bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Forward Scattering and Volterra Renormalization for Acoustic Wavefield Propagation in Vertically Varying Media
Authors: Yao Jie , Lesage Anne-Cécile , Hussain Fazle , Kouri Donald J.
Published: July 2016

We extend the full wavefield modeling with forward scattering theory and Volterra Renormalization to a vertically varying two-parameter (velocity and density) acoustic medium. The forward scattering series, derived by applying Born-Neumann iterative procedure to the Lippmann-Schwinger equation (LSE), is a well known tool for modeling and imaging. However, it has limited convergence properties depending on the strength of contrast between the actual and reference medium or the angle of incidence of a plane wave component. Here, we introduce the Volterra renormalization technique to the LSE. The renormalized LSE and related Neumann series are absolutely convergent for any strength of perturbation and any incidence angle. The renormalized LSE can further be separated into two sub-Volterra type integral equations, which are then solved noniteratively. We apply the approach to velocity-only, density-only, and both velocity and density perturbations. We demonstrate that this Volterra Renormalization modeling is a promising and efficient method. In addition, it can also provide insight for developing a scattering theory-based direct inversion method.
An Improved Second-Order Finite-Volume Algorithm for Detached-Eddy Simulation Based on Hybrid Grids
Authors: Zhang Yang , Zhang Laiping , He Xin , Deng Xiaogang
Published: July 2016

A hybrid grid based second-order finite volume algorithm has been developed for Detached-Eddy Simulation (DES) of turbulent flows. To alleviate the effect caused by the numerical dissipation of the commonly used second order upwind schemes in implementing DES with unstructured computational fluid dynamics (CFD) algorithms, an improved second-order hybrid scheme is established through modifying the dissipation term of the standard Roe's flux-difference splitting scheme and the numerical dissipation of the scheme can be self-adapted according to the DES flow field information. By Fourier analysis, the dissipative and dispersive features of the new scheme are discussed. To validate the numerical method, DES formulations based on the two most popular background turbulence models, namely, the one equation Spalart-Allmaras (SA) turbulence model and the two equationk–ωShear Stress Transport model (SST), have been calibrated and tested with three typical numerical examples (decay of isotropic turbulence, NACA0021 airfoil at 60° incidence and 65° swept delta wing). Computational results indicate that the issue of numerical dissipation in implementing DES can be alleviated with the hybrid scheme, the resolution for turbulence structures is significantly improved and the corresponding solutions match the experimental data better. The results demonstrate the potentiality of the present DES solver for complex geometries.
In vitro Resistance Testing of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, and Tannerella forsythia to Triclosan
Authors: Farsi Deema J , Tanner Anne
Published: July 2016

Aim

To determine the sensitivity ofPorphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, andTannerella forsythiato triclosan, and determine if these bacteria develop resistance to triclosan upon prolonged exposure.

Materials and methods

Susceptibility to triclosan was tested against three periodontal pathogensP. gingivalis, P. intermedia, andT. forsythia. Escherichia colistrains sensitive and resistant to triclosan were used as biological controls to confirm the efficacy of triclosan in the assays. Agar plates were prepared locally with vitamin K and hemin-supplemented medium.

Results

Porphyromonas gingivalisandP. intermediadid not grow on plates containing ≥2 μg/ml triclosan, whileT. forsythiadid not grow on ≥1.66 μg/ml. Colonies of P. intermedia resistant to triclosan developed after prolonged incubation at 2 μg/ml, but this resistance disappeared during subculture in the absence of triclosan.

Conclusion

No significant resistance to triclosan was detected for these species.

Clinical significance

Dental products containing triclosan can be beneficial in controlling periodontal disease.

How to cite this article

Farsi D, Tanner A.In vitroResistance Testing ofPorphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, andTannerella forsythiato Triclosan. J Contemp Dent Pract 2016;17(4):282-285.
Tetracycline Sclerotherapy in the Management of Chyle Leak
Authors: Singh Madhumati , Vijayanand S , Amit B , Raman Ragesh , Narahari R
Published: July 2016

Chyle leak following neck dissection is a rare but recognized complication with significant morbidity. The timing, indications and treatment modalities of chylous fistula remain controversial. Sclerotherapy using tetracycline is not a much acclaimed form of treatment in the management of chylous fistula. We report a case of postoperative chylous leak successfully managed by injection of tetracycline into the supraclavicular wound bed.

How to cite this article

Singh M, Vijayanand S, Amit B, Raman R, Narahari R. Tetracycline Sclerotherapy in the Management of Chyle Leak. J Health Sci Res 2015;6(1):14-16.
HCOOH distributions from IASI for 2008–2014: comparison with ground-based
FTIR measurements and a global chemistry-transport model
Authors: Pommier Matthieu , Clerbaux Cathy , Coheur Pierre-François , Mahieu Emmanuel , Müller Jean-François , Paton-Walsh Clare , Stavrakou Trissevgeni , Vigouroux Corinne
Published: July 2016

