bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling Pediatric Body Mass Index and Neighborhood Environment at Different Spatial Scales
Authors: Grant Lauren , Gennings Chris , Wickham Edmond , Chapman Derek , Sun Shumei , Wheeler David
Published: March 2018

In public health research, it has been well established that geographic location plays an important role in influencing health outcomes. In recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on the impact of neighborhood or contextual factors as potential risk factors for childhood obesity. Some neighborhood factors relevant to childhood obesity include access to food sources, access to recreational facilities, neighborhood safety, and socioeconomic status (SES) variables. It is common for neighborhood or area-level variables to be available at multiple spatial scales (SS) or geographic units, such as the census block group and census tract, and selection of the spatial scale for area-level variables can be considered as a model selection problem. In this paper, we model the variation in body mass index (BMI) in a study of pediatric patients of the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Medical Center, while considering the selection of spatial scale for a set of neighborhood-level variables available at multiple spatial scales using four recently proposed spatial scale selection algorithms: SS forward stepwise regression, SS incremental forward stagewise regression, SS least angle regression (LARS), and SS lasso. For pediatric BMI, we found evidence of significant positive associations with visit age and black race at the individual level, percent Hispanic white at the census block group level, percent Hispanic black at the census tract level, and percent vacant housing at the census tract level. We also found significant negative associations with population density at the census tract level, median household income at the census tract level, percent renter at the census tract level, and exercise equipment expenditures at the census block group level. The SS algorithms selected covariates at different spatial scales, producing better goodness-of-fit in comparison to traditional models, where all area-level covariates were modeled at the same scale. These findings underscore the importance of considering spatial scale when performing model selection.
Python Non-Uniform Fast Fourier Transform (PyNUFFT): An Accelerated Non-Cartesian MRI Package on a Heterogeneous Platform (CPU/GPU)
Authors: Lin Jyh-Miin
Published: March 2018

A Python non-uniform fast Fourier transform (PyNUFFT) package has been developed to accelerate multidimensional non-Cartesian image reconstruction on heterogeneous platforms. Since scientific computing with Python encompasses a mature and integrated environment, the time efficiency of the NUFFT algorithm has been a major obstacle to real-time non-Cartesian image reconstruction with Python. The current PyNUFFT software enables multi-dimensional NUFFT accelerated on a heterogeneous platform, which yields an efficient solution to many non-Cartesian imaging problems. The PyNUFFT also provides several solvers, including the conjugate gradient method, ℓ1 total variation regularized ordinary least square (L1TV-OLS), and ℓ1 total variation regularized least absolute deviation (L1TV-LAD). Metaprogramming libraries have been employed to accelerate PyNUFFT. The PyNUFFT package has been tested on multi-core central processing units (CPUs) and graphic processing units (GPUs), with acceleration factors of 6.3–9.5× on a 32-thread CPU platform and 5.4–13× on a GPU.
Cognitive Development Is a Reconstruction Process that May Follow Different Pathways: The Case of Number
Authors: Lautrey Jacques
Published: March 2018

Some cognitive functions shared by humans and certain animals were acquired early in the course of phylogeny and, in humans, are operational in their primitive form shortly after birth. This is the case for the quantification of discrete objects. The further phylogenetic evolution of the human brain allows such functions to be reconstructed in a much more sophisticated way during child development. Certain functional characteristics of the brain (plasticity, multiple cognitive processes involved in the same response, interactions, and substitution relationships between those processes) provide degrees of freedom that open up the possibility of different pathways of reconstruction. The within- and between-individual variability of these developmental pathways offers an original window on the dynamics of development. Here, I will illustrate this theoretical approach to cognitive development—which can be called “reconstructivist” and “pluralistic”—using children’s construction of number as an example.
In Vitro Analysis of the Fracture Resistance of CAD/CAM Denture Base Resins
Authors: Steinmassl Otto , Offermanns Vincent , Stöckl Wolfgang , Dumfahrt Herbert , Grunert Ingrid , Steinmassl Patricia-Anca
Published: March 2018

Computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) denture base manufacturers claim to produce their resin pucks under high heat and pressure. Therefore, CAD/CAM dentures are assumed to have enhanced mechanical properties and, as a result, are often produced with lower denture base thicknesses than conventional, manually fabricated dentures. The aim of this study was to investigate if commercially available CAD/CAM denture base resins have more favourable mechanical properties than conventionally processed denture base resins. For this purpose, a series of three-point bending tests conforming to ISO specifications were performed on a total of 80 standardised, rectangular CAD/CAM denture base resin specimens from five different manufacturers (AvaDent, Baltic Denture System, Vita VIONIC, Whole You Nexteeth, and Wieland Digital Dentures). A heat-polymerising resin and an autopolymerising resin served as the control groups. The breaking load, fracture toughness, and the elastic modulus were assessed. Additionally, the fracture surface roughness and texture were investigated. Only one CAD/CAM resin showed a significantly increased breaking load. Two CAD/CAM resins had a significantly higher fracture toughness than the control groups, and all CAD/CAM resins had higher elastic moduli than the controls. Our results indicate that CAD/CAM denture base resins do not generally have better mechanical properties than manually processed resins. Therefore, the lower minimum denture base thicknesses should be regarded with some caution.
Arc Brazing of Aluminium, Aluminium Matrix Composites and Stainless Steel in Dissimilar Joints
Authors: Grund Thomas , Gester Andreas , Wagner Guntram , Habisch Stefan , Mayr Peter
Published: March 2018

