bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antituberculosis Activity of Brotowali (Tinospora crispa) Extract and Fractions against Mycobacterium tuberculosis using Microplate Alamar Blue Assay Method
Authors: Wahyuningrum Retno , Ritmaleni Ritmaleni , Irianti Tatang , Wahyuono Subagus , Kaneko Takushi , Nuryastuti Titik
Published: September 2017

Tuberculosis (TB), in which caused by pathogenic bacteria, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has become the major causes of death among all of infectious diseases. The increasing incidence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) has created a need to discover a new antituberculosis drug candidate. The aim of this study was to screen extract and fractions of Tinospora crispa for activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv using the Microplate Alamar Blue Assay (MABA) method. T. crispa extract was prepared by maceration in ethanol (96%) and antituberculosis activity was carried out using MABA method. The result of this study showed that ethanolic extract of T. crispa exhibit antituberculosis activity with minimum inhibition concentration of 12.5 mg/ml.
Growth, Yield and Fruit Quality of Strawberry (Frageria ananasa Dutch) under Different Phosphorus Levels
Authors: Ahmad Husain , Sajjid Muhammad , Hayat Sikandar , Ullah Rizwan , Ali Muhammad , Jamal Abbas , Rahman Ali , Aman Zubair , Ali Jawad
Published: September 2017

Strawberry fruit takes less time for production and is easily multiplied. Fruiting is an exhaustive process and depletes nutrients especially phosphorus as it is highly immobile in the soil. An experiment was conducted in The University of Peshawar, Pakistan to evaluate different level of Phosphorous on growth, yield and fruit quality of Strawberry Cv Chandler. Results show that Phosphorus at 90 kg ha-1 significantly influenced the days to flowering (102.66) of strawberry plants while, at 80 kg ha-1 significantly affected days to fruit set (2.98), days to fruit maturity (20.05), Number of fruits (7.50) and Total fruit yield tons ha-1(3.61). Fruit size (6.42 cm3) was significantly affected at 70 kg ha-1. Similarly, Ascorbic acid (62.61), percent acidity (0.64) and Total soluble solids (7.83) were significantly affected by phosphorus at 60 kg ha-1
As relações de reciprocidade como meio de apropriação do espaço e consolidação da identidade da classe criativa
Authors: Carrero Cardoso Renata
Published: September 2017

Contemporaneamente, espaços que constituem enquanto espaços de economia criativa, apresentam uma tendência de aproximação de atividades econômicas criativas. Tal fato, já não pode ser explicado apenas pelas teorias locacionais clássicas, mas deve ser entendido a partir de princípios de complementaridade, reciprocidade e diversidade. A ideia central a ser explorada neste artigo é que a economia criativa assume uma tendência de concentrar e potencializar dinâmicas de proximidade espacial, constituindo aglomerações de atividades com caráter complementar, fortalecendo relações de reciprocidade, uma vez que estabelece formas de contrato baseados em trocas e distribuições recíprocas muitas vezes implícitas que não possuem valor meramente quantitativo, permitindo a constituição de relações de pertencimento e a consolidação de identidades sociais e espaciais.
Figurino como narrativa não verbal: uma análise de Daenerys Targaryen da série Game of Thrones
Authors: Silva Diane , Almeida Bezerra Amílcar , Coutinho Pepece Olga Maria , Celso de Miranda Ana Paula
Published: September 2017

Este estudo analisou o figurino da personagem Daenerys do seriado Game of Thrones, buscando destacar como a construção e os elementos que compõe o seu figurino lhe trazem significado, auxiliam a narrativa, e auxiliam no desenvolvimento de produtos que geram consumo que extrapola o assistir à série. Para tal, foi realizado o estudo de imagem em movimento (BEZERRA e MIRANDA, 2014) e em complemento uma análise das funções do figurino (CORDEIRO, 2009). Desta forma, propomos uma abordagem que nos permite compreender melhor de que modo, aspectos da construção de figurino significam uma identidade de personagem ao mesmo tempo coerente e múltipla, produzindo uma imagem ideal que inspira o desenvolvimento de novos produtos e que é atraente ao consumo para os telespectadores.
Lesiones precursoras de malignidad gástrica y su asociación con hábitos alimentarios
Authors: Yepez Caicedo Yomaira , Ricaurte Enriquez Pedro Alexander , Bedoya Urresta Alvaro , Berbesi Fernández Dedsy Yajaira
Published: September 2017

