bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Basal Respiration as a Proxy to Understand Spatial Trends in CO2 Emissions in the Moscow Region
Authors: Vasenev V I , Stoorvogel J J , Plyushchikov V G , Ananyeva N D , Ivashchenko K V , Romzaykina O N
Published: January 2017

Soil respiration (Rs) is an important terrestrial CO2 efflux and receives significant attention at different scale levels. However, the sampling density is limited and global Rs databases are biased towards natural ecosystems. Urbanization is among the most important current land-use trends and its role will likely grow in the future. Urban soils store considerable amount of carbon and are very heterogeneous and dynamic, which affects Rs. Our understanding of the Rs spatial variability is limited, especially for the regions with heterogeneous bioclimatic conditions and high urbanization level. The methodological constraints of direct Rs measurements in the field limit the number of observations. As an alternative approach to approximate the spatial variability of Rs, we used basal respiration (BR) as an indirect measurement. We implemented digital soil mapping technique to map BR as a proxy of Rs in a heterogeneous and urbanized Moscow Region. Topsoil and subsoils BR maps were developed for the region and spatial variability per land-use and soil type was analyzed. BR averaged for the urban areas was lower than in forests and meadows, however, urban areas became the hotspots of BR’s spatial variability in the region. Considerable contribution of subsoil layers to the total BR was also found with the maximal 30% contribution in urban soils. Although the absolute levels of respiration remained uncertain, the spatial patterns of BR are likely to correspond well with Rs patterns, determined by soil type, land use and allocation of urban areas.
Az e-polgárság mint a virtuális migráció eszköze Észtországban
Authors: Särav Sandra , Kerikmäe Tanel , Kasper Ágnes
Published: January 2017

2015-ben nemzetközi figyelmet keltett Észtország legújabb „találmánya” – az e-polgárság. Az Európai Unió eme kicsiny, de digitalizáltság szempontjából igen fejlett tagállama számára külön kihívást jelentett, hogy elmagyarázza a világ számára ez mit is takar, bár még nem reklámozták az e-polgárságot. Magyarország sem késlekedett érdeklődést mutatni az ötlet iránt, többek között azért sem, mert éppen a magyar e-kártya koncepciója volt kidolgozás alatt. Számos cikk jelent meg a sajtóban, amelyek beszámoltak az észt fejleményekről, bár gyakran a pontatlan fogalmazás miatt a valóditól eltérő képet festettek az e-polgárság mibenlétéről. Alapvetően az észt digitális személyazonosság vagy e-polgárság az észt állampolgársággal (vagy tartózkodási joggal/engedéllyel) nem rendelkező személyek számára számos olyan jogot biztosít, amely többsége világszinten is ismeretlen, és lehetővé teszi az ország digitális szolgáltatásainak használatát a világ bármely pontjáról. Mindezek mellett az még kevésbé ismert, hogy milyen keretszabály-rendszer biztosítja az „ország- mint-szolgáltatás” működését és hol vannak az e-polgárság problematikus, kiegyen- súlyozatlan vetületei. Jelen tanulmány célja az, hogy pontosítsa a magyar nyelven elérhető információkat és rámutasson arra, hogy az e-polgárság, bár technikai szem- pontból biztonságos, koncepciója még nem teljesen kiforrott és a közeljövőben számos buktatóval kell majd az észteknek szembesülniük. A szerzők reményei szerint eme tanulmánnyal hozzájárulnak ahhoz, hogy a magyar szakértők pontosabb képet kapjanak az észt gyakorlatról, beleértve a sikereket és nehézségeket is.
Big data, tudomány, kauzalitás
Authors: Galántai Zoltán
Published: January 2017

A big data az utóbbi évek egyik legdinamikusabban fejlődő technológiájává vált. Kérdés, hogy az előretörésének milyen hatásai lehetnek magára a tudományos kutatás értelmezésére, mivel elképzelhető, hogy a big data szemlélet valamilyen mértékben meg fogja változtatni az okozatisággal kapcsolatos elvárásainkat, amely jelenleg fontos szerepet játszik a tudományosságban is. Ahhoz, hogy ez a folyamat megfelelő módon kontextusba helyezhető legyen, felvázolunk egy olyan értelmezést, amely a tudomány történetét az adatmennyiség és az adatmennyiség kezelésének történeteként írja le.
EXPECTATIVAS (SIGNIFICADOS) DE RESIDENTES ECUATORIANOS DE MEDICINA RESPECTO A LA SELECCIÓN DEL ÁMBITO DE TRABAJO
Authors: Bedoya Vaca Rita Del Carmen , Romero Sandoval Natalia
Published: January 2017

Resumen

Introducción: En el oficio de ser médico existen momentos de toma de decisiones en los que están presentes situaciones como: género, ciclo vital, capital económico.

Objetivo: Explorar las expectativas de residentes médicos para la toma de decisión del ámbito de trabajo.

Materiales y métodos: Estudio cualitativo, descriptivo, basado en enfoque fenomenológico. Se realizaron grupos focales con residentes de especialidades médicas, de universidades públicas y privadas de Quito. Las categorías analizadas fueron: expectativas para continuar con la construcción del oficio de médicos, expectativas para insertarse en un lugar de trabajo, expectativas para conciliar vida profesional y familiar.

