bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Valoración nutricional de los platos más frecuentemente consumidos en un barrio marginal de Iquitos, Amazonía Peruana
Authors: Molina Recio Guillermo , Moreno Rojas Rafael , García Rodríguez María , Vaquero Abellán Manuel
Published: May 2016

Introducción: un gran número de encuestas nutricionales en Perú han identificado la magnitud y la ubicación de los diferentes tipos de desnutrición, siendo la forma crónica la más prevalente. Sin embargo, aunque las tasas pueden considerarse alarmantes (aún más en las zonas rurales), sólo un trabajo contiene información sobre las características de la ingesta, usando recordatorios de 24 horas (R24). Es decir, se carece de otros sistemas de estudio centrados en conocer las características gastronómicas de sus regiones y la biodisponibilidad de los alimentos, con el fin de localizar el origen de esta situación en cada área y proponer soluciones verdaderamente eficaces y eficientes.Objetivo: determinar el valor nutricional de los platos principales consumidos por los residentes de un barrio pobre de la Amazonía Peruana, para identificar las causas de la pérdida de un estado nutricional saludable.Métodos: noventa y ocho participantes completaron tres R24. Basándonos en estos datos, se seleccionaron los 25 platos más comúnmente consumidos y evaluamos su composición nutricional. Tomamos nota de las recetas, pesos y medidas caseras. Además, se observó la preparación y cocción. La composición nutricional media de cada plato se calculó por 100 g utilizando el software Nutriplato 4.6. También se calcularon lasganancias o pérdidas derivadas de los tratamientos culinarios.Resultados: dentro de los platos basados en la leche, el de más alta densidad de energía es el mingado de arroz. En el grupo de los pescados, la mayor cantidad de energía es aportada por el pescado frito, mientras que en las recetas a base de carne, las más energéticas son el tallarín con pollo, la res asada y el cerdo frito. Como platos preparados, el juane tiene la más alta densidad de energía de todas las recetas. Dentro de las guarniciones, aquellas que utilizan los plátanos como el ingrediente principal, el plátano frito y el madurito, son las más energéticas. Las grasas son más elevadas en los platos fritos y son estos platos los que más contribuyen al porcentaje total de grasa consumida. Lo mismo ocurre en las guarniciones, donde 100 g de plátano frito o madurito contienen más del 70% de la dosis diaria recomendada. La res asada y el juane tienen el nivel más alto de sodio.Conclusiones: si se desea ofrecer platos más saludables, es necesario cambiar algunos hábitos alimenticios, lo que supone reducir el consumo de alimentos fritos porque probablemente está relacionado con la obesidad y otras enfermedades crónicas cardiovasculares. También se debe reducir la ingesta de sodio. Dos alimentos que podrían ser importantes son la menudencia de pollo, rica en vitaminas del grupo B y baja en grasas, y el frijol hervido, rico en proteínas vegetales, que con platos de arroz, omnipresentes en esta área, incrementaría el valor biológico de las proteínas ingeridas.
Enfoque genómico en la enfermedad cardiovascular
Authors: Mauro-Martin Ismael San , De la Calle-de la Rosa Licia , Sanz-Rojo Sara , Garicano-Vilar Elena , Ciudad-Cabañas María José , Collado-Yurrita Luis
Published: May 2016

Introducción: las enfermedades cardiovasculares (EC) constituyen la principal causa de muerte a nivel mundial. La etiología es multifactorial, pueden influir diversos factores como la dieta, los hábitos de vida, el nivel de ejercicio físico o la carga genética. El gran número de genes implicados, así como sus diversas variantes, pueden influir sobre el riesgo de padecer enfermedades cardiovasculares por medio de distintas vías.Objetivo: determinar la relación existente entre diferentes polimorfismos genéticos y el riesgo individual de EC en población infantil y adulta.Métodos: se llevó a cabo una búsqueda bibliográfica utilizando la base de datos PubMed. La búsqueda se limitó a un periodo de diez años y a metaanálisis realizados en humanos.Resultados: se establece relación entre el riesgo de enfermedad cardiovascular y los siguientes polimorfismos genéticos: cromosoma 9p21, apolipoproteína A5, apolipoproteínas E2, E3 y E4, gen PPARG o PPARϒ, genes implicados en el metabolismo lipídico, gen MTHFR, citocromo P450, factor V de coagulación o factor de Leiden (FVL) y gen VKORC.Conclusiones: Se han identificado un gran número de genes relacionados con la enfermedad cardiovascular. La carga genética puede influir de manera directa o indirecta sobre el riesgo cardiovascular, modificando factores de riesgo para enfermedad cardiovascular o actuando sobre la medicación empleada para tratarla.
Análisis de la edad morfológica en nadadores y triatletas adolescentes
Authors: Sellés Sergio , Fernández-Sáez José , López-Lluch Guillermo , Cejuela Roberto
Published: May 2016

