bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Case History: Ice Island Drilling Application and Well Considerations in Alaskan Beaufort Sea
Authors: Angell V. W. , Graham H. J. , Post G. J.
Published: March 2016

Chevron USA in partnership with Mobil Oil constructed an ice island made from seawater spray, that served as a drilling platform to evaluate the Karluk Prospect during the winter of 1988/1989. The island was located in the shallow coastal waters of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea, 25 miles northeast of Prudhoe Bay. The project had only one predecessor in Alaska, but was deemed most advantageous as a drilling platform because of site selection, environmental compatibility, and overall econnomy. A land drilling program was modified to incorporate the use of the spray ice island. Karluk Island was constructed and an 11,19O' well was drilled under the allotted time and project AFE, despite one of the most extreme winters on record. Most importantly, the Karluk Project substantiates the viability of a spray ice island as a safe and economical drilling site for the shallow offshore Arctic environment.
Removal of nickel and cadmium heavy metals using nanofiber membranes functionalized with (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (TMPTMS)
Authors: Zahabi Saeed Reza , Hosseini Ravandi Seyed Abdolkarim , Allafchian Alireza
Published: March 2016

Functionalized nanofibrous membranes have been produced via electrospinning with a polymer solution of 19% (w/w) of nylon 66 prepared in a formic acid/chloroform mixture (75:25 v/v). The optimum parameters of electrospinning, like voltage, flow rate, tip and collector distances, were achieved and produced nanofiber membranes with a thickness of 287 nm. Then the nanofiber membranes were functionalized by (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (TMPTMS) at various amounts. Three different initial concentrations of metal ions and three different levels of pH were chosen. The effect of filtration process parameters such as the initial concentration of metal solution, pH of the solution, and the amount of functionalizer trimethoxysilane (TMPTMS) on the adsorption was studied. In surveying filtration process parameters, the results showed that metal ion rejection increased by increasing the pH of the solution and decreased by increasing the initial concentration of the effluent. By increasing the amount of functionalizer, removal efficiency increased. The results showed that the maximum efficiency of absorption of cadmium and nickel were 93.0 and 97.6%, respectively, and the filtering mechanism of the membrane is the blocking pores type. The adsorption data of cadmium and nickel ions fitted particularly well with the Freundlich isotherm.
On the preventive management of sediment-related sewer blockages: a combined maintenance and routing optimization approach
Authors: Fontecha John E. , Akhavan-Tabatabaei Raha , Duque Daniel , Medaglia Andrés L. , Torres María N. , Rodríguez Juan Pablo
Published: March 2016

In this work we tackle the problem of planning and scheduling preventive maintenance (PM) of sediment-related sewer blockages in a set of geographically distributed sites that are subject to non-deterministic failures. To solve the problem, we extend a combined maintenance and routing (CMR) optimization approach which is a procedure based on two components: (a) first a maintenance model is used to determine the optimal time to perform PM operations for each site and second (b) a mixed integer program-based split procedure is proposed to route a set of crews (e.g., sewer cleaners, vehicles equipped with winches or rods and dump trucks) in order to perform PM operations at a near-optimal minimum expected cost. We applied the proposed CMR optimization approach to two (out of five) operative zones in the city of Bogotá (Colombia), where more than 100 maintenance operations per zone must be scheduled on a weekly basis. Comparing the CMR against the current maintenance plan, we obtained more than 50% of cost savings in 90% of the sites.
Reproducibility and reliability of three-dimensional soft tissue landmark identification using three-dimensional stereophotogrammetry
Authors: Baysal Asli , Sahan Ahmet Oguz , Ozturk Mehmet Ali , Uysal Tancan
Published: March 2016

Objective:

To evaluate the intraexaminer repeatability and interexaminer reproducibility of soft tissue landmarks on three-dimensional (3-D) stereophogrammetric images.

Materials and Methods:

Thirty-four stereophotogrammetric images were taken and 19 soft tissue points were identified. The images were obtained using the 3-DMD Face (3-DMD TM Ltd, Atlanta, Ga) system. Two examiners marked 34 images manually with a mouse-driven cursor 4 weeks apart. Intraexaminer marking differences were calculated and classified as <0.5 mm, 0.5–1 mm, and >1 mm. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated for intraexaminer reliability. A paired-samples t-test was used to evaluate the difference between the examiners. Interexaminer reproducibility was evaluated by kappa analysis. Statistical significance was set at P < .05.

Results:

Only one landmark (labiale superior) had an intraexaminer marking difference less than 0.5 mm. Existing landmarks had an intraexaminer difference less than 1 mm, but higher than 0.5 mm. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) indicated good intraexaminer repeatability for both observers. The ICC range for examiners 1 and 2 was 0.986–1.000 and 0.990–1.000, respectively. Kappa scores showed good interexaminer agreement, especially on the z-axis.

