bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Benefits of PCP Charge Pumps Applied to Sand-Producing Reservoirs
Authors: Montiveros Mariano , Echavarria Lucas , Briozzo María
Published: May 2013

Heavy sandy fluids production is one of the biggest challenges for an artificial lift system. Progressing cavity pumping (PCP) has always been the preferred method, but as sand cuts get higher a PCP by itself is not enough: this is when charge pumps come into the picture.

This system consists of a main pump, which has high lift and low volumetric capacity; a charge pump which has low lift and three times the capacity of the main pump and a perforated nipple between them. This arrangement provides higher suction velocities reducing the deposition of solids in the rathole and the recirculation between both pumps helps keeping the perforations clean.

This study is based on the first experience in Argentina using charge pumps. The field is "Cerro Huanul Sur" and is located in the Neuquen Basin. This system was installed in seven wells and this study covers the benefits and limitations of each case.

The design of the bottomhole assembly was tailored to the specific needs of each well. This included the analysis of fluid properties, well configuration and production history. The installations were carefully supervised and the performance tracked using data logging and surveillance.

The completion of this type of wells is costly and time consuming since the sand cut has to be reduced to acceptable values. Once in production, the typical problems are blocked suction, formation of sand bridges in the annular space between casing and tubing, bridges in the tubing itself and sanded pump. In the conclusion this study will show how these issues were all overcome; reducing completion time, the interventions of the well with a flush-by unit or a pulling rig and downtime, and increasing pump run life.
Determination of Water Saturation Using Gas Phase Partitioning Tracers and Time‐Lapse Electrical Conductivity Measurements
Authors: Johnson T.C. , Oostrom M. , Truex M.J. , Thomle J.N. , Wietsma T.W.
Published: May 2013

Water saturation is an important indicator of contaminant distribution and plays a governing role in contaminant transport within the vadose zone. Understanding the water saturation distribution is critical for both remediation and contaminant flux monitoring in unsaturated environments. In this work, we propose and demonstrate a method of remotely determining water saturation levels using gas phase partitioning tracers and time‐lapse bulk electrical conductivity measurements. The theoretical development includes the partitioning chemistry for the tracers we demonstrate (ammonia and carbon dioxide), as well as a review of the petrophysical relationship governing how these tracers influence bulk conductivity. We also investigate methods of utilizing secondary information provided by electrical conductivity breakthrough magnitudes induced by the tracers. We test the method on clean, well characterized, intermediate‐scale sand columns under controlled conditions. Results demonstrate the capability to accurately monitor gas breakthrough curves along the length of the column according to the corresponding electrical conductivity response, and to adequately determine partitioning coefficients, leading to accurate water saturation estimates. This work is motivated by the need to develop effective characterization and monitoring techniques for contaminated deep vadose zone environments, and provides a proof‐of‐concept toward uniquely characterizing and monitoring water saturation levels at the field scale and in three‐dimensions using electrical resistivity tomography.
Accounting for Soil Spatial Variability in Soil Water Capacitance Probe Calibration
Authors: Wendroth Ole , Nambuthiri Susmitha , Walton R. Jason
Published: May 2013

