bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
20th-century changes in carbon isotopes and water-use efficiency:
Tree-ring based evaluation of the CLM4.5 and LPX-Bern models
Authors: Keller Kathrin M. , Lienert Sebastian , Bozbiyik Anil , Stocker Thomas F. , Churakova Olga V. , Frank David C. , Klesse Stefan , Koven Charles D. , Leuenberger Markus , Riley William J. , Saurer Matthias , Siegwolf Rolf , Weigt Rosemarie B. , Joos Fortunat
Published: December 2016

Abstract. Measurements of the stable carbon isotope ratio (δ13C) on annual tree rings offer new opportunities to evaluate mechanisms of variations in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance under changing CO2 and climate, especially in conjunction with process-based biogeochemical model simulations. The isotopic discrimination is indicative of the ratio between the CO2 partial pressure in the intercellular cavities and the atmosphere (ci / ca) and of the ratio of assimilation to stomatal conductance, termed intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE). We performed isotope-enabled simulations over the industrial period with the land biosphere module (CLM4.5) of the Community Earth System Model and the LPX-Bern dynamic global vegetation model. Results for C3 tree species show good agreement with a global compilation of δ13C measurements on leaves, though modeled 13C discrimination by C3 trees is smaller in arid regions than measured. A compilation of seventy-six tree-ring records, mainly from Europe, boreal Asia, and western North America, suggest on average small 20th-century changes in isotopic discrimination and an increase in iWUE of about 27 % since 1900. LPX-Bern results match these century-scale reconstructions, supporting the idea that the physiology of stomata has evolved to optimize trade-offs between carbon gain by assimilation and water loss. In contrast, CLM4.5 simulates an increase in discrimination and in turn a change in iWUE that is almost twice as large as revealed by the tree-ring data. Factorial simulations show that these changes are mainly in response to rising atmospheric CO2. The results suggest that the down-regulation of ci / ca and of photosynthesis by nitrogen limitation is possibly too strong in the standard setup of CLM4.5 or there may be more fundamental problems associated with the prescribed relationship between conductance and assimilation.
Female Under-Representation Among Philosophy Majors:  A Map of the Hypotheses and a Survey of the Evidence
Authors: Dougherty Tom , Baron Samuel , Miller Kristie
Published: December 2016

Why is there female under-representation among philosophy majors? We survey the hypotheses that have been proposed so far, grouping similar hypotheses together. We then propose a chronological taxonomy that distinguishes hypotheses according to the stage in undergraduates’ careers at which the hypotheses predict an increase in female under-representation. We then survey the empirical evidence for and against various hypotheses. We end by suggesting future avenues for research.
Feminist Reclamations of Normative Masculinity: On Democratic Manhood, Feminist Masculinity, and Allyship Practices
Authors: Almassi Ben
Published: December 2016

‘Feminist masculinity’ might seem like a contradiction in terms. One might have assumed that we can embrace feminism or embrace masculinity, but not both. If traditional masculinity is contrary to feminist values, a pressing query for feminist men is whether repudiation of traditional masculinity should move one to reject normative masculinity entirely, or to reframe and reclaim it instead. bell hooks and Michael Kimmel each counsel against discarding manhood and masculinity. hooks envisions feminist masculinity as an alternative to patriarchal dominance, with masculinity to be reconstituted in terms of love, integrity, and mutuality; Kimmel advocates moving from immature and traditional masculinities toward justice and democratic manhood, with a new model of masculinity that identifies real men with adulthood and doing the right thing. Neither proposal provides a viable stance for feminist men without collapsing into androgyny or risking erasure of some men’s and women’s identities and experiences. Building on Alcoff’s work on anti-racist whiteness, I suggest that feminist allyship practices ground a normative model of masculinity compatible with, and informed by, feminist values. We may understand allyship masculinities as open-ended feminist approaches to manhood: masculinities predicated on recognizing and responding to, rather than ignoring or accepting, the privileges and expectations distinctive of men under patriarchy.
Remembering Claudia Card: Two Tributes
Authors: Gottlieb Paula , Tirrell Lynne
Published: December 2016

From the editor: On behalf of the editors of FPQ, I thank our colleagues for providing us their public addresses at the Celebration of Life of Professor Claudia Falconer Card of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who died on Saturday, September 12, 2015. Claudia Card was the author of over one hundred articles and books, key works of moral and feminist philosophy including Confronting Evils: Terrorism, Torture, Genocide (Cambridge 2010), The Atrocity Paradigm: A Theory of Evil (Oxford 2002), and The Unnatural Lottery: Character and Moral Luck (Temple 1996). She was the president of the Central division of the APA 2010-2011, which she often described as her favorite division of the APA. She earned her BA from UW-Madison, and her PhD in 1969 from Harvard University, as the advisee of John Rawls, whom she spoke of with affection as one of the most sensitive and generous of philosophers. I remain grateful to Claudia for being the sort of philosopher who helped her students, colleagues, and readers to confront our responsibilities, and the responsibilities of others, as she lived her own philosophy of taking responsibility for one’s own identity.
K.J. Norlock
Possible Dilemmas Raised by Impossible Moral Requirements
Authors: Rivera Lisa
Published: December 2016

