bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ethnic- and sex-specific associations between plasma fatty acids and markers of insulin resistance in healthy young adults
Authors: Ralston Jessica C , Zulyniak Michael A , Nielsen Daiva E , Clarke Shannon , Badawi Alaa , El-Sohemy Ahmed , Ma David WL , Mutch David M
Published: June 2013

Background

Although evidence indicates that fatty acids (FA) can affect insulin resistance (IR), not all FA contribute equally to the process. Indeed, monounsaturated FA (MUFA) and polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) are reported to reduce IR, whereas saturated FA (SFA) and trans FA appear to increase IR. However, it is not yet clear how individual FA are associated with markers of IR, and whether these relationships are influenced by ethnicity and/or sex. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine the ethnic- and sex-specific relationships between plasma FA and markers of IR in a cohort of healthy young Caucasian, East Asian, and South Asian adults.

Methods

Gas chromatography was used to quantify fasting plasma FA from young Canadian adults (22.6 ± 0.1 yrs) of Caucasian (n = 461), East Asian (n = 362), or South Asian (n = 104) descent. Linear regression models were used to investigate associations between plasma FA and markers of IR (i.e. fasting insulin, glucose, and HOMA-IR) according to ethnicity and sex.

Results

Numerous significant associations (P < 0.05, adjusted for multiple testing) were identified between individual FA and markers of IR, with the majority identified in Caucasians. For SFA, positive associations were found between 14:0 and fasting insulin and HOMA-IR in Caucasian and East Asian populations, and 18:0 and fasting glucose in Caucasians only. Several positive associations were also found for specific MUFA (18:1t11 and 18:1t6-8 with HOMA-IR, and 18:1c9 with fasting glucose) and PUFA (18:2n6 with fasting glucose and 18:2c9t11 with HOMA-IR) in Caucasian adults only. Most of the aforementioned associations were stronger in males compared to females. Interestingly, no significant associations were found between FA and markers of IR in South Asian adults.

Conclusions

We report numerous associations between plasma FA and markers of IR in Caucasian and East Asian populations, but not in South Asian individuals. Furthermore, these associations appeared to be more robust in men. This demonstrates the importance of investigating associations between FA and markers of IR in an ethnic- and sex-specific manner in order to better understand the contribution of plasma FA to the development of IR and type-2 diabetes.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Collecting duct carcinoma of the kidney: a clinicopathological study of five cases
Authors: Wang Xiangyang , Hao Jianwei , Zhou Ruijin , Zhang Xiangsheng , Yan Tianzhong , Ding Degang , Shan Lei , Liu Zhonghua
Published: June 2013

Objective

To investigate the clinicopathological features of collecting duct carcinoma (CDC) and improve its diagnosis and treatment.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed with clinical data including follow-up results of five patients with CDC.

Results

A total of 5 cases, including 4 males and 1 female, were included in this analysis with the average age 54 years (range 42 to 65). Patients mainly suffered from lumbar pain, hematuria, abdominal mass and low grade fever. Four patients underwent radical nephrectomy while another received palliative nephrectomy. Lymph node metastasis occurred in 3 cases and renal hilum fat metastasis happened to 2 other cases. Tumors was located in the renal medulla and presented invasive growth. They had a tubulopapillary architecture with the hobnail-shaped cells protruding into the glandular lumen, and were accompanied by interstitial fibrosis and dysplasia of epithelial cells in collecting ducts adjacent to the tumors. One tumor was staged at AJCC II, two at AJCC III and two at AJCC IV. Postoperative interferon immunotherapy was applied in 2 cases. Patients were followed up for 5 to 18 months and the average survival time was 10 months.

Conclusion

The CDC exhibits special clinicopathological features, high degree of malignancy and poor prognosis. The diagnosis depends on the histopathological examination. Early detection and early surgical treatment are still the main methods to improve the prognosis of patients with CDC.

Virtual Slides

The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here:http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/3702794279387989
LINS, a modulator of the WNT signaling pathway, is involved in human cognition
Authors: Akawi Nadia A , Al-Jasmi Fatma , Al-Shamsi Aisha M , Ali Bassam R , Al-Gazali Lihadh
Published: June 2013

Background

Inherited intellectual disability (ID) conditions are a group of genetically heterogeneous disorders that lead to variable degrees of cognition deficits. It has been shown that inherited ID can be caused by mutations in over 100 different genes and there is evidence for the presence of as yet unidentified genes in a significant proportion of patients. We aimed at identifying the defective gene underlying an autosomal recessive ID in two sibs of an Emirati family.

Methods

A combined approach involving homozygosity mapping and whole-exome sequencing was used to identify the causative mutation. RNA analysis was performed to gain further insight into the pathogenic effect of the detected mutation.

Results

We have identified a homozygous splicing mutation (c.1219_1222+1delAAAGG) in theLINSgene in the affected children.LINSis the human homologue of the Drosophila segment polarity genelinthat encodes an essential regulator of the wingless/Wnt signaling. The identified mutation alters the first consensus nucleotide of the 5' donor splice junction of intron 5 and the 3' end of exon 5. Transcript analysis revealed that this change leads to an exon skipping event resulting in direct splicing of exon 4 to exon 6. Another mutation inLINShas been described very briefly in an Iranian family with autosomal recessive ID and microcephaly.

