bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biomechanisch sichere Geschwindigkeitsregelung für die Mensch-Roboter Interaktion
Authors: Haddadin Sami , Haddadin Simon , Khoury Augusto , Rokahr Tim , Parusel Sven , Burgkart Rainer , Bicchi Antonio , Albu-Schäffer Alin
Published: March 2014

In diesem Artikel befassen wir uns mit dem Problem eine für den Menschen sichere Robotergeschwindigkeit zu erzeugen. Hierfür untersuchen wir die Relation zwischen Kollisionsmasse, -geschwindigkeit und -geometrie, sowie der damit verbundenen Verletzung im medizinischen Sinne. Diese Einsichten werden derart repräsentiert, dass ein biomechanisch sicherer Geschwindigkeitsregler abgeleitet werden kann. Hierfür wertet der Algorithmus die reflektierte Trägheit, Geschwindigkeit und Oberflächengeometrie an möglichen Kollisionspunkten entlang der Roboterstruktur in Echtzeit aus.
Self-sensing-Aktoren am Beispiel eines piezoelektrischen Einspritzventils mit sensorischen Fähigkeiten
Authors: Zöls Wolfgang , Bachmaier Georg , Gerlich Matthias , Antritter Felix , Hillermeier Claus
Published: March 2014

Piezoelektrische Einspritzventile werden im Automobilbereich
bisher als reine Aktoren verwendet, obwohl die darin enthaltenen
Piezoaktoren als sogenannte Self-sensing-Aktoren in der Lage sind,
auch sensorische Aufgaben zu übernehmen. Dadurch könnten
verbrennungsspezifische Größen bestimmt werden, ohne die Kosten-
und Bauraumanforderungen wesentlich zu erhöhen. Im folgenden
Artikel wird ein piezoelektrisches Einspritzventil mit
sensorischen Fähigkeiten vorgestellt. Es wird gezeigt, dass dieses
Bauteil die Überwachung des Zylinderdrucks erlaubt.
Single and Multi-Channel Reactor for Oxidative Coupling of Methane
Authors: Raouf Fereshteh , Taghizadeh Majid , Yousefi Mohammad
Published: March 2014

Management of the produced heat has been one of the challenges encountered in the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) process. In this study, the influence of the thermal conductive tubular reactor on the total productivity and selectivity of OCM was investigated. The reactors were made from three different metal compounds: two stainless steel tubes and one gold-coated copper tube, and their impact on the operating conditions was compared. 5% Li/MgO was prepared as a catalyst for OCM and characterized by XRD, CO2-TPD, FTIR, and BET. In addition, the effect of reactor geometry on the oxidative coupling process was investigated experimentally in the single channel and multi-channel reactors with different hydraulic diameters.
Urinary neopterin concentrations during radiotherapy for gynecological cancer
Authors: Trivedi Sachin Vipin , Melichar Bohuslav , Majirský Martin , Veselý Pavel , Kalábová Hana , Študentová Hana , Krčmová Lenka Kujovská , Solichová Dagmar , Doležel Martin
Published: March 2014

Neopterin is a biomarker of host response to neoplasia. In the present study, urinary neopterin was determined during the course of (chemo)radiation in ten patients with gynecological tumors (nine patients with cervical carcinoma and one patient with carcinoma of the vulva). Baseline urinary neopterin concentrations were, generally, above the normal range. Neopterin concentrations were relatively stable during the first 5 weeks of combined (chemo)radiation. Marked peaks of neopterin concentrations reflected the emergence of complications. Neopterin could represent a useful biomarker for the assessment of the condition of the patients during this aggressive therapy.
Complete duality for quasiconvex dynamic risk measures on modules of the L

p
-type
Authors: Frittelli Marco , Maggis Marco
Published: March 2014

In the conditional setting we provide a complete duality between
quasiconvex risk measures defined on L
0 modules of the L

p
type and
the appropriate class of dual functions. This is based on a general result
which extends the usual Penot-Volle representation for quasiconvex real
valued maps.
Spatial risk measures and their local specification: The locally law-invariant case
Authors: Föllmer Hans
Published: March 2014

We consider convex risk measures in a spatial setting, where the
outcome of a financial position depends on the states at different nodes of
a network. In analogy to the theory of Gibbs measures in Statistical
Mechanics, we discuss the local specification of a global risk measure in
terms of conditional local risk measures for the single nodes of the
network, given their environment. Under a condition of local law
invariance, we show that a consistent local specification must be of
entropic form. Even in that case, a global risk measure may not be uniquely
determined by the local specification, and this can be seen as a source of
“systemic risk”, in analogy to the appearance of phase transitions in the
theory of Gibbs measures
Effect of nanosilica on the axial tensile strength of SFRC at high temperature
Authors: Yan Lan , Xing YongMing , Li JiJun , Zhang Jing
Published: March 2014

