bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Médiation entre acteurs de la recherche et acteurs économiques : originalité des pratiques de recherche et de transfert de l’Institut Godin
Authors: Chochoy Nicolas
Published: November 2015

Résumé Cette contribution porte sur les spécificités d’une pratique de recherchequi s’insère dans un processus de médiation entre les acteurs de la recherche et les acteurs économiques. À partir de notre expérience au sein de l’Institut Godin, nous montrons tout d’abord que le milieu d’émergence de ce dernier a eu un effet sur les pratiques de recherche développées, pour ensuite montrer que l’objet de recherche a influencé les modalités de transfert. Nous éclairons alors les spécificités et les difficultés d’une posture intermédiaire, entre recherche et transfert auprès des acteurs économiques.
Pratiquer la sociologie au Cameroun : du paradigme du Grand partage à l’émergence de la socio-anthropologie
Authors: Kamdem Emmanuel , Ikellé Rose
Published: November 2015

Résumé La constitution de la sociologie, comme discipline scientifique, a connu des trajectoires diverses suivant les pays. Au Cameroun et en Afrique, comme ailleurs dans le monde, la sociologie s’est développée à l’ombre et sous l’influence d’autres disciplines ; principalement la philosophie, l’ethnologie et l’anthropologie. Ce développement a aussi été fortement influencé par l’environnement sociopolitique dont les acteurs majeurs (principalement l’État) ont eu des perceptions différentes sur l’utilité de la sociologie et des sociologues dans l’élaboration et la mise en oeuvre des stratégies de développement des pays africains. Notre article met en évidence l’expérience camerounaise sur la question. Il montre comment le développement de la sociologie au Cameroun s’est effectué entre deux paradigmes dominants. Le premier est celui de la différenciation, voire de l’opposition, des courants sociologiques suivant leurs origines occidentales ou africaines. Le deuxième fait référence au besoin croissant, observé chez les sociologues camerounais, de la complémentarité entre la sociologie et l’anthropologie.
Evolution of gout: "malignant" change over time?
Authors: Eide Sterling Ellis , Khor Yiu Ming , Seet Ju Ee , Sia David Soon Yiew
Published: November 2015

Gout is a common entity; yet it is such a great mimicker in its imaging features that it can confuse clinicians and radiologists alike, sometimes leading to unnecessary investigations and treatment. We present a case of a 52 year old male renal transplant patient who presented with a slow growing mass in his left shin.  The initial radiograph demonstrated a non-aggressive looking calcified lesion. A fine needle aspiration demonstrated this lesion to be gout deposition. The lesion was unchanged in the following eight years until the patient reported a sudden growth in size. Imaging showed features of an aggressive lesion with disruption of the previous calcification as well as enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging. Surgical excision biopsy was performed in view of the worrisome features on imaging and the histology showed tophaceous gout. Following description of our case, we reviewed the clinical and imaging features of gout and discussed its differential diagnoses.
Las sombras de Aleixandre y Cernuda en la poesía de Francisco Umbral
Authors: Casado Hernández Marina
Published: November 2015

Francisco Umbral fue un poeta tardío: no publicó su primera obra poética hasta 1981. En su poesía, puede apreciarse especialmente la influencia de dos miembros de la Generación del 27: Vicente Aleixandre y Luis Cernuda, que se acogieron a la vertiente más formalista de su generación, rechazando la popular. Además, ambos se caracterizan por imprimir narratividad a su poesía, un rasgo que también hallamos en la de Umbral. La huella más visible de Aleixandre en la obra poética umbraliana es, sin duda, la constante metaforización. La perspectiva de “pesimismo crónico”, el spleen que envuelve los versos, es influencia de Cernuda. El presente trabajo analiza el vínculo entre un poema de Vicente Aleixandre, “Hija de la mar”, y otro de Umbral, “Herramienta del mar”, relacionando ambos con los personajes que habitan la poesía y la narrativa de Cernuda. Además, en los tres hallamos una relación entre el amor y la muerte.
Umbral y el juego de los alejandrinos (I)
Authors: Couceiro María del Pilar
Published: November 2015

En el presente trabajo se estudia la vertiente poética de Francisco Umbral en el caso específico de la utilización de cláusulas de catorce sílabas, tanto en su escasa producción en verso como en su habitual escritura en prosa, incidiendo en el empleo de estos recursos en dos de las obras de la última época del escritor, los conocidos como Diarios íntimos, así como en el libro de poemas publicado póstumamente.
El devenir del cine musical de Hollywood
Authors: Moreno Cardenal Luisa
Published: November 2015

Los géneros cinematográficos delimitados por la industria de Hollywood a lo largo de las primeras décadas del siglo XX viven, cien años después, un proceso de revisión y metamorfosis que da como resultado el nacimiento de nuevos subgéneros y el desdibujamiento de otros que, durante décadas, tuvieron una entidad inequívoca e imprescindible para entender el cine como espectáculo y fenómeno de masas. Uno de esos géneros en periodo de extinción es el musical. Mostramos aquí un somero recorrido por el devenir del género desde su nacimiento hasta comienzos del siglo XXI, tratando de localizar las claves de su éxito y de su declive y fijándonos especialmente en algunos títulos importantes que cuentan, además de con maravillosas bandas sonoras, con números de baile escenificados para construir la dialéctica entre sus protagonistas.
Integration of Online Labs into Educational Systems
Authors: Ozvoldova Miroslava , Ondrušek Petr
Published: November 2015

