bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ambrosio Borsano: un exponente de la escuela de ingeniería militar de Milán al servicio de la Monarquía Hispánica (1633-1661)
Authors: Bossi Paolo , Nadal Piqué Francesc
Published: January 2018

En este artículo se examina una etapa crucial en la vida de Ambrosio Borsano, uno de los principales ingenieros militares de la Europa de la segunda mitad del siglo XVII: la de su formación como cartógrafo militar. Una etapa sobre la que se disponía de contadas y dispersas referencias. En el mismo se intenta resolver, en primer lugar, la cuestión de su nacimiento y el marco familiar milanés en el que se educó. Después, se describen las actividades militares que llevó a cabo, entre 1648 y 1658, en el norte de Italia, durante las cuáles conoció al que terminaría siendo su maestro: Gaspare Beretta, ingeniero mayor del ejército español en el Estado de Milán. A continuación, se analiza la formación que recibió como cartógrafo militar de Beretta y que es preciso situarla en el marco de la escuela de ingeniería militar de Milán. El artículo se cierra explicando el último capítulo de su etapa de formación: el de su traslado a la península Ibérica en 1661 para luchar contra los independentistas portugueses.
Serological Markers of Recent Campylobacter jejuni Infection in Patients with Guillain–Barré Syndrome in the State of Piauí, Brazil, 2014–2016
Authors: Souza Cintya O. , Vieira Marcelo A. C. S. , Batista Francisca M. A. , Eulálio Kelsen D. , Neves Jéssica M. M. , Sá Laís C. , Monteiro Leni C. R. , Almeida-Neto Walfrido S. , Azevedo Raimunda S. S. , Costa Dorcas L. , Cruz Ana C. R.
Published: January 2018

In countries where poliomyelitis has been eradicated, Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is the leading cause of acute flaccid paralysis. The range of infections that precede GBS in Brazil is unknown. Campylobacter jejuni infection is the most frequent trigger of GBS worldwide. Given the lack of systematic surveillance of diarrheal diseases, particularly in adults, the incidence of enteritis caused by C. jejuni in developing countries is unknown. From 2014 to 2016, pretreatment serum samples from 63 GBS patients were tested by immunoglobulin M (IgM) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for C. jejuni. Campylobacter jejuni IgM antibodies were detected in 17% (11/63) of the samples. There was no association between serological positivity (IgM) for C. jejuni and the occurrence of diarrhea among the investigated cases (P = 0.36). Hygiene measures, basic sanitation, and precautions during handling and preparation of food of animal origin may help prevent acute flaccid paralysis.
Assessment of Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Detection of Trichostrongylus spp. DNA from Human Fecal Samples
Authors: Perandin Francesca , Pomari Elena , Bonizzi Camilla , Mistretta Manuela , Formenti Fabio , Bisoffi Zeno
Published: January 2018

Sporadic cases of Tricostrongylosis are reported in humans. Diagnosis of enteric Trichostrongylus relies primarily on coproscopic analysis but morphological identification is difficult because of similarity among nematode species. The method is time consuming and requires some expertise. To overcome these limitations, we developed a molecular approach by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to provide a rapid, specific, and sensitive tool to detect Trichostrongylus spp. in human feces. We designed primers and probe specific for Trichostrongylus rDNA region 5.8S and internal transcribed spacer 2. Three Italian family clusters were analyzed and DNA sequencing was performed to confirm real-time PCR results comparing with known GenBank sequence data. Sequence analysis showed ≥ 99% identity to Trichostrongylus colubriformis and Trichostrongylus axei. This study provides a molecular methodology suitable for fast and specific detection of Trichostrongylus in fecal specimens and to distinguish the zoonotic species.
Galvanic Anodes for Reinforced Concrete Structures: A Review
Authors: Troconis de Rincón Oladis , Torres-Acosta Andrés , Sagüés Alberto , Martinez-Madrid Miguel
Published: January 2018

In recent years, the use of sacrificial anodes for cathodic protection in reinforced concrete structures has increased, reflecting ease of installation, low-maintenance requirements, as well as desirability in prestressed concrete structures where the naturally controlled protection potential decreases the risk of hydrogen embrittlement. Zinc-based alloys have been among the most evaluated galvanic materials for concrete structures, especially in the United States, in many applications: thermal spray, superficial metal/mesh with and without hydrogel adhesive, embedded in concrete (point anodes) with or without salt activator, etc. However, the protection capacity lifetime of zinc alloys as used has been questioned based both on laboratory and on field application studies. Aluminum alloys have also been evaluated, sometimes showing better results as anode materials than zinc alloys. However, both zinc and aluminum alloy anodes may experience limited applicability in concrete structures exposed only to atmospheric conditions, as opposed to those in immersed, tidal, and splash zone service. This paper presents a review of the research work in the literature to date for both laboratory and field evaluations, toward identifying technically relevant situations where the use of sacrificial anodes may or may not be a practical option for reinforcement protection in concrete structures.
Development, characterization and first deployment of an improved online reactive oxygen species analyzer
Authors: Zhou Jun , Bruns Emily A. , Zotter Peter , Stefenelli Giulia , Prévôt André S. H. , Baltensperger Urs , El-Haddad Imad , Dommen Josef
Published: January 2018

