bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Retinal Pathology on the Reliability of Macular Thickness Measurement: A Comparison Between Optical Coherence Tomography Devices
Authors: Bahrami Bobak , Ewe Shaun Y. P. , Hong Thomas , Zhu Meidong , Ong Germane , Luo Kehui , Chang Andrew
Published: April 2017

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the repeatability, reliability, and comparability of macular thickness measurements between three optical coherence tomography (OCT) machines in healthy eyes, eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME), and eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Twenty-three eyes with DME, 26 eyes with nAMD, and 24 healthy eyes as controls were evaluated. Scans were performed using the swept-source Triton (Topcon, Tokyo, Japan), the spectral-domain Cirrus (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA), and the Spectralis (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) machines. Scans were evaluated for central macular thickness (CMT), presence of segmentation and fixation imaging artifacts (IA), re-scan reliability, and agreement between machines and groups.

RESULTS:

Mean CMT was significantly different between all OCT machines in all groups (
P
< .01 for all comparisons). Manually correcting IA did not alter these results. There was good scan repeatability among healthy and DME eyes for each machine, but poor repeatability among the nAMD group with the Spectralis (
P
= .038). IA were significantly increased in the presence of pathology.

CONCLUSIONS:

There is poor agreement of CMT measurement between OCT machines in healthy eyes and those with DME and nAMD. DME and nAMD have a significant effect on the rate of IA in scans. Care is required when interpreting measurements from different OCT devices in clinical practice and research settings.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina.
2017;48:319–325.]
Autologous Free Internal Limiting Membrane Flap for Optic Nerve Head Pit With Maculopathy
Authors: D'Souza Palmeera , Babu Upendra , Narendran Venkatapathy
Published: April 2017

Optic disc pits (ODPs) are associated with serous macular detachment (SMD), which causes visual loss in 25% to 75% patients with ODPs. There are various modalities of noninvasive and invasive treatment options; however, the best method of treatment is to seal the optic disc to prevent further egress of fluid into the subretinal space. The authors report a technique that involves sealing of ODPs with autologous free flap of the internal limiting membrane (ILM). After trans pars plana vitrectomy, the ILM was peeled and plugged into the ODP. This procedure gave good anatomical and functional success.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina.
2017;48:350–353.]
Descubrimiento y caracterización geográfica de una depresión ultramáfica en Sierra Bermeja: nuevos datos geomorfoedáficos, fitogeográficos y paleoecológicos
Authors: Gómez-Zotano José , Olmedo-Cobo José Antonio , Cunill-Artigas Raquel , Martínez-Ibarra Emilio
Published: April 2017

Se presenta el reciente hallazgo y caracterización preliminar de una cuenca endorreica en la cumbre de la Sierra Palmitera, una abrupta estribación del macizo peridotítico de Sierra Bermeja (SW de España) que alcanza 1.473 m.s.n.m. Dada la naturaleza ultramáfica de esta montaña litoral, dicha cuenca se considera una excepcionalidad geomorfológica para el conjunto de los afloramientos peridotíticos conocidos. El trabajo de campo y la interpretación de fotografías, principales procedimientos metodológicos de la investigación, así como el uso de un SIG, han permitido un reconocimiento geográfico inicial y el cartografiado de los principales rasgos físicos a escala de detalle (1: 5.000). Los resultados obtenidos son: (1) un mapa topográfico (equidistancia de curvas de nivel 5 m) como base de la cartografía temática; (2) la identificación, caracterización y cartografiado a la escala señalada de las principales unidades geomorfo-edáficas; (3) la caracterización de la vegetación y la flora de la cuenca mediante el análisis fitosociológico, y el levantamiento de un mapa de vegetación a escala de detalle. Estos resultados arrojan luz a una serie de interrogantes en cuanto al origen de la cuenca, su funcionamiento y papel ecológico. Como rasgo sobresaliente, la acumulación de sedimentos en el fondo de la cuenca ha posibilitado el estudio paleo-ecológico de la vegetación a partir de los carbones depositados en el suelo, destacando el hallazgo de carbón de Abies pinsapo, especie de abeto amenazada ausente actualmente en la localidad.
The Latitude of Information Management in Local Government
Authors: Syväjärvi Antti , Leinonen Jaana , Kivivirta Ville , Kesti Marko
Published: April 2017

This article explores the changing role and latitude of information management in local e-government. Municipalities have implemented information management and e-government for decades, but due to the cultural, political and behavioral reasons these efforts often face problems. This paper seeks to address these limitations by exploring the issues from the perspective of latitude. An empirical study where 137 managers answered questionnaires with open questions and 16 were interviewed was conducted in Finnish municipalities. The overall profile and latitude of information management is yet unstructured and narrow, indicating only supportive operations, as managers have difficulties with the complex domain of information management. The interaction between various stakeholders is also undeveloped. The authors conclude that both strategic integration and a hybrid type of management are required in local e-government. This article provides a framework of information management that can help enhance understanding of the determinants of information management in local governments.
A Hybrid Feature Extraction Framework for Face Recognition
Authors: Jaber Ali K. , Abdel-Qader Ikhlas
Published: April 2017

