bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Avaliação da postura corporal de violinistas e violistas
Authors: Teixeira Clarissa Stefani , Kothe Fausto , Pereira Érico Felden , Merino Eugenio Andrés Díaz
Published: February 2013

Para a prática instrumental há necessidade de acessórios, como a partitura e estante. Assim como em computadores, o trabalho dos músicos necessita ajustes para que posturas desnecessárias não sejam adotadas ao longo da jornada das atividades, causando fadiga ou problemas futuros. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a distância visual, o ângulo visual, a altura da partitura musical e o ângulo cervical de 11 músicos de cordas (violino e viola). Os resultados apresentaram associação entre o ângulo visual e a distância e a altura da partitura, assim como a distância visual com a altura da partitura. Os resultados foram de 100,23±5,46 cm para a altura da partitura, 89,36±8,22 cm para a distância visual, 9,23±0,79° para o ângulo visual e 49,86±5,71° para o ângulo da cervical. Apenas o ângulo da cervical estava fora dos padrões recomendados (indicação máxima de 30º) e deve ser analisado com maior profundidade em estudos futuros. Conforme o ritmo, novas obras, troca de acessórios e/ou instrumento, estas dimensões poderão ser modificadas, mas sem interferir nas condições visuais, físicas e de conforto. As dimensões estiveram dentro dos limites recomendados pela ergonomia.
O Estilo indígena de Villa Lobos (Parte I): aspectos melódicos e harmônicos
Authors: Moreira Gabriel Ferrão
Published: February 2013

Primeira parte do artigo resultante de minha dissertação de mestrado, que trata da representação musical do índio brasileiro na composição de Heitor Villa-Lobos. Nessa primeira parte, apresento questões sobre aspectos melódicos e harmônicos no que chamo de seu "estilo indígena." Quais os meios musicais objetivos empregados por Villa-Lobos para evocar a figura do índio na memória e na sensibilidade dos ouvintes de seu tempo? Existe um rol de procedimentos composicionais recorrentes nessa construção sonoro-musical do índio em sua obra? Argumento que há um modo de compor particular de Villa-Lobos quando trata da temática indígena/selvagem, um recorte específico de sua obra: seu "estilo indígena".
The influence of room geometry on the overturning of smoke owing to a floor fire
Authors: Giannakopoulos Brian A. , Kaye Nigel B. , Hunt Gary R.
Published: February 2013

The present paper explores the influence of room geometry on the overturning of smoke owing to a centrally located floor fire, and examines the implications on smoke filling times. The focus is on presenting practical design guidelines based on the theoretical predictions of the model of Kaye and Hunt. An engineering platform is developed for the prediction of smoke filling times, and a rational basis is provided by way of which smoke behaviour can be specified for simple room designs. The time taken for smoke to fill a room to a given height is critically affected by the room aspect ratio and the characteristic size of the buoyancy source. At large times, taller (small aspect ratio) rooms are shown to fill with smoke at a faster rate than wide (large aspect ratio) rooms owing to large-scale overturning and engulfing of ambient air during the initial transients. Larger area sources of buoyancy also decrease significantly the smoke filling times, with important implications for fire and smoke safety design. Simplified design curves incorporating the main findings have been developed for use as a tool by practising fire-safety engineers.
Comparison of failure modes below footings on carbonate and silica sands
Authors: Dijkstra Jelke , Gaudin Christophe , White David J.
Published: February 2013

To investigate the differences in failure mechanisms beneath vertically loaded shallow foundations on silica and carbonate sands by way of particle image velocimetry analysis, 1g and centrifuge model tests have been performed. A comparison of silica and carbonate sand behaviour at low stresses and low initial soil density was made possible by 1g scaling conditions, while centrifuge conditions focused on high stresses and high soil density. This strategy provided separate insights into the effects of the compressibility and crushability of both sands. Results indicated a distinct difference in failure mode between the two sands. The footing on silica sand exhibited a shallow failure mode with large localised strains close to the soil surface. In contrast, the footing on carbonate sand mobilised strains lower in magnitude over a greater depth. The increased stress level in the centrifuge reduced the surface heave and resulted in deeper failure mechanisms in both sands. The bearing capacity factor for the experimental results could be back-calculated with simple limit analysis solutions, provided that different friction angles were used to account for the variation of stress levels. However, such an approach masks the influence of compressibility on the failure mechanism in the loose and compressible cases by requiring a lower friction angle than is realistically possible.
Restoration of fire in managed forests: a model to prioritize landscapes and analyze tradeoffs
Authors: Ager Alan A. , Vaillant Nicole M. , McMahan Andrew
Published: February 2013