The priority that Tessman’s argument gives to phenomenological and neuropsychological explanations of moral requirements entails a fundamental shift in our understanding of these. Two central problems of normative theory come together in Tessman’s account. The first arises when an agent’s sense of requirement clashes with what a systematic theory prescribes. The second arises when neuropsychological accounts fail to fit the prescription. Tessman argues that no account successfully resolves moral dilemmas such that ought always implies can, and she argues that neuropsychology explains our sense of impossible requirements. This explanation eliminates the role of a prescriptive theory in explaining an agent’s sense of requirement.
From Epistemic Responsibility to Ecological Thinking: The Importance of Advocacy for Epistemic Community
Authors: Maloney Catherine
Published: December 2016

This is the third paper in the invited collection. Maloney highlights commonalities and divergences between two of Code’s works, Epistemic Responsibility (1987) and Ecological Thinking: The Politics of Epistemic Location (2006), focussing on three concepts: epistemic responsibility, which is central and common across both works; cognitive interdependence which is common to both works, but undergoes a major transformation in Ecological Thinking; and advocacy, which is entirely absent from the discussion in Epistemic Responsibility. Code’s work intersects with aspects of the work of two other thinkers—Miranda Fricker’s hermeneutic injustice and Mikhail Bakhtin’s creative understanding. Advocacy as it emerges in Ecological Thinking must include a dialogical process with the other that leads both to and from greater self-understanding if it is to do the work of destabilizing dominant modes of knowing; further, advocacy is both necessary for, and can only happen within, epistemic community.
The Impact of Labor Market Inequality on the Income of Medium Industry Sector’s Workers in the Palembang City-Indonesia
Authors: Marnisah Luis , Robiani Bernadette , Suhery Tatang , Suhel Suhel
Published: December 2016

This study attempts to investigate the impact of labor market Inequality on the income of
medium industry sector’s worker in the Palembang City-Indonesia. Using 380 respondents
which covers male and female workers ranging from the age of 15 to the age of 64, this study
employs a proportional stratified random sampling in determining the sampling technique.
This study employs a survey method using in-depth investigation to explore all the facts
acquired about the labor market inequality in the medium industry sector. The sample area
includes 16 districts in the City of Palembang. The level of education, the job’s capability and
the working experience are some of those factors investigated in this study. The factor of
labor market inequality is focused on the wage and employment. The result reveals that apart
from the level of education, the job’s capability and working experience have a significant
impact on the existence of labor market inequality in the medium industry sector. It can be
concluded that higher level of education is inessential for the medium industry sector in
Palembang City-Indonesia, and this is inline with the notion that the medium industry sector
merely requires both working’s capability and spesified technical skills in supporting higher
productivity level. The inequality occurs in the wage and the job assigned. Furthermore, the
higher the existence of labor market inequality, the lower the income acquired by the
employees.
Postoperative Rehabilitation of Low Energy Hip Fractures in the Elderly
Authors: Quinn Robert H. , Mooar Pekka A. , Murray Jayson N. , Pezold Ryan , Sevarino Kaitlyn S.
Published: December 2016

Evidence-based information, in conjunction with the clinical expertise of physicians, was used to develop the Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) document Postoperative Rehabilitation of Low Energy Hip Fractures in the Elderly to improve patient care and obtain the best outcomes while considering the subtleties and distinctions necessary in making clinical decisions. The AUC clinical patient scenarios were derived from patient indications that typically accompany hip fractures, as well as from current evidence-based clinical practice guidelines and supporting literature. The 72 patient scenarios and 10 treatments were developed by the Writing Panel, a group of clinicians who are specialists in this AUC topic. A separate, multidisciplinary Voting Panel made up of specialists and nonspecialists rated the appropriateness of treatment of each patient scenario using a 9-point scale to designate a treatment as Appropriate (median rating, 7 to 9), May Be Appropriate (median rating, 4 to 6), or Rarely Appropriate (median rating, 1 to 3).
Pronunciation Errors of Letter “G” in English Language Made by Saudi Undergraduate Students
Authors: Alqunayeer Huda
Published: December 2016

