bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Sentimental Virtuoso: Collecting Feeling in Henry Mackenzie’s The Man of Feeling
Authors: Benedict Barbara M.
Published: April 2016

This article explains the ambiguities in Henry Mackenzie’s quasi-ironic sentimental novel, The Man of Feeling, by examining its debt to an earlier, formative literary tradition: the seventeenth-century character collection that features the caricatured antiquarian virtuoso. Character collections, exemplified by Samuel Butler’s Characters (mainly written between 1667 and 1669), constitute catalogues of ridiculed social and psychological types, prominent among whom are collector-characters derogated for antisocial self-absorption, arrogance, scopophilia, impotence, and credulity. As a sentimental novel, written in an era that highly valued sociability, The Man of Feeling reveals how this satiric inheritance com plicates the praise of feeling. It reworks the structure and types of the character tradition and the figure of the antiquarian virtuoso by means of narrative frames that distance readers from the sen ti mental incidents; an episodic form that fractures sequential narrative; and rhetoric, themes, and characters that play on the opposition between materiality, idea, and feeling that informs the caricature of the antiquarian virtuoso. These features help to explain the ambiguity of the “man of feeling”: the sentimental virtuoso who both objectifies and personalizes a world of collectible experiences.
Ann Radcliffe’s Scientific Romance
Authors: Miller Adam
Published: April 2016

The trope of the explained supernatural has vexed scholarly efforts to place Ann Radcliffe’s works squarely within an Enlightenment or Romantic regime. The trope’s appeal to naturalism in The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794) invites comparisons between Radcliffe and contemporaries like Erasmus Darwin, Charlotte Smith, and other early practitioners of Romantic science. I argue that Radcliffe achieves a more radical vision of science than her con temporaries by rejecting utilitarian appropriations of natural phenomena. She instead presents science as a romantic pursuit of knowledge that rejects technical mastery and ends in aestheticized scenes of pastoral and domestic harmony. Finally, by interrupting the progress of Udolpho’s narrative, the explained super natural creates textual clearings for Radcliffe’s readers to reproduce the scientific romances of her characters.
The role of alternative anastomosis sites in occipital artery–posterior inferior cerebellar artery bypass in the absence of the caudal loop using the far-lateral approach
Authors: Fukuda Hitoshi , Evins Alexander I. , Iwasaki Koichi , Hattori Itaro , Murao Kenichi , Kurosaki Yoshitaka , Chin Masaki , Stieg Philip E. , Yamagata Sen , Bernardo Antonio
Published: April 2016

OBJECTIVE

Occipital artery–posterior inferior cerebellar artery (OA-PICA) bypass is a technically challenging procedure for posterior fossa revascularization. The caudal loop of the PICA is considered the optimal site for OA-PICA anastomosis, however its absence can increase the technical difficulty associated with this procedure. The use of the far-lateral approach for accessing alternative anastomosis sites in OA-PICA bypass in patients with absent or unavailable caudal loops of PICA is evaluated.

METHODS

A morphometric analysis of OA-PICA bypass with anastomosis on each segment of the PICA was performed on 5 cadaveric specimens through the conventional midline foramen magnum and far-lateral approaches. The difficulty level associated with anastomoses at each segment was qualitatively assessed in each approach for exposure and maneuverability by multiple surgeons. A series of 8 patients who underwent OA-PICA bypass for hemodynamic ischemia or ruptured dissecting posterior fossa aneurysms are additionally reviewed and described, and the clinical significance of the caudal loop of PICA is discussed.

RESULTS

Anastomosis on the caudal loop could be performed more superficially than on any other segment (p < 0.001). A far-lateral approach up to the medial border of the posterior condylar canal provided a 13.5 ± 2.2–mm wider corridor than the conventional midline foramen magnum approach, facilitating access to alternative anastomosis sites. The far-lateral approach was successfully used for OA-PICA bypass in 3 clinical cases whose caudal loops were absent, whereas the midline foramen magnum approach provided sufficient exposure for caudal loop bypass in the remaining 5 cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The absence of the caudal loop of the PICA is a major contributing factor to the technical difficulty of OA-PICA bypass. The far-lateral approach is a useful surgical option for OA-PICA bypass when the caudal loop of the PICA is unavailable.
Biomechanics of transvertebral screw fixation in the thoracic spine: an in vitro study
Authors: Rodriguez-Martinez Nestor G. , Savardekar Amey , Nottmeier Eric W. , Pirris Stephen , Reyes Phillip M. , Newcomb Anna G. U. S. , Mendes George A. C. , Kalb Samuel , Theodore Nicholas , Crawford Neil R.
Published: April 2016

OBJECTIVE

Transvertebral screws provide stability in thoracic spinal fixation surgeries, with their use mainly limited to patients who require a pedicle screw salvage technique. However, the biomechanical impact of transvertebral screws alone, when they are inserted across 2 vertebral bodies, has not been studied. In this study, the authors assessed the stability offered by a transvertebral screw construct for posterior instrumentation and compared its biomechanical performance to that of standard bilateral pedicle screw and rod (PSR) fixation.

