bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Paris-Trousseau thrombocytopenia is phenocopied by the autosomal recessive inheritance of a DNA-binding domain mutation in FLI1
Authors: Stevenson William S. , Rabbolini David J. , Beutler Lucinda , Chen Qiang , Gabrielli Sara , Mackay Joel P. , Brighton Timothy A. , Ward Christopher M. , Morel-Kopp Marie-Christine
Published: August 2015

Key Points

The platelet defect associated with Paris-Trousseau thrombocytopenia and Jacobsen syndrome is caused by an abnormal transcription factor FLI1. FLI1 DNA–binding ETS domain mutations cause bleeding disorders with both autosomal dominant and recessive patterns of inheritance.
Sexually transmitted infections among female sex workers tested at STI clinics in the Netherlands, 2006–2013
Authors: Verscheijden Maud M. A. , Woestenberg Petra J. , Götz Hannelore M. , van Veen Maaike G. , Koedijk Femke D. H. , van Benthem Birgit H. B.
Published: August 2015

Background

Specialised sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics in the Netherlands provide STI care for high-risk groups, including female sex workers (FSW), at the clinic and by outreach visiting commercial sex workplaces with a permit. The objective was to investigate the STI positivity rate and determinants of an STI diagnosis among FSW tested by STI clinics in the Netherlands.

Methods

Sexually transmitted infection clinics report demographic, behavioural and diagnostic information of every consultation to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment. We analysed all consultations of FSW between 2006 and 2013. Trends in STI positivity rate (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, infectious syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B) were analysed using χ2 for trend and logistic regression was used to analyse determinants associated with an STI diagnosis. Differences between consultations at the STI clinic and consultations during outreach were analysed using χ2 tests.

Results

The positivity rate for any STI (overall 9.5 %) was stable from 2006 to 2013. Chlamydia positivity rate (overall 7.1 %) decreased (p < 0.001) and gonorrhoea positivity rate (overall 2.6 %) increased (p < 0.001). For gonorrhoea, the highest positivity rate was found oropharyngeal (2.0 %). Characteristics associated with STI were a younger age [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.96, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.95–0.97 per year], a previous STI diagnosis (aOR 1.63, 95 % CI 1.38–1.92) and being notified for an STI by partner notification (aOR 2.61, 95 % CI 2.0–3.40). The STI positivity rate was significantly lower among FSW tested at outreach locations (8.6 %) compared to FSW tested at the STI clinic (11.7 %, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The STI positivity rate among FSW remained stable, but underlying this was a decreasing chlamydia trend and an increasing gonorrhoea trend, suggesting a shift in STI risks among FSW over time. Condom use during oral sex should be promoted since oropharyngeal gonorrhoea was frequently diagnosed and because of the potential spread of antimicrobial resistant gonococci.
Association of left ventricular longitudinal strain with central venous oxygen saturation and serum lactate in patients with early severe sepsis and septic shock
Authors: Lanspa Michael J. , Pittman Joel E. , Hirshberg Eliotte L. , Wilson Emily L. , Olsen Troy , Brown Samuel M. , Grissom Colin K.
Published: August 2015

Introduction

In septic shock, assessment of cardiac function often relies on invasive central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2). Ventricular strain is a non-invasive method of assessing ventricular wall deformation and may be a sensitive marker of heart function. We hypothesized that it may have a relationship with ScvO2 and lactate.

Methods

We prospectively performed transthoracic echocardiography in patients with severe sepsis or septic shock and measured (1) left ventricular longitudinal strain from a four-chamber view and (2) ScvO2. We excluded patients for whom image quality was inadequate or for whom ScvO2 values were unobtainable. We determined the association between strain and ScvO2 with logistic and linear regression, using covariates of mean arterial pressure, central venous pressure, and vasopressor dose. We determined the association between strain and lactate. We considered strain greater than −17 % as abnormal and strain greater than −10 % as severely abnormal.

Results

We studied 89 patients, 68 of whom had interpretable images. Of these patients, 42 had measurable ScvO2. Sixty percent of patients had abnormal strain, and 16 % had severely abnormal strain. Strain is associated with low ScvO2 (linear coefficient −1.05, p =0.006; odds ratio 1.23 for ScvO2 <60 %, p =0.016). Patients with severely abnormal strain had significantly lower ScvO2 (56.1 % vs. 67.5 %, p <0.01) and higher lactate (2.7 vs. 1.9 mmol/dl, p =0.04) than those who did not. Strain was significantly different between patients, based on a threshold ScvO2 of 60 % (−13.7 % vs. -17.2 %, p =0.01) but not at 70 % (−15.0 % vs. −18.2 %, p =0.08).

Conclusions

Left ventricular strain is associated with low ScvO2 and hyperlactatemia. It may be a non-invasive surrogate for adequacy of oxygen delivery during early severe sepsis or septic shock.
Re-examining tau-immunoreactive pathology in the population: granulovacuolar degeneration and neurofibrillary tangles
Authors: Hunter Sally , Minett Thais , Polvikoski Tuomo , Mukaetova-Ladinska Elizabeta , Brayne Carol ,   the Cambridge City over-75s Cohort Collaboration
Published: August 2015

Introduction

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with neurofibrillary pathology, including neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), neuritic plaques (NP) and neuropil threads containing aggregated microtubule associated protein tau. Aggregated tau is also associated with granulovacuolar degeneration (GVD). The relationships between tau, GVD, NFT and dementia are unclear.

