bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
D1-Dependent 4 Hz Oscillations and Ramping Activity in Rodent Medial Frontal Cortex during Interval Timing
Authors: Parker Krystal L. , Chen Kuan-Hua , Kingyon Johnathan R. , Cavanagh James F. , Narayanan Nandakumar S.
Published: December 2014

Organizing behavior in time is a fundamental process that is highly conserved across species. Here we study the neural basis of timing processes. First, we found that rodents had a burst of stimulus-triggered 4 Hz oscillations in the medial frontal cortex (MFC) during interval timing tasks. Second, rodents with focally disrupted MFC D1dopamine receptor (D1DR) signaling had impaired interval timing performance and weaker stimulus-triggered oscillations. Prior work has demonstrated that MFC neurons ramp during interval timing, suggesting that they underlie temporal integration. We found that MFC D1DR blockade strongly attenuated ramping activity of MFC neurons that correlated with behavior. These macro- and micro-level phenomena were linked, as we observed that MFC neurons with strong ramping activity tended to be coherent with stimulus-triggered 4 Hz oscillations, and this relationship was diminished with MFC D1DR blockade. These data provide evidence demonstrating how D1DR signaling controls the temporal organization of mammalian behavior.
Alternative Splicing Coupled Nonsense-Mediated Decay Generates Neuronal Cell Type-Specific Expression of SLM Proteins
Authors: Traunmüller Lisa , Bornmann Caroline , Scheiffele Peter
Published: December 2014

The unique physiological and morphological properties of neuronal populations are crucial for the appropriate functioning of neuronal circuits. Alternative splicing represents an attractive mechanism for generating cell type-specific molecular repertoires that steer neuronal development and function. However, the mechanisms that link neuronal identity to alternative splicing programs are poorly understood. We report that cell type-specific, mutually exclusive expression of two alternative splicing regulators, SLM1 and SLM2, in the mouse hippocampus is achieved by a cross-repression mechanism. Deletion of SLM2in vivomodifies alternative splicing of its paralogSlm1and stabilizes its mRNA, resulting in expression of SLM1 in previously SLM2-expressing cells. Despite this ectopic upregulation of SLM1, loss of SLM2 severely disrupts the alternative splicing regulation ofNrxn1,Nrxn2, andNrxn3, highlighting that the two SLM paralogs have partially divergent functions. Our study uncovers a hierarchical, SLM2-dependent mechanism for establishing cell type-specific expression of neuronal splicing regulatorsin vivo.
Evaluation of the Capillary Blood Glucose Self-monitoring Program
Authors: Augusto Mariana Cristina , Nitsche Maria José Trevizani , Parada Cristina Maria Garcia de Lima , Zanetti Maria Lúcia , Carvalhaes Maria Antonieta de Barros Leite
Published: December 2014

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the structure, process and results of the Capillary Blood Glucose Self-monitoring Program in a Brazilian city.METHOD: epidemiological, cross-sectional study. The methodological framework of Donabedian was used to construct indicators of structure, process and outcome. A random sample (n = 288) of users enrolled and 96 health professionals who worked in the program was studied. Two questionnaires were used that were constructed for this study, one for professionals and one for users, both containing data for the evaluation of structure, process and outcome. Anthropometric measures and laboratory results were collected by consulting the patients' health records. The analysis involved descriptive statistics.RESULTS: most of the professionals were not qualified to work in the program and were not knowledgeable about the set of criteria for patient registration. None of the patients received complete and correct orientations about the program and the percentage with skills to perform conducts autonomously was 10%. As regards the result indicators, 86.4% of the patients and 81.3% of the professionals evaluated the program positively.CONCLUSION: the evaluation indicators designed revealed that one of the main objectives of the program, self-care skills, has not been achieved.
Problems associated with alcohol consumption by university students
Authors: Castaño-Perez Guillermo Alonso , Calderon-Vallejo Gustavo Adolfo
Published: December 2014

OBJECTIVES: the aim of this study was to analyze alcohol consumption by university students and psychosocial problems related.METHOD: descriptive correlational study that included 396 university students. The "Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test" - (AUDIT) - and an "ad hoc" questionnaire were used as instruments to assess the associated problems.RESULTS: of the total sample, 88.6% drank, 20.5% had harmful consumption and 14.9% were at risk of dependence according to AUDIT. The study showed important results related to harmful alcohol consumption and dependence, with damage to the academic performance, social relationships, psychological status and sexual condition.CONCLUSIONS: complications caused by problematic alcohol consumption by university students, which is high in this group due to the high prevalence of their alcohol consumption, highlights the importance of promoting programs to prevent the abuse and dependence of this substance in universities.
Patient safety culture at neonatal intensive care units: perspectives of the nursing and medical team
Authors: Tomazoni Andréia , Rocha Patrícia Kuerten , Souza Sabrina de , Anders Jane Cristina , Malfussi Hamilton Filipe Correia de
Published: December 2014

