bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Acid Fracturing by Integrated Pressure Analysis and 3D Simulation: A Field Application for Multi-Stage Stimulation in Horizontal Wells
Authors: Ueda K. , Zhang W. , Zhu D. , Hill A. D. , Zhang Fuxiang , Yang Xiangtong
Published: January 2016

Multi-stage acid fracturing in a tight carbonate formation can be an alternative to propped fracturing as a relatively cost-effective completion treatment. However the success of the treatment depends on many factors as to whether enough conductivity by acid etching has been created, and weather the selected chemical treatment has worked well in-situ under the specific geologic environment. Thus, observation and evaluation of past practice is important to develop further optimal stimulation procedures. In this paper, an integrated methodology to conduct performance evaluation of multi-stage acid fracturing treatment in a horizontal well is presented. The method is applied to a field case in Tarim Basin in China.

The integrated procedure starts with obtaining closure pressure and the formation breakdown pressure. Bottomhole treating pressure is then estimated from surface treating pressure in cases if it is not measured directly. A treatment pressure history match is then conducted to estimate the fracture geometry using commercial software. A 3-D acid fracture conductivity profile is generated using the in-house acid fracture simulator. Then using the reservoir face pressure and the acid fracture conductivity profile obtained by the acid fracture simulator, the cross-sectional flowing area created by acid fracturing fluid is estimated using pressure transient analysis. Evolution of fracture extension and acid etching during the stimulation is calculated assuming a bilinear flow regime. After production starts, a linear flow diagnostic approach provides the cross-sectional area flowing that has the flow from the matrix. This enables us to compare flowing cross-sectional area with induced area by the stimulation, which is defined as treatment efficiency.

A field application based on the proposed procedure shows the effectiveness of the approach. The integrated approach provides engineers with additional information as to whether the designed acid fracturing has been performed appropriately under high closure stress field. It is eventually helpful to discuss past practice and improve candidate selectivity in a company decision making process.
The life and forgotten poetry collections of Danica-Zorka Raskovic
Authors: Peric Djordje
Published: January 2016

The paper discusses a little-known Serbian poetess from the second half of
the 19th century, Danica-Zorka Raskovic (1849-1910). Based on archival
research and a lot of new information, it also features her compiled
biography. All her poetical works which she wrote between ages 17 and 19 are
presented in the text. They include: Eulogy (Slavopoj, two collections, 1866,
1867), Euphony (Milosplet, 1868) and Elegy (Tugospev, 1868). The last book,
Elegy, composed as an integral work, is an attempt at writing an epic. Eulogy
celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Principality of Serbia (1815-1865),
glorifies the Obrenovic dynasty, especially Prince Mihailo, Anka Obrenovic
and other persons. Literary criticism judged the seventeen-year-old poetess?
work too harshly (S. Novakovic, V. Jagic). However, her appearance on the
1870s Serbian literary scene is interesting, because she is one of the oldest
Belgrade poetesses.
Professor and poet: Bogdan Popovic and Milan Rakic between cooperation and friendship
Authors: Opsenica Dragoslav
Published: January 2016

In the paper is published correspondence between Bogdan Popovic and Milan
Rakic, containing eight letters (seven of Popovic and one of Rakic) and
which is kept between 1907 and 1935. The theme of correspondence includes
motives of Rakic poetry, Anthology of B. Popovic and inscriptions on the
mausoleum on Mount Avala. The correspondence provides interesting
information about the relationship between two greats of Serbian culture and
deepens the knowledge of their cooperation and friendship.
Person-fit statistics, response sets and survey participation in a population-based cohort study
Authors: Müller Jörg , Hasselbach Petra , Loerbroks Adrian , Amelang Manfred
Published: January 2016

Person-fit methodology is a promising technique for identifying subjects
whose test scores have questionable validity. Less is known however about
this technique?s ability to predict survey participation longitudinally. This
study presents theory-derived expectations related to social desirability,
the tendency for extreme responding and traitedness for specific deviating
answer patterns and an expected consistence of person-fit scores across 27
personality scales. Data from 5,114 subjects (Amelang, 1997) were reanalysed
with a polytomous-Rasch model to estimate scale scores and von Davier and
Molenaar?s (2003) person-fit statistics. The person-fit statistics of the 27
scales were examined together with the 27 person parameter scores in one
common factor analysis. The person-fit scores served as indicators of the
latent factor ?scalability? while the person-parameter scores were considered
to index the bias introduced by social desirability. The sign of factor
loadings showed consistency and validity of the tendency for social
desirability and extreme responding. Moreover, the personfit- based subject
classification derived from the baseline data was able to predict subjects?
participation at a 8,5-year follow-up. However, the nature of those
associations was contrary to our predictions. The discussion addresses
explanations and practical implications, but also the limitations pertaining
to the identification and interpretation of person-fit scores.
The impact of frequency rating scale formats on the measurement of latent variables in web surveys - an experimental investigation using a measure of affectivity as an example
Authors: Menold Natalja , Kemper Christoph
Published: January 2016

