bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Frequency of Spiritual/Religious Practices in Polish Patients with Chronic Diseases: Validation of the Polish Version of the SpREUK-P Questionnaire
Authors: Büssing Arndt , Franczak Kazimierz , Surzykiewicz Janusz
Published: May 2014

In order to measure a wide spectrum of organized and private religious, spiritual, existential and philosophical practices, the SpREUK-P (SpREUK is the German language acronym of “Spirituality/Religiosity and Coping with Illness”) questionnaire was developed as a generic instrument. To account for the fact that institutional religiosity declines, not only in Europe, and to explore the alternative use of various existing esoteric and spiritual resources, the instrument also addresses non-religious forms of spiritual practices. Previously, it was tested in a more secular context and was found to be of relevance for atheistic/agnostic individuals. Now we intended to apply the instrument to 275 Polish individuals with chronic diseases (100% Catholics, 74% women, mean age 56 ± 16 years). The factorial structure of the SpREUK-P’s Polish version was similar to the primary version, but lacked an exclusive “spiritual (mind-body) practices” subscale. Factor analysis revealed four main factors, which would explain 67% of the variance, i.e., religious practices (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.90), humanistic practices (alpha = 0.87), existentialistic practices (alpha = 0.80) and gratitude/awe (alpha = 0.80). The correlation pattern underlines construct validity. Interestingly, in Polish individuals, existentialistic practices did not significantly differ between religious and non-religious individuals (nor between men and women), while all other forms of spiritual practices did differ significantly.
On the Atmospheric Correction of Antarctic Airborne Hyperspectral Data
Authors: Black Martin , Fleming Andrew , Riley Teal , Ferrier Graham , Fretwell Peter , McFee John , Achal Stephen , Diaz Alejandra
Published: May 2014

The first airborne hyperspectral campaign in the Antarctic Peninsula region was carried out by the British Antarctic Survey and partners in February 2011. This paper presents an insight into the applicability of currently available radiative transfer modelling and atmospheric correction techniques for processing airborne hyperspectral data in this unique coastal Antarctic environment. Results from the Atmospheric and Topographic Correction version 4 (ATCOR-4) package reveal absolute reflectance values somewhat in line with laboratory measured spectra, with Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values of 5% in the visible near infrared (0.4–1 µm) and 8% in the shortwave infrared (1–2.5 µm). Residual noise remains present due to the absorption by atmospheric gases and aerosols, but certain parts of the spectrum match laboratory measured features very well. This study demonstrates that commercially available packages for carrying out atmospheric correction are capable of correcting airborne hyperspectral data in the challenging environment present in Antarctica. However, it is anticipated that future results from atmospheric correction could be improved by measuring in situ atmospheric data to generate atmospheric profiles and aerosol models, or with the use of multiple ground targets for calibration and validation.
Implementation of WirelessHART in the NS-2 Simulator and Validation of Its Correctness
Authors: Zand Pouria , Mathews Emi , Havinga Paul , Stojanovski Spase , Sisinni Emiliano , Ferrari Paolo
Published: May 2014

One of the first standards in the wireless sensor networks domain,WirelessHART (HART (Highway Addressable Remote Transducer)), was introduced to address industrial process automation and control requirements. This standard can be used as a reference point to evaluate other wireless protocols in the domain of industrial monitoring and control. This makes it worthwhile to set up a reliable WirelessHART simulator in order to achieve that reference point in a relatively easy manner. Moreover, it offers an alternative to expensive testbeds for testing and evaluating the performance of WirelessHART. This paper explains our implementation of WirelessHART in the NS-2 network simulator. According to our knowledge, this is the first implementation that supports the WirelessHART network manager, as well as the whole stack (all OSI (Open Systems Interconnection model) layers) of the WirelessHART standard. It also explains our effort to validate the correctness of our implementation, namely through the validation of the implementation of the WirelessHART stack protocol and of the network manager. We use sniffed traffic from a realWirelessHART testbed installed in the Idrolab plant for these validations. This confirms the validity of our simulator. Empirical analysis shows that the simulated results are nearly comparable to the results obtained from real networks. We also demonstrate the versatility and usability of our implementation by providing some further evaluation results in diverse scenarios. For example, we evaluate the performance of the WirelessHART network by applying incremental interference in a multi-hop network.
New Trends in Quantitative Assessment of the Corneal Barrier Function
Authors: Guimerà Anton , Illa Xavi , Traver Estefania , Herrero Carmen , Maldonado Miguel , Villa Rosa
Published: May 2014

The cornea is a very particular tissue due to its transparency and its barrier function as it has to resist against the daily insults of the external environment. In addition, maintenance of this barrier function is of crucial importance to ensure a correct corneal homeostasis. Here, the corneal epithelial permeability has been assessed in vivo by means of non-invasive tetrapolar impedance measurements, taking advantage of the huge impact of the ion fluxes in the passive electrical properties of living tissues. This has been possible by using a flexible sensor based in SU-8 photoresist. In this work, a further analysis focused on the validation of the presented sensor is performed by monitoring the healing process of corneas that were previously wounded. The obtained impedance measurements have been compared with the damaged area observed in corneal fluorescein staining images. The successful results confirm the feasibility of this novel method, as it represents a more sensitive in vivo and non-invasive test to assess low alterations of the epithelial permeability. Then, it could be used as an excellent complement to the fluorescein staining image evaluation.
Oncolytic Virotherapy of Canine and Feline Cancer
Authors: Gentschev Ivaylo , Patil Sandeep , Petrov Ivan , Cappello Joseph , Adelfinger Marion , Szalay Aladar
Published: May 2014

