bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Integrated Approach for Reservoir Description Using Seismic, Borehole, and Geologic Data
Authors: Martinez R. D. , Cornish B. E. , Seymour R. H.
Published: March 2016

The contribution that seismic data can make to the structural and stratigraphic model of a reservoir and, in some favourable cases, to delineate fluid contacts is well known. However, lithologic control in reservoir simulation models frequently are limited to information gathered at wells. Any advance in interwell correlation will strengthen the validity of the models. A practical constrained inversion technique is proposed by which a seismic survey can be used to improve the estimates of lithology and porosity in undrilled areas of a reservoir on a scale appropriate for reservoir simulation modeling.

The input data for the constrained inversion technique are wide-band synthetic acoustic logs produced by combining borehole logs, seismic and geological data. The basis of the inversion method is to distribute conventionally interpreted borehole estimates of lithology and porosity throughout a field, guided by the existing seismic-geologic interpretation of the field's structure and stratigraphy. Selected petrophysical relationships and constraints are invoked in an iterative inverse procedure to perturb the lithologic and porosity models by the least amount necessary to explain the seismic data.

The final result is a highly detailed lithologic and porosity model of the field consistent with all available borehole, geologic and seismic data, suitable for use in field evaluation and for building reservoir simulation models. Also, these detailed estimates may be calibrated with core data to provide useful information about the permeability variation throughout the field.

The complete approach is illustrated with a field data example from a prospect where complex reservoirs are present.
Reservoir Description and Performance Analysis of a Mature Miscible Flood in Rainbow Field, Canada
Authors: Bilozir D. E. , Frydl P. M.
Published: March 2016

The Rainbow Keg River AA pool is a dolomitized carbonate reservoir in a mature stage of a vertical hydrocarbon miscible flood. The long history of enhanced recovery, plus the fact that the pool had not produced according to initial expectations, formed an ideal framework for an interdisciplinary re-evaluation of the pool and its depletion mechanisms. The result provided a new interpretation of the pool and allowed the development of an optimized depletion strategy based on minimizing coning and maximizing recovery in the remaining oil sandwich.

Acquisition of 3-D seismic data provided a better definition of the shape and size of the reservoir and led to the drilling of four flank wells. The 3-D seismic data, information from the new wells and reinterpretation of old wells resulted in a reassessment of pool volumetrics. A new geological model suggested the presence of unswept oil, which was later substantiated when one well was recompleted above the solvent/oil contact and produced oil which had been bypassed by the solvent front. In combination with a revised material balance and a review of miseibility, the new reservoir interpretation explained past performance and demonstrated the success of the miscible flood.

After the reservoir description and performance analysis were completed, the major challenge was to develop a production strategy which optimized the oil recovery from the remaining 15-metre oil bank. The main objective of the strategy was to reduce the sandwich loss. Using xylene washes, significant increases in the productivity index were achieved without large increases in gas production. A simplified coning simulation model provided a qualitative view of how the major reservoir facies affected cone development. The model plus reservoir description led to recommendations of optimum production methods (reverse coning, gas cycling and horizontal well application) for different parts of the pool.
Temporal and spatial analysis of meteorological drought characteristics in the upper Blue Nile river region
Authors: Khadr Mosaad
Published: March 2016

Drought is a costly natural hazard affecting socio-economic activity and agricultural livelihoods, as well as adversely impacting public health and threatening the sustainability of many natural environments. This study was carried out to characterize the temporal and spatial characteristics of meteorological drought in the upper Blue Nile basin to provide a framework for sustainable water resources management. Analysis of historical droughts was undertaken by converting observed monthly precipitation records (1960–2008), for 22 meteorological stations, to the standardized precipitation index (SPI). The SPI was computed at multiple time steps and the Mann–Kendall test was applied on monthly SPI time series for trend detection, and finally severity areal extent frequency (SAF) curves were developed to assess the recurrence pattern of drought severity. Several drought events were observed during the long rainy season and also the short rainy season, and the drought extent and influence were very severe in 1965 and the 1980s. Trend analysis showed statistically insignificant trends in SPI time series, and SAF curves indicated that droughts with a short return period and high degree will cover only small areas of the basin, while only a near-normal drought with a long return period may spread over the whole region.
Reduction of highly concentrated phosphate from aqueous solution using pectin-nanoscale zerovalent iron (PNZVI)
Authors: Wang Hongyu , Zou Zhuocheng , Xiao Xuelian , Chen Dan , Yang Kai
Published: March 2016

Pectin-nanoscale zerovalent iron (PNZVI) has been studied as an effective phosphate adsorption material to remove highly concentrated phosphate from aqueous solution. Batch phosphate removal and equilibrium experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the effects of environmental factors such as pH, coexisting anions and ionic strengths on phosphate removal by PNZVI. The scanning electron microscope images of nanoscale zerovalent iron (NZVI) and PNZVI demonstrated that PNZVI exhibited larger specific surface areas than NZVI so that PNZVI had higher phosphate removal efficiency than NZVI. Equilibrium experiments showed that phosphate adsorption by PNZVI was well fitted with the Freundlich and Langmuir models. In addition, the maximum adsorption capacity reached 277.38 mgP/gPNZVI. The ionic strengths and common anions showed no significant effects on the process of phosphate adsorption by PNZVI. The phosphate removal efficiency increased to a peak value with pH increased from 2.0 to 5.0, then decreased with pH further increased from 5.0 to 10.0. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses of PNZVI and P-loaded PNZVI indicated that adsorption, rather than redox reaction, was the dominant mechanism for the removal of phosphate by PNZVI.
Preparation of activated carbon from corn cob and its adsorption behavior on Cr(VI) removal
Authors: Tang Shuxiong , Chen Yao , Xie Ruzhen , Jiang Wenju , Jiang Yanxin
Published: March 2016