Ongoing forest restoration on public lands in the western US is a concerted effort to counter the growing incidence of uncharacteristic wildfire in fire‐adapted ecosystems. Restoration projects cover 725,000 ha annually, and include thinning and underburning to remove ladder and surface fuel, and seeding of fire‐adapted native grasses and shrubs. The backlog of areas in need of restoration combined with limited budgets requires that projects are implemented according to a prioritization system. The current system uses a stand‐scale metric that measures ecological departure from pre‐settlement conditions. Although conceptually appealing, the approach does not consider important spatial factors that influence both the efficiency and feasibility of managing future fire in the post‐treatment landscape. To address this gap, we developed a spatial model that can be used to explore different landscape treatment configurations and identify optimal project parameters that maximize restoration goals. We tested the model on a 245,000 ha forest and analyzed tradeoffs among treatment strategies as defined by fire behavior thresholds, total area treated, and the proportion of the project area treated. We assumed the primary goal as the protection and conservation of old growth ponderosa pine trees from potential wildfire loss. The model located optimal project areas for restoration and identified treatment areas within them, although the location was dependent on assumptions about acceptable fire intensity within restored landscapes, and the total treated area per project. When a high percentage of stands was treated (e.g., >80%), the resulting project area was relatively small, leaving the surrounding landscape at risk for fire. Conversely, treating only a few stands with extreme fire behavior (<20%) created larger projects, but substantial old growth forests remained susceptible to wildfire mortality within the project area. Intermediate treatment densities (35%) were optimal in terms of the overall reduction in the potential wildfire mortality of old growth. The current work expands the application in spatial optimization to the problem of dry forest restoration, and demonstrates a decision support protocol to prioritize landscapes and specific areas to treat within them. The concepts and model can be applied to similar problems in spatial ecology.
Hosts or habitats: What drives the spatial distribution of mosquitoes?
Authors: Burkett-Cadena Nathan D. , McClure Christopher J. W. , Estep Laura K. , Eubanks Micky D.
Published: February 2013

Understanding the factors that influence the distribution of vectors is critical to assess the risk of disease transmission across landscapes. For mosquitoes, existing spatial models use only habitat elements (hydrologic and floristic) to predict the distribution of disease vectors within the landscape, ignoring the potential importance of the distribution of hosts. We tested the hypothesis that the distribution of hosts would better explain the spatial distribution of mosquitoes than habitat variables using Information Theory and Poisson Regression. We analyzed the abundance of ectotherm‐biting mosquitoes and their hosts from 37 points over a 28‐km2 area in Tuskegee National Forest, Alabama, USA. We compared models built using information regarding habitat, hosts, or both for their ability to explain the abundance of Culex peccator and Culex territans, two mosquito species that specialize on reptiles and amphibians. Models built using both host and habitat information were the best models for both species, suggesting that information regarding the distribution of mosquito hosts greatly improves models of mosquito distributions. Moreover, when differences in habitat makeup among stations were accounted for, mosquitoes were found to be significantly more abundant at locations with greater host abundance. Since most mosquitoes feed on only a limited range of hosts and successful blood feeding is one of the most crucial bottlenecks in the life cycle of mosquitoes, it follows that mosquitoes would aggregate in areas of greatest host density. Habitat influences the availability of suitable larval development sites, and to some extent, distribution of hosts. Our analysis, however, shows that within the landscape the distribution of host animals is a crucial factor in determining the spatial distribution of vectors. This has clear and important implications for determining which areas are at a greater risk for zoonotic arboviruses and is a potentially transformative paradigm for understanding the factors that influence the spatial distribution of disease vectors.
Simulating the Nutritive Value of Timothy Summer Regrowth
Authors: Jing Qi , Bélanger Gilles , Baron Vern , Bonesmo Helge , Virkajärvi Perttu
Published: February 2013

The process‐based grass model, CATIMO, simulates the spring growth and nutritive value of timothy (Phleum pratense L.), a forage species widely grown in Scandinavia and Canada, but the nutritive value of the summer regrowth has never been simulated. Our objective was to improve CATIMO for simulating the N concentration, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), in vitro digestibility of NDF (dNDF), and in vitro true digestibility of dry matter (IVTD) of summer regrowth. Daily changes in summer regrowth nutritive value were simulated by modifying key crop parameters that differed from spring growth. More specifically, the partitioning fraction to leaf blades was increased to increase the leaf‐to‐weight ratio, and daily changes in NDF and dNDF of leaf blades and stems were reduced. The modified CATIMO model was evaluated with data from four independent experiments in eastern and western Canada and Finland. The model performed better for eastern Canada than for the other locations, but the nutritive value attributes of the summer regrowth across locations (range of normalized RMSE = 8–25%, slope < 0.17, R2 < 0.10) were not simulated as well as those of the spring growth (range of normalized RMSE = 4–16%, 0.85 < slope < 1.07, R2 > 0.61). These modeling results highlight knowledge gaps in timothy summer regrowth and prospective research directions: improved knowledge of factors controlling the nutritive value of the timothy summer regrowth and experimental measurements of leaf‐to‐weight ratio and of the nutritive value of leaves and stems.
Creation of a sustainable water resource through reclamation of municipal and industrial wastewater in the Gippsland Water Factory
Authors: Daigger Glen T. , Hodgkinson Andrew , Aquilina Simon , Burrowes Peter
Published: February 2013

