bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, and Turnover Intention of Online Teachers in the K-12 Setting
Authors: Larkin Ingle , Brantley-Dias Laurie , Lokey-Vega Anissa
Published: February 2017

The purpose of this study was to measure and explore factors influencing K-12 online teachers’ job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intentions. Using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1954), Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Satisfaction (1959, 1968), Meyer and Allen’s measure of Organizational Commitment (1997), and Fishbein and Ajzen’s Theory of Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior (1975), this mixed-methods study was conducted in public, private, charter, for-profit, and not-for-profit K-12 online schools in a single Southeastern state. The researchers used a sequential explanatory design by collecting and analyzing quantitative data and then qualitative data in two consecutive phases. Phase I included a 74-item survey with responses from 108 participants. Results revealed that K-12 online teachers have a moderate to high level of job satisfaction, which corresponds to their affective commitment to their organization and their intent to remain teaching in the online setting in the immediate, intermediate, and long-term future. Participants identified flexibility, meeting student needs, technical support, and their professional community as the most satisfying aspects of their jobs. Compensation, workload, missing face-to-face interaction with students, and unmotivated students were identified as least satisfying aspects of their work. In Phase II, eight qualitative focus group interviews were conducted and analyzed using constant comparative methods; these findings confirmed and illuminated quantitative results from Phase I. This study informs K-12 online school leaders, policymakers, and researchers of statistically significant variables that influence K-12 online teacher satisfaction, commitment, and retention.
Gender Differences in Online High School Courses
Authors: Lowes Susan , Lin Peiyi , Kinghorn Brian R.C.
Published: February 2017

Prior research has suggested that there may be differences in the ways that male and female students approach their online courses. Using data for 802 high school students enrolled in 14 online courses, this study explored gender differences in the interrelationships among online behaviors and course performance. The findings show that females were more active than males and that a higher degree of online activity and discussion forum viewing and posting was associated with better final grades, but the correlation was stronger for males than it was for females. Further exploration of posting behaviors revealed that females who received lower final grades were more active than males who received lower grades—they viewed more posts, wrote more posts, and wrote longer posts. These gender differences have implications for researchers, course providers, and course designers.
Online Teacher Work to Support Self-Regulation of Learning in Students with Disabilities at a Fully Online State Virtual School
Authors: Rice Mary Frances , Carter, Jr. Richard Allen
Published: February 2017

Students with disabilities represent a growing number of learners receiving education in K-12 fully online learning programs. They are, unfortunately, also a large segment of the online learning population who are not experiencing success in these environments. In response, scholars have recommended increasing instruction in self-regulation skills for these students, but whether teachers are able to promote self-regulation as part of their instruction and how they will do so remains unknown. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how practicing teachers provided self-regulation strategies to students with disabilities in a fully online learning environment. In this context, the teachers intended to offer self-regulation strategies to students, but they were largely unable to do so. This work has the potential to influence professional development programs for online teachers in the hopes that students with disabilities will be able to learn self-regulation strategies and ultimately be more successful.
Approaches for quantifying antimicrobial consumption per animal species based on national sales data: a Swiss example, 2006 to 2013
Authors: Carmo Luís P , Schüpbach-Regula Gertraud , Müntener Cedric , Chevance Anne , Moulin Gérard , Magouras Ioannis
Published: February 2017

Antimicrobial use in animals is known to contribute to the global burden of antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, it is critical to monitor antimicrobial sales for livestock and pets. Despite the availability of veterinary antimicrobial sales data in most European countries, surveillance currently lacks consumption monitoring at the animal species level. In this study, alternative methods were investigated for stratifying antimicrobial sales per species using Swiss data (2006−2013). Three approaches were considered: (i) Equal Distribution (ED) allocated antimicrobial sales evenly across all species each product was licensed for; (ii) Biomass Distribution (BMD) stratified antimicrobial consumption, weighting the representativeness of each species' total biomass; and (iii) Longitudinal Study Extrapolation (LSE) assigned antimicrobial sales per species based on a field study describing prescription patterns in Switzerland. LSE is expected to provide the best estimates because it relies on field data. Given the Swiss example, BMD appears to be a reliable method when prescription data are not available, whereas ED seems to underestimate consumption in species with larger populations and higher treatment intensity. These methods represent a valuable tool for improving the monitoring systems of veterinary antimicrobial consumption across Europe.
An exploration of prevalence, variety, and frequency data to quantify online sexual activity experience
Authors: Shaughnessy Krystelle , Fudge Miranda , Byers E. Sandra
Published: February 2017

