bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Exercise and Aging on Rat Urine and Blood Metabolome. An LC-MS Based Metabolomics Longitudinal Study
Authors: Deda Olga , Gika Helen , Taitzoglou Ioannis , Raikos Νikolaos , Theodoridis Georgios
Published: February 2017

Aging is an inevitable condition leading to health deterioration and death. Regular physical exercise can moderate the metabolic phenotype changes of aging. However, only a small number of metabolomics-based studies provide data on the effect of exercise along with aging. Here, urine and whole blood samples from Wistar rats were analyzed in a longitudinal study to explore metabolic alterations due to exercise and aging. The study comprised three different programs of exercises, including a life-long protocol which started at the age of 5 months and ended at the age of 21 months. An acute exercise session was also evaluated. Urine and whole blood samples were collected at different time points and were analyzed by LC-MS/MS (Liquid Chromatography–tandem Mass Spectrometry). Based on their metabolic profiles, samples from trained and sedentary rats were differentiated. The impact on the metabolome was found to depend on the length of exercise period with acute exercise also showing significant changes. Metabolic alterations due to aging were equally pronounced in sedentary and trained rats in both urine and blood analyzed samples.
Integrated Optofluidic Chip for Low-Volume Fluid Viscosity Measurement
Authors: Yang Tie , Nava Giovanni , Vitali Valerio , Bragheri Francesca , Osellame Roberto , Bellini Tommaso , Cristiani Ilaria , Minzioni Paolo
Published: February 2017

In the present work, an integrated optofluidic chip for fluid viscosity measurements in the range from 1 mPa·s to 100 mPa·s is proposed. The device allows the use of small sample volumes (<1 µL) and the measurement of viscosity as a function of temperature. Thanks to the precise control of the force exerted on dielectric spheres by optical beams, the viscosity of fluids is assessed by comparing the experimentally observed movement of dielectric beads produced by the optical forces with that expected by numerical calculations. The chip and the developed technique are validated by analyzing several fluids, such as Milli-Q water, ethanol and water–glycerol mixtures. The results show a good agreement between the experimental values and those reported in the literature. The extremely reduced volume of the sample required and the high flexibility of this technique make it a good candidate for measuring a wide range of viscosity values as well as for the analysis of nonlinear viscosity in complex fluids.
Influence of Plasma Jet Temperature Profiles in Arc Discharge Methods of Carbon Nanotubes Synthesis
Authors: Raniszewski Grzegorz , Wiak Slawomir , Pietrzak Lukasz , Szymanski Lukasz , Kolacinski Zbigniew
Published: February 2017

One of the most common methods of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) synthesis is application of an electric-arc plasma. However, the final product in the form of cathode deposit is composed of carbon nanotubes and a variety of carbon impurities. An assay of carbon nanotubes produced in arc discharge systems available on the market shows that commercial cathode deposits contain about 10% CNTs. Given that the quality of the final product depends on carbon–plasma jet parameters, it is possible to increase the yield of the synthesis by plasma jet control. Most of the carbon nanotubes are multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). It was observed that the addition of catalysts significantly changes the plasma composition, effective ionization potential, the arc channel conductance, and in effect temperature of the arc and carbon elements flux. This paper focuses on the influence of metal components on plasma-jet forming containing carbon nanotubes cathode deposit. The plasma jet temperature control system is presented.
Preparation and Characterization of Cellulose Nanocrystals from the Bio-ethanol Residuals
Authors: Du Lanxing , Wang Jinwu , Zhang Yang , Qi Chusheng , Wolcott Michael , Yu Zhiming
Published: February 2017

This study was to explore the conversion of low-cost bio-residuals into high value-added cellulose nanocrystals. Two enzymatic hydrolyzed residuals (i.e., HRMMW and HRSPW) were collected from two different bio-ethanol producing processes—hydrolyzing medium-milled wood (MMW) and hydrolyzing acid sulfite pretreated wood (SPW), respectively. The results showed that both residuals contained over 20 wt % glucan with a crystallinity of about 30%, confirming the existence of cellulose in a well-organized structure in two bio-residuals. The cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were successfully extracted by first bleaching the hydrolyzed residuals to remove lignin and then hydrolyzing them with sulfuric acid. The resulting CNCs displayed the flow birefringence under two crossed polarizers. Compared with CNCs from microfibrillated cellulose (CNCMCC), HRMMW and its resulted CNC present the smallest particle size and aspect ratio. CNCMCC had the larger particle size, aspect ratio, and higher z-potential value, CNCSPW presented a similar morphology to CNCMCC, and had the largest aspect ratio. The CNCMCC enhanced its high crystallinity to 85.5%. However, CNCMMW and CNCSPW had a better thermal stability and higher activation energy as well as onset temperature and maximum decomposition temperature. As a result, the CNCs from bio-ethanol residuals are valued and promising cellulose nanoparticle resources.
Vesiculated Long Non-Coding RNAs: Offshore Packages Deciphering Trans-Regulation between Cells, Cancer Progression and Resistance to Therapies
Authors: Fatima Farah , Nawaz Muhammad
Published: February 2017

