bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Limb and Trunk Mechanisms for Balance Control during Locomotion in Quadrupeds
Authors: Musienko Pavel E. , Deliagina Tatiana G. , Gerasimenko Yury P. , Orlovsky Grigori N. , Zelenin Pavel V.
Published: April 2014

In quadrupeds, the most critical aspect of postural control during locomotion is lateral stability. However, neural mechanisms underlying lateral stability are poorly understood. Here, we studied lateral stability in decerebrate cats walking on a treadmill with their hindlimbs. Two destabilizing factors were used: a brief lateral push of the cat and a sustained lateral tilt of the treadmill. It was found that the push caused considerable trunk bending and twisting, as well as changes in the stepping pattern, but did not lead to falling. Due to postural reactions, locomotion with normal body configuration was restored in a few steps. It was also found that the decerebrate cat could keep balance during locomotion on the laterally tilted treadmill. This postural adaptation was based on the transformation of the symmetrical locomotor pattern into an asymmetrical one, with different functional lengths of the right and left limbs. Then, we analyzed limb and trunk neural mechanisms contributing to postural control during locomotion. It was found that one of the limb mechanisms operates in the transfer phase and secures a standard (relative to the trunk) position for limb landing. Two other limb mechanisms operate in the stance phase; they counteract distortions of the locomotor pattern by regulating the limb stiffness. The trunk configuration mechanism controls the body shape on the basis of sensory information coming from trunk afferents. We suggest that postural reactions generated by these four mechanisms are integrated, thus forming a response of the whole system to perturbation of balance during locomotion.
Dynamic Neural Correlates of Motor Error Monitoring and Adaptation during Trial-to-Trial Learning
Authors: Tan Huiling , Jenkinson Ned , Brown Peter
Published: April 2014

A basic EEG feature upon voluntary movements in healthy human subjects is a β (13–30 Hz) band desynchronization followed by a postmovement event-related synchronization (ERS) over contralateral sensorimotor cortex. The functional implications of these changes remain unclear. We hypothesized that, because β ERS follows movement, it may reflect the degree of error in that movement, and the salience of that error to the task at hand. As such, the signal might underpin trial-to-trial modifications of the internal model that informs future movements. To test this hypothesis, EEG was recorded in healthy subjects while they moved a joystick-controlled cursor to visual targets on a computer screen, with different rotational perturbations applied between the joystick and cursor. We observed consistently lower β ERS in trials with large error, even when other possible motor confounds, such as reaction time, movement duration, and path length, were controlled, regardless of whether the perturbation was random or constant. There was a negative trial-to-trial correlation between the size of the absolute initial angular error and the amplitude of the β ERS, and this negative correlation was enhanced when other contextual information about the behavioral salience of the angular error, namely, the bias and variance of errors in previous trials, was additionally considered. These same features also had an impact on the behavioral performance. The findings suggest that the β ERS reflects neural processes that evaluate motor error and do so in the context of the prior history of errors.
A Neural Code for Looming and Receding Motion Is Distributed over a Population of Electrosensory ON and OFF Contrast Cells
Authors: Clarke Stephen E. , Longtin André , Maler Leonard
Published: April 2014

Object saliency is based on the relative local-to-background contrast in the physical signals that underlie perceptual experience. As such, contrast-detecting neurons (ON/OFF cells) are found in many sensory systems, responding respectively to increased or decreased intensity within their receptive field centers. This differential sensitivity suggests that ON and OFF cells initiate segregated streams of information for positive and negative sensory contrast. However, while recordingin vivofrom the ON and OFF cells ofApteronotus leptorhynchus, we report that the reversal of stimulus motion triggers paradoxical responses to electrosensory contrast. By considering the instantaneous firing rates of both ON and OFF cell populations, a bidirectionally symmetric representation of motion is achieved for both positive and negative contrast stimuli. Whereas the firing rates of the individual contrast detecting neurons convey scalar information, such as object distance, it is their sequential activation over longer timescales that track changes in the direction of movement.
TMS-EEG Signatures of GABAergic Neurotransmission in the Human Cortex
Authors: Premoli Isabella , Castellanos Nazareth , Rivolta Davide , Belardinelli Paolo , Bajo Ricardo , Zipser Carl , Espenhahn Svenja , Heidegger Tonio , Müller-Dahlhaus Florian , Ziemann Ulf
Published: April 2014

