bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GALVANIC CORROSION OF ZINC ANODE AND COPPER CATHODE CELL
Authors: ÇEK Nurettin
Published: April 2018

Detection and control of galvanic corrosion is a critical aspect of engineering for the chemical processes used in the fabrication of metals, alloys and materials industry. Galvanic corrosion can occur when two metals having different status in the electrochemical ambient are configured in mutual interaction within the galvanic cell structure and are exposed to the ion conducting electrolyte. In this study, ion-containing water was used as an electrolyte, the zinc as the anode electrode, copper as the cathode was used as an electrode, and a galvanic cell was fabricated. The formation of corrosion products with time on zinc anode reduced the voltage and current in galvanic cell considerable and anode film layer of considerable increase. Time-dependent experiments have provided good sources of information about the performance of the zinc anode electrode and the copper cathode electrode in the galvanic cell.
AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR ROPE MECHANISM DESIGN FOR VEHICLES
Authors: Mutlu Hüseyin , YAPANMIŞ Burak Emre , Günöz Alper
Published: April 2018

In the automotive sector, doors have an important issue in terms of vehicle and passenger safety. Therefore, different kinds of materials and mechanisms have been being designed and parameters have been being investigated and analyzed in order to increase the functional efficiency of the vehicle doors. In this study, an automatic open/close mechanism is designed which can be used in all types of vehicles with sliding doors. Sliding door mechanism with rope system was analyzed and information about the parts of the mechanism was explained. Door weight, rope diameter, torque, opening time of the door parameters were examined. Finally, the designed mechanism has mounted to a vehicle and it has been observed to work successfully.
EDITORIAL Vol.22(2)
Authors: Sapkota Kumar
Published: April 2018

Not available. Journal of Institute of Science and Technology Volume 22, Issue 2, January 2018
First Principles Study of Electronic and Optical Properties of Pristine and X (Cu, Ag And Au) Doped BiOBr
Authors: Paudel Samir , Adhikari Puspa Raj , Upadhyay Om Prakash , Kaphle Gopi Chandra , Srivastava Anurag
Published: April 2018

The electronic structures and optical properties of pristine BiOBr and Cu, Ag and Au doped BiOBr have been analyzed by using a standard density functional theory based ab-initio approach employing generalized gradient approximation through revised Perdew Burke Ernzerhoff type parameterization. The calculation shows that both the doped and pristine BiOBr have indirect band gap, the band gap of the pristine BiOBr found 2.22eV, whereas band gap significantly reduced after doping Cu, Ag and Au on BiOBr. The band gap of Cu, Ag and Au doped BiOBr are 1.2eV, 0.9eV and 1.76eV respectively. The optical properties have been studied through dielectric function, both pure and doped BiOBr shows anisotropic nature. Journal of Institute of Science and TechnologyVolume 22, Issue 2, January 2018, page: 63-69
Prevalence of Gastro-Intestinal Parasites of Horse (Equus Caballus Linnaeus, 1758) In Seven Village Development Committee of Rukum District, Nepal
Authors: Oli Naresh , Subedi Janak Raj
Published: April 2018

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of gastro-intestinal parasites of horse in seven Village Development Committee (VDC) of Rukum district. It was carried out from March to November 2016. A total of 105 fecal samples of horses (79 males and 26 females) were collected by using opportunistic random method. The collected fecal samples were preserved in 2.5% potassium dichromate and microscopically examined using concentration techniques. The overall prevalence of gastro-intestinal parasites was 84.76% (89/105). The total number of genera observed during fecal examination was 12. Among them, Strongylus sp. showed the highest prevalence (51.42%) followed by Eimeria sp. (20%), Trichostrongylus sp. (14.28%), Trichonema sp. (13.33%), Parascaris equorum (10.47%), Balantidium sp. (9.52%), Dictyocaulus sp. (8.57%), Triodontophorus sp. (7.61%), Gastrodiscus sp. (6.66%), Oxyuris equi (4.76%), Entamoeba sp. (3.80%), Shistosoma sp. (1.90%) and unidentified nematode larvae (7.61%). Three genera of parasites; Shistosoma sp., Triodontophorus sp. and Dictyocaulus sp. have been reported for the first time in horses of Nepal. Present study showed higher infection rate in females (92.30%) than in male horses (82.27%). No significant association was observed between the prevalence of parasite rate with VDC (χ2 = 5.7161; p>0.05) and sex of animals (χ2 = 0.3346; p>0.05).Journal of Institute of Science and Technology Volume 22, Issue 2, January 2018, Page: 70-75
Characterization of Ag:Zno Thin Films and Their Use in Photoelectrocatalytic Degradation Of Methylene Blue (Mb)
Authors: Karki Bhishma , Nakarmi Jeevan Jyoti , Singh Rhiddi Bir , Banerjee Manish
Published: April 2018

The synthesis of functional nano-particles via spray pyrolysis technique (SPT), especially those of catalytic nature, has attracted the interests of scientists and engineers, as well as industries. The rapid and high temperature continuous synthesis yields nano-particles with intrinsic features of active catalysts, that is, high surface area and surface energetic. For these reasons, SPT finds applications in various thermally inducible catalytic reactions. However, the design and synthesis of photocatalysts by SPT requires a knowledge set which is different from that established for thermal catalysts. Unknown to many, this has resulted in frustrations to those entering the field unprepared, especially since SPT appears to be an elegant tool in synthesizing oxide nano-particles of any elemental construct. From simple oxide to doped-oxide, and mixed metal oxide to the in situ deposition of noble metals, this Perspective gives an overview on the development of photocatalysts made by SPT in the last decade that led to a better understanding of the design criteria. Various challenges and opportunities are also highlighted; especially those beyond simple metal oxides, which perhaps contain the greatest potential for the exploitation of photocatalysts design by SPT. Journal of Institute of Science and TechnologyVolume 22, Issue 2, January 2018, Page: 109-116
Environmental Variables of the Seti Gandaki River Basin Pokhara, Nepal
Authors: Pokharel Kishor Kumar , Basnet Khadga Bahadur , Majupuria Trilok Chandra , Baniya Chitra Bahadur
Published: April 2018

