bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Particle Size on the HDS Activity of Molybdenum Sulfide
Authors: Contreras Carola , Isquierdo Fernanda , Pereira-Almao Pedro , Scott Carlos E.
Published: December 2016

More than half of the total world oil reserves are heavy oil, extra heavy oil, and bitumen; however their catalytic conversion to more valuable products is challenging. The use of submicronic particles or nanoparticles of catalysts suspended in the feedstock may be a viable alternative to the conversion of heavy oils at refinery level or downhole (in situ upgrading). In the present work, molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) particles with varying diameters (10000–10 nm) were prepared using polyvinylpyrrolidone as capping agent. The prepared particles were characterized by DLS, TEM, XRD, and XPS and tested in the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) of a vacuum gas oil (VGO). A correlation between particle size and activity is presented. It was found that particles with diameters around 13 nm show double the HDS activity compared with the material with micrometric particle sizes (diameter ≈ 10,000 nm).
Interplay between Inflammation and Stemness in Cancer Cells: The Role of Toll-Like Receptor Signaling
Authors: Yeh Da-Wei , Huang Li-Rung , Chen Ya-Wen , Huang Chi-Ying F. , Chuang Tsung-Hsien
Published: December 2016

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small population of cancer cells that exhibit stemness. These cells contribute to cancer metastasis, treatment resistance, and relapse following therapy; therefore, they may cause malignancy and reduce the success of cancer treatment. Nuclear factor kappa B- (NF-κB-) mediated inflammatory responses increase stemness in cancer cells, and CSCs constitutively exhibit higher NF-κB activation, which in turn increases their stemness. These opposite effects form a positive feedback loop that further amplifies inflammation and stemness in cancer cells, thereby expanding CSC populations in the tumor. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) activate NF-κB-mediated inflammatory responses when stimulated by carcinogenic microbes and endogenous molecules released from cells killed during cancer treatment. NF-κB activation by extrinsic TLR ligands increases stemness in cancer cells. Moreover, it was recently shown that increased NF-κB activity and inflammatory responses in CSCs may be caused by altered TLR signaling during the enrichment of stemness in cancer cells. Thus, the activation of TLR signaling by extrinsic and intrinsic factors drives a positive interplay between inflammation and stemness in cancer cells.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α T-857C (rs1799724) Polymorphism and Risk of Cancers: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wang Ping , Wang June , Yu Mingxia , Li Zhiqiang
Published: December 2016

Objectives. To investigate the potential association of tumor necrosis factor-α T-857C polymorphism with susceptibility to the five common malignant tumors. Materials and Methods. A comprehensive search of PubMed/Medline, Embase, and Web of Science databases was performed up to November 2015. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated to assess the strength of the association. Subgroup analysis, heterogeneity analyses, and publication bias were also texted in the meta-analysis. Results. A total of twenty-two publications involving 5215 cases and 6755 controls were recruited. Overall, the meta-analysis revealed an increased risk between the TNF-α T-857C polymorphism and gastric cancer susceptibility in T versus C model, heterozygote genetic model, and dominant genetic model. An increased risk between the TNF-α T-857C polymorphism and hepatocellular cancer susceptibility in homozygote genetic model and recessive genetic model was also found. No significant association was found between the TNF-α T-857C polymorphism and colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, and prostate cancer. Conclusions. Our meta-analyses suggest that TNF-α T-857C polymorphism may be associated with increased risk of gastric cancer and hepatocellular cancer development. Therefore, the TNF-α T-857C polymorphism could be considered as one possible risk factor of gastric cancer and hepatocellular cancer according to our study.
Early Transcriptional Changes Induced by Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in Hippocampal Neurons
Authors: Pérez-Palma Eduardo , Andrade Víctor , Caracci Mario O. , Bustos Bernabé I. , Villaman Camilo , Medina Matías A. , Ávila Miguel E. , Ugarte Giorgia D. , De Ferrari Giancarlo V.
Published: December 2016

Wnt/β-catenin signaling modulates brain development and function and its deregulation underlies pathological changes occurring in neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. Since one of the main effects of Wnt/β-catenin signaling is the modulation of target genes, in the present work we examined global transcriptional changes induced by short-term Wnt3a treatment (4 h) in primary cultures of rat hippocampal neurons. RNAseq experiments allowed the identification of 170 differentially expressed genes, including known Wnt/β-catenin target genes such as Notum, Axin2, and Lef1, as well as novel potential candidates Fam84a, Stk32a, and Itga9. Main biological processes enriched with differentially expressed genes included neural precursor (GO:0061364,p-adjusted = 2.5 × 10−7), forebrain development (GO:0030900,p-adjusted = 7.3 × 10−7), and stem cell differentiation (GO:0048863p-adjusted = 7.3 × 10−7). Likewise, following activation of the signaling cascade, the expression of a significant number of genes with transcription factor activity (GO:0043565,p-adjusted = 4.1 × 10−6) was induced. We also studied molecular networks enriched upon Wnt3a activation and detected three highly significant expression modules involved in glycerolipid metabolic process (GO:0046486,p-adjusted = 4.5 × 10−19), learning or memory (GO:0007611,p-adjusted = 4.0 × 10−5), and neurotransmitter secretion (GO:0007269,p-adjusted = 5.3 × 10−12). Our results indicate that Wnt/β-catenin mediated transcription controls multiple biological processes related to neuronal structure and activity that are affected in synaptic dysfunction disorders.
7,8-DHF Treatment Induces Cyr61 Expression to Suppress Hypoxia Induced ER Stress in HK-2 Cells
Authors: Ma Rui , Zhang Jisheng , Liu Xiaoyu , Yue Shaoheng , Zhao Qing , Xu Yan
Published: December 2016

