bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Dodecane and Oleic Acid on the Attachment between Oxidized Coal and Bubbles
Authors: Xu Mengdi , Xing Yaowen , Cao Yijun , Gui Xiahui
Published: January 2018

The objective of this study is to explain the different flotation responses observed in oxidized coal flotation when using a nonpolar flotation collector, dodecane, versus a polar flotation collector, oleic acid. Particularly, the effect of each flotation collector on bubble–coal particle attachment was investigated. Colloidal probe atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to directly measure the force between a model coal surface and a model bubble in the presence of either dodecane or oleic acid. Pyrolytic graphite (PG) treated with oxygen plasma and a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) particle were selected to represent the model oxidized coal surface and model bubble. High speed visualization for bubble–oxidized coal attachment was used to monitor the attachment behavior between bubble and oxidized coal in presence of dodecane and oleic acid, respectively. It was found that the force between the oxidized PG and the PMMA particle in Milli-Q water was monotonically repulsive, illustrating that oxidized coal particles attach onto bubble surface with difficulty. The flotation recovery using a traditional hydrocarbon oil, dodecane, was always lower than when oleic acid was used at a low dosage (300–1100 g/t). The force measurements showed that an attractive hydrophobic force was introduced when a 0.01 mM oleic acid solution was used, while the force was still repulsive in presence of a 0.01 mM dodecane solution. The minimum contact time for successful attachment between oxidized coal surface and bubbles in the presence of 0.01 mM oleic acid is much shorter than that in 0.01 mM dodecane. However, a high flotation recovery of 85.81% was obtained when dodecane concentration was further increased to 1700 g/t. The significant jump into contact effect observed in the AFM force curves and the short induction time in the presence of 1 mM dodecane solution was responsible for this high flotation recovery.
Preparation of a Sepia Melanin and Poly(ethylene-alt-maleic Anhydride) Hybrid Material as an Adsorbent for Water Purification
Authors: Panzarasa Guido , Osypova Alina , Consolati Giovanni , Quasso Fiorenza , Soliveri Guido , Ribera Javier , Schwarze Francis
Published: January 2018

Meeting the increasing demand of clean water requires the development of novel efficient adsorbent materials for the removal of organic pollutants. In this context the use of natural, renewable sources is of special relevance and sepia melanin, thanks to its ability to bind a variety of organic and inorganic species, has already attracted interest for water purification. Here we describe the synthesis of a material obtained by the combination of sepia melanin and poly(ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride) (P(E-alt-MA)). Compared to sepia melanin, the resulting hybrid displays a high and fast adsorption efficiency towards methylene blue (a common industrial dye) for a wide pH range (from pH 2 to 12) and under high ionic strength conditions. It is easily recovered after use and can be reused up to three times. Given the wide availability of sepia melanin and P(E-alt-MA), the synthesis of our hybrid is simple and affordable, making it suitable for industrial water purification purposes.
Acknowledgement to Reviewers of Non-Coding RNA in 2017
Authors:   Non-Coding RNA Editorial Office
Published: January 2018

Peer review is an essential part in the publication process, ensuring that Non-Coding RNA maintains high quality standards for its published papers.[...]
Dielectric and Bioimpedance Research Studies: A Scientometric Approach Using the Scopus Database
Authors: El Khaled Dalia , Novas Nuria , Gazquez Jose-Antonio , Manzano-Agugliaro Francisco
Published: January 2018

This work describes the worldwide applications of dielectric and bioimpedance measurements techniques in various fields. Dielectric and bioimpedance spectroscopy are major non-destructive measurement systems with great potential in the technology field. All results produced by the Scopus database were used as the core of the study in hand, with different items from journals, papers and conference proceedings being taken into account. The results of this analysis show that the interest in electrical properties has risen in the last years due to the advanced technological measurements offered on the scientific level. Results show that bioimpedance studies are considerably more recent compared to dielectric studies, and are more directed towards medical purposes while dielectric spectroscopy focuses on physical aspects, and is used mostly in engineering and material science. It can be stated that bioimpendance and dielectric spectroscopy are being increasingly applied and that they have the capacity to deepen and enhance research investigation.
Rare Earth Elements (REE) Deposits Associated with Great Plain Margin Deposits (Alkaline-Related), Southwestern United States and Eastern Mexico
Authors: McLemore Virginia
Published: January 2018