Cancer is the leading cause of disease-related death in companion animals such as dogs and cats. Despite recent progress in the diagnosis and treatment of advanced canine and feline cancer, overall patient treatment outcome has not been substantially improved. Virotherapy using oncolytic viruses is one promising new strategy for cancer therapy. Oncolytic viruses (OVs) preferentially infect and lyse cancer cells, without causing excessive damage to surrounding healthy tissue, and initiate tumor-specific immunity. The current review describes the use of different oncolytic viruses for cancer therapy and their application to canine and feline cancer.
Scleroderma Renal Crisis
Authors: Mouthon Luc , Bussone Guillaume , Berezné Alice , Noël Laure-Hélène , Guillevin Loïc
Published: May 2014

Scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) is characterized by malignant hypertension and oligo-anuric acute renal failure. It occurs in 5% of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), particularly in patients with diffuse disease during the first years. SRC is more common in patients receiving corticosteroids, the risk increasing with increasing dose. The disease is sometimes triggered by use of nephrotoxic drugs and/or intravascular volume depletion. Left ventricular insufficiency and hypertensive encephalopathy are typical clinical features. Thrombotic microangiopathy is detected in 43% of cases, and anti-RNA-polymerase III antibodies are present in one-third of patients. Renal biopsy is not necessary if SRC presents classical features. However, biopsy may help to define the prognosis and guide treatment in atypical forms. The prognosis of SRC has greatly improved with the introduction of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. However, the 5-year survival for SSc patients with full SRC remains low (65%). The treatment of SRC relies on aggressive blood pressure control with an ACE inhibitor, combined with other antihypertensive drugs if needed. Dialysis is frequently indicated but can be stopped in about half of patients, mainly those with good blood pressure control. Patients who need dialysis for more than 2 years qualify for renal transplantation.
Création stratégique et avantage concurrentiel
Authors: Lapointe Jean-Philippe , Hafsi Taïeb
Published: May 2014

Résumé Cet article s’intéresse à la survie, voire au succès, des entreprises non dominantes. Ces entreprises possèdent une faible part de marché, une taille modeste et des ressources souvent limitées par rapport au leader de leur industrie. Malgré les arguments en faveur d’une forte part de marché – longtemps considérée comme le déterminant principal du succès –, ces entreprises réussissent à atteindre une rentabilité respectable, parfois même supérieure à celle d’entreprises dominantes. La littérature de la stratégie étant davantage orientée vers la recherche d’une position de domination sur le marché et la réalité étant que très peu d’entreprises peuvent un jour obtenir cette position, une meilleure connaissance des facteurs de succès en situation de non-domination s’avère utile. Pour cela, nous avons étudié un cas d’entreprise non dominante qui réussit bien : la Banque Laurentienne du Canada, qui, malgré le désavantage de sa taille, affiche une performance comparable à la moyenne de l’industrie. Dans cet article, la littérature relative au succès des entreprises non dominantes est également examinée.
Les régimes de retraite sont-ils toujours avantageux ?
Authors: Pozzebon Silvana
Published: May 2014

Résumé Le vieillissement démographique des Québécois est désormais bien engagé. Afin de mieux relever le défi du vieillissement, il faut envisager d’accroître le taux d’activité des personnes ayant plus de 55 ans. D’une part, les incitations qu’offrent les régimes de retraite publics et privés réunis tendent à décourager la participation au marché du travail. D’autre part, la configuration du système de retraite privé a été marquée par plusieurs changements qui poussent vers une plus grande insécurité financière à la retraite. Un certain nombre de travailleurs se verront ainsi contraints à prolonger leur vie active. La première partie de l’article présente un aperçu des tendances démographiques québécoises et canadiennes, ainsi que certaines solutions proposées pour mieux relever le défi du vieillissement. Dans la deuxième partie, les régimes de retraite publics de même que les mesures d’incitation à la retraite qu’ils offrent sont brièvement évalués. La dernière partie porte sur les régimes de retraite privés, et plus spécifiquement sur les mutations qu’ont connues ces régimes et sur leurs effets sur les employeurs et les travailleurs.
Mettre en place une gestion de la relève
Authors: Foucher Roland , Gosselin Alain
Published: May 2014

Résumé Certaines organisations réussissent à effectuer des transitions et à assurer leur continuité alors que d’autres échouent, faute d’une relève bien préparée. Gérer cette dernière constitue donc un enjeu important, qui est amplifié par des facteurs économiques et démographiques. L’évolution socioéconomique fait de la gestion de la relève un enjeu stratégique en raison de son incidence sur la capacité d’ajustement de l’organisation à un environnement en mutation. Pour réaliser cette harmonisation, plusieurs organisations doivent apporter des changements touchant leurs structures, leur culture et leur main-d’œuvre. Cet article procède à une synthèse des écrits et à une illustration des meilleures pratiques en matière de gestion de la relève. Celles-ci proviennent d’une analyse des actions accomplies par trois grandes entreprises québécoises reconnues pour leur programme de gestion de la relève : Alcan, la Banque Nationale et Hydro-Québec.
Conserver ses employés productifs
Authors: Vandenberghe Christian
Published: May 2014