El proceso de formación de futuros deportistas debe ser un trabajo estructurado y planificado para poder alcanzar el máximo nivel deportivo. Es fundamental en este periodo tener presentes los ritmos de desarrollo y maduración de los jóvenes deportistas para así adecuar las cargas de entrenamientos a sus estados evolutivos. El objetivo del estudio fue determinar y analizar la edad morfológica en nadadores y triatletas adolescentes, estableciendo diferencias entre su edad cronológica, grupos y género. A través del método antropométrico se determinó el estado de maduración biológica en un grupo de 37 deportistas jóvenes tecnificados. Los resultados muestran que la mayoría de la muestra (70,8%) se encuentra en un estado avanzado de desarrollo con respecto a su edad cronológica, siendo más notorio en el caso de los nadadores este estado de madurez avanzado. Tener una edad morfológica más avanzada respecto a su edad cronológica podría favorecer a los deportistas adolescentes a la hora de conseguir mejores marcas y resultados en las competiciones y de esta manera acceder con más facilidad a los programas de tecnificación. El índice de desarrollo corporal modificado (IDCm) se presenta como un método validado, fiable y no invasivo para tener presente el grado de desarrollo y maduración en la selección de talentos deportivos y adecuar las cargas de entrenamiento al estado evolutivo de los deportistas.
Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy as a Tool for Generating Sorption Input Parameters for Pesticide Fate Modeling
Authors: Singh Baljeet , Farenhorst Annemieke , McQueen Ross , Malley Diane F.
Published: May 2016

Core Ideas

NIRS can be integrated with pesticide fate models using a test set method.

NIRS calibrations are most successful for pesticides with smaller Kd values.

Regional scale NIRS calibrations are most successful if developed on data sets of similar Kd value range.

Sorption parameters (such as Kd values) are among the most sensitive input parameters in pesticide fate models. This study demonstrates that near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), in combination with batch equilibrium techniques, can be used to estimate Kd values, thereby increasing throughput of the many samples required to characterize spatial variability of pesticide sorption within fields. The Pesticide Root Zone Model version 3.12.2 (PRZM‐3) was used to compare scenarios that used NIRS spectral data, pedotransfer functions, and batch equilibrium methods as inputs for the calculation of 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4‐D) and atrazine leaching in 591 soil horizons. Based on the 3564 simulation runs conducted, we concluded that the added benefit of NIRS is most useful when the pesticides under study have small sorption potentials and short half‐lives in soil. The 2,4‐D and atrazine sorption by soil was highly correlated to soil organic C (SOC) content in the fields under study. The feasibility of using NIRS to predict pesticide Kd values largely relies on the sorption of the pesticide being significantly correlated to SOC. In addition, successful regional approaches to predicting Kd values from NIRS spectral data can also be developed when the calibration model is derived by combining a set of fields where each has a similar statistical population characteristic in Kd values.
The Seismic Performance Analysis of H-Shaped Steel PEC Columns
Authors: Yin Zhanzhong , Su Minghao , Bu Fucheng
Published: May 2016

The H-shaped steel PEC columns with concrete poured between flanges are different from the traditional steel-encased concrete columns. In this paper, the behaviors of H-shaped steel PEC columns with different parameters under axial loading and cycling loading have been simulated by using commercial software ANSYS. The results show: The fracture of the columns under axial loading and cycling loading mainly lies in the crush of concrete at the bottom of the columns. Because of the confined effect of steel, the stress distribution of specimens under axial loading display a V-shape. With the increment of the width of flanges, the confined effect becomes more obvious. Compared with H section steel columns, the bearing capacity has been increased. With the increment of axial compression ratio, the capacity has declined. The behaviors of the ductility and the energy dissipation capacity of H section steel PEC columns are good and dropped with the increment of axial compression ratio. At the initial stage, the average stiffness degenerates slowly. However, at the later stage, the average stiffness degenerates rapidly. Moreover, the degeneration becomes faster with the increment of compression ratio. The elastic stage, elastic-plastic stage and plastic stage are included in the skeleton curves. This study on the H-shaped steel PEC columns has important practical implications to the engineering.
Evaluation of Soil Liquefaction in Harbor District in Tianjin City
Authors: Fei-hong Gu
Published: May 2016

The liquefaction of soils in the harbor district in Tianjin City near Tangshan, where a great earthquake occurred is a very important issue related to the soil’s compaction, grain composition and content of clay particle. This problem has not been fully considered due to the complexity and uncertainty of the soil properties data, since none of the previous investigations has been concerned about the liquefaction characteristics of this new harbor district. The evaluation of soil liquefaction has been made based on related data of the standard penetration test (SPT) from 26 investigation bore holes and 105 sieving tests. The results show that the liquefaction index of silt sand gradually decreases with the increase of the buried depth; soils less than 10.6 m in depth are of bad gradation identically. Soil less than 10.6 m in depth can be defined as liquefied soil which is further verified by sieving tests. Both the buried depth and particle grading have primarily significant influences on silt sands’ liquefaction. The results from sieve tests based on liquefied soils were found to fit well with the Tsuchida curves. It is believed that even without the in-suit SPT tests, Tsuchida boundary curves can be directly utilized to judge the liquefaction of soils in the harbor district.
Characterization of Washoff Behavior of In‐Sewer Deposits in Combined Sewer Systems
Authors: Kim WeonJae , Furumai Hiroaki
Published: May 2016

