bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consideration of the Aspects of the Transportation Systems Microscopic Model Application as Part of a Decision Support System
Authors: Yurshevich Elena , Yatskiv Irina
Published: June 2012

Consideration of the Aspects of the Transportation Systems Microscopic Model Application as Part of a Decision Support System

The article presents the experience in using decision support system (DSS) when managing urban transport system (UTS) and a possibility of using microscopic modelling as an integral part of the decision-support system (DSS) when managing the urban TS. To illustrate the problem and a possible DSS-based solution, an example of a specific project has been examined, where microscopic modelling was used for the analysis of possible reconstruction of a transport system (TS) fragment in the city of Riga, - which was performed in 2010 in the laboratory of applied software systems of the Transport and Telecommunication Journal Institute (in Riga). The project goal was the consideration of expediency for implementation of a pedestrian area in the street of city centre with the existing street traffic. The article formulates some problems that occurred in the process of development and application of simulation model for analysing various scenarios; some possible alternatives of their solution are suggested.

An alternative of possible DSS architecture for managing TS in Riga is suggested; some requirements to the data handling and organization in the system are examined. Special attention has been paid to the problem of synchronizing the data handling of macroscopic and microscopic models of urban TS. The article formulates the requirements to organization of data transmission interface between macroscopic and microscopic data. The suggested DSS concept can be used when solving various problems of transportation planning.
Phenolic Compounds of Propolis from the Boreal Coniferous Zone
Authors: Salonen Anneli , Saarnio Sanna , Julkunen-Tiitto Riitta
Published: June 2012

Phenolic Compounds of Propolis from the Boreal Coniferous Zone

The profile of phenolic compounds in 19 propolis samples from different provinces in Finland were analysed for the first time using HPLC-DAD. Nine individual flavonoids (comprising 26% of the identified phenolics), eleven cinnamic acid derivatives (36%), two caffeic acid derivatives (14%), three chlorogenic acid derivatives (14%), and three other phenolic acids (10%) were found in the propolis samples. The compounds found in the largest quantities were methyl-naringenin and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE). The phenolic profiles of Finnish propolis show marked differences when compared withP. nigraandP. tremuloidespropolis of Central European and Canadian origins. The phenolic compounds found in propolis samples are commonly found in the tree species growing in Finland. Non-metric multidimensional scaling showed that samples were scattered and they did not form clear groups according to the geographical origin or age of the sample.
A Europe-Wide Experiment for Assessing the Impact of Genotype-Environment Interactions on the Vitality and Performance of Honey Bee Colonies: Experimental Design and Trait Evaluation
Authors: Costa Cecilia , Büchler Ralph , Berg Stefan , Bienkowska Malgorzata , Bouga Maria , Bubalo Dragan , Charistos Leonidas , Le Conte Yves , Drazic Maja , Dyrba Winfried , Fillipi Janja , Hatjina Fani , Ivanova Evgeniya , Kezic Nikola , Kiprijanovska Hrisula , Kokinis Michalis , Korpela Seppo , Kryger Per , Lodesani Marco , Meixner Marina , Panasiuk Beata , Pechhacker Hermann , Petrov Plamen , Oliveri Eugenia , Ruottinen Lauri , Uzunov Aleksandar , Vaccari Giacomo , Wilde Jerzy
Published: June 2012

A Europe-Wide Experiment for Assessing the Impact of Genotype-Environment Interactions on the Vitality and Performance of Honey Bee Colonies: Experimental Design and Trait Evaluation

An international experiment to estimate the importance of genotype-environment interactions on vitality and performance of honey bees and on colony losses was run between July 2009 and March 2012. Altogether 621 bee colonies, involving 16 different genetic origins of European honey bees, were tested in 21 locations spread in 11 countries. The genetic strains belonged to the subspeciesA. m. carnica, A. m. ligustica, A. m. macedonica, A. m. mellifera, A. m. siciliana.At each location, the local strain of bees was tested together with at least two "foreign" origins, with a minimum starting number of 10 colonies per origin. The common test protocol for all the colonies took into account colony survival, bee population in spring, summer and autumn, honey production, pollen collection, swarming, gentleness, hygienic behaviour,Varroa destructorinfestation,Nosemaspp. infection and viruses. Data collection was performed according to uniform methods. No chemical treatments against Varroa or other diseases were applied during the experiment. This article describes the details of the experiment set-up and the work protocol.
Instrumental Insemination of Honey Bee Queens During Flight Activity Predisposition Period 2. Number of Spermatozoa in Spermatheca
Authors: Gerula Dariusz , Panasiuk Beata , Węgrzynowicz Paweł , Bieńkowska Małgorzata
Published: June 2012

Instrumental Insemination of Honey Bee Queens During Flight Activity Predisposition Period 2. Number of Spermatozoa in Spermatheca

