bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation in Patients With Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction
Authors: Anselmino Matteo , Matta Mario , D’Ascenzo Fabrizio , Bunch T. Jared , Schilling Richard J. , Hunter Ross J. , Pappone Carlo , Neumann Thomas , Noelker Georg , Fiala Martin , Bertaglia Emanuele , Frontera Antonio , Duncan Edward , Nalliah Chrishan , Jais Pierre , Weerasooriya Rukshen , Kalman Jon M. , Gaita Fiorenzo
Published: September 2014

Background—

Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AFCA) is an established therapeutic option for rhythm control in symptomatic patients. Its efficacy and safety among patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction is based on small populations, and data concerning long-term outcome are limited. We performed this meta-analysis to assess safety and long-term outcome of AFCA in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction, to evaluate predictors of recurrence and impact on left ventricular function.

Methods and Results—

A systematic review was conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed and Cochrane Library. Randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, and observational studies including patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction undergoing AFCA were included. Twenty-six studies were selected, including 1838 patients. Mean follow-up was 23 (95% confidence interval, 18–40) months. Overall complication rate was 4.2% (3.6%–4.8%). Efficacy in maintaining sinus rhythm at follow-up end was 60% (54%–67%). Meta-regression analysis revealed that time since first atrial fibrillation (
P
=0.030) and heart failure (
P
=0.045) diagnosis related to higher, whereas absence of known structural heart disease (
P
=0.003) to lower incidence of atrial fibrillation recurrences. Left ventricular ejection fraction improved significantly during follow-up by 13% (
P
<0.001), with a significant reduction of patients presenting an ejection fraction <35% (
P
<0.001). N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide blood levels decreased by 620 pg/mL (
P
<0.001).

Conclusions—

AFCA efficacy in patients with impaired left ventricular systolic function improves when performed early in the natural history of atrial fibrillation and heart failure. AFCA provides long-term benefits on left ventricular function, significantly reducing the number of patients with severely impaired systolic function.
Measuring the Effectiveness of the Graphical Communication of Hurricane Storm Surge Threat
Authors: Sherman-Morris Kathleen , Antonelli Karla B. , Williams Carrick C.
Published: September 2014

Color is an important variable in the graphical communication of weather information. The effect of different colors on understanding and perception is not always considered prior to releasing an image to the public. This study tests the influence of color as well as legend values on the effectiveness of communicating storm surge potential. In this study, 40 individuals participated in an eye-tracking experiment in which they responded to eight questions about five different storm scenarios. Color was varied among three palettes (shades of blue, green to red, and yellow to purple), and legends were varied to display categorical values in feet (<3, 3–6, etc.) or text descriptions (low, medium, etc.). Questions measured accuracy, perceived risk, and perceived helpfulness. Overall, accuracy was high and few statistically significant differences were observed across color/legend combinations. Evidence did suggest that the blue values condition may have been the most difficult to interpret. Statistical support for this claim includes longer response times and a greater number of eye fixations on the legend. The feet values condition also led to a greater number of eye fixations on the legend and letter markers than the category text condition. The green–red condition was the strong preference among all groups as the color condition that best informs the public about storm surge risk. This color palette led to slightly higher levels of accuracy and perceived helpfulness, but the differences were not significant.
Memory and hope: new perspectives on the Kashmir conflict – an introduction
Authors: Mathur Shubh
Published: September 2014

The guest editorial of the special section of the journal argues that one should not view the conflict as simply a territorial dispute between India and Pakistan, but as experienced by Kashmiris as the heavily militarised control of everyday life (which means disappearances, unmarked mass graves, torture and rape carried out by armed forces with impunity). It is those inside Kashmir who can provide the possible solutions to the conflict. The author provides a historical background to the State of Jammu and Kashmir from the 1846 Treaty of Amritsar, through decolonisation and the refusal to hold the promised plebiscite on Kashmir’s future, to the rise of militant insurgency. It situates in current conditions the articles that follow: by Nyla Ali Khan (on her grandfather Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah and the 1953 coup); Gowhar Geelani (on not letting the world forget Kashmir); Jim Drummond (on the political use of the death penalty); Sajid Iqbal (on the possibility of transitional justice); Noor Ahmad Baba (on the potential for political solutions); and Gull Wani (on sub-regional contradictions and devolved power).
High resolution X-ray tomography – three-dimensional characterisation of cell–scaffold constructs for cartilage tissue engineering
Authors: Zehbe R. , Schmitt V. H. , Kirkpatrick C. J. , Brochhausen C.
Published: September 2014