In‐sewer deposits in combined sewer systems (CSSs) are closely related with the behavior of first foul flush and combined sewer overflows. The artificial flushing experiment separating the washoff of in‐sewer deposits from the inflow of surface pollutants was carried out to simulate first foul flush in a CSS. The washoff behaviors of each pollutant including chemical pollutants, bacterial indicators, and enteric viruses were intensively investigated. By using several morphological analyses, some of which were suggested through this study, the characteristics of first foul flush were examined. As a result, the washoff behaviors of each pollutant were characterized according to their (i) event load ratios (ELRs), (ii) time‐series concentration and load curves, (iii) concentration vs. flow rate curves, and (iv) dimensionless runoff concentrations (DRCs). The first foul flush patterns of each parameter were categorized into 3 typical groups: the strong‐, partial‐, and no first foul flush group. The order of these groups signifies their different physicochemical properties of in‐sewer deposits in CSSs, their strength of first foul flush phenomena, and the washoff priority as well.
Repeated mild traumatic brain injury causes focal response in lateral septum and hippocampus
Authors: Acabchuk Rebecca , Briggs Denise I , Angoa-Pérez Mariana , Powers Meghan , Wolferz Richard , Soloway Melanie , Stern Mai , Talbot Lillian R , Kuhn Donald M , Conover Joanne C
Published: May 2016

Aim: To advance our understanding of regional and temporal cellular responses to repeated mild traumatic brain injury (rmTBI), we used a mouse model of rmTBI that incorporated acceleration, deceleration and rotational forces. Materials & methods: A modified weight-drop method was used to compare two inter-injury intervals, rmTBI-short (five hits delivered over 3 days) and rmTBI-long (five hits delivered over 15 days). Regional investigations of forebrain and midbrain histological alterations were performed at three post-injury time points (immediate, 2 weeks and 6 weeks). Results: The rmTBI-short protocol generated an immediate, localized microglial and astroglial response in the dorsolateral septum and hippocampus, with the astroglial response persisting in the dorsolateral septum. The rmTBI-long protocol showed only a transitory astroglial response in the dorsolateral septum. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the lateral septum and hippocampus are particularly vulnerable regions in rmTBI, possibly contributing to memory and emotional impairments associated with repeated concussions.
Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia associated with inherited thrombophilia
Authors: Roganovic Branka , Obradovic Slobodan , Micic Aleksandar , Petrovic Stanko
Published: May 2016

Introduction. Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia and inherited
thrombophilia are genetic disorders with quite opposite clinical
manifestation. The main characteristic for hereditary hemorrhagic
telangiectasia is recurrent bleeding, while the main characteristic for
hereditary thrombophilia is thrombosis. The association between hereditary
hemorrhagic telangiectasia and inherited thrombophilia in the same patient is
rare. Case report. We presented a 32-year-old female with recurrent
gastrointestinal hemorrhage and epistaxes, during a 9-year period. Hereditary
hemorrhagic telangiectasia was established according to ?Cura?ao? criteria.
Three of four criteria have been present: spontaneous recurrent epistaxis,
multiple telangiectasias (nose) and visceral lesions (gastric
angiodysplasias, jejunal telangiectasias, arterio- venous jejunal fistula).
Pulmonary thromboembolism was the first manifestation of thrombophilia; the
diagnosis was confirmed by genetic testing. Therapy of hemorrhage with
tranexamic acid (anti-fibrinolytic agent; its use increases risk of
thrombosis) was unsuccessful. Remission was achieved by thalidomide. The
initial therapy for pulmonary thromboembolism included aspirin (that have an
increased risk of bleeding), but aspirin had to be discontinued because of
massive hematemesis. Unfortunately, a year later, anticoagulant therapy
combined with the proton pump inhibitors, were introduced, because of a new
thrombosis. One month after, the patient was still on this therapy, without
new episodes of bleeding and thromboembolic events. Conclusion. Hereditary
hemorrhagic telangiectasia and inherited thrombophilia could be unrecognized
for years, partly due to the lower degree of clinical suspicion. Early
diagnosis and the appropriate choice of therapy are essential for reducing
serious consequences and to improve quality of life.
Osteoporosis-related knowledge among Serbian postmenopausal women
Authors: Vujasinovic-Stupar Nada , Radojcic Ljiljana , Tadic Ivana , Pavlov-Dolijanovic Slavica
Published: May 2016

Background/Aim. Osteoporosis mainly affects women in the early years
following menopause. The aim of this study was to determine the level of
knowledge about osteoporosis and osteoporosis related risk factors in
postmenopausal women in Serbia. Methods. The study included postmenopausal
women regardless if suffering from osteoporosis or not. Assessment of
knowledge was carried out by using the Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool
- Shorter Version (OKAT-S) questionnaire that was validated for Serbian
population. Answers to the 9 questions were coded as 1 -true, or 0 - false or
?do not know?. Also, the following risk factors data for osteoporosis were
collected: age, the onset and duration of menopause, body mass index (BMI),
data on fractures, the incidence of falls, smoking, lifestyle (active,
sedentary), regular sunbathing, calcium and vitamin D supplementation, intake
of milk and dairy products. Results. A total of 132 postmenopausal women
responded to the questionnaire with the response rate of 90.41%. Their
knowledge varied from 27.94% to 74.26% of the correct answers, with the
average OKAT-S score of 4.5 (SD = 2.55), which was 50% of the maximum
possible score. Only 2 participants (1.47%) filled the all OKAT-S items
correctly, while 11 (8.09%) of them did not have the proper answer to any
question. A reduced bone density (T-score below -1) was registered in 40.91%
of the women, previous fractures in 49 (34.51%), and more or less 3 falls
registered in 9.59% or 4.79%, respectively. Conclusion. The Serbian version
of the questionnaire OKAT-S revealed generally poor knowledge on osteoporosis
among postmenopausal women in Serbia. Developing effective interventions and
public health programms could be helpful in general education towards
understanding osteoporosis and risk factors. Promotion of preventive measures
and healthy behaviour may prevent or at least slow down the accelerated bone
loss in postmenopausal women.
Bariatric Surgery: A Potential Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes in Youth
Authors: Shah Amy S. , D’Alessio David , Ford-Adams Martha E. , Desai Ashish P. , Inge Thomas H.
Published: May 2016

