bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Yellow-tailed woolly monkey (Oreonax flavicauda: Humboldt 1812) altitudinal range extension, Uchiza, Perú
Authors: Allgas Néstor , Shanee Sam , Peralta Ana , Shanee Noga
Published: December 2015

No abstract
Registro de Callicebus cinerascens (Spix, 1823) no médio Vale do Guaporé, Rondônia, Brasil
Authors: Gusmão Almério Câmara , Costa Thatiane Martins da
Published: December 2015

No abstract
Evaluating spatial-temporal variations and correlation between fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) in marine bathing beaches
Authors: Fan Jingfeng , Ming Hongxia , Li Lili , Su Jie
Published: December 2015

The horizontal distribution and temporal variation of bacterial indicators (total coliforms (TC), fecal coliforms (FC), enterococcus (EC) and Escherichia coli (E. coli)) were investigated to identify the proper bacterial indicators for a marine bathing beach in China. Two different sampling efforts were conducted during dry weather and two large rain events at Xinghai Bathing Beach in Dalian, China. Samples were collected from three different water depths and analyzed for the four indicator bacteria. The results indicated that all four bacterial indicators exceeded the single sample standards at different levels. Specifically, the water quality exceeded the standard for TC, FC, EC and E. coli in 7%, 28%, 38% and 10% of the samples, respectively. Comparison of the rate of the indicators before and after rainfall revealed a significant increasing post-rainfall. The concentrations of bacteria differed significantly with distance from the shoreline, with knee-depth near the shore exceeding the standard most frequently. This was primarily due to contamination by excessive sewage discharge and rainfall. Based upon the concentration of indicators and exceedance rates, as well as the correlation between indicators, both EC and FC should be evaluated at the same time as fecal pollution bacterial indicators in marine bathing beaches in China.
A positive association between cryptosporidiosis notifications and ambient temperature, Victoria, Australia, 2001–2009
Authors: Kent Lillian , McPherson Michelle , Higgins Nasra
Published: December 2015

Increased temperatures provide optimal conditions for pathogen survival, virulence and replication as well as increased opportunities for human–pathogen interaction. This paper examined the relationship between notifications of cryptosporidiosis and temperature in metropolitan and rural areas of Victoria, Australia between 2001 and 2009. A negative binomial regression model was used to analyse monthly average maximum and minimum temperatures, rainfall and the monthly count of cryptosporidiosis notifications. In the metropolitan area, a 1 °C increase in monthly average minimum temperature of the current month was associated with a 22% increase in cryptosporidiosis notifications (incident rate ratio (IRR) 1.22; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13–1.31). In the rural area, a 1 °C increase in monthly average minimum temperature, lagged by 3 months, was associated with a 9% decrease in cryptosporidiosis notifications (IRR 0.91; 95% CI 0.86–0.97). Rainfall was not associated with notifications in either area. These relationships should be considered when planning public health response to ecological risks as well as when developing policies involving climate change. Rising ambient temperature may be an early warning signal for intensifying prevention efforts, including appropriate education for pool users about cryptosporidiosis infection and management, which might become more important as temperatures are projected to increase as a result of climate change.
Effectiveness of solar disinfection (SODIS) in rural coastal Bangladesh
Authors: Islam Md. Atikul , Azad Abul Kalam , Akber Md. Ali , Rahman Masudur , Sadhu Indrojit
Published: December 2015

Scarcity of drinking water in the coastal area of Bangladesh compels the inhabitants to be highly dependent on alternative water supply options like rainwater harvesting system (RWHS), pond sand filter (PSF), and rain-feed ponds. Susceptibility of these alternative water supply options to microbial contamination demands a low-cost water treatment technology. This study evaluates the effectiveness of solar disinfection (SODIS) to treat drinking water from available sources in the southwest coastal area of Bangladesh. A total of 50 households from Dacope upazila in Khulna district were selected to investigate the performance of SODIS. Data were collected in two rounds to examine fecal coliform (FC) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) contamination of drinking water at the household water storage containers and SODIS bottles, and thereby determined the effectiveness of SODIS in reducing fecal contamination. All water samples were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, turbidity and salinity. SODIS significantly reduced FC and E. coli contamination under household conditions. The median health risk reduction by SODIS was more than 96 and 90% for pond and RWHS, respectively. Besides, turbidity of the treated water was found to be less than 5 NTU, except pond water. Only 34% of the participating households routinely adopted SODIS during the study.
The cleaning method selected for new PEX pipe installation can affect short-term drinking water quality
Authors: Kelley Keven M. , Stenson Alexandra C. , Cooley Racheal , Dey Rajarashi , Whelton Andrew J.
Published: December 2015

The influence of four different cleaning methods used for newly installed polyethylene (PEX) pipes on chemical and odor quality was determined. Bench-scale testing of two PEX (type b) pipe brands showed that the California Plumbing Code PEX installation method does not maximize total organic carbon (TOC) removal. TOC concentration and threshold odor number values significantly varied between two pipe brands. Different cleaning methods impacted carbon release, odor, as well the level of drinking water odorant ethyl tert-butyl ether. Both pipes caused odor values up to eight times greater than the US federal drinking water odor limit. Unique to this project was that organic chemicals released by PEX pipe were affected by pipe brand, fill/empty cycle frequency, and the pipe cleaning method selected by the installer.
Quantification and molecular characterisation of human sapoviruses in water sources impacted by highly polluted discharged wastewater in South Africa
Authors: Murray Tanya Y. , Taylor Maureen B.
Published: December 2015

