bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of Agile Teams– A Discussion on Technology and Culture
Authors: Srinivasan Badri N , Mukherjee Debarshi
Published: October 2015

Agile methodologies offer an alternative to traditional software engineering processes for developing software products and systems. They focus on integrating behavioral and social factors into software development. The focus on people is a very important factor in the implementation of agile methodologies in the workplace. The focus on agile teams for developing software systems and products using agile software development methodologies predisposes the emphasis on the analysis of the key components of agile teams which are important to ensure that the characteristics of agile teams are factored appropriately in the organization so that the teams are having the pre-requisite environment setup for successfully developing software systems.This paper investigates the various components and social processes that contribute to the characteristics of agile. The paper aims at highlighting a framework made up of various components that focus on the critical attributes of an agile team and if these attributes are present in an agile team, then the probability for the team to work as a high performance agile team and deliver successful software products in the market place is increased considerably.
Novel SNPs in ATP1B2 Gene and their Association with Heat Tolerance Indicator Traits in Sahiwal Cattle
Authors: Verma Nishant , Gupta I. D. , Verma Archana , Kumar Rakesh , Das Ramendra
Published: October 2015

Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) are expressed in response to heat stress and the polymorphism in HSP genes at single nucleotide level is reported to be associated with heat tolerance and production performance traits in cattle. ATP1B2 gene was mapped to Bos taurus autosome 19 (BTA 19) spanning nearly 4310bp, comprising 7 Exons and 6 Introns. The present study was conducted in Sahiwal cows (n=108) raised under sub-tropical climate with the objectives to identify SNPs in targeted regions (Intron 2,4 and Exon 3,5) of ATP1B2 gene and to analyze their association with heat tolerance traits in Sahiwal cows. Respiration rate (RR) and rectal temperature (RT) were recorded during probable extreme hours in winter, spring and summer seasons. Heat tolerance coefficient (HTC) was also calculated to check the adaptability of the animals during the period of heat stress. The comparative sequence analysis revealed a total of two SNPs in Intron 2 of ATP1B2 gene i.e. g.2243G>A and g.2366T>C. Out of these two identified SNPs, only one SNP i.e. g.2243G>A was found to be significantly (PC, RR, RT and HTC were having non-significant association with the different genotypes i.e. TT and TC. These findings may partly suggest that AA and GA genotype of SNP g.2243G>A of ATP1B2 gene can be utilized as potential marker for propagating thermo-tolerant cattle.
Field Limitations of Liquid Additive Cementing Systems
Authors: Grant W. H. , Rutledge J. R. , Christy R. H.
Published: October 2015

The use of liquid additives has become prevalent in cementing operations especially where logistics is a problem. Several precautions must be taken with these additives to ensure adequate performance in field operations. Several liquid additive cementing systems' performance will be contrasted to systems which have dry blended additives. Cement slurry properties of thickening time, fluid loss, free water and compressive strength will be examined. Slurry density sensitivity to these properties will be illustrated.

Laboratory data will demonstrate the liabilities of the liquid additive system with field case histories outlined and discussed. A cost analysis comparing dry versus liquid additive systems with equivalent design criteria will show higher costs for the liquid additive system. A recommended pre-job quality control check list for the use of liquid additives will be presented.

A recommended dry blending procedure will also be illustrated. If followed, the procedure greatly increases the likelihood of uniformly dry blending additives in quantities as small as 0.2 percent by weight of cement.
Case Studies of the Bending Vibration and Whirling Motion of Drill Collars
Authors: Vandiver J. K. , Nicholson J. W. , Shyu R-J.
Published: October 2015

Two principal sources of BHA bending vibration are described: (1) drill collar whirling and (2) linear coupling between WOB fluctuations and bending vibration of an initially curved BHA. These mechanisms are described and their consequences in terms of drill collar wear and connection fatigue are evaluated. Formulas are given for forward and backward whirl rate and for tangential velocity at the borehole wall. Downhole measurements of bending moment are shown to be valuable in detecting and identifying bending vibration events. Downhole data taken from a Shell field test of a downhole vibration measurement system are used to illustrate cases of linearly coupled bending vibration, forward and backward whirl, and bit bounce.
Constant Pressure Interference Testing: Detecting DoublePorosity Properties
Authors: Grasman T. J. , Grader A. S.
Published: October 2015

This study presents an analytical method for determining the double-porosity reservoir properties using interference pressure data in an infinite reservoir producing at constant pressure. Wellbore storage and skin effects at the production and observation wells are neglected. The effects of rD, λ, and ω on interference pressure responses are examined. For dimensionless inter-well distances of 100 or more, the pressure responses are practically collapsed. As a result of this, a general type curve that can be used for any value of rD, is presented. Hence, for a given pressure reponse and rD the type curve yields unique values of λ and ω. In addition to the log-log type curve, a semi-log type curve that is more useful for pD values greater than 0.1 is presented.

The semi-log derivatives of the interference pressure responses are considered. The pressure derivatives enhance small variations that occur in the pressure response during the flow period affected by the double-porosity nature of the reservoir.