Type 2 diabetes, once referred to as “adult-onset” diabetes, has now emerged as a formidable threat to the health of obese adolescents. Although there is growing evidence regarding the epidemiology of type 2 diabetes in youth and its multisystem health consequences, treatment options have lagged and progression of disease occurs even with aggressive medical therapy. Increasing interest in the application of bariatric surgery for adolescents with type 2 diabetes has evolved in part because of the evidence demonstrating improvement or remission in many adults with diabetes after surgery. Here, we review the burden of type 2 diabetes in youth including its associated complications, discuss the outcomes and complications of bariatric surgery in adolescents with diabetes, and conclude with recommendations for future research and options for refinement of the use of bariatric surgery in this patient population.
Roles of the Gut in Glucose Homeostasis
Authors: Holst Jens Juul , Gribble Fiona , Horowitz Michael , Rayner Chris K.
Published: May 2016

The gastrointestinal tract plays a major role in the regulation of postprandial glucose profiles. Gastric emptying is a highly regulated process, which normally ensures a limited and fairly constant delivery of nutrients and glucose to the proximal gut. The subsequent digestion and absorption of nutrients are associated with the release of a set of hormones that feeds back to regulate subsequent gastric emptying and regulates the release of insulin, resulting in downregulation of hepatic glucose production and deposition of glucose in insulin-sensitive tissues. These remarkable mechanisms normally keep postprandial glucose excursions low, regardless of the load of glucose ingested. When the regulation of emptying is perturbed (e.g., pyloroplasty, gastric sleeve or gastric bypass operation), postprandial glycemia may reach high levels, sometimes followed by profound hypoglycemia. This article discusses the underlying mechanisms.
Diabetic macular edema
Authors: Marks Steven J , Hale Benjamin P
Published: May 2016

Diabetic retinopathy is a frequent manifestation of long standing diabetes mellitus. According to the World Health Organization diabetes affects nine percent of the adult population worldwide (Diabetes Fact Sheet, 2015). Of all of the common diseases of the eye, diabetic retinopathy has a great impact on the working age population and therefore presents a huge socioeconomic burden in all areas of the world.
Outcomes of implantable collamer lens V4 and V4c for correction of high myopia – a case series
Authors: Karandikar Smita , Bhandari Vipul , Reddy Jagdeesh
Published: May 2016

Objective: To evaluate the visual outcomes and intraocular pressure changes after Visian Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) implantation V4b and V4c (with centraflow technology) for correction of myopia. Materials and methods: A prospective, consecutive, comparative interventional case series of V4b and V4c ICL implantation done for correction of high myopia (>-6 diopter D) in patients unsuitable for laser vision correction. The outcome measures that were evaluated included preoperative and postoperative uncorrected distant visual acuity (UDVA), best spectacle corrected distant visual acuity (CDVA), endothelial cell count (ECC), presence of lens opacification, intraocular pressure (IOP) and ICL vaulting. A follow-up of upto 1 year was done. A questionnaire was given at the end of follow-up period. Results: A total of 30 eyes (24.56±4.8 years) underwent V4b ICL implantation (10 non-toric, 20 toric ICL-TICL) with intraoperative peripheral iridectomy (PI) and 34 eyes (26.13±3.8 years) had implantation of V4c ICL with centraflow (12 non-toric, 22 TICL). The mean preoperative manifest spherical equivalent (MSE) was 8.98±2.8 D and 9.24±2.4 D in the V4b and V4c groups respectively which reduced to postoperative values of -0.28±1.3 D and -0.19±1.18 D respectively. The mean preoperative astigmatism was -1.8±1.2 diopter cylinder (Dcyl) and -1.9±1.6 Dcyl which respectively reduced to -0.8±0.8 Dcyl and -0.9±0.3 Dcyl. At the end of 1 year follow up, mean ECC loss was 7.6% and 7.1%, mean vault was 583.12±231.12 μ and 602±241.24μ respectively in the V4b and V4c groups. Anterior subcapsular opacities were present in 6.66% and 2.94% of eyes with V4b and V4c groups respectively. Two eyes from both V4b (10%) and V4c (8.33%) had rotation of more than 30 degrees and required re-rotation surgery done successfully. Two eyes (6.66%) with V4b ICL implantation had high postoperative IOP (>35 mm Hg) and required Nd:Yag laser iridotomy later done with successful control of IOP. The safety indices were 1.12 and 1.15 and efficacy indices were 1.5 and 1.6 in the V4b and V4c groups respectively at the end of 1 year. The most common visual complaint was glare and haloes in 24% and 27% in the two groups respectively. However, they were not annoying enough to cause visual disability. Conclusions: Both V4b and V4c Visian ICL implantations are comparable in terms of visual outcome and safety profile for correction of high myopia. However, V4c ICL offers these advantages without the requirement of an additional PI.
Orbital Cysticercosis – masquerading as preseptal cellulitis with ptosis
Authors: Raj Amit , Arya Sudesh Kumar , Topiwala Pratik , Gupta Panchmi , Sood Sunandan
Published: May 2016

