bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Outcome of Twin Pregnancy in a Periurban Hospital
Authors: Tasnim Saria , Haque FM Anamul , Chowdhury Sameena
Published: October 2016

Objective: To determine the socio demographic characteristics, clinical presentation and obstetric outcome at delivery and immediate postpartum period of twin gestation in a periurban hospitalMaterial & Methods: An observational study was conducted between January 2000 to December 2004 at Institute of Child and Mother Health. All twin pregnancy irrespective of gestational age admitted in the in-patient department of Institute of Child and Mother Health for delivery and also those undiagnosed cases found to have twin birth were enrolled in the study consecutively from January 2001 to December 2004. Data on socio-demographic factors, predisposing factors for twin gestation and obstetric characteristics was collected using a structured questionnaire. Hospital records were consulted for recording the investigation reports and management options. The outcome variables were maternal complications during antenatal, intranatal and immediate postnatal period, mode of delivery, birth weight and sex of newborn and fetal outcome. All twin pregnancies from the admitted obstetric patients were enrolled consecutivelyResults: During the study period there were 11,185 deliveries and among them 107 were twin gestation. About 22% were primigravida, 78.5% multigravida, 27.1% were illiterate. Most common age group were 24-29 years (39.4%). Antenatal care was availed by 71% of patients and 27.1% twins were not diagnosed till delivery. Family history of twin on maternal side was present in 58.1% and 31.8% had history of taking oral contraceptive immediately before the pregnancy. Ovulation inducing agents were given to 8.3% of twin. Presentations of fetus were both vertex 54.2%, 1st vertex and second breech 16%, and both breech 5.7%. About 55.1% were admitted with labor pain, 6.5% were undelivered second twin. Preterm birth was 27.2% and low birth weight of 1st baby 79.6% and second baby 80.9% respectively. Mode of delivery was vaginal delivery of both fetus 41.6%, caesarean section of both fetus 62.4%, and caesarean for second twin 3.1%. Same sex of both twins was found in 78% and male-male pair was 50%. There was one stillbirth, one conjoined twin and perinatal death was 11.2% Complications encountered during perinatal period were severe abdominal pain 9.3%, retained placenta in 7.3%; and post partum hemorrhage in 4.6% cases.Conclusion: Twin pregnancy is quite common and warrants specialized care during ante partum, intrapartum and postpartum period.Bangladesh J Obstet Gynaecol, 2012; Vol. 27(2) : 57-62
Sonographic Prediction of Ovarian Malignancy in Adnexal Mass
Authors: Nahar Shamsun , Shamsuddin Latifa , Faruqui Mariam , Ara Gulshan
Published: October 2016

Objective: To evaluate the role of ultrasound for preoperative diagnosis of ovarian malignancy in adnexal mass.Materials & Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted on patients having adnexal mass (n-57) admitted consecutively for surgical exploration in Dept. of OB-GYN of BSMMU from January 2000 - March 2001. Abdominal ultrasonography was performed 10 days preoperatively and 5 sonographic criteria were used to calculate ultrasound score (0, 1 & 3 ). Definitive diagnosis was based on histo-pathological study . Sensitivity , specificity , positive and negative predictive values of ultrasound score to diagnose ovarian malignancy were detected . Chi square & students t test were used for statistical analysis .Results: Sensitivity , specificity , positive and negative predictive values of ultrasound score at cut-off value of 3 were 78% , 80% , 47% and 94 % respectively .Conclusion: For pre-operative diagnosis of ovarian malignancy sonographic scoring system may be introduced easily into the clinical practice where other complementary tests are not available. Combination of serum CA125 and menopausal status into ultrasound score may further improve the diagnostic accuracy in prediction of ovarian malignancy preoperatively.Bangladesh J Obstet Gynaecol, 2012; Vol. 27(2) : 67-71
Spontaneous Rupture of Subserous Uterine Vein in Late Pregnancy
Authors: Yasmin Farida , Kabir Nazneen , Ferdous Menoka
Published: October 2016

Objective: Premature uterine contraction caused by spontaneous rupture of subserous uterine vein resulting intrauterine asphyxia.Method & Results: A primigravida with uneventful pregnancy having regular antenatal care attended a private clinic at her 38 week of pregnancy with slight pain in whole abdomen and hardening of uterus. After giving rest in left lateral position & oxygen inhalation, hardening of uterus persisted. By that time she developed fetal tachycardia and had to undergo caesarean section, there was hemoperitonum and an asphyxiated male baby was delivered. On exploration a subserous uterine vein was detected on the posterior wall of the uterus. Complete hemostasis was achieved with interrupted sutures and electrocauterization of the bleeding points. Post-operative period was uneventful for the mother but the baby was managed in neonatal care unit. Both of them were well during discharge.Conclusion: Monitoring of pregnant women at last trimester is very important. Any deviation from normal like hardening of uterus should be carefully taken care of for good maternal and fetal outcome.Bangladesh J Obstet Gynaecol, 2012; Vol. 27(2) : 87-89
Society News Vol.27(2)
Authors: Fatima Parveen
Published: October 2016