Present paper focuses on the spatio-temporal variations and correlations among the environmental variables of the Seti Gandaki River basin, Pokhara, Nepal. A total of five sites, three along the river and two in tributaries were selected for this study. Water sampling was done fortnightly for environmental variables following standard methods during July 2011 to June 2012. Mean and standard deviation of the environmental variables revealed that the depth (0.9 ± 0.3), pH (8 ± 0.4), total phosphates (PO4) (0.10 ± 0.03) and nitrates (NO3) (0.13 ± 0.04) were normally variable among the sites. But the discharge (40.00 ± 37.00), width (32.30 ± 13.00), turbidity (81.40 ± 51.00), transparency (29.10 ± 15.00), conductivity (166.00 ± 80.00), water temperature (18.00 ±4.00), dissolved oxygen (DO) (8.00 ± 2.00), free carbon dioxide (CO2) (7.00 ± 2.00) and total alkalinity (98.00 ± 22.00) varied among sites equally. Correlation coefficient between the sites and environmental variables revealed that sites were found significantly correlated with water conductivity (r2 = 0.6), DO (r2 = -0.52), and free CO2 (r2 = 0.6); depth of water with width (r2 = 0.94), discharge (r2 = 0.96), turbidity (r2 = 0.71), transparency (r2 = -0.62), water temperature (r2 = 0.60), pH (r2 = -0.52) and DO (r2 = -0.48); water temperature with pH (r2 = -0.54), DO (r2 = -0.79), free CO2 (r2 = 0.69), total alkalinity (r2 = -0.58), total PO4 (r2 = 0.54) and NO3 (r2 = 0.62), etc. The enhancement of turbidity, conductivity, free CO2, phosphates and nitrates, while, suppression of transparency, pH and DO at the urban site indicated the urban influence. Journal of Institute of Science and TechnologyVolume 22, Issue 2, January 2018, page: 129-139
Second Line Drugs Resistant Mycobacterium Tuberculosis in Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Patients
Authors: Tuladhar Pranita , Khadka Dhruba Kumar , Banjara Megha Raj , Tuladhar Reshma
Published: April 2018

With an increase in Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), there is a need of second line drug susceptibility test that helps in early diagnosis and minimize the risk of other powerful drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to determine second line drugs (ofloxacin, kanamycin, capreomycin) resistance pattern in MDR-TB isolates and to determine the prevalence of pre-Extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (pre-XDR-TB) and XDR-TB in MDR-TB patients. The study was conducted from February to September 2015 at National Tuberculosis Centre, Thimi, Bhaktapur. MDR-TB (resistant to isoniazid and rifampicin) patients’ sputum samples were processed by Modified Petroff’s method. Out of 92 samples, 57 were found culture positive. Following the species identification of culture positive MDR-TB isolates, second line drug susceptibility test was performed by conventional proportion method. Of 57 MDR-TB isolates, 22 (38.59%) showed resistance to ofloxacin (Ofx), 9 (15.79%) to capreomycin (Cm) and 9 (15.79%) to kanamycin (Km). One XDR-TB (1.8%) resistant to all drugs was detected. Of the remaining, 21(36.8%) were resistant to ofloxacin only and 8(15.4%) were resistant to two drugs i.e.29 (50.9%) were pre-XDR-TB. The prevalence of pre-XDR-TB and XDR-TB was found to be 50.88% and 1.75% respectively. The resistance pattern of second line anti-tuberculosis drugs showed higher ofloxacin resistance in MDR-TB patients. In a nutshell, MDR-TB cases need urgent and timely susceptibility report for second line anti-tuberculosis drugs to help the clinicians start proper drug combinations to treat MDR-TB patients. Journal of Institute of Science and Technology Volume 22, Issue 2, January 2018, page: 168-174
Status And Effects Of Food Provisioning on Ecology of Assamese Monkey (Macaca Assamensis) In Ramdi Area of Palpa, Nepal
Authors: Adhikari Krishna , Khanal Laxman , Chalise Mukesh Kumar
Published: April 2018

The population status of Assamese monkey (Macaca assamensis) (McClelland 1840) and its interaction with the local people is poorly documented in Nepal. In 2014, we studied the population status, diurnal time budget and human-monkey conflict in Ramdi, Nepal by direct count, scan sampling and questionnaire survey methods, respectively. Two troops of Assamese monkey having total population of 48 with the mean troop size of 24 individuals were recorded in the study area. The group density was 0.33 groups / km² with a population density of 6 individuals/ km². The male to female adult sex ratio was 1:1.75 and the infant to female ratio was 0.85. The provisioned troop of Assamese monkey in Ramdi spent less time in feeding and movement while higher time was invested in resting and grooming than the nonspecific populations in the wild habitats. The human-monkey conflict is high in Ramdi, primarily due to the crop-raiding from fields and even the storage; the major crops raided are maize, vegetables, pulses and fruits. The higher reproductive success in terms of infant to adult female ratio, increased human-monkey conflicts and lesser investment of the diurnal time in foraging and feeding by Assamese monkey troop of Ramdi might be associated with the food provisioning. Journal of Institute of Science and TechnologyVolume 22, Issue 2, January 2018, Page: 183-190
Chemical Ordering of Ag-Au Alloys in the Molten State
Authors: Koirala Ishwar
Published: April 2018

