bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Learning how to survey the Qatari population
Authors: Mitchell Jocelyn
Published: November 2013

Universal surveys—such as the World Values Survey—seek to promote generalizability across contexts. But what if two different cultures interpret and respond to a general question in two different ways (e.g., King et al. 2004)? Using this methodological conundrum as a starting point, over the past year I have a led a research team of four faculty and twelve students—drawn from Northwestern University in Qatar, Qatar University, and Georgetown University in Qatar—in creating, translating, and analyzing a context-sensitive survey of the Qatari population, funded through a Qatar National Research Fund UREP (Undergraduate Research Experience Program) grant. The survey was conducted by Qatar University's Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI) from January 15 to February 3 for a total of 798 Qatari respondents, making it a professional and valuable addition to the literature. Further, we were able to insert many questions that had never previously been asked of the population, including ones spanning the relative importance of tradition versus modern symbolism, specific opinions on the national education reforms, personal versus state priorities, satisfaction with particular welfare benefits offered by the state, and measures of religiosity. Both the process of creating a contextualized survey for the Qatari population—including what could and could not be asked, and how sensitive concepts were translated—as well as the fascinating results, which have opened up new avenues of research into the sociopolitical transformations of the Qatari people, are well worth presenting to the community and receiving feedback. Even more importantly, the insights gained from how we contextualized the survey can be applied to improve the current state of social science survey research in Qatar. The explosion of survey research in Qatar—pioneered by the Qatar Statistics Authority and Qatar University's SESRI, and recently joined by the multinational surveys of the World Values Survey, Harris Polling, Zogby's, and the Arab Barometer—demonstrates the need for questions that are contextually and culturally sensitive and ensure full understanding of the Qatari population. The ability to present my work to the Qatar Foundation Annual Research Conference will provide valuable feedback and networking opportunities with likeminded professionals, researchers, and community members in my quest to continue this collaborate and important research effort. Citation: King, Gary, Christopher Murray, Joshua Salomon, and Ajay Tandon. 2004. “Enhancing the Validity and Cross-Cultural Comparability of Measurement in Survey Research.” American Political Science Review 98 (1): 191-207.
The impact of economic diversification on urban morphologies in Doha: An interdisciplinary assessment
Authors: Salama Ashraf
Published: November 2013

As many Gulf cities Qatar's capital city Doha has undergone rapid transformation processes socio-economically as well as spatially since the end of the 20th century. Large-scale public investments in local developments that were intended to establish Doha as a regional and international service hub ushered in a new evolutionary phase in the city's urbanism. An increasing number of international “Advanced Producer Service” (APS) firms set up offices in Doha, particularly attracted by emerging local real-estate markets. This research attempts to clarify the distinct roles of Knowledge Economies and their employees in the development of urban complexity and diversity in Doha. It therefore explores currently existing APS networks in Doha as well as the morphological consequences for urban fabrics due to the recent economic diversification process. The applied methodologies include a network analysis of 98 APS firms in order to investigate the current characteristics of advanced producer services sectors in Doha. The dynamics in recent urban developments are investigated using a comparative assessment of GIS data of the city in 2003 and 2013 as well as a Space Syntax analysis, which is used to investigate the spatial integration of office locations in Doha. Furthermore, 350 questionnaires of employees engaged in APS firms were evaluated in order to examine the locations of their weekly activities. These empirical investigations of various parameters within contemporary urbanism provide insights into how the transition into a service hub based on emerging knowledge economies and their networks is currently interdependent with increasing urban qualities.
Digitizing vanishing heritage in the MENA region: Case of Qatar
Authors: Fadli Fodil
Published: November 2013

Traditional buildings in Qatar and the Gulf countries, in general, are parts and components of a series of Islamic building styles, which, indubitably have adopted some of the construction and architectural styles left by preceding civilizations. Compared to other areas of the Islamic world, there appears to be very little and scarce research about the traditional architecture of Qatar. It can be argued that Qatar's architecture is not representative of the whole of the Gulf, but it is believed that it provides a reasonable place to look at if for no other reason than that it might be later compared with the architecture of other areas of the MENA region. It is also important to document what is still there - and what can be remembered - as there is now a tremendous threat of disappearance of what is left from the Qatari traditional architecture. Rostron notes this in his work on Qatar changes and development; “Although the transformations accomplished in Qatar since 1995 are quite revolutionary in essence, they have been carried out as cautiously as possible, given the country's less than progressive character” (Rostron, 2009, P. 221). This paper presents major findings and outcomes of investigative archival retrieval and fieldworks as part of a research project (UREP# 10-068-6-007) funded by the Qatar National Research Funds (QNRF) under its Undergraduate Research Experience Program UREP.
From vernacular to official language: A case study of language shift in Iran
Authors: Raeesi Hossein
Published: November 2013