Methods

We assessed hippocampal (CA1) tau-immunoreactive GVD and NFT pathology in brain donations from the population-representative Cambridge City over 75s Cohort (CC75C) using the CERAD protocol and a modified protocol that included a morphological characterisation of tau-immunoreactive deposits within neurons as NFTs or as GVD. Associations between GVD, NFT and dementia were investigated.

Results

Hippocampal pyramidal neurons affected with either NFT or GVD are common in the older population. Some tau-immunoreactive deposits resemble ghost GVD neurons. Tau immunoreactivity identified GVD in 95 % cases rated as none with haematoxylin and eosin staining. Both severe NFT (odds ratio (OR) 7.33, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 2.01; 26.80, p = 0.003) and severe GVD (OR 7.48, 95 %(CI) 1.54; 36.24, p = 0.012) were associated with dementia status. Increasing NFT (OR 2.47 95 %(CI) 1.45; 4.22, p = 0.001) and GVD (OR 2.12 95 %(CI) 1.23; 3.64, p = 0.007) severities are associated with increasing dementia severity. However, when the analyses were controlled for other neuropathologies (NFT, NP, Tar-DNA binding Protein-43 and amyloid deposits), the associations between GVD and dementia lost significance.

Conclusions

Current neuropathological assessments do not adequately evaluate the presence and severity of the GVD pathology and its contribution to dementia remains unclear. We recommend that protocols to assess GVD should be developed for routine use and that tau, in a non-PHF associated conformation, is reliably associated with GVD.
Stem cells isolated from human dental pulp and amniotic fluid improve skeletal muscle histopathology in mdx/SCID mice
Authors: Pisciotta Alessandra , Riccio Massimo , Carnevale Gianluca , Lu Aiping , De Biasi Sara , Gibellini Lara , La Sala Giovanni B. , Bruzzesi Giacomo , Ferrari Adriano , Huard Johnny , De Pol Anto
Published: August 2015

Introduction

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), caused by a lack of the functional structural protein dystrophin, leads to severe muscle degeneration where the patients are typically wheelchair-bound and die in their mid-twenties from cardiac or respiratory failure or both. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) and human amniotic fluid stem cells (hAFSCs) to differentiate toward a skeletal myogenic lineage using several different protocols in order to determine the optimal conditions for achieving myogenic commitment and to subsequently evaluate their contribution in the improvement of the pathological features associated with dystrophic skeletal muscle when intramuscularly injected intomdx/SCID mice, an immune-compromised animal model of DMD.

Methods

Human DPSCs and AFSCs were differentiated toward myogenic lineage in vitro through the direct co-culture with a myogenic cell line (C2C12 cells) and through a preliminary demethylation treatment with 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-Aza), respectively. The commitment and differentiation of both hDPSCs and hAFSCs were evaluated by immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis. Subsequently, hDPSCs and hAFSCs, preliminarily demethylated and pre-differentiated toward a myogenic lineage for 2 weeks, were injected into the dystrophic gastrocnemius muscles ofmdx/SCID mice. After 1, 2, and 4 weeks, the gastrocnemius muscles were taken for immunofluorescence and histological analyses.

Results

Both populations of cells engrafted within the host muscle ofmdx/SCID mice and through a paracrine effect promoted angiogenesis and reduced fibrosis, which eventually led to an improvement of the histopathology of the dystrophic muscle.

Conclusion

This study shows that hAFSCs and hDPSCs represent potential sources of stem cells for translational strategies to improve the histopathology and potentially alleviate the muscle weakness in patients with DMD.
New generalizations of Darbo’s fixed point theorem
Authors: Cai Longsheng , Liang Jin
Published: August 2015

In this paper, we propose a new idea to investigate the important basic problem: how to extend Darbo’s fixed point theorem? We establish some new generalizations of Darbo’s fixed point theorem by using ‘integral conditions’. Our fixed point theorems extend the existing results on the problem above.
Pants lining manufacturing survey of menswear brands in South Korea
Authors: Kim Myoung-Ok , Kim Injoo
Published: August 2015

This study aims to survey the pants lining manufacturing of menswear brands and to provide practical data for developing the pants lining pattern. The researchers collected data by interviewing patternmakers of thirteen menswear brands in Korea. The results of this study are as follows: first, 69.2% of menswear brands provide the pants lining pattern to the garment factory. Important factors in the patternmaking methods for the lining were the pant styles and the outer shell fabric’s degree of stretch. Second, for manufacturing comparisons according to the pant style, the seam allowance from the back crotch line to the waistline showed that suit pants had varied seam allowance throughout the pant, while casual pants had the same seam allowance throughout the pant. Also, results showed that menswear pants lining were manufactured only in the front for the suit pants lining. Third, ease in the pants lining pattern the waist, hip, and thigh were the same 0.75 cm. Due to the specific shifting amount in ease, the lining pattern increases in size. The length of the back could be adjusted whether the length is below the crotch level or below the knee level. Therefore, this study suggests that when the pants lining is manufactured, the manufacturer should consider these results to develop the proper pants lining pattern, a task equally important as the outer shell pattern.
Regulation and trafficking of the HLA-E molecules during monocyte-macrophage differentiation
Authors: Camilli Giorgio , Cassotta Antonino , Battella Simone , Palmieri Gabriella , Santoni Angela , Paladini Fabiana , Fiorillo Maria Teresa , Sorrentino Rosa
Published: August 2015

