bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Update of Endocrine Dysfunction following Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Reifschneider Kent , Auble Bethany , Rose Susan
Published: July 2015

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are common occurrences in childhood, often resulting in long term, life altering consequences. Research into endocrine sequelae following injury has gained attention; however, there are few studies in children. This paper reviews the pathophysiology and current literature documenting risk for endocrine dysfunction in children suffering from TBI. Primary injury following TBI often results in disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and antidiuretic hormone production and release, with implications for both acute management and survival. Secondary injuries, occurring hours to weeks after TBI, result in both temporary and permanent alterations in pituitary function. At five years after moderate to severe TBI, nearly 30% of children suffer from hypopituitarism. Growth hormone deficiency and disturbances in puberty are the most common; however, any part of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis can be affected. In addition, endocrine abnormalities can improve or worsen with time, having a significant impact on children’s quality of life both acutely and chronically. Since primary and secondary injuries from TBI commonly result in transient or permanent hypopituitarism, we conclude that survivors should undergo serial screening for possible endocrine disturbances. High indices of suspicion for life threatening endocrine deficiencies should be maintained during acute care. Additionally, survivors of TBI should undergo endocrine surveillance by 6–12 months after injury, and then yearly, to ensure early detection of deficiencies in hormonal production that can substantially influence growth, puberty and quality of life.
A Model-Free Diagnosis Approach for Intake Leakage Detection and Characterization in Diesel Engines
Authors: Hoblos Ghaleb , Benkaci Mourad
Published: July 2015

Feature selection is an essential step for data classification used in fault detection and diagnosis processes. In this work, a new approach is proposed, which combines a feature selection algorithm and a neural network tool for leak detection and characterization tasks in diesel engine air paths. The Chi square classifier is used as the feature selection algorithm and the neural network based on Levenberg-Marquardt is used in system behavior modeling. The obtained neural network is used for leak detection and characterization. The model is learned and validated using data generated by xMOD. This tool is used again for testing. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is illustrated in simulation when the system operates on a low speed/load and the considered leak affecting the air path is very small.
The Sound of Silence: Activating Silent Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in Marine Microorganisms
Authors: Reen F. , Romano Stefano , Dobson Alan , O'Gara Fergal
Published: July 2015

Unlocking the rich harvest of marine microbial ecosystems has the potential to both safeguard the existence of our species for the future, while also presenting significant lifestyle benefits for commercial gain. However, while significant advances have been made in the field of marine biodiscovery, leading to the introduction of new classes of therapeutics for clinical medicine, cosmetics and industrial products, much of what this natural ecosystem has to offer is locked in, and essentially hidden from our screening methods. Releasing this silent potential represents a significant technological challenge, the key to which is a comprehensive understanding of what controls these systems. Heterologous expression systems have been successful in awakening a number of these cryptic marine biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). However, this approach is limited by the typically large size of the encoding sequences. More recently, focus has shifted to the regulatory proteins associated with each BGC, many of which are signal responsive raising the possibility of exogenous activation. Abundant among these are the LysR-type family of transcriptional regulators, which are known to control production of microbial aromatic systems. Although the environmental signals that activate these regulatory systems remain unknown, it offers the exciting possibility of evoking mimic molecules and synthetic expression systems to drive production of potentially novel natural products in microorganisms. Success in this field has the potential to provide a quantum leap forward in medical and industrial bio-product development. To achieve these new endpoints, it is clear that the integrated efforts of bioinformaticians and natural product chemists will be required as we strive to uncover new and potentially unique structures from silent or cryptic marine gene clusters.
Inhibiting Microbial Toxins Using Plant-Derived Compounds and Plant Extracts
Authors: Upadhyay Abhinav , Mooyottu Shankumar , Yin Hsinbai , Nair Meera , Bhattaram Varunkumar , Venkitanarayanan Kumar
Published: July 2015

Many pathogenic bacteria and fungi produce potentially lethal toxins that cause cytotoxicity or impaired cellular function either at the site of colonization or other locations in the body through receptor-mediated interactions. Various factors, including biotic and abiotic environments, competing microbes, and chemical cues affect toxin expression in these pathogens. Recent work suggests that several natural compounds can modulate toxin production in pathogenic microbes. However, studies explaining the mechanistic basis for their effect are scanty. This review discusses the potential of various plant-derived compounds for reducing toxin production in foodborne and other microbes. In addition, studies highlighting their anti-toxigenic mechanism(s) are discussed.
Natural Compounds from Saffron and Bear Bile Prevent Vision Loss and Retinal Degeneration
Authors: Fernández-Sánchez Laura , Lax Pedro , Noailles Agustina , Angulo Antonia , Maneu Victoria , Cuenca Nicolás
Published: July 2015