Online STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education needs online labs - the same way as classical education at schools need access to real laboratories, because various technical skills and prowesses can be effectively achieved only by putting theory into practice. There are series of open online labs available today, especially thanks to fast ICT (Information and Communications Technology) growth and innovations provided by many universities. Nevertheless integration of online labs into education systems occurs sporadically. Article aims to map the current integration options, give some existing examples and analyze how it would be possible to start the integration of online labs on a global scale.
Sustainable Forest Use and India's Economic Growth
Authors: Bit Jayita , Banerjee Sarmila
Published: November 2015

This paper assesses the prospect of sustainable forest management (SFM) for an emerging economy like India, where forest coverage has gone up over the last three decades in spite of population growth, rapid urbanization and fast economic growth. To assess the possibility of sustainable future growth in a globally congenial environment, the extent of ecological stress on Indian economy has been assessed by using Input-Output transaction tables and pattern of expenditure by the Government and the Private sector along with Import and Export of forestry and related products over 1993-94 to 2007-08. The change in direct forest intensity (DFI) in gross domestic product has been calculated and decomposed into effects due to material intensity, structural change and economic growth. The results reveal increasing dominance of economic growth over other effects indicating necessity of designing intervention to decouple potential future economic growth from forest resources to ensure long run sustainability.
Coastal Poverty, Resource-Dependent Livelihood, Climate Change, and Adaptation
Authors: Basu Jyotish Prakash
Published: November 2015

Millions of people in Sunderbans generate their livelihood and sustenance through fishing, honey collection, fuel wood and timber. The paper attempts to examine the issues of coastal poverty, food security as well as livelihood insecurity and the adaptation options that help to the resilience of climate change. The paper is based on field survey conducted in the villages of Sunderans in 2011. The study revealed that fishing and crab collection, honey collection are the important sources of livelihood. The fishing resources have been declining which leads to the insecurity of livelihoods of the fishing communities. The study has identified the key adaptations like dependency of money lenders, fishing and crab collection, formation of Self Help Groups, livestock rearing and migration. This paper has important policy implications for poverty, livelihood vulnerability and migration.
Climate Change and Adaptation through the Lens of Capability Approach
Authors: Mili Bhupen , Barua Anamika , Katyaini Suparana
Published: November 2015

Climate Change impacts would disproportionately have larger impacts on the developing countries. Both government and development agencies have initiated various adaptation strategies in the developing countries to enhance the adaptation of the local communities. Various policies and programmes have been designed keeping in mind the impact of climate change. This study was conducted in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India, to see the benefits of such policies and programmes. Focus group discussion with community members were held in the study area. Based on the fieldwork it was seen that most of the intervention made in the study area focused on income, resources, and assets. It has failed to benefits the people due to variation in the capability among various section of the society. Various projects related to health, education, housing, and livelihood, have been implemented in the study region. However, due to lack of conversion factors in the form of gender inequality, discriminatory practices, transparency among others have come as a hindrance in the successful implementation of the projects. Hence, such project-based approach to enhance community's adaptation to climate risk, in the end fails to show benefits as it fails to expand community's capabilities and real freedom, due to the project's pre-defined aims. It is important to understand community's as agent of change rather than merely beneficiaries of adaptation projects. This study therefore recommends that to enhance community's adaptation to climate change, the interventions should be such that it enlarges the range of people's choices so that when climate disaster strikes them they will have a set of opportunities.
Temporal Data Analysis and Mining Methods for Modelling the Climate Change Effects on Malaysia's Oil Palm Yield at Different Regional Scales
Authors: Shanmuganathan Subana , Narayanan Ajit , Medagoda Nishantha Priyanka Kumara
Published: November 2015

Space and time related data generated is becoming ever more voluminous, noisy and heterogeneous outpacing the research efforts in the domain of climate. Nevertheless, this data portrays recent climate/ weather change patterns. Thus, insightful approaches are required to overcome the challenges when handling the so called “big data” to unravel the recent unprecedented climate change in particular, its variability, frequency and effects on key crops. Contemporary climate-crop models developed at least two decades ago are found to be unsuitable for analysing complex climate/weather data retrospectively. In this context, the chapter looks at the use of scalable time series analysis, namely ARIMA (Autoregressive integrated moving average) models and data mining techniques to extract new knowledge on the climate change effects on Malaysia's oil palm yield at the regional and administrative divisional scales. The results reveal recent trends and patterns in climate change and its effects on oil palm yield impossible otherwise e.g. Traditional statistical methods alone.
Does Fiscal Policy Influence Per Capita CO2 Emission?
Authors: Mukherjee Sacchidananda , Chakraborty Debashis
Published: November 2015

