bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
L'épave de Pakoštane, Croatie (fin IVe -début Ve siècle apr. J.-C.). Résultats d'un projet de recherche franco-croate
Authors: Huguet Céline , Capelli C. , Guibal Frédéric , Greck Sandra , Cenzon-Salvayre Carine , Andrieu-Ponel Valérie , Dumas V.
Published: January 2018

Under the supervision of Giulia Boetto, Irena Radiò Rossi, Sabrina Marlier and Zdenko Brusic, The late antiquity shipwreck of Pakostane (Croatia). The results of a Franco-Croatian research project,

This article présents the results of a Franco-Croatian research programme involving the excavation and study of the Pakostane shipwreck (end of 4th to beginning of 5th century AD) from 2007 to 2008. The town of Pakostane is located in northern Dalmatia between the two urban centres of Zadar to the north and Sibenik to the south. Its port faces three small islets named, from north to south, Babuljas, Veli Skolj and Sveta Justina. The wreck is situated between the islets of Veli Skolj and Sveta Justina, at a depth of between 2.50m (south) to 2.75m (north).

The article is composed of seven chapters written by 14 authors who have, for the most part, participated in on-site missions. The first chapter (I. Radié Rossi, Z. Brusié, M. Ilkié, M. Parica, M. Mestrov) begins with a géographie look at the territory of Pakostane and of its navigation space, then présents a historical summary of archaeological research undertaken along the littoral with the discovery of the harbour zone of Janice (south-east of Pakostane), of the wreck and of the structures hypothetical attributed to the sait pans in the small modem port.

The second chapter (G. Boetto, S. Marlier and I. Radié Rossi) presents the excavation and study of the wreck. The site is characterised by a sector that is very rich in material that has been associated with the galley and Storage zone. The dunnage indicates the presence of a cargo now almost entirely missing (essentially African in origin). Among the most remarkable features of the wreck is the large number of repairs in lead applied to the planking, as well as mends to the frames, and this is also reflected in the great différences in the taxa of wood used for the construction of the hull. The following studies are concerned with typological and archeometrical analyses of the ceramic material (C. Huguet and CI. Capelli respectively) ; determiningthe species of wood of the preserved vestiges of the hull and of the cargo load wedges (F. Guibal, S. Greck and C. Cenzon-Salvayre) ; ana-lysis of the pollen content of the pitch used to protect the hull (V. Andrieu-Ponel). A more technical contribution about digital photogrammetry as used during the opérations of 2008 (V. Dumas) complétés the article.
La donnée numérique, bien public ou instrument de profit
Authors: Isaac Henri
Published: January 2018

La « mise en données du monde » s’est accélérée avec sa numérisation, provoquant l’émergence d’acteurs privés aptes à capter la valeur de données. L’examen des mécanismes de création de valeur à partir des données met en évidence la complexité de tels processus, ainsi que les investissements de forme nécessaires pour en extraire la valeur. Dès lors se pose la question de savoir si la seule ouverture des données publiques est en mesure de faire des données un bien public.
The Investigation of Nanowires Properties in the Process of Deformation
Authors: Starostenkov Mikhail D. , Yashin Oleg V. , Yashin Alexander V.
Published: January 2018

In this work, the authors attempted to consider the influence of the geometry of the crystal lattice on the properties of nanowires, which manifest themselves in the process of uni-axial stretching. This work summarizes and systematizes the results of previous studies of the authors. The first group of samples – are typical FCC metal – Ni3Al. For these nanowires, deformation processes in directions with different packing densities of atoms <100>, <110> and <111> were investigated. The second material group studied was an alloy with the non-cubic symmetry of the element cell CuAu I. Correspondingly, this sample was examined under deformation in directions corresponding to different lengths of the sides of the unit cell, <001> and <010>. All the investigations described in this paper were carried out by molecular dynamics method on three-dimensional models using the Morse's pair potentials.
Objet et méthodes générales de l’écotoxicologie aquatique
Authors: Pérès G.
Published: January 2018

Aims and general methods for aquatic ecotoxicology

Water ecotoxicology is different from general toxicology by its aims : research of xenobiotics’s effects on the living matter in the aquatic environment moreover by its methods adapted to ecology’s requirements and to practical finality.

However it must be more and more to be attentive a manifestness of mecanisms, by means of synthetical and explanatory ecophysiopathology in future prospects of a pertinent prophylaxis and even a efficient therapy.
Cryosphere: a kingdom of anomalies and diversity
Authors: Melnikov Vladimir , Gennadinik Viktor , Kulmala Markku , Lappalainen Hanna K. , Petäjä Tuukka , Zilitinkevich Sergej
Published: January 2018

