bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling the contributing factors of desertification and evaluating their relationships to soil degradation process through Geomatic techniques
Authors: Shoba P. , Ramakrishnan S. S.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. Desertification is a prolonged stage of land degradation which converts the productive ecosystem to fragile by three crucial events namely evapotranspiration, rainfall and negative human intrusion. The present study concentrates on identifying the causative factors of desertification namely temperature, wind, rainfall and human pressure, distinguishing the desertified land from degraded land and assessing the way from which the soil degradation process gets accelerated by those factors by employing the datasets such as long term (2001–2011) and short term (2012–2015) Meteorological data and Landsat ETM+ and OLI satellite imageries of crop growing period (June–October) into geostatistical methods and newly proposed remote sensing models which yielded good accuracy with in situ observations (R2 = 0.8). In temperature induced desertified region, the rate of increment of the saline affected region was magnified significantly from 16 to 74 % (2001–2015) due to the presence of native fluoride concentration and extreme temperature event over a period of time. The long term exaggeration of soil moisture stress (19 to 90 %) has been notified in the areas that were susceptible to wind induced desertification, due to high evaporation rate invoked by extreme wind event for a substantial period. Similarly rainfall induced desertified regions have also been experiencing high soil moisture stress (4 to 70 %) because of the insufficient reception of rainfall. High human made soil salinity (36 %), human occupancy (16 %), followed by moisture stress (7 %) are observed in the human affected region because of growing population and improper land management of the already fragile land.
World's soils are under threat
Authors: Montanarella L. , Pennock D. J. , McKenzie N. J. , Badraoui M. , Chude V. , Baptista I. , Mamo T. , Yemefack M. , Singh Aulakh M. , Yagi K. , Young Hong S. , Vijarnsorn P. , Zhang G.-L. , Arrouays D. , Black H. , Krasilnikov P. , Sobocká J. , Alegre J. , Henriquez C. R. , Mendonça-Santos M. L. , Taboada M. , Espinosa-Victoria D. , AlShankiti A. , AlaviPanah S. K. , Elsheikh E. A. E. , Hempel J. , Camps Arbestain M. , Nachtergaele F. , Vargas R.
Published: December 2015

Abstract. The Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils has completed the first State of the World's Soil Resources report. Globally soil erosion was identified as the gravest threat, leading to deteriorating water quality in developed regions and to lowering of crop yields in many developing regions. We need to increase nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer use in infertile tropical and semi-tropical soils – the regions where the most food insecure among us are found – while reducing global use of these products overall. Stores of soil organic carbon are critical in the global carbon balance, and national governments must set specific targets to stabilize or ideally increase soil organic carbon stores. Finally the quality of soil information available for policy formulation must be improved – the regional assessments in the SWSR report frequently base their evaluations on studies from the 1990s based on observations made in the 1980s or earlier.
Organizational Commitment and Job Burnout among Psychaitric Nurses in Punjab Pakistan
Authors: Yasmin Kashifa , Marzuki Prof. Dr. Najib Ahmad
Published: December 2015

Job burnout issue is an increasingly important phenomenon in Asian countries. Based on the model of casual turnover this study assessed the direct effect of organizational commitment on job burnout. The cross sectional data was collected from three hundred five nurses of psychiatric hospitals in Punjab, Pakistan. Structural equation modeling was applied to achieve the objectives. The results revealed that only and normative commitment have significant impact while affective commitment and continuous commitment has not significant effect on nurse’s job burnout.  So, the commitment of nurse to hospital goals, missions, and values is not enough to predict her job burnout in the hospital. This study recommends that future researchers should examine the impact of work environment on job burnout as a unidimensional. This study contributes socially and economically.
La investigación en los posgrados académicos y profesionalizantes en Honduras
Authors: Medina López Edwin Roldan
Published: December 2015

En Honduras no existe actualmente una diferenciación entre posgrados académicos y profesionalizantes, por lo que la formación que se brinda para el trabajo académico termina considerándose equivalente a la formación para el trabajo profesional y viceversa. Por otro lado, los trabajos de investigación del posgrado académico se transforman en el modelo de investigación a seguir también para los posgrados profesionales. Esto lleva a plantear problemas en la educación de posgrado dado que no se estimula, e incluso se desmotiva, la formulación de propuestas de buena calidad para la formación profesional en aras de una formulación de propuestas con formato académico que en el mejor de los casos inhibe la investigación y en el peor de los casos crea híbridos que no son ni buenos profesionales ni buenos investigadores. Se propone profundizar en esta diferenciación y elaborar a partir del análisis resultante, propuestas de programas de posgrado congruentes con las necesidades y realidades de la formación que se brinda en el nivel educativo superior, particularmente en el nivel de posgrado que contribuyan al desarrollo del país.Paradigma - Revista de Investigación Educativa. Año 21. No. 35: 33-52
Enfrentando eventos epidémicos de transmisión vectorial
Authors: Ponce Luis Fernando
Published: December 2015

