bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can a Family-Focused, Transition-to-Parenthood Program Prevent Parent and Partner Aggression Among Couples With Young Children?
Authors: Kan Marni L. , Feinberg Mark E.
Published: December 2014

The need for prevention of children’s exposure to family aggression is clear, yet studies have not examined effects of family based programs on both partner and parent–child aggression. This study examined moderated effects of an 8-session psychoeducational program for couples on partner psychological aggression and parent–child physical aggression when the child was 3 years old. A community sample of 169 expectant couples was randomized to intervention and control conditions. Significant program effects indicated reduced partner psychological aggression by fathers and reduced parent–child physical aggression by mothers for couples with frequent preprogram partner psychological aggression and reduced partner psychological aggression by fathers for couples with severe preprogram partner physical aggression. Efforts to prevent children’s exposure to family aggression may most benefit couples exhibiting preprogram relationship risk.
Maize–Velvet Bean Rotation in Summer and Winter Milpas: A Greener Technology
Authors: Ortiz‐Ceballos Angel Isauro , Aguirre‐Rivera Juan Rogelio , Salgado‐Garcia Sergio , Ortiz‐Ceballos Gustavo
Published: December 2014

In Central America, the traditional cropping system milpa de año (summer season) and tornamilpa (winter season) were compared over 3 yr (2007–2009). Our experimental objectives were to measure the performance of a maize (Zea mays L.)–velvet bean [Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. subsp. utilis (Wight) Burck] milpa system throughout the summer and winter cultivation, to detect any problems associated with velvet bean use, and to determine the contribution of this tropical legume to soil fertility and maize productivity. In each crop season (separated in space and time) we used a completely randomized design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with five repetitions each: without velvet bean and without fertilizer (–V–F), with velvet bean and without fertilizer (+V–F), without velvet bean and with fertilizer (–V+F), and with velvet bean and with fertilizer (+V+F). Results showed that in the winter milpas the presence of velvet bean significantly increased the soil pH, organic matter content, total N, and decreased soil bulk density. In both cycles (winter and summer), treatment with velvet bean (+V) produced higher grain yield, while the treatment without velvet bean (–V) had a lower production. We concluded that the use of velvet bean in the winter milpa contributed to the restoration of soil fertility and increased yield maize in agricultural systems of the small‐holder farmers based on low external input.
Parameterizing the FAO AquaCrop Model for Rainfed and Irrigated Field‐Grown Sweet Potato
Authors: Rankine Dale R. , Cohen Jane E. , Taylor M.A. , Coy Andre D. , Simpson Leslie A. , Stephenson Tannecia , Lawrence Janet L.
Published: December 2014

Crop production in the Caribbean is dominated by small open field holdings that are almost totally reliant on rainfall. Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. Lam. [Convolvulaceae]) has been identified as an important commodity to attain food and nutrition security goals of the region, particularly in light of a changing climate. The crop has high nutritional value, innate drought‐tolerant properties, and can be grown with relatively low inputs. The routine use of crop models for yield optimization is largely absent in the Caribbean. In this study, an attempt was made to parameterize the FAO AquaCrop model for sweet potato for the first time. AquaCrop is a simulation model for crop water productivity, designed primarily for use in irrigation management. Parameters were developed using data from three sweet potato cultivars grown in two agroecological zones in Jamaica under rainfed and irrigated conditions. Digital photography was combined with an automated canopy estimator to track canopy development, and sample harvesting was done throughout the crop season. The overall simulation of biomass was good, with deviations of <28% for four out of six simulations, and season‐long performance of the model was commendable. The simulation of yield presented more challenges, especially given the nonlinear rate of tuber development. The results, however, indicate that AquaCrop could be a useful tool for Caribbean agriculture in predicting the productivity of sweet potato under varying water availability.
Split Application of Urea Does Not Decrease and May Increase Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Rainfed Corn
Authors: Venterea Rodney T. , Coulter Jeffrey A.
Published: December 2014

Modification of N fertilizer application timing within the growing season has the potential to reduce soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions but limited data are available to assess its effects. We compared cumulative growing season nitrous oxide emissions (cN2O) following urea applied to corn (Zea mays L.) in a single application (SA) at planting or in three split applications (SpA) over the growing season. For both SA and SpA, granular urea was broadcast and incorporated at six fertilizer N rates in the corn phase of a corn–soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation and in a continuous corn system over two growing seasons. Daily N2O flux was measured using chambers on 35 dates in 2012 and 40 dates in 2013 and soil nitrate‐N concentration was measured weekly. Split application did not affect grain yield and did not reduce cN2O. Across N rates and rotations, cN2O was 55% greater with SpA compared with SA in 2012. Increased cN2O with SpA in 2012 likely resulted from a prolonged dry period before the second split application followed by large rainfall events following the third split application. Across years and rotations, SpA increased cN2O by 57% compared with SA when the maximum N rate was applied. Exponential relationships between cN2O and fertilizer N rate explained 62 to 74% of the variance in area‐based cN2O and 54% of the variance in yield‐based cN2O. Applying urea to coincide with periods of high crop N demand does not necessarily reduce and may increase N2O emissions.
Distributed and collaborative Web Change Detection system
Authors: Prieto Víctor , Álvarez Manuel , Carneiro Víctor , Cacheda Fidel
Published: December 2014

