bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Technology Update: Preventing Emulsions by Mitigating Solids
Authors: Long Bob
Published: February 2017

Technology Update

There are many oilfield applications to treat oil emulsions and water (reverse) emulsions. Root cause determination with full solutions to emulsion issues can be more efficient and cost-effective than bandage-type downstream applications such as acid treatments, demulsifiers, and water clarifiers. Improving flow assurance or preventing under-deposit corrosion issues are additional benefits of finding and eliminating problems at their source.

The Impact of Emulsions

The development of an oilfield emulsion requires four key components: oil, water, an emulsifying agent (solids, surfactants, or chemicals), and agitation (or shear). Solids, such as scale particles, corrosion byproducts, or waxes, tie the oil and water together. Agitation mixes the two, resulting in an emulsion. Removing or preventing any one of these four components will break or prevent emulsions.

Stable emulsions can have damaging effects on lines and result in increased costs for handling solids (through mechanical removal), heat energy, and chemical programs. They can also result in capital expenses, such as purchasing the filtration equipment needed to remove solids. In addition to the operating costs associated with emulsions, operators may experience unexpected downtime and lost production.

Water that is separated out in production facilities contains residual oil that is trapped in reverse emulsions—oil droplets dispersed in the water phase vs. a standard emulsion where water is trapped in the oil phase. The concentration of this residual oil is usually too high for permitted discharge to the environment and may result in operator fines. Any oil that is not captured and is lost to disposal is a loss of profit.

Current Industry Practices

A typical industry practice is to use a demulsifier to treat standard emulsions. Choosing an effective demulsifier is often viewed as a “black art,” frequently done by conducting a “bottle test” with a kit of demulsifiers or blends. There are three main processes by which demulsifiers “unlock” emulsions: flocculation, coalescence, and solids wetting.

Another industry method for treating solids is to batch treat with acid. Acid can effectively treat calcium carbon-ate, the most common carbonate scale, and iron sulfide, a corrosion byproduct. When acid is added to iron sulfide, it creates a byproduct of hydrogen sulfide, a poisonous gas. Acid treatments are temporary, lasting no more than a couple of days. Although they successfully put the solids into the solution, as soon as the water pH rises back during dilution, the solids typically precipitate back out from solution.
Ocena najnowszych trendów leczenia nowotworów układu moczowego prezentowanych na Konferencji ASTRO 2015, San Antonio, USA
Authors: Milecki Piotr
Published: February 2017

W 2015 roku w San Antonio, USA odbyła się już kolejna, tj. 56 konfereancja naukowa Amerykańskiego Towarzystwa Radioterapii Onkologicznej (ASTRO). W jej trakcie szczególną uwagę należało poświęcić doniesieniom naukowym dotyczącym leczenia nowotworów urologicznych. Z praktycznego punktu widzenia bardzo istotnymi były sesje dotyczące możliwości leczenia zaawansowanego raka pęcherza moczowego, a szczególnie u chorych w podeszłym wieku. Obecnie w wielu sytuacjach chorzy z tym nowotworem nie otrzymują jakiegokolwiek leczenia i są kierowani do poradni paliatywnych. Podczas gdy u takich chorych z całkiem dobrym powodzeniem można zastosować radioterapię, która u wielu chorych może doprowadzić do ich wyleczenia lub opóźnienia progresji choroby. Wprowadzenie takiego sposoby leczenia w tej szczególnej grupie powinno być jednym z głównych priorytetów w raku pęcherza moczowego. Należy nadmienić, że wyniki leczenia tego nowotworu w Polsce należy do jednych z najgorszych w EU.
The Effect of Air Tourniquet on Interleukin-6 Levels in Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Tsunoda Kenji , Sonohata Motoki , Kugisaki Hajime , Someya Shinsuke , Honke Hidefumi , Komine Mitsunori , Izumi Masataka , Ide Shuya , Mawatari Masaaki
Published: February 2017

Background:

Air tourniquet-induced skeletal muscle injury increases the concentrations of some cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) in plasma. However, the effect of an air tourniquet on the IL-6 concentrations after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is unclear. We therefore investigated the impact of tourniquet-induced ischemia and reperfusion injury in TKA using the IL-6 level as an index.

Methods:

Ten patients with primary knee osteoarthrosis who underwent unilateral TKA without an air tourniquet were recruited (Non-tourniquet group). We also selected 10 age- and sex-matched control patients who underwent unilateral TKA with an air tourniquet (Tourniquet group). Venous blood samples were obtained at 3 points; before surgery, 24 h after surgery, and 7 days after surgery.

The following factors were compared between the two groups; IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), creatine phosphokinase (CPK), the mean white blood cell (WBC) counts, and the maximum daily body temperatures.

Results:

The IL-6 level at 24 h after surgery was significantly higher than that at any other point (p<0.01). No significant differences were observed in the WBC count, the body temperature, or the CRP, CPK, or IL-6 levels of the two groups at any of the time points.

