bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diets and Feeding Practices during the First 1000 Days Window in the Phnom Penh and North Eastern Districts of Cambodia
Authors: Som Somphos Vicheth , Prak Sophonneary , Laillou Arnaud , Gauthier Ludovic , Berger Jacques , Poirot Etienne , Wieringa Frank T.
Published: April 2018

Although several health and development indicators have improved significantly in Cambodia, inadequate breastfeeding and inappropriate complementary feeding practices leave many children at high risk of malnutrition during the early stages of life. In 2014, the prevalence of wasting and stunting among Cambodian children under 5 were 10% and 32%, respectively. Thus, a strong focus on improving feeding practices within the first 1000 days window to reduce child malnutrition prevalence in Cambodia is needed. This cross-sectional study assessed the current feeding practices among of women of reproductive age, pregnant women, lactating women and children less than 24 months living in six districts from Phnom Penh and two rural provinces in the North East of Cambodia. The nutritional status of pregnant women was poor, with 21.4% having a Middle Upper arm circumference below 23 cm. While breastfeeding was predominant within the first 6 months of age in every district, feeding practices of pregnant women and children were a concern, as >70% of the children were not meeting the minimum acceptable diet, and most of the women did not improve their diet during pregnancy. Inadequate nutrition during the first 1000 days is highly prevalent in Cambodia. A comprehensive national Mother, Infant and Young Child Nutrition strategy needs to be developed and operationalized to improve feeding practices of Cambodian women and children.
Dietary Sodium and Other Nutrient Intakes among Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis in New Zealand
Authors: Xie Zhengxiu , McLean Rachael , Marshall Mark
Published: April 2018

This study describes baseline intakes of sodium and other nutrients in a multi-ethnic sample of hemodialysis patients in New Zealand participating in the SoLID Trial between May/2013 to May/2016. Baseline 3-day weighed food record collections were analyzed using Foodworks 8 Professional food composition database, supplemented by other sources of nutrient information. Intakes of dietary sodium and other nutrients were compared with relevant guidelines and clinical recommendations. Eighty-five participants completed a 3-day weighed food record. The mean (SD) sodium intake was 2502 (957) mg/day at and more than half of the participants exceeded recommended intake levels. Sodium intake was positively associated with energy intake. Only 5% of participants met the recommended calorie density; nine percent of participants ate the recommended minimum of 1.2 g/kg of protein per day; 68% of participants were consuming inadequate fiber at baseline. A high proportion of dialysis patients in SoLID Trial did not meet current renal-specific dietary recommendations. The data show excess sodium intake. It is also evident that there was poor adherence to dietary guidelines for a range of other nutrients. A total diet approach is needed to lower sodium intake and improve total diet quality among hemodialysis patients in New Zealand.
Taiwanese Green Propolis Ethanol Extract Delays the Progression of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Rats Treated with Streptozotocin/High-Fat Diet
Authors: Chen Li-Han , Chien Yi-Wen , Chang Mei-Ling , Hou Chia-Chung , Chan Ching-Hung , Tang Hung-Wei , Huang Hui-Yu
Published: April 2018

Taiwanese green propolis ethanol extract (TGPE) is produced only in Taiwan and has a different composition from other types of propolis. TGPE is known for its anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, and anti-microbial properties, but the effects and mechanisms of TGPE in the modulation of diabetes are unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of TGPE on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a streptozotocin/high-fat-diet (STZ/HFD)-induced T2DM rat model. The results revealed that TGPE delayed the development and progression of T2DM and reduced the severity of β-cell failure. TGPE also attenuated inflammation and reactive oxygen species ROS in the rats. Moreover, there were higher levels of oxidant cytokines, leptin, and adiponectin in the serum of the TGPE-treated group. Unlike Brazilian propolis, TGPE promoted hepatic genes PPAR-α and CYP7A1, which were related to lipid catabolism and removal. TGPE may thus delay the progression of T2DM through anti-inflammation effects, anti-oxidation effects, and balancing lipid metabolism. It is suggested that TGPE can be a potential alternative medicine for T2DM.
Wool-Like Hollow Polymeric Nanoparticles for CML Chemo-Combinatorial Therapy
Authors: Cortese Barbara , D’Amone Stefania , Palamà Ilaria Elena
Published: April 2018

Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is caused by the BCR-ABL oncogene, which encodes the constitutively active BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase. Targeted therapy with tyrosine-kinase inhibitors induces a partial cytogenetic response in most patients. Nanosystems can represent an opportunity for combinatorial therapy with the capacity to simultaneously release different therapeutic agents, checking the pharmacokinetic properties. In this work, we have developed a novel poly-(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanosystem for combinatorial therapy in CML, composed of a biodegradable pH sensitive core releasing Nilotinib (Nil) and an enzymatic sensitive outer shell releasing Imatinib Mesylate (IM), resulting in wool-like nanoparticles (NPs). The resulting double loaded wool-like hollow PCL NPs showed a high dual-drug encapsulation efficiency, pH and enzymatic sensitivity and synchronized drug release capability. The combinatorial delivery of IM and Nil exhibited an importantly reduced IC50 value of IM and Nil on leukaemia cells compared to single free drugs administration. In vitro results, showed that combinatorial nanomixures preserved the biological activity of loaded drugs for extensive time windows and led to a constant release of active drug. In addition, the combination of IM and Nil in single PCL NPs have shown a more therapeutic efficiency at a low dose with respect to the single drug nanomixures, confirming that both drugs reached the target cell precisely, maximizing the cytotoxicity while minimizing the chances of cell resistance to drugs.
(Mind)-Reading Maps
Authors: Velázquez Coccia Fernanda
Published: April 2018