Introducción. Se determinó la asociación entre los hábitos alimentarios y la presencia de lesiones precursoras de malignidad gástrica (gastritis crónica atrófica, metaplasia intestinal y displasia leve), en hombres y mujeres entre los 30 y los 60 años de edad que acudieron a consulta de gastroenterología en el Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Digestivas de la ciudad de Pasto (Nariño) durante el último trimestre del año 2015 y el primer semestre del año 2016. Metodología: estudio analítico transversal en el que se analizaron variables histológicas, sociales, demográficas, antropométricas y alimentarias. Se realizó análisis descriptivo, bivariado y multivariado por medio de odds ratio (oportunidad relativa) cruda y ajustada con un IC del 95%.Resultados: el 35,5% de los 231 pacientes encuestados fueron diagnosticados histológicamente con dichas lesiones; la edad promedio no superó los 46 años; predominó el sexo femenino con 57,1%; el 32,5% tenía una formación de nivel profesional y el 58% estaba afiliado al régimen subsidiado. Estas lesiones se asociaron con el consumo de cereales y grasas por encima de los 10 y 8,5 intercambios (OR 2,20; 95% CI: 1,08 – 4,47) y (OR 2,52; 95% CI: 1,28-4,94), respectivamente. La incorporación de sal a las comidas servidas aumenta la probabilidad de presentar lesiones estomacales en 1,94 (IC del 95%; 1,03-3,66). El consumo regular de vegetales por encima de los 2 intercambios reduce la probabilidad de presentar lesiones estomacales (OR 0,53; IC del 95%; 0,27-0,99).Conclusión: con la investigación, se pretende aportar conocimientos acerca de diferentes factores que pueden participar en la iniciación, promoción y progresión del cáncer gástrico.
Hallazgos imagenológicos en cálculos abandonados en cavidad abdominal posterior a colecistectomía por laparoscopia: serie de 7 casos y revisión de la literatura
Authors: Pérez Juan Manuel , Brito Araújo Arnaldo Andrés , Pérez Carolina , Forero Julián , Cifuentes Grillo Paola Andrea , Cabrera Riascos Elkin Yasmany , Kadamani Akram
Published: September 2017

La colecistectomía laparoscópica (CL) es la técnica quirúrgica de elección actual para el tratamiento de la colelitiasis sintomática. Sin embargo, este procedimiento acarrea ciertas complicaciones, dentro de lascuales destacamos la perforación de la vesícula biliar con subsiguiente caída de los cálculos y bilis a la cavidad peritoneal, que puede dar origen a la formación de abscesos abdominales tiempo después de dicho procedimiento quirúrgico.Por tal motivo, los cálculos biliares abandonados deben reconocerse como una fuente potencial para la formación de un proceso inflamatorio intraabdominal, en especial cuando se tiene historia de perforaciónvesicular durante el procedimiento, o en los casos de conversión a colecistectomía abierta y caída de los cálculos a la cavidad peritoneal. Tanto los radiólogos como los cirujanos deben familiarizarse con los hallazgos imagenológicos de las diferentes modalidades diagnósticas, como el ultrasonido, la TC y la resonancia magnética, así como con las diferentes manifestaciones clínicas que pueden presentarse.En esta publicación, presentamos los casos de 7 pacientes con antecedente de colecistectomía laparoscópica que acudieron al servicio de urgencia de nuestro hospital por dolor abdominal y en quienes los hallazgos imagenológicos determinaron la presencia de colecciones perihepáticas por cálculos caídos.
Disaggregated Analysis of Performances of Grade 12 Learners in Gauteng Province, Republic of South Africa
Authors: M.E Letsoalo
Published: September 2017

This paper presents the researchersâ€™ interpretive analysis of data from the main study that was aimed at proposing the method that will plausibly be used to analyse the Grade 12 results and to compare performances of learners between provinces of South Africa. This cross-sectional, quantitative, and ex-post-facto designed study used secondary and clustered data, as supplied by Department of Basic Education through Umalusi council, to compare the likelihood of passing Grade 12 between male and female learners in the Gauteng Province, even after adjusting for school quintile. Thus, this work attempted to model the relation between school resources inputs and school outcomes called educational achievements or academic performances. The dataset contained a total of 98894 (45.44% male and 54.56% female) learners who set for Grade 12 examinations in 2008 academic. The crude estimates indicated that female learners than male learners were significantly 1.035 more likely to pass Grade 12 (OR = 1.035, p = 0.016, 95% CI: 1.006 - 1.065). Also, the school quintile adjusted model indicated that female learners than their male counterparts were significantly 1.040 more likely to pass Grade 12 (OR = 1.040, p = 0.010, 95% CI: 1.009 - 1.072). The significant effect of school quintile favoured female learners (p < 0.001). These results, from disaggregated analysis, indicated that there was sufficient evidence that female than male learners had better chances of passing Grade 12 in Gauteng Province. Therefore, authorities may consider the issue of learner-gender when allocating resources to different school In Gauteng Province.
Public Perception toward the Impact of People Activities in Sand and Stone Mining on Economy and Environment in Nulokla Village Jayapura
Authors: Ratang Sarlota
Published: September 2017

This research is aimed to determine the public perception towards the impact of people activities in sand and stone mining in Nolokla village, Jayapura, determine the people income levels of sand and stone mining in Nolokla village Jayapura, and the impact which is felt by the miners in terms of the surrounding environment. This research is a survey with descriptive analysis method. The positive impact in term of economics, sand and stone mining in Nolokla is increasing the income of the miners. The gross income of sand miners per day is Rp. 1.037.500, while for stone miners is Rp. 1.365.000. However, the negative impact of the activity is environmental degradation, water flow decrease and critical land.
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia associated with esophageal atresia, tracheoesophageal fistula and total anomalous pulmonary venous connection in a premature twin newborn
Authors: Savic Djordje , Grujic Blagoje , Stankovic Nikola , Milickovic Maja , Stankovic Zoran , Kojovic Vladimir
Published: September 2017

