bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flipped Classroom para la Formación del Profesorado: Perspectiva del alumnado.
Authors: Sosa Díaz María José , Palau Martín Ramon Felix
Published: December 2018

Actualmente, el “Flipped Classroom” es uno de los modelos pedagógicos que están revolucionando el ámbito educativo, y puede que sea una palanca de cambio en la educación superior. Sin embargo, aún no existen suficientes evidencias de sus ventajas e inconvenientes en esta etapa educativa. Es por ello que con el presente trabajo de investigación se pretende analizar la percepción y valoración que hace el alumnado que ha experimentado Flipped Classroom y cuál es su efecto en el aprendizaje. Debido a las características del fenómeno objeto de estudio se decidió utilizar una metodología cualitativa basada en Estudios de Casos tomando como unidad de análisis una materia de la titulación de grado en Educación infantil y primaria. Como instrumento de recogida de información se optó por entrevistas dirigida basada en preguntas con respuestas abiertas.

Los resultados evidencian que no hay un acuerdo en el alumnado respecto al Flipped Classroom. Por un lado, se encuentran estudiantes que valoran positivamente el modelo y que valoran las posibilidades educativas que tiene realizar las actividades prácticas en el aula, y trabajar de forma colaborativa. Y por otro, están un grupo de estudiantes muy críticos con el modelo y que prefieren seguir utilizando una metodología tradicional, debido principalmente a la falta de costumbre de utilizar metodologías activas y establecer el compromiso de aprendizaje que estas exigen. Las principales propuestas de mejora del diseño metodológico, esencialmente, son fruto principalmente de esta circunstancia. 
El aprendizaje servicio en la universidad: una experiencia en el marco de una asignatura del Grado en Educación Primaria
Authors: López-Fernández Iván , Benítez-Porres Javier
Published: December 2018

Estrechar las conexiones entre lo que aprenden los estudiantes en la universidad y la practica en escenarios profesionales reales es una aspiración secular de la educación superior. El aprendizaje servicio es una metodología orientada a favorecer el aprendizaje de los estudiantes mediante su participación activa en experiencias relacionadas con el servicio a la comunidad. Su uso en la universidad en España, aunque todavía testimonial, está creciendo en los últimos años, destacando las iniciativas puntuales de carácter voluntario para los estudiantes y sin una vinculación directa con asignaturas concretas.

En el presente estudio se describe una experiencia que incorpora el aprendizaje servicio en una asignatura universitaria enmarcada en un plan de estudios para la formación de maestros en Educación Primaria. Participaron un total de 67 estudiantes universitarios y 429 alumnos de primer y segundo ciclo de educación primaria (6-10 años). Para registrar la opinión de los agentes implicados y la percepción del aprendizaje de los estudiantes se emplearon diversos instrumentos de evaluación, cuestionarios, entrevistas, diarios e informes de autoevaluación de los estudiantes.

Los resultados reflejan las posibilidades del aprendizaje servicio para reducir el sesgo academicista de los planes de estudio, aumentando las relaciones entre la teoría y la práctica, y para permitir a los estudiantes adquirir competencias transversales. Igualmente, se proporcionan orientaciones que pueden ser útiles para cualquier docente universitario que pretenda llevar a la práctica esta metodología con sus estudiantes.
Análisis estadístico para realizar acciones de mejora en los Trabajos Fin de Grado. Una propuesta para el Grado en Farmacia
Authors: Berraondo Juaristi M.R. , Fernández de Aránguiz Guridi M. Y. , Fernández de Aránguiz Guridi A. , Ruiz Ortega J.A. , Ayerbe Diaz M. , Lecea Arana B. , Martínez de Marigorta Izaga E. , Hernández Martín R. , Igartua Olaechea M. , Salvador Martínez A. , Colom Aristondo K. , Santos Vizcaíno E.
Published: December 2018

Se ha realizado un análisis estadístico de las características más importantes de los Trabajos de Fin de Grado (TFG) del Grado en Farmacia en la Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU). La muestra analizada ha sido de 264 TFG. Los resultados del análisis, una regresión logística multivariante, han constatado, entre otros aspectos, que una gran mayoría de los TFG, contienen conocimientos de un único módulo del plan de estudios, y su contenido no suele estar directamente ligado a alguna de las salidas profesionales del Grado. Para revertir esta tendencia, en este trabajo se plantea una intervención que resuelva las carencias observadas y mejore la dinámica de ejecución de los TFG. La propuesta incluye una metodología de trabajo de un equipo docente que se involucra y participa en el planteamiento, elaboración, dirección y evaluación de los TFG. Además, se presenta un ejemplo de la metodología aplicada a la salida profesional de la Farmacia Comunitaria. El equipo docente es multidisciplinar, formado por especialistas en diversas materias de todos los cursos del Grado, de cinco áreas de conocimiento pertenecientes a cuatro de los seis módulos desarrollados en el plan de estudios. El equipo docente y el alumnado participante trabajan con una metodología de Aprendizaje Basado en Problemas (ABP). Esta propuesta, potencia la coordinación de equipos docentes, la originalidad y creatividad de los TFG, el protagonismo activo del alumnado y profesorado y una relación directa con las salidas profesionales, que puede implementarse en cualquier Grado. Este trabajo contó con la financiación de la UPV/EHU. 
Serum and urinary calcium level in Latvian patients with sarcoidosis
Authors: Ruža Ieva , Lucāne Zane
Published: December 2018

Objectives

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown etiology that in 90% of cases affects the lungs. Calcium metabolism testing can be useful in diagnostics. The aim of the study was to assess the correlation between calcium metabolism and sarcoidosis form of manifestation/demographic indicators.