METHODS

Fourteen fresh human cadaveric thoracic spine segments from T-6 to T-11 were divided into 2 groups with similar ages and bone quality. Group 1 received transvertebral screws across 2 levels without rods and subsequently with interconnecting bilateral rods at 3 levels (T8–10). Group 2 received bilateral PSR fixation and were sequentially tested with interconnecting rods at T7–8 and T9–10, at T8–9, and at T8–10. Flexibility tests were performed on intact and instrumented specimens in both groups. Presurgical and postsurgical O-arm 3D images were obtained to verify screw placement.

RESULTS

The mean range of motion (ROM) per motion segment with transvertebral screws spanning 2 levels compared with the intact condition was 66% of the mean intact ROM during flexion-extension (p = 0.013), 69% during lateral bending (p = 0.015), and 47% during axial rotation (p < 0.001). The mean ROM per motion segment with PSR spanning 2 levels compared with the intact condition was 38% of the mean intact ROM during flexion-extension (p < 0.001), 57% during lateral bending (p = 0.007), and 27% during axial rotation (p < 0.001). Adding bilateral rods to the 3 levels with transvertebral screws decreased the mean ROM per motion segment to 28% of intact ROM during flexion-extension (p < 0.001), 37% during lateral bending (p < 0.001), and 30% during axial rotation (p < 0.001). The mean ROM per motion segment for PSR spanning 3 levels was 21% of intact ROM during flexion-extension (p < 0.001), 33% during lateral bending (p < 0.001), and 22% during axial rotation (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Biomechanically, fixation with a novel technique in the thoracic spine involving transvertebral screws showed restoration of stability to well within the stability provided by PSR fixation.
Clinical characteristics of arteriovenous malformations in the cerebellopontine angle cistern
Authors: Nishino Kazuhiko , Hasegawa Hitoshi , Morita Kenichi , Fukuda Masafumi , Ito Yasushi , Fujii Yukihiko , Sato Mitsuya
Published: April 2016

OBJECTIVE

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) in the cerebellopontine angle cistern (CPAC) are specific lesions that can cause neurovascular compression syndromes as well as intracranial hemorrhage. Although case reports describing the CPAC AVMs, especially those presenting with trigeminal neuralgia (TN), have been accumulating by degrees, the pathophysiology of CPAC AVMs remains obscure. The authors' purpose in the present study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic features of CPAC AVMs as well as the treatment options.

METHODS

This study defined a CPAC AVM as a small AVM predominantly located in the CPAC with minimal extension into the pial surface of the brainstem and closely associated with cranial nerves. All patients with CPAC AVMs treated in the authors' affiliated hospitals over a 16-year period were retrospectively identified. Clinical charts, imaging studies, and treatment options were evaluated.

RESULTS

Ten patients (6 men and 4 women), ranging in age from 56 to 77 years (mean 65.6 years), were diagnosed with CPAC AVMs according to the authors' definition. Six patients presented with hemorrhage, 3 with TN, and the remaining patient developed a hemorrhage subsequent to TN. Seven AVMs were associated with the trigeminal nerve (Group V), and 3 with the facial-vestibulocochlear nerve complex (Group VII–VIII). All patients in Group VII–VIII presented with the hemorrhage instead of hemifacial spasm. Regarding angioarchitecture, the intrinsic pontine arteries provided the blood supply for all CPAC AVMs in Group V. In addition, 5 of 7 AVMs with hemorrhagic episodes accompanied flow-related aneurysms, although no aneurysm was detected in patients with TN alone. With respect to treatment, all patients with hemorrhagic presentation underwent Gamma Knife surgery (GKS), resulting in favorable outcomes except for 1 patient who experienced rebleeding after GKS, which was caused by the repeated rupture of a feeder aneurysm. The AVMs causing TN were managed with surgery, GKS, or a combination, according to the nidus-nerve relationship. All patients eventually obtained pain relief.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical symptoms caused by CPAC AVMs occur at an older age compared with AVMs in other locations; CPAC AVMs also have distinctive angioarchitectures according to their location in the CPAC. Although GKS is likely to be an effective treatment option for the CPAC AVMs with hemorrhagic presentations, it seems ideal to obliterate the flow-related aneurysms before performing GKS, although this is frequently challenging. For CPAC AVMs with TN, it is important to evaluate the nidus-nerve relationship before treatment, and GKS is especially useful for patients who do not require urgent pain relief.
Risk factors for hemorrhage associated with external ventricular drain placement and removal
Authors: Miller Catherine , Tummala Ramachandra P.
Published: April 2016

OBJECTIVE

External ventricular drains (EVDs) have an important role in the management of neurological disease, and their placement is a frequently performed neurosurgical procedure. Hemorrhage is a common complication of EVD placement and occurs more frequently than originally believed. There is also risk of hemorrhage with removal of an EVD, which has not been well described. The authors investigated the risk factors associated with placement and removal of EVDs at their institution.