Conclusions:

Except labiale superior, the soft tissue landmarks used in this study were shown to have moderate reproducibility, but the difference between the landmarks was less than 1 mm, and they had clinically acceptable reproducibility.
ESCAIDE 2015: an operational scientific conference on infectious diseases for professionals from Europe and beyond
Authors: Sabbatucci Michela , Jasir Aftab
Published: March 2016

Binary file ES_Abstracts_Final_ECDC.txt matches
Interim estimates of 2015/16 vaccine effectiveness against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, Canada, February 2016
Authors: Chambers Catharine , Skowronski Danuta M , Sabaiduc Suzana , Winter Anne Luise , Dickinson James A , De Serres Gaston , Gubbay Jonathan B , Drews Steven J , Martineau Christine , Eshaghi Alireza , Krajden Mel , Bastien Nathalie , Li Yan
Published: March 2016

Using a test-negative design, the Canadian Sentinel Practitioner Surveillance Network (SPSN) assessed interim 2015/16 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses. Adjusted VE showed significant protection of 64% (95% confidence interval (CI): 44–77%) overall and 56% (95%CI: 26–73%) for adults between 20 and 64 years-old against medically attended, laboratory-confirmed A(H1N1)pdm09 illness. Among the 67 A(H1N1)pdm09-positive specimens that were successfully sequenced, 62 (> 90%) belonged to the emerging genetic 6B.1 subclade, defined by S162N (potential gain of glycosylation) and I216T mutations in the haemagglutinin protein. Findings from the Canadian SPSN indicate that the 2015/16 northern hemisphere vaccine provided significant protection against A(H1N1)pdm09 illness despite genetic evolution in circulating viruses.
Risk assessment, risk management and risk-based monitoring following a reported accidental release of poliovirus in Belgium, September to November 2014
Authors: Duizer Erwin , Rutjes Saskia , Husman Ana Maria de Roda , Schijven Jack
Published: March 2016

On 6 September 2014, the accidental release of 1013 infectious wild poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) particles by a vaccine production plant in Belgium was reported. WPV3 was released into the sewage system and discharged directly to a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and subsequently into rivers that flowed to the Western Scheldt and the North Sea. No poliovirus was detected in samples from the WWTP, surface waters, mussels or sewage from the Netherlands. Quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) showed that the infection risks resulting from swimming in Belgium waters were above 50% for several days and that the infection risk by consuming shellfish harvested in the eastern part of the Western Scheldt warranted a shellfish cooking advice. We conclude that the reported release of WPV3 has neither resulted in detectable levels of poliovirus in any of the samples nor in poliovirus circulation in the Netherlands. This QMRA showed that relevant data on water flows were not readily available and that prior assumptions on dilution factors were overestimated. A QMRA should have been performed by all vaccine production facilities before starting up large-scale culture of WPV to be able to implement effective interventions when an accident happens.
Teaching and Teacher Education
Authors: Cochran-Smith Marilyn
Published: March 2016

This essay considers the absence, presence, and shifting treatment of the topic of research on teaching and teacher education in AERA presidential addresses. To capture the arc of this topic, the essay is structured chronologically according to three time periods beginning with AERA’s birth in 1916 and continuing to the current years. At a general level, treatment of teaching and teacher education as a topic mirrored the contours of the emergence and historical development of the field of research on teaching and teacher education. However, the essay also acknowledges that presidential addresses are a partial lens on the field, which leaves out many significant developments, including issues and perspectives that have existed on the margins of the field.
Research to Controversy in 10 Decades
Authors: Baker Eva L.
Published: March 2016

This article investigates the persistent and change elements of educational testing and assessment from 1920 to the present day. I show by examining the addresses and texts of American Educational Research Association presidents a continuing focus on schools, from early experiments and development up through applications in accountability systems. Continuing topics include sources of test content and uses of tests for equity, effectiveness, support of teaching, and comparisons of alternative methods through experiments or references to standards. Although early writers appeared very close to school practices, later discussions expanded implications for policy uses.
Testing and Assessment for the Good of Education
Authors: Shepard Lorrie A.
Published: March 2016

Early presidents of the American Educational Research Association were leaders in the testing movement. Their intentions were to improve education by means of testing, which included both IQ and achievement tests. Early measurement experts acknowledged in scholarly articles that IQ tests could not measure inherited ability of groups with vastly different opportunities to learn, and yet ability testing was promoted as a beneficial means for matching instruction to individual differences until the insights of the civil rights era in the 1960s. Standard achievement measures were developed importantly to allow valid comparisons across school systems and over time, but the representations of learning that were adequate 100 years ago came to have distorting effects on teaching and learning. Today’s young psychometricians have opportunities to create new assessments in partnership with curriculum experts, but they should remain alert to the ways that well-intentioned assessment systems have been corrupted in the past.
Premature Failure and its Prevention in Flexural Beams Retroftted by GFRP Fibers
Authors: Eskenati Amir Reza , Pour Hamid Varasteh
Published: March 2016