In a two-system theory for mind-reading, a flexible system (FS) enables full-blown mind-reading, and an efficient system (ES) enables early mind-reading. Efficient processing differs from flexible processing in terms of restrictions on the kind of input it can take and the kinds of mental states it can ascribe (output). Thus, systems are not continuous and each relies on different representations: the FS on beliefs and other propositional attitudes, and the ES on belief-like states or registrations. There is a conceptual problem in distinguishing the representations each system operates with. They contend that they can solve this problem by appealing to a characterization of registrations based on signature limits, but this does not work. I suggest a solution to this problem. The difference between registration and belief becomes clearer if each vehicle turns out to be different. I offer some reasons in support of this proposal related to the performance of spontaneous-response false belief tasks.
Shaping Light in Backward-Wave Nonlinear Hyperbolic Metamaterials
Authors: Popov Alexander K. , Myslivets Sergey A. , Slabko Vitaly V. , Tkachenko Victor A. , George Thomas F.
Published: April 2018

Backward electromagnetic waves are extraordinary waves with contra-directed phase velocity and energy flux. Unusual properties of the coherent nonlinear optical coupling of the phase-matched ordinary and backward electromagnetic waves with contra-directed energy fluxes are described that enable greatly-enhanced frequency and propagation direction conversion, parametrical amplification, as well as control of shape of the light pulses. Extraordinary transient processes that emerge in such metamaterials in pulsed regimes are described. The results of the numerical simulation of particular plasmonic metamaterials with hyperbolic dispersion are presented, which prove the possibility to match phases of such coupled guided ordinary and backward electromagnetic waves. Particular properties of the outlined processes in the proposed metamaterial are demonstrated through numerical simulations. Potential applications include ultra-miniature amplifiers, frequency changing reflectors, modulators, pulse shapers, and remotely actuated sensors.
Statistical Evaluation and Analysis of Road Extraction Methodologies Using a Unique Dataset from Remote Sensing
Authors: Cardim Guilherme Pina , Silva Erivaldo Antônio da , Dias Mauricio Araújo , Bravo Ignácio , Gardel Alfredo
Published: April 2018

In the scientific literature, multiple studies address the application of road extraction methodologies to a particular cartographic dataset. However, it is difficult for any study to perform a more reliable comparison among road extraction methodologies when their results come from different cartographic datasets. Therefore, aiming to enable a more reliable comparison among different road extraction methodologies from the scientific literature, this study proposed a statistical evaluation and analysis of road extraction methodologies using a common image dataset. To achieve this goal, we setup a dataset containing remote sensing images of three different road types, highways, cities network and rural paths, and a group of images from the ISPRS (International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing) dataset. Furthermore, three road extraction methodologies were selected from the literature, in accordance with their availability, to be processed and evaluated using well-known statistical metrics. The achieved results are encouraging and indicate that the proposed statistical evaluation and analysis can allow researchers to evaluate and compare road extraction methodologies using this common dataset extracting similar characteristics to obtain a more reliable comparison among them.
Characterization of Subgrid-Scale Variability in Particulate Matter with Respect to Satellite Aerosol Observations
Authors: Franklin Meredith , Kalashnikova Olga V. , Garay Michael J. , Fruin Scott
Published: April 2018

