bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
H-Type Hypertension and C Reactive Protein in Recurrence of Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Zhang Qing , Qiu De-Xing , Fu Rong-Li , Xu Tian-Fen , Jing Meng-Juan , Zhang Hui-Shan , Geng He-Hong , Zheng Long-Chao , Wang Pei-Xi
Published: May 2016

Hypertension with high homocysteine (HHcy) (H-type hypertension) and C reactive protein (CRP) can increase the incidence of ischemic stroke. However, it is not clear whether recurrent ischemic stroke (RIS) is related to H-type hypertension and CRP. The present study investigated the correlation of H-type hypertension and CRP level with RIS. Totally, 987 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke were recruited in a teaching hospital in Henan province, China during March 2014 to March 2015. The demographic and clinical characteristics and blood biochemical parameters of patients were analyzed. Elevated levels of CRP and homocysteine (Hcy) were defined as >8.2 mg/L and 10 μmol/L, respectively. Among the 987 patients, 234 were RIS. Thirty-eight percent of RIS patients had elevated CRP level and 91.5% of RIS patients had HHcy. In multivariate analysis, adjusted odds ratio (OR) of RIS in patients aged ≥60 years was 1.576 (95% CI: 1.125–2.207), in male patients 1.935 (95% CI: 1.385–2.704), in patients with diabetes 1.463 (95% CI: 1.037–2.064), CRP levels 1.013 (95% CI: 1.006–1.019), simple hypertension 3.370 (95% CI: 1.15–10.183), and H-type hypertension 2.990 (95% CI: 1.176–7.600). RIS was associated with older age, male, diabetes, H-type hypertension and CRP. Controlling H-type hypertension and CRP level may reduce the risk of RIS.
Factors Affecting Firm Competitiveness: Evidence from an Emerging Market
Authors: Akben-Selcuk Elif
Published: May 2016

The objective of this study is to investigate the factors affecting firm competitiveness in an emerging market—Turkey. In the paper, competitiveness is proxied by a firm’s financial performance. The empirical analysis is based on firms listed on Borsa Istanbul and covers the period between 2005 and 2014. Results from a firm-level panel data model indicate that return on assets is positively related to firm size, international sales, liquidity and growth, and negatively related to leverage and R&D expenditures. On the other hand, gross profit margin is positively related to size and international sales, and negatively related to leverage and R&D expenditures. Finally, results show that Tobin’s Q ratio is higher for firms with higher levels of debt and higher liquidity levels.
Structural Solutions for Low-Cost Bamboo Frames: Experimental Tests and Constructive Assessments
Authors: Sassu Mauro , De Falco Anna , Giresini Linda , Puppio Mario
Published: May 2016

Experimental tests and constructive assessments are presented for a simple bamboo framed structure with innovative low-cost and low technology joints, specifically conceived for small buildings in developing countries. Two full scale one-storey bamboo frames have been designed by using the simplest joints solution among three different tested typologies. The entire building process is based on low-technology and natural materials: bamboo canes, wooden cylinders, plywood plates and canapé rods. The first full scale specimen (Unit A) is a one-storey single deck truss structure subjected to monotonic collapse test; the second full scale specimen (Unit B) is a one-storey double deck truss structure used to evaluate the construction time throughout assembling tests. The first full scale specimen showed ductility in collapse and ease in strengthening; the second one showed remarkable ease and speed in assembling structural elements. Finally several constructive solutions are suggested for the design of simple one-storey buildings; they are addressed to four purposes (housing, school, chapel, health center) by the composition of the proposed full scale bamboo frames. Ease of use and maintenance with a low level of technology contribute to application in developing countries although not exclusively.
In Situ Monitoring of Microwave Processing of Materials at High Temperatures through Dielectric Properties Measurement
Authors: Garcia-Baños Beatriz , Catalá-Civera Jose , Peñaranda-Foix Felipe , Plaza-González Pedro , Llorens-Vallés Gabriel
Published: May 2016

Microwave-assisted processes have recognized advantages over more conventional heating techniques. However, the effects on the materials’ microstructure are still a matter of study, due to the complexity of the interaction between microwaves and matter, especially at high temperatures. Recently developed advanced microwave instrumentation allows the study of high temperature microwave heating processes in a way that was not possible before. In this paper, different materials and thermal processes induced by microwaves have been studied through the in situ characterization of their dielectric properties with temperature. This knowledge is crucial in several aspects: to analyze the effects of the microwave field on the reaction pathways; to design and optimize microwave-assisted processes, and to predict the behavior of materials leading to repeatable and reliable heating processes, etc.
On the Dimension of Algebraic-Geometric Trace Codes
Authors: Le Phong , Chetty Sunil
Published: May 2016

We study trace codes induced from codes defined by an algebraic curve X. We determine conditions on X which admit a formula for the dimension of such a trace code. Central to our work are several dimension reducing methods for the underlying functions spaces associated to X.
Microencapsulation by Membrane Emulsiﬁcation of Biophenols Recovered from Olive Mill Wastewaters
Authors: Piacentini Emma , Poerio Teresa , Bazzarelli Fabio , Giorno Lidietta
Published: May 2016

