bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Occurrence of Ionophores in the Danish Environment
Authors: Bak Søren , Björklund Erland
Published: November 2014

Antibiotics in the environment are a potential threat to environmental ecosystems as well as human health and safety. Antibiotics are designed to have a biological effect at low doses, and the low levels detected in the environment have turned focus on the need for more research on environmental occurrence and fate, to assess the risk and requirement for future regulation. This article describes the first occurrence study of the antibiotic polyether ionophores (lasalocid, monensin, narasin, and salinomycin) in the Danish environment. Various environmental matrices (river water, sediment, and soil) have been evaluated during two different sampling campaigns carried out in July 2011 and October 2012 in an agricultural area of Zealand, Denmark. Lasalocid was not detected in any of the samples. Monensin was measured at a concentration up to 20 ng·L−1 in river water and 13 µg·kg−1 dry weight in the sediment as well as being the most frequently detected ionophore in the soil samples with concentrations up to 8 µg·kg−1 dry weight. Narasin was measured in sediment samples at 2 µg·kg−1 dry weight and in soil between 1 and 18 µg·kg−1 dry weight. Salinomycin was detected in a single soil sample at a concentration of 30 µg·kg−1 dry weight.
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of an Extract Rich in Polysaccharides of the Mushroom Polyporus dermoporus
Authors: Dore Celina , Alves Monique , Santos Maria , De Souza Leonardo , Baseia Iuri , Leite Edda
Published: November 2014

Polyporus dermoporus mushroom, native to Brazil, is produced under natural conditions in the unexplored reserve of Mata da Estrela-Rio Grande do Norte-RN. These mushrooms were delipidated with chloroform:methanol (2:1 v/v), extracted with water at 100 °C, and fractionated with ethanol (one and three volumes) and then centrifuged. The ethanol precipitation showed a high total sugar level of 64.8% and 1% of protein. This precipitate contained a high glucan level, characterized by chemical methods and by NMR of 13C and 1H and spectroscopy. The 13C NMR spectrum of these mushroom extracts showed the presence of β-glucose by a signal at 103.25 ppm. Studies with these glucans were made to elucidate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. This extract of glucans inhibited the lipid peroxidation (42.9%) and superoxide radicals (83.3%) at 67 μg/mL. However, the inhibition of hydroxyl radical by the extract of this mushroom was 96% at 267 μg/mL. The action of this extract on induced pleurisy showed a 92.5% and 68.7% reduction in polymorphonuclears cells and nitric oxide, respectively, at 30 mg/kg. The glucans reduced the croton oil-induced ear edema by 65.6% at 30 mg/kg.
Uncertainties in Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Advanced Biomass Feedstock Logistics Supply Chains in Kansas
Authors: Nguyen Long , Cafferty Kara , Searcy Erin , Spatari Sabrina
Published: November 2014

To meet Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) cellulosic biofuel mandates, the United States will require an annual domestic supply of about 242 million Mg of biomass by 2022. To improve the feedstock logistics of lignocellulosic biofuels in order to access available biomass resources from areas with varying yields, commodity systems have been proposed and designed to deliver quality-controlled biomass feedstocks at preprocessing “depots”. Preprocessing depots densify and stabilize the biomass prior to long-distance transport and delivery to centralized biorefineries. The logistics of biomass commodity supply chains could introduce spatially variable environmental impacts into the biofuel life cycle due to needing to harvest, move, and preprocess biomass from multiple distances that have variable spatial density. This study examines the uncertainty in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of corn stover logistics within a bio-ethanol supply chain in the state of Kansas, where sustainable biomass supply varies spatially. Two scenarios were evaluated each having a different number of depots of varying capacity and location within Kansas relative to a central commodity-receiving biorefinery to test GHG emissions uncertainty. The first scenario sited four preprocessing depots evenly across the state of Kansas but within the vicinity of counties having high biomass supply density. The second scenario located five depots based on the shortest depot-to-biorefinery rail distance and biomass availability. The logistics supply chain consists of corn stover harvest, collection and storage, feedstock transport from field to biomass preprocessing depot, preprocessing depot operations, and commodity transport from the biomass preprocessing depot to the biorefinery. Monte Carlo simulation was used to estimate the spatial uncertainty in the feedstock logistics gate-to-gate sequence. Within the logistics supply chain GHG emissions are most sensitive to the transport of the densified biomass, which introduces the highest variability (0.2–13 g CO2e/MJ) to life cycle GHG emissions. Moreover, depending upon the biomass availability and its spatial density and surrounding transportation infrastructure (road and rail), logistics can increase the variability in life cycle environmental impacts for lignocellulosic biofuels. Within Kansas, life cycle GHG emissions could range from 24 g CO2e/MJ to 41 g CO2e/MJ depending upon the location, size and number of preprocessing depots constructed. However, this range can be minimized through optimizing the siting of preprocessing depots where ample rail infrastructure exists to supply biomass commodity to a regional biorefinery supply system.
Towards a Fair and Efficient Packet Scheduling Scheme in Inter-Flow Network Coding
Authors: Wang Jin , Chai Teck , Wong Wai-Choong
Published: November 2014