Synchrotron radiation based microcomputed tomography (SR-μCT) has become a valuable tool for the structural analysis of different types of biomaterials. This methodology allows the non-destructive investigation of specimens in their three-dimensional context. In the present paper, articular cartilage is taken as an exemplary tissue to demonstrate the suitability of the SR-μCT method for the investigation of biomaterials for different tissue engineering approaches. Thus, a biodegradable scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering in different modifications was analysed. Using enhanced phase contrast imaging, it was possible to demonstrate single cells without further metal staining. The three-dimensional data acquired for each investigated sample allowed qualitative and quantitative analyses without irreversibly damaging the samples. The use of the phase contrast mode enables the analysis of single cells within a scaffold material even under mechanical stimulation. This opens up innovative perspectives for the future study of the behaviour of cells in their three-dimensional environment and the non-destructive study of morphogenesis in cell–scaffold constructs.
Influence of nitrogen doping on properties of NiO films
Authors: Sriram S. , Thayumanavan A. , Ravichandran K.
Published: September 2014

Undoped and nitrogen (N) doped nickel oxide (NiO) thin films were deposited onto glass substrates using a simplified spray pyrolysis technique with two different doping levels of N (10 and 20 at-%). The effects of N doping level on the structural, electrical and optical properties were studied and reported. From the structural studies, it is found that the preferential orientation changed from (111) to (200) for higher concentrations. The optical studies revealed that the average optical transmittance and optical band gap decreased (from 3·5 to 3·4 eV) due to N doping. The electrical resistivity decreased by one order (from 3·84E+03 Ωcm to 5·38E+02 Ωcm) in the case of higher doping of N. The defects generated by N doping were analysed using the photoluminescence studies. The size of the grains decreased due to N doping as seen from SEM studies.
Brain-to-Brain (mind-to-mind) interaction at distance: a confirmatory study
Authors: Tressoldi Patrizio E. , Pederzoli Luciano , Bilucaglia Marco , Caini Patrizio , Fedele Pasquale , Ferrini Alessandro , Melloni Simone , Richeldi Diana , Richeldi Florentina , Accardo Agostino
Published: September 2014

This study reports the results of a confirmatory experiment testing the hypothesis that it is possible to detect coincidences of a sequence of events (silence-signal) of different length, by analyzing the EEG activity of two human partners spatially separated when one member of the pair receives the stimulation and the second one is connected only mentally with the first.

Seven selected participants with a long friendship and a capacity to maintain focused mental concentration, were divided into two groups located in two different laboratories approximately 190 km apart. Each participant  acted both as a “stimulated” and as a “mentally connected” member of the pair for a total of twenty sessions overall.

The offline analysis of EEG activity using a special classification algorithm based on a support vector machine, detected the coincidences in the sequence of events of the stimulation protocol between the EEG activity of the “stimulated” and the “mentally connected” pairs.

Furthermore the correlation of the power spectra of the five EEG frequency bands between each of the twenty pairs of data was analyzed using a bootstrap procedure.

The overall percentage of coincidences out of 88 events was 78.4% and the statistically significant average correlations between the EEG alpha and gamma bands among the pairs of participants, which confirmed the results observed in a pilot study, support the hypothesis that it is possible to connect two brains and hence two minds at distance.
The Reach and Persuasiveness of Viral Video Ads
Authors: Tucker Catherine E.
Published: September 2014

Many video ads are designed to go viral so that the total number of views they receive depends on customers sharing the ads with their friends. This paper explores the relationship between the number of views and how persuasive the ad is at convincing consumers to purchase or to adopt a favorable attitude towards the product. The analysis combines data on the total views of 400 video ads, and crowd-sourced measurement of advertising persuasiveness among 24,000 survey responses. Persuasiveness is measured by randomly exposing half of these consumers to a video ad and half to a similar placebo video ad, and then surveying their attitudes towards the focal product. Relative ad persuasiveness is on average 10% lower for every one million views that the video ad achieves. The exceptions to this pattern were ads that generated views and large numbers of comments, and video ads that attracted comments that mentioned the product by name. Evidence suggests that such ads remained effective because they attracted views due to humor rather than because they were outrageous.
Providing financial support at the time of greatest need
Authors: Gale Roger
Published: September 2014

Roger Gale is chief executive of the newly-launched Child Funeral Charity, which from 1 October will help bereaved parents by contributing towards the cost of a baby or child's funeral. Here, he explains the ethos behind the organisation and highlights the role midwives can play.
Do women who have encountered vaginal childbirth experience long term incontinence or perineal pain?
Authors: Whapples Emma
Published: September 2014

It has been established that around 85% of women who have had a vaginal birth experience perineal trauma, of which approximately 70% of these will require suturing. In the 2011 UK census, 503 972 vaginal births were recorded and 370 984 women experienced perineal trauma. Women anecdotally reporting their concerns in future pregnancies, led to this research being conducted. A qualitative method was used to determine how women felt physically and emotionally following vaginal childbirth. In total, nine women were selected using convenience and purposive sampling and were interviewed between 3–6 months postnatally. Interviews were taped and transcribed verbatim.