Abstract. Inhalation of atmospheric particles is linked to human diseases. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) present in these atmospheric aerosols may play an important role. However, the ROS content in aerosols and their formation pathways are still largely unknown. Here, we have developed an online and offline ROS analyzer using a 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin (DCFH) based assay. The ROS analyzer was calibrated with H2O2 and its sensitivity was characterized using a suite of model organic compounds. The instrument detection limit determined as 3 times the noise is 1.3 nmol L−1 for offline analysis and 2 nmol m−3 of sampled air when the instrument is operated online at a fluorescence response time of approximately 8 min, while the offline method detection limit is 18 nmol L−1. Potential interferences from gas-phase O3 and NO2 as well as matrix effects of particulate SO42− and NO3− were tested, but not observed. Fe3+ had no influence on the ROS signal, while soluble Fe2+ reduced it if present at high concentrations in the extracts. Both online and offline methods were applied to identify the ROS content of different aerosol types, i.e., ambient aerosols as well as fresh and aged aerosols from wood combustion emissions. The stability of the ROS was assessed by comparing the ROS concentration measured by the same instrumentation online in situ with offline measurements. We also analyzed the evolution of ROS in specific samples by conducting the analysis after storage times of up to 4 months. The ROS were observed to decay with increasing storage duration. From their decay behavior, ROS in secondary organic aerosol (SOA) can be separated into short- and long-lived fractions. The half-life of the short-lived fraction was 1.7 ± 0.4 h, while the half-life of the long-lived fraction could not be determined with our uncertainties. All these measurements showed consistently that on average 60 ± 20 % of the ROS were very reactive and disappeared during the filter storage time. This demonstrates the importance of a fast online measurement of ROS.
Precipitable water vapour content from ESR/SKYNET sun–sky radiometers: validation against GNSS/GPS and AERONET over three different sites in Europe
Authors: Campanelli Monica , Mascitelli Alessandra , Sanò Paolo , Diémoz Henri , Estellés Victor , Federico Stefano , Iannarelli Anna Maria , Fratarcangeli Francesca , Mazzoni Augusto , Realini Eugenio , Crespi Mattia , Bock Olivier , Martínez-Lozano Jose A. , Dietrich Stefano
Published: January 2018

Abstract. The estimation of the precipitable water vapour content (W) with high
temporal and spatial resolution is of great interest to both meteorological
and climatological studies. Several methodologies based on remote sensing
techniques have been recently developed in order to obtain accurate and
frequent measurements of this atmospheric parameter. Among them, the relative
low cost and easy deployment of sun–sky radiometers, or sun photometers,
operating in several international networks, allowed the development of
automatic estimations of W from these instruments with high temporal
resolution. However, the great problem of this methodology is the estimation
of the sun-photometric calibration parameters. The objective of this paper is
to validate a new methodology based on the hypothesis that the calibration
parameters characterizing the atmospheric transmittance at 940 nm are
dependent on vertical profiles of temperature, air pressure and moisture
typical of each measurement site. To obtain the calibration parameters some
simultaneously seasonal measurements of W, from independent sources, taken
over a large range of solar zenith angle and covering a wide range of W,
are needed. In this work yearly GNSS/GPS datasets were used for obtaining a
table of photometric calibration constants and the methodology was applied
and validated in three European ESR-SKYNET network sites, characterized by
different atmospheric and climatic conditions: Rome, Valencia and Aosta.
Results were validated against the GNSS/GPS and AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET)
W estimations. In both the validations the agreement was very
high, with a percentage RMSD of about 6, 13 and 8 % in the case of
GPS intercomparison at Rome, Aosta and Valencia, respectively, and of 8 %
in the case of AERONET comparison in Valencia. Analysing the results by W classes, the present methodology was found to
clearly improve W estimation at low W content when compared against AERONET in
terms of % bias, bringing the agreement with the GPS (considered the
reference one) from a % bias of 5.76 to 0.52.
The Cloud Feedback Model Intercomparison Project Observational Simulator Package: Version 2
Authors: Swales Dustin J. , Pincus Robert , Bodas-Salcedo Alejandro
Published: January 2018

Abstract. The Cloud Feedback Model Intercomparison Project Observational Simulator Package (COSP) gathers together a collection of
observation proxies or “satellite simulators” that translate model-simulated cloud properties to synthetic observations
as would be obtained by a range of satellite observing systems. This paper
introduces COSP2, an evolution focusing on
more explicit and consistent separation between host model, coupling infrastructure, and individual observing
proxies. Revisions also enhance flexibility by allowing for model-specific
representation of sub-grid-scale cloudiness,
provide greater clarity by clearly separating tasks, support greater use of shared code and data including shared inputs
across simulators, and follow more uniform software standards to simplify implementation across a wide range of
platforms. The complete package including a testing suite is freely available.
The attraction of the pyramids: virtual realization of Hutton's suggestion to improve Maskelyne's 1774 Earth density estimate
Authors: Smallwood John R.
Published: January 2018