Resultados: no se encontró diferencia en el discurso entre hombres y mujeres, ni entre universidad pública y privada, pero sí entre quienes tienen la obligación de devengar una beca y no son de la ciudad capital. Posgradista hombres y mujeres con beca hablan de regresar para establecerse en su lugar de origen, valoran ventajas de vivir en ciudades pequeñas, menos saturadas de especialistas, menor necesidad de contar con grandes capitales económicos, tienen esperanza de desarrollar mejor la profesión.

Conclusiones: Tanto hombres como mujeres tienen la expectativa de realizar una subespecialidad, es claro que solamente es posible si cuentan con capital económico. Para quienes cuenta con este capital la posibilidad de viajar y trabajar en otro país está presente, siempre y cuando no tengan responsabilidades familiares directas.
TUBERCULOSIS PERITONEAL
Authors: Proaño Charyl , Tamami Ernestina
Published: January 2017

Un varón de 55 años que trabaja como albañil presenta dolor abdominal y pérdida de peso varias semanas después de haber sufrido un traumatismo abdominal secundario a un accidente de tránsito. Luego de su ingreso, el dolor empeora y aparecen signos de obstrucción intestinal, lo que lleva a una exploración quirúrgica mediante laparoscopia diagnóstica. Se encontró una masa en íleon terminal, ganglios mesentéricos y la formación de un anillo constrictivo en asas intestinales. ¿Cuál es el diagnóstico?
Seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus in Lithuanian domestic pigs and wildlife
Authors: Spancerniene Ugne , Buitkuviene Jurate , Grigas Juozas , Pampariene Ina , Salomskas Algirdas , Cepuliene Ramune , Zymantiene Judita , Stankevicius Arunas
Published: January 2017

Hepatitis E is an important public health concern disease that causes acute hepatitis in humans with different hepatitis E virus strains reported among domestic and wild animals. In Lithuania, seroprevalence studies on animals considered to be possible virus reservoirs, particularly in wildlife species, had never been investigated before. In order to assess the actual distribution of the virus in the domestic pig and wildlife species, serum samples originating from different geographic areas of Lithuania were tested for the presence of antibodies to the virus using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The study results proved that hepatitis E virus infection is prevalent among domestic pigs, wild boar, moose, and roe deer in Lithuania, with the overall prevalence of IgG antibodies against hepatitis E virus being 43.75%, 57.05%, 11.76%, and 1.20%, respectively. Significantly higher (P< 0.01) seroprevalence values of 53.66% and 80% were observed in weaned pigs and adult wild boar. Herds with 15 001–30 000 pigs were 2.4 times more likely (P< 0.01) to test positive for hepatitis E virus antibodies (70.18%), than herds with ≤ 500 pigs (21.11%). The differences in seroprevalence rates between domestic pigs (from 25 to 66.67%) and wild boar (from 42.86 to 73.33% ) in all 10 counties were not significant (P> 0.05). Estimated low seroprevalence rate in moose, roe deer and absence of antibodies in red deer suggest that such wildlife species are accidental hosts of hepatitis E virus or at least hepatitis E virus is not present in Lithuanian cervides.
Sex determination in gibbons of genus Nomascus using non-invasive method
Authors: Bolechová Petra , Ječmínková Kateřina , Hradec Michal , Kott Tomáš , Doležalová Jana
Published: January 2017

Gibbons of the genus Nomascus have a strong sexual dimorphism and dichromatism. As they mature, both sexes develop sex-specific pelage colour. In combination with physical similarities in the genitalia with both sexes, there are problems with determining the sex of young individuals compared to other genus of gibbons. This is a pilot study applying a multiplex polymerase chain reactions based on a non-invasive method for sex determination of gibbons. The study was conducted on 22 faecal samples from gibbons of the genus Nomascus. The animals were monitored by staff so that the samples were identified correctly and each sample was collected immediately after the defecation. Results confirmed the sex in all adult and juvenile animals with known sex; and 2 females and 5 males in juveniles were determined with unknown sex. The results of direct examination completely corresponded with the PCR results. The PCR reaction with template DNA isolated from faecal material required BSA usage, however, we observed the occurrence of nonspecific fragments. This did not affect the reliability of our results and we confirmed the usability of this method for this genus.
A scoping review of social media as a platform for multi-level sexual health promotion interventions
Authors: Condran Brian , Gahagan Jacqueline , Isfeld-Kiely Harpa
Published: January 2017

While social media can present unique opportunities for sexual health promotion interventions that target social ecological levels beyond the intrapersonal, health promotion as a discipline has not yet fully realized the potential of these platforms. The following scoping review focuses on the use of social media in the delivery of sexual health interventions targeting the interpersonal, institutional, community, and public policy levels of the social ecological model for change. A total of 398 articles on social media-based sexual health promotion interventions were identified. From this, 67 articles were reviewed in-depth, and 24 met the criteria for inclusion. Of these, four articles described interventions that focused on changing the knowledge, attitudes or behaviour of participants at the intrapersonal level. The remaining 20 articles targeted levels beyond the intrapersonal, with an emphasis on promoting change at broader levels to create environments that support sustained behavioural change. The examples provided by the 24 studies reviewed in this scoping review demonstrate how social media can offer unique health promotion tools for creating social networks and communities to support or deliver intervention activities, as well as for connecting individuals with appropriate and contextually responsive sexual health services. This scoping review provides valuable insights into potential strategies for developing and conducting multi-level social media-based sexual health promotion interventions and identifies areas where outcome and evaluative data are needed to demonstrate impact and potential for scale-up of intervention strategies.
Vaginal orgasm is associated with indices of women's better psychological, intimate relationship, and psychophysiological function
Authors: Brody Stuart , Costa Rui M.
Published: January 2017

