bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Life Course Implications of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food for Children in Low-Income Countries
Authors: Bazzano Alessandra , Potts Kaitlin , Bazzano Lydia , Mason John
Published: April 2017

The development of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for the treatment of uncomplicated cases of severe acute malnutrition in young children from 6 months to 5 years old has greatly improved survival through the ability to treat large numbers of malnourished children in the community setting rather than at health facilities during emergencies. This success has led to a surge in demand for RUTF in low income countries that are frequently food insecure due to environmental factors such as cyclical drought. Worldwide production capacity for the supply of RUTF has increased dramatically through the expansion and development of new manufacturing facilities in both low and high income countries, and new business ventures dedicated to ready-to-use foods have emerged not only for emergencies, but increasingly, for supplementing caloric intake of pregnant women and young children not experiencing acute undernutrition. Due to the lack of evidence on the long term health impact these products may have, in the midst of global nutrition transitions toward obesity and metabolic dysfunction, the increased use of manufactured, commercial products for treatment and prevention of undernutrition is of great concern. Using a framework built on the life course health development perspective, the current research presents several drawbacks and limitations of RUTF for nutrition of mothers and young children, especially in non-emergency situations. Recommendations follow for potential strategies to limit the use of these products to the treatment of acute undernutrition only, study the longer term health impacts of RUTF, prevent conflict of interests arising for social enterprises, and where possible, ensure that whole foods are supported for life-long health and nutrition, as well as environmental sustainability.
Melatonin Reduces Angiogenesis in Serous Papillary Ovarian Carcinoma of Ethanol-Preferring Rats
Authors: Zonta Yohan , Martinez Marcelo , Camargo Isabel , Domeniconi Raquel , Lupi Júnior Luiz , Pinheiro Patricia , Reiter Russel , Martinez Francisco , Chuffa Luiz
Published: April 2017

Angiogenesis is a hallmark of ovarian cancer (OC); the ingrowth of blood vessels promotes rapid cell growth and the associated metastasis. Melatonin is a well-characterized indoleamine that possesses important anti-angiogenic properties in a set of aggressive solid tumors. Herein, we evaluated the role of melatonin therapy on the angiogenic signaling pathway in OC of an ethanol-preferring rat model that mimics the same pathophysiological conditions occurring in women. OC was chemically induced with a single injection of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) under the ovarian bursa. After the rats developed serous papillary OC, half of the animals received intraperitoneal injections of melatonin (200 µg/100 g body weight/day) for 60 days. Melatonin-treated animals showed a significant reduction in OC size and microvessel density. Serum levels of melatonin were higher following therapy, and the expression of its receptor MT1 was significantly increased in OC-bearing rats, regardless of ethanol intake. TGFβ1, a transforming growth factor-beta1, was reduced only after melatonin treatment. Importantly, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was severely reduced after melatonin therapy in animals given or not given ethanol. Conversely, the levels of VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR1) was diminished after ethanol consumption, regardless of melatonin therapy, and VEGFR2 was only reduced following melatonin. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α was augmented with ethanol consumption, and, notably, melatonin significantly reduced their levels. Collectively, our results suggest that melatonin attenuates angiogenesis in OC in an animal model of ethanol consumption; this provides a possible complementary therapeutic opportunity for concurrent OC chemotherapy.
Analytical Evaluation and Antioxidant Properties of Some Secondary Metabolites in Northern Italian Mono- and Multi-Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oils (EVOOs) from Early and Late Harvested Olives
Authors: Trombetta Domenico , Smeriglio Antonella , Marcoccia Daniele , Giofrè Salvatore , Toscano Giovanni , Mazzotti Fabio , Giovanazzi Angelo , Lorenzetti Stefano
Published: April 2017

The antioxidant activity and the phenolic and α-tocopherol content of 10 Northern Italian mono- and multi-varietal extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs), after early and late olive harvests, was analyzed. A hierarchical cluster analysis was used to evaluate sample similarity. Secoiridoids (SIDs), lignans and flavonoids were the most abundant phenolic compounds identified. The organic Casaliva (among mono-cultivar) and the organic multi-varietal (among blended oils) EVOOs had the higher total phenol content both in early (263.13 and 326.19 mg/kg, respectively) and late harvest (241.88 and 292.34 mg/kg, respectively) conditions. In comparison to late harvest EVOOs, early harvest EVOOs, in particular the organic mono-cultivar Casaliva, showed both higher antioxidant capacity (up to 1285.97 Oxygen Radicals Absorbance Capacity/ORAC units), probably due to the higher SID fraction (54% vs. 40%), and higher α-tocopherol content (up to 280.67 mg/kg). Overall, these results suggest that SIDs and α-tocopherol mainly contribute to antioxidant properties of the studied EVOOs. In light of this, the authors conclude that early harvest, organic mono-cultivar Casaliva EVOO represents the most interesting candidate to explicate healthy effects ascribed to these functional constituents, particularly regarding oxidative stress-related pathologies.
Down-Regulated Drebrin Aggravates Cognitive Impairments in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Liu Yan , Xu Yanfeng , Zhang Ling , Huang Lan , Yu Pin , Zhu Hua , Deng Wei , Qin Chuan
Published: April 2017