It is observed that using a simple correlation with λ and rD, the derivative curves for rD values greater than 100 can be collapsed. Hence, a semi-log derivative type curve is developed. This type curve has two maxima. The early-time part is influenced by λ. The time separation between the first maximum and the second maximum is a function of ω. The late time behavior is again a function of λ.
Obtaining the Minimum Horizontal Stress from Micro-Frac Test Data: A New Approach Utilizing a Derivative Algorithm
Authors: Jones C. , Sargeant J. P.
Published: October 2015

This paper presents a new approach to the interpretation of pressure decline data from micro-frac tests where the objective is to determine a representative value for the fracture closure pressure, which we relate to the minimum horizontal stress (σh). The method presented utilises a derivative algorithm to identify the different flow regimes that may occur during a pressure decline e.g. well bore storage, infinite and finite conductivity fracture flow. High quality data are a prerequisite for this method but it is simple to use and the necessary computations can easily be performed by modern well test analysis software.

This method, has been successfully applied to data from the North Sea for a number of rock types with permeabilities ranging from effectively zero (claystone) to several Darcy's (sandstone). Results from different pressure declines for the same interval agree well and a value can often be quoted for closure pressure to within +/− 0.5 bar. Several examples are included which demonstrate the advantages of this method.

Guidelines for micro-frac testing are given which highlight what is important for obtaining test data for use with this method.
Combining Ability and Performance of Cotton Germplasm with Diverse Seed Oil Content
Authors: Kothari Neha , Campbell B. Todd , Dever Jane K. , Hinze Lori L.
Published: October 2015

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production has traditionally been guided by fiber yield and quality, but recent interest has focused on using cottonseed as a food; therefore, cottonseed oil content is an important trait to understand. A line‐by‐tester analysis was used to determine combining abilities by crossing four lines (PD 7723, PD 94042, PD 3246, and PD 5377) and four testers (TX 21, TX 101, TX 182, and TX 244) with varying seed oil content selected from accessions in the US National Cotton Germplasm Collection. Seed oil content was found to be a heritable trait (H2 = 0.52). The analysis showed that a large part of the phenotypic variation in oil content was associated with general combining ability, although significant specific combining ability occurred in several crosses. Overall, TX 182 and TX 101 had higher combining abilities, while PD 94042 had the lowest combining ability for oil content. Among hybrids, PD 3246 × TX 101, PD 7723 × TX 101, and PD 5377 × TX 182 had the highest combining abilities. All traits tested in these environments showed highly significant genotype × environment effects. The highest mean oil was observed in Florence, SC, during 2010 (TX 182, 28.28%). This study suggests that there is sufficient additive variance available for plant breeders to improve seed oil content. In addition, correlation analyses indicated that oil content can be increased at the same time as seed index, boll weight, and fiber traits including elongation, uniformity, upper half mean length (UHML), and strength.
Further Mapping and Epistasis Analysis of Two Quantitative Trait Loci of Kernel and Cob Anthocyanin Contents in Maize
Authors: Xu De , Mei Xiupeng , Yu Tingting , Yuan Wenjuan , Gu Dongdong , Liu Xiaoli , Cai Yilin
Published: October 2015

In our previous study, two major quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for kernel anthocyanin content in maize (Zea mays L.) were mapped on chromosome 6 and chromosome 10 by using two related F2:3 populations derived from crosses of ‘Mu6’ × ‘Super Dark Maize’ (SDM) and ‘Mo17’ × SDM. In this study, two sets of near isogenic lines, MuS‐BC4F3 and MoS‐BC4F3, were developed and used to further map the two QTLs and analyze the epsitasis between the two QTLs. GEN6 was further mapped in the interval S8‐umc1105 on chromosome 6 for MuS‐BC4F3 and S8 to mmc0523 on chromosome 6 for MoS‐BC4F3. GEN10 was further mapped in the interval IDP8526 to S44 on chromosome 10 for MuS‐BC4F3 and bnlg1028 to IDP8526 on chromosome 10 for MoS‐BC4F3. GEN6 and GEN10 controlled both kernel anthocyanin content and cob anthocyanin content. The epistasis between GEN6 and GEN10 was a coadaptive interaction. The anthocyanin content is likely to greatly increase when GEN6 and GEN10 coexist. Additive × dominant (AD) effects were the largest of all the epistatic effects for kernel anthocyanin content; additive × additive (AA) effects were the largest for cob anthocyanin content. These results could provide a new reference for anthocyanin's genetic mechanism and high anthocyanin breeding in maize.
The Effect of Target Difficulty on Target Completion: The Case of Reducing Carbon Emissions
Authors: Ioannou Ioannis , Li Shelley Xin , Serafeim George
Published: October 2015

Targets are an integral component of management control systems and play a significant role in achieving desirable performance outcomes. We focus on a key environmental performance objective—reduction of carbon emissions—as a setting in which to examine how target difficulty affects the degree of target completion in long-term non-financial performance. We use a novel dataset compiled by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and find that firms setting more difficult targets complete a higher percentage of such targets. We also find that this effect is negatively moderated by the provision of monetary incentives. We corroborate this evidence by showing that target difficulty is more effective for carbon reduction projects requiring more novel knowledge and in high-pollution industries. We discuss limitations and suggest avenues for future research.
Bayesian Chronological Modeling of SunWatch, a Fort Ancient Village in Dayton, Ohio
Authors: Krus Anthony M , Cook Robert , Hamilton Derek
Published: October 2015