Network coding techniques are usually applied upon network-layer protocols to improve throughput in wireless networks. In scenarios with multiple unicast sessions, fairness is also an important factor. Therefore, a network coding-aware packet-scheduling algorithm is required. A packet-scheduling algorithm determines which packet to send next from a node’s packet backlog. Existing protocols mostly employ a basic round-robin scheduling algorithm to give “equal” opportunities to different packet flows. In fact, this “equal”-opportunity scheduling is neither fair, nor efficient. This paper intends to accentuate the importance of a coding-aware scheduling scheme. With a good scheduling scheme, we can gain more control over the per-flow throughput and fairness. Specifically, we first formulate a static scheduling problem and propose an algorithm to find the optimal scheduling scheme. We then extend the technique to a dynamic setting and, later, to practical routing protocols. Results show that the algorithm is comparatively scalable, and it can improve the throughput gain when the network is not severely saturated. The fairness among flows is drastically improved as a result of this scheduling scheme.
The Upconversion Luminescence of Er3+/Yb3+/Nd3+ Triply-Doped β-NaYF4 Nanocrystals under 808-nm Excitation
Authors: Tian Lijiao , Xu Zheng , Zhao Suling , Cui Yue , Liang Zhiqin , Zhang Junjie , Xu Xurong
Published: November 2014

In this paper, Nd3+–Yb3+–Er3+-doped β-NaYF4 nanocrystals with different Nd3+ concentrations are synthesized, and the luminescence properties of the upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have been studied under 808-nm excitation for sensitive biological applications. The upconversion luminescence spectra of NaYF4 nanoparticles with different dopants under 808-nm excitation proves that the Nd3+ ion can absorb the photons effectively, and the Yb3+ ion can play the role of an energy-transfer bridging ion between the Nd3+ ion and Er3+ ion. To investigate the effect of the Nd3+ ion, the decay curves of the 4S3/2 → 4I15/2 transition at 540 nm are measured and analyzed. The NaYF4: 20% Yb3+, 2% Er3+, 0.5% Nd3+ nanocrystals have the highest emission intensity among all samples under 808-nm excitation. The UC (upconversion) mechanism under 808-nm excitation is discussed in terms of the experimental results.
Chemical Constituents of Kino Extract from Corymbia torelliana
Authors: Nobakht Motahareh , Grkovic Tanja , Trueman Stephen , Wallace Helen , Katouli Mohammad , Quinn Ronald , Brooks Peter
Published: November 2014

Seven flavanones were identified from kino exudate of Corymbia torelliana by spectroscopic and spectrometric methods including UV, 1D and 2D NMR and UPLC-HR-MS. The study identified seven molecules, namely 3,4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavanone (1), 3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavanone (2), 4',5,7-trihydroxyflavanone (3), 3,4',5-trihydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone (4), (+)-(2S)-4',5,7-trihydroxy-6-methylflavanone (5), 4',5,7-trihydroxy-6,8-dimethylflavanone (6) and 4',5-dihydroxy-7-methoxyflavanone (7) from this eucalypt species. This is the first report of these natural products from C. torelliana kino exudate.
Antifungal Activity and Computational Study of Constituents from Piper divaricatum Essential Oil against Fusarium Infection in Black Pepper
Authors: Da Silva Joyce , Silva José , Nascimento Soelange , Da Luz Shirlley , Meireles Erisléia , Alves Cláudio , Ramos Alessandra , Maia José
Published: November 2014

Fusarium disease causes considerable losses in the cultivation of Piper nigrum, the black pepper used in the culinary world. Brazil was the largest producer of black pepper, but in recent years has lost this hegemony, with a significant reduction in its production, due to the ravages produced by the Fusarium solani f. sp. piperis, the fungus which causes this disease. Scientific research seeks new alternatives for the control and the existence of other Piper species in the Brazilian Amazon, resistant to disease, are being considered in this context. The main constituents of the oil of Piper divaricatum are methyleugenol (75.0%) and eugenol (10.0%). The oil and these two main constituents were tested individually at concentrations of 0.25 to 2.5 mg/mL against F. solani f. sp. piperis, exhibiting strong antifungal index, from 18.0% to 100.0%. The 3D structure of the β-glucosidase from Fusarium solani f. sp. piperis, obtained by homology modeling, was used for molecular docking and molecular electrostatic potential calculations in order to determine the binding energy of the natural substrates glucose, methyleugenol and eugenol. The results showed that β-glucosidase (Asp45, Arg113, Lys146, Tyr193, Asp225, Trp226 and Leu99) residues play an important role in the interactions that occur between the protein-substrate and the engenol and methyleugenol inhibitors, justifying the antifungal action of these two phenylpropenes against Fusarium solani f. sp. piperis.
Using Smart Phone Sensors to Detect Transportation Modes
Authors: Xia Hao , Qiao Yanyou , Jian Jun , Chang Yuanfei
Published: November 2014