We are sharing a case of orbital cysticercosis,which presented to us initially with simple ptosis and later on with upper lid inflammation and restricted ocular motility in upgaze. Human cysticercosis, a parasitic infection caused by Cysticercus cellulosae, the larval form of the cestode, Taenia solium, is a benign infection of the subcutaneous tissues, inter-muscular fascia, muscles and other organs. Though it exists worldwide, it is more prevalent in the developing countries of Latin America, Asia and Africa, especially in areas where under-cooked pork is consumed regularly (Pushker et al, 2001). However, 5 year study of 33 cases of Ocular/Adnexal cysticercosis showed seventy percent of patients were of low socioeconomic group and 70% were strictly vegetarians (Atul et al, 1995). The clinical manifestation of orbital cysticercosis is entirely different from neuro-cysticercosis or cysticercosis of other parts of body. Diagnosis of cysticercosis is mainly based on highly specific radiological signs and history of exposure in endemic areas.
Medieval Literature on the Air: Johannes von Tepl’s Der Ackermann in Twentieth-Century Radio Adaptations
Authors: Schneider Christian
Published: May 2016

This essay explores the remediation of Johannes von Tepl’s Der Ackermann (ca. 1401) for radio. Since November 1924 at least thirty-one productions of von Tepl’s piece have been aired on various German radio stations. The reasons for the continued success of Der Ackermann in the medium of radio, particularly in the 1920s and after the Second World War, are twofold. In the context of the aesthetic debates in the 1920s on remediation, immediacy, and the appropriate form “word art” should take on the radio, von Tepl’s piece was considered the perfect radio play, or Hörspiel, paradoxically because of its un-play-like form: the focus on the word, the absence of plot, and its lack of scenic complexity. In addition, the radio adaptations of Der Ackermann served to embed this late medieval text in a culture of commemoration that was particularly vital in the 1920s and then again in the immediate post–Second World War years.
Broadband 120 MHz Impedance Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) with Calibrated Resistance and Quantitative Dissipation for Biosensing Measurements at Higher Harmonic Frequencies
Authors: Kasper Manuel , Traxler Lukas , Salopek Jasmina , Grabmayr Herwig , Ebner Andreas , Kienberger Ferry
Published: May 2016

We developed an impedance quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) approach with the ability to simultaneously record mass changes and calibrated energy dissipation with high sensitivity using an impedance analyzer. This impedance QCM measures frequency shifts and resistance changes of sensing quartz crystals very stable, accurately, and calibrated, thus yielding quantitative information on mass changes and dissipation. Resistance changes below 0.3 Ω were measured with corresponding dissipation values of 0.01 µU (micro dissipation units). The broadband impedance capabilities allow measurements between 20 Hz and 120 MHz including higher harmonic modes of up to 11th order for a 10 MHz fundamental resonance frequency quartz crystal. We demonstrate the adsorbed mass, calibrated resistance, and quantitative dissipation measurements on two biological systems including the high affinity based avidin-biotin interaction and nano-assemblies of polyelectrolyte layers. The binding affinity of a protein-antibody interaction was determined. The impedance QCM is a versatile and simple method for accurate and calibrated resistance and dissipation measurements with broadband measurement capabilities for higher harmonics measurements.
Face Liveness Detection Using Dynamic Local Ternary Pattern (DLTP)
Authors: Parveen Sajida , Ahmad Sharifah , Abbas Nidaa , Adnan Wan , Hanafi Marsyita , Naeem Nadeem
Published: May 2016

Face spoofing is considered to be one of the prominent threats to face recognition systems. However, in order to improve the security measures of such biometric systems against deliberate spoof attacks, liveness detection has received significant recent attention from researchers. For this purpose, analysis of facial skin texture properties becomes more popular because of its limited resource requirement and lower processing cost. The traditional method of skin analysis for liveness detection was to use Local Binary Pattern (LBP) and its variants. LBP descriptors are effective, but they may exhibit certain limitations in near uniform patterns. Thus, in this paper, we demonstrate the effectiveness of Local Ternary Pattern (LTP) as an alternative to LBP. In addition, we adopted Dynamic Local Ternary Pattern (DLTP), which eliminates the manual threshold setting in LTP by using Weber’s law. The proposed method was tested rigorously on four facial spoof databases: three are public domain databases and the other is the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) face spoof database, which was compiled through this study. The results obtained from the proposed DLTP texture descriptor attained optimum accuracy and clearly outperformed the reported LBP and LTP texture descriptors.
Numerical Study of Solidification in a Plate Heat Exchange Device with a Zigzag Configuration Containing Multiple Phase-Change-Materials
Authors: Wang Peilun , Li Dacheng , Huang Yun , Zheng Xingang , Wang Yi , Peng Zhijian , Ding Yulong
Published: May 2016