Abstract not availableBangladesh J Obstet Gynaecol, 2012; Vol. 27(2) : 92
The Hellhound of the Qur'an: A Dog at the Gate of the Underworld
Authors: Archer George
Published: October 2016

Q. 18:9–26 tells the story of the ‘Sleepers of Ephesus’/‘Companions of the Cave’. Unique to this version of the legend, the Qur'an mentions the presence of a dog alongside the Sleepers: this dog has long been understood as the Sleepers' pet, yet it can be read as much more than this. Many other sources of the Sleepers' legend equate the mysterious sleeping figures to the sleeping dead awaiting resurrection, and the Qur'an offers many clues that its account of the Sleepers' story serves as a warning against the worship of the dead, as this confuses God's signs with the divine reality that sends them. By positing the saintly dead in a sleep-state (e.g. the Syriac Christian doctrine of soul-sleep; the Islamic barzakh), their cults are rendered useless. In this light, the dog in the Qur'anic account can be read not as just a simple pet, but as a guardian over the dead in symbolic continuity with figures such as Anubis and Cerberus. Thus the Sleepers' dog can be read as simultaneously functioning as an underworld guardian that protects the departed, and a fearful creature that warns Muslims not to worship deceased human beings.
Interpreting the Qur'an in the US: Religious Pluralism, Tradition, and Context
Authors: Howe Justine
Published: October 2016

In the contemporary US, religious pluralism has profoundly shaped the ways that American Muslims read and interpret the Qur'an in their daily lives. In particular, they face increasing pressure to affirm, through Qur'anic interpretation, that Islam recognises Judaism and Christianity as salvific faiths and to downplay Islamic claims to superiority. Through a case study of a US Qur'anic study group, this article explores how American Muslims appropriate and contest the logic of pluralism through their interpretations of the Qur'an. Seeking to affirm ecumenicism in the Qur'an, this group of American Muslims appropriated the asbāb al-nuzūl (‘circumstances of revelation’) under the rubric of ‘context’ in order to make the case for the commensurability of Islam and religious pluralism, even as they vigorously disagreed about the terms under which those circumstances could be applied. The ethnographic dialogues presented here demonstrate not only the rich and vibrant hermeneutics that contemporary Muslims bring to the Qur'an, but also the ways that pluralism both opens up and restricts forms of religious engagement.
When theories become practice - a metaphorical analysis of adult-education school-leaders’ talk
Authors: Bjursell Cecilia
Published: October 2016

Marketization has changed the education system. If we say that education is a market, this transforms the understanding of education and influences how people act. In this paper, adult-education school-leaders’ talk is analysed and seven metaphors for education are found: education as administration, market, matching, democracy, policy work, integration and learning. Exploring empirical metaphors provides a rich illustration of coinciding meanings. In line with studies on policy texts, economic metaphors are found to dominate. This should be understood not only as representing liberal ideology, as is often discussed in analyses of policy papers, but also as representing economic theory. In other words, contemporary adult education can be understood as driven by economic theories. The difference and relation between ideology and theory should be further examined since they have an impact on our society and on our everyday lives.
The interaction of economic and pedagogical ideals in the context of workplace learning in Germany: a framework for empirical research – inspired by business ethics
Authors: Röbel Tina
Published: October 2016

As an effect of marketisation, the importance of workplace learning in Germany has increased. The article follows up on the long-standing discourse around the question of how economic and pedagogical ideals interact in this context. In order to develop a theoretical framework for empirical research, three major positions of the discipline of business ethics are introduced. Business ethics in more abstract ways deals with the very same question, namely how do ideas such as profit orientation interact with other norms and values? The new perspectives show that the discourse has been hitherto based on a specific understanding of economy. In order to derive an empirical answer to the research question, the question is re-formulated as follows: Which values are inherent in the decisions taken? Consequently, it suggests using the concept of ‘rationalities of justification’ for empirical research. The article shows how this concept can be applied by conducting a test run.
Combining Multifunctionality and Ecosystem Services into a Win-Win Solution. The Case Study of the Serchio River Basin (Tuscany—Italy)
Authors: Rovai Massimo , Andreoli Maria
Published: October 2016

Post-war development—characterized by intensive processes of urbanization, concentration of agriculture on the most fertile lands, and abandonment of mountainous and marginal areas—brought about negative environmental and socio-economic consequences. They have been particularly severe in terms of increase of hydrogeological risk, which is high in most Italian regions. Over time, there has been an increasing awareness of the multiple functions played by agriculture in terms of provision of Ecosystem Services (ES), which contribute fundamentally to human well-being. In particular, some ES provided by farmers may help to reduce the hydrogeological risk of territories prone to landslides and floods. In this framework, the paper presents as a case study the project “Farmers as Custodians of a Territory.” This project was implemented in the Serchio River basin, Tuscany (Italy), and combines a multifunctional farm strategy of diversification with the provision of Ecosystem Services related to the hydraulic and hydrogeological protection of the river-basin territory. Although this case study should be read within the framework of the theories of agricultural multifunctionality and ES provision, it nevertheless took a very pragmatic and innovative approach, which differentiates it from most of the case studies given in the literature. Results of our analysis show that, by involving farmers as custodians of the territory, it is possible to reach a “win-win” solution characterized, on the one hand, by better services for the community at a lower cost for the Land Reclamation Consortia involved with hydrogeological risk prevention, thus improving the effectiveness and efficiency of ES provision; and on the other hand, by improving the economic situation and survival chances of local farms.
Predation by Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) at an Outdoor Piggery
Authors: Fleming Patricia , Dundas Shannon , Lau Yvonne , Pluske John
Published: October 2016

