bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reference values of amino acids, acylcarnitines and succinylacetone by tandem mass spectrometry for use in newborn screening in southwest Colombia
Authors: Cespedes Nora , Valencia Angela , Echeverry Carlos Alberto , Arce-Plata Maria Isabel , Colon Cristobal , Castiñeiras Daisy E. , Hurtado Paula Margarita , Cocho Jose Angel , Herrera Socrates , Arevalo-Herrera Myriam
Published: December 2017

Introduction: Inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) represent an important public health problem due to current diagnosis and treatment limitations, poor life quality of affected patients, and consequent untimely child death. In contrast to classical methods, tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) has allowed simultaneous evaluation of multiple metabolites associated with IEM offering higher sensitivity, low false positive rates and high throughput. Aims: Determine concentration levels for amino acids and acylcarnitines in blood of newborns from Colombia, to establish reference values for further use in diagnosis of IEM. Methods: Implementation of a method to determine amino acids, acylcarnitines and succinylacetone in newborn dried blood spots using MS/MS, and its application in a cross-sectional study conducted in 891 healthy neonates from Cali and Quibdó cities is described. Results: fifty seven analytes that allow the diagnosis of 50 different pathologies were tested. The method showed to be linear, precise and accurate. Healthy neonates 2-18 days of age were included, 523 from Cali and 368 from Quibdó; 52% male and 48% female. Age-related differences on the concentration levels of amino acids and acylcarnitines were observed whereas no significant differences by gender were found. Conclusion: The study has contributed to reveal the usual concentration levels of amino acids, acylcarnitines and succinylacetone that could be used as reference for the establishment of a newborn metabolic screening program in Colombia.
Síndrome de Tremor Ataxia y Falla Ovárica Prematura en portadora de la premutación del gen FMR1
Authors: Saldarriaga-Gil Wilmar , Rodriguez-Guerrero Tatiana , Fandiño-Losada Andres , Ramirez-Cheyne Julian
Published: December 2017

Introducción: el gen FMR1 tiene cuatro variantes alelicas según el número de repeticiones de la triplesta CGG. Los portadores de la premutación con un numero entre 55 y 200 repeticiones son susceptibles de desarrollar patologias como el Síndrome temblor y ataxia (STAFX) y síndrome de falla avárica prematura (FOPXF) asociados al X fragil. Toxinas ambientales han sido relacionadas con la aparicion temprana y mayor severidad de los sintomas. Descripción del caso: Mujer de 53 años, agricultora, portadora de la premutación del gen FMR1 diagnosticada por PCR y southern blot, con temblor severo miembros superiores en reposo que empeora con el movimiento, temblor en mandibula y lengua, atrofia cerebral generalizada, cumpliendo con  criterios clínicos y radiológicos STAFX;  historia clínica de FOPXF por sintomas vagales sugestivos de falla ovarica y trastornos del ciclo mesntrual que llevaron a histerectomia a los 33 años, con exposicion cronica a pesticidas utilizados en agricultura. Conclusión: Postulamos que la exposición a pesticidas en portadores de la premutación del gen FMR1 cambia la historia natural de la enfermedad disminuyendo la edad de aparicion y aumentando la severidad de los sitnomas
Pengaruh Tayangan Sinetron Anak Jalanan Terhadap Perilaku Agresif Murid SMP Muhammadiyah 6 Surabaya
Authors: Indria Rizky Ruah , Prasetyo Iwan Joko
Published: December 2017

This research is to know the effect from Anak Jalanan sinetron in RCTI against aggressive behavior from student of Muhammadiyah 6th Junior High School Surabaya. Especially the problem on television shows is “Anak Jalanan” which is had to many fans from Indonesia person for this time. No exception the students from Muhammadiyah 6th Junior High School Surabaya. The impressions seem to have ceased to provide positive benefits to the community, which often features battle scenes between other motor groups, then they always shown another scenes with arrogan, sly, and cruel character. This thing of course can change their behavioural effect like a bad bahavioural, it shown by behave to see bad sinetron.               This research uses Spearman’s correlation coefficient data analysis technique. As for measuring instrument in research of independent variable (x), Namely the concept of impressions or exposure to Anak Jalanan’s sinetron violence, and for find the effect use SOR theory. While the measuring instrument on the dependent variable (Y) is using Youth Aggressiveness to study problems in adolescents, as well as procedures in certain societies and situations including relationships, activities, attitudes, views and ongoing processes and the effects of a phenomenon including the Anak Jalanan’s Show.Keyword: Perception, Sinetron, Anak Jalanan, Agresivitas
Pemetaan Platform Media Komunikasi Pemasaran PT. Dyandra Promosindo dalam Ruang Publik di Surabaya
Authors: Putra Bayu Pratama , Prasetyo Iwan Joko
Published: December 2017