Abstract. Charles Hutton suggested in 1821 that the pyramids of Egypt be used to site
an experiment to measure the deflection of the vertical by a large mass. The
suggestion arose as he had estimated the attraction of a Scottish mountain as
part of Nevil Maskelyne's (1774) “Schiehallion Experiment”, a demonstration
of Isaac Newton's law of gravitational attraction and the earliest reasonable
quantitative estimate of Earth's mean density. I present a virtual
realization of an experiment at the Giza pyramids to investigate how Hutton's
concept might have emerged had it been undertaken as he suggested. The
attraction of the Great Pyramid would have led to inward north–south
deflections of the vertical totalling 1.8 arcsec (0.0005∘), and
east–west deflections totalling 2.0 arcsec (0.0006∘), which
although small, would have been within the contemporaneous detectable range,
and potentially given, as Hutton wished, a more accurate Earth density
measurement than he reported from the Schiehallion experiment.
Assessing the composition of fragmented agglutinated foraminiferal assemblages in ancient sediments: comparison of counting and area-based methods in Famennian samples (Late Devonian)
Authors: Girard Catherine , Dufour Anne-Béatrice , Charruault Anne-Lise , Renaud Sabrina
Published: January 2018

Abstract. Benthic foraminifera have been used as proxies for various paleoenvironmental variables such as food availability, carbon flux from surface waters, microhabitats, and indirectly water depth. Estimating assemblage composition based on morphotypes, as opposed to genus- or species-level identification, potentially loses important ecological information but opens the way to the study of ancient time periods. However, the ability to accurately constrain benthic foraminiferal assemblages has been questioned when the most abundant foraminifera are fragile agglutinated forms, particularly prone to fragmentation. Here we test an alternate method for accurately estimating the composition of fragmented assemblages. The cumulated area per morphotype method is assessed, i.e., the sum of the area of all tests or fragments of a given morphotype in a sample. The percentage of each morphotype is calculated as a portion of the total cumulated area. Percentages of different morphotypes based on counting and cumulated area methods are compared one by one and analyzed using principal component analyses, a co-inertia analysis, and Shannon diversity indices. Morphotype percentages are further compared to an estimate of water depth based on microfacies description. Percentages of the morphotypes are not related to water depth. In all cases, counting and cumulated area methods deliver highly similar results, suggesting that the less time-consuming traditional counting method may provide robust estimates of assemblages. The size of each morphotype may deliver paleobiological information, for instance regarding biomass, but should be considered carefully due to the pervasive issue of fragmentation.
Evolutionary GEM: Coevolution of Yuccas and Yucca Moths
Authors: Tackey Caleb , Gray Patricia M
Published: January 2018

The relationship between yucca moths and yucca plants is an example of obligate mutualism. Many species of yucca plant can be pollinated by only one species of yucca moth, while those yucca moths use the yucca flowers as a safe space to lay their eggs. The traits found in yucca plants and yucca moths that enabled them to cooperate were originally suspected to have arisen due to coevolution. However, the majority of these traits appear to have been present before yuccas became the host plant. In addition, there is a delay in speciation of yucca moth lineages when compared with the phylogenies of yucca plants, suggesting that coevolution was not the main driving force of the mutualistic relationship between the two species. Yucca moths may have acquired adaptations as selection drove the populations to complement the unique template already established by yucca plants.
School Entrepreneurship: A Favorable Context for the Interdisciplinary Projects
Authors: Boulanger Maude , Rivard Marie-Claude , Deslande Rollande
Published: January 2018

Entrepreneurship education appears to be a promising avenue for developing entrepreneurial skills among young people, this tendency being present in several countries. School is a privileged environment and is targeted since young people are key players in promoting economic growth. The appropriate teaching method for achieving academic and entrepreneurial goals seems to be the project-based approach. In this regard, entrepreneurship is a privileged context for realization of interdisciplinary projects in order to give meaning to the learning experience. The objective of this study is to describe the process of implementation and deployment of interdisciplinary projects in the context of the entrepreneurial school. Eight individual interviews were conducted with school staff from an entrepreneurial school where several interdisciplinary projects were going on. Our results show that the teacher assumes a key role as a guide throughout the interdisciplinary project in making sure that the education program objectives are attained. However, the lack of collaboration among the teachers remains a challenge in order to equip and help them with the realization of the interdisciplinary projects. Solutions can be identified to facilitate and perpetuate the implementation of these projects in this entrepreneurial context.
Design and Implementation of ForCES Protocol
Authors: Ramirez Pedro Luis Gonzalez , Lloret Jaime , Martínez Cordero Susan , Trujillo Arboleda Luis Carlos
Published: January 2018

This paper proposes the design and implementation of the ForCES protocol, specifically FP logical point of the ForCES architecture, which is strictly the communication between the CE (Control Element) and the FE (Forwarding Element). It is a flexible and reprogrammable architecture that is established within the specifications issued and defined by the ForCES working group, and consists of elaboration of a protocol that carries information between both elements. In order to comprobate the correct functioning of the implemented the ForCES protocol, is we provide a network testbed scenario, which consist an application client-server. Each device has equipped with the application which based on Java language, that allows the researcher to be able to compare the typical functionality of a conventional router with a router based in architecture ForCES. It allows taking advantage of the benefits of this architecture to reprogram different and new functionalities.
A Review on Importance of Smart City Indexes for Citizens’ Health Case Study: Esfahan City
Authors: Shahbazi Meisam , Massoud Mohammad , Nastaran Mahin , Mohamadi Mahmoud , Noe Mahmoud Ghale
Published: January 2018