An eight-point multifaceted approach has been designed to improve postnatal health in areas where a deficit had been uncovered. This research demonstrated areas of concern in postnatal health, in particular, incontinence and perineal pain. It has also highlighted areas of care provision that need improvement.
The healthy eating and lifestyle in pregnancy (HELP) feasibility study
Authors: Jewell Karen , Avery Amanda , Barber Jenny , Simpson Sharon
Published: September 2014

Obesity and excess gestational weight gain (GWG) are linked to increased complications during pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

This study aimed to explore the feasibility of group-based weight management for obese pregnant women. At booking, pregnant women with a body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2 were invited to weekly weight management groups, facilitated by a midwife and Slimming World consultant, providing diet and lifestyle, goal setting and general pregnancy advice. Attendance was until 6 weeks postpartum. 148 women with a mean age of 32 years (5.3 SD) and BMI of 37.4 kg/m2 (5.5 SD) attended. 85% (n=126) went to >3 and 65% (n=96) >6 sessions. The mean birth weight for 132 newborns was 3.53 kg (0.49 SD) and for the 39 women losing weight, 3.59 kg (0.35 SD). Of the 132 births, 48% were spontaneous vaginal delivery; 89% (115) initiated breastfeeding; 70% were still breastfeeding 28 days post-delivery.

The healthy eating and lifestyle in pregnancy (HELP) group proved to be an acceptable intervention providing women with the ability to control weight gain during pregnancy, as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle postpartum. Although the study was underpowered and exploratory, restricting GWG did not have a negative impact on the birth weights or other birth outcomes. Indeed, more babies were born in the healthy weight range to those women who lost weight during pregnancy.
Prognostic factors for malignant melanoma
Authors: Tennant Bryn
Published: September 2014

Introduction: Survival times for melanoma are affected by age and tumour size, and unaffected by the use of adjuvant chemotherapy.
New developments in wound therapy: part 1
Authors: Bowlt Kelly
Published: September 2014

The requirement to manage complicated wounds in practice is commonplace and treatment options are constantly evolving. This series provides an update on some of the most recent developments in wound management. The reader should be mindful that existing techniques (e.g. wet-to-dry dressings, foam dressings etc.) are well proven, and new techniques may not always be preferable.
The importance of good oral hygiene to maintain implants
Authors: Pleasance Christine
Published: September 2014

There are more and more people having implants placed and the need to maintain these implants is the most important aspect of dental treatment. We need to educate our patients on how to look after their implants and explain the reasons why it is necessary
Accountability and Infection Prevention and Control
Authors: Griffith Richard
Published: September 2014

Dental practices are areas of high risk of cross infection if standards for infection prevention and control are not met. This article discusses the accountability of dental care professionals and gives examples of the sanctions that DCPs may face if they fail to protect their patients
Dos and don'ts – the answers
Authors: Collier Andrew
Published: September 2014

This is the second of two articles featuring a number of dilemmas that may be faced by dental nurses concerning their role when treating patients and with regard to individual professional responsibilities. It will outline the best ways forward and refers to the current guidance available
Writing up the lab sheet – what YOU are saying about education and training
Authors: Parker Marie
Published: September 2014

The third article in this series from the NEBDN discusses what discrepancies exist between research and practice in relation to delivering education and training
Make email your servant, not your master
Authors: Bridges Glenys
Published: September 2014

If allowed to, emails will become time thieves. Become the master of your emails by following these useful tips to stop your inbox from overflowing with unwanted messages
Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation in practice
Authors: Kwasnicki Andy
Published: September 2014

CPR is an essential skill for all health care professionals and regular training is a GDC requirement. These skills should be updated as part of medical emergencies scenario training
Oral ulceration: aetiology, diagnosis and treatment
Authors: Hullah Esther A
Published: September 2014

Oral ulceration is common and the causes are very varied. In this article, the authors outline the main causes of oral ulceration and the importance of the clinical history to ensure correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment
Properties of Commercial Kraft Paper Honeycomb Furniture Stock Panels Conditioned under 65 and 95 Percent Relative Humidity
Authors: Semple Kate E. , Sam-Brew Solace , Deng James , Cote Francine , Yan Ning , Chen Zheng , Smith Gregory D.
Published: September 2014

Physical and mechanical properties of a range of commercially produced kraft paper honeycomb stock panels were assessed to provide technical information of interest to primary and secondary manufacturers and product end users. Five groups of four replicate panels each 44.45 mm in thickness were fabricated by Panolite Industries, Lac Megantic, Quebec, from unlaminated 6.3- and 9.5-mm-thick medium-density fiberboard (MDF) and particleboard (PB), and 3.2-mm-thick veneered hardboard (HB). At 65 percent relative humidity (RH) sandwiches made from MDF were superior in mechanical properties to those made from PB. Marked differences in flexural properties were found for 3.2-mm veneered HB; this type of facing and the sandwich structure made from it is significantly greater in flexure when the wood veneer runs parallel to the long axis of the panel. For PB and MDF facings, sandwiches were stronger and stiffer if made from thicker facing material (9.5 mm), and there was a small but significant effect of honeycomb ribbon orientation: an orientation parallel to the long axis of the panel/test specimen gives the sandwich greater resistance to deformation under load. Conditioning facing materials and sandwich specimens under 95 percent RH over 45 days caused loss of strength properties of up to 50 percent, especially for 6.3-mm MDF.
FLΔG Collective: Praxis between the educational turn and the art school
Authors: Collective FLΔG
Published: September 2014