Abstract. The cryosphere of the Earth overlaps with the atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere over vast areas with temperatures below zero C and pronounced H2O phase changes. In spite of its strong variability in space and time, the cryosphere plays the role of a global thermostat keeping the thermal regime on the Earth within rather narrow limits affording continuation of the conditions needed for the maintenance of life. Objects and processes related to cryosphere are very diverse due to the following basic reasons: anomalous thermodynamic and electromagnetic properties of H2O, intermediate intensity of hydrogen bonds, and very wide spread of cryogenic systems all over the Earth. These features yet attract insufficient attention of research communities. Cryology is usually understood as a descriptive discipline within physical geography basically limited to glaciology and permafrost research. We emphasize its broad interdisciplinary landscape involving physical, chemical and biological phenomena related to the H2O phase transitions and various forms of ice. This paper aims to attract attention of readers to crucial importance of cryogenic anomalies which make the Earth atmosphere and the entire Earth system very specific, if not unique, objects in the universe.
Lagrangian condensation microphysics with Twomey CCN activation
Authors: Grabowski Wojciech W. , Dziekan Piotr , Pawlowska Hanna
Published: January 2018

Abstract. We report the development of a novel Lagrangian microphysics methodology for simulations of warm ice-free clouds. The approach applies the traditional Eulerian method for the momentum and continuous thermodynamic fields such as the temperature and water vapor mixing ratio, and uses Lagrangian super-droplets to represent condensed phase such as cloud droplets and drizzle or rain drops. In other applications of the Lagrangian warm-rain microphysics, the super-droplets outside clouds represent unactivated cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) that become activated upon entering a cloud and can further grow through diffusional and collisional processes. The original methodology allows for the detailed study of not only effects of CCN on cloud microphysics and dynamics, but also CCN processing by a cloud. However, when cloud processing is not of interest, a simpler and computationally more efficient approach can be used with super-droplets forming only when CCN is activated and no super-droplet existing outside a cloud. This is possible by applying the Twomey activation scheme where the local supersaturation dictates the concentration of cloud droplets that need to be present inside a cloudy volume, as typically used in Eulerian bin microphysics schemes. Since a cloud volume is a small fraction of the computational domain volume, the Twomey super-droplets provide significant computational advantage when compared to the original super-droplet methodology. Additional advantage comes from significantly longer time steps that can be used when modeling of CCN deliquescence is avoided. Moreover, other formulation of the droplet activation can be applied in case of low vertical resolution of the host model, for instance, linking the concentration of activated cloud droplets to the local updraft speed. This paper discusses the development and testing of the Twomey super-droplet methodology, focusing on the activation and diffusional growth. Details of the activation implementation, transport of super-droplets in the physical space, and the coupling between super-droplets and the Eulerian temperature and water vapor field are discussed in detail. Some of these are relevant to the original super-droplet methodology as well and to the ice phase modeling using the Lagrangian approach. As a computational example, the scheme is applied to an idealized moist thermal rising in a stratified environment, with the original super-droplet methodology providing a benchmark to which the new scheme is compared.
Combining probability distributions of sea level variations and wave run-up to evaluate coastal flooding risks
Authors: Leijala Ulpu , Björkqvist Jan-Victor , Johansson Milla M. , Pellikka Havu , Laakso Lauri , Kahma Kimmo K.
Published: January 2018

Abstract. Tools for estimating probabilities of flooding hazards caused by the simultaneous effect of sea level and waves are needed for the secure planning of densely populated coastal areas that are strongly vulnerable to climate change. In this paper we present a method for combining location-specific probability distributions of three different components: (1) long-term mean sea level change, (2) short-term sea level variations, and (3) wind-generated waves. We apply the method in two locations in the Helsinki Archipelago to obtain run-up level estimates representing the joint effect of the still water level and the wave run-up. These estimates for the present, 2050 and 2100 are based on field measurements and mean sea level scenarios. In the case of our study locations, the significant locational variability of the wave conditions leads to a difference in the safe building levels of up to one meter. The rising mean sea level in the Gulf of Finland and the uncertainty related to the associated scenarios contribute significantly to the run-up levels for the year 2100. We also present a sensitivity test of the method and discuss its applicability to other coastal regions. Our approach allows for the determining of different building levels based on the acceptable risks for various infrastructure, thus reducing building costs while maintaining necessary safety margins.
Challenges of soil carbon
sequestration in
NENA Region
Authors: Darwish Talal , Atallah Therese , Fadel Ali
Published: January 2018