Smart city has been considered by urban developers and municipalities as an innovative concept in urban developing and as a strategy to contribute to the mitigation of urban problems. Smartening of cities may result in mental health and alleviation of citizens’ stress, improvement of life quality, upholding a city and citizens’ hygiene, decrement of commutations and preservation of resources. The prompt growth and sprawl of urbanization followed by high degrees of pollutions and negligence of environment have consequences for urbanites’ health, but IT is able to resolve most of those issues. The goal of present inquiry is compiling and scaling the significance level of indexes attributed to the smart city in elevation of Esfahan city health. In this regard, the researcher has exploited 22 indexes attributed to health from smart city indexes regarding practitioners’ viewpoints and elucidated the significance of which in achieving smart health through Analytic Network Process (ANP) method, the results depict that focusing on smartening in visions, plans, and initiatives of public and private organizations, considering skilled practitioners as well as designation of budgetary and funding to attain the smart health are of great importance.
The Relationship between RMB Exchange Rate and Chinese Trade Balance: Evidence from a Bootstrap Rolling Window Approach
Authors: Masih Junaid , Liu Dongsheng , Pervaiz Javed
Published: January 2018

This study inspects the fundamental relationship between the exchange rate and the trade balance in China. The outcome shows that the real effective exchange rate and trade balance in China has no causal relationship. Though, seeing structural changes in two series, we got the result those both long-run and short-run associations using full-sample data are wobbly, which proposes that the full-sample causation tests can’t be relied upon. Then, using time-varying rolling window method to reexamine the dynamic fundamental relationship. The results show that real effective exchange rate has both negative and positive impacts on the trade balance in several sub-periods, and in turn, trade balance has same impact on real effective exchange rate for China. These findings provide no support for the existence of J-curve effect and Marshall-Lerner Condition in case of China. This study shows that it is impossible to resolve China’s trade deficit, depending only on the movement of RMB’s exchange rate.
Does Electronic Banking Really Improve Bank Performance? Evidence in China
Authors: Yang Shaohua , Li Zeyun , Ma Yaxin , Chen Xingxing
Published: January 2018

This study investigated the performance of Chinese banks following the full adoption of e-banking system, particularly in profitability and cost efficiency performance. The study became more important with the development of e-banking and internet because of increased penetration of e-banking which has redefined the banking operations in China and in globe. Secondary method was adopted in this study. The report and data of five banks in China were used for sample analysis. The bank performance was measured in terms of return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), operating margin (OM), net interest margin (NIM) and efficiency ratio. With the data collected, the different performance means between development stage and developed stage of e-banking in China were compared. The study revealed that e-banking could improve the Chinese bank performance in terms of ROA, ROE, and OM. On the contrary, e-banking has a slight impact on Chinese bank performance with respect to NIM and efficiency ratio. The findings of this study are to provide banks with suggestions for e-banking adoption for banking operations.
Economic Contribution in the Management of Solid Waste Policy Processing Water on Improvement of Fish Processing Revenues
Authors: - Marnis , - Syahrul , - Fitri , Rama Rovanita
Published: January 2018

This study aims to analyze the economic contribution in the environmental management of solid waste processing of catfish to increase income of fish processing in Koto village Kampar regency Riau.The research method used is the method of exploitation of solid waste processing and case studies with respondents processing catfish (fillet fish, salai and salted fish). Data were collected using questionnaires on business actors, and solid waste processing trials (meat waste, fish head, fish bone, belly fat and edible offal or stomach). The waste is processed into raw material for food and feed industries that meet the quality standard of Indonesian National Standard (SNI) and calculated its economic value include business analysis (Gross Benefit Cost Ratio), Profitabilty Ratio, and IRR and environmental management scenario of catfish fish industry. The data obtained will be homogenized data and then tabulated and analyzed descriptively quantitative.The results showed that the net production technology capable of producing industrial raw materials in the form of fish meal (fish protein concentrate (KPI), fish oil, bone meal and fish skin chips with the Indonesian National Standard.
MTradumàtica i la formació de traductors en Traducció Automàtica Estadística
Authors: Martin-Mor Adrià , Piqué i Huerta Ramon
Published: January 2018

El present article es proposa acostar-se a la formació de traductors en l’àmbit de la traducció automàtica estadística (TAE), específicament des de l’òptica de la personalització de motors. Basant-se en l’informe ProjecTA del grup Tradumàtica, s’identifica la formació com un dels factors imprescindibles a l’hora d’acostar la traducció automàtica (TA) als professionals de la traducció, siguin traductors professionals o empreses de traducció. A partir d’aquest diagnòstic, elaboren una proposta docent modular (que es pot segmentar en diverses activitats) adaptable a diversos contextos formatius en el camp de la traducció. Així mateix es descriu la versió experimental de la plataforma web MTradumàtica com una eina per la formació i recerca en l’àmbit.
Entrevista con Mikel Forcada
Authors: Alcina Amparo
Published: January 2018