A recent study by Therrien and Brotto (2016) examined the associations of orgasm during intercourse, concordance of laboratory genital and subjective arousal, and demographic variables in a group of sexually dysfunctional women. The authors claimed that their results cast doubt on the large body of multi-method multi-national research demonstrating that women's orgasm from penile-vaginal intercourse, and specifically vaginal orgasm are associated with a broad range of indices of women's better psychological, intimate relationship, and psychophysiological health. The problems with Therrien and Brotto's (2016) conclusions are discussed, and include that they did not even measure vaginal orgasm (they measured orgasm during intercourse, which can in some cases consist of orgasm elicited by clitoral masturbation during intercourse), and the non-generalisability of their findings from a sexually dysfunctional sample to the general population of women. Evidence is also presented against their claims that findings regarding orgasm during intercourse have not been investigated by other researchers, and their denial of differences between vaginal orgasm and clitoral orgasm. Denial of the myriad benefits of vaginal orgasm undermines women's sexual and general health potential, and serves only the demands of political correctness.
In-situ tensile testing of notched poly- and oligocrystalline 316L wires
Authors: Mitevski Bojan , Weiß Sabine , Fischer Alfons
Published: January 2017

In-situ testing inside a scanning electron microscope is a helpful tool for detailed analyses of small sized specimens with respect to their mechanical properties and the correlated microstructural alterations. Thus, this test method is used to analyze the tensional properties of thin 316L (1.4441) wires used for microscale components, e. g., like coronary artery stents. Tensile tests were conducted on unnotched and circularly notched 316L wires (Φ 0.95 mm) with a special focus on the number of grains within the cross section as well as the notch geometry. Four combinations of notch width (2 and 4 mm) and notch depth (diameter at notch root: 0.5 and 0.75 mm) were chosen. Notch depth and notch shape were adjusted by means of electrochemical polishing. Previous investigations showed, that oligocrystalline structures exhibit a different mechanical behavior compared to polycrystalline ones or single crystals. There are only a few data available on mechanical testing of oligocrystalline structures with respect to varying notch geometries. Depending on the notch geometry, grain size and, therefore, the number of grains within the notch cross section widely scattering yield- and tensile strength as well as failure elongation values were measured. However, the transition criterion between poly- and oligocrystalline behavior could be quantified to be 6 to 7 grains within the cross section.
Effect of processing conditions on the structure, electrical and mechanical properties of melt mixed high density polyethylene/multi-walled CNT composites in compression molding
Authors: Xiang Dong , Guo Jiadong , Kumar Amit , Chen Biqiong , Harkin-Jones Eileen
Published: January 2017

Processing conditions can significantly influence the structure and properties of polymer nanocomposites. In the present study, melt mixed high density polyethylene (HDPE)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposites were prepared via twin-screw extrusion and then compression molded (CM). The effect of heating temperature, pressing time and cooling rate on the structure, electrical and mechanical properties of the CM nanocomposites was systematically investigated. Volume resistivity tests indicate that the nanocomposite with 2 wt.-% MWCNTs, which is in the region of the electrical percolation threshold, is very sensitive to the CM parameters such that heating temperature > pressing time > cooling rate. Generally, the resistivity of nanocomposites decreases with increasing heating temperature and pressing time. Interestingly, the electrical resistivity of the rapidly cooled nanocomposite with 2 wt.-% MWCNTs is about 2 orders lower than that of the slowly cooled nanocomposite which is attributed to the lower crystallinity and smaller crystallites presenting less of an obstacle to the formation of conductive pathways. The tensile properties of the nanocomposite with 2 wt.-% MWCNTs are also influenced by the compression molding parameters to some extent, while those of the nanocomposites with higher MWCNT loading are insensitive to the changes in processing conditions. The modulus of the nanocomposites increases by about 25 to 50 % and 110 to 130 %, respectively, with the incorporation of 2 and 4 wt.-% MWCNTs, which agrees well with the theoretical values predicted from Halpin-Tsai and Mori-Tanaka models. This work has important implications for both process control and the tailoring of electrical and mechanical properties in the commercial manufacture of conductive HDPE/MWCNT nanocomposites.
The Relationship Between MnS Precipitation and the Induced Nucleation Effect of Ti-Bearing Inclusions
Authors: Zhengyu C. , Hao L. , Xiangshen T. , Hui K.
Published: January 2017