Combining transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalography (EEG) constitutes a powerful tool to directly assess human cortical excitability and connectivity. TMS of the primary motor cortex elicits a sequence of TMS-evoked EEG potentials (TEPs). It is thought that inhibitory neurotransmission through GABA-A receptors (GABAAR) modulates early TEPs (<50 ms after TMS), whereas GABA-B receptors (GABABR) play a role for later TEPs (at ∼100 ms after TMS). However, the physiological underpinnings of TEPs have not been clearly elucidated yet. Here, we studied the role of GABAA/B-ergic neurotransmission for TEPs in healthy subjects using a pharmaco-TMS-EEG approach. In Experiment 1, we tested the effects of a single oral dose of alprazolam (a classical benzodiazepine acting as allosteric-positive modulator at α1, α2, α3, and α5 subunit-containing GABAARs) and zolpidem (a positive modulator mainly at the α1 GABAAR) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. In Experiment 2, we tested the influence of baclofen (a GABABR agonist) and diazepam (a classical benzodiazepine) versus placebo on TEPs. Alprazolam and diazepam increased the amplitude of the negative potential at 45 ms after stimulation (N45) and decreased the negative component at 100 ms (N100), whereas zolpidem increased the N45 only. In contrast, baclofen specifically increased the N100 amplitude. These results provide strong evidence that the N45 represents activity of α1-subunit-containing GABAARs, whereas the N100 represents activity of GABABRs. Findings open a novel window of opportunity to study alteration of GABAA-/GABAB-related inhibition in disorders, such as epilepsy or schizophrenia.
Neural Mechanisms of Gain–Loss Asymmetry in Temporal Discounting
Authors: Tanaka Saori C. , Yamada Katsunori , Yoneda Hiroyasu , Ohtake Fumio
Published: April 2014

Humans typically discount future gains more than losses. This phenomenon is referred to as the “sign effect” in experimental and behavioral economics. Although recent studies have reported associations between the sign effect and important social problems, such as obesity and incurring multiple debts, the biological basis for this phenomenon remains poorly understood. Here, we hypothesized that enhanced loss-related neural processing in magnitude and/or delay representation are causes of the sign effect. We examined participants performing intertemporal choice tasks involving future gains or losses and compared the brain activity of those who exhibited the sign effect and those who did not. When predicting future losses, significant differences were apparent between the two participant groups in terms of striatal activity representing delay length and in insular activity representing sensitivity to magnitude. Furthermore, participants with the sign effect exhibited a greater insular response to the magnitude of loss than to that of gain, and also a greater striatal response to the delay of loss than to that of gain. These findings may provide a new biological perspective for the development of novel treatments and preventive measures for social problems associated with the sign effect.
Vocal Generalization Depends on Gesture Identity and Sequence
Authors: Hoffmann Lukas A. , Sober Samuel J.
Published: April 2014

Generalization, the brain's ability to transfer motor learning from one context to another, occurs in a wide range of complex behaviors. However, the rules of generalization in vocal behavior are poorly understood, and it is unknown how vocal learning generalizes across an animal's entire repertoire of natural vocalizations and sequences. Here, we asked whether generalization occurs in a nonhuman vocal learner and quantified its properties. We hypothesized that adaptive error correction of a vocal gesture produced in one sequence would generalize to the same gesture produced in other sequences. To test our hypothesis, we manipulated the fundamental frequency (pitch) of auditory feedback in Bengalese finches (Lonchura striata var. domestica) to create sensory errors during vocal gestures (song syllables) produced in particular sequences. As hypothesized, error-corrective learning on pitch-shifted vocal gestures generalized to the same gestures produced in other sequential contexts. Surprisingly, generalization magnitude depended strongly on sequential distance from the pitch-shifted syllables, with greater adaptation for gestures produced near to the pitch-shifted syllable. A further unexpected result was that nonshifted syllables changed their pitch in the direction opposite from the shifted syllables. This apparently antiadaptive pattern of generalization could not be explained by correlations between generalization and the acoustic similarity to the pitch-shifted syllable. These findings therefore suggest that generalization depends on the type of vocal gesture and its sequential context relative to other gestures and may reflect an advantageous strategy for vocal learning and maintenance.
Assessment of the Genotoxicity of 1,2‐Dichloropropane and Dichloromethane after Individual and Co‐exposure by Inhalation in Mice
Authors: Suzuki Tetsuya , Yanagiba Yukie , Suda Megumi , Wang Rui‐Sheng
Published: April 2014

Assessment of the Genotoxicity of 1,2‐Dichloropropane and Dichloromethane after Individual and Co‐exposure by Inhalation in Mice: Tetsuya SUZUKI, et al. Division of Health Effects Research, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health—

Objective

Occurrence of cholangiocarcinoma was recently reported at a high incidence rate among the employees working for an offset printing company in Osaka, Japan. 1,2‐Dichloropropane (1,2‐DCP) and dichloromethane (DCM) are suspected to be the causes of the cancer, as they had been used as ink cleaners in large amounts. However, it is not clear whether these chlorinated organic solvents played a role in the occurrence of cholangiocarcinoma or why the incidence rate is so high among the workers in this industry. To provide possible evidence for this severe occupational problem, we investigated the genotoxic effects of 1,2‐DCP and DCM.

Methods

Male B6C3F1 and gpt Delta C57BL/6J mice were exposed by inhalation to the individual solvents or both solvents at multiple concentrations including the levels that were possibly present in the workplaces. The genotoxicity was analyzed by Pig‐a gene mutation and micronuclei assays in peripheral blood and gpt mutation and comet assays in the livers of mice after repeated inhalation of 1,2‐DCP or/and DCM.