The publication describes the approaches and results of the investigation of arc brazing processes to produce dissimilar joints of particle reinforced aluminium matrix composites (AMC) to aluminium alloys and steels. Arc brazing allows for low thermal energy input to the joint parts, and is hence suitable to be applied to AMC. In addition, a braze filler B-Al40Ag40Cu20 alloyed with Si with a liquidus temperature of below 500 °C is selected to further reduce the thermal energy input during joining. The microstructures of the joining zones were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), as well as their hardness profile characterised and discussed. Joint strengths were measured by tensile shear tests, and resulting areas of fracture were discussed in accordance to the joints’ microstructures and gained bond strength values.
Predicting Cyanide Consumption in Gold Leaching: A Kinetic and Thermodynamic Modeling Approach
Authors: Kianinia Yaser , Khalesi Mohammad , Abdollahy Mahmoud , Hefter Glenn , Senanayake Gamini , Hnedkovsky Lubomir , Khodadadi Darban Ahmad , Shahbazi Marjan
Published: March 2018

The consumption of cyanide during processing operations is a major economic cost in the extraction of gold from its ores, while the discharge of cyanide wastes may result in significant environmental pollution. Many factors influence the levels of consumption and discharge of cyanide, including ore mineralogy and lixiviant solution chemistry. This paper proposes a robust methodology to estimate leaching cyanide consumption due to oxidation and reactions with gold, chalcopyrite and pyrite minerals forming various cyanide complexes, cyanate, thiocyanate and hydroxide precipitates of copper and iron. The method involves concurrent modelling of both the oxidation and leaching kinetics of minerals and the chemical speciation of the lixiviant solutions. The model was calibrated by conducting cyanide leaching experiments on pyrite, chalcopyrite, pyrite + chalcopyrite, pyrite + chalcopyrite + gold and pyrite + chalcopyrite + gold + quartz systems and determining the total Cu, Fe, Au and CN− concentrations in solution. We show that this model can successfully estimate the formation of cyanide complexes and, hence, the consumption of cyanide.
Sensitive Detection of 8-Nitroguanine in DNA by Chemical Derivatization Coupled with Online Solid-Phase Extraction LC-MS/MS
Authors: Hu Chiung-Wen , Chang Yuan-Jhe , Chen Jian-Lian , Hsu Yu-Wen , Chao Mu-Rong
Published: March 2018

8-Nitroguanine (8-nitroG) is a major mutagenic nucleobase lesion generated by peroxynitrite during inflammation and has been used as a potential biomarker to evaluate inflammation-related carcinogenesis. Here, we present an online solid-phase extraction (SPE) LC-MS/MS method with 6-methoxy-2-naphthyl glyoxal hydrate (MTNG) derivatization for a sensitive and precise measurement of 8-nitroG in DNA. Derivatization optimization revealed that an excess of MTNG is required to achieve complete derivatization in DNA hydrolysates (MTNG: 8-nitroG molar ratio of 3740:1). The use of online SPE effectively avoided ion-source contamination from derivatization reagent by washing away all unreacted MTNG before column chromatography and the ionization process in mass spectrometry. With the use of isotope-labeled internal standard, the detection limit was as low as 0.015 nM. Inter- and intraday imprecision was <5.0%. This method was compared to a previous direct LC-MS/MS method without derivatization. The comparison showed an excellent fit and consistency, suggesting that the present method has satisfactory effectiveness and reliability for 8-nitroG analysis. This method was further applied to determine the 8-nitroG in human urine. 8-NitroG was not detectable using LC-MS/MS with derivatization, whereas a significant false-positive signal was detected without derivatization. It highlights the use of MTNG derivatization in 8-nitroG analysis for increasing the method specificity.
Capturing the Alternative Cleavage and Polyadenylation Sites of 14 NAC Genes in Populus Using a Combination of 3′-RACE and High-Throughput Sequencing
Authors: Wang Haoran , Wang Mingxiu , Cheng Qiang
Published: March 2018

Detection of complex splice sites (SSs) and polyadenylation sites (PASs) of eukaryotic genes is essential for the elucidation of gene regulatory mechanisms. Transcriptome-wide studies using high-throughput sequencing (HTS) have revealed prevalent alternative splicing (AS) and alternative polyadenylation (APA) in plants. However, small-scale and high-depth HTS aimed at detecting genes or gene families are very few and limited. We explored a convenient and flexible method for profiling SSs and PASs, which combines rapid amplification of 3′-cDNA ends (3′-RACE) and HTS. Fourteen NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, CUC2) transcription factor genes of Populus trichocarpa were analyzed by 3′-RACE-seq. Based on experimental reproducibility, boundary sequence analysis and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) verification, only canonical SSs were considered to be authentic. Based on stringent criteria, candidate PASs without any internal priming features were chosen as authentic PASs and assumed to be PAS-rich markers. Thirty-four novel canonical SSs, six intronic/internal exons and thirty 3′-UTR PAS-rich markers were revealed by 3′-RACE-seq. Using 3′-RACE and real-time PCR, we confirmed that three APA transcripts ending in/around PAS-rich markers were differentially regulated in response to plant hormones. Our results indicate that 3′-RACE-seq is a robust and cost-effective method to discover SSs and label active regions subjected to APA for genes or gene families. The method is suitable for small-scale AS and APA research in the initial stage.
First Look at the Venom of Naja ashei
Authors: Hus Konrad , Buczkowicz Justyna , Petrilla Vladimír , Petrillová Monika , Łyskowski Andrzej , Legáth Jaroslav , Bocian Aleksandra
Published: March 2018