Introduction. Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) with concomitant esophageal atresia (EA) and tracheo-esophageal fistula (TEF) is a very rare condition, with a high mortality rate. Prematurity and congenital heart anomalies additionally increase the mortality rate. This situation is a great challenge for clinicians, requiring multidisciplinary work and adequate treatment strategy. Case report. We presented a premature twin newborn at the gestational age of 33/34 weeks with body mass of 1690 g. The existence of the left CDH was established on prenatal ultrasound exam in the 24th gestational week, and the diagnosis of EA with TEF was made on admittance to our hospital. The cardiac ultrasound exam revealed the total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC). The first operation was performed on the day of admittance and consisted of left subcostal laparotomy, diaphragmatic repair, elastic occlusion of the gastroesophageal junction and gastrostomy. The ligation of TEF and esophagoplasty were done 13 days later in the second operation. The lethal outcome during the esophagoplasty was caused by the crisis of pulmonary hypertension and associated congenital heart anomaly (TAPVC). The presence of CDH and EA/TEF in association with TAPVC in a twin newborn has not been reported before in the literature. Conclusion. The treatment of newborns with CDH and EA/TEF requires multidisciplinary well-coordinated team work of pediatric surgeons, anaesthesiologists, neonatologists and pulmologists. The standard protocol for the management does not exist, but well-planned staged operations could enable greater survival rate.
Revisiting the Firm, Reporting Entity, and Going Concern Concepts in Light of Financial Crisis
Authors: Moore Louella
Published: September 2017

Contemporary accounting conceptual frameworks depict reporting entities as self-evident stand-alone units whose current activities are likely to continue. That representation is revisited in light of Veblen's (1904) sabotage thesis that managers routinely utilize mechanisms that disrupt underlying markets. Credit default swaps played a significant role in the 2008 subprime financial crisis, blurring the boundaries of entities to create entanglements that threatened the global financial infrastructure. The reporting entity and going concern concepts developed in a climate of philosophical pragmatism operating from a flawed premise that a scientific approach assures objective, value-free data. The conventional treatment of reporting entities is contrasted with emerging conversations that paint “the firm” as a legal fiction functioning within a dynamic and potentially unstable matrix. The paper argues that a distorted view on the underlying nature of the firm masks significant public interest issues, making it difficult to address problems inherent in interdependent institutional structures.
Does CSR Reporting Really Impact FERCs?
Authors: Birkey Rachel N. , Guidry Ronald P. , Patten Dennis M.
Published: September 2017

As part of a study on the value of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting for market participants, Dhaliwal, Radhakrishnan, Tsang, and Yang (2012) document a positive future earnings response coefficient (FERC) related to CSR report issuance. They argue the reports allow investors to better identify companies' social and environmental performance and thus better predict their future earnings. Our concern is that they fail to consider that CSR reports are likely issued for reasons other than informing investors, and we further argue that the low average quality of CSR reports makes it unlikely that companies use them for informing investors of actual social and environmental performance. Focusing on only first-time issuances of CSR reports by U.S. firms, we find, in contrast to Dhaliwal et al. (2012), no significant impacts on FERCs. Our results are robust to consideration of report quality and potentially differing impacts for firms operating in industries facing higher levels of social or environmental exposure. The findings thus suggest the claims made by Dhaliwal et al. (2012) regarding CSR reporting are questionable.
El estilo nacional en los símiles de los místicos españoles y franceses
Authors: Hatzfeld Helmut Anthony
Published: September 2017

En este número no se incluyeron resúmenes ni palabras clave.
"Lerdo"
Authors: Spitzer Leo
Published: September 2017

En este número no se incluyeron resúmenes ni palabras clave.
Guillermo Lohmann Villena, El arte dramático en Lima durante el Virreinato. Madrid, Publicaciones de la Escuela de Estudios Hispano-Americanos de la Universidad de Sevilla, 1945, xviii + 647 págs.
Authors: Rojas Garcidueñas José de Jesús
Published: September 2017

Se reseñó el libro: El arte dramático en Lima durante el Virreinato.
Joaquín García Icazbalceta, Don Fray Juan de Zumárraga. Edición de Rafael Aguayo Spencer y Antonio Castro Leal. México, Editorial Porrúa, S. A., 1947, Colección de Escritores Mexicanos, números 41-44, 4 vols.
Authors: Rojas Garcidueñas José de Jesús
Published: September 2017

Se reseñó el libro: Don Fray Juan de Zumárraga. Edición de Rafael Aguayo Spencer y Antonio Castro Leal.
Un Decir más de Francisco Imperial: "Respuesta a Fernán Pérez de Guzmán"
Authors: Lida María Rosa
Published: September 2017

En este número no se incluyeron resúmenes ni palabras clave.
"Rato"
Authors: Spitzer Leo
Published: September 2017

En este número no se incluyeron resúmenes ni palabras clave.
Aurelio Miró Quesada S., El Inca Garcilaso. Lima, 1947, 394 págs.
Authors: Durand José
Published: September 2017

Se reseñó el libro: El Inca Garcilaso.
Edna Garrido, Versiones dominicanas de romances españoles recogidas y anotadas por... Ciudad Trujillo, República Dominicana, Pol Hermanos Editores, 1946, 110 págs. + bibl. y 2 gráficas.
Authors: Mejía Sánchez Ernesto
Published: September 2017

Se reseñó el libro: Versiones dominicanas de romances españoles...
Cervantes across the centuries. A quadricentennial volume edited by Angel Flores and M. J. Benardete. New York, The Dryden Press, 1947, X+ 374 páginas. Homenaje a Cervantes. En Realidad, Buenos Aires, octubre de 1947, vol. ii, n° 5.
Authors: Alonso Amado
Published: September 2017