HLA-E is a nonclassical HLA-class I molecule whose best known role is to protect from the natural killer cells. More recently, an additional function more similar to that of classical HLA-class I molecules, i.e., antigen presentation to T cells, is emerging. However, much remains to be explored about the intracellular trafficking of the HLA-E molecules. With the use of 3 different cellular contexts, 2 monocytic cell lines, U937 and THP1, and peripheral blood monocytes, we show here a remarkable increase of HLA-E during monocyte-macrophage differentiation. This goes independently from the classical HLA-class I, the main source of HLA-E-specific peptides, which is found strongly up-regulated upon differentiation of peripheral blood monocytes but not at all in the case of U937 and THP1 cell lines. Although in all cases, there was a moderate increase of HLA-E expressed in the cell surface, lysis by natural killer cells is comparably restored by an anti-NKG2A antibody in untreated as well as in PMA-differentiated U937 cells. Instead, the great majority of the HLA-E is retained in the vesicles of the autophagy-lysosome network, where they colocalize with the microtubule-associated protein light chain 3, as well as with the lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1. We conclude that differently from the classical HLA-class I molecules, the primary destination of the newly synthesized HLA-E molecules in macrophages is, rather than the cell membrane, the intracellular autophagy-lysosomal vesicles where they are stored and where they can encounter the exogenous antigens.
Pellino-3 promotes endotoxin tolerance and acts as a negative regulator of TLR2 and TLR4 signaling
Authors: Murphy Michael B , Xiong Yanbao , Pattabiraman Goutham , Manavalan Tissa T , Qiu Fu , Medvedev Andrei E
Published: August 2015

Development of endotoxin tolerance in macrophages during sepsis reprograms Toll-like receptor 4 signaling to inhibit proinflammatory cytokines without suppressing anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial mediators and protects the host from excessive inflammation and tissue damage. However, endotoxin tolerance renders septic patients immunocompromised and unable to control secondary infections. Although previous studies have revealed the importance of several negative regulators of Toll-like receptor signaling in endotoxin tolerance, the role of Pellino proteins has not been addressed. The present report shows that the induction of endotoxin tolerance in vivo in mice and in vitro in human monocytes and THP-1 and MonoMac-6 macrophages increases the expression of Pellino-3. Overexpression of Pellino-3 in human embryonic kidney 293/Toll-like receptor 2 or 293/Toll-like receptor 4/myeloid differentiation factor-2 cells inhibited Toll-like receptor 2/4-mediated activation of nuclear factor-κB and induction of CXCL-8 mRNA, and Pellino-3 ablation increased these responses. Pellino-3-deficient THP-1 cells had elevated Toll-like receptor 2/4-driven tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 mRNA, and Toll-like receptor 4-driven CCL5 gene expression in response to Toll-like receptor agonists and heat-killed Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, cytokines controlled by the MyD88 and Toll-interleukin-1R domain-containing protein inducing interferon-β-mediated pathways, respectively. In addition, deficiency in Pellino-3 slightly increased phagocytosis of heat-killed bacteria. Transfected Pellino-3 inhibited nuclear factor-κB activation driven by overexpression of MyD88, TIR domain-containing adapter inducing interferon-β, interleukin-1R-associated kinase-1, and tumor necrosis factor receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB-binding kinase-1, TGF-β-activated kinase 1, and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor-6, and inhibited interleukin-1R-associated kinase 1 modifications and tumor necrosis factor receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB-binding kinase 1 phosphorylation. Finally, Pellino-3 ablation in THP-1 decreased the extent of endotoxin tolerization. Thus, Pellino-3 is involved in endotoxin tolerance and functions as a negative regulator of Toll-like receptor 2/4 signaling.
Staurosporine resistance in inflammatory neutrophils is associated with the inhibition of caspase- and proteasome-mediated Mcl-1 degradation
Authors: Hornstein Tamara , Lehmann Sarah , Philipp Denise , Detmer Susanne , Hoffmann Michèle , Peter Christoph , Wesselborg Sebastian , Unfried Klaus , Windolf Joachim , Flohé Sascha , Paunel-Görgülü Adnana
Published: August 2015