Naja ashei is an African spitting cobra species closely related to N. mossambica and N. nigricollis. It is known that the venom of N. ashei, like that of other African spitting cobras, mainly has cytotoxic effects, however data about its specific protein composition are not yet available. Thus, an attempt was made to determine the venom proteome of N. ashei with the use of 2-D electrophoresis and MALDI ToF/ToF (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight) mass spectrometry techniques. Our investigation revealed that the main components of analysed venom are 3FTxs (Three-Finger Toxins) and PLA2s (Phospholipases A2). Additionally the presence of cysteine-rich venom proteins, 5′-nucleotidase and metalloproteinases has also been confirmed. The most interesting fact derived from this study is that the venom of N. ashei includes proteins not described previously in other African spitting cobras—cobra venom factor and venom nerve growth factor. To our knowledge, there are currently no other reports concerning this venom composition and we believe that our results will significantly increase interest in research of this species.
Anthocyanin-Rich Grape Pomace Extract (Vitis vinifera L.) from Wine Industry Affects Mitochondrial Bioenergetics and Glucose Metabolism in Human Hepatocarcinoma HepG2 Cells
Authors: De Sales Nathalia , Silva da Costa Leandro , Carneiro Talita , Minuzzo Daniela , Oliveira Felipe , Cabral Lourdes , Torres Alexandre , El-Bacha Tatiana
Published: March 2018

Cancer cells demand high ATP provisions to support proliferation, and targeting of energy metabolism is a good strategy to increase their sensitivity to treatments. In Brazil, wine manufacture is expanding, increasing the amount of pomace that is produced. We determined the phenolic composition and antioxidant properties of a dark skin Grape Pomace Extract and its effects on metabolism and redox state in human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells. The material and the methods used represented the industrial process since pomace derived from white wine production and the extract concentrated by pilot plant scale reverse osmosis. Grape pomace extract was rich in polyphenols, mainly anthocyanins, and presented high antioxidant capacity. Short-term metabolic effects, irrespective of any cytotoxicity, involved increased mitochondrial respiration and antioxidant capacity and decreased glycolytic metabolism. Long-term incubation was cytotoxic and cells died by necrosis and GPE was not toxic to non-cancer human fibroblasts. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to characterize pomace extract from white wine production from Brazilian winemaking regarding its effects on energy metabolism, suggesting its potential use for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical purposes.
Ultra-Fine Bubble Distributions in a Plant Factory Observed by Transmission Electron Microscope with a Freeze-Fracture Replica Technique
Authors: Uchida Tsutomu , Nishikawa Hitoshi , Sakurai Nobuki , Asano Masashi , Noda Naoki
Published: March 2018

Water containing ultra-fine bubbles (UFB) may promote plant growth. But, as UFBs are too small to distinguish from other impurities in a nutrient solution, it is not known if UFBs survive transport from the water source to the rhizosphere. Here we use the freeze-fracture replica method and a transmission electron microscope (TEM) to observe UFBs in the nutrient solutions used in a crop-growing system known as a plant factory. In this factory, TEM images taken from various points in the supply line indicate that the concentration of UFBs in the nutrient solution is conserved, starting from their addition to the nutrient solution in the buffer tank, through the peat-moss layer, all the way to the rhizosphere. Measurements also show that a thin film formed on the surface of UFBs in the nutrient solution, with greater film thickness at the rhizosphere. This film is considered to be made from the accumulation of impurities coming from solute and the peat-moss layer.
Low Molecular Weight Chitosan-Coated PLGA Nanoparticles for Pulmonary Delivery of Tobramycin for Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Al-Nemrawi Nusaiba , Alshraiedeh Nid’’A , Zayed Aref , Altaani Bashar
Published: March 2018

(1) Background: Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with Tobramycin were prepared using a solvent-evaporation method. (2) Methods: The NPs were coated with low molecular weight chitosan (LMWC) to enhance the mucoadhesiveness of PLGA-NPs. The following w/w ratios of tobramycin to LMWC were prepared: control (0:0.50), F0 (1:0.25), F0.5 (1:0.5), and F1 (1:1). (3) Results: The results showed that the size of the particles increased from 220.7 nm to 575.77 nm as the concentration of LMWC used in the formulation increased. The surface charge was also affected by the amount of LMWC, where uncoated-PLGA nanoparticles had negative charges (−2.8 mV), while coated-PLGA NPs had positive charges (+33.47 to +50.13 mV). SEM confirmed the size and the spherical homogeneous morphology of the NPs. Coating the NPs with LMWC enhanced the mucoadhesive properties of the NPs and sustained the tobramycin release over two days. Finally, all NPs had antimicrobial activity that increased as the amount of LMWC increased. (4) Conclusion: In conclusion, the formulation of mucoadhesive, controlled-release, tobramycin-LMWC-PLGA nanoparticles for the treatment of P. aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis patients is possible, and their properties could be controlled by controlling the concentration of LMWC.
Mechanical Properties of Rice Husk Biochar Reinforced High Density Polyethylene Composites
Authors: Zhang Qingfa , Yi Weiming , Li Zhihe , Wang Lihong , Cai Hongzhen
Published: March 2018