For long‐term studies on spatiotemporal processes of soil water focusing on spatial variability at the field scale, appropriate calibration techniques for capacitance sensors are lacking. In an ideal case, soil water content samples would need to be taken in the close vicinity of the access tube, that is, within the physical sphere of influence, for sensor calibration. This destructive sampling procedure is prohibitive because the measurement site of that particular access tube would be destroyed for any further capacitance probe measurements. On the other hand, despite the advantage of controlled boundary conditions, it is difficult or impossible to conduct a lab calibration of the sensor that would be valid for the site specific conditions in a heterogeneous field soil. The objective of this study was to propose a sampling and data processing procedure to compare six calibration scenarios with respect to the RMSE values of their associated calibration functions and to describe the spatial series of calibration parameters in an autoregressive state‐space model. All scenarios were based on a data set obtained during the installation of access tubes and four subsequent soil sampling campaigns in the vicinity of 1‐m radius around the tube. Site‐ and depth‐specific calibration yielded the best calibration results, ranging among the best calibration results presented in the literature. Layer‐specific stratification of measurement points according to the soil clay content yielded RMSE values approximately twice as high as the site‐ and layer‐specific calibration and ranged among many other published studies. The presented sampling and data‐processing procedure in combination with site‐ and layer‐specific calibration are critically discussed and show a promising way for field‐scale studies focused on spatiotemporal processes of soil water content and underlying calibration parameters. This study shows that the spatial range of representativity can substantially exceed the small physical sphere of influence of the capacitance sensor and supports its calibration.
Eleven Year Results of Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients with Secondary Osteoarthritis Due to Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis
Authors: Schoof Benjamin , Citak Mustafa , O’Loughlin Padhraig F , Kendoff Daniel , Haasper Carl , Gehrke Thorsten , Gebauer Matthias
Published: May 2013

Background:

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) in patients with a history of Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE), is typically indicated to address the consequent deformity of the proximal femur and/or acetabulum. It can be a challenging procedure for the orthopaedic surgeon. Previous studies have focused on prevention of osteoarthritis post-SCFE. However, there is a paucity of data on the outcomes of total hip arthroplasty in patients with osteoarthritis secondary to SCFE. This study was performed to assess the mid-term results of total hip arthroplasty in this patient cohort.

Materials and Methods:

All patients with secondary osteoarthritis due to slipped capital femoral epiphysis, treated with total hip arthroplasty between 1987 and 2005, were included in this retrospective study (n=30). Thirty patients (17 male, 13 female) met the inclusion criteria with one patient lost to follow-up and one unrelated death one year before follow up examination, thereby leaving 28 patients (32 hips) eligible for the study with a mean follow-up time period of 11.2 years. The Harris Hip Score (HHS) and MOS 36 short form health survey (SF36) were determined preoperatively and at most recent follow-up for all patients. Complications were also noted for all cases.

Results:

The mean Harris Hip Score increased significantly from 47 (32-59; SD=8.3) to 92.3 (65-100; SD=8.2) (p<0.0001). The SF-36 health survey showed an improvement of quality-of-life in all sub-scales. Overall, revision surgery was required in six cases (19 %). Aseptic loosening, leading to implant removal, was noted in five cases. A single-stage revision to address infection was performed in one case. The cumulative survival rate at latest follow-up was 81 %. No other complications were encountered during the study.

Conclusions:

Despite a higher failure rate, compared to total hip arthroplasty in the treatment of primary osteoarthritis, total hip arthroplasty can be considered a feasible option for patients with secondary osteoarthritis of the hip due to slipped capital femoral epiphysis. The current study demonstrates good outcomes in patients treated with a cementless column-preserving prosthesis, which is of particular relevance for this young patient cohort. However, further clinical prospective randomized studies are warranted to provide more definitive evidence.
Novel Radon Sub-Slab Suctioning System
Authors: Rasmussen Torben Valdbjorn
Published: May 2013

A new principle for radon protection is currently presented which makes use of a system of horizontal pressurised
air ducts located within the lower part of the rigid insulation layer of the ground-floor slab. The function of this system
is based on the principles of pressure reduction within the zone below the ground-floor construction. For this purpose
a new system of prefabricated lightweight elements is introduced. The effectiveness of the system is demonstrated for the
case of a ground-floor reinforced concrete slab situated on top of a rigid insulation layer (consisting of a thermal insulation
layer located on top of a capillary-breaking layer) mounted in turn on stable ground. The new system of prefabricated
lightweight elements consists of the capillary-breaking layer and a pressure-reduction zone which is working as the radonsuction
zone. The radon-suctioning layer is formed from a grid of horizontal air ducts with low pressure which are able to
remove air and radon from the ground. Results showed the system to be effective in preventing radon infiltrating from the
ground through the ground-floor slab, avoiding high concentrations of radon being accumulated inside houses. For the
system to be effective, the pressure within the ducts must be lower than the pressure inside the house. The new principle
was shown to be effective in preventing radon from polluting the indoor air by introducing low pressure in the horizontal
grid of air ducts. A lower pressure than the pressure inside the building must be established. The prefabricated lightweight
elements were integrated into the insulation layer below the material of the ground-floor slab. The element and the insulation
material were made of expanded polystyrene. The new element can be handled by one man on site.
Path coefficient analysis of quality of two-row spring barley
Authors: Przulj Novo , Momcilovic Vojislava , Crnobarac Jovan
Published: May 2013

