bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transient High-energy Gamma-Rays and Neutrinos from Nearby Type II Supernovae
Authors: Wang Kai , Huang Tian-Qi , Li Zhuo
Published: February 2019

A dense wind environment (or circumstellar medium) may be ubiquitous in regular Type II supernovae (SNe II) before explosion, the interaction of which with the SN ejecta could result in a wind breakout event. The shock generated by the interaction of the SN ejecta and the wind can accelerate protons and subsequently high-energy gamma-rays and neutrinos could arise from inelastic pp collisions. In this work, we present detailed calculations of gamma-ray and neutrino production for regular SNe II. The calculations are executed by applying time-dependent evolution of dynamic and proton distributions so that the emission can be shown at different times. Our results show, for the SN 2013fs-like wind environment, multi-GeV and a few hundred TeV gamma-rays are detectable with a time window of several days at ≲2–3 Mpc by Fermi/LAT and the Cerenkov Telescopes Array during the ejecta–wind interaction, respectively, and can be detected at a further distance if the wind environment is denser. We find the contribution of wind breakouts of regular SNe II to diffusing neutrino flux is subdominant by assuming all SNe II are SN 2013fs-like, whereas for a denser wind environment the contribution could be conspicuous above 300 TeV.
Radio Sources in the Nearby Universe
Authors: Condon J. J. , Matthews A. M. , Broderick J. J.
Published: February 2019

We identified 15,658 NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS) radio sources among the 55,288 2 Micron All-Sky Survey eXtended (2MASX) galaxies brighter than k
20fe = 12.25 at λ = 2.16 μm and covering the Ω = 7.016 sr of sky defined by J2000 δ > −40° and

. The complete sample of 15,043 galaxies with 1.4 GHz flux densities S ≥ 2.45 mJy contains a 99.9% spectroscopically complete subsample of 9517 galaxies with k
20fe ≤ 11.75. We used only radio and infrared data to quantitatively distinguish radio sources powered primarily by recent star formation from those powered by active galactic nuclei. The radio sources with

that we used to derive the local spectral luminosity and power-density functions account for >99% of the total 1.4 GHz spectral power densities

and

in the universe today, and the spectroscopic subsample is large enough that the quoted errors are dominated by cosmic variance. The recent comoving star formation rate density indicated by U
SF is

.
Carrières de nobles hongrois à la cour de France sous l’Ancien Régime
Authors: Tóth Ferenc
Published: February 2019

La cour de Versailles, œuvre de Louis XIV, représentait un moyen d’ascension sociale pour les nobles européens émigrés. Parmi ceux-ci, nous trouvons quelques aristocrates hongrois qui firent des carrières intéressantes durant la dernière période de l’Ancien Régime. L’émigration hongroise vers la France commença à la fin du xviie siècle et s’accrut sensiblement après la guerre d’indépendance hongroise (1703-1711). François II Rákóczi, allié oriental de Louis XIV, trouva un refuge au sein de la cour de celui-ci. Son intégration y fut facilitée par ses liens familiaux, mais il devait vivre à Versailles incognito et son entourage faisait face à des problèmes financiers. Finalement, il quitta la France en 1717 dans l’espoir de retrouver son trône. Les immigrés hongrois restant en France étaient intégrés dans les nouveaux régiments de hussards. Leur chef charismatique, le comte Ladislas de Berchény, tira parti de ses bonnes relations avec le beau-père de Louis XV, Stanislas Leszczynski, dont il obtint des charges importantes. Profitant de l’appui de la reine, il reçut à la fin de sa vie le bâton de maréchal. Un autre cas de carrière est présenté : celle du comte Valentin-Ladislas d’Esterhazy, fils d’un colonel de régiment de hussards français. Il gagna la sympathie et la confiance de Marie-Antoinette, qui le combla de ses grâces. En 1780, il fut nommé général et, en 1787, membre du Conseil de la guerre. Dans cette étude, nous présentons, par le biais de divers cas de figure, une synthèse sur l’histoire de l’immigration de nobles hongrois à la cour de France au temps des Lumières. À travers leurs liens avec des personnages influents, nous essayons de montrer les éléments et le fonctionnement des réseaux qui permettaient ou empêchaient leur carrière dans la cour royale.
The Need to Establish a Long-Term Ecological Research Network in Morocco as a Tool to Monitor Ecosystems Under Climate Change
Authors: Karmaoui Ahmed , Zerouali Siham
Published: February 2019

Several countries are associated with the long-term ecological research (LTER) program, while others are in the process of joining the network. In Morocco, there is an urgent need to be a member of this network because the diversity of challenges associated with the various ecosystems requires multidisciplinary long-term studies. The chapter discusses this need by assessing the environmental vulnerability of Morocco basing on data from the environmental vulnerability index profile. Ecosystem change and vulnerability were investigated at the sites within the LTER program by exploring the criteria of the selected sites. The driving forces, pressures, states, impacts, responses framework would be a useful approach to study and explain the ecological changes of each selected site. The chapter highlights the purpose, significance, the mission, objectives, and the international cooperation of the proposed LTER network called Mo-LTER.
Impact of Climatic Changes on Earth's Survival
Authors: Akash  , Navneet
Published: February 2019

