bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
NEGATIVE EFFECT OF METALLOID STRESS ON WHEAT
Authors: Maglovski MarÃ­na , Gregorová Zuzana , Mészáros Patrik , Matušíková IldikÃ³ , Libantová Jana , Moravčíková Jana , Hauptvogel Pavol
Published: February 2015

Arsenic (As) belongs to heavy metals and its accumulation in plants, besides damaging the organism itself, represents a potential health risk to animal and human consumers. Therefore, contamination of soils and waters with this compound is a serious environmental problem. In this work we focused on investigating a negative impact of As on selected parameters of growth of wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Genoveva) grown in hydropony. In the stage of first assimilation leaves we applied a solution of heavy metal (1 mg.kg-1 As3+) on wheat plants. For plants grown under hydropony conditions we observed different plant parameters such as length, weight, amount of fresh and dry biomass. Further we analyzed accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and products membrane lipid peroxidation as indicators of oxidative stress. In addition to these we also measured the content of photosynthetic pigments, maximal quantum yield and proline in plant tissue. Our data indicate reduction of the biomass of shoots forthcoming as a result of exposure of stressed plants to As. Decline of biomass accumulation was accompanied by increase of hydrogen peroxide in plant tissue. In contrast, level of lipid peroxidation was suppressed in stressed shoots. Contents of photosynthetic pigments soundly decreased. Interestingly, fluorescence (Fp=Fm) in stressed wheat shoots increased. Similarly in tested shoots the content of proline was increased. The results indicate that the applied dose of As has a negative impact on the growth and photosynthetic performance of stressed plants. A better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for As resistance and toxicity in plants requires further investigation.
Changing Policy and Practice in the Control of Pediatric Schistosomiasis
Authors: Mutapi Francisca
Published: February 2015

Schistosomiasis is a chronic disease that affects ∼200 million people. The extended health impact of the disease has been estimated to exceed that of malaria or tuberculosis and to be nearer to that of HIV/AIDS. Within endemic areas, children carry the heaviest burden of infection. Infection/disease is controlled by the treatment of infected subjects with the anthelminthic drug praziquantel. Global initiatives from Partners of Parasite Control, including the World Health Organization (WHO), advocate regular school-based deworming strategies to reduce the development of severe morbidity, promote school–child health and development, and improve the cognitive potential of children. Until recently, preschool-aged children were excluded from schistosome treatment, creating a health inequity in affected populations. In 2010, the WHO updated their recommendations for the treatment of schistosomiasis in preschool-aged children (ie, children aged ≤5 years). This change was the culmination of several decades of research on schistosome epidemiology, immunology, and pathology in this age group. The recent development of a pediatric formulation of praziquantel (soon to enter clinical trials) should advance control efforts in preschool-aged children, with the goal of including these children in preventative chemotherapy (as currently occurs for soil-transmitted helminths). This review discusses the research work supporting the WHO revision of recommendations for treating preschool-aged children, as well as current barriers and knowledge gaps in pediatric schistosomiasis control.
Assessment of the Insertion of Reprocessed Fuels and Combined Thorium Fuel Cycles in a PWR System
Authors: Monteiro Fabiana. B. A. , de Faria Rochkhudson. B. , Fortini Ângela , Da Silva Clarysson A. M. , Pereira Cláubia
Published: February 2015

The insertion of reprocessed fuel spiked with thorium in a typical PWR fuel element considering (TRU-Th) cycle was simulated using different fissile materials that varied from 5.5% to 7.0%. The reprocessed fuels were obtained using the ORIGEN 2.1 code from a burned PWR standard fuel (33,000 MWd/tHM burned), with 3.1% of initial enrichment, which was remained in the cooling pool for five years and then reprocessed using UREX+ technique. The kinf, hardening spectrum and the fuel evolution during the burnup were evaluated. This study was performed using the SCALE 6.0
Replacement Zircaloy for Silicon Carbide as Fuel Cladding Material in PWR – A Neutronic Evaluation
Authors: de Faria Rochkhudson B. , Torres Felipe , Monteiro Fabiana B. A. , Pereira Claubia
Published: February 2015

Silicon carbide (SiC) has a potential to replacement zircaloy as fuel cladding material due to its high temperature tolerance, chemical stability and low neutron affinity. These characteristics may improve the economic and safety of nuclear reactors. Previous work has examined the possible use of SiC as a fuel cladding material in a PWR (Pressurized Water Reactor) environment. However, the advantage thermo mechanical and neutronic analysis replacement zircaloy cladding is not clear. Literature reviews has been done to predict the thermo mechanical behavior of SiC in high temperatures. The neutronic analysis was made using the SCALE 6.0 (Standardized Computer Analysis for Licensing Evaluation) code. This codes system is widely accepted and used worldwide for safety analysis and criticality of nuclear reactors has been utilized to model a typical fuel element of a PWR. It was used the CSAS6 and TRITON modules. The goals are to evaluate the behavior of the infinite multiplication factor (kinf) and neutron flux using SiC as a fuel cladding material.
Nanoparticles Amplified QCM Sensor for Enzyme Activity Evaluation
Authors: Stoytcheva M. , Zlatev R. , Montero G. , Valdez B. , Schorr M.
Published: February 2015

This investigation introduces a new very simple and efficient approach for QCM sensor response amplification, developed for hydrolases activity determination. For this purpose, the QCM crystal surface was modified with nanoparticles loaded enzyme substrate. During the enzymatic substrate degradation, the heavier nanoparticles were also released from the sensitive layer together with the substrate degradation products. Nanoparticles removal resulted in QCM signal amplification due to the higher nanoparticles specific mass compared with the specific mass of the substrate.

