bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nocturnal Hypertension and Attenuated Nocturnal Blood Pressure Dipping is Common in Pediatric Lupus
Authors: Campbell J. Fallon , Swartz Sarah J. , Wenderfer Scott E.
Published: June 2015

Hypertension is an important manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) but reports of prevalence vary between 20-70% in published reports of adult and pediatric patients. For both children and adults with SLE, the clinical diagnosis and management of hypertension has traditionally been based on guidelines developed for the general population. In clinical trials, the criteria used for defining participants with hypertension are mostly undefined. As a first step towards formally assessing the blood pressure (BP) patterns of children diagnosed with SLE, 24-hr ambulatory BP monitoring data was analyzed on clinic patients who presented with prehypertension or stage I hypertension. In this pediatric SLE cohort, 20% met daytime criteria for a diagnosis of hypertension. Patterns of BP elevation varied widely with white coat, masked, isolated systolic, and diastolic nocturnal hypertension all identified. Nocturnal hypertension was detected in 60% and attenuated nocturnal BP dipping in 90% of both hypertensive and normotensive SLE patients. In SLE patients, the median nighttime systolic and diastolic loads were 25% and 15.5% compared with median daily loads of 12.5% and 11.5%. Daytime and nighttime systolic and diastolic BP load and nocturnal dipping was compared to a control population consisting of 85 non-SLE patients under 21 years old with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension presenting to hypertension clinic. Median systolic BP dipped 5.3 mmHg in SLE patients compared to 11.9 mmHg in non-lupus (p-value = 0.001). Median diastolic BP dipped 12.9 mmHg versus 18.5 mmHg in non-lupus (p-value = 0.003). Patterns of BP dysregulation in pediatric SLE merit further exploration. Children with or without SLE displaying prehypertensive or stage 1 casual BP measurements had similar rates of hypertension by ambulatory BP monitoring. However, regardless of BP diagnosis, and independent of kidney involvement, there was an increased proportion with attenuated nocturnal dipping and nocturnal hypertension in SLE patients.
A AVALIAÇÃO DE ESTUDANTES E PROFESSORES DE ADMINISTRAÇÃO SOBRE A EXPERIÊNCIA COM A APRENDIZAGEM BASEADA EM PROBLEMAS
Authors: Guedes Karine de Lima , Andrade Rui Otavio Bernardes de , Nicolini Alexandre Mendes
Published: June 2015

O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar o impacto do uso da Aprendizagem Baseada em Problemas (ABP) na percepção dos estudantes e dos professores em uma instituição de ensino superior. A ABP é outra modalidade dentre as metodologias ativas e faz uso da resolução de problemas propostos para que o estudante analise e estude o conteúdo. Tal metodologia é formativa por estimular o estudante a ter uma postura ativa, por buscar o conhecimento. O estudo insere-se em uma abordagem qualitativa de pesquisa, pois buscou analisar uma proposta de ABP no ensino, tendo como universo de pesquisa professores e estudantes do curso presencial de graduação em Administração, de uma instituição privada. Os sujeitos analisados foram os estudantes matriculados no primeiro período do segundo semestre do ano de 2013 e os professores que lecionaram no segundo semestre do ano de 2013, as seguintes disciplinas no campus Lapa: Funções Executivas da Administração, Sociologia das Organizações, Evolução das Teorias da Administração, Desafios da Administração e Evolução das Teorias Econômicas. Para coleta de dados dos professores, empregou-se a técnica de entrevista semiestruturada e, para os estudantes, utilizou-se a técnica de Grupo Focal (GF). Com base na pesquisa realizada, observou-se que o método ABP, além de aproximar estudantes e professores para uma convivência mais proveitosa, possibilitou que os estudantes desenvolvessem um senso crítico e melhorou o quesito do trabalho em equipe, expandindo a visão sobre o problema, oportunizando uma pesquisa mais ampla, melhorando o raciocínio e a criatividade.
A EAD NO BRASIL E A IMPORTÂNCIA DE COMPETÊNCIAS SUBJACENTES PARA O RECONHECIMENTO DE CURSOS DE ACORDO COM A PERCEPÇÃO DE COORDENADORES DE CURSO
Authors: Fiorillo Aurélio , Maccari Emerson Antonio , Martins Cibele Barsalini
Published: June 2015

A Educação a Distância (EaD) é uma importante modalidade no contexto educacional, pois, além de democratizar a educação, também contribui para a sua ampliação, uma vez que abrange cidades longínquas. O número de organizações educacionais interessadas em obter a autorização e o reconhecimento para cursos superiores de EaD vem crescendo consideravelmente. No entanto, não existem estudos sobre o instrumento de avaliação de cursos do Ministério da Educação (MEC), unificado em dezembro de 2011 e atualizado em maio de 2012. O desafio central deste trabalho foi analisar esse instrumento e identificar as competências essenciais que devem ser desenvolvidas pelas instituições, bem como ressaltar as competências que podem ser caracterizadas como distintivas por conferir vantagens competitivas. Para tanto, realizou-se uma pesquisa descritivo-exploratória, em que foi feita a escolha de uma instituição de ensino superior que estava sendo submetida ao processo de mudanças impostas pelo MEC. O resultado da pesquisa mostrou quatro principais competências organizacionais desenvolvidas na instituição, que possibilitaram a aprovação do curso pelo MEC, a saber: Gestão de Avaliação de Curso; Gestão Estratégica e de Políticas para a EaD; Gestão de Recursos Humanos e das Equipes Multidisciplinares; e Gestão e Planejamento da Infraestrutura Física e Tecnológica.
Sacred Text, Social Hierarchy, World Polity: The Journey of a Single Sentence That Shaped a World Religion
Authors: Velasco Ismael
Published: June 2015

