bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Información, emoción - percepción y producción - Elementos claves para el aprendizaje desde el enfoque de la enseñanza basada en problemas (EBP) en la Universidad de Manizales
Authors: Riascos Torres Jiminson
Published: January 2015

La constitución de espacios curriculares, ajustados a las nuevas exigencias de las sociedades  en los cuales se reflexione sobre la importancia de la educación en las nuevas realidades sociales y que impacten lo local desde miradas globales, es importante, pues  permitir la inserción en el escenario mundial en sociedades signadas por el flujo de la información y el conocimiento transversalizado por tecnologías de la información y la comunicación “TIC”, demanda  toda la consideración  de la escuela y el aula, ya que es en ellos donde se da lugar  el ejercicio de la enseñanza y el aprendizaje. Surge así la enseñanza basada en problemas como metodología, la cual permite la toma de información necesaria para orientarla al planteamiento de soluciones de problemas que en esta lógica no se proporciona al inicio, porque el aprendiz identifica, busca y  usa los recursos apropiados,  trabaja en grupos permanentes y dispone de sus habilidades para ofrecer aportes significativos  en la solución de problemas. El trabajo en el aula desde ABP, (aprendizaje basado en problemas); EBP (enseñanza basada en problemas); CBP (competencias basadas en problemas),  se debe asumir como una metodología,  una herramienta de organización del trabajo docente y del estudiante,  un  sistema de control a los procesos, a los acuerdos iniciales de trabajo y a la insalvable identificación de situaciones problémicas que constituyen los escenarios adecuados que favorecen la dinámica de la enseñanza - aprendizaje.El planteamiento que se elabore sobre competencias no puede desconocer los desarrollos en investigaciones sobre educación en diferentes campos disciplinares y profesionales. Esto significa hablar de la naturaleza misma de las disciplinas, es decir, de su esencia, pues estos aspectos consideran  objetivos y fines que se proponen en la actualidad sobre la educación y los procesos de evaluación. Asumir la dinámica de trabajo grupal, la organización de contenidos en el esquema de problemas, el cuerpo de profesores, los problemas, el uso de nuevas tecnologías, las actividades disciplinares, es importante porque dan lugar a que los alumnos resuelvan situaciones problemáticas surgidas de la cotidianidad.
¿Prohibición o Legalización?, la economía de las drogas: una nueva visión
Authors: Samper Pizano Ernesto
Published: January 2015

En este documento se desarrollan puntos clave del debate sobre la economía de las drogas. Se presenta la problemática desde un punto de vista coyuntural y, al trasladarla lejos de la perspectiva moral, brinda un análisis estructurado sobre la dinámica económica que sucede alrededor del comercio de las drogas.
La dimensión axiologizante de la publicidad. Análisis del papel modalizador del texto publicitario desde la perspectiva de A. J. Greimas
Authors: Sánchez Riaño Vladimir
Published: January 2015

La publicidad es en sí una estructura narrativa que se modaliza (se realiza, modifica y al mismo tiempo transforma el estado de grupos de consumidores) a partir de la comunicación, con el objetivo de informar, distinguir (hacer reconocible), posicionar y reposicionar productos, bienes, servicios, personas o ideologías.En este orden de ideas, el presente artículo busca aplicar algunos postulados de la propuesta de narratividad de Greimas a textos publicitarios, en un primer momento por medio de un procedimiento descriptivo sobre la base del hacer de la publicidad, y en un segundo momento, del análisis a un caso concreto de publicidad en un comercial que sirva como objeto para revisar la aplicación anunciada. Esta aplicación tiene por objetivo investigar el proceso de axiologización o vertimiento de valor que realiza la publicidad en objetos, productos, servicios, personas o ideologías.
Integración conceptual. Investigación preliminar en la construcción de sentido de imágenes publicitarias fija
Authors: Castaño Ramírez Alejandro
Published: January 2015

En este artículo se aplicará la teoría de la integración conceptual ala comprensión de la manera como se construye el significado alobservar una imagen publicitaria fija. Con este fin se presenta lateoría de la integración conceptual en sus modelos de cuatro y seisespacios mentales, metodología de investigación basada en un instrumento cualitativo aplicado a estudiantes de un curso universitario. Entre los principales hallazgos encontramos lapreponderancia del espacio semiótico para la efectiva aplicación dela teoría y la alta confusión de términos utilizados para manifestarla comprensión de una imagen publicitaria fija.
Muros, umbrales y fronteras: entre la conflictividad creativa y la violencia.
Authors: Yori Carlos Mario
Published: January 2015

Laidea de ciudad construida por la modernidad es el punto de partida de esteartículo, que problematiza la dicotomía entre institucionalidad y anomia paradar cuenta de la posición del “otro” en el espacio público. El autor acude alfenómeno de la hibridación cultural para presentar una reflexión sobre losconceptos de espacio público y contrato social.
Reflexiones sobre nuestro objeto de estudio
Authors: Hernández Muñoz Sergio Oswaldo
Published: January 2015

Editorial de la edición número 17
Arquitectura del agua
Authors: Cobo Borda Juan Gustavo
Published: January 2015

