bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Macronutrient status and yield stability of arecanut (Kahikuchi) under integrated nutrient management practice in Assam
Authors: Paul S.C. , Acharya G.C. , Hussain M. , Ray A.K. , Sit A.K.
Published: November 2015

A long term field   experiment was carried out in clay-loam soil at ICAR-CPCRI, Kahikuchi campus,   Guwahati, Assam during 2000-2012 with arecanut variety Kahikuchi with seven   nutrient combinations. The treatments included control (T1), 100 per cent   vermicompost (T2), 200 per cent vermicompost (T3), 100 per cent chemical   fertilizer (T4), 50 per cent vermicompost + 50 per cent chemical fertilizer   (T5), 1/3rd vermicompost + 2/3rd chemical fertilizer   (T6) and 2/3rd vermicompost + 1/3rd chemical fertilizer   (T7). The treatment T7 produced highest fresh ripened arecanut yield of 16.7   kg i.e., about 3.6 kg dry chali per palm. Positive correlations were   obtained between yield of arecanut and soil available N, P, K content.   Significant and positive correlation was found between leaf N, P, K and   available N, P, K content in surface and sub-surface soil. Available N, P and   K content increased over the year under nutrient applied plot that reflected   in yield of arecanut. The average yield in various treatments followed in the   order of T7 > T5 = T6 > T2 = T3 > T4 > T1. The application of   targeted, sufficient and balanced quantities of organic and inorganic   fertilizer will be the need of the hour to make nutrients available for   higher yield, soil fertility maintenance and agricultural sustainability   without polluting environment.
MOTIVACIJA I EMPATIJA KAO KORELATI POMAGAČKOG PONAŠANJA TOKOM POPLAVA U SRBIJI 2014. GODINE
Authors: Trbojević Jovana , Otašević Biljana , Mitrović Dušanka
Published: November 2015

Pomagačko ponašanje spada u prosocijalne oblike ponašanja, a istraživači se najviše interesuju za pokretačke snage pomagačkog ponašanja. Ovo istraživanje se bavi pomagačkim ponašanjem tokom perioda poplava maja 2014. godine u Srbiji, i motivacijom i empatijom kao prediktorima stepena pomaganja. Uzorak se sastojao od 204 osobe koje su pomagale tokom perioda poplava (61.3% ženskog pola), prosečne starosti 29.7 godina. Tokom juna, jula i avgusta, ispitanici su popunjavali Upitnik o načinima i stepenu pomaganja tokom poplava, modifikovan Inventar volonterskih funkcija za procenu motivacije za pomaganje i Upitnik procene spremnosti za empatiju. Polazeći od teorije funkcionalne motivacije, koja izdvaja šest motiva za pomaganje, sprovedena je univarijantna analiza kovarijanse, u kojoj su šest motiva i četiri aspekta empatije bili kontinuirani prediktori i pol kao kategorijalni prediktor stepena pomaganja. Rezultati pokazuju da ovakav prediktivni model objašnjava 30% varijanse pomagačkog ponašanja, a da se kao značajni prediktori ističu motiv Razumevanje i Socijalni motiv, kao i Empatija sa negativnim emocionalnim stanjima. Motivacija osobe da kroz pomaganje upozna svet i svoje sposobnosti, bolje razume ljude i osnaži svoje socijalne interakcije ukazuje na postojanje egoistične, ali i altruističke motivacije tokom perioda poplava u Srbiji. Prilikom ove krizne situacije pokazalo se da relevantnu ulogu ima i empatski paradoks, gde osobe koje imaju viši stepen empatije sa negativnim emocijama osoba u distresu u manjoj meri pomažu usled prevelikog intenziteta empatijske uznemirenosti. Ovi rezultati ukazuju na postojanje i istovremeno delovanje većeg broja motiva, kao i na ulogu empatije u pomaganju. Praktične implikacije nalaza odnose se na mogućnost selekcije pomagača u vreme kriznih situacija.
Algoritmo de classificação de especialistas em áreas na base de currículos Lattes
Authors: Chagas Fellipe de Melo , Pérez-Alcázar José de Jésus , Digiampietri Luciano Antonio
Published: November 2015

Este trabalho propõe um algoritmo para construir um ranking de especialistas na base de currículos Lattes. Para isto, foi elaborado um algoritmo composto por três estágios de processamento: Score Alfa, que analisa os títulos dos documentos baseado na ontologia definida para selecionar os assuntos e importâncias destes assuntos para cada publicação; Score Beta, que analisa a qualidade das publicações utilizando conceitos definidos pela CAPES para beneficiar produções publicadas em veículos mais importantes; e Score Propagated, que analisa a importância de estar bem conectado a demais pesquisadores especialistas propagando o conhecimento obtido. Para o teste de precisão do algoritmo, utilizaram-se dados reais da área de Nanotecnologia.
A method for the identification of collaboration in large scientific databases
Authors: Dias Thiago Magela Rodrigues , Moita Gray Farias
Published: November 2015