Malting quality is composed of numerous interacting traits with a high
complexity concerning their biochemical and genetic basis. Malt extract is
key indicator of barley malting quality and it is a mega-trait since it is
influenced by a number of independent component traits. Understanding genetic
and non-genetic factors that effects grain quality and grain yield is crucial
in developing new cultivars, seed and mercantile production. Path analysis is
one of the reliable statistical techniques which allow separation of the
direct effect of each component trait on malt quality from the indirect
effects caused by the interdependence component trait. The aim of this study
was to investigate spring two-row barley quality as mega-trait depending on
the component traits in the conditions of the Pannonian environments.
Regression analysis with extract (EXT) as dependant and other traits
(yield-YIL, test weight-TW, grain weight-GW, grading-GRA, grain protein
concentration-GPC, viscosity-VIS, Kolbach index-KOL, Hartong number-HAR) as
independent traits was performed out. Simple coefficient of correlations were
calculated between independent traits and EXT in all pair combination and
then used as inputs for path coefficient analysis. The quadratic curve fitted
the best relationship between EXT and the independent traits. EXT was in
positive (P<0.01) relationship with GW, GRA, KOL, and HAR with simple
correlation coefficient of 0.47, 0.42, 0.39 and 0.50, respectively and in
negative (P<0.01) relationship with GPC and VIS with simple correlation
coefficient of -0.72 and -0.51, respectively. Path analysis explained more
than 70% of the variation in EXT of which 34.3% was determined by direct
negative path coefficient (P<0.01) of GPC without significant any indirect
path effect. VIS negatively directly, (P<0.01) and negatively indirectly via
GPC effected EXT. KOL did not have significant direct effect on EXT, but had
rather prominent indirect effect via GPC, VIS and HAR. HAR positively
directly (P<0.01) and positively indirectly via GPC effected EXT. The direct
effect of VIS and HAR determined 13.0% and 14.1% of the variation,
respectively.
Variability in germination and germination dynamics of differently treated seeds of Serbian spruce (Picea omorika Pancic/Purkynĕ)
Authors: Cvjetkovic Branislav , Mataruga Milan , Isajev Vasilije , Levic Jelena , Lucic Aleksandar , Trkulja Vojislav , Kremenovic Zeljka
Published: May 2013

Genetic-physiological approach was used in the study of the quality of
Serbian spruce seed (Picea omorika /Pancic/Purkyn?), collected in the
populations on the left bank of the river Drina. The seed originated from the
three populations that represent the overall ecological and productive
conditions of Serbian spruce populations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Two
natural populations were selected: Veliki Stolac and Gostilj, and one planted
forest population in Srebrenica. The cones were collected in late autumn 2009
and early spring 2010. They were collected from five trees from Srebrenica
and Gostilj, and seven trees from Veliki Stolac. Immediately after they were
collected, the cones and seeds were processed and germination tests were
done. Germination, germination viability and germination dynamics were
studied in three categories of seed treatment: 1) control unit (just
processed seed), 2) seed stored for six months at 0-4 ?C, 3) seed stored for
seven months at 0-4? C and treated with fungicide after five months of
storing. The number of germinated seed was observed and noted on the third,
fourth, fifth, seventh, tenth, fourteenth, twenty-first and twenty-eighth
day. There were significant differences in germination dynamics at the
population level and the level of treatment during the first couple of days
of germination test. Fungicide (captan) acted as an inhibitor on seed
germination process. The seeds originating from the largest population of
Veliki Stolac showed the best response to storing treatment with fungicide
related to germination dynamics. The seed originating from Srebrenica andkept
at low temperatures 0-4 ?C without treatment with fungicides showed the best
result in germination. Regardless of the presence of differences in the
dynamics of germination, significant differences in germination regarding
different treatments on the last day of the test, were not recorded.
Effective selection criteria for screening drought tolerant recombinant inbred lines of sunflower
Authors: Abdi Nishtman , Darvishzadeh Reza , Maleki Hatami
Published: May 2013

