bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mulheres em tratamento ambulatorial por abuso de álcool: características sociodemográficas e clínicas
Authors: Esper Larissa Horta , Corradi-Webster Clarissa Mendonça , Carvalho Ana Maria Pimenta , Furtado Erikson Felipe
Published: July 2013

Estudo quantitativo e descritivo, com o objetivo de identificar características sociodemográficas e clínicas de mulheres em tratamento ambulatorial por abuso de álcool. Os dados foram coletados em prontuários de mulheres com transtornos relacionados ao álcool, atendidas em serviço psiquiátrico ambulatorial. Foi realizado levantamento, leitura e análise descritiva. A amostra foi composta por 27 prontuários, a média de idade das mulheres foi 50 anos, maioria casada (59,6%), não trabalhava (70,4%), com ensino fundamental incompleto (70,4%), com familiar alcoolista (81,5%) e outros diagnósticos psiquiátricos (70,3%). Prejuízos físicos, sociais e emocionais mais frequentes foram: sintomas advindos da síndrome de abstinência alcoólica (66,7%), conflitos familiares (72%) e "tristeza" (79,2%). A violência familiar foi registrada em 11 prontuários (40,7%). Verificaram-se baixa escolaridade, desemprego, comorbidades psiquiátricas e presença de outro familiar com abuso de álcool como características comuns. Destaca-se a importância do conhecimento profissional sobre as peculiaridades do alcoolismo feminino para ações de saúde mais efetivas.
Percepção sobre qualidade de vida de estudantes de graduação em enfermagem
Authors: Bampi Luciana Neves da Silva , Baraldi Solange , Guilhem Dirce , Pompeu Rafaella Bizzo , Campos Ana Carolina de Oliveira
Published: July 2013

A pesquisa objetivou conhecer a percepção sobre a qualidade de vida de graduandos em enfermagem. O estudo transversal foi realizado entre agosto de 2010 a agosto de 2011, com 56 acadêmicos de enfermagem da Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde da Universidade de Brasília, Brasil. Foi utilizado questionário específico (perfil sociodemográfico, acadêmico e de saúde) e o WHOQOL-bref. As análises estatísticas incluíram descrição de frequência, tendência central e dispersão e comparação entre os domínios. Os domínios psicológico e meio ambiente foram avaliados como o melhor e pior, respectivamente. As facetas denominadas capacidade de concentração, sono, grau de energia diário, capacidade para realizar atividades do dia a dia e para o trabalho, oportunidades de lazer, recursos financeiros e sentimentos negativos demonstraram-se comprometidas. Essas facetas influenciaram negativamente a qualidade de vida dos estudantes, podendo desencadear sentimentos negativos, como mau humor, desespero, ansiedade e depressão.
Mapas conceituais no ensino de pós-graduação em enfermagem: relato de experiência
Authors: Bittencourt Greicy Kelly Gouveia Dias , Nóbrega Maria Miriam Lima da , Medeiros Ana Cláudia Torres , Furtado Luciana Gomes
Published: July 2013

O mapa conceitual é considerado uma estratégia que possibilita o desenvolvimento de habilidades de pensamento crítico. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar mapas conceituais elaborados por discentes para compreensão de projetos de pesquisa. Trata-se de um relato de experiência oriundo do Tópico Especial: Mapa Conceitual, do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem da Universidade Federal da Paraíba, em fevereiro de 2012. Desenvolveram-se leituras interativas sobre mapas conceituais, instalação e manuseio do software Cmap Tools, e construção de mapas conceituais. A avaliação considerou coerência entre conceitos, visualização de proposições, clareza de ideias e relação lógica entre conceitos. Como resultado, mapas foram evidenciados com coerência entre conceitos, relações significantes, clareza de ideias e relação lógica entre as etapas de um projeto de pesquisa. Salienta-se que o mapa conceitual pode ser uma estratégia de avaliação do processo de ensino-aprendizagem e pode ser utilizado no ensino, na pesquisa e em reflexões sobre a prática clínica em enfermagem.
Fauna edáfica influenciada pelo uso de culturas e consórcios de cobertura do solo
Authors: Silva Rodrigo Ferreira da , Corassa Geomar Mateus , Bertollo Gilvan Moisés , Santi Antonio Luis , Steffen Ricardo Bemfica
Published: July 2013

A fauna edáfica é sensível e responde, com relativa rapidez, ao impacto de diferentes tipos de sistemas de produção, possibilitando, deste modo, o seu uso como componente ativo na avaliação da qualidade do solo. O presente trabalho objetivou determinar a influência do cultivo de aveia preta, nabo e ervilhaca e dos consórcios nabo/aveia preta e ervilhaca/nabo/aveia preta, na estrutura e composição da fauna edáfica. O delineamento foi em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 6x4, sendo seis culturas de cobertura do solo (aveia preta, nabo, ervilhaca, consórcio nabo/aveia preta, consórcio ervilhaca/nabo/aveia preta e pousio) e quatro épocas de coleta (0, 50, 100 e 150 dias após a semeadura), com quatro repetições. Após a coleta da fauna do solo, foram determinados a abundância de indivíduos, número de colêmbolos, riqueza de Margalef, índice de diversidade de Shannon, equabilidade de Pielou e dominância de Simpson. A utilização dos consórcios nabo/aveia preta e ervilhaca/nabo/aveia preta favoreceu a abundância de indivíduos e o número de colêmbolos, já nos primeiros 50 dias. O consórcio ervilhaca/nabo/aveia preta reduziu a diversidade de Shannon, por aumentar a população de colêmbolos. A maior diversidade de espécies foi observada aos 100 dias, após a implantação das culturas. A fauna edáfica foi influenciada pela fase vegetativa e pelo tipo de cultura de cobertura do solo.
Study of thermal behavior of phytic acid
Authors: Daneluti André Luis Máximo , Matos Jivaldo do Rosário
Published: July 2013