The analysis of scientific collaboration networks has contributed significantly to improve the understanding of the collaboration process between researchers. Additionally, it has helped to understand how scientific productions by researchers and research groups evolve. However, the identification of collaborations in large scientific databases is not a trivial task, given the high computational cost of the prevalent methods. This paper proposes a method for identifying collaborations in large scientific databases, namely, ISColl – Identification of Scientific Collaboration. Unlike methods that use techniques such as exhaustive comparisons of publication pairs, the proposed method produces satisfactory results with a low computational cost, thus providing an interesting alternative for the modelling and characterization of large scientific collaboration networks. To demonstrate the potential of the proposed technique, tests were conducted using scientific publications data registered in the Lattes Platform of CNPq, with the obtained results yielding excellent accuracy during the identification of scientific collaborations.
Redes de Citação: estudo de rede de pesquisadores a partir da competência em informação
Authors: Moraes Marcos , Furtado Renata Lira , Tomaél Maria Inês
Published: November 2015

No âmbito da comunicação científica, pesquisadores vêm utilizando a metodologia de Análise de Redes Sociais (ARS) a fim de investigar como ocorre o relacionamento entre pesquisadores/instituições de ensino e pesquisa, organizações e documentos. A pesquisa presente neste artigo se insere nesse contexto: o objetivo foi mapear uma rede de citação dos autores que publicaram trabalhos sobre Competência em Informação (CI) na base de dados Scopus no ano de 2012. Foi utilizada a ARS em conjunto com aspectos técnicos da Análise de Citação para atingir ao objetivo proposto. A rede analisada apresentou um grau de densidade muito baixo, ou seja, houve um baixo índice de citação entre os autores; diferentemente das autocitações, que foram observadas em um número bastante alto. Foi possível constatar que determinados autores exercem grande importância por serem bastante citados pelos colegas. No caso da rede em questão, Christine Bruce foi identificada como a mais citada pelos colegas. Novas pesquisas similares podem ser realizadas se analisados outros períodos e canais de comunicação a fim de estabelecer comparações para se adensar o conhecimento sobre o comportamento dos pesquisadores dessa área.
Letramento Informacional e Midiático para professores do século XXI
Authors: Ribeiro Leila Alves Medeiros , Gasque Kelley Cristine Gonçalves Dias
Published: November 2015

A sociedade contemporânea passa por mudanças profundas na estrutura desde que passou a agir em um sistema de rede conectado digitalmente. A transformação sistêmica alterou os processos das esferas da sociedade em especial na área da educação. Este artigo objetiva fomentar a discussão acerca da formação de professores no século XXI por meio da revisão de questões como o contexto de aprendizagem contemporâneo, a relação entre professores e mídias, bem como apresenta levantamento de pesquisas sobre o letramento informacional e midiático na formação de professores com o foco na educação básica. Os resultados mostram poucas pesquisas sobre formação docente e letramento informacional. Em sua maior parte, centram-se no bibliotecário no papel de educador ou nos professores dos cursos de graduação e pós-graduação de biblioteconomia ou tecnologias. Ao contrário, os trabalhos científicos sobre letramento midiático/digital e a formação docente no Brasil tem bastante tradição e apresenta variedade e franca ampliação.
Gestão do conhecimento e desafios educacionais contemporâneos
Authors: Llarena Rosilene Agapito da Silva , Duarte Emeide Nóbrega , Santos Raquel do Rosário
Published: November 2015

Discute a importância da Gestão do Conhecimento (GC) frente aos desafios educacionais contemporâneos no contexto das políticas públicas brasileiras; defende a ideia da importância social da GC nos processos educacionais, por meio de procedimentos mediativos, tanto para caracterizar as organizações educativas como para a necessidade de formar ou educar. Em termos metodológicos, apresenta sinalizações a partir da pesquisa bibliográfica e exploratória acerca da GC e seus processos teórico-metodológicos e de mediação frente às necessidades educacionais contemporâneas. Apresenta três fases: a primeira, de classificação, leitura, análise, interpretação e discussão dos documentos bibliográficos; a segunda, de adequação dos textos estudados aos objetivos da pesquisa; por fim, o estudo sobre os desafios e as políticas públicas educacionais frente à GC por meio de processos mediativos. Resulta na apresentação de um modelo que facilitará a organização estrutural de instituições de ensino e as políticas públicas educacionais face ao imperativo de GC e aos desafios educacionais contemporâneos.
Memória, patrimônio, bibliotecas nacionais e a construção da identidade coletiva
Authors: Rodrigues Marcia
Published: November 2015

Este trabalho visa contribuir para o entendimento da relação entre as bibliotecas e a construção da memória coletiva e suas implicações na preservação do patrimônio cultural nacional. Para tanto, realiza uma revisão teórica sobre memória e patrimônio, fundamentada em importantes estudiosos da área. Igualmente, elabora uma revisão sobre o surgimento das bibliotecas nacionais, fundamentada em autores contemporâneos. Na sequência, tece considerações a respeito da missão institucional das bibliotecas nacionais, traçando um breve esboço da trajetória histórica da Biblioteca Nacional brasileira, demonstrando seu papel na salvaguarda do patrimônio bibliográfico do país.
Coleta de dados a partir de imagens: considerações sobre a privacidade dos usuários em redes sociais
Authors: Assumpção Fabrício Silva , Santana Ricardo Cesar Gonçalves , Santos Plácida Leopoldina V.A. da Costa
Published: November 2015