OBJECTIVE: to verify the assessment of the patient safety culture according to the function and length of experience of the nursing and medical teams at Neonatal Intensive Care Units.METHOD: quantitative survey undertaken at four Neonatal Intensive Care Units in Florianópolis, Brazil. The sample totaled 141 subjects. The data were collected between February and April 2013 through the application of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture. For analysis, the Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-Square tests and Cronbach's Alpha coefficient were used. Approval for the research project was obtained from the Ethics Committee, CAAE: 05274612.7.0000.0121.RESULTS: differences in the number of positive answers to the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture, the safety grade and the number of reported events were found according to the professional characteristics. A significant association was found between a shorter Length of work at the hospital and Length of work at the unit and a larger number of positive answers; longer length of experience in the profession represented higher grades and less reported events. The physicians and nursing technicians assessed the patient safety culture more positively. Cronbach's alpha demonstrated the reliability of the instrument.CONCLUSION: the differences found reveal a possible relation between the assessment of the safety culture and the subjects' professional characteristics at the Neonatal Intensive Care Units.
Linguistic Repertoires of Interdisciplinarity in Brazilian Journals in the Area of Psychology1
Authors: Spink Mary Jane Paris , Reigota Marcos Antonio dos Santos , Martins Mário Henrique da Mata
Published: December 2014

This paper is about manners in which linguistic repertoires of interdisciplinarity for dissemination of scientific knowledge are coordinated. It starts with a contextualization about interdisciplinarity and ways in which disciplines are organized for administrative purposes in Brazil. It seeks to answer the question: how these forms of ordering, controlling and coordinating interdisciplinary operate in the dissemination of scientific knowledge? The analysis of the ways of coordinating interdisciplinarity in scientific dissemination was based on the editorial proposals of journals classified as A1, A2 and B1 in the Qualis of the area of Psychology. The conclusion of this analysis is that scientific journals enact interdisciplinarity in different manners because they use various forms of association based on themes, related areas, and theories or theoretical frameworks. We conclude the analysis with a discussion of the implications of the various manners of coordinating knowledge for the dissemination of information for the public at large.
Subjective Well-Being and Time Use of Brazilian PhD Professors1
Authors: Nunes Maiana Farias Oliveira , Hutz Claudio Simon , Pires Jeferson Gervasio , Oliveira Cassandra Melo
Published: December 2014

The university professor suffers high pressure to achieve productivity and performs under work conditions that are not always satisfactory. This study seeks to analyze the subjective well-being, the time-use strategies, and the satisfaction with their use of time of PhD-holding professors with and without productivity grants from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). A total of 83 professors participated in the study (48 with productivity grants), with an average age of 50 years. A total of 89% of participants were from public institutions. The majority of the participants exhibited high levels of negative affect and low-average levels of satisfaction with their use of time. There was no difference in the subjective well-being or in the satisfaction with the use of time when comparing professors who had received a CNPq grant with professors who had not received a CNPq grant. The most important reason for dissatisfaction with the use of time was an excess of work, whereas peer recognition was the primary achievement obtained with the work. How work demands and conditions influence the well-being of the professors is discussed in this study.
Inheritance and genetic mapping of resistance to Asian soybean rust in cultivar TMG 803
Authors: Matsuo Éder , Sediyama Tuneo , Brommonschenkel Sérgio Hermínio , Cruz Cosme Damião
Published: December 2014

This study analyzed the inheritance and identified microsatellite markers linked to the resistance gene to Phakopsora pachyrhizi in soybean cultivar TMG 803. Hybridization between the cultivars TMG 803 and BRS Valiosa RR was performed to obtain F1 progenies and the F2 population. The response of the parents 'TMG 803' and 'BRS Valiosa RR' to P. pachyrhizi was, respectively, resistant and susceptible, and among the 116 F2 plants,93 were resistant and 23 susceptible, under natural infection and field conditions. It was found that the resistance of cultivar TMG 803 is controlled by one gene with complete dominance, mapped as resistance locus Rpp4 of linkage group G. Of the 16 tested, one microsatellite marker, sc21_3420, was completely linked to the resistance gene (distance 0.0cM) and the favorable allelic form was present in cultivar TMG 803, which may therefore be useful in assisted selection in segregating populations.
Chromosome duplication in Lolium multiflorum Lam.
Authors: Pereira Roselaine Cristina , Ferreira Marco Túlio Mendes , Davide Lisete Chamma , Pasqual Moacir , Mittelmann Andréa , Techio Vânia Helena
Published: December 2014

Artificial chromosome duplication of diploid genotypes of Lolium multiflorum (2n=2x=14) is worthy to breeding, and aims to increase the expression of traits with agronomic interest. The purpose of this study was to obtain polyploid plants of L. multiflorum from local diploid populations in order to exploit adaptation and future verification of the effects of polyploidy in agronomic traits. Seedlings were immersed in different colchicine solutions for an exposure time of 3h and 24h. Ploidy determination was made by the DNA content and certified by chromosomes counts. The plants confirmed as tetraploids were placed in a greenhouse, and, at flowering, pollen viability was evaluated, and seeds were harvested to assess the stability of the progenies. The percentage of polyploids obtained was 20%. Pollen viability of the tetraploids generated ranged from 58% to 69%. The tetraploid plants obtained in the experiment generated 164 progenies, of which 109 presented DNA content compatible with the tetraploid level, showing stability of chromosome duplication in the filial generation.
Ação anti-helmíntica do extrato hidroalcóolico da raiz da Tarenaya spinosa (Jacq.) Raf. no controle de Haemonchus contortus em ovinos
Authors: Andrade Fabio D. , Ribeiro Ana Raquel C. , Medeiros Maria C. , Fonseca Saul S. , Athayde Ana Célia R. , Ferreira Adriano F. , Rodrigues Onaldo G. , Silva Wilson W.
Published: December 2014