The effects of verbal and/or numerical labeling and number of categories on
the measurement of latent variables in web surveys are addressed. Data were
collected online in a quota sample of the German adult population (N = 741).
A randomized 2x2x2 experimental design was applied, with variation of the
number of categories, as well as of verbal and numerical labeling, using an
abbreviated version of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS).
Experimental manipulation of the rating scale formats resulted in an effect
on measurement model testing and reliability, as well as on factorial and
convergent validity. In addition, measurement invariance between several
rating scale formats was limited. With the five category end verbalized and
fully labeled seven category formats, acceptable results for all measurement
quality metrics could be obtained.
Simultaneous Travel Model Estimation from Survey Data and Traffic Counts
Authors: Bernardin Vincent L. , Trevino Steven , Slater Greg , Gliebe John
Published: January 2016

This paper presents the successful application of a new method to improve travel demand forecasting models by taking advantage of cheap and readily available traffic count data and using them together with household travel survey data to inform the model's parameter estimates. Although traffic counts are frequently used in an ad hoc manner in the validation of travel model components, this paper presents a more rigorous, structured, and statistically efficient method to allow the information contained in traffic counts to influence the selection of model parameters simultaneously with household survey data. This formal process allows traffic counts to inform indirectly, but importantly, related parameters, such as destination choice utility functions, through formal statistical inference when human inference would be difficult, if not impossible, because of the complexity of the system and when manual random trial and error would be time- and cost-prohibitive. The approach used a genetic algorithm metaheuristic to implement a composite log likelihood and a pseudo composite log likelihood maximization in the development of a new travel model for the South Bend, Indiana, urban area for the Michiana Area Council of Governments. The process made use of a set of parameters transferred from another region and resulted in new parameters that produced significantly better consistency in the model with both local survey data and counts. Although computationally intense, this exciting new approach showed promise, at least for midsized urban areas.
Tour Characterization Framework Incorporating Activity Stop–Sequencing Model System
Authors: Garikapati Venu M. , You Daehyun , Pendyala Ram M. , Jeon Kyunghwi , Livshits Vladimir , Vovsha Peter S.
Published: January 2016

Activity-based models (ABMs) adopt the notion of tours to model activity–travel patterns, because the concept of a tour closely mimics how individuals chain their activities in the real world. Each tour may be defined by a primary destination that corresponds to a primary purpose and may include a multitude of secondary stops on the way to the primary destination (the outbound half-tour) or on the way back (the inbound half-tour). This paper presents a tour characterization framework capable of simulating all secondary stops on a tour, the time allocated to each activity, and the sequence of stops on a tour. The first component simulates the mix of activities and their corresponding durations and was presented in an earlier paper. The current paper presents the stop-sequencing component, which is capable of determining the order in which activities will be pursued on outbound and inbound half-tours. Model estimation results and comparisons between observed and predicted stop-sequencing patterns are presented. The models were found to perform quite well in replicating the observed stop-making patterns. The overall tour characterization framework was designed to accommodate the continuous treatment of time in ABMs in practice.
Estimation of Statewide Origin–Destination Truck Flows from Large Streams of GPS Data
Authors: Zanjani Akbar Bakhshi , Pinjari Abdul R. , Kamali Mohammadreza , Thakur Aayush , Short Jeffrey , Mysore Vidya , Tabatabaee S. Frank
Published: January 2016

This paper demonstrates the use of large streams of truck GPS data from the American Transportation Research Institute for the estimation of statewide freight truck flows in Florida. Raw GPS data streams, which comprised more than 145 million GPS records, were used to derive a database of more than 1.2 million truck trips that started or ended in Florida. The paper sheds light on the extent to which the trips derived from the GPS data captured the observed truck traffic flows in Florida. The paper includes insights into ( a) the truck type composition, ( b) the proportion of the observed truck traffic flows covered by the data, and ( c) the geographical differences in the coverage. The paper applies origin–destination (O-D) matrix estimation to combine the GPS data with the observed truck traffic volumes at different locations within and outside Florida to derive an O-D table of truck flows within, into, and out of the state. The procedures, implementation details, and findings discussed in the paper are expected to be useful to agencies that are considering the use of GPS data in freight travel demand modeling.
Operational Schedule Flexibility and Infrastructure Investment: Capacity Trade-Off on Single-Track Railways
Authors: Dick C. Tyler , Mussanov Darkhan
Published: January 2016

To minimize costs, railways carefully match route infrastructure investment to projected traffic levels. Under structured operations according to a rigid timetable, the optimal amount of infrastructure for a given traffic volume can be determined with various models. However, North American railways use flexible operations for which planned train departure times can vary. Schedule flexibility increases the number of possible meet locations on a single track, which can lead to a combination of increased delays and infrastructure investment. When industry practitioners plan rail line capacity for flexible operations, they rarely optimize schedule flexibility and infrastructure investment simultaneously for a given level of service. To increase knowledge of the relationship between these factors, the research reported in this paper simulated operations on two representative single-track routes with rail traffic controller software. A baseline minimum-delay schedule was developed for each route under an initial infrastructure. The experiment design introduced schedule flexibility and infrastructure expansion to examine the interaction between these factors and train delay response. The results suggested that, for a given infrastructure configuration, an immediate increase in train delay occurred with small amounts of schedule flexibility. After this increase, routes became insensitive to further increases in schedule flexibility. Similarly, to maintain a level of service required substantial infrastructure investment for small amounts of schedule flexibility.
Sparse modeling of volatile financial time series via low-dimensional patterns over learned dictionaries
Authors: Tzagkarakis George , Caicedo-Llano Juliana , Dionysopoulos Thomas
Published: January 2016