La obra del artista tolimense Germán Botero invita a descubrir el sentido trascendental que reside en la naturaleza. Tanto en sus delicados ensamblajes geométricos como en la arrolladora presencia de los maderos vagabundos que arroja el océano, reside una silenciosa evocación a prácticas ancestrales mágicas de la región andina. En esta edición, Juan Gustavo Cobo explora la fascinante mirada de Botero.
In the Lab: Rational Studies Towards Efficient, Scalable Catalytic Reactions
Authors: Nelson David J.
Published: January 2015

Here we profile an upcoming researcher who has benefitted from Johnson Matthey’s support in the past. David Nelson is a newly appointed Chancellor’s Fellow and Lecturer at the University of Strathclyde, in Glasgow, UK. His research interests concern the development of useful transition metal catalysed processes for synthesis via a detailed understanding of mechanism, rate and selectivity in key steps.
Comparative Investigations on Platinum Cluster Salts
Authors: Bignami* Giulia P. M. , Ceriotti Alessandro , Mussini Patrizia R. , Oliva Cesare , Longoni Giuliano , Zacchini Stefano , Gaboardi Mattia , Mazzani Marcello , Riccò Mauro
Published: January 2015

To evaluate future applications of metallic clusters in nanoscience and nanotechnology, the electronic properties of the high-nuclearity carbonyl anionic platinum cluster [Pt19(CO)22]4– were investigated using two different organic cations. In particular, N,Nʹ-diethyl viologen dication (Vio2+) and N,Nʹ-dimethyl-9,9ʹ-bis-acridinium dication (Acr2+) were employed as counterions, oxidising agents and characterisation probes. The reactions of [Pt19(CO)22]4– tetra-n-butylammonium salt, (TBA+)4([Pt19(CO)22]4–), with both (Vio2+) and (Acr2+), used as tetraphenylborate salts, yielded two new compounds, which were isolated. The stoichiometries and properties of these new compounds were determined and compared on the basis of infrared (IR) solution spectra, electron spin resonance (ESR) analyses, fluorometric spectra, superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry and resistivity measurements. For Vio2+, a cation-exchange reaction produced the final compound (Vio2+)2([Pt19(CO)22]4–), ‘PtVio’, which was structurally characterised by single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. However, when using Acr2+, a spontaneous redox reaction occurred and a (Acr+)(TBA+)2([Pt19(CO)22]3–) stoichiometry for the precipitated solid, ‘PtAcr’, was inferred from the experimental evidence, leading to an interesting ‘doubly-radicalic salt’. This new type of salt, consisting of a radical anionic Pt cluster and a radical cation, is characterised by extremely simple synthesis and isolation processes and by the lowest solid-state resistivity found in high-nuclearity cluster salts with redox-active cations ().
Dynamic management of the coasts: marine spatial planning
Authors: Guneroglu Abdulaziz , Karsli Fevzi , Dihkan Mustafa
Published: January 2015

The Black Sea is one of the world's largest enclosed water bodies and is suffering from human-induced anthropogenic pressure. Fish stocks are in danger, eutrophication is persistent in some areas, and pollution, floods and coastal erosion are always risks in this unique ecosystem. More than 10 million people live in the coastal zone of the southern Black Sea. The limited coastal area and resources create conflicts among inhabitants of the region and governing bodies. There is an urgent need to protect the coastal zone and living resources and to eliminate the personal and governmental issues by taking account of all stakeholders' approaches to the problem. A sample application based on real data from the region was presented to stress the types of conflicts in Trabzon, Yomra district. The problem was found to be mainly a spatial management issue in the coastal zone. In this study a dynamic integrated approach is proposed for the spatial management of the southern Black Sea coastal zone. In general, the proposed approach will be a kind of decision support system including social, economic, biotic and abiotic factors to determine the spatial management of the study area.
How Doula Care Can Advance the Goals of the Affordable Care Act: A Snapshot From New York City
Authors: Strauss Nan , Giessler Katie , McAllister Elan
Published: January 2015

Doula care meets each of the triple aims of the Affordable Care Act: improving health outcomes for all, improving the experience of care, and lowering costs by reducing non-beneficial and unwanted medical interventions. Cost is the greatest barrier to use of doula support. Reimbursement for doula services by private insurance, Medicaid, and Medicaid managed care organizations would significantly increase access to doulas. Widespread availability of doula care could significantly reduce cesarean rates, and increased access to community-based doula programs could reduce entrenched health disparities.
Revitalizing Mature-Basin Liquids-Rich Plays: Tactics, Techniques, and Technology
Authors: Beckwith Robin
Published: January 2015

Conference Review - 2014 SPE Liquids-Rich Basins Conference

Learn, strategize, persevere, and optimize: In a nutshell, this was the message imparted in the eight sessions’ 24 presentations and the keynote luncheon speech at the SPE Liquids-Rich Basins Conference (LRBC), held 24–25 September in Fort Worth, Texas.

Conference presenters talked mainly about US basins and plays. However, this summary focuses on presentations that might also yield insight into onshore unconventional plays around the world.