Para investigar o potencial anti-helmíntico do extrato hidroalcóolico da raiz de Tarenaya spinosa, como alternativa no controle do nematóide gastrintestinal Haemonchus contortus de ovinos, foram realizados testes in vitro com Artemia salina, em seguida, sobre coproculturas contendo ovos do helminto, avaliando a ação ovicida e larvicida do extrato. Após os testes preliminares, foi realizado o teste in vivo em 20 ovinos machos os quais foram divididos em quatro tratamentos Grupo 1: ivermectina 1%; Grupo 2: sem tratamento; Grupo 3: extrato hidroalcóolico de T. spinosa 150μg/mL; Grupo 4: extrato hidroalcóolico de T. spinosa 300μg/mL, amostras de fezes e de sangue foram coletadas para exames parasitológicos e hematológicos. No teste in vitro, a toxicidade frente a A. salina foi de 150μg/mL, obteve-se eficiência de 81,53% sobre ovos e larvas do H. contortus. No teste in vivo, a avaliação da eficácia dos tratamentos foi realizada pelo teste de redução na contagem de ovos fecais (RCOF), os grupos tratados com Ivermectina e T. spinosa a 150μg/mL e 300μg/mL obtiveram os melhores resultados, reduzindo o OPG após 28 dias em 40,6, 41 e 40,2% respectivamente, revelando assim seu potencial fitoterápico para fins de controle de nematódeos gastrintestinais em ovinos.
Brainstem auditory-evoked potential in Boxer dogs
Authors: Palumbo Mariana Isa Poci , Resende Luiz Antonio de Lima , Pantoja José Carlos de Figueiredo , Mayhew Ian G. , Borges Alexandre Secorun
Published: December 2014

Brainstem auditory-evoked potential (BAEP) has been widely used for different purposes in veterinary practice and is commonly used to identify inherited deafness and presbycusis. In this study, 43 Boxer dogs were evaluated using the BAEP. Deafness was diagnosed in 3 dogs (2 bilateral and 1 unilateral) allowing the remaining 40 Boxers to be included for normative data analysis including an evaluation on the influence of age on the BAEP. The animals were divided into 2 groups of 20 Boxers each based on age. The mean age was 4.54 years (range, 1-8) in group I, and 9.83 years (range, 8.5-12) in group II. The mean latency for I, III, and V waves were 1.14 (±0.07), 2.64 (±0.11), and 3.48 (±0.10) ms in group I, and 1.20 (±0.12), 2.73 (±0.15), and 3.58 (±0.22) ms in group II, respectively. The mean inter-peak latencies for the I-III, III-V and I-V intervals were 1.50 (±0.15), 0.84 (±0.15), and 2.34 (±0.11) ms in group I, and 1.53 (±0.16), 0.85 (±0.15), and 2.38 (±0.19) ms in group II, respectively. Latencies of waves I and III were significant different between group I and II. For the I-III, III-V and I-V intervals, no significant differences were observed between the 2 groups. As far as we know, this is the first normative study of BAEP obtained from Boxer dogs.
Integrative Palliative Care: Between Antipathy and Grace
Authors: Ben-Arye Eran
Published: December 2014

The author reflects on the therapeutic journey of developing a patient-centered care program aimed at relieving the patient's concerns and improving his quality of life and well-being.
Monitoring anaerobic digestion: a 2-year brewery case study
Authors: Radu Tanja , Blanchard Richard , Smedley Vincent , Theaker Helen , Wheatley Andrew
Published: December 2014

Operational data from an anaerobic wastewater treatment plant (expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor) were analysed before and after a defect with the solids separator. The results presented suggest that a newly available method for the analysis of total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) was ideal as a rapid, onsite, operational indicator of reactor stability. These total VFAs were shown to provide an earlier warning of the separator problem than the other rapid routine methods of monitoring digesters such as alkalinity and suspended solids. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, pH and gas yield were not as useful for monitoring because of their slow response. The results are from a high rate reactor; the loads were 18  kg COD/m3/d in the first year and 26 in the second with 4·4  d hydraulic retention time. The results for both years of operation demonstrate a 95% conversion of COD into gas with an additional contribution from solids digestion (specific gas yield of 0·4 l methane (CH4)/g CODrem). This high performance was attributed to the solubility of the COD and the efficient EGSB mixing.
Investigating ramp gradients for humps on railway platforms
Authors: Fujiyama Taku , Childs Craig , Boampong Derrick , Tyler Nick
Published: December 2014