Conclusion:

The effect of ischemia and reperfusion due to the use of an air tourniquet on increasing the IL-6 level was much smaller than that induced by surgical stress in TKA.
EFEKTIVITAS STRATEGI PEMBERIAN UMPAN BALIK TERHADAP KINERJA PRAKTIKUM MAHASISWA D-3 JURUSAN TEKNIK ELEKTRONIKA
Authors: Haryoko Sapto
Published: February 2017

Abstract: Effectiveness of the Feedback Providing Strategies on the PracticumPerformance of the Students of the Diploma Three (D-3) of the ElectronicEngineering Department. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of thefeedback providing strategies (immediate feedback and delayed feedback) onstudents’ performance in the Electronics lab course. This study was anexperiment employed a posttest-only control group design. The subjects werestudents of the Diploma Three (D-3) Program of the Electronic EngineeringDepartment of FT UNM, divided into two treatment groups. Group A,consisting of 20 students, received the treatment of the immediate feedback andGroup B, consisting of 19 students, received the treatment of delayed feedback.The data on the students’ mastery of lab materials were collected throughobservations using a performance assessment form. The data were analyzedusing the t-test. The results showed that the practicum performance of thestudents receiving immediate feedback was better than that of the studentsreceiving delayed feedback. Keywords: immediate feedback, delayed feedback, students’ practicum performance
MODEL PENDIDIKAN MULTIKULTURAL DI ‘SEKOLAH PEMBAURAN’ MEDAN
Authors: Saliman Saliman , Wulandari Taat , Mukminan Mukminan
Published: February 2017

Abstrak: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan model pendidikan multikultural di Sekolah Pembauran Medan. Penelitian menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan pendekatan studi kasus. Penelitian dilaksanakan di Sekolah Pembauran Medan. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan teknik observasi, wawancara, dan dokumentasi, sedang kredibilitas data diperoleh lewat triangulasi metode. Instrumen penelitian adalah peneliti sendiri dengan menggunakan bantuan pedoman observasi dan wawancara. Analisis data dilakukan dengan menggunakan teknik analisis interaktif versi Miles dan Huberman. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan di Sekolah Pembauran Medan merupakan nama yang digunakan untuk menyebut sekolah di bawah Yayasan Perguruan Sultan Iskandar Muda menggunakan Whole School Approach yang meliputi visi dan kebijakan sekolah, kepemimpinan dan manajemen, kapasitas dan kultur, aktivitas peserta didik, kolaborasi dengan masyarakat luas, serta kurikulum dan pengajaran. Kata Kunci: Sekolah Pembauran, pendidikan multikultural, whole school approach AMULTICULTURAL EDUCATION MODEL IN SEKOLAH PEMBAURAN MEDAN Abstract: This study was aimed to describe a model of the multicultural education implemented in Sekolah Pembauran Medan, North Sumatra. This study employed the qualitative approach using the case study approach. The study was conducted in Sekolah Pembauran Medan. The data collection techniques consisted of observations, interviews and documentation. The main research instrument was the researchers themselves supported by observation sheets and interview guidelines. The data analysis was performed using the interactive analysis developed by Miles and Huberman. The research findings showed that Sekolah Pembauran Medan is the name used to refer to the school under the Education Foundation of Sultan Iskandar Muda using the Whole School Approach which includes: the vision and policies of the school; leadership and management; capacity and culture; activities of learners; collaboration with wider communities; and curriculum and instruction. Keywords: Sekolah Pembauran, multicultural education, Whole School Approach
Гидрофобные свойства пленки фторполимера, покрывающей наночастицы золота
Authors: Сафонов А.И. , Старинский С.В. , Суляева В.С. , Тимошенко Н.И. , Гатапова Е.Я.
Published: February 2017

Методом активации на горячей поверхности (Hot Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition) осаждены тонкие фторполимерные пленки на наночастицы золота различного размера. С помощью многофункционального модульного прибора DSA-100 KRUSS определены значения краевых углов смачивания поверхности водой и CH2I2, также определена свободная энергия поверхности покрытий. Установлено влияние инкапсулированных частиц золота на гидрофобные свойства полученных покрытий. DOI: 10.21883/PJTF.2017.03.44226.16293
Perspectives of Older Kidney Transplant Recipients on Kidney Transplantation
Authors: Pinter Jule , Hanson Camilla S. , Chapman Jeremy R. , Wong Germaine , Craig Jonathan C. , Schell Jane O. , Tong Allison
Published: February 2017

Background and objectives

Older kidney transplant recipients are susceptible to cognitive impairment, frailty, comorbidities, immunosuppression-related complications, and chronic graft failure, however, there has been limited focus on their concerns and expectations related to transplantation. This study aims to describe the perspectives of older kidney transplant recipients about their experience of kidney transplantation, self-management, and treatment goals to inform strategies and interventions that address their specific needs.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Face-to-face semistructured interviews were conducted with 30 kidney transplant recipients aged 65–80 years from five renal units in Australia. Transcripts were analyzed thematically.

Results

Six themes were identified: restoring vitality of youth (with subthemes of revived mindset for resilience, embracing enjoyment in life, drive for self-actualization); persisting through prolonged recovery (yielding to aging, accepting functional limitations, pushing the limit, enduring treatment responsibilities); imposing sicknesses (combatting devastating comorbidities, painful restrictions, emerging disillusionment, anxieties about accumulating side effects, consuming treatment burden); prioritizing graft survival (privileged with a miracle, negotiating risks for longevity, enacting a moral duty, preserving the last opportunity); confronting health deterioration (vulnerability and helplessness, narrowing focus to immediate concerns, uncertainty of survival); and value of existence (purpose through autonomy, refusing the burden of futile treatment, staying alive by all means).