Abstract. North East North Africa (NENA) region spans over 14 % of the total surface of the Earth and hosts 10 % of its population. Soils of the NENA region are mostly highly vulnerable to degradation, and food security will depend much on sustainable agricultural measures. Weather variability, drought and depleting vegetation are dominant causes of the decline in soil organic carbon (SOC). In this work the situation of SOC was studied, using a land capability model and soil mapping. The land capability model showed that most NENA countries (17 out of 20), suffer from low productive lands (> 80 %). Stocks of SOC were mapped (1 : 5 Million) in topsoils (0–30 cm) and subsoils (30–100 cm). The maps showed that 69 % of soil resources present a stock of SOC below the threshold of 30 t ha−1. The stocks varied between ≈ 10 t ha−1 in shrublands and 60 t ha−1 for evergreen forests. Highest stocks were found in forests, irrigated crops, mixed orchards and saline flooded vegetation. The stocks of SIC were higher than those of SOC. In subsoils, the SIC ranged between 25 and 450 t ha−1, against 20 to 45 t ha−1 for SOC. This paper also highlights the modest contribution of NENA region to global SOC stock in the topsoil not exceeding 4.1 %. The paper also discusses agricultural practices that are favorable to carbon sequestration. Practices of conservation agriculture could be effective, as the presence of soil cover reduces the evaporation, water and wind erosions. Further, the introduction of legumes, as part of a cereal-legume rotation, and the application of nitrogen fertilizers to the cereal, caused a notable increase of SOC after 10 years. The effects of crop rotations on SOC are related to the amounts of above and belowground biomass produced and retained in the system. Some knowledge gaps exist especially in aspects related to the effect of irrigation on SOC, and on SIC at the level of soil profile and soil landscape. Still, major constraints facing soil carbon sequestration are policy relevant and socio-economic in nature, rather than scientific.
Prótese parcial fixa conservadora com duplo sistema de fixação: relato de caso
Authors: Matsumoto Wilson , De Almeida Rossana Pereira , Hotta Takami Hirono
Published: January 2018

Objetivo: apresentar uma alternativa conservadora de tratamento, com duplo sistema de fixação, em um caso de insucesso com prótese parcial fixa adesiva. Relato de caso: Paciente do gênero feminino, 41 anos de idade, compareceu para tratamento na Faculdade de Odontologia de Ribeirão Preto com uma prótese parcial fixa adesiva, na região do dente 36, com deficiência na retenção e necessidade recorrente de fixação. No exame clínico, verificou-se desadaptação dos retentores metálicos nas faces linguais dos dentes pilares tornando inviável a re-fixação da peça. Os preparos realizados nos dentes apresentavam deficiências na extensão e ausência de apoios nas cristas marginais e paralelismo entre os dentes preparados. Como tratamento foram realizados restauração da morfologia dos dentes pilares com resina composta, e confecção de uma prótese parcial fixa ultraconservadora que resultou na manutenção das características de preparos com reduzido desgaste, restabelecimento da estética, da oclusão e eficácia na retenção da peça protética. Considerações finais: Pode-se considerar que a prótese parcial fixa ultraconservadora, além de indicada para pequenos espaços edêntulos, com objetivo principal de preservação de estrutura dental, apresenta excelente sistema de fixação no substrato e pode ser utilizada como terapia alternativa em caso de insucesso da prótese parcial fixa adesiva.
Editorial Num. 24
Authors: Herrera Herrera Alejandrina
Published: January 2018

Revista Científica de FAREM-Estelí, No 24.
¿Cómo incentivar la motivación por aprender en nuestros alumnos?
Authors: Tapia López María Catalina
Published: January 2018

En la práctica docente se manifiesta preocupación por la falta de interés en aprender que muestran muchos alumnos. Lo que lleva a reflexionar y cambiar las estrategias didácticas utilizadas en el aula de clase, para que motiven a los alumnos a mejorar su desempeño académico. Sin embargo, estos cambios no siempre han dado los frutos deseados y se continúa en la búsqueda de esos “puntos claves”.  El libro “Pedagogía de la Motivación”, de Brigitte Prot, permite realizar un análisis más profundo de los procesos pedagógicos que deben ser tomados como puntos de referencia para poder incentivar, día a día, la motivación en los alumnos, ya que la autora a través de esta obra, presenta un conjunto de elementos fundamentales encaminados a despertar el deseo de aprender. El presente artículo contiene una reflexión acerca de lo que se considera uno de los problemas más significativo que se encuentra en el ámbito académico: los alumnos carecen de motivación por aprender, así como algunos aspectos que han resultado positivos a lo largo de la práctica docente; partiendo de la premisa de que no sirve de nada cualquier cambio que se haga a nivel institucional, curricular, así como cualquier esfuerzo desarrollado por ellos sino incentivan a los alumnos a aprender.
Golf Injuries: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Treatment
Authors: Zouzias Ioannis C. , Hendra Jeff , Stodelle Jason , Limpisvasti Orr
Published: January 2018

Increasing numbers of people are playing golf. Golf is a unique sport in that the ability to participate at a high level is not limited by age. In addition, participants tend to play more rather than less as they grow older. Injuries can occur at any point during the golf swing, from takeaway through follow-through. Upper extremity injuries can affect the hands, elbow, and shoulder and are usually a result of the golf swing at impact. Injuries are also common in the lower back as well as the lower extremities. Most injuries are the result of overuse and poor swing mechanics. When treating golfers, it is important to have a good understanding of the biomechanics and forces of the golf swing to diagnose and manage the vast spectrum of injuries incurred in this sport.
Impacts of Irrigation with Reclaimed Wastewater on Forages Production, Nutrients, and Heavy Metals Content
Authors: Mazahrih N. Th. , Al Sayari A. S. , Al-Hamoodi A. , Nejatian A. , Belgacem A. Ouled
Published: January 2018

