bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanoporous Silica-Dye Microspheres for Enhanced Colorimetric Detection of Cyclohexanone
Authors: Li Zheng
Published: August 2018

Forensic detection of non-volatile nitro explosives poses a difficult analytical challenge. A colorimetric sensor comprising of ultrasonically prepared silica-dye microspheres was developed for the sensitive gas detection of cyclohexanone, a volatile marker of explosives 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (RDX) and 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane (HMX). The silica-dye composites were synthesized from the hydrolysis of ultrasonically sprayed organosiloxanes under mild heating conditions (150 °C), which yielded microspherical, nanoporous structures with high surface area (~300 m2/g) for gas exposure. The sensor inks were deposited on cellulose paper and given sensitive colorimetric responses to trace the amount of cyclohexanone vapors even at sub-ppm levels, with a detection limit down to ~150 ppb. The sensor showed high chemical specificity towards cyclohexanone against humidity and other classes of common solvents, including ethanol, acetonitrile, ether, ethyl acetate, and ammonia. Paper-based colorimetric sensors with hierarchical nanostructures could represent an alternative sensing material for practical applications in the detection of explosives.
Identity Vector Extraction by Perceptual Wavelet Packet Entropy and Convolutional Neural Network for Voice Authentication
Authors: Lei Lei , She Kun
Published: August 2018

Recently, the accuracy of voice authentication system has increased significantly due to the successful application of the identity vector (i-vector) model. This paper proposes a new method for i-vector extraction. In the method, a perceptual wavelet packet transform (PWPT) is designed to convert speech utterances into wavelet entropy feature vectors, and a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) is designed to estimate the frame posteriors of the wavelet entropy feature vectors. In the end, i-vector is extracted based on those frame posteriors. TIMIT and VoxCeleb speech corpus are used for experiments and the experimental results show that the proposed method can extract appropriate i-vector which reduces the equal error rate (EER) and improve the accuracy of voice authentication system in clean and noisy environment.
A Novel Method for Estimating Wave Energy Converter Performance in Variable Bathymetry Regions and Applications
Authors: Belibassakis Kostas , Bonovas Markos , Rusu Eugen
Published: August 2018

A numerical model is presented for the estimation of Wave Energy Converter (WEC) performance in variable bathymetry regions, taking into account the interaction of the floating units with the bottom topography. The proposed method is based on a coupled-mode model for the propagation of the water waves over the general bottom topography, in combination with a Boundary Element Method for the treatment of the diffraction/radiation problems and the evaluation of the flow details on the local scale of the energy absorbers. An important feature of the present method is that it is free of mild bottom slope assumptions and restrictions and it is able to resolve the 3D wave field all over the water column, in variable bathymetry regions including the interactions of floating bodies of general shape. Numerical results are presented concerning the wave field and the power output of a single device in inhomogeneous environment, focusing on the effect of the shape of the floater. Extensions of the method to treat the WEC arrays in variable bathymetry regions are also presented and discussed.
Site Selection of Hybrid Offshore Wind and Wave Energy Systems in Greece Incorporating Environmental Impact Assessment
Authors: Loukogeorgaki Eva , Vagiona Dimitra G. , Vasileiou Margarita
Published: August 2018

This paper presents a methodological framework for evaluating marine areas in Greece for the purpose of identifying the most adequate sites for Hybrid Offshore Wind and Wave Energy Systems (HOWiWaES), with special focus on the HOWiWaES’ environmental impact assessment evaluation. Nine evaluation criteria that reflect various environmental, economic, technical and socio-political aspects are considered, including Wind Velocity (WV), Wave Energy Potential (WEP), Water Depth (WD), Distance from Shore (DS), Connection to Local Electrical Grid (CLEG), Population Served (PS), Shipping Density (SD), Distance from Ports (DP) and Environmental Performance Value (EPV). Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is performed to hierarchically rank twelve predefined siting alternatives. Questionnaires are used to collect information on pairwise comparisons of the evaluation criteria from a group of stakeholders/experts. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used as a metric tool for pairwise comparisons of each siting alternative with respect to the first eight evaluation criteria, while the last criterion is assessed through the development of an innovative environmental impact assessment tool. The results indicate that WV, WEP and EPV present the evaluation criteria with the highest relative significance, while PS, DP and SD correspond to less influencing criteria. The proposed methodology can be easily applied to other countries worldwide for supporting socially accepted siting of HOWiWaES.
A Study on the Fuel Economy Potential of Parallel and Power Split Type Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Authors: Kim Hyunhwa , Wi Junbeom , Yoo Jiho , Son Hanho , Park Chiman , Kim Hyunsoo
Published: August 2018

