bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Online Laboratory Sessions in System Design with DSPs using the R-DSP Lab
Authors: Kalantzopoulos Athanasios , Zigouris Evangelos
Published: June 2014

The education of students in the design of DSP (Digital Signal Processor) based systems is achieved through courses including lectures and laboratory sessions. Traditionally, the laboratory sessions take place in the hands-on laboratories and the physical presence of both students and instructors is required. This paper presents the online conduction of the System Design with DSPs postgraduate course's laboratory sessions utilizing the R-DSP Lab (Remote Digital Signal Processors Laboratory). This interactive RL (Remote Laboratory) allows the students to verify their DSP applications which are written by them in C and/or assembly programming language without time and place restrictions. It also supports the remote control of the available laboratory equipment through an internet accessible and user-friendly control environment. However, the most important feature of the R-DSP Lab which is proposed in this paper, is the remote control of student's DSP applications through GUIs (Graphical User Interfaces) developed by them. This feature is demonstrated through an example concerning the implementation and verification processes of a real-time DTMF (Dual Tone Multi Frequency) encoder/decoder. In this example the DSP application is remotely controlled through a LabVIEW based GUI developed by the students following the instructions of the corresponding laboratory session. The assessment and evaluation of both the System Design with DSPs laboratory sessions and the R-DSP Lab are also discussed in this paper.
Laboratory as a Service (LaaS): a Novel Paradigm for Developing and Implementing Modular Remote Laboratories
Authors: Tawfik Mohamed , Salzmann Christophe , Gillet Denis , Lowe David , Saliah-Hassane Hamadou , Sancristobal Elio , Castro Manuel
Published: June 2014

The increasing adoption of remote laboratories in education along with the shift from eLearning 2.0 towards eLearning 3.0, have demanded several considerations in their implementation and delivery format. In response to these needs, this contribution introduces a novel model, Laboratory as a Service (LaaS), for developing remote laboratories as independent component modules and implementing them as a set of loosely-coupled services to be consumed with a high level of abstraction and virtualization. LaaS aims to tackle the common concurrent challenges in remote laboratories developing and implementation such as inter-institutional sharing, interoperability with other heterogeneous systems, coupling with heterogeneous services and learning objects, difficulty of developing, and standardization. Beyond the academic context, LaaS will facilitate the incorporation of remote laboratories in the ecosystem of the ubiquitous smart things surrounding us, which increases everyday with the approaching Web of Things (WoT) and artificial intelligence era. This, in turn, will create a breeding ground for online control, experimentation, and discovery—in either formal or informal context and with neither temporal nor geographical constraints.
RoombaCreate® for Remote Laboratories
Authors: Azad Abul K. M. , Kaushik Pramod
Published: June 2014

Internet has advanced significantly with the aid of electronics and communication technologies. This allows us to undertake ambitious activities over the Internet, which are unthinkable even few years back. With this new scenario, performing experiments that involve real hardware remotely over the web is now a reality. Controlling hardware experiments remotely is labeled as remote laboratory. Considering the complexities of technologies involved with remote laboratories, hardware experimental systems need to be customized before they can be integrated within a remote laboratory system. One such system is a mobile robot that can be used for various student learning laboratory activities. This paper reports the customizing of a commercial mobile robot known as RoombaCreate® so that it can be integrated within a remote laboratory facility. The process involves automated movement with obstacles avoidance, wireless control, real-time video, and control over the web.
Improved Quality and Reliability in Telecommunication Network Testing by means of a Remote Online Test System
Authors: Davutoglu Can , Durakbasa Numan M , Bas Gokcen , Guclu Erol
Published: June 2014

Increasing demand for high quality and reliable operation of the telecommunication network services and its applications have been the main challenges of the telecommunication network providers in the last decade. In this paper, a remote online testing facility (Intact – Intelligent Test Automation and Configuration Tool) is introduced that proposes a solution for telecommunication network providers to meet demands and to ensure business services as well as network related services (circuit switched and packet switched) operate efficiently.

This paper presents a particular solution of remote testing based on the automated functional “End to End” testing approach. “End to End” starts by configuring service properties, subscriber record and service logic on one hand. On the other hand several hundred call scenarios can be executed fully automatically. Moreover the call detail records written by the network elements are verified automatically too. Hence a test description and web automation language was developed which is very easy to learn. This testing approach improves test speed and quality leading to reduced risk and investment on test procedure. As a result, the proposed solution of a remote automated online test system aims to overcome higher cost, longer time to market periods and increased effort in testing.
Problems of the Time Deterministic in Applications for Process Control from the Cloud
Authors: Makarov Oleg , Langmann Reinhard , Nesteresko S. , Frank B.
Published: June 2014

This paper is devoted to the problem of data transfer rates between automation devices and cloud services. The possibilities of the device connection to the automation systems are described, their time characteristic are determined. The connections are compared and evaluated accordingly to their compliance with the current requirements of Industry 4.0. The decision about the possibilities of their implementation in modern Cyber Physical Production Systems is made.
EFFECT OF COLLAGEN ON THE MORPHOLOGY AND STRUCTURE OF CALCIUM PHOSPHATE NANOPARTICLES
Authors: Salemi Hoda , Behnamghader Aliasghar , Eslaminejad Mohamadreza Baghaban , Ataei Mohammad
Published: June 2014

