bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improvement of Information Transfer Rates Using a Hybrid EEG-NIRS Brain-Computer Interface with a Short Trial Length: Offline and Pseudo-Online Analyses
Authors: Shin Jaeyoung , Kim Do-Won , Müller Klaus-Robert , Hwang Han-Jeong
Published: June 2018

Electroencephalography (EEG) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) are non-invasive neuroimaging methods that record the electrical and metabolic activity of the brain, respectively. Hybrid EEG-NIRS brain-computer interfaces (hBCIs) that use complementary EEG and NIRS information to enhance BCI performance have recently emerged to overcome the limitations of existing unimodal BCIs, such as vulnerability to motion artifacts for EEG-BCI or low temporal resolution for NIRS-BCI. However, with respect to NIRS-BCI, in order to fully induce a task-related brain activation, a relatively long trial length (≥10 s) is selected owing to the inherent hemodynamic delay that lowers the information transfer rate (ITR; bits/min). To alleviate the ITR degradation, we propose a more practical hBCI operated by intuitive mental tasks, such as mental arithmetic (MA) and word chain (WC) tasks, performed within a short trial length (5 s). In addition, the suitability of the WC as a BCI task was assessed, which has so far rarely been used in the BCI field. In this experiment, EEG and NIRS data were simultaneously recorded while participants performed MA and WC tasks without preliminary training and remained relaxed (baseline; BL). Each task was performed for 5 s, which was a shorter time than previous hBCI studies. Subsequently, a classification was performed to discriminate MA-related or WC-related brain activations from BL-related activations. By using hBCI in the offline/pseudo-online analyses, average classification accuracies of 90.0 ± 7.1/85.5 ± 8.1% and 85.8 ± 8.6/79.5 ± 13.4% for MA vs. BL and WC vs. BL, respectively, were achieved. These were significantly higher than those of the unimodal EEG- or NIRS-BCI in most cases. Given the short trial length and improved classification accuracy, the average ITRs were improved by more than 96.6% for MA vs. BL and 87.1% for WC vs. BL, respectively, compared to those reported in previous studies. The suitability of implementing a more practical hBCI based on intuitive mental tasks without preliminary training and with a shorter trial length was validated when compared to previous studies.
An Efficient Neural-Network-Based Microseismic Monitoring Platform for Hydraulic Fracture on an Edge Computing Architecture
Authors: Zhang Xiaopu , Lin Jun , Chen Zubin , Sun Feng , Zhu Xi , Fang Gengfa
Published: June 2018

Microseismic monitoring is one of the most critical technologies for hydraulic fracturing in oil and gas production. To detect events in an accurate and efficient way, there are two major challenges. One challenge is how to achieve high accuracy due to a poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The other one is concerned with real-time data transmission. Taking these challenges into consideration, an edge-computing-based platform, namely Edge-to-Center LearnReduce, is presented in this work. The platform consists of a data center with many edge components. At the data center, a neural network model combined with convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM) is designed and this model is trained by using previously obtained data. Once the model is fully trained, it is sent to edge components for events detection and data reduction. At each edge component, a probabilistic inference is added to the neural network model to improve its accuracy. Finally, the reduced data is delivered to the data center. Based on experiment results, a high detection accuracy (over 96%) with less transmitted data (about 90%) was achieved by using the proposed approach on a microseismic monitoring system. These results show that the platform can simultaneously improve the accuracy and efficiency of microseismic monitoring.
Enabling Autonomous Navigation for Affordable Scooters
Authors: Liu Kaikai , Mulky Rajathswaroop
Published: June 2018

Despite the technical success of existing assistive technologies, for example, electric wheelchairs and scooters, they are still far from effective enough in helping those in need navigate to their destinations in a hassle-free manner. In this paper, we propose to improve the safety and autonomy of navigation by designing a cutting-edge autonomous scooter, thus allowing people with mobility challenges to ambulate independently and safely in possibly unfamiliar surroundings. We focus on indoor navigation scenarios for the autonomous scooter where the current location, maps, and nearby obstacles are unknown. To achieve semi-LiDAR functionality, we leverage the gyros-based pose data to compensate the laser motion in real time and create synthetic mapping of simple environments with regular shapes and deep hallways. Laser range finders are suitable for long ranges with limited resolution. Stereo vision, on the other hand, provides 3D structural data of nearby complex objects. To achieve simultaneous fine-grained resolution and long range coverage in the mapping of cluttered and complex environments, we dynamically fuse the measurements from the stereo vision camera system, the synthetic laser scanner, and the LiDAR. We propose solutions to self-correct errors in data fusion and create a hybrid map to assist the scooter in achieving collision-free navigation in an indoor environment.
Ultrasonic Phased Array Sparse-TFM Imaging Based on Sparse Array Optimization and New Edge-Directed Interpolation
Authors: Hu Hongwei , Du Jian , Ye Chengbao , Li Xiongbing
Published: June 2018