Every species' survival on earth is dependent on each other for their demand and dependent on the environment and various other sources. These resources include fresh food, clean drinking water, timber for construction, natural gas and coal for industries, fibers for clothing. All the human activity affects the environment severely in different ways. The biggest threats to the environment are climatic changes. Climate is an important factor that affects all survival on earth. The different pollutants, transport, dispersion, chemical transformation, as well as the deposition can be affected by meteorological variable such as humidity, wind, temperature. Climatic changes are expected to worsen the quality of air and water by changing the atmospheric processes and chemistry. Not only human beings but every aspect of the ecosystem is affected due to the changing climate. This chapter will explore the impacts of climatic changes on biodiversity by various activities of humans. Additionally, it will sketch how the impacts can be reduced by plants.
Climate Change and Its Impacts on Oases Ecosystem in Morocco
Authors: El Mokhtar Mohamed Ait , Ben Laouane Raja , Anli Mohamed , Boutasknit Abderrahim , Fakhech Abdessamad , Wahbi Said , Meddich Abdelilah
Published: February 2019

Today, the international community agrees that climate change is one of the most important threats to the equilibrium of ecosystems. For its part, Morocco is not immune to this phenomenon because of climatic disturbances that the country has known for several years. Moroccan oases are among the most affected ecosystems by climate change, which has resulted in reduced yields of agricultural production, poverty, and deterioration of natural resources. The reports showed that in Morocco the area of palm groves has been significantly reduced during the last decades resulting from the upsurge of drought phenomena, soil salinity, and the spread of “Bayoud.” Therefore, the deterioration of the socio-economic and environmental importance of the date palm is well established. Aware of these issues, many actions have been initiated by the Moroccan government to preserve this ecosystem. The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of how climate change affects different levels of oases ecosystem in Morocco and to propose sustainable strategies to limit degradation of this vulnerable area.
Ecosystem Services, Climate Change, and Food Security
Authors: Siddiqui Samreen
Published: February 2019

Food security is a rising concern around the world, especially in developing countries within arid and semi-arid regions. Ecosystem provides different services to support living and human survival, which includes some major food sources around the world like agriculture, fisheries, and livestock. With advancing times, humans improved these services and produced enough food to support the rising population. However, with increasing greenhouse gases, a new problem came into existence, commonly known as climate change (CC), which accelerated issues like food security and safety. Under such issues, people don't have access to basic facilities and food supply to survive, and with future population growth estimates, it is becoming even more difficult. Some major food sources together with alternate sources are discussed in this chapter. Upcoming CC impacts are discussed in detail in relation to major food sources and supported by world maps to provide a better picture. Major actions, government initiatives, and some suggestions are also provided to overcome this global crisis.
Simulators as an Essential Tool for Shaping the Competence of the Aviation Personnel
Authors: Kozuba Jarosław , Sładkowski Aleksander
Published: February 2019

The implementation of the aviation tasks, including the preparatory ones, is a difficult, complex task requiring from the aviation personnel a high level of general, technical, and specialist knowledge and a wide range of skills, appropriate to the type of technical tools and systems being at the disposal of the aviation personnel as well as the complexity and difficulty of their tasks. Particular importance is currently attached to the development of training devices used in the basic training and in-service training of the aviation personnel. The authors have referred to the role of simulators in achieving the desired level of specialist competence by flight personnel, including, among others, such issues as aircraft simulators development, and their application in the aviation training; aircraft simulators classification in accordance with current aviation regulations; essential functions performed by aviation simulators; flight simulator is an essential tool for basic and in-service training of the aviation personnel.
Human Capital Development
Authors: Joureih Mazen
Published: February 2019

The main purpose of the chapter is to provide a contemporary view of human capital (HC) based on recent research and from a theoretical perspective. Based on this, the chapter demonstrates the significance of individual knowledge, skills, and qualifications—human capital—for organizational outcomes and consequently economic growth. Although the concept of HC can be traced back to the work of Schultz with a considerable body of literature, the inherent dilemma with HC is that, unlike the organizational capital that a firm possesses, HC is an intangible asset that can simply leave and never return. Recently, an emerging stream of literature has attempted to unify both the individual and organizational level perspectives of HC and examine how they are related to competitive advantage. Given these considerations, in this chapter, HC will be viewed as a bridging concept where HC serves as a link between human resource (HR) practices and organizational performance in terms of building a worker as an asset. The chapter also presents the key approaches to HC measurement.
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Authors: Martins Ana , Martins Isabel , Pereira Orlando Petiz
Published: February 2019