Mikel Forcada es Catedrático de Universidad en el Departamento de Lenguajes y sistemas informáticos de la Universidad de Alicante, donde desarrolla su investigación en el marco del grupo de investigación Transducens. Su investigación está marcada por su interés en relación con la traducción automática, la traducción asistida y el procesamiento del lenguaje natural. De todos conocido es el sistema de traducción automática Apertium, pero también han desarrollado otras aplicaciones como Bitextor, TagAligner, DocTrans, por nombrar algunas, todas ellas de código abierto. Mikel Forcada es presidente de la Asociación Europea de Traducción Automática (European Association of Machine Translation, EAMT). Destacaremos además que Mikel ha estado siempre predispuesto a colaborar e intercambiar puntos de vista entre el mundo de la informática y el de los lingüistas y traductores, y esta entrevista es también fruto de esta colaboración. Le hemos preguntado a Mikel sobre el presente y futuro de la traducción automática y sus distintos desarrollos, y sobre el papel de traductores y lingüistas en esta evolución.
Biochar-Rhizosphere Interactions – a Review
Authors: GŁUSZEK SŁAWOMIR , SAS-PASZT LIDIA , SUMOROK BEATA , KOZERA RYSZARD
Published: January 2018

Biochar is a solid material of biological origin obtained from biomass carbonization, designed as a mean to reduce greenhouse gases emission and carbon sequestration in soils for a long time. Biochar has a wide spectrum of practical utilization and is applied as a promising soil improver or fertilizer in agriculture, or as a medium for soil or water remediation. Preparations of biochar increase plant growth and yielding when applied into soil and also improve plant growth conditions, mainly bio, physical and chemical properties of soil. Its physical and chemical properties have an influence on bacteria, fungi and invertebrates, both in field and laboratory conditions. Such effects on rhizosphere organisms are positive or negative depending on biochar raw material origin, charring conditions, frequency of applications, applications method and doses, but long term effects are generally positive and are associated mainly with increased soil biota activity. However, a risk assessment of biochar applications is necessary to protect food production and the soil environment. This should be accomplished by biochar production and characterization, land use implementation, economic analysis, including life cycle assessment, and environmental impact assessment.
Trends of Bloodstream Infections in a University Greek Hospital during a Three-Year Period: Incidence of Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria and Seasonality in Gram-negative Predominance
Authors: KOLONITSIOU FEVRONIA , PAPADIMITRIOU-OLIVGERIS MATTHAIOS , SPILIOPOULOU ANASTASIA , STAMOULI VASILIKI , PAPAKOSTAS VASILEIOS , APOSTOLOPOULOU ELENI , PANAGIOTOPOULOS CHRISTOS , MARANGOS MARKOS , ANASTASSIOU EVANGELOS D. , CHRISTOFIDOU MYRTO , SPILIOPOULOU IRIS
Published: January 2018

The aim of the study was to assess the epidemiology, the incidence of multidrug-resistant bacteria and bloodstream infections’ (BSIs) seasonality in a university hospital. This retrospective study was carried out in the University General Hospital of Patras, Greece, during 2011–13 y. Blood cultures from patients with clinical presentation suggestive of bloodstream infection were performed by the BacT/ALERT System. Isolates were identified by Vitek 2 Advanced Expert System. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed by the disk diffusion method and E-test. Resistance genes (mecA in staphylococci; vanA/vanB/vanC in enterococci; bla
KPC/bla
VIM/bla
NDM in Klebsiella spp.) were detected by PCR. In total, 4607 (9.7%) blood cultures were positive from 47451 sets sent to Department of Microbiology, representing 1732 BSIs. Gram-negative bacteria (52.3%) were the most commonly isolated, followed by Gram-positive (39.5%), fungi (6.6%) and anaerobes bacteria (1.8%). The highest contamination rate was observed among Gram-positive bacteria (42.3%). Among 330 CNS and 150 Staphylococcus aureus, 281 (85.2%) and 60 (40.0%) were mecA-positive, respectively. From 113 enterococci, eight were vanA, two vanB and two vanC-positives. Of the total 207 carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (73.4%), 202 carried bla
KPC, four bla
KPC and bla
VIM and one bla
VIM. A significant increase in monthly BSIs’ incidence was shown (R2: 0.449), which may be attributed to a rise of Gram-positive BSIs (R2: 0.337). Gram-positive BSIs were less frequent in spring (P < 0.001), summer (P < 0.001), and autumn (P < 0.001), as compared to winter months, while Gram-negative bacteria (P < 0.001) and fungi (P < 0.001) were more frequent in summer months. BSIs due to methicillin resistant S. aureus and carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria increased during the study period. The increasing incidence of BSIs can be attributed to an increase of Gram-positive BSI incidence, even though Gram-negative bacteria remained the predominant ones. Seasonality may play a role in the predominance of Gram-negative’s BSI.
Gene Expression during BTEX Biodegradation by a Microbial Consortium Acclimatized to Unleaded Gasoline and a Pseudomonas putida Strain (HM346961) Isolated from It
Authors: CHÁVEZ JESÚS A. MORLETT , MARTÍNEZ JORGE Á. ASCACIO , HASKINS WILLIAM E. , ASKAR KARIM ACUÑ , BARRERA SALDAÑA HUGO A.
Published: January 2018

Pseudomonas putida strain (HM346961) was isolated from a consortium of bacteria acclimatized to unleaded gasoline-contaminated water. The consortium can efficiently remove benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX) isomers, and a similar capability was observed with the P. putida strain. Proteome of this strain showed certain similarities with that of other strains exposed to the hydrocarbon compounds. Furthermore, the toluene di-oxygenase (tod) gene was up-regulated in P. putida strain when exposed to toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and BTEX. In contrast, the tod gene of P. putida F1 (ATCC 700007) was up-regulated only in the presence of toluene and BTEX. Several differences in the nucleotide and protein sequences of these two tod genes were observed. This suggests that tod up-regulation in P. putida strain may partially explain their great capacity to remove aromatic compounds, relative to P. putida F1. Therefore, new tod and P. putida strain are promising for various environmental applications.
PRESENTACIÓN
Authors: Tiana Ferrer Alejandro , González Rivas Juan José , Díez Picazo Luis María , Fossas Espadaler Enric , Torres del Moral Antonio
Published: January 2018