The effect of the instrumental insemination of honeybee queens after they performed their orientation flight or attempted to perform the flight, on the number of sperm in the spermatheca was observed. Naturally mated queens and instrumentally inseminated queens were examined. Queens were instrumentally inseminated under one of the following 4 circumstances: the instrumentally inseminated queens were either 7 day olds and had been given either a short or long-CO2treatment, or they were inseminated after the trial flight or after returning from the orientation flight. Queens from the various groups had a similar number of spermatozoa in their spermatheca (on average, from 4.7 to 5.3 million). The number of spermatozoa filling the spermatheca influenced both the color and the texture of spermathecae. Significant differences in the number of spermatozoa were stated. Instrumentally inseminated queens that did not lay eggs had significantly less spermatozoa in their spermathecae (3.9 mln) than egg laying queens (5.5 mln).
Volume calculation and analysis of the changes in moraine-dammed lakes in the north Himalaya: a case study of Longbasaba lake
Authors: Yao Xiaojun , Liu Shiyin , Sun Meiping , Wei Junfeng , Guo Wanqin
Published: June 2012

Glacial lake outburst flood hazards in the Himalayan region have received considerable attention in recent years. Accurate volume estimation for glacial lakes is important for calculating outburst flood peak discharge and simulating flood evolution. Longbasaba lake, a potentially dangerous moraine-dammed lake, is located on the north side of the Himalaya. Its depth was surveyed using the SyQwest Hydrobox™ high-resolution echo sounder, and 6916 measurements were collected in September 2009. The maximum and average depths of the lake were 102 ± 2 and 48 ± 2 m, respectively. The morphology of the lake basin was modeled by constructing a triangulated irregular network, and the lake was found to have a storage capacity of 0.064 ± 0.002 km3. Multi-source remote-sensing images from Landsat MSS, Landsat TM/ETM+ and Terra ASTER and a topographic map were digitized to delineate the outlines of the lake between 1977 and 2009. The results indicate that the length and area of the lake have increased during the past 32 years, with a drastic expansion occurring since 2000. Based on volume and area data of Longbasaba lake in different periods, we deduced an empirical equation of the lake volume-area relationship that can be used to calculate the storage capacity of similar moraine-dammed lakes in the Himalayan region.
Radio-echo probing of Black Rapids Glacier, Alaska, USA, during onset of melting and spring speed-up
Authors: Gades Anthony M. , Raymond Charles F. , Conway Howard
Published: June 2012

Radio-echo soundings were collected on Black Rapids Glacier, Alaska, USA, from mid-May to mid-July 1993 to investigate spring speed-up and summer slowdown including high-speed events associated with three lake drainages. Temporal changes in echo power from all depths were highly correlated, indicating a strong effect from varying amounts of near-surface water. Evaluation of bed reflectivity was corrected for this effect based on the time variation of spatially stable patterns of internal scattering identified using principal component analysis. Hourly time series collected at two fixed locations over the deepest part of two valley cross sections showed no detectable change in bed reflection power (<5%) or phase (<0.05 rad). Reoccupation of fixed locations toward the margins at several-day intervals revealed changes in bed power reflectivity up to 50%, but with no definable relation to lake drainages. Theoretical analyses indicate that changes in reflectivity of <5% from a rock bed constrain basal water thickness changes to centimeter scale or less. Conductive basal till degrades the constraint to decimeter scale or more. Changes in bed reflectivity of 50% indicate probable absence of thick conductive till at such locations, and that the changes were caused by centimeter to decimeter changes in equivalent water thickness.
Dynamic inland propagation of thinning due to ice loss at the margins of the Greenland ice sheet
Authors: Wang Weili , Li Jun , Zwally H. Jay
Published: June 2012

Mass-balance analysis of the Greenland ice sheet based on surface elevation changes observed by the European Remote-sensing Satellite (ERS) (1992-2002) and Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) (2003-07) indicates that the strongly increased mass loss at lower elevations (<2000 m) of the ice sheet, as observed during 2003-07, appears to induce interior ice thinning at higher elevations. In this paper, we perform a perturbation experiment with a three-dimensional anisotropic ice-flow model (AIF model) to investigate this upstream propagation. Observed thinning rates in the regions below 2000 m elevation are used as perturbation inputs. The model runs with perturbation for 10 years show that the extensive mass loss at the ice-sheet margins does in fact cause interior thinning on short timescales (i.e. decadal). The modeled pattern of thinning over the ice sheet agrees with the observations, which implies that the strong mass loss since the early 2000s at low elevations has had a dynamic impact on the entire ice sheet. The modeling results also suggest that even if the large mass loss at the margins stopped, the interior ice sheet would continue thinning for 300 years and would take thousands of years for full dynamic recovery.
Automated remote sensing of sediment plumes for identification of runoff from the Greenland ice sheet
Authors: Tedstone Andrew J. , Arnold Neil S.
Published: June 2012

The viability of employing sediment plumes emanating from outlets along the western margin of the Greenland ice sheet as indicators of runoff is assessed. An automated sediment plume quantification system based on daily 250 m Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) band 1 reflectance imagery is developed. Coherent plumes are identified using spectral thresholds and polygon tracing. Validation employs imagery quality-control procedures and manual verification of plume areas. Outlets at land-terminating margins with wide and straight fjord geometries deliver the most accurate and consistent results. Plume area observations are also possible at marine-terminating margins with relatively static fronts and low proximal sea-ice concentrations. Variability in plume area is examined with reference to Special Satellite Microwave Imager (SSM/I)-derived daily melt extent at the hydrologic catchment scale. At annual timescales, plume areas tend to co-vary with surface melt extent, indicating that more mass is lost by runoff during years of extensive melting. Some synchronicity in plume areas from different catchments is apparent. At seasonal and daily timescales, plumes from individual outlets primarily relate to catchment-specific melting.
Variability in the mass flux of the Ross ice streams, West Antarctica, over the last millennium
Authors: Catania Ginny , Hulbe Christina , Conway Howard , Scambos T.A. , Raymond C.F.
Published: June 2012