The Gippsland Water Factory (GWF) is being implemented to reclaim domestic and industrial (pulp and paper) wastewater to provide a reliable and sustainable industrial water supply, replacing the high quality raw water currently provided by Gippsland Water. A grassroots facility, the GWF will process domestic wastewater by preliminary treatment, primary sedimentation, membrane bioreactor (MBR) nutrient removal activated sludge, and reverse osmosis (RO). Domestic primary and waste activated sludge and industrial wastewater is treated in anaerobic reactors (ARs) (lagoons) prior to biological treatment via MBR. Significant H2S is produced in the ARs and is oxidized to elemental sulfur in the aerobic MBR by controlled oxidation. In Stage 2 of the GWF the industrial wastewater will be reclaimed using nanofiltration and RO. Extensive pilot testing supported design of the ARs and industrial MBR. Development of the GWF was based on multi-criteria analysis to create an innovative and sustainable solution. Innovative features in addition to those already mentioned include biological sulfur removal from the AR biogas and odor control which includes treatment of off-gases in the biological reactor followed by two-stage biological treatment.
Lessons learnt on Ecosan in Morocco: case of the urine-diversion dehydration toilets
Authors: Abarghaz Youssef , Mahi Mustapha , Bendaou Najib , Fekhaoui Mohammed , Werner Christine
Published: February 2013

‘Lessons learnt on Ecosan in Morocco’ is a short analysis of experience gained in Morocco especially in rural areas where people do not have adequate systems of evacuation of their wastewater. The rural population cannot afford conventional sanitation systems. In response to this, we have thought to promote ecological sanitation that recognises wastewater not as a waste but as a resource. The first Urine-Diversion Dehydration Toilets (UDDTs) were introduced in a rural village called ‘Dayet Ifrah’ in Morocco in December 2009. Since then, households are starting to see the advantages of UDDTs and the systems are becoming more and more accepted. The UDDT systems implemented in the village could be used as a model for Moroccan rural areas. This paper sets out how the Ecosan approach was successfully introduced in Morocco where people are motivated by reasons to improve this approach such as no smell, safety, comfort, privacy and water reuse. Results reveal that the users are satisfied with the Ecosan approach to cleanse their wastewater. Although Ecosan is relatively new to Morocco, it seems that it can succeed in very poor populations. The paper contains information on general experiences in the different countries and also lessons learnt on Ecosan in each country.
Elimination of enteric indicators and pathogenic bacteria in secondary effluents and lake water by solar disinfection (SODIS)
Authors: AL-Gheethi Adel A. S. , Norli I. , Kadir Mohd Omar Ab.
Published: February 2013

The reduction of enteric indicators (fecal coliforms (FC) and Enterococcus faecalis) and elimination of pathogenic bacteria (Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus) in the secondary effluents and lake water by solar disinfection (SODIS) was studied in this article. FC, E. faecalis, Salmonella spp. and S. aureus were isolated and enumerated using membrane filtration techniques after SODIS of samples inside transparent polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 h. The results show that SODIS can reduce numbers of FC, Salmonella spp. and S. aureus by more than 4 log10 colony forming units (CFU)/100 mL after 6 h. However, regrowth of these bacteria was observed after the incubation of the treated samples at 37 °C for 24 h, whereas SODIS for 8 h would eliminate pathogenic bacteria and no regrowth would be observed in these samples as determined by an absence and presence technique using enrichment medium. E. faecalis was not eliminated in the secondary effluents and lake water by SODIS, but this bacterium was reduced to less than detection limits (1 CFU/100 mL) when the treated secondary effluent samples were stored for 16 days at room temperature. The elimination of pathogenic bacteria and reduction of enteric indicators resulted in undetectable levels using SODIS for secondary effluents and lake water.
Comparing radial and femoral access for coronary angiography and interventions
Authors: Hsieh Victar , Jolly Sanjit
Published: February 2013

Cardiac catheterization and coronary intervention via the radial approach is increasingly adopted as the preferred vascular access to avoid transfemoral vascular complications. Recent clinical trials have confirmed that radial access reduces vascular complications and local bleeding with similar procedural efficacy. Transradial access has inherent technical challenges, including smaller vessel size of the radial artery, arterial spasm and tortuosity involving the radial and subclavian arteries, which may undermine the procedural success of this approach. A number of strategies have been reported to minimize complications of radial access, including the use of hydrophilic introducer sheaths and smaller sheath sizes, administration of nitroglycerin and unfractionated heparin during the procedure, patent hemostasis of the radial artery and careful patient selection. Operators experienced in transradial percutaneous coronary intervention can achieve comparable clinical outcomes to the transfemoral approach and minimize vascular complications. Radial artery access is likely to become widely accepted as the preferred percutaneous coronary intervention approach.
Solution thermodynamics of aqueous nicotinic acid solutions in presence of tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulphate
Authors: Sarkar Abhijit , Sinha Biswajit
Published: February 2013