In this study, seventy two sunflower recombinant inbred lines were tested for
their yielding ability under both water-stressed and well-watered states. The
inbred lines were evaluated in a rectangular 8?9 lattice design with two
replications in both well-watered and water-stressed conditions, separately.
Eight drought tolerance indices including stability tolerance index (STI),
mean productivity (MP), geometric mean productivity (GMP), harmonic mean
(HM), stress susceptibility index (SSI), tolerance index (TOL), yield index
(YI) and yield stability index (YSI) were calculated based on grain yield for
every genotype. Results showed the highest values of mean productivity (MP)
index, geometric mean productivity (GMP), yield index (YI), harmonic mean
(HM) and stress tolerance index (STI) indices for ?C134a? inbred line and
least values of stress susceptibility index (SSI) and tolerance (TOL) for C61
inbred line. According to correlation of indices with yield performance under
both drought stress and non-stress states and principle component analysis,
indices including HM, MP, GMP and STI could properly distinguish drought
tolerant sunflower inbred lines with high yield performance under both
states. Cluster analysis of inbred lines using Ys, Yp and eight indices,
categorized them into four groups including 19, 6, 26 and 19 inbred lines.
Over-expressed CmbT multidrug resistance transporter improves the fitness of Lactococcus lactis
Authors: Filipic Brankica , Jovcic Branko , Uzelac Gordana , Miljkovic Marija , Antic-Stankovic Jelena , Topisirovic Ljubisa , Golic Natasa
Published: May 2013

The influence of the over-expression of CmbT multidrug resistance transporter
on the growth rate of Lactococcus lactis NZ9000 was studied. L. lactis is a
lactic acid bacteria (LAB) widely used as a starter culture in dairy
industry. Recently characterized CmbT MDR transporter in L. lactis confers
resistance to a wide variety of toxic compounds as well as to some clinically
relevant antibiotics. In this study, the cmbT gene was over-expressed in the
strain L. lactis NZ9000 in the presence of nisin inducer. Over-expression of
the cmbT gene in L. lactis NZ9000 was followed by RT-PCR. The obtained
results showed that the cmbT gene was successfully over-expressed by addition
of sub-inhibitory amounts of nisin. Growth curves of L. lactis NZ9000/pCT50
over-expressing the cmbT gene and L. lactis NZ9000 control strain were
followed in the rich medium as well as in the chemically defined medium in
the presence solely of methionine (0.084 mM) or mix of methionine and
cysteine (8.4 mM and 8.2 mM, respectively). Resulting doubling times revealed
that L. lactis NZ9000/pCT50 had higher growth rate comparing to the control
strain. This could be a consequence of the CmbT efflux activity, which
improves the fitness of the host bacterium through the elimination of toxic
compounds from the cell.
A revised its nucleotide sequence gives a specifity for Smallanthus sonchifolius (Poepp. and Endl.) and its products identification
Authors: Ziarovská Jana , Fernández Eloy , Millela Luigi
Published: May 2013