All retinal disorders, regardless of their aetiology, involve the activation of oxidative stress and apoptosis pathways. The administration of neuroprotective factors is crucial in all phases of the pathology, even when vision has been completely lost. The retina is one of the most susceptible tissues to reactive oxygen species damage. On the other hand, proper development and functioning of the retina requires a precise balance between the processes of proliferation, differentiation and programmed cell death. The life-or-death decision seems to be the result of a complex balance between pro- and anti-apoptotic signals. It has been recently shown the efficacy of natural products to slow retinal degenerative process through different pathways. In this review, we assess the neuroprotective effect of two compounds used in the ancient pharmacopoeia. On one hand, it has been demonstrated that administration of the saffron constituent safranal to P23H rats, an animal model of retinitis pigmentosa, preserves photoreceptor morphology and number, the capillary network and the visual response. On the other hand, it has been shown that systemic administration of tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), the major component of bear bile, to P23H rats preserves cone and rod structure and function, together with their contact with postsynaptic neurons. The neuroprotective effects of safranal and TUDCA make these compounds potentially useful for therapeutic applications in retinal degenerative diseases.
Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Major Triterpenoids in Alismatis Rhizoma by High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Diode-Array Detector/Quadrupole-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry and Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography/Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Zhao Wanli , Huang Xiaoqiang , Li Xiaoyan , Zhang Fangfang , Chen Sainan , Ye Miao , Huang Mingqing , Xu Wen , Wu Shuisheng
Published: July 2015

Alismatis Rhizoma (AMR) is a well-known natural medicine with a long history in Chinese medicine and has been commonly used for treating a wide range of ailments related to dysuria, edema, nephropathy, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes, inflammation as well as tumors in clinical applications. Most beneficial effects of AMR are attributed to the presence of protostane terpenoids, the major active ingredients of Alismatis Rhizoma (AMR). In this study, a systematic high performance liquid chromatography/diode-array detector/quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-Q-TOF MS) and ultra-performance liquid chromatography/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-QqQ MS) method was developed for qualitative and quantitative analyses of the major AMR triterpenoids. First, a total of 25 triterpenoid components, including 24 known compounds and one new compound were identified by comparison with UV spectra, molecular ions and fragmentation behaviors of reference standards or the literature. Second, an efficient method was established for the rapid simultaneous determination of 14 representative triterpenoids by UPLC-QqQ MS. Forty-three batches of AMR were analyzed with linearity (r, 0.9980–0.9999), intra-day precision (RSD, 1.18%–3.79%), inter-day precision (RSD, 1.53%–3.96%), stability (RSD, 1.32%–3.97%), repeatability (RSD, 2.21%–4.25%), and recovery (98.11%–103.8%). These results indicated that new approaches combining HPLC-DAD-Q-TOF MS and UPLC-QqQ MS are applicable in the qualitative and quantitative analysis of AMR.
Reconstruction of Satellite-Retrieved Land-Surface Reflectance Based on Temporally-Continuous Vegetation Indices
Authors: Xiao Zhiqiang , Liang Shunlin , Wang Tongtong , Liu Qiang
Published: July 2015

Land-surface reflectance, estimated from satellite observations through atmospheric corrections, is an essential parameter for further retrieval of various high level land-surface parameters, such as leaf area index (LAI), fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FAPAR), and surface albedo. Although great efforts have been made, land-surface reflectance products still contain considerable noise caused by, e.g., cloud or mixed-cloud pixels, which results in temporal and spatial inconsistencies in subsequent downstream products. In this study, a new method is developed to remove the residual clouds in the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land-surface reflectance product and reconstruct time series of surface reflectance for the red, near infrared (NIR), and shortwave infrared (SWIR) bands. A smoothing method is introduced to calculate upper envelopes of vegetation indices (VIs) from the surface reflectance data and the cloud contaminated reflectance data are identified using the time series VIs and the upper envelopes of the time series VIs. Surface reflectance was then reconstructed according to cloud-free surface reflectance by incorporating the upper envelopes of the time series VIs as constraint conditions. The method was applied to reconstruct time series of surface reflectance from MODIS/TERRA surface reflectance product (MOD09A1). Temporal consistency analysis indicates that the new method can reconstruct temporally-continuous time series of land-surface reflectance. Comparisons with cloud-free MODIS/AQUA surface reflectance product (MYD09A1) over the BELMANIP (Benchmark Land Multisite Analysis and Intercomparison of Products) sites in 2003 demonstrate that the new method provides better performance for the red band (R2 = 0.8606 and RMSE = 0.0366) and NIR band (R2 = 0.6934 and RMSE = 0.0519), than the time series cloud detection (TSCD) algorithm (R2 = 0.5811 and RMSE = 0.0649; and R2 = 0.5005 and RMSE = 0.0675, respectively).
Optimal Atmospheric Correction for Above-Ground Forest Biomass Estimation with the ETM+ Remote Sensor
Authors: Nguyen Hieu , Jung Jaehoon , Lee Jungbin , Choi Sung-Uk , Hong Suk-Young , Heo Joon
Published: July 2015