The suggested concept was successfully applied for creating of simple biosensing platforms for trypsin and lipase activity determination in real time using respectively SiO2nanoparticles loaded olive oil and Ag nanoparticles loaded gelatin as enzyme substrates. Up to 10 times amplification of the QCM signal was reached applying the proposed approach compared with the common one.
Low Resistive and Low Absorptive Nitride-Based Tunnel junctions
Authors: Minamikawa Daichi , Takasuka Daiki , Ino Masataka , Iwaya Motoaki , Takeuchi Tetsuya , Kamiyama Satoshi , Akasaki Isamu
Published: February 2015

We have investigated two approaches for an alternative hole injection with a tunnel junction targeting deep UV-LEDs. One was an AlGaN-based tunnel junction. We fabricated the AlGaN-based tunnel junctions with various AlN mole fractions (0～0.2) grown on conventional blue-LEDs by MOVPE. A 7.5 nm heavily Mg-doped GaN/15 nm heavily Si-doped Al0.2Ga0.8N tunnel junction showed a large voltage drop, 5.31 V at 20 mA, under reverse bias. The other was a GaInN-based tunnel junction. We prepared Ga0.6In0.4N tunnel junctions with various thicknesses and Si doping levels grown on the blue LEDs by MOVPE. A 2 nm heavily Mg-doped Ga0.6In0.4N/3 nm heavily Si-doped GaN tunnel junction showed only 0.12 V drop at 20mA under reverse bias. Since an absorption of the thin GaInN tunnel junction was estimated to be less than 10 %, such a tunnel junction with small bandgap and thin layer thickness is a practical approach to obtain a low resistive and low absorptive hole injection in the deep UV-LEDs.
Nanosize effect in Germanium Nanowire Growth with Binary Metal Alloys
Authors: Biswas Subhajit , O’Regan Colm , Morris Michael A. , Holmes Justin D.
Published: February 2015

This article describes feasible and improved ways towards enhanced nanowire growth kinetics by reducing the equilibrium solute concentration in the liquid collector phase in a vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) like growth model. Use of bi-metallic alloy seeds (AuxAg1-x) influences the germanium supersaturation for a faster nucleation and growth kinetics. Nanowire growth with ternary eutectic alloys shows Gibbs-Thompson effect with diameter dependent growth rate. In-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) annealing experiments directly confirms the role of equilibrium concentration in nanowire growth kinetics and was used to correlate the equilibrium content of metastable alloys with the growth kinetics of Ge nanowires. The shape and geometry of the heterogeneous interfaces between the liquid eutectic and solid Ge nanowires were found to vary as a function of nanowire diameter and eutectic alloy composition.
Effects of Alloying Elements on the Temperature Dependence of Yield Stress in L12-Co3(Al,W)
Authors: Chin Zhenghao M. T. , Okamoto Norihiko L. , Inui Haruyuki
Published: February 2015

The effects of alloying elements (Ni/Ta) on the temperature dependence of yield stress in Co3(Al,W) with the L12 structure have been investigated through compression tests of nearly single-phase polycrystalline alloys in the temperature range between room temperature to 1,473K. Compared with a ternary Co3(Al,W), a Ni/Ta-added Co3(Al,W) alloy exhibits a higher γ΄ solvus temperature and lower onset temperature of the yield stress anomaly (positive temperature dependence of yield stress), suggesting that the CSF energy is increased by Ni/Ta addition. As a consequence, the high-temperature strength in Co3(Al,W) is considerably enhanced.
Oroantral Fistula Resulting From Chronic Periodontitis: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Shetty Lakshmi , Kulkarni Deepak , Pradhan Raunak
Published: February 2015

Introduction: The aim of this case report is to highlight a rare case of periodontitis contributing to an oroantral fistula (OAF), which was closed with a pedicled buccal fat pad (PBF). Extraction of a tooth is often a cause for an OAF in patients. The rarity of the presented OAF is because the periodontally affected teeth were in proximity to the right maxillary sinusitis.

Case Presentation: A 49‐year‐old male patient presented with nasal regurgitation of fluids with right maxillary sinusitis. It was not clear whether the OAF was attributable to the periodontal condition or anatomic changes in the sinus floor. It was concluded that periodontal disease contributed to the OAF, and the teeth were extracted with coverage of the area with a PBF. The results were excellent, with complete healing of the OAF.