The primary goal of the present study is to identify the problematic areas in the pronunciation of the letter “g” in English written words made by Saudi female learners of English as a foreign language, and the reasons for the weakness associated with mispronunciation of English written words which contain this letter. The population of the study was the female students (90 students) and their English language teachers (12 teachers) at the Qassim University during the academic year (2014-2015). There were two types of instruments used in this study. The first was a pronunciation test for the student participants in order to investigate the problematic areas of pronouncing “g” in different environments in different words; and the second a questionnaire for the teacher participants to provide comprehensive data about the causes of these errors of pronouncing “g” committed by EFL female students at Qassim University. Ninety female students were included for the pronunciation test and 12 teachers were asked to answer the questionnaire. Simple percentage was used for analyzing the data of recording words (pronunciation test). Results of the students’ recording words revealed that the participants mispronounced “g” before nasals (68%). According to the results of the teachers’ responses to the questionnaire suggested many factors that can cause difficulties for students in terms of pronouncing “g” in English written words. According to them, these difficulties are concerned with reading difficulties, nonstandard spellings, letters that follow “g” (many of them may become combinations), loan words, orthography (no correspondence between the English alphabets and their sounds). The researcher offers recommendations that might help teachers and students to overcome and reduce these mispronunciations of this letter in English written words.
Analysis of Health and Drug Access Associated with the Purchasing Power of the Ecuadorian Population
Authors: Ortiz-Prado Esteban , Ponce Jorge , Cornejo-Leon Fernando , Stewart-Ibarra Anna M. , Trujillo Rodrigo Henríquez , Espín Estefanía , Ramírez Darío
Published: December 2016

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is a relationship between access to health systems and out-of-pocket spending with socio demographic characteristics in Ecuador.METHODS: Retrospective analysis of national level data on household medical expenditure from the National Survey of Household Income and Expenditure in Urban and Rural Houses conducted by the Ecuadorian National Institute of Statistics and Census Databases as well as other scientific, institutional, technical-administrative datasets.RESULTS: Families in the lowest percentile of poverty spend proportionally more out-of-pocket on pharmaceutical drugs than wealthier families. Furthermore, the lowest income deciles have no access to private health coverage. Populations from the bigger cities have more access to health care services than smaller rural cities. In Ecuador, 71% of pharmaceutical products are imported and 8% of the total of drugs are generic.CONCLUSIONS: Despite efforts by the current government, health access remains uneven, as indicated by drug access and out-of-pocket expenses per family. Poorer families have higher relative health expenditures for drugs than families with higher incomes, although poorer families have no access to private insurances.
Effects of Fertilization Rate and Water Availability on Peanut Growth and Yield in Senegal (West Africa)
Authors: Faye Babacar , Webber Heidi , Gaiser Thomas , Diop Mbaye , Owusu-Sekyere Joshua D. , Naab Jesse B.
Published: December 2016

The effects of fertilization rate and water availability on peanut growth and yield of two cultivars were investigated in a series of field experiments at Bambey, Nioro and Sinthiou Malem in Senegal. Both rainy and dry season experiments were conducted over two years between 2014 and 2015, for a total of seven experiments. The first set of four experiments were to evaluate fertilizer application rate on peanut production. One experiment was conducted in the dry season 2014 in Nioro with four levels of fertilizer and one experiment in the rainy season 2014 in each of Bambey, Nioro and Sinthiou Malem with six levels of fertilizer in a RCBD with four replications both. The second set of experiments were to evaluate the effect of different water regimes on peanut production. Experiments were conducted in the dry season of 2014 and 2015 in Bambey and in Nioro 2015. The experimental design was a split plot design with four replications and three levels of water, namely, E, S1 and S2. The effects of fertilization rate on peanut in three different sites were not significantly different between fertilizer levels. However, irrigation treatments were significantly different in all sites during the two years. Under water stressed conditions, the seed yield was more affected than the biomass yield. Seed yield decreased by 33% when stress occurred at flowering period and by 50% when stress occurred during seed filling. The most sensitive period for yield declined was observed during the period of maturation followed to the flowering stage. The interaction between irrigation and fertilizer was not signification in both Bambey and Nioro sites of field experiments. Such experiments should be conducted in field based conditions where occur limited soil nutrients to test higher dose of NPK.
Sustainable Development Discourses in China
Authors: Kuhn Berthold
Published: December 2016

The United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September 2015. The term sustainable development will further shape international cooperation in the next decade and beyond. It is also frequently used in China’s policy documents and connects well to a set of home-grown Chinese discourses, in particular the term of ecological civilisation and the chapter on green development in the 13th Five Year Plan (FYP) approved in March 2016. This paper discusses Chinese discourses related to the promotion of sustainable development on the basis of interviews with experts – academics as well as practitioners. The hybrid character of the concept of sustainable development has been conducive to its growing relevance in China. The Chinese government, however, has also paid attention to balancing the use of the term at the level of policy formulation by promoting home-grown discourses, in particular the concept of ecological civilisation.
Impact of Basic Sanitation and Healthy Behavior to Healthy Homes Condition in Cilegon City and Kutai Kartanegara District, Indonesia
Authors: Wispriyono Bambang , Sari Meliana , Kamarudin Kamarudin
Published: December 2016