The ultrasonic phased array total focusing method (TFM) has the advantages of full-range dynamic focusing and high imaging resolution, but the problem of long imaging time limits its practically industrial applications. To reduce the imaging calculation demand of TFM, the locations of active array elements in the sparse array are optimized by combining almost different sets with the genetic algorithm (ADSGA), and corrected based on the consistency of the effective aperture with the equivalent point diffusion function. At the same time, to further increase the imaging efficiency, a sparse-TFM image with lower resolution is obtained by reducing the number of focus points and then interpolated by the new edge-directed interpolation algorithm (NEDI) to obtain a high quality sparse-TFM image. Compared with TFM, the experimental results show that the quantitative accuracy of the proposed method is only decreased by 1.09% when the number of sparse transmitting elements reaches 8 for a 32-element transducer, and the imaging speed is improved by about 16 times with the same final pixel resolution.
Electrical and Thermal Properties of Heater-Sensor Microsystems Patterned in TCO Films for Wide-Range Temperature Applications from 15 K to 350 K
Authors: Pawlak Ryszard , Lebioda Marcin
Published: June 2018

This paper presents an analysis of the electrical and thermal properties of miniature transparent heaters for use in a wide range of temperature applications, from 15 K to 350 K. The heater structures were produced in transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layers: indium tin oxide (ITO) and ITO/Ag/ITO on polymer substrates-polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), by direct laser patterning. Thermo-resistors for temperature measurement were created in the same process, with geometry corresponding to the shape of the heating path. The thermo-resistors integrated with the heating structure allowed easy control of the thermal state of the heaters. Laser patterning provided high precision and repeatability in terms of the geometry and electrical properties of the heater-sensor structures. Measurements at temperatures from 15 K to above room temperature (350 K) confirmed the excellent dynamics of the heating and cooling processes, due to current flow. The largest value for surface heating power was over 3 W/cm2. A heater-sensor structure equipped with a small capacity chamber was successfully applied for controlled heating of small volumes of different liquids. Such structures have potential for use in research and measurements, where for various reasons controlled and accurate heating of small volumes of liquids is required.
Enhancing LoRaWAN Security through a Lightweight and Authenticated Key Management Approach
Authors: Sanchez-Iborra Ramon , Sánchez-Gómez Jesús , Pérez Salvador , Fernández Pedro , Santa José , Hernández-Ramos José , Skarmeta Antonio
Published: June 2018

Luckily, new communication technologies and protocols are nowadays designed considering security issues. A clear example of this can be found in the Internet of Things (IoT) field, a quite recent area where communication technologies such as ZigBee or IPv6 over Low power Wireless Personal Area Networks (6LoWPAN) already include security features to guarantee authentication, confidentiality and integrity. More recent technologies are Low-Power Wide-Area Networks (LP-WAN), which also consider security, but present initial approaches that can be further improved. An example of this can be found in Long Range (LoRa) and its layer-two supporter LoRa Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN), which include a security scheme based on pre-shared cryptographic material lacking flexibility when a key update is necessary. Because of this, in this work, we evaluate the security vulnerabilities of LoRaWAN in the area of key management and propose different alternative schemes. Concretely, the application of an approach based on the recently specified Ephemeral Diffie–Hellman Over COSE (EDHOC) is found as a convenient solution, given its flexibility in the update of session keys, its low computational cost and the limited message exchanges needed. A comparative conceptual analysis considering the overhead of different security schemes for LoRaWAN is carried out in order to evaluate their benefits in the challenging area of LP-WAN.
A Molecularly Imprinted Polymer on a Plasmonic Plastic Optical Fiber to Detect Perfluorinated Compounds in Water
Authors: Cennamo Nunzio , D’Agostino Girolamo , Porto Gianni , Biasiolo Adriano , Perri Chiara , Arcadio Francesco , Zeni Luigi
Published: June 2018

A novel Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP) able to bind perfluorinated compounds, combined with a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) optical fiber platform, is presented. The new MIP receptor has been deposited on a D-shaped plastic optical fiber (POF) covered with a photoresist buffer layer and a thin gold film. The experimental results have shown that the developed SPR-POF-MIP sensor makes it possible to selectively detect the above compounds. In this work, we present the results obtained with perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) compound, and they hold true when obtained with a perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAs) mixture sample. The sensor’s response is the same for PFOA, perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) or PFA contaminants in the C4–C11 range. We have also tested a sensor based on a non-imprinted polymer (NIP) on the same SPR in a D-shaped POF platform. The limit of detection (LOD) of the developed chemical sensor was 0.13 ppb. It is similar to the one obtained by the configuration based on a specific antibody for PFOA/PFOS exploiting the same SPR-POF platform, already reported in literature. The advantage of an MIP receptor is that it presents a better stability out of the native environment, very good reproducibility, low cost and, furthermore, it can be directly deposited on the gold layer, without modifying the metal surface by functionalizing procedures.
Space Subdivision in Indoor Mobile Laser Scanning Point Clouds Based on Scanline Analysis
Authors: Zheng Yi , Peter Michael , Zhong Ruofei , Oude Elberink Sander , Zhou Quan
Published: June 2018

