bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heraclitean Rivers: Zulu Cultural Transmission
Authors: Fux Michal
Published: November 2015

Rituals are part of all religious systems and their transmission and stability have exercised many scholars for decades. Within cognitive anthropology competing views of cultural transmission have emerged in recent years in terms of the mechanisms by means of which cultural forms, including rituals, are transmitted and persist (or not) within societies. Two schools of thought focusing on (1) the “epidemiology of representations” and (2) memetic cultural evolution have informed this study’s goal for gaining insight on the plausibility of cultural learning models as opposed to Sperber et al.’s emphasis on meta-representational processes of representation generation. This study examined 11 life-stages Zulu rituals in terms of participants’ (a) knowledge of them; (b) performance of them; and (c) direct observation of them in order to make some initial judgments about the importance of various forms of direct observational learning for ritual transmission. It was found that while knowledge of rituals was high, observance rate was significantly lower, and performance rate was substantially lower. These results tentatively suggest that an emphasis on understanding those cognitive systems (Hazard Precaution, Action Representation) that might constrain ritual representations (and fit within the Sperberian framework) would be the best way to advance justifiable explanations of ritual transmission.
Radiative and Dynamical Influences on Polar Stratospheric Temperature Trends
Authors: Ivy Diane J. , Solomon Susan , Rieder Harald E.
Published: November 2015

Radiative and dynamical heating rates control stratospheric temperatures. In this study, radiative temperature trends due to ozone depletion and increasing well-mixed greenhouse gases from 1980 to 2000 in the polar stratosphere are directly evaluated, and the dynamical contributions to temperature trends are estimated as the residual between the observed and radiative trends. The radiative trends are obtained from a seasonally evolving fixed dynamical heating calculation with the Parallel Offline Radiative Transfer model using four different ozone datasets, which provide estimates of observed ozone changes. In the spring and summer seasons, ozone depletion leads to radiative cooling in the lower stratosphere in the Arctic and Antarctic. In Arctic summer there is weak wave driving, and the radiative cooling due to ozone depletion is the dominant driver of observed trends. In late winter and early spring, dynamics dominate the changes in Arctic temperatures. In austral spring and summer in the Antarctic, strong dynamical warming throughout the mid- to lower stratosphere acts to weaken the strong radiative cooling associated with the Antarctic ozone hole and is indicative of a strengthening of the Brewer–Dobson circulation. This dynamical warming is a significant term in the thermal budget over much of the Antarctic summer stratosphere, including in regions where strong radiative cooling due to ozone depletion can still lead to net cooling despite dynamical terms. Quantifying the contributions of changes in radiation and dynamics to stratospheric temperature trends is important for understanding how anthropogenic forcings have affected the historical trends and necessary for projecting the future.
The Icelandic Low as a Predictor of the Gulf Stream North Wall Position
Authors: Sanchez-Franks Alejandra , Hameed Sultan , Wilson Robert E.
Published: November 2015

The Gulf Stream’s north wall east of Cape Hatteras marks the abrupt change in velocity and water properties between the slope sea to the north and the Gulf Stream itself. An index of the north wall position constructed by Taylor and Stephens, called Gulf Stream north wall (GSNW), is analyzed in terms of interannual changes in the Icelandic low (IL) pressure anomaly and longitudinal displacement. Sea surface temperature (SST) composites suggest that when IL pressure is anomalously low, there are lower temperatures in the Labrador Sea and south of the Grand Banks. Two years later, warm SST anomalies are seen over the Northern Recirculation Gyre and a northward shift in the GSNW occurs. Similar changes in SSTs occur during winters in which the IL is anomalously west, resulting in a northward displacement of the GSNW 3 years later. Although time lags of 2 and 3 years between the IL and the GSNW are used in the calculations, it is shown that lags with respect to each atmospheric variable are statistically significant at the 5% level over a range of years. Utilizing the appropriate time lags between the GSNW index and the IL pressure and longitude, as well as the Southern Oscillation index, a regression prediction scheme is developed for forecasting the GSNW with a lead time of 1 year. This scheme, which uses only prior information, was used to forecast the GSNW from 1994 to 2015. The correlation between the observed and forecasted values for 1994–2014 was 0.60, significant at the 1% level. The predicted value for 2015 indicates a small northward shift of the GSNW from its 2014 position.
High-Speed Optical Disdrometer for Rainfall Microphysical Observations
Authors: Testik F. Y. , Rahman M. K.
Published: November 2015

A high-speed optical disdrometer (HOD) that was developed for measuring rainfall microphysical quantities, including raindrop shape, size distribution, and fall velocity/acceleration, is the subject of this paper. The main components of the HOD are a high-speed video camera, a light-emitting diode (LED) light, and a sensing unit to detect raindrops passing through the camera view frame. The high-speed video camera is directed at the LED light to capture the silhouettes of the backlit drops when triggered by a raindrop that is detected within a specified focal depth by the sensing unit. The use of a sensing unit enables the confinement of a measurement volume around the camera focal plane. This innovative operation principle ensures the capture of sharp images of raindrop silhouettes, which are then digitally processed to provide accurate information on various raindrop characteristics. The measurement capabilities of the HOD were evaluated through both laboratory and field tests. In the laboratory tests, high-precision spherical lenses with known diameters and water drops of different sizes generated for a known volume of water were used. In the field tests, the HOD was evaluated against a reference rain gauge in a number of rain events. These tests demonstrated the precise accuracy of HOD measurements and the HOD’s technological readiness for field deployment for various applications. It is expected that the HOD will play an important role in generating new insights on raindrop dynamics and related research through its unique measurement capability of providing sequential high-speed images of raindrops.
OBEST: An Observation-Based Ensemble Subsetting Technique for Tropical Cyclone Track Prediction
Authors: Dong Lin , Zhang Fuqing
Published: November 2015