A hybrid framework, that can be used in face recognition applications, to enhance system recognition efficiency and speed by extracting the most efficient features of face images is proposed. The proposed framework is based on features obtained using Histograms of Oriented Gradients (HOG) descriptor and compressive sensing (CS). The HOG feature descriptor has the advantage of extracting face feature vectors even with changes in face appearance and is fully capable of handling variations in illumination. CS is used to reduce the density of the resulting HOG face features which has a significant effect on improving the computational cost and performance of the system. For classification, the k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN) algorithm and Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) classifier are used. The results demonstrated that the proposed hybrid method could be implemented in a complete system for recognizing and identifying faces with varying illuminations, facial expressions and poses, and backgrounds in real time.
Improving Logging Prediction on Imbalanced Datasets
Authors: Lal Sangeeta , Sardana Neetu , Sureka Ashish
Published: April 2017

Logging is an important yet tough decision for OSS developers. Machine-learning models are useful in improving several steps of OSS development, including logging. Several recent studies propose machine-learning models to predict logged code construct. The prediction performances of these models are limited due to the class-imbalance problem since the number of logged code constructs is small as compared to non-logged code constructs. No previous study analyzes the class-imbalance problem for logged code construct prediction. The authors first analyze the performances of J48, RF, and SVM classifiers for catch-blocks and if-blocks logged code constructs prediction on imbalanced datasets. Second, the authors propose LogIm, an ensemble and threshold-based machine-learning model. Third, the authors evaluate the performance of LogIm on three open-source projects. On average, LogIm model improves the performance of baseline classifiers, J48, RF, and SVM, by 7.38%, 9.24%, and 4.6% for catch-blocks, and 12.11%, 14.95%, and 19.13% for if-blocks logging prediction.
Dependency of Rural Households on Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs)
Authors: Jana Sebak Kumar , Ahmed Mamataj Uddin , Heubach Katja
Published: April 2017

Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) are an important source for livelihoods for a significant portion of rural populations all over the world. The present study explores the dependence of rural households on forests managed under Joint Forest Management (JFM) in the state of West Bengal in India. Using primary data collected from 300 households from 57 Forest Protection Committees (FPCs) in the dryland areas of two districts of West Bengal in India, authors compare households' income levels across regions and investigate disparities between income groups, with particular emphasis on income from NTFPs. The study reveals that households in forest-fringe areas are highly dependent on forests in maintaining their livelihoods. The results show that dependency of household on NTFPs varies across the regions as well as income groups. Authors also find that dependency of households on NTFPs depend significantly on the factors like number of forest goers, possession of assets, level of education, location and occupational diversification of the households.
Health Ballistics
Authors: Washburn Paul Jordan
Published: April 2017

Health Ballistics aims to quantify preventive health measures in relation to their health impact on an individual's productive lifespan, and in turn for a societally beneficial impact. An uninformed individuals behaviors will significantly affect their overall Health Wealth Commodity and are based upon the notion that what an individual does not know will with high probability lead to unhealthy monetary savings decision further empowering already established poor health outcome trajectories. The current theory emphasized the necessity for intensified focus on only a few health variables, as only a few variables indeed affect an individual's health trajectory with extreme weight at any moment. By calculating the highly probable and realistic health outcomes of an individual's health behavior based on these variables, a monetary savings can be retrospectively associated with the preventive measures utilized to obtain the health outcomes observed and in turn, prospectively associated to calculate statistically predictable individual health behavior and chronic diseases.
Extracting Core Users Based on Features of Users and Their Relationships in Recommender Systems
Authors: Kuang Li , Cao Gaofeng , Chen Liang
Published: April 2017

As an effective way to solve information overload, recommender system has drawn attention of scholars from various fields. However, existing works mainly focus on improving the accuracy of recommendation by designing new algorithms, while the different importance of individual users has not been well addressed. In this paper, the authors propose new approaches to identifying core users based on trust relationships and interest similarity between users, and the popular degree, trust influence and resource of individual users. First, the trust degree and interest similarity between all user pairs, as well as the three attributes of individuals are calculated. Second, a global core user set is constructed based on three strategies, which are frequency-based, rank-based, and fusion-sorting-based. Finally, the authors compare their proposed methods with other existing methods from accuracy, novelty, long-tail distribution and user degree distribution. Experiments show the effectiveness of the authors' core user extraction methods.
A Fast Shapelet Discovery Algorithm Based on Important Data Points
Authors: Ji Cun , Zhao Chao , Pan Li , Liu Shijun , Yang Chenglei , Wu Lei
Published: April 2017

Time series classification (TSC) has attracted significant interest over the past decade. A shapelet is one fragment of a time series that can represent class characteristics of the time series. A classifier based on shapelets is interpretable, more accurate, and faster. However, the time it takes to find shapelets is enormous. This article will propose a fast shapelet (FS) discovery algorithm based on important data points (IDPs). First, the algorithm will identify IDPs. Next, the subsequence containing one or more IDPs will be selected as a candidate shapelet. Finally, the best shapelets will be selected. Results will show that the proposed algorithm reduces the shapelet discovery time by approximately 14.0% while maintaining the same level of classification accuracy rates.
Nutritional composition and aerobic stability of winter cereal silage at different storage times
Authors: Leão Guilherme Fernando Mattos , Jobim Cloves Cabreira , Neumann Mikael , Horst Egon Henrique , Santos Sthefany Kamile dos , Venancio Bruno José , Santos Leslei Caroline
Published: April 2017