Rice husk biochar was utilized to reinforce high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and to prepare biochar/plastic composites (BPC) by the extrusion method. Morphologies, non-isothermal crystallization behavior, and mechanical properties of the composites were investigated. The SEM (scanning electron microscope) showed that HDPE was embedded into the holes of the rice husk biochar. The DSC (differential scanning calorimeter) showed that biochar could reduce the crystallization rate and the higher the content of rice husk biochar, the slower the crystallization rate. Significantly, the bending and tensile strength of BPC could reach 53.7 and 20 MPa, far beyond WPC (wood plastic composites). With the increase of filler content, BPC were still stronger than WPC, although the impact strength of BPC and WPC all showed a general decline in the trend. The strong interaction was achieved by the utilization of rice husk biochar to reinforce HDPE.
Preparation and Characterization of Self-Colored Waterborne Polyurethane and Its Application in Eco-Friendly Manufacturing of Microfiber Synthetic Leather Base
Authors: Wang Yulu , Jin Liqiang
Published: March 2018

A novel self-colored waterborne polyurethane (SCPU) was synthesized and used in the preparation of a microfiber synthetic leather (MS-Leather) base in order to reduce the pollution caused by N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and dyes. The SCPU was prepared using the reaction of a reactive brilliant red K-2G with a waterborne polyurethane which was then extended via a first generation of hyperbranched poly(amine-ester). With the introduction of the dye, new absorption peaks at 1118 cm−1 [S=O], 1413 cm−1 [N=N], and 1635 cm−1 [C=N] appeared in the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum of SCPU, and SCPU mean particle size increased to 162 nm. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) peak intensity of SCPU at 19.27° was 1310 cts. The thermal stability of SCPU at 200–280 °C was inferior to that of the control sample; however, it improved at temperatures above 360 °C. Finally, a free-dyeing MS-Leather base prepared by using SCPU without DMF was manufactured. It was found that the dyes were distributed mainly in the polyurethane matrix rather than in the microfibers. Moreover, the color changes of the base before and after being washed in both a water and a soap solution were 0.93 and 4.21, respectively. This indicated that the base’s washing color fastness to water was better than to a soap solution.
Marx, the Praxis of Liberation Theology, and the Bane of Religious Epistemology
Authors: Lamola Malesela John
Published: March 2018

Can religious epistemology aid in the transformation of the world to the same effect as Marxist Theory? Utilizing an approach derived from Louis Althusser’s isolation of the radical implications of the epistemological break of Karl Marx, from his Feuerbachain theological thought to a materialist epistemological tradition, we probe the relationship between the mystical intent of Christian theology and the appearance of praxis as a category derived from the Marxist lexicon, within the modus cogitans of Latin American theology of liberation. We problematise the transcendentalism that liberation theology places on social practice, in its retention of a spiritualist Weltanschauung as the preeminent framework for the critique of socio-historical reality. Far from being a materialist-transformative “epistemological break” from orthodox theology, this putative theology of revolution is thus exposed as being a brand of a Hegelian theosophy, which is discontinuous with the dialectical understanding of the socio-material basis of human relations that emerges around Marxist Theory, namely praxis. Our leitmotif is therefore a claim that political theology, qua theology in general, and the Latin American Theology of Liberation in particular, have a limited efficacy as a theoretical tool for socio-political transformation, due to its inherent transcendentalist and rationalistic orientation.
The Exponential Estimate of the Ultimate Ruin Probability for the Non-Homogeneous Renewal Risk Model
Authors: Kizinevič Edita , Šiaulys Jonas
Published: March 2018

In this work, the non-homogeneous risk model is considered. In such a model, claims and inter-arrival times are independent but possibly non-identically distributed. The easily verifiable conditions are found such that the ultimate ruin probability of the model satisfies the exponential estimate exp { − ϱ u } for all values of the initial surplus u ⩾ 0 . Algorithms to estimate the positive constant ϱ are also presented. In fact, these algorithms are the main contribution of this work. Sharpness of the derived inequalities is illustrated by several numerical examples.
Improvement of Moderate Resolution Land Use and Land Cover Classification by Introducing Adjacent Region Features
Authors: Yu Longlong , Su Jinhe , Li Chun , Wang Le , Luo Ze , Yan Baoping
Published: March 2018