People use the Internet for a wide range of online sexual activities (OSA): behaviours that involve sexual content, topics, and stimuli. Yet, current OSA summary statistics provide little perspective on patterns of OSA experience because researchers have not compared multiple indicators of experience within the same sample. We explored the prevalence, variety, and frequency of young men and women's experience with three OSA subtypes: non-arousal (e.g., accessing sexual health information), solitary-arousal (e.g., viewing pornography), and partnered-arousal (e.g., sending sexually explicit messages). We examined patterns in experience with specific OSAs, subtypes of OSAs, OSAs overall, and differences related to gender across the lifetime and recently. Young adults (N=239) at a Canadian University completed a survey that included a new measure of 48 specific OSAs, representing the three subtypes. All participants reported at least one OSA experience in their lifetime (ranging 1–38). Although the prevalence and variety of experience was greater across the lifetime than recently, this difference was small and the pattern of results remained the same. Frequency of experience appeared greater for specific OSAs compared to OSA subtypes or overall. Frequency of specific OSAs were greater for the subgroup of participants who had engaged in the activity recently compared to the full sample. Significantly more men than women reported solitary-arousal OSA, and men reported greater variety and frequency of this subtype. This gender difference in prevalence and frequency only held for viewing sexually explicit pictures and videos online. We discuss implications for sexual scripts, researchers, clinicians, and educators.
Stressors and Protective Factors among Veterinary Students in New Zealand
Authors: Weston Jenny F. , Gardner Dianne , Yeung Polly
Published: February 2017

A study was undertaken to investigate the stressors faced by veterinary students and the protective factors against those stressors. The study was conducted as a workshop during which students collaborated with their peers through an iterative process to identify personal and external factors that contributed to or protected against stress as a veterinary student, and then to suggest strategies that would protect their mental health and well-being. Workload and assessment were the most commonly reported stressors. Students reported a variety of effective coping strategies and avoidance behaviors, although most of the suggested solutions revolved around organizational change within the university. Students also recognized that their own perspectives, traits, and behavior could enhance their student experience or increase their perceived levels of stress. While it is important that educators monitor student feedback about the program and make changes when required, students must recognize that stress is an expected component of life and develop effective coping strategies. They should develop a balanced view of the positive and negative aspects of the student experience and, ultimately, of working as a veterinary professional.
Study of the Levels of Human–Human and Human–Animal Empathy in Veterinary Medical Students from Chile
Authors: Calderón-Amor Javiera , Luna-Fernández Daniela , Tadich Tamara
Published: February 2017

Social relationships are based on our ability to put ourselves in the place of others, and from there to react appropriately and logically. This empathic ability can be extended to other species, based on the human ability to develop techniques to understand and communicate with animals. In education, the benefits of training professionals with ethical and empathic tools are known. Gender, diet, past experiences, and other factors can modify a person's levels of empathy toward humans and animals, and a relationship exists between both types of empathy. The aims of this study were to investigate some determinants of the level of empathy and to gain insight into the possible correlation between human–animal and human–human empathy. For this, the Animal Empathy Scale and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index by Davis were applied through an electronic survey system to freshmen and final-year students (n=452) from five schools of veterinary medicine in Chile. The correlation between the empathy scores of both instruments and their association with individual factors were studied using Spearman's correlation, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and the Kruskal–Wallis test. The results suggest that both instruments correlate significantly, and that gender, year of study, diet, and area of interest have a significant association with the score for empathy toward animals. This research shows that individual characteristics and changes that occur during veterinary training can affect students' attitudes toward animals.
Development of a Key Performance Indicator System to Benchmark Relative Paratransit Performance
Authors: Morse Lindsey , Trompet Mark , Barron Alexander , Graham Daniel J.
Published: February 2017

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. U.S. transit agencies are therefore required to offer eligible customers services that complement the mobility opportunities provided to the general public on fixed-route public transit. Although these paratransit services are necessary and just, they represent a proportionally large cost to agencies: approximately eight times the cost per boarding compared with fixed-route bus service. To be able to identify opportunities for cost efficiencies and to further improve the quality of paratransit services offered, the 20 agencies of the American Bus Benchmarking Group decided to benchmark their relative performance in paratransit management and operations. A key performance indicator system was developed, and associated data items were defined in detail to ensure comparability of agencies’ performance and hence ensure the usefulness of the benchmarking program. The scope of this system went beyond the data already provided to the National Transit Database, both in amount and in granularity of data collected as well as the detail of definitions. The challenges, respective solutions, and other lessons identified during 4 years of paratransit benchmarking development led by Imperial College London, the American Bus Benchmarking Group facilitators, are described. The paper provides transit agencies and authorities as well as benchmarking practitioners and academics an opportunity to apply these lessons for the further benefit of paratransit services and their customers around the United States.
Fickle or Flexible?
Authors: Saddier Simon , Patterson Zachary , Johnson Alex , Wiseman Natalie
Published: February 2017