Outdoor pig operations are an alternative to intensive systems of raising pigs; however for the majority of outdoor pork producers, issues of biosecurity and predation control require significant management and (or) capital investment. Identifying and quantifying predation risk in outdoor pork operations has rarely been done, but such data would be informative for these producers as part of their financial and logistical planning. We quantified potential impact of fox predation on piglets bred on an outdoor pork operation in south-western Australia. We used remote sensor cameras at select sites across the farm as well as above farrowing huts to record interactions between predators and pigs (sows and piglets). We also identified animal losses from breeding records, calculating weaning rate as a proportion of piglets born. Although only few piglets were recorded lost to fox predation (recorded by piggery staff as carcasses that are “chewed”), it is likely that foxes were contributing substantially to the 20% of piglets that were reported “missing”. Both sets of cameras recorded a high incidence of fox activity; foxes appeared on camera soon after staff left for the day, were observed tracking and taking live piglets (despite the presence of sows), and removed dead carcasses from in front of the cameras. Newly born and younger piglets appeared to be the most vulnerable, especially when they are born out in the paddock, but older piglets were also lost. A significant ( p = 0.001) effect of individual sow identification on the weaning rate, but no effect of sow age (parity), suggests that individual sow behavior towards predators influences predation risk for litters. We tracked the movement of piglet carcasses by foxes, and confirmed that foxes make use of patches of native vegetation for cover, although there was no effect of paddock, distance to vegetation, or position on the farm on weaning rate. Trials with non-toxic baits reveal high levels of non-target bait interference. Other management options are recommended, including removing hay from the paddocks to reduce the risks of sows farrowing in open paddocks, and covering or predator-proof fencing the pig carcass pit. Results of this study will have increasing relevance for the expanding outdoor/free-range pork industry, contributing to best practice guidelines for predator control.
Pectocin M1 (PcaM1) Inhibits Escherichia coli Cell Growth and Peptidoglycan Biosynthesis through Periplasmic Expression
Authors: Chérier Dimitri , Giacomucci Sean , Patin Delphine , Bouhss Ahmed , Touzé Thierry , Blanot Didier , Mengin-Lecreulx Dominique , Barreteau Hélène
Published: October 2016

Colicins are bacterial toxins produced by some Escherichia coli strains. They exhibit either enzymatic or pore-forming activity towards a very limited number of bacterial species, due to the high specificity of their reception and translocation systems. Yet, we succeeded in making the colicin M homologue from Pectobacterium carotovorum, pectocin M1 (PcaM1), capable of inhibiting E. coli cell growth by bypassing these reception and translocation steps. This goal was achieved through periplasmic expression of this pectocin. Indeed, when appropriately addressed to the periplasm of E. coli, this pectocin could exert its deleterious effects, i.e., the enzymatic degradation of the peptidoglycan lipid II precursor, which resulted in the arrest of the biosynthesis of this essential cell wall polymer, dramatic morphological changes and, ultimately, cell lysis. This result leads to the conclusion that colicin M and its various orthologues constitute powerful antibacterial molecules able to kill any kind of bacterium, once they can reach their lipid II target. They thus have to be seriously considered as promising alternatives to antibiotics.
Sandals as Icons: Representations in Ancestral Pueblo Rock Art and Effigies in Stone and Wood
Authors: Schaafsma Polly
Published: October 2016

Dating the late 1000s to the mid-1200s CE, petroglyphs of sandal images are among others that distinguish ancient Pueblo rock art in the San Juan and Little Colorado River drainages on the Colorado Plateau from Ancestral Pueblo rock art elsewhere across the Southwest. The sandal “track” also has counterparts as effigies in stone and wood often found in ceremonial contexts in Pueblo sites. These representations reflect the sandal styles of the times, both plain in contour and the jog-toed variety, the latter characterized by a projection where the little toe is positioned. These representations are both plain and patterned, as are their material sandal counterparts. Their significance as symbolic icons is their dominant aspect, and a ritual meaning is implicit. As a component of a symbol system that was radically altered after 1300 CE, however, there is no ethnographic information that provides clues as to the sandal icon’s meaning. While there is no significant pattern of its associations with other symbolic content in the petroglyph panels, in some western San Juan sites cases a relationship to the hunt can be inferred. It is suggested that the track itself could refer to a deity, a mythological hero, or the carver ’s social identity. In conclusion, however, no clear meaning of the images themselves is forthcoming, and further research beckons.
How Glutamate Is Managed by the Blood–Brain Barrier
Authors: Hawkins Richard , Viña Juan
Published: October 2016