Material and methods

In a retrospective study medical records of all patients (n = 699) who had been hospitalized with suspected sarcoidosis in a specialized clinic of Riga Eastern Clinical University Hospital during the period from January 1st, 2013 until December 31st, 2014 were analyzed. Further analysis included only patients with histologically and/or clinically confirmed sarcoidosis (n = 281).

Results

Patients’ average age at the time of diagnosis was 39 ±13 years. Elevated serum calcium was observed in 9.9% of cases. A statistically significant correlation was found between serum calcium and age (p < 0.01). There was an association between serum calcium and gender (p < 0.05) – levels were higher in men (2.43 mmol/l) than in women (2.40 mmol/l). Elevated calcium in 24-hour urine was observed in 22.7% of patients. The mean value was 232.3 mg/24 h, levels were higher in men (258.7 mg/24 h) than in women (202.3 mg/24 h), and the association with gender was statistically significant (p < 0.01).

Conclusions

We can conclude that in Latvia sarcoidosis affects mostly young and middle-aged people. Both serum calcium and calcium in 24-hour urine are important parameters for sarcoidosis diagnostics. Hypercalcemia was found in 9.9% of patients, hypercalciuria in 22.7% of patients, and both were statistically significantly higher in men, regardless of age.
Key words: sarcoidosis, hypercalcemia, serum calcium level.
Calcium supplementation from dairy products in the diet of women over the age of 55 from Zabrze (the Silesian Osteoactive Study – nutritional part)
Authors: Martela Katarzyna , Kuźniewicz Roman , Pluskiewicz Wojciech , Tabor Elżbieta , Zagórski Piotr
Published: December 2018

Objectives

The primary goal of the study was to assess calcium intake among women over the age of 55.

Material and methods

The study participants were randomly selected from the female population of Zabrze, a town in the Upper Silesia Region in Poland, making use of the framework of the Silesia Osteoactive Study Project. The Semi-Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (sFFQ) was used for nutritional assessment. A total of 388 women at the median age of 65.2 years responded to written and mailed invitations and decided to participate in the study.

Results

The mean calcium intake in the group of enrolled post-menopausal women was 886.9 ±615.1 mg/day. Only 32.9% of the participants met the daily calcium intake criterion of > 1000 g/day (the Estimated Average Requirement of 1000 mg according to the Nutrition Standards from 2017 for women in the age group of 51–65 years). Calcium supplementation, identified among women over the age of 55 years in Zabrze, was not sufficient and significantly differed from indicated nutrition standards. Fermented dairy products were the main source of calcium for the studied women. The quantity of calcium provided from yoghurts, kefirs and buttermilk was 338.3 mg/day. The level of consumption of fortified plant products, e.g., soy milk, was found to be very low. Some of the study participants (approximately 32%) reported the intake of calcium supplements or OTC medicinal products with calcium.

Conclusions

Summing up, the studied women reported low calcium intake levels, which calls for appropriate adjustments, including either dietary modifications or proper supplementation programmes with calcium containing agents.
Psoriasis in special localizations
Authors: Dopytalska Klaudia , Sobolewski Piotr , Błaszczak Agata , Szymańska Elżbieta , Walecka Irena
Published: December 2018

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis affecting 1–3% of the general population. Patients with psoriasis represent a heterogeneous population with individual disease expression – different degrees and severity of skin involvement. Psoriatic lesions in particular localizations such as the face, scalp, intertriginous or palmoplantar areas significantly reduce quality of life. Patients often feel ashamed, embarrassed, or self-conscious about their symptoms. Furthermore, genital psoriasis significantly affects sexual health. Among patients with psoriasis, the prevalence of special localizations is estimated to be 23–27% on the nails, 49% on the face, 12–16% on the palms and soles, and up to 36% in intertriginous regions. Due to peculiar features of skin in these areas, adequate and specific management is required, which is discussed in this review.
Near-complete recanalization of jugular vein and multiple dural sinus thromboses with warfarin in a case of antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: İlgen Ufuk , Turan Sezin , Emmungil Hakan
Published: December 2018

Antiphospholipid syndrome is a cause of arterial and venous thrombosis especially in the young adult population. Although dural sinus thrombosis is a relatively rare complication of antiphospholipid syndrome, it may be a cause of morbidity and mortality. Extension of thrombosis and involvement of deep venous structures are poor prognostic factors in patients with dural sinus thrombosis, but the rate of near-complete recanalization is not known in antiphospholipid syndrome-related dural sinus thrombosis. Herein, a case of antiphospholipid syndrome with multiple dural sinus, deep cerebral vein and internal jugular vein thromboses is presented with demonstrative imaging findings and near-complete recanalization after warfarin.
Diagrama de manejo de la densidad para los bosques mezclados de la región de El Salto, Durango
Authors: Cabrera-Pérez Reyna S. , Corral-Rivas Sacramento , Quiñonez-Barraza Gerónimo , Nájera-Luna Juan A. , Cruz-Cobos Francisco , Calderón-Leal Víctor H.
Published: December 2018