Encouraging economic activities is a major motivation for countries to disburse subsidies, but such transfers may also lead to sustainability and climate change related concerns. Through a cross-country empirical analysis involving 131 countries over 1990-2010, the present analysis observes that higher proportional devolution of budgetary subsidies lead to higher CO2 emissions. The results demonstrate that structure of economy is a crucial determinant for per capita CO2 emission, as countries having higher share in agriculture and services in GDP are characterized by lower per capita CO2 emission and vice versa. The empirical findings also underline the importance of the type of government subsidy devolution on CO2 emissions. Countries having high tax-GDP ratio are marked by lower per capita CO2 emission, implying that government budgetary subsidy is detrimental for environment whereas tax is conducive for sustainability. The analysis underlines the importance of limiting devolution of subsidies both in developed and developing countries.
Ensuring Presence in Online Learning Environments
Authors: Luyegu Eunice
Published: November 2015

Online learning in higher education has rapidly grown in recent years and has become the norm. However, pedagogical aspects on online learning environments are still developing. This chapter focuses on one foundational aspect of online and blended learning known as presence. First, the concept of presence in online learning is described i.e. teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence. Secondly, strategies for ensuring presence are discussed from different angles: course design, course instructors and course facilitators, and course participants. Thirdly, the implications for future research are outlined. This chapter enhances the research on the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework a useful guide to the design of learning experiences that support learners' critical reflection and engagement within collaborative online learning environments.
Teaching and Learning Online
Authors: Yount Angelia , Tandoh Kwesi
Published: November 2015

This chapter explores online learning and the pedagogical techniques needed to create an effective learning environment. In addition, it emphasizes the advances in contemporary online learning tracing its difficult beginning and the progress made due to advances made in technology especially the World Wide Web and the Internet. The chapter also discusses the importance of immediacy in online learning, and its ability to allow students to learn from anywhere and at any time. Student problems include lack of access to the technology, readiness to work online, and the erroneous impression that they know the technology more than the instructor. Interaction includes the effective application of scenarios of student and content, interaction between instructor and students, and the interaction between students which help promote social presence. We strongly believe the application of the afore-mentioned strategies will ensure successful development and implementations of an effective online course.
Interacting at a Distance
Authors: Moore Robert L.
Published: November 2015

Effective online instruction requires understanding not only interaction but also how to facilitate interaction through technology (Moore & Kearsley, 2012). Specifically, Moore and Kearsley (2012) categorize these types of interactions as “learner with content, interaction with instruction [or] interaction with other learners” (p. 132). This chapter examines each of these interaction types and suggests ways to incorporate them into online learning environments (OLEs). The chapter provides techniques and approaches that will be beneficial to both instructional design practitioners and online instructors. It seeks to assuage some of the concerns that faculty have about OLEs and provides ideas and activities that can be implemented by course designers or instructors in OLE projects.
Encouraging and Increasing Student Engagement and Participation in an Online Classroom
Authors: Woods Kathryn
Published: November 2015

Advances in technology have increased opportunities for students to participate in online courses. While some instructors are beginning their careers teaching only online courses, others are discovering a need to teach sections of courses online after they have enjoyed a long career teaching in a traditional classroom. In either situation, it is important for instructors to recognize that students in online learning environments require the use of different strategies for encouraging engagement and participation in class. In this chapter, the author describes the challenges that students and instructors face specifically in the online learning environment as well as strategies for success, including how to maximize the impact of students' experiences and prior knowledge, using multiple platforms to deliver information, discouraging procrastination, setting clear expectations, encouraging individuality, capitalizing on diversity, and providing and utilizing helpful resources.
Human Capital and International Assignments
Authors: Aschkenazi Jack
Published: November 2015

This chapter addresses the strategic importance of expatriate managers in the process of knowledge acquisition, and consequently the enrichment of the human capital of the firm. It proceeds by proposing guidelines for selection, training, compensating, and retaining foreign expatriate managers to avoid interruptions of assignments, that can be very expensive, or attrition, that causes a loss of accumulated knowledge to the firm.
Mining Conflict Semantic from Drug Dataset for Detecting Drug Conflict
Authors: Zhang Shunxiang , Zhu Guangli , Chen Haiyan , Yang Dayu
Published: November 2015

The detecting of drug interactions hiding in the massive drug data, especially the conflict (i.e., some drugs react with each other) detecting, plays an important role in the medical information field. This kind of conflict detecting can not only relieve the cognitive burden for doctors, but also help some people (e.g., physicians and patients etc.) avoid the risk of reactions among drugs in some extend. This paper presents a Drug Conflict Detecting (DCD) algorithm to rapidly find reactions among several drugs according to the user's query requirements. First, the user dictionary and waste words base are built according the data feature of medical data sources to effectively extract drug term including component and interaction terms. Then, all conflict semantics are mined to establish conflict knowledge base based on the results of drug term extraction. Finally, the DCD algorithm is proposed to provide rapid detection of drug conflict. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has high accuracy. It can effectively and rapidly implement the drug conflict detecting.
A New Negative Selection Algorithm for Adaptive Network Intrusion Detection System
Authors: Ramdane Chikh , Chikhi Salim
Published: November 2015