We synthesize previously published remote-sensing observations, radar data and model output to obtain a ~1000 year ice flow history for the Siple Coast ice-stream system in West Antarctica to investigate the timing and magnitude of changes in mass flux. The synthesized history shows significant short-term variability in ice-stream shear margin and grounding line position due to internal variability of the coupled system. The chronology highlights the interplay between adjacent ice streams, which implies that the behavior of any individual ice stream should not be examined in isolation. Furthermore, individual events cannot be fully interpreted without an understanding of the broad-scale, long-term variability in the ice sheet. In the context of this millennium-scale history, we interpret the relatively recent stagnation of Kamb Ice Stream (KIS) as just one stage in the thermodynamic cycle of an ice stream in this region. The changes in mass balance that result from the KIS stagnation may thus be viewed as century-scale 'noise' relative to the longer-term trend. Understanding and characterizing this noise is a necessary step before accurate model-based predictions of ice-sheet mass balance for the next century can be made.
Raman spectroscopy of gaseous inclusions in EDML ice core: first results – microbubbles
Authors: Weikusat Christian , Freitag Johannes , Kipfstuhl Sepp
Published: June 2012

Measurements of N2/O2 ratios inside individual air bubbles at various depths in the EDML (Antarctic) ice core are presented here. The small bubbles (diameter less than ~200 µm) in deeper ice are significantly enriched in O2 compared to the larger bubbles. The N2/O2 ratios show a systematic dependence on bubble size which is not the case for bubbles in shallower ice. This is interpreted as an effect of pressure relaxation during storage of the cores.
Measurement of strain-rate components in a glacier with embedded inclinometers
Authors: Keller Arne , Blatter Heinz
Published: June 2012

We present measurements with inclinometer/magnetometer probes inserted in glacier ice, and discuss the underlying mathematical theory to extract velocity-gradient components from these data. Assumptions concerning the ice flow field must be made to reduce the number of unknowns and to close the system of equations obtained from the theory. With the incompressibility assumption and the first-order plane-strain approximation, the evolution equation for the tilt of the main sensor axis can be solved exactly and the obtained function can be fitted to measured data to obtain optimal shear and normal strain components. Daily variations superposed on the tilt evolution reflect variations in sliding and perhaps partial elastic recovery of deformations.
Impact of arithmetic asymmetries on simulated thermodynamic ice-sheet evolution
Authors: Saito Fuyuki
Published: June 2012

Numerical ice-sheet model experiments sometimes exhibit asymmetries in the solutions, despite the symmetric conditions imposed. By first identifying arithmetic asymmetry in the models as one of the reasons for symmetry-breaking through loss of trailing digits, this paper presents a numerical procedure to preserve the symmetries by restructuring the order of the floating-point evaluation of the equations in the numerical ice-sheet model. Re-examination of the series of experiments in the HEINO topic of the ISMIP demonstrates that small perturbations triggered by arithmetic asymmetries significantly amplify and cause qualitative differences in the simulated ice-sheet evolutions. This study shows that it is imperative to apply a symmetric scheme to maintain overall symmetries in the simulation of ice-sheet evolution, at least under a highly idealized configuration.
Lloydia nana, a new species of Liliaceae from China
Authors: Li Rong , Li Heng
Published: June 2012

Lloydia nana R. Li & H. Li, a new species of Liliaceae from eastern Xizang, China, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, it is closely similar to L. serotina var. parva (C. Marquand & Airy Shaw) H. Hara and L. yunnanensis Franchet, but differs from the former by having single basal leaf, taller stigma than anthers; from the latter by having dwarf habit 2.5-4.0 cm tall, indistinctly 3-lobed stigma, and style slightly longer than ovary.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjpt.v19i1.10939Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 19(1): 33-36, 2012 (June)
Fifty new combinations in Phanera Lour. (Leguminosae: Caesalpinioideae) from Paleotropical region
Authors: Bandyopadhyay S. , Ghoshal P. P. , Pathak M. K.
Published: June 2012

Fifty new combinations are proposed in Phanera for species earlier treated in Bauhinia L.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjpt.v19i1.10942Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 19(1): 55-61, 2012 (June)
A synoptical account of the Sterculiaceae in Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman M. Oliur , Hassan Md. Abul , Mia Md. Manzurul Kadir , Huq Ahmed Mozaharul
Published: June 2012

Taxonomy, updated nomenclature and occurrence of the species belonging to the family Sterculiaceae in Bangladesh have been presented. Detailed herbarium study at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K), Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh (E), British Museum (BM), Bangladesh National Herbarium (DACB) and Dhaka University Salar Khan Herbarium (DUSH) has revealed the occurrence of 32 species under 15 genera of the Sterculiaceae in Bangladesh. The correct name, important synonym(s), salient diagnostic characteristics, specimens examined and distributional notes have been provided for each species. Dichotomous bracketed keys have also been presented for identification of genera and species.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjpt.v19i1.10943Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon. 19(1): 63-78, 2012 (June)
On Location: The Home and the Street in Recent Films about Street Children
Authors: Reimer Mavis
Published: June 2012