What is the best number of gear steps for parallel type hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and what are the pros and cons of the power split type HEV compared to the parallel type have been interesting issues in the development of HEVs. In this study, a comparative analysis was performed to evaluate the fuel economy potential of a parallel HEV and a power split type HEV. First, the fuel economy potential of the parallel HEV was investigated for the number of gear steps. Four-speed, six-speed, and eight-speed automatic transmissions (ATs) and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) were selected, and their drivetrain losses were considered in the dynamic programming (DP). It was found from DP results that the power electronics system (PE) loss decreased because the magnitude of the motor load leveling power decreased as the number of gear steps increased. On the other hand, the drivetrain losses including the electric oil pump (EOP) loss increased with increasing gear step. The improvement rate from the 4-speed to the 6-speed was the greatest, while it decreased for the higher gear step. The fuel economy of the CVT HEV was rather low due to the large EOP loss in spite of the reduced PE loss. In addition, the powertrain characteristics of the parallel HEV were compared with the power split type HEV. In the power split type HEV, the PE loss was almost double compared to that of the parallel HEV because two large capacity motor-generators were used. However, the drivetrain loss and EOP loss of the power split type HEV were found to be much smaller due to its relatively simple architecture. It is expected that the power characteristics of the parallel and power split type HEVs obtained from the DP results can be used in the development of HEV systems.
Orthopedic Professionals’ Recognition and Knowledge of Pain and Perceived Barriers to Optimal Pain Management at Five Hospitals
Authors: Bouri Fadi , El Ansari Walid , Mahmoud Shady , Elhessy Ahmed , Al-Ansari Abdulla , Al-Dosari Mohamed Al Ateeq
Published: August 2018

Pain is a challenge for orthopedic healthcare professionals (OHCP). However, pain studies examined the competencies of a single OHCP category, did not consider various pain management domains or barriers to optimal pain service, and are deficient across the Arabic Eastern Mediterranean region. We surveyed OHCP’s recognition and knowledge of pain and perceived barriers to optimal pain service (361 OHCP, five hospitals). Chi square compared doctors’ (n = 63) vs. nurses/physiotherapists’ (n = 187) views. In terms of pain recognition, more nurses had pain management training, confidently assessed pediatric/elderly pain, were aware of their departments’ pain protocols, and felt that their patients receive proper pain management. More doctors comfortably prescribed opiate medications and agreed that some nationalities were more sensitive to pain. For pain knowledge, more nurses felt patients are accurate in assessing their pain, vital signs are accurate in assessing children’s pain, children feel less pain because of nervous system immaturity, narcotics are not preferred due respiratory depression, and knew pre-emptive analgesia. As for barriers to optimal pain service, less nurses agreed about the lack of local policies/guidelines, knowledge, and skills; time to pre-medicate patients; knowledge about medications; complexity of the clinical environment; and physicians being not comfortable prescribing pain medication. We conclude that doctors required confidence in pain, especially pediatric and geriatric pain, using vital signs in assessing pain and narcotics use. Their most perceived barriers were lack of local policies/guidelines and skills. Nurses required more confidence in medications, caring for patients on narcotics, expressed fewer barriers than doctors, and the complexity of the clinical environment was their highest barrier. Educational programs with clinical application could improve OHCPs’ pain competencies/clinical practices in pain assessment and administration of analgesics.
Use of Estimating Equations for Dosing Antimicrobials in Patients with Acute Kidney Injury Not Receiving Renal Replacement Therapy
Authors: Awdishu Linda , Connor Ana Isabel , Bouchard Josée , Macedo Etienne , Chertow Glenn M. , Mehta Ravindra L.
Published: August 2018

Acute kidney injury (AKI) can potentially lead to the accumulation of antimicrobial drugs with significant renal clearance. Drug dosing adjustments are commonly made using the Cockcroft-Gault estimate of creatinine clearance (CLcr). The Modified Jelliffe equation is significantly better at estimating kidney function than the Cockcroft-Gault equation in the setting of AKI. The objective of this study is to assess the degree of antimicrobial dosing discordance using different glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimating equations. This is a retrospective evaluation of antimicrobial dosing using different estimating equations for kidney function in AKI and comparison to Cockcroft-Gault estimation as a reference. Considering the Cockcroft-Gault estimate as the criterion standard, antimicrobials were appropriately adjusted at most 80.7% of the time. On average, kidney function changed by 30 mL/min over the course of an AKI episode. The median clearance at the peak serum creatinine was 27.4 (9.3–66.3) mL/min for Cockcroft Gault, 19.8 (9.8–47.0) mL/min/1.73 m2 for MDRD and 20.5 (4.9–49.6) mL/min for the Modified Jelliffe equations. The discordance rate for antimicrobial dosing ranged from a minimum of 8.6% to a maximum of 16.4%. In the event of discordance, the dose administered was supra-therapeutic 100% of the time using the Modified Jelliffe equation. Use of estimating equations other than the Cockcroft Gault equation may significantly alter dosing of antimicrobials in AKI.
Nutcracker Syndrome in Children: Role of Doppler Ultrasonographic Indices in Detecting the Pattern of Symptoms
Authors: Nalcacioglu Hulya , Ceyhan Bilgici Meltem , Tekcan Demet , Genc Gurkan , Bostanci Yakup , Yakupoglu Yarkin , Sarikaya Saban , Ozkaya Ozan
Published: August 2018