The developmentally regulated brain protein drebrin (Dbn) is a functional protein involved with long-term memory formation and is widely distributed in brain neurons, especially in the dendritic spines. A noticeable decline of this protein has been found in the hippocampus and cortex of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), yet the relationship between Dbn and AD has not been fully understood. In the present study, we examined how down-regulation of Dbn impacts the progression of AD in experimental animals. Accordingly, we injected Dbn interference vector (rAAV-mDbn1 ShRNA) into the hippocampus of three-month old APP(swe)/PS1(ΔE9) mice (APP/PS1 mice) and then successfully down-regulated Dbn expression in this brain region. Behavioral tests, including the Morris water maze test, the open field test, and the novel object test were conducted when the animals were nine months old. Subsequently, MicroPET/CT imaging to monitor glucose metabolism was done. We then investigated Aβ, GFAP, PSD-95, MAP2, vimentin, Cox43, and Syn1 expressions in the brain of the experimental animals via immunohistochemical or immunofluorescence methods. We found that AD mice with a low expression of Dbn performed poorly in the behavioral tests and showed decreased glucose utilization. In the brains of these animals, we detected a slight increase of Aβ, GFAP and vimentin and a significant decline of PSD-95. Altogether our data warrant further studies to elucidate the effect of Dbn on the development and progression of AD.
Object Tracking by a Combination of Discriminative Global and Generative Multi-Scale Local Models
Authors: Song Zhiguo , Sun Jifeng , Yu Jialin
Published: April 2017

Object tracking is a challenging task in many computer vision applications due to occlusion, scale variation and background clutter, etc. In this paper, we propose a tracking algorithm by combining discriminative global and generative multi-scale local models. In the global model, we teach a classifier with sparse discriminative features to separate the target object from the background based on holistic templates. In the multi-scale local model, the object is represented by multi-scale local sparse representation histograms, which exploit the complementary partial and spatial information of an object across different scales. Finally, a collaborative similarity score of one candidate target is input into a Bayesian inference framework to estimate the target state sequentially during tracking. Experimental results on the various challenging video sequences show that the proposed method performs favorably compared to several state-of-the-art trackers.
Preparation, Characterization and Properties of Alginate/Poly(γ-glutamic acid) Composite Microparticles
Authors: Tong Zongrui , Chen Yu , Liu Yang , Tong Li , Chu Jiamian , Xiao Kecen , Zhou Zhiyu , Dong Wenbo , Chu Xingwu
Published: April 2017

Alginate (Alg) is a renewable polymer with excellent hemostatic properties and biocapability and is widely used for hemostatic wound dressing. However, the swelling properties of alginate-based wound dressings need to be promoted to meet the requirements of wider application. Poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PGA) is a natural polymer with high hydrophility. In the current study, novel Alg/PGA composite microparticles with double network structure were prepared by the emulsification/internal gelation method. It was found from the structure characterization that a double network structure was formed in the composite microparticles due to the ion chelation interaction between Ca2+ and the carboxylate groups of Alg and PGA and the electrostatic interaction between the secondary amine group of PGA and the carboxylate groups of Alg and PGA. The swelling behavior of the composite microparticles was significantly improved due to the high hydrophility of PGA. Influences of the preparing conditions on the swelling behavior of the composites were investigated. The porous microparticles could be formed while compositing of PGA. Thermal stability was studied by thermogravimetric analysis method. Moreover, in vitro cytocompatibility test of microparticles exhibited good biocompatibility with L929 cells. All results indicated that such Alg/PGA composite microparticles are a promising candidate in the field of wound dressing for hemostasis or rapid removal of exudates.
Cloning and Functional Characterization of a Lycopene β-Cyclase from Macrophytic Red Alga Bangia fuscopurpurea
Authors: Cao Tian-Jun , Huang Xing-Qi , Qu Yuan-Yuan , Zhuang Zhong , Deng Yin-Yin , Lu Shan
Published: April 2017

Lycopene cyclases cyclize the open ends of acyclic lycopene (ψ,ψ-carotene) into β- or ε-ionone rings in the crucial bifurcation step of carotenoid biosynthesis. Among all carotenoid constituents, β-carotene (β,β-carotene) is found in all photosynthetic organisms, except for purple bacteria and heliobacteria, suggesting a ubiquitous distribution of lycopene β-cyclase activity in these organisms. In this work, we isolated a gene (BfLCYB) encoding a lycopene β-cyclase from Bangia fuscopurpurea, a red alga that is considered to be one of the primitive multicellular eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms and accumulates carotenoid constituents with both β- and ε-rings, including β-carotene, zeaxanthin, α-carotene (β,ε-carotene) and lutein. Functional complementation in Escherichia coli demonstrated that BfLCYB is able to catalyze cyclization of lycopene into monocyclic γ-carotene (β,ψ-carotene) and bicyclic β-carotene, and cyclization of the open end of monocyclic δ-carotene (ε,ψ-carotene) to produce α-carotene. No ε-cyclization activity was identified for BfLCYB. Sequence comparison showed that BfLCYB shares conserved domains with other functionally characterized lycopene cyclases from different organisms and belongs to a group of ancient lycopene cyclases. Although B. fuscopurpurea also synthesizes α-carotene and lutein, its enzyme-catalyzing ε-cyclization is still unknown.
Four Aromatic Sulfates with an Inhibitory Effect against HCV NS3 Helicase from the Crinoid Alloeocomatella polycladia
Authors: Hermawan Idam , Furuta Atsushi , Higashi Masahiro , Fujita Yoshihisa , Akimitsu Nobuyoshi , Yamashita Atsuya , Moriishi Kohji , Tsuneda Satoshi , Tani Hidenori , Nakakoshi Masamichi , Tsubuki Masayoshi , Sekiguchi Yuji , Noda Naohiro , Tanaka Junichi
Published: April 2017