The relationship between MnS precipitation and the induced nucleation effect of Ti-bearing inclusions has been analyzed using SEM and EDS. In comparison with a non-treated sample, it can be seen that the Ti treatment leads to the oxide evolution from Al-Mn-Si-O to Ti-Al-Si-Mn-O. Moreover, it was found that sulfur congregates around both types of oxide, which is attributed to the MnS precipitation. As for pure MnS, its proportion in the total inclusion decreases when a Ti treatment is performed. EDS line analysis suggested that a Mn depletion zone (MDZ) occurs in the Fe matrix surrounding Ti-Al-Si-Mn-O. It does not occur surrounding Al-Mn-Si-O in the comparison sample. This difference leads to different microstructures. The intragranular acicular ferrites (IAFs) are only observed in the Ti-treated sample. Further analysis indicated that this microstructure is induced by Ti-Al-Si-Mn-O inclusions. In the same sample, the similar induced nucleation effect and a MDZ could not be found surrounding pure MnS. This comparison suggests that the formation of the MDZ may be independent of a MnS precipitation.
A Comparison of Porosity Analysis Using 2D Stereology Estimates and 3D Serial Sectioning for Additively Manufactured Ti 6Al 2Sn 4Zr 2Mo Alloy
Authors: Ganti S. , Velez M. , Geier B. , Hayes B. , Turner B. , Jenkins E.
Published: January 2017

Porosity is a typical defect in additively manufactured (AM) parts. Such defects limit the properties and performance of AM parts, and therefore need to be characterized accurately. Current methods for characterization of defects and microstructure rely on classical stereological methods that extrapolate information from two dimensional images. The automation of serial sectioning provides an opportunity to precisely and accurately quantify porosity in three dimensions in materials. In this work, we analyzed the porosity of an additively manufactured Ti 6Al 2Sn 4Zr 2Mo sample using Robo-Met.3D®, an automated serial sectioning system. Image processing for three dimensional reconstruction of the serial-sectioned two dimensional images was performed using open source image analysis software (Fiji/ImageJ, Dream.3D, Paraview). The results from this 3D serial sectioning analysis were then compared to classical 2D stereological methods (Saltykov stereological theory). We found that for this dataset, the classical 2D methods underestimated the porosity size and distributions of the larger pores; a critical attribute to fatigue behavior of the AM part. The results suggest that acquiring experimental data with equipment such as Robo-Met.3D® to measure the number and size of particles such as pores in a volume irrespective of knowing their shape is a better choice.
Macroscopic Study of the Isthmus of the Thyroid Gland in Bangladeshi People: A Postmortem Study
Authors: Banna Fakhrul Amin Mohammad Hasanul , Sultana Zakia
Published: January 2017

Background: The position and size of isthmus of thyroid gland varies considerably in human with age, sex, physiologic state, race and geographical location and sometimes the isthmus may be absent. So this study was designed to find out the macroscopic differences in isthmus of thyroid gland of different age and sex groups in Bangladeshi people.Objective: To record the macroscopic characteristics of isthmus of thyroid gland with advancing age in both sexes with a view to help establishing normal standard of Bangladeshi people.Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out on 54 autopsied human thyroid glands aged 5 to 65 years. Thyroid glands were collected from unclaimed dead bodies autopsied in the morgue of Sylhet M. A. G. Osmani Medical College, Sylhet. The collected specimens were divided into groups  A (20 years and below), B (21 to 50 years) and C (50 years and above). All specimens were examined morphologically by careful gross dissection method.Results: The isthmus was absent in 5.56% cases. In most of the cases (35.29%) it was against the 1st4th tracheal rings. There was significant difference in length between Group A and Group C (p<0.05) and in breadth between Group A and Group C and between Group B and Group C (p<0.05). No significant difference was found in length, breadth and thickness of isthmus of the thyroid gland between males and females.Conclusion: The presence or absence, positional change and variation in gross dimension of isthmus of thyroid gland were evident in human. The macroscopic difference was found with increasing age but not with sex.J Enam Med Col 2017; 7(1): 15-19
Outcome of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia after Induction Therapy --- Three-Year Experience in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh
Authors: Hossain M Belayet , Selimuzzaman M , Choudhury Nilufar Akter Banu , Wahab Abdul
Published: January 2017

Background: The incidence of different malignancies is increasing among the world populations. Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is the most common of all the paediatric malignancies. Response to induction therapy is one of the most important predictors of long term outcome of ALL.Objective: To see the immediate outcome of paediatric ALL patients following induction therapy.Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted from January 2013 to December 2015. Total 221 paediatric ALL patients were included in this study. Diagnosis was based on history, examination, blast cells count on peripheral blood film and bone marrow study, CSF study and immunophenotyping of peripheral blood/bone marrow aspirate in patients who were financially capable. Among them, parents of 40 (18%) patients did not agree to start chemotherapy. According to Modified UK ALL 2003 protocol (Regimen A & B) 181 patients were given induction therapy (vincristine, prednisolone, L-asparaginase, and daunomycin) in high risk patients. Among them 14 patients discontinued, 10 patients died during chemotherapy and rest 157 patients completed induction phase. Bone marrow study was repeated after completion of induction therapy and remission pattern was seen.Results: Out of 157 chemotherapy completed patients, 137 (87%) went into complete remission (<5% blast cells in bone marrow), 14 (9%) into partial remission (5--25% blast cells in bone marrow) and 6 (4%) was not in remission (>25% blast cells in the bone marrow). Ten (5.5%) patients died due to bleeding, febrile neutropenia and sepsis during the course of induction therapy.Conclusion: ALL in children is curable with effective chemotherapy. Poverty, ignorance and misconception regarding outcome are responsible for refusal and discontinuation of chemotherapy in third world countries like Bangladesh. Mortality and treatment cost can be reduced with the improvement of the facilities for isolation, barrier nursing and supportive treatment, and by creating awareness.J Enam Med Col 2017; 7(1): 25-28
Fingerprint: A Unique and Reliable Method for Identification
Authors: Bose Palash Kumar , Kabir Mohammad Jubaidul
Published: January 2017