Nowadays, retroftting reinforced concrete with FRP fbers is regarded as a globally signifcant issue. In reinforced concrete beam, the shear failure mode is more dangerous than fexural failure mode. Because this thin and sudden mode occurs without any pre-warning, diagonal shear cracks are wider than fexural cracks and preventing their expansion is rather diffcult. In the present study, the concrete beams are retroftted with GFRP fbers through a common method. Then, the beams have four- point bending test until the premature failure occurs. This phenomenon is relatively prevented through retroftting along the shear. The failure of beams are examined here.Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 2015, 11(1): 12-19
Effciency of an Electrical Machine in Electric Vehicle Application
Authors: Shah S. B. , Silwal B. , Lehikoinen A.
Published: March 2016

Machines have always made life simpler, directly or indirectly. They have been developed for a very wide range of applications. For the per- formance analysis of any machine, one important parameter to be considered is the machine loss. This consideration has signifcances like determining the effciency of the machine which in turn infuences the operating cost, determining the heating of machine and for accounting the voltage drops or current component associated with the cause of the losses and many more. Losses in electrical machines can be categorized according to the causes or phenomena that produce them. The effciency of an electrical machine directly depends on different kind of losses in the machine. Therefore, in this paper we primarily focus on the losses in the machine. First, all possible losses, their causes and effects in an electrical machine have been explained. A brief account of calculating those losses has also been explained. The standard method of calculating the effciency follows after that. Finally, a fnite element analysis is performed for a test machine and the losses and the effciency of the test machine is stud- ied. Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 2015, 11(1): 20-29
A Formula for the kth Derivative of e-z 2F2(a,r+1;b+1,r;z)
Authors: Rathie A. K. , López-Bonilla J. , Sánchez-Meléndez Gabriela
Published: March 2016

Available with full text.Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 2015, 11(1): 88-90
Supply Chain Logistics in Multi-Level Just-in-Time Production Sequencing Problems
Authors: Thapa Gyan Bahadur , Silvestrov Sergei
Published: March 2016

The multi-level just-in-time sequencing problem is one of the challenging research areas in supply chain management. In this paper, we present brief review and some recent research developments of just-in-time production systems together with supply chain logistics. Observing production flows and supply chain synchronization in production process, we present the mathematical models of just-in-time (JIT) sequencing problem in multi-level and single-level as nonlinear integer programming in terms of discrepancy functions under the specified constraints. Discrete apportionment approach is briefly reported as an efficient frontier for single-level.  Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 2015, 11(1): 91-100
Validation of Satellite Estimated Solar Ultraviolet Radiation Data with Ground Based data in Kathmandu, Nepal
Authors: Sharma Niranjan Prasad
Published: March 2016

The main objective of this study is to validate the satellite estimated solar Ultraviolet radiation data with ground based data in  Kathmandu (27.72 N, 85.32 E), located at an elevation of 1350m,  from the sea level. The ground based measurement and the satellite estimation were performed by NILU-UV irradiance meter and EOS Aura OMI satellite respectively. The NILU-UV irradiance meter is a six channel 0 0 radiometer designed to measure hemispherical irradiances on a fat surface. Meanwhile the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on board, the NASA EOS Aura space craft is a nadir viewing spectrometer that measures solar refected and back scattered light in ultraviolet and visible spectrum. The study is based on OMI and ground based (GB), Ultraviolet Radiation (UVR) data. Considering these data the relative differences between predicted OMI and ground based Ultraviolet Index (UVI) assuming normal distribution ±1σ was found to be 24.8±13.7% in July. Further study showed that the ratio of predicted OMI, UVI to that determined from ground based measurement is 1.14. Also the relative difference in UVI in corrected condition in summer season was found to be 5.8%. The correlation between predicted UVI and ground based UVI was found to be signifcant. Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 2015, 11(1): 101-107
Biomimetic Spider-web like Electrospun Nanofbrous Membrane of Nylon-6 for Future Air Filtration
Authors: Pant Hem Raj
Published: March 2016

In this work, methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG) oligomer with viscous supporting nylon-6 solution was fabricated in the form of natural spider-web like structure via an electrospinning process. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) showed that this network consists of thinner MPEG nanofbers, approximately 15 ± 5 nm in diameter connected with thicker nylon-6 main nanofbers, arranged in spider-web like structure. TGA and XRD analysis showed that the hybrid mat of MPEG and nylon-6 was formed during electrospinning. These two different interconnected nanofbers were separated by extraction of MPEG from the fbrous mat in cold water and identifed. The molecular weight and purity of the extracted MPEG was determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis, respectively. The decreased average pore diameter and increased hydrophilicity of the hybrid mat, caused by spider-web like structure, can make it as a potential candidate for air fltration. Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 2015, 11(1): 108-115
Product of Ap Weight Functions
Authors: Parajuli Vinod , Ghimire Santosh
Published: March 2016

In this paper, we first define Ap weight functions and then show that finite product of weight functions each raised with some power whose sum is one is also an Ap weight function.  Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 2015, 11(1): 116-119
Observed Behavior of Reinforced Concrete and Unreinforced Masonry Buildings in April 25, 2015 Nepal Earthquake
Authors: Shrestha Yadin
Published: March 2016

