bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rosso Fiorentino, un pintor manierista
Authors: Del Conde Teresa
Published: November 2016

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El edificio de la Aduana de México. Notas para su historia
Authors: Gutiérrez Ramón
Published: November 2016

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Siqueiros antes de Siqueiros
Authors: Moyssén Xavier
Published: November 2016

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El tema de la Virgen de Guadalupe en Juan Correa
Authors: Sebastián Santiago
Published: November 2016

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Pequeña obra maestra de la escultura olmeca
Authors: De la Fuente Beatriz
Published: November 2016

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Role of Type 2 Diabetes in Determining Retinal, Renal, and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Women With Previous Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Retnakaran Ravi , Shah Baiju R.
Published: November 2016

OBJECTIVE

Women who have gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have elevated lifetime risks for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD), compared with their peers. However, it is not known whether their risk of CVD is dependent upon the development of T2DM. Thus, we sought to evaluate the role of T2DM in determining vascular outcomes in women with previous GDM.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

All women in Ontario, Canada, with a live-birth pregnancy between April 1994 and March 2014 (n = 1,515,079) were stratified into the following four groups: women with GDM in whom T2DM subsequently developed (n = 15,585, median age 32 years); those with GDM in whom T2DM did not develop (n = 41,299; median age 32 years); women who did not have GDM but in whom T2DM developed (n = 49,397; median age 31 years); and those with neither GDM nor T2DM (n = 1,408,798; median age 30 years). Women were followed over a median time of 10.0 years for the development of microvascular and macrovascular outcomes.

RESULTS

Among women who had GDM, only those in whom T2DM developed had an increased risk of vitrectomy/photocoagulation (hazard ratio [HR] 4.49, 95% CI 3.90–5.17), renal dialysis (HR 7.52, 5.24–10.81), and hospitalization for foot infection (HR 4.32, 3.42–5.46) (all P < 0.0001). However, for macrovascular outcomes, both women with GDM in whom T2DM developed and those in whom T2DM did not develop had increased risks of CVD (HR 2.82; 2.41–3.30; P < 0.0001; and HR 1.30; 1.07–1.59; P = 0.008, respectively) and coronary artery disease (HR 3.54; 2.96–4.23; P < 0.0001; and HR 1.41; 1.11–1.80; P = 0.005, respectively), although absolute event rates were very low.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with GDM have an elevated risk of cardiovascular outcomes, even in the absence of T2DM. In contrast, microvascular risk emerges only in those in whom T2DM develops.
Clinical features and pathological joint changes in dogs with erosive immune-mediated polyarthritis: 13 cases (2004–2012)
Authors: Shaughnessy Magen L. , Sample Susannah J. , Abicht Carter , Heaton Caitlin , Muir Peter
Published: November 2016

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical features and pathological joint changes in dogs with erosive immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA).

DESIGN Retrospective case series.

ANIMALS 13 dogs with erosive IMPA and 66 dogs with nonerosive IMPA.

PROCEDURES The medical record database of a veterinary teaching hospital was reviewed to identify dogs with IMPA that were examined between October 2004 and December 2012. For each IMPA-affected dog, information extracted from the medical record included signalment, diagnostic test results, radiographic findings, and treatments administered. Dogs were classified as having erosive IMPA if review of radiographs revealed the presence of bone lysis in multiple joints, and descriptive data were generated for those dogs. All available direct smears of synovial fluid samples underwent cytologic evaluation. The synovial fluid total nucleated cell count and WBC differential count were estimated and compared between dogs with erosive IMPA and dogs with nonerosive IMPA.

RESULTS 13 of 79 (16%) dogs had erosive IMPA. Dogs with erosive IMPA had a mean ± SD age of 7.1 ± 2.4 years and body weight of 8.3 ± 3.4 kg (18.3 ± 7.5 lb). All 13 dogs had erosive lesions in their carpal joints. The estimated median synovial fluid lymphocyte count for dogs with erosive IMPA was significantly greater than that for dogs with nonerosive IMPA. All dogs received immunosuppressive therapy with leflunomide (n = 9), prednisone (3), or prednisone-azathioprine (1).

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated erosive IMPA most commonly affected the carpal joints of middle-aged small-breed dogs. Further genetic analyses and analysis of lymphocyte-subsets are warranted for dogs with erosive IMPA.
Prevalence of adrenal gland masses as incidental findings during abdominal computed tomography in dogs: 270 cases (2013–2014)
Authors: Baum Jared I. , Boston Sarah E. , Case J. Brad
Published: November 2016

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of incidental adrenal gland masses identified in dogs undergoing abdominal CT.

DESIGN Retrospective case series.

ANIMALS 270 client-owned dogs.

PROCEDURES Medical records of dogs that underwent abdominal CT from June 2013 through June 2014 were reviewed. Patients were excluded if they had undergone CT because of a history or clinical signs of an adrenal gland mass or disease. Information collected included history, signalment, initial complaint, serum alkaline phosphatase activity, urine specific gravity, and whether abdominal ultrasonography was performed. Imaging reports generated by the board-certified radiologist who evaluated the CT images were reviewed.