Conclusions: Poor oral hygiene together with smoking cause chronic periodontitis (CP), which can induce oral/antral communication, leading to a fistula. The OAF in this case was effectively closed with a PBF. Creating awareness among underserved patients about oral hygiene and maintaining a healthy oral status could prevent CP and complications such as oral and antral fistulous tracts.
Relationship Between Quality Improvement Implementation and Accreditation Seeking in Local Health Departments
Authors: Chen Li-Wu , Nguyen Anh , Jacobson Janelle J. , Gupta Niodita , Bekmuratova Sarbinaz , Palm David
Published: February 2015

Objectives. We examined the relationship between quality improvement (QI) maturity and accreditation attributes of US local health departments (LHDs), specifically those in Nebraska.

Methods. Using 2011 Nebraska LHD QI survey data, we conducted Spearman correlation analyses between QI maturity domains and accreditation attributes. Using the 2010 National Association of County and City Health Officials’ National Profile of LHDs, we conducted logistic regression analyses to examine the relationships between specific QI strategies and attitude toward seeking accreditation.

Results. Leaders’ commitment to and length of time engaged in QI were positively associated with LHDs’ general attitude toward seeking accreditation. Use of QI strategies and integration of QI policies and practices were positively associated with LHDs’ confidence in their capacity to obtain accreditation. LHDs that had used at least 1 QI framework and at least 1 QI technique in the past year were more likely to agree that they would seek accreditation within 2 years of the national accreditation program.

Conclusions. Experience with and expertise in QI implementation play an important role in LHDs’ decision to seek accreditation, and their accreditation-seeking efforts may benefit from prior implementation of systematic QI strategies.
Comments: Community Engagement
Authors: Donnelly John
Published: February 2015

Editor's column

The growth in unconventionals production and the spotlight on hydraulic fracturing have heightened public concern about oil and gas industry operations and raised the stakes for those working in the industry. News media reports, movies, Internet blogs, and political debate have combined to add scrutiny to upstream operations and their potential impact on health, the environment, and local communities.

It has become not only an industry and company issue, but an individual one as well. Many engineers and other staff in the industry are getting questions about their companies’ operations from neighbors and others in their communities. Hydraulic fracturing is usually the focal point. Even though fracturing has been used by the industry since the late 1940s, many believe it is a new technology that potentially threatens water supplies and spawns other negative effects. Anti-fracturing initiatives are currently being proposed in numerous cities and states around the United States. A number of resources are available to help members of the industry answer these questions. SPE’s www.energy4me site offers information on hydraulic fracturing and other industry technologies, classroom resources for teachers, and industry careers. Other industry-affiliated associations, including the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Independent Petroleum Association of America, provide materials as well.

The API recently issued what it calls the “gold standard” for how companies and management should engage with communities affected by exploration and development of unconventional oil and gas resources. ANSI-API Bulletin 100-3 was released after 3 years of discussions with producers, community leaders, US state regulators, property owners, and other stakeholders.
Offshore Bonanza
Authors: Moffat Jim
Published: February 2015

Middle East Rig Market

Jim Moffat, chief executive officer of UAE-based oil and gas construction and engineering group Lamprell, says offshore drilling rig construction in the Middle East is booming.

What are your company’s main activities in the oil and gas industry and the region?

Lamprell, based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and with operations throughout the region, has played a prominent role in the development of the energy industry in the Middle East for more than 35 years and is the regional market leader in the rig construction business. Lamprell is a leading provider of diversified engineering and contracting services to the onshore and offshore oil and gas and renewable energy industries and, since its initial public offering in 2006, it has established leading market positions in the construction of shallow-water drilling jackup rigs, liftboats, land rigs and rig refurbishment, as well as an international reputation for complex onshore and offshore process modules and topsides. Lamprell employs approximately 10,000 people across multiple facilities, with its primary facilities located in Hamriyah, Sharjah, and Jebel Ali, all of which are in the UAE. In addition, the group has facilities in Saudi Arabia through a joint venture agreement and Kuwait.

What major operations are you are currently involved in?

So far in 2014, we have delivered five major projects, namely the NDC3 jackup rig Qarnin (to the National Drilling Company); Nexen Petroleum’s production, utilities, and quarters deck for the Golden Eagle Area Development in the North Sea; the NDC4 Marawwah jackup rig; the Seajacks Hydra jackup vessel; and, most recently, the Millennium Offshore Services’ major rig refurbishment project. We still have the Leighton and Jalilah B offshore construction projects to deliver in the third quarter of this year as well as the EDC2 (to the Eurasia Drilling Company) and NDC5 newbuild jackups in the fourth quarter. We also currently have eight rig refurbishment projects, all of which will be delivered in 2014 to suit client’s operating schedules.
Common Mistakes Associated With Diagnostic Fracture Injection Tests
Authors: Wilson Adam
Published: February 2015

This article, written by Special Publications Editor Adam Wilson, contains highlights of paper SPE 169539, ’Diagnostic Fracture Injection Tests: Common Mistakes, Misfires, and Misdiagnoses,’ by R.D. Barree, SPE, J.L. Miskimins, SPE, and J.V. Gilbert, SPE, Barree & Associates, prepared for the 2014 SPE Western North American and Rocky Mountain Joint Regional Meeting, Denver, 16-18 April. The paper has not been peer reviewed.