More than twenty narrative films about street children have been produced in more than a dozen countries over the three decades since the UN International Year of the Child in 1979. This paper looks closely at seven of these films (Hector Babenco's Pixote, Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay!, Larry Clark's Kids, Nabil Ayouch's Ali Zaoua, Gerardo Tort's De la Calle, Siddiq Barmak's Osama, and Danny Boyle's and Loveleen Tandeen's Slumdog Millionaire), outlining a number of their recurrent themes and techniques, including the use of Neorealist principles of filming; the presence of screens in the profilmic space; the failure to complete traditional narratives; the abandonment by mothers; the staging of conditions of hunger, work, plenitude, and lack; the sexualisation of young people; and the rejection of institutional ‘homes’. The paper proposes that, collectively, the films demonstrate the impossibility of continuing to conceptualise childhood as a protected time and place of play and suggest the possibility that the street child is the emergent normative subject of global capitalism.
Middle-Class Victorian Street Arabs: Modern Re-creations of the Baker Street Irregulars
Authors: Cheetham Dominic
Published: June 2012

In three of Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories there are brief appearances of the Baker Street Irregulars, a group of ‘street Arabs’ who help Holmes with his investigations. These children have been re-imagined in modern children's literature in at least twenty-seven texts in a variety of media and with writers from both Britain and the United States. All these modern stories show a marked upward shift in the class of the Irregulars away from the lower working class of Conan-Doyle's originals. The shift occurs through attributing middle-class origins to the leaders of the Irregulars, through raising the class of the Irregulars in general, and through giving the children life environments more comfortable, safe, and financially secure than would have been possible for late-Victorian street children. Because of the variety in texts and writers, it is argued that this shift is not a result of the conscious political or ideological positions of individual writers, but rather reflects common unconscious narrative choices. The class-shift is examined in relation to the various pressures of conventions in children's literature, concepts of audience, and common concepts of class in society.
Virtually Real: Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games Trilogy
Authors: Muller Vivienne
Published: June 2012

The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins deals with a dystopian future society in which a punitive ruling elite provide ‘entertainment’ for the masses in the form of mediatised ‘games’ featuring young people who must fight to kill one another until there is only one winner. The purpose of these games is to remind the populace of the power of the government and its ability to dispose of any who dare to defy it. In acknowledging violent ‘games’ as virtual entertainments which can be used to political effect, Collins suggests that they possess a disturbing capacity to undermine ethical perspective on the human, the humane and the real. Drawing on Baudrillard's ideas about simulation and simulacra as well as Elaine Scarry's and Susan Sontag's concerns for media representations of the body in pain, this paper discusses the ways in which the texts highlight the dangers of virtual modes while also risking perpetuating their entertainment value.
Growth in Adolescent Literature: Metaphors, Scripts, and Cognitive Narratology
Authors: Trites Roberta Seelinger
Published: June 2012

Cognitive narratology provides a way to explore discourse as the product of embodied beings as it simultaneously affects those embodied beings. Cognitive narratology specifically investigates how embodiment influences both the author's discursive creation of story and its subsequent meaning-making as a function of the reader's cognition. This essay explores three aspects of cognitive narratology pertinent to adolescent literature: metaphor, scripts, and blending – all of which are biologically and culturally situated cognitive processes. The essay first examines embodied theories of character growth within the field of adolescent literature before moving to a close reading of Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why to illustrate the relationships between embodied metaphors, scripts, and blending. Thirteen Reasons Why demonstrates how the process of blending allows authors to fuse embodied metaphors and scripts into new narratives about adolescent growth. At stake are interpretive strategies that recognise adolescent embodiment within the culturally-defined discourses of adolescent literature.
Metaphor and Intertextuality: A Cognitive Approach to Intertextual Meaning-Making in Metafictional Fantasy Novels
Authors: Shonoda Mary-Anne
Published: June 2012

Scholars in children's literature have frequently commented on the humorous and ideological functions of intertextuality. There has however, been little discussion of the cognitive processes at work in intertextual interpretation and how they provide readers with more interpretive freedom in the meaning-making process. Drawing on research from the field of metaphor studies and the interdisciplinary area of cognitive poetics, this article suggests that the interpretation of foregrounded intertextuality is analogous to the interpretation of metaphoric expression. Current models of metaphor interpretation are discussed before I outline my own intertextuality-based variant. The cross-mapping model developed is then applied to literary intertexts in Inkheart and cultural intertexts in Starcross in order to show how the model might work with intertexts of varying degrees of specificity and that serve different narrative functions. The explanatory power of the cross-mapping model is not limited to cases where elements in the primary storyworld can be directly matched with those in the intertext, but extends to instances that involve a recasting of the intertext and thus retelling as in Princess Bride.
Ru11Lu20, a New Intermetallic Compound with Eight- to Ten-Coordinate Ruthenium Atoms
Authors: Zimmermann Sina , Pantenburg Ingo , Meyer Gerd
Published: June 2012