Phytic acid is a natural compound widely used as depigmenting agent in galenic cosmetic emulsions. However, we have observed experimentally that phytic acid, when heated to 150 ºC for around one hour, shows evidence of thermal decomposition. Few studies investigating this substance alone with regard to its stability are available in the literature. This fact prompted the present study to characterize this species and its thermal behavior using thermal analysis (TG/DTG and DSC) and to associate the results of these techniques with those obtained by elemental analysis (EA) and absorption spectroscopy in the infrared region. The TG/DTG and DSC curves allowed evaluation of the thermal behavior of the sample of phytic acid and enabled use of the non-isothermal thermogravimetric method to study the kinetics of the three main mass-loss events: dehydration I, dehydration II and thermal decomposition. The combination of infrared absorption spectroscopy and elemental analysis techniques allowed evaluation of the intermediate products of the thermal decomposition of phytic acid. The infrared spectra of samples taken during the heating process revealed a reduction in the intensity of the absorption band related to O-H stretching as a result of the dehydration process. Furthermore, elemental analysis results showed an increase in the carbon content and a decrease in the hydrogen content at temperatures of 95, 150, 263 and 380 °C. Visually, darkening of the material was observed at 150 °C, indicating that the thermal decomposition of the material started at this temperature. At a temperature of 380 °C, thermal decomposition progressed, leading to a decrease in carbon and hydrogen. The results of thermogravimetry coupled with those of elemental analysis allow us to conclude that there was agreement between the percentages of phytic acid found in aqueous solution. The kinetic study by the non-isothermal thermogravimetric method showed that the dehydration process occurred in two stages. Dehydration step I promoted a process of vaporization of water (reaction order of zero), whereas dehydration step II showed an order of reaction equal to five. This change in reaction order was attributed to loss of chemically bonded water molecules of phytic acid or to the presence of volatile substances. Finally, the thermal decomposition step revealed an order of reaction equal to one. It was not possible to perform the kinetic study for other stages of mass loss.
Degradation of terephthalic acid by a newly isolated strain of Arthrobacter sp.0574
Authors: Zhang Yi-Mei , Sun Yao-Qun , Wang Zhi-Jiang , Zhang Jie
Published: July 2013

Terephthalic acid is an important industrial chemical but its production typically generates 3–10 tons of wastewater, which is a significant source of pollution. Although recent research has shown that terephthalic acid can be degraded by physical and chemical methods, these methods are complex and expensive. Microbial degradation of terephthalic acid is a popular alternative because it is environmentally friendly. We isolated a Gram-positive strain capable of growing aerobically on terephthalic acid as the sole carbon and energy source. It was identified as Arthrobacter sp. by 16S rDNA sequencing and its physiological and biochemical characteristics. For terephthalic acid degradation, the optimal temperature of the resting cells was 30 °C, optimal shaking speed was 150 rpm, the most suitable pH was 7.0, and the ability to degrade terephthalic acid was inhibited by concentrations of terephthalic acid above 10 g/L.
Participants as community-based peer educators: Impact on a clinical trial site in KwaZulu-Natal
Authors: Naidoo Sarita , Morar Neetha S. , Ramjee Gita
Published: July 2013

Participant recruitment, retention and product adherence are necessary to measure the efficacy or effectiveness of an intervention in a clinical trial. As part of a Phase III HIV prevention trial in a rural area in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, a peer educator programme was initiated to aid in recruitment and retention of trial participants from the community. Enrolled trial participants who had completed at least 6 months of trial participation and who had honoured all of their scheduled trial visits within that period were approached to be peer educators. Following additional selection criteria, 24 participants were eligible to be trained as peer educators. Training topics included HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections, nutrition, antiretrovirals, clinical trials, and methods of disseminating this information to the community. The role of peer educators was to bring interested women from their community to the trial site for comprehensive education and information about the trial and possibly trial participation. A total of 1879 women were educated by peer educators between July 2004 and December 2006. Of these, 553 women visited the trial site for further education and screening for participation in the trial. Peer educators provided continuous education and support to women enrolled in the trial which also promoted retention, ultimately contributing to the site’s 94% retention rate. Recruitment and retention efforts of trial participants are likely to be enhanced by involving trial participants as peer educators. Such trial participants are in a better position to understand cultural dynamics and hence capable of engaging the community with appropriate HIV prevention and trial-related messaging.
Influence of coating bath chemistry on biomimetic calcium phosphate coatings
Authors: Yang Dan-Yi , Gray-Munro Joy E.
Published: July 2013