Indoor space subdivision is an important aspect of scene analysis that provides essential information for many applications, such as indoor navigation and evacuation route planning. Until now, most proposed scene understanding algorithms have been based on whole point clouds, which has led to complicated operations, high computational loads and low processing speed. This paper presents novel methods to efficiently extract the location of openings (e.g., doors and windows) and to subdivide space by analyzing scanlines. An opening detection method is demonstrated that analyses the local geometric regularity in scanlines to refine the extracted opening. Moreover, a space subdivision method based on the extracted openings and the scanning system trajectory is described. Finally, the opening detection and space subdivision results are saved as point cloud labels which will be used for further investigations. The method has been tested on a real dataset collected by ZEB-REVO. The experimental results validate the completeness and correctness of the proposed method for different indoor environment and scanning paths.
A Correlation Driven Approach with Edge Services for Predictive Industrial Maintenance
Authors: Zhu Meiling , Liu Chen
Published: June 2018

Predictive industrial maintenance promotes proactive scheduling of maintenance to minimize unexpected device anomalies/faults. Almost all current predictive industrial maintenance techniques construct a model based on prior knowledge or data at build-time. However, anomalies/faults will propagate among sensors and devices along correlations hidden among sensors. These correlations can facilitate maintenance. This paper makes an attempt on predicting the anomaly/fault propagation to perform predictive industrial maintenance by considering the correlations among faults. The main challenge is that an anomaly/fault may propagate in multiple ways owing to various correlations. This is called as the uncertainty of anomaly/fault propagation. This present paper proposes a correlation-based event routing approach for predictive industrial maintenance by improving our previous works. Our previous works mapped physical sensors into a soft-ware-defined abstraction, called proactive data service. In the service model, anomalies/faults are encapsulated into events. We also proposed a service hyperlink model to encapsulate the correlations among anomalies/faults. This paper maps the anomalies/faults propagation into event routing and proposes a heuristic algorithm based on service hyperlinks to route events among services. The experiment results show that, our approach can reach 100% precision and 88.89% recall at most.
Influence of Ispaghula and Zein Coating on Ibuprofen-Loaded Alginate Beads Prepared by Vibration Technology: Physicochemical Characterization and Release Studies
Authors: Lyn Heng Jillian Jin , Teng Jia Hao , Saravanan Muniyandy , Pushpamalar Janarthanan
Published: June 2018

The purpose behind the work was to fabricate alginate beads with better drug loading and extended drug release. Ispaghula was used to enhance the drug loading while zein was employed to extend the drug release. Ibuprofen was employed as a model drug in this study. Ibuprofen-loaded alginate beads with and without ispaghula were prepared using vibration technology and coated with zein. The beads prepared with alginate alone were shown to have loading and entrapment efficiencies of 35% and 70% w/w, respectively. Addition of ispaghula in alginate showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in the drug loading (42% w/w) and entrapment efficiency (84% w/w). Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed the presence of ispaghula and zein coating in the alginate beads as well as the ibuprofen loading. Scanning electron microscopy revealed better spherical geometry in the beads with ispaghula. The surface morphology of the uncoated beads was rough due to crystalline and surface drug. The zein coating has produced a smoother surface and particle adhesion. Differential scanning calorimetry has shown a reduction in drug crystallinity. Alginate beads extended the drug release for 4 h and the presence of zein extended the release for 6 h.
Femifesta? A Feminist Manifesto for the 21st Century
Authors: David Miriam
Published: June 2018

I discuss the challenges that feminist activists in academia have raised about how to deal with violence against women and girls (VAWG) and gender-related violence (GRV) through education and training. Whilst VAWG and GRV have been on feminist agendas since the early days of the Women’s Liberation Movement (WLM) in the 1960s and 1970s they were rarely linked with key demands for equal educational opportunities. It is still the case that feminist work on VAWG is rarely coupled with feminist studies in mainstream education. Drawing on a European Union (EU) funded study in the Daphne programme III—the GAP-work project—I consider strategies to address questions of VAWG and GRV for children and young people through education. This entailed involving ‘youth professionals’ and educators in four countries, namely Ireland, Italy, Spain and the UK in training. Drawing on this international educational work, I present an outline of a Feminist Manifesto or a ‘femifesta’ for education. This brings together feminist demands for policy changes in mainstream education through sex and relationships education to deal with VAWG and GRV, with feminist pedagogies to transform social and sexual or gender relations in schools.
Release and Biomethylation of Antimony in Shooting Range Soils upon Flooding
Authors: Grob Matthias , Wilcke Wolfgang , Mestrot Adrien
Published: June 2018

Antimony (Sb) is an understudied pollutant with potentially toxic effects at particularly low concentrations. The fate of Sb in the environment is complicated because of its many chemical forms at varying oxidation states. Here, we validated an extraction method and an analytical technique to quantify inorganic and methylated Sb in bulk soil and soil solution. We identified and quantified trimethylantimony (TMSb) in shooting range soils for the first time, up to a concentration of 1.35 mg kg−1. Then, we evaluated the release of Sb species from soil to soil solution as well as the influence of manure addition upon flooding in an incubation experiment with fresh soils from shooting ranges. This incubation experiment showed an immediate and exhaustive Sb release into the soil solution (within 6 h), reaching over 3000 μg L−1 for one site, followed by a sharp decline and again a slow increase at the end of the incubation in Sb concentrations in the soil solution for two of the three sites. TMSb was also formed in the soil solution after 4 to 10 days. High dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and the dissolution of Fe- and Mn-(oxy-)hydroxides were the main drivers of Sb release, while the addition of organic matter (OM) drove TMSb formation.
The Assessment of Isometric, Dynamic, and Sports-Specific Upper-Body Strength in Male and Female Competitive Surfers
Authors: Parsonage Joanna , Secomb Josh , Dowse Rebecca , Ferrier Brendon , Sheppard Jeremy , Nimphius Sophia
Published: June 2018

