bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Les systèmes d’information en microfirme
Authors: Jaouen Annabelle , Nakara Walid A.
Published: March 2015

Cet article vise à comprendre les pratiques des dirigeants de microfirmes (moins de cinq salariés) en matière de systèmes d’information (SI). Dans ces organisations de très petite taille, les ressources sont rares et les SI sont peu formalisés. Par ailleurs, le dirigeant a un rôle prépondérant dans le choix et la mise en place des outils. Des recherches récentes soulignent la pertinence du concept de bricolage organisationnel pour analyser les pratiques des petites entreprises. Dans cette optique, cette recherche explore les modes d’implantation et d’utilisation des systèmes d’information par les dirigeants de microfirmes, et vise à identifier les pratiques de bricolage organisationnel. La méthode de recherche adoptée est qualitative et fondée sur 56 entretiens semi-directifs avec des dirigeants de microfirmes françaises. Nous décrivons deux types de bricolage : le bricolage par nécessité et le bricolage stratégique. Les caractéristiques associées à ces deux modalités sont analysées, et se distinguent par la perception des outils, les aspirations personnelles, les objectifs pour l’entreprise, et la possession ou non en interne de compétences en SI.
Thinking about Religion, Law, and Politics in Latin America
Authors: Shakman Hurd Elizabeth
Published: March 2015

Charles Taylor’s A Secular Age is both important and insufficient to the study of religion, law, and politics in Latin America. While aspects of the North Atlantic experience of secularity have become globalized, shaping legal systems and other forms of collective governance around the world, local and regional histories and experiences often depart significantly from Taylor’s account of secularity and conception of religion. Scholars of religion and politics in the region need to consider those aspects of local and regional history, such as indigenous and Afro-descendent histories and experiences, that challenge or may be indifferent to globalized Euro-American experiences of secularity and religion. To do so requires grappling with the global effects of the history charted by Taylor while also moving beyond it to account for practices, histories, and ways of life that work outside or against “secularity 3” and the presumptions about religion that it presupposes and produces.
Mampuján, en el acto de partir: el duelo como levantamiento y la comunidad en transición. Reconciliación y representación en Jean-Luc Nancy
Authors: Rojas Berrío María Juliana
Published: March 2015

The article analyzes Mampujan’s issue of redress [incidente de reparación] to show how the conception of damage that accompanies and justifies this space allows us to trace a particular configuration of being in common. Mampuján is a community that re-presents itself in and through that damage insofar as the latter intensifies the impossibility of fixing an identity for the community. This impossibility is discussed as a movement of withdrawal, always unrepairable and irredeemable. The text also shows how this movement echoes the way in which Nancy’s “Deconstruction of Christianity” calls on us to problematize the rigidity of our traditional conceptions of Justice. All of the above is done in the light of a question regarding the possibility of reconciliation in the context of the Colombian ‘Justice and Peace’ Law.
Los lugares de la memoria y de la acción política en Guatemala. Justicia transicional, políticas del reconocimiento y ficciones de secularismo
Authors: Salamanca Villamizar Carlos Arturo
Published: March 2015

I analyze here the importance of religion in Guatemala during the conflict and post-conflict periods through: i) the “new” structures of social mobilization during the sixties and seventies; ii) religion as rhetorical practice and field of power; iii) the territorialization of memory policies; and iv) the processes of recovering historical memory. I argue against theories about secularism that coincide with some interpretations of identity that tend to separate and reproduce binary oppositional categories that prevent recognition of ambiguous, dynamic and complex social identities. I explain why a historical-anthropological perspective on space facilitates a more effective understanding of mobile and transversal societies in their processes of becoming constituted, political positioning, and interpreting the past.
La política sexual y las creencias religiosas: el debate por el matrimonio para las parejas del mismo sexo (Argentina, 2010)
Authors: Vaggione Juan Marco , Jones Daniel
Published: March 2015

The article analyzes the intersections between religion and politics by observing the debate about same-sex marriage in Argentina in 2010. It begins by critically examining some principles of the secularization theory about the role of religious beliefs, particularly how these beliefs are articulated in contemporary sexual policy. The article focuses on three main phenomena to show how religion was mobilized in favor of the expansion of rights: the activist LGBT strategy of allying itself with religious actors; the support of evangelical churches and Catholic priests in favor of recognition of egalitarian marriage; and the use of religious discourse by legislators to justify their support for the legal reform.
Cómo los maltratos se transforman en “violencia intrafamiliar”: el recorrido de la performatividad
Authors: Valenzuela Fernando A. , Ramos Zincke Claudio
Published: March 2015

This article describes and analyzes the process through which domestic violence is performed in the lives of victims. It observes the activities that constitute the process, beginning with the filing of a police report and ending with its presentation as a case of domestic violence in a court of law. The analysis is based on ethnographic observation and in-depth interviews of key agents in the process in Santiago, Chile. A sequence of framing and translation operations taking place in heterogeneous networks was observed which transported the reported facts from the private lives of the victims to the courtroom, thus performing a new reality that is both private and public.
Management of Priapism in Adult Men
Authors: Ekeke Onyeanunam N. , Omunakwe Hannah E. , Eke Ndu
Published: March 2015