METHODS

A database was created including patients who required EVD placement from March 2008 to June 2014 at the University of Minnesota. A retrospective chart review was completed, and data were collected for each patient. All cranial imaging studies during the index hospitalization were reviewed to identify hemorrhages associated with either EVD placement or removal. The study was performed using a research protocol approved by the University of Minnesota's institutional review board.

RESULTS

Four hundred eighty-two EVDs were placed during the designated time period. Among the cases in which patients underwent imaging after the placement procedure, hemorrhage was found in 94 (21.6%). The hemorrhage volume ranged from 0.003 cm3 to 45.9 cm3 (mean [± SD] 1.96 ± 6.48 cm3). Two of these hemorrhages resulted in additional interventions: 1 surgical evacuation and 1 contralateral EVD. In 55 (22.5%) of the 244 cases in which imaging was performed after EVD removal, hemorrhage associated with removal was identified. The mean volume of these hemorrhages was 8.25 ± 20.34 cm3 (range 0.012–82.08 cm3). Two EVDs were replaced, and 1 patient died as a result of a large hemorrhage. Large hemorrhages (> 30 cm3) occurred in 2 patients on placement (0.46%) and in 5 patients on removal (2.0%). In this series, decreased platelet levels on admission and an increasing number of EVD placement attempts correlated with an increased risk of hemorrhage on placement. Only those with an EVD placed at bedside were more likely to have hemorrhage on EVD removal.

CONCLUSIONS

Multiple studies have reported varying EVD hemorrhage rates while very few studies have described hemorrhage secondary to EVD removal. This is the first reported analysis of risk factors associated with hemorrhage on EVD removal. Hemorrhages occur relatively frequently following EVD placement and removal, though clinical significance of these events seems to be low.
Sports-related concussions: diagnosis, complications, and current management strategies
Authors: Hobbs Jonathan G. , Young Jacob S. , Bailes Julian E.
Published: April 2016

Sports-related concussions (SRCs) are traumatic events that affect up to 3.8 million athletes per year. The initial diagnosis and management is often instituted on the field of play by coaches, athletic trainers, and team physicians. SRCs are usually transient episodes of neurological dysfunction following a traumatic impact, with most symptoms resolving in 7–10 days; however, a small percentage of patients will suffer protracted symptoms for years after the event and may develop chronic neurodegenerative disease. Rarely, SRCs are associated with complications, such as skull fractures, epidural or subdural hematomas, and edema requiring neurosurgical evaluation. Current standards of care are based on a paradigm of rest and gradual return to play, with decisions driven by subjective and objective information gleaned from a detailed history and physical examination. Advanced imaging techniques such as functional MRI, and detailed understanding of the complex pathophysiological process underlying SRCs and how they affect the athletes acutely and long-term, may change the way physicians treat athletes who suffer a concussion. It is hoped that these advances will allow a more accurate assessment of when an athlete is truly safe to return to play, decreasing the risk of secondary impact injuries, and provide avenues for therapeutic strategies targeting the complex biochemical cascade that results from a traumatic injury to the brain.
Avoidance of ischemic complications after resection of a brain lesion based on intraoperative real-time recognition of the vasculature using laser speckle flow imaging
Authors: Ideguchi Makoto , Kajiwara Koji , Yoshikawa Koichi , Goto Hisaharu , Sugimoto Kazutaka , Inoue Takao , Nomura Sadahiro , Suzuki Michiyasu
Published: April 2016

OBJECTIVE

To avoid ischemic complications, it is important to consider the arteries in resection planning for lesions such as a vascular intraparenchymal tumor and arteriovenous malformation. Here, the clinical application of laser speckle flow imaging (LSFI) as a complementary method for the management of mass lesion–related arteries during surgery was evaluated.

METHODS

LSFI was performed in 12 patients with mass lesion–related arteries and brain tumor or arteriovenous malformation. The portable LSFI device was centered over the surgical field, and the relative cerebral blood flow (CBF) before and after the temporary interruption of the arteries was measured through continuous recording. CBF fluctuations permitted the classification of 3 kinds of artery—a feeding artery (FA), a “passing through” artery (PA), and a combined FA and PA (FA+PA)—based on decreased relative CBF in the inner resection area and unchanged CBF in the surrounding area (FA), unchanged CBF in the inner area and decreased CBF in the surrounding area (PA), or decreased CBF in both areas (FA+PA). This information allowed the appropriate management of these arteries and avoidance of postoperative ischemic complications.

RESULTS

Good visualization of CBF in the surgical field and relative CBF measurements in the regions of interest were achieved in real time with excellent spatiotemporal resolution. In 11 patients (92%) and 20 regions of interest, a decline in CBF was observed after temporary interruption of the FA (n = 8), PA (n = 2), and FA+PA (n = 2) types. There was a significant average reduction in CBF of 15.3% ± 29.0%. There were no ischemic complications, and only 1 patient had a postoperative ischemic lesion caused by resection through an artery that could not be viewed by LSFI due to a positional problem.