Negative Selection Algorithm (NSA) is one of the widely used techniques for Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) designing. In this paper, the proposed is an IDS based on a new model of NSA namely HNSA-IDSA (Hybrid NSA for Intrusion Detection System Adaptation). The proposed system can detect unknown attacks; moreover can be adapted automatically when new profiles' changes of the system are detected. To determine the efficiency of the proposed approach, the standard KDD99 dataset was used for performing experiments. The obtained results show that the authors' mechanism outperforms some literature techniques providing variant important properties as high detection rate, low false positive, adaptability and new attacks detection.
Toward Proactive Mobile Tracking Management
Authors: Ben Ayed Hella Kaffel , Hamed Asma
Published: November 2015

This paper presents an experimental study on mobile Web and mobile applications tracking. The study on Mobile Web tracking has been conducted on datasets collected by TrackScoreMobile, a Firefox add-on that has been developed and distributed to a set of Tunisian students and researchers. Results identify the factors that increase the privacy risk. The study on mobile applications tracking focuses on the permissions required by android applications. The findings point out on the mostly required permissions and the mostly tracked application categories. The originality of this work is summarized as follows: 1) identification and measurement of the parameters to quantify Web tracking, 2) identification of risky association between mobile applications permissions and associations between permissions and tracking components. The goal of this paper is to better understand how trackers rely on tracking components and on permissions for the purpose of tracking mobile users.
Phase-Field Simulation of Binary Alloy Crystal Growth Prepared by a Fluid Flow
Authors: Chen Ming , Hu Xiao Dong , Ju Dong Ying
Published: November 2015

Phase field method (PFM) was employed to investigate the crystal growth of Mg-Al alloy, on the basis of binary alloy model, the fluid field equation was coupled into the phase-field models, and the marker and cell (MAC) method was used in the numerical calculation of micro structural pattern. In the cast process, quantitative comparison of different anisotropy values that predicted the dendrite evolution were discussed in detail, and when the fluid flow rate reaches a high value, we can see the remelting of dendrite arms.
Thermal Flow-Solidification Simulation and Analysis of Strip Defects in Vertical Twin-Roll Casting of Magnesium Alloy
Authors: Pei Zhi Pu , Ju Dong Ying , Zhao Hong Yang , Hu Xiao Dong
Published: November 2015

A quantitative understanding of the twin-roll casting process is required to get high quality as-cast magnesium alloy strips. In this paper, a thermal flow-solidification simulation was carried out to study the behavior of casting zone and its effects on defects generation deeply. Results show that a lower pouring temperature is not suitable for producing defect-free magnesium alloy strips. With increasing of the casting speed, the tendency of cracks formation will getting smaller because of the more uniform temperature distribution. A low pool level leads to a small metal-roll contact area, and a sharp temperature distribution will generates under this situation, which is not good for strips quality.
Influence of Oxidation Temperature on Photocatalytic Activity of Cr-TiO2 Coatings by Mechanical Coating Technique
Authors: Guan Su Jun , Lu Yun , Hao Liang , Takaya Shunsuke , Miyazawa Kohei , Yoshida Hiroyuki , Asanuma Hiroshi
Published: November 2015

The photocatalyst coatings on alumina (Al2O3) balls had been prepared by mechanical coating technique (MCT) and subsequent oxidation process with Ti powder and Cr powder, and the influence of oxidation temperature on the photocatalyst composite coatings (Cr-TiO2) were investigated. The contrast experiments of the oxidation temperature and the usage of Cr powder had been carried out. The crystal structure and microstructure of the coatings were investigated. Photocatalytic activity of the coatings was evaluated and discussed. The XRD results showed that the mixed-phase of anatase (A) and rutile (R), and mass fraction of rutile (XR) had been increased with adding Cr, especially under 973 K. The SEM images indicated that the needle-like oxide was formed at the temperature of 973 K. The photocatalytic activity is relatively higher at 973 K under both of ultraviolet (UV) and visible light (VL). At the same time, the influence on photocatalytic activity of the photocatalyst coatings under UV or VL by adding Cr would guide the direction for the improvement of photocatalytic activity.
The Effect of Thickness and Annealing Time on Surface Segregation in Cu/Ni, Ni/Cu Film/Substrate and Cu/Ni/Si Film/Film/Substrate
Authors: Lu Yong , Wang Cui Ping , Kong Fan , Dai Tuo , Zhao Can Can , Liu Xing Jun
Published: November 2015