Healthy homes is a residential building that meets the health requirements as well as having healthy latrines, clean water facilities, solid waste disposal management, etc. The aim of this study was to determine the factors that most influence to healthy homes condition in Cilegon city and Kutai Kartanegara district in Indonesia. This study was done by using analytic survey methodology with cross sectional design. The Population in this study was householders in Cilegon city and Kutai Kartanegara district with total 800 and 1,200 respondents respectively. The result showed in Cilegon city and Kutai Kartanegara district respectively that healthy homes was 46.4% and 61.3%, 55.9 % and 57.3% having a good clean water resources, 82.3% and 71.9% having good excreta disposal facilities, 42.3% and 41.7 % doing good rubbish management, 56.1% and 36.6% having good drainage. The percentage of healthy behavior was 84.4% and 52.7%. Logistic regression analysis showed that waste management, drainage and personal hygiene were the most variables that influenced the healthy homes condition. As the conclusion, improving of the program and practices in basic sanitation facilities and personal hygiene is important to achieve national level of healthy community for Cilegon city and Kutai Kartanegara district.
Study on the Impact of Sand-Clay Bond in Geo-grid and Geo-Textile on Bearing Capacity
Authors: Zarringol Mohammadehsan , Zarringol Mohammadreza
Published: December 2016

This paper aims to determine the impact of sand-clay bond in geo-grid and geo-textile on bearing capacity. In doing so, we examined clay-geo-synthetics, sand-geo-synthetics and clay-sand-geo-synthetics samples using direct shear tests. The friction between clay and reinforcement was provided by encapsulated-sand system.

This method is used to transfer the tensile force mobilized in geo-synthetics from sand to clay and improve the strength parameters of clay. This study indicated that the provision of a thin layer of sand at both sides of the reinforcement significantly improved the shear strength of clay soil.
Bond coefficient computations indicated that the shear strength of clay-geo-synthetics samples was higher than non-reinforced clay. The increased strength was due to the impact of open meshes of geo-synthetics which provided some degree of resistance bearing. To determine the share of resistance bearing provided by geo-synthetic transverse members in the entire direct shear strength, we conducted a series of tests on geo-synthetics-reinforced samples with and without transverse members. The resistance bearing provided by geo-synthetic transverse members was almost 10% of total shear strength. The results indicated that encapsulated geo-grid and geo-textile sand system increased the bearing capacity of clay, with geo-grid being more efficient than geo-textile.
Dual ORC-Brayton power system for waste heat recovery in heavy-duty vehicles
Authors: Cholewiński Maciej , Pospolita Wojciech , Błoński Dominik
Published: December 2016

Reducing the amount of energy required in industrial activities is one of the proven ways to achieve major cost savings, especially in the face of soaring energy prices. In the transport sector, besides the financial benefits, low energy consumption leads to the significant reduction of emissions of many pollutants. In this paper the new concept of dual power technology, dedicated to heavy road transport, was modelled and analysed by computer simulations. The combination of organic Rankine cycle and Brayton cycle was proposed, where the waste heat of fumes was recognized as a upper heat source, whereas the surrounding was adopted to be the lower one. Improvement of total energy conversion efficiency of the truck was the key success factor. Environmental friendly fluids (air and R123) were utilised. The operating parameters, power characteristics and energy streams (i.e. dispersion) of the system were evaluated, calculated and commented from the perspective of its theoretical profitability. The calculated net power capacity of analysed dual system was around 50 hp for 100% load. However, when the engine load is below 50% of nominal capacity, the power generation of combined system might be lower than in the case of single ORC system.
Traffic fatalities prediction based on support vector machine
Authors: Li Ting , Yang Yunong , Wang Yonghui , Chen Chao , Yao Jinbao
Published: December 2016

To effectively predict traffic fatalities and promote the friendly development of transportation, a prediction model of traffic fatalities is established based on support vector machine (SVM). As the prediction accuracy of SVM largely depends on the selection of parameters, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is introduced to find the optimal parameters. In this paper, small sample and nonlinear data are used to predict fatalities of traffic accident. Traffic accident statistics data of China from 1981 to 2012 are chosen as experimental data. The input variables for predicting accident are highway mileage, vehicle number and population size while the output variables are traffic fatality. To verify the validity of the proposed prediction method, the back-propagation neural network (BPNN) prediction model and SVM prediction model are also used to predict the traffic fatalities. The results show that compared with BPNN prediction model and SVM model, the prediction model of traffic fatalities based on PSO-SVM has higher prediction precision and smaller errors. The model can be more effective to forecast the traffic fatalities. And the method using particle swarm optimization algorithm for parameter optimization of SVM is feasible and effective. In addition, this method avoids overcomes the problem of “over learning” in neural network training progress
Thermodynamic indexes of real driving conditions of gasoline and LPG fuelled engine
Authors: Pielecha Ireneusz , Cieślik Wojciech , Bueschke Wojciech , Skowron Maciej
Published: December 2016