Considerando a privacidade dos dados dos usuários nas redes sociais, o papel das imagens nas redes sociais e as imagens como fontes de dados, objetiva-se identificar como a coleta de dados a partir de imagens é tratada no Facebook e no Instagram. Para isso, são identificados os principais métodos utilizados para a coleta de dados a partir de imagens no Facebook e no Instagram, as menções à coleta de dados a partir das imagens nas políticas dessas redes sociais, e as opções dos usuários para a configuração desta coleta. Conclui-se que as políticas dessas redes sociais se mostram vagas em diversos momentos no que diz respeito à coleta de dados a partir de imagens, sem especificar quais dados são coletados e listando itens apenas com caráter exemplificativo. Essas conclusões ressaltam a necessidade de conscientização dos usuários de redes sociais acerca de sua privacidade durante a coleta de dados.
Scapular Malunion in a Vietnam War Veteran: Superior Medial Angle of the Scapula Impinging on the Clavicle
Authors: Sorenson Scott M. , Armstrong April D.
Published: November 2015

Case:

Scapular malunion can be overlooked as a source of substantial upper-extremity pain and dysfunction and can generate unnecessary studies or treatments. We present the case of a Vietnam War veteran who sustained a projectile injury in the left shoulder and had persistent symptoms limiting his activity and quality of life for a number of years until surgical resection was performed.

Conclusion:

Scapular malunion should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a patient presenting with persistent upper-extremity pain and weakness following scapular fracture. Making the correct diagnosis based on the history, examination, and imaging will prevent unnecessary studies and invasive procedures.
Conventional Chondrosarcoma Diagnosed After Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Morehouse Hannah A. , Wilson David J. , Cannon Christopher P. , Manoso Mark W.
Published: November 2015

Case:

Three years after a total knee arthroplasty, the patient presented with persistent pain and an enlarging intra-articular periprosthetic mass. Attempts at nonoperative treatment and arthroscopic debridement were unsuccessful. A biopsy revealed a large, intermediate-grade chondrosarcoma involving the joint space. The patient was treated with an above-the-knee amputation, but eventually died as a result of widespread metastatic disease.

Conclusion:

To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of chondrosarcoma involving the joint space that was diagnosed after total knee arthroplasty. This case demonstrates the need for increased awareness when there are suspicious clinical findings and the importance of diagnosing and/or treating tumors prior to or shortly after total joint arthroplasty.
Survival without Neurological Impairment After Complete Dislocation of the C7 Vertebral Body
Authors: Kyrylenko Mykola , Karadas Ender , Pienaar Simon-John , Fialka Christian
Published: November 2015

Case:

We report a case of a forty-one-year-old woman who sustained a C7/T1 fracture-dislocation due to a vehicle rollover accident. Despite complete dislocation of the C7 vertebral body, no subsequent injury-related neurological deficit occurred. After the initial survey, injury evaluation with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging was performed. Immediate open reduction and internal fixation included anterior plating and interbody arthrodesis from C6 to T1 with an iliac crest bone graft. The patient was discharged home ten days postoperatively. Sufficient osseous consolidation was confirmed after two months.

Conclusion:

Immediate surgical treatment in this case resulted in an excellent short-term clinical outcome. Other treatment alternatives are discussed.
Influence of fat content and starter cultures on the quality of fermented dairy products
Authors: Ilicic Mirela , Milanovic Spasenija , Hrnjez Dajana , Kanuric Katarina , Vukic Vladimir , Ranogajec Marjan
Published: November 2015

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of fat content and
type of the starter culture (traditional or probiotic) on physico-chemical
quality, rheological and textural characteristics of the fermented dairy
products during 14 days of storage. Seven different fermented dairy products
of two different groups: stirred and set yoghurts were used in this study.
The rheological and textural characteristics of the analyzed type of
fermented dairy products after the production and during storage are
dependent on the chemical composition, particularly fat content.
Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) essential oil and extracts obtained by supercritical fluid extraction
Authors: Zekovic Zoran , Filip Snezana , Vidovic Senka , Adamovic Dusan , Elgndi Ahmed
Published: November 2015

The extracts obtained from sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) by
hydrodistillation and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) were qualitative
and quantitative analyzed by GC-MS and GC-FID. Essential oil (EO) content of
basil sample, determined by an official method, was 0.565% (V/w). The yields
of basil obtained by SFE were from 0.719 to 1.483% (w/w), depending on the
supercritical fluid (carbon dioxide) density (from 0.378 to 0.929 g mL-1).
The dominant compounds detected in all investigated samples (EO obtained by
hydrodistillation and different SFE extracts) were: linalool, as the major
compound of basil EO (content from 10.14 to 49.79%, w/w), eugenol (from 3.74
to 9.78%) and ?-cardinene (from 3.94 to 8.07%). The quantitative results of
GC-MS from peak areas and by GC-FID using external standard method involving
main standards, were compared and discussed.
Nonlocal vibration of a fractional order viscoelastic nanobeam with attached nanoparticle
Authors: Cajic Milan , Karlicic Danilo , Lazarevic Mihailo
Published: November 2015