The reflectance of the Earth’s surface is significantly influenced by atmospheric conditions such as water vapor content and aerosols. Particularly, the absorption and scattering effects become stronger when the target features are non-bright objects, such as in aqueous or vegetated areas. For any remote-sensing approach, atmospheric correction is thus required to minimize those effects and to convert digital number (DN) values to surface reflectance. The main aim of this study was to test the three most popular atmospheric correction models, namely (1) Dark Object Subtraction (DOS); (2) Fast Line-of-sight Atmospheric Analysis of Spectral Hypercubes (FLAASH) and (3) the Second Simulation of Satellite Signal in the Solar Spectrum (6S) and compare them with Top of Atmospheric (TOA) reflectance. By using the k-Nearest Neighbor (kNN) algorithm, a series of experiments were conducted for above-ground forest biomass (AGB) estimations of the Gongju and Sejong region of South Korea, in order to check the effectiveness of atmospheric correction methods for Landsat ETM+. Overall, in the forest biomass estimation, the 6S model showed the bestRMSE’s, followed by FLAASH, DOS and TOA. In addition, a significant improvement of RMSE by 6S was found with images when the study site had higher total water vapor and temperature levels. Moreover, we also tested the sensitivity of the atmospheric correction methods to each of the Landsat ETM+ bands. The results confirmed that 6S dominates the other methods, especially in the infrared wavelengths covering the pivotal bands for forest applications. Finally, we suggest that the 6S model, integrating water vapor and aerosol optical depth derived from MODIS products, is better suited for AGB estimation based on optical remote-sensing data, especially when using satellite images acquired in the summer during full canopy development.
Exploring the Spatial-Temporal Disparities of Urban Land Use Economic Efficiency in China and Its Influencing Factors under Environmental Constraints Based on a Sequential Slacks-Based Model
Authors: Xie Hualin , Wang Wei
Published: July 2015

Using a sequential slack-based measure (SSBM) model, this paper analyzes the spatiotemporal disparities of urban land use economic efficiency (ULUEE) under environmental constraints, and its influencing factors in 270 cities across China from 2003–2012. The main results are as follows: (1) The average ULUEE for Chinese cities is only 0.411, and out of the 270 cities, only six cities are always efficient in urban land use in the study period. Most cities have a lot of room to improve the economic output of secondary and tertiary industries, as well as environmental protection work; (2) The eastern region of China enjoys the highest ULUEE, followed by the western and central regions. Super-scale cities show the best performance of all four city scales, followed by large-scale, small-scale and medium-scale cities. Cities with relatively developed economies and less pollutant discharge always have better ULUEE; (3) The results of slack variables analysis show that most cities have problems such as the labor surplus, over-development, excessive pollutant discharge, economic output shortage, and unreasonable use of funds is the most serious one; (4) The regression results of the influencing factors show that improvements of the per capita GDP and land use intensity are helpful to raise ULUEE. The urbanization rate and the proportion of foreign enterprises’ output account for the total output in the secondary and tertiary industries only have the same effect in some regions and city scales. The land management policy and land leasing policy have negative impact on the ULUEE in all the three regions and four city scales; (5) Some targeted policy goals are proposed, including the reduction of surplus labor, and pay more attention to environmental protection. Most importantly, effective implementation of land management policies from the central government, and stopping blind leasing of land to make up the local government’s financial deficit would be very helpful to improve the ULUEE of Chinese cities.
Is the “Ecological and Economic Approach for the Restoration of Collapsed Gullies” in Southern China Really Economic?
Authors: Wang Chengchao , Zhang Yaoqi , Xu Yecheng , Yang Qichun
Published: July 2015

Collapsed gully erosion constantly plagues the sustainability of rural areas in China. To control collapsed gully erosion, an ecological and economic approach, which uses tree plantation to gain economic benefits and control soil erosion, has been widely applied by local governments in Southern China. However, little is known about the economic feasibility of this new method. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness and economic benefits of the new method. Based on a case study in Changting County, Southeast China, two farms were selected to represent a timber tree plantation and a fruit tree plantation, respectively. The Annual Capital Capitalization Method and Return on Investment (ROI) were selected to conduct cost-benefit analysis. In contrast to previous studies, we found that the new approach was far from economic. The value of the newly-built forestland in Sanzhou Village and Tufang Village is 2738 RMB ha−1 and 5477 RMB ha−1, respectively, which are extremely lower than the costs of ecological restoration. Meanwhile, the annual ROI is −3.60% and −8.90%, respectively, which is negative and also far poorer than the average value of forestry in China. The costs of conservation were substantially over the related economic benefits, and the investors would suffer from greater loss if they invested more in the conservation. Low-cost terraces with timber trees had less economic loss compared with the costly terraces with fruit tree plantation. Moreover, the cost efficiency of the new approaches in soil conservation was also greatly poorer than the conventional method. The costs of conserving one ton soil per year for conventional method, new method for planting timber trees, and planting fruit trees were 164 RMB, 696 RMB, and 11,664 RMB, respectively. Therefore, the new collapsed gully erosion control methods are uneconomic and unsuitable to be widely carried out in China in the near future.
Preliminary data on pupal development, lifespan and fertility of Cynomya mortuorum (L., 1761) in Belgium (Diptera: Calliphoridae)
Authors: Braet Yves , Bourguignon Luc , Vanpoucke Sofie , Drome Valérie , Hubrecht Françoise
Published: July 2015

The calliphorid Cynomya mortuorum (L., 1761) is a species of forensic interest, present mainly in the Palaearctic Region. Nearly nothing is known about its life history.