Acta Pediátrica Hondureña, Vol. 5, No. 1 y 2 / Abril 2014 a Marzo 2015: 335
Enfermedad pleuropulmonar complicada en el paciente pediátrico
Authors: Galo Tróchez Susann Fabiola , Ortega Iglesias Julio Cesar
Published: December 2015

Antecedentes: La neumonía tiene gran connotación en pediatría por su incidencia, gravedad potencial y elevada mortalidad. Las complicaciones se presentan hasta en 40% de los casos, principalmente la Enfermedad Pleuropulmonar Complicada (EPPC).Objetivo: Caracterizar clínica, radiológica y microbilógicamente la EPPC en niños ingresados en sala de pediatría del Hospital Nacional Dr. Mario Catarino Rivas (HNMCR) en un período comprendido entre Octubre del 2013 y Octubre del 2014.Pacientes y métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal, realizado en niños con edad comprendida entre 28 días y 18 años con diagnóstico EPPC ingresados al Servicio de Pediatría. Fueron 21 niños hospitalizados con estos criterios. Los datos se recolectaron de cada expediente a través de un formulario que reunía información desde la hospitalización hasta el egreso del paciente.Resultados: El 62% eran mayores de 5 años. La relación hombre-mujer fue de 1:1. El 24% de los pacientes estaban desnutridos. Se diagnosticaron 5 tipos de EPPC, los más comunes fueron el empiema (n=6, 29%) y el pioneumotórax (n=5, 24%). Se cultivó el líquido pleural encontrando S. aureus y S. pneumoniae en 44% y 22% respectivamente. El 36% de los cultivos fueron negativos.Conclusiones: Los pacientes con EPPC fueron en su mayoría escolares y adolescentes eutróficos. No se encontró relación que indique la desnutrición como factor de riesgo para la EPPC. Existe una relación directamente proporcional entre el tiempo de inicio de los síntomas, y las formas más avanzadas de EPPC.Acta Pediátrica Hondureña, Vol. 5, No. 1 y 2 / Abril 2014 a Marzo 2015: 343-348
Expanding Higher Education in Taiwan: The Case of Doctoral Education
Authors: Chang Chen-Wei , Shaw Wang-Ching
Published: December 2015

Higher education expansion is not a new development in the world. Different countries have faced various contexts and factors that push the expansion to occur. Since 1996, the Taiwanese government has allowed the private sector to open new higher education institutions or be upgraded for open more access at the higher education level to correspond to the general public’s educational expectations. This article starts by describing the expansion of higher education from the elite to universal stage both globally and locally. The article then specifically introduces the case of the doctoral manpower structure in Taiwan and lists three specific scenarios regarding local PhDs’ reality in the current competitive job market, highlighting the further talent fault crisis in society today. In addition to discussing the consequences and challenges at the doctoral level of talent cultivation, the article further identifies the main issues facing the current manpower planning in Taiwan. The article calls for all stakeholders of the agenda to rethink the purpose of doctoral manpower cultivation in Taiwan over the long run.
Effect of New Environmentally Friendly Fertilizers in a Commercial Vineyard
Authors: Thomidis Thomas , Karagiannidis Nikitas , Karagiannidis Constantinos
Published: December 2015

In this study the effectiveness of the environmentally friendly fertilizers AXION RED, BIO.L.A and QUATTRO to improve soil fertility and the nutrition status of vines was examined. Application of above three fertilizers increased significantly the level of organic matter, K, P, Mn and Fe in soil. AXION RED also improved the concentration of Ζn, Β, and Cu. Tissue analyses showed that the leaf P content was significantly increased in the vines treated with the fertilizers in comparison to control in 2012. The fertilizer QUATTRO increased the leaf concentrations of Fe and Mn contents in 2012. It was found that the fertilizer BIO.L.A significantly increased the leaf N content, while the fertilizer QUATTRO increased the leaf B content in 2013. Although there was no statistically difference, the leaf P, K and Fe contents were increased in vines treated with each one of the fertilizers tested.The results also showed that all fertilizers increased the fruit N content in comparison to control. The percentage of fruit rot was significantly higher on bunches treated with each one of the fertilizers tested than the untreated control. Finally, the results of this study showed that only the fertilizer QUATTRO significantly increased the bunch weight in 2012.

Generally, the above fertilizers improved the nutrition status of vine plants and also improved the soil fertility. However, the increased fruit N content in the grapes treated with each one of the fertilizers increased the susceptibility of fruits to pathogens causing fruit rots and therefore growers should consider its use carefully.
A Gender Framework for Ensuring Sensitivity to Women’s Role in Pulse Production in Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Henry Carol Jean , Idemudia Patience Elabor , Tsegaye Gete , Regassa Nigatu
Published: December 2015

