bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Statin Therapy Does Not Significantly Alter Microvascular Function in Uncomplicated Hypertension
Authors: Bleakley Caroline , McCann Aaron , McClenaghan Vivienne , Hamilton Paul Kevin , Pumb Richard , Harbinson Mark , McVeigh Gary Eugene
Published: March 2018

Objective

Young patients with uncomplicated hypertension are frequently exempt from statin therapy as they generally fall below current treatment thresholds. This study examined whether there may be evidence of improved microvascular function in young patients with grade 1 hypertension after 12 weeks of statin therapy.

Methods

This was a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study in which 42 statin-naïve participants with grade 1 hypertension (mean systolic/diastolic blood pressure 142/92 mmHg) were randomized to receive either simvastatin 40 mg or a placebo for 12 weeks, followed by a 4-week washout period, after which the arms crossed for a further 12 weeks. Measures of vascular function were recorded at the beginning and end of each study period equating to four measures in total. The brachial artery was studied by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) together with the resistive and pulsatility indices and mean velocity of flow.

Results

Statin therapy did not significantly alter the change in FMD seen in the brachial artery [standardized differential mean = 0.02 (0.23), confidence interval (CI) = −0.45 to 0.48, p = 0.932]. No significant changes were seen in the brachial artery mean velocity (CI = −9.68 to 11.51, p = 0.861), resistive index (CI = −0.11 to 0.12, p = 0.903), or pulsatility index (CI = −5.82 to 4.91, p = 0.864).

Conclusion

This study did not demonstrate any significant changes in established measures of microvascular function after treatment with a statin in a young hypertensive population with no antecedent cardiovascular disease. This may indicate that either the intervention was insufficiently vasoactive to produce a clinically detectable improvement in vascular function, or that the means used to assess the microvasculature were insufficiently sensitive to detect what may have been quite minor changes.
Occlusion of the Extracranial Carotid Arteries
Authors: Jackson Adam E.
Published: March 2018

Carotid duplex ultrasound (CDU) is a commonly performed vascular exam for the detection of carotid disease. In most cases, the exam is performed to detect hemodynamically significant changes that could cause a cerebrovascular accident. Ultrasound is accurate in the detection of >70% stenosis. CDU exams are often used to detect a potentially harmful atherosclerotic process before it embolizes. In some cases, the atherosclerotic formation will be so great that it will occlude the extracranial vessels. The true incidence of carotid occlusion is not well known as it may be asymptomatic. CDU can show where the occlusion is located and if the bifurcation is patent which can reveal treatment options for the patient. Carotid occlusions can be medically managed or may require surgery to restore flow to the cerebrovasculature.
Building a disaster rescue platform with utilizing device-to-device communication between smart devices
Authors: Han Jiyong , Han Junghee
Published: March 2018

Recently, the world is facing more risk of natural disasters as a result of ongoing climate changes. One of the most critical obstacles in disaster mitigation (especially rescue operation) is lack of communication and localization of survivors in disaster sites. This article develops a disaster rescue platform for quick and accurate rescue operation with utilizing direct communication on smart hand-held devices such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Specifically, we attempt to design an application-layer ad hoc network over smart devices without relying on centralized cellular networks or wireless access points. This study also incorporates a mobile localization algorithm to effectively perform disaster rescue objectives. Specifically, it aims (1) to accurately locate survivors, (2) to help rescuers to find victims quickly, and (3) to minimize calculation overheads for power saving on smart devices. This article verifies the proposed approach with presenting simulation and implementation results compared to other studies.
Using Texting for Clinical Communication in Surgery: A Survey of Academic Staff Surgeons
Authors: Firdouse Mohammed , Devon Karen , Kayssi Ahmed , Goldfarb Jeremy , Rossos Peter , Cil Tulin D.
Published: March 2018

Background. Text messaging has become ubiquitous and is being increasingly used within the health care system. The purpose of this study was to understand texting practices for clinical communication among staff surgeons at a large academic institution. Methods. Staff surgeons in 4 subspecialties (vascular, plastics, urology, and general surgery) were surveyed electronically. Results. A total of 62 surgeons from general surgery (n = 33), vascular surgery (n = 6), plastic surgery (n = 13), and urology (n = 10) completed the study (response rate 30%). When conveying urgent patient-related information, staff surgeons preferred directly calling other staff surgeons (61.5%) and trainees (58.8%). When discussing routine patient information, staff surgeons used email to reach other staff surgeons (54.9%) but preferred texting (62.7%) for trainees. The majority of participants used texting because it is fast (65.4%), convenient (69.2%) and allows transmitting information to multiple recipients simultaneously (63.5%). Most felt that texting enhances patient care (71.5%); however, only half believed that it enhanced trainees’ educational experiences. The majority believed that texting identifiable patient information breaches patient confidentiality. Conclusions. Our data showed high adoption of text messaging for clinical communication among surgeons, particularly with trainees. The majority of surgeons acknowledge security concerns inherent in texting for patient care. Existing mobile communication platforms fail to meet the needs of academic surgeons. Further research should include guidelines related to texting in clinical practice, educational implications of texting, and technologies to better meet the needs of clinicians working in an academic surgical settings.
Noise reduction in feature level and its application in rolling element bearing fault diagnosis
Authors: Jiang Fan , Zhu Zhencai , Li Wei , Zhou Gongbo , Xia Shixiong
Published: March 2018