Landsat-like moderate resolution remote sensing images are widely used in land use and land cover (LULC) classification. Limited by coarser resolutions, most of the traditional LULC classifications that are based on moderate resolution remote sensing images focus on the spectral features of a single pixel. Inspired by the spatial evaluation methods in landscape ecology, this study proposed a new method to extract neighborhood characteristics around a pixel for moderate resolution images. 3 landscape-metric-like indexes, i.e., mean index, standard deviation index, and distance weighted value index, were defined as adjacent region features to include the surrounding environmental characteristics. The effects of the adjacent region features and the different feature set configurations on improving the LULC classification were evaluated by a series of well-controlled LULC classification experiments using K nearest neighbor (KNN) and support vector machine (SVM) classifiers on a Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) image. When the adjacent region features were added, the overall accuracies of both the classifiers were higher than when only spectral features were used. For the KNN and SVM classifiers that used only spectral features, the overall accuracies of the LULC classification were 85.45% and 88.87%, respectively, and the accuracies were improved to 94.52% and 96.97%. The classification accuracies of all the LULC types improved. Highly heterogeneous LULC types that are easily misclassified achieved greater improvements. As comparisons, the grey-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) and convolutional neural network (CNN) approaches were also implemented on the same dataset. The results revealed that the new method outperformed GLCM and CNN approaches and can significantly improve the classification performance that is based on moderate resolution data.
Design and Characterization of Dicyanovinyl Reactive Dyes for the Colorimetric Detection of Thiols and Biogenic Amines
Authors: Mastnak Tinkara , Lobnik Aleksandra , Mohr Gerhard , Turel Matejka
Published: March 2018

The synthesis of two new azobenzene dyes, namely CR-528 and CR-555, and their spectral properties in ethanol solution are described. The recognition of sulfur-containing analytes (2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME), sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS)), and biogenic amines (spermine, spermidine, ethanolamine) bestowed significant spectral changes with color changes from pink/purple to pale yellow/orange-yellow. The nitro acceptor group in the dicyanovinyl reactive dye contributes to higher sensitivity and lower detected analyte concentrations. The absorption maxima of both the dyes are at wavelengths compatible with low-cost light sources and detectors, making them excellent candidates for optical probes that are economic, simple to use, and do not require well-trained personnel.
Robust Segmentation of Planar and Linear Features of Terrestrial Laser Scanner Point Clouds Acquired from Construction Sites
Authors: Maalek Reza , Lichti Derek , Ruwanpura Janaka
Published: March 2018

Automated segmentation of planar and linear features of point clouds acquired from construction sites is essential for the automatic extraction of building construction elements such as columns, beams and slabs. However, many planar and linear segmentation methods use scene-dependent similarity thresholds that may not provide generalizable solutions for all environments. In addition, outliers exist in construction site point clouds due to data artefacts caused by moving objects, occlusions and dust. To address these concerns, a novel method for robust classification and segmentation of planar and linear features is proposed. First, coplanar and collinear points are classified through a robust principal components analysis procedure. The classified points are then grouped using a new robust clustering method, the robust complete linkage method. A robust method is also proposed to extract the points of flat-slab floors and/or ceilings independent of the aforementioned stages to improve computational efficiency. The applicability of the proposed method is evaluated in eight datasets acquired from a complex laboratory environment and two construction sites at the University of Calgary. The precision, recall, and accuracy of the segmentation at both construction sites were 96.8%, 97.7% and 95%, respectively. These results demonstrate the suitability of the proposed method for robust segmentation of planar and linear features of contaminated datasets, such as those collected from construction sites.
A Wireless Sensor Network for the Real-Time Remote Measurement of Aeolian Sand Transport on Sandy Beaches and Dunes
Authors: Pozzebon Alessandro , Cappelli Irene , Mecocci Alessandro , Bertoni Duccio , Sarti Giovanni , Alquini Fernanda
Published: March 2018

Direct measurements of aeolian sand transport on coastal dunes and beaches is of paramount importance to make correct decisions about coast management. As most of the existing studies are mainly based on a statistical approach, the solution presented in this paper proposes a sensing structure able to orient itself according to wind direction and directly calculate the amount of wind-transported sand by collecting it and by measuring its weight. Measurements are performed remotely without requiring human action because the structure is equipped with a ZigBee radio module, which periodically sends readings to a local gateway. Here data are processed by a microcontroller and then transferred to a remote data collection centre, through GSM technology. The ease of installation, the reduced power consumption and the low maintenance required, make the proposed solution able to work independently, limiting human intervention, for all the duration of the expected experimental campaign. In order to analyze the cause-effect relationship between the transported sand and the wind, the sensing structure is integrated with a multi-layer anemoscope-anemometer structure. The overall sensor network has been developed and tested in the laboratory, and its operation has been validated in field through a 48 h measurement campaign.
Towards a Conceptualization of Young People’s Political Engagement: A Qualitative Focus Group Study
Authors: Pontes Ana , Henn Matt , Griffiths Mark
Published: March 2018

Disenchantment with politics and low electoral turnout does not mean young people are not engaged with politics. However, our understanding of what being ‘politically engaged’ entails is somewhat challenged by the lack of consensus concerning the definition of this particular concept. Furthermore, existing conceptualizations of political engagement and participation (offline and online) often center on a limited set of political action items, failing to realize that a person can be politically engaged but not participate in political actions. Despite attempts to understand how young people themselves define politics, there are insufficient youth specific explanations of what being politically engaged means. In the present study, focus groups including young people (18–24 years) were conducted to examine understandings of political engagement. Participants were also asked to group a set of items they considered most accurately assessed this construct. Using the results, a conceptualization is proposed taking into account young people’s definitions of political engagement; this suggests that young people consider political engagement to have emotional and cognitive dimensions but also to be conceptually distinct from political participation.
Social Identity Theory and Public Opinion towards Immigration
Authors: Mangum Maruice , Block Ray
Published: March 2018