Radiocarbon results from houses, pits, and burials at the SunWatch site, Dayton, Ohio, are presented within an interpretative Bayesian statistical framework. The primary model incorporates dates from archaeological features in an unordered phase and uses charcoal outlier modeling (Bronk Ramsey 2009b) to account for issues of wood charcoal14C dates predating their context. The results of the primary model estimate occupation lasted for1–245 yr(95% probability), starting incal AD 1175–1385(95% probability) and ending incal AD 1330–1470(95% probability). An alternative model was created by placing the14C dates into two unordered phases corresponding with horizontal stratigraphic relationships or distinct groups of artifacts thought to be temporally diagnostic. The results of the alternative model further suggest that there is some temporal separation between Group 1 and Group 2, which seems more likely in the event of a multicomponent occupation. Overall, the modeling results provide chronology estimates for SunWatch that are more accurate and precise than that provided in earlier studies. While it is difficult to determine with certainty if SunWatch had a single-component or multicomponent occupation, it is clear that SunWatch's occupation lasted until the second half of the AD 1300s.
Late Quaternary Vegetational Changes in a Marsh Forest in Southeastern Brazil with Comments on Prehistoric Human Occupation
Authors: Mareschi Bissa Walter , de Toledo Mauro B
Published: October 2015

This article presents a palynological study carried out on a sediment core from a peat deposit in Serra de Botucatu, in SÃo Paulo State, southeastern Brazilian Plateau. This region has been covered by grassland vegetation and forest patches throughout the recorded period. AMS radiocarbon dating plus palynological analysis of 27 samples from the sediment core allowed the recognition of several environmental changes that took place during the last 33,000 yr recorded in the core. The relationship between sedimentation rates and changes in the abundance of plants recognized through their pollen record, particularly a few important indicator species, provided the paleoenvironmental history for the Serra de Botucatu region, allowing the identification of changes in climate conditions and comparison with other regions in Brazil. One of the most remarkable features of this record is the cold and humid conditions during the Last Glacial Maximum, which diverges from previous interpretations for southeastern and southern Brazil but is in good agreement with paleoclimatic data from trace elements from cave stalagmites in SE Brazil. No indications of human impacts on the vegetation were found in this record.
A Process- and Provenance-Based Attempt to Unravel Inconsistent Radiocarbon Chronologies in Lake Sediments: An Example from Lake Heihai, North Tibetan Plateau (China)
Authors: Lockot Gregori , Ramisch Arne , Wünnemann Bernd , Hartmann Kai , Haberzettl Torsten , Chen Hao , Diekmann Bernhard
Published: October 2015

Aquatic macrophytes from a lacustrine environment are highly prone to a reservoir effect, resulting in an overestimation of age. This is often caused by the incorporation of dissolved carbon (CO2 and HCO3–) through photosynthesis from lake waters that have a different 14C activity than the atmosphere. The atmosphere-water disparity is often produced by a mixing of carbon between the water body and its terrestrial surroundings, a process highly prone to temporal variations. Thus, only a comprehensive understanding of the 14C budget over time enables a reliable chronology of lacustrine records. We studied lacustrine sediments from Lake Heihai on the northern Tibetan Plateau with a recent reservoir effect of 6465 ± 75 14C yr as estimated from accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dating of three living aquatic plants. Age inversions in a well-laminated composite core from the lake suggest that the reservoir effect markedly changed over the depositional period. In the lower part of the core, an excellent correlation was observed between the allochthonous input of dolomite and the inverse 14C ages, indicating the incorporation of dissolved 14C-dead carbon from a limestone catchment in the plant material. For the upper part of the core, sediment recycling of Holocene high-stand deposits may have further contributed to the reservoir effect. These findings give rise to a reliable process- and provenance-based chronology within a confidence interval supported by 137Cs measurements and magnetostratigraphic investigations. Our results highlight the need to identify the interactions of lakes with their surroundings to estimate reservoir-corrected ages in lacustrine settings.
Radiocarbon Dating of Atacama (Chile) Snuff Trays: An Update on Stylistic and Chronological Correlations
Authors: Richardin Pascale , Lavier Catherine , Horta Helena , Figueroa Valentina , Lira Nicolás
Published: October 2015

The Atacama region of Chile has the highest concentration of hallucinogenic paraphernalia from prehistoric cemeteries on the planet. These artifacts have been studied since the late 19th century, primarily from the perspective of stylistic classification, which has been used to infer their temporal assignation. However, direct chronological dating of the snuff trays has not been addressed until now, through an interdisciplinary study conducted in San Pedro de Atacama on the psychotropic paraphernalia collection of the Instituto de Investigaciones Arqueológicas y Museo R.P. Gustavo Le Paige S.J. (IIAM), part of the Universidad Católica del Norte. In this study, samples were taken from eight snuff trays for radiocarbon dating and to develop a suitable procedure and protocol for sample extraction and handling of wooden archaeological pieces. This article provides the results of these activities by establishing the existence of a sequence of styles in the hallucinogenic paraphernalia that goes from the Middle to Late Intermediate period (about AD 300 to 1400), which shows that in this time-span there were two styles (Tiwanaku and local), and then both were replaced by a macroregional style.
Usefulness of whole blood, plasma, peritoneal fluid, and peritoneal fluid supernatant glucose concentrations obtained by a veterinary point-of-care glucometer to identify septic peritonitis in dogs with peritoneal effusion
Authors: Koenig Amie , Verlander Lindsey Lane
Published: October 2015

Objective—To evaluate the usefulness of a veterinary point-of-care glucometer for identification of septic peritonitis in dogs with peritoneal effusion (PE).