Biophenols are highly prized for their free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities. Olive mill wastewaters (OMWWs) are rich in biophenols. For this reason, there is a growing interest in the recovery and valorization of these compounds. Applications for the encapsulation have increased in the food industry as well as the pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields, among others. Advancements in micro-fabrication methods are needed to design new functional particles with target properties in terms of size, size distribution, and functional activity. This paper describes the use of the membrane emulsification method for the fine-tuning of microparticle production with biofunctional activity. In particular, in this pioneering work, membrane emulsification has been used as an advanced method for biophenols encapsulation. Catechol has been used as a biophenol model, while a biophenols mixture recovered from OMWWs were used as a real matrix. Water-in-oil emulsions with droplet sizes approximately 2.3 times the membrane pore diameter, a distribution span of 0.33, and high encapsulation efficiency (98% ± 1% and 92% ± 3%, for catechol and biophenols, respectively) were produced. The release of biophenols was also investigated.
Advances in Microfluidic Paper-Based Analytical Devices for Food and Water Analysis
Authors: Busa Lori , Mohammadi Saeed , Maeki Masatoshi , Ishida Akihiko , Tani Hirofumi , Tokeshi Manabu
Published: May 2016

Food and water contamination cause safety and health concerns to both animals and humans. Conventional methods for monitoring food and water contamination are often laborious and require highly skilled technicians to perform the measurements, making the quest for developing simpler and cost-effective techniques for rapid monitoring incessant. Since the pioneering works of Whitesides’ group from 2007, interest has been strong in the development and application of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) for food and water analysis, which allow easy, rapid and cost-effective point-of-need screening of the targets. This paper reviews recently reported μPADs that incorporate different detection methods such as colorimetric, electrochemical, fluorescence, chemiluminescence, and electrochemiluminescence techniques for food and water analysis.
Supported Pd-Au Membrane Reactor for Hydrogen Production: Membrane Preparation, Characterization and Testing
Authors: Iulianelli Adolfo , Alavi Marjan , Bagnato Giuseppe , Liguori Simona , Wilcox Jennifer , Rahimpour Mohammad , Eslamlouyan Reza , Anzelmo Bryce , Basile Angelo
Published: May 2016

A supported Pd-Au (Au 7wt%) membrane was produced by electroless plating deposition. Permeation tests were performed with pure gas (H2, H2, N2, CO2, CH4) for long time operation. After around 400 h under testing, the composite Pd-Au membrane achieved steady state condition, with an H2/N2 ideal selectivity of around 500 at 420 °C and 50 kPa as transmembrane pressure, remaining stable up to 1100 h under operation. Afterwards, the membrane was allocated in a membrane reactor module for methane steam reforming reaction tests. As a preliminary application, at 420 °C, 300 kPa of reaction pressure, space velocity of 4100 h−1, 40% methane conversion and 35% hydrogen recovery were reached using a commercial Ni/Al2O3 catalyst. Unfortunately, a severe coke deposition affected irreversibly the composite membrane, determining the loss of the hydrogen permeation characteristics of the supported Pd-Au membrane.
Predicting the Solubility of Pharmaceutical Cocrystals in Solvent/Anti-Solvent Mixtures
Authors: Lange Linda , Heisel Stefan , Sadowski Gabriele
Published: May 2016

In this work, the solubilities of pharmaceutical cocrystals in solvent/anti-solvent systems were predicted using PC-SAFT in order to increase the efficiency of cocrystal formation processes. Modeling results and experimental data were compared for the cocrystal system nicotinamide/succinic acid (2:1) in the solvent/anti-solvent mixtures ethanol/water, ethanol/acetonitrile and ethanol/ethyl acetate at 298.15 K and in the ethanol/ethyl acetate mixture also at 310.15 K. The solubility of the investigated cocrystal slightly increased when adding small amounts of anti-solvent to the solvent, but drastically decreased for high anti-solvent amounts. Furthermore, the solubilities of nicotinamide, succinic acid and the cocrystal in the considered solvent/anti-solvent mixtures showed strong deviations from ideal-solution behavior. However, by accounting for the thermodynamic non-ideality of the components, PC-SAFT is able to predict the solubilities in all above-mentioned solvent/anti-solvent systems in good agreement with the experimental data.
Total Synthesis and Antifungal Activity of Palmarumycin CP17 and Its Methoxy Analogues
Authors: Wang Ruina , Liu Guoyue , Yang Mingyan , Wang Mingan , Zhou Ligang
Published: May 2016

Total synthesis of naturally occurring spirobisnaphthalene palmarumycin CP17 and its methoxy analogues was first achieved through Friedel-Crafts acylation, Wolff-Kishner reduction, intramolecular cyclization, ketalization, benzylic oxidation, and demethylation using the inexpensive and readily available methoxybenzene, 1,2-dimethoxybenzene and 1,4-dimethoxybenzene and 1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene as raw materials. Demethylation with (CH3)3SiI at ambient temperature resulted in ring A aromatization and acetal cleavage to give rise to binaphthyl ethers. The antifungal activities of these spirobisnaphthalene derivatives were evaluated, and the results revealed that 5 and 9b exhibit EC50 values of 9.34 µg/mL and 12.35 µg/mL, respectively, against P. piricola.
Protective Effects of Dihydromyricetin against •OH-Induced Mesenchymal Stem Cells Damage and Mechanistic Chemistry
Authors: Li Xican , Liu Jingjing , Lin Jian , Wang Tingting , Huang Jieyuan , Lin Yongqiang , Chen Dongfeng
Published: May 2016