Several scholars have called upon social identity theory to investigate the relationship between an American national identity and American public opinion on immigration. Lacking a uniform measure of American identity, by and large, scholars find that a two-dimensional conception of American identity influences these opinions. Our review suggests that the extant measures of American identity do not fully account for the various aspects of social identity theory. We capture more fully the different components of social identity theory. By doing so, we find that American identity has five dimensions. Therefore, in this analysis, we advance a more comprehensive measure of American identity. Analyzing data from the 2004–2005 National Politics Survey, we confirm that all five dimensions of American identity lead to opposition to legal immigration and a preference for spending increases to combat illegal immigration.
The Relationships among Leisure Involvement, Organizational Commitment and Well-Being: Viewpoints from Sport Fans in Asia
Authors: Pan Su-Lan , Wu Homer , Morrison Alastair , Huang Min-Tzu , Huang Wen-Shiung
Published: March 2018

Baseball spectating is one of the most popular leisure activities in Asia. Leisure participants with high well-being levels usually demonstrate loyal behavior to the teams they follow. Previous research indicates that professional sport fans are serious leisure participants and their participation has career qualities. The goal of this research was to investigate the relationship of leisure involvement with the well-being of professional sport fans and the possible mediating effect of organizational commitment, a career-related characteristic, on well-being. Some 406 fans of the Brother Elephants Baseball Team in Taiwan were surveyed. The results showed that leisure involvement positively and significantly influenced fans’ well-being and organizational commitment partially mediated the influence of leisure involvement on well-being. This study pioneers the integration of leisure involvement, well-being and organizational commitment in the context of a Professional Baseball League team within Asia. Implications and future research directions are presented.
Compatibility between Crops and Solar Panels: An Overview from Shading Systems
Authors: Aroca-Delgado Raúl , Pérez-Alonso José , Callejón-Ferre Ángel , Velázquez-Martí Borja
Published: March 2018

The use of alternative energy in agricultural production is desired by many researchers, especially for protected crops that are grown in greenhouses with photovoltaic panels on the roofs. These panels allow for the passage of varying levels of sunlight according to the needs of each type of crop. In this way, sustainable and more economic energy can be generated than that offered by fossil fuels. The objective of this work is to review the literature regarding the applications of selective shading systems with crops, highlighting the use of photovoltaic panels. In this work, shading systems have been classified as bleaching, mesh, screens, and photovoltaic modules. The search was conducted using Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus until February 2018. In total, 113 articles from scientific journals and related conferences were selected. The most important authors of this topic are “Yano A” and “Abdel-Ghany AM”, and regarding the number of documents cited, the most important journal is Biosystems Engineering. The year 2017 had the most publications, with a total of 20, followed by 2015 with 14. The use of shading systems, especially of photovoltaic panels, requires more crop-specific research to determine the optimum percentage of panels that does not reduce agricultural production.
Grassroots Initiatives as Sustainability Transition Pioneers: Implications and Lessons for Urban Food Systems
Authors: Gernert Maria , El Bilali Hamid , Strassner Carola
Published: March 2018

This review explores the current evidence on the role and success factors of grassroots initiatives in sustainability transitions, with special attention given to social innovations and the transformation of urban food systems, a field that is still rather scantly dealt with in literature compared to technological innovations in other sectors such as energy. In addition to their contributions to get the necessary transformation towards sustainable futures off the ground, the preconditions for grassroots initiatives to thrive are presented—as well as limitations regarding their possibilities and the challenges they face. Increasingly, the importance of civil society and social movements in facilitating societal transformation is recognized by both researchers and policy makers. Within their radical niches, grassroots initiatives do not have to adhere to the logics of the wider systems in which they are embedded. This allows them to experiment with diverse solutions to sustainability challenges such as local food security and sovereignty. By means of democratic, inclusive and participatory processes, they create new pathways and pilot a change of course. Nevertheless, upscaling often comes at the loss of the transformative potential of grassroots initiatives.
De l’orgueilleuse geste royale au pragmatisme des bénéficiaires : Les deux versions de l’acte du roi Iyāsu I (1682-1706) en faveur de l’église d’Aksum (Éthiopie) / From the Haughty Gesture of the King to the Pragmatism of the Beneficiaries. The Two Versions of the Act of King Iyāsu I (1682-1706) in Favor of the Church of Aksum (Ethiopia)
Authors: Wion Anaïs
Published: March 2018