We propose a novel mathematical framework to examine the free damped
transverse vibration of a nanobeam by using the nonlocal theory of Eringen
and fractional derivative viscoelasticity. The motion equation of a nanobeam
with arbitrary attached nanoparticle is derived by considering the nonlocal
viscoelastic constitutive equation involving fractional order derivatives and
using the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. The solution is proposed by using the
method of separation of variables. Eigenvalues and mode shapes are determined
for three typical boundary conditions. The fractional order differential
equation in terms of a time function is solved by using the Laplace transform
method. Time dependent behavior is examined by observing the time function
for different values of fractional order parameter and different ratios of
other parameters in the model. Validation study is performed by comparing the
obtained results for a special case of our model with corresponding molecular
dynamics simulation results found in the literature.
Boundary Layer Characteristics over Aindanda Low-Mountain Pass of Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
Authors: Shrestha Saraswati , Shrestha Sajan , Maharjan Sangeeta , Regmi Ram P.
Published: November 2015

The early monsoon time boundary layer characteristics prevailing over Aindanda low-mountain pass of Kathmandu valley has been continuously monitored for the period of 11 to 24 June 2013. The study reveals that the Aindanda pass channels regional air masses from the western neighboring valley up into the Kathmandu valley as westerly/ northwesterly winds during the daytime whereas it drains air mass out of the valley during night-time. The speed of the westerly/northwesterly wind over the pass often exceeds 6.5 ms-1 during the late afternoon. Nighttime mixing layer height (MLH) was highly fluctuating with an average around 300m whereas daytime MLH was suppressed limiting it in between 290-450m above the ground in early part of the day but reduced to 210-270m during the late afternoon. Comparison of diurnal variation of mixing layer height at Aindanda with that of the central area of the valley floor strongly suggests that air mass intruding into the Kathmandu valley through this pass is a cool density flow over the weakly stratified mixed layer of valley. The structure of the wind channeled through this pass indicates the possibility of making hydraulic jump in the western part of the Kathmandu valley, particularly, during the late afternoon time.Journal of Institute of Science and Technology, 2015, 20(2): 22-30
Religion and Conservation: A Review of Use and Protection of Sacred Plants and Animals in Nepal
Authors: Niroula Ghanashyam , Singh N.B.
Published: November 2015

The objective of this paper is to examine the socio-cultural and spiritual values of plants and animals. It focuses on how religious beliefs and practices affect the way these species are understood, utilized and managed. Large number of plant and animal species with religious importance has been found to be conserved and protected in Nepal. Religious prospect has played a significant role in conservation of plants and animals.Journal of Institute of Science and Technology, 2015, 20(2): 61-66
New Discovery of Late Pleistocene Vertebrate Fossils from the Thimi Formation, Bhaktapur, Nepal
Authors: Paudayal Khum N.
Published: November 2015

The fluvio-deltaic deposit of the Thimi Formation constitutes the uppermost part of the sedimentary sequence in the Kathmandu Basin, and is consists of carbonaceous clay, diatomaceous clay, silty-clay, silt, fine to medium grained sand, and thin to medium lignite beds. A 25 m thick fresh surface exposure of this formation at Phaidhoka, Bhaktapur yielded significant number of vertebrate fossils. The vertebrate fossils recovered from a sand bed at 14 m from the bottom of the sequence consist of six teeth. The teeth were identified as Bovid teeth. Along with Bovid molars fragments of limb and pelvic bones were also found belonging to the same individual.Journal of Institute of Science and Technology, 2015, 20(2): 73-75
A New Algorithm for Solving Linear Bottleneck Assignment Problem
Authors: Pundir Pramendra Singh , Porwal Sandeep Kumar , Singh Brijesh P
Published: November 2015

Linear bottleneck assignment problems have wide range of applications in emergency situation like call for fire fighters, ambulances etc. This paper presents a new simple but faster algorithm for solving linear bottleneck assignment problems, so that in such emergent situation efficient and faster decision taking could be make possible. Some examples are also discussed to explain the procedure.Journal of Institute of Science and Technology, 2015, 20(2): 101-102
Size Sensitive Transport Behavior of Liquid Metallic Mixtures
Authors: Singh Bhrigunandan Prasad , Koirala Ishwar
Published: November 2015

We have used a formalism that connects thermodynamic and transport properties. The formalism has been used to calculate the Gibb’s free energy of mixing, concentration fluctuations in the long wavelength limit, diffusion coefficients and viscosity in Cu-Tl, Cu-Pb and Sn-Tl binary liquid alloys at 1573K, 1473K and 723K respectively with aid of size effect and no size effect. Our calculations show that appreciable size ratio has more effects on the transport properties as compared to thermodynamic properties of homo-coordinated liquid alloys Cu-Tl, Cu-Pb and Sn-Tl.Journal of Institute of Science and Technology, 2015, 20(2): 140-144
Mediating Tragedy: Facebook, Aboriginal Peoples and Suicide
Authors: Carlson Bronwyn Lee , Farrelly Terri , Frazer Ryan , Borthwick Fiona
Published: November 2015