This study aims to determine the mapping of marketing communication media platform conducted by PT. Dyandra Promosindo Surabaya in the exhibition of Indie Clothing Expo 8th. This study discusses mapping of marketing communication media platform through promotion mix seen from the use of advertising element, personal selling, and direct marketing. The analysis of this research using qualitative approach with descriptive method, data collecting technique is with documentation, in-depth interview, observation, and data search field. Informant research as many as three people, involving branch manager PT. Dyandra Promosindo, and Project Manager and Promotion Officer of Indie Clothing Expo 8th Exhibition. Data analysis techniques include data reduction, display data, and Conclusion Drawing and evaluation. The result of this research is in mapping of usage of advertising element, PT. Dyandra Promosindo utilizes various advertising media as a means to promote Indie Clothing Expo exhibition 8th from promotion cooperation with some print media such as newspaper and magazine, then some local radio, and informative account in social media, and use of outdoor promotional media starting from billboards, billboards , Until the cutting sticker in public transportation. In addition, PT. Dyandra Promosindo maximizes personal sales through the ICE Agent program by working with fifty representatives of high school students in Surabaya. And finally, the use of ticketbox as a direct marketing strategy by adding a promo program to improve the service and the number of visitors, as well as maintaining the brand image of the exhibition. Keywords: Platform Mapping, Promotional Mix, Descriptive Quantitative
Penerapan Augmented Reality Sebagai Media Pembelajaran Sistem Pencernaan pada Manusia dalam Mata Pelajaran Biologi
Authors: Mauludin Rizqi , Sukamto Anggi Srimurdianti , Muhardi Hafiz
Published: December 2017

Perkembangan teknologi informasi di bidang pendidikan, salah satunya adalah teknologi Augmented Reality (AR) yang dapat dimanfaatkan sebagai media pembelajaran multimedia termasuk media pembelajaran sistem pencernaan manusia. Hal ini dikarenakan proses pembelajaran tentang sistem pencernaan manusia masih melalui media-media konvensional seperti papan tulis dan gambar - gambar yang terdapat di buku biologi. Sementara materi tentang sistem pencernaan manusia sangat sulit untuk dilihat langsung secara langsung karena sebagian besar berada didalam tubuh. Kelebihan dari Augmented Reality adalah tampilan visual yang menarik, karena dapat menampilkan objek 3D beserta animasinya yang seakan-akan ada pada lingkungan nyata dan disandingkan dengan informasi tentang objek 3D  yang berupa suara, diharapkan dapat digunakan sebagai alternatif media pembelajaran untuk mengenalkan sistem pencernaan pada manusia yang mampu membuat pengguna tertarik mempelajarinya. Pada penelitian ini digunakan Game Engine UNITY untuk membangun aplikasi berbasis Android serta Vuforia SDK agar aplikasi yang dibangun dapat menjadi aplikasi berteknologi Augmented Reality. Disertai dengan 1 gambar marker yang terdapat didalam buku pelajaran biologi yang apabila diarahkan ke aplikasi dapat menampilkan visualisasi objek 3D seperti gigi anak, gigi dewasa, gigi geraham, lidah, animasi pencernaan mulut, kerongkongan, lambung, usus halus dan usus besar. Aplikasi ini dapat bermanfaat bagi siswa sekolah menengah atas (SMA), yang memperoleh materi pembelajaran sistem pencernaan manusia. Berdasarkan pengujian kompabilitas, aplikasi ini sudah berjalan dengan baik pada perangkat mobile  Android, mulai dari Android versi 4.2.0 (Jelly Beans) hingga Android versi 7.0 (Nougat).  Dari hasil pengujian Pre Test dan Post Test yang telah dilakukan, untuk kelompok siswa yang belajar menggunakan buku biologi memiliki persentase kenaikan dari nilai Pre Test ke Post Test sebesar 14,5 %, sedangkan untuk kelompok siswa yang belajar menggunakan aplikasi Augmented Reality Sistem Pencernaan memiliki persentase kenaikan dari nilai Pre Test ke Post Test sebesar 24,8 %, yang berarti Augmented Reality dapat diterapkan sebagai media pembelajaran sistem pencernaan manusia.
Bond-length distributions for ions bonded to oxygen: Results for the non-metals and discussion of lone-pair stereoactivity and the polymerization of PO4
Authors: Gagné Olivier Charles , Hawthorne Frank Christopher
Published: December 2017

Bond-length distributions are examined for three configurations of the H+ ion, sixteen configurations of the group 14-16 non-metal ions and seven configurations of the group 17 ions bonded to oxygen. Lone-pair stereoactivity for ions bonded to O2- is discussed, as well as the polymerization of the PO4 group.
Bond-length distributions for ions bonded to oxygen: Metalloids and post-transition metals
Authors: Gagné Olivier Charles , Hawthorne Frank Christopher
Published: December 2017

Bond-length distributions are examined for thirty-three configurations of the metalloid ions and fifty-six configurations of the post-transition-metal ions bonded to oxygen. Lone-pair stereoactivity is discussed.
Bond-length distributions for ions bonded to oxygen: Results for the lanthanides and actinides and discussion of the f-block contraction
Authors: Gagné Olivier Charles
Published: December 2017

Bond-length distributions have been examined for eighty-four configurations of the lanthanide ions and twenty-two configurations of the actinide ions bonded to oxygen. The lanthanide contraction for the trivalent lanthanide ions bonded to O2- is shown to vary as a function of coordination number and to diminish in scale with increasing coordination number.
Theoretical analysis of ammoniaborane and alkylammoniaborane at the solid state
Authors: Méndez Chávez Mariano
Published: December 2017