In order to investigate the effects of devastating 7.8 M  Gorkha Earthquake that struck Nepal on 25 April, 2015 and its aftershocks on reinforced concrete and unreinforced masonry buildings, a small survey team was dispatched from Institute of Engineering, Thapathali Campus. From the observation it was found that the earthquake caused extensive damages on the low-strength stone masonry buildings with no seismic detailing. In contrast, most of the reinforced concrete buildings sustained minor to some non-structural damages except in some localized places where the buildings were found to be collapsed by soft storey mechanism. The localized failure of reinforced concrete buildings in Kathmandu w valley and outside may be attributed to amplifcation of waves in thick soft soil deposits, poor quality of construction, inadequate column sizes and lack of ductile detailing.Journal of the Institute of Engineering, 2015, 11(1): 177-181
Vertical Wind Tunnel for Prediction of Rocket Flight Dynamics
Authors: Bryson Hoani , Sültrop Hans , Buchanan George , Hann Christopher , Snowdon Malcolm , Rao Avinash , Slee Adam , Fanning Kieran , Wright David , McVicar Jason , Clark Brett , Harris Graeme , Chen Xiao
Published: March 2016

A customized vertical wind tunnel has been built by the University of Canterbury Rocketry group (UC Rocketry). This wind tunnel has been critical for the success of UC Rocketry as it allows the optimization of avionics and control systems before flight. This paper outlines the construction of the wind tunnel and includes an analysis of flow quality including swirl. A minimal modelling methodology for roll dynamics is developed that can extrapolate wind tunnel behavior at low wind speeds to much higher velocities encountered during flight. The models were shown to capture the roll flight dynamics in two rocket launches with mean roll angle errors varying from 0.26° to 1.5° across the flight data. The identified model parameters showed consistent and predictable variations over both wind tunnel tests and flight, including canard–fin interaction behavior. These results demonstrate that the vertical wind tunnel is an important tool for the modelling and control of sounding rockets.
The Development of an Optimal Control Strategy for a Series Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicle
Authors: Hung Chih-Wei , Vu Tri-Vien , Chen Chih-Keng
Published: March 2016

In this work, a Truck Class II series hydraulic hybrid model is established. Dynamic Programming (DP) methodology is applied to derive the optimal power-splitting factor for the hybrid system for preselected driving schedules. Implementable rules are derived by extracting the optimal trajectory features from a DP scheme. The system behaviors illustrate that the improved control strategy gives a highly effective operation region for the engine and high power density characteristics for the hydraulic components.
Propofol-Induced Neurotoxicity in the Fetal Animal Brain and Developments in Modifying These Effects—An Updated Review of Propofol Fetal Exposure in Laboratory Animal Studies
Authors: Xiong Ming , Zhang Li , Li Jing , Eloy Jean , Ye Jiang , Bekker Alex
Published: March 2016

In the past twenty years, evidence of neurotoxicity in the developing brain in animal studies from exposure to several general anesthetics has been accumulating. Propofol, a commonly used general anesthetic medication, administered during synaptogenesis, may trigger widespread apoptotic neurodegeneration in the developing brain and long-term neurobehavioral disturbances in both rodents and non-human primates. Despite the growing evidence of the potential neurotoxicity of different anesthetic agents in animal studies, there is no concrete evidence that humans may be similarly affected. However, given the growing evidence of the neurotoxic effects of anesthetics in laboratory studies, it is prudent to further investigate the mechanisms causing these effects and potential ways to mitigate them. Here, we review multiple studies that investigate the effects of in utero propofol exposure and the developmental agents that may modify these deleterious effects.
Mitochondrial Redox Signaling and Tumor Progression
Authors: Chen Yuxin , Zhang Haiqing , Zhou Huanjiao , Ji Weidong , Min Wang
Published: March 2016

Cancer cell can reprogram their energy production by switching mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis. However, mitochondria play multiple roles in cancer cells, including redox regulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and apoptotic signaling. Moreover, these mitochondrial roles are integrated via multiple interconnected metabolic and redox sensitive pathways. Interestingly, mitochondrial redox proteins biphasically regulate tumor progression depending on cellular ROS levels. Low level of ROS functions as signaling messengers promoting cancer cell proliferation and cancer invasion. However, anti-cancer drug-initiated stress signaling could induce excessive ROS, which is detrimental to cancer cells. Mitochondrial redox proteins could scavenger basal ROS and function as “tumor suppressors” or prevent excessive ROS to act as “tumor promoter”. Paradoxically, excessive ROS often also induce DNA mutations and/or promotes tumor metastasis at various stages of cancer progression. Targeting redox-sensitive pathways and transcriptional factors in the appropriate context offers great promise for cancer prevention and therapy. However, the therapeutics should be cancer-type and stage-dependent.
Hydrogenolysis of Glycerol to 1,2-Propanediol and Ethylene Glycol over Ru-Co/ZrO2 Catalysts
Authors: Feng Jian , Zhang Youquan , Xiong Wei , Ding Hao , He Bai
Published: March 2016

A series of ZrO2 supported Ru-Co bimetallic catalysts were prepared and evaluated for the hydrogenolysis of glycerol. The Ru-Co/ZrO2 bimetallic catalyst combines the advantages of both Ru and Co, exhibiting high activity and good selectivity to 1,2-propanediol. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and TEM results show that higher calcination temperature leads to lower reducibility of cobalt oxides and larger metal particle size, which is responsible for the decrease of glycerol conversion. Increasing the reduction temperature causes an inhibition effect on the catalytic activity, but it is beneficial to promote the 1,2-propanediol selectivity. The low temperature (<300 °C) reduction can prevent the growth of metal particles, resulting in higher activity. Co oxide is an important component for the good performance of Ru-Co/ZrO2. The reaction temperature, hydrogen pressure, and glycerol concentration have significant effects on the catalytic performance of the Ru-Co/ZrO2 catalyst.
Roles of NF-κB in Cancer and Inflammatory Diseases and Their Therapeutic Approaches
Authors: Park Mi , Hong Jin
Published: March 2016

Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is a transcription factor that plays a crucial role in various biological processes, including immune response, inflammation, cell growth and survival, and development. NF-κB is critical for human health, and aberrant NF-κB activation contributes to development of various autoimmune, inflammatory and malignant disorders including rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, inflammatory bowel diseases, multiple sclerosis and malignant tumors. Thus, inhibiting NF-κB signaling has potential therapeutic applications in cancer and inflammatory diseases.
Degradation of Polypropylene Membranes Applied in Membrane Distillation Crystallizer
Authors: Gryta Marek
Published: March 2016

The studies on the resistance to degradation of capillary polypropylene membranes assembled in a membrane crystallizer were performed. The supersaturation state of salt was achieved by evaporation of water from the NaCl saturated solutions using membrane distillation process. A high feed temperature (363 K) was used in order to enhance the degradation effects and to shorten the test times. Salt crystallization was carried out by the application of batch or fluidized bed crystallizer. A significant membrane scaling was observed regardless of the method of realized crystallization. The SEM-EDS, DSC, and FTIR methods were used for investigations of polypropylene degradation. The salt crystallization onto the membrane surface accelerated polypropylene degradation. Due to a polymer degradation, the presence of carbonyl groups on the membranes’ surface was identified. Besides the changes in the chemical structure a significant mechanical damage of the membranes, mainly caused by the internal scaling, was also found. As a result, the membranes were severely damaged after 150 h of process operation. A high level of salt rejection was maintained despite damage to the external membrane surface.
Early Detection for Dengue Using Local Indicator of Spatial Association (LISA) Analysis
Authors: Parra-Amaya Mayra , Puerta-Yepes María , Lizarralde-Bejarano Diana , Arboleda-Sánchez Sair
Published: March 2016

Dengue is a viral disease caused by a flavivirus that is transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes. There is currently no specific treatment or commercial vaccine for its control and prevention; therefore, mosquito population control is the only alternative for preventing the occurrence of dengue. For this reason, entomological surveillance is recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) to measure dengue risk in endemic areas; however, several works have shown that the current methodology (aedic indices) is not sufficient for predicting dengue. In this work, we modified indices proposed for epidemic periods. The raw value of the epidemiological wave could be useful for detecting risk in epidemic periods; however, risk can only be detected if analyses incorporate the maximum epidemiological wave. Risk classification was performed according to Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA) methodology. The modified indices were analyzed using several hypothetical scenarios to evaluate their sensitivity. We found that modified indices could detect spatial and differential risks in epidemic and endemic years, which makes them a useful tool for the early detection of a dengue outbreak. In conclusion, the modified indices could predict risk at the spatio-temporal level in endemic years and could be incorporated in surveillance activities in endemic places.
Dental Pulp Stem Cell Recruitment Signals within Injured Dental Pulp Tissue
Authors: Rombouts Charlotte , Jeanneau Charlotte , Bakopoulou Athina , About Imad
Published: March 2016

The recruitment of dental pulp stem cells (DPSC) is a prerequisite for the regeneration of dentin damaged by severe caries and/or mechanical injury. Understanding the complex process of DPSC recruitment will benefit future in situ tissue engineering applications based on the stimulation of endogenous DPSC for dentin pulp regeneration. The current known mobilization signals and subsequent migration of DPSC towards the lesion site, which is influenced by the pulp inflammatory state and the application of pulp capping materials, are reviewed. The research outcome of migration studies may be affected by the applied methodology, which should thus be chosen with care. Both the advantages and disadvantages of commonly used assays for investigating DPSC migration are discussed. This review highlights the fact that DPSC recruitment is dependent not only on the soluble chemotactic signals, but also on their interaction with neighboring cells and the extracellular matrix, which can be modified under pathological conditions. These are discussed to explain how these modifications lead to the stimulation of DPSC recruitment.
Impact of Economic Freedom on the Growth Rate: A Panel Data Analysis
Authors: Hussain Mohammed , Haque Mahfuzul
Published: March 2016

