bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Ruling Discourse on Proper Womanhood in the Hungarian Parliament
Authors: Annus Irén
Published: September 2014

Starting with a debate in September 2012 on the incorporation of domestic violence as a distinct offence in Hungary’s new Criminal Code, the issue of gender and proper womanhood has regularly re-surfaced in statements made by ruling coalition MPs in parliamentary debates. Drawing on discourse analysis, this study investigates a selection of these statements in the context of the government’s current policy and public discourse. The paper argues that these discourses outline an essentialist model reflective of a dominant ideology that is traditional, Christian, patriarchal and heteronormative, which, by hinting at women’s accountability for certain social ills, also allows for a chain of associations that ultimately results in the subversion of the overall social status of women, dividing and marginalising them further and discrediting any claims or actions aimed at establishing a more egalitarian society in the country.
Graphic Narratives of Women in War: Identity Construction in the Works of Zeina Abirached, Miriam Katin, and Marjane Satrapi
Authors: Szép Eszter
Published: September 2014

By applying terminology from trauma theory and a methodological approach from comics scholarship, this essay discusses three graphic autobiographies of women. These are A Game for Swallows by Zeina Abirached (trans. Edward Gauvin, 2012), We are on our Own by Miriam Katin (2006), and Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi (trans. Anjali Singh, 2004). Two issues are at the centre of the investigation: the strategies by which these works engage in the much-debated issues of representing gendered violence, and the representation of the ways traumatized daughters and their mothers deal with the identity crises caused by war.
Narratives of Arab Anglophone Women and the Articulation of a Major Discourse in a Minor Literature
Authors: Sarnou Dalal
Published: September 2014

“It is important to stress that a variety of positions with respect to feminism, nation, religion and identity are to be found in Anglophone Arab women’s writings. This being the case, it is doubtful whether, in discussing this literary production, much mileage is to be extracted from over emphasis of the notion of its being a conduit of ‘Third World subaltern women.’” (Nash 35) Building on Geoffrey Nash’s statement and reflecting on Deleuze and Guattari’s conceptualization of minor literature and Gloria Anzaldua’s Borderland(s), we will discuss in this paper how the writings of Arab Anglophone women are specific minor and borderland narratives within minor literature(s) through a tentative (re)localization of Arab women’s English literature into distinct and various categories. By referring to various bestselling English works produced by Arab British and Arab American women authors, our aim is to establish a New taxonomy that may fit the specificity of these works.
How to Represent Female Identity on the Restoration Stage: Actresses (Self) Fashioning
Authors: Serrano González Raquel , Martínez-García Laura
Published: September 2014

Despite the shifting ideologies of gender of the seventeenth century, the arrival of the first actresses caused deep social anxiety: theatre gave women a voice to air grievances and to contest, through their own bodies, traditional gender roles. This paper studies two of the best-known actresses, Nell Gwyn and Anne Bracegirdle, and the different public personae they created to negotiate their presence in this all—male world. In spite of their differing strategies, both women gained fame and profit in the male—dominated theatrical marketplace, confirming them as the ultimate “gender benders,” who appropriated the male role of family’s supporter and bread-winner.
Corporate Governance in Banks and its Impact on Risk and Performance: Review of Literature on the Selected Governance Mechanisms
Authors: Himaj Shkendije
Published: September 2014

Corporate governance is viewed as an important, essential, and most significant factor for well-functioning of firms. Recent academic work and policy analyses have given insight into the governance problems in banks exposed to the financial crisis and suggest possible solutions. This paper begins by explaining the importance of corporate governance and its impact on risk taking and bank performance based on the theoretical background relevant to the corporate governance of banks. I combine the literature that looks at three areas of governance: ownership structure; board structure; and risk management, with the literature on risk-taking and performance effects in order to better assess the weight of the impact that these governance mechanisms have on both performance and risk. The paper concludes by highlighting the areas where further research is needed.
Recovery and Reduction of Non-Performing Loans – Podgorica Approach
Authors: Stijepović Ristan
Published: September 2014

Loan portfolio of Montenegro’s banking sector was largely affected by the growth in past due loans during the current financial crisis. High level of these loans limits banks’ lending activity which results in a decline in credit supply. Negative effects of the non-performing loans’ growth reflected adversely on economic strength of the real and households sectors. Majority of Montenegrin companies have significant liquidity problems and their defaults affect adversely the sound part of the economy, while reduced households spending reflects negatively on aggregate demand.

Therefore, a new approach for the recovery of these loans should be sought and reduce their negative impact on loan portfolio of the banking sector. The World Bank Financial Sector Advisory Centre (FinSac) located in Vienna proposed a series of measures and recommendations for the resolution of these loans through several modules. In addition to the strengthening of loan portfolio and initiating more dynamic lending activity of the banking sector, the project called Podgorica Approach aims at strengthening financial stability of the system, supporting debtors’ recovery, and improving economic growth.