Se reseñó el libro: Cervantes across the centuries. A quadricentennial volume edited by Angel Flores and M. J. Benardete.
La biblioteca del Inca
Authors: Durand José
Published: September 2017

En este número no se incluyeron resúmenes ni palabras clave.
Adición a "Soy quien soy"
Authors: Spitzer Leo
Published: September 2017

En este número no se incluyeron resúmenes ni palabras clave.
Hugo Schuchardt, Primitiae linguae vasconum, versión española con notas y comentarios por A. Yrigoyen, con una carta-prólogo de Julio de Urquijo. Salamanca, Colegio Trilingüe de la Universidad, 1947, 88 págs. / Florentino Castro Guisasola, El enigma del vascuence ante las lenguas indoeuropeas. Madrid, anejo XXX de la RFE, 1944, 293 págs.
Authors: Alonso Amado
Published: September 2017

Se reseñaron: Hugo Schuchardt, Primitiae linguae vasconum, versión española con notas y comentarios por A. Yrigoyen, con una carta-prólogo de Julio de Urquijo, y Florentino Castro Guisasola, El enigma del vascuence ante las lenguas indoeuropeas.
La controversia en los autos de Calderón
Authors: Entwistle William J.
Published: September 2017

En este número no se incluyeron resúmenes ni palabras clave.
Applications of Ion Exchange Resin in Oral Drug Delivery Systems
Authors: Harsha Kathpalia , Sukanya Das
Published: September 2017

Ion Exchange Resins (IER) are insoluble polymers having styrene divinylbenzene copolymer backbone that contain acidic or basic functional groups and have the ability to exchange counter ions with the surrounding aqueous solutions. From the past many years they have been widely used for purification and softening of water and in chromatographic columns, however recently their use in pharmaceutical industry has gained considerable importance. Due to the physical stability and inert nature of the resins, they can be used as a versatile vehicle to design several modified release dosage forms The ionizable drug is complexed with the resin owing to the property of ion exchange. This resin complex dissociatesin vivo to release the drug. Based on the dissociation strength of the drug from the drug resin complex, various release patterns can be achieved. Many formulation glitches can be circumvented using ion exchange resins such as bitter taste and deliquescence. These resins also aid in enhancing disintegrationand stability of formulation. This review focuses on different types of ion exchange resins, their preparation methods, chemistry, properties, incompatibilities and their application in various oral drug delivery systems as well as highlighting their use as therapeutic agents.
Development of Pulsatile Drug Delivery for Chronotherapeutics of Hypertension
Authors: Kanugo A. Y. , Kochar N. I. , Chandewar A. V.
Published: September 2017

The goal of present work was to investigate the effects of rupturable material ethyl cellulose combines with erodible material Klucel EXF on the pulsatile release pattern of Candesartan cilexetil in order to prevent morning rise in blood pressure. A tablet prepared by compression coating method contains core and coat components. Core consists of active ingredients with its various superdisintegrants where as coat contains different grades of ethyl cellulose and Klucel HXF in various combinations. All these tablets were evaluated for its micromeritics, weight variations, hardness, friability and in vitro dissolution testing. Drug-excipients interactions were carried out by FTIR. Dissolution studies were carried out in simulated gastric fluid followed by phosphate buffer of pH 6.5. The optimized formulation PT6 which give lag time of 6 hrs and released 99.10 % within 7 hr, as well as found to be stable in ICH stability testing guidelines.
Antibacterial Activity of Thujaoccidentalis,ThujaorientalisandChamaecyparisobtusa
Authors: Seo Kyoung- Sun , Jin Seong Woo , Choi Seongkyu , Yun Kyeong Won
Published: September 2017

The antibacterial activity of three Cupressaceae plants (Thujaoccidentalis,ThujaorientalisandChamaecyparisobtusa) was tested against three bacteria using the agar diffusion method. The ether and ethylacetate fraction of crude methanol extract from the three plants showed potent antibacterial activity against the tested microorganisms. The result showed that Staphylococcus aureus revealed the most sensitivity among the tested bacteria. Thujaoccidentalisether fraction and Thujaorientalis hexane fraction exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. E. coli was shown the highest MIC values compared to the other two tested bacteria, which indicates the lowest antibacterial activity against the bacterium. This study promises an interesting future for designing a potentially active antibacterial agent from the three Cupressaceae plants.
Anethumgraveolens: Physicochemical Properties, Medicinal Uses, Antimicrobial Effects, Antioxidant Effect, Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Effects: A Review
Authors: Altameme Huda Jasim , Hameed Imad Hadi , Hamza Lena Fadhil
Published: September 2017

Anethumgraveolens, belong to the family Umbelliferae, is indigenous to southern Europe. It is an annual herb growing in the Mediterranean region, central and southern Asia.Now it is cultivated widely throughout the world. It is used traditionally as a popular aromatic herb and spice that has a very long history of use going back to more than 5,000 years. It was used as a remedy for indigestion and flatulence and as milk secretion stimulant. The essential oil and different extracts of Anethumgraveolensseeds exerted antimicrobial activity against wide range of microorganisms. The essential oils and acetone extracts shown antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus faecalis, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, Salmonella choleraesuis, S. typhimurium, Shigellaflexneri, Salmonella typhii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Mycobacterium. Anethumgraveolens seed extracts exerted moderate activity against Helicobacter pylori.
Development and Validation of Stability Indicating Assay Method for Simultaneous Estimation of Glibenclamide and Metformin
Authors: K. Waje M. , U. Barge V. , B. Talole B.
Published: September 2017