Résumé La fidélisation des employés productifs prend une importance particulière aujourd’hui en raison du départ massif à la retraite de la génération des baby-boomers et de l’arrivée prochaine d’une nouvelle génération d’employés. Plus que jamais, les gestionnaires doivent conserver leurs éléments les plus précieux et attirer les jeunes talents les plus prometteurs. Cet article montre comment il est possible d’adapter les modèles explicatifs des départs volontaires afin de tenir compte de cette nouvelle réalité. Il faudra continuer de renforcer la relation entre l’employé et l’organisation, mais la relation de supervision deviendra un pilier dans les politiques de fidélisation à l’avenir. Désormais, les employés construisent le lien avec l’entreprise à travers une relation réussie avec leur superviseur. D’autre part, les facteurs relatifs à la qualité de vie et à la vie privée pèseront plus lourd dans les décisions touchant à la carrière. Enfin, une rémunération attrayante ne sera plus suffisante; il faudra y ajouter des conditions de travail satisfaisantes.
La contribution de la gestion des connaissances à la gestion de la relève
Authors: Bourhis Anne , Dubé Line , Jacob Réal
Published: May 2014

Résumé Deux enquêtes récentes mettent en évidence l’importance d’associer le domaine de la gestion des connaissances à l’enjeu de la gestion de la relève. Cet article illustre l’interaction de ces deux domaines à partir de l’étude de cas de la société Hydro-Québec. Après avoir situé le champ de la gestion des connaissances, nous présentons succinctement la stratégie de gestion de la relève d’Hydro-Québec en montrant en quoi différentes approches de gestion des connaissances contribuent à cette problématique organisationnelle. L’analyse du cas Hydro-Québec permet plus spécifiquement de montrer l’apport des communautés de pratique virtuelles aux enjeux stratégiques de gestion de la relève et du transfert des compétences. Enfin, l’article expose les facteurs clés de succès dans la mise en place de ces communautés et décrit la relation entre les domaines de la gestion des connaissances et de la gestion des ressources humaines.
À nouvelle gouvernance, nouvelles compétences
Authors: Maltais Daniel , Mazouz Bachir
Published: May 2014

Résumé Trop longtemps figée dans son rôle de régulateur socioéconomique, l’administration avait rarement interrogé ses modes de fonctionnement, son organisation et encore moins sa performance et celle de son personnel. Depuis le début des années 1980, elle expérimente des formes organisationnelles et des cadres de gestion jusque-là considérés comme propres à l’entreprise. Les gouvernements et les gestionnaires publics disposent maintenant d’une alternative à la gestion bureaucratique : le nouveau management public. Cet article présente un cadre général de réflexion permettant de cerner les caractéristiques des nouveaux modèles de gouvernance en émergence à l’échelle internationale et au Québec. Ensuite, il explique en quoi la nouvelle façon de gérer les affaires publiques influencera la nature des défis que devront relever les gestionnaires publics. Enfin, il décrit et illustre les compétences clés requises des gestionnaires publics pour faire face aux exigences de la nouvelle société, de la nouvelle gouvernance publique et de la nouvelle économie.
La responsabilité civile des vérificateurs après la tempête financière : point de mire sur une réforme canadienne
Authors: Crête Raymonde , McSweeney Patrick
Published: May 2014

Résumé Depuis le début des années 2000, la fiabilité de l’information financière et la qualité de la vérification sont devenues des préoccupations majeures tant aux États-Unis qu’au Canada. Dans les efforts entrepris en vue de rétablir la confiance des investisseurs, les législatures de l’Ontario et de la Colombie-Britannique ont modifié leurs lois sur les valeurs mobilières en y intégrant un nouveau régime restreint de responsabilité civile afin d’assurer la divulgation d’une information véridique et complète destinée aux investisseurs du marché secondaire. Dans la même perspective, les Autorités canadiennes en valeurs mobilières, incluant l’Autorité des marchés financiers du Québec, explorent la possibilité d’intégrer un régime semblable dans le projet d’harmonisation de la législation, intitulé «Loi uniforme sur les valeurs mobilières». L’objectif de cet article est de mieux comprendre le sens et la portée de cette réforme majeure qui, si elle est mise en vigueur, s’appliquera notamment aux vérificateurs appelés à certifier les états financiers des sociétés ouvertes assujetties à cette nouvelle réglementation.
Le comité de vérification : un rôle essentiel à la gouvernance
Authors: Lafortune Andrée , Martel Louise
Published: May 2014

Résumé La confiance des investisseurs a été mise à l’épreuve au cours des dernières années. Une des stratégies pour restaurer la confiance dans les marchés financiers passe par l’amélioration de la qualité des divulgations financières. C’est dans cette optique que le comité de vérification a pris une importance stratégique dans la gouvernance des sociétés ouvertes. Cet article propose de regarder la composition, les responsabilités et le fonctionnement du comité de vérification tout en faisant référence à la réglementation canadienne et aux différences les plus importantes entre celle-ci et la législation américaine. De plus, l’impact des nouvelles exigences sera éclairé par des commentaires tirés d’entrevues réalisées avec deux présidents de comités de vérification.
La qualité de la divulgation de la rémunération des dirigeants
Authors: Schiehll Eduardo
Published: May 2014