In many cities of the developing world, institutional public transportation is limited or nonexistent, and inhabitants have to rely on paratransit (informal or semiformal, non-fixed-route, nonscheduled transportation systems) for their travel. Although their flexibility and affordability offer clear advantages, these services are often criticized for their lack of reliability in terms of variations in travel time and waiting time. The body of work on paratransit and the work that characterizes paratransit as unreliable are almost exclusively based on self-reported or indirect data. Therefore the aim here is to fill a gap in the paratransit literature by applying concepts from the literature on transit quality of service to the field of informal transport. Indicators traditionally applied to formal transit systems are used to assess the level of reliability of paratransit services in a developing country. In addition, a new indicator is proposed to measure itinerary variations specific to paratransit. It is found that the most appropriate unit of analysis for such research is the station because operations on any given route are influenced by forces at the station level. The general level of variability measured through these indicators was less than expected. Although a wide range of situations was observed in this sample, most paratransit routes appeared to be relatively stable in Accra, Ghana.
Income Smoothing via Loan Loss Provision in Credit Cooperative Banks
Authors: Azzali Stefano , Fornaciari Luca , Mazza Tatiana
Published: February 2017

This research investigates whether income smoothing via loan loss provision is lower for Credit Cooperative Banks than for non-Credit Cooperative Banks. Using data collected from the financial reporting of a sample of private banks, and Ordinary Least Square models based on net income or its variation, as used by previous literature, we find that income smoothing through loan loss provision is lower in Credit Cooperative Banks than in banks with different ownership structures. Results remain the same using several robustness tests (decomposition of loans, quality of loans, change in economic growth, cluster and fixed effect, effect of financial crisis). Mutual ownership, smaller size, and the local boundaries that characterize Credit Cooperative Banks may reduce the need for managers to manipulate earnings. Our findings give a positive evaluation of the recent Italian Law No. 18/2016 which reforms Credit Cooperative Banks, and imply that benefits of Credit Cooperative Banks ownership structure may derive from the group structure which gives a higher level of stability and solidity.
Patterns of Cardiac Arrhythmia in Haemodialysis Patients
Authors: Mahmood Nazneen , Haq AM Mujibul , Giasuddin ASM , Jhuma Khadija Akther , Hoque Md Mahbubul , Chowdhury Shaila Safia
Published: February 2017

Background: Cardiovascular disorders are one of the most serious problems in chronic haemodialysis patients. According to the records of last 15 years, 50% of these patients died from cardiovascular complications every year, without a marked reduction in the annual frequency of deaths. Cardiac arrhythmias are frequently associated with haemodialysis and have been reported to be seen in some series in up to 76% of patients.Materials & Methods: They appear to occur mostly after the first 3 hours of dialysis. In this study we have evaluated the arrhythmias that occured before and during dialysis to reduce the burden of morbidity and mortality of the patients. This is a cross sectional descriptive type of observational study on haemodialysis patients in Medical College for Women and Hospital (MCWH). Duration of study was 2 years, from July 2011 to June 2013.All the patients of end stage renal disease (ESRD) on maintenance haemodialysis (MHD) were included in the study. 81 patients were included to the study. One patient had permanent pacemaker and was excluded. Four patients had died during the study and four patients did not co-operated and left the study. Holter monitoring of a patient was unreadable because of artifact. Finally 71 patients were studied.Results: Out of 71 patients 38 were males and 33 were females with male to female ratio of 1.5:1. The mean age of the patient was 50.81 12.45 ( Range-22-75 ) year. Among 71 patients 19 had both DM and HTN and 42 patients had only HTN and 10 patients had other causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD).Premature atrial contraction(PAC) 27(40.30%) and Premature ventricular contraction(PVC) 40(59.70%)were the most common arrhythmia in dialysis patients before and during dialysis in our study. We found no significant effect of heamodialysis (HD) on cardiac arrhythmia. There was no correlation between arrhythmia and changes in Hb%, HbA1C, S. Albumin, S Creatinine, ions changes(Na+, K+, Ca++, Mg++)before and during haemodialysis (HD). QT intervals had no significant increase in dialysis patients. The prevalence of Atrial fibrillation (AF) rhythm was 5.63%.A high prevalence of cardiovascular disease is observed in end stage renal disease(ESRD) patients receiving dialysis therapy.Conclusion: The number of arrhythmias did not increase during dialysis in patients with no history of cardiac diseases, so the dialysis itself is not a leading risk factor for arrhythmias. But if a patient has history of arrhythmia, ischemia or left ventricular hypertrophy(LVH), he should be monitored during haemodialysis or undergo peritoneal dialysis in order to reduce the arrhythmia risk.Anwer Khan Modern Medical College Journal Vol. 7, No. 1: Jan 2016, P 28-33
Pulmonary Embolism with Floating Right Atrial Thrombus Successfully Treated with Streptokinase
Authors: Nasrin Sahela , Salahuddin Mohammad , Cader Fathima Aaysha , Iqbal Md Jabed , Nazrin Tahera , Shafi Masuma Jannat , Ghafoor Nusrat
Published: February 2017