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate gender differences in the dynamic strength index (DSI): an assessment of upper-body dynamic strength relative to maximal isometric strength. The secondary purpose was to investigate gender differences in the dynamic skill deficit (DSD): an assessment of sports-specific dynamic strength relative to maximal isometric strength, and its association with a sports-specific performance measure in surfers. Nine male (age = 30.3 ± 7.3 yrs) and eight female (age = 25.5 ± 5.2 yrs) surfers undertook three upper-body assessments: isometric push-up, dynamic push-up, and a force plate pop-up to determine the DSI and DSD. The performance measure of time taken to pop-up (TTP) was recorded. No gender differences for the DSI (d = 0.48, p = 0.33) or DSD (d = 0.69, p = 0.32) were observed. Normalized peak force (PF) of the isometric push-up, dynamic push-up, and force plate pop-up were significantly greater in males (p ≤ 0.05), with males recording significantly quicker TTP (d = 1.35, p < 0.05). The results suggest that male and female surfers apply a similar proportion of their maximal strength in sports-specific movements. However, greater normalized isometric and dynamic strength in males resulted in greater sports-specific PF application and a faster TTP. It would appear favorable that female surfers improve their maximal strength to facilitate sports-specific pop-up performance.
Quantifying the Climate Impact of the US Policy Choices Using an Economic and Earth System Model
Authors: Yang Shili , Liu Changxin , Dong Wenjie , Chou Jieming , Tian Di , Wei Ting , Tian Yuan
Published: June 2018

Climate policy plays an important role in keeping global temperature rises below the target of 1.5–2 °C above pre-industrial levels, and technological innovations are key to determining the effectiveness of climate policy. In this study, we investigated the climate impact of the USA’s policy choices using the enforced multi-factor regional climate and economy system (EMRICES,) and the Earth system model from Beijing Normal University (BNU-ESM). Three emission scenarios were designed based on the assumption of whether or not the US follows its proposed nationally determined contribution (NDC) and makes use of technological innovations. The results showed that if the US does not implement the NDC and had no technological progress, there would be an extra 176.7 Gt of cumulative carbon emissions by the end of the 21st century compared to that of all the countries that follow their NDC. The additional emissions would lead to an increase of 62 ppm in CO2 concentration and a 0.4 °C increase in global warming by 2100. It would also lead to a 2% loss for the US and Chinese economies, compared to the NDC scenario. The Earth system model results also show that even if all the countries follow the DNC, it would be difficult to keep the temperature from increasing less than 1.5 °C. This study implies that the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and their refusal to adopt technological progress is not conducive to achieving the 1.5 °C goal, and more stringent emission reduction targets or technology innovations would be required for the world to control global warming to a level below 1.5 °C.
Statistical Assessment of Water Quality Issues in Hongze Lake, China, Related to the Operation of a Water Diversion Project
Authors: Wu Yi , Dai Rong , Xu Yongfeng , Han Jiangang , Li Pingping
Published: June 2018

The Hongze Lake serves as the first important transfer and storage path along the East Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP-ER). After the Project began operating in 2013, eutrophication in the lake has created increasing public concern regarding the direct effect on water quality from the project. In this paper, we used multivariate statistical methods to examine the variances between water quality variables at four site groups (inlets and outlets in the study area) and during three seasons (wet, normal, and dry seasons) in Eastern Hongze Lake. We also used redundancy analysis (RDA) to analyze environmental factors’ impact on water quality. We found that (1) the concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus were exceeding the standard values; (2) No significant spatial heterogeneity regarding nitrogen and phosphorus among the inlet/outlet of Eastern Hongze Lake existed in normal and wet seasons, and there was no evidence demonstrating that SNWDP-ER could improve eutrophication or even contribute to eutrophication in the dry season; (3) Environmental factors (land use, water diversion, and population) have limited influences on water quality, which was possibly caused by the overly-high river input and artificial input of nitrogen and phosphorus. Thus, it is critical to reinforce the control of pollution sources and enhance the ecological restoration.
Melioidosis in South America
Authors: Rolim Dionne B. , Lima Rachel Ximenes R. , Ribeiro Ana Karoline C. , Colares Rafael M. , Lima Leoniti D. Q. , Rodríguez-Morales Alfonso J. , Montúfar Franco E. , Dance David A. B.
Published: June 2018

