bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First record of locally acquired human babesiosis in Canada caused by Babesia duncani: a case report
Authors: Scott John D.
Published: August 2017

Objectives:

The aim of this clinical assessment was to ascertain whether a 70-year-old Canadian patient, who had no history of out-of-country travel, had contracted a Babesia infection.

Methods:

The adult human male developed constitutional symptoms, which included sweats, chills, and immobilizing fatigue, and was screened for human babesiosis. Subsequent testing included a complete Babesia panel that consisted of B. microti immunoflourescent antibody IgM and IgG, B. duncani immunofluorescent antibody IgM and IgG, Babesia PCR, and Babesia fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) test.

Results:

Both the IgM serology and the molecular FISH RNA probe were positive for B. duncani; all tests for B. microti were negative. Based on clinical symptoms and laboratory tests, the patient was diagnosed with human babesiosis. Interestingly, the patient’s wife also was confirmed positive using serological and molecular testing.

Conclusions:

This is the first report of a locally acquired case of human babesiosis in Canada caused by Babesia duncani. The geographical distribution of B. duncani in North America is much greater than previously anticipated, especially north of the Canada-United States border. Since the patient was bitten by a blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, a carrier of multiple zoonotic pathogens, the author suggests that this tick species is a vector of B. duncani. Health-care providers must be aware that B. duncani is present in Canada, and poses a public health risk.
Congressional lettermarks, ideology, and member receipt of stimulus awards from the US Department of Labor
Authors: Neiheisel Jacob R. , Brady Michael C.
Published: August 2017

Recent years have witnessed an increase in members’ use of lettermarks—letters written to the bureaucracy in an effort to secure federal funding for their districts. In spite of the vitriol that has been directed toward the practice, it is unclear whether lettermarks are even effective in aiding legislators’ attempts at funneling dollars toward their districts. In an effort to determine whether lettermarks “work,” we combined content analysis of letters sent by members to the Department of Labor with data on monies awarded to particular districts through the Department of Labor from the stimulus to investigate the relationship between letter writing and awards to members’ districts. We find that, conditional on ideology, lettermarking can have an effect on the likelihood that a district received stimulus money through the Department of Labor. For most legislators, though, lettermarking does not appear to be an effective device for securing federal dollars for their districts. This nuanced set of findings suggests that the bureaucracy may be sensitive to member ideology when deciding whether to fund certain projects. Given the limited time frame and scope of our data, though, we urge researchers to continue to pursue this important line of inquiry.
Bilateral patellar fractures and increased cortical bone thickness associated with long-term oral alendronate treatment in a cat
Authors: Council Nicola , Dyce Jon , Drost Wm Tod , de Brito Galvao Joao Felipe , Rosol Thomas J , Chew Dennis J
Published: August 2017

Case summary

A 14-year-old cat presented with bilateral patellar fractures and radiographically thickened tibial cortices. This cat had been treated with alendronate for 8 years prior to presentation. To remove the subjectivity of the radiographic evaluation, tibial radiographs from 35 apparently healthy geriatric cats were used for comparison. Cortical and diaphyseal thickness were measured at the proximal and distal thirds of the tibia. Our cat had increased cortical bone thickness compared to that of the control cats.

Relevance and novel information

Treatment with bisphosphonates can lead to brittle bones and fractures after prolonged use in humans. This is the first description of fractures and cortical bone changes that may have been associated with prolonged bisphosphonate use in a cat. Radiographic measurements of cortical bone thickness may identify cats that are at increased risk for bone pathology secondary to prolonged alendronate use.
Mental Health in the Workplace
Authors: Cadorette Maureen , Agnew Jacqueline
Published: August 2017

Mental health disorders can have a serious impact on workers’ well-being and job success.
Thirty-Year Experience With ACL Reconstruction Using Patellar Tendon: A Critical Evaluation of Revision and Reoperation
Authors: Riff Andrew J. , Luchetti Timothy J. , Weber Alexander E. , Chahal Jaskarndip , Bach Bernard R.
Published: August 2017

Background:

During the preoperative discussion prior to anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), patients are often interested in data regarding rates of revision reconstruction, reoperation, concomitant pathologic changes, and future contralateral ACL injury.

Purpose:

To analyze a single surgeon’s experience with primary and revision ACLR over a 30-year interval, focusing on incidence and risk factors for revision and reoperation.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

Patients who underwent ACLR from 1986 to 2016 were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Covariates of interest included age, sex, time, and graft selection. Outcomes of interest included revision and reoperation rates.