Collagen and noncollagenous proteins have an important role in the formation of mineral constituent of bone matrix. In this research, the morphology and phase characteristics of calcium phosphate nanoparticles in presence of collagen were investigated. The synthesis reaction was initiated by mixing H 3 PO 4 as phosphorous source and CaCl 2 as calcium source and type I collagen. Collagen concentration in suspension and Ca to P ratio was 1% and 1.67, respectively. The samples (with collagen and without collagen), were heat treated at 600°C and characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). More smaller and flake-like shape particles were observed in the SEM images of sample synthesized in the presence of collagen compared to the control sample which was constituted of larger granular particles. The XRD results revealed that the synthesized mineral powders with collagen were composed of hydroxyapatite and octacalcium phosphate. P – O and OH characteristic peaks were identified in FTIR spectra. In hybrid sample, the shift of amides band, revealed the electrostatic interactions between calcium phosphate ions and carboxyl or amino groups of collagen fibrils. The Ca to P molar ratio for sample with collagen was 1.9. It was found that the sample synthesized in the presence of collagen has a similar microstructure to natural bone.
Structural Reinforcement of Viewports in Spherical Pressure Hull for Manned Submersibles
Authors: Pranesh Bhaskaran , Sathianarayanan Dharmaraj , Ramesh Sethuraman , Ramadass Gidugu Ananda
Published: June 2014

AbstractManned submersibles are underwater vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with an atmospheric pressure casing called a spherical pressure hull, which can accommodate up to three people. The spherical pressure hull facilitates safe passage to high-pressure environments.
It has circular openings that serve as viewports to enable underwater viewing and intervention. The regions near the openings are the weakest in the pressure hull and must be reinforced. Reinforcement of the viewports is performed using the area replacement method. The amount of material removed
from the viewport opening must be replaced along the axis of symmetry of the opening. This is the minimum amount of material that must be placed along the circumference of the viewports. Reinforced viewports in the pressure hull are analyzed using finite element analysis, and the stresses
are classified into primary and secondary stresses. The reinforcements of the viewports are carried out in such a way that the calculated primary and secondary stresses are below the permissible limits.Abbreviations:P ‐ External pressure (design pressure)Dm
‐ Mean diameter of the pressure hullRm ‐ Mean radius of the pressure hullt ‐ Thickness of the pressure hullσ ‐ Hoop stressPy ‐ Pressure at yield strength of the materialPb
‐ Buckling pressureE ‐ Young’s modulus of the materialγ ‐ Poisson’s ratioMSW ‐ Meters of sea water
Development of a Sonar System to Estimate the Seafloor Subsurface Burial Depth of a Towed Gamma-Ray Spectrometer
Authors: Hirao Yoshihiro , Ohnishi Seiki , Thornton Blair , Yano Yusuke , Odano Naoteru , Ura Tamaki
Published: June 2014

AbstractA sonar system and image processing method have been developed to continuously estimate the seafloor subsurface burial depth of a gamma-ray spectrometer that is towed along the seafloor by a ship. The towed gamma-ray spectrometer, called the RESQ hose, is an instrument
designed to measure radiation levels in seafloor sediments that were contaminated as a result of the accident at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant. In situ measurements of subsurface burial depth can increase the accuracy of the radionuclide concentration levels estimated by
the RESQ hose by allowing for more accurate modeling of the measurement conditions. The reliability of the system is verified through sea trials performed near the outlet of the Abukuma River. Continuous measurements of burial depth are achieved with an outlier ratio of less than 5%. The burial
depths measured by the device show a strong correlation with the acoustic backscatter intensity of side-scan sonar images obtained along the surveyed transect, indicating that burial depth is dependent on sediment type. We examine the influence of burial depth on the conversion factors between
detected gamma-ray count rates and the concentrations of 134Cs and 137Cs. For both nuclides, the calculated factors increase by nearly 80% as burial depth increases from 0 to 11 cm. The converted results from the measured 137Cs count rates are compared with
a core sample obtained near the transect, with the nearest point within a factor of two of the sampling result.
Advanced Technique for Automatic Detection and Discrimination of a Click Train With Short Interclick Intervals From the Clicks of Ganges River Dolphins (Platanista gangetica gangetica) Recorded by a Passive Acoustic Monitoring System Using Hydrophone Arrays
Authors: Sugimatsu Harumi , Kojima Junichi , Ura Tamaki , Bahl Rajendar , Behera Sandeep , Sagar Vivek Sheel , Singh Hari , De Rupak
Published: June 2014