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common syndrome which is strongly linked to high morbidity and mortality. Hypoxia is the leading cause of AKI and the proximal renal tubular cells are the most damaged part in the kidney during this period. It has been observed that 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF) plays a protective role by acting on antiapoptosis and antioxidative stress. In this study we explored functions of 7,8-DHF in protecting human proximal tubular cell line HK-2 from hypoxia insults. We observed that treatment of 7,8-DHF could improve the viability of ischemic cell. Mechanistically, we found that 7,8-DHF could elevate the expression of cysteine-rich protein 61 (Cyr61), a protective immediate early gene in AKI. In addition, treatment of 7,8-DHF decreased CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) expression, which is a marker protein during endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress activation. Intriguingly, overexpression of Cyr61 significantly reduced CHOP expression. Taken together, our results provide novel insights into the possible protective role of 7,8-DHF by activating Cyr61 signaling and suppressing ER stress in hypoxic HK-2 cells which have potential clinical implications for the treatment of AKI.
Massively Parallel Sequencing of a Chinese Family with DFNA9 Identified a Novel Missense Mutation in the LCCL Domain of COCH
Authors: Gu Xiaodong , Su Wenling , Tang Mingliang , Guo Luo , Zhao Liping , Li Huawei
Published: December 2016

DFNA9 is a late-onset, progressive, autosomal dominantly inherited sensorineural hearing loss with vestibular dysfunction, which is caused by mutations in the COCH (coagulation factor C homology) gene. In this study, we investigated a Chinese family segregating autosomal dominant nonsyndromic sensorineural hearing loss. We identified a missense mutation c.T275A p.V92D in the LCCL domain of COCH cosegregating with the disease and absent in 100 normal hearing controls. This mutation leads to substitution of the hydrophobic valine to an acidic amino acid aspartic acid. Our data enriched the mutation spectrum of DFNA9 and implied the importance for mutation screening of COCH in age related hearing loss with vestibular dysfunctions.
Evaluation of a Specialized Yoga Program for Persons Admitted to a Complex Continuing Care Hospital: A Pilot Study
Authors: Curtis Kathryn , Kuluski Kerry , Bechsgaard Gitte , Ridgway Jennifer , Katz Joel
Published: December 2016

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a specialized yoga intervention for inpatients in a rehabilitation and complex continuing care hospital. Design. Single‐cohort repeated measures design. Methods. Participants (N = 10) admitted to a rehabilitation and complex continuing care hospital were recruited to participate in a 50–60 min Hatha Yoga class (modified for wheelchair users/seated position) once a week for eight weeks, with assigned homework practice. Questionnaires on pain (pain, pain interference, and pain catastrophizing), psychological variables (depression, anxiety, and experiences with injustice), mindfulness, self‐compassion, and spiritual well‐being were collected at three intervals: pre‐, mid‐, and post‐intervention. Results. Repeated measures ANOVAs revealed a significant main effect of time indicating improvements over the course of the yoga program on the (1) anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, F(2,18) = 4.74, p < .05, and = .35, (2) Self‐Compassion Scale‐Short Form, F(2,18) = 3.71, p < .05, and = .29, and (3) Magnification subscale of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, F(2,18) = 3. 66, p < .05, and = .29. Discussion. The results suggest that an 8‐week Hatha Yoga program improves pain‐related factors and psychological experiences in individuals admitted to a rehabilitation and complex continuing care hospital.
Birth Preparedness and Its Association with Skilled Birth Attendance and Postpartum Checkups among Mothers in Gibe Wereda, Hadiya Zone, South Ethiopia
Authors: Lakew Yohannes , Tessema Fasil , Hailu Chernet
Published: December 2016

Background. Birth preparedness program was designed to enhance skilled birth attendance and postpartum checkups of women in a developing country to reduce the three delays that lead women and neonates to death and disability. However, the relationship between birth preparedness with skilled birth attendance and postpartum checkups among mothers is not well studied. Therefore this study is intended to assess the association between birth preparedness and skilled birth attendance and postpartum checkups. Methods. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted from March to April 2014. Eight out of 22 Kebeles were selected using probability proportional to size sampling method. Seven hundred and forty-five mothers were selected randomly from the sampling frame, generated from family folders obtained from health posts. Data was collected using pretested questionnaire by face-to-face interview. Data was entered into EpiData version 3.1 database and analyzed by SPSS version 16. Result. Out of 745 sampled mothers 728 (97.7%) participated in the study. One hundred and twelve (15.4%) and 128 (17.6%) mothers got skilled birth attendance and received postpartum checkups for their last child, respectively. Birth preparedness, educational status of women and their husbands, and antenatal care visits of mothers were found to be predictor of skilled birth attendance and postpartum checkups. Mothers well prepared for child birth were 6.7 times more likely to attend skilled birth attendance [AOR = 6.7 (2.7–16.4)] and 3 times more likely to follow postpartum checkups [AOR = 3.0 (1.5–5.9)] than poorly prepared mothers, respectively. Travel time to reach the nearest health facility was found as predictor for postpartum checkups of mothers; mothers who travel ≤ 2 hours were three times more likely to follow postpartum checkups than mothers who travel > 2 hours (AOR (95% CI) = 3.4 (1.5–7.9)). Conclusion and Recommendation. Skilled birth attendance and postpartum checkups were low. Encouraging women to attend recommended antenatal care visits and providing advice and education on birth preparedness and obstetric danger signs are important interventions to increase skilled birth attendance and postpartum checkups.
Screening Retinopathy of Prematurity in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants in China and the Need for Earlier Screening Times
Authors: Wang Jianxun , Chen Feng , He Shiping , Xiang Daoman
Published: December 2016