Massive Pulmonary Embolism (PE) is associated with significant mortality, especially if compounded by haemodynamic instability, right ventricular dysfunction and right atrial thrombus. Thrombolysis can be lifesaving in patients with major embolism and cardiogenic shock, and accelerates the resolution of thrombus. Only three fibrinolytic agents - namely streptokinase, urokinase, and recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (Alteplase) have been approved in the treatment of PE, with studies demonstrating similar safety profiles. We report the case of a 33 year old Bangladeshi female with a history of recent ankle fracture and immobilization, who presented with massive PE, leading to cardiac arrest. Upon rapid resuscitation, urgent echocardiogram revealed right ventricular dysfunction with floating right atrial thrombus, and she was successfully treated with 1.5 million IU of Streptokinase over 2 hours as per accelerated regimen recommended by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines, resulting in successful resolution of the right heart thrombus, and significant clinical improvement. Subsequent CT Pulmonary Angiogram confirmed the diagnosis of PE, and she was anticoagulated to a PT/INR of 2.0 to 3.0.Anwer Khan Modern Medical College Journal Vol. 7, No. 1: Jan 2016, P 60-63
Keeping the Conversation going: Fisher & More and Henry VIII’s intellectual Tyranny
Authors: Hatt Cecilia
Published: February 2017

I consider the effects of Henry VIII’s attempts to exert control over the intellectual activities of his articulate and argumentative subjects, whose free speculation he attempted radically to limit, while legitimising his own decisions by insisting that they were the result of discussion and the advice of others. I shall discuss the ways in which both Thomas More and John Fisher contrived to “converse” within a perilously maintained community of trust. I would also like briefly to consider the implications of an alternative Platonist stoicism that disputes, if not the reality, at least the significance of the material world.
Speaking Pictures: Margaret Roper and the Representation of Lady Rhetoric
Authors: Brace Patricia
Published: February 2017

In the first quarter of the sixteenth century, a woodcut featuring a young woman at a desk, facing an audience of smaller figures, appears in five books, all printed by, or with a connection to, Wynkyn de Worde. In four of these, first printed between 1504 and 1512, the image is explicitly linked to figures associated with rhetoric and/or powerful female speech. In the fifth instance, the title page of Margaret Roper’s Erasmian translation, A Devout Treatise Upon the Pater Noster (1526?), the moment at which the associated text is produced by a woman famed for her rhetorical skill, the image appears altered, with the audience cropped from the frame. What may be argued from this change is first, that, as print historians increasingly agree, while woodcuts travel fairly freely among early printed books, they do bear some relation to either the work itself or the context in which it is produced. Second, that when faced with a non-allegorical Lady Rhetoric, tensions around female speech and agency reach a literal breaking point with a physical alteration of the woodcut that undermines both the tradition of the figure and its more recently-imagined functions.
Shakespeare’s Other Tyrant
Authors: Milward Peter
Published: February 2017

In approaching the basic historical question of the Tudor tyranny, by which England was transformed from a predominantly Catholic country, as a constituent part of Christendom, to a largely conforming Protestant country, in the process of becoming a British Empire, it is of no small importance to consider how the great dramatist of the age, William Shakespeare, presented the situation as he saw it from a basically Catholic viewpoint – not directly, when he might well have incurred the charge of treason, but (as he says) “by indirections”, for which one has to read between the lines, according to the literal meaning of “intelligence”. From this viewpoint, one may see in almost all his plays, whether history, comedy or tragedy, reflections of his deep, personal response both to the memory of Henry VIII and to his experience of Elizabeth I in terms of the theme of “tyranny”. Hence, after having presented my article on “Shakespeare’s Portrayal of a Tyrant” with reference to Henry VIII, I may now present this further article on “Shakespeare’s Other Tyrant”, namely Elizabeth I, as it were following a postmodern trend in the academic world of “dissing Elizabeth” – while drawing attention to the contrast between the plays presented in the reign of Elizabeth Tudor herself and those presented (in greater safety) in the subsequent reign of James Stuart.
Pleasure and Variety in Thomas More’s Utopia
Authors: Vilar Mariano A.
Published: February 2017

The goal of this article is to provide a better understanding of the organization of pleasure (voluptas) in the moral philosophy and in the social practices of the inhabitants of Utopia, the fictional island created by Thomas More. For this purpose, we will focus on the classifications of pleasure into a series of species which tend to suppress the individual nature of pleasure and its connection to subjectivity in order to establish the traits of “natural pleasures,” which fit perfectly the social organization of the island. Our main hypothesis is that this is accomplished by breaking the connection of pleasure and “variety” (varietas), which was firmly established by many of the authors (ancient or modern) that discussed this topic. In this article, we argue that the use of the Epicurean texts circulating at the beginning of the 16th century were instrumental in the elaboration of a theory of “negative pleasures” which are used to keep the homeostasis of the society in Utopia.
Self-Tuning Fuzzy Control for Seismic Protection of Smart Base-Isolated Buildings Subjected to Pulse-Type Near-Fault Earthquakes
Authors: Zhao Dahai , Liu Yang , Li Hongnan
Published: February 2017