Operation experiments were conducted to optimize the preparation of activated carbons from corn cob. The Cr(VI) adsorption capacity of the produced activated carbons was also evaluated. The impact of the adsorbent dosage, contact time, initial solution pH and temperature was studied. The results showed that the produced corn cob activated carbon had a good Cr(VI) adsorptive capacity; the theoretical maximum adsorption was 34.48 mg g−1 at 298 K. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and iodine adsorption value of the produced activated carbon could be 924.9 m2 g−1 and 1,188 mg g−1, respectively. Under the initial Cr(VI) concentration of 10 mg L−1 and the original solution pH of 5.8, an adsorption equilibrium was reached after 4 h, and Cr(VI) removal rate was from 78.9 to 100% with an adsorbent's dosage increased from 0.5 to 0.7 g L−1. The kinetics and equilibrium data agreed well with the pseudo-second-order kinetics model and the Langmuir isotherm model. The equilibrium adsorption capacity improved with the increment of the temperature.
Polishing of treated palm oil mill effluent (POME) from ponding system by electrocoagulation process
Authors: Bashir Mohammed J. K. , Mau Han Tham , Jun Wei Lim , Choon Aun Ng , Abu Amr Salem S.
Published: March 2016

As the ponding system used to treat palm oil mill effluent (POME) frequently fails to satisfy the discharge standard in Malaysia, the present study aimed to resolve this problem using an optimized electrocoagulation process. Thus, a central composite design (CCD) module in response surface methodology was employed to optimize the interactions of process variables, namely current density, contact time and initial pH targeted on maximum removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), colour and turbidity with satisfactory pH of discharge POME. The batch study was initially designed by CCD and statistical models of responses were subsequently derived to indicate the significant terms of interactive process variables. All models were verified by analysis of variance showing model significances with Prob > F < 0.01. The optimum performance was obtained at the current density of 56 mA/cm2, contact time of 65 min and initial pH of 4.5, rendering complete removal of colour and turbidity with COD removal of 75.4%. The pH of post-treated POME of 7.6 was achieved, which is suitable for direct discharge. These predicted outputs were subsequently confirmed by insignificant standard deviation readings between predicted and actual values. This optimum condition also permitted the simultaneous removal of NH3-N, and various metal ions, signifying the superiority of the electrocoagulation process optimized by CCD.
Catalytic reduction of nitrate in secondary effluent of wastewater treatment plants by Fe0 and Pd–Cu/γ–Al2O3
Authors: Yun Yupan , Li Zifu , Chen Yi-Hung , Saino Mayiani , Cheng Shikun , Zheng Lei
Published: March 2016

Total nitrogen, in which NO3− is dominant in the effluent of most wastewater treatment plants, cannot meet the requirements of the Chinese wastewater discharge standard (<15 mg/L), making nitrate (NO3−) elimination attract considerable attention. In this study, reductant iron (Fe0) and γ–Al2O3 supported palladium–copper bimetallic catalysts (Pd–Cu/γ–Al2O3) were innovatively used for the chemical catalytic reduction of nitrate in wastewater. A series of specific operational conditions (such as mass ratio of Pd:Cu, catalyst amounts, reaction time and pH of solution) were optimized for nitrate reduction in the artificial solution, and then the selected optimal conditions were further applied for investigating the nitrate elimination of secondary effluent of a wastewater treatment plant in Beijing, China. Results indicated that a better catalytic performance (74% of nitrate removal and 62% of N2 selectivity) could be obtained under the optimal condition: 5 g/L Fe0, 3:1 mass ratio (Pd:Cu), 4 g/L catalyst, 2 h reaction time and pH 5.1. It is noteworthy to point out that nitrogen gas (N2) predominated in the byproducts without another system to treat ammonium and nitrite. Therefore, the chemical catalytic reduction combining Fe0 with Pd–Cu/γ–Al2O3 could be regarded as a better alternative for nitrate removal in wastewater treatment.
Proinsulin Expression Shapes the TCR Repertoire but Fails to Control the Development of Low-Avidity Insulin-Reactive CD8+ T Cells
Authors: Pearson James A. , Thayer Terri C. , McLaren James E. , Ladell Kristin , De Leenheer Evy , Phillips Amy , Davies Joanne , Kakabadse Dimitri , Miners Kelly , Morgan Peter , Wen Li , Price David A. , Wong F. Susan
Published: March 2016