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized vesicles secreted from virtually all cell types and are thought to transport proteins, lipids and nucleic acids including non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) between cells. Since, ncRNAs are central to transcriptional regulation during developmental processes; eukaryotes might have evolved novel means of post-transcriptional regulation by trans-locating ncRNAs between cells. EV-mediated transportation of regulatory elements provides a novel source of trans-regulation between cells. In the last decade, studies were mainly focused on microRNAs; however, functions of long ncRNA (lncRNA) have been much less studied. Here, we review the regulatory roles of EV-linked ncRNAs, placing a particular focus on lncRNAs, how they can foster dictated patterns of trans-regulation in recipient cells. This refers to envisaging novel mechanisms of epigenetic regulation, cellular reprogramming and genomic instability elicited in recipient cells, ultimately permitting the generation of cancer initiating cell phenotypes, senescence and resistance to chemotherapies. Conversely, such trans-regulation may introduce RNA interference in recipient cancer cells causing the suppression of oncogenes and anti-apoptotic proteins; thus favoring tumor inhibition. Collectively, understanding these mechanisms could be of great value to EV-based RNA therapeutics achieved through gene manipulation within cancer cells, whereas the ncRNA content of EVs from cancer patients could serve as non-invasive source of diagnostic biomarkers and prognostic indicators in response to therapies.
Hidden Suffering and the Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences
Authors: Fulford William
Published: February 2017

To understand suffering is to understand what it means to be human. Suffering focuses our attention on our vulnerability, which we would rather ignore or deny. As health care professionals (HCP) we need to be able to listen, to attune and be empathic to the suffering patient. If we act as an “enlightened witness” we provide a safe place for a suffering patient to grieve their loss and be vulnerable. This is skilled and demanding work, it is also important to tend to our own needs through a practice of self-care and reflection to prevent burn-out and compassion fatigue. The topic of adverse childhood experiences (ACE), which are common in the general population, are addressed in the second part of this paper. Their effects are profound, and increase with the degree of maltreatment. The maltreatment and suffering of these children usually remains hidden into adulthood beneath years of shame and denial. One aspect of our job in health care is to help patients acknowledge, experience, and bear the reality of life with all its pleasures and heartache. In order to do this well, we need to keep in touch with our own humanity, but also continue to take care of ourselves.
Improving Winter Wheat Yield Estimation from the CERES-Wheat Model to Assimilate Leaf Area Index with Different Assimilation Methods and Spatio-Temporal Scales
Authors: Li He , Chen Zhongxin , Liu Gaohuan , Jiang Zhiwei , Huang Chong
Published: February 2017

To improve the accuracy of winter wheat yield estimation, the Crop Environment Resource Synthesis for Wheat (CERES-Wheat) model with an assimilation strategy was performed by assimilating measured or remotely-sensed leaf area index (LAI) values. The performances of the crop model for two different assimilation methods were compared by employing particle filters (PF) and the proper orthogonal decomposition-based ensemble four-dimensional variational (POD4DVar) strategies. The uncertainties of wheat yield estimates due to different assimilation temporal scales (phenological stages and temporal frequencies) and spatial scale were also analyzed. The results showed that, compared with the crop model without assimilation and with PF-based assimilation, a better yield estimate performance resulted when the POD4DVar-based strategy was used at the field scale. When using this strategy, root mean square errors (RMSE) of 523 kg·ha−1, 543 kg·ha−1 and 172 kg·ha−1 and relative errors (RE) of 5.65%, 5.91% and 7.77% were obtained at the field plot scale, a pixel scale of 1 km and the county scale, respectively. Although the best yield estimates were obtained when all of the observed LAIs were assimilated into the crop model, an acceptable estimate of crop yield could also be achieved by assimilating fewer observations between jointing and anthesis periods of the crop growth season. With decreasing assimilation frequency and pixel resolution, the accuracy of the crop yield estimates decreased; however, the computation time decreased. Thus, it is important to consider reasonable spatio-temporal scales to obtain tradeoffs between accuracy and effectiveness in regional wheat estimates.
Towards a Universal Hyperspectral Index to Assess Chlorophyll Content in Deciduous Forests
Authors: Sonobe Rei , Wang Quan
Published: February 2017

The reflectance properties of leaves are influenced by diverse biochemical components including chlorophyll, one of the key indicators related to plant photosynthesis and plant stress. Although a number of hyperspectral indices have been proposed for quantifying leaf chlorophyll concentrations, their applications are largely restricted to where they were developed and can hardly provide satisfactory results in other cases. In this study, universally applicable hyperspectral indices calculated from both original and first-order derivative spectra were identified for quantifying leaf chlorophyll concentrations in deciduous forests. Using the main criteria of the ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) and the widely applicable information criterion (WAIC), new hyperspectral indices were proposed for quantifying chlorophyll concentrations in four independent datasets. The results revealed that the normalized derivative difference between the green peak (520-540 nm) and the end of the red edge (720-740 nm) were effective. The normalized difference type of index using reflectance derivatives at 522 and 728 nm, dND (522, 728), was the most effective index for quantifying chlorophyll concentrations, with an R2 of 0.807 and a lowest root mean square error of 8.67 μg/cm2, n = 816. This index was also validated based on a simulated dataset generated from the model of PROpriétés SPECTrales Version 5 (PROSPECT 5). Its applicability for assessing chlorophyll content in various deciduous forests was hence demonstrated. We foresee its wide application in the future.
Lightdrum—Portable Light Stage for Accurate BTF Measurement on Site
Authors: Havran Vlastimil , Hošek Jan , Němcová Šárka , Čáp Jiří , Bittner Jiří
Published: February 2017