Among the central tropes of Baha’i socio-political theology is a single sentence from the Persian Bayan which, alluded to in Baha’u’llah’s Kitab-i Aqdas became, in Shoghi Effendi’s interpretation, the ‘myth of origin’, in the sense of a starting point in sacred narrative, for the Baha’i Administrative Order structuring the Baha’i community, and for the Baha’i World Order envisaged as its culmination, ultimate purpose and eventual fruit. The passage in question states, in Shoghi Effendi’s translation, ‘well is it with him who fixeth his gaze on the Order of Baha’u’llah’. Shoghi Effendi’s interpretation of that passage as alluding to a sacred socio-political entity which is the hallmark of the Baha’i revelation and is anticipated as the embodiment and structure of the millennial promise of the unification of humankind, represents a radical interpretive leap, given that the passage in the Persian Bayan in its most intuitive reading refers, not to an institutional idea, but to the compilation and arrangement of sacred Babi texts. At the heart of this seemingly incompatible usage lies the single word nazm, which may be translated as both order and arrangement.

The present paper will explore the interpretive trajectory of the word nazm, from its roots in the earliest Qur’anic hermeneutics dating from the 2nd Islamic century, to its complex articulation in the Bab’s writings, including various instances in the Persian Bayan and in the Kitabu’l-Asma’. It will contextualize these occurrences in the Bab’s subtle and esoteric (batini) cosmogony of the universe as Text, including the simultaneity and parallelism of levels of interpretation, within which the apparently inoccuous passage of the Bab is revealed to be charged with cosmological, communal and messianic dimensions, which it will be argued form the implicit substratum or at least demonstrate a substantive correlation to the counter-intuitive, although not exclusive interpretation of that passage by Shoghi Effendi as denoting likewise a communal, global and, in its deepest level, a messianic cosmic order.
The changing Uyghur religious soundscape
Authors: Harris Rachel
Published: June 2015

Recent studies in the anthropology of Islam have called for a new understanding of the relationship between global forms of Islam and local priorities, new ideologies and everyday religious experience. This article addresses these concerns in the context of Uyghur society in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China where communities are increasingly engaging with transnational currents of Islamic ideology, and increasingly under pressure from the state which conflates religiosity with anti-state activity and extremist terrorism. The article focuses on Islamic media, in particular at the ways in which rural Uyghur women experience and reproduce globalized forms of Islamic media. It aims to understand how the most marginalized sectors of society are engaging with these changing religious ideologies and practices. The theoretical frame draws on notions of the ‘soundscape’, which explore the ways in which sound, practices of listening and perceptions of sound, may be central to making sense of the world around us.
Head-wagging and the sounds of obscenity: Conflicts over sound on the Qing-Muslim frontiers
Authors: Lipman Jonathan N.
Published: June 2015

On both the southwestern and the northwestern frontiers of their expanding empire, the eighteenth-century Qing dynasty (1636–1912) ruled over considerable numbers of Muslims. This article examines two legal cases in which Muslims sued other Muslims in a secular Qing court to resolve issues of Islamic practice that involved sound. The southwestern (Yunnan) Qalandar case (c.1710) pitted conventional imams and Sino-Muslim elites against ‘wild Sufis’ from India and northwest China. The northwestern (Gansu) litigation (1760s–1780s) was brought by two Sufi orders that claimed to practice different rituals: one silent and one vocal. In both cases, the Qing officials found themselves adjudicating accusations of Islamic heterodoxy, which they decided by analogy to Qing legal definitions of Confucian heterodoxy. Using new materials for the Gansu case, the article concludes that one of the Sufi orders manipulated the Qing officials’ ignorance of Islam, the Arabic language and Islamic sound to win a conflict that thereafter divided the region for more than a century.
Sound and silence in Chinese women’s mosques – identity, faith and equality
Authors: Jaschok Maria
Published: June 2015

The evolution from early beginnings of Muslim women’s religious education in China, in the seventeenth century, when women were provided with rudimentary Islamic instruction, and taught from behind screens, to the emergence of more permanent women’s mosques (qingzhen nüsi) in the course of the nineteenth century, constitutes the historical background to an exploration of the relationship among silence, speech, voice, gender and power. Starting as informal gatherings in ad hoc, transitional spaces, dynamic and complex institutional sites developed to serve multiple functions and purposes, giving in the course of time rise to richly expressive cultures of sentiment and sound, piety and fear. The article seeks to problematize the coming-to-voice of Chinese believing women within the interlinking frameworks of aural ethnography and cross-cultural feminist theory. Written and audio-visual materials provide the sensory text for the author’s evocation of tangible surroundings, silenced and fleeting sensations, and for the historicizing of women’s lives lived at the intersection of Islamic/Confucian moral codes of jie – as feminine purity enshrouded, segregated and silenced – and modern claims for voice and gender equality.
Metal bridges to probe membrane ion channel structure and function
Authors: Linsdell Paul
Published: June 2015

Ion channels are integral membrane proteins that undergo important conformational changes as they open and close to control transmembrane flux of different ions. The molecular underpinnings of these dynamic conformational rearrangements are difficult to ascertain using current structural methods. Several functional approaches have been used to understand two- and three-dimensional dynamic structures of ion channels, based on the reactivity of the cysteine side-chain. Two-dimensional structural rearrangements, such as changes in the accessibility of different parts of the channel protein to the bulk solution on either side of the membrane, are used to define movements within the permeation pathway, such as those that open and close ion channel gates. Three-dimensional rearrangements – in which two different parts of the channel protein change their proximity during conformational changes – are probed by cross-linking or bridging together two cysteine side-chains. Particularly useful in this regard are so-called metal bridges formed when two or more cysteine side-chains form a high-affinity binding site for metal ions such as Cd2+or Zn2+. This review describes the use of these different techniques for the study of ion channel dynamic structure and function, including a comprehensive review of the different kinds of conformational rearrangements that have been studied in different channel typesviathe identification of intra-molecular metal bridges. Factors that influence the affinities and conformational sensitivities of these metal bridges, as well as the kinds of structural inferences that can be drawn from these studies, are also discussed.
Unusual presentation of fetus in fetu in triplet pregnancy mimicking abdominal wall defect
Authors: Erdogdu Emre , Arısoy Resul , Kumru Pınar , Pakay Kaan , Demirci Oya , Pekin Oya , Aydin Hatip
Published: June 2015

Fetus in fetu (FIF) is a rare form of twinning in which an immature twin develops parasitically inside the other twin. The most frequent location of a parasitic fetus is the retroperitoneal region. A FIF located on the abdominal wall is an unusual condition, and it should be kept in mind as one of the differential diagnoses of abdominal wall masses.
A case of fetal cardiac rupture diagnosed by postmortem magnetic resonance image
Authors: Hishikawa Kenji , Wada Seiji , Ozawa Katsusuke , Matsuoka Kentaro , Miyazaki Osamu , Sago Haruhiko
Published: June 2015

Background: Fetal cardiac rupture is very rare and has been scarcely reported. Prenatal image diagnosis of fetal cardiac rupture is not well characterized.

Case: An 18-week fetus with a pericardial mass and effusion revealed by ultrasound was suspected to have a pericardial tumor. Fetal demise occurred at 19 weeks’ gestation. Postmortem magnetic resonance image (MRI) found a pericardial mass diagnosed as a hematoma caused by cardiac rupture. Findings were confirmed by autopsy.

Conclusion: MRI may be applicable for prenatal diagnosis of cardiac rupture.
Tapping into the wisdom in the room: results from participant discussion at the 7th International Conference on Diagnostic Error in Medicine facilitated by a World Café technique
Authors: Cosby Karen S. , Zipperer Lorri , Balik Barbara
Published: June 2015

The patient safety literature is full of exhortations to approach medical error from a system perspective and seek multidisciplinary solutions from groups including clinicians, patients themselves, as well as experts outside the traditional medical domain. The 7th annual International Conference on Diagnostic Error in Medicine sought to attract a multispecialty audience, and attempted to capture some of the conversations by engaging participants in a World Café, a technique used to stimulate discussion and preserve insight gained during the conference. We present the ideas generated in this session, discuss them in the context of psychological safety, and demonstrate the application of this novel technique.
Numerical computation of fractional Lotka-Volterra equation arising in biological systems
Authors: Ramswroop  , Singh Jagdev , Kumar Devendra
Published: June 2015

In this paper, we present the homotopy analysis transform method (HATM) to solve fractional Lotka- Volterra equation, which describes the long term servival of species. The HATM solutions, denotes less error compare with their respective exact solution for alpha = 1. In addition to non-proposed techniques, HATMis valid for both small and large parameters, it also provides us with a simpleway to adjust and control the parameter hbar and auxiliary function H(t), which play effective role for convergence solutions of fractional differential-difference equations (FDDEs).
Synthesis and superconductivity in spark plasma sintered pristine and graphene-doped FeSe0.5Te0.5
Authors: Puneet Pooja , Podila Ramakrishna , He Jian , Rao Apparao M. , Howard Austin , Cornell Nicholas , Zakhidov Anvar A.
Published: June 2015

Here, we present a new ball-milling and spark plasma sintering (SPS)-based technique for the facile synthesis of FeSe0.5Te0.5 superconductors without the need for pre-alloying. This method is advantageous since it is quick and flexible for incorporating other dopants such as graphene for vortex pinning. We observed that FeSe0.5Te0.5 exhibits a coexistence of ferromagnetic (FM) and superconductivity signature plausibly arising from a FM core-superconducting shell structure. More importantly, the H

c2 values observed from resistivity data are higher than 7 T, indicating that SPS process synthesized FeSe0.5Te0.5 samples could lead to next-generation superconducting wires and cables.
TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma: benefits of pre-operative octreotide
Authors: Wallace I R , Healy E , Cooke R S , Ellis P K , Harper R , Hunter S J
Published: June 2015

TSH-secreting pituitary adenomas are rare and the optimal investigation and management is uncertain. We describe a case of a 43 year-old woman with a TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma, highlighting diagnostic testing and our use, pre-operatively of somatostatin analogue therapy, which induced biochemical euthyroidism and a reduction in tumour size.

Learning points

The differential diagnosis of the syndrome of inappropriate TSH secretion is non-thyroidal illness, medications, assay interference due to heterophilic antibodies, thyroid hormone resistance and TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma.

TRH stimulation test and triiodothyronine suppression test assist in differentiating thyroid hormone resistance and TSH-secreting pituitary adenoma.

Somatostatin analogue therapy can induce biochemical euthyroidism and reduce tumour size.
Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors with transformation to insulinoma: an unusual presentation of a rare disease
Authors: Nahmias Avital , Grozinsky-Glasberg Simona , Salmon Asher , Gross David J
Published: June 2015

Approximately 35% of the pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are functional, the most common of which is an insulinoma. Rarely can initially nonfunctioning tumor undergo biological transformation to a hormone-secreting tumor with subsequent changes in the clinical picture. We present here three unique patients with long-standing pNETs who developed life-threatening hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia along with tumor progression. In two of the patients, everolimus (Afinitor) was administered in an attempt to control both tumor growth and hypoglycemia. In two cases everolimus therapy resulted in the abolishment of hypoglycemia and induced significant tumor regression; however these beneficial responses were transient. These cases highlight the exceptional ability of pNETs to change biological behavior in parallel with disease progression. Our experience concurs with recently published studies demonstrating the utility of everolimus for the control of both hypoglycemia and tumor progression.

Learning points

Nonfunctional pNET can gain new features such as insulin secretion with related morbidity.

Gain of function in a previously nonfunctional pNET signifies tumor progression and is usually associated with poor prognosis.

Everolimus proved to be a viable treatment for hypoglycemia in insulinoma patients and was also proven highly effective in the patients presented here.

As disease progresses, the effect of everolimus on hypoglycemia wanes. We report for the first time the development of hypoglycemia during everolimus treatment.
Low glucose-induced ghrelin secretion is mediated by an ATP-sensitive potassium channel
Authors: Oya Manami , Kitaguchi Tetsuya , Harada Kazuki , Numano Rika , Sato Takahiro , Kojima Masayasu , Tsuboi Takashi
Published: June 2015

Ghrelin is synthesized in X/A-like cells of the gastric mucosa, which plays an important role in the regulation of energy homeostasis. Although ghrelin secretion is known to be induced by neurotransmitters or hormones or by nutrient sensing in the ghrelin-secreting cells themselves, the mechanism of ghrelin secretion is not clearly understood. In the present study, we found that changing the extracellular glucose concentration from elevated (25 mM) to optimal (10 mM) caused an increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in ghrelin-secreting mouse ghrelinoma 3-1 (MGN3-1) cells (n=32, P<0.01), whereas changing the glucose concentration from elevated to lowered (5 or 1 mM) had little effect on [Ca2+]i increase. Overexpression of a closed form of an ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channel mutant suppressed the 10 mM glucose-induced [Ca2+]i increase (n=8, P<0.01) and exocytotic events (n=6, P<0.01). We also found that a low concentration of a KATP channel opener, diazoxide, with 25 mM glucose induced [Ca2+]i increase (n=23, P<0.01) and ghrelin secretion (n≥3, P<0.05). In contrast, the application of a low concentration of a KATP channel blocker, tolbutamide, significantly induced [Ca2+]i increase (n=15, P<0.01) and ghrelin secretion (n≥3, P<0.05) under 5 mM glucose. Furthermore, the application of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel inhibitors suppressed the 10 mM glucose-induced [Ca2+]i increase (n≥26, P<0.01) and ghrelin secretion (n≥5, P<0.05). These findings suggest that KATP and voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels are involved in glucose-dependent ghrelin secretion in MGN3-1 cells.
Chronic cortisol and the regulation of food intake and the endocrine growth axis in rainbow trout
Authors: Madison Barry N , Tavakoli Sara , Kramer Sarah , Bernier Nicholas J
Published: June 2015

To gain a better understanding of the mechanisms by which cortisol suppresses growth during chronic stress in fish, we characterized the effects of chronic cortisol on food intake, mass gain, the expression of appetite-regulating factors, and the activity of the GH/IGF axis. Fish given osmotic pumps that maintained plasma cortisol levels at ∼70 or 116 ng/ml for 34 days were sampled 14, 28 and 42 days post-implantation. Relative to shams, the cortisol treatments reduced food intake by 40–60% and elicited marked increases in liver leptin (lep-a1) and brain preoptic area (POA) corticotropin-releasing factor (crf) mRNA levels. The cortisol treatments also elicited 40–80% reductions in mass gain associated with increases in pituitarygh, liverghreceptor (ghr), liverigfIandigfbinding protein (igfbp)-1 and -2 mRNA levels, reduced plasma GH and no change in plasma IGF1. During recovery, while plasma GH and pituitarygh, liverghrandigfIgene expression did not differ between treatments, the high cortisol-treated fish had lower plasma IGF1 and elevated liverigfbp1mRNA levels. Finally, the cortisol-treated fish had higher plasma glucose levels, reduced liver glycogen and lipid reserves, and muscle lipid content. Thus, our findings suggest that the growth-suppressing effects of chronic cortisol in rainbow trout result from reduced food intake mediated at least in part by increases in liverlep-a1and POAcrfmRNA, from sustained increases in hepaticigfbp1expression that reduce the growth-promoting actions of the GH/IGF axis, and from a mobilization of energy reserves.
Case Report: Intravenous and Oral Pyridoxine Trial for Diagnosis of Pyridoxine-Dependent Epilepsy
Authors: Cirillo Melissa , Venkatesan Charu , Millichap John J. , Stack Cynthia V. , Nordli Douglas R.
Published: June 2015

Pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy is a rare, autosomal recessive, treatable cause of neonatal seizures. Genetic testing can confirm mutations in the ALDH7A1 gene, which encodes antiquitin. To avoid delays in initiating treatment while awaiting confirmatory genetic testing, it is recommended that all neonates with unexplained seizures should receive trial of intravenous (IV) pyridoxine to assess for responsiveness. However, oral pyridoxine is not commonly continued in the absence of the typical EEG changes. Two cases are presented that highlight the potential inadequacy of this single-step approach. One neonate ultimately diagnosed with pyridoxine-dependent seizures had no EEG changes after administration of IV pyridoxine. In contrast, another neonate who did not have this diagnosis had profound EEG changes after pyridoxine administration. We present 2 cases that highlight the difficulties in using initial EEG response to IV pyridoxine in establishing a diagnosis of pyridoxine-dependent seizures in the neonate. Given the availability of biochemical markers and gene testing, we suggest that oral pyridoxine treatment should be continued until biochemical and/or genetic testing has confirmed the presence or absence of pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in Neonatal HSV Infection on Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
Authors: Funaki Takanori , Miyata Ippei , Shoji Kensuke , Enomoto Yuki , Sakamoto Seisuke , Kasahara Mureo , Miyairi Isao
Published: June 2015

Optimal acyclovir dosing under continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) in neonates is unknown. We monitored serum acyclovir levels and herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) DNA levels in a neonate with disseminated HSV-1 infection and renal failure undergoing CRRT. A full-term, 5-day-old female presented with a 2-day history of lethargy and fever. She developed fulminant hepatitis and was diagnosed with HSV-1 infection by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Acyclovir was initiated at 60 mg/kg/day, which was lowered to 20 mg/kg/day because of development of renal failure. She was placed on continuous hemodialysis. Acyclovir dosing was adjusted according to serum acyclovir levels, and HSV-1 viral load was sequentially monitored. Semiquantification of serum HSV-1 levels was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Acyclovir levels were measured by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Acyclovir was administered at 20 mg/kg intravenously over 1 hour; peak concentration was 18.9 μg/mL. The half-life of acyclovir was estimated to be 2 to 3 h. Viral load remained high during dosing every 24 hours, with a decline of 0.17 log copies/24 hours. Acyclovir dosing was changed to 20 mg/kg/dose every 8 hours, with an average viral load decline of 0.44 log copies/24 hours. Despite the guideline recommendation of 24-hour redosing, acyclovir was dialyzed at a rate that resulted in suboptimal treatment. Individual therapeutic drug monitoring for acyclovir and dosing adjustment may be required to optimize therapy for patients undergoing CRRT.
Comparative Effectiveness Research Through a Collaborative Electronic Reporting Consortium
Authors: Fiks Alexander G. , Grundmeier Robert W. , Steffes Jennifer , Adams William G. , Kaelber David C. , Pace Wilson D. , Wasserman Richard C.
Published: June 2015

The United States lacks a system to use routinely collected electronic health record (EHR) clinical data to conduct comparative effectiveness research (CER) on pediatric drug therapeutics and other child health topics. This Special Article describes the creation and details of a network of EHR networks devised to use clinical data in EHRs for conducting CER, led by the American Academy of Pediatrics Pediatric Research in Office Settings (PROS). To achieve this goal, PROS has linked data from its own EHR-based “ePROS” network with data from independent practices and health systems across the United States. Beginning with 4 of proof-of-concept retrospective CER studies on psychotropic and asthma medication use and side effects with a planned full-scale prospective CER study on treatment of pediatric hypertension, the Comparative Effectiveness Research Through Collaborative Electronic Reporting (CER2) collaborators are developing a platform to advance the methodology of pediatric pharmacoepidemiology. CER2 will provide a resource for future CER studies in pediatric drug therapeutics and other child health topics. This article outlines the vision for and present composition of this network, governance, and challenges and opportunities for using the network to advance child health and health care. The goal of this network is to engage child health researchers from around the United States in participating in collaborative research using the CER2 database.
Modeling of CO2 vapor-liquid equilibrium in Colombian heavy oil using SARA analysis
Authors: Ramirez Oscar , Betancur Gómez Carolina , Hoyos Bibian , Naranjo Carlos
Published: June 2015

The solubility of CO2 in Colombian heavy oil was calculated using the Peng-Robinson cubic equation of state and the Lee-Kesler correlations. The crude was represented as a mixture of pseudo-components and for each one of them, the thermodynamic and critical properties were estimated. The results obtained in representing the oil with four, five and six pseudo-components show that all these representations produce similar results and therefore the use of four pseudo-components is sufficient and has a lower computational cost. Excellent results were obtained by comparing the experimental and calculated data. For this system, it is enough to have a complete characterization of the SARA analysis and to use four pseudo-components to adequately model the vapor-liquid equilibrium of CO2 -heavy oil.
TECNOLOGÍAS PARA LA REMOCIÓN DE COLORANTES Y PIGMENTOS PRESENTES EN AGUAS RESIDUALES
Authors: Barrios-Ziolo Leonardo Fabio , Gaviria-Restrepo Luisa Fernanda , Agudelo Edison Alexander , Cardona Gallo Santiago Alonso
Published: June 2015