NOD mice, a model strain for human type 1 diabetes, express proinsulin (PI) in the thymus. However, insulin-reactive T cells escape negative selection, and subsequent activation of the CD8+ T-cell clonotype G9C8, which recognizes insulin B15-23 via an αβ T-cell receptor (TCR) incorporating TRAV8-1/TRAJ9 and TRBV19/TRBJ2-3 gene rearrangements, contributes to the development of diabetes. In this study, we used fixed TRAV8-1/TRAJ9 TCRα-chain transgenic mice to assess the impact of PI isoform expression on the insulin-reactive CD8+ T-cell repertoire. The key findings were: 1) PI2 deficiency increases the frequency of insulin B15-23–reactive TRBV19+CD8+ T cells and causes diabetes; 2) insulin B15-23–reactive TRBV19+CD8+ T cells are more abundant in the pancreatic lymph nodes of mice lacking PI1 and/or PI2; 3) overexpression of PI2 decreases TRBV19 usage in the global CD8+ T-cell compartment; 4) a biased repertoire of insulin-reactive CD8+ T cells emerges in the periphery regardless of antigen exposure; and 5) low-avidity insulin-reactive CD8+ T cells are less affected by antigen exposure in the thymus than in the periphery. These findings inform our understanding of the diabetogenic process and reveal new avenues for therapeutic exploitation in type 1 diabetes.
Effects of an optional clinical skills laboratory on surgical performance of third-year veterinary students
Authors: Zeugschmidt Eryn L. , Farnsworth Chelsea H. , Carroll Hillary S. , Lucia Tomasina A. , Hinckley Michael M. , Gay John M. , Cary Julie A.
Published: March 2016

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether addition of an optional clinical skills laboratory (OCSL) to the traditional surgery curriculum would affect total surgery time or incision closure time in veterinary students performing ovariohysterectomy of a dog during a third-year surgery course.

DESIGN

Retrospective and prospective study of veterinary student attendance at OCSL sessions and student performance during the third-year surgery course.

SAMPLE

Students from the classes of 2012, 2013, and 2014 at the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

PROCEDURES

For all students, total surgery time and incision closure time were recorded when students performed an ovariohysterectomy of a dog during their third-year live-animal surgery course. Times were analyzed to identify differences among classes and determine whether times were associated with number of OCSL sessions attended, previous experience performing ovariohysterectomies, or enrollment in an elective clinical skills course.

RESULTS

Total surgery and incision closure times were not significantly different between students in the class of 2012 (no access to the OCSL prior to the third-year surgery course) and students in the class of 2013 (ie, access to 4 OCSL sessions during the spring semester prior to the third-year surgery course). However, times were significantly shorter for students in the class of 2014 (ie, students who had access to OCSL sessions during the 3 semesters prior to the third-year surgery course) than for students in the other 2 classes.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Results suggested that attendance in the OCSL sessions was associated with improvements in surgical performance, as reflected in faster total surgery and incision closure times while performing an ovariohysterectomy during the third-year surgery course.
Abortions in Thoroughbred mares associated with consumption of bulbosus buttercups (Ranunculus bulbosus L)
Authors: Swerczek Thomas W.
Published: March 2016

CASE DESCRIPTION

Unexplained clinical signs of weight loss and emaciation were reported in a herd of Thoroughbred horses grazing spring pastures on a central Kentucky farm, even though supplemental grain and hay were provided.

CLINICAL FINDINGS

A buttercup plant, Ranunculus bulbosus L, was abundantly present in all pastures and paddocks on the farm. All horses, especially lactating mares and their foals, had mild to severe weight loss as assessed by body condition. Seven mares on the farm had been confirmed pregnant between 30 and 45 days of gestation, but were later found to have aborted. Two 2-year-old fillies developed severe diarrhea, incoordination, recumbency, and paralysis and were euthanized. Necropsy of these horses revealed ulcers and erosions in the stomach and large intestine. The findings were considered consistent with buttercup toxicosis.

TREATMENT AND OUTCOME

The horses were moved from the buttercup-infested pastures to a farm free of the weed. All horses made an uneventful recovery, and clinical signs resolved after the horses were transferred to buttercup-free pastures. Mares that had aborted conceived successfully in the next breeding season.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The buttercup plant is toxic for all classes of livestock. The clinical signs associated with buttercup toxicosis may mimic other disease syndromes affecting the gastrointestinal tract of herbivores. On-farm epidemiological investigations are an essential part of the diagnosis of this condition. Consumption of buttercups has previously been associated with abortions in cattle, but to the author's knowledge, this has not previously been described in horses.
Ophthalmic variables in rehabilitated juvenile Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii)
Authors: Gornik Kara R. , Pirie Christopher G. , Marrion Ruth M. , Wocial Julika N. , Innis Charles J.
Published: March 2016

OBJECTIVE

To determine central corneal thickness (total corneal thickness [TCT], epithelial thickness [ET], and stromal thickness [ST]), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and intraocular pressure (IOP) in Kemp's ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii).

DESIGN

Prospective cross-sectional study.

ANIMALS

25 healthy rehabilitated juvenile Kemp's ridley sea turtles.