This work deals with a benchmark for the calculation of the structural parameters of ammonia-borane and alkylammonia-borane at the solid state, using hybrid and GGA functionals in the framework of the Density Functional Theory as well as the use of Grimme's empirical dispersion. A comparison for some dimers of the aforementioned species, calculated at the gas-phase at the level MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ is discussed.
Nanowire Transfer Enabled by Incomplete Wetting and Mechanical Tearing for Low-Cost Flexible Bactericidal Surfaces withMulti-Scale Superhydrophobicity
Authors: TRIPATHY ABINASH , KUMAR ARVIND , SREEDHARAN SYAMA , MURALIDHARAN GIRISH , PRAMANIK AMITAVA , NANDI DIPANKAR , SEN PROSENJIT
Published: December 2017

In this work, we report a large-area fabrication of a flexible superhydrophobic bactericidal surface decorated with copper hydroxide nanowires. This involves a simple two-step method which involves growth followed by transfer of the nanowires onto the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface by mechanical peeling. Additional roughness in PDMS is obtained through incomplete wetting of the nanoscale gaps which leads to multi-scale superhydrophobicity with contact angle of 169° and hysteresis of less than 2°. The simplicity of the process makes it low-cost and easily scalable. The process allows fabrication of non-planar 3D surfaces. The surface shows blood repellence and antimicrobial activity against E. coli with more than 5 log reductions in bacterial colony. The surface also shows hemocompatible behaviour making it suitable for healthcare applications. The fabricated surface is found to be extremely robust against stretching, twisting, sand paper abrasion, solid weight impact, and tape peel test. The surface is found to withstand human weight multiple times without losing its hydrophobicity making it suitable for several practical scenarios in healthcare and household applications.
Ferromagnetic Resonance Biosensor for Homogeneous and Volumetric Detection of DNA
Authors: Tian Bo , Svedlindh Peter , Strömberg Mattias , Wetterskog Erik
Published: December 2017

In this work, we demonstrate for the first time, a ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) based homogeneous and volumetric biosensor for magnetic label detection. Two different isothermal amplification methods, i.e., rolling circle amplification (RCA) and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) are adopted and combined with a standard electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrometer for FMR biosensing. For RCA-based FMR biosensor, binding of RCA products of a synthetic Vibrio cholerae target DNA sequence gives rise to the formation of aggregates of magnetic nanoparticles. Immobilization of nanoparticles within the aggregates leads to a decrease of the net anisotropy of the system and a concomitant increase of the resonance field. A limit of detection of 1 pM is obtained with an average coefficient of variation of 0.16%, which is superior to the performance of other reported RCA-based magnetic biosensors. For LAMP-based sensing, a synthetic Zika virus target oligonucleotide is amplified and detected in 20% serum samples. Immobilization of magnetic nanoparticles is induced by their co-precipitation with Mg2P2O7 (a by-product of LAMP) and provides a detection sensitivity of 100 aM. The fast measurement, high sensitivity and miniaturization potential of the proposed FMR biosensing technology makes it a promising candidate for designing future point-of-care devices.
Phase behaviour and applications of a binary liquid-liquid mixture of methanol and a thermotropic liquid crystal
Authors: Serrano Luis A , Fornerod Maximiliano J , Yang Ye , Gaisford Simon , Stellacci Francesco , Guldin Stefan
Published: December 2017

Herein, we report on the phase behaviour of a binary liquid-liquid mixture composed of methanol (MeOH) and the thermotropic liquid crystal 4-Cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB). The corresponding phase diagram combines features of a conventional liquid-liquid mixture with characteristics that are particular to the nematic liquid crystal. We observe four arrangements as a function of composition and temperature, namely monophasic isotropic, monophasic nematic, biphasic isotropic-isotropic and biphasic isotropic-nematic, with an upper critical solution temperature of 298 K. The interplay of nematogenic and non-nematogenic species offers a number of applications. Dilution of mesogens with MeOH allows to control the isotropic-to-nematic phase transition of 5CB over a range of 35 K. The tunability of phase mixing and phase composition in an accessible temperature window provides novel routes for the extraction of target compounds, here shown for Eosin Y, Doxorubicin, Crystal Violet and Sudan IV.
Simultaneous Clicknetic Resolution Coetaneous catalytic kinetic resolution of alkynes and azides through asymmetric triazole formation
Authors: Brittain William D. G. , Dalling Andrew G. , Sun Zhenquan , Le Duff Cecile S. , Male Louise , Buckley Benjamin R. , Fossey John
Published: December 2017

A non-enzymatic simultaneous kinetic resolution of racemic alkynes and racemic azides utilising an asymmetric CuAAC reaction is reported. The use of a CuCl (R,R)Ph-Pybox catalyst system effects a simultaneous kinetic resolution of two racemic starting materials to give one major triazolic diasteroisomer in the ratio 74:12:4:10 (dr 84:16, 90% ee maj). The corresponding control reaction using an achiral copper catalyst gives the four possible diastereoisomers in a 23:27:23:27 ratio, demonstrating minimal inherent substrate control.
The Microwave Sources for EPR Spectroscopy
Authors: Hruszowiec Mariusz , Nowak Kacper , Szlachetko Bogusław , Grzelak Michał , Czarczyński Wojciech , Pliński Edward F. , Więckowski Tadeusz
Published: December 2017