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) is an Andean crop which is very regarded for
its benefits for people suffering from diabetes or various digestive or renal
disorders. Because no specific Smallanthus sonchifolius identification DNA
markers are still known the paper demonstrates ITS regions to be able to
detect and differentiate among yacon species and the potential for specific
food authentification purposes is reported, too. The newly sequenced ITS of
yacon accessions originated in Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia analyse provide the
unique sequence site that differs from all of the other yacon species and is
recognized by DraIII restriction endonuclease. Restriction cleavadge of the
PCR amplified ITSs of the twenty-eight yacon accessions was performed and in
all cases the recognition site was confirmed as a typical for Smallanthus
sonchifolius . Based on the nucleotide specifity of Smallanthus sonchifolius,
ITS sequence the PCR method combined with the restriction clevadge protocol
was developed for yacon identification.
Enzymatic synthesis of vitamin B6 precursor
Authors: Prlainovic Nevena , Bezbradica Dejan , Knezevic-Jugovic Zorica , Velickovic Dusan , Mijin Dusan
Published: May 2013

3-Cyano-4-ethoxymethyl-6-methyl-2-pyridone is an important precursor in the
synthesis of vitamin B6, obtained in the addition reaction between
2-cyanoacetamide and 1-ethoxy-2,4-pentanedione catalyzed by lipase from
Candida rugosa (triacylglycerol ester hydrolases, EC 3.1.1.3). This work
shows new experimental data and mathematical modeling of lipase catalyzed
synthesis of 3-cyano-4-ethoxymethyl-6-methyl-2-pyridone, starting from
1-ethoxy-2,4-pentanedione and 2-cyanoacetamide. Kinetic measurements were
done at 50 oC with enzyme concentration of 1.2 % w/v. Experimental results
were fitted with two kinetic models: the ordered bi-ter and ping-pong bi-ter
model, and the initial rates of the reaction were found to correlate best
with a ping-pong bi-ter mechanism with inhibition by 2-cyanoacetamide.
Obtained specificity constants indicated that lipase from C. rugosa had
higher affinity towards 1-ethoxy-2,4-pentanedione and less bulky substrates.
OSCE in early 21st century: The place, role and scope
Authors: Acimovic Ljubivoje
Published: May 2013

The author firstly deals with the genesis and evolution of the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe comparing the basic characteristics
of OSCE with those of the previous CSCE. Then follows an analytical survey of
the CSCE/OSCE activities in the 1990s, which are grouped into the following
three fields: institutional build-up of the Organization, normative and
programmatic activity as well as the operational and implementation activity.
The author makes an analysis of the Charter for European Security adopted at
1999 OSCE Istanbul summit. The final part projects what further development
and role of OSCE is likely to be in the field of security and co-operation in
the Euro-Atlantic region, pointing out that in the foreseeable period OSCE
will probably mainly retain its present role, significance and the structure
of activities, unless some unexpected events occur in the sphere of
international affairs.
International criminal law: Between law and politics
Authors: Jovasevic Dragan
Published: May 2013

Crimes against international law are committed by violating the rules of
international humanitarian law during wars or armed conflicts. The
perpetrators of these crimes are under the jurisdiction of international
criminal courts (military or civil, permanent or ad hoc). The process of the
commission of crimes against international law may comprise several different
phases or stadiums. Moreover, such criminal offences rarely appear as the
results of only one person?s activities. On the contrary, in numerous cases
of these criminal offences, accomplice appears as a form of collective
participation of several persons in the commission of one or more crimes
against international law. All these facts represent grounds for the specific
type of criminal responsibility of the perpetrators of crimes against
international law. It is a object of regulation international criminal law
about whose characteristics converse this article.
An analysis of innovation performance of the Western Balkan countries and the EU selective economies group
Authors: Cvetanovic Slobodan , Nedic Vladimir
Published: May 2013