Financial time series usually exhibit non-stationarity and time-varying volatility. Extraction and analysis of complicated patterns, such as trends and transient changes, are at the core of modern financial data analytics. Furthermore, efficient and timely analysis is often hindered by large volumes of raw data, which are supplied and stored nowadays. In this paper, the power of learned dictionaries in adapting accurately to the underlying micro-local structures of time series is exploited to extract sparse patterns, aiming at compactly capturing the meaningful information of volatile financial data. Specifically, our proposed method relies on sparse representations of the original time series in terms of dictionary atoms, which are learned and updated from the available data directly in a rolling-window fashion. In contrast to previous methods, our extracted sparse patterns enable both compact storage and highly accurate reconstruction of the original data. Equally importantly, financial analytics, such as volatility clustering, can be performed on the sparse patterns directly, thus reducing the overall computational cost, without deteriorating accuracy. Experimental evaluation on 12 market indexes reveals a superior performance of our approach against a modified symbolic representation and a well-established wavelet transform-based technique, in terms of information compactness, reconstruction accuracy, and volatility clustering efficiency.
State of the Art in the Development and Properties of Protein-Based Films and Coatings and Their Applicability to Cellulose Based Products: An Extensive Review
Authors: Coltelli Maria-Beatrice , Wild Florian , Bugnicourt Elodie , Cinelli Patrizia , Lindner Martina , Schmid Markus , Weckel Verena , Müller Kerstin , Rodriguez Pablo , Staebler Andreas , Rodríguez-Turienzo Laura , Lazzeri Andrea
Published: January 2016

There is increasing research towards the substitution of petrochemicals by sustainable components. Biopolymers such as proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids derive from a variety of crop sources and most promisingly from waste streams generated during their processing by the agro food industry. Among those, proteins of different types such as whey, casein, gelatin, wheat gluten, soy protein or zein present a potential beyond the food and feed industry for the application in packaging. The general protein hydrophilicity promotes a good compatibility to polar surfaces, such as paper, and a good barrier to apolar gases, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. The present review deals with the development of protein-based coatings and films. It includes relevant discussion for application in paper or board products, as well as an outlook on its future industrial potential. Proteins with suitable functionalities as food packaging materials are described as well as the different technologies for processing the coatings and the current state of the art about the coating formulations for selectively modulating barrier, mechanical, surface and end of life properties. Some insights onto regulations about packaging use, end of life and perspectives of such natural coating for decreasing the environmental impact of packages are given.
A Tale of Two Sites: Lessons on Leadership from the Implementation of a Long-term Care Delivery Model (CDM) in Western Canada
Authors: Cloutier Denise , Cox Amy , Kampen Ruth , Kobayashi Karen , Cook Heather , Taylor Deanne , Gaspard Gina
Published: January 2016

Residential, long-term care serves vulnerable older adults in a facility-based environment. A new care delivery model (CDM) designed to promote more equitable care for residents was implemented in a health region in Western Canada. Leaders and managers faced challenges in implementing this model alongside other concurrent changes. This paper explores the question: How did leadership style influence team functioning with the implementation of the CDM? Qualitative data from interviews with leadership personnel (directors and managers, residential care coordinators and clinical nurse educators), and direct care staff (registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, health care aides, and allied health therapists), working in two different facilities comprise the main sources of data for this study. The findings reveal that leaders with a servant leadership style were better able to create and sustain the conditions to support successful model implementation and higher team functioning, compared to a facility in which the leadership style was less inclusive and proactive, and more resistant to the change. Consequently, staff at the second facility experienced a greater sense of overload with the implementation of the CDM. This study concludes that strong leadership is key to facilitating team work and job satisfaction in a context of change.
Towards Lead-Free Piezoceramics: Facing a Synthesis Challenge
Authors: Villafuerte-Castrejón María , Morán Emilio , Reyes-Montero Armando , Vivar-Ocampo Rodrigo , Peña-Jiménez Jesús-Alejandro , Rea-López Salvador-Oliver , Pardo Lorena
Published: January 2016

The search for electroceramic materials with enhanced ferro-pyro-piezoelectric properties and revealing the perovskite type structure has been the objective of a significant number of manuscripts reported in the literature. This has been usually carried out by proposing the synthesis and processing of new compounds and solid solution series. In this work, several methods to obtain ferro-pyro-piezoelectric families of materials featuring the well-known ABO3 perovskite structure (or related) such as BaTiO3, Ba1–xCaxTi1–yZryO3, (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3, (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 and their solid solutions with different cations either in the A or B positions, are presented. For this kind of materials, the challenge for obtaining a single phase compound with a specific grain size and morphology and, most importantly, with the adequate stoichiometry, will also be discussed. The results reviewed herein will be discussed in terms of the tendency of working with softer conditions, i.e., lower temperature and shorter reaction times, also referred to as soft-chemistry.
Optical and Magneto-Optical Properties of Gd22Fe78 Thin Films in the Photon Energy Range From 1.5 to 5.5 eV
Authors: Jesenská Eva , Hashinaka Takahiro , Ishibashi Takayuki , Beran Lukáš , Dušek Ján , Antoš Roman , Kuga Kiyoshi , Aoshima Ken-ichi , Machida Kenji , Kinjo Hidekazu , Veis Martin
Published: January 2016