The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the nutritional composition, dry matter (DM) recovery and aerobic stability of winter cereal silages under different storage periods. The materials used were wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. BRS Gralha Azul), barley (Hordeum vulgare cv. BRS Brau), white oat (Avena sativa cv. URS Guará), black oat (Avena strigosa cv. Embrapa 139) and triticale (X Triticosecale IPR 11), in three storage periods: 60, 120 and 180 days. The experiment was conducted in a 5x3 factorial, completely randomized design, consisting of five forage species and three storage periods, with five replicates. In nutritional assessment, barley silage presented low values of acid detergent fiber (ADF; 331.2, 355.2 and 378.5 g kg DM-1 for 60, 120, 180 days, respectively), high total digestible nutrients (TDN; 558.2, 544.7 and 531.6 g kg DM-1 for 60, 120, 180 days, respectively), high DM recovery and aerobic stability. Wheat and triticale showed a decrease in DM recovery with the increase in storage length, although showed high aerobic stability. The storage period had a different effect on forages; however, storage period above 60 days provided no benefits for the variables evaluated.
The efficacy of an association of palmitoylethanolamide and alpha-lipoic acid in patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Giammusso Bruno , Di Mauro Rosaria , Bernardini Renato
Published: April 2017

Background: Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a complex condition, characterized by uncertain etiology and by limited response to therapy. The definition of CP/CPPS includes genitourinary pain with or without voiding symptoms in the absence of uropathogenic bacteria, as detected by standard microbiological methods, or another identifiable cause such as malignancy. The efficacy of various medical therapies, has been evaluated in clinical studies, but evidence is lacking or conflicting. We compared Serenoa Repens in monotherapy versus Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) in combination with Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) and evaluated the efficacy of these treatments in patients with CP/CPPS. Methods: We conducted a randomized, single-blind trial. 44 patients diagnosed with CP/CPPS (mean age 41.32 ± 1.686 years) were randomly assigned to treatment with Palmitoylethanolamide 300 mg plus Alpha-lipoic acid 300 mg (Peanase®), or Serenoa Repens at 320 mg. Three questionnaires (NIH-CPSI, IPSS and IIEF5) were administered at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment in each group. Results: 12 week treatment with Peanase significantly improved the IPSS score compared to the same period of treatment with Serenoa Repens, and significantly reduced NIH-CPSI score. Similar results were observed in the different NIH-CPSI subscores break down. However, the same treatment did not result in significant improvement of the IIEF5 score. Both treatments did not produce undesired effects. Conclusions: The present results document the efficacy of an association of Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) administered for 12 weeks for treating patients with CP/CPPS, compared with Serenoa Repens monotherapy.
Numerical simulation of laser bending of AISI 304 plate with a rectangular cut out
Authors: Paramasivan K , Das S , Sundar M , Misra D
Published: April 2017

This paper presents investigation of laser bending of AISI 304 plate having a rectangular cut out at its middle via process modeling by finite element method and statistical techniques. The objective is to study the effects of process and geometric parameters on thermal and deformation fields. Correlations are developed, with satisfactory accuracy, to predict maximum temperature and bending angle in the form of second order equations using response surface methodology. Artificial Neural Network models are also developed to predict maximum temperature and bending angle. Results indicate that maximum temperature and bending angle increases with laser power and decreases with increase in scanning speed. Moreover, bending angle decreases with increase in cut out dimension along laser scanning path due to the reduced interaction time between the work piece and the laser beam. Predictions from regression models and neural network models are compared with simulation results and performance of both approaches are found to be satisfactory.Keywords: laser bending; process modeling; bending angle; response surface models
Experimental investigations on CRDI diesel engine fuelled with acid oil methyl ester (AOME) and its blends with ethanol
Authors: Rajesh S , Kulkarni B.M. , Kumarappa S , Banpurmath N.R.
Published: April 2017

Biodiesel which is propelled as substitute to diesel fuel though attractive is not viable at present state because of its high production cost with the major concern of finding a permanent resource. As basically biodiesel is a assortment of fatty acid methyl ester it can also be produced from non-glyceride sources like acid oil which is non-edible, easily obtainable in significant amounts at the majority of the vegetable oil processing plants. This paper mainly focuses on the utilization of Acid Oil Methyl Ester (AOME) and its combinations with diesel and ethanol in different proportionsin a modified diesel engine fitted with Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDI) facilities. Acid oil was suitably trans-esterified to obtain its ester AOME and was subsequently blended with diesel and ethanol and characterization of the obtained fuels were done. A functional single cylinder diesel engine was duly converted to CRDI engine in which Conventional Mechanical Fuel Injection System (CMFIS) was replaced with CRDI facilities in order to inject biodiesel at higher injection pressures. Experiments were conducted to examine the influence of Injection Timing (IT), and Injector opening Pressure (IP) on the performance of modified CRDI engine fuelled with AOME and its blends with diesel and ethanol for improved engine performance. The experimental examination revealed IT of 10obTDC as well as IP of 900 bar as the most excellent engine operating parameters to achieve the highest Brake Thermal Efficiency (BTE) with lowered Hydro-Carbon (HC), Carbon Monoxide (CO), smoke emissions while, oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions were found to be superior for the fuel combinations employed in the investigation.Keywords: Diesel, Ethanol, Acid oil methyl ester (AOME), Common Rail Direct Injection (CRDI), Emissions
Analytic determination of values on the truth table: possible implications
Authors: Akpan Etorobong Godwin
Published: April 2017