Conclusion

Our study confirms thatLINS, a modulator of the WNT pathway, is an indispensable gene to human cognition and this finding sheds further light on the importance of WNT signaling in human brain development and/or function.
A pilot study demonstrating a non‐invasive method for the measurement of protein turnover in skin disorders: application to psoriasis
Authors: Emson Claire L , Fitzmaurice Sarah , Lindwall Glen , Li Kelvin W , Hellerstein Marc K , Maibach Howard I , Liao Wilson , Turner Scott M
Published: June 2013

Background

Previous studies of epidermal kinetics in psoriasis have relied on invasive biopsy procedures or the use of radioactive labels. We previously developed a non‐invasive method for measuring keratin synthesis in human skin using deuterated water labeling, serial collection of tape strips and measurement of deuterium enrichment in protein by mass spectrometry. This powerful method can be applied to measure other skin proteins and lipids collected by tape stripping. Here, for the first time, we apply this technique to investigate the epidermal kinetics of psoriasis, the first step in defining a kinetic profile for normal skin versus activated or quiescent psoriatic skin.

Methods

Psoriatic subjects were given 2H2O orally as twice‐daily doses for 16–38 days. Affected and unaffected skin was sampled by tape stripping and washing (modified Pachtman method). Proteins were isolated from the tape strips by a method that enriches for keratin. Turnover times were determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Kinetic data were compared to transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

Results

Deuterium‐labeled protein from lesional psoriatic skin appeared at the skin surface within 3–8 days of label administration, whereas labeled protein from non‐lesional skin requires 10–20 days to appear. Psoriatic skin had similar rate of growth despite varying anatomic location. Proteins recovered from tape strips were identified by nanoscale liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Isolated peptides were >98% from keratin in uninvolved skin and >72% keratin in psoriatic skin. Revealing that one‐quarter of all newly synthesized proteins in psoriatic skin are antimicrobial defense and other immune‐related proteins. TEWL values were greater in lesional than non‐lesional skin, suggesting barrier compromise in psoriatic skin despite increased clinical thickness.

Conclusions

This simple, elegant, and non‐invasive method for measuring epidermal protein synthesis, which can also be adapted to measure epidermal lipids, provides a metric that may reveal new insights into the mechanisms and dynamic processes underlying psoriasis and may also provide an objective scale for determining response to therapeutic agents in pre‐clinical and clinical trials. This opens a pathway to the non‐invasive study of kinetics of protein formation in psoriasis or other skin diseases.
Reference genomes and transcriptomes of Nicotiana sylvestris and Nicotiana tomentosiformis
Authors: Sierro Nicolas , Battey James ND , Ouadi Sonia , Bovet Lucien , Goepfert Simon , Bakaher Nicolas , Peitsch Manuel C , Ivanov Nikolai V
Published: June 2013

Background

Nicotiana sylvestris and Nicotiana tomentosiformis are members of the Solanaceae family that includes tomato, potato, eggplant and pepper. These two Nicotiana species originate from South America and exhibit different alkaloid and diterpenoid production. N. sylvestris is cultivated largely as an ornamental plant and it has been used as a diploid model system for studies of terpenoid production, plastid engineering, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. N. sylvestris and N. tomentosiformis are considered to be modern descendants of the maternal and paternal donors that formed Nicotiana tabacum about 200,000 years ago through interspecific hybridization. Here we report the first genome-wide analysis of these two Nicotiana species.

Results

Draft genomes of N. sylvestris and N. tomentosiformis were assembled to 82.9% and 71.6% of their expected size respectively, with N50 sizes of about 80 kb. The repeat content was 72-75%, with a higher proportion of retrotransposons and copia-like long terminal repeats in N. tomentosiformis. The transcriptome assemblies showed that 44,000-53,000 transcripts were expressed in the roots, leaves or flowers. The key genes involved in terpenoid metabolism, alkaloid metabolism and heavy metal transport showed differential expression in the leaves, roots and flowers of N. sylvestris and N. tomentosiformis.

Conclusions

The reference genomes of N. sylvestris and N. tomentosiformis represent a significant contribution to the SOL100 initiative because, as members of the Nicotiana genus of Solanaceae, they strengthen the value of the already existing resources by providing additional comparative information, thereby helping to improve our understanding of plant metabolism and evolution.
User guide for mapping-by-sequencing in Arabidopsis
Authors: James Geo Velikkakam , Patel Vipul , Nordström Karl JV , Klasen Jonas R , Salomé Patrice A , Weigel Detlef , Schneeberger Korbinian
Published: June 2013

Mapping-by-sequencing combines genetic mapping with whole-genome sequencing in order to accelerate mutant identification. However, application of mapping-by-sequencing requires decisions on various practical settings on the experimental design that are not intuitively answered. Following an experimentally determined recombination landscape of Arabidopsis and next generation sequencing-specific biases, we simulated more than 400,000 mapping-by-sequencing experiments. This allowed us to evaluate a broad range of different types of experiments and to develop general rules for mapping-by-sequencing in Arabidopsis. Most importantly, this informs about the properties of different crossing scenarios, the number of recombinants and sequencing depth needed for successful mapping experiments.
“Marked for Demolition”: Mary McCarthy’s Vietnam Journalism
Authors: Nudelman Franny
Published: June 2013