Magnesium alloys are an emerging class of biodegradable medical implant materials. However, control of their degradation rate and biocompatibility are key issues that need to be addressed prior to their use in clinical applications. In this article, a two-step method to biomimetically deposit corrosion-resistant calcium phosphate coatings on magnesium alloy AZ31 is described. A decrease in the overall dissolution of the magnesium substrate of up to 99·8% was observed for the coated samples in comparison with non-treated magnesium AZ31. Surface characterization of the coatings was performed by attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results indicate that the composition, morphology and corrosion resistance of the biomimetic calcium phosphate coatings depend strongly on the coating bath composition.
Exception-Based Surveillance: Strategy for Saturation Monitoring In Shallow Offshore Field of Niger Delta
Authors: Abdul-Kareem Abiola , Anyaehie James
Published: July 2013

Cased-Hole logging is carried out to understand post-production well saturation profiles, and subsequently, to infer the reservoir fluid distribution, especially when multiple wells dispersed across the reservoir is logged. This process promotes further oil and gas development (proper well placement). It is also used for reserves booking and production optimisation from the existing completions. The concept can also be used to conduct saturation monitoring on a routine basis to observe wells and to ensure that field statuses adhere to the Wells and Reservoir Management (WRM) minimum standards and to proper reservoir management practices.

Effective strategic mapping of reservoir fluid distribution using post-production saturation logs, either from open hole and/or cased hole data has led to an improved understanding of reservoir fluid dynamics in Shallow offshore field of Niger Delta. Saturation logs have been used to update the dynamic models in the field. The general direction of water ingress in the reservoirs can now be predicted; hence the need for saturation logging is only carried out on an exception-basis.

In accordance with Exception-Based Surveillance (EBS) concept, data should be acquired on a ‘need only basis’. This is a departure from the traditional routine acquisition. According to the EBS concept, the main issue is to determine when data gathering is needed. Clearly, data requirements will differ from reservoir to reservoir or from well to well. This also underscores the view that data acquisition on a routine basis may not address some specific reservoir/well peculiarities.

The focus of this paper is to describe how the proposed saturation monitoring process, can be managed via EBS for a Shallow offshore field of Niger Delta, using five monitoring wells.
Hydraulic Fracturing as a Development Strategy - Successful Case Histories from the Congo Basin: A Matter of Technology and Risk Attitude
Authors: Perfetto R. , Tealdi L.
Published: July 2013

Testing novel technologies, developing abandoned reservoirs and rejuvenating mature fields require top-notch technical preparation and fit for purpose risk exposure attitude. Even in case of the commercial availability of the right technology at the right time, studying a technological pilot and actually executing it highly depends on the risk exposure attitude of the management which plays a crucial role.

The history of Hydraulic Fracturing activity in Congo goes up to 2007; with the background of producers with very low or nil performance and the high costs of fracking offshore for the first time in the country, the risk of investment and technological failure was elevated.

At the time of the first pilot test in K-field offshore, the eni Congo management was not so interested in the immediate gains. The management was betting on eventual success of the technology, which would start a new era for the development of low permeability reservoirs in Congo and thus making a huge impact on the future of the company production and reserves.

This papers describes the lessons learnt in 5 years of frac operations in Congo with over 130 diverse frac operations (performed on different reservoir of diverse permeability ranges, green to brown fields, onshore to offshore, conventional single stage to multistage fracturing, acid and proppant frac with water base and oil base frac fluids). This paper would also serve as potential reference for all Operations Managers who are willing to optimize their assets value by means of Hydraulic Fracturing but face difficulties in winning mental barriers towards novel technologies inside or outside their companies.
Sweet Sorghum Planting Effects on Stalk Yield and Sugar Quality in Semi‐Arid Tropical Environment
Authors: Rao S. S. , Patil J. V. , Prasad P. V. V. , Reddy D. C. S. , Mishra J. S. , Umakanth A. V. , Reddy B. V. S. , Kumar A. A.
Published: July 2013

Sweet sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] has potential as a bioenergy crop for producing food, fiber, and fermentable sugar. Unlike dryland grain sorghum, little information is available on the influence of staggered planting and genotypes, especially in semiarid tropical environments. The objectives of the present study were (i) to quantify the effects of planting time and genotype on stalk and biomass yields, juice sugar quality, and (ii) to identify the most productive genotypes and planting windows for sustainable feedstock supply. Four commercial sweet sorghum genotypes (SSV84, SSV74, CSV19SS, and CSH22SS) were planted on five planting dates (1 June, 16 June, 1 July, 16 July, and 1 August) during the rainy (June–October) season of 2008 and 2009 in Hyderabad (17°27´ N, 78°28´ E), India. Planting in early and mid‐June produced significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher fresh stalk yield and grain yield than later planting dates. Commercial hybrid CSH22SS produced significantly more stalk, grain, sugar, and ethanol yield over genotypes SSV84 or SSV74. Based on the stalk yield, juice sugar quality, sugar, and ethanol yields, the optimum planting dates for sweet sorghum in semiarid tropical climate is early June to early July. Planting sweet sorghum during this time allows more feedstock to be harvested and hence extends the period for sugar mill operation by about 1 mo, that is, from the first to the last week of October.
The Effects of Bulk Density and Water Potential on Multifractal Characteristics of Soil Penetration Resistance Microprofiles Measured on Disturbed Soil Samples
Authors: Paz-Ferreiro J. , Marinho M. de A. , da Silva L.F.S. , Motoshima S.T. , da Silva Dias R.
Published: July 2013