The main objective of this paper is to highlight components of a gender framework developed to guide a Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF) project that sought to address food security through pulse productivity and nutrition in southern Ethiopia. The framework was developed based on baseline data collected from 665 households randomly drawn from four pulse growing districts of Ethiopia (Damot Gale; Halaba; Hawassa Zuria; and Adami Tulu Jido Combolcha). The descriptive analysis shows that female-headed households owned significantly lesser land, livestock and other important strategic resources compared to male-headed households. Moreover, women’s role was found to be less valued in pulse production, with local cultural practices limiting them from benefiting economically from the sale of pulses. The gender framework in this paper indicates five key gendered pillars for improving pulse productivity/management and nutrition; namely, knowledge, skills and training acquisition; participation in production and decision-making; access to resources; control over resources; and policy development. Finally, the framework underscores the importance of taking into account gender differences in terms of access to land, technologies and other strategic resources in pulse crop productivity/management and related interventions.
Improving the quality of voltage in the system of traction power supply of direct current
Authors: Sychenko Viktor G. , Bosiy Dmitry O. , Kosarev Eugene M.
Published: December 2015

Purpose of the work is improved approaches to ensure the required quality parameters of voltage in the traction network based on modern technologies and equipment in the application of power distribution system. Actuality. The introduction of high-speed traffic, increase weight standards Train necessitates increasing the carrying capacity of railways. Often the carrying capacity of existing sections electrified at 3.0 kV DC power supply unit limits. Such limitations include voltage decrease on the electric current collector below the allowable value for the normal operation of 2700 (2900 for high-speed V) and heating the contact wires, thereby losing their mechanical strength. Existing power supply system of RS, which have considerable installed traction substations, can not provide the required level of power density traction network for high-speed movement within 1.5 - 2 MW / km and, respectively, the required voltage quality. At the same time, the daily loading of a powerful traction substations in providing intensive schedule of trains does not exceed 20-25%, while the energy loss in traction network peak load increases and reaches 10-15% of the energy consumed. Thus, the existing system of power traction networks is not sufficiently effective and economical, even with the application of existing methods to strengthen them. In our view, the main limiting factor for a given quality of voltage in the traction network is the use of centralized power. From this, the development of measures to improve the quality of voltage in the traction network in the implementation of high-speed traffic in a growing scarcity of energy resources is an urgent task. Scientific novelty. Using distributed power supply system with adjustable supply points combined into intelligent power supply, which enables adaptive change the characteristics of the transfer, conversion and consumption and optimize the mode of functioning of the traction power supply is suggested for improving the quality of voltage in the traction network in the implementation of high-speed and heavy traffic. Practical significance. Improving the quality of voltage in the traction network by using the proposed circuit design traction power supply will ensure the desired mode voltage and power characteristics of the traction network in the implementation of high-speed and heavy traffic while reducing electricity losses by 20-30%.
Modelling and analysis of transportation networks using complex networks: Poland case study
Authors: Tarapata Zbigniew
Published: December 2015

In the paper a theoretical bases and empirical results deal with analysis and modelling of transportation networks in Poland using complex networks have been presented. Properties of complex networks (Scale Free and Small World) and network's characteristic measures have been described. In this context, results of empirical researches connected with characteristics of passenger air links network, express railway links network (EuroCity and InterCity) and expressways/highways network in Poland have been given. For passenger air links network in Poland results are compared with the same networks in USA, China, India, Italy and Spain. In the conclusion some suggestions, observations and perspective dealing with complex network in transportation networks have been presented.
Dölger, F. J. (2015). La luz de Cristo. Madrid: Ediciones Encuentro. 98 págs
Authors: Ruiz Sánchez Alejandro
Published: December 2015

La luz de Cristo, publicado originalmente en 1936, es el segundo libro de Franz Joseph Dölger traducido al castellano, siendo el anterior una selección de sus trabajos con el título Paganos y cristianos. El debate de la Antigüedad sobre el significado de los símbolos. En esta ocasión se abordan las relaciones entre estos distintos credos a través de la luz. La obra es presentada por Pedro Sabe Andreu, quien realiza una introducción que nos aporta datos claves para poder comprender de forma correcta el texto. Del mismo modo la obra cuenta con un prólogo a cargo de Manuel González López-Corps, profesor de la Universidad eclesiástica San Dámaso de Madrid.
II Congreso de Jóvenes Investigadores del Mundo Antiguo de la Universidad de Murcia
Authors: Conesa Navarro Pedro David , Martínez Molina Juana María
Published: December 2015

Durante el pasado mes de marzo, entre los días 25 y 27 del mismo, tuvo lugar en la Facultad de Letras de la Universidad de Murcia, el II Congreso Internacional de Jóvenes Investigadores del Mundo Antiguo. El éxito del precedente congreso del año 2014, con participación de investigadores nacionales e internacionales, supuso un acicate para que de nuevo, el Centro de Estudios del Próximo Oriente y la Antigüedad Tardía (CEPOAT) emprendiera la organización de esta segunda edición, en su objetivo de difundir todo aquello relacionado con el mundo antiguo y clásico dentro de la comunidad científica y universitaria.
Experiential Learning Not Enough for Organ Procurement Surgery: Implications for Perioperative Nursing Education
Authors: Smith Zaneta , Leslie Gavin , Wynaden Dianne
Published: December 2015

Context—

Perioperative nurses play a vital role in assisting in surgical procedures for multiorgan procurement, receiving little education apart from on-the-job experiential learning when they are asked to participate in these procedures.