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of 44 pediatric patients who were diagnosed as having nutcracker syndrome (NCS). We also investigated the left renal vein Doppler ultrasonography (DUS) results, to determine whether or not there was an association between clinical symptoms and DUS findings among these patients. The clinical data from 44 pediatric patients who were diagnosed as having NCS from January 2008 to December 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. We grouped the patients according to the presenting symptoms as symptomatic (loin pain; macroscopic hematuria or both) and non-symptomatic (microscopic hematuria and proteinuria were detected incidentally) and evaluated the left renal vein DUS indices in these two groups separately. Asymptomatic NCS was found in 27 (61.4%) patients; 21 (47.7%) of whom were admitted for the evaluation of proteinuria. The most frequent presenting symptoms were left flank pain (20.5%) and macroscopic hematuria (13.6%); and 2 (4.5%) patients presented with a combination of left flank pain and macroscopic hematuria. The mean ratio of the diameter of the hilar portion of the left renal vein (LRV) to that of the aortomesenteric portion was 4.36 ± 1.55. The mean ratio of the peak velocity (PV) between the two sites of the LRV was 7.32 ± 2.68 (3.1–15.6). The differences in the ratio of the diameters were statistically significant between the two groups and significantly higher in children with asymptomatic NCS (p = 0.025). The PV ratios of the LRV (p = 0.035) were significantly higher in asymptomatic children with NCS than in the symptomatic group. Our study identifies that increased compression ratio of the LRV entrapment is most observed in orthostatic proteinuria and microscopic hematuria.
Transient Liquid Phase Bonding of Semi-Solid Metal 7075 Aluminum Alloy using ZA27 Zinc Alloy Interlayer
Authors: Meengam Chaiyoot , Dunyakul Yongyuth , Maunkhaw Dech , Chainarong Suppachai
Published: August 2018

Transient Liquid Phase Bonding (TLPB) process of semi-solid metal 7075 aluminum alloys (SSM7075) using 50 μm thick of ZA27 zinc alloys as interlayers for the experiment were carried out under bonding temperatures of 480 and 540 °C and bonding times of 30, 60, 90 and 120 min respectively. In the bonding zone, the semi-solid state of ZA27 zinc alloy interlayers were diffused into the SSM7075 aluminum alloy. Examination of the bonding zone using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) showed that the precipitation of the intermetallic compound of η(Zn–Al–Cu), β(Al2Mg3Zn3), T′(Zn10Al35Cu55) and MgZn2 were formed in the bonding zone. The better homogenized microstructure in the bonding zone was formed when increasing bonding time and bonding temperature. The highest bonding strength was recorded at 17.44 MPa and average hardness was at 87.67 HV with the bonding time of 120 min and temperature at 540 °C. Statistically, the coefficient of determination analysis of bonding strength data was at 99.1%.
Leveraging the Google Earth Engine for Drought Assessment Using Global Soil Moisture Data
Authors: Sazib Nazmus , Mladenova Iliana , Bolten John
Published: August 2018

Soil moisture is considered to be a key variable to assess crop and drought conditions. However, readily available soil moisture datasets developed for monitoring agricultural drought conditions are uncommon. The aim of this work is to examine two global soil moisture datasets and a set of soil moisture web-based processing tools developed to demonstrate the value of the soil moisture data for drought monitoring and crop forecasting using the Google Earth Engine (GEE). The two global soil moisture datasets discussed in the paper are generated by integrating the Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) missions’ satellite-derived observations into a modified two-layer Palmer model using a one-dimensional (1D) ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) data assimilation approach. The web-based tools are designed to explore soil moisture variability as a function of land cover change and to easily estimate drought characteristics such as drought duration and intensity using soil moisture anomalies and to intercompare them against alternative drought indicators. To demonstrate the utility of these tools for agricultural drought monitoring, the soil moisture products and vegetation- and precipitation-based products were assessed over drought-prone regions in South Africa and Ethiopia. Overall, the 3-month scale Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) showed higher agreement with the root zone soil moisture anomalies. Soil moisture anomalies exhibited lower drought duration, but higher intensity compared with SPIs. Inclusion of the global soil moisture data into the GEE data catalog and the development of the web-based tools described in the paper enable a vast diversity of users to quickly and easily assess the impact of drought and improve planning related to drought risk assessment and early warning. The GEE also improves the accessibility and usability of the earth observation data and related tools by making them available to a wide range of researchers and the public. In particular, the cloud-based nature of the GEE is useful for providing access to the soil moisture data and scripts to users in developing countries that lack adequate observational soil moisture data or the necessary computational resources required to develop them.
Experimental Study on Residual Bending Strength of Corroded Reinforced Concrete Beam Based on Micromagnetic Sensor
Authors: Zhou Jianting , Qiu Junli , Zhou Yingxin , Zhou Yi , Xia Runchuan
Published: August 2018