Results

The Pig‐a mutant frequencies and micronuclei incidences were not significantly increased by exposure of either 1,2‐DCP or/and DCM at any concentration, suggesting there was no genotoxic potential in bone marrow for both solvents. In the liver, DNA damage, as measured by the comet assay, was dose dependently increased by 1,2‐DCP but not by DCM. The gpt mutant frequency was 2.6‐fold that of the controls in the co‐exposure group.

Conclusions

These results indicate that 1,2‐DCP showed stronger genotoxicity in the liver and that the genotoxic effects were greatly enhanced by simultaneous exposure to DCM.
Lignina em espumas fenólicas
Authors: Carvalho Gil de , Frollini Elisabete
Published: April 2014

A lignina extraída do bagaço de cana de açúcar pode substituir parcialmente o fenol na preparação de resinas fenólicas. Este trabalho aborda a aplicação de pré-polímero resólico, sendo que o fenol foi parcialmente substituído por lignina (25%, massa lignina/massa fenol ), visando a obtenção de material com características de plástico celular. No presente trabalho descreve-se a caracterização das espumas obtidas por microscopia eletrônica de varredura, conteúdo de células fechadas, densidade aparente, resistência à compressão e dureza. A espuma lignina-fenol-formaldeído apresentou propriedades mecânicas consideravelmente superiores àquelas da espuma fenólica convencional, caracterizando-se como uma espuma estrutural, com características de isolante térmico.
Visualising the environmental conditions of buildings
Authors: Patlakas Panagiotis , Santacruz Habid Becerra , Altan Hasim
Published: April 2014

This paper describes a software application that visualises environmental data from post-occupancy evaluation surveys. Such surveys are increasingly common but the data are rarely meaningful to non-experts. The software aims to address this by providing static and dynamic visualisation of data in a building context. The paper provides the rationale for the software and technical information with regard to its development. It describes the software's use in three projects: a small UK housing development, a large modular housing development in Mexico and a mixed-use university building in England. The paper concludes with future directions of the application and the potential for industry adoption on a larger scale.
Seeing is knowing: data exploration as a support to planning
Authors: Pensa Stefano , Masala Elena , Lami Isabella , Rosa Andrea
Published: April 2014

Planning and decision making on spatial issues is a complex process which deals with a large number of variables, interests and stakeholders. Interactive visualisation tools can help, enabling information to be shared using spatial data visualisation, also known as ‘geo-visualisation’. The idea is that interacting with data can improve users' knowledge and visualisation can increase intuitive perception, making them better equipped to evaluate alternative development options. The visual system presented in this paper works in both two and three dimensions, according to users' skills in interpreting images. It has been used in different applications, with diverse purposes and spatial scopes, showing its effectiveness in creating a common language among stakeholders and enabling discussions on spatial development.
Four-dimensional modelling on Tottenham Court Road station, London, UK
Authors: Li Yazhe , Stephens Jeff , Ryba Aleksandra
Published: April 2014

This paper describes the implementation of four-dimensional building information modelling and its associated visualisation benefits during construction of the £1 billion Tottenham Court Road station redevelopment project in central London. It explains how a construction model was developed from design models and then linked to the construction programme; and how the model was subsequently maintained during the construction stage and shared within the project team for coordination, planning, logistics, phasing and studies for specific areas.
Communicating flood risk through three-dimensional visualisation
Authors: Evans Sun Yan , Todd Mark , Baines Iain , Hunt Tim , Morrison Gillian
Published: April 2014

This paper reports on the creation of a three-dimensional visualisation of flooding in Exeter, UK, which was used to raise awareness of residual and future flood risk. It has proved to be a powerful tool in changing perceptions of flood risk without waiting for a real flood event to occur, resulting in it being trialled elsewhere in the UK. The paper discusses the data, procedures and techniques employed in creating the visualisation and how it was used to communicate flood risk issues to the general public using simulation and visualisation tools. It includes a summary of the feedback from both Exeter and the national extended trial, and explores the future application of three-dimensional flood visualisation in flood risk management.
Fine-grained traffic state estimation and visualisation
Authors: Box Simon , Chen Xiaoyu , Blainey Simon , Munro Stuart
Published: April 2014

Tools for visualising the current traffic state are used by local authorities for strategic monitoring of the traffic network and by everyday users for planning their journey. Popular visualisations include those provided by Google Maps and by Inrix. Both employ a traffic lights colour-coding system, where roads on a map are coloured green if traffic is flowing normally and red or black if there is congestion. New sensor technology, especially from wireless sources, is allowing resolution down to lane level. A case study is reported in which a traffic micro-simulation test bed is used to generate high-resolution estimates. An interactive visualisation of the fine-grained traffic state is presented. The visualisation is demonstrated using Google Earth and affords the user a detailed three-dimensional view of the traffic state down to lane level in real time.
Comparative Analysis of RC Irregular Buildings Designed According to Different Seismic Design Codes
Authors: Landingin Jaime , Rodrigues Hugo , Varum Humberto , Arêde António , Costa Aníbal
Published: April 2014