Objectives—

Within an Australian context and as part of a larger study, this article describes issues that hindered perioperative nurses' participatory experiences as a result of lacking education, previous exposure, and preparation for assisting in surgical procedures for organ procurement.

Design—

The grounded theory method was used to develop a substantive theory of perioperative nurses' experiences of participating in surgical procedures for multiorgan procurement.

Participants—

Thirty-five perioperative nurses who had experience in surgical procedures for organ procurement from regional, rural, and metropolitan hospitals of 2 Australian states, New South Wales and Western Australia, participated in the research.

Results—

Levels of knowledge and experience emerged from the data as an influencing condition and was reported to affect the perioperative nurses' participatory experiences when assisting in procurement surgical procedures. Six components of levels of knowledge and experience were identified and are described.

Conclusion—

The findings from this study provide a unique contribution to the existing literature by providing an in-depth understanding of the educational needs of perioperative nurses in order to assist successfully in multiorgan procurement procedures. These findings could guide further research with implications for clinical initiatives or education programs specifically targeting the perioperative nursing profession both locally and internationally.
Explaining the Quality of Life of Organ Transplant Patients by Using Crisis Theory
Authors: Denny Bianca , Kienhuis Mandy , Gavidia-Payne Susana
Published: December 2015

Context—

Ubiquitous findings regarding the quality of life (QOL) of transplant patients have yet to be explained from a theoretical perspective.

Objective—

To investigate transplant patients' QOL by using the conceptual framework of crisis theory.

Design—

Cross-sectional study to explore differences in transplant patients' experiences of stress, coping, and QOL. Regression analysis was used to test crisis theory in relation to QOL, stress, and coping.

Participants—

A total of 226 participants representing transplant candidates, transplant recipients, and nontransplant individuals participated via survey-based data collection.

Results—

Results showed that transplant candidates experience lower QOL than transplant recipients and nontransplant individuals. No significant differences were detected regarding stress levels or coping styles. Stress made a significant contribution to patients' QOL.

Conclusions—

Current findings suggest important QOL benefits of organ transplant. Using a theoretical model is an effective way to investigate the QOL of people experiencing chronic illness such as end-stage organ failure. Further investigation is required to reach a conclusive understanding of the complex interaction between transplant patients' QOL, stress, and coping.
Listeria Monocytogenes Bacteremia in a Pancreas Transplant Recipient
Authors: Cohen Elizabeth A. , Topal Jeffrey E. , Tichy Eric M.
Published: December 2015

We report a case of Listeria monocytogenes bacteremia in a patient 12 years after his pancreas transplant, during which time he received a steroid-free immunosuppressive regimen. To our knowledge, there are no reported cases describing L monocytogenes bacteremia after pancreas transplant. In addition, although typically identified as a complication shortly after transplant or after treatment for organ rejection, this case demonstrates that it is still possible for a patient to develop a L monocytogenes infection far removed from transplant.
Duration of Prophylaxis against Fungal Infection in Kidney Transplant Recipients
Authors: Guerra Christina M. , Formica Richard N. , Kulkarni Sanjay , Asch William S. , Tichy Eric M.
Published: December 2015

Objective—

To compare the efficacy of 2 strategies that use nystatin to prevent thrush and Candida esophagitis in kidney transplant recipients.

Methods—

A retrospective chart review was conducted of adult kidney transplant recipients at our center, where the protocol for prophylaxis against fungal infection was changed in March 2013. Before the protocol change, kidney transplant recipients received nystatin for 1 month (before group) and after the change they received nystatin for the duration of admission (after group). The primary outcome measure was the incidence of thrush and Candida esophagitis within 3 months after transplant. Analyses were conducted on all kidney transplant recipients (intention to treat) and on only those kidney transplant recipients who received at least 1 dose of nystatin (modified intention to treat). Additional data collected included the duration of nystatin and immunosuppression regimens. The Student t test and Fisher exact test were used to calculate P values for continuous and categorical data.

Results—

A total of 84 kidney transplant recipients, 42 in each cohort, were included in the analysis. The groups did not differ significantly at baseline. Nystatin was administered for a mean of 29 days in the before group and 5.74 days in the after group. Overall, 3 kidney transplant recipients (4%), all from the after group, experienced an episode of thrush and no patients experienced Candida esophagitis. Two recipients who experienced thrush did not receive any nystatin.