This paper presents a nondestructive test method to evaluate the residual bending strength of corroded reinforced concrete beam by analyzing the self-magnetic flux leakage (SMFL) signals. The automatic scanning device was equipped with a micromagnetic sensor and sensor-based experimental details were introduced. Next, the theoretical formula of the normal component HS(z) of the SMFL signal that originated from the corroded region was derived based on the magnetic dipole model and the experimental results were discussed. The results indicate that the experimental data of HS(z) are consistent with the theoretical calculations, both location and extent of the steel bars corrosion can be qualitatively determined by using HS(z). The gradient K of HS(z) is approximately linearly related to the loss rate, S, of the bending strength, which can be used to evaluate the residual bending strength of the corroded reinforced concrete beam. This work lays the foundation for evaluating the residual bending strength of corroded reinforced concrete beams using the SMFL signal; the micromagnetic sensor is further applied to the civil engineering.
Exploring Semi-Supervised Methods for Labeling Support in Multimodal Datasets
Authors: Diete Alexander , Sztyler Timo , Stuckenschmidt Heiner
Published: August 2018

Working with multimodal datasets is a challenging task as it requires annotations which often are time consuming and difficult to acquire. This includes in particular video recordings which often need to be watched as a whole before they can be labeled. Additionally, other modalities like acceleration data are often recorded alongside a video. For that purpose, we created an annotation tool that enables to annotate datasets of video and inertial sensor data. In contrast to most existing approaches, we focus on semi-supervised labeling support to infer labels for the whole dataset. This means, after labeling a small set of instances our system is able to provide labeling recommendations. We aim to rely on the acceleration data of a wrist-worn sensor to support the labeling of a video recording. For that purpose, we apply template matching to identify time intervals of certain activities. We test our approach on three datasets, one containing warehouse picking activities, one consisting of activities of daily living and one about meal preparations. Our results show that the presented method is able to give hints to annotators about possible label candidates.
Sensors for Fetal Hypoxia and Metabolic Acidosis: A Review
Authors: Cummins Gerard , Kremer Jessica , Bernassau Anne , Brown Andrew , Bridle Helen L. , Schulze Holger , Bachmann Till T. , Crichton Michael , Denison Fiona C. , Desmulliez Marc P. Y.
Published: August 2018

This article reviews existing clinical practices and sensor research undertaken to monitor fetal well-being during labour. Current clinical practices that include fetal heart rate monitoring and fetal scalp blood sampling are shown to be either inadequate or time-consuming. Monitoring of lactate in blood is identified as a potential alternative for intrapartum fetal monitoring due to its ability to distinguish between different types of acidosis. A literature review from a medical and technical perspective is presented to identify the current advancements in the field of lactate sensors for this application. It is concluded that a less invasive and a more continuous monitoring device is required to fulfill the clinical needs of intrapartum fetal monitoring. Potential specifications for such a system are also presented in this paper.
Long-Range Diagnosis of and Support for Skin Conditions in Field Settings
Authors: Williams Victoria , Kovarik Carrie
Published: August 2018

Skin diseases are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide; however, access to dermatology services are critically limited, particularly in low- to middle-income countries (LMIC), where there is an overall shortage of physicians. Implementation of long-range technological support tools has been growing in an effort to provide quality dermatology care to even the most remote settings globally. eHealth strategies can provide realistic healthcare solutions if implemented in a feasible and sensitive way, customizing tools to address the unique needs and resource limitations of the local setting. This article summarizes the various types of telemedicine and mobile health (mHealth) tools and their practical applications and benefits for patient care. The challenges and barriers of teledermatology are discussed, as well as steps to consider when implementing a new teledermatology initiative. eHealth arguably offers one of the most flexible and realistic tools for providing critically needed access to dermatology skills in underserved LMICs.
Therapeutic Vaccines for Genitourinary Malignancies
Authors: Dutcher Giselle M. A. , Bilen Mehmet Asim
Published: August 2018

The field of genitourinary malignancies has been a showcase for therapeutic cancer vaccine success since the application of intravesicular Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) for bladder cancer in the 1970s and enjoyed a renaissance in 2010 with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of sipuleucel-T for prostate cancer. Several vaccine strategies have emerged, such as autologous or allogeneic whole-tumor vaccines, DNA vaccines, use of viral vectors, and peptides as immunostimulatory adjuvants. Despite impressive early trials, vaccine monotherapy has achieved limited success in the clinical world; however, combinations of vaccine and immune checkpoint inhibition or vaccine and cytokine stimulation are expected to move the field forward. This article reviews pivotal trials of cancer vaccines in prostate, renal, and bladder cancer and ongoing trials combining vaccines with other immune therapy agents.
Stakeholders’ views on identifying patients in primary care at risk of dying: a qualitative descriptive study using focus groups and interviews
Authors: Urquhart Robin , Kotecha Jyoti , Kendell Cynthia , Martin Mary , Han Han , Lawson Beverley , Tschupruk Cheryl , Marshall Emily Gard , Bennett Carol , Burge Fred
Published: August 2018

Background

Strategies have been developed for use in primary care to identify patients at risk of declining health and dying, yet little is known about the perceptions of doing so or the broader implications and impacts.

Aim

To explore the acceptability and implications of using a primary care-based electronic medical record algorithm to help providers identify patients in their practice at risk of declining health and dying.

Design and setting

Qualitative descriptive study in Ontario and Nova Scotia, Canada.

Method

Six focus groups were conducted, supplemented by one-on-one interviews, with 29 healthcare providers, managers, and policymakers in primary care, palliative care, and geriatric care. Participants were purposively sampled to achieve maximal variation. Data were analysed using a constant comparative approach.