Purpose. To convey the need for a revised screening strategy for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) for extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants in China.Design. A retrospective longitudinal study.Methods. The medical charts of infants with a birth weight (BW) of less than 1 kg were reviewed. The infants were divided into three groups: group A, without ROP; group B, with ROP but not up to type 1 prethreshold or threshold ROP; group C, with type 1 prethreshold or threshold ROP. Data collected included gender, gestational age (GA), BW, postmenstrual age (PMA), age of onset of ROP, and age at which treatment was carried out, if required.Results. A total of 77 infants were involved. Fifty-six infants developed ROP at any stage and 38 infants developed type 1 prethreshold or threshold ROP. The mean BW and GA of infants in group A were significantly different compared with groups B and C. The mean PMA of onset of ROP in infants who developed mild ROP was 37 weeks compared with 34 weeks for infants who developed severe ROP.Conclusion. ELBW infants have a higher incidence of ROP in China which highlights the need for optimizing neonatal care for these infants. In ELBW infants, ROP tends to develop more severely when it occurs earlier. It is necessary for ELBW infants, especially for those with a BW less than 800 g or a GA less than 25 weeks, to be initially screened at an earlier time.
One-Step Synthesis of Copper and Cupric Oxide Particles from the Liquid Phase by X-Ray Radiolysis Using Synchrotron Radiation
Authors: Yamaguchi Akinobu , Okada Ikuo , Fukuoka Takao , Ishihara Mari , Sakurai Ikuya , Utsumi Yuichi
Published: December 2016

The deposition of copper (Cu) and cupric oxide (Cu4O3, Cu2O, and CuO) particles in an aqueous copper sulfate (CuSO4) solution with additive alcohol such as methanol, ethanol, 2-propanol, and ethylene glycol has been studied by X-ray exposure from synchrotron radiation. An attenuated X-ray radiation time of 5 min allows for the synthesis of Cu, Cu4O3, Cu2O, and CuO nano/microscale particles and their aggregation into clusters. The morphology and composition of the synthesized Cu/cupric oxide particle clusters were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Micro-Raman spectroscopy revealed that the clusters comprised cupric oxide core particles covered with Cu particles. Neither Cu/cupric oxide particles nor their clusters were formed without any alcohol additives. The effect of alcohol additives is attributed to the following sequential steps: photochemical reaction due to X-ray irradiation induces nucleation of the particles accompanying redox reaction and forms a cluster or aggregates by LaMer process and DLVO interactions. The procedure offers a novel route to synthesize the Cu/cupric oxide particles and aggregates. It also provides a novel additive manufacturing process or lithography of composite materials such as metal, oxide, and resin.
Microbial-Physical Synthesis of Fe and Fe3O4 Magnetic Nanoparticles Using Aspergillus niger YESM1 and Supercritical Condition of Ethanol
Authors: Abdeen Mai , Sabry Soraya , Ghozlan Hanan , El-Gendy Ahmed A. , Carpenter Everett E.
Published: December 2016

Magnetic Fe and Fe3O4 (magnetite) nanoparticles are successfully synthesized using Aspergillus niger YESM 1 and supercritical condition of liquids. Aspergillus niger is used for decomposition of FeSO4 and FeCl3 to FeS and Fe2O3, respectively. The produced particles are exposed to supercritical condition of ethanol for 1 hour at 300°C and pressure of 850 psi. The phase structure and the morphology measurements yield pure iron and major Fe3O4 spherical nanoparticles with average size of 18 and 50 nm, respectively. The crystal size amounts to 9 nm for Fe and 8 nm for Fe3O4. The magnetic properties are measured to exhibit superparamagnetic- and ferromagnetic-like behaviors for Fe and Fe3O4 nanoparticles, respectively. The saturation magnetization amounts to 112 and 68 emu/g for Fe and Fe3O4, respectively. The obtained results open new route for using the biophysical method for large-scale production of highly magnetic nanoparticles to be used for biomedical applications.
Rapid Detection of Pesticide Residues in Chinese Herbal Medicines by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy Coupled with Partial Least Squares Regression
Authors: Yang Tianming , Zhou Rong , Jiang Du , Fu Haiyan , Su Rui , Liu Yangxi , Su Hanbo
Published: December 2016