We propose a miniaturised light stage for measuring the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) and the bidirectional texture function (BTF) of surfaces on site in real world application scenarios. The main principle of our lightweight BTF acquisition gantry is a compact hemispherical skeleton with cameras along the meridian and with light emitting diode (LED) modules shining light onto a sample surface. The proposed device is portable and achieves a high speed of measurement while maintaining high degree of accuracy. While the positions of the LEDs are fixed on the hemisphere, the cameras allow us to cover the range of the zenith angle from 0 ∘ to 75 ∘ and by rotating the cameras along the axis of the hemisphere we can cover all possible camera directions. This allows us to take measurements with almost the same quality as existing stationary BTF gantries. Two degrees of freedom can be set arbitrarily for measurements and the other two degrees of freedom are fixed, which provides a tradeoff between accuracy of measurements and practical applicability. Assuming that a measured sample is locally flat and spatially accessible, we can set the correct perpendicular direction against the measured sample by means of an auto-collimator prior to measuring. Further, we have designed and used a marker sticker method to allow for the easy rectification and alignment of acquired images during data processing. We show the results of our approach by images rendered for 36 measured material samples.
Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors for the Oil Industry
Authors: Qiao Xueguang , Shao Zhihua , Bao Weijia , Rong Qiangzhou
Published: February 2017

With the oil and gas industry growing rapidly, increasing the yield and profit require advances in technology for cost-effective production in key areas of reservoir exploration and in oil-well production-management. In this paper we review our group’s research into fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) and their applications in the oil industry, especially in the well-logging field. FBG sensors used for seismic exploration in the oil and gas industry need to be capable of measuring multiple physical parameters such as temperature, pressure, and acoustic waves in a hostile environment. This application requires that the FBG sensors display high sensitivity over the broad vibration frequency range of 5 Hz to 2.5 kHz, which contains the important geological information. We report the incorporation of mechanical transducers in the FBG sensors to enable enhance the sensors’ amplitude and frequency response. Whenever the FBG sensors are working within a well, they must withstand high temperatures and high pressures, up to 175 °C and 40 Mpa or more. We use femtosecond laser side-illumination to ensure that the FBGs themselves have the high temperature resistance up to 1100 °C. Using FBG sensors combined with suitable metal transducers, we have experimentally realized high- temperature and pressure measurements up to 400 °C and 100 Mpa. We introduce a novel technology of ultrasonic imaging of seismic physical models using FBG sensors, which is superior to conventional seismic exploration methods. Compared with piezoelectric transducers, FBG ultrasonic sensors demonstrate superior sensitivity, more compact structure, improved spatial resolution, high stability and immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI). In the last section, we present a case study of a well-logging field to demonstrate the utility of FBG sensors in the oil and gas industry.
PTZ Camera-Based Displacement Sensor System with Perspective Distortion Correction Unit for Early Detection of Building Destruction
Authors: Jeong Yoosoo , Park Daejin , Park Kil
Published: February 2017

This paper presents a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera-based displacement measurement system, specially based on the perspective distortion correction technique for the early detection of building destruction. The proposed PTZ-based vision system rotates the camera to monitor the specific targets from various distances and controls the zoom level of the lens for a constant field of view (FOV). The proposed approach adopts perspective distortion correction to expand the measurable range in monitoring the displacement of the target structure. The implemented system successfully obtains the displacement information in structures, which is not easily accessible on the remote site. We manually measured the displacement acquired from markers which is attached on a sample of structures covering a wide geographic region. Our approach using a PTZ-based camera reduces the perspective distortion, so that the improved system could overcome limitations of previous works related to displacement measurement. Evaluation results show that a PTZ-based displacement sensor system with the proposed distortion correction unit is possibly a cost effective and easy-to-install solution for commercialization.
An Improved Metal-Packaged Strain Sensor Based on A Regenerated Fiber Bragg Grating in Hydrogen-Loaded Boron–Germanium Co-Doped Photosensitive Fiber for High-Temperature Applications
Authors: Tu Yun , Ye Lin , Zhou Shao-Ping , Tu Shan-Tung
Published: February 2017

Local strain measurements are considered as an effective method for structural health monitoring of high-temperature components, which require accurate, reliable and durable sensors. To develop strain sensors that can be used in higher temperature environments, an improved metal-packaged strain sensor based on a regenerated fiber Bragg grating (RFBG) fabricated in hydrogen (H2)-loaded boron–germanium (B–Ge) co-doped photosensitive fiber is developed using the process of combining magnetron sputtering and electroplating, addressing the limitation of mechanical strength degradation of silica optical fibers after annealing at a high temperature for regeneration. The regeneration characteristics of the RFBGs and the strain characteristics of the sensor are evaluated. Numerical simulation of the sensor is conducted using a three-dimensional finite element model. Anomalous decay behavior of two regeneration regimes is observed for the FBGs written in H2-loaded B–Ge co-doped fiber. The strain sensor exhibits good linearity, stability and repeatability when exposed to constant high temperatures of up to 540 °C. A satisfactory agreement is obtained between the experimental and numerical results in strain sensitivity. The results demonstrate that the improved metal-packaged strain sensors based on RFBGs in H2-loaded B–Ge co-doped fiber provide great potential for high-temperature applications by addressing the issues of mechanical integrity and packaging.
Operational Modal Analysis of Bridge Structures with Data from GNSS/Accelerometer Measurements
Authors: Xiong Chunbao , Lu Huali , Zhu Jinsong
Published: February 2017