Recent use of satellite observations of aerosol optical depth (AOD) to characterize surface concentrations of particulate matter (PM) air pollution has proven extremely valuable in estimating exposures for health effects studies. While the spatial resolutions of satellite data provide far better coverage than existing fixed site surface monitoring stations, they are not able to capture atmospheric processes such as dilution of primary pollutants that vary at small spatial scales. As a result, small-scale variability due to highly localized sources such as traffic may be poorly represented, which in turn may lead to exposure measurement error in epidemiological analyses. Using a fixed spatial grid representing 4.4 km Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) aerosol observations, we examined the spatial variability in fine and coarse mode PM (PM2.5 and PM2.5–10 respectively) measured at ground monitors from a unique spatially-dense sampling campaign in Southern California. We found that while the variance in measured PM2.5 differed seasonally (warm 6.82 μg2/m6 and cool 24.5 μg2/m6) across the study region, the average subgrid (<4.4 km) variance did not (warm 2.03 μg2/m6 and cool 2.43 μg2/m6) and was significantly smaller. On the other hand, ground monitor PM2.5–10 concentrations showed large variance in warm (18.6 μg2/m6) and cool (20.6 μg2/m6) seasons, as well as seasonal differences in subgrid variance (warm 8.90 μg2/m6 and cool 3.28 μg2/m6). Geostatistical analysis of the semivariance as a function of distance indicated that variability in measured PM2.5 and PM2.5–10 concentrations was relatively constant for spatial scales of one to five kilometers, but there was evidence of small-scale (~500 m) variability in PM2.5–10 concentrations in the cool season. The lack of small-scale spatial variability in the warm season was likely due to large photochemical contributions to regional PM2.5, and greater regional contributions to PM2.5–10 from windblown dust. In contrast, in the cool season there tends to be greater localized concentrations from primary traffic sources due to stronger nocturnal inversions and delayed morning winds reducing dilution that contribute to greater spatial heterogeneity. Overall, these results suggest that regional contributions tend to dominate PM2.5, and spatial resolutions of satellite observations including the 4.4 km MISR and 3 km MODIS aerosol products aptly capture relevant spatial variability. Coarse PM2.5–10 can have seasonally dependent localized contributions, leading to small-scale variability below current satellite aerosol product resolutions.
Comparative Analysis of Modeling Algorithms for Forest Aboveground Biomass Estimation in a Subtropical Region
Authors: Gao Yukun , Lu Dengsheng , Li Guiying , Wang Guangxing , Chen Qi , Liu Lijuan , Li Dengqiu
Published: April 2018

Remote sensing–based forest aboveground biomass (AGB) estimation has been extensively explored in the past three decades, but how to effectively combine different sensor data and modeling algorithms is still poorly understood. This research conducted a comparative analysis of different datasets (e.g., Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM), ALOS PALSAR L-band data, and their combinations) and modeling algorithms (e.g., artificial neural network (ANN), support vector regression (SVR), Random Forest (RF), k-nearest neighbor (kNN), and linear regression (LR)) for AGB estimation in a subtropical region under non-stratification and stratification of forest types. The results show the following: (1) Landsat TM imagery provides more accurate AGB estimates (root mean squared error (RMSE) values in 27.7–29.3 Mg/ha) than ALOS PALSAR (RMSE values in 30.3–33.7 Mg/ha). The combination of TM and PALSAR data has similar performance for ANN and SVR, worse performance for RF and KNN, and slightly improved performance for LR. (2) Overestimation for small AGB values and underestimation for large AGB values are major problems when using the optical (e.g., Landsat) or radar (e.g., ALOS PALSAR) data. (3) LR is still an important tool for AGB modeling, especially for the AGB range of 40–120 Mg/ha. Machine learning algorithms have limited effects on improving AGB estimation overall, but ANN can improve AGB modeling when AGB values are greater than 120 Mg/ha. (4) Forest type and AGB range are important factors that influence AGB modeling performance. (5) Stratification based on forest types improved AGB estimation, especially when AGB was greater than 160 Mg/ha, using the LR approach. This research provides new insight for remote sensing-based AGB modeling for the subtropical forest ecosystem through a comprehensive analysis of different source data, modeling algorithms, and forest types. It is critical to develop an optimal AGB modeling procedure, including the collection of a sufficient number of sample plots, extraction of suitable variables and modeling algorithms, and evaluation of the AGB estimates.
A Hybrid Approach for Fog Retrieval Based on a Combination of Satellite and Ground Truth Data
Authors: Egli Sebastian , Thies Boris , Bendix Jörg
Published: April 2018

Fog has a substantial influence on various ecosystems and it impacts economy, traffic systems and human life in many ways. In order to be able to deal with the large number of influence factors, a spatially explicit high-resoluted data set of fog frequency distribution is needed. In this study, a hybrid approach for fog retrieval based on Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) data and ground truth data is presented. The method is based on a random forest (RF) machine learning model that is trained with cloud base altitude (CBA) observations from Meteorological Aviation Routine Weather Reports (METAR) as well as synoptic weather observations (SYNOP). Fog is assumed where the model predicts CBA values below a dynamically derived threshold above the terrain elevation. Cross validation results show good accordance with observation data with a mean absolute error of 298 m in CBA values and an average Heidke Skill Score of 0.58 for fog occurrence. Using this technique, a 10 year fog baseline climatology with a temporal resolution of 15 min was derived for Europe for the period from 2006 to 2015. Spatial and temporal variations in fog frequency are analyzed. Highest average fog occurrences are observed in mountainous regions with maxima in spring and summer. Plains and lowlands show less overall fog occurrence but strong positive anomalies in autumn and winter.
Concerns and Opportunities around Cultural Heritage in East Asian Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)
Authors: Kajihara Hiroyuki , Zhang Su , You Wonhee , Min Qingwen
Published: April 2018