An observation-based ensemble subsetting technique (OBEST) is developed for tropical cyclone track prediction in which a subset of members from either a single- or multimodel ensemble is selected based on the distance from the latest best-track position. The performance of OBEST is examined using both the 2-yr hindcasts for 2010–11 and the 2-yr operational predictions during 2012–13. It is found that OBEST outperforms both the simple ensemble mean (without subsetting) and the corresponding deterministic high-resolution control forecast for most forecast lead times up to 5 days. Applying OBEST to a superensemble of global ensembles from both the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction yielded a further reduction in track forecast errors by 5%–10% for lead times of 24–120 h.
Misshapen/NIK-related kinase (MINK1) is involved in platelet function, hemostasis, and thrombus formation
Authors: Yue Ming , Luo Dongjiao , Yu Shanshan , Liu Pu , Zhou Qi , Hu Mengjiao , Liu Yangyang , Wang Shuai , Huang Qian , Niu Yuxi , Lu Linrong , Hu Hu
Published: November 2015

Key Points

MINK1 promotes hemostasis and thrombosis in vivo. MINK1 specifically regulates platelet dense-granule secretion.
Plasma fractalkine is a sustained marker of disease severity and outcome in sepsis patients
Authors: Hoogendijk Arie J. , Wiewel Maryse A. , van Vught Lonneke A. , Scicluna Brendon P. , Belkasim-Bohoudi Hakima , Horn Janneke , Zwinderman Aeilko H. , Klein Klouwenberg Peter M. C. , Cremer Olaf L. , Bonten Marc J. , Schultz Marcus J. , van der Poll Tom ,   on behalf of the MARS consortium
Published: November 2015

Introduction

Fractalkine is a chemokine implicated as a mediator in a variety of inflammatory conditions. Knowledge of fractalkine release in patients presenting with infection to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is highly limited. The primary objective of this study was to establish whether plasma fractalkine levels are elevated in sepsis and associate with outcome. The secondary objective was to determine whether fractalkine can assist in the diagnosis of infection upon ICU admission.

Methods

Fractalkine was measured in 1103 consecutive sepsis patients (including 271 patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP)) upon ICU admission and at days 2 and 4 thereafter; in 73 ICU patients treated for suspected CAP in whom this diagnosis was refuted in retrospect; and in 5 healthy humans intravenously injected with endotoxin.

Results

Compared to healthy volunteers, sepsis patients had strongly elevated fractalkine levels. Fractalkine levels increased with the number of organs failing, were higher in patients presenting with shock, but did not vary by site of infection. Non-survivors had sustained elevated fractalkine levels when compared to survivors. Fractalkine was equally elevated in CAP patients and patients treated for CAP but in whom the diagnosis was retrospectively refuted. Fractalkine release induced by intravenous endotoxin followed highly similar kinetics as the endothelial cell marker E-selectin.

Conclusions

Plasma fractalkine is an endothelial cell derived biomarker that, while not specific for infection, correlates with disease severity in sepsis patients admitted to the ICU.
Improvement of prognostic performance in severely injured patients by integrated clinico-transcriptomics: a translational approach
Authors: Rittirsch Daniel , Schoenborn Veit , Lindig Sandro , Wanner Elisabeth , Sprengel Kai , Günkel Sebastian , Schaarschmidt Barbara , Märsmann Sonja , Simmen Hans-Peter , Cinelli Paolo , Bauer Michael , Claus Ralf A. , Wanner Guido A.
Published: November 2015

Introduction

Severe trauma triggers a systemic inflammatory response that contributes to secondary complications, such as nosocomial infections, sepsis or multi-organ failure. The present study was aimed to identify markers predicting complications and an adverse outcome of severely injured patients by an integrated clinico-transcriptomic approach.

Methods

In a prospective study, RNA samples from circulating leukocytes from severely injured patients (injury severity score ≥ 17 points; n = 104) admitted to a Level I Trauma Center were analyzed for dynamic changes in gene expression over a period of 21 days by quantitative RT-PCR. Transcriptomic candidates were selected based on whole genome screening of a representative discovery set (n = 10 patients) or known mechanisms of the immune response, including mediators of inflammation (IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, MIF, C5, CD59, SPHK1), danger signaling (HMGB1, TLR2, CD14, IL-33, IL-1RL1), and components of the heme degradation pathway (HP, CD163, HMOX1, BLVRA, BLVRB). Clinical markers comprised standard physiological and laboratory parameters and scoring systems routinely determined in trauma patients.