Real-time dynamic displacement and acceleration responses of the main span section of the Tianjin Fumin Bridge in China under ambient excitation were tested using a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) dynamic deformation monitoring system and an acceleration sensor vibration test system. Considering the close relationship between the GNSS multipath errors and measurement environment in combination with the noise reduction characteristics of different filtering algorithms, the researchers proposed an AFEC mixed filtering algorithm, which is an combination of autocorrelation function-based empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and Chebyshev mixed filtering to extract the real vibration displacement of the bridge structure after system error correction and filtering de-noising of signals collected by the GNSS. The proposed AFEC mixed filtering algorithm had high accuracy (1 mm) of real displacement at the elevation direction. Next, the traditional random decrement technique (used mainly for stationary random processes) was expanded to non-stationary random processes. Combining the expanded random decrement technique (RDT) and autoregressive moving average model (ARMA), the modal frequency of the bridge structural system was extracted using an expanded ARMA_RDT modal identification method, which was compared with the power spectrum analysis results of the acceleration signal and finite element analysis results. Identification results demonstrated that the proposed algorithm is applicable to analyze the dynamic displacement monitoring data of real bridge structures under ambient excitation and could identify the first five orders of the inherent frequencies of the structural system accurately. The identification error of the inherent frequency was smaller than 6%, indicating the high identification accuracy of the proposed algorithm. Furthermore, the GNSS dynamic deformation monitoring method can be used to monitor dynamic displacement and identify the modal parameters of bridge structures. The GNSS can monitor the working state of bridges effectively and accurately. Research results can provide references to evaluate the bearing capacity, safety performance, and durability of bridge structures during operation.
A Weighted Spatial-Spectral Kernel RX Algorithm and Efficient Implementation on GPUs
Authors: Zhao Chunhui , Li Jiawei , Meng Meiling , Yao Xifeng
Published: February 2017

The kernel RX (KRX) detector proposed by Kwon and Nasrabadi exploits a kernel function to obtain a better detection performance. However, it still has two limits that can be improved. On the one hand, reasonable integration of spatial-spectral information can be used to further improve its detection accuracy. On the other hand, parallel computing can be used to reduce the processing time in available KRX detectors. Accordingly, this paper presents a novel weighted spatial-spectral kernel RX (WSSKRX) detector and its parallel implementation on graphics processing units (GPUs). The WSSKRX utilizes the spatial neighborhood resources to reconstruct the testing pixels by introducing a spectral factor and a spatial window, thereby effectively reducing the interference of background noise. Then, the kernel function is redesigned as a mapping trick in a KRX detector to implement the anomaly detection. In addition, a powerful architecture based on the GPU technique is designed to accelerate WSSKRX. To substantiate the performance of the proposed algorithm, both synthetic and real data are conducted for experiments.
Fiber-Optic Sensors for Measurements of Torsion, Twist and Rotation: A Review
Authors: Budinski Vedran , Donlagic Denis
Published: February 2017

Optical measurement of mechanical parameters is gaining significant commercial interest in different industry sectors. Torsion, twist and rotation are among the very frequently measured mechanical parameters. Recently, twist/torsion/rotation sensors have become a topic of intense fiber-optic sensor research. Various sensing concepts have been reported. Many of those have different properties and performances, and many of them still need to be proven in out-of-the laboratory use. This paper provides an overview of basic approaches and a review of current state-of-the-art in fiber optic sensors for measurements of torsion, twist and/or rotation.Invited Paper
Measurement of the Length of Installed Rock Bolt Based on Stress Wave Reflection by Using a Giant Magnetostrictive (GMS) Actuator and a PZT Sensor
Authors: Luo Mingzhang , Li Weijie , Wang Bo , Fu Qingqing , Song Gangbing
Published: February 2017

Rock bolts, as a type of reinforcing element, are widely adopted in underground excavations and civil engineering structures. Given the importance of rock bolts, the research outlined in this paper attempts to develop a portable non-destructive evaluation method for assessing the length of installed rock bolts for inspection purposes. Traditionally, piezoelectric elements or hammer impacts were used to perform non-destructive evaluation of rock bolts. However, such methods suffered from many major issues, such as the weak energy generated and the requirement for permanent installation for piezoelectric elements, and the inconsistency of wave generation for hammer impact. In this paper, we proposed a portable device for the non-destructive evaluation of rock bolt conditions based on a giant magnetostrictive (GMS) actuator. The GMS actuator generates enough energy to ensure multiple reflections of the stress waves along the rock bolt and a lead zirconate titantate (PZT) sensor is used to detect the reflected waves. A new integrated procedure that involves correlation analysis, wavelet denoising, and Hilbert transform was proposed to process the multiple reflection signals to determine the length of an installed rock bolt. The experimental results from a lab test and field tests showed that, by analyzing the instant phase of the periodic reflections of the stress wave generated by the GMS transducer, the length of an embedded rock bolt can be accurately determined.
A Topology Control Strategy with Reliability Assurance for Satellite Cluster Networks in Earth Observation
Authors: Chen Qing , Zhang Jinxiu , Hu Ze
Published: February 2017