The new intermetallic compound Ru11Lu20 was obtained as black single crystals during an attempted comproportionation reaction of lutetium(III) chloride, LuCl3, with metallic lutetium in the presence of ruthenium metal at 950 °C. Ru11Lu20 crystallizes with the trigonal space group R-3, Z = 6, a = 1255.1(1), c = 2973.0(4) pm, R1 for all data: 0.0380. Ruthenium atoms center eight-, nine- and ten-vertex polyhedra of lutetium atoms which are connected in a complicated manner to a three-dimensional network.
The Long-Term Effects of Wildfire and Post-Fire Vegetation on Sierra Nevada Forest Soils
Authors: Johnson Dale W. , Walker Roger F. , McNulty Michelle , Rau Benjamin M. , Miller Watkins W.
Published: June 2012

This paper compares carbon (C) and nutrient contents in soils (Alfisols derived from andesite), forest floor and vegetation in a former fire (1960) and an adjacent forest in the Sagehen Watershed in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Soils from the former fire (now occupied predominantly by Ceanothus velutinus, a nitrogen-fixing shrub) had significantly lower contents of extractable SO42− and P (both Bray and bicarbonate) but significantly greater contents of exchangeable Ca2+ than the adjacent forested site (dominated by Pinus jeffreyii). 15N data suggested that N fixation had occurred in the former fire site, but N contents did not differ between the two sites. O horizon C and nutrient contents did not differ between the two sites, but vegetation C and nutrient contents were significantly greater in the forested than former fire site. These results contrast with those from a nearby, previous study at Little Valley Nevada, also dominated by P. jeffreyii growing on a different soil type (Entisols derived from granite). In the Little Valley study, soil C, N, Ca2+, Mg2+, and K+ contents within the former fire (1981, now also occupied predominantly by Ceanothus velutinus) were greater than in the adjacent forest (Pinus jeffreyii) but soil extractable P contents either did not differ or were greater in the former fire. We conclude that soil parent material is an indirect but strong mediator of the effects of post-fire vegetation on soils in this region, especially with respect to soil P changes, which vary substantially between andesite- and granite-derived soils.
Density Functional Theory (DFT) Study of Edaravone Derivatives as Antioxidants
Authors: Borges Rosivaldo S. , Queiroz Auriekson N. , Mendes Anna P. S. , Araújo Sanderson C. , França Luiz C. S. , Franco Edna C. S. , Leal Walace G. , Da Silva Albérico B. F.
Published: June 2012

Quantum chemical calculations at the B3LYP/6–31G* level of theory were employed for the structure-activity relationship and prediction of the antioxidant activity of edaravone and structurally related derivatives using energy (E), ionization potential (IP), bond dissociation energy (BDE), and stabilization energies (∆Eiso). Spin density calculations were also performed for the proposed antioxidant activity mechanism. The electron abstraction is related to electron-donating groups (EDG) at position 3, decreasing the IP when compared to substitution at position 4. The hydrogen abstraction is related to electron-withdrawing groups (EDG) at position 4, decreasing the BDECH when compared to other substitutions, resulting in a better antioxidant activity. The unpaired electron formed by the hydrogen abstraction from the C–H group of the pyrazole ring is localized at 2, 4, and 6 positions. The highest scavenging activity prediction is related to the lowest contribution at the carbon atom. The likely mechanism is related to hydrogen transfer. It was found that antioxidant activity depends on the presence of EDG at the C2 and C4 positions and there is a correlation between IP and BDE. Our results identified three different classes of new derivatives more potent than edaravone.
Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Syringin from the Bark of Ilex rotunda Thumb Using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Zhao Li-Chun , He Ying , Deng Xin , Xia Xiang-Hua , Liang Jian , Yang Geng-Liang , Li Wei , Wang Hui
Published: June 2012

In this work, a rapid extraction method based on ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of syringin from the bark of Ilex rotunda Thumb using response surface methodology (RSM) is described. The syringin was analyzed and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with UV detection (HPLC-UV). The extraction solvent, extraction temperature and extraction time, the three main factors for UAE, were optimized with Box-Behnken design (BBD) to obtain the highest extraction efficiency. The optimal conditions were the use of a sonication frequency of 40 kHz, 65% methanol as the solvent, an extraction time of 30 min and an extraction temperature of 40 °C. Using these optimal conditions, the experimental values agreed closely with the predicted values. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated a high goodness of model fit and the success of the RSM method for optimizing syringin extraction from the bark of I. rotunda.
Transition Metal Compounds Towards Holography
Authors: Dieckmann Volker , Eicke Sebastian , Springfeld Kristin , Imlau Mirco
Published: June 2012

We have successfully proposed the application of transition metal compounds in holographic recording media. Such compounds feature an ultra-fast light-induced linkage isomerization of the transition-metal–ligand bond with switching times in the sub-picosecond regime and lifetimes from microseconds up to hours at room temperature. This article highlights the photofunctionality of two of the most promising transition metal compounds and the photophysical mechanisms that are underlying the hologram recording. We present the latest progress with respect to the key measures of holographic media assembled from transition metal compounds, the molecular embedding in a dielectric matrix and their impressive potential for modern holographic applications.
Total Synthesis of a Marine Alkaloid—Rigidin E
Authors: Cao Banpeng , Ding Haixin , Yang Ruchun , Wang Xiaoji , Xiao Qiang
Published: June 2012