This study aims to present the management of priapism in adult men in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. All patients who presented with priapism in 2 hospitals in Port Harcourt from July 2007 to April 2014 were prospectively studied. Treatment was assigned based on clinical presentation. Data analyzed included: age on clinical presentation, risk factor, mode, and outcome of management. There were 18 patients aged 17 to 60 years (median age: 30 years). Three patients (16.7%) presented with stuttering priapism. Most of the patients presented after 24 hours of onset. Sixteen patients (89.9%) had hematological disorders. Five patients (27.8%) took suspected aphrodisiac medications. Seven patients (38.9%) were managed conservatively. The rest achieved detumescence following glandulo-cavernous shunting. Erectile function after treatment was satisfactory in 5 patients (27.8%). The commonest cause of priapism in Port Harcourt was hematological disorder. Most of the patients presented late. Prevalence of erectile dysfunction after treatment was high.
Posttraumatic Transdiaphragmatic Intercostal Hernia: Report of a Case and Review of the Literature
Authors: Kalles Vasileios , Dasiou Maria , Doga Georgia , Papapanagiotou Ioannis , Konstantinou Evangelos A , Mekras Alexandros , Mariolis-Sapsakos Theodoros , Anastasiou Nikolaos
Published: March 2015

Intercostal hernias are rare, and usually occur following injuries of the thoracic wall. The scope of this report is to present a case of a 53-year-old obese patient that developed a transdiaphragmatic intercostal hernia. The patient presented with a palpable, sizeable, reducible mass in the right lateral thoracic wall, with evident bowel sounds in the area, 6 months after a motor-vehicle accident. On computed tomography (CT), the hernia sac contained part of the liver and part of the ascending colon. A surgical repair of the defect was performed, using a prosthetic patch. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful and she remains recurrence free at 12 months after surgery. Intercostal hernias should be suspected following high-impact injuries of the thoracic wall, and CT scans will facilitate the diagnosis of intercostal hernia. We consider the surgical repair of the defect, with placement of a prosthetic mesh, as the treatment of choice to ensure a favorable outcome.
Medullary Carcinoma of the Thyroid With Axillary Metastasis: A Case Report
Authors: Ozdemir Murat , Makay Ozer , Simsir Ilgin , Ertan Yeşim , Icoz Gokhan , Saygili Füsun , Akyildiz Mahir
Published: March 2015

We report a case of axillary lymph node metastasis as a consequence of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in a 42-year-old man. On January 2009, the patient was referred to us for the management of right cervical lymph node enlargement. Total thyroidectomy was performed with right-sided functional neck dissection. Postoperative histopathology revealed MTC in the right lobe of the thyroid, with extrathyroidal extension and right-sided neck metastases. Multiple left cervical, mediastinal, and right axillary lymphadenopathies were detected at the third year follow-up exam. Left-sided functional neck dissection, axillary lymph node dissection, and mediastinal lymph node dissection were performed, and the pathologic outcomes revealed as the metastatic dissemination of MTC. After a disease-free term for 1 year, multiple metastatic lesions were detected in the patient.
How to Avoid Nontherapeutic Laparotomy in Patients With Multiple Organ Failure of Unknown Origin. The Role of CT Scan Revisited
Authors: Fui Stephanie Li Sun , Lupinacci Renato Micelli , Trésallet Christophe , Faron Matthieu , Godiris-Petit Gaelle , Salepcioglu Harika , Noullet Severine , Menegaux Fabrice
Published: March 2015

Diagnosis of intra-abdominal diseases in critically ill patients remains a clinical challenge. Physical examination is unreliable whereas exploratory laparotomy may aggravate patient's condition and delay further evaluation. Only a few studies have investigated the place of computed tomography (CT) on this hazardous situation. We aimed to evaluate the ability of CT to prevent unnecessary laparotomy during the management of critically ill patients. Charts of all consecutive patients who had undergone an emergency nontherapeutic laparotomy from 1996 to 2013 were retrospectively studied and patient's demographic, clinical characteristics, and surgical findings were collected. During this period 59 patients had an unnecessary laparotomy. Fifty-one patients had at least one preoperative imaging and 36 had a CT scan. CT scans were interpreted to be normal (n = 12), with minor anomalies (n = 10), or major anomalies (pneumoperitoneum, portal venous gas/pneumatosis intestinalis, thickened gallbladder wall, and small bowel obstruction signs). Surgical exploration was performed through laparotomy (n = 55) or laparoscopy. Overall mortality was 37% with a median survival after surgery of 7 days. In univariate analysis, hospitalization in ICU before surgical exploration was the only factor related to death. In our series CT scans, objectively interpreted, helped avoid unnecessary surgical exploration in 61% of our patients.
Transurethral Electric Coagulation Combined With Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic Nephroureterectomy for Upper Urinary Urothelial Carcinoma
Authors: Wang Jiantao , Yu Shengqiang , Men Changping , Lin Chunhua , Zhang Zhiyu , Gao Zhenli , Zhang Yulian , Wang Ke
Published: March 2015

Retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (LNU) combined with transurethral electric resection of ipsilateral bladder cuff is widely accepted to treat the upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UUT-UC). To reduce the local recurrence rate, we improved the procedure from electric resection to electric coagulation. From May 2008 to July 2012, of all the 156 retroperitoneal LNU patients, 76 cases (test group) were performed with LNU combined with electric coagulation, and 80 cases (control group) were with electric resection. For the clinical outcomes, the hospital stay in the test group was shorter (5.2 ± 2.6 days versus 8.2 ± 3.4 days; P < 0.05), and the 1-year tumor recurrence rate was much lower (1.6% versus 13.3%, P < 0.05). There was no difference in operation time and blood loss between groups. Retroperitoneal LNU combined with electric coagulation is technically feasible and safe with lower tumor recurrence rate and shorter hospital stay.
Prenatal and Postnatal Ultrasonographic Findings of the Torsioned Ovarian Cyst: A Case Report and Brief Literature Review
Authors: Ogul Hayri , Havan Nuri , Pirimoglu Berhan , Guvendi Bulent , Kisaoglu Abdullah , Kantarci Mecit
Published: March 2015

Cystic and solid tumors of the ovary are rare during the newborn period and infancy. We present the case of a term female infant born to a mother of 28 years of age and found to have a cystic abdominal mass through prenatal sonographic evaluation in the third trimester. The complex cyst was also demonstrated by postnatal abdominal ultrasonography. Laparotomy revealed a large cystic mass with a torsed right ovary. Pathologic examination of cyst revealed hemorrhagic necrosis with ovarian torsion.
Successful Salvage of the Upper Limb After Crush Injury Requiring Nine Operations: A Case Report
Authors: Zeng Qingmin , Cai Guoping , Liu Dechang , Wang Kun , Zhang Xinchao
Published: March 2015

Emergency treatment of amputation is one of the most frequently used therapeutic methods for patients with severe upper limb crush injury with a mangled extremity severity score (MESS) of more than 7. With the development of advanced surgical repair techniques and reconstructive technology, cases that once required amputation can now be salvaged with appropriate management, and some limb functions may also be reserved. A patient with a severe upper limb crush injury with a MESS score of 10 was treated in our hospital. The limb was salvaged after 9 surgeries over 10 months. The follow-up visits over the next 18 months post-injury showed that the shoulder joint functions were rated as “excellent” (90) according to the Neer score, the Harris hip evaluation (HHS) for elbow joint functions was “good” (80), and the patient was very satisfied with the overall therapeutic outcome. We conclude from the successful outcome of this extreme injury that salvage attempts should be the first management choice for upper limbs with complex injuries to save as much function as possible. Amputation should only be adopted when the injury is life-threatening or no more function can be saved. The level of evidence was V.
EASEPort NPWT System to Enhance Skin Graft Survival – A Simple Assembly
Authors: Prasetyono Theddeus O.H. , Rini Irena Sakura , Wibisono Cindy
Published: March 2015

Skin graft has been known to be prone to failure. This study was aimed to make a simplification of the negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), which follows EASEPort (effective, affordable, safe, easily handled, and portable) concept to support the take of skin graft. The design of the EASEPort-NPWT was then made and technically verified. Thereafter, an animal experimental study comparing the EASEPort-NPWT to the classic tie-over technique on skin graft over exudative wound was conducted. The EASEPort-NPWT was verified to be able to yield and sustain the subatmospheric pressure needed. In the animal study, the treatment group showed better skin graft survival rate (97.55 ± 11.18% take) than the control group (54.88 ± 19.73%) on day-7. Histopathology examination showed good quality of the skin structures taken from the treatment group, which was better than the structures of the skin in the control group. In summary, this study has been able to fulfill its objective to create a device following EASEPort concept. Subsequently, the EASEPort-NPWT was able to enhance skin graft survival rate in exudative wound.
Visceral Organ Resection During Femoral Hernia Surgery Is a Predictor of Morbidity
Authors: Calik Bulent , Karaman Kerem , Atci Recep , Cetindag Ozhan , Ugurlu Levent , Aydin Cengiz , Akbulut Gokhan
Published: March 2015

Reports on the outcomes of emergency and elective femoral hernia surgery are scarce. Most studies do not distinguish femoral hernia from other types of groin hernia; studies of femoral hernia alone are few in number. The main objective of the present study was to identify factors affecting morbidity of femoral hernia patients. We retrospectively analyzed data on 80 patients who underwent femoral hernia surgery between June 2009 and June 2013. Patients who did and did not experience morbidity were compared in terms of age, sex, hernia location, the presence of any comorbid disease, the type of anesthesia employed, the operative technique used, the type of surgical intervention, and performance of small bowel resection. Forty-three patients (53.8%) underwent emergency surgery because of incarceration. Of these, 18 (41.9%) experienced strangulation and underwent resection. Postoperative complications developed in 11 patients (13.8%). Upon multiple logistic regression analysis, visceral organ resection (of the small bowel and/or omentum) was the only independent predictor of significant morbidity (P < 0.05; odds ratio [OR]: 14.010, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.001–196.143). When diagnosed, femoral hernias should be electively repaired as soon as possible. The cumulative probability of strangulation rises over time. A requirement for bowel resection seems to significantly increase morbidity.
Risk of Surgical Site Infection in Older Patients in a Cohort Survey: Targets for Quality Improvement in Antibiotic Prophylaxis
Authors: Agodi Antonella , Quattrocchi Annalisa , Barchitta Martina , Adornetto Veronica , Cocuzza Aldo , Latino Rosalia , Destri Giovanni Li , Di Cataldo Antonio
Published: March 2015

The aims of the present study were to: (1) assess surgical site infection (SSI) incidence in a cohort of surgical patients and (2) estimate the compliance with national guidelines for perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis (PAP). SSIs, among the most common health care–associated infections, are an important target for surveillance and an official priority in several European countries. SSI commonly complicates surgical procedures in older people and is associated with substantial attributable mortality and costs. The implementation of PAP guidelines is difficult among surgeons, and failure to comply with the standard of care has been widely reported. A 12-month prospective survey was performed in accordance with the methods, protocols, and definitions of the Hospital in Europe Link for Infection Control through Surveillance (HELICS) protocol. The compliance of the current PAP practices with the published national guidelines was assessed. A total of 249 patients were enrolled. The cumulative SSI incidence was 3.2 per 100 operative procedures. Cumulative compliance for PAP was 12.4%. Overall, only infection risk index ≥1 was confirmed as a significant risk factor for SSI (odds ratio, 6.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–42.59; P = 0.045). When only older patients (age >65 years) were considered, no significant risk factors for SSI were identified. Our study indicates an overall inadequate compliance with PAP recommendations, thus highlighting the need to develop multimodal and targeted intervention programs to improve compliance with PAP guidelines.
A Free Terminal Ileal Perforation From Active Crohn Disease in Pregnancy: A Diagnostic Challenge
Authors: Philip Sunu , Kamyab Armin , Orfanou Paraskevi
Published: March 2015

The surgical management of the complications of Crohn disease is often challenging. These difficulties are compounded in pregnancy by competing interests of the mother and the baby. In this report, we describe the presentation and surgical management of a patient in her second trimester with active Crohn disease who required emergent surgical intervention. She had presented with the uncommon complication of a free perforation in the presence of active untreated disease.
Usability of Elective Laparoscopic Sigmoidectomy and Feasibility of Single-Incision Laparoscopic Surgery for Sigmoid Volvulus: Report of Three Cases
Authors: Ueda Masami , Onishi Tadashi , Hata Taishi , Nishida Kentaro , Yanagawa Takehiro , Fujita Shoichiro , Fujita Junya , Yoshida Tetsuya , Tono Takeshi , Monden Takushi , Imaoka Shingi , Mori Masaki
Published: March 2015

A therapeutic guideline for sigmoid volvulus (SV) has not been established, and the most recommended surgical procedure for SV has not been determined. Our objective is to assess the usability of elective laparoscopic sigmoidectomy and the feasibility of single-incision laparoscopic surgery for SV following endoscopic reduction. SV typically affects the elderly and accounts for 1% to 7% of intestinal obstructions in Western countries. We report on 3 patients with SV who underwent elective laparoscopic sigmoidectomy following endoscopic reduction, and we first describe single-port surgery for SV. We discuss the 3 patients (a 79-year-old male, an 88-year-old female, and a 67-year-old female) with SV who underwent elective laparoscopic sigmoidectomy following endoscopic reduction. All 3 patients underwent laparoscopic sigmoidectomy, and 2 patients underwent single-port laparoscopic surgery without complications. Recurrence of volvulus was not seen during the course of 12 to 24 months. In experienced hands, elective laparoscopic sigmoidectomy after colonoscopic detorsion is a valuable alternative, and single-port surgery is also feasible.
Single-incision Plus One Port Laparoscopic Total Mesorectal Excision and Bilateral Pelvic Node Dissection for Advanced Rectal Cancer—A Medial Umbilical Ligament Approach
Authors: Tokuoka Masayoshi , Ide Yoshihito , Takeda Mitsunobu , Hashimoto Yasuji , Matsuyama Jin , Yokoyama Shigekazu , Morimoto Takashi , Fukushima Yukio , Nomura Takashi , Kodama Ken , Sasaki Yo
Published: March 2015

We prove the safety and feasibility of single-incision plus 1 port (SILS+1) laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (TME) + lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LPLD) via a medial umbilical approach for rectal cancer. Only a few reports have been published about single-incision multiport laparoscopic low anterior resection with LPLD. Recently, minimally invasive surgery such as single-incision plus 1 port (SILS + 1) for advanced rectal cancer has been reported as safe and feasible. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of SILS + 1 used for LPLD. A wound protector was inserted through a 30-mm transumbilical incision. Next, a single-port access device was mounted to the wound protector and 3 ports (5 mm each) were placed. A 12-mm port was inserted in the right lower quadrant. Super-low anterior resection of the rectum and bilateral LPLD and temporary ileostomy were performed with SILS + 1, with a blood loss of 50 mL and a total surgical time of 525 minutes. The time for right lateral dissection was 74 minutes; the time for left lateral dissection was 118 minutes. The total number of dissected lymph nodes was 57 and the number of lateral lymph nodes dissected was 21 (8 left pelvic lymph nodes, 13 right pelvic lymph nodes). No postoperative anastomotic insufficiency or voiding dysfunction was observed. We have documented the safety and feasibility of SILS + 1-TME + LPLD via a medial umbilical approach for rectal cancer.
Complete Resection of a Complicated Huge Mesenteric Lymphangioma Guided by Mesenteric Computed Tomography Angiography With Three-Dimensional Reconstruction: Report of a Case
Authors: Tsuboi Motohiro , Noda Hiroshi , Watanabe Fumiaki , Abe Iku , Nokubi Mitsuhiro , Rikiyama Toshiki
Published: March 2015

We herein describe the case of an adult with a complicated huge lymphangioma of the small bowel mesentery. Computed tomography (CT) confirmed a 45 × 30 × 14 cm multiple and separate, mixed and solid cystic tumor without enhancement by contrast medium in the abdominal cavity. Mesenteric CT angiography with three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction showed that the tumor did not involve the first jejunal artery, although the tumor did involve the subsequent jejunal and ileal arteries and the corresponding segment of the small bowel. Under anatomic guidance based on mesenteric CT angiography with 3D reconstruction, we were able to successfully excise the tumor. Mesenteric lymphangioma should be excised even when the tumor is asymptomatic. Mesenteric CT angiography with 3D reconstruction is useful for the surgical treatment of huge mesenteric tumors.
Hybrid Laparoscopic and Anterior Approach for Postsurgical Inguinal Hernia After Iliofemoral Arterial Bypass
Authors: Tsukada Tomoya , Saito Hiroto , Amaya Koji , Terada Itsuro , Kaji Masahide , Shimizu Koichi
Published: March 2015

Laparoscopic hernia repair has become popular due to its rapid recovery time, fewer postoperative complications, and less chronic pain compared with conventional approaches. Currently, laparoscopic hernia repair is also used for more complex pathogenesis, including extra-anatomic bypass surgery for femoral artery. To the best of our knowledge, cases of inguinal hernia after femoral arterial bypass are extremely rare. We report the case of a 77-year-old Japanese man who was diagnosed with inguinal hernia after a previous left external iliac artery–right common femoral artery bypass. We used a hybrid laparoscopic and anterior approach, and the procedure was completed successfully without perioperative complications. A laparoscopic approach is useful for the diagnosis and treatment of inguinal hernia after extra-anatomic bypass surgery for femoral artery. While complicated, the addition of anterior reinforcement should be considered in cases of insufficient preperitoneal repair using transabdominal preperitoneal patch plasty.
Transient luminosity along negative stepped leaders in lightning
Authors: Stolzenburg Maribeth , Marshall Thomas C. , Karunarathne Sumedhe , Karunarathna Nadeeka , Orville Richard E.
Published: March 2015

This study presents observations of abandoned stepped leader branches that briefly reconnect to the main stepped leader trunk or another active branch during the negative stepped leader advance in natural cloud‐to‐ground lightning strokes. The transient luminous features described are herein termed sparks. High‐speed video data, with 20 µs image interval, show these sparks are common, bright, and fast. They typically reach maximum visible extent of a few hundred meters or less and peak intensity of one to three times that of their parent leader within 40 µs. Most sparks connect to a parent leader within their first 20 µs and are visible for less than 120 µs. Generally, there are several milliseconds (average 3.3 ms) before the spark during which its branch is visibly abandoned, i.e., apparently neither propagating nor connected to the active stepped leader system. There is a tendency for sparks to occur late in the stepped leader advance, averaging 900 µs before the return stroke for 90 sparks in 14 strokes. Sparks occur at altitudes at least as high as the visible stepped leader top (about 3000 m in these data), but they have not been observed below 500 m altitude. Parent leaders typically get brighter below the connection point after the spark, and in some cases, their speed of advance increases. Nearby time‐correlated electric field change data show a distinct spark signature characterized by a relatively large bipolar pulse, followed by a slower decrease over 40–100 µs, ending with another relatively large pulse.
A new dynamical downscaling approach with GCM bias corrections and spectral nudging
Authors: Xu Zhongfeng , Yang Zong‐Liang
Published: March 2015

To improve confidence in regional projections of future climate, a new dynamical downscaling (NDD) approach with both general circulation model (GCM) bias corrections and spectral nudging is developed and assessed over North America. GCM biases are corrected by adjusting GCM climatological means and variances based on reanalysis data before the GCM output is used to drive a regional climate model (RCM). Spectral nudging is also applied to constrain RCM‐based biases. Three sets of RCM experiments are integrated over a 31 year period. In the first set of experiments, the model configurations are identical except that the initial and lateral boundary conditions are derived from either the original GCM output, the bias‐corrected GCM output, or the reanalysis data. The second set of experiments is the same as the first set except spectral nudging is applied. The third set of experiments includes two sensitivity runs with both GCM bias corrections and nudging where the nudging strength is progressively reduced. All RCM simulations are assessed against North American Regional Reanalysis. The results show that NDD significantly improves the downscaled mean climate and climate variability relative to other GCM‐driven RCM downscaling approach in terms of climatological mean air temperature, geopotential height, wind vectors, and surface air temperature variability. In the NDD approach, spectral nudging introduces the effects of GCM bias corrections throughout the RCM domain rather than just limiting them to the initial and lateral boundary conditions, thereby minimizing climate drifts resulting from both the GCM and RCM biases.
A new frequency domain analytical solution of a cascade of diffusive channels for flood routing
Authors: Cimorelli Luigi , Cozzolino Luca , Della Morte Renata , Pianese Domenico , Singh Vijay P.
Published: March 2015

Simplified flood propagation models are often employed in practical applications for hydraulic and hydrologic analyses. In this paper, we present a new numerical method for the solution of the Linear Parabolic Approximation (LPA) of the De Saint Venant equations (DSVEs), accounting for the space variation of model parameters and the imposition of appropriate downstream boundary conditions. The new model is based on the analytical solution of a cascade of linear diffusive channels in the Laplace Transform domain. The time domain solutions are obtained using a Fourier series approximation of the Laplace Inversion formula. The new Inverse Laplace Transform Diffusive Flood Routing model (ILTDFR) can be used as a building block for the construction of real‐time flood forecasting models or in optimization models, because it is unconditionally stable and allows fast and fairly precise computation.
Unprecedented hailstorms over north peninsular India during February–March 2014
Authors: Kulkarni J. R. , Morwal S. B. , Narkhedkar S. G. , Maheskumar R. S. , Padmakumari B. , Sunitha Devi S. , Rajeevan M.
Published: March 2015

Unprecedented, widespread, and devastating hailstorms occurred during February and March 2014 over north peninsular India (study area). A diagnostic study has been carried out to understand the causes for the same. Over the study area the atmosphere was convectively unstable due to the incursion of warm and moist air from Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea which was overlaid by cold and dry midlatitude westerlies caused due to the unusual upper oceanic heat content of the Pacific Ocean. At the surface and lower levels, anticyclonic flow over the central India produced easterly winds and cyclonic circulation over Arabian Sea at 850 hPa level produced westerly winds over the peninsular India. Meeting of these winds caused convergence of moist air in the lower levels. The troughs in the upper level westerlies provided the divergence in the upper levels. As a consequence of this convergence/divergence structure, synoptic‐scale slow rising motion occurred over the study region. This released the convective instability to cause deep and wide convection with cloud bases at ~1500 m above mean sea level and tops well above the freezing level. Release of latent heat of deposition of water vapor provided extra buoyancy and produced strong updrafts causing explosive growth of the clouds reaching to very high levels and formation of large hails in the clouds. This atmospheric setup was a result of combined effect of planetary and synoptic forcings which persisted for ~3 weeks.
The primate autoimmune encephalomyelitis model; a bridge between mouse and man
Authors: ‘t Hart Bert A. , van Kooyk Yvette , Geurts Jeroen J. G. , Gran Bruno
Published: March 2015

Introduction

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an enigmatic autoimmune‐driven inflammatory/demyelinating disease of the human central nervous system (CNS), affecting brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. The cause of the disease is not known and the number of effective treatments is limited. Despite some clear successes, translation of immunological discoveries in the mouse experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model into effective therapies for MS patients has been difficult. This translation gap between MS and its elected EAE animal model reflects the phylogenetic distance between humans and their experimental counterpart, the inbred/specific pathogen free (SPF) laboratory mouse.

Objective

Here, we discuss that important new insights can be obtained into the mechanistic basis of the therapy paradox from the study of nonhuman primate EAE (NHP‐EAE) models, the well‐validated EAE model in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) in particular.

Interpretation

Data presented in this review demonstrate that due to a considerable immunological and pathological overlap with mouse EAE on one side and MS on the other, the NHP EAE model can help us bridge the translation gap.
Defeating Loss Mechanisms in 1D TiO2‐Based Hybrid Solar Cells
Authors: Wisnet A. , Bader K. , Betzler S. B. , Handloser M. , Ehrenreich P. , Pfadler T. , Weickert J. , Hartschuh A. , Schmidt‐Mende L. , Scheu C. , Dorman J. A.
Published: March 2015

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) semiconductors are widely used in energy conversion, energy storage, catalysis, and other electronic applications. Hydrothermally grown TiO2 nanowires are an alternative to mesoporous TiO2 nanostructures due to possible direct charge transport, but their full potential waits to be unleashed. Latest findings show a peculiar defect structure, consisting of small single‐crystalline fingers and free internal surfaces, which supposedly promote a number of loss mechanisms. In this paper, the influence of these defects on charge transport is studied on the basis of hybrid solar cells featuring a TiO2/dye/polymer interface. Electrical, optical, and structural characterization identifies a number of loss mechanisms, which are inhibited by the introduction of particular annealing steps at specific processing points during fabrication. An increase in power‐conversion efficiency of 35% is obtained, resulting in 2.71% and surpassing mesoporous films of the same material combination. These results suggest that caution has to be exercised when dealing with defect structures possibly present in metal oxides which appear single‐crystalline by conventional analysis methods.
Superstrong, Chemically Stable, Superamphiphobic Fabrics from Particle‐Free Polymer Coatings
Authors: Zhou Hua , Wang Hongxia , Niu Haitao , Fang Jian , Zhao Yan , Lin Tong
Published: March 2015