Optical and magneto-optical properties of amorphous Gd22Fe78 (GdFe) thin films prepared by direct current (DC) sputtering on thermally oxidized substrates were characterized by the combination of spectroscopic ellipsometry and magneto-optical spectroscopy in the photon energy range from 1.5 to 5.5 eV. Thin SiNx and Ru coatings were used to prevent the GdFe surface oxidation and contamination. Using advanced theoretical models spectral dependence of the complete permittivity tensor and spectral dependence of the absorption coefficient were deduced from experimental data. No significant changes in the optical properties upon different coatings were observed, indicating reliability of used analysis.
Analytical and Finite Element Modeling of Nanomembranes for Miniaturized, Continuous Hemodialysis
Authors: Burgin Tucker , Johnson Dean , Chung Henry , Clark Alfred , McGrath James
Published: January 2016

Hemodialysis involves large, periodic treatment doses using large-area membranes. If the permeability of dialysis membranes could be increased, it would reduce the necessary dialyzer size and could enable a wearable device that administers a continuous, low dose treatment of chronic kidney disease. This paper explores the application of ultrathin silicon membranes to this purpose, by way of analytical and finite element models of diffusive and convective transport of plasma solutes during hemodialysis, which we show to be predictive of experimental results. A proof-of-concept miniature nanomembrane dialyzer design is then proposed and analytically predicted to clear uremic toxins at near-ideal levels, as measured by several markers of dialysis adequacy. This work suggests the feasibility of miniature nanomembrane-based dialyzers that achieve therapeutic levels of uremic toxin clearance for patients with kidney failure.
In Situ Characterization Techniques Based on Synchrotron Radiation and Neutrons Applied for the Development of an Engineering Intermetallic Titanium Aluminide Alloy
Authors: Erdely Petra , Schmoelzer Thomas , Schwaighofer Emanuel , Clemens Helmut , Staron Peter , Stark Andreas , Liss Klaus-Dieter , Mayer Svea
Published: January 2016

Challenging issues concerning energy efficiency and environmental politics require novel approaches to materials design. A recent example with regard to structural materials is the emergence of lightweight intermetallic TiAl alloys. Their excellent high-temperature mechanical properties, low density and high stiffness constitute a profile perfectly suitable for their application as advanced aero-engine turbine blades or as turbocharger turbine wheels in next-generation automotive engines. As the properties of TiAl alloys during processing as well as during service are dependent on the phases occurring, detailed knowledge of their volume fractions and distribution within the microstructure is of paramount importance. Furthermore, the behavior of the individual phases during hot deformation and subsequent heat treatments is of interest to define reliable and cost-effective industrial production processes. In situ high-energy X-ray diffraction methods allow tracing the evolution of phase fractions over a large temperature range. Neutron diffraction unveils information on order-disorder transformations in TiAl alloys. Small-angle scattering experiments offer insights into the materials’ precipitation behavior. This review attempts to shine a light on selected in situ diffraction and scattering techniques and the ways in which they promoted the development of an advanced engineering TiAl alloy.
Metabolic Flux Distribution during Defatting of Steatotic Human Hepatoma (HepG2) Cells
Authors: Yarmush Gabriel , Santos Lucas , Yarmush Joshua , Koundinyan Srivathsan , Saleem Mubasher , Nativ Nir , Schloss Rene , Yarmush Martin , Maguire Timothy , Berthiaume Francois
Published: January 2016

Methods that rapidly decrease fat in steatotic hepatocytes may be helpful to recover severely fatty livers for transplantation. Defatting kinetics are highly dependent upon the extracellular medium composition; however, the pathways involved are poorly understood. Steatosis was induced in human hepatoma cells (HepG2) by exposure to high levels of free fatty acids, followed by defatting using plain medium containing no fatty acids, or medium supplemented with a cocktail of defatting agents previously described before. We measured the levels of 28 extracellular metabolites and intracellular triglyceride, and fed the data into a steady-state mass balance model to estimate strictly intracellular fluxes. We found that during defatting, triglyceride content decreased, while beta-oxidation, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and the urea cycle increased. These fluxes were augmented by defatting agents, and even more so by hyperoxic conditions. In all defatting conditions, the rate of extracellular glucose uptake/release was very small compared to the internal supply from glycogenolysis, and glycolysis remained highly active. Thus, in steatotic HepG2 cells, glycolysis and fatty acid oxidation may co-exist. Together, these pathways generate reducing equivalents that are supplied to mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation.
Removal of Indoor Volatile Organic Compounds via Photocatalytic Oxidation: A Short Review and Prospect
Authors: Huang Yu , Ho Steven , Lu Yanfeng , Niu Ruiyuan , Xu Lifeng , Cao Junji , Lee Shuncheng
Published: January 2016