Melioidosis is an emerging disease in the Americas. This paper reviews confirmed cases, the presence of Burkholderia pseudomallei and the organization of national surveillance policies for melioidosis in South America. Confirmed cases in humans have been reported from Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, and Peru. The bacterium has been isolated from the environment in Brazil and Peru. The state of Ceará, northeastern region of Brazil, is the only place where specific public strategies and policies for melioidosis have been developed. We also discuss the urgent need for health authorities in South America to pay greater attention to this disease, which has the potential to have a high impact on public health, and the importance of developing coordinated strategies amongst countries in this region.
Argument for Inclusion of Strongyloidiasis in the Australian National Notifiable Disease List
Authors: Beknazarova Meruyert , Whiley Harriet , Judd Jenni , Shield Jennifer , Page Wendy , Miller Adrian , Whittaker Maxine , Ross Kirstin
Published: June 2018

Strongyloidiasis is an infection caused by the helminth, Strongyloides stercoralis. Up to 370 million people are infected with the parasite globally, and it has remained endemic in the Indigenous Australian population for many decades. Strongyloidiasis has been also reported in other Australian populations. Ignorance of this disease has caused unnecessary costs to the government health system, and been detrimental to the Australian people’s health. This manuscript addresses the 12 criteria required for a disease to be included in the Australian National Notifiable Disease List (NNDL) under the National Health Security Act 2007 (Commonwealth). There are six main arguments that provide compelling justification for strongyloidiasis to be made nationally notifiable and added to the Australian NNDL. These are: The disease is important to Indigenous health, and closing the health inequity gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is a priority; a public health response is required to detect cases of strongyloidiasis and to establish the true incidence and prevalence of the disease; there is no alternative national surveillance system to gather data on the disease; there are preventive measures with high efficacy and low side effects; data collection is feasible as cases are definable by microscopy, PCR, or serological diagnostics; and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) # 6 on clean water and sanitation.
Modelling of a Power Converter with Multiple Operating Modes
Authors: Feng Wang , Yutao Luo
Published: June 2018

In order to achieve DC voltage matching, on-board charging, and DC/AC power inversion, three independent power converters are often needed in traditional Distributed Power Converter (DPC) systems of electric vehicles (EVs): bidirectional DC/DC (Bi-DC/DC), AC/DC, and DC/AC. The requirement of electronic devices such as power switches, inductors, and capacitors make the converter costly and complicated in structure. In this paper, a power converter with multi-operating mode (PCMM) is presented. The proposed PCMM can work in Bi-DC/DC, AC/DC, and DC/AC modes. The state-space averaging model of PCMM considering resistance of Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) and the inductor is presented. Based on this model, the transfer function of the system is derived and the controller is designed. The simulation and experimental results show that PCMM can meet the design target and verify the feasibility of the model. The measurement results show that the weight of PCMM proposed in this paper is reduced by 51.2% compared with the traditional structure.
Receptionists’ role in new approaches to consultations in primary care: a focused ethnographic study
Authors: Brant Heather Dawn , Atherton Helen , Bikker Annemieke , Porqueddu Tania , Salisbury Chris , McKinstry Brian , Campbell John , Gibson Andy , Ziebland Sue
Published: June 2018

Background

The receptionist is pivotal to the smooth running of general practice in the UK, communicating with patients and booking appointments.

Aim

The authors aimed to explore the role of the receptionist in the implementation of new approaches to consultations in primary care.

Design and setting

The authors conducted a team-based focused ethnography. Three researchers observed eight general practices across England and Scotland between June 2015 and May 2016.

Method

Interviews were conducted with 39 patients and 45 staff in the practices, all of which had adopted one or more methods (telephone, email, e-consultation, or internet video) for providing an alternative to face-to-face consultation.

Results

Receptionists have a key role in facilitating patient awareness regarding new approaches to consultations in primary care, while at the same time ensuring that patients receive a consultation appropriate to their needs. In this study, receptionists’ involvement in implementation and planning for the introduction of alternative approaches to face-to-face consultations was minimal, despite the expectation that they would be involved in delivery.

Conclusion

A shared understanding within practices of the potential difficulties and extra work that might ensue for reception staff was lacking. This might contribute to the low uptake by patients of potentially important innovations in service delivery. Involvement of the wider practice team in planning and piloting changes, supporting team members through service reconfiguration, and providing an opportunity to discuss and contribute to modifications of any new system would ensure that reception staff are suitably prepared to support the introduction of a new approach to consultations.
Indexer selon les voyelles. Un ordre alphabétique inhabituel dans trois tables (exempla et distinctions) des «Sermones ad status» de Guibert de Tournai
Authors: Burghart Marjorie
Published: June 2018

Parmi les quatre-vingt-cinq manuscrits complets des Sermones ad status du franciscain Guibert de Tournai qui nous sont parvenus, plus du quart comportent un index thématique ajouté par les lecteurs. Ces outils de travail intellectuel respectent un ordre alphabétique plus ou moins strict, mais deux manuscrits, les Bibl. nat. Fr., lat. 16480, et Bologne, Collegio di Spagna, 56, comportent des index (une table des distinctions et deux tables des exempla) qui appliquent un principe de classement alphabétique très inhabituel. Les entrées de ces index sont regroupées en cinq ensembles, A, E, I, O et U, en fonction de la première voyelle du mot, en ignorant donc les consonnes. Cet article offre une description et une édition de ces tables singulières, et propose d’expliquer leur principe de classement vocalique par la recherche d’éléments stables dans les graphies variables du latin médiéval ainsi que par un souci d’efficacité mnémotechnique.
Archives et identité urbaine : les inventaires de Toulouse (1393-1548)
Authors: Nadrigny Xavier
Published: June 2018