Results

Leukocytes, thrombocytes and the expression of sphingosine kinase-1 (SPHK1), complement C5, and haptoglobin (HP) have been identified as markers with the best performance. Leukocytes showed a biphasic course with peaks on day 0 and day 11 after trauma, and patients with sepsis exhibited significantly higher leukocyte levels. Thrombocyte numbers showed a typical profile with initial thrombopenia and robust thrombocytosis in week 3 after trauma, ranging 2- to 3-fold above the upper normal value. ‘Relative thrombocytopenia’ was associated with multi-organ dysfunction, the development of sepsis, and mortality, the latter of which could be predicted within 3 days prior to the time point of death. SPHK1 expression at the day of admission indicated mortality with excellent performance. C5-expression on day 1 after trauma correlated with an increased risk for the development of nosocomial infections during the later course, while HP was found to be a marker for the development of sepsis.

Conclusions

The combination of clinical and transcriptomic markers improves the prognostic performance and may represent a useful tool for individual risk stratification in trauma patients.
Association between the TLR2 Arg753Gln polymorphism and the risk of sepsis: a meta-analysis
Authors: Gao Jun-wei , Zhang An-qiang , Wang Xiao , Li Zhong-yun , Yang Jian-hua , Zeng Ling , Gu Wei , Jiang Jian-xin
Published: November 2015

Introduction

Recently, researchers in a number of studies have explored the association between the Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) Arg753Gln polymorphism and sepsis risk. However, the results were conflicting. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to confirm the effect of the TLR2 Arg753Gln polymorphism on sepsis risk.

Methods

Relevant records up to 1 June 2015 were retrieved from the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Knowledge databases. The odds ratios with their corresponding 95 % confidence intervals were used to assess the association between the TLR2 Arg753Gln polymorphism and sepsis risk. The selection of a fixed or random effects model was made according to a heterogeneity test in total and subgroup analyses. Sensitivity analysis and publication bias test were performed to ensure the reliability of our results.

Results

A total of 12 studies with aggregate totals of 898 cases and 1517 controls met our inclusion criteria for meta-analysis. There were significant associations between the TLR2 Arg753Gln polymorphism and sepsis risk in overall analyses under two genetic models (the allele comparison and the dominant model). In addition, subgroup analyses based on age group, ethnicity, sepsis type, and source of control also showed a significant effect of the TLR2 Arg753Gln polymorphism on sepsis risk.

Conclusions

Our present meta-analysis supports a direct effect of the TLR2 Arg753Gln polymorphism on sepsis risk, especially in Europeans. The TLR2 Arg753Gln polymorphism might be used as a relevant risk estimate for the development of sepsis. Studies with larger sample sizes and homogeneous groups of patients with sepsis are required for further analysis.
Adjuvant Lapatinib and Trastuzumab for Early Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2–Positive Breast Cancer: Results From the Randomized Phase III Adjuvant Lapatinib and/or Trastuzumab Treatment Optimization Trial
Authors: Piccart-Gebhart Martine , Holmes Eileen , Baselga José , de Azambuja Evandro , Dueck Amylou C. , Viale Giuseppe , Zujewski Jo Anne , Goldhirsch Aron , Armour Alison , Pritchard Kathleen I. , McCullough Ann E. , Dolci Stella , McFadden Eleanor , Holmes Andrew P. , Tonghua Liu , Eidtmann Holger , Dinh Phuong , Di Cosimo Serena , Harbeck Nadia , Tjulandin Sergei , Im Young-Hyuck , Huang Chiun-Sheng , Diéras Véronique , Hillman David W. , Wolff Antonio C. , Jackisch Christian , Lang Istvan , Untch Michael , Smith Ian , Boyle Frances , Xu Binghe , Gomez Henry , Suter Thomas , Gelber Richard D. , Perez Edith A.
Published: November 2015

Background

Lapatinib (L) plus trastuzumab (T) improves outcomes for metastatic human epidermal growth factor 2–positive breast cancer and increases the pathologic complete response in the neoadjuvant setting, but their role as adjuvant therapy remains uncertain.

Methods

In the Adjuvant Lapatinib and/or Trastuzumab Treatment Optimization trial, patients with centrally confirmed human epidermal growth factor 2–positive early breast cancer were randomly assigned to 1 year of adjuvant therapy with T, L, their sequence (T→L), or their combination (L+T). The primary end point was disease-free survival (DFS), with 850 events required for 80% power to detect a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.8 for L+T versus T.

Results

Between June 2007 and July 2011, 8,381 patients were enrolled. In 2011, due to futility to demonstrate noninferiority of L versus T, the L arm was closed, and patients free of disease were offered adjuvant T. A protocol modification required P ≤ .025 for the two remaining pairwise comparisons. At a protocol-specified analysis with a median follow-up of 4.5 years, a 16% reduction in the DFS hazard rate was observed with L+T compared with T (555 DFS events; HR, 0.84; 97.5% CI, 0.70 to 1.02; P = .048), and a 4% reduction was observed with T→L compared with T (HR, 0.96; 97.5% CI, 0.80 to 1.15; P = .61). L-treated patients experienced more diarrhea, cutaneous rash, and hepatic toxicity compared with T-treated patients. The incidence of cardiac toxicity was low in all treatment arms.

