bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potassium Titanyl Phosphate Laser Turbinate Reduction in the Management of Allergic Inferior Turbinate Hypertrophy: Our Experience
Authors: Vijayakumar Sabarinath , Divakaran Shilpa , Parida Pradipta Kumar , Gopalakrishnan Suriyanarayanan
Published: April 2016

Background

Allergic inferior turbinate hypertrophy is one of the most common causes of nasal obstruction. Several surgical methods can be used for the reduction of allergic inferior turbinate hypertrophy refractory to medical management. Herein, we share our experience with a potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP) laser, which is a relatively novel technique for turbinate reduction.

Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy of KTP laser turbinate reduction in terms of symptomatic improvement and its effect on nasal mucociliary clearance.

Methods

This study was conducted in the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India, from November 2012 to July 2013. Thirty patients with inferior turbinate hypertrophy refractory to medical management were selected. A KTP laser was used at 6 W in continuous mode, with a spot size of 0.6–1 mm, and energy delivered through a 400–μm optical fiber. A follow-up was done at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months. All the values (both by the Sino Nasal Outcome Test scoring system and saccharine transit time) were assessed before surgery and at each follow-up visit.

Results

The patients showed significant differences in the symptoms (p < 0.0001) at each follow-up. The mean saccharin transit time showed significant prolongation during the first week and first month after surgery, which indicated adverse effects on the mucociliary system (p < 0.0001). This, however, was a temporary effect, and the mean saccharin time returned to normal limits (17.96 minutes) at the third postoperative month. The mean operative time was 11.62 minutes. The procedure was not associated with any serious intra- or postoperative complications.

Conclusion

KTP laser turbinate reduction is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive procedure in the treatment of allergic inferior turbinate hypertrophy, with a minimal effect on the nasal mucosa. It can be done as an office procedure, with minimal complications.
New Approaches for ab initio Calculations of Molecules with Strong Electron Correlation
Authors: Knecht Stefan , Hedegård Erik Donovan , Keller Sebastian , Kovyrshin Arseny , Ma Yingjin , Muolo Andrea , Stein Christopher J. , Reiher Markus
Published: April 2016

Reliable quantum chemical methods for the description of molecules with dense-lying frontier orbitals are needed in the context of many chemical compounds and reactions. Here, we review developments that led to our new computational toolbox which implements the quantum chemical density
matrix renormalization group in a second-generation algorithm. We present an overview of the different components of this toolbox.
Laser Ablation/Ionisation Mass Spectrometry: Sensitive and Quantitative Chemical Depth Profiling of Solid Materials
Authors: Riedo Andreas , Grimaudo Valentine , Moreno-García Pavel , Neuland Maike B. , Tulej Marek , Broekmann Peter , Wurz Peter
Published: April 2016

Direct quantitative and sensitive chemical analysis of solid materials with high spatial resolution, both in lateral and vertical direction is of high importance in various fields of analytical research, ranging from in situ space research to the semiconductor industry. Accurate
knowledge of the chemical composition of solid materials allows a better understanding of physical and chemical processes that formed/altered the material and allows e.g. to further improve these processes. So far, state-of-the-art techniques such as SIMS, LA-ICP-MS or GD-MS have been
applied for chemical analyses in these fields of research. In this report we review the current measurement capability and the applicability of our Laser Ablation/Ionisation Mass Spectrometer (instrument name LMS) for the chemical analysis of solids with high spatial resolution. The most recent
chemical analyses conducted on various solid materials, including e.g. alloys, fossils and meteorites are discussed.
Nest-site Choice and Nest Construction in Non-avian Reptiles: Evolutionary Significance and Ecological Implications
Authors: Refsnider Jeanine M.
Published: April 2016

In oviparous animals, nest-site choice is both a critical determinant of an individual's lifetime fitness, and an important demographic parameter of populations. At the individual level, the location and characteristics of a nest site impact survival of both the nesting female and the nestling or hatchling stage, and can also influence offspring phenotype and the survival of emerging juveniles. At the population level, survival rates of females and offspring, and phenotypes affected by incubation conditions, affect population trends. Reptiles differ from birds in several key life-history traits associated with nesting behaviour in that they have long incubation periods, bury eggs within a substrate, and have minimal parental care. However, studies in reptile systems have also demonstrated several evolutionary drivers of nest-site choice that are also likely to be important in avian systems. These include the role of incubation conditions in affecting offspring phenotype, and the contribution of nest-site choice to survival of the juvenile life stage. Overall, studies on the evolution and ecology of nest-site choice in reptiles and birds have much to offer each other in terms of both theoretical basis and applications to conservation and management. Incorporating knowledge gained from a range of taxa into our research, and testing hypotheses in one system that have demonstrated importance in other systems, will provide a richer understanding of the ecology and evolution of nest-site choice.
How does The Bird-nest Incubation Unit Work?
Authors: Deeming D. Charles
Published: April 2016