AbstractTo understand the biosonar click characteristics of Ganges river dolphins (adults, young adults, and calves) in a wild environment along with periodic visual observations, an ongoing program for long-term in situ monitoring has been carried out using a passive
acoustic monitoring (PAM) system. During monitoring phase 4 (2012), migrating Ganges river dolphin groups with small calves were visually observed, and click trains having a short interclick interval (ICI: from 6 to 12 ms) were concurrently found from the acoustic data corresponding to the
period. Click trains having a short ICI have also been observed in other small-toothed whales during foraging and socializing activities (called buzz) (Thoms, Moss, & Vater, 2004; Simard & Mann, 2008). For analysis of the short ICI click trains produced by the Ganges river dolphins,
an advanced technique that automatically detects and discriminates a “short ICI click train” from other click sequences during the selected periods of data recorded by a PAM system was developed. For a robust algorithm, a smaller mean ICI caused by overlapping click trains from
multiple dolphins that fulfill the range of ICI values that may get incorrectly labeled as “short ICI click train” was considered to judiciously detect a reliable click train. By applying the selected parameters and ICI values (default or given), the performance of the proposed
technique was demonstrated using sample data. The results showed the reliability of the technique for the extraction of a variety of short ICI click trains from other click trains.
Efficiency Improvement of Underwater Midrange Inductive Contactless Power Transmission Via a Relay Resonator
Authors: Zhou Jie , Li De-jun , Chen Ying
Published: June 2014

AbstractInductive contactless power transmission (ICPT) offers a safe and convenient means of delivering energy underwater. However, ICPT is capable of transferring power effectively only within a near-distance range (millimeters). In recent years, magnetic resonance coupled
power transmission (MRCPT), which can wirelessly deliver power across a distance of meters, has been introduced and studied. Nevertheless, MRCPT is usually operated at a very high resonance frequency (MHz) and is unavailable for underwater applications because of the considerable power loss
in water. In this paper, we present an ICPT system with a relay resonator for a midrange efficiency improvement. The proposed system is based on an (inductor-capacitor) LC resonance circuit, rather than magnetic resonance. The system operates at a lower resonance frequency than the typical
MRCPT system. A theoretical model is introduced for the proposed system using coupled mode theory. Theoretical treatments and an analysis of the system parameters are presented for improving the efficiency in underwater environments. The inductance and stray capacitance of a relay coil with
a flat spiral profile are calculated. The experimental results indicate that the proposed system can substantially enhance the power transmission efficiency under water in midrange distances (≥10 cm) compared with the ICPT system without a relay resonator.
Performance and Stability Analysis for ZJU Glider
Authors: Yang Canjun , Peng Shilin , Fan Shuangshuang
Published: June 2014

AbstractUnderwater gliders provide an effective, low-cost method for sampling the ocean over large spatial and temporal scales. In this paper, we present a series of theoretical analyses to provide guidelines for vehicle design, which are used to develop a coastal 200-m-depth
underwater glider known as the Zhejiang University (ZJU) glider. The ZJU glider uses a longitudinally actuated moving mass for pitch control and a rudder for turning control. Computational methods and analytical approaches are chosen to solve the viscous and inviscid terms
of glider hydrodynamics, respectively. Steady flight equilibrium analysis gives the varied range of moving mass location for pitch control and varied vehicle volume for buoyancy control. Size analysis investigates the effects of glider geometric parameters on motion performance. For wings-level
flight, we describe the variation in the maximum lift-to-drag ratio corresponding to a given vehicle size and speed. For turning motion, we investigate the manner in which the turning performance varies with vertical rudder configuration. Stability analysis determines the relationship between
the stability of glider motion and the locations of the glider wings and rudder. Pool trials indicate that the ZJU glider functions well in water and is capable of serving as a sensor platform for ocean sampling.
Underwater Color Image Enhancement Using Combining Schemes
Authors: Luan Xin , Hou Guojia , Sun Zhengyuan , Wang Yongfang , Song Dalei , Wang Shuxin
Published: June 2014

AbstractUnderwater color image processing has received considerable attention in the last few decades for underwater image-based observation. In this article, a novel underwater image enhancement approach using combining schemes is presented. This study aims to improve color
correction under nonuniform illumination conditions. The objective of this approach is threefold. First, to correct nonuniform illumination and enhance contrast in the image, homomorphic filtering is used. Second, the color contrast of an image is equalized by a contrast stretching algorithm
in RGB (red, green and blue) color space. Finally, the noise amplified after the previous two steps is suppressed by using wavelet domain denoising based on threshold processing. The comparison of experimental results shows that the proposed approach of underwater image enhancement can correct
the color imbalance and is especially suitable for processing underwater color images that have nonuniform lighting.
Adventitial Fibroblasts Induce a Distinct Proinflammatory/Profibrotic Macrophage Phenotype in Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: El Kasmi Karim C. , Pugliese Steven C. , Riddle Suzette R. , Poth Jens M. , Anderson Aimee L. , Frid Maria G. , Li Min , Pullamsetti Soni S. , Savai Rajkumar , Nagel Maria A. , Fini Mehdi A. , Graham Brian B. , Tuder Rubin M. , Friedman Jacob E. , Eltzschig Holger K. , Sokol Ronald J. , Stenmark Kurt R.
Published: June 2014