Horizontal and vertical gaps between the train and the platform are a major safety concern for railway passengers, especially for disabled passengers. London Underground is implementing a programme to install platform humps to remove vertical differences between the train and the platform. In order to properly design platform humps, this study empirically investigated the effects of the design factors of the ramps, namely the slope and cross-fall gradients, on disabled passengers. The investigation consisted of two experiments: one where 20 participants were asked to walk on simulated slopes, and the other where 25 participants were asked to board or alight from the simulated train from or onto the slopes. The slope gradients tested were 3·0% (1:33), 5·2% (1:19) and 6·9% (1:14) with the cross-fall gradients 1·5% (1:67), 2·0% (1:50) and 2·5% (1:40). The results showed that the slope gradient does not largely affect the participants' performance of longitudinal walking on the slopes or their subjective safety evaluation, but would cause additional difficulty for them to board/alight from the train from/onto the slope. This suggests that train doors should not stop next to the ramp. There was little evidence concerning the effects of the cross-fall gradient. The results provide useful information for designing platform humps.
A Influência da Limitação das Despesas com Pessoal na Gestão Pública e um Perfil Comportamental dos Municípios Catarinenses
Authors: Cruz Flávio da , Platt Netto Orion Augusto
Published: December 2014

No setor público brasileiro, o controle formal ou exigido por lei, refletido na contabilidade pública, representa urn importante instrumento de controle da ação do gestor público. Por meio de inúmeras leis, foram sendo inseridos controles para assegurar a não realização de determinados atos e a realização de outros, com os recursos públicos. Exemplo disso são as leis que estabelecem limitação das despesas com pessoal da Uniõo, Estados, Municípios e Distrito Federal. A Lei de Responsabilidade Fiscal entrou no cenário da administração pública brasileira, neste contexto de limitação da ação do gestor público, com a finalidade de disciplinar a gestão dos recursos públicos, atribuindo rnais responsabilidade a seus gestores. Um dos principais aspectos está nos gastos com pessoal, que representam significativa parcela das despesas públicas. Nesse sentido, investiga-se o funcionamento de tal imposição legal na ação do gestor publico, considerando esta influência externa tanto em seus aspectos negativos quanto positivos. Apresenta-se, então, exemplo do município de Florianópolis e os relatórios do Tribunal de Contas do Estado de Santa Catarina sobre o conjunto de municípios catarinenses quanto ao atendirnento aos limites das despesas com pessoal.
PROVÃO: O DESAFIO NA QUALIDADE E AVALIA çÃO DOS CURSOS DE CIÊNCIAS CONTÁBEIS
Authors: Kraemer Maria Elisabeth Pereira , Caldeira Elisabeth , Vasconcellos Cristhiano Bossardi de
Published: December 2014

Com a sociedade globalizada exigindo cada vez mais qualidade, e o mercado de trabalho caçando talentos com maior nível de excelência, é fundamental investir na qualidade para não ficar em desvantagem. Portanto, só um curso superior de bom nível poderá formar profissionais bem preparados para os desafios do mundo moderno. Neste contexto, o Ministério da Educação, Paulo Renato Souza, propôs e o Congresso Nacional aprovou a criação, em 1995, o Exame Nacional de Cursos, chamado de PROVÃO, um instrumento para avaliar os cursos superiores brasileiros, diagnosticar as deficiências e contribuir para melhorar a qualidade da educação. O objetivo do Provão é ser uma ferramenta para a melhoria da qualidade desse nível de ensino, e vários indicadores mostram que isso tem efetivamente acontecido. É verificar a aquisição e a capacidade de uso das competências e habilidades gerais pertinentes às áreas avaliadas.
Análise dos Resultados do Curso de Ciências Contábeis da Univali - Universidade do Vale do ltajaí do Contexto do Exame Nacional de Cursos
Authors: Kraemer Maria Elisabeth Pereira
Published: December 2014

Atualmente, a preocupação das pesquisas em avaliação está relacionada à melhoria na qualidade do ensino, à alocação de recursos, que interferem positivamente na sociedade, no desenvolvimento da consciência, sensibilidade e comprometimento. O Exame Nacional de Cursos - ENC, como mecanismo de avaliação externa, não se limita a um diagnóstico. Entendendo a importância do envolvimento da instituição no próprio processo de discussão e acompanhamento dos cursos compete à Instituição de Ensino Superior sistematizar e analisar mais profundamente os dados e enriquecer o sistema de avaliação. A Universidade do Vale do Itajaí - UNIVALI utiliza o Relatório da Instituição/INEP/MEC com os dados obtidos e as opiniões emitidas pelos seus alunos como subsídio para aprofundar diagnósticos, aperfeiçoar proj etos e práticas pedagógicas e desencadear novas ações no aprimoramento contínuo dos cursos. Desta forma, apresentamos, neste trabalho, a sistematização dos dados do Curso de Ciências Contábeis UNIVALI de Itajaí, submetido ao ENC/2002, no qual obteve conceito "B", a fim de encaminhar ações didático-pedagógicas para 2003.
O impacto da Contabilidade no Sistema de Gestão Fiscal
Authors: Kraemer Maria Elisabeth Pereira
Published: December 2014