The aim of the conducted tests was to assess the method of delivering additional fuel dose in transient conditions and to determine the impact of this additional fuel dose on the engine operation conditions. The experimental tests were conducted in typical urban driving conditions. In the study was used system for indicating and acquisition of fast-varying data; the combustion pressure in the first cylinder of the 3-cylinder engine with spark ignition was measured, as well as the voltage on the petrol injectors and the liquefied petroleum gas injector. The post-processing analysis enabled defining engine operation indexes taking into account the aforementioned parameters. Also indicated mean effective pressure, the heat release rate and the amount of the heat released were analysed. In addition, the indexes of transient conditions of engine operation per one cycle were specified: change of the engine speed, of the maximum combustion pressure, of the indicated mean effective pressure and change of the heat release rate.
¿Un entorno que discapacita? Principales barreras de transporte e infraestructura identificadas en la historia de vida de Rafa
Authors: Cotán Fernández Almudena
Published: December 2016

En este artículo se presentan los resultados parciales de una tesis doctoral, en la que se pretendía analizar los facilitadores y obstáculos que los estudiantes con discapacidad se encontraban durante su trayectoria en las instituciones de Enseñanza Superior. A partir del método biográfico-narrativo se pretendía dar a conocer el punto de vista de los estudiantes con discapacidad, identificando y explicado las barreras y ayudas que estos jóvenes vivenciaban en su formación universitaria. Para la recogida de información, se ha hecho uso de diversos instrumentos como son entrevistas o fotografías. En concreto, los resultados de este trabajo se centran en identificar las barreras arquitectónicas y de infraestructura urbanística que un participante de esta investigación identificaba en su acceso y recorrido hacia la universidad. Entre las principales conclusiones obtenidas podemos destacar cómo la presencia de un vehículo propio para el desplazamiento es imprescindible, la ausencia de accesibilidad de algunas aceras así como la mala combinación y adaptación de los transportes públicos.
Nu vil jeg fortælle Jer mere – Fortællingen om Uglenspeil fra folkebog til roman
Authors: Zetterberg Gjerlevsen Simona
Published: December 2016

Now I will tell you more – The story of Uglenspeil from the Volksbuch to the Novel.“Nu vil jeg fortælle Jer mere – Fortællingen om Uglenspeil fra folkebog til roman” [Now I will tell you more – The story of Uglenspeil from the Volksbuch to the Novel] addresses one of the most frequently debated matters in the historiography of the novel, namely the question of continuity and rupture: did the novel grow out of earlier forms, or rise as a profoundly new genre? Whereas the question of legacy informs the historiography on the English novel, there are surprisingly few investigations of the 18th century Danish novel and its relation to previous literary forms. This article investigates the relationship between the novel and the most widely read literary genre before the novel in Denmark, namely the volksbuch. It does so through a comparative analysis of Carl August Thielo's novel Den Unge Uglenspeil, eller det slet opdragne Menneske [The Young Uglenspeil, or the Person who was brought up badly] (1759) and the Volksbuch Tiile Ugelspegel (1669) (in Jacobsen, Olrik and Paulli 1930). These works are particularly informative for understanding the relationship between the two genres as Thielo’s novel is built on – and at the same time comments on – the earlier genre. The article argues that the differences between the texts concerning fictionality, narrative techniques, structure, and their levels of reflections are so fundamental that the novel cannot be regarded a genre that simply grew out of the former. Especially with regard to fictionality, it becomes clear that the volksbuch and the novel are two very different genres. Whereas the novel comes to admit its own fictional status, the volksbücher were perceived of and intended to be taken as true stories. For those reasons, the article concludes that compared to previously most popular prose genre in Denmark, the Danish novel is to be considered a profoundly new genre.
A THz semiconductor hybrid plasmonic waveguide with fabrication-error tolerance
Authors: Eldlio Mohamed , Ma Youqiao , Che Franklin , Maeda Hiroshi , Cada Michael
Published: December 2016

In this letter, a novel waveguide based on semiconductor THz hybrid surface plasmon polariton (STHSPP) is proposed and numerically analyzed. The structure under study can confine light in the ultradeep-subwavelength region (ranging from λ2/360 to λ2/156) with a large propagation length ranging from 374 to 506 µm. Compared with a conventional hybrid SPP (HSPP) waveguide without a ridge, our proposed structure with the same propagation length has a much higher mode confinement with a one order of magnitude smaller normalized mode area.
Risk factors for in-hospital mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting in patients 80 years old or older: a retrospective case-series study
Authors: Piątek Jacek , Kędziora Anna , Konstanty-Kalandyk Janusz , Kiełbasa Grzegorz , Olszewska Marta , Song Bryan HyoChan , Wierzbicki Karol , Milaniak Irena , Darocha Tomasz , Sobczyk Dorota , Kapelak Bogusław
Published: December 2016

Background

Age remains a significant and unmodifiable risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, and an increasing number of patients older than 80 years of age undergo Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG). Old age is also an independent risk factor for postoperative complications. The aim of this study is to describe the population of patients 80 years of age or older who underwent CABG procedure and to assess the mortality rate and risk factors for in-hospital mortality.