In multilingual context of the present Iran, recent years have witnessed a significant tendency among families in indigenous communities to undermine the mother tongue and speak the official language of Persian to young children. Therefore, the present study aimed at finding out the main reasons for language shift from native to official among Dehloran families in Ilam, Iran. A questionnaire consisted of 46 items to identify the main reasons for language shift was distributed among 206 participants to reflect their views on the basis of a five-point Likert scale from Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree. Results indicated that the majority of people related language shift to reasons such as the belief in better understanding of educational materials in school as well as achieving fluency in Persian, the role of Persian as the lingua franca of all Iranian ethnics, and the use of Persian in expanded domains. Moreover, the participants believed that the language shift is not confined to a particular social class but is pervasive among all members of the society.
Assessment of the maternal genetic diversity patterns of Chicken in Arabian Peninsula
Authors: ali badar
Published: November 2013

D-Loop of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is widely used to investigate the chicken populations history, origin, migration or evolution. No previous genetic data is available on the chicken from the Arabian Peninsula. In this study, a 420 bp fragment of D-Loop of Mitochondrial (mtDNA) was used to estimate the genetic diversity and origins of local chickens in Arabian Peninsula (including the isle of Socotra) and Somalia. From 207 sequences (175 from the current study and 32 from GenBank), we retrieved a total of 27 haplotypes with an average haplotype diversity of 0.7588 (±0.0300). From 5 chicken populations in Oman, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Socotra Island and Somalia, we revealed 3 distinct clades; clade E, a likely Indian subcontinent origin as the commonest clade in Oman, Saudi Arabia and Socotra Island; clade C, a Southeast Asia origin appeared mainly in Somalia and clade A, Southeast and/or East Asia origin appeared in few individuals. We attributed the wide presence of clade E to the seafaring trade and migration routes around Indian Ocean that has linked Arabian Peninsula with Indus Valley (center of origin). The results of Mantel test indicated that the relationship between chickens of clade E in India, Arabia, Northeast Africa, East Africa and Southeast Africa is subjected to Isolation by Distance. Our findings can provide other evidences to the role of Arabian Peninsula in the ancient historical maritime and terrestrial contacts between Asia and Africa, and indicated the presence of large maternal genetic diversity in the region, which could potentially support genetic improvement programs.
The effectiveness of the European agricultural quality policy: a price analysis
Authors: Bardají I. , Iráizoz B. , Rapún M.
Published: November 2013

The European rural development policy, the second pillar of the Common Agricultural Policy, is currently playing an increasing role. One of its key instruments is the support for quality standards through Protected Geographical Indications (PGI). The analysis presented in this article investigates prices for two varieties of beef (PGI and non-PGI). The research setting is a specific area in northern Spain, where "Ternera de Navarra" (Navarra beef) is produced. The results show that quality production systems achieve higher and more stable prices in the long term. Another major point emerging from the analysis, given the nature of the beef production sector, is that the PGI product is better able to stand up to consumer confidence crises, such as that triggered by the bovine spongiform encephalopathy outbreak.
Design, building and testing of a transplanting mechanism for strawberry plants of bare root on mulched soil
Authors: Gutiérrez C. , Serwatowski R. , Gracia C. , Cabrera J.M. , Saldaña N.
Published: November 2013

In order to reduce costs of hand-transplanting of strawberry crop, a transplanting mechanism (module) was designed, built and tested, as a main component of the transplanter for bare root plants on mulched soils, which design is carried on. The transplanter should be used with an existing irrigation system, that must be able to supply water by sections and allows to irrigate as soon as the transplanting operation finishes. The principle of operation of proposed machine is based on the transplanting module, which remains in a short contact with the ground and comprises mechanisms such as a cutter, a hook and a clamp to make automatically operations of cutting the plastic, hide the cut plastic and insert the plant in the ground. Relative movement between module and main frame of the transplanter is used as a sequential actuation source for its mechanisms. A prototype of the transplanting module and a testing device were built to evaluate the performance of the module main components in laboratory conditions. A 100% of plastic cuts made by the cutter were correct. Plastic hiding activity was satisfactory in 95% of repetitions. Placement of the plants by clamp, was satisfactory in 95% of the tests, that means a good plant insertion (crown covered by soil), and 85% of transplanted plants were correctly oriented. The module showed a satisfactory general performance, which allowed to prove the technical feasibility of the proposed concept as a principle of design of the transplanter for bare-root strawberry plants on mulch soil.
Prevalence of serum antibodies to bovine herpesvirus-1 in cattle in Galicia (NW Spain)
Authors: Eiras C. , Diéguez F.J. , Sanjuan M.L. , Yus E. , Arnaiz I.
Published: November 2013

Infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) is a highly infectious disease of cattle caused by bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) that causes considerable economic losses to the dairy and beef industry. This report describes the results of two surveys in which prevalence of serum antibodies against BHV-1 in Galicia (NW Spain) was determined. The first was performed on the entire cattle population of the region (year 2000) and the second on the herds included in a voluntary livestock health programme, which comprises IBR, conducted by a group of farms designated ADSG (Health Defence Groups) in this same region (year 2004). Anti-BHV-1 antibodies were determined by anti-gB ELISA in serum samples from all animals aged over one year in the area
rsquo;s dairy and beef herds. Mean individual animal and herd prevalence recorded in 2000 were 38.4% (ranging 37.3%-39.5%; 43.2% dairy, 26.8% beef) and 50.4% (ranging 46.4%- 54.4%; 58.3% dairy, 48.1% beef), respectively. Mean true prevalence by herd and animal for the ADSG farms were 47.2% (44.9%-49.5%; 51.5% dairy, 45.2% beef, 42.3% mixed) and 35.7% (35.3%-36.1%; 37.8% dairy, 33.1% beef, 25.5% mixed), respectively. However, the use of non-maker vaccines make difficult to develop a control and eradication program based on serological analysis.
Dehydration kinetics of carrots (Daucus carota L.) in osmotic and air convective drying processes
Authors: Vázquez Vila M.J. , Chenlo Romero F. , Moreira Martínez R. , Pacios Penelas B.
Published: November 2013

This paper presents a kinetic study of osmotic dehydration and air drying with and without osmotic pre-treatment of carrot. Carrot cylinders of different diameters (4.5, 7 and 9 mm) were employed and, osmotic solutions of sodium chloride of different concentrations (17, 22 and 26% w/w) at various process temperatures (25, 35 and 45 deg C) and contact times (up to 180 min). The water loss (kg/kg) and the solid gain (kg/kg) in the samples increase with temperature and solution concentration increase. These parameters also depend on size (specific area) of the samples. The drying rate (kg water/kg dry solid/h) increases with temperature and decreases with the sample diameter. Experimental drying kinetics were fitted satisfactorily to a first order (simple model) kinetics (where the parameter ks ranges from 0.1748 up to 0.6691/h) and to the Page model [where the parameters kp (h-n) and n(-) range from 0.1592 and 1.0683 up to 0.6451 and 1.300, respectively] in order to determine the kinetic constants during drying. Osmotic dehydration combined with the air drying has proven to be an interesting method to reduce water in the samples without extreme thermal processes, nevertheless, the drying rate of the samples previously treated during 1 hour with osmotic dehydration decreased about 13%.
The use of correspondence analysis in the study of beef quality: a case study on Parda de Montaña breed
Authors: Panea B. , Casasús I. , Blanco M. , Joy M.
Published: November 2013

The present study shows the usefulness of a multivariate technique -correspondence analysis-- for simultaneously representing continuous and categorical variables in graphical form. A comparison was made of the results of sensory tests of beef quality performed by a trained panel and by consumers. The latter included the collection of data to produce consumers profiles and the recording of a number of consumers habits. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated independently for the variables measured in both the panel and consumer tests. Two correspondence analyses were then performed: the first one involving the consumer profiles and the values of the variables measured in the consumer test, the second one to determine the relationships between the panel and consumer test scores. In the plot corresponding to the first analysis, the two axes accounted for 52.2% of the inertia and showed that age did not have an important effect on any measured variable. Consumers previous experience has been shown to be an important factor defining consumer liking of the product. In the plot for the second analysis the two axes accounted for 82.3% of the inertia and showed that there was no correspondence between overall consumer liking of the product and any of the panel variables. These results therefore suggest that the panel test is not a good predictor of consumer behaviour.
Genetic diversity in Chilean strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis): differential response to Botrytis cinerea infection
Authors: González G. , Moya M. , Sandoval C. , Herrera R.
Published: November 2013

Botrytis cinerea Pers. is a necrotrophic and polyphageous pathogen economically important on soft fruits and crops producing severe agricultural losses. The Chilean strawberry, Fragaria chiloensis (L.) P. Mill. is one of the wild parents of commercial strawberry and has the capacity to tolerate the infection from the pathogenic fungus. A study was performed to make a genetic analysis of wild and cultivated individuals collected from three different regions of Central South Chile and compare the Botrytis infection performance. The dominant ISSR markers were used to generate the genetic fingerprinting and the native samples were contrasted against the commercial Fragaria x ananassa Duch. The samples from Contulmo presented the lowest diversity within population and the highest diversity between populations, but at the same time showed the highest tolerance to Botrytis infection. Infected leaves and fruits from F. x ananassa showed 3.6% of the area covered by the fungus, three days after inoculation, while the plants from Contulmo showed 3.3% of the area covered by the pathogen, five days after inoculation. The plants from Contulmo were classified as highly tolerant (HT), tolerant (T), moderately tolerant (MT), and susceptible (S) where 50% of plants belonged to the group of tolerant. The results, highly significant (p
The application of gibberellic acid increases berry size of "Emperatriz" seedless grape
Authors: Casanova L. , Casanova R. , Moret A. , Agustí M.
Published: November 2013