Conclusions

Older kidney transplant recipients felt able to enjoy life and strived to live at their newly re-established potential and capability, which motivated them to protect their graft. However, some felt constrained by slow recuperation and overwhelmed by unexpected comorbidities, medication-related side effects, and health decline. Our findings suggest the need to prepare and support older recipients for self-management responsibilities, clarify their expectations of post-transplant risks and outcomes, and provide assistance through prolonged recovery after kidney transplantation.
The Relation of Serum Potassium Concentration with Cardiovascular Events and Mortality in Community-Living Individuals
Authors: Hughes-Austin Jan M. , Rifkin Dena E. , Beben Tomasz , Katz Ronit , Sarnak Mark J. , Deo Rajat , Hoofnagle Andrew N. , Homma Shunichi , Siscovick David S. , Sotoodehnia Nona , Psaty Bruce M. , de Boer Ian H. , Kestenbaum Bryan , Shlipak Michael G. , Ix Joachim H.
Published: February 2017

Background and objectives

Hyperkalemia is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with CKD and in hospitalized patients with acute medical conditions. Little is known regarding hyperkalemia, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and mortality in community-living populations. In a pooled analysis of two large observational cohorts, we investigated associations between serum potassium concentrations and CVD events and mortality, and whether potassium-altering medications and eGFR<60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 modified these associations.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Among 9651 individuals from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) and the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), who were free of CVD at baseline (2000–2002 in the MESA and 1989–1993 in the CHS), we investigated associations between serum potassium categories (<3.5, 3.5–3.9, 4.0–4.4, 4.5–4.9, and ≥5.0 mEq/L) and CVD events, mortality, and mortality subtypes (CVD versus non-CVD) using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for demographics, time-varying eGFR, traditional CVD risk factors, and use of potassium-altering medications.

Results

Compared with serum potassium concentrations between 4.0 and 4.4 mEq/L, those with concentrations ≥5.0 mEq/L were at higher risk for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.41; 95% confidence interval, 1.12 to 1.76), CVD death (hazard ratio, 1.50; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 2.26), and non-CVD death (hazard ratio, 1.40; 95% confidence interval, 1.07 to 1.83) in fully adjusted models. Associations of serum potassium with these end points differed among diuretic users (P
interaction<0.02 for all), such that participants who had serum potassium ≥5.0 mEq/L and were concurrently using diuretics were at higher risk of each end point compared with those not using diuretics.

Conclusions

Serum potassium concentration ≥5.0 mEq/L was associated with all-cause mortality, CVD death, and non-CVD death in community-living individuals; associations were stronger in diuretic users. Whether maintenance of potassium within the normal range may improve clinical outcomes requires future study.
The impact of the mandatory corporate governance disclosures on the banking growth in UAE: Islamic versus conventional banks
Authors: Nobanee Haitham , Ellili Nejla Ould Daoud
Published: February 2017

The aim of this paper is to measure the degree of mandatory corporate governance disclosure and examine its impact on the bank’s growth using annual data for listed banks on the UAE financial markets during the period 2003-2013. Our empirical results show that the degree of mandatory corporate governance disclosure of conventional banks is significantly higher than the Islamic banks. In addition, the degree of mandatory corporate governance disclosure is significantly and positively related to the growth of deposits for both Islamic and conventional UAE listed banks
Queue Length Estimation for Freeway Facilities: Based on Combination of Point Traffic Detector and Automatic Vehicle Identification Data
Authors: Fakharian Qom Somaye , Hadi Mohammed , Xiao Yan , Al-Deek Haitham
Published: February 2017

Queue length is a critical performance measure for assessing and managing transportation network performance. Two new methods that integrate data from point traffic detectors and automatic vehicle identification (AVI) readers to estimate the queue length of freeway segments for both off-line and real-time applications are developed in this study. One method estimates the queue length between two detectors by using linear interpolation between the travel time measurement based on AVI data when the link is fully queued and when no queue is present. In the second method, a segment with a partial queue is divided into two subsegments: the first is assumed to be similar to upstream traffic conditions and the second to downstream traffic conditions. Then, the length of each part is calculated from AVI speed data. The performance of these methods is assessed and compared in two case studies that are based on simulation data and real-world data. The results show that using a combination of point detector data and AVI data produces accurate estimates of queue length. The queue estimation method based on cumulative volumes collected with point detectors alone also produces reasonably good estimates but requires additional ramp detection and assumptions regarding moving queue density. The two combination methods produce results that are close to each other based on simulation data and real-world data. The segmentation method produces better results based on real-world data.
Dietary Intake of DHA and EPA in a Group of Pregnant Women in the Moncton Area
Authors: Bishop Nicole Arsenault , Leblanc Caroline P.
Published: February 2017

Purpose: To compare docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and fish intake of pregnant women at 30 weeks of gestation to current recommendations and to determine the factors associated with omega-3 (ω-3) intake.