Results

Six themes were prevalent across the dataset: early identification is aligned with the values, aims, and positioning of primary care; providers have concerns about what to do after identification; how we communicate about the end of life requires change; early identification and subsequent conversations require an integrated team approach; for patients, early identification will have implications beyond medical care; and a public health approach is needed to optimise early identification and its impact.

Conclusion

Stakeholders were much more concerned with how primary care providers would navigate the post-identification period than with early identification itself. Implications of early identification include the need for a team-based approach to identification and to engage broader communities to ensure people live and die well post-identification.
Studies towards the synthesis of hyperireflexolide A
Authors: Rao G Hari Mangeswara
Published: August 2018

The first approach to hyperireflexolide A, based on the synthesis of γ-lactone-fused cyclopentane 5, a functionalized key intermediate, is presented. Compound 5 is involved in hydrolysis, α-allylation at C-8 and α-methylation at C-10 stereoselectively from the convex face. Then it is subjected to cross metathesis to give α,β-unsaturated ketone 11 as precursor in the total synthesis of hyperireflexolide A.
Optical and Infrared Photometry of the nearby SN 2017cbv
Authors: Wee Jerrick , Chakraborty Nilotpal , Wang Jiayun , Penprase Bryan Edward
Published: August 2018

On 2017 March 11, the DLT40 Transient Discovery Survey discovered SN 2017cbv in NGC 5643, a Type 2 Seyfert Galaxy in the Lupus Constellation. SN 2017cbv went on to become a bright Type Ia supernova, with a V
max of 11.51 ± 0.05 mag. We present early time optical and infrared photometry of SN 2017cbv covering the rise and fall of over 68 days. We find that SN 2017cbv has a broad light curve Δm
15(B) = 0.88 ± 0.07, a B-band maximum at 2457,840.97 ± 0.43, a negligible host galaxy reddening where E(B − V)host ≈ 0, and a distance modulus of 30.49 ± 0.32 to the SN, corresponding to a distance of

Mpc. We also present the results of two different numerical models we used for analysis in this paper: SALT2, an empirical model for Type Ia supernova optical light curves that accounts for variability components; and SNooPy, the CSP-II light-curve model that covers both optical and near-infrared wavelengths and is used for distance estimates.
Carbon Chain Molecules toward Embedded Low-mass Protostars∗
Authors: Law Charles J. , Öberg Karin I. , Bergner Jennifer B. , Graninger Dawn
Published: August 2018

Carbon chain molecules may be an important reservoir of reactive organics during star and planet formation. Carbon chains have been observed toward several low-mass young stellar objects (YSOs), but their typical abundances and chemical relationships in such sources are largely unconstrained. We present a carbon chain survey toward 16 deeply embedded (Class 0/I) low-mass protostars made with the IRAM 30 m telescope. Carbon chains are found to be common at this stage of protostellar evolution. We detect CCS, CCCS, HC3N, HC5N, l-C3H, and C4H toward 88%, 38%, 75%, 31%, 81%, and 88% of sources, respectively. Derived column densities for each molecule vary by one to two orders of magnitude across the sample. As derived from survival analysis, median column densities range between 1.2 × 1011 cm−2 (CCCS) and 1.5 × 1013 cm−2 (C4H), and estimated fractional abundances with respect to hydrogen range between 2 × 10−13 (CCCS) and 5 × 10−11 (C4H), which are low compared to cold cloud cores, warm carbon chain chemistry (WCCC) sources, and protostellar model predictions. We find significant correlations between molecules of the same carbon chain families, as well as between the cyanopolyynes (HCnN) and the pure hydrocarbon chains (CnH). This latter correlation is explained by a closely related production chemistry of CnH and cyanopolyynes during low-mass star formation.
Smoke and Mirrors: Signal-to-noise Ratio and Time-reversed Structures in Gamma-Ray Burst Pulse Light Curves
Authors: Hakkila Jon , Lesage Stephen , McAfee Stanley , Hofesmann Eric , Taylor Corinne Maly , Cannon Thomas
Published: August 2018

We demonstrate that the “smoke” of limited instrumental sensitivity smears out structure in gamma-ray burst (GRB) pulse light curves, giving each a triple-peaked appearance at moderate signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) and a simple monotonic appearance at low S/N. We minimize this effect by studying six very bright GRB pulses (S/N generally >100), discovering surprisingly that each exhibits complex time-reversible wavelike residual structures. These “mirrored” wavelike structures can have large amplitudes, occur on short timescales, begin/end long before/after the onset of the monotonic pulse component, and have pulse spectra that generally evolve hard to soft, rehardening at the time of each structural peak. Among other insights, these observations help explain the existence of negative pulse spectral lags and allow us to conclude that GRB pulses are less common, more complex, and have longer durations than previously thought. Because structured emission mechanisms that can operate forward and backward in time seem unlikely, we look to kinematic behaviors to explain the time-reversed light-curve structures. We conclude that each GRB pulse involves a single impactor interacting with an independent medium. Either the material is distributed in a bilaterally symmetric fashion, the impactor is structured in a bilaterally symmetric fashion, or the impactor’s motion is reversed such that it returns along its original path of motion. The wavelike structure of the time-reversible component suggests that radiation is being both produced and absorbed/deflected dramatically, repeatedly, and abruptly relative to the emission of the monotonic component.
Applying bayesian population assessment models to artisanal, multispecies fisheries in the Northern Mokran Sea, Iran
Authors: Jamnia Abdul Rashid , Keikha Ahmad Ali , Ahmadpour Mahmoud , Cissé Abdoul Ahad , Rokouei Mohammad
Published: August 2018