The present paper presents a comparison of seismic provisions of three seismic design codes, the Philippine
code, Eurocode 8 and the American code, to the most common ordinary residential frames of standard occupancy. Regular
and irregular reinforced concrete frames were analyzed and compared for four storey building types. The response
spectrum and the seismic parameters of NSCP 2010 were considered for the horizontal load action with different load
combinations. Response spectrum analysis and equivalent lateral force analysis were performed using SAP2000 software
package. Five representative columns for each RC frame structure were analyzed. Based on the results of column axial
load - bending moment interaction diagrams, EC8 was found to be conservative when compared to NSCP 2010 and 2009
IBC. The conclusion is that for the design and analysis of ordinary RC residential buildings with certain irregularity, EC8
provisions were considered to be safer.
Cost Analysis of Construction and Demolition Waste Management : Case Study of the Pearl River Delta of China
Authors: Liu Jingkuang , Wang Yousong
Published: April 2014

Currently, Construction and Demolition waste (C&D waste) is a worldwide issue that concerns not only the
construction management level of on-site managers but also the sustainable development of construction industry. In this
paper, detailed formulas are listed for calculating the costs of three typical kinds of disposal routes of C&D waste. They
are Landfill Disposal, Recycling and Reuse. Using the specific formulas, the costs of new construction project in the Pearl
River Delta Region of China are also estimated. The results of this study show: From 2010 to 2013, the Pearl River Delta
region costs about 87.91 yuan (1US$=6.12 yuan in September 2013) for landfill disposal of 1t(tone) C&D waste, from the
site collection management to landfill disposal; about 76.33 yuan for recycling of 1t C&D waste, from the site collection
management to the recycling treatment;
Prevalence and Risk Factors for Self-Neglect among Older Adults Living Alone in South Korea
Authors: Lee Minhong , Kim Kyeongmo
Published: April 2014

This study aimed to explore the prevalence of and risk factors for self-neglect among older adults who live alone. Data were obtained through face-to-face interview responses of 1,023 older adults living alone in a metropolitan area in South Korea, selected via stratified random sampling, which considered the population variables gender, age group, and district. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the prevalence of self-neglect, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify significant risk factors of self-neglect. At least 22.8% of the participants could be considered to have one form of elder self-neglect. Consistent with previous research, self-neglect was more prevalent in the older people living alone who had higher levels of depressive symptoms or a lack of family social support. Unexpectedly, self-neglect was more prevalent among respondents with higher levels of education and cognitive abilities, lower levels of medical comorbidities, and more children. Additionally, social networks of friends and use of social services (formal social support) did not affect the frequency of self-neglect. The findings have implications for gerontological practice and policy, especially for older people living alone in South Korea.
The Heterogeneous Course of Depressive Symptoms for the Dementia Caregiver
Authors: Ornstein Katherine , Gaugler Joseph E. , Zahodne Laura , Stern Yaakov
Published: April 2014

Caregiving may be burdensome to caregivers, negatively affecting health and impacting decisions to institutionalize patients. It is unclear how caregiver depression changes over longer periods or whether heterogeneous trajectories for caregivers are apparent. The goals of this article are to characterize the course of depressive symptoms among caregivers over time and to examine the impact of baseline patient and caregiver characteristics on these trajectories. Patients with dementia and their caregivers were followed every 6 months for up to 6 years or until death ( n = 133). Growth mixture modeling identified trajectories of caregiver depression over time. Most caregivers had stable trajectories of symptoms, with a smaller subset showing evidence of wear-and-tear. Patient clinical characteristics had no impact on symptom course for caregivers. Future work should utilize a longitudinal perspective and consider that there may be heterogeneous trajectories for caregivers. Those caregivers who follow a wear-and-tear trajectory may require targeted interventions to improve outcomes.
Upstream and Downstream Correlates of Older People's Engagement in Social Networks: What are Their Effects on Health over Time?
Authors: Stephens Christine , Noone Jack , Alpass Fiona
Published: April 2014

This study tested the effects of social network engagement and social support on the health of older people moving into retirement, using a model which includes social context variables. A prospective survey of a New Zealand population sample aged 54–70 at baseline ( N = 2,282) was used to assess the effects on mental and physical health across time. A structural equation model assessed pathways from the social context variables through network engagement to social support and then to mental and physical health 2 years later. The proposed model of effects on mental health was supported when gender, economic living standards, and ethnicity were included along with the direct effects of these variables on social support. These findings confirm the importance of taking social context variables into account when considering social support networks. Social engagement appears to be an important aspect of social network functioning which could be investigated further.
The Effect of Image Features on the Activation of Archetypes
Authors: Kalnova Svetlana S. , Hamilton Mark A.
Published: April 2014

Viewers ( N = 312) were randomly assigned to rate one of three sets of 10 symbolic images ( M = 30). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis reduced 57 evaluative items down to eight archetypes, a factor-structure that replicated across the three sets of images. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis reduced 30 images down to four belief structures, factors that replicated across the eight archetypes. Correspondence analysis was used to map the images and items upon two dimensions of orienting that assessed relevance. The two dimensions of orienting were spatial focus and event focus. The spatial focus dimension consists of a self-to-environment continuum. The event focus dimension consists of an avoid-to-approach continuum.
Factors of Home Dream Recall and Nightmare Frequency in a Non-Student Sample
Authors: Schredl Michael , Erlacher Daniel , Reiner Miriam , Woll Alexander
Published: April 2014