Gibberellic acid (GA3) increases berry size of "Emperatriz" seedless grape, the response depending on the phenological stage of vine at treatment date and on the concentration applied. From berry fruit set to 21 days later, 80 mg/L GA3 increased commercial berry weight by 50%-90%, depending on the year, reaching similar size to that of "Aledo" seeded grape, used as comparison. This effect takes place through: a) a larger berry growth rate; b) an early glucose, fructose and sucrose uptake; c) an increase of absolute glucose and fructose content (mg/berry) of seedless berries up to similar values to those of seeded berries; and d) an increase of absolute berry water content but not of relative content to fresh weight, thus water potential and osmotic potential are not significantly modified by treatments. GA3 does not affect berry pericarp cell number but increases pericarp cell diameter.
Short communication. Platform for bee-hives monitoring based on sound analysis. A perpetual warehouse for swarm
apos;s daily activity
Authors: Atauri Mezquida D. , Llorente Martínez J.
Published: November 2013

Bees and beekeeping are suffering a global crisis. Constant information on swarm
apos;s conditions would be a key to study new diseases like colony collapse disorder and to develop new beekeeping tools to improve the hive management and make it more efficient. A platform for beehives monitoring is presented. It is based on the analysis of the colonies buzz which is registered by a bunch of sensors sending the data to a common database. Data obtained through sound processing shows plenty of patterns and tendency lines related to colonies activities and their conditions. It shows the potential of the sound as a swarm activity gauge. The goal of the platform is the possibility to store information about the swarm
apos;s activity. The objective is to build a global net of monitored hives covering apiaries with different climates, razes and managements.
Short communication. Deterioration of cotton fibre characteristics caused by cotton leaf curl disease
Authors: Akhtar K.P. , Wasim M. , Ishaq W. , Ahmad M. , Haq M.A.
Published: November 2013

The effect of cotton leaf curl disease found at Burewala (Pakistan) on the ginning out turn (GOT) and the physical and chemical characteristics of cotton fibre was evaluated by comparing healthy and cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD)- infected plants of four cotton varieties. A highly susceptible response to CLCuD was found in all varieties tested. The disease incidence ranged from 42.6 to 81.4%. Significant differences were observed between the fibre of healthy and diseased cotton plants, of all varieties, for GOT, fibre length, fibre uniformity index, short fibre index, fibre fineness, fibre bundle strength, reflectance degree (Rd-value), yellowness (+b value) and maturity ratio. The cv. CIM-473 exhibited the highest reduction in all the quality parameters studied with the exception of Rd-value which was the lowest in cv. NIAB-999. The disease also significantly affected cellulose, protein, wax and pectin content. CLCuD adversely deteriorated the cotton fibre characteristics, however the varietal difference exists. The varieties with less deteriorated fibre by CLCuD should be an essential criterion for the selection of resistant germplasm against CLCuD.
Short communication. Effective pollination period in "RedChief" and "Golden Delicious" apples (Malus domestica Borkh)
Authors: Guerrero Prieto V.M. , Rascón Chu A. , Romo Chacón A. , Berlanga Reyes D.I. , Orozco Avitia J.A. , Gardea Béjar A.A. , Parra Quezada R. , Sánchez Chávez E.
Published: November 2013

Due to the significant variation in the initial fruit set of apples among seasons and producing regions of Chihuahua, Mexico, it is important to determine the cause(s). Apple fruit yield is strongly determined by the initial fruit set, which is the result of a series of physiological events, such as pollination, pollen tube growth, ovule longevity and fertilisation. During one or two seasons, in the two main apple-producing regions in the state of Chihuahua, México, the effective pollination period (EPP) was evaluated in "Golden Delicious", "RedChief Delicious" and "Golden Delicious Tardío", a regional mutant of Golden Delicious. Daily manual pollinations after the full pink stage were made with "Snow Drift" pollen to determine the EPP. The initial fruit set at 30 days after the last day of hand pollination was evaluated. A daily sampling of flowers was used to measure the pollen tube growth (average growth of 11.70 mm at 96 h) in the pistil and ovule viability in the ovary. The EPP lasted 6 days for RedChief Delicious, 4 days for Golden Delicious, and 10 days for Golden Delicious Tardío. The average ovule longevity of 63% seemed to be a limiting factor for Golden Delicious, leading to a reduced initial fruit set.
A Set-Theoretic Algorithm for Real-Time Terrain Mapping of Mobile Robots in Outdoor Environments
Authors: Zhou Bo , Qian Kun , Ma Xudong , Dai Xianzhong
Published: November 2013

In this paper, we address the problem of mapping outdoor rough terrain environments for mobile robots. While uncertainties arising from multiple sources are considered explicitly and assumed to be unknown-but-bounded, a set-theoretic framework is proposed to construct the terrain model as a set-valued elevation map that extends the notion of the elevation map with elevation variation in each cell stored by intervals. The localization problem of the mobile robot is also considered and solved by a set-membership filter in order to provide guaranteed bounded-pose estimation, which can be incorporated to the elevation map to improve the accuracy of the final terrain model. A more compact terrain representation can be obtained by the proposed algorithm with relatively low computational complexity, which makes it suitable for real-time applications. Furthermore, improved smoothness is achieved by the inherent conservativeness of the set-theoretic method without additional filtering or interpolation processes. Simulations as well as real-life experiments of a mobile robot operating in outdoor rough terrain environments with a 2D scanning laser rangefinder demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method.
A questão da variabilidade climática: uma reflexão crítica
Authors: Nunes Lucí Hidalgo , Lombardo Magda Adelaide
Published: November 2013