Production Overabundance

With US natural gas production at well over 70 Bcf/D, Dave Pursell, research principal at Tudor, Pickering, Holt, & Company, asked “What do we do with all this gas?” (Fig. 1.)

He said natural gas liquids volumes are understated because producers are rejecting a lot of ethane and leaving it in the gas line. Ethane is used to make one of the world’s principal industrial chemicals, ethylene (also known as ethene). Ethylene is the most important organic chemical, by tonnage, that humans manufacture. It is a building block for a vast range of chemicals. Pursell thinks that the US might begin exporting ethane if prices improve.

He also said that, in the US, “gas is terrible. It’s always going to be terrible. LNG [liquefied natural gas] can’t come soon enough.”

A massive amount of processing and refining construction is under way along the US Gulf Coast, from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Mobile, Alabama, he said. But there is a labor shortage and a project backlog. In addition, projects are overbudget. Pursell points to high material costs and a lack of skilled labor as the primary roadblocks. “The peak oilers are right, the US has peaked—on conventionals— but they didn’t foresee the rise of unconventionals,” he said.

The Myth of Sweet Spot Exploration

“Sweet spot exploration is a destructive holdover from a ‘conventional’ mindset— that we want to drill the best possible location first,” said Bill Haskett, senior principal–energy strategy at Decision Strategies. “That tends to drive decisions, but it’s not good.”

Above all, said Haskett, “You have to have good rock. Nothing can save you if you don’t.”

In actuality, he said, with tight shales, “it’s only the top 10% to 20%— or maybe top quartile—that’s superior to your other wells. But most times we can’t predict coming in.” To just extrapolate from sweet spots, he said, “is statistically improper sampling and also impedes learning.”

Haskett said the best approach is to implement a pilot—but with the caveat that “A pilot needs to characterize the opportunity as a whole. It should not attempt to high-grade the area of potential.”
Application of Multiple-Mixing-Cell Method To Improve Speed and Robustness of Compositional Simulation
Authors: Rezaveisi Mohsen , Johns Russell T. , Sepehrnoori Kamy
Published: January 2015

Standard equation-of-state-based phase equilibrium modeling in reservoir simulators involves computationally intensive and time-consuming iterative calculations for stability analysis and flash calculations. Therefore, speeding up stability analysis and flash calculations and improving robustness of the calculations are of utmost importance in compositional reservoir simulation.

Prior knowledge of the tie-lines traversed by the solution of a gas-injection problem translates into valuable information with significant implications for speed and robustness of reservoir simulators. The solution of actual-gas-injection processes follows a very complex route because of dispersion, pressure variations, and multidimensional flow. The multiple-mixing-cell (MMC) method, originally developed to calculate minimum miscibility pressure of a gas-injection process, accounts for various levels of mixing of the injected gas and initial oil. This observation suggests that the MMC tie-lines developed upon repeated contacts may represent a significant fraction of the actual simulation tie-lines encountered. We investigate this idea and use three tie-line-based K-value-simulation methods for application of MMC tie-lines in reservoir simulation. In two of the tie-line-based K-value-simulation methods, we examine tabulation and interpolation of MMC tie-lines in a framework similar to the compositional-space adaptive-tabulation (CSAT) method. In the third method, we perform K-value simulations based on inverse-distance interpolation of K-values from MMC tie-lines.

We demonstrate that for the displacements examined, the MMC tie-lines are sufficiently close to the actual simulation tie-lines and provide excellent coverage of the simulation compositional route. The MMC-based methods are then compared with the computational time by use of other methods of phase-equilibrium calculations, including a modified application of CSAT (an adaptive tie-line-based K-value simulation), a method using only heuristic techniques, and the standard method in an implicit-pressure/explicit-concentration-type reservoir simulator. The results show that tabulation and interpolation of MMC tie-lines significantly improve phase equilibrium and computational time compared with the standard approach, with acceptable accuracy. The results also show that computational performance of the MMC-based methods with only prior tie-line tables is very close to that of CSAT, which requires flash calculations during simulation. The K-value simulations by use of MMC-based tie-line-interpolation methods improve the total computational time up to 51% in the cases studied, with acceptable accuracy.

The results suggest that MMC tie-lines represent a significant fraction of the actual tie-lines during simulation and can be used to significantly improve speed and robustness of phase-equilibrium calculations in reservoir simulators.
The FASB's Dissenting Opinions
Authors: Bradbury Michael E. , Harrison Julie A.
Published: January 2015

SYNOPSIS

This paper provides a commentary on the results of a content analysis of dissenting opinions in Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) standards. During 1973 to 2009 the FASB issued 171 financial accounting standards. Half of these standards contained dissenting opinions. We identify and classify dissenting opinions based on whether the arguments are conceptual (conceptual framework-related or non-framework-related) or non-conceptual (e.g., scope, due process). We examine whether the types and frequencies of arguments change over time in response to the development of the FASB's conceptual framework and provide a commentary on the role of these opinions and the usefulness of analyzing them for research and practice. Our main finding from our analysis is that conceptual arguments are the most frequently used in the dissenting opinions, both before and after the introduction of the conceptual framework. However, of note is that many of the arguments raised, while conceptual in nature, are not from the conceptual framework. We suggest this indicates either a need for the conceptual framework language to be more widely used by the authors of dissenting opinions and/or the emergence of new conceptual arguments that may be relevant for future revisions of the conceptual framework.
Significant Others in Substance Abusers’ Change Talk During Motivational Interviewing Sessions in the Finnish Probation Service
Authors: Sarpavaara Harri
Published: January 2015