The paper refers to the traditional approach used in the specification of values on the statement constant columns of the truth table as pictorial. It differentiates it from the αyx coordinate model, which it introduces as an analytic approach for the achievement of the same objective. The coordinate is stated as: αxy= x /2(2n/2y) . The αyx is shown by analysis to derive from the coordinate of x and y as αyx= x/y . y is shown to derive from the coefficient of Cy and Cy=2n/2y(T,F)2y/2. Cy is an algebraic function introduced in the paper for the computation of truth table columns. The paper shows by implication that the delineation of the value of any truth table unit no longer stands in need of pictorial aids due to the introduction of the coordinate. Results from analysis shows that the specific value of a truth table unit could be determined set theoretically, without an actual truth table provided the αyx coordinate is applied.Keywords: Algebraic Function, Coordinate, Columns, Rows, Truth Table, Truth Value
An interactive web-based extranet system model for managing students’ academic records
Authors: Ikpotokin F.O , Imiefoh Pedro
Published: April 2017

The effectiveness of electronic transactions in institutions of learning in recent past is highly contingent upon an information and communication technology infrastructure. Such infrastructure enhances information management, cooperation and coordination during e-transactions. The infrastructure that allows such transactions to thrive and grow is a model for an interactive web-based Extranet system and not just a site for transactions. This infrastructure must be carefully planned and modeled from the outset of Extranet modeling, particularly in a web-based environment. This research adopted an interactive web-based Extranet system for students’ academic records in Ambrose Alli University, as a research domain, which depicts a positive trend towards achieving objectives for students, lecturers and parents to access and compute results online rather than maintaining physical documents. The database will serve as repository of students’ academic records over a long period of time. The methodology of the special software to be developed involved the collections of main modern tools and technologies, such as Apache Web Server, PHP and MySQL which can work on any platform, such as windows and Linus.Keywords: Extranet-Model, Interactive, Web-Based, Students, Academic, Records
Quantifying the contribution of land use change to surface temperature in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River
Authors: Wang Xueqian , Guo Weidong , Qiu Bo , Liu Ye , Sun Jianning , Ding Aijun
Published: April 2017

Abstract. Anthropogenic land use has a significant impact on climate change. Located in the typical East Asian monsoon region, the land–atmosphere interaction in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River is even more complicated due to intensive human activities and different types of land use in this region. To better understand these effects on microclimate change, we compare differences in land surface temperature (Ts) for three land types around Nanjing from March to August, 2013, and then quantify the contribution of land surface factors to these differences (ΔTs) by considering the effects of surface albedo, roughness length, and evaporation. The atmospheric background contribution to ΔTs is also considered based on differences in air temperature (ΔTa). It is found that the cropland cooling effect decreases Ts by 1.76° and the urban heat island effect increases Ts by 1.25°. They have opposite impacts but are both significant in this region. Various changes in surface factors affect radiation and energy distribution and eventually modify Ts. It is the evaporative cooling effect that plays the most important role in this region and accounts for 1.40° of the crop cooling and 2.29° of the urban warming. Moreover, the background atmospheric circulation is also an indispensable part in land–atmosphere feedback induced by land use change and reinforces both these effects.
Impact of temperature dependence on the possible contribution of organics to new particle formation in the atmosphere
Authors: Yu Fangqun , Luo Gan , Nadykto Alexey B. , Herb Jason
Published: April 2017

Abstract. Secondary particles formed via new particle formation (NPF) dominate cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) abundance in most parts of the troposphere and are important for aerosol indirect radiative forcing (IRF). Laboratory measurements have shown that certain organic compounds can significantly enhance the binary nucleation of sulfuric acid and H2O. According to our recent study comparing particle size distributions measured in nine forest areas in North America with those predicted by a global size-resolved aerosol model, current H2SO4–organics nucleation parameterizations appear to significantly overpredict NPF and particle number concentrations in summer. The lack of temperature dependence in the current H2SO4–organics nucleation parameterization has been suggested to be a possible reason for the observed overprediction. In this work, H2SO4–organics clustering thermodynamics from quantum chemical studies has been employed to develop a scheme to incorporate temperature dependence into H2SO4–organics nucleation parameterization. We show that temperature has a strong impact on H2SO4–organics nucleation rates and may reduce the nucleation rate by  ∼  1 order of magnitude per 10 K of temperature increase. The particle number concentrations in summer over North America based on the revised scheme is a factor of more than 2 lower, which is in much better agreement with the observations. With the temperature-dependent H2SO4–organics nucleation parameterization, the summer CCN concentrations in the lower troposphere in the Northern Hemisphere are about 10–30 % lower compared to the temperature-independent parameterization. This study highlights the importance of the temperature effect and its impacts on NPF in the global modeling of aerosol number abundance.
Development of a new gas-flaring emission dataset for southern West Africa
Authors: Deetz Konrad , Vogel Bernhard
Published: April 2017