O artigo discute a questão da variabilidade climática através da consideração de diversos artigos que de alguma forma são voltados a essa temática. Tais estudos foram elaborados de maneira não sistemática, à luz de diferentes propósitos, técnicas e áreas de abrangência. Conclui-se não haver consenso quanto à questão, de modo que o grande número de trabalhos voltados ao tema não vem contribuindo para uma estrutura comum que leve a um conhecimento amplo desse objeto.
Revisão da litoestratigrafia da faixa São Roque/Serra do Itaberaba - SP
Authors: Juliani Caetano , Beljavskis Paulo
Published: November 2013

O grande número de publicações existentes sobre a geologia da Faixa São Roque/Serra do Itaberaba, que propõem ou se utilizam de diversas denominações litoestratigráficas, dificulta muitas vezes o entendimento da sua evolução geológica e de sua litoestratigrafia. Este trabalho visa à organização da nomenclatura e das propostas litoestratigráficas da Faixa e, para tanto, a maioria das publicações sobre o assunto foi revisada, incluindo os artigos onde as primeiras denominações litoestratigráficas foram efetuadas. Através de uma análise crítica comparativa da bibliografia e, baseando-se no mapeamento em 1:25.000 efetuado na região das serras do Itaberaba e da Pedra Branca, é aqui proposta a separação das supracrustais da Faixa em duas unidades litoestratigráfkas maiores, quais sejam: o Grupo Serra do ltaberaba e o Grupo São Roque. O Grupo Serra do ltaberaba é constituído pelas formações Morro da Pedra Preta, vulcano sedimentar e basal; Nhanguçu, superior e composta essencialmente por metapelitos com andaluzita ou manganesíferos com lentes subordinadas derochas.carbonáticas e calciossilicáticas; e Pirucaia, predominantemente quartzítica, que deve corresponder a litofáceis depositadas nas margens da bacia sedimentar, podendo ser cronocorrelatada a ambas formações já citadas, mais especialmente à Formação Nhanguçu. No Grupo São Roque podem ser reconhecidas as formações Piragibu, metapelítica, com poucas lentes de metaconglomerados e de metavulcânicas na sua base, Ptrapora do Bom Jesus, essencialmente vulcânica/vulcanoclástica e com biohermas ecálcio-filitos; Estrada dos Romeiros, com metapelitos e metarenitos rítmicos; e Boturuna, predominantemente metarenítica/arcoseana. A Formação Piragibu é basal nas regiões das serras do Itaberaba e da Pedra Branca e do Morro Doce e, no Sinclinório de Pirapora do Bom Jesus, a formação homônima é basal e seguida pela Formação Estrada dos Romeiros, que deve corresponder a fácies mais distais da Formação Piragibu, capeada pela Formação Boturuna.
Chemical Composition, Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity of Echinophora platyloba DC
Authors: Zahra Pilevar  , Hedayat Hosseini
Published: November 2013

The existence of artificial additives in food seems to be unhealthy from the consumers' point of view, and it is why scientists are looking for some solutions to reduce the unhealthy varieties of additives in manufactured products. This article presents a revision of studies published in recent years on this topic and looks at possible future trends in the sector on one of the indigenous plant activities, which is used as a food seasoning in Iran. Echinophora platyloba DC has a high potency to act as an antimicrobial and antioxidant at the same time. In 3 sections this article explains the subject as follows. The first part includes determination of chemical constituents of isolated fresh and dry aerial parts by different extraction methods. They were analyzed by Gas Chromatography. In the second part antibacterial and antifungal activity of both plant extracts and its essential oil were evaluated against gram positives and gram negatives followed by fungus. Finally in the last part, antioxidant properties of the plant are mentioned. The essential oil and the crude extracts from E. platyloba species are of active candidates which can be used as antioxidant, antimicrobial agents so they still would be the novel ones for further researches.
Sedative and Anxiolytic Activities of Geodorum densiflorum Roots in Swiss Albino Mice
Authors: Mominur Rahman  , Razibul Habib  , Mohammed Aktar Sayeed  , Muhammad Erfan Uddin  , Rasheduzzaman Chowdhury  , Mohammad A. Rashid  , Amer Hasan  , Mansoor Ahmed
Published: November 2013

Fresh root of Geodorum densiflorum (Lam.) (Orchidaceae) has applications in regularizing menstrual cycle and as topical aids in insect bites and wounds. The tuber extracts of some plants belonging to Geodorum have folkloric reputation in the management of transient anxiety. The current study was undertaken to investigate the sedative/ anxiolytic effects of G. densiflorum root extracts using rodent behavioral models, such as open field, hole cross, thiopental sodium-induced hypnosis and elevated plus maze test. Present data shows that the organic extracts of G. densiflorum root increase the thiopental sodium induced sleeping time and reduce the time for the onset of sleep. A statistically significant reduction in motor activity and exploratory behavior were observed in the open field and hole cross tests. The results of the current studies provide scientific evidence for its uses in traditional medicines as sedative and anxiolytic agents.
Modified Kaplan-Meier Estimator Based on Competing Risks for Heavy Censoring Data
Authors: Zare Ali , Mahmoodi Mahmood
Published: November 2013

