bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Magico-Religious beliefs among primary care takers of manic patients
Authors: Sapkota N , Pandey AK , Adhikari BR , Shyangwa PM , Shakya R
Published: September 2013

Introduction: Mania is one of the commonest psychiatric disorders that require immediate interventions. There is a wide held belief that co-occurrence of mental disorders and underlying religious or spiritual problems is found. Local and community belief in such phenomena appeared to be a factor in influencing the decision to seek Magico-Religious treatment. The study was done with the objective to determine the attitudes of the primary care taker with respect to Magico-Religious beliefs which can have impact on treatment seeking behavior and timely consultation to the psychiatrist for underlying condition. Materials and Method: Consecutive fifty primary care takers who accompanied the patient and gave consent were included in the study. The supernatural Attitude questionnaire developed to study the magico religious beliefs was applied to the primary care taker. Both parametric and non parametric statistical tools were applied to analyze the variables. Results: About 48% believed that performing magico-religious rituals could improve the behavior of the patients and 76% of the primary caretakers visited faith healer for this purpose. Association between Magico-religious treatment group and non-magico-religious treatment group with different variables like Age, Sex, Religion, Socio-Economic Status, Education and Occupation, were compared, which shows that, all the variables were comparable and the P-value was not significant. Conclusion: There is a common belief among the primary care takers about the relationship between supernatural’s influences and mental illness. The study concluded that there exists no significant relationship between socio demographic characteristics of a primary care takers and traditional practices and beliefs and hence are independent of each other. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jpan.v2i1.8568 J Psychiatrists’ Association of Nepal Vol .2, No.1, 2013 7-13
Morbidity profile of patients attending the centers for mental health service provided jointly by the Government of Nepal and Community mental health service of Community Mental Health and Counseling- Nepal (CMC-Nepal)
Authors: Upadhyaya KD , Nakarmi B , Prajapati B , Timilsina M
Published: September 2013

Introduction: Community mental health program initially conducted in Lalitpur district by UMN and later in the western region demonstrated the possibility of providing mental health services in the primary health care level if proper mental training is provided to different levels of health workers and the program is well supervised. Community Mental Health and Counseling- Nepal (CMC-Nepal) extended the same model of community mental health program to several other districts of the country after taking permission from the Ministry of Health and Population. The basic objective of the study was to prepare morbidity profile of patients attending the centers for mental health conducted jointly by the government of Nepal and Community Mental Health and Counseling- Nepal (CMC-Nepal). Material and method: Ten days block training in mental health for health assistant (HA) and Auxiliary Health Workers (AHW) was conducted by the CMC-Nepal. Senior psychiatrists, psychologists and psychiatric nurse were the trainers. Materials like mental health manual, audiovisuals, flip charts and case stories were used during training by the facilitators. An especially developed patient record card was used for case record, diagnosis and treatment. The study was carried out in between July 2010 to June 2011. A total of 6676 cases were studied during the study period. Results: Community mental health program identified 4761 total new cases in 12 months (July 2010 to June 2011), out of which 2821 were females (59%) and 1940 were males (41%). Similarly total old cases both females and males were 6676 registered in these centers for treatment. Out of all new cases patients with Anxiety Neurosis emerged as the largest group (50%) followed by Depression (24.88%). Other commonly diagnosed conditions were Epilepsy (7.5%), Psychosis (5.3%) and Conversion disorder (5.7%) and unspecified cases (6.5%). The implications of the results are discussed, in the current context. Conclusion: Mental health services need to be provided at the community so as to prevent cases of prolonged subjection to mental illness and also prevent cases of stigma and discrimination. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jpan.v2i1.8569 J Psychiatrists’ Association of Nepal Vol .2, No.1, 2013 14-19
International Seminar on Museums and the Changing Cultural Landscape, Ladakh
Authors: Seth Manvi
Published: September 2013

The international seminar on Museums and the Changing Cultural Landscape, coordinated by Dr. Manvi Seth, was organized by the department of museology in the National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation and Museology in collaboration with the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) from 2–4 September 2012 at the Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS), Leh, Ladakh, India.
A DFT Study on the 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of Benzonitrile Oxide and N-Ethylmaleimide
Authors: Zardoost Mohammad Reza , Siadati Seyyed Amir , Oghani Bahram Ghadiri
Published: September 2013

A theoretical study of the kinetics and mechanism of the reaction between benzonitrile oxide and N-ethylmaleimide was performed using the DFT method at the B3LYP level of theory with the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set at 298.15 K. Equilibrium molecular geometries and harmonic vibrational frequencies of the reactants, transition state and product were calculated. The effect of solvent on the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the reaction was investigated. The calculated rate constants and activation thermodynamics parameters indicated very good agreement with experimental results, especially in water. These calculations indicated that the reaction proceeds through a synchronous concerted mechanism.
1H NMR Kinetic Investigation of the Equilibrium between the Z- and E-Isomers in a Stable Phosphorus Ylide Involving 2-Mercaptobenzimidazole
Authors: Khorassani Sayyed Mostafa Habibi , Maghsoodlou Malek Taher , Ebrahimi Ali , Kazemian Mohammad Amin , Salari Sara Sameh , Nasiri Shahin
Published: September 2013