Design—Prospective clinical evaluation.

Animals—39 dogs with PE.

Procedures—Blood and peritoneal fluid convenience samples were collected concurrently in all dogs at the time of initial evaluation. A veterinary point-of-care glucometer was used to measure glucose concentration in heparinized whole blood, plasma, peritoneal fluid, and peritoneal fluid supernatant samples. Seventeen dogs had confirmed septic peritonitis, and 22 dogs had nonseptic PE. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of identification of dogs with septic peritonitis were calculated for glucose concentration differences for whole blood versus peritoneal fluid (WB-PF), plasma versus peritoneal fluid (P-PF), and plasma versus peritoneal fluid supernatant (P-PFS).

Results—With a cutoff of > 20 mg/dL, the glucose concentration difference for WB-PF was an insensitive indicator of septic peritonitis (sensitivity, 41.2%; specificity, 100%). In comparison, the glucose concentration differences for P-PF and P-PFS had a higher sensitivity for septic peritonitis (88.2% and 82.4%, respectively) but a lower specificity (80% and 77.8%, respectively). With a glucose concentration difference cutoff of ≥ 38 mg/dL, specificity, positive predictive value, and accuracy of P-PF and P-PFS improved.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Determination of the glucose concentration difference for WB-PF with the veterinary point-of-care glucometer was not useful in identifying all dogs with septic peritonitis. A glucose concentration difference of ≥ 38 mg/dL for P-PF or P-PFS, however, supported an accurate diagnosis of septic peritonitis in dogs with PE.
Seat Choice and Distance Judgment in Public Spaces
Authors: Neto Olavo Avalone , Munakata Jun
Published: October 2015

This research assessed whether public space users will adopt a least-effort approach and choose a less suitable seat nearby or seek the most suitable seat, even if it is farther away from them when the decision is made. How distance assessment affects seat choice was investigated through an observational survey, which allowed the identification of behavioral patterns. Those behavioral patterns were then tested in a paired comparison experiment with 40 participants. The results showed that the effect of distance on seat choice is related to the difference in distance between the options and that a sufficient difference can cause trade-offs between distance and seat properties. The necessary difference in distance is conditioned by the activity and the seat properties.
A Rare Bilateral Presentation of Multiple Dens Invaginatus, Shovel-Shaped Incisor and Talon Cusp With Mesiodens
Authors: Hegde S , Jain M , Shubha AB
Published: October 2015

The aim of this paper is to describe a unique and unusual case of concomitant appearance of morphological dental anomalies in the maxillary anterior region, along with its management in a patient with no systemic abnormality. This case report describes the clinical and radiographic features of talon cusp, dens invaginatus, shovel-shaped incisors and a supernumerary tooth occurring in a single patient, which is a rare presentation. All 4 permanent maxillary incisors had dens invaginatus, the permanent maxillary canines showed the presence of talon cusps, the permanent maxillary central incisors were shovel-shaped and an erupted mesiodens was also observed. Treatment included restorative, surgical and orthodontic approaches.Kathmandu University Medical Journal Vol.12(4) 2014; 292-295
Assessment of Knowledge Regarding Oral Hygiene among Parents of Pre-School Children Attending Pediatric Out Patient Department in Dhulikhel Hospital
Authors: Khanal K , Shrestha D , Ghimire N , Younjan R , Sanjel S
Published: October 2015

Background Level of knowledge regarding oral hygiene among the parents of pre-school children plays an important role on maintaining the good oral hygiene of their children. In Nepal, sufficient research has not been carried out on this area.Objective Objective of this study is to assess the level of knowledge on oral hygiene of pre-school children’s parents attending pediatric outpatient department in Dhulikhel Hospital.Method A descriptive study was conducted from November 2012 to January 2013 among one hundred parents of preschool children visiting pediatrics outpatient department of Dhulikhel Hospital. Paper and pencil based semi structured questionnaire was used for collecting data. Questions related to demographic information and knowledge were asked. Thirty questions were used for assessing knowledge level. Knowledge score was calculated by allocating one point for each correct answer and zero point for each wrong answer. Analyzed data were presented in terms of numbers and percentages. Total knowledge scores were categorized based on percentage. Knowledge score was categorized on four group - exclusive intervals - namely-poor (0-40%), moderate (40-60%), good (60-80%) and excellent (80-100%). Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis test were applied to check significance difference and chi-square test was used to check association among different background characteristic.Result It was found that 81% had moderate knowledge, 15% had poor knowledge and 4% had good knowledge about oral hygiene. Median knowledge score was found to be 15 with range 10 to 21. Following variables were found to be significant difference on knowledge category: Education status (p<0.001), education level (p= 0.041), past experience about oral health problem (p = 0.008), Further significant association was found between knowledge category and educational status (p < 0.001) and between knowledge category and past experience (p < 0.001).Conclusion Knowledge regarding oral hygiene was found satisfactory among the parents of preschool children visiting pediatric OPD of Dhulikhel Hospital.Kathmandu University Medical Journal Vol.13(1) 2015; 38-43
Anesthetic Management of a Patient with Myasthenia Gravis for Meningioma Surgery - A Case Report
Authors: Srivastava VK , Agrawal S , Ahmed M , Sharma S
Published: October 2015