Introducción: Los diagramas para el manejo de la densidad (DMD) son herramientas útiles en la caracterización y manejo de la densidad del rodal.Objetivo: Desarrollar un DMD para programar aclareos en los bosques naturales mezclados de la región de El Salto, Durango.Materiales y métodos: Los datos se obtuvieron en 441 parcelas temporales de muestreo en 263 rodales mezclados con especies de los géneros Pinus y Quercus, principalmente. El DMD se basó en el índice de Hart-Becking y una relación de dos ecuaciones alométricas: 1) el diámetro medio cuadrático (dg, cm) con la densidad (N, árboles·ha-1) y altura dominante (Hd, m), y 2) el volumen (V, m3·ha-1) con el dg, Hd y N. En el ajuste de los parámetros de las ecuaciones se utilizó el método de mínimos cuadrados ordinarios no lineales en forma simultánea. El límite de densidad máxima se estimó mediante regresión cuantílica potencial que relacionó N con la Hd.Resultados y discusión: En los modelos ajustados se obtuvieron estadísticos de bondad de ajuste eficientes, en términos de la raíz del error medio cuadrático (2.29) y coeficiente de determinación (0.86). El DMD sugiere aplicar aclareos debajo de la línea de densidad máxima para evitar mortalidad. A través del DMD se pueden evaluar diferentes alternativas silvícolas, programar aclareos, maximizar el espacio de crecimiento, promover el incremento de árboles y mejorar los productos forestales.Conclusión: El DMD desarrollado es útil para programar aclareos con fines de producción de madera para asierre al final del turno.
Sistema compatible de ahusamiento, volumen, peso verde, biomasa y concentración de carbono para Quercus sideroxyla Bonpl.
Authors: Quiñonez-Barraza Gerónimo , Zhao Dehai , De los Santos-Posadas Héctor M. , Santiago-García Wenceslao , Tamarit-Urias Juan C. , Nájera-Luna Juan A.
Published: December 2018

Introducción: La estimación de volumen total y comercial de árboles, así como la de biomasa y carbono, implica la generación de herramientas biométricas esenciales en el manejo y planeación forestal.
Objetivos: Ajustar un sistema compatible (SC) de ahusamiento, volumen, peso verde, biomasa seca y concentración de carbono para la especie Quercus sideroxyla Bonpl., con el uso de la densidad de la madera.
Materiales y métodos: Una base de datos de 522 pares de diámetro-altura, obtenida de 37 árboles, se utilizó en el ajuste. El SC se conformó de 34 ecuaciones ajustadas simultáneamente por mínimos cuadrados generalizados no lineales. El ahusamiento y volumen fueron las variables base para la estimación del peso verde, biomasa seca y concentración de carbono.
Resultados y discusión: Todas las ecuaciones fueron compatibles con la ecuación de volumen de fuste, y las ecuaciones comerciales, con los parámetros del ahusamiento y volumen comercial. Los estadísticos de ajuste mostraron la eficiencia de las ecuaciones en términos globales y por clases de altura relativa.
Conclusiones: El SC posee la cualidad de estimar el ahusamiento, volumen comercial, peso verde, biomasa seca y concentración de carbono a una altura comercial y por componentes (fuste, total árbol y ramas).
El papel del fuego en la regeneración de los bosques de coníferas
Authors: Sáenz-Ceja Jesús Eduardo , Pérez-Salicrup Diego R.
Published: December 2018

El fuego es un agente de disturbio para los bosques, cuyos efectos varían de acuerdo con elrégimen natural de fuegos, bajo el cual las especies que ahí habitan evolucionaron. El objetivo deeste documento es exponer un panorama sobre el papel del fuego en la regeneración de losbosques de coníferas. Primeramente, se hace una revisión sobre el régimen de fuegos y susefectos sobre la regeneración arbórea. Posteriormente, se describen los principales métodos dereconstrucción de los regímenes del fuego y se exploran los regímenes de bosques de coníferastropicales montanos. Por último, se describe el posible efecto del aprovechamiento maderablesobre los regímenes del fuego.Se ha planteado que esta actividad es, actualmente, el agente dedisturbio que ejerce mayor impacto sobre los regímenes de fuego a nivel mundial. En esteartículo de revisión proponemos que el entendimiento del papel del fuego sobre la regeneraciónde los bosques de coníferas es fundamental para prevenir fuegos catastróficos y que el empleo dedicho elemento como herramienta de manejo forestal puede contribuir a la conservación de laintegridad de estos bosques.
Stock Return Predictability with Financial Ratios: An Empirical Study of Listed Manufacturing Companies in Sri Lanka
Authors: Anandasayanan Saradhadevi
Published: December 2018