Search engines use crawlers to traverse the Web in order to download web
pages and build their indexes. Maintaining these indexes up-to-date is an
essential task to ensure the quality of search results. However, changes in
web pages are unpredictable. Identifying the moment when a web page changes
as soon as possible and with minimal computational cost is a major challenge.
In this article we present the Web Change Detection system that, in a best
case scenario, is capable to detect, almost in real time, when a web page
changes. In a worst case scenario, it will require, on average, 12 minutes to
detect a change on a low PageRank web site and about one minute on a web site
with high PageRank. Meanwhile, current search engines require more than a
day, on average, to detect a modification in a web page (in both cases).
Fast DCT algorithms for EEG data compression in embedded systems
Authors: Birvinskas Darius , Jusas Vacius , Martisius Ignas , Damasevicius Robertas
Published: December 2014

Electroencephalography (EEG) is widely used in clinical diagnosis, monitoring
and Brain - Computer Interface systems. Usually EEG signals are recorded with
several electrodes and transmitted through a communication channel for
further processing. In order to decrease communication bandwidth and
transmission time in portable or low cost devices, data compression is
required. In this paper we consider the use of fast Discrete Cosine Transform
(DCT) algorithms for lossy EEG data compression. Using this approach, the
signal is partitioned into a set of 8 samples and each set is
DCT-transformed. The least-significant transform coefficients are removed
before transmission and are filled with zeros before an inverse transform. We
conclude that this method can be used in real-time embedded systems, where
low computational complexity and high speed is required.
A fuzzy Bi-linear management model in reverse logistic chains
Authors: Tadic Danijela , Mimovic Predrag , Kostic Jovana , Zahar-Djordjevic Marija
Published: December 2014

The management of the electrical and electronic waste (WEEE) problem in the
uncertain environment has a critical effect on the economy and environmental
protection of each region. The considered problem can be stated as a fuzzy
non-convex optimization problem with linear objective function and a set of
linear and non-linear constraints. The original problem is reformulated by
using linear relaxation into a fuzzy linear programming problem. The fuzzy
rating of collecting point capacities and fix costs of recycling centers are
modeled by triangular fuzzy numbers. The optimal solution of the
reformulation model is found by using optimality concept. The proposed model
is verified through an illustrative example with real-life data. The obtained
results represent an input for future research which should include a good
benchmark base for tested reverse logistic chains and their continuous
improvement.
Space for Queer and Trans Youth? Reflections on Community-Based Research in Montreal
Authors: de Montigny Julia , Podmore Julie
Published: December 2014

This article focuses on the process of conducting community-based geographic research with queer and trans youth. It is based on a research project that investigated the spatial experiences of adolescents between 14 and 18 years of age who attended Project 10, an out-of-school LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) community support organization for youth in Montreal, Canada. The authors examine the ways in which working within this community space shaped the research process and how it functioned as a site of critical geographic inquiry. The article highlights the process of gaining access to this population, the methodological particularities of working with queer and trans* youth support groups and, finally, how conducting research in an LGBTQ community space facilitated the research process. The objective is to reflect on the possibilities and limitations of this site in terms of conducting geographic research that considers the lives of queer and trans* adolescents.
Application of a Hybrid Uf-Ro Process to Geothermal Water Desalination. Concentrate Disposal and Cost Analysis
Authors: Tomaszewska Barbara , Pająk Leszek , Bodzek Michał
Published: December 2014

M embrane-based water desalination processes and hybrid technologies are often considered as a technologically and economically viable alternative for desalination of geothermal waters. This has been conﬁrmed by the results of pilot studies concerning the UF-RO desalination of geothermal waters extracted from various geological structures in Poland. The assessment of the feasibility of implementing the water desalination process analysed on an industrial scale is largely dependent on the method and possibility of disposing or utilising the concentrate. The analyses conducted in this respect have demonstrated that it is possible to use the solution obtained as a balneological product owing to its elevated metasilicic acid, ﬂuorides and iodides ions content. Due to environmental considerations, injecting the concentrate back into the formation is the preferable solution. The energy efﬁciency and economic analysis conducted demonstrated that the cost effectiveness of implementing the UF-RO process in a geothermal system on an industrial scale largely depends on the factors related to its operation, including without limitation the amount of geothermal water extracted, water salinity, the absorption parameters of the wells used to inject water back into the formation, the scale of problems related to the disposal of cooled water, local demand for drinking and household water, etc. The decrease in the pressure required to inject water into the formation as well as the reduction in the stream of the water injected are among the key cost-effectiveness factors. Ensuring favourable desalinated water sale terms (price/quantity) is also a very important consideration owing to the electrical power required to conduct the UF-RO process.
Bryjarka Hill in Szczawnica (Beskid Sądecki Mts, Western Carpathians, Poland) - a Natural and Cultural Focus
Authors: Vončina Grzegorz , Wawrzczak Maciej , Betleja Laura , Kozik Joanna , Kościelniak Robert , Chachuła Piotr
Published: December 2014