Note: On 26th October, the author 'A. Agrawal' was corrected TO 'S. Agrawal'.Myasthenia gravis is a disease of great challenge to the anesthesiologist, because it affects the neuromuscular junction. Anesthetic management involves either muscle relaxant or non-muscle relaxant techniques. This case report documents the safe use of fentanyl, propofol and sevoflurane combination guided by bispectral index, without the use of muscle relaxants in a patient with myasthenia gravis who presented for meningioma surgery.Kathmandu University Medical Journal Vol.13(1) 2015; 80-82
Determinants of chronic physical health conditions in Canadian Veterans
Authors: Rebeira Mayvis , Grootendorst Paul , Coyte Peter C.
Published: October 2015

Introduction: Limited information is available about the determinants of chronic health conditions of Veterans despite the increasingly perilous nature of military engagements in recent decades. Methods: Econometric analysis, using probit and negative binomial models, was conducted on the basis of data from a cross-sectional self-reported health survey of Canadian Veterans to investigate the determinants of musculoskeletal, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular health conditions; pain; and diabetes. Results: The results stress the role of military service–related factors in the increased likelihood of chronic physical health conditions in Canadian Veterans. Army Veterans had an increased probability of musculoskeletal (0.08, p ≤ 0.001) and gastrointestinal (0.05, p ≤ 0.001) conditions and pain (0.07, p ≤ 0.01). Veterans who were deployed had an increased risk of musculoskeletal conditions (0.08, p ≤ 0.001) and pain (0.06, p ≤ 0.001). In terms of non–service-related factors, the results confirm the role of obesity as a statistically significant determinant of chronic musculoskeletal, respiratory, and cardiovascular conditions; pain; and diabetes. Female Veterans were also at higher risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal conditions. Low-income Veterans have increased probability of musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, pain, and cardiovascular conditions, and the risk decreased with rising income level. Finally, Veterans with mental health conditions had increased odds of musculoskeletal (OR = 2.79, p ≤ 0.001), respiratory (OR = 2.40, p ≤ 0.001), gastrointestinal (3.66, p ≤ 0.001), pain (OR = 2.61, p ≤ 0.001), and cardiovascular (OR = 1.45, p ≤ 0.01) conditions and diabetes (OR = 1.37, p ≤ 0.05). Discussion: The findings have important clinical and health resource use implications as Veterans seek treatment in community settings once they transition from military to civilian life. They also serve to advance the research agenda on the health of Veterans, an understudied population in Canada.
Coming home: the experiences and implication of reintegration for military families
Authors: Marek Lydia I. , Moore Lyn E.
Published: October 2015

Introduction: Although military families are typically resilient in the face of adversity, the current literature suggests that the aftermath of deployment involves numerous stressors and difficulties for these families for a long period. Method: Using a sample of 380 US service members, 295 partners of US service members, and 136 adolescents who experienced a full deployment cycle of a service member parent, this study addresses the gaps in knowledge by examining how factors identified in prior research (reintegration stress and coping, preparation and expectations, family functioning and parental satisfaction, perceived adolescent changes between deployment and reintegration, and adolescents’ perception of family functioning) affect reintegration stress and coping for US service members, partners of US service members (someone who identifies as being in a significant relationship with a service member), and adolescents. Results: Better service member coping, satisfaction with family deployment coping, better preparation, and accurate expectations were all found to be associated with lower reintegration stress. Discussion: Findings point to the need for a systemic approach throughout the deployment cycle for better reintegration outcomes for military individuals and families.
Characterized Subgroups of Topological Abelian Groups
Authors: Dikranjan Dikran , Giordano Bruno Anna , Impieri Daniele
Published: October 2015

A subgroup H of a topological abelian group X is said to be characterized by a sequence v = (vn) of characters of X if H = {x ∈ X : vn(x) → 0 in T}. We study the basic properties of characterized subgroups in the general setting, extending results known in the compact case. For a better description, we isolate various types of characterized subgroups. Moreover, we introduce the relevant class of auto-characterized groups (namely, the groups that are characterized subgroups of themselves by means of a sequence of non-null characters); in the case of locally compact abelian groups, these are proven to be exactly the non-compact ones. As a by-product of our results, we find a complete description of the characterized subgroups of discrete abelian groups.
Perceptions of Obvious and Disruptive Climate Change: Community-Based Risk Assessment for Two Native Villages in Alaska
Authors: Rosales Jon , Chapman Jessica
Published: October 2015