W.G. Lindgren in 1933 first noted that a belt of alkaline-igneous rocks extends along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains and Basin and Range provinces from Alaska and British Columbia southward into New Mexico, Trans-Pecos Texas, and eastern Mexico and that these rocks contain relatively large quantities of important commodities such as, gold, fluorine, zirconium, rare earth elements (REE), tellurium, gallium, and other critical elements. In New Mexico, these deposits were called Great Plain Margin (GPM) deposits, because this north-south belt of alkaline-igneous rocks roughly coincides with crustal thickening along the margin between the Great Plains physiographic province with the Basin and Range (including the Rio Grande rift) and Rocky Mountains physiographic provinces, which extends into Trans-Pecos Texas and eastern Mexico. Since 1996, only minor exploration and development of these deposits in New Mexico, Texas, and eastern Mexico has occurred because of low commodity prices, permitting issues, and environmental concerns. However, as the current demand for gold and critical elements, such as REE and tellurium has increased, new exploration programs have encouraged additional research on the geology of these deposits. The lack of abundant quartz in these systems results in these deposits being less resistant to erosion, being covered, and not as well exposed as other types of quartz-rich deposits, therefore additional undiscovered alkaline-related gold and REE deposits are likely in these areas. Deposits of Th-REE-fluorite (±U, Nb) epithermal veins and breccias are found in the several GPM districts, but typically do not contain significant gold, although trace amounts of gold are found in most GPM districts. Gold-rich deposits in these districts tend to have moderate to low REE and anomalously high tungsten and sporadic amounts of tellurium. Carbonatites are only found in New Mexico and Mexico. The diversity of igneous rocks, including alkaline-igneous rocks, and associated mineral deposits along this boundary suggests that this region is characterized by highly fractionated and differentiated, multiple pulses of mantle-derived magmas evolving to lower crustal magmas related to the subduction of the Farallon plate. The differences in incompatible trace elements, including REE and beryllium, between the different granitic to rhyolite rocks are likely related to either differences in the crustal rocks that were assimilated during magmatic differentiation or by potential minor contamination from crustal sources and/or magma mixing. Deep-seated fracture systems or crustal lineaments apparently channeled the magmas and hydrothermal fluids. Once magmas and metal-rich fluids reached shallow levels, the distribution and style of these intrusions, as well as the resulting associated mineral deposits were controlled by local structures and associated igneous rock compositions.
Fusion of Landsat-8/OLI and GOCI Data for Hourly Mapping of Suspended Particulate Matter at High Spatial Resolution: A Case Study in the Yangtze (Changjiang) Estuary
Authors: Pan Yanqun , Shen Fang , Wei Xiaodao
Published: January 2018

Suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentrations ([SPM]) in the Yangtze estuary, which has third-order bifurcations and four outlets, exhibit large spatial and temporal variations. Studying the characteristics of these variations in [SPM] is important for understanding sediment transport and pollutant diffusion in the estuary as well as for the construction of port and estuarine engineering structures. The 1-h revisit frequency of the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) sensor and the 30-m spatial resolution of the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (L8/OLI) provide a new opportunity to study the large spatial and temporal variations in the [SPM] in the Yangtze estuary. In this study, [SPM] images with a temporal resolution of 1 h and a spatial resolution of 30 m are generated through the product-level fusion of [SPM] data derived from L8/OLI and GOCI images using the Spatial and Temporal Adaptive Reflectance Fusion Model (STARFM). The results show that the details and accuracy of the spatial and temporal variations are maintained well in the [SPM] images that are predicted based on the fused images. Compared to the [SPM] observations at fixed field stations, the mean relative error (MRE) of the predicted SPM is 17.7%, which is lower than that of the GOCI-derived [SPM] (27.5%). In addition, thanks to the derived high-resolution [SPM] with high spatiotemporal dynamic changes, both natural phenomena (dynamic variation of the maximum turbid zone) and human engineering changes leading to the dynamic variability of SPM in the channel are observed.
Impact Analysis of Temperature and Humidity Conditions on Electrochemical Sensor Response in Ambient Air Quality Monitoring
Authors: Wei Peng , Ning Zhi , Ye Sheng , Sun Li , Yang Fenhuan , Wong Ka , Westerdahl Dane , Louie Peter
Published: January 2018

The increasing applications of low-cost air sensors promises more convenient and cost-effective systems for air monitoring in many places and under many conditions. However, the data quality from such systems has not been fully characterized and may not meet user expectations in research and regulatory uses, or for use in citizen science. In our study, electrochemical sensors (Alphasense B4 series) for carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and oxidants (Ox) were evaluated under controlled laboratory conditions to identify the influencing factors and quantify their relation with sensor outputs. Based on the laboratory tests, we developed different correction methods to compensate for the impact of ambient conditions. Further, the sensors were assembled into a monitoring system and tested in ambient conditions in Hong Kong side-by-side with regulatory reference monitors, and data from these tests were used to evaluate the performance of the models, to refine them, and validate their applicability in variable ambient conditions in the field. The more comprehensive correction models demonstrated enhanced performance when compared with uncorrected data. One over-arching observation of this study is that the low-cost sensors may promise excellent sensitivity and performance, but it is essential for users to understand and account for several key factors that may strongly affect the nature of sensor data. In this paper, we also evaluated factors of multi-month stability, temperature, and humidity, and considered the interaction of oxidant gases NO2 and ozone on a newly introduced oxidant sensor.
Contemporary Feminist Analysis of Australian Farm Women in the Context of Climate Changes
Authors: Alston Margaret , Clarke Josephine , Whittenbury Kerri
Published: January 2018