Small-scale fisheries substantially contribute to the reduction of poverty, local economies and food safety in many countries. However, limited and low-quality catches and effort data for small-scale fisheries complicate the stock assessment and management. Bayesian modelling has been advocated when assessing fisheries with limited data. Specifically, Bayesian models can incorporate information of the multiple sources, improve precision in the stock assessments and provide specific levels of uncertainty for estimating the relevant parameters. In this study, therefore, the state-space Bayesian generalised surplus production models will be used in order to estimate the stock status of fourteen Demersal fish species targeted by small-scale fisheries in Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran. The model was estimated using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and Gibbs Sampling. Model parameter estimates were evaluated by the formal convergence and stationarity diagnostic tests, indicating convergence and accuracy. They were also aligned with existing parameter estimates for fourteen species of the other locations. This suggests model reliability and demonstrates the utility of Bayesian models. According to estimated fisheries’ management reference points, all assessed fish stocks appear to be overfished. Overfishing considered, the current fisheries management strategies for the small-scale fisheries may need some adjustments to warrant the long-term viability of the fisheries.
Evidence from checklists for a Holarctic (circumboreal) kingdom of diatoms
Authors: Bahls Loren
Published: August 2018

Published checklists of freshwater diatoms that represent the American Northwest, Laurentian Great Lakes, Germany and the South Polar Region were compared systematically and the numbers of taxa shared by two or more of these regions were noted. There is a higher level of floristic correspondence between the American Northwest and Germany (71%) and between the American Northwest and the Laurentian Great Lakes (64%) than between the American Northwest and the South Polar Region (45%). These findings support a Holarctic Kingdom of diatoms that is parallel to the Holarctic Kingdom of flowering plants. Mountains and coastal areas and/or inland waters of high salinity may explain why the American Northwest and Germany have more taxa in common than the American Northwest and the Laurentian Great Lakes. Common riverine diatom taxa in the American Northwest are similar to those reported from nationwide monitoring stations. The number of truly cosmopolitan species – those found on all continents – is probably less than 300. The terms “cosmopolitan”, “endemic” and “native” are often misused when applied to diatoms and the first two terms always need to be qualified.
Starting Early: Promoting Emotional and Behavioral Well-Being in Infant and Toddler Well-Child Care
Authors: Russell Douglas , Gleason Mary Margaret
Published: August 2018

A child's experiences during the first 3 years of life can have a profound impact on mental health outcomes later in childhood and across the lifespan. Safe and effective therapies for mental health concerns in early childhood exist, but access to them is limited. Pediatricians have a unique opportunity to identify risk and resilience factors and support healthy emotional, behavioral, and social development during infancy and toddlerhood. This article presents a developmentally focused approach to integrating the growing science of early childhood social-emotional development into primary care practice, providing both empiric and practical rationales.

[
Pediatr Ann.
2018;47(8):e317–e322.]
Antecedents of Facebook Updates, and the Role of Personality of Facebook Users in Sri Lanka
Authors: Sarathchandra K. S. H. , Nimeshi G. K. S. , Ranwala R. S. , Panditharathne K. M. , Kaushala B. A. H. , Wimalasiri R. K. H. S. , Ranasinghe R. S. L. B. , Mallika M. C. K. H.
Published: August 2018

This study is to prove the impact of different motives in updating Facebook status and role of personality in Facebook updates. Therefore, the study is focus to identify the impact of motive namely validation, communication and self-expression on Facebook status updates while it is examining the moderation effect of individual personality on original relationship. As study is based on the Facebook users, population of the study consist of all Facebook users and based on the convenience sampling method researchers have selected 252 Facebook users in Sri Lanka as the sample of the study. Data were collected from the sample using a researcher developed questionnaire. In order to prove hypotheses and make inferences, regression analysis was employed in the study. Moreover, regression analysis proved that there is an impact from validation, communication and self-expression on Facebook status updates. Further, the relationship between validation, communication and self-expression with Facebook status update is moderated by the extraversion and openness to experience. Based on the inferences of the study, it can be concluded that validation, communication and self-expression act as motives to update Facebook status and the intensity of that motives depend on the personality of an individual
The Impact of Human Resource Management Practices on Impersonal Organizational Trust (With special reference to financial institutions in Sri Lanka)
Authors: Nishanthi H. M. , Kulathunga M. G. M. D.
Published: August 2018