Methods: A food frequency questionnaire was completed by 54 women (54/131 = 41%) at 30 ± 0.8 weeks gestation. Supplement intake, sociodemographic characteristics, and ω-3 food habits were evaluated.

Results: Among this high socioeconomic status (SES) group, 66.7% and 64.8% met the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of 200 mg/d DHA and 300 mg/d DHA + EPA, respectively, and only 48.1% met the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy) recommendation of 500 mg/d DHA + EPA. Eighteen of the 54 women took a ω-3 supplement during the third trimester. This significantly improved their total intake to meet the FAO/WHO (88.9% ≥200 mg/d DHA and 94.4% ≥300 mg/d DHA + EPA) and the Academy (77.8% ≥500 mg/d DHA + EPA) recommendations. Among nonsupplement users (36/54), 50% met the FAO/WHO recommendations and only 33.3% met the Academy recommendations.

Conclusions: Results suggest that the majority of high SES women did not meet ω-3 recommendations from food alone. Continued prenatal education on the importance of fish intake and on the addition of ω-3 prenatal supplement is essential.
The Voice of Experience: Diet and Weight Change in Women with Breast Cancer Associate with Psychosocial and Treatment-Related Challenges
Authors: Vance Vivienne , Campbell Sharon , Mccargar Linda , Mourtzakis Marina , Hanning Rhona
Published: February 2017

Purpose: This study investigated relationships between psychosocial and treatment-related factors, diet, and weight change in women treated with chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer.

Methods: Comprehensive qualitative interviews were conducted with 28 women who were within 12 months of completing chemotherapy treatment.

Results: Changes in food intake and eating patterns were universal over the course of chemotherapy, with broad variability in treatment effects and associated dietary responses linked to weight change. Increased appetite, food cravings, and intake of energy-dense comfort foods were more common among women who gained weight during treatment (n = 11). Changes in taste, nausea, and emotional distress were central in promoting these dietary responses. Women who lost weight during treatment (n = 6) tended to report more severe and persistent side effects of treatment leading to poor appetite and lower food intake, and they were more likely to live alone.

Conclusions: While the etiology of weight change in this population is complex, this study suggests that changes in food intake related to treatment and psychosocial challenges may play an important role for some women. These findings may help to identify women who are most at risk of weight change during treatment and may inform the development of tailored dietary interventions.
Evaluation of Dietitian Counselling Access Revealed Reduced Pediatrician-Reported Hospital Admissions and Increased Parental Knowledge and Confidence
Authors: Watson-Jarvis Katherine (Kay) , Driedger Lorna , Fenton Tanis R.
Published: February 2017

Based on a 1999 needs assessment a pediatric community-based outpatient dietitian counselling service was created. By 2010 annual referrals had grown to almost 1500 (62% from physicians; 38% from public health nurses). An evaluation was undertaken to gather perspectives of practitioners and parents about access, satisfaction, referral practices, and changes in knowledge, attitudes, behaviour, and child well-being. Health professionals surveyed via email were 62 pediatricians (response rate 71%), 25 family physicians (21%), 87 public health nurses (31%), and 7 dietitian providers (100%). Parents (n = 93, response rate 75% of those contacted) were interviewed by telephone. Pediatricians reported a significantly lower rate of 7% (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.8%–23%) for admitting children to hospital to access a dietitian, compared to 1999 of 39% (95% CI, 22%–59%) (P = 0.005). Health professionals reported a high degree of agreement on benefits of the service to their practice and on child health problems and a high degree of satisfaction with the service. Parents reported gaining knowledge (76%), confidence (93%), and making behaviour changes in foods offered (77%). Our evaluation demonstrated health practitioners saw a need for access to dietitians for pediatric dietitian counselling and parents reported more confidence and improved child feeding practices after dietitian counselling.
Multilevel cervical arthroplasty: current evidence. A systematic review
Authors: Joaquim Andrei F. , Riew K. Daniel
Published: February 2017

OBJECTIVE

Cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment modality for single-level cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy. Its advantages over an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) include motion preservation and decreased reoperations at the index and adjacent segments up to 7 years postoperatively. Considering the fact that many patients have multilevel cervical disc degeneration (CDD), the authors performed a systematic review of the clinical studies evaluating patients who underwent multilevel CDA (2 or more levels).

METHODS

A systematic review in the MEDLINE database was performed. Clinical studies including patients who had multilevel CDA were selected and included. Case reports and literature reviews were excluded. Articles were then grouped according to their main study objective: 1) studies comparing multilevel CDA versus ACDF; 2) studies comparing single-level CDA versus multilevel CDA; and 3) multilevel CDA after a previous cervical spine surgery.

RESULTS

Fourteen articles met all inclusion criteria. The general conclusions were that multilevel CDA was at least as safe and effective as ACDF, with preservation of cervical motion when compared with ACDF and potentially with fewer reoperations expected in most of the studies. Multilevel CDAs are clinically effective as single-level surgeries, with good clinical and radiological outcomes. Some studies reported a higher incidence of heterotopic ossification in multilevel CDA when compared with single-level procedures, but without clinical relevance during the follow-up period. A CDA may be indicated even after a previous cervical surgery in selected cases.