Climate changes are reshaping agricultural production and food security across the world. One result is that women in both the developed and developing world are increasingly being drawn into agricultural labour. Yet, because the labour of women has historically been marginalised and ignored, these changes remain largely unacknowledged. In this paper, we examine gender changes in agricultural labour allocations on Australian irrigated dairy farms impacted by climate-related reductions in water available for irrigation. In the Murray-Darling Basin area of Australia, long years of drought and the need to address ecological degradation have led to the introduction of water saving methods and these have had major impacts at the farm level. We present research indicating that a major outcome has been an increase in women’s labour on- and off-farms. Yet, the lack of attention to gendered labour distribution continues the historical neglect of women’s labour, maintains patriarchal relations in agriculture, significantly impacts women’s views of themselves as agricultural outsiders, and reduces attention to a gendered analysis of climate change outcomes. We argue that gender mainstreaming of climate and agricultural policies is long overdue.
Sustainable Queuing-Network Design for Airport Security Based on the Monte Carlo Method
Authors: Xu Xiangqian , Zhou Zhexuan , Dou Yajie , Tan Yuejin , Liao Tianjun
Published: January 2018

The design of airport queuing networks is a significant research field currently for researchers. Many factors must to be considered in order to achieve the optimized strategies, including the passenger flow volume, boarding time, and boarding order of passengers. Optimizing these factors lead to the sustainable development of the queuing network, which currently faces a few difficulties. In particular, the high variance in checkpoint lines can be extremely costly to passengers as they arrive unduly early or possibly miss their scheduled flights. In this article, the Monte Carlo method is used to design the queuing network so as to achieve sustainable development. Thereafter, a network diagram is used to determine the critical working point, and design a structurally and functionally sustainable network. Finally, a case study for a sustainable queuing-network design in the airport is conducted to verify the efficiency of the proposed model. Specifically, three sustainable queuing-network design solutions are proposed, all of which not only maintain the same standards of security, but also increase checkpoint throughput and reduce passenger waiting time variance.
Traceability System for Improved Utilization of Solid Biofuel from Agricultural Prunings
Authors: Bosona Techane , Gebresenbet Girma , Olsson Sven-Olof
Published: January 2018

Biomass production and supply for renewable energy generation should be managed well and carried out in a sustainable manner. An effective traceability system (TS) is required to provide sufficient information and assure the quality of the biomass. The objective of this study is to define and develop a TS to assure the pruning biomass quality for the production of solid biofuels and to provide guarantee to the final user that the biomass is in good condition according to recommended quality criteria. It is designed for an agricultural pruning supply chain in which farmers, biomass traders, transporters, and end users are major actors. It is based on the biofuel quality requirements required by final users and other standards such as the new European standards EN 14961-1, EN15234:1-2011, and EN14961-1:2010, which describe solid fuel quality parameters. Traceable quality parameters include origin and source of product, traded form, bale dimension, chips size distribution, moisture content, ash content, and density of biomass. In this TS, a unique product label is introduced and integrated into a smart logistics system (SLS). The TS uses information captured at different stages of the product supply chain. It enables the management of the whole pruning biomass supply chain with the support of a centralized web-based information platform, an integral part of the SLS.
Examining the Role of Childhood Experiences in Developing Altruistic and Knowledge Sharing Behaviors among Children in Their Later Life: A Partial Least Squares (PLS) Path Modeling Approach
Authors: Ali Imran , Ali Murad , Badghish Saeed , Baazeem Thamer
Published: January 2018

Previous research on child development advocates that motivating children to make a choice to forfeit their own toys with others develop sharing behavior in later life. Borrowing the conceptual background from the child development theory, this study proposes a model of knowledge sharing behavior among individuals at the workplace. The study proposes a unique conceptual model that integrates the cognitive/behavioral, and other childhood theories to explain the knowledge sharing behavior among individuals. The study uses psychological, cognitive, behavioral and social learning theories to explain the development of altruistic behavior in childhood as a determinant of knowledge sharing behavior. This study develops and empirically tests a research framework which explains the role of childhood experiences in developing altruistic behavior among children and the translation of this altruistic behavior into knowledge sharing behavior later in their professional life. This study explores those relationships using PLS-SEM with data from 310 individuals from Pakistan. The study concludes the role of parents and child-rearing practices as central in developing children’s altruistic attitude that leads to knowledge sharing behavior in their later life. The implications and future research directions are discussed in details.
Le karst de la fontaine de Vaucluse (Vaucluse, Alpes de Haute-Provence, Drôme)
Authors: Mudry Jacques , Puig Jean-Michel
Published: January 2018

The intake area of the Fontaine de Vaucluse system is more than 1100 km2 wide, with an average altitude of 870 m. The thickness of the lower cretaceous limestones (1500 m) gives the system a very thick (800 m) unsatura¬ ted zone. Karstification is highly developed on the intake area (four caves are more than 500 m deep) as well as on the lower part (pit of 300 m depth under the spring). The bottom of the shafts of the Plateau does not reach the unsaturated zone of the karst, as their flows have the chemical content of seepage water. The maximum hydraulic gradient from the Plateau to the spring is low , only 0.3 %. Dyings permit the assignment of the Ventoux-Lure range (including its calcareous northern side with a southward dipping) and the Vaucluse Plateau to the intake area. The moisture balance, computed at altitude belts shows that the rainfall increases strongly with altitude : 120 mm below 200 m, 1380 mm over 1800 m. The working of the system, studied by means of discharge and physical and chemical content, is one of a well karstified environment, that reacts with slight inertia upon to rainy periods, and that is made up of important reserves, particularly within the unsaturated zone, that supply long decline and depletion episodes.
Ubaid plant use at Tell Zeidan, Syria
Authors: Smith Alexia , Graham Philip J. , Stein Gil J.
Published: January 2018