The main purpose of this study was to identify whether there is a significant impact of identified strategic human resource management practices (learning and development, communications, performance evaluations and rewards, career opportunities, participation, job design) on impersonal organizational trust with the backing of Social Exchange Theory. This was a cross sectional field study of quantitative nature. Primary data were collected using a well-structured questionnaire. Sample consisted of 100 executive and above employees in the financial institutions in Western Province of Sri Lanka. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations and regression analysis were used to analyze data and make conclusions. Findings of the study revealed that there is a significant positive impact of HRM practices on impersonal organizational trust. It revealed that employee trust on the functioning of the entire organization depends on the perceptions of fairness and well-execution of the HRM practices.
Properties of sets of isometries of Gromov hyperbolic spaces
Authors: Oregón-Reyes Eduardo
Published: August 2018

We prove an inequality concerning isometries of a Gromov hyperbolic metric space, which does not require the space to be proper or geodesic. It involves the joint stable length, a hyperbolic version of the joint spectral radius, and shows that sets of isometries behave like sets of

2 \times 2

real matrices. Among the consequences of the inequality, we obtain the continuity of the joint stable length and an analogue of Berger–Wang theorem.
What is the impact of pregnancy and parenthood on studying medicine? Exploring attitudes and experiences of medical students
Authors: Khadjooi K , Scott P , Jones L
Published: August 2018

Medical students are often faced with stressors such as high work demands, numerous assessments, placements and career choices. Using the results of a questionnaire we examined medical students’ attitudes and choices surrounding the impact of pregnancy and parenthood on studying medicine. Many questionnaire respondents (77.6%) believe that the decision to have a child is influenced by studying medicine; 23% have delayed becoming a parent and 7.5% have chosen not to have children. The four most common factors considered to be barriers for parent/pregnant medical students are lack of time, financial difficulties, the stressful and demanding nature of the course and social factors. Almost 90% of the respondents were not aware of the support available for pregnant students/parents. Specialised, well-publicised and easily accessible support services as well as flexibility in their training programme and clinical placements can ensure full and successful participation of pregnant/parent medical students in learning.
Granulomatous cheilitis
Authors: Baqai MF , Baqai MT , Kashif T
Published: August 2018

A 19-year-old labourer presented with progressively worsening swelling of both lips. Clinical assessment and investigations led to the diagnosis of granulomatous cheilitis.
Inoculation Effect of N2-Fixer and P-Solubilizer into a Mixture of Fresh Manure and Phosphate Rock Formulated as Organonitrofos Fertilizer on Bacterial and Fungal Populations
Authors: Nugroho Sutopo Ghani , Dermiyati . , Lumbanraja Jamalam , Triyono Sugeng , Ismono Hanung
Published: August 2018

Microbial N2-fixer and P-solubilizer were innoculated in a mixture of fresh manure and phosphate rock formulated as an Organonitrophos fertilizer. The population dynamics of bacteria and fungi growing during the composting process were observed. The inoculation treatments consisted of: K = mixture of 20% phosphate rock and 80% of fresh manure + decomposers (control), N = mixture of 20% phosphate rock and 80% of fresh manure + decomposers + N2-fixer (Azotobacter and Azospirillum sp.) , P = mixture of 20% phosphate rock and 80% of fresh manure + decomposers + P-solubilizer (A. niger and P. fluorescens), and NP = mixture of 20% phosphate rock and 80% of fresh manure + decomposers + N2-fixer + P-solubilizer. The results showed that inoculation of microbial N2-fixer and combination inoculation of N2-fixer and P-solubilizer increased the total bacterial population compared to that of the control as well as the only inoculation of microbial P-solubilizer on the 14th day of observation in which the bacteria reached the highest population. On all the observation days, the population of fungi in the inoculation of microbial P-solubilizer treatment increased significantly compared to that of the control. However, there was no difference between the populations of fungi in the inoculation of N2-fixer and combination inoculation of N2-fixer and Psolubilizer. The genus of fungy identified in the compost of the mixture of fresh manure and phosphate rock were Chytridium sp., Aspergillus sp., Rhizopus sp., and Fusarium sp.[How to Cite : Nugroho SG, Dermiyati, J Lumbanraja, S Triyono, H Ismono. 2013. Inoculation Effect of N2-Fixer and P-Solubilizer into a Mixture of Fresh Manure and Phosphate Rock Formulated as Organonitrofos Fertilizer on Bacterial and Fungal Populations. J Trop Soils, 18 (1): 75-80. doi: 10.5400/jts.2013.18.1.75][Permalink/DOI: www.dx.doi.org/10.5400/jts.2013.18.1.75]
Identification and Evaluation of Potential Land Resources to Support the Development of Agricultural Commodities for Food Crops Zone
Authors: Prasetya Nurdiyanto Agung , Hikmatullah . , Asisah . , Saleh Muhamad Buce , Tarigan Suria Darma
Published: August 2018