This work operationalizes the determinants of climate change risk, exposure and vulnerability, through the perceptions held by Native hunters, fishers, and gatherers in Savoonga and Shaktoolik, Alaska. Informed by their skill, experience, and the traditional knowledge of their elders, hunters, fishers, and gatherers in these communities are astute observers of their environment and environmental change. A questionnaire is used to sort and rank their perceptions of the most obvious and disruptive elements of climate change as representations of exposure and vulnerability, respectively. Results represent the relative strength and significance of those perceptions of environmental change. In addition to other changes, storms are among the most obvious and disruptive impacts of climate change to respondents in both communities, while changes to sea ice tend to be more disruptive in Savoonga, a more ice-obligate culture, than Shaktoolik. Changes on the tundra are more obvious in Shaktoolik, but is the least disruptive category of change in both villages. Changes along the coast were both obvious and disruptive, albeit more so in Shaktoolik than Savoonga. The findings suggest that traditional ecological knowledge is a valuable source of information to access perceptions of risk, and develop climate risk management and adaptation plans. The questionnaire design and statistical methodology may be of interest to those working on community-based adaptation and risk assessment projects in high-risk, poor, and marginalized Native communities with small populations.
Wealth Inequality and Mental Disability Among the Chinese Population: A Population Based Study
Authors: Wang Zhenjie , Du Wei , Pang Lihua , Zhang Lei , Chen Gong , Zheng Xiaoying
Published: October 2015

In the study described herein, we investigated and explored the association between wealth inequality and the risk of mental disability in the Chinese population. We used nationally represented, population-based data from the second China National Sample Survey on Disability, conducted in 2006. A total of 1,724,398 study subjects between the ages of 15 and 64, including 10,095 subjects with mental disability only, were used for the analysis. Wealth status was estimated by a wealth index that was derived from a principal component analysis of 10 household assets and four other variables related to wealth. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for mental disability for each category, with the lowest quintile category as the referent. Confounding variables under consideration were age, gender, residence area, marital status, ethnicity, education, current employment status, household size, house type, homeownership and living arrangement. The distribution of various types and severities of mental disability differed significantly by wealth index category in the present population. Wealth index category had a positive association with mild mental disability (p for trend <0.01), but had a negative association with extremely severe mental disability (p for trend <0.01). Moreover, wealth index category had a significant, inverse association with mental disability when all severities of mental disability were taken into consideration. This study’s results suggest that wealth is a significant factor in the distribution of mental disability and it might have different influences on various types and severities of mental disability.
A GIS-Based Web Approach for Serving Land Price Information
Authors: Yang Yongjun , Sun Yaqin , Li Songnian , Zhang Shaoliang , Wang Kuoyin , Hou Huping , Xu Shishuo
Published: October 2015

Participants in the land market are usually hampered to browse and analyze the land price information due to the lack of information sources and available analysis tools. A service-oriented GIS-based web system was developed to provide a practical solution, its essential data sources contain basic geographic elements and benchmark land price (BLP)-related information. Core models for land price analysis were implemented, including land price index, spatial distribution, and parcel appraisal. The system was developed based on a four-level Browse Server (B/S) architecture using GIS and web service technologies, which enables the publishing, browsing, and analysis of the land price information via the Internet. With effective functionalities, the system has been employed in a project for updating BLP in a case study city located in China. The main advantage of the GIS-based web approach lies in its integration of spatial-temporal analysis models and web GIS technology, which allows more investors and administrators with limited domain knowledge to obtain further understanding on the change pattern and spatial distribution of land price by an online means. The experience in the case study city demonstrates that the approach has strong practicality for land price information services.
Extracting Urban Land Use from Linked Open Geospatial Data
Authors: Calegari Gloria , Carlino Emanuela , Peroni Diego , Celino Irene
Published: October 2015

The ever-increasing availability of linked open geospatial data provides an unprecedented source of geo-information to describe urban environments. This wealth of data should be turned into actionable knowledge: for example, open data could be used as a proxy or substitute for closed or expensive information. The successful employment of linked open geospatial data can pave the way for innovative solutions to smart city problems. In this paper, we illustrate a set of experiments that, starting from linked open geospatial data, execute a knowledge discovery process to predict urban semantics. More specifically, we leverage geo-information about points of interests as input in a classification model of land use at a moderate spatial resolution (250 meters) over wide urban areas in Europe. We replicate our experiments in different European cities—Milano, München, Barcelona and Brussels—to ensure the repeatability and generality of our approach, and we explain the experimental conditions, as well as the employed datasets to guarantee reproducibility. We extensively report on quantitative and qualitative evaluation results, to judge the validity, as well as the limitations of our proposed approach.
Metabolomics to Decipher the Chemical Defense of Cereals against Fusarium graminearum and Deoxynivalenol Accumulation
Authors: Gauthier Léa , Atanasova-Penichon Vessela , Chéreau Sylvain , Richard-Forget Florence
Published: October 2015

Fusarium graminearum is the causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB) and Gibberella ear rot (GER), two devastating diseases of wheat, barley, and maize. Furthermore, F. graminearum species can produce type B trichothecene mycotoxins that accumulate in grains. Use of FHB and GER resistant cultivars is one of the most promising strategies to reduce damage induced by F. graminearum. Combined with genetic approaches, metabolomic ones can provide powerful opportunities for plant breeding through the identification of resistant biomarker metabolites which have the advantage of integrating the genetic background and the influence of the environment. In the past decade, several metabolomics attempts have been made to decipher the chemical defense that cereals employ to counteract F. graminearum. By covering the major classes of metabolites that have been highlighted and addressing their potential role, this review demonstrates the complex and integrated network of events that cereals can orchestrate to resist to F. graminearum.
Inorganic Syntheses Assisted by Microwave Heating
Authors: Leonelli Cristina , Komarneni Sridhar
Published: October 2015