This study looks at some non-conventional determinants of economic growth, with the help of the newly developed economic freedom index datasets of the Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal(HF/WSJ), which is a cumulative index derived from several sub-indices (trade freedom index, financial freedom, labor freedom, business and fiscal freedom index). The cumulative economic freedom index show us how open and business friendly a country is. The sub-indices show us openness across different sector of the economy, for example, the financial sector or the trade sector etc. Traditional neo-classical economic theories have explained economic growth looking at the supply of labor, capital and state of technology, with little attention being paid to institutional factors. The study presents evidence based on two panel data-sets. The first set consists of 186 countries over the period 2013, 2014 and 2015 that show institutional factors play a crucial role in economic growth. A second data-set with data for 57 countries for the period 2004–2014 also show a positive impact on the index on the growth rate of per capita GDP.
The Performance of Surfactant-Polymer Flooding in Horizontal Wells Consisting of Multilayers in a Reservoir System
Authors: Le Van Si , Chon Bo
Published: March 2016

Surfactant-polymer (SP) flooding has been demonstrated to be an effective method to recover oil in the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) stage when water flooding is no longer relevant. Theoretically, adding surfactant causes the reduction of the interfacial tension between oil and water in pores, therefore reducing the residual oil saturation, whereas the sweep efficiency will be significantly improved by the polymer injection as a result of proper mobility control. With regard to the well patterns, water flooding has demonstrated a high productivity in horizontal wells. Recently, other EOR processes have been increasingly applied to the horizontal wells in various well patterns. In this study, the efficiency of SP flooding applied to horizontal wells in various well configurations is investigated in order to select the best EOR performance in terms of either a technical or economical point of view. Furthermore, the reservoir is assumed to be anisotropic with four different layers that have same porosity but different permeability between each layer. The study figures out that, the utilization of a horizontal injector and producer always gives a higher oil production in comparison with the reference case of a conventional vertical injector and producer; however, the best EOR performances that demonstrate the higher oil recovery and lower fluid injected volume than those of the reference case are achieved when the production well is located in bottom layers and parallel with the injection well at a distance. While the location of producer decides oil productivity, the location of injector yet affects the uniformity of fluids propagation in the reservoir. A predefined feasibility factor is also taken into consideration in order to reject the infeasible cases that might give a high oil production but require a higher injected volume than the reference case. This factor is used as an economic parameter to evaluate the success of the EOR performance. The simulation is carried out in a quarter five-spot pattern reservoir with the support of the Computer Modeling Group (CMG) simulator. Understanding the predominant EOR performance of SP flooding in horizontal wells will help to select the best plan to obtain the highest oil recovery when considering economic issues.
Sub-Soiling and Genotype Selection Improves Populus Productivity Grown on a North Carolina Sandy Soil
Authors: Shifflett Shawn , Hazel Dennis , Guthrie Nichols Elizabeth
Published: March 2016

This study reports the stem volume of 10 Populus genotypes in a randomized split-plot design with different tillage treatments (disking versus sub-soiling) after two years of growth. Height, diameter at breast height (DBH), stem aboveground volume index, survival, Melampsora rust resistance, leaf area index (LAI), chlorophyll content, and foliar nitrogen concentration (Foliar N) were measured to identify how tillage treatments might alter poplar growth. Stem volume index and LAI were positively correlated and differed significantly among tillage treatments, taxa, and genotypes. Melampsora rust resistance was also positively correlated with volume index, but significant differences were only detected among taxa and genotypes. Foliar N and chlorophyll did not correlate to stem volume for genotypes or tillage treatments. Overall, sub-soiling yielded 37% more estimated volume compared to disking. Within the sub-soiled treatments, four genotypes (140, 176, 185, and 356) had high survival (>80%) and produced substantial stem volume (>32 dm3·tree−1). These findings show that tillage practices do impact poplar stem volumes after two years and that sub-soiling improves productivity for poplar short rotation woody crops on loamy fine-sandy soils.
Syngas Biomethanation in a Semi-Continuous Reverse Membrane Bioreactor (RMBR)
Authors: Westman Supansa , Chandolias Konstantinos , Taherzadeh Mohammad
Published: March 2016

Syngas biomethanation is a potent bio-conversion route, utilizing microorganisms to assimilate intermediate gases to produce methane. However, since methanogens have a long doubling time, the reactor works best at a low dilution rate; otherwise, the cells can be washed out during the continuous fermentation process. In this study, the performance of a practical reverse membrane bioreactor (RMBR) with high cell density for rapid syngas biomethanation as well as a co-substrate of syngas and organic substances was examined in a long-term fermentation process of 154 days and compared with the reactors of the free cells (FCBR). The RMBR reached maximum capacities of H2, CO, and CO2 conversion of 7.0, 15.2, and 4.0 mmol/Lreactor.day, respectively, at the organic loading rate of 3.40 gCOD/L.day. The highest methane production rate from the RMBR was 186.0 mL/Lreactor.day on the 147th day, compared to the highest rate in the FCBR, 106.3 mL/Lreactor.day, on the 58th day. The RMBR had the ability to maintain a high methanation capacity by retaining the microbial cells, which were at a high risk for cell wash out. Consequently, the system was able to convert more syngas simultaneously with the organic compounds into methane compared to the FCBR.
User Perception of Facebook App Data Access: A Comparison of Methods and Privacy Concerns
Authors: Golbeck Jennifer , Mauriello Matthew
Published: March 2016