A Lei de Responsabilidade Fiscal trouxe uma série de novos desafios para os gestores públicos no Brasil. Dentre os princípios da Lei estão o planejamento, a transparência no uso de recursos públicos e a participação popular. O papel do contabilista é o de fornecer dados e informações com transparência e controle para execução de uma contabilidade responsável e, desta forma, contribuir com a sociedade naquilo que melhor saber fazer: contabilidade. O Conselho Federal de Contabilidade abraçou a causa e partiu para a elaboração de um guia que pudesse melhor orientar os gestores na aplicação da Lei de Responsabilidade Fiscal, cuidando para que a linguagem deste guia fosse simples, didática e dirigida, principalmente aos novos prefeitos que ainda não haviam tido um relacionamento mais constante com as regras fiscais e contábeis. Assim, este trabalho pretende mostrar o que, em resumo é a Lei de Responsabilidade Fiscal, sua aplicação e a importância do profissional contábil no auxílio aos gestores.
Contabilidade artificial: além da informação contábil
Authors: Franco Deise
Published: December 2014

A contabilidade hoje visa fornecer informações precisas para a organização valendo-se de tecnologia computacional de software, utilizando sistemas de informação buscando a informação elaborada. Um dos tipos mais utilizados são os sistemas especialistas, que consiste em armazenar os conhecimentos que um contador especialista possui em determinada área da contabilidade para que possa ser utilizado pelos mais diversos usuários, para que possa utilizar esses conhecimentos no software em prol de seus interesses - "contabilidade artificial" onde o computador tende a "pensar" como o contador. Como todo sistema o SE também está norteado por: limitação - a não aceitação como verdade absoluta; desvantagem - a informação fornecida não é integral, limita-se a resumos de resultados esperados; e vantagem - como ferramenta auxiliar ao contador na otimização de seu tempo em busca de novos conhecimentos. A contabilidade artificial para os contadores é uma colaboradora "inteligente" na rotina e tomada de decisão, e em momento algum um contador artificial inteligente e independente.
Influência dos prazos de pagamento de compras, recebimento de clientes e de estocagem no resultado final das vendas de mercadorias
Authors: Wernke Rodney , Lembeck Marluce
Published: December 2014

O artigo evidencia a importância do conhecimento dos efeitos ocasionados pelos prazos de pagamento das compras, recebimento das vendas e estocagem de produtos no resultado final das vendas de mercadorias. Após breve revisão da literatura enfocando os conceitos ligados ao tema, mediante diversos exemplos numéricos são enfocadas as quatro principais modalidades de negociação, ou seja: (i) compra à vista e venda à vista; (ii) compra à vista e venda a prazo; (iii) compra aprazo e venda à vista e (iv) compra a prazo e venda a prazo. Adicionalmente demonstra-se como escolher entre alternativas de compras ofertadas por fornecedores de insumos, quer à vista ou em opções com prazos distintos.
E-Learning na Contabilidade
Authors: Kraemer Maria Elisabeth Pereira
Published: December 2014

A rápida obsolescência do conhecimento impõe a necessidade de transformar o aprendizado em prática constante, o que se traduz em custos elevados. O panorama poderia ser desolador, não fossem as novas possibilidades que a Internet oferece para o ensino. O mundo atual vem transpondo barreiras, quebrando antigos padrões de comportamento e impondo novas regras. Como diz Schwez (2001), os caminhos da Ciência Contábil que nos trouxeram até aqui não são do mesmo tipo e espécie dos que poderão conduzir-nos daqui para frente. Nos tempos em que vivemos, continua o mesmo autor, as empresas modernas estão recrutando para seus quadros pessoas dinâmicas, que tenham mais a oferecer, para resolver suas dificuldades. Neste cenário está o contador, que luta pela valorização da sua profissão, tentando se informar cada vez mais e melhor, tendo a Internet como o melhor lugar para se conseguir isso. Esta afirmativa é corroborada por Varella (2002), ao dizer que o profissional contábil tem que evoluir e, nesse caminho, só existe uma saída: a informação, o conhecimento. Sem isso, o profissional perderá clientes.
Multi‐event capture–recapture analysis reveals individual foraging specialization in a generalist species
Authors: Sanz-Aguilar A. , Jovani R. , Melián C. J. , Pradel R. , Tella J. L.
Published: December 2014

Populations of species typically considered trophic generalists may include specialized individuals consistently feeding on certain resources. Optimal foraging theory states that individuals should feed on those resources most valuable to them. This, however, may vary according to individual differences in detecting or processing resources, different optimization criteria, and competitive abilities. White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) are trophic generalists at the population level. Their European population recovery has been attributed to increased wintering in southern Europe (rather than Africa) where they feed upon new anthropogenic food subsidies: predictable dumps and less predictable and more difficult to detect, but abundant, invasiveProcambarus clarkiicrayfishes in ricefields. We studied the foraging strategies of resident and wintering storks in southwestern Spain in ricefields and dumps, predicting that more experience in the study area (residents vs. immigrants, old vs. young) would increase ricefield specialization. We developed the first multi‐event capture–recapture model to evaluate behavioral consistency, analyzing 3042 observations of 1684 banded storks. There were more specialists among residents (72%) than immigrants (40%). All resident specialists foraged in ricefields, and ricefield use increased with individual age. In contrast, some immigrants specialized on either dumps (24%) or ricefields (16%), but the majority were generalists (60%). Our results provide empirical evidence of high individual foraging consistency within a generalist species and a differential resource selection by individuals of different ages and origins, probably related to their previous experience in the foraging area. Thus, future changes in food resource availability at either of the two anthropogenic subsidies (ricefields or dumps) may differentially impact individuals of different ages and origins making up the wintering population. The use of multi‐event capture–recapture modeling has proven useful for studying interindividual variability in behavior.
Data Assimilation for Strongly Nonlinear Problems by Transformed Ensemble Kalman Filter
Authors: Liao Qinzhuo , Zhang Dongxiao
Published: December 2014