In order to investigate the effect of reclaimed wastewater (RWW) on soil chemical properties and heavy metal uptake of selected forages, an experiment was carried out at Dhaid Research Station, UAE during three growing seasons (2014-2016). Alfalfa, Rhodes and Buffel grass were irrigated by RWW and grown in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Composite soil samples were collected from the experimental site before starting the study and every six months from planting date to test the macro and heavy elements concentration in soil and forages tissues. Chemical analysis for soil, crops and wastewater were analyzed. RWW irrigation has significantly increased the soil salinity (1 to 8 dSm-1) in 2014 but soon these values were declined in 2015 and 2016 growing seasons due to the enhanced irrigation water quality and the use of good water management.Results revealed that UAE (Sharjah) domestic RWW is suitable to be reused for irrigate forages as its quality match international standards for RWW irrigation except its Na and Cl content. The results of the plants tissues analysis during 2014 season indicated a rise in the nutrients concentration, particularly nitrogen, potash, iron and boron, compared with the critical limits. While, the results have also shown a significant increase of zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu), especially in Buffel grass and Alfalfa tissues during the third season (2016) which exceeded the critical limits.The highest mean yearly dry weight yield during the study period were recorded for Buffel grass (50.5 ton ha-1) followed by Rhodes (44.5 ton ha-1) and Alfalfa (11.1 ton ha-1). It can be concluded that regular monitoring of recycled wastewater, soil and appropriate management are needed to mitigate the negative impacts of sodium and salts accumulations.
Growth Rates and Sunflower Production in Function of Fertilization with Biochar and NPK
Authors: Furtado Guilherme F. , Chaves Lúcia Helena G.
Published: January 2018

The use of alternative sources such as biochar can contribute to sustainable agriculture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of fertilization with biochar in combination with mineral fertilizer, growth rates and yield of sunflower cv. Embrapa 122/V2000. The experiment was carried out in a protected environment of UAEAg/CTRN/UFCG in pots with a capacity of 20 dm3 under a completely randomized experimental design, with treatments arranged in a factorial scheme (5 × 4) and four replicates corresponding to five doses of mineral fertilization 0, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of fertilization indication with NPK (100, 300, and 150 mg kg-1) and four doses of biochar, 0; 5% (400 g/pot); 10% (800 g/pot) and 15% (1100 g/pot) calculated on the basis of the soil volume. Fertilization with biochar promoted an increase in sunflower growth rates in the evaluation periods. The combination of 50: 150: 75 mg kg-1 of NPK and 400 g/pot of biochar promotes higher production of sunflower (23.91 g/plant).
The Effect of TiO2 Coating on Pile Penetration Depth in Clay
Authors: Amalia Nadya , Asri Asifa , Rokhmat Mamat , Sutisna S. , Viridi Sparisoma , Abdullah Mikrajuddin
Published: January 2018

Pile driving tests were conducted using models of concrete piles with titanium dioxide (TiO2) coating and piles without coating. Pile surfaces coated with TiO2 become superhydrophilic, which enables water molecules in clay pores to be attracted to the pile during the pile driving process. The attraction suppresses the compression of the pore water in the clay soil, hence the result of the pile driving tests showed that piles with TiO2 coating could penetrate deeper than piles without coating with the same count of hammer strokes. An examination using FTIR confirmed the formation of bonds between water molecules for piles with coating and the absence of such bonding for piles without coating. Furthermore, it was successfully established that pile surface coating gives different results for pile driving in different clay soils.
An examination of the relationship between emotional intelligence, positive affect and character strengths and virtues.
Authors: Ros-Morente Agnès , Alsinet Mora Carles , Torrelles Nadal Cristina , Blasco Belled Ana , Jordana Berenguer Norma
Published: January 2018

The present study had the objective of analysing the relationship between Emotional Intelligence, Positive Affect, VIA's virtues and character strengths. Additionally, it was explored if Emotional Intelligence predicted the virtue's levels of the participants, and if Positive Affect constituted a possible mediator. To that end, different measures were used: 419 undergraduate students completed the Spanish version of the Trait Meta-Mood Scale for emotional intelligence (TMMS, Fernández-Berrocal, Extremera & Ramos, 2004). Character strenghts and virtues were assessed with the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS; Peterson, Park, & Seligman, 2005), and Positive Affect (PA) was measured with the Spanish version of the Positive and Negative Affect (NA) Schedule (PANAS; Sandín et al., 1999). Our results showed a significant positive correlation between all the VIA strengths and virtues with TMMS scales Emotional Clarity and Emotion Repair. Emotional Attention showed significant correlations for all the virtues except Temperance. Further analyses demonstrated that TMMS scales predicted VIA virtues, and Positive Affect appeared as a possible mediator in the prediction of Temperance and Humanity virtues. These results support the relationship between Emotional Intelligence and strength of character, as well as the importance of Positive Affect in this relationship.
AESTHETICS AND JUDGMENT: “WHY KANT GOT IT RIGHT”
Authors: Kyndrup Morten
Published: January 2018