The main objective of this chapter focuses on the relationship between entrepreneurship, innovation, and its effects on business sustainability. The authors reflect on the personality traits that are essential for an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is a mindset focused on identifying opportunities of economic value and translates into the pursuit of business opportunities through innovation. This perspective underlines the need to develop an individual for the globalized world; this development is the strategic key for economic and social development. The objective of this study is to explore how social capital, which is established between the entrepreneur and other economic role players, both inside and outside the organization, is a determinant for developing the entrepreneurial capacity. However, this depends on the organizational culture to focus on innovation. In this context, entrepreneurship is regarded as “entrepreneurial capital” affording the organization to enhance those skills needed to accomplish organizational sustainability.
Key Factors in the Development of Tourism-Led Local Innovative Heritage Entrepreneurship in the South Wales Valleys
Authors: Powell Lisa Marie , Thomas Simon
Published: February 2019

This chapter investigates key factors in the development of tourism-led local innovative heritage entrepreneurship in the South Wales Valleys. It is concerned with opportunities to develop industrial heritage tourism enterprises in the South Wales Valleys, with special reference to Merthyr Tydfil. The analysis involved key partners across community and voluntary sectors, local authorities, funding and tourism bodies under the auspices of the Welsh Government. The research reported on eight case study structured interviews and collated data to investigate, in combination with contemporary literature, key factors including network capital to achieve a sustainable regeneration scheme for innovative heritage entrepreneurship development.
Earnings Quality and Firm Valuation
Authors: Pimentel Liliana Marques , Jorge Susana Margarida Faustino
Published: February 2019

The quality of earnings is a summary metric in firm performance evaluation and a focal question to assess the quality of accounting information. A high-quality earnings figure will reflect a firm's current operating performance, being a good indicator of future operating performance; it also accurately annuitizes the intrinsic value of the firm. The multidimensional nature of the earnings quality (EQ) concept has given form to a multiplicity of constructs and measures. This chapter offers a systematic literature review on EQ and its implication on firm value. On the one hand, it discusses the different existent definitions of EQ and the multidimensional nature of the concept; on the other hand, it highlights a “new” EQ perspective taking into account the virtuosities of the residual income model. An empirical model is proposed that reinterprets rebuilding the linear information dynamics in relation to market value added and captures, in a composite measure, the three-dimensional facet of the EQ concept: persistence, predictability, and informativeness of earnings.
Earnings Management and Mergers and Acquisitions
Authors: Casciello Raffaela , Caldarelli Adele , Maffei Marco
Published: February 2019

This chapter investigates whether Italian-listed companies involved in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) during the period 2009–2017 manipulated earnings through recourse to discretionary accruals in response to financial market competition. Interest in the possible effects of competition on earnings management practices follows the considerable attention attracted by the effects of business combinations on disclosure quality and reliability. M&A represents an opportunity for managers to manipulate financial reports and to deliver misleading market information in order to enhance company reputation and attract funds from investors. This empirical analysis demonstrates that Italian-listed companies involved in M&A used goodwill as a discretionary accrual for managing earnings. The findings indicate that the increasing level of financial market competition between Italian-listed companies prompted major recourse to earnings management practices based on discretionary accruals.
Earnings Management in SMEs
Authors: Sousa Andreia , Góis Cristina Gonçalves , Viseu Clara
Published: February 2019

Although small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are represented on a large scale around the world, the literature on earnings management (EM) has focused mainly on listed firms. In this sense, this chapter provides important insights on the determinants and main incentives for EM in the context of Portuguese and Spanish SMEs, over a period of 10 years, also considering two relevant macroeconomic events (financial crisis and entry into force of harmonized accounting regulations). The results obtained are similar for both countries and are intended to underline the possible positive effects of reducing these practices after the entry into force of a harmonized accounting standard with the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) standards and also to warn against the possible negative effects of managers' opportunistic behavior during a period of financial crisis. The close association between accounting and taxation, since the calculation of the tax income depends partly on the accounting income, remains an incentive to engage in EM practices.
Earnings Management and Audit in Private Firms
Authors: Paiva Inna Sousa , Dias Paulo Varela
Published: February 2019

This chapter examines the relationship between the level of earnings management and the audit in private firms under the influence of financial crisis recuperation, using a sample of Ireland and Portuguese firms from 2008 to 2016. The authors use accruals methodology, namely four earnings management measures to capture earnings management in private firms. Multivariate statistical analysis was applied using the traditional multiple regression technique. Empirical results show that private firms with audited financial statements have powerful incentives to expropriate wealth from minority shareholders, pursuing their own interests at the expense of non-controlling shareholders. They also find that the private firms with audited financial statements in years under adjustment programs demonstrated lower level of earnings management. This study contributes to the accounting literature by providing empirical evidence for the effects of audit and earnings management in private firms in a financial recuperation context.
Big Data and High-Performance Analyses and Processes
Authors: Kashyap Ramgopal
Published: February 2019