During the last 20 years, diagnostic fracture injection tests (DFITs) have evolved into commonly used techniques that can provide valuable information about reservoirs and hydraulic-fracture-treatment parameters. Thousands of tests are run every year in both conventional and unconventional reservoirs. However, many factors associated with data collection and analysis can result in poor or incorrect results. This paper attempts to describe some of the common problems and to help prevent some common errors often observed in DFIT execution and analysis.

Introduction

DFITs are small pump-in treatments performed to gather data to help design follow-up hydraulic-fracturing treatments and characterize a reservoir.

A generic DFIT is shown in Fig. 1. The wellbore is first filled at a low to moderate rate until a positive surface pressure response is observed. With low- to- moderate wellbore compressibility, the pressure should rise quickly until initial breakdown occurs. Breakdown will be indicated either by a sharp drop in pressure as a new fracture initiates (as at Number 1 in Fig. 1) or by a plateau in pressure as existing fractures are opened and extended. Once a breakdown event is observed, the injection rate should be increased to the maximum rate allowed by available horsepower or to 75% of the planned treatment rate of the main fracture treatment, whichever is achievable. A constant rate is then held for 3–5 minutes (Number 2 in Fig. 1), after which a rapid step-down can be conducted. The step-down test is separate from the actual DFIT but is commonly run at the end of the pump-in to determine perforation and near-wellbore frictional pressure losses. The rate is then immediately reduced to zero to obtain the instantaneous shut-in pressure (ISIP), shown as Number 4, and the falloff pressure is monitored for as long as possible or as long as necessary to acquire the desired data. Even when high friction is not expected, the step-down is recommended to make identification of ISIP easier.
Life time assessment of an aluminum alloy under complex low cycle fatigue loading*
Authors: Walat Karolina , Łagoda Tadeusz , Kurek Marta
Published: February 2015

This publication presents an expression for the equivalent strain based on fatigue tests under complex strain state. The respective aluminum alloy was tested under a very low number of cycles. The criterion uses the critical plane determined according to the material kind function. The determined equivalent amplitude for complex proportional and non-proportional loading states is included into the scatter band of the same coefficient for simple loading states. The model based on the proposal by Carpinteri for determination of the critical plane position under a complex strain state can be a useful tool for fatigue life assessment in the case of a very low number of cycles. The expression for the equivalent strain includes both the normal and shear strain histories on the critical plane with suitable weight functions. The determined equivalent amplitude for complex proportional and non-proportional loading states is also included into the scatter band of the same coefficient for simple loading states.
Rail Transit
Authors: Saidi Saeid , Wirasinghe S.C. , Kattan Lina
Published: February 2015

Regression analyses were performed to study the relationship between rail transit network parameters (e.g., length of line, age of the system, network topology) with city parameters (e.g., population, city area, population density). Transit ridership patterns in Europe, Asia, and North America were investigated. Ring transit lines were found to be an important factor in network topology and the improvement of transit network efficiency and reliability. Cities that had ring rail transit services were assessed. Parameters that justified the implementation of a rail transit network in a city, particularly a ring line, were analyzed through the investigation of cities that had implemented such services. Ring lines were seen to be less popular in North America than in Europe and Asia. A highly concentrated central business district surrounded by remote residential neighborhoods would make circumferential travel less appealing than in larger and mixed land-use city centers with several cross-town activity centers. Further regression analyses were conducted to investigate the relevant parameters for the length of a ring rail transit line. Arguably, a ring transit line can improve the connectivity and directness of a transit network and thus improve transit ridership.
Do Light Rail Transit Planning Decisions Affect Metropolitan Transit Performance?
Authors: Jaroszynski Michal A. , Brown Jeffrey R.
Published: February 2015

In 2011, light rail transit (LRT) in eight U.S. metropolitan areas—Phoenix, Arizona; Sacramento and San Diego, California; Denver, Colorado; Saint Louis, Missouri; Portland, Oregon; Dallas, Texas; and Salt Lake City, Utah—carried 20% or more of the metropolitan area's total fixed-route ridership. The study reported in this paper explored the role of socioeconomic, planning, and operational factors as influences on LRT and metropolitan fixed-route performance in these eight areas, where LRT might function as a backbone around which other transit services were organized. Of particular interest were the planning and operational decisions over which planners and policy makers exercised some control. With the use of a combination of national and agency data, the eight areas were ranked on criteria with a basis in the optimal conditions suggested by a review of the literature. These rankings were then related to performance. The results showed that although socioeconomic factors were important influences on performance, they were not determinative. Planning and operational decisions about coverage, access, and multimodal coordination and integration also emerged as important influences on LRT and metropolitan transit performance.
Personalization of the Immunosuppressive Treatment in Renal Transplant Recipients: The Great Challenge in “Omics” Medicine
Authors: Zaza Gianluigi , Granata Simona , Tomei Paola , Dalla Gassa Alessandra , Lupo Antonio
Published: February 2015