Vibration analysis is an effective way to accurately diagnose bearing faults, because it carries abundant information regarding mechanical health conditions. However, noise interference makes the features, extracted from vibration signals at different time periods, show randomness fluctuation that will reduce the bearing diagnostic accuracy. To solve this problem, this article proposes a noise reduction method in feature level and tries to use it in bearing fault diagnosis with principal component analysis and radial basis function neural network. First, original feature space, including time, frequency, and energy features, is constructed from these obtained vibration signals. Second, compendious feature sets of the considered bearing faults are created by principal component analysis and random statistical average algorithm. In this step, random statistical average is designed to weaken the influence of noise to features and principal component analysis is used to reduce the dimension of features for compendious feature sets. Then, radial basis function neural network, an artificial intelligence tool, is introduced to diagnose bearing faults by compendious feature sets. Finally, experiments on test bench are carried out to verify the reliability and validity of the proposed method. The experimental results show that the proposed method can accurately identify bearing faults.
A nation divided against itself: Biafra and the conflicting online protest discourses
Authors: Chiluwa Innocent
Published: March 2018

This research analyses media and online discourses produced by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a Nigerian separatist/secessionist group that seeks a referendum for the independence of the Igbo ethnic group of Nigeria. The research examines discourse structures, such as language use that clearly or implicitly produces propositions of conflict and war, tribalism and hate-speech. Discursive strategies such as labelling, exaggeration, metaphor and contradiction applied by the group to produce ideological discourses of outrage are also analysed. Moreover, conflicting discourses produced by the Igbo politicians and factions of IPOB and other Biafra campaign groups are analysed in terms of their political implications to the overall self-determination efforts of the Biafra nation. The study concludes that the pragmatic implications of discourses that reflect opposing views, as well as varied ideological perspectives by group members, suggest that Biafra is a nation divided against itself and are a people incapable of the separate nation that they seek.
Single-inhaler triple therapy utilizing the once-daily combination of fluticasone furoate, umeclidinium and vilanterol in the management of COPD: the current evidence base and future prospects
Authors: Malerba Mario , Nardin Matteo , Santini Giuseppe , Mores Nadia , Radaeli Alessandro , Montuschi Paolo
Published: March 2018

Maintenance pharmacological treatment for stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is based on inhaled drugs, including long-acting muscarinic receptor antagonists (LAMA), long-acting β2-adrenoceptor agonists (LABA) and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). Inhaled pharmacological treatment can improve patients’ daily symptoms and reduce decline of pulmonary function and acute exacerbation rate. Treatment with all three inhaled drug classes is reserved for selected, more severe, patients with COPD when symptoms are not sufficiently controlled by dual LABA/LAMA therapy and exacerbations are frequent. This review focuses on the role of single-inhaler triple therapy with once-daily fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol fixed-dose combination, which is in phase III clinical development for maintenance treatment of severe-to-very severe COPD. In this review, we summarize evidence providing the rationale for its use in COPD and discuss the gaps to be filled in this pharmacotherapeutic area.
Case report: Postpartum pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema
Authors: Jakes AD , Kunde K , Banerjee A
Published: March 2018

Postpartum pneumomediastinum is a rare complication of labour and delivery, where air leaks into the mediastinum following rupture of marginal alveoli. It follows prolonged and forceful Valsalva manoeuvres that increase intra-thoracic pressure. Subcutaneous emphysema may also develop. A chest radiograph can confirm the diagnosis, however a computed tomography thorax maybe required. Treatment is conservative as it is usually self-limiting. We present a case of postpartum pneumomediastinum following a delay in the second stage of labour and subsequent instrumental delivery. She developed chest pain and dyspnea 40 min post-delivery, and subcutaneous emphysema was palpable. Supplementary nasal flow oxygen was administered for 24 h prior to discharge. There is sparse evidence or guidance as to the management of postpartum pneumomediastinum, but consensus appears to be supplemental oxygen for 24 h. More data are needed on the type and duration of oxygen therapy, need for repeat imaging and management of subsequent pregnancies.
Drug-Induced Liver Injury: An Institutional Case Series and Review of Literature
Authors: Gayam Vijay , Khalid Mazin , Shrestha Binav , Hossain Muhammad Rajib , Dahal Sumit , Garlapati Pavani , Gill Arshpal , Mandal Amrendra Kumar , Sangha Ruby
Published: March 2018

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the USA. DILI can be broadly classified as Intrinsic and Idiosyncratic. Identifying predictors and at-risk patients are challenging but can have a substantial clinical implication. This case report series demonstrates the importance of valproic acid, fluconazole, and amiodarone as potential hepatoxic agents of drug-induced liver injury leading to acute hepatic failure. The causality in all cases was established by Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method/Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences score and Naranjo Algorithm. Obesity, hypo-perfusion state, and concurrent hepatotoxic agent might identify at-risk patients. Further studies are required to understand the risk factors.
Proteinuria, Hypoalbuminemia, and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: An Unusual Trio
Authors: Wung William , Ananthakrishnan Shubha , Jonas Brian A.
Published: March 2018