CONCLUSIONS

The current literature supports the use of multilevel CDA. Caution is necessary regarding the more restrictive indications for CDA when compared with ACDF. Further prospective, controlled, multicenter, and randomized studies not sponsored by the device manufactures are desirable to prove the superiority of CDA surgery over ACDF as the treatment of choice for CDD in selected cases.
Current practice of cervical disc arthroplasty: a survey among 383 AOSpine International members
Authors: Chin-See-Chong Timothy C. , Gadjradj Pravesh S. , Boelen Robert J. , Harhangi Biswadjiet S.
Published: February 2017

OBJECTIVE

The use of cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) in spinal practice is controversial. This may be explained by the lack of studies with a large sample size and long-term outcomes. With this survey the authors aimed to evaluate the opinions of spine surgeons on the use of CDA in the current treatment of cervical disc herniation (CDH).

METHODS

A web-based survey was sent to all members of AOSpine International by email using SurveyMonkey on July 18, 2016. A single reminder was sent on August 18, 2016. Questions included geographic location; specialty; associated practice model; number of discectomies performed annually; the use of CDA, anterior cervical discectomy (ACD), and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF); and the expectations for clinical outcomes of these procedures.

RESULTS

A total of 383 questionnaires were analyzed. Almost all practitioners (97.9%) were male, with a mean of 15.0 ± 9.7 years of clinical experience. The majority of responders were orthopedic surgeons (54.6%). 84.3% performed ACDF as the standard technique for CDH. 47.8% of the surgeons occasionally used CDA, whereas 7.3% used CDA as standard approach for CDH. The most common arthroplasty device used was the ProDisc-C. Low evidence for benefits and higher costs were the most important reasons for not offering CDA. The risk of adjacent-level disease was considered smaller for CDA as compared with ACDF. However, ACDF was expected to have the highest effectiveness on arm pain (87.5%), followed by CDA (77.9%), while ACD had the least (12.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

In this survey, CDA was not considered to be the routine procedure to treat CDH. Reported benefits included the reduced risk of adjacent-level disease and preservation of motion of the neck. Lack of enough evidence on its effectiveness as well as higher costs were considered to be disadvantages of CDA. More research should be conducted on the implementation impact of CDA and the cost-effectiveness from society's perspective.
In vitro Regeneration and Rapid Multiplication of Dendrobium bensoniae, an Indigenous Ornamental Orchid
Authors: Riva S S , Islam A , Hoque M E
Published: February 2017

An experiment was conducted on in vitro regeneration and multiplication of Dendrobium bensoniae. Different concentrations of BA and IBA alone or combination of both hormones were used as treatment for regeneration.  It was revealed that shoot regeneration from node was the best at 2.0 mg/l BA supplemented to MS medium. It gave better responses than all other concentrations and combinations of BA and BA+IBA, used in the present study. The highest number of shoots and leaves were found when 1.0 mg/l BA with 1.5 mg/l IBA was supplemented into MS medium.  For rooting, 0.5 mg/l BA with 1.0 mg/l IBA was found to be the most effective. The well-rooted plantlets were successfully acclimatized under 70-80% humidity and planted in pots and transferred to the shade house for establishment. Around 85% of plantlets survived in the field. From the present result, it may be recommended that MS medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/l BA may be used for rapid shoot induction and regeneration of D. bensoniae.The Agriculturists 2016; 14(2) 24-31
Assessing Others’ Risk‐Taking Behavior from Their Affective States: Experimental Evidence Using a Stag Hunt Game
Authors: Kausel Edgar
Published: February 2017

Researchers are increasingly exploring the role of emotions in interactive decision‐making. Recent theories have focused on the interpersonal effects of emotions—the influence of the decisionmaker’s expressed emotions on observers’ decisions and judgments. In this paper, we examine whether people assess others’ risk preferences on the basis of their emotional states, whether this affects their own behavior, and how this assessment matches others’ actual behavior. To test these ideas, we used an experimental Stag Hunt game (n = 98), and included non‐trivial financial consequences. Participants were told (truthfully) that their counterparts’ previous task had left them happy, fearful, or emotionally neutral. People who were told their counterparts were fearful reported that they expected less risky decisions from these counterparts than people told their counterparts were neutral or happy. As a result, given that the Stag Hunt is a coordination game, these participants were themselves less risky. Interestingly, these participants’ expectations were not accurate; thus, coordination failed, and payoffs were low. This raises the possibility of a “curse of knowledge” whereby one player’s erroneous beliefs about the effects of the counterpart’s emotional state leads the first player to make poor action choices.
Toward an Assessment of the Global Inventory of Present-Day Mercury Releases to Freshwater Environments
Authors: Kocman David , Wilson Simon , Amos Helen , Telmer Kevin , Steenhuisen Frits , Sunderland Elsie , Mason Robert , Outridge Peter , Horvat Milena
Published: February 2017