A kinetic investigation of the interchange process in the equilibrium between the Z- and E-isomers of a stable phosphorus ylide involving 2-mercaptobenzimidazole has been undertaken by the 1H NMR technique. Kinetic and activation parameters such as k–1, k1, ktotal, Ea1, Ea–1, Eatotal, Δ S#, Δ H# and Δ G# along with the thermodynamic parameters Ke, Δ H°, Δ G° and Δ S° were obtained from the experimental data for the forward and reverse reactions.
Stoffliche versus energetische Nutzung von Holz – wohin geht die Reise? (Essay)
Authors: Lehner Ludwig
Published: September 2013

Material or energy use for wood: which way forward? (Essay)

Wood as a renewable raw material plays an increasing role in the debate about developing renewable energies. Energy use of wood is often in competition with material use. In 2010, in Germany, for the first time more wood was used for energy than as raw material. Rising demand for energy wood is leading to steeply upward price trends for all wood assortments put on the market. In this respect, Germany is not alone. By 2020, in Europe the average share of renewable energies in primary energy consumption should reach 20%. Higher demand for wood biomass from European forests will pose major challenges for countries. One way of covering the rising demand for wood is imports from other continents. European energy companies are constructing pellet plants overseas and transporting the pellets to be burnt as biomass in Europe. In the final analysis, whether to follow the energy or the raw material path for wood in the medium to long term is a choice for society as a whole. However, increased energy use of wood does not necessarily lead to the elimination of traditional material uses. It can also be a bridge for new processes and products to enter the markets. Wood has much potential which has not yet been developed. A new definition of the value chain for wood offers the possibility to unite the ecological and economic approaches and brings the vision of a sustainable society one step nearer.
European Forest Sector Outlook Study II: Switzerland in the European context
Authors: Schelhaas Mart-Jan
Published: September 2013

European Forest Sector Outlook Study II: Switzerland in the European context

The European Forest Sector Outlook Study II (EFSOS II) is the latest in a series of outlook studies by United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), providing an outlook for the European forest sector for the period 2010–2030. The study is structured around a reference scenario and four policy scenarios, implemented in a set of mathematical models. The paper summarises the methodology and main outcomes for Central Europe, discusses specific Swiss aspects, the usefulness of such outlook results at the national level and possible future improvements. The picture for Switzerland is one broadly characterised by opportunities, facilitated by a favourable starting point with regard to the forest resources and increasing demand in the surrounding countries. However, a preliminary comparison with national supply scenarios reveals some important differences with regard to increment and mortality and thus possibilities for increased supply. The time between successive new studies should therefore be used to update the underlying data sources, make comparisons to national studies and improve understanding of the models, all in close cooperation with the countries.
Assessment of Natural Radioactivity and Radiation Hazard in Soil Samples of Rajbari District of Bangladesh
Authors: Khatun R , Saadat AHM , Ahasan MM , Akter S
Published: September 2013

Rajbari district of Bangladesh, have been studied and possible health effect were estimated. The experiment has been done by using gamma ray spectrometry system consisting of a HPGe detector coupled with MCA and associate electronics. The average natural radioactivities of 238U, 232Th and 40K have been measured as 29.03±5.67 Bq/kg, 50.91±10.17 Bq/kg and 535.32±89.19 Bq/kg respectively. To estimate health effect due to the activity of those radionuclides, the radium equivalent activity (Raeq), external hazard index (Hex), absorbed dose rate (D) and effective dose have been calculated and compared to the world average values. The results are also compared with the literature values reported for other regions of the world and found that the soil of the study area are not hazards by the radiation and does not pose any harmful effect to the environment. The outcome of this study may provide valuable information about radiation hazard and also may take part in the monitoring of environmental radioactivity. Jahangirnagar University Environmental Bulletin, Vol.2, 1-8, 2013 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jueb.v2i0.16324
Effective ?-radiation Dose on Chitosan for Preservation of Mangoes (Mangifera indica)
Authors: Islam Ashna , Sultana Mahfuza Sharifa , Parvin Fahmida , Khan Mubarak A
Published: September 2013

The effective dose of ? radiation on chitosan for mango preservation was studies in this work. The 2% chitosan solution was irradiated with at various total doses (50-200 kGy). The mature green mangoes were soaked in un-irradiated and irradiated chitosan solutions and then they were stored at normal room temperature. The percentage of weight loss, color change and percentage of spoilage were observed for 15 days in control, un-irradiated and irradiated chitosan coated mangoes. The overall results showed the superiority of 50 kGy and 100 kGy irradiated chitosan in extending shelf life of mango as comared to control, un-irradiated and 120 kGy to 200 kGy irradiated chitosan. Jahangirnagar University Environmental Bulletin, Vol.2, 35-40, 2013 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jueb.v2i0.16328
Welcome to Children — A New Open Access Journal Dedicated to Sharing Medical Research Relevant to Children’s Health
Authors: Acra Sari
Published: September 2013