Methods

A retrospective case-series study analyzing 388 consecutive patients aged 80 years of age or older who underwent isolated CABG procedure between 2010 and 2014 in the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery and Transplantology, John Paul II Hospital, Krakow.

Results

In-hospital mortality stood at 7%, compared to 3.4% for all isolated CABG procedures at our Institution. In an univariate logistic regression analysis, risk factors for in-hospital mortality were as follows: NYHA class (p = 0.005, OR 1.95, 95% CI [1.23–3.1]), prolonged mechanical ventilation (p < 0.001, OR 7.08, 95% CI [2.47–20.3]), rethoracotomy (p = 0.04, OR 3.31, 95% CI [1.04–10.6]), duration of the procedure and ECC (for every 10 min p = 0.01, OR 1.01, 95% CI [1.0–1.01]; p = 0.03, OR 1.01, 95% CI [1.0–1.02], respectively), PRBC, FFP, and PLT transfusion (for every unit transfused p = 0.004, OR 1.42, 95% CI [1.12–1.8]; p = 0.002, OR 1.55, 95% CI [1.18–2.04]; p = 0.009, OR 1.93, 95% CI [1.18–3.14], respectively). Higher LVEF (p = 0.02, OR 0.97, 95% CI [0.94–0.99]) and LIMA graft implantation (p = 0.04, OR 0.36, 95% CI [0.13–0.98) decreased the in-hospital mortality. Death before discharge was more often observed in patients with multiple risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (0–2 –5.7%; 3–7.4%, 4–26.6%; p = 0.03).

Conclusions

Older age is associated with higher in-hospital mortality after isolated CABG at our Institution. Risk stratification scores and individualized risk evaluation, centered on comorbidities, NYHA class and left ventricular function, should be assessed in all cases. Whenever suitable, LIMA grafts should be used. Prolonged procedure and ECC time worsen the short-term outcome. Elderly individuals should be closely monitored postoperatively and the care should be focused on excessive blood loss and respiratory failure.
A methodology for the design of experiments in computational intelligence with multiple regression models
Authors: Fernandez-Lozano Carlos , Gestal Marcos , Munteanu Cristian R. , Dorado Julian , Pazos Alejandro
Published: December 2016

The design of experiments and the validation of the results achieved with them are vital in any research study. This paper focuses on the use of different Machine Learning approaches for regression tasks in the field of Computational Intelligence and especially on a correct comparison between the different results provided for different methods, as those techniques are complex systems that require further study to be fully understood. A methodology commonly accepted in Computational intelligence is implemented in an R package called RRegrs. This package includes ten simple and complex regression models to carry out predictive modeling using Machine Learning and well-known regression algorithms. The framework for experimental design presented herein is evaluated and validated against RRegrs. Our results are different for three out of five state-of-the-art simple datasets and it can be stated that the selection of the best model according to our proposal is statistically significant and relevant. It is of relevance to use a statistical approach to indicate whether the differences are statistically significant using this kind of algorithms. Furthermore, our results with three real complex datasets report different best models than with the previously published methodology. Our final goal is to provide a complete methodology for the use of different steps in order to compare the results obtained in Computational Intelligence problems, as well as from other fields, such as for bioinformatics, cheminformatics, etc., given that our proposal is open and modifiable.
PATMA: parser of archival tissue microarray
Authors: Roszkowiak Lukasz , Lopez Carlos
Published: December 2016

The tissue microarrays are commonly used in modern pathology for cancer tissue evaluation, as it is a very potent technique. Tissue microarray slides are often scanned to perform computer-aided histopathological analysis of the tissue cores. For processing the image, splitting the whole virtual slide into images of individual cores is required. The only way to distinguish cores corresponding to specimens in the tissue microarray is through their arrangement. Unfortunately, distinguishing the correct order of cores is not a trivial task as they are not labelled directly on the slide. The main aim of this study was to create a procedure capable of automatically finding and extracting cores from archival images of the tissue microarrays. This software supports the work of scientists who want to perform further image processing on single cores. The proposed method is an efficient and fast procedure, working in fully automatic or semi-automatic mode. A total of 89% of punches were correctly extracted with automatic selection. With an addition of manual correction, it is possible to fully prepare the whole slide image for extraction in the mean time of 2 min per tissue microarray. The proposed technique requires minimum skill and time to parse big array of cores from tissue microarray whole slide image into individual core images.
Grassland productivity in response to nutrient additions and herbivory is scale-dependent
Authors: Smithwick Erica A.H. , Baldwin Douglas C. , Naithani Kusum J.
Published: December 2016