Macrophage accumulation is not only a characteristic hallmark but is also a critical component of pulmonary artery remodeling associated with pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive vascular macrophage activation and their functional phenotype remain poorly defined. Using multiple levels of in vivo (bovine and rat models of hypoxia-induced PH, together with human tissue samples) and in vitro (primary mouse, rat, and bovine macrophages, human monocytes, and primary human and bovine fibroblasts) approaches, we observed that adventitial fibroblasts derived from hypertensive pulmonary arteries (bovine and human) regulate macrophage activation. These fibroblasts activate macrophages through paracrine IL-6 and STAT3, HIF1, and C/EBPβ signaling to drive expression of genes previously implicated in chronic inflammation, tissue remodeling, and PH. This distinct fibroblast-activated macrophage phenotype was independent of IL-4/IL-13–STAT6 and TLR–MyD88 signaling. We found that genetic STAT3 haplodeficiency in macrophages attenuated macrophage activation, complete STAT3 deficiency increased macrophage activation through compensatory upregulation of STAT1 signaling, and deficiency in C/EBPβ or HIF1 attenuated fibroblast-driven macrophage activation. These findings challenge the current paradigm of IL-4/IL-13–STAT6–mediated alternative macrophage activation as the sole driver of vascular remodeling in PH, and uncover a cross-talk between adventitial fibroblasts and macrophages in which paracrine IL-6–activated STAT3, HIF1α, and C/EBPβ signaling are critical for macrophage activation and polarization. Thus, targeting IL-6 signaling in macrophages by completely inhibiting C/EBPβ or HIF1α or by partially inhibiting STAT3 may hold therapeutic value for treatment of PH and other inflammatory conditions characterized by increased IL-6 and absent IL-4/IL-13 signaling.
Pain management after lung surgery
Authors: Frödin Maria , Warrén Stomberg Margareta
Published: June 2014

Pain management is an integral challenge in nursing and includes the responsibility of managing patients’ pain, evaluating pain therapy and ensuring the quality of care. The aims of this study were to explore patients’ experiences of pain after lung surgery and evaluate their satisfaction with the postoperative pain management. A descriptive design was used which studied 51 participants undergoing lung surgery. The incidence of moderate postoperative pain varied from 36- 58% among the participants and severe pain from 11-26%, during their hospital stay. Thirty-nine percent had more pain than expected. After three months, 20% experienced moderate pain and 4% experienced severe pain, while after six months, 16% experienced moderate pain. The desired quality of care goal was not fully achieved. We conclude that a large number of patients experienced moderate and severe postoperative pain and more than one third had more pain than expected. However, 88% were satisfied with the pain management. The findings confirm the severity of pain experienced after lung surgery and facilitate the apparent need for the continued improvement of postoperative pain management following this procedure.
The Secondary School Football Coach's Relationship With the Athletic Trainer and Perspectives on Exertional Heat Stroke
Authors: Adams William M. , Mazerolle Stephanie M. , Casa Douglas J. , Huggins Robert A. , Burton Laura
Published: June 2014

Context:

Prior researchers have examined the first-aid knowledge and decision making among high school coaches, but little is known about their perceived knowledge of exertional heat stroke (EHS) or their relationships with an athletic trainer (AT).

Objective:

To examine secondary school football coaches' perceived knowledge of EHS and their professional relationship with an AT.

Design:

Qualitative study.

Setting:

Web-based management system.

Patients or Other Participants:

Thirty-eight secondary school head football coaches (37 men, 1 woman) participated in this study. Their average age was 47 ± 10 years old, and they had 12 ± 9 years' experience as a head football coach.

Data Collection and Analysis:

Participants responded to a series of online questions that were focused on their perceived knowledge of EHS and professional relationships with ATs. Data credibility was established through multiple-analyst triangulation and peer review. We analyzed the data by borrowing from the principles of a general inductive approach.

Results:

Two dominant themes emerged from the data: perceived self-confidence of the secondary school coach and the influence of the AT. The first theme highlighted the perceived confidence, due to basic emergency care training, of the coach regarding management of an emergency situation, despite a lack of knowledge. The second theme illustrated the secondary school coach's positive professional relationships with ATs regarding patient care and emergency procedures. Of the coaches who participated, 89% (34 out of 38) indicated positive interactions with their ATs.

Conclusions:

These secondary school coaches were unaware of the potential causes of EHS or the symptoms associated with EHS, and they had higher perceived levels of self-confidence in management abilities than indicated by their perceived knowledge level. The secondary school football coaches valued and understood the role of the AT regarding patient and emergency care.
Reliability and Validity Evidence of Multiple Balance Assessments in Athletes With a Concussion
Authors: Murray Nicholas , Salvatore Anthony , Powell Douglas , Reed-Jones Rebecca
Published: June 2014

Context:

An estimated 300 000 sport-related concussion injuries occur in the United States annually. Approximately 30% of individuals with concussions experience balance disturbances. Common methods of balance assessment include the Clinical Test of Sensory Organization and Balance (CTSIB), the Sensory Organization Test (SOT), the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS), and the Romberg test; however, the National Collegiate Athletic Association recommended the Wii Fit as an alternative measure of balance in athletes with a concussion. A central concern regarding the implementation of the Wii Fit is whether it is reliable and valid for measuring balance disturbance in athletes with concussion.

Objective:

To examine the reliability and validity evidence for the CTSIB, SOT, BESS, Romberg test, and Wii Fit for detecting balance disturbance in athletes with a concussion.