Some Australian Aboriginal communities experience suicide rates that are among the highest in the world. They are also, however, avid social media users—approximately 20% higher than the national average. This article presents some preliminary findings from a current national study, funded by the Australian Research Council, titled Aboriginal identity and community online: a sociological exploration of Aboriginal peoples’ use of online social media. The purpose of the study is to gain insights into how Aboriginal peoples utilise and interact on social media, and how these technologies can assist with suicide prevention strategies. It found that Aboriginal people are engaging with Facebook to both seek and offer help for issues relating to suicide and self-harm. An existing continuum of suicide prevention strategies was evident—from light emotional support to direct suicide intervention involving health services. These strategies can be leveraged to implement effective and appropriate suicide prevention programs.
Citizen Perceptions of E-Government in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Authors: Ahmed Khosro Mohammad , Campbell John
Published: November 2015

Despite increasing investment by governments globally, citizens in some countries are less willing to engage with e-government innovations. While previous studies have examined what might encourage citizens to adopt e-government services more broadly, further research is required to understand those factors that impede or enable e government adoption in countries that have, or are in the process of, transitioning to democratic self-rule. This study is the first to investigate citizen attitudes to e-government adoption in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and thus provides insight into the factors affecting the adoption of e-government within an emerging democratic state. This study also distinguishes between two types of e-government services; informational and transactional. Thus a research model with two elements is developed and tested; one for intention to use informational e government and one for intention to use transactional e-government. Data were collected through a survey administered to university students and non-academic employees in Arbil the capital city of Kurdistan, and analysed using structural equation modelling. Perceived usefulness, social influence, trust in government and perceived risk were found to be significantly and directly associated with the intention to use both kinds of e-government services. However perceptions of ease of use, information quality and trust in the Internet were not significant.
Editorial for the Indigenous use of Information and Communication Technologies Section
Authors: Radoll Peter John , Campbell John
Published: November 2015

Editorial for the Indigenous use of Information and Communication Technologies Section
Posterior cervical spinal fusion in a 3-week-old infant with a severe subaxial distraction injury
Authors: Holland Christopher M. , Kebriaei Meysam A. , Wrubel David M.
Published: November 2015

Unstable spinal injuries in the neonate pose particular challenges in the clinical and radiographic assessment as well as the surgical stabilization of the spine. In this report, the authors present the unfortunate case of a 3-week-old infant who suffered a severe subaxial cervical fracture dislocation with spinal cord injury that occurred as a result of nonaccidental trauma. Imaging demonstrated severe distraction at C5–6 and near-complete spinal cord transection resulting in quadri-paresis. Open surgical reduction was performed with noninstrumented posterior fusion augmented with split rib autograft and recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2. Postoperative imaging demonstrated progressive bony fusion at 2 months, and clinical examination findings progressed to a motor examination classification of ASIA C. At 2 years, the fusion mass is stable and cervical alignment is maintained. The patient remains flaccid in the bilateral lower extremities, but has movement with some dexterity in both hands. Follow-up MRI shows severe spinal cord injury with evidence of bilateral C-5 nerve root avulsions. This case represents the first report of spinal fusion in an infant of less than 1 month of age. Given the extreme young age of the patient, the diagnostic challenges as well as the mechanical and technical considerations of surgical fusion are discussed.
Rescue N-butyl-2 cyanoacrylate embolectomy using a Solitaire FR device after venous glue migration during arteriovenous malformation embolization: technical note
Authors: Fahed Robert , Clarençon Frédéric , Sourour Nader-Antoine , Chauvet Dorian , Le Jean Lise , Chiras Jacques , Di Maria Federico
Published: November 2015

One of the procedural risks in arteriovenous malformation (AVM) embolization is possible migration of the embolic agent into the venous drainage with an incomplete nidus occlusion, which may lead to severe hemorrhagic complications.

This report presents the case of a 29-year-old man who presented with a deep intraparenchymal hematoma on the left side secondary to the spontaneous rupture of a claustral AVM. Upon resorption of the hematoma, the patient underwent an initial therapeutic session of N-butyl-2 cyanoacrylate endovascular embolization, with the purpose of reducing the AVM volume and flow before performing Gamma Knife radiosurgery. After glue injection into one of the arterial feeders, the control angiography showed a partial migration of the glue cast into the straight sinus, with most of the nidus still visible. Because of the bleeding risk due to possible venous hypertension, it was decided to try to retrieve the glue from the vein by using a stent retriever via jugular access. This maneuver allowed a nearly complete removal of the glue cast, thereby restoring normal venous flow drainage. The patient showed no clinical worsening after the procedure.