Superamphiphobic fabrics with a robust, chemically stable, highly liquid‐repellent surface have been prepared by one‐step coating treatment of fabric substrate using a coating solution comprising poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene), fluoroalkyl silane, and a volatile solvent (e.g., acetone). The coated fabric has a contact angle of 162°, 156°, and 150° to water, olive oil, and silicone oil, respectively. The highly volatile solvent in the coating solution plays an important role in forming highly liquid repellent surface on the fabric. The coating is highly stable, and can withstand 98% concentrated sulfuric acid and strong alkaline solution (e.g., 40% KOH). It is also durable enough against at least 800 cycles of machine wash, and 10 000 cycles of abrasion. Physical damages such as abrasion with a fabric, rubbing with sandpaper, or scratching with a sharp blade can even increase the liquid repellency to a certain extent. In addition, the coating has a self‐healing property against UV damages. Such a superstrong, superamphiphobic fabric coating may find applications in development of innovative textiles and functional clothing for various applications.
Organocatalytic Reactions of Indoles with Quinone Imine Ketals: An Alternative Metal‐Free Approach to Bioactive meta‐Indolylanilines
Authors: Jiang Fei , Zhang Yu‐Chen , Sun Si‐Bing , Zhou Lu‐Jia , Shi Feng
Published: March 2015

An organocatalytic metal‐free strategy has been established for the synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant meta‐indolylanilines in generally excellent yields (up to 99 %). This strategy took advantage of the reaction of indoles and quinone imine ketals (QIKs) in the presence of racemic phosphoric acid, which proceeded via a 1,4‐addition/alcohol elimination reaction sequence. The control experiment demonstrated that the dual hydrogen‐bonding activation mode of the catalyst to the substrates played a crucial role in the reaction. This protocol provides a metal‐free and step‐economical approach to meta‐anilines bearing either 3‐indolyl or 2‐indolyl moiety, which is of high value for the synthesis of compounds with potential bioactivities.

magnified image
Comparative analysis of electric field influence on the quantum wells with different boundary conditions.
Authors: Olendski Oleg
Published: March 2015

Analytical solutions of the Schrödinger equation for the one‐dimensional quantum well with all possible permutations of the Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions (BCs) in perpendicular to the interfaces uniform electric field are used for the comparative investigation of their interaction and its influence on the properties of the system. Limiting cases of the weak and strong voltages allow an easy mathematical treatment and its clear physical explanation; in particular, for the small , the perturbation theory derives for all geometries a linear dependence of the polarization on the field with the BC‐dependent proportionality coefficient being positive (negative) for the ground (excited) states. Simple two‐level approximation elementary explains the negative polarizations as a result of the field‐induced destructive interference of the unperturbed modes and shows that in this case the admixture of only the neighboring states plays a dominant role. Different magnitudes of the polarization for different BCs in this regime are explained physically and confirmed numerically. Hellmann‐Feynman theorem reveals a fundamental relation between the polarization and the speed of the energy change with the field. It is proved that zero‐voltage position entropies are BC independent and for all states but the ground Neumann level (which has ) are equal to while the momentum entropies depend on the edge requirements and the level. Varying electric field changes position and momentum entropies in the opposite directions such that the entropic uncertainty relation is satisfied. Other physical quantities such as the BC‐dependent zero‐energy and zero‐polarization fields are also studied both numerically and analytically. Applications to different branches of physics, such as ocean fluid dynamics and atmospheric and metallic waveguide electrodynamics, are discussed.

image
Polymeric Micelle Assembly with Inorganic Nanosheets for Construction of Mesoporous Architectures with Crystallized Walls
Authors: Bastakoti Bishnu Prasad , Li Yunqi , Imura Masataka , Miyamoto Nobuyoshi , Nakato Teruyuki , Sasaki Takayoshi , Yamauchi Yusuke
Published: March 2015

Here we propose a novel way to construct mesoporous architectures through evaporation‐induced assembly of polymeric micelles with crystalline nanosheets. As a model study, we used niobate nanosheets exfoliated by the direct reaction of K4Nb6O17⋅3 H2O crystals with an aqueous solution of propylamine. The electrostatic interaction between negatively charged nanosheets and positively charged polymeric micelles enable us to form composite micelles with the nanosheets. Removal of the micelles by calcination results in robust mesoporous oxides with the original crystalline structure.
Analysis of flow control by boundary‐layer manipulation using 2D frequency response
Authors: Ratnayake Pesila , Setiawan Ridwan , Bao Jie
Published: March 2015