The proliferation of mobile smart devices has led to a rapid increase of location-based services, many of which are amassing large datasets of user trajectory information. Unfortunately, current trajectory information is not yet sufficiently rich to support classification of user transportation modes. In this paper, we propose a method that employs both the Global Positioning System and accelerometer data from smart devices to classify user outdoor transportation modes. The classified modes include walking, bicycling, and motorized transport, in addition to the motionless (stationary) state, for which we provide new depth analysis. In our classification, stationary mode has two sub-modes: stay (remaining in the same place for a prolonged time period; e.g., in a parked vehicle) and wait (remaining at a location for a short period; e.g., waiting at a red traffic light). These two sub-modes present different semantics for data mining applications. We use support vector machines with parameters that are optimized for pattern recognition. In addition, we employ ant colony optimization to reduce the dimension of features and analyze their relative importance. The resulting classification system achieves an accuracy rate of 96.31% when applied to a dataset obtained from 18 mobile users.
VFR Travel and Second Home Tourism: the Missing Link? The Case of South Africa
Authors: Rogerson Christian M. , Hoogendoorn Gijsbert
Published: November 2014

Visiting friends and relatives (VFR) travel and second home tourism as topics of investigation have seen an upsurge in international research over the past 20 years. However, rarely has the conceptual link between the two issues been explored at any great length. The purpose of this
article is to explore the nexus between VFR travel and second home tourism with particular reference to the Global South. The case of South Africa provides the empirical context. It is revealed that VFR travel and second homes in South Africa must be understood in terms of two circuits. The
first circuit, mainly of affluent whites, mirrors the experiences of the Global North with VFR travel linked to recreational second homes. The second circuit shows the experiences of the Global South where working class residents migrate between first and second homes through circular migration
as a consequence of labor migration.
Globalization and the Impacts of Leisure-Induced Mobilities: Lessons from Tafí del Valle (NW Argentine Andes)
Authors: Rainer Gerhard , Gaitán Samuel Bedrich Morales
Published: November 2014

When analyzing the globalization of rural spaces, second home tourism, lifestyle migration, and tourism in general commonly merge. However, there is evidence that their social, economic, and environmental impacts are markedly distinct. Based on a case study conducted in Tafí
del Valle, a village in the North West Argentine Andes, this study asserts the need for interdisciplinary approaches to the study of contemporary modes of tourism, second home tourism, and lifestyle migration. With the aim to contribute to the literature concerning the globalization of the
countryside and the new mobilities paradigm, this study focuses on three aspects of the current dynamics in Tafí del Valle: changes in land use related to leisure purposes, the relationship between leisure-induced mobilities, and the way in which actors conduct policies and respond
to these dynamics. We gathered empirical data using ethnographic approaches such as semistructured interviews and participant observation during various field stays between 2009 and 2013. This approach emphasizes “the voice of the subjects” in order to show how different actors
engage, live, and respond to the globalization of leisure. Findings show that in some cases a sense of migrism (migration + tourism) has replaced the exigence of a deeper analysis of the relation between leisure-oriented types of mobility. Our fieldwork indicates that there is a strong
need for academic investigation and for government institutions to consider an analytical step that differentiates between the different types of mobilities that characterize the globalization of leisure destinations in rural areas.
Normative Data for the Maryland CNC Test
Authors: Mendel Lisa Lucks , Mustain William D. , Magro Jessica
Published: November 2014

Background:The Maryland consonant-vowel nucleus-consonant (CNC) Test is routinely used in Veterans Administration medical centers, yet there is a paucity of published normative data for this test.Purpose:The purpose of this study was to provide information on the means
and distribution of word-recognition scores on the Maryland CNC Test as a function of degree of hearing loss for a veteran population.Research Design:A retrospective, descriptive design was conducted.Study Sample:The sample consisted of records from veterans who had Compensation
and Pension (C&P) examinations at a Veterans Administration medical center (N = 1,760 ears).Data Collection and Analysis:Audiometric records of veterans who had C&P examinations during a 10 yr period were reviewed, and the pure-tone averages (PTA4) at four frequencies (1000,
2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz) were documented. The maximum word-recognition score (PBmax) was determined from the performance-intensity functions obtained using the Maryland CNC Test. Correlations were made between PBmax and PTA4.Results:A wide range of word-recognition
scores were obtained at all levels of PTA4 for this population. In addition, a strong negative correlation between the PBmax and the PTA4 was observed, indicating that as PTA4 increased, PBmax decreased. Word-recognition scores decreased significantly as hearing loss
increased beyond a mild hearing loss. Although threshold was influenced by age, no statistically significant relationship was found between word-recognition score and the age of the participants.Conclusions:Results from this study provide normative data in table and figure format to
assist audiologists in interpreting patient results on the Maryland CNC test for a veteran population. These results provide a quantitative method for audiologists to use to interpret word-recognition scores based on pure-tone hearing loss.
Reaping the benefits of preferential trade agreement : Asian FDI in the Lesotho and Swaziland garment industry
Authors: Tati Gabriel
Published: November 2014