The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) has been widely used for data assimilation. It is challenging, however, when the relation of state and observation is strongly nonlinear. For example, near the flooding front in an immiscible flow, directly updating the saturation by use of the EnKF may lead to nonphysical results. One possible solution, which may be referred to as the restarted EnKF (REnKF), is to update the static state (e.g., permeability and porosity) and rerun the forward model from the initial time to obtain the updated dynamic state (e.g., pressure and saturation). However, it may become time-consuming, especially when the number of assimilation steps is large.

In this study, we develop a transformed EnKF (TEnKF), in which the state is represented by displacement as an alternative variable. The displacement is first transformed from the forecasted state, then updated, and finally transformed back to obtain the updated state. Because the relation between displacement and observation is relatively linear, this new method provides a physically meaningful updated state without resolving the forward model. The TEnKF is tested in the history matching of multiphase flow in a 1D homogeneous medium, a 2D heterogeneous reservoir, and a 3D PUNQ-S3 model. The case studies show that the TEnKF produces physical results without the oscillation problem that occurs in the traditional EnKF, whereas the computational effort is reduced compared with the REnKF.
Impacts and uncertainties of climate change on streamflow of the Johor River Basin, Malaysia using a CMIP5 General Circulation Model ensemble
Authors: Tan Mou Leong , Ficklin Darren L. , Ibrahim Ab Latif , Yusop Zulkifli
Published: December 2014

The impact of climate change and uncertainty of climate projections from general circulation models (GCMs) from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) on streamflow in the Johor River Basin, Malaysia was assessed. Eighteen GCMs were evaluated, and the six that adequately simulated historical climate were selected for an ensemble of GCMs under three Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs; 2.6 (low emissions), 4.5 (moderate emissions) and 8.5 (high emissions)) for three future time periods (2020s, 2050s and 2080s) as inputs into the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrological model. We also quantified the uncertainties associated with GCM structure, greenhouse gas concentration pathways (RCP 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5), and prescribed increases of global temperature (1–6 °C) through streamflow changes. The SWAT model simulated historical monthly streamflow well, with a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient of 0.66 for calibration and 0.62 for validation. Under RCPs 2.6, 4.5, and 8.5, the results indicate that annual precipitation changes of 1.01 to 8.88% and annual temperature of 0.60–3.21 °C will lead to a projected annual streamflow ranging from 0.91 to 12.95% compared to the historical period. The study indicates multiple climate change scenarios are important for a robust hydrological impact assessment.
Trends in sub-hourly, sub-daily and daily extreme rainfall events in eastern Australia
Authors: Laz Orpita U. , Rahman Ataur , Yilmaz Abdullah , Haddad Khaled
Published: December 2014

Intensity and frequency of extreme rainfall are expected to change in future due to anthropogenic climate change; however, this change may not be uniform across spatial and temporal scale. This paper examines the trends of sub-hourly, sub-daily and daily extreme rainfall events from 38 rainfall stations located in southeast Australia. Two non-parametric tests (Mann–Kendall and Spearman Rho) were applied to detect trends at 10, 5 and 1% significance levels. The sub-hourly (6, 12, 18 and 30 min) and sub-daily (1, 2 and 6 h) annual maximum rainfall events generally showed an upward (positive) trend. However, the longer duration rainfall events (12–72 h) generally showed a downward (negative) trend. It was found that stations showing positive trends were characterized by higher elevations compared with the stations showing negative trends. This finding has important implications for urban stormwater management in the near future as most urban stormwater systems operate on a smaller catchment scale where sub-hourly and sub-daily rainfall events are used in their design.
Downscaled climate models in complex topographical regions: relevancy for water utility planning
Authors: Maples Amy , McHugh Maurice , Brown Erica
Published: December 2014

Water resource managers are interested in planning for future climate change scenarios, but global climate models are too coarse for water resource planning and running scenarios through dynamic downscaled regional climate models can be overly time-consuming. For this experiment, we conceptually illustrate that regional climate models can reproduce observed data for the San Francisco area, skipping a time-intensive intermediate step. To determine whether skipping the step would negatively affect output, we downscaled 13 months of National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis (NNRP2) data from native to 50, 40, and 20-km resolution using the regional climate model RegCM3. Outputs relevant to water planners, temperature and precipitation were compared with a high resolution observed dataset, which indicated that this configuration of RegCM3 can produce downscaled data with high correlations to observed data for this domain. The high correlations indicate that this domain can be simulated with a high spatial resolution ratio (1:14), without the need for the intermediate step. This study is a proof of concept that high resolution data can be obtained more efficiently for water agencies considering possible climate scenarios in planning for their future water supply. However, additional analysis is necessary before information can be obtained from downscaled models for decision-relevant use.
Robust rainwater harvesting: probabilistic tank sizing for climate change adaptation
Authors: Lash Daniel , Ward Sarah , Kershaw Tristan , Butler David , Eames Matthew
Published: December 2014