This study attempts to investigate financial ratios’ predictive power, using the yearly time series data during the period of 2012-2017 for 33 listed manufacturing companies in Colombo Stock Exchange. This study specifically identifies the financial ratios, which are acknowledged as the predictors of stock returns in the share market, to test the stock return predictability. The financial ratios include the ratio of dividend yield, earnings per share, and earnings yield which are most useful and effective on stock return predictability in order to cover a wide range of predictions which have been used by all most all the previous researches. The stock return predictability is analyzed by regressing the dividend yield, earning per share and earning yield respectively on the yearly stock returns from 2012 to 2017. The results show high predictability power, since the R2-value is high and the coefficients are very significant and autocorrelation corrected standard errors. The results reveal that the three ratios hold a somehow predictive power regarding stock returns of the Listed Manufacturing Companies in Colombo Stock Exchange.
Relationship between spirituality and suicidal ideations among patients with major depressive disorder
Authors: Abd El-Ghafar Harfus Souzan Abd El-Menem , Moussa Amal Awad Abd El-Nabi , El-Nehrawy Samar Mabrook
Published: December 2018

Background and objective: Suicide still constitutes to be a critical and risky issue requiring preventive strategies. There is evidence to suggest that spirituality is vital to the process of discovering meaning in life and plays an important role in dealing with suicidal desire. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between spirituality and suicidal ideations among patients with major depressive disorder.Methods: Design and participants: A descriptive correlational design was utilized in the current study. A purposive sample of 181 patients with major depressive disorder was recruited. Setting: The study was conducted at inpatient psychiatric department of Tanta University and Neurology, Psychiatry, and Neuro-Surgery Center. Both hospitals are under the supervision and direction of the ministry of higher education. Tools: Four tools were used to collect data; socio-demographic and clinical characteristics structured interview schedule, Beck Depression Inventory, Daily Spiritual Experience Scale, and Scale for Suicide Ideation.Results: The current study indicated a statistical significant negative correlation between depression and spirituality. Also, a statistical significant negative correlation was found between spirituality and one subscale of suicide which is active suicide desire subscale. On the other side, there was a statistical significant positive correlation between depression and total score of suicide.Conclusions: Higher levels of spirituality may help buffer risk of active suicide desire and promote protective effect against depression. Recommendation: interventions that aim at increasing spiritual involvement and practice may be beneficial in reducing depressive symptoms and suicide desire.
Evaluation of Teacher and Student Misbehaviours in Primary Schools from Prospective Teachers' Point of View
Authors: Gözler Alpaslan
Published: December 2018

The aim of this study was to evaluate teacher and student misbehaviours and the methods teachers use with regard tostudent misbehaviours in primary schools from prospective classroom teachers' point of view. The study usedphenomenological method, a qualitative research design, since thorough data collection was performed based onpersonal experiences. The study group consisted of junior (3rd grade) students registered for the 2017-2018 academicyear in the classroom teaching programme provided by a state university in the Central Anatolia region. 52prospective classroom teachers participated in the study, on a voluntary basis. While forming the study group, it wasintentionally preferred that prospective classroom teachers took the School Experience course. To collect data, asemi-structured interview form was prepared by the researcher. The form included 4 questions on demographiccharacteristics and 3 questions on the research topic. Data obtained from the study was analyzed by using descriptiveanalysis, which is widely used in qualitative studies. Certain conclusions were made based on the results obtainedfrom the research. Some of these conclusions can be stated as follows: 1. Some of the most common studentmisbehaviours in primary schools, according to prospective classroom teachers, are quarrelling with friends, talkingwithout taking permission, complaining, chatting among themselves, and wandering around the classroom. 2. Someof the most common teacher misbehaviours in primary schools, according to prospective classroom teachers, areextreme yelling, constant use of a particular method, discriminating students over one another, and cancelling playand physical activity lesson.
The Investigation of the Relationship between Happiness Levels of the Faculty of Sports Sciences and the Levels of Life Satisfaction and Optimism
Authors: Koç Kenan , Pepe Osman
Published: December 2018

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between happiness levels of university students with levels oflife satisfaction and optimism. The study sample consists of 318 freshmen, sophomore, junior, and senior studentsrandomly selected from the departments of Physical Education and Sports Teaching, Coaching Education, SportsManagement, and Recreation Education of Faculty of Sports Sciences, Erciyes University, Turkey.Happiness Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Life Orientation Scale, as well as “Personal Information Form”prepared by the researcher were used as the data collection tools for the purpose of this research.The data obtained from Personal Information Form, Happiness Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and LifeOrientation Scale was analyzed statistically with SPSS 20.0 package program. Personal information and inventorytotal scores, as well as factor scores for the candidates, are given by determining the frequency (f) and percentage (%)values. To determine the relationship between the scores obtained from the scales, Pearson Product MomentCorrelation Analysis (r), and to determine whether obtained scores are predicting each other or not, multipleregression analysis (β) were applied.As a result, happiness was found to have a high-level positive relation with life satisfaction and optimism.Considering the psychological aspects of the curriculum applied to prospective teachers, increasing the level ofhappiness will contribute to educating more qualified teachers.
Fortificacions i assentaments en alçada a l'àmbit rural del nord-est de Catalunya durant l'Alta Edat Mitjana (Segles VI-XI)
Authors: Folch Cristian
Published: December 2018