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a chronic, progressive lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by a monoclonal population of functionally incompetent lymphocytes. Renal involvement is rare and poorly described. A 57-year-old male with no prior medical history was diagnosed with CLL and followed with a watch and wait approach. He was referred to our institution several months later due to concern for Richter’s transformation to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. A positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan showed no evidence of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; however, the patient was noted to have hypoalbuminemia, nephrotic range proteinuria, an acute left renal vein thrombus, and a right pulmonary embolus. A nephrotic syndrome workup including autoimmunity and infection was unremarkable, and a kidney biopsy was deferred due to concern for renal compromise in the setting of a renal vein thrombus. The patient was treated with 6 cycles of reduced-dose fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab for a presumed CLL-associated nephrotic syndrome and anticoagulation for his venous thromboemboli. At 6-month follow-up, the patient achieved complete remission of his CLL with normalization of all cell lines and resolution of his nephrotic range proteinuria. Repeat computed tomography scans showed no evidence of recurrent venous thromboemboli. This case demonstrates a potential role of empiric chemotherapy in cases of CLL-associated nephrotic syndrome given its potentially life-threatening sequelae and response to treatment.
Impulsive, Disinhibited Behavior—Dining in a Restaurant
Authors: Hamdy Ronald C. , Kinser Amber , Kendall-Wilson Tracey , Depelteau Audrey , Whalen Kathleen
Published: March 2018

Dining in a restaurant with a loved one who has dementia can be an ordeal, especially if the expectations of the caregiver do not match those of the patient and the restaurant environment is not suitable for patients with dementia. The size of the dining area, lighting, background music or noise, décor of the room, number of customers, variety of the items on the menu, number of plates and cutlery on the table, in addition to flowers, candles, and other decorations on the table are all potent distractors. There are so many stimuli; the patient can be overwhelmed with information overload and not able to focus on the main purpose of the event: have dinner and especially enjoy the other person’s company. In this case scenario, we present a 62-year-old man diagnosed with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). His daughter “invited” him to have dinner with her at a very fancy restaurant to celebrate her promotion at work. Unfortunately, whereas the evening started very well, it had a catastrophic ending. We discuss what went wrong in the patient/daughter interaction and how the catastrophic ending could have been avoided or averted.
Healthcare-associated infections: potential for prevention through vaccination
Authors: McIntosh E. David G.
Published: March 2018

The challenge of healthcare-associated infections is compounded by the higher incidence of resistant organisms and the decreasing utility of antimicrobial agents. Historic and current vaccines have already contributed to reductions in healthcare-associated infections, and future vaccines have the potential to reduce these infections further. Through examples of bacterial and viral vaccines, this review will attempt to chart the way forward.
An Echocardiographic Presentation of Severe Dilated Cardiomyopathy Due to Acute Viral Myocarditis From Coxsackie B Enterovirus
Authors: White Alison
Published: March 2018

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a disease of the myocardium characterized by changes in cardiac chamber dimension and initial deterioration in systolic function accompanied by eventual diastolic function impairment with possible progression to cardiac failure. Early identification of ventricular dysfunction and etiology is imperative for the subsequent effective treatment of the cardiomyopathy process. One common cause of DCM is an infection from a viral insult that results in inflammation and consequent damage to the myocardium. Viral myocarditis may present as an acute or chronic illness. The clinical presentation of myocarditis demonstrates nonspecific symptomology that is variable between individuals. Accurate diagnosis of viral myocarditis relies upon various diagnostic testing methods to ascertain the origin of the infectious agent and resultant alterations in cardiovascular function. One such diagnostic testing method used in the detection of the presence and severity of DCM associated with viral myocarditis is echocardiography. The following case presentation demonstrates a dilated cardiomyopathy due to an acute myocarditis from Coxsackie B enterovirus evaluated with echocardiography.
How best to capture the respiratory consequences of prematurity?
Authors: Ciuffini Francesca , Robertson Colin F. , Tingay David G.
Published: March 2018

Chronic respiratory morbidity is a common complication of premature birth, generally defined by the presence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, both clinically and in trials of respiratory therapies. However, recent data have highlighted that bronchopulmonary dysplasia does not correlate with chronic respiratory morbidity in older children born preterm. Longitudinally evaluating pulmonary morbidity from early life through to childhood provides a more rational method of defining the continuum of chronic respiratory morbidity of prematurity, and offers new insights into the efficacy of neonatal respiratory interventions. The changing nature of preterm lung disease suggests that a multimodal approach using dynamic lung function assessment will be needed to assess the efficacy of a neonatal respiratory therapy and predict the long-term respiratory consequences of premature birth. Our aim is to review the literature regarding the long-term respiratory outcomes of neonatal respiratory strategies, the difficulties of assessing dynamic lung function in infants, and potential new solutions.
Research highlights from the 2017 ERS International Congress: airway diseases in focus
Authors: Andersson Cecilia , Bonvini Sara J. , Horvath Peter , Marquez Eduardo , Satia Imran , Kirkham Paul , Schleich Florence , Idzko Marco , Gosens Reinoud , Lopez-Campos Jose Luis , Bossios Apostolos , Usmani Omar , Spanevello Antonio , Adcock Ian M. , Mathioudakis Alexander G.
Published: March 2018