A facilitative transport system exists on the blood–brain barrier (BBB) that has been tacitly assumed to be a path for glutamate entry to the brain. However, glutamate is a non-essential amino acid whose brain content is much greater than plasma, and studies in vivo show that glutamate does not enter the brain in appreciable quantities except in those small regions with fenestrated capillaries (circumventricular organs). The situation became understandable when luminal (blood facing) and abluminal (brain facing) membranes were isolated and studied separately. Facilitative transport of glutamate and glutamine exists only on the luminal membranes, whereas Na+-dependent transport systems for glutamate, glutamine, and some other amino acids are present only on the abluminal membrane. The Na+-dependent cotransporters of the abluminal membrane are in a position to actively transport amino acids from the extracellular fluid (ECF) into the endothelial cells of the BBB. These powerful secondary active transporters couple with the energy of the Na+-gradient to move glutamate and glutamine into endothelial cells, whereupon glutamate can exit to the blood on the luminal facilitative glutamate transporter. Glutamine may also exit the brain via separate facilitative transport system that exists on the luminal membranes, or glutamine can be hydrolyzed to glutamate within the BBB, thereby releasing ammonia that is freely diffusible. The γ-glutamyl cycle participates indirectly by producing oxoproline (pyroglutamate), which stimulates almost all secondary active transporters yet discovered in the abluminal membranes of the BBB.
Disorders of Consciousness: Painless or Painful Conditions?—Evidence from Neuroimaging Studies
Authors: Pistoia Francesca , Sacco Simona , Stewart Janet , Sarà Marco , Carolei Antonio
Published: October 2016

The experience of pain in disorders of consciousness is still debated. Neuroimaging studies, using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), multichannel electroencephalography (EEG) and laser-evoked potentials, suggest that the perception of pain increases with the level of consciousness. Brain activation in response to noxious stimuli has been observed in patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS), which is also referred to as a vegetative state (VS), as well as those in a minimally conscious state (MCS). However, all of these techniques suggest that pain-related brain activation patterns of patients in MCS more closely resemble those of healthy subjects. This is further supported by fMRI findings showing a much greater functional connectivity within the structures of the so-called pain matrix in MCS as compared to UWS/VS patients. Nonetheless, when interpreting the results, a distinction is necessary between autonomic responses to potentially harmful stimuli and conscious experience of the unpleasantness of pain. Even more so if we consider that the degree of residual functioning and cortical connectivity necessary for the somatosensory, affective and cognitive-evaluative components of pain processing are not yet clear. Although procedurally challenging, the particular value of the aforementioned techniques in the assessment of pain in disorders of consciousness has been clearly demonstrated. The study of pain-related brain activation and functioning can contribute to a better understanding of the networks underlying pain perception while addressing clinical and ethical questions concerning patient care. Further development of technology and methods should aim to increase the availability of neuroimaging, objective assessment of functional connectivity and analysis at the level of individual cases as well as group comparisons. This will enable neuroimaging to truly become a clinical tool to reliably investigate pain in severely brain-injured patients as well as an asset for research.
Vocal Tremor: Novel Therapeutic Target for Deep Brain Stimulation
Authors: Ravikumar Vinod , Ho Allen , Parker Jonathon , Erickson-DiRenzo Elizabeth , Halpern Casey
Published: October 2016

Tremulous voice is characteristically associated with essential tremor, and is referred to as essential vocal tremor (EVT). Current estimates suggest that up to 40% of individuals diagnosed with essential tremor also present with EVT, which is associated with an impaired quality of life. Traditional EVT treatments have demonstrated limited success in long-term management of symptoms. However, voice tremor has been noted to decrease in patients receiving deep brain stimulation (DBS) with the targeting of thalamic nuclei. In this study, we describe our multidisciplinary procedure for awake, frameless DBS with optimal stimulation targets as well as acoustic analysis and laryngoscopic assessment to quantify tremor reduction. Finally, we investigate the most recent clinical evidence regarding the procedure.
Ambient Technology to Assist Elderly People in Indoor Risks
Authors: Yared Rami , Abdulrazak Bessam
Published: October 2016

While elderly people perform their daily indoor activities, they are subjected to several risks. To improve the quality of life of elderly people and promote healthy aging and independent living, elderly people need to be provided with an assistive technology platform to rely on during their activities. We reviewed the literature and identified the major indoor risks addressed by assistive technology that elderly people face during their indoor activities. In this paper, we identify these risks as: fall, wrong self-medication management, fire, burns, intoxication by gas/smoke, and the risk of inactivity. In addition, we discuss the existing assistive technology systems and classify the risk detection algorithms, techniques and the basic system principles and interventions to enhance safety of elderly people.
Magnet-Retained Two-Mini-Implant Overdenture: Clinical and Mechanical Consideration
Authors: Ishida Yuichi , Kumar H. , Goto Takaharu , Watanabe Megumi , Wigianto Rudi , Ichikawa Tetsuo
Published: October 2016