Most follow-up studies are conducted to determine the survival rates of subjects affected by a specific risk. These subjects are also exposed to other risks. Every subject in a medical follow-up is exposed not only to the risk of dying, but also to the risk of being censored. In case of heavy censoring, the Kaplan-Meier estimates are biased and overestimate the survival distribution. A new methodology based on competing risks is proposed to estimate the survival function by using net and crude probabilities. These estimates reduce the bias and overestimation of the survival distribution noted in Kaplan-Meier estimators. In this study, the method of modified Kaplan-Meier (MKM) is compared with the Kaplan-Meier (KM), Huang’s method and also the two other methods namely Weighted Kaplan-Meier (WKM) and Modified Weighted Kaplan-Meier (MWKM). Either of the weighted methods depends heavily on the event times and censoring distributions. Due to this fact, the weighted methods can have misleading results when the censoring patterns are different in the individual samples. The results showed that the MKM estimator considers not only the problem of heavy censoring but also the problem of weighted methods and competing risks in complicated data. In this study “Stanford Heart Transplant Data” was used to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
The Accuracy and Adequacy of In-Field Artifact Analysis
Authors: Heilen Michael , Altschul Jeffrey H.
Published: November 2013

Archaeologists have traditionally collected artifacts during survey in order to analyze them in a laboratory setting and curate the artifacts and associated documentation for future analysis, interpretation, and preservation. In recent decades, however, there has been a trend in the western United States to avoid collection during survey and to relegate most artifact analysis to the field, typically conducted by field crew. Despite heavy reliance on in-field analysis to characterize sites during survey, very little is known about how accurate and adequate in-field analysis is for site interpretation and management. This article presents the findings of a pilot experiment that tested in-field analysis and digital photograph analysis at two sites in the western United States using multiple quantitative measures and qualitative assessments. The results of the analysis show that in-field analysis has a strong potential to yield inaccurate and highly variable results that can lead to the misidentification and misinterpretation of important site components. We recommend that sample collections be made during survey, where possible, and properly curated. For projects in which in-field analysis is used, we recommend that in-field analysis be tested using similar methods to determine whether it can meet an acceptable standard.
A Non-Destructive Method for Dating Human Remains
Authors: Lail Warren K. , Sammeth David , Mahan Shannon , Nevins Jason
Published: November 2013

The skeletal remains of several Native Americans were recovered in an eroded state from a creek bank in northeastern New Mexico. Subsequently stored in a nearby museum, the remains became lost for almost 36 years. In a recent effort to repatriate the remains, it was necessary to fit them into a cultural chronology in order to determine the appropriate tribe(s) for consultation pursuant to the Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Because the remains were found in an eroded context with no artifacts or funerary objects, their age was unknown. Having been asked to avoid destructive dating methods such as radiocarbon dating, the authors used Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) to date the sediments embedded in the cranium. The OSL analyses yielded reliable dates between A.D. 1415 and A.D. 1495. Accordingly, we conclude that the remains were interred somewhat earlier than A.D. 1415, but no later than A.D. 1495. We believe the remains are from individuals ancestral to the Ute Mouache Band, which is now being contacted for repatriation efforts. Not only do our methods contribute to the immediate repatriation efforts, they provide archaeologists with a versatile, non-destructive, numerical dating method that can be used in many burial contexts.
La Politique d’intervention en matière de violence conjugale, dix-huit ans plus tard
Authors: Boivin Rémi , Ouellet Frédéric
Published: November 2013

La Politique d’intervention en matière de violence conjugale adoptée par le gouvernement du Québec en 1986 et renouvelée en 1995 a eu des effets considérables sur la société québécoise. En plus de constituer une prise de position formelle réclamée pendant plusieurs années par différents mouvements féministes, la Politique a profondément modifié les pratiques policières d’enregistrement des infractions de violence entre conjoints. L’analyse présentée dans cet article démontre que la Politique a fait augmenter le nombre de dossiers à traiter par le système judiciaire et que les données policières offrent aujourd’hui un portrait plus réaliste du phénomène de la violence conjugale au Québec. Ces résultats suggèrent que la Politique a atteint, du moins en partie, ses objectifs de dépistage et de sensibilisation.
Improved SERS Intensity from Silver‐Coated Black Silicon by Tuning Surface Plasmons
Authors: Chen Ya , Kang Guoguo , Shah Ali , Pale Ville , Tian Ying , Sun Zhipei , Tittonen Ilkka , Honkanen Seppo , Lipsanen Harri
Published: November 2013