Cet article présente les données de 47 échantillons archéobotaniques collectés dans des zones domestiques et non domestiques à Tell Zeidan, large site de l’Obeïd en Syrie, à la confluence de l’Euphrate et du Balikh. De nombreuses structures pyrotechniques indiquent une production artisanale intensive et répétée. Alors que les restes de bois carbonisés sont très bien représentés dans toutes les structures de combustion les traces de fumier sont rares, ce qui suggère l’utilisation prédominante du bois comme combustible. Les plantes cultivées attestées sur le site comprennent Hordeum vulgare subsp. distichum, Triticum dicoccum, free-threshing T. durum/ aestivum, Lens culinaris, Vicia ervilia, cf. Pisum sp. et Linum usitatissimum. Des différences entre les échantillons provenant des zones domestiques et industrielles sont statistiquement significatives. En général, la préservation des plantes et la diversité de leur utilisation sont plus élevées dans les zones domestiques que dans la zone de production, même si des plantes cultivées sont attestées dans les deux espaces. Les données relatives à la balle des céréales et aux espèces adventices indiquent que les premières étapes du traitement des récoltes se déroulaient hors du site et que le blé vêtu était stocké sous la forme d’épillets nettoyés pour des besoins ultérieurs. Il est possible que ce traitement des récoltes ait été effectué en commun juste après la moisson. Les habitants de Tell Zeidan ont pu pratiquer une agriculture utilisant les eaux de décrue et la nature imprévisible de ce système peut avoir suscité une réponse sociale qui a conduit au développement d’une complexité sociale accrue.
Human remains from Nemrik, Iraq. An insight into living conditions and burial customs in a Pre-Pottery Neolithic village
Authors: Sołtysiak Arkadiusz , Wiercinska Alina , Kozlowski Stefan Karol
Published: January 2018

Nemrik 9/ 10 is a Pre-Pottery Neolithic site in Northern Iraq that was excavated in 1985-1989 by S. K. Kozłowski. The remains of at least 96 individuals were found in the excavated strata, most of which were dated to ca 9100– 8600 BP. The bones were in poor condition, but several observations of taphonomic effects and indicators of diet, stress, physical activity, trauma and diseases were possible. First, a major change in burial practices occurred in Nemrik after ca 8900 BP. Prior to this date both adults and subadults were buried in domestic contexts. Moreover, there is some evidence of prolonged exposure of bodies. Later, the extramural cemetery was established for adults and multiple burials (of commingled elements) were replaced by single burials with no evidence of post mortem exposure. Inhabitants of Nemrik were farmers who based their diet on roughly processed cereals, but the pattern of dental wear suggests that it may have been comparable or even softer on average, than the diet of later Northern Mesopotamia inhabitants. Dental caries was extremely rare, but a high rate of linear enamel hypoplasia suggests stressful living conditions. The pattern of trauma and injuries is typical for a farming population and no evidence of interpersonal violence or injuries related to hunting was observed. In this respect Nemrik differs strikingly from the Proto-Neolithic cemetery found in the Shanidar Cave.
Evidence for Merger-driven Growth in Luminous, High-z, Obscured AGNs in the CANDELS/COSMOS Field
Authors: Donley J. L. , Kartaltepe J. , Kocevski D. , Salvato M. , Santini P. , Suh H. , Civano F. , Koekemoer A. M. , Trump J. , Brusa M. , Cardamone C. , Castro A. , Cisternas M. , Conselice C. , Croton D. , Hathi N. , Liu C. , Lucas R. A. , Nair P. , Rosario D. , Sanders D. , Simmons B. , Villforth C. , Alexander D. M. , Bell E. F. , Faber S. M. , Grogin N. A. , Lotz J. , McIntosh D. H. , Nagao T.
Published: January 2018

While major mergers have long been proposed as a driver of both active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity and the

relation, studies of moderate to high-redshift Seyfert-luminosity AGN hosts have found little evidence for enhanced rates of interactions. However, both theory and observation suggest that while these AGNs may be fueled by stochastic accretion and secular processes, high-luminosity, high-redshift, and heavily obscured AGNs are the AGNs most likely to be merger-driven. To better sample this population of AGNs, we turn to infrared selection in the CANDELS/COSMOS field. Compared to their lower-luminosity and less obscured X-ray-only counterparts, IR-only AGNs (luminous, heavily obscured AGNs) are more likely to be classified as either irregular (

versus

) or asymmetric (

versus

) and are less likely to have a spheroidal component (

versus

). Furthermore, IR-only AGNs are also significantly more likely than X-ray-only AGNs (

versus

) to be classified either as interacting or merging in a way that significantly disturbs the host galaxy or as disturbed, though not clearly interacting or merging, which potentially represents the late stages of a major merger. This suggests that while major mergers may not contribute significantly to the fueling of Seyfert-luminosity AGNs, interactions appear to play a more dominant role in the triggering and fueling of high-luminosity heavily obscured AGNs.
Atmospheric Circulation, Chemistry, and Infrared Spectra of Titan-like Exoplanets around Different Stellar Types
Authors: Lora Juan M. , Kataria Tiffany , Gao Peter
Published: January 2018