The bird-nest incubation unit was proposed as a means of explaining the functionality of incubation in most avian species where the egg is in direct contact with the incubator. Subsequent work resulted in revision of this idea to suggest that large birds act as incubators and the nest is a location for incubation; by contrast, in small species the interaction between the bird and its nest played a key role in ensuring efficiency of incubation. This paper briefly reviews what we know about the incubation environment within nests and considers how small birds can contact-incubate eggs whilst ensuring appropriate levels of respiratory gas exchange. A hypothesis is proposed that the incubating bird does not ‘sit tight’ on its nest to maintain egg temperature at a minimal energy expenditure but, rather, it allows warmed air to escape from the nest cup. This convection flow draws air into the cup from the nest walls, providing oxygen for developing eggs and diluting carbon dioxide that they produce. Evidence supporting this idea of an ‘open’ nest during incubation is presented. Further experimentation is required to understand the environment within the nest cup better and this paper presents a hypothesis that can be tested in future studies. Investigations of how nests interact with their immediate environment should no longer be biased towards the effects of temperature on nest dimensions or composition. Instead, they should address all of the environmental factors that could affect the composition and function of a bird nest.
Editors Note
Authors: Rafique Abu Bakr
Published: April 2016

Abstract not availableIIUC Studies Vol.10 & 11 December 2014: 03
Code-mixing in the FM Radio in Bangladesh: A Sociolinguistic Observation
Authors: Hosain Md Iqbal
Published: April 2016

This paper deals with code-mixing used in the FM radio of Bangladesh. Code-mixing, a term in sociolinguistics, refers to the hybridization of two languages in a bilingual context. Of late, in the FMs of Bangladesh, the Radio Jockeys and the callers have frequently been mixing Bengali and English codes in their various programs. It is supposed to be the liberalization of the air waves that leads to the shifting of language in broadcasting by the RJs. In this paper, the researcher intends to extrapolate the motivations for code-mixing, and see whether the specific extralinguistic factors contribute to such code-mixing. Data from naturally occurring announcements and conversations were recorded from the four main radio stations, and then transcribed into English for analysis.IIUC Studies Vol.10 & 11 December 2014: 99-110
Protection of Rights of Consumers in Business Transaction: A Comparative Approach with Special Reference to Islamic Law
Authors: Karim Sheikh Mohammad Towhidul
Published: April 2016

Consumer is weaker party in any business transaction. Islam has played a laudable role for the protection of consumer rights. The Islamic approach to business ethics is centered around criteria that are in common with stakeholder theory such as justice and balance, and includes unique additional criteria, such as, trust and benevolence. This article has given a comprehensive idea on the protection mechanisms of consumer rights in Islam. The promotion and protection of consumer rights are essential and considered as a prerequisite to right to life for every citizen. Consumer protection is necessary when markets fail to provide effective protection to the consumers or when there is an imbalance of power between buyers and sellers in a market. This paper examines the evolution of modern instruments and Islamic doctrine, and loopholes of conventional doctrine on consumer protection. Besides, this paper has explored how Islam brings unique benefits to all citizens for the protection of consumer?s rights.IIUC Studies Vol.10 & 11 December 2014: 183-200
Doctrine of Caveat Emptor (Buyer be aware) in Common Law and the Doctrine of Khiyar al aib (Option of defect) in Islamic Law: A Comparative Study
Authors: Malek Abdul , Begum Anju Man Ara , Hoque Kazi Arshadul
Published: April 2016

The Sale of Goods Act, 1930 deals with one of the important branches of contract especially the moveable goods with which the general people in the world deal every day. In dealing with the goods proposed for sale must be free from any known or unknown defect of either party of the contract of sale. Regarding the sale of defective goods the buyer has some remedies against the default seller in both common law and Islamic law. In common law it is known as Caveat Emptor (Buyer be aware) and in Islamic law it is known as Khiyar al aib (Option of defect). It is the general rule that the buyer should have an opportunity to satisfy himself as to the quality of the goods for his particular purpose and in absence of any query or unskilled test by the buyer, the seller is not to be liable for anything. In this article efforts have been made to examine the rights and duties of buyer and seller in Common law and Islamic Law. An attempt has also been made to find out similarities and dissimilarities of both laws regarding caveat emptor. Thus the paper, through the analysis of both laws, tries to address the problems and solutions related to caveat emptor.IIUC Studies Vol.10 & 11 December 2014: 201-216
Nomadic Ethics: Gender and Class in Catherine Walsh's City West
Authors: Bracken Claire
Published: April 2016

This essay argues that a feminist ethics of emplaced nomadism underpins Catherine Walsh's City West. It examines Walsh's engagement with the politics of contemporary neo-liberal Ireland, and argues that her experimentation with nomadism is an attempt to navigate through the environs of late capitalism.
‘Releasing the Chaos of Energies’: Communicating the Concurrences in Trevor Joyce's Appropriative Poems
Authors: O'Mahony Niamh
Published: April 2016

This essay addresses appropriation in the poetry of Trevor Joyce. The author analyses the function and impact of textual borrowing in a number of recent poems by Joyce, comparing and contrasting Joyce's appropriative practice to that of a number of contemporary poets.
Codex Vitae: The Material Poetics of Randolph Healy's ‘Arbor Vitae’
Authors: Satris Marthine
Published: April 2016