Bioassay-guided separation of a lipophilic extract of the crinoid Alloeocomatella polycladia, inhibiting the activity of HCV NS3 helicase, yielded two groups of molecules: cholesterol sulfate and four new aromatic sulfates 1–4. The structures of the aromatics were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis in addition to theoretical studies. The aromatic sulfates 1–4 showed moderate inhibition against NS3 helicase with IC50 values of 71, 95, 7, and 5 μM, respectively.
High-Cycle Microscopic Severe Corrosion Fatigue Behavior and Life Prediction of 25CrMo Steel Used in Railway Axles
Authors: Wang Yan-Ling , Wang Xi-Shu , Wu Sheng-Chuan , Yang Hui-Hui , Zhang Zhi-Hao
Published: April 2017

The effects of environmental media on the corrosion fatigue fracture behavior of 25CrMo steel were investigated. The media include air, and 3.5 wt % and 5.0 wt % NaCl solutions. Experimental results indicate that the media induces the initiation of corrosion fatigue cracks at multiple sites. The multi-cracking sites cause changes in the crack growth directions, the crack growth rate during the coupling action of the media, and the stress amplitude. The coupling effects are important for engineering applications and research. The probability and predictions of the corrosion fatigue characteristic life can be estimated using the three-parameter Weibull distribution function.
Localized Single-Cell Lysis and Manipulation Using Optothermally-Induced Bubbles
Authors: Fan Qihui , Hu Wenqi , Ohta Aaron
Published: April 2017

Localized single cells can be lysed precisely and selectively using microbubbles optothermally generated by microsecond laser pulses. The shear stress from the microstreaming surrounding laser-induced microbubbles and direct contact with the surface of expanding bubbles cause the rupture of targeted cell membranes. High-resolution single-cell lysis is demonstrated: cells adjacent to targeted cells are not lysed. It is also shown that only a portion of the cell membrane can be punctured using this method. Both suspension and adherent cell types can be lysed in this system, and cell manipulation can be integrated for cell–cell interaction studies.
Effects of Schiff Base Formation and Aldol Condensation on the Determination of Aldehydes in Rice Wine Using GC-MS
Authors: Han Ji Hye , Lee Sang Mi , Kim Young-Suk
Published: April 2017

The Schiff base reaction and aldol condensation that occur during sample preparation can lead to the reduction of aldehyde content in the analysis of traditional Korean rice wine, makgeolli. The contents of aldehydes were decreased, whereas those of hydroxy carbonyl compounds were increased by increasing the pH. In the presence of added amino acids, the levels of aldehydes in makgeolli were reduced as the amount of the amino acid alanine increased. Also, the contents of hydroxyl carbonyl compounds were reduced by alanine addition as compared to the control. Therefore, the determination of aldehydes can be affected by pH and the amount of amino acids, which can vary during fermentation and storage of alcoholic beverages because pH and amino acids affect Schiff base formation and aldol condensation.
The Role of Citizen Science in Earth Observation
Authors: Fritz Steffen , Fonte Cidália , See Linda
Published: April 2017

Citizen Science (CS) and crowdsourcing are two potentially valuable sources of data for Earth Observation (EO), which have yet to be fully exploited. Research in this area has increased rapidly during the last two decades, and there are now many examples of CS projects that could provide valuable calibration and validation data for EO, yet are not integrated into operational monitoring systems. A special issue on the role of CS in EO has revealed continued trends in applications, covering a diverse set of fields from disaster response to environmental monitoring (land cover, forests, biodiversity and phenology). These papers touch upon many key challenges of CS including data quality and citizen engagement as well as the added value of CS including lower costs, higher temporal frequency and use of the data for calibration and validation of remotely-sensed imagery. Although still in the early stages of development, CS for EO clearly has a promising role to play in the future.
An Open-Source Semi-Automated Processing Chain for Urban Object-Based Classification
Authors: Grippa Taïs , Lennert Moritz , Beaumont Benjamin , Vanhuysse Sabine , Stephenne Nathalie , Wolff Eléonore
Published: April 2017