Soil compaction may interact with available soil water and aeration porosity, affecting root and crop growth. Most commonly, soil compaction status is assessed by penetration resistance (PR) tests. The Least Limiting Water Range (LLWR) is an indicator of soil structural quality that appraises the simultaneous effects of water availability, aeration, and PR on plant growth. High resolution PR microprofiles are commonly acquired for LLWR assessment. Multifractal analysis of these microprofiles provides a new opportunity to investigate highly localized heterogeneity at the scale of small soil cores. The objectives of this work were to characterize the scaling properties of depth‐dependent PR microprofiles using multifractal analyses and to explore the effects of soil bulk density and water potential on the degree of multifractality of these PR data series. Disturbed soil cores from a clayey Oxisol (Rhodic Hapludox) were assayed at seven different levels of bulk density (ρb) in the range of 1.00–1.60 kg dm−3 and at six different matric potentials (ψ) from −6 to −1500 kPa, yielding 42 treatments. Each treatment was replicated three times and three PR microprofiles were recorded per soil core, so that 378 PR data series were analyzed. Singularity and Rényi spectra revealed the multifractal behavior of PR microprofiles, and the multifractal approach provided considerable detailed information on their depth‐dependent structure. Rényi spectra and singularity spectra of PR microprofiles, and specially the branches accounting for the most negative statistical moments, depended on ρb and ψ. Effects of bulk density on multifractal parameters were modeled by a linear equation, while water potential effects were modeled by an exponential relationship to log (−ψ). Increasing ρb gradually reduced the degree of multifractality. Increased dryness increased the degree of multifractality, notably near the wilting point, while higher water contents near field capacity showed no significant effects on the degree of multifractality.
Exploring the Role and Capacity of School Teachers in Zambia to Support Orphans and Vulnerable Children: Considerations for Educational Resource Allocation in Lusaka, Zambia
Authors: Henning Margaret Jo , Chi Chunhuei
Published: July 2013

This study investigated teachers' perceptions of their role as HIV/AIDS educators and also their role in providing care for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) across the different school systems in Lusaka, Zambia. Researchers used a combined quantitative and qualitative narrative approach. Original cross-sectional data were collected through face-to-face survey and in-depth interviews with school teachers in the Lusaka. A sample of 720 teachers from 123 schools completed surveys in 2008, with a 91% response rate for teachers, and 100% for schools sampled. Teachers for all school types reported that schools and teachers are the appropriate community resource for HIV-prevention education for youth and support for OVC. This study suggests that schools could serve as a source and alternative mechanism of support for vulnerable children.
Causes for culling first calving cows on farms with different levels of production
Authors: Stojic P. , Beskorovajni R. , Pantelic V. , Novakovic Z. , Bojkovic-Kovacevic S. , Stanojevic D.
Published: July 2013

It is general knowledge that management influences results in cattle
production to the highest extent, and that the culling of cows is a very good
indicator of the success of farm management. A comparison of results of
culling for first calving cows on farms with various levels of production in
2011 established differences both for the number of culled animals and the
reasons for culling. On farms with higher levels of production, the share of
first calving cows in overall culling was 25.9% or 4.5% less than on farms
with a lower level of production, i.e. 4.8% less died, and 0.7% first calving
cows had to be slaughtered, while 5.6% more first calving cows were culled
for economic reasons. At both levels of production, dominant reasons for
culling were diseases of the legs and hoofs, which can be linked to the tie
stall system (more pronounced on farms with higher production) and metabolic
disorders (more dominant on farms with lower production). Reproduction was a
more considerable problem on farms with higher milk production, while culling
due to selection was more pronounced on farms with lower production. In early
lactation of first calving cows, regardless of the level of production,
dominant reasons for culling on farms are leg and hoof problems and metabolic
disorders (total: 55% i.e. 55.9%). When reasons for culling of first calving
cows after 100 days of lactation are investigated, on farms with high
production the significance of diseases of legs and hoofs remains almost
unchanged, but culling due to reproduction grows to 28%. On farms with lower
production, culling due to leg and hoof diseases is considerably reduced
after 100 days of lactation, however culling due to selection is tripled
(62%).
Erişkinlerin erişkinlik dönemi aşıları hakkındaki bilgi, tutum ve davranışları
Authors: Aşık Zeynep , Çakmak Tuğba , Bilgili Pınar
Published: July 2013

Amaç: Erişkin bağışıklaması tüm dünyada güncel bir konudur. Bu çalışmadaki amaç erişkinlerin erişkin aşıları konusundaki bilgi, tutum ve davranışlarının belirlenmesidir.Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı nitelikteki çalışmamızda, Antalya merkez beş ilçesinden en çok nüfusa sahip üç ilçesinde bulunan beş ASM’ye başvuran hastalara 18 soru içeren bir anket yüzyüze görüşme tekni ği ile uygulanarak demografik bilgiler ile birlikte halkın erişkin dönem aşılarıyla ilgili bilgi, tutum ve davranışları araştırılmıştır. Elde edilen veriler SPSS 19 programına girilerek, tanımlayıcı analizlerde ortalama ve standart sapma, karşılaştırmalarda ise ki-kare, KruskalWallis testleri ile Spearman korelasyon analizi kullanılmıştır. P0.05) saptandı.Sonuç: Çalışmamız sonunda halkın erişkin dönem aşıları hakkında yeterli bilgi birikimine sahip olmadığı, buna bağlı olarak erişkinlik döneminde istenen ölçüde aşı yaptırmadığı görülmüştür.
Estimation of Transient Drainage Discharge from Subsurface Pipe Drainage System in City Park Next to Mseno Dam (Czech Republic)
Authors: Stibinger Jakub
Published: July 2013