We provide here the first data regarding pupal weight evolution during the pupal stage, female fertility and life expectancy of the species. At 22°C under a variable regime of temperatures, the egg-to-adult development time was an average of 18.05 ± 0.72 and 18.47 ± 0.67 days for females and males, respectively, in the control group. The pupal stage represented 56.7% of the total development. The development time from egg to adult and the duration of the pupal stage were significantly longer for males than for females. The measurement of pupal weight at the start of the pupal period revealed that female pupae were significantly lighter than male pupae by nearly 20%. This difference between the sexes was also observed for the dry weight of adults. An average decrease of 8.75% was observed throughout the first 8 days of the pupal stage, after which most adults started to emerge. The tested females produced an average of 176.13 ± 66.62 eggs throughout the egg-laying period. The average lifespan after emergence was 12.10 ± 4.09 days for females and 12.60 ± 2.95 days for males, with a median of 12.50 days for both sexes.
Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Experience of Service-Learning: A Phenomenological Study
Authors: Knecht Janet Gavin , Fischer Beth
Published: July 2015

Background:

Service-learning programs are becoming more evident in baccalaureate nursing curriculums. Anecdotal evidence describing student perceptions has been written; however, research has not been conducted regarding the in-depth student experience of service-learning with vulnerable populations in inner cities.

Method:

This study was conducted using Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method of inquiry. Through purposeful sampling, 10 students were interviewed who have participated in service-learning throughout their sophomore, junior, and senior years of nursing education.

Results:

Five themes were identified—Shattering Stereotypes, Overwhelmed With Their Need, Transitioning to Community Caregiver, Advocating, and Reciprocal Benefits—and a fundamental structure emerged.

Conclusion:

Listening to the voices of students participating in service-learning enables educators to gain an in-depth perspective of their experience and, ultimately, to maximize the service-learning program and improve care delivered to this vulnerable inner city population. [
J Nurs Educ.
2015;54:(7):378–384.]
Nursing Students’ Qualitative Experiences in the Medical–Surgical Clinical Learning Environment: A Cross-Cultural Integrative Review
Authors: Hooven Katie
Published: July 2015

Background:

The nature of the clinical learning environment has a huge impact on student learning. For instance, research has supported the idea that a positive learning environment increases student learning. Therefore, the ability to gain information from the student perspective about the learning environment is essential to nursing education.

Method:

This article reviews qualitative research on nursing students’ experiences of the clinical learning environment. The significance of the issue, the purpose of the integrative review, the methods used in the literature search, and the results of the review are presented.

Results:

Seventeen studies from 12 countries are identified for review, and six common themes are discussed. An exhaustive literature review revealed that among the 17 articles evaluated, six themes were common.

Conclusion:

The findings indicate the need to continue quality improvement to advance clinical education. [
J Nurs Educ.
2015;54(8):421–429.]
Sialadenitis following low dose I-131 diagnostic thyroid scan with Thyrogen® (recombinant human thyroid stimulating hormone - thyrotropin alfa)
Authors: Gonzalez Marta E , Eluvathingal Muttikkal Thomas Jose , Rehm Patrice K
Published: July 2015

Salivary dysfunction and sialadenitis are well known complications of radioiodine treatment for thyroid cancer.  The parotid gland is more frequently affected and the salivary gland injury is dose related. The symptoms may develop shortly after therapeutic Iodine 131(I-131) administration or months later and progress with time. The development of unilateral parotiditis following a low dose, diagnostic I-131 scan performed following Thyrogen stimulation in a patient without prior history of sialadenitis is rare in our experience, and has not been reported in the medical literature.
Thalamic Massa Intermedia Duplication in a Dysmorphic 14 month-old Toddler
Authors: Whitehead Matthew T
Published: July 2015

The massa intermedia is an inconstant parenchymal band connecting the medial thalami. It may be thickened in various disease processes such as Chiari II malformation or absent in other disease states. However, the massa intermedia may also be absent in up to 30% of normal human brains. To the best of my knowledge, detailed imaging findings of massa intermedia duplication have only been described in a single case report. An additional case of thalamic massa intermedia duplication discovered on a routine brain MR performed for dysmorphic facial features is reported herein.
Heterotaxy Polysplenia Syndrome In An Adult With Unique Vascular Anomalies: Case Report With Review Of Literature
Authors: Rameshbabu Chittapuram Srinivasan , Gupta Kanchan Kumar , Qasim Muhammad , Gupta Om Prakash
Published: July 2015

