bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and Co-Occurrence of Heavy Drinking and Anxiety and Mood Disorders Among Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Canadians
Authors: Pakula Basia , Shoveller Jean , Ratner Pamela A. , Carpiano Richard
Published: March 2016

Objectives. To investigate the prevalence and co-occurrence of heavy drinking, anxiety, and mood disorders among Canadians who self-identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or heterosexual.

Methods. Pooled data from the 2007 to 2012 cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (n = 222 548) were used to fit logistic regression models controlling for sociodemographic characteristics.

Results. In adjusted logistic regression models, gay or lesbian respondents had greater odds than heterosexual respondents of reporting anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and anxiety–mood disorders. Bisexual respondents had greater odds of reporting anxiety disorders, mood disorders, anxiety–mood disorders, and heavy drinking. Gay or lesbian and bisexual respondents had greater odds than heterosexuals of reporting co-occurring anxiety or mood disorders and heavy drinking. The highest rates of disorders were observed among bisexual respondents, with nearly quadruple the rates of anxiety, mood, and combined anxiety and mood disorders relative to heterosexuals and approximately twice the rates of gay or lesbian respondents.

Conclusions. Members of sexual minority groups in Canada, in particular those self-identifying as bisexual, experience disproportionate rates of anxiety and mood disorders, heavy drinking, and co-occurring disorders.
Numerical Analysis of the Source of Excessive Na+ and Cl- Species in Flowback Water From Hydraulically Fractured Shale Formations
Authors: Seales Maxian B. , Dilmore Robert , Ertekin Turgay , Wang John Yilin
Published: March 2016

Fracture fluid is composed of fresh water, proppant, and a small percentage of other additives, which support the hydraulic-fracturing process. Excluding situations in which flowback water is recycled and reused, the total dissolved solids in fracture fluid is limited to the fluid additives, such as potassium chloride (1 to 7 wt% KCL), which is used as a clay stabilizer to minimize clay swelling and clay-particle migration. However, the composition of recovered fluid, especially as it relates to the total dissolved solids (TDS), is always substantially different from the injected fracture fluid.

The ability to predict flowback-water volume and composition is useful when planning for the management or reuse of this aqueous byproduct stream. In this work, an ion-transport and halite-dissolution model was coupled with a fully implicit, dual-porosity, numerical simulator to study the source of the excess solutes in flowback water and to predict the concentration of both Na+ and Cl− species seen in recovered water. The results showed that mixing alone, between the injected fracture fluid and concentrated in-situ formation brine, could not account for the substantial rise in TDS seen in flowback water. Instead, the results proved that halite dissolution is a major contributor to the change in TDS seen in fracture fluid during injection and recovery. Halite dissolution can account for as much as 81% of Cl− and 86.5% of Na+ species seen in 90-day flowback water; mixing, between the injected fracture fluid and in-situ concentrated brine, accounts for approximately 19% of Cl− and 13% of Na+.
Adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of pharmaceuticals and pesticides by carbon doped-TiO2 coated on zeolites under solar light irradiation
Authors: An Ye , de Ridder David Johannes , Zhao Chun , Schoutteten Klaas , Bussche Julie Vanden , Zheng Huaili , Chen Gang , Vanhaecke Lynn
Published: March 2016

To evaluate the performance of zeolite-supported carbon-doped TiO2 composite catalysts toward target pollutants under solar light irradiation, the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of 18 pharmaceuticals and pesticides with distinguishing features (molecular size and volume, and photolysis) were investigated using mordenite zeolites with SiO2/Al2O3 ratios of 18 and 240. Different quantities of carbon-doped TiO2 were coated on the zeolites, and then the finished composite catalysts were tested in demineralized, surface, and hospital wastewater samples, respectively. The composite photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and surface area and porosity analyses. Results showed that a dispersed layer of carbon-doped TiO2 is formed on the zeolite surface; this layer blocks the micropores of zeolites and reduces their surface area. However, these reductions did not significantly affect adsorption onto the zeolites. Our results demonstrated that zeolite-supported carbon-doped TiO2 systems can effectively degrade 18 pharmaceuticals and pesticides in demineralized water under natural and simulated solar light irradiation. In surface and hospital wastewaters, zeolite-supported carbon-doped TiO2 systems present excellent anti-interference capability against radical scavengers and competitive organics for pollutants removal, and higher pollutants adsorption on zeolites evidently enhances the removal rate of target pollutants in surface and hospital wastewater samples with a complicated matrix.
Comparison of Neural Networks and Logistic Regression in Assessing the Occurrence of Failures in Steel Structures of Transmission Lines
Authors: Bissacot A.C.G , Salgado S.A.B , Balestrassi P.P , Paiva A.P , Zambroni Souza A.C , Wazen R.
Published: March 2016