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems are increasingly being implemented in buildings. It is common in the UK for simple RWH tank sizing methods to be utilised, and these do not consider future climate change. This paper describes the development of a tool, which integrates elements of basic and detailed sizing approaches from the British Standard for RWH, with the latest probabilistic UK Climate Projections data. The method was initially applied to the design of a university building in Cornwall, UK. The methodology utilises 3,000 equi-probable rainfall patterns for tank sizing for each time period. Results indicate that, to ensure that it is ‘likely’ that the same non-potable demand could be met in 2080 as in the present, a tank 112% larger would be required. This increases to a 225% over-sizing for a ‘very likely’ probability of meeting the same level of non-potable demand. The same RWH system design was then assessed for three further UK locations with different rainfall characteristics. From these assessments, a simplified method was developed to enable practitioners to size RWH system tanks for current and future climates. The method provides a new approach to meet present and future non-potable demands, while preventing excessive over-sizing of tanks.
The role of El Niño Southern Oscillation on the patterns of cycling rates observed over India during the monsoon season
Authors: Lakshmi Kumar T. V. , Rao K. Koteswara , Uma R. , Aruna K.
Published: December 2014

Trend and interannual variability of total integrated precipitable water vapor (PWV) has been studied over India for the period 1979–2004 using NCEP/National Centre for Atmospheric Research reanalysis data with 2.5° × 2.5° resolution. The spatiotemporal variability of cycling rates (CR; units: per day), obtained from the ratio of rainfall to the PWV were presented not only for the long term (1979–2004) but also during El Niño (EN) and La Niña (LN) years of the study period to understand the intensity of hydrological cycle. The paper then dwells on obtaining the monthly atmospheric residences times over India to infer the stay of water vapor before it precipitates. The results of the present study are: all India PWV shows decreasing trend in association with the increasing/decreasing trends of Niño 3 SST/Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) for the southwest (SW) monsoon period of 1979–2004; the spatial pattern of temporal correlations of CR with SOI and Niño 3 SST displayed the significant positive and negative values in peninsular and central Indian portions of India respectively; all India atmospheric residence times varied from 9 to 2 days from premonsoon/post monsoon to SW monsoon over India.
Calculation of Static and Dynamic Characteristics for Fuel Consumption Regulator in Aircraft Engines, Taking into Account the Hydrodynamic Force
Authors: G. Gimadiev Asgat , I. Kluev Nikolay , M. Stadnikv Dmitry
Published: December 2014

the description of hydrodynamic force calculation methodology on the differential fuel consumption (thrust)
control valve in aircraft engines (AE) by the software package ANSYS. The dependences of hydrodynamic forces on the
fluid flow rate are developed through the triangular windows and the position of the differential pressure valve plug. The
static and dynamic characteristics of the draft controller were calculated in the software package MATLAB/SIMULINK,
taking into account the hydrodynamic force on the differential valve for different diameters of a damping jet. The
possibility of the draft controller developed model use is specified at the calculation of AE dynamic characteristics.
Evaluating Operational Performance of Intersections Using SIDRA
Authors: Ranjitkar Prakash , Shahin Amin , Shirwali Fasihullah
Published: December 2014

Traffic congestion has significant social, economic and environmental costs associated with it. Efficiency of
intersections contributes significantly towards the efficiency of whole urban road networks as they are the main
bottlenecks in the system. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the operational efficiency of priority controlled,
roundabout and signalised intersections under a range of traffic conditions with different volume and turning ratios using
SIDRA software. We used three measures to represent the operational efficiency namely: intersection capacity, average
delay and total emissions. The analysis revealed strengths and weaknesses of each intersection types under a range of
demand and traffic conditions. At low traffic demand, priority controlled intersections outperformed the other two forms
of intersection control. At moderate traffic demand, roundabout performed the best while at high traffic demand,
signalised intersections performed the best.
The Quantum Condition and an Elastic Limit
Authors: Znidarsic P.E. Frank
Published: December 2014

Charles-Augustin de Coulomb introduced his equations over two centuries ago. These equations quantified the
force and the energy of interacting electrical charges. The electrical permittivity of free space was factored into Coulomb’s
equations. A century later James Clear Maxwell showed that the velocity of light emerged as a consequence this
permittivity. These constructs were a crowning achievement of classical physics. In spite of these accomplishments, the
philosophy of classical Newtonian physics offered no causative explanation for the quantum condition. Planck’s empirical
constant was interjected, ad-hoc, into a description of atomic scale phenomena. Coulomb’s equation was re-factored into
the terms of an elastic constant and a wave number. Like Coulomb’s formulation, the new formulation quantified the
force and the energy produced by the interaction of electrical charges. The Compton frequency of the electron, the energy
levels of the atoms, the energy of the photon, the speed of the atomic electrons, and Planck’s constant, spontaneously
emerged from the reformulation. The emergence of these quantities, from a classical analysis, extended the realm of classical
physics into a domain that was considered to be exclusively that of the quantum.
The Effect and Importance of Technology in the Research Process
Authors: Cuff Ed
Published: December 2014