Résumé Cet article examine la qualité de la divulgation des sociétés ouvertes canadiennes en ce qui concerne l’information sur les composantes de la rémunération du directeur général en fonction de la performance. Il met l’accent sur le régime de primes et vérifie si l’information divulguée précise les mesures de performance, les normes de performance et la prime cible. La divulgation de l’information influence la compréhension des tierces parties quant à la relation entre la rémunération des cadres et la richesse des actionnaires. Elle joue donc un rôle important dans la structure de la gouvernance. L’analyse des circulaires de la direction de 184 sociétés ouvertes canadiennes montrent que ces dernières ne respectent pas les règles de divulgation imposées par les autorités de réglementation. Les comités de rémunération décrivent les programmes d’incitations des dirigeants en termes très généraux, ce qui ne permet pas de comprendre comment les primes sont attribuées ou liées aux résultats de l’entreprise. Une meilleure divulgation est essentielle à une relation de confiance entre les actionnaires et la direction et à l’acceptation des niveaux de rémunération rattachés à la performance.
Les opérations de fusions et acquisitions internationales sont-elles rentables?
Authors: Francœur Claude
Published: May 2014

Résumé Les actionnaires augmentent-ils leur richesse lorsque les gestionnaires des sociétés canadiennes qu’ils possèdent procèdent à des fusions et acquisitions transfrontalières? Quels sont les facteurs de succès des entreprises procédant aux acquisitions lors de regroupements internationaux? Notre étude démontre que les firmes canadiennes ayant procédé à des fusions et acquisitions transfrontalières n’enregistrent ni gains ni pertes durant la période suivant l’acquisition. Contrairement à leur performance sur le plan national, ces entreprises réussissent à générer suffisamment de valeur pour répondre aux attentes des marchés financiers, compte tenu des risques qu’elles prennent, et à atteindre des niveaux de rendement comparables à ceux d’entreprises similaires du même secteur industriel. Nos résultats, qui concordent avec la théorie de l’internalisation, indiquent que les firmes procédant aux acquisitions peuvent, sous certaines conditions, réaliser d’importantes synergies et créer de la valeur à long terme, notamment lorsqu’elles possèdent des actifs fondés sur le savoir.
History of the northern silvery blue (Glaucopsyche lygdamus couperi) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in southern Ontario, Canada: separating range expansion from original populations and other subspecies
Authors: Layberry Ross A. , Catling Paul M. , Schmidt B. Christian
Published: May 2014

The historical distribution ofGlaucopsyche lygdamus(Doubleday) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in southern Ontario, Canada was analysed using three major databases. In southern Ontario,G.lygdamusincludes (1) subspeciesG.lygdamus couperiGrote that has expanded its range from the north since the 1940s and 1950s reaching Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in 2012; (2) a non-expanding population on the Norfolk Sand Plain, Ontario, Canada that appears phenotypically closest toG.lygdamus couperi, but with some wing marking characters that are transitional to the more southern subspeciesG.lygdamus lygdamus; and (3) rare and local pre-expansion populations referable toG.lygdamus couperithat occurred in the Ottawa Valley and Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, Canada in alvar woodlands, and possibly also on lakeshore dunes. The very rare and local occurrences of silvery blue in southern Ontario in the past is in direct contrast to its increasing abundance in the area in present times, but the genetic and phenotypic diversity of silvery blue may be declining due to genetic mixing with and/or to the effect of increasing parasitoids from the expanding race.
The discursive cultural representations of Gentiles: A contextual approach using migration theory
Authors: Dube Zorodzai
Published: May 2014

How are social boundaries created and how are they maintained? To an extent, the way people look, dress and talk demarcates cultural markers that distinguish them from others − hence, giving them a sense of self-categorisation and self-identity. However, with time such collective identity might need readjustment when people from another culture become insiders and neighbours within the perceived social boundaries. Regarding this, James Dunn noted that a challenge of social cohesion between the Jews and the Gentiles existed during the 1st century, necessitated by the conversion of Gentiles to Christianity. In response, to keep their exclusive collective identity, the Jews demanded that the Gentiles observe Jewish law. This article develops Dunn’s view that the observance of Jewish law provided implicit social exclusion strategies towards the Gentiles. However, Dunn did not elaborate further concerning the strategies upon which Gentiles were excluded. As contribution to fill that void, this article drew on strategies of inclusion and exclusion from the analogy of migration in South Africa and elsewhere.Hoe word sosiale en kulturele grense geskep en onderhou? Tot ’n mate bewerkstellig die manier waarop mense uiterlik voorkom, aantrek en praat kulturele kenmerke wat sekere groepe van ander onderskei, en verleen so aan hulle ’n bepaalde identiteit en klassifisering. So ’n gemeenskaplike identiteit moet mettertyd aangepas word as mense van ander kulture met ander gebruike deel word van die binnekring. In hierdie verband merk James Dunn op dat, in die eerste eeu na Christus, die Jode en heidene aangespoor is tot ’n samehorigheidsgevoel wat deurdie bekering van heidene tot die Christendom genoodsaak is. In reaksie hierop het die Jode aanvanklik verwag dat die heidene die Joodse wet moes nakom. Hierdie artikel bou op Dunn se siening, naamlik dat die onderhouding van die Joodse wet sosiale strategieë ontwikkel het wat die heidene onvoorwaardelik uitgesluit het. Dunn brei egter nie verder oor die sogenaamde strategieë uit nie. In hierdie artikel word gepoog om hierdie leemte aan te vul deur middel van ’n vergelyking met kontemporêre migrasie in Suid-Afrika en die strategieë van insluiting en uitsluiting wat bespeur word in sulke kontekste, te verdiskonteer.
Elevation‐dependent surface elevation gain in a tidal freshwater marsh and implications for marsh persistence
Authors: Cadol Daniel , Engelhardt Katharina , Elmore Andrew , Sanders Geoffrey
Published: May 2014