A high performance reverse phase liquid chromatographic procedure is developed for simultaneous estimation of Metformin and Glibenclamide in combined tablet dosage form. The method was carried out on Agilent Hypersil ODS (4.6 x 250 mm) column with a mobile phase used consisting of Methanol: Water (0.1 % OPA) OPA= Ortho Phosphoric acid (80:20) and the pH of buffer was adjusted to 3 using 2M Orthophosphoric acid. The detection of the combined dosage form was carried out at 228 nm and a flow rate employed was 1 ml/min and column oven temperature at 300C. The retention times of Metformin andGlibenclamide were 3.4667 and 7.3500 minutes respectively. The developed method was validated in terms of accuracy, precision, linearity, limit of detection, limit of quantification as per ICH norms. The proposed method can be used for the estimation of these combined drugs.
CAPM Patient Satisfaction Survey
Authors: Nasser Marouane , Tijane M'hamed , Badrane Narjis , Bencheikh Rachida Soulaymani , Bouazzi Omaima El
Published: September 2017

As part of the ISO 15189 certification preparation, the toxicology and pharmacology laboratory of the Poison Control and Pharmacovigilance Center of Morocco(CAPM) Satisfaction Survey for Patients Requesting Analyzes. The chosen tool was a questionnaire using 11 closed questions and 1 open. The survey was conducted on patients who performed the toxicology and pharmacology analyzes during the period January 01, 2016 to August 31, 2016.The results obtained have made it possible to evaluate the perception of the quality of the service rendered by the laboratory to these patients.
Novel UV Spectrophotometric Method for the Quantitative Analysis of CefpodoximeProxetil in Pharmaceutical Formulations by First Derivative Technique
Authors: S. Potdar S. , R. Karajgi S. , C. Simpi C. , V. Kalyane N.
Published: September 2017

The spectrophotometric method for estimation of CefpodoximeProxetil employed first derivative amplitude UV spectrophotometric method for analysis using methanol as solvent for the drug. CefpodoximeProxetil has absorbance maxima at 235nm and obeys Beer’s law in concentration range 10-50µg/ml with good linearity i.e. r2 about 0.999. The recovery studies established accuracy of the proposed method; result validated according to ICH guideline. Results were found satisfactory and reproducible. The method was successfully for evaluation of CefpodoximeProxetil in tablet dosage form without interference of common excipients.
Multimodality molecular imaging: Paving the way for personalized medicine
Authors: Zaidi Habib
Published: September 2017

Early diagnosis and therapy increasingly operate at the cellular, molecular or even at the genetic level. As diagnostic techniques transition from the systems to the molecular level, the role of multimodality molecular imaging becomes increasingly important. Positron emission tomography (PET), x-ray CT and MRI are powerful techniques for in vivo imaging. The inability of PET to provide anatomical information is a major limitation of standalone PET systems. Combining PET and CT proved to be clinically relevant and successfully reduced this limitation by providing the anatomical information required for localization of metabolic abnormalities. However, this technology still lacks the excellent soft-tissue contrast provided by MRI. Standalone MRI systems reveal structure and function, but cannot provide insight into the physiology and/or the pathology at the molecular level. The combination of PET and MRI, enabling truly simultaneous acquisition, bridges the gap between molecular and systems diagnosis. MRI and PET offer richly complementary functionality and sensitivity; fusion into a combined system offering simultaneous acquisition will capitalize the strengths of each, providing a hybrid technology that is greatly superior to the sum of its parts.

This talk also reflects the tremendous increase in interest in quantitative molecular imaging using PET as both clinical and research imaging modality in the past decade. It offers a brief overview of the entire range of quantitative PET imaging from basic principles to various steps required for obtaining quantitatively accurate data from dedicated standalone PET and combined PET/CT and PET/MR systems including algorithms used to correct for physical degrading factors and to quantify tracer uptake and volume for radiation therapy treatment planning. Future opportunities and the challenges facing the adoption of multimodality imaging technologies and their role in biomedical research will also be addressed.
Classification of methods for generating pseudo-CT from MRI images for MRI-alone RT
Authors: Wafa BOUKELLOUZ , Abdelouahab MOUSSAOUI
Published: September 2017

Background: Since the last decades, research have been oriented towards an MRI-alone radiation treatment planning (RTP), where MRI is used as the primary modality for imaging, delineation and dose calculation by assigning to it the needed electron density (ED) information. The idea is to create a computed tomography (CT) image or so-called pseudo-CT from MRI data. In this paper, we review and classify methods for creating pseudo-CT images from MRI data. Each class of methods is explained and a group of works in the literature is presented in detail with statistical performance. We discuss the advantages, drawbacks and limitations of each class of methods.

Methods: We classified most recent works in deriving a pseudo-CT from MR images into four classes: segmentation-based, intensity-based, atlas-based and hybrid methods. We based the classification on the general technique applied in the approach.

Results: Most of research focused on the brain and the pelvis regions. The mean absolute error (MAE) ranged from 80 HU to 137 HU and from 36.4 HU to 74 HU for the brain and pelvis, respectively. In addition, an interest in the Dixon MR sequence is increasing since it has the advantage of producing multiple contrast images with a single acquisition.