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of the use of the Solitaire FR device as a rescue glue retriever. This method should be considered by physicians in cases of unintended glue migration into the venous circulation during AVM embolization.
The SPA arrangement of the branches of the upper trunk of the brachial plexus: a correction of a longstanding misconception and a new diagram of the brachial plexus
Authors: Hanna Amgad
Published: November 2015

OBJECT

Brachial plexus (BP) diagrams in most textbooks and papers represent the branches and divisions of the upper trunk (UT) in the following sequence from cranial to caudal: suprascapular nerve, anterior division, and then posterior division. This concept contradicts what is seen in the operating room and is noticed by most peripheral nerve surgeons. This cadaveric study was conducted to look specifically at the exact pattern of branching of the upper trunk of the BP.

METHODS

Ten cadavers (20 BPs) were dissected. Both supra- and infraclavicular exposures were performed. The clavicle was retracted or resected to identify the divisions of the BP. A posterior approach was used in 2 cases.

RESULTS

In all dissections the origin of the posterior division was in a more cranial and dorsal plane in relation to the anterior division. In most dissections the supra scapular nerve branched off distally from the UT, giving it the appearance of a trifurcation, taking off just cranial and dorsal to the posterior division. The branching pattern of the UT consistently had the following sequential arrangement from cranial and posterior to caudal and anterior: suprascapular nerve (S), posterior division (P), and anterior division (A), hence the acronym SPA.

CONCLUSIONS

Supraclavicular exposure of the BP exposes only the trunks and divisions. Recognizing the “SPA” arrangement of the branches helps in identifying the correct targets for neurotization, especially given that these 3 branches are the most common targets for BP repair. Understanding the anatomy means better surgical planning and better patient outcomes.
Late malignant transformation of vestibular schwannoma in the absence of irradiation: case report
Authors: Bashir Asma , Poulsgaard Lars , Broholm Helle , Fugleholm Kåre
Published: November 2015

Late malignant transformation of vestibular schwannoma (VS) following irradiation has previously been reported 29 times in the literature. Here, the authors report the first late malignant transformation of VS unrelated to neurofibromatosis or radiation exposure. After undergoing a near-total excision of a histologically benign VS, the patient developed malignant regrowth of the tumor remnant 42 months after the primary excision. This case challenges the dogmatic belief of absolute causality between radiation exposure and late malignant transformation of VS, and has important implications regarding future counseling and consent for the treatment of patients with VS.
The Trouble with Bromine: Health and Environmental Impacts of Organobromine Compounds
Authors: Rae Ian D.
Published: November 2015

The bromine atom was a definitive constituent of a number of industrial chemicals that were produced in very large quantities and performed useful functions in society until unexpected environmental impacts emerged and international actions were taken to curb their effects. Change was slow in coming because it took roughly half a century for awareness to bring about change. Ethylene dibromide was a fuel additive that removed lead deposits from internal combustion engines using the octane enhancer tetraethyl lead. However, while bromine protected the engine, it released the lead into the environment, damaging the health of urban populations. Methyl bromide was the preeminent agricultural fumigant and bromofluoro-compounds were leading fire suppressants until they were phased out under the Montreal Protocol to protect the ozone layer. Brominated flame retardants leaked out of plastic materials and migrated to cold regions, where they bioaccumulated along food chains and affected the development of birds and marine mammals. The worst offenders have now been banned under the Stockholm Convention. Industrial chemists have responded to these unexpected environmental impacts, which are examples of Rumsfeld's 'unknown unknowns', by creating safer but still effective alternatives. Continued environmental monitoring is needed to guard against more 'surprises'.
Water and Food Security in the Arab Countries: National and Regional Implications
Authors: Ferragina Eugenia , Canitano Giovanni
Published: November 2015

Water and food security issues appear to be of particular concern for Southern and Eastern Mediterranean Countries where natural resources are under climate and population stress. The paper intends to analyse water and food security issues in the SEMCs and their domestic and regional implications. The water-food nexus explains how water consumption is strictly linked to the production, consumption and trading system of agro-food products. The trade liberalisation process imposed by the Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPs) has fostered a specialisation in highly water-intensive agricultural products, such as fruit and vegetables. The dependence on imports for basic foodstuffs related to this production pattern make SEMCs particularly vulnerable to price fluctuation on international markets, and this situation had particular political repercussions during the global food crisis of 2008 and 2011, somehow contributing to the outburst of the Arab Spring. Water and food security are here explored in a geopolitical dimension. Demographic pressure and climatic hazards, in recent years, have strongly undermined water and food security in the region, creating the conditions for ever-stronger competition for water and land. The paper intends to present some competition scenarios relating to both large international water basins and fossil water aquifers shared by various countries; and it also discusses another important driver of change in SEMCs: the explosion of land deals (land grabbing). Facing global challenges - climatic change, demographic growth, human pressure over natural resources, global food crisis, competition over land and water - it is vital for SEMCs to improve water and food security, developing a new 'green revolution' able to restore the capacity of land and water in order to regenerate their service over time, and creating the conditions for a long-term resilient agriculture.
Technical Solutions to Avoid Water Conflicts: The Red Sea-Dead Sea Canal Project
Authors: Quagliarotti Desirée A.L.
Published: November 2015