PROCEDURES

Body weight and straight-line standard carapace length (SCL) were recorded. All turtles underwent a complete anterior segment ophthalmic examination. Central TCT, ET, ST, and ACD were determined by use of a spectral-domain optical coherence tomography device. Intraocular pressure was determined with a rebound tonometer; the horse setting was used to measure IOP in all 25 turtles, and the undefined setting was also used to measure IOP in 20 turtles. For each variable, 3 measurements were obtained bilaterally. The mean was calculated for each eye and used for analysis purposes.

RESULTS

The mean ± SD body weight and SCL were 3.85 ± 1.05 kg (8.47 ± 2.31 lb) and 29 ± 3 cm, respectively. The mean ± SD TCT, ET, ST, and ACD were 288 ± 23 μm, 100 ± 6 μm, 190 ± 19 μm, and 581 ± 128 μm, respectively. Mean ± SD IOP was 6.5 ± 1.0 mm Hg when measured with the horse setting and 3.8 ± 1.1 mm Hg when measured with the undefined setting.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Results provided preliminary reference ranges for objective assessment of ophthalmic variables in healthy juvenile Kemp's ridley sea turtles.
Heterogeneous Asymmetric Oxidation Catalysis Using Hemophore HasApf. Application in the Chemoenzymatic Deracemization of sec-Alcohols with Sodium Borohydride
Authors: Nagaoka Hiroyuki
Published: March 2016

This study aims to demonstrate the coordination of oxygen regarding the hemophore HasApf expressed by Escherichia coli cells, which appears to create an unlikely oxygen-activating system in HasA due to the already-coordinated iron. In the asymmetric oxidation of rac-1-(6-methoxynaphthalen-2-yl)ethanol (rac-1) using dissolved oxygen, the signals at g-values of 2.8, 2.22, and 1.72 in the electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra disappeared in conjunction with the promotion of oxoferric (FeIII−O–O−) species in the distal site. These results suggest that the iron of porphyrin/Fe may be oxidized in water, leading to exhibition of greater asymmetric oxidation activity in the promotion of oxoferryl (FeIV=O) species. A ketone (~50% chemical yield) produced from (R)-(−)-sec-alcohol can be desymmetrized by NaBH4 in aqueous medium at 40 °C (>99% enantiomer excess, ee, >90% chemical yield) in the absence of NAD(P). Therefore, HasA can be regenerated via successive asymmetric catalytic events through an incorporated iron electron-transfer system in the presence of oxygen: FeII + O2 → FeIII−O–O− → FeIV=O (oxidizing rac-1) → FeII + H2O. This process is similar to a Fenton reaction. The use of a HasA-catalytic system with an incorporated redox cofactor for asymmetric oxidation overcomes the apparent difficulties in working with pure dehydrogenase enzyme/redox cofactor systems for biotransformations.
Reducing Energy Use and Carbon Emissions: A Critical Assessment of Small-Group Interventions
Authors: Fisher Jill , Irvine Katherine
Published: March 2016

Motivating individuals to decrease the environmental impact of their lifestyles could play an important role in reducing energy use and meeting carbon reduction commitments in developed countries. Few approaches which encourage voluntary changes in behaviour result in substantial reductions in energy use, however, particularly over the longer term. An exception to this general trend is small-group interventions which use group participation and which target collections of behaviours including energy use. Through a critical examination of published data this paper considers the energy and carbon emission reductions achieved by such initiatives, the durability of those reductions, and the common elements which may contribute to their success. Participants in small-group interventions reduced their energy use and carbon emissions by approximately 20% within a year. There is also some evidence that these reductions were lasting and that participants continued to make changes to their lifestyles after the end of the intervention. The reasonable person model (RPM) is proposed as a useful framework for understanding the success of these small-group interventions. Examination of small-group interventions suggests that they provide settings which are supportive of informational needs, and that this may be important to their success in promoting substantial and durable decreases in energy use.
Estimation of Tree Stem Attributes Using Terrestrial Photogrammetry with a Camera Rig
Authors: Forsman Mona , Börlin Niclas , Holmgren Johan
Published: March 2016

We propose a novel photogrammetric method for field plot inventory, designed for simplicity and time efficiency on-site. A prototype multi-camera rig was used to acquire images from field plot centers in multiple directions. The acquisition time on-site was less than two minutes. From each view, a point cloud was generated using a novel, rig-based matching of detected SIFT keypoints. Stems were detected in the merged point cloud, and their positions and diameters were estimated. The method was evaluated on 25 hemi-boreal forest plots of a 10-m radius. Due to difficult lighting conditions and faulty hardware, imagery from only six field plots was processed. The method performed best on three plots with clearly visible stems with a 76% detection rate and 0% commission. Diameters could be estimated for 40% of the stems with an RMSE of 2.8–9.5 cm. The results are comparable to other camera-based methods evaluated in a similar manner. The results are inferior to TLS-based methods. However, our method is easily extended to multiple station image schemas, something that could significantly improve the results while retaining low commission errors and time on-site. Furthermore, with smaller hardware, we believe this could be a useful technique for measuring stem attributes in the forest.
The Built Environment and Active Travel: Evidence from Nanjing, China
Authors: Feng Jianxi
Published: March 2016