Simple statistical model has been used to report the thermodynamic, structural, transport and surface properties of liquid Ag-Au alloys at 1350K. In thermodynamic properties we have studied the free energy of mixing, heat of mixing, entropy of mixing and the chemical activity of both components of the alloys. For the structural investigation, our study includes concentration fluctuation in long wave length limit and Warren-Cowley short range order parameter. Viscosity and diffusivity of the alloys have been studied to understand transport properties. The surface behavior has been analyzed by computing surface concentration and surface tension of the alloys. The structural behaviors of the alloys are found to be symmetric with respect to concentrations of the species. The computed results are in good agreement with experimental data. Positive deviation of viscosity isotherms from linear law is observed. Surface tension of the alloys is found to be smaller than ideal values throughout bulk concentration of silver. For all theoretical analysis, concentration independent energy parameter takes important role, which is found to be temperature dependent and finally analysis confirms that presented alloy is hetero-coordinated.Journal of Institute of Science and Technology Volume 22, Issue 2, January 2018, Page: 191-201
Industrie 4.0 in der Produktionslogistik
Authors: Blöchl Stefan J. , Schmitt Markus , Schneider Markus , Binder Andrea
Published: April 2018

Kurzfassung

Produzierende Unternehmen sind mit steigenden Anforderungen hinsichtlich Flexibilität, Wandlungsfähigkeit und Produktivität konfrontiert. Industrie 4.0-Technologien werden in Wissenschaft und Indus-trie als möglicher Lösungsweg diskutiert. Dieser Beitrag stellt eine qualitative Analyse vor, die Erfolgsmerkmale für radikale Prozess-innovationen in Verbindung mit Industrie 4.0-Technologien innerhalb der Produktionslogistik aufzeigt.
Betreibermodelle für den Einsatz von 3D-Druckern
Authors: Müller Maren , Maurer Timo , Hund Eric , Stonis Malte
Published: April 2018

Kurzfassung

Die 3D-Druck-Technik bietet als additives Fertigungsverfahren vielfältige Vorteile gegenüber konventionellen Verfahren. Bauteile können individualisiert und mit hoher geometrischer Komplexität gefertigt werden. Die Anschaffung von 3D-Druckern in der Produktion ist jedoch mit hohen Investitionskosten verbunden, welches als Haupthinderungsgrund für den Einsatz bei KMU gesehen wird. Mittels Betreibermodellen können produzierende Unternehmen diese Hürde umgehen und 3D-Drucker für ihre Produktion nutzen. Ein Vorgehen für die wirtschaftliche Bewertung des Einsatzes von Betreibermodellen sowie die Hindernisse auf Anbieter- und Nachfragerseite werden im folgenden Beitrag erläutert.
Vernetzung in Cyber-Physischen Produktionssystemen
Authors: Rojas Rafael , Rauch Erwin , Matt Dominik T.
Published: April 2018

Kurzfassung

In der „Smart Factory“ müssen Cyber-Physische Systeme (CPS) untereinander und mit der Außenwelt synchronisiert werden, um Informationen auszutauschen und Aktionen auszulösen. In diesem Beitrag wird ein Modell für die Gestaltung eines Industrial Internet Systems (IIS) vorgestellt und dessen Umsetzung im Laborumfeld beschrieben. Ziel des industriellen Internet ist dabei eine Homogenisierung und Integration der Kommunikationssysteme von eingesetzten Elementen, wie Maschinen oder Robotern. Hinzu kommt die Schaffung eines zentralen Backbone-Netzwerks, in dem alle wertvollen Informationen für die weitere Analyse großer Datenmengen gesammelt wird.
Frei verkettete Montagesysteme
Authors: Göppert Amon , Hüttemann Guido , Jung Sven , Grunert Dennis , Schmitt Robert
Published: April 2018

Kurzfassung

Zunehmend kurzfristige Produktintegrationen oder die Skalierung von Absatzmengen stellen kontinuierlich auftretende Herausforderungen für die industrielle Montage dar. Die resultierenden Rekonfigurationen bedingen, durch die komplexe starre Verkettung der Montagesysteme, hohe Zeitaufwände und Kosten. Als Lösungsansatz wird die Organisationsform der freien Verkettung vorgestellt, um anschließend die notwendigen Randbedingungen und erste Ansätze für eine Umsetzung aufzuzeigen.
Modern Methods for the Microscopic Characterization of ZnO Varistor Grain Boundaries
Authors: Raidl N. , Sartory B. , Supancic P. , Danzer R.
Published: April 2018

This study examines ceramic varistors made from zinc oxide whose electrical resistance drops by many orders of magnitude within a few nanoseconds when a critical voltage threshold is exceeded. These unusual properties are caused by charges which are build into grain boundaries or accumulate near the grain boundaries. Zinc oxide crystals are polar and piezoelectric. Therefore, the charges in the grain boundary area and thus the electrical properties of the varistor depend on the orientation of the crystals towards the grain boundaries and on the mechanical tensions in the individual crystals. In this study, the microstructures of ZnO varistors, particularly the size and distribution of the grains and their orientation towards the grain boundaries will be examined. Among other things, lock-in thermography with a target preparation of strongly active grain boundaries and EBSD analyses in combination with SEM examinations, ion-etching and wet-chemical etching for the determination of crystal orientations are used. For selected grain boundaries, the electrical resistance in dependence of the applied voltage is determined via Micro-4 pole measurements.
Unusual Crack Formation on an Autoclave during Thermal Cracking Experiments on Anthropogenic Resources
Authors: Schmid A. , Mori G. , Strobl S. , Haubner R.
Published: April 2018

