bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Power Sensitivity Analysis of Multi-Frequency, Multi-Polarized, Multi-Temporal SAR Data for Soil-Vegetation System Variables Characterization
Authors: Capodici Fulvio , Maltese Antonino , Ciraolo Giuseppe , D’Urso Guido , La Loggia Goffredo
Published: July 2017

The knowledge of spatial and temporal variability of soil water content and others soil-vegetation variables (leaf area index, fractional cover) assumes high importance in crop management. Where and when the cloudiness limits the use of optical and thermal remote sensing techniques, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery has proven to have several advantages (cloud penetration, day/night acquisitions and high spatial resolution). However, measured backscattering is controlled by several factors including SAR configuration (acquisition geometry, frequency and polarization), and target dielectric and geometric properties. Thus, uncertainties arise about the more suitable configuration to be used. With the launch of the ALOS Palsar, Cosmo-Skymed and Sentinel 1 sensors, a dataset of multi-frequency (X, C, L) and multi-polarization (co- and cross-polarizations) images are now available from a virtual constellation; thus, significant issues concerning the retrieval of soil-vegetation variables using SAR are: (i) identifying the more suitable SAR configuration; (ii) understanding the affordability of a multi-frequency approach. In 2006, a vast dataset of both remotely sensed images (SAR and optical/thermal) and in situ data was collected in the framework of the AgriSAR 2006 project funded by ESA and DLR. Flights and sampling have taken place weekly from April to August. In situ data included soil water content, soil roughness, fractional coverage and Leaf Area Index (LAI). SAR airborne data consisted of multi-frequency and multi-polarized SAR images (X, C and L frequencies and HH, HV, VH and VV polarizations). By exploiting this very wide dataset, this paper, explores the capabilities of SAR in describing four of the main soil-vegetation variables (SVV). As a first attempt, backscattering and SVV temporal behaviors are compared (dynamic analysis) and single-channel regressions between backscattering and SVV are analyzed. Remarkably, no significant correlations were found between backscattering and soil roughness (over both bare and vegetated plots), whereas it has been noticed that the contributions of water content of soil underlying the vegetation often did not influence the backscattering (depending on canopy structure and SAR configuration). Most significant regressions were found between backscattering and SVV characterizing the vegetation biomass (fractional cover and LAI). Secondly, the effect of SVV changes on the spatial correlation among SAR channels (accounting for different polarization and/or frequencies) was explored. An inter-channel spatial/temporal correlation analysis is proposed by temporally correlating two-channel spatial correlation and SVV. This novel approach allowed a widening in the number of significant correlations and their strengths by also encompassing the use of SAR data acquired at two different frequencies.
Multiple Regression Analysis for Unmixing of Surface Temperature Data in an Urban Environment
Authors: Wicki Andreas , Parlow Eberhard
Published: July 2017

Global climate change and increasing urbanization worldwide intensify the need for a better understanding of human heat stress dynamics in urban systems. During heat waves, which are expected to increase in number and intensity, the development of urban cool islands could be a lifesaver for many elderly and vulnerable people. The use of remote sensing data offers the unique possibility to study these dynamics with spatially distributed large datasets during all seasons of the year and including day and night-time analysis. For the city of Basel 32 high-quality Landsat 8 (L8) scenes are available since 2013, enabling comprehensive statistical analysis. Therefore, land surface temperature (LST) is calculated using L8 thermal infrared (TIR) imagery (stray light corrected) applying improved emissivity and atmospheric corrections. The data are combined with a land use/land cover (LULC) map and evaluated using administrative residential units. The observed dependence of LST on LULC is analyzed using a thermal unmixing approach based on a multiple linear regression (MLR) model, which allows for quantifying the gradual influence of different LULC types on the LST precisely. Seasonal variations due to different solar irradiance and vegetation cover indicate a higher dependence of LST on the LULC during the warmer summer months and an increasing influence of the topography and albedo during the colder seasons. Furthermore, the MLR analysis allows creating predicted LST images, which can be used to fill data gaps like in SLC-off Landsat 7 ETM+ data.
Detection of Tropical Overshooting Cloud Tops Using Himawari-8 Imagery
Authors: Kim Miae , Im Jungho , Park Haemi , Park Seonyoung , Lee Myong-In , Ahn Myoung-Hwan
Published: July 2017