On 9 December 2013, Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the World Bank Headquarters in Washington. This deal aims to develop a desalination plant in Aqaba, Jordan's port on the Red Sea in order to produce water which will be shared between Israel and Jordan. The project can be considered as a 'pilot scheme', or even as the first stage, of a potential Red-Dead project to test the environmental impact of adding a mix of the Red Sea water and desalination byproduct to the Dead Sea.
This article aims to describe the Red Sea-Dead Sea Conveyance Project (RSDSCP), considering the ongoing debate about its possible environmental impacts and trying to identify the real goals that are driving interested parties to undertake so costly and risky a mega-project. To do so, it is necessary to consider the hydrological characteristics of the region and, above all, to take a step back in history to reconstruct the hydropolitical processes that have taken place since the defeat of the Ottoman Empire during the World War I. Possible alternatives to the project that could be more efficient from a socio-economic and environmental point of view will also be outlined.
Where is Environmental History Going?
Authors: McNeill John R. , Agnoletti Mauro
Published: November 2015

John R. McNeill interviewed by Mauro Agnoletti
'Go after a man-eater that has killed a hundred people? Not on your life!'
Authors: Mandala Vijaya Ramadas
Published: November 2015

This paper offers a series of reflections on the life and work of Jim Corbett, the well-known hunter and conservationist in colonial India. As I show, Corbett emerged as a unique individual in colonial India, who, despite being an integral part of the British colonial establishment, held another set of views when it came to conservation. Unlike other colonial hunters in India, what distinguished Corbett was his relationship to the local populace and to tigers which points to the quintessential paradox of hunting and conservation that emerged in early-twentieth century India. For Jim Corbett, as this paper argues, conservation was not so much an abstract idea or concept, but an extension of his own persona, an individualised take on his immediate environment. As such his persona introduces interesting inflections into any simplistic binary of coloniser and colonised, powerful and feeble, hunter and hunted - thus presenting Corbett in a different light than that which the prevailing discourse on hunting and conservation would shed. Corbett's role was unusual, not only in that he substituted the camera for the gun, but also in his localised approach, and in his conservation cause, which evinces respect for tigers. Despite such caveats, this paper argues that Corbett remained a staunch loyalist to the Raj.
Leaving Lohāchāra: On circuits of emplacement and displacement in the Ganges Delta
Authors: Harms Arne
Published: November 2015

In this paper I focus on the disappearance of the small island of Lohācharā. Once situated in the Indian part of the Ganges Delta, the island fell prey to drawn-out processes of coastal erosion. Later it rose to fame as being the sunken home to India’s – or the world’s – very first climate refugees. Based on fieldwork among displaced and resettled islanders, I engage with the past of the island and its inhabitants. In doing this I show that the displacements resulting from the island’s erosion do not mark a singular moment of victimisation or loss, but are better to be understood as instances in a broader pattern of repeated losses, enforced mobilities and arrivals. I call this a circuit of displacement and emplacement. Framing an overall sense of the past among islanders, it also helps to understand the experience of erosions itself. The latter translated into multiple displacements by islanders-turned-squatters who had to move repeatedly with the receding coastline.

While many islanders managed to secure resettlements on a nearby island, the sense of instability associated with repeated losses continued to permeate the present. I show that islanders’ fear of new rounds of erosion is great, as is the widespread mistrust. The newly emplaced lands emerge thus as endangered either by hazardous waters or by volatile party politics.

While the sinking of Lohācharā is certainly not reducible to climate change, it helps to critically engage with the role of islands within current debates surrounding it. I argue that the recent preoccupation of climate change debates with small island states overshadows the suffering entailed in the sinking of marginal islands elsewhere. Moving through a set of glimpses into pasts not forgotten, I conclude that the point is not whether the territory of a state is threatened, but rather how threatened the state of the citizenship is among islanders.
Invasive species as 'natural hazards' in small island geographical and historical contexts
Authors: Mathewson Kent
Published: November 2015

Although the role of invasive species in altering the environment in small island contexts is a well-recognised problem and topic in environmental history, including viewing invasive species as ‘natural hazards’, studies have been primarily focused on single islands or associated groups of islands, and usually within the scope of the past few centuries, or since the global expansion of European colonialism. In this paper, I expand the time frame to include pre-modern patterns and processes of human-abetted species invasion in small island contexts.
UCH-L1 Inhibition Decreases the Microtubule-Binding Function of Tau Protein
Authors: Xie Min , Han Yun , Yu Quntao , Wang Xia , Wang Shaohui , Liao Xiaomei
Published: November 2015

Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1) is critical for protein degradation and free ubiquitin recycling. In Alzheimer’s disease brains, UCH-L1 is negatively related to neurofibrillary tangles whose major component is hyperphosphorylated tau protein, but the direct action of UCH-L1 on tau has not been reported. In the current study, mouse neuroblastoma Neuro2a (N2a) cells were treated by the different concentrations of UCH-L1 inhibitor LDN (2.5, 5 and 10 μM) to inhibit the hydrolase activity of UCH-L1. In addition, we also used UCH-L1 siRNA to treat the HEK293/tau441 cells to decrease the expression of UCH-L1. After LDN and UCH-L1 siRNA treatment, we used immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation, and tau-microtubule binding assay to measure the microtubule-binding ability and post-translational modifications of tau protein. All the results presented that both inhibition of the activity and expression of UCH-L1 induced the decreased microtubule-binding ability and increased phosphorylation of tau protein. Abnormal aggregation and ubiquitination of tau protein was also observed after UCH-L1 inhibition. The above results suggested that aggregation of tau protein might be devoted to the abnormal post-translational modifications of tau protein. Our study first indicates that dysfunction of UCH-L1 most likely affected normal biological function of tau protein through decreasing degradation of ubiquitinated and hyperphosphorylated tau.
Welcome Back to Your Future: The Assessment of Dementia by the Latent Variable “δ”
Authors: Royall Donald R.
Published: November 2015

The latent variable “δ” (for “dementia”) has been proposed as a phenotype for all cause dementia. δ is extracted from cognitive batteries by a specific confirmatory factor analysis in a structural equation modeling framework. δ appears to be uniquely responsible for cognition’s association with functional status. Because it is extracted from Spearman’s general intelligence factor “g”, this has broad implications for dementia’s assessment and pathophysiology. This issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease brings together several demonstrations of δ’s psychometric properties by investigative groups from three continents. In their aggregate, they suggest that δ homologs may have far ranging applications in dementia’s clinical assessment and biomarker selection.
δ Scores are Exportable Across Cultural and Linguistic Boundaries
Authors: Royall Donald R. , Palmer Raymond F. , Matsuoka Teruyuki , Kato Yuka , Taniguchi Shogo , Ogawa Mayu , Fujimoto Hiroshi , Okamura Aiko , Shibata Keisuke , Nakamura Kaeko , Nakaaki Shutaro , Koumi Hiroyuki , Mimura Masaru , Fukui Kenji , Narumoto Jin
Published: November 2015

The latent variable “δ”, can accurately diagnose dementia. Its generalizability across populations is unknown. We constructed a δ homolog (“dT2J”) in data collected by the Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium (TARCC). From this, we calculated a composite d-score “d”. We then tested d’s generalizability across random subsets of TARCC participants and to a convenience sample of elderly Japanese persons with normal cognition (NC), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia (AD) (n = 176). dT2J was indicated by Instrumental Activities of Daily Living and psychometric measures. Embedded in this battery were the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and an executive clock-drawing task (CLOX). Only MMSE and CLOX were available in both TARCC and the Japanese cohort. Therefore, a second composite variable, “T2J”, was constructed solely from the factor loadings of CLOX and MMSE on d. The diagnostic accuracy of T2J was estimated in the validation sample, the remainder of the TARCC cohort, and in the Japanese sample. The areas under the receiver operating curve (AUC; ROC) for T2J were compared in each sample, and against d in TARCC. The AUCs for T2J were statistically indiscriminable within TARCC, and in Japanese persons. In Japanese persons, AUCs for T2J were 0.97 for the discrimination between AD versus NC, 0.86 for AD versus MCI, and 0.79 for NC versus MCI. The AUCs for T2J in Japanese persons were higher than any individual psychometric measure in that sample. Valid d-score composites can be extracted from a subset of δ’s indicators. Moreover, those composites are exportable across cultural and linguistic boundaries.
The Utilization of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness to Predict Cognitive Deterioration
Authors: Shi Zhongyong , Zhu Yingbo , Wang Meijuan , Wu Yujie , Cao Jing , Li Chunbo , Xie Zhongcong , Shen Yuan
Published: November 2015

Our previous studies have shown that longitudinal reduction in retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness is associated with cognitive deterioration. However, whether the combination of longitudinal reduction in RNFL thickness with baseline episodic memory performance can better predict cognitive deterioration remains unknown. Therefore, we set out to re-analyze the data obtained from our previous studies with 78 elderly adults (mean age 74.4 ± 3.83 years, 48.7% male) in the community over a 25-month period. The participants were categorized as either stable participants whose cognitive status did not change (n = 60) or converted participants whose cognitive status deteriorated (n = 18). A logistic regression analysis was applied to determine a conversion score for predicting the cognitive deterioration in the participants. We found that the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the multivariable model was 0.854 (95% CI 0.762–0.947) using baseline story recall as a predictor, but the AUC increased to 0.915 (95% CI 0.849–0.981) with the addition of the longitudinal reduction of RNFL thickness in the inferior quadrant. The conversion score was significantly higher for the converted participants than the stable participants (0.59 ± 0.30 versus 0.12 ± 0.19, p <  0.001). Finally, the optimal cutoff value of the conversion score (0.134) was determined by the analysis of receiver operating characteristic curve, and this conversion score generated a sensitivity of 0.944 and a specificity of 0.767 in predicting the cognitive deterioration. These findings have established a system to perform a larger scale study to further test whether the longitudinal reduction in RNFL thickness could serve as a biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease.