bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Body Surface Mapping of T-wave Alternans Depends on the Distribution of Myocardial Scarring
Authors: Zeller Amy , Ghoraani Behnaz
Published: March 2015

T-Wave alternans (TWA) testing using 12-lead electrocardiogram/Frank leads is emerging as an important non-invasive biomarker to identify patients at high risk of Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD). Cardiac scarring is very common among cardiomyopathy patients; however, its influence on the body surface distribution of TWA has not yet been defined. Our objective was to perform a simulation study in order to determine whether cardiac scarring affects the distribution of TWA on thorax such that the standard leads fail to detect TWA in some of cardiomyopathy patients; thereby producing a false-negative test. Developing such a novel lead configuration could improve TWA quantification and potentially optimize electrocardiogram (ECG) lead configuration and risk stratification of SCD in cardiomyopathy patients. The simulation was performed in a 1500-node heart model using ECGSIM. TWA was mimicked by simulating action potential duration alternans in the ventricles. Cardiac scarring with different sizes were simulated by manipulating the apparent velocity, transmembrane potential and transition zone at varied locations along the left ventricular posterior wall. Our simulation study showed that the location of maximum TWA depends on the location and size of the myocardium scarring in patients with cardiomyopathy, which can give rise to false-negative TWA signal detection using standard clinical leads. The TWA amplitude generally increased with the increment of scar size (P<0.00001). We found one specific location (a non-standard lead) that consistently appeared as the top five maximum TWA leads and could be considered as an additional lead to improve the outcome of the TWA testing in cardiomyopathy patients.
Clinical Practice Models for the Use of E-Mental Health Resources in Primary Health Care by Health Professionals and Peer Workers: A Conceptual Framework
Authors: Reynolds Julia , Griffiths Kathleen M , Cunningham John A , Bennett Kylie , Bennett Anthony
Published: March 2015

Background

Research into e-mental health technologies has developed rapidly in the last 15 years. Applications such as Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy interventions have accumulated considerable evidence of efficacy and some evidence of effectiveness. These programs have achieved similar outcomes to face-to-face therapy, while requiring much less clinician time.

There is now burgeoning interest in integrating e-mental health resources with the broader mental health delivery system, particularly in primary care. The Australian government has supported the development and deployment of e-mental health resources, including websites that provide information, peer-to-peer support, automated self-help, and guided interventions.

An ambitious national project has been commissioned to promote key resources to clinicians, to provide training in their use, and to evaluate the impact of promotion and training upon clinical practice. Previous initiatives have trained clinicians to use a single e-mental health program or a suite of related programs. In contrast, the current initiative will support community-based service providers to access a diverse array of resources developed and provided by many different groups.

Objective

The objective of this paper was to develop a conceptual framework to support the use of e-mental health resources in routine primary health care. In particular, models of clinical practice are required to guide the use of the resources by diverse service providers and to inform professional training, promotional, and evaluation activities.

Methods

Information about service providers’ use of e-mental health resources was synthesized from a nonsystematic overview of published literature and the authors’ experience of training primary care service providers.

Results

Five emerging clinical practice models are proposed: (1) promotion; (2) case management; (3) coaching; (4) symptom-focused treatment; and (5) comprehensive therapy. We also consider the service provider skills required for each model and the ways that e-mental health resources might be used by general practice doctors and nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, counselors, and peer workers

Conclusions

The models proposed in the current paper provide a conceptual framework for policy-makers, researchers and clinicians interested in integrating e-mental health resources into primary care. Research is needed to establish the safety and effectiveness of the models in routine care and the best ways to support their implementation.
Is job insecurity a driver of the housing cycle? Some evidence in the Spanish case
Authors: Arestis Philip , González-Martínez Ana
Published: March 2015

The aim of this paper is to study a possible connection between the
characteristics of the labour market, namely, employment protection and
flexibility, and the dynamics of the housing market. More specifically, this
contribution analyses whether the poor quality of employment in a given
economy could cause the collapse of the housing market and impairs its
recovery. In the second stage of our analysis, we provide estimates for Spain
over the period 1984-2014. In doing so, the autoregressive distributed lag
(ARDL) bounds test for cointegration is employed.
Exchange rate and monetary fundamentals: Long run relationship revisited
Authors: Bhanja Niyati , Dar Arif , Tiwari Aviral
Published: March 2015

This study re-examines the long run validity of the monetary approach to
exchange rate determination for India. In particular, the long run
association of bilateral nominal exchange rate of Indian rupee vis-?-vis USD,
Pound-sterling, Yen and Euro against the corresponding monetary fundamentals
that the model underlines has been tested using Johansen-Juselius maximum
likelihood framework and Gregory-Hansen co-integration approach. Irrespective
of the exchange rates the study finds a co-integrating relationship among the
variables using Johansen-Juselius maximum likelihood approach. The
Gregory-Hansen co-integration method allows for one break determined
endogenously in three specifications also confirms the long run relationship.
Our results, hence, suggest that the monetary model is a valid theory of long
run equilibrium condition for the rupee-dollar, rupee-pound, rupee-yen and
rupee-euro exchange rates.
Timing of adoption of clean technologies by regulated monopolies
Authors: Youssef Slim
Published: March 2015