As a natural flavonoid in Ampelopsis grossedentata, dihydromyricetin (DHM, 2R,3R-3,5,7,3′,4′,5′-hexahydroxy-2,3-dihydroflavonol) was observed to increase the viability of •OH-treated mesenchymal stem cells using a MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl] assay and flow cytometry analysis. This protective effect indicates DHM may be a beneficial agent for cell transplantation therapy. Mechanistic chemistry studies indicated that compared with myricetin, DHM was less effective at ABTS+• (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid radical) scavenging and reducing Cu2+, and had higher •O2− and DPPH• (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical) scavenging activities. Additionally, DHM could also chelate Fe2+ to give an absorption maximum at 589 nm. Hence, such protective effect of DHM may arise from its antioxidant activities which are thought to occur via direct radical-scavenging and Fe2+-chelation. Direct radical-scavenging involves an electron transfer (ET) pathway. The hydrogenation of the 2,3-double bond is hypothesized to reduce the ET process by blocking the formation of a larger π-π conjugative system. The glycosidation of the 3–OH in myricitrin is assumed to sterically hinder atom transfer in the •O2− and DPPH• radical-scavenging processes. In DHM, the Fe2+-chelating effect can actually be attributed to the 5,3′,4′,5′–OH and 4–C=O groups, and the 3–OH group itself can neither scavenge radicals nor chelate metal.
Polyphenol-Rich Propolis Extracts Strengthen Intestinal Barrier Function by Activating AMPK and ERK Signaling
Authors: Wang Kai , Jin Xiaolu , Chen Yifan , Song Zehe , Jiang Xiasen , Hu Fuliang , Conlon Michael , Topping David
Published: May 2016

Propolis has abundant polyphenolic constituents and is used widely as a health/functional food. Here, we investigated the effects of polyphenol-rich propolis extracts (PPE) on intestinal barrier function in human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells, as well as in rats. In Caco-2 cells, PPE increased transepithelial electrical resistance and decreased lucifer yellow flux. PPE-treated cells showed increased expression of the tight junction (TJ) loci occludin and zona occludens (ZO)-1. Confocal microscopy showed organized expressions in proteins related to TJ assembly, i.e., occludin and ZO-1, in response to PPE. Furthermore, PPE led to the activation of AMPK, ERK1/2, p38, and Akt. Using selective inhibitors, we found that the positive effects of PPE on barrier function were abolished in cells in which AMPK and ERK1/2 signaling were inhibited. Moreover, rats fed a diet supplemented with PPE (0.3% in the diet) exhibited increased colonic epithelium ZO-1 expression. Overall, these data suggest that PPE strengthens intestinal barrier function by activating AMPK and ERK signaling and provide novel insights into the potential application of propolis for human gut health.
Association of Circulating 25(OH)D and Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: A Four-Year Prospective Study among Elderly Chinese Men
Authors: Liu Zhao-Min , Wong Carmen , Chan Dicken , Woo Jean , Chen Yu-Ming , Chen Bailing , Tse Lap-Ah , Wong Samuel
Published: May 2016

The role of vitamin D in relation to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) remains inconclusive. This four-year longitudinal study aims to explore the association of circulating 25(OH)D and LUTS in elderly Chinese men. Two thousand Chinese men aged 65 and older were recruited from a local community, of which 1998 (99.9%) at baseline and 1564 (78.2%) at four-year follow-up reported data on LUTS, and 988 of the randomly chosen subpopulation were assayed for serum 25(OH)D by radioimmunoassay at baseline. LUTS were evaluated by a validated International Prostate Symptoms Scale (IPSS). Data on demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, health, and medications were collected. Serum parathyroid and sex steroid hormones and genotypes of vitamin D receptors were assayed. The association of serum 25(OH)D and LUTS was examined by using multivariable regression models. Serum 25(OH)D was not significantly associated with the changes of IPSS or the risk of LUTS in overall participants. However, among men with 25(OH)D ≤ 60 nmol/L, each 10 nmol/L increase of 25(OH)D over 0 nmol/L was significantly associated with 1.3 lower points of IPSS or a 51.6% decreased risk for moderate/severe LUTS four years later. Adjustment for serum androstenedione (p = 0.019) and dehydropiandrosterone (p = 0.037) attenuated the associations. Our study suggested that among individuals with low vitamin D status, the increase of the 25(OH)D level may be associated with a lowered risk of LUTS.
The Dual Role a Buddhist Monk Played in the American South: The Balance between Heritage and Citizenship in the Refugee Community
Authors: Rhodes Daniel
Published: May 2016

Buddhist Monks in Vietnam struggle with cultural preservation differently from a monk in the U.S. where the forces of acculturation for new arrivals, often refugees, are extraordinarily overwhelming. The author provides a case study examining how Buddhist leaders engage in cultural preservation and community building in the American South. Fusing ideas of Engaged Buddhism and community building, the author will demonstrate how a Buddhist monk is able to navigate the broader American culture and assist Vietnamese immigrants and refugees to acculturate, while maintaining their own cultural heritage, beliefs and religious traditions; ultimately building a viable and sustainable Buddhist community that contributes greatly to its new host community.
Trends in Addressing Social Needs: A Longitudinal Study of Congregation-Based Service Provision and Political Participation
Authors: Fulton Brad
Published: May 2016