Home dream recall frequencies and nightmare frequencies show great inter-individual differences. Most of the studies trying to explain these differences, however, studied young participants, so these findings might not be true for persons older than 25 years. The present study investigated the relationship between dream recall, nightmare frequency, age, gender, sleep parameters, stress, and subjective health in a community-based sample ( N = 455) with a mean age of about 55 years. Some of the factors that have been shown to be associated with dream recall and nightmare frequency were also associated with these variables in non-student sample like frequency of nocturnal awakenings, current stress, and tiredness during the day. We were not able to replicate the effect of sex-role orientation on dream recall and nightmare frequency, supporting the idea that age might mediate the effect of daytime variables on dream recall and nightmare frequency. As nightmare frequency was related to sleep quality, stress, health problems, and tiredness during the day, it would be desirable that clinicians include a question about nightmares in their anamneses.
Public Integrity, Private Hypocrisy, and the Moral Licensing Effect
Authors: Greene Meredith , Low Kathryn
Published: April 2014

Researchers indicate that there are moral regulatory patterns in human behavior, such that individuals feel licensed to act unethically after establishing moral credentials and feel a need to compensate morally after committing transgressions. In the present study we examined how public
or private context influences subsequent licensing and compensatory behavior. An online survey was administered to 99 undergraduates who were asked to recall moral credentials or deficits and then evaluate vignettes depicting public or private transgressions. Consistent with past research,
credentialed participants were significantly more likely to behave unethically than were participants with moral deficits. However, this licensing effect occurred only for private transgressions and was absent when behavior was public. Our findings suggest that prior establishment of credentials
and private context are both prerequisites to the moral licensing effect.
Group Laziness: The Effect of Social Loafing on Group Performance
Authors: Ying Xiangyu , Li Huanhuan , Jiang Shan , Peng Fei , Lin Zhongxin
Published: April 2014

Social loafing has been defined as a phenomenon in which people exhibit a sizable decrease in individual effort when performing in groups as compared to when they perform alone, and has been regarded as a state variable. In this study, we instead conceptualized social loafing as a habitual
response, given that many people have been found to be susceptible to social loafing in group tasks. We developed the self-reported Social Loafing Tendency Questionnaire (SLTQ) to measure individual variations in social loafing. In Study 1, the reliability and validity of the SLTQ were established
in a sample of college students. In Study 2, SLTQ scores significantly negatively predicted individual performance in the group task condition, but not in the individual task condition. Social loafing can also be considered a trait variable, as it was found to modulate group dynamics when
it was activated in a typical situation (i.e., being in a group).
Role Conflict and the Buffering Effect of Proactive Personality Among Middle Managers
Authors: Han Yulan , Wang Min , Dong Linping
Published: April 2014

Role conflict is typically present in boundary-spanning roles such as middle managers in organizations. We used conservation of resources (COR) theory (Hobfoll, 1989) as a basis for our examination of the impact of role conflict on middle managers' job satisfaction and work-related
anxiety, and the buffering effect of proactive personality. Participants comprised 245 middle managers. The results showed that more role conflict did not significantly lead to lower job satisfaction, but led to significantly higher work-related anxiety. We also found that proactive personality
significantly moderated the relationships between role conflict and the two outcome variables. Specifically, for more proactive middle managers, role conflict did not significantly influence either job satisfaction or work-related anxiety. However, for less proactive middle managers, more
role conflict led to significantly lower job satisfaction and higher work-related anxiety. This suggests that proactive personality can serve as a coping resource that buffers the dysfunctional effects of role conflict. Implications of the results and directions for future research are discussed.
Contextual Factors Affecting the Influence of Perceived Organizational Support on Team Innovative Performance
Authors: Jin Linlin , Zhong Yinghong
Published: April 2014

Organizational behavior researchers and social exchange theorists recognize the important role organizational context plays in team performance, yet few researchers have systematically examined contextual variables. We investigated 127 scientific research teams in universities in China,
and found that knowledge integration (KI) mediated the relationship between perceived organizational support and team innovative performance (TIP). We also found that climate for innovation and organizational context moderated the positive relationship between team KI behavior and TIP. Our
findings indicate that in the knowledge management process, it is important for scientific research teams within universities to build up an atmosphere of aspiration, openness, tolerance, and acceptance of differences.
Effect of seed quality on oxidative stability of cold-pressed sunflower oil
Authors: Dimic Etelka , Premovic Tamara , Takaci Aleksandar , Vujasinovic Vesna , Radocaj Olgica , Dimic Sanja
Published: April 2014