The aim of this article is to present the history and the current state of Bryjarka hill, situated in Szczawnica (the Beskid Sądecki range in southern Poland) in relation to its environmental and cultural values. Another aim of this article is to show that Bryjarka hill plays an important role in the biological, geological and cultural aspects of the region. It represents cultural significance where the traces of human activities date back to medieval times.
New Faunistics Records of Agromyzidae (Diptera) from the Czech Republic and Slovakia
Authors: Černý Miloš
Published: December 2014

Altogether 11 species of the family Agromyzidae (Diptera) are recorded from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Three species represent first records from the Czech Republic and 1 species from Slovakia, 8 species are new additions to the fauna of Bohemia and 4 to the fauna of Moravia. The most interesting findings are those of Melanagromyza kerkinica Černý, 2011, Cerodontha (Poemyza) alpina Nowakowski, 1967 and Chromatomyia ochracea (Hendel, 1920).
Environmental Impact Assessment of Kathmandu Terai Fast-Track
Authors: Dahal Padam Kanta , Dahal Lalita , Khanal Sarina , Poudel Sazina , Khatiwada Bhawana
Published: December 2014

Road transport is dominant necessity for the overall economic development of any nation. In case of Nepal, an easy access between the Capital City and Terai, the store-house of the country and is very necessary. To facilitate this promotion of an improved core road network, Government of Nepal has launched the Kathmandu Terai Fast Track Project. Many concerned personalities and sectors had considered this project to be number one in the list of seventeen projects of national pride declared by the government. The main objective of this study was to identify the impacts of proposed project implementation on physical, biological, socio-economic and cultural environment of the project area and propose mitigation measures to avoid or mitigate such impacts. Primary information collection and secondary data review was the source of data with cross sectional descriptive study design. Data was taken purposively in the project affected area. Length of 72.6 km fast track from Kathmandu – Lalitpur – Makawanpur and up to Nijgadh in Bara district to link with the East West Highway will be of four lanes with 50 m on each side. The project was proposed to have 96 bridges big or small; 1.6 km long tunnel will be built in Thingan of Makawanpur on public-private partnership. It had projected costs of more than NRs 250 million. The impacts on land use will be on about 30km of agricultural land, 43km of forests and about 3km of other land uses, bridges etc. in the main alignment. The impacts on human life will mainly be in villages near the alignment. There are 38 villages within about 50m of the main alignment. The project can be continued with minimum of environmental degradation by applying the mitigation measures. Nation has been investing a lot of resources. Upon the completion of the fast track, the distance and time to reach the capital city from Terai will come down to only 1.5 hours and will transform the capital, eastern Terai and the country as a whole. It is estimated that NRs 4.5 billion will be saved annually of the transport cost. Therefore, Kathmandu Terai Fast Track Project can be considered as the single most important prospect for the improvement of traffic conditions and the creation of a major economic impact in Nepal over the coming decade.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i4.11726      International Journal of EnvironmentVol. 3, No. 4, 2014Page: 1-11
PCBs Contaminantion of Transformer Oil and its Occupational Health and Safety Status in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
Authors: K.C. Laxman , Devkota Bhupendra
Published: December 2014

Electrification in Kathmandu valley had started in 1911 and the use of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) probably started since 1940s (Devkota, 2005). This research work was undertaken to find out the degree and extent of PCBs contamination in transformer oil and to explore its impacts on occupational health and safety issues of the workers and on the environment. The research was focused on Distributions Centers of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) in the Kathmandu valley, NEA Lainchaur workshop and welding workshops of the Kathmandu valley. The samples of transformer oil were collected, safely stored and analyzed using L2000DX Chloride Analyzer, PCBs contamination at >50 ppm level was found in 184 distribution transformers with total volume of PCBs contaminated transformer oil to be 67566.3 Kg. The knowledge on impacts of PCBs contaminated transformer oil on human health and environment was better among NEA employees than among employees of welding workshops, though not satisfactory. Due to very low awareness, the workers come in contact with the transformer oil regularly and many health impacts such as eye problems, skin related complication, weakness and respiratory problems might be due to this exposure; however, exact impacts could not be verified scientifically.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i4.11727       International Journal of EnvironmentVolume-3, Issue-4, Sep-Nov 2014Page : 12-23
An Assessment of Phytosociological Diversity of Kuther Watershed, Himachal Pradesh, India
Authors: Gupta Peeyush , Uniyal Swati , Goyal Swati
Published: December 2014

A plant community acquires many characteristics which are not found in its constituents, (organisms or population). A community is described through species diversity, life forms, structure, dominance and developmental status. To delineate these aspects two significant parameters like analytical characters (quantitative - frequency, density, abundance and cover; qualitative - physiognomy, phenology, sociability, vitality and life form) and synthetic characters (constancy, fidelity and dominance) were studied. The present study focuses on species composition, phytosociological diversity and concentration of dominance of various tree species of Kuther watershed of Himachal Pradesh, India.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i4.11732  International Journal of Environment Volume-3, Issue-4, Sep-Nov 2014Page:  74-90
Conservation Agriculture: An Eco-Friendly System of Weed Management in Field Crops
Authors: Karki Tika Bahadur , Shrestha Jiban
Published: December 2014