An independently designed heat-resistant clamping device was used in an axial tension experiment at high temperature to test three materials: normal concrete (NC), steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) and SFRC with nanosilica (NSFC). The materials were heated to different temperatures in a high-temperature electric resistance furnace. The results showed that, up to 400°C, the axial tensile strength of NSFC, SFRC and NC improved as the temperature increased, reaching a maximum value at 400°C. Thereafter, a rapid drop in axial tensile strength was observed as temperature was increased further. Within the test temperature range, the tensile stress–strain curve of NSFC demonstrated a similar tendency as that for the SFRC, but NSFC generally withstood higher loads than SFRC. At room temperature, the axial tensile strength of NSFC was the highest at 2·66 MPa, which was 4·29 times that of NC and 52·9% higher than that of SFRC. The peak stress of NFSC was approximately 1·8 times that of SFRC. At 400°C, the axial tensile strength of NSFC was 3·09 MPa, 9·2% higher than that of SFRC and 119·7% higher than that of NC. At the test temperature, the fracture energy of NSFC was the highest, followed by SFRC, with NC showing the minimum fracture energy.
The Maudsley Model of Anorexia Nervosa Treatment for Adults (MANTRA): Development, Key Features, and Preliminary Evidence
Authors: Schmidt Ulrike , Wade Tracey D. , Treasure Janet
Published: March 2014

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe mental disorder that affects mainly young females. In adults with a well-established form of the illness, it is hard to treat. In 2006, we proposed a maintenance model of AN, combining intra- and interpersonal factors and we have recently refined this model. The model encompasses four main maintaining factors (a thinking style characterized by rigidity, detail focus, and a fear of making mistakes; an avoidant emotion processing and relational style; positive beliefs about the use of anorexia for the person [pro-anorexia beliefs]; and a response of close others to the illness characterized by high expressed emotion and enabling of and accommodation to the illness). In this article, we describe how the model has been translated into a novel treatment for AN and the preliminary evidence supporting this. Implications for clinical practice and research are discussed.
Self-Focused Attention and Post-Event Processing: Relevance to Social Performance Anxiety and Social Interaction Anxiety
Authors: Holzman Jacob B. , Valentiner David P. , McCraw Kathleen S.
Published: March 2014

This study examined the roles of self-focused attention and post-event processing in social performance anxiety and social interaction anxiety. College students (N = 101) completed measures of social performance anxiety, social interaction anxiety, self-focused attention, post-event processing, and beliefs related to social anxiety. Interoceptive self-focused attention and post-event processing predicted social performance anxiety after controlling for social interaction anxiety. The associations with social interaction anxiety were not significant after controlling for social performance anxiety. Associations of behavioral self-focused attention with social performance anxiety and social interaction anxiety were not significant after controlling for interoceptive self-focused attention. No evidence of an interaction between self-focused attention and post-event processing in the prediction of social anxiety was found. This study found no evidence that the associations of interoceptive self-focused attention and post-event processing with social performance anxiety were statistically mediated by high standards, conditional beliefs about self, and unconditional beliefs about self. These results and their theoretical implications are discussed.
Seasonal Variation and Homes: Understanding the Social Experiences of Older Adults
Authors: Perry Tam E.
Published: March 2014

There has been limited research on the importance of seasons in the lives of older adults. Previous research has highlighted seasonal fluctuations in physical functioning—including limb strength, range of motion, and cardiac death—the spread of influenza in seasonal migration patterns. In addition, older adults experience isolation for various reasons, such as decline of physical and cognitive ability, lack of transportation, and lack of opportunities for social interaction. There has been much attention paid to the social isolation of older adults, yet little analysis about how the isolation changes throughout the year. Based on findings from an ethnographic study of older adults (n = 81), their family members (n = 49), and supportive professionals (n = 46) as they embark on relocation from their homes, this study analyzes the processes of moving for older adults. It examines the seasonal fluctuations of social isolation because of the effect of the environment on the social experiences of older adults. Isolation occurs because of the difficulty inclement weather causes on social interactions and mobility. The article concludes with discussion of the ways that research and practice can be designed and implemented to account for seasonal variation.
Effects of subliminal affective priming on occupational gender stereotypes
Authors: Yu Lin , Yang Xun , Lu Zhongjuan , Yan Zhimin
Published: March 2014

We investigated the effects of subliminal affective priming on implicit and explicit occupational gender stereotypes and their correspondence. First, we manipulated 3 types of affective priming (positive, neutral, and negative) and utilized the Implicit Association Test to find that
positively affective priming decreased, and negatively affective priming increased, implicit occupational gender stereotyping at the subliminal level. We then measured participants' explicit occupational gender stereotypes and found that, at the subliminal level, positive affective priming
deterred, and negative affective priming enhanced, explicit occupational gender stereotypes. Also, in the condition of subliminal affective priming, implicit and explicit occupational gender stereotypes were not significantly related and affect did not moderate the correspondence between them.
In sum, our results showed that affect moderated both implicit and explicit occupational gender stereotypes in the condition of subliminal affective priming, but did not moderate the correspondence between them.
Preservice teachers' satisfaction with e-learning
Authors: Teo Timothy
Published: March 2014