The article argues that although all scholars within aesthetics basically know and recognize it, there is a tendency in many of its traditions to forget or to underestimate the importance of the aesthetic judgment. With Thierry de Duve’s short paper “Why Kant got it Right” as its point of departure, this importance is discussed. Not only its importance in aesthetic relations and to aesthetics as a discipline, but also in a broader sense, through the contribution to the overall social cohesion of society, offered by aesthetic judgments. All judgments are pronounced as-if a shared scale of aesthetic preferences did exist (which it does not). Judgments are addressed to communities, to the notion of a joint “we”, and thus they do participate in the creation and the maintenance of the social as such. Also professional aesthetic critique, including art critique, should be aware of that, since even historically achieved differentiations and divisions of labour may be lost again if not being developed and kept up to date.
Polychaetes associated with Posidonia oceanica meadows along a gradient of ocean acidification at a CO2 vent system (Ischia, Italy)
Authors: Gambi Maria Cristina , Keppel Erica , Guglielmo Rosanna , Giangrande Adriana , Garrard Samantha L.
Published: January 2018

Polychaetes represent one of the most diversified and abundant taxa associated with seagrass meadows. These organisms show various feeding habits at different levels of the complex seagrass food web, representing suitable bioindicators of meadow structure and environmental status and disturbances. Ocean acidification (OA) is today considered one of the most pervasive stressors for marine biota at the level of species, communities and ecosystems. Naturally acidified systems, such as CO2 vents, represent suitable natural laboratories to study the effects of OA on benthic organisms. An analysis of polychaetes associated with Posidonia oceanica meadows located around shallow CO2 vents off the island of Ischia, is presented here. Polychaetes were collected in November 2011 with an air-lift sampler (40x40 cm; 4 replicates per station) along a gradient of OA at the Castello’s vent system at six stations (3 on the south and 3 on the north side), ranging from extreme low pH conditions (mean pH 7.5 occurring only on the south side) to control, normal pH conditions (8.12); a further control station was considered, 600 m from the Castello in similar environmental conditions and ambient pH (S. Anna meadow). A total of 99 taxa and about 4200 individual polychaetes were collected. Taxa richness showed higher values in the acidified stations, especially on the south side; similarly abundances were from two- to four-fold higher under low and extreme low pH conditions, in respect to control ones, due to relatively few dominant taxa. These are represented by Amphiglena mediterranea, Syllis gerlachi, S. prolifera, Exogone dispar, Sphaerosyllis pirifera, Polyophthalmus pictus and Kefersteinia cirrata. Multivariate analysis showed a separation between control and low pH assemblages and a separation between low pH and the extreme low pH site on the south side. Control stations showed higher variability among replicates, while acidified stations, especially those under extreme low pH conditions, showed a more homogeneous assemblage structure. These results demonstrate that many species of polychaetes are robust to OA, however, the high seagrass shoot density, occurring at acidified stations, may buffer the negative effect of this stressor on the biota, and explain both the high diversity and abundance observed there.
benchNGS : An approach to benchmark short reads alignment tools
Authors: Rahman Farzana , Hassan Mehedi , Kryshchenko Alona , Dubchak Inna , Tatarinova Tatiana V , Alexandrov Nikolai Nickolai
Published: January 2018

In the last decade a number of algorithms and associated software were developed to align next generation sequencing (NGS) reads to relevant reference genomes. The results of these programs may vary significantly, especially when the NGS reads are contain mutations not found in the reference genome. Yet there is no standard way to compare these programs and assess their biological relevance. We propose a benchmark to assess accuracy of the short reads mapping based on the pre-computed global alignment of closely related genome sequences. In this paper we outline the method and also present a short report of an experiment performed on five popular alignment tools .
Aging and longevity science: where are we in 2015?
Authors: Yoon Alfred P , Yoon Christie P , Daane Stephen
Published: January 2018

Aging has been defined as the loss of function and ability to interact with the environment. The social perception of aging involves the inability to live independently due to loss of mobility, cognition, and sensory functions. Aging is a risk factor for pathology including cancer, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and neurodegenerative disease. Due to these accompanying conditions, the esteem and respect once regarded for old age has been replaced by efforts to postpone, stop, or even reverse the aging process. Anti-aging medicine has gained popularity through media and marketing as companies have promoted an approach to delaying the side effects of aging through diet, exercise, supplements and hormonal therapy. The following is a comprehensive review of current research into potential strategies for anti-aging therapy and longevity, supported by current scientific and clinical research.
Quantitative assessment of movements with inertial sensors in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Hobert Markus A
Published: January 2018

A major problem in the field of Parkinson's disease (PD) is that there is no objective assessment tool for PD symptoms to date. At the moment data are mostly collected with questionaires, interviews, or clinical scales. This makes the assessment of changes in the course of the disease, due to training or due to medication very difficult for patients and medical staff. A way to solve this issue is the objective measurement of movements (in patients with PD) with (small) body-worn sensor units containing accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers.