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are ubiquitous in indoor environments. Inhalation of VOCs can cause irritation, difficulty breathing, and nausea, and damage the central nervous system as well as other organs. Formaldehyde is a particularly important VOC as it is even a carcinogen. Removal of VOCs is thus critical to control indoor air quality (IAQ). Photocatalytic oxidation has demonstrated feasibility to remove toxic VOCs and formaldehyde from indoor environments. The technique is highly-chemical stable, inexpensive, non-toxic, and capable of removing a wide variety of organics under light irradiation. In this paper, we review and summarize the traditional air cleaning methods and current photocatalytic oxidation approaches in both of VOCs and formaldehyde degradation in indoor environments. Influencing factors such as temperature, relative humidity, deactivation and reactivations of the photocatalyst are discussed. Aspects of the application of the photocatalytic technique to improve the IAQ are suggested.
Determination of Cd2+ and Pb2+ Based on Mesoporous Carbon Nitride/Self-Doped Polyaniline Nanofibers and Square Wave Anodic Stripping Voltammetry
Authors: Zhang Chang , Zhou Yaoyu , Tang Lin , Zeng Guangming , Zhang Jiachao , Peng Bo , Xie Xia , Lai Cui , Long Beiqing , Zhu Jingjing
Published: January 2016

The fabrication and evaluation of a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with self-doped polyaniline nanofibers (SPAN)/mesoporous carbon nitride (MCN) and bismuth for simultaneous determination of trace Cd2+ and Pb2+ by square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) are presented here. The morphology properties of SPAN and MCN were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the electrochemical properties of the fabricated electrode were characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Experimental parameters, such as deposition time, pulse potential, step potential, bismuth concentration and NaCl concentration, were optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the fabricated electrode exhibited linear calibration curves ranging from 5 to 80 nM for Cd2+ and Pb2+. The limits of detection (LOD) were 0.7 nM for Cd2+ and 0.2 nM for Pb2+ (S/N = 3). Additionally, the repeatability, reproducibility, anti-interference ability and application were also investigated, and the proposed electrode exhibited excellent performance. The proposed method could be extended for other heavy metal determination.
Magnesium Levels in Drinking Water and Coronary Heart Disease Mortality Risk: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Jiang Lei , He Pengcheng , Chen Jiyan , Liu Yong , Liu Dehui , Qin Genggeng , Tan Ning
Published: January 2016

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated inconsistent associations between drinking water magnesium levels and risk of mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD); thus, a meta-analysis was performed to assess the association between them. Relevant studies were searched by the databases of Cochrane, EMBASE, PubMed and Web of Knowledge. Pooled relative risks (RR) with their 95% CI were calculated to assess this association using a random-effects model. Finally, nine articles with 10 studies involving 77,821 CHD cases were used in this study. Our results revealed an inverse association between drinking water magnesium level and CHD mortality (RR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.79–0.99, I2 = 70.6). Nine of the 10 studies came from Europe, and the association was significant between drinking water magnesium level and the risk of CHD mortality (RR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.69–0.98). In conclusion, drinking water magnesium level was significantly inversely associated with CHD mortality.
Altered Preconception Fatty Acid Intake Is Associated with Improved Pregnancy Rates in Overweight and Obese Women Undertaking in Vitro Fertilisation
Authors: Moran Lisa , Tsagareli Victoria , Noakes Manny , Norman Robert
Published: January 2016

Maternal preconception diet is proposed to affect fertility. Prior research assessing the effect of altering the fatty acid profile on female fertility is conflicting. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of preconception maternal diet, specifically fatty acid profile, on pregnancies and live births following in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Forty-six overweight and obese women undergoing IVF were randomised to a diet and physical activity intervention (intervention) or standard care (control). Outcome measures included pregnancy, live birth and pre-study dietary intake from food frequency questionnaire. Twenty pregnancies (n = 12/18 vs. n = 8/20, p = 0.12) and 12 live births (n = 7/18 vs. n = 5/20, p = 0.48) occurred following the intervention with no differences between the treatment groups. On analysis adjusted for BMI and smoking status, women who became pregnant had higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake (p = 0.03), specifically omega-6 PUFA and linoleic acid (LA) (p = 0.045) with a trend for an elevated intake of omega-3 PUFA (p = 0.06). There were no dietary differences for women who did or did not have a live birth. Maternal preconception PUFA, and specifically omega-6 and LA intake, are associated with improved pregnancy rates in overweight and obese women undergoing IVF. This has implications for optimising fertility through preconception nutrition.
Quantifying the Impact of NDVIsoil Determination Methods and NDVIsoil Variability on the Estimation of Fractional Vegetation Cover in Northeast China
Authors: Ding Yanling , Zheng Xingming , Zhao Kai , Xin Xiaoping , Liu Huanjun
Published: January 2016