In this study we investigated the effects of tetrabutylammonium hydrogen
sulphate (Bu4NHSO4) on the solute-solute and solute-solvent interactions in
the aqueous solutions of nicotinic acid in terms of apparent molar volumes
(?V), standard partial molar volumes (?V0) and viscosity B-coefficients at
298.15, 308.15, and 318.15 K under ambient pressure. These interactions are
further discussed in terms of ion-dipolar, hydrophobic- hydrophobic,
hydrophilic-hydrophobic group interactions. The activation parameters of
viscous flow for Bu4NHSO4 in the aqueous solutions of nicotinic acid were
discussed in terms of transition state theory. The overall results indicated
that ion-hydrophilic and hydrophilic-hydrophilic group interactions are
predominant in the aqueous solutions of nicotinic acid and Bu4NHSO4 has a
dehydration effect on the hydrated nicotinic acid.
Assessment of nickel titanium and beta titanium corrosion resistance behavior in fluoride and chloride environments
Authors: Kassab Elisa J. , Gomes José Ponciano
Published: February 2013

Objective:

To assess the influence of fluoride concentration on the corrosion behavior of nickel titanium (NiTi) superelastic wire and to compare the corrosion resistance of NiTi with that of beta titanium alloy in physiological solution with and without addition of fluoride.

Materials and Methods:

NiTi corrosion resistance was investigated through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and anodic polarization in sodium chloride (NaCl 0.15 M) with and without addition of 0.02 M sodium fluoride (NaF), and the results were compared with those associated with beta titanium. The influence of fluoride concentration on NiTi corrosion behavior was assessed in NaCl (0.15 M) with and without 0.02, 0.04, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.12 M NaF solution. Galvanic corrosion between NiTi and beta titanium were investigated. All samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy.

Results:

Polarization resistance decreased when NaF concentration was increased, and, depending on NaF concentration, NiTi can suffer localized or generalized corrosion. In NaCl solution with 0.02 M NaF, NiTi suffer localized corrosion, while beta titanium alloys remained passive. Current values near zero were observed by galvanic coupling of NiTi and beta titanium.

Conclusions:

There is a decrease in NiTi corrosion resistance in the presence of fluoride. The corrosion behavior of NiTi alloy depends on fluoride concentration. When 0.02 and 0.04 M of NaF were added to the NaCl solution, NiTi presented localized corrosion. When NaF concentration increased to 0.05, 0.07, and 0.12 M, the alloy presented general corrosion. NiTi corrosion resistance behavior is lower than that of beta titanium. Galvanic coupling of these alloys does not increase corrosion rates.
Diurnal Pattern of Insulin Action in Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Hinshaw Ling , Dalla Man Chiara , Nandy Debashis K. , Saad Ahmed , Bharucha Adil E. , Levine James A. , Rizza Robert A. , Basu Rita , Carter Rickey E. , Cobelli Claudio , Kudva Yogish C. , Basu Ananda
Published: February 2013

We recently demonstrated a diurnal pattern to insulin action (i.e., insulin sensitivity [SI]) in healthy individuals with higher SI at breakfast than at dinner. To determine whether such a pattern exists in type 1 diabetes, we studied 19 subjects with C-peptide–negative diabetes (HbA1c 7.1 ± 0.6%) on insulin pump therapy with normal gastric emptying. Identical mixed meals were ingested during breakfast, lunch, and dinner at 0700, 1300, and 1900 h in randomized Latin square of order on 3 consecutive days when measured daily physical activity was equal. The triple tracer technique enabled measurement of glucose fluxes. Insulin was administered according to the customary insulin:carbohydrate ratio for each participant. Although postprandial glucose excursions did not differ among meals, insulin concentration was higher (P < 0.01) and endogenous glucose production less suppressed (P < 0.049) at breakfast than at lunch. There were no differences in meal glucose appearance or in glucose disappearance between meals. Although there was no statistical difference (P = 0.34) in SI between meals in type 1 diabetic subjects, the diurnal pattern of SI taken across the three meals in its entirety differed (P = 0.016) from that of healthy subjects. Although the pattern in healthy subjects showed decreasing SI between breakfast and lunch, the reverse SI pattern was observed in type 1 diabetic subjects. The results suggest that in contrast to healthy subjects, SI diurnal pattern in type 1 diabetes is specific to the individual and cannot be extrapolated to the type 1 diabetic population as a whole, implying that artificial pancreas algorithms may need to be personalized.
Relationship between Traffic Density, Speed, and Safety and Its Implications for Setting Variable Speed Limits on Freeways
Authors: Kononov Jake , Durso Catherine , Reeves David , Allery Bryan K.
Published: February 2013