In the present paper, we report an efficient total synthesis of a marine alkaloid, rigidin E. The key tetrasubstituted 2-amino-3-carboxamidepyrrole intermediate was synthesized by cascade Michael addition/intramolecular cyclization between N-(2-(4-(benzyloxy)phenyl)-2-oxoethyl)methanesulfonamide and 3-(4-(benzyloxy)phenyl)-2-cyano-N-methylacrylamide. Subsequent carbonylation with triphosgene catalyzed by I2 and deprotection of benzyl groups afforded rigidin E in 21% overall yield. This strategy has the merits of metal-free reactions, low cost, mild reaction protocols, and easy access to diversity-oriented derivatives for potential structure-activity relationship investigation.
Microfluidics-Nano-Integration for Synthesis and Sensing
Authors: Badilescu Simona , Packirisamy Muthukumaran
Published: June 2012

The recent progress and achievements in the development of preparation of nano and microparticles in a microfluidic environment is reviewed. Microfluidics exploit fluid mechanics to create particles with a narrow range of sizes and offers a finely controllable route to tune the shape and composition of nanomaterials. The advantages of both continuous flow- and droplet-based synthesis of polymers and nanoparticles, in comparison with the traditional stirred flasks methods are discussed in detail by using numerous recent examples from the literature as well as from the authors’ work. The controllability of the size distribution of the particles is discussed in terms of the fabrication approach and the characteristics of the microfluidic reactors. A special attention is paid to metal-polymer nanocomposites prepared through microfluidic routes and their application in bio-sensing. Directions for future development of microfluidic synthesis of high quality nanoparticles are discussed.
Mechanisms of Coronavirus Cell Entry Mediated by the Viral Spike Protein
Authors: Belouzard Sandrine , Millet Jean K. , Licitra Beth N. , Whittaker Gary R.
Published: June 2012

Coronaviruses are enveloped positive-stranded RNA viruses that replicate in the cytoplasm. To deliver their nucleocapsid into the host cell, they rely on the fusion of their envelope with the host cell membrane. The spike glycoprotein (S) mediates virus entry and is a primary determinant of cell tropism and pathogenesis. It is classified as a class I fusion protein, and is responsible for binding to the receptor on the host cell as well as mediating the fusion of host and viral membranes—A process driven by major conformational changes of the S protein. This review discusses coronavirus entry mechanisms focusing on the different triggers used by coronaviruses to initiate the conformational change of the S protein: receptor binding, low pH exposure and proteolytic activation. We also highlight commonalities between coronavirus S proteins and other class I viral fusion proteins, as well as distinctive features that confer distinct tropism, pathogenicity and host interspecies transmission characteristics to coronaviruses.
Through the Lens of Instructional Design: Appraisal of the Jeffries/National League for Nursing Simulation Framework for Use in Acute Care
Authors: Wilson Rebecca D. , Hagler Debra
Published: June 2012

As human patient simulation becomes more prevalent in acute care settings, clinical experts are often asked to assist in developing scenarios. Although the Jeffries/National League for Nursing Simulation Framework has been used in academic settings to guide the instructional design of clinical simulations, its use in acute care settings is less known. This framework incorporates a consideration of contextual elements, design characteristics, and outcomes. An external validation study applying the framework within the context of acute care showed its overall strength as well as elements that were problematic. The implications derived from the study of the design characteristics in a hospital setting can be used by nurses who are considering either adopting or adapting this framework for their own practice.
Using Simulation Pedagogy to Enhance Teamwork and Communication in the Care of Older Adults: The ELDER Project
Authors: Mager Diana R. , Lange Jean W. , Greiner Philip A. , Saracino Katherine H.
Published: June 2012

The Expanded Learning and Dedication to Elders in the Region (ELDER) project addressed the needs of under-served older adults by educating health care providers in home health and long-term care facilities. Four agencies in a health professional shortage/medically underserved area participated. Focus groups were held to determine agency-specific educational needs. Curricula from the John A. Hartford Foundation were adapted to design unique curricula for each agency and level of personnel during the first 2 years. The focus of this report is the case-based simulation learning approach used in year 3 to validate application of knowledge and facilitate teamwork and interprofessional communication. Three simulation sessions on varying topics were conducted at each site. Postsimulation surveys and qualitative interviews with hired evaluators showed that participants found simulations helpful to their practice. Tailored on-site education incorporating mid-fidelity simulation was an effective model for translating gerontological knowledge into practice and encouraging communication and teamwork in these settings.
Internationally Educated Nurses’ Experiences With an Integrated Bridge Program
Authors: Atack Lynda , Cruz Edward V. , Maher Janet , Murphy Sandra
Published: June 2012

Background:

Countries around the world are experiencing a current and projected ongoing shortage of nurses. Internationally educated nurses are an underused, valuable human resource that could reduce the nursing shortage. A bridge program, with several innovations bundled into one program, was developed specifically to meet the needs of internationally educated nurses.

Methods:

A qualitative study using interviews was conducted with internationally educated nurses. Data were collected in the first semester, at the end of the program, and after nurses started work.

Results:

Although knowledge of the health care system is critical, an understanding of the adopted country’s educational philosophy is also important. Occupation-specific language training and ample clinical time are essential for program success and for helping participants to secure employment.