This study presents the development of a semi-automated processing chain for urban object-based land-cover and land-use classification. The processing chain is implemented in Python and relies on existing open-source software GRASS GIS and R. The complete tool chain is available in open access and is adaptable to specific user needs. For automation purposes, we developed two GRASS GIS add-ons enabling users (1) to optimize segmentation parameters in an unsupervised manner and (2) to classify remote sensing data using several individual machine learning classifiers or their prediction combinations through voting-schemes. We tested the performance of the processing chain using sub-metric multispectral and height data on two very different urban environments: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in sub-Saharan Africa and Liège, Belgium in Western Europe. Using a hierarchical classification scheme, the overall accuracy reached 93% at the first level (5 classes) and about 80% at the second level (11 and 9 classes, respectively).
Inertial Sensor-Based Robust Gait Analysis in Non-Hospital Settings for Neurological Disorders
Authors: Tunca Can , Pehlivan Nezihe , Ak Nağme , Arnrich Bert , Salur Gülüstü , Ersoy Cem
Published: April 2017

The gold standards for gait analysis are instrumented walkways and marker-based motion capture systems, which require costly infrastructure and are only available in hospitals and specialized gait clinics. Even though the completeness and the accuracy of these systems are unquestionable, a mobile and pervasive gait analysis alternative suitable for non-hospital settings is a clinical necessity. Using inertial sensors for gait analysis has been well explored in the literature with promising results. However, the majority of the existing work does not consider realistic conditions where data collection and sensor placement imperfections are imminent. Moreover, some of the underlying assumptions of the existing work are not compatible with pathological gait, decreasing the accuracy. To overcome these challenges, we propose a foot-mounted inertial sensor-based gait analysis system that extends the well-established zero-velocity update and Kalman filtering methodology. Our system copes with various cases of data collection difficulties and relaxes some of the assumptions invalid for pathological gait (e.g., the assumption of observing a heel strike during a gait cycle). The system is able to extract a rich set of standard gait metrics, including stride length, cadence, cycle time, stance time, swing time, stance ratio, speed, maximum/minimum clearance and turning rate. We validated the spatio-temporal accuracy of the proposed system by comparing the stride length and swing time output with an IR depth-camera-based reference system on a dataset comprised of 22 subjects. Furthermore, to highlight the clinical applicability of the system, we present a clinical discussion of the extracted metrics on a disjoint dataset of 17 subjects with various neurological conditions.
Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings through Context-Aware Social Computing
Authors: García Óscar , Alonso Ricardo , Prieto Javier , Corchado Juan
Published: April 2017

The challenge of promoting behavioral changes in users that leads to energy savings in public buildings has become a complex task requiring the involvement of multiple technologies. Wireless sensor networks have a great potential for the development of tools, such as serious games, that encourage acquiring good energy and healthy habits among users in the workplace. This paper presents the development of a serious game using CAFCLA, a framework that allows for integrating multiple technologies, which provide both context-awareness and social computing. Game development has shown that the data provided by sensor networks encourage users to reduce energy consumption in their workplace and that social interactions and competitiveness allow for accelerating the achievement of good results and behavioral changes that favor energy savings.
Hand-Based Gesture Recognition for Vehicular Applications Using IR-UWB Radar
Authors: Khan Faheem , Leem Seong , Cho Sung
Published: April 2017

Modern cars continue to offer more and more functionalities due to which they need a growing number of commands. As the driver tries to monitor the road and the graphic user interface simultaneously, his/her overall efficiency is reduced. In order to reduce the visual attention necessary for monitoring, a gesture-based user interface is very important. In this paper, gesture recognition for a vehicle through impulse radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) radar is discussed. The gestures can be used to control different electronic devices inside a vehicle. The gestures are based on human hand and finger motion. We have implemented a real-time version using only one radar sensor. Studies on gesture recognition using IR-UWB radar have rarely been carried out, and some studies are merely simple methods using the magnitude of the reflected signal or those whose performance deteriorates largely due to changes in distance or direction. In this study, we propose a new hand-based gesture recognition algorithm that works robustly against changes in distance or direction while responding only to defined gestures by ignoring meaningless motions. We used three independent features, i.e., variance of the probability density function (pdf) of the magnitude histogram, time of arrival (TOA) variation and the frequency of the reflected signal, to classify the gestures. A data fitting method is included to differentiate between gesture signals and unintended hand or body motions. We have used the clustering technique for the classification of the gestures. Moreover, the distance information is used as an additional input parameter to the clustering algorithm, such that the recognition technique will not be vulnerable to distance change. The hand-based gesture recognition proposed in this paper would be a key technology of future automobile user interfaces.
Robust In-Flight Sensor Fault Diagnostics for Aircraft Engine Based on Sliding Mode Observers
Authors: Chang Xiaodong , Huang Jinquan , Lu Feng
Published: April 2017

For a sensor fault diagnostic system of aircraft engines, the health performance degradation is an inevitable interference that cannot be neglected. To address this issue, this paper investigates an integrated on-line sensor fault diagnostic scheme for a commercial aircraft engine based on a sliding mode observer (SMO). In this approach, one sliding mode observer is designed for engine health performance tracking, and another for sensor fault reconstruction. Both observers are employed in in-flight applications. The results of the former SMO are analyzed for post-flight updating the baseline model of the latter. This idea is practical and feasible since the updating process does not require the algorithm to be regulated or redesigned, so that ground-based intervention is avoided, and the update process is implemented in an economical and efficient way. With this setup, the robustness of the proposed scheme to the health degradation is much enhanced and the latter SMO is able to fulfill sensor fault reconstruction over the course of the engine life. The proposed sensor fault diagnostic system is applied to a nonlinear simulation of a commercial aircraft engine, and its effectiveness is evaluated in several fault scenarios.
Direct Electrochemical Detection of Bisphenol A Using a Highly Conductive Graphite Nanoparticle Film Electrode
Authors: Dong Xinwei , Qi Xiaoli , Liu Na , Yang Yuesuo , Piao Yunxian
Published: April 2017