This paper reports a simple, rapid, and effective method for simultaneous detection of cartap (Ca), thiocyclam (Th), and tebufenozide (Te) in Chinese herbal medicines including Radix Angelicae Dahuricae and Liquorices using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) coupled with partial least squares regression (PLSR). The proposed method can handle the intrinsic interferences of herbal samples; satisfactory average recoveries attained from near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) PLSR models were 99.0±10.8 and 100.2±1.0% for Ca, 100.2±6.9 and 99.7±2.5% for Th, and 99.1±6.3 and 99.6±1.0% for Te, respectively. Furthermore, some statistical parameters and figures of merit are fully investigated to evaluate the performance of the two models. It was found that both models could give accurate results and only the performance of MIR-PLSR was slightly better than that of NIR-PLSR in the cases suffering from herbal matrix interferences. In conclusion, FT-IR spectroscopy in combination with PLSR has been demonstrated for its application in rapid screening and quantitative analysis of multipesticide residues in Chinese herbal medicines without physical or chemical separation pretreatment step and any spectral processing, which also implies other potential applications such as food and drug safety, herbal plants quality, and environmental evaluation, due to its advantages of nontoxic and nondestructive analysis.
Nutrition Education in Australian Midwifery Programmes: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Arrish Jamila , Yeatman Heather , Williamson Moira
Published: December 2016

Little research has explored how nutrition content in midwifery education prepares midwives to provide prenatal nutrition advice. This study examined the nature and extent of nutrition education provided in Australian midwifery programmes. A mixed-methods approach was used, incorporating an online survey and telephone interviews. The survey analysis included 23 course coordinators representing 24 of 50 accredited midwifery programmes in 2012. Overall, the coordinators considered nutrition in midwifery curricula and the midwife’s role as important. All programmes included nutrition content; however, eleven had only 5 to <10 hours allocated to nutrition, while two had a designated unit. Various topics were covered. Dietitians/other nutrition experts were rarely involved in teaching or reviewing the nutrition content. Interviews with seven coordinators revealed that nutrition education tended to be problem-oriented and at times based on various assumptions. Nutrition content was not informed by professional or theoretical models. The development of nutrition assessment skills or practical training for midwifery students in providing nutrition advice was lacking. As nutrition is essential for maternal and foetal health, nutrition education in midwifery programmes needs to be reviewed and minimum requirements should be included to improve midwives’ effectiveness in this area. This may require collaboration between nutrition experts and midwifery bodies.
Worst-Case Investment and Reinsurance Optimization for an Insurer under Model Uncertainty
Authors: Meng Xiangbo , Rong Ximin , Zhang Lidong , Du Ziping
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we study optimal investment-reinsurance strategies for an insurer who faces model uncertainty. The insurer is allowed to acquire new business and invest into a financial market which consists of one risk-free asset and one risky asset whose price process is modeled by a Geometric Brownian motion. Minimizing the expected quadratic distance of the terminal wealth to a given benchmark under the “worst-case” scenario, we obtain the closed-form expressions of optimal strategies and the corresponding value function by solving the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation. Numerical examples are presented to show the impact of model parameters on the optimal strategies.
The Emerging Role of miRNAs and Their Clinical Implication in Biliary Tract Cancer
Authors: Ferreira Martins Nina Nayara , da Silva Oliveira Kelly Cristina , Braga Bona Amanda , Arruda Cardoso Smith Marília de , Ishak Geraldo , Assumpção Paulo Pimentel , Burbano Rommel Rodríguez , Calcagno Danielle Queiroz
Published: December 2016

Biliary tract cancers are aggressive malignancies that include gallbladder cancer and tumors of intra- and extrahepatic ducts and have a poor prognosis. Surgical resection remains the main curative therapy. Nevertheless, numerous patients experience recurrence even after radical surgery. This scenario drives the research to identify biliary tract cancer biomarkers despite the limited progress that has been made. Recently, a large number of studies have demonstrated that deregulated expression of microRNAs is closely associated with cancer development and progression. In this review, we highlight the role and importance of microRNAs in biliary tract cancers with an emphasis on utilizing circulating microRNAs as potential biomarkers. Additionally, we report several single-nucleotide polymorphisms inmicroRNAgenes that are associated with the susceptibility of biliary tract tumors.
O poeta entre o literário, o político e a polêmica: a recepção de Dante, no Romantismo francês
Authors: Mello Celina Maria Moreira de
Published: December 2016

Este ensaio desenha um panorama da recepção, na França, da obra do poeta Dante Alighieri por eruditos, tradutores, pintores e poetas, em sua atuação de mediadores culturais, em uma perspectiva sócio-histórica e discursiva. São apontados como exemplo dois modos diversos de apropriação da obra do poeta florentino: Dante visto como um perigoso templário socialista e uma polêmica, na imprensa, provocada pela biografia de Dante, de autoria de Charles-Claude Fauriel, publicada na Revue des Deux Mondes em 1º de outubro de 1834. Para além dos posicionamentos conflitantes em uma perspectiva da constituição da autonomia do campo literário, podemos ver o choque de grupos e veículos de publicação rivais, assim como ler um capítulo das narrativas de construção de identidades nacionais.
La Cognizione del Dolore: Esperienza di Traduzione e forme di Lettura
Authors: Rusconi Fabrizio , Lombardi Andrea
Published: December 2016

Este estudo nasce de uma reflexão de Giacomo Leopardi sobre a tradução, anotada em seu Zibaldone, na qual se mencionava a impressão original que um bom tradutor deve tentar reproduzir no texto traduzido. A partir de alguns exemplos concretos, tentou-se compreender como uma tradição inteira se afastou ou se aproximou dessa exigência de tradução e que espaço ela teria na atual reflexão sobre o tema. Enfim, analisamos a tradução brasileira do Cognizione del dolore de Carlo Emilio Gadda para esclarecer como uma correta avaliação da especificação do texto, conduzida na base das impressões de leitura suscitadas nos leitores a ele coevos, mas também posteriores, certamente teria sido benéfica na correta avaliação das escolhas realizadas na tradução. Na conclusão demonstramos, com base em uma comparação entre texto original e texto traduzido, como essa consciência nem sempre existe no tradutor ou é considerada como deveria, e como essa falta produz distorções e enganos
A Morte e a morte de Quincas Berro D'Água in Italiano: esiti positivi e negativi
Authors: Porru Mauro
Published: December 2016