Thermal cracking experiments were performed on anthropogenic resources (post consumer plastics with PVC impurities) in an autoclave under N2 atmosphere and at 500 °C. After about 48 h, a crack near the flange resulted in pressure loss. Deposits of FeCl2 · 2H2O, NiCl2 · 2H2O and Ni2O2OH could be evidenced on the cracks using XRF and XRD. In the crack itself, mainly Cr2O3 could be found at the crack initiation site, while chlorides of Fe, Cr, and Ni could be observed at the tip of the crack using EDS. Metallographic examinations using V2A and Beraha etchants revealed that the crack propagated transgranularly. The basic structure exhibits not only dendritic segregations (cast structure) but also segregation bands (deformed microstructure). In addition to that, Ti(C,N) precipitations could be found. TiN (yellow) mainly occurred in the core, while TiC (white) was primarily found at the edge of the sample.
Beckett's Bodies in the Trilogy, or Life as a Pensum
Authors: Louar Nadia
Published: April 2018

Beckett's literary bilingualism challenges in unique ways notions of national literature, literary traditions and histories. The cosmopolitan literary movements with which the Irish author has been associated, on the one hand, and his systematic literary bilingualism, on the other, make it difficult to assign him definite precursors and place his work in a well-defined national literary history. Similarly, the biographies of Beckett's characters become arduous to establish as his œuvre unfolds. When the author switches to French and first-person narrators in 1946, his anti-narrative strategies and corollary enterprise of desubjectification disinherit his characters and ‘nip’ their life stories ‘in the bud.’ Beckett's ensuing practice of self-translation complicates matters further as his works come under the sway of a double genealogy. This essay reconsiders the questions of filiations, affiliations and genealogies in Beckett's works by focusing on the pivotal role of the body in the trilogy. It identifies the trajectory of the body in the novels and traces the gradual loss of its physical integrity as it is borne across languages. Drawing on three terms that resonate throughout the novels and appear in a key passage in Beckett's monograph on Proust: ‘body’, ‘pensum’ and ‘defunctus,’ it analyzes their interconnections in the novels to foreground a decomposing body that becomes liable for the narrators' linguistic failure. The essay ultimately suggests that the bilingual œuvre taken as a whole intimates the end of genealogies and substitutes for the principle of generation that of an organic corporeal life lived as a pensum.
Holes, Orifices, and Porous Subjectivity in Beckett's Molloy
Authors: Broadway Will
Published: April 2018

At first glance, the abundant references to holes and orifices throughout Samuel Beckett's writing may seem to function merely as irreverent provocation or low physical comedy. While Beckett's use of scatological language and imagery indeed serves comic purposes – and participates in a literary tradition of scatological humor that includes Chaucer, Rabelais, and Swift – the figure of the hole serves a more strategic function in his literary texts. His fiction and plays evince a unique preoccupation with cavities, orifices, and holes of all sorts, both anatomical and non-anatomical. In particular, the oscillation between the poles of mouth and anus exemplifies a recurring orificial motif whereby body cavities are substituted for one another, lose their specificity, and become indeterminate and interchangeable holes. In this essay, I argue that the repeated substitution of oral for anal cavity, and vice versa, recasts both holes in terms of a more generalized orifice and upends an anatomical hierarchy that privileges mouth over anus, head over body, cognition over corporeality. The recurring elision between holes produces an image of the body as multiply porous and of embodiment as a condition of radical permeability and exposure. Ultimately, the orificial motif present in Beckett's fiction and plays corresponds to a reconfiguration of the embodied subject as open and porous. In my analysis, I discuss holes as they appear in Molloy, which in my view offers the most elaborated development of the orificial motif and thorough treatment of what I will call porous subjectivity.
‘this… this… thing’: TheEndgameProject, Corporeal Difference, and the Ethics of Witnessing
Authors: Bixby Patrick
Published: April 2018

This essay examines a remarkable 2012 production of Endgame (‘the Endgame project’) starring Dan Moran and Chris Jones, longtime New York actors who both live with Parkinson's disease. Rejecting the limiting assumptions imposed upon them by their profession (and the critical tendency to assimilate the disabled body to philosophical abstraction), the actors drew the attention of their audience to corporeal difference as a nexus of observation, contemplation, and appreciation in the theater. But this is not to say that the production somehow arrested the oscillation between affirmation and negation that defines the discursive structures of the play. Rather, it is argued here, the Endgame project enters into this textual uncertainty to highlight precisely those issues that have too often been absented or occluded in critical responses to the play: the ethical difficulties of giving witness to suffering, the problems of disentangling compassion and oppression, the matters of valuing and regulating the body.
Change orientated learning and the Greek disability movement - a mutually beneficial encounter between knowledge and action
Authors: Chatzipetrou Anthi
Published: April 2018

This paper is a qualitative survey based on the exploration of disabled peoples’ existing experience of participating in non-formal forms of education, which take place in the context of the Greek disability movement. Its aim is to record the way in which this kind of education can be a catalyst in the empowerment of disabled people. Data was obtained through semi-structured interviews held with both learners with disabilities and educators and from direct observation of the educational process. The main findings of this study explore the ways in which educators can contribute to the empowerment of disabled people. It is found that the empowerment of learners cannot simply be regarded as an aspect of education but rather as an integral part embedded in the content, in the educational methods and in the role of the educator. Finally, the paper highlights the necessity for disability organisations to cooperate with the fields of disability studies and adult education, in order for them to jointly conceive and try out new more transformative pedagogical methods.
Abdominal symptoms and cancer in the abdomen: prospective cohort study in European primary care
Authors: Holtedahl Knut , Hjertholm Peter , Borgquist Lars , Donker Gé A , Buntinx Frank , Weller David , Braaten Tonje , Månsson Jörgen , Strandberg Eva Lena , Campbell Christine , Korevaar Joke C , Parajuli Ranjan
Published: April 2018

Background

Different abdominal symptoms may signal cancer, but their role is unclear.