Abstract: Overshooting convective cloud Top (OT)-accompanied clouds can cause severe weather conditions, such as lightning, strong winds, and heavy rainfall. The distribution and behavior of OTs can affect regional and global climate systems. In this paper, we propose a new approach for OT detection by using machine learning methods with multiple infrared images and their derived features. Himawari-8 satellite images were used as the main input data, and binary detection (OT or nonOT) with class probability was the output of the machine learning models. Three machine learning techniques—random forest (RF), extremely randomized trees (ERT), and logistic regression (LR)—were used to develop OT classification models to distinguish OT from non-OT. The hindcast validation over the Southeast Asia and West Pacific regions showed that RF performed best, resulting in a mean probabilities of detection (POD) of 77.06% and a mean false alarm ratio (FAR) of 36.13%. Brightness temperature at 11.2 μm (Tb11) and its standard deviation (STD) in a 3 × 3 window size were identified as the most contributing variables for discriminating OT and nonOT classes. The proposed machine learning-based OT detection algorithms produced promising results comparable to or even better than the existing approaches, which are the infrared window (IRW)-texture and water vapor (WV) minus IRW brightness temperature difference (BTD) methods.
Object-Based Classification of Grasslands from High Resolution Satellite Image Time Series Using Gaussian Mean Map Kernels
Authors: Lopes Mailys , Fauvel Mathieu , Girard Stéphane , Sheeren David
Published: July 2017

This paper deals with the classification of grasslands using high resolution satellite image time series. Grasslands considered in this work are semi-natural elements in fragmented landscapes, i.e., they are heterogeneous and small elements. The first contribution of this study is to account for grassland heterogeneity while working at the object level by modeling its pixels distributions by a Gaussian distribution. To measure the similarity between two grasslands, a new kernel is proposed as a second contribution: the α -Gaussian mean kernel. It allows one to weight the influence of the covariance matrix when comparing two Gaussian distributions. This kernel is introduced in support vector machines for the supervised classification of grasslands from southwest France. A dense intra-annual multispectral time series of the Formosat-2 satellite is used for the classification of grasslands’ management practices, while an inter-annual NDVI time series of Formosat-2 is used for old and young grasslands’ discrimination. Results are compared to other existing pixel- and object-based approaches in terms of classification accuracy and processing time. The proposed method is shown to be a good compromise between processing speed and classification accuracy. It can adapt to the classification constraints, and it encompasses several similarity measures known in the literature. It is appropriate for the classification of small and heterogeneous objects such as grasslands.
Response of Land Surface Phenology to Variation in Tree Cover during Green-Up and Senescence Periods in the Semi-Arid Savanna of Southern Africa
Authors: Cho Moses A. , Ramoelo Abel , Dziba Luthando
Published: July 2017

Understanding the spatio-temporal dynamics of land surface phenology is important to understanding changes in landscape ecological processes of semi-arid savannas in Southern Africa. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of variation in tree cover percentage on land surface phenological response in the semi-arid savanna of Southern Africa. Various land surface phenological metrics for the green-up and senescing periods of the vegetation were retrieved from leaf index area (LAI) seasonal time series (2001 to 2015) maps for a study region in South Africa. Tree cover (%) data for 100 randomly selected polygons grouped into three tree cover classes, low (<20%, n = 44), medium (20–40%, n = 22) and high (>40%, n = 34), were used to determine the influence of varying tree cover (%) on the phenological metrics by means of the t-test. The differences in the means between tree cover classes were statistically significant (t-test p < 0.05) for the senescence period metrics but not for the green-up period metrics. The categorical data results were supported by regression results involving tree cover and the various phenological metrics, where tree cover (%) explained 40% of the variance in day of the year at end of growing season compared to 3% for the start of the growing season. An analysis of the impact of rainfall on the land surface phenological metrics showed that rainfall influences the green-up period metrics but not the senescence period metrics. Quantifying the contribution of tree cover to the day of the year at end of growing season could be important in the assessment of the spatial variability of a savanna ecological process such as the risk of fire spread with time.
Real-Time Station Grouping under Dynamic Traffic for IEEE 802.11ah
Authors: Tian Le , Khorov Evgeny , Latré Steven , Famaey Jeroen
Published: July 2017

IEEE 802.11ah, marketed as Wi-Fi HaLow, extends Wi-Fi to the sub-1 GHz spectrum. Through a number of physical layer (PHY) and media access control (MAC) optimizations, it aims to bring greatly increased range, energy-efficiency, and scalability. This makes 802.11ah the perfect candidate for providing connectivity to Internet of Things (IoT) devices. One of these new features, referred to as the Restricted Access Window (RAW), focuses on improving scalability in highly dense deployments. RAW divides stations into groups and reduces contention and collisions by only allowing channel access to one group at a time. However, the standard does not dictate how to determine the optimal RAW grouping parameters. The optimal parameters depend on the current network conditions, and it has been shown that incorrect configuration severely impacts throughput, latency and energy efficiency. In this paper, we propose a traffic-adaptive RAW optimization algorithm (TAROA) to adapt the RAW parameters in real time based on the current traffic conditions, optimized for sensor networks in which each sensor transmits packets with a certain (predictable) frequency and may change the transmission frequency over time. The TAROA algorithm is executed at each target beacon transmission time (TBTT), and it first estimates the packet transmission interval of each station only based on packet transmission information obtained by access point (AP) during the last beacon interval. Then, TAROA determines the RAW parameters and assigns stations to RAW slots based on this estimated transmission frequency. The simulation results show that, compared to enhanced distributed channel access/distributed coordination function (EDCA/DCF), the TAROA algorithm can highly improve the performance of IEEE 802.11ah dense networks in terms of throughput, especially when hidden nodes exist, although it does not always achieve better latency performance. This paper contributes with a practical approach to optimizing RAW grouping under dynamic traffic in real time, which is a major leap towards applying RAW mechanism in real-life IoT networks.
An RFID-Based Smart Structure for the Supply Chain: Resilient Scanning Proofs and Ownership Transfer with Positive Secrecy Capacity Channels
Authors: Burmester Mike , Munilla Jorge , Ortiz Andrés , Caballero-Gil Pino
Published: July 2017