Sapoviruses (SaVs) were detected and quantified in 8/10 water samples collected from wastewater treatment works (WWTWs) and water sources impacted by these WWTWs in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The median SaV concentration was 2.45 × 106 copies/L and SaV genotypes I.2 and IV were characterised. This study provides new data on the high concentrations of clinically relevant SaVs in rivers and dams impacted by poor-performing WWTWs.
Algal control and enhanced removal in drinking waters in Cairo, Egypt
Authors: El-Dars Farida M. S. E. , Abdel Rahman M. A. M. , Salem Olfat M. A. , Abdel-Aal El-Sayed A.
Published: December 2015

Algal blooms at the major water treatment plants in Egypt have been reported since 2006. While previous studies focused on algal types and their correlation with disinfection by-products, correlation between raw water quality and algal blooms were not explored. Therefore, a survey of Nile water quality parameters at a major water intake in the Greater Cairo Urban Region was conducted from December 2011 to November 2012. Bench-scale experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the conventional chloride/alum treatment compared with combined Cl/permanganate pre-oxidation with Al and Fe coagulants during the outbreak period. Addition of permanganate (0.5 mg/L) significantly reduced the chlorine demand from 5.5 to 2.7 mg/L. The applied alum coagulant dose was slightly reduced while residual Al was reduced by 27% and the algal count by 50% in the final treated waters. Applying ferric chloride and ferric sulfate as coagulants to waters treated with the combined pre-oxidation procedure effectively reduced algal count by 60% and better the total organic carbon reduction and residual aluminum in the treated water. Multivariate statistical analysis was used to identify the relationship between water quality parameters and occurrence of algae and to explain the impact of coagulants on the final water quality.
Nickel effects on productivity of algal periphyton communities
Authors: Ghassemi Hamid Reza
Published: December 2015

In order to evaluate the long-term (30-day) influence of nickel on biomass of periphyton communities, indoor artificial streams were used with differing nickel concentration (2.5, 5, and 7.5 mg/l). Physical and chemical factors (pH, NO3-N, PO4-P, dissolved oxygen, total suspended solids, conductivity, total dissolved solids, biochemical oxygen demand, and chemical oxygen demand) were measured along with biological properties of the periphyton. The effects of nickel on periphyton communities were assessed by measuring dry mass, ash-free dry mass (AFDM), chlorophyll-a, and rate of nickel absorption. In artificial streams with nickel, there was a significant (P < 0.05) reduction of chlorophyll-a, AFDM, and dry mass under the influence of nickel. These observations suggest that the periphyton community could serve as an indicator of nickel pollution.
Cultivation of an Arthrospira platensis with digested piggery wastewater
Authors: Liu Rui , Guo Qingqing , Zheng Wei , Chen Lüjun , Luo Jinfei
Published: December 2015

An Arthrospira platensis strain ZJWST-S1 was isolated in Jiaxing City, China, which proved able to proliferate quickly in undiluted digested piggery wastewater (DPW), and the protein content in the algal biomass was high. Single factor experiments showed that the strain was able to quickly grow in a Zarrouk medium as the dosage of sodium bicarbonate, nitrate-nitrogen and phosphate-phosphorus was not less than 4.0 mg·L–1, 40 mg·L–1 and 10 mg·L–1, respectively. No growth inhibition was observed when the culturing medium contained nitrite nitrogen of 0–120 mg·L–1 and ammonium nitrogen of below 20 mg·L–1. Five runs of semi-continuous cultivation with DPW as the culturing medium in a 250 L raceway pond showed that the biomass yield in a 9-day semi-continuous culturing was up to 45.2–64.7 g·m–2·d–1, higher than the yields obtained by other researchers, and the crude protein content in biomass was over 50%, meeting the national animal feed grade standard. Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were removed from DPW at a rate of 10.9–14.0 mg·L–1·d–1 and 1.3–1.8 mg·L–1·d–1, respectively. The mass balance revealed that 80–93% of TN and 84–98% of TP reduced from DPW were converted to A. platensis biomass.
Environmental performance of an integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS) reactor treating actual municipal wastewater during start-up phase
Authors: Singh Nitin Kumar , Kazmi Absar Ahmad , Starkl Markus
Published: December 2015