Abstract. Formic acid (HCOOH) is one of the most abundant volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere. It is a major contributor to rain acidity in remote areas. There are, however, large uncertainties on the sources and sinks of HCOOH and therefore HCOOH is misrepresented by global chemistry-transport models. This work presents global distributions from 2008 to 2014 as derived from the measurements of the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), based on conversion factors between brightness temperature differences and representative retrieved total columns over seven regions: Northern Africa, southern Africa, Amazonia, Atlantic, Australia, Pacific, and Russia. The dependence of the measured HCOOH signal on the thermal contrast is taken into account in the conversion method. This conversion presents errors lower than 20 % for total columns ranging between 0.5 and 1 × 1016 molec cm−2 but reaches higher values, up to 78 %, for columns that are lower than 0.3 × 1016 molec cm−2. Signatures from biomass burning events are highlighted, such as in the Southern Hemisphere and in Russia, as well as biogenic emission sources, e.g., over the eastern USA. A comparison between 2008 and 2014 with ground-based Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) measurements obtained at four locations (Maido and Saint-Denis at La Réunion, Jungfraujoch, and Wollongong) is shown. Although IASI columns are found to correlate well with FTIR data, a large bias (> 100 %) is found over the two sites at La Réunion. A better agreement is found at Wollongong with a negligible bias. The comparison also highlights the difficulty of retrieving total columns from IASI measurements over mountainous regions such as Jungfraujoch. A comparison of the retrieved columns with the global chemistry-transport model IMAGESv2 is also presented, showing good representation of the seasonal and interannual cycles over America, Australia, Asia, and Siberia. A global model underestimation of the distribution and a misrepresentation of the seasonal cycle over India are also found. A small positive trend in the IASI columns is observed over Australia, Amazonia, and India over the 2008–2014 period (from 0.7 to 1.5 % year−1), while a decrease of ∼ 0.8 % year−1 is measured over Siberia.
Boundary-layer turbulent processes and mesoscale variability
represented by numerical weather prediction models during the BLLAST
campaign
Authors: Couvreux Fleur , Bazile Eric , Canut Guylaine , Seity Yann , Lothon Marie , Lohou Fabienne , Guichard Françoise , Nilsson Erik
Published: July 2016

Abstract. This study evaluates the ability of three operational models, with resolution varying from 2.5 to 16 km, to predict the boundary-layer turbulent processes and mesoscale variability observed during the Boundary Layer Late-Afternoon and Sunset Turbulence (BLLAST) field campaign. We analyse the representation of the vertical profiles of temperature and humidity and the time evolution of near-surface atmospheric variables and the radiative and turbulent fluxes over a total of 12 intensive observing periods (IOPs), each lasting 24 h. Special attention is paid to the evolution of the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), which was sampled by a combination of independent instruments. For the first time, this variable, a central one in the turbulence scheme used in AROME and ARPEGE, is evaluated with observations.In general, the 24 h forecasts succeed in reproducing the variability from one day to another in terms of cloud cover, temperature and boundary-layer depth. However, they exhibit some systematic biases, in particular a cold bias within the daytime boundary layer for all models. An overestimation of the sensible heat flux is noted for two points in ARPEGE and is found to be partly related to an inaccurate simplification of surface characteristics. AROME shows a moist bias within the daytime boundary layer, which is consistent with overestimated latent heat fluxes. ECMWF presents a dry bias at 2 m above the surface and also overestimates the sensible heat flux. The high-resolution model AROME resolves the vertical structures better, in particular the strong daytime inversion and the thin evening stable boundary layer. This model is also able to capture some specific observed features, such as the orographically driven subsidence and a well-defined maximum that arises during the evening of the water vapour mixing ratio in the upper part of the residual layer due to fine-scale advection. The model reproduces the order of magnitude of spatial variability observed at mesoscale (a few tens of kilometres). AROME provides a good simulation of the diurnal variability of the turbulent kinetic energy, while ARPEGE shows the right order of magnitude.
Characterization of anthropogenic methane plumes with the Hyperspectral
Thermal Emission Spectrometer (HyTES): a retrieval method and error analysis
Authors: Kuai Le , Worden John R. , Li King-Fai , Hulley Glynn C. , Hopkins Francesca M. , Miller Charles E. , Hook Simon J. , Duren Riley M. , Aubrey Andrew D.
Published: July 2016

Abstract. We introduce a retrieval algorithm to estimate lower tropospheric methane (CH4) concentrations from the surface to 1 km with uncertainty estimates using Hyperspectral Thermal Emission Spectrometer (HyTES) airborne radiance measurements. After resampling, retrievals have a spatial resolution of 6 × 6 m2. The total error from a single retrieval is approximately 20 %, with the uncertainties determined primarily by noise and spectral interferences from air temperature, surface emissivity, and atmospheric water vapor. We demonstrate retrievals for a HyTES flight line over storage tanks near Kern River Oil Field (KROF), Kern County, California, and find an extended plume structure in the set of observations with elevated methane concentrations (3.0 ± 0.6 to 6.0 ± 1.2 ppm), well above mean concentrations (1.8 ± 0.4 ppm) observed for this scene. With typically a 20 % estimated uncertainty, plume enhancements with more than 1 ppm are distinguishable from the background values with its uncertainty. HyTES retrievals are consistent with simultaneous airborne and ground-based in situ CH4 mole fraction measurements within the reported accuracy of approximately 0.2 ppm (or  ∼ 8 %), due to retrieval interferences related to air temperature, emissivity, and H2O.
Improved analysis of solar signals for differential reflectivity monitoring
Authors: Huuskonen Asko , Kurri Mikko , Holleman Iwan
Published: July 2016