Conclusion

Adjuvant treatment that includes L did not significantly improve DFS compared with T alone and added toxicity. One year of adjuvant T remains standard of care.
Tragedy Contra Theory
Authors: Dekel Mikhal
Published: November 2015

This essay argues that in emotionally and politically fraught terrains tragic literature may offer an embodied, affective critique of the existing political order that is more effective than theoretical-didactic critiques. As a form that makes room for conflict, violence, and desire, tragic literature has the capacity to engender a non-utopian, engaged political critique that is truer to experience and less vulnerable to disintegration or attack than most modes of polemic political critique. As a dialectic, morally flexible form, it is able to contain its own contradictions; and as a genre embroiled in emotion and trauma, it can speak to all sides wounded by conflict without moralizing. It is in the hero's direct encounter with and response to conflict and violence, what Raymond Williams calls “its experience, its comprehension, and its resolution,” that the essay locates tragedy's potential for serious political work. The essay takes Hebrew culture as its primary example.
Real-Time Dynamic Pricing with Minimal and Flexible Price Adjustment
Authors: Chen Qi (George) , Jasin Stefanus , Duenyas Izak
Published: November 2015

We study a standard dynamic pricing problem where the seller (a monopolist) possesses a finite amount of inventories and attempts to sell the products during a finite selling season. Despite the potential benefits of dynamic pricing, many sellers still adopt a static pricing policy because of (1) the complexity of frequent reoptimizations, (2) the negative perception of excessive price adjustments, and (3) the lack of flexibility caused by existing business constraints. In this paper, we develop a family of pricing heuristics that can be used to address all these challenges. Our heuristic is computationally easy to implement; it requires only a single optimization at the beginning of the selling season and automatically adjusts the prices over time. Moreover, to guarantee a strong revenue performance, the heuristic only needs to adjust the prices of a small number of products and do so infrequently. This property helps the seller focus his effort on the prices of the most important products instead of all products. In addition, in the case where not all products are equally admissible to price adjustment (due to existing business constraints such as contractual agreement, strategic product positioning, etc.), our heuristic can immediately substitute the price adjustment of the original products with the price adjustment of similar products and maintain an equivalent revenue performance. This property provides the seller with extra flexibility in managing his prices.

This paper was accepted by Noah Gans, stochastic models and simulation.
The Flipside of Comparative Payment Schemes
Authors: Buser Thomas , Dreber Anna
Published: November 2015

Comparative payment schemes and tournament-style promotion mechanisms are pervasive in the workplace. We test experimentally whether they have a negative impact on people’s willingness to cooperate. Participants first perform in a simple task and then participate in a public goods game. The payment scheme for the task varies across treatment groups. Compared with a piece-rate scheme, individuals in a winner-takes-all competition are significantly less cooperative in the public goods game. A lottery treatment, where the winner is decided by luck, has the same effect. In a competition treatment with feedback, winners cooperate as little as participants in the other treatments, whereas losers cooperate even less. All three treatments lead to substantial losses in the realised social surplus from the public good while having no significant impact on performance. In a complementary experiment, we aim to shed light on the psychological mechanisms behind our results.

Data, as supplemental material, are available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2015.2257 .

This paper was accepted by Teck-Hua Ho, behavioral economics.
A Caterpillar Process
Authors: Bawden Matt
Published: November 2015

Continuing his new series of articles on character education, expert Matt Bawden discusses a method by which teachers might develop effective character-based resources for their subjects
Numerical Study of Modular 5.56 mm Standard Assault Rifle Referring to Dynamic Characteristics
Authors: Płatek P. , Damaziak K. , Małachowski J. , Kupidura P. , Woźniak R. , Zahor M.
Published: November 2015

The paper describes investigations carried out to verify a loading mechanism of a newly designed modular assault rifle MSBS-5.56. A complex character of interaction between its elements during a reloading process encouraged the authors implement a numerical approach based on the multibody system to specify the essential dynamic characteristics. The achieved results were compared to the data recorded during the experimental tests on the shooting range. Owing to the proposed modelling methodology, a good agreement between experimental and numerical studies has been achieved.
A numerical model presented in the paper will be applied in further investigations to analyse strength parameters of the reloading mechanism and to conduct additional optimisation studies.
Discrete Electronic Warfare Signal Processing using Compressed Sensing Based on Random Modulator Pre-Integrator
Authors: Rao M. Sreenivasa , Mishra Chandan C. , Naik K. Krishna , Reddy K. Maheshwara
Published: November 2015

Electronic warfare receiver works in the wide electromagnetic spectrum in dense radar signal environment. Current trends in radar systems are ultra wideband and low probability of intercept radar technology. Detection of signals from various radar stations is a concern. Performance and probability of intercept are mainly dependent on high speed ADC technology. The sampling and reconstruction functions have to be optimized to capture incoming signals at the receiver to extract characteristics of the radar signal. The compressive sampling of the input signal with orthonormal base vectors, projecting the basis in the union of subspaces and recovery through convex optimisation techniques is the current traditional approach. Modern trends in signal processing suggest the random modulator pre-integrator (RMPI), which sample the input signal at information rate non-adaptively and recovery by the processing of discrete and finite vectors. Analysis of RMPI theory, application to EW receiver, simulation and recovery of EW receiver signals are discussed.
A Generic Method for Azimuthal Map Projection
Authors: Panigrahi Narayan , Mishra Cyan Subhra
Published: November 2015