I am very excited about the upcoming launch of Children, a journal dedicated to the streamlined yet scientifically rigorous electronic dissemination of peer-reviewed science related to childhood health and disease in developed and developing countries. The future of our world depends on the health and well-being of all its children. Thus, the global health issues facing children today will determine medical history. Unfortunately, as the world becomes more of a global information village in many respects, there have remained impediments to eliminating regional disparities in sharing health information, be it in the fields of infectious diseases, nutrition or cancer risks, to name but a few. It is my hope that Children will be a forum for sharing information, and engaging in discussions and dialogue relevant to the care of children, unimpeded by limitations imposed by traditional print media. We also hope to dedicate entire issues to timely and relevant single-topic publications. [...]
Preliminary Analysis of Life within a Former Subglacial Lake Sediment in Antarctica
Authors: Pearce David , Hodgson Dominic , Thorne Michael , Burns Gavin , Cockell Charles
Published: September 2013

Since the first descriptions of Antarctic subglacial lakes, there has been a growing interest and awareness of the possibility that life will exist and potentially thrive in these unique and little known environments. The unusual combination of selection pressures, and isolation from the rest of the biosphere, might have led to novel adaptations and physiology not seen before, or indeed to the potential discovery of relic populations that may have become extinct elsewhere. Here we report the first microbiological analysis of a sample taken from a former subglacial lake sediment in Antarctica (Lake Hodgson, on the Antarctic Peninsula). This is one of a number of subglacial lakes just emerging at the margins of the Antarctic ice sheet due to the renewed onset of deglaciation. Microbial diversity was divided into 23.8% Actinobacteria, 21.6% Proteobacteria, 20.2% Planctomycetes and 11.6% Chloroflexi, characteristic of a range of habitat types ( Overall, common sequences were neither distinctly polar, low temperature, freshwater nor marine). Twenty three percent of this diversity could only be identified to “unidentified bacterium”. Clearly these are diverse ecosystems with enormous potential.
Correlation Distance and Bounds for Mutual Information
Authors: Hall Michael
Published: September 2013

The correlation distance quantifies the statistical independence of two classical or quantum systems, via the distance from their joint state to the product of the marginal states. Tight lower bounds are given for the mutual information between pairs of two-valued classical variables and quantum qubits, in terms of the corresponding classical and quantum correlation distances. These bounds are stronger than the Pinsker inequality (and refinements thereof) for relative entropy. The classical lower bound may be used to quantify properties of statistical models that violate Bell inequalities. Partially entangled qubits can have lower mutual information than can any two-valued classical variables having the same correlation distance. The qubit correlation distance also provides a direct entanglement criterion, related to the spin covariance matrix. Connections of results with classically-correlated quantum states are briefly discussed.
On the Calculation of Solid-Fluid Contact Angles from Molecular Dynamics
Authors: Santiso Erik , Herdes Carmelo , Müller Erich
Published: September 2013

A methodology for the determination of the solid-fluid contact angle, to be employed within molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, is developed and systematically applied. The calculation of the contact angle of a fluid drop on a given surface, averaged over an equilibrated MD trajectory, is divided in three main steps: (i) the determination of the fluid molecules that constitute the interface, (ii) the treatment of the interfacial molecules as a point cloud data set to define a geometric surface, using surface meshing techniques to compute the surface normals from the mesh, (iii) the collection and averaging of the interface normals collected from the post-processing of the MD trajectory. The average vector thus found is used to calculate the Cassie contact angle (i.e., the arccosine of the averaged normal z-component). As an example we explore the effect of the size of a drop of water on the observed solid-fluid contact angle. A single coarse-grained bead representing two water molecules and parameterized using the SAFT-γ Mie equation of state (EoS) is employed, meanwhile the solid surfaces are mimicked using integrated potentials. The contact angle is seen to be a strong function of the system size for small nano-droplets. The thermodynamic limit, corresponding to the infinite size (macroscopic) drop is only truly recovered when using an excess of half a million water coarse-grained beads and/or a drop radius of over 26 nm.
Molecular Signatures in Urologic Tumors
Authors: Larkin Spencer , Kyprianou Natasha
Published: September 2013

Urologic tumors continue to represent a huge fraction of cancer cases in the United States, with over 376,310 estimated new diagnoses in 2013. As with many types of tumors, urologic tumors vary greatly in their phenotype, ranging from minimally invasive to malignancies possessing great metastatic potential. The increasing need for more efficient and less invasive methods of cancer detection, as well as the ability to predict severity of the disease phenotype is readily evident—yet reliable methods remain elusive in a clinical setting today. Comprehensive panels of gene clusters are being developed toward the generation of molecular signatures in order to better diagnose urologic malignancies, and identify effective treatment strategies in the emerging era of personalized medicine. In this review, we discuss the current literature on the credibility and biomarker value of such molecular signatures in the context of clinical significance relating to the pathological aggressiveness of urologic tumors (prostate, bladder and renal cancer)—also exploiting their predictive potential in the response to treatment.
Microfluidic Biosensing Systems Using Magnetic Nanoparticles
Authors: Giouroudi Ioanna , Keplinger Franz
Published: September 2013

