad, y los valores asociados a las revoluciones, más progresistas. En un contexto donde es necesaria la unidad de acción, el ciberactivismo juega un papel fundamental porque congrega en un espacio virtual común a la ciudadanía crítica comprometida con el proceso de cambio, permite organizarse, mantener contacto con el exterior al margen de la censura oficial, hacer visibles las protestas en escenarios internacionales y vigilar las acciones del Gobierno.
La política como resistencia, la vulnerabilidad y algunos cabos sueltos
Authors: Perona Ángeles J.
Published: July 2017

La noción butleriana de política como resistencia destaca por su originalidad, pues se dobla de performatividad y, al mismo tiempo, está abierta a las alianzas. En este texto se argumenta que su singularidad proviene del marco teórico materialista elaborado por Butler, pues ofrece una caracterización de los seres humanos que los vincula socialmente por su mutua dependencia y vulnerabilidad. Finalmente, comentaré tres aspectos confusos o problemáticos de la propuesta butleriana: el primero relacionado con la reconciliación, el segundo con la emancipación y el tercero con la universalidad.
Nouvelles perspectives dans la littérature brésilienne contemporaine : Vozes-Mulheres et Quantos filhos Natalina teve ? de Conceição Evaristo
Authors: Champagnat Pauline
Published: July 2017

Cet article se propose d’analyser une des manifestations du féminisme brésilien contemporain dans les oeuvres Vozes-Mulheres (1990) et Quantos filhos Natalina teve ? (2015) de Conceição Evaristo sous le prisme des études de genre et des études post-coloniales. Dans un premier temps, nous questionnerons une nouvelle branche du féminisme brésilien : l’intersectionnalité. Après une brève définition du concept, nous expliquerons de quelle manière il s’insère dans le contexte du féminisme brésilien actuel. Dans un deuxième temps, nous nous pencherons sur l’analyse du conte Quantos filhos Natalina teve ? de Conceição Evaristo, ce qui nous permettra d’évoquer le concept de non-famille suggéré par Edouard Glissant, ce conte étant une illustration possible de ce concept. Nous évoquerons le concept de matrifocalité comme marque de l’esclavage mais également comme structure familiale héritée de l’Afrique. Puis finalement, nous analyserons le poème Vozes-Mulheres, également de Conceição Evaristo, qui rompt avec le concept de fragmentation familiale évoqué précédemment.
Isothermal DSC Study of the Curing Kinetics of an Epoxy/Silica Composite for Microelectronics
Authors: Granado Lérys , Kempa Stefan , Bremmert Stefanie , Gregoriades Laurence J. , Brüning Frank , Anglaret Eric , Fréty Nicole
Published: July 2017

Curing kinetics of an industrially important printed-circuit board (PCB) base material (epoxy–phenol/glass fillers) were studied by isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements between 150 and 190°C, as relevant curing temperatures for the PCB industry. The extent of cure was calculated by integration of the exothermic peak and normalization by the total heat of reaction (obtained by nonisothermal DSC). Although the cross-linking was completed above 180°C, the kinetic profiles show two regimes: one fast and one slow. The kinetic parameters have been elucidated using an isoconversional model-free kinetic method, with the exact method of Friedman, to give to the PCB manufacturers a road map to predict curing behavior of base material. The linearity of Arrhenius plots was satisfactory. The apparent activation energy of curing reaction has been found to increase with the degree of conversion. The elucidation of the kinetic parameters allows us to propose an accurate and predictive description of the curing kinetics within the fast regimen of reaction (i.e., without vitrification). Finally, we discuss how these kinetic measurements and models can be completed and optimized.
Linguistic challenges in automatic summarization technology
Authors: Diedrichsen Elke
Published: July 2017