Map projections are mathematical methods for projecting spherical coordinates in the form of (φ, λ) to the map coordinates in the form of (X,Y) in Cartesian reference frame. Numerous methods for map projection have been derived and are being used for preparation of cartographic products. These map projections take into account specific position of the viewer on the datum surface for derivation of the map projections. A generic method for azimuthal map projection where the position of the viewer can be taken at an arbitrary point on the datum surface is derived. Using this generic method all the specific azimuthal map projections can be derived.
Combined Tracking Strategy Based on Unscented Kalman Filter for Global Positioning System L2C CM/CL Signal
Authors: Zhu Xuefen , Shen Fei , Chen Jianfeng , Yang Yang , Yang Dongrui , Chen Xiyuan
Published: November 2015

In a global positioning system receiver, the tracking algorithm plays a dominant role since the code delay and Doppler frequency shift need to be accurately estimated as well as their variation over time need to be continuously updated. Combine unscented Kalman filter (UKF) with CM/CL signal to improve the signal tracking precision is proposed. It allow weighting assignment between CM code and CL code incoming signal, masked by a mass of noise, and to describe a UKF tracking loop aiming at decreasing numerical errors. UKF here involves state and measuring equations which calculate absolute offsets to adjust initial code and carrier phase then dramatically decrease the tracking error. In particular, the algorithm is implemented in both open space and jammed environment to highlight the advantages of tracking approach, by comparing single code and combined code, UKF and EKF tracking loop. It proves that signal tracking based on UKF, with low energy dissipation as well as high precision, is particularly appealing for a software receiver implementation.
Interaction among the Criteria Affecting Main Battle Tank Selection: An Analysis with DEMATEL Method
Authors: Gazibey Yavuz , Kantemir Ozkan , Demirel Akif
Published: November 2015

Main battle tanks (MBTs) have always been in the heart of all military campaigns and have enabled armies to fight across the full spectrum of war. Countries need to consider the complex interactions between subsystems of MBTs in the decision phase of a design process or MBT acquisition. In order to define the interaction among the subsystems of ‘system of systems’, which is MBT system for this case, this study aims to determine the criteria and their sub criteria affecting MBT selection problem and to analyse the cause and effect relations among these criteria. The criteria and the complex interaction among them have been determined by consulting a group of experts. Because of multiple complex criteria interactions in MBT selection problem, decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method is used as a multiple criteria decision making method. DEMATEL method is applied on the main and the sub criteria separately to understand the cause and effect relations. The results show that Survivability main criterion has the strongest central role among the main criteria for MBT selection, while the followers are firepower, mobility and command and control (C2). It is also shown that, in terms of sub criteria for MBT selection, ballistic protection, a sub criterion of survivability main criterion, has the highest degree of influence over most of the other sub criteria. However, physical dimensions/silhouette, another sub criterion of survivability, is the most affected sub criteria. The top five sub criteria in terms of central role are determined as physical dimensions/silhouette, ballistic protection, power/weight ratio, ground pressure and suspension system.
Sol Freeze Dry Nd:YAG Nanopowder Synthesis and Sinterability Studies
Authors: Mann Rekha , Laishram Kiranmala , Ahmed Sheikh Ashfaq , Zimik Khavangkhui , Malhan Neelam
Published: November 2015

Citrate nitrate sol freeze dry synthesis of 2 atomic % neodymium ion doped Yttrium Aluminium Oxide (Nd:YAG) nanopowders was explored for the first time. Sol was prepared by dissolving nitrates of Al3+, Y3+ and Nd3+ keeping molar ratio to be 5: 2.94: 0.06. Total metal ion to citric acid ratio was optimised at 1 is to 0.25. Sol was freeze dried at -80 °C for 48 h. Dried mass thus obtained was calcined at 1000 °C for 2 h to give phase pure Nd:YAG as characterised by FTIR and XRD. Particles were in the size range of 35 nm - 50 nm with close to spherical morphology as observed by TEM. Nanopowder was compacted and sintered at 1700 °C for 5 h under 10-6 mbar followed by hot isostatic press at 1750 °C for 4 h under 200 MPa, to give 71 per cent transmission at 1064 nm indicating synthesis of well sinterable Nd:YAG nanopowders.
An investigation of science teachers' lifelong learning competencies (The case of Karaman)
Authors: Demirel Melek , Sadi Özlem , Dağyar Miray
Published: November 2015

The aim of the study is to examine lifelong learning competencies of science teachers who work in Karaman, on the basis of their gender, years of experience, types of schools, and professional subject areas. The study population comprised 216 science teachers working in Karaman, a small city in Turkey, during the 2012'2013 academic years. The sample of the study, which is determined by simple random sampling method, comprised 104 teachers, 48 female and 56 male. The survey model was used in the study. The data were obtained using the "Lifelong Learning Competence Scale", developed by Hürsen (2011). According to the results, the science teachers' levels of lifelong learning competencies are high. Also, the results of the study show no significant differences between the levels of competencies with respect to teachers' gender, years of experience, types of schools and subject areas. However, in terms of each of the sub-dimensions of the scale, a significant difference was found between the levels of digital competencies with respect to the teachers' years of experience.
A stereolibrary of conformationally restricted amino acids based on pyrrolidinyl/piperidinyloxazole motifs
Authors: Artamonov Oleksiy S. , Bulda Taras , Fam Tkhe Kyong , Slobodyanyuk Evgeniy Y. , Volochnyuk Dmitry M. , Grygorenko Oleksandr O.
Published: November 2015