Este artigo, partindo do pressuposto de que a tradução é um importante instrumento de conexão entre duas visões de mundo, trata da análise da versão italiana do conto de Jorge Amado A morte e a morte de Quincas Berro d’Água, realizada pela tradutora Elena Grechi e publicada pela editora Garzanti em 1987. O objetivo principal de nossas reflexões consistiu em identificar os procedimentos que orientaram as escolhas tradutórias adotadas para a superação das dificuldades existentes no texto amadiano, levando em conta sobretudo a importância de um contato direto do tradutor com o contexto sociocultural em que a obra original surgiu para que se possa apreender com maior preparo a estrutura de sua linguagem, e aproximar-se com mais precisão dessa cultura para conseguir captar sua atmosfera.
Sciascia e Camilleritra Racconto e Cronaca Sociale
Authors: Marci Giuseppe
Published: December 2016

No “bem um estranho guia” da Bahia, Jorge Amado propõe uma autodefinição que também pode ser utilizada para explicar um aspecto nada secundário da obra narrativa de Leonardo Sciascia e Andrea Camilleri: “Narra o que sabe por tê-lo vivido, herói de seus livros é o povo, sua meta a alcançar é o porvir”. Para falar de seu primeiro escrito (que se intitulará Le parrocchie di Regalpetra), Sciascia utiliza o termo “cronaca” (que aparece no título do capítulo “Cronache scolastiche”): crônicas de um lugarejo – Regalpetra – que o escritor conhece a fundo, em sua fisionomia histórica e social, e com relação ao qual pode escrever, pois sabe por tê-lo vivido. Da mesma maneira, Camilleri – nos romances históricos e civis, assim como nos policiais, mas também em escritos de menor estruturação narrativa, se não mesmo ocasionais, como podem ser as páginas que descrevem alguns aspectos de Porto Empedocle – implícita ou explicitamente se qualifica como testemunha (“vi de meu terraço”). Também os dois escritores italianos contam o que sabem, portanto, e – cada qual com a própria estratégia narrativa e com a visão do mundo que lhes pertence – constituem o povo como herói de seus livros. Mais complexo é dizer se (como o escritor brasileiro) consideram que a meta a ser alcançada seria o porvir, e o que afinal significaria, para um e para outro, a ideia do porvir: de que tonalidades políticas e sociais se colore, de quais (e diversíssimos) humores é composto o conceito, destinado a estimular vívidas páginas narrativas.
Pragmatica e Interculturalità in Italiano Lingua Seconda
Authors: Tomassetti Roberto
Published: December 2016

Pragmatica e Interculturalità in Italiano Lingua Seconda, org. Elisabetta Santoro e Ineke Vedder (Firenze, Franco Cesati Editore, 2016)
Do projeto “Italianando a San Paolo” ao mapeamento do curso de Italiano nos Centros de Estudos de Línguas (CEL) do Estado de São Paulo: problemas, desdobramentos e propostas de ação
Authors: Baraldi Luciana Duarte , Hass Juliana , Ortale Fernanda
Published: December 2016

O objetivo deste artigo é apresentar o percurso que culminou na realização de um mapeamento dos Centros de Estudos de Línguas (CEL) do Estado de São Paulo com vistas a colher dados atuais sobre esse contexto, principalmente no que diz respeito à situação da língua italiana e aos problemas de ensino. Para isso, partimos de dados gerais sobre o CEL e sobre o projeto “Italianando a San Paolo”, que realizamos em uma das escolas-sede da capital, para depois tratar dos procedimentos de coleta e dos dados obtidos no mapeamento. A análise desses dados mostra, de um lado, que a realidade do ensino de italiano no contexto público parece ter chegado a um patamar desolador; de outro, aponta para a importância da realização de um levantamento como este, que possibilitou encetar um diálogo entre as principais instituições relacionadas ao ensino de italiano no Brasil e cujos desdobramentos trouxeram propostas de ações elaboradas em conjunto já postas em prática, que podem ajudar tanto na melhoria das condições de ensino-aprendizagem nos CEL quanto contribuir com os estudos da área de Italianísticas, pelo fato de estarmos lidando com dados ainda inéditos neste campo de pesquisa.
ipermedialità nella didattica delle lingue moderne: una ricerca
Authors: Toscano Anna
Published: December 2016

Oggetto di questo articolo è un’indagine svolta presso alcuni istituti che insegnano lingua italiana a San Paolo nell’ambito di una ricerca che si propone di motivare l’utilizzo di un ipermedia nella didattica delle lingue moderne. L’ipermedia è indicato come uno strumento importante in ambito glottodidattico, visto che si basa su un approccio umanistico e trae ispirazione da una visione socio-costruttivista del contesto scuola. L’ipotesi di uno strumento ipermediale nella glottodidattica garantirebbe duttilità, dinamicità e apertura che potrebbe così essere usato in tutte le classi in maniera varia e differenziata. Abbiamo svolto la ricerca in tre istituti di San Paolo (Brasile) e in uno di Venezia, cercando di investigare quali possano essere i punti di contatto tra l’uso effettivo delle tecnologie in ambito glottodidattico e le preferenze di uso. Ne presentiamo qui i dati emersi nei loro punti salienti in quanto la ricerca ha portato a una raccolta di informazioni molto consistente.
Aferir, mensurar, avaliar o italiano de estrangeiros. O caso da CILS.
Authors: Machetti Sabrina
Published: December 2016