Results:

A total of 2450 ACLRs (mean patient age, 29 years; 58% male) were reviewed. Among primary ACLRs performed (n = 2225), 68% entailed bone–patellar tendon–bone (BTB) autograft and 30% entailed BTB allograft. Patients undergoing ACLR with autograft and allograft had a mean age of 22 and 37 years, respectively. The rate of revision ACLR was 1.8% and 3.5% for primary and revision cases, respectively. An increased rate of revision was noted among females compared with males (2.6% vs 1.2%) and among allografts compared with autografts (2.7% vs 1.3%). Low-dose irradiation did not affect allograft revision rates. The nonrevision reoperation rate following primary ACLR was 12%. The nonrevision reoperation rate was lower among primary cases reconstructed with allograft than autograft (9% vs 13%). Seventeen percent of cases involved concomitant meniscal repair and, among these, 13% required revision meniscal surgery. The rate of contralateral ACLR was 5.3%

Conclusion:

This information is useful in the informed consent process, for perioperative decision making regarding graft choice, and for identifying patients who are at risk for injuring the uninvolved knee.
Single- Versus Multiple-Site Harvesting Techniques for Bone Marrow Concentrate: Evaluation of Aspirate Quality and Pain
Authors: Oliver Kristin , Awan Tariq , Bayes Matthew
Published: August 2017

Background:

Bone marrow concentrate (BMC) is growing in popularity as an alternative treatment option in orthopaedics. The regenerative capacity of BMC has been linked to the number of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) present in the graft at the time of its clinical application. MSC counts in bone marrow aspirate (BMA) are affected by harvest technique, but controversy exists over which aspiration method optimizes cellular yield while taking patient comfort and risk into consideration.

Purpose:

To compare a single- versus multiple-site bone marrow aspiration technique to determine which would generate a sufficient volume of high-quality BMA for concentration into a BMC graft. The level of pain experienced by the patient was monitored, since patient comfort should be included in the determination of a safe and effective aspiration technique.

Study Design:

Controlled laboratory study and cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

BMC samples from 6 patients were sent to an outside source for laboratory analysis. All 6 participants underwent bilateral bone marrow aspiration. Each patient received both techniques at the posterior iliac crest: one side underwent a multiple-site aspiration technique, and the contralateral side underwent a single-site technique with needle redirection. BMA and BMC samples were analyzed for concentrations white blood cells, total nucleated cells, red blood cells, neutrophils, and hematopoietic stem cells. One BMC sample was cultured, and MSC analysis was performed via flow cytometry. All patients underwent monitoring of pain scores during and after the procedure through a visual analog pain scale at 24 hours, 72 hours, and 7 days after BMA.

Results:

No significant difference was found between the cell ratios of the single- and multiple-site groups. Both aspiration techniques were found to provide ample colony-forming units without a marked difference in appearance. Additionally, no significant difference was found between groups with regard to MSC numbers. Pain during and 24 hours after the procedure was significantly greater with the multiple-site method than the single-insertion method.

Conclusion:

The single-insertion method produced final cellular concentrations and culture results that were not significantly different from those of a multiple-insertion method. Additionally, the single-insertion site technique was significantly less painful to the patient at the time of the procedure as well as 24 hours after aspiration.

Clinical Relevance:

The results of this study indicated that a high-quality bone marrow aspirate is possible with a single-stick aspiration method.
Six-Month Outcomes for Collaborative Care Management of Depression Among Smoking and Nonsmoking Patients
Authors: Witt Daniel R. , Garrison Gregory M. , Gonzalez Cesar A. , Witt Terrence J. , Angstman Kurt B.
Published: August 2017

Background:

Collaborative care management (CCM) is an evidence-based model that contributes to better outcomes for depression treatment in the primary care setting. Tobacco use increases overall economic costs, morbidity, and mortality and has been shown to impact behavioral health outcomes. Our study aims to observe clinical outcomes for depression treatment for patients with comorbid tobacco use and depression within the CCM model.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review study of 2826 adult patients with depression enrolled in CCM was performed to determine the association between regular tobacco use and depression outcomes. Baseline intake data consisting of clinical and demographic variables along with 6-month follow-up of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores for smokers (n = 727, 25.7%) and nonsmokers (n = 2099, 74.3%) were obtained. Depression remission was defined as a PHQ-9 score <5 and persistent depressive symptoms (PDS) as a PHQ-9 score ≥10 at 6 months.

Results:

Using an intention-to-treat analysis, the multivariate modeling demonstrated that smokers, at 6 months, had an increased adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for PDS: 1.624 (95% CI: 1.353-1.949). Furthermore, smokers had a lower AOR of depression remission: 0.603 (95% CI: 0.492-0.739). Patient adherence to treatment was also lower in smokers with an AOR of 0.666 (95% CI: 0.553-0.802).

Conclusions:

Smokers enrolled in CCM were associated with reduced treatment adherence and worse outcomes for depression treatment at 6 months compared to nonsmokers, even when baseline clinical and demographic variables were controlled. Thus, new tailored practices may be warranted within the CCM model to treat comorbid depression and tobacco use disorders.
Introduction
Authors: Gurukkal Rajan
Published: August 2017

As the introductory to the Special Issue reviewing the Draft National Education Policy (NEP), 2016, the article seeks to provide a theoretical framework of critical political economy in examining the context, compulsions, quality implications, and social consequences of the policy document. It mentions certain social theories that compliment the framework of critical political economy by explaining subtleties in the inter-relationship between the economy and educational policy. As background factors essential for a critique of the policy document the special demographic situation, features of national socio-economics, the problem of low GER, dominance of Techno-capitalist Knowledge Economy on the educational policy, and the possible consequences have been summarised. A very brief statement of the purport of articles that make the Special Issue is given at the end.
National Policy on Education and Higher Education
Authors: Varughese Rajan
Published: August 2017