Speed–flow relationships for a typical basic freeway segment are understood well at present and are documented by the successive editions of the Highway Capacity Manual. Recent freeway studies showed that speed on freeways was not affected by low to midrange traffic flow. Increases in flow and density without a reduction in speed have a significant influence on safety. However, current literature lacks constructive discussion of this influence. Empirical examination of the relationship between flow–density, speed, and crash rate on selected freeways in Colorado suggests that as flow–density increases, the crash rate initially remains constant until a certain critical threshold combination of speed and density is reached. Once this threshold is exceeded, the crash rate rises rapidly. The rise in crash rate may be caused by flow compression without a notable reduction in speed: resultant headways are so small that drivers find it difficult or impossible to compensate for error and avoid a crash. This paper calibrates performance functions for corridor-specific safety that relate crash rate to hourly volume–density and speed and proposes an algorithm for a variable speed limit intended to slow traffic in real time in advance of a high speed–high density operational regime. Deployment of such an algorithm has the potential to improve safety and reduce travel time variability.
Safety Effectiveness of Super 2 Highways in Texas
Authors: Park Byung-Jung , Fitzpatrick Kay , Brewer Marcus
Published: February 2013

The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety effectiveness of Super 2 highways in Texas. A before–after study was performed with the empirical Bayes (EB) method, which was superior to other methods because it could address the regression-to-the-mean bias. On the basis of potential study sites identified in seven districts (Paris, Childress, Corpus Christi, Austin, Wichita Falls, Yoakum, and Bryan) in Texas, four reference groups were considered by imposition of different restrictions. Negative binomial regression models were then used to develop safety performance functions for each reference group. From the model selection process, the most restricted reference group was selected for the final analysis. For roadway inventory and crash history data, 12 years (1997 to 2001 and 2003 to 2009) of data for Texas were examined. The analysis used fatal (K), incapacitating injury (A), nonincapacitating injury (B), and minor injury (C) crashes. Property-damage-only crashes were not included. The EB analyses were carried out on five corridors with about 53 centerline miles. The results showed that the installation of Super 2 highways led to statistically significant reductions in the incidence of crashes of 35% for crashes on segments only (KABC) and 42% for crashes on segments and at intersections (KABC) on the study corridors. These findings were consistent with those of previous studies of the safety of Super 2 corridors that showed improvements in safety with installation of passing lanes, even when traffic volumes were higher than those considered under previous guidance in Texas.
Assessment of Interaction of Crash Occurrence, Mountainous Freeway Geometry, Real-Time Weather, and Traffic Data
Authors: Ahmed Mohamed M. , Abdel-Aty Mohamed , Yu Rongjie
Published: February 2013

This study investigated the effect of the interaction between roadway geometric features and real-time weather and traffic data on the occurrence of crashes on a mountainous freeway. The Bayesian logistic regression technique was used to link a total of 301 crash occurrences on I-70 in Colorado with the space mean speed collected in real time from an automatic vehicle identification (AVI) system and real-time weather and roadway geometry data. The results suggested that the inclusion of roadway geometrics and real-time weather with data from an AV I system in the context of active traffic management systems was essential, in particular with roadway sections characterized by mountainous terrain and adverse weather. The modeling results showed that the geometric factors were significant in the dry and the snowy seasons and that the likelihood of a crash could double during the snowy season because of the interaction between the pavement condition and steep grades. The 6-min average speed at the crash segment during the 6 to 12 min before the crash and the visibility 1 h before the crash were found to be significant during the dry season, whereas the logarithms of the coefficient of variation in speed at the crash segment during the 6 to 12 min before the crash, the visibility 1 h before the crash, as well as the precipitation 10 min before the crash were found to be significant during the snowy season. The results from the two models suggest that different active traffic management strategies should be in place during these two distinct seasons.
How Far from Optimal are Current Advisory Speeds?
Authors: Avelar Raul E. , Dixon Karen K.
Published: February 2013

The posting of advisory speed signs at sharp horizontal curves to provide the driving public with a safe speed is a practice well established in the United States. However, the operational effectiveness of these signs has long been questioned in the literature. The authors of this paper recently developed a function to model the expected safety effect of these signs. The function evolved from a statistical analysis of crash data from two-lane rural highways in the state of Oregon. In general, that initial research effort revealed that advisory speed signs tended to enhance safety. However, the results also suggested that advisory speed signs may not display the value with the greatest potential safety benefit. Because the function derived from that research proved meaningful from the engineering and human factors perspectives, the authors then extended the use of that function to compute and recommend the theoretically optimal advisory speed. A new posting procedure resulted from that effort. The authors compared the expected performance of advisory speeds from the proposed procedure with the speeds derived from current posting guidelines. The comparable performance of the proposed procedure suggests that current guidelines are close to the hypothetically optimal advisory speed. In general, speeds determined by both the current and the new computational methods performed better than those determined by the ball bank indicator method. This paper also presents a field validation analysis of the engine function of the new posting method. The results confirmed the meaningfulness of the function and therefore the potential benefit of the proposed method for determining safety-based advisory speeds.
The Effect of Freeze-Thaw Conditions on Arctic Soil Bacterial Communities
Authors: Kumar Niraj , Grogan Paul , Chu Haiyan , Christiansen Casper , Walker Virginia
Published: February 2013