Renal transplantation represents the most favorable treatment for patients with advanced renal failure and it is followed, in most cases, by a significant enhancement in patients’ quality of life. Significant improvements in one-year renal allograft and patients’ survival rates have been achieved over the last 10 years primarily as a result of newer immunosuppressive regimens. Despite these notable achievements in the short-term outcome, long-term graft function and survival rates remain less than optimal. Death with a functioning graft and chronic allograft dysfunction result in an annual rate of 3%–5%. In this context, drug toxicity and long-term chronic adverse effects of immunosuppressive medications have a pivotal role. Unfortunately, at the moment, except for the evaluation of trough drug levels, no clinically useful tools are available to correctly manage immunosuppressive therapy. The proper use of these drugs could potentiate therapeutic effects minimizing adverse drug reactions. For this purpose, in the future, “omics” techniques could represent powerful tools that may be employed in clinical practice to routinely aid the personalization of drug treatment according to each patient’s genetic makeup. However, it is unquestionable that additional studies and technological advances are needed to standardize and simplify these methodologies.
Viability Prediction of Ricinus cummunis L. Seeds Using Multispectral Imaging
Authors: Olesen Merete , Nikneshan Pejman , Shrestha Santosh , Tadayyon Ali , Deleuran Lise , Boelt Birte , Gislum René
Published: February 2015

The purpose of this study was to highlight the use of multispectral imaging in seed quality testing of castor seeds. Visually, 120 seeds were divided into three classes: yellow, grey and black seeds. Thereafter, images at 19 different wavelengths ranging from 375–970 nm were captured of all the seeds. Mean intensity for each single seed was extracted from the images, and a significant difference between the three colour classes was observed, with the best separation in the near-infrared wavelengths. A specified feature (RegionMSI mean) based on normalized canonical discriminant analysis, were employed and viable seeds were distinguished from dead seeds with 92% accuracy. The same model was tested on a validation set of seeds. These seeds were divided into two groups depending on germination ability, 241 were predicted as viable and expected to germinate and 59 were predicted as dead or non-germinated seeds. This validation of the model resulted in 96% correct classification of the seeds. The results illustrate how multispectral imaging technology can be employed for prediction of viable castor seeds, based on seed coat colour.
Перевод, парафраз и метр в древних славянских кондаках, II : Критика, история и реконструкция текстов [Translation, Paraphrase and Metrics in Old Church Slavonic Kontakia, II: Textual Critisism and Reconstruction]
Authors: Krivko Roman Nikolaevič
Published: February 2015

Translation, Paraphrase and Metrics in Old Church Slavonic Kontakia II. Textual Critisism and Reconstruction

The second part of the article is dedicated to the reconstruction of the earliest Old Bulgarian versions of the Kontakia for Christmas (24th of December), Theophany (7th of January) and St. Helena (21st of May). In the introductionary stanzas of these Kontakia, we discover the first occurrence of the syllabic meter, which almost perfectly fits that of the Byzantine original texts. (The syllabic meter in the Slavonic version of the Christmas Kontakion was for the first time revealed by F. Keller, however, the investigation of the previously neglected South Slavonic sources made it possible to specify certain points of his reconstruction.) Linguistic pecularities and translation technique as observed in the early Slavonic versions of these chants lead us to the conclusion that they were composed in the First Bulgarian Kingdom at the end of the 9th – beginning of the 10th century.
Are Psychotropic Drugs Safe to Use During Pregnancy?
Authors: Shah Asim A. , Khawaja Imran S. , Aftab Awais
Published: February 2015

Most psychotropics are currently given a US Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) drug rating of category C, meaning there is evidence of potential risk to a fetus. Some psychotropics, however, have a higher degree of risk to the fetus than others, and this article discusses the use of those psychotropics for which caution is warranted based on currently available evidence and clinical opinion. The psychotropics that will be highlighted here include paroxetine, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, lithium, valproate, carbamazepine, and benzodiazepines. We suggest caution with regards to their routine use or as a first-line treatment in pregnancy. Five benzodiazepines are category X according to the FDA and are therefore contraindicated in pregnancy. For all these medications it is important not to overlook the benefits of psychiatric stability from continued treatment and the harms of discontinuation, which include increased risk of relapse of the illness.

[
Psychiatr Ann.
2015;45(2):71–76.]
Are Psychotropic Drugs Safe to Use During Lactation?
Authors: Shah Asim A. , Aftab Awais
Published: February 2015

The literature on the safety of psychotropic drug use during lactation is limited. All psychotropic drugs are secreted in breast milk, but most psychotropic drugs are present only in low concentrations. Most psychotropics fall into Hale and Rowe’s lactation risk categories of L2 and L3 (ie, probably compatible with lactation). Although all selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are generally safe in lactation, sertraline is increasingly being recommended as the first choice. Among tricyclic antidepressants, the recommendation to avoid doxepin is universal. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are best avoided given the lack of data and known significant drug interactions. Because of lithium’s high concentration in breast milk and the potential for hazardous toxicity in the neonate, it is considered as incompatible with breast-feeding, although some authors advocate cautious rehabilitation. Given clozapine’s potentially fatal side effect of agranulocytosis, breast-feeding while on clozapine cannot be recommended. Infants exposed to benzodiazepines through breast milk are at risk for developing central nervous system depression and apnea, but with judicious use the risk generally appears to be low.