Fifteen years have passed since Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) launched the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) project in 2002. In this time, participation from East Asian countries has been increasing rapidly with interest flowing over into several related subjects and disciplines. Culture is one of the selection criteria that has to be satisfied to become a GIAHS site, and equally culture plays an important role in the development of tourism to a destination. However, few scientists or GIAHS members have discussed directly how to apply cultural features in GIAHS. Therefore, the purposes of this paper are firstly to recognize the importance and contribution of culture in GIAHS. Then, through detailing the current forms of cultural management in the GIAHS located in Japan, Korea, and China, we identify some of the key cultural problems and prospects in those sites. Two social surveys conducted in Japan show that culture is a prime motivation for tourist visitation, as well as being a core GIAHS selection criteria. These surveys further highlight that GIAHS needs to incorporate culture more effectively into their management strategies. Detailed descriptions of the three countries analyzed in this paper outline each has to engage with particular cultural management challenges: Japan has a well-arranged list of cultural assets, but is unclear how to move forward with that information and data. Korea has just begun to generate a strategy on how to manage cultural heritage features in GIAHS with the use of approaches such as Agrostories or Gil tourism, in recognition of the gradual changes that are occurring in local identity. China has the longest history of engagement with GIAHS in the East Asia region. However, the utilization of the model here has recognized further issues of change in cultural identity not least through commercialization. This paper therefore identifies, discusses and arranges eight problems and prospects for collaborative research on aspects of cultural management amongst the GIAHS in East Asia.
Anti-Hail Protection—Assessment of Financial Effects on the Territory of Belgrade
Authors: Vukelić Gordana , Cvetković Olga , Gržetić Ivan , Simić Miloš , Miodragović Zoran , Lazić Lazar , Zarić Miroljub , Pešić Aleksandar , Vulić Predrag
Published: April 2018

The aim of this work is to assess damage to the City of Belgrade caused by the unfavorable weather condition of hail due to the absence of anti-hail defense of the city, and to argumentatively point out the necessity of introducing new technical-technological systems for preventing the effects of adverse weather conditions. The results are based on the direct correlation-analyses of two real unfavorable weather events and the estimated financial damage caused by these events. The overall calculation also takes into account financial investments (new financial model) necessary to establish two essentially different systems for anti-hail protection. The damage caused by the hail on the territory of the City of Belgrade and the financial investment in anti-hail protection to reduce it are empirically established for the first time. It is shown how the damage could be transformed to profit, as the financial investment in anti-hail protection is lower than the damage that hail can cause.
Public Participation in Designing the Recycling Bins to Encourage Recycling
Authors: Keramitsoglou Kiriaki , Tsagarakis Konstantinos
Published: April 2018

Recycling bin design has been shown to be important in guiding and changing waste management practices. The top-down imposition of recycling scheme components, the various colour signage, the different types of recycling bins per material even in the same city, and in light of the limitations cited in the relevant literature, our contribution examines the citizens’ involvement in designing recycling bins. Analyzing the responses of 757 participants randomly selected, we initially defined design variables, i.e., shape, colour, and type of lid and insert slot. The next step was to design six bins per recyclable and non-recyclable material, which were printed in a card in a random order. In total, 12 cards were evaluated by 430 residents of a typical Greek town without previous experience in recycling; personal interviews were conducted and citizens gave a score on a scale from one to six. The results highlight the public preference for specific lids and insert slots, and a rectangular shape for all the materials apart from glass and compostables for engaging in recycling. In addition, the results suggest that a connection might exist between the colour of the recyclable material and the colour of the bin. When there is no particular bin colour preference for a material such as plastic or packages, various hues of orange, yellow, or purple dominate. A reward phrase or environmental message printed on the bins could encourage recycling.
Better Understanding the Characteristics and Influential Factors of Different Travel Patterns in Free-Floating Bike Sharing: Evidence from Nanjing, China
Authors: Du Mingyang , Cheng Lin
Published: April 2018

In recent years, free-floating bike sharing (FFBS) has become a significant travel mode to satisfy urban residents’ travel demands in China. This paper was designed to better understand the characteristics and influential factors of different travel patterns in FFBS. Firstly, travel patterns were divided into three categories: Origin to Destination Pattern (ODP), Travel Cycle Pattern (TCP) and Transfer Pattern (TP). Then, the characteristics of these patterns were analyzed based on a survey of 4939 valid questionnaires in Nanjing, China. A multinomial logit (MNL) model was established to explore the influential factors associated with the three patterns. The results showed the following. (1) Employees and students were more inclined to choose TP and ODP, and the selection probability of employees was larger than that of students. (2) The evening peak was more significant than the morning peak. (3) Residents with short travel distances were more likely to choose TCP and ODP, and when the travel distance reached 4 km, there was a significant transfer to TP. (4) Price had an impact on residents’ travel patterns, with residents showing an inclination toward FFBS when making short distance trips, if they were quickly found. Malfunctioning bicycles were an important factor restricting FFBS development. Several policy recommendations are proposed based on these results, for government and FFBS businesses to improve their management of FFBS systems.
A Novel Skin Lesion Detection Approach Using Neutrosophic Clustering and Adaptive Region Growing in Dermoscopy Images
Authors: Guo Yanhui , Ashour Amira S. , Smarandache Florentin
Published: April 2018