Two-implant overdentures have become the accepted treatment for restoring mandibular edentulism. The dimensions of regular implants sometimes limit their use, such as in the case of narrow ridges. Mini-implants with reduced diameters (less than 3.0 mm) enable insertion into narrow ridges. A magnet-retained two-mini-implant overdenture system was developed and is described in this paper. Additionally, we describe a clinical mandibular procedure using the system and evaluate its biomechanical performance.
Ordering Quantiles through Confidence Statements
Authors: De Campos Cassio , De B. Pereira Carlos , Rancoita Paola , Polpo Adriano
Published: October 2016

Ranking variables according to their relevance to predict an outcome is an important task in biomedicine. For instance, such ranking can be used for selecting a smaller number of genes for then applying other sophisticated experiments only on genes identified as important. A nonparametric method called Quor is designed to provide a confidence value for the order of arbitrary quantiles of different populations using independent samples. This confidence may provide insights about possible differences among groups and yields a ranking of importance for the variables. Computations are efficient and use exact distributions with no need for asymptotic considerations. Experiments with simulated data and with multiple real -omics data sets are performed, and they show advantages and disadvantages of the method. Quor has no assumptions but independence of samples, thus it might be a better option when assumptions of other methods cannot be asserted. The software is publicly available on CRAN.
Mid-Term Electricity Market Clearing Price Forecasting with Sparse Data: A Case in Newly-Reformed Yunnan Electricity Market
Authors: Cheng Chuntian , Luo Bin , Miao Shumin , Wu Xinyu
Published: October 2016

For the power systems, for which few data are available for mid-term electricity market clearing price (MCP) forecasting at the early stage of market reform, a novel grey prediction model (defined as interval GM(0, N) model) is proposed in this paper. Over the traditional GM(0, N) model, three major improvements of the proposed model are: (i) the lower and upper bounds are firstly identified to give an interval estimation of the forecasting value; (ii) a novel whitenization method is then established to determine the definite forecasting value from the forecasting interval; and (iii) the model parameters are identified by an improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) instead of the least square method (LSM) for the limitation of LSM. Finally, a newly-reformed electricity market in Yunnan province of China is studied, and input variables are contrapuntally selected. The accuracy of the proposed model is validated by observed data. Compared with the multiple linear regression (MLR) model, the traditional GM(0, N) model and the artificial neural network (ANN) model, the proposed model gives a better performance and its superiority is further ensured by the use of the modified Diebold–Mariano (MDM) test, suggesting that it is suitable for mid-term electricity MCP forecasting in a data-sparse electricity market.
Recovery and Utilization of Lignin Monomers as Part of the Biorefinery Approach
Authors: Davis Kirsten , Rover Marjorie , Brown Robert , Bai Xianglan , Wen Zhiyou , Jarboe Laura
Published: October 2016

Lignin is a substantial component of lignocellulosic biomass but is under-utilized relative to the cellulose and hemicellulose components. Historically, lignin has been burned as a source of process heat, but this heat is usually in excess of the process energy demands. Current models indicate that development of an economically competitive biorefinery system requires adding value to lignin beyond process heat. This addition of value, also known as lignin valorization, requires economically viable processes for separating the lignin from the other biomass components, depolymerizing the lignin into monomeric subunits, and then upgrading these monomers to a value-added product. The fact that lignin’s biological role is to provide biomass with structural integrity means that this heteropolymer can be difficult to depolymerize. However, there are chemical and biological routes to upgrade lignin from its native form to compounds of industrial value. Here we review the historical background and current technology of (thermo) chemical depolymerization of lignin; the natural ability of microbial enzymes and pathways to utilize lignin, the current prospecting work to find novel microbial routes to lignin degradation, and some applications of these microbial enzymes and pathways; and the current chemical and biological technologies to upgrade lignin-derived monomers.
Assessment of Red-Edge Position Extraction Techniques: A Case Study for Norway Spruce Forests Using HyMap and Simulated Sentinel-2 Data
Authors: Gholizadeh Asa , Mišurec Jan , Kopačková Veronika , Mielke Christian , Rogass Christian
Published: October 2016

Systematic quantification and monitoring of forest biophysical and biochemical variables is required to assess the response of ecosystems to climate change and gain a deeper understanding of the carbon cycle. Red-Edge Position (REP) is a hyperspectrally detectable parameter, which is sensitive to Chlorophyll (Chl) content. In the current study, REP was modelled for Norway spruce Forest canopy Reflectance and Transmittance (FRT) using Radiative Transfer Modelling (RTM) (resampled to HyMap and Sentinel-2 spectral resolution) as well as calculated from the real HyMap and simulated Sentinel-2 image data. Different REP extraction methods (PF, LE, 4PLI and its optimized versions for HyMap and Sentinel-2 spectral resolution) were assessed. The lowest differences in REP values calculated from image-extracted spectra and from the theoretical RTM simulations were found for the 4PLI method including its HyMap and Sentinel-2 optimized versions (4PLIH and 4PLIS). Despite its simplicity, the 4PLI REP extraction technique demonstrated its potential usefulness for estimating canopy chlorophyll (Chl × LAI) content using both airborne hyperspectral (HyMap) data as well as space-borne Sentinel-2 image data.
When Do Types Induce the Same Belief Hierarchy?
Authors: Perea Andrés , Kets Willemien
Published: October 2016