The period of vast information and examination has arrived and is changing the world significantly. The field of information frameworks ought to be at the bleeding edge of comprehension and deciphering the effect of the two innovations and administration to lead the endeavors of business to inquire about in the information period. In this chapter, the author investigates administrative issues of business change coming about because of the original appropriation and inventive uses of information sciences in business. The author ends by giving an analysis of big data that covers all the analytical processes and future research headings.
Ecosystem Service Evaluation for Landscape Planning Policies
Authors: Salizzoni Emma
Published: February 2019

Ecosystem services (ES) are the subject of a constantly growing attention at the international level. Although in the most recent years significant progresses in ES evaluation have been made, important methodological challenges still exist. Among these, data availability is perhaps the most urgent one. High quality, spatially explicit, appropriate to the evaluation scale, and accessible data are needed to pursue an effective and reliable ES evaluation. These criteria drove the selection of data in a research relating to the assessment and valuation of forest ecosystem services (FES) in the Sardinia Region. However, it is not always possible to reach such data-quality targets. Big data could be an important resource to fill information gaps in the field of ES evaluation, though certain big data limitations suggest their careful management. Starting from the current research's outcomes with regard to assessment and valuation of FES in the Sardinia Region, the role of big data for supporting ES evaluation is eventually addressed.
Let's Riff Off RIFS (Relevant, Interesting, Fun, and Social)
Authors: Joordens Steve , Kapoor Aakriti , Hofman Bob
Published: February 2019

Online learning allows one to escape traditional constraints and to create learning experiences that allow interactions, and support learning, that would be difficult or impossible in brick and mortar contexts. In this chapter, the authors present a new RIFS taxonomy (Relevance, Interestingness, Fun, and Sociality) to highlight the factors that can make a learning experience especially engaging. They then discuss what they want students to learn when they are engaged in support of 21st century learning. With this context, they describe an initiative called The Global Teenager Project as a concrete example of how, with heavy support from online technologies, these factors can be combined to produce deep learning that students truly find meaningful.
Taking Responsibility for the Future
Authors: Linton Jayme Nixon , Journell Wayne
Published: February 2019

Although K–12 online education is becoming more common in the United States, there is still much we do not know about how K–12 online teachers are being prepared. Given that few teacher education programs include online pedagogy in their teacher training efforts, it becomes incumbent on states to find alternative ways to prepare teachers for virtual instruction. This chapter analyzes a nine-week orientation session that is part of an established, state-run induction program for prospective K–12 online instructors. Although the findings are specific to the program being studied, the authors believe they can serve as a model for educators in other states wishing to develop similar types of induction programs to meet the rising demand for K–12 online instruction in the United States.
An Empirical Study of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in the Nigerian Health Sector
Authors: Balogun Jeremiah Ademola , Idowu Peter Adebayo , Egejuru Ngozi Chidozie , Aderounmu Temilade
Published: February 2019

This study focuses on the assessment of different ICT tools used by Nigerian health workers. Structured questionnaires were used to collect information from 106 respondents. The questionnaire consists of 5 sections, namely: demographics, extent of use of ICT, tasks and activities carried out with ICT, the year of adoption of ICT. Descriptive statistics tools were used for data summarization and visualization. The results showed that the ICT devices were more commonly used among females than male medical personnel which were most common among the age group of 26-30 years and were nurses and doctors with less than 5 years' experience. The earliest ICT tool adopted was the PC in 1994 followed by mobile phones and search engines in 1996 and the projector in 2001. A majority of the health workers used ICT for administrative functions followed by research and personal work. ICT majorly impacted ICT by promoting collaboration among physicians, quicker medical diagnoses of diseases, increased efficiency and facilitated remote consultation, diagnoses and treatment.
Mental Health Clinical Decision Support Exploiting Big Data
Authors: Kalina Jan
Published: February 2019

The complexity of clinical decision-making is immensely increasing with the advent of big data with a clinical relevance. Clinical decision systems represent useful e-health tools applicable to various tasks within the clinical decision-making process. This chapter is devoted to basic principles of clinical decision support systems and their benefits for healthcare and patient safety. Big data is crucial input for clinical decision support systems and is helpful in the task to find the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. Statistical challenges of analyzing big data in psychiatry are overviewed, with a particular interest for psychiatry. Various barriers preventing telemedicine tools from expanding to the field of mental health are discussed. The development of decision support systems is claimed here to play a key role in the development of information-based medicine, particularly in psychiatry. Information technology will be ultimately able to combine various information sources including big data to present and enforce a holistic information-based approach to psychiatric care.
Guiding Online Graduate Special Education Candidates Through E-Performance Assessments and edTPA
Authors: Rush Charmion , Cooper-Duffy Karena J.
Published: February 2019