Apoptosis resistance in activated neutrophils is known to be associated with collateral damage of surrounding tissue, as well as immune and organ dysfunction. Thus, the safe removal of neutrophils by apoptosis induction represents a prerequisite for the resolution of inflammation. Here, we report that intrinsic apoptosis resistance in human neutrophils, isolated from severely injured patients, is based on enhanced stabilization of antiapoptotic myeloid cell leukemia 1 and subsequent impairment of downstream apoptotic pathways. Whereas extrinsic apoptosis induction by the activation of Fas death receptor on inflammatory neutrophils was accompanied by caspase- and proteasome-mediated myeloid cell leukemia 1 degradation, intrinsic apoptosis induction by staurosporine led to a significant stabilization of myeloid cell leukemia 1 protein, which impeded on truncated forms of B cell lymphoma 2-associated X protein and B cell lymphoma 2 homology domain 3-interacting domain death translocation and subsequent cytochrome c release from the mitochondria. We show further that profound inhibition of myeloid cell leukemia 1 degradation is based on the inhibition of caspases and sustained activation of kinases involved in cell survival, such as Akt. Accordingly, impeded myeloid cell leukemia 1 phosphorylation on Ser159 by glycogen synthase kinase 3 and protein ubiquitination has been demonstrated. Inhibition of myeloid cell leukemia 1 activity markedly increased sensitivity to staurosporine-induced cell death. Altogether, these results provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying myeloid cell leukemia 1-mediated apoptosis resistance to staurosporine under inflammatory situations and should be considered for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
The Return of Orality
Authors: Saussy Haun
Published: August 2015

Predictions of an age of “secondary orality,” brought on by the diffusion of electronic media, are characteristic of the 1960's version of technological globalization, but draw on earlier accounts of orality as the primordial human communications medium. In these accounts, writing, as the technology of technologies, is imagined as a finite episode in human history and a superficial differentiation, whereas orality would reveal both a universal human endowment and a means of passage between the cultural and physical faces of our species identity. These examples bespeak a common imagination of the “return” as a figure of modernity's self-overcoming.
Intra- and Intermolecular Reactivity of Triplet Sumanenetrione
Authors: Kanahara Kousei , Badal MD Mizanur Rahman , Hatano Sayaka , Abe Manabu , Higashibayashi Shuhei , Takashina Naoto , Sakurai Hidehiro
Published: August 2015

The intra- and intermolecular reactivity of triplet sumanenetrione 31, which contains a curved π-system, were investigated to characterize the triplet aromatic ketone. The lowest ππ* triplet energy and lifetime were determined from phosphorescence measurements at 77 K to be 196 kJ mol−1 and 9.5 ms in methylcyclohexane, respectively. The transient ππ* triplet state 31 was detected by laser flash photolysis at 293 K and found to be significantly short-lived, e.g., 53.9 µs in degassed benzene, compared to a planar ππ* triplet ketone such as fluorenone triplet (500 µs). The fast intersystem crossing process (ISC) of 31 was attributed to the curved structure of the sumanenetrione, which enhances spin-orbit coupling (SOC). The ππ* character was proven by its negligible quenching by isopropanol, i.e., kq < 4.50 × 103 M−1 s−1, although the quenching rate constants for molecular oxygen and triethylamine in benzene were high: 1.0 × 109 M−1 s−1 and 4.0 × 108 M−1 s−1. The ππ* character of the triplet state was also proven by the relatively small electron spin resonance zero-field splitting parameter, |D|/hc, in toluene at 78 K, which was found to be 0.0621 cm−1. The |E|/hc parameter was determined to be 0.0071 cm−1.
Finding indexes of spontaneous brain-to-brain communications when looking for a cause of the similarity of qualia assumed across individuals
Authors: Bouten Sheila , Pantecouteau Hugo , Debruille J. Bruno
Published: August 2015

Qualia, the individual instances of subjective conscious experience, are private events. However, in everyday life, we assume qualia of others and their perceptual worlds, to be similar to ours. One way this similarity is possible is if qualia of others somehow contribute to the production of qualia by our own brain and vice versa. To test this hypothesis, we focused on the mean voltages of event-related potentials (ERPs) in the time-window of the P600 component, whose amplitude correlates positively with conscious awareness. These ERPs were elicited by stimuli of the international affective picture system in 16 pairs of friends, siblings or couples going side by side through hyperscanning without having to interact. Each of the 32 members of these 16 pairs faced one half of the screen and could not see what the other member was presented with on the other half. One stimulus occurred on each half simultaneously. The sameness of these stimulus pairs was manipulated as well as the participants’ belief in that sameness by telling subjects’ pairs that they were going to be presented with the same stimuli in two blocks and with different ones in the two others. In the P600 time window, belief, and thus social cognition, was found to have an effect on ERPs only at left anterior electrode sites. In contrast, ERPs were more positive at all electrode subsets for stimulus pairs that were   inconsistent with the belief than for those that were consistent. In the N400 time window, at frontal electrode sites, ERPs were again more positive for inconsistent than for consistent stimuli. As participants had no way to see the stimulus their partner was presented with, and thus no way to detect inconsistence, we proposed that these data could support the existence of spontaneous brain-to-brain communications. Such communications might provide a research avenue when trying to explain the similarity of qualia across individuals, which is assumed in virtually all instants of every day life.
Double-Blinding and Bias in Medication and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Trials for Major Depressive Disorder
Authors: Berger Douglas
Published: August 2015