Tidal marshes in equilibrium with rising sea level accrete material and gain elevation at a rate similar to sea level rise (SLR). Increased inundation, erosion, and marsh area loss occur where alterations to ecogeomorphic processes and feedbacks cause surface elevation gain to be less than SLR. Relationships between marsh platform elevation and surface elevation change have been observed in tidal salt marshes. In this study we expand this concept to tidal freshwater marshes by monitoring elevation change using surface elevation tables (SETs) and repeated surface elevation surveys. A novel method of survey differencing revealed elevation‐dependent rates of elevation change in our study site. Greater elevations were generally associated with decreased elevation gains. This relationship, however, was not monotonic but included a reversal to increasing gains from ∼ 0.2 m to 0.3 m elevation, leading to a local maximum elevation gain rate at ∼ 0.3 m elevation, about 0.3 half tide units above mean tide level. This localized accretion maximum could be caused by the elevation‐controlled distribution of marsh plant species, among other possibilities. Model projections of modern elevation change rates into the future suggested that high‐ and low‐marsh platforms would be maintained and even expanded for SLR rates between 2 and 4 mm yr−1. In our projections, rates of SLR < 2 mm yr−1 led to conversion of low marsh to high marsh, whereas rates from 4 to 6 mm yr−1 led to the reverse. SLR > 6 mm yr−1 led to conversion of marsh to open water. On average, surface elevations appear to be increasing at a rate similar to recent local SLR, although elevation change at some specific locations and within some elevation ranges may be less than SLR.
On database biases and hypothesis testing with dilution experiments: Response to comment by Latasa
Authors: Landry Michael R.
Published: May 2014

Response
Biological‐ and physical‐induced oxygen dynamics in melting sea ice of the Fram Strait
Authors: Glud Ronnie N. , Rysgaard Søren , Turner Gavin , McGinnis Daniel F. , Leakey Raymond J. G.
Published: May 2014

We investigated the production, consumption, and exchange of O2 in melting sea ice to assess the biological‐ and physical‐induced O2 turnover. The underside of the ice was covered with 5–20 cm3 large, buoyant algal aggregates. Their gross primary production amounted to 0.49 mmol C m−2 d−1, which was 4.5 times higher than the primary production of sea ice—encrusted microalgae (0.11 mmol C m−2 d−1). The phototrophic biomass of the aggregates (2.94 mg chlorophyll a m−2) was six times higher than that encountered in the sea ice itself. Taxono‐specific investigations strongly suggest that the aggregates were formed from agglutinated algae released from the melting ice. At the prevailing light conditions, the sea ice—encrusted communities were almost at metabolic balance, while the aggregates were net heterotrophic. Together, the two communities were responsible for an overall O2 consumption of 0.32 mmol m−2 d−1. The sea ice—associated communities thereby represent a southward‐drifting carbon source that is being exhausted by sea ice—affiliated food webs. The sea ice volume decreased rapidly, releasing meltwater at a rate 25 L m−2 d−1, but no surface melt ponds were formed. Aquatic eddy correlation (EC) measurements on the underside of the ice revealed a light‐dependent O2 exchange rate. However, the integrated signal resolved a net O2 uptake of 7.70 mmol m−2 d−1. The net O2 exchange was therefore dominated by the production of O2‐depleted meltwater rather than biological activity. The EC technique represents a new non‐invasive tool for O2 studies in sea ice communities.
Rotational Alignment Landmarks in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Baldini Andrea , Indelli Pier Francesco , Luca Manfredini PT , Marcucci Massimiliano
Published: May 2014

Purpose

We hypothesized that the anterior tibial surface curvature is a more reliable landmark for correct tibial component rotational positioning in TKA respect to the ‘Akagi’ line and the medial third of the tibial tubercle.

Methods

Three independent investigators reviewed 124 knee MRI scans, identifying independently the femoral transepicondylar axis (TEA), the femoral posterior condylar axis (PCA), a line connecting the middle of the posterior cruciate ligament and the medial edge of the patellar tendon attachment (Akagi's line), the medial third of the tibial tubercle and the anterior tibial surface curvature. The most appropriate tibial baseplate tracing for the NexGen Total Knee System (Zimmer, Warsaw, USA) was superimposed matching the anterior tibial cortex with its anterior surface. At this point, the rotation of the tibial plate tracing was calculated in respect to the TEA, the medial third of the tibial tubercle line, the Akagi's line and the PCA. Customized software was created and used for analysis of the MRI datasets.