Nudelman’s essay examines Mary McCarthy’s Vietnam journalism in light of the challenge that modern warfare posed to realist method, and the experiments in narrative journalism that resulted. In the aftermath of Hiroshima, McCarthy feared that realism could not describe social conditions that staggered perception and belief. Despite these doubts, she traveled to Saigon in 1967 and to Hanoi a year later to report on the US war in Vietnam for the New York Review of Books. Both trips resulted in a series of essays that were quickly collected and published in book form. If Vietnam (1967) mounts a fierce critique of objectivity, instrumental to the conduct of the war, Hanoi (1968) forgoes journalistic convention altogether in favor of a subjective account of McCarthy’s difficult experience in North Vietnam. Taken together, these volumes chart a course from detached commentary to disorienting immersion as McCarthy divests herself of reportorial omniscience and pursues a painful form of self-knowledge in its stead. Situating these essays at the intersection of literary experiments in hybrid form and activist critiques of US militarism, Nudelman argues that McCarthy’s writing from Vietnam makes a vital contribution to the evolution of narrative journalism and illuminates the role of war—and war resistance—in shaping the genre.
Book Reviews
Authors: Rand Graham K.
Published: June 2013

In Book Reviews, we review an extensive and diverse range of books. They cover theory and applications in operations research, statistics, management science, econometrics, mathematics, computers, and information systems. In addition, we include books in other fields that emphasize technical applications. The editor will be pleased to receive an email from those willing to review a book, with an indication of specific areas of interest. If you are aware of a specific book that you would like to review, or that you think should be reviewed, please contact the editor.

The following books are reviewed in this issue of Interfaces, 43(3), May–June 2013: The Signal and the Noise, Nate Silver; Switchpoints for the Future of Logistics, Ingo Wieck, Martin Streichfuss, Thorsten Klaas-Wissing, and Wolfgang Stölzle; Calculating Catastrophe, Gordon Woo; Handbook of Healthcare System Scheduling, Randolph Hall; Hybrid Algorithms for Service, Computing and Manufacturing Systems: Routing and Scheduling Solutions, Jairo R. Montoya-Torres, Angel A. Juan Luisa, Huaccho Huatuco, Javier Faulin, and Gloria L. Rodriguez-Verjan; Calculating Success, Carl Hoffman, Eric Lesser, and Tim Ringo.
User Focus and Simulation Improve Predictions of Piracy Risk
Authors: Slootmaker Leslie A. , Regnier Eva , Hansen James A. , Lucas Thomas W.
Published: June 2013

Piracy is an increasingly costly and violent threat to commercial shipping and other vessels off the Horn of Africa. However, because pirates operate in small vessels that cannot navigate or attack in high seas or winds, pirate activity is highly sensitive to environmental conditions. The US Naval Oceanographic Office provides an operational forecast of the pirate threat; counterpiracy forces use this forecast to allocate their efforts over several million square miles. The most recent version uses simulation to model the effects of pirate behavior in interaction with winds, waves, and currents over time to forecast the geographic distribution of the pirate threat. As part of the development of the pirate behavior model, one author traveled to Bahrain to interview counter-piracy forces. We then used carefully designed simulation experiments to identify the variables that are most influential in determining the distribution of predicted pirate activity. The results confirmed the importance of elements of the pirate behavior model that were derived from our operator interviews, informed decisions regarding operational settings for key parameters, and generated insights to guide future updates to the model and intelligence-gathering efforts. The resulting model uses our recommendations, including alternate pirate search patterns. It has been operational since March 2011 and is briefed daily to the senior leadership of US Naval Forces Central Command.
Eli Lilly and Company Uses Integer Programming to Form Volunteer Teams in Impoverished Countries
Authors: Mahar Stephen , Winston Wayne , Wright P. Daniel
Published: June 2013

Each year, Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) offers its worldwide employees the opportunity to participate in paid volunteer teams serving communities in impoverished countries. The company’s Connecting Hearts Abroad service program gives employees a unique opportunity to take part in service trips aimed at improving global health. Lilly annually offers about 23 trips, enabling employees to serve some of the world’s most resource-constrained regions where people lack basic resources or access to healthcare. A selection committee at Lilly manually forms volunteer teams from a large pool of applicants. Unfortunately, the manual selection process is time consuming and often fails to meet employee preference or adequately represent some applicant groups. This paper describes how we developed a mathematical programming model to improve Lilly’s process of volunteer selection. We incorporated the model into a decision support tool that assigns applicants to volunteer assignments and maximizes the chosen volunteers’ preferences under constraints that help ensure fair team compositions. Running the model against the prior year’s applicant data pool took less than two minutes to configure teams such that all volunteers received their first-choice assignment. The automated decision support system also provides a more consistent method of configuring teams that appears fair to the applicants.
Prenatal diagnosis of isolated agnathia with two and three-dimensional ultrasound
Authors: Utrillas Nuria Abril , Gomis Cristina , Ruiz-Piña Carmen , Raga Francisco , Bonilla-Musoles Fernando
Published: June 2013