Randolph Healy's 1997 poem ‘Arbor Vitae’ connects formally experimental poetry with an Irish tradition of politically engaged literature. Eschewing questions of national boundaries or authenticity, Healy instead develops a poetics and ethics of intersection. His apparently depersonalized poem is composed of essayistic fragments that address the role of the deaf in Irish society. This essay argues that Healy's formal choices refuse the oral basis of the lyric, and instead align his poem with nonverbal forms of communication. This challenge to the authenticity of speech also questions the language policies of the Republic of Ireland and reveals the role of the state in disciplining citizens, particularly through education. In addition to the accumulation of disparate pieces in the poem, Healy's formal innovation continues in the poem's paratextual apparatus, contributing to his development of an alternative to the epic and the lyric. As Healy incorporates references to the material basis for all communication in this poem, he establishes the lived body as key to connecting the hearing with the deaf. By fracturing poetic expectations in ‘Arbor Vitae’, Healy reconnects language deeply to the material and social world of contemporary Ireland, offering a path for conceptual poetry to be also a public and political poetry.
Repetition and Alterity: Geoffrey Squires's ‘texts for screen’
Authors: Keating Kenneth
Published: April 2016

This essay examines a number of Geoffrey Squires's recent digital texts which were released in various forms online and later standardised and published together in the Kindle Book Abstract Lyrics and other poems: 2006–2012. It is contended that Squires embraces computer technology to compose texts which inhabit the screen, but which refuse to adhere to the recently established norms of any of the recognised forms of electronic literature while simultaneously representing something more than the digital conversion of a print text to an ebook. It is argued that these ‘texts for screen’ thus hold an uneasy position in relation to emerging electronic literature and the more conventional ebook, occupying a problematizing middle ground which at the same time promotes and undermines stability and the author's control over the text. Close readings of a number of these texts reveal that this challenging destabilisation is supported through Squires's utilisation of techniques of repetition which complicates the nature of reproduction and disrupts the critical location of singular meaning in favour of embracing the progressively troubling force of indeterminacy.
Image and Witness in Maggie O'Sullivan's A Natural History in 3 Incomplete Parts and POINT.BLANK.RANGE
Authors: Warriner Rachel
Published: April 2016

This essay takes as its focus the visual elements in Maggie O'Sullivan's A Natural History in 3 Incomplete Parts (1985) and POINT.BLANK.RANGE (1984). Considering the question of how these visual elements fit in with her wider practice, it explores the images used by O'Sullivan; looking at those included in A Natural History for their interaction with language and those included in the purely visual POINT.BLANK.RANGE for the way in which meaning is built through poetic technique. Arguing for the political potency of these works, this essay proposes that O'Sullivan acts as a kind of witness, filtering societal violence through her fractured imagery.
Apricot Breeding at the Faculty of Horticulture in Lednice
Authors: Krška Boris , Vachůn Zdeněk
Published: April 2016

The aim of the apricot-breeding program in the Horticultural Faculty in Lednice, that has been developed since 1981, is to obtain new adaptable cultivars, which combine most of the valuable biological traits. Standard breeding techniques, such as crossing by emasculation and hand pollination, self-pollination and open pollination, were employed. A total of 1.154 crossings were produced from more than 110 different parents. So far more than 20,000 seedlings have been obtained, of which about 13,000 have already been evaluated. The most interesting selections were grafted and planted in trial orchards (we now have more than 650 elite genotypes). Ten of these have already been registered, and further promising new hybrids have been submitted for registration and law right protection (Betinka, Candela, Sophia and Adriana). The basic prerequisite for the initiation of the breeding program was a large collection of genetic resources, established and gradually supplemented since the 1970s. At the present time, we preserve and manage more than 300 accessions of apricot trees. In the frame of the descriptive work of the genetic resources and in order to use in breeding, a collection of apricots has been evaluated. We selected the genotypes and characters relating to an increased level of adaptation to the environment.
Development of a Novel Cu(II) Complex Modified Electrode and a Portable Electrochemical Analyzer for the Determination of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in Water
Authors: Leonardi Salvatore , Bonyani Maryam , Ghosh Kaushik , Dhara Ashish , Lombardo Luca , Donato Nicola , Neri Giovanni
Published: April 2016

The development of an electrochemical dissolved oxygen (DO) sensor based on a novel Cu(II) complex-modified screen printed carbon electrode is reported. The voltammetric behavior of the modified electrode was investigated at different scan rates and oxygen concentrations in PBS (pH = 7). An increase of cathodic current (at about −0.4 vs. Ag/AgCl) with the addition of oxygen was observed. The modified Cu(II) complex electrode was demonstrated for the determination of DO in water using chronoamperometry. A small size and low power consumption home-made portable electrochemical analyzer based on custom electronics for sensor interfacing and operating in voltammetry and amperometry modes has been also designed and fabricated. Its performances in the monitoring of DO in water were compared with a commercial one.
Heat Transfer Enhancement and Entropy Generation of Nanofluids Laminar Convection in Microchannels with Flow Control Devices
Authors: Li Ping , Xie Yonghui , Zhang Di , Xie Gongnan
Published: April 2016