While double-blinding is a crucial aspect of study design in an interventional clinical trial of medication for a disorder with subjective endpoints such as major depressive disorder, psychotherapy clinical trials, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy trials, cannot be double-blinded. This paper highlights the evidence-based medicine problem of double-blinding in the outcome research of a psychotherapy and opines that psychotherapy clinical trials should be called, “partially-controlled clinical data” because they are not double-blinded. The implications for practice are, 1. For practitioners to be clear with patients the level of rigor to which interventions have been studied, 2. For authors of psychotherapy outcome studies to be clear that the problem in the inability to blind a psychotherapy trial severely restricts the validity of any conclusions that can be drawn, and 3. To petition National Health Insurance plans to use caution in approving interventions studied without double-blinded confirmatory trials as they may lead patients to avoid other treatments shown to be effective in double-blinded trials.
Double blinding requirement for validity claims in cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention trials for major depressive disorder. Analysis of Hollon S, et al., Effect of cognitive therapy with antidepressant medications vs antidepressants alone on the rate of recovery in major depressive disorder: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Berger Douglas
Published: August 2015

This paper will focus on problems in the inability to double-blind cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) studies for major depressive disorder (MDD), and provides an analysis of a recently published study to show how this problem can lead to faulty conclusions.

A study by Hollon et al. published in JAMA Psychiatry that compared an antidepressant medication-only arm with a combined CBT/antidepressant arm concluded that the cognitive therapy/antidepressant combination enhanced the recovery rates compared with antidepressant alone, and that the magnitude of this increment nearly doubled for patients with more severe depression.

We propose that for subjects with greater severity, there could have been both antidepressant efficacy as well as more hope and expectation in the group who knew they had received combined cognitive therapy/medication, leading to an erroneous conclusion of greater efficacy for the combined group. The large subject number in this study could easily lead to an erroneous finding on statistical testing as a small amount of bias in the subjects adds-up.

We opine that the conclusions of unblind CBT outcome research in conditions with subjective endpoints such as MDD need to be given with great caution. The validity of CBT (and its derivatives such as dialectical behavioral therapy) for indications other than MDD is also part of a larger problem in  the inability to blind outcome studies for these interventions.
Geo-environmental Assessment of Al-Ramtha Soils, Jordan
Authors: Al- Shereideh Saeb , Wahsha Mohammad , El-Radaideh Nazem , Al-Taani Ahmed , Abderahman Nabeel , Odat Sanaa , Al- Momani Talal , Khawajah Mohammad
Published: August 2015

This study aims to characterize the pollution conditions by measuring the concentrations of selected heavy metals. It also intends to investigate the relations between soil genesis and lithology. This provides knowledge about the future of the agricultural development in the area and helps decision makers in the land use planning.
Potential of Individual and Cluster Tree Cooling Effect Performances Through Tree Canopy Density Model Evaluation in Improving Urban Microclimate
Authors: Shahidan Mohd
Published: August 2015

Technically, trees can provide cooling effect and able to reduce ambient temperature in its own way. This paper investigates the potential of individual and cluster tree cooling effect performances in improving urban microclimate through the evaluation of urban trees canopy density. The evaluation is based on the actual measurement of Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Leaf Area Density (LAD) and uses tested computer simulation tools ENVI-met. The study found that each tree has different capabilities in modifying each microclimate variables. However, it was revealed that the optimum effect of cooling of each tree was found during the hottest day to takes place approximately at 15:00 hours when the sun is overhead and solar angle height is close to 90°. Besides, trees with higher densities such as Ficus benjamina (i.e. LAI 9.7, LAD > 1.5) showed a remarkable reduction in comparison to the other loose density trees. It is also revealed that the implementation of cluster tree planting at larger scale could maximize the effects of cooling. Nevertheless, the downside of implementing high tree density could create a reduction of 63% of wind speed that might possibly influence the air movement in urban areas due to the drag force of tree canopy. The study concluded that the performance of tree cooling effect is well correlated with tree canopy density and it is also suggested the optimum cooling effect could achieved by higher tree density (mean LAD > 1.5) and larger tree quantities with tree cluster planting.
Detecting Land use Changes Affected by Human Activities using Remote Sensing (Case Study: Karkheh River Basin)
Authors: Maddah Saeid , Karimi Saeed , Rezai Hadi , Khaledi Jabbar
Published: August 2015

Population growth and abundant activities in order to achieve maximum well-being has forced human to make a lot of changes in the nature. These changes will be cost-effective when they have the minimum damage on the landscape. One of the activities that human did for obtaining the water and preventing flood was making the dam in the track of running water. Since the dam is established until its impoundment and after impoundment, the condition of ecosystem and the appearance of the upstream and downstream of the dam will undergo changes. In this study, using satellite data and remote sensing, these changes have been studied and the landuse changes in vegetation, arid land, water level and residential and non-residential lands is measured in 1998 and 2014 using Maximum Likelihood method and support vector machine.
Discourse and Review of Environmental Quality of River Bodies in India: An Appraisal of Physico-chemical and Biological Parameters as Indicators of Water Quality
Authors: Manoj Kumar , Padhy Pratap
Published: August 2015