We report a case of isolated agnathia, detected at 21+4 weeks’ gestation by two and three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound when routine morphological scan was performed. The scan showed an alteration of the fetal profile suggesting mandible agenesis, as well as cleft lip and palate, and low implantation ears. No midline alterations were found. Midsagittal sections of the fetal profile and 3D imaging supported the diagnosis of agnathia, and also improved the genetic counseling. The parents decided to terminate the pregnancy. The fetal necropsy confirmed the findings, which correlated with the 3D ultrasound.
A Novel Approach of Battery Energy Storage for Improving Value of Wind Power in Deregulated Markets
Authors: Nguyen Y Minh , Yoon Yong Tae
Published: June 2013

Wind power producers face many regulation costs in deregulated environment, which remarkably lowers the value of wind power in comparison with the conventional sources. One of these costs is associated with the real-time variation of power output and being paid in frequency control market according to the variation band. In this regard, this paper presents a new approach to the scheduling and operation of battery energy storage installed in wind generation system. This approach depends on the statistic data of wind generation and the prediction of frequency control market prices to determine the optimal charging and discharging of batteries in real-time, which ultimately gives the minimum cost of frequency regulation for wind power producers. The optimization problem is formulated as the trade-off between the decrease in regulation payment and the increase in the cost of using battery energy storage. The approach is illustrated in the case study and the results of simulation show its effectiveness.
Ganzheitlicher, automatischer Entwurf drahtloser Gebäudeautomationssysteme
Authors: Ploennigs Joern , Dibowski Herik , Ryssel Uwe , Kabitzsch Klaus
Published: June 2013

Drahtlose Technologien erlauben eine neue Flexibilität im Einsatz, da sie einfach installiert, nachgerüstet und ad-hoc in die Systeme integriert werden können. Dennoch bringen drahtlose Technologien auch neue Probleme mit sich. Drahtlose Technologien haben nur begrenzte Energiereserven und die Funkkommunikation ist störanfällig, insbesondere im Automatisierungsumfeld. Dies erfordert besondere Rücksicht im Entwurf solcher Systeme. In dem Artikel soll eine Toolkette für den Entwurf drahtloser Gebäudeautomationssysteme vorgestellt werden. Sie kombiniert einen automatischen Entwurfsansatz mit Methoden der Signalausbreitung und Leistungsbewertung der Entwürfe. Die Kombination erlaubt die Erstellung, Optimierung und Überprüfung eines kompletten Systementwurfs aus spezifizierten Anforderungen.
Rapid Prototyping von applikationsprofilkonformen Feldgeräten
Authors: Mätzler Stefan , Theurich Stefan , Wollschläger Martin , Simros Markus
Published: June 2013

Die funktionale Komplexität von Feldgeräten steigt stetig. Daraus resultieren steigende Aufwendungen für deren Entwicklung, Implementierung und Test. Das Konzept des Rapid Prototyping wurde entwickelt, um die Effizienz solcher Entwicklungsprozesse zu steigern. Der Beitrag beschreibt eine Lösung, die durch Softwareprototypen und Virtualisierung das Rapid Prototyping von Feldgeräten und von Systemapplikationen realisiert. Dabei wird ein besonderer Schwerpunkt auf die Unterstützung der Geräteentwicklung auf Basis von Applikationsprofilen gelegt und an einem Beispiel für PROFINET IO erläutert.
Systematischer Einsatz von Modellen in der Entwicklung von Automatisierungssystemen
Authors: Maurmaier Mathias , Göhner Peter
Published: June 2013

Modelle werden zunehmend zu einem wichtigen Hilfsmittel bei der Entwicklung von Automatisierungssystemen. Durch einen systematischen Einsatz der Modelle kann die Effizienz in der Entwicklung deutlich gesteigert werden. In diesem Beitrag wollen wir ein Konzept für die modellgetriebene Entwicklung von Automatisierungssystemen vorstellen. Dieses Konzept erlaubt den systematischen Einsatz von Modellen und führt somit zu einer Effizienzsteigerung in der Entwicklung.
Wireless Devices and Cryptography: About Digital Pickpocketing, Open Sesame and Tracking Paranoia
Authors: Kasper Timo
Published: June 2013

Wireless embedded devices are employed for access control, identification, and payments. Cryptographic mechanisms serve as a protection against ill-intended usage or unauthorizedly accessing secured data. By security-analyzing commercial products, e. g., electronic passports, the remote keyless entry system KeeLoq, a Mifare Classic based contactless payment system, and Mifare DESfire cards, various security vulnerabilities are revealed. At hand of real-world attacks, the implications of a key extraction for the data protection and security of the respective contactless applications are illustrated.
Influence of humic acid on neptunium(V) sorption and diffusion in Opalinus Clay
Authors: Fröhlich D. R. , Amayri S. , Drebert J. , Reich T.
Published: June 2013