This Special Issue on “Inorganic Syntheses Assisted by Microwave Heating” represents one of the few fully dedicated issues on inorganic microwave synthesis published by any international scientific journal and it features five papers and one review article. [...]
Single-Crystal Y2O3 Epitaxially on GaAs(001) and (111) Using Atomic Layer Deposition
Authors: Lin Y. , Cheng C. , Chen K. , Fu C. , Chang T. , Hsu C. , Kwo J. , Hong M.
Published: October 2015

Single-crystal atomic-layer-deposited (ALD) Y\(_{\mathrm{2}}\)O\(_{\mathrm{3}}\) films 2 nm thick were epitaxially grown on molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) GaAs(001)-4 \(\times\) 6 and GaAs(111)A-2 \(\times\) 2 reconstructed surfaces. The in-plane epitaxy between the ALD-oxide films and GaAs was observed using \textit{in-situ} reflection high-energy electron diffraction in our uniquely designed MBE/ALD multi-chamber system. More detailed studies on the crystallography of the hetero-structures were carried out using high-resolution synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction. When deposited on GaAs(001), the Y\(_{\mathrm{2}}\)O\(_{\mathrm{3}}\) films are of a cubic phase and have (110) as the film normal, with the orientation relationship being determined: Y\(_{\mathrm{2}}\)O\(_{\mathrm{3}}\)(\(110\))[\(001\)][\(\overline{1}10\)]//GaAs(\(001\))[\(110\)][\(1\overline{1}0\)]. On GaAs(\(111\))A, the Y\(_{\mathrm{2}}\)O\(_{\mathrm{3}}\) films are also of a cubic phase with (\(111\)) as the film normal, having the orientation relationship of Y\(_{\mathrm{2}}\)O\(_{\mathrm{3}}\)(\(111\))[\(2\overline{1}\overline{1}\)] [\(01\overline{1}\)]//GaAs (\(111\)) [\(\overline{2}11\)][\(0\overline{1}1\)]. The relevant orientation for the present/future integrated circuit platform is (\(001\)). The ALD-Y\(_{\mathrm{2}}\)O\(_{\mathrm{3}}\)/GaAs(\(001\))-4 \(\times\) 6 has shown excellent electrical properties. These include small frequency dispersion in the capacitance-voltage CV curves at accumulation of ~7% and ~14% for the respective p- and n-type samples with the measured frequencies of 1 MHz to 100 Hz. The interfacial trap density (Dit) is low of ~10\(^{12}\) cm\(^{−2}\)eV\(^{−1}\) as extracted from measured quasi-static CVs. The frequency dispersion at accumulation and the D\(_{it}\) are the lowest ever achieved among all the ALD-oxides on GaAs(\(001\)).
Antioxidant Properties of Essential Oil Extracted from Pinus morrisonicola Hay Needles by Supercritical Fluid and Identification of Possible Active Compounds by GC/MS
Authors: Cheng Ming-Ching , Chang Wen-Hua , Chen Chih-Wei , Li Wen-Wing , Tseng Chin-Yin , Song Tuzz-Ying
Published: October 2015

Pine (Pinus morrisonicola Hay, PM) needles have been used as folk medicine for their antihypertension and lipid-lowering effects. As supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is considered an ideal technique for the extraction of essential oil from plant materials, the present work investigated the optimal SFE conditions and the protective effects of different resulting fractions of PM needles on lipid peroxidation and foam cell production in macrophages. Nine PM needle extracts (PME1–9) were obtained in 1%–4% yields using different SFE conditions, of which PME1 had the lowest yield (1.1%) and PME3 the highest (3.9%). PME3 exhibited lower cytotoxic effects and stronger inhibition of lipid peroxidation and formation of foam cell in RAW 264.7 macrophages than those of other PME extracts. PME3-1 purified from PME3 by column and thin layer chromatography inhibited LDL oxidation more effectively than did PME3 in a cell-free system oxidized by Cu2+. PME3-1 dose-dependently (25–100 μg/mL) decreased conjugated diene levels and foam cell formation induced by ox-LDL. GC/MS analyses revealed that 1-docosene, neophytadiene, and methyl abietate were increased 5.2-, 1.7- and 4.3-fold in PME3-1 relative to PME3. A new hydrocarbon compound, cedrane-8,13-diol, was identified in PME3-1. Overall, the present study demonstrates the optimal extraction conditions of SFE of PM and identifies the most potent antioxidant fractions and possible active compounds in PM.
RC Columns Strengthened with Novel CFRP Systems: An Experimental Study
Authors: Napoli Annalisa , Realfonzo Roberto
Published: October 2015