Type structures are a simple device to describe higher-order beliefs. However, how can we check whether two types generate the same belief hierarchy? This paper generalizes the concept of a type morphism and shows that one type structure is contained in another if and only if the former can be mapped into the other using a generalized type morphism. Hence, every generalized type morphism is a hierarchy morphism and vice versa. Importantly, generalized type morphisms do not make reference to belief hierarchies. We use our results to characterize the conditions under which types generate the same belief hierarchy.
A Search for QPOs in the Blazar OJ287: Preliminary Results from the 2015/2016 Observing Campaign
Authors: Zola S. , Valtonen M. , Bhatta G. , Goyal A. , Debski B. , Baran A. , Krzesinski J. , Siwak M. , Ciprini S. , Gopakumar A. , Jermak H. , Nilsson K. , Reichart D. , Matsumoto K. , Sadakane K. , Gazeas K. , Kidger M. , Piirola V. , Alicavus F. , Baliyan K. , Berdyugin A. , Boyd D. , Campas Torrent M. , Campos F. , Carrillo Gómez J. , Caton D. , Chavushyan V. , Dalessio J. , Dimitrov D. , Drozdz M. , Er H. , Erdem A. , Escartin Pérez A. , Fallah Ramazani V. , Filippenko A. , Garcia F. , Gómez Pinilla F. , Gopinathan M. , Haislip J. , Harmanen J. , Hudec R. , Hurst G. , Ivarsen K. , Jelinek M. , Joshi A. , Kagitani M. , Kaur N. , Keel W. , LaCluyze A. , Lee B. , Lindfors E. , Lozano de Haro J. , Moore J. , Mugrauer M. , Naves Nogues R. , Neely A. , Nelson R. , Ogloza W. , Okano S. , Pandey J. , Perri M. , Pihajoki P. , Poyner G. , Provencal J. , Pursimo T. , Raj A. , Reinthal R. , Sadegi S. , Sakanoi T. , Sameer  , Salto González J.-L. , Schweyer T. , Soldán Alfaro F. , Karaman N. , Sonbas E. , Steele I. , Stocke J. , Strobl J. , Takalo L. , Tomov T. , Tremosa Espasa L. , Valdes J. , Valero Pérez J. , Verrecchia F. , Webb J. , Yoneda M. , Zejmo M. , Zheng W. , Telting J. , Saario J. , Reynolds T. , Kvammen A. , Gafton E. , Karjalainen R. , Blay P.
Published: October 2016

We analyse the light curve in the R band of the blazar OJ287, gathered during the 2015/2016 observing season. We did a search for quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) using several methods over a wide range of timescales. No statistically significant periods were found in the high-frequency domain both in the ground-based data and in Kepler observations. In the longer-period domain, the Lomb–Scargle periodogram revealed several peaks above the 99% significance level. The longest one—about 95 days—corresponds to the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) period of the more massive black hole. The 43-day period could be an alias, or it can be attributed to accretion in the form of a two-armed spiral wave.
Correction: Sun, Y.; et al. Bi-Objective Modelling for Hazardous Materials Road–Rail Multimodal Routing Problem with Railway Schedule-Based Space–Time Constraints. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2016, 13, 762
Authors: Sun Yan , Lang Maoxiang , Wang Danzhu
Published: October 2016

Bi-Objective Modelling for Hazardous Materials Road–Rail Multimodal Routing Problem with Railway Schedule-Based Space–Time Constraints.[...]
Global Goals and Global Sustainability
Authors: Bhore Subhash
Published: October 2016

On 25 September 2015, the United Nations (UN) member countries adopted an ambitious 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aiming to ‘transform the world’ in the next 15 years. [...]
Improving Precautionary Communication in the EMF Field? Effects of Making Messages Consistent and Explaining the Effectiveness of Precautions
Authors: Boehmert Christoph , Wiedemann Peter , Croft Rodney
Published: October 2016

Many radiation health agencies communicate precautionary measures regarding the use of mobile communication devices, e.g. the use of a headset while talking on the phone. These precautionary messages have, however, been shown to unintentionally increase risk perceptions about radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs). The current study tested two potential ways of amending precautionary messages in order to minimise this unintentional effect. Firstly, the messages’ potential to be perceived as inconsistent and thereby raise suspicions was addressed; secondly, the effectiveness of the precautions was explained. An experimental design was applied in which a quota sample of 1717 Australian residents was randomly assigned to one of six message conditions. Three different risk perception measures served as dependent variables, two of them are conditional measures. The original effect of precautionary messages to amplify risk perceptions could not be replicated. Furthermore, amending precautionary messages in favour of more consistency had no effect, while explaining the effectiveness of the precautions increased conditional risk perception under the condition that no precautions are taken. This was contrary to our assumptions. We infer from these results that changing precautionary messages in terms of consistency and effectiveness in order to reduce risk perception is hardly possible. The use of conditional risk perception measures seems fruitful for studies looking at the effects of precautionary or protective messages, given that previous studies have only investigated effects on unconditional risk perception. However, the present results should not be over-interpreted as the measures’ validity in the EMF context still needs further investigation.
Addressing Smoking in Supported Residential Facilities for People with Severe Mental Illness: Has Any Progress Been Achieved?
Authors: Lawn Sharon , Lucas Teri
Published: October 2016