AIMS – This article explores the meanings substance-abusing clients attach to family and friendships during motivational interviewing (MI) sessions in Probation Service. DATA – The analyses are based on videotaped and transcribed data consisting of 82 MI sessions. This database involves the first two counseling sessions of 41 client-counselor pairs. Sessions were videotaped in 12 Probation Service offices in Finland between 2007 and 2009. METHODS – The analysis relies on coding of client’s change talk utterances and qualitative semiotic framework. RESULTS – The meanings of the significant others were diverse from the point of view of the client’s motivation: family appeared as a support for change, an aspiration, a sufferer, or an obstacle to change; and friendship appeared as an obstacle to change, a surmounted obstacle, a cause to change, or a support to change. CONCLUSIONS - Significant others and their quality are important and diverse factors that promote or hinder change in substance abuser’ change talk. Thus, it is suggested that the meaning of significant others should not be overlooked in MI and other substance abuse treatment.
And That is Where the Fun Ends – General Practitioners’ Conceptualisation of the Line between Recreational and Problem Gambling
Authors: Egerer Michael Dieter , Marionneau Virve
Published: January 2015

AIMS – Problem gambling is normally identified by fixed criteria of harm adapted from those of substance abuse and by focusing on the individual gambler. However, rigid definitions neglect institutional variations of gambling practices within different legislative configurations. This study proposes analysing the line between recreational and problem gambling by focusing on gambling behaviour and looking at the corruption of the defining factors of play (Caillois, 1958) in three different institutional contexts. DESIGN – A stimulated focus-group method (Reception Analytical Group Interview) was applied to seven groups of Finnish and French general practitioners each and three groups of German ones to study the variations of conceptualising the defining factors of play as introduced by Caillois. RESULTS – Corruption of play was distinguished by participants from all three countries as the dividing line between recreational and problem gambling, but cultural variations were found: the French and German GPs emphasised the loss of the exceptionality of gambling, whereas the Finnish GPs highlighted the invasion of the home by online gambling. Furthermore, the Finnish and German participants were more concerned about the use of gambling as an emotional regulator, while French GPs echoed the French medical model in discussing the adrenaline rush of problem gamblers. CONCLUSIONS – Caillois’ defining factors of play can be used to distinguish recreational from problem gambling and to offer a more encompassing definition of problem gambling. The perception of the line between recreational and problem gambling also seems to depend on the institutional and cultural context.
Implementation of a Multicomponent Responsible Beverage Service Programme in Sweden – A Qualitative Study of Promoting and Hindering Factors
Authors: Haggård Ulrika , Trolldal Björn , Kvillemo Pia , Guldbrandsson Karin
Published: January 2015

AIMS – The objective of this study was to identify factors that either promote or hinder implementation of a multicomponent Responsible Beverage Service programme in Swedish municipalities. DESIGN – Forty semi-structured interviews were conducted in six municipalities and directed content analysis, guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), was performed. RESULTS – The CFIR framework was useful as an underlying theoretical model in this study. Importance of the following factors, described in the five domains of CFIR, was empirically supported in this study: local needs, evidence strength and advantages of the intervention, costs and available resources, clear goals, evaluation and feedback, access to knowledge and information, clear role definitions and cooperation, and enthusiastic key persons with high confidence in the effectiveness of the intervention. Hindering factors listed by the informants were lack of enthusiasm and opportunities to specialise, low degree of self-efficacy, unengaged decision-makers, complexities of the programme, and a top-down approach. CONCLUSIONS – This study indicates that previously identified factors shown to promote and hinder implementation processes are also valid in the context of multicomponent community action programmes like RBS. Suggestions on how to elude some of the hindering factors are proposed, e.g. to develop long-time financial plans, to provide better information about the RBS program in full, and to stress the importance of collaboration between representatives from the municipalities, police authorities and owners of on-licenced premises.
A Comparison of ABS Mail and RDD Surveys for Measuring Consumer Attitudes
Authors: Elkasabi Mahmoud , Suzer-Gurtekin Z. Tuba , Lepkowski James M. , Kim Uiyoung , Curtin Richard , Mcbee Rebecca
Published: January 2015

The increasing cost and decreasing coverage of Random Digit Dialing (RDD) landline telephone surveys motivated The Surveys of Consumer Attitudes (SCA) at the University of Michigan to conduct monthly experimental mail survey studies using address-based sampling (ABS). The primary objectives of the experimental studies were to evaluate the feasibility of transitioning the data collection operations from telephone to mail and to investigate differential survey errors between the two modes. Overall mail survey response rates were comparable to the RDD landline survey. Coverage improved using ABS, with more than 20% of the mail responses from non-landline telephone households not covered by the RDD landline telephone surveys. Mail survey respondents from households without landline telephones were more likely to be younger, have lower income, be renters and live in one-person households. There were no apparent measurement or reporting differences between the telephone and mail self-administered modes of data collection. Furthermore, inclusion of non-landline telephone households did not result in any substantial demographic or economic attitude differences between the two approaches.
Paediatric autoimmune inner ear disease
Authors: Dougherty William , Thatayatikom Akaluck , Bush Matthew L.
Published: January 2015