We consider a monopoly firm producing a good and, at the same time, polluting
and using fossil energy. By incurring an investment cost, this firm can adopt
a lower production cost clean technology using renewable energy. We determine
the optimal adoption date for the firm in the case where it is not regulated
at all and in the case where it is regulated at each period. Interestingly,
the regulated firm adopts the clean technology earlier than what is socially
optimal, as opposed to the nonregulated firm. The regulator can induce the
firm to adopt the clean technology at the socially optimal date by a postpone
adoption subsidy. Nevertheless, the regulator may be interested in the
earlier adoption of the firm to encourage the diffusion of the use of clean
technologies in other industries.
Gaussian variable neighborhood search for the file transfer scheduling problem
Authors: Drazic Zorica
Published: March 2015

This paper presents new modifications of Variable Neighborhood Search
approach for solving the file transfer scheduling problem. To obtain better
solutions in a small neighborhood of a current solution, we implement two new
local search procedures. As Gaussian Variable Neighborhood Search showed
promising results when solving continuous optimization problems, its
implementation in solving the discrete file transfer scheduling problem is
also presented. In order to apply this continuous optimization method to
solve the discrete problem, mapping of uncountable set of feasible solutions
into a finite set is performed. Both local search modifications gave better
results for the large size instances, as well as better average performance
for medium and large size instances. One local search modification achieved
significant acceleration of the algorithm. The numerical experiments showed
that the results obtained by Gaussian modifications are comparable with the
results obtained by standard VNS based algorithms, developed for
combinatorial optimization. In some cases Gaussian modifications gave even
better results.
Usefulness of an app in improving oral hygiene compliance in adolescent orthodontic patients
Authors: Zotti Francesca , Dalessandri Domenico , Salgarello Stefano , Piancino Mariagrazia , Bonetti Stefano , Visconti Luca , Paganelli Corrado
Published: March 2015

Objective: 

To evaluate the influence of an app-based approach in a protocol for domestic oral hygiene maintenance in a group of adolescent patients wearing fixed multibracket appliances.

Materials and Methods: 

Eighty adolescent patients scheduled to start an orthodontic multibracket treatment were randomly divided into two groups of 40. Plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), white spots (WS), and caries presence were recorded in all patients, and they were instructed regarding domestic oral hygiene maintenance on the day of braces application (t0) and every 3 months (t1, t2, t3, t4) during the first year of treatment. Study group (SG) patients were enrolled in a WhatsApp chat room–based competition and instructed to share monthly with the other participants two self-photographs (selfies) showing their oral hygiene status.

Results: 

SG patient participation in the chat room was regular and active throughout the observation period. At t2, t3, and t4, SG patients had significantly lower values of both PI and GI and a lower incidence of new WS and caries, compared with the control group.

Conclusion: 

Integration of new “social” technologies in a standard oral hygiene motivation protocol is effective in improving compliance of adolescent patients and in improving their oral health status during orthodontic multibracket treatment.
And the journey begins...
Authors: Lamsal Madhab
Published: March 2015

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/acclm.v1i1.12304 Ann. Clin. Chem. & Lab. Med. 1(1) 2015: 1
Cytological and Biochemical Profile of Cerebrospinal Fluid from Meningitis Patients
Authors: Pandey Pinky , Jha Bharat , Shrestha Anima
Published: March 2015

BACKGROUND: The term Meningitis is used to describe an inflammatory infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, which occurs as either a primary disease or secondarily to disease in some other part of the body. The diagnosis is primarily confirmed by analyzing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Early diagnosis of the cause may be based on the cytological and biochemical parameters. Our objective was to determine the cytological and biochemical profile of CSF from meningitis patients. METHODS: In this cross sectional study, a total of 356 CSF specimens were collected from patients suspected of meningitis and processed microscopically and microbiologically by standard microbiological methods in Emergency Lab of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) Kathmandu, Nepal, over a period of six months, from March to August 2014 to determine cytological and biochemical parameters. RESULTS: Out of the 13 confirmed bacterial meningitis cases from 356 processed CSF samples, the mean value of total leukocytes count (TLC) was found to be 337.3 cells/mm3 with predominant neutrophils (73.8%). The mean value of glucose and protein was 28.8 mg/dL and 89.4 mg/dL respectively in the cases of bacterial meningitis. Among the three confirmed cases of fungal meningitis, the mean value of TLC was 11.7 cells/mm3 with lymphocytic predominance. In fungal meningitis glucose level was found to be normal (45.0 mg/dL) with slight increase in protein (48.7 mg/dL). CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial meningitis is generally characterized by increased TLC with predominance of neutrophils, decreased glucose and increased protein levels whereas fungal meningitis displays decreased TLC predominance of lymphocytes, normal or reduced glucose and slight increased protein level. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/acclm.v1i1.12305 Ann. Clin. Chem. & Lab. Med. 1(1) 2015: 2-5
Bacteriological and Mycological profile of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media among patients visiting Dhulikhel Hospital
Authors: Vaidya Krista , Madhup Surendra Kumar , Shrestha Bikash Lal , Gautam A , Tuladha Nuchhe Ratna
Published: March 2015