Rapid development of many scientific and technical disciplines, especially in material science and material engineering increases a demand for quick, accurate and cheap techniques of materials investigations. The EPR spectroscopy meets these requirements and it is used in many fields of science including biology, chemistry and physics. For proper work, the EPR spectrometer needs a microwave source, which are reviewed in this paper. Vacuum tubes as well as semiconductor generators are presented such as magnetron, klystron, traveling wave tube, backward wave oscillator, orotron, gyrotron, Gunn and IMPATT diodes. In this paper main advantages of gyrotron usage, such as stability and an increased spectral resolution in application to EPR spectroscopy is discussed. The most promising and reliable microwave source is suggested.
A New Efficient Authenticated and Key Agreement Scheme for SIP Using Digital Signature Algorithm on Elliptic Curves
Authors: Jebrane Asma , Toumanari Ahmed , Meddah Naîma , Bousseta Mohamed
Published: December 2017

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has been recently one of the more popular applications in Internet technology. It benefits lower cost of equipment, operation, and better integration with data applications than voice communications over telephone networks. However, the voice packets delivered over the Internet are not protected. The session initiation protocol (SIP) is widely used signaling protocol that controls communications on the Internet, typically using hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) digest authentication, which is vulnerable to many forms of attacks. This paper proposes a new secure authentication and key agreement scheme based on Digital Signature Algorithm (DSA) and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) named (ECDSA). Security analysis demonstrates that the proposed scheme can resist various attacks and it can be applied to authenticate the users with different SIP domains.
Performance Comparison of Homogeneous and Heterogeneous 3D Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Thalore Ranjana , Bhattacharya Partha Pratim , Jha Manish Kumar
Published: December 2017

Recent developments in wireless sensor networks include their applications in safety, medical monitoring, environment monitoring and many more. Limited battery energy and efficient data delivery are most considered constraints for sensor nodes. Depletion of node battery ceases functioning of the node. The network lifetime can be enhanced with the help of Multi-Layer protocol (ML-MAC). This paper presents a practical approach including 3-dimensional deployment of sensor nodes and analyzes two different types of networks – homogeneous and heterogeneous WSNs. To analyze various QoS parameters, two types of nodes are considered in a heterogeneous network. The performance of both the networks is compared through simulations. The results show that ML-MAC performs better for a 3D heterogeneous WSNs.
Self-organized Clustering for Improved Interference Mitigation in White Spaces
Authors: Aráuz Julio , Sánchez Alberto
Published: December 2017

In this paper a collaborative coexistence mechanism for white space base stations is proposed. We look at the case where these base stations operate in geographical areas where the density of used TV channels is such that only one channel is left for broadband access. We show how with cooperative closed loop control and a clustering strategy, it is possible to find feasible power assignments that provide a flexible and stable coverage solution. The framework under which we study our proposal is based on the IEEE 802.22 standard, which provides white space guidelines for applications in broadband access or machine-to-machine communications. We propose and evaluate a self-organized, collaborative power control and design strategy to enable effective coexistence of base stations under extreme bandwidth constraints. Finally, we also portray how proposed approach positively compares against others from different wireless access technologies.
A New CPW-fed Patch Antenna for UWB Applications
Authors: Sharma Purnima , Jha Santosh Kumar , Bhattacharya Partha Pratim
Published: December 2017

In this paper, the design and analysis of a compact size coplanar waveguide (CPW)-fed antenna for ultrawideband (UWB) applications is presented. The antenna has a compact size of 20×20×1.1 .5 .mm and provides a good impedance matching over the entire bandwidth of 3.2–14.3 GHz. The characteristics parameters, i.e. return loss, VSWR and radiation pattern, are analyzed using HFSS 11.0 software.
Sharing Spectrum UE LTE and Air-Traffic Control Radars in 800 MHz Band
Authors: Tikhvinskiy Valery , Bochechka Grigory , Korchagin Pavel , Seilov Shakhmaran , Gryazev Andrey
Published: December 2017

The need to ensure LTE network coverage in sparsely populated and rural areas of Europe (ITU Region 1) has led to a massive use of 800 MHz band (band 20) with its good characteristics of radio wave propagation in LTE networks. However, the frequency band of 800 MHz called “digital dividend” in Region 1 is used on a primary basis not only by the terrestrial mobile service but also by air-traffic control radars (ATCR) that can lead to the creation of harmful interferences at the receivers’ input of ATCR. Such scenarios of mutual interferences became possible after granting licenses for LTE-800 frequencies to operators in such countries as Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia and other CIS countries, so this problem should be solved by operators at the deployment of LTE-800 networks in airports and areas close to them. So far, for such scenarios the ITU and CEPT have not formulated criteria for interference protection. The proposed protection criteria for receivers of ATCR from user devices’ interferences of LTE-800 networks were tested by experimental studies and can provide a solution to the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) problem in a complex electromagnetic environment of modern airports and cross-order coordination of 800 MHz frequency bands in Region 1.
The New Metric and the New Software Tool for Determining QoS in the Short Messages Service in Mobile Networks
Authors: Rompf Marcus , Uhl Tadeus
Published: December 2017