The present study summarizes the start-up performance and lessons learned during the start-up and optimization of a pilot-scale plant employing integrated fixed film activated sludge (IFAS) process treating actual municipal wastewater. A comprehensive start-up was tailored and implemented to cater for all the challenges and problems associated with start-up. After attaining desired suspended biomass (2,000–3,000 mg/L) and sludge age (∼7 days), the average biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removals were observed as 77.3 and 70.9%, respectively, at optimized conditions, i.e. hydraulic retention time (HRT), 6.9 h; return sludge rate, 160%. The influent concentrations of COD, BOD, total suspended solids, NH3-N, total nitrogen and total phosphorus were found to be in the range of 157–476 mg/L, 115–283 mg/L, 152–428 mg/L, 23.2–49.3 mg/L, 30.1–52 mg/L and 3.6–7.8 mg/L, respectively, and the minimum effluent concentrations were achieved as ∼49 mg/L, 23 mg/L, 35 mg/L, 2.2 mg/L, 3.4 mg/L and 2.8 mg/L, respectively, at optimum state. The present system was found effective in the removal of pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, 79%; Salmonella spp., 97.5%; Shigella spp., 92.9%) as well as coliforms (total coliforms, 97.65%; faecal coliforms, 80.35%) without any disinfection unit. Moreover it was observed that the time required for the stabilization of the plant was approximately 3 weeks if other parameters (sludge age, HRT and dissolved oxygen) are set to optimized values.
Bayesian modeling of virus removal efficiency in wastewater treatment processes
Authors: Ito T. , Kato T. , Takagishi K. , Okabe S. , Sano D.
Published: December 2015

Left-censored datasets of virus density in wastewater samples make it difficult to evaluate the virus removal efficiency in wastewater treatment processes. In the present study, we modeled the probabilistic distribution of virus removal efficiency in a wastewater treatment process with a Bayesian approach, and investigated how many detect samples in influent and effluent are necessary for accurate estimation. One hundred left-censored data of virus density in wastewater (influent and effluent) were artificially generated based on assumed log-normal distributions and the posterior predictive distribution of virus density, and the log-ratio distribution were estimated. The estimation accuracy of distributions was quantified by Bhattacharyya coefficient. When it is assumed that the accurate estimation of posterior predictive distributions is possible when a 100% positive rate is obtained for 12 pairs of influent and effluent, 11 out of 144, 60 out of 324, and 201 out of 576 combinations of detect samples gave an accurate estimation at the significant level of 0.01 in a Kruskal-Wallis test when the total sample number was 12, 18, and 24, respectively. The combinations with the minimum number of detect samples were (12, 9), (16, 10), and (21, 8) when the total sample number was 12, 18, and 24, respectively.
Photodegradation of microcystin-LR catalyzed by metal phthalocyanines immobilized on TiO2-SiO2 under visible-light irradiation
Authors: Peng Guotao , Fan Zhengqiu , Wang Xiangrong , Sui Xin , Chen Chen
Published: December 2015

Microcystins (MCs) are a group of monocyclic heptapeptide toxins produced by species of cyanobacteria. Since MCs exhibit acute and chronic effects on humans and wildlife by damaging the liver, they are of increasing concern worldwide. In this study, we investigated the ability of the phthalocyanine compound (ZnPc-TiO2-SiO2) to degrade microcystin-LR (MC-LR) in the presence of visible light. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV-Visible diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-Vis DRS) were utilized to characterize the crystalline phase and the absorption behavior of this catalyst. According to the results, XRD spectra of ZnPc-TiO2-SiO2 powders taken in the 2θ configuration exhibited the peaks characteristic of the anatase phase. UV-Vis DRS showed that the absorption band wavelength shifted to the visible range when ZnPc was supported on the surface of TiO2-SiO2. Subsequently, several parameters including catalyst dose, MC-LR concentrations and pH were investigated. The MC-LR was quantified in each sample through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The maximum MC-LR degradation rate of 80.2% can be obtained within 300 minutes under the following conditions: catalyst dose of 7.50 g/L, initial MC-LR concentration of 17.35 mg/L, pH 6.76 and the first cycling run of the photocatalytic reaction. Moreover, the degradation process fitted well with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model.
Effect of interaction between anionic surfactants and poly(piperazine-amide) nanofiltration membranes used for chromium(III) recovery from saline solution
Authors: Religa P. , Kowalik-Klimczak A.
Published: December 2015

The effect of the anionic surfactant on the permeation properties of the nanofiltration (NF) membranes used for chromium(III) recovery from saline solution at low pH have been presented in this paper. The membrane surface layer performance periodically modified by sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) solution has been studied with measurements of zeta potential, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and permeability coefficient of tested membranes. It was found that the membrane surface layer modification by SDS caused a substantial reduction in the possibility of separation of loose NF membrane characterized by a high density of positively charged groups activating under the effect of the low pH of the saline solutions (HL membrane). On the other hand, in the case of dense NF membranes characterized by a strong negatively charged surface (DL membrane) constituting used the SDS improves the separation of chloride and chromium(III) ions. In this case, the surfactant solution also provides a high membrane permeability coefficient behavior over a long period of use. DL membrane modification by SDS allowed both to retain the stable membrane working for a long period and to limit the frequency of the chemical cleaning of this membrane.
Detection of boron removal capacities of different microorganisms in wastewater and effective removal process
Authors: Laçin Bengü , Ertit Taştan Burcu , Dönmez Gönül
Published: December 2015