CONCLUSIONS

LSFI permits noninvasive and rapid intraoperative real-time recognition of mass lesion–related vasculature. This information can be used to avoid ischemic complications as a procedure complementary to neurophysiological monitoring.
Preliminary analysis of the Hodgson Collection at the Zoological Society of London
Authors: Lowther David
Published: April 2016

While serving as Britain's diplomatic representative in Nepal between 1820 and 1843, Brian Houghton Hodgson (1801–1894) amassed a unique collection of paintings of Nepalese birds and mammals. A pioneer of nineteenth-century zoology, Hodgson's collection of images is one of the most important of its kind, providing crucial information for modern taxonomists and conservationists working in the Himalayan region. It is also an important and hitherto largely untapped source for the historian of science, indicating that Hodgson and other colonial naturalists, while geographically remote from London's scientific institutions, were fully engaged with London's scientific culture in the 1820s and 1830s. This paper outlines the extent of the Zoological Society of London's Hodgson holdings and the context of their creation. It draws parallels between the scientific content of Hodgson's images and the Quinarian system of natural classification, revising the established view of Hodgson as a wholly descriptive naturalist and opening the collection to new interpretations.
Pranked by Audubon: Constantine S. Rafinesque's description of John James Audubon's imaginary Kentucky mammals
Authors: Woodman Neal
Published: April 2016

The North American naturalist Constantine S. Rafinesque spent much of the year 1818 engaged in a solo journey down the Ohio River Valley to explore parts of what was then the western United States. Along the way, he visited a number of fellow naturalists, and he spent more than a week at the Henderson, Kentucky, home of artist and ornithologist John James Audubon. During the succeeding two years, Rafinesque published descriptions of new species that resulted from his expedition, including eleven species of fishes that eventually proved to have been invented by Audubon as a prank on the credulous naturalist. Less well known are a number of “wild rats” described by Rafinesque that include one recognized species (Musculus leucopus) and ten other, imaginary “species” fabricated by Audubon (Gerbillus leonurus, G. megalops, Spalax trivittata, Cricetus fasciatus, Sorex cerulescens, S. melanotis, Musculus nigricans, Lemmus albovittatus, L. talpoides, Sciurus ruber). Rafinesque's unpublished sketches of these animals provide important insight regarding the supposed nature of the animals invented by Audubon and ultimately published by Rafinesque.
Emily Lawless and Charles Darwin: an Irish mystery
Authors: Nelson E. Charles
Published: April 2016

While no original autograph letters between the Hon. Miss Emily Lawless and Charles Darwin are known, Darwin was impressed by her observations and encouraged her to submit to Nature a manuscript account of fertilization of plants. This manuscript cannot be traced, nor can her note hypothesizing about the role of the transparent burnet moth in pollination in The Burren, County Clare, which apparently prompted Darwin to make contact with her.
Reclaiming the emancipatory potential of adult education: Honneth’s critical theory and the struggle for recognition
Authors: Fleming Ted
Published: April 2016

Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning built on the learning experiences of nontraditional adult students returning to education and on the critical theory of Habermas, more recently progressed by Honneth. This paper links transformation theory with the work of Honneth who in recent works advances ideas about identity development and freedom that allow us update gaps in transformation theory – that it has an inadequate understanding of the social dimension of learning. A new understanding of ‘disorienting dilemma’ as a struggle for recognition is suggested. This paper expands our understanding of the emancipatory intent of transformative learning. EU funded empirical research supports this new iteration of the adult learning theory. Implications are drawn for teaching non-traditional students in adult and higher education.
Like a rolling stone: non-traditional spaces of adult education
Authors: Lucio-Villegas Emilio
Published: April 2016

In this article, I try to explore the squeezing concept of adult education that provides a kind of identity to the field characterised by vagueness, diversity and the links to social justice. This diversity is also present when talking about the participants in the process. After presenting the concept of adult education, I explore three different experiences that I have referred to as non-traditional spaces of adult education. In the conclusion, I consider that the diversity, the production of knowledge, and the role of both teacher and learners are essential to define non-traditional spaces and non-traditional participants in adult education.
Book review: Private world(s)-gender and informal learning of adults
Authors: Bilon Anna
Published: April 2016

By Joanna Ostrouch-Kaminsk and Christina, C. Vieira (Eds.) (Rotterdam: Sense Publishers, 2015). 194 pp., ISBN 978-94-6209-969-2
Determinants of Food Crop Diversity and Profitability in Southeastern Nigeria: A Multivariate Tobit Approach
Authors: Rahman Sanzidur , Chima Chidiebere
Published: April 2016

The present study jointly determines the factors influencing decisions to diversify into multiple food crops (i.e., rice, yam and cassava) vis-à-vis profitability of 400 farmers from Ebonyi and Anambra states of Southeastern Nigeria using a multivariate Tobit model. Model diagnostic reveals that the decisions to diversify into multiple crops and profits generated therefrom are significantly correlated, thereby justifying use of a multivariate approach. Results reveal that 68% of the farmers grew at least two food crops and profitability is highest for only rice producers followed by joint rice and yam producers, which are mainly for sale. Farm size is the most dominant determinant of crop diversity vis-à-vis profitability. A rise in the relative price of plowing significantly reduces profitability of yam and rice. High yield is the main motive for growing yam and cassava whereas ready market is for rice. Other determinants with varying level of influences are proximity to market and/or extension office, extension contact, training, agricultural credit, subsistence pressure and location. Policy recommendations include investments in market infrastructure and credit services, land and/or tenurial reform and input price stabilization to promote food crop diversity vis-à-vis profitability in Southeastern Nigeria.
The Emergence of Physiology and Form: Natural Selection Revisited
Authors: Torday John
Published: April 2016