With the discovery of ever smaller and colder exoplanets, terrestrial worlds with hazy atmospheres must be increasingly considered. Our solar system’s Titan is a prototypical hazy planet, whose atmosphere may be representative of a large number of planets in our Galaxy. As a step toward characterizing such worlds, we present simulations of exoplanets that resemble Titan but orbit three different stellar hosts: G, K, and M dwarf stars. We use general circulation and photochemistry models to explore the circulation and chemistry of these Titan-like planets under varying stellar spectra, in all cases assuming a Titan-like insolation. Due to the strong absorption of visible light by atmospheric haze, the redder radiation accompanying later stellar types produces more isothermal stratospheres, stronger meridional temperature gradients at mbar pressures, and deeper and stronger zonal winds. In all cases, the planets’ atmospheres are strongly superrotating, but meridional circulation cells are weaker aloft under redder starlight. The photochemistry of hydrocarbon and nitrile species varies with stellar spectra, with variations in the FUV/NUV flux ratio playing an important role. Our results tentatively suggest that column haze production rates could be similar under all three hosts, implying that planets around many different stars could have similar characteristics to Titan’s atmosphere. Lastly, we present theoretical emission spectra. Overall, our study indicates that, despite important and subtle differences, the circulation and chemistry of Titan-like exoplanets are relatively insensitive to differences in the host star. These findings may be further probed with future space-based facilities, like WFIRST, LUVOIR, HabEx, and OST.
The HDUV Survey: A Revised Assessment of the Relationship between UV Slope and Dust Attenuation for High-redshift Galaxies
Authors: Reddy Naveen A. , Oesch Pascal A. , Bouwens Rychard J. , Montes Mireia , Illingworth Garth D. , Steidel Charles C. , van Dokkum Pieter G. , Atek Hakim , Carollo Marcella C. , Cibinel Anna , Holden Brad , Labbé Ivo , Magee Dan , Morselli Laura , Nelson Erica J. , Wilkins Steve
Published: January 2018

We use a newly assembled sample of 3545 star-forming galaxies with secure spectroscopic, grism, and photometric redshifts at z = 1.5–2.5 to constrain the relationship between UV slope (β) and dust attenuation (L
IR/L
UV ≡ IRX). Our sample significantly extends the range of L
UV and β probed in previous UV-selected samples, including those as faint as M
1600 = −17.4 (

) and −2.6 ≲ β ≲ 0.0. IRX is measured using stacks of deep Herschel data, and the results are compared with predictions of the IRX−β relation for different assumptions of the stellar population model and obscuration curve. We find that z = 1.5–2.5 galaxies have an IRX−β relation that is consistent with the predictions for an SMC curve if we invoke subsolar-metallicity models currently favored for high-redshift galaxies, while the commonly assumed starburst curve overpredicts the IRX at a given β by a factor of ≳3. IRX is roughly constant with L
UV for L
UV ≳ 3 × 109
L
⊙. Thus, the commonly observed trend of fainter galaxies having bluer β may simply reflect bluer intrinsic slopes for such galaxies, rather than lower obscurations. The IRX−β relation for young/low-mass galaxies at z ≳ 2 implies a dust curve that is steeper than the SMC. The lower attenuations and higher ionizing photon output for low-metallicity stellar populations point to Lyman continuum production efficiencies, ξ
ion, that may be elevated by a factor of ≈2 relative to the canonical value for L* galaxies, aiding in their ability to keep the universe ionized at z ∼ 2.
The Development of an Android-Based Anggah-Ungguhing Balinese Language Dictionary
Authors: Wirawan I Made Agus , Paryatna Ida Bagus Made Ludy
Published: January 2018

Indonesia is an archipelago country with a variety of local languages; one of which is Balinese (mother tongue), used by the Balinese people in daily life and in certain ritual ceremonies. In Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha, Department of Balinese Language Education, students have been given Anggah-Ungguhing in speaking subjects where they are taught to understand the use of Balinese language based on social strata.  But in the process of learning the Anggah-Ungguhing, there are some problems, including: 1) There is no media that supports learning of Anggah-Ungguhing vocabulary. 2) The motivation of students when learning Anggah-Ungguhing by using books is low. Based upon the analysis on the problems and previous researches, this study aims to: 1) Development of mobile dictionary to support the learning process Angggah - Ungguhing anywhere and anytime. 2) Measuring the level of student’s motivation are using mobile dictionary while learning vocabulary Anggah - Ungguhing. The method used in this research is Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) with Waterfall based model. Based on the results of tests that have been done, mobile dictionaries can be declared successfully developed based on user needs. In this research has distributed about 60 questionnaires to measure the level of student’s motivation who use mobile dictionaries on learning Anggah - Ungguhing Balinese language. The result of the student’s motivation measurement shows that the motivation of the students that the learns Anggah - Ungguhing Balinese languange using mobile dictionary is in the positive category.
Machine Learning in Healthcare, Introduction and Real World Application Considerations
Authors: Pitoglou Stavros
Published: January 2018