We developed an accurate and sensitive sensor for electrochemical detection of bisphenol A (BPA) with a high-conductivity graphite nanoparticle (GN) film electrode. The GNs consisted of several stacked graphene sheets and showed a homogenous spherical shape, high conductivity, large surface area and good adsorption properties to BPA. The constructed GN film electrode exhibited improved amperometric current responses such as decreased impedance and lowered BPA oxidation potential compared with those of a pristine electrode, and also possessed a large surface area to allow fast electron transfer and BPA accumulation. A pre-accumulation process with BPA adsorption resulted in considerable current signal enhancement during BPA detection. The loading amount of GNs on the film electrode and the time for target BPA enrichment were optimized. The GN film electrode-based sensor showed high reproducibility and high selectivity for BPA over other reagents. Differential pulse voltammetry experiments revealed that the concentrations of BPA were linearly correlated with the current changes, and the lowest limit of detection of the sensor was 35 nM. Furthermore, the sensor showed great accuracy and reliability, as confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography measurements. The sensor was also successfully used for BPA determination in groundwater samples, demonstrating its potential for real environmental analysis.
Registration of Vehicle-Borne Point Clouds and Panoramic Images Based on Sensor Constellations
Authors: Yao Lianbi , Wu Hangbin , Li Yayun , Meng Bin , Qian Jinfei , Liu Chun , Fan Hongchao
Published: April 2017

A mobile mapping system (MMS) is usually utilized to collect environmental data on and around urban roads. Laser scanners and panoramic cameras are the main sensors of an MMS. This paper presents a new method for the registration of the point clouds and panoramic images based on sensor constellation. After the sensor constellation was analyzed, a feature point, the intersection of the connecting line between the global positioning system (GPS) antenna and the panoramic camera with a horizontal plane, was utilized to separate the point clouds into blocks. The blocks for the central and sideward laser scanners were extracted with the segmentation feature points. Then, the point clouds located in the blocks were separated from the original point clouds. Each point in the blocks was used to find the accurate corresponding pixel in the relative panoramic images via a collinear function, and the position and orientation relationship amongst different sensors. A search strategy is proposed for the correspondence of laser scanners and lenses of panoramic cameras to reduce calculation complexity and improve efficiency. Four cases of different urban road types were selected to verify the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method. Results indicate that most of the point clouds (with an average of 99.7%) were successfully registered with the panoramic images with great efficiency. Geometric evaluation results indicate that horizontal accuracy was approximately 0.10–0.20 m, and vertical accuracy was approximately 0.01–0.02 m for all cases. Finally, the main factors that affect registration accuracy, including time synchronization amongst different sensors, system positioning and vehicle speed, are discussed.
Piezoelectric Actuated Phase Shifter Based on External Laser Interferometer: Design, Control and Experimental Validation
Authors: Li Peng-Zhi , Wang Xiao-Dong , Sui Yong-Xin , Zhang De-Fu , Wang Dong-Fang , Dong Li-Jian , Ni Ming-Yang
Published: April 2017

To improve the phase-shifting accuracy, this paper presents a novel integrated framework for design, control and experimental validation of the piezoelectric actuated phase shifter with a trade-off between accuracy and cost. The piezoelectric actuators with built-in sensors are adopted to drive the double parallel four-bar linkage flexure hinge-based mechanisms. Three mechanisms form the tripod structure of the assembled phase shifter. Then, a semi-closed loop controller with inner feedback and outer feedforward loops via the external laser interferometer is developed for accurate positioning of the phase shifter. Finally, experiments related with travel range, step response, linearity and repeatability are carried out. The linearity error is 0.21% and the repeatability error of 10 μ m displacement is 3 nm. The results clearly demonstrate the good performance of the developed phase shifter and the feasibility of the proposed integrated framework.
Correlation between Desertification and Environmental Variables Using Remote Sensing Techniques in Hogno Khaan, Mongolia
Authors: Lamchin Munkhnasan , Lee Woo-Kyun , Jeon Seong , Lee Jong-Yeol , Song Cholho , Piao Dongfan , Lim Chul , Khaulenbek Akhmadi , Navaandorj Itgelt
Published: April 2017