Pulse-type near-fault earthquakes have obvious long-duration pulses, so they can cause large deformation in a base-isolated system in contrast to non-pulse-type near-fault and far-field earthquakes. This paper proposes a novel self-tuning fuzzy logic control strategy for seismic protection of a base-isolated system, which can operate the control force of the piezoelectric friction damper against different types of earthquakes. This control strategy employs a hierarchic control algorithm, in which a higher-level supervisory fuzzy controller is implemented to adjust the input normalization factors and output scaling factor, while a sub-level fuzzy controller effectively determines the command voltage of the piezoelectric friction damper according to current level of earthquakes. The efficiency of the proposed control strategy is also compared with uncontrolled and maximum passive cases. Numerical results reveal that the novel fuzzy logic control strategy can effectively reduce the isolation system deformations without the loss of potential advantages of base-isolated system.
Time-Sequential Working Wavelength-Selective Filter for Flat Autostereoscopic Displays
Authors: Barré René , Bartmann Roland , Jurk Silvio , Kuhlmey Mathias , Duckstein Bernd , Seeboth Arno , Lötzsch Detlef , Rabe Christian , Frach Peter , Bartzsch Hagen , Gittner Matthias , Bruns Stefan , Schottner Gerhard , Fischer Johanna
Published: February 2017

A time-sequential working, spatially-multiplexed autostereoscopic 3D display design consisting of a fast switchable RGB-color filter array and a fast color display is presented. The newly-introduced 3D display design is usable as a multi-user display, as well as a single-user system. The wavelength-selective filter barrier emits the light from a larger aperture than common autostereoscopic barrier displays with similar barrier pitch and ascent. Measurements on a demonstrator with commercial display components, simulations and computational evaluations have been carried out to describe the proposed wavelength-selective display design in static states and to show the weak spots of display filters in commercial displays. An optical modelling of wavelength-selective barriers has been used for instance to calculate the light ray distribution properties of that arrangement. In the time-sequential implementation, it is important to avoid that quick eye or eyelid movement leads to visible color artifacts. Therefore, color filter cells, switching faster than conventional LC display cells, must distribute directed light from different primaries at the same time, to create a 3D presentation. For that, electric tunable liquid crystal Fabry–Pérot color filters are presented. They switch on-off the colors red, green and blue in the millisecond regime. Their active areas consist of a sub-micrometer-thick nematic layer sandwiched between dielectric mirrors and indium tin oxide (ITO)-electrodes. These cells shall switch narrowband light of red, green or blue. A barrier filter array for a high resolution, glasses-free 3D display has to be equipped with several thousand switchable filter elements having different color apertures.
Variability of Black Carbon and Ultrafine Particle Concentration on Urban Bike Routes in a Mid-Sized City in the Po Valley (Northern Italy)
Authors: Lonati Giovanni , Ozgen Senem , Ripamonti Giovanna , Signorini Stefano
Published: February 2017

Cyclists might experience increased air pollution exposure, due to the proximity to traffic, and higher intake, due to their active travel mode and higher ventilation. Several local factors, like meteorology, road and traffic features, and bike lanes features, affect cyclists’ exposure to traffic-related pollutants. This paper investigates the concentration levels and the effect of the features of the bike lanes on cyclists’ exposure to airborne ultrafine particulate matter (UFP) and black carbon (BC) in the mid-sized city of Piacenza, located in the middle of the Po Valley, Northern Italy. Monitoring campaigns were performed by means of portable instruments along different urban bike routes with bike lanes, characterized by different distances from the traffic source (on-road cycle lane, separated cycle lane, green cycle path), during morning (9:00 am–10:00 am) and evening (17:30 pm–18:30 pm) workday rush hours in both cold and warm seasons. The proximity to traffic significantly affected cyclists’ exposure to UFP and BC: exposure concentrations measured for the separated lane and for the green path were 1–2 times and 2–4 times lower than for the on-road lane. Concurrent measurements showed that exposure concentrations to PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 were not influenced by traffic proximity, without any significant variation between on-road cycle lane, separated lane, or green cycle path. Thus, for the location of this study PM mass-based metrics were not able to capture local scale concentration gradients in the urban area as a consequence of the rather high urban and regional background that hides the contribution of local scale sources, such as road traffic. The impact of route choice on cyclists’ exposure to UFPs and BC during commuting trips back and forth from a residential area to the train station has been also estimated through a probabilistic approach through an iterative Monte Carlo technique, based on the measured data. Compared to the best choice, a worst-route choice can result in an increased cumulative exposure up to about 50% for UFPs, without any relevant difference between cold and warm season, and from 20% in the cold season up to 90% in the warm season for equivalent black carbon concentration (EBC).
A Comparison of Postural Stability during Upright Standing between Normal and Flatfooted Individuals, Based on COP-Based Measures
Authors: Chao Tsui-Chiao , Jiang Bernard
Published: February 2017