As online teacher preparation programs continue to grow, guiding the process for edTPA candidates can pose varying challenges. As such, teacher preparation programs must be equipped to provide guidance to online candidates as they complete the actionable items required for edTPA. Provided from the field supervisors' perspective, this chapter outlines the current process Western Carolina University has in place to provide effective clinical and teacher candidate experiences for students in their online program. The purpose of this chapter provides guided structure for graduate special education teachers pursing initial licensure through an online masters' program. This chapter will include 1) the challenges of guiding online students through the e-portfolio process, 2) an exploration of the provided structure for the teacher candidates to fulfill the requirements of edTPA, as well as 3) recommendations for teacher preparation programs and teacher candidate readiness in the practice and application of e-performance assessments and edTPA.
Ready to Lead
Authors: Weiler Jess R. , Von Dohlen Heidi B.
Published: February 2019

This chapter shares the way in which one principal preparation program builds and assesses leadership capacity through the use of a tool called Core Competencies for School Leaders or CCSL. The CCSL tool views competencies as actionable behaviors that can be observed and measured in both quantitative and/or qualitative ways. Competencies cross several leadership domains, determined primarily by established state and national leadership standards. The CCSLs provide relevant, contextually responsive, standard-based, and research informed field experiences. The authors purport the CCSLs and the wrap-around processes of which learning is dependent (e.g., reflection, collaborative dialogue, feedback), advance awareness, and capacity across leadership domains. Competencies serve to both build and evaluate leadership capacity. In conjunction with other research informed practices for leadership preparation, competencies can play an integral role in the development and growth of aspiring school leaders.
Materials and Methods of Thermal Energy Storage in Power Supply Systems
Authors: Babaev Baba Dzhabrailovich , Kharchenko Valeriy , Panchenko Vladimir , Vasant Pandian
Published: February 2019

The chapter considers the factors that affect the incomplete use of power. The analysis and systematization of accumulating systems on the types of accumulated energy, on the processes occurring during storage, types of devices and types of generated energy is performed. Each of the possible ways of accumulating energy is analyzed in detail. Various variants of conformity of schedules of change of a consumed load within a year and a total resource of solar radiation are considered. The analysis of the parameters of heat-accumulating materials and their classification depending on the material class, the way of heat accumulation and return, on the cyclicity of work, etc. are provided. It is shown that the level of temperature, the scale of the storage unit, and the necessary duration of heat storage determine the requirements for the construction of batteries and the choice of heat-storage substances. The prospects of research on the search for new ways of accumulating energy and technical means for their implementation are considered.
Resonant Power System for Electric Transport
Authors: Strebkov Dmitry , Nekrasov Alexey , Nekrasov Anton
Published: February 2019

Noncontact electric power supply with the use of cable line is an innovative trend in the development of electric transport. Work to develop such systems is carried out in the USA, South Korea, Germany, Israel, the Russian Federation. The VIESH researchers have developed and patented experimental models of a car and a tramway of the future without accumulators, which receive energy from external energy system through air gap from a single wire cable laid under the surface of road pavement. Noncontact systems for electric power supply to transport are developed at VIESH on the basis of resonant methods of electric power supply through a single-wire cable. This is a basic difference of the technology under consideration from similar ones. This technology makes it possible to realize at the new technological level the need for electric roads with minimal costs. Given that all the world's automakers are working on the production of an electric vehicle for mass production, the need for creating a motorway in the city and on inter-urban autobahns is even more topical.
Methods of Reducing the Power Supply Outage Time of Rural Consumers
Authors: Vinogradov Alexander , Vasiliev Alexey , Bolshev Vadim , Vinogradova Alina , Kudinova Tatyana , Sorokin Nikolay , Hruntovich Nikolai
Published: February 2019

The chapter analyzes the power supply restoration time. The analysis shows that this time consists of the time for obtaining information about failure, the time of information recognition about failure, the damage repair time and the time of connection and disconnection harmonization. Each of them, in turn, is also considered in more detail that allows identifying reserves to reduce the power supply outage time. The chapter proposes reducing the power supply restoration time by going to the monitoring system combination of both operating modes and technical condition of power networks. Based on the study results, there are methods allowing to reduce the power supply outage time of rural consumers by means of automating rural electrical networks and improving the operating mode monitoring of power supply systems. The chapter also suggests a set of devices that allows to implement the proposed methods.
A Combined YopB and LcrV Subunit Vaccine Elicits Protective Immunity against Yersinia Infection in Adult and Infant Mice
Authors: Heine Shannon J. , Franco-Mahecha Olga L. , Sears Khandra T. , Drachenberg Cinthia B. , van Roosmalen Maarten L. , Leenhouts Kees , Picking Wendy L. , Pasetti Marcela F.
Published: February 2019