The pattern of anatomical organization of the thoraco-abdominal visceral and vascular structures which is not the expected normal arrangement, is called as situs ambiguous or heterotaxy syndrome. Patients with heterotaxy syndrome exhibit a wide spectrum of anatomical variations involving thoraco-abdominal structures. We present here an incidental finding of heterotaxy syndrome associated with unique vascular anomalies in a 35 year old male patient evaluated initially for nephrolithiasis by ultrasonography, and intravenous pyelography. Further evaluation by multidetector row computed tomography showed bilateral bilobed lungs with hyparterial bronchi, cardiac apex to the left, five branches from left-sided aortic arch with retroesophageal right subclavian artery, interrupted inferior vena cava with azygos continuation, left renal vein continuing as hemiazygos vein and replaced common hepatic artery arising from the superior mesenteric artery. Other vascular anomalies include right internal iliac vein joining the left common iliac vein and precaval course of the single main right renal artery. Anomalies involving abdominal organs include right-sided stomach, midline liver, multiple splenules (polysplenia) in right upper quadrant of abdomen, short truncated pancreas, intestinal malrotation, inversion of superior mesenteric vessels and a preduodenal portal vein. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of association of left renal vein continuing as hemiazygos vein, precaval right renal artery and anomalous branching pattern of aortic arch with heterotaxy syndrome.
Las formas simples del romancero hispánico
Authors: Beltrán Almería Luis
Published: July 2015

André Jolles propuso hace más de ochenta años un sistema de formas simples (einfache Formen) que estaría en el origen de los géneros culturales. A partir de estas formas simples este artículo propone una aproximación al romancero hispánico renovada. Se trata de encontrar las formas simples del romancero y superar su clasificación por temas y origen. Tales formas simples serían el caso, la historia personal, la anécdota, la lamentación, la consolación, el sueño y el milagro, la burla y la protonovela.
La presencia del Arte Kastellana (1627) de Gonzalo Correas en la primera edición de la GRAE (1771)
Authors: García-Cervigón Alberto Hernando
Published: July 2015

En este artículo se trata de dilucidar en qué medida fue tenida en cuenta en la primera edición de la GRAE (1771) la doctrina del Arte Kastellana, incluida en el Trilingüe (1627), de Gonzalo Correas, uno de los tres tratados de gramática citados expresamente como fuentes en el prólogo. Para ello se examina, a la luz del contexto de la tradición gramatical, el texto original de ambas obras, así como los documentos gramaticales inéditos confeccionados por los académicos entre 1740 y 1771 y las actas de las juntas de la corporación correspondientes a este período.
Juan Martín Cordero en Flandes: Humanismo, mecenazgo e imprenta
Authors: Martos Josep Lluís
Published: July 2015

El humanista valenciano Juan Martín Cordero estuvo en Flandes durante la estancia de Felipe II y su corte entre 1555 y 1559. Allí interactuó con nobles, secretarios reales, humanistas, comerciantes e impresores; sin embargo, teníamos muy pocos datos sobre esto y, en muchos casos, eran contradictorios. Este trabajo delimita y estudia la figura de Cordero en Flandes a través de sus memorias y de las ediciones de sus obras.
La huella de las Sumas de historia troyana en la Confessio Amantis castellana
Authors: Pascual-Argente Clara
Published: July 2015

Algunos relatos clásicos que aparecen en la Confesión del amante, la versión castellana cuatrocentista de la Confessio Amantis de John Gower llevada a cabo por Juan de Cuenca, se apartan sustancialmente del Livro do amante, el modelo portugués que traducía Cuenca. Demuestro aquí que la fuente de tales cambios está en las Sumas de historia troyana y considero los motivos que llevaron a reescribir estos episodios en relación con el contexto literario, cultural y político en el que trabajaba el traductor castellano.
Palabras para un ideal lingüístico: los nombres de la lengua elaborada en la historia del español
Authors: Pons Rodríguez Lola
Published: July 2015

El objetivo de este trabajo es acercarse a la variedad de la lengua elaborada y ofrecer una panorámica de los cambios en los modos de caracterizarla, construirla y calificarla a través de los nombres con que ha sido conocida en la historia del español. En el plano teórico, estos nombres apuntan a distinciones presentes en el nivel universal del hablar, y se manifiestan en la lengua histórica a través de términos que son inducidos bien por los códigos de la retórica occidental bien por universos discursivos como el de las magnitudes, la crítica pictórica o la compostura externa.
Observaciones sobre el léxico del español de Yucatán (1650-1800)
Authors: Quirós García Mariano , Ramírez Luengo José Luis
Published: July 2015

A pesar de su indudable interés por múltiples motivos, el español yucateco no ha sido todavía suficientemente estudiado, y esta carencia es especialmente marcada desde el punto de vista histórico. Teniendo en cuenta este hecho, el presente trabajo pretende aportar algunos datos que sirvan para ir paliando tal situación por medio del análisis del léxico empleado en la zona entre 1650 y 1800, y más en concreto de todos aquellos elementos que, por diversos motivos —y desde diferentes puntos de vista— se pueden calificar como americanismos, con el propósito de analizar la configuración léxica del español yucateco en el periodo seleccionado y aportar una primera descripción del vocabulario que se emplea en la región en estos momentos.
Process Documentation in Sloyd: Pilot Study of the ‘Talking Tools’ Application
Authors: Wiklund-Engblom Annika , Hartvik Juha , Hiltunen Kasper , Johansson Marléne , Porko-Hudd Mia
Published: July 2015