Since the conservation agriculture (CA) is spreading across the globe, information on weed dynamics and their management under CA is needed. Here, an attempt has been made to summarize the recent research on weed dynamics and their management aspects in the CA systems. Changes in patterns of tillage, planting systems, and other management strategies can alter the soil environment and lead to shifts in weed populations. Weed patterns and populations are not always stable but vary with location, crop, and herbicides use. However, in many long-term conservation management studies, a general increase in perennial weeds and grass species has been observed. No tillage increased the weed population during first season and there after decreased. Residue has significantly reduced the number of weed species and population compared to conventional agriculture systems. The development of low-dose of non-selective pre and selective post emergence herbicides, and transgenic crops has greatly improved the feasibility of CA systems.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i4.11733 International Journal of Environment Volume-3, Issue-4, Sep-Nov 2014Page: 91-100
Folklore Utilisation of Bryophtes amongst the Tribal Regions of North Coastal Andhra
Authors: Rao G. M. Narasimha , Chatterjee Reshmi
Published: December 2014

Bryophyte which is otherwise considered to be as Lilliputians amongst the land plants is found to be highly priced for the preparation of ethnomedicines. Ethnic tribes depend upon the plant in their surroundings for traditional medicine preparation. The present article enumerates four species of bryophyte which are used routinely amongst the tribes of North coastal Andhra to treat various ailments. Bryophytes are ecologically friable and very prone to extinction. Hence, these types of studies are important as it will bring more and more new species of bryophyte with exceptional therapeutic properties into light.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i4.11734       International Journal of Environment Volume-3, Issue-4, Sep-Nov 2014Page: 101-108
Pollen Morphology and Palynotaxonomical Studies of Common Garden Plants of Apocynaceae, In Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Authors: Chatterjee Reshmi , Sarkar Satadip , Rao G. M. Narasimha
Published: December 2014

Taxonomy and identification of angiosperms are mainly based on external morphological characters and traits of the plants; however palynological data sets are remotely used for the study. Pollen characters are genetically regulated that can be used as an ideal tool for establishing taxonomic groups. This type of integrated study can be useful in redefining the status of families in higher group of plants. Apocynaceae, a Eurypalynous family exhibits variation in possessing more than one type of pollen grains from simple porate to compound colporate apertures. Pollen attributes has been utilized in building a pollen key that would enable us to distinguish genera solely on the basis of pollen characters.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i4.11735 International Journal of EnvironmentVolume-3, Issue-4, Sep-Nov 2014Page: 109-116
Estimating Vehicular Emission in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
Authors: Ghimire Krishna Prasad , Shrestha Shreejan Ram
Published: December 2014

The study estimate, the vehicular emission load for CO, CO2 , HCs, NOX, SO2, Dioxin/Furans, Particulate Matters (PM10, PM2.5, Black carbon and Organic Carbon) by using emission factors and Global Warming Potentials (GWPs) of the pollutants (CO2, NOX, BC and OC). For this purpose, data were collected through the video tape record (in 30 sites), questionnaire survey, field visit, and literatures review. The total estimated emission of Kathmandu Valley (KV) was 7231053.12 ton/year. Of the total emission, CO2 emission was highest i.e., 91.01% followed by CO 5.03%, HC 0.96%, NOX 0.60%, PM10 0.18% and SO2 0.10%. Annually 529353.36 μg Toxic Equivalent (TEQ) of Dioxin/Furan produced and directly disperse to the ambient environment. The total estimated PM2.5, BC and OC emission were 9649.40 ton/year, 1640.4 ton/year and 2894.82 ton/year. The total carbon equivalence of the combined emissions (CO2, NOX and BC) for 100-years standard time horizon is 10579763.6 ton CO2-eq i.e., 2885390.07 ton carbon.CO2 alone will be responsible, for about 62% of the impacts for the next century from current emissions of CO2, NOX and BC. Of the total emission Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDV) emits 50%, Light Duty Vehicles (LDV) emits, 27%, 2-Wheelers emits 22% and 3-Wheeler (Tempo) emits 1%. The total emission of all pollutants combined per vehicle together was estimated to be 5.46 ton/year which was estimated as 23.63, 10.35, 1.83 and 5.58 ton/year for HDV, LDV, 2-Wheelers and 3-Wheeler respectively. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i4.11742      International Journal of EnvironmentVolume-3, Issue-4, Sep-Nov 2014Page: 133-146
Aboveground Biomass and Carbon Stocks of an Undisturbed Regenerating Sal (Shorea Robusta Gaertn. F.) Forest Of Goalpara District, Assam, Northeast India
Authors: Rabha Debajit
Published: December 2014