A stereolibrary of conformationally restricted oxazole-containing amino acids, namely all isomers of 5–pyrrolydinyl- and 5-piperidinyloxazole-4-carboxylic acids, were designed and synthesized in three steps by the reaction of the corresponding N-Boc-protected amino acids and ethyl isocyanoacetate. These natural products-inspired amino acids are valuable building blocks for the synthesis of peptidomimetics and potential lead compounds for drug discovery.
Research on the Influence of Technological Forging Parameters on the Quality of Biphasic Titanium Alloys
Authors: Mashekov S. A. , Smaylova N. T. , Alshynova A. M. , Mashekova A.S.
Published: November 2015

The deflected mode (DM) during the preparation of the broach in the flat and combined baizes and also on radial forging machine (RFM) was investigated for creating the rational technology of a broach and determining the optimum size of the angles of rotation and single squeeze reduction. The quantitative data was obtained by the method of final elements and the MSC.Super Forge program; the main consistent patterns of stress–strain state (SSS) distribution and temperature while modeling forging in flat and combined baizes, also on RFM with various angles of rotation and sizes of squeeze reduction were determined. The rational trial technology of forging of biphasic titanium alloys was developed and tested.
Unreliability of global temperature trends: the circular logic of comparing models with models or with models inspired reconstructions to circumvent lack of validation versus actual measurements
Authors: Parker A. , Ollier C.D.
Published: November 2015

This recent paper by Marotzke and Forster [1] has received media attention because it claims to have shown that the recent pause in surface temperature rise was the result of natural variability, and that climate models are not systematically overestimating the global warming. Nicholas Lewis [2] has already commented about the serious statistical errors in the paper that make the conclusion unsustainable.We note here that their supporting evidence is actually alteration of pre-selected data to sustain the global warming narrative. The “observed trends” of Marotzke and Forster are not based on the truly measured temperatures in every world gridded cell of the land and sea since the 1860s, but only on a reconstruction based on selected, scattered data that are continuously recalculated to resemble the climate model outputs.
Unsteady Flow of Third Grade Fluid over an Oscillatory Stretching Sheet with Thermal Radiation and Heat Source/Sink
Authors: Ali Nasir , Khan Sami Ullah , Abbas Zaheer
Published: November 2015

The aim of this article is to investigate the unsteady boundary layer flow and heat transfer analysis in a third grade fluid over an oscillatory stretching sheet under the influences of thermal radiation and heat source/sink. The convective boundary condition at the sheet is imposed to determine the temperature distribution. Homotopy analysis method (HAM) is used to solve dimensionless nonlinear partial differential equations. The effects of involved parameters on both velocity and temperature fields are illustrated in detail through various plots. It is found that the amplitude of velocity decreases by increasing the ratio of the oscillation frequency of the sheet to its stretching rate and Hartmann number while it increases by increasing the third grade fluid parameter. On contrary, the temperature field is found to be a decreasing function of the third grade fluid parameter.
Influence of test fuel properties and composition on UNECE R101 CO2 and fuel economy valuation
Authors: Parker A.
Published: November 2015

CO2 emission and fuel consumption of passenger cars is now assessed by using a simplistic procedure measuring the emission during a test performed without any control of the fuel properties and computing the fuel consumption through an unsophisticated formula. As pump gasoline and diesel fuels are refinery products mixture of many different hydrocarbons, and in case of gasoline may also contain a significant amount of oxygenates, the fuel properties, including the density, carbon and energy content may strongly vary from one pump fuel to the other. Being the specific test fuels carefully selected by the car manufacturers and everything but randomly chosen pump fuels, the claimed CO2 emission and fuel economy figures may differ largely from the certification values. I show from the analysis of the 2014 UK government data for 2358 diesel and 2103 petrol vehicles how same volumes of only theoretically same pump fuels used during the certification test by the cars manufacturers unfortunately do not produce the same carbon dioxide emission, and very likely do not have the same energy content. The CO2 emission per liter of diesel fuel is shown to oscillate froma maximum of 3049 g to a minimum of 2125 g, with an average of 2625 g, froma +16.13% to a -19.06% of the average. TheCO2 emission per liter of petrol fuel is shown to oscillate even more from a maximum of 3735 g to a minimum of 1767 g with an average of 2327 g, from a +60.48% to a -24.05% of the average. The proposed solution is to center the assessment on the energy demand by measuring with accuracy the mass of fuel consumed and the fuel properties of the test fuel starting from the lower heating. The corrected fuel consumption and the corrected carbon dioxide emission to mention from the test are then computed by using pure hydrocarbon reference fuels for diesel and petrol having a given lower heating value and a given hydrocarbon composition. Alternatively, exactly the same test fuel should be used by all the manufacturers.
Waste paper as a cheap source of natural fibre to reinforce polyester resin in production of bio-composites
Authors: Das Sekhar , Basak Santanu , Bhowmick Manik , Chattopadhyay Sajal K. , Ambare Manoj G.
Published: November 2015