Abstract. The method for the daily monitoring of the differential reflectivity bias for polarimetric weather radars is developed further. Improved quality control is applied to the solar signals detected during the operational scanning of the radar, which efficiently removes rain and clutter-contaminated gates occurring in the solar hits. The simultaneous reflectivity data are used as a proxy to determine which data points are to be removed. A number of analysis methods to determine the differential reflectivity bias are compared, and methods based on surface fitting are found superior to simple averaging. A separate fit to the reflectivity of the horizontal and vertical polarization channels is recommended because of stability. Separate fitting also provides, in addition to the differential reflectivity bias, the pointing difference of the polarization channels. Data from the Finnish weather radar network show that the pointing difference is less than 0.02° and that the differential reflectivity bias is stable and determined to better than 0.04 dB. The results are compared to those from measurements at vertical incidence, which allows us to determine the total differential reflectivity bias including the differential receiver bias and the transmitter bias.
Anaerobic methane oxidation in an East African great lake (Lake Kivu)
Authors: Roland Fleur A. E. , Darchambeau François , Morana Cédric , Crowe Sean A. , Thamdrup Bo , Borges Alberto V.
Published: July 2016

Abstract. This study investigates methane (CH4) oxidation in the water column of Lake Kivu, a deep meromictic tropical lake containing large quantities of CH4 in the anoxic deep waters. Depth profiles of dissolved gases (CH4 and nitrous oxide (N2O)) and of the different potential electron acceptors for anaerobic methane oxidation (AOM) (nitrate, sulfate, iron and manganese) were determined during six field campaigns between June 2011 and August 2014. Bacterial abundance all along the vertical profiles was also determined by flow cytometry during three field campaigns, and denitrification measurements based on stable isotopes were performed twice. Incubation experiments were performed to quantify CH4 oxidation and nitrate consumption rates, with a focus on AOM, without and with an inhibitor of sulfate-reducing bacteria activity (molybdate). Nitrate consumption rates were measured in these incubations. Substantial CH4 oxidation activity was observed in oxic and anoxic waters, and in the upper anoxic waters of Lake Kivu, CH4 is a major electron donor to sustain anaerobic metabolic processes coupled to AOM. The maximum aerobic and anaerobic CH4 oxidation rates were estimated to 27 ± 2 and 16 ± 8 µmol L−1 d−1, respectively. We observed a decrease of AOM rates when molybdate was added for half of the measurements, strongly suggesting the occurrence of AOM linked to sulfate reduction, but an increase of AOM rates was observed for the other half. Nitrate reduction rates and dissolved manganese production rates tended to be higher with the addition of molybdate, but the maximum rates of 0.6 ± 0.02 and 11 ± 2 µmol L−1 d−1, respectively, were never high enough to explain AOM rates observed at the same depths. We also put in evidence a difference in relative importance of aerobic and anaerobic CH4 oxidation between the seasons, with a higher importance of aerobic oxidation when the oxygenated layer was thicker (in dry season).
Active faulting, 3-D basin architecture and Plio-Quaternary structural evolution of extensional basins: a 4-D perspective on the central Apennine chain evolution, Italy
Authors: Gori Stefano , Falcucci Emanuela , Ladina Chiara , Marzorati Simone , Galadini Fabrizio
Published: July 2016

Abstract. The general “basin and range” aspect of the Apennine relief is generally attributed to the presently active normal fault systems, whose activity throughout the Quaternary is supposed to have created alternating morphological/structural highs and lows. By coupling field geological survey and geophysical investigations, we reconstructed the 3-D geometry of one of the innermost tectonic basins of the central Apennines, the Subequana Valley, bounded to the north-east by an active and seismogenic normal fault. Our analyses revealed that, since the Late Pliocene, the depression experienced a double polarity, half graben-mode nucleation. An early phase, Late Pliocene-Early Pleistocene in age, was led by the ENE-WSW trending and SSE dipping Avezzano-Bussi fault, that determined the formation of an early depocentre towards the N-NW; subsequently, the main fault became the NW-SE trending, SW dipping and presently active normal fault system, that led the formation during the Quaternary of a new fault-related depocentre towards the NE. By considering the available geological information, a similar structural evolution has likely involved three close tectonic basins aligned along the Avezzano-Bussi fault, namely the Fucino basin, the Subequana Valley and the Sulmona basin, and it has been probably experienced by other tectonic basins of the chain. The present work therefore points out that the morpho-tectonic setting of the Apennine chain results from the superposition of deformation events whose “legacy” must be considered in a wider evolutionary perspective. Within this light, our results testify that a simple “basin and range” model – often adopted for morpho-tectonic and kinematic evaluations in active extensional contexts, as in the Apennines – may be actually simplistic, as it could not be applied everywhere, owing to peculiar complexities of the local tectonic histories.
Kultur og helse i HUNT – En metodeevaluering
Authors: Holmen Jostein , Nguyen Camilla , Håpnes Odd , Rangul Vegar , Espnes Geir Arild
Published: July 2016