Background: An established relationship exists between the built environment and active travel. Nevertheless, the literature examining the impacts of different components of the built environment is limited. In addition, most existing studies are based on data from cities in the U.S. and Western Europe. The situation in Chinese cities remains largely unknown. Based on data from Nanjing, China, this study explicitly examines the influences of two components of the built environment—the neighborhood form and street form—on residents’ active travel. Methods: Binary logistic regression analyses examined the effects of the neighborhood form and street form on subsistence, maintenance and discretionary travel, respectively. For each travel purpose, three models are explored: a model with only socio-demographics, a model with variables of the neighborhood form and a complete model with all variables. Results: The model fit indicator, Nagelkerke’s ρ2, increased by 0.024 when neighborhood form variables are included and increased by 0.070 when street form variables are taken into account. A similar situation can be found in the models of maintenance activities and discretionary activities. Regarding specific variables, very limited significant impacts of the neighborhood form variables are observed, while almost all of the characteristics of the street form show significant influences on active transport. Conclusions: In Nanjing, street form factors have a more profound influence on active travel than neighborhood form factors. The focal point of the land use regulations and policy of local governments should shift from the neighborhood form to the street form to maximize the effects of policy interventions.
Hypertension and Dementia: Epidemiological and Experimental Evidence Revealing a Detrimental Relationship
Authors: Perrotta Marialuisa , Lembo Giuseppe , Carnevale Daniela
Published: March 2016

Hypertension and dementia represent two major public health challenges worldwide, notably in the elderly population. Although these two conditions have classically been recognized as two distinct diseases, mounting epidemiological, clinical and experimental evidence suggest that hypertension and dementia are strictly intertwined. Here, we briefly report how hypertension profoundly affects brain homeostasis, both at the structural and functional level. Chronic high blood pressure modifies the cerebral vasculature, increasing the risk of Aβ clearance impairment. The latter, excluding genetic etiologies, is considered one of the main causes of Aβ deposition in the brain. Studies have shown that hypertension induces cerebral arterial stiffening and microvascular dysfunction, thus contributing to dementia pathophysiology. This review examines the existing and the updated literature which has attempted to explain and clarify the relationship between hypertension and dementia at the pathophysiological level.
Molecular Cloning and Expression Analysis of IgD in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Response to Streptococcus agalactiae Stimulus
Authors: Wang Bei , Wang Pei , Wu Zao-He , Lu Yi-Shan , Wang Zhong-Liang , Jian Ji-Chang
Published: March 2016

IgD is considered to be a recently-evolved Ig and a puzzling molecule, being previously found in all vertebrate taxa, except for birds. Although IgD likely plays an important role in vertebrate immune responses, the function of IgD in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is virtually unknown. In the present study, a membrane form of IgD (mIgD) heavy chains were cloned from the GIFT strain of Nile tilapia (designated On-mIgD). The On-mIgD heavy chain’s cDNA is composed of 3347 bp with a 31 bp of 5′-UTR, 3015 bp open reading frame (ORF) and 301 bp 3′-UTR, encoding a polypeptide of 1004 amino acids (GenBank accession no: KF530821). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that On-mIgD heavy chains showed the highest similarity to Siniperca chuatsi. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that On-mIgD expression occurred predominately in head kidney, thymus, spleen, and kidney. After Streptococcus agalactiae infection, transcripts of On-mIgD increased and reached its peak at 48 h in the head kidney and thymus, and 72 h in the spleen, respectively. Taken together, these results collectively indicated that IgD could possibly have a key role to play in the immune response when bacterial infections in Nile tilapia.
Legal Capacity and Access to Justice: The Right to Participation in the CRPD
Authors: Weller Penelope
Published: March 2016

This article provides an applied analysis of Article 12 (Equal recognition before the law) of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and Article 13 (Access to justice) in the context of Article 6 (Women with disabilities). Recent literature on the CRPD has extended the analysis of Article 12 to consider its broader relevance for the interpretation of Article 13. The interaction between Article 12 and Article 13 is an emerging issue in CRPD debates. This article argues that the CRPD must be interpreted in light of current human rights theory. It provides a case study of the interaction between Article 12 and Article 13 based on the facts recited in the Court of Appeal case in the United Kingdom (RP v Nottingham City Council (2008)) and RP’s petition to the European Court of Human Rights (RP and Others v United Kingdom (2012)). The analysis shows that CRPD principles could and should have been applied in RP’s case. It concludes that current practices excluding people with disabilities from participation in legal proceedings are contrary to the CRPD.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Accumulative Roll-Bonded AA1050A/AA5005 Laminated Metal Composites
Authors: Kümmel Frank , Kreuz Michael , Hausöl Tina , Höppel Heinz , Göken Mathias
Published: March 2016