First of all, the paper offers a theoretical explication of the importance of
economic innovation for a country?s economic development. It further
considers the metrics of the Global Innovation Index. By means of a box-plot
diagram, the article explores the link between basic innovation performances
(Global Innovation Index, Index Innovation Input and Index Innovation output)
of the six Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Montenegro) and a group of six selected
European Union economies in the neighbourhood (Austria, Greece, Bulgaria,
Romania, Hungary and Slovenia). The aim is to identify the existence of
extreme values between the data that reveal the key innovation performance of
the two groups including the description of the basic characteristics of the
performances which have been examined.
Forensic aspects of postmortem serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin analysis as a marker of alcohol abuse
Authors: Popovic Vesna , Atanasijevic Tatjana , Nikolic Slobodan , Bozic Natasa , Vujcic Zoran , Micic-Labudovic Jelena
Published: May 2013

Introduction. Carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) has been suggested as
one of alcohol abuse indicators having produced good results in forensic
medicine for years. Objective. The aim of the study was to identify
correlation between present methodology of alcohol abuse diagnosis at autopsy
(macroscopic and microscopic findings) and CDT examination using the method
of isoelectrofocusing (IEF) in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). We
also analyzed if the time interval between the moment of death and blood
sample collection influences CDT findings. Methods The method used for CDT
analysis was IEF-PAGE. Sera of 49 males and 11 females aged 14-87 years,
average age 46.85?18.53, were used in this study. Control group consisted of
five patients who died after medical treatment that lasted longer than 15
days, and five patients who started Disulfiram therapy in controlled hospital
environment. Results. The results obtained in CDT examination in dead bodies?
sera showed sensitivity 59% and specificity 71%. A high incidence of falsely
positive CDT result was noticed in liver failure and cirrhosis of
non-alcoholic origin. CDT analysis is also possible to be done in samples
collected postmortem up to 76 hours. Conclusion. In forensic medicine, the
method of CDT determination is reliable for the diagnosis of alcohol abuse.
Renal Function Following Three Distinct Weight Loss Dietary Strategies During 2 Years of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Tirosh Amir , Golan Rachel , Harman-Boehm Ilana , Henkin Yaakov , Schwarzfuchs Dan , Rudich Assaf , Kovsan Julia , Fiedler Georg M. , Blüher Matthias , Stumvoll Michael , Thiery Joachim , Stampfer Meir J. , Shai Iris
Published: May 2013

OBJECTIVE

This study addressed the long-term effect of various diets, particularly low-carbohydrate high-protein, on renal function on participants with or without type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

In the 2-year Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial (DIRECT), 318 participants (age, 51 years; 86% men; BMI, 31 kg/m2; mean estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], 70.5 mL/min/1.73 m2; mean urine microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio, 12:12) with serum creatinine <176 μmol/L (eGFR ≥30 mL/min/1.73 m2) were randomized to low-fat, Mediterranean, or low-carbohydrate diets. The 2-year compliance was 85%, and the proportion of protein intake significantly increased to 22% of energy only in the low-carbohydrate diet (P < 0.05 vs. low-fat and Mediterranean). We examined changes in urinary microalbumin and eGFR, estimated by Modification of Diet in Renal Disease and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration formulas.

RESULTS

Significant (P < 0.05 within groups) improvements in eGFR were achieved in low-carbohydrate (+5.3% [95% CI 2.1–8.5]), Mediterranean (+5.2% [3.0–7.4]), and low-fat diets (+4.0% [0.9–7.1]) with similar magnitude (P > 0.05) across diet groups. The increased eGFR was at least as prominent in participants with (+6.7%) or without (+4.5%) type 2 diabetes or those with lower baseline renal function of eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (+7.1%) versus eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (+3.7%). In a multivariable model adjusted for age, sex, diet group, type 2 diabetes, use of ACE inhibitors, 2-year weight loss, and change in protein intake (confounders and univariate predictors), only a decrease in fasting insulin (β = −0.211; P = 0.004) and systolic blood pressure (β = −0.25; P < 0.001) were independently associated with increased eGFR. The urine microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio improved similarly across the diets, particularly among participants with baseline sex-adjusted microalbuminuria, with a mean change of −24.8 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

A low-carbohydrate diet is as safe as Mediterranean or low-fat diets in preserving/improving renal function among moderately obese participants with or without type