When congregations seek to address social needs, they often pursue this goal through acts of service and political engagement. Over the past three decades, a tremendous amount of research has been dedicated to analyzing congregation-based service provision and political participation. However, little is known about how congregations’ involvement in these arenas has changed during this period. To help fill this gap, this study analyzes three waves of data from a national survey of congregations to assess how congregations’ participation patterns in service-related and political activities have been changing since the 1990s. It also examines trends among subpopulations of congregations grouped by their religious tradition, ethnoracial composition, and ideological orientation. Overall, this study finds that among most types of congregations, the percentage participating in service-related activities is substantial and increasing, while the percentage participating in political activities is less substantial and decreasing. This decline in political participation has implications for the role congregations play in addressing social needs. Relieving immediate needs through service provision without also pursuing long-term solutions through political participation can limit congregations’ ability to comprehensively address social needs. Among the few types of congregations that have high and/or increasing participation rates in both service-related and political activities are Catholic, predominantly Hispanic, and politically liberal congregations.
Social Work Field Education in and with Congregations and Religiously-Affiliated Organizations in a Christian Context
Authors: Harris Helen , Yancey Gaynor , Myers Dennis
Published: May 2016

Recent attention to human spirituality, research on congregationally-related practice, and growth in employment within religiously-based organizations energize the creation of educational initiatives to prepare future professionals for competent social work practice within these settings. Internship experiences with congregations and religiously-affiliated organizations (RAOs) play a pivotal role in delivering the competencies required by the social work accreditation body. Conceptual tools are needed for understanding congregationally-related practice, for navigating potential conflict between faith and professional practice, and for delivering effective internship experiences. This article, written from the faculty’s perspective of a Christian, religiously affiliated social work degree program, offers a framework for conceptualizing social work with congregations and RAOs and a beginning discussion for sorting out dilemmas in the integration of faith and practice in these settings. Two models, individual placement and rotational model placement, for congregationally-related internship experiences are presented and evaluated. Recommendations for enriched internship learning and future research are offered.
Characterizing Pavement Surface Distress Conditions with Hyper-Spatial Resolution Natural Color Aerial Photography
Authors: Zhang Su , Lippitt Christopher , Bogus Susan , Neville Paul
Published: May 2016

Roadway pavement surface distress information is critical for effective pavement asset management, and subsequently, transportation management agencies at all levels (i.e., federal, state, and local) dedicate a large amount of time and money to routinely evaluate pavement surface distress conditions as the core of their asset management programs. However, currently adopted ground-based evaluation methods for pavement surface conditions have many disadvantages, like being time-consuming and expensive. Aircraft-based evaluation methods, although getting more attention, have not been used for any operational evaluation programs yet because the acquired images lack the spatial resolution to resolve finer scale pavement surface distresses. Hyper-spatial resolution natural color aerial photography (HSR-AP) provides a potential method for collecting pavement surface distress information that can supplement or substitute for currently adopted evaluation methods. Using roadway pavement sections located in the State of New Mexico as an example, this research explored the utility of aerial triangulation (AT) technique and HSR-AP acquired from a low-altitude and low-cost small-unmanned aircraft system (S-UAS), in this case a tethered helium weather balloon, to permit characterization of detailed pavement surface distress conditions. The Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, Mann-Whitney U test, and visual comparison were used to compare detailed pavement surface distress rates measured from HSR-AP derived products (orthophotos and digital surface models generated from AT) with reference distress rates manually collected on the ground using standard protocols. The results reveal that S-UAS based hyper-spatial resolution imaging and AT techniques can provide detailed and reliable primary observations suitable for characterizing detailed pavement surface distress conditions comparable to the ground-based manual measurement, which lays the foundation for the future application of HSR-AP for automated detection and assessment of detailed pavement surface distress conditions.
Changes in Aerosol Optical and Micro-Physical Properties over Northeast Asia from a Severe Dust Storm in April 2014
Authors: Fang Li , Wang Shupeng , Yu Tao , Gu Xingfa , Zhang Xingying , Wang Weihe , Ren Suling
Published: May 2016

This study focuses on analyzing the changes to aerosol properties caused by the dust storm called “China’s Great Wall of Dust” that originated from the Taklimakan Desert in April 2014. IDDI (Infrared Difference Dust Index) images from FY-2E and true color composite images from FY-3C MERSI (Medium Resolution Spectral Imager) show the breakout and transport path of the dust storm. Three-hourly ground-based measurements from MICAPS (Meteorological Information Comprehensive Analysis and Process System) suggest that anticyclonic circulation occupying the Southern Xinjiang basin and cyclonic circulation in Mongolia form a dipole pressure system that leads to strong northwesterly winds (13.7–20 m/s), which favored the breakout of the dust storm. IDDI results indicate that the dust storm breakout occurred at ~2:00 UTC on 23 April in the Taklimakan Desert. Four-day forward air mass trajectories with the HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) model gives the simulation results of the dust transport paths and dust vertical distributions, which are consistent with the corresponding aerosol vertical distributions derived from CALIPSO. The Aerosol Index (AI) data of TOU (Total Ozone Unit) aboard FY-3B are first used to study the areas affected by the dust storm. From the AI results, the dust-affected areas agree well with the synoptic meteorological condition analysis, which supports that the synoptic meteorological conditions are the main reason for the breakout and transport of the dust storm. Anomalies of the average MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) AOD (Aerosol Optical Depth) distributions over northeast Asia during the dust storm to the average of the values in April between 2010 and 2014 are calculated as a percent. The results indicate high aerosol loading with a spatially-averaged anomaly of 121% for dusty days between 23 April and 25 April. Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) retrievals of VSD (Volume Size Distribution) and SSA (Single Scattering Albedo) show that while the aerosol properties in Dalanzadgad, which is closer to the dust source, were influenced primarily by coarse dust particles, the aerosol properties in Beijing were mostly contributed by fine dust particles that transported over longer distances and at high atmospheric levels.
Interferometric Sensor of Wavelength Detuning Using a Liquid Crystalline Polymer Waveplate
Authors: Wierzba Paweł
Published: May 2016