The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has come out with the draft of ‘National Education Policy (NEP) 2016’ in April 2016. The new NEP 2016 seeks to create conditions to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and promote transparency in the management of education in the country. The policy prescriptions enunciated in the policy document are critically examined in the context of the objectives set out in the document. An attempt is made to survey some of the recommendations of the report and examine issues related to higher education in the country. The issues include financing education and the policy initiatives, language policy and higher education, accreditation and quality assurance in higher education, International linkages in higher education and autonomy of higher educational institutions. The general trend seen in the document in support of private investment and justification of moving private involvement from periphery to the centre in higher education is critically commented in the paper.
Promising efficacy and acceptable safety of venetoclax plus bortezomib and dexamethasone in relapsed/refractory MM
Authors: Moreau Philippe , Chanan-Khan Asher , Roberts Andrew W. , Agarwal Amit B. , Facon Thierry , Kumar Shaji , Touzeau Cyrille , Punnoose Elizabeth A. , Cordero Jaclyn , Munasinghe Wijith , Jia Jia , Salem Ahmed Hamed , Freise Kevin J. , Leverson Joel D. , Enschede Sari Heitner , Ross Jeremy A. , Maciag Paulo C. , Verdugo Maria , Harrison Simon J.
Published: August 2017

Key Points

In relapsed/refractory MM, venetoclax plus bortezomib and dexamethasone appears to be safe and efficacious. This is a novel therapeutic approach for MM.
The cross-talk between the kidney and the gut: implications for chronic kidney disease
Authors: de Andrade Laila Santos , Ramos Christiane Ishikawa , Cuppari Lilian
Published: August 2017

In recent decades, special attention has been given to the potential association between the gut ecosystem and chronic diseases. Several features and complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD) may induce an unbalanced gut environment, leading to unfavorable consequences for a patient’s health. The first section of this review is dedicated to a description of some aspects of gut microbiota and intestinal barrier physiology. The following section explores the impact of CKD on the gut ecosystem and intestinal barrier, particularly the association with uremic toxins, inflammation, and immunodeficiency. Finally, the review describes the state of the art of potential therapies with prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics employed to modulate the gut environment and to reduce the generation of colon-derived uremic toxins in CKD.
Source-to-sink system and its sedimentary records in the continental rift basins: An example from the Paleogene in the Bohai Sea Area, China
Authors: Xu Changgui , Du Xiaofeng , Zhu Hongtao , Jia Donghui , Xu Wei , Lu Huan
Published: August 2017

The “source-to-sink” concept originated in the study of global change and atmospheric pollution. In recent years, the concept of a source-to-sink system has been widely applied in continental margin sedimentary analysis. In our research, the idea of source-to-sink is applied to the continental rift basin sedimentary system in the Bohai Sea area. The idea emphasizes that the sedimentation dynamics, including erosion, transportation, and accumulation, are considered as a complete source-to-sink system. The sand-rich region often corresponds to a source-to-sink coupling system in a complex continental rift basin, which includes the effective provenance, high-efficiency routing system, and base-level transition. In addition, (1) the effective provenance can be subdivided into explicit and implicit provenance systems in which the implicit provenance system has been shown to be a significant advancement in reservoir prediction for the Bohai Sea area, (2) the sediment-transport pathways and slope-break zone constitute the routing systems, and (3) the base-level transition is one of the allogenic factors that controls the position of the sandstone distribution in a sequence. Based on a large number of previous studies and different characteristics of sequence-stratigraphic models in the Bohai Sea area, we have evaluated three types of source-to-sink systems, including the fault-steep slope, strike-slip fault slope, and gentle slope pattern. In addition, the fault-steep-slope source-to-sink coupling system can be further subdivided into four types, namely, the corner, relay ramps, fault-throw diminishment-type, and valley-type source-to-sink systems. The source-to-sink system of the gentle slope pattern includes the uplift axis valley-type source-to-sink system and the slope-valley-type source-to-sink system. A small-scale, thick layer of fan delta is formed in the fault-steep-slope zone. A continuous braided river delta is formed in the strike-slip fault slope zone. A large-scale, thin layer of braided river delta is formed in the gentle slope zone. The characteristics of source-to-sink systems in continental rift basins are established for the exploration or prediction of favorable zones in the study area, as well as in similar basins.
Hospitalization Rates and Predictors of Rehospitalization Among Individuals With Advanced Cancer in the Year After Diagnosis
Authors: Whitney Robin L. , Bell Janice F. , Tancredi Daniel J. , Romano Patrick S. , Bold Richard J. , Joseph Jill G.
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Among individuals with advanced cancer, frequent hospitalization increasingly is viewed as a hallmark of poor-quality care. We examined hospitalization rates and individual- and hospital-level predictors of rehospitalization among individuals with advanced cancer in the year after diagnosis.

Methods

Individuals diagnosed with advanced breast, colorectal, non–small-cell lung, or pancreatic cancer from 2009 to 2012 (N = 25,032) were identified with data from the California Cancer Registry (CCR). After linkage with inpatient discharge data, multistate and log-linear Poisson regression models were used to calculate hospitalization rates and to model rehospitalization in the year after diagnosis, accounting for survival.