Aquesta aportació pretén oferir una síntesi sobre les característiques de les fortificacions i assentaments en alçada de l’àmbit rural del nord-est de Catalunya en la seva llarga evolució durant l’Alta Edat Mitjana. Es tracta d’un territori ampli on, en aquest període històric, s’hi succeeixen un seguit de formacions polítiques que deixaran la seva empremta en l’organització, l’ocupació i la defensa d’aquests territoris. Així, a partir del segle v i durant tota l’alta edat mitjana es documenten arqueològicament al nord-est de Catalunya, en coincidència amb tot l’occident europeu, nous assentaments fortificats, ubicats en alçada, que responen a realitats heterogènies i que en el darrers anys han estat objecte d’estudi prioritari.
Pro-Health Properties of Rapeseed and Olive Oil
Authors: Skowron Marta , Zalejska-Fiolka Jolanta , Błaszczyk Urszula , Birkner Ewa
Published: December 2018

Food is one of the main environmental factors affecting health, physical and mental performance, and well-being. Nutrition should be reasonable and must correspond to a given individual's need for nutrients and energy. The fats are one of the most important nutrients and are at the top of the food pyramid. However, we need to know what fats should be consumed to maintain good health. The Polish market is dominated by rapeseed oil, but reports on the beneficial health properties of the Mediterranean diet are constantly increasing the popularity of olive oil. Rapeseed oil and olive oil are characterized by a similar, yet not identical, composition of fatty acids and biologically active substances, mainly of antioxidant character, including fat-soluble vitamins, carotenes, phytosterols, and polyphenols. Rapeseed oil and olive oil have a high pro-health potential due to their composition, however, the knowledge about the amount of unsaturated fatty acids and compounds with antioxidant potential contained in these two types of oil is important, as beneficial properties of these oils decrease during frying
Eugene J. Fisher's "A Life in Dialogue" and Debbie Weissman's "Memoirs of a Hopeful Pessimist"
Authors: Berger Alan
Published: December 2018

No abstract is available.
Bien-être et alimentation : une identification des axes de communication à destination des enfants consommateurs
Authors: Hémar-Nicolas Valérie , Ezan Pascale
Published: December 2018

Alors que nombre de marques de produits alimentaires cherchent à déployer une promesse de bien-être dans leurs communications, cet article vise à dresser les contours d’un bien-être alimentaire conforme aux besoins des jeunes consommateurs. En abordant avec des enfants le bien-être à travers sa scénarisation publicitaire et en confrontant cette lecture enfantine aux connaissances acquises en psychologie positive, cette recherche montre comment les marques peuvent promouvoir le bien-être alimentaire des enfants en respectant les spécificités de l’enfant. Elle montre que, dans une perspective enfantine, l’alimentation génère un bien-être, objectif ou subjectif, ponctuel ou durable. Tout en rappelant que l’alimentation est source de vitalité, de santé, de plaisir sensoriel et social, elle insiste plus particulièrement sur la nécessité de s’intéresser à l’enfant comme un acteur de sa consommation alimentaire en valorisant ses besoins d’autonomie, de responsabilisation et de relations affectives fortes, comme sources de bien-être.
Eurasian milfoil in Gulf of Mexico estuaries: does invasion of complex submerged vegetation lead to a “trophic dead end” in estuarine food webs?
Authors: Martin Charles W , Valentine John F
Published: December 2018

Estuaries of the northern Gulf of Mexico contain an abundance of habitat-forming submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) that provide refuge and protection for a variety of freshwater, estuarine, and marine organisms. However, many of these estuaries now contain numerous exotic species, the ultimate impacts of which are unclear. In the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, located in the upper portion of Mobile Bay, Alabama (USA), Eurasian milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum, hereafter referred to as Myriophyllum) is now the most dominant submerged macrophyte. Myriophyllum is a structurally-complex macrophyte with the potential to dramatically alter estuarine food webs through reduced encounter rates between predators and their prey and other mechanisms. Previously, we surveyed faunal communities using throw traps, trawls, cores, and suction sampling to compare milfoil assemblages with other native macrophytes to explore the interactive role of hydrology, diel periodicity, and macrophyte presence in influencing community structure. Here, we use this previously collected data to generate a preliminary food web analyses to determine if milfoil, due to its high complexity, creates a "trophic dead end" and limits higher trophic level production. We found the number of nodes, links, linkage density, and connectance to all be greater in milfoil than Vallisneria americana (hereafter referred to as Vallisneria), indicating that a diverse, productive, and highly connected food web exists in this invasive habitat.
Hazard Detection Prediction Model for Rural Roads Based on Hazard and Environment Properties
Authors: Asadamraji Morteza , Saffarzadeh Mahmoud , Borujerdian Aminmirza , Ferdousi Tayebeh
Published: December 2018

A driver’s reaction time encountering hazards on roads involves different sections, and each section must occur at the right time to prevent a crash. An appropriate reaction starts with hazard detection. A hazard can be detected on time if it is completely visible to the driver. It is assumed in this paper that hazard properties such as size and color, the contrast between the environment and a hazard, whether the hazard is moving or fixed, and the presence of a warning are effective in improving driver hazard detection. A driving simulator and different scenarios on a two-lane rural road are used for assessing novice and experienced drivers’ hazard detection, and a Sugeno fuzzy model is used to analyze the data. The results show that the hazard detection ability of novice and experienced drivers decreases by 35% and 64%, respectively, during nighttime compared to daytime. Also, moving hazards increase hazard detection ability by 9% and 180% for experienced and novice drivers, respectively, compared to fixed hazards. Moreover, increasing size, contrast, and color difference affect hazard detection under nonlinear functions. The results could be helpful in safety improvement solution prioritization and in preventing vehicle-pedestrian, vehicle-animal, and vehicle-object crashes, especially for novice drivers.
A Petri Net Model of Train Operation Simulation for Harmonizing Train Timetables of Neighbor Dispatching Sections
Authors: Meng Xuelei , Jia Limin , Xiang Wanli
Published: December 2018