In this study I explored the key drivers of preservice teachers' e-learning satisfaction. Participants (N = 387) completed a survey questionnaire to measure 6 constructs (tutor quality, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, course delivery, facilitating conditions, and
course satisfaction). Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. The results showed that, apart from facilitating conditions, all constructs were significant predictors of e-learning satisfaction. However, the facilitating conditions construct was found to be a significant
mediator of perceived ease of use and satisfaction. Implications for e-learning are discussed.
A reexamination of the robustness of the framing effect in cognitive processing
Authors: Huangfu Gang , Zhu Liqi
Published: March 2014

We conducted 2 experiments on the framing effect; recording reaction times in the first using a questionnaire and in the second using a computer-programmed procedure. We found that a positive framing effect caused participants to make faster decisions and show an intuitive, heuristic,
decision-making pattern; whereas a negative framing effect caused participants to make slower decisions and show a rational, analytical, decision-making pattern. These results suggest that when decision-making time is not strictly controlled, other potential factors such as individual and
cultural differences may influence the robustness of the framing effect.
Influenza vaccine effectiveness in Spain 2013/14: subtype-specific early estimates using the cycEVA study
Authors: Jiménez-Jorge S , Pozo F , de Mateo S , Delgado-Sanz C , Casas I , García-Cenoz M , Castilla J , Sancho R , Etxebarriarteun-Aranzabal L , Quiñones C , Martínez E , Vega T , Garcia A , Giménez J , Vanrell J M , Castrillejo D , Larrauri A ,   on behalf of Spanish Influenza Sentinel Surveillance System (SISS)
Published: March 2014

Adjusted early estimates of the 2013/14 influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) in Spain for all age groups was 35% (95% CI: ?9 to 62), 33% (95% CI: ?33 to 67) and 28% (95% CI: ?33 to 61) against any influenza virus type, A(H1N1)pdm09 and A(H3N2) viruses, respectively. For the population targeted for vaccination, the adjusted VE was 44% (95% CI: ?11 to 72), 36% (95% CI: ?64 to 75) and 42% (95% CI: ?29 to 74), respectively. These preliminary results in Spain suggest a suboptimal protective effect of the vaccine against circulating influenza viruses.
Validation of the CRASH model in the prediction of 18-month mortality and unfavorable outcome in severe traumatic brain injury requiring decompressive craniectomy
Authors: Honeybul Stephen , Ho Kwok M. , Lind Christopher R. P. , Gillett Grant R.
Published: March 2014

Object

The goal in this study was to assess the validity of the corticosteroid randomization after significant head injury (CRASH) collaborators prediction model in predicting mortality and unfavorable outcome at 18 months in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) requiring decompressive craniectomy. In addition, the authors aimed to assess whether this model was well calibrated in predicting outcome across a wide spectrum of severity of TBI requiring decompressive craniectomy.

Methods

This prospective observational cohort study included all patients who underwent a decompressive craniectomy following severe TBI at the two major trauma hospitals in Western Australia between 2004 and 2012 and for whom 18-month follow-up data were available. Clinical and radiological data on initial presentation were entered into the Web-based model and the predicted outcome was compared with the observed outcome. In validating the CRASH model, the authors used area under the receiver operating characteristic curve to assess the ability of the CRASH model to differentiate between favorable and unfavorable outcomes.

Results

The ability of the CRASH 6-month unfavorable prediction model to differentiate between unfavorable and favorable outcomes at 18 months after decompressive craniectomy was good (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve 0.85, 95% CI 0.80–0.90). However, the model's calibration was not perfect. The slope and the intercept of the calibration curve were 1.66 (SE 0.21) and −1.11 (SE 0.14), respectively, suggesting that the predicted risks of unfavorable outcomes were not sufficiently extreme or different across different risk strata and were systematically too high (or overly pessimistic), respectively.

Conclusions

The CRASH collaborators prediction model can be used as a surrogate index of injury severity to stratify patients according to injury severity. However, clinical decisions should not be based solely on the predicted risks derived from the model, because the number of patients in each predicted risk stratum was still relatively small and hence the results were relatively imprecise. Notwithstanding these limitations, the model may add to a clinician's ability to have better-informed conversations with colleagues and patients' relatives about prognosis.
Induction of intervertebral disc cell apoptosis and degeneration by chronic unpredictable stress
Authors: Kermani Hamed Reihani , Hoboubati Hamid , Esmaeili-Mahani Saeed , Asadi-Shekaari Majid
Published: March 2014

Object

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of chronic unpredictable stress on the intervertebral discs of rats.

Methods

The cellular events involved in injury- and stress-induced disc degeneration were investigated in male Wistar rats. Disc degeneration and apoptosis were evaluated using microscopic (light and electron) and molecular (immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry) methods. Corticosterone levels were used as markers of stress and measured by radioimmunoassay.

Results

The data gathered in this study showed that chronic unpredictable stress can significantly increase corticosterone levels. Furthermore, biochemical markers of apoptosis (that is, increases in the Bax/Bcl2 ratio and TUNEL reactivity [p < 0.05]) were observed in the stressed animals. Electron and light microscopy also showed disc degeneration and apoptotic cells in the experimental groups.

