bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A new genus and species of Baissidae in Late Cretaceous amber from New Jersey (Hymenoptera: Evanioidea)
Authors: Engel Michael S.
Published: January 2015

The extinct Mesozoic wasp family Baissidae is described from Late Cretaceous amber for the first time. Electrobaissa omega Engel, new genus and species, is described from an isolated male preserved in Turonian amber from New Jersey, and represents the latest occurrence of the family in the Mesozoic.
Marine urbanization: an ecological framework for designing multifunctional artificial structures
Authors: Dafforn Katherine A , Glasby Tim M , Airoldi Laura , Rivero Natalie K , Mayer-Pinto Mariana , Johnston Emma L
Published: January 2015

Underwater cities have long been the subject of science fiction novels and movies, but the “urban sprawl” of artificial structures being developed in marine environments has widespread ecological consequences. The practice of combining ecological principles with the planning, design, and operation of marine artificial structures is gaining in popularity, and examples of successful engineering applications are accumulating. Here we use case studies to explore marine ecological engineering in practice, and introduce a conceptual framework for designing artificial structures with multiple functions. The rate of marine urbanization will almost certainly escalate as “aquatourism” drives the development of underwater accommodations. We show that current and future marine developments could be designed to reduce negative ecological impacts while promoting ecosystem services.
Cyanobacteria as biological drivers of lake nitrogen and phosphorus cycling
Authors: Cottingham Kathryn L. , Ewing Holly A. , Greer Meredith L. , Carey Cayelan C. , Weathers Kathleen C.
Published: January 2015

Here we draw attention to the potential for pelagic bloom‐forming cyanobacteria to have substantial effects on nutrient cycling and ecosystem resilience across a wide range of lakes. Specifically, we hypothesize that cyanobacterial blooms can influence lake nutrient cycling, resilience, and regime shifts by tapping into pools of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) not usually accessible to phytoplankton. The ability of many cyanobacterial taxa to fix dissolved N2 gas is a well‐known potential source of N, but some taxa can also access pools of P in sediments and bottom waters. Both of these nutrients can be released to the water column via leakage or mortality, thereby increasing nutrient availability for other phytoplankton and microbes. Moreover, cyanobacterial blooms are not restricted to high nutrient (eutrophic) lakes: blooms also occur in lakes with low nutrient concentrations, suggesting that changes in nutrient cycling and ecosystem resilience mediated by cyanobacteria could affect lakes across a gradient of nutrient concentrations. We used a simple model of coupled N and P cycles to explore the effects of cyanobacteria on nutrient dynamics and resilience. Consistent with our hypothesis, parameters reflecting cyanobacterial modification of N and P cycling alter the number, location, and/or stability of model equilibria. In particular, the model demonstrates that blooms of cyanobacteria in low‐nutrient conditions can facilitate a shift to the high‐nutrient state by reducing the resilience of the low‐nutrient state. This suggests that cyanobacterial blooms warrant attention as potential drivers of the transition from a low‐nutrient, clear‐water regime to a high‐nutrient, turbid‐water regime, a prediction of particular concern given that such blooms are reported to be increasing in many regions of the world due in part to global climate change.
Validation of the Brazilian Version of the Newcastle Satisfaction With Nursing Scales: A Partial Least Squares Path Modeling Approach
Authors: Dorigan Gisele Hespanhol , Guirardello Edinêis de Brito , Silva Dirceu da , McColl Elaine
Published: January 2015

Background and Purpose: Assessing patient satisfaction requires reliable and valid instruments. This study evaluated the reliability and validity of the Brazilian version of the Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scales (B-NSNS). Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 351 adult inpatients. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) approach was used to evaluate the reliability and validity of this instrument. Results: After the adjustments of model, both constructs exhibited adequate convergent and discriminant validity, showing that experiences with nursing care have a significant effect on patient satisfaction (r= .70) and account for 49.1% of the variance in patient satisfaction with the nursing care (R2= 0.49). Conclusions: The B-NSNS result in a valid and reliable measure for use in managing nursing care.
Validity of Screening Methods for Periodontitis Using Salivary Hemoglobin Level and Self‐Report Questionnaires in People with Disabilities
Authors: Nam Sun‐Hei , Jung Hoi‐In , Kang Si‐Mook , Inaba Daisuke , Kwon Ho‐Keun , Kim Baek‐Il
Published: January 2015

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the validity of screening methods in predicting periodontitis in people with disabilities using the objective salivary hemoglobin level, a subjective self‐report questionnaire, and a combined model of the two methods with demographic characteristics.

Methods: The participants were 195 patients with disabilities aged >18 years who were examined using the community periodontal index (CPI), salivary hemoglobin level, and answers to 10 self‐report questions (n = 192). Multivariable logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed to evaluate the validity of the methods and the combined model in predicting the prevalence of ≥CPI 3 (probing depth [PD] ≥4 mm) or CPI 4 (PD ≥6 mm).