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of the storage
time, content of the husk and impurities in the seed mass on the oxidative
stability of the cold pressed sunflower oil. The oxidative stability of oil
was analyzed by the RSM (Response Surface Methodology), where the response
value (output) of the model was the content of oxidation products measured
via specific absorbance at 232 nm for conjugated dienes and 270 nm for
conjugated trienes. Analyses were performed on the fresh oil samples and oil
samples tempered under the Schaal-Oven?s test conditions (96 h at 63?2?C).
It was concluded that the seed storage time had significant impact on the
primary (A1%232nm) and secondary (A1%270nm) oil oxidation products, both
before (b1-p<0,001; b1-p=0,021) and after (b1-p=0,048; b1-p=0,033) the
heating of oil. The content of impurities and husks in the seeds used for
pressing also had an influence of the conjugated dienes and trienes contents
in both, fresh and heated oil samples. However, their impact was not
statistically significant. Interaction of seed storage time, the content of
impurities and husks also exert some effect on the values of these quality
parameters in the fresh oil as well as in the oil after the heat treatment,
even though their influence is not significant. The obtained results have
shown that the cold pressed sunflower oil had a good oxidative stability at
temperatures up to 63?2?C.
Thermodynamic solubility of piroxicam in propylene glycol + water mixtures at 298.2-323.2 K: Data report and modeling
Authors: Soltanpour Shahla , Bastami Zahra
Published: April 2014

The solubility of piroxicam (66 data points) in binary mixtures of propylene
glycol (PG) + water at six different temperatures which ranged from 298.2 K
to 323.2 K were reported. Three different cosolvency models; Yalkowsky,
Jouyban-Acree and combined version of the Jouyban-Acree model with van?t
Hoff approach, have been used for correlating the reported data. All the
analyses results show the acceptable range of the error percentages.
The effect of alumina nanofillers size and shape on mechanical behavior of PMMA matrix composite
Authors: Ben Hasan , Dimitrijevic Marija , Kojovic Aleksandar , Stojanovic Dusica , Obradovic-Djuricic Kosovka , Jancic-Heinemann Radmila , Aleksic Radoslav
Published: April 2014

Composites with the addition of alumina nanofillers show improvement in
mechanical properties. The PMMA polymer was used as a matrix and two
different types of nanofillers, having extremely different shapes were added
in the matrix to form the composite. Reinforcements were based on alumina
nanoparticles having either spherical shape or whiskers having the length to
diameter ratio of 100. The influence of alumina fillers size, shape and
fillers loading on mechanical properties of prepared composite were studied
using the nanoindentation measurements and dynamic mechanical analysis. It
was observed that both alumina whiskers and alumina spherical nanoparticles
added in the PMMA matrix improved the mechanical properties of the composite
but the improvement was significantly higher with alumina whisker
reinforcement. The concentration of the reinforcing alumina spherical
nanoparticles and alumina whiskers in PMMA matrix varied up to 5 wt. %. The
best performance was obtained by the addition of 3 wt. % of alumina whiskers
in the PMMA matrix with regard to mechanical properties of the obtained
composite.
Spectrophotometric and conductometric study of the complexation of N-salicylidene-2-aminophenol with Cu2+ in methanol + 1,4-dioxane binary solutions
Authors: Biswas Rashmidipta , Brahman Dhiraj , Sinha Biswajit
Published: April 2014

The complexation reaction between N-salicylidene-2-aminophenol, abbreviated
as SAP, with Cu2+ ion was studied in binary mixtures of methanol and
1,4-dioxane by using conductometric and spectrophotometric method at
different temperatures. The stability constants (Kf) for the 1:1 complex,
Cu2+-SAP, were calculated from computer fitting of absorbance and molar
conductance data against various mole ratios (cM:cL or cL:cM) in different
binary solvent mixtures. A non-linear behaviour was observed for the
variation of logKf for the complex against the solvent compositions. Various
thermodynamic parameters (?H, ?S and ?G) for the formation of Cu2+-SAP
complex were determined from the temperature dependence of stability
constants (Kf). The overall results showed that the complexation reaction is
entropy driven and is affected by the nature and composition of the mixed
solvents.
Obesity and Testosterone Levels in Ghanaian Men With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Asare-Anane Henry , Ofori Emmanuel , Agyemang Yeboah , Oppong Sylvester , Tagoe Emmanuel , Bani Simon , Ateku Richmond , Bawa Tijani
Published: April 2014

IN BRIEF

Testosterone plays a vital role in obesity, glucose homeostasis, and lipid metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate androgen levels and its association with obesity in Ghanaian men with type 2 diabetes. The study showed that serum total and free testosterone concentrations were lower in male patients with type 2 diabetes and that obesity was strongly associated with low levels of total and free testosterone in Ghanaian men with type 2 diabetes.
Clinical Considerations for Insulin Pharmacotherapy in Ambulatory Care, Part One: Introduction and Review of Current Products and Guidelines
Authors: Galdo John A. , Thurston Maria Miller , Bourg Catherine A.
Published: April 2014

IN BRIEF

This article describes available insulin products and published guidelines to aid clinicians in making treatment decisions for insulin-dependent patients with type 2 diabetes. It establishes the need for a thorough evaluation of the literature regarding ambulatory insulin dosing to further inform providers who manage insulin therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes.
Postoperative comparison of four perioperative analgesia protocols in dogs undergoing stifle joint surgery
Authors: Lewis Kerrie A. , Bednarski Richard M. , Aarnes Turi K. , Dyce Jonathan , Hubbell John A. E.
Published: April 2014

Objective—To compare 4 analgesic protocols in dogs undergoing stifle joint surgery.