The heat transfer enhancement and entropy generation of Al2O3-water nanofluids laminar convective flow in the microchannels with flow control devices (cylinder, rectangle, protrusion, and v-groove) were investigated in this research. The effects of the geometrical structure of the microchannel, nanofluids concentration φ(0%–3%), and Reynolds number Re (50–300) were comparatively studied by means of performance parameters, as well as the limiting streamlines and temperature contours on the modified heated surfaces. The results reveal that the relative Fanning frictional factor f/f0 of the microchannel with rectangle and protrusion devices are much larger and smaller than others, respectively. As the nanofluids concentration increases, f/f0 increases accordingly. For the microchannel with rectangle ribs, there is a transition Re for obtaining the largest heat transfer. The relative Nusselt number Nu/Nu0 of the cases with larger nanofluids concentration are greater. The microchannels with cylinder and v-groove profiles have better heat transfer performance, especially at larger Re cases, while, the microchannel with the protrusion devices is better from an entropy generation minimization perspective. Furthermore, the variation of the relative entropy generation S′/S′0 are influenced by not only the change of Nu/Nu0 and f/f0, but also the physical parameters of working substances.
Measuring Electromechanical Coupling in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease and Healthy Subjects
Authors: Ji Lizhen , Li Peng , Liu Chengyu , Wang Xinpei , Yang Jing , Liu Changchun
Published: April 2016

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common cause of death globally. To detect CAD noninvasively at an early stage before clinical symptoms occur is still nowadays challenging. Analysis of the variation of heartbeat interval (RRI) opens a new avenue for evaluating the functional change of cardiovascular system which is accepted to occur at the subclinical stage of CAD. In addition, systolic time interval (STI) and diastolic time interval (DTI) also show potential. There may be coupling in these electromechanical time series due to their physiological connection. However, to the best of our knowledge no publication has systematically investigated how can the coupling be measured and how it changes in CAD patients. In this study, we enrolled 39 CAD patients and 36 healthy subjects and for each subject the electrocardiogram (ECG) and photoplethysmography (PPG) signals were recorded simultaneously for 5 min. The RRI series, STI series, and DTI series were constructed, respectively. We used linear cross correlation (CC), coherence function (CF), as well as nonlinear mutual information (MI), cross conditional entropy (XCE), cross sample entropy (XSampEn), and cross fuzzy entropy (XFuzzyEn) to analyse the bivariate RRI-DTI coupling, RRI-STI coupling, and STI-DTI coupling, respectively. Our results suggest that the linear CC and CF generally have no significant difference between the two groups for all three types of bivariate coupling. The MI only shows weak change in RRI-DTI coupling. By comparison, the three entropy-based coupling measurements show significantly decreased coupling in CAD patients except XSampEn for RRI-DTI coupling (less significant) and XCE for STI-DTI and RRI-STI coupling (not significant). Additionally, the XFuzzyEn performs best as it was still significant if we further applied the Bonferroni correction in our statistical analysis. Our study indicates that the intrinsic electromechanical coupling is most probably nonlinear and can better be measured by nonlinear entropy-based measurements especially the XFuzzyEn. Besides, CAD patients are accompanied by a loss of electromechanical coupling. Our results suggest that cardiac electromechanical coupling may potentially serve as a noninvasive diagnostic tool for CAD.
Responses of Ecosystem Service to Land Use Change in Qinghai Province
Authors: Han Ze , Song Wei , Deng Xiangzheng
Published: April 2016

Qinghai Province has a very fragile ecological environment and is an important component of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. To understand the disturbance caused by human activities to the local ecological system, it is necessary to evaluate the response of ecological service functions to land use change in Qinghai Province and to uncover the sensitivity of ecological service functions to land use change. This study uses a proxy-based method and proposes a sensitivity index to describe the degree of ecological service function response to the land use change in Qinghai Province. The findings were as follows. (1) From 1988 to 2008, the area of cultivated land, construction land and water in Qinghai Province increased, and forest land and grassland continuously decreased. The agricultural economy and the development of urbanization are the main driving factors in land use change in this area. Policies and eco-environmental engineering, such as the grain-for-green project, the Three-North shelterbelt project and the natural forest protection project, have certain effects on controlling the expansion of cultivated land. (2) The value of ecosystem services in Qinghai Province was 157.368 billion yuan, 157.149 billion yuan and 157.726 billion yuan in 1988, 2000 and 2008, respectively, decreasing and then increasing again. (3) The average sensitivity index values of ecological services in Qinghai Province for the periods 1988–2000 and 2000–2008 was 0.693 and 1.137, respectively. This means that for every 1% increase in land use change, the ecological service value fluctuated by 0.693% and 1.137% in those periods.
Decreasing NOx of a Low-Speed Two-Stroke Marine Diesel Engine by Using In-Cylinder Emission Control Measures
Authors: Feng Liyan , Tian Jiangping , Long Wuqiang , Gong Weixin , Du Baoguo , Li Dan , Chen Lei
Published: April 2016