Climate change is already altering the landscape at high latitudes. Permafrost is thawing, the growing season is starting earlier, and, as a result, certain regions in the Arctic may be subjected to an increased incidence of freeze-thaw events. The potential release of carbon and nutrients from soil microbial cells that have been lysed by freeze-thaw transitions could have significant impacts on the overall carbon balance of arctic ecosystems, and therefore on atmospheric CO2 concentrations. However, the impact of repeated freezing and thawing with the consequent growth and recrystallization of ice on microbial communities is still not well understood. Soil samples from three distinct sites, representing Canadian geographical low arctic, mid-arctic and high arctic soils were collected from Daring Lake, Alexandra Fjord and Cambridge Bay sampling sites, respectively. Laboratory-based experiments subjected the soils to multiple freeze-thaw cycles for 14 days based on field observations (0 °C to −10 °C for 12 h and −10 °C to 0 °C for 12 h) and the impact on the communities was assessed by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) methyl ester analysis and 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Both data sets indicated differences in composition and relative abundance between the three sites, as expected. However, there was also a strong variation within the two high latitude sites in the effects of the freeze-thaw treatment on individual PLFA and 16S-based phylotypes. These site-based heterogeneities suggest that the impact of climate change on soil microbial communities may not be predictable a priori; minor differential susceptibilities to freeze-thaw stress could lead to a “butterfly effect” as described by chaos theory, resulting in subsequent substantive differences in microbial assemblages. This perspectives article suggests that this is an unwelcome finding since it will make future predictions for the impact of on-going climate change on soil microbial communities in arctic regions all but impossible.
Special Issue on Organic Electronic Bio-Devices
Authors: Torsi Luisa
Published: February 2013

The aim of the present editorial is to briefly summarize the current scientific and technological accomplishments in the field of organic electronic biosensors as described in the articles published in this Special Issue. By definition, a biosensor is a robust analytical device that combines a biological recognition element (e.g., antibodies, enzymes, cells) with a transducer. Organic electronic bio-devices are considered as potentially reliable substitutes of conventional and rather expensive analytical techniques employed for several applications such as medical diagnosis, food safety and environment pollution monitoring. Some insights into the selection and immobilization of recognition elements, signal amplification, fabrication techniques and analytical performance of biosensing devices will be presented.
The Role of the Immune Response in Merkel Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Triozzi Pierre , Fernandez Anthony
Published: February 2013

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer. The Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is implicated in its pathogenesis. Immune mechanisms are also implicated. Patients who are immunosuppressed have an increased risk. There is evidence that high intratumoral T-cell counts and immune transcripts are associated with favorable survival. Spontaneous regressions implicate immune effector mechanisms. Immunogenicity is also supported by observation of autoimmune paraneoplastic syndromes. Case reports suggest that immune modulation, including reduction of immune suppression, can result in tumor regression. The relationships between MCPyV infection, the immune response, and clinical outcome, however, remain poorly understood. Circulating antibodies against MCPyV antigens are present in most individuals. MCPyV-reactive T cells have been detected in both MCC patients and control subjects. High intratumoral T-cell counts are also associated with favorable survival in MCPyV-negative MCC. That the immune system plays a central role in preventing and controlling MCC is supported by several observations. MCCs often develop, however, despite the presence of humoral and cellular immune responses. A better understanding on how MCPyV and MCC evade the immune response will be necessary to develop effective immunotherapies.
Rapid Microsatellite Marker Development Using Next Generation Pyrosequencing to Inform Invasive Burmese Python—Python molurus bivittatus—Management
Authors: Hunter Margaret , Hart Kristen
Published: February 2013

Invasive species represent an increasing threat to native ecosystems, harming indigenous taxa through predation, habitat modification, cross-species hybridization and alteration of ecosystem processes. Additionally, high economic costs are associated with environmental damage, restoration and control measures. The Burmese python, Python molurus bivittatus, is one of the most notable invasive species in the US, due to the threat it poses to imperiled species and the Greater Everglades ecosystem. To address population structure and relatedness, next generation sequencing was used to rapidly produce species-specific microsatellite loci. The Roche 454 GS-FLX Titanium platform provided 6616 di-, tri- and tetra-nucleotide repeats in 117,516 sequences. Using stringent criteria, 24 of 26 selected tri- and tetra-nucleotide loci were polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified and 18 were polymorphic. An additional six cross-species loci were amplified, and the resulting 24 loci were incorporated into eight PCR multiplexes. Multi-locus genotypes yielded an average of 61% (39%–77%) heterozygosity and 3.7 (2–6) alleles per locus. Population-level studies using the developed microsatellites will track the invasion front and monitor population-suppression dynamics. Additionally, cross-species amplification was detected in the invasive Ball, P. regius, and Northern African python, P. sebae. These markers can be used to address the hybridization potential of Burmese pythons and the larger, more aggressive P. sebae.
On Demand, Development and Dependence: A Review of Current and Future Implications of Socioeconomic Changes for Integrated Water Resource Management in the Okavango Catchment of Southern Africa
Authors: Weinzierl Thomas , Schilling Janpeter
Published: February 2013