The present paper deals with the above ground biomass and carbon stocks of an undisturbed Sal forest of Goalpara district, Assam, Northeast India. The average AGB and C were recorded 239.45 ± 12.8 Mg ha-1 and 119.73 ± 6.4 Mg ha-1. Density distribution curve indicates the high carbon sequestration potential of the stand in near future which further helps in climate change mitigation. Currently, conservation measures are well imposed in combine effort of local community and government. Legal involvement of local community in conservation exercises along with the forest department might be very effective in management of Sal forests.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i4.11743   International Journal of EnvironmentVolume-3, Issue-4, Sep-Nov 2014Page: 147-155
Empiricism and Henry Fielding’s Theory of Fiction
Authors: Maioli Roger
Published: December 2014

In this article, I argue that the theory of fiction Henry Fielding developed in Joseph Andrews and Tom Jones is meant to address an understudied tension between empiricism and the pedagogic ambitions of the eighteenth-century novel. Empiricist philosophers such as John Locke and David Hume dismissed imaginative narratives as possible sources of socio-ethical knowledge, which they insisted should be drawn instead from direct experience or reliable factual reports. I argue that Fielding’s moral epistemology was more fundamentally empirical than scholars usually recognize, and that an important function of his theoretical chapters in Joseph Andrews and Tom Jones is to show that prose fiction can be sufficiently grounded in the data of experience to meet the epistemic standards of empiricism. Fielding pursues this goal by developing two theses: first, that his characters and events are embodiments of principles derived inductively from observation and experience, and, second, that the conformity between the copies and the originals can be empirically measured by the reader’s subjective sense of probability.
Untimely Old Age and Deformity in Sarah Scott’s Millenium Hall
Authors: Reeves James Bryant
Published: December 2014

While previous studies have debated the extent to which Sarah Scott’s Millenium Hall values the disabled, this article argues that the novel’s treatment of disability cannot be separated from its treatment of gender and old age. Operating at the nexus of disability studies and aging studies, this article situates Scott’s novel as a key text in the history of disability. Writing in a century that was fascinated by the vagaries of human aging, Scott radically revises her culture’s principal assumptions about female old age. Whereas other eighteenth-century authors cast female aging as a process of undesirable deformation, Scott suggests that old age and disability benefit her heroines by bringing them into contact with the timeless realm of the divine. The novel therefore enriches our understanding of disability in the eighteenth century and beyond, demonstrating the powerful ways in which disability, gender, and temporality intersect.
Drawing the Written Woman
Authors: Lagerwall Sonia
Published: December 2014

This article deals with Philippe Druillet's three-volume comic adaptation (1980–1985) of Salammbô, Gustave Flaubert's historical novel from 1862, set three centuries BC. Flaubert was famous for not wanting his texts illustrated: he argued that the preciseness of images would undo the poetic vagueness of his written words. The article examines how Druillet tackles the challenge of graphically representing Flaubert's canonical work without reducing the priestess Salammbô into a given type. The analysis shows a dynamic adaptation process in which Druillet gives a kaleidoscopic form to Flaubert's text. His variation on the Salammbô character foregrounds photography, a medium historically relevant to the novel but also to Druillet's own artistic training. Featuring his character Lone Sloane in the role of Mathô, the adaptation proves to be a highly personal appropriation of the novel, where Druillet enhances an autobiographical dimension of his work previously hinted at in La Nuit and Gaïl.
Land-ice elevation changes from photon-counting swath altimetry: first applications over the Antarctic ice sheet
Authors: Young Duncan A. , Lindzey Laura E. , Blankenship Donald D. , Greenbaum Jamin S. , Garcia De Gorordo Alvaro , Kempf Scott D. , Roberts Jason L. , Warner Roland C. , Ommen Tas Van , Siegert Martin J. , Meur Emmanuel Le
Published: December 2014

Satellite altimetric time series allow high-precision monitoring of ice-sheet mass balance. Understanding elevation changes in these regions is important because outlet glaciers along ice-sheet margins are critical in controlling flow of inland ice. Here we discuss a new airborne altimetry dataset collected as part of the ICECAP (International Collaborative Exploration of the Cryosphere by Airborne Profiling) project over East Antarctica. Using the ALAMO (Airborne Laser Altimeter with Mapping Optics) system of a scanning photon-counting lidar combined with a laser altimeter, we extend the 2003–09 surface elevation record of NASA’s ICESat satellite, by determining cross-track slope and thus independently correcting for ICESat’s cross-track pointing errors. In areas of high slope, cross-track errors result in measured elevation change that combines surface slope and the actual Δz/Δtsignal. Slope corrections are particularly important in coastal ice streams, which often exhibit both rapidly changing elevations and high surface slopes. As a test case (assuming that surface slopes do not change significantly) we observe a lack of ice dynamic change at Cook Ice Shelf, while significant thinning occurred at Totten and Denman Glaciers during 2003–09.
From the Editors (English)
Authors: Agnafors Marcus
Published: December 2014

No abstract available.
Shaky Ground
Authors: Simkulet William
Published: December 2014