Train timetable is the key document to regulate railway traffic through sequencing train movements to keep the appropriate order. Timetable stability and on-schedule rate are closely related. Delays caused by disturbances in train operations can be absorbed by a high quality timetable with high stability, and the on-schedule rate then can be assured. This paper improves the stability of timetables of several connected railway sections to assure the on-schedule rate with a simulation method. Firstly, we build a macroscopic network model of train operation in a railway network using the Petri net theory. Then we design the train tracking subnet model, the station subnet model and arrival-departure track subnet model. At last we propose a computing case, simulating the train operation process based on the presented models, and the simulation results prove the feasibility and availability of the models. The approach presented in this paper can offer valuable decision-support information for railway operators preparing train timetables.
Improving the Performance of the Bilevel Solution for the Continuous Network Design Problem
Authors: Baskan Ozgur , Ozan Cenk , Dell’Orco Mauro , Marinelli Mario
Published: December 2018

For a long time, many researchers have investigated the continuous network design problem (CNDP) to distribute equitably additional capacity between selected links in a road network, to overcome traffic congestion in urban roads. In addition, CNDP plays a critical role for local authorities in tackling traffic congestion with a limited budget. Due to the mutual interaction between road users and local authorities, CNDP is usually solved using the bilevel modeling technique. The upper level seeks to find the optimal capacity enhancements of selected links, while the lower level is used to solve the traffic assignment problem. In this study, we introduced the enhanced differential evolution algorithm based on multiple improvement strategies (EDEMIS) for solving CNDP. We applied EDEMIS first to a hypothetical network to show its ability in finding the global optimum solution, at least in a small network. Then, we used a 16-link network to reveal the capability of EDEMIS especially in the case of high demand. Finally, we used the Sioux Falls city network to evaluate the performance of EDEMIS according to other solution methods on a medium-sized road network. The results showed that EDEMIS produces better solutions than other considered algorithms, encouraging transportation planners to use it in large-scale road networks.
Panproteome-wide analysis of antibody responses to whole cell pneumococcal vaccination
Authors: Campo Joseph J , Le Timothy Q , Pablo Jozelyn V , Hung Christopher , Teng Andy A , Tettelin Hervé , Tate Andrea , Hanage William P , Alderson Mark R , Liang Xiaowu , Malley Richard , Lipsitch Marc , Croucher Nicholas J
Published: December 2018

Pneumococcal whole cell vaccines (WCVs) could cost-effectively protect against a greater strain diversity than current capsule-based vaccines. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) responses to a WCV were characterised by applying longitudinally-sampled sera, available from 35 adult placebo-controlled phase I trial participants, to a panproteome microarray. Despite individuals maintaining distinctive antibody ‘fingerprints’, responses were consistent across vaccinated cohorts. Seventy-two functionally distinct proteins were associated with WCV-induced increases in IgG binding. These shared characteristics with naturally immunogenic proteins, being enriched for transporters and cell wall metabolism enzymes, likely unusually exposed on the unencapsulated WCV’s surface. Vaccine-induced responses were specific to variants of the diverse PclA, PspC and ZmpB proteins, whereas PspA- and ZmpA-induced antibodies recognised a broader set of alleles. Temporal variation in IgG levels suggested a mixture of anamnestic and novel responses. These reproducible increases in IgG binding to a limited, but functionally diverse, set of conserved proteins indicate WCV could provide species-wide immunity.

Clinical trial registration: The trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov with Identifier NCT01537185; the results are available from https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/results/NCT01537185.
Family matters
Authors: Mayer Mark L , Jegla Timothy
Published: December 2018

Genome sequence data from a range of animal species are raising questions about the origins of glutamate receptors.
Usefulness of hybrid deformable image registration algorithms in prostate radiation therapy
Authors: Motegi Kana , Tachibana Hidenobu , Motegi Atsushi , Hotta Kenji , Baba Hiromi , Akimoto Tetsuo
Published: December 2018