Latent heat thermal energy storage (TES) plays an important role in the advocation of TES in contrast to sensible energy storage because of the large storage energy densities per unit mass/volume possible at a nearly constant thermal energy. In the current study, a heat exchange device with a zigzag configuration containing multiple phase-change-materials (m-PCMs) was considered, and an experimental system was built to validate the model for a single PCM. A two-dimensional numerical model was developed using the ANSYS Fluent 14.0 software program. The energy fractions method was put forward to calculate the average Ste number and the influence of Re and Ste numbers on the discharge process were studied. The influence of phase change temperature among m-PCMs on the solidification process has also been studied. A new boundary condition was defined to determine the combined effect of the Re and Ste numbers on the discharging process. The modelling results show that for a given input power, the Ste (or Re) number has a significant impact on the discharging process; however, the period value of inlet velocity has almost no impact on it. Besides, the zigzag plate with m-PCMs has a good impact on the temperature shock as “filter action” in the discharging process.
In Vitro Assessment of the Antibacterial Potential of Silver Nano-Coatings on Cotton Gauzes for Prevention of Wound Infections
Authors: Paladini Federica , Di Franco Cinzia , Panico Angelica , Scamarcio Gaetano , Sannino Alessandro , Pollini Mauro
Published: May 2016

Multidrug-resistant organisms are increasingly implicated in acute and chronic wound infections, thus compromising the chance of therapeutic options. The resistance to conventional antibiotics demonstrated by some bacterial strains has encouraged new approaches for the prevention of infections in wounds and burns, among them the use of silver compounds and nanocrystalline silver. Recently, silver wound dressings have become widely accepted in wound healing centers and are commercially available. In this work, novel antibacterial wound dressings have been developed through a silver deposition technology based on the photochemical synthesis of silver nanoparticles. The devices obtained are completely natural and the silver coatings are characterized by an excellent adhesion without the use of any binder. The silver-treated cotton gauzes were characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) in order to verify the distribution and the dimension of the silver particles on the cotton fibers. The effectiveness of the silver-treated gauzes in reducing the bacterial growth and biofilm proliferation has been demonstrated through agar diffusion tests, bacterial enumeration test, biofilm quantification tests, fluorescence and SEM microscopy. Moreover, potential cytotoxicity of the silver coating was evaluated through 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide colorimetric assay (MTT) and the extract method on fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was performed in order to determine the silver release in different media and to relate the results to the biological characterization. All the results obtained were compared with plain gauzes as a negative control, as well as gauzes treated with a higher silver percentage as a positive control.
Microbiological Advances in Biohydrometallurgy
Authors: Watling Helen
Published: May 2016

The most exciting advances in biohydrometallurgy are occurring in the field of microbiology. The two main technologies employed in biohydrometallurgy, agitated tanks for the processing of refractory concentrates and heaps and dumps for the processing of low-grade ores, are technologically sound and widely practised at commercial scale, but their development began at a time when very little was known of the microorganisms that assisted metals extraction from sulfide ores. During and subsequent to those developments it has been shown that microbial communities in metals extraction are more diverse than originally thought, and extremely robust and adaptable to different and variable environments. Recent advances in genomics and proteomics, exploiting hugely increased computing power and speed, have made it possible to describe not only which microorganisms are present in bioleaching systems, but also what physiological functions are being exercised. The body of knowledge being acquired through the application of molecular biology methods will be used increasingly to monitor microbial behaviour, optimise conditions for more appropriate microbiological activity and/or infer the “microbiological health” of bioreactors (tanks and heaps).
Le chêne et le voile de Phérécyde. Note sur un témoignage du gnostique Isidore (7 B 2 DK, F 76 S)
Authors: Saudelli Lucia
Published: May 2016

Cet article est consacré à un témoignage sur le présocratique Phérécyde de Syros qui n’a pas d’égal dans la tradition le concernant. Le gnostique alexandrin Isidore, cité par Clément d’Alexandrie, accuse Phérécyde d’avoir plagié la prophétie de Cham en recourant à l’image du « chêne » couvert par le « voile » . Afin de saisir la valeur de ce témoignage, je l’ai d’abord comparé aux citations littérales de l’écrit de Phérécyde et aux comptes rendus les plus pertinents sur sa pensée. J’ai d’autre part étudié la référence d’Isidore à l’épisode biblique de Cham pour en tirer des éléments utiles à la connaissance et à la compréhension de la cosmologie et de l’éthologie de Phérécyde.
THE JET-POWERED SUPERNOVAE OF ∼105M⊙ POPULATION III STARS ARE OBSERVABLE BY EUCLID, WFIRST, WISH, AND JWST
Authors: Matsumoto Tatsuya , Nakauchi Daisuke , Ioka Kunihito , Nakamura Takashi
Published: May 2016

Supermassive black holes observed at high redshift

could grow from direct collapse black holes (DCBHs) with masses

, which result from the collapse of supermassive stars (SMSs). If a relativistic jet is launched from a DCBH, then it can break out of the collapsing SMS and produce a gamma-ray burst (GRB). Although most GRB jets are off-axis from our line of sight, we show that the energy injected from the jet into a cocoon is huge

, so that the cocoon fireball is observed as an ultra-luminous supernova of

for

. They will be detectable by future telescopes with near-infrared bands, such as Euclid, WFIRST, WISH, and JWST up to

and

events per year, providing direct evidence of the DCBH scenario.
THE VIRUS-P EXPLORATION OF NEARBY GALAXIES (VENGA): RADIAL GAS INFLOW AND SHOCK EXCITATION IN NGC 1042
Authors: Luo(罗荣欣) Rongxin , Hao Lei , Blanc Guillermo A. , Jogee Shardha , Bosch Remco C. E. van den , Weinzirl Tim
Published: May 2016