The Cu/Ni, Ni/Cu and Cu/Ni/Si film/substrate and film/film/substrate systems were prepared by magnetron sputtering method to investigate the surface segregation. The chemical composition of film was analyzed by Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES). The microtopographies of the Cu/Ni surface and the cross section of the film were observed by Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), where the blocky distribution of Ni-rich area on surface of Cu film and columnar grains was observed in the specimen. It is found that the thickness of sputtered film has stronger effect on the composition of segregation layer near the surface than that of the annealing time. The surface segregation could be ascribed to the fast vertical diffusion of the substrate atoms through the columnar grain boundaries and the subsequent lateral surface diffusion.
Monolithic Porous Materials Fabricated by Dealloying Method in Cu-Fe-Co and Cu-Fe-Ni Systems
Authors: Lu Yong , Huai Zhen , Yang Shuang , Liu Xing Jun , Wang Cui Ping
Published: November 2015

New Cu–Fe-based ternary systems have been developed to fabricate monolithic porous materials through electrochemical dealloying process in a 1.84 mol/L H2SO4 solution. The microstructures of the porous materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The results show that the compositions of the as-melt Cu-Fe-Co and Cu-Fe-Ni alloys have an important effect on the electrochemical dealloying process and microstructures of the monolithic porous materials.
Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Oxalic Acid Using a Multielectrolytic Modified Glassy Carbon Electrodes
Authors: Akabe Syuhei , Asaka Koichi , Takahashi Takuto , Kitamura Tsubasa , Matsuura Hiroaki , Uchiyama Shunichi
Published: November 2015

Electrocatalytic oxidation activity of oxalic acid can be observed by using a multielectrolytic modified glassy carbon electrode (MMGCE). The MMGCE was fabricated by using the following electrolytic-oxidation/reduction processes. First, the functional groups containing nitrogen atoms such as amino group are introduced by the electrode oxidation of a bare glassy carbon electrode in an ammonium carbamate aqueous solution, and next, this electrode was electroreduced in sulfuric acid, and it was found that the reduction current gradually increased as the electrolysis time increased. This suggests that functional groups containing nitrogen atoms contributing the catalytic electron transfer of hydrogen ion are introduced. To observe the electrode oxidation wave of oxalic acid, the voltammmetric measurements of oxalic acid was carried out by using MMGCE in an acidic medium. The oxidation wave of oxalic acid at low potential range was appeared in the linear sweep voltammograms. The MMGCE exhibited well-defined peak of oxalic acid oxidation in acidic medium.
Effect of Thermal Exposure on Tensile and Fatigue Properties of Clay Reinforced Nylon Nanocomposites
Authors: Nakahara Yukiko , Kodama Yusuke , Zhu Shi Jie , Usuki Arimitsu , Kato Makoto
Published: November 2015

In this paper, both nylon 6 and 2 wt% clay reinforced nylon 6 matrix nanocomposite were used for thermal exposure tests at temperatures of 80 oC and 120 oC and 150 oC, respectively. Then, the tensile tests and fatigue tests of the exposed specimens were conducted at room temperature. It was shown that the tensile strength in both nylon 6 and NCH-2 decreased with an increase in thermal exposure temperature. The brittle fracture occurred in the specimens exposed at 120 oC and 150 oC. After pre-oxidation treatment at 80 °C for 100 hours, the fatigue strength decreased 14% in nylon 6, and 8% in NCH-2. From this result, it was understood that the addition of clay in nylon 6 could suppress the decrease of fatigue strengths.
Haemophilus influenzae Type f Hijacks Vitronectin Using Protein H To Resist Host Innate Immunity and Adhere to Pulmonary Epithelial Cells
Authors: Al-Jubair Tamim , Mukherjee Oindrilla , Oosterhuis Sharon , Singh Birendra , Su Yu-Ching , Fleury Christophe , Blom Anna M. , Törnroth-Horsefield Susanna , Riesbeck Kristian
Published: November 2015

The incidence of invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease has significantly decreased since the introduction of an efficient vaccine against Hib. However, in contrast to Hib, infections caused by H. influenzae serotype f (Hif) are emerging. We recently did a whole genome sequencing of an invasive Hif isolate, and reported that Hif interacts with factor H by expressing protein H (PH). In this study, upon screening with various human complement regulators, we revealed that PH is also a receptor for vitronectin (Vn), an abundant plasma protein that regulates the terminal pathway of the human complement system in addition to being a component of the extracellular matrix. Bacterial Vn binding was significantly reduced when the lph gene encoding PH was deleted in an invasive Hif isolate. The dissociation constant (KD) of the interaction between recombinant PH and Vn was 2.2 μM, as revealed by Biolayer interferometry. We found that PH has different regions for simultaneous interaction with both Vn and factor H, and that it recognized the C-terminal part of Vn (aa 352–362). Importantly, PH-dependent Vn binding resulted in better survival of the wild-type Hif or PH-expressing Escherichia coli when exposed to human serum. Finally, we observed that PH mediated an increased bacterial adherence to alveolar epithelial cells in the presence of Vn. In conclusion, our study reveals that PH most likely plays an important role in Hif pathogenesis by increasing serum resistance and adhesion to the airways.
Clinical Mass Spectrometry in Heart Disease
Authors: Heaney Liam , Suzuki Toru
Published: November 2015