Los colorantes y pigmentos están comenzando hacer considerados en el país como compuestos que pueden presentar características toxicológicas más allá de los aspectos estéticos en las aguas residuales. El estado del arte presenta los tratamientos más efectivos para la  remoción, destrucción y mineralización de colorantes y pigmentos presentes en aguas residuales en función de las propiedades fisicoquímicas de las moléculas  constituyentes. Las cinéticas  de remoción de  DBO5, DQO, color “real” y “aparente” en los efluentes, además de los tiempos de operación, fueron estudiadas  para  determinar  el conjunto de tecnologías  físicas, químicas, biológicas y combinadas de mayor importancia e influencia en la actualidad.  Entre las tecnologías de tratamiento  más relevantes se destacan los procesos  de adsorción y filtración,  las tecnologías avanzadas de oxidación (fotocatálisis, ozonación, fenton/UV, electrocoagulación, etc) y los procesos biológicos secuenciales (del tipo anaerobio – aerobio). Se evidenció la influencia de variables como el pH, la concentración inicial del colorante y la solubilidad, entre otras, sobre las cinéticas de remoción de colorantes específicos. 
Compromise solutions in mining method selection - case study in colombian coal mining
Authors: Romero-Gélvez Jorge Iván , Cortes-Aldana Félix Antonio , Franco-Sepúlveda Giovanni
Published: June 2015

The purpose of this paper is to present a quantitative approach to the selection of the mining extraction method by developing a methodological problem of discrete multicriteria decision making (MCDM), this approach seeks to support the process of planning and mine design. Select the extractive method is one of the problems of Discrete Multicriteria Decision (MCDM) where decision-makers had problems in assigning weight to each criterion. To solve this problem, this article suggests the ENTROPY method. This paper wants to handle the subjectivity inherent to this problem by using the VIKOR method, which yields results in a compromise alternative. The methodology proposed in this article applies in coal deposit located in the western side of Cerro Tasajero in Norte de Santander, Colombia
Weibull accelerated life testing analysis with several variables using multiple linear regression
Authors: Piña-Monarrez Manuel R. , Ávila-Chávez Carlos A. , Márquez-Luévano Carlos D.
Published: June 2015

In Weibull accelerated life test analysis (ALT) with two or more variables (X2, X3, ... Xk), we estimated, in joint form, the parameters of the life stress model r{X(t)} and one shape parameter β. These were then used to extrapolate the conclusions to the operational level. However, these conclusions are biased because in the experiment design (DOE) used, each combination of the variables presents its own Weibull family (βi, ηi). Thus the estimated β is not representative. On the other hand, since (βi, ηi) is determined by the variance of the logarithm of the lifetime data σt2 , the response variance σy2 and the correlation coefficient R2, which increases when variables are added to the analysis, β is always overestimated. In this paper, the problem is statistically addressed and based on the Weibull families (βi, ηi) a vector Yη is estimated and used to determine the parameters of r{X(t)}. Finally, based on the variance σy2 of each level, the variance of the operational level σop2 is estimated and used to determine the operational shape parameter βop. The efficiency of the proposed method is shown by numerical applications and by comparing its results with those of the maximum likelihood method (ML).
Study of the behavior of sugarcane bagasse submitted to cutting
Authors: Arzola Nelson , García Joyner
Published: June 2015

The aim of this work was to study the behavior of sugarcane bagasse submitted to cutting, as a function of its moisture content, angle of the blade edge and cutting speed. The specific cutting energy and peak cutting force were measured using an experimental facility developed for this series of experiments. An analysis of the results of the full factorial experimental design using a statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed. The response surfaces and empirical models for the specific cutting energy and peak cutting force were obtained using statistical analysis system software. Low angle of the blade edge and low moisture content are, in this order, the most important experimental factors in determining a low specific cutting energy and a low peak cutting force respectively. The best cutting conditions are achieved for an angle of blade edge of 20.8° and a moisture content of 10% w. b. The results of this work could contribute to the optimal design of sugarcane bagasse pre-treatment systems.
The water budget and modeling of the Montes Torozos' karst aquifer (Valladolid, Spain)
Authors: Sanz Lobón Germán , Martínez-Alegría Roberto , Taboada Javier , Albuquerque Teresa , Antunes Margarida , Montequi Isabel
Published: June 2015

The main core of this paper is the computation of the hydrological balance for the karstic aquifer of the sedimentary Duero watershed, middle-west of Spain. The obtained results for the hydrological balance have been used in the construction of simulated scenarios. In order to characterize the spatial and temporal dynamics of the water resources evolve through the hydrological year geostatistical (SpaceStat software) and numerical methodologies (Visual Modflow, software) were carried out. The Montes Torozos is a sedimentary karst unconfined aquifer, and its hydrological balance is defined by rainfall and drains.
Determination of the tide constituents at Livingston and Deception Islands (South Shetland Islands, Antarctica), using annual time series
Authors: Jigena Antelo Bismarck , Vidal Juan , Berrocoso Manuel
Published: June 2015

A detailed study is presented of the tidal constituents for Livingston and Deception Islands (Antarctica) obtained at the LIVMAR and DECMAR tide gauge stations. Data were acquired with tide gauge pressure sensors, and calculated from a long time series of 798 days of data-logging, using the least-squares harmonic estimation method. The results show an improvement over previous results in the region. Seventy tidal constituents were obtained, of which 19 were the most representative with amplitudes greater than 1 cm and a contribution of 93% of the wave energy. In both stations, it was confirmed that the tides are mixed, with a semi-diurnal behavior. The tidal gauge benchmarks (TGBMs) were linked to vertical and horizontal Antarctic Geodetic Networks, which provides a very important contribution for geodetic, oceanographic and hydrographic studies in the area.
Effect of cellulose nanofibers concentration on mechanical, optical, and barrier properties of gelatin-based edible films
Authors: Andrade Pizarro Ricardo David , Skurtys Olivier , Osorio-Lira Fernando
Published: June 2015

The effect of gelatin, glycerol, and cellulose nanofiber (CNFs) concentrations on the mechanical properties, water vapor permeability, and color parameters of films was evaluated. The results indicate that the color is only affected by the gelatin concentration. Mechanical tests indicated that with increasing concentration of gelatin and CNFs, there is an increase in tensile strength, whereas an increase in glycerol concentration causes an increase in elongation, making the films more flexible. An increased concentration of gelatin and glycerol makes the film more permeable to water vapor, while an increase in the concentration of CNFs reduces this property. Finally, the addition of CNFs to gelatin-based films improves their mechanical and barrier properties (water vapor) without affecting the appearance (color) of the films.
Matrix multiplication with a hypercube algorithm on multi-core processor cluster
Authors: Zavala-Diaz José Crispín , Pérez-Ortega Joaquín , Salazar-Reséndiz Efraín , Guadarrama-Rogel Luis César
Published: June 2015

The algorithm of multiplication of matrices of Dekel, Nassimi and Sahani or Hypercube is analysed, modified and implemented on multicore processor cluster, where the number of processors used is less than that required by the algorithm n33. 23, 43 and 83 processing units are used to multiply matrices of the order of 10x10, 102x102 and 103X103. The results of the mathematical model of the modified algorithm and those obtained from the computational experiments show that it is possible to reach acceptable speedup and parallel efficiencies, based on the number of used processor units. It also shows that the influence of the external communication link among the nodes is reduced if a combination of the available communication channels among the cores in a multi-core cluster is used.
Intuitionistic Fuzzy MOORA for Supplier Selection
Authors: Pérez-Domínguez Luis , Alvarado-Iniesta Alejandro , Rodríguez-Borbón Iván , Vergara-Villegas Osslan
Published: June 2015

The supplier selection is a critical activity within the administration of the supply chain. It is considered a complex problem given that it involves different aspects such as the alternatives to evaluate, the multiple criteria involved as well as the group of decision makers with different opinions. In this sense, the literature reports several methods to help in this difficult activity of selecting the best supplier. However, there are still some gaps in these methods; therefore, it is imperative to further develop research. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to report a hybrid method between MOORA and intuitionistic fuzzy sets for the selection of suppliers with a focus on multi-criteria and multi-group environment. The importance of decision makers, criteria and alternatives are evaluated in terms of intuitionistic fuzzy sets. Then, MOORA is used in order to determine the best supplier. An experimental case is developed in order to explain the proposed method in detail and to demonstrate its practicality and effectiveness.
Short-term generation planning by primal and dual decomposition techniques
Authors: Marmolejo-Saucedo José Antonio , Rodríguez-Aguilar Román
Published: June 2015

This paper addresses the short-term generation planning (STGP) through thermoelectric units. The mathematical model is presented as a Mixed Integer Non Linear Problem (MINLP). Several works on the state of art of the problem have revealed that the computational effort of this problem grows exponentially with the number of time periods and number of thermoelectric units. Therefore, we present two alternatives to solve a STGP based on Benders’ partitioning algorithm and Lagrangian relaxation in order to reduce the computational effort. The proposal is to apply primal and dual decomposition techniques, which exploit the structure of the problem to reduce solution time by decomposing the STGP into a master problem and a subproblem. For Benders’ algorithm, the master problem is a Mixed Integer Problem (MIP) and for the subproblem, it is a Non Linear Problem (NLP). For Lagrangian relaxation, the master problem and the subproblem are MINLP. The computational experiments show the performance of both decomposition techniques applied to the STGP. These techniques allow us to save computation time when compared to some high performance commercial solvers.
Effects of management commitment and organization of work teams on the benefits of Kaizen: Planning stage
Authors: Oropesa-Vento Midiala , García-Alcaraz Jorge Luis , Rivera Leonardo , Manotas Diego F.
Published: June 2015

This paper presents an analysis of the effects of management commitment and organization of work teams in the benefits of implementing Kaizen in industrial enterprises during planning stages. To gather information, 200 questionnaires were applied to 68 companies distributed in the states of Tabasco, Sinaloa and Chihuahua in Mexico and in the province of Camagüey, Cuba. We used the methodology of least partial squares with the WarpPLS 4.0 software to develop a model of structural equations that explains such effects. The results show that when there is a high level of managerial commitment, this impacts the profits and competitiveness of companies positively. We also found that the organization of work teams has positive impacts on competitive benefits and these, in turn, on economic benefits. As a result of this study, we present the impact of certain critical success factors of Kaizen on the benefits of its implementation, which is a key factor in its sustainability over time.
The role of sourcing service agents in the competitiveness of Mexico as an international sourcing region
Authors: Arroyo-López María Del Pilar Ester , Ramos-Rangel José Antonio
Published: June 2015

The purpose of this work was to explore and define the sourcing services of Mexican third parties in order to provide a better understanding of how they contribute to the attractiveness of the country as a low-cost production region. Given the exploratory nature of this research, the case study was the research method selected to collect relevant information. Two Mexican companies associated with global supply chains of different types—product-driven and buyer-driven—were selected as representative cases. Primary information was collected through in-depth personal interviews, site visits and secondary documents. The analysis of the two cases allowed the determination of the supplier governance structure and the assessment of the third parties’ contribution to the integration of local suppliers to global supply chains (GSC). In addition, the analysis contributes to the establishment of the value outsourcing services represent for international buyers as well.
A nitrogén és a réz közötti kölcsönhatás vizsgálata szabadföldi kukorica kísérletben
Authors: Kádár Imre , Csathó Péter
Published: June 2015

Mészlepedékes csernozjom vályogtalajon beállított szabadföldi kísérletben vizs-gáltuk a NxCu elemek közötti kölcsönhatásokat 1991-ben kukoricával. A termőhely talaja a szántott rétegben 3% humuszt, 5% körüli CaCO3-ot és kb. 20% agyagot tartalmazott.