Design—Randomized, blinded, prospective clinical trial.

Animals—48 client-owned dogs that underwent stifle joint surgery.

Procedures—Dogs undergoing tibial plateau leveling osteotomy were randomly assigned to receive a constant rate infusion of a combination of morphine, lidocaine, and ketamine; a lumbosacral epidural with morphine and ropivacaine; both treatments (ie, constant rate infusion and lumbosacral epidural); or only IM premedication with morphine. Indices of cardiorespiratory function and isoflurane requirement were recorded at 5-minute intervals during anesthesia. A validated sedation scoring system and the modified Glasgow composite measure pain score were used to assess comfort and sedation after surgery and anesthesia once the swallowing reflex returned and a body temperature of ≥ 36.7°C (98.1°F) was attained. Pain and sedation scores were acquired at 60-minute intervals for 4 hours, then at 4-hour intervals for 24 hours. Dogs with a postoperative pain score > 5 of 24 were given morphine as rescue analgesia.

Results—No differences in heart rate, respiratory rate, systolic arterial blood pressure, end-tidal Pco2, end-tidal isoflurane concentration, and vaporizer setting were detected among groups. No differences in pain score, sedation score, rescue analgesia requirement, or time to first rescue analgesia after surgery were detected.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Pain scores were similar among groups, and all 4 groups had similar rescue analgesia requirements and similar times to first administration of rescue analgesia. All 4 analgesic protocols provided acceptable analgesia for 24 hours after stifle joint surgery.
Agreement of serum feline pancreas–specific lipase and colorimetric lipase assays with pancreatic ultrasonographic findings in cats with suspicion of pancreatitis: 161 cases (2008–2012)
Authors: Oppliger Samuel , Hartnack Sonja , Reusch Claudia E. , Kook Peter H.
Published: April 2014

Objective—To investigate agreement of a feline pancreas–specific lipase assay and a colorimetric lipase assay with a 1,2-o-dilauryl-rac-glycero-3-glutaric acid-(6′-methylresorufin) ester (DGGR) substrate with results of pancreatic ultrasonography in cats with suspicion of pancreatitis.

Design—Retrospective case series.

Animals—161 client-owned cats with suspicion of pancreatitis.

Procedures—Feline pancreas–specific lipase concentration and DGGR lipase activity were measured from the same blood sample in cats undergoing investigation for pancreatitis, with < 24 hours between ultrasonography and lipase determinations. Ultrasonographic variables evaluated were ultrasonographic diagnosis of pancreatitis, enlargement, margins, echogenicity, mesenteric echogenicity, peripancreatic free fluid, cysts, masses, and common bile and pancreatic duct dilation. Agreement was assessed by use of the Cohen κ coefficient.

Results—Agreement between the lipase assays was substantial (κ = 0.703). An ultrasonographic diagnosis of pancreatitis had fair agreement with feline pancreas–specific lipase concentration > 5.4 μg/L (κ = 0.264) and DGGR lipase activity > 26 U/L (κ = 0.221). The greatest agreement between feline pancreas–specific lipase concentration > 5.4 μg/L and DGGR lipase activity > 26 U/L was found for a hypoechoic and mixed-echoic (κ = 0.270 and 0.266, respectively), hypoechoic (κ = 0.261 and 0.181, respectively), and enlarged (κ = 0.218 and 0.223, respectively) pancreas.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Agreement between pancreatic ultrasonography and lipase assay results was only fair. It remains unknown whether lipase results or pancreatic ultrasonography constitutes the more accurate test for diagnosing pancreatitis; therefore, results of both tests need to be interpreted with caution.
Modeling the risk of groundwater contamination using modified DRASTIC and GIS in Amman-Zerqa Basin, Jordan
Authors: Al-Rawabdeh Abdulla , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Al-Taani Ahmed , Al-Khateeb Fadi , Knutsson Sven
Published: April 2014