This paper proposes novel skin lesion detection based on neutrosophic clustering and adaptive region growing algorithms applied to dermoscopic images, called NCARG. First, the dermoscopic images are mapped into a neutrosophic set domain using the shearlet transform results for the images. The images are described via three memberships: true, indeterminate, and false memberships. An indeterminate filter is then defined in the neutrosophic set for reducing the indeterminacy of the images. A neutrosophic c-means clustering algorithm is applied to segment the dermoscopic images. With the clustering results, skin lesions are identified precisely using an adaptive region growing method. To evaluate the performance of this algorithm, a public data set (ISIC 2017) is employed to train and test the proposed method. Fifty images are randomly selected for training and 500 images for testing. Several metrics are measured for quantitatively evaluating the performance of NCARG. The results establish that the proposed approach has the ability to detect a lesion with high accuracy, 95.3% average value, compared to the obtained average accuracy, 80.6%, found when employing the neutrosophic similarity score and level set (NSSLS) segmentation approach.
Concepts in Light Microscopy of Viruses
Authors: Witte Robert , Andriasyan Vardan , Georgi Fanny , Yakimovich Artur , Greber Urs F.
Published: April 2018

Viruses threaten humans, livestock, and plants, and are difficult to combat. Imaging of viruses by light microscopy is key to uncover the nature of known and emerging viruses in the quest for finding new ways to treat viral disease and deepening the understanding of virus–host interactions. Here, we provide an overview of recent technology for imaging cells and viruses by light microscopy, in particular fluorescence microscopy in static and live-cell modes. The review lays out guidelines for how novel fluorescent chemical probes and proteins can be used in light microscopy to illuminate cells, and how they can be used to study virus infections. We discuss advantages and opportunities of confocal and multi-photon microscopy, selective plane illumination microscopy, and super-resolution microscopy. We emphasize the prevalent concepts in image processing and data analyses, and provide an outlook into label-free digital holographic microscopy for virus research.
Variability Studies of Two Prunus-Infecting Fabaviruses with the Aid of High-Throughput Sequencing
Authors: Koloniuk Igor , Sarkisova Tatiana , Petrzik Karel , Lenz Ondřej , Přibylová Jaroslava , Fránová Jana , Špak Josef , Lotos Leonidas , Beta Christina , Katsiani Asimina , Candresse Thierry , Maliogka Varvara I.
Published: April 2018

During their lifetime, perennial woody plants are expected to face multiple infection events. Furthermore, multiple genotypes of individual virus species may co-infect the same host. This may eventually lead to a situation where plants harbor complex communities of viral species/strains. Using high-throughput sequencing, we describe co-infection of sweet and sour cherry trees with diverse genomic variants of two closely related viruses, namely prunus virus F (PrVF) and cherry virus F (CVF). Both viruses are most homologous to members of the Fabavirus genus (Secoviridae family). The comparison of CVF and PrVF RNA2 genomic sequences suggests that the two viruses may significantly differ in their expression strategy. Indeed, similar to comoviruses, the smaller genomic segment of PrVF, RNA2, may be translated in two collinear proteins while CVF likely expresses only the shorter of these two proteins. Linked with the observation that identity levels between the coat proteins of these two viruses are significantly below the family species demarcation cut-off, these findings support the idea that CVF and PrVF represent two separate Fabavirus species.
Transient Flow in an Open Channel Bound by Two Step Pumping Stations
Authors: Ibrahim Ibrahim , Qiu Baoyun , Feng Xiaoli
Published: April 2018

Pumping stations play a great role in open channel flow applications. After starting pump units in the pumping stations, unsteady flows in the open channel are immediately generated. In this paper, the behavior of unsteady flow in a prismatic trapezoidal channel between two step pumping stations is studied. A mathematical model is constructed to simulate one-dimensional, unsteady, gradually-varied open channel flow in the channel. The soil leakage and evaporation from the water surface along the channel are also involved. The Lax diffusive scheme is applied to solve the proposed model. The model is applied on a real open channel located in China. The accuracy of the model is calculated by varying the scheme grid steps. We also calculate and discuss the water surface elevation, the flow rate and the lateral outflow per unit length, as well as several influential factors at various stages along the channel. In this work, the wave propagation mechanism is clearly presented and analyzed. The computed results show that the water surface profile in the open channel varies continuously over time until it becomes almost constant. Thus, the pumping station operation duties change over time. The accuracy of the results is validated by comparing the computed results with measured data.
‘Educational’ Deprivation is Associated with PD Peritonitis
Authors: Khalid Usman , Zaidi Aeliya , Cheang Adrian , Horvath Szabolcs , Szabo Laszlo , Ilham Mohamed A. , Stephens Michael R.
Published: April 2018

Background

Socioeconomic deprivation is an important factor in determining poor health and is associated with a higher prevalence of many chronic diseases, including renal failure, and often poorer outcomes for patients with such conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of deprivation on peritonitis episodes following peritoneal dialysis (PD)-catheter insertion.

Methods

The Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) was used to assess the influence of socioeconomic deprivation on outcomes following 233 consecutive first PD-catheter insertions from a single institution in the United Kingdom, performed between 2010 and 2015. The primary outcome measure was the presence of peritonitis episodes.