Fractional vegetation cover (FVC) is one of the most critical parameters in monitoring vegetation status. Accurate estimates of FVC are crucial to the use in land surface models. The dimidiate pixel model is the most widely used method for retrieval of FVC. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of bare soil endmember (NDVIsoil) is usually assumed to be invariant without taking into account the spatial variability of soil backgrounds. Two NDVIsoil determining methods were compared for estimating FVC. The first method used an invariant NDVIsoil for the Northeast China. The second method used the historical minimum NDVI along with information on soil types to estimate NDVIsoil for each soil type. We quantified the influence of variations of NDVIsoil derived from the second method on FVC estimation for each soil type and compared the differences in FVC estimated by these two methods. Analysis shows that the uncertainty in FVC estimation introduced by NDVIsoil variability can exceed 0.1 (root mean square error—RMSE), with the largest errors occurring in vegetation types with low NDVI. NDVIsoil with higher variation causes greater uncertainty on FVC. The difference between the two versions of FVC in Northeast China, is about 0.07 with an RMSE of 0.07. Validation using fine-resolution FVC reference maps shows that the second approach yields better estimates of FVC than using an invariant NDVIsoil value. The accuracy of FVC estimates is improved from 0.1 to 0.07 (RMSE), on average, in the croplands and from 0.04 to 0.03 in the grasslands. Soil backgrounds have impacts not only on NDVIsoil but also on other VIsoil. Further focus will be the selection of optimal vegetation indices and the modeling of the relationships between VIsoil and soil properties for predicting VIsoil.
Geometric and Optic Characterization of a Hemispherical Dome Port for Underwater Photogrammetry
Authors: Menna Fabio , Nocerino Erica , Fassi Francesco , Remondino Fabio
Published: January 2016

The popularity of automatic photogrammetric techniques has promoted many experiments in underwater scenarios leading to quite impressive visual results, even by non-experts. Despite these achievements, a deep understanding of camera and lens behaviors as well as optical phenomena involved in underwater operations is fundamental to better plan field campaigns and anticipate the achievable results. The paper presents a geometric investigation of a consumer grade underwater camera housing, manufactured by NiMAR and equipped with a 7′′ dome port. After a review of flat and dome ports, the work analyzes, using simulations and real experiments, the main optical phenomena involved when operating a camera underwater. Specific aspects which deal with photogrammetric acquisitions are considered with some tests in laboratory and in a swimming pool. Results and considerations are shown and commented.
Blood Group Typing: From Classical Strategies to the Application of Synthetic Antibodies Generated by Molecular Imprinting
Authors: Mujahid Adnan , Dickert Franz
Published: January 2016

Blood transfusion requires a mandatory cross-match test to examine the compatibility between donor and recipient blood groups. Generally, in all cross-match tests, a specific chemical reaction of antibodies with erythrocyte antigens is carried out to monitor agglutination. Since the visual inspection is no longer useful for obtaining precise quantitative information, therefore there is a wide variety of different technologies reported in the literature to recognize the agglutination reactions. Despite the classical methods, modern biosensors and molecular blood typing strategies have also been considered for straightforward, accurate and precise analysis. The interfacial part of a typical sensor device could range from natural antibodies to synthetic receptor materials, as designed by molecular imprinting and which is suitably integrated with the transducer surface. Herein, we present a comprehensive overview of some selected strategies extending from traditional practices to modern procedures in blood group typing, thus to highlight the most promising approach among emerging technologies.
PIMR: Parallel and Integrated Matching for Raw Data
Authors: Li Zhenghao , Yang Junying , Zhao Jiaduo , Han Peng , Chai Zhi
Published: January 2016

With the trend of high-resolution imaging, computational costs of image matching have substantially increased. In order to find the compromise between accuracy and computation in real-time applications, we bring forward a fast and robust matching algorithm, named parallel and integrated matching for raw data (PIMR). This algorithm not only effectively utilizes the color information of raw data, but also designs a parallel and integrated framework to shorten the time-cost in the demosaicing stage. Experiments show that compared to existing state-of-the-art methods, the proposed algorithm yields a comparable recognition rate, while the total time-cost of imaging and matching is significantly reduced.
Self-Powered WSN for Distributed Data Center Monitoring
Authors: Brunelli Davide , Passerone Roberto , Rizzon Luca , Rossi Maurizio , Sartori Davide
Published: January 2016

Monitoring environmental parameters in data centers is gathering nowadays increasing attention from industry, due to the need of high energy efficiency of cloud services. We present the design and the characterization of an energy neutral embedded wireless system, prototyped to monitor perpetually environmental parameters in servers and racks. It is powered by an energy harvesting module based on Thermoelectric Generators, which converts the heat dissipation from the servers. Starting from the empirical characterization of the energy harvester, we present a power conditioning circuit optimized for the specific application. The whole system has been enhanced with several sensors. An ultra-low-power micro-controller stacked over the energy harvesting provides an efficient power management. Performance have been assessed and compared with the analytical model for validation.
Research on Steady States of Fuzzy Cognitive Map and its Application in Three-Rivers Ecosystem
Authors: Peng Zhen , Wu Lifeng , Chen Zhenguo
Published: January 2016