The authors applied one-dimensional (1-D) simulation and 3-D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation to evaluate the potential of in-cylinder control methods on a low-speed 2-stroke marine engine to reach the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Tier 3 NOx emissions standards. Reducing the combustion temperature is an important in-cylinder measure to decrease NOx emissions of marine diesel engines. Miller-cycle and Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) are effective methods to reduce the maximum combustion temperature and accordingly decrease NOx emissions. The authors’ calculation results indicate that with a combination of 2-stage turbocharging, a mild Miller-cycle and 10% EGR rate, the NOx emissions can be decreased by 48% without the increased Specific Fuel Oil Consumption (SFOC) penalties; with a medium Miller-cycle and 10% EGR, NOx can be decreased by 56% with a slight increase of SFOC; with a medium Miller-cycle and 20% EGR, NOx can be decreased by 77% and meet IMO Tier 3 standards, but with the high price of a considerable increase of SFOC. The first two schemes are promising to meet IMO Tier 3 standards with good fuel economy if other techniques are combined.
Interaction and Coordination among Nuclear Power Plants, Power Grids and Their Protection Systems
Authors: Wu Guoyang , Ju Ping , Song Xinli , Xie Chenglong , Zhong Wuzhi
Published: April 2016

Nuclear power plants (NPPs) have recently undergone rapid development in China. To improve the performance of both NPPs and grids during adverse conditions, a precise understanding of the coordination between NPPs and grids is required. Therefore, a new mathematical model with reasonable accuracy and reduced computational complexity is developed. This model is applicable to the short, mid, and long-term dynamic simulation of large-scale power systems. The effectiveness of the model is verified by using an actual NPP full-scope simulator as a reference. Based on this model, the interaction and coordination between NPPs and grids under the conditions of over-frequency, under-frequency and under-voltage are analyzed, with special stress applied to the effect of protection systems on the safe operation of both NPPs and power grids. Finally, the coordinated control principles and schemes, together with the recommended protection system values, are proposed for both NPPs and grids. These results show that coordination between the protection systems of NPPs and power networks is a crucial factor in ensuring the safe and stable operation of both NPPs and grids. The results can be used as a reference for coordination between NPPs and grids, as well as for parameter optimization of grid-related generator protection of NPPs.
Fundamental Study on the Impact of Gluten-Free Starches on the Quality of Gluten-Free Model Breads
Authors: Horstmann Stefan , Belz Markus , Heitmann Mareile , Zannini Emanuele , Arendt Elke
Published: April 2016

Starch is widely used as an ingredient and significantly contributes to texture, appearance, and overall acceptability of cereal based foods, playing an important role due to its ability to form a matrix, entrapping air bubbles. A detailed characterisation of five gluten-free starches (corn, wheat, rice, tapioca, potato) was performed in this study. In addition, the influence of these starches, with different compositional and morphological properties, was evaluated on a simple gluten-free model bread system. The morphological characterisation, evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, revealed some similarities among the starches, which could be linked to the baking performance of the breads. Moreover, the lipid content, though representing one of the minor components in starch, was found to have an influence on pasting, bread making, and staling. Quality differences in cereal root and tuber starch based breads were observed. However, under the baking conditions used, gluten-free rendered wheat starch performed best, followed by potato starch, in terms of loaf volume and cell structure. Tapioca starch and rice starch based breads were not further analysed, due to an inferior baking performance. This is the first study to evaluate gluten-free starch on a simple model bread system.
Natural Environments and Childhood Experiences Promoting Physical Activity, Examining the Mediational Effects of Feelings about Nature and Social Networks
Authors: Calogiuri Giovanna
Published: April 2016

The importance of natural environments (NEs) for physical activity (PA) has been studied extensively. However, there is scant evidence to explain the motivational processes underlying the NE-PA relation. The aim of this study was to investigate the NE-PA relation using an ecological framework, focusing on perception of NEs, childhood experiences and possible intra- and inter-individual mediators. Data were retrieved from a cross-sectional survey among 2168 adults from all over Norway. In addition, the coverage of NEs by municipalities was retrieved from national registers. Logistic regression showed that, unlike the self-reported proximity to NEs, higher ratings of perceived supportiveness of NEs for PA predicted participation in NE-based PA for at least 60 min/week or 150 min/week, before and after controlling for socio-demographic characteristics. Reporting frequent experiences in nature during childhood was also an important predictor of higher levels of NE-based PA. Furthermore, a mediational analysis showed that the effect of both predictors was mediated by “feelings about nature” and “social networks”. These findings indicate that to encourage the use of local NE for PA, not only should environmental perceptions be taken into account, positive feelings towards nature alongside opportunities to share activity in nature with others should also be promoted.
Analysis of Protein Composition and Bioactivity of Neoponera villosa Venom (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Authors: Pessoa Wallace , Silva Ludimilla , De Oliveira Dias Leila , Delabie Jacques , Costa Helena , Romano Carla
Published: April 2016