For another year, high-quality research studies from around the world transformed the annual ERS International Congress into a vivid platform to discuss trending research topics, to produce new research questions and to further push the boundaries of respiratory medicine and science. This article reviews only some of the high-quality research studies on asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis and chronic cough that were presented during the congress through the Airway Diseases Assembly (ERS Assembly 5) and places them into the context of current knowledge and research challenges.
Postoperative Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Versus Postoperative Radiotherapy in High-Risk Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: The Randomized Phase III TROG 05.01 Trial
Authors: Porceddu Sandro Virgilio , Bressel Mathias , Poulsen Michael Geoffrey , Stoneley Adam , Veness Michael John , Kenny Lizbeth Moira , Wratten Chris , Corry June , Cooper Stephen , Fogarty Gerald Blaise , Collins Marnie , Collins Michael Kevin , Macann Andrew Martin John , Milross Christopher Gerard , Penniment Michael Gordon , Liu Howard Yu-hao , King Madeleine Trudy , Panizza Benedict James , Rischin Danny
Published: March 2018

Purpose

To report the results of the Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group randomized phase III trial designed to determine whether the addition of concurrent chemotherapy to postoperative radiotherapy (CRT) improved locoregional control in patients with high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Patients and Methods

The primary objective was to determine whether there was a difference in freedom from locoregional relapse (FFLRR) between 60 or 66 Gy (6 to 6.5 weeks) with or without weekly carboplatin (area under the curve 2) after resection of gross disease. Secondary efficacy objectives were to compare disease-free survival and overall survival.

Results

Three hundred twenty-one patients were randomly assigned, with 310 patients commencing allocated treatment (radiotherapy [RT] alone, n = 157; CRT, n = 153). Two hundred thirty-eight patients (77%) had high-risk nodal disease, 59 (19%) had high-risk primary or in-transit disease, and 13 (4%) had both. Median follow-up was 60 months. Median RT dose was 60 Gy, with 84% of patients randomly assigned to CRT completing six cycles of carboplatin. The 2- and 5-year FFLRR rates were 88% (95% CI, 83% to 93%) and 83% (95% CI, 77% to 90%), respectively, for RT and 89% (95% CI, 84% to 94%) and 87% (95% CI, 81% to 93%; hazard ratio, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.46 to 1.55; P = .58), respectively, for CRT. There were no significant differences in disease-free or overall survival. Locoregional failure was the most common site of first treatment failure, with isolated distant metastases as the first site of failure seen in 7% of both arms. Treatment was well tolerated in both arms, with no observed enhancement of RT toxicity with carboplatin. Grade 3 or 4 late toxicities were infrequent.

Conclusion

Although surgery and postoperative RT provided excellent FFLRR, there was no observed benefit with the addition of weekly carboplatin.
Concerted evolution of body mass and cell size: similar patterns among species of birds (Galliformes) and mammals (Rodentia)
Authors: Czarnoleski Marcin , Labecka Anna Maria , Dragosz-Kluska Dominika , Pis Tomasz , Pawlik Katarzyna , Kapustka Filip , Kilarski Wincenty M. , Kozłowski Jan
Published: March 2018

Cell size plays a role in body size evolution and environmental adaptations. Addressing these roles, we studied body mass and cell size in Galliformes birds and Rodentia mammals and collected published data on their genome sizes. In birds, we measured erythrocyte nuclei and basal metabolic rates (BMRs). In birds and mammals, larger species consistently evolved larger cells for five cell types (erythrocytes, enterocytes, chondrocytes, skin epithelial cells, and kidney proximal tubule cells) and evolved smaller hepatocytes. We found no evidence that cell size differences originated through genome size changes. We conclude that the organism-wide coordination of cell size changes might be an evolutionarily conservative characteristic, and the convergent evolutionary body size and cell size changes in Galliformes and Rodentia suggest the adaptive significance of cell size. Recent theory predicts that species evolving larger cells waste less energy on tissue maintenance but have reduced capacities to deliver oxygen to mitochondria and metabolize resources. Indeed, birds with larger size of the abovementioned cell types and smaller hepatocytes have evolved lower mass-specific BMRs. We propose the inconsistent pattern in hepatocytes derives from the efficient delivery system to hepatocytes, combined with their intense involvement in supracellular function and anabolic activity.
Truncated C-terminus of fibrillin-1 induces Marfanoid-progeroid-lipodystrophy (MPL) syndrome in rabbit
Authors: Chen Mao , Yao Bing , Yang Qiangbing , Deng Jichao , Song Yuning , Sui Tingting , Zhou Lina , Yao Haobing , Xu Yuanyuan , Ouyang Hongsheng , Pang Daxin , Li Zhanjun , Lai Liangxue
Published: March 2018