Natural Selection describes how species have evolved differentially, but it is descriptive, non-mechanistic. What mechanisms does Nature use to accomplish this feat? One known way in which ancient natural forces affect development, phylogeny and physiology is through gravitational effects that have evolved as mechanotransduction, seen in the lung, kidney and bone, linking as molecular homologies to skin and brain. Tracing the ontogenetic and phylogenetic changes that have facilitated mechanotransduction identifies specific homologous cell-types and functional molecular markers for lung homeostasis that reveal how and why complex physiologic traits have evolved from the unicellular to the multicellular state. Such data are reinforced by their reverse-evolutionary patterns in chronic degenerative diseases. The physiologic responses of model organisms like Dictyostelium and yeast to gravity provide deep comparative molecular phenotypic homologies, revealing mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) as the final common pathway for vertical integration of vertebrate physiologic evolution; mTOR integrates calcium/lipid epistatic balance as both the proximate and ultimate positive selection pressure for vertebrate physiologic evolution. The commonality of all vertebrate structure-function relationships can be reduced to calcium/lipid homeostatic regulation as the fractal unit of vertebrate physiology, demonstrating the primacy of the unicellular state as the fundament of physiologic evolution.
Epigenome: A Biomarker or Screening Tool to Evaluate Health Impact of Cumulative Exposure to Chemical and Non-Chemical Stressors
Authors: Olden Kenneth , Lin Yu-Sheng , Bussard David
Published: April 2016

Current risk assessment practices and toxicity information are hard to utilize for assessing the health impact of combined or cumulative exposure to multiple chemical and non-chemical stressors encountered in the “real world” environment. Non-chemical stressors such as heat, radiation, noise, humidity, bacterial and viral agents, and social factors, like stress related to violence and socioeconomic position generally cannot be currently incorporated into the risk assessment paradigm. The Science and Decisions report released by the National Research Council (NRC) in 2009 emphasized the need to characterize the effects of multiple stressors, both chemical and non-chemical exposures. One impediment to developing information relating such non-chemical stressors to health effects and incorporating them into cumulative assessment has been the lack of analytical tools to easily and quantitatively monitor the cumulative exposure to combined effects of stressors over the life course.
On Energy Resources, Climate Change, Fossil Fuels, and Drilling. Challenges in Tackling Problems by Governments in Europe and USA
Authors: Poltronieri Palmiro
Published: April 2016

This month in Italy a public consultation will decide (by majority, in case 50% of voters will participate) whether to renew the ongoing concessions between Italian government and drilling companies at the end of their contracts, even if the fossil fuels have not been extracted completely.[...]
Analysis of a Battery Management System (BMS) Control Strategy for Vibration Aged Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) Lithium-Ion 18650 Battery Cells
Authors: Bruen Thomas , Hooper James , Marco James , Gama Miguel , Chouchelamane Gael
Published: April 2016

Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers are using cylindrical format cells as part of the vehicle’s rechargeable energy storage system (RESS). In a recent study focused at determining the ageing behavior of 2.2 Ah Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) Lithium-Ion 18650 battery cells, significant increases in the ohmic resistance (RO) were observed post vibration testing. Typically a reduction in capacity was also noted. The vibration was representative of an automotive service life of 100,000 miles of European and North American customer operation. This paper presents a study which defines the effect that the change in electrical properties of vibration aged 18650 NMC cells can have on the control strategy employed by the battery management system (BMS) of a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). It also proposes various cell balancing strategies to manage these changes in electrical properties. Subsequently this study recommends that EV manufacturers conduct vibration testing as part of their cell selection and development activities so that electrical ageing characteristics associated with road induced vibration phenomena are incorporated to ensure effective BMS and RESS performance throughout the life of the vehicle.
Effects of Climate Change and LUCC on Terrestrial Biomass in the Lower Heihe River Basin during 2001–2010
Authors: Yan Haiming , Zhan Jinyan , Wu Feng , Yang Huicai
Published: April 2016

Ecosystem services are tightly coupled with availability of solar energy and its partition into energy fluxes, and biomass accumulation, which represents the energy flux in ecosystems, is a key aspect of ecosystem services. This study analyzed the effects of climate change and land use and land cover change (LUCC) on the biomass accumulation change in the Lower Heihe River Basin during 2001–2010. Biomass accumulation was represented with net primary productivity (NPP), which was estimated with the C-Fix model, and scenario analysis was carried out to investigate effects of climate change and LUCC on biomass accumulation change in a spatially explicit way. Results suggested climate change had an overall positive effect on biomass accumulation, mainly owning to changes in CO2 concentration and temperature. LUCC accounted for 70.61% of biomass accumulation change, but primarily owning to fractional vegetation change (FVCC) rather than land conversion, and there is a negative interactive effect of FVCC and climate change on biomass accumulation, indicating FVCC resulting from water diversion played a dominant in influencing biomass accumulation. These results can provide valuable decision support information for the local ecosystem managers and decision makers to guarantee sustainable provision of essential ecosystem services.
Wind Power Generation Forecasting Using Least Squares Support Vector Machine Combined with Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition, Principal Component Analysis and a Bat Algorithm
Authors: Wu Qunli , Peng Chenyang
Published: April 2016