Automatic summarization is a field of Natural Language Processing that is increasingly used in industry today. The goal of the summarization process is to create a summary of one document or a multiplicity of documents that will retain the sense and the most important aspects while reducing the length considerably, to a size that may be user-defined. One differentiates between extraction-based and abstraction-based summarization. In an extraction-based system, the words and sentences are copied out of the original source without any modification. An abstraction-based summary can compress, fuse or paraphrase sections of the source document. As of today, most summarization systems are extractive. Automatic document summarization technology presents interesting challenges for Natural Language Processing. It works on the basis of coreference resolution, discourse analysis, named entity recognition (NER), information extraction (IE), natural language understanding, topic segmentation and recognition, word segmentation and part-of-speech tagging. This study will overview some current approaches to the implementation of auto summarization technology and discuss the state of the art of the most important NLP tasks involved in them. We will pay particular attention to current methods of sentence extraction and compression for single and multi-document summarization, as these applications are based on theories of syntax and discourse and their implementation therefore requires a solid background in linguistics. Summarization technologies are also used for image collection summarization and video summarization, but the scope of this paper will be limited to document summarization.
Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy: Our Experience
Authors: Chavadaki Jyothi A , Manvikar Ajay K , Shrikrishna BH
Published: July 2017

Purpose

To determine the outcome and safety of endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (ENDO-DCR) with the use of silicon stents in nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO).

Materials and methods

This study was done in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Navodaya Medical College, Raichur, from January 2013 to June 2015, with a total of 82 cases (10 cases with bilateral disease) who underwent a standardized procedure, with an endonasal approach to the lacrimal sac, surgical removal of nasal mucosa, lacrimal bone, and a fragment of the frontal process of the maxilla. The medial wall of the lacrimal sac was removed completely and canalicular silicone intubation tube was placed for 6 weeks postoperatively.

Main outcome measures were resolution of epiphora, absence of discharge, and patency of the ostium confirmed by irrigation and endoscopic evaluation of neo-ostium at 6 weeks.

Results

The ENDO-DCR procedure with adjunctive canalicular silicone intubation tube was successful in 78 (95%) cases. No significant complications were encountered during or after the operative period.

Conclusion

Endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy with canalicular silicon intubation for shorter duration (6 weeks) is a safe and successful procedure for the treatment of NLDO in adults as well as in children, with a success rate of 95%.

How to cite this article

Chavadaki JA, Manvikar AK, Shrikrishna BH. Endoscopic Dacryocystorhinostomy: Our Experience. Clin Rhinol An Int J 2017;10(2):49-52.
Radiofrequency Turbinoplasty in Imidazoline-induced Rhinitis Medicamentosa
Authors: Rao SV Manjunatha
Published: July 2017

Aim

To evaluate the efficacy and results of radiofrequency turbinoplasty in patients with rhinitis medicamentosa due to imidazolines like oxymetazoline and xylometazoline.

Study design

This is a prospective, single-blinded, randomized controlled study.

Materials and methods

Study was conducted on 20 patients in a tertiary level center from January 2010 to February 2016. Patients with symptoms and signs of nasal obstruction due to rhinitis medicamentosa were selected. Patients were aged from 16 to 43 years (mean age is 24 years). Twelve were males and eight were females. The duration of use of nasal decongestant drops varied from 3 months to 5 years. The turbinoplasty was performed using the radiofrequency method. Nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) questionnaires are used for subjective assessment and nasal endoscopy view score (NES) was used for objective assessment pre- and postoperatively. Follow-up was done at the end of 15 days and 3 months after surgery. The results were statistically analyzed by paired t-test.

Results

The mean NOSE score before procedure was 92. At the 15th postoperative day, mean NOSE score reduced to 1.3 and it further reduced at the 3rd month to 0.5 (p < 0.001), with 99.5% reduction in subjective symptoms. The mean NES before procedure was 3.95. On the 15th day, it was 0.35 and at the end of 3rd month, it was 0 with 91.1% reduction in objective evaluation (p < 0.001). Results were same on left and right side of nose. No major postoperative complication was observed in patients.

Conclusion

Radiofrequency turbinoplasty technique can be recommended as an effective method in imidazoline-induced rhinitis medicamentosa. It is simple, comfortable, fast relief giving, no repeated steroids, and cost-effective, single-session treatment. Good compliance and cooperation from patients can be obtained with no major complications of the treatment. It allows patients to be managed in the office environment.