Results

Peritoneal dialysis catheters were inserted in 243 patients, of which data were available for 233. Fifty-four patients experienced at least 1 episode of peritonitis. Overall, more patients in the most deprived group (vs least deprived) experienced peritonitis, although this was not statistically significant. When analyzing the severity of the peritonitis, within the ‘Education’ domain of the WIMD, significantly more patients from the most deprived group (compared with the least deprived group) experienced ‘2 or more peritonitis’ episodes ( p = 0.04) and were hospitalized for antibiotics ( p = 0.02).

Conclusion

This study has shown that patients who live in more ‘educationally’ deprived areas are more likely to have multiple episodes of peritonitis requiring hospital admission following PD-catheter insertions.
A Large Intraperitoneal Residual Volume Hampers Adequate Volumetric Assessment of Osmotic Conductance to Glucose
Authors: Clause Anne-Lorraine , Keddar Mehdi , Crott Ralph , Darius Tom , Fillee Catherine , Goffin Eric , Morelle Johann
Published: April 2018

Background

In end-stage renal disease patients treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD), the osmotic conductance to glucose (OCG) represents the intrinsic ability of the membrane to transport water in response to a crystalloid osmotic gradient. A progressive loss of OCG in long-term PD patients indicates the development of fibrosis in the peritoneal interstitium, and helps identify patients at risk for encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis. The double mini-peritoneal equilibration test (PET) has been proposed as a simple method to assess OCG using the difference in initial ultrafiltration rates generated by 2 successive dwells using 1.36% and 3.86% glucose-based, 1-h PET. However, the presence of a large peritoneal residual volume (RV) may potentially interfere with the correct evaluation of drained volumes, limiting the reliability of OCG assessed by the double mini-PET.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed data from 53 peritoneal function tests in 35 consecutive PD patients starting PD at our center between March 2013 and March 2017. The test consisted of a uni-PET (double mini-PET combined with a 3.86%, 4-h PET) performed at PD start, then yearly. In addition to peritoneal solute transport rate and net ultrafiltration, the tests provided information about osmotic water transport (OCG, sodium sieving, and free-water transport) as well as the RV estimated from albumin dilution.

Results

Contrary to sodium sieving, net ultrafiltration, and free-water transport, OCG did not correlate with any of the other parameters of osmotic water transport. In multivariate regression analyses, the RV was identified as the only determinant of OCG, while it did not alter the robust association between sodium sieving/free-water transport and their respective determinants. Considering only baseline tests or the whole series of tests, the presence of a large intraperitoneal RV was associated with discrepant values between OCG and sodium sieving, and with an artificial increase in OCG.

Conclusions

A large RV leads to significant overestimation of OCG using the double mini-PET, potentially reducing the ability of OCG to identify patients with progressive fibrosis in the peritoneal interstitium. On the other hand, sieving of the dialysate sodium, a biochemical surrogate for OCG, is independent of the RV and may therefore be more reliable. A call for caution is warranted in patients with a large RV to avoid misinterpretation of OCG values derived from the double mini-PET.
NEW RECURSIVE APPROXIMATIONS FOR VARIABLE-ORDER FRACTIONAL OPERATORS WITH APPLICATIONS
Authors: Zaky Mahmoud A. , Doha Eid H. , Taha Taha M. , Baleanu Dumitru
Published: April 2018

To broaden the range of applicability of variable-order fractional diﬀerential models, reliable numerical approaches are needed to solve the model equation.In this paper, we develop Laguerre spectral collocation methods for solving variable-order fractional initial value problems on the half line. Speciﬁcally, we derive three-term recurrence relations to eﬃciently calculate the variable-order fractional integrals and derivatives of the modiﬁed generalized Laguerre polynomials, which lead to the corresponding fractional diﬀerentiation matrices that will be used to construct the collocation methods. Comparison with other existing methods shows the superior accuracy of the proposed spectral collocation methods.
Optical and Near-infrared Radial Velocity Content of M Dwarfs: Testing Models with Barnard’s Star
Authors: Artigau Étienne , Malo Lison , Doyon René , Figueira Pedro , Delfosse Xavier , Astudillo-Defru Nicola
Published: April 2018

High-precision radial velocity (RV) measurements have been central in the study of exoplanets during the last two decades, from the early discovery of hot Jupiters, to the recent mass measurements of Earth-sized planets uncovered by transit surveys. While optical RV is now a mature field, there is currently a strong effort to push the technique into the near-infrared domain (chiefly Y, J, H, and K bandpasses) to probe planetary systems around late-type stars. The combined lower mass and luminosity of M dwarfs leads to an increased reflex RV signal for planets in the habitable zone compared to Sun-like stars. The estimates on the detectability of planets rely on various instrumental characteristics but also on a prior knowledge of the stellar spectrum. While the overall properties of M dwarf spectra have been extensively tested against observations, the same is not true for their detailed line profiles, which leads to significant uncertainties when converting a given signal-to-noise ratio to a corresponding RV precision as attainable on a given spectrograph. By combining archival CRIRES and HARPS data with ESPaDOnS data of Barnard’s star, we show that state-of-the-art atmosphere models over-predict the Y- and J-band RV content by more than a factor of ∼2, while under-predicting the H- and K-band content by half.
Formal Solutions for Polarized Radiative Transfer. III. Stiffness and Instability
Authors: Janett Gioele , Paganini Alberto
Published: April 2018