In this work, we evaluate the probability of falling metal structures from transmission lines. It is our objective to extract knowledge about which variables influence the mechanical behavior of the operating lines and can be used to diagnose potential falling towers. Those pieces of information can become a basis for directing the investments of reinforcement structures, avoiding the occurrence of long turn offs and high costs as a consequence of damage to towers of transmission lines. The results are obtained using the history of 181 metal structures currently in operation in the state of Paraná/Brazil. For the classification of transmission lines susceptible to failures it is proposed to identify the most likely lines considering the following parameters: operating voltage, wind and relief of the region, air masses, temperature, land type, mechanical capacity, function and foundation structure. The classic technique of classifying binary events used in this type of problem is the logistic regression (LR). The more recent technique for classification, using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) can also be applied. The results are compared through the area under receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves.
Lengthening Over an Existing Intramedullary Nail In Cases of Post-traumatic Femoral Shortening. Technical Note. Case Series Study
Authors: Boutsiadis Achilleas , Iosifidou Eirini , Nikolaos Xilouris , Hatzokos Ippokratis
Published: March 2016

Background:

Intramedullary (IM) nailing is the method of choice for the treatment of most femoral shaft fractures. However, despite successful solid union, great initial fracture comminution can lead to significant leg length discrepancy affecting normal gait mechanics. Femoral osteotomy and distraction osteogenesis over the pre-existing IM nail could restore this limb inequality.

Methods:

Five patients with an average post-traumatic femoral shortening of 3.83 cm were presented in our department with the nailin situ. Limb lengthening was achieved with the application of a distal hybrid external rail frame over the pre-existing nail. We assumed that the choice of a distal external fixator ring with wires could facilitate the procedure and minimize the possibility of friction–contact problems with the large diameter nail.

Results:

The amount of length discrepancy, calculated preoperatively, was restored in all patients. The mean time in frame was 57.6 days and the external fixator index 16.978 d/cm. The mean time of total healing was 152.6 days and the average bone-healing index 44.9d/cm. No deep infection or hardware loosening was observed. One superficial pin track infection was treated successfully with oral antibiotics.

Conclusion:

This technique utilizes the principles and advantages of lengthening over an IM nail, avoids the necessity of nail removal and minimizes the complication rates and the overall time for complete recovery.
The chemical composition of Sedum rupestre L. ssp. rupestre epicuticular waxes: Horticultural versus the natural plant habitat
Authors: Jovanovic Snezana , Zlatkovic Bojan , Stojanovic Gordana
Published: March 2016

The aim of this study was to mutually compare the chemical compositions of
epicuticular waxes of two different Sedum rupestre ssp. rupestre plant
material samples. These were collected during the post fructification
vegetative stage from the wild-growing (NH) and cultivated populations (HH).
Epicuticular waxes (isolated in the form of hexane washings of leaves and
stems) were analyzed using GC-MS, GC-FID and 1D- (1H, 13C) and 2D-NMR
analyses. The epicuticular wax of both samples consisted of only two alkanes
and one triterpene: hentriacontane (2.9 and 4.7% in NH and HH samples,
respectively), tritriacontane (31.8 and 41.3% in NH and HH samples,
respectively) and germanicyl formate (61.1 and 50.5% in NH and HH samples,
respectively). Based on the obtained results, it seems that the type of
habitat (natural or horticultural) does not affect the qualitative but only
the quantitative composition of S. rupestre ssp. rupestre epicuticular
waxes.
GC-MS analysis of Ramalina capitata (Ach.) Nyl. extract
Authors: Zrnzevic Ivana , Zlatanovic Ivana , Lazarevic Jelena , Jovanovic Olga , Stojanovic Gordana
Published: March 2016

This is the first report on the GC-MS profile of the ether-soluble fraction
(ESF) of the methanol extract of the lichen Ramalina capitata (Ach.) Nyl.
(Ramalinaceae). The profile was dominated by orcinol (22.9 %) and its
monomethyl ether (30.9 %), which accounted for more than a half of the GC-MS
analyzable fraction of ESF. Significantly lower amounts of structurally
related sparassol (5.8%) and atraric acid (0.9 %) were also detected.
Additionally, ESF contained methyl linoleate, methyl linolenate and methyl
palmitate (17.3 %, 7.3 % and 5.0 %, respectively).
The effect of four flat plate reflectors on light energy-harvesting system characteristics
Authors: Kostic Ljiljana , Pavlovic Zoran , Krasic Stojanovic
Published: March 2016

In this paper, the effect of four flat panel reflectors (bottom, top, left
and right side reflectors) on the total light radiation on a small-size
photovoltaic cell is analyzed. An analytical model for the determination of
the optimum inclination angle of the reflectors with respect to the cell?s
horizontal surface is presented. The optimal angle was calculated to be 66?.
The calculated value was experimentally verified by measuring the
short-circuit current of the cell. It was shown that the increase in the
short-circuit current of the cell with reflectors in the optimal position was
about 60% for the illumination levels between 10 lx and 1000 lx. The cell
with reflectors was used to charge the primary capacitor in the energy
harvesting circuitry of the wireless sensor node and it was demonstrated that
the time needed for the cell to charge the primary capacitor could be reduced
35-40%.
The application of DP polarography for the determination of zinc and content of zinc pyrithione in anti-dandruff shampoos
Authors: Blagojevic Slavica , Pastor Ferenc , Boric Ivan , Eric Natasa , Suznjevic Desanka
Published: March 2016

Commercially formulated anti-dandruff shampoos contain zinc pyrithione (ZPT)
as an active ingredient that has antifungal, antibacterial and
anti-seborrheic properties. The determination of ZPT concentration in
commercial anti-dandruff shampoos by differential pulse polarography (DPP)
was based on the electrochemical reduction of zinc ions in ammoniacal buffer
pH 10.2, and the linear dependence of the reduction differential pulse peak
current at the potential -1.33 V vs. concentration of zinc. Using the
calibration curve method, it was found that the range of linearity for the
determination of zinc concentration was from 1.28 x 10?5 to 1.39 x 10-4 mol
L-1 (linear regression equation: I = - 0.097 + 6.635 x 105c). Surface active
ingredients and micro-components in the shampoos did not exert a
polarographic interference for the determination of zinc and did not affect
the indirect determination of the content of the active ingredient ZPT. The
concentrations of zinc in the analyzed anti-dandruff shampoo samples were
determined by the standard addition method, resulting in 4.20 x 10-2 mol L-1,
1.76 x 10-1 mol L-1 and 1.82 x 10-1 mol L-1. The results of DPP
determinations of zinc and ZPT show that the content of ZPT was 0.28%, 1.15%
i.e. 1.19% and was below the maximum recommended level of ZPT in
anti-dandruff shampoos. This simple and sensitive differential pulse
polarography method is suitable for a routine and rapid control of the active
ingredient content, as well as for the quality control of anti-dandruff
shampoos.
Lead, mercury and arsenic content in spices: Black, white and green pepper, black cumin and ginger
Authors: Blagojevic Slavica , Blagojevic Stevan , Begovic Biljana
Published: March 2016

In order to evaluate the safety of selected commercial spices brands,
concentration of lead, mercury and arsenic, as well as moisture and mineral
contents were analyzed in samples of dried black and white pepper powders,
black, white and green peppercorns, black cumin seeds and ginger powder. Lead
(Pb), mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) concentrations in spice samples purchased
from local markets in Belgrade were determined, after a microwave digestion
of the samples, by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), using the graphite
furnace AAS technique (Pb), cold vapor AAS technique (Hg) and hydride
generation AAS technique (As). Trace levels of Pb, Hg and As in the selected
dried spices samples were in the range 0.10 ppm - 0.79 ppm, 0.01 ppm - 0.10
ppm and 0.01 ppm - 0.51 ppm, respectively. The maximum Pb concentration was
determined in the sample of ginger and it was 0.79 ppm, the maximum
concentration of Hg was 0.10 ppm, determined in green peppercorns samples,
while the maximum concentration of As in powdered black pepper sample was
0.51 ppm. The moisture and mineral contents in the different analyzed spices
were in the range 1.70-13.10% and 3.40-6.50%, respectively. According to the
obtained results, the concentrations of the analyzed toxic elements, as well
as the moisture and mineral content in selected spices, were below the
maximum permissible limits declared by the national legislations deemed safe
for human consumption.
Noise Induced Hearing Loss in Steel Factory Workers
Authors: Agarwal Gaurav , Nagpure Prakash S. , Gadge Shweta V.
Published: March 2016

Background: Industrial noise is usually considered mainly from the point of view of environmental health and safety, rather than nuisance, as sustained exposure can cause permanent hearing damage. Objective: To assess the Noise induced hearing loss in steel factory workers.Methods: It was a cross sectional study done to evaluate the hearing status of factory workers, working nearby a rural hospital, which were then correlated with the duration of work and SPL (in dBA) of exposure at their workplace. Results: In this study, Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) was calculated in the workers by taking the average of the 4 frequencies i.e. 500Hz, 1000Hz, 2000Hz and 4000Hz in right and left ear separately. Results showed that 129 (37.83%) workers were having Mild SNHL in Right ear i.e. between 26- 40 dB. 203 (59.54%) of the workers were having normal hearing i.e. hearing loss not exceeding 25 dB. Only 9 (2.63%) workers had moderate (41-60 dB) hearing loss in right ears. Whereas in case of left ears results showed that 145 (42.52%) workers were having Mild SNHL in left ear i.e. between 26- 40 dB. 185 (54.25%) of the workers were having normal hearing i.e. hearing loss not exceeding 25 dB. Only 11 (3.23%) workers had moderate (41-60 dB) hearing loss.Conclusion: Duration of exposure of individuals was found in the range from 6 years to 20 years. Maximum number of workers i.e. 235 (68.92%) were exposed to a time duration of 16 to 20 years followed by 96 (28.15%) who were exposed to 11-15 years. There were 10 (2.93) workers who were having the exposure of 6 to 10 years.International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, Vol 4 No 2(2015) 34 – 43
An Assessment of Socio-Economic Factors on Nutritional Status in Primary School - A Cross Sectional Study in Purulia of West Bengal
Authors: Arora Dimpal , Datta Subrata , Sau Soudeep Kr
Published: March 2016