Regarding the non-stationary and stochastic nature of wind power, wind power generation forecasting plays an essential role in improving the stability and security of the power system when large-scale wind farms are integrated into the whole power grid. Accurate wind power forecasting can make an enormous contribution to the alleviation of the negative impacts on the power system. This study proposes a hybrid wind power generation forecasting model to enhance prediction performance. Ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) was applied to decompose the original wind power generation series into different sub-series with various frequencies. Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed to reduce the number of inputs without lowering the forecasting accuracy through identifying the variables deemed as significant that maintain most of the comprehensive variability present in the data set. A least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) model with the pertinent parameters being optimized by bat algorithm (BA) was established to forecast those sub-series extracted from EEMD. The forecasting performances of diverse models were compared, and the findings indicated that there was no accuracy loss when only PCA-selected inputs were utilized. Moreover, the simulation results and grey relational analysis reveal, overall, that the proposed model outperforms the other single or hybrid models.
Towards Highly Energy-Efficient Roadway Lighting
Authors: Sȩdziwy Adam , Kotulski Leszek
Published: April 2016

The reports presented by consulting firms show that annual energy costs generated by 340 million streetlights are expected to reach $23.9 to $42.5 billion by 2025. Those numbers reveal a motivation behind the research aiming at optimizing outdoor lighting energy efficiency. They show that even a small unit improvement can yield large benefits due to the effect of scale. The development of solid state lighting solutions enables highly effective modernization of street lighting installations. It allows obtaining power saving not only by replacing high pressure lamps with LEDs but also by improving a design quality and by introducing a dynamic street lighting control. Both methods, however, are not feasible for industry-standard software tools due to the significant complexity related to a configuration optimization, especially for large-scale projects. The goal of this article is presenting the workaround to the complexity issue, which is based on application of graph methods. They enable optimizing lighting installations in the scale of a city by providing a scalable computational environment. The presented case study shows that, thanks to applying the proposed method, one can design a lighting system which has the energy consumption reduced by up to 70%.
Prevalence and Associated Factors of Secondhand Smoke Exposure among Internal Chinese Migrant Women of Reproductive Age: Evidence from China’s Labor-Force Dynamic Survey
Authors: Gong Xiao , Luo Xiaofeng , Ling Li
Published: April 2016

Secondhand smoke (SHS) is a major risk factor for poor health outcomes among women in China, where proportionately few women smoke. This is especially the case as it pertains to women’s reproductive health, specifically migrant women who are exposed to SHS more than the population at large. There are several factors which may increase migrant women’s risk of SHS exposure. This paper aims to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of SHS exposure among internal Chinese migrant women of reproductive age. The data used were derived from the 2014 Chinese Labor Dynamic Survey, a national representative panel survey. The age-adjusted rate of SHS exposure of women of reproductive age with migration experience was of 43.46% (95% CI: 40.73%–46.40%), higher than those without migration experience (35.28% (95% CI: 33.66%–36.97%)). Multivariate analysis showed that participants with a marital status of “Widowed” had statistically lower exposure rates, while those with a status of “Cohabitation” had statistically higher exposure. Those with an undergraduate degree or above had statistically lower SHS exposure. Those with increasing levels of social support, and those who currently smoke or drink alcohol, had statistically higher SHS exposure. Participants’ different work-places had an effect on their SHS exposure, with outdoor workers statistically more exposed. Our findings suggest that urgent tobacco control measures should be taken to reduce smoking prevalence and SHS exposure. Specific attention should be paid to protecting migrant women of reproductive age from SHS.
Gastrointestinal Endogenous Protein-Derived Bioactive Peptides: An in Vitro Study of Their Gut Modulatory Potential
Authors: Dave Lakshmi , Hayes Maria , Mora Leticia , Montoya Carlos , Moughan Paul , Rutherfurd Shane
Published: April 2016