Fingerprints have been the gold standard for personal identification within the forensic community for more than one hundred years. It is still universal in spite of discovery of DNA fingerprint. The science of fingerprint identification has evolved over time from the early use of finger prints to mark business transactions in ancient Babylonia to their use today as core technology in biometric security devices and as scientific evidence in courts of law throughout the world. The science of fingerprints, dactylography or dermatoglyphics, had long been widely accepted, and well acclaimed and reputed as panacea for individualization, particularly in forensic investigations. Human fingerprints are detailed, unique, difficult to alter, and durable over the life of an individual, making them suitable as lifelong markers of human identity. Fingerprints can be readily used by police or other authorities to identify individuals who wish to conceal their identity, or to identify people who are incapacitated or deceased, as in the aftermath of a natural disasterJ Enam Med Col 2017; 7(1): 29-34
Concurrent vs. Exclusive Reading in Parallel Decoding of LZ-Compressed Files
Authors: Agostino Sergio , Carpentieri Bruno , Pizzolante Raffaele
Published: January 2017

Broadcasting a message from one to many processors in a network corresponds to concurrent reading on a random access shared memory parallel machine. Computing the trees of a forest, the level of each node in its tree and the path between two nodes are problems that can easily be solved with concurrent reading in a time logarithmic in the maximum height of a tree. Solving such problems with exclusive reading requires a time logarithmic in the number of nodes, implying message passing between disjoint pairs of processors on a distributed system. Allowing concurrent reading in parallel algorithm design for distributed computing might be advantageous in practice if these problems are faced on shallow trees with some specific constraints. We show an application to LZC (Lempel-Ziv-Compress)-compressed file decoding, whose parallelization employs these computations on such trees for realistic data. On the other hand, zipped files do not have this advantage, since they are compressed by the Lempel–Ziv sliding window technique.
Evaluation of Diversification Techniques for Legal Information Retrieval
Authors: Koniaris Marios , Anagnostopoulos Ioannis , Vassiliou Yannis
Published: January 2017

“Public legal information from all countries and international institutions is part of the common heritage of humanity. Maximizing access to this information promotes justice and the rule of law”. In accordance with the aforementioned declaration on free access to law by legal information institutes of the world, a plethora of legal information is available through the Internet, while the provision of legal information has never before been easier. Given that law is accessed by a much wider group of people, the majority of whom are not legally trained or qualified, diversification techniques should be employed in the context of legal information retrieval, as to increase user satisfaction. We address the diversification of results in legal search by adopting several state of the art methods from the web search, network analysis and text summarization domains. We provide an exhaustive evaluation of the methods, using a standard dataset from the common law domain that we objectively annotated with relevance judgments for this purpose. Our results: (i) reveal that users receive broader insights across the results they get from a legal information retrieval system; (ii) demonstrate that web search diversification techniques outperform other approaches (e.g., summarization-based, graph-based methods) in the context of legal diversification; and (iii) offer balance boundaries between reinforcing relevant documents or sampling the information space around the legal query.
Trapezoidal Cantilevers with Irregular Cross-Sections for Energy Harvesting Systems
Authors: Čeponis Andrius , Mažeika Dalius , Bakanauskas Vytautas
Published: January 2017

The results of numerical and experimental investigation of trapezoidal cantilevers with irregular cross-sections are presented in this paper. Modifications of the cross-section were made in order to increase strain and improve its distribution in the piezo ceramic layer of a cantilever. The proposed modifications allowed improving the energy conversion coefficient and increasing the power density. The numerical investigation revealed that modifications have a positive influence on strain and its distribution characteristics. Moreover, the electrical characteristics of piezoelectric cantilevers were investigated by employing a numerical model. The analysis of the results revealed that modifications of the cross-section have positively affected the electrical outputs of the cantilevers. The results of the numerical investigation were validated by experimental investigation. Experimental investigation showed that output voltage density was increased by 9.9%, output current density by 6.9% and power density by more than three-times compared with a conventional cantilever.
Pediatric Mortality in a Rural Tertiary Care Center in Liberia
Authors: Tsai Carmelle , Walters Camila , Sampson John , Kateh Francis , Chang Mary
Published: January 2017

Liberia is a low‐income country in West Africa that has faced significant challenges, including a civil war and the recent Ebola epidemic. Little data exists on the more current post‐war and pre‐Ebola trends of child health in Liberia in the rural setting. This study is a retrospective chart review of pediatric mortality in 2013 at a rural tertiary care center in Liberia, 10 years post‐war. From January 2013 to December 2013, there were 50 pediatric deaths, or 5.4% of the 920 total pediatric admissions. The most common cause of neonatal death was sepsis, and the most common cause of death under five years of age was malaria. The majority (82.0%) of the deaths were in children under five. Pediatric mortality at this hospital was similar to other reported mortality six years post‐war, and lower than that reported immediately post‐war. Neonatal sepsis and malaria are two significant causes of pediatric mortality in this community and, therefore, further efforts to decrease childhood mortality should focus on these causes.
Reversed Crystal Growth of Calcite in Naturally Occurring Travertine Crust
Authors: Greer Heather , Zhou Wuzong , Guo Li
Published: January 2017