The aim of this study has been to demonstrate the way of determination of drainage discharge by the method of De Zeeuw-Hellinga in the transient drainage flow conditions. For comparison and verification of numerical experiment of calculation of drainage discharge by equation of De Zeeuw-Hellinga with measured daily values of drainage discharge was selected subsurface pipe drainage system in experimental drained area, placed in the local city park next to the Mseno Dam, in the city of Jablonec nad Nisou, Czech Republic. The results showed a good conformity between calculations and measured data, the differences between De Zeeuw-Hellinga’s approximations and measured daily values of drainage discharge fluctuated from 0.6 (mm.day-1) to zero, and confirmed that the De Zeeuw-Hellinga’s formula is a suitable tool for approximation of the drainage discharge in the transient flow conditions. It was confirmed again that De Zeeuw-Hellinga theory is also applicable for the shallow subsurface pipe drainage system.
Influence of particle size on physical and sensory attributes of mango pulp powder
Authors: Sharma M. , Kadam D.M. , Chadha S. , Wilson R.A. , Gupta R.K.
Published: July 2013

The present investigation was aimed to observe the effect of particle size on physical, sensory and thermal properties of foam-mat dried mango pulp powder. Mango pulp of Dussehri variety was foam-mat dried using 3% egg white at 65ºC. Dried foam-mats were pulverized and passed through a sieve shaker for obtaining three grades of powder with 50, 60, and 85 mesh size sieves. The particle size of these samples measured using laser diffraction particle size analyzer ranged from 191.26 to 296.19 μm. The data was analysed statistically using ANOVA of SAS. There was a linear increase in lightness (‘L’ value) with a decrease in particle size, however, ‘a’ value decreased with a decrease in particle size, indicating the decrease in redness. An increase in bulk density and decrease in water solubility index and water absorption index % were observed with a decrease in particle size. Particle size had a significant effect on sensory parameters. Particle size in the range of 258.01 to 264.60μmwas found most acceptable with respect to sensory characteristics. This finding can be exploited for various commercial applicationswhere powder quality is dependent on the particle size and has foremost priority for end users.
A Model for the Identification of Areas Favourable for the Development of Tourism: A Case Study of the Šumava Mts. and South Bohemia Tourist Regions (Czech Republic)
Authors: Navrátil Josef , Pícha Kamil , Martinát Stanislav , Knotek Jaroslav , Kučera Tomáš , Balounová Zuzana , White Baravalle Gilliam Vivian L. , Švec Roman , Rajchard Josef
Published: July 2013

A basis for the identification of potential tourist development areas was defined as a combined use of the model of area load by visitors, the territorially-located database of tourist attractions, and the perception of their attractiveness by visitors. A distinctive inequality was identified in the area load and the distribution of tourist attractions. The areas of development were determined on the basis of a difference between the relative attendance and the relative attractiveness of the partial territorial units of a regular hexagonal network, sized approximately 3 km2, with a concurrent requirement of above-average total attractiveness
Using Multi-Scale Spatial and Statistical Analysis to Assess the Effects of Brownfield Redevelopment on Surrounding Residential Property Values in Milwaukee County, USA
Authors: Sun Wenjie , Jones Brendon
Published: July 2013

Brownfield redevelopment has gained support in the U.S. as an essential ingredient of urban revitalization. Assessing the effects of such projects is important as government budgets tighten recently. Through multi-scale spatial and statistical analysis, this study shows the spatial patterns of residential property values and their changes, and investigates linkages to the presence of different types and sizes of nearby brownfield redevelopment projects, as opposed to neighborhood demographics and property characteristics. While the results of this study suggest brownfield redevelopment does play a positive role on the surrounding residential property values in general, there are quite different statistical significances found at the two levels of analysis and the type of redevelopment found to determine the direction of this effect.
Estimated collective effective dose to the population from nuclear medicine examinations in Slovenia
Authors: Skrk Damijan , Zontar Dejan
Published: July 2013

Background. A national survey of patient exposure from nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures was performed by Slovenian Radiation Protection Administration in order to estimate their contribution to the collective effective dose to the population of Slovenia.

Methods. A set of 36 examinations with the highest contributions to the collective effective dose was identified. Data about frequencies and average administered activities of radioisotopes used for those examinations were collected from all nuclear medicine departments in Slovenia. A collective effective dose to the population and an effective dose per capita were estimated from the collected data using dose conversion factors.

Results. The total collective effective dose to the population from nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures in 2011 was estimated to 102 manSv, giving an effective dose per capita of 0.05 mSv.