Podgorica Approach contributed, in particular, to quantitative assessment of the recovery of non-performing loans which could return to the performing status through the restructuring process. Better qualitative understanding of these loans is necessary to act preventively and thus largely reduce migration from performing to non-performing loans. In addition, this approach aims at strengthening the incentives proposed by the authorities so that the level of non-performing loans is reduced through their successful implementation.
Adjusting altimetric sea surface height observations in coastal regions. Case study in the Greek Seas
Authors: Mintourakis Ioannis
Published: September 2014

When processing satellite altimetry data for Mean Sea Surface (MSS) modelling in coastal environments many problems arise. The degradation of the accuracy of the Sea Surface Height (SSH) observations close to the coastline and the usually irregular pattern and variability of the sea surface topography are the two dominant factors which have to be addressed. In the present paper, we study the statistical behavior of the SSH observations in relation to the range from the coastline for many satellite altimetry missions and we make an effort to minimize the effects of the ocean variability. Based on the above concepts we present a process strategy for the homogenization of multi satellite altimetry data that takes advantage ofweighted SSH observations and applies high degree polynomials for the adjustment and their uniffcation at a common epoch. At each step we present the contribution of each concept to MSS modelling and then we develop a MSS, a marine geoid model and a grid of gravity Free Air Anomalies (FAA) for the area under study. Finally, we evaluate the accuracy of the resulting models by comparisons to state of the art global models and other available data such as GPS/leveling points, marine GPS SSH’s and marine gravity FAA’s, in order to investigate any progress achieved by the presented strategy
Qualitative: Open Source Python Tool for Quality Estimation over Multiple Machine Translation Outputs
Authors: Eleftherios Avramidis , Lukas Poustka , Sven Schmeier
Published: September 2014

“Qualitative” is a python toolkit for ranking and selection of sentence-level output by different MT systems using Quality Estimation. The toolkit implements a basic pipeline for annotating the given sentences with black-box features. Consequently, it applies a machine learning mechanism in order to rank data based on models pre-trained on human preferences. The preprocessing pipeline includes support for language models, PCFG parsing, language checking tools and various other pre-processors and feature generators. The code follows the principles of object-oriented programming to allow modularity and extensibility. The tool can operate by processing both batch-files and single sentences. An XML-RPC interface is provided for hooking up with web-services and a graphical animated web-based interface demonstrates its potential on-line use.
Multilingual Dependency Parsing: Using Machine Translated Texts Instead of Parallel Corpora
Authors: Loganathan Ramasamy , David Mareček , Zdenčk Žabokrtský
Published: September 2014

This paper revisits the projection-based approach to dependency grammar induction task. Traditional cross-lingual dependency induction tasks one way or the other, depend on the existence of bitexts or target language tools such as part-of-speech (POS) taggers to obtain reasonable parsing accuracy. In this paper, we transfer dependency parsers using only approximate resources, i.e., machine translated bitexts instead of manually created bitexts. We do this by obtaining the the source side of the text from a machine translation (MT) system and then apply transfer approaches to induce parser for the target languages. We further reduce the need for the availability of labeled target language resources by using unsupervised target tagger. We show that our approach consistently outperforms unsupervised parsers by a bigger margin (8.2% absolute), and results in similar performance when compared with delexicalized transfer parsers.
An Interplay between Valency Information and Reflexivity
Authors: Václava Kettnerová , Markéta Lopatková , Jarmila Panevová
Published: September 2014

A language description based on a formally defined framework has many advantages: The possibility to check the inner consistency of the model as well as the possibility of comparison with other models or with pure descriptive approaches belong to its main priorities.

Roland Wagner's contribution published in the last issue of this journal – focusing (among other ideas) on the role of Czech reflexives – presents several critical remarks concerning the Functional Generative Description. These remarks represent a good challenge for the authors developing this model to fill empirical gaps and to make clear some theoretical presuppositions concerning valency frames of verbs and their respective reflexive counterparts that are primarily addressed by Roland Wagner's critical survey.
Giant solitary fibrous tumour of the pleura. Case report and review of the literature
Authors: Crnjac Anton , Veingerl Bojan , Vidovic Damjan , Kavalar Rajko , Hojski Aljaz
Published: September 2014

Background. Solitary fibrous tumours of the pleura (SFTP) are rare tumours. They are mostly benign. Only around 12% of them are malignant. In the initial stage they are mostly asymptomatic and by growing they cause chest pain, irritating cough and dyspnoea on account of the pressure created on the surrounding structures. Rare giant tumours have compression symptoms on the mediastinal structures. The condition requires tiered diagnostic radiology. Preoperative biopsy is not successful in most cases. The therapy of choice is radical surgical tumour removal. Malignant or non-radically removed benign solitary fibrous tumours of the pleura additionally require neoadjuvant therapy.

Case report. A 68-year old patient was hospitalized for giant solitary fibrous tumour of the pleura in the right pleural cavity. With its expansive growth the tumour caused the shift of the mediastinum by compressing the lower vena cava, right cardiac auricle as well as the intermediate and lower lobe bronchus. Due to cardiac inflow obstruction and right lung collapse, the patient’s life was endangered with signs of cardio-respiratory failure. After preoperative diagnostic radiology, the tumour was surgically removed. Postoperatively, the patient’s condition improved. No disease recurrence was diagnosed after a year.