The National Strategy for Global Supply Chain Security published in 2012 by the White House identifies two primary goals for strengthening global supply chains: first, to promote the efficient and secure movement of goods, and second to foster a resilient supply chain. The Internet of Things (IoT), and in particular Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, can be used to realize these goals. For product identification, tracking and real-time awareness, RFID tags are attached to goods. As tagged goods move along the supply chain from the suppliers to the manufacturers, and then on to the retailers until eventually they reach the customers, two major security challenges can be identified: (I) to protect the shipment of goods that are controlled by potentially untrusted carriers; and (II) to secure the transfer of ownership at each stage of the chain. For the former, grouping proofs in which the tags of the scanned goods generate a proof of “simulatenous” presence can be employed, while for the latter, ownership transfer protocols (OTP) are used. This paper describes enhanced security solutions for both challenges. We first extend earlier work on grouping proofs and group codes to capture resilient group scanning with untrusted readers; then, we describe a modified version of a recently published OTP based on channels with positive secrecy capacity adapted to be implemented on common RFID systems in the supply chain. The proposed solutions take into account the limitations of low cost tags employed in the supply chain, which are only required to generate pseudorandom numbers and compute one-way hash functions.
Joint Transmit Power Allocation and Splitting for SWIPT Aided OFDM-IDMA in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Li Shanshan , Zhou Xiaotian , Wang Cheng-Xiang , Yuan Dongfeng , Zhang Wensheng
Published: July 2017

In this paper, we propose to combine Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing-Interleave Division Multiple Access (OFDM-IDMA) with Simultaneous Wireless Information and Power Transfer (SWIPT), resulting in SWIPT aided OFDM-IDMA scheme for power-limited sensor networks. In the proposed system, the Receive Node (RN) applies Power Splitting (PS) to coordinate the Energy Harvesting (EH) and Information Decoding (ID) process, where the harvested energy is utilized to guarantee the iterative Multi-User Detection (MUD) of IDMA to work under sufficient number of iterations. Our objective is to minimize the total transmit power of Source Node (SN), while satisfying the requirements of both minimum harvested energy and Bit Error Rate (BER) performance from individual receive nodes. We formulate such a problem as a joint power allocation and splitting one, where the iteration number of MUD is also taken into consideration as the key parameter to affect both EH and ID constraints. To solve it, a sub-optimal algorithm is proposed to determine the power profile, PS ratio and iteration number of MUD in an iterative manner. Simulation results verify that the proposed algorithm can provide significant performance improvement.
Gas Sensors Based on Molecular Imprinting Technology
Authors: Zhang Yumin , Zhang Jin , Liu Qingju
Published: July 2017

Molecular imprinting technology (MIT); often described as a method of designing a material to remember a target molecular structure (template); is a technique for the creation of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) with custom-made binding sites complementary to the target molecules in shape; size and functional groups. MIT has been successfully applied to analyze; separate and detect macromolecular organic compounds. Furthermore; it has been increasingly applied in assays of biological macromolecules. Owing to its unique features of structure specificity; predictability; recognition and universal application; there has been exploration of the possible application of MIPs in the field of highly selective gas sensors. In this present study; we outline the recent advances in gas sensors based on MIT; classify and introduce the existing molecularly imprinted gas sensors; summarize their advantages and disadvantages; and analyze further research directions.
Build a Robust Learning Feature Descriptor by Using a New Image Visualization Method for Indoor Scenario Recognition
Authors: Jiao Jichao , Wang Xin , Deng Zhongliang
Published: July 2017

In order to recognize indoor scenarios, we extract image features for detecting objects, however, computers can make some unexpected mistakes. After visualizing the histogram of oriented gradient (HOG) features, we find that the world through the eyes of a computer is indeed different from human eyes, which assists researchers to see the reasons that cause a computer to make errors. Additionally, according to the visualization, we notice that the HOG features can obtain rich texture information. However, a large amount of background interference is also introduced. In order to enhance the robustness of the HOG feature, we propose an improved method for suppressing the background interference. On the basis of the original HOG feature, we introduce a principal component analysis (PCA) to extract the principal components of the image colour information. Then, a new hybrid feature descriptor, which is named HOG–PCA (HOGP), is made by deeply fusing these two features. Finally, the HOGP is compared to the state-of-the-art HOG feature descriptor in four scenes under different illumination. In the simulation and experimental tests, the qualitative and quantitative assessments indicate that the visualizing images of the HOGP feature are close to the observation results obtained by human eyes, which is better than the original HOG feature for object detection. Furthermore, the runtime of our proposed algorithm is hardly increased in comparison to the classic HOG feature.
2BC Non-Structural Protein of Enterovirus A71 Interacts with SNARE Proteins to Trigger Autolysosome Formation
Authors: Lai Jeffrey , Sam I-Ching , Verlhac Pauline , Baguet Joël , Eskelinen Eeva-Liisa , Faure Mathias , Chan Yoke
Published: July 2017