Operation of a polarization interferometer for measurement of the wavelength changes of a tunable semiconductor laser was investigated. A λ/8 waveplate made from liquid crystalline polymer is placed in one of interferometers’ arms in order to generate two output signals in quadrature. Wavelength was measured with resolution of 2 pm in the wavelength range 628–635 nm. Drift of the interferometer, measured in the period of 500 s, was 8 nm, which corresponded to the change in the wavelength of 1.3 pm. If needed, wavelength-dependent Heydemann correction can be used to expand the range of operation of such interferometer.
Frequency Optimization for Enhancement of Surface Defect Classification Using the Eddy Current Technique
Authors: Fan Mengbao , Wang Qi , Cao Binghua , Ye Bo , Sunny Ali , Tian Guiyun
Published: May 2016

Eddy current testing is quite a popular non-contact and cost-effective method for nondestructive evaluation of product quality and structural integrity. Excitation frequency is one of the key performance factors for defect characterization. In the literature, there are many interesting papers dealing with wide spectral content and optimal frequency in terms of detection sensitivity. However, research activity on frequency optimization with respect to characterization performances is lacking. In this paper, an investigation into optimum excitation frequency has been conducted to enhance surface defect classification performance. The influences of excitation frequency for a group of defects were revealed in terms of detection sensitivity, contrast between defect features, and classification accuracy using kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) and a support vector machine (SVM). It is observed that probe signals are the most sensitive on the whole for a group of defects when excitation frequency is set near the frequency at which maximum probe signals are retrieved for the largest defect. After the use of KPCA, the margins between the defect features are optimum from the perspective of the SVM, which adopts optimal hyperplanes for structure risk minimization. As a result, the best classification accuracy is obtained. The main contribution is that the influences of excitation frequency on defect characterization are interpreted, and experiment-based procedures are proposed to determine the optimal excitation frequency for a group of defects rather than a single defect with respect to optimal characterization performances.
Investigation of Hemoglobin/Gold Nanoparticle Heterolayer on Micro-Gap for Electrochemical Biosensor Application
Authors: Lee Taek , Kim Tae-Hyung , Yoon Jinho , Chung Yong-Ho , Lee Ji , Choi Jeong-Woo
Published: May 2016

In the present study, we fabricated a hemoglobin/gold nanoparticle (Hb/GNP) heterolayer immobilized on the Au micro-gap to confirm H2O2 detection with a signal-enhancement effect. The hemoglobin which contained the heme group catalyzed the reduction of H2O2. To facilitate the electron transfer between hemoglobin and Au micro-gap electrode, a gold nanoparticle was introduced. The Au micro-gap electrode that has gap size of 5 µm was fabricated by conventional photolithographic technique to locate working and counter electrodes oppositely in a single chip for the signal sensitivity and reliability. The hemoglobin was self-assembled onto the Au surface via chemical linker 6-mercaptohexanoic acid (6-MHA). Then, the gold nanoparticles were adsorbed onto hemoglobin/6-MHA heterolayers by the layer-by-layer (LbL) method. The fabrication of the Hb/GNP heterolayer was confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The redox property and H2O2 detection of Hb/GNP on the micro-gap electrode was investigated by a cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiment. Taken together, the present results show that the electrochemical signal-enhancement effect of a hemoglobin/nanoparticle heterolayer was well confirmed on the micro-scale electrode for biosensor applications.
Visual Prompts or Volunteer Models: An Experiment in Recycling
Authors: Lin Zi , Wang Xiao , Li Chang , Gordon Micheil , Harder Marie
Published: May 2016

Successful long-term programs for urban residential food waste sorting are very rare, despite the established urgent need for them in cities for waste reduction, pollution reduction and circular resource economy reasons. This study meets recent calls to bridge policy makers and academics, and calls for more thorough analysis of operational work in terms of behavioral determinants, to move the fields on. It takes a key operational element of a recently reported successful food waste sorting program—manning of the new bins by volunteers—and considers the behavioral determinants involved in order to design a more scalable and cheaper alternative—the use of brightly colored covers with flower designs on three sides of the bin. The two interventions were tested in a medium-scale, real-life experimental set-up that showed that they had statistically similar results: high effective capture rates of 32%–34%, with low contamination rates. The success, low cost and simple implementation of the latter suggests it should be considered for large-scale use. Candidate behavioral determinants are prompts, emotion and knowledge for the yellow bin intervention, and for the volunteer intervention they are additionally social influence, modeling, role clarification, and moderators of messenger type and interpersonal or tailored messaging.
The Use of MIVES as a Sustainability Assessment MCDM Method for Architecture and Civil Engineering Applications
Authors: Pons Oriol , De la Fuente Albert , Aguado Antonio
Published: May 2016