Objective:

Autoimmune inner ear disease (AIED) is an uncommon cause of sensorineural hearing loss which may present differently in paediatric patients. The fluctuating nature of the hearing loss and the inherent challenges of audiological assessment of children can make this disease difficult to diagnose and treat. We present our experience of diagnosis and management of AIED in children in this case series.

Study design:

This is a retrospective case series review of paediatric AIED patients. Diagnosis was made through clinical presentation, audiometric evaluation, and serological testing. Patients were treated with corticosteroids and/or methotrexate. An improvement in pure tone averages (PTA) or speech reception threshold (SRT) of 10dB or greater was considered a clinically significant improvement.

Results:

The clinical history of four patients is presented. We observed significant differences in disease presentation and progression in these patients. Patients were largely responsive to steroid therapy in patients with both primary AIED and secondary AIED.

Conclusion:

Children with AIED fall into primary and secondary disease classifications; however, the disease presentation may be vastly different. These patients seem to benefit from corticosteroid and methotrexate therapy. Close collaboration between otolaryngologists and paediatric rheumatologists can result in timely diagnosis and treatment.
Telemetry changes over time in cochlear implant patients
Authors: Maged El Shennawy Amira , Magued Mashaly Mohamed , Ibrahim Shabana Mohamed , Mohamed Sheta Sarah
Published: January 2015

Objectives:

This is a cross-sectional study conducted on cochlear implant recipients, to monitor changes in recorded impedance telemetry and evoked compound action potentials (ECAP) measured during surgery versus the same measures at post implant follow-up visits. An additional aim was to correlate the recorded ECAP measures with the patient's post-operative performance and to evaluate the incidence of abnormal intra-operative cochlear implant telemetry measurements and their changes at device activation.

Study design:

The present study comprised 44 subjects – 12 adults and 32 children of both genders – implanted at the Cochlear Implant Unit, Cairo University. ECAP thresholds and electrode impedance measures were collected intra-operatively, at initial stimulation, and at 9–12 months post initial stimulation. Measurements were compared at the three intervals and ECAP measures were correlated to the patient's post-operative performance in the form of aided sound field thresholds, speech detection and discrimination for adults and language assessment for children.

Results:

In the absence of electrical stimulation, there was an increase of impedance on all electrodes at the initial stimulation visit, which decreased at the 9–12 months follow-up. Open circuit findings were more prevalent than short circuits. Children had higher impedance values at post implant activation compared to adult patients. No correlation existed between ECAP thresholds and post-operative patient performance at the one-year evaluation.

Conclusion:

At the time of surgery, telemetry provides valuable information regarding the electrical output of the implant and the response of the auditory system to electrical stimulation; however, it is not a valuable predictor of post-operative performance.
A Highly Selective Fluorescent Indicator for Copper Based on a Boron Complex
Authors: Zheng Jie , Huang Fang , Li Yujin , Ye Qing , Jia Jianhong , Han Liang , Gao Jianrong
Published: January 2015

Condensation of 4-(diethylamino)salicylaldehyde with aqueous hydrazine, followed by complexation with BF3·OEt2 gives a fluorescent indicator highly selective for copper. The indicator forms a 2 : 1 complex with Cu2+ and displays a highly sensitive and selective fluorescent quenching action with Cu2+ upon excitation at 440 nm in water/THF (7 : 3, v/v) solution. This action is pH-independent over the range 4.5 < pH < 9.5.
Two Novel Sm and La Metal-Organic Frameworks Suggesting the Reductive Coupling of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) to Oxalate (C2O42-): {[Ln(HPIDC)•(μ4-C2O4)0.5·H2O]·2H2O}n.(Ln=Sm or La)
Authors: Chen Li-Zhuang , Cao Xing-Xing , Dan Yuan-Yuan
Published: January 2015

Complexes formulated as {[Ln(HPIDC)(μ4-C2O4)0.5(H2O)]·2H2O}n [Ln=Sm or La; H3PIDC=2-(pyridin-4-yl)-1H-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid] have been synthesised under hydrothermal conditions. The complexes are both built up from T-shaped 3-connected HPIDC2- and 4-connected metal nodes and contain bridging oxalate (C2O42-) ligands, which might have been formed by the reductive coupling of CO2 molecules released from the HPIDC2- ligands through C-C bond cleavage.
Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Novel N-Acyl-N′-Dichloroacetyl-6,7-Dichloro-1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroquinoxalines Derivatives
Authors: Fu Ying , Hou Yu-Wen , Wang Jiao , Qu Li-Hua , Zhao Li-Xia , Ye Fei
Published: January 2015