BACKGROUND: Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is an inflammation of the middle ear and mastoid mucosa with perforation of tympanic membrane. Mainly disease of developing countries like Nepal, CSOM results because of illiteracy, poverty and poor hygiene. Haphazard use of antibiotics and increasing use of newer one has led to persistent change in microbial flora. The aim of this study is to determine the incidence of CSOM and its causative agents. METHODS: The study included 123 samples from 105 patients attending ENT department of Dhulikhel hospital. Samples were processed in microbiology department for both bacteria and fungi using standard operating protocol. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed for all bacterial isolates by Kirby Bauer disc diffusion method and the result were interpreted according to clinical and laboratory standard institute (CLSI) guideline. RESULTS: Out of 105 patients, 55 were male and 50 female patients. Highest incidence of CSOM was observed between 1-10 years of age group. Of the total 123 samples taken from 105 patients, 106 showed microbial growth. Gram positive bacteria predominated and the most common bacteria isolated were S. aureus 54.55% followed by Proteus spp. 13.64% and P. aeruginosa 12.73%. Among the fungi, the most predominant was A. fumigatus 39% followed by A. niger 29%, C. albicans 26% and A. flavus 6%. Gentamycin was the most susceptible antibiotic. S. aureus were sensitive to Cloxacillin and Gentamycin, whereas Proteus spp. was most sensitive to Ceftriaxone and Norfloxacin. P. aeruginosa was 100% sensitive to Amikacin. CONCLUSION: S. aureus was the most predominant organism followed by Proteus spp. and the drug of choice was Gentamycin. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/acclm.v1i1.12314 Ann. Clin. Chem. & Lab. Med. 1(1) 2015: 37-41
Cartilaginous Choristoma in Tonsil : A Rare entity
Authors: Sharma Sujan , Makaju Ramesh , Shrestha Bikash
Published: March 2015

Choristoma is a tumor like mass consisting of tissues foreign to the site at which they are located. We report a 39-year-old female who presented to our out-patient department with history of pain and burning sensation in the throat. On examination of the tonsils, bilateral keratosis was present. Histological examination demonstrated the unexpected presence of mature hyaline cartilage surrounded by lymphoid follicles. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/acclm.v1i1.12316 Ann. Clin. Chem. & Lab. Med. 1(1) 2015: 49-50
Kinetic Study of the Formation of Ruhemann's Purple in Micellar and Microemulsion Phases
Authors: El-Aila Hisham J. , Elsousy Khaled M.
Published: March 2015

The reaction kinetics of ninhydrine (Nin) with glycine–glycine dipeptide (Gly) was studied in aqueous solution. The same reaction was studied in micellar solutions of different surfactants such as sodium dioctylsulfosuccinate (AOT) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The reaction was also studied in the L2 microemulsion phase of the three systems AOT/heptane/water, SDS/pentanol/heptane/water, CTAB/pentanol/heptane/water. Spectrophotometric measurements were perfomed at 570 nm. The data show that the reaction is first-order with respect to Nin and Gly in all cases. Values of the observed rate constants (k
obs) increase with increasing concentration of the surfactant in micellar media. AOT was more promotional than SDS. The reaction rate in the presence of different micelles could be explained using a pseudo-phase kinetic model. Association constants of Nin and Gly with surfactant micelles are reported. Values of k
obs for the reaction rates in the microemulsion phases are reported. AOT/heptane L2 microemulsion system has been clearly found as the most promotional among all the other studied systems. Association constants of Nin and Gly with surfactant in microemulsion were obtained. The rate was increased with the temperature in aqueous, micellar and microemulsion phases. The activation parameters ΔH*, ΔS* and ΔG* have also been obtained. The reaction rate in different microemulsion media is slightly increased with the change of oil (heptane > hexane > pentane), while co-surfactants (butanol, pentanol and hexanol) have no effect on k

obs
values in AOT, CTAB or SDS microemulsion.
Development and Evaluation of an Environmentally Friendly Calcium Carbonate and Calcium Sulfate Scales Inhibitor
Authors: Wang Huchuan , Zhou Yuming , Yao Qingzhao , Bu Yunyun , Chen Yiyi , Sun Wei
Published: March 2015