Conclusion: Radiation therapy field is emerging towards the generalization of MRI-only RT thanks to the advances in techniques for generation of pseudo-CT images. However, a benchmark is needed to set in common performance metrics to assess the quality of the generated pseudo-CT and judge on the efficiency of a certain method.
Brain Structures Segmentation by using Statistical Models
Authors: Meziane Abdelfettah , MAHMOUDI Saïd , CHIKH Mohammed Amine
Published: September 2017

Automatic segmentation of brain structures is a fundamental step for quantitative analysis of images in many brain’s pathologies such as Alzheimer’s, brain’s tumors or multiple sclerosis. The large variation of brain structures requires the development of efficient and specific methods, often by using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) modality. The goal of our work is to implement an automatic brain’s structures segmentation method that uses the active shape models (ASM) and active appearance models (AAM) techniques. Another goal of this work is to compare the performances of these segmentation approaches, and also to evaluate their use in a computer aided diagnosis tools and to compare their performances.
Combining First-Principles and Data Modeling for the Accurate Prediction of the Refractive Index of Organic Polymers
Authors: Afzal Mohammad Atif Faiz , Cheng Chong , Hachmann Johannes
Published: September 2017

Organic materials with a high index of refraction (RI) are attracting considerable interest due to their potential application in optic and optoelectronic devices. However, most of these applications require an RI value of 1.7 or larger, while typical carbon-based polymers only exhibit values in the range of 1.3–1.5. This paper introduces an efficient computational protocol for the accurate prediction of RI values in polymers to facilitate in silico studies that an guide the discovery and design of next-generation high-RI materials. Our protocol is based on the Lorentz-Lorenz equation and is parametrized by the polarizability and number density values of a given candidate compound. In the proposed scheme, we compute the former using first-principles electronic structure theory and the latter using an approximation based on van der Waals volumes. The critical parameter in the number density approximation is the packing fraction of the bulk polymer, for which we have devised a machine learning model. We demonstrate the performance of the proposed RI protocol by testing its predictions against the experimentally known RI values of 112 optical polymers. Our approach to combine first-principles and data modeling emerges as both a successful and highly economical path to determining the RI values for a wide range of organic polymers.
Multi-Objective Evolutionary Optimization of Aperiodic Symmetrical Linear Arrays
Authors: Napoli Francesco , Pajewski Lara , Vescovo Roberto , Marciniak Marian
Published: September 2017

In this paper, a multi-objective approach is applied to the design of aperiodic linear arrays of antennas. The adopted procedure is based on a standard Matlab implementation of the Controlled Elitist Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II. Broadside symmetrical arrays of isotropic radiators are considered with both uniform and non-uniform excitations. The work focuses on whether, and in which design conditions, the aperiodic solutions obtained by the adopted standard multi-objective evolutionary procedure can approximate or outperform the Pareto-optimal front for the uniformspacing case computable by the Dolph-Chebyshev method.
Search for Chelyabinsk Meteorite Fragments in Chebarkul Lake Bottom (GPR and Magnetic Data)
Authors: Buzin Vladimir , Edemsky Dmitry , Gudoshnikov Sergey , Kopeikin Vladimir , Morozov Pavel , Popov Alexey , Prokopovich Igor , Skomarovsky Vladimir , Melnik Nikolay , Berkut Andrey , Merkulov Sergey , Vorovsky Pavel , Bogolyubov Leonid
Published: September 2017

The paper summarizes experimental efforts of the Pushkov Institute of Terrestrial Magnetism, Ionosphere and Radio Wave Propagation (IZMIRAN) undertaken in search of the biggest part of Chelyabinsk meteorite in the bottom of lake Chebarkul, South Ural, Russia, and to estimate the ecological effects of its subsequent excavation.
Value of Reliability for Road Freight Transportation
Authors: Shams Kollol , Jin Xia , Fitzgerald Rickey , Asgari Hamidreza , Hossan M. S.
Published: September 2017

This paper presents the findings of a study recently conducted in Florida to quantify freight users’ willingness to pay (WTP) for the improvement of transportation-related attributes, particularly reliability. A stated preference survey was developed and administered between January and May 2016. The survey collected responses from 150 shippers, carriers, and forwarders. Econometric models, including mixed and multinomial logit models, were developed to estimate the users’ WTP and to investigate the presence of user heterogeneity. The value of time and the value of reliability were estimated separately for the various user groups. The results indicated that carriers showed the lowest WTP when their WTP was compared with that of other freight users. Shippers without transportation—that is, shippers who contracted out their shipping— exhibited more interest in reducing travel time savings, whereas shippers with transportation showed more sensitivity to reliability. Preference heterogeneity was also explored by commodity group and product type. The results confirmed the findings from past studies and showed significant differences in WTP values when the sources of heterogeneity were considered. This paper contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence of the quantification of the value of reliability in road freight transportation and the impacts of user heterogeneity. The study results will help advance understanding of the impacts of the performance of transportation systems on the freight industry.
Measuring Performance on Two-Lane Highways: Empirical Investigation
Authors: Al-Kaisy Ahmed , Jafari Amirhossein , Washburn Scott
Published: September 2017