NGC 1042 is a late-type bulgeless disk galaxy that hosts low-luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGNs) coincident with a massive nuclear star cluster. In this paper, we present the integral field spectroscopy studies of this galaxy, based on the data obtained with the Mitchell spectrograph on the 2.7 m Harlan J. Smith telescope. In the central 100–300 pc region of NGC 1042, we find a circumnuclear ring structure of gas with enhanced ionization, which we suggest is mainly induced by shocks. Combining this with the harmonic decomposition analysis of the velocity field of the ionized gas, we propose that the shocked gas is the result of gas inflow driven by the inner spiral arms. The inflow velocity is

, and the estimated mass-inflow rate is

. The mass-inflow rate is about one hundred times the black hole’s mass-accretion rate (

) and slightly larger than the star-formation rate in the nuclear star cluster (

), implying that the inflow material is enough to feed both the AGN activity and star formation in the nuclear star cluster. Our study highlights that secular evolution can be important in late-type unbarred galaxies like NGC 1042.
CONSTRAINING POLARIZED FOREGROUNDS FOR EoR EXPERIMENTS. I. 2D POWER SPECTRA FROM THE PAPER-32 IMAGING ARRAY
Authors: Kohn S. A. , Aguirre J. E. , Nunhokee C. D. , Bernardi G. , Pober J. C. , Ali Z. S. , Bradley R. F. , Carilli C. L. , DeBoer D. R. , Gugliucci N. E. , Jacobs D. C. , Klima P. , MacMahon D. H. E. , Manley J. R. , Moore D. F. , Parsons A. R. , Stefan I. I. , Walbrugh W. P.
Published: May 2016

Current generation low-frequency interferometers constructed with the objective of detecting the high-redshift 21 cm background aim to generate power spectra of the brightness temperature contrast of neutral hydrogen in primordial intergalactic medium. Two-dimensional (2D) power spectra (power in Fourier modes parallel and perpendicular to the line of sight) that formed from interferometric visibilities have been shown to delineate a boundary between spectrally smooth foregrounds (known as the wedge) and spectrally structured 21 cm background emission (the EoR window). However, polarized foregrounds are known to possess spectral structure due to Faraday rotation, which can leak into the EoR window. In this work we create and analyze 2D power spectra from the PAPER-32 imaging array in Stokes I, Q, U, and V. These allow us to observe and diagnose systematic effects in our calibration at high signal-to-noise within the Fourier space most relevant to EoR experiments. We observe well-defined windows in the Stokes visibilities, with Stokes Q, U, and V power spectra sharing a similar wedge shape to that seen in Stokes I. With modest polarization calibration, we see no evidence that polarization calibration errors move power outside the wedge in any Stokes visibility to the noise levels attained. Deeper integrations will be required to confirm that this behavior persists to the depth required for EoR detection.
A SEARCH FOR SUB-SECOND RADIO VARIABILITY PREDICTED TO ARISE TOWARD 3C 84 FROM INTERGALACTIC DISPERSION
Authors: Hales C. A. , Max-Moerbeck W. , Roshi D. A. , Rupen M. P.
Published: May 2016

We empirically evaluate the scheme proposed by Lieu & Duan in which the light curve of a time-steady radio source is predicted to exhibit increased variability on a characteristic timescale set by the sightline’s electron column density. Application to extragalactic sources is of significant appeal, as it would enable a unique and reliable probe of cosmic baryons. We examine temporal power spectra for 3C 84, observed at 1.7 GHz with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array and the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope. These data constrain the ratio between standard deviation and mean intensity for 3C 84 to less than 0.05% at temporal frequencies ranging between 0.1 and 200 Hz. This limit is 3 orders of magnitude below the variability predicted by Lieu & Duan and is in accord with theoretical arguments presented by Hirata & McQuinn rebutting electron density dependence. We identify other spectral features in the data consistent with the slow solar wind, a coronal mass ejection, and the ionosphere.
Learning About and Benefiting From Peer Review: A Course Assignment for Doctoral Students at Two Different Universities
Authors: Sethares Kristen A. , Morris Nancy S.
Published: May 2016

Background:

Peer review is an expectation of PhD-prepared nurses but a lack of evidence in the best methods to train students is of concern.

Method:

Guided by the ADDIE (
A
nalysis,
D
esign,
D
evelopment,
I
mplementation, and
E
valuation) model, faculty at two universities developed, implemented, and evaluated a peer review assignment for 22 second-year PhD nursing students. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis.

Results:

Students reported the process of peer review was beneficial (82%) because it informed their own writing (59%), assisted them to read more critically (73%), and increased their appreciation of the role of peer review in the revision process (77%). Giving constructive feedback was difficult for students, but the feedback they received was helpful.