A low cost composite material was prepared by using waste newspaper and polyester resin. The waste newspaper used in the study was characterized by chemical and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods, and tensile strength was measured. Waste newspaper contains holocellulose of about 83.2% and the crystallinity index of the newspaper is 64.2. Composite samples were fabricated with three different fibre contents, namely 25%, 33%, and 48% (by weight). It was observed that on increasing the fibre content from 25% to 48%, the tensile strength and the modulus also increased by 54%–40%, respectively, along the fibre direction. It was observed that with 48% (w/w) fibre content, the waste paper composite yielded 70 MPa tensile strength and 6 GPa modulus in the fibre direction and 19 MPa tensile strength and 2.41 GPa modulus in the cross direction. The newspaper composite samples were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis.
Improved submerged Aspergillus ficuum phytase production in bench-top bioreactors by optimization of fermentation medium
Authors: Coban H.B. , Demirci A.
Published: November 2015

Phytase is an important feed and food additive, which is used in diets to increase the absorption of divalent ions, amino acids, and proteins in the bodies and to decrease the excessive phosphorus release in the manure to prevent negative effects on the environment. To date, phytase has been mostly produced in solid state fermentations with insignificant production volumes. Thus, there is a need to produce phytase in submerged fermentations, which can be scaled-up for commercial productions. Additionally, optimization of fermentation medium has not been studied well in the literature. Therefore, this study has been undertaken to improve Aspergillus ficuum phytase production in submerged fermentations by optimizing important nutrients in the fermentation medium (glucose, Na-phytate, and CaSO4) using Box-Behnken design of Response Surface Methodology. Also, effects of pH and temperature on phytase activity were studied. Optimum glucose, Na-phytate, and CaSO4 concentrations were determined as 126, 14, and 1.1 g l–1, respectively. Additionally, pH 5.5 and 55 ºC were determined as optimum for the produced A. ficuum phytase activity. Under these conditions, phytase activity was increased to 3.45 U ml–1, which is about 50% higher than the previous results. Furthermore, the lowest activity loss was observed under 4 ºC storage conditions during 1 week of storage.
“Healthier” and “less healthy” classifications according to three nutrient profiling systems relative to nutrition and health claims on food labels
Authors: Debeljak K. , Pravst I. , Košmelj K. , Kač M.
Published: November 2015

A comprehensive sample of breakfast cereals (a total of 221 breakfast cereals available in the market) were compared according to their nutritional composition, being analysed using three nutrient profiling systems to categorise foods as “healthier” or “less healthy”. Differences were further on investigated focusing on the use of nutrition and health claims on the labelling. The aim was to determine how much the use of such a claim corresponds to the categorisation into “healthier” or “less healthy” group.

The sample contained 161 (72.9%) items with claims and 60 (27.1%) items, without claims. The nutrient profiles of the foods were determined by the UK Ofcom model, the FSANZ model and the modified Traffic Light model. All the models use similar but nevertheless different ways of determining the final score of “healthier” or “less healthy”. The percentage of foods classified as “healthier” was well below 72.9% (from 24.8% to 52.2%), indicating that profiling with each model involves stricter criteria for the classifying of foods compared to the permission to carry a nutrition and/or health claim. The difference is the most pronounced for the modified Traffic Light system, while the UK Ofcom and FSANZ systems give results closer to the use of claims.
Schicksal frühzeitig post partum auftretender Ovarialzysten ohne und nach Behandlung mit PRID/PGF oder PRID/PGF+eCG
Authors: Eigenmann U. , Bruckmaier R. , Bleul U. , Gaebler E.
Published: November 2015

Ziel der Arbeit war, sonographisch das Schicksal frühzeitig post partum auftretender Ovarialzysten (OZ) ohne und nach Behandlung mit einer Progesteron abgebenden Vaginalspirale (PRID), mit oder ohne zusätzliche Applikation von equinem Choriongonadotropin (eCG), zu vergleichen. Material und Methode: 33 Milchkühe, die 20–30 Tage post partum eine OZ aufwiesen, wurden den Behandlungsgruppen (BG) PRID/PGF oder PRID/PGF+eCG oder einer Kontrollgruppe (KG) zugeteilt (n = 11/Gruppe). Die Kontrolltiere blieben im 20-tä gigen Versuchszeitraum unbehandelt. Am Tag der Diagnose (Tag 0) wurde den Tieren der BG eine PRID eingesetzt und bei deren Entfernung (Tag 10) PGF2α appliziert. In der BG PRID/PGF+eCG wurde am Tag 7 zusätzlich eCG appliziert. An Tag 0, 7, 10, 13 und 20 wurden die Ovarien sonographisch untersucht und Progesteron (P4) sowie Östradiol-17β (E2) im Plasma bestimmt. Dies erfolgte bei der KG nur an Tag 0, 10 und 20. Ergebnisse: An Tag 0 wurden bei allen Kühen sonographisch Follikelthekazysten festgestellt, von denen sich in der KG sechs in Follikelluteinzysten umwandelten. Der Zystendurchmesser blieb in der KG unverändert, während er sich in den BG bis Tag 20 verringerte (p < 0,01). Bei allen Tieren der BG kam es zur Ovulation und Anbildung mindestens eines Corpus luteum (CL), in der KG nur bei zwei Tieren (p < 0,05). Im Vergleich zu erstmals am Tag 10 dominanten Follikeln entstanden aus bereits am Tag 7 dominanten Follikeln mehr CL mit Hohlraum (p < 0,05). Die Durchmesser der Follikel, aus denen sich CL mit Hohlraum entwickelten, waren an Tag 10 größer (p < 0,01). Am Tag 0 betrug die mittlere P4-Konzentration in allen Gruppen 1 ng/ml. Sie stieg in den BG nach Einsetzen der PRID und fiel nach deren Entfernung unter 1 ng/ml ab (p < 0,05). Schlussfolgerung: Die alleinige Behandlung mit PRID führte zu einer Heilungsrate von 100%, sodass sich der zusätzliche Nutzen von eCG nicht kritisch überprüfen ließ. CL mit Hohlraum entstehen häufiger aus größeren und älteren dominanten Follikeln.
Utility of Aminocyclopyrachlor for Control of Horsenettle (Solanum carolinense) and Tall Ironweed (Vernonia gigantea) in Cool-Season Grass Pastures
Authors: Phillips William P. , Israel Trevor D. , Mueller Thomas C. , Armel Gregory R. , West Dennis R. , Green Jonathan D. , Rhodes G. Neil
Published: November 2015