The precipitation of CaCO3 (calcite, vaterite, aragonite and calcium carbonate hydrates) and CaSO4 (calcium sulfate anhydride, calcium sulfate dihydrate and calcium sulfate hemihydrates) scale on pipe surfaces widely occurs in numerous industrial processes. For the control of CaCO3 and CaSO4 scales, a novel environmentally friendly scale inhibitor, maleic anhydride (MA)-allypolyethoxy carboxylate (APEM9), was synthesized. MA-APEM9 was characterized by Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FT-IR) and 1H-NMR. The inhibitor property of the MA-APEM9 copolymer towards CaCO3 and CaSO4 in the artificial cooling water was studied by static scale inhibition tests. The effect on formation of CaCO3 and CaSO4 was investigated with a combination of scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. The observation showed that MA-APEM9 was a much better inhibitor both for CaCO3 and CaSO4 compared to the commercial inhibitors. An inhibition mechanism is proposed. It shows that the interactions between calcium and allyl-terminated PMA are the fundamental impetus to restrain the formation of the scale in cooling water systems. The MA-APEM9 Inhibitor can be used safely in cooling water systems.
Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Evaluation of Three New Cationic Surfactants
Authors: Narayanan Venu Lakshimi , Umapathy Manickam Janarthanan
Published: March 2015

Three new biodegradable cationic surfactants have been successfully synthesized and the synthesis begins with the esterification of lauric acid, myristic acid and palmitic acid with triethanolamine followed by quarterisation with 1-bromo octane. FT-IR and NMR were used in combination to evaluate the structure of the synthesized surfactants. Elementary analysis was performed and the calculated values were in good agreement with the theoretical values. The antimicrobial effect of three surfactants was evaluated by the Well diffusion assay method and they revealed a good effectivness against gram negative bacteria, gram positive bacteria and fungi.
Tarapur atomic power station: analysis of station blackout scenario
Authors: Srivastava A. , Contractor A. D. , Lele H. G. , Vaze K. K.
Published: March 2015

India is currently operating two BWR built by General Electric Company. The design features of these reactors are similar to the Fukushima's BWR except some better containment features in Indian BWR. This paper discusses the enveloping scenario of station blackout of infinite duration with no operator action and no component failure. The paper describes the details of modelling the TAPS-BWR plant model including SCDAP modelling of reactor core in system code RELAP5 and further thermal hydraulic safety assessment of station blackout scenario. The analysis brought out effectively the response of the plant to this high-pressure severe accident scenario. The time line of the severe accident progression will give details of various stages of accident progression along with hydrogen generation, which will be useful in evolving suitable severe accident management guidelines.
Estimating steady state and transient characteristics of molten salt natural circulation loop using CFD
Authors: Kudariyawar J. Y. , Vaidya A. M. , Maheshwari N. K. , Satyamurthy P. , Srivastava A. K.
Published: March 2015

The steady state and transient characteristics of a molten salt natural circulation loop (NCL) are obtained by 3D CFD simulations. The working fluid is a mixture of NaNO3 and KNO3 in 60:40 ratio. Simulation is performed using PHOENICS CFD software. The computational domain is discretized by a body fitted grid generated using in-built mesh generator. The CFD model includes primary side. Primary side fluid is subjected to heat addition in heater section, heat loss to ambient (in piping connecting heater and cooler) and to secondary side (in cooler section). Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes equations are solved along with the standard k-∊ turbulence model. Validation of the model is done by comparing the computed steady state Reynolds number with that predicted by various correlations proposed previously. Transient simulations were carried out to study the flow initiations transients for different heater powers and different configurations. Similarly the “power raising” transient is computed and compared with in-house experimental data. It is found that, using detailed information obtained from 3D transient CFD simulations, it is possible to understand the physics of oscillatory flow patterns obtained in the loop under certain conditions.
Analysis of a homogenous and heterogeneous stylized half core of a CANDU reactor
Authors: EL-Khawlani A. , Aziz M. , Ismail M. , Ellithi A. Y.
Published: March 2015

The MCNPX (Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code System) code has been used for modeling and simulation of a half core of CANDU (CANada Deuterium-Uranium) reactor, both homogenous and heterogeneous model for the reactor core are designed. The fuel is burnt in normal operation conditions of CANDU reactors. Natural uranium fuel is used in the model. The multiplication factor for homogeneous and heterogeneous reactor core is calculated and compared during fuel burnup. The concentration of both uranium and plutonium isotopes are analysed in the model. The flux and power distributions through channels are calculated.
Microstructure and properties of thick nanocomposite TiN/Si3N4 coatings on Vanadis 23 HS steel
Authors: Moskalewicz Tomasz , Zimowski Sławomir , Wendler Bogdan , Progalskiy Ivan , Czyrska-Filemonowicz Aleksandra
Published: March 2015

The microstructure and selected micro-mechanical properties of a 13.4 μm thick nanocomposite TiN/Si3N4 coating deposited onto Vanadis 23 HS steel by a new gas pulsed magnetron sputtering technique were investigated. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy were employed to investigate the detailed microstructure of the coating. It was found that the coating exhibited a fully nanocrystalline structure and was composed of two zones: the outer zone with columnar structure and the inner one with equiaxed, fine columnar structure. Both zones consisted mainly of the δ-TiN nanocrystallites with a small amount of α-Si3N4 and β-Si3N4. In order to increase coating adhesion to the substrate, a graded intermediate layer consisting of three different phases (pure Cr, CrN and Cr2N) was applied. The hardness of the as-deposited TiN/Si3N4 coating was equal to 48 GPa, whereas it was equal to 40 GPa after annealing. The coatings exhibited very good adhesion to the underlying steel substrate.
Analysis of the structure (XRD) and microstructure (TEM, SEM, AFM) of bulk amorphous and nanocrystalline alloys based on FeCoB
Authors: Gruszka Konrad , Nabiałek Marcin , Błoch Katarzyna , Walters Simon
Published: March 2015