Data Sources:

Literature considered for review included publications with reliability and validity data for the assessments of balance (CTSIB, SOT, BESS, Romberg test, and Wii Fit) from PubMed, PsycINFO, and CINAHL.

Data Extraction:

We identified 63 relevant articles for consideration in the review. Of the 63 articles, 28 were considered appropriate for inclusion and 35 were excluded.

Data Synthesis:

No current reliability or validity information supports the use of the CTSIB, SOT, Romberg test, or Wii Fit for balance assessment in athletes with a concussion. The BESS demonstrated moderate to high reliability (interclass correlation coefficient = 0.87) and low to moderate validity (sensitivity = 34%, specificity = 87%). However, the Romberg test and Wii Fit have been shown to be reliable tools in the assessment of balance in Parkinson patients.

Conclusions:

The BESS can evaluate balance problems after a concussion. However, it lacks the ability to detect balance problems after the third day of recovery. Further investigation is needed to establish the use of the CTSIB, SOT, Romberg test, and Wii Fit for assessing balance in athletes with concussions.
The effect of hard water, spray solution storage time, and ammonium sulfate on glyphosate efficacy and yield of glyphosate-resistant corn
Authors: Mahoney K. J. , Nurse R. E. , Sikkema P. H.
Published: June 2014

Mahoney, K. J., Nurse, R. E. and Sikkema, P. H. 2014. The effect of hard water, spray solution storage time, and ammonium sulfate on glyphosate efficacy and yield of glyphosate-resistant corn. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 1401–1405. Effects of ammonium sulfate (AMS) on reduced glyphosate rates are well documented; however, these rates are not used by farmers. Studies in 2011 and 2012 determined the effects of AMS and hard water on glyphosate applied at a field rate. AMS (0 or 2.5 L ha−1) and glyphosate (900 g a.e. ha−1) were added to distilled or hard water carriers. Glyphosate plus AMS, in either distilled or hard water, did not usually affect velvetleaf, pigweed species, common ragweed, common lambsquarters and large crabgrass above-ground biomass and density 8 wk after treatment (WAT); however, velvetleaf biomass was reduced with the addition of AMS to glyphosate. Compared with the weedy control 8 WAT, glyphosate plus AMS reduced velvetleaf biomass by 93%, while treatments with no AMS reduced biomass by 77%. In distilled water, 4.8 common lambsquarters plants m−2 remained compared with 7.8 plants m−2 with glyphosate in hard water. For corn yield, an AMS×water hardness interaction was detected; however, no differences were observed among the treatment combinations and the addition of AMS to glyphosate did not affect yield. Therefore, advocating adding AMS to spray solutions containing glyphosate, especially when a labeled rate is used, should be called into question.
Genetic variation and heritability of rutin and glutathione concentrations in asparagus spears
Authors: Drinkwater Jenna M. , Tsao Rong , Liu Ronghua , Wolyn David J.
Published: June 2014

Drinkwater, J. M., Tsao, R., Liu, R. and Wolyn, D. J. 2014. Genetic variation and heritability of rutin and glutathione concentrations in asparagus spears. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 1355–1362. Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) spears contain numerous phytochemicals, including rutin (a flavonoid) and glutathione (a biothiol), that are beneficial to human health due to antioxidant or other activities. To assess the potential to increase phytochemical content through breeding, genetic variability was surveyed in diverse germplasm adapted to southern Ontario. Selected female and supermale genotypes were also hybridized in a partial diallel to estimate heritability and identify parents with good combining ability. Genetic variation for rutin (3.30 to 8.14 mg g−1 dry weight) was observed, while glutathione concentrations (5.37 to 7.86 µmol g−1 dry weight) did not differ significantly among tested genotypes. Combining ability effects were significant for rutin concentration and heritability was also moderate. From these results, breeding to improve the concentration of rutin, rather than that of glutathione, is most achievable in the germplasm tested.
Responses of group and individual leaf photosynthetic characteristics of two summer maize (Zea maysL.) to leaf removal under high plant density
Authors: Liu T.-N. , Gu L.-M. , Xu C.-L. , Dong S.-T.
Published: June 2014

Liu, T.-N., Gu, L.-M., Xu, C.-L. and Dong, S.-T. 2014. Responses of group and individual leaf photosynthetic characteristics of two summer maize (Zea mays L.) to leaf removal under high plant density. Can. J. Plant Sci. 94: 1449–1459. The present experiment was conducted during the growing seasons of 2012 and 2013 using two summer maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars, Zhengdan958 (a compact cultivar) and Jinhai5 (a semi-compact cultivar) grown at a plant density of 105 000 plants ha−1, to evaluate the influence of leaf removal on canopy apparent photosynthesis (CAP), individual leaf photosynthetic characteristics and grain yield. Plants were subjected to the removal of two (S1), four (S2) or six leaves (S3) from the top of the plant 3 d after anthesis (DAA), with no leaf removal as control (S0). The results of 2 yr indicated that with increased intensity of leaf removal, the transmission of light to lower strata of the canopy increased. With the removal of two leaves (S1), CAP increased and longer durations of CAP and green leaf are index were maintained during grain filling, whereas CAP in S2 and S3 treatments was inhibited and drastically declined. Generally, leaf removal appeared to stimulate an increase in the net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gs) and chlorophyll content of the remaining ear leaves in S2 and S3 treatments prior to 26 DAA. Nevertheless, thereafter, plants in the S1 treatment had an advantage in terms of individual photosynthetic capacity. These results indicate that excising two leaves made plants more tolerant of high plant density due to enhanced photosynthetic capacity in ear leaves as well as a more efficient canopy structure, resulting in a better coordination of groups and individuals, and finally achieved significantly higher grain yield. In addition, relative to Zhengdan958, the effects of leaf removal on Jinhai5 were more apparent.
Instinctive Clinical Teaching: Erasing the Mental Boundary Between Clinical Education and Patient Care to Promote Natural Learning
Authors: Yang Yih-Ming , Kim Christopher H. , Briones Michael A. , Hilinski Joseph A. , Greenwald Michael
Published: June 2014

Effective clinical teaching is essential in physician education, yet faculty members rarely receive formal training in clinical teaching. Formal models for training clinical educators are often tedious and require significant time and effort. Instinctive clinical teaching allows clinicians to seamlessly integrate and promote effective teaching into their clinical practice. The approach is guided by similarities between the components of Kolb's experiential learning cycle—concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation—and the elements of the patient care process—history and physical, initial assessment, differential, hypothesis, final diagnosis, management, and follow-up. Externalization of these clinical thought processes allows for inclusion of learners and promotes effective clinical teaching.
Use of the Electronic Health Record to Track Continuity of Care in Neurological Surgery Residency
Authors: Litofsky N. Scott , Farooqui Ali , Tanaka Tomoko , Norregaard Thor
Published: June 2014

Background

Continuity of care in neurological surgery includes preoperative planning, technical and cognitive operative experience, and postoperative follow-up. Determining the extent of continuity of care with duty hour limits is problematic.

Objective

We used electronic health record data to track continuity of care in a neurological surgery program and to assess changes in rotation requirements.

Methods

The electronic health record was surveyed for all dictated resident–neurological surgery patient encounters (excluding progress notes), discharge summaries, and bedside procedures (July 2009–November 2011). Encounters were designated as preoperative, operative, or postoperative and were grouped by postgraduate year (PGY)–1 through PGY-6.

Results

A total of 6382 dictations were reviewed, with 5231 (82.0%) pertinent to neurological surgery. Of the 1469 operative notes, 303 (20.6%) had a record of an encounter with the operating resident in either a postoperative or preoperative setting. Preoperative encounters totaled 10.1% (148 of 1469); postoperative, 5.1% (75 of 1469); and encounters with both were 5.4% (80 of 1469). Continuity of care was as follows: PGY-1, 13.8% (4 of 29); PGY-2, 17.4% (26 of 149); PGY-3, 29.0% (36 of 124); PGY-4, 24.8% (73 of 294); PGY-5, 28.8% (109 of 379); and PGY-6, 11.1% (55 of 494). One of the highest continuity rates was observed in a rotation specifically constructed to enhance continuity of care.

Conclusions

The electronic health record can be used to track resident continuity of care in neurological surgery. The primary operating resident saw the patient in nonoperative settings, such as general admission, clinic visitation, or consultation in 20.6% (303 of 1469) of cases.
Benthic ecosystem functioning beneath fish farms in different hydrodynamic environments
Authors: Sweetman Andrew K. , Norling Karl , Gunderstad Carina , Haugland Barbro T. , Dale Trine
Published: June 2014

To quantify how fish farming modifies short‐term benthic carbon cycling in fjord environments and the role of hydrodynamics in modifying effects on the benthos, we assessed benthic ecosystem structure and respiration and used isotope labeled algae as a tracer to quantify C flow over 48 h through macrofauna and bacteria in sediments collected from beneath fish farm sites in (1) high water‐flow areas, (2) low water‐flow areas, and (3) two appropriate control sites situated downstream from the farms. Bacterial biomass was significantly greater in sediments collected from the fish farm sites relative to the controls. This was also true for sediment oxygen consumption (SOC) rates averaged over each 48 h investigation, which were significantly correlated with total benthic (macrofauna and bacteria) biomass. Short‐term C‐uptake rates by macrofauna were elevated in both fish farm treatments compared with bacterial C uptake and were significantly higher in sediments from the low flow fish farm site relative to both controls. While SOC rates were significantly higher in experiments using sediments from the low flow fish farm site; faunal abundance, biomass uptake, C uptake, bacterial biomass, and metabolism in sediments from both fish farm treatments were not significantly different from one another. Fish farming can dramatically alter benthic ecosystem functioning, and significant effects can occur around fish farms irrespective of the water‐flow regime the farms are moored in.
Inferring nitrogen removal in large rivers from high‐resolution longitudinal profiling
Authors: Hensley Robert T. , Cohen Matthew J. , Korhnak Larry V.
Published: June 2014

We present a method for estimating nitrogen (N) removal based on high‐resolution longitudinal profiling, which facilitates repeated measurement in larger rivers. The Lagrangian reference frame allows removal to be spatially disaggregated, enabling identification of removal “hot spots,” and potentially passive assessment of reaction kinetics using ambient longitudinal concentration gradients. Applying the method in six spring‐fed rivers in North Florida, we tested the hypothesis that removal is controlled by spatial variation in channel hydraulics and vegetation. Removal estimates obtained using this method were statistically robust, spatially consistent across replicate profiles, and comparable to measurements made in these and other systems of similar size using alternative methods. We observed significantly increased removal in reaches with lower specific discharge and in more heavily vegetated reaches. Assessing uptake kinetics directly from longitudinal profiles assumes negligible sampling effects from temporally variable removal, non‐instantaneous sampling velocities, and the mixing of water along the flowpath. Results from a reactive transport model suggest these effects are significant, producing complex profile geometries. Relatively small differences between alternative kinetic models substantially limit inferences about reaction order when utilizing the small concentration gradients observed longitudinally within rivers. Across rivers, N removal follows either efficiency‐loss (exponent = 0.39) or Michaelis—Menten kinetics, but not zero‐ or first‐order kinetics.
Application of stable isotope mixing models for defining trophic biomagnification pathways of mercury and selenium
Authors: Jones H. J. , Swadling K. M. , Butler E. C. V. , Barry L. A. , Macleod C. K.
Published: June 2014

Trophic models based on nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ15N) have been shown to predict changes in mercury (Hg) concentrations in fish; however, they are usually applied at the ecosystem scale and are rarely directed at known trophic pathways. We discuss a novel approach in which we combined gut contents analysis and stable isotope analyses (δ15N and δ13C) into a Bayesian isotopic mixing model to provide a quantitative estimate of Hg and selenium (Se) biomagnification in an estuarine food web. Estimates of the relationship between total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) were significantly improved in mixing model‐adjusted food webs over models that included all known prey sources. Spatial differences in dietary composition and MeHg bioavailability offer strong evidence that local food webs can have a significant effect on the biomagnification of Hg within benthic fish species. While no evidence of Se biomagnification was found, lower Se : Hg ratios at higher trophic levels could be attributed to increasing trophic Hg concentration. Furthermore, stable isotope analysis suggested Hg and Se biotransfer from benthic sources to fish. Overall, the findings highlight that isotope mixing models can be a significant aid in assessments of contaminant biomagnification, particularly when it is important to define food pathways to top predators.
Tracing carbon flow from microphytobenthos to major bacterial groups in an intertidal marine sediment by using an in situ 13C pulse‐chase method
Authors: Miyatake Tetsuro , Moerdijk-Poortvliet Tanja C. W. , Stal Lucas J. , Boschker Henricus T. S.
Published: June 2014

Carbon flow from benthic diatoms to heterotrophic bacterial was traced in an intertidal sediment for 5 consecutive days. 13C‐labeled bicarbonate was sprayed onto the sediment surface during low tide and 13C‐label incorporation in major carbon pools, intermediate metabolites, and biomarkers were monitored. Phospholipid‐derived fatty acid (PLFA) and ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) were used to identify the responsible members of the microbial community at class and family phylogenetic resolution. Diatoms were the predominant primary producers, and Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Deltaproteobacteria (21%, 8%, and 7% of 16S rRNA‐derived clone library) were major heterotrophic bacterial groups. Both 13C‐PLFA and 13C‐rRNA data suggest a fast transfer of label from diatoms (60 nmol 13C g−1 dry weight [dry wt]) to bacteria (7 nmol 13C g−1 dry wt) during the first 24 h, which was probably due to the exudation of low‐molecular‐weight organic compounds by diatoms that could be directly utilized by bacteria. After this initial fast transfer, labeling of bacteria proceeded at a slower rate to 13 nmol 13C g−1 dry wt on the third day of the experiment, which coincided with the degradation of carbohydrates in water‐extractable extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) initially produced by the diatoms. Water‐extractable EPS (primarily as glucose) was a major intermediate and its turnover explained 75% of the total carbohydrate processing in the sediment. Labeling in bacteria tracked labeling in the diatoms, suggesting a closely coupled system. The heterotrophic bacterial groups benefited equally from the organic matter released by the diatoms, suggesting limited specialization in this microbial food web.
Horizontal Mergers and Uncertainty
Authors: Le Pape Nicolas , Zhao Kai
Published: June 2014