Les souverains chrétiens éthiopiens possédaient comme fonction régalienne le droit d’attribuer un droit foncier, connu sous le nom de gult, aux institutions religieuses et aux personnes privées. Les domaines attribués en statut gult étaient généralement de large étendue et en théorie inaliénables, et leur subdivision en parcelles soumises à des régimes d’exploitation et fiscaux variés dépendait de l’histoire de chaque institution. À travers l’analyse de deux versions d’un même acte royal (émis par le roi Iyasu I, 1682-1706) en faveur d’une église (Aksum Maryam Seyon), l’un émis par le scriptorium royal, le second émis par les bénéficiaires, il est possible de saisir les enjeux de chacun de ces deux niveaux interdépendants du droit foncier. Affirmer ou confirmer un domaine gult et préciser les droits au niveau du parcellaire sont bien deux actions juridiques qui se recouvrent et se complètent.
Disappearance of Anisotropic Intermittency in Large-amplitude MHD Turbulence and Its Comparison with Small-amplitude MHD Turbulence
Authors: Yang Liping , Zhang Lei , He Jiansen , Tu Chuanyi , Li Shengtai , Wang Xin , Wang Linghua
Published: March 2018

Multi-order structure functions in the solar wind are reported to display a monofractal scaling when sampled parallel to the local magnetic field and a multifractal scaling when measured perpendicularly. Whether and to what extent will the scaling anisotropy be weakened by the enhancement of turbulence amplitude relative to the background magnetic strength? In this study, based on two runs of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence simulation with different relative levels of turbulence amplitude, we investigate and compare the scaling of multi-order magnetic structure functions and magnetic probability distribution functions (PDFs) as well as their dependence on the direction of the local field. The numerical results show that for the case of large-amplitude MHD turbulence, the multi-order structure functions display a multifractal scaling at all angles to the local magnetic field, with PDFs deviating significantly from the Gaussian distribution and a flatness larger than 3 at all angles. In contrast, for the case of small-amplitude MHD turbulence, the multi-order structure functions and PDFs have different features in the quasi-parallel and quasi-perpendicular directions: a monofractal scaling and Gaussian-like distribution in the former, and a conversion of a monofractal scaling and Gaussian-like distribution into a multifractal scaling and non-Gaussian tail distribution in the latter. These results hint that when intermittencies are abundant and intense, the multifractal scaling in the structure functions can appear even if it is in the quasi-parallel direction; otherwise, the monofractal scaling in the structure functions remains even if it is in the quasi-perpendicular direction.
The NuSTAR Extragalactic Surveys: Source Catalog and the Compton-thick Fraction in the UDS Field
Authors: Masini A. , Civano F. , Comastri A. , Fornasini F. , Ballantyne D. R. , Lansbury G. B. , Treister E. , Alexander D. M. , Boorman P. G. , Brandt W. N. , Farrah D. , Gandhi P. , Harrison F. A. , Hickox R. C. , Kocevski D. D. , Lanz L. , Marchesi S. , Puccetti S. , Ricci C. , Saez C. , Stern D. , Zappacosta L.
Published: March 2018

We present the results and the source catalog of the NuSTAR survey in the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey (UDS) field, bridging the gap in depth and area between NuSTAR’s ECDFS and COSMOS surveys. The survey covers a ∼0.6 deg2 area of the field for a total observing time of ∼1.75 Ms, to a half-area depth of ∼155 ks corrected for vignetting at 3–24 keV, and reaching sensitivity limits at half-area in the full (3–24 keV), soft (3–8 keV), and hard (8–24 keV) bands of 2.2 × 10−14 erg cm−2 s−1, 1.0 × 10−14 erg cm−2 s−1, and 2.7 × 10−14 erg cm−2 s−1, respectively. A total of 67 sources are detected in at least one of the three bands, 56 of which have a robust optical redshift with a median of

〈
z
〉
∼
1.1

. Through a broadband (0.5–24 keV) spectral analysis of the whole sample combined with the NuSTAR hardness ratios, we compute the observed Compton-thick (CT; N
H > 1024 cm−2) fraction. Taking into account the uncertainties on each N
H measurement, the final number of CT sources is 6.8 ± 1.2. This corresponds to an observed CT fraction of 11.5% ± 2.0%, providing a robust lower limit to the intrinsic fraction of CT active galactic nuclei and placing constraints on cosmic X-ray background synthesis models.
Education, Training, and Recruitment of a Diverse Workforce in Psychiatry
Authors: Rao Swati , How Poh Choo , Ton Hendry
Published: March 2018

The psychiatric workforce in its current form falls drastically short in providing equitable and quality care to diverse populations, leading to the perpetuation of mental health disparities. This is in part due to lack of diversity and inadequate education and training on issues of culture, bias, and health disparities across all stages of psychiatry training. A comprehensive curriculum on cultural humility and bias training should be incorporated into standard medical school and residency education. Furthermore, purposeful efforts are needed to recruit, mentor, and retain underrepresented students, residents, and faculty within the field of psychiatry to improve the quality of mental health care and advance health equity.

[
Psychiatr Ann.
2018;48(3):143–148.]
The
DSM-5
Cultural Formulation Interview: Bridging Barriers Toward a Clinically Integrated Cultural Assessment in Psychiatry
Authors: DeSilva Ravi , Aggarwal Neil Krishan , Lewis-Fernández Roberto
Published: March 2018

The
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
, fifth edition,
(DSM-5)
Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) is a systematic, semi-structured interview developed to guide clinicians on conducting a cultural assessment in routine mental health settings. An international field trial with 318 patients, 75 clinicians, and 86 family members in 6 countries found the core version of the CFI to be feasible, acceptable, and clinically useful, and a growing evidence base has led to its inclusion in worldwide mental health services. We review the definition of culture that underlies the CFI, its development and components, and how to apply it in care. We also focus on barriers to its implementation and how these are being addressed by investigators and clinicians. The cultural formulation approach stemming from
DSM-IV
, of which the
DSM-5
CFI is the latest iteration, constitutes the cultural competence paradigm with the largest evidence base in mental health service delivery.