A two-step sequence was developed for synthesising different disubstituted 6,7-dichloro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxalines without blocking the reactive centres. N-dichloroacetyl-6,7-dichloro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxaline was prepared from 6,7-dichloro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxaline and dichloroacetyl chloride giving N-acyl-N′-dichloroacetyl-6,7-dichloro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxalines. The structures of all the compounds were characterised by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and elemental analysis. The structure was determined by X-ray crystallography.
Reaction Mechanism of Vinamidinium Salts and Cyanoacetamide Derivatives
Authors: Yang Jiabin , Su Guoqiang , Ren Yu , Chen Yang
Published: January 2015

The mechanism of formation of a pyridin-2(1H)-one synthesised from vinamidinium salts and cyanoacetamide derivatives is illustrated through the preparation and characterisation of a key intermediate.
Synthesis of 5,6-Dihydro-α-Pyrone via Ring-Closing Metathesis and Intramolecular Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons Reactions
Authors: Ge Yulu , Wang Nengzhong , Yu Fuchao , Yuan Zaifeng , Chang Kwen-Jen , Shen Yuehai
Published: January 2015

Ring-closing metathesis (RCM) and intramolecular Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons (HWE) reactions were assessed for synthesis of cis-5-methyl-6-phenylethyl-5,6-dihydro-α-pyrone. The RCM reaction employing Grubbs’ second generation catalyst afforded a 96% yield at 80 °C in toluene. The HWE reaction under modified Masamune–Roush conditions delivered only 23% yield due to a competitive elimination reaction.
The Significance of Emotions and Professional Relations for Accommodating a Web-Based Ulcer Record and Improving Home-Based Care
Authors: Ekeland Anne
Published: January 2015

Evidence of technological performance, medical improvements and economic effectiveness is generally considered sufficient for judging advances in healthcare. In this paper, I aim to add knowledge about the ways human emotions and professional relations play roles in the processes of accommodating new technologies for quality improvements. A newly-implemented, web-based ulcer record service for patients with chronic skin ulcers constitutes the case. After one year, only a few home care nurses were using the service, interacting with a specialist team. The result was disappointing, but the few users were enthusiastic. An explorative, qualitative study was initiated to understand the users, the processes that accounted for use and how improvements were enacted. In the paper, I expose the emotional aspects of the record accommodation by analyzing the ways emotions were translated in the process and how they influenced the improvements. I contend that use came about through a heterogeneous assemblage of ethical engagement and compassionate emotions stemming from frustration, combined with technological affordances and relations between different professionals. Certain aspects of the improvements are exposed. These are discussed as: (1) reconciliations between the medical facts and rational judgments, on one side, and the emotional and subjective values for judging quality, on the other; and (2) mediation between standardized and personalized care. The healing of ulcers was combined with a sense of purpose and wellbeing to validate improvements. Emotions were strongly involved, and the power of evaluative emotions and professional relations should be further explored to add to the understanding of innovation processes and to validate quality improvements.
Analysis of the Characteristics and Evolution Modes of PM2.5 Pollution Episodes in Beijing, China During 2013
Authors: Song Ci , Pei Tao , Yao Ling
Published: January 2015

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been recognized as a serious hazard linked to deleterious health effects. In this study, all PM2.5 Pollution Episodes (PPEs) in Beijing during 2013 were investigated with hourly PM2.5 observations from the Olympic Sport Center site, and then their characteristics and evolution modes analysed. Results show that 80 PPEs, covering 209 days, occurred in Beijing during 2013. Average PM2.5 concentrations during PPEs were almost twice (1.86) the annual mean value, although the PPEs showed significant seasonal variations. The most hazardous PPEs tended to occur in winter, whereas PPEs with long duration occurred in autumn. The PPEs could be divided into six clusters based on their compositions of different pollution levels, which were strongly related to meteorological factors. We used series peaks of PM2.5 concentrations to analyse the evolution modes of PPEs and found that the more peaks there were within the evolution mode, the longer the duration, and the higher the average and maximum PM2.5 concentrations. Each peak within a PPE can be identified by “rise” and “fall” patterns. The “rise” patterns are widely related to relative humidity, whereas the “fall” patterns are affected principally by wind speed for one-peak PPEs and boundary layer height for multi-peak PPEs. The peak patterns cannot be explained fully by meteorological factors; however, they might also be closely related to complex and diversified human activities.
Preventing Obesity in the Military Community (POMC): The Development of a Clinical Trials Research Network
Authors: Spieker Elena , Sbrocco Tracy , Theim Kelly , Maurer Douglas , Johnson Dawn , Bryant Edny , Bakalar Jennifer , Schvey Natasha , Ress Rachel , Seehusen Dean , Klein David , Stice Eric , Yanovski Jack , Chan Linda , Gentry Shari , Ellsworth Carol , Hill Joanne , Tanofsky-Kraff Marian , Stephens Mark
Published: January 2015