Variable clinical differences have been observed between the FBN1 gene mutation and the classical Marfan phenotype in humans. Although FBN1 knockout (KO), or dominant negative mutant mice are widely used as an animal model for MFS, these mice cannot recapitulate the genotype/phenotype relationship of Marfanoid-progeroid-lipodystrophy syndrome (MPL), a syndrome caused by a mutation in the C-terminus of fibrillin-1, the penultimate exon of the FBN1 gene. Here we describe the generation of a rabbit MPL model with C-terminal truncation of fibrillin-1 using a CRISPR/Cas9 system. FBN1 Heterozygous (FBN1 Het) rabbits faithfully recapitulated the phenotypes of MFS, including muscle wasting and impaired connective tissue, ocular syndrome and aortic dilation. Moreover, skin symptoms, lipodystrophy, growth retardation and dysglycemia were also seen in these FBN1 Het rabbits, which have not been reported in other animal models. In conclusion, this novel rabbit model mimics the histopathological changes and functional defects of MPL syndrome, and may become a valuable model for studies of pathogenesis and drug screening for MPL syndrome.
Genetic Determinants for Leisure-Time Physical Activity
Authors: LIN XIAOCHEN , CHAN KATIE KEI-HANG , HUANG YEN-TSUNG , LUO XI , LIANG LIMING , WILSON JAMES , CORREA ADOLFO , LEVY DANIEL , LIU SIMIN
Published: March 2018

Purpose

Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) is a well-established modifiable lifestyle determinant for multiple cardiometabolic outcomes. However, current understanding of the genetic architecture that may determine LTPA remains very limited. Therefore, we aimed to examine the role of genetic factors in affecting LTPA, which has yet to be investigated comprehensively and in-depth.

Methods

We conducted a genomewide analysis using 1000 Genomes Project imputed data from the Women’s Health Initiative (n = 11,865), the Jackson Heart Study (n = 3015), and the Framingham Heart Study (n = 7339). A series of secondary analyses, including candidate gene analysis, sequence kernel association tests, pathway analysis, functional annotation, and expression quantitative trait loci analysis, were performed to follow-up on the primary findings.

Results

Ethnicity-specific genetic signals were investigated, respectively, for African Americans and European Americans. Two variants, rs116550874 (meta-analysis: P = 1.63 × 10−7) and rs3792874 (meta-analysis: P = 8.33 × 10−7), were associated with LTPA in African Americans; rs28524846 (meta-analysis: P = 1.30 × 10−6) was identified for EA. We also replicated four previously reported loci (GABRG3, CYP19A1, PAPSS2, and CASR; P for lead single nucleotide polymorphisms < 0.005). Further fine-mapping and functional annotation suggested that several identified loci (novel and replicated) are involved in 1) the homeostatic drive coupled with the reward system and 2) the development and regulation of the capacity to perform LTPA.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, our analysis is the first to comprehensively investigate the genomewide signals for LTPA in multiple ethnicities. These findings support the notion that genetic predisposition plays a critical role in determining LTPA, of which the biological and clinical implications warrants further investigation.
USING BUSINESS GAMES IN THE PROCESS OF IMPROVING THE SKILLS OF TEACHERS OF GEOGRAPHY
Authors: Самигуллина Галина , Samigullina Galina
Published: March 2018

The content of the study is based on a retrospective analysis of advanced training of teachers of geography. The leading approach (or method) to the study of this problem is the methodology of the business game "Export of Russia: pros and cons", which allows a comprehensive review of General pedagogical and particular problems. The article substantiates the use of business games to solve professional problems that arose in the method of teaching the subject; destruction of objective isolation of participants of educational process, creation of the General field of working norms and values in the atmosphere of professional enrichment; realization of competence paradigm of education, formation of communicative competences. The materials of the article are of practical value to teachers of geography, teachers-andragogues.
Aspectos fonéticos da variação linguística-identitária das comunidades rurais do 3º Distrito de Nova Friburgo-RJ
Authors: Dália Jaqueline De Moraes Thurler
Published: March 2018

Este trabalho se dedicou a investigar, no âmbito da Sociolinguística, a variedade dialetal das comunidades rurais do 3º Distrito de Nova Friburgo, partindo da hipótese de que nela havia uma arquicomunidade de fala. Pretendeu-se identificar se a variedade falada pelas famílias agricultoras da região orientava-se para o prestígio ou para a manutenção da identidade, de acordo com os estudos de Labov (2008) e com os preceitos de comunidades de prática e de redes sociais. No que tange ao levantamento de dados, foram realizadas 39 entrevistas com moradores do território analisado. Nos aspectos fonéticos, perceberam-se, no interior friburguense, variações fonéticas identitárias como monotongação, metafonia, principalmente na elevação de vogais temáticas, despalatização e paragoge. Os traços característicos da fala local foram mais recorrentes gradualmente nos seguintes grupos: faixa etária 1, com baixa escolaridade; gênero masculino; estudantes do curso de agropecuária.
Ditongação diante de  em áreas baianas: Sudoeste e Centro-sul
Authors: Silva Amanda Dos Reis
Published: March 2018

Este trabalho se volta à ditongação diante de , como em ‘pa(i)z’, ‘trê(i)s’ e ‘de(i)z’. Vincula-se ao Projeto Atlas Linguístico do Brasil (ALiB). Destacam-se, dentre as 22 cidades da rede de pontos da Bahia, as do Sudoeste do Estado – Carinhanha e Jequié – e do Centro-Sul (Caetité, Itapetinga e Vitória da Conquista). Com base no aporte variacionista, objetiva averiguar as informações pertinentes à distribuição diatópica da ditongação e às características sociais dos informantes. A observação dos dados das cinco localidades demonstrou que, quando consideradas no conjunto das 22 cidades, caracterizam-se como áreas em que o fenômeno é restringido, à exceção de Caetité, que demonstra um comportamento próximo à neutralidade. A análise quantitativa das variáveis sociais é inconclusiva, em face do pequeno número de informantes. Informações não quantificadas, porém, são relevantes. Salienta-se que parte dos indivíduos migrou, residiu ou esteve em contato com cidades de Estados vizinhos, como Minas Gerais e São Paulo, representativas de outras áreas dialetais. A melhor compreensão desses e outros aspectos permitirão que se obtenha um retrato pormenorizado do fenômeno.
Residual Radioisotopes Generated from Neutron Irradiated Aluminum Capsules
Authors: Kambali Imam , Saptiama Indra , Suryanto Hari
Published: March 2018