In this paper, we used Landsat thematic mapper (TM) and enhanced thematic mapper (ETM) data from 1990, 2002, and 2011 to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of desertification using seven factors; the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the topsoil grain size index (TGSI), land surface albedo, the topographic wetness index (TWI), land surface temperature (LST), the perpendicular drought index (PDI), and the elevation of Hogno Khaan, which lies in a semiarid region of central Mongolia. We normalized the indicators, determined their weights, and defined five levels of desertification; none, low, medium, high, and severe. Sets of rules were constructed, and a multi-criteria evaluation (MCE) approach was used to assess desertification and test the correlations between the seven variables in comparison to the different levels of desertification, with field and reference data used for accuracy. We provide a review of the literature on MCE applied to desertification assessment issues based on satellite data. At the first step, major desertification factors were computed for satellite data. The next step was the construction of pairwise comparison matrix. Then, the weight of each factor was determined by the contribution of an analytical hierarchy process. Finally, the susceptible areas to desertification in the study area were identified using a multi-criteria evaluation method. We found that more than 15% of the total land area in Hogno Khaan suffered from severe desertification in 2011, increasing from 7% in 1990. Our analysis showed that the highest correlations were between TGSI and albedo, PDI and TGSI, and PDI and albedo at all levels of desertification. LST was less strongly correlated with TGSI, albedo, and PDI. The correlation of TWI with PDI and NDVI in the non- and low desertification areas produced R values of 0.15 and 0.58, respectively. The correlation analysis indicated a significant positive correlation between TWI and both NDVI and PDI for all years in non- and low desertification areas. Comparing elevation and NDVI, the highest correlation was found for severe desertification in 2002, although correlations for severe desertification were lower in 1990 and 2011.
Household Smart Water Metering in Spain: Insights from the Experience of Remote Meter Reading in Alicante
Authors: March Hug , Morote Álvaro-Francisco , Rico Antonio-Manuel , Saurí David
Published: April 2017

Since the past few years, the smart city paradigm has been influencing sustainable urban water resources management. Smart metering schemes for end users have become an important strategy for water utilities to have an in-depth and fine-grained knowledge about urban water use. Beyond reducing certain labor costs, such as those related to manual meter reading, such detailed and continuous flow of information is said to enhance network efficiency and improve water planning by having more detailed demand patterns and forecasts. Research focusing on those initiatives has been very prolific in countries such as Australia. However, less academic attention has been paid to the development of smart metering in other geographies. This paper focuses on smart water metering in Spain and, more particularly, documents and reflects on the experience of the city of Alicante (southeastern Spain), a pioneer case of massive deployment of remote reading of water meters at the household level and for large urban customers. Through data and interviews with water managers from the water utility, we shed light on the costs and early benefits, as well as the potentialities and (unexpected) problems of this technology to contribute to more sustainable urban water cycles.
Human Exposure Risk Assessment Due to Heavy Metals in Groundwater by Pollution Index and Multivariate Statistical Methods: A Case Study from South Africa
Authors: Elumalai Vetrimurugan , Brindha K. , Lakshmanan Elango
Published: April 2017

Heavy metals in surface and groundwater were analysed and their sources were identified using multivariate statistical tools for two towns in South Africa. Human exposure risk through the drinking water pathway was also assessed. Electrical conductivity values showed that groundwater is desirable to permissible for drinking except for six locations. Concentration of aluminium, lead and nickel were above the permissible limit for drinking at all locations. Boron, cadmium, iron and manganese exceeded the limit at few locations. Heavy metal pollution index based on ten heavy metals indicated that 85% of the area had good quality water, but 15% was unsuitable. Human exposure dose through the drinking water pathway indicated no risk due to boron, nickel and zinc, moderate risk due to cadmium and lithium and high risk due to silver, copper, manganese and lead. Hazard quotients were high in all sampling locations for humans of all age groups, indicating that groundwater is unsuitable for drinking purposes. Highly polluted areas were located near the coast, close to industrial operations and at a landfill site representing human-induced pollution. Factor analysis identified the four major pollution sources as: (1) industries; (2) mining and related activities; (3) mixed sources- geogenic and anthropogenic and (4) fertilizer application.
Individual utilisation thresholds and exploring how GPs’ knowledge of their patients affects diagnosis: a qualitative study in primary care
Authors: Michiels-Corsten Matthias , Bösner Stefan , Donner-Banzhoff Norbert
Published: April 2017

Background

One of the tenets of general practice is that continuity of care has a beneficial effect on patient care. However, little is known about how continuity can have an impact on the diagnostic reasoning of GPs.

Aim

To explore GPs’ diagnostic strategies by examining GPs’ reflections on their patients’ individual thresholds for seeking medical attention, how they arrive at their estimations, and which conclusions they draw.

Design and setting

Qualitative study with 12 GPs in urban and rural practices in Germany.

Method

After each patient consultation GPs were asked to reflect on their diagnostic reasoning for that particular case. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of consultations and interview content were undertaken.

Results

A total of 295 primary care consultations were recorded, 134 of which contained at least one diagnostic episode. When elaborating on known patients, GPs frequently commented on how ‘early’ or ‘late’ in an illness progression a patient tended to consult. The probability of serious disease was accordingly regarded as high or low. This influenced GPs’ behaviour regarding further investigations or referrals, as well as reassurance and watchful waiting. GPs’ explanations for a patient’s utilisation threshold comprised medical history, the patient’s characteristics, family background, the media, and external circumstances.