Machine Learning, closely related to Artificial Intelligence and standing at the intersection of Computer Science and Mathematical Statistical Theory, comes in handy when the truth is hiding in a place that the human brain has no access to. Given any prediction or assessment problem, the more complicated this issue is, based on the difficulty of the human mind to understand the inherent causalities/patterns and apply conventional methods towards an acceptable solution, Machine Learning can find a fertile field of application. This article's purpose is to give a general non-technical definition of Machine Learning, provide a review of its latest implementations in the Healthcare domain and add to the ongoing discussion on this subject. It suggests the active involvement of entities beyond the already active academic community in the quest for solutions that “exploit” existing datasets and can be applied in the daily practice, embedded inside the software processes that are already in use.
eIDAS - Electronic Identification for Cross Border eHealth
Authors: Stasis Antonios Ch. , Demiri Loukia , Chaniotaki Eleni
Published: January 2018

This article aims at presenting the provisions of eIDAS regulation and the related implementing acts along with the work of the eSENS project, regarding the cross - border identification of a patient, using the infrastructure foreseen in the eIDAS and in the Directive 2011/24/EU. The Patient Identifier is crucial information that is needed for Health Care Services, and currently, the eIDAS has no explicit provision for that. The work in the eSENS project depicted that this information can be transferred through the eIDAS infrastructure and the National Contact Point (NCP) from country to country, exploiting eIDAS node specification for additional attributes to transfer the patient identifier information. In addition to that, the aggregation of patient's identifier attribute with the eID attributes was done either using a national method or reusing a functionality that was developed in STORK2 project. The eSENS plugin software module allowed STORK2 infrastructure to interoperate with eIDAS. The results of the eSENS Health Care pilot from Greece and Austria are also being analyzed.
Human Identification Using Gait Skeletal Joint Distance Features
Authors: Rahman Md Wasiur , Gavrilova Marina L.
Published: January 2018

Gait not only defines the way a person walks, but also provides insights on an individual's daily routine, mental state or even cognitive function. The importance of incorporating cognitive behavior and analysis in biometric systems has been noted recently. In this article, authors develop a biometric security system using gait-based skeletal information obtained from Microsoft Kinect v1 sensor. The gait cycle is calculated by detecting the three consecutive local minima between the joint distance of left and right ankles. Authors have utilized the distance feature vector for each of the joints with respect to other joints in the gait cycle. After mean and variance features are extracted from the distance feature vector, the KNN algorithm is used for classification purpose. The classification accuracy of the authors' approach is 93.33%. Experimental results show that the proposed approach achieves better recognition accuracy then other state-of-the-art approaches. Incorporating gait biometric in a situation awareness system for identification of a mental state is one of the future directions of this research.
What happens to an acellular dermal matrix after implantation in the human body? A histological and electron microscopic study
Authors: Boháč Martin , Danišovič Ľuboš , Koller Ján , Dragúňová Jana , Varga Ivan
Published: January 2018

Acellular matrices are used for various purposes and they have been studied extensively for their potential roles in regenerating tissues or organs. The acellular matrix generates physiological cues that mimic the native tissue microenvironment. Acellular dermal matrix (ADM) is a soft connective tissue graft generated by a decellularization process that preserves the intact extracellular skin matrix. Upon implantation, this structure serves as a scaffold for donor-side cells to facilitate subsequent incorporation and revascularization. In breast reconstruction, ADM is used mainly for lower pole coverage and the shaping of a new breast. It helps control the positioning of the implant in the inframammary fold, and prevent the formation of contractile pseudocapsule around the breast implant. In this study, we provide a comprehensive histological description of ADM used for human breast reconstruction over the course of several months following implementation. Using immunohistochemical methods (a panel of 12 antibodies) coupled with optical and transmission electron microscopy, we confirmed that the original acellular dermal matrix became recolonized by fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, and also by various other free cells of the connective tissue (lymphocytes, macrophages and multinucleated giant cells, granulocytes, mast cells) after implantation into the patient’s body. Within the implanted ADM, there was a relatively rapid ingrowth of blood vessels. Lymphatic vessels were only detected in one case 9 months after the implantation of the ADM. These results suggest that lymphangiogenesis is a longer process than angiogenesis.
Об экстраполяционных свойствах классов Шаттена-фон Неймана
Authors: Lykov Konstantin Vladimirovich
Published: January 2018

Для одного специального класса симметричных пространств последовательностей получено явное соответствие между интерполяционным и экстраполяционным представлениями. Это соответствие перенесено на симметрично-нормированные идеалы компактных операторов в гильбертовом пространстве. В качестве следствия получено обобщение известной теоремы Мацаева о связи между вещественной и мнимой компонентами вольтеррова оператора.
О пересечениях двух вещественных квадрик
Authors: Krasnov Vyacheslav Alekseevich
Published: January 2018