The influence of14C-labeled M42 humic acid (HA) on the interaction between neptunium(V) and natural clay rock (Opalinus Clay (OPA), Switzerland) has been investigated in batch sorption and diffusion experiments under ambient air conditions. The effect of 10 mg/L HA on the diffusion of 8 μM Np(V) in OPA has been investigated in synthetic OPA pore water (pH 7.6, I = 0.4M) for the first time. Batch sorption experiments as a function of solid-to-liquid ratio (4-20 g/L) were performed under same experimental conditions to compare distribution coefficients obtained from both diffusion and sorption experiments. These experiments showed only a slight influence of HA on Np(V) uptake by OPA in both cases and provided comparable distribution coefficients (presence of HA: Kd= 22-32 L/kg, absence of HA: Kd= 30-46 L/kg). As it is known that the interactions of humic substances with actinides depend on various experimental parameters, the effect of HA on Np(V) sorption on 15 g/L OPA was also investigated as a function of pH (6-10) and initial Np concentration (8 μM and 7 pM). A saturated calcite solution was used as a background electrolyte in this case to prevent any dissolution of calcite contained in OPA at low pH. The results showed that the presence of M42 HA increases Np(V) sorption at pH < 7 while lower sorption was obtained above pH 8. Higher sorption at acidic pH can be attributed to strong sorption of HA which increases the number of sorption sites, while sorption decreases at higher pH probably due to formation of soluble ternary neptunium humate carbonate species.
Low-dimensional compounds containing cyanido groups. XXIII. Synthesis and crystal structures of three ionic iron(II) complexes
Authors: Váhovská Lucia , Potočňák Ivan
Published: June 2013

Three new ionic [Fe(phen)3](N(CN)2)2 · 4.5 H2O (1), [Fe(dmeophen)3](N(CN)2)2 · 1.5 H2O (2) and [Fe(dmeophen)3](C(CN)3)2 (3) complexes have been synthesized (phen is 1,10-phenanthroline, dmeophen is 4,7-dimethoxy-1,10-phenanthroline). X-ray structural analysis ((1): C2/c, a = 18.1041(3), b = 16.8244(3), c = 24.6691(5) Å, β = 92.138(2)°; (2): C2/c, a = 22.0291(10), b = 18.8654(5), c = 11.6914(5) Å, β = 114.872(5)°; (3): Pbca, a = 12.0841(5), b = 22.0624(13), c = 34.2729 (16) Å) revealed that the structures of all discussed complexes consist of one [Fe(phen)3]2+ or [Fe(dmeophen)3]2+ complex cation and two uncoordinated tcm or dca counteranions (tcm is tricyanomethanide, dca is dicyanamide); water molecules were found in (1) and (2), too. In the cations, the Fe(II) atom is coordinated by six nitrogen atoms of chelate coordinated neutral ligands forming a distorted octahedron coordination geometry. One of the anions in each structure is disordered. Weak π–π interactions between planar dca anions and pyridine rings of phen in (1) and O—H … O and O—H … N hydrogen bonds in (1) and (2) stabilize their structures.
A study on AB2O6 compounds, Part III: Co-ordination needs and patterns of connectivity
Authors: Beck Horst P.
Published: June 2013

In this third part of a series about 30 different structures of AB2O6 compounds are reviewed in an extensive study. We compare the near range co-ordination of all ions and try to derive general rules which hold in such complex arrangements. We examine the validity of known rules of crystal chemistry in a large field of structures and derive new ones which should help in developing criteria for a prediction of structures.
Alveolar Ridge Preservation With the Socket-Plug Technique Utilizing an Alloplastic Putty Bone Substitute or a Particulate Xenograft: A Histological Pilot Study
Authors: Mahesh Lanka , Venkataraman Narayan , Shukla Sagrika , Prasad Hari , Kotsakis Georgios A.
Published: June 2013

Following tooth extraction, ridge preservation procedures are employed to regenerate bone in the extraction socket, limit consequent ridge resorption, and provide a stable base for implant placement. The purpose of this study is to histologically evaluate and compare bone regeneration in extraction sockets grafted with either a putty alloplastic bone substitute or particulate anorganic bovine xenograft utilizing the socket-plug technique. Nineteen patients underwent 20 tooth extractions and ridge preservation following a standardized protocol. Ten sites were grafted with calcium phosphosilicate putty (CPS group) and the remaining 10 with anorganic bovine bone substitute (BO group). Patients were recalled after 4–6 months to evaluate the bone regeneration and to proceed with implant placement. A bone core was obtained during the implant procedure from each site and was used for histologic analysis. Histomorphometry revealed that residual graft values were significantly higher in the BO group (25.60% ± 5.89%) compared to the CPS group (17.40% ± 9.39%) (P < .05). The amount of new bone regenerated was also statistically significant higher in the alloplast group (47.15% ± 8.5%) as compared to the xenograft group (22.2% ± 3.5%) (P < .05). Results suggest that ridge preservation using a putty calcium phosphosilicate alloplastic bone substitute demonstrates more timely graft substitution and increased bone regeneration when compared to an anorganic bovine bone xenograft.
Height growth characteristics of one-year-old pedun­culate oaks on regeneration areas with and without fungicide protection against oak powdery mildew (Microsphaera alphitoides Griff. et Maubl.)
Authors: Pap Predrag , Bobinac Martin , Andrasev Sinisa
Published: June 2013