Results: The investigators agreed on the localization of the Akagi's line in 64% of the cases within 3° and in 85% of the cases within 5° (minimum –16°, maximum –7°): this landmark might lead to internal rotation of the tibial component. The observers agreed on the localization of the medial third of the tibial tubercle in 29% of the cases within 3° and, in 70% of the cases, within 5° (minimum –4°, maximum +4°): this landmark might lead to external rotation of the tibial component. The investigators agreed on the localization of the anterior tibial surface curvature in 89% of the cases within 3° and in 99% of the cases within 5° (minimum –1°, maximum +4°): component alignment along the anterior cortex guaranteed full matching ±3° to the epicondylar axis in 75% of the knees.

Conclusion

Alignment of the tibial component, when based on the anterior tibial surface, was more reliable and easier identifiable than either the Akagi's line or the medial third of the tibial tubercle.

Level of evidence

Level 3 (Retrospective cohort study).

Indelli PF, Baldini A, Manfredini L, Marcucci M. Rotational Alignment Landmarks in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty. The Duke Orthop J 2014;4(1):8-12.
Secondary Organic Aerosol (SOA) formation from hydroxyl radical oxidation and ozonolysis of monoterpenes
Authors: Zhao D. F. , Kaminski M. , Schlag P. , Fuchs H. , Acir I.-H. , Bohn B. , Häseler R. , Kiendler-Scharr A. , Rohrer F. , Tillmann R. , Wang M. J. , Wegener R. , Wildt J. , Wahner A. , Mentel T. F.
Published: May 2014

Abstract. Oxidation by hydroxyl radical (OH) and ozonolysis are the two major pathways of daytime biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) oxidation and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation. In this study, we investigated the particle formation of several common monoterpenes (α-pinene, β-pinene, and limonene) by OH dominated oxidation, which has seldom been investigated. OH oxidation experiments were carried out in the SAPHIR chamber in Jülich, Germany, at low NOx (0.01–1 ppbV) and low ozone (O3) concentration. OH concentration and OH reactivity were measured directly so that the overall reaction rates of organic compounds with OH were quantified. Multi-generation reaction process, particle growth, new particle formation, particle yield, and chemical composition were analyzed and compared with that of monoterpene ozonolysis. Multi-generation products were found to be important in OH dominated SOA formation. The relative role of functionalization and fragmentation in the reaction process of OH oxidation was analyzed by examining the particle mass and the particle size as a function of OH dose. We developed a novel method which quantitatively links particle growth to the reaction of OH with organics in a reaction system. This method was also used to analyze the evolution of functionalization and fragmentation of organics in the particle formation by OH oxidation. It shows that functionalization of organics was dominant in the beginning of the reaction (within two lifetimes of the monoterpene) and fragmentation started to be dominant after that. We compared particle formation from OH oxidation with that from pure ozonolysis. In individual experiments, growth rates of the particle size did not necessarily correlate with the reaction rate of monoterpene with OH and O3. Comparing the size growth rates at the similar reaction rates of monoterpene with OH or O3 indicates that generally, OH oxidation and ozonolysis had similar efficiency in particle growth. The SOA yield of α-pinene and limonene by ozonolysis was higher than that of OH oxidation. Aerosol mass spectrometry (AMS) shows SOA elemental composition from OH oxidation follows a slope shallower than −1 in the O / C vs. H / C diagram, indicating that oxidation proceeds without significant loss of hydrogen. SOA from OH oxidation had higher H / C ratios than SOA from ozonolysis. In ozonolysis, a process with significant hydrogen loss seemed to play an important role in SOA formation.
Accelerated microbial-induced CaCO3 precipitation in a defined coculture of ureolytic and non-ureolytic bacteria
Authors: Gat D. , Tsesarsky M. , Shamir D. , Ronen Z.
Published: May 2014

Abstract. Microbial-induced CaCO3 precipitation (MICP) is an innovative technique that harnesses bacterial activity for the modification of the physical properties of soils. Since stimulation of MICP by urea hydrolysis in natural soils is likely to be affected by interactions between ureolytic and non-ureolytic bacteria, we designed an experiment to examine the interactions between ureolytic and non-ureolytic bacteria and the effect of these interactions on MICP. An artificial groundwater-based rich medium was inoculated with two model species of bacteria, the ureolytic species Sporosarcina pasteurii and the non-ureolytic species Bacillus subtilis. The control treatment was inoculated with a pure culture of S. pasteurii. The following parameters were monitored during the course of the experiment: optical density, pH, the evolution of ammonium, dissolved calcium and dissolved inorganic carbon. The results showed that dissolved calcium was precipitated as CaCO3 faster in the mixed culture than in the control, despite less favorable chemical conditions in the mixed culture, i.e., lower pH and lower CO32− concentration. B. subtilis exhibited a considerably higher growth rate than S. pasteurii, resulting in higher density of bacterial cells in the mixed culture. We suggest that the presence of the non-ureolytic bacterial species, B. subtilis, accelerated the MICP process, via the supply of nucleation sites in the form of non-ureolytic bacterial cells.
Mangroves in peril: unprecedented degradation rates of peri-urban mangroves in Kenya
Authors: Bosire J. O. , Kaino J. J. , Olagoke A. O. , Mwihaki L. M. , Ogendi G. M. , Kairo J. G. , Berger U. , Macharia D.
Published: May 2014