Az elemzések alapján a terület talaja jó Ca-, Mg-, K-, Mn-, kielégítő Cu-, köze-pes N-, valamint gyenge-közepes P- és Zn-ellátottságú volt. A talajvíz 13–15 m mélyen van, tehát a terület aszályérzékeny. A kísérletet 4N×3Cu = 12 kezelés × 3 ismétlés = 36 parcellával állítottuk be osztott parcellás (split-plot) elrendezéssel.

A N 0, 100, 200, 300 kg·ha−1, a Cu 0, 50, 100 kg·ha−1 adagokat jelentett Ca-ammóniumnitrát, illetve CuSO4 formájában. Az árpilis, május és a július hónapokat aszály jellemezte.

Főbb eredményeink:

1. Az 1991. év első fele erősen csapadékhiányos volt, a N-trágyázás termés-csökkenést eredményezett. Igazolhatóan mérséklődött a termő tövek száma. Az 1000-szem tömeg 278 g maradt. A Cu-trágyázással igazolhatóan emelkedett az egy tőre eső szemek száma, illetve a csövenkénti szemtömeg. A szemtermés az NxCu kezelésekben 7,0 és 8,6 t·ha−1 között változott.

2. A N-túlsúly, azaz az agronómiailag indokoltat jelentősen meghaladó N-adagok hatására a 4–6 leveles korú növény gyökerének N%-a, a virágzáselejei leve-lek N- és Zn-felvétele, valamint az aratáskori szár N-, K- és Ca-koncentrációja nőtt. A Cu-trágyázással a kontrollhoz viszonyítva a fiatal hajtás, a virágzás elejei levél és a szár Cu-tartalma átlagosan 1/3-ával emelkedett. A gyökér Cu-készlete a Cu-adagolással 2,5-szeresére nőtt. A Cu növényen belüli vertikális mozgása azonban gátolt volt.

3. A 12 t·ha−1 (szem + szár) földfeletti biomasszába kereken 114 kg N, 77 kg K (92 kg K2O), 22 kg P (50 kg P2O5),15 kg Ca, és 18 kg Mg épült be. Az 1 t szem + a hozzátartozó melléktermék fajlagos elemtartalma 15 kg N, 10 kg K (12 kg K2O), 3 kg P (7 kg P2O5), illetve 3 kg körüli CaO és MgO mennyiségnek adódott.

Adataink a tervezett kukoricatermés elemszükségletének számításakor a szakta-nácsadásban használhatók fel.
Cianobaktériumok és eukarióta algák talajszuszpenzióból történő közvetlen vizsgálatának lehetősége áramlási citométerrel
Authors: Lepossa Anita , Hoffmann Sándor , Nagy Szabolcs
Published: June 2015

A talajokban élő cianobaktériumok és eukarióta algák edafonban betöltött szerepe kulcsfontosságú. Eddig megismert kölcsönhatásaik a talaj más szervezeteivel és a magasabb rendű növényekkel, valamint hozzájárulásuk a talajok mikroszerkezetének kialakulásához és a nitrogénellátáshoz a legismertebbek.

A talajalgák mennyiségi és minőségi kimutatására meglehetősen kevés közvetlen és közvetett sejtszámolási módszer és adat áll rendelkezésre.

Jelen munkánkban Ramannféle barna erdőtalajon őszi búza, bíborhere, kukori-ca és szója parcellákból gyűjtött talajminták cianobaktérium és eukarióta mikroalga sejtszám vizsgálatát végeztük el egy — ezen a téren még újnak számító — nagysebes-ségű, automatizált sejtanalitikai módszer, az áramlási citometria alkalmazásával.

A négy növénykultúrából 2013 júliusában, Keszthelyen, a felszíni öt centiméte-res talajrétegből hat ismétlésben vett talajmintákból vizes szuszpenziót készítettünk, majd mértük azok aktív algasejt-tartalmát. A cianobaktériumokat és az eukarióta algákat klorofill-a és fikoeritrin autofluoreszcencia alapján különböztettük meg a szuszpenzió egyéb elemeitől. A mérésekhez Beckman Coulter FC–500 áramlási citométert használtunk, mintánként öt perc futtatási idővel. A műszer által rögzített eseményszámból következtettünk az algasejtszám-értékekre.

A citométeres ábrákon — megfelelő beállítások után — jól elkülönülő alga sejtpopulációk jelentek meg. Valamennyi mintában a cianobaktériumok domináltak, legalább 60%-os aránnyal. A kukorica talajában mutattuk ki a legnagyobb alga jelenlétet (2,4·105 sejt·g−1 száraz talaj), míg a búzáéban a legkevesebbet, alig 50%-ot (1,1·105 sejt·g−1 száraz talaj). A cianobaktériumok becsült sejtszámát tekintve a kukorica és a szója talajában jelentősen nagyobb abundancia mutatkozott a bíborhere és őszi búza talajához viszonyítva. Szignifikáns különbséget találtunk a becsült eukarióta alga sejtszámban a kukorica- és szója talaja között, a kukorica javára.

Eredményeink igazolták, hogy az áramlási citometria megfelelő és hiánypótló módszer lehet a talajok kvantitatív mikrobiológiai vizsgálatai során, különös tekin-tettel a fotoszintetizáló szervezetekre.