Conclusion:

“One-stop shopping” bridge programs that provide a range of curricular supports for internationally educated nurses are essential to support this pool of highly skilled nurses in preparing for practice in their new home.
Assessing the Continuing Education Needs and Preferences of Rural Nurses
Authors: Fitzgerald Cynthia E. , Townsend Ryan P.
Published: June 2012

Background:

Difficulty recruiting and retaining well-qualified nursing staff can frustrate rural hospitals. Collaborative relationships between university nursing programs and rural hospitals may lead to the development of continuing education (CE) programs to enhance clinical competence, patient safety, job satisfaction, and nursing work force retention.

Methods:

As part of an effort to develop a collaborative relationship between a university nursing program and two rural hospitals, a pilot study was conducted with 27 nurses working at two hospitals to determine needs and preferences for CE topics and delivery.

Results:

The pilot study provided important information, furthering the development of a collaborative relationship between the university and rural hospitals and offering insight into barriers preventing rural nurses’ participation in CE activities. Using results from the survey, the university and hospital are working together to plan online CE offerings about topics of interest to these rural nurses.

Conclusion:

Discussion of this process and the results of the pilot study will be useful for those who are contemplating offering CE programs to nurses in rural regions or are interested in exploring opportunities for the development of collaborative relationships that could result in improved job satisfaction, patient safety, and work force retention.
Outcomes of Refractive Surgery in Patients With Topographic Superior Corneal Steepening
Authors: Kymionis George D. , Kankariya Vardhaman P. , Grentzelos Michael A. , Diakonis Vasilios F. , Kounis George A. , Minos Evangelos , Alió Jorge L. , Pallikaris Ioannis G.
Published: June 2012

PURPOSE:

To evaluate the outcomes of refractive surgery in patients with topographic superior corneal steepening.

METHODS:

This retrospective, noncomparative, interventional, clinical study included 16 patients (29 eyes) with persistent superior corneal steepening as a variation of corneal curvature (inferior to superior topographic corneal difference of at least 1.00 diopter [D] at a 3-mm zone) not related to any underlying disease or condition who underwent corneal refractive surgery. Refractive, keratometric, and visual outcomes were evaluated preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively.

RESULTS:

Twenty-two eyes underwent photorefractive keratectomy and 7 eyes underwent LASIK. Mean follow-up was 27.38±2.37 months (range: 25 to 32 months). Mean preoperative inferior to superior keratometric difference was 1.61±0.36 D (range: 1.20 to 2.63 D). Mean preoperative spherical equivalent refraction was −4.45±1.66 D (range: −2.25 to −8.00 D), which decreased to −0.09±0.61 D (range: +0.75 to −1.38 D) (
P
<.05) at last follow-up. Mean preoperative topographic corneal astigmatism was 1.44±0.79 D (range: 0.52 to 3.83 D), which decreased to 0.66±0.39 D (
P
<.05) 3 months postoperatively and remained stable during follow-up (
P
<.54). Mean preoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity and corrected distance visual acuity in logMAR units were 1.57±0.62 and 0.02±0.06, respectively, which improved at last follow-up to 0.00±0.05 and −0.02±0.04, respectively. No intra- or postoperative complications were noted; specifically, no patients developed postoperative ectasia.

CONCLUSIONS:

Corneal refractive surgery in patients with isolated topographic superior corneal steepening provided acceptable refractive and visual outcomes without any intra- or postoperative complications. Diligence is required to screen for the potential of ectatic corneal disorders in this population. Photorefractive keratectomy may be a safer option for these patients than LASIK.
Epithelial Ingrowth After LASIK: Clinical Characteristics, Risk Factors, and Visual Outcomes in Patients Requiring Flap Lift
Authors: Henry Christopher R. , Canto Ana Paula , Galor Anat , Vaddavalli Pravin K. , Culbertson William W. , Yoo Sonia H.
Published: June 2012

PURPOSE:

To describe clinical characteristics, risk factors, and visual outcomes in patients requiring flap lift for epithelial ingrowth following LASIK.

METHODS:

Consecutive, noncomparative, retrospective case series of eyes requiring flap lift for epithelial ingrowth following LASIK from June 2003 through July 2011 at a tertiary care, university-based eye hospital. Main outcome measures were uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) at 1 and 3 months and recurrence of epithelial ingrowth.

RESULTS:

Forty-five eyes were included. Laser in situ keratomileusis retreatment was the most common etiologic factor for epithelial ingrowth (28/45 eyes [62%]). All patients were treated with flap lift and scraping. Mean logMAR UDVA at presentation was 0.28 (Snellen equivalent 20/38). Mean logMAR UDVA at 3 months was 0.17 (Snellen equivalent 20/30) with 53% of eyes 20/25 or better. Mean logMAR CDVA at 3 months was 0.06 (Snellen equivalent 20/23) with 78% of eyes 20/25 or better. Epithelial ingrowth into the central cornea portended a trend towards UDVA worse than 20/25 or worse at 3-month follow-up (hazard ratio [HR] 5.54, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.98–31.3,
P
=.05) and CDVA worse than 20/25 at 3-month follow-up (HR 4.32, 95% CI: 0.85–21.9,
P
=.08). Recurrence after treatment was 31% at 3 months and 36% at 1 year. Risk factors for recurrence included: infectious etiology of ingrowth (HR 5.7, 95% CI: 1.11–29.1,
P
=.04), use of microkeratome for primary LASIK (HR 4.64, 95% CI: 1.07–20.1,
P
=.04), and hyperopic primary LASIK (HR 2.49, 95% CI: 0.98–6.31,
P
=.06).