Abstract. Marine ecosystems are experiencing unprecedented degradation rates higher than any other ecosystem on the planet, which in some instances are up to 4 times those of rainforests. Mangrove ecosystems have especially been impacted by compounded anthropogenic pressures leading to significant cover reductions of between 35 and 50% (equivalent to 1–2% loss pa) for the last half century. The main objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that peri-urban mangroves suffering from compounded and intense pressures may be experiencing higher degradation rates than the global mean (and/or national mean for Kenya) using Mombasa mangroves (comprising Tudor and Mwache creeks) as a case study. Stratified sampling was used to sample along 22 and 10 belt transects in Mwache and Tudor respectively, set to capture stand heterogeneity in terms of species composition and structure in addition to perceived human pressure gradients using proximity to human habitations as a proxy. We acquired SPOT (HRV/ HRVIR/ HRS) images of April 1994, May 2000 and January 2009 and a vector mangrove map of 1992 at a scale of 1:50 000 for cover change and species composition analysis. Results from image classification of the 2009 image had 80.23% overall accuracy and Cohen's kappa of 0.77, thus proving satisfactory for use in this context. Structural data indicate that complexity index (CI) which captures stand structural development was higher in Mwache at 1.80 compared to Tudor at 1.71. From cover change data, Tudor lost 86.9% of the forest between 1992 and 2009, compared to Mwache at 45.4%, representing very high hitherto undocumented degradation rates of 5.1 and 2.7% pa, respectively. These unprecedentedly high degradation rates, which far exceed not only the national mean (for Kenya of 0.7% pa) but the global mean as well, strongly suggest that these mangroves are highly threatened due to compounded pressures. Strengthening of governance regimes through enforcement and compliance to halt illegal wood extraction, improvement of land-use practices upstream to reduce soil erosion, restoration in areas where natural regeneration has been impaired, provision of alternative energy sources/building materials and a complete moratorium on wood extraction especially in Tudor Creek to allow recovery are some of the suggested management interventions.
Diversity and seasonal dynamics of airborne Archaea
Authors: Fröhlich-Nowoisky J. , Ruzene Nespoli C. , Pickersgill D. A. , Galand P. E. , Müller-Germann I. , Nunes T. , Gomes Cardoso J. , Marta Almeida S. , Pio C. , Andreae M. O. , Conrad R. , Pöschl U. , Després V. R.
Published: May 2014

Abstract. Archaea are widespread and abundant in many terrestrial and aquatic environments, accounting for up to ∼10% of the prokaryotes. Compared to Bacteria and other microorganisms, however, very little is known about the abundance, diversity, and dispersal of Archaea in the atmosphere. By DNA analysis targeting the 16S rRNA and amoA genes in samples of air particulate matter collected over one year at a continental sampling site in Germany, we obtained first insights into the seasonal dynamics of airborne Archaea. The detected Archaea were identified as Thaumarchaeota or Euryarchaeota, with soil Thaumarchaeota (group I.1b) being present in all samples. The normalized species richness of Thaumarchaeota correlated positively with relative humidity and negatively with temperature. This together with an increase of bare agricultural soil surfaces may explain the diversity peaks observed in fall and winter. The detected Euryarchaeota were mainly methanogens with a low relative frequency of occurrence. A slight increase in their frequency during spring may be linked to fertilization processes in the surrounding agricultural fields. Comparison with samples from the Cape Verde islands and from other coastal and continental sites indicates that the proportions of Euryarchaeota are enhanced in coastal air, which is consistent with their suggested abundance in marine surface waters. We conclude that air transport may play an important role for the dispersal of Archaea, including ammonia-oxidizing Thaumarchaeota and methanogens. Also, anthropogenic activities might influence the atmospheric abundance and diversity of Archaea.
Microbial food web dynamics during spring phytoplankton blooms in the naturally iron-fertilized Kerguelen area (Southern Ocean)
Authors: Christaki U. , Lefèvre D. , Georges C. , Colombet J. , Catala P. , Courties C. , Sime-Ngando T. , Blain S. , Obernosterer I.
Published: May 2014

Abstract. Microbial food web dynamics were determined during the onset of several spring phytoplankton blooms induced by natural iron fertilization off Kerguelen Island in the Southern Ocean (KEOPS2). The abundances of heterotrophic bacteria and heterotrophic nanoflagellates, bacterial heterotrophic production, bacterial respiration, and bacterial growth efficiency, were consistently higher in surface waters of the iron-fertilized sites than at the reference site in HNLC (high nutrient low chlorophyll) waters. The abundance of viral like particles remained unchanged, but viral production increased by a factor of 6 in iron-fertilized waters. Bacterial heterotrophic production was significantly related to heterotrophic nanoflagellate abundance and viral production across all sites, with bacterial production explaining about 70 and 85%, respectively, of the variance of each in the mixed layer (ML). Estimated rates of grazing and viral lysis, however, indicated that heterotrophic nanoflagellates accounted for a substantially higher loss of bacterial production (50%) than viruses (11%). Combining these results with rates of primary production and export determined for the study area, a budget for the flow of carbon through the microbial food web and higher levels during the early (KEOPS2) and the late phase (KEOPS1) of the Kerguelen bloom is provided.
Orbitally tuned timescale and astronomical forcing in the middle Eocene to early Oligocene
Authors: Westerhold T. , Röhl U. , Pälike H. , Wilkens R. , Wilson P. A. , Acton G.
Published: May 2014