Results: Overall, 75.9% of the study group (148 of 195) were diagnosed with ≥CPI 3, and 38.5% of the study group (75 of 195) were diagnosed with CPI 4. The areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) of the salivary hemoglobin level were 0.578 (sensitivity of 41% and specificity of 77%) and 0.662 (sensitivity of 53% and specificity of 75%) for predicting the prevalence of ≥CPI 3 and CPI 4, respectively. Multivariable modeling incorporating four different questions for predicting ≥CPI 3 or CPI 4 indicated higher AUCs of 0.710 and 0.732, respectively, yielding higher sensitivity (55% for ≥CPI 3 and 69% for CPI 4) than that of salivary hemoglobin level. The most useful prediction models for ≥CPI 3 or CPI 4 were combined models, which yielded AUCs of 0.773 and 0.807, respectively, with sensitivity values of 70% and specificity values >75%.

Conclusion: The salivary hemoglobin level, self‐report questionnaire, and the combined method demonstrated screening potential that could predict the population prevalence of ≥CPI 3 or CPI 4.
Conquering Change in Oil and Gas: How To Build a Learning Organization
Authors: Lloyd Frank R.
Published: January 2015

Talent & Technology

Former United States Secretary of State Colin Powell likes to tell the story of how Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres put his arm around his shoulder after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, and said, “We have lost our enemy; all we have now are problems.” Peres was certainly thinking of dangers that threaten all nations: poverty, famine, religious radicalization, desertification, drugs, proliferation of nuclear weapons, and ecological devastation.

While it is not immune from global threats, the oil and gas industry faces its own set of persistent and continuously emerging challenges that drive change in the industry. They are

Innovation: technology to boost output, processes that promote efficiency, new industry structures and alliances. Tim Dove, president and chief operating officer of Pioneer Natural Resources, said that hydraulic fracturing means that there are no dry holes. As a result, he believes that exploration and production firms have become similar to manufacturing companies. Their success depends on efficient operations.

Capital: how much oil can be produced at what cost. The amount of oil that can be recovered is no longer constrained by geology. As George King, a global technology consultant for Apache Corporation, told the Wall Street Journal, “the constraint on how much oil can be produced isn’t geological ... we face technical and economic limits more than anything else.”

Talent: accelerated attrition of baby boomers in the senior ranks. Industry firms face the rising practice of “poaching” of high potential leaders. On the other hand, firms struggle to accelerate young professionals into the “age of accountability” as leaders. The local Dallas chapter of Young Professionals in Energy has more than 4,100 members, making it one of the largest trade organizations in Texas. Andy Long, its 26-yearold chairman, has established a mentor program to connect its members and college students with industry veterans.

Global: opportunities worldwide are not limited to the majors. Heyco Energy Group, an exploration company that has been active in the Permian Basin since the 1960s, today holds positions in 1.4 million acres in Spain and United Kingdom. Science and technology have turned the basin into “the hottest spot on earth,” according to Chief Executive Officer George Yates, and we “asked ourselves ‘where could we succeed given our experience and advances in technology?’ Europe was an obvious place.”

Bruce Bullock, director of Maguire Energy Institute at Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business, boils down the industry’s challenges to financial performance. “The industry has to find ways through technology, efficiency, science, and other strategies to really improve its financial results over the next several years.” The drive for financial performance demands change leadership skills from all levels of management, and a new perspective on change.

Business typically has used three perspectives on change, each with its own implementation method.
A Case Study of Integrated Asset Modeling for Gas Fields Sharing Production Facilities
Authors: Wilson Adam
Published: January 2015

This article, written by Special Publications Editor Adam Wilson, contains highlights of paper SPE 169918, ’A Case Study of Integrated Asset Modeling To Support Reservoir- Management Strategies for Four Dry-Gas Fields Sharing Production Facilities,’ by O. Espinola, SPE, M. Rocha, SPE, and N.C. Alvarez, SPE, Schlumberger, and J.R. Ramirez, A. Solis, and J.D. Guzman-Arevalo, Pemex, prepared for the 2014 Trinidad and Tobago Energy Resources Conference, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 9-11 June. The paper has not been peer reviewed.

Integrated asset modeling (IAM) properly models the interaction of fields producing through common production facilities and yields reliable production forecasts, compared with the use of independent models. Using integrated asset models helps validate independent models, honor facilities constraints, and, in general, support the decision-making process in reservoir management. This paper describes a case study in which four reservoir models were coupled with a production-network model, with the objectives of maximizing recovery factors, identifying operational problems, and evaluating water-production effects.

Introduction

Among the recent discoveries made by Pemex Veracruz Asset are four dry-gas fields with different geological and dynamic properties that must be produced through shared production facilities to be economic. This poses a complex operational scenario involving several questions that need to be answered: What is the optimum exploitation rhythm for each reservoir and its interaction on the surface? On the basis of the fact that one reservoir has an aquifer, what will be the effect on the recovery factor, and what are the challenges at the surface level? Regarding the differences in pressures and volumes, the selection of the compression stages will be difficult because each reservoir will require different capacity and startup dates. What, then, is the optimum compression scheme that generates the maximum value from an economic perspective?