Users share vast amounts of personal information online, but are they fully aware of what information they are sharing and with whom? In this paper, we focused on Facebook apps and set out to understand how concerned users are about privacy and how well-informed they are about what personal data apps can access. We found that initially, subjects were generally under-informed about what data apps could access from their profiles. After viewing additional information about these permissions, subjects’ concern about privacy on Facebook increased. Subjects’ understanding of what data apps were able to access increased, although even after receiving explicit information on the topic, many subjects still did not fully understand the extent to which apps could access their data.
FaceMashup: An End-User Development Tool for Social Network Data
Authors: Massa Daniele , Spano Lucio
Published: March 2016

Every day, each active social network user produces and shares texts, images and videos. While developers can access such data through application programming interfaces (APIs) for creating games, visualizations and routines, end users have less control on such information. Their access is mediated by the social application features, which limits them in combining sources, filtering results and performing actions on groups of elements. In order to fill this gap, we introduce FaceMashup, an end user development (EUD) environment supporting the manipulation of the Facebook graph. We describe the tool interface, documenting the choices we made during the design iterations. Data types are represented through widgets containing user interface (UI) elements similar to those used in the social network application. Widgets can be connected with each other with the drag and drop of their inner fields, and the application updates their content. Finally, we report the results of a user-test on the FaceMashup prototype, which shows a good acceptance of the environment by end-users.
Fossil Systems; a Multi-wavelength Approach towards Understanding Galaxy Formation
Authors: Khosroshahi Habib , Miraghaei Halime , Raouf Mojtaba
Published: March 2016

Fossil systems are understood to be the end product of galaxy mergers within groups and clusters. Their halo morphology points to their relaxed/virialised nature, thus allowing them to be employed as observational probes for the evolution of cosmic structures, their thermodynamics and dark matter distribution. Cosmological simulations, and their underlying models, are broadly consistent with the early formation epoch for fossils. In a series of studies we have looked into galaxy properties and intergalactic medium (IGM) in fossils, across a wide range of wavelengths, from X-ray through optical to the radio, to have a better understanding of their nature, the attributed halo age, IGM heating and their AGNs and use them as laboratories to constrain galaxy formation models. Adhering to one of less attended properties of fossils, using the the Millennium Simulation, we combine luminosity gap with luminosity segregation (the brightest galaxy offset from the group luminosity centroid) to identify the most dynamically relaxed galaxy groups which allows us to reveal brand new observational connections between galaxies and their environments.
A Review of Advances in the Identification and Characterization of Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems Using Geospatial Technologies
Authors: Pérez Hoyos Isabel , Krakauer Nir , Khanbilvardi Reza , Armstrong Roy
Published: March 2016

Groundwater Dependent Ecosystem (GDE) protection is increasingly being recognized as essential for the sustainable management and allocation of water resources. GDE services are crucial for human well-being and for a variety of flora and fauna. However, the conservation of GDEs is only possible if knowledge about their location and extent is available. Several studies have focused on the identification of GDEs at specific locations using ground-based measurements. However, recent progress in remote sensing technologies and their integration with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has provided alternative ways to map GDEs at a much larger spatial extent. This paper presents a review of the geospatial methods that have been used to map and delineate GDEs at spatial different extents. Additionally, a summary of the satellite sensors useful for identification of GDEs and the integration of remote sensing data with ground-based measurements in the process of mapping GDEs is presented.
Bioherbicides in Organic Horticulture
Authors: Cai Xiaoya , Gu Mengmeng
Published: March 2016

Organic horticulture producers rank weeds as one of their most troublesome, time-consuming, and costly production problems. With the increasing significance of organic horticulture, the need for new bioherbicides to control weeds has grown. Potential bioherbicides may be developed from pathogens, natural products, and extracts of natural materials. Fungal and bacteria pathogens are two important types of microbial agents that have potential to be used as bioherbicides. The byproducts of natural sources such as dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), corn gluten meal (CGM), and mustard seed meals (MSMs) have shown herbicidal activities in controlling many weed species. Some essential oil extracts have shown bioherbicide potential as well. The efficacy of a bioherbicide is the main limiting factor for its application, and it may be affected by environmental factors such as humidity and moisture, the application method, the spectrum of the bioherbicide, and the type of formulation. In addition to efficacy, costs and concerns about potential human health threats are also limitations to bioherbicide use. As the integration of bioherbicide technology into current weed management systems may help manage herbicide resistance, reduce production costs, and increase crop yields, future research should involve the development of more cost-effective and efficient bioherbicides for control of weeds, as well as the optimization of production methods and cultural practices with use of candidate bioherbicides.
Children’s Blood Lead Seasonality in Flint, Michigan (USA), and Soil-Sourced Lead Hazard Risks
Authors: Laidlaw Mark , Filippelli Gabriel , Sadler Richard , Gonzales Christopher , Ball Andrew , Mielke Howard
Published: March 2016