Aquatic ecosystems are an essential component of the biogeochemical cycle of mercury (Hg), as inorganic Hg can be converted to toxic methylmercury (MeHg) in these environments and reemissions of elemental Hg rival anthropogenic Hg releases on a global scale. Quantification of effluent Hg releases to aquatic systems globally has focused on discharges to the global oceans, rather than contributions to freshwater systems that affect local exposures and risks associated with MeHg. Here we produce a first-estimate of sector-specific, spatially resolved global aquatic Hg discharges to freshwater systems. We compare our release estimates to atmospheric sources that have been quantified elsewhere. By analyzing available quantitative and qualitative information, we estimate that present-day global Hg releases to freshwater environments (rivers and lakes) associated with anthropogenic activities have a lower bound of ~1000 Mg· a−1. Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) represents the single largest source, followed by disposal of mercury-containing products and domestic waste water, metal production, and releases from industrial installations such as chlor-alkali plants and oil refineries. In addition to these direct anthropogenic inputs, diffuse inputs from land management activities and remobilization of Hg previously accumulated in terrestrial ecosystems are likely comparable in magnitude. Aquatic discharges of Hg are greatly understudied and further constraining associated data gaps is crucial for reducing the uncertainties in the global biogeochemical Hg budget.
Epigenetic Alterations in Parathyroid Cancers
Authors: Verdelli Chiara , Corbetta Sabrina
Published: February 2017

Parathyroid cancers (PCas) are rare malignancies representing approximately 0.005% of all cancers. PCas are a rare cause of primary hyperparathyroidism, which is the third most common endocrine disease, mainly related to parathyroid benign tumors. About 90% of PCas are hormonally active hypersecreting parathormone (PTH); consequently patients present with complications of severe hypercalcemia. Pre-operative diagnosis is often difficult due to clinical features shared with benign parathyroid lesions. Surgery provides the current best chance of cure, though persistent or recurrent disease occurs in about 50% of patients with PCas. Somatic inactivating mutations of CDC73/HRPT2 gene, encoding parafibromin, are the most frequent genetic anomalies occurring in PCas. Recently, the aberrant DNA methylation signature and microRNA expression profile have been identified in PCas, providing evidence that parathyroid malignancies are distinct entities from parathyroid benign lesions, showing an epigenetic signature resembling some embryonic aspects. The present paper reviews data about epigenetic alterations in PCas, up to now limited to DNA methylation, chromatin regulators and microRNA profile.
An Overview of Multimodal Neuroimaging Using Nanoprobes
Authors: Sridhar Sriram , Mishra Sachin , Gulyás Miklós , Padmanabhan Parasuraman , Gulyás Balázs
Published: February 2017

Nanomaterials have gained tremendous significance as contrast agents for both anatomical and functional preclinical bio-imaging. Contrary to conventional medical practices, molecular imaging plays an important role in exploring the affected cells, thus providing precision medical solutions. It has been observed that incorporating nanoprobes improves the overall efficacy of the diagnosis and treatment processes. These nano-agents and tracers are therefore often incorporated into preclinical therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Multimodal imaging approaches are well equipped with nanoprobes to explore neurological disorders, as they can display more than one type of characteristic in molecular imaging. Multimodal imaging systems are explored by researchers as they can provide both anatomical and functional details of tumors and affected tissues. In this review, we present the state-of-the-art research concerning multimodal imaging systems and nanoprobes for neuroimaging applications.
Enhancing the Biological Relevance of Machine Learning Classifiers for Reverse Vaccinology
Authors: Heinson Ashley , Gunawardana Yawwani , Moesker Bastiaan , Hume Carmen , Vataga Elena , Hall Yper , Stylianou Elena , McShane Helen , Williams Ann , Niranjan Mahesan , Woelk Christopher
Published: February 2017

Reverse vaccinology (RV) is a bioinformatics approach that can predict antigens with protective potential from the protein coding genomes of bacterial pathogens for subunit vaccine design. RV has become firmly established following the development of the BEXSERO® vaccine against Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B. RV studies have begun to incorporate machine learning (ML) techniques to distinguish bacterial protective antigens (BPAs) from non-BPAs. This research contributes significantly to the RV field by using permutation analysis to demonstrate that a signal for protective antigens can be curated from published data. Furthermore, the effects of the following on an ML approach to RV were also assessed: nested cross-validation, balancing selection of non-BPAs for subcellular localization, increasing the training data, and incorporating greater numbers of protein annotation tools for feature generation. These enhancements yielded a support vector machine (SVM) classifier that could discriminate BPAs (n = 200) from non-BPAs (n = 200) with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.787. In addition, hierarchical clustering of BPAs revealed that intracellular BPAs clustered separately from extracellular BPAs. However, no immediate benefit was derived when training SVM classifiers on data sets exclusively containing intra- or extracellular BPAs. In conclusion, this work demonstrates that ML classifiers have great utility in RV approaches and will lead to new subunit vaccines in the future.
Different Patterns in Daytime and Nighttime Thermal Effects of Urbanization in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Zhao Guosong , Dong Jinwei , Liu Jiyuan , Zhai Jun , Cui Yaoping , He Tian , Xiao Xiangming
Published: February 2017