This article investigates the dynamic topology control problemof satellite cluster networks (SCNs) in Earth observation (EO) missions by applying a novel metric of stability for inter-satellite links (ISLs). The properties of the periodicity and predictability of satellites’ relative position are involved in the link cost metric which is to give a selection criterion for choosing the most reliable data routing paths. Also, a cooperative work model with reliability is proposed for the situation of emergency EO missions. Based on the link cost metric and the proposed reliability model, a reliability assurance topology control algorithm and its corresponding dynamic topology control (RAT) strategy are established to maximize the stability of data transmission in the SCNs. The SCNs scenario is tested through some numeric simulations of the topology stability of average topology lifetime and average packet loss rate. Simulation results show that the proposed reliable strategy applied in SCNs significantly improves the data transmission performance and prolongs the average topology lifetime.
Temperature and Cardiovascular Mortality Associations in Four Southern Chinese Cities: A Time-Series Study Using a Distributed Lag Non-Linear Model
Authors: Huang Jixia , Tan Jing , Yu Weiwei
Published: February 2017

Few studies on population-specific health effects of extreme temperature on cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) deaths have been conducted in the subtropical and tropical climates of China. We examined the association between extreme temperature and CVD across four cities in China. We performed a two-stage analysis; we generated city-specific estimates using a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) and estimated the overall effects by conducting a meta-analysis. Heat thresholds of 29 °C, 29 °C, 29 °C, and 30 °C and cold thresholds of 6 °C, 10 °C, 14 °C, and 15 °C were observed in Hefei, Changsha, Nanning, and Haikou, respectively. The lag periods for heat-related CVD mortality were observed only for 0–2 days, while those of cold-related CVD mortality were observed for 10–15 days. The meta-analysis showed that a 1 °C increase above the city-specific heat threshold was associated with average overall CVD mortality increases of 4.6% (3.0%–6.2%), 6.4% (3.4%–9.4%), and 0.2% (−4.8%–5.2%) for all ages, ≥65 years, and <65 years over a lag period of 0–2 days, respectively. Similarly, a 1 °C decrease below the city-specific cold threshold was associated with average overall CVD mortality increases of 4.2% (3.0%–5.4%), 4.9% (3.5%–6.3%), and 3.1% (1.7%–4.5%), for all ages, ≥65 years, and <65 years over a lag period of 0–15 days, respectively. This work will help to take appropriate measures to reduce temperature-mortality risk in different populations in the subtropical and tropical climates of China.
Environmental Impact Analysis on Residential Building in Malaysia Using Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Abd Rashid Ahmad , Idris Juferi , Yusoff Sumiani
Published: February 2017

The building industry has a significant impact on the environment due to massive natural resources and energy it uses throughout its life cycle. This study presents a life cycle assessment of a semi-detached residential building in Malaysia as a case study and assesses the environmental impact under cradle-to-grave which consists of pre-use, construction, use, and end-of-life phases by using Centre of Environmental Science of Leiden University (CML) 2001. Four impact categories were evaluated, namely, acidification, eutrophication, global warming potential (GWP), and ozone layer depletion (ODP). The building operation under use phase contributed the highest global warming potential and acidification with 2.41 × 103 kg CO2 eq and 1.10 × 101 kg SO2 eq, respectively. In the pre-use phase, concrete in the substructure has the most significant overall impact with cement as the primary raw material. The results showed that the residential building in Malaysia has a fairly high impact in GWP but lower in acidification and ODP compared to other studies.
On the Legibility of Mirror-Reflected and Rotated Text
Authors: Erlikhman Gennady , Strother Lars , Barzakov Iskra , Caplovitz Gideon
Published: February 2017

We happened to observe that text that was reflected about either the horizontal or vertical axis was more difficult to read than text that was reflected about first one and then the other, which amounts to a 180-degree rotation. In this article, we review a number of studies that examine the nature of recognizing reflected and inverted letters, and the frequency of mirror reversal errors (e.g., confusing 'b' for 'd') in children and adults. We explore recent ideas linking the acquisition of literacy with the loss of mirror-invariance, not just for text, but for objects in general. We try to connect these various literatures to examine why certain transformations of text are more difficult to read than others for adults.
Why European Entrepreneurs in the Water and Waste Management Sector Are Willing to Go beyond Environmental Legislation
Authors: Rabadán Adrián , Sáez-Martínez Francisco
Published: February 2017

Sustainability in the water sector in Europe is a major concern, and compliance with the current legislation alone does not seem to be enough to face major challenges like climate change or population growth and concentration. The greatest potential for improvement appears when companies decide to take a step forward and go beyond environmental legislation. This study focuses on the environmental responsibility (ER) of European small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the water and waste management sector and analyzes the drivers that lead these firms to the adoption of more sustainable practices. Our results show that up to 40% of European SMEs within this industry display environmental responsibility. Market pull has a low incidence in encouraging ER, while values and the strategic decisions of entrepreneurs seem decisive. Policy makers should prioritize subsidies over fiscal incentives because they show greater potential to promote the adoption of environmental responsibility among these firms.
An EMD-Based Chaotic Least Squares Support Vector Machine Hybrid Model for Annual Runoff Forecasting
Authors: Zhao Xuehua , Chen Xu , Xu Yongxin , Xi Dongjie , Zhang Yongbo , Zheng Xiuqing
Published: February 2017