Efficient numerical approximation of the polarized radiative transfer equation is challenging because this system of ordinary differential equations exhibits stiff behavior, which potentially results in numerical instability. This negatively impacts the accuracy of formal solvers, and small step-sizes are often necessary to retrieve physical solutions. This work presents stability analyses of formal solvers for the radiative transfer equation of polarized light, identifies instability issues, and suggests practical remedies. In particular, the assumptions and the limitations of the stability analysis of Runge–Kutta methods play a crucial role. On this basis, a suitable and pragmatic formal solver is outlined and tested. An insightful comparison to the scalar radiative transfer equation is also presented.
A Falling Corona Model for the Anomalous Behavior of the Broad Emission Lines in NGC 5548
Authors: Sun Mouyuan , Xue Yongquan , Cai Zhenyi , Guo Hengxiao
Published: April 2018

NGC 5548 has been intensively monitored by the AGN Space Telescope and Optical Reverberation Mapping collaboration. Approximately after half of the light curves, the correlation between the broad emission lines and the lag-corrected ultraviolet (UV) continua becomes weak. This anomalous behavior is accompanied by an increase of soft X-ray emission. We propose a simple model to understand this anomalous behavior, i.e., the corona might fall down, thereby increasing the covering fraction of the inner disk. Therefore, X-ray and extreme-UV emission suffer from spectral variations. The UV continua variations are driven by both X-ray and extreme-UV variations. Consequently, the spectral variability induced by the falling corona would dilute the correlation between the broad emission lines and the UV continua. Our model can explain many additional observational facts, including the dependence of the anomalous behavior on velocity and ionization energy. We also show that the time lag and correlation between the X-ray and the UV variations change as NGC 5548 displays the anomalous behavior. The time lag is dramatically longer than the expectation from disk reprocessing if the anomalous behavior is properly excluded. During the anomalous state, the time lag approaches the light-travel timescale of disk reprocessing albeit with a much weaker correlation. We speculate that the time lag in the normal state is caused by reprocessing of the broad line region gas. As NGC 5548 enters the abnormal state, the contribution of the broad line region gas is smaller; the time lag reflects disk reprocessing. We also discuss alternative scenarios.
Colobopsis explodens sp. n., model species for studies on “exploding ants” (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), with biological notes and first illustrations of males of the Colobopsis cylindrica group
Authors: Laciny Alice , Zettel Herbert , Kopchinskiy Alexey , Pretzer Carina , Pal Anna , Abu Salim Kamariah , Javad Rahimi Mohammad , Hoenigsberger Michaela , Lim Linda , Jaitrong Weeyawat , Druzhinina Irina S.
Published: April 2018

A taxonomic description of all castes ofColobopsisexplodensLaciny & Zettel,sp. n.from Borneo, Thailand, and Malaysia is provided, which serves as a model species for biological studies on “exploding ants” in Southeast Asia. The new species is a member of theColobopsiscylindrica(COCY) group and falls into a species complex that has been repeatedly summarized under the nameColobopsissaundersi(Emery, 1889) (formerlyCamponotussaundersi). The COCY species group is known under its vernacular name “exploding ants” for a unique behaviour: during territorial combat, workers of some species sacrifice themselves by rupturing their gaster and releasing sticky and irritant contents of their hypertrophied mandibular gland reservoirs to kill or repel rivals. This study includes first illustrations and morphometric characterizations of males of the COCY group:ColobopsisexplodensLaciny & Zettel,sp. n.andColobopsisbadia(Smith, 1857). Characters of male genitalia and external morphology are compared with other selected taxa of Camponotini. Preliminary notes on the biology ofC.explodensLaciny & Zettel,sp. n.are provided. To fix the species identity of the closely relatedC.badia, a lectotype from Singapore is designated. The following taxonomic changes within theC.saundersicomplex are proposed:Colobopsissolenobia(Menozzi, 1926),syn. n.andColobopsistrieterica(Menozzi, 1926),syn. n.are synonymized withColobopsiscorallinaRoger, 1863, a common endemic species of the Philippines.ColobopsissaginataStitz, 1925,stat. n., hitherto a subspecies ofC.badia, is raised to species level.
The impact of environmental resource learning applied to geometry in education for power and citizenship
Authors: Barros Morales Roosevelt , Cabanilla Guerra Mara , Barros Carlos , Bores Froment Sunny
Published: April 2018