Results

In the year after diagnosis, 71% of individuals with advanced cancer were hospitalized, 16% had three or more hospitalizations, and 64% of hospitalizations originated in the emergency department. Rehospitalization rates were significantly associated with black non-Hispanic (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.29; 95% CI, 1.17 to 1.42) and Hispanic (IRR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.03 to 1.20) race/ethnicity; public insurance (IRR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.23 to 1.47) and no insurance (IRR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.35); lower socioeconomic status quintiles (IRRs, 1.09 to 1.29); comorbidities (IRRs, 1.13 to 1.59); and pancreatic (IRR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.95 to 2.20) and non–small-cell lung (IRR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.54 to 1.86) cancers versus colorectal cancer. Rehospitalization rates were significantly lower after discharge from a hospital that had an outpatient palliative care program (IRR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.83 to 0.97) and were higher after discharge from a for-profit hospital (IRR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.56).

Conclusion

Individuals with advanced cancer experience a heavy burden of hospitalization in the year after diagnosis. Efforts to reduce hospitalization and provide care congruent with patient preferences might target individuals at higher risk. Future work might explore access to palliative care in the community and related health care use among individuals with advanced cancer.
The constriction and scission machineries involved in mitochondrial fission
Authors: Kraus Felix , Ryan Michael T.
Published: August 2017

A key event in the evolution of eukaryotic cells was the engulfment of an aerobic bacterium by a larger anaerobic archaebacterium, leading to a close relationship between the host and the newly formed endosymbiont. Mitochondria, originating from this event, have evolved to be the main place of cellular ATP production. Maintaining elements of their independence, mitochondria undergo growth and division in the cell, thereby ensuring that new daughter cells inherit a mitochondrial complement. Mitochondrial division is also important for other processes, including quality control, mitochondrial (mt)DNA inheritance, transport and cell death. However, unlike bacterial fission, which uses a dynamin-related protein to constrict the membrane at its inner face, mitochondria use dynamin and dynamin-related proteins to constrict the outer membrane from the cytosolic face. In this Review, we summarize the role of proteins from the dynamin superfamily in mitochondrial division. This includes recent findings highlighting that dynamin-2 (Dnm2) is involved in mitochondrial scission, which led to the reappraisal of the role of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1; also known as Dnm1l) and its outer membrane adaptors as components of the mitochondrial constriction machinery along with ER components and actin.
An improved analysis methodology for translational profiling by microarray
Authors: Sbarrato Thomas , Spriggs Ruth V. , Wilson Lindsay , Jones Carolyn , Dudek Kate , Bastide Amandine , Pichon Xavier , Pöyry Tuija , Willis Anne E.
Published: August 2017

Translational regulation plays a central role in the global gene expression of a cell, and detection of such regulation has allowed deciphering of critical biological mechanisms. Genome-wide studies of the regulation of translation (translatome) performed on microarrays represent a substantial proportion of studies, alongside with recent advances in deep-sequencing methods. However, there has been a lack of development in specific processing methodologies that deal with the distinct nature of translatome array data. In this study, we confirm that polysome profiling yields skewed data and thus violates the conventional transcriptome analysis assumptions. Using a comprehensive simulation of translatome array data varying the percentage and symmetry of deregulation, we show that conventional analysis methods (Quantile and LOESS normalizations) and statistical tests failed, respectively, to correctly normalize the data and to identify correctly deregulated genes (DEGs). We thus propose a novel analysis methodology available as a CRAN package; Internal Control Analysis of Translatome (INCATome) based on a normalization tied to a group of invariant controls. We confirm that INCATome outperforms the other normalization methods and allows a stringent identification of DEGs. More importantly, INCATome implementation on a biological translatome data set (cells silenced for splicing factor PSF) resulted in the best normalization performance and an improved validation concordance for identification of true positive DEGs. Finally, we provide evidence that INCATome is able to infer novel biological pathways with superior discovery potential, thus confirming the benefits for researchers of implementing INCATome for future translatome studies as well as for existing data sets to generate novel avenues for research.
In Equations We Trust? Formula Knowledge Effects on the Exponential Growth Bias in Household Finance Decisions
Authors: Foltice Bryan , Langer Thomas
Published: August 2017

Exponential growth effects play a major role in many household finance decisions. A systematic bias in dealing with exponential growth can lead to poor savings and debt decisions. In this paper, we extend previous research on the exponential growth bias in the savings and debt domains and provide a first experimental link between these two important fields of consumer financial decision making. We develop a measure for the exponential growth bias that naturally extends over different domains and parameter settings, and we explore the ramifications of being acquainted with the basic formula of exponential savings growth. Specifically, we analyze whether such formula knowledge helps only in calculating simple compound interest scenarios with a pocket calculator or if it provides benefits that go beyond this narrow field of application. We observe that—even without a pocket calculator—individuals who know the compound interest formula provide less biased estimates for problems from the savings domain and also for slightly more complicated debt amortization problems that also build on exponential growth effects. We conclude that being acquainted with the compound interest formula provides some intuitive grasp of exponential effects that can be helpful in a broader range of household finance decisions. At the same time, we observe that too much dependence on a calculator can have adverse effects: when equipped with a pocket calculator, a number of participants, both aware and unaware of the compound savings formula, provided persistently insensible answers greater than the initial loan balance in the debt domain.
Assessment of Threats to Forest Ecosystems Using Geospatial Technology in Jharkhand State of India
Authors: Ahmad Firoz , Goparaju Laxmi
Published: August 2017

Conservation of forest biodiversity is vital for mankind as it provides enormous benefits such as biological resources and ecosystem services. Of late, the forests are facing risk and threats such as fragmentation, degradation and forest fires which are responsible for the deteriorating condition.