Flere studier har indikert at det er sammenheng mellom kulturdeltagelse og helse, men mange av studienehar vesentlige svakheter. Befolkningsstudier med et stort antall deltagere har flere fordeler, bl.a. er det muligå kontrollere for konfunderende faktorer. Men i slike undersøkelser må antall spørsmål ofte begrenses,og det kan derfor stilles spørsmål ved hvor presis og relevant informasjonen blir. Ved HUNT3 (2006-08)ble to spørsmål om kulturdeltagelse inkludert: «Hvor mange ganger har du i løpet av de siste 6 månedervært på/i: Museum, kunstutstilling/konsert, teater, kino/kirke, bedehus/idrettsarrangement", og «Hvormange ganger har du løpet av de siste 6 måneder selv drevet med: Foreningsvirksomhet/musikk, sang,teater/menighetsarbeid/friluftsliv/dans/trening, idrett». Målet med denne studien var å undersøke hvordanspørsmålene ble oppfattet og tolket. Var informasjonen relevant til bruk i en epidemiologisk studie somHUNT? Det ble gjennomført tre fokusgruppeintervjuer med til sammen 17 deltakere i alderen 20 til 80 år.Flertallet hadde høyere utdanning. Tema som gikk igjen ble gruppert i kategorier, som bestod av beskrivelserover informantenes synspunkter og meninger. Hovedinntrykket fra fokusgruppeintervjuene var atinformantene mente at spørsmålene i HUNT3 ga et grovt estimat på kulturaktivitetene i befolkningen. Vårkonklusjon er at spørsmålene var tilstrekkelig presise til å bruke i analyser på gruppenivå.
Edward Bellamy's Boston in 2000 from 1888 to 1897: The Evolution of Bellamy's Future Boston from Looking Backward Through Equality
Authors: Sargent Lyman Tower
Published: July 2016

This article reads Bellamy's Looking Backward against his other work in Equality and The Nationalist and The New Nation. My analysis will correct some of the widely identified flaws in Looking Backward, and reading what Bellamy and others commenting on Looking Backward wrote after Looking Backward tells us a lot about why Bellamy wrote Equality as he did.
Utopia and Utopian Studies in Australia
Authors: Milner Andrew , Burgmann Verity
Published: July 2016

There are no independently Australian translations of Thomas More's Utopia. Nor is there any equivalent in Australia to the Society for Utopian Studies in North America or the Utopian Studies Society in Europe. Nor are there any extant formal research groups or undergraduate or graduate courses in utopian studies. There are, however, distinctively Australian traditions of utopian writing, both eutopian and dystopian, and also a limited field of Australian utopian studies, essentially the work of individual scholars. This article attempts a brief description of both.
Utopian Studies in Brazil: Roots and Routes
Authors: Cavalcanti Ildney
Published: July 2016

This article aims to highlight some of the roots and routes, the beginnings and the potential futures, of a body of scholarly research actions that may be grouped under the umbrella expression “utopian studies in Brazil,” a promising field whose initial trends in the country can be traced—not by chance if one considers the prominence of the Anglo-American tradition in literary utopianism—in the departments of English studies of Brazilian university faculties. This does not mean, however, that there have been no Brazilian utopias/dystopias. Indeed, cultural manifestations of Brazilian utopianisms have played an essential role in Brazil's history, as will be shown. The article contains a very brief overview of cultural productions that may be aligned with literary utopianism, followed by some of the perceptions regarding utopia and utopianism, focusing specially on the concept as approached by individual scholars, study groups, and research centers that have developed studies in the field.
The French Translations of Thomas More's Utopia
Authors: Phélippeau Marie-Claire
Published: July 2016

Thomas More's Utopia must have exercised a special hold on imaginations in France, as we count as many as four complete French translations in the two centuries following the first publication of the work in 1516. They are all translations of the original Latin text and most often that of 1518 (Basel edition) rather than the first 1516 Louvain version. The presence of paratext varies a lot from one translator to the next, mostly according to each translator's design. French translations of Utopia seem to have been more numerous at the time of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution, when translators wished to vent their opinions against the regime and in favor of new political ideas, thereby warping More's text and producing fancy versions that suited them better. A return to greater accuracy and higher respect of the original finally became the norm in the second half of the twentieth century, when Utopia was no longer used for propaganda purposes or as a model to reform society but appreciated for its literary quality and the questioning of its author's intention.
More's Utopia in Poland: Translations and Impact—An Overview
Authors: Pisarska Katarzyna
Published: July 2016