Control of the formation process of amorphous materials, and the lowering of their internal energy as a result of atomic transition through subsequent potential barriers describing metastable states, represent direct factors in designing the functional properties of these modern materials. This paper presents the results of tests carried out on the group of four alloys: Fe62-x
Co10Y8
Me

x
B20 (where: Me = Cr, Be or Cu; x = 0 or 1), obtained by a suction-casting method. The bulk amorphous samples were obtained in the form of plates of thickness 0.5 mm. The structure and microstructure of the investigated plates, in the as-quenched and after-annealing states, were studied using: scanning and transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffractometry. Moreover, for heat-treated samples, Rietveld's analysis was performed. Additionally, the combination of microscopy and X-ray studies allowed for the observation of diffusion effects occurring in the material.
Evaluation of a Strategic Road Pricing Scheme Accounting for Day-to-Day and Long-Term Demand Uncertainty
Authors: Duell Melissa , Gardner Lauren M. , Dixit Vinayak , Waller S. Travis
Published: March 2015

Transport network pricing schemes are an integral traffic management strategy that can be implemented to reduce congestion, among other network impacts. However, the problem of determining tolls becomes much more complex when multiple sources of demand uncertainty are considered. This paper proposes a novel tolling model based on a particular variant of strategic user equilibrium in which users base their route choice decisions on a known demand distribution. The study showed that by using an average daily demand, a marginal social cost–based tolling approach could induce near optimal conditions in a strategic network. However, uncertainty was associated with the long-term future planning demand; inaccurate forecasts of future demand could result in poor realized tolling scheme performance. Therefore, this paper also proposes a method to test the robustness of a tolling scheme, which is the reliability of the link tolls under a range of future demand scenario realizations. Results demonstrated that evaluations of strategic tolling schemes differed when both the short-term and the long-term uncertainty in demand were accounted for, and furthermore suggested that future research into the integration of multiple sources of uncertainty into the pricing scheme evaluation is merited.
Modeling Transit and Intermodal Tours in a Dynamic Multimodal Network
Authors: Khani Alireza , Bustillos Brenda , Noh Hyunsoo , Chiu Yi-Chang , Hickman Mark
Published: March 2015

A fixed-point formulation and a simulation-based solution method were developed for modeling intermodal passenger tours in a dynamic transportation network. The model proposed in this paper is a combined model of a dynamic traffic assignment, a schedule-based transit assignment, and a park-and-ride choice model, which assigns intermodal demand (i.e., passengers with drive-to-transit mode) to the optimal park-and-ride station. The proposed model accounts for all segments of passenger tours in the passengers’ daily travel, incorporates the constraint on returning to the same park-and-ride location in a tour, and models individual passengers at a disaggregate level. The model has been applied in an integrated travel demand model in Sacramento, California, and feedback to the activity-based demand model is provided through separate time-dependent skim tables for auto, transit, and intermodal trips.
How Many Runs? Analytical Method for Optimal Scenario Sampling to Estimate Travel Time Variance in Traffic Networks
Authors: Kim Jiwon , Mahmassani Hani S.
Published: March 2015

Scenario-based approaches provide an effective and practical approach to capturing the probabilistic nature of travel time in a traffic network. Scenarios that represent daily roadway conditions are generated by identifying various demand- and supply-side factors that affect travel time variability and by sampling a set of mutually consistent combinations of the associated events. The sampled scenarios are then evaluated with traffic simulation models to obtain travel time distributions to provide a basis for extracting a wide range of reliability performance metrics. A key question under this framework pertains to the number of input scenarios needed to achieve the best estimators of reliability measures of interest, given a limited computation budget. Given a stratification of the entire domain of daily scenarios into distinct scenario categories (or strata), the study addressed the optimal sample size allocation problem in connection with stratified sampling. Existing sample allocation schemes (e.g., Neyman's) were optimized for estimating the mean. However, dispersion measures such as variance and standard deviation were of greater interest in travel time reliability studies. Thus, this study explicitly specified the optimal allocation scheme for estimation of variance. With a specific characteristic observed in travel time data, namely, a strong positive correlation between standard deviation and mean, an analytical formula that approximated the variance of the sample was developed, and an analytical approximate solution for the optimal allocation for estimating the variance was derived. The proposed method was validated with a simulation study and was compared with other allocation methods in regard to estimation of various reliability measures.
Equilibrium Analysis of Low-Conflict Network Designs
Authors: Boyles Stephen D. , Rambha Tarun , Xie Chi
Published: March 2015