This article will explore the FLΔG Collective’s ‘cake methodology’ developed to enable a shared praxis between a group of multi-level (B.A., M.A., Ph.D.) fine art students and staff. Cake methodology is a term developed to frame FLΔG’s working methods analytically by describing the methods and exploring how these approaches may have a critical purpose both within and potentially outside the art educational institution. The methods include baking and sharing cakes within the group and with participants, but rely on forms of engagement that move beyond the association with food or eating. Praxis, as the process by which a theory, lesson or skill is enacted, practiced or performed, is central to our approach, and was developed through an exploration of, and engagement with, the ‘educational turn’ in the contemporary art world. FLΔG, however, re-turned the exploration of pedagogy and art to the academy, and cake methodology emerged as part of this ‘re-turn’. The praxis afforded by this re-turn can thus perhaps provide a perspective on current higher art education and on aspects of relational and socially engaged art practice. Two FLΔG events will be used to exemplify this methodology: Workshop in the Workshop at Chelsea School of Arts (2014) and Quiet Cake Conversation at The Showroom Gallery (2013).
Some observations on commitment and dialogue
Authors: Lillebostad Sissel
Published: September 2014

The aim of the Creative Curating at Bergen Academy of Art and Design, Norway, is to create an understanding of what it takes to shape and carry out curatorial projects. The programme is built around two focal points: the development of individual projects realized in ‘real-life’ and the internal exchange of knowledge during the seminars. One of the questions raised in the process of creating the programme was how to institute numerous voices as an integral part of the learning environment. Theoretical sources for this article come from Mikhail Bakhtin and Paulo Freire. Both discuss dialogue as part of a learning environment. Bakhtin sees the dialogue as an on-going event that involves manifold voices of the past and the future. For Freire dialogue is a creative activity; it happens between people with common interest and mutual respect. Both underline how real dialogue can challenge pre-conceived ideas, demanding and creating critical thinking.
Development of Pharmacophore Model and Asymmetric Synthesis of Novel Tetrahydrofuran Derivatives Enroute to Triple Uptake Inhibitors As Anti-Depressant Agents
Authors: dutta aloke , Sharma Horrick , Santra Soumava , Debnath Joy , Reith Maarten
Published: September 2014

Unipolar depression, caused by an imbalance of monoamine neurotransmitters in brain, is ranked as the most prevalent of all somatic and psychiatric illness. It is estimated that about 40 % of patients remains refractory to treatment thereby limiting the use of current antidepressant drugs. Moreover, because of relapse and unwanted side effects of existing drugs there is an unmet need to discover novel agents for the treatment of this devastating mental disorder. Current treatment aims at alleviating extraneuronal concentration of serotonin (5-HT) and /or norepinephrine (NE) (Figure 1). Tricyclic antidepressants were among the first class to have been discovered but due to their nonspecific side effects they have limited use in clinics. They have been largely replaced by second-generation antidepressants including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI, e.g., fluoxetine, Figure 2), selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (NRI, e.g. reboxetine, Figure 2), and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI, venlafexine, Figure 2).
Determination of Biophenols in Olive Oil
Authors: Sheng Li
Published: September 2014

Vegetable oils contain various antioxidants, including vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acids. Some of these oils, especially olive oil, contain another group of antioxidant phenolic compounds. The health benefits from the phenolics have recently been published with the rising recommendation of communicating these effects on food labels. As an official testing method is unavailable from AOCS and AOAC, we developed an HPLC method based on the biophenol method of the International Olive Council. Many analytical standards are commercially unavailable for biophenols, and neither retention time nor capacity factor can be used in chromatograms for biophenol identification. Therefore we identified a set of available standards with different retention times to spread across the chromatogram in addition to an internal standard. The biophenol profile can thus be established referring to these standards. More than 20 biophenols were included in this method. Different brands of olive oil and several types of vegetable oils were sampled and tested. Extra virgin olive oil was found to have the highest content while fewer biophenols were found in processed olive oil and other vegetable oils. As for the other vegetable oils different biophenol profiles were also observed. This method has great potential in olive oil authenticity testing, and in quality control to differentiate substandard olive oils.
Standing-wave solutions to a system of
non-linear Klein–Gordon equations with a small energy/charge ratio
Authors: Garrisi Daniele
Published: September 2014

We prove the existence of standing-wave solutions to a system of
non-linear Klein–Gordon equations on ℝ
N
with N ≥ 3.
Our solutions are characterised by a small energy/charge ratio,
appropriately defined.
Patent Valuation under Spatial Point Processes with Delayed and Decreasing Jump Intensity
Authors: Cerqueti Roy , Ventura Marco
Published: September 2014