In this study boron removal capacities of different microorganisms were tested. Candida tropicalis, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus pumilus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus versicolor were examined for their boron bioaccumulation capacities in simulated municipal wastewater. A. versicolor and B. cereus were found as the most boron-tolerant microorganisms in the experiments. Also boron bioaccumulation yield of A. versicolor was 49.25% at 15 mg/L boron concentration. On the other hand biosorption experiments revealed that A. versicolor was more capable of boron removal in inactive form at the highest boron concentrations. In this paper maximum boron bioaccumulation yield was detected as 39.08% at 24.17 mg/L and the maximum boron biosorption yield was detected as 41.36% at 24.01 mg/L boron concentrations.
Improved Practical Model for Permeability and Implications for the Design of High-Performance Hot-Mix Asphalt
Authors: Christensen Donald , Bonaquist Ramon F.
Published: December 2015

The purpose of this paper is to present an empirical model to estimate hot-mix asphalt (HMA) permeability with the use of common compositional factors. The model is an improvement of one originally developed as part of NCHRP Projects 9-25 and 9-31 but uses an expanded data set to provide a better model. The elimination of unrealistic mixture compositions from the data set and the consideration of additional potential predictors have resulted in a model with significantly improved accuracy and usefulness. The model predicts that permeability increases primarily with increases in air voids. However, aggregate properties also affect permeability: increases in nominal maximum aggregate size and decreases in mean aggregate particle size ( D50) tend to decrease HMA permeability. The model suggests that, when durability is an important concern, fine aggregate gradations should be used for HMA mix designs.
Asphalt Concrete Layer to Support Track Slab of High-Speed Railway
Authors: Yang Enhui , Wang Kelvin C. P. , Luo Qiang , Qiu Yanjun
Published: December 2015

Asphalt concrete (AC) is a traditional material that is used to construct highway pavement and offers the advantages of good bearing capacity, waterproofing, shock absorption, and noise reduction. In recent years, AC also has been used to construct railway infrastructure as part of the rapid development of high-speed rail in China. The study presented in this paper focused on the material composition and mechanical response of railway asphalt concrete (RAC) on the basis of mechanistic models and laboratory experiments. According to the material test results, the air voids of the material RAC-25 used for railway infrastructure should be controlled from 1% to 3%. The optimal asphalt content should be obtained from parameter tests. The recommended asphalt content should be less than 5.8%. Load-bearing infrastructure with the use of RAC-25 to replace partially the surface layer of subgrade, which was a stabilized layer on top of the subgrade, may yield a better performance. This design was No. 1 asphalt concrete railway substructure (ACRS-1). On the basis of the test results, the model with a 12-cm depth of graded gravel subgrade surface layer replaced by RAC-25 showed much better capacity and stability than other models. By comparison, the model reinforced by RAC-25 showed a higher K30 value, less deformation, good temperature sensitivity, and better loading performance. In summary, the ACRS-1 reinforced by RAC-25 was found to be a suitable type of structure for high-speed railway infrastructure.
Modification of the Resistivity-Rutting Model to Use Recoverable Creep Compliance
Authors: Christensen Donald , Bonaquist Ramon F.
Published: December 2015

The resistivity-rutting model was developed as part of NCHRP Projects 9-25 and 9-31 and later was improved as part of Airfield Asphalt Pavement Technology Program Project 04-02. The model was intended to provide insight into the effects of mixture composition and binder properties on resistance to permanent deformation, but the use of |G*|/sin δ to characterize binder flow properties did not accurately capture the performance of modified binders, so an empirical correction factor was needed to address this problem. The modified model presented in this paper incorporated Jnr from the multiple stress creep and recovery (MSCR) test, in place of |G*|/sin δ, as an indicator of binder resistance to permanent deformation. This adjustment provided a more theoretically correct and more accurate means to characterize asphalt binder flow properties for use in the resistivity-rutting model. Because a large number of pavement test sections does not yet exist to provide information on rutting, including MSCR test data, the approach used here was to develop an empirical equation that related Jnr to standard dynamic shear rheometer test data. This relationship was then used to estimate Jnr for a database that consisted mostly of the original data used to develop the resistivity-rutting model. The recalibrated model appeared to have an accuracy similar to that of the previous version of the model but properly predicted the performance of modified binders without empirical correction factors.
Effect of Aging on Adhesion Properties of Asphalt Mixtures with the Use of Bitumen Bond Strength and Surface Energy Measurement Tests
Authors: Aguiar-Moya José P. , Salazar-Delgado Jorge , Baldi-Sevilla Alejandra , Leiva-Villacorta Fabricio , Loria-Salazar Luis
Published: December 2015