As part of the field-development plan, the incorporation of new wells or a new field will be evaluated. What will be the effect of these new elements on the system?

To face all these challenges, a multidisciplinary team was appointed to analyze the system from different perspectives and design several exploitation strategies and evaluate them both technically and economically to select the optimum one to produce the fields.

The strategies should

Manage reservoir pressures to reduce backpressure effects.

Minimize the risk to produce water and support the design of water-handling facilities.

Identify the wells with liquid-loading problems and low potential.

Define the startup date of each compression stage so that all reservoirs benefit at the same time.

Evaluate the scenarios economically, considering two schemes—buying and renting compression facilities.

Evaluate the effect of future developments, such as workover, infill drilling, and the incorporation of a new field.
Firm Sees Value After 5 Years of Using the Petroleum Resources Management System
Authors: Wilson Adam
Published: January 2015

This article, written by Special Publications Editor Adam Wilson, contains highlights of paper SPE 170885, ’The Value Added After 5 Years of SPE-PRMS,’ by Eric Kreft, SPE, Raymond Godderij, SPE, and Berend Scheffers, SPE, EBN, prepared for the 2014 SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 27-29 October. The paper has not been peer reviewed.

The Petroleum Resources Management System (PRMS) reserves-reporting system was adopted by EBN in 2009. At that time, a new PRMS project database was developed. The implementation of the PRMS has contributed significantly to the understanding of the hydrocarbon-maturation process in the Netherlands. It has proved to be a valuable system for hydrocarbon-maturation analysis and reporting and provides insight within the current and future activities of the Dutch exploration-and-production industry.

Background

The Netherlands is part of the southern North Sea Permian basin. The country counts more than 500 oil and gas fields. Most of the fields are gas bearing; less than 50 fields contain oil. The number of onshore and offshore fields is roughly comparable, although slightly in favor of offshore.

The Dutch hydrocarbon region is considered mature. The production of the small fields is declining. As of 2014, more than 80 fields have ceased production. Approximately two-thirds have reached the tail-end phase of their production life, which is defined as having produced more than 85% of their expected ultimate recovery.

New hydrocarbon accumulations are still being discovered, an average of 10 fields per year over the last 5 years. The annual number of exploration and appraisal wells varies between 10 and 20. The annual amount of production wells (infill and development) varies between 20 and 40. In the Netherlands, the overall investments have remained fairly stable since 2005. A total of EUR 1 billion to 1.2 billion per year is spent on the exploration and development of small fields.

EBN is the state participant in exploration and production licenses in the Netherlands. In the Dutch Mining Act, Article 82, EBN is the designated company of which all shares are, directly or indirectly, held by the state in the interest of efficient exploration and production, systematic management, and optimal disposal of hydrocarbons. The state share is either 40 or 50% in all licenses on a nonoperating-venture (NOV) basis. This makes EBN the largest upstream gas owner (nonoperated) in the Netherlands.

The new PRMS introduced in 2007 offered a great opportunity to classify and quantify the full hydrocarbon potential of the Netherlands systematically. It has contributed significantly to improving and streamlining EBN’s business processes and its plans to stimulate the future national hydrocarbon maturation. Currently, EBN has its focus on developing the upside of the contingent and prospective resource base. Various projects have been initiated to enhance the maturation of the exploration, the tight gas, and the mature-field portfolios.
Depth of Investigation and Depletion in Unconventional Reservoirs With Fast-Marching Methods
Authors: Xie Jiang , Yang Changdong , Gupta Neha , King Michael J. , Datta-Gupta Akhil
Published: January 2015

The concept of depth of investigation is fundamental to well-test analysis. Much of the current well-test analysis relies on solutions based on homogeneous or layered reservoirs. Well-test analysis in spatially heterogeneous reservoirs is complicated by the fact that Green's function for heterogeneous reservoirs is difficult to obtain analytically. In this paper, we introduce a novel approach for computing the depth of investigation and pressure response in spatially heterogeneous and fractured unconventional reservoirs.

In our approach, we first present an asymptotic solution of the diffusion equation in heterogeneous reservoirs. Considering terms of highest frequencies in the solution, we obtain two equations: the Eikonal equation that governs the propagation of a pressure “front” and the transport equation that describes the pressure amplitude as a function of space and time. The Eikonal equation generalizes the depth of investigation for heterogeneous reservoirs and provides a convenient way to calculate drainage volume. From drainage-volume calculations, we estimate a generalized pressure solution on the basis of a geometric approximation of the drainage volume. A major advantage of our approach is that one can solve very efficiently the Eikonal equation with a class of front-tracking methods called the fast-marching methods. Thus, one can obtain transient-pressure response in multimillion-cell geologic models in seconds without resorting to reservoir simulators.