Background: Smoking rates for people with severe mental illness have remained high despite significant declines in smoking rates in the general population, particularly for residents of community supported residential facilities (SRFs) where smoking has been largely neglected and institutionalized. Methods: Two studies undertaken 10 years apart (2000 and 2010) with SRFs in Adelaide, Australia looked at historical trends to determine whether any progress has been made to address smoking for this population. The first study was ethnographic and involved narrative description and analysis of the social milieu of smoking following multiple observations of smoking behaviours in two SRFs. The second study involved an eight-week smoking cessation group program providing tailored support and free nicotine replacement therapy to residents across six SRFs. Changes in smoking behaviours were measured using pre and post surveys with residents, with outcomes verified by also seeking SRF staff and smoking cessation group facilitator qualitative feedback and reflection on their observations of residents and the setting. Results: The culture of smoking in mental health SRFs is a complex part of the social milieu of these settings. There appears to have been little change in smoking behaviours of residents and attitudes and support responses by staff of SRFs since 2000 despite smoking rates declining in the general community. Tailored smoking cessation group programs for this population were well received and did help SRF residents to quit or cut down their smoking. They did challenge staff negative attitudes to residents’ capacity to smoke less or quit. Conclusions: A more systematic approach that addresses SRF regulations, smoke-free policies, staff attitudes and training, and consistent smoking cessation support to residents is needed.
Degradation and Mineralization of Benzohydroxamic Acid by Synthesized Mesoporous La/TiO2
Authors: Luo Xianping , Wang Junyu , Wang Chunying , Zhu Sipin , Li Zhihui , Tang Xuekun , Wu Min
Published: October 2016

Rare earth element La-doped TiO2 (La/TiO2) was synthesized by the sol-gel method. Benzohydroxamic acid was used as the objective pollutant to investigate the photocatalytic activity of La/TiO2. The physicochemical properties of the prepared materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, specific surface area and porosity, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. As a result, the doping of La could inhibit the crystal growth of TiO2, increase its specific surface area and expand its response to visible light, thus improving its photocatalytic activity. La/TiO2 with the doping ratio of 0.75% calcined at 500 °C, showing the highest photocatalytic activity to degrade benzohydroxamic acid under the irradiation of 300 W mercury lamp. About 94.1% of benzohydroxamic acid with the original concentration at 30 mg·L−1 was removed after 120 min in a solution of pH 4.4 with an La/TiO2 amount of 0.5 g·L−1. Furthermore, 88.5% of the total organic carbon was eliminated after 120 min irradiation. In addition, after four recycling runs, La/TiO2 still kept high photocatalytic activity on the photodegradation of benzohydroxamic acid. The interfacial charge transfer processes were also hypothesized.
Physical Activity Level and Sedentary Behaviors among Public School Children in Dakar (Senegal) Measured by PAQ-C and Accelerometer: Preliminary Results
Authors: Diouf Adama , Thiam Mbeugué , Idohou-Dossou Nicole , Diongue Ousmane , Mégné Ndé , Diallo Khady , Sembène Pape , Wade Salimata
Published: October 2016

Background: Physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyles are major risk factors of childhood obesity. This study aimed to measure physical activity (PA) levels by accelerometer and Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) among Senegalese school children and the relation with Body Mass Index (BMI) and body composition. Methodology: 156 pupils 8–11 years old were randomly selected in four elementary public schools of Dakar. BMI z-score was used to categorize children according to their weight status. PA was measured by PAQ-C in the 156 pupils and by accelerometer (Actigraph GT3X+, Pensacola, FL, USA) in a subsample of 42 children. Body composition was determined by deuterium dilution method. Results: PAQ-C results were comparable in the 156 and 42 pupils. The 42 pupils presented a light activity measured by accelerometer, while PAQ-C classified the majority of them (57%; n = 24) in the moderate PA level. Children spent most of their time (min/day) in sedentary activities and light activities than in moderate and intense activity levels. Accumulation of 60 min/day Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity (MVPA) was achieved by 54.8% (n = 23) of the pupils. MVPA decreased in girls in relation to their body fatness. There was a significant difference in MVPA between boys and girls. Similarly, overweight/obese (45 ± 16 min/day) children had lower MVPA than their normal and underweight peers (88 ± 34 and 74 ± 36 min/day, respectively; p = 0.004). Conclusions: The two methods are inconsistent for measuring light and moderate PA levels. Although PAQ-C is an uncomplicated routine method, various activities were not adapted for genuine activities in Senegalese children and therefore needs to be validated in African children.
Methodology for the Efficient Progressive Distribution and Visualization of 3D Building Objects
Authors: Mao Bo , Harrie Lars
Published: October 2016