Surface urban heat island (SUHI) in the context of urbanization has gained much attention in recent decades; however, the seasonal variations of SUHI and their drivers are still not well documented. In this study, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration, one of the most typical areas experiencing drastic urbanization in China, was selected to study the SUHI intensity (SUHII) based on remotely sensed land surface temperature (LST) data. Pure and unchanged urban and rural pixels from 2000 to 2010 were chosen to avoid non-concurrency between land cover data and LST data and to estimate daytime and nighttime thermal effects of urbanization. Different patterns of the seasonal variations were found in daytime and nighttime SUHIIs. Specifically, the daytime SUHII in summer (4 °C) was more evident than in other seasons while a cold island phenomenon was found in winter; the nighttime SUHII was always positive and higher than the daytime one in all the seasons except summer. Moreover, we found the highest daytime SUHII in August, which is the growing peak stage of summer maize, while nighttime SUHII showed a trough in the same month. Seasonal variations of daytime SUHII showed higher significant correlations with the seasonal variations of ∆LAI (leaf area index) (R2 = 0.81, r = −0.90) compared with ∆albedo (R2 = 0.61, r = −0.78) and background daytime LST (R2 = 0.69, r = 0.83); moreover, agricultural practices (double-cropping system) played an important role in the seasonal variations of daytime SUHII. Seasonal variations of the nighttime SUHII did not show significant correlations with either of seasonal variations of ∆LAI, ∆albedo, and background nighttime LST, which implies different mechanisms in nighttime SUHII variation needing future studies.
Predictions of Tropical Forest Biomass and Biomass Growth Based on Stand Height or Canopy Area Are Improved by Landsat-Scale Phenology across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Authors: Gwenzi David , Helmer Eileen , Zhu Xiaolin , Lefsky Michael , Marcano-Vega Humfredo
Published: February 2017

Remotely-sensed estimates of forest biomass are usually based on various measurements of canopy height, area, volume or texture, as derived from LiDAR, radar or fine spatial resolution imagery. These measurements are then calibrated to estimates of stand biomass that are primarily based on tree stem diameters. Although humid tropical forest seasonality can have low amplitudes compared with temperate regions, seasonal variations in growth-related factors like temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed and day length affect both tropical forest deciduousness and tree height-diameter relationships. Consequently, seasonal patterns in spectral measures of canopy greenness derived from satellite imagery should be related to tree height-diameter relationships and hence to estimates of forest biomass or biomass growth that are based on stand height or canopy area. In this study, we tested whether satellite image-based measures of tropical forest phenology, as estimated by indices of seasonal patterns in canopy greenness constructed from Landsat satellite images, can explain the variability in forest deciduousness, forest biomass and net biomass growth after already accounting for stand height or canopy area. Models of forest biomass that added phenology variables to structural variables similar to those that can be estimated by LiDAR or very high-spatial resolution imagery, like canopy height and crown area, explained up to 12% more variation in biomass. Adding phenology to structural variables explained up to 25% more variation in Net Biomass Growth (NBG). In all of the models, phenology contributed more as interaction terms than as single-effect terms. In addition, models run on only fully-forested plots performed better than models that included partially-forested plots. For forest NBG, the models produced better results when only those plots with a positive growth, from Inventory Cycle 1 to Inventory Cycle 2, were analyzed, as compared to models that included all plots
Ecosystem Services and Ecological Restoration in the Northern Shaanxi Loess Plateau, China, in Relation to Climate Fluctuation and Investments in Natural Capital
Authors: Wei Hejie , Fan Weiguo , Ding Zhenyu , Weng Boqi , Xing Kaixiong , Wang Xuechao , Lu Nachuan , Ulgiati Sergio , Dong Xiaobin
Published: February 2017

Accurately identifying the spatiotemporal variations and driving factors of ecosystem services (ES) in ecological restoration is important for ecosystem management and the sustainability of nature conservation strategies. As the Green for Grain project proceeds, food provision, water regulation and climate regulation services in the Northern Shaanxi Loess Plateau (NSLP) are changing and have caused broad attention. In this study, the dynamic pattern of the normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) and the main drivers of grain production (GP), water yield (WY) and net primary production (NPP) in the NSLP from 2000–2013 are identified by incorporating multiple data and methods, in order to provide a better understanding of how and why ES change during ecological restoration. WY was simulated by hydrological modeling, and NPP was estimated with the Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) model. The results show that vegetation restoration continued from 2000–2013, but fluctuated because of the comprehensive influence of climate and human activity. GP and NPP both exhibited significantly increasing trends, while changes in WY occurred in two stages: decline (2000–2006) and growth (2007–2013). Spatially, significantly increasing trends in NPP and WY were detected in 52.73% and 24.76% of the region, respectively, in areas that correspond with the Green for Grain project and high precipitation growth. Correlation and partial correlation analyses show that there were different dominant factors (i.e., natural vs. anthropogenic) driving ES change in the NSLP from 2000–2013. The change in WY was mainly driven by precipitation, while the improvements in GP and NPP can be attributed to investments in natural capital (i.e., chemical fertilizer, agricultural machinery power and afforestation). We also found that vegetation restoration can produce positive effects on NPP, but negative effects on WY by using response analyses of WY or NPP change to NDVI change, demonstrating that additional research on the role of water in vegetation restoration is needed. Our results provide support for ES management and the sustainable development of ecological restoration in the NSLP.
LMDI Decomposition Analysis of Energy Consumption in the Korean Manufacturing Sector
Authors: Kim Suyi
Published: February 2017