Conclusions—

Limiting the administration of nystatin to the duration of admission after transplant may be sufficient for prophylaxis of fungal infections in kidney transplant recipients.
¿Publicidad Social?: usos y abusos de “lo social” en la publicidad
Authors: Alvarado López Mª Cruz
Published: December 2015

“Lo social”, entendido como el conjunto de temáticas que configuran el mapa característico de nuestras sociedades occidentales postmodernas (agenda social de los gobiernos y de los media), se ha convertido en las últimas dos décadas en uno de los lugares temáticos más utilizado por la publicidad, con independencia incluso de los fines y causas a los que ésta camaleónica modalidad comunicativa presta su técnica y su saber.Este hecho, y su coincidencia contextual con la emergencia y consolidación en nuestro país del fenómeno que la publicidad social es hoy, es una de las causas que explican, tanto la confusión terminológica y conceptual que a nivel teórico existe en este territorio, como las profusión de prácticas comunicacionales en las que convergen emisores, fines y géneros diversos; con la consecuente disolución de la trascendencia de determinadas temáticas en efímeras modas y, con ello, de la acción social comprometida en puro consumo.
Extracellular space preservation aids the connectomic analysis of neural circuits
Authors: Pallotto Marta , Watkins Paul V , Fubara Boma , Singer Joshua H , Briggman Kevin L
Published: December 2015

Dense connectomic mapping of neuronal circuits is limited by the time and effort required to analyze 3D electron microscopy (EM) datasets. Algorithms designed to automate image segmentation suffer from substantial error rates and require significant manual error correction. Any improvement in segmentation error rates would therefore directly reduce the time required to analyze 3D EM data. We explored preserving extracellular space (ECS) during chemical tissue fixation to improve the ability to segment neurites and to identify synaptic contacts. ECS preserved tissue is easier to segment using machine learning algorithms, leading to significantly reduced error rates. In addition, we observed that electrical synapses are readily identified in ECS preserved tissue. Finally, we determined that antibodies penetrate deep into ECS preserved tissue with only minimal permeabilization, thereby enabling correlated light microscopy (LM) and EM studies. We conclude that preservation of ECS benefits multiple aspects of the connectomic analysis of neural circuits.
Identification of NPC1 as the target of U18666A, an inhibitor of lysosomal cholesterol export and Ebola infection
Authors: Lu Feiran , Liang Qiren , Abi-Mosleh Lina , Das Akash , De Brabander Jef K , Goldstein Joseph L , Brown Michael S
Published: December 2015

Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) is a lysosomal membrane protein that exports cholesterol derived from receptor-mediated uptake of LDL, and it also mediates cellular entry of Ebola virus. Cholesterol export is inhibited by nanomolar concentrations of U18666A, a cationic sterol. To identify the target of U18666A, we synthesized U-X, a U18666A derivative with a benzophenone that permits ultraviolet-induced crosslinking. When added to CHO cells, U-X crosslinked to NPC1. Crosslinking was blocked by U18666A derivatives that block cholesterol export, but not derivatives lacking blocking activity. Crosslinking was prevented by point mutation in the sterol-sensing domain (SSD) of NPC1, but not by point mutation in the N-terminal domain (NTD). These data suggest that the SSD contains a U18666A-inhibitable site required for cholesterol export distinct from the cholesterol-binding site in the NTD. Inasmuch as inhibition of Ebola requires 100-fold higher concentrations of U18666A, the high affinity U16888A-binding site is likely not required for virus entry.
Influence of the common mode impedance paths on the design of the EMI filters used with SiC-buck converter
Authors: Kotny J.-L. , Duquesne T. , Idir N.
Published: December 2015

This paper deals the design of EMI filter associated with buck converter using fast semiconductors silicon carbide SiC (diode and transistor JFET). To comply with EMC standards, a filter design method based on an equivalent electrical circuit is proposed. The aim is to identify the different values of the EMI filter elements but also to obtain the limits values of the parasitic elements of the passive components which have a major influence on the attenuation of the filters. The purpose is to study the influence of the modification of the common mode propagation paths before and after the installation of the filter. A solution is also proposed to reduce the conducted disturbances that occur at high frequency caused by the fast SiC components.The comparison of the simulation results with the measurements data carried out on a DC-DC converter without and with the EMI filter, shows the effectiveness of the proposed design approach.
De novo clustering methods outperform reference-based methods for assigning 16S rRNA gene sequences to operational taxonomic units
Authors: Westcott Sarah L. , Schloss Patrick D.
Published: December 2015

Background.16S rRNA gene sequences are routinely assigned to operational taxonomic units (OTUs) that are then used to analyze complex microbial communities. A number of methods have been employed to carry out the assignment of 16S rRNA gene sequences to OTUs leading to confusion over which method is optimal. A recent study suggested that a clustering method should be selected based on its ability to generate stable OTU assignments that do not change as additional sequences are added to the dataset. In contrast, we contend that the quality of the OTU assignments, the ability of the method to properly represent the distances between the sequences, is more important.

Methods.Our analysis implemented sixde novoclustering algorithms including the single linkage, complete linkage, average linkage, abundance-based greedy clustering, distance-based greedy clustering, and Swarm and the open and closed-reference methods. Using two previously published datasets we used the Matthew’s Correlation Coefficient (MCC) to assess the stability and quality of OTU assignments.