With traveling professions and nomadic lifestyles on the increase there is a growing need for comprehensive mobile networking within the Next Generation Network, and the security, reliability and technical independency of the Short Message Service (SMS) is becoming more and more indispensable for business processes. Since competitiveness goes hand-in-hand with this business capability, and methods to determine the quality of this service are becoming equally indispensable. This paper presents possible methods to evaluate the “Completion Rate of SMS” and “End-to-End Delivery Time” and combinations of them (new metric in this paper). A software tool, QoSCalc(SMS), has been developed in collaboration with the authors in order to verify whether service providers are abiding by the Service Level Agreements. The tool has been tested in a real measurement environment and the results are presented graphically here and interpreted.
Neurocognitive recovery of patients with paranoid schizophrenia
Authors: Molchanova Olena
Published: December 2017

Background

At present neurocognitive impairment is considered a core feature of schizophrenia. This statement is grounded on cognitive impairment stability, the persistence of cognitive impairment independently of the disease stage and other symptoms of schizophrenia. The relevance of the search for cognitive remediation methods is determined by the influence of cognitive functioning on the functional outcome in patients with schizophrenia. In order to solve this problem, scientists are actively investigating such direction in the treatment of patients with this psychopathology as «neurocognitive therapy» or neurocognitive training.

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of neurocognitive training in patients with paranoid schizophrenia

Methods and materials

The patients who matched inclusion criteria were assessed on Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Personal and Social Performance scale (PSP), neuropsychological tests (Trail Making Test part A and B, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Luria test) at the baseline, 1st and 6th month. All patients who were included in the study were randomly assigned into two groups. The intervention group (n=40) underwent a standard supportive treatment and neurocognitive training. The control group (n=31) received supportive medication treatment alone.

Results

After 1st month, a statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups was found both for the overall PANSS score improvement and improvement in several items, which represented the cognitive decline. Total PSP score increased significantly in the intervention group from 41-50 to 51-60 (р=0.0001). In Wisconsin Card Sorting Test the proportion of incorrect answers decreased by 31.4% (р=0.0001), perseverative errors by 20.1% (р=0.042), the number of completed categories increased by 33.5% (р=0.002).

Conclusion

The proposed neurocognitive training program showed positive results, which was reflected in a statistically significant improvement in PANSS score and cognitive tests performance in the intervention group compared to control group after treatment course and additional 5 months of the observation.
LA ESTABILIDAD POLÍTICA EN BOLIVIA Y SU RELACIÓN CON LA DEMANDA MARÍTIMA
Authors: COLOMA ROJAS CLAUDIO
Published: December 2017

A través de este artículo se estudia la relación entre la crisis interna boliviana y las ofensivas del Presidente de Bolivia en contra de Chile por la demanda marítima, con el propósito de comprobar la existencia de una causalidad entre ambos. Por un lado, al analizar los sucesivos cambios institucionales a nivel político y económico, entendidos como factores que afectan la estabilidad interna boliviana, se vuelve imposible cualquier análisis que utilice un mismo criterio para justifi car los desencuentros que Bolivia y Chile han tenido en las últimas tres décadas por el tema marítimo.Por otro, la evidencia empírica que hay respecto a los índices de popularidad presidencial y de conflictividad social en Bolivia demuestra que ambos indicadores no se condicen siempre con las ofensivas bolivianas en contra de Chile por la cuestión marítima.
Annawadi on the South Bank: Global Neoliberalism and Spatial Contingency in Behind the Beautiful Forevers
Authors: Claycomb Ryan
Published: December 2017

Behind the Beautiful Forevers, Katherine Boo’s acclaimed 2012 work of narrative non-fiction, tells the story of the slum-dwellers of Annawadi, an “undercity” in the shadow of Mumbai’s glittering international airport. David Hare’s 2014 adaptation of Boo’s book, produced at London’s National Theatre under the direction of Rufus Norris, takes a quasi-Brechtian approach, focusing on the systemic corruption that undercuts the poor. Contingency and precarity are major themes of the narrative. The interwoven emplotting of many real lives represented on stage connects to the contingency of the acre of slumland known as Annawadi, which I contrast with the plot of land on the South Bank of the Thames that houses the National Theatre complex. In particular, three representational emplotments – Boo’s book, Hare’s script, and Norris’s production – connect those two places by highlighting their spatial contingency and entangle them in the global neoliberal practices (from waste to performance to mobility and tourism) that depend on these spatial arrangements.
Envisioning Queer Liberation: The Performance of Communal Visibility in Doric Wilson’s Street Theater
Authors: Schildcrout Jordan
Published: December 2017