To evaluate the accuracy of commercially available hybrid deformable image registration (DIR) algorithms when using planning CT (pCT) and daily cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) in radiation therapy for prostate cancer. The hybrid DIR algorithms in RayStation and MIM Maestro were evaluated. Contours of the prostate, bladder, rectum, and seminal vesicles (SVs) were used as region‐of‐interest (ROIs) to guide image deformation in the hybrid DIR and to compare the DIR accuracy. To evaluate robustness of the hybrid DIR for prostate cancer patients with organs with volume that vary on a daily basis, such as the bladder and rectum, the DIR algorithms were performed on ten pairs of CT volumes from ten patients who underwent prostate intensity‐modulated radiation therapy or volumetric modulated arc therapy. In a visual evaluation, MIM caused unrealistic image deformation in soft tissues, organs, and pelvic bones. The mean dice similarity coefficient (DSC) ranged from 0.46 to 0.90 for the prostate, bladder, rectum, and SVs; the SVs had the lowest DSC. Target registration error (TRE) at the centroid of the ROIs was about 2 mm for the prostate and bladder, and about 6 mm for the rectum and SVs. RayStation did not cause unrealistic image deformation, and could maintain the shape of pelvic bones in most cases. The mean DSC and TRE at the centroid of the ROIs were about 0.9 and within 5 mm generally. In both software programs, the use of ROIs to guide image deformation had the possibility to reduce any unrealistic image deformation and might be effective to keep the DIR physically reasonable. The pCT/CBCT DIR for the prostate cancer did not reduce the DIR accuracy because of the use of ROIs to guide the image deformation.
Polymeric Films Containing Sodium Chlorite That Release Disinfectant Gas upon Activation with UV Light
Authors: Abbasi Reza , Jain Rishabh , Nelson Kevin , Busche David , Lynn David M. , Abbott Nicholas L.
Published: December 2018

Polymeric films that release disinfectant gas on demand have the potential to be useful for management of microbial burden (e.g., sterilization). Past attempts to create such films, however, have suffered from the need for stringent control over moisture or exposure to visible light prior to use. It is reported that polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or polyolefin (POD) films that contain NaClO2 crystals can release ClO2 gas upon UV‐activation and exposure to moisture. In addition to showing that the concentration of gaseous ClO2 released from the polymeric films is sufficiently high for antimicrobial activity, fundamental insights into factors controlling ClO2 release are provided by using atomic force microscopy, optical microscopy, Raman microscopy, and time‐of‐flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. Specifically, by determining the sizes of the polymer‐dispersed NaClO2 particles, support for the hypothesis that UV light activates an interfacial layer of the NaClO2 crystals to generate ClO2 is obtained. Additionally, it is found that the half‐life of the UV‐activated state of NaClO2 depends on the reactivity of the polymer matrix. Because both PVA and POD possess properties analogous to polymers used in packaging films, it is concluded that the approach described in this study may enable introduction of deodorizing or antimicrobial functional properties into polymeric packaging.
Environmentally Tight TiO2–SiO2 Porous 1D‐Photonic Structures
Authors: García‐Valenzuela Aurelio , López‐Santos Carmen , Rico Victor , Alvarez Rafael , Palmero Alberto , González‐Elipe Agustín R.
Published: December 2018

Although thin film porosity is the basis of many optical sensors, it can be deleterious for a stable optical behavior of passive optical elements due to the condensation of water and other vapors in their pores. This paper proposes a new strategy for the magnetron sputtering (MS) fabrication of environmentally tight SiO2–TiO2 porous multilayers. Thin films of these two oxides deposited in an oblique angle configuration (MS‐OAD) present a nanocolumnar and highly porous nanostructure and, as a consequence, experience significant changes in their optical properties when exposed to water vapor. Similarly, the optical properties of Bragg reflectors and Bragg microcavities made of the stacking of porous and compact SiO2 and TiO2 thin films experience reversible changes when these 1D‐photonic structures are exposed to water pressure. A key finding of this work is that a very thin capping layer of SiO2 deposited on the surface of porous SiO2 films in the stack, at the interlayer between the two oxides, efficiently seals the pores making the photonic structures environmentally tight. This capping layer approach is a useful strategy to incorporate porosity as an additional parameter to design the optical behavior of planar photonic structures while preserving optical and environmental stability.
Energy‐Dependent Spectral Analysis of Photon‐Assisted Carrier Transport at Resonance in Graphene Oxide
Authors: Oh Juyeong , Kim Sun Jun , Yoon Hyong Seo , Lee Jaemin , Kim Jae Hun , Lee Yongshik , Jun Seong Chan
Published: December 2018

Owing to its excellent optoelectronic properties, graphene oxide (GO) has been investigated for use in optoelectronic devices in the past decade. GO‐based devices such as photodetectors are expected to show remarkable high‐frequency transmittances. However, the band properties are typically investigated using optical measurement methods, and these techniques have limitations on the maximum light intensity that can be employed and require the use of filters. To overcome these problems, high‐frequency electrical measurements are applied to use resonance under illumination. The measured resonance signal probes the band properties of GO, while the electromagnetic radiation excites the samples. The spectral analysis of GO‐based optoelectronic devices reveals the relationship between the band properties and the photon energy. Moreover, the resistance of GO, which is measured via the de‐embedding process, is related to the band levels and photon energies. Thus, spectral analysis can be used to probe not only the photodetector properties of GO‐based devices but also their band structure.
Multidimensional Manipulation of Photonic Spin Hall Effect with a Single‐Layer Dielectric Metasurface
Authors: Li Siqi , Li Xingyi , Wang Guoxi , Liu Sheng , Zhang Lingxuan , Zeng Chao , Wang Leiran , Sun Qibing , Zhao Wei , Zhang Wenfu
Published: December 2018