Results.The stability of OTU assignments did not reflect the quality of the assignments. Depending on the dataset being analyzed, the average linkage and the distance and abundance-based greedy clustering methods generated OTUs that were more likely to represent the actual distances between sequences than the open and closed-reference methods. We also demonstrated that for the greedy algorithms VSEARCH produced assignments that were comparable to those produced by USEARCH making VSEARCH a viable free and open source alternative to USEARCH. Further interrogation of the reference-based methods indicated that when USEARCH or VSEARCH were used to identify the closest reference, the OTU assignments were sensitive to the order of the reference sequences because the reference sequences can be identical over the region being considered. More troubling was the observation that while both USEARCH and VSEARCH have a high level of sensitivity to detect reference sequences, the specificity of those matches was poor relative to the true best match.

Discussion.Our analysis calls into question the quality and stability of OTU assignments generated by the open and closed-reference methods as implemented in current version of QIIME. This study demonstrates thatde novomethods are the optimal method of assigning sequences into OTUs and that the quality of these assignments needs to be assessed for multiple methods to identify the optimal clustering method for a particular dataset.
Princípios e valores organizacionais: a questão do treinamento e a excelência dos serviços hoteleiros. Um estudo de caso na JW Marriott Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Santos Rodrigo Amado , Silva Lidiane Pigatti
Published: December 2015

O capital humano deve ser visto enquanto um dos bens mais valiosos às empresas hoteleiras que primam por oferecer excelência, hospitalidade, eficiência e prestatividade aos seus respectivos segmentos atuação. Nesse sentido, este trabalho tem como objetivo principal a exposição de princípios e valores que sustentam o processo de capacitação e treinamento do elemento humano em ambientes hoteleiros, visto aqui enquanto preceito fundamental a estruturação de um serviço e de um atendimento pautado em valores de excelência. Exposto isso, essa pesquisa tem seu alicerce metodológico sustentado em uma análise quanti-qualitativa apresentada através de um estudo de caso – JW Marriott Rio de Janeiro – que busca expor uma avaliação das políticas de treinamento e suas incidências sobre a excelência no atendimento, de forma a demonstrar como suas diretrizes refletem em seus resultados operacionais e gerenciais. Assim, seu universo amostral, pautado na percepção de 26 associados acerca das ações de capacitação organizacional, permitiu as seguintes ponderações: (1) há, entre os distintos departamentos hoteleiros, o reconhecimento da importância desse processo e de suas inferências nos resultados organizacionais e no condicionamento a excelência dos serviços prestados; (2) a lógica, a frequência e o comprometimento aos valores apresentados por essas diretrizes permitem uma maior segurança e confiabilidade ao elemento humano, instigando sua proatividade. Por fim, discute-se a maneira como tais questões necessitam ser vistas enquanto “diferenciais” competitivos, capazes de ofertar aos seus colaboradores um “know how” primordial à satisfação, ao encantamento e à fidelização de uma demanda hoteleira.
A Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell−Derived Cardiomyocyte (hiPSC‐CM) Multielectrode Array Assay for Preclinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Safety Screening
Authors: Harris Kate
Published: December 2015

Cardiotoxicity is a leading cause of compound attrition during drug development. Preclinical models used to assess the risk for compound‐induced effects on cardiac electrophysiology largely rely on animals that can differ in terms of sensitivity and specificity to the targeted clinical response. There is currently no in vitro human cardiomyocyte model for routine preclinical compound screening, as adult human cardiac tissue is unsuitable for such screening. The commercial availability of human induced pluripotent stem cell−derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC‐CMs) makes possible the development of assays for assessing compound‐induced effects on cardiac function in a human cardiomyocyte‐like model. Using multielectrode array (MEA) technology with hiPSC‐CMs provides a facile screen for compound‐induced effects on cardiac electrophysiology. The MEA data generated from hiPSC‐CMs correlate well with the results of conventional preclinical assays and clinical findings. Described in this unit is a technique for measuring extracellular field potentials from hiPSC‐CMs using MEA technology to screen for compound‐induced effects on cardiac electrophysiology. © 2015 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Comparisons of ionospheric electron density distributions reconstructed by GPS computerized tomography, backscatter ionograms, and vertical ionograms
Authors: Zhou Chen , Lei Yong , Li Bofeng , An Jiachun , Zhu Peng , Jiang Chunhua , Zhao Zhengyu , Zhang Yuannong , Ni Binbin , Wang Zemin , Zhou Xuhua
Published: December 2015

Global Positioning System (GPS) computerized ionosphere tomography (CIT) and ionospheric sky wave ground backscatter radar are both capable of measuring the large‐scale, two‐dimensional (2‐D) distributions of ionospheric electron density (IED). Here we report the spatial and temporal electron density results obtained by GPS CIT and backscatter ionogram (BSI) inversion for three individual experiments. Both the GPS CIT and BSI inversion techniques demonstrate the capability and the consistency of reconstructing large‐scale IED distributions. To validate the results, electron density profiles obtained from GPS CIT and BSI inversion are quantitatively compared to the vertical ionosonde data, which clearly manifests that both methods output accurate information of ionopsheric electron density and thereby provide reliable approaches to ionospheric soundings. Our study can improve current understanding of the capability and insufficiency of these two methods on the large‐scale IED reconstruction.
Observed ocean thermal response to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike
Authors: Meyers Patrick C. , Shay Lynn K. , Brewster Jodi K. , Jaimes Benjamin
Published: December 2015