Laminated metal composites (LMCs) with alternating layers of commercial pure aluminum AA1050A and aluminum alloy AA5005 were produced by accumulative roll-bonding (ARB). In order to vary the layer thickness and the number of layer interfaces, different numbers of ARB cycles (4, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16) were performed. The microstructure and mechanical properties were characterized in detail. Up to 8 ARB cycles, the ultrafine-grained (UFG) microstructure of the layers in the LMC evolves almost equally to those in AA1050A and AA5005 mono-material sheets. However, the grain size in the composites tends to have smaller values. Nevertheless, the local mechanical properties of the individual layers in the LMCs are very similar to those of the mono-material sheets, and the macroscopic static mechanical properties of the LMCs can be calculated as the mean value of the mono-material sheets applying a linear rule of mixture. In contrast, for more than 12 ARB cycles, a homogenous microstructure was obtained where the individual layers within the composite cannot be visually separated any longer; thus, the hardness is at one constant and a high level across the whole sheet thickness. This results also in a significant higher strength in tensile testing. It was revealed that, with decreasing layer thickness, the layer interfaces become more and more dominating.
Upgrading of High-Aluminum Hematite-Limonite Ore by High Temperature Reduction-Wet Magnetic Separation Process
Authors: Zhou Xianlin , Zhu Deqing , Pan Jian , Luo Yanhong , Liu Xinqi
Published: March 2016

The huge consumption of iron ores in China has attracted much attention to utilizing low grade complex iron resources, such as high-aluminum hematite-limonite ore, which is a refractory resource and difficult to upgrade by traditional physical concentration processes due to the superfine size and close dissemination of iron minerals with gangue minerals. An innovative technology for a high temperature reduction-magnetic separation process was studied to upgrade a high-aluminum iron ore assaying 41.92% Fetotal, 13.74% Al2O3 and 13.96% SiO2. The optimized results show that the final metal iron powder, assaying 90.46% Fetotal, was manufactured at an overall iron recovery of 90.25% under conditions as follows: balling the high aluminum iron ore with 15% coal blended and at 0.3 basicity, reducing the dried pellets at 1350 °C for 25 min with a total C/Fe mass ratio of 1.0, grinding the reduced pellets up to 95%, passing at 0.074 mm and magnetically separating the ground product in a Davis Tube at a 0.10-T magnetic field intensity. The metal iron powder can be used as the burden for an electric arc furnace (EAF). Meanwhile, the nonmagnetic tailing is suitable to produce ceramic, which mainly consists of anorthite and corundum. An efficient way has been found to utilize high-aluminum iron resources.
Treatment with Akebia Saponin D Ameliorates Aβ1–42-Induced Memory Impairment and Neurotoxicity in Rats
Authors: Chen Yongde , Yang Xiaolin , Chen Tong , Ji Jing , Lan Li , Hu Rong , Ji Hui
Published: March 2016

Amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) is known to be directly associated with the progressive neuronal death observed in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, effective neuroprotective approaches against Aβ neurotoxicity are still unavailable. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of Akebia saponin D (ASD), a typical compound isolated from the rhizome of Dipsacus asper Wall, on Aβ1–42-induced impairment of learning and memory formation and explored the probable underlying molecular mechanisms. We found that treatment with ASD (30, 90 or 270 mg/kg) significantly ameliorated impaired spatial learning and memory in intracerebroventricularly (ICV) Aβ1–42-injected rats, as evidenced by a decrease tendency in escape latency during acquisition trials and improvement in exploratory activities in the probe trial in Morris water maze (MWM). Further study showed that ASD reversed Aβ1–42-induced accumulation of Aβ1–42 and Aβ1–40 in the hippocampus through down-regulating the expression of BACE and Presenilin 2 accompanied with increased the expression of TACE, IDE and LRP-1. Taken together, our findings suggested that ASD exerted therapeutic effects on Aβ-induced cognitive deficits via amyloidogenic pathway.
Vitamin Status among Breastfed Infants in Bhaktapur, Nepal
Authors: Ulak Manjeswori , Chandyo Ram , Thorne-Lyman Andrew , Henjum Sigrun , Ueland Per , Midttun Øivind , Shrestha Prakash , Fawzi Wafaie , Graybill Lauren , Strand Tor
Published: March 2016

Vitamin deficiencies are known to be common among infants residing in low- and middle-income countries but relatively few studies have assessed several biochemical parameters simultaneously. The objective of the study was to describe the status of vitamins (A, D, E, B6, B12 and folate) in breastfed infants. We measured the plasma concentrations of trans retinol, 25 hydroxy vitamin D, α-tocopherol, pyridoxal 5′-phosphate, cobalamin, folate, methylmalonic acid, homocysteine, hemoglobin and C-reactive protein from 467 randomly selected infants. One in five (22%) was deficient in at least one vitamin. Mean (SD) plasma folate concentration was 73 (35) nmol/L, and no infant in the sample was folate deficient. Vitamin B6 deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency was found in 22% and 17% of the infants, respectively. Elevated plasma methylmalonic acid or total homocysteine concentration was found in 82% and 62% of infants, respectively. Fifteen percent of infants were vitamin A deficient and 65% were marginally deficient in vitamin A. Fewer than 5% of infants had low plasma vitamin D concentration or vitamin E concentration (α-tocopherol <9.3 µmol/L). Our results illustrate the importance of continued supplementation campaigns and support the expansion of food fortification and dietary diversification programs that target children and women in Nepal.
Cytoprotective Effect of Lactobacillus crispatus CTV-05 against Uropathogenic E. coli
Authors: Butler Daniel , Silvestroni Aurelio , Stapleton Ann
Published: March 2016