Abstract—Students work in sloyd [slöjd] class represents unique areas of learning. The creative, hands-on design work, as well as a mix of both individual and collaborative processes, provide options for developing multiple skills. But these multilevel learning processes are difficult to capture. This study explores how a mobile application, the Talking Tools (TT), are used for documenting students own reflections during sloyd class. The study targets what, why, and when a group of teacher students (N=11) use TT for microblogging about their work. Their subjective reflections from a questionnaire using open-ended questions are used for validating earlier analysis of their blogs created using TT. As TT is still under development, the objective of exploring students’ documentation behaviour with the application, is to understand what the added value of TT could be for capturing various areas of learning. Suggestions for teacher guidelines for implementing TT are discussed based on the findings. The article also describes the development of the application in terms of the inter-disciplinary cooperation and collaboration. The TPACK framework is used for illustrating the know-how transcendence between collaborators in the TT application development.
Repeatability and reproducibility of axial length, anterior chamber depth and crystalline lens thickness measurements using the Nidek US-500 Echoscan
Authors: Mashige Khathutshelo P.
Published: July 2015

Aim: The reliability of an instrument used to collect data for clinical and research purposes is greatly important, especially when it is used to determine changes in measured ocular parameters over time. The purpose of this study was to determine the intra-session repeatability and inter-session reproducibility of axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD) and crystalline lens thickness (LT) measurements using the Nidek US-500 Echoscan.Method: Fifty successive automatic measurements of the above parameters were taken on the right eyes only of 12 healthy subjects aged 23–44 years old, followed by similar repeated measures after 1 week. Sample standard deviations (s.d.), precision (P) and coefficient of repeatability (COR) were calculated to determine intra-session repeatability. Coefficient of reproducibility (CRP), Bland and Altman plots, concordance correlation coefficients (CCC) and paired t-tests that compared measurements obtained in the first and second sessions, were used to determine inter-session reproducibility.Results: Both the intra-session repeatability and inter-session reproducibility were within acceptable limits for the three variables assessed.Conclusion: The study showed that the Nidek US-500 Echoscan provides accurate, repeatable and reproducible measurements of AL, ACD and LT in healthy eyes. This finding will be of interest to optometrists and ophthalmologists who measure these parameters when diagnosing, managing and investigating conditions such as primary angle-closure glaucoma and keratoconus.
Die uitbouing van die Bybelse kanon in antieke Judaïsme en die vroeë Christendom
Authors: Frey Jörg
Published: July 2015

The development of the biblical canon in ancient Judaism and early Christianity. A brief account of the process of the development of both the Jewish and the bipartite Christian canon is given. It is argued that due to insights gained from recent textual discoveries, especially the Dead Sea Scrolls (Qumran texts), earlier theories about the history of canonisation had to be reviewed. With the New Testament canon the authors focus on the influence of Marcion as well as the various other factors that played a role in the process of canonisation. It is shown that canonisation was the result of a complicated and variegated canonical process. But in spite of the problems of the criteria used and other factors involved, the biblical canon is theologically valuable and ‘well-chosen’.
Investigations of foreign bodies in the fore-stomach of cattle at Ngoma Slaughterhouse, Rwanda
Authors: Mushonga Borden , Habarugira Gervais , Musabyemungu Aline , Udahemuka Jean C. , Jaja Festus I. , Pepe Dunisani
Published: July 2015

Ingestion of indigestible foreign bodies in cattle is a pathological condition of both economic and health importance. It is has mostly been reported in association with feed scarcity. The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence and nature of indigestible foreign materials in abattoir fore-stomach specimens in Ngoma district, Rwanda. Each chamber was opened by incision, then given a thorough macroscopic examination by visual inspection and palpation for the presence of foreign materials. The results show that there is an overall occurrence of 17.4% foreign bodies in cattle. The highest occurrence (25.3%) was recorded in June (the driest month). Results further show that the majority of the foreign bodies were plastics (65.0%). More foreign bodies (29.5%) were found in older animals (5 years and above) than in younger and middle-aged animals (16.5 % and 6.0%, respectively). There was a higher prevalence of foreign bodies in female cattle (20.0%) than in males (15.7%). The presence of cassette tape, as observed in the study, has not been reported elsewhere. The high representation of plastics in animals (65.5%) in the light of a government plastic bag ban in supermarkets presents a major challenge to livestock production in Rwanda. What is disturbing is that it is not known if this problem is increasing or decreasing as there are no previous studies for comparison. However, the results will serve as a reference point for future studies to understand the true trend and true burden of plastic bags in livestock.
Opinions of South African optometry students about working in rural areas after graduation
Authors: Mashige Khathutshelo P. , Oduntan Olalekan A. , Hansraj Rekha
Published: July 2015