The article traces the development of interest in Thomas More's Utopia in Polish literature and culture, as well as the influence of utopian ideas on the literary output of Polish authors from the sixteenth century to the present day. The reception of Utopia and its author, as well as the evolution of Polish utopianism, have been the subject of several scholarly studies; suffice it to mention the books and articles of Janusz Tazbir and Roman A. Tokarczyk. While drawing on similar issues in the first two sections, this article sets as its major objective an examination of the Polish translation of More's seminal work, its reprints, and the included critical material, analyzing the compositional and paratextual elements appearing in Polish editions of Utopia. The article also reviews the critical response that the translations and accompanying introductions elicited at the time, namely, the late 1940s and early 1950s, a period of increased persecution of the Roman Catholic Church and the spread of communist propaganda by the political regime in Poland.
Evaluation of the Results of Endoscopic Release of Plantar Fascia in Cases of Resistant Chronic Heel Pain
Authors: Albraa Ahmed Altowijri , Hatim Mohammed A Alshareef , Ahmed Hassan A Alhasan , Ahmed Alqady Mahmoud , G Flemban Mohammed , Amer Mohammed A Alshareef , Abdulelah Khalil Radhwan
Published: July 2016

AIM: To evaluate the results of endoscopic release of plantar fascia in resistant cases of heel pain.METHODS: An experimental descriptive study involved twenty patients who presented to University hospital with resistant chronic plantar heel pain due to plantar fasciitis, were treated with endoscopic plantar fasciotomy. All patients completed a period of at least six months follow up. Data were collected by the modified American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Questionnaire, informed consent was applied, and SPSS was used for data entry and analysis.RESULTS: At the end of follow up the mean modified AOFAS of ankle- hind foot score was improved from 49.10 (ranging from 34 to 56) pre-operatively to 90.25 post operatively (ranging from 67 to 100). Seven patients (35%) had excellent results, ten patients (50%) had good results, two patients had fair results, and one patient (5%) had a poor result. AOFAS score of pain was improved from a mean of 14.0+9.40 points pre-operatively (range 0 – 20) to 31.5 + 6.71 points post-operatively (range 20 – 40). AOFAS score of activity of daily living improved from a mean of 4+0 points pre-operatively to 9.85+0.671post-operatively ranging from 7 to 10 points.CONCLUSION: Endoscopic release of plantar fascia has positive therapeutic effects in cases of resistant chronic heel pain.
An Exploratory Study of Training Transfer Climate in India
Authors: M. Srimannarayana
Published: July 2016

The purpose of this paper is to explore the extent of training transfer climate prevailing in Indian organizations and find out the differences in the perception of employees based on organizational and respondents’ characteristics. The data collected from 2,778 employees working in 70 different organizations across India using a survey questionnaire formed the basis for analysis. The study found that the overall training transfer climate prevailing in India was moderate, leaving a room for improvement, particularly in the areas, supervisor sanctions and positive personal outcomes when learning is transferred on the job. It further found that the companies in the service sector, privately owned joint ventures, Indian multinational companies and small organizations could do better in creating transfer climate than their counterparts. Further, it was found that the higher the levels of education, the higher the perception of transfer climate. Also, the higher the experience, the higher the perception of transfer climate.
Beyond Technological Mediation
Authors: Boshuijzen-van Burken Christine ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: July 2016

Several philosophers of technology have argued that technology mediates human actions. For example, in the branch of post-phenomenology, authors such as Don Ihde and Peter-Paul Verbeek have described the mediating aspects of technology in terms of morality of technology (more prominent in Verbeek) as well as in the sense that technology changes our perception of ourselves and the world (more prominent in Ihde). In this article, different existing types of mediation are presented, critiqued, and enriched. The four types are illustrated by referring to military high-tech environments with a focus on visual data and imaging technologies. These technologies can mediate actions (1) by inviting certain behavior, (2) through amplification and reduction, (3) through built-in norms, and (4) through interpretation. The four types of mediation mainly focus on the technology or technological artifact itself. What these approaches fail to grasp, however, is the specific user practices in which most technologies function. In this article, it is argued that to understand the mediating aspects of technology more fully, attention should be paid to the specific user context in which the technology functions. Therefore, an enriched understanding of the four types of mediation of technology is proposed by taking the lens of normative practices and analyzing the different types of mediation through this lens. The Kunduz airstrike incident, which took place in 2009 in Afghanistan, is a case in which a visual data sharing device called Rover played a prominent role. This case is used in this article to illustrate how technology mediates human actions in military practice.
The associations between animal-based welfare measures and the presence of indicators of food safety in finishing pigs
Authors: Alpigiani I , Bacci C , Keeling LJ , Salman MD , Brindani F , Pongolini S , Hitchens PL , Bonardi S
Published: July 2016

Stressful housing and management practices affect animals, potentially increasing their receptiveness to pathogens. Since some pathogens do not lead to clinical signs of sickness, subclinical pigs could enter the food-chain, contaminating carcases and offal at slaughter, representing a threat to human health. Here, we assess the feasibility of a new approach (using animal-based welfare outcomes) to investigate the association between the animal welfare status of finishing pigs on-farm and the occurrence of Yersinia enterocolitica and Salmonella enterica in slaughtered pigs in Northern Italy. Thirty batches of finishing pigs were assessed for animal-, resource- and management-based measures according to the Welfare Quality® protocol for pigs on-farm and at slaughter. A sample of five individuals per batch was tested for Y. enterocolitica and S. enterica in tonsils and in mesenteric lymph nodes, respectively, and gross pathological changes were recorded. Environmental faecal samples per batch on-farm were tested for the same pathogens. Univariable logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between batches of pigs that were positive to Y. enterocolitica and S. enterica and indicators of poor welfare. The animal-based measures of welfare, greater on-farm mortality and poor human-animal relationship, were found to be associated with Y. enterocolitica. This study provides a good indication of the validity of this approach, but there is a need for larger-scale studies in the future to confirm the magnitude of the associations between these animal welfare and food safety indicators.
Attitudes of students from south-east and east Asian countries to slaughter and transport of livestock
Authors: Ling RZ , Zulkifli I , Lampang PN , Nhiem DV , Wang Y , Phillips CJC
Published: July 2016