This article is set within the real options approach applied to patent valuation. Such evaluation is based on the knowledge of the impact of some events on the underlying state, which is modeled in discrete time as a spatial point process, i.e. both size and time of the jumps can be treated as random variables. This assumption allows us to improve upon the current theory of patent valuation in some respects. In particular, the propagation of the jumps from the economic environment to the patent value is not restricted to be immediate, but can occur with a random delay and with varying intensity, depending on the time to maturity. These actual features lead to a more general formula for patent value that may give rise to a non-trivial difference not accounted for in the existing literature.
Transcriptome sequencing of the marine microalga, Chlorella pyrenoidosa (Chlorophyta), and analysis of carbonic anhydrase expression under salt stress
Authors: Sun Xue , Wang Weiwei , Shen Jia , Xu Nianjun
Published: September 2014

In this study, the transcriptome of the marine microalga, Chlorella pyrenoidosa 820, was sequenced by high-throughput RNA-seq using Illumina HiSeq 2000. Because the genome sequence of this species is unknown, the resulting transcriptome was assembled de novo and annotated. This resulted in 4.71G clean nucleotides with a 56.91% GC content and yielded a total of 36,826 unigenes with a mean length of 1089 nt. Among these, 23,015 unigenes were annotated in the NCBI-NR, NCBI-NT, Swiss-Prot, KEGG, COG, and GO databases with a cutoff E-value of 10-5. In the annotated sequences, 21 unigenes were identified as carbonic anhydrase (CA), which is an important enzyme in the CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM), and were homologous to nine α-, eight β-, and four γ-CAs. Interestingly, the expression of three CA subtypes, including one α-, one β-, and one γ-CA, analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR, showed induction by high salinity. These results will enrich the CA gene information in the database and will help understand CCM in the genus Chlorella.
Wild Sunflower Species as a Genetic Resource for Resistance to Sunflower Broomrape (Orobanche cumana Wallr.)
Authors: Seiler Gerald J. , Jan Chao-Chien
Published: September 2014

Broomrape (
Violence and socioeconomic conditions in Cape Town
Authors: Seekings Jeremy , Thaler Kai
Published: September 2014

There is considerable debate over the causes of violence around the world, one which goes beyond the analysis of conflict to consider the dynamics of community behavior and the importance of economic and behavioral factors. One of the most interesting countries to study is South Africa, where violence seems to have increased rather than declined since democratization. South Africa competes with Colombia, Venezuela, and a number of Central American countries for the unwelcome distinction of having among the world’s highest homicide rates, and high prevalence of other forms of violence, including domestic and sexual violence, are also appallingly prevalent. This article presents an analysis of data from a panel of young men in Cape Town. It provides little support for the hypothesis that unemployment and poverty are direct causes of violence against strangers. The impact of drinking (or taking drugs) by adults in the home or by the young men themselves, living in a bad neighborhood, and immediate poverty are associated with violence against strangers, but being unemployed is not. This suggests that few young people in South Africa in the early 2000s come from backgrounds that strongly predispose them against the use of violence. [JEL codes: D74, O55]
The effects of agricultural cooperatives on land conflicts, violence, and community trust: Household-level evidence from rural Burundi
Authors: McDougal Topher L. , Almquist Lars
Published: September 2014

Facing a population growth rate of 3.2 percent and dwindling per capita land access, many rural communities in Burundi are experimenting with land cooperatives to collectivize risk, share information, reap economies of scale (if any), and build trust between association members. We use unique field data gathered by one author (Almquist) during a one-shot evaluation of a cooperative association operating in three villages in southeastern Burundi. We employ pseudo difference-in-differences logistic regression models to assess the effects of the cooperative on the (1) incidence of reported land conflicts within the last three years, (2) perceived community land inequality, (3) reported acceptability of land inequality, (4) violence toward acquaintances, (5) trust of colleagues, and (6) trust of neighbors. We find no evidence that cooperatives affect the incidence of land conflicts, but do find that residents of cooperative villages exhibit heightened perceptions of, and lower tolerance for, land inequalities; they are less likely to report violence toward acquaintances, but cooperative members are more likely to do so than nonmembers; and nonmember residents of active cooperative towns report less trust toward neighbors. We speculate that one weakness of cooperatives is that they may heighten the risk of violence between members and nonmembers. [JEL codes: D74, H56, O1]
Similar plastic responses to elevated temperature among different‐sized brook trout populations
Authors: Wood Jacquelyn L. A. , Fraser Dylan J.
Published: September 2014

The potential influence of population size on the magnitude of phenotypic plasticity, a key factor in adaptation to environmental change, has rarely been studied. Conventionally, small populations might exhibit consistently lower plasticity than large populations if small population habitats are generally poor in quality and if genetic diversity underpinning plasticity is lost as population size is reduced. Alternatively, small populations might exhibit (1) consistently higher plasticity as a response to the increased environmental variation that can accompany habitat fragment size reduction or (2) greater variability in plasticity, as fragmentation can increase variability in habitat types. We explored these alternatives by investigating plasticity to increasing temperature in a common garden experiment using eight fragmented populations of brook trout varying nearly 50‐fold in census size (179–8416) and 10‐fold in effective number of breeders (18–135). Across six early‐life‐history traits and three temperatures, we found almost no evidence for differences in either the magnitude or variability of plasticity in relation to population size, despite that one temperature represented an extreme climate warming scenario. The documentation of similar plastic responses of small and large populations suggests that phenotypic plasticity is not reduced as population size decreases, and that even very small populations of some species might have the ability to respond to climate change.
Origins and migratory patterns of bats killed by wind turbines in southern Alberta: evidence from stable isotopes
Authors: Baerwald E. F. , Patterson W. P. , Barclay R. M. R.
Published: September 2014