A microstructural investigation by electron microscopy on a travertine specimen collected from Munigou National Park, Sichuan Province, China revealed evidence of a non-classical reversed crystal growth route previously only discovered in synthetic materials. Examination of the travertine specimen suggests that the presence of organic matter initiates the oriented aggregation of calcite nanocrystallites. Surface re-crystallisation of the aggregates leads to a single crystalline rhombohedral shell with a polycrystalline core. This core-shell structure carries a strong resemblance to synthetic calcite prepared in the presence of chitosan, where the growth of calcite was found to follow the so-called reversed crystal growth process. It is proposed that the similar roles of biomolecules in naturally occurring travertine and chitosan in the synthetic system are based on their isoelectric points and the polymerizable property of long chain chemical structures. This study is important so that the structural similarities between naturally occurring biominerals and biomimetic materials can be further understood.
The Second Law: From Carnot to Thomson-Clausius, to the Theory of Exergy, and to the Entropy-Growth Potential Principle
Authors: Wang Lin-Shu
Published: January 2017

At its origins, thermodynamics was the study of heat and engines. Carnot transformed it into a scientific discipline by explaining engine power in terms of transfer of “caloric”. That idea became the second law of thermodynamics when Thomson and Clausius reconciled Carnot’s theory with Joule’s conflicting thesis that power was derived from the consumption of heat, which was determined to be a form of energy. Eventually, Clausius formulated the 2nd-law as the universal entropy growth principle: the synthesis of transfer vs. consumption led to what became known as the mechanical theory of heat (MTH). However, by making universal-interconvertibility the cornerstone of MTH their synthesis-project was a defective one, which precluded MTH from developing the full expression of the second law. This paper reiterates that universal-interconvertibility is demonstrably false—as the case has been made by many others—by clarifying the true meaning of the mechanical equivalent of heat. And, presents a two-part formulation of the second law: universal entropy growth principle as well as a new principle that no change in Nature happens without entropy growth potential. With the new principle as its cornerstone replacing universal-interconvertibility, thermodynamics transcends the defective MTH and becomes a coherent conceptual system.
Forecasting Models of Electricity Prices
Authors: Contreras Javier
Published: January 2017

This book contains the successful invited submissions [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11] to a Special Issue of Energies on the subject area of “Forecasting Models of Electricity Prices”.
Natural Regeneration in a Multi-Layered Pinus sylvestris-Picea abies Forest after Target Diameter Harvest and Soil Scarification
Authors: Drössler Lars , Fahlvik Nils , Wysocka Natalia , Hjelm Karin , Kuehne Christian
Published: January 2017

Forest management in Sweden can be characterized by even-aged silviculture heavily relying on three established harvest regimes: clearcutting, the seed-tree method, and the shelterwood system. Less intense, small-scale retention harvest systems such as single tree and group selection harvest are rarely used. In addition, natural regeneration dynamics without enrichment planting have barely been studied. Consequently, this study examined natural regeneration establishment in a multi-layered Pinus sylvestris-Picea abies forest stand in southwest Sweden after target diameter harvesting and soil scarification. The creation of forest canopy gaps had a positive effect on total seedling density five years after harvest, mainly due to a significantly higher number of Betula pendula individuals. Seedling density of more desirable tree species suitable for continuous cover forestry such as Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea and Picea abies also increased substantially in gaps when compared to pre-harvest conditions or the unharvested plots. In contrast, soil scarification did not increase the number of seedlings of desired tree species due to a significant decrease in Picea abies abundance. Soil moisture and gap size significantly improved Betula pendula seedling establishment while a larger number of Quercus petraea seedlings were observed in Vaccinium myrtillus patches. We conclude that canopy gaps are beneficial under the encountered stand conditions to initiate forest regeneration, and that soil scarification without the timely occurrence of a mast year of desired tree species is not effective in the type of forest studied.
Spatial Upscaling of Soil Respiration under a Complex Canopy Structure in an Old‐Growth Deciduous Forest, Central Japan
Authors: Suchewaboripont Vilanee , Ando Masaki , Yoshitake Shinpei , Iimura Yasuo , Hirota Mitsuru , Ohtsuka Toshiyuki
Published: January 2017

The structural complexity, especially canopy and gap structure, of old‐growth forests affects the spatial variation of soil respiration (Rs). Without considering this variation, the upscaling of Rs from field measurements to the forest site will be biased. The present study examined responses of Rs to soil temperature (Ts) and water content (W) in canopy and gap areas, developed the best fit modelof Rs and used the unique spatial patterns of Rs and crown closure to upscale chamber measurements to the site scale in an old‐growth beech‐oak forest. Rs increased with an increase in Ts in both gap and canopy areas, but the effect of W on Rs was different between the two areas. The generalized linear model (GLM) analysis identified that an empirical model of Rs with thecoupling of Ts and W was better than an exponential model of Rs with only Ts. Moreover, because of different responses of Rs to W between canopy and gap areas, it was necessary to estimate Rs in these areas separately. Consequently, combining the spatial patterns of Rs and the crown closure could allow upscaling of Rs from chamber‐based measurements to the whole site in the present study.
General Population Knowledge about Extreme Heat: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Lisbon and Madrid
Authors: Gil Cuesta Julita , Van Loenhout Joris , Colaço Maria , Guha-Sapir Debarati
Published: January 2017