Low-conflict network designs aim to reduce intersection delay by restricting or eliminating crossing conflicts. These designs range from alternating one-way street grids in central business districts to more radical designs that eliminate crossing conflicts altogether. However, travel distances in such networks are generally higher than in traditional networks. This paper proposes an equilibrium approach for evaluating the trade-off between increased distance and reduced intersection delay in networks of varying topology and demand patterns. To accomplish this objective, suitable link performance functions are developed to reflect different types of intersection control. Three control strategies are compared: two-way grids, one-way grids, and a vortex design with priority merges. These strategies are compared in grid networks, with analysis of sensitivity to demand levels and other parameters. The vortex-based design generally leads to lower average travel times and higher trip distances. However, at high demand levels the use of gap-acceptance formulas for priority merges with route choice; this union results in unstable, chaotic conditions.
Development of Section 508–Compliant Document Production Protocols and Websites
Authors: Krepp Benjamin
Published: March 2015

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended in 1998, requires all federal agencies and recipients of federal funding to provide people with disabilities access to information that is comparable to the access available to others. The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in Massachusetts and its staff, Central Transportation Planning Staff (CTPS), are committed to both the letter and the spirit of Section 508. Most MPO information is available to the public in the form of documents. Thus, for CTPS, the key to making MPO information accessible was to make accessible its documents and the website that hosted these documents. This paper discusses how CTPS developed an accessible document-production protocol and an accessible website. The agency's document-production protocol had its basis in the use of document templates, which guaranteed consistency and accessibility. The development of an accessible website began with a review of the applicable standards and guidelines and with a redesign of the hierarchical organization of the site. The agency employed a content management system (CMS) to ameliorate the complexity of site development and maintenance. The use of a CMS greatly simplified the development of an accessible site. The paper also examines the special accessibility challenges, posed by pages with particularly rich, dynamic content (i.e., web applications), and some of the approaches that CTPS used to address them. The paper concludes with a discussion of the methodology used to test and validate the site's accessibility and points out the importance of a site-accessibility evaluation by an independent third party.
Intermodal Door-to-Door Routing for People with Physical Impairments in a Web-Based, Open-Source Platform
Authors: Weyrer Timothy N. , Hochmair Hartwig H. , Paulus Gernot
Published: March 2015

The needs of people with disabilities are addressed by the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, whose intent is that people with disabilities participate equally in societal activities as people without disabilities. The research reported here followed the aim of the UN convention through the development of a geospatial barrier catalog and the implementation of a prototype of a web-based, intermodal door-to-door routing application for people with physical impairments. Within the geospatial barrier catalog, objects and structures, built-in indoor or outdoor environments, are outlined as to their influence on the intermodal locomotion of people with physical, visual, and hearing impairments. The spatial representation of the catalog is presented in a data model within the OpenStreetMap framework. On the basis of the data model, indoor and outdoor data were collected for the inner city of Villach, Austria, as a study area. The prototype used a customized version of the open-source, intermodal trip planner Open-TripPlanner, which supported trip planning for walking in combination with public transportation, including transition-free routing between indoor and outdoor environments. The functionality of the trip planner was illustrated for two scenarios.
Status of compost usage and its performance on vegetable production in Monga areas of Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman GKMM , Afrad MSI , Rahman MM
Published: March 2015

The present study was carried out to assess the existing status of compost usage on vegetable production and determine the overall effect of household waste compost (HWC) on growth and yield of vegetables and enhancement of soil fertility in the monga areas of Bangladesh. A field survey was conducted on 152 sampled farmers during 2010 to 2011. Questionnaire containing both closed and open-ended questions were used to assess existing production practices of vegetables using compost in both homestead and field conditions. Three field trials at Badargonj and Kawnia upazilas of Rangpur district were conducted taking four treatments i.e. control, recommended doses (RD) of fertilizers, HWC at the rate of 10 tha-1, and HWC 10 t ha-1 plus RD as IPNS based with Lal shak, Palong shak, Pui shak and Tomato. Base line survey results indicated inadequate knowledge of the farmers on use and preparation of the household waste compost. Yield data of all vegetables i.e. Tomato, Lal shak, Palong shak and Pui shak indicated that the combined application of nutrients using organic and inorganic sources were significantly better than that of solitary application of inorganic fertilizers. The potential of household waste compost applied @ 10 t ha-1 along with inorganic fertilizers applied was found highly satisfactory in producing Tomato, where yield was recorded 75 t ha-1 in the study area. The fresh yield of Palong shak was found 16 t ha-1 when recommended doses of inorganic fertilizers were applied, but it was about 19 t ha-1 under combined application of HWC @ 10 t ha-1 and inorganic fertilizers following IPNS concept. The fresh yield of Pui shak was found about 49 t ha-1 under combined application of organic and inorganic nutrients. Considering the availability and costs of different composts, it is evinced that HWC contained good amount of NPK which indicates its potentiality to be used as a soil amendment, improving soil fertility and crop productivity. It can be an alternative to chemical fertilizer to increase soil microbial populations and enzyme activities and to promote the soil nutrient for horticultural crops in the unfertile areas especially in the monga areas of Bangladesh. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/ijarit.v4i2.22640 Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 4 (2): 22-28, December, 2014
Institutional provisions for administration of rural development programmes: experience from Fadama 111 development programme in Taraba state, Nigeria
Authors: Dimelu MU , Bonjoru FH , Emodi AI , Madukwe MC
Published: March 2015