This article is based on education for power and citizenship and related educational and social problems, where the axis of the issue is the environmental resources applied to learning geometry. These have a great impact on the teaching process, as it is currently considered that education should be interactive with respect to the environment. In recent years, the educational system has been able to perceive that, in scientific areas such as geometry, students have been limited to the role of receivers of conceptual contents from texts and websites, leaving aside the interaction by the learner with the surrounding environment. Studies using surveys conducted based on a Likert scale and administered with questions in simple language that is easily understood by the respondents have shown us that if the utility of environmental resources can be successfully merged with scientific areas, the result is greater knowledge acquisition and interest among students, especially in the area of geometry. This proposal is based on a change in the current educational model, employing a more attractive design, in which young people achieve greater proximity to subject being studied.
Leisure activities for the development of creative intelligence in mathematical problem solving
Authors: Tumbaco Castro Angelica Mercedes , Cabanilla Guerra Galo Ernesto , Pavon Brito Christian Antonio , Acosta Tannia
Published: April 2018

The present work studies the influence of leisure activities on the creative intelligence of the students. An experimental pre- and post-test design was carried out with individuals selected in a sampling process. The design identifies the ease of students to place themselves in possible contexts and solve them mathematically through Polya’s phases. Two target groups were then located, one of which was applied the independent variable. The results were verified using the variable contrast statistical method, which concluded that leisure activities affect creative intelligence in positive terms, since the experimental group of post-test presented greater success in the entelechy of possible scenarios, facilitating the solving of mathematical problems related to different topics.
Biomining Microorganisms' Molecular Aspects and Applications in Biotechnology and Bioremediation
Authors: Srivastava Jyoti , Srivastava Pradeep
Published: April 2018

The effective dissolution of metals is widely known with the help of microorganisms called bioleaching or biomining used for the extraction of metals from their ores. Usually the microorganisms involved in biomining are chemolithoautotrophic and extremophilic in nature, since they are living in highly acidic environments (pH 1-3.0) containing heavy concentrations of metals. The commonly found genera of archea are Sulfolobus, Acidianus, Metallosphaera, and Sulfurisphaera. Throughput microbial genomics and proteomics analysis provides novel insights of metabolism mechanisms of bioleaching microbes. These microbes are having significant impact on the bioremediation of acid mine drainage (AMD) resulted from many industrial operations. Using these microbes, various metals including Ni, Cd, Cu, Fe, As, Pb, Hg, Cr, Mn, Zn, etc. are removed from the environment. Biomining microorganisms are having significant applications in the biotechnological processes including extraction of gold from ores, extraction of nickel from low-grade sulfide ores, extraction of copper from chalcopyrite, etc.
Effective Removal of Heavy Metals From Aqueous Solution by Nano-Composites
Authors: Rathoure Ashok K. , Anuradha J. , Sanjeevi R. , Chauhan Dushyant Singh , Tripathi Sandeep
Published: April 2018

Heavy metal contamination in industrial effluents presents a serious threat to the environment and human health because of their toxicity, non-biodegradability, carcinogenicity, and bioaccumulation in living organisms. Recently, the preparation and application of iron oxides, especially magnetite nanoparticles, for metals removal have been investigated due to their nano size, magnetic separation, and the ease of synthesis, coating, and modification. However, magnetic nanoparticles lose some magnetization due to air oxidation. Magnetite nanoparticles coating with inorganic shell, like silica and carbon, have been reported and were capable of improving chemical stability. The effects of pH, contact time, and initial concentrations on the removal of heavy metals should be studied using nano-composites in water. In this chapter, the authors present a technical review on different nano-composites used for bioremediation and their limitations.
Transportation and Urban Development
Authors: Kara Mehmet Akif
Published: April 2018

It is noteworthy that there is a substantial literature review that examines the impact of transportation infrastructure on urban and regional economic performance. It is observed that such infrastructure investments are focused on the economic growth as well as the spillover effect in applied studies carried out in this respect. In this study, in which the effects of highway transportation infrastructure on urban output and the spillover effect of these investments are determined using the spatial econometric method, 81 cities in Turkey have been taken into consideration, and according to the results of the study, transportation infrastructure investments in Turkey have been found to contribute positively to urban output. Also, while the Moran's I test statistic reveals the spatial dependence of such investments, the Lagrange multiplier test results also determine the need to use the spatial error model. The spatial error model results reveal the existence of the positive spillover effect of transportation infrastructure investments.
Effectiveness of KCCA in the Traffic Management and Solid Waste Management Sectors in Kampala
Authors: Odwokacen Phillips , Katusiimeh Mesharch W.
Published: April 2018

The authors of this chapter provide an in-depth comparative analysis and discussion of the effectiveness of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) in regulating and enforcing laws related to traffic management and solid waste management (SWM) in Kampala. The findings reveal that SWM is better regulated as compared to traffic management despite operating under similar conditions. Unlike the SWM sector, the presence of strong associations, diversity of uncoordinated rival players, massive youth population, and heavy political investments in the informal public transport sector has made it difficult for KCCA to regulate traffic in the city. The informal SWM sector in Kampala has received limited political interest. Thus, one would expect that the city traffic sector should be well regulated compared to the SWM sector. However, this is not the case; KCCA has registered significant more success in the regulation of the informal SWM than the latter. On the contrary, KCCA and the city police continue to have running battles with the operators of informal public transport.