Aging causes foot arches to collapse, possibly leading to foot deformities and falls. This paper proposes a set of measures involving an entropy-based method used for two groups of young adults with dissimilar foot arches to explore and quantize postural stability on a force plate in an upright position. Fifty-four healthy young adults aged 18–30 years participated in this study. These were categorized into two groups: normal (37 participants) and flatfooted (17 participants). We collected the center of pressure (COP) displacement trajectories of participants during upright standing, on a force plate, in a static position, with eyes open (EO), or eyes closed (EC). These nonstationary time-series signals were quantized using entropy-based measures and traditional measures used to assess postural stability, and the results obtained from these measures were compared. The appropriate combinations of entropy-based measures revealed that, with respect to postural stability, the two groups differed significantly (p < 0.05) under both EO and EC conditions. The traditional commonly-used COP-based measures only revealed differences under EO conditions. Entropy-based measures are thus suitable for examining differences in postural stability for flatfooted people, and may be used by clinicians after further refinement.
Greenhouse Gas Mitigation of Rural Household Biogas Systems in China: A Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Hou Jun , Zhang Weifeng , Wang Pei , Dou Zhengxia , Gao Liwei , Styles David
Published: February 2017

Rural household biogas (RHB) systems are at a crossroads in China, yet there has been a lack of holistic evaluation of their energy and climate (greenhouse gas mitigation) efficiency under typical operating conditions. We combined data from monitoring projects and questionnaire surveys across hundreds of households from two typical Chinese villages within a consequential life cycle assessment (LCA) framework to assess net GHG (greenhouse gas) mitigation by RHB systems operated in different contexts. We modelled biogas production, measured biogas losses and used survey data from biogas and non-biogas households to derive empirical RHB system substitution rates for energy and fertilizers. Our results indicate that poorly designed and operated RHB systems in northern regions of China may in fact increase farm household GHG emissions by an average of 2668 kg CO2-eq· year−1, compared with a net mitigation effect of 6336 kg CO2-eq per household and year in southern regions. Manure treatment (104 and 8513 kg CO2-eq mitigation) and biogas leakage (-533 and -2489 kg CO2-eq emission) are the two most important factors affecting net GHG mitigation by RHB systems in northern and southern China, respectively. In contrast, construction (−173 and −305 kg CO2-eq emission), energy substitution (−522 emission and 653 kg·CO2-eq mitigation) and nutrient substitution (−1544 and −37 kg CO2-eq emission) made small contributions across the studied systems. In fact, survey data indicated that biogas households had higher energy and fertilizer use, implying no net substitution effect. Low biogas yields in the cold northern climate and poor maintenance services were cited as major reasons for RHB abandonment by farmers. We conclude that the design and management of RHB systems needs to be revised and better adapted to local climate (e.g., digester insulation) and household energy demand (biogas storage and micro power generators to avoid discharge of unburned biogas). More precise nutrient management planning could ensure that digestate nutrients are more effectively utilized to substitute synthetic fertilizers.
Therapeutic Approaches Targeting MYC-Driven Prostate Cancer
Authors: Rebello Richard , Pearson Richard , Hannan Ross , Furic Luc
Published: February 2017

The transcript encoding the proto-oncogene MYC is commonly overexpressed in prostate cancer (PC). MYC protein abundance is also increased in the majority of cases of advanced and metastatic castrate-resistant PC (mCRPC). Accordingly, the MYC-directed transcriptional program directly contributes to PC by upregulating the expression of a number of pro-tumorigenic factors involved in cell growth and proliferation. A key cellular process downstream of MYC activity is the regulation of ribosome biogenesis which sustains tumor growth. MYC activity also cooperates with the dysregulation of the phosphoinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mTOR pathway to promote PC cell survival. Recent advances in the understanding of these interactions through the use of animal models have provided significant insight into the therapeutic efficacy of targeting MYC activity by interfering with its transcriptional program, and indirectly by targeting downstream cellular events linked to MYC transformation potential.
Household Dengue Prevention Interventions, Expenditures, and Barriers to Aedes aegypti Control in Machala, Ecuador
Authors: Heydari Naveed , Larsen David , Neira Marco , Beltrán Ayala Efraín , Fernandez Prissila , Adrian Jefferson , Rochford Rosemary , Stewart-Ibarra Anna
Published: February 2017