Viruses have evolved unique strategies to evade or subvert autophagy machinery. Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) induces autophagy during infection in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we report that EV-A71 triggers autolysosome formation during infection in human rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells to facilitate its replication. Blocking autophagosome-lysosome fusion with chloroquine inhibited virus RNA replication, resulting in lower viral titres, viral RNA copies and viral proteins. Overexpression of the non-structural protein 2BC of EV-A71 induced autolysosome formation. Yeast 2-hybrid and co-affinity purification assays showed that 2BC physically and specifically interacted with a N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment receptor (SNARE) protein, syntaxin-17 (STX17). Co-immunoprecipitation assay further showed that 2BC binds to SNARE proteins, STX17 and synaptosome associated protein 29 (SNAP29). Transient knockdown of STX17, SNAP29, and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B (LC3B), crucial proteins in the fusion between autophagosomes and lysosomes) as well as the lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1) impaired production of infectious EV-A71 in RD cells. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the generation of autolysosomes triggered by the 2BC non-structural protein is important for EV-A71 replication, revealing a potential molecular pathway targeted by the virus to exploit autophagy. This study opens the possibility for the development of novel antivirals that specifically target 2BC to inhibit formation of autolysosomes during EV-A71 infection.
Peritoneal Dialysis Catheters to Treat Refractory Non-Malignant Ascites
Authors: Hingwala Jay , Whitlock Reid , Dunsmore Sara , Armstrong Sean , Tangri Navdeep , Komenda Paul
Published: July 2017

Refractory non-malignant ascites is associated with significant morbidity. Serial, large-volume paracentesis is a common treatment. Tunneled peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheters are an effective treatment for refractory malignant ascites, but there are limited data on complications and effectiveness for non-malignant ascites. We reviewed all 13 PD catheter insertions between 2010 - 2015 for this indication at our center. The median catheter survival time was 146 days. No complications occurred during catheter insertion, and no mechanical complications occurred after catheter insertion. One case of peritonitis developed over 217 catheter months. Peritoneal dialysis catheters may be a safe and effective option to manage refractory non-malignant ascites. Prospective, randomized trials are needed to better evaluate potential risks and benefits.
Synthesis of conflict-free aircraft flight trajectories using multi-criteria dynamic programming
Authors: KHARCHENKO Volodymyr , VASYLIEV Denys , VASYLIEV Volodymyr
Published: July 2017

The paper discusses the problem of flight trajectory synthesis that is conducted to prevent potential conflict situations between two aircraft in air traffic. A method of multi-objective sequential synthesis of conflict-free flight trajectories is developed. This method provides the synthesis of Pareto conflict-free trajectories using multi-criteria dynamic programming and selection of the optimal trajectory. The paper also considers the principles of discretization concerning states and controls to apply dynamic programming. An analysis of the proposed method is performed using computer simulation.
Brainstorming the cryoplane layout by using the iterative AHP-QFD-AHP approach
Authors: UCLER Caglar
Published: July 2017

Most of commercial civil aircraft are derivatives of each other. They start with an aero-structural design based on the mission profile, and what remains is the integration of existing subsystems. This only leaves room for incremental innovation. When a totally new concept has to be worked out, an innovative brainstorming procedure has to be facilitated, leading to a new product definition. This collaborative creative thinking is not an easy task, and analytical design management tools are required. Therefore, an iterative AHP-QFD-AHP approach for brainstorming is implemented into a concurrent engineering environment in the early phases of layout conception. In the case study, the proposed model delivered the product definition of the cryoplane concept successfully, which promises clean operation.
Pronouns as Means of Impersonal Presentation in English Quality Press
Authors: Skorupa Pavel , Dubovičienė Tatjana
Published: July 2017

The current paper presents the analysis of pronouns as means of impersonal presentation in English quality press. The article gives the definition of the pronoun as a grammatical category and describes the use and purpose of impersonalization strategies. The data for the investigation was taken from the international English quality newspapers: The Financial Times (UK) and The Wall Street Journal (US), which are the leading daily broadsheet newspapers in the UK and the USA having millions of both print and online subscribers worldwide. The articles on political, economic, and social issues were chosen on a random basis and scrutinized for pronouns as means of impersonal presentation of fact. The body of 187 cases of impersonalization chosen for the analysis were divided into groups with focus on the grammatical category they belong to. The most and least often used classes of pronouns were identified and compared. The results of the current study may be useful for editors, journalists, writers, as well as for further study of impersonalization strategies in the English language.
Languages and their Usage in Research: An Examination of Academic Journals at Vilnius University
Authors: Masiulionytė Virginija , Žeimantienė Vaiva
Published: July 2017