There are four main fields of applications of these sensor units in PD:

1) Measuring symptoms and instrumented clinical scales;

2) Instrumented functional assessments;

3) Quantification of daily activity;

4) Technology-assisted neurorehabilitation;

In the talk examples of these four fields of applications have been discussed.
Ecological validity of methods to assess walking ability in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Stellmann Jan-Patrick
Published: January 2018

Mobility is one of the most important bodily functions of persons with Multiple Sclerosis. Cross-sectional data as well as preliminary findings from a short baseline to treatment studies indicate a poor ecological validity of clinical gait tests. Real-life use of accelerometer should be used to assess mobility in MS. Advanced MRI techniques such as probabilistic tractography might help to narrow the gap between structural imaging as a marker of neurodegeneration and real-life performance in Multiple Sclerosis.
Rapid drop in the reproduction number during the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: Althaus Christian L
Published: January 2018

In 2014, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) experienced an outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) with 69 reported cases. I fitted an EVD transmission model to data of this outbreak and estimated the basic reproduction number R0 = 5.2 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.0-6.7). The model suggests that the net reproduction number Rt fell below unity 28 days (95% CI: 25-34 days) after the onset of symptoms in the index case. This illustrates that early outbreak detection and rapid implementation of control interventions are crucial for preventing wider spread of EVD in rural areas.
Assessment of the conservation status of Posidonia oceanica beds in the marine Site of Community Importance in Villasimius (Italy) within the project LIFE+ RES MARIS
Authors: Frau Francesca , Cinti Maria-Francesca , Masala Valeria , Acunto Stefano
Published: January 2018

The marine Site of Community Importance (SCI ITB040020) of the network Natura 2000 is included almost entirely within the perimeter of the Marine Protected Area Capo Carbonara (South East Sardinia, Italy) which is characterized by a high biodiversity, with 720 species and 30 marine habitats reported. Hence, it is recognised as a Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI). During the summer the area is affected by anthropogenic impacts due to recreational activities (e.g. fishing, pleasure boating, swimming, diving) that represents potential threats to some species and protected habitats. This study is part of the project LIFE+ RES MARIS (LIFE13 NAT / IT / 000 433), addressed to the restoration and conservation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems included in the SCI under Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC. The aims is to evaluate the conservation status of the priority habitat 1120 “Posidonia beds” through mapping and characterization of the Posidonia oceanica meadow in areas that previous studies have identified as the most affected by anchoring, for a total surface of about 400 ha. Acoustic methods (Side Scan Sonar), direct visual surveys in SCUBA diving and underwater towed camera are applied. Assessments of coverage of P. oceanica, types of substrate, continuity of the meadow, presence of dead matte, Cymodocea nodosa and benthic alien species (e.g. Caulerpa cylindracea) are reported. Results are crucial for enhancing the knowledge of the current distribution and status of the priority habitat 1120 and is basic for planning further concrete conservation and monitoring measures.
Mapping Posidonia oceanica meadows through time: a story of precision, evaluation and fragmentation
Authors: Abadie Arnaud , Jousseaume Matthieu , Lejeune Pierre , Gobert Sylvie
Published: January 2018

Over the last decades, the interest in mapping Posidonia oceanica beds has increased along with the improvement of the equipment’s precision of data acquisition. In Calvi Bay (Corsica, France) the meadows cover an area of about 5 km² and are found at a depth ranging from 3 m to 37 m. The availability of three distinct datasets for 1997, 2002 and 2010 allowed to assess changes in the patchiness of the meadows in the bay and to investigate evolution of maps precision through a surface analysis via GIS software. Thus, three maps were elaborated combining aerial photographs and side scan sonar images. The meadows percentage of cover through time was assessed using four bathymetric sections: 0-10 m, 11-20 m, 21-30 m and 31-40 m. Differences in the patchiness of P. oceanica meadows between 1997 and 2010 appear to be moderate (less than 3 %) in the sections 0-10 m and 11-20 m and then greatly increase with depth: 24 % at 21-30 m and 39 % at 31-40 m. This amazing regression seems hardly natural and unlikely given the slight quantity of human activities that can cause damages on the P. oceanica meadows of the Calvi Bay. These results are likely to be mainly due to the improvement of precision and resolution of the aerial photographs (5 m in 1997, 0.8 m in 2002 and 0.5 m in 2010) and sonar images (5 m in 1997, 3 m in 2002 and 0.5 m in 2010). An issue of habitat determination (human vs instrumental) linked with the method adopted for mapping can also cause differences in the percentage of cover. Given the different accuracy among the three maps, the real regression and fragmentation of P. oceanica meadows could be hardly assessed. However, in several areas where the human activities are important, a clear regression or even a disappearance of the meadows has been observed. It is obvious that the last maps are more accurate than the previous ones and, thus, the former can be used for management purpose as well as for study on the patchiness; however, they still keep uncertainty no matter which method is used to create them.
Solid biofuel potential of Acacia mangium leaves
Authors: Nyakuma Bemgba Bevan
Published: January 2018