Background: Child malnutrition is one of the most vital global health problems concerning in most of the poor communities leading to high morbidity and mortality. Various studies have highlighted the relation-ship between socioeconomic status and nutrition levels of primary school children. The present study focuses on socioeconomic inequality resulting in risk of malnutrition. Objectives of the Study were to find the Impact of socio-economic factors on nutritional status in primary school children. Methods: A cross sectional survey of 281 children, aged 6-10 years were selected from remote primary school in Purulia were used in the study. the primary schools were randomly selected. The studied variables included; Age, sex of the pupils, parents’ socio-economic status and family size of selected House Holds. Interview of pupils and parents was carried out using prepared Nordic questionnaire template. Weight and height of the children were measured. and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated by standard method. Data was analyzed using Microsoft excel, SPSS version 8.0 .The chi-square significance of association was deter-mined at Level of significance less than 0.05. Results: The proportion of girls and boys are 55.8% and 44.2% respectively. The nutritional status of children from lower socio economic class was poor as com-pared to their counter parts came from upper socio economic class. Children with BMI <5th percentile were 30.9% in low class while in high class it was only 12.1%. Prevalence of malnutrition was 41.9% among children of family size>4 as compare to 16.4% in those of House Holds had family size<5. During comparison of the studied children with children of same age group of overall West Bengal from NNMB survey, 2002, the first group had lower BMI than the second group. Conclusion: Poverty, low literacy rate, large families, food insecurity, food safety, appears to be the important factors responsible for poor health status of children from low socioeconomic class. Efforts should be given for exploring knowledge about nutritional needs during childhood, and creating nutritional and health awareness among young rural children to ensure a better quality of life for the next generation.International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, Vol 4 No 2 (2014) 15 – 18
Building Air Service Sustainability: Analytical Approach to Documenting Air Carrier Incentive Programs in Airport Sustainability Plans
Authors: Ryerson Megan S.
Published: March 2016

Airport operators occupy the complex space between managing a major economic generator for their region and operating a piece of municipal infrastructure that generates significant environmental emissions. Airport operators document airport environmental impacts and economic vitality and development, as well as study initiatives to improve in these areas in airport sustainability plans. However, neither airport sustainability planning guidance nor plans in practice document the economic or environmental impacts of air carrier incentive programs, which are municipal and airport-funded programs to waive fees for airlines launching new routes. As air carrier incentive programs (or airline incentive programs) are a mechanism through which airports and cities invest in growth and economic development while contributing to the environmental impacts of their airport, these programs are a natural fit for study within the structure of airport sustainability plans. This study presents a methodology for estimating the air traffic, investment costs, and environmental emissions from new flights launched under airline incentive programs and compares these values with existing economic development and sustainability initiatives documented in airport sustainability plans. It is found that the scope of airline incentive programs is significant in terms of air traffic, costs, and emissions, providing justification for documenting airline incentive programs. How a gap in the understanding of the economic value of incentivized flights hinders a comprehensive evaluation of airline incentive programs is discussed. The lack of a planning process for airline incentive programs keeps airport operators from learning from the experiences of their peers.
Airfare Distribution by Trip Purpose
Authors: Gosling Geoffrey D. , Landau Steven , Adler Thomas , Fowler Mark
Published: March 2016

Airfares are an important input to air travel demand forecasting and other analyses, but there is no readily available source of data on how airfares vary by trip purpose in any given market. This paper presents the results of an analysis of the distribution of airfares by trip purpose for U.S. domestic air trips. The analysis will be used for developing a procedure to estimate the average airfare by trip purpose in any given domestic air travel market. The analysis combines the results of a nationwide survey of air travelers who reported the details of their most recent domestic paid air trips with airfare data from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s 10% airline origin and destination survey. This approach gave generic distributions of the airfare paid in any given market for business and personal trips, expressed as a ratio of the average airfare in that market for all paid trips, which can be obtained from the airline origin and destination survey data. The paper describes how the results of the analysis can be used to generate the distributions of airfares and average airfares for business and personal trips in any given market and discusses future research needed to confirm and expand the analysis results and procedure presented in the paper.
Leveraging Aircraft Avionics for Fleet and Airport Management
Authors: McNamara Margaret , Mott John , Bullock Darcy
Published: March 2016

Airport operations count data are used for a variety of purposes ranging from allocation of FAA Airport Improvement Program funding to environmental assessments and budget justification. Operations counts are difficult to obtain at small, nontowered airports, which constitute the majority of airports in the United States, and counts frequently are estimated unscientifically by airport managers. Current acoustic and video counting technology is limited, but with the FAA NextGen mandate for installation of automatic dependent surveillance–broadcast (ADS-B) out transponders by January 1, 2020, transponder data are emerging as a viable data source for other than traditional NextGen applications. The NextGen literature has focused on the use of this technology for navigation, safety, and airspace management. This paper introduces a method of applying ADS-B data to fleet management and airport operations. With a 1,090-MHz receiver and appropriate signal processing hardware and software, Mode S and Mode S extended data can be used to track runway operations and fleet usage accurately and cost-effectively. This paper reviews the development of a low-cost portable hardware device and algorithm for obtaining both airport operations count and fleet utilization data. Approximately 1.1 million records collected from sites adjacent to the Purdue University Airport, Indianapolis (Indiana) International Airport, and Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport are used to provide several examples of airport operations and fleet utilization reports.
Development of Foam Backfill Repair Techniques for Airfield Pavement Repairs
Authors: Priddy Lucy P. , Mejías-Santiago Mariely , Tingle Jeb S.
Published: March 2016