Background: Eye and vision problems have been reported to be more prevalent in rural than urban areas; and a large proportion of South Africans live in the rural areas.Aim: To investigate the opinions of South African optometry students about working in rural areas after completion of their training and to identify factors that may influence theirdecisions.Method: This was a cross-sectional quantitative study using a survey instrument containing both closed and open-ended, semi-structured questions.Results: Four hundred and thirty-eight students responded to the questionnaire (85.4% response rate). Overall, many of the respondents did not want to open their first (66%) or second practices (64.6%) in the rural areas. However, most respondents from rural backgrounds reported that they would open their first (77.2%) or second (79.4%) practice in the rural areas. The main reasons cited by the respondents for their unwillingness to work in the rural areaswere financial concerns (81.2%), personal safety (80.1%) and poor living conditions (75.3%), with a significantly higher number (p < 0.05) being from urban respondents for the latter twoissues only.Conclusion: Many students were not in favour of opening practices in rural areas, but were willing to work for the government or a non-governmental organisation after graduation. Efforts should be made to address financial incentives, safety and living conditions in the rural areas. The results of this study have implications for the future of availability and accessibility of eye care services to those living in the rural and remoteareas of the country.
Pulmonary Tumor Thrombotic Microangiopathy: Clinical, Radiologic, and Histologic Correlation
Authors: Godbole Rohit , Ghatol Abhijeet , Betancourt Jamie , Sacoolidge John , Kamangar Nader
Published: July 2015