Presentación de los monográficos con motivo del XL aniversario de la Constitución Española.
Génesis del Real Decreto-Ley de marzo de 1977
Authors: Herrero de Miñón Miguel
Published: January 2018

Resumen:En este trabajo se exponen, con elevado nivel de detalle, los elementos que influyeron en la redacción del Real Decreto Ley de 18 de marzo de 1977, que reguló las primeras elecciones democráticas en España, y que influyó posteriormente en la actual regulación electoral todavía vigente.AbstractIn this work are exposed, with high level of detail, the elements that influenced the drafting of the Royal Decree of March 18, 1977, which regulated the first democratic elections in Spain, and which later influenced the current electoral regulation still in force.
La reforma de la LOREG para el supuesto de convocatoria automática de elecciones en virtud del artículo 99.5 CE: ¿una oportuna adaptación técnica o una conculcación del derecho de sufragio?
Authors: García Mahamut Rosario
Published: January 2018

Resumen:Este trabajo aborda un análisis detallado de la LO 2/2016 de modificación de la Ley Orgánica del Régimen Electoral General (LOREG) para el supuesto de convocatoria automática de elecciones en virtud del artículo 99.5 CE. La nueva Disposición adicional séptima de la LOREG regula las especificidades procedimentales de un proceso electoral que, para este supuesto, dura 47 días en lugar de los 54 días. Se reduce el tiempo destinado a la campaña electoral y se establece una serie de medidas que permiten recurrir a trámites utilizados en el proceso electoral inmediatamente anterior. En este estudio se analizan pormenorizadamente aquellas especialidades procedimentales que, aunque revisten la apariencia de ajustes técnicos en el calendario electoral, pueden afectar de forma nuclear al contenido esencial del derecho de sufragio activo y pasivo amparado en el artículo 23 CE. Summary:I. Introduction. II. The formal and material peculiarities of the representation of the people institutional act 2/2016, october 31st, modifying the spanish «LOREG». 1. The drafting of the law and its contextualization in the calendar of the investiture process. 2. A synoptic overview of the material content of the reform. III. The serious incidents that the new additional seventh provision of the LOREG may add to the exercise of the voting rights act: 1. The length of theelectoral process, the domino effect and the legal anchorage of proceduralspecialities. 2. Presentation, publication and proclamation of candidacies: the difficult balance on gender equality. 3. The appeals against the proclamation of candidacies and candidates: The nonaffectation of the jurisdictional guarantees and the dangerous exception. 4. The impact of the reduction of the electoral process on the right to vote of the Spaniards Residents Abroad. Electoral campaigns: main developments and risks. IV. Conclusions.Abstract:This paper provides a detailed analysis of the current Act 2/2016, October 31st, modifying the Spanish People Institutional Act (LOREG) which regulates the organisation of the automatic call of an election under article 99.5 of the Spanish Constitution (CE). The new 7th Additional Provision of the Spanish «LOREG» examines the procedural specifities of an electoral process which, in this case, lasts 47 days instead of 54. On the one hand, the time assigned to the electoralcampaign is reduced and, on the other hand, a series of measures are provided in order to allow the implementation of the procedures used in the immediately preceding electoral process. This study analyses in detail those procedural singularities that, although they may seem as technical adjustments of the electoral timetable, they can directly affect the essential content of the right to vote and stand for election protected by artículo 23 CE.
De la ‘libertad informática’ a la constitucionalización de nuevos derechos digitales (1978-2018)
Authors: Rallo Lombarte Artemi
Published: January 2018

Resumen:La referencia a la informática en la Constitución de 1978 reconoció trascendencia constitucional a la necesidad de protección del individuo frente a los riegos derivados de los avances tecnológicos. Cuatro décadas después, la sociedad contemporánea afronta el reto de constitucionalizar nuevos derechos digitales. En España, sendas leyes (LORTAD y LOPD) desarrollaron el precepto constitucional que consagra la garantía de los derechos frente al uso de la informática. Para preservar a los individuos frente a los riesgos y amenazas de latecnología, el Tribunal Constitución dedujo del artículo 18.4 CE un derecho fundamental autónomo a la protección de datos personales. Las leyes españolas de protección de datos son el resultado de la obligación de cumplir compromisos internacionales (Convenio 108 del Consejo de Europa de 1981) y europeos (Directiva 95/46, artículo 8 de la CDFUE 41 y Reglamento UE 2016/679). Sin embargo, el reconocimiento constitucional o europeo, legal o constitucional, del derecho fundamental a la protección de datos no agota la necesidad de establecer un nuevo marco de protección de los ciudadanos en la era digitalen el que se reconozcan nuevos derechos digitales.SummaryI. Introduction. II. The misleading constitutionalization of «computing ». III. Convention 108 of the council of europe (1981). IV. Data protection right as an autonomous fundamental right. V. LORTAD (1992), LOPD (1999) and its reform. VI. The europeanization of data protection right: Directive 95/46, art. 8 CDFUE and regulation EU 2016/679. VII. Towards the constitutionalization of new digital rights.Abstract:The reference to computing in the Spanish Constitution (1978) recognized constitutional significance to the need for protection against the technological risks. Four decades later, the contemporary society faces the challenge of constitutionalising new digital rights. In Spain, two laws (LOPD and LORTAD) developed the constitutional article that enshrined the guarantee of rights against the use of computers. The Constitutional Court inferred from article 18.4 CE an autonomous fundamental right to the protection of personal data. Spanish data protection laws are the result of the obligation to comply withinternational (Convention 108 of the Council of Europe from 1981) and European (Directive 95/46, article 8 of the CDFUE and Regulation EU 2016/679) commitments. However, the European, legal or constitutional, recognition of the fundamental right to data protection does not exclude the need to establish a new framework for the protection of citizens in the digital age in which new digital rights should be recognized.
El derecho a la información: balance y cuestiones pendientes
Authors: Ortega Gutiérrez David
Published: January 2018