Height growth characteristics of one-year-old pedunculate oaks were studied
during three calendar years on comparative regeneration areas both with and
without fungicide protection against oak powdery mildew (Microsphaera
alphitoides Griff. et Maubl.). Three fungicides were used for the chemical
protection of one-year-old pedunculate oaks: Microthiol special, Stroby DF
and Anvil. The experiments were located in different site and stand
conditions, and the growing seasons in which pedunculate oak seedlings were
established were characterized by different precipitation sums and higher air
temperatures when compared to multiannual average. The study sample included
1126 plants, and their shoot lengths were measured at the end of the growing
season. In the analyzed sample, the second growth stage was recorded on
92.3%-100% of the treated plants and on 69.5%-100% of the untreated plants,
the third growth stage was recorded on 52.6%-87% of the treated plants and on
42.1%-82% of the untreated plants, and the fourth growth stage was observed
on 0%-37% of the treated plants and on 1.1-29% of the untreated plants. In
the analyzed sample, the mean heights of one-year-old pedun-culate oaks were
greater on the areas with fungicide protection, but the differences in the
percentages of polycyclic growth and the differences in average lengths of
individual flushes were not always statistically significant, when compared
to the areas without protection, especially after the first stage. The study
shows that the dominant effect on the percentage of the second, the third and
the fourth stages and on their mean lengths was exerted by site and stand
conditions, and that the effects of fungicide protection should be analyzed
taking into account the polycyclism of pedunculate oak, i.e. the
characteristics of polycyclic growth, which are the resultant of all the
effects. In the studied conditions, the fifth stage of growth was recorded in
five plants.
Pandemic influenza H1N1 outbreak in the military school
Authors: Mladenovic Jovan , Cekanac Radovan , Lazic Srdjan , Jadranin Zeljko , Dimitrije Tasic , Nedeljkovic Jasminka , Pavlovic Miroslav
Published: June 2013

Background/Aim. The first cases of the pandemic pH1N1 influenza virus
infection was observed in the United States and Mexico in April 2009 and the
first laboratory confirmed case in Serbia was registered in June 2009. The
aim of this paper was to report on the investigation of the first confirmed
outbreak of the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza in Serbia and to describe the
clinical and epidemiologic findings from this investigation. Methods.
Descriptive and analytical epidemiological methods were used. Data were
collected from medical records of the Military School students and
epidemiological questionnaire. Pandemic H1N1 infection was initially
confirmed by the RT-PCR assay in nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs and
subsequently by the complement fixation test in serum samples. Results. The
attack rate of acute respiratory illness was 70.8% (204/288). Pandemic H1N1
virus infection was confirmed in 44 of 82 tested cases of acute respiratory
illness (53.7%) The most common clinical manifestations of pandemic influenza
H1N1 were fever (88.6%), cough (61.4%), malaise (38.6%), runny nose (36.4%),
headache (29.6%), sore throat (20.5%) and muscle pain (15.9%). Conclusion.
The findings from this investigation suggest that pandemic H1N1 influenza in
a high military school was widespread but did not cause severe illness.
Comparative radiographic and resonance frequency analyses of the peri-implant tissue after dental implants placement using flap and flapless techniques: An experimental study on domestic pigs
Authors: Vlahovic Zoran , Mihailovic Branko , Lazic Zoran , Golubovic Mileta
Published: June 2013

Background/Aim. Flapless implant surgery has become very important issue
during recent years, mostly thanks to computerization of dentistry and
software planning of dental implants placements. The aim of this study was to
compare flap and flapless surgical techniques for implant placement through
radiographic and radiofrequency analyses. Methods. The experiment was made in
five domestic pigs. Nine weeks following domestic pigs teeth extraction,
implants were placed, on the right side using surgical technique flap, and
flapless on the left side. Digital dental Xrays were applied to determine
primary dental implant stability quality (ISQ). At certain intervals, not
later than three months, the experimental animals were sacrificed, and just
before it, control X-rays were applied to measure dental implants stability.
Results. Radiographic analysis showed that peri-implant bone resorption in
the first 4 weeks following placement implants with flap and flapless
surgical techniques was negligible. After the 3 months, mean value of
peri-implant bone resorption of the implants placed using flap technique was
1.86 mm, and of those placed using flapless technique was 1.13 mm. In relation
to the primary dental implant stability in the first and second week there
was an expected decrease in ISQ values, but it was less expressed in the
dental implants placed using the flapless technique. In the third week the
ISQ values were increased in the dental implants placed by using both
techniques, but the increase in flapless implant placement was higher (7.4
ISQ) than in flap implant placement (1.5 ISQ). The upward trend continued in
a 4- week period, and after 3 months the dental implant stability values in
the implants placed using flap technique were higher than the primary
stability for 7.1 ISQ, and in the implants placed using flapless technique
were higher comparing to the primary stability for 10.1 ISQ units.
Conclusion. Based on the results of radiographic and resonance frequency
analyses it can be concluded that the flapless technique in surgical implants
placemat, leads to better results.
Patent law protection of inventions in medicine and pharmaceutical industry
Authors: Miladinovic Zoran , Varga Sinisa , Radojkovic Marija
Published: June 2013

nema
Numerical modeling of CO2 separation process
Authors: Remiorz Leszek , Rulik Sebastian , Dykas Sławomir
Published: June 2013

Paper presents the results of numerical modelling of a rectangular tube filled with a mixture of air and CO2 by means of the induced standing wave. Assumed frequency inducing the acoustic waves corresponds to the frequency of the thermoacoustic engine. In order to reduce the computational time the engine has been replaced by the mechanical system consisting of a piston. This paper includes the results of model studies of an acoustic tube filled with a mixture of air and CO2 in which a standing wave was induced.
Application of the finite element method to the determining of boiling heat transfer coefficient for minichannel flow
Authors: Piasecka Magdalena , Maciejewska Beata
Published: June 2013