The interaction between asphalt binder and aggregate is fundamental to ensure adequate performance of asphalt mixtures, mainly in the presence of water. The work of adhesion generated between both materials directly affects the resistance of asphalt mixture to moisture damage, because it measures the ease with which water can displace asphalt binder from the aggregate surface. The objective of this study was to characterize the bond strength between asphalt and several aggregate sources. A PG 64-22 neat binder was modified with several additives to determine the effect on adhesion: polymers, nanomaterials, and adhesion promoters. To measure the strength of adhesion, the bitumen bond strength (BBS) test and contact angle measurements between asphalt binder and the aggregate surface by means of goniometry were used. The surface energy of the asphalt and the aggregate, with and without the presence of water, was estimated also. Testing was performed on all binders and on each binder–aggregate combination after ( a) rolling thin-film oven (RTFO) aging and ( b) RTFO and pressure aging vessel aging. The BBS results identified differences in bond strength as a result of moisture conditioning and aging. The differences depended on the aggregate source and binder type. Different failure modes were also observed (i.e., cohesive, adhesive). The results also indicated an increase in strength of adhesion associated with the aging process: the main resistance gain was observed after RTFO aging. Finally, changes in bond strength were compared with functional composition changes associated with the aging process and related to changes in performance.
Evaluation of Oxidization of Crumb Rubber–Modified Asphalt during Short-Term Aging
Authors: Ghavibazoo Amir , Abdelrahman Magdy , Ragab Mohyeldin
Published: December 2015

Asphalt binder is subjected to aging during the construction process and service life of pavement. Aging substantially changes the chemical composition and physical properties of asphalt and leads to premature distresses on pavement. It is speculated that crumb rubber modifier (CRM) reduces the susceptibility of asphalt to aging, but its mechanism is not fully understood. Also, the impact of interaction parameters and exchange of components on the aging behavior of a crumb rubber–modified binder is not fully understood. In this study, the effect of CRM on the short-term aging of asphalt was investigated through an analysis of the distinctions between the impact of different CRM activities (e.g., swelling and dissolution) on the oxidization process of asphalt. The crumb rubber–modified binder and its extracted liquid phase were aged with the use of a rolling thin-film oven. Physical and analytical tests (e.g., dynamic shear rheometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) were performed before and after aging. The results revealed that CRM affected the short-term aging behavior of asphalt in two ways. First, CRM retarded asphalt oxidization through the release of antioxidants. Second, CRM continued to interact with asphalt during its aging through absorption of aromatics and swelling. The results indicated that, through the accurate control of the interaction conditions, a modified asphalt could be produced with antiaging behavior superior to that of neat asphalt. Moreover, the results showed that an increase in the mixing and compaction temperature of hot-mix asphalt was not a good remediation of the high-temperature workability problem with the crumb rubber–modified binder because it significantly affected the nature of the composite.
Prediction of Rheological and Damage Properties of Asphalt Binders that Result from Oxidative Aging
Authors: Liu Fang , Wen Haifang
Published: December 2015

Because the aging of asphalt binders affects nearly all critical aspects of asphalt mixtures, aging is a fundamentally important factor that affects pavement performance. This study developed a methodology to predict the rheological and damage properties of asphalt binders after they were subjected to aging. Three asphalt binders (one neat and two modified) were aged at four temperatures in a standard atmosphere for different periods. An approximately linear relationship between the carbonyl area and the log of the crossover modulus was found, but the relationship was asphalt specific. It was also found that the inverse of the log crossover modulus could be characterized with the Arrhenius kinetics model. The relationship between the log crossover frequency and log crossover modulus was linear at each aging temperature. The crossover modulus and crossover frequency were used in the Christensen–Anderson model to predict the complex modulus and phase angle master curves of the binders. The predicted complex shear modulus and phase angle of the asphalt binders after aging, on the basis of the carbonyl area, matched well with the measured complex shear modulus and phase angle values, except for the phase angle of the modified binders at a high temperature or low frequency. The complex shear modulus was converted to the shear relaxation modulus and was found to correlate well with the shear strength and critical strain energy density, which was reported to be a cracking indicator in a previous study.
Study of Asphalt Aging through Beam Fatigue Test
Authors: Islam M. Rashadul , Tarefder Rafiqul A.
Published: December 2015

This study investigated the effects of aging on the flexural stiffness ( E) and fatigue life ( N) of asphalt concrete (AC) samples. Asphalt beam samples were prepared in the laboratory and subjected to various modes of aging (e.g., field aging, oven aging, forced air aging, normal air aging) for different periods. The flexural stiffnesses of these aged samples were determined by the four-point bending test. In addition, loose asphalt mixture was subjected to short-term oven aging up to 100 h. This loose mixture was used to prepare beam samples, which also were tested in the four-point bending mode. The flexural stiffness of unaged sample was determined as a reference value. Results showed that most of the aging occurred during the initial repetition of aging. Forced air caused more aging than the other modes. Overall, aged AC samples exhibited a shorter fatigue life (i.e., smaller N-value). The correlation of fatigue life with stiffness (i.e., N–E relationship) followed the same trend for unaged samples, aged loose mixtures, and field-aged samples. The results of this study led to the proposal of a revised fatigue life model to accommodate the aging of AC.
The 2015 AANS Presidential Address: Neurosurgery’s founding principles
Authors: Harbaugh Robert E.
Published: December 2015