Resumen:Se analiza el derecho a la información y su evolución en estos 40 años de vida de nuestra Constitución de 1978. Primero se estudian aquellas normas jurídicas que han desarrollado directamente este derecho para después ver aquéllas que lo han hecho de manera indirecta o colateral. En segundo lugar apuntamos la evolución jurisprudencial de los temas más relevantes del derecho a la información, especialmente respecto del contenido y límites al mismo. En un tercer apartado se aborda la evolución de la deontología en materia de periodismo. Concluimos con una serie de temas y problemas del derecho a la información que aún siguen pendientes.Summary:1. Introduction. 2. Normative development. 2.1 Laws that have directly developed the right to information. 2.2 Laws indirectly related to the right to information. 3. Jurisprudential developments. 3.1 Institutional dimension or double character of the right to information, especially against the right to honor. 3.2. Faced with the right to privacy and self-image. 3.3 The right to be forgotten as a limit to the right to information. 3.4 Using the Hidden Camera. 3.5 Legal regulation of radio and television. 3.6 Conscience clause. 3.7 Right to rectification. 3.8 Veracity informative and public relevance of the news. 3.9 Special reference to the ECHR. 4. Journalistic ethics and self-regulation mechanisms. 5. Conclusions and outstanding issues.Abstract:It analyzes the right to information and its evolution in these 40 years of life of our Constitution of 1978. First we study those legal norms that have directly developed this right to later see those who have done so indirectly or collateral. Secondly, we point out the jurisprudential evolution of the most relevant issues of the right to information, especially regarding the content and limits to it. A third section deals with the evolution of deontology in journalism. We concludewith a series of issues and problems of the right to information that are still pending.
La tutela constitucional de las personas con discapacidad
Authors: Álvarez García Héctor
Published: January 2018

Resumen:El trabajo principia con un recorrido histórico por los distintos modelos implementados por los poderes públicos para abordar el fenómenode la discapacidad, que culmina con el paradigma mixto —médico y social— plasmado en la Constitución española de 1978. El artículo interpreta las «normas de contenido social» de la Constitución, a la luz del Convenio Internacional sobre los Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidad y de la doctrina del Tribunal Constitucional, al objeto de determinar el contenido y alcance de la tutela constitucional de la capacidad de obrar de las personas con discapacidad, imprescindible para garantizar el libre desarrollo de la personalidad a este numeroso grupo de ciudadanos, cuyas vidas han sido tradicionalmente gobernadas por la voluntad ajena, cuando no directamenteprivados de libertad mediante su institucionalización.Summary:1. Historical paradigms. 1.1 Eugenic. 1.2 Medical. 1.3. Social. 2. The constitutional model. 3. The exercise of rights. 3.1 Introduction. 3.2 The International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 3.3 Equal legal capacity. 3.4 Universal accessibility. 4. Bibliography.Abstract:The work begins with an historical journey through the different models implemented by public authorities to address the phenomenon of disability. This journey culminates with the mixed paradigm —medical and social— embodied in the Spanish Constitution of 1978. The article interprets the «social protections norms» of the Constitution, in the light of the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the doctrine of the Constitutional Court, in order to determine the content and scope of constitutional protection of the capacity to act of persons with disabilities. This is essential to ensure the free development of the personality of this large group of citizens, whose lives have traditionally been governed by the will of others, if not been directly deprived of their liberty through their institutionalization.
Assessing the quality of Astragalus fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum and Enterococcus faecium by its physicochemical properties and monitoring the bacterial composition with single molecule, real-time sequencing technology
Authors: Qiao Hongxing , Zhang Xiaojing , Shi Hongtao , Song Yuzhen , Bian Chuanzhou
Published: January 2018