Aim

To examine associations between abdominal symptoms and subsequent cancer diagnosed in the abdominal region.

Design and setting

Prospective cohort study comprising 493 GPs from surgeries in Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Scotland, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Method

Over a 10-day period, the GPs recorded consecutive consultations and noted: patients who presented with abdominal symptoms pre-specified on the registration form; additional data on non-specific symptoms; and features of the consultation. Eight months later, data on all cancer diagnoses among all study patients in the participating general practices were requested from the GPs.

Results

Consultations with 61 802 patients were recorded and abdominal symptoms were documented in 6264 (10.1%) patients. Malignancy, both abdominal and non-abdominal, was subsequently diagnosed in 511 patients (0.8%). Among patients with a new cancer in the abdomen (n = 251), 175 (69.7%) were diagnosed within 180 days after consultation. In a multivariate model, the highest sex- and age-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) was for the single symptom of rectal bleeding (HR 19.1, 95% confidence interval = 8.7 to 41.7). Positive predictive values of >3% were found for macroscopic haematuria, rectal bleeding, and involuntary weight loss, with variations according to age and sex. The three symptoms relating to irregular bleeding had particularly high specificity in terms of colorectal, uterine, and bladder cancer.

Conclusions

A patient with undiagnosed cancer may present with symptoms or no symptoms. Irregular bleeding must always be explained. Abdominal pain occurs with all types of abdominal cancer and several symptoms may signal colorectal cancer. The findings are important as they influence how GPs think and act, and how they can contribute to an earlier diagnosis of cancer.
Development of a prediction tool for patients presenting with acute cough in primary care: a prognostic study spanning six European countries
Authors: Bruyndonckx Robin , Hens Niel , Verheij Theo JM , Aerts Marc , Ieven Margareta , Butler Christopher C , Little Paul , Goossens Herman , Coenen Samuel ,   The GRACE project group
Published: April 2018

Background

Accurate prediction of the course of an acute cough episode could curb antibiotic overprescribing, but is still a major challenge in primary care.

Aim

The authors set out to develop a new prediction rule for poor outcome (re-consultation with new or worsened symptoms, or hospital admission) in adults presenting to primary care with acute cough.

Design and setting

Data were collected from 2604 adults presenting to primary care with acute cough or symptoms suggestive of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) within the Genomics to combat Resistance against Antibiotics in Community-acquired LRTI in Europe (GRACE; www.grace-lrti.org) Network of Excellence.

Method

Important signs and symptoms for the new prediction rule were found by combining random forest and logistic regression modelling. Performance to predict poor outcome in acute cough patients was compared with that of existing prediction rules, using the models’ area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC), and any improvement obtained by including additional test results (C-reactive protein [CRP], blood urea nitrogen [BUN], chest radiography, or aetiology) was evaluated using the same methodology.

Results

The new prediction rule, included the baseline Risk of poor outcome, Interference with daily activities, number of years stopped Smoking (> or <45 years), severity of Sputum, presence of Crackles, and diastolic blood pressure (> or <85 mmHg) (RISSC85). Though performance of RISSC85 was moderate (sensitivity 62%, specificity 59%, positive predictive value 27%, negative predictive value 86%, AUC 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.61 to 0.67), it outperformed all existing prediction rules used today (highest AUC 0.53, 95% CI = 0.51 to 0.56), and could not be significantly improved by including additional test results (highest AUC 0.64, 95% CI = 0.62 to 0.68).

Conclusion

The new prediction rule outperforms all existing alternatives in predicting poor outcome in adult patients presenting to primary care with acute cough and could not be improved by including additional test results.
Mission et colonisation : l’étonnant parallélisme des « cas » protestant et catholique aux XIXe-XXe siècles
Authors: Zorn Jean-François
Published: April 2018

Cet article se propose de faire l’histoire parallèle des missions catholiques et protestantes, au cours des deux derniers siècles (1800-2000), découpés en trois périodes : pré-coloniale, coloniale et post coloniale. Dans chacune de ces périodes, on repère un parallélisme frappant des deux confessions, ce qui n’exclut pas la concurrence entre elles ; au contraire, cette concurrence stimule les acteurs et les oblige à formaliser leur projet et à l’enraciner dans la réalité. Quatre critères du parallélisme sont retenus : le cadre philosophique et culturel dans lequel naît et évolue l’idée missionnaire, la spiritualité qui porte le projet de la mission, le contexte socio-politique et ses évolutions qui permettent de thématiser les rapports entre mission et colonisation, la vision et le rôle de l’Église qui naît de la mission, ses institutions et son personnel.
Mère Javouhey, un cas hors normes dans la lutte contre l’esclavage
Authors: Cornuel Pascale
Published: April 2018