Miniature heat exchangers are used to provide higher cooling capacity for new technologies. This means a reduction in their size and cost but the identical power. The paper presents the method for determination of boiling heat transfer coefficient for a rectangular minichannel of 0.1 mm depth, 40 mm width and 360 mm length with asymmetric heating. Experimental research has focused on the transition from single phase forced convection to nucleate boiling, i.e., the zone of boiling incipience. The ‘boiling front’ location has been determined from the temperature distribution of the heated wall obtained from liquid crystal thermography. The experiment has been carried out with R-123, mass flux 220 kg/(m2s), pressure at the channel inlet 340 kPa. Local values of heat transfer coefficient were calculated on the basis of empirical data from the experiment following the solution of the two-dimensional inverse heat transfer problem. This problem has been solved with the use of the finite element method in combination with Trefftz functions. Temperature approximates (linear combinations of Trefftz functions) strictly fulfill the governing equations. In presented method the inverse problem is solved in the same way as the direct problem. The results confirmed that considerable heat transfer enhancement takes place at boiling incipience in the minichannel flow boiling. Moreover, under subcooling boiling, local heat coefficients exhibit relatively low values.
Temperature moderation in a multistorey building by melting of a phase-change material
Authors: Dubovsky Vadim , Ziskind Gennady , Letan Ruth
Published: June 2013

The current numerical study focuses on the feasibility of furnishing thermal comfort in a structure, by using paraffin wax stored on a plate below the ceiling in a multi-storey building. The method is aimed to reduce energy demands at the increasing thermal loads. In summer, in daytime, walls of the building are exposed to the ambient thermal load, and heat transferred inside is absorbed by the melting wax. The study is numerical. It relates to temperature variations outside and inside, coupled with heat conduction and accumulation in walls, with radiation between the surfaces, with natural convection of air inside and melting of the wax at the ceiling. Fins spacing on the storage plate, visualization of the melting process, and its parametric investigation provide an insight into the physical phenomena. Temperature and flow fields were investigated for 3 mm and 12 mm thick layers of wax. At the specified conditions of the present study a 3 mm layer provides thermal comfort for most of the day, while a 6 mm layer may suffice for the entire day. Fluent 6.3 software was used in the computations.
Significant Influences on Nature Experiences: A Comparative Study of Southern German and Northern Spanish Pupils Aged 14-15
Authors: Zecha Stefanie
Published: June 2013

An understanding of the current situation of nature experiences among adolescents is of critical importance for the protection of nature. The participants of this study are 14-15 year-old pupils from Bavaria (Southern Germany) and Asturias (Northern Spain). In particular, the author was interested in a) the level of outdoor experiences of each group; b) the influence of independent factors, such as gender and environmental behaviour at home, upon nature experiences; c) the relationship between outdoor experiences and environmental knowledge, readiness to act and actual environmental behaviour; d) cultural differences between Asturian and Bavarian pupils. Using a standardised questionnaire, the data were collected in spring 2007. As the study showed, nature experiences can be separated into different dimensions. There are differences in the extent and type of influence nature experiences have on the samples of Bavaria and Asturias. The Asturian pupils have higher values in the dimension relating to their present situation and in their expectations of future nature experiences in comparison with the pupils in the sample of Bavaria. Also, it might be proven (with the help of regressions) that nature experiences may positively affect environmental knowledge, attitudes and actions. These results could potentially help educators and researchers to identify the aspects of existing in-school programmes and extra-curricular activities that need to be improved.
Communicative Approach to Inclusive Education in Pre-School
Authors: Kraukle Sandra
Published: June 2013

The understanding of the basic principles of inclusive education motivates the inclusion of children with special needs in general education schools. The paper presents the process of implementing inclusive education in Latvia and the teachers' and parents' understanding of the role of communication in including children with special needs, communication strategies, basic qualities and their use in teachers' work with children with special needs. Teachers and parents were asked to answer a questionnaire to determine if: (1) parents and teachers understand the value of communication in developing social, emotional and cognitive development and the implementation of inclusive education for children with special needs and (2) teachers of general pre-schools are ready to communicate with special needs children with and their parents while implementation inclusive education. This research confirms that teachers lack communicative competencies working with children with special needs (especially with children with limited communication skills) and their parents.
Intercultural and Media Literacy: Global Tendencies in Metacontent of Teacher Education in Latvia
Authors: Belousa Inga , Stakle Alnis
Published: June 2013

Under the influence of processes of globalisation, higher education in the countries of Europe, including Latvia, has been reshaped, restructured, re-evaluated and reoriented towards the establishment of a European higher education area. New issues have emerged at both the content and metacontent level, the most significant of which are intercultural and media literacy matters. Considering the tendencies of globalisation, this article focuses on the issues of intercultural and media literacy as a metacontent of teacher education. The article introduces the teachers’ view and experience of intercultural and media education in Latvia and frames several suggestions to implement intercultural and media literacy in the teacher education curriculum.
Using Art as a Medium to Enhance Social Responsibility and Citizenship
Authors: Costandius Elmarie
Published: June 2013