Acacia mangium is a fast growing evergreen tree species with average height 30 m, native to the humid tropical forests of Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. In Malaysia, A. mangium is widely propagated for erosion control, fire break and afforestation programs especially in area of degraded forests resulting from logging and shifting agriculture. It is a valuable of tree products namely; timber, pulp, and tannins. The high rate of (LLA) leaf litter accumulation (8,940 kg/ha/yr) serves provides a rich source of crude protein for livestock. However, the high LLA rate results in the deposition of large quantities of lignocellulosic waste materials on the forest floors creating waste disposal management problems. This has been attributed to the increase in forest fires, air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions. Therefore novel techniques are urgently required to manage A. mangium leaf litter (AML2). This is study aimed at characterizing the solid biofuel properties of AML2 as a feedstock for biomass energy conversion systems by determining its calorific value, proximate and ultimate analysis as well as its thermal decomposition behaviour using a thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. The results indicate that the elemental content of C ( > 50 %), H ( > 5 %), O ( > 40 %), N ( < 5 %), S ( < 5 %); proximate analysis was M (< 10 %), VM (> 60 %), FC (< 20 %) and A (< 5 %). The calorific value of AML2 is 21.11 MJ/kg which is higher than A. mangium wood (20.58 MJ/kg). In addition, AML2 completely decomposed under pyrolysis conditions from 30 - 800 °C at 5 °C/min. Overall, AML2 possesses outstanding solid biofuel properties which can be exploited for the production of clean energy fuels for the future.
Differential tolerance and resilience of Mediterranean seagrasses to short-term heat stress
Authors: Marin-Guirao Lazaro , Dattolo Emanuela , Ruiz Juan Manuel , Procaccini Gabriele
Published: January 2018

The aim of the present study was to determine tolerance to ocean warming of the two main Mediterranean seagrass species Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa. To this end, photophysiological and transcriptomic responses of shallow (5m) and deep (25m) plants were studied during a 5-d exposure to heat (32°C) and after a 5-d recovery to ambient temperature (24°C). Observed responses evidenced interspecific differences in heat tolerance in accordance with the biological attributes and ecological strategies of the species, but also intraspecific differences in relation to the depth origin of plants. The smaller and fast-growing species C. nodosa, was able to maintain unaltered leaf carbon budget along heat exposure, thanks to proportionally similar increments in photosynthesis and respiration. Along with this, the lack of alterations at the photochemical and photoprotective levels point to a high tolerance of the species to heat stress. Contrarily, the higher increment in respiration than in photosynthesis showed by the long-lived and slow-growing P. oceanica provoked leaf carbon imbalance after 24h of heat exposure, evidencing its higher sensitivity to heat. Interestingly, shallow plants displayed a higher acclimation capacity and after 5d of exposure their photosynthetic and respiratory rates converged to control conditions, whereas deep plants still evidenced symptoms of heat stress. The progressive photochemical efficiency reduction observed in deep plants, reinforced the idea that deeps plants are less able to tolerate heat. In any case, plants from both depths were able to recover their physiological status after a recovery period, indicating that they did not suffer lethal injury under the experimental conditions here tested. An analysis of gene expression (both RT-qPCR and RNA-seq) is ongoing, to dig into the molecular and physiological mechanisms involved in seagrass tolerance to heat stress. In conclusion, the study suggests that warming caused by human-induced climate change will likely have significant negative effects mainly on P. oceanica populations. The sensibility of the species to heat will finally depend on the local environmental conditions where plants grow (e.g. different depths or latitudes), a fact that must be taken in to account for the establishment of suitable management and conservation strategies.
Seagrass meadows of the Moroccan Mediterranean coast: state of research and knowledge
Authors: Bazairi Hocein
Published: January 2018

Seagrass meadows are highly productive and key ecosystems that undergo widespread loss due to ‘climate-related’ and human-mediated stressors as well as natural causes. Therefore, basic information about the distribution, abundance, and characteristics of seagrass meadows and their environment is critical for managers to assess and monitor the resource. Such knowledge is lacking for Morocco and there is a clear need to acquire baseline data for monitoring and protecting these important habitats. The present review summarizes the state of the research and the knowledge on seagrass meadows of the Mediterranean coast of Morocco. Data were assessed using a compilation of historical data compared to recent confirmed observation and field surveys conducted within the framework of several projects (MedMPAnet, Medkeyhabitats, etc.). Of the five species of strictly marine Magnoliophyta found in the Mediterranean Sea, four are also currently identified along the Mediterranean coast of Morocco (Posidonia oceanica, Cymodocea nodosa, Zostera marina and Zostera noltii); the Lessepsian immigrant Halophila stipulacea has not been recorded yet. Apart from C. nodosa, that showed large distribution, the other species remain spatially localized and their distribution has been declining since they have disappeared from many localities. This is the case of Zostera marina that has probably disappeared from many localities (e.g. Cap des Trois Fourches, Marchica lagoon). However, some previous citations, such as the presence of Posidonia oceanica in the Marchica lagoon, seem to be a systematic confusion. Moreover, quantitative data on the characteristics of seagrass meadows are very scarce and many areas of knowledge gaps were identified along the Mediterranean coast of Morocco. An in-depth study of seagrass meadows occurring in Morocco is strongly required and would substantially increase the knowledge on such habitats and help in their conservation.
Fundamental motion outcomes - Steps / Strides
Authors: Kressig Reto W.
Published: January 2018