Vegetation response to nutrient addition can vary across space, yet studies that explicitly incorporate spatial pattern into experimental approaches are rare. To explore whether there are unique spatial scales (grains) at which grass response to nutrients and herbivory is best expressed, we imposed a large (∼3.75 ha) experiment in a South African coastal grassland ecosystem. In two of six 60 × 60 m grassland plots, we imposed a scaled sampling design in which fertilizer was added in replicated sub-plots (1 × 1 m, 2 × 2 m, and 4 × 4 m). The remaining plots either received no additions or were fertilized evenly across the entire area. Three of the six plots were fenced to exclude herbivory. We calculated empirical semivariograms for all plots one year following nutrient additions to determine whether the scale of grass response (biomass and nutrient concentrations) corresponded to the scale of the sub-plot additions and compared these results to reference plots (unfertilized or unscaled) and to plots with and without herbivory. We compared empirical semivariogram parameters to parameters from semivariograms derived from a set of simulated landscapes (neutral models). Empirical semivariograms showed spatial structure in plots that received multi-scaled nutrient additions, particularly at the 2 × 2 m grain. The level of biomass response was predicted by foliar P concentration and, to a lesser extent, N, with the treatment effect of herbivory having a minimal influence. Neutral models confirmed the length scale of the biomass response and indicated few differences due to herbivory. Overall, we conclude that interpretation of nutrient limitation in grasslands is dependent on the grain used to measure grass response and that herbivory had a secondary effect.
Light Like a Feather: A Fibrous Natural Composite with a Shape Changing from Round to Square
Authors: Wang Bin , Meyers Marc André
Published: December 2016

Only seldom are square/rectangular shapes found in nature. One notable exception is the bird feather rachis, which raises the question: why is the proximal base round but the distal end square? Herein, it is uncovered that, given the same area, square cross sections show higher bending rigidity and are superior in maintaining the original shape, whereas circular sections ovalize upon flexing. This circular‐to‐square shape change increases the ability of the flight feathers to resist flexure while minimizes the weight along the shaft length. The walls are themselves a heterogeneous composite with the fiber arrangements adjusted to the local stress requirements: the dorsal and ventral regions are composed of longitudinal and circumferential fibers, while lateral walls consist of crossed fibers. This natural avian design is ready to be reproduced, and it is anticipated that the knowledge gained from this work will inspire new materials and structures for, e.g., manned/unmanned aerial vehicles.
Solid‐State Emission of the Anthracene‐o‐Carborane Dyad from the Twisted‐Intramolecular Charge Transfer in the Crystalline State
Authors: Naito Hirofumi , Nishino Kenta , Morisaki Yasuhiro , Tanaka Kazuo , Chujo Yoshiki
Published: December 2016

The emission process of the o‐carborane dyad with anthracene originating from the twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) state in the crystalline state is described. The anthracene‐o‐carborane dyad was synthesized and its optical properties were investigated. Initially, the dyad had aggregation‐ and crystallization‐induced emission enhancement (AIEE and CIEE) properties via the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state. Interestingly, the dyad presented the dual‐emissions assigned to both locally excited (LE) and ICT states in solution. From the mechanistic studies and computer calculations, it was indicated that the emission band from the ICT should be attributable to the TICT emission. Surprisingly, even in the crystalline state, the TICT emission was observed. It was proposed from that the compact sphere shape of o‐carborane would allow for rotation even in the condensed state.
Aerobic expression of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin improves the growth performance of CHO‐K1 cells
Authors: Juárez Mariana , González‐De la Rosa Claudia H. , Memún Elisa , Sigala Juan‐Carlos , Lara Alvaro R.
Published: December 2016

Inefficient carbon metabolism is a relevant issue during the culture of mammalian cells for the production of biopharmaceuticals. Therefore, cell engineering strategies to improve the metabolic and growth performance of cell lines are needed. The expression of Vitreoscilla stercoraria hemoglobin (VHb) has been shown to significantly reduce overflow metabolism and improve the aerobic growth of bacteria. However, the effects of VHb on mammalian cells have been rarely studied. Here, the impact of VHb on growth and lactate accumulation during CHO‐K1 cell culture was investigated. For this purpose, CHO‐K1 cells were transfected with plasmids carrying the vgb or gfp gene to express VHb or green fluorescence protein (GFP), respectively. VHb expression increased the specific growth rate and biomass yields on glucose and glutamine by 60 %, and reduced the amount of lactate produced per cell by 40 %, compared to the GFP‐expression controls. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that VHb is distributed in the cytoplasm and organelles, which support the hypothesis that VHb could serve as an oxygen carrier, enhancing aerobic respiration. These results are useful for the development of better producing cell lines for industrial applications.
Carbon‐Based Materials Used for Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Wu Zhongwei , Song Tao , Sun Baoquan
Published: December 2016

Organometal halide perovskite solar cells have become a superstar in the photovoltaic field over the past few years. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has rapidly been boosted to a high reported value of 22.1 %, which is even better than that of the commercialized multicrystalline silicon solar cells. However, to some extent, the low‐cost and high‐performance photovoltaic technique still suffers from stability and hysteresis issues. Without doubt, carbon‐based materials (e.g., fullerene and its derivatives, graphene‐related materials, carbon nanotubes, carbon paste) have been demonstrated to have positive effects on overcoming the above challenges, in cooperation with the optimizations in perovskite absorber layer, interface, and device structure. In this review, we will first introduce some fundamental principles of PSCs in terms of device structure and carbon‐based materials. Then, the applications of various carbon‐based materials in PSCs will be summarized, which are directly related to the potentiality for exploitation in device performance and stability. Finally, we will draw conclusions and highlight some promising research directions for carbon material‐based PSCs.
Carbon Dioxide Capture with Ionic Liquids and Deep Eutectic Solvents: A New Generation of Sorbents
Authors: Sarmad Shokat , Mikkola Jyri‐Pekka , Ji Xiaoyan
Published: December 2016