Because horsenettle and tall ironweed are difficult to control in cool-season grass pastures, research was conducted in Tennessee and Kentucky in 2010 and 2011 to examine the efficacy of aminocyclopyrachlor on these weeds. Aminocyclopyrachlor was evaluated at 49 and 98 g ai ha−1alone and in mixtures with 2,4-D amine at 371 and 742 g ae ha−1. Aminopyralid was also included as a comparison treatment at 88 g ai ha−1. Treatments were applied at three POST timings to horsenettle and two POST timings to tall ironweed. By 1 yr after treatment (YAT) horsenettle was controlled 74% with aminocyclopyrachlor plus 2,4-D applied late POST (LPOST) at 98 + 742 g ha−1. By 1 YAT, tall ironweed was controlled ≥ 93% by aminocyclopyrachlor applied early POST (EPOST) or LPOST, at rates as low as 49 g ha−1. Similar control was achieved with aminopyralid applied LPOST. Both aminocyclopyrachlor and aminopyralid were found to reduce horsenettle and tall ironweed biomass the following year. Moreover, all LPOST applications of aminocyclopyrachlor alone or in mixtures with 2,4-D prevented regrowth of tall ironweed at 1 YAT. Based on these studies, a LPOST herbicide application in August or September when soil moisture is adequate is recommended for control of horsenettle and tall ironweed in cool-season grass pastures.
Arthur Penman and his contributions to embankment dam engineering
Authors: Charles J. Andrew
Published: November 2015

Throughout six decades Arthur Penman made a major contribution to embankment dam engineering as it developed from a largely empirically based activity into a science-based discipline where modern developments in geotechnical engineering have a major role. His pioneering development of practical and reliable field instrumentation facilitated the monitoring of embankment performance which alone could validate the increasing use of numerical analysis. A great enthusiasm for embankment dams continued into the final years of his life.
Development of numerical model of wrap-faced walls subjected to seismic excitation
Authors: Bhattacharjee A. , Murali Krishna A.
Published: November 2015

ABSTRACT: Reinforced-soil walls offer an excellent solution to many problems associated with earth-retaining structures, especially under seismic conditions. This paper presents the seismic response of wrap-faced reinforced soil-retaining walls through numerical models. The development of numerical models for simulating shaking-table tests on wrap-faced, reinforced soil-retaining walls, and their application in investigating the seismic response of physical wall models, are presented. Numerical models of the wrap-faced reinforced-soil walls are simulated using the program FLAC3D. The soil is modelled as an elasto-plastic Mohr–Coulomb material, coded with stress-dependent hyperbolic soil modulus parameters. The shear behaviour of granular soils under cyclic loading is modelled using a non-linear and hysteretic constitutive relation that follows the Massing rule. The reinforcement is modelled as a geogrid shell structural element. Various interfaces are also considered for proper interaction between dissimilar elements. The results obtained from the numerical simulations are validated with those of experimental studies reported in the literature. The horizontal and vertical displacements and octahedral shear strains are determined along the length of the backfill to study the location of failure surfaces within it. It is observed that the deformation of a wrap-faced wall subjected to dynamic excitation consists of three different modes of failure: shear deformation within the reinforced zone, relative compaction near the end of the reinforcement, and a compound failure surface extending to the backfill zone. The position of the compound failure surface within the retained zone depends on the excitation levels. The effects of the length of reinforcement on the failure modes are also studied.
Energy-based horizontal slice method for pseudo-static analysis of reinforced walls
Authors: Sarbishei S. , Fakher A.
Published: November 2015

ABSTRACT: Limit equilibrium methods are widely used to analyse the stability of reinforced-soil walls. The horizontal slice method (HSM) is a limit equilibrium method developed to analyse the seismic stability analysis of reinforced slopes. Despite the capability of HSM for analysis of reinforced slopes subject to assigned distributions of acceleration, the actual distribution of acceleration along the height of a reinforced-soil slope or wall cannot be determined. In this study, an energy-based HSM is presented that estimates the distribution of acceleration along the height of a wall by satisfying the minimum total potential energy principle for a sliding wedge. The fundamental frequency of a reinforced-soil wall is also determined using the multiple mass–spring method. A simple correlation for fundamental frequency of reinforced walls is presented based on the results of a parametric study that evaluated the effects of wall height, input base acceleration on the acceleration amplification factor and fundamental frequency of a reinforced-soil wall. To determine the effect of reinforcement types such as geosynthetics and steel strips, several analyses have also been done for a wide range of reinforcement stiffness.