[
Psychiatr Ann
. 2015;45(2):77–82.]
SSRI Use During Pregnancy and Autism: Is It a Real Threat?
Authors: Jani Suni , Banu Sophia , Shah Asim A.
Published: February 2015

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are thought to be a result of numerous nonmodifiable risk factors, including advanced parental age, gestational diabetes, birth order, low birth weight, and hypoxia. Recent clinical findings related to the hyperserotonergic theory of ASDs have prompted debate regarding the developmental relationship between maternal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) use and the manifestation of ASDs in their children, as it may be a potentially controllable prenatal risk factor. This article examines the recent studies that attempt to explore the link between SSRIs and ASDs for the purpose of clinical decision-making. In many studies, SSRIs were associated with possible neurodevelopmental delay and a small but statistically significant link to ASDs after controlling for other risk factors, but no conclusive evidence has been seen in any study. Ultimately, ASDs are the result of interacting genetic and environmental variables, of which SSRIs potentially remain one modifiable contributor, although further research is required to understand their association more thoroughly.

[
Psychiatr Ann
. 2015;45(2):83–88.]
Ethical Challenges in the Treatment of a Terminally Ill Pregnant Woman with Diminished Decision-Making Capacity
Authors: Wang Jia , McCullough Laurence B. , Coverdale John H. , Matorin Anu , David Elizabeth H. , Chervenak Frank A. , Shah Asim A.
Published: February 2015

This article highlights the complexity of ethical challenges that can arise in treatment planning for patients with serious medical and mental health conditions. The patient presented here is terminally ill with an acute exacerbation needing an urgent procedure; she is pregnant with a previable fetus and her mental status is unstable. In this case, the role of the psychiatrist extends beyond merely assessing her decision-making capacity; the psychiatrist should also help to identify the patient’s values, which, along with the ethical concepts of the fetus as a patient, beneficence, and respect for autonomy, can then guide treatment planning by the care team and the patient’s surrogate decision-maker. The psychiatrist can also help to identify countertransference to allow for the least biased decision-making.

[
Psychiatr Ann
. 2015;45(2):89–93.]
Addressing the Primary Care Workforce: A Study of Nurse Practitioner Students’ Plans After Graduation
Authors: Budd Geraldine M. , Wolf Andrea , Haas Richard Eric
Published: February 2015

Primary care is a growing area, and nurse practitioners (NPs) hold promise for meeting the need for additional providers. This article reports on the future plans of more than 300 primary care NP students in family, adult, and adult gerontology programs. The sample was obtained through NP faculty, and data were collected via an online survey. Results indicated that although these students chose primary care, only 48% anticipated working in primary care; 26% planned to practice in rural areas, and 16% planned to work in an inner city. Reasons cited as important for pursuing a primary care position included the long-term patient relationship, faculty and preceptor mentors from the NP program, and clinical experiences as a student. Implications include providing more intensive faculty mentoring to increase the number of individuals seeking primary care positions after graduation and help with future career planning to meet personal career and nursing profession needs. [
J Nurs Educ.
2015;54(3):130–136.]
The International Cooperation on Remote Laboratories in the Framework of Engineering Didactics
Authors: Sell Raivo , Rüütmann Tiia
Published: February 2015

In the present paper the interactive demonstration of remote laboratories conducted with engineering didactics for creating real conditions for teaching and learning engineering has been presented. The article is focusing on international cooperation, offering the wide range of tools and methodology for effective and interactive teaching of embedded systems and mechatronics as well as exploiting latest web technologies, and offering flexibility and freedom for students.
Cooperative Spectrum Sensing with Censoring of Cognitive Radios and MRC-Based Fusion in Fading and Shadowing Channels
Authors: Nallagonda Srinivas , Roy Sanjay Dhar , Kundu Sumit , Ferrari Gianluigi , Raheli Riccardo
Published: February 2015

In this chapter, the authors study the performance of Cooperative Spectrum Sensing (CSS) with soft data fusion, given by Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC)-based fusion with Weibull faded channels, and Log-normal shadowed channels. More precisely, they evaluate the performance of a MRC-based CSS with Cognitive Radios (CRs) censored on the basis of the quality of the reporting channels. The performance of CSS with two censoring schemes, namely rank-based and threshold-based, is studied in the presence of Weibull fading, Rayleigh fading, and Log-normal shadowing in the reporting channels, considering MRC fusion. The performance is compared with those of schemes based on hard decision fusion rules. Furthermore, depending on perfect or imperfect Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) channel estimation, the authors analyze the impact of channel estimation strategy on the censoring schemes. The performance is studied in terms of missed detection probability as a function of several network, fading, and shadowing parameters.
Essentials in Cardiac Arrest during Cesarean Section
Authors: van Liempt Susan W.J.D. , Stoecklein Katrin , Tjiong Ming Y. , Schwarte Lothar A. , de Groot Christianne J.M. , Teunissen Pim W.
Published: February 2015