L’étude fournit des enseignements sur la dynamique organisationnelle de l’industrie de l’habillement au Swaziland et au Lesotho sous le régime d’AGOA (African Growth Opportunity Act). Les problèmes liés à la durée de l’AGOA, aux taux de change, à la durée de vie des entreprises, à la responsabilité des investisseurs, aux infrastructures industrielles, aux vêtements bas de gamme et aux conditions de travail des employés sont tour à tour examinés pour informer sur la manière dont ils entravent la participation efficace de ces deux pays dans cet arrangement commercial entre les États-Unis et l’Afrique. L’industrie de l’habillement a attiré un grand nombre d’investisseurs chinois et taiwanais. L’AGOA a des effets positifs assez visibles non seulement dans les quantités de vêtements exportées aux États Unis mais aussi dans les milliers d’emplois crées pour les femmes. Le côté négatif de cette industrie naissante de l’habillement est qu’elle est soumise à de nombreuses mauvaises pratiques de la part des investisseurs asiatiques qui affaiblissent la capacité du Swaziland et du Lesotho à réellement tirer profit des avantages offerts par l’AGOA. L’étude conclut que la participation du Swaziland et du Lesotho est de nature périphérique et que cette marginalisation pourrait perdurer au cours des phases successives de l’AGOA si ces problèmes ne sont pas convenablement résolus.
Rousseau interprète pascalien de Descartes : la troisième Lettre morale
Authors: Verhaeghe Laure
Published: November 2014

La troisième des Lettres morales est connue pour la critique apparemment définitive et radicale que Rousseau y adresse à la philosophie de Descartes – philosophie vaine, dont les principes seraient aussi chimériques et mensongers que la physique à laquelle ils aboutissent. La présente étude entend réfuter cette lecture, en examinant trois points : 1) l’exception cartésienne de la deuxième des Lettres , et l’énoncé programmatique d’un doute explicitement méthodique dans lequel s’inscrit la « critique » de Descartes ; 2) l’ambivalence de cette critique qui, dans son premier moment, ne peut concerner que la physique cartésienne ; 3) la présence constante, dans ces pages, de formules empruntées au discours « Disproportion de l’homme » de Pascal. Il s’agira de montrer en quoi Rousseau, loin d’en finir avec Descartes, rend hommage à la seule philosophie dont les principes – quoiqu’ils échappent à la raison seule et quoiqu’en disent les « cartésiens » – soient certains.
Matérialité d'un fonds d'archives : traiter, écouter, interpréter…
Authors: Cudré-Mauroux Stéphanie
Published: November 2014

Résumé On trouve dans le fonds Starobinski conservé aux Archives littéraires suisses à Berne de nombreux documents concernant Pierre Jean Jouve : cahiers de notes, manuscrits, correspondances, plans d’œuvres complètes, tirés-à-part, livres avec dédicaces… Jean Starobinski a consacré à Jouve quelque seize préfaces, études et publications ; il a dirigé l’édition des œuvres complètes au Mercure de France, donné plusieurs cours à l’Université de Genève et des conférences. Il a entretenu une importante relation épistolaire avec l’auteur, ou à son propos. Du premier article consacré à Jouve pour la revue Suisse contemporaine , alors que Jean Starobinski n’avait que vingt-deux ans, à la dernière étude publiée en octobre 2009, soixante-dix ans se sont écoulés, qui marquent une attention persévérante pour l’œuvre du poète et un intérêt qui se renouvellera constamment. L’article de Stéphanie Cudré-Mauroux est, d’une certaine manière, une visite guidée et orientée du fonds Starobinski à travers la présence de Jouve.
Économie circulaire : les enjeux économiques d'une transition écologique
Authors: Potočnik Janez
Published: November 2014

Né à une époque où les ressources étaient abondantes et quasi gratuites, le modèle économique actuel a toujours fait une utilisation intensive desdites ressources, ce qui a conduit à la dégradation de notre capital naturel et a contribué au changement climatique. Il est aujourd’hui indispensable de rompre avec ce modèle linéaire (extraire, fabriquer, utiliser, jeter) au profit d’un modèle circulaire qui prône non seulement une utilisation optimisée de chaque ressource, mais aussi une réutilisation de celle-ci. La concrétisation d’un tel changement exige la mise en œuvre de stratégies ambitieuses, c’est ce à quoi s’emploie aujourd’hui la Commission européenne.
La mise en pratique de l'économie circulaire chez Michelin
Authors: Aimon Dominique , Panier Estelle
Published: November 2014

Malgré un contexte de raréfaction et de renchérissement des matières premières et de lutte contre le changement climatique, la mobilité doit progresser toujours plus. Parce que Michelin est convaincu que la mobilité est un des fondements du développement humain, notre groupe innove avec passion pour répondre à ces enjeux. C’est tout au long du cycle de vie du pneu que l’impact sur les ressources naturelles (énergie, matières premières, eau) peut être amélioré dans une approche d’économie circulaire. La proposition de Michelin est de mobiliser simultanément quatre leviers d’action sur l’ensemble du cycle de vie du pneu et d’apporter une combinaison de solutions en faveur d’une meilleure utilisation des ressources. C’est la stratégie 4R : Réduire, Réutiliser, Recycler et Renouveler.
Réemploi, réparation, réutilisation : des enjeux environnementaux, écologiques et sociaux
Authors: Berès Anémone
Published: November 2014