This paper aims to examine the usage and role of languages in different research areas in Lithuania. To answer these questions, a case study was undertaken, investigating the academic journals published at Vilnius University in the period from 2004 to 2013. The list of periodical publications chosen for investigation consists of 24 research journals. 8 journals cover the area of humanities, 11 the area of social sciences and 5 the area of natural and formal sciences. In the course of the investigation 5664 research articles were analyzed. The specific concern was the language of the article itself, the language of its summary/abstract and languages of reference works. The analysis of the whole period data shows that the main language of the articles in the area of humanities is the national language (Lithuanian, 60.9%), followed be English (22.6%). Among the other languages, German (7.4%) and Russian (6.9%) seem to be of importance. It can be noted that there was no significant change in the language usage tendencies between 2004 and 2013. In the social sciences area, the researchers publish mainly in Lithuanian (65.5%) and English (31.9%), whereby English clearly dominates in the papers on economics. The same two languages can be found in the area of natural and formal sciences with English as by far the dominant language (91.5%). In is noteworthy that during the period considered, the number of articles in English in both of these areas – social sciences and natural and formal sciences – has slightly grown (ca. 7–8%). To summarize the findings, English is the dominant language in 9 among the investigated 24 research journals and is mainly used in papers on economics, natural sciences, mathematics, informatics and Oriental studies. Lithuanian is the first language of choice in 11 journals (papers on history, religion, philosophy, psychology, sociology, law, education studies, communication, information and geography). Multilingual are the journals covering linguistics, literature and archeology.
La théorie de la pratique serait-elle à court de carburant ?
Authors: Gherardi Silvia
Published: July 2017

Cet article pose la question de savoir si, au cours des dix dernières années, les études empiriques des pratiques cognitives auraient perdu tant leur élan que l’énergie nécessaire pour poursuivre le travail de redéfinition du statut des connaissances dans les sociétés contemporaines et dans les études organisationnelles. Il illustre comment le mouvement intellectuel, qui a été engagé avec les études empiriques de la connaissance comme pratique située, a été aussi un mouvement pour penser le décentrement du sujet humain. L’épistémologie post-humaniste des pratiques considère celles-ci comme des agencements hétérogènes d’éléments (des savoirs, des techniques et des activités) qui, de par leurs connexions et leur devenir, énactent une certaine agencéité. De la sorte, les études situées des pratiques n’ont pas perdu de leur force. Elles redéfinissent l’objet de la connaissance en passant d’une focale sur la cognition distribuée (au sein de pratiques singulières ou au sein d’activités spécifiques à une certaine pratique), à une agencéité distribuée au sein d’une texture de pratiques. La focale est alors placée sur les modes d’existence et le devenir des agencements ainsi que sur le pouvoir qui indexe des régimes de visibilité et d’invisibilité. Les publications de la RAC mettent en évidence la manière dont l’objet de recherche a changé durant les dix dernières années et, comment cela a, dans le même temps, permis d’ouvrir des pistes pour des recherches futures.
The Economic Activities of the Pasdaran
Authors: Coville Thierry
Published: July 2017

This article analyzes the Pasdaran’s economic activities which take place in sectors like construction, agriculture, energy, telecommunications, etc. Political leverage has allowed their development through government contracts and the buying out of public companies during privatization programs. The Pasdaran have justified their economic activities as a plan to create an “economy of resistance” by decreasing foreign dependency. Nevertheless, there has been criticism of this military business: it constrains the development of the private sector and represents a cost for public finances as the Pasdaran do not pay taxes on these activities. Iran is a rent-seeking economy characterized by a large indetermination of property rights. The Pasdaran is just one of the actors among others, competing in this system.
Circulations périphériques : les effets sur l’espace politique brésilien de l’exil des intellectuels de gauche au Chili entre 1964 et 1973
Authors: Klüger Elisa
Published: July 2017

Les études consacrées à la circulation internationale voient dans les mouvements des élites vers les pays centraux des stratégies de distinction et d’acquisition d’atouts cosmopolites. Afin d’étudier les effets qu’a eu la circulation des élites par des pays périphériques, l’article s’intéresse au cas des intellectuels de la gauche brésilienne qui se sont exilés Chili après le coup militaire de 1964. Ceux-ci sont caractérisés socialement et placés dans un réseau qui délimite la structure des polarités de l’espace social dont ils font partie. Finalement, le repositionnement de ce groupe dans un Brésil qui est en train de se démocratiser est analysé, afin d’éclairer l’impact, sur la restructuration de l’espace intellectuel, de la mise en œuvre des capitaux, des savoirs et des liens acquis à l’étranger.
Intégrer la révolution citoyenne : passerelles et reconversions des militants de la cause des émigrés en Équateur
Authors: Herrera Ríos William
Published: July 2017