Cardiac arrest during cesarean section is very rare. Obstetrical teams have low exposure to these critical situations necessitating frequent rehearsal and knowledge of its differential diagnosis and treatment. A 40-year-old woman pregnant with triplets underwent cesarean sections because of vaginal bleeding due to a placenta previa at 35.2 weeks of gestation. Spinal anesthesia was performed. Asystole occurred during uterotomy. Immediate resuscitation and delivery of the neonates eventually resulted in good maternal and neonatal outcomes. The differential diagnosis is essential and should include obstetric and non-obstetric causes. We describe the consideration of Bezold Jarisch reflex and amniotic fluid embolism as most appropriate in this case.
Sociocultural and Economic Dimensions of Rift Valley Fever
Authors: Muga Geoffrey Otieno , Onyango-Ouma Washington , Sang Rosemary , Affognon Hippolyte
Published: February 2015

Health researchers have advocated for a cross-disciplinary approach to the study and prevention of infectious zoonotic diseases, such as Rift Valley Fever. It is believed that this approach can help bring out the social determinants and effects of the zoonotic diseases for the design of appropriate interventions and public health policy. A comprehensive literature review using a systematic search strategy was undertaken to explore the sociocultural and economic factors that influence the transmission and spread of Rift Valley Fever. Although the findings reveal a paucity of social research on Rift Valley Fever, they suggest that livestock sacrificial rituals, food preparation and consumption practices, gender roles, and inadequate resource base for public institutions are the key factors that influence the transmission. It is concluded that there is need for cross-disciplinary studies to increase the understanding of Rift Valley Fever and facilitate appropriate and timely response and mitigation measures.
An estimate of the Sunda Shelf and the Strait of Malacca transports: a numerical study
Authors: Daryabor F. , Samah A. A. , Ooi S. H. , Chenoli S. N.
Published: February 2015

Abstract. Using the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), this study aims to provide an estimate of the volume, freshwater, heat, and salt transports through the Sunda Shelf and the Strait of Malacca in the southern region of the South China Sea (SSCS). The modeling system is configured with two one-way nested domains representing parent and child with resolutions of 1/2 and 1/12°, respectively. The simulated currents, sea surface salinity, temperature and various transports (e.g., volume, heat, etc) agree well with the observed values as well as those estimated from the Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA) re-analysis product. The ROMS estimated seasonal and mean annual transports are in accord with those calculated from SODA and those of limited observations. The ROMS estimates of mean annual volume, freshwater, heat and salt transports through the Sunda Shelf into the Java Sea are 0.32Sv (1 Sv = 106 m3 s−1), 0.023 Sv, 0.032 PW (1 PW = 1015 j s−1), and 0.010 × 109 kg s−1 respectively. The corresponding ROMS estimates for mean annual transports through the Strait of Malacca into Andaman Sea are 0.14, 0.009 Sv, 0.014 PW, and 0.0043 × 109 kg s−1 respectively. The relative percentages of mean annual transports computed individually from those of volume, heat, salinity, and freshwater between the Strait of Malacca and the Sunda Shelf range from 39 to 43.8%. This reflects that the Strait of Malacca plays an equally significant role in the annual transports from the SSCS into the Andaman Sea.
Development and Validation of One-Step Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction for Simultaneous Determination of Multiclass Fungicides in Soils
Authors: Merdassa Yared , Liu Jing-fu , Megersa Negussie
Published: February 2015

A rapid, efficient, and simple one-step ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method was developed forthe analysis of seven fungicides (cymoxanil, metalaxyl, mandipropamid, folpet, chlorothalonil, kresoxim-methyl, and famoxadone) in horticultural soils. Analytes in the samples were determined by HPLC with variable wavelength detection. Key parameters that influence the UAE procedure were optimized, such as the nature and volume of extraction solvent, number of sonication steps, and sonication time. The highest extraction efficiencies in the range of 61.1–87.8% were obtained by using only 7.5 mL of ethyl acetate–hexane (1 + 1, v/v) and sonicating for 10 min. At 0.5 and 2.0 μg/g fortification levels, satisfactory recoveries (>60%) with RSD <13% were obtained for each analyte, except for folpet (>52%). The method was linear over the range of 0.005 to 10 μg/g and the correlation coefficients (r2) obtained ranged from 0.9955 to 0.9992. The LODs (S/N = 3) varied from 0.0015 to 0.006 μg/g. The proposed UAE procedure was compared to classical extractions (shake-flask and Soxhletextraction) and showed satisfactory extraction efficiencies using shorter time and smaller amounts of organic solvents, thereby minimizing the costs of the analysis and the disposal of waste solvent.
Evaluation Protocol for Review of Method Validation Data by the AOAC Stakeholder Panel on Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals Expert Review Panel
Authors: Gill Brendon D , Indyk Harvey E , Blake Christopher J , Konings Erik J M , Jacobs Wesley A , Sullivan Darryl M
Published: February 2015

Methods under consideration as part of the AOAC Stakeholder Panel on Infant Formula and Adult Nutritionals process are to be evaluated against a set of Standard Method Performance RequirementsSM(SMPRs) via peer review by an expert review panel (ERP). A validation protocol and a checklist have beendeveloped to assist the ERP to evaluate experimentaldata and to compare multiple candidate methods for each nutrient. Method performance against validation parameters mandated in the SMPRs as well as additional criteria are to be scored, with the method selected by the ERP proceeding to multilaboratory study prior to Final Action approval. These methods are intended to be used by the infant formula industry for the purposes of dispute resolution.
An Integrating Scaffold: Toward an Autonomy-Theoretic Modelling of Cultural Change
Authors: Hooker C. A.
Published: February 2015