Aluminum (Al) is often used to house a molybdenum oxide (MoO3) target for neutron or proton-produced technetium-99m (99mTc) radioisotope. During neutron or proton bombardment of an Al body, residual radioisotopes could be generated following nuclear reactions between the incoming particles and the Al body. In this research, residual radioisotopes produced following nuclear reactor based-neutron irradiation of Al body were experimentally measured using a portable gamma ray spectroscopy system; whereas TALYS 2015 calculated data were used to evaluate various nuclear reactions for the by-product identification. As a comparison, Al body used in a cyclotron-based 99mTc production was also analyzed. Experimental data indicated that relatively long-lived radioisotopes such as 26Al, 22Na and 24Na were identified in the Al body following nuclear reactor-based 99mTc production, whereas the presence of 27Mg radioisotope was, for the first time, experimentally detected in both the Al bodies for nuclear reactor-based and cyclotron-based 99mTc production. A special safety attention should be paid to the radiation workers when producing 99mTc using a nuclear reactor since it generates 26Al (half life = 716,600 years).
Canteen Wastewater and Gray Water Treatment Using Subsurface Constructed Wetland-Multilayer Filtration Vertical Flow Type with Melati Air (Echindorus paleafolius)
Authors: Astuti Ariani Dwi , Rinanti Astri , Viera Alexandre Amo F.
Published: March 2018

Domestic wastewater needs to be treated because it can pollute the environment, either water bodies, ground water, or soil. One alternative to treat domestic wastewater is using subsurface constructed wetland methods. This method has advantages, among others, cheap, simple technology and can be applied to the area of ample land. In this research, subsurface contructed wetlands-multilayer filtration with vertical flow type using Melati Air (Echindorus paleafolius) in field scale to treat domestic wastewater from canteens and gray water toilet of Senior High School at Bekasi with treatment capacity for 2261 L/day. Subsurface constructed wetlands-multilayer filtration with vertical flow type is an advanced treatment in this research. For preliminary treatment the collecting and aeration tank is used. Performance of subsurface constructed wetland-multilayer filtration with vertical flow type was able to achieve effluent COD parameters of 40 mg / L (standard 100 mg/L) from an average influent of 350 mg/L with removal efficiency of 90%, while BOD was successfully degraded to 33.00 mg/L (quality standard 30 mg/L) of an average influent concentration of 350 mg/L. In addition, the parameters analyzed are total nitrogen, the total phosphate succeeded to meet the quality standard. Based on the results of laboratory analysis, the reactor is able to treat organic loading of 500-700 kg BOD5/Ha/Day compared to previous research which is range from 40-300 kg BOD/Ha/ Day. Similarly, the value of K in this study ranged from 0.35-0.57 m/day for BOD and 0.37-0.45 m/day for COD compared to precious research which is 0.055-0.16 m / day for BOD and 0.027-0.16 m / day for COD.
Pedestrian Space Characteristics Analysis on Kyai Tapa-KH. Hasyim Ashari Street Corridor, West Jakarta
Authors: Uniaty Quintarina
Published: March 2018

The city of Jakarta shows special characteristics in social, economic and cultural structures, a characteristic of urban life that gives much influence to its physical form. Development of the city is faced with problem of environmental degradation caused by unbalanced provision of urban infrastructure and facilities against the heterogeneity of urban needs and activities. The services provided by municipal government are more often unable to keep up with increasing demands of society's needs. Urban spatial and specific facilities built to expect community activities in accordance with the facilities built.This paper aims to put forward the results of studies that have been done about public perception use of pedestrian and public space area at object  study, the characteristics of  user's activities area region object of research and empirical data about the problem of pedestrian path as part of a public space that is related to behavior of community activity. The research method is Descriptive Analysis as a research that suggests the phenomenon that occurs and see and seek interrelations. It is a combination of descriptive survey method with analytical survey method of a phenomenon. Case studies presented as an object of analysis at a later stage, to be able to better explain the facts found and influence between variables. Built environment as product and work in form of space, volume, structure, ornament; needed as a message representing the norms and values of society, perceptions and aspirations, including developing their motivations and expectations explicitly or implicitly. City life activities require pedestrian space adapted to the aspirations of its people, as an effort to humanize pedestrians into the pedestrian area planning as a spatial dimension in  urban area physical development.
Water Footprint Analysis In Krueng Aceh Watershed, Aceh Province, Indonesia
Authors: Satriyo Purwana , Pawitan Hidayat , Purwanto Yanuar J , Hidayat Yayat
Published: March 2018