Conclusions. Giant solitary fibrous tumour of the pleura may cause serious and life-threatening conditions by causing compression of the pleural cavity with its expansive growth. Early diagnosis of the condition enables less aggressive as well as video-assisted thoracic surgery in patients with significantly better state of health. Large tumour surgeries in cardio-respiratory affected patients are highly risk-associated procedures.
Playing Position: Anthropometric and Fitness Demands in Youth Soccer
Authors: Gioldasis Aristotelis , Bekris Evangelos , Gissis Ioannis
Published: September 2014

The aim of this study was to examine the anthropometric and fitness characteristics of soccer players with different positional role. Although, players’ skills are not equally distributed in each position, at elite soccer they have to perform each skill at a sufficient level. However, coaches expertise those from an early age in specific positions without giving them an holistic individualized training. In the study participated 312 Greek players aged 6 to 17 (M= 11.89; SD= 2.33) of 5 age groups (group U7-U8; group U9-U10; group U11-U12; group U13-U14; group U15-U16; group U17). Anthropometric (height, weight, body mass index and body fat) and fitness characteristics (flexibility, vertical jump, running speed, agility and VO2max) of participants were measured. The study showed that goalkeepers and central defenders tend to perform worse than players of the other positional groups in most of their fitness characteristics for almost all the age groups. Furthermore, many tendencies were observed in anthropometric and fitness characteristics between players with different positional roles. This study provides suggestions to coaches regarding their practice of positioning players according to their anthropometric and fitness characteristics for a short term success.
A note on meteorological variables related trends in the MODIS NPP product for Estonia / Meteoroloogilised andmed põhjustavad vigu MODISe primaarproduktsiooni hinnangutes Eesti alal
Authors: Eenmäe Alo , Nilson Tiit , Lang Mait
Published: September 2014

The MODIS (The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) yearly NPP (Net Primary Production) 1 km resolution products were collected over Estonia for years 2000-2010. The MODIS NPP product for forest pixels showed a clear West-East decreasing trend over the Estonian territory. At the same time the trunk volume increment estimates extracted from the Estonian national statistics averaged over the same period showed the opposite trend. The MODIS NPP algorithm seems to overestimate the contribution of meteorological variables and to ignore the role of soil fertility differences. To improve the predictive power of MODIS algorithm to describe local NPP differences, the local meteorological data with higher spatial resolution should be used as an input in the NPP calculations, whereas the algorithm should be modified by optimizing the input parameters and including parameters of soil fertility into the calculation scheme.
Lennukilidari ja spektraalse kaugseireandmestiku kasutamine metsa peamiste takseertunnuste hindamiseks Aegviidu katsealal / Estimation of main forest inventory variables from spectral and airborne lidar data in Aegviidu test site, Estonia
Authors: Lang Mait , Anniste Johannes , Arumäe Tauri
Published: September 2014

Field measurements from 450 sample plots, airborne lidar data and spectral images from Aegviidu, Estonia, 15 by 15 km test site were used to analyse options to estimate main forest inventory variables using remote sensing data. Up to 7 m random error in location of 15 m radius sample plots within homogeneous stands causes usually about 0.5 m standard deviation in lidar pulse return height distribution percentiles. Forest mean height can be predicted with linear relationship from 80th percentile of lidar pulse return height distribution. Upper percentiles of pulse return height distribution are not significantly affected by omitting returns from ground and forest understorey vegetation. Total stem volume in forest can be predicted by using 80th percentile, 25th percentile and canopy cover as model arguments with less than 70 m3 ha-1 standard error. Best species specific stem volume models had 10 m3 ha-1 smaller standard error.
Having Their Lives Narrowed Down? The State of Black Women’s College Success
Authors: Winkle-Wagner Rachelle
Published: September 2014

Contradictory trends emerge relative to Black women’s college success: They have doubled their enrollment rates in thirty years but their graduation rates remain behind those of White and Asian women. This integrative, interdisciplinary review of both student- and institutional-level factors explores the role of individual characteristics and backgrounds, relationships, and institutional support structures relative to Black women’s success in college. The findings reveal that African American women’s lives may be narrowed down in research that includes them through (a) an emphasis on individual factors in college success instead of institutional (within college campuses) or larger sociostructural issues (race, class, or gender inequities in the larger society), (b) a lack of analysis of within-group difference among Black women, and (c) framing the notion of success as persistence or completion of a student’s degree program instead of self-identified or unique notions of success such as collective uplift, well-being, or satisfaction.
Exploring the Causal Impact of the McREL Balanced Leadership Program on Leadership, Principal Efficacy, Instructional Climate, Educator Turnover, and Student Achievement
Authors: Jacob Robin , Goddard Roger , Kim Minjung , Miller Robert , Goddard Yvonne
Published: September 2014