We first visualize the depth of investigation and pressure solution for a homogeneous unconventional reservoir with multistage transverse fractures, and identify flow regimes from a pressure-diagnostic plot. And then, we apply the technique to a heterogeneous unconventional reservoir to predict the depth of investigation and pressure behavior. The computation is orders-of-magnitude faster than conventional numerical simulation, and provides a foundation for future work in reservoir characterization and field-development optimization.
Production-Data Analysis of Gas Reservoirs With Apparent-Permeability and Sorbed-Phase Effects: A Density-Based Approach
Authors: Vardcharragosad Pichit , Ayala H. Luis F.
Published: January 2015

Accounting for depletion-dependent permeability and sorbed-phase effects is an important step toward achieving reliable analysis of production performance in unconventional gas systems. This study demonstrates how to account for pressure-dependent apparent-permeability (e.g., gas-slippage) and desorption effects in gas-production analysis of boundary-dominated data with a density-based approach. In this work, apparent-permeability and desorption models are incorporated into the original density-based approach by modifying the definitions of depletion-driven variables that are the basis of the density-based type of analysis. The proposed modification of the original approach successfully enables associated analysis techniques to be applicable to natural-gas reservoirs with gas slippage and adsorbed gas. Results indicate that by modifying the definitions of the depletion-driven variables, the density approach can effectively and successfully capture the effects from gas slippage and desorption. Through a number of case studies, we show that gas-flow rate can be successfully predicted by rescaling liquid solution with the modified density-based variables. As an illustration, we show that resource calculations able to fully take into account these effects are possible when long-term production data are available. This work details the methodology required to do so, and illustrates its application to production-data prediction analysis for unconventional assets.
Revisiting the Dual-Porosity/Dual-Permeability Modeling of Unconventional Reservoirs: The Induced-Interporosity Flow Field
Authors: Fuentes-Cruz Gorgonio , Valkó Peter P.
Published: January 2015

This work presents a new approach to account for variable matrix-block size in the well performance of unconventional shale reservoirs. In contrast to the standard models that consider either a fixed matrix-block size or a stochastic distribution of sizes with no particular dependence on the spatial location, in this model we consider the case when the characteristic length of the blocks depends on the distance from the main hydraulic-fracture plane. In particular, we assume that, as a result of the hydraulic-fracturing treatment, the density of microfractures (natural and induced) is high near the hydraulic-fracture face, but gradually decreases away from it. In other words, the matrix-block size is an increasing function of the distance from the fracture face.

We show that the boost of the contact area between the matrix blocks and the microfractures can be the determinant feature of hydrocarbon production from shale reservoirs, even when the natural and induced microfractures do not have uniform density throughout the whole stimulated reservoir volume. In addition, the elongated linear flow (the consensus characteristic signature in the well performance of shale systems) may be the result of an induced interporosity flow when the matrix-/fracture-permeability ratio is small. The duration of this flow regime increases if the effective size of the matrix-block distribution increases. On the other hand, the linear flow can be the result of the total-system response when the matrix-/fracture-permeability ratio is high; in this case, the beginning of the linear flow is strongly affected by the small matrix blocks near the hydraulic-fracture faces.

The resulting mathematical model in Laplace space has a fundamentally different structure compared with standard dual-porosity models because of the spatial dependence of the parameters characterizing the interporosity flow. In this work, we develop the Airy-spline scheme, a new technique to calculate the pressure solution in an efficient way. Closed-form approximate formulae in the time domain are also provided, revealing that during the induced linear-interporosity-flow period, the production behavior is controlled by the logarithmic mean of the minimum and maximum matrix-block size. A field example from the Barnett shale is presented to illustrate the use of the new model.
A Multi‐Band Semi‐Analytical Algorithm for Estimating Chlorophyll‐a Concentration in the Yellow River Estuary, China
Authors: Chen Jun , Quan Wenting , Cui Tingwei
Published: January 2015

In this study, two sample semi‐analytical algorithms and one new unified multi‐band semi‐analytical algorithm (UMSA) for estimating chlorophyll‐a (Chla) concentration were constructed by specifying optimal wavelengths. The three sample semi‐analytical algorithms, including the three‐band semi‐analytical algorithm (TSA), four‐band semi‐analytical algorithm (FSA), and UMSA algorithm, were calibrated and validated by the dataset collected in the Yellow River Estuary between September 1 and 10, 2009. By comparing of the accuracy of assessment of TSA, FSA, and UMSA algorithms, it was found that the UMSA algorithm had a superior performance in comparison with the two other algorithms, TSA and FSA. Using the UMSA algorithm in retrieving Chla concentration in the Yellow River Estuary decreased by 25.54% NRMSE (normalized root mean square error) when compared with the FSA algorithm, and 29.66% NRMSE in comparison with the TSA algorithm. These are very significant improvements upon previous methods. Additionally, the study revealed that the TSA and FSA algorithms are merely more specific forms of the UMSA algorithm. Owing to the special form of the UMSA algorithm, if the same bands were used for both the TSA and UMSA algorithms or FSA and UMSA algorithms, the UMSA algorithm would theoretically produce superior results in comparison with the TSA and FSA algorithms. Thus, good results may also be produced if the UMSA algorithm were to be applied for predicting Chla concentration for datasets of Gitelson et al. (2008) and Le et al. (2009).
Tyrosine Phosphatase–Related Islet Antigen 2(256–760) Autoantibodies, the Only Marker of Islet Autoimmunity That Increases by Increasing the Degree of BMI in Obese Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Buzzetti Raffaella , Spoletini Marialuisa , Zampetti Simona , Campagna Giuseppe , Marandola Lidia , Panimolle Francesca , Dotta Francesco , Tiberti Claudio ,   for the NIRAD Study Group (NIRAD 8)
Published: January 2015