Environmental and sustainability assessment tools have an important role in moving towards a better world, bringing knowledge and raising awareness. In the architecture and civil engineering sector, these assessment tools help in moving forward to constructions that have less economic, environmental and social impacts. At present, there are numerous assessment tools and methods with different approaches and scopes that have been analyzed in numerous technical reviews. However, there is no agreement about which method should be used for each evaluation case. This research paper synthetically analyzes the main sustainability assessment methods for the construction sector, comparing their strengths and weaknesses in order to present the challenges of the Spanish Integrated Value Model for Sustainability Assessment (MIVES). MIVES is a Multi-Criteria Decision Making method based on the value function concept and the Seminars of experts. Then, this article analyzes MIVES advantages and weak points by going through its methodology and two representative applications. At the end, the area of application of MIVES is described in detail along with the general application cases of the main types of assessment tools and methods.
Dans l’arène, une force contre une autre force
Authors: Fos-Falque Sabine
Published: May 2016

La démonstration ici tente à poser la résistance comme point d’appui, dont on rêverait certes de pouvoir se passer. Ce qui résiste fait pourtant force. Moteur de la cure au sens où, par elle et sur cette résistance même, prennent appui tous les conflits antérieurs. Le sujet y trouve un bord, une butée qui le révèle à lui-même. Si sa force ne rencontrait pas une autre force mais une présence inconsistante et floue, à quoi pourrait-il s’adosser ? Le divan est souple, voir moelleux, mais sa fermeté donne soutènement au dos en son entier. L’interprétation qui décale et déplace propose une force comme sortie de l’enlisement, forme d’assaut par le sens. Un sens qui fait tenir debout et savoir se relever du divan.
Teaching Professionalism and Countertransference to Psychiatric Residents
Authors: Price Terry G. , Roberts Caroline E. , Fatollahi Javad J. , Gandhi Baiju S.
Published: May 2016

Professionalism and countertransference are two concepts fundamental to the education of the psychiatry resident. However, teaching and incorporating them into residency training can be challenging. The current training atmosphere places the resident in a position of divided loyalties (hospital, training program, supervisor) while also asking the young physician to navigate the complex ethical and professional boundaries of medical culture and practice. Furthermore, as the movement away from psychotherapy training in psychiatry residency increases, opportunities for countertransference training may decrease. This article reviews strategies for navigating these difficulties to encourage the continued integration of these topics into current psychiatry residency curricula.

[
Psychiatr Ann
. 2016;46(5):298–302.]
Teaching the Fundamentals of the Risk Assessment Interview to Clinicians
Authors: Adler Lisa D. , Slootsky Veronica , Griffith James L. , Khin Eindra Khin
Published: May 2016

The ability to predict a person's risk of acute suicide is one of the most important skills in the practice of psychiatry. This article reviews the essential components of suicide assessment in a concise format meant to be learned and taught to psychiatrists at various levels of training. Strategies for assessing a person's existential state, imminent warning signs, lethality of planned suicide attempts, and protective factors in an empathetic, collaborative approach are reviewed. Finally, a brief overview of the Chronological Assessment of Suicide Events (CASE) approach, a well-validated approach to obtaining a thorough and empathetic suicide assessment that is useful in cases where suicidality is not obviously apparent, is given.

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Psychiatr Ann
. 2016;46(5):293–297.]
The Integral Role of Psychoeducation in Clinical Care
Authors: Cho Stephanie H. , Torres-Llenza Vanessa , Budnik Kaitlin , Norris Lorenzo
Published: May 2016

Psychoeducation can be a powerful tool to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. Incorporated into clinical care, it can support individual autonomy, promote empowerment and engagement in treatment, strengthen therapeutic alliance, increase awareness of mental illness, decrease stigma, and improve health care related outcomes. Although widely recognized as an important component of treatment, psychoeducation is often a nebulous concept with few consolidated guidelines for practice. This article defines psychoeducation in terms of its basic components, rationale and goals, and use as a discrete medical intervention in its own right. The evidence base that supports the efficacy of psychoeducation in various settings is examined. Recommendations and guidelines for the application of psychoeducation in daily clinical practice are also discussed.

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Psychiatr Ann
. 2016;46(5):286–292.]
L’étruscologie au xxe siècle. Bilans historiographiques
Authors: Haack Marie-Laurence
Published: May 2016

L’auteur propose des synthèses sur des colloques consacrés à l’histoire de l’étruscologie au xxe siècle qui se sont tenus à l’université de Picardie entre 2013 et 2015. Lors de ces trois colloques, non seulement des étruscologues, mais aussi des antiquisants et des contemporanéistes de plusieurs pays européens ont cherché à croiser leurs points de vue sur l’étruscologie dans l’Europe du xxe siècle avec l’objectif d’analyser la fabrication d’une discipline scientifique tout entière consacrée à l’étruscologie, ainsi que les présupposés et les modalités d’une telle opération, en trois périodes différentes  : celle de l’institutionnalisation progressive de 1916 à la fin des années 1920, celle du maintien au temps des dictatures fasciste et nazie et celle du développement européen après 1945 jusqu’à la fin du siècle.
Il venditore d’antichità by Vincenzo Capobianchi (1880): possibly the most scholarly work of the neo-Pompeian painting
Authors: Callataÿ François de
Published: May 2016