Attitudes to animals have been extensively studied for people in developed countries, but not for those in developing countries. The attitudes of prospective stakeholders in the livestock sectors in south-east and east Asia toward transport and slaughter were examined by surveying university students studying veterinary medicine and animal science in Malaysia, Thailand, China and Vietnam, with a total of 739 students taking part. Students had greater acceptability of transport than slaughter issues for livestock, and female students found most transport and slaughter issues of greater concern than male students. Veterinary students were more accepting of several issues than animal science students, in particular killing animals that were injured or ill. Religion had a major effect on attitudes. Muslim students found using animals that died naturally for products least acceptable. Compared to them, Hindu students were less accepting of killing injured or ill animals and Buddhist students less accepting of euthanasing healthy pets. Students with more experience of pets were less accepting of both transport and slaughter issues. It is concluded that concern was exhibited by future stakeholders in the SE and E Asian livestock industries for slaughter and, to a lesser extent, transport issues, although attitudes were influenced by their religion, gender and experience of pet-keeping.
Computer-assisted initial diagnosis of rare diseases
Authors: Alves Rui , Piñol Marc , Vilaplana Jordi , Teixidó Ivan , Cruz Joaquim , Comas Jorge , Vilaprinyo Ester , Sorribas Albert , Solsona Francesc
Published: July 2016

Introduction.Most documented rare diseases have genetic origin. Because of their low individual frequency, an initial diagnosis based on phenotypic symptoms is not always easy, as practitioners might never have been exposed to patients suffering from the relevant disease. It is thus important to develop tools that facilitate symptom-based initial diagnosis of rare diseases by clinicians. In this work we aimed at developing a computational approach to aid in that initial diagnosis. We also aimed at implementing this approach in a user friendly web prototype. We call this tool Rare Disease Discovery. Finally, we also aimed at testing the performance of the prototype.

Methods.Rare Disease Discovery uses the publicly available ORPHANET data set of association between rare diseases and their symptoms to automatically predict the most likely rare diseases based on a patient’s symptoms. We apply the method to retrospectively diagnose a cohort of 187 rare disease patients with confirmed diagnosis. Subsequently we test the precision, sensitivity, and global performance of the system under different scenarios by running large scale Monte Carlo simulations. All settings account for situations where absent and/or unrelated symptoms are considered in the diagnosis.

Results.We find that this expert system has high diagnostic precision (≥80%) and sensitivity (≥99%), and is robust to both absent and unrelated symptoms.

Discussion.The Rare Disease Discovery prediction engine appears to provide a fast and robust method for initial assisted differential diagnosis of rare diseases. We coupled this engine with a user-friendly web interface and it can be freely accessed athttp://disease-discovery.udl.cat/. The code and most current database for the whole project can be downloaded fromhttps://github.com/Wrrzag/DiseaseDiscovery/tree/no_classifiers.
Chloride‐Reinforced Carbon Nanofiber Host as Effective Polysulfide Traps in Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Fan Lei , Zhuang Houlong L. , Zhang Kaihang , Cooper Valentino R. , Li Qi , Lu Yingying
Published: July 2016

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) battery is one of the most promising alternatives for the current state‐of‐the‐art lithium‐ion batteries due to its high theoretical energy density and low production cost from the use of sulfur. However, the commercialization of Li–S batteries has been so far limited to the cyclability and the retention of active sulfur materials. Using co‐electrospinning and physical vapor deposition procedures, we created a class of chloride–carbon nanofiber composites, and studied their effectiveness on polysulfides sequestration. By trapping sulfur reduction products in the modified cathode through both chemical and physical confinements, these chloride‐coated cathodes are shown to remarkably suppress the polysulfide dissolution and shuttling between lithium and sulfur electrodes. From adsorption experiments and theoretical calculations, it is shown that not only the sulfide‐adsorption effect but also the diffusivity in the vicinity of these chlorides materials plays an important role on the reversibility of sulfur‐based cathode upon repeated cycles. Balancing the adsorption and diffusion effects of these nonconductive materials could lead to the enhanced cycling performance of an Li–S cell. Electrochemical analyses over hundreds of cycles indicate that cells containing indium chloride‐modified carbon nanofiber outperform cells with other halogenated salts, delivering an average specific capacity of above 1200 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C.
A Double Prodrug with Improved Membrane Permeability over the Parent Chelator HBED Provides Superior Cytoprotection against Hydrogen Peroxide
Authors: Thiele Nikki A. , Sloan Kenneth B.
Published: July 2016