OBJECTIVE

Since patients with type 2 diabetes and positive for type 1 diabetes–specific antibodies have wide variations in BMI, this study evaluated whether the frequency and pattern of islet autoantibody positivity is related to BMI.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Clinical and biochemical characteristics and islet autoantibodies including GAD and protein tyrosine phosphatases islet antigen-2 (IA-2)IC and IA-2(256–760) were evaluated in 1,850 patients with type 2 diabetes from the Non–Insulin Requiring Autoimmune Diabetes study cohort. BMI was evaluated in all patients, who were then subdivided in three groups according to BMI (<25, ≥25 to <30, and ≥30 kg/m2).

RESULTS

Out of 1,850, 120 (6.5%) patients were positive for at least one of the following antibodies: GAD (4.1%), IA-2(256–760) (3.3%), or IA-2IC (1.1%). GAD and IA-2IC antibodies showed decreasing frequencies with increasing BMI (P < 0.0001 and 0.0006, respectively, for trend); in contrast, the frequency of IA-2(256–760) antibodies increased with increasing BMI (P = 0.005 for trend). Patients with type 2 diabetes positive for IA-2(256–760) alone showed a phenotype resembling classical obese type 2 diabetes, with higher BMI, waist circumference, and uric acid (P < 0.005 for all), lower thyroid peroxidase antibodies, and lower progression to insulin requirement than GAD antibody–positive patients (P = 0.04 and P = 0.0005, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The IA-2(256–760) antibody appears to represent an antibody marker that mainly identifies a clinical phenotype very similar to obese type 2 diabetes, suggesting a possible different pathogenetic mechanism.
The End of a Hundred-Year-Old Archaeological Riddle: First Dating of the Columns Tomb of Kumbi Saleh (Mauritania)
Authors: Capel Chloé , Zazzo Antoine , Saliège Jean-François , Polet Jean
Published: January 2015

One century after its discovery, the Columns Tomb of Kumbi Saleh (Mauritania) remains an archaeological riddle. Since 1914, six field programs have been successively carried out at the medieval urban site of Kumbi Saleh, which now is commonly identified as Ghana. The latter was the famous capital city of the medieval West African state, which controlled the gold mines of West Africa and was involved in the gold trade with North Africa and the Mediterranean Basin. However, interpretation of the tomb, the largest structure from the necropolis, is still an issue as its dating itself has never been firmly established. As a consequence, scholars have usually referred to an unsatisfactory timeframe spanning 1000 years. The study of this monument was recently resumed, motivated by the rediscovery of bones collected in the tomb in 1914 and stored at the Musée de 1'Homme (Paris, France). AMS radiocarbon dating of the bone and tooth apatite fraction of three skulls demonstrates that the three individuals occupying the main vault of the tomb died between the end of the 11th century and the 12th century, precisely at the time of expansion of the Muslim Almoravid movement south of Sahara.
Radiocarbon Dates from the Highland Jar and Coffin Burial Site of Phnom Khnang Peung, Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia
Authors: Beavan Nancy , Hamilton Derek , Sokha Tep , Sayle Kerry
Published: January 2015

The Cardamom Mountain Jar and Coffin burial site of Phnom Khnang Peung is the most extensive example of the distinctive burial ritual first reported by Beavan et al. (2012a). The 40 intact Mae Nam Noi and late Angkorian-era ceramic jars used as burial vessels held a total of up to 152 individuals, representing the largest corpus of skeletal remains of any of the 10 known Jar and Coffin burial sites that have been discovered in the eastern ranges of the Cardamom Mountains of Cambodia. We report here on the radiocarbon dating of this site and notable burial phenomena, using a Bayesian approach to model the start and end date of activity as well as its overall span. The results of the dating and Bayesian analyses indicate that the Phnom Khnang Peung site's earliest burials begancal AD 1420–1440(95% probability). Interestingly, the concentration of burial activity spans only15–45 years(95% probability), despite the large number of inhumations at the site. The14C chronology presented for the site places the Highland burial ritual coincident with a period of economic, political, and societal transformations in the lowland Angkorian polity, but the unique burial practice and trade relationships evidenced by the burial goods and maritime trade ware ceramics employed in the burial ritual suggest these Highland people were a culture apart from Angkorian cultural influences.
The Importance of the Collection of Oskar Kolberg for Contemporary Choreological Studies
Authors: Nowak Tomasz
Published: January 2015