Conclusion

The concept of an individual threshold for the utilisation of primary care would explain how GPs use their knowledge of individual patients and their previous help-seeking behaviour for their diagnostic decision making. Whether the assumption behind this concept is valid, and whether its use improves diagnostic accuracy, remains to be investigated.
Investigation of growth dynamics of carbon nanotubes
Authors: Kharlamova Marianna V
Published: April 2017

The synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with defined properties is required for both fundamental investigations and practical applications. The revealing and thorough understanding of the growth mechanism of SWCNTs is the key to the synthesis of nanotubes with required properties. This paper reviews the current status of the research on the investigation of growth dynamics of carbon nanotubes. The review starts with the consideration of the peculiarities of the growth mechanism of carbon nanotubes. The physical and chemical states of the catalyst during the nanotube growth are discussed. The chirality selective growth of nanotubes is described. The main part of the review is dedicated to the analysis and systematization of the reported results on the investigation of growth dynamics of nanotubes. The studies on the revealing of the dependence of the growth rate of nanotubes on the synthesis parameters are reviewed. The correlation between the lifetime of catalyst and growth rate of nanotubes is discussed. The reports on the calculation of the activation energy of the nanotube growth are summarized. Finally, the growth properties of inner tubes inside SWCNTs are considered.
Ultrasound-promoted organocatalytic enamine–azide [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions for the synthesis of ((arylselanyl)phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)ketones
Authors: Costa Gabriel P , Seus Natália , Roehrs Juliano A , Jacob Raquel G , Schumacher Ricardo F , Barcellos Thiago , Luque Rafael , Alves Diego
Published: April 2017

The use of sonochemistry is described in the organocatalytic enamine–azide [3 + 2] cycloaddition between 1,3-diketones and aryl azidophenyl selenides. These sonochemically promoted reactions were found to be amenable to a range of 1,3-diketones or aryl azidophenyl selenides, providing an efficient access to new ((arylselanyl)phenyl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)ketones in good to excellent yields and short reaction times. In addition, this protocol was extended to β-keto esters, β-keto amides and α-cyano ketones. Selanyltriazoyl carboxylates, carboxamides and carbonitriles were synthesized in high yields at short times of reaction under very mild reaction conditions.
De la scientificité de la psychiatrie francophone. Unité linguistique et continuité historique des représentations de la santé mentale au Québec entre 1948 et 1960
Authors: Klein Alexandre
Published: April 2017

Contre une tradition historiographique qui sépare les psychiatries québécoises anglophone et francophone pour mieux affirmer le retard scientifique et thérapeutique de cette dernière, cet article s’attache à démontrer la scientificité des recherches psychiatriques francophones dans le Québec des années 1950. Pour ce faire, il analyse un corpus d’articles de psychiatres québécois francophones publiés dans différentes revues médicales canadiennes entre 1948 et 1960, afin de mettre en lumière la continuité et l’unité de l’histoire de la santé mentale dans cette province canadienne.
Didactique de l’écriture : le déjà-là des pratiques d’écriture numérique
Authors: Penloup Marie-Claude
Published: April 2017

Dans un contexte d’explosion des pratiques d’écriture numériques des élèves hors situation scolaire, l’article propose la prise en compte de ce « déjà-là » dans la classe de français. Ancrée en sociolinguistique, la réflexion s’inscrit dans la lignée des travaux menés sur les écrits ordinaires mais emprunte aussi aux cultural studies . L’écriture numérique non scolaire y est envisagée comme une aubaine pour l’enseignement du français au motif qu’elle offre l’occasion d’étudier linguistiquement une variété spécifique du français écrit et, dans le même temps, d’engager une didactique de la variation langagière dont l’absence est posée comme préjudiciable à la maitrise de la norme. Mais l’article invite aussi à s’intéresser, à travers les témoignages de trois futures enseignantes, à ces écrits narratifs en ligne que sont les fanfictions et aux apprentissages de l’écriture qu’ils engendrent au sein de communautés bienveillantes. Il y a là un champ de recherche encore trop peu investi par les didacticiens du français.
De la compétence littéraire à l’expérience du pouvoir des mots
Authors: Dall’Armellina Luc
Published: April 2017

À partir de l’expérience d’un atelier d’écritures mené en 2014 à l’université de Cergy-Pontoise, avec les étudiants du master « Médiation Culturelle », cet article propose d’interroger la place des pratiques artistiques à l’école et à l’université. Il entend de le faire en regard du statut de l’œuvre d’art, des particularités des écritures numériques et des cultures institutionnelles dans lesquelles elles prennent place. Il montre que, si le dispositif collaboratif de l’atelier s’appuie sur une convivialité fondatrice, il révèle aussi une vision élargie de l’élève comme sujet sensible. L’écriture créative ne vise donc (sans pour autant les écarter) ni le savoir disciplinaire ni la maitrise didactique, mais l’expérience créative de la singularité.
La Réaction parfumée : les « petits musqués » de la Révolution
Authors: Perras Jean-Alexandre
Published: April 2017

La figure politique du muscadin est aussi persistante que l’odeur de musc dont elle tire son nom. Si cette construction polémique jacobine a d’abord permis d’incarner les ennemis de la Révolution, elle est devenue au cours du xix e  siècle le symbole de l’aristocratie réactionnaire, de ses ridicules et de ses excès. Réels ou supposés, ces usages politiques du parfum permettent de montrer comment l’olfaction contribue à constituer, sur un mode polémique des catégories sociales.
Lettres parfumées, correspondances fatales
Authors: Krueger Cheryl
Published: April 2017