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is a clinicopathologic disease entity in which the tumor cells embolize to the pulmonary vasculature leading to a series of maladaptive reactions including the activation of coagulation and fibrocellular intimal thickening. The resultant stenosis of blood vessels leads to pulmonary hypertension and eventual death from cor pulmonale. In this report, we present a case of PTTM presenting as the initial manifestation of metastatic gastric carcinoma in a young man. Although unusual in its occurrence as the initial manifestation of gastric carcinoma, the case is illustrative in its clinical, radiological and histological presentation.
Mesozooplankton structure and functioning during the onset of the Kerguelen phytoplankton bloom during the KEOPS2 survey
Authors: Carlotti F. , Jouandet M.-P. , Nowaczyk A. , Harmelin-Vivien M. , Lefèvre D. , Richard P. , Zhu Y. , Zhou M.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. This paper presents results on the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of mesozooplankton in the naturally fertilized region to the east of the Kerguelen Islands (Southern Ocean) visited at early bloom stage during the KEOPS2 survey (15 October to 20 November 2011). The aim of this study was to compare the zooplankton response in contrasted environments localized over the Kerguelen Plateau in waters of the east shelf and shelf edge and in productive oceanic deep waters characterized by conditions of complex circulation and rapidly changing phytoplankton biomass. The mesozooplankton community responded to the spring bloom earlier on the plateau than in the oceanic waters, where complex mesoscale circulation stimulated initial more or less ephemeral blooms before a broader bloom extension. Taxonomic compositions showed a high degree of similarity across the whole region, and the populations initially responded to spring bloom with a large production of larval forms increasing abundances, without biomass changes. Taxonomic composition and stable isotope ratios of size-fractionated zooplankton indicated the strong domination of herbivores, and the total zooplankton biomass values over the survey presented a significant correlation with the integrated chlorophyll concentrations in the mixed layer. The biomass stocks observed at the beginning of the KEOPS2 cruise were around 1.7 g C m−2 above the plateau and 1.2 g C m−2 in oceanic waters. Zooplankton biomass in oceanic waters remained on average below 2 g C m−2 over the study period, except for one station in the Polar Front zone (F-L), whereas zooplankton biomasses were around 4 g C m−2 on the plateau at the end of the survey. The most remarkable feature during the sampling period was the stronger increase in abundance in the oceanic waters (25 × 103 to 160 × 103 ind m−2) than on the plateau (25 × 103 to 90 × 103 ind m−2). The size structure and taxonomic distribution patterns revealed a cumulative contribution of various larval stages of dominant copepods and euphausiids particularly in the oceanic waters, with clearly identifiable stages of progress during a Lagrangian time series survey. The reproduction and early stage development of dominant species were sustained by mesoscale-related initial ephemeral blooms in oceanic waters, but growth was still food-limited and zooplankton biomass stagnated. In contrast, zooplankton abundance and biomass on the shelf were both in a growing phase, at slightly different rates, due to growth under sub-optimal conditions. Combined with our observations during the KEOPS1 survey (January–February 2005), the present results deliver a consistent understanding of patterns in mesozooplankton abundance and biomass from early spring to summer in the poorly documented oceanic region east of the Kerguelen Islands.
Model aided quantification of dissolved carbon and nitrogen release after windthrow disturbance in an Austrian karst system
Authors: Hartmann A. , Kobler J. , Kralik M. , Dirnböck T. , Humer F. , Weiler M.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. Karst systems are important for drinking water supply. Future climate projections indicate increasing temperature and a higher frequency of strong weather events. Both will influence the availability and quality of water provided from karst regions. Forest disturbances such as windthrow can disrupt ecosystem cycles and cause pronounced nutrient losses from the ecosystems. In this study, we consider the time period before and after the wind disturbance period (2007/08) to identify impacts on DIN (dissolved inorganic nitrogen) and DOC (dissolved organic carbon) with a process-based flow and solute transport simulation model. Calibrated and validated before the disturbance the model disregards the forest disturbance and its consequences on DIN and DOC production and leaching. It can therefore be used as a base-line for the undisturbed system and as a tool for the quantification of additional nutrient production. Our results indicate that the forest disturbance by windthrow results in a significant increase of DIN production lasting ∼3.7 years and exceeding the pre-disturbance average by 2.7 kg ha−1 a−1 corresponding to an increase of 53 %. There were no significant changes of DOC concentrations. With simulated transit time distributions we show that the impact on DIN travels through the hydrological system within some months. But a small fraction of the system outflow (< 5 %) exceeds mean transit times of > 1 year.
Three-dimensional visualization of ensemble weather forecasts – Part 2: Forecasting warm conveyor belt situations for aircraft-based field campaigns
Authors: Rautenhaus M. , Grams C. M. , Schäfler A. , Westermann R.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. We present the application of interactive three-dimensional (3-D) visualization of ensemble weather predictions to forecasting warm conveyor belt situations during aircraft-based atmospheric research campaigns. Motivated by forecast requirements of the T-NAWDEX-Falcon 2012 (THORPEX – North Atlantic Waveguide and Downstream Impact Experiment) campaign, a method to predict 3-D probabilities of the spatial occurrence of warm conveyor belts (WCBs) has been developed. Probabilities are derived from Lagrangian particle trajectories computed on the forecast wind fields of the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) ensemble prediction system. Integration of the method into the 3-D ensemble visualization tool Met.3D, introduced in the first part of this study, facilitates interactive visualization of WCB features and derived probabilities in the context of the ECMWF ensemble forecast. We investigate the sensitivity of the method with respect to trajectory seeding and grid spacing of the forecast wind field. Furthermore, we propose a visual analysis method to quantitatively analyse the contribution of ensemble members to a probability region and, thus, to assist the forecaster in interpreting the obtained probabilities. A case study, revisiting a forecast case from T-NAWDEX-Falcon, illustrates the practical application of Met.3D and demonstrates the use of 3-D and uncertainty visualization for weather forecasting and for planning flight routes in the medium forecast range (3 to 7 days before take-off).
Liquefaction susceptibility assessment in fluvial plains using high-resolution airborne LiDAR data: the case of the 2012 Emilia earthquake sequence area (Italy)
Authors: Civico R. , Brunori C. A. , De Martini P. M. , Pucci S. , Cinti F. R. , Pantosti D.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. We report a case study from the Po River plain region (northern Italy), where a significant liquefaction-related land and property damage occurred during the 2012 Emilia seismic sequence. We took advantage of a 1 m pixel LiDAR Digital Terrain Model (DTM) and of the 2012 Emilia coseismic liquefaction dataset to: (a) perform a detailed geomorphological study of the Po River plain area, (b) quantitatively define the liquefaction susceptibility of the geomorphologic features that experienced different frequency of liquefaction. One main finding is that linear topographic highs of fluvial origin, together with crevasse splays and abandoned riverbeds, acted as preferential location for the occurrence of liquefaction phenomena. Moreover, we quantitatively defined a hierarchy in terms of liquefaction susceptibility for fluvial environments. We observed that a very high liquefaction susceptibility is found in coincidence with fluvial landforms, a high-to-moderate liquefaction susceptibility within a buffer distance of 100 and 200 m from mapped fluvial landforms and a low liquefaction susceptibility outside fluvial landforms and relative buffer areas. LiDAR data allowed a significant improvement in mapping with respect to conventional available topographic data and/or aerial imagery. These results have significant implications for accurate hazard and risk assessment as well as for land-use planning. We propose a potentially simpler approach for liquefaction susceptibility assessment with respect to in situ geotechnical investigations. Our findings can be applied to areas beyond Emilia, characterized by similar fluvial-dominated environments and prone to significant seismic hazard.
Synchronicity as an essential property of solar–terrestrial relations: latent components
Authors: A. Tartakovsky V.
Published: July 2015

Abstract. It is assumed that external forcing synchronizes processes initiated by it. The concept of the synchronicity of processes is defined, based on their essential signs. The processes under study are decomposed on latent orthogonal components, which differ because of the coincidence and non-coincidence of the essential signs. The information from the original data is redistributed without distortion between these components. For computation of the components, algorithms were developed, using the Fourier transform on the basis of trigonometric functions. Theory and algorithms were applied to decompose on the components the Wolf numbers and the temperature series at 818 weather stations of the Northern Hemisphere from 1955 to 2010. By this approach, new properties of solar–terrestrial relations were revealed; the method characterizes the manifestation of the forcing and corresponds to the well-known notions of climatic processes. Therefore, the new method is informative, consistent; and it is suitable for the analysis of series under observation at this time.