The clinical use of N,N′‐bis(2‐hydroxybenzyl)ethylenediamine‐N,N′‐diacetic acid (HBED) has been hindered by its lack of bioavailability. N,N′‐bis(2‐boronic pinacol ester benzyl)ethylenediamine‐N,N′‐diacetic acid methyl, ethyl, and isopropyl esters 7 a–c, respectively, and their dimesylate salts 8 a–c, are double prodrugs that mask the two phenolate and two carboxylate donors of HBED as boronic esters and carboxylate esters, respectively. Their activation by chemical hydrolysis and oxidation, their passive diffusivity, and their cytoprotective capabilities have been investigated here. 8 a–c hydrolyzed in minimum essential medium at 37 °C with half‐lives of 0.69, 0.81, and 2.28 h, respectively. The intermediate formed, 9 [N,N′‐bis(2‐boronic acid benzyl)ethylenediamine‐N,N′‐diacetic acid], then underwent oxidative deboronation by H2O2 to give HBED (k=1.82 m−1 min−1). Solubility measurements in mineral oil and in phosphate buffer indicated that 7 a had a better balance between lipid and aqueous solubilities than did HBED. 7 a was also able to passively diffuse across a lipid‐like silicone membrane (log flux=−0.36), whereas HBED‐HCl was not. 8 c provided better protection to retinal cells than did HBED against a lethal dose of H2O2 (84 % vs. 28 % protection, respectively, at 44 μm). These results suggest that the double prodrugs have better membrane permeability than does HBED, and therefore could be therapeutically useful for improving the delivery of HBED.
Application of Rigidity‐Controlled Supramolecular Affinity Materials for the Gravimetric Detection of Hazardous and Illicit Compounds
Authors: Pyka Isabella , Ryvlin Dimitrij , Waldvogel Siegfried R.
Published: July 2016

The combination of an (−)‐isosteviol‐derived building block and 9,9’‐spirobifluorene or tetraphenylmethane generated highly potent new affinity materials for the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Comparison of their affinity behaviour with different core structures showed remarkable influence on selectivity and sensitivity due to structural rigidity and their pre‐organization. Their unique supramolecular properties were investigated in an affinity assay using high fundamental frequency quartz crystal microbalances.
Tandem Catalytic Depolymerization of Lignin by Water‐Tolerant Lewis Acids and Rhodium Complexes
Authors: Jastrzebski Robin , Constant Sandra , Lancefield Christopher S. , Westwood Nicholas J. , Weckhuysen Bert M. , Bruijnincx Pieter C. A.
Published: July 2016

Lignin is an attractive renewable feedstock for aromatic bulk and fine chemicals production, provided that suitable depolymerization procedures are developed. Here, we describe a tandem catalysis strategy for ether linkage cleavage within lignin, involving ether hydrolysis by water‐tolerant Lewis acids followed by aldehyde decarbonylation by a Rh complex. In situ decarbonylation of the reactive aldehydes limits loss of monomers by recondensation, a major issue in acid‐catalyzed lignin depolymerization. Rate of hydrolysis and decarbonylation were matched using lignin model compounds, allowing the method to be successfully applied to softwood, hardwood, and herbaceous dioxasolv lignins, as well as poplar sawdust, to give the anticipated decarbonylation products and, rather surprisingly, 4‐(1‐propenyl)phenols. Promisingly, product selectivity can be tuned by variation of the Lewis‐acid strength and lignin source.
Boost transfer student yield with collaboration between admissions, registrar, financial aid
Authors: Hope Joan
Published: July 2016

The Registrar's Office has almost as big a role in yielding admitted transfer students as does the Admissions Office. That's something Katie A. Schwienteck, associate registrar for transfer articulation at York College of Pennsylvania, realized after taking a job in a Registrar's Office after working in admissions for a number of years.
Goals of care discussions among hospitalized long‐term care residents: Predictors and associated outcomes of care
Authors: Wong Hannah J. , Wang Jamie , Grinman Michelle , Wu Robert C.
Published: July 2016

INTRODUCTION

There are limited data on the occurrence, predictors, and impact of goals of care (GOC) discussions during hospitalization for seriously ill elderly patients, particularly for long‐term care (LTC) residents.

METHODS

The study was a retrospective chart review of 200 randomly sampled LTC residents hospitalized via the emergency department and admitted to the general internal medicine service of 2 Canadian academic hospitals, from January 2012 through December 2012. We applied logistic regression models to identify factors associated with, and outcomes of, these discussions.

RESULTS

Overall, 9.4% (665 of 7084) of hospitalizations were patients from LTC. In the sample of 200 patients, 37.5% had a documented discussion. No baseline patient characteristic was associated with GOC discussions. Low Glasgow Coma Scale, high respiratory rate, and low oxygen saturation were associated with discussions. Patients with discussions had higher rates of orders for no resuscitation (80% vs 55%) and orders for comfort measures only (7% vs 0%). In adjusted analyses, patients with discussions had higher odds of in‐hospital death (52.0, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.2‐440.4) and 1‐year mortality (4.1, 95% CI: 1.7‐9.6). Nearly 75% of patients with a change in their GOC did not have this documented in the discharge summary.