Accurate forecasting of annual runoff is necessary for water resources management. However, a runoff series consists of complex nonlinear and non-stationary characteristics, which makes forecasting difficult. To contribute towards improved prediction accuracy, a novel hybrid model based on the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) for annual runoff forecasting is proposed and applied in this paper. Firstly, the original annual runoff series is decomposed into a limited number of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) and one trend term based on the EMD, which makes the series stationary. Secondly, it will be forecasted by a least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) when the IMF component possesses chaotic characteristics, and simulated by a polynomial method when it does not. In addition, the reserved trend term is predicted by a Gray Model. Finally, the ensemble forecast for the original runoff series is formulated by combining the prediction results of the modeled IMFs and the trend term. Qualified rate (QR), root mean square errors (RMSE), mean absolute relative errors (MARE), and mean absolute errors (MAE) are used as the comparison criteria. The results reveal that the EMD-based chaotic LSSVM (EMD-CLSSVM) hybrid model is a superior alternative to the CLSSVM hybrid model for forecasting annual runoff at Shangjingyou station, reducing the RMSE, MARE, and MAE by 39%, 28.6%, and 25.6%, respectively. To further illustrate the stability and representativeness of the EMD-CLSSVM hybrid model, runoff data at three additional sites, Zhaishang, Fenhe reservoir, and Lancun stations, were applied to verify the model. The results show that the EMD-CLSSVM hybrid model proved its applicability with high prediction precision. This approach may be used in similar hydrological conditions.
Relating Watershed Characteristics to Elevated Stream Escherichia coli Levels in Agriculturally Dominated Landscapes: An Iowa Case Study
Authors: Brendel Conrad , Soupir Michelle
Published: February 2017

Fecal Indicator Bacteria (FIB) such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) are a leading cause of surface water impairments in the United States. However, the relative impacts of different watershed characteristics on microbial water quality in agriculturally dominated watersheds are unclear. Spatial and statistical analyses were utilized to examine relationships between watershed characteristics and FIB and a multiple regression model was created. Geometric mean E. coli concentration data were obtained for 395 ambient water quality monitoring locations in Iowa. Watersheds were delineated for thirty randomly selected monitoring locations and drainage areas ranged from 93 to 1.1 million hectares. Watershed characteristics examined include area, presence of animal units (open feed lots and confinements), percent of watershed area receiving manure application, presence of point-source discharges, and land cover. The results from the analyses reveal that the presence of animal feeding operations and agriculture, wetland, and woody vegetation land covers are the most influential watershed characteristics regarding E. coli concentration. A significant positive correlation was identified between E. coli concentration and agriculture while significant negative correlations were identified with animal feeding operations and wetland and woody vegetation. Establishing relationships between watershed characteristics and presence of E. coli is needed to identify dominant watershed characteristics contributing to pathogen water impairments and to prioritize remediation efforts.
A Systematic Quantitative Review Of Volunteer Management in Events
Authors: Kim Eunjung , Cuskelly Graham
Published: February 2017

Most event organizations rely on the commitment of volunteers to prepare for and stage events. An attempt to understand factors that affect volunteers' engagement and retention has received much attention from a substantial number of published studies. This article provides a systematic
quantitative review of 71 original, peer-reviewed research articles published in English language academic journals on volunteer management in events. The review examines the nature of the research, methods, key concepts and theories, and types of research questions posed in studies associated
with volunteer management in events. Published studies on event volunteer management are geographically concentrated in several countries but published in 35 different journals across a range of fields. Volunteer management in events has been the focus of rapidly increasing research attention
in recent years with almost two thirds of the articles included in the review published in the 6 years leading to 2014. The majority of published research has not clearly articulated a theoretical framework and most studies have used survey methods to collect data from volunteers at mega-sport
events. It was concluded that to advance knowledge of event volunteer management there is a need for increased collaboration internationally between researchers. Moreover, it is essential to engage with relevant theory in order to better understand and predict the effectiveness of volunteer
management strategies in recruiting, retaining, and building a sense of community among volunteers in events.
Complex Organic Molecules Formation in Space Through Gas Phase Reactions: A Theoretical Approach
Authors: Redondo Pilar , Barrientos Carmen , Largo Antonio
Published: February 2017

Chemistry in the interstellar medium (ISM) is capable of producing complex organic molecules (COMs) of great importance to astrobiology. Gas phase and grain surface chemistry almost certainly both contribute to COM formation. Amino acids as building blocks of proteins are some of the most interesting COMs. The simplest one, glycine, has been characterized in meteorites and comets and, its conclusive detection in the ISM seems to be highly plausible. In this work, we analyze the gas phase reaction of glycine and

to establish the role of this process in the formation of alanine or other COMs in the ISM. Formation of protonated α- and β-alanine in spite of being exothermic processes is not viable under interstellar conditions because the different paths leading to these isomers present net activation energies. Nevertheless, glycine can evolve to protonated 1-imide-2, 2-propanediol, protonated amino acetone, protonated hydroxyacetone, and protonated propionic acid. However, formation of acetic acid and protonated methylamine is also a favorable process and therefore will be a competitive channel with the evolution of glycine to COMs.
Vertical Advection Effects on Hyper-accretion Disks and Potential Link between Gamma-Ray Bursts and Kilonovae
Authors: Yi Tuan , Gu Wei-Min , Yuan Feng , Liu Tong , Mu Hui-Jun
Published: February 2017