The progress in the field of science and technology like satellite remote sensing and GIS since the past few decades in India and the world provide an opportunity to track and monitor the changes taking place on the Earth’s surface. Besides, analysis of large spatial data in GIS can also provide insight into the various driving factors which lead to the loss of biodiversity in the threatened ecosystems i.e forests.

This study has attempted to obtain information about the spatial extent of the three forest ecosystem degradation indicators viz. deforestation, fragmentation of forest and forest fires using methodical approach in the Jharkhand state of India. The satellite remote sensing data sets belonging to Landsat-8 were used to analyse the forest cover of Jharkhand state.

To identify the areas of threat, grid cells (5KmX5Km) were generated in GIS domain. Analysis of deforestation was conducted using multi source data of the time periods 1935 and 2015. Evaluation of deforestation spanning over a time period reveals that vital changes have occurred in the forests of Jharkhand and determined 1224 extinct, 248 critically endangered, 318 endangered and 396 vulnerable ecosystem grid cells. The fragmentation analysis has determined 148 critically endangered, 296 endangered and 402 vulnerable ecosystem grid cells. Forest fire point’s data from the year 2005 to 2016 were utilized and analysis was executed. Further frequency of forest fires for each grid was noted. The result indicates that 67.3% of grid cell of Jharkhand forest was affected with forest fire. Conservation status has been evaluated based on the value of threat for each grid which was the fundamental criteria for conservation priority hotspot. About 2.1% of Jharkhand forest ecosystem grids are defined as extremely high ecosystem risk stage and have been designated in the category of conservation priority hotspot-1 followed by 19.7% conservation priority hotspot-2, 41.3% conservation priority hotspot-3, 27.8% conservation priority hotspot-4 and 9.1% lowest conservation priority hotspot-5. This study highlights the capability of integrating remote sensing and GIS data for mapping the forest degradation, which can be useful in formulating the strategies and policies for protection and conservation of forests.
Spatial variation of Aerosol Optical Depth and Solar Irradiance over Delhi -NCR during Summer season
Authors: Bhardwaj Purnima , Pandey Alok , Kumar Krishan , Jain V. K.
Published: August 2017

Present study shows the spatial variation of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), solar irradiance and their association at the urban and rural sites in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) during the summer season of the year 2015. Summer-time AOD data from the NASA’s Terra satellite MODIS sensor has been used to study the spatial distribution of aerosols over Delhi and its surrounding rural area. The ground data for the direct and global solar irradiances was collected over this region at urban and rural locations in Delhi and NCR using a Fieldspec Spectro-radiometer. HYSPLIT model has been used for the air mass trajectory analysis. The AOD values were observed to be higher over Delhi compared to the relatively lower AOD in rural area of NCR. The NCR site observed higher average solar irradiances than Delhi during the summer season. This may be because of the higher aerosol concentration in Delhi as compared to its outskirts. Also, this region is affected by the severe dust storm events during the summer season which further increases the aerosol load in the atmosphere. HYSPLIT results show the influence of western Thar Desert air masses on the Delhi-NCR. Windblown as well anthropogenic aerosols play a major role in scattering and absorption of the incoming solar radiation and hence, in governing the micro-climatology of the region.
Weather Modeling Using Data-Driven Adaptive Rough-Neuro-Fuzzy Approach
Authors: Sudha M.
Published: August 2017

Recently, hybrid data-driven models have become appropriate predictive patterns in various hydrological forecast scenarios. Especially, meteorology has witnessed that there is a need for a much better approach to handle weather-related parameters intelligently. To handle this challenging issue, this research intends to apply the fuzzy and ANN theories for developing hybridized adaptive rough-neuro-fuzzy intelligent system. . Assimilating the features of ANN and FIS has attracted the rising attention of researchers due to the growing requisite of adaptive intelligent systems to solve the real world requirements. The proposed model is capable of handling soft rule boundaries and linguistic variables to improve the prediction accuracy. The adaptive rough-neuro-fuzzy approach attained an enhanced prediction accuracy of 95.49 % and outperformed the existing techniques.
Land Use Planning for Conservation Measures of Basin Using Remote Sensing and GIS Approach: A Case Study
Authors: Vikhe S.D. , Patil K.A.
Published: August 2017