Работа посвящена описанию свойств полных пересечений двух вещественных проективных квадрик. Такие многообразия мы, для краткости, называем биквадриками. Один из основных разделов статьи посвящен вещественным проективным пространствам на вещественных биквадриках. В другом основном разделе исследуется топология вещественной части биквадрики. Остальные разделы являются вспомогательными.
Библиография: 41 наименование.
О состояниях обратимости разностных и дифференциальных операторов
Authors: Baskakov Anatoly Grigorievich , Didenko Vladimir Borisovich
Published: January 2018

Дифференциальному оператору с неограниченными операторными коэффициентами ставится в соответствие разностный оператор, действующий в пространстве ограниченных последовательностей. Доказывается совпадение состояний обратимости рассматриваемых операторов, заключающееся в совпадении свойств образов и ядер. Приводится общая схема доказательства совпадения состояний обратимости двух абстрактных операторов.
Библиография: 15 наименований.
Climatologie comparée des planètes : un bref état des connaissances
Authors: Planchon Olivier
Published: January 2018

Les principaux paramètres permettant de caractériser et comparer les conditions climatiques des différentes planètes telluriques du système solaire sont développés en fonction de la distance au Soleil, de l’existence d’une atmosphère, de sa composition et ses mouvements, et enfin des paramètres orbitaux permettant d’identifier des cycles saisonniers plus ou moins accentués (obliquité et excentricité). Les conditions climatiques des planètes du système solaire font ressortir certains traits communs modulés par les caractères propres à chaque planète. Ainsi la vitesse de rotation, l’obliquité et l’excentricité introduisent, d’une part par la durée du jour et de la nuit, d’autre part par l’existence ou non de saisons, des nuances climatiques tantôt contrastées, tantôt subtiles et complexes d’une planète à une autre. La paléoclimatologie de la Terre peut aussi apporter certaines indications permettant de modéliser les conditions climatiques probables sur d’autres planètes telluriques.
A Cross-Sectional Study on Intestinal Parasitic Infections in Children in Suburban Public Primary Schools, Saraburi, the Central Region of Thailand
Authors: Assavapongpaiboon Buravej , Bunkasem Uthaitip , Sanprasert Vivornpun , Nuchprayoon Surang
Published: January 2018

Intestinal parasitic infection rate among school-aged children in Thailand has been decreasing. However, certain intestinal parasites remain problematic in some regions. This cross-sectional study was conducted between February and September 2016 in three suburban government primary schools (KK, BR, and HK), Saraburi, Thailand. Stool was collected from 263 asymptomatic subjects (4–15 years old), using simple direct smear, formalin–ether concentration, Boeck and Drbohlav’s Locke–Egg–Serum (LES) medium culture, and agar plate culture. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data about lifestyle and socioeconomic status. The overall rate of intestinal parasites was 22.1% (15.6% single infection and 6.5% multiple infections). The helminths involving the digestive system found were Strongyloides stercoralis (1.5%) and Opisthorchis viverrini (0.4%). For protozoan infection, the major cause was Blastocystis hominis (17.5%). The other protozoa included Endolimax nana (4.6%), Entamoeba coli (3.4%), Entamoeba histolytica/Entamoeba dispar (1.1%), and Giardia intestinalis (0.8%). The sensitivity for the detection of B. hominis increased with the LES culture technique. The infection rate of each organism was not significantly different among the three schools except for B. hominis which showed the highest prevalence in the HK school (P = 0.001). This was correlated with the questionnaire results in which the HK school showed the highest risk of drinking contaminated water (P = 0.004). The present study emphasized the persistent problems of protozoan infections among suburban school-aged children. Lifestyle was still an important factor for intestinal parasitic infections among suburban school-aged Thai children in this study. Health education as well as routine surveillance was necessary to control the infections.
Trypanosoma cruzi Infection Does Not Decrease Survival or Reproduction of the Common Bed Bug, Cimex lectularius
Authors: Peterson Jennifer K. , Salazar Renzo , Castillo-Neyra Ricardo , Borrini-Mayori Katty , Condori Carlos , Bartow-McKenney Casey , Tracy Dylan , Náquira César , Levy Michael Z.
Published: January 2018

Although not presently implicated as a vector of human pathogens, the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, has been suspected of carrying human pathogens because of its close association with humans and its obligate hematophagy. Recently, we characterized the vectorial competence of C. lectularius for the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. We observed that C. lectularius can acquire T. cruzi infection when fed on T. cruzi–carrying mice, and subsequently transmit T. cruzi to uninfected mice. This led us to ask why has C. lectularius not been implicated in the transmission of T. cruzi outside of the laboratory? We hypothesized that T. cruzi reduces C. lectularius fitness (i.e., survival and/or reproduction) as an explanation for why C. lectularius does not to transmit T. cruzi in natural settings. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the survival and reproduction of uninfected and T. cruzi–infected C. lectularius. We observed that T. cruzi had a variable effect on C. lectularius survival and reproduction. There were negligible differences between treatments in juveniles. Infected adult females tended to live longer and produce more eggs. However, no effect was consistent, and infected bugs showed more variation in survival and reproduction metrics than control bugs. We did not observe any negative effects of T. cruzi infection on C. lectularius survival or reproduction, suggesting that decreased fitness in T. cruzi–infected C. lectularius is not why bed bugs have not been observed to transmit T. cruzi in natural settings.
Genetic Diversity of the Plasmodium falciparum Glutamate-Rich Protein R2 Region Before and Twelve Years after Introduction of Artemisinin Combination Therapies among Febrile Children in Nigeria
Authors: Nguetse Christian N. , Ojo Johnson Adeyemi , Nchotebah Charles , Ikegbunam Moses Nkechukwu , Meyer Christian G. , Thomas Bolaji N. , Velavan Thirumalaisamy P. , Ojurongbe Olusola
Published: January 2018