This study uses a randomized design to assess the impact of the Balanced Leadership program on principal leadership, instructional climate, principal efficacy, staff turnover, and student achievement in a sample of rural northern Michigan schools. Participating principals report feeling more efficacious, using more effective leadership practices, and having a better instructional climate than control group principals. However, teacher reports indicate that the instructional climate of the schools did not change. Furthermore, we find no impact of the program on student achievement. There was an impact of the program on staff turnover, with principals and teachers in treatment schools significantly more likely to remain in the same school over the 3 years of the study than staff in control schools.
God, Religion and Science
Authors: Monjur Mustafa
Published: September 2014

God, Religion and Science Professor Md. Azizur Rahman Laskar. First Published: March 2014. Sylhet: Pandulipi Prokashon, Bangladesh. 399 pp. Price: BDT 700, $30. ISBN: 978-984-8922-61-3 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbayr.v2i1.20540 Journal of the Bangladesh Association of Young Researchers (JBAYR): Vol.2(1), 2012 & 2013: 38-40
Entropy of Closure Operators and Network Coding Solvability
Authors: Gadouleau Maximilien
Published: September 2014

The entropy of a closure operator has been recently proposed for the study of network coding and secret sharing. In this paper, we study closure operators in relation to their entropy. We first introduce four different kinds of rank functions for a given closure operator, which determine bounds on the entropy of that operator. This yields new axioms for matroids based on their closure operators. We also determine necessary conditions for a large class of closure operators to be solvable. We then define the Shannon entropy of a closure operator and use it to prove that the set of closure entropies is dense. Finally, we justify why we focus on the solvability of closure operators only.
Correction: Budea, S. Solar Air Collectors for Space Heating and Ventilation Applications—Performance and Case Studies under Romanian Climatic Conditions. Energies 2014, 7, 3781–3792
Authors: Budea Sanda
Published: September 2014

An inadvertent error was found in the pdf version of paper [1]. On page 3785, Equation (2) was not displayed well and should be read...[...]
China’s Conversion of Cropland to Forest Program for Household Delivery of Ecosystem Services: How Important is a Local Implementation Regime to Survival Rate Outcomes?
Authors: Bennett Michael , Xie Chen , Hogarth Nicholas , Peng Daoli , Putzel Louis
Published: September 2014

China’s Conversion of Cropland to Forests Program (CCFP) is the world’s largest afforestation-based Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) program, having retired and afforested over 24 million ha involving 32 million rural households. Prior research has primarily focused on the CCFP’s rural welfare impacts, with few studies on program-induced environmental improvements, particularly at the household level. In this study, data from a 2010 survey covering 2808 rural households from across China was analyzed using an interval regression model to explain household-reported survival rates of trees planted on program-enrolled cropland. In addition to household-level factors, we explore the influence of local conditions and institutional configurations by exploiting the wide diversity of contexts covered by the data set. We find that households with more available labor and more forestry experience manage trees better, but that higher opportunity costs for both land and labor have the opposite effect. We also find that the local implementation regime- e.g., the degree of prior consultation with participants and regular monitoring - has a strong positive effect on reported survivorship. We suggest that the level of subsidy support to participating households will be key to survivorship of trees in planted CCFP forests for some time to come.
Local-Scale Mapping of Biomass in Tropical Lowland Pine Savannas Using ALOS PALSAR
Authors: Michelakis Dimitrios , Stuart Neil , Lopez German , Linares Vinicio , Woodhouse Iain
Published: September 2014

Fine-scale biomass maps offer forest managers the prospect of more detailed and locally accurate information for measuring, reporting and verification activities in contexts, such as sustainable forest management, carbon stock assessments and ecological studies of forest growth and change. In this study, we apply a locally validated method for estimating aboveground woody biomass (AGWB) from Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Array-type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) data to produce an AGWB map for the lowland pine savannas of Belize at a spatial resolution of 100 m. Over 90% of these woodlands are predicted to have an AGWB below 60 tha−1, with the average woody biomass of these savannas estimated at 23.5 tha−1. By overlaying these spatial estimates upon previous thematic mapping of national land cover, we derive representative average biomass values of ~32 tha−1 and ~18 tha−1 for the previously qualitative classes of “denser” and “less dense” tree savannas. The predicted average biomass, from the mapping for savannas woodlands occurring within two of Belize’s larger protected areas, agree closely with previous biomass estimates for these areas based on ground surveys and forest inventories (error ≤20%). However, biomass estimates derived for these protected areas from two biomass maps produced at coarser resolutions (500 m and 1000 m) from global datasets overestimated biomass (errors ≥275% in each dataset). The finer scale biomass mapping of both protected and unprotected areas provides evidence to suggest that protection has a positive effect upon woody biomass, with the mean AGWB higher in areas protected and managed for biodiversity (protected and passively managed (PRPM), 29.5 tha−1) compared to unprotected areas (UPR, 23.29 tha−1). These findings suggest that where sufficient ground data exists to build a reliable local relationship to radar backscatter, the more detailed biomass mapping that can be produced from ALOS and similar satellite data at resolutions of ~100 m provides more accurate and spatially detailed information that is more appropriate for supporting the management of forested areas of ~10,000 ha than biomass maps that can be produced from lower resolution, but freely available global data sets.
SMG1 Acts as a Novel Potential Tumor Suppressor with Epigenetic Inactivation in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Du Yahui , Lu Fei , Li Peng , Ye Jingjing , Ji Min , Ma Daoxin , Ji Chunyan
Published: September 2014