Geographical information system proves efficient tool in delineation of watersheds and its planning. Land use planning through Land capability is the basis of watershed management programme. Land use planning for conservation measures of Basin using Remote Sensing and GIS Approach for Sukhana Basin of Aurangabad District, Maharashtra state has been carried out. Study area is located between 75.33°, 75.76° E longitudes, and 19.66°, 19.98° N latitudes. Class suitable for cultivation are II, III and IV have areal extent 134.41, 150.12 and 165.80 sq.Km. which is 67.32% of the total basin area and class VI and VII are not suitable for cultivation has areal extent 101.68 respectively which is 32.68% of the total area. Based on land capability classification, land use planning with reference to conservation planning for Class II,III,IV are gully control measures, farm bunding such as compartment bunding, contour bunding and graded bunding. Whereas, for class VI measures are continuous contour trenches and staggered trenching and for class VII treatment propose a pasture development.
Latest clinical research
Authors: Greener Mark
Published: August 2017

Mark Greener presents key studies published in healthcare journals
Spotting early liver disease in primary care
Authors: Pryke Rachel
Published: August 2017

With deaths from liver disease on the rise, Rachel Pryke advises on prevention as well as early detection
Development of a Coupled Water Quality Model
Authors: Wang Lili , Flanagan Dennis C. , Cherkauer Keith A.
Published: August 2017

Nonpoint-source (NPS) pollutants, especially from agriculture, continue to be a primary source of waterquality degradation problems. Effective land management decisions at the field scale must be made to minimize nutrient losses that could pollute streams. Existing NPS models often cannot directly estimate the impacts of different land management practices or determine the effectiveness of combined best management practices (BMPs) in a distributed way at the farm scale. In many cases, they rely on application of the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) or its improved versions, which represent fields in a lumped fashion and use empirical rather than process-based modeling methodologies. In this study, a coupled Water Erosion Prediction Project and Water Quality (WEPP-WQ) model was completed, updated, improved, and evaluated for simulation of hydrology, soil erosion, and water quality. The WEPP model is a well-established process-based model that simulates runoff and erosion processes from a hillslope. The water quality components are based on those of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). A single overland flow element (OFE) on a hillslope is used to represent a single soil and land use management. The WEPP-WQ model was tested by comparing simulated values from the coupled model with observed nutrient and sediment concentrations in surface runoff following storm events at experimental sites near Waterloo in northeastern Indiana and at the Throckmorton Purdue Agricultural Center in west central Indiana. Time series evaluation of the WEPP-WQ model was performed with observed nutrient and sediment losses from an experimental plot near Tifton, Georgia. The model performed quite well in simulating nutrient losses for single storm events, with R2 greater than 0.8, Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) greater than 0.65, and percent bias (PBIAS) less than 31% for runoff, sediment, nitrate nitrogen, total nitrogen, soluble phosphorus, and total phosphorus losses. In predicting time series nutrient loss, the WEPP-WQ model simulated daily nitrate nitrogen losses adequately, with the ratio of the root mean square error to the standard deviation of measured data (RSR) less than 0.7, NSE greater than 0.55, and PBIAS within the range of ±40%. Comparisons between simulated soluble phosphorus, total phosphorus, and literature results were performed due to the absence of an available observational dataset. The WEPP-WQ model with a single OFE in this study provides a basic but important step for the development of WEPP-WQ models with multiple OFEs that can evaluate the effectiveness of BMPs Keywords: Modeling, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Soil erosion, Water quality, WEPP.
Soil Throwing Experiments for Reverse Rotary Tillage at Various Depths, Travel Speeds, and Rotational Speeds
Authors: Gao Jianmin , Qi Huidong
Published: August 2017

Abstract. Submerged reverse rotary tillage was presented decades ago as a way to save energy in deep tillage, but its application was limited because it throws the tilled soil forward. The forward-thrown soil gets re-tilled, resulting in wasted energy. To understand the soil throwing process during reverse rotary tillage, a theoretical soil throwing model was established, but that model was investigated by few tests. How soil is thrown by a submerged reverse rotary tillage system is, as yet, not clear. To optimally design a submerged reverse rotary tiller, it is necessary to reveal how soil is thrown by rotary blades operating in the reverse direction. In this study, a high-speed imaging system was used to track reverse rotary tilled soil particles. Trails of soil particles from the top and middle layers of tilling were computed by regression methods. Furthermore, the original soil throwing angles and the maximum soil throwing heights were acquired by the regression equations. Experimental results revealed that the depth of the rotor shaft strongly influenced the backward-thrown soil ratio, but the travel speed and rotational speed only slightly influenced the backward-thrown soil ratio. The average original soil throwing angle decreased with rotor depth. The soil clods in the top layer had a stronger backward trend. Furthermore, a soil throwing model of reverse rotary tillage is proposed. By applying this model, some phenomena (e.g., the ratio of backward-thrown soil to forward-thrown soil at varying rotor depths) could be interpreted. Test results indicated that the assumption that tilled soil clods would be thrown along their crack direction in a reverse tillage system may be reasonable. Keywords: Rotary tiller, Rotor shaft submerged depth, Soil throwing, Speed, Submerged reverse rotary tillage.
A Flexible System for Estimation of Infiltration and Hydraulic Resistance Parameters in Surface Irrigation
Authors: Bautista Eduardo , Schlegel James L.
Published: August 2017