The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season featured two hurricanes, Gustav and Ike, crossing the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) within a 2 week period. Over 400 airborne expendable bathythermographs (AXBTs) were deployed in a GOM field campaign before, during, and after the passage of Gustav and Ike to measure the evolving upper ocean thermal structure. AXBT and drifter deployments specifically targeted the Loop Current (LC) complex, which was undergoing an eddy‐shedding event during the field campaign. Hurricane Gustav forced a 50 m deepening of the ocean mixed layer (OML), dramatically altering the prestorm ocean conditions for Hurricane Ike. Wind‐forced entrainment of colder thermocline water into the OML caused sea surface temperatures to cool by over 5°C in GOM common water, but only 1–2°C in the LC complex. Ekman pumping and a near‐inertial wake were identified by fluctuations in the 20°C isotherm field observed by AXBTs and drifters following Hurricane Ike. Satellite estimates of the 20° and 26°C isotherm depths and ocean heat content were derived using a two‐layer model driven by sea surface height anomalies. Generally, the satellite estimates correctly characterized prestorm conditions, but the two‐layer model inherently could not resolve wind‐forced mixing of the OML. This study highlights the importance of a coordinated satellite and in situ measurement strategy to accurately characterize the ocean state before, during, and after hurricane passage, particularly in the case of two consecutive storms traveling through the same domain.
Coexistence of nitrous oxide undersaturation and oversaturation in the surface and subsurface of the western Arctic Ocean
Authors: Zhang Jiexia , Zhan Liyang , Chen Liqi , Li Yuhong , Chen Jianfang
Published: December 2015

The nitrous oxide (N2O) distributions in a shelf‐slope‐basin section from the Chukchi Sea shelf to the Chukchi Abyssal Plain (CAP) in the western Arctic Ocean were observed for the first time during the fourth Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition (4th CHINARE) in late August 2010. The N2O concentrations were 11.4–16.9 nmol L−1, corresponding to saturation values of 92–118% in the surface water. In the surface, biological factor was negligible to N2O production, and physical process dominated the surface N2O distribution. The N2O undersaturation may be the result of dilution by sea ice meltwater. The oversaturation may be caused by the diffusing of N2O‐rich shelf bottom water. Below the surface, N2O concentrations ranged from 11.4 to 21.4 nmol L−1. On the Chukchi Sea shelf, N2O concentrations increased from the surface to the near‐bottom water, indicating sediment N2O produced by nitrification or denitrification emission may be a significant source. The subsurface maxima in the upper halocline layer (UHL) may receive partial contribution from nitrification production but was primarily caused by the spreading of shelf water.
Tilt‐induced biases in sediment trap functioning
Authors: Chiswell Stephen M. , Nodder Scott D.
Published: December 2015

We present data from two sediment traps moored 5 km apart ∼150 km off the east coast of New Zealand. Both traps were at 1500 m in 3100 m of water. One trap was attached to a 3038 m tall mooring and exhibited tilts measured by a tilt sensor ranging from 5° to 20°, the other trap was attached to a 1659 m tall mooring and exhibited tilts ranging from 2° to 4°. The computed relative trapping efficiency depends on which flux constituent (mass, particulate organic carbon, biogenic silica, etc.) is used to compute it. We suggest that this physically unrealistic result arises because of relatively high noise in the measurements due to patchiness, sampling and/or measurement errors. On average, the trap exhibiting most tilt collected 30–50% less material than the trap exhibiting least tilt. For the total mass flux, efficiencies appear to be lower at higher trap tilt. However, with only 5 months of data, we do not have enough samples to accurately model the relationship between trap tilt and efficiency, except to show that with even moderate tilt, the sediment trap trapping efficiency can be reduced by a factor of nearly two.
Quantified sensitivity of small lake sediments to record historic earthquakes: Implications for paleoseismology
Authors: Wilhelm Bruno , Nomade Jerome , Crouzet Christian , Litty Camille , Sabatier Pierre , Belle Simon , Rolland Yann , Revel Marie , Courboulex Françoise , Arnaud Fabien , Anselmetti Flavio S.
Published: December 2015

Seismic hazard assessment is a critical but challenging issue for modern societies. A key parameter to be estimated is the recurrence interval of damaging earthquakes. This requires the establishment of earthquake records long enough to be relevant, i.e., far longer than historical observations. We study how lake sediments can be used for this purpose and explore conditions that enable lake sediments to record earthquakes. This was achieved (i) through the compilation of eight lake‐sediment sequences from the European Alps to reconstruct chronicles of mass movement deposits and (ii) through the comparison of these chronicles with the well‐documented earthquake history. This allowed 24 occurrences of mass movements to be identified, of which 21 were most probably triggered by an earthquake. However, the number of earthquake‐induced deposits varies between lakes of a same region, suggesting variable thresholds of the lake sequences to record earthquake shaking. These thresholds have been quantified by linking the mass movement occurrences in a single lake to both intensity and distance of the triggering earthquakes. This method offers a quantitative approach to estimate locations and intensities of past earthquake epicenters. Finally, we explored which lake characteristics could explain the various sensitivities. Our results suggest that sedimentation rate should be larger than 0.5 mm yr−1 so that a given lake records earthquakes in moderately active seismotectonic regions. We also postulate that an increasing sedimentation rate may imply an increasing sensitivity to earthquake shaking. Hence, further paleoseismological studies should control carefully that no significant change in sedimentation rates occurs within a record, which could falsify the assessment of earthquake recurrence intervals.
The relative importance of head, flux, and prior information in hydraulic tomography analysis
Authors: Michael Tso Chak‐Hau , Zha Yuanyuan , Jim Yeh Tian‐Chyi , Wen Jet‐Chau
Published: December 2015