In recent years, there has been rapidly growing interest in developing hand held, sensitive and cost-effective on-chip biosensing systems that directly translate the presence of certain bioanalytes (e.g., biomolecules, cells and viruses) into an electronic signal. The impressive and rapid progress in micro- and nanotechnology as well as in biotechnology enables the integration of a variety of analytical functions in a single chip. All necessary sample handling and analysis steps are then performed within the chip. Microfluidic systems for biomedical analysis usually consist of a set of units, which guarantees the manipulation, detection and recognition of bioanalytes in a reliable and flexible manner. Additionally, the use of magnetic fields for performing the aforementioned tasks has been steadily gaining interest. This is because magnetic fields can be well tuned and applied either externally or from a directly integrated solution in the biosensing system. In combination with these applied magnetic fields, magnetic nanoparticles are utilized. Some of the merits of magnetic nanoparticles are the possibility of manipulating them inside microfluidic channels by utilizing high gradient magnetic fields, their detection by integrated magnetic microsensors, and their flexibility due to functionalization by means of surface modification and specific binding. Their multi-functionality is what makes them ideal candidates as the active component in miniaturized on-chip biosensing systems. In this review, focus will be given to the type of biosening systems that use microfluidics in combination with magnetoresistive sensors and detect the presence of bioanalyte tagged with magnetic nanoparticles.
Photochemistry and Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Heptamethinecyanine Near Infrared (NIR) Dyes
Authors: Conceição David , Ferreira Diana , Ferreira Luís
Published: September 2013

The present study investigates the photochemical properties of potential photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy, namely four commercial heptamethinecyanine dyes (IR125, IR780, IR813, IR820). Spectroscopic studies were made by means of laser induced fluorescence and laser flash photolysis in order to obtain fluorescence quantum yields and transient absorption spectra. Fluorescence lifetimes were also determined. The differences encountered were essentially related with the interaction of the sulfonate groups with the solvent, and also regarding the rigidification of the central bridge connecting the two nitrogen-containing heterocyclic groups. Transient absorption studies were performed both in aerated and oxygen free samples, to conclude about the formation of photoisomers and triplet state. For the four dyes under study, a cytotoxic evaluation in the dark and after irradiation was performed using HeLa cells as the model cell line, which revealed significant changes after irradiation mainly in IR125 and IR813 dyes. Confocal microscopy analysis showed that these dyes tend to enter to the intracellular space.
Calcium Orthophosphate-Based Bioceramics
Authors: Dorozhkin Sergey
Published: September 2013

Various types of grafts have been traditionally used to restore damaged bones. In the late 1960s, a strong interest was raised in studying ceramics as potential bone grafts due to their biomechanical properties. A bit later, such synthetic biomaterials were called bioceramics. In principle, bioceramics can be prepared from diverse materials but this review is limited to calcium orthophosphate-based formulations only, which possess the specific advantages due to the chemical similarity to mammalian bones and teeth. During the past 40 years, there have been a number of important achievements in this field. Namely, after the initial development of bioceramics that was just tolerated in the physiological environment, an emphasis was shifted towards the formulations able to form direct chemical bonds with the adjacent bones. Afterwards, by the structural and compositional controls, it became possible to choose whether the calcium orthophosphate-based implants remain biologically stable once incorporated into the skeletal structure or whether they were resorbed over time. At the turn of the millennium, a new concept of regenerative bioceramics was developed and such formulations became an integrated part of the tissue engineering approach. Now calcium orthophosphate scaffolds are designed to induce bone formation and vascularization. These scaffolds are often porous and harbor different biomolecules and/or cells. Therefore, current biomedical applications of calcium orthophosphate bioceramics include bone augmentations, artificial bone grafts, maxillofacial reconstruction, spinal fusion, periodontal disease repairs and bone fillers after tumor surgery. Perspective future applications comprise drug delivery and tissue engineering purposes because calcium orthophosphates appear to be promising carriers of growth factors, bioactive peptides and various types of cells.
Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Epoxy Geopolymer Hybrid Composites
Authors: Roviello Giuseppina , Ricciotti Laura , Ferone Claudio , Colangelo Francesco , Cioffi Raffaele , Tarallo Oreste
Published: September 2013

The preparation and the characterization of novel geopolymer-based hybrid composites are reported. These materials have been prepared through an innovative synthetic approach, based on a co-reticulation in mild conditions of commercial epoxy based organic resins and a metakaolin-based geopolymer inorganic matrix. This synthetic strategy allows the obtainment of a homogeneous dispersion of the organic particles in the inorganic matrix, up to 25% in weight of the resin. The materials obtained present significantly enhanced compressive strengths and toughness with respect to the neat geopolymer, suggesting their wide utilization for structural applications. A preliminary characterization of the porous materials obtained by removing the organic phase from the hybrid composites by means of heat treatments is also reported. Possible applications of these materials in the field of water purification, filtration, or as lightweight insulating materials are envisaged.
Chemical Composition and Biological Activity of the Essential Oil from Leaves of Moringa oleifera Lam. Cultivated in Mozambique
Authors: Marrufo Tatiana , Nazzaro Filomena , Mancini Emilia , Fratianni Florinda , Coppola Raffaele , De Martino Laura , Agostinho Adelaide , De Feo Vincenzo
Published: September 2013

The antioxidant capacity and antimicrobial activity of the essential oil of Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae) grown in Mozambique was investigated. The chemical composition was studied by means of GC and GC-MS analysis. Hexacosane (13.9%), pentacosane (13.3%) and heptacosane (11.4%) were the main components. Ultra High Performance Chromatography-DAD analysis detected the flavonoids quercetin (126 μg/g) and luteolin (6.2 μg/g). The essential oil exhibited a relatively low free radical scavenging capacity. The antimicrobial activity of the essential oil was assayed against two Gram-positive strains (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus), two Gram-negative strains (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and five fungal strains of agro-food interest (Penicillium aurantiogriseum, Penicillium expansum, Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium digitatum, and Aspergillus niger spp.). B. cereus and P. aeruginosa, as well as the fungal strains were sensitive to the essential oil.
Antioxidant and Anti-Fatigue Activities of Phenolic Extract from the Seed Coat of Euryale ferox Salisb. and Identification of Three Phenolic Compounds by LC-ESI-MS/MS
Authors: Wu ChengYing , Chen Rong , Wang Xin , Shen Bei , Yue Wei , Wu Qinan
Published: September 2013

This study investigated the antioxidant potential and anti-fatigue effects of phenolics extracted from the seed coat of Euryale ferox Salisb. The in vitro antioxidant potentials, including scavenging DPPH, hydroxyl radical activities and reducing power were evaluated. Antioxidant status in vivo was analyzed by SOD, CAT, GSH-Px activities and the MDA content in liver and kidneys of D-galactose-induced aging mice. The anti-fatigue effect was evaluated using an exhaustive swimming test, along with the determination of LDH, BUN and HG content. The phenolic extract possessed notable antioxidant effects on DPPH, hydroxyl radical scavenging and reducing power. The mice which received the phenolic extract showed significant increases of SOD, CAT (except for in the kidney), GSH-Px activities, and a decrease of MDA content. The average exhaustive swimming time was obviously prolonged. Meanwhile, increase of LDH content and decrease of BUN content were observed after mice had been swimming for 15 min. The HG storage of mice was improved in the high and middle dose extract groups compared with the normal group. The contents of total phenols and gallic acid of the extract were determined. Three compounds in the extract were identified as 5,7-dihydroxy-2-(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)-chroman-4-one, 5,7,4-trihydroxyflavanone and buddlenol E. These results suggest that the extract of E. ferox is a promising source of natural antioxidants and anti-fatigue material for use in functional foods and medicines.
ABO Blood-Typing Using an Antibody Array Technique Based on Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging
Authors: Houngkamhang Nongluck , Vongsakulyanon Apirom , Peungthum Patjaree , Sudprasert Krisda , Kitpoka Pimpun , Kunakorn Mongkol , Sutapun Boonsong , Amarit Ratthasart , Somboonkaew Armote , Srikhirin Toemsak
Published: September 2013

In this study, readily available antibodies that are used in standard agglutination tests were evaluated for their use in ABO blood typing by a surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPR imaging) technique. Five groups of antibodies, including mixed clones of anti-A, anti-B, and anti-AB, and single clones of anti-A and anti-B, were used to construct the five-line detection arrays using a multichannel flow cell in the SPR imager. The red blood cell (RBC) samples were applied to a multichannel flow cell that was orthogonal to the detection line arrays for blood group typing. We found that the blood samples were correctly grouped in less than 12 min by the SPR imaging technique, and the results were consistent with those of the standard agglutination technique for all 60 samples. We found that mixed clones of antibodies provided 33%–68% greater change in the SPR signal than the single-clone antibodies. Applying the SPR imaging technique using readily available antibodies may reduce the costs of the antibodies, shorten the measurement time, and increase the throughput.
A University-Hosted Program in Pursuit of Coastal Sustainability: The Case of Tokyo Bay
Authors: Kawabe Midori , Kohno Hiroshi , Ishimaru Takashi , Baba Osamu
Published: September 2013