O trabalho apresentado analisa a natureza e o papel desempenhado pela CILS, Certificação de italiano como língua estrangeira da Università per Stranieri di Siena, na difusão da língua e da cultura italiana no espaço linguístico italiano global. A CILS examina questões relacionadas com o impacto pessoal, formativo e de âmbito social mais geral, refletindo sobre seus possíveis efeitos na formação de uma cultura de avaliação do italiano para estrangeiros.
Evaluation of Parameterizations of Incoming Longwave Radiation in the High-Mountain Region of the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhu Meilin , Yao Tandong , Yang Wei , Xu Baiqing , Wang Xiaojun
Published: December 2016

Accurate evaluations of incoming longwave radiation (Lin) parameterization have practical implications for glacier and river runoff changes in high-mountain regions of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). To identify potential means of accurately predicting spatiotemporal variations in Lin, 13 clear-sky parameterizations combined with 10 cloud corrections for all-sky atmospheric emissivity were evaluated at five sites in high-mountain regions of the TP through temporal and spatial parameter transfer tests. Most locally calibrated parameterizations for clear-sky and all-sky conditions performed well when applied to the calibration site. The best parameterization at five sites is Dilley and O’Brien’s A model combined with Sicart et al.’s A for cloud-correction-incorporated relative humidity. The performance of parameter transferability in time is better than that in space for the same all-sky parameterizations. The performance of parameter transferability in space presents spatial discrepancies. In addition, all all-sky parameterizations show a decrease in performance with increasing altitude regardless of whether the parameters of all-sky parameterizations were recalibrated by local conditions or transferred from other study sites. This may be attributable to the difference between screen-level air temperature and the effective atmospheric boundary layer temperature and to different cloud-base heights. Nevertheless, such worse performance at higher altitudes is likely to change because of terrain, underlying surfaces, and wind systems, among other factors. The study also describes possible spatial characteristics of Lin and its driving factors by reviewing the few studies about Lin for the mountain regions of the TP.
Characteristics of VIRS Signals within Pixels of TRMM PR for Warm Rain in the Tropics and Subtropics
Authors: Chen Yilun , Fu Yunfei
Published: December 2016

Many data-merging studies of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite involve the integration of high-resolution Visible and Infrared Scanner (VIRS) signals (~2 km) with low-resolution Precipitation Radar (PR) footprint (~5 km) to obtain comprehensive information from observations. Based on the merged dataset, “warm rain” is generally identified as having averaging 10.8-μm brightness temperatures (TB10.8) exceeding 273 K and the existence of surface rainfall. However, this integration may lead to the misidentification of warm rain because the beam-filling problem (nonuniform TB10.8 in PR pixels) is not fully considered through the method using high-resolution TB10.8 to match low-resolution rainfall. To assess the bias that is associated with identifying warm rain, a new dataset that includes all VIRS signals within the PR resolution is established, and the characteristics of this warm rain in the summers of 1998–2012 are analyzed. The results show that clear-sky pixels and “cold” pixels probably exist in some apparent warm-rain cases (60.5% and 11.2% of the time, respectively). According to this finding, warm-rain pixels are divided into pixels with and without clear sky. Statistical analysis shows that the existence of clear-sky pixels has a huge influence on the characteristics of the warm-rain pixels. The implications of this study are that many of the warm-rain cases are in fact not warm rain. When studying warm rain, the situation whereby the edges of pixels are clear sky should be fully considered. Also, when computing the weighted average brightness temperature and other characteristics of warm-rain pixels, parts that are clear-sky or cold pixels should be expelled to mitigate beam-filling problems.
Toward Completing the Raindrop Size Spectrum: Case Studies Involving 2D-Video Disdrometer, Droplet Spectrometer, and Polarimetric Radar Measurements
Authors: Thurai Merhala , Gatlin Patrick , Bringi V. N. , Petersen Walter , Kennedy Patrick , Notaroš Branislav , Carey Lawrence
Published: December 2016

Analysis of drop size distributions (DSD) measured by collocated Meteorological Particle Spectrometer (MPS) and a third-generation, low-profile, 2D-video disdrometer (2DVD) are presented. Two events from two different regions (Greeley, Colorado, and Huntsville, Alabama) are analyzed. While the MPS, with its 50-μm resolution, enabled measurements of small drops, typically for drop diameters below about 1.1 mm, the 2DVD provided accurate measurements for drop diameters above 0.7 mm. Drop concentrations in the 0.7–1.1-mm overlap region were found to be in excellent agreement between the two instruments. Examination of the combined spectra clearly reveals a drizzle mode and a precipitation mode. The combined spectra were analyzed in terms of the DSD parameters, namely, the normalized intercept parameter NW, the mass-weighted mean diameter Dm, and the standard deviation of mass spectrum σM. The inclusion of small drops significantly affected the NW and the ratio σM/Dm toward higher values relative to using the 2DVD-based spectra alone. For each of the two events, polarimetric radar data were used to characterize the variation of radar-measured reflectivity Zh and differential reflectivity Zdr with Dm from the combined spectra. In the Greeley event, this variation at S band was well captured for small values of Dm (<0.5 mm) where measured Zdr tended to 0 dB but Zh showed a noticeable decrease with decreasing Dm. For the Huntsville event, an overpass of the Global Precipitation Measurement mission Core Observatory satellite enabled comparison of satellite-based dual-frequency radar retrievals of Dm with ground-based DSD measurements. Small differences were found between the satellite-based radar retrievals and disdrometers.
Premonsoon Drought in India Observed from Space
Authors: Liu W. Timothy , Xie Xiaosu
Published: December 2016