Yersinia enterocolitica causes a severe enteric infection in infants and young children. There is no vaccine approved for use in humans. We investigated the immunogenicity and protective capacity of Yersinia YopB, a conserved type III secretion system protein, alone or combined with LcrV in adult mice immunized intranasally. YopB or LcrV (5 μg) administered with the Escherichia coli double mutant heat-labile toxin (dmLT) adjuvant afforded modest (10–30%) protection against lethal Y. enterocolitica oral infection. The combination of YopB and LcrV (5 μg each) dramatically improved vaccine efficacy (70–80%). Additionally, it afforded complete protection against Y. pestis pulmonary infection. Immunization with YopB/LcrV+dmLT resulted in Ag-specific serum IgG, systemic and mucosal Ab-secreting cells, as well as IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-6, IL-17A, and KC production by spleen cells. Serum Abs elicited by YopB/LcrV+dmLT had enhanced bactericidal and opsonophagocytic killing activity. After Y. enterocolitica challenge, YopB/LcrV+dmLT–vaccinated mice exhibited intact intestinal tissue, active germinal centers in mesenteric lymph nodes, IgG+ and IgA+ plasmablasts in the lamina propria, and Abs in intestinal fluid. On the contrary, complete tissue destruction and abscesses were seen in placebo recipients that succumbed to infection. Mice immunized as infants with YopB+dmLT or LcrV+dmLT achieved 60% protection against lethal Y. enterocolitica infection, and vaccine efficacy increased to 90–100% when they received YopB/LcrV+dmLT. YopB+dmLT also afforded substantial (60%) protection when administered intradermally to infant mice. YopB/LcrV+dmLT is a promising subunit vaccine candidate with the potential to elicit broad protection against Yersinia spp.
Effect of Supportive Supervision on Malaria Microscopy Competencies in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Alombah Fozo , Eliades M. James , Wun Jolene , Kutumbakana Seraphine , Mwinga Rodgers , Saye Renion , Lim Pharath , Burnett Sarah M. , Martin Troy , Hamilton Paul
Published: February 2019

Although light microscopy is the reference standard for diagnosing malaria, maintaining skills over time can be challenging. Between 2015 and 2017, the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative–funded MalariaCare project supported outreach training and supportive supervision (OTSS) visits at 1,037 health facilities in seven African countries to improve performance in microscopy slide preparation, staining, and reading. During these visits, supervisors observed and provided feedback to health-care workers (HCWs) performing malaria microscopy using a 30-step checklist. Of the steps observed in facilities with at least three visits, the proportion of HCWs that performed each step correctly at baseline ranged from 63.2% to 94.2%. The change in the proportion of HCWs performing steps correctly by the third visit ranged from 16.7 to 23.6 percentage points (n = 916 observations). To assess the overall improvement, facility scores were calculated based on the steps performed correctly during each visit. The mean score at baseline was 85.7%, demonstrating a high level of performance before OTSS. Regression analysis predicted an improvement in facility scores of 3.6 percentage points (P < 0.001) after three visits across all countries. In reference-level facilities with consistently high performance on microscopy procedures and parasite detection, quality assurance (QA) mechanisms could prioritize more advanced skills, such as proficiency testing for parasite counting and species identification. However, in settings with high staff turnover and declining use of microscopy in favor of rapid diagnostic tests, additional supervision visits and/or additional QA measures may be required to improve and maintain performance.
Effect of Supportive Supervision on Performance of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Eliades M. James , Wun Jolene , Burnett Sarah M. , Alombah Fozo , Amoo-Sakyi Felicia , Chirambo Petros , Tesha Goodluck , Davis Kelly M. , Hamilton Paul
Published: February 2019

Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are one of the primary tools used for parasitological confirmation of suspected cases of malaria. To ensure accurate results, health-care workers (HCWs) must conduct the RDT test correctly. Trained supervisors visited 3,603 facilities to assess RDT testing performance and conduct outreach training and supportive supervision activities in eight African countries between 2015 and 2017, using a 12-point checklist to determine if key steps were being performed. The proportion of HCWs performing each step correctly improved between 1.1 and 21.0 percentage points between the first and third visits. Health-care worker scores were averaged to calculate facility scores, which were found to be high: the average score across all facilities was 85% during the first visit and increased to 91% during the third visit. A regression analysis of these facility scores estimated that, holding key facility factors equal, facility performance improved by 5.3 percentage points from the first to the second visit (P < 0.001), but performance improved only by 0.6 percentage points (P = 0.10) between the second and third visits. Factors strongly associated with higher scores included the presence of a laboratory worker at the facility and the presence of at least one staff member with previous formal training in malaria RDTs. Findings confirm that a comprehensive quality assurance system of training and supportive supervision consistently, and often significantly, improves RDT performance.
A regulação da saúde suplementar no Brasil : perspectivas e ameaças
Authors: Marden Carlos , Cidrão Taís Vasconcelos
Published: February 2019