Extreme heat is associated with an increased mortality and morbidity. National heat plans have been implemented to minimize the effect of extreme heat. The population’s awareness and knowledge of national heat plans and extreme heat is essential to improve the community’s behavior and adaptation. A general population survey was conducted in Lisbon and in Madrid to assess this knowledge. We used a questionnaire to interview passers-by. Results were compared between Lisbon and Madrid and between locals and foreigners, using Pearson Chi-square tests and Fisher's exact test. We conducted 260 interviews in six locations of different socio-economic backgrounds in each city. The most frequently mentioned extreme heat-related risk groups were the elderly (79.2%), children (49.6%) and babies (21.5%). The most frequently reported protective measures were increased fluid intake (73.1%) and avoiding exposure to the sun (50.8%). Knowledge about the heat plan was higher in Lisbon (37.2%) than in Madrid (25.2%) (p-value = 0.03). Foreigners had less knowledge of risk groups compared to locals. Heat plans were not widely known in Madrid and Lisbon. Nonetheless, knowledge of practical concepts to face extreme heat, such as certain risk groups and protective measures, was found. Our results were similar to comparable surveys where specific respondents’ groups were identified as less knowledgeable. This highlighted the importance of addressing these groups when communicating public health messages on heat. Foreigners should be specifically targeted to increase their awareness.
25-Hydroxyvitamin D Status and Risk for Colorectal Cancer and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Epidemiological Studies
Authors: Ekmekcioglu Cem , Haluza Daniela , Kundi Michael
Published: January 2017

Epidemiological evidence suggests an association between low vitamin D status and risk for various outcomes including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Analyzing serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] is the most established means to evaluate an individual’s vitamin D status. However, cutoff values for 25(OH)D insufficiency as well as for optimal 25(OH)D levels are controversial. This systematic review critically summarizes the epidemiological evidence regarding 25(OH)D levels and the risk for colorectal cancer and T2DM. The meta-analytical calculation revealed a pooled relative risk (RR) of 0.62 (CI 0.56–0.70; I2 = 14.7%) for colorectal cancer and an RR of 0.66 (CI 0.61–0.73; I2 = 38.6%) for T2DM when comparing individuals with the highest category of 25(OH)D with those in the lowest. A dose–response analysis showed an inverse association between 25(OH)D levels and RR for both outcomes up to concentrations of about 55 ng/mL for colorectal cancer and about 65 ng/mL for T2DM. At still higher 25(OH)D levels the RR increases slightly, consistent with a U-shaped association. In conclusion, a higher 25(OH)D status is associated with a lower risk for colorectal cancer and T2DM; however, this advantage is gradually lost as levels increase beyond 50–60 ng/mL.
Migration and Health in the Construction Industry: Culturally Centering Voices of Bangladeshi Workers in Singapore
Authors: Dutta Mohan
Published: January 2017

Construction workers globally face disproportionate threats to health and wellbeing, constituted by the nature of the work they perform. The workplace fatalities and lost-time injuries experienced by construction workers are significantly greater than in other forms of work. This paper draws on the culture-centered approach (CCA) to dialogically articulate meanings of workplace risks and injuries, voiced by Bangladeshi migrant construction workers in Singapore. The narratives voiced by the participants suggest an ecological approach to workplace injuries in the construction industries, attending to food insecurity, lack of sleep, transportation, etc. as contextual features of work that shape the risks experienced at work. Moreover, participant voices point to the barriers in communication, lack of understanding, and experiences of incivility as features of work that constitute the ways in which they experience injury risks. The overarching discourses of productivity and efficiency constitute a broader climate of threats to worker safety and health.
Toward a More Sustainable Trajectory for E-Waste Policy: A Review of a Decade of E-Waste Research in Accra, Ghana
Authors: Daum Kurt , Stoler Justin , Grant Richard
Published: January 2017

Global flows of e-waste from the Global North to the Global South continue to damage local environments and harm human health. Weak e-waste regulations and limited use of safety measures for e-waste workers in Accra, Ghana, foster an exploitative environment within the industry, and pose health risks for those working and living near e-waste processing sites. This paper presents an integrated review of over 40 e-waste studies specific to Accra, with particular emphasis on the well-studied e-waste processing site in Agbogbloshie, and synthesizes the existing research base across interdisciplinary themes of human health, environmental health, globalization, trade and informalization, and public policy. Despite significant international attention to Accra’s e-waste problem, loopholes within international environmental regulations and treaties provide few incentives and resources for Ghana to strengthen protections for human and environmental health. After a decade of e-waste research in Accra, the crisis continues to intensify; we present a renewed vision for sustainable e-waste policy reform in Ghana and beyond.
Comprehensive Analysis of Rice Laccase Gene (OsLAC) Family and Ectopic Expression of OsLAC10 Enhances Tolerance to Copper Stress in Arabidopsis
Authors: Liu Qingquan , Luo Le , Wang Xiaoxiao , Shen Zhenguo , Zheng Luqing
Published: January 2017