High cost and high energy penalty for CO2 uptake from flue gases are important obstacles in large‐scale industrial applications, and developing efficient technology for CO2 capture from technical and economic points is crucial. Ionic liquids (ILs) show the potential for CO2 separation owing to their inherent advantages, and have been proposed as alternatives to overcome the drawbacks of conventional sorbents. Chemical modification of ILs to improve their performance in CO2 absorption has received more attention. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as a new generation of ILs are considered as more economical alternatives to cope with the deficiencies of high cost and high viscosity of conventional ILs. This Review discusses the potential of functionalized ILs and DESs as CO2 sorbents. Incorporation of CO2‐philic functional groups, such as amine, in cation and/or anion moiety of ILs can promot their absorption capacity. In general, the functionalization of the anion part of ILs is more effective than the cation part. DESs represent favorable solvent properties and are capable of capturing CO2, but the research work is scarce and undeveloped compared to the studies conducted on ILs. It is possible to develop novel DESs with promising absorption capacity. However, more investigation needs to be carried out on the mechanism of CO2 sorption of DESs to clarify how these novel sorbents can be adjusted and fine‐tuned to be best tailored as optimized media for CO2 capture.
Improved multicast routing in MANETs using link stability and route stability
Authors: Singal Gaurav , Laxmi Vijay , Rao Vijay , Todi Swati , Gaur Manoj Singh
Published: December 2016

The growing popularity of multimedia applications and services needs to support several quality of service metrics such as high throughput, low energy, and jitter, which is a challenging task in mobile ad hoc networks. Because of limited bandwidth, energy constraints, dynamic topology, transmission errors, and fluctuating link stability, the links between adjacent nodes are often not reliable and may break because of node mobility. Link breakage initiates the process of rerouting either at the sender node (the node at which the link breaks) or at the source node. In either case, it leads to packet loss, delivery delays, and increased control overheads. Hence, to attain a minimum quality of service, routing protocols must address the dynamic network topology. Uncertain and varying movement of nodes necessitates stability of the links between such nodes. The objective of this paper is to propose 2 protocols, the first based on link stability and the other based on route stability. Link stability identifies a stable link from the available links to the next hop and determines a stable end‐to‐end route. The probability of successful transmission of periodic packets is used as a link stability metric to assess the stable path. Acknowledgment ‐free packets are used to check connectivity in the network. Increased probability of successful transmission implies that the selected link is sustained for longer duration and can deliver packets more reliably or, as a consequence, results in a stable link to deliver a better data rate. With a stable link, there is a reduced possibility of retransmissions, reduced end‐to‐end delay, reduced control overheads, and enhanced data delivery ratio. Selection of the most stable route for data transmission improves the performance. Experimental results from simulations performed on EXata/Cyber v2.0 simulator reveal that our proposed protocols are an improvement over the existing protocols in terms of packet delivery ratio, average end‐to‐end delay, and average route lifetime, even without route optimization with the minor increase in control packets. A case study of the application of proposed protocols is also presented.
Retinal axon guidance at the midline: Chiasmatic misrouting and consequences
Authors: Prieur Delphine S. , Rebsam Alexandra
Published: December 2016

The visual representation of the outside world relies on the appropriate connectivity between the eyes and the brain. Retinal ganglion cells are the sole neurons that send an axon from the retina to the brain, and thus the guidance decisions of retinal axons en route to their targets in the brain shape the neural circuitry that forms the basis of vision. Here, we focus on the choice made by retinal axons to cross or avoid the midline at the optic chiasm. This decision allows each brain hemisphere to receive inputs from both eyes corresponding to the same visual hemifield, and is thus crucial for binocular vision. In achiasmatic conditions, all retinal axons from one eye project to the ipsilateral brain hemisphere. In albinism, abnormal guidance of retinal axons at the optic chiasm leads to a change in the ratio of contralateral and ipsilateral projections with the consequence that each brain hemisphere receives inputs primarily from the contralateral eye instead of an almost equal distribution from both eyes in humans. In both cases, this misrouting of retinal axons leads to reduced visual acuity and poor depth perception. While this defect has been known for decades, mouse genetics have led to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms at play in retinal axon guidance and at the origin of the guidance defect in albinism. In addition, fMRI studies on humans have now confirmed the anatomical and functional consequences of axonal misrouting at the chiasm that were previously only assumed from animal models. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 77: 844–860, 2017