The photonic spin Hall effect, originating from photonic spin–orbit interactions, has attracted considerable research interest due to its potential for applications in spin‐controlled nanophotonics. However, most research efforts have focused only on 1D modulation, including transverse or longitudinal spin‐dependent splitting. Here, a novel method is proposed for multidimensional spin‐dependent splitting on a single‐layer dielectric metasurface. Due to the interplay of the Pancharatnam–Berry phase and dynamic phase, the longitudinal focusing and transverse shifting of the different spin state photons can be simultaneously achieved. Moreover, the conjugated characteristic of the modulated phases of Pancharatnam–Berry phase metasurfaces for different spin photons can be broken, and both symmetric and asymmetric transverse spin‐dependent splitting are obtained with the proposed method. This method can be used for the multidimensional and flexible manipulation of spin photons and has potential in spin‐controlled nanophotonics, ranging from optical communication to beam shaping and optical sensors.
Bioinspired Amyloid Nanodots with Visible Fluorescence
Authors: Lapshina Nadezda , Shishkin Ivan I. , Nandi Ramesh , Noskov Roman E. , Barhom Hani , Joseph Sijo , Apter Boris , Ellenbogen Tal , Natan Amir , Ginzburg Pavel , Amdursky Nadav , Rosenman Gil
Published: December 2018

Nanoscale bioimaging is a highly important scientific and technological tool, where fluorescent (FL) proteins, organic molecular dyes, inorganic quantum dots, and lately carbon dots are widely used as light emitting biolabels. In this work, a new class of visible FL bioorganic nanodots, self‐assembled from short peptides of different composition and origin, is introduced. It is shown that the electronic energy spectrum of native nonfluorescent peptide nanodots (PNDs) is deeply modified upon thermally mediated refolding of their biological secondary structure from native metastable to stable β‐sheet rich structure. This refolding leads to the appearance of a broadband optical absorption across visible region and tunable, excitation‐dependent visible FL of the nanodots with a high quantum yield of ≈30%. It is shown that this intriguing biophotonic effect appears in several peptides/proteins and does not require the presence of aromatic residues. It is assumed that the origin of the phenomenon is related to proton transfer along network of reconstructed intermolecular hydrogen bonds, stabilizing the thermally induced supramolecular β‐sheet structure. The biocompatible FL PNDs can be potentially applied as high‐resolution bioimaging labels toward advanced biotechnology and biomedical theranostics.
Latinx child farmworkers in North Carolina: Study design and participant baseline characteristics
Authors: Arcury Thomas A. , Arnold Taylor J. , Sandberg Joanne C. , Quandt Sara A. , Talton Jennifer W. , Malki Andreina , Kearney Gregory D. , Chen Haiying , Wiggins Melinda F. , Daniel Stephanie S.
Published: December 2018

Background

Although children as young as 10 years can work in agriculture, little research has addressed their occupational health. This paper describes a large, multicomponent study of hired Latinx child farmworkers, and the characteristics of children participating in this study.

Methods

Survey interviews were conducted in 2017 with 202 Latinx children aged 10‐17 years employed in agriculture across North Carolina (NC).

Results

Most (81.2%) participants were born in the United States, 37.6% were female, and 21.3% were aged 10‐13 years. Most (95.1%) were currently enrolled in school. Thirty‐six (17.8%) were migrant workers. 34.7% had worked in agriculture for 1 year; 18.3% had worked 4+ years. 33.7% worked piece rate. 57.4% worked in tobacco. Participants in western NC differed in personal and occupational characteristics from those in eastern NC.

Conclusions

This study has enrolled a large and diverse child farmworker sample. This overview indicates several important issues for further analysis.
Simpson–Golabi–Behmel syndrome in a 39‐year‐old male patient with suspected acromegaly—A case study
Authors: Andrysiak‐Mamos Elżbieta , Sagan Karol Piotr , Lietz‐Kijak Danuta , Kijak Edward , Kaźmierczak Beata , Pietrzyk Aleksandra , Sowinska‐Przepiera Elżbieta , Sagan Leszek , Syrenicz Anhelli
Published: December 2018

Simpson–Golabi–Behmel syndrome (SGBS) is a rare genetic condition and is inherited in an X‐linked recessive manner. The disease is caused by a change in the nucleotide sequence of an X‐linked gene encoding glypican 3, a protein belonging to the heparan‐sulfate membrane proteoglycan family. SGBS case studies are almost entirely restricted to the pediatric population. Scarce literature describing SGBS course in adults may be due to both the high mortality of SGBS patients in childhood and low rate of SGBS diagnosis in adults. We present a case of a 39‐year‐old man with an initial diagnosis of acromegaly. Genetic tests revealed a hitherto unreported deletion in the GPC3 gene. SGBS manifestations in our patient included tall stature, dysmorphic features, and central nervous system (CNS) anatomical pathology. MRI of the head visualized abnormalities of median line structures, a feature consistent with SGBS: an unclosed craniopharyngeal canal, a sellar‐suprasellar cyst, dysmorphic pituitary gland, and a cyst of the septum pellucidum. Moreover, cardiomyopathy complicated by life‐threatening paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia was diagnosed. Although various cardiac anomalies are often found in SGBS, their pathogenesis is unclear and may be multifactorial. We believe that the presented case contributes to a better understanding of SGBS and may help clinicians in introducing prophylaxis and treatment for its comorbidities.