In Flint; MI; USA; a public health crisis resulted from the switching of the water supply from Lake Huron to a more corrosive source from the Flint River in April 2014; which caused lead to leach from water lines. Between 2010 and 2015; Flint area children’s average blood lead patterns display consistent peaks in the third quarter of the year. The third quarter blood lead peaks displayed a declining trend between 2010 and 2013; then rose abruptly between the third quarters of 2013 from 3.6% blood lead levels ≥5 µg/dL to a peak of about 7% in the third quarter of 2014; an increase of approximately 50%. The percentage of blood lead level ≥5 µg/dL in the first quarter of 2015 then dropped to 2.3%; which was the same percentage as the first quarter of 2014 (prior to the Flint River water source change). The Flint quarterly blood lead level peak then rose to about 6% blood lead levels ≥ 5 µg/dL in the third quarter of 2015; and then declined to about 2.5% in the fourth quarter of 2015. Soil lead data collected by Edible Flint food collaborative reveal generally higher soil lead values in the metropolitan center for Flint; with lower values in the outskirts of the city. The questions that are not being asked is why did children’s blood lead levels display a seasonal blood lead pattern before the introduction of the new water supply in Flint; and what are the implications of these seasonal blood lead patterns? Based upon previous findings in Detroit and other North American cities we infer that resuspension to the air of lead in the form of dust from lead contaminated soils in Flint appears to be a persistent contribution to lead exposure of Flint children even before the change in the water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River.
Influences of Green Outdoors versus Indoors Environmental Settings on Psychological and Social Outcomes of Controlled Exercise
Authors: Rogerson Mike , Gladwell Valerie , Gallagher Daniel , Barton Jo
Published: March 2016

This study addressed a methodological gap by comparing psychological and social outcomes of exercise in green outdoors versus built indoors settings, whilst rigorously controlling exercise mode and intensity. The hypotheses were that greater improvements or more desirable values for directed attention, mood, perceived exertion, social interaction time, intention for future exercise behaviour and enjoyment would be associated with outdoors compared to indoors exercise. Following a baseline session, paired participants completed two conditions of 15 min of cycling on an ergometer placed outside in a natural environment and inside in a laboratory setting in a randomized, counter-balanced order. At pre- and post-exercise, directed attention was measured with the digit span backwards task, and mood was assessed with the Profile of Mood States. During the exercise session, visual and verbal interactions were recorded by means of experimenter observations. After each exercise session, participants provided self-reports of their enjoyment of the exercise, perceived exertion and intention for future exercise in the same environment. Social interaction time was significantly greater during outdoors exercise versus indoors; on average, participants engaged in three minutes more social interaction during exercise outdoors compared to indoors. Social interaction time significantly predicted intention for future exercise in the outdoors condition, but did not in the indoor condition. There was a significant time by condition interaction for directed attention. Scores worsened in the indoors condition, but improved in the outdoors condition. There was no statistically-significant time by condition interaction for mood and no significant difference between conditions for either perceived exertion or intention. Taken together, these findings show that exercise in a natural environment may promote directed attention and social interactions, which may positively influence future exercise intentions.
Erratum: Dinwiddie, G.; et al. The Impact of Educational Attainment on Observed Race/Ethnic Disparities in Inflammatory Risk in the 2001–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2016, 13, 42
Authors:   International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Editorial Office
Published: March 2016

Due to an error during production, the legend of Figure 1 in the published paper [1] was incorrect. [...]
Association between the Hypertriglyceridemic Waist Phenotype, Prediabetes, and Diabetes Mellitus in Rural Chinese Population: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Chen Shuang , Guo Xiaofan , Yu Shasha , Sun Guozhe , Li Zhao , Sun Yingxian
Published: March 2016

Background: The objective was to evaluate the association of the hypertriglyceridemic waist (HTGW) phenotype with prediabetes and diabetes (DM) in rural Chinese population. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 11,579 adults (5361 men and 6218 women) aged 35 years or older were recruited from rural areas of China. Anthropometric measurements, laboratory examinations and self-reported information were collected by trained personnel. The HTGW phenotype was defined as elevated triglycerides and elevated waist circumference. We used logistic regression analysis to evaluate the associations of interest. Results: Adults with the HTGW phenotype had a significantly higher prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes than those without the HTGW phenotype. Compared with the normal waist-normal triglycerides (NWNT) group, those in the HTGW group had a higher adjusted odds ratio of diabetes (OR: 2.10; 95% CI: 1.62–2.73). The association for diabetes was stronger for men (OR: 2.27; 95% CI: 1.52–3.40) than for women (OR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.32–2.63). However, multivariate analysis indicated that the HTGW phenotype was not associated with prediabetes. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the HTGW phenotype was associated with diabetes in a large rural Chinese population, and suggested this phenotype as a simple screening tool to identify adults with cardiometabolic conditions.