Abstract. Characterizing the infiltration and hydraulic resistance process is critical to the use of modeling tools for the hydraulic analysis of surface irrigation systems. Because those processes are still not well understood, various formulations are currently used to represent them. A software component has been developed for estimation of the parameters of infiltration and hydraulic resistance models. Infiltration computations rely on volume balance analysis. The software provides flexibility for defining the estimation problem with various data configurations. The procedure works with various infiltration and resistance formulations. Given the inherent inaccuracies of volume balance analysis, the software provides tools for identifying and correcting some of those inaccuracies. Computational tests are provided to illustrate the capabilities and limitations of the proposed procedures. Keywords: Basin irrigation, Border irrigation, Computer model, Computer software, Furrow irrigation, Model calibration, Surface irrigation, Water management, WinSRFR.
Development of a Multispectral Structured Illumination Reflectance Imaging (SIRI) System and Its Application to Bruise Detection of Apples
Authors: Lu Yuzhen , Lu Renfu
Published: August 2017

Abstract. SIRI is a promising new imaging modality for enhancing quality detection of food. A liquid-crystal tunable filter (LCTF)-based multispectral SIRI system was developed and used for selecting optimal wavebands to detect bruising in apples. Immediately after impact bruising, ‘Delicious’, ‘Royal Gala’, ‘Granny Smith’, and ‘Golden Delicious’ apples were imaged by the system over the spectral region of 650 to 950 nm with 20 nm increments under sinusoidally modulated illumination at a spatial frequency of 100 cycles m-1. Each sample was subjected to two phase-shifted sinusoidal patterns of illumination with phase offsets of 0 and 2p/3 that were generated by a digital light projector. For comparison, spectral images were also captured under conventional uniform illumination. Spiral phase transform, a newly developed two-phase based demodulation method, was then used to retrieve amplitude component (AC) and direct component (DC) images from the SIRI images, from which ratio images were obtained by dividing the AC images by the DC images. It was found that the uniform illumination images failed to reveal the bruises in apples, whereas bruises were distinctly visible in the ratio images, with contrast varying with wavelength. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that seven wavelengths from 710 to 830 nm were more relevant to bruise detection. A modified Otsu thresholding method based on the between-class variance was proposed for bruise segmentation from the ratio images at each of the seven wavelengths as well as the first principal component (PC1) images, which resulted in overall detection errors of 11.7% to 14.2%. This study has shown the potential of using a multispectral SIRI system for defect detection of fruit. Further research is needed to develop a general algorithm for defect detection of apples and upgrade the system toward real-time detection. Keywords: Defects, Detection, Fruit, Image analysis, LCTF, Structured illumination.
MOESHA: A Genetic Algorithm for Automatic Calibration and Estimation of Parameter Uncertainty and Sensitivity of Hydrologic Models
Authors: Barnhart Bradley L. , Sawicz Keith A. , Ficklin Darren L. , Whittaker Gerald W.
Published: August 2017

Characterization of the uncertainty and sensitivity of model parameters is an essential facet of hydrologic modeling. This article introduces the multi-objective evolutionary sensitivity handling algorithm (MOESHA) that combines input parameter uncertainty and sensitivity analyses with a genetic algorithm calibration routine to dynamically sample the parameter space. This novel algorithm serves as an alternative to traditional static space-sampling methods, such as stratified sampling or Latin hypercube sampling. In addition to calibrating model parameters to a hydrologic model, MOESHA determines the optimal distribution of model parameters that maximizes model robustness and minimizes error, and the results provide an estimate for model uncertainty due to the uncertainty in model parameters. Subsequently, we compare the model parameter distributions to the distribution of a dummy variable (i.e., a variable that does not affect model output) to differentiate between impactful (i.e., sensitive) and non-impactful parameters. In this way, an optimally calibrated model is produced, and estimations of model uncertainty as well as the relative impact of model parameters on model output (i.e., sensitivity) are determined. A case study using a single-cell hydrologic model (EXP-HYDRO) is used to test the method using river discharge data from the Dee River catchment in Wales. We compare the results of MOESHA with Sobol’s global sensitivity analysis method and demonstrate that the algorithm is able to pinpoint non-impactful parameters, demonstrate the uncertainty of model results with respect to uncertainties in model parameters, and achieve excellent calibration results. A major drawback of the algorithm is that it is computationally expensive; therefore, parallelized methods should be used to reduce the computational burden. Keywords: Genetic algorithm, Hydrologic modeling, Model calibration, Sensitivity analysis, Uncertainty.
Application of Hyperspectral Imaging and Acoustic Emission Techniques for Apple Quality Prediction
Authors: Ekramirad Nader , Rady Ahmed , Adedeji Akinbode A. , Alimardani Reza
Published: August 2017