Conclusions. The comparison of results of this study with studies performed in other countries indicates that the nuclear medicine providers in Slovenia are well aware of the importance of patient protection measures and of optimisation of procedures.
Electromagnetic tunneling through a three-layer asymmetric medium containing epsilon-negative slabs
Authors: Yang Chao , Zhao Hui
Published: July 2013

With the transfer-matrix method, conditions of extraordinary electromagnetic resonant tunneling through all combinations of three-layer nonmagnetic (µr = 1) media containing epsilon-negative (ENG) and doublepositive (DPS) slabs were explored. We show that abnormal phenomena can occur in the ENG-DPS-ENG structure, without any restriction on the permittivity of the DPS layer. Changes of transmittance as a function of frequency and incidence angle for a dispersive, lossy model are also calculated, and the results demonstrate the possibility of exhibition this counterintuitive tunneling phenomenon in the DPS-ENG-DPS structure within a wide range of incidence angles.
Measuring Systemic Risk in the Polish Banking System by Means of the Risk-Based Balance Sheets Method
Authors: Karkowska Renata
Published: July 2013

The complex connections, spillovers and feedbacks of the global financial crisis remind how important it is to improve the analysis of risk modeling. This article introduces a new framework for mitigating systemic risk by using a risk-adjusted balance sheet approach. In this regard, the analysis of individual banks in Poland shows potential risk which could threaten all the financial system. Traditional banking models do not adequately measure risk position of financial institutions and cannot be used to understand risk within and between balance sheets in the financial sector. A fundamental subject is that accounting balance sheets do not indicate risk exposures, which are forward-looking. The paper concludes new directions for measuring systemic risk by using Merton’s model. It shows how risk management tools can be applied in new ways to measure and analyze systemic risk in the Polish banking system.
Visibility And Geometry Of Galileo Satellites Constellation During Initial Operation Capability
Authors: Januszewski Jacek
Published: July 2013

The European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed that it plans to declare an Initial Operational Capability (IOC) once a constellation of 18 satellites is achieved in 2014 and after few Soyuz and Ariane launches Full Operational Capability (FOC) once a constellation of 26 satellites next year or later. In the paper are presented the distribution of the number of satellites visible by the observer and the distribution of GDOP coefficient values both for different masking elevation angles (Hmin) at different observer’s latitudes for three constellations, with 18, 22 and 26 satellites, the distribution of satellite azimuths in open area and the percentage of satellites visible above given angle. Additionally for latitude of Poland (zone 50-60°) No Fix (in per cent) and the detailed distribution of GDOP values for six angles Hmin for all these constellations and the results of other calculations are showed. Finally the results concern the possibility of the positioning and its accuracy for different numbers of Galileo satellites at different observer’s latitudes
Using High-Density Bathymetric Data for the Production of Precise ENC
Authors: Stateczny Andrzej , Włodarczyk-Sielicka Marta , Zaniewicz Grzegorz
Published: July 2013

Due to an increasing trend of replacing traditional paper navigational charts with electronic ones, requirements for the creation of new ENC have been steadily growing. One example is the precise electronic navigational chart, which is based on accurate mapping of topographic and hydrographic elements. Information about depth of the waters contained on the charts are crucial for the safety of navigation. During the production of precise navigational charts, bathymetric information acquired by a multi-beam sonar system (or swath-bathymetry interferometric system) is used. A multi-beam sonar system emits several signal beams from a single transducer in different directions, which allows to cover a hundred percent of the survey area. The authors of the article carried out an analysis of bathymetric data in terms of differences in their preparation for the production of precise ENC.
Inertial Navigation Position and Orientation Estimation with Occasional Galileo Satellite Position Fixes and Stereo Camera Measurements
Authors: Vepa Ranjan , Petrakou Kanella
Published: July 2013

In this paper an adaptive unscented Kalman filter based mixing filter is used to integrate kinematic satellite aided inertial navigation system with vision based measurements of five representative points on a runway in a modern receiver that incorporates carrier phase smoothing and ambiguity resolution. Using high resolution multiple stereo camera based measurements of five points on the runway, in addition to a set of typical pseudo-range estimates that can be obtained from a satellite navigation system such GPS or GNSS equipped with a carrier phase receiver, the feasibility of generating high precision estimates of the typical outputs from an inertial navigation system is demonstrated. The methodology may be developed as a stand-alone system or employed in conjunction with a traditional strapped down inertial navigation systems for purposes of initial alignment. Moreover the feasibility of employing adaptive mixing was explored as it facilitates the possibility of using the system for developing a vision based automatic landing controller.
Synergetic Concept of Algorithms Autonomous Inertial Navigation Systems
Authors: Yakushin Sergey
Published: July 2013

Errors of INS output parameters lead to a positive feedback effect of errors and eventually to an even more dramatic increase in system errors. To reduce the impact of this problem on the error output parameters of INS, in this paper, we propose and study a new concept of constructing algorithms for autonomous INS, which is called as synergetic concept. In the paper the synergetic concept of inertial system’s algorithm is presented and investigated by implementing its into strapdown inertial navigation system (SDINS).
What the Railroad Industry Needs and Expects from Higher Education
Authors: Lautala Pasi T.
Published: July 2013

Rail transportation and engineering education in the United States was neglected for decades, from a lack of demand for graduates in the field. However, the increase in freight rail transportation volumes, combined with a growing interest in passenger rail development, has reenergized the academic community. Currently, several universities are either investigating or implementing rail-related activities. Because of the long disconnect between the industry and academia, several challenges have arisen about what the rail industry needs and wants from graduates and universities. Challenges include the quantitative and qualitative demands placed on graduates by the industry as well as industry preference for types of education and the perceived benefits from university education and university–industry collaboration. The educational background of current industry employees and its importance to their career selection are also of interest. This paper reports the outcomes of two online surveys of industry employees to bring light to the aforementioned points. More than 1,000 industry employees participated in the surveys that were conducted in 2006 and 2010. The second survey was conducted as part of a collaborative study between the United States and the European Union, allowing direct comparison of opinions between the U.S. and international workforce.
Characterizing Microbial Diversity and the Potential for Metabolic Function at −15 °C in the Basal Ice of Taylor Glacier, Antarctica
Authors: Doyle Shawn , Montross Scott , Skidmore Mark , Christner Brent
Published: July 2013

Measurement of gases entrapped in clean ice from basal portions of the Taylor Glacier, Antarctica, revealed that CO2 ranged from 229 to 328 ppmv and O2 was near 20% of the gas volume. In contrast, vertically adjacent sections of the sediment laden basal ice contained much higher concentrations of CO2 (60,000 to 325,000 ppmv), whereas O2 represented 4 to 18% of the total gas volume. The deviation in gas composition from atmospheric values occurred concurrently with increased microbial cell concentrations in the basal ice profile, suggesting that in situ microbial processes (i.e., aerobic respiration) may have altered the entrapped gas composition. Molecular characterization of 16S rRNA genes amplified from samples of the basal ice indicated a low diversity of bacteria, and most of the sequences characterized (87%) were affiliated with the phylum, Firmicutes. The most abundant phylotypes in libraries from ice horizons with elevated CO2 and depleted O2 concentrations were related to the genus Paenisporosarcina, and 28 isolates from this genus were obtained by enrichment culturing. Metabolic experiments with Paenisporosarcina sp. TG14 revealed its capacity to conduct macromolecular synthesis when frozen in water derived from melted basal ice samples and incubated at −15 °C. The results support the hypothesis that the basal ice of glaciers and ice sheets are cryospheric habitats harboring bacteria with the physiological capacity to remain metabolically active and biogeochemically cycle elements within the subglacial environment.
Comparison of Surface Plasmon Resonance, Resonant Waveguide Grating Biosensing and Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) in the Evaluation of a Dengue Virus Immunoassay
Authors: Hu Dongmei , Fry Scott , Huang Johnny , Ding Xixia , Qiu Liwen , Pan Yuxian , Chen Yue , Jin Jing , McElnea Catriona , Buechler Joe , Che Xiaoyan , Cooper Matthew
Published: July 2013

Two label-free biosensor platforms, Resonance Waveguide Grating (RWG) and Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), were used to rank a large panel of anti-dengue virus NS1 antibodies. Dengue non-structural 1 (NS1) protein is an established serological marker for the early detection of dengue infection. A variety of commercial dengue NS1 antigen capture immunoassays are available in both ELISA and lateral flow format. However, there is a significant scope to improve both the sensitivity and the specificity of those tests. The interactions of antibody (Ab)-antigen (Ag) were profiled, with weak interactions (KD = 1–0.1 μM) able to be detected under static equilibrium conditions by RWG, but not observed to under more rigorous flow conditions using SPR. There were significant differences in the absolute affinities determined by the two technologies, and there was a poor correlation between antibodies best ranked by RWG and the lower limit of detection (LLOD) found by ELISA. Hence, whilst high-throughput RWG can be useful as preliminary screening for higher affinity antibodies, care should be exercised in the assignation of quantitative values for affinity between different assay formats.
Aerobic Methanotrophs in Natural and Agricultural Soils of European Russia
Authors: Kizilova Anna , Yurkov Andrey , Kravchenko Irina
Published: July 2013

Human activities such as land management and global warming have great impact on the environment. Among changes associated with the global warming, rising methane emission is a serious concern. Therefore, we assessed methane oxidation activity and diversity of aerobic methanotrophic bacteria in eight soil types (both unmanaged and agricultural) distributed across the European part of Russia. Using a culture-independent approach targeting pmoA gene, we provide the first baseline data on the diversity of methanotrophs inhabiting most typical soil types. The analysis of pmoA clone libraries showed that methanotrophic populations in unmanaged soils are less diverse than in agricultural areas. These clone sequences were placed in three groups of, so far, uncultured methanotrophs: USC-gamma, cluster I, and pmoA/amoA cluster, which are believed to be responsible for atmospheric methane oxidation in upland soils. Agricultural soils harbored methanotrophs related to genera Methylosinus, Methylocystis, Methylomicrobium, Methylobacter, and Methylocaldum. Despite higher numbers of detected molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs), managed soils showed decreased methane oxidation rates as observed in both in situ and laboratory experiments. Our results also suggest that soil restoration may have a positive effect on methane consumption by terrestrial ecosystems.
Synthesis and SAR Studies of Praziquantel Derivatives with Activity against Schistosoma japonicum
Authors: Wang Wen-Long , Song Li-Jun , Chen Xia , Yin Xu-Ren , Fan Wen-Hua , Wang Gu-Ping , Yu Chuan-Xin , Feng Bainian
Published: July 2013