Anne-Marie Javouhey (1779-1851), founder and first superior of the order of the Sisters of Saint-Joseph of Cluny, also set up the village of Mana in French Guiana. Her initiative was inspired by Baron Jacques-François Roger, her closest friend and the founder, in 1834, of the Société abolitionniste. This article analyzes the establishment of Mana in the context of the gradualist approach to the abolition of slavery that Roger advocated.
La relation mission-colonisation : une mise au point progressive dans le Dahomey des années 1860
Authors: Trichet Pierre
Published: April 2018

In 1861 two Roman Catholic missionaries arrived and settled in Ouidah (Dahomey, West Africa). A French trading post was already established there. Navy officers from the French Naval Division located in Gabon occasionally visited the missionaries and traders as they were charged with ensuring their safety. Relationships between these three groups at first were noted for their courtesy. But some tensions did arise. Each group reported on its actions to its superiors : the missionaries to the Superior General of African Missions in Lyon, the traders to the head of theTrading Company Regis in Marseilles, the Navy Officers to the Ministry of the Navy in Paris. These authorities sent directives and gave approval for the actions taken. The occasional tensions were considered as opportunities for each group to see what demands it could make and what it could afford from the others. So a code of good conduct was to be drawn up.
L’ère du soupçon : missionnaires anglicans et fonctionnaires belges entre défiance et tensions (Ruanda, 1916-1940)
Authors: Cornet Anne
Published: April 2018

Far too little attention has been paid to the fact that the colonial worlds were not saved by divisions and tensions, even in their Western component. This article will focus on the tense relations between a new mandatory power (Belgium) and a missionary society been used to work in British imperial areas (the Church Missionary Society), fromWorldWar I to the eve of World War II, in the Rwandan territory. After setting the context, the article presents the history of the Church Missionary Society in the country of the thousand hills. Then, it examines the explicit or underlying subjects of tensions and of mistrust between the mandatory power and the religious society. It analyzes the various strategies to put remotely or at the opposite to get close the points of view on either side. It shows also the incidence of context and human factors on the relational climate between the authorities and the missionaries.
La Ecografía clínica en el diagnóstico diferencial de las infecciones del aparato locomotor
Authors: Henriquez-Camacho Cesar
Published: April 2018

La Ecografía clínica en el diagnóstico diferencial de las infecciones del aparato locomotor
Antimicrobial activity of essential oils extracted from leaves of native Moroccan plants against clinical bacterial isolates
Authors: El Malki Fatima , Eddaraji Kamal , Alloudane Rajae , Greche Hassane , Essalmani Haiat , Barrijal Said
Published: April 2018

Introduction: Medicinal plants are plentiful of bioactive molecules effective against multi-resistance bacteria. The aims of this study were to assess the in vitro antimicrobial activities of essential oils extracted from three Moroccan aromatic plants.

Methodology: Analysis of essential oils of Origanum compactum, Rosmarinus officinalis and Pelargonium asperum, collected from different localities in Morocco, were performed using a GC-MS spectrophotometry. Antibacterial activity was evaluated in vitro for five clinical multi-resistant isolates.

Results: Origanum showed strong antibacterial activity against tested strains except Pseudomonas aeruginosa while Rosmarinum showed a bactericidal effect against Acinetobacter baumanii, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Pelargonium presented only slight growth inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus on solid medium, but provided bactericidal effect against Acinetobacter baumanii and Staphylococcus aureus. Interestingly, fractions F7 and F8 of Pelargonium which represented only 0.3% and 0.1% of the total mass were found bactericidal respectively against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Conclusions: Ours results showed that the antimicrobial activities were variables depending on the chemical composition of essential oils, the fraction used and the microorganism tested.Essential oils fractionation allows detection of bioactive substances, especially those owning antimicrobial activity, present in small quantities.
A Potential Cyclotron Resonant Scattering Feature in the Ultraluminous X-Ray Source Pulsar NGC 300 ULX1 Seen by NuSTAR and XMM-Newton
Authors: Walton D. J. , Bachetti M. , Fürst F. , Barret D. , Brightman M. , Fabian A. C. , Grefenstette B. W. , Harrison F. A. , Heida M. , Kennea J. , Kosec P. , Lau R. M. , Madsen K. K. , Middleton M. J. , Pinto C. , Steiner J. F. , Webb N.
Published: April 2018

Based on phase-resolved broadband spectroscopy using XMM-Newton and NuSTAR, we report on a potential cyclotron resonant scattering feature (CRSF) at E ∼ 13 keV in the pulsed spectrum of the recently discovered ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) pulsar NGC 300 ULX1. If this interpretation is correct, the implied magnetic field of the central neutron star is B ∼ 1012 G (assuming scattering by electrons), similar to that estimated from the observed spin-up of the star, and also similar to known Galactic X-ray pulsars. We discuss the implications of this result for the connection between NGC 300 ULX1 and the other known ULX pulsars, particularly in light of the recent discovery of a likely proton cyclotron line in another ULX, M51 ULX-8.
Observations sur les carrières de basalte des jardins de l’Hevsel à Diyarbakır : la muraille au miroir
Authors: Assénat Martine , Bessac Jean-Claude
Published: April 2018

The Romano-Byzantine wall in Amida/Diyarbakır is quite singular as it was entirely built, in the likeness of the city itself, from blocks of basalt stone taken from the volcanic lava of the Karacadağ volcano, whose eruptions formed the table hill upon which it stands. We propose a brief overview of similar constructions in neighbouring areas before examining the specificities of the Amida quarries and how their study might contribute to the general understanding of the structure and to the social, cultural and economic history of the site and its region.
Constitutively Bound EGFR–Mediated Tyrosine Phosphorylation of TLR9 Is Required for Its Ability To Signal
Authors: Veleeparambil Manoj , Poddar Darshana , Abdulkhalek Samar , Kessler Patricia M. , Yamashita Michifumi , Chattopadhyay Saurabh , Sen Ganes C.
Published: April 2018