The vaginal flora consists of a subset of different lactic acid producing bacteria, typically creating a hostile environment for infecting pathogens. However, the flora can easily be disrupted, creating a favorable milieu for uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), making it possible to further infect the urinary system via the urethra. Probiotic use of different lactobacilli to restore the normal flora of the vagina has been proposed as a potential prophylactic treatment against urinary tract infections. This project evaluated the protective- and anti-inflammatory roles of the probiotic Lactobacillus crispatus strain CTV-05 in an in vitro system. The inflammatory response and the cytotoxic effect were studied by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and by trypan blue exclusion of cells inoculated with L. crispatus CTV-05 and comparing it to non-infected controls and UPEC infected cells. L. crispatus CTV-05 showed no cytotoxicity to vaginal epithelial cells compared to non-infected controls and provided significant protection against UPEC infection (p < 0.05). Further more, L. crispatus CTV-05 did not create a pro-inflammatory response in vitro, with no significant increase of IL-1β or IL-6. These results demonstrate the protective effect of using L. crispatus CTV-05 as a probiotic treatment to reduce the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections.
Effect of the “Spiritual Support” Intervention on Spirituality and the Clinical Parameters of Women Who Have Undergone Mastectomy: A Pilot Study
Authors: Guilherme Caroline , Ribeiro Gabriela , Caldeira Sílvia , Zamarioli Cristina , De Souza Oliveira-Kumakura Ana , Almeida Ana , De Carvalho Emilia
Published: March 2016

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the spiritual support intervention on spirituality and the clinical parameters of women who have undergone mastectomy. This is a pilot study of a randomized clinical trial. The spiritual support intervention was composed of meditation, guided imagery, music, and respiratory relaxation. The outcomes were: spirituality, blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation. A total of 27 patients were recruited for the study (intervention group, n = 13; control group, n = 14) (Clinical Trials: NCT 01866670/CAE: 00896312.0.0000.5393). The intervention helped patients with breast cancer to increase expression of their spirituality (p = 0.040) and it also decreased heart rate on the first (p = 0.038) and third day (p = 0.017). There was a difference in oxygen saturation on the second day in the control group (p = 0.039). Patients reported that their participation in the research was positive. This intervention had an effect on the sample of women who had undergone mastectomy.
Precipitation Intensity Effects on Groundwater Recharge in the Southwestern United States
Authors: Thomas Brian , Behrangi Ali , Famiglietti James
Published: March 2016

Episodic recharge as a result of infrequent, high intensity precipitation events comprises the bulk of groundwater recharge in arid environments. Climate change and shifts in precipitation intensity will affect groundwater continuity, thus altering groundwater recharge. This study aims to identify changes in the ratio of groundwater recharge and precipitation, the R:P ratio, in the arid southwestern United States to characterize observed changes in groundwater recharge attributed to variations in precipitation intensity. Our precipitation metric, precipitation intensity magnification, was used to investigate the relationship between the R:P ratio and precipitation intensity. Our analysis identified significant changes in the R:P ratio concurrent with decreases in precipitation intensity. The results illustrate the importance of precipitation intensity in relation to groundwater recharge in arid regions and provide further insights for groundwater management in nonrenewable groundwater systems and in a changing climate.
Assessment of the Impacts of Global Climate Change and Regional Water Projects on Streamflow Characteristics in the Geum River Basin in Korea
Authors: Kim Soojun , Noh Huiseong , Jung Jaewon , Jun Hwandon , Kim Hung
Published: March 2016

The impacts of two factors on future regional-scale runoff were assessed: the external factor of climate change and the internal factor of a recently completed large-scale water resources project. A rainfall-runoff model was built (using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool, SWAT) for the Geum River, where three weirs were recently constructed along the main stream. RCP (Representative Concentration Pathways) climate change scenarios from the HadGEM3-RA RCM model were used to generate future climate scenarios, and daily runoff series were constructed based on the SWAT model. The indicators of the hydrologic alteration (IHA) program was used to carry out a quantitative assessment on the variability of runoff during two future periods (2011–2050, 2051–2100) compared to a reference period (1981–2006). Analyses of changes in the runoff characteristics of the lower Geum River showed that climate change is likely to lead to an increase of the future runoff ratio and that weirs contributed to an increase in the minimum discharge and a decrease in the maximum discharge. The influence of the weirs on the runoff characteristics of the Geum River basin was projected to be greater than that of climate change.
Pour des sociétés ouvertes
Authors: Roy Olivier
Published: March 2016

Dans les sociétés européennes sécularisées, la religion fait retour comme marqueur identitaire et entraîne un conflit des valeurs, en politique comme dans les tribunaux. Pour garantir l’ouverture de l’espace social, il faut réaffirmer l’universalité des droits de l’homme, qui incluent la liberté religieuse.
Nous ne savons plus croire
Authors: Riquier Camille
Published: March 2016

La modernité nous laisse privés de vérité, mais toujours en quête de sens. Nous souffrons d’une « maladie du croire » parce que nous n’avons même plus la force de douter. Dans le sillage de Paul Ricœur, il est possible d’assumer « une foi post-religieuse ».
Entre droit du sol et droit du sang
Authors: Lepoutre Jules
Published: March 2016

L’accès des réfugiés à la nationalité d’un des États membres de l’Union européenne doit sortir de l’impasse d’un droit du sang hasardeux et d’un droit du sol limité à un seul État.
Après les attentats, la saine colère des victimes
Authors: Salas Denis
Published: March 2016