CONCLUSION

In hospitalized LTC patients, GOC discussions occurred infrequently and appeared to be triggered by illness severity. Orders for advance directives, in‐hospital death, and 1‐year mortality were associated with discussions. Rates of GOC documentation in the discharge summary were poor. This study provides direction for developing education and practice standards to improve GOC discussion rates and their communication back to LTC. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015;11:824–831. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine
Trading in a Competitive Environment: South‐Asian Restaurants in the UK
Authors: Crick Dave , Chaudhry Shiv , Crick James M.
Published: July 2016

South‐Asian restaurant owners in the UK need to avoid employing a business model that operates on threshold capabilities, but rather need to learn from the more dynamic capabilities of rivals in the sector in order to help sustainability.
Small Firm Adaptive Capability, Competitive Strategy, and Performance Outcomes: Competing Mediation vs. Moderation Perspectives
Authors: Chryssochoidis George , Dousios Dimitrios , Tzokas Nikolaos
Published: July 2016

In small firms, adaptive capability exercises a handling grip on competitive strategy for superior performance (primarily acting as a mediator) and may offset, through attenuation, the adverse impact of limited availability of resources.
Comparison of pulse glow discharge‐ion mobility spectrometry and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry based on multiplug filtration cleanup for the analysis of tricaine mesylate residues in fish and water
Authors: Zou Nan , Chen Ronghua , Qin Yuhong , Song Shuangyu , Tang Xinglin , Pan Canping
Published: July 2016

Analytical methods based on multiplug filtration cleanup coupled with pulse glow discharge‐ion mobility spectrometry and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry were developed for the analysis of tricaine mesylate residue in fish and fish‐raising water samples. A silica fiber holder and an appropriate new interface were designed to make the direct introduction of the fiber into the pulse glow discharge‐ion mobility spectrometry introduction mechanism. The multiplug filtration cleanup method with adsorption mixtures was optimized for the determination of tricaine mesylate in fish samples. Good linear relationships were obtained by the two methods. For fish samples, limits of detection were 6 and 0.6 μg/kg by ion mobility spectrometry and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry, respectively. The matrix effect of the established liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method was negligible for fish samples but that of the ion mobility spectrometry method was not. The two methods were compared. The ion mobility spectrometry system could be used a rapid screening tool on site with the advantage of rapidity, simplicity, and portability, and the liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry system could be used for validation in laboratory conditions with the advantage of lower limit of detection, stability, and precision.
Sliding velocity in profile‐corrected gears
Authors: Sachidananda H. K. , Raghunandana K. , Gonsalvis Joseph
Published: July 2016

The effects of sliding velocity in a spur gear for a tooth sum of 100 (altered by ±4%) with constant centre distance have been studied. The product of contact stress and sliding velocity (σ Vs) factor is calculated for varied profile shift. The effect of Hertzian compression, bending and shear deflection on sliding velocity at points along length of the path of contact has been computed. The scanning electron micrographs at pitch point C show that negative alteration in tooth‐sum gears is better compared with standard and positive alterations in tooth sum. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Grandparents of children with cancer: Quality of life, medication and hospitalizations
Authors: Wakefield C. E. , Fardell J. E. , Doolan E. L. , Drew D. , De Abreu Lourenco R. , Young A. L. , Cohn R. J.
Published: July 2016

Background

Grandparents can play a crucial role of providing emotional and practical support for families facing childhood cancer. Yet, many have their own healthcare needs. This controlled study systematically assesses the impact of childhood cancer on grandparents’ quality of life (QOL). Our objective was to compare QOL in grandparents of children with and without cancer and to identify factors associated with grandparents’ QOL.

Procedure

Grandparents (N = 222) completed two patient‐reported outcome (PRO) measures assessing QOL: EQ‐5D‐5L and WHOQOL‐BREF. Secondary endpoints included sleep, medications and hospitalizations. We used independent samples t‐tests and multivariate linear regression to assess between‐group differences and identify predictors.

Results

Grandparents of children with cancer (n = 89) reported significantly worse QOL than controls (n = 133) [mean WHOQOL‐BREF score: 75.6 (SD = 17.6) vs. 81.5 (15.6), P = 0.007; mean EQ‐5D‐5L index value: 0.777 (0.20) vs. 0.874 (0.14), P < 0.001)]. They also reported more problems with anxiety and depression (47.2 vs. 21.8%, P < 0.001) and pain (64.8 vs. 49.6%, P = 0.031). Grandparents of children with cancer reported taking longer to fall asleep [mean: 30.4 min (55.6) vs. 18.2 (20.2), P = 0.011] and taking more medications in the last 4 weeks [mean: 2.9 (SD = 3.8) vs. 1.8 (SD = 2.3), P = 0.012]. Hospitalizations were comparable across groups. Grandmothers, those living in urban locations, and retired/unemployed grandparents experienced reduced QOL.

Conclusions

Grandparents are significantly affected by childhood cancer. The impact appears across many domains of life and results in meaningful QOL differences. Given that four or more individuals may be affected per child, and that grandparent well‐being can influence the whole family, interventions targeting at‐risk grandparents are needed.