Cette étude porte sur la structure et le contexte artistique du tableau peint en 1880 par Vincenzo Capobianchi  : Il venditore d’antichità. Elle se penche d’abord sur l’auteur qui commença sa carrière comme peintre avant de se centrer sur le commerce de l’art et la numismatique. Elle examine ensuite les «  marchands d’antiquités  » comme un sous-genre de la peinture néo-pompéienne, avant d’identifier l’extraordinaire assemblage de chefs-d’œuvre ici rassemblés par Capobianchi. Il venditore d’antichità apparaît à la fois comme unique et emblématique. Au-delà de l’attrait immédiat provoqué par cette charmante scène de rue, peinte avec une technique quasi-photographique (de la qualité des artistes les plus reconnus de l’époque tels Alma-Tadema et Siemiradzky), ce tableau résonne comme une forte dénonciation sociale d’un Empire romain prédateur, une image seyante et anticipée du débat contemporain sur le centre et la périphérie.
Alexandre à Jérusalem. Variations byzantines sur un thème hérité de Flavius Josèphe
Authors: Jouanno Corinne
Published: May 2016

Attesté pour la première fois dans les Antiquités juives de Flavius Josèphe, l’épisode, sans doute fictif, du séjour d’Alexandre à Jérusalem a bénéficié à Byzance d’une postérité considérable, qu’explique notamment l’intérêt des Pères de l’Église pour l’œuvre de Josèphe. Le présent article étudie le traitement réservé à cette séquence dans le vaste corpus des chroniques universelles et dans celui, tout aussi foisonnant, des réécritures du Roman d’Alexandre. Si presque tous les chroniqueurs byzantins évoquent cet épisode, c’est pour souligner l’importance du règne d’Alexandre dans l’histoire du Salut, en liaison avec les prophéties de Daniel sur la succession des empires  : mais, tout en faisant d’Alexandre un instrument entre les mains de Dieu, ils ne nous font pas assister à sa conversion au monothéisme, à la différence des versions byzantines du Roman d’Alexandre, dont le héros est dépeint sous les traits d’un basileus idéal, et donc chrétien.
Proche-Orient  : patrimoines en grand danger
Authors: Sartre-Fauriat Annie
Published: May 2016

Le patrimoine du Proche-Orient est depuis plusieurs années victime des guerres, des pillages et du vandalisme. Récemment, ceux de l’Iraq et de la Syrie ont eu gravement à souffrir de ces maux qui ont conduit parfois à la disparition totale de monuments gigantesques conservés par-delà les siècles et les millénaires. Malgré les mesures de protection hâtivement mises en place, des pans entiers du patrimoine de l’humanité ont été rayés de la carte dans ces pays. L’article dresse un bilan des destructions et des ravages provoqués par les conflits et par la volonté destructrice de groupes religieux radicaux et fanatisés. Un bilan catastrophique qui ne cesse de s’alourdir au fil des mois et des années. Comment néanmoins envisager l’avenir pour ces pays qui devront se reconstruire après la guerre et faire face à l’immensité de la tâche  ?
Latin et grec dans l’enseignement secondaire  : une approche historique
Authors: Maury-Lascoux Nancy
Published: May 2016

Les débats autour de la place du latin et du grec dans la nouvelle réforme du collège gagnent à être replacés dans l’évolution historique de ces enseignements. Alors que les langues anciennes constituaient la base de l’enseignement secondaire français au xixe siècle, leur territoire disciplinaire et leur place dans la culture scolaire n’ont cessé de décroître à partir de 1902. Cependant, jusqu’aux années 1970, leur poids symbolique restait important, en raison du rôle sélectif qu’elles jouaient encore dans l’enseignement secondaire. Or depuis quarante ans, au sein du collège unique, la situation du latin et du grec s’est modifiée  : proposées théoriquement à tous les collégiens, les options de langues anciennes s’adressent à un nouveau public  ; parallèlement, leur enseignement s’est considérablement renouvelé.
Machine Learning Data Imputation and Classification in a Multicohort Hypertension Clinical Study
Authors: Seffens William , Evans Chad ,   Taylor Minority Health-Grid Network And Herman
Published: May 2016

Health-care initiatives are pushing the development and utilization of clinical data for medical discovery and translational research studies. Machine learning tools implemented for Big Data have been applied to detect patterns in complex diseases. This study focuses on hypertension and examines phenotype data across a major clinical study called Minority Health Genomics and Translational Research Repository Database composed of self-reported African American (AA) participants combined with related cohorts. Prior genome-wide association studies for hypertension in AAs presumed that an increase of disease burden in susceptible populations is due to rare variants. But genomic analysis of hypertension, even those designed to focus on rare variants, has yielded marginal genome-wide results over many studies. Machine learning and other nonparametric statistical methods have recently been shown to uncover relationships in complex phenotypes, genotypes, and clinical data. We trained neural networks with phenotype data for missing-data imputation to increase the usable size of a clinical data set. Validity was established by showing performance effects using the expanded data set for the association of phenotype variables with case/control status of patients. Data mining classification tools were used to generate association rules.
Accurate Point-of-Care Detection of Ruptured Fetal Membranes: Improved Diagnostic Performance Characteristics with a Monoclonal/Polyclonal Immunoassay
Authors: Rogers Linda C. , Scott Laurie , Block Jon E.
Published: May 2016

Objective

Accurate and timely diagnosis of rupture of membranes (ROM) is imperative to allow for gestational age-specific interventions. This study compared the diagnostic performance characteristics between two methods used for the detection of ROM as measured in the same patient.