Water is one the most important natural resources to maintain human life and all other living things in the earth. Around 65% water were consumed for drinking purpose, while others were used for daily needs. The increasing amount of work on water use and scarcity in relation to consumption and trade has led to the emergence of the field of Water Footprint (WF). Climate change, rural development, world population growth and industrialization have placed considerable stress on the local availability of water resources. Thus, it is necessary to perform study in order to analyze water demands and supply for sustainable water availability. Recently, water footprint analysis has been widely draw attention to the scientists and engineers. The water footprint analysis is closely related with virtual water from which it is defined as total water volume used for consumption and trade. The main aim of this present study is to analyze and assess the total water requirement based on community water footprint in Krueng Aceh watershed area. The virtual water used in this study are dominant consumption food commodities. The result shows that water footprint per capita in Krueng Aceh watershed area was 674.52 m3/year. Water footprint for rural and urban population were 608.27 m3/year and 740.77 m3/year respectively. The WF of food consumption in urban area of Krueng Aceh watershed is 690.74 m3 / capita / year and 584.22 m3/capita/year or average 625.69 m3/capita/year, while for non-food, the WF per capita is 24.05 m3/year in rural or 32.46% of the total water footprint. Non-food consumption per capita in Krueng Aceh and in urban areas is 50.03 m3/year or 67.53%. The total water demand based on the water footprint is 378,906,655.05 m3 in 2015 which is consumed by most of residents in the Krueng Aceh watershed area. Furthermore, total WF in rural and urban area are 193,489,128.95 m3 and 185,417,526.10 m3 respectively.
Effect of light on persistence of imidacloprid in soil
Authors: Elzorgani Mohammed G.A.
Published: March 2018

Imidacloprid are Applied Widely to Protect Crops from Damage by Insect Pest, the Residue Usually Come Into Contact with Soil, where They Undergo A Transformations That Lead to Formation of A Complex Pattern of Metabolites. This Study Was Performed to Study The Persistence And Degradation Of Imidacloprid In Gezira-Sudan Soil As Affected By UV And Sunlight Exposure.The High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC-DAD) Were Used To Characterize The Photodegradation Kinetics Under The Experiment Condition And To Identify The Main Photoproducts IMI-Urea In Soil Samples As To Propose Plausible Photodegradation Pathways Of Imidacloprid In Soil.Samples Of Soil Were Placed In Petri-Plate, Brought To Field Capacity Moisture And Then Exposed To UV And Sunlight. Residues Of Imidacloprid In Soil Dissipated With Half-Life Of 15.84 Under UV And 60.2 Days Under Sunlight. Exposure Of Thin Film Of Imidacloprid To UV And Sunlight Confirmed That It Is Photo Labile And Dissipated Very Fast With Half-Life 15.05 And 8.6 Days Under UV And Sunlight, Respectively. The Formation Of Imidacloprid-Urea As Main Photoproduct Was Only Detected On Day 7 In The Case Of Thin-Film Exposed To UV-Light. The Study Revealed That UV Component Of Sunlight Is An Important Factor For Imidacloprid Dissipation From Soil Surface.
Petrophysical evaluation and lithology delineation using cross-plots analysis from some onshore wells in the Nigerian-delta, west Africa
Authors: Ohakwere-Eze Michael , Igboekwe Magnus , Chukwu Godswill
Published: March 2018

Reservoir rock attributes such as porosity, permeability, pore-size geometry and net-to-gross ratio can grossly be affected by inaccurate delineation of the sand intervals. It is therefore pertinent that well log cross-plot is utilized to accurately delineate the sand body and correctly evaluate the petrophysical properties of the mapped sandstone intervals. Three wells (A, B and C) were studied from which analysis of various cross-plots were done. The cross-plots of the density and gamma ray, Acoustic impedance and VpVs ratio with various colour indicators such vertical depth, porosity, resistivity, water saturation etc. were generated using the Hampson Russel software. The hydrocarbon interval in the area occurs between 5870ft to 8900ft for well-A, 5500ft to 5910ft for well-B and 5700ft to 7230ft for well-C as interpreted from the well logs with an average porosity range from 26 to 39%. Cross-plot analysis was carried out to validate the sensitivity of the rock attributes to reservoir saturation condition. The cross-plot results clusters shows two major lithologies of sandstone and shale with occasional intercalation of sand and shale units. For the three wells considered, ten reservoirs were observed. Fluid detection analysis shows that reservoirs A1-A2 (well-A), B1-B2 (well-B), C3-C4 (well-C) were found to contain oil, while reservoir A3-A4 (well-A) and C1-C2 (well-C) contains gas. This study has shown that the cross-plots approach can be used to accurately delineate reservoirs for further formation evaluation. It therefore means that an outright estimation of petrophysical properties on wrongly delineated reservoirs can signiﬁcantly affect the porosity, permeability, pore-size geometry and net-to-gross ratio of the reservoir units.
La indagación científica y la transmisión-recepción: una contrastación de modelos de enseñanza para el aprendizaje del concepto densidad
Authors: Florez-Nisperuza Elvira Patricia , De la Ossa Albis Andrés Fernando
Published: March 2018