Obesity impacts the U.S. military by affecting the health and readiness of active duty service members and their families. Preventing Obesity in Military Communities (POMC) is a comprehensive research program within Patient Centered Medical Homes (PCMHs) in three Military Training Facilities. This paper describes three pilot randomized controlled trials that target critical high risk periods for unhealthy weight gain from birth to young adulthood: (1) pregnancy and early infancy (POMC-Mother-Baby), (2) adolescence (POMC-Adolescent), and (3) the first tour of duty after boot camp (POMC-Early Career). Each study employs a two-group randomized treatment or prevention program with follow up. POMC offers a unique opportunity to bring together research and clinical expertise in obesity prevention to develop state-of-the-art programs within PCMHs in Military Training Facilities. This research builds on existing infrastructure that is expected to have immediate clinical benefits to DoD and far-reaching potential for ongoing collaborative work. POMC may offer an economical approach for widespread obesity prevention, from conception to young adulthood, in the U.S. military as well as in civilian communities.
Trends in Water Level and Flooding in Dhaka, Bangladesh and Their Impact on Mortality
Authors: Thiele-Eich Insa , Burkart Katrin , Simmer Clemens
Published: January 2015

Climate change is expected to impact flooding in many highly populated coastal regions, including Dhaka (Bangladesh), which is currently among the fastest growing cities in the world. In the past, high mortality counts have been associated with extreme flood events. We first analyzed daily water levels of the past 100 years in order to detect potential shifts in extremes. A distributed lag non-linear model was then used to examine the connection between water levels and mortality. Results indicate that for the period of 2003–2007, which entails two major flood events in 2004 and 2007, high water levels do not lead to a significant increase in relative mortality, which indicates a good level of adaptation and capacity to cope with flooding. However, following low water levels, an increase in mortality could be found. As our trend analysis of past water levels shows that minimum water levels have decreased during the past 100 years, action should be taken to ensure that the exposed population is also well-adapted to drought.
Tissue Engineering the Cornea: The Evolution of RAFT
Authors: Levis Hannah , Kureshi Alvena , Massie Isobel , Morgan Louise , Vernon Amanda , Daniels Julie
Published: January 2015

Corneal blindness affects over 10 million people worldwide and current treatment strategies often involve replacement of the defective layer with healthy tissue. Due to a worldwide donor cornea shortage and the absence of suitable biological scaffolds, recent research has focused on the development of tissue engineering techniques to create alternative therapies. This review will detail how we have refined the simple engineering technique of plastic compression of collagen to a process we now call Real Architecture for 3D Tissues (RAFT). The RAFT production process has been standardised, and steps have been taken to consider Good Manufacturing Practice compliance. The evolution of this process has allowed us to create biomimetic epithelial and endothelial tissue equivalents suitable for transplantation and ideal for studying cell-cell interactions in vitro.
The Positive Effects of Yerba Maté (Ilex paraguariensis) in Obesity
Authors: Gambero Alessandra , Ribeiro Marcelo
Published: January 2015

The prevalence of obesity has increased worldwide over the past three decades. Global anti-obesity strategies focus on dietary and lifestyle modifications to slow the development of obesity. Research in the nutrition field has recently aroused considerable interest based on the potential of natural products to counteract obesity. Several studies have identified yerba maté (Ilex paraguariensis) as an excellent candidate. In this review, we evaluated the impact of yerba maté on obesity and obesity-related inflammation. Cellular studies demonstrate that yerba maté suppresses adipocyte differentiation and triglyceride accumulation and reduces inflammation. Animal studies show that yerba maté modulates signaling pathways that regulate adipogenesis, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and insulin signaling responses. In summary, the data presented here showed that the use of yerba maté might be useful against obesity, improving the lipid parameters in humans and animal models. In addition, yerba maté modulates the expression of genes that are changed in the obese state and restores them to more normal levels of expression. In doing so, it addresses several of the abnormal and disease-causing factors associated with obesity. Protective and ameliorative effects on insulin resistance were also observed. Thus, as a general conclusion, it seems that yerba maté beverages and supplements might be helpful in the battle against obesity.
A Compact 3D Omnidirectional Range Sensor of High Resolution for Robust Reconstruction of Environments
Authors: Marani Roberto , Renò Vito , Nitti Massimiliano , D'Orazio Tiziana , Stella Ettore
Published: January 2015

In this paper, an accurate range sensor for the three-dimensional reconstruction of environments is designed and developed. Following the principles of laser profilometry, the device exploits a set of optical transmitters able to project a laser line on the environment. A high-resolution and high-frame-rate camera assisted by a telecentric lens collects the laser light reflected by a parabolic mirror, whose shape is designed ad hoc to achieve a maximum measurement error of 10 mm when the target is placed 3 m away from the laser source. Measurements are derived by means of an analytical model, whose parameters are estimated during a preliminary calibration phase. Geometrical parameters, analytical modeling and image processing steps are validated through several experiments, which indicate the capability of the proposed device to recover the shape of a target with high accuracy. Experimental measurements show Gaussian statistics, having standard deviation of 1.74 mm within the measurable range. Results prove that the presented range sensor is a good candidate for environmental inspections and measurements.
Preliminary Study of a Millimeter Wave FMCW InSAR for UAS Indoor Navigation
Authors: Scannapieco Antonio , Renga Alfredo , Moccia Antonio
Published: January 2015