Suppressor with morphogenetic effect on genitalia family member (SMG1) belongs to a family of phosphoinositide 3-kinase-related kinases and is the main kinase involved in nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. Recently, SMG1 was suggested as a novel potential tumor suppressor gene, particularly in hypoxic tumors. To investigate the function of SMG1 in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we performed methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and found that SMG1 was hypermethylated in the promoter region. SMG1 hypermethylation was found in 66% (33/50) of AML samples compared with none (0/14) of the normal controls. SMG1 mRNA was down-regulated in AML patients with hypermethylation status whereas it was readily expressed in patients without methylation. Moreover, treatment of AML cells with demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (decitabine) inhibited AML cell growth and induced apoptosis by reversing SMG1 methylation status and restoring SMG1 expression. On the other hand, knockdown of SMG1 by RNA interference inhibited apoptosis. We also found that mTOR expression level was negatively correlated to SMG1 expression in AML patients which indicated that SMG1 and mTOR maybe act antagonistically to regulate AML cell growth. In conclusion, our results indicate that SMG1 acts as a potential tumor suppressor with epigenetic regulation in AML.
Abnormal Response of the Proliferation and Differentiation of Growth Plate Chondrocytes to Melatonin in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
Authors: Wang William , Man Gene , Wong Jack , Ng Tzi-Bun , Lee Kwong-Man , Ng Bobby , Yeung Hiu-Yan , Qiu Yong , Cheng Jack
Published: September 2014

Abnormalities in the melatonin signaling pathway and the involvement of melatonin receptor MT2 have been reported in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Whether these abnormalities were involved in the systemic abnormal skeletal growth in AIS during the peripubertal period remain unknown. In this cross-sectional case-control study, growth plate chondrocytes (GPCs) were cultured from twenty AIS and ten normal control subjects. Although the MT2 receptor was identified in GPCs from both AIS and controls, its mRNA expression was significantly lower in AIS patients than the controls. GPCs were cultured in the presence of either the vehicle or various concentrations of melatonin, with or without the selective MT2 melatonin receptor antagonist 4-P-PDOT (10 µM). Then the cell viability and the mRNA expression of collagen type X (COLX) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were assessed by MTT and qPCR, respectively. In the control GPCs, melatonin at the concentrations of 1, 100 nM and 10 µM significantly reduced the population of viable cells, and the mRNA level of COLX and ALP compared to the vehicle. Similar changes were not observed in the presence of 4-P-PDOT. Further, neither proliferation nor differentiation of GPCs from AIS patients was affected by the melatonin treatment. These findings support the presence of a functional abnormality of the melatonin signaling pathway in AIS GPCs, which might be associated with the abnormal endochondral ossification in AIS patients.
Diffusion and Interface Effects during Preparation of All-Solid Microstructured Fibers
Authors: Jens Kobelke , Jörg Bierlich , Katrin Wondraczek , Claudia Aichele , Zhiwen Pan , Sonja Unger , Kay Schuster , Hartmut Bartelt
Published: September 2014

All-solid microstructured optical fibers (MOF) allow the realization of very flexible optical waveguide designs. They are prepared by stacking of doped silica rods or canes in complex arrangements. Typical dopants in silica matrices are germanium and phosphorus to increase the refractive index (RI), or boron and fluorine to decrease the RI. However, the direct interface contact of stacking elements often causes interrelated chemical reactions or evaporation during thermal processing. The obtained fiber structures after the final drawing step thus tend to deviate from the targeted structure risking degrading their favored optical functionality. Dopant profiles and design parameters (e.g., the RI homogeneity of the cladding) are controlled by the combination of diffusion and equilibrium conditions of evaporation reactions. We show simulation results of diffusion and thermal dissociation in germanium and fluorine doped silica rod arrangements according to the monitored geometrical disturbances in stretched canes or drawn fibers. The paper indicates geometrical limits of dopant structures in sub-µm-level depending on the dopant concentration and the thermal conditions during the drawing process. The presented results thus enable an optimized planning of the preform parameters avoiding unwanted alterations in dopant concentration profiles or in design parameters encountered during the drawing process.
Bioactive Compounds from Macroalgae in the New Millennium: Implications for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Barbosa Mariana , Valentão Patrícia , Andrade Paula
Published: September 2014

Marine environment has proven to be a rich source of structurally diverse and complex compounds exhibiting numerous interesting biological effects. Macroalgae are currently being explored as novel and sustainable sources of bioactive compounds for both pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Given the increasing prevalence of different forms of dementia, researchers have been focusing their attention on the discovery and development of new compounds from macroalgae for potential application in neuroprotection. Neuroprotection involves multiple and complex mechanisms, which are deeply related. Therefore, compounds exerting neuroprotective effects through different pathways could present viable approaches in the management of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. In fact, several studies had already provided promising insights into the neuroprotective effects of a series of compounds isolated from different macroalgae species. This review will focus on compounds from macroalgae that exhibit neuroprotective effects and their potential application to treat and/or prevent neurodegenerative diseases.
Didemnaketals F and G, New Bioactive Spiroketals from a Red Sea Ascidian Didemnum Species
Authors: Shaala Lamiaa , Youssef Diaa , Ibrahim Sabrin , Mohamed Gamal , Badr Jihan , Risinger April , Mooberry Susan
Published: September 2014