Recent simulations on super-Eddington accretion flows have shown that, apart from the diffusion process, the vertical advection based on magnetic buoyancy can be a more efficient process to release the trapped photons in the optically thick disk. As a consequence, the radiative luminosity from the accretion disk can be far beyond the Eddington value. Following this spirit, we revisit the structure and radiation of hyper-accretion disks with mass accretion rates in the range of 

. Our results show that, due to the strong cooling through the vertical advection, the disk temperature becomes lower than that in the classic model without the vertical advection process, and therefore the neutrino luminosity from the disk is lower. On the other hand, the gamma-ray photons released through the vertical advection can be extremely super-Eddington. We argue that the large amount of escaped gamma-ray photons may have more significant contribution to the primordial fireball than the neutrino annihilation, and may hint at a link between gamma-ray bursts and kilonovae in the black hole hyper-accretion scenario.
Modeling the Gravitational Potential of a Cosmological Dark Matter Halo with Stellar Streams
Authors: Sanderson Robyn E. , Hartke Johanna , Helmi Amina
Published: February 2017

Stellar streams result from the tidal disruption of satellites and star clusters as they orbit a host galaxy, and can be very sensitive probes of the gravitational potential of the host system. We select and study narrow stellar streams formed in a Milky-Way-like dark matter halo of the Aquarius suite of cosmological simulations, to determine if these streams can be used to constrain the present day characteristic parameters of the halo’s gravitational potential. We find that orbits integrated in both spherical and triaxial static Navarro–Frenk–White potentials reproduce the locations and kinematics of the various streams reasonably well. To quantify this further, we determine the best-fit potential parameters by maximizing the amount of clustering of the stream stars in the space of their actions. We show that using our set of Aquarius streams, we recover a mass profile that is consistent with the spherically averaged dark matter profile of the host halo, although we ignored both triaxiality and time evolution in the fit. This gives us confidence that such methods can be applied to the many streams that will be discovered by the Gaia mission to determine the gravitational potential of our Galaxy.
Qualidade de vida de pacientes com insuficiência renal crônica em tratamento hemodialítico: análise de fatores associados
Authors: Silva Guilherme Dallapicola , Fernandes Brigida Dias , Silva Fernanda Ahnert da , Dias Yasmin Costa Barbosa , Melchiors Ana Carolina
Published: February 2017

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a qualidade de vida (QV) e os fatores relacionados em pacientes com insuficiência renal crônica (IRC) submetidos à hemodiálise no município de São Mateus/ES.MÉTODOS: Estudo descritivo, do tipo transversal e com abordagem quantitativa. Os dados sociodemográficos, clínicos e de QV foram coletados por meio de entrevista e questionário estruturado. Para a avaliação da QV utilizou-se o instrumento específico Kidney Disease and Quality of Life Short Form (KDQOL-SFTM). Para análise, os domínios foram sumarizados em três componentes: componente da doença renal sumarizado (CDRS), componente físico sumarizado (CFS) e componente mental sumarizado (CMS), conforme proposto pelos autores do KDQOL.RESULTADOS: Foram entrevistados 168 pacientes. Houve predomínio dos homens (60,1%), da faixa etária 60-69 anos (21,4%) e do tempo de tratamento ≤2 anos (41,6%). A média da avaliação global da saúde foi 71,31 (±23,23). Observaram-se associações significativas e independentes entre os componentes sumarizados às variáveis: faixa etária, gênero, avaliação da viagem, presença de comorbidades e transporte custeado pelo município.CONCLUSÕES: A QV da população pesquisada, de modo geral, está comprometida e alguns fatores como presença de comorbidades, idade e o transporte até a clínica são determinantes.
Concordância entre pontos de corte do IMC de crianças, 8 e 9 anos, residentes em Petrolina/PE, Brasil
Authors: Nascimento Marcelo De Maio , Nunes Lia Moraes , Minoda Alexandre Makoto
Published: February 2017