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is an efficient vector for the transmission of Zika, chikungunya, and dengue viruses, causing major epidemics and a significant social and economic burden throughout the tropics and subtropics. The primary means of preventing these diseases is household-level mosquito control. However, relatively little is known about the economic burden of Ae. aegypti control in resource-limited communities. We surveyed residents from 40 households in a high-risk community at the urban periphery in the city of Machala, Ecuador, on dengue perceptions, vector control interventions, household expenditures, and factors influencing purchasing decisions. The results of this study show that households spend a monthly median of US$2.00, or 1.90% (range: 0.00%, 9.21%) of their family income on Ae. aegypti control interventions. Households reported employing, on average, five different mosquito control and dengue prevention interventions, including aerosols, liquid sprays, repellents, mosquito coils, and unimpregnated bed nets. We found that effectiveness and cost were the most important factors that influence people’s decisions to purchase a mosquito control product. Our findings will inform the development and deployment of new Ae. aegypti control interventions by the public health and private sectors, and add to prior studies that have focused on the economic burden of dengue-like illness.
The Relationship between Physical Activity and Plasma Glucose Level amongst Ellisras Rural Young Adult Males and Females: Ellisras Longitudinal Study
Authors: Matshipi Moloko , Monyeki Kotsedi , Kemper Han
Published: February 2017

Unhealthy lifestyle characteristics such as low physical activity (PA) and high plasma glucose levels (PGLs) may lead to the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adulthood. The aim of this study was to investigate (i) the level of physical activity; (ii) the prevalence of pre-diabetes and (iii) the relationship between PA and plasma glucose level in a rural Ellisras adult population aged 18 to 28 years. A total of 713 young adults (349 males and 364 females) who took part in the Ellisras Longitudinal Study participated in the study. Fasting plasma glucose levels were analysed using Accutrend glucose meters. Physical activity data was collected using a validated questionnaire. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between PA and pre-diabetes. The prevalence of pre-diabetes was between 45.7% and 50.2% and that of physical inactivity was 67.3% and 71.0% for males and females, respectively. There was no significant (p > 0.05) relationship between PA and pre-diabetes (beta = 1.016; 95% Confidence Interval from 0.352 to 2.777). The health benefits of PA increased with the increasing frequency, duration and intensity of exercise. The prevalence of pre-diabetes was found to be very high in this population. Our results suggest that greater physical activity is associated with low plasma glucose levels.
Chemoprevention of Rat Mammary Carcinogenesis by Apiaceae Spices
Authors: Aqil Farrukh , Jeyabalan Jeyaprakash , Munagala Radha , Ravoori Srivani , Vadhanam Manicka , Schultz David , Gupta Ramesh
Published: February 2017

Scientific evidence suggests that many herbs and spices have medicinal properties that alleviate symptoms or prevent disease. In this study, we examined the chemopreventive effects of the Apiaceae spices, anise, caraway, and celery seeds against 17β-estrogen (E2)-mediated mammary tumorigenesis in an ACI (August-Copenhagen Irish) rat model. Female ACI rats were given either control diet (AIN 93M) or diet supplemented with 7.5% (w/w) of anise, caraway, or celery seed powder. Two weeks later, one half of the animals in each group received subcutaneous silastic implants of E2. Diet intake and body weight were recorded weekly, and animals were euthanized after 3 and 12 weeks. E2-treatment showed significantly (2.1- and 3.4-fold) enhanced growth of pituitary gland at 3 and 12 weeks, respectively. All test spices significantly offset the pituitary growth by 12 weeks, except celery which was effective as early as three weeks. Immunohistochemical analysis for proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in mammary tissues showed significant reduction in E2-mediated mammary cell proliferation. Test spices reduced the circulating levels of both E2 and prolactin at three weeks. This protection was more pronounced at 12 weeks, with celery eliciting the highest effect. RT-PCR and western blot analysis were performed to determine the potential molecular targets of the spices. Anise and caraway diets significantly offset estrogen-mediated overexpression of both cyclin D1 and estrogen receptor α (ERα). The effect of anise was modest. Likewise, expression of CYP1B1 and CYP1A1 was inhibited by all test spices. Based on short-term molecular markers, caraway was selected over other spices based on its enhanced effect on estrogen-associated pathway. Therefore, a tumor-end point study in ACI rats was conducted with dietary caraway. Tumor palpation from 12 weeks onwards revealed tumor latency of 29 days in caraway-treated animals compared with first tumor appearance at 92 days in control group. At the end of the study (25 weeks), the tumor incidence was 96% in the control group compared with only 70% in the caraway group. A significant reduction in tumor volume (661 ± 123 vs. 313 ± 81 mm3) and tumor multiplicity (4.2 ± 0.4 vs. 2.5 ± 0.5 tumors/animal) was also observed in the caraway group compared with the control group. Together, our data show dietary caraway can significantly delay and prevent the hormonal mammary tumorigenesis by modulating different cellular and molecular targets.
Differential Gene Expression in the Meristem and during Early Fruit Growth of Pisum sativum L. Identifies Potential Targets for Breeding
Authors: Smitha Ninan Annu , Shah Anish , Song Jiancheng , Jameson Paula
Published: February 2017