In continuation of our ongoing efforts to identify bioactive compounds from Red Sea marine organisms, a new collection of the ascidian Didemnum species was investigated. Chromatographic fractionation and HPLC purification of the CH2Cl2 fraction of an organic extract of the ascidian resulted in the identification of two new spiroketals, didemnaketals F (1) and G (2). The structure determination of the compounds was completed by extensive study of 1D (1H, 13C, and DEPT) and 2D (COSY, HSQC, and HMBC) NMR experiments in addition to high-resolution mass spectral data. Didemnaketal F (1) and G (2) differ from the previously reported compounds of this class by the lack the terminal methyl ester at C-1 and the methyl functionality at C-2. Instead, 1 and 2 possess a methyl ketone moiety instead of the terminal ester. Furthermore, didemnaketal F possesses a disubstituted double bond between C-2 and C-3, while the double bond was replaced by a secondary alcohol at C-3 in didemnaketal G. In addition, they possess the unique spiroketal/hemiketal functionality which was previously reported in didemnaketal E. Didemnaketals F (1) and G (2) displayed moderate activity against HeLa cells with of IC50s of 49.9 and 14.0 µM, respectively. In addition, didemnaketal F (1) displayed potent antimicrobial activity against E. coli and C. albicans. These findings provide further insight into the biosynthetic capabilities of this ascidian and the chemical diversity as well as the biological activity of this class of compounds.
Polyplex Formation Influences Release Mechanism of Mono- and Di-Valent Ions from Phosphorylcholine Group Bearing Hydrogels
Authors: Wilson A. , Blenner Mark , Guiseppi-Elie Anthony
Published: September 2014

The release of monovalent potassium and divalent calcium ions from zwitterionic phosphorylcholine containing poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (pHEMA)-based hydrogels was studied and the effects of polymer swelling, ion valence and temperature were investigated. For comparison, ions were loaded during hydrogel formulation or loaded by partitioning following construct synthesis. Using the Koshmeyer-Peppas release model, the apparent diffusion coefficient, Dapp, and diffusional exponents, n, were Dapp (pre-K+) = 2.03 × 10−5, n = 0.4 and Dapp (post-K+) = 1.86 × 10−5, n = 0.33 respectively, indicative of Fickian transport. The Dapp (pre-Ca2+) = 3.90 × 10−6, n = 0.60 and Dapp (post-Ca2+) = 2.85 × 10−6, n = 0.85, respectively, indicative of case II and anomalous transport. Results indicate that divalent cations form cation-polyelectrolyte anion polymer complexes while monovalent ions do not. Temperature dependence of potassium ion release was shown to follow an Arrhenius-type relation with negative apparent activation energy of −19 ± 15 while calcium ion release was temperature independent over the physiologically relevant range (25–45 °C) studied. The negative apparent activation energy may be due to temperature dependent polymer swelling. No effect of polymer swelling on the diffusional exponent or rate constant was found suggesting polymer relaxation occurs independent of polymer swelling.
Gasohol Quality Control for Real Time Applications by Means of a Multimode Interference Fiber Sensor
Authors: Rodríguez Adolfo , Baldovino-Pantaleón Oscar , Cruz Rene , Zamarreño Carlos , Matías Ignacio , May-Arrioja Daniel
Published: September 2014

In this work we demonstrate efficient quality control of a variety of gasoline and ethanol (gasohol) blends using a multimode interference (MMI) fiber sensor. The operational principle relies on the fact that the addition of ethanol to the gasohol blend reduces the refractive index (RI) of the gasoline. Since MMI sensors are capable of detecting small RI changes, the ethanol content of the gasohol blend is easily determined by tracking the MMI peak wavelength response. Gasohol blends with ethanol contents ranging from 0% to 50% has been clearly identified using this device, which provides a linear response with a maximum sensitivity of 0.270 nm/% EtOH. The sensor can also distinguish when water incorporated in the blend has exceeded the maximum volume tolerated by the gasohol blend, which is responsible for phase separation of the ethanol and gasoline and could cause serious engine failures. Since the MMI sensor is straightforward to fabricate and does not require any special coating it is a cost effective solution for real time and in-situ monitoring of the quality of gasohol blends.
Density, the Sustainability Multiplier: Some Myths and Truths with Application to Perth, Australia
Authors: Newman Peter
Published: September 2014

The paper suggests that the divisive urban issue of density has critical importance for sustainability. It is particularly important to resolve for the low density car dependent cities of the world as they are highly resource consumptive. Ten myths about density and 10 truths about density are proposed to help resolve the planning issues so commonly found to divide urban communities. They are applied with data to Perth to illustrate the issues and how they can be resolved.
Correction: Wuttichaikitcharoen, P. and Babel, M.S. Principal Component and Multiple Regression Analyses for the Estimation of Suspended Sediment Yield in Ungauged Basins of Northern Thailand. Water 2014, 6, 2412–2435
Authors: Wuttichaikitcharoen Piyawat , Babel Mukand
Published: September 2014