The mainstream fields of Polish dance research were defined
in 1818–1847 by Józef Elsner, Kazimierz Brodziński, Łukasz
Gołębiowski and Karol Czerniawski, who broadly characterized some
elements of the dances considered as national (the polonaise, mazur,
krakowiak and kozak). Oskar Kolberg knew very well the works of all
these authors and referred to them many times. However, he was unique
in his extensive documentation of dance melodies, information about
their geographic origin, and local terminology. He also characterized
the dances with regard to their sequence in the traditional context and
described the dance technique in an instructive manner.

Oskar Kolberg’s documentation for quite a long time remained
outside the scope of mainstream research and publications about
dance in Poland. In the 1930s Polish representatives of the newly
defined field of ethnochoreology were the first to include examples
from Kolberg in their works on the ritual dances, regional dances
and characteristic dance behaviour types and forms. Kolberg’s works
increased in popularity after the World War II. Today the materials left
by Oskar Kolberg allow us to establish to a large extent the geographic
range and perspective on the changes of dance repertoire, both with regard
to choreographic technique and dance types, or a more detailed and critical
perspective on the problems of folk terminology in dance phenomena.
It may also serve as the point of departure for wider retrospective
or comparative studies – which may not be very fashionable today, but
which have never been adequately conducted in Poland.
Kolberg’s opinions on changes in the choice of instruments in 19th century folk music
Authors: Przerembski Zbigniew Jerzy
Published: January 2015

In the second half of the 19th century, when Oskar Kolberg conducted
his folkloristic and ethnographic work, folk song and music were still
alive and, to a great extent, functioned in their natural culture context.
However, already at that time, and especially in the last decades of the
century, gradual changes were taking place within folk tradition. Those
changes were brought about by industrialization and factors in the
development of urban civilization, which varied in intensity depending
on the region. Folk music was also influenced by those changes and they
themselves were further fuelled by the final (third) Partition of Poland
by Austria, Prussia and Russia, declared in 1795 and lasting till the end
of World War I.

Oskar Kolberg noticed and described changes in the musical
landscape of villages and little towns of the former Polish Republic
in the 19th century, as well as in the choice of instruments. To be quite
precise, musical instruments are not featured as a separate subject of his
research, but various references, though scattered, are quite numerous,
and are presented against a social, cultural and musical background,
which provides an opportunity to draw certain conclusions concerning
folk music instrumental practice.

However, changes in the makeup of folk music ensembles resulted in
the disappearance of traditional instruments, which were being replaced
by the newer, factory-produced ones. This process worried Kolberg
and he noticed its symptoms also in a wider, European context, where
bagpipes or dulcimers were being supplanted not only by “itinerant
orchestras” but also by barrel organs or even violins. Writing about
our country, Poland, he combined a positive opinion on the subject
of improvised and expressive performance of folk violinists with
a negative one on clarinet players and mechanical instruments.

Summing up, the musical landscape of Polish villages and both
small and larger towns was definitely influenced in the 19th century
by the symptoms of phenomena which much later acquired a wider
dimension and were defined as globalization and commercialization.
Sensing them, Oskar Kolberg viewed the well-being of the traditional
culture heritage with apprehension.
Guidance for Schools Selecting Antibullying Approaches
Authors: Ansary Nadia S. , Elias Maurice J. , Greene Michael B. , Green Stuart
Published: January 2015

This article synthesizes the current research on bullying prevention and intervention in order to provide guidance to schools seeking to select and implement antibullying strategies. Evidence-based best practices that are shared across generally effective antibullying approaches are elucidated, and these strategies are grounded in examples garnered from model antibullying programs as implemented in contemporary schools. Future directions for practice, research, and policy are also explicated.
Measurement of the Effect of Static Stretching on Hamstring Flexibility in High School Females
Authors: Moradi Elham , Motlagh Shaghayegh Hashemi , Nikkhah Zahra
Published: January 2015

Background: flexibility that is one of basic aspects of any sport program , can be developed and acquired through various stretching exercises. This study examined the effect of six-weeks of static stretching on hamstring flexibility in high school females. Methods: Thirty healthy high school females aged 15 to 17 years were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The training group underwent static stretch training of the hamstring with a six-weeks protocol training sessions were 3 days per week, including 4 30-seconds stretches per day for each of subjects. The other group acted as control group. Before and after six-weeks of stretching, flexibility of the hamstring muscles was determined by Sit & Reach Test. Results: A significant increase in flexibility of hamstring was found in training group (mean 31cm to 39/87cm), and no significant difference was revealed in hamstring flexibility after the six-weeks static stretching for the control group. Conclusion: This study indicated that the static stretching significantly increased the hamstring flexibility and suggests that subjects use static stretching for increasing their hamstring flexibility.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ijls.v8i5.10914
Nature Advocacy and the Indigenous Symbol
Authors: Tanasescu Mihnea
Published: January 2015