La indagación científica ha sido centro de atención de múltiples investigaciones en las últimas décadas; algunas respaldan y otras desacreditan su efectividad en el aprendizaje en relación con modelos de enseñanza más tradicionales como el de transmisión-recepción, que, para este estudio, se integran a prácticas de laboratorio coherentes con las respectivas metodologías. Este estudio tiene como objetivo principal determinar cuál de estas metodologías de la enseñanza tiene mayor influencia en el aprendizaje del concepto de densidad como propiedad de la materia en los niveles de conocimiento, comprensión y aplicación después de la intervención de cada estrategia, así como la indagación en el grupo experimental y la transmisión-recepción en el grupo de control. Por otra parte, se busca caracterizar los niveles de indagación alcanzados por los equipos conformados para realizar las prácticas de laboratorio del grupo sometido a dicho estrategia y relacionarlo con el aprendizaje. Para ello, se acude al paradigma cuantitativo de investigación y a un diseño cuasi-experimental de tipo transversal con pre y postest.  Los resultados muestran de forma contundente que la indagación científica presenta mejores resultados en el aprendizaje del concepto en cuestión que la metodología de contraste con promedios de (10,59) y (8,18) respectivamente, corroborado estadísticamente por una prueba t que muestra un nivel de significancia de 0,017. Además, el equipo de laboratorio que presentó mejor nivel de indagación obtuvo también el mejor promedio en el postest; sin embargo, atípicamente el equipo con el desempeño más bajo en la indagación superó al resto de equipos en dicho promedio.
Bezdroża ekologii – chrześcijańska krytyka współczesnych nurtów ekologii
Authors: Jurczyk Bernard
Published: March 2018

Na początku ekologia była gałęzią nauki zajmującą się relacjami i interakcjami między organizmami, których wyniki nie wzbudzały szczególnych zainteresowań. Zmieniło się to, gdy ekologia kulturalna zaczęła huczać w latach sześćdziesiątych. W latach 70. ekologia stała się formą sprzeciwu wobec rewolucji technologicznej i przemysłowej.
Typology and Representation of Alterations in Territorial Units: A Proposal
Authors: Goerlich Francisco , Ruiz Francisco
Published: March 2018

This article proposes a typology of boundary changes in territorial units at two points in time. The different types of changes are organized in a hierarchy and represented homogeneously, independently of the number of territorial units involved and of the changes to them. Each alteration is described precisely and unambiguously, and it is codified to allow the information to be treated automatically. In addition to providing efficient storage of the information about these changes, a canonical representation facilitates the automatic detection of inconsistencies in the database. At the same time, the typology allows us to define backward and forward equivalence rules, which helps in the task of generating homogeneous time series about territorial unit characteristics, such as population or surface area, or generating the full genealogy of a territorial unit over time. We also offer an application of the proposal to inconsistencies and error detection in the database Alterations to the Municipalities in the Population Censuses since 1842 from the Spanish National Statistical Institute (INE).
Components of Gini, Bonferroni, and Zenga Inequality Indexes for EU Income Data
Authors: Pasquazzi Leo , Zenga Michele
Published: March 2018

In this work we apply a new approach to assess contributions from factor components to income inequality. The new approach is based on the insight that most (synthetic) inequality indexes may be viewed as (weighted) averages of point inequality measures, which measure inequality between population subgroups identified by income. Assessing contributions of factor components to point inequality measures is usually an easy task, and based on these contributions it is straightforward to define contributions to the corresponding (synthetic) overall inequality indexes as well. As we shall show through an analysis of income data from Eurostat’s European Community Household Panel Survey (ECHP), the approach based on point inequality measures gives rise to readily interpretable results, which, we believe, is an advantage over other methods that have been proposed in literature.
An Analysis of Interviewer Travel and Field Outcomes in Two Field Surveys
Authors: Wagner James , Olson Kristen
Published: March 2018

In this article, we investigate the relationship between interviewer travel behavior and field outcomes, such as contact rates, response rates, and contact attempts in two studies, the National Survey of Family Growth and the Health and Retirement Study. Using call record paradata that have been aggregated to interviewer-day levels, we examine two important cost drivers as measures of interviewer travel behavior: the distance that interviewers travel to segments and the number of segments visited on an interviewer-day. We explore several predictors of these measures of travel - the geographic size of the sampled areas, measures of urbanicity, and other sample and interviewer characteristics. We also explore the relationship between travel and field outcomes, such as the number of contact attempts made and response rates.We find that the number of segments that are visited on each interviewer-day has a strong association with field outcomes, but the number of miles travelled does not. These findings suggest that survey organizations should routinely monitor the number of segments that interviewers visit, and that more direct measurement of interviewer travel behavior is needed.
Factor Structural Time Series Models for Official Statistics with an Application to Hours Worked in Germany
Authors: Weigand Roland , Wanger Susanne , Zapf Ines
Published: March 2018

We introduce a high-dimensional structural time series model, where co-movement between the components is due to common factors. A two-step estimation strategy is presented, which is based on principal components in differences in a first step and state space methods in a second step. The methods add to the toolbox of official statisticians, constructing timely regular statistics from different data sources. In this context, we discuss typical measurement features such as survey errors, statistical breaks, different sampling frequencies and irregular observation patterns, and describe their statistical treatment. The methods are applied to the estimation of paid and unpaid overtime work as well as flows on working-time accounts in Germany, which enter the statistics on hours worked in the national accounts.