The energy consumption of Korea’s manufacturing sector has sharply increased over the past 20 years. This paper decomposes the factors influencing energy consumption in this sector using the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method and analyzes the specific characteristics of energy consumption from 1991 to 2011. The analysis reveals that the activity effect played a major role in increasing energy consumption. While the structure and intensity effects contributed to the reduction in energy consumption, the structure effect was greater than the intensity effect. Over the periods, the effects moved in opposite directions; that is, the structure effect decreased when the intensity effect increased and vice versa. The energy consumption by each industry is decomposed into two factors, activity and intensity effects. The increase of energy consumption due to the activity effect is largest in the petroleum and chemical industry, followed by the primary metal and non-ferrous industry, and the fabricated metal industry. The decrease of energy consumption due to the intensity effect is largest in the fabricated metal industry, followed by the primary metal and non-ferrous industry, and the non-metallic industry. The energy consumption due to intensity effect in the petroleum and chemical industry has risen. To save energy consumption more efficiently for addressing climate change in this sector, industrial restructuring and industry-specific energy saving policies should be introduced.
Les Cricétidés (Mammalia, Rodentia) des gisements moustériens de Soyons (Ardèche, France)
Authors: Jeannet Marcel
Published: February 2017

Résumé. — Présentation de la découverte, nouvelle pour la France et rare pour l'Europe, d'une association de trois espèces de hamsters (Cricétidés), elles-mêmes peu communes : Cricetus major (le hamster géant), Allocricetus bursae (le hamster migrateur fossile), Cricetulus migratorius (le hamster gris ou hamster migrateur). L'abondance et la variété des espèces de rongeurs associés témoignent à la fois de l'importance de la vallée du Rhône comme couloir de migration et de la diversité des biotopes de la région de Valence. Elles permettent également de placer les dépôts d'origine sur l'échelle biostratigraphique, à la limite du Pléistocène moyen et du Pléistocène supérieur.
Interactions between photoacidic 3-hydroxynaphtho[1,2-b]quinolizinium and cucurbit[7]uril: Influence on acidity in the ground and excited state
Authors: Becher Jonas , Berdnikova Daria V , Dzubiel Darinka , Ihmels Heiko , Pithan Phil M
Published: February 2017

3-Hydroxynaphtho[1,2-b]quinolizinium was synthesized by cyclodehydration route and its optical properties in different media were investigated. The absorption and emission spectra of this compound depend on the pH of the solution. Thus, at higher pH values the deprotonation yields a merocyanine-type dye that exhibits significantly red-shifted absorption bands and causes a dual emisson, i.e., a combination of emission bands of the hydroxyquinolizinium and its deprotonated form. Whereas this compound is a weak acid in the ground state (pKa = 7.9), it has a strongly increased acidity in the excited state (pKa* = 0.4). As a result, the blue-shifted fluorescence of the hydroxyquinolizinium becomes dominant only under strongly acidic conditions. In addition, it is shown that 3-hydroxynaphtho[1,2-b]quinolizinium binds to cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) with moderate affinity (Kb = 1.8 × 104 M−1, pH 5) and that the pKa and pKa* values of this ligand increase by about two to three orders of magnitude, respectively, when bound to CB[7].
The First Simultaneous X-Ray/Radio Detection of the First Be/BH System MWC 656
Authors: Ribó M. , Munar-Adrover P. , Paredes J. M. , Marcote B. , Iwasawa K. , Moldón J. , Casares J. , Migliari S. , Paredes-Fortuny X.
Published: February 2017

MWC 656 is the first known Be/black hole (BH) binary system. Be/BH binaries are important in the context of binary system evolution and sources of detectable gravitational waves because they are possible precursors of coalescing neutron star/BH binaries. X-ray observations conducted in 2013 revealed that MWC 656 is a quiescent high-mass X-ray binary (HMXB), opening the possibility to explore X-ray/radio correlations and the accretion/ejection coupling down to low luminosities for BH HMXBs. Here we report on a deep joint Chandra/VLA observation of MWC 656 (and contemporaneous optical data) conducted in 2015 July that has allowed us to unambiguously identify the X-ray counterpart of the source. The X-ray spectrum can be fitted with a power law with Γ ∼ 2, providing a flux of ≃4 × 10−15 erg cm−2 s−1 in the 0.5–8 keV energy range and a luminosity of L
X ≃ 3 × 1030 erg s−1 at a 2.6 kpc distance. For a 5 M⊙ BH this translates into ≃5 × 10−9 L
Edd. These results imply that MWC 656 is about 7 times fainter in X-rays than it was two years before and reaches the faintest X-ray luminosities ever detected in stellar-mass BHs. The radio data provide a detection with a peak flux density of 3.5 ± 1.1 μJy beam−1. The obtained X-ray/radio luminosities for this quiescent BH HMXB are fully compatible with those of the X-ray/radio correlations derived from quiescent BH low-mass X-ray binaries. These results show that the accretion/ejection coupling in stellar-mass BHs is independent of the nature of the donor star.