From elementary schooling to doctoral-level education, technology has become an integral part of the learning process in and out of the classroom. With the implementation of the Common Core Learning Standards, the skills required for research are more valuable than ever, for they are required to succeed in a college setting, as well as in the business world. Traditional paperbased materials and methods have been left behind, while Web 2.0 tools and other technologies and programs are used to discover, gather, and organize information. Collaboration is encouraged and feedback has become a part of constructing drafts and disseminating discovered information and written material. The aim of this article is to answer the question, “How does technology affect the teaching and learning of the research process, and why is it important to enforce technology use into the teaching of the research process?” In other words, this article intends to discover how different research technologies are used during each step of the research process, as well as how effective these tools are in making research more efficient or instead, a consequentially more complicated process. Within schools, opposing views may further complicate the process of learning research methods, for in libraries, a greater emphasis and reliance is placed on online databases and search engines as an access point to acquire information; however, other educators and historians prefer a traditional method of research by relying on primary and paper-based resources. Therefore, this article analyzes what is currently being done with the research process in education with or without technology use, and what must occur in order for educators and students to experience more efficiency, understanding, and success while conducting research.
Impact of Antidepressant Therapy on Cognitive Aspects of Work, Condom Use, and Psychosocial Well-Being among HIV Clients in Uganda
Authors: Wagner Glenn J. , Ngo Victoria K. , Nakasujja Noeline , Akena Dickens , Aunon Frances , Musisi Seggane
Published: December 2014

Objective:

Depression has been found to impede several health outcomes among people living with HIV, but little research has examined whether depression treatment mitigates this influence. We assessed the impact of antidepressant therapy on measures of work, condom use, and psychosocial well-being among depressed HIV clients in Uganda.

Methods:

Paired t-tests and McNemar tests were used to assess change in survey data collected from participants at initiation of antidepressant therapy (baseline) and 6 months later.

Results:

Ninety-five participants completed the 6-month assessment, of whom 82 (86%) responded to treatment (defined as Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score < 5). Among study completers, work functioning improved significantly, as did measures of self-efficacy related to condom use and work (as well as general self-efficacy), and internalized HIV stigma declined; however, actual engagement in work activity and consistent condom use did not show significant change. Similar findings were observed among treatment responders.

Conclusions:

Antidepressant treatment benefits functional capacity, psychological well-being, and cognitive intermediary factors that may be essential for behavioral change related to work and condom use, but supplementary therapeutic strategies may be needed to impact more direct behavioral change.
Low Rate of Obesity among Psychiatric Inpatients in Indonesia
Authors: Marthoenis M. , Aichberger Marion , Puteh Ibrahim , Schouler-Ocak Meryam
Published: December 2014

Objective:

A vast majority of psychiatric medication causes weight gain, however the rate of obesity in psychiatric patients has yet to be thoroughly studied in Indonesia. The present study aims to assess the prevalence of obesity among psychiatric inpatients in Indonesia.

Methods:

This cross sectional study was conducted in Banda Aceh Psychiatric Hospital, Indonesia from December 2012 to January 2013. The Body Mass Index (BMI) and blood pressure of a total 242 inpatients was measured, and data on their demographic information and medication were collected from the patient's chart.

Results:

The prevalence rate of obesity among psychiatric inpatients was 5% (95% CI = 2.6–8.5%), and overweight was 8% (95% CI = 5.1–12.4). The mean BMI was 21.44 kg/m2 ( SD: 3.43). Stage I hypertension and stage II hypertension was found among 7% (95% CI = 4.1–11), and 2% (95% CI = 0.9–5.3%) inpatients, respectively.

Conclusions:

The findings suggest that the rate of overweight, obesity and hypertension in the present study population was relatively low compared to rates of the general population. The inpatients have limited access to food and only eat meals that are provided to them by the hospital.
Use of Psychotropic Drugs and Associated Dental Diseases
Authors: Fratto Giovanni , Manzon Licia
Published: December 2014

Patients with problems related to central nervous system dysfunctions are often treated with psychotropic drugs. These include antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, anticonvulsants, and drugs blocking specific receptors in the brain such as anticholinergics or beta-blockers. However, these medications have serious side effects affecting the oral health. In addition, many dental patients make use of psychoactive drugs, such as amphetamine, ecstasy, and cocaine. This article aims to review data on the psychotropic drugs being used in the last 30 years, their pharmacological profile, with special attention to the side effects related to the oral health. Oral diseases such as bruxism, orofacial dystonia, oromandibular dyskinesia, and rabbit syndrome are related to extrapyramidal effects of antipsychotic drugs because of their antagonist activity on the dopaminergic receptors. Drugs with anticholinergic and/or antiadrenergic effects such as tricyclic antidepressants may cause dry mouth and related complications such as candidiasis and other oral infections. Among mood stabilizers, lithium treatment induces a wide range of side effects on oral system including dry mouth, sialorrhea, infections, and ulceration of the oral cavity. Psychostimulants may instead provoke xerotomia, gingival enlargements, bruxism, dental erosion, mucosal ulceration, and oral/nasal lesions. This literature review supports the idea that the higher prevalence of oral diseases among patients with mental disorders may be attributed to the side effects of their medications mediated by complex interactions between different targeted receptors. Thus, dentists must be aware of the possible risks of these medications in order to take appropriate precautions in treating these patients.