These are turbulent times for American neurosurgery. It is important to look ahead and prepare for the future but it is also important to look back—for it is memory and tradition that prevent the tyranny of the present. It is impossible to know where we are going if we don’t remember where we were. In this paper I want to discuss the founding principles of neurosurgery—the principles that have allowed neurosurgery to prosper in its first century—and to stress the importance of adhering to these principles in times of change. I also want to talk to you about how the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is helping neurosurgeons honor our founding principles, while preparing neurosurgery for its second century.
Utilization of alizarin derivatives for the sensitive spectrophotometric determination of two proton pump inhibitors in pharmaceutical formulations
Authors: Gouda Ayman A. , Abd El-Hay Soad S. , Hashem Hisham
Published: December 2015

Simple, sensitive, selective and validated spectrophotometric methods were developed for the determination of two proton pump inhibitors namely, rabeprazole (RBZ) and pantoprazole (PNZ) using alizarin derivatives; quinalizarin (I), alizarin red S (II), alizarin (III) and alizarin yellow G (IV) as reagents. The reaction is based on the formation of charge transfer complexes between the studied drugs and the chromogenic reagents I, II, III and IV in methanolic medium which showed an absorption maximum at optimum wavelengths 552, 535, 531 and 417 nm for RAB and 553, 533, 525 and 403 nm for PNZ using I, II, III and IV, respectively. The optimization of the reaction conditions such as the type of solvent, reagent concentration and reaction time was investigated. Beer’s law is obeyed in the concentration ranges 0.5–16 and 0.5–12 μg ml–1 for RAB and PNZ, respectively. The molar absorptivity, Sandell sensitivity, detection and quantification limits are also calculated. The correlation coefficient was ≥0.9991 ( n = 6) with a relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) of ≤1.93. The methods are successfully applied to the determination of the studied drugs in pharmaceutical formulations without interference from excipients and additives and the validity assesses by applying the standard addition technique. Results obtained by the proposed methods for the pure drugs and commercial tablets agreed well with those obtained by the reported methods.
Effect of propolis extracts against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Saddiq Amna Ali , Abouwarda Ahmed Megahed
Published: December 2015

Staphylococcus aureus is a human pathogen that causes a wide range of infections worldwide. In this study, 40 clinical isolates of S. aureus were tested for their susceptibility to oxacillin and to different classes of antibiotics by disc diffusion method. Data revealed that out of these 40 isolates, 28 were MRSA. Most isolates were not only resistant to oxacillin but also found resistant to a number of other antibiotics.

Propolis is a mixture of beeswax and resins collected by the honeybee from plant buds, leaves, and exudates. It has been used for centuries in folk medicine. The antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extract of propolis alone or in combination with antimicrobial drugs against MRSA isolates was evaluated. The results showed that the propolis extract was found to exhibit antimicrobial activity against all tested isolates. Also the results demonstrated the combination between propolis and some tested antimicrobial drugs in vitro is effective against multi-drug resistance MRSA.
On the Local Convergence of a Third Order Family of Iterative Processes
Authors: Hernández-Verón M. , Romero N.
Published: December 2015

Efficiency is generally the most important aspect to take into account when choosing an iterative method to approximate a solution of an equation, but is not the only aspect to consider in the iterative process. Another important aspect to consider is the accessibility of the iterative process, which shows the domain of starting points from which the iterative process converges to a solution of the equation. So, we consider a family of iterative processes with a higher efficiency index than Newton’s method. However, this family of proecsses presents problems of accessibility to the solution x * . From a local study of the convergence of this family, we perform an optimization study of the accessibility and obtain iterative processes with better accessibility than Newton’s method.
Combustion Performance and Emission Characteristics of a Diesel Engine Using a Water-Emulsified Heavy Fuel Oil and Light Diesel Blend
Authors: Feng Liyan , Du Baoguo , Tian Jiangping , Long Wuqiang , Tang Bin
Published: December 2015

Using low price heavy fuel oil (HFO) in high-speed diesel engines is a practical way to reduce running costs. However, most high-speed diesel engines’ fuel systems and combustion systems cannot adapt to HFO. This causes the problem of deterioration of combustion performance. In order to solve this problem, the authors have modified the fuel injection system and combustion system of a high-speed diesel engine to use HFO. In addition, reducing the viscosity of HFO is necessary before it is fed into the engine. Because heating apparatus are not feasible for high-speed engine users, light diesel was blended with HFO to reduce the fuel viscosity. The blend is called HFO-L. Meanwhile, for the purpose of further reducing NOx emissions and soot emissions, water-emulsified HFO-L, named HLW, was used on the research engine. When fueled with 10% water content HLW, the engine presented the same power performance and thermal efficiency as the baseline engine fueled with light diesel. Due to the low price of HFO, the fuel economy of the engine was greatly improved. In addition, fueling HLW led to a considerable reduction of the engine’s NOx emissions compared with the baseline engine.
The Influence of Solid-State Drawing on Mechanical Properties and Hydrolytic Degradation of Melt-Spun Poly(Lactic Acid) (PLA) Tapes
Authors: Mai Fang , Tu Wei , Bilotti Emiliano , Peijs Ton
Published: December 2015