Recent military operations have highlighted the need for new expedient pavement repair capabilities to improve current guidance on airfield damage repair. Damaged or distressed military airfield pavements must be repaired with expedient methods and durable materials to minimize the time the pavement is removed from service and to reduce or eliminate additional closure times for subsequent repairs. Extensive research was conducted to develop several airfield pavement repair techniques that could be applied across the full spectrum of military airfield repair operations. This paper focuses on the research conducted to develop a new foam backfill technology for airfield pavement repairs. Results of initial laboratory and field tests showed that rigid, poured polyurethane foam is the most applicable backfill solution for deployed locations because of its ability to expand to several times its shipped liquid volume when mixed, reducing the logistical burden of transporting aggregate backfill materials. This paper describes laboratory and field experiments that used foam backfill and prototype equipment to develop a pavement repair technique that supports threshold and objective aircraft pass levels defined for expedient airfield repairs. The research included laboratory testing, full-scale field testing, and simulated and actual aircraft traffic tests with C-17 and F-15 aircraft. Results of these tests validated and certified the foam backfill repair technique for military aircraft use. However, these experiments also identified material and equipment limitations that will require additional research before the repair technique is adopted by military repair teams. Conclusions and recommendations for future equipment and material improvements are provided.
Battery-Saving Communication Modes for Wireless Freeway Traffic Sensors
Authors: Coifman Benjamin , Jain Manish
Published: March 2016

Efficient management of a freeway network requires continuous decision making on the basis of measured traffic conditions. These measurements usually come from fixed-point sensors deployed in a manner that requires communication links that are always on and are polled at regular intervals. Most of the time, when the sensor data are received at a traffic management center (TMC), no action is taken in response to the information. The high power consumption for the frequent transmissions becomes burdensome for wireless sensors that rely on batteries to last through periods without sufficient illumination for solar power or for the entire life span of the sensor if it has no external power supply. Radio transmissions are a large power draw, so each transmission that can be avoided directly translates into longer battery life. To reduce communication frequency without a significant loss in the quality of information, a distributed freeway surveillance system was developed that prefilters the data at the sensor unit. Five communication modes were developed that assess the value of the measurements before the decision is made to send or not send the measurements. Key to this event-driven approach is that the receiving end is an intelligent part of the distributed surveillance system (i.e., given the lack of transmission, the TMC will know how to interpret the evolving traffic state at the sensor location in the context of previously received information).
Toward a Better Estimation of Annual Average Daily Bicycle Traffic: Comparison of Methods for Calculating Daily Adjustment Factors
Authors: El Esawey Mohamed
Published: March 2016

Several methods exist to calculate and apply adjustment factors for bicycle traffic. The reported accuracy of these factors differs from one study to another, making it difficult for transportation professionals to decide which method is preferable. The objective of this study is to compare the estimation accuracy of methods used to calculate daily adjustment factors and to quantify the performance of these methods relative to their mathematical intensity. Three methods of calculating daily adjustment factors were studied: the AASHTO method, the monthly and weather-specific method, and the day-of-year method. The estimation accuracy of annual average daily bicycle traffic volumes was assessed. The results supported the superiority of day-of-year factors, for which the mean absolute percent error (MAPE) was about 17.5%. Second was the monthly and weather-specific factors (MAPE ≈ 24.5%), and third was the AASHTO factors (MAPE ≈ 30.0%). Detailed error analysis was carried out to select the best days for bicycle volume data collection. The daily factor was modeled against day-specific attributes, such as weather conditions and day type, in an attempt to compute generic factors that are applicable to other locations. The model showed very good fit to the data with a coefficient of determination of about .87. The model was further used to develop daily factors for the validation data set and hence calculate annual average daily bicycle volumes. The MAPE was found to be 26.4% for all days and 20.5% for weekday data. The paper provides insights on the advantages and disadvantages of each calculation method and shows the priority preference of application.
Online Method to Impute Missing Loop Detector Data for Urban Freeway Traffic Control
Authors: Bie Yuwei , Wang Xu , Qiu Tony Z.
Published: March 2016

The dual loop detector provides input data for real-time traffic control. However, the common scenario of missing or invalid loop data samples negatively impacts the performance of the subsequent traffic control or traffic prediction model. This paper describes a method that detects blank data samples when a new data record is listed, then imputes missing data samples to form a complete data record in real time. One three-lane loop detector station on Whitemud Drive in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, is used as a case study to verify the algorithms. The imputation scope for this study involves diagnosing and filling in the missing data of one lane for at least one whole day at a specific loop station. The diagnosis of missing data for both volume and speed measurements is based on data records from upstream and downstream stations, rather than from single samples. The imputation algorithm for volume and density data models the relationship of one loop detector with all other loop detectors at the same station as linear. The multiple linear regression algorithm is applied to full historic data offline to learn the linear relationship between loops at the same station, and the online data imputation is based on the equations learned. Two other commonly used imputation techniques—pairwise linear regression and the average of the surrounding detectors—are also conducted for comparison. The proposed diagnosis and imputation method enables the loop data input to support control models with high frequency and large data requirements.
Quality Assurance for Traffic Count Data in National Parks: Ensuring Quality When Traffic Variability Is High
Authors: Turner Shawn , Wikander John , Nedzesky A. J.
Published: March 2016