Conclusions

Taken together, these data demonstrated that chronic stress is most likely to be a risk factor for creating intervertebral disc degeneration and that programmed cell death may be one of the mechanisms of stress-induced disc degeneration.
Habitat Classification of Temperate Marine Macroalgal Communities Using Bathymetric LiDAR
Authors: Zavalas Richard , Ierodiaconou Daniel , Ryan David , Rattray Alex , Monk Jacquomo
Published: March 2014

Here, we evaluated the potential of using bathymetric Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) to characterise shallow water (<30 m) benthic habitats of high energy subtidal coastal environments. Habitat classification, quantifying benthic substrata and macroalgal communities, was achieved in this study with the application of LiDAR and underwater video groundtruth data using automated classification techniques. Bathymetry and reflectance datasets were used to produce secondary terrain derivative surfaces (e.g., rugosity, aspect) that were assumed to influence benthic patterns observed. An automated decision tree classification approach using the Quick Unbiased Efficient Statistical Tree (QUEST) was applied to produce substrata, biological and canopy structure habitat maps of the study area. Error assessment indicated that habitat maps produced were primarily accurate (>70%), with varying results for the classification of individual habitat classes; for instance, producer accuracy for mixed brown algae and sediment substrata, was 74% and 93%, respectively. LiDAR was also successful for differentiating canopy structure of macroalgae communities (i.e., canopy structure classification), such as canopy forming kelp versus erect fine branching algae. In conclusion, habitat characterisation using bathymetric LiDAR provides a unique potential to collect baseline information about biological assemblages and, hence, potential reef connectivity over large areas beyond the range of direct observation. This research contributes a new perspective for assessing the structure of subtidal coastal ecosystems, providing a novel tool for the research and management of such highly dynamic marine environments.
Iatrogenic Rectal Diverticulum With Pelvic-Floor Dysfunction in Patients After a Procedure for a Prolapsed Hemorrhoid
Authors: Na Sun Kyung , Jung Hye-Kyung , Shim Ki-Nam , Jung Sung-Ae , Chung Soon Sup
Published: March 2014

Diverticula are frequently seen in the sigmoid, descending, ascending and transverse colons whereas rectal diverticula are extremely rare. The stapled rectal mucosectomy for the treatment of a prolapsed hemorrhoid is less painful and has lower morbidity; therefore, it has been commonly used despite possible complications. This paper reports a case of a rectal diverticulum that developed after a procedure for prolapsed hemorrhoids (PPH). A 42-year-old man with a history of hemorrhoidectomies came to the hospital because of constipation. On sigmoidoscopy, a 2-cm-sized, feces-filled pocket was located just above the anorectal junction. After removal of the fecal material, a huge rectal diverticulum (-4 cm in diameter) was seen. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed the diagnosis of rectal diverticulum outpouching through the muscular layer of the intestine in a left posterolateral direction. The patient was discharged without complication after a transanal diverticulectomy had been performed, and the direct rectal wall had been repaired.
Aux sources de l'écologisme anarchiste : Louis Rimbault et les communautés végétaliennes en France dans la première moitié du XX e siècle
Authors: Baubérot Arnaud
Published: March 2014

Malgré son apparente évidence, l’engagement de l’anarchisme français en faveur de l’écologie politique est un phénomène très récent. On sait toutefois que, dès le début du XX e  siècle, une partie des militants libertaires se sont montrés sensibles aux thèses élaborées par les médecins naturistes et qu’ils ont présenté le retour à la nature comme une étape nécessaire à la régénération des individus et de la société. On peut alors se demander si les positions de ces anarchistes naturistes ne constituent pas l’une des sources de l’écologisme libertaire contemporain, et si leurs réalisations ont permis ou non de jeter les bases d’un projet d’organisation sociale fondé sur le respect du milieu naturel et le refus de sa domination. L’article tente d’éclairer cette question en étudiant le cas particulier de Louis Rimbault et de ses diverses expériences de vie dans des communautés libertaires, jusqu’à son décès en 1949. La Cité végétalienne Terre libérée, qu’il fonda près de Tours en 1923, et les positions qu’il a défendues dans ses écrits permettent de voir en lui, sinon un précurseur, du moins un homme à l’avant-garde de l’écologisme anarchiste.
Des caractéristiques de l'expertise au management des compétences individuelles et collectives
Authors: Coulet Jean-Claude
Published: March 2014

A partir d’une analyse critique des recherches classiques en psychologie portant sur l’expertise, on a ici pour objectif d’aborder cette notion sous l’angle de la compétence. Nous en proposons un modèle (MADDEC) et, à travers des exemples tirés de travaux récents, nous tentons d’en monter l’intérêt pour rendre compte des processus en jeu dans la mobilisation et la construction des compétences individuelles et collectives. Enfin, grâce à un autre modèle (MADIC), dérivé du premier, nous posons les questions du management et de l’articulation de ces deux types de compétences.
Les facteurs structurels favorisant l'appropriation d'un ERP : le cas de SAP dans une industrie pétrochimique
Authors: Ait-Taleb Nabil
Published: March 2014

L’objet de cet article est de proposer un design de recherche relatif à la question de l’identification des facteurs qui font obstacle à l’appropriation d’un ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). Notre travail s’appuie sur le courant structurationniste (Orlikowski) qui fait référence aux travaux de Giddens, lequel vise à comprendre la relation d’interaction entre l’acteur et la technologie dans un cadre organisationnel. A partir d’une méthodologie mixte, il s’agit d’investir les difficultés que rencontrent les usagers dans leur processus d’appropriation de l’outil ERP implanté depuis plusieurs années, dans une industrie pétrochimique. Nous proposons de poser comme obstacle à ce processus d’appropriation l’interdépendance entre des facteurs structurels tels que : les connaissances antérieures, les représentations, la communication, la formation, le document utilisateur, l’assistance utilisateur, le contexte organisationnel. Dans le but de remédier aux insuffisances liées à l’utilisation d’un ERP, nous considérons qu’il est nécessaire que les managers en Systèmes d’Information (SI) prennent en compte l’interdépendance entre les facteurs d’influence afin de réussir les actions correctives et d’améliorer l’appropriation de l’ERP par les utilisateurs.
Les capitalistes et les législateurs
Authors: Diatkine Daniel
Published: March 2014

La Richesse des nations montre une continuité entre le système mercantile qu’attaque Smith et le système de la liberté naturelle qu’il défend. Cette continuité est fondée sur la distance qui sépare les législateurs des marchands et manufacturiers. Lorsque cette distance est trop courte, les premiers sont partiaux, car ils tendent à confondre l’intérêt des marchands et l’intérêt général. Si elle est trop grande, l’anarchie qui en résulte peut conduire à la guerre civile. Entre ces deux situations existe donc une distance optimale qui caractérise le système de la liberté naturelle et autorise un gouvernement impartial. Cet article montre qu’il apparaît ainsi possible de penser la (très difficile) transition du système mercantile vers le système de liberté naturelle.
Libéralisme, socialisme et État providence
Authors: Servant Régis
Published: March 2014

Selon certains commentateurs, puisque Hayek souligne les vertus de l’évolution culturelle, il devrait déclarer efficaces toutes ses manifestations, même quand elles ne sont pas libérales. Nous montrons que ce jugement est erroné et que, en s’opposant à la planification socialiste et à l’État providence, Hayek ne fait pas preuve d’incohérence. D’une part, sa théorie de l’évolution culturelle décrit les origines historiques présumées de notre civilisation actuelle et en conclut qu’une fois qu’elles ont adopté l’économie de libre marché, les sociétés humaines doivent préserver cette éthique libérale. Il en est ainsi parce que le retour à un mode d’organisation centralisé provoquerait, selon Hayek, l’appauvrissement, ou la disparition, d’une grande partie de la population. D’autre part, nous montrons que l’évolution culturelle, dans l’œuvre de Hayek, désigne également un idéal normatif : l’évolution doit être elle-même libérale. Hayek s’oppose logiquement à la planification socialiste et à l’État providence qui, selon lui, entravent le développement des civilisations.
Critical Analysis on Open Source LMSs using FCA
Authors: Sumangali K. , Kumar Ch. Aswani
Published: March 2014

The objective of this paper is to apply Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) to identify the best open source Learning Management System (LMS) for an E-learning environment. FCA is a mathematical framework that represents knowledge derived from a formal context. In constructing the formal context, LMSs are treated as objects and their features as attributes. This context is analysed and classified into concepts based on the rules of FCA. The knowledge derived from the concepts and our analyses reveal that Moodle is exceptional, with more features when compared with other LMSs.
Flexible MapReduce Workflows for Cloud Data Analytics
Authors: Goncalves Carlos , Assuncao Luis , Cunha Jose C.
Published: March 2014

Data analytics applications handle large data sets subject to multiple processing phases, some of which can execute in parallel on clusters, grids or clouds. Such applications can benefit from using MapReduce model, only requiring the end-user to define the application algorithms for input data processing and the map and reduce functions, but this poses a need to install/configure specific frameworks such as Apache Hadoop or Elastic MapReduce in Amazon Cloud. In order to provide more flexibility in defining and adjusting the application configurations, as well as in the specification of the composition of the application phases and their orchestration, the authors describe an approach for supporting MapReduce stages as sub-workflows in the AWARD framework (Autonomic Workflow Activities Reconfigurable and Dynamic). The authors discuss how a text mining application is represented as a complex workflow with multiple phases, where individual workflow nodes support MapReduce computations. Access to intermediate data produced during the MapReduce computations is supported by a data sharing abstraction. The authors describe two implementations of this abstraction, one based on a shared tuple space and another based on an in-memory distributed key/value store. The authors describe the implementation of the framework, a set of developed tools, and our experimentation with the execution of the text mining algorithm over multiple Amazon EC2 (Elastic Compute Cloud) instances, and report on the speed-up and size-up results obtained up to 20 EC2 instances and for different corpus sizes, up to 97 million words.
Treatment of Stable Patients with Penetrating Chest Trauma Caused by Stab Wounds: Three vs six Hours Follow-up
Authors: Facundo Gimar Helena , Martinez Stella Isabel , Carvajal Carlos
Published: March 2014

Background

Treatment of stable patients with penetrating chest trauma caused by stab wounds is based on clinical observation and radiological follow-up. Classically, X-rays have been used at patient admittance and 6 hours after to detect hemothorax and pneumothorax not detected initially. Nevertheless, previous studies have explored the possibility of reducing follow-up time to 3 hours. This study compares 3 hours and 6 hours radiological follow-up to test the hypothesis that 3 hours follow-up is as safe interval than 6 hours for definitive management of stable patients with stab wounds in the chest.

Materials and methods

This is a prospective study conducted for 7 months from August 2010 through March 2011. Of the 162 eligible patients, 146 completed the protocol. Upon hospital admission all patients were clinically examined and evaluated with chest X-rays. Three hours and 6 hours follow-up X-rays after the trauma, in the Emergency Department, were taken of all patients radiologically assessed at admittance. We excluded patients with associated injuries requiring surgical intervention and we compared the findings of the two follow-up intervals.

Results

There were 225 stab wounds in the 146 patients evaluated. Average age was 29 years. One hundred and thirty-one patients had normal X-rays at admittance that did not change after 3 hours or 6 hours follow-ups. Fifteen patients presented hemothorax or pneumothorax in follow-up X-rays, 14 of them presented evident change in 3 hours X-ray follow-up. The only patient, whose lesion was evident in the 6 hours follow-up X-ray, but not the 3 hours follow-up X-ray, had a small asymptomatic pneumothorax, which did not require thoracic drainage.

Conclusion

No patients of 146 evaluated in our study developed traumatic pleuropulmonary injuries after 3 hours of follow-up that required pleural drainage or other intervention. Our results suggest that shortening the follow-up time from 6 to 3 hours for stable patients with chest stab wounds is safe, cost-effective and can help decongest emergency services.

Level of evidence

Therapeutic/care management study, level II.

How to cite this article

Facundo GH, Martinez SI, Carvajal C. Treatment of Stable Patients with Penetrating Chest Trauma Caused by Stab Wounds: Three vs six Hours Follow-up. J Trauma Critical Care Emerg Surg 2013;2(3):101-105.
A Survey about Surgical Preferences in Operative Technique in Decompressive Craniectomy in Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Rubiano Andres M , Alvis-Miranda Hernando Raphael , Alcalá-Cerra Gabriel , Moscote-Salazar Luis Rafael
Published: March 2014

Traumatic brain injury is a public health problem. The control of intracranial hypertension is a key strategy for managing this type of patients. Decompressive craniectomy is a measure of second level for the control of intracranial hypertension refractory to medical management. In order to assess trends in relationship to the management of decompressive craniectomy, a survey was designed and sent to neurosurgeons from various countries. We discuss the results for a better standardization of surgical techinique. Decompressive craniectomy is a saving technique and usefulness depend on a correct realization of the neurosurgical procedure.