Satellite observations between 2007 and 2015 are used to characterize the annual occurrence of the premonsoon drought (PMD), which causes human death and economic hardship in India, and to postulate its scientific causes. The PMD is identified as the driest and hottest weeks in central India just before the summer monsoon onset. The onset is marked by a sharp increase in precipitation and soil moisture and a decrease in air temperature. The difference between integrated moisture transported in from the Arabian Sea and out to the Bay of Bengal is largely deposited as rain over land during the summer monsoon. The PMD occurs during the short period when moisture is drawn out to the Bay of Bengal before it can be replenished from the Arabian Sea. The time gap is caused by the earlier start of summer monsoon (southwest) winds in the Bay of Bengal than in the Arabian Sea. Sea surface temperature rise precedes the start of summer monsoon wind in both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, and it has the potential to give advance warning of the PMD and thus allow mitigation of the adverse effects.
On the Optimal Measuring Area for Pointwise Rainfall Estimation: A Dedicated Experiment with 14 Laser Disdrometers
Authors: Tapiador F. J. , Navarro A. , Moreno R. , Jiménez-Alcázar A. , Marcos C. , Tokay A. , Durán L. , Bodoque J. M. , Martín R. , Petersen W. , de Castro M.
Published: December 2016

Laser disdrometers measure the particle size distribution (PSD) of hydrometeors through a small cross-sectional (tens of square centimeters) surface. Such a limited area induces a sampling effect in the estimates of the PSD, which translates to error in the reflectivity–rain-rate (Z–R) relationship used for ground radar estimates of rainfall, estimates of kinetic energy of precipitation, and any other hydrometeorological application relying on particle size information. Here, the results of a dedicated experiment to estimate the extent of the effect of limited area sampling of rainfall are presented. Using 14 Parsivel, version 1 (Parsivel-1), disdrometers placed within 6 m2, it was found that the combined area of at least seven disdrometers is required for the estimates to start converging to a stable value. The results can be used to quantify the degree of over-/underestimation of precipitation parameters for a single instrument due to the limited collecting area effect. It has been found that a single disdrometer may underestimate instantaneous rain rate by 70%.
Derivation of Clear-Air Turbulence Parameters from High-Resolution Radiosonde Data
Authors: Martini E. , Freni A. , Cuccoli F. , Facheris L.
Published: December 2016

The knowledge of atmospheric refractive index structure constant () profiles is fundamental to determine the intensity of turbulence, and hence the impact of the scintillation impairment on the signals propagating in the troposphere. However, their relation with atmospheric variables is not straightforward, and profiles based on statistical considerations are normally employed. This can be a shortcoming when performing simulations for which scintillation disturbances need to be consistent with the assumed atmospheric conditions. To overcome this limitation, this work describes a procedure to obtain an estimate of the refractive index structure constant profile of clear-air turbulence under given atmospheric conditions. The procedure is based on the application of the vertical gradient approach to high-resolution radiosonde data. Since turbulence is known to be confined to vertically thin layers, a preliminary identification of turbulent layers is required. This is accomplished by analyzing the profiles of the Richardson number. The value of the outer scale length is estimated using the Thorpe length calculated from the potential temperature profile. The procedure is applied to high-resolution radiosonde data that have been acquired from the Stratosphere–Troposphere Processes and their Role in Climate (SPARC) Data Center, and the obtained results are consistent with measured profiles previously published in the literature.
A Gaussian Mixture Model Smoother for Continuous Nonlinear Stochastic Dynamical Systems: Theory and Scheme
Authors: Lolla Tapovan , Lermusiaux Pierre F. J.
Published: December 2016

Retrospective inference through Bayesian smoothing is indispensable in geophysics, with crucial applications in ocean and numerical weather estimation, climate dynamics, and Earth system modeling. However, dealing with the high-dimensionality and nonlinearity of geophysical processes remains a major challenge in the development of Bayesian smoothers. Addressing this issue, a novel subspace smoothing methodology for high-dimensional stochastic fields governed by general nonlinear dynamics is obtained. Building on recent Bayesian filters and classic Kalman smoothers, the fundamental equations and forward–backward algorithms of new Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) smoothers are derived, for both the full state space and dynamic subspace. For the latter, the stochastic Dynamically Orthogonal (DO) field equations and their time-evolving stochastic subspace are employed to predict the prior subspace probabilities. Bayesian inference, both forward and backward in time, is then analytically carried out in the dominant stochastic subspace, after fitting semiparametric GMMs to joint subspace realizations. The theoretical properties, varied forms, and computational costs of the new GMM smoother equations are presented and discussed.
Using High-Resolution Simulations to Quantify Underestimates of Tornado Intensity from In Situ Observations
Authors: Dahl Nathan A. , Nolan David S. , Bryan George H. , Rotunno Richard
Published: December 2016

Large-eddy simulations are used to produce realistic, high-resolution depictions of near-surface winds in translating tornadoes. The translation speed, swirl ratio, and vertical forcing are varied to provide a range of vortex intensities and structural types. Observation experiments are then performed in which the tornadoes are passed over groups of simulated sensors. Some of the experiments use indestructible, error-free anemometers while others limit the range of observable wind speeds to mimic the characteristics of damage indicators specified in the enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. Also, in some of the experiments the sensors are randomly placed while in others they are positioned in regularly spaced columns perpendicular to the vortex tracks to mimic field project deployments.