In 2008, Ecuador became the first country in history to grant constitutional rights to nature. What is termed the indigenous symbol played a significant role in this event. The rights of nature are used as an occasion to interrogate the indigenous symbol in order to reveal what it does, as opposed to what it says. The account of the rights of nature originating in indigenous sensibilities is presented, and subsequently critiqued. The argument makes use of the notion of representative claim to show the strategic construction of indigeneity as ecologically harmonious. An alternative genesis of the rights of nature is presented. It is further showed that the indigenous symbol is employed as a veneer of moral authority hiding the strategic machinations of representative politics.
African Oil Palms, Colonial Socioecological Transformation and the Making of an Afro-Brazilian Landscape in Bahia, Brazil
Authors: Watkins Case
Published: January 2015

Environmental histories of the African diaspora challenge Eurocentric interpretations of the Columbian Exchange by identifying African antecedents in New World landscapes and cultures. This paper joins that effort by tracing the formation of African oil palm (
Elaeis guineensis
Jacq.) landscapes in Bahia, Brazil. Long essential in many West African societies, the African oil palm and its products diffused to Bahia early in the colonial period. Palm oil became an integral component of Afro-Brazilian culture and cuisine, and the palm groves that yield the oil represent an Afro-Brazilian landscape. Although the palm's West African origins are well known, and despite its importance in local cultures and global economies, studies of Bahia's African oil palm landscapes remain rare and generally ahistorical. This paper marshals evidence from colonial archives, traveller's accounts, ethnographies, fieldwork and digital geographic data to analyse the formation of Bahia's Dendê Coast (
Costa do Dendê
, or Palm Oil Coast). While Africans and Afro-Brazilians emerge as principal actors, the analysis places humans within a broader socioecological framework to demonstrate how historical processes, geographies, agroecologies and human agency all coalesced to establish and sustain Bahia's Afro-Brazilian landscape.
Cancer screening in the United States, 2015: A review of current American Cancer Society guidelines and current issues in cancer screening
Authors: Smith Robert A. , Manassaram‐Baptiste Deana , Brooks Durado , Doroshenk Mary , Fedewa Stacey , Saslow Debbie , Brawley Otis W. , Wender Richard
Published: January 2015

Answer questions and earn CME/CNE

Each year, the American Cancer Society (ACS) publishes a summary of its guidelines for early cancer detection along with a report on data and trends in cancer screening rates and select issues related to cancer screening. In this issue of the journal, we summarize current ACS cancer screening guidelines. The latest data on utilization of cancer screening from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) also is described, as are several issues related to screening coverage under the Affordable Care Act, including the expansion of the Medicaid program. CA Cancer J Clin 2015;65:30–54. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Algorithms in 2014
Authors: Algorithms Editorial Office
Published: January 2015

The editors of Algorithms would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2014:[...]
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Antibiotics in 2014
Authors: Antibiotics Editorial Office
Published: January 2015

The editors of Antibiotics would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2014:[...]
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Axioms in 2014
Authors: Axioms Editorial Office
Published: January 2015

The editors of Axioms would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2014:[...]
Impairments that Influence Physical Function among Survivors of Childhood Cancer
Authors: Wilson Carmen , Gawade Prasad , Ness Kirsten
Published: January 2015

Children treated for cancer are at increased risk of developing chronic health conditions, some of which may manifest during or soon after treatment while others emerge many years after therapy. These health problems may limit physical performance and functional capacity, interfering with participation in work, social, and recreational activities. In this review, we discuss treatment-induced impairments in the endocrine, musculoskeletal, neurological, and cardiopulmonary systems and their influence on mobility and physical function. We found that cranial radiation at a young age was associated with a broad range of chronic conditions including obesity, short stature, low bone mineral density and neuromotor impairments. Anthracyclines and chest radiation are associated with both short and long-term cardiotoxicity. Although numerous chronic conditions are documented among individuals treated for childhood cancer, the impact of these conditions on mobility and function are not well characterized, with most studies limited to survivors of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and brain tumors. Moving forward, further research assessing the impact of chronic conditions on participation in work and social activities is required. Moreover, interventions to prevent or ameliorate the loss of physical function among children treated for cancer are likely to become an important area of survivorship research.
High-Yield Synthesis of Helical Carbon Nanofibers Using Iron Oxide Fine Powder as a Catalyst
Authors: Suda Yoshiyuki , Maruyama Koji , Iida Tetsuo , Takikawa Hirofumi , Ue Hitoshi , Shimizu Kazuki , Umeda Yoshito
Published: January 2015