Flow control is the manipulation of fluid flow into a desired behaviour with the purpose to either enhance mixing or suppress turbulence. However, because all flow systems are essentially distributed parameter systems, which are often described as partial differential equations, systematic analysis of the effectiveness and control design of the flow control is often difficult to perform. Oscillatory flows have the potential to enhance mixing by providing high‐amplitude shear oscillations. For example, oscillating electro‐osmotic flow caused by an externally induced electric field can be applied to membrane systems to reduce polarisation or fouling. Therefore, an approach that can model and analyse the relationship between oscillatory flows and the resulting mixing enhancement is needed. This paper proposes an approach that systematically analyses the effects of external inputs, which vary in both spatial and temporal directions, on the mixing enhancement in channel flows. A two‐dimensional (2D) frequency response is obtained from the reduced‐order model of the Navier–Stokes equations. The 2D frequency response describes the system behaviour at different frequencies and wavenumber. The analysis results are useful for system and control design, e.g. in identifying the locations to install actuators and sensors, which is often very difficult for distributed parameter systems. © 2015 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluating a search interface for visually impaired searchers
Authors: Gooda Sahib Nuzhah , Tombros Anastasios , Stockman Tony
Published: March 2015

Understanding the information‐seeking behavior of visually impaired users is essential to designing search interfaces that support them during their search tasks. In a previous article, we reported the information‐seeking behavior of visually impaired users when performing complex search tasks on the web, and we examined the difficulties encountered when interacting with search interfaces via speech‐based screen readers. In this article, we use our previous findings to inform the design of a search interface to support visually impaired users for complex information seeking. We particularly focus on implementing TrailNote, a tool to support visually impaired searchers in managing the search process, and we also redesign the spelling‐support mechanism using nonspeech sounds to address previously observed difficulties in interacting with this feature. To enhance the user experience, we have designed interface features to be technically accessible as well as usable with speech‐based screen readers. We have evaluated the proposed interface with 12 visually impaired users and studied how they interacted with the interface components. Our findings show that the search interface was effective in supporting participants for complex information seeking and that the proposed interface features were accessible and usable with speech‐based screen readers.
Fabrication of Fluoropolymer Microtubes via RAFT Copolymerization of N,N′‐Methylene Bisacrylamide Gel Fibers and Fluoromonomer
Authors: Li Qi , Wang Yi , Tang Liming
Published: March 2015

Fluoropolymer microtubes with a smooth surface were fabricated in more than 70 % yield via reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) co‐polymerization of N,N′‐methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) gel fibers as both template and monomer, 2‐(perfluoro‐3‐methylbutyl)ethyl acrylate (R‐3420) as co‐monomer, and pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (PET4A) as cross‐linker. The resulting fluoropolymer microtubes were characterized fully by SEM, TEM, EDS, XPS, and FT‐IR. The influence of the monomer composition on the yields and morphologies of the tubes were investigated in detail. The results indicated that polymer microtubes with a smooth surface were obtained at suitable amounts of R‐3420 and PET4A. Because of the decreased solubility of MBA gel fibers, the wall thickness increased as more R‐3420 was used. In the presence of PET4A, the solution polymerization could be facilitated and more R‐3420 could be attached onto the tubes based on FT‐IR analysis. The water contact angle and swelling ratio measurements both revealed the low hydrophilicity and high lipophilicity of the fluoropolymer microtubes, which made the sample able to absorb toluene selectively in a water/toluene two‐phase system.
Direct Synthesis of Porous Nanorod‐Type Graphitic Carbon Nitride/CuO Composite from Cu–Melamine Supramolecular Framework towards Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: Wang Jiangpeng , Xu Hui , Qian Xuefeng , Dong Yingying , Gao Junkuo , Qian Guodong , Yao Juming
Published: March 2015

Facile and direct synthesis of porous nanorod‐type graphitic carbon nitride/CuO composite (CuO‐g‐C3N4) has been achieved by using a Cu–melamine supramolecular framework as a precursor. The CuO‐g‐C3N4 nanocomposite demonstrated improved visible‐light‐driven photocatalytic activities. The results indicate that metal–melamine supramolecular frameworks can be promising precursors for the preparation of efficient g‐C3N4 nanocomposite photocatalysts.
Expression of anti‐tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) single‐chain variable fragment (scFv) in Spirodela punctata plants transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens
Authors: Balaji Parthasarathy , Satheeshkumar P. K. , Venkataraman Krishnan , Vijayalakshmi M. A.
Published: March 2015

Therapeutic antibodies against tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) have been considered effective for some of the autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's diseases, and so on. But associated limitations of the current therapeutics in terms of cost, availability, and immunogenicity have necessitated the need for alternative candidates. Single‐chain variable fragment (scFv) can negate the limitations tagged with the anti‐TNFα therapeutics to a greater extent. In the present study, Spirodela punctata plants were transformed with anti‐TNFα through in planta transformation using Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain, EHA105. Instead of cefotaxime, garlic extract (1 mg/mL) was used to remove the agrobacterial cells after cocultivation. To the best of our knowledge, this report shows for the first time the application of plant extracts in transgenic plant development. 95% of the plants survived screening under hygromycin. ScFv cDNA integration in the plant genomic DNA was confirmed at the molecular level by PCR. The transgenic protein expression was followed up to 10 months. Expression of scFv was confirmed by immunodot blot. Protein expression levels of up to 6.3% of total soluble protein were observed. β‐Glucuronidase and green fluorescent protein expressions were also detected in the antibiotic resistant plants. The paper shows the generation of transgenic Spirodela punctuata plants through in planta transformation.