This paper describes a process to develop data quality validation rules, in a national park context, for traffic counts that are primarily recreational. An initial set of validation rules was used to automatically review 6 years of hourly traffic count data at 113 National Park Service (NPS) monitoring locations in 32 national park units spread across the United States. The initial validation rules were calibrated on the basis of a visual review of all data flagged as invalid by the rules, and statistical analysis of the quality-reviewed data resulted in several more validation rules that were designed to identify traffic counts that fell outside the normal expected variation (on the basis of the previous 6 years). A final recommended set of traffic count validation rules is summarized in the paper. The visual review of extensive traffic count data resulted in a set of guiding principles, which were documented in an operating manual that will be used by NPS data reviewers to ensure consistency in data quality reviews. The resulting validation rules and operating manual will be of interest to those who want to ensure the quality of traffic count data in similar contexts (i.e., recreational, with low to moderate levels of traffic and high variation).
Integrating Intersection Traffic Signal Data into a Traffic Monitoring Program
Authors: Guin Angshuman , Hunter Michael , Rodgers Michael , Anderson James , Susten Scott , Wiegand Kiisa
Published: March 2016

There are ongoing efforts to leverage the large volume of data collected to support real-time traffic operations for various non-real-time uses. However, adapting data streams to a different purpose can be challenging, especially if different applications use the data in different ways. Although traffic operations and traffic monitoring programs often use similar technology for vehicle detection, they may have different sensitivities to potential errors. Although small errors in traffic counts may not be critical in traffic operations, for which data are refreshed every few seconds, the same error levels could become much more significant in traffic monitoring, for which data, and the corresponding errors, are typically aggregated over longer periods of time. This study investigates if and how traffic volume data from detectors at signalized intersections could be appropriately used in a traffic monitoring program that supports the Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS). For this purpose, this study evaluates both the accuracy and representativeness of these traffic signal detector data in comparison to standard HPMS-type traffic count data obtained by portable pneumatic counters under different traffic flow conditions and intersection geometries. The results, although varying by site, indicate that these traffic signal detectors can produce 15-min aggregate traffic counts of comparable quality to results from portable pneumatic tube counters and provide 90% accuracy at a 95% level of confidence for 15-min aggregate counts. Through an examination of the representativeness of the data under different conditions, the study develops a set of eligibility criteria that can be used to identify intersections that are suitable for performance monitoring data collection.
Antioxidant and Antiglycating Constituents from Leaves of Ziziphus oxyphylla and Cedrela serrata
Authors: Ahmad Rizwan , Ahmad Niyaz , Naqvi Atta , Exarchou Vassiliki , Upadhyay Atul , Tuenter Emmy , Foubert Kenn , Apers Sandra , Hermans Nina , Pieters Luc
Published: March 2016

Ziziphus oxyphylla and Cedrela Serrata plants have a folkloric use in Pakistan for treatments of different ailments, i.e., Jaundice, Hepatitis, Diabetes, and antimicrobial. Until now, none of the research studies have reported any phytochemical work on leaves of these two plants. This study aimed to isolate and perform phytochemical analysis in order to search for the constituent having the active role in treatment of the aforementioned ailments. A bioassay-guided fractionation and isolation procedure was used to isolate the concerned phytochemicals present in leaf extracts of Z. oxyphylla and C. serrata. The process involved the hyphenated techniques, i.e., Flash Chromatography, Semi-Preparative HPLC/DAD, UPLC/MS, and NMR in order to isolate and elucidate the structure of the phytochemicals. Seven compounds (1–7) were isolated and identified as flavonoids, more in particular glycosides of quercetin and kaempferol. They showed DPPH scavenging activity, compound 3 (isoquercitrin) being the most active one with an IC50 of 10.8 µg/mL (positive control quercetin; IC50 3.6 µg/mL). The superoxide-radical scavenging and total antioxidant (ABTS) assays indicated IC50 values ranging from 200 to 910 µg/mL and 170 to 320 µg/mL, respectively (positive control quercetin: 374 and 180 µg/mL, respectively). Furthermore, these compounds had low IC50 values for inhibition of protein glycation (AGEs inhibition), ranging from 530 to 818 µg/mL, comparable to aminoguanidine (510 µg/mL) used as a positive control. This study resulted in the identification of seven flavonoid glycosides for the first time from the leaves of Z. oxyphylla and C. serrata with antioxidative and antiglycating activities.
Erratum: Jonathan Driedger and Meinard Müller. A Review of Time-Scale Modification of Music Signals. Applied Sciences 2016, 6, 57
Authors:   Applied Sciences Editorial Office
Published: March 2016