The influence of solid-state drawing on the morphology of melt-spun poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) tapes, and the accompanying changes in mechanical and degradation behaviour have been studied. Mechanical properties are found to be strongly dependent on both applied draw ratio and drawing temperature. Moduli of these highly oriented tapes are significantly increased compared to as-extruded tapes at both ambient and elevated temperatures. Interestingly, drawing leads to a significant increase in elongation to break (~3 times) and toughness (~13 times) compared to as-extruded tapes. Structural and morphological characterization indicates strain-induced crystallization as well as an increase in orientation of the crystalline phase at small strains. Upon further stretching, an “overdrawing” regime is observed, with decreased crystalline orientation due to the breakage of existing crystals. For fixed draw ratios, a significant increase in Young’s modulus and tensile strength is observed with increasing drawing temperature, due to a higher crystallinity and orientation obtained for tapes drawn at higher temperatures. FT-IR results indicate no crystal transformation after drawing, with the α-form being observed in all tapes. Hydrolytic degradability of PLLA was significantly reduced by solid-state drawing.
Association of PAEs with Precocious Puberty in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wen Yi , Liu Shu-Dan , Lei Xun , Ling Yu-Shuang , Luo Yan , Liu Qin
Published: December 2015

Background: Precocious puberty (PP) currently affects 1 in 5000 children and is 10 times more common in girls. Existing studies have tried to detect an association between phathalic acid esters (PAEs) and PP, but the results did not reach a consensus. Objective: To estimate the association between PAEs and children with PP based on current evidence. Methods: Databases including PubMed (1978 to March 2015), OVID (1946 to March 2015), Web of Science (1970 to March 2015), EBSCO (1976 to March 2015), CNKI (1979 to March 2015), WANFANG DATA (1987 to March 2015), CBM (1978 to March 2015) and CQVIP (1989 to March 2015) were searched to identify all case-control studies that determined the exposure and concentration of PAEs and their metabolites in children with PP. Meta-analysis of the pooled standard mean difference (SMD) and odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: A total of 14 studies involving 2223 subjects were finally included. The pooled estimates showed that PP was associated with di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP) exposure (OR: 3.90, 95% CI: 2.77 to 5.49). Besides, the concentration of DEHP (SMD: 1.73, 95% CI: 0.54 to 2.91) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) (SMD: 4.31, 95% CI: 2.67 to 5.95) in the PP group were significantly higher than those in the control group, respectively, while no difference was detected between case and control groups in either serum or urinary concentration of mono-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (MEHP), monobutyl phthalate (MBP), mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate(MEOHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP), monomethyl phthalate (MMP), monobenzyl phthalate (MBzP) or monoethyl phthalate (MEP). Conclusions: Exposure of DEHP and DBP might be associated with PP risk for girls, however, there is no evidence to show an association between the exposure to most PAE metabolites and PP. Given the moderate strength of the results, well-designed cohort studies with large sample size should be performed in future.
Prediction of Indoor Air Exposure from Outdoor Air Quality Using an Artificial Neural Network Model for Inner City Commercial Buildings
Authors: Challoner Avril , Pilla Francesco , Gill Laurence
Published: December 2015

NO2 and particulate matter are the air pollutants of most concern in Ireland, with possible links to the higher respiratory and cardiovascular mortality and morbidity rates found in the country compared to the rest of Europe. Currently, air quality limits in Europe only cover outdoor environments yet the quality of indoor air is an essential determinant of a person’s well-being, especially since the average person spends more than 90% of their time indoors. The modelling conducted in this research aims to provide a framework for epidemiological studies by the use of publically available data from fixed outdoor monitoring stations to predict indoor air quality more accurately. Predictions are made using two modelling techniques, the Personal-exposure Activity Location Model (PALM), to predict outdoor air quality at a particular building, and Artificial Neural Networks, to model the indoor/outdoor relationship of the building. This joint approach has been used to predict indoor air concentrations for three inner city commercial buildings in Dublin, where parallel indoor and outdoor diurnal monitoring had been carried out on site. This modelling methodology has been shown to provide reasonable predictions of average NO2 indoor air quality compared to the monitored data, but did not perform well in the prediction of indoor PM2.5 concentrations. Hence, this approach could be used to determine NO2 exposures more rigorously of those who work and/or live in the city centre, which can then be linked to potential health impacts.
Applying Rank Sum Ratio (RSR) to the Evaluation of Feeding Practices Behaviors, and Its Associations with Infant Health Risk in Rural Lhasa, Tibet
Authors: Wang Zhenjie , Dang Shaonong , Xing Yuan , Li Qiang , Yan Hong
Published: December 2015

To evaluate the status of feeding practices and analyze the association between feeding practice and health status among Tibetan infants, a cross-sectional survey of 386 women with children aged under 24 months was conducted in rural areas surrounding Lhasa, Tibet. All participants were selected using simple random sampling and were interviewed face-to-face by trained interviewers. Mothers were interviewed to collect information on their feeding practices. A feeding practices index was created using the rank sum ratio method. Most of the infants had been or were being breastfed at the time of the interview. The feeding practices index was significantly and inversely associated with the prevalence of acute upper respiratory infection, and the odds ratio for the qualified feeding practices index vs. the non-qualified feeding practices index was 0.43 (95% confidence interval: 0.20–0.94). There were no measurable associations observed between acute upper respiratory infection, diarrhea, and the feeding practices index after controlling for selected factors. The method of rank sum ratio provides a flexible way to evaluate feeding practices and is easy to understand. Furthermore, appropriate infant feeding practices might play a protective role in Tibetan infants’ health.
Effects of PMMA and Cross-Linked Dextran Filler for Soft Tissue Augmentation in Rats
Authors: Huh Jung-Bo , Kim Joo-Hyun , Kim Soyun , Lee So-Hyoun , Shim Kyung , Kim Se , Kang Seong , Jeong Chang-Mo
Published: December 2015