Ants cause a series of accidents involving humans. Such accidents generate different reactions in the body, ranging from a mild irritation at the bite site to anaphylactic shock, and these reactions depend on the mechanism of action of the venom. The study of animal venom is a science known as venomics. Through venomics, the composition of the venom of several ant species has already been characterized and their biological activities described. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the protein composition and biological activities (hemolytic and immunostimulatory) of the venom of Neoponera villosa (N. villosa), an ant widely distributed in South America. The protein composition was evaluated by proteomic techniques, such as two-dimensional electrophoresis. To assess the biological activity, hemolysis assay was carried out and cytokines were quantified after exposure of macrophages to the venom. The venom of N. villosa has a profile composed of 145 proteins, including structural and metabolic components (e.g., tubulin and ATPase), allergenic and immunomodulatory proteins (arginine kinase and heat shock proteins (HSPs)), protective proteins of venom (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase) and tissue degradation proteins (hyaluronidase and phospholipase A2). The venom was able to induce hemolysis in human erythrocytes and also induced release of both pro-inflammatory cytokines, as the anti-inflammatory cytokine release by murine macrophages. These results allow better understanding of the composition and complexity of N. villosa venom in the human body, as well as the possible mechanisms of action after the bite.
Significance of Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 Expression as Supporting Marker to Cytokeratin 19 mRNA in Sentinel Lymph Nodes in Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Murawski Marek , Woźniak Marta , Duś-Szachniewicz Kamila , Kołodziej Paweł , Rzeszutko Marta , Ziółkowski Piotr
Published: April 2016

One-step nucleic acid amplification (OSNA) detects and quantifies, with the use of a polymerase chain reaction, the presence of cytokeratin 19 mRNA in sentinel lymph nodes. The main advantage of the OSNA assay is the avoidance of second surgery in case of positive sentinel lymph node diagnosis. The objective of this study was to evaluate the significance of matrix metalloproteinase 9 expression by immunohistochemistry as supporting marker to cytokeratin 19 mRNA in sentinel lymph nodes in breast cancer patients and to relate this expression with clinicopathological data. This study was conducted on fresh sentinel lymph nodes obtained from 40 patients with tumors classified as carcinoma of no special type. The presence of metastatic cells in the slices of lymph nodes was evaluated by immunohistochemistry using antibodies for CK19 and MMP-9. Expression of CK19 and MMP-9 in lymph nodes was also confirmed by means of Western blot analysis. Results indicated that the strongest correlation with CK19 mRNA was displayed by MMP-9, CK19 (by immunohistochemistry, IHC), and nodal metastases (p < 0.001). Higher histological grading also positively correlated with CK19 mRNA, however that correlation was less significant. Since MMP-9 shows very strong correlation with CK19 mRNA in breast carcinoma of no special type metastases, expression of MMP-9 in sentinel lymph nodes should be considered as useful method whenever OSNA analysis is not available.
Tribological Properties of the Lubricant Containing Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles as an Additive
Authors: Ilie Filip , Covaliu Cristina
Published: April 2016

To improve the oil-solubility of nanoparticles, a new technology was used to prepare a kind of lubricant containing titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles. The microstructures of the prepared nanoparticles were characterized via transmission electron microscope (TEM) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). Tribological properties of TiO2 nanoparticles used as an additive in base oil were evaluated using four-ball tribometer and ball-on-disk tribometer. In addition, the worn surface of the steel ball was investigated via polarized microscopy (PM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The TiO2 nanoparticles can be completely well-dispersed in the base oil under a new process (NP), which has no significantly negative effect on the anti-oxidation property. The results of the tribological tests show that TiO2 nanoparticles under the NP show a better anti-wear property and friction-reducing property in base oil compared to TiO2 nanoparticles under the tradition process (TP). The main aim of this paper lies in solving with the oil-solubility problem through the combination effect of surface modification and special blend process of lubricating oil. This method was first used to prepare lubricant containing TiO2 nanoparticles and then used as additives in engine oil, gear oil, and other industrial lubricants. At the same time, tribological properties of TiO2 nanoparticles in base oil as a lubricating additive were also studied.
Are We Eating Our Way to Prostate Cancer—A Hypothesis Based on the Evolution, Bioaccumulation, and Interspecific Transfer of miR-150
Authors: Vaidyanathan Venkatesh , Krishnamoorthy Vetrivhel , Karunasinghe Nishi , Jabed Anower , Pallati Radha , Kao Chi , Wang Alice , Marlow Gareth , Ferguson Lynnette
Published: April 2016

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are well established epigenetic modifiers. There is a lot of work being done to identify the evolutionary transfer of miRNAs both at intra- and interspecific levels. In this hypothesis-driven review, we have suggested a possible reason as to why miR-150 can be a promising diagnostic biomarker for prostate cancer using theories of evolution, bio-accumulation, and interspecific transfer of miRNAs.
Dietary Impact of Adding Potassium Chloride to Foods as a Sodium Reduction Technique
Authors: Van Buren Leo , Dötsch-Klerk Mariska , Seewi Gila , Newson Rachel
Published: April 2016