Large numbers of migratory bats are killed every autumn at wind energy facilities in North America. While this may be troubling from a population perspective, these fatalities provide an opportunity to learn more about bat migration and the origins and summer distributions of migratory bats by using endogenous markers. Such markers include stable isotope values, which have been used to answer questions about ecological systems, such as trophic levels and food webs, and the origins and migratory routes of animals. To estimate the origins of migratory bats, we determined nitrogen (δ15N), carbon (δ13C), and hydrogen (δ2H) stable isotope values of fur (δ15Nf, δ13Cf, δ2Hf,respectively) from hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus) and silver‐haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans) killed at a wind energy facility in southern Alberta, Canada. We determined that mean isotope values varied among species, year, sex, and age class. δ13Cfand δ2Hfvalues indicated that silver‐haired bats likely originated in the boreal forest, farther north and/or at higher elevations than the aspen parkland‐like habitat suggested by the isotope values of hoary bats. IsoMAP analysis indicated that bat fatalities may have originated from a large catchment area potentially hundreds of kilometers away. Our data provide further evidence for a migration route along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains that is used by bats from across Alberta and beyond, and suggest that fatalities at a single wind energy site have the potential to have far‐reaching ecological and population consequences.
Local randomness, vegetation type and dispersal drive bird and mammal's diversity in a tropical South American region
Authors: Cáceres N. C. , Dambros C. S. , Melo G. L. , Sponchiado J. , Della-Flora F. , Moura M. O.
Published: September 2014

How dispersal, environmental filters, and local extinctions affect species diversity depends on the species requirements for habitat, dispersal limitations, and abundance. Few studies have been able to properly separate these processes and to show how they affect the beta diversity patterns for multiple organisms. We investigated how the composition of birds and mammals changed along geographical and environmental gradients in an environmentally complex South American region. Using mantel tests and a null model approach we disentangled the effects of dispersal, environment, and stochastic processes in the species beta diversities. The similarity on species composition was negatively associated with the geographical distance separating areas for both groups. The changes in bird species composition likely resulted from their dispersal limitation over large geographical regions. In contrast, the composition of mammals in a given area was a partially random subset of the regional species pool, to some extent, filtered by the vegetation. Small communities tended to have more variable species composition, whereas dispersal limited birds showed a stronger distance‐decay pattern. Neither local randomness nor dispersal limitation prevented species from being filtered by the environment. Other groups are likely to show similar patterns depending on their dispersal abilities, environmental requirements and community size.
Cultivar diversity as a means of ecologically intensifying dry matter production in a perennial forage stand
Authors: Pollnac F. W. , Smith R. G. , Warren N. D.
Published: September 2014

The relationship between genotypic diversity and productivity has not been adequately explored in perennial forage production systems despite strong theoretical and empirical evidence supporting diversity's role in ecosystem functioning in other managed and unmanaged systems. We conducted a two‐year field experiment with six cultivars of an agriculturally important forage grass, Lolium perenne L. (perennial ryegrass). Dry matter production of L. perenne and the weed community that emerged from the soil seed bank were measured each year in treatments that ranged from cultivar monocultures to three‐ and six‐way cultivar mixtures, all sown at a constant seeding rate. Mean L. perenne dry matter production increased with increasing cultivar diversity and was highest in mixtures that contained cultivars representing the greatest additive trait range (calculated on rankings of three traits: winter hardiness, heading date, and tolerance to grazing). Mixtures had greater yields than those predicted by the mean of their component monoculture yields, but there was evidence that highly productive cultivars may have dampened over‐yielding in mixtures. Weed abundance was correlated with L. perenne dry matter, but not L. perenne cultivar diversity. These results suggest that multi‐cultivar mixtures may have utility as an approach to ecologically intensifying perennial forage production. Additional research will be necessary to determine the mechanisms responsible for the over‐yielding observed in this study and the generality of these findings.
Kinetics and thermodynamics of the sorption of furaltadone from aqueous solutions on magnetic multi-walled carbon nanotubes
Authors: Chen Xu , Xiong Zhen-hu
Published: September 2014