This study presents a unique way by which a university program can contribute to capacity development for coastal sustainability. The program is steered by a working group of volunteer faculty members, having different academic backgrounds, in collaboration with students and marine professionals, including fisherfolk and environment education interpreters. Although the program began with conventional educational ideas and style, its practical framework evolved to include interactive activities with collaborators in the community, all of which were geared toward social learning. The combination of service learning and participatory action research (PAR) was proven to be an adequate approach to link higher education for sustainable development (HESD) and university-community partnerships and to promote learning for coastal sustainability. Challenges identified include (1) ensuring continuity of learning and (2) reducing the heavy workload of faculty members involved in program preparation and coordination. The authors would like to emphasize the possibilities offered by the engagement of scholarship in the capacity development for coastal sustainability by focusing on community-based efforts.
Area of cartilage accessible to curettage for subsequent arthrodesis of the equine proximal interphalangeal joint
Authors: Berchtold S. , Kuemmerle J. M.
Published: September 2013

This study compared the areas of cartilage accessible for curettage in arthrodesis of the equine proximal interphalangeal joint using the conventional and collateral ligament sparing approaches. For this purpose, forelimbs and hindlimbs of six equine cadavers without radiographic evidence of proximal interphalangeal joint disease were used. One limb of each pair of limbs was randomly assigned to a dissection using a standard approach to the proximal interphalangeal joint including transection of the collateral ligaments, while each contralateral limb was exposed using the same approach but leaving the collateral ligaments intact. Hohmann retractors and Spratt curettes were then used to remove as much articular cartilage as possible. Finally, proximal interphalangeal joints were photographed and image analysis was performed.

Using the collateral ligament sparing procedure, the mean percentage of articular cartilage surface removed (41.2%) was significantly less than using the conventional procedure (79.6%) (p <0.01). The difference between forelimbs and hindlimbs was not significant.
Combined Z-plasty and phalangeal fillet for reconstruction of a large carpal defect following ablative oncologic sur gery
Authors: Renwick M. G. , Yool D. A. , Cantatore M.
Published: September 2013

A six-year-old Labrador Retriever was presented for management of a 2 x 2 cm cutaneous mass over the dorsal aspect of the carpus. A fine needle aspirate performed by the referring veterinarian was consistent with a mast cell tumour. The ipsilateral prescapular lymph node was enlarged. Preoperative staging did not reveal any evidence of metastasis. Wide excision of the mass and prescapular lymphadenectomy were performed. The large carpal wound was reconstructed using a combination of Z-plasty and phalangeal fillet using the first digit (dewclaw); about 20% of the original defect was allowed to heal by second intention. Histopathology was consistent with a grade II mast cell tumour with metastatic spread to the lymph node. Vinblastine and prednisolone adjuvant chemotherapy was instituted. Functional and cosmetic outcome were good; only a small 1cm area of alopecia persisted. The dog was disease-free 53 months after surgery. A combination of Z-plasty and a phalangeal fillet using the first digit was a successful treatment to reconstruct a large wound over the dorsal aspect of the carpus in this case.
Extrafloral nectaries in neotropical Gentianaceae: Occurrence, distribution patterns, and anatomical characterization
Authors: Dalvi Valdnéa Casagrande , Meira Renata Maria Strozi Alves , Azevedo Aristéa Alves
Published: September 2013

• Premise of the study: Extrafloral nectaries (EFNs) are structures that secrete nectar and protect plants against herbivores and pathogens. In Gentianaceae, these structures have been described in species of Calolisianthus, Fagraea, and Anthocleista and are important morphological markers for taxonomic and phylogenetic studies. To establish a foundation for further studies, we investigated the occurrence, distribution patterns, and anatomy of EFNs on leaves of 27 species belonging to 13 genera and three tribes of neotropical Gentianaceae.

• Methods: Leaf samples were diaphanized, stained with basic fuchsin, and mounted in glycerinated gelatin. Cross sections were obtained from material embedded in methacrylate or paraffin, stained, and mounted in Permount. Polysaccharides were histochemically stained with periodic acid–Schiff stain. Samples were also examined with scanning electron microscopy.

• Key results: Unusual EFNs, visible only with light microscopy, were formed of modified epidermal cells. Each EFN consisted of 2–5 secretory cells encircling a central cell. The EFNs varied in size and in the shape and arrangement of the adjacent cells surrounding the secretory cells. EFNs occurred in all analyzed species as isolated units distributed throughout the leaf blade or as aggregates; aggregates were generally visible to the naked eye. Based on their occurrence as aggregates or isolated units and on their location on the leaf blade, six distribution patterns were identified.

• Conclusions: This is the first comprehensive study of EFNs on the leaves of neotropical Gentianaceae. The data suggested that NEFs evolved from isolated units for NEFs in aggregates. The results represent a new source of data for future ecological, systematic, and phylogenetic studies in Gentianaceae.
The first example of the Fischer–Hepp type rearrangement in pyrimidines
Authors: Cikotiene Inga , Jonusis Mantas , Jakubkiene Virginija
Published: September 2013

A N-nitroso moiety can be used for the activation of chloropyrimidines toward a nucleophilic substitution reaction with amines. The subsequent treatment of the obtained products with aq H2SO4 can lead to either N-denitrosation to obtain 4,6-pyrimidinediamines or to a Fischer–Hepp type rearrangement to obtain 5-nitroso-4,6-pyrimidinediamines. It was found that the outcome of the reaction strongly depends on the structure of the pyrimidines. Activation of the pyrimidine ring by three groups with a positive mesomeric effect is crucial for the intramolecular nitroso group migration.
Evaluating the Quality of Mobile Medical Speech Translators Based on ISO/IEC 9126 Series
Authors: Tsourakis Nikos , Estrella Paula
Published: September 2013