En Équateur, l’arrivée à la présidence en 2007 de Rafael Correa et l’avènement de son projet de « révolution citoyenne » visant à rompre avec le néolibéralisme entraîne une reconfiguration des forces au pouvoir et l’ascension politique d’un groupe hétérogène d’acteurs composé, entre autres, de dirigeants de la gauche radicale, d’intellectuels ou encore de militants associatifs. Parmi ces derniers, certains s’étaient mobilisés pour la défense des droits des émigrés aux lendemains d’une vague migratoire, à la fin des années 1990. En s’intéressant aux différentes formes d’investissement dans la révolution citoyenne, l’article revient sur la reconversion des militants de la cause des émigrés et sur le rôle qu’ils ont joué dans l’entretien politique de l’entreprise « post-néolibérale ».
Assessment of investments in Cuba
Authors: Díaz Rodríguez Anadairin , Ripoll Feliu Vicente
Published: July 2017

Economic policy and social establishing in Cuba from the implementation of the guidelines approved at the IV Congress of the Communist Party (2011) relies on the laws and resolutions in force for each relevant agency, which favors the application of targeted actions to local development foreign investment and economic growth as an alternative to face the international crisis. That said, it has planned and developed large-scale investments to the national economy, which involve feasibility studies. From the analysis of methodologies developed by the Economy and Planning Ministry (2006), to carry out these studies, weaknesses were detected, which generate difficulties for project evaluation, so that the overall objective of this research is design a procedure for evaluating investments in Cuba, validated its application on an investment of a Cuban company under the Agriculture’s Ministry.
CUIDANDO DE UM FILHO COM DIAGNÓSTICO DE PARALISIA CEREBRAL: SENTIMENTOS E EXPECTATIVAS
Authors: Smeha Luciane Najar , Lieberknecht Wathier Abaid Josiane , Saibt Martins Juliana , Sorensen Weber Andréia , Machado Fontoura Naiane , Castagna Letícia
Published: July 2017

Este estudo objetivou compreender a experiência da maternidade em mulheres que são mães de um filho com diagnóstico de Paralisia Cerebral. Participaram 26 mães, que responderam a uma entrevista semiestruturada. A Análise Textual Qualitativa da entrevista resultou nas categorias: “o momento do diagnóstico”; “a percepção em relação à maternidade”; “preocupações, dificuldades e desejos” e “expectativas para o futuro”. Elas atribuíram a causa da Paralisia Cerebral ao erro médico ou à negligência dos profissionais da saúde durante o pré-parto e o parto, à precariedade de recursos do hospital ou à própria responsabilidade. Entre as preocupações, estão o temor de adoecer e morrer, a falta de capacitação de profissionais da saúde, o receio de que o filho sofra algum tipo de exclusão na escola e a necessidade de promover o máximo de autonomia. Quanto às dificuldades, elas apontaram que o transporte público para locomoção dos seus filhos, as situações em que o filho não é bem aceito ou sofre preconceitos, as críticas recebidas em relação ao cuidado exercido e a falta de respeito por parte das pessoas nas ruas. Quanto às expectativas sobre o futuro, as mães salientaram a aspiração de poder trabalhar, voltar a estudar, investir no cuidado pessoal e dispor de momentos de lazer. O exercício da maternidade requer constante adaptação às necessidades de cuidado do filho com paralisia cerebral, é explícita a importância do apoio familiar e da orientação que as mães recebem dos profissionais da saúde.
Pelvic radiograph in skeletal dysplasias: An approach
Authors: Jana Manisha , Nair Nikhil , Gupta Arun K , Kabra Madhulika , Gupta Neerja
Published: July 2017

The bony pelvis is constituted by the ilium, ischium, pubis, and sacrum. The pelvic radiograph is an important component of the skeletal survey performed in suspected skeletal dysplasia. Most of the common skeletal dysplasias have either minor or major radiological abnormalities; hence, knowledge of the normal radiological appearance of bony pelvis is vital for recognizing the early signs of various skeletal dysplasias. This article discusses many common and some uncommon radiological findings on pelvic radiographs along with the specific dysplasia in which they are seen; common differential diagnostic considerations are also discussed.
Decisión y transparencia en información y conocimiento. Estudio de caso de las empresas de comunicación cotizadas españolas
Authors: Rodríguez Pallares Miriam , Pérez-Serrano María José
Published: July 2017