S’il y avait un généticien de l’économie circulaire, il retrouverait certainement des gènes du Réseau Envie dans l’ADN de celle-ci. Chez Envie, l’économie circulaire a de l’expérience ! Au-delà de la préservation des ressources, le Réseau Envie développe un modèle qui replace la personne au centre de l’activité économique. L’économie classique ayant montré ses limites, le Réseau Envie promeut depuis longtemps une finalité sociale fondée sur la responsabilité personnelle, et se situant de fait très loin de l’assistanat. Envie développe des activités économiques pour accompagner ce projet social en travaillant sur une richesse abondante, celle que représentent les déchets. L’activité d’Envie est ainsi doublement réparatrice. À l’heure où les préoccupations économiques, environnementales et sociales sont si présentes, Envie, acteur expérimenté et sincère de l’économie circulaire, propose un modèle réaliste en la matière.
La logistique hospitalière au Québec : passé, présent et futur
Authors: Beaulieu Martin , Roy Jacques , Landry Sylvain , Michaud Martin , Roy Clément
Published: November 2014

Le réseau québécois de la santé et des services sociaux, à l’exemple de celui de nombreux pays industrialisés, doit trouver des façons de répondre à la demande grandissante tout en contrôlant la hausse des coûts. De plus en plus de directions d’établissements voient dans les activités de logistique hospitalière un réservoir d’économies potentielles de même qu’une façon de mieux soutenir la performance clinique. Depuis une dizaine d’années, on trouve différentes études qui tracent le portrait des activités logistiques dans les établissements de santé de la province de Québec. Cet article permet d’établir un pont entre ce passé et le présent afin de mieux comprendre les enjeux logistiques actuels. L’article propose ensuite des axes de développement possibles pour les activités de logistique hospitalière. Il se conclut par des observations sur les compétences que doivent posséder les gestionnaires de la logistique pour faciliter la mise en œuvre des axes de développement suggérés.
Medical Neglect
Authors: Boos Stephen C. , Fortin Kristine
Published: November 2014

Medical neglect occurs when children are harmed or placed at significant risk of harm by gaps in their medical care. This is most likely to occur and to be recognized when families lack resources, commonly due to poverty, and when medical demands are high, such as with complex, severe, and chronic illness. A systematic evaluation of the probabilities for harm from gaps in care versus benefits from improved care will define medical neglect. A broad consideration of child, family, community, and medical system contributions to identified gaps will guide management. Special circumstances, such as lapsed immunizations, unremitting obesity, and medically motivated alterations in care, are often challenging for medical providers. Guidance for these specific situations is available from the American Academy of Pediatrics, and from the medical literature.

[
Pediatr Ann
. 2014;43(11):e253–e259.]
Adequate Supervision for Children and Adolescents
Authors: Anderst James , Moffatt Mary
Published: November 2014

Primary care providers (PCPs) have the opportunity to improve child health and well-being by addressing supervision issues before an injury or exposure has occurred and/or after an injury or exposure has occurred. Appropriate anticipatory guidance on supervision at well-child visits can improve supervision of children, and may prevent future harm. Adequate supervision varies based on the child’s development and maturity, and the risks in the child’s environment. Consideration should be given to issues as wide ranging as swimming pools, falls, dating violence, and social media. By considering the likelihood of harm and the severity of the potential harm, caregivers may provide adequate supervision by minimizing risks to the child while still allowing the child to take “small” risks as needed for healthy development. Caregivers should initially focus on direct (visual, auditory, and proximity) supervision of the young child. Gradually, supervision needs to be adjusted as the child develops, emphasizing a safe environment and safe social interactions, with graduated independence. PCPs may foster adequate supervision by providing concrete guidance to caregivers. In addition to preventing injury, supervision includes fostering a safe, stable, and nurturing relationship with every child. PCPs should be familiar with age/developmentally based supervision risks, adequate supervision based on those risks, characteristics of neglectful supervision based on age/development, and ways to encourage appropriate supervision throughout childhood.

[
Pediatr Ann.
2014;43(11):e260–e265.]
Glucose Transporter 1–Expressing Proinflammatory Monocytes Are Elevated in Combination Antiretroviral Therapy–Treated and Untreated HIV+ Subjects
Authors: Palmer Clovis S. , Anzinger Joshua J. , Zhou Jingling , Gouillou Maelenn , Landay Alan , Jaworowski Anthony , McCune Joseph M. , Crowe Suzanne M.
Published: November 2014