Die Erstellung von Archivinventaren erfolgte in Toulouse zwischen dem ausgehenden 14. und derMitte des 16. Jahrhunderts im grösseren Zusammenhang einer ausgeprägten städtischen Identitätsbildung. Ein augenscheinlicher Widerspruch entsteht demgegenüber durch eine immer deutlichere Unterwerfung unter die Königsmacht ¢ insbesondere in der zunehmend wichtigeren Rolle des Parlaments vonToulouse ¢, sowie durch die einer Identität gegenläufige Aufgabe von Positionen des «Capitoulat » (Stadtschöffenamts) in der Sachwaltung städtischer Angelegenheiten. Die inventorisierten Archivalien betreffen jedoch verschiedene, vom König erlassene Rechte, die einen Schutz der Stadt gegen den anwachsenden Absolutismus ermöglichen. In einem zweiten Schritt wird die Inventarisierung ab 1495 von den königlichen Dokumenten auf sämtliche städtische Schriftstücke ausgeweitet, was einen Bruch und eine stärkereHerausstellung der Stadt bedeutet. Parallel dazu entsteht eine Stadtgeschichtsschreibung, die auf eben diesen Archivalien beruht und die ihrerseits in den Inventaren erstmals verzeichnet wird. Die Stadtarchive bilden von da an einen Schatz, der dieFreiheit und das Renommee der Stadt begründet : Diese Verstärkung einer symbolischen Identität hält somit dem effektiven Machtverlust des Capitoulat dieWaage.
Les instruments de recherche du minutier central des notaires de Paris. Quatre-vingts ans de travaux
Authors: Mosser Françoise
Published: June 2018

Over the past eighty years the archivists in the Minutier central des notaires de Paris (the central notarial archive of Paris) have experimented different methods to make the collection accessible. The main shifts in perspective divide the period into three phases. During the early years (1928-1948), Ernest Coyecque, archival advisor to the Chamber ofNotaries and responsible for planning the transfer to the Archives Nationales, endeavoured to supply the records with essential finding aids, whilst Jacques Monicat, keeper of the Minutier central, started an exhaustive inventory but could not carry it far because of the overwhelming quantity of documents. In 1948, the year in which the first transfers were completed, the archivists undertook a series of thematic indexes at the request of research institutions, but then stopped in 1977 when funding was suspended. During the 1970s theMinutier central became a focal point for experiments in computerised inventories of archives. These different phases all contributed to defining current ways of dealing with notarial records, and produced a structured albeit highly complex set of finding aids. The end results might not be entirely satisfactory, but should be considered adequate in relation to the available support. As for the relevance of the tools thus created for the specific needs of end users, the debate remains open.
A genealogy of anti-americanism [Les intellectuels européens face à l'Amérique]
Authors: Ceaser James W.
Published: June 2018

Abstract : "European anti-Americanism did not begin with the Kyoto Protocol or war in Iraq. Political scientist James Ceaser offers a short history of this deep-rooted ideology, from colonial-era theories about biological "degeneracy" to the 20th century thought of Heidegger and Sartre".
“Direct” Gas-phase Metallicity in Local Analogs of High-redshift Galaxies: Empirical Metallicity Calibrations for High-redshift Star-forming Galaxies
Authors: Bian Fuyan , Kewley Lisa J. , Dopita Michael A.
Published: June 2018

We study the direct gas-phase oxygen abundance using the well-detected auroral line [O iii]λ4363 in the stacked spectra of a sample of local analogs of high-redshift galaxies. These local analogs share the same location as z ∼ 2 star-forming galaxies on the [O iii]λ5007/Hβ versus [N ii]λ6584/Hα Baldwin–Phillips–Terlevich diagram. This type of analog has the same ionized interstellar medium (ISM) properties as high-redshift galaxies. We establish empirical metallicity calibrations between the direct gas-phase oxygen abundances (

) and the N2 (log([N ii]λ6584/Hα))/O3N2 (log(([O iii]λ5007/Hβ)/([N ii]λ6584/Hα))) indices in our local analogs. We find significant systematic offsets between the metallicity calibrations for our local analogs of high-redshift galaxies and those derived from the local H ii regions and a sample of local reference galaxies selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). The N2 and O3N2 metallicities will be underestimated by 0.05–0.1 dex relative to our calibration, if one simply applies the local metallicity calibration in previous studies to high-redshift galaxies. Local metallicity calibrations also cause discrepancies of metallicity measurements in high-redshift galaxies using the N2 and O3N2 indicators. In contrast, our new calibrations produce consistent metallicities between these two indicators. We also derive metallicity calibrations for R23 (log(([O iii]λλ4959,5007+[O ii]λλ3726,3729)/Hβ)), O32(log([O iii]λλ4959,5007/[O ii]λλ3726,3729)),