Water is both a key and limited resource in the Okavango Catchment of Southern Africa. It is vital for the ecosystem and the three riparian states Angola, Botswana and Namibia who use the water of the catchment for multiple purposes including pastoralism, farming and tourism. Socioeconomic changes, primarily strong population growth and increasing development demands pose significant challenges for the Okavango Catchment and its Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM). In this paper, we first review the socioeconomic background and the current and projected water situation. Against this background, we analyze the dependence of the riparian states and the local livelihoods on the Okavango Catchment. Third, we discuss the implications of socioeconomic changes and increased water demand for the IWRM in the catchment. We review the scientific literature and relevant reports. Further we utilize (geo-spatial) analysis of socioeconomic, livelihood and hydrological data, supplemented by a field visit to Namibia and Botswana. Our findings suggest that strong population growth and the stabilization of Angola are likely to increase the pressure to develop the region along the Okavango. The central challenge for IWRM is hence to enable Angola to meet its development needs without limiting livelihood and economic prospects in Botswana and Namibia.
Properties of Halococcus salifodinae, an Isolate from Permian Rock Salt Deposits, Compared with Halococci from Surface Waters
Authors: Legat Andrea , Denner Ewald , Dornmayr-Pfaffenhuemer Marion , Pfeiffer Peter , Knopf Burkhard , Claus Harald , Gruber Claudia , König Helmut , Wanner Gerhard , Stan-Lotter Helga
Published: February 2013

Halococcus salifodinae BIpT DSM 8989T, an extremely halophilic archaeal isolate from an Austrian salt deposit (Bad Ischl), whose origin was dated to the Permian period, was described in 1994. Subsequently, several strains of the species have been isolated, some from similar but geographically separated salt deposits. Hcc. salifodinae may be regarded as one of the most ancient culturable species which existed already about 250 million years ago. Since its habitat probably did not change during this long period, its properties were presumably not subjected to the needs of mutational adaptation. Hcc. salifodinae and other isolates from ancient deposits would be suitable candidates for testing hypotheses on prokaryotic evolution, such as the molecular clock concept, or the net-like history of genome evolution. A comparison of available taxonomic characteristics from strains of Hcc. salifodinae and other Halococcus species, most of them originating from surface waters, is presented. The cell wall polymer of Hcc. salifodinae was examined and found to be a heteropolysaccharide, similar to that of Hcc. morrhuae. Polyhydroxyalkanoate granules were present in Hcc. salifodinae, suggesting a possible lateral gene transfer before Permian times.
Influence of N2 Partial Pressure on Structure and Mechanical Properties of TiAlN/Al2O3 Multilayers
Authors: Yan Jingyue , Dong Lei , Gao Chongkuan , Wang Ning , Li Dejun
Published: February 2013

TiAlN/Al2O3 multilayers with different Ar/N2 ratios were deposited on Si substrates in different N2 partial pressure by magnetron sputtering. The crystalline and multilayer structures of the multilayers were determined by a glancing angle X-ray diffractometer (XRD). A nanoindenter was used to evaluate the hardness, the elastic modulus and scratch scan of the multilayers. The chemical bonding was investigated by a X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The maximum hardness (36.3 GPa) and elastic modulus (466 GPa) of the multilayers was obtained when Ar/N2 ratio was 18:1. The TiAlN/Al2O3 multilayers were crystallized with orientation in the (111) and (311) crystallographic planes. The multilayers displayed stably plastic recovery in different Ar/N2 ratios. The scratch scan and post scan surface profiles of TiAlN/Al2O3 multilayers showed the highest critical fracture load (Lc) of 53 mN for the multilayer of Ar/N2 = 18:1. It indicated that the multilayer had better practical adhesion strength and fracture resistance.
Grewia asiatica L., a Food Plant with Multiple Uses
Authors: Zia-Ul-Haq Muhammad , Stanković Milan , Rizwan Komal , Feo Vincenzo
Published: February 2013

Grewia asiatica L., is a species native to south Asia from Pakistan, east to Cambodia, cultivated primarily for its edible fruit and well-reputed for its diverse medicinal uses. Fruits are a rich source of nutrients such as proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals and contain various bioactive compounds, like anthocyanins, tannins, phenolics and flavonoids. Different parts of this plant possess different pharmacological properties. Leaves have antimicrobial, anticancer, antiplatelet and antiemetic activities; fruit possess anticancer, antioxidant, radioprotective and antihyperglycemic properties; while stem bark possesses analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. This review focuses on the botanical description, phytochemistry, nutritional studies and pharmacological properties of this plant.
Hand Biometric Recognition Based on Fused Hand Geometry and Vascular Patterns
Authors: Park GiTae , Kim Soowon
Published: February 2013