Using cross‐correlation analysis, we demonstrate that flux measurements at observation locations during hydraulic tomography (HT) surveys carry nonredundant information about heterogeneity that are complementary to head measurements at the same locations. We then hypothesize that a joint interpretation of head and flux data, even when the same observation network as head has been used, can enhance the resolution of HT estimates. Subsequently, we use numerical experiments to test this hypothesis and investigate the impact of flux conditioning and prior information (such as correlation lengths and initial mean models (i.e., uniform mean or distributed means)) on the HT estimates of a nonstationary, layered medium. We find that the addition of flux conditioning to HT analysis improves the estimates in all of the prior models tested. While prior information on geologic structures could be useful, its influence on the estimates reduces as more nonredundant data (i.e., flux) are used in the HT analysis. Lastly, recommendations for conducting HT surveys and analysis are presented.
Strain‐Mediated Inverse Photoresistivity in SrRuO3/La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 Superlattices
Authors: Liu Heng‐Jui , Wei Tzu‐Chiao , Zhu Yuan‐Min , Liu Rui‐Rui , Tzeng Wen‐Yen , Tsai Chih‐Ya , Zhan Qian , Luo Chih‐Wei , Yu Pu , He Jr‐Hau , Chu Ying‐Hao , He Qing
Published: December 2015

In the pursuit of novel functionalities by utilizing the lattice degree of freedom in complex oxide heterostructure, the control mechanism through direct strain manipulation across the interfaces is still under development, especially with various stimuli, such as electric field, magnetic field, light, etc. In this study, the superlattices consisting of colossal‐magnetoresistive manganites La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) and photostrictive SrRuO3 (SRO) have been designed to investigate the light‐dependent controllability of lattice order in the corresponding functionalities and rich interface physics. Two substrates, SrTiO3 (STO) and LaAlO3 (LAO), have been employed to provide the different strain environments to the superlattice system, in which the LSMO sublayers exhibit different orbital occupations. Subsequently, by introducing light, we can modulate the strain state and orbital preference of LSMO sublayers through light‐induced expansion of SRO sublayers, leading to surprisingly opposite changes in photoresistivity. The observed photoresistivity decreases in the superlattice grown on STO substrate while increases in the superlattice grown on LAO substrate under light illumination. This work has presented a model system that demonstrates the manipulation of orbital–lattice coupling and the resultant functionalities in artificial oxide superlattices via light stimulus.
Ultrathin Injectable Sensors of Temperature, Thermal Conductivity, and Heat Capacity for Cardiac Ablation Monitoring
Authors: Koh Ahyeon , Gutbrod Sarah R. , Meyers Jason D. , Lu Chaofeng , Webb Richard Chad , Shin Gunchul , Li Yuhang , Kang Seung‐Kyun , Huang Yonggang , Efimov Igor R. , Rogers John A.
Published: December 2015

Knowledge of the distributions of temperature in cardiac tissue during and after ablation is important in advancing a basic understanding of this process, and for improving its efficacy in treating arrhythmias. Technologies that enable real‐time temperature detection and thermal characterization in the transmural direction can help to predict the depths and sizes of lesion that form. Herein, materials and designs for an injectable device platform that supports precision sensors of temperature and thermal transport properties distributed along the length of an ultrathin and flexible needle‐type polymer substrate are introduced. The resulting system can insert into the myocardial tissue, in a minimally invasive manner, to monitor both radiofrequency ablation and cryoablation, in a manner that has no measurable effects on the natural mechanical motions of the heart. The measurement results exhibit excellent agreement with thermal simulations, thereby providing improved insights into lesion transmurality.
Sublimation as a function of diffusion
Authors: Qian Gang , Morgan Nathan T. , Holmes Russell J. , Cussler E. L. , Blaylock D. Wayne , Froese Robert D. J.
Published: December 2015

Purification of large organic molecules in a tubular sublimator occurs by a combination of laminar flow, Knudsen diffusion, and volume diffusion. For laminar flow, the amount purified per area per driving force varies with pd2, where p is pressure and d is tube diameter. For Knudsen diffusion, it varies with d and is not a function of pressure. For volume diffusion, it is constant, consistent with experiment. This volume diffusion mechanism may offer an alternative explanation to slip flow for dilute gas transport of both organic semiconductors and common low molecular weight gases. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 861–867, 2016