Carbon nanocoil (CNC), which is synthesized by a catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD) method, has a coil diameter of 300–900 nm and a length of several tens of μm. Although it is very small, CNC is predicted to have a high mechanical strength and hence is expected to have a use in nanodevices such as electromagnetic wave absorbers and field emitters. For nanodevice applications, it is necessary to synthesize CNC in high yield and purity. In this study, we improved the conditions of catalytic layer formation and CCVD. Using optimized CVD conditions, a CNC layer with a thickness of >40 μm was grown from a SnO2/Fe2O3/SnO2 catalyst on a substrate, and its purity increased to 81% ± 2%.
Deduction of Lorentz Transformations from Classical Thermodynamics
Authors: De Parga Angela , Angulo-Brown Fernado , De Parga Gonzalo
Published: January 2015

The Lorentz transformations are obtained by assuming that the laws of classical thermodynamics are invariant under changes of inertial reference frames. As Maxwell equations are used in order to deduce a wave equation that shows the constancy of the speed of light, by means of the laws of classical thermodynamics, the invariance of the Carnot cycle is deduced under reference frame changes. Starting with this result and the blackbody particle number density in a rest frame, the Lorentz transformations are obtained. A discussion about the universality of classical thermodynamics is given.
Decision Support Systems (DSS) Optimal—A Case Study from the Czech Republic
Authors: Marušák Robert , Kašpar Jan , Vopěnka Petr
Published: January 2015

Forest managers have traditionally planned harvests using their expert knowledge. This applies mainly to the spatial distribution of harvest units. The amount of timber to be harvested is regulated by market demand. In addition to forest managers’ expert knowledge, there is a set of rules, which can be automatized. Computerized harvest planning will lead not only to saving time of forest managers, but it will also enable them to explore various scenarios in a matter of minutes. We introduce Optimal—GIS tool for spatial and temporal decisions of harvest scheduling. Optimal allows creating new harvest units, which reflects the forestry act and/or forest managers’ requirements. Optimal includes necessary tools for automatic controlling of harvest unit parameters. It allows alternative harvest scheduling, while taking into account different constraints. Optimal is a decision Support System designed and applied for clear-cut and shelterwood silvicultural systems with respect to the environmental and economic constraints.
Variation in Wood Quality in White Spruce (Picea Glauca (Moench) Voss). Part I. Defining the Juvenile–Mature Wood Transition Based on Tracheid Length
Authors: Mvolo Cyriac , Koubaa Ahmed , Beaulieu Jean , Cloutier Alain , Mazerolle Marc
Published: January 2015

Estimations of transition age (TA) and juvenile wood proportion (JWP) are important for wood industries due to their impact on end-product quality. However, the relationships between analytical determination of TA based on tracheid length (TL) and recognized thresholds for adequate end products have not yet been established. In this study, we used three different statistical models to estimate TA in white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) based on TL radial variation. We compared the results with technological maturity. A two-millimeter threshold, previously suggested for good paper tear strength, was used. Tracheid length increased from pith to bark and from breast height to upper height. Juvenile wood (JW) was conical with the three models. At breast height, TA ranged from 11 to 27 years and JWP ranged from 15.3% to 47.5% across the three models. The linear mixed model produced more conservative estimates than the maximum-quadratic-linear (M_Q_L) model. Both the linear mixed model and the M_Q_L model produced more conservative TA estimates than the piecewise model. TA estimates by the MIXED model, and to a lesser extent by the M_Q_L model, were equivalent to those for real mature wood, whereas TA estimates by the piecewise model were considerably lower, falling into the transition wood area.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Galaxies in 2014
Authors: Galaxies Editorial Office
Published: January 2015

The editors of Galaxies would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2014:[...]
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Humanities in 2014
Authors: Humanities Editorial Office
Published: January 2015

The editors of Humanities would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2014:[...]
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Healthcare in 2014
Authors: Healthcare Editorial Office
Published: January 2015

The editors of Healthcare would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2014:[...]
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Hydrology in 2014
Authors: Hydrology Editorial Office
Published: January 2015

The editors of Hydrology would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following reviewers for assessing manuscripts in 2014:[...
Structure and Function of SET and MYND Domain-Containing Proteins
Authors: Spellmon Nicholas , Holcomb Joshua , Trescott Laura , Sirinupong Nualpun , Yang Zhe
Published: January 2015

SET (Suppressor of variegation, Enhancer of Zeste, Trithorax) and MYND (Myeloid-Nervy-DEAF1) domain-containing proteins (SMYD) have been found to methylate a variety of histone and non-histone targets which contribute to their various roles in cell regulation including chromatin remodeling, transcription, signal transduction, and cell cycle control. During early development, SMYD proteins are believed to act as an epigenetic regulator for myogenesis and cardiomyocyte differentiation as they are abundantly expressed in cardiac and skeletal muscle. SMYD proteins are also of therapeutic interest due to the growing list of carcinomas and cardiovascular diseases linked to SMYD overexpression or dysfunction making them a putative target for drug intervention. This review will examine the biological relevance and gather all of the current structural data of SMYD proteins.