We describe the close relationship between stride, cadence and velocity, as fundamental motion outcomes, in particular for the elderly. Stride (Length, Time, CoV) is a meaningful mobility outcome for clinical intervention trials. Stride variability while motor-cognitive dual-tasking is a sensitive mobility outcome for fall risk and cognitive disorders (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease) at an early stage. Salsa proved to be a safe and feasible exercise programme for older adults accompanied with a high adherence rate
Comprehensive comparison of large-scale tissue expression datasets
Authors: Santos Alberto , Tsafou Kalliopi , Stolte Christian , Pletscher-Frankild Sune , O’Donoghue Seán I , Jensen Lars Juhl
Published: January 2018

For tissues to carry out their functions, they rely on the right proteins to be present. Several high-throughput technologies have been used to map out which proteins are expressed in which tissues; however, the data have not previously been systematically compared and integrated. We present a comprehensive evaluation of tissue expression data from a variety of experimental techniques and show that these agree surprisingly well with each other and with results from literature curation and text mining. We further found that most datasets support the assumed but not demonstrated distinction between tissue-specific and ubiquitous expression. By developing comparable confidence scores for all types of evidence, we show that it is possible to improve both quality and coverage by combining the datasets. To facilitate use and visualization of our work, we have developed the TISSUES resource ( http://tissues.jensenlab.org ), which makes all the scored and integrated data available through a single user-friendly web interface.
Preliminary data on the Posidonia meadows and associated macrozoobenthic community of Sazani island (Albania)
Authors: Selmani Jula , Ruci Stela , Kasemi Denada , Beqiraj Sajmir , Kashta Lefter
Published: January 2018

The seagrass Posidonia oceanica meadows are scarcely studied in the Albanian coast. Data presented in this work have been collected during an assessment of benthic communities of Sazani Island, Albania, in May 2013. The P. oceanica meadow has a limited distribution around this island, covering a relatively small area on its eastern coast. Although this meadow seems to be under degradation, it is still a good shelter for high species number and high abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates. The highest species richness and abundance has been recorded for sponges, hydrozoans, gastropods, bivalves, polychaetes, echinoderms, bryozoans and ascidians. The sciaphilic and photophilic communities were clearly evident, associated respectively to the P. oceanica rhizomes and leaves. Referring to the species richness and abundance, a rapid assessment of ecological and environmental state of benthic macroinvertebrate community has been done. Other parameters used for the assessment of the state of P. oceanica meadow have also been recorded, and possible reasons for the degradation of the meadow have been highlighted. These assessments of the benthic macroinvertebrate community and the state of seagrass meadow are also important within the framework of monitoring, conservation and management of the only Marine Protected Area of Albania, where Sazani Island is a core area.
Rotation survival forest for right censored data
Authors: Zhou Lifeng , Xu Qingsong , Wang Hong
Published: January 2018

Recently, survival ensembles have found more and more applications in biological and medical research when censored time-to-event data are often confronted. In this research, we investigate the plausibility of extending rotation forest, originally proposed for classification purpose, to survival analysis. Supported by the proper statistical analysis, we show that rotation survival forests are able to outperform the state-of-art survival ensembles on right censored data. We also provide a C-index based variable importance measure for evaluating covariates in censored survival data.
Protection of traditional medical knowledge under intellectual property law
Authors: Alexandrou Alexandra , Athanasiou Alkinoos , Bamidis Panagiotis D
Published: January 2018

Intellectual Property (IP) Law constitutes the legal framework that ensures the protection of original creations of the mind against their illicit use and misappropriation. Providing the original creator with his rights constitutes a problem in cases such as traditional knowledge and cultural expressions since the rights over a practice cannot be traced back to specific individuals. Traditional Medical Knowledge (TMK) describes the practices and knowledge gained by native indigenous populations which is passed on from generation to generation and which is conducive towards the development of medicinal research. These forms of medical know-how are multidimensional and are often closely linked to the cultural practices and the national identity of many indigenous populations. The lack of a means of legal protection for this source of knowledge is an issue that touches both upon economic and moral grounds. The industrial exploitation of TMK native to a country may not only undermine that country’s economy and facilitate misappropriation; it may also have a negative impact on matters of national identity. This is an issue of ongoing importance, which has not yet been adequately met. Patents (a significant IP protection in the medical field) have little application to TMK. Trade secrets and geographical indications are other such solutions of limited usefulness in the protection of TMK but have been used in some countries alongside with sui generis systems and customary laws or practices. A possible solution example can be examined at initiatives such as the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library, which aims at documenting traditional medical literature on ancient Indian therapeutic practices. It is necessary that based upon current IP resolution methods a new means of protection is provided for that will enable all nationalities to safeguard their cultural diversity whilst respecting medical knowledge dissemination within the framework of a digital era.