Three-dimensional (3D), city models have been applied in a variety of fields. One of the main problems in 3D city model utilization, however, is the large volume of data. In this paper, a method is proposed to generalize the 3D building objects in 3D city models at different levels of detail, and to combine multiple Levels of Detail (LODs) for a progressive distribution and visualization of the city models. First, an extended structure for multiple LODs of building objects, BuildingTree, is introduced that supports both single buildings and building groups; second, constructive solid geometry (CSG) representations of buildings are created and generalized. Finally, the BuildingTree is stored in the NoSQL database MongoDB for dynamic visualization requests. The experimental results indicate that the proposed progressive method can efficiently visualize 3D city models, especially for large areas.
Data Association at the Level of Narrative Plots to Support Analysis of Spatiotemporal Evolvement of Conflict: A Case Study in Nigeria
Authors: Bi Size , Han Xiaoyu , Tian Jing , Liang Xiao , Wang Yang , Huang Tinglei
Published: October 2016

Open data sources regarding conflicts are increasingly enriched by broad social media; these yield a volume of information that exceeds our process capabilities. One of the critical factors is that knowledge extraction from mixed data formats requires systematic, sophisticated modeling. Here, we propose using text mining modeling tools for building associations of heterogeneous semi-structured data to enhance decision-making. Using narrative plots, text representation, and cluster analysis, we provide a data association framework that can mine spatiotemporal data that occur in similar contexts. The framework contains the following steps: (1) a novel text representation is presented to vectorize the textual semantics by learning both co-word features and word orders in a unified form; (2) text clustering technology is employed to associate events of interest with similar events in historical logs, based solely on narrative plots of the events; and (3) the inferred activity procedure is visualized via an evolving spatiotemporal map through the Kriging algorithm. Our results demonstrate that the approach enables deeper discrimination into the trends underlying conflicts and possesses a narrative reasoning forward prediction with a precision of 0.4817, in addition to a high consistency with the conclusions of existing studies.
Hidden Naive Bayes Indoor Fingerprinting Localization Based on Best-Discriminating AP Selection
Authors: Song Chunjing , Wang Jian , Yuan Guan
Published: October 2016

Indoor fingerprinting localization approaches estimate the location of a mobile object by matching observations of received signal strengths (RSS) from access points (APs) with fingerprint records. In real WLAN environments, there are more and more APs available, with interference between them, which increases the localization difficulty and computational consumption. To cope with this, a novel AP selection method, LocalReliefF-C( a novel method based on ReliefF and correlation coefficient), is proposed. Firstly, on each reference location, the positioning capability of APs is ranked by calculating classification weights. Then, redundant APs are removed via computing the correlations between APs. Finally, the set of best-discriminating APs of each reference location is obtained, which will be used as the input features when the location is estimated. Furthermore, an effective clustering method is adopted to group locations into clusters according to the common subsets of the best-discriminating APs of these locations. In the online stage, firstly, the sequence of RSS observations is collected to calculate the set of the best-discriminating APs on the given location, which is subsequently used to compare with cluster keys in order to determine the target cluster. Then, hidden naive Bayes (HNB) is introduced to estimate the target location, which depicts the real WLAN environment more accurately and takes into account the mutual interaction of the APs. The experiments are conducted in the School of Environmental Science and Spatial Informatics at the China University of Mining and Technology. The results validate the effectiveness of the proposed methods on improving localization accuracy and reducing the computational consumption.
Porcine Zygote Injection with Cas9/sgRNA Results in DMD-Modified Pig with Muscle Dystrophy
Authors: Yu Hong-Hao , Zhao Heng , Qing Yu-Bo , Pan Wei-Rong , Jia Bao-Yu , Zhao Hong-Ye , Huang Xing-Xu , Wei Hong-Jiang
Published: October 2016

Dystrophinopathy, including Duchenne muscle dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscle dystrophy (BMD) is an incurable X-linked hereditary muscle dystrophy caused by a mutation in the DMD gene in coding dystrophin. Advances in further understanding DMD/BMD for therapy are expected. Studies on mdx mice and dogs with muscle dystrophy provide limited insight into DMD disease mechanisms and therapeutic testing because of the different pathological manifestations. Miniature pigs share similar physiology and anatomy with humans and are thus an excellent animal model of human disease. Here, we successfully achieved precise DMD targeting in Chinese Diannan miniature pigs by co-injecting zygotes with Cas9 mRNA and sgRNA targeting DMD. Two piglets were obtained after embryo transfer, one of piglets was identified as DMD-modified individual via traditional cloning, sequencing and T7EN1 cleavage assay. An examination of targeting rates in the DMD-modified piglet revealed that sgRNA:Cas9-mediated on-target mosaic mutations were 70% and 60% of dystrophin alleles in skeletal and smooth muscle, respectively. Meanwhile, no detectable off-target mutations were found, highlighting the high specificity of genetic modification using CRISPR/Cas9. The DMD-modified piglet exhibited degenerative and disordered phenotypes in skeletal and cardiac muscle, and declining thickness of smooth muscle in the stomach and intestine. In conclusion, we successfully generated myopathy animal model by modifying the DMD via CRISPR/Cas9 system in a miniature pig.