[O iii]λ5007/Hβ), and log([Ne iii]λ3869/[O ii]λ3727) indices in our local analogs, which show significant offset compared to those in the SDSS reference galaxies. By comparing with MAPPINGS photoionization models, the different empirical metallicity calibration relations in the local analogs and the SDSS reference galaxies can be shown to be primarily due to the change of ionized ISM conditions. Assuming that temperature structure variations are minimal and ISM conditions do not change dramatically from z ∼ 2 to z ∼ 5, these empirical calibrations can be used to measure relative metallicities in galaxies with redshifts up to z ∼ 5.0 in ground-based observations.
Spectral Deconvolution of the 6196 and 6614 Å Diffuse Interstellar Bands Supports a Common-carrier Origin
Authors: Bernstein L. S. , Shroll R. M. , Galazutdinov G. A. , Beletsky Y.
Published: June 2018

We explore the common-carrier hypothesis for the 6196 and 6614 Å diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs). The observed DIB spectra are sharpened using a spectral deconvolution algorithm. This reveals finer spectral features that provide tighter constraints on candidate carriers. We analyze a deconvolved λ6614 DIB spectrum and derive spectroscopic constants that are then used to model the λ6196 spectra. The common-carrier spectroscopic constants enable quantitative fits to the contrasting λ6196 and λ6614 spectra from two sightlines. Highlights of our analysis include (1) sharp cutoffs for the maximum values of the rotational quantum numbers, J
max = K
max, (2) the λ6614 DIB consisting of a doublet and a red-tail component arising from different carriers, (3) the λ6614 doublet and λ6196 DIBs sharing a common carrier, (4) the contrasting shapes of the λ6614 doublet and λ6196 DIBs arising from different vibration–rotation Coriolis coupling constants that originate from transitions from a common ground state to different upper electronic state degenerate vibrational levels, and (5) the different widths of the two DIBs arising from different effective rotational temperatures associated with principal rotational axes that are parallel and perpendicular to the highest-order symmetry axis. The analysis results suggest a puckered oblate symmetric top carrier with a dipole moment aligned with the highest-order symmetry axis. An example candidate carrier consistent with these specifications is corannulene (C20H10), or one of its symmetric ionic or dehydrogenated forms, whose rotational constants are comparable to those obtained from spectral modeling of the DIB profiles.
The Productivity of Oxygenic Photosynthesis around Cool, M Dwarf Stars
Authors: Lehmer Owen R. , Catling David C. , Parenteau Mary N. , Hoehler Tori M.
Published: June 2018

In the search for life around cool stars, the presence of atmospheric oxygen is a prominent biosignature, as it may indicate oxygenic photosynthesis (OP) on the planetary surface. On Earth, most oxygenic photosynthesizing organisms (OPOs) use photons between 400 and 750 nm, which have sufficient energy to drive the photosynthetic reaction that generates O2 from H2O and CO2. OPOs around cool stars may evolve similar biological machinery capable of producing oxygen from water. However, in the habitable zones (HZs) of the coolest M dwarf stars, the flux of 400–750 nm photons may be just a few percent that of Earth’s. We show that the reduced flux of 400–750 nm photons around M dwarf stars could result in Earth-like planets being growth limited by light, unlike the terrestrial biosphere, which is limited by nutrient availability. We consider stars with photospheric temperatures between 2300 and 4200 K and show that such light-limited worlds could occur at the outer edge of the HZ around TRAPPIST-1-like stars. We find that even if OP can use photons longer than 750 nm, there would still be insufficient energy to sustain the Earth’s extant biosphere throughout the HZ of the coolest stars. This is because such stars emit largely in the infrared and near-infrared, which provide sufficient energy to make the planet habitable, but limits the energy available for OP. TRAPPIST-1f and g may fall into this category. Biospheres on such planets, potentially limited by photon availability, may generate small biogenic signals, which could be difficult for future observations to detect.
Immunological outcomes after six months with first line antiretroviral therapy: a lesson from Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Authors: Pangarungan Mardy , Arguni Eggi
Published: June 2018

Introduction: More than 1,300 children aged 0-14 years were infected with HIV in Indonesia by 2016. Adequate antiretroviral therapy (ART) can increase nutritional and immunological status, reduce incidence of opportunistic infection and mortality caused by HIV infection. After ART initiation, the children’s treatment response needs to be monitored with CD4+ cell count and Viral Load (VL) evaluation. In resource-limited setting, clinical and immunological parameters can be used to evaluate ART outcomes. The aimed of this study to know immunological status of the patient after 6 months ART in Dr. Sardjito Hospital in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Methodology: A retrospective study was conducted from January 2010 to May 2016. HIV-infected children aged 0-18 years who were given first-line ART at least 6 months were included in this study. Age when ART initiation, gender, residence, nutritional status, clinical staging based on WHO criteria, incidence of hospitalization, baseline CD4+ cell count and CD4+ cell count after 6 months of therapy, tuberculosis treatment, and ART regimens were collected from medical records. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0

Results: Thirty-five subjects were included in this study. Median CD4+ T cell percentage increased from 3.16 (IQR 1-18) % to 11.0 (IQR 2-32) %, whereas median CD4+ absolute cell count increased from 9.5 (IQR 3-176) cell/mm3 to 419.5 (IQR 202-1428) cell/mm3.