Medical translation systems present an intriguing research area as language barriers can become life-threatening when health issues come into place. There is however a lack of common evaluation methodologies, making the fair comparison of such systems a difficult task. In this work the authors try to remedy this deficiency by proposing a quality model based on the ISO/IEC 9126 standard that could serve as a comparison basis among homologous systems. Their work involves the definition of the internal and external quality characteristics of the model along with the quantification of their relative importance based on the results of polling two groups of users (12 doctors and 12 potential patients) that demonstrate different needs and goals towards the system. Additionally, for the internal characteristics that reflect mainly a technical viewpoint the authors polled 6 developers. Finally, as the model contains attributes that are measurable the authors proposed metrics for each characteristic.
Aiding Maintenance of Database Applications Through Extracting Attribute Dependency Graph
Authors: Liu Kaiping , Tan Hee Beng Kuan , Chen Xu
Published: September 2013

Database is a major component of many software systems. This paper proposes a novel graph called the attribute dependency graph to reveal the dependencies between attributes in a database application and also the programs involved. The authors propose an approach to automatically extract the attribute dependency graph out of a database application from its source code through inter-procedural static program analysis. The extracted information is a straightforward indicator that benefits the maintenance process, particularly for impact analysis on the modifications in a database application. A tool has been developed to implement the proposed approach for PHP-based database applications. Case studies have also been conducted to demonstrate the use of our approach.
Virtual Ecosystems in Social Business Incubation
Authors: Ariza-Montes J. Antonio , Muniz Noel M.
Published: September 2013

The complexity of today global context hinders the emergence of innovative endeavors; this inner enhancement of capabilities springs out from worldwide entrepreneurs that reveal procuring the best environmental conditions and technologies to nourish new ingenious ventures whether of social or any capitalist profile. Social entrepreneurs noticeably understand that making an intensive use of new technologies engenders innovation and scales impact effects in society; that is why ICTs, and especially the web 2.0, have constituted catalysts to accelerate collaborations for social change: social innovation labs, social e-enterprise incubators, social innovation centers, social innovation park, etc. This article reviews the main experiences of social entrepreneurial empowerments, pinpointing those pioneering projects that exploit new technologies to provide services and get access, with no boundaries, to a significant number of communities. It is structured as follows: it starts analyzing the emergence and development of social enterprise, its encouragement and empowerment. Later, there are examined some key initiatives for social entrepreneurs, more in particular those offered virtually (e-empowerment). It is concluded with a brief summary of final thoughts.
A Web-Based Multimedia Retrieval System with MCA-Based Filtering and Subspace-Based Learning Algorithms
Authors: Chen Chao , Meng Tao , Lin Lin
Published: September 2013

The popularity of research on intelligent multimedia services and applications is motivated by the high demand of the convenient access and distribution of pervasive multimedia data. Facing with abundant multimedia resources but inefficient and rather old-fashioned keyword-based retrieval approaches, Intelligent Multimedia Systems (IMS) demand on (i) effective filtering algorithms for storage saving, computation reduction, and dynamic media delivery; and (ii) advanced learning methods to accurately identify target concepts, effectively search personalized media content, and enable media-type driven applications. Nowadays, the web based multimedia applications become more and more popular. Therefore, how to utilize the web technology into multimedia data management and retrieval becomes an important research topic. In this paper, the authors developed a web-based intelligent video retrieval system that integrates effective and efficient MCA-based filtering and subspace-based learning to facilitate end users to retrieve their desired semantic concepts. A web-based demo shows the effectiveness of the proposed intelligent multimedia system to provide relevant results of target semantic concepts retrieved from TRECVID video collections.
Content-Based Multimedia Retrieval Using Feature Correlation Clustering and Fusion
Authors: Ha Hsin-Yu , Fleites Fausto C. , Chen Shu-Ching
Published: September 2013

Nowadays, only processing visual features is not enough for multimedia semantic retrieval due to the complexity of multimedia data, which usually involve a variety of modalities, e.g. graphics, text, speech, video, etc. It becomes crucial to fully utilize the correlation between each feature and the target concept, the feature correlation within modalities, and the feature correlation across modalities. In this paper, the authors propose a Feature Correlation Clustering-based Multi-Modality Fusion Framework (FCC-MMF) for multimedia semantic retrieval. Features from different modalities are combined into one feature set with the same representation via a normalization and discretization process. Within and across modalities, multiple correspondence analysis is utilized to obtain the correlation between feature-value pairs, which are then projected onto the two principal components. K-medoids algorithm, which is a widely used partitioned clustering algorithm, is selected to minimize the Euclidean distance within the resulted clusters and produce high intra-correlated feature-value pair clusters. Majority vote is applied to subsequently decide which cluster each feature belongs to. Once the feature clusters are formed, one classifier is built and trained for each cluster. The correlation and confidence of each classifier are considered while fusing the classification scores, and mean average precision is used to evaluate the final ranked classification scores. Finally, the proposed framework is applied on NUS-wide Lite data set to demonstrate the effectiveness in multimedia semantic retrieval.
Comparing Low and High-Fidelity Prototypes in Mobile Phone Evaluation
Authors: Zhang Ting , Rau Pei-Luen Patrick , Salvendy Gavriel , Zhou Jia
Published: September 2013