How to cite this article

Rao SVM. Radiofrequency Turbinoplasty in Imidazoline-induced Rhinitis Medicamentosa. Clin Rhinol An Int J 2017;10(2):53-57.
Our Experience with Maxillectomies: A Retrospective Decade Study
Authors: Rajasekar MK , Mariappan Vivek , Veerasigamani Narendrakumar
Published: July 2017

Objective

The aim of the study is to evaluate the age, sex, site of lesion, histopathological diagnosis, and recurrence rate of the maxillectomy patients.

Materials and methods

A retrospective study was done in 42 patients, who underwent maxillectomy for malignant growth of the nose and paranasal sinuses from 2006 to 2015 at our center.

Results

The most common age group is 55 to 65 years (73.8), with male predominance (66.7%). Among symptoms prevalent is nasal obstruction (47%). Maxillary sinus is the most common site of origin (61.9%). Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common histopathological diagnosis (52.4%) and recurrence rate is 16%.

Conclusion

Exact clearance, reconstruction, postoperative care, and perfect teamwork play a vital role. Thus, successful outcome of maxillectomy is multifactorial.

How to cite this article

Rajasekar MK, Mariappan V, Veerasigamani N. Our Experience with Maxillectomies: A Retrospective Decade Study. Clin Rhinol An Int J 2017;10(2):58-61.
Adenoidectomy: Conventional or Endoscopic Assisted?
Authors: Goel Anuj K
Published: July 2017

Objectives

Adenoid hypertrophy is known as the most common cause of nasal obstruction in children; thus, adenoidectomy is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in the pediatric population. We performed both conventional and endoscopic-assisted adenoidectomies in 54 patients. Our objectives were to compare the efficacy of both methods in terms of subjective and objective relief of symptoms, safety, recurrence, and postoperative morbidity.

Materials and methods

Fifty-four patients were studied and were diagnosed depending upon clinical examination and radiological investigation. The patients were operated by either conventional or endoscopic-assisted adenoidectomy (EAA). Intraoperative and postoperative complications were looked for. After discharge from the hospital, the patients were called for follow-up on 1st week, 3rd week, 2nd and 4th month, and patients were asked for relief of symptoms and examined for nasal disease and for recurrence.

Results

Adenoid hypertrophy was seen commonly in children and the most common presenting complaints were nasal obstruction, mouth breathing, and snoring. The patients were diagnosed to have chronic adenoiditis, chronic adenotonsillitis, with or without chronic suppurative otitis media. More number of patients became symptom free with EAA as compared with conventional adenoidectomy.

Conclusion

Conventional adenoidectomy and EAA both have comparable success rates. Endoscopic-assisted adenoidectomy allows complete removal of adenoid tissue, thereby reducing the chances of developing recurrent adenoid obstructive symptoms and reducing the bacterial reservoir in the nasopharynx.

How to cite this article

Goel AK. Adenoidectomy: Conventional or Endoscopic Assisted? Clin Rhinol An Int J 2017;10(2):74-77.
Malignancy mimicking Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma
Authors: Kaur Navjot , Tiwana Harsimran , Sawhney Shikhar
Published: July 2017

Nasopharyngeal masses in young males can be benign or malignant. As the treatment regimen for these masses differs considerably, it is crucial to differentiate benign from malignant masses for successful and adequate treatment of patients and also for minimizing morbidity from unnecessary interventions. We are presenting two case reports of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) mimicking juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA). Both the cases were presumed as JNA and underwent excessive surgical intervention only to reveal NPC on final histopathology report. We wish to highlight the importance of complete clinical examination and preoperative imaging in differentiating an ideal management of nasopharyngeal masses.

How to cite this article

Kaur N, Tiwana H, Sawhney S, Gupta AK. Malignancy mimicking Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibroma. Clin Rhinol An Int J 2017;10(2):99-102.
Analysis of the Esthetic Components of Smile in a Section of North Indian Population
Authors: Dhawan Pankaj , Tandan Piyush , Grover Amrita , Madhukar Pankajz
Published: July 2017

Aim

To evaluate the existence of different esthetic smile criteria in a section of North Indian population.