Laccases are encoded by a multigene family and widely distributed in plant genomes where they play roles oxidizing monolignols to produce higher-order lignin involved in plant development and stress responses. We identified 30 laccase genes (OsLACs) from rice, which can be divided into five subfamilies, mostly expressed during early development of the endosperm, growing roots, and stems. OsLACs can be induced by hormones, salt, drought, and heavy metals stresses. The expression level of OsLAC10 increased 1200-fold after treatment with 20 μM Cu for 12 h. The laccase activities of OsLAC10 were confirmed in an Escherichia coli expression system. Lignin accumulation increased in the roots of Arabidopsis over-expressing OsLAC10 (OsLAC10-OX) compared to wild-type controls. After growth on 1/2 Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium containing toxic levels of Cu for seven days, roots of the OsLAC10-OX lines were significantly longer than those of the wild type. Compared to control plants, the Cu concentration decreased significantly in roots of the OsLAC10-OX line under hydroponic conditions. These results provided insights into the evolutionary expansion and functional divergence of OsLAC family. In addition, OsLAC10 is likely involved in lignin biosynthesis, and reduces the uptake of Cu into roots required for Arabidopsis to develop tolerance to Cu.
Circulating Cell Free Tumor DNA Detection as a Routine Tool forLung Cancer Patient Management
Authors: Vendrell Julie , Mau-Them Frédéric , Béganton Benoît , Godreuil Sylvain , Coopman Peter , Solassol Jérôme
Published: January 2017

Circulating tumoral DNA (ctDNA), commonly named “liquid biopsy”, has emerged as a new promising noninvasive tool to detect biomarker in several cancers including lung cancer. Applications involving molecular analysis of ctDNA in lung cancer have increased and encompass diagnosis, response to treatment, acquired resistance and prognosis prediction, while bypassing the problem of tumor heterogeneity. ctDNA may then help perform dynamic genetic surveillance in the era of precision medicine through indirect tumoral genomic information determination. The aims of this review were to examine the recent technical developments that allowed the detection of genetic alterations of ctDNA in lung cancer. Furthermore, we explored clinical applications in patients with lung cancer including treatment efficiency monitoring, acquired therapy resistance mechanisms and prognosis value.
Dimethyl Fumarate Therapy Significantly Improves the Responsiveness of T Cells in Multiple Sclerosis Patients for Immunoregulation by Regulatory T Cells
Authors: Schlöder Janine , Berges Carsten , Luessi Felix , Jonuleit Helmut
Published: January 2017

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease caused by an insufficient suppression of autoreactive T lymphocytes. One reason for the lack of immunological control is the reduced responsiveness of T effector cells (Teff) for the suppressive properties of regulatory T cells (Treg), a process termed Treg resistance. Here we investigated whether the disease-modifying therapy of relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) with dimethyl fumarate (DMF) influences the sensitivity of T cells in the peripheral blood of patients towards Treg-mediated suppression. We demonstrated that DMF restores responsiveness of Teff to the suppressive function of Treg in vitro, presumably by down-regulation of interleukin-6R (IL-6R) expression on T cells. Transfer of human immune cells into immunodeficient mice resulted in a lethal graft-versus-host reaction triggered by human CD4+ Teff. This systemic inflammation can be prevented by activated Treg after transfer of immune cells from DMF-treated MS patients, but not after injection of Treg-resistant Teff from therapy-naïve MS patients. Furthermore, after DMF therapy, proliferation and expansion of T cells and the immigration into the spleen of the animals is reduced and modulated by activated Treg. In summary, our data reveals that DMF therapy significantly improves the responsiveness of Teff in MS patients to immunoregulation.
Development and Long-Term Stability of a Novel Microbial Fuel Cell BOD Sensor with MnO2 Catalyst
Authors: Kharkwal Shailesh , Tan Yi , Lu Min , Ng How
Published: January 2017

A novel microbial fuel cell (MFC)-based biosensor was designed for continuous monitoring of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in real wastewater. To lower the material cost, manganese dioxide (MnO2) was tested as an innovative cathode catalyst for oxygen reduction in a single chamber air-cathode MFC, and two different crystalline structures obtained during synthesis of MnO2 (namely β- and γ-MnO2) were compared. The BOD sensor was studied in a comprehensive way, using both sodium acetate solution and real domestic wastewater (DWW). The optimal performance of the sensor was obtained with a β-MnO2 catalyst, with R2 values of 0.99 and 0.98 using sodium acetate solution and DWW, respectively. The BOD values predicted by the β-MnO2 biosensor for DWW were in agreement with the BOD5 values, determined according to standard methods, with slight variations in the range from 3% to 12%. Finally, the long-term stability of the BOD biosensor was evaluated over 1.5 years. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an MFC BOD sensor using an MnO2 catalyst at the cathode; the feasibility of using a low-cost catalyst in an MFC for online measurement of BOD in real wastewater broadens the scope of applications for such devices.