We wish to make the following correction to the published paper [1].[...]
Homo-Polymerization of 1-Hexene Catalysed by O^N^N (Salicylaldimine)Iron(III) Pre-Catalysts to Branched Poly(1-hexene)
Authors: Yankey Margaret , Obuah Collins , Darkwa James
Published: March 2016

Five new iron(III) 1-hexene polymerisation catalysts were prepared from the reactions of 2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-(2-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)ethylimino)methylphenol (L1), or 4-tert-butyl-6-(2-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)ethylimino)methylphenol (L2) or 2,4-di-tert-butyl-6-[(2-pyridin-2-yl-ethylimino)-methyl-phenol (L3) with anhydrous iron(II) halides to form [FeCl2(L1)] (1), [FeBr2(L1)] (2), [FeI2(L1)] (3), [FeBr2(L2)] (4) and [FeCl2(L3)] (5). All the iron(III) complexes 1–5 were activated with EtAlCl2 to produce active catalysts for the polymerisation of 1-hexene to low molecular weight poly(1-hexene) (Mn = 1021–1084 Da) and very narrow polydispersity indices (1.19–1.24). 1H and 13C{1H} NMR analysis showed the polymers are branched with methyl, butyl and longer chain branches. The longer chain branches are dominant indicating that 2,1-insertion of monomer is favoured over 1,2-insertion in the polymerisation reaction.
Formic Acid Modified Co3O4-CeO2 Catalysts for CO Oxidation
Authors: Shang Ruishu , Duan Yiping , Zhong Xinyan , Xie Wei , Luo Yan , Huang Lihong
Published: March 2016

A formic acid modified catalyst, Co3O4-CeO2, was prepared via facile urea-hydrothermal method and applied in CO oxidation. The Co3O4-CeO2-0.5 catalyst, treated by formic acid at 0.5 mol/L, performed better in CO oxidation with T50 obtained at 69.5 °C and T100 obtained at 150 °C, respectively. The characterization results indicate that after treating with formic acid, there is a more porous structure within the Co3O4-CeO2 catalyst; meanwhile, despite of the slightly decreased content of Co, there are more adsorption sites exposed by acid treatment, as suggested by CO-TPD and H2-TPD, which explains the improvement of catalytic performance.
Mapping the Complexities of Effective Leadership for Social Justice Praxis in Urban Auckland Primary Schools
Authors: Jayavant Sharona
Published: March 2016

This empirical research is about strengths-based leadership practices that seek to explore leadership for social justice and equity in New Zealand’s culturally and linguistically diverse educational and social landscape. Similar to the diversity in other countries, where leaders demonstrate culturally responsive leadership practices in their quest to educate diverse democracies. This inquiry examines the characteristics and behaviours of effective leadership for social justice and equity for student academic achievement in urban Auckland primary schools. A qualitative, comparative case study, combined with the theoretical framework of applied critical leadership from theories of transformational leadership, critical pedagogy and critical race theory (perspective lens) guided the research methods. The research findings presented several applied critical leadership characteristics that highlighted the complexities of leading for social justice in urban Auckland primary schools. A distinct phenomenon was leader’s axiological philosophy (values, beliefs and morals) underpinning their leadership that was culturally responsive to the diversity in their educational contexts. These findings suggest the need for research and scholarship yet to be done in this largely unexplored educational leadership academic space.
Indices to Study the Electrical Power Signals in Active and Passive Distribution Lines: A Combined Analysis with Empirical Mode Decomposition
Authors: Vergura Silvano , Zivieri Roberto , Carpentieri Mario
Published: March 2016

The broad diffusion of renewable energy-based technologies has introduced several open issues in the design and operation of smart grids (SGs) when distributed generators (DGs) inject a large amount of power into the grid. In this paper, a theoretical investigation on active and reactive power data is performed for one active line characterized by several photovoltaic (PV) plants with a great amount of injectable power and two passive lines, one of them having a small peak power PV plant and the other one having no PV power. The frequencies calculated via the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) method based on the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) are compared to the ones obtained via the fast Fourier transform (FFT) and the wavelet transform (WT), showing a wider spectrum of significant modes mainly due to the non-periodical behavior of the power signals. The results obtained according to the HHT-EMD analysis are corroborated by the calculation of three new indices that are computed starting from the electrical signal itself and not from the Hilbert spectrum. These indices give the quantitative deviation from the periodicity and the coherence degree of the power signals, which typically deviate from the stationary regime and have a nonlinear behavior in terms of amplitude and phase. This information allows to extract intrinsic features of power lines belonging to SGs and this is useful for their optimal operation and planning.
Resveratrol Inhibition of Cellular Respiration: New Paradigm for an Old Mechanism
Authors: Madrigal-Perez Luis , Ramos-Gomez Minerva
Published: March 2016