Abstract. A new gas-flaring emission parameterization has been developed, which combines remote sensing observations using Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) nighttime data with combustion equations. The parameterization has been applied to southern West Africa, including the Niger Delta as a region that is highly exposed to gas flaring. Two 2-month datasets for June–July 2014 and 2015 were created. The parameterization delivers emissions of CO, CO2, NO, NO2 and SO2. A flaring climatology for both time periods has been derived. The uncertainties owing to cloud cover, parameter selection, natural gas composition and the interannual differences are assessed. The largest uncertainties in the emission estimation are linked to the parameter selection. It can be shown that the flaring emissions in Nigeria have significantly decreased by 25 % from 2014 to 2015. Existing emission inventories were used for validation. CO2 emissions with the estimated uncertainty in parentheses of 2.7 (3. 6∕0. 5) Tg yr−1 for 2014 and 2.0 (2. 7∕0. 4) Tg yr−1 for 2015 were derived. Regarding the uncertainty range, the emission estimate is in the same order of magnitude compared to existing emission inventories with a tendency for underestimation. The deviations might be attributed to a shortage in information about the combustion efficiency within southern West Africa, the decreasing trend in gas flaring or inconsistent emission sector definitions. The parameterization source code is available as a package of R scripts.
The Impact of Dynamic Capabilities on Sustainable Competitive Advantage in the Pharmaceutical Sector in Egypt
Authors: Naguib Albert Naiem , Elsaid Eahab , Elsaid Abdel Moneim
Published: April 2017

This study examines the relationship between dynamic capabilities (experience, routine, skills, firm characteristics, knowledge and technology) and competitive advantage sustainability in the Egyptian pharmaceutical sector. The data was collected using primary and secondary data sources. Primary data was collected from questionnaires distributed to 160 top managers in 20 pharmaceutical firms. The secondary data about pharmaceutical firms like rankings, revenues and market share was collected from external sources such as Intercontinental Marketing Service (IMS). The questionnaires examine six independent variables based on a five-scale Likert scale. The methodology used in the study is non-probability sampling (judgmental sampling), Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient and Chi-square tests. The results support the notion that there is a significant relationship between four of the six dynamic capabilities (experience, skills, firm characteristics and knowledge) and the competitive advantage sustainability for pharmaceutical firms in Egypt. Designing the questionnaire and formulating the questions to target the required field was challenging, given that the topic is dynamic and the business scene in Egypt has witnessed drastic political changes since January 2011. The study should assist pharmaceutical companies in Egypt in directing their investments properly and in determining the weaknesses in their dynamic capabilities that need to be addressed.
Effect of Time Management on the Job Satisfaction and Motivation of Teacher Educators: A Narrative Analysis
Authors: Sahito Zafarullah , Vaisanen Pertti
Published: April 2017

The present study was conducted to investigate the relationship between time management, job satisfaction and motivation among teacher educators in university departments, institutes and faculties of education in the Sindh province of Pakistan. Using an interview approach, the researchers recorded the professional stories of 40 teacher educators. The interviews and the analysis focused particularly on teacher educators’ skills, routines and characteristics related to time management, job satisfaction and motivation. This article advances current knowledge by revealing the values of narrative analysis including, especially, qualitative research methods as a means for disseminating the evidence-based information. In so doing, it offers teacher educators and heads of universities, faculties, institutes and departments a reliable resource for understanding how teacher educators improve their time management skills to increase job satisfaction and motivation and make their professional and personal lives more meaningful.
Spatial Distribution of Noise Released from Iron and Steel Industry and their Effects on Human Health in the Lahore City, Pakistan
Authors: Anum Liaqut  , Isma Younes  , Rakhshanda Sadaf
Published: April 2017

This research investigates the phenomenon of perception of people about industrial noise pollution and its effects on human health. Thirty-six (36) industries were selected for estimation of noise levels and its effects on human health. Concurrently, samples of one hundred and fifty (150) respondents were also taken from nearby residential area, using random sampling method. The key tool of data collection was well-structured questionnaires consisting of twenty-one questions. Chi-Square test was used for examination of data, which illustrated effects of industrial noise on people living in industrial zone. The noise level results indicated that the mean values were exceeding permissible environmental standard used in Pakistan. Majority of respondents (50.6 %) were conscious about the basic reason of noise pollution in study area. Eighty-two percent (82%) people have opinion that old technology was the basic cause for noise pollution. It was shocking to see the results which indicate that 99.8% people are suffering from noise related diseases. This include 81.3% with increase anger, 81.5% with ear ache, 16% with ear discharge, 79.3% with high blood pressure, 78% with depression, 77.3% temporary hearing loss, 9.3% permanent hearing loss. Only 23.3% of people conduct regular hearing test.
Effect of Dextrose Sugar on the Growth and Production of Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) through Tissue Culture
Authors: Amjad Ali Memon  , Ghulam Sughra Mangrio  , Arshad Ali Kaleri  , Bharat Kumar  , Mohsin Khan  , Rameez Raja Kaleri  , Hubdar Ali Kaleri  , Sajid Hussain Kaleri  , Niaz Ahmed Wahocho
Published: April 2017