The presence of mass spectrometry (MS) in the clinical setting is not a new feature, with the use of gas chromatography-MS (GC-MS) for toxicology assays reported as far back as the 1970s [...]
A Family of Congenital Hepatic Fibrosis and Atypical Retinitis Pigmentosa
Authors: Pawar Sunil , Zanwar Vinay , Mohite Ashok , Surude Ravindra , Rathi Pravin , Balasubramani Meenakshi
Published: November 2015

Congenital hepatic fibrosis is a rare cause of portal hypertension and esophageal varices in children. We report cases of siblings with biopsy proven congenital hepatic fibrosis and with atypical retinitis pigmentosa. They presented with repeated episodes of jaundice along with progressive decrease of vision in night. They had hepatosplenomegaly and portal hypertension with esophageal varices. One of the siblings had a large regenerating nodule replacing the entire right lobe of the liver and other one developed repeated hematemesis. This constellation of diagnosis belongs to the ciliopathy group of disorders. The spectrum of ciliopathy disorders has been evolving, and it varies from mild to severe manifestations.
Estimation of Hepatitis B Virus, Hepatitis C Virus, and Different Clinical Parameters in the Thalassemic Population of Capital Twin Cities of Pakistan
Authors: Saeed Umar , Waheed Yasir , Ashraf Muhammad , Waheed Usman , Anjum Sadia , Afzal Muhammad Sohail
Published: November 2015

Hepatitis B and C are serious public health problems worldwide. Thalassemia patients are dependent on blood transfusions throughout their life and are at high risk of viral infections. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of hepatitis B/C infections and different clinical parameters in multitransfused thalassemia population. In this study, 262 multitransfused β-thalassemia patients were enrolled from the capital twin cities of Pakistan. The presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV)/hepatitis C virus (HCV), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level, serum creatinine, serum ferritin, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and splenectomy were analyzed. The overall prevalence of HBV and HCV was 3.08% and 55.73%, respectively, with 100% of patients older than 20 years had HCV infection. The ALT levels among HBV- and HCV-positive thalassemia patients were 92.62 ± 41.57 U/L and 98 ± 63.65 U/L, respectively; creatinine values observed were 0.4 ± 0.35 mg/dL (for HBV) and 0.39 ± 0.24 mg/dL (for HCV), while serum ferritin levels were 6865.87 ± 1649.13 ng/dL (for HBV) and 5445.95 ± 3059.28 ng/dL (for HCV). A total of 74.8% and 82.20% of HBV- and HCV-positive patients had hepatomegaly with an average increase in liver size of 4.17 and 4.33 cm, respectively. Splenomegaly was observed in 64.9% and 67.12% of HBV- and HCV-positive patients with an average increase in spleen size of 4 and 4.46 cm, respectively. Splenectomy was observed among 14.50% and 15.75% of HBV- and HCV-infected thalassemia patients. There is a strong need to properly screen blood before transfusions to reduce the future load of viral hepatitis from Pakistan.
A Flex-Model for long-term assessment of community-residing older adults following disasters
Authors: Rosenkoetter, PhD, RN, CNS, FAAN Marlene M. , McDonough, PhD, RN JoEllen , McCall, PhD, RN Amber , Smith, DNP, RN Deborah , Looney, PhD Stephen
Published: November 2015

For the rapidly growing older adult population, disaster consequences are frequently life disruptive and even life threatening. By 2050, it is estimated that the global older adult population will reach 22 percent of the total. With declining health, this population poses a particular risk needing to be addressed in emergency preparedness and disaster recovery. The purpose of this article is to describe a Flex-Model (F-M) for the long-term assessment of older adults following a disaster. An F-M is a series of three-dimensional representations of an archetype with flexible components, both linear and parallel, that can be adapted to situations, time, place, and needs. The model incorporates the Life Patterns Model and provides a template that can be adjusted to meet the needs of a local community, healthcare providers, and emergency management officials, regardless of the country or region, during the months after a disaster. The focus is on changes resulting from the disaster including roles, relationships, support systems, use of time, self-esteem, and life structure. Following a baseline assessment, each of these life patterns is assessed through the model with options for interventions over time. A pilot study was conducted in Georgia to gain information that would be helpful in developing a more specific assessment tool following a severe winter storm. While this is a local study, the findings can nevertheless be used to refine and focus the F-M for future implementation. Results indicated that older adults used high-risk heating and lighting sources and many were totally responsible for their own welfare. Findings have implications for emergency preparedness and long-term recovery.
Laboratory evaluation of airborne particulate control treatments for simulated aircraft crash recovery operations involving carbon fiber composite materials
Authors: Ferreri, MS, CIH Matthew , Slagley, PhD, CIH, CSP Jeremy , Felker, PhD Daniel
Published: November 2015