An economical method of fabricating large‐area (up to a 100‐mm wafer) silver (Ag)‐coated black silicon (BS) substrates is demonstrated by cryogenic deep reactive ion etching with inductively coupled plasma. This method enables a simple adjustment of the spike structure (e.g., height, width, sidewall slope and density of the spikes) on the silicon substrate, which thus offers the advantages of accurate tuning the density and amplitude of the localized surface plasmons after Ag coating. Using this method, an enhancement factor of 109 is achieved for the probe molecule of rhodamine 6G (around two orders of magnitude higher than previous results based on Ag‐coated BS) in surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) measurement. The presented results pave the way to make Ag‐coated BS substrates as economic and large‐area platforms for diverse surface plasmon related applications (such as SERS and surface plasmon based biosensors).
Mantle cell lymphoma: 2013 Update on diagnosis, risk‐stratification, and clinical management
Authors: Vose Julie M.
Published: November 2013

Disease Overview

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a non‐Hodgkin lymphoma characterized by involvement of the lymph nodes, spleen, blood, and bone marrow with a short remission duration to standard therapies and a median overall survival of 4–5 years.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is based on lymph node, bone marrow, or tissue morphology of centrocytic lymphocytes, small cell type, or blastoid variant cells. A chromosomal translocation t(11:14) is the molecular hallmark of MCL, resulting in the overexpression of cyclin D1. Cyclin D1 is detected by immunohistochemistry in 98% of cases. The absence of SOX‐11 or a low Ki‐67 may correlate with a more indolent form of MCL. The differential diagnosis of MCL includes small lymphocytic lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, and follicular lymphoma.

Risk Stratification

The Mantle Cell Lymphoma International Prognostic Index (MIPI) is the prognostic model most often used and incorporates ECOG performance status, age, leukocyte count, and lactic dehydrogenase. A modification of the MIPI also adds the Ki‐67 proliferative index if available. The median overall survival (OS) for the low risk group was not reached (5‐year OS of 60%). The median OS for the intermediate risk group was 51 months and 29 months for the high risk group.

Risk‐Adapted Therapy

For selected indolent, low MIPI MCL patients, initial observation may be appropriate therapy. For younger patients with intermediate or high risk MIPI MCL, aggressive therapy with a cytarabine containing regimen ± autologous stem cell transplantation should be considered. For older MCL patients with intermediate or high risk MIPI, combination chemotherapy with R‐CHOP, R‐Bendamustine, or a clinical trial should be considered. At the time of relapse, agents directed at activated pathways in MCL cells such as bortezomib (NFkB inhibitor) or lenalidamide (anti‐angiogenesis) are approved agents. Clinical trials with Ibruitinib (Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor) or Idelalisib (PI3K inhibitor) have demonstrated excellent clinical activity in MCL patients. Autologous or allogeneic stem cell transplantation can also be considered in young patients. Am. J. Hematol. 88:1083–1088, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Pregnancy complications predict thrombotic events in young women with essential thrombocythemia
Authors: Randi Maria Luigia , Bertozzi Irene , Rumi Elisa , Elena Chiara , Finazzi Guido , Vianelli Nicola , Polverelli Nicola , Ruggeri Marco , Vannucchi Alessandro Maria , Antonioli Elisabetta , Lussana Federico , Tieghi Alessia , Iurlo Alessandra , Elli Elena , Ruella Marco , Fabris Fabrizio , Cazzola Mario , Barbui Tiziano
Published: November 2013

Although Philadelphia‐negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) occur typically in middle to advanced age, any age group may be affected, posing a challenge for their management during pregnancy when they occur in young females. There is a high incidence of thromboembolic events and pregnancy complications in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms, and a possible relationship between these complications is a matter of concern. The aim of this article was to correlate thrombosis and pregnancy outcome in 158 females with ET experiencing 237 pregnancies. Seven patients had a thrombotic event before their first pregnancy, one of them ended (14.3%) in a miscarriage. Among the 151 patients with no history of thrombosis before they became pregnant, 40 (26.5%) had a miscarriage (P = NS). Eighteen patients (11.4%) developed major thrombotic complications (12 splanchnic vein, 1 cerebral vein, 2 coronary syndromes, and 3 strokes) after at least one pregnancy (4 uneventful and 14 complicated). The occurrence of thrombosis was significantly more frequent (P < 0.001) in patients with a history of pregnancy complications (28%) than in those experiencing a normal pregnancy and delivery (3.7%). Pregnancy complications in women with ET are associated with a higher risk of subsequent thromboses, so pregnant women with this neoplasm who miscarry need to be carefully monitored. Am. J. Hematol. 89:306–309, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Menopause effect on blood Fe and Cu isotope compositions
Authors: Jaouen Klervia , Balter Vincent
Published: November 2013

Iron (δ56Fe) and copper (δ65Cu) stable isotope compositions in blood of adult human include a sex effect, which still awaits a biological explanation. Here, we investigate the effect of menopause by measuring blood δ56Fe and δ65Cu values of aging men and women. The results show that, while the Fe and Cu isotope compositions of blood of men are steady throughout their lifetime, postmenopausal women exhibit blood δ65Cu values similar to men, and δ56Fe values intermediate between men and premenopausal women. The residence time of Cu and Fe in the body likely explains why the blood δ65Cu values, but not the δ56Fe values, of postmenopausal women resemble that of men. We suggest that the Cu and Fe isotopic fractionation between blood and liver resides in the redox reaction occurring during hepatic solicitation of Fe stores. This reaction affects the Cu speciation, which explains why blood Cu isotope composition is impacted by the cessation of menstruations. Considering that Fe and Cu sex differences are recorded in bones, we believe this work has important implications for their use as a proxy of sex or age at menopause in past populations. Am J Phys Anthropol 153:280–285, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
From self‐regulation to learning to learn: observations on the construction of self and learning
Authors: Thoutenhoofd Ernst D. , Pirrie Anne
Published: November 2013