The present manuscript is an account of the studies conducted on some well known surface water bodies in India, with special emphasis on the river systems, to evaluate their quality status. The review covers the water quality estimation and identification of sources contributing to water quality deterioration. Commonly employed physicochemical and biological parameters as indicators of water quality have been thoroughly discussed. Some possible measures to prevent and control pollution of water bodies have also been provided. The review also covers assessment of bed sediment environment of the surface water bodies. Many studies are available on quality assessment of surface waters and their bed sediments. However, currently, there is no literature available which compiles the works on some recent assessment of water bodies, commonly applied water quality indicators in research programmes, sources of pollution and possible pollution mitigation measures. This review is the first such attempt in this direction.
Effect of Fly Ash Disposal on Ground Water Quality near Parichha Thermal Power Plant, Jhansi: A Case Study
Authors: Kanchan Shubham , Kumar Vinit , Yadav Krishna , Gupta Neha , Arya Sandeep
Published: August 2015

Thermal power plant generates a huge amount of fly ash on combustion of coal which is becoming a major environmental issue. Thermal power plants are greatly facing a fly ash management problem. Open dumping of fly ash can deteriorate the groundwater quality by runoff. In the present investigation, the ground water samples were collected from nearby areas of Parichha Thermal Power Plant at six locations during the period of Jan 2014 to May 2014. The samples were taken to the laboratory and analyzed for physico-chemical properties and heavy metal content. The physico-chemical analysis was done for the parameters like pH, Turbidity, Temperature, Electrical Conductivity, Alkalinity, Total Dissolved Solids, Total Hardness, Calcium Hardness and Magnesium Hardness. The concentration of Turbidity, EC and Alkalinity was exceeding the standard at all locations and shows that the groundwater of the area is not fit for drinking. The ground water samples were also analyzed for the presence of lead and cadmium and it was found that lead was exceeding the limit although cadmium was found within the limit.
Characterization of Surface Runoff, Soil Erosion, Nutrient Loss and their Relationship for Agricultural Plots in India
Authors: Lal Mohan , Mishra Surendra
Published: August 2015

The present study was carried out to explore the existence of relationship among rainfall, runoff, soil loss and nutrient losses from the agricultural plots located at Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India. The natural rainfall generated runoff and soil loss from the 12 agricultural runoff plots (with four land uses namely sugarcane, maize, black gram and fallow land and having slope 5%, 3% and 1% for each land use) were recorded during monsoon period (June 2013 to September 2013). The highest grade plot was found to yield the highest magnitude of runoff (i.e. runoff coefficient) for a given land use and soil type. The soil loss from the experimental plots of various characteristics shown that for given rainfall input, on average, the plots with sugarcane land use were found to produce high amount of soil loss followed by Maize, fallow land and Blackgram. The nutrients losses were very low in the sediment as compared to the dissolved losses. Nutrients concentrations in sediment and runoff water were found to be more during the critical period. The higher limit of seasonal sediment yield obtained from the present study is lower than soil loss tolerance limit of 2.5 to 12.5 t/ha /yr for Indian subcontinent.
Assessment of Groundwater Quality using GIS: A Case Study of Walayar Watershed, Parambikulam-Aliyar-Palar Basin, Tamilnadu, India
Authors: Balathandayutham K , Mayilswami C , Tamilmani D
Published: August 2015

Good groundwater quality is essential for crop yield, soil productivity and environmental protection. Suitability of groundwater for irrigation purposes is determined by its geochemistry. Groundwater geochemistry explains links between chemical composition of groundwater and subsurface geological and non-geological pollutants. Subsurface rock formations control the composition of soil and hence that of water and vegetation. The ground water samples were analyzed for physico-chemical parameters like Electrical Conductivity (EC), Hydrogen ion concentration (pH), Bicarbonate (HCO3-), Calcium (Ca2+), Magnesium (Mg2+), Sodium (Na+), Potassium (K+), Sulphate (SO42-), Nitrate (NO3-), and Chloride (Cl-). Inverse distance weighted method of the Geographical Information Systems is used to prepare the distribution map of physio-chemical parameters of groundwater while overlay method is used to assess spatial, temporal changes and prepare groundwater quality zones of Walayar watershed in Parambikulam-Aliyar-Palar basin situated in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India. The results of study show that the quality of groundwater varies both spatially and temporally in Walayar watershed. The groundwater samples in some of the wells showed deviation from water quality standards indicating groundwater contamination. Hence, proper care must be taken to avoid any contamination of groundwater and its quality be monitored periodically.
Sustainability Reporting Practices In Indian Mining Companies
Authors: Daizy Daizy , Das Niladri
Published: August 2015

Nowadays sustainability reporting can be used for communication purpose in marketing and to show transparency of the company (Kolk, 2000). These types of reports published by organization to disclosed more information on non-financial performance. These report highlighted the company’s commitment towards stakeholders. Various industries throughout the world started disclosing non-financial performance (sustainability reporting) by using various different types of frameworks like Dow Jones index or global Reporting Initiative. In the 21st century sustainability reporting becomes important but in India it’s still in nascent stage. Out of all industries mining should be disclose information on the non-financial performance because of put direct negative impact on society and environment. Moreover mining is considered as one of the most polluting industries in the world. The objective of this paper is to examine and compare the level of sustainability reporting of sample private mining companies and sample public mining companies as GRI framework. It involves an explorative research design to understand the trend and variation in the quality and extent of sustainability disclosure information by top 100 Indian mining companies.
Evaluation of Integrated Horticulture-cum- Fish Farming in Malwa Region of Madhya Pradesh, India
Authors: Laxmi Laxmi , Gupta N , Singh Moni , Sharma R. P
Published: August 2015