This paper analyses the profitability of horizontal mergers in a Stackelberg model and their impact on welfare when there is uncertainty about the marginal costs of the newly merged firms. The authors consider that the merging firms decide their production strategy knowing the actual value of the production cost, while outsiders are a priori uncertain about the exact amount of cost efficiency/inefficiency that will result from the merger. Nevertheless, the key element of the model is that the merged entity can signal its own cost to some rivals (outsiderfollowers) when it behaves as a leader; while all outsiders remain uninformed when it behaves as a follower. They show that when there is role redistribution, the merging firms always have incentives to merge, irrespective of cost uncertainty, while a merger without role redistribution is ex ante profitable if and only if uncertainty is sufficiently great. As regards the social desirability of mergers, it is found that a merger between leaders always enhances welfare if participants have incentives to merge, such that private and collective interests coincide. Nevertheless, a merger with role redistribution leads to conflict between private and collective interests.
A temporally and spatially resolved validation of emission inventories by measurements of ambient volatile organic compounds in Beijing, China
Authors: Wang M. , Shao M. , Chen W. , Yuan B. , Lu S. , Zhang Q. , Zeng L. , Wang Q.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. Understanding the sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) is essential for ground-level ozone and secondary organic aerosol (SOA) abatement measures. We made VOC measurements at 27 sites and online observations at an urban site in Beijing from July 2009 to January 2012. Based on these measurement data, we determined the spatial and temporal distribution of VOCs, estimated their annual emission strengths based on their emission ratios relative to carbon monoxide (CO), and quantified the relative contributions of various sources using the chemical mass balance (CMB) model. These results from ambient measurements were compared with existing emission inventories to evaluate the spatial distribution, species-specific emissions, and source structure of VOCs in Beijing. The measured VOC distributions revealed a hotspot in the southern suburban area of Beijing, whereas current emission inventories suggested that VOC emissions were concentrated in downtown areas. Compared with results derived from ambient measurements, the annual inventoried emissions of oxygenated VOC (OVOC) species and C2–C4 alkanes may be underestimated, while the emissions of styrene and 1,3-butadiene may be overestimated by current inventories. Source apportionment using the CMB model identified vehicular exhaust as the most important VOC source, with the relative contribution of 49%, in good agreement with the 40–51% estimated by emission inventories. The relative contribution of paint and solvent utilization obtained from the CMB model was 14%, significantly lower than the value of 32% reported by one existing inventory. Meanwhile, the relative contribution of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) usage calculated using the CMB model was 6%, whereas LPG usage contribution was not reported by current emission inventories. These results suggested that VOC emission strengths in southern suburban area of Beijing, annual emissions of C2–C4 alkanes, OVOCs and some alkenes, and the contributions of solvent and paint utilization and LPG usage in current inventories all require significant revisions.
A climatology of the diurnal variations in stratospheric and mesospheric ozone over Bern, Switzerland
Authors: Studer S. , Hocke K. , Schanz A. , Schmidt H. , Kämpfer N.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. The ground-based radiometer GROMOS, stationed in Bern (47.95° N, 7.44° E), Switzerland, has a unique data set: it obtains ozone profiles from November 1994 to present with a time resolution of 30 min and equivalent quality during night- and daytime. Here, we derive a monthly climatology of the daily ozone cycle from 17 years of GROMOS observation. We present the diurnal ozone variation of the stratosphere and mesosphere. Characterizing the diurnal cycle of stratospheric ozone is important for correct trend estimates of the ozone layer derived from satellite observations. The diurnal ozone cycle from GROMOS is compared to two models: the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM) and the Hamburg Model of Neutral and Ionized Atmosphere (HAMMONIA). Generally, observation and models show a good agreement: in the lower mesosphere, daytime ozone is for both GROMOS and models around 25% less than midnight ozone. In the stratosphere, ozone reaches its maximum in the afternoon showing values several percent larger than the midnight value. Further, GROMOS and models indicate a seasonal behaviour of the diurnal ozone variations in the stratosphere with a larger afternoon maximum during daytime in summer than in winter. Using the 17 years of ozone profiles from GROMOS, we find strong interannual variations in the diurnal ozone cycle for both the stratosphere and the mesosphere. Interannual variability in temperature, atmospheric circulation and composition may explain the observed interannual variability of the diurnal ozone cycle above Bern.
Top-down estimates of European CH4 and N2O emissions based on four different inverse models
Authors: Bergamaschi P. , Corazza M. , Karstens U. , Athanassiadou M. , Thompson R. L. , Pison I. , Manning A. J. , Bousquet P. , Segers A. , Vermeulen A. T. , Janssens-Maenhout G. , Schmidt M. , Ramonet M. , Meinhardt F. , Aalto T. , Haszpra L. , Moncrieff J. , Popa M. E. , Lowry D. , Steinbacher M. , Jordan A. , O'Doherty S. , Piacentino S. , Dlugokencky E.
Published: June 2014

Abstract. European CH4 and N2O emissions are estimated for 2006 and 2007 using four independent inverse modelling systems, based on different global and regional Eulerian and Lagrangian transport models. This ensemble approach is designed to provide more realistic estimates of the overall uncertainties in the derived emissions, which is particularly important for verifying bottom-up emission inventories. We use continuous observations from 10 European stations (including five tall towers) for CH4 and 9 continuous stations for N2O, complemented by additional European and global flask sampling sites. The available observations mainly constrain CH4 and N2O emissions from north-western and eastern Europe. The inversions are strongly driven by the observations and the derived total emissions of larger countries show little dependence on the emission inventories used a priori. Three inverse models yield 26–56% higher total CH4 emissions from north-western and eastern Europe compared to bottom-up emissions reported to the UNFCCC, while one model is close to the UNFCCC values. In contrast, the inverse modelling estimates of European N2O emissions are in general close to the UNFCCC values, with the overall range from all models being much smaller than the UNFCCC uncertainty range for most countries. Our analysis suggests that the reported uncertainties for CH4 emissions might be underestimated, while those for N2O emissions are likely overestimated.