Potassium chloride is a leading reformulation technology for reducing sodium in food products. As, globally, sodium intake exceeds guidelines, this technology is beneficial; however, its potential impact on potassium intake is unknown. Therefore, a modeling study was conducted using Dutch National Food Survey data to examine the dietary impact of reformulation (n = 2106). Product-specific sodium criteria, to enable a maximum daily sodium chloride intake of 5 grams/day, were applied to all foods consumed in the survey. The impact of replacing 20%, 50% and 100% of sodium chloride from each product with potassium chloride was modeled. At baseline median, potassium intake was 3334 mg/day. An increase in the median intake of potassium of 453 mg/day was seen when a 20% replacement was applied, 674 mg/day with a 50% replacement scenario and 733 mg/day with a 100% replacement scenario. Reformulation had the largest impact on: bread, processed fruit and vegetables, snacks and processed meat. Replacement of sodium chloride by potassium chloride, particularly in key contributing product groups, would result in better compliance to potassium intake guidelines (3510 mg/day). Moreover, it could be considered safe for the general adult population, as intake remains compliant with EFSA guidelines. Based on current modeling potassium chloride presents as a valuable, safe replacer for sodium chloride in food products.
Paddy Farmers’ Sustainability Practices in Granary Areas in Malaysia
Authors: Mohamed Zainalabidin , Terano Rika , Shamsudin Mad , Abd Latif Ismail
Published: April 2016

Food safety is a serious concern among the consumers of agricultural products. Toxicity risks are created by the acute presence of contaminating chemicals in foods. The usage of chemical inputs in paddy farms has not only caused health issues for farmers but it has also adversely affected the environment, killed animals, and polluted air and water. This creates controversial issues that need immediate attention, since sustainable agriculture needs to meet both consumers’ and farmers’ welfare in terms of food and farmers’ safety, respectively. This study looks at paddy farming practices and the creation of the Farmer Sustainability Index as a measurement to gauge whether farmers are practicing sustainable agriculture by following the Rice Check guideline that has been stipulated by the Department of Agriculture, Malaysia. The questionnaire was constructed to capture the 16 farming practices based on the Rice Check guideline and a score was given to each practice to see whether the guideline is being followed. The data from the questionnaire were analyzed and the Farmer Sustainability Index was calculated. The range of index is from 0 to 100, where 0 is not sustainable at all and 100 is highly sustainable. Eighty (80) paddy farmers from Sungai Petani, Kedah participated in the study and the result shows that 80% of the farmers practice quite unsustainable paddy farming with an average score of less than 40.0 on a scale of 0–100.
Development of a Class-Based Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (C-MESMA) Approach for Analyzing Urban Environments
Authors: Deng Yingbin , Wu Changshan
Published: April 2016

Multiple endmember spectral mixture analysis (MESMA) has been widely applied for estimating fractional land covers from remote sensing imagery. MESMA has proven effective in addressing inter-class and intra-class endmember variability by allowing pixel-specific endmember combinations. This method, however, assumes that each land cover type has an equal probability of being included in the model, and the one with the least estimation error (e.g., root mean square error) was chosen as the “best-fit” model. Such an approach may mistakenly include a land cover class in the model and overestimate its abundance, or it might omit a class from the model and subsequently lead to underestimation. To address this problem, this paper developed a land cover class-based multiple endmember spectral mixture analysis (C-MESMA) method. In particular, a support vector machine (SVM) method with reflectance spectra and spectral indices, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the biophysical composition index (BCI), and the ratio normalized difference soil index (RNDSI), were employed to classify the image into six land cover classes: pure impervious surface area (ISA), pure vegetation, pure soil, ISA-vegetation, vegetation-soil, and vegetation-ISA-soil. With the information of land cover classes, an individual MESMA method was applied to each mixed class. Finally, the fractional maps were derived through integrating land cover fractions of each land cover class. Quantitative analysis of the resulting percent ISA (%ISA) and comparative analyses with traditional MESMA indicate that C-MESMA improved the estimation accuracy of %ISA.
Seasonal Variations of the Surface Urban Heat Island in a Semi-Arid City
Authors: Haashemi Sirous , Weng Qihao , Darvishi Ali , Alavipanah Seyed
Published: April 2016

The process of the surface urban heat island (SUHI) varies with latitude, climate, topography and meteorological conditions. This study investigated the seasonal variability of SUHI in the Tehran metropolitan area, Iran, with respect to selected surface biophysical variables. Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Land Surface Temperature (LST) was retrieved as nighttime LST data, while daytime LST was retrieved from Landsat 8 Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) using the split-window algorithm. Both data covered the time period from September 2013 to September 2015. To assess SUHI intensity, we employed three SUHI indicators, i.e., the LST difference of urban-rural, that of urban-agriculture and that of urban-water. Physical and biophysical surface variables, including land use and land cover (LULC), elevation, impervious surface (IS), fractional vegetation cover (FVC) and albedo, were selected to estimate the relationship between LST seasonal variability and the surface properties. Results show that an inversion of the SUHI phenomenon (i.e., surface urban cool island) existed at daytime with the maximal value of urban-rural LST difference of −4 K in March; whereas the maximal value of SUHI at nighttime yielded 3.9 K in May. When using the indicators of urban-agriculture and urban-water LST differences, the maximal value of SUHI was found to be 8.2 K and 15.5 K, respectively. Both results were observed at daytime, suggesting the role of bare soils in the inversion of the SUHI phenomenon with the urban-rural indicator. Maximal correlation was observed in the relationship between night LST and elevation in spring (coefficient: −0.76), night LST and IS in spring (0.60), night LST and albedo in winter (−0.53) and day LST with fractional vegetation cover in summer (−0.41). The relationship between all surface properties with LST possessed large seasonal variations, and thus, using these relationships for SUHI modeling may not be effective. The only exception existed in the correlation between elevation and IS, which may be useful to simulate the SUHI at night. This study suggests that in semi-arid cities, such as Tehran, with the urban-rural indicator, a surface urban cool island may be observed in daytime while SUHI at nighttime; with other indicators, SUHI can be observed in both day and night. Thus, SUHI studies require the acquisition of remote sensing image data at both daytime and nighttime and careful selection of SUHI indicators.
A Novel Method to Enhance Pipeline Trajectory Determination Using Pipeline Junctions
Authors: Sahli Hussein , El-Sheimy Naser
Published: April 2016