La gestión estratégica exige tomar decisiones cuyo riesgo implícito se reduce con el acceso a la información y al conocimiento y contribuye a que, de cara al exterior, la empresa sea transparente. A partir de este razonamiento, el objetivo es analizar los canales de comunicación online dirigidos a accionistas e inversores –transparencia externa– en las empresas de comunicación cotizadas españolas y reflexionar, después, sobre la existencia de modelos de gestión de contenidos y la vinculación entre transparencia, decisión y gestión estratégica. Metodología. Estudio de casos, análisis de contenido y observación no participante. Resultados y conclusiones. Las empresas analizadas son transparentes en términos económico-financieros con sus stakeholders externos, lo que evidencia la buena gestión de contenidos gerenciales y el asentamiento de condiciones favorables para la gestión estratégica. Asimismo, se constata que las empresas de comunicación estudiadas no tienen rasgos que se diferencien de otras sociedades cotizadas.
Occult Amebic Liver Abscess as Cause of Extensive Inferior Vena Cava and Hepatic Vein Thrombosis
Authors: Martin Leslie , Burute Nishigandha , Haider Ehsan , Serrano Pablo E. , O’Shea Timothy , Siegal Deborah
Published: July 2017

The most common extraintestinal complication of Entamoeba histolytica is amebic liver abscess (ALA). Hepatic vein and inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis are rare but well-documented complications of ALA, typically attributed to mechanical compression and inflammation associated with a large abscess. We present a case of a previously healthy 43-year-old Canadian man presenting with constitutional symptoms and right upper quadrant abdominal pain. He was found to have thrombophlebitis of the IVC, accessory right hepatic vein, and bilateral iliac veins. Extensive investigations for thrombophilia were negative. Magnetic resonance imaging of the liver demonstrated a 3.2-cm focal area of parenchymal abnormality that was reported as presumptive hepatocellular carcinoma, and a 1.9-cm lesion in the caudate lobe with diffusion restriction and peripheral rim enhancement. Despite multiple biopsy attempts, a histopathological diagnosis was not achieved. Abdominal pain and fever 4 months later prompted repeat ultrasound demonstrating a 10.4- × 12.0-cm rim-enhancing fluid attenuation lesion felt to represent a liver abscess. Thick dark “chocolate brown” drainage from the lesion and positive serology for E. histolytica confirmed the diagnosis of ALA acquired from a previous trip to Cuba. The patient was started on treatment with metronidazole and paromomycin and repeat abdominal ultrasound demonstrated resolution of the abscess. This case is the first to demonstrate extensive IVC thrombosis secondary to a relatively small occult ALA and emphasizes the thrombogenic potential of ALA. Amebic infection should be considered as a rare cause of IVC thrombosis in the correct clinical context.
Feasibility of a respiratory nurse specialist-led sleep disorder service in a district general hospital
Authors: Comer DM
Published: July 2017

Aim The burden of referrals to investigate sleep disorders has escalated considerably. In order to address this, the feasibility of a nurse-led sleep disorder clinic was investigated.

Methods Sleep referrals were stratified on the basis of information contained within the primary care referral, and appropriate home-based sleep studies arranged if obstructive sleep apnoea was considered the most likely working diagnosis. Selected patients were started on continuous positive airway pressure treatment if deemed appropriate. Education was almost exclusively provided by specialist nursing staff or by means of validated information by the British Lung Foundation.

Results Eighty patients were included in the respiratory nurse-led sleep service. Feedback from the patient questionnaire was positive and 59 patients were managed without requirement to attend consultant-led outpatient services. Non-sleep breathing disorders as the reason for daytime somnolence, and patients requiring referral to tertiary services, were identified.

Conclusion Developing a respiratory nurse-led sleep service is adequate to identify non-sleep breathing disorders, is fit for purpose, functions broadly in accordance with American Sleep Society guidelines, and is well received by patients.
Establishing a deanery teaching programme for trainees sitting the MRCPCH clinical examination
Authors: Harry C , Weir E , Grattan R , skeoch C , Evans P
Published: July 2017

Objectives MRCPCH is an essential qualification that all paediatric trainees in the UK must obtain to progress with their specialty training. In August 2009 a structured clinical teaching programme was initiated in the West of Scotland deanery to provide teaching in the clinical examination curriculum, the structure and examination standards.

Design The training programme runs three times a year, commencing two months prior to each exam. Trainees are sent questionnaires to enable improvement of the programme.

Results A total of 127 trainees have participated in the programme over five years (August 2009-2014). Trainees report strengths of the programme include communication teaching (n = 14) and general teaching (n = 11). Challenges encountered include difficulties attending teaching sessions due to clinical commitments (n = 5).

Conclusions Future development will focus on creating a robust system enabling this programme to continue and establishment of a key group of paediatric consultants, who can provide consistent teaching reflecting the realities of the examination.
Tablet computers in assessing performance in a high stakes exam: opinion matters
Authors: Currie GP , Sinha S , Thomson F , Cleland J , Denison AR
Published: July 2017

Background Tablet computers have emerged as a tool to capture, process and store data in examinations, yet evidence relating to their acceptability and usefulness in assessment is limited.

Methods We performed an observational study to explore opinions and attitudes relating to tablet computer use in recording performance in a Anal year objective structured clinical examination at a single UK medical school. Examiners completed a short questionnaire encompassing background, forced-choice and open questions. Forced choice questions were analysed using descriptive statistics and open questions by framework analysis.