This paper presents an experimental study undertaken to investigate the seismic behavior of full scale square (300 mm × 300 mm) reinforced concrete (RC) columns strengthened with novel systems employing carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) wraps. Experimental tests were carried out by subjecting specimens to a constant axial load and a cyclically reversed horizontal force applied in displacement control. Results have allowed for investigating the influence of the used strengthening systems on the specimens’ performance in terms of flexural strength and ductility as well as on the exhibited failure modes. The effectiveness of the studied techniques is also evaluated by comparing the performance of tested specimens with that of companion columns strengthened with alternative CFRP systems investigated in a previous experimental campaign.
Semi-Empirical Calibration of the Integral Equation Model for Co-Polarized L-Band Backscattering
Authors: Baghdadi Nicolas , Zribi Mehrez , Paloscia Simonetta , Verhoest Niko , Lievens Hans , Baup Frederic , Mattia Francesco
Published: October 2015

The objective of this paper is to extend the semi-empirical calibration of the backscattering Integral Equation Model (IEM) initially proposed for Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data at C- and X-bands to SAR data at L-band. A large dataset of radar signal and in situ measurements (soil moisture and surface roughness) over bare soil surfaces were used. This dataset was collected over numerous agricultural study sites in France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany and Italy using various SAR sensors (AIRSAR, SIR-C, JERS-1, PALSAR-1, ESAR). Results showed slightly better simulations with exponential autocorrelation function than with Gaussian function and with HH than with VV. Using the exponential autocorrelation function, the mean difference between experimental data and Integral Equation Model (IEM) simulations is +0.4 dB in HH and −1.2 dB in VV with a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) about 3.5 dB. In order to improve the modeling results of the IEM for a better use in the inversion of SAR data, a semi-empirical calibration of the IEM was performed at L-band in replacing the correlation length derived from field experiments by a fitting parameter. Better agreement was observed between the backscattering coefficient provided by the SAR and that simulated by the calibrated version of the IEM (RMSE about 2.2 dB).
Vegetation Dynamics and Associated Driving Forces in Eastern China during 1999–2008
Authors: Peng Jian , Li You , Tian Lu , Liu Yanxu , Wang Yanglin
Published: October 2015

Vegetation is one of the most important components of the terrestrial ecosystem and, thus, monitoring the spatial and temporal dynamics of vegetation has become the key to exploring the basic process of the terrestrial ecosystem. Vegetation change studies have focused on the relationship between climatic factors and vegetation dynamics. However, correlations among the climatic factors always disturb the results. In addition, the impact of anthropogenic activities on vegetation dynamics was indeterminate. Here, vegetation dynamics in 14 provinces in Eastern China over a 10-year period was quantified to determine the driving mechanisms relating to climate and anthropogenic factors using partial correlation analysis. The results showed that from 1999 to 2008, the vegetation density increased in the whole, with spatial variations. The vegetation improvement was concentrated in the Yangtze River Delta, with the vegetation degradation concentrated in the other developed areas, such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region and the Pearl River Delta. The annual NDVI changes were mainly driven by temperature in Northeast China and the Pearl River Delta, and by precipitation in the Bohai Rim; while in the Yangtze River Delta, the driving forces of temperature and precipitation almost equaled each other. Furthermore, the impact of anthropogenic activities on vegetation dynamics had accumulative effects in the time series, and had a phase effect on the vegetation change trend.
Sparse Bayesian Learning for DOA Estimation with Mutual Coupling
Authors: Dai Jisheng , Hu Nan , Xu Weichao , Chang Chunqi
Published: October 2015

Sparse Bayesian learning (SBL) has given renewed interest to the problem of direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation. It is generally assumed that the measurement matrix in SBL is precisely known. Unfortunately, this assumption may be invalid in practice due to the imperfect manifold caused by unknown or misspecified mutual coupling. This paper describes a modified SBL method for joint estimation of DOAs and mutual coupling coefficients with uniform linear arrays (ULAs). Unlike the existing method that only uses stationary priors, our new approach utilizes a hierarchical form of the Student t prior to enforce the sparsity of the unknown signal more heavily. We also provide a distinct Bayesian inference for the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm, which can update the mutual coupling coefficients more efficiently. Another difference is that our method uses an additional singular value decomposition (SVD) to reduce the computational complexity of the signal reconstruction process and the sensitivity to the measurement noise.
Maximum Measurement Range and Accuracy of SAW Reflective Delay Line Sensors
Authors: Zheng Zehua , Han Tao , Qin Peng
Published: October 2015

In a surface acoustic wave (SAW) wireless sensor with a reflective delay line structure, three reflectors are often used to eliminate 2π ambiguity of phase measurement. The maximum range of the measured parameter and the maximum accuracy have recently been attracting much research attention. In this paper, an analytical formula for all the factors influencing the measurement range and accuracy of the delay line SAW sensor are deduced for the first time. The factors include: the sensor sensitivity, the topology of the delay line, the available wireless bandwidth and the allowed maximum phase measuring error of the reading system, which is easier to retrieve and more fully describes the possible noises than SNR. Additionally, many designers believe that increasing the reflector could improve accuracy continuously or realize multi-resolution measurement. However, they ignore some certain criteria that the reflector location must satisfy. The reachable maximum accuracy by every increase of a reflector is also presented. A SAW temperature sensor system using 128° YX-LiNbO3 is designed to verify the above theoretical analysis.