Pipeline inspection gauges (pigs) have been used for many years to perform various maintenance operations in oil and gas pipelines. Different pipeline parameters can be inspected during the pig journey. Although pigs use many sensors to detect the required pipeline parameters, matching these data with the corresponding pipeline location is considered a very important parameter. High-end, tactical-grade inertial measurement units (IMUs) are used in pigging applications to locate the detected problems of pipeline using other sensors, and to reconstruct the trajectories of the pig. These IMUs are accurate; however, their high cost and large sizes limit their use in small diameter pipelines (8″ or less). This paper describes a new methodology for the use of MEMS-based IMUs using an extended Kalman filter (EKF) and the pipeline junctions to increase the position parameters’ accuracy and to reduce the total RMS errors even during the unavailability of above ground markers (AGMs). The results of this new proposed method using a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)-based IMU revealed that the position RMS errors were reduced by approximately 85% compared to the standard EKF solution. Therefore, this approach will enable the mapping of small diameter pipelines, which was not possible before.
Multivariate EMD-Based Modeling and Forecasting of Crude Oil Price
Authors: He Kaijian , Zha Rui , Wu Jun , Lai Kin
Published: April 2016

Recent empirical studies reveal evidence of the co-existence of heterogeneous data characteristics distinguishable by time scale in the movement crude oil prices. In this paper we propose a new multivariate Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD)-based model to take advantage of these heterogeneous characteristics of the price movement and model them in the crude oil markets. Empirical studies in benchmark crude oil markets confirm that more diverse heterogeneous data characteristics can be revealed and modeled in the projected time delayed domain. The proposed model demonstrates the superior performance compared to the benchmark models.
A Two-Step Strategy for Developing Cultivated Pastures in China that Offer the Advantages of Ecosystem Services
Authors: Chen Haibin , He Li , Tang Haiping , Zhao Minjuan , Shao Liqun
Published: April 2016

Based on a site experiment on a typical steppe of Inner Mongolia, the short term effects on aboveground biomass, soil water content, soil organic carbon, and soil total nitrogen of four cultivated pastures (CPs) with different compositions of herbaceous species were examined and compared to those of adjacent, natural grassland (NG) enclosed simultaneously. All CPs produced significantly higher aboveground biomass than did the NG after two years of establishment, and the mixed culture of Agropyron cristatum (A. cristatum) and Medicago sativa (M. sativa) produced the highest (312.39% higher than the NG). Without irrigation, soil water content in the 10–20 cm soil layer was also found to be significantly higher in the CPs than in the NG, especially for the mixed cultures of A. cristatum and M. sativa, A. cristatum, M. sativa and Lolium perenne (L. perenne), by 184.25% and 125.97%, respectively. The improvements in soil organic carbon and soil total nitrogen in CPs were less obvious and mixed, with different species compositions showing significant increases at different depths. The experimental results suggested that, with carefully selected species compositions and proper farming measures, CPs could have a positive effect on some of the pathways that generate ecosystem services, at least in the short term. We also analyzed the underlying institutional and socioeconomic causes of China’s underdevelopment of CPs, and proposed a two-step development strategy. The first is to promote rain-fed CPs on small-hold farms, which require relatively low inputs in fertilizers and labor. The second is to promote large-scale operations, which will require significantly more inputs in land, irrigation, fertilizers, and machinery.
An Ultrasonic Lens Design Based on Prefractal Structures
Authors: Castiñeira-Ibáñez Sergio , Tarrazó-Serrano Daniel , Rubio Constanza , Candelas Pilar , Uris Antonio
Published: April 2016

The improvement in focusing capabilities of a set of annular scatterers arranged in a fractal geometry is theoretically quantified in this work by means of the finite element method (FEM). Two different arrangements of rigid rings in water are used in the analysis. Thus, both a Fresnel ultrasonic lens and an arrangement of rigid rings based on Cantor prefractals are analyzed. Results show that the focusing capacity of the modified fractal lens is better than the Fresnel lens. This new lens is believed to have potential applications for ultrasonic imaging and medical ultrasound fields.