L’État peut bien sanctionner les infractions, mais il ne sait pas répondre à la demande de justice des victimes des attentats. Ces dernières cherchent « moins vengeance que récit » pour retrouver leur dignité.
L’Accord de Paris : un tournant décisif dans la lutte contre le changement climatique ?
Authors: Maréchal Jean-Paul
Published: March 2016

L’objet de cet article est d’analyser deux points clés de l’Accord de Paris : l’objectif de limitation du réchauffement climatique en dessous de 2 degrés Celsius et son caractère universel et contraignant. Même si cet accord expose des engagements et des contraintes en retrait par rapport à ce qui serait nécessaire d’un point de vue scientifique, il constituera néanmoins un levier pour demander le respect des engagements pris, et réclamer d’aller plus loin.
Un monde Champagne !
Authors: Taittinger Clovis
Published: March 2016

Le champagne fait indéniablement partie des industries pérennes et « indélocalisables » de notre pays. Présent et distribué dans la plupart des pays de la planète, il a déjà techniquement conquis le monde. Cependant les ventes stagnent depuis dix ans, car le champagne est touché par une crise culturelle. Si les perspectives à l’export sont infinies, il faut retravailler et vivre totalement le « mythe » Champagne et l’image de la France qui lui est étroitement liée.
Diachronic aspects of ESP
Authors: Banks David
Published: March 2016

L’anglais de spécialité (ASP) diachronique constitue un champ de recherche relativement nouveau, bien que de nombreux travaux qui pourraient figurer sous cet intitulé n’utilisent pas cette expression. Cet article tente de dresser un état des lieux de la recherche dans ce domaine. Les premières contributions étaient souvent de nature sociolinguistique. Les travaux de M. Halliday sont particulièrement intéressants, notamment ses études sur la relation entre la nominalisation et la progression thématique. Ceux de Banks sur l’article de recherche scientifique se situent dans le prolongement de ceux de M. Halliday ; ils traitent principalement des Philosophical Transactions et les comparent avec le périodique français, le Journal des Sçavans. F. Salager-Meyer fournit une contribution majeure à propos des aspects interpersonnels du discours scientifique. Des ouvrages collectifs sur la question de l’évolution du discours scientifique ont aussi été publiés. Certaines études sont plurimodales de nature et traitent en particulier de l’usage des images dans le texte scientifique. La majorité des études dans ce domaine concerne le discours scientifique, mais quelques tentatives ponctuelles ont porté sur d’autres types de discours. L’ASP diachronique devrait être un champ fructueux pour la recherche future.
Supply Chain Network Design Using an Enhanced Hybrid Swarm-Based Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Yuce Baris , Mastrocinque Ernesto
Published: March 2016

Supply chain network design is one of the most important strategic issues in operations management. The main objective in designing a supply chain is to keep the cost as low as possible. However, the modelling of a supply chain requires more than single-objective such as lead-time minimization, service level maximization, and environmental impact maximization among others. Usually these objectives may cause conflicts such as increasing the service level usually causes a growth in costs. Therefore, the aim should be to find trade-off solutions to satisfy the conflicting objectives. The aim of this chapter is to propose a new method based on a hybrid version of the Bees Algorithm with Slope Angle Computation and Hill Climbing Algorithm to solve a multi-objective supply chain network design problem. A real case from the literature has been selected and solved in order to show the potentiality of the proposed method in solving a large scale combinatorial problem.
Stochastic Optimization of Manufacture Systems by Using Markov Decision Processes
Authors: Lechuga Gilberto Pérez , Martínez Francisco Venegas , Ramírez Elvia Pérez
Published: March 2016

In real-world most of manufacturing systems are large, complex, and subject to uncertainty. This is mainly due to events as random demands, breakdowns, repairs of production machines, setup and cycle times, inventory fluctuations and more. If items move too quickly, workers may work too hard. If items move too slowly, workers may have great leisure times. However, must make decisions here and now regarding the operation of the system optimally and quickly. In practice, these decisions are based on recent statistics of the system behavior, in the experience of the analyst and the urgency of the solution. In this chapter, we present a real problem associated with the production of individual parts in metalworking industry for the refrigerators production. We develop a model based on the Markov Decision Process to study the dynamics of the trajectory of end products in a manufacturing line that works by process. Then, we propose a measure of the average production rate of the line by using the Monte Carlo method. We illustrate our proposal using a numerical example with real data obtained in situ.
Verification of Iterative Methods for the Linear Complementarity Problem
Authors: Najafi H. Saberi , Edalatpanah S. A.
Published: March 2016

In the present chapter, we give an overview of iterative methods for linear complementarity problems (abbreviated as LCPs). We also introduce these iterative methods for the problems based on fixed-point principle. Next, we present some new properties of preconditioned iterative methods for solving the LCPs. Convergence results of the sequence generated by these methods and also the comparison analysis between classic Gauss-Seidel method and preconditioned Gauss-Seidel (PGS) method for LCPs are established under certain conditions. Finally, the efficiency of these methods is demonstrated by numerical experiments. These results show that the mentioned models are effective in actual implementation and competitive with each other.