Conclusion:

Peer review is important to the development of science and an expectation of PhD-prepared nurses. Methods to include peer review in education are needed. [
J Nurs Educ.
2016;55(6):342–344.]
Evolutionary Algorithms for Economic Load Dispatch Having Multiple Types of Cost Functions
Authors: Roy Provas Kumar , Pradhan Moumita , Pal Tandra
Published: May 2016

This chapter presents various novel evolutionary algorithms, namely Real Coded Genetic Algorithm (RGA), two variants of Biogeography-Based Optimization (BBO), and three variants of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) in order to find the optimal power generation scheduling to simultaneously optimize fuel cost and power loss for solving constrained economic load dispatch problems of all thermal systems, considering multiple fuel operation and valve point effect. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithms is demonstrated in five different ELD problems, considering different constraints such as transmission losses, ramp rate limits, multi-fuel options and valve point loading. Comparative studies are carried out to examine the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed approaches. A comparison of simulation results reveals optimization usefulness of the proposed BBO scheme over other well established population based optimization techniques. It is also found that the convergence characteristics of the BBO algorithm are better than other optimization methods.
Evolutionary Computing Approaches for Clustering and Routing in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Kuila Pratyay , Jana Prasanta K.
Published: May 2016

With proliferation of Computational Intelligence (CI), evolutionary algorithms have drawn enormous attention among researchers. Such algorithms have been studied to solve many optimization problems. Clustering and routing are two well known optimization problems which are well researched in the field of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). These problems are NP-hard. Therefore, many researchers have applied meta-heuristic approaches to develop various evolutionary algorithms to solve them. In this chapter, the authors rigorously study and present various evolutionary algorithms that include Genetic Algorithm (GA), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Differential Evolution, etc. and show how these algorithms are applied to solve clustering and routing problems in WSNs. The chapter starts with an introduction of WSNs along with clustering and routing problems in WSNs accompanied by a discussion why these problems are solved by evolutionary algorithms. The authors then give an overview of various evolutionary approaches that are applied to solve clustering and routing problems. Various evolutionary algorithms are then presented towards the solution of these problems. A comparison table is also made by highlighting strengths and weaknesses of the algorithms. Finally, the authors present new directions of future research in this domain.
Adaptive Simulated Annealing Algorithm to Solve Bio-Molecular Optimization
Authors: Ray Sujay
Published: May 2016

Energy minimization is a paramount zone in the field of computational and structural biology for protein modeling. It helps in mending distorted geometries in the folded functional protein by moving its atoms to release internal constraints. It attempts to hold back to zero value for the net atomic force on every atom. But to overcome certain disadvantages in energy minimization, Simulated Annealing (SA) can be helpful. SA is a molecular dynamics technique, where temperature is gradually reduced during the simulation. It provides the best configuration of bio-molecules in shorter time. With the advancement in computational knowledge, one essential but less sensitive variant of SA: Adaptive Simulated Annealing (ASA) algorithm is beneficial, because it automatically adjusts the temperature scheme and abrupt opting of step. Therefore it benefits to prepare stable protein models and further to investigate protein-protein interactions. Thus, a residue-level study can be analyzed in details for the benefit of the entire biota.
A Hybrid Model of FLANN and Firefly Algorithm for Classification
Authors: Naik Bighnaraj , Nayak Janmenjoy , Behera H. S.
Published: May 2016

Since last decade, biologically inspired optimization techniques have been a keen interest among the researchers of optimization community. Some of the well developed and advanced popular algorithms such as GA, PSO etc. are found to be performing well for solving large scale problems. In this chapter, a recently developed nature inspired firefly algorithm has been proposed by the combination of an efficient higher order functional link neural network for the classification of the real world data. The main advantage of firefly algorithm is to obtain the solutions for global optima, where some of the earlier developed swarm intelligence algorithms fail to do so. For learning the neural network, efficient gradient descent learning is used to optimize the weights. The proposed method is able to classify the non-linear data more efficiently with less error rate. Under null-hypothesis, the proposed method has been tested with various statistical methods to prove its statistical significance.
Applicability of ANN in Adsorptive Removal of Cd(II) from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Bar Nirjhar , Das Sudip Kumar
Published: May 2016

Cadmium is frequently used and is extremely toxic in relatively low dosages and is one of the principal heavy metals that is responsible for causing kidney damage, high blood pressure, renal disorder, destruction of red blood Cells and bone fracture. Permissible limit to discharge in the inland surface water is 2.0 mg/l, discharge in public sewers is 1.0 mg/l and drinking water is 0.01 mg/l. Adsorption is the only user-friendly technique for the removal of heavy metal. We have developed an ANN model for prediction of percentage removal of Cd(II). A multilayer perceptron with a single hidden layer has been learnt separately by three different algorithms: Backpropagation, Levenberg-Marquardt and Scaled Conjugate Gradient algorithms for analysis purpose. Optimization for each one of the four standard transfer functions (in a single hidden layer) has been carried out in all three cases. The ANN model with Backpropagation algorithm, with the second transfer function and 25 processing elements gives the best predictability of the outlet concentration.
DNA Computing Using Carbon Nanotube-DNA Hybrid Nanostructure
Authors: Sinha Swati , Bandyopadhyay Jaya , De Debashis
Published: May 2016

DNA computing is a branch of biomolecular computing using the physical and chemical properties of deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA. It is a fast-developing interdisciplinary research area consisting of nano-biotechnology, computer science and biochemistry. DNA computing is widely used now-a-days for logic design, biomarker, cryptography, disease detection etc. In recent years, carbon nanotube or CNT research has reached a new peak with its various applications including nano-biocomputing. DNA plays a pivotal role in biology and CNT is considered as a wonder material of this century in nanoscience. This chapter combines these two promising research areas including CNT and DNA to form CNT-DNA based nanostructured system and its applications in diverse fields like electronics, biomedical engineering, drug delivery, gene therapy, biosensor technology etc. CNT-DNA hybrid and its various suitable combinations open up a new dimension called CNT-DNA computing.