The authors wish to make the following correction to their paper [1]. Due to an error, there are two repeated dotted lines in Figure 1. The former Figure 1 (labelled here as Previous Figure 1) should be replaced by a new version (labeled here as New Figure 1):[...]
End group functionalization of poly(ethylene glycol) with phenolphthalein: towards star-shaped polymers based on supramolecular interactions
Authors: Fleischmann Carolin , Wöhlk Hendrik , Ritter Helmut
Published: September 2014

The synthesis of a new phenolphthalein azide derivative, which can be easily utilized in polymer analogous reactions, is presented. The subsequent cycloaddition reaction with propargyl-functionalized methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) yielded polymers bearing phenolphthalein as the covalently attached end group. In presence of per-β-cyclodextrin-dipentaerythritol, the formation of stable inclusion complexes was observed, representing an interesting approach towards the formation of star shaped polymers. The decolorization of a basic polymer solution caused by the complexation was of great advantage since this behavior enabled following the complex formation by UV–vis spectroscopy and even the naked eye.
Characteristics of Wideband Acoustic Immittance in Patients with Middle-Ear Dysfunction
Authors: Sanford Chris A. , Brockett Jeff E.
Published: September 2014

Background:Wideband acoustic immittance (WAI) measurements are a relatively new class of aural acoustic tests that have shown promise as useful tools for evaluating middle-ear status. A growing body of work has described WAI for infants, children, and adults with normal middle-ear
function, but a relatively limited number of studies have investigated the influence of specific middle-ear disorders on WAI. Although emerging WAI research data show promising results, additional measurements from ears of patients with a variety of middle-ear disorders are needed.Purpose:The
aims of the present study were to (1) obtain WAI data from patients with a variety of middle-ear conditions, (2) examine relationships between WAI data relative to standard audiometric tests, and (3) identify patterns or profiles in WAI data within and among patients with different middle-ear
conditions.Research Design:A descriptive study.Study Sample:Participants included 30 children and two adults with a variety of middle-ear disorders who were recruited from clinical audiology settings.Data Collection/Analysis:Experimental ambient and tympanometric WAI data
were gathered along with standard audiometric test data as part of clinical audiology appointments. Single-subject and small-group data sets for ears of patients with suspected otitis media with effusion (sOME), pressure equalization (PE) tubes, negative tympanometric peak pressure (TPP),
tympanoplasty, and cerumen impaction were obtained. Qualitative analysis and descriptive statistics (means and percentiles) were used to characterize the data.Results:Group mean absorbance for ears in the sOME group was reduced across the majority of frequencies; absorbance for ears
with negative TPP was also reduced, although to a lesser degree. Absorbance patterns for ears with PE tubes show even greater differences because of the effects of the tube and open middle-ear cavity. WAI from ears with a tympanoplasty and cerumen impaction was suggestive of middle-ear dysfunction
in the presence of normal single-frequency tympanometry. Percentile (5th, 50th, and 95th) plots for absorbance and other WAI quantities of admittance level, admittance phase, and equivalent ear-canal volume calculated for the sOME, negative TPP, and PE tube groups showed distinctive profiles
that might be useful for discrimination of different middle-ear pathologies. Quantities from wideband tympanometry, including 250- and 1000-Hz single-frequency admittance tympanometric data were also derived.Conclusions:WAI measurements for some middle-ear conditions were consistent
with patterns and profiles previously reported in the literature. WAI profiles for other middle-ear conditions, which had not been previously reported in the literature, were presented. Relationships between WAI data and results of standard audiometric tests were generally consistent with
expectations. However, in some cases, WAI measurements were suggestive of middle-ear dysfunction despite normal 226-Hz admittance tympanometric findings.
Effects of Ear-Canal Static Pressure on Pure-Tone Thresholds and Wideband Acoustic Immittance
Authors: Feeney M. Patrick , Sanford Chris A. , Putterman Daniel B.
Published: September 2014