Fuzzy Cognitive Map (FCM) offers many advantages such intuitive knowledge representation and fast numerical reasoning ability, etc. It suits modeling and decision-making of dynamic systems. With the aims to effectively help to analyze and control system sustainable evolution, the paper defines the steady states of fixed point and limited cycle of a FCM modeling system. Accordingly, the rules of steady states of the FCM model and the factors influencing the steady states are presented and proved. The Three-Rivers represents a system including population, ecological environment, social development and their relationships. Based on the relationships, the Three-Rivers ecosystem is modeled by FCM and the Three-Rivers ecosystemsustainable evolutionis analyzed bythe rules of the steady states of FCM.
The Impact of Restaurants’ Green Supply Chain Practices on Firm Performance
Authors: Chiu Jun-Zhi , Hsieh Chao-Chen
Published: January 2016

This study investigated crucial green supply chain management (GSCM) practice dimensions and firm performance based on restaurants firms in Taiwan. On the basis of a factor analysis, four green supply chain management dimensions were identified: corporate environment policy, green packing, green product, and economic transport. This study investigated crucial GSCM practice dimensions (including corporate environment policy, packaging waste, economic transport, and product recycling), green capability and organizational performance. The results shown: first, green practices in restaurants in Taiwan have an indirect effect on firm performance through green capability; second, when the ability of suppliers of green and green capability is at a higher degree, it will contribute to organizational performance, namely environmental and economic performance. Finally, green practices could be a key driver of green capability and it should be a priority in restaurants.
Société rurale et réaménagement agricole dans le Ségala tarnais
Authors: Bertrand Georges
Published: January 2016

Dans le Ségala tarnais, la structure de la société rurale (masse de moyens et petits exploitants sans disponibilités financières, isolement matériel et psychologique en partie lié à l'habitat dispersé, persistance du faire-valoir direct) est, pour une large part, responsable de la crise agricole (maintien de la polyculture traditionnelle assurant une place trop large à l'autoconsommation, exode rural). Les exploitations bien équilibrées sont rares (16% du total environ). La masse des petits et moyens exploitants (50 % du total) se trouve dans une situation critique. Toute tentative de réaménagement doit porter sur cette catégorie. Cependant, le reboisement progresse ; il favorise l'abandon des terres sans, pour l'instant, offrir de compensation.
L'élevage dans le Ségala du Quercy
Authors: Vayron Jean
Published: January 2016

Le Ségala du Quercy a l'économie attardée de ces pays des bordures du Massif Central qui ont trop cru à l'irréversible pauvreté de leurs sols. La région s'oriente vers l'élevage, mais elle le pratique de façon trop extensive : la surface cultivée est réduite, la prairie permanente tient une place excessive. Les races sont mal adaptées. L'économie reste trop autarcique. Cependant, des ferments d'évolution apparaissent. Quelques fermes pilotes se spécialisent et rénovent les méthodes d'élevage. Elles sont encore loin d'avoir entraîné la masse de leurs voisins.
Crues remarquables de rivières sud-brésiliennes et uruguayennes
Authors: Pardé Maurice
Published: January 2016

Dans une grande partie du Brésil tropical, tout au moins au Sud pour les domaines du Saô Francisco, du Paraïba do Sul, du Rio Grande etc, les crues des grandes rivières, guère possibles en temps de pleine saison chaude, sont relativement modérées, faute d'averses puissantes étendues à plusieurs dizaines de milliers de km2 et parce que les terrains de décomposition superficielle, très épais, ont un pouvoir absorbant efficace. Les gonflements fluviaux deviennent au contraire très puissants plus au Sud dans le Brésil subtropical (Iguazu et Guaiba) ; puis dans l'Uruguay pour le fleuve de ce nom et ses affluents dont le Rio Negro. Ces phénomènes ont lieu en toute saison, et surtout au printemps ou encore plus en automne. En mai 1941, l'Uruguay a débité 30 000 m3 à Federación pour 227 000 km- et le Guaiba à Porto Alegre 25 000 pour 82 000 km3. En avril 1959, l'Uruguay a roulé 35 000 m3 au même lieu et le Rio Negro 15 400 m3 pouri 39 200 km2 au barrage de Rincón del Bonete. Crues causées par des pluies totales moyennes très supérieures à celles qui peuvent, en Europe, arroser de telles étendues durant un mois et surtout durant 10 à 15 jours.
L'équipement hydro-électrique des Pyrénées espagnoles
Authors: Daumas Max
Published: January 2016

Malgré les progrès de l'équipement de l'ensemble du pays, les Pyrénées restent la première région hydro-électrique d'Espagne, avec le quart de la production nationale ; 92 % proviennent des Pyrénées centrales, favorisées par leurs conditions naturelles ; Garonne aranaise, Noguera Pallaresa et Noguera Ribagorzana sont les cours d'eau les mieux équipés. Les installations sont de deux types : centrales de haute chute dans la Zone axiale, centrales au pied des grands barrages-réservoirs dans les Prépyrénées. L'équipement a débuté vers 1920 et a été intensifié surtout après la guerre civile, soit par un organisme d'Etat, l'E. N. H. E. R., soit par de puissantes sociétés privées. Trop récente, trop exclusivement orientée vers les centres industriels extérieurs, surtout Barcelone, la mise en valeur hydro-électrique n'a pas entraîné l'industrialisation des Pyrénées espagnoles et de leur bordure immédiate.
Le Piedmont semi-aride disloqué de Mendoza (République Argentine)
Authors: Viers Georges
Published: January 2016