Cet article se concentre sur la présence aromatique de deux lettres fictives que nous lisons dans le cadre des pratiques sociales du xix e  siècle relatives au parfum. Ces épisodes épistolaires mettent en scène la complexité de l’interprétation des odeurs socialement déchiffrables, en reliant la fragrance au déséquilibre physique et psychologique. Comme les écrits extra-littéraires de l’époque, ces romans expriment une confusion sournoise entre les miasmes et les fragrances cosmétiques, qui reflète et alimente des attitudes contradictoires à l’égard de la femme qui se parfume.
Un maître
Authors: Dumas Robert
Published: April 2017

Pour le médecin Dagognet, le premier de nos outils, le corps multiple et un, pourrait bien donner à la médiologie son fondement anthropologique.
Une pensée prolétaire
Authors: Pasteur Julien
Published: April 2017

En allant fouiller l’envers du décor, la philosophie du pauvre ne serait-elle pas la plus riche des philosophies ?
Espionnez-vous les uns les autres
Authors: Lavillatte Bruno
Published: April 2017

Jusqu’ici, les services de renseignement recrutaient leurs sources comme on cherche une aiguille dans une botte de foin. À l’ère des réseaux sociaux en ligne, chaque fétu de paille s’offre en aiguille à saisir.
Pour Malraux
Authors: Lecarme Jacques
Published: April 2017

Avec son livre tardif et posthume, L’Homme précaire et la littérature , Malraux se révèle une fois de plus médiologue. C’est sous cet angle que Jacques Lecarme, malrucien émérite, examine la réédition de cet ouvrage dans le tome 6 et dernier de La Pléiade.
Delirium and Dementia: Bedside Assessment of Confusional States
Authors: Linck John F. , Copeland Christopher T. , Lokhande Akshay , Baranskaya Irina , Wadhwa Roopma , Shah Asim A. , Ostermeyer Britta
Published: April 2017

Inpatient assessments evaluating the possible diagnoses of delirium or dementia often involve a team approach and can be considered complex, multifaceted processes. Identification and immediate attention to delirium is especially important, as it is a commonly underdiagnosed and potentially life-threatening disorder with numerous possible etiological contributors. Identification of delirium may be especially difficult when it manifests with its most prevalent, hypoactive subtype or when superimposed on another major neurocognitive disorder. A careful review of the patient's medical chart and a detailed history review, familiarity with dementia and delirium clinical features, and implementation of bedside screening assessments may facilitate diagnostic accuracy and appropriate treatment. This article reviews evidence-based bedside assessments for delirium and dementia as well as indications for more thorough neuropsychological testing.

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Psychiatr Ann
. 2017;47(4):177–183.]
Acute Management of Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders: A Review
Authors: Foote Elizabeth , Dukes Charles H.
Published: April 2017

A variety of intoxication and withdrawal syndrome cases commonly present to the emergency department and are brought to the attention of the consultation-liaison psychiatrist. The most common intoxication and withdrawal syndromes seen in this setting include alcohol, stimulants, opioids, and cannabinoids. After completion of an appropriate medical evaluation and assessment of the particular intoxication or withdrawal syndrome, effective treatment methods for these disorders can be applied with good outcomes in many cases. Knowledge of these common syndromes allows the consultation-liaison psychiatrist to provide these proven treatment methods, improving patient morbidity and mortality associated with these syndromes.

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Psychiatr Ann
. 2017;47(4):192–199.]
Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
Authors: Holster Jessica , Hawks Erin M. , Ostermeyer Britta
Published: April 2017

Somatic symptom and other related disorders are chronic and difficult psychiatric presentations for providers to assess, diagnose, and treat and are seen more in the medical than psychiatric setting. Because patients with these disorders are commonly referred to the consultation-liaison service, it is important for hospital-based mental health professionals to understand these illnesses. Identifying and differentiating between these diagnoses requires an understanding of several factors, including the patient's medical history, circumstances that may be driving behavior, and careful evaluation of the patient's awareness of these factors. Such factors are also essential in directing treatment, which tends to be time intensive and prolonged. This article provides an illustrative case and general guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses under the category of somatic symptoms and related disorders.

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Psychiatr Ann

.
2017;47(4):184–191.]
Chemotherapy, Immunotherapy, and Psychotropic Use in Cancer Patients: A Review of Psychiatric Side Effects
Authors: Kurkjian Natalie , Tucker Phebe , Ostermeyer Britta , Valentine Alan
Published: April 2017

Psychiatry consultation-liaison services are often called to evaluate patients with cancer. As consults for psychiatric issues, such as delirium, mood changes, or anxiety, remain common in cancer patients, it is important to evaluate the complete clinical picture including any cancer treatments that may affect the patient's medical presentation. Although the consulting psychiatrist may be well-versed in common medical etiological factors for psychiatric problems, when assessing cancer patients, it's an added benefit to patients if clinicians are also familiar with the chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments that may contribute to psychopathology. In this article, we review the psychiatric side effects and complications associated with established chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments. In addition, we consider the use of psychotropic medications that may also adversely affect cancer patients.

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Psychiatr Ann
. 2017;47(4):200–205.]