This study was conducted for evaluation of the ability to maintain efficacy and biocompatibility of cross-linked dextran in hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (DiHM) and cross-linked dextran mixed with PMMA in hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (PDiHM), compared with hyaluronic acid (HA) filler. Saline and HA solution was administered in the negative and positive control groups, and DiHM and PDiHM were administered in the test groups (n = 10 in each group). The site of cranial subcutaneous injection was the mid-point of the interpupillary line, and the site of intraoral submucosal injection was the ridge crest 2 mm below the cervical line of the mandibular left incisor. Before and immediately after filler injection, intraoral photos and lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken for analysis and comparison of the effect of the filler on the injection sites. The filler injected areas were converted into sequential size changes (%) of the baseline. Histomorphologic examination was performed after 12 weeks. The smallest value in the filler injected area was observed during the experimental period in the normal saline group (p < 0.001), which was almost absorbed at 4 weeks (7.19% ± 12.72%). The HA group exhibited a steady decrease in sequential size and showed a lower value than the DiHM and PDiHM groups (saline < HA < DHiM, PDHiM, p < 0.001). DiHM and PDiHM tended to increase for the first 4 weeks and later decreased until 12 weeks. In this study on DiHM and PDiHM, there was no histological abnormality in cranial skin and oral mucosa. DiHM and PDiHM filler materials with injection system provide an excellent alternative surgical method for use in oral and craniofacial fields.
Wave and Hydrodynamic Modeling for Engineering Design of Jetties at Tangier Island in Chesapeake Bay, USA
Authors: Lin Lihwa , Demirbilek Zeki , Ward Donald , King David
Published: December 2015

The protection of a boat canal at the western entrance of Tangier Island, Virginia, located in the lower Chesapeake Bay, is investigated using different structural alternatives. The existing entrance channel is oriented 45 deg with respect to the local shoreline, and exposed directly to the lower Bay without any protection. The adjacent shoreline has experienced progressive erosion in recent decades by flooding due to severe storms and waves. To protect the western entrance of the channel and shoreline, five different jetty and spur combinations were proposed to reduce wave energy in the lee of jetties. Environmental forces affecting the proposed jettied inlet system are quantified using the Coastal Modeling System, consisting of a spectral wave model and a depth-averaged circulation model with sediment transport calculations. Numerical simulations were conducted for design wave conditions and a 50-year return period tropical storm at the project site. Model results show a low crested jetty of 170-m length connecting to the north shore at a 45-deg angle, and a short south spur of 25-m long, provide adequate wave-reduction benefits among the five proposed alternatives. The model simulation indicates this alternative has the minimum impact on sedimentation around the structured inlet and boat canal.
Correction: Preparation, Characterization and Evaluation of α-Tocopherol Succinate-Modified Dextran Micelles as Potential Drug Carriers. Materials 2015, 8, 6685–6696
Authors: Yu Jingmou , Zhou Yunfeng , Chen Wencong , Ren Jin , Zhang Lifang , Lu Lu , Luo Gan , Huang Hao
Published: December 2015

The authors wish to make the following correction to their paper [1]. [...]
Calibration of Nanopositioning Stages
Authors: Tan Ning , Clévy Cédric , Chaillet Nicolas
Published: December 2015

Accuracy is one of the most important criteria for the performance evaluation of micro- and nanorobots or systems. Nanopositioning stages are used to achieve the high positioning resolution and accuracy for a wide and growing scope of applications. However, their positioning accuracy and repeatability are not well known and difficult to guarantee, which induces many drawbacks for many applications. For example, in the mechanical characterisation of biological samples, it is difficult to perform several cycles in a repeatable way so as not to induce negative influences on the study. It also prevents one from controlling accurately a tool with respect to a sample without adding additional sensors for closed loop control. This paper aims at quantifying the positioning repeatability and accuracy based on the ISO 9283:1998 standard, and analyzing factors influencing positioning accuracy onto a case study of 1-DoF (Degree-of-Freedom) nanopositioning stage. The influence of thermal drift is notably quantified. Performances improvement of the nanopositioning stage are then investigated through robot calibration (i.e., open-loop approach). Two models (static and adaptive models) are proposed to compensate for both geometric errors and thermal drift. Validation experiments are conducted over a long period (several days) showing that the accuracy of the stage is improved from typical micrometer range to 400 nm using the static model and even down to 100 nm using the adaptive model. In addition, we extend the 1-DoF calibration to multi-DoF with a case study of a 2-DoF nanopositioning robot. Results demonstrate that the model efficiently improved the 2D accuracy from 1400 nm to 200 nm.