Background:Wideband acoustic immittance (WAI) measures provide information about middle-ear function across the traditional audiometric frequency range from 0.25 to 8.0 kHz. Recent studies have found that WAI is effective in predicting the presence of conductive hearing loss
(CHL). It is not known whether WAI can accurately estimate the degree of threshold shift caused by CHL.Purpose:The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between changes in pure-tone threshold and changes in wideband absorbance and acoustic conductance levels
induced by positive and negative ear-canal static pressure.Study Sample:Twenty young adult subjects with normal hearing and a negative history of middle-ear disorders participated in the study.Data Collection and Analysis:Experimental pure-tone thresholds at 0.5 and 2.0 kHz were
estimated by using a three-interval, three-alternative forced-choice adaptive psychometric procedure under three conditions: ambient ear-canal pressure, +200 daPa static pressure, and −200 daPa static pressure. Wideband absorbance and conductance were obtained in the same subjects by
using a Welch Allyn prototype diagnostic middle ear analyzer. Changes in pure-tone threshold from the ambient pressure condition to the static pressure condition were evaluated by using a paired-samples t test and Pearson product-moment correlation.Results:Wideband middle-ear
absorbance and conductance at ambient pressure in this study were consistent with published data in adults with normal hearing. The mean change in threshold at 0.5 and 2.0 kHz with +200 daPa or −200 daPa ear-canal static pressure was similar to the mean change in absorbance and conductance
levels in the same conditions. However, there was one statistically significant difference between the shift in pure-tone threshold and the change in conductance level for the +200 daPa pressure condition for 2.0 kHz, with the change in threshold being 1.5 dB greater than the change in conductance
level (t = 2.39, p = 0.03). In contrast to the good performance of WAI measures in predicting mean threshold shifts caused by ear-canal pressure, the shifts in WAI were not correlated with threshold shifts. Thus WAI was not well suited to predict individual threshold changes caused
by ear-canal static pressure.Conclusions:For the conditions of this study, results suggest that mean change in absorbance or conductance level caused by ear-canal static pressure of +200 daPa or −200 daPa provides a good estimate of the change in pure-tone threshold in the same
conditions. However, individual threshold change was not accurately predicted by the change in absorbance or conductance level.
Wideband Absorbance in Australian Aboriginal and Caucasian Neonates
Authors: Aithal Sreedevi , Kei Joseph , Driscoll Carlie
Published: September 2014

Background:Despite the high prevalence of otitis media in Australian Aboriginal infants and children, the conductive mechanism of the outer and middle ear of Aboriginal neonates remains unclear. Differences in characteristics of the conductive pathway (outer and middle ear) between
Aboriginal and Caucasian neonates have not been systematically investigated by using wideband acoustic immittance measures.Purpose:The objective of this study was to compare wideband absorbance (WBA) in Australian Aboriginal and Caucasian neonates who passed or failed a screening test
battery containing high-frequency tympanometry and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs).Research Design:A cross-sectional study design was used. The mean WBA as a function of frequency was compared between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal neonates who passed or failed the
test battery.Study Sample:A total of 59 ears from 32 Aboriginal neonates (mean age, 51.9 h; standard deviation [SD], 18.2 h; range, 22‐86 h) and 281 ears from 158 Caucasian neonates (mean age, 42.4 h; SD, 23.0 h; range, 8.1‐152 h) who passed or failed 1000-Hz tympanometry
and DPOAEs were included in the study.Data Collection and Analysis:WBA results were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and t tests with Bonferroni adjustment. An analysis of variance with repeated measures was applied to the data.Results:Aboriginal and Caucasian
neonates had almost identical pass rates of 61%, as determined by the test battery. Despite the apparently equal pass rates, the mean WBA of Aboriginal neonates who passed the test battery was significantly lower than that of their Caucasian counterparts at frequencies between 0.4 and 2 kHz.
The mean WBA of Aboriginal neonates who failed the test battery was significantly lower than that of their Caucasian counterparts who also failed the test battery at frequencies between 1.5 and 3 kHz. Both Aboriginal and Caucasian neonates who failed the test battery had significantly lower
WBA values than their counterparts who passed the test battery.Conclusions:This study provided convincing evidence that Aboriginal neonates had significantly lower WBA values than their Caucasian counterparts, although both groups had equal pass rates, as determined by the test battery.
Although the two ethnic groups showed significant differences in WBA, the factors contributing to such differences remain undetermined. Further research is warranted to determine the factors that might account for the difference in WBA between the two ethnic groups.
EVALUATION OF PLASTERING CREW PERFORMANCE IN BUILDING PROJECTS USING DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS
Authors: GEREK Ibrahim Halil , ERDIS Ercan , MISTIKOGLU Gulgun , USMEN Mumtaz A.
Published: September 2014

The research question addressed in this study was how the performance of construction crews working in a certain project or locality could be evaluated, ranked and improved. To develop and demonstrate the relevant framework, data envelopment analysis (DEA) was applied to establish the relative efficiency of plastering crews working in building projects located in different cities around Turkey. Data were collected from 40 crews of varying characteristics, and their technical efficiency scores were computed using the Banker, Charnes and Cooper (BCC) model, which is based on variable returns-to-scale (VRS). The model yields efficiency scores that range between 0 and 1, and a company or crew is considered efficient if its score is 1.0 (100%). Efficient and inefficient crews were identified and ranked on this basis in the study. Cross tabulation analyses were subsequently conducted to gain further insights into the relationships between the efficiency scores and input factors of numbers of skilled and unskilled laborers, daily labor unit costs, work hours, average age of crew members, total crew experience, plastering location, plastering technique, and plaster type. No discernible relationship could be identified between the efficiency scores and productivity outputs of the crews. It was found that plastering technique, plastering location, and total crew experience had a significant association with crew efficiency. Efficiency improvement strategies identified included training, hiring experienced plasterers, adopting more advanced plastering technology, implementing better jobsite management practices, and enhancing workers’ knowledge, skills and attitude towards productivity and quality.