The aim of this research is to consider the impact of a Service-Learning module aiming at enhancing social responsibility and citizenship by using art as a medium for learning and reflection. It involves an explicit and designed programme that includes Socratic discussions and self-reflection projects through art. Action research was used as a methodology, ensuring that the whole class and the researcher were involved in the research process. The results of the project demonstrated that art is an effective medium to address sensitive issues because it functions on a symbolic and metaphorical level. Art that uses metaphors involves participants both consciously and sub-consciously and encourages possibilities for a diversity of interpretations.
Emotional Aspect of Teachers’ Professional Mastery in Latvia: Theoretical and Historical Reflections
Authors: Belousa Inga , Ūzuliņa Skaidrīte
Published: June 2013

Within the context of re-evaluation of teacher education to meet the challenges of globalisation, the discourse about holistic understanding of teacher’s professional mastery is essential. The objective of this paper is to provide theoretical and historical reflections about teacher’s professional mastery, highlighting the emotional aspect as a dimension that integrates all its levels. Theoretical and historical reflections in this study follow the methodology of discourse evaluation. The discourse is contextualized in a setting of three periods of time (the 1st independence 1918-1940, Soviet occupation 1940-1990 and the 2nd independence from 1990) and grounded in Latvian national and international perspectives. The study aims to deconstruct the cognitive competency-based view on teacher education and to provide reflections on teacher education that is teachers’ self-based.
Data Warehouse for Event Streams Violating Rules
Authors: Czejdo Bogdan Denny , Ferragut Erik M. , Goodall John R. , Laska Jason
Published: June 2013

In this presentation, we discuss how a data warehouse can support situational awareness and data forensic needs for investigation of event streams violating rules. The data warehouse for event streams can contain summary tables showing rule violation on different aggregation level. We will introduce the classification of rules and the concept of a general aggregation graph for defining various classes of rules violation and their relationships. The data warehouse system containing various rule violation aggregations will allow the data forensics experts to have the ability to “drill-down” into event data across different data warehouse dimensions. The event stream real-time processing and other software modules can also use the summarizations to discover if current events bursts satisfy rules by comparing them with historic event bursts.
Climate signal in the radial growth of selected coniferous species from the Forest Experimental Station in Rogów
Authors: Bijak Szymon
Published: June 2013

I present dendroclimatological analysis of coniferous tree species growing under the same environmental conditions in the WULS-SGGW Forest Experimental Station in Rogów (51°49' N, 19°53' E, ca. 190 m a.s.l). The study focuses on silver fir, European larch, Scots pine and Douglas fir. For each species, tree-ring width and annual sensitivity chronologies were developed for the period 1931-2010. Analysed species show considerable similarity of their radial increment course (GLK up to 67%, the t-value of 3,5-9,5). The relationship obtained for of the influence of climate conditions on radial growth of these species is typical of the relationships reported from other locations in lowland Poland. Late winter and early spring temperature, especially during February-March, is the main factor affecting tree-ring formation. The general relationship demonstrates that this seasonal thermal limitation operates at an inter-regional and interspecific level in determining the growth of coniferous tree species in Poland. Whereas, the dependence of these species on precipitation is much less significant.
A planning model for the chemical integrated system under uncertainty by grey programming approach
Authors: Ren Jingzheng , Tan Shiyu , Dong Lichun , Zhou Zhiming , Gao Suzhao , Pan Cihui
Published: June 2013

A model to optimize the planning of the chemical integrated system comprised by multi-devices and multi-products has been proposed in this paper. With the objective to make more profits, the traditional model for optimizing production planning has been proposed. The price of chemicals, the market demand, and the production capacity have been considered as mutative variables, then an improved model in which some parameters are not constant has been developed and a new method to solve the grey linear programming has been proposed. In the grey programming model, the value of credibility can be suggested by the decision-makers, and the results of the production planning calculated by the model can help them to achieve their desired target. An actual case has been studied by the proposed methodology, and the proposed methodology can be popularized to other cases.
Modeling of experimental data for the adsorption of methyl orange from aqueous solution using a low cost activated carbon prepared from Prosopis juliflora
Authors: Kumar M. , Tamilarasan R.
Published: June 2013

This paper presents the feasibility for the removal of methyl orange (MO) dye from aqueous solution using an activated carbon prepared from Prosopis juliflora bark. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out as a function of pH, contact time, adsorbate concentration, adsorbent dosage and temperature. The commonly applicable isotherms namely Freundlich and Langmuir equations are used for the prediction of isotherm parameters. A comparison of linear least-square method and a trial-and-error non-linear method are examined in Freundlich and Langmuir (Four forms) isotherms. The nature of adsorption isotherm feasibility was evaluated with dimensionless separation factors (RL). The dynamics of adsorption process was analyzed with Lagergren’s Pseudo-first order and Pseudo-second order kinetic equations. Thermodynamic parameters like the change in enthalpy (ΔHo), change in entropy (ΔSo) and change in Gibbs free energy (ΔGo) were evaluated and ΔGo shows a negative value whereas ΔHo shows the positive value indicating that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The functional group characterization of the adsorbent was done using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The thermal stability of activated carbon was analyzed using Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Differential thermal analysis (DTA).