O presente trabalho, por meio de pesquisa bibliográfica e, principalmente, documental (através de dados específicos fornecidos por órgãos públicos, agências, bem como instituições privadas especializadas na temática), tem como objetivo investigar, bem como estimular o debate acerca da intervenção estatal (mais especificamente da regulamentação) na(da) Saúde Suplementar no Brasil, importante setor da economia privada que beneficiou mais de 70 milhões de pessoas em 2017. Por se tratar de um setor extremamente complexo, dinâmico e com muitas assimetrias informacionais, muito há de ser discutido acerca dos desafios e novas propostas sobre a regulação do sistema privado de saúde que garantam para os próximos anos a preservação da qualidade prestacional bem como a sua sustentabilidade (inclusive financeira). Portanto, foram apurados os custos gerados pela intervenção para as instituições privadas, chegando-se à conclusão de que a intensa regulação pode vir a tornar o mercado de planos de saúde não atrativo (para as operadoras, consumidores e também para a população SUS-dependente).
A judicialização da saúde sob o olhar da Análise Econômica do Direito: um exame dos incentivos ao ajuizamento e à solução extrajudicial de conflitos
Authors: Carvalho Victor Aguiar de
Published: February 2019

O Poder Judiciário recebe diariamente uma expressiva quantidade de demandas individuais em que se pleiteia em face do Poder Público o fornecimento das mais diversas prestações de saúde. A compreensão dos Magistrados em geral quanto ao que estaria alcançado pelo direito constitucional à saúde parece ser bastante abrangente, o que resulta em uma elevada probabilidade de êxito da demanda ajuizada. No presente artigo, em abordagem que não é usual na literatura, pretende-se analisar os incentivos atinentes à judicialização da saúde sob dois diferentes aspectos. Em relação aos autores, argumenta-se que há diversos incentivos para o ajuizamento em massa de tais demandas, concluindo-se que, enquanto mantidos os mesmos incentivos, a propensão ao ajuizamento crescente permanecerá. No que tange à Administração Pública, aponta-se que existem incentivos que deveriam levar à mais frequente busca pela solução extrajudicial de conflitos. Em conclusão, considerando-se a aparente pouca frequência de tais acordos extrajudiciais na prática da Administração, desenvolvem-se algumas possíveis hipóteses explicativas para tal quadro. A metodologia empregada envolve análise da literatura, pautada em bibliografia de autores do Direito e das ciências da saúde, além do emprego de instrumentos e raciocínios típicos da Análise Econômica do Direito para investigar o cenário examinado.
Análise da efetividade da política de gerenciamento de resíduos de saúde no município de Santos
Authors: Khamis Renato Braz Mehanna , Dutra Lígia Maria Comis , Teixeira Thays Costa Nostre
Published: February 2019

O presente artigo tem por finalidade analisar a efetividade da Política de Gerenciamento de Resíduos de Saúde no Município de Santos, Estado de São Paulo. Trata-se de estudo relevante na medida em que busca analisar a efetividade de política pública de natureza dúplice, ambiental e sanitária. Visando atingir o objetivo proposto foi empregado o método dedutivo em pesquisa de natureza analítica, fundada na seguinte hipótese que será objeto de verificação de validade: a Política de Gerenciamento de Resíduos de Saúde no Município de Santos é efetiva. Para tanto, a pesquisa está amparada em procedimento bibliográfico, tomando como base referencias normativas e doutrinárias, além de dados estatísticos provenientes de fontes oficiais, todos eles disponíveis em meio impresso e eletrônico. Ao final, após a análise dos dados levantados junto ao Município, concluiu-se que a hipótese investigada é verdadeira, e que, portanto, ao marco legal que instituiu referida política foi conferida efetividade pela municipalidade.
Droplet activation behaviour of atmospheric black carbon particles in fog as a function of their size and mixing state
Authors: Motos Ghislain , Schmale Julia , Corbin Joel C. , Zanatta Marco , Baltensperger Urs , Gysel-Beer Martin
Published: February 2019

Abstract. Among the variety of particle types present in the atmosphere,
black carbon (BC), emitted by combustion processes, is uniquely associated
with harmful effects to the human body and substantial radiative forcing of
the Earth. Pure BC is known to be non-hygroscopic, but its ability to acquire
a coating of hygroscopic organic and inorganic material leads to increased
diameter and hygroscopicity, facilitating droplet activation. This affects BC
radiative forcing through aerosol–cloud interactions (ACIs) and BC life
cycle. To gain insights into these processes, we performed a field campaign
in winter 2015–2016 in a residential area of Zurich which aimed at
establishing relations between the size and mixing state of BC particles and
their activation to form droplets in fog. This was achieved by operating a
CCN counter (CCNC), a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS), a
single-particle soot photometer (SP2) and an aerosol chemical speciation
monitor (ACSM) behind a combination of a total- and an interstitial-aerosol
inlet. Our results indicate that in the morning hours of weekdays, the enhanced
traffic emissions caused peaks in the number fraction of externally mixed BC
particles, which do not act as CCN within the CCNC. The very low effective
peak supersaturations (SSpeak) occurring in fog (between
approximately 0.03 % and 0.06 % during this campaign) restrict
droplet activation to a minor fraction of the aerosol burden (around
0.5 % to 1 % of total particle number concentration between 20 and
593 nm) leading to very selective criteria on diameter and chemical
composition. We show that bare BC cores are unable to activate to fog
droplets at such low SSpeak, while BC particles surrounded by
thick coating have very similar activation behaviour to BC-free particles.
Using simplified κ-Köhler theory combined with the ZSR mixing
rule assuming spherical core–shell particle geometry constrained with single-particle measurements of respective volumes, we found good agreement between
the predicted and the directly observed size- and mixing-state-resolved
droplet activation behaviour of BC-containing particles in fog. This
successful closure demonstrates the predictability of their droplet
activation in fog with a simplified theoretical model only requiring size and
mixing state information, which can also be applied in a consistent manner in
model simulations.
Tropical tree height and crown allometries for the Barro Colorado Nature Monument, Panama: a comparison of alternative hierarchical models incorporating interspecific variation in relation to life history traits
Authors: Martínez Cano Isabel , Muller-Landau Helene C. , Wright S. Joseph , Bohlman Stephanie A. , Pacala Stephen W.
Published: February 2019