Magnetic multi-wall carbon nanotubes (M-MWCNTs) were used as an adsorbent for removal of furaltadone from aqueous solutions, and the adsorption behaviors were investigated by varying pH, sorbent amount, sorption time and temperature. The results showed that the adsorption efficiency of furaltadone reached 97% when the dosage of M-MWCNT was 0.45 g · L−1, the pH was 7 and the adsorption time was 150 min. The kinetic data showed that the pseudo-second-order model can fit the adsorption kinetics. The sorption data could be well explained by the Langmuir model under different temperatures. The adsorption process was influenced by both intraparticle diffusion and external mass transfer. The experimental data analysis indicated that the electrostatic attraction and π–π stacking interactions between M-MWCNT and furaltadone might be the adsorption mechanism. Thermodynamic analysis reflected that adsorption of furaltadone on the M-MWCNT was spontaneous and exothermic. Our study showed that M-MWCNTs can be used as a potential adsorbent for removal of furaltadone from water and wastewater.
The industrial water footprint of zippers
Authors: Zhang Yin , Wu Xiong Ying , Wang Lai Li , Ding Xue Mei
Published: September 2014

Industrial production of apparel consumes large quantity of freshwater and discharges effluents that intensify the problem of freshwater shortage and water pollution. The industrial water footprint (IWF) of a piece of apparel includes the water footprint (WF) of the fabric, apparel accessories (e.g. zipper, fastener, sewing thread) and industrial production processes. The objective of this paper is to carry out a pilot study on IWF accounting for three kinds of typical zipper (i.e. metal zipper, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) zipper and polyoxymethylene copolymer (Co-POM) zipper) that are commonly used for apparel production. The results reveal that product output exerts a remarkable influence on zipper's average IWF. Metal zipper has the largest IWF and followed by Co-POM zipper and PET zipper. Painting, dyeing and primary processing are the top three water-consuming processes and contribute about 90% of the zipper's IWF. Painting consumes the largest amount of freshwater among all processes and occupies more than 50% of the zipper's IWF. In addition, the grey water footprint (WFgrey) provides the greatest contribution, more than 80%, to the zipper's IWF. Based on these results, this paper also provides several strategies aimed at water economization and pollution reduction during industrial production of zipper.
Photo-Fenton-like treatment of K-acid: assessment of treatability, toxicity and oxidation products
Authors: Olmez-Hanci Tugba , Arslan-Alaton Idil , Gelegen Ozlem
Published: September 2014

Photo-Fenton-like treatment of the commercially important naphthalene sulphonate K-acid (2-naphthylamine-3,6,8-trisulphonic acid) was investigated using UV-C, UV-A and visible light irradiation. Changes in toxicity patterns were followed by the Vibrio fischeri bioassay. Rapid and complete degradation of K-acid accompanied with nearly complete oxidation and mineralization rates (>90%) were achieved for all studied irradiation types. On the other hand, detoxification was rather limited and did not change significantly during photo-Fenton-like treatment. Several oxidation products could be identified via liquid chromatograph–mass spectrometer analyses, such as desulphonated and hydroxylated naphthalene derivatives, quinones, and ring-opening as well as dimerization products. Photo-Fenton-like treatment of K-acid with UV-C, UV-A and visible light irradiation occurred through a series of hydroxylation and desulphonation reactions, followed by ring cleavage. A common degradation pathway for photo-Fenton-like treatment of K-acid using different irradiation types was proposed.
Non-linear modeling using fuzzy principal component regression for Vidyaranyapuram sewage treatment plant, Mysore – India
Authors: Sulthana Ayesha , Latha K. C. , Imran Mohammad , Rathan Ramya , Sridhar R. , Balasubramanian S.
Published: September 2014

Fuzzy principal component regression (FPCR) is proposed to model the non-linear process of sewage treatment plant (STP) data matrix. The dimension reduction of voluminous data was done by principal component analysis (PCA). The PCA score values were partitioned by fuzzy-c-means (FCM) clustering, and a Takagi–Sugeno–Kang (TSK) fuzzy model was built based on the FCM functions. The FPCR approach was used to predict the reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biological oxygen demand (BOD) of treated wastewater of Vidyaranyapuram STP with respect to the relations modeled between fuzzy partitioned PCA scores and target output. The designed FPCR model showed the ability to capture the behavior of non-linear processes of STP. The predicted values of reduction in COD and BOD were analyzed by performing the linear regression analysis. The predicted values for COD and BOD reduction showed positive correlation with the observed data.
Condition assessment survey of onsite sewage disposal systems (OSDSs) in Hawaii
Authors: Babcock Roger W. , Lamichhane Krishna M. , Cummings Michael J. , Cheong Gloria H.
Published: September 2014

Onsite sewage disposal systems (OSDSs) are the third leading cause of groundwater contamination in the USA. The existing condition of OSDSs in the State of Hawaii was investigated to determine whether a mandatory management program should be implemented. Based on observed conditions, OSDSs were differentiated into four categories: ‘pass’, ‘sludge scum’, ‘potential failure’ and ‘fail’. Of all OSDSs inspected, approximately 68% appear to be in good working condition while the remaining 32% are failing or are in danger of failing. Homeowner interviews found that 80% of OSDSs were not being serviced in any way. About 70% of effluent samples had values of total-N and total-P greater than typical values and 40% had total suspended solids (TSS) and 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) greater than typical values. The performance of aerobic treatment units (ATUs) was no better than septic tanks and cesspools indicating that the State's approach of requiring but not enforcing maintenance contracts for ATUs is not working. In addition, effluent samples from OSDSs located in drinking water wells estimated 2-year capture zones had higher average concentrations of TSS, BOD5, and total-P than units outside of these zones, indicating the potential for contamination. These findings suggest the need to introduce a proactive, life-cycle OSDS management program in the State of Hawaii.
Recovery of phosphorus from sewage sludge in combination with the supercritical water process
Authors: Zhai Yunbo , Xiang Bobin , Chen Hongmei , Xu Bibo , Zhu Lu , Li Caiting , Zeng Guangming
Published: September 2014