The study was conducted to investigate the dextrose sugar effect as carbon source on mycelial growth and production of Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus). The experiment was performed in Mushroom Laboratory, Plant Pathology Section, Agriculture Research Institute, Tandojam, during 2013-2014. Mycelial growth was developed by using tissue culture on medium (PDA) potato dextrose agar with various concentrations of dextrose sugar. Analysis of variance for concentrations was statistically highly significant for all the parameters. In some cases among the different concentrations, 2.0% dextrose sugar showed after 2 days of micro propagation, the mycelial growth (1.9 cm) was recorded, followed by 1.5% dextrose sugar that showed (1.7 cm). The earlier spawn mycelia growth was observed in case of amending same 0/2% dextrose sugar (24.5 days). The pinhead first appeared (29.5 days) after the date of spawning by using 2.0% dextrose sugar. The minimum period (4.2 days) for maturation of mushroom fruiting body were recorded at 20% and 1.5% dextrose sugar. The maximum numbers of fruiting bodies (56.2) were observed with an application of dextrose sugar at 2.0%. The maximum number of bunches per bag (16.5) were harvested with an application of dextrose sugar 2.0%. The highest (350.5 g) fresh yield of Oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus was recorded from 2.0% am ended of dextrose sugar.
Mapping the International Underground: Jeff Nuttall and Global Counterculture
Authors: Field Douglas
Published: April 2017

Despite publishing nearly forty books between 1963 and 2003, Jeff Nuttall remains
a minor figure in the history of the International Underground of the long
1960s. Drawing on his uncatalogued papers at the John Rylands Library, this
article seeks to recoup Nuttall as one of the key architects of the
International Underground. In so doing, my article argues that Nuttalls
contributions to global counterculture challenge the critical consensus that
British avant-garde writers were merely imitators of their US counterparts. By
exploring the impact of Nuttalls My Own Mag (1963–67) and Bomb Culture(1968), it
can be shown that Nuttall was a central catalyst of, and contributor to, the
International Underground. As a poet, novelist and artist, Nuttalls
multidisciplinary contributions to art were at the forefront of avant-garde
practices that sought to challenge the perceived limitations of the novel as a
social realist document and visual art as a medium confined to canvas.
Contextualising the Interloper: Consistency and Inconsistency in Rylands Latin MS 164
Authors: Kirkham Anne
Published: April 2017

Rylands Latin MS 164 is one of over forty manuscript books of hours in the John
Rylands Library. It was made in France in the middle of the fifteenth century
and its extensive, high quality illumination associates its production with the
worshop of the so-called Bedford Master. However, it has not been the subject of
any sustained published research and consequently the significance of variations
in the mise-en-page of the books pages has not been scrutinised. This article
focuses on the variations in two replacement pages, one within the calendar and
one beginning the Penitential Psalms, and in the case of the page beginning the
Penitential Psalms considers whether the replacement could have been made by Sir
Gregory Osborne Page-Turner, the owner of Rylands Latin MS 164 in the early
nineteenth century.
Monuments to the Truth of Christianity: Anti-Judaism in the Works of Adam Clarke
Authors: Mayers Simon
Published: April 2017

The prevailing historiographies of Jewish life in England suggest that religious
representations of the Jews in the early modern period were confined to the
margins and fringes of society by the desacralization of English life. Such
representations are mostly neglected in the scholarly literature for the latter
half of the long eighteenth century, and English Methodist texts in particular
have received little attention. This article addresses these lacunae by
examining the discourse of Adam Clarke (1760/2–1832), an erudite Bible scholar,
theologian, preacher and author and a prominent, respected, Methodist scholar.
Significantly, the more overt demonological representations were either absent
from Clarke‘s discourse, or only appeared on a few occasions, and were vague as
to who or what was signified. However, Clarke portrayed biblical Jews as
perfidious, cruel, murderous, an accursed seed, of an accursed breed and
radically and totally evil. He also commented on contemporary Jews (and
Catholics), maintaining that they were foolish, proud, uncharitable, intolerant
and blasphemous. He argued that in their eternal, wretched, dispersed condition,
the Jews demonstrated the veracity of biblical prophecy, and served an essential
purpose as living monuments to the truth of Christianity.
The Duke of Sussex‘s Irish Manuscript (Rylands Irish MS 22)
Authors: Sharpe Richard
Published: April 2017