This paper presents an empirical investigation into several performance measures for operational analysis on two-lane highways. The performance measures investigated are average travel speed, average travel speed to free-flow speed, percent followers, followers flow, followers density, percent impeded, impeded flow, and impeded density. Field data from 16 study sites in the states of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and North Carolina representing Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 highways were used in this study. The level of association between performance measures and some of the most important traffic variables was examined with graphical and statistical techniques. The traffic variables investigated in this study included combined flow in both directions of travel; proportion of traffic in the direction of travel, called in this study “traffic split”; percentage of heavy vehicles; and speed variance. Study results suggest that speed-related measures have weak associations with traffic variables compared with headway-related measures. Further, compound measures involving headway and traffic flow or density exhibited the highest associations with traffic variables. With regard to two-lane highway type, higher associations are exhibited at Class 1 sites compared with Class 2 and Class 3 sites. Performance measures showed the highest associations with combined flow and traffic split.
Novel Area Occupancy–Based Method for Passenger Car Unit Estimation on Multilane Urban Roads Under Heterogeneous Traffic Scenario
Authors: Mishra Raunak , Kumar Pallav , Arkatkar Shriniwas S. , Sarkar Ashoke Kumar , Joshi Gaurang J.
Published: September 2017

This research was aimed at developing an area occupancy–based method for estimating passenger car unit (PCU) values for vehicle categories under heterogeneous traffic conditions on multilane urban roads for a wide range of traffic flow levels. First, PCU values of vehicle categories were determined according to the Transport and Road Research Laboratory definition and replaced the commonly considered measure of performance speed with area occupancy using simulation. The PCU values obtained were found to be significantly different for different volume-to-capacity ratios; this result shows that the PCU value is dynamic in nature. While the dynamic nature of PCU values is well appreciated, practitioners may prefer a single set of optimized PCU values (unique for each vehicle category). Hence, a new method with a matrix solution was proposed to estimate the optimized or unique set of PCU values with area occupancy as the performance measure. To check the credibility of the proposed method, the estimated PCU values were compared from existing guidelines regulated by the Indian Roads Congress (IRC) and values estimated with the widely accepted dynamic PCU concept of speed–area ratio. Results show that the PCU values suggested by IRC and the dynamic PCU concept using the speed–area ratio underestimate and overestimate the flows, respectively, at different traffic volumes. However, the values obtained with the area-occupancy concept were found to be consistent with the traffic flow in a cars-only traffic situation at different flow conditions. The derived set of optimized PCU values proposed can be useful for traffic engineers, researchers, and practitioners for capacity and level-of-service analysis under heterogeneous traffic conditions.
Operational Analysis of a Single-Lane Roundabout with a Mix of Driverless Vehicles
Authors: Shi Liang , Prevedouros Panos D.
Published: September 2017

Driverless cars (DLCs) are vehicles capable of managing several driving tasks by themselves under different degrees of human intervention. DLCs are able to maintain shorter headways in entering a roundabout and circulating in the roundabout. The Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) provides a regression-based gap acceptance model for estimating the capacity of roundabouts. The gap acceptance model captures driver behavior, which is characterized by headways. As automotive manufacturers and technology companies develop driverless capabilities for roadway vehicles, DLCs at various traffic compositions will likely have different effects on the traffic operation of roundabouts. This paper presents the operational analysis for a single-lane roundabout with driverless vehicles under different traffic compositions. Considering the uncertainty of the technological capabilities and the legal and behavioral acceptability of DLCs, sensitivity analyses were conducted. The simulation results for one sample case study show that when the roundabout operates at a Level of Service B (LOS B) or better, DLCs will not have an effect on either the capacity or the control delay. A reduction in control delay will occur when DLCs are set with shorter headways (as assumed for the connected DLC) under low traffic composition (1% to 10%) on a single-lane roundabout operating near capacity. When the share is below 1%, the effect of DLCs is very small. When the LOS of the roundabout approaches E, more reduction in delay is expected when the portion of DLCs in traffic increases.
Reference Values for Selected Ophthalmic Diagnostic Tests in the Caatinga Parakeet (Eupsittula Cactorum) and Yellow-Chevroned Parakeet (Brotogeris Chiriri)
Authors: Oliveira Maria Madalena S. , Araújo Nayone L.L.C. , Raposo Ana Cláudia S. , Torezani Josiano C. , Menezes Íris Daniela S. , Oriá Arianne P.
Published: September 2017

The aim of the present study was to determine reference values for selected ophthalmic diagnostic tests in the Caatinga Parakeet ( Eupsittula cactorum) and Yellow-chevroned Parakeet ( Brotogeris chiriri). Healthy adults of undetermined gender (15 Caatinga Parakeets and 13 Yellow-chevroned Parakeets), kept at the Triage Center of Wild Animals (CETAS, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil), were used in this investigation. Ophthalmic diagnostic tests were conducted in both eyes, including culture of the conjunctival bacterial flora with antimicrobial susceptibility test, conjunctival cytology, evaluation of tear production by phenol red thread test (PRTT) and endodontic absorbent paper point tear test (EAPPTT), measurements of palpebral fissure length (PFL) and corneal touch threshold (CTT). There was bacterial growth in 97.5% of the evaluated samples, with predominance of Grampositive microorganisms. The antimicrobial susceptibility test showed ciprofloxacin to be the most effective antibiotic. The conjunctival cytology of Caatinga Parakeets demonstrated hypocellularity with a discrete amount of squamous cells, whereas for Yellow-chevroned Parakeets, it presented hypercellularity and predominance of lymphocytes. Medians ± semi-interquartile ranges in Caatinga and Yellow-chevroned Parakeets, respectively, were: 3.51±2.2 and 1.67±1.95 mm·15 s−1 for PRTT; 8.74±2.0 and 5.89±1.48 mm min−1 for EAPPTT; 6.24±3.5 and 6.35±0.27 mm for PFL; and 4.5±1.0 and 3.5±1.95 cm for CTT. The ophthalmic parameters determined in this study may help in the diagnosis of ocular diseases in Caatinga and Yellow-chevroned Parakeets.
Egg Characteristics in Relation to Skipped Days of Laying in the Grey Partridge
Authors: Cucco Marco , Grenna Marco , Pellegrino Irene
Published: September 2017