The debate surrounding free will and moral responsibility is one of the most intransigent debates in contemporary philosophy - but it does not have to be. At its heart, the free will debate is a metaethical debate - a debate about the meaning of certain moral terms - free will, moral responsibility, blameworthiness, praiseworthiness. Compatibilists argue that these concepts are compatible with wholly deterministic world, while incompatibilists argue that these concepts require indeterminism, or multiple possible futures. However, compatibilists and incompatibilists do not disagree on everything - both parties agree that free will and moral responsibility require control - the kind of control that we believe we have over the majority of our everyday actions. Over the course of any given day each of us makes countless choices, and in most situations as we make these choices we cannot help but believe that we are in control of them - that our actions are free and we are morally responsible for them. Here I argue that our concepts of free will and moral responsibility are inexorably tied to this experience of apparent liberty.
“We Was Regenerated Out”: Regeneration, Recycling and Devaluing Communities
Authors: Glucksberg Luna
Published: December 2014

This article looks at well documented processes of urban regeneration and community displacement in the inner-city through an innovative anthropological perspective focused on concepts of waste and value. Using the notion of symbolic devaluation of the working classes developed by Skeggs (1997; 2004), it traces their exclusion from recycling practices while at the same time the estates they live on are being regenerated. Raising questions about the parallels and contradictions between regeneration and recycling, it shows how symbolic devaluation of specifi c areas and their inhabitants are necessary precursors of the physical demolition and removal that characterize regeneration processes. Through an ethnographic approach, the deep connections between people and their waste, and people as waste, are exposed and questioned, showing how valuable middle class selves are produced through appropriate waste management procedures, i.e. individualized recycling, while inner-city, estate dwellers are remade into uncaring, unworthy citizens who cannot take part in this value-producing circuit.
Special Issue: Adaptive/Smart Structures and Multifunctional Materials with Application to Morphing Aircraft
Authors: Ajaj Rafic
Published: December 2014

Recent advances in smart structures and multifunctional materials have facilitated many novel aerospace technologies such as morphing aircraft. A morphing aircraft, bio-inspired by natural fliers, has gained a lot of interest as a potential technology to meet the ambitious goals of the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE) Vision 2020 and the FlightPath 2050 documents. A morphing aircraft continuously adjusts its wing geometry to enhance flight performance, control authority, and multi-mission capability.[...]
Phenolic Content of Hypodaphnis Zenkeri and Its Antioxidant Effects against Fenton Reactions’ Mediated Oxidative Injuries on Liver Homogenate
Authors: Moukette Bruno , Pieme Constant , Biapa Prosper , Njimou Jacques , Moor Vicky , Stoller Marco , Bravi Marco , Ngogang Jeanne
Published: December 2014

Under oxidative stress conditions, endogenous antioxidant defenses are unable to completely inactivate the free radicals generated by an excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This state causes serious cell damage leading to a variety of human diseases. Natural antioxidants can protect cells against oxidative stress. Hypaodaphnis zenkeri (H. zenkiri) is a plant consumed as a spice in the Cameroonian diet, and its bark has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of several diseases. The present study aims at investigating the antioxidant activity, which includes free radical scavenging and protective properties of an extract from H. Zenkiri against oxidative damage on a liver homogenate. The free radical assays determined the scavenging activities of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), hydroxyl (OH), nitrite oxide (NO) and 2,2-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radicals and the enzymes, whose protection was to be considered in the liver homogenate, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase. The antioxidative activities were studied using the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), reductive activity, and phosphomolybdenum antioxidant power (PAP) methods. In addition, the phenolic contents of the extracts were examined. The results showed that these extracts demonstrated significant scavenging properties and antioxidant activities, with the hydro-ethanolic extract of the bark of H. zenkeri (EEH) being the most potent. This extract had the highest total polyphenol (21.77 ± 0.05 mg caffeic acid (CAE)/g dried extract (DE)) and flavonoids (3.34 ± 0.13 mg quercetin (QE)/g dried extract) content. The same extract had significantly greater protective effects on enzyme activities compared to other extracts. The high performance liquied chromatography (HPLC) profile showed higher levels of caffeic acid, OH-tyrosol acid, and rutin in the leaves compared to the bark of H. zenkeri. In conclusion, the ethanolic and hydro-ethanolic extracts of the bark and leaves from H. zenkeri showed an antioxidant and protective potential against oxidative damage.
Immunoglobulins: 25 Years of Immunoinformatics and IMGT-ONTOLOGY
Authors: Lefranc Marie-Paule
Published: December 2014