In India, the farming community accounts for 80% under marginal and small farmer’s category.1 Farmers under these categories are economically poor working in diverse, risk prone environments and with hardly sufficient to sustain their family. The declining trend in land holding per capita poses a serious challenge to the sustainability and profitability of farming. Considering the efficacy of this viable production system, the study was conducted in purposively selected ponds of farmers which had available space of the pond bundh used for production of horticulture produce. The trial was conducted minimum 06 replications were taken under farm field condition. Vegetable growing in the trellis and dykes is an additional component which helps in maximizing profit from unit area. The data were collected from each treatment for consecutively 03 years to judge the economic profitability and sustainability of the practice. It was observed that better production and sustainable economic return can be achieved through integrated production technology or with dyke vegetable cultivation in pond based integrated farming practices.
Estimation of Air Quality in the Opencast Mine of Jharia Coal Field, India
Authors: Kundu Snigdha , Pal Asim
Published: August 2015

A systematic air quality assessment study was carried out at Rajapur opencast mine in Jharia Division as per standard guideline. The average concentration of SPM, PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were observed to be in the range of 294 to 965μg/m3, 100 to 498 μg/m3 and 85 to 296 μg/m3 respectively. The SO2 and NOx concentration were in the range of 48.2 to 98.2μg/m3 and 32.8 to 149.39 μg/m3 respectively. The trace metals concentration in PM10, e.g., lead, nickel, arsenic etc. were also analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy technique and were observed to be 0.380 ± 0.009 μg/m3, 0.06 ±0.02 μg/m3, and 0.00432±0.028 μg /m3 respectively. The observed concentrations were then compared with National ambient air quality standard (NAAQS, 2009) and Ambient Air quality Standard for existing as well as new Coal Mines (CMS, 2000). Most of them were found exceeding the statutory norms.
Response of Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] to Lime Based Integrated Nutrient Management and Mulching on Nodulation, Nutrient Contents and Yield in Clay Loam Soil
Authors: Jain R.C
Published: August 2015

The present experiment was laid out in a randomized block design consisted of 6 treatments viz. (T1)-Absolute control,(T2 )-Farmer practice (50kg DAP/ha),(T3) RDF+ ZnSO4@25 kg/ha+ Ammonium Molybdate 1.0g/kg seed+ slacked lime@25Kg Ca(OH) 2 /ha,(T4)-RDF+ ZnSO4@25 kg/ha+ slacked lime@25Kg Ca(OH) 2 /ha +Rhizobium+PSB (@Each 5g/kg seed) +Ammonium Molybdate 1.0g/kg seed,(T5)-50%RDF+ ZnSO4@25 kg/ha +FYM 2.5 t/ha+ slacked lime@25Kg Ca(OH) 2 /ha + Rhizobium+PSB (@Each 5g/kg seed) + Ammonium Molybdate 1.0g/kg seed + Mulching and(T6)-50% RDF + ZnSO4@25 kg/ha+ slacked lime@25 Kg Ca(OH) 2 + Vermicompost 1.5t/ha + Rhizobium + *PSB (@Each 5g/kg seed) + Ammonium Molybdate1.0g/kg seed + Mulching. Variety JS 95-60 was used under experimentation which was conducted in clay loam soil during kharif seasons of 2010, 2011 and 2012 at ZARS Khargone (M.P). The effect of lime based integrated nutrient management and mulching on nodulation, its dry weight, nutrient contents in straw & seed at maturity and grain yield(kg/ha) were found to increase significantly and beneficial due to the application of 50% RDF + ZnSO4@25 kg/ha+ slacked lime@25Kg Ca(OH) 2 /ha + V.C. 1.5t/ha + B.F.+ A.M. + Mulching(T6) followed by treatment T4 and T5 ( Table 1) over other treatments.
Is latex allergy still a problem?
Authors: Clarke Ann
Published: August 2015

This article provides current advice relating to the use of gloves and latex allergy, and gives advice for the safe management of those affected
Back pain and the dental team
Authors: Gallacher Gerry
Published: August 2015

This article discusses back pain, the causes, and what can be done to help alleviate it within the dental team
Endodontic treatment part 3: endodontic retreatment
Authors: Emery Chris
Published: August 2015

In the third article in this three-part series, Chris Emery discusses the possibility of retreatment following a failed initial root canal treatment
Writing for publication. Part 1: getting started
Authors: Fowler John
Published: August 2015

This series is aimed at dental nurses who want to develop their skills and share some of their knowledge or experience with other dental nurses by writing an article for professional publication
Making the Oxford Hip and Knee Scores meaningful at the patient level through normative scoring and registry data
Authors: Hamilton D. F. , Giesinger J. M. , Patton J. T. , MacDonald D. J. , Simpson A. H. R. W. , Howie C. R. , Giesinger K.
Published: August 2015

Objectives

The Oxford Hip and Knee Scores (OHS, OKS) have been demonstrated to vary according to age and gender, making it difficult to compare results in cohorts with different demographics. The aim of this paper was to calculate reference values for different patient groups and highlight the concept of normative reference data to contextualise an individual’s outcome.