The synthesis and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies of praziquantel derivatives with activity against adult Schistosoma japonicum are described. Several of them showed better worm killing activity than praziquantel and could serve as leads for further optimization.
SVM-Based Classification of Segmented Airborne LiDAR Point Clouds in Urban Areas
Authors: Zhang Jixian , Lin Xiangguo , Ning Xiaogang
Published: July 2013

Object-based point cloud analysis (OBPA) is useful for information extraction from airborne LiDAR point clouds. An object-based classification method is proposed for classifying the airborne LiDAR point clouds in urban areas herein. In the process of classification, the surface growing algorithm is employed to make clustering of the point clouds without outliers, thirteen features of the geometry, radiometry, topology and echo characteristics are calculated, a support vector machine (SVM) is utilized to classify the segments, and connected component analysis for 3D point clouds is proposed to optimize the original classification results. Three datasets with different point densities and complexities are employed to test our method. Experiments suggest that the proposed method is capable of making a classification of the urban point clouds with the overall classification accuracy larger than 92.34% and the Kappa coefficient larger than 0.8638, and the classification accuracy is promoted with the increasing of the point density, which is meaningful for various types of applications.
Des recherches pour éclairer le recouvrement des pensions alimentaires
Authors: Guibert Bernard , Renaudat Evelyne
Published: July 2013

Depuis la prise en charge par les CAF du recouvrement des pensions alimentaires, fin 1984, une série d'enquêtes a permis de mieux connaître la population des séparés, divorcés, à qui leurs "ex" étaient redevables d'obligations alimentaires.

Lors d'un colloque organisé par l'AISS, Bernard Guibert, responsable de la branche Recherches et prévisions à la CNAF , et Evelyne Renaudat ont exposé pour la délégation française la politique de concertation menée pour ces études avec d'autres organismes de recherche publics ainsi que les apports, enseignements et exploitations qui ont été tirés des résultats.
Droit et nouvelles formes de la vie familiale
Authors: Blanc Catherine
Published: July 2013

Le titre "Transformations des structures familiales" désigne l'un des cinq programmes de recherche retenus par le Conseil d'Administration de la C.N.A.F. , lors de sa séance du 10 juillet 1984.

Ce programme qui a été à l 'origine de deux appels d'offres s'est réalisé en deux étapes.

La première a consisté à développer et préciser les investigations de recherche sur un sous-ensemble significatif : les familles dites monoparentales .

La seconde étape de ce programme ne limite plus le champ de recherche à certaines, importantes certes, des différentes formes de la vie familiale dans la société d'aujourd'hui. Mais elle invite les chercheurs à se pencher plus particulièrement sur le rapport entre les transformations de ces dernières et les importantes modifications du droit civil, social et fiscal qui les accompagnent et les codifient de manière plus ou moins formelle. D'où le titre d'un nouvel appel d'offres : "Droit et nouvelles formes de la vie familiale" .
Une carrière en famille : masculin pluriel, féminin singulier
Authors: Renaudat Evelyne
Published: July 2013

Cette enquête menée par Chantai Nicole (Laboratoire de sociologie du travail du CNAM) , dans le cadre de l'appel de propositions de recherches "Activité féminine - Vie familiale" , lancé par la CNAF en janvier 1986, a été réalisée auprès de 20 cadres (10 hommes et 10 femmes) qui travaillent dans la même entreprise (une mutuelle d' assurances de Niort) et auprès de leur conjoint(e) .

Elle se propose de comprendre l'évolution des modèles familiaux à travers l'interaction des stratégies professionnelles des hommes et des femmes, au sein des couples.
Les prestations familiales des familles nombreuses
Authors: Chastand Antoine
Published: July 2013

Les priorités du système des prestations familiales sont les familles nombreuses et celles qui comprennent un enfant jeune : leur montant croît donc fortement avec le nombre d'enfants (cf. tableau). De 650 francs, en moyenne, par enfant et par mois dans les familles de deux enfants, il passe à plus de 1 000 francs dans les familles nombreuses. En effet, certaines prestations sont modulées selon le nombre d'enfants à charge (allocations familiales et aides au logement) ; d'autres, qui peuvent être les mêmes, dépendent de l'importance des revenus de la famille (complément familial, aides au logement). Dans ce dernier cas, comme les plafonds d'exclusion croissent parallèlement à la taille de la famille et que les revenus moyens diminuent au contraire, la quasi-totalité des familles nombreuses en sont bénéficiaires. Signalons , a contrario , la neutralité, à cet égard, de la part prise par les aides au logement qui ne s'accroît pas avec la taille de la famille.
L'appel de propositions de 1985 : une multitude de questions... des réponses
Authors: Renaudat Evelyne
Published: July 2013

Le programme de recherche "Activité féminine - vie familiale" a été engagé au printemps 1986. Dix huit recherches ont été financées. Le texte ci-dessous présente l'appel de propositions de septembre 1985 et introduit les projets de recherches qui ont été approuvés par le Conseil d 'Administration de la CNAF.
La population des familles allocataires du régime général
Authors: Escande Marie-Thérèse
Published: July 2013

Fin 1989, 7,3 millions d'allocataires étaient gérés par les Caisses d allocations familiales.

Cet accroissement, de 4,6 % par rapport à 1988, est principalement dû au RMI (+2,5points) et à l'APL(+ 2,0 points).