IMGT®, the international ImMunoGeneTics information system® (CNRS and Montpellier University) is the global reference in immunogenetics and immunoinformatics. By its creation in 1989, IMGT® marked the advent of immunoinformatics, which emerged at the interface between immunogenetics and bioinformatics. IMGT® is specialized in the immunoglobulins (IG) or antibodies, T cell receptors (TR), major histocompatibility (MH), and IgSF and MhSF superfamilies. IMGT® has been built on the IMGT-ONTOLOGY axioms and concepts, which bridged the gap between genes, sequences and three-dimensional (3D) structures. The concepts include the IMGT® standardized keywords (identification), IMGT® standardized labels (description), IMGT® standardized nomenclature (classification), IMGT unique numbering and IMGT Colliers de Perles (numerotation). IMGT® comprises seven databases, 15,000 pages of web resources and 17 tools. IMGT® tools and databases provide a high-quality analysis of the IG from fish to humans, for basic, veterinary and medical research, and for antibody engineering and humanization. They include, as examples: IMGT/V-QUEST and IMGT/JunctionAnalysis for nucleotide sequence analysis and their high-throughput version IMGT/HighV-QUEST for next generation sequencing, IMGT/DomainGapAlign for amino acid sequence analysis of IG domains, IMGT/3Dstructure-DB for 3D structures, contact analysis and paratope/epitope interactions of IG/antigen complexes, and the IMGT/mAb-DB interface for therapeutic antibodies and fusion proteins for immunological applications (FPIA).
OPN Induces FoxM1 Expression and Localization through ERK 1/2, AKT, and p38 Signaling Pathway in HEC-1A Cells
Authors: Xie Yunpeng , Li Yinghua , Kong Ying
Published: December 2014

Mammalian embryo implantation is an extremely complex process and requires endometrial receptivity. In order to establish this receptivity, sequential proliferation and differentiation during the menstrual cycle is necessary. Forkhead box M1 (FoxM1) is described as a major oncogenic transcription factor in tumor initiation, promotion and progression. According to these functions, we believe that FoxM1 should also play an essential role in embryo implantation. Osteopontin (OPN), an adhesion molecule, has been studied extensively in reproduction. In this study, we observed the expression and distribution of FoxM1 during the proliferative-phase and secretory-phase human endometrium and the pre-implantation mouse uterus firstly. Then we observed the relationship between OPN and FoxM1. Our results showed that FoxM1 was mainly distributed in glandular epithelium. OPN increased the expression of FoxM1 in the human uterine epithelial cell line HEC-1A cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. OPN regulates FoxM1 to influence HEC-1A cell proliferation through extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK 1/2), protein kinase B (PKB, AKT), and the p38 mitogen activated protein kinases (p38MAPK, p38) signaling pathway. Inhibition of ERK 1/2, AKT and p38 suppressed OPN-induced FoxM1 expression and location. Our data indicate that FoxM1 might be regulated by OPN to influence endometrial proliferation to establish endometrial receptivity.
Homogenized Finite Element Analysis on Effective Elastoplastic Mechanical Behaviors of Composite with Imperfect Interfaces
Authors: Jiang Wu-Gui , Zhong Ren-Zhi , Qin Qing , Tong Yong-Gang
Published: December 2014

A three-dimensional (3D) representative volume element (RVE) model was developed for analyzing effective mechanical behavior of fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites with imperfect interfaces. In the model, the fiber is assumed to be perfectly elastic until its tensile strength, and the ceramic material is modeled by an elasto-plastic Drucker-Prager constitutive law. The RVE model is then used to study the elastic properties and the tensile strength of composites with imperfect interfaces and validated through experiments. The imperfect interfaces between the fiber and the matrix are taken into account by introducing some cohesive contact surfaces. The influences of the interface on the elastic constants and the tensile strengths are examined through these interface models.
PRRT2 Mutations Are Related to Febrile Seizures in Epileptic Patients
Authors: He Zheng-Wen , Qu Jian , Zhang Ying , Mao Chen-Xue , Wang Zhi-Bin , Mao Xiao-Yuan , Deng Zhi-Yong , Zhou Bo-Ting , Yin Ji-Ye , Long Hong-Yu , Xiao Bo , Zhang Yu , Zhou Hong-Hao , Liu Zhao-Qian
Published: December 2014

Previous studies reported that the proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 (PRRT2) gene was identified to be related to paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD), infantile convulsions with PKD, PKD with migraine and benign familial infantile epilepsy (BFIE). The present study explores whether the PRRT2 mutation is a potential cause of febrile seizures, including febrile seizures plus (FS+), generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+) and Dravet syndrome (DS); thus, it may provide a new drug target for personalized medicine for febrile seizure patients. We screened PRRT2 exons in a cohort of 136 epileptic patients with febrile seizures, including FS+, GEFS+ and DS. PRRT2 genetic mutations were identified in 25 out of 136 (18.4%) febrile seizures in epileptic patients. Five loss-of-function and coding missense mutations were identified: c.649delC (p.R217Efs*12), c.649_650insC (p.R217Pfs*8), c.412C>G (p.Pro138Ala), c.439G>C (p.Asp147His) and c.623C>A (p.Ser208Tyr). PRRT2 variants were probably involved in the etiology of febrile seizures in epileptic patients.
Variation of RNA Quality and Quantity Are Major Sources of Batch Effects in Microarray Expression Data
Authors: Fasold Mario , Binder Hans
Published: December 2014