Abstract. There is a growing demand for developing effective non-destructive quality assessment methods with quick response, high accuracy, and low cost for fresh fruits. In this study, hyperspectral reflectance imaging (400 to 1000 nm) and acoustic emission (AE) tests were applied to ‘GoldRush’ apples (total number, n = 180) to predict fruit firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), and surface color parameters (L*, a*, b*) during an eight-week storage period. Partial least squares (PLS) regression, least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM), and multivariate linear regression (MLR) methods were used to establish models to predict the quality attributes of the apples. The results showed that hyperspectral imaging (HSI) could accurately predict all the attributes except TSS, while the AE method was capable of predicting fruit firmness, b* color index, and TSS. Overall, HSI regression using PLS had better comprehensive ability for predicting firmness, TSS, and color parameters (L*, a*, b*) than AE, with correlation coefficients of prediction (rp) of 0.92, 0.41, 0.83, 0.87, and 0.94 and root mean square errors of prediction (RMSEP) of 4.32 (N), 1.78 (°Brix), 3.41, 2.28, and 4.29, respectively, while AE regression using LS-SVM gave rp values of 0.88, 0.74, 0.34, 0.37, and 0.81 and RMSEP values of 4.26 (N), 0.64 (°Brix), 4.69, 1.8, and 5.17 for firmness, TSS, and color parameters (L*, a*, b*), respectively. The results show the potential of these two non-destructive methods for predicting some of the quality attributes of apples. Keywords: Apple, Acoustic emission, Fruit quality, Hyperspectral imaging, Regression model.
Soil Temperature in Greenhouse Soil Solarization Using TIF and VIF as Mulching Films
Authors: D’Emilio Alessandro
Published: August 2017

Abstract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of totally impermeable film (TIF) and virtually impermeable film (VIF), generally used in fumigation, in increasing soil temperature during greenhouse solarization treatment in comparison with a commonly used LDPE film. Preliminary laboratory measurements of the perpendicular spectral transmittance of these film were performed in solar (200-2500 nm) and infrared (2500-25,000 nm) wavelength ranges. Subsequently, a field trial was carried out in Sicily in a multi-span tunnel greenhouse, with a steel structure, covering a 90.0 m × 24.0 m surface of sandy soil. Four treatments were performed on 3 m × 24 m plots arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. For each replication, one plot was left unmulched as control, and three plots were mulched with TIF, VIF, or LDPE film. The solarization treatments were performed from 17 July to 6 September 2015. During all trials, soil temperature was measured at 5, 15, and 30 cm depths. Air temperature, air relative humidity, and total radiation flux were measured outside and inside the greenhouse. The results show that TIF and VIF both have better spectroradiometric properties than LDPE film and that the soil temperatures at 15 and 30 cm depths under TIF and VIF were significantly higher than the temperatures under LDPE film. These results encourage the use of low-dosage fumigation followed by solarization for control of soil pathogens to obtain further reduction in the amount of fumigant used. Keywords: Greenhouses, Soil solarization, Totally impermeable film (TIF), Virtually impermeable film (VIF).
Uji Klinis Tersamar Acak Ganda Pemberian Parasetamol Pasca Imunisasi DTwP-Hep B-HIB
Authors: Reza Abdullah , Sari Teny Tjitra , Satari Hindra Irawan , Soedjatmiko Soedjatmiko , Firman Kemas
Published: August 2017

Latar belakang. Demam, pengurangan waktu tidur, nyeri, dan reaksi lokal adalah beberapa kejadian ikutan pasca imunisasi. Untuk mencegah hal tersebut, profilaksis parasetamol pasca imunisasi diberikan oleh tenaga medis maupun orang tua. Peraturam Menteri Kesehatan Republik Indonesia dan Pedoman Imunisasi IDAI belum menetapkan secara tegas boleh atau tidaknya pemberian profilaksis parasetamol pasca imunisasi.Tujuan. Mengetahui efektivitas pemberian profilaksis parasetamol oral untuk mencegah kejadian ikutan pasca imunisasi kombinasi DTwP-Hep B-Hib.Metode. Uji klinis tersamar acak ganda (double blind randomized control trialI) dengan pemberian parasetamol dan plasebo pada pasien pasca imunisasi kombinasi DTwP-Hep B-Hib di Puskesmas Kecamatan Kramat Jati dan Kelurahan Batu Ampar selama September 2015 sampai Oktober 2015. Satu hari pasca imunisasi, kelompok perlakuan diberikan parasetamol (40-50 mg/kgBB/hari) yang terbagi empat dosis, sedangkan kelompok kontrol mendapatkan plasebo. Selama empat hari pasca imunisasi dilakukan pengukuran suhu aksila, lama tidur, dan reaksi inflamasi lokal.Hasil. Subjek terdiri atas 100 bayi yang mendapatkan imunisasi kombinasi DTwP-Hep B-Hib ketiga. Karakteristik dasar meliputi usia, jenis kelamin, dan status gizi tidak berbeda di kedua kelompok. Subjek penelitian mendapatkan profilaksis parasetamol (50 subjek) dan profilaksis plasebo (50 subjek). Seluruh subjek penelitian tidak demam, tidak mengalami gangguan tidur, dan tidak ditemukan reaksi lokal. Pemberian parasetamol 24 jam pasca imunisasi DTwP-Hep B-Hib menunjukkan penurunan suhu 0,1OC - 0,2OC yang bermakna secara statistik (p<0,05) pada 24 jam pertama pasca imunisasi. Pemberian parasetamol menunjukkan waktu tidur yang lebih lama, tetapi tidak bermakna secara statistik (p>0,05) pada lama tidur. Kesimpulan. Pemberian parasetamol profilaksis pasca imunisasi DTwP-Hep B-Hib selama satu hari dapat menurunkan suhu tubuh pada 24 jam pasca imunisasi.