This chapter explores the dynamics of cultural change by presenting a dynamical analysis of biological organisation. In order to understand cultural change, it argues that the focus should be on highly interactive and plastic, highly organised processes and concomitant states that constitute culture. It also suggests that the interactive complex of cultural features such as clothing must be placed in their organismic, communal and ecological settings. The chapter begins by considering T. S. Eliot's conception of culture before discussing how culture is shaped by individuals and vice versa, along with its adaptive function. It also outlines some fundamental relationships for the construction of useful models for acculturated interaction that emphasise autonomy and collective cultural dynamics.
Jodocus Badius Ascensius: The Making of a Name
Authors: White Paul
Published: February 2015

This chapter, by way of introduction, explores the life and work of Badius, drawing on judgements by his contemporaries and posterity. It introduces Badius via perspectives on the various roles he played throughout his career in the learned culture of the Renaissance: poet, schoolmaster, commentator, editor, scholar-printer. His biography is presented in the context of the groups and networks with which he identified, both secular humanist and religious, in the Low Countries, Italy, Germany, England and France. Educated by the Ghent Common Life Brethren, in the early part of his career he worked in Lyon for the press of Johann Trechsel, and belonged to a group of northern European humanists who circulated and published devotional poetry. He became known as an editor, grammarian and writer of commentaries, and established his own press in 1503 in Paris, where he associated with the best known humanist scholars of the day: Robert Gaguin, Lefèvre d’Etaples, Guillaume Budé, Erasmus.
Epilogue Connecting to Muhammad?
Authors: Millar Fergus
Published: February 2015

This epilogue examines various strands of social history, religious affiliation and language in the Roman Near East in relation to the beginning of Muhammad's preaching in about 610. Muhammad was born, probably in about 570, in Mecca, where he began to receive divinely inspired messages in Arabic. After he died, Muhammad's followers invaded the nearest Roman provinces and conquered all of the Roman Near East, the Sasanid empire, Egypt and Roman North Africa. These are known as ‘the great Arab conquests’. This chapter considers whether the Arabian Peninsula can be properly treated under the title of ‘Arabia and the Arabs’. It also analyses evidence from the Mediterranean and Mesopotamian Near East, as well as the kingdom of Himyar. Finally, it looks at brief allusions to the life-history of Muhammad in a number of Christian sources to shed light on his preaching.
Introduction
Authors: Robert Parker
Published: February 2015

This essay indicates the interest of the subject, and the themes that run through the volume: the predominant place of Anatolia within the evidence for Greek naming in the Roman period; the great virtues of Louis Robert’s Noms indigènes dans l’Asie Mineure gréco-romaine, and its limitations; the huge potential of names as a historical source in a multi-ethnic environment, and the complications created by interaction between different naming traditions; the psychology of naming, as revealed by the exceptionally rich Anatolian material; historical changes within specific regions and, during the Roman empire, throughout Anatolia, but also certain continuities from the now observable naming patterns of the second millennium; the need for an approach which rigorously respects regional and chronological differences and is also sociologically alert.
In Pursuit of Human Dignity: An Introduction to Current Debates
Authors: McCrudden Christopher
Published: February 2015

The discussion of human dignity raises such complex issues, and the issues that current scholarship now considers central to its understanding is so daunting that we are in danger of not being able to see the forest for the trees. The Introduction introduces contributions from a multi-disciplinary group of historians, legal academics, judges, political scientists, theologians, and philosophers, arising from a Conference held in Rhodes House, Oxford in June 2012. It aims to provide a guide, a map, through the thicket of current dignity scholarship. It situates the subsequent chapters of the book within an overview of the terrain that currently constitutes debates about the use of dignity in these fields. It does not attempt to put forward the author’s own comprehensive account of dignity. Mostly based on the rich conversations that took place at the Conference, it seeks, rather, to probe the potential strengths and weaknesses of all of the principal positions identified, at least in some contexts taking on the role of a devil’s advocate.
Which Dignity? Which Religious Freedom?
Authors: Riordan Patrick
Published: February 2015

This chapter engages in a debate about the grounding of religious liberty in human dignity. Ronald Dworkin emphasizes dignity as rooted in autonomy, and values religious freedom as the exercise of autonomy. But if this is its value, does religious freedom require separate mention apart from other freedoms? Can more be said to comprehend human dignity? And is there anything distinctive about religious freedom? Possible answers relying on a more ontological account, e.g. drawing on Martha Nussbaum’s Stoic philosophy, would have to be secured against charges of essentialism. At the same time the phenomenology of religious experience suggests that religion is not adequately understood as a choice. Because of its foundational nature and the architectonic role it plays in human lives, religion poses particular challenges for social order. Hence there are good grounds for maintaining a distinctive protection of religious liberty.