Statistical analysis of the results provides quantitative insight into the limitations of tornado intensity estimates based on damage surveys or in situ measurements in rural or semirural areas. The mean negative bias relative to the “true” global maximum 3-s gust at 10 m AGL (the standard for EF ratings) exceeds 10 m s−1 in all cases and 45 m s−1 in some cases. A small number of sensors are generally sufficient to provide a good approximation of the running time-mean maximum during the period of observation, although the required spatial resolution of the sensor group is still substantially higher than that previously attained by any field program. Because of model limitations and simplifying assumptions, these results are regarded as a lower bound for tornado intensity underestimates in rural and semirural areas and provide a baseline for further inquiry.
Mapping methane sources and their emission rates using an aircraft
Authors: Terry Colin , Argyle Malcolm , Meyer Sol , Sander Luise , Hirst Bill
Published: December 2016

Finding efficient and accurate ways to map and monitor methane sources is becoming a priority within government and industry, both for environmental applications and hydrocarbon exploration. For more than 10 years, Sander Geophysics and Shell have cooperated to develop airborne methods to detect and measure the enhanced methane concentrations associated with ground-level sources. The resulting data can be processed using a Markov chain Monte Carlo method (MCMC) to determine the locations and emission rates of the methane sources responsible. SGMethane is the name of Sander Geophysics' methane survey method, resulting from the collaboration with Shell. It consists of an optical gas sensor, an anemometer, a GPS, and an inertial navigation system, analogous to Shell's LightTouch method. A test survey was flown over two active waste landfill sites close to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and the modeled data corroborated the locations of the dumpsites. Several commercial surveys for environmental monitoring and hydrocarbon exploration have been flown in a wide variety of different countries and climates; these show that both systems can detect localized anomalous methane sources even in the presence of dense vegetation, such as a tropical rainforest.
Short- and long-term ground deformation due to cyclic steam stimulation in Alberta, Canada, measured with interferometric radar
Authors: Samsonov Sergey V.
Published: December 2016

Short- and long-term ground deformation at the cyclic steam stimulation (CSS) enhanced oil recovery sites in the Cold Lake region of Alberta, Canada, was measured with RADARSAT-2 differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (DInSAR) during 2011–2016. The interferometric processing of 84 high-resolution spotlight images revealed extensive short-term ground uplift and subsidence greater than 15 cm over the 24-day satellite revisit cycle. Time-series analysis based on the multidimensional small baseline subset (MSBAS) methodology demonstrated that while the predominant deformation signal is cyclical in nature, a long-term subsidence and uplift with maximum deformation rates greater than 5 cm/year is also present. These measurements suggest that CSS injection and production operations result in the long-term semipermanent deformation in the area of reservoir operations, and that the response to injection and extraction can differ from the previous cycles.
Extracting geologic information directly from high-resolution full-waveform inversion velocity models — A case study from offshore Trinidad
Authors: Benfield Nick , Rambaran Vishram , Dowlath Joel , Sinclair Tom , Evans Miles , Richardson Jamie , Ratcliffe Andrew , Irving Andrew
Published: December 2016

The East Coast Marine Area (ECMA) of Trinidad and Tobago contains producing gas fields where the imaging of seismic data is known to be challenging. This difficulty has been attributed to the combination of the Dolphin Main Fault, with more than 1 km of throw and large velocity contrasts of up to 30% in magnitude across it, and shallow gas and gas clouds causing very high attenuation. These factors lead to difficulties producing reliable and consistent velocity models. Previous velocity models — generated using traveltime tomography — contained inaccuracies that led to poor imaging and structural positioning, resulting in uncertainty when planning exploration and development drilling programs. In an attempt to reduce these uncertainties, a full-waveform inversion (FWI) feasibility study was performed over the most problematic area, with an initial velocity model built from a combination of legacy prestack time and depth migration velocity models and additional first-break refraction tomography. The geologic complexity near the main fault and the associated poor seismic data quality meant this model gave a poor fit between the synthetic and observed data (from a cycle-skipping point of view) at the lowest usable frequency. This led to the idea of applying a diving-wave-driven, offset-stripping workflow across each frequency band in the FWI, going from 3.5 Hz to 7.5 Hz. After successful application on the test area, the workflow was applied to ∼1400 km2 of 3D seismic over the ECMA. The final velocity model is structurally consistent and highly resolved, containing detailed shallow geologic features such as mud volcanoes, well-defined faults, and potential gas anomalies that were not visible on the legacy tomographic model. A blind test of well-pressure data correlates strongly with velocity drops in the FWI model, showing that FWI models can potentially provide very good input to regional pore-pressure-prediction studies.