Methods

We accessed prospectively collected OHS and OKS data for patients undergoing lower limb joint arthroplasty at a single orthopaedic teaching hospital during a five-year period. T-scores were calculated based on the OHS and OKS distributions.

Results

Data were obtained from 3203 total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients and 2742 total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients. The mean age of the patient was 68.0 years (sd 11.3, 58.4% women) in the THA group and in 70.2 (sd 9.4; 57.5% women) in the TKA group. T-scores were calculated for age and gender subgroups by operation. Different T-score thresholds are seen at different time points pre and post surgery. Values are further stratified by operation (THA/TKA) age and gender.

Conclusions

Normative data interpretation requires a fundamental shift in the thinking as to the use of the Oxford Scores. Instead of reporting actual score points, the patient is rated by their relative position within the group of all patients undergoing the same procedure. It is proposed that this form of transformation is beneficial (a) for more appropriately comparing different patient cohorts and (b) informing an individual patient how they are progressing compared with others of their age and gender. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2015;4:137–144
Evaluating drama in education through the capability approach
Authors: Ho Lai-shan , Ridley Barbara
Published: August 2015

This study attempts to understand the challenges faced by teachers when using drama-based pedagogy in teaching by looking at three secondary schools in Hong Kong. It also examines the consistency between the reform and its implementation by investigating the experience of the three schools. The study is based on the Education for Capability approach pioneered by Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum. The research adopted a qualitative approach, with in-depth case studies conducted from 2006 to 2010 in three Hong Kong government-subsidized English as Medium of Instruction (EMI) secondary schools that use drama pedagogies in their daily teaching. Data were collected through document review, observation and interviews with principals, teachers and students. The experiences of these three secondary schools suggest that the promotion of student-focused education by the government has injected energy to the reform and helped to nurture the development of educational drama in some Hong Kong secondary schools. However, internal and external conversion factors inhibited its adoption, making teachers question the practicality and feasibility of a wider use of drama pedagogy in their schools, however much they value – and have reason to value – it.
Ethnic differences vs nationhood in times of national crises: The role of social media and communication strategies
Authors: Wachanga D. Ndirangu
Published: August 2015

Are there events that temporarily unite differences among ethnic groups in a multiethnic nation state? Using a Kenya’s drought-relief initiative, dubbed Kenyans4Kenya (K4K), this article responds to this question. It uses framing analysis to examine how K4K and its followers constructed messages to deliberately generate empathy for the drought victims. Messages on K4K’s Facebook page were placed in three collective frames: diagnostic, prognostic and motivational. They were also coded according to three identified thematic frames: anti-regime, humanitarian, and patriotism/ national pride. The findings of this study demonstrate the success of K4K in its ability to frame a humanitarian crisis in a way that rendered the divisive fissures of ethnic differences temporarily insignificance and inconspicuous. K4K successfully cast the pain and suffering of the drought victims as unwarranted by locating its discourse within the ambit of a nation that had failed to provide its citizens with the very basic of human rights.
Nollywood online: Between the individual consumption and communal reception of Nigerian films among African diaspora
Authors: Dekie Afra , Meers Philippe , Winkel Roel Vande , Bauwel Sofie Van , Smets Kevin
Published: August 2015

Various video-on-demand (VOD) platforms streaming Nigerian films have popped up on the Internet since 2011. These VOD platforms facilitate the consumption of Nigerian films among African diaspora. Despite an increasing academic interest for Nollywood audiences, these new modes of viewing Nigerian films online have yet to be explored. In this article, we will therefore give attention to the consumption and reception of Nigerian films on the Internet among African diaspora of Nigerian, Ghanaian and Cameroonian origin in the cities of Antwerp and Ghent, Belgium. In this study, we adopted a media ethnographic approach, including fieldwork and semi-structured in-depth interviews. Although scholars have suggested that the Internet fragments and individualizes film viewing, the results of this study show that indeed online Nigerian films are most often watched individually by the respondents, yet the reception of the films remains a social practice of shared meaning-making.
The use of sequencer tools during the composition process: A field study
Authors: Méndez Francisco José Cuadrado
Published: August 2015

This study analyses the influence that new tools and resources in popular sequencing software have over the composition process. An analysis of the different resources of a software sequencer (Cubase 7) has been combined with a field study among 220 musicians from different countries that use this sequencer. A specially designed questionnaire has been used to collect information about the frequency use of different tools, the stage of use of them and the way the use of the sequencer influences their personal and professional development. The study has evidenced that certain tools have been fully incorporated into the composition process, while others are practically not used, or its use relies on different factors. The use of the sequencer has also clear positive effects on musicians and their creative process. Finally, the field research has helped to define and characterize different kinds of workflows in the composition process.