A recently proposed paradigm suggests that, like their dietary counterparts, digestion of gastrointestinal endogenous proteins (GEP) may also produce bioactive peptides. With an aim to test this hypothesis, in vitro digests of four GEP namely; trypsin (TRYP), lysozyme (LYS), mucin (MUC), serum albumin (SA) and a dietary protein chicken albumin (CA) were screened for their angiotensin-I converting (ACE-I), renin, platelet-activating factor-acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH) and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV inhibitory (DPP-IV) and antioxidant potential following simulated in vitro gastrointestinal digestion. Further, the resultant small intestinal digests were enriched to obtain peptides between 3–10 kDa in size. All in vitro digests of the four GEP were found to inhibit ACE-I compared to the positive control captopril when assayed at a concentration of 1 mg/mL, while the LYS < 3-kDa permeate fraction inhibited renin by 40% (±1.79%). The LYS < 10-kDa fraction inhibited PAF-AH by 39% (±4.34%), and the SA < 3-kDa fraction inhibited DPP-IV by 45% (±1.24%). The MUC < 3-kDa fraction had an ABTS-inhibition antioxidant activity of 150 (±24.79) µM trolox equivalent and the LYS < 10-kDa fraction inhibited 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) by 54% (±1.62%). Moreover, over 190 peptide-sequences were identified from the bioactive GEP fractions. The findings of the present study indicate that GEP are a significant source of bioactive peptides which may influence gut function.
Optical Absorption Spectra and Electronic Properties of Symmetric and Asymmetric Squaraine Dyes for Use in DSSC Solar Cells: DFT and TD-DFT Studies
Authors: El-Shishtawy Reda , Elroby Shaaban , Asiri Abdullah , Müllen Klaus
Published: April 2016

The electronic absorption spectra, ground-state geometries and electronic structures of symmetric and asymmetric squaraine dyes (SQD1–SQD4) were investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent (TD-DFT) density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-311++G** level. The calculated ground-state geometries reveal pronounced conjugation in these dyes. Long-range corrected time dependent density functionals Perdew, Burke and Ernzerhof (PBE, PBE1PBE (PBE0)), and the exchange functional of Tao, Perdew, Staroverov, and Scuseria (TPSSh) with 6-311++G** basis set were employed to examine optical absorption properties. In an extensive comparison between the optical data and DFT benchmark calculations, the BEP functional with 6-311++G** basis set was found to be the most appropriate in describing the electronic absorption spectra. The calculated energy values of lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (LUMO) were 3.41, 3.19, 3.38 and 3.23 eV for SQD1, SQD2, SQD3, and SQD4, respectively. These values lie above the LUMO energy (−4.26 eV) of the conduction band of TiO2 nanoparticles indicating possible electron injection from the excited dyes to the conduction band of the TiO2 in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Also, aromaticity computation for these dyes are in good agreement with the data obtained optically and geometrically with SQD4 as the highest aromatic structure. Based on the optimized molecular geometries, relative positions of the frontier orbitals, and the absorption maxima, we propose that these dyes are suitable components of photovoltaic DSSC devices.
Characterization of Virulence Properties of Aeromonas veronii Isolated from Diseased Gibel Carp (Carassius gibelio)
Authors: Sun Jingjing , Zhang Xiaojun , Gao Xiaojian , Jiang Qun , Wen Yi , Lin Li
Published: April 2016

Aeromonas veronii is a kind of opportunistic pathogen to fish and humans, significantly impending aquaculture production. Recently, we isolated two A. veronii strains, named GYC1 and GYC2, from diseased Gibel carp (Carassius gibelio) in China. Based on gyrB (DNA gyrase B subunit) genes of GYC1 and GYC2, the constructed phylogenetic tree showed that the two strains were clustered with A. veronii. Sixteen virulence genes related to the pathogenicity of Aeromonas spp. were subjected to PCR assay. The genes of ompAI, ompAII, lafA, act, aer, fla, gcaT and acg were detected in the two strains, while genes of hly, ahp, lip, ast and alt were not detected. Additionally, genes eprCAI, ela and exu were only detected in the strain GYC1. Furthermore, the results of extracellular enzyme analysis revealed that the two isolates can produce hemolysin, caseinase, esterase, amylase and lecithinase, which were closely related to the pathogenicity of the two strains. However, the results showed that there was no gelatinase activity in either strain. According to the antibiotic resistant assay, the two strains were sensitive to cephalosporins and aminoglycosides, while they were resistant to penicillins and quinolones. Through this study, the virulence characteristics, including virulence genes and extracellular enzymes, the pathogenicity of A. veronii was clarified, enhancing the understanding about this pathogenic bacterium and providing the theoretical basis in disease control.
Polymer Nanocomposites—A Comparison between Carbon Nanotubes, Graphene, and Clay as Nanofillers
Authors: Bhattacharya Mrinal
Published: April 2016

Nanofilled polymeric matrices have demonstrated remarkable mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties. In this article we review the processing of carbon nanotube, graphene, and clay montmorillonite platelet as potential nanofillers to form nanocomposites. The various functionalization techniques of modifying the nanofillers to enable interaction with polymers are summarized. The importance of filler dispersion in the polymeric matrix is highlighted. Finally, the challenges and future outlook for nanofilled polymeric composites are presented.
Heuristic Analysis Model of Nitrided Layers’ Formation Consisting of the Image Processing and Analysis and Elements of Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Wójcicki Tomasz , Nowicki Michał
Published: April 2016