The great utility of microarrays for genome-scale expression analysis is challenged by the widespread presence of batch effects, which bias expression measurements in particular within large data sets. These unwanted technical artifacts can obscure biological variation and thus significantly reduce the reliability of the analysis results. It is largely unknown which are the predominant technical sources leading to batch effects. We here quantitatively assess the prevalence and impact of several known technical effects on microarray expression results. Particularly, we focus on important factors such as RNA degradation, RNA quantity, and sequence biases including multiple guanine effects. We find that the common variation of RNA quality and RNA quantity can not only yield low-quality expression results, but that both factors also correlate with batch effects and biological characteristics of the samples.
Hydrogen Sulfide and Endothelium-Dependent Vasorelaxation
Authors: Bełtowski Jerzy , Jamroz-Wiśniewska Anna
Published: December 2014

In addition to nitric oxide and carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), synthesized enzymatically from l-cysteine or l-homocysteine, is the third gasotransmitter in mammals. Endogenous H2S is involved in the regulation of many physiological processes, including vascular tone. Although initially it was suggested that in the vascular wall H2S is synthesized only by smooth muscle cells and relaxes them by activating ATP-sensitive potassium channels, more recent studies indicate that H2S is synthesized in endothelial cells as well. Endothelial H2S production is stimulated by many factors, including acetylcholine, shear stress, adipose tissue hormone leptin, estrogens and plant flavonoids. In some vascular preparations H2S plays a role of endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor by activating small and intermediate-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels. Endothelial H2S signaling is up-regulated in some pathologies, such as obesity and cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. In addition, H2S activates endothelial NO synthase and inhibits cGMP degradation by phosphodiesterase 5 thus potentiating the effect of NO-cGMP pathway. Moreover, H2S-derived polysulfides directly activate protein kinase G. Finally, H2S interacts with NO to form nitroxyl (HNO)—a potent vasorelaxant. H2S appears to play an important and multidimensional role in endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation.
Single-Fiber Reflectance Spectroscopy of Isotropic-Scattering Medium: An Analytic Perspective to the Ratio-of-Remission in Steady-State Measurements
Authors: Piao Daqing , Slaton Joel
Published: December 2014

Recent focused Monte Carlo and experimental studies on steady-state single-fiber reflectance spectroscopy (SfRS) from a biologically relevant scattering medium have revealed that, as the dimensionless reduced scattering of the medium increases, the SfRS intensity increases monotonically until reaching a plateau. The SfRS signal is semi-empirically decomposed to the product of three contributing factors, including a ratio-of-remission (RoR) term that refers to the ratio of photons remitting from the medium and crossing the fiber-medium interface over the total number of photons launched into the medium. The RoR is expressed with respect to the dimensionless reduced scattering parameter , where is the reduced scattering coefficient of the medium and is the diameter of the probing fiber. We develop in this work, under the assumption of an isotropic-scattering medium, a method of analytical treatment that will indicate the pattern of RoR as a function of the dimensionless reduced scattering of the medium. The RoR is derived in four cases, corresponding to in-medium (applied to interstitial probing of biological tissue) or surface-based (applied to contact-probing of biological tissue) SfRS measurements using straight-polished or angle-polished fiber. The analytically arrived surface-probing RoR corresponding to single-fiber probing using a 15° angle-polished fiber over the range of agrees with previously reported similarly configured experimental measurement from a scattering medium that has a Henyey–Greenstein scattering phase function with an anisotropy factor of 0.8. In cases of a medium scattering light anisotropically, we propose how the treatment may be furthered to account for the scattering anisotropy using the result of a study of light scattering close to the point-of-entry by Vitkin et al. (Nat. Commun. 2011, doi:10.1038/ncomms1599).
Land Surface Temperature Retrieval Using Airborne Hyperspectral Scanner Daytime Mid-Infrared Data
Authors: Zhao Enyu , Qian Yonggang , Gao Caixia , Huo Hongyuan , Jiang Xiaoguang , Kong Xiangsheng
Published: December 2014

Land surface temperature (LST) retrieval is a key issue in infrared quantitative remote sensing. In this paper, a split window algorithm is proposed to estimate LST with daytime data in two mid-infrared channels (channel 66 (3.746~4.084 μm) and channel 68 (4.418~4.785 μm)) from Airborne Hyperspectral Scanner (AHS). The estimation is conducted after eliminating reflected direct solar radiance with the aid of water vapor content (WVC), the view zenith angle (VZA), and the solar zenith angle (SZA). The results demonstrate that the LST can be well estimated with a root mean square error (RMSE) less than 1.0 K. Furthermore, an error analysis for the proposed method is also performed in terms of the uncertainty of LSE and WVC, as well as the Noise Equivalent Difference Temperature (NEΔT). The results show that the LST errors caused by a LSE uncertainty of 0.01, a NEΔT of 0.33 K, and a WVC uncertainty of 10% are 0.4~2.8 K, 0.6 K, and 0.2 K, respectively. Finally, the proposed method is applied to the AHS data of 4 July 2008. The results show that the differences between the estimated and the ground measured LST for water, bare soil and vegetation areas are approximately 0.7 K, 0.9 K and 2.3K, respectively.