Rylands Irish MS 22 is a copy of Geoffrey Keatings Trí Biorghaoithe an Bháis
(1631), made by the well-known scribe Risteard Tuibear in 1710, a professionally
made vernacular book, making available for circulation a widely read devotional
text. In the last two pages the scribe permitted an apprentice to copy, and as a
result he had to write the ending a second time more correctly. Like several
other books made by Tuibear, it belonged to Muiris Ó Gormáin in Dublin in the
later eighteenth century and is found in his book lists from 1761 and 1772.
Inside the front is the book-plate of the Duke of Sussex, and the catalogue of
his library from 1827 shows that this is a book given to him by Sir William
Betham a year earlier. When the Duke‘s library was auctioned, this was sold to a
London dealer, reappearing in sales between 1866 and 1869. It was bought by the
Earl of Crawford and came with all his manuscripts into the Rylands Library,
where for its origin and history it stands out from a collection of books
largely made for or by Denis Kelly, of Castle Kelly, in the mid-nineteenth
century.
Null alleles are ubiquitous at microsatellite loci in the Wedge Clam (Donax trunculus)
Authors: Rico Ciro , Cuesta Jose Antonio , Drake Pilar , Macpherson Enrique , Bernatchez Louis , Marie Amandine D.
Published: April 2017

Recent studies have reported an unusually high frequency of nonamplifying alleles at microsatellite loci in bivalves. Null alleles have been associated with heterozygous deficits in many studies. While several studies have tested for its presence using different analytical tools, few have empirically tested for its consequences in estimating population structure and differentiation. We characterised 16 newly developed microsatellite loci and show that null alleles are ubiquitous in the wedge clam,Donax trunculus. We carried out several tests to demonstrate that the large heterozygous deficits observed in the newly characterised loci were most likely due to null alleles. We tested the robustness of microsatellite genotyping for population assignment by showing that well-recognised biogeographic regions of the south Atlantic and south Mediterranean coast of Spain harbour genetically different populations.
Arrival and diversification of mabuyine skinks (Squamata: Scincidae) in the Neotropics based on a fossil-calibrated timetree
Authors: Pereira Anieli Guirro , Schrago Carlos G.
Published: April 2017

Background

The evolution of South American Mabuyinae skinks holds significant biogeographic interest because its sister lineage is distributed across the African continent and adjacent islands. Moreover, at least one insular species,Trachylepis atlantica, has independently reached the New World through transoceanic dispersal. To clarify the evolutionary history of both Neotropical lineages, this study aimed to infer an updated timescale using the largest species and gene sampling dataset ever assembled for this group. By extending the analysis to the Scincidae family, we could employ fossil information to estimate mabuyinae divergence times and carried out a formal statistical biogeography analysis. To unveil macroevolutionary patterns, we also inferred diversification rates for this lineage and evaluated whether the colonization of South American continent significantly altered the mode of Mabuyinae evolution.

Methods

A time-calibrated phylogeny was inferred under the Bayesian framework employing fossil information. This timetree was used to (i) evaluate the historical biogeography of mabuiyines using the statistical approach implemented in BioGeoBEARS; (ii) estimate macroevolutionary diversification rates of the South American Mabuyinae lineages and the patterns of evolution of selected traits, namely, the mode of reproduction, body mass and snout–vent length; (iii) test the hypothesis of differential macroevolutionary patterns in South American lineages in BAMM and GeoSSE; and (iv) re-evaluate the ancestral state of the mode of reproduction of mabuyines.

Results

Our results corroborated the hypothesis that the occupation of the South American continent by Mabuyinae consisted of two independent dispersion events that occurred between the Oligocene and the Miocene. We found significant differences in speciation rates between the New World and the remaining Mabuyinae clades only in GeoSSE. The influence of phenotypic traits on diversification rates was not supported by any method. Ancestral state reconstruction suggested that the ancestor of South American mabuyine was likely viviparous.

Discussion

Our analyses further corroborated the existence of a transoceanic connection between Africa and South America in the Eocene/Oligocene period (Atlantogea). Following colonization of the isolated South America and subsequent dispersal through the continent by the ancestral mabuyine stock, we detected no difference in macroevolutionary regimes of New World clades. This finding argued against the ecological opportunity model as an explanation for the diversity of living mabuyines.
A percepção dos profissionais de saúde em relação à higienização das mãos Healthcare workers perception regarding hand hygiene
Authors: Paula Adriana Oliveira de , Oliveira Adriana Cristina de
Published: April 2017

Objetivo: verificar os aspectos relacionados à percepção dos profissionais de saúde em relação à higienização das mãos. Metodologia: estudo transversal, realizado em uma unidade de pronto-atendimento de um hospital universitário de Belo Horizonte. Foi aplicado um questionário estruturado aos profissionais de enfermagem e da equipe médica. Utilizou-se o programa estatístico SPSS, realizou-se análise descritiva e univariada. Resultados: Os profissionais de saúde atribuem como alto o impacto das infecções na evolução clínica dos pacientes e a eficácia da higiene de mãos no controle destas. A taxa auto-reportada para adesão à higiene de mãos foi de 76% para a equipe de enfermagem e 72,5% para a equipe médica, porém, inferiores a 60% para os colegas de trabalho. Conclusões: Os profissionais percebem a HM como uma medida eficaz de controle de infecção e reconhecem que as taxas de adesão das equipes de saúde em geral, são baixas.
As necessidades de cuidado do cliente oncológico hospitalizado: aplicação da taxonomia nanda Care needs of hospitalized cancer patients: application of nanda taxonomy
Authors: Velloso de Brito Karen Christine de Faria , Souza Sonia Regina de
Published: April 2017