Doric Wilson’s 1982 comedy Street Theater is one of the most enduring plays to emerge from the gay theatre movement, and this article argues for its significance as a pioneering work that represents the Stonewall Riots and the theatre itself as sites for the creation of queer community. Building on Jill Dolan’s theorization of the utopian performative and communitas, I examine how Wilson combined the ethos of off-off-Broadway and the activism of the gay liberation movement to create theatre by, for, about, and near LGBT people. With archival research supporting dramaturgical analysis of the play, the article demonstrates how Street Theater perpetuated the mission of Wilson’s ground-breaking theatre company, TOSOS (The Other Side of Silence), gained acclaim for a production staged in a gay leather bar, became a staple of the “purple circuit,” and continues to promote the re-enactment of queer communal visibility.
Branislav Jakovljević, Alienation Effects: Performance and Self-Management in Yugoslavia, 1945–91
Authors: Radosavljević Duška
Published: December 2017

Alienation Effects is a rich and versatile, compellingly written volume bringing together insights from history, politics, economics, performance, art, and philosophy. The book will be useful for both undergraduate and postgraduate students interested in the interplay between conceptual art and politics, and for scholars dealing with both performance and Balkan studies.
Where Do Bikeshare Bikes Actually Go?: Analysis of Capital Bikeshare Trips with GPS Data
Authors: Wergin Jon , Buehler Ralph
Published: December 2017

Bikeshare systems with docking stations have gained popularity in cities throughout the United States—and have increased from six programs with 2,300 bikes in 2010 to 74 systems with 32,200 bikes in 2016. Even though bikeshare systems generate a wealth of data about bicycle checkout and check-in locations and times at docking stations, virtually nothing is known about routes and activities undertaken between checkout and check-in. Such information could greatly enhance expansion of bikeshare systems, placement of new docking stations, and location of new bike lanes and paths. In pursuit of such information, the District Department of Transportation, Washington, D.C., placed GPS trackers on 94 Capital Bikeshare (CaBi) bikes in the spring of 2015. On the basis of these data, this geographic information system analysis distinguished riders by type of CaBi membership, identified popular routes, analyzed bicycle infrastructure use, and examined stops and dwelling times at places of interest. Results showed strong differences in trip attributes between types of membership. Trips taken by short-term users were longer in distance, slower than long-term users’ trips, and concentrated in and around the National Mall, whereas long-term users’ trips were concentrated in mixed-use neighborhoods. Short-term users rode 12% of their miles on dedicated bicycle infrastructure, 61% in parks, and 27% on roadways with motorized traffic, whereas for long-term members the percentages were 33%, 17%, and 50%, respectively. On the basis of the routes taken in this study, potential locations were recommended for bicycle infrastructure improvements and new bikeshare stations.
Impact of Bike Facilities on Residential Property Prices
Authors: Liu Jenny H. , Shi Wei
Published: December 2017

As many cities are investing in street improvements or transportation infrastructure upgrades to provide better bike access or more complete bike networks, many practitioners, planners, and policy makers are seeking more conclusive evidence about the economic value of bike infrastructure and bike facilities. With the use of residential property values as indicators of consumer preferences for bicycle infrastructure, many scholars have shown the importance of green space and off-street bike trails as amenities valuable to property owners. However, empirical evidence on the relationship of on-street bike facilities and property values remains relatively inconsistent. The unique focus of this study was advanced bike facilities that represented higher levels of bike priority or bike infrastructure investments shown to be more desirable to a larger portion of the population. Through the separate estimation of ordinary least squares hedonic pricing models and spatial autoregressive hedonic models of single and multifamily properties, it was found that proximity to advanced bike facilities (measured by distance) had significant and positive effects on all property values, which highlighted household preferences for high-quality bike infrastructure. Furthermore, the study showed that the extensiveness of the bike network (measured by density) was a positive and statistically significant contributor to the prices for all property types, even after proximity was controlled for with respect to bike facilities and other property, neighborhood, and transaction characteristics. Finally, estimated coefficients were applied to assess the property value impacts of the Green Loop (i.e., the proposed Portland, Oregon, signature bike infrastructure concept), which illustrated the importance of considering the accessibility and the extensiveness of bike facility networks.
A simulation model for non-signalized pedestrian crosswalks based on evidence from on field observation
Authors: Feliciani Claudio , Crociani Luca , Gorrini Andrea , Vizzari Giuseppe , Bandini Stefania , Nishinari Katsuhiro
Published: December 2017

This paper presents a model to simulate non-signalized pedestrian crosswalks. Principal scope is to develop a tool to be used by decision-makers to evaluate the necessity of introducing a new crosswalk and/or switching to a traffic light and estimate the potential benefits of such a measure in terms of Level of Service. The model is based on empirical evidence gained during an observation of a non-signalized crosswalk. Pedestrian motion is simulated using a Cellular Automata model which is capable to simulate pedestrian dynamics at low density conditions, as observed in the considered scenario. Vehicles use a continuous car following model inspired on Gipps equations in which driver’s reaction time is considered. Pedestrian’s decision-making process on crossing attempt and model parameters are directly obtained from the analysis of pedestrian-vehicle interactions observed in reality. The model developed employs small time steps, thus allowing the consideration of different pedestrian speeds (intrinsically considering pedestrians with reduced mobility, such as elderlies) and smoothly reproducing car-pedestrian interactions. This aspect required the definition of distinct behavioral rules for vehicles and pedestrians that, in their dynamic interaction, implement an ad-hoc coordination model. In order to validate the model, delays (or waiting times) measured for both pedestrians and drivers were compared with simulated values. Results show a good agreement between empirically obtained time delay and values computed in the simulation.
While I Still Remember: 30 Years of Alzheimer’s Disease Research
Authors: Shea Thomas B.
Published: December 2017