CONCLUSIONS:

Patients undergoing flap lift for the treatment of epithelial ingrowth have a relatively high rate of recurrence but good visual acuity outcomes.
Visual Outcomes and Patient Satisfaction After Presbyopic Lens Exchange With a Diffractive Multifocal Intraocular Lens
Authors: Chang John S.M. , Ng Jack C.M. , Lau Silvania Y.F.
Published: June 2012

PURPOSE:

To investigate the visual outcomes, severity of symptoms, and patient satisfaction after refractive lens exchange (RLE) with a diffractive multifocal intraocular lens (IOL).

METHODS:

A nonrandomized, unmasked, retrospective chart review study was performed. Patients who underwent RLE with ZMA00 (Abbott Laboratories) were identified from a hospital database. Eyes with preoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity or corrected distance visual acuity 20/20 or better were included. The study cohort comprised 45 eyes from 29 patients. Monocular uncorrected and distance-corrected visual acuity at distance, 67 cm, and 30 cm were measured 6 months postoperatively. A patient questionnaire assessing visual symptoms (halo, night glare, and starburst) and satisfaction with visual performance was administered.

RESULTS:

Six months postoperatively, mean uncorrected visual acuity (logMAR) was −0.10±0.13, 0.43±0.25 at 67 m (intermediate), and 0.18±0.05 at 30 m (near). Mean distance-corrected visual acuity at these distances was −0.02±0.06, 0.40±0.21, and 0.17±0.02, respectively. Twenty-seven patients completed the questionnaire. Patients reported postoperative halos (78%), night glare (26%), and starbursts (48%). All bilateral RLE patients were spectacle-free at all distances, whereas 50% of unilateral RLE patients required spectacles postoperatively. Bilateral RLE patients with habitual spectacle use preoperatively were the most satisfied with their postoperative visual performance.

CONCLUSIONS:

Refractive lens exchange with the ZMA00 is an option for presbyopic correction; however, significant glare, halo, and starburst issues are subjectively reported.
Health-Related Quality of Life in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder and Their Parents
Authors: Wuang Yee-Pay , Wang Chih-Chung , Huang Mao-Hsiung
Published: June 2012

This study measured health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and their parents. A convenience sample of 369 children with DCD (144 girls; mean age: 11.2 ± 3.66 years) and 360 children with typical development (146 girls; mean age: 11.4 ± 4.09 years) was enrolled. The Bruininks—Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-Second Edition was used to classify the DCD group into five levels of motor abilities. The HRQOL of the children was assessed with the Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50, and the HRQOL of the parents was assessed with the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Although the two groups had comparable physical health, the DCD group had significantly lower HRQOL in all psychosocial domains. The degree to which HRQOL is reduced is related to motor proficiency. Compared to parents of typically developing children, parents of children with DCD had significantly lower HRQOL ( p < .05 for both SF-12 and BAI). HRQOL of the parents was unassociated with the motor proficiency of the children. DCD significantly affects multiple HRQOL domains in both the child with DCD and the parents.
Illness Representations in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Lin Feng , Gleason Carey E. , Heidrich Susan M.
Published: June 2012

Little is known about patients’ understanding of a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The purpose of this cross-sectional descriptive study was to describe beliefs about MCI in people diagnosed with the condition and examine correlates (demographic and health) of those beliefs. Thirty individuals diagnosed with MCI completed the Illness Perception Questionnaire-MCI (IPQ-MCI), measuring eight domains of beliefs about MCI, and one scale of emotional distress. Five of them also participated in a 15-minute cognitive interview to explore responses to the IPQ-MCI. Participants correctly identified symptoms related to MCI; generally attributed MCI to aging, heredity, and abnormal brain changes; and believed MCI to be chronic, predictable, and controllable, causing little emotional distress. However, there were no consistent beliefs regarding the negative consequences of MCI or whether MCI was understandable. There were few significant correlates of beliefs. People with MCI are able to report their beliefs about their illness, suggesting that misconceptions and gaps in knowledge can be identified and addressed with nursing interventions.
Los «malos usos» y la reglamentación de los temascales públicos mexicanos (1686-1691)
Authors: Hidalgo Nuchera Patricio
Published: June 2012

La llegada del conde de Galve a México como virrey de la Nueva España supuso la puesta en marcha de toda una serie de medidas dirigidas a conseguir la regeneración moral de la sociedad novohispana. Objetivos de su atención fueron, entre otros, el pulque, el baratillo, la delincuencia y lo que él entendía como ineficacia de la sala del crimen. En este trabajo enfocaremos nuestra atención en los temascales o baños de vapor, muy concurridos en la capital novohispana debido a sus funciones sociales, higiénicas y terapéuticas, entre ellas las de ayuda al parto. Sin embargo, la introducción de una serie de «malos usos» llevó primero al conde de la Monclova (1686-1688) y, luego, a su sucesor el conde de Galve (1688-1696) a reglamentar su funcionamiento.