OBJETIVOS: Identificar as necessidades de cuidado do cliente oncológico e correlacionar essas necessidades com os domínios da taxonomia NANDA. MÉTODOS: Estudo qualitativo realizado nas enfermarias clínicas de internação de adultos de um hospital universitario do Rio de Janeiro. Foram realizadas 7 entrevistas e analisadas através do método de análise temática. RESULTADOS: As entrevistas apontaram que os clientes oncológicos possuem seu padrão de sono, nutrição e eliminações alterados durante a hospitalização.  Também foi evidenciado a esperança na cura, a crença e o apoio da familia e amigos influenciando no processo de enfrentamento da doença. Nas entrevistas foram apontadas duas dimensões da Enfermagem: A Enfermagem relacionada a técnicas e procedimentos, e a Enfermagem relacionada à comunicação terapêutica. CONCLUSÃO: Identificar as necessidades de cuidado de Enfermagem desses clientes significa observá-lo por completo, enxergar além da patologia, visualizar um ser que possui crenças, valores, capacidade de enfrentamento e um forte apoio de familiares e amigos. DESCRITORES: Enfermagem oncológica, Determinação das necessidades de cuidado, Planejamento de assistência ao paciente.
Grupos de gestantes: espaço para humanização do parto e nascimento Groups of pregnant women: space for a humanization of labor and birth
Authors: Matos Greice Carvalho de , Demori Carolina Carbonell , Escobal Ana Paula de Lima , Soares Marilu Correa , Meincke Sonia Maria Konzgen , Gonçalves Kamila Dias
Published: April 2017

OBJETIVOS: Conhecer o aporte dos grupos de gestantes na construção de conhecimento acerca do processo de parturição. MÉTODOS: Estudo descritivo-exploratório, com dez mulheres que participaram de grupos de gestantes. Foi realizada entrevista semiestruturada, as quais foram gravadas e transcritas na íntegra. A análise foi fundamentada na Analise Temática, após aprovação pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa-CAAE 20722913.7.DO00.5317. RESULTADOS: Da análise das transcrições emergiram as temáticas: Trabalho de parto e parto sob a ótica de mulheres que participaram dos grupos de gestantes e Humanização do parto e Nascimento: Conhecimento x Vivência. CONCLUSÃO: O grupo de gestantes permite a mulher preparar-se para o processo de parturição, visto que as informações e trocas de experiências com outras participantes e profissionais da saúde, oferecem subsídios para suas escolhas, assim, o conhecimento é construído de forma recíproca, em clima de confiança e aprendizado.
A enfermagem na urgência e emergência: entre o prazer e o sofrimento Nursing in urgency and emergency: between the pleasure and suffering
Authors: Kolhs Marta , Olschowsky Agnes , Barreta Natana Lais , Schimerfening Janice , Vargas Raquel Pires , Busnello Grasiela Fatima
Published: April 2017

O trabalho na área hospitalar no setor de urgência e emergência tem potencial gerador de prazer e/ou sofrimento aos profissionais da enfermagem. Objetivo: Verificar quais os fatores que levam os profissionais da enfermagem que atuam em um setor urgência e emergência hospitalar ao prazer e sofrimento, e estratégias defensivas. Método: Para este estudo qualitativa, descritiva, estudo de caso; coleta de dados se deu por entrevista semiestruturada e observação. A análise se deu por análise de conteúdo de Bardin e fundamentada na Psicodinâmica do Trabalho. Resultados: Encontrou-se três categorias: 1. categoria prazer; 2. categoria  sofrimento; 3. categoria estratégias defensivas: individuais e coletivas. Conclusão: Que mudanças de condutas podem permitir uma melhor forma de lidar e transformar os fatores geradores de sofrimento e potencializar os sentimentos de prazer. Descritores: Enfermagem, prazer, sofrimento, urgência e emergência.
Perfil clínico, sociodemográfico e epidemiológico da mulher com câncer de mama Clinical, sociodemographic and epidemiological profile of woman with breast cancer
Authors: Magalhães Gabriela , Brandão-Souza Camila , Fustinoni Suzete Maria , Matos Jéssica Carvalho de , Schirmer Janine
Published: April 2017

Objetivo: Descrever as principais características clínico-terapêuticas e epidemiológicas, de mulheres diagnosticadas com câncer de mama no Hospital Pérola Byington, entre os anos de 2000 e 2006. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo de corte transversal e natureza quantitativa. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de um formulário estruturado. Resultados: A maior parte das mulheres eram casadas, brancas, com baixa escolaridade, católicas e do lar. Cerca de 75% tiveram pelo menos uma gravidez, e 33,1% amamentaram. Pouco mais de 30% fizeram reposição hormonal. Eram fumantes 14,7%, e 2,7% ex-fumantes. Os estadiamentos clínicos iniciais de maiores incidências são os II e III, juntos representam 66,5% dos casos. Cerca de 91,3% das mulheres não apresentavam diagnóstico do tumor de mama e nem tratamento anterior a primeira consulta. Conclusão: Conhecer o perfil das mulheres acometidas pelo câncer de mama é imprescindível para o direcionamento de recursos e tomadas de decisão.