This study compared usability testing results found with low- and high-fidelity prototypes for mobile phones. The main objective is to obtain deep understanding of usability problems found with different prototyping methods. Three mobile phones from different manufactures were selected in the experiment. The usability level of the mobile phones was evaluated by participants who completed a questionnaire consisting of 13 usability factors. Incorporating the task-based complexity of the three mobile phones, significant differences in the usability evaluation for each individual factor were found. Suggestions on usability testing with prototyping technique for mobile phones were proposed. This study tries to provide new evidence to the field of mobile phone usability research and develop a feasible way to quantitatively evaluate the prototype usability with novices. The comparisons of paper-based and fully functional prototypes led us to realize how significantly the unique characteristics of different prototypes affect the usability evaluation. The experiment took product complexity into account and made suggestions on choosing proper prototyping technique for testing particular aspects of mobile phone usability.
A Study on Privacy and Security Aspects of Facebook
Authors: Faraz Syed Hassan , Tanvir Syed Hassan , Saeed Saqib
Published: September 2013

Social web has changed the concept of leisure time. As a result street neighbors have been replaced by e-neighbors and walls have become e-walls to share ideas and gossips. Despite so many advantages we cannot ignore potential threats to user privacy and security. In order to be extremely usable, such systems should have strict security and privacy policies in place. In this paper the authors focus on “Facebook” to understand privacy and security problems by carrying out a web based survey. Based on the findings from empirical data the authors propose different enhancements for the improvement of user privacy and potential threats to user account security.
Symbiotic arthropods from the house sparrow (Passer domesticus, Aves: Passeridae) from two locations in Alberta, Canada
Authors: Byers Kaylee , Proctor Heather
Published: September 2013

House sparrows (Passer domesticus(Linnaeus), Aves: Passeridae) were introduced into eastern North America in the mid 1800s and have been expanding their range since then. We collected sparrows from two sites in Alberta, Canada (Edmonton: 58 birds; Onefour: 13 birds), and compared symbiont richness and prevalence between them and between Alberta and two states in the United States of America. We found 17 species of symbionts: 13 mites, three insects, and one trematode. Richness of symbionts in Alberta was very similar to that in the United States of America sites. The most striking difference was absence of the feather miteProctophyllodes troncatusRobin (Acari: Proctophyllodidae) on sampled hosts in Alberta.
The grass-living thrips (Insecta: Thysanoptera) from Iran with the first record of the genus Arorathrips Bhatti
Authors: Minaei K. , Alichi M.
Published: September 2013

A list of grass-dependent Thysanoptera genera in Iran is provided, including Arorathrips with one species, A. mexicanus, a Chirothrips-related thripid genus as a new record for Iranian fauna. The specimens of this species were collected from mixed grasses in the city of Minab located in Hormozgan Province, south of Iran. The importance of grasses as host plants for members of the family Thripidae is briefly discussed.
Response of chironomid species (Diptera, Chironomidae) to water temperature: effects on species distribution in specific habitats
Authors: Marziali L. , Rossaro B.
Published: September 2013

The response of 443 chironomid species to water temperature was analyzed, with the aim of defining their thermal optimum, tolerance limits and thermal habitat. The database included 4442 samples mainly from Italian river catchments collected from the 1950s up to date. Thermal preferences were calculated separately for larval and pupal specimens and for different habitats: high altitude and lowland lakes in the Alpine ecoregion; lowland lakes in the Mediterranean ecoregion; heavily modified water bodies; kryal, krenal, rhithral and potamal in running waters. Optimum response was calculated as mean water temperature, weighted by species abundances; tolerance as weighted standard deviation; skewness and kurtosis as 3rd and 4th moment statistics. The responses were fitted to normal uni- or plurimodal Gaussian models. Cold stenothermal species showed: i) unimodal response, ii) tolerance for a narrow temperature range, iii) optima closed to their minimum temperature values, iv) leptokurtic response. Thermophilous species showed: i) optima at different temperature values, ii) wider tolerance, iii) optima near their maximum temperature values, iv) platikurtic response, often fitting a plurimodal model. As expected, lower optima values and narrower tolerance were obtained for kryal and krenal, than for rhithral, potamal and lakes. Thermal response curves were produced for each species and were discussed according to species distribution (i.e. altitudinal range in running water and water depth in lakes), voltinism and phylogeny. Thermal optimum and tolerance limits and the definition of the thermal habitat of species can help predicting the impact of global warming on freshwater ecosystems.