The study examined institutional provisions in the implementation of Fadama 111 Development Project in Taraba State, Nigeria during 2008-2013. All the staff of the project (57) from eight out of 16 local government areas participated in the programme was used in the study. Data were collected with questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics. The results showed strong linkages of the state Fadama coordinating office with government parastaltals and organizations at different levels of the project implementation. There were strong adherence to rules and regulations guiding staff recruitment, financial management, preparation of local development plan, environmental compliance and friendliness, and group formation. The project was constrained by several institutional factors namely delay in the payment of counterpart fund by the government (M=3.39), lack of transport and other logistic supports (M=3.06), lack of payment of counterpart fund by the government (M=3.04) and others. The study recommends that policy makers and development planner should ensure functional mechanisms that could foster and enhance linkages, and support adherence to rules and regulations prescribed for implementation of development programmes. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/ijarit.v4i2.22644 Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 4 (2): 29-34, December, 2014
In vivo evaluation of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars for moisture stress
Authors: Tamiru S , Ashagre H
Published: March 2015

In Ethiopia, wheat productivity is constrained by water stress especially at germination and seedling stage. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of moisture stress on bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars. Four wheat cultivars (Dandaa, Kubsa, Huluka and Local) were treated with six levels of water stress (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 g L-1) using PEG-6000. The experiment was arranged factorally in completely randomized design with three replications. Data on germination and growth indices were collected and analyzed using one way ANOVA. The result revealed that highest germination percentage (99.7%), germination rate (14.6 plants day-1) and seedling vigor index (9.67) were obtained from the local cultivar. Progressive increase in water stress had also significantly reduced germination indices. There was no significant difference among the cultivars in producing taller root and shoot length. The local cultivar had significantly produced highest root number (4.3 plant-1), shoot fresh weight (0.214 g), seedling fresh (0.314 g) and dry weight (0.097 g). Even though, all the growth parameters of wheat cultivars showed a diminishing trend with increasing the level of PEG-6000 induced water stress, a highly significant decrease in the parameters were observed starting from 150 g L-1 PEG concentration. Higher shoot length inhibition was observed for Dandaa cultivar followed by Huluka. Hulukas root growth was more inhibited than Dandaa. According to the growth and germination indices results, the local cultivar is the drought tolerant wheat cultivar. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/ijarit.v4i2.22651 Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 4 (2): 55-60, December, 2014
Performance evaluation of laser guided leveler
Authors: Hoque MA , Hannan MA
Published: March 2015

The study was conducted at Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI) farm on clay loam soil during Rabi season of 2010-2011. The treatments consisted of laser land leveling (T1) and control (non-leveled) (T2). A preliminary field survey was done using staff gage. Initially a base station was established to dispense laser ray uniformly. The laser ray erected from base station guided the sensor of the stuff gage and the leveler. Elevation data was collected from the different points of the field and made an average. The maximum gage reading were 247.0 cm and the minimum gage reading was 219.2 cm. Average gage readings of the laser leveled plot was 235.66 cm that was settled for auto adjustment. Therefore, huge amount of soils (16.46 cm high) was cut from the highest point and subsequently had to fill to the low points. Finally, an equal gage reading of 235.66 cm was observed after leveling the plot. The laser leveler (Leica MLS700) was used hitching with a TAFE tractor. The field was leveled with manual control initially and finally it was operated with auto adjustment. Two operators, 25 litter diesels and total 6 hours time were required during this leveling. Wheat was cultivated in leveled land (T1) and non-leveled land (T2). Laser leveling was insured for improvement in nutrient use efficiencies, option for precision farming, reduces weed problems, and improves uniformity of crop maturity. There was better distribution of water in leveled plot, which helped to reduce irrigation application time 1 hour. Due to uniformity of moisture content improved germination and crop establishment was found which reflected in higher plant population (239 m-2). Maximum yield (3.41 t ha-1) was obtained in T1 due to longer panicle (10.89 cm), more grain per plant (27.47) and 1000 grain weight (47.38 g) compared to yield of T2 (2.62 t ha-1). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/ijarit.v4i2.22655 Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 4 (2): 82-86, December, 2014
Structural Evolution under Reaction Conditions of Supported (NH4)3HPMo11VO40 Catalysts for the Selective Oxidation of Isobutane
Authors: Jing Fangli , Katryniok Benjamin , Bordes-Richard Elisabeth , Dumeignil Franck , Paul Sébastien
Published: March 2015