Small autonomous unmanned aerial systems (UAS) could be used for indoor inspection in emergency missions, such as damage assessment or the search for survivors in dangerous environments, e.g., power plants, underground railways, mines and industrial warehouses. Two basic functions are required to carry out these tasks, that is autonomous GPS-denied navigation with obstacle detection and high-resolution 3Dmapping with moving target detection. State-of-the-art sensors for UAS are very sensitive to environmental conditions and often fail in the case of poor visibility caused by dust, fog, smoke, flames or other factors that are met as nominal mission scenarios when operating indoors. This paper is a preliminary study concerning an innovative radar sensor based on the interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) principle, which has the potential to satisfy stringent requirements set by indoor autonomous operation. An architectural solution based on a frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) scheme is proposed after a detailed analysis of existing compact and lightweight SAR. A preliminary system design is obtained, and the main imaging peculiarities of the novel sensor are discussed, demonstrating that high-resolution, high-quality observation of an assigned control volume can be achieved.
Investigations on the Impact of Material-Integrated Sensors with the Help of FEM-Based Modeling
Authors: Dumstorff Gerrit , Lang Walter
Published: January 2015

We present investigations on the impact of material-integrated sensors with the help of finite element-based modeling. A sensor (inlay) integrated with a material (matrix) is always a foreign body in the material, which can lead to a “wound effect”, that is degradation of the macroscopic behavior of a material. By analyzing the inlay’s impact on the material in terms of mechanical load, heat conduction, stress during integration and other impacts of integration, this wound effect is analyzed. For the mechanical load, we found out that the inlay has to be at least as stretchable and bendable as the matrix. If there is a high thermal load during integration, the coefficients of the thermal expansion of the inlay have to be matched to the matrix. In the case of a high thermal load during operation, the inlay has to be as thin as possible or its thermal conductivity has to be adapted to the thermal conductivity of the matrix. To have a general view of things, the results are dimensionless and independent of the geometry. In each section, the results are illustrated by examples. Based on all of the results, we present our idea for the fabrication of future material-integrated sensors.
Cyber Surveillance for Flood Disasters
Authors: Lo Shi-Wei , Wu Jyh-Horng , Lin Fang-Pang , Hsu Ching-Han
Published: January 2015

Regional heavy rainfall is usually caused by the influence of extreme weather conditions. Instant heavy rainfall often results in the flooding of rivers and the neighboring low-lying areas, which is responsible for a large number of casualties and considerable property loss. The existing precipitation forecast systems mostly focus on the analysis and forecast of large-scale areas but do not provide precise instant automatic monitoring and alert feedback for individual river areas and sections. Therefore, in this paper, we propose an easy method to automatically monitor the flood object of a specific area, based on the currently widely used remote cyber surveillance systems and image processing methods, in order to obtain instant flooding and waterlogging event feedback. The intrusion detection mode of these surveillance systems is used in this study, wherein a flood is considered a possible invasion object. Through the detection and verification of flood objects, automatic flood risk-level monitoring of specific individual river segments, as well as the automatic urban inundation detection, has become possible. The proposed method can better meet the practical needs of disaster prevention than the method of large-area forecasting. It also has several other advantages, such as flexibility in location selection, no requirement of a standard water-level ruler, and a relatively large field of view, when compared with the traditional water-level measurements using video screens. The results can offer prompt reference for appropriate disaster warning actions in small areas, making them more accurate and effective.
A Non-Uniformly Under-Sampled Blade Tip-Timing Signal Reconstruction Method for Blade Vibration Monitoring
Authors: Hu Zheng , Lin Jun , Chen Zhong-Sheng , Yang Yong-Min , Li Xue-Jun
Published: January 2015

High-speed blades are often prone to fatigue due to severe blade vibrations. In particular, synchronous vibrations can cause irreversible damages to the blade. Blade tip-timing methods (BTT) have become a promising way to monitor blade vibrations. However, synchronous vibrations are unsuitably monitored by uniform BTT sampling. Therefore, non-equally mounted probes have been used, which will result in the non-uniformity of the sampling signal. Since under-sampling is an intrinsic drawback of BTT methods, how to analyze non-uniformly under-sampled BTT signals is a big challenge. In this paper, a novel reconstruction method for non-uniformly under-sampled BTT data is presented. The method is based on the periodically non-uniform sampling theorem. Firstly, a mathematical model of a non-uniform BTT sampling process is built. It can be treated as the sum of certain uniform sample streams. For each stream, an interpolating function is required to prevent aliasing in the reconstructed signal. Secondly, simultaneous equations of all interpolating functions in each sub-band are built and corresponding solutions are ultimately derived to remove unwanted replicas of the original signal caused by the sampling, which may overlay the original signal. In the end, numerical simulations and experiments are carried out to validate the feasibility of the proposed method. The results demonstrate the accuracy of the reconstructed signal depends on the sampling frequency, the blade vibration frequency, the blade vibration bandwidth, the probe static offset and the number of samples. In practice, both types of blade vibration signals can be particularly reconstructed by non-uniform BTT data acquired from only two probes.