The genetic diversity of glutamate-rich protein (GLURP) R2 region in Plasmodium falciparum isolates collected before and 12 years after the introduction of artemisinin combination treatment of malaria in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria, was compared in this study. Blood samples were collected on filter paper in 2004 and 2015 from febrile children from ages 1–12 years. The R2 region of the GLURP gene was genotyped using nested polymerase chain reaction and by nucleotide sequencing. In all, 12 GLURP alleles were observed in a total of 199 samples collected in the two study years. The multiplicity of infection (MOI) marginally increased over the two study years; however, the differences were statistically insignificant (2004 samples MOI = 1.23 versus 2015 samples MOI = 1.47). Some alleles were stable in their prevalence, whereas two GLURP alleles, VIII and XI, showed considerable variability between both years. This variability was replicated when GLURP sequences from other regions were compared with ours. The expected heterozygosity (He) values (He = 0.87) were identical for the two groups. High variability in the rearrangement of the amino acid repeat units in the R2 region were observed, with the amino acid repeat sequence DKNEKGQHEIVEVEEILPE more prevalent in both years, compared with the two other repeat sequences observed in the study. The parasite population characterized in this study displayed extensive genetic diversity. The detailed genetic profile of the GLURP R2 region has the potential to help guide further epidemiological studies aimed toward the rational design of novel chemotherapies that are antagonistic toward malaria.
Meta-Analyses of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Infection, Dissemination, and Transmission Rates in Vectors
Authors: Oliveira Ana R. S. , Cohnstaedt Lee W. , Strathe Erin , Etcheverry Luciana , McVey D. Scott , Piaggio José , Cernicchiaro Natalia
Published: January 2018

The objective of this work was to summarize and quantify Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection, dissemination, and transmission rates in mosquitoes, using a meta-analysis approach. Data were obtained from experimental studies, gathered by means of a systematic review of the literature. Random-effects subgroup meta-analysis models by mosquito species were fitted to estimate pooled estimates and to calculate the variance between studies for three outcomes of interest: JEV infection, dissemination, and transmission rates in mosquitoes. To identify sources of heterogeneity among studies and to assess the association between different predictors (mosquito species, virus administration route, incubation period, and diagnostic method) with the outcome JEV infection rate in vectors, we fitted univariable meta-regression models. Mosquito species and administration route represented the main sources of heterogeneity associated with JEV infection rate in vectors. This study provided summary effect size estimates to be used as reference for other investigators when assessing transmission efficiency of vectors and explored sources of variability for JEV infection rates in vectors. Because transmission efficiency, as part of vector competence assessment, is an important parameter when studying the relative contribution of vectors to JEV transmission, our findings contribute to further our knowledge, potentially moving us toward more informed and targeted actions to prevent and control JEV in both affected and susceptible regions worldwide.
Treatment of Pellucid Marginal Degeneration
Authors: Farrag Abdelsattar N , Hussein Ahmed A , Ummar Shiji
Published: January 2018

Purpose

To summarize the recent trends in the treatment of pellucid marginal degeneration (PMD) based on available published data.

Method and literature search

A PubMed search was conducted with combinations not limited to the following search terms: Pellucid marginal degeneration, Corneal ectasia, Corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL), Intracorneal ring segments (ICRS), Contact lens, Keratoplasty in corneal ectasia. A review of the search results was performed and relevant articles to the topic were included.

Ophthalmologists have got a wide array of therapeutic modalities for the management of PMD. However, the key to optimal treatment is careful clinical assessment of patients and their visual requirements and tailoring the treatment to individual patients.

How to cite this article

Farrag AN, Hussein AA, Ummar S. Treatment of Pellucid Marginal Degeneration. Int J Kerat Ect Cor Dis 2017;6(2):87-91.
Conquerors, Governors, and Chroniclers
Authors: Haskell Alexander B.
Published: January 2018

This chapter examines the efforts by Elizabethan colonizers like Sir Walter Ralegh to define their persona as captain as entailing a calling of considerable providential significance. Drawing on the Renaissance ideal of imperium as the strength needed to pin down the world's sinful inconstancy, sixteenth-century English proponents of colonization argued that captains possessed the manly fortitude and prophetical insight needed to carry out God's will in conquering areas where Elizabeth's sovereignty was sound but not yet realized. An anxiety that underlay the attempts by writers like Richard Hakluyt the clergyman to defend Elizabethan conquest in America was the simmering worry, especially pronounced in an age of religious division and Spanish-Habsburg dominance, that God did not grant sovereignty to female rulers. Thus, her captains took on an especially precarious role in embodying England's imperial crown overseas, and failed colonies like Roanoke would eventually come to epitomize the Elizabethan captains' ignobility for their ineffectuality as conquerors.