Birds sometimes skip a day along the sequence of egg laying, which may vary the mass or the composition of delayed eggs compared with those that were laid consecutively. Our literature review shows that this has been interpreted as a short-term adaptation that enables females to overcome energetic constraints during the laying period, but other hypotheses implying the influence of weather, pollution, or hormonal cycles have also been proposed. We collected freshly laid Grey Partridge Perdix perdix eggs to determine the effects of laying gaps on egg characteristics. Egg shape, as well as egg components (beta-carotene, avidin and lysozyme concentrations) did not vary in relation to skipped days. Eggs were slightly heavier when one or two days were skipped (0.72% and 0.45%, respectively). However, when examining the hatching rate, we found a significant decrease in relation to skipped days, hence eggs following laying gaps showed a lower hatching rate than other eggs. The pattern observed could indicate the presence of some physiological stress that caused females to skip one or two days and to lay eggs that hatched less.
Registration of R10‐5086 and R11‐6870 Soybean Germplasm Lines with Exotic Pedigree
Authors: Manjarrez-Sandoval Pedro , Chen Pengyin , Florez-Palacios Liliana , Orazaly Moldir , Wu Chengjun , Carter Thomas E.
Published: September 2017

Initial narrow genetic base and selective breeding have produced a genetic bottleneck in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr]. In an effort to increase the genetic diversity among the parents used for breeding in southern US breeding programs, the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station released the soybean lines R10‐5086 (Reg. No. GP‐408, PI 682131) and R11‐6870 (Reg. No. GP‐409, PI 682132) in February of 2017 as conventional maturity group (MG) V germplasm because of their high yield potential and exotic germplasm in the pedigree. R10‐5086 has 25% of its pedigree from PI 290126 B and R11‐6870 carries 25% of PI 594208. R10‐5086 and R11‐6870 were evaluated in 49 and 31 locations, respectively, in Arkansas and other southern states including Tennessee, Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia, from 2012 to 2016. Based on results from the United Soybean Board Southern Diversity Yield Trials, the USDA preliminary MG V test, and the University of Arkansas Soybean Breeding Program yield trials, R10‐5086 yielded between 3848 and 4373 kg ha−1 (99 to 103% of commercial check yield). Similarly, R11‐6870 yielded between 4134 and 4467 kg ha−1 (101 to 106% of commercial check yield). Because of the high‐yield potential, wide adaptability, and good agronomic characteristics, such as lodging and shattering resistance, R10‐5086 and R11‐6870 can be used as parents to introduce novel “yield” genes in any public or private breeding program for cultivar development.
The UK Film Council and the ‘Cultural Diversity’ Agenda
Authors: Moody Paul
Published: September 2017

From May 2000 until its demise in 2011, the UK Film Council (UKFC) was the main film funding body in the United Kingdom. While many critics have analysed the economic successes and failures of individual films that it funded over this period, little has been written about its influence on the UK film industry more broadly. Of the handful of articles that have addressed this area, the question of the diversity of the UK film industry, and the UKFC's alleged failure to make it more accessible, is a consistent theme, supported by damning data from Creative Skillset and the UKFC's own reports, which suggest that in many areas the industry is even less diverse now than it was when the UKFC was first established.

Yet despite this evidence, there has until now been no engagement with the views of the staff actually making funding decisions at the UKFC. This article attempts to redress this oversight, by augmenting existing data with interviews with former leading figures in the UKFC's script development and diversity departments, in order to present a richer picture of the issues surrounding UK film funding and the ‘cultural diversity’ agenda. In so doing, I seek to unpick some of the common critiques levelled at the UKFC's record on diversity, and explore why the numerous measures that it put in place failed significantly to change the composition of the UK film industry.
‘Entering the age of the hypermarket cinema’: The First Five Years of the Multiplex in the UK
Authors: Hanson Stuart
Published: September 2017

During the first five years of its development from the opening of The Point in Milton Keynes in 1985, multiplex cinemas radically changed the previous exhibition landscape, modernising the business of cinema exhibition and shifting the site of film consumption to new, out-of-town shopping and leisure centres. This article considers certain key developments in that initial period of the multiplex cinema's introduction into the UK, with particular emphasis on three aspects of its diffusion: the importance of regeneration and enterprise, the multiplex's role in stimulating associated leisure and commercial developments, and its relationship to out-of-town and regional shopping developments. In order to illustrate these themes, the article will consider the opening of four complexes: The Cannon in Salford Quays, and the AMC multiplexes in Telford in Shropshire, in Sheffield and in Dudley Merry Hill in the West Midlands.