For successful molecular breeding it is important to identify targets to the gene family level, and in the specific species of interest, in this case Pisum sativum L. The cytokinins have been identified as a key breeding target due to their influence on plant architecture, and on seed size and sink activity. We focused on the cytokinin biosynthetic gene family (the IPTs) and the gene family key to the destruction of cytokinins (the CKXs), as well as other gene families potentially affected by changing cytokinin levels. These included key meristem genes (WUS and BAM1) and the transporter gene families, sucrose transporters (SUTs) and amino acid permeases (AAPs). We used reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) to monitor gene expression in the vegetative meristem and in pre- and post-fertilisation young pea fruits. PsWUS expression was specific to the shoot apical meristem while PsBAM1 was highly expressed in the shoot apical meristem (SAM) but was also expressed at a low level in the young fruit. Differential expression was shown between genes and within gene families for IPT, CKX, SUT, and AAP. PsCKX7 showed strong gene family member-specific expression in the SAM, and was also expressed in young pea fruits. We suggest that PsCKX7 is a potential target for downregulation via molecular breeding or gene editing.
Computer Assisted Examination of Infrared and Near Infrared Spectra to Assess Structural and Molecular Changes in Biological Samples Exposed to Pollutants: A Case of Study
Authors: Mecozzi Mauro , Sturchio Elena
Published: February 2017

We present a computer assisted method for the examination of the structural changes present in the probe organism Vicia faba exposed to inorganic arsenic, detected by means of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Fourier transform near infrared (FTNIR) spectroscopy. Like the common ecotoxicological tests, the method is based on the comparison among control and exposed sample spectra of the organisms to detect structural changes caused by pollutants. Using FTIR spectroscopy, we measured and plotted the spectral changes related to the unsaturated to saturated lipid ratio changes (USL), the lipid to protein ratio changes (LPR), fatty and ester fatty acid content changes (FA), protein oxidation (PO) and denaturation, and DNA and RNA changes (DNA-RNA). Using FTNIR spectroscopy, we measured two spectral ranges that belonged to hydrogen bond interactions and aliphatic lipid chains called IntHCONH and Met1overt, respectively. The FTIR results showed that As modified the DNA-RNA ratio and also caused partial protein denaturation in the Vicia faba samples. The FTNIR results supported the FTIR results. The main advantage of the proposed computational method is that it does not require a skilled infrared or near infrared operator, lending support to conventional studies performed by toxicological testing.
Wear Enhancement of Wheel-Rail Interaction by Ultrasonic Nanocrystalline Surface Modification Technique
Authors: Chang Seky , Pyun Young-Sik , Amanov Auezhan
Published: February 2017

In this study, an ultrasonic nanocrystalline surface modification (UNSM) technique was applied to normal and heat-treated rails made of 60 kgK steel to enhance the wear resistance of the wheel-rail interaction. The hardness and compressive residual stress values of the untreated and UNSM-treated rails were measured by the Brinell hardness tester and X-ray diffraction technique, respectively. It was found, according to the measurement results, that the hardness was increased by about 20% and 8%, whereas the compressive residual stress was induced by about 52% and 62% for the UNSM-treated normal and heat-treated rails, respectively. The UNSM-treated normal rail showed a slightly higher hardness than the heat-treated rail. The wear resistance of rails with respect to rotating speed and rolling time was assessed using a rolling contact wear (RCW) tester under dry conditions. The RCW test results revealed that the wear of the UNSM-treated rails was enhanced in comparison with those of the untreated rails. Also, the wear amount of the rails was increased with increasing the rotation speed. The UNSM-treated normal rail exhibited the highest wear resistance with respect to the rotation speed. The wear mechanisms of the rails are also discussed based on microscopic images of the worn out surfaces.
The Influence of Anion Shape on the Electrical Double Layer Microstructure and Capacitance of Ionic Liquids-Based Supercapacitors by Molecular Simulations
Authors: Chen Ming , Li Song , Feng Guang
Published: February 2017

Room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) are an emerging class of electrolytes for supercapacitors. In this work, we investigate the effects of different supercapacitor models and anion shape on the electrical double layers (EDLs) of two different RTILs: 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([Emim][Tf2N]) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium 2-(cyano)pyrrolide ([Emim][CNPyr]) by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The EDL microstructure is represented by number densities of cations and anions, and the potential drop near neutral and charged electrodes reveal that the supercapacitor model with a single electrode has the same EDL structure as the model with two opposite electrodes. Nevertheless, the employment of the one-electrode model without tuning the bulk density of RTILs is more time-saving in contrast to the two-electrode one. With the one-electrode model, our simulation demonstrated that the shapes of anions significantly imposed effects on the microstructure of EDLs. The EDL differential capacitance vs. potential (C-V) curves of [Emim][CNPyr] electrolyte exhibit higher differential capacitance at positive potentials. The modeling study provides microscopic insight into the EDLs structure of RTILs with different anion shapes.