Objective: This study compared four treatment protocols to reduce airborne composite fiber particulates during simulated aircraft crash recovery operations. Design: Four different treatments were applied to determine effectiveness in reducing airborne composite fiber particulates as compared to a “no treatment” protocol. Both “gold standard” gravimetric methods and real-time instruments were used to describe mass per volume concentration, particle size distribution, and surface area. The treatment protocols were applying water, wetted water, wax, or aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) to both burnt and intact tickets of aircraft composite skin panels. The tickets were then cut using a small high-speed rotary tool to simulate crash recovery operations.Setting: Aerosol test chamber.Subjects, participants: None.Interventions: Airborne particulate control treatments.Main outcome measures: Measures included concentration units of milligrams per cubic meter of air, particle size distribution as described by both count median diameter and mass median diameter and geometric standard deviation of particles in micrometers, and surface area concentration in units of square micrometers per cubic centimeter. Finally, a Monte Carlo simulation was run on the particle size distribution results. Comparison was made via one-way analysis of variance.Results: A significant difference (p < 0.0001) in idealized particle size distribution was found between the water and wetted water treatments as compared to the other treatments for burnt tickets.Conclusions: Emergency crash recovery operations should include a treatment of the debris with water or wetted water. The resulting increase in particle size will make respiratory protection more effective in protecting the response crews.
Tolerability and efficacy of tapentadol extended release in elderly patients ≥75 years of age with chronic osteoarthritis knee or low back pain
Authors: Biondi, DO David M. , Xiang, PhD Jim , Etropolski, MD Mila , Moskovitz, MD Bruce
Published: November 2015

Objective: Management of chronic pain in elderly adult patients is often complicated by analgesic medication–related side effects. This post hoc analysis of pooled data evaluated the tolerability and analgesic efficacy of tapentadol extended release (ER) compared with oxycodone controlled release (CR) in elderly adult patients (≥75 years of age) with moderate to severe, chronic osteoarthritis knee or low back pain.Methods: Data were pooled from three similarly designed, randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active-controlled, phase 3 studies of tapentadol ER for moderate to severe, chronic osteoarthritis knee (NCT00421928, NCT00486811) or low back (NCT00449176) pain, and data for patients ≥75 years of age were evaluated. Each study consisted of a 3-week titration and 12-week maintenance period. Patients received placebo, tapentadol ER (100-250 mg bid), or oxycodone HCl CR (20-50 mg bid). Tolerability was evaluated using adverse event reporting. Efficacy was evaluated using pain intensity ratings (11-point numerical rating scale).Results: For patients ≥75 years of age (n = 210), incidences of gastrointestinal treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) overall and TEAEs of vomiting and the composite of nausea and/or vomiting were significantly lower in the tapentadol ER group compared with the oxycodone CR group (all p ≤ 0.0206). Tapentadol ER treatment was associated with significant reductions in pain intensity from baseline to week 15 compared with placebo (p = 0.0075); differences between the oxycodone CR and placebo groups failed to reach statistical significance (p = 0.1195), likely related to a higher treatment discontinuation rate in the oxycodone CR group. No significant differences were observed between the tapentadol ER and oxycodone CR groups in the change in pain intensity from baseline to week 15 (p = 0.2135). Conclusions: In elderly adult patients ≥75 years of age with moderate to severe, chronic osteoarthritis knee or low back pain, tapentadol ER (100-250 mg bid) provided significant pain relief compared with placebo and had a better overall gastrointestinal tolerability profile than oxycodone CR.
A pharmacokinetic evaluation of single and multiple doses of extended-release hydrocodone bitartrate in subjects experiencing surgical or osteoarthritic pain
Authors: Robinson, PhD Cynthia Y. , Rubino, PharmD Christopher M. , Farr, PhD Stephen J.
Published: November 2015

Objectives: To assess the single-dose and steady-state pharmacokinetics of a single-entity hydrocodone extended-release (ER) formulation in patients enrolled in two separate phase 2 clinical studies.Setting: Both studies were multicenter clinical studies.Subjects and interventions: In study 1, 115 subjects with postsurgical pain (bunionectomy) received single doses of 10, 20, 30, or 40 mg hydrocodone-ER, 10 mg hydrocodone/325 mg acetaminophen immediate-release (IR), or placebo. In study 2, 37 subjects with osteoarthritic pain received doses of 10, 20, 30, or 40 mg of hydrocodone-ER twice-daily for 7 days. Venous blood samples were taken periodically up to 24 hours postdosing after the single dose (study 1) or after 7 days of dosing (study 2) and were assayed for concentrations of hydrocodone and its major metabolites.Main outcome measures: Standard pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated by noncompartmental analysis methods.Results: Following a single dose of hydrocodone-ER, Tmax was prolonged to approximately 6 hours at all dose levels of hydrocodone-ER compared with 2.9 hours for the IR formulation. All doses of hydrocodone-ER formulations provided prolonged and sustained release of hydrocodone throughout the 12-hour dosing interval with reduced peak-to-trough fluctuation at steady state compared with hydrocodone/acetaminophen-IR comparator. Both single-dose and steady-state mean Cmax and AUClast values showed reasonable dose-proportionality. Norhydrocodone and hydromorphone plasma concentrations were 32-38 percent and <2.1 percent, respectively, of hydrocodone concentrations in both studies.Conclusions: The sustained plasma concentrations of hydrocodone support twice-daily dosing with a 12-hour dosing interval.
Relationship between change in pain intensity and functional outcomes in patients with chronic pain receiving twice daily extended-release hydrocodone bitartrate
Authors: Argoff, MD Charles , Arnstein, RN, PhD, FAAN Paul , Stanos, DO Steven , Robinson, PhD Cynthia Y. , Galer, MD Bradley S. , Gould, PhD Errol , Gammaitoni, PharmD Arnold
Published: November 2015