Mammalian TLRs recognize microbial infection or cell death–associated danger signals and trigger the appropriate cellular response. These responses determine the strength and the outcome of the host–microbe interaction. TLRs are transmembrane proteins located on the plasma or the endosomal membrane. Their ectodomains recognize specific microbial or endogenous ligands, and the cytoplasmic domains interact with specific proteins to activate intracellular signaling pathways. TLR9, an endosomal TLR, is activated by endocytosed DNA. Activated TLR9 recruits the cytoplasmic adapter MyD88 and other signaling proteins to induce the synthesis of inflammatory cytokines and IFN. Uncontrolled activation of TLR9 leads to the undesired overproduction of inflammatory cytokines and consequent pathogenesis. Therefore, appropriate activation and the regulation of TLR9 signaling are critical. Tyrosine (Tyr) phosphorylation of TLR9 is essential for its activation; however, the role of specific Tyr kinases is not clear. In this article, we report that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a membrane-bound protein Tyr kinase, is essential for TLR9 signaling. Genetic ablation of EGFR or pharmacological inhibition of its kinase activity attenuates TLR9-mediated induction of genes in myeloid and nonmyeloid cell types. EGFR is constitutively bound to TLR9; upon ligand stimulation, it mediates TLR9 Tyr phosphorylation, which leads to the recruitment of MyD88, activation of the signaling kinases and transcription factors, and gene induction. In mice, TLR9-mediated liver injury and death are blocked by an EGFR inhibitor or deletion of the EGFR gene from myeloid cells, which are the major producers of inflammatory cytokines.
TCF-1 Inhibits IL-17 Gene Expression To Restrain Th17 Immunity in a Stage-Specific Manner
Authors: Zhang Jing , He Zhiheng , Sen Subha , Wang Fei , Zhang Qiang , Sun Zuoming
Published: April 2018

T cell factor 1 (TCF-1) is expressed in both developing and mature T cells and has been shown to restrain mature T cell–mediated Th17 responses by inhibiting IL-17 expression. However, it is not clear when TCF-1 is required in vivo to restrain the magnitude of peripheral Th17 responses and what the molecular mechanisms responsible for TCF-1–regulated IL-17 gene expression are. In this study, we showed that conditional deletion of TCF-1 at the early but not later CD4+CD8+ double-positive stage in mice enhanced Th17 differentiation and aggravated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, which correlates with abnormally high IL-17 expression. Expression of TCF-1 in TCF-1–deficient thymocytes but not TCF-1–deficient Th17 cells inhibited IL-17 expression. TCF-1 binds to IL-17 promoter regions, and deletion of two TCF-1 binding sites relieves TCF-1–mediated inhibition of IL-17 promoter activity. Lastly, wild-type TCF-1, but not a TCF-1 mutant that has no intrinsic histone deacetylase activity, was able to inhibit IL-17 expression in TCF-1 deficient mouse thymocytes. Thus, our study demonstrates the requirement of TCF-1 in vivo at stages earlier than double-positive cells to restrain peripheral Th17 immunity by directly binding and inhibiting IL-17 promoter in its intrinsic histone deacetylase–dependent manner.
The 1929 magnitude 7.2 Grand Banks earthquake: felt reports from the dominions of Canada and Newfoundland and islands of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, France
Authors: Lamontagne M , Burke K B S
Published: April 2018

The 18 November 1929 Magnitude (M) 7.2 earthquake is the largest historical earthquake of eastern Canada. The earthquake was felt over most of Newfoundland and Labrador, at St-Pierre and Miquelon, in the Maritimes, eastern Quebec and New England. In this Open
File Report, we include scans of the original felt information questionnaires that were received by the Dominion Observatory shortly after the earthquake occurred and other felt information from Canada, the Dominion of Newfoundland and St-Pierre and Miquelon. For each locality, the felt information
is rated on the Modified Mercalli intensity (MMI) scale and tabulated in a Microsoft Excel sheet. Some 155 MMI reports are listed. This Open File is a pilot project that aims at evaluating the level of effort required to have all similar macroseismic information of Canadian earthquakes included in
an intensity database. A total of about four weeks of work was necessary to produce this Open File Report.
Quantitative efficiency assessment based on the dynamic slack-based network data envelopment analysis for commercial banks in Ghana
Authors: Zhou Zhixiang , Amowine Nelson , Huang Dechun
Published: April 2018

Background: Gains in bank efficiency improvement have widely been regarded as one of the most effective and efficient means of ensuring sustainability of a financial system. Aim: This article proposes a relative dynamic two-stage network data envelopment analysis model for measurement of bank efficiency based on the slack-based measure. Setting: Twenty-seven banks in Ghana during the period of 2009–2014. Methods: By considering simultaneous processes within the framework of two-stage data envelopment analysis, the slack-based measure approach identifies the sources of inefficiency in the banks. Results: In the empirical analysis, non-performing loans are an undesirable output in one production process, which should also be treated as a carry-over factor; that is to say, some non-performing loans from the preceding year can be collected in the current year. The carry-over factors should be used to indicate the presence of performance gaps that exist in the banks. The proposed model was used to measure the efficiency of the 27 banks in Ghana during the period of 2009–2014. We also present useful suggestions for improvement in bank efficiency based on the empirical results. Conclusion: The 27 main commercial banks in Ghana are far from efficient. For all banks, the efficiency score in the second stage is much higher than that of the first stage. That means more attention should be paid to the first stage of production in order to increase the banks’ efficiency.
Combined use of O3/H2O2 and O3/Mn2+ in flotation of dairy wastewater
Authors: Carvalho Marta Cristina Silva , Borges Alisson Carraro , Pereira Magno Dos Santos , Heleno Fernanda Fernandes , Faroni Leda Rita D´Antonino , Campos Luiza Cintra
Published: April 2018