Amman-Zerqa Basin (AZB) is the second largest groundwater basin in Jordan with the highest abstraction rate, where more than 28% of total abstractions in Jordan come from this basin. In view of the extensive reliance on this basin, contamination of AZB groundwater became an alarming issue. This paper develops a Modified DRASTIC model by combining the generic DRASTIC model with land use activities and lineament density for the study area with a new model map that evaluates pollution potential of groundwater resources in AZB to various types of pollution. It involves the comparison of modified DRASTIC model that integrates nitrate loading along with other DRASTIC parameters. In addition, parameters to account for differences in land use and lineaments density were added to the DRASTIC model to reflect their influences on groundwater pollution potential. The DRASTIC model showed only 0.08% (3 km2) of the AZB is situated in the high vulnerability area and about 30% of the basin is located in the moderately vulnerable zone (mainly in central basin). After modifying the DRASTIC to account for lineament density, about 87% of the area was classified as having low pollution potential and no vulnerability class accounts for about 5.01% of the AZB area. The moderately susceptible zone covers 7.83% of the basin’s total area and the high vulnerability area constitutes 0.13%. The vulnerability map based on land use revealed that about 71% of the study area has low pollution potential and no vulnerability area accounts for about 0.55%, whereas moderate pollution potential zone covers an area of 28.35% and the high vulnerability class constitutes 0.11% of AZB. The final DRASTIC model which combined all DRASTIC models shows that slightly more than 89% of the study area falls under low pollution risk and about 6% is considered areas with no vulnerability. The moderate pollution risk potential covers an area of about 4% of AZB and the high vulnerability class constitutes 0.21% of the basin. The results also showed that an area of about 1761 km2 of bare soils is of low vulnerability, whereas about 28 km2 is moderately vulnerable. For agriculture and the urban sector, approximately 1472 km2 are located within the low vulnerability zone and about 144 km2 are moderately vulnerable, which together account for about 8% of the total agriculture and urban area. These areas are contaminated with human activities, particularly from the agriculture. Management of land use must be considered when changing human or agricultural activity patterns in the study area, to reduce groundwater vulnerability in the basin. The results also showed that the wells with the highest nitrate levels (81–107 mg/l) were located in high vulnerable areas and are attributed to leakage from old sewage water.
Neutron flux investigation on certain alternative fluids in a hybrid system by using MCNPX Monte Carlo transport code
Authors: Günay M.
Published: April 2014

In this study, the molten salt-heavy metal mixtures 93 – 85 % Li20Sn80 + 5 % SFG-PuO2 and 2 – 10 % UO2, 93 – 85 % Li20Sn80 + 5 % SFG-PuO2 and 2 – 10 % NpO2, 93 – 85 % Li20Sn80 + 5 % SFG-PuO2 and 2 – 10 % UCO were used as fluids. The fluids were used in the liquid first wall, blanket and shield zones of the designed hybrid reactor system. Four centimeter thick 9Cr2WVTa ferritic steel was used as the structural material. In this study, the effect of mixture components on the neutron flux was investigated in a designed fusion–fission hybrid reactor system. The neutron flux was investigated according to the mixture components, radial flux distribution and energy spectrum in the designed system. Three-dimensional analyses were performed using the most recent MCNPX-2.7.0 Monte Carlo radiation transport code and the ENDF/B-VII.0 nuclear data library.
Performance of two fluid model based numeric tool with pressure and enthalpy as independent variables for simulation of two phase flow in axial and radial direction
Authors: Gokhale O. S. , Puranik B. P.
Published: April 2014

Several numeric tools have been developed and reported in literature for simulation of two phase flow conditions. Most of the tools make use of the classical homogeneous equilibrium model of two phase flow which is reported to perform better under high pressure conditions with relatively small temperature gradients. System codes such as RELAP make use of two fluid model of two phase flow. Such system codes model the flow of two phases in one dimension in the axial direction. The provision of modeling flow in the direction perpendicular to the axial flow direction exists with the approximation of not considering the flux terms in the momentum equations in the perpendicular direction. This approach is reported to work well for situations with predominant single directional flows. To analyze certain situations with predominant flow in axial as well as radial directions a numeric tool (FLOW) has been developed. The approach employs the same momentum equation for axial as well as radial direction incorporating the flux terms in both directions. The pressure and the enthalpy of the fluid are used as independent variable in the formulation of the tool. The results are found to be in good agreement with 3D CFD simulations.
Morphology of basal crevasses at the grounding zone of Whillans Ice Stream, West Antarctica
Authors: Jacobel Robert W. , Christianson Knut , Wood Adam C. , Dallasanta Kevin J. , Gobel Rebecca M.
Published: April 2014

The transition from limited-slip conditions at the base of grounded ice to free-slip conditions beneath floating ice occurs across the few-kilometers-wide grounding zone. This region involves either an elastic flexural transition from bedrock to hydrostatically supported elevations (often tidally influenced), a transition from thicker to thinner ice over a flat bed, or some combination of these two processes. In either case, ice must flow across a changing stress field, often resulting in brittle deformation, manifested as basal crevassing. Thus the position and morphology of basal crevasses reveal important information about the stress state across this transition. Our gridded ground-based radar surveys on Whillans Ice Stream, West Antarctica, indicate a complex pattern of basal crevasses, but most are associated with regions where the surface elevation gradient is steepest. Due to the high reflectivity of sea water, we image many off-nadir crevasses from a corner-reflector geometry involving reflections from the ice/sea-water interface and then from the crevasse, producing echoes with an inverted phase that could be misinterpreted as subglacial returns. Our results indicate that basal crevasses offer a rich dataset for diagnosing stress state and salient processes across grounding zones, and that special care is needed when interpreting subglacial returns in radar data.