How to cite this article

Alvis-Miranda HR, Alcala-Cerra G, Rubiano AM, Moscote-Salazar LR. A Survey about Surgical Preferences in Operative Technique in Decompressive Craniectomy in Traumatic Brain Injury. J Trauma Critical Care Emerg Surg 2013;2(3):106-111.
Increasing biomass carbon stocks in trees outside forests in China over the last three decades
Authors: Guo Z. D. , Hu H. F. , Pan Y. D. , Birdsey R. A. , Fang J. Y.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. Trees outside forests (TOF) play important roles in national economies, ecosystem services, and international efforts for mitigating climate warming. Detailed assessment of the dynamics of carbon (C) stocks in China's TOF is necessary for a full picture evaluating the role of the country's trees in the national C cycle. In this study, we first explore the changes in biomass C stocks of China's TOF over the last three decades, using the national forest inventory data in six periods from 1977 to 2008. According to the definition of the forest inventory, China's TOF could be categorized into three groups: woodlands, shrubberies, and trees on non-forest lands (including four-side greening trees and scattered trees). We estimated biomass C stocks of woodlands and trees on non-forest lands by using the provincial biomass-volume conversion equations derived from the data of low canopy forests, and those of shrubberies with the mean biomass density method. Total TOF biomass C stock increased by 63.1% from 827 Tg C (1 Tg = 1012 g) in the initial period of 1977–1981 to 1349 Tg C in the last period of 2004–2008. As a result, China's TOF have accumulated biomass C of 522 Tg during the study period, with 12 Tg, 276 Tg, and 234 Tg in woodlands, shrubberies, and trees on non-forest lands, respectively. The annual biomass C sink of China's TOF averaged 19.3 Tg C yr–1, offsetting 2.2% of the contemporary fossil-fuel CO2 emissions in the country. These estimates are equal to 16.7 ~ 20.7% of the contemporary total forest biomass C stock and 27.5% of the total forest biomass C sink in the country, suggesting that TOF are substantial components for accounting China's tree C budget.
Investigating vegetation–climate feedbacks during the early Eocene
Authors: Loptson C. A. , Lunt D. J. , Francis J. E.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. Evidence suggests that the early Eocene was a time of extreme global warmth. However, there are discrepancies between the results of many previous modelling studies and the proxy data at high latitudes, with models struggling to simulate the shallow temperature gradients of this time period to the same extent as the proxies indicate. Vegetation–climate feedbacks play an important role in the present day, but are often neglected in these palaeoclimate modelling studies, and this may be a contributing factor to resolving the model–data discrepancy. Here we investigate these vegetation–climate feedbacks by carrying out simulations of the early Eocene climate at 2 × and 4 × pre-industrial atmospheric CO2 with fixed vegetation (homogeneous shrubs everywhere) and dynamic vegetation. The results show that the simulations with dynamic vegetation are warmer in the global annual mean than the simulations with fixed shrubs by 0.9 °C at 2 × and 1.8 °C at 4 ×. Consequently, the warming when CO2 is doubled from 2 × to 4 × is 1 °C higher (in the global annual mean) with dynamic vegetation than with fixed shrubs. This corresponds to an increase in climate sensitivity of 26%. This difference in warming is enhanced at high latitudes, with temperatures increasing by over 50% in some regions of Antarctica. In the Arctic, ice–albedo feedbacks are responsible for the majority of this warming. On a global scale, energy balance analysis shows that the enhanced warming with dynamic vegetation is mainly associated with an increase in atmospheric water vapour but changes in clouds also contribute to the temperature increase. It is likely that changes in surface albedo due to changes in vegetation cover resulted in an initial warming which triggered these water vapour feedbacks. In conclusion, dynamic vegetation goes some way to resolving the discrepancy, but our modelled temperatures cannot reach the same warmth as the data suggest in the Arctic. This suggests that there are additional mechanisms, not included in this modelling framework, behind the polar warmth or that the proxies have been misinterpreted.
Relative impact of insolation and Warm Pool surface temperature on the East Asia Summer Monsoon during the MIS-13 interglacial
Authors: Yin Q. Z. , Singh U. K. , Berger A. , Guo Z. T. , Crucifix M.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. During Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 13, an interglacial about 500 000 years ago, the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) was suggested exceptionally strong by different proxies in China. However, MIS-13 is a weak interglacial in marine oxygen isotope records and has relatively low CO2 and CH4 concentrations compared to other interglacials of the last 800 000 years. In the mean time, the sea surface temperature (SST) reconstructions show that the Western Pacific Warm Pool was relatively warm during MIS-13. Based on climate modeling experiments, this study aims at investigating whether this Warm Pool warming could explain the exceptionally strong EASM occurring during the relatively cool interglacial MIS-13. The individual contributions of insolation and of the Warm Pool SST as well as their synergism are quantified through experiments with the Hadley Centre atmosphere model, HadAM3 and using the factor separation technique. The SST over the Warm Pool region has been increased based on geological reconstructions. Our results show that the pure impact of a strong summer insolation contributes to strengthen significantly the summer precipitation in northern China but only little in southern China. The pure impact of enhanced Warm Pool SST reduces, slightly, the summer precipitation in both northern and southern China. However, the synergism between insolation and enhanced Warm Pool SST contributes to a large increase of summer precipitation in southern China but to a decrease in northern China. Therefore, the ultimate role of enhanced Warm Pool SST reinforces the impact of insolation in southern China but reduces its impact in northern China. We conclude that enhanced SST over the Warm Pool region does help to explain the strong MIS-13 EASM precipitation in southern China as recorded in proxy data, but other explanation is needed for explaining the exceptionally strong EASM in northern China.
Energy fluxes and surface characteristics over a cultivated area in Benin: daily and seasonal dynamics
Authors: Mamadou O. , Cohard J. M. , Galle S. , Awanou C. N. , Diedhiou A. , Kounouhewa B. , Peugeot C.