When using heteropolycompounds in the selective oxidation of isobutane to methacrolein and methacrylic acid, both the keeping of the primary structure (Keggin units) and the presence of acidic sites are necessary to obtain the desired products. The structural evolution of supported (NH4)3HPMo11VO40 (APMV) catalysts under preliminary thermal oxidizing and reducing treatments was investigated. Various techniques, such as TGA/DTG (Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis/Derivative Thermo-Gravimetry), H2-TPR (Temperature Programed Reduction), in situ XRD (X-Ray Diffraction) and XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy), were applied. It was clearly evidenced that the thermal stability and the reducibility of the Keggin units are improved by supporting 40% APMV active phase on Cs3PMo12O40 (CPM). The partial degradation of APMV takes place depending on temperature and reaction conditions. The decomposition of ammonium cations (releasing NH3) leads to the formation of vacancies favoring cationic exchanges between vanadium coming from the active phase and cesium coming from the support. In addition, the vanadium expelled from the Keggin structure is further reduced to V4+, species, which contributes (with Mo5+) to activate isobutane. The increase in reducibility of the supported catalyst is assumed to improve the catalytic performance in comparison with those of unsupported APMV.
Menéndez, R.P.; Martínez, J.A.; Prieto, M.J.; Barcia, L.A.; Sánchez, J.M.M. A Novel Modeling of Molten-Salt Heat Storage Systems in Thermal Solar Power Plants. Energies 2014, 7, 6721–6740
Authors: Menéndez Rogelio , Martínez Juan , Prieto Miguel , Barcia Lourdes , Sánchez Juan
Published: March 2015

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [1]: Figure 8 on page 6730 is replaced as follows:[...]
Correction: Homyack, J.A. and Kroll, A.J. Slow Lives in the Fast Landscape: Conservation and Management of Plethodontid Salamanders in Production Forests of the United States. Forests 2014, 5, 2750–2772
Authors: Homyack Jessica , Kroll Andrew
Published: March 2015

The authors wish to correct a statement in the published paper [1], doi:10.3390/f5112750, website: http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/5/11/2750/htm. After publication, we discovered that two numbers were mistakenly switched. Section, 4.1, should read “Oregon slender salamanders were detected in 144/420 (34%) plots and 101/378 (27%) plots in 2013 and 2014, respectively; ensatina salamanders were detected in 53/420 (13%) plots and 73/378 (19%) plots in 2013 and 2014, respectively”. The authors would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused to the readers by these changes.[...]
Social Networking Privacy—Who’s Stalking You?
Authors: Gan Diane , Jenkins Lily
Published: March 2015

This research investigates the privacy issues that exist on social networking sites. It is reasonable to assume that many Twitter users are unaware of the dangers of uploading a tweet to their timeline which can be seen by anyone. Enabling geo-location tagging on tweets can result in personal information leakage, which the user did not intend to be public and which can seriously affect that user’s privacy and anonymity online. This research demonstrates that key information can easily be retrieved using the starting point of a single tweet with geo-location turned on. A series of experiments have been undertaken to determine how much information can be obtained about a particular individual using only social networking sites and freely available mining tools. The information gathered enabled the target subjects to be identified on other social networking sites such as Foursquare, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+, where more personal information was leaked. The tools used are discussed, the results of the experiments are presented and the privacy implications are examined.
Can Metabolic Disorders in Aging Men Contribute to Prostatic Hyperplasia Eligible for Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)?
Authors: Rył Aleksandra , Rotter Iwona , Słojewski Marcin , Jędrzychowska Adriana , Marcinowska Zuzanna , Grabowska Marta , Laszczyńska Maria
Published: March 2015

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and severity of metabolic disorders occurring in the metabolic syndrome in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia eligible for surgical treatment. Methods: The study group consisted men with diagnosed benign prostatic hyperplasia. The control group consisted patients recruited from basic health care units. Abdominal circumference, body weight and blood serum metabolic parameters were determined in the experimental and control groups. The concentrations of glucose were determined, as well as total cholesterol (ChT), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides (TAG), by spectrophotometric method using reagent kits. Results: In the study group 91 (60.3%) cases of metabolic syndrome (MetS) were diagnosed, while in the control group 71 (46.1%) men met the diagnostic criteria for this syndrome (p = 0.018). The analysis shows a relationship between MetS in patients with BPH and concentration glucose, ChT, LDL, HDL, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. We found no significant statistical relationship between body weight, abdominal circumference and concentration TAG, hypertension in patients and controls. Conclusions: in the study presented in this article, statistically significant relationships between BPH and the diagnostic parameters of the metabolic syndrome were demonstrated. These results indicate to the necessity of the modification of the lifestyle, taking preventive measures in diabetes, and evaluation of lipid metabolism disorders. It is recommended to assess symptoms that may suggest BPH (as a manifestation of LUTS) in men over 50 years of age with diagnoses of metabolic disorders (including MetS), and provide them with specialist urological care in order to prevent surgical treatment of the prostate.