The purpose of this article is to clarify the epistemological basis of self‐regulated learning. The authors note that learning to learn, a term that has pervaded education policy at EU and national levels in recent years is often conflated with self‐regulated learning. As a result, there has been insufficient attention paid to learning as social performance and to a more nuanced conceptualisation of agency. A review of the literature on self‐regulated learning suggests that self‐regulated learning is behaviour that is oriented towards the optimal execution of predefined tasks. The authors suggest that the consequences of this are a resolute focus on the individual learner and a striking denial of learning as social performance. They trace the origins of self‐regulated learning to ad‐hoc combinations of behaviourism and cognitive psychology and explore the consequences of this for the way in which learning to learn is conceptualized. They argue that a reflexive social epistemology is a necessary counterweight to the systematic neglect of learning as a social process that has resulted from the psychological turn in learning theory.
A completely noninvasive method of dissolved oxygen monitoring in disposable small‐scale cell culture vessels based on diffusion through permeable vessel walls
Authors: Gupta Priyanka A. , Ge Xudong , Kostov Yordan , Rao Govind
Published: November 2013

Disposable cell culture vessels are extensively used at small scales for process optimization and validation, but they lack monitoring capabilities. Optical sensors that can be easily adapted for use in small‐scale vessels are commercially available for pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), and dissolved carbon dioxide (DCO2). However, their use has been limited due to the contamination and compatibility issues. We have developed a novel solution to these problems for DO monitoring. Oxygen diffusion through permeable vessel wall can be exploited for noninvasive monitoring. An optical oxygen sensor can be placed outside the oxygen permeable vessel wall thereby allowing oxygen diffusing through the vessel wall to be detected by the sensor. This way the sensor stays separate from the cell culture and there are no concerns about contaminants or leachants. Here we implement this method for two cell culture devices: polystyrene‐made T‐75 tissue culture flask and fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP)‐made Vuelife® cell culture bag. Additionally, mammalian and microbial cell cultures were performed in Vuelife® cell culture bags, proving that a sensor placed outside can be used to track changes in cell cultures. This approach toward noninvasive monitoring will help in integrating cell culture vessels with sensors in a seamless manner. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 30:172–177, 2014
Protein production using the baculovirus‐insect cell expression system
Authors: Contreras‐Gómez A. , Sánchez‐Mirón A. , García‐Camacho F. , Molina‐Grima E. , Chisti Y.
Published: November 2013

The baculovirus‐insect cell expression system is widely used in producing recombinant proteins. This review is focused on the use of this expression system in developing bioprocesses for producing proteins of interest. The issues addressed include: the baculovirus biology and genetic manipulation to improve protein expression and quality; the suppression of proteolysis associated with the viral enzymes; the engineering of the insect cell lines for improved capability in glycosylation and folding of the expressed proteins; the impact of baculovirus on the host cell and its implications for protein production; the effects of the growth medium on metabolism of the host cell; the bioreactors and the associated operational aspects; and downstream processing of the product. All these factors strongly affect the production of recombinant proteins. The current state of knowledge is reviewed. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 30:1–18, 2014
Cytomorphology of intraductal oncocytic papillary neoplasm of the liver
Authors: Jurczyk Matthew F. , Zhu Bing , Villa Celina , DeFrias Denise , Lin Xiaoqi
Published: November 2013

We describe the first cytology case report of an intraductal oncocytic papillary neoplasm (IOPN) of the liver. A 51‐year‐old male presented with recurrent cholangitis. Magnetic resonance imaging and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatogram revealed a 1.1 × 0.9 cm polypoid lesion within the left intrahepatic bile duct. Fine‐needle aspiration and needle core biopsy (NCB) revealed nests, 3‐dimensional or papillary clusters of columnar or cuboidal cells with loss of polarity. The nuclei were uniform with even chromatin, and cytoplasm was granular or vacuolated. No mitosis or necrosis was seen. The cytologic and histologic diagnosis was “consistent with Intraductal Oncocytic Papillary Neoplasm (IOPN), intermediate grade (borderline).” The patient then underwent a left lateral liver segmentectomy. Microscopic examination showed histology similar to the NCB with no stromal invasion identified. Hepatic IOPN poses a diagnostic challenge due to its broad differential diagnoses. Both malignant and non‐malignant IOPNs may present with similar clinical symptoms, pathology, histology, cytomorphology, and immunohistochemistry. Hepatic IOPN should be excised as it is a precursor lesion of adenocarcinoma. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2014;42:895–898. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.