Objective: Evaluate levels of pain relief achieved in patients with chronic pain treated with hydrocodone-extended release (HC-ER) up to 48 weeks and show that these levels were associated with secondary functional and global outcomes.Design: Post hoc analyses were based on a previously reported study that started with an open-label conversion/titration phase for ≤ 6 weeks followed by an open-label 48-week treatment phase.Setting: Private practice and institutional pain centers.Participants: Three hundred ninety-one opioid-experienced subjects with moderate to severe pain for ≥3 months.Interventions: Individualized doses (20-300 mg) of extended-release hydrocodone every 12 hours.Main outcome: Almost 60 percent (232/391) of subjects achieved moderate or substantial levels of pain relief (≥30 percent reduction in pain score) during the study.Results: Subjects who achieved moderate or substantial pain relief demonstrated significant (p < 0.001) improvements in Oswestry Disability Inventory (ODI), all pain interference outcomes, and Subject Global Assessment of Medication. Subjects with substantial pain relief had decreases in ODI, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) anxiety, and HADS depression scores of −13.4 ± 14.92, −1.9 ±  3.37, and −1.7 ± 3.26, respectively. The five most commonly reported treatment-emergent adverse events were constipation (12.5 percent), back pain (11.1 percent), nausea (9.9 percent), vomiting (9.7 percent), and arthralgia (7.8 percent) and are consistent with opioid therapy.Conclusions: Moderate or substantial levels of pain relief were associated with the greatest functional improvements in patients treated with HC-ER. These results may help define success of opioid therapy and determine if it should be continued or an alternative treatment should be tried.
Characterization of the milk lipid fraction in non-dairy sheep breeds
Authors: Rozbicka-Wieczorek A. J. , Radzik-Rant A. , Rant W. , Kuczyńska B. , Czauderna M.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. Studies regarding the composition of milk fat are mostly conducted on dairy breeds. The aim of our studies was to evaluate the fatty acid, cholesterol and phospholipid amount in the milk of two non-dairy sheep breeds. The study was conducted on 60 ewes (Żelaźnieńska strain of Polish Lowland sheep – 30 ewes; Wrzosówka breed – 30 ewes) from one flock which were kept under the same conditions and maintenance. There were no differences in the amount of the basic components of milk in these two breeds. In the lipid fraction of Wrzosówka sheep (a more primitive breed), higher amounts of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (P ≤ 0.05), a higher amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) n-3 (P ≤ 0.01) and a lower ratio of n-6 / n-3 (P ≤ 0.01) were recorded compared to Żelaźnieńska sheep. The milk of Żelaźnieńska sheep had a higher amount of cholesterol (P ≤ 0.05). There were no differences in concentrations of phospholipids. With regard to the two non-dairy sheep breeds, a higher amount of PUFAs n-3 and a more favorable ratio of n-6 / n-3 was observed in the milk of the more primitive breed (i.e., Wrzosówka sheep).
Drivers of changes in stratospheric and tropospheric ozone between year 2000 and 2100
Authors: Banerjee A. , Maycock A. C. , Archibald A. T. , Abraham N. L. , Telford P. , Braesicke P. , Pyle J. A.
Published: November 2015

Abstract. A stratosphere-resolving configuration of the Met Office's Unified Model (UM) with the United Kingdom Chemistry and Aerosols (UKCA) scheme is used to investigate the atmospheric response to changes in (a) greenhouse gases and climate, (b) ozone-depleting substances (ODSs) and (c) non-methane ozone precursor emissions. A suite of time-slice experiments show the separate, as well as pairwise, impacts of these perturbations between the years 2000 and 2100. Sensitivity to uncertainties in future greenhouse gases and aerosols is explored through the use of the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios. The results highlight an important role for the stratosphere in determining the annual mean tropospheric ozone response, primarily through stratosphere–troposphere exchange of ozone (STE). Under both climate change and reductions in ODSs, increases in STE offset decreases in net chemical production, leading to overall increases in the tropospheric ozone burden. This opposes the effects of projected decreases in ozone precursors through measures to improve air quality, which act to reduce the ozone burden. The global tropospheric lifetime of ozone (τO3) does not change significantly under climate change at RCP4.5, but it decreases at RCP8.5. This opposes the increases in τO3 simulated under reductions in both ODSs and ozone precursor emissions. The additivity of the changes in ozone is examined by comparing the sum of the responses in the single-forcing experiments to those from equivalent combined-forcing experiments. Whilst the ozone responses to most forcing combinations are found to be approximately additive, non-additive changes are found in both the stratosphere and troposphere when a large climate forcing (RCP8.5) is combined with the effects of ODSs.