OBJETIVO: Avaliar o estado nutricional de um grupo de escolares da cidade de Petrolina/PE, região do Sertão nordestino, segundo três diferentes critérios, WHO (WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, 1998), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KUCZMARSKI et al., 2002) e International Obesity Task Force (COLE et al., 2000), para estabelecer pontos de corte ideais à determinação do estado nutricional na região.MÉTODOS: Estudo correlativo com corte transversal de base escolar, a amostra utilizada foi não probabilística e intencional. Participaram 50 escolares, de ambos os sexos (8,80±0,40 anos), alunos do Ensino Fundamental I, residentes em Petrolina/PE, integrantes das atividades do Programa de Educação Tutorial (PET) – Biomecânica. A avaliação do estado nutricional foi realizada mediante o cálculo do índice de massa corporal (IMC). A comparação dos melhores pontos de corte para o estabelecimento do estado nutricional foi realizada pelos critérios da OMS, do CDC e do IOTF. A concordância entre os indicadores foi avaliada pela estatística de Kappa (k).RESULTADOS: O sobrepeso só foi encontrado junto aos meninos. Obteve-se uma excelente concordância entre os critérios da OMS e do CDC (k=0,882; p<0,001) e valores de concordância regulares entre o IOTF e a OMS (k=0,012; p=0,041) e o IOTF e o CDC (k=0,019; p=0,048).CONCLUSÕES: Os critérios da OMS e do CDC demonstraram ser os mais aptos à avaliação do estado nutricional da população testada, sendo eles análogos aos encontrados em estudos realizados em outras regiões do Brasil.
Estresse, qualidade de vida e trabalho: estudo com agentes da limpeza urbana
Authors: Sousa Milena Nunes Alves de , Vieira Tamiris Guedes , Barbosa Ana Larissa Lopes , Almeida Kerolayne Camila e Souza , Araújo Luzia Vilma Pereira do Nascimento , Lima Maria Tereza Perazzo , Bezerra André Luiz Dantas
Published: February 2017

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a presença de estresse ocupacional, o nível de qualidade de vida dos agentes da limpeza urbana e a existência de correlação entre o estresse ocupacional e a qualidade de vida com a idade, a renda e o tempo de trabalho.MÉTODOS: Estudo descritivo, transversal e quantitativo, com o grupo de trabalhadores do município de Patos/PB. A amostra da pesquisa foi composta por 45 garis. Os dados foram coletados mediante o uso de questionário sociodemográfico e do trabalho, do Job Stress Scale (JSS) e do World Health Organization Quality of Life – Bref (WHOQOL-Bref). A análise dos dados foi realizada a partir de estatística descritiva e inferencial. RESULTADOS: A qualidade de vida apresentou positividade em geral com escore médio de 75,83 pontos. Entre os domínios, o que apresentou maior escore foi o físico (78,57 pontos) e o menor o domínio ambiental (62,36 pontos). Quanto ao estresse ocupacional, a demanda psicológica foi o que apresentou menor pontuação (2,36) e o estresse no trabalho a maior pontuação (3,45). Ao correlacionar a qualidade de vida e o estresse com a idade, renda e tempo de trabalho, a idade se associou negativamente com o domínio físico (p=-0,31, p≤0,05) e com o estresse no trabalho (p=-0,30, p≤0,05).CONCLUSÕES: Os achados deste estudo evidenciam que a qualidade de vida do grupo é mediana, bem como indicou que quanto mais velho o trabalhador menor a satisfação com os aspectos da saúde física e menor o estresse ocupacional.
Avaliação da qualidade de vida em pacientes em hemodiálise e sua relação com índice de massa corporal e creatinina sérica
Authors: Soares Viviane , Lima William Alves , Venâncio Patrícia Espíndola Mota , Tolentino Grassyara Pinho , Silva Maria Sebastiana
Published: February 2017

OBJETIVO: Verificar a relação do índice de massa corporal (IMC) e creatinina sérica com a qualidade de vida (QV) de pacientes em hemodiálise.MÉTODOS: Estudo analítico do tipo transversal, conduzido em pacientes do sexo masculino, com idade entre 20 e 75 anos. O IMC, creatinina sérica e o Kideney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form foram coletados antes e durante a sessão intermediária de hemodiálise da semana. A análise estatística foi descritiva, comparativa e regressão linear múltipla (p≤0,05).RESULTADOS: Os pacientes com valores de IMC (p=0,02) e creatinina sérica (p<0,001) superiores tiveram melhor saúde mental. Os pacientes com valores de IMC abaixo do previsto tiveram melhor escore total de QV (p=0,05). O grupo com creatinina sérica ≥10mg/dL teve melhores escores nos domínios trabalho (p=0,04) e função sexual (p=0,04). O componente mental mostrou relação significativa com o IMC (p=0,001) quando ajustado pela idade e tempo de hemodiálise.CONCLUSÕES: O IMC e a creatinina sérica podem influenciar aspectos da QV de pacientes em hemodiálise. O componente saúde mental foi o único domínio que mostrou relação positiva e significativa com o IMC.
Stratégies de défense et exclusion sociale : la suradaptation paradoxale des sans domicile fixe (SDF)
Authors: Chevalier Julie , Langlard Gaétan , Le Maléfan Pascal , Bouteyre  Évelyne
Published: February 2017

Dans notre société, certaines conditions de vie des personnes dites « sans domicile fixe » mettent les dispositifs d’aide sociale dans l’impuissance : comment comprendre les conduites de ces personnes « SDF » qui se retrouvent en dehors des prises en charge parce qu’elles refusent l’hébergement d’urgence ou parce qu’elles acquièrent un animal ? Nos recherches doctorales auprès de ces populations SDF nous ont permis de mettre en lumière cette problématique. Ces refus, d’apparence manifestes, sous-tendent de réels enjeux de survie psychique qui favorisent une suradapation de ces personnes à leur situation de SDF. C’est à condition d’identifier ces dynamiques que les dispositifs pourront adapter leur prise en charge à ceux qui, jusque-là, en étaient privés.