Results Ninety-two (97% response rate) examiners completed the questionnaire of whom 85% had previous use of tablet computers. Ninety per cent felt checklist mark allocation was ‘very/quite easy', while approximately half considered recording ‘free-type' comments was ‘easy/very easy'. Greater overall efficiency of marking and resource savings were considered the main advantages of tablet computers, while concerns relating to technological failure and ability to record free type comments were raised.

Discussion In a context where examiners were familiar with tablet computers, they were preferred to paper checklists, although concerns were raised. This study adds to the limited literature underpinning the use of electronic devices as acceptable tools in objective structured clinical examinations.
James Parkinson’s Chimera: syndrome or disease?
Authors: Kempster PA , Hurwitz B , Lees AJ
Published: July 2017

It is 200 years since James Parkinson published An Essay on the Shaking Palsy. While his monograph continues to be acclaimed for its precedence and clarity of description, what is often overlooked is the originality of Parkinson's ideas. Here we show that he appreciated the weakness of the systematic 18th century nosologies, which presupposed that medical species, the building blocks of these Linnaean taxonomic schemes, were as distinct as plant and animal species; and that Parkinson made a conceptual leap about combinations of clinical phenomena in recurring patterns, now recognised to be one of the germs of neurological thinking about syndromes. The Essay’s written style underpins another aspect of significance to contemporary neurological practice - an inherent intellectual humility. In this commemorative year we locate the continuing importance of the related notions of syndrome and disease in successive frameworks of knowledge about the shaking palsy. Syndrome and disease are interpreted as dual character concepts, one clinically-based and the other restricted to pathophysiological causation. They both remain fundamental to understanding Parkinson's syndrome-disease today.
Centro de Experiência Cervejeira da Bohemia: um museu de ciência e tecnologia?
Authors: Monteiro Renata , Gouvêa Guaracira
Published: July 2017

http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1982-5153.2016v9n2p303Os Museus e Centros de Ciência e Tecnologia (MCCT) acompanham as mudanças no modo de pensar e fazer ciência. Buscamos, assim, refletir sobre a natureza e as transformações desses espaços e as relações CTS, com o interesse de problematizar se o Centro de Experiência Cervejeira da Bohemia se insere ou não na perspectiva dos MCCT. Realizamos uma pesquisa qualitativa exploratória que descreve trechos de salas de exposição a fim de identificar elementos relacionados a: i) temas sobre ciência e tecnologia (C&T); ii) objetos de C&T (substitutos e autênticos); iii) estratégias de significação de conceitos, fenômenos e processos de C&T; e iv) relações CTS. Como resultado, consideramos que essa iniciativa mais se aproxima do que se diferencia do conceito de MCCT, utilizando estratégias que se voltam à formação de um público consumidor de determinada marca de cerveja socialmente referenciada pela tradição cultural e pelo fundamento científico e tecnológico.
Intercomparison of meteorological analyses and trajectories in the Antarctic lower stratosphere with Concordiasi superpressure balloon observations
Authors: Hoffmann Lars , Hertzog Albert , Rößler Thomas , Stein Olaf , Wu Xue
Published: July 2017

Abstract. In this study we compared temperatures and horizontal winds of meteorological analyses in the Antarctic lower stratosphere, a region of the atmosphere that is of major interest regarding chemistry and dynamics of the polar vortex. The study covers the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) operational analysis, the ERA-Interim reanalysis, the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications version 1 and 2 (MERRA and MERRA-2), and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR) reanalysis. The comparison was performed with respect to long-duration observations from 19 superpressure balloon flights during the Concordiasi field campaign in September 2010 to January 2011. Most of the balloon measurements were conducted at altitudes of 17–18.5 km and latitudes of 60–85° S. We found that large-scale state temperatures of the analyses have a mean precision of 0.5–1.4 K and a warm bias of 0.4–2.1 K with respect to the balloon data. Zonal and meridional winds have a mean precision of 0.9–2.3 m s−1 and a bias below ±0.5 m s−1. Standard deviations related to small-scale fluctuations due to gravity waves are reproduced at levels of 15–60 % for temperature and 30–60 % for the horizontal winds. Considering the fact that the balloon observations have been assimilated into all analyses, except for NCEP/NCAR, notable differences found here indicate that other observations, the forecast models, and the data assimilation procedures have a significant impact on the analyses as well. We also used the balloon observations to evaluate trajectory calculations with our new Lagrangian transport model Massive-Parallel Trajectory Calculations (MPTRAC), where vertical motions of simulated trajectories were nudged to pressure measurements of the balloons. We found relative horizontal transport deviations of 4–12 % and error growth rates of 60–170 km day−1 for 15-day trajectories. Dispersion simulations revealed some difficulties with the representation of subgrid-scale wind fluctuations in MPTRAC, as the spread of air parcels simulated with different analyses was not consistent. However, although case studies suggest that the accuracy of trajectory calculations is influenced by meteorological complexity, diffusion generally does not contribute significantly to transport deviations in our analysis. Overall, evaluation results are satisfactory and compare well to earlier studies using superpressure balloon observations.