Monocyte activation during HIV-1 infection is associated with increased plasma levels of inflammatory markers and increased risk for premature development of age-related diseases. Because activated monocytes primarily use glucose to support cellular metabolism, we hypothesized that chronic monocyte activation during HIV-1 infection induces a hypermetabolic response with increased glucose uptake. To test this hypothesis, we evaluated glucose transporter 1 (Glut1) expression and glucose uptake by monocyte subpopulations in HIV-seropositive (HIV+) treatment-naive individuals (n = 17), HIV+ individuals on combination antiretroviral therapy with viral loads below detection (n = 11), and HIV-seronegative (HIV−) individuals (n = 16). Surface expression of Glut1 and cellular uptake of the fluorescent glucose analog 2-(N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1, 3-diazol-4-yl) amino)-2 deoxyglucose were analyzed by flow cytometry on monocyte subpopulations. Irrespective of treatment status, monocytes from HIV+ persons had significantly increased surface expression of Glut1 compared with those from HIV− controls. Nonclassical (CD14+CD16++) and intermediate (CD14++CD16+) monocyte subpopulations showed higher Glut1 expression than did classical (CD14++CD16−) monocytes. Intermediate monocytes from treatment-naive HIV+ individuals also showed increased uptake of 2-(N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1, 3-diazol-4-yl) amino)-2 deoxyglucose compared with those from HIV− controls. Our results show that HIV infection is associated with increased glucose metabolism in monocytes and that Glut1 expression by proinflammatory monocytes is a potential marker of inflammation in HIV-infected subjects. However, the possibility exists whereby other Gluts such as Glut3 and Glut4 may also support the influx of glucose into activated and inflammatory monocyte populations.
Polarized Granzyme Release Is Required for Antigen-Driven Transendothelial Migration of Human Effector Memory CD4 T Cells
Authors: Manes Thomas D. , Pober Jordan S.
Published: November 2014

Human effector memory CD4 T cells may transmigrate across endothelial cell (EC) monolayers either in response to inflammatory chemokines or in response to TCR recognition of Ag presented on the surface of the EC. The kinetics, morphologic manifestations, and molecular requirements of chemokine- and TCR-driven transendothelial migration (TEM) differ significantly. In this study, we report that, whereas the microtubule organizing center (MTOC) and cytosolic granules follow the nucleus across the endothelium in a uropod during chemokine-driven TEM, MTOC reorientation to the contact region between the T cell and the EC, accompanied by dynein-driven transport of granzyme-containing granules to and exocytosis at the contact region, are early events in TCR-driven, but not chemokine-driven TEM. Inhibitors of either granule function or granzyme proteolytic activity can arrest TCR-driven TEM, implying a requirement for granule discharge in the process. In the final stages of TCR-driven TEM, the MTOC precedes, rather than follows, the nucleus across the endothelium. Thus, TCR-driven TEM of effector memory CD4 T cells appears to be a novel process that more closely resembles immune synapse formation than it does conventional chemotaxis.
Teachers’ explanations of learners’ errors in standardised mathematics assessments
Authors: Shalem Yael , Sapire Ingrid , Sorto M. Alejandra
Published: November 2014

With the increased use of standardised mathematics assessments at the classroom level, teachers are encouraged, and sometimes required, to use data from these assessments to inform their practice. As a consequence, teacher educators and researchers are starting to focus on the development of analytical tools that will help them determine how teachers interpret learners’ work, in particular learners’ errors in the context of standardised and other assessments. To detect variation and associations between and within the different aspects of teacher knowledge related to mathematical error analysis, we developed an instrument with six criteria based on aspects of teachers’ knowledge related to explaining and diagnosing learners’ errors. In this study we provide evidence of the usability of the criteria by coding 572 explanations given by groups of mathematics educators (teachers and district officials) in a professional development context. The findings consist of observable trends and associations between the different criteria that describe the nature of teachers’ explanations of learners’ errors.
Die ekonomiese impak van belasting op mynwater in Suid-Afrika
Authors: Steyn Jacolien , Kleynhans Ewert P.J.
Published: November 2014

Water pollution by mines is a major problem in South Africa. This study examined the contribution that an additional tax on the consumption of water by the mining industry can provide. In the past, the rising demand for water resources was addressed through supply-side mechanisms. Mines are the biggest polluter of drinking water in South Africa and the question is whether this is still the most appropriate way to address the problem. This study proposes that the authorities should consider an additional tax on mines and investigates the effect it will have on the demand for water, as well as its pollution, and the effect on the country’s economy, various industrial sectors and consumers, and in particular the poorest citizens. The research applied advanced economic general equilibrium modelling in its empirical investigation. The results of the modelling are significant both in the short- and long-term scenarios studied. It was found that an additional tax on the consumption of water by mines will produce the desired results, with little negative consequences for the industry and the country as a whole.
Development and validation of a new bariatric-specific health-related quality of life instrument ′′bariatric and obesity-specific survey (BOSS)′′
Authors: Tayyem RM , Atkinson JM , Martin CR
Published: November 2014

Background:

There is a lack of a psychometrically robust bariatric-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) tool.

Aim:

A single centre, prospective study to develop and validate a new bariatric-specific 81-item self-report HRQOL instrument called the Bariatric and Obesity-Specific Survey (BOSS).

Materials and Methods:

Data were collected from 236 participants. Of these 83 patients were under consideration for bariatric surgery (Group 1) 68 patients had undergone a bariatric procedure (Group 2) and 85 normal healthy participants (Group 3). At baseline, participants were asked to complete the Short Form Health survey (SF-36), Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HADS) scale, Moorehead-Ardelt Quality of life Questionnaire (M-A QoLQ II), and a demographic data sheet. Two weeks following the completion of these five questionnaires, participants were asked to complete BOSS once more along with a feedback sheet.

Results:

Exploratory factor analysis revealed a multidimensional instrument consisting of 42 items distributed over six domains that addressed various HRQOL aspects and dimensions pertinent to bariatric surgery, and relevant to morbidly obese patients. Further psychometric analysis showed that BOSS has adequate internal consistency reliability (Cronbach α = 0.970), test re-test reliability (ICC = 0.926), construct validity, criterion validity, face validity and acceptability.