To support the goverment purpose to reach the food security, a land use study is needed. The aim of the research was  to provide  an  information  of  characteristics of  land  resources through the identification  and evaluation  of potential landresources and that suitable for food crops in Mamuju District South Sulawesi. The research method used landscape approach to mapping land units as the basis for preparing the soil map unit/DEM compared with field data survey. A case study was done in Mamuju District, West Sulawesi the results showed that the land in Mamuju for paddy covering was suitable enough of 115,250 ha and 54,883 ha of marginal fit, while for dryland crops were 106 978 ha was quite suitable and appropriate marginal was 82,592 ha. However, for cocoa fit enough land was 153,397 ha and corresponding marginal was 485,743 ha. Biophysical constraints were the erosion of land use/steep slopes, drainage, seasonal flooding, toxicity and nutrient retention. Direction of land use for agriculture in Mamuju for Rice crop area was 49,345 ha (6.23%), food crops rice and dry land was 10,680 ha (1.35%), dryland crops/crops was 101,785 ha (12.85%), perennial/Cocoa was 90,488 ha  (11.42%), and conservation land was 532,245 ha (67.18%).Keywords : Cland crops, land identification, soil evaluation [How to Cite: Nurdiyanto AP, Hikmatullah, Asisah, MB Saleh, and SD Tarigan. 2014. Identification and Evaluation of Potential Land Resources to Support the Development of Agricultural Commodities for Food Crops Zone. J Trop Soils 19: 53-61. Doi: 10.5400/jts.2014.19.1.53]
Structural Alterations of Paraná’s Oxisols by Cover Crops
Authors: Pilatti Mauricio Antônio , Secco Deonir , Zanão Jr Luiz Antonio , Marins Araceli Ciotti de , Tokura Luciene Kazue , Villa Bruna de
Published: August 2018

This work aimed to evaluate the dynamics of physical and hydric attributes of a clayey Latosol cultivated with different cover species. The experimental area was located in the Agronomic Institute of Paraná (IAPAR), in the regional hub of Santa Tereza do Oeste, Paraná, Brazil. The experiment was comprised of seven cover species also called treatments is the course of this work. Three of them were isolated summer species notably Crotalaria juncea, Crotalaria spectabilis, Cajanus cajan (pigeon pea), and the other four treatments winter species cultivated individually or in association including Avena strigosa (Black oat), + (Avena stirgosa + Raphamus sativus (radish), Avena strigosa + Lupinus albus (Lupin bean), and (Avena strigosa + Pisum sativum (pea). The treatments were distributed on a completely random plots of 20 m × 25 m without replication. Soil density, macroporosity, and saturated hydraulic conductivity were measured to follow the changes of the soil structure. Statistical analyses showed that cover crops species did not lead to a significant improvement in soil structural status. Soil density varied between 1.08 and 1.12 Mg m-3, macroporosity from 15.22 and 16.90%, and saturated hydraulic conductivity ranged from 28.83 to 45.07 mm h-1. Soybean grain yield were considered satisfactory in 2016 (mean = 1909.68 kg ha-1) and in 2017 (mean = 3355.30 kg ha-1) most probably due to the good initial structural conditions of the soil, alongside with the good climatic conditions during the two campaigns. Furthermore, the soybean grain yield was positively influenced by Ds which ranged from 1.0 to 1.17 Mg m-3.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Agricultural Science, Vol. 10, No. 9
Authors: Brown Anne
Published: August 2018

Reviewer acknowledgements for Journal of Agricultural Science, Vol. 10, No. 9, 2018.
Grain Yield Performance and Stability of Quality Protein Maize Single Cross Hybrids in Mid-altitude Environment in Uganda
Authors: Ayiga-Aluba J. , Asea G. , Kwemoi D. B. , Tusiime G. , Edema R.
Published: August 2018

Stability in performance is important for determining adaptation and recommendation of pre-commercial crop varieties. This study was conducted with the following objectives: i) to determine stability of grain yield for 55 quality protein maize (QPM) single cross hybrids generated from 14 inbred lines ii) to determine the pattern of grouping of QPM hybrids and test environments based on grain yield response. The test hybrids were generated during the second season of 2015 and evaluated in three agro-ecological zones during the first season of 2016. Two checks were used: Longe 5D, a popular QPM hybrid and a top cross of Longe 5D with CML511. Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and genotype and genotype by environment interaction (GGE) analyses were used to assess the stability of the hybrids. Results showed highly significant differences between genotypes, environments and GEI. The first principal component axis (IPCAI) was significant (p < 0.01) and accounted for 61.5% of the interaction effect. Both (IPCAI) and IPCAII) cumulatively contributed to entire degrees of freedom available for interaction component. Hybrid QPMSC-29 had the highest grain yield across environments. The AMMI biplot clearly depicted the genotypes on the bases of their adaptation patterns. Hybrids QPMSC-43, QPMSC-12, QPMSC-18 and QPMSC-29 were found to be more stable and responsive to favorable environments. Among them QPMSC-18 was more stable across locations. The AMMI biplot successfully identified 2 mega-environments as Namulonge and Bulindi in the first mega-environment with QPMSC-29 as the winning genotype and Masaka as the second mega-environment with QPMSC-10 as the winning genotypes. Hybrid, QPMSC-46 was an ideal genotype with above average score for grain yield. The single cross hybrids QPMSC-29, QPMSC-18 and QPMSC-10 were identified as stable yielder across environments in addition to higher yield. These hybrids can be recommended for all the three locations, for cultivation.