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. Latent and sensible heat surface fluxes are key factors of the western African monsoon dynamics. However, few long-term observations of these land surface fluxes are available; these are needed to increase understanding of the underlying processes and assess their impacts on the energy and water cycles at the surface–atmosphere interface. This study analyzes turbulent fluxes of one full year, measured with the eddy covariance technique, over a cultivated area in northern Benin (western Africa). The study site is part of the long-term AMMA–CATCH (African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analysis–Coupling of the Tropical Atmosphere and Hydrological Cycle) hydrological observatory. The flux partitioning was investigated through the evaporative fraction (EF) and the Bowen ratio (β) at both seasonal and daily scales. Finally, the surface conductance (Gs) and the decoupling coefficient (Ω) were calculated and compared with specific bare soil or canopy models. Four contrasting seasons were identified and characterized by their typical daily energy cycles. The results pointed out the contrasting seasonal variations of sensible and latent heat fluxes due to changing atmospheric and surface conditions. In the dry season, the sensible heat fluxes were largely dominant (β ~ 10) and a low but significant evapotranspiration was measured (EF = 0.08); this was attributed to a few neighboring bushes, possibly fed by the water table. During the wet season, after the monsoon onset, surface conditions barely affected the evaporative fraction (EF), which remained steady (EF = 0.75); the latent heat flux was dominant and the Bowen ration (β) was about 0.4. During the dry-to-wet and wet-to-dry transition seasons, both EF and β were highly variable, as they depended on the atmospheric forcing or the response to isolated rains. A complete surface–atmosphere decoupling was never observed in 2008 (0 < Ω < 0.6), which suggests a systematic mixing of the air within the canopy with the atmospheric surface layer, irrespective of the atmospheric conditions and the vegetation height. Modeling approaches showed a good agreement of soil resistance with the Sakaguchi bare soil model. Canopy conductance was also well reproduced with the Ball–Berry stomata model. We showed that the skin surface temperature had a large seasonal and daily amplitude, and played a major role in all the surface processes. Consequently, an accurate modeling of the surface temperature is crucial to represent correctly the energy and water budgets for this region.
Bias correction can modify climate model simulated precipitation changes without adverse effect on the ensemble mean
Authors: Maurer E. P. , Pierce D. W.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. When applied to remove climate model biases in precipitation, quantile mapping can in some settings modify the simulated difference in mean precipitation between two eras. This has important implications when the precipitation is used to drive an impacts model that is sensitive to changes in precipitation. The tendency of quantile mapping to alter model-predicted changes is demonstrated using synthetic precipitation distributions and elucidated with a simple theoretical analysis, which shows that the alteration of model-predicted changes can be controlled by the ratio of model to observed variance. To further evaluate the effects of quantile mapping in a more realistic setting, we use daily precipitation output from 11 atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs), forced by observed sea surface temperatures, over the conterminous United States to compare precipitation differences before and after quantile mapping bias correction. The effectiveness of the bias correction is not assessed, only its effect on precipitation differences. The change in seasonal mean (winter, DJF, and summer, JJA) precipitation between two historical periods is compared to examine whether the bias correction tends to amplify or diminish an AGCM's simulated precipitation change. In some cases the trend modification can be as large as the original simulated change, though the areas where this occurs varies among AGCMs so the ensemble median shows smaller trend modification. Results show that quantile mapping improves the correspondence with observed changes in some locations and degrades it in others. While not representative of a future where natural precipitation variability is much smaller than that due to external forcing, these results suggest that at least for the next several decades the influence of quantile mapping on seasonal precipitation trends does not systematically degrade projected differences.
Derivation and evaluation of landslide triggering thresholds by a Monte Carlo approach
Authors: Peres D. J. , Cancelliere A.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. Rainfall thresholds are the basis of early warning systems able to promptly warn about the potential triggering of landslides in an area. Following a common empirical methodology, thresholds may be derived through the analysis of historical rainfall and landslide data, by drawing an envelope curve of triggering rainfall events, represented by their intensity and duration. Nonetheless, reliability of empirical thresholds is generally affected by the historical data quality and availability. Moreover, rainfall intensity and duration alone may not be able to capture most of the uncertainty related to landslide triggering. In this work Monte Carlo simulations are carried out to generate a synthetic rainfall series by a stochastic model and the corresponding landslide response by means of an hydrological and geotechnical model. The series are of virtually unlimited length and present no interruption in data availability, and the triggering instants can be precisely identified, overcoming some of the most important quality and availability drawbacks of using historical data. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis is carried out to derive and evaluate landslide triggering thresholds, considering both triggering and non-triggering rainfall. The effect of variability of both rainfall intensity within events and of initial conditions as determined by antecedent rainfall is analysed as well. The proposed methodology is applied to the landslide-prone area of Peloritani Mountains, Northeastern Sicily, Italy. Results show that power-law ID equations can adequately represent the triggering conditions due to transient infiltration response to temporally-variable rainfall and hence may be of good performance for a hillslope with small specific contributing area. On the other hand, as specific contributing areas become larger, past rainfall has an increasing importance, and an antecedent rainfall variable should be used in addition to ID power-laws to achieve adequate reliability. Results also indicate that for short rainfall durations uniform hyetographs may have a stronger destabilizing effect than the stochastically-variable ones, while the opposite may occur for greater durations. Thus a power-law ID threshold may perform better than a model deterministic one that is derived considering uniform hyetographs and a prefixed initial condition. Further analyses show that predictability of landslides decreases with soil depth and geomechanical strength.
The XWS open access catalogue of extreme European windstorms from 1979–2012
Authors: Roberts J. F. , Champion A. J. , Dawkins L. C. , Hodges K. I. , Shaffrey L. C. , Stephenson D. B. , Stringer M. A. , Thornton H. E. , Youngman B. D.
Published: March 2014

Abstract. The XWS (eXtreme WindStorms) catalogue consists of storm tracks and model-generated maximum three-second wind-gust footprints for 50 of the most extreme winter windstorms to hit Europe over 1979–2012. The catalogue is intended to be a valuable resource for both academia and industries such as (re)insurance, for example allowing users to characterise extreme European storms, and validate climate and catastrophe models. Several storm severity indices were investigated to find which could best represent a list of known high loss (severe) storms. The best performing index was Sft, which is a combination of storm area calculated from the storm footprint and maximum 925 hPa wind speed from the storm track. All the listed severe storms are included in the catalogue, and the remaining ones were selected using Sft. A comparison of the model footprint to station observations revealed that storms were generally well represented, although for some storms the highest gusts were underestimated due to the model not simulating strong enough pressure gradients. A new recalibration method was developed to estimate the true distribution of gusts at each grid point and correct for this underestimation. The recalibration model allows for storm-to-storm variation which is essential given that different storms have different degrees of model bias. The catalogue is available at http:///www.europeanwindstorms.org/.