Conclusion:

BOSS thus appears to be a valid and reliable multidimensional instrument that provides a clinically useful and relevant measure to assess HRQOL in patients undergoing bariatric surgery.
Reporting of various methodological and statistical parameters in negative studies published in prominent Indian Medical Journals
Authors: Charan J , Saxena D
Published: November 2014

Objectives:

Biased negative studies not only reflect poor research effort but also have an impact on ‘patient care’ as they prevent further research with similar objectives, leading to potential research areas remaining unexplored. Hence, published ‘negative studies’ should be methodologically strong. All parameters that may help a reader to judge validity of results and conclusions should be reported in published negative studies. There is a paucity of data on reporting of statistical and methodological parameters in negative studies published in Indian Medical Journals. The present systematic review was designed with an aim to critically evaluate negative studies published in prominent Indian Medical Journals for reporting of statistical and methodological parameters. Design: Systematic review.

Materials and Methods:

All negative studies published in 15 Science Citation Indexed (SCI) medical journals published from India were included in present study. Investigators involved in the study evaluated all negative studies for the reporting of various parameters. Primary endpoints were reporting of "power" and "confidence interval."

Results:

Power was reported in 11.8% studies. Confidence interval was reported in 15.7% studies. Majority of parameters like sample size calculation (13.2%), type of sampling method (50.8%), name of statistical tests (49.1%), adjustment of multiple endpoints (1%), post hoc power calculation (2.1%) were reported poorly. Frequency of reporting was more in clinical trials as compared to other study designs and in journals having impact factor more than 1 as compared to journals having impact factor less than 1.

Conclusion:

Negative studies published in prominent Indian medical journals do not report statistical and methodological parameters adequately and this may create problems in the critical appraisal of findings reported in these journals by its readers.
Recurrent malignant proliferating trichilemmal tumor with lymph node metastasis in a young woman
Authors: Dubhashi SP , Jadhav SK , Parasnis A , Patil CS
Published: November 2014

Malignant proliferating trichilemmal tumor (MPTT) is a rare cutaneous tumor predominantly affecting the scalp, eyelids, neck and face of elderly women. It is a large, solitary, multilobulated lesion that may arise within a pilar cyst. These tumors are largely benign, often cystic, and are characterized by trichilemmal keratinization. However, at times, the tumor has an aggressive clinical course and a propensity for nodal and distant metastases. Wide local excision with a 1 cm margin of normal tissue is the treatment of choice. Adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy have been occasionally used to prevent recurrence in MPTT. This is a case report of a recurrent malignant trichilemmal tumor over scalp in a young female patient with nodal metastasis.
Menopause and the Asian Woman
Authors: Sohail Sumbul
Published: November 2014

Menopause is an event that typically occurs in women in midlife. For some women, the accompanying symptoms can significantly disrupt their daily activities and sense of well being. It has long been known that menopause is much easier for Asian women than for westerners. A systematic review of articles on Asian women is done, the objective of which is to find out evidence on Asian women experience and perception of menopause.

How to cite this article

Sohail S. Menopause and the Asian Woman. J South Asian Feder Menopause Soc 2014;2(1):23-25.
An Uneventful Pregnancy and Delivery in a Patient with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Kumar Udaya , Prathima S , Prasad CSBR , Narayanswamy M
Published: November 2014

The concomitant occurrence of chronic myeloid leukemia and pregnancy is estimated to be one in 75000-100000 pregnancies annually. We present a case of 28 years old lady with 36 weeks of gestation diagnosed as chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase. Her pregnancy and delivery was uneventful. She breast fed the baby for 3 weeks before initiating treatment. Close vigilance and relevant investigations are of paramount importance in recognizing this extremely rare disease during pregnancy.

How to cite this article

Prathima S, Prasad CSBR, Kumar U, Narayanswamy M. An Uneventful Pregnancy and Delivery in a Patient with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia. J South Asian Feder Menopause Soc 2014;2(1):33-34.
Over-confidence and Low-cost Heuristics: An Experimental Investigation of Choice Behavior
Authors: Cicognani Simona , Mittone Luigi
Published: November 2014