Les collines de la Huayqueria de Tunuyan, au S. de Mendoza, constituées de limons cinéritiques pliocenes, ont été affectées par des mouvements tectoniques quaternaires. Le glacis principal d'âge immédiatement préglaciaire (= Mindel ?) a été disloqué par des bombements et par des failles ; ces dislocations, contemporaines de la glaciation maximale (= Riss ?) se poursuivent sans doute actuellement.
Effective immobilisation of a metathesis catalyst bearing an ammonium-tagged NHC ligand on various solid supports
Authors: Skowerski Krzysztof , Białecki Jacek , Czarnocki Stefan J , Żukowska Karolina , Grela Karol
Published: January 2016

An ammonium-tagged ruthenium complex, 8, was deposited on several widely available commercial solid materials such as silica gel, alumina, cotton, filter paper, iron powder or palladium on carbon. The resulting catalysts were tested in toluene or ethyl acetate, and found to afford metathesis products in high yield and with extremely low ruthenium contamination. Depending on the support used, immobilised catalyst 8 shows also additional traits, such as the possibility of being magnetically separated or the use for metathesis and subsequent reduction of the obtained double bond in one pot.
Carta del Director Editorial
Authors: Altarriba Josep Maria
Published: January 2016

Este nuevo número de Harvard Deusto Business Research reúne investigaciones y estudios sobre los efectos de la crisis y las propuestas para su recuperación en el sector turístico español, el impacto de la crisis en el sector de los eurobonos, la penetración de la venta directa en el mercado español y la distancia que recorre el consumidor para comprar un coche y las oportunidades de optimización mediante el empleo del geomárketing y los sistemas de información geográfica en el ámbito organizacional
Efectos de la crisis y propuestas para su recuperación en el sector turístico español
Authors: Gómez Patiño María , Medina F. Xavier , Puyuelo Arilla José María
Published: January 2016

This paper aims to analyze the situation of the Spanish tourist sector in the framework of a socioeconomic crisis and in a moment where strategic rethinking at all levels are needed. To do this, we will conduct an analysis based on a review of the scientific literature on the social and economic crisis, particularly in Spain, and focusing specially aspects such as lifestyle and behavior changes of tourists, and also some response measures and different strategies created to try to mitigate the effects of the present crisis in the current economic situation. We will propose finally different recommendations issued from the previous reflection, which can be significant regarding an eventual recuperation in the Spanish tourism sector in the short and medium term.
Risk Assessment for Chronic Pain and Patient Satisfaction After Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Sakellariou Vasileios I. , Poultsides Lazaros A. , Ma Yan , Bae James , Liu Spencer , Sculco Thomas P.
Published: January 2016

The estimated prevalence of patients who report minor or no improvement of their symptoms and pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains high, ranging from 5% to 40%. The authors sought to determine whether chronic pain and functional health are related to specific variations in demographic data, surgical techniques, or radiographic pre- and postoperative findings. They also sought to identify independent risk factors for persistent moderate-to-severe chronic pain after TKA. A total of 273 patients who underwent primary TKA from October 2007 to March 2010 with a minimum follow-up of 1 year were identified from electronic medical records. A questionnaire to identify persistent postoperative pain (36-item Short Form Health Survey [SF-36]) was mailed to these patients. Linear regression and logistic regression were used to identify predictors for SF-36 and chronic pain, respectively. Thirty-nine percent of patients reported persistent pain after TKA, with a median average pain score of 3 out of 10 and worst pain score of 5 out of 10. Independent risk factors for persistent pain are the length of the operative procedure (odds ratio [OR]=1.013), medical history of diabetes mellitus (OR=0.430), presence of preoperative flexion contracture (OR=1.089), and patellofemoral joint overstuffing (OR=0.915). Persistent postoperative pain is a common finding after TKA. Nonmodifiable risk factors could be used for risk stratification, whereas modifiable risk factors could be used as a clinical guidance for modification of some aspects of existing surgical techniques. [Orthopedics.2016; 39(1):55–62.]
De la laïcité sur le campus : suffisance du cadre légal et préservation de la liberté de conscience
Authors: Medard Inghilterra Robin
Published: January 2016

Le 15 décembre 2015, l’Observatoire de la laïcité a dévoilé son opposition à la modification du dispositif législatif encadrant l’application du principe de laïcité au sein des universités et autres établissements publics d’enseignement supérieur. Émise après autosaisine et à la suite du sondage des principales instances académiques, cette prise de position intervient par le biais d’un avis consultatif dressant un état des lieux de la situation, soulignant les règles de droit applicables et concluant par une liste de vingt-trois recommandations en vue de parfaire l’application du principe de laïcité dans les établissements publics d’enseignement supérieur. S’ils s’attachent à démontrer l’inutilité et l’inopportunité d’une interdiction du port de signe religieux pour les étudiants, les membres de l’Observatoire n’y limitent pas leurs considérations et saisissent le prétexte de la polémique pour élargir leur propos à d’autres problématiques susceptibles d’éprouver le respect de la laïcité au creux de l’enceinte académique.