In this paper, the fraction transformation and recovering of phosphorus (P) from sewage sludge (SS) residues, derived from supercritical water process, was investigated by extraction and precipitation processes. In addition, the form of heavy metals existing during the recovery process is also discussed. First, P in the solid residues was recovered by acid leaching with HCl, and then the derived P was adsorbed by activated alumina (Al2O3). Finally, the Al2O3 was desorbed with low concentration of NaOH. Results showed that 80% organic P was converted into HCl-P. The total P (the chief ingredient of HCl-P) in solid residue increased from 86.1 to 95.6% as temperature increased from 350 to 400 °C. The amount of P in the solid residue that was dissolved by 1 M HCl was 97.8%, and over 95% of P in the leaching solution (15 mg/L for P concentration) was adsorbed after 5.0 g of Al2O3 powder was added. The amount of P desorbed from Al2O3 with 0.1 M NaOH was 98.7%. Ultimately, over 85% of TP in SS was recovered. Moreover, the proportion of Cu, Zn and Pb in the extracted P products was lower than 5%.
Rhamnolipid biosurfactant from Pseudomonas aeruginosa: From discovery to application in contemporary technology
Authors: Rikalovic Milena , Vrvic Miroslav , Karadzic Ivanka
Published: September 2014

The rhamnolipids are most likely the next generation of biosurfactants which
will reach the market. They should follow closely after alkyl polyglycosides,
already established in the biosurfactants market, and sophorolipids, which
can be found in several cleaning agents. However, the greatest number of
recent publications and patents among glycolipid biosurfactants has been
dedicated to rhamnolipids. Produced mainly by Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
rhamnolipids are mixtures of different rhamnolipid congeners, which show
physico-chemical properties that differ from those of single congeners, with
the most abundant structure in the mixture having the largest impact on the
overall characteristics of the total mixture. Characteristics of
biodegradability, low toxicity, production from renewable sources and
antimicrobial (particularly antifungal) activity together make rhamnolipid
biosurfactants particularly promising for broad commercial application.
Although to date, bioremediation has been the major topic filed for patents
utilizing rhamnolipids, an increasing number of patents for applications in
cosmetics, agronomy and food industries, formulation of cleaners and
nanotechnology indicates their future implementation in these fields.
Variable and single neighbourhood diving for MIP feasibility
Authors: Lazic Jasmina , Todosijevic Raca , Hanafi Saïd , Mladenovic Nenad
Published: September 2014

In this paper, we propose two new diving heuristics for finding a feasible
solution for a mixed integer programming problem, called variable
neighbourhood (VN) diving and single neighbourhood (SN) diving, respectively.
They perform systematic hard variable fixing (i.e. diving) by exploiting the
information obtained from a series of LP relaxations in order to generate a
sequence of subproblems. Pseudo cuts are added during the search process to
avoid revisiting the same search space areas. VN diving is based on the
variable neighbourhood decomposition search framework. Conversely, SN diving
explores only a single neighbourhood in each iteration: if a feasible
solution is not found, then the next reference solution is chosen using the
feasibility pump principle and the search history. Moreover, we prove that
the two proposed algorithms converge in a finite number of iterations (i.e.
either return a feasible solution of the input problem, or prove its
infeasibility). We show that our proposed algorithms significantly outperform
the CPLEX 12.4 MIP solver and the recent variants of feasibility pump
regarding the solution quality.
The Robustness of Honesty Effects on Budget Proposals when the Superior has Rejection Authority
Authors: Douthit Jeremy D. , Stevens Douglas E.
Published: September 2014

Rankin, Schwartz, and Young (2008) find experimental evidence that manipulating whether the budget request of the subordinate requires a factual assertion has no effect on budgetary slack when the superior can reject the budget. This calls into question the role of honesty in participative budgeting settings. Using Rankin et al.'s (2008) manipulation to capture honesty effects, we examine the robustness of honesty effects on budget proposals when the superior has rejection authority in two experiments. In Experiment 1, we document that honesty has a strong effect on budgetary slack when the salience of distributional fairness is reduced by withholding the relative pay of the superior from the subordinate. In Experiment 2, we document that honesty continues to have a strong effect on budgetary slack when the salience of reciprocity is increased by giving the superior the ability to set the subordinate's salary. Thus, our evidence suggests that honesty effects on budget proposals are generally robust to giving the superior rejection authority. Our study helps explain prior experimental results and clarifies the role of honesty in participative budgeting settings.

Data Availability: Experimental data are available from the authors upon request.