Materials and methods

A total of 100 students from Manav Rachna International University were selected based on the inclusion criteria. Two photographs were taken (smiling face and smile) using Digital Single Lens Reflex camera. The statistical analyses used were descriptive statistical tests and Spearman correlation after the images were analyzed using Digimizer image analysis software for different esthetic smile criteria.

Results

The coincidence of the facial midline with the arch midline occurred in more than half of the students. Most of the subjects presented parallelism between the incisal plane and the interpupillary line. Mostly parallel or straight smiles were also most commonly observed and the gingival display and the amount of gingival display were relatively less observed.

Conclusion

There exists a relationship between facial midline, interpupillary line, smile arc, gingival display, and facial esthetics.

Clinical significance

This article describes the existence of different esthetic smile criteria in enhancing the facial esthetics for a pleasing smile.

How to cite this article

Grover A, Dhawan P, Tandan P, Madhukar P. Analysis of the Esthetic Components of Smile in a Section of North Indian Population. Int J Prosthodont Restor Dent 2017;7(2):43-47.
Seasonal variation of fine and coarse-mode nitrates and related aerosols over East Asia: Synergetic observations and chemical transport model analysis
Authors: Uno Itsushi , Osada Kazuo , Yumimoto Keiya , Wang Zhe , Itahashi Syuichi , Pan Xiaole , Hara Yukari , Kanaya Yugo , Yamamoto Shigekazu , Fiarlie Thomas Duncan
Published: July 2017

Abstract. We analyzed long-term fine- and coarse-mode nitrate and related aerosols (SO42−, NO3−, NH4+, Na+, Ca2+) synergetic observations at Fukuoka (33.52° N, 130.47° E) from August 2014 to October 2015. A Goddard Earth Observing System chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) including dust and sea-salt acid uptake processes was used to assess the observed seasonal variation, and the impact of long-range transport (LRT) from the Asian continent. For fine aerosols (fSO42−, fNO3−, and fNH4+), numerical results explained the seasonal changes, and a sensitivity analysis excluding Japanese domestic emissions clarified the LRT fraction at Fukuoka (85 % for fSO42−, 47 % for fNO3−, 73 % for fNH4+). Observational data for HNO3, fNO3−, and coarse NO3− (cNO3−) confirmed that cNO3− made up the largest proportion of total nitrate (defined as the sum of fNO3−, cNO3− and HNO3), constituting 40–55 % of total nitrate during the winter, while HNO3− gas constituted approximately 40 % of total nitrate in summer, and fNO3 peaked during the winter. A numerical model reproduced the seasonal variations in fNO3−. For cNO3−, large-scale dust-nitrate outflow from China to Fukuoka was confirmed during all dust events that occurred between January and June. Modeled cNO3− was in good agreement with observations between July and November (mainly coming from sea salt-NO3−). However during the winter, the model underestimated cNO3− levels compared to the observed levels. The reason for this underestimation was examined statistically using multiple regression analysis (MRA). We used cNa+, nss-cCa2+, and cNH4+ as independent variables to describe the observed cNO3− levels; these variables were considered representative of sea salt-cNO3−, dust-cNO3−, and cNO3− accompanied by cNH4+ (cNH4+ term), respectively. The MRA results explained the observed seasonal changes in dust-cNO3− and indicated that the dust-acid uptake scheme reproduced the observed dust-nitrate levels even in winter. The annual average contributions of each component were 43 % (sea salt-cNO3−), 19 % (dust cNO3−), and 38 % (cNH4+ term). The MRA dust-cNO3− component had a high value during the dust season, and the sea salt component made a large contribution throughout the year. During the winter, cNH4+ term made a large contribution. The model did not include aerosol microphysical processes (such as condensation and coagulation between the fine anthropogenic aerosols NO3− and SO42− and coarse particles), and our results suggest that inclusion of aerosol microphysical processes is critical when studying observed cNO3− formation, especially in winter.