This work investigated the degradation of organic matter present in synthetic dairy wastewater by the combination of ozonation (ozone (O3)/hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)) and catalytic ozonation (ozone (O3)/manganese (Mn2+)) associated with dispersed air flotation process. The effect of independent factors such as O3 concentration, pH and H2O2 and Mn2+ concentration was evaluated. For the flotation/O3/H2O2 treatment, the significant variables  (p ≤ 0.05) were: O3 concentration (linear and quadratic effect), H2O2 concentration linear and quadratic effect, pH values (linear and quadratic effect) and interaction O3 concentration versus pH. For catalytic ozonation, it was observed that the significant variable was the linear effect of O3 concentration. According to the desirability function, it was concluded that the optimal condition for the treatment of flotation/O3/H2O2 can be obtained in acidic solution using O3 concentrations greater than 42.9 mg L-1 combined with higher concentrations of H2O2 to 1071.5 mg L-1. On other hand, at pH values higher than 9.0, the addition of O3 may be neglected when using higher concentrations than 1071.5 mg L-1 of H2O2. For flotation/ozonation catalyzed by Mn2+, it was observed that metal addition did not affect treatment, resulting in an optimum condition: 53.8 mg L-1 of O3 and pH 3.6.
Assessment of a subtropical riparian forest focusing on botanical, meteorological, ecological characterization and chemical analysis of rainwater
Authors: Graeff Vanessa , Mottin Ivi Galetto , Rocha-Uriartt Ledyane , Osório Daniela Montanari Migliavacca , Schmitt Jairo Lizandro
Published: April 2018

Riparian forests are heterogeneous environments, in which epiphytes find ideal conditions to develop. These plants absorb the necessary nutrients for survival from the atmosphere, and their occurrence and distribution can be influenced by the quality and quantity of precipitation. The objective of this research was to perform an integrated analysis of botanical, meteorological and chemical precipitation parameters so as to compare them in fragments of the riparian forest in the lower (São Leopoldo-SL) and upper (Caraá-CA) stretches of the Rio dos Sinos Hydrographic Basin (RSHB), RS, Brazil. Rainwater was chemically analyzed, the community structure of epiphytic ferns was surveyed and the ecological characterization was evaluated through the Rapid Habitat Assessment Protocol (RHAP). The results showed that the chemical composition of rainwater is influenced by the environment of each area. In the upper stretch (CA), for instance, the main contribution is that of marine ions, while in the lower stretch (SL), the most impacting aspects are urbanization and industrialization. Similarly, the results depict a reduction of richness and a simplification of the community structure of epiphytic ferns and their environmental quality according to the RHAP categories, towards the base level of the RSHB. The integrated analysis, in which different methods were applied, proved to be an efficient tool to evaluate environmental quality. This analysis considers that a greater number of biotic and abiotic variables may be applied in different scenarios.
Urban solid waste challenges in the BRICS countries: a systematic literature review
Authors: Gonçalves Andriani Tavares Tenório , Moraes Flávia Tuane Ferreira , Marques Guilherme Lima , Lima Josiane Palma , Lima Renato Da Silva
Published: April 2018

Urban Solid Waste Management (USWM) is a worldwide challenge. The problems faced are even greater due to the disproportional increase of Urban Solid Waste (USW) generation in volume, especially in a context of increased urbanization, population growth and economic globalization in the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). In this context, the objective of this work is to analyze the status of MSW management in the BRICS countries, as well as to promote an exchange of experience and management strategies, pointing out possible ways to improve USWM systems that have to be adapted to each local reality. Focusing on this, a systematic literature revision was carried out through a bibliometric analysis. Results showed that the management system of these BRICS countries does not possess well-developed structures. The collection stage is quite often inefficient, the solid waste being stored in inappropriate ways and also disposed of in irregular locations. The participation of the informal sector is a trademark characteristic in USWM for BRICS countries, highlighting the need to integrate and formalize these activities for USW collection. Due to the high organic fraction, it is known that composting offers advantages as a way to promote a better use of organic waste and also as a means of reducing the amount of waste sent to sanitary landfills. Finally, with a better knowledge about solid waste generation and decentralization of the offered services, the decision makers will be able to successfully provide this essential public service.
Rezensionen
Authors: Schneebeli H. R. , Deckelman S.
Published: April 2018

Rezensionen zu:
N.J. Higham (ed.):
The Princeton Companion to Applied Mathematics
. 994 Seiten, SFr. 86.–. Princeton University Press, Princeton NJ, 2015; ISBN 978-0-691-15039-0,
von H. R. Schneebeli;
und zu:
H. Bruderer:
Meilensteine der Rechentechnik
. 818 Seiten, EUR 120.–. Walter de Gruyter, Oldenbourg, 2016; ISBN 978-311037547-3,
von S. Deckelman.
La pharmacie hospitalière internationale : apprendre les uns des autres
Authors: Moles Rebekah J.
Published: April 2018

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