The article presents a selected area of research and development concerning the methods of material analysis based on the automatic image recognition of the investigated metallographic sections. The objectives of the analyses of the materials for gas nitriding technology are described. The methods of the preparation of nitrided layers, the steps of the process and the construction and operation of devices for gas nitriding are given. We discuss the possibility of using the methods of digital images processing in the analysis of the materials, as well as their essential task groups: improving the quality of the images, segmentation, morphological transformations and image recognition. The developed analysis model of the nitrided layers formation, covering image processing and analysis techniques, as well as selected methods of artificial intelligence are presented. The model is divided into stages, which are formalized in order to better reproduce their actions. The validation of the presented method is performed. The advantages and limitations of the developed solution, as well as the possibilities of its practical use, are listed.
Fabrication of Microfiber Patterns with Ivy Shoot-Like Geometries Using Improved Electrospinning
Authors: Jeong Young , Lee Jongwan
Published: April 2016

Fibers and fibrous structures are used extensively in various fields due to their many advantages. Microfibers, as well as nanofibers, are considered to be some of the most valuable forms of advanced materials. Accordingly, various methods for fabricating microfibers have been developed. Electrospinning is a useful fabrication method for continuous polymeric nano- and microfibers with attractive merits. However, this technique has limitations in its ability to control the geometry of fibrous structures. Herein, advanced electrospinning with direct-writing functionality was used to fabricate microfiber patterns with ivy shoot-like geometries after experimentally investigating the effects of the process conditions on the fiber formation. The surface properties of the fibers were also modified by introducing nanoscale pores through the use of higher levels of humidity during the fabrication process.
An Adaptive Data Gathering Scheme for Multi-Hop Wireless Sensor Networks Based on Compressed Sensing and Network Coding
Authors: Yin Jun , Yang Yuwang , Wang Lei
Published: April 2016

Joint design of compressed sensing (CS) and network coding (NC) has been demonstrated to provide a new data gathering paradigm for multi-hop wireless sensor networks (WSNs). By exploiting the correlation of the network sensed data, a variety of data gathering schemes based on NC and CS (Compressed Data Gathering—CDG) have been proposed. However, these schemes assume that the sparsity of the network sensed data is constant and the value of the sparsity is known before starting each data gathering epoch, thus they ignore the variation of the data observed by the WSNs which are deployed in practical circumstances. In this paper, we present a complete design of the feedback CDG scheme where the sink node adaptively queries those interested nodes to acquire an appropriate number of measurements. The adaptive measurement-formation procedure and its termination rules are proposed and analyzed in detail. Moreover, in order to minimize the number of overall transmissions in the formation procedure of each measurement, we have developed a NP-complete model (Maximum Leaf Nodes Minimum Steiner Nodes—MLMS) and realized a scalable greedy algorithm to solve the problem. Experimental results show that the proposed measurement-formation method outperforms previous schemes, and experiments on both datasets from ocean temperature and practical network deployment also prove the effectiveness of our proposed feedback CDG scheme.
GNSS Precise Kinematic Positioning for Multiple Kinematic Stations Based on A Priori Distance Constraints
Authors: He Kaifei , Xu Tianhe , Förste Christoph , Petrovic Svetozar , Barthelmes Franz , Jiang Nan , Flechtner Frank
Published: April 2016

When applying the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) for precise kinematic positioning in airborne and shipborne gravimetry, multiple GNSS receiving equipment is often fixed mounted on the kinematic platform carrying the gravimetry instrumentation. Thus, the distances among these GNSS antennas are known and invariant. This information can be used to improve the accuracy and reliability of the state estimates. For this purpose, the known distances between the antennas are applied as a priori constraints within the state parameters adjustment. These constraints are introduced in such a way that their accuracy is taken into account. To test this approach, GNSS data of a Baltic Sea shipborne gravimetric campaign have been used. The results of our study show that an application of distance constraints improves the accuracy of the GNSS kinematic positioning, for example, by about 4 mm for the radial component.
Predicting Youths’ Adherence to Treatment and Retention in Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Interventions
Authors: Walker Elaine
Published: April 2016

Internal and external validity are threatened when subjects fail to complete an intervention and when they are lost at follow-ups. Accordingly, researchers and intervention staff continually strive to identify predictors of attrition and non-compliance. The present study investigated the success of models that incorporate program, family, and individual characteristic variables in predicting treatment adherence and retention at six months in a sample of 1319 youth who participated in an abstinence-only intervention, as well as the relative importance of the predictors in explaining retention and adherence among Hispanic and non-Hispanic youth. The findings indicated that the likelihood of completing the intervention was greater for youths whose mothers or someone who functioned as a mother did not work. The effect of this predictor was consistent across all models in which it was tested. In addition, youth who planned to have sex were more likely to withdraw from the intervention than were youth for whom the opposite was true. Youth satisfaction with the intervention successfully predicted the likelihood of completion. Retention at six months was influenced by youth completing the intervention, having a non-working mother, and being satisfied with the program. Results from the discriminant analyses suggested that the predictors varied in importance for Hispanics and non-Hispanics. For Hispanics, having a non-working mother and satisfaction with the intervention were critical to their decisions to complete the intervention and to return for the six-month follow-up. For non-Hispanics, parental attitudes regarding sex, youths’ intentions to have sex, and youths’ gender were significant predictors.