Abstract. Tree allometric relationships are widely employed for estimating forest biomass
and production and are basic building blocks of dynamic vegetation models.
In tropical forests, allometric relationships are often modeled by fitting
scale-invariant power functions to pooled data from multiple species, an
approach that fails to capture changes in scaling during ontogeny and
physical limits to maximum tree size and that ignores interspecific
differences in allometry. Here, we analyzed allometric relationships of tree
height (9884 individuals) and crown area (2425) with trunk diameter for 162
species from the Barro Colorado Nature Monument, Panama. We fit
nonlinear, hierarchical models informed by species traits –
wood density, mean sapling growth, or sapling mortality – and assessed the
performance of three alternative functional forms: the scale-invariant power
function and the saturating Weibull and generalized Michaelis–Menten (gMM)
functions. The relationship of tree height with trunk diameter was best fit
by a saturating gMM model in which variation in allometric parameters was
related to interspecific differences in sapling growth rates, a measure of
regeneration light demand. Light-demanding species attained taller heights at
comparatively smaller diameters as juveniles and had shorter asymptotic
heights at larger diameters as adults. The relationship of crown area with
trunk diameter was best fit by a power function model incorporating a weak
positive relationship between crown area and species-specific wood density.
The use of saturating functional forms and the incorporation of functional
traits in tree allometric models is a promising approach for improving estimates
of forest biomass and productivity. Our results provide an improved basis for
parameterizing tropical plant functional types in vegetation models.
Monthly Gridded Data Product of Northern Wetland Methane
Emissions Based on Upscaling Eddy Covariance Observations
Authors: Peltola Olli , Vesala Timo , Gao Yao , Räty Olle , Alekseychik Pavel , Aurela Mika , Chojnicki Bogdan , Desai Ankur R. , Dolman Albertus J. , Euskirchen Eugenie S. , Friborg Thomas , Göckede Mathias , Helbig Manuel , Humphreys Elyn , Jackson Robert B. , Jocher Georg , Joos Fortunat , Klatt Janina , Knox Sara H. , Kutzbach Lars , Lienert Sebastian , Lohila Annalea , Mammarella Ivan , Nadeau Daniel F. , Nilsson Mats B. , Oechel Walter C. , Peichl Matthias , Pypker Thomas , Quinton William , Rinne Janne , Sachs Torsten , Samson Mateusz , Schmid Hans Peter , Sonnentag Oliver , Wille Christian , Zona Donatella , Aalto Tuula
Published: February 2019

Abstract. Natural wetlands constitute the largest and most uncertain source of methane (CH4) to the atmosphere and a large fraction of them are in the northern latitudes. These emissions are typically estimated using process (bottom-up) or inversion (top-down) models, yet the two are not independent of each other since the top-down estimates rely on the a priori estimation of these emissions coming from the process models. Hence, independent validation data of the large-scale emissions would be needed. Here we utilize random forest (RF) machine learning technique to upscale CH4 eddy covariance flux measurements from 25 sites to estimate CH4 wetland emissions from the northern latitudes (north of 45 °N) during years 2013 and 2014. The predictive performance of the RF model is evaluated using the leave-one-site-out cross-validation scheme and the performance (Nash-Sutcliffe model efficiency = 0.47) is comparable to previous studies upscaling net ecosystem exchange of carbon dioxide or studies where process models are compared against site-level CH4 emission data. Three wetland maps are utilized in the upscaling and the annual emissions for the northern wetlands yield 31.7 (22.3–41.2, 95 % confidence interval), 30.6 (21.4–39.9) or 37.6 (25.9–49.5) Tg(CH4) yr−1, depending on the map used. To evaluate the uncertainties of the upscaled product it is also compared against two process models (LPX-Bern and WetCHARTs) and methodological issues related to CH4 flux upscaling are discussed. The monthly upscaled CH4 flux data product is available for further usage at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2560164.