Methods

Vaginal secretions were evaluated using the conventional fern test as well as a point-of-care monoclonal/polyclonal immunoassay test (ROM Plus®) in 75 pregnant patients who presented to labor and delivery with complaints of leaking amniotic fluid. Both tests were compared to analytical confirmation of ROM using three external laboratory tests. Diagnostic performance characteristics were calculated including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy.

Results

Diagnostic performance characteristics uniformly favored ROM detection using the immunoassay test compared to the fern test: sensitivity (100% vs. 77.8%), specificity (94.8% vs. 79.3%), PPV (75% vs. 36.8%), NPV (100% vs. 95.8%), and accuracy (95.5% vs. 79.1%).

Conclusions

The point-of-care immunoassay test provides improved diagnostic accuracy for the detection of ROM compared to fern testing. It has the potential of improving patient management decisions, thereby minimizing serious complications and perinatal morbidity.
Asymptotic perturbation of graph iterated function systems
Authors: Tanaka Haruyoshi
Published: May 2016

We study an asymptotic perturbation of the limit set generated from a finitely family of conformal contraction maps endowed with a directed graph. We show that if those maps have asymptotic expansions under weak conditions, then the Hausdorff dimension of the limit set behaves asymptotically by the same order. We also prove that the Gibbs measure of a suitable potential and the measure theoretic entropy of this measure have asymptotic expansions under an additional condition. In final section, we demonstrate degeneration of graph iterated function systems.
The Hausdorff dimension of sets of numbers defined by their $Q$-Cantor series expansions
Authors: Airey Dylan , Mance Bill
Published: May 2016

Following in the footsteps of P. Erdős, A. Rényi, and T. Šalát we compute the Hausdorff dimension of sets of numbers whose digits with respect to their

Q

-Cantor series expansions satisfy various statistical properties. In particular, we consider difference sets associated with various notions of normality and sets of numbers with a prescribed range of digits.
Quasi-Assouad dimension of fractals
Authors: Lü Fan , Xi Li-Feng
Published: May 2016

The Assouad dimension of fractals is not invariant under quasi-Lipschitz mappings, even for Ahlfors–David regular sets. In this manuscript, we shall give a new dimension dim

_{qA}

of fractals named the quasi-Assouad dimension, which is invariant under any quasi-Lipschitz mapping, satisfying

\overline{\mathrm {dim}}_{B}E \leq \mathrm {dim}_{qA}E \leq \mathrm {dim}_{A}E

for any compact subset

E

of a metric space. By virtue of the quasi-Assouad dimension, we show that any Bedford–McMullen carpet

F

is quasi-Lipschitz Assouad-minimal, i.e., dim

_{A}f(F)\geq \mathrm {dim} _{A}F

for any quasi-Lipschitz mapping

f

.
Ossification of anterior sacroiliac ligament and its clinical significance
Authors: Singh R.
Published: May 2016

Introduction: Sacrum articulates on either side of the innominate bones forming sacroiliac joints. The joint is strengthened by anterior sacroiliac ligament anteriorly and dorsal sacroiliac ligament posteriorly. Weight of the body is transmitted from sacrum to iliac bone mainly through sacroiliac ligaments. Sacroiliac joint becomes important while treating ankylosis and degenerative diseases in pelvis. It exhibits number of variations with age. Materials and Methods: During osteology demonstration classes of first year MBBS students of KG Medical University Lucknow, UP, India, author came across a dry male pelvis having partial ossification of anterior sacroiliac ligament connecting the sacrum and ilium in left side. Results: The right SI Joint was not ossified. Only left antero-superior part of the anterior sacroiliac ligament was ossified and rest was not ossified. The length of ossified part of ligament was 4.5 cm and remaining part of the same was 6.5 cm. On the dorsal surface, posterior sacroiliac and interosseous ligaments were not ossiied. There was no ankylosis of sacroiliac joint but the coccyx was fused with tip of sacrum. The probable cause of ossification may be genetic or more weight transmission through this ligament due to shifting of centre of gravity as a result of leaning of the body in left side on account of disease, trauma or pathological conditions. Conclusion: This Case report brings out an unreported anatomical variant of partial ossiication of anterior sacroiliac ligaments. The knowledge will be of paramount importance to clinicians for pain, to radiologists for misinterpretation of radiographs and to anatomists for new variant.
De la fusión con la naturaleza a la inmaterialidad arquitectónica. La seducción de la imagen en la obra de Jean Nouvel
Authors: Falcón Meraz José Manuel
Published: May 2016

Jean Nouvel se ha destacado por la creación de objetos singulares. En su línea proyectual se observa una tendencia por «desmaterializar» la arquitectura, ya sea a través de elementos transparentes, reflectantes y efectos lumínicos, o por medio de la fusión con la naturaleza a diferentes niveles. No obstante, este efecto inmaterial se consigue con mayor dramatismo en sus fotorrealismos digitales que en su obra construida, donde se ha quedado lejano. Así, para Nouvel, su estilo gráfico es un instrumento de seducción mediática, resultando eficaz en concursos y publicaciones internacionales.