Conclusion: Immunologic conditions could improve even with very low levels of CD4+ T cell percentage and CD4+ absolute cell count. Monitoring immunologic conditions and adherence of children with ART are essential to improve treatment outcomes.
Validation of diagnostic tests and epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection in Bangladesh
Authors: Aftab Hafeza , Yamaoka Yoshio , Ahmed Faruque , Khan Azad AK , Subsomwong Phawinee , Miftahussurur Muhammad , Uchida Tomohisa , Malaty Hoda M
Published: June 2018

Introduction: Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. We conducted a cross-sectional study to compare five diagnostic tests for H. pylori infection and studied the epidemiology of the infection in Bangladesh.

Methodology: Bangladeshi patients with dyspeptic symptoms referred for endoscopic examination were enrolled in this study. Each patient underwent upper endoscopic examination and four gastric biopsy specimens were taken. We used 5 tests for the diagnosis of H. pylori; culture, histology confirmed by immunohistochemistry, rapid urease test (RUT), urinary and serological test. Demographic and environmental variables were collected.

Results: A total of 133 patients participated in the study, 61 males and mean age 37.3 ± 12.3 years. We used the culture and/or histology results as the gold standard to estimate the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for the studied diagnostic tests. RUT, culture and histology had high sensitivity and specificity with moderate positive and negative likelihood ratio, whereas urine test and serology showed a good sensitivity and specificity but poor likelihood ratio. The overall prevalence of H. pylori among study subjects was 47% with no difference between gender and age groups.

Conclusions: The invasive tests showed better performance than noninvasive tests among Bangladeshi population. The overall prevalence of H. pylori was less than the previously reported in the region with no difference among all age groups.
Molecular investigation of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus isolates from blood: USA600 emerges as the major type
Authors: Goudarzi Mehdi , Sabzehali Fattaneh , Heidary Mohsen , Azimi Hadi , Goudarzi Hossein
Published: June 2018

Introduction: The widespread emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is turning into a real worry in public health. The goals of the present study were to identify resistance and virulence encoding genes and molecular characteristics of methicillin-resistant S. aureus bloodstream isolates.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 84 S. aureus bloodstream isolates during a 10-month period. To evaluate antibiotic susceptibility of the isolates, we used Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. In addition, the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance and toxins genes was assessed using polymerase chain reaction. Isolates were typed according to polymorphisms seven housekeeping genes by MLST.

Results: All the isolates were resistant to methicillin. The most prevalent resistance gene was mecA gene (100%) followed by tetM (57.1%), aac (6΄)-Ie/aph (2˝) (53.6%), ant (4΄)-Ia (46.4%), ermA (45.2%), msrA (35.7%), msrB (33.3%), aph (3΄)-IIIa (33.3%), ermB (31%), ermC (16.7%), and mupA (14.3%) genes. The presence of toxin encoding genes tst, pvl, eta, and etb were detected in 25%, 14.3%, 3.6% and 3.6%, respectively. The isolates were classified into five different sequence types: ST45 (29.8%), ST239 (27.4%), ST858 (21.4%), ST22 (17.8%), and ST59 (3.6%). All the high-level mupirocin-resistant (HLMUPR) strains belonged to ST239, while the low-level mupirocin resistant (LLMUPR) strains belonged to ST22 (13%) and ST239 (6%).

Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first report of ST59 in MRSA bloodstream isolates in Iran. Our data demonstrated the need for thorough epidemiological monitoring to detect emergence and dissemination of MDR- MRSA types in our hospitals.
Assessing urban recreation ecosystem services through the use of geocache visitation and preference data: a case-study from an urbanised island environment
Authors: Balzan Mario V , Debono Iain
Published: June 2018

Recreation is an important cultural ecosystem service and is one way in which communities experience the direct and indirect benefits arising from the experiential use of their environment. The recent rise in popularity of Global Positioning System (GPS) game applications, which combine information technology with an activity that increases mobility and encourages outdoor enjoyment, provides ecosystem service practitioners with an opportunity to make use of this georeferenced data to assess recreational ecosystem services. Geocaching is one such worldwide outdoor game. It has fixed points of incursion where people can hide and look for caches. This study explores the possibility of using geocaching data as a proxy for recreational ecosystems services in the Maltese Islands. A quantitative analysis of the georeferenced caches was used together with their visit rates and number of favourite points. This was supplemented by two questionnaires that investigated the preferences and experiences of both geocache placers (n=39) and hunters (n=21). Results show that the highest number of caches were placed and searched for in urban areas and that geocaching is strongly associated with the presence and accessibility of urban green infrastructure. The number of geocachers who stated preference for experiences in nature did not translate into high visit rates to sites of high conservation value (protected areas) but landscape value was significantly associated with recreational ecosystem services flow. The results presented here provide evidence that geocaching spatial data can act as an indicator for assessing and mapping recreational ecosystem services in urban environments and in cultural landscapes.