Abstract. Deciphering the driving mechanisms of Earth system processes, including the climate dynamics expressed as paleoceanographic events, requires a complete, continuous, and high-resolution stratigraphy that is very accurately dated. In this study, a robust astronomically calibrated age model was constructed for the middle Eocene to early Oligocene interval (31–43 Ma) in order to permit more detailed study of the exceptional climatic events that occurred during this time, including the middle Eocene climate optimum and the Eocene–Oligocene transition. A goal of this effort is to accurately date the middle Eocene to early Oligocene composite section cored during the Pacific Equatorial Age Transect (PEAT, IODP Exp. 320/321). The stratigraphic framework for the new timescale is based on the identification of the stable long eccentricity cycle in published and new high-resolution records encompassing bulk and benthic stable isotope, calibrated XRF core scanning, and magnetostratigraphic data from ODP Sites 171B-1052, 189-1172, 199-1218, and 207-1260 as well as IODP Sites 320-U1333, and 320-U1334 spanning magnetic polarity Chrons C12n to C20n. Subsequently orbital tuning of the records to the La2011 orbital solution was conducted. The resulting new timescale revises and refines the existing orbitally tuned age model and the geomagnetic polarity timescale from 31 to 43 Ma. The newly defined absolute age for the Eocene–Oligocene boundary validates the astronomical tuned age of 33.89 Ma identified at the Massignano, Italy, global stratotype section and point. The compilation of geochemical records of climate-controlled variability in sedimentation through the middle-to-late Eocene and early Oligocene demonstrates strong power in the eccentricity band that is readily tuned to the latest astronomical solution. Obliquity driven cyclicity is only apparent during 2.4 myr eccentricity cycle minima around 35.5, 38.3, and 40.1 Ma.
Sensitivity of aerosol extinction to new mixing rules in the AEROPT submodel of the ECHAM5/MESSy1.9 atmospheric chemistry (EMAC) model
Authors: Klingmüller K. , Steil B. , Brühl C. , Tost H. , Lelieveld J.
Published: May 2014

Abstract. The modelling of aerosol radiative forcing is a major cause of uncertainty in the assessment of global and regional atmospheric energy budgets and climate change. One reason is the strong dependence of the aerosol optical properties on the mixing state of aerosol components like black carbon and sulphates. Using a new column version of the aerosol optical properties and radiative transfer code of the atmospheric chemistry-climate model EMAC, we study the radiative transfer applying various mixing states. The aerosol optics code builds on the AEROPT submodel which assumes homogeneous internal mixing utilising the volume average refractive index mixing rule. We have extended the submodel to additionally account for external mixing, partial external mixing and multi-layered particles. Furthermore, we have implemented the volume average dielectric-constant and Maxwell Garnett Mixing rule. We performed regional case studies considering columns over China, India and Africa, corroborating much stronger absorption by internal than external mixtures. Well mixed aerosol is a good approximation for particles with a black carbon core, whereas particles with black carbon at the surface absorb significantly less. Based on a model simulation for the year 2005 we calculate that the global aerosol direct radiative-forcing for homogeneous internal mixing differs from that for external mixing by about 0.5 W m−2.
The air quality forecast of PM10 in Beijing with Community Multi-scale Air Quality Modeling (CMAQ) system: emission and improvement
Authors: Wu Q. , Xu W. , Shi A. , Li Y. , Zhao X. , Wang Z. , Li J. , Wang L.
Published: May 2014

Abstract. The MM5-SMOKE-CMAQ model system, which was developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) as the Models-3 system, has been used for daily air quality forecasts in the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center (Beijing MEMC), as a part of the Ensemble Air Quality Forecast System for Beijing (EMS-Beijing) since the Olympic Games 2008. According to the daily forecast results for the entire duration of 2010, the model shows good model performances in the PM10 forecast on most days but clearly underestimates some air pollution episodes. A typical air pollution episode from 11–20 January 2010 was chosen, where the observed air pollution index of particulate matter (PM10-API) reached to 180 while the forecast's PM10-API was about 100. In this study, three numerical methods are used for model improvement: first, enhance the inner domain with 3 km resolution grids: the coverage is expanded from only Beijing to the area including Beijing and its surrounding cities; second, add more regional point source emissions located at Baoding, Landfang and Tangshan, which is to the south and east of Beijing; third, update the area source emissions, which includes the regional area source emissions in Baoding and Tangshan and the local village–town level area source emissions in Beijing. As a result, the hindcast shows a much better model performance in the national standard station-averaged PM10-API, whereas the daily hindcast PM10-API reaches 180 and is much closer to the observation and has a correlation coefficient of 0.93. The correlation coefficient of the PM10-API in all Beijing MEMC stations between the hindcast and observation is 0.82, obviously higher than the forecast's 0.54, and the FAC2 increases from 56% in the forecast to 84% in the hindcast, while the NMSE decreases from 0.886 to 0.196. The hindcast also has better model performance in PM10 hourly concentrations during the typical air pollution episode, the correlation coefficient increases from 0.77 in the forecast to 0.88, the FAC increases from 62% to 74%, and the NMSE decreases to 0.190. All of this illustrates that the hindcast gives much better model performance than the forecast in PM10 prediction in Beijing stations.