Turns out I have been a major contributor to the Journal of Alzheimer’ s Disease over its 20-year history. As such, I was invited to provide a review of my work over the years. What follows is a retrospective of how the Alzheimer-related research of a Ph.D. (i.e., not an M.D.) transitioned from basic to clinical, and moved from bench to bedside and back again.I have included some of the more humorous and poignant twists along the way that some older players may find familiar and I hope might inspire some younger players to hang in there.
Serum C-Peptide, Visfatin, Resistin, and Ghrelin are Altered in Sporadic and GRN-Associated Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration
Authors: Zanardini Roberta , Benussi Luisa , Fostinelli Silvia , Saraceno Claudia , Ciani Miriam , Borroni Barbara , Padovani Alessandro , Binetti Giuliano , Ghidoni Roberta
Published: December 2017

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a group of complex neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive deterioration of the frontal and anterior temporal lobes of the brain resulting in different heterogeneous conditions, mainly characterized by personality changes, behavioral disturbances, such as binge eating, and deficits in language and executive functions. Null mutations in progranulin gene (GRN) are one of the most frequent genetic determinants in familial frontotemporal dementia. Recently, progranulin was recognized as an adipokine involved in diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance revealing its metabolic function. Increasing evidence suggests that neurodegenerative dementias are associated with a higher prevalence of metabolic changes than in the general population. According to these findings, the aim of this study is to investigate putative alterations in markers linked to metabolic functions (i.e., C-peptide, ghrelin, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, glucagon-like peptide-1, glucagon, insulin, resistin, and three adipokines as visfatin, leptin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 total) in sporadic and GRN-related FTLD. We found that 1) C-peptide is increased in sporadic and GRN-mutated FTLD patients; in addition, we demonstrated an anticipation of the disease in patients with the highest C-peptide concentrations; 2) visfatin is slightly reduced in the whole FTLD group; 3) resistin, an adipokine involved in inflammatory-related diseases, is specifically increased in FTLD due to GRN null mutations; 4) ghrelin concentration is specifically increased in pre-symptomatic subjects and FTLD patients with GRN mutations. These findings support the hypothesis that alterations in metabolic pattern are involved in FTLD progression highlighting novel putative targets for the development of preventive and personalized therapies.
RETRACTED: Farmers’ Technical Knowledge about Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in Olive Production
Authors: Allahyari Mohammad , Damalas Christos , Ebadattalab Mehdi
Published: December 2017

While Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a sustainable approach of pest control, contributing to reduced use of pesticides and risks on human health and the environment, farmers have shown limited interest in practicing this method. The present study explored the levels of technical knowledge about integrated management of the olive fly (Bactrocera oleae) among olive growers in Roudbar County of Iran and factors underpinning olive farmers’ technical knowledge of integrated management. Data were collected in a survey of olive farmers, on the basis of a structured questionnaire. Almost half of the farmers (48.4%) had good to excellent levels of technical knowledge of integrated management, while almost a third of the farmers (35.4%) had a moderate knowledge level. However, a noticeable portion of the farmers (15.9%) had poor knowledge of integrated management. Moreover, most farmers showed average knowledge of the adverse effects of pesticides on human health. While most farmers showed good levels of social participation, cooperation with institutes, and participation in extension activities, they showed low levels of community involvement (involvement in a group of people that have and share common interests with each other). Olive imports and the lack of a common action for olive fly control were perceived as the main barriers of IPM adoption among most farmers. Regression analysis revealed that increased community involvement, large area under olive farming, participation in education activities, and high farming experience promoted farmers’ technical knowledge of integrated olive fly control. Strengthening growers’ technical knowledge of IPM through community involvement and extension services among inexperienced small-scale olive farmers is recommended for reducing possible unnecessary insecticide sprays in olive production.
Validity of the Mechanical Threshing of Onion Seeds from the Point of View of Seed Quality
Authors: Foppa Pedretti Ester , Duca Daniele , Toscano Giuseppe , Mengarelli Chiara , Rossini Giorgio , Pizzi Andrea , Mancini Manuela , Tesei Debora , Ilari Alessio
Published: December 2017