[
Psychiatr Ann.
2018;48(3):154–159.]
Chronique des constatations du Comité des droits économiques, sociaux et culturels, année 2017 : quelques précisions sur la compétence ratione temporis et sur le droit au logement
Authors: Belova Elena
Published: March 2018

En 2017, le Comité des droits économiques, sociaux et culturels a examiné quatre affaires dans lesquelles les requérants se plaignaient de l’insuffisance du soutien financier d’État, en se prévalant du droit à la sécurité sociale ou du droit au logement protégés par les articles 9 et 11 du Pacte international des droits économiques, sociaux et culturels. Dans ses constatations, ledit Comité a eu à traiter, sur le plan de la procédure, de son incompétence ratione temporis et a été amené, sur le fond, à poursuivre ses réflexions sur le contenu du droit au logement.
Comparing the risk of falls between rural and urban elderly
Authors: Arruda Guilherme Tavares de , Strelow Cyntia Scher , Weschenfelder Áureo Júnior , Froelich Michele Adriane , Pivetta Hedioneia Maria Foletto , Braz Melissa Medeiros
Published: March 2018

The aim of this study was to compare the risk of falls and characterize them in the urban and rural elderly. Observational study with elderly from urban and rural areas in the interior of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, evaluated by the Fall Risk Score and further criteria for the evaluation and characterization of the last fall within 12 months. A total of 125 elderly, 89 urban and 36 rural was evaluated. There was a high prevalence of medication use (93.6%), impaired vision (35.2%) and previous falls (81.6%) in the total sample of individuals as well as the risk of falls (76.8%) without differences between the groups. The variables of statistical significance were impaired hearing (p = 0.009) and impairment of the lower limbs (p = 0.04). Both the elderly living in rural areas and in urban areas showed high risk for falls in the group studied, with no significant difference between them. Thus, it is worth highlighting the importance of making a health work for guidance on falls.
Effects of concurrent training with self-selected intensity on the physical fitness of hypertensive individuals.
Authors: Oliveira Silas Nery de , Moro Antônio Renato Pereira , Domingues Wagner Jorge Ribeiro , Bezerra Ewerrton De Souza
Published: March 2018

The objective of this study was to verify the influence of a concurrent exercise program with self-selected intensities, and order of exercise execution, on the cardiovascular indicators and functionality of medicated hypertensive patients. Seventeen individuals were allocated to one of two concurrent training groups: aerobic-resistance (7 men) and resistance-aerobic (3 men; 7 women). Each group underwent cardiovascular (heart rate, systolic and diastolic arterial pressure) and functional (Six minute walking test - 6MWT, Timed Up & Go test - TUG, flexibility and hand grip strength) evaluations pre and post training. The training occurred over 9 weeks. Resistance exercises were performed with an elastic tube and participants’ body weight; self-selected intensity was supported by the OMNI-RES scale. The aerobic exercise was performed using a cycle ergometer with intensity measured by the Borg scale. A two-way ANOVA for repeated measures was used for comparisons between training programs, followed post hoc by the Bonferroni test, adopting p < 0.05. There were no significant changes in the cardiovascular and functional capacity indicators from pre- to post-intervention, and there were no significant interactions based on the order of the training program. The results suggest that a concurrent training program with self-selected intensity, regardless of order of training, may promote similar changes in cardiovascular and functional health indicators in individuals with controlled hypertension.
Evaluation of the Probiotic Profile of the Lactobacillus Acidophilus Used in Pharmaceutical and Food Applications
Authors: Schmitt Jucelaine Deon , Fariña Luciana Oliveira de , Simões Márcia Regina , Kottwitz Luciana Bill Mikito
Published: March 2018

Lactobacillus acidophilus used in three different applications, compounding pharmacies (LA1), fermented dairy (LA2), and allopathic compoundings (LA3) were tested to evaluate the existence of significant differences between them and in different growth conditions. In the evaluation of resistance to different commercial use antibiotics, all strains were sensitive to the antibiotics ampicillin, chloramphenicol, doxycycline, and tetracycline. LA1 was considered moderately sensitive (MS) to erythromycin and LA3 was MS to clindamycin and erythromycin. LA3 was classified between MS to resistant to erythromycin. All three strains were resistant to gentamicin. When evaluating acid pH resistance, the three origins presented similar behavior, with a decrease in cell viability at pH 2, maintaining constant viability at pH 3 and 4. In the test of resistance to the gastrointestinal tract conditions and hydrophobicity, LA2 presented better results. The three strains showed production of inhibitory compounds against pathogenic bacteria and deconjugated tauroconjugated bile salts (TDCA). It was concluded that, depending on the origin, Lactobacillus acidophilus may present different behaviors that will determine its growth and, consequently, its action in vivo. Due to the practicality of access, economy, and the satisfactory results in the tests performed, LA2 can be considered the strain of choice among those studied.