Background. Astragalus was a well-known traditional herbal medicine, widely used in human s , livestock and poultry in China and E ast Asia. Fermentation could improve health-promoting biological substance by probiotics. Methods. We investigated Astragalus that was fermented using probiotics including Enterococcus faecium , Lactobacillus plantarum and E nterococcus faecium + L actobacillus plantarum and applied the PacBio single molecule, real-time sequencing technology (SMRT) to evaluat e the quality of Astragalus fermentation production. Results. We found the production rates of acetic acid, methylacetic acid , ethylacetic acid and lactic acid using E. faecium + L. plantarum fermentation were 1866.24 mg/kg on day 15 , 203.80 mg/kg on day 30 , 996.04 mg/kg on day 15 and 3081.99 mg/kg on day 20 , respectively. Other production rates were: polysaccharide s, 9.43%, 8.51% and 7 . 59% on day 10; saponins , 19.6912 mg/g, 21.6630 mg/g and 20.2084 mg/g on day 15; and flavonoid s, 1.9032 mg/g, 2.0835 mg/g and 1.7086 mg/g on day 20 using E . faecium , L . plantarum and E. faecium + L. plantarum , respectively. According to SMRT analysis of the microbial composition s of nine Astragalus samples, we found after fermentation on day 3 , E. faecium and L. plantarum became the most prevalent species. Moreover, E. faecium + L. plantarum gave more positive effects than single strains in the Astragalus solid state fermentation process. Inclusion. Our data have demonstrate d that the SMRT sequencing platform is applicable to assessing the quality of Astragalus fermentation.
Factors affecting silk production in Japanese Silkworm
Authors: Zuko Yeti , Maeda Kazuo
Published: January 2018

Silk production by the Japanese silkworm is an important source of revenue for Japan but factors affecting its quality and production have has not been studied in detail. In the current study, we performed a quantitative study on 332 mountain Silkworm (Bombyx mori ), analyzing their silk harvests, their production incubation periods and overall profiles. To this end, mountain silkworms were randomly divided into two clusters (cluster#1, cluster#2), with 56 mountain silkworms in each cluster. The effects of steam-flaked maize on silk production performance of was tested by replacing the traditional Silkworm fodder of crumpled maize by steam-flaked maize in proportions of 30%, 50% and 100%, only for cluster#2. The outcomes showed that the cluster#2 had better median silk harvest than cluster#1, the mean of these increment silk harvests was 3.48pounds (P-value <0.05); the protein proportion and the sugar in silk of cluster#2 went up by 23% over cluster#1. We also observed that the urine nitrogen and somatic cell count of cluster#2 were lower than cluster#1 by 0.9% (P-value >0.05), 30,800 cells/ml (P-value<0.05), espectively. The current research confirms that utilizing the JHO nutrition heightened silk harvest, improved silkproduction characteristics, and enhanced the performance of mountain silkworms. Finally we also saw an increase in immune- resistance to common infections in cluster#2.
Replication Study: Systematic identification of genomic markers of drug sensitivity in cancer cells
Authors: Vanden Heuvel John P , Maddox Ewa , Maalouf Samar W ,   Reproducibility Project: Cancer Biology, Iorns Elizabeth , Tsui Rachel , Denis Alexandria , Perfito Nicole , Errington Timothy M
Published: January 2018

In 2016, as part of the Reproducibility Project: Cancer Biology, we published a Registered Report (Vanden Heuvel et al., 2016), that described how we intended to replicate selected experiments from the paper ‘Systematic identification of genomic markers of drug sensitivity in cancer cells’ (Garnett et al., 2012). Here we report the results. We found Ewing’s sarcoma cell lines, overall, were more sensitive to the PARP inhibitor olaparib than osteosarcoma cell lines; however, while the effect was in the same direction as the original study (Figure 4C; Garnett et al., 2012), it was not statistically significant. Further, mouse mesenchymal cells transformed with either the EWS-FLI1 or FUS-CHOP rearrangement displayed similar sensitivities to olaparib, whereas the Ewing’s sarcoma cell line SK-N-MC had increased olaparib sensitivity. In the original study, mouse mesenchymal cells transformed with the EWS-FLI1 rearrangement and SK-N-MC cells were found to have similar sensitivities to olaparib, whereas mesenchymal cells transformed with the FUS-CHOP rearrangement displayed a reduced sensitivity to olaparib (Figure 4E; Garnett et al., 2012). We also studied another Ewing’s sarcoma cell line, A673: A673 cells depleted of EWS-FLI1 or a negative control both displayed similar sensitivities to olaparib, whereas the original study reported a decreased sensitivity to olaparib when EWS-FLI1 was depleted (Figure 4F; Garnett et al., 2012). Differences between the original study and this replication attempt, such as the use of different sarcoma cell lines and level of knockdown efficiency, are factors that might have influenced the outcomes. Finally, where possible, we report meta-analyses for each result.
Late Summer Frazil Ice‐Associated Algal Blooms around Antarctica
Authors: DeJong Hans B. , Dunbar Robert B. , Lyons Evan A.
Published: January 2018

Antarctic continental shelf waters are the most biologically productive in the Southern Ocean. Although satellite‐derived algorithms report peak productivity during the austral spring/early summer, recent studies provide evidence for substantial late summer productivity that is associated with green colored frazil ice. Here we analyze daily Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite images for February and March from 2003 to 2017 to identify green colored frazil ice hot spots. Green frazil ice is concentrated in 11 of the 13 major sea ice production polynyas, with the greenest frazil ice in the Terra Nova Bay and Cape Darnley polynyas. While there is substantial interannual variability, green frazil ice is present over greater than 300,000 km2 during March. Late summer frazil ice‐associated algal productivity may be a major phenomenon around Antarctica that is not considered in regional carbon and ecosystem models.