RESULTS Incidental adrenal gland masses were detected in 25 of the 270 (9.3%) dogs. Dogs with incidental adrenal gland masses were significantly older (median, 12.0 years; range, 8.0 to 15.0 years) than dogs without (8.2 years; range, 0.1 to 13.1 years). Dogs examined for neoplasia were significantly more likely to have an incidental adrenal gland mass (22/138 [15.9%]) than were dogs examined for any other reason (3/132 [2.3%]), but these dogs were also significantly older. No other risk factors were identified. Histologic examination was performed in only 3 of the 25 dogs with incidental adrenal gland masses; 2 had cortical adenomas and 1 had a pheochromocytoma and cortical adenoma.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested that a clinically important percentage of dogs undergoing abdominal CT will have incidental adrenal gland masses, with incidental masses more likely in older than in younger dogs.
A Review of Meta-Analysis Packages in R
Authors: Polanin Joshua R. , Hennessy Emily A. , Tanner-Smith Emily E.
Published: November 2016

Meta-analysis is a statistical technique that allows an analyst to synthesize effect sizes from multiple primary studies. To estimate meta-analysis models, the open-source statistical environment R is quickly becoming a popular choice. The meta-analytic community has contributed to this growth by developing numerous packages specific to meta-analysis. The purpose of this study is to locate all publicly available meta-analytic R packages. We located 63 packages via a comprehensive online search. To help elucidate these functionalities to the field, we describe each of the packages, recommend applications for researchers interested in using R for meta-analyses, provide a brief tutorial of two meta-analysis packages, and make suggestions for future meta-analytic R package creators.
Exploring Plurilingual Pedagogies across the College Curriculum
Authors: Pujol-Ferran Mercè , DiSanto Jacqueline M. , Rodríguez Nelson Núñez , Morales Angel
Published: November 2016

Many students in US community colleges often speak a language other than English (LOTE) at home. They find it difficult to complete college requirements, and many drop out. Struggling with the acquisition of academic English and the content of their courses, they exhibit low academic confidence and are easily frustrated. In an attempt to raise students’ self-esteem and motivate them to remain enrolled, we explore plurilingual pedagogies across the college curriculum, in science, humanities, education, and linguistics courses. The four case studies presented demonstrate how we integrate dynamic translingual teaching practices such as translation, code-switching, cross-linguistic analysis, and the use of students’ linguistic repertoires to complete assignments in multilingual classrooms. We have found that plurilingual pedagogies enable students to discover their linguistic strengths and utilize them to complete college assignments. As bilingual faculty we found our educational goals supported and validated through interdisciplinary collaboration.
Projecting the Impact of Population Aging on the Quebec Labour Market
Authors: Bissonnette Luc , Boisclair David , Laliberté-Auger François , Marchand Steeve , Michaud Pierre-Carl , Vincent Carole
Published: November 2016

Quebecers are living longer than ever before as a result of better health as well as improved educational attainment and economic well-being. Using a dynamic microsimulation model, we show that an aging workforce will not necessarily mean a decline in Quebec employment levels in the coming years. Because future experienced workers will be more educated and more of them will remain in employment for longer, we project that annual growth rates in employment will stay positive, averaging between 0.2 and 0.3 percent over the next two decades. Between 2035 and 2050, employment could contribute nearly 0.3 percentage points to annual economic growth in Quebec.
Modified Betweenness-Based Measure for Prediction of Traffic Flow on Urban Roads
Authors: Ye Pengyao , Wu Bo , Fan Wenbo
Published: November 2016

The conventional network structure measure, betweenness centrality (BC), has been used to predict roadway traffic flow; however, without consideration of variable travel demand on the roadway network, the measure’s prediction capability is limited by its static nature. With the objective of explicitly addressing the effects of travel pattern [e.g., origin–destination (O-D) distribution] on the prediction of urban roadway traffic flow, this paper proposes a modified measure that integrates the BC index and the traditional travel demand metrics (i.e., the O-D demand and the ratios of total demand). In the case study, roadway networks of two cities—San Francisco, California, and Nanjing, China—were selected to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Taxi GPS trace data in the two cities were retrieved and applied to calibrate and validate the proposed measure. Correlation analyses were conducted to compare the predictions of the conventional and modified betweenness measures against the observed taxi traffic flows. The results show that, compared with the traditional approach, the modified betweenness measure produces predictions that have better correlations with the observed taxi traffic flows in both case studies. More accurate predictions for the future year traffic flow can be expected with the application of the new modified measure.
Effect of Silo Storage Time on the Characteristics of Virgin and Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Mixtures
Authors: Jacques Christopher , Daniel Jo Sias , Bennert Thomas , Reinke Gerald , Norouzi Amirhossein , Ericson Christopher , Mogawer Walaa , Kim Y. Richard
Published: November 2016

Many hot-mix asphalt plants store material in heated silos before it is ready to be transported to construction sites. The time that material is stored in the silo is not controlled and varies widely, depending on several factors. As the material is exposed to elevated temperatures, short-term aging of the binder may occur. Another important consideration is the interaction between reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and virgin binders, as blending or diffusion could occur between the binders. In this study, a virgin and 25% RAP mixture were sampled at incremental silo storage times up to 10 h. Characterization testing included performance grading, rheological indexes, Glover–Rowe parameter evaluation, rolling thin film oven aging on the binders, complex modulus, a simplified viscoelastic continuum damage model (S-VECD) for fatigue, and thermal stress restrained specimen testing of the mixtures. Simulations that used layered viscoelastic critical distresses pavement analysis to predict fatigue behavior from the S-VECD model were used to show the potential effects of silo storage time on pavement life. Results from all tests indicated that mixtures aged with an increase in silo storage time. RAP materials experienced a greater effect; this effect may be a function of the air void content or indication of blending–diffusion in the silo. Rolling thin film oven aging showed that current laboratory conditioning methods do not necessarily simulate asphalt plant production. Production parameters, such as silo storage time, have a significant impact on mixture performance.
Empirical Study of the State of the Practice in Alternative Technical Concepts in Highway Construction Projects
Authors: Antoine Arthur L. C. , Molenaar Keith R.
Published: November 2016

State departments of transportation (DOTs) are encouraging early involvement of contractors in highway design and construction through the solicitation of alternative technical concepts (ATCs) during procurement. This approach provides DOTs with the opportunity to tap industry experience and expertise for design alternatives. ATCs can improve constructability, enhance innovation, shorten schedules, reduce risk, and ultimately save costs. DOTs have documented significant cost savings from ATCs on a project-by-project basis. This paper provides an up-to-date perspective on the types of projects in which ATCs are used in U.S. highway construction, according to empirical data from a national study of 250 projects completed by DOTs and the Office of Federal Lands Highway. These projects were completed through design–build, construction manager–general contractor, and design–bid–build project delivery methods, and only 40 of the projects solicited ATCs during procurement. The quantitative findings presented in this paper were facilitated by the use of the project information from the national study and complimented by an extensive literature review on the use of ATCs in the U.S. highway construction sector. It was found that DOTs used ATCs on 51% of the 70 design–build projects procured by best-value selection in the study. Given that only 2% of the 116 design–bid–build projects and 5% of the 38 low-bid design–build projects in this study used ATCs and that no construction manager–general contractor projects used ATCs, there appears to be an opportunity to capitalize on the benefits of ATCs in projects using those delivery methods.
The role of physical exercise in cognitive recovery after traumatic brain injury: A systematic review
Authors: Morris Timothy , Gomes Osman Joyce , Tormos Muñoz Jose Maria , Costa Miserachs David , Pascual Leone Alvaro
Published: November 2016

Background: There is a growing body of evidence revealing exercise-induced effects on brain structure and cognitive function across the lifespan. Animal models of traumatic brain injury also suggest exercise is capable of modulating not only the pathophysiological changes following trauma but also the associated cognitive deficits.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of physical exercise on cognitive impairment following traumatic brain injury in humans.

Methods: A systematic search of the PubMed database was performed using the search terms “cognition” and “executive function, memory or attention”, “traumatic brain injury” and “physical exercise”. Adult human traumatic brain injury studies that assessed cognitive function as an outcome measure (primary or secondary) and used physical exercise as a treatment (single or combined) were assessed by two independent reviewers. Data was extracted under the guidance of the population intervention comparison outcome framework wherein, characteristics of included studies (exercise duration, intensity, combined or single intervention, control groups and cognitive measures) were collected, after which, methodological quality (Cochrane criteria) was assessed.

Results: A total of 240 citations were identified, but only 6 met our inclusion criteria (3 from search records, 3 from reference lists. Only a small number of studies have evaluated the effect of exercise on cognition following traumatic brain injury in humans, and of those, assessment of efficacy is difficult due to low methodological strength and a high risk of different types of bias.

Conclusion: Evidence of an effect of physical exercise on cognitive recovery suggests further studies should explore this treatment option with greater methodological approaches. Recommendations to reduce risk of bias and methodological shortfalls are discussed and include stricter inclusion criteria to create homogenous groups and larger patient pools, more rigorous cognitive assessments and the study and reporting of additional and combined rehabilitation techniques.
Significance of bacterial vaginosis and periodontal infection as Predictors of preterm labor
Authors: Pratiksha Gupta , Neha Aggarwal , Anju Huria , Gurvinder Lehl
Published: November 2016

Aims: To study the relationship between bacterial vaginosis and periodontal infection in third trimester and preterm labor.Settings and Design: The present prospective case control study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology from January 2007 to June 2008, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32 Chandigarh in collaboration with Department of Dentistry of the same hospital. Institutional Ethics Committee approval was taken, a written informed consent was taken from the patients.Methods and Material: Antenatal patients after 28 weeks of period of gestation and with singleton pregnancy attending OPD were included. Besides routine antenatal examination, screening and clinical examination for bacterial vaginosis, dental examination for periodontal infection was done. A total of 500 patients were enrolled for the study. Out of the 500 patients examined, 200 patients were randomly selected and divided into 4 groups with 50 women in each. Group 1 was the control group and the subjects were negative for bacterial vaginosis and periodontal infection. Group 2 was positive for periodontal infection. Group 3 was positive for bacterial vaginosis. Group 4 was positive for both bacterial vaginosis and periodontal infection. All these patients were followed up till their pregnancy outcomes.Statistical analysis used: A sample size of 50 patients in each group was calculated to conduct study with a power greater than 80% at a significance level of 5%. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 15.0 for Windows. Bacterial vaginosis and periodontal infection were separately correlated to the preterm birth and perinatal outcome. For ordinal data, groups were compared using Mann Whitney U-test, for continuous data groups were tested for normal distribution using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and for categorical data groups were compared using the chi-square test. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: significant correlation was seen between periodontal infection and preterm labor & preterm premature rupture of membranes.Conclusions: significant correlation is seen between periodontal infection and preterm labor & preterm premature rupture of membranes.Key Messages: Prevention and treatment of periodontal infection in third stage of labour prevents preterm births.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.15(3) 2016 p.441-449
Change in Hematological disturbances in Malaria in Eastern India: an observational study
Authors: Mukherjee Joydeep , Chakrabarty Pradeep , Sinharoy Uma , Brojobasi Bhaskar
Published: November 2016

Objectives: We wanted to find out the change and pattern of hematological disturbances in patients suffering from malaria and whether the hematological disturbances had any correlation with morbidity in them.Materials and methods: In a retrospective, observational study, first 100 admitted malaria patients in a tertiary medical institute in Kolkata, was taken from August 2009 to July 2011 and their demographic, clinical and laboratorial records were noted and analysed.Results: Seventy-one patients (71%) had anemia, ninety patients (90%) had thrombocytopenia, twenty-six patients (26%) had leucopenia and two patients (2%) had leukocytosis. Vivax malaria patients had lower platelet count than their falciparum counterparts, whereas falciparum malaria patients had lower hemoglobin, packed cell volume and higher total leukocyte count; all these hematological disturbances were found to be correlated with higher morbidity in patients suffering from malaria.Conclusion: In patients suffering from malaria, there was high incidence of hematological disturbances which was changing pattern and also correlated with morbidity.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.15(3) 2016 p.403-408
Study on maternal and perinatal outcome of pregnancy with history of previous caesarean section
Authors: Akhter Latifa , Bhuiyan Md Jahangir Hossain , Begum Saleha , Ferdousi Bilkis
Published: November 2016

Background: This is a Prospective observational study conducted in Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, BSMMU, Dhaka.Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate maternal and perinatal outcome of pregnancy with history of previous caesarean section.Method: Data were collected as per questionnaire by researchers herself by interviewing the patients and by observing the operations, investigation records and post-operative follow-up. A total number of 150 patients admitted with pregnancy with history of one or more previous caesarean section.Outcome measure: To find out antepartum complications, per-operative and post-operative complications specially related to previous caesarean section and to find out perinatal mortality and morbidity.Results: Among 150 patients who were delivered after one or more previous caesarean section, 88 (52%) patients had antepartum complications, the majority (88%) pregnancies were term pregnancy. The per-operative problem was difficulty to reach lower uterine segment due to adhesion with bladder was 16%. Overall post-operative complications were 20% cases. The common complications were wound infection (86%). Perinatal complications were 20 (30%) cases.Conclusion: The wide spread improvement in anaesthesia, surgical technique, antibiotics and blood transfusions have decreased the morbidity and mortality from caesarean section, but it is not without hazard.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.15(3) 2016 p.392-398
Newer Viral Infection in Bangladesh--are We Prepared to Face Them?
Authors: Karim Md Enamul
Published: November 2016

Abstract not availableFaridpur Med. Coll. J. Jul 2015;10(2): 46
Sand Solidification through Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation for Erosion Control: Prospects in Bangladesh
Authors: Khan MNH , Kawasaki S , Hassan MR
Published: November 2016

Bio-cementation is a sand consolidation technology, in which ureolytic bacteria release carbonate from urea hydrolysis in the presence of an excess of calcium ions to form calcite (CaCO3) in-situ. Biocementation is to enhance the strength and stiffness properties of soil and rocks though microbial activity or products. This paper addressed the prospect of microbial carbonate precipitation for erosion control in Bangladesh. Bacterial CaCO3 precipitation under appropriate conditions is a general phenomenon where the ureolytic bacteria uses urea as an energy source and produces ammonia which increases the pH in the environment and generates carbonate, causing Ca2+ and CO32- to be precipitated as CaCO3. This CaCO3 join sand particles and forms rocklike materials that auto-repairs by means of sunlight, seawater, and bacteria as microbially induced carbonate precipitation method. These rock particles when produced artificially is called artificial rock and has the potentiality to protect coastlines from erosion.J. Environ. Sci. & Natural Resources, 9(1): 59-61 2016
Street Protests and Affects on YouTube Investigating DIY Videos of Violent Street Protests as an Archive of Affect and Event Desire
Authors: Kølvraa Christoffer , Stage Carsten
Published: November 2016

This article argues that YouTube, as a platform for sharing DIY videos, is an useful resource for understanding the role of affective processes before, during and after protest events. As a case study the article investigates the documentation on YouTube of two antagonistic demonstrations in Aarhus, Denmark, on 31 March 2012. We argue that the collected material, consisting of 71 YouTube videos, can be analysed to reveal a wish or will to experience the demonstrations affectively through three forms of DIY video production: 1) a form where the videos affectively charge the demonstrations before their actualisation; 2) a form where the affective potential of witnessing political violence is actively engaged, sought out, and enjoyed by the video producers during the event; and 3) a form where the affective intensity of the demonstrations is confirmed and prolonged after-the-fact, and the excessive nature of future confrontations implicitly ‘pre-charged’. The videos as such are not only approached as ideological mobilization propaganda or as documentation of political events, but also as an archive capable of revealing the presence and dynamics of the affective dimension of street protest events.
Music, Memory, and Affect Attunement: Connecting Kurdish Diaspora in Stockholm
Authors: Volgsten Ulrik , Pripp Oscar
Published: November 2016

This article takes its point of departure in Maurice Halbwachs’ notion of collective memory, adding the distinction made by Jan Assmann between communicative and cultural memory, and Alfred Schütz’s notion of communication, understood here as the sonorous communication of bodily affect. By combining and cross-fertilizing the concept of memory with that of affective experience, our aim is to take a new and productive perspective on music’s role as and in cultural memory as well as the crucial role played by affect attunement. As examples, we use interviews and observations from an on-going research project on the role of music in ethnically-based associations in Sweden. In addition, we show how music often transgresses the categorical distinctions of collective memory. The main questions we ask are a) to the extent that there is a difference between music serving as a means for and as content of collective memory (what the memory is “about”), how can we account for and explain this difference? and b) how does verbally-narrated content relate to the sound of music when it comes to collective memory?
Reframing Cultural Diplomacy: The Instrumentalization of Culture under the Soft Power Theory
Authors: Zamorano Mariano Martín
Published: November 2016

Although cultural diplomacy has grown in importance in recent years, there is no consensus on its definition. Cultural diplomacy is commonly framed in terms of soft power: the capacity of persuasion and attraction that allows the state to construct hegemony without using coercive methods. In this article, I offer a critical analysis of this theory’s limitations. To shed light on this situation, I provide an historical analysis of cultural diplomacy. Based on this historical analysis and on an extensive desk research, I examine the dominant methodological and conceptual articulation of soft power in cultural diplomacy literature to clarify how the logical framework of soft power favors a specific and restrained conception of these policies, narrowing its understanding and legitimating its economic and political instrumentalization.
The Academic Motivation Scale: Dimensionality, Reliability, and Construct Validity Among Vocational Students
Authors: Utvær Britt Karin Støen , Haugan Gørill
Published: November 2016

Self-determination theory (SDT) distinguishes types of motivation according to types of self-regulation along a continuum of internalisation. Types of motivation vary in quality and outcomes and are frequently used in research as predictors of educational outcomes such as learning, performance, engagement, and persistence. The Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), which is based on the SDT, has not previously been evaluated in Norway. In response, by using correlation and confirmatory factor analysis, we examined the dimensionality, reliability, and construct validity of the AMS among vocational health and social care students. Our hypothesised 7-factor model demonstrated the best fit, while the AMS demonstrated good reliability and construct validity in the sample of students. However, some improvements remain necessary. In predicting the rate of school completion among students on vocational tracks, amotivation and identified regulation appeared to be more powerful as intrinsic motivational variables.
An Efficient Approach for Fast and Accurate Voltage Stability Margin Computation in Large Power Grids
Authors: Su Heng-Yi
Published: November 2016

This paper proposes an efficient approach for the computation of voltage stability margin (VSM) in a large-scale power grid. The objective is to accurately and rapidly determine the load power margin which corresponds to voltage collapse phenomena. The proposed approach is based on the impedance match-based technique and the model-based technique. It combines the Thevenin equivalent (TE) network method with cubic spline extrapolation technique and the continuation technique to achieve fast and accurate VSM computation for a bulk power grid. Moreover, the generator Q limits are taken into account for practical applications. Extensive case studies carried out on Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) benchmark systems and the Taiwan Power Company (Taipower, Taipei, Taiwan) system are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Technical Problem Identification for the Failures of the Liberty Ships
Authors: Zhang Wei
Published: November 2016

The U.S. Liberty Ship Building Program in World War II set a record—a total of 2700 Liberty Ships were built in 6 years, in order to support the battle against Nazi-Germany. However, numerous vessels suffered sudden fracture, some of them being split in half. This paper demonstrates and investigation of the Liberty Ships failure and problems, which reveals that the failures are caused by a combination of three factors. The welds produced by largely unskilled work force contain crack type flaws. Beyond these cracks, another important reason for failure associated with welding is the hydrogen embitterment; most of the fractures initiate at deck square hatch corners where there is a stress concentration; and the ship steel has fairly poor Charpy-Impact tested fracture toughness. It has been admitted that, although the numerous catastrophic failures were a painful experience, the failures of the Liberty Ships caused significant progress in the study of fracture mechanics. Considering their effect, the Liberty Ships are still a success.
Thermally Sprayed Aluminum Coatings for the Protection of Subsea Risers and Pipelines Carrying Hot Fluids
Authors: Ce Nataly , Paul Shiladitya
Published: November 2016

This paper reports the effect of boiling synthetic seawater on the performance of damaged Thermally Sprayed Aluminum (TSA) on carbon steel. Small defects (4% of the sample’s geometric surface area) were drilled, exposing the steel, and the performance of the coating was analyzed for corrosion potential for different exposure times (2 h, 335 h, and 5000 h). The samples were monitored using linear polarization resistance (LPR) in order to obtain their corrosion rate. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for post-test characterization. The results showed that a protective layer of Mg(OH)2 formed in the damaged area, which protected the underlying steel. Additionally, no coating detachment from the steel near the defect region was observed. The corrosion rate was found to be 0.010–0.015 mm/year after 5000 h in boiling synthetic seawater.
Modeling and Experimental Validation of a Low-Cost Radiation Sensor Based on the Photovoltaic Effect for Building Applications
Authors: Gómez-Moreno Ángel , Casanova-Peláez Pedro , Palomar-Carnicero José , Cruz-Peragón Fernando
Published: November 2016

The energy consumed to cool buildings is very elevated and solar gains represent a high percentage of these cooling loads. To minimize the thermal load it is necessary to control external shading systems. This control requires continuous measurement of solar radiation in different locations of the building. However, for such applications the use of conventional irradiance sensors increases the cost and reduces the profitability of the installation. This paper is focused on the development, modeling, and experimental validation of low cost irradiation sensors based on photovoltaic effect in order to reduce the costs of dynamic external shading devices and to improve the profitability of the system. With this proposal, firstly, small commercial photovoltaic cells have been adapted for use as an irradiation measurement device. Subsequently, quasi-stationary and continuous experimental measurements of these silicon cells, facing south and installed horizontally, have been carried out in Jaén (Spain) in 2009 and 2010. Finally, a nonlinear multiparameter function has been developed to evaluate the irradiance using the electric current generated by the cell, cell temperature, ambient temperature, and absolute humidity. A favorable agreement between the model predictions and experimental data has been observed with a coefficient of determination around 0.996 for all cells.
High-Intensity Interval Training for Overweight Adolescents: Program Acceptance of a Media Supported Intervention and Changes in Body Composition
Authors: Herget Sabine , Reichardt Sandra , Grimm Andrea , Petroff David , Käpplinger Jakob , Haase Michael , Markert Jana , Blüher Susann
Published: November 2016

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) consists of short intervals of exercise at high intensity intermitted by intervals of lower intensity and is associated with improvement of body composition and metabolic health in adults. Studies in overweight adolescents are scarce. We conducted a randomized controlled trial in overweight adolescents to compare acceptance and attendance of HIIT with or without weekly motivational encouragement through text messages and access to a study website. HIIT was offered for six months (including summer vacation) twice a week (60 min/session). Participation rates were continuously assessed and acceptance was measured. Clinical parameters were assessed at baseline and after six months. Twenty-eight adolescents participated in this study (age 15.5 ± 1.4; 54% female). The standard deviation score for body mass index over all participants was 2.33 at baseline and decreased by 0.026 (95% CI −0.048 to 0.10) units, p = 0.49. Waist to height ratio was 0.596 at baseline and decreased by 0.013 (95% CI 0.0025 to 0.024), p = 0.023. Participation within the first two months ranged from 65% to 75%, but fell to 15% within the last three months. Attendance in the intervention group was 14% (95% CI −8 to 37), p = 0.18, higher than the control group. Overall program content was rated as “good” by participants, although high drop-out rates were observed. Summer months constitute a serious problem regarding attendance. The use of media support has to be assessed further in appropriately powered trials.
Multilevel Safety Climate and Safety Performance in the Construction Industry: Development and Validation of a Top-Down Mechanism
Authors: Gao Ran , Chan Albert , Utama Wahyudi , Zahoor Hafiz
Published: November 2016

The character of construction projects exposes front-line workers to dangers and accidents. Safety climate has been confirmed to be a predictor of safety performance in the construction industry. This study aims to explore the underlying mechanisms of the relationship between multilevel safety climate and safety performance. An integrated model was developed to study how particular safety climate factors of one level affect those of other levels, and then affect safety performance from the top down. A questionnaire survey was administered on six construction sites in Vietnam. A total of 1030 valid questionnaires were collected from this survey. Approximately half of the data were used to conduct exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and the remaining data were submitted to structural equation modeling (SEM). Top management commitment (TMC) and supervisors’ expectation (SE) were identified as factors to represent organizational safety climate (OSC) and supervisor safety climate (SSC), respectively, and coworkers’ caring and communication (CCC) and coworkers’ role models (CRM) were identified as factors to denote coworker safety climate (CSC). SEM results show that OSC factor is positively related to SSC factor and CSC factors significantly. SSC factor could partially mediate the relationship between OSC factor and CSC factors, as well as the relationship between OSC factor and safety performance. CSC factors partially mediate the relationship between OSC factor and safety performance, and the relationship between SSC factor and safety performance. The findings imply that a positive safety culture should be established both at the organizational level and the group level. Efforts from all top management, supervisors, and coworkers should be provided to improve safety performance in the construction industry.
Association between Secondhand Smoke in Hospitality Venues and Urinary 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol Concentrations in Non-Smoking Staff
Authors: Kim Jeonghoon , Lee Kiyoung , Kwon Ho-Jang , Lee Do , Kim KyooSang
Published: November 2016

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between urinary cotinine and total 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL) concentrations in non-smoking staff and the indoor levels of fine particles (PM2.5) in hospitality venues that allow smoking, with respect to demographic and indoor environmental factors. We evaluated 62 hospitality venues that allowed smoking in Seoul, Korea. A real-time aerosol monitor was used to measure indoor PM2.5 concentrations. Field technicians recorded indoor environmental characteristics. One non-smoking staff member in each hospitality venue was tested for urinary cotinine and total NNAL concentrations. Demographic characteristics were obtained from self-reported staff questionnaires. Natural-log (ln)-transformed PM2.5 concentrations were significantly correlated with the ln-transformed cotinine (r = 0.31) and the total NNAL concentrations (r = 0.32). In multivariable regression analysis, the urinary cotinine concentrations of the staff members were significantly correlated with indoor PM2.5 concentrations; those with the highest concentrations were more likely to be women or staff members that worked in venues with a volume <375 m3. Total NNAL concentrations were significantly correlated only with indoor PM2.5 concentrations. Indoor PM2.5 may be used as an indicator for urinary cotinine and total NNAL concentrations in non-smoking staff members in hospitality venues that allow smoking.
Independent Factors of Changes of Ankle-Brachial Index in Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease in Elderly Patients with or without Diabetes
Authors: Bąk Ewelina , Marcisz Czesław , Kadłubowska Monika , Michalik Anna , Krawczyk Bożena , Dobrzyń-Matusiak Dorota , Krzemińska Sylwia , Fiałkowski Tomasz , Glądys Elżbieta , Drosdzol-Cop Agnieszka
Published: November 2016

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) belongs to the commonly-occurring pathologies associated with elderly age. A simple tool for defining the severity of PAD is the ankle-brachial index (ABI). The purpose of this research was to determine independent factors of changes of ABI in elderly patients with occlusive PAD disease (PAOD) with and without diabetes. The research was carried out on 49 elderly patients with PAOD, including 29 patients with type 2 diabetes, and 20 patients without diabetes. The concentration of interleukin-6 (IL-6), E-selectin, fibrinogen, and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood serum was marked. In all patients, the independent factors of changes of ABI were determined with the use of the multiple logistic regression analysis. Our results show that in the group of patients with PAOD suffering from diabetes, it was demonstrated that the ABI was related to age, the duration of the symptoms of PAD, body mass index (BMI), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fibrinogen, and sex (determination coefficient R2 = 0.699). In patients with PAOD without diabetes, the ABI was related to age, the duration of the symptoms of PAD, the levels of CRP, E-selectin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and the glomerular filtration rate(determination coefficient R2 = 0.844). We conclude that in elderly patients with PAOD with and without diabetes, the participation of independent factors related to the ABI is diversified; in patients with diabetes, the concentration of IL-6 and fibrinogen is lower, and the concentration of E-selectin is higher than in patients without diabetes.
Microstructural Effects of Sulphate Attack in Sustainable Grouts for Micropiles
Authors: Ortega Álvarez José , Esteban Pérez María , Rodríguez Escribano Raúl , Pastor Navarro José , Sánchez Martín Isidro
Published: November 2016

Nowadays, the use of micropiles has undergone a great development. In general, they are made with cement grout, reinforced with steel tubing. In Spain, these grouts are prepared using OPC, although the standards do not forbid the use of other cements, like sustainable ones. Micropiles are in contact with soils and groundwater, in which the presence of sulphates is common. Their deleterious effects firstly affect to the microstructure. Then, the aim of this research is to study the effects of sulphate attack in the microstructure of micropiles grouts, prepared with OPC, fly ash and slag commercial cements, compared to their behaviour when they are exposed to an optimum hardening condition. The microstructure evolution has been studied with the non-destructive impedance spectroscopy technique, which has never been used for detecting the effects of sulphate attack when slag and fly ash cements are used. Its results have been contrasted with mercury intrusion porosimetry and “Wenner” resistivity ones. The 28-day compressive strength of grouts has been also determined. The results of microstructure characterization techniques are in agreement, although impedance spectroscopy is the most sensitive for following the changes in the porous network of grouts. The results showed that micropiles made using fly ash and slag cements could have a good performance in contact with aggressive sodium sulphate media, even better than OPC ones.
Influence of Electrode Design and Contacting Layers on Performance of Electrolyte Supported SOFC/SOEC Single Cells
Authors: Kusnezoff Mihails , Trofimenko Nikolai , Müller Martin , Michaelis Alexander
Published: November 2016

The solid oxide cell is a basis for highly efficient and reversible electrochemical energy conversion. A single cell based on a planar electrolyte substrate as support (ESC) is often utilized for SOFC/SOEC stack manufacturing and fulfills necessary requirements for application in small, medium and large scale fuel cell and electrolysis systems. Thickness of the electrolyte substrate, and its ionic conductivity limits the power density of the ESC. To improve the performance of this cell type in SOFC/SOEC mode, alternative fuel electrodes, on the basis of Ni/CGO as well as electrolytes with reduced thickness, have been applied. Furthermore, different interlayers on the air side have been tested to avoid the electrode delamination and to reduce the cell degradation in electrolysis mode. Finally, the influence of the contacting layer on cell performance, especially for cells with an ultrathin electrolyte and thin electrode layers, has been investigated. It has been found that Ni/CGO outperform traditional Ni/8YSZ electrodes and the introduction of a ScSZ interlayer substantially reduces the degradation rate of ESC in electrolysis mode. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that, for thin electrodes, the application of contacting layers with good conductivity and adhesion to current collectors improves performance significantly.
Enantioseparation Using Cellulose Tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) as Chiral Stationary Phase for HPLC: Influence of Molecular Weight of Cellulose
Authors: Okada Yuji , Yamamoto Chiyo , Kamigaito Masami , Gao Yuan , Shen Jun , Okamoto Yoshio
Published: November 2016

The cellulose oligomers with different degrees of polymerization (DP), 7, 11, 18, 24, 26, 40 and 52, were prepared by hydrolysis of microcrystalline cellulose with phosphoric acid. These oligomers including the starting microcrystalline cellulose (DP 124) were converted to tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) (CDMPC) derivatives by the reaction with an excess of 3,5-dimethylphenyl isocyanate to be used as the chiral stationary phase (CSP) in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The structures of the CDMPC derivatives were investigated by infrared spectroscopy (IR), 1H-NMR, circular dichroism (CD) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC), and the DPs of the derivatives estimated by SEC agreed with those estimated by 1H-NMR. After coating the derivatives on silica gel, their chiral recognition abilities were evaluated using eight racemates under a normal phase condition with a hexane-2-propanol (99/1) mixture as an eluent. The chiral recognition abilities of 7- and 11-mers, particularly the former, were lower than those of the higher oligomers from DP 18 to 52, which had rather similar abilities to that of 124-mer, although the abilities depended on the racemates. DP 18 seems to be sufficient for CDMPC to exhibit chiral recognition similar to that of the CDMPC with larger DPs.
Inflammasomes and Natural Ingredients towards New Anti-Inflammatory Agents
Authors: Dutartre Patrick
Published: November 2016

Inflammasomes are a family of proteins in charge of the initiation of inflammatory process during innate immune response. They are now considered major actors in many chronic inflammatory diseases. However, no major drug focusing on this target is currently on the market. Among the various approaches aiming to control this major metabolic pathway, compounds aiming to modify the intracellular antioxidant profile appear to be promising. This can be obtained by “light” antioxidants able to induce natural antioxidant response of the cell itself. This review will give an overview of the current available information on this promising pharmacology approach.
Feasibility of Fraction Collection in HPLC Systems with Evaporative Light Scattering Detector: Analysis of Pectinatella magnifica
Authors: Pazourek Jiří , Šmejkal Karel
Published: November 2016

The use of a liquid chromatography (LC) splitter inserted between an HPLC column and an evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD) is described. This paper aims to show the feasibility of using the splitter in an HPLC-ELSD system to fractionate a model mixture of analytes, namely salicin (2-(hydroxymethyl)-phenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside) and glucose. The retention factors and efficiency of the separation were studied under various temperatures and water contents in the mobile phase in order to clarify the mechanism of polyols separation on a diol column under the conditions of hydrophilic liquid chromatography (HILIC). Finally, the system was applied to a biological sample (a lyophilized colony gel of Pectinatella magnifica), where the presence of fructose and glucose was confirmed.
Recent Advances in Enteral Nutrition
Authors: Ojo Omorogieva , Brooke Joanne
Published: November 2016

There have been signiﬁcant advances in the provision of enteral nutrition support in the acute and community healthcare settings.[...]