This paper extends choice theory by allowing for the interaction between cognitive costs and imitative dynamics. The authors experimentally investigate the role of imitation when participants face a task which is costly in cognitive terms. In order to disentangle different choice dynamics, they devise a laboratory experiment with a novel experimental task in which they model the choice of different alternatives through high or low cognitive costs and feedback information provided to subjects. Their results provide evidence for imitative behavior driven by under-confidence about own skills and by the beliefs regarding others’ performance. They also find a temporal pattern in the distribution of choices, both in the highcost and low-cost cognitive conditions, that may represent another cognitive shortcut.
Spatial variability and hotspots of soil N2O fluxes from intensively grazed grassland
Authors: Cowan N. J. , Norman P. , Famulari D. , Levy P. E. , Reay D. S. , Skiba U. M.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. One hundred N2O flux measurements were made from an area of intensively managed grazed grassland in central Scotland using a high resolution dynamic chamber method. The field contained a variety of features from which N2O fluxes were measured including a manure heap, patches of decaying grass silage, and areas of increased sheep activity. Individual fluxes varied significantly across the field varying from 2 to 79 000 μg N2O-N m−2 h−1. Soil samples were collected at 55 locations to investigate relationships between soil properties and N2O flux. Fluxes of N2O correlated strongly with soil NO3− concentrations. Distribution of NO3− and the high spatial variability of N2O flux across the field are shown to be linked to the distribution of waste from grazing animals and the resultant reactive nitrogen compounds in the soil which are made available for microbiological processes. Features within the field such as shaded areas and manure heaps contained significantly higher available nitrogen than the rest of the field. Although these features only represented 1.1% of the area of the field, they contributed to over 55% of the total estimated daily N2O flux.
Simulation of groundwater and surface water over the continental US using a hyperresolution, integrated hydrologic model
Authors: Maxwell R. M. , Condon L. E. , Kollet S. J.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Interactions between surface and groundwater systems are well-established theoretically and observationally. While numerical models that solve both surface and subsurface flow equations in a single framework (matrix) are increasingly being applied, computational limitations have restricted their use to local and regional studies. Regional or watershed, scale simulations have been effective tools in understanding hydrologic processes, however there are still many questions, such as the adaptation of water resources to anthropogenic stressors and climate variability, that need to be answered across large spatial extents at high resolution. In response to this "grand challenge" in hydrology, we present the results of a parallel, integrated hydrologic model simulating surface and subsurface flow at high spatial resolution (1 km) over much of continental North America (~ 6 300 000 or 6.3 million km2). These simulations provide predictions of hydrologic states and fluxes, namely water table depth and streamflow, at unprecedented scale and resolution. The physically-based modeling approach used here requires limited parameterizations and relies only on more fundamental inputs, such as topography, hydrogeologic properties and climate forcing. Results are compared to observations and provide mechanistic insight into hydrologic process interaction. This study demonstrates both the feasibility of continental scale integrated models and their utility for improving our understanding of large-scale hydrologic systems; the combination of high resolution and large spatial extent facilitates novel analysis of scaling relationships using model outputs.
Time-series analysis of the long-term hydrologic impacts of afforestation in the Águeda watershed of North-Central Portugal
Authors: Hawtree D. , Nunes J. P. , Keizer J. J. , Jacinto R. , Santos J. , Rial-Rivas M. E. , Boulet A.-K. , Tavares-Wahren F. , Feger K.-H.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. The north-central region of Portugal has undergone significant afforestation of the species Pinus pinaster and Eucalyptus globulus since the early 1900s; however, the long-term hydrologic impacts of this land cover change are not fully understood. To contribute to a better understanding of the potential hydrologic impacts of this land cover change, this study examines the temporal trends in 7 years of data from the Águeda watershed (part of the Vouga Basin) over the period of 1936 to 2010. Meteorological and hydrological records were analysed using a combined Thiel–Sen/Mann–Kendall trend testing approach, to assess the magnitude and significance of patterns in the observed data. These trend tests indicated that there had been no significant reduction in streamflow yield over either the entire test period, or during sub-record periods, despite the large-scale afforestation which had taken place. This lack of change is attributed to both the characteristics of the watershed and the nature of the land cover change. By contrast, a number of significant trends were found for baseflow index, which showed positive trends in the early data record (primarily during Pinus pinaster afforestation), followed by a reversal to negative trends later in the data record (primarily during Eucalyptus globulus afforestation). These changes are attributed to vegetation impacts on streamflow generating processes, both due to the species differences and to alterations in soil properties (i.e. promoting water repellency of the topsoil). These results highlight the importance of considering both vegetation types/dynamics and watershed characteristic when assessing hydrologic impacts, in particular with respect to soil properties.
A GIS-based model to estimate flood consequences and the degree of accessibility and operability of strategic emergency response structures in urban areas
Authors: Albano R. , Sole A. , Adamowski J. , Mancusi L.
Published: November 2014

Abstract. Efficient decision-making regarding flood risk reduction has become a priority for authorities and stakeholders in many European countries. Risk analysis methods and techniques are a useful tool for evaluating costs and benefits of possible interventions. Within this context, a methodology to estimate flood consequences was developed in this paper that is based on GIS, and integrated with a model that estimates the degree of accessibility and operability of strategic emergency response structures in an urban area. The majority of the currently available approaches do not properly analyse road network connections and dependencies within systems, and as such a loss of roads could cause significant damages and problems to emergency services in cases of flooding. The proposed model is unique in that it provides a maximum-impact estimation of flood consequences on the basis of the operability of the strategic emergency structures in an urban area, their accessibility, and connection within the urban system of a city (i.e. connection between aid centres and buildings at risk), in the emergency phase. The results of a case study in the Puglia region in southern Italy are described to illustrate the practical applications of this newly proposed approach. The main advantage of the proposed approach is that it allows for defining a hierarchy between different infrastructure in the urban area through the identification of particular components whose operation and efficiency are critical for emergency management. This information can be used by decision-makers to prioritize risk reduction interventions in flood emergencies in urban areas, given limited financial resources.