A hand biometric authentication method based on measurements of the user’s hand geometry and vascular pattern is proposed. To acquire the hand geometry, the thickness of the side view of the hand, the K-curvature with a hand-shaped chain code, the lengths and angles of the finger valleys, and the lengths and profiles of the fingers were used, and for the vascular pattern, the direction-based vascular-pattern extraction method was used, and thus, a new multimodal biometric approach is proposed. The proposed multimodal biometric system uses only one image to extract the feature points. This system can be configured for low-cost devices. Our multimodal biometric-approach hand-geometry (the side view of the hand and the back of hand) and vascular-pattern recognition method performs at the score level. The results of our study showed that the equal error rate of the proposed system was 0.06%.
Sexual stability in the nearly dioeciousPinus johannis(Pinaceae)
Authors: Flores‐Rentería Lluvia , Molina‐Freaner Francisco , Whipple Amy V. , Gehring Catherine A. , Domínguez C. A.
Published: February 2013

•Premise of the study:Even though dioecy is a dominant sexual system among gymnosperms, little is known about its evolutionary history.Pinus johannismay represent a model system because unisexual and monoecious individuals compose its populations. The presence of unisexual individuals in otherPinusspecies is a consequence of sexual lability. Here we determined whetherP. johannisrepresents the first example of a dioecious or nearly dioecious reproductive system in conifers by evaluating its sexual stability.

•Methods:To assess the stability of sexual expression, we quantified the proportion of male vs. female reproductive structures produced by trees over multiple years and tested for the presence of sexual dimorphism. Sexual lability hypotheses were also examined by looking at the relationship between environmental factors and sexual expression and by comparing the reproductive behavior ofP. johanniswith its closest labile relative,P. edulis.

•Key results: Pinus johannisis nearly dioecious: ∼99% of individuals are unisexual or express a low proportion of the opposite gender with few changes in sexual expression through time. We found sexual dimorphism consistent with sexual stability. Sexual expression did not vary with tree size/age, abiotic environment, or herbivore removal, providing evidence against sexual lability. Individuals ofP. johannistended to produce only male or female strobili, whereas those ofP. eduliswere mainly monoecious with a gradient in the female to male strobili ratio.

•Conclusions:This study represents the first report of a nearly stable dioeciousPinusspecies. The variety of sexual morphs coexisting in the same population makesP. johannisa model for studying the evolution of dioecy in gymnosperms.
Making Your Voice Heard: Sharing Outcomes of Continuing Nursing Education
Authors: Dickerson Pamela S.
Published: February 2013

Continuing education providers are expected to evaluate the outcomes of learning activities. Professional standards also address the expectation that those outcomes will be shared with others to validate the significance of continuing education and the role of the nursing professional development specialist.
Recent improvements in mesoscale characterization of the western Mediterranean Sea: synergy between satellite altimetry and other observational approaches
Authors: Pascual Ananda , Bouffard Jérôme , Ruiz Simón , Buongiorno Nardelli Bruno , Vidal-Vijande Enrique , Escudier Romain , Sayol Juan Manuel , Orfila Alejandro
Published: February 2013

Satellite altimetry is a key component of the global observing system and plays a major role in the study of the mesoscale processes that drive most of the ocean circulation variability at middle and high latitudes. However, satellite altimetry alone provides only surface information at a limited spatio-temporal resolution. To address these limitations and to better describe the mesoscale three-dimensional variability, it is necessary to complement altimetry data with additional remote and in situ measurements. This study provides an update of the recent advances in the study of the mesoscale variability using a combination of altimetry and other independent observations, with an emphasis on the results obtained for the western Mediterranean Sea. The circulation in this area is complex because of the presence of multiple interacting scales, including basin-scale, sub-basin–scale and mesoscale structures. Thus, characterizing these processes requires high-resolution observations and multi-sensor approaches. Accordingly, multi-platform experiments and analyses have been designed and undertaken in the different sub-basins of the western Mediterranean Sea. These studies have demonstrated the advantages of synergetic approaches that use a combination of observation techniques and are able to resolve different spatio-temporal scales with the aim of better understanding mesoscale dynamics.
Em defesa da comunidade local e da consolidação da democracia numa cidade em processo de globalização: um exemplo de Boston
Authors: Sieber Tim , Centeio Maria
Published: February 2013

Boston, Massachusetts, EUA, exibe, em escala reduzida, as principais particularidades de uma “cidade mundial”, evidenciando os efeitos da globalização económica. As tendências incluem o crescente controlo económico estrangeiro, a crescente “deslocalização” do espaço da cidade, a gentrificação intensiva e novas vagas de imigrantes que engrossam os níveis mais baixos do sector terciário. Um bairro, o Dudley Street Corridor, resiste com sucesso à globalização a nível local, através da manutenção dos preços da propriedade imobiliária em níveis estáveis, mesmo aquando do colapso do mercado da habitação, da estabilidade social enquanto comunidade multiétnica e do controlo local do espaço urbano. O sucesso do bairro, em termos de autoprotecção, reflecte o trabalho da sua organização de planeamento local, a Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI), usando um fundo de terrenos comunitário e um modelo de organização de partilha de espaço que cria laços de solidariedade entre populações de diferentes etnias e promove a democracia local unindo todos os residentes. A “democracia profunda”, nas palavras de Appadurai, e os habitantes urbanos reclamando o seu “direito à cidade”, nas palavras de LeFebvre, são disso o resultado.