Resveratrol (3,4′,5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene, RSV) has emerged as an important molecule in the biomedical area. This is due to its antioxidant and health benefits exerted in mammals. Nonetheless, early studies have also demonstrated its toxic properties toward plant-pathogenic fungi of this phytochemical. Both effects appear to be opposed and caused by different molecular mechanisms. However, the inhibition of cellular respiration is a hypothesis that might explain both toxic and beneficial properties of resveratrol, since this phytochemical: (1) decreases the production of energy of plant-pathogenic organisms, which prevents their proliferation; (2) increases adenosine monophosphate/adenosine diphosphate (AMP/ADP) ratio that can lead to AMP protein kinase (AMPK) activation, which is related to its health effects, and (3) increases the reactive oxygen species generation by the inhibition of electron transport. This pro-oxidant effect induces expression of antioxidant enzymes as a mechanism to counteract oxidative stress. In this review, evidence is discussed that supports the hypothesis that cellular respiration is the main target of resveratrol.
Influence of Long-Distance Bicycle Riding on Serum/Urinary Biomarkers of Prostate Cancer
Authors: Heger Zbynek , Gumulec Jaromir , Ondrak Ales , Skoda Jan , Zitka Zdenek , Cernei Natalia , Masarik Michal , Zitka Ondrej , Adam Vojtech
Published: March 2016

Herein, we present a study focused on the determination of the influence of long-distance (53 km) bicycle riding on levels of chosen biochemical urinary and serum prostate cancer (PCa) biomarkers total prostate-specific antigen (tPSA), free PSA (fPSA) and sarcosine. Fourteen healthy participants with no evidence of prostate diseases, in the age range from 49–57 years with a median of 52 years, underwent physical exercise (mean race time of 150 ± 20 min, elevation increase of 472 m) and pre- and post-ride blood/urine sampling. It was found that bicycle riding resulted in elevated serum uric acid (p = 0.001, median 271.76 vs. 308.44 µmol/L pre- and post-ride, respectively), lactate (p = 0.01, median 2.98 vs. 4.8 mmol/L) and C-reactive protein (p = 0.01, 0.0–0.01 mg/L). It is noteworthy that our work supports the studies demonstrating an increased PSA after mechanical manipulation of the prostate. The subjects exhibited either significantly higher post-ride tPSA (p = 0.002, median 0.69 vs. 1.1 ng/mL pre- and post-ride, respectively) and fPSA (p = 0.028, median 0.25 vs. 0.35 ng/mL). Contrary to that, sarcosine levels were not significantly affected by physical exercise (p = 0.20, median 1.64 vs. 1.92 µmol/mL for serum sarcosine, and p = 0.15, median 0.02 µmol/mmol of creatinine vs. 0.01 µmol/mmol of creatinine for urinary sarcosine). Taken together, our pilot study provides the first evidence that the potential biomarker of PCa—sarcosine does not have a drawback by means of a bicycle riding-induced false positivity, as was shown in the case of PSA.
Tribological Behaviour of PVD Coatings Lubricated with a FAP− Anion-Based Ionic Liquid Used as an Additive
Authors: Viesca José-Luis , Anand Mayank , Blanco David , Fernández-González Alfonso , García Alberto , Hadfield Mark
Published: March 2016

This paper studies 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium tris(pentafluoroethyl) trifluorophosphate ionic liquid ([BMP][FAP]) as a 1 wt% additive to a polyalphaolefin (PAO 6) in the lubrication of CrN and TiN PVD coatings. Friction and wear behaviour were determined by using a ball-on-plate reciprocating tribometer at two loads (20 and 40 N) and a reciprocating frequency of 10 Hz. The tribological behaviour of this mixture has also been compared to a traditional oil additive, like zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP). As an additive, ionic liquid exhibited an important friction and wear reduction compared to the base oil. However, tests conducted with ZDDP show slightly better results. XPS was used to analyse wear surfaces. The interactions of each additive with the surface contributed to improving the tribological behaviour of the lubricants.
Corrosion and Discharge Behaviors of Mg-Al-Zn and Mg-Al-Zn-In Alloys as Anode Materials
Authors: Li Jiarun , Wan Kai , Jiang Quantong , Sun Huyuan , Li Yantao , Hou Baorong , Zhu Liwei , Liu Min
Published: March 2016

The Mg-6%Al-3%Zn and Mg-6%Al-3%Zn-(1%, 1.5%, 2%)In alloys were prepared by melting and casting. Their microstructures were investigated via metallographic and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Moreover, hydrogen evolution and electrochemical tests were carried out in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution aiming at identifying their corrosion mechanisms and discharge behaviors. The results suggested that indium exerts an improvement on both the corrosion rate and the discharge activity of Mg-Al-Zn alloy via the effects of grain refining, β-Mg17Al12 precipitation, dissolving-reprecipitation, and self-peeling. The Mg-6%Al-3%Zn-1.5%In alloy with the highest corrosion rate at free corrosion potential did not perform desirable discharge activity indicating that the barrier effect caused by the β-Mg17Al12 phase would have been enhanced under the conditions of anodic polarization. The Mg-6%Al-3%Zn-1.0%In alloy with a relative low corrosion rate and a high discharge activity is a promising anode material for both cathodic protection and chemical power source applications.