Background: The production of seeds for horticultural crops has seen a steady growth since 2006. Onion is one of the most widespread crops that followed this trend until 2013, undergoing a slight decline in 2016. Even though these crops are characterized by high economic value, they present some important issues such as high costs and labor required by some operations such as threshing. The purpose of this study is the evaluation of a patented and dedicated system for mechanical threshing throughout the evaluation of seed quality parameters. Methods: The study was conducted comparing seed samples mechanically threshed obtained from 12 companies and samples of the same batches manually threshed to determine the maximum qualitative potential. The chosen terms for comparison are the most important qualitative parameters included within ISTA standards for seed evaluation. Results: The mechanically threshed seeds show lower values for all the considered quality parameters compared to those found in the control samples. In the same way, there is also greater variability. Conclusions: The introduction of the dedicated mechanical systems allows the reduction of seed processing time while maintaining the quality standards within the limits of merchantability, but for obtaining higher standards, further analysis is necessary.
Influence of Maternal Care on Behavioural Development of Domestic Dogs (Canis Familiaris) Living in a Home Environment
Authors: Guardini Giovanna , Bowen Jon , Mariti Chiara , Fatjó Jaume , Sighieri Claudio , Gazzano Angelo
Published: December 2017

Maternal care has been shown to affect the development of the brain, behaviour, social skills and emotional systems of the young of many mammalian species including dogs. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of maternal care on the behavioural responses of family dog puppies towards environmental and social stimuli. In order to do this, maternal care (licking puppy’s ano-genital area, licking the puppy, nursing and mother-puppy contact) during the first three weeks after birth was assessed in 12 litters of domestic dog puppies reared in home environments (total = 72 puppies). The behavioural responses of puppies were assessed in an arena and an isolation test, which were performed when the puppies were two-month old. Data were analysed using principal components analysis and projection to latent structures regression. A systematic relationship was found between maternal care and behaviour in both tests. In the arena test, maternal care was found to be positively associated with approach to the stranger, attention oriented to the stranger, time spent near the enclosure, yawning, whining and yelping (R2Y = 0.613, p = 8.2 × 10−9). Amount of maternal care was negatively associated with the number of squares crossed and the time spent individually playing with the rope. In the isolation test, the amount of maternal care was positively associated with standing posture, paw lifting, and howling, and it was negatively associated with yawning, lying down and nose licking (R2Y = 0.507, p = 0.000626). These results suggest that the amount of maternal care received during early life influences the pattern of behavioural responses and coping strategies of puppies at two-months of age. On the basis of these findings it could be speculated that early maternal care contributes to adaption to the environment in which family puppies are developing, with particular regard to social relationships with people.
A Systematic Method to Analyze Force Majeure in Construction Claims
Authors: Alshammari Saud , Al-Gahtani Khalid , Alhammad Ibrahim , Braimah Nuhu
Published: December 2017

In construction delay claims, force majeure is normally recognized as an excusable risk that entitles contractors only to time extensions, but neither of the contracting parties is entitled to monetary compensation to recover delay damages. However, there are instances where contractors are entitled to both time and cost compensations, as evidenced by some court cases relating to force majeure claims. Such instances involve attributing the occurrence of the force majeure to the effect of other prior delay events that pushed project performance into the period of the force majeure. Existing delay analysis methods are not capable of addressing this issue, as none take the impact of other delays into consideration when analyzing force majeure claims. Stimulated by this gap, this study proposes an improved and sound method for fairly analyzing the responsibility of force majeure delay claims amongst contracting parties. This method was implemented on a case project to help demonstrate its application and also ascertain its practicability. The contribution of this paper is twofold. First, it has highlighted the situation of force majeure delay that can be compensable, creating more awareness among researchers and industry practitioners. The second is a proposed systematic process to appropriately analyze its responsibility, which equitably addresses claims from such delays with little or no chance of dispute ensuing.
Recent Advances in Rare Earth Complexes Bearing Allyl Ligands and Their Reactivity towards Conjugated Dienes and Styrene Polymerization
Authors: Jothieswaran Jashvini , Fadlallah Sami , Bonnet Fanny , Visseaux Marc
Published: December 2017

This mini-review focuses on recent advances on the synthesis, structure, and characterization of allyl-based rare earth organometallic complexes, with emphasis on their ability to catalyze the polymerization of non-polar monomers such as conjugated dienes, styrene, and their related copolymerization.
Impact of Efficient Driving in Professional Bus Fleets
Authors: Garcia Roberto , Diaz Gabriel , Pañeda Xabiel , Tuero Alejandro , Pozueco Laura , Melendi David , Sanchez Jose , Corcoba Victor , Pañeda Alejandro
Published: December 2017

Diesel engines of the vehicles in the transport sector are responsible for most of the CO2 emissions into the environment. An alternative to reduce fuel consumption is to promote efficient driving techniques. The aim of this paper is to assess the impact of efficient driving on fuel consumption in professional fleets. Data captured from the engine control unit (ECU) of the vehicles are complemented with external information from weather stations and context data from the transport companies. The paper proposes linear and quadratic models in order to quantify the impact of all the terms influencing energy consumption. The analysis was made from the traces captured from a passenger transport company in Spain with more than 50 bus routes. 20 vehicles of five different models were monitored and 58 drivers participated in the study. The results indicate that efficient driving has significant influence on fuel consumption, which confirms efficient driving as a valid and economical option for reducing consumption and therefore emissions of harmful particles into the atmosphere. According to the proposed model, in average external conditions, a driver that increases efficiency from 25% to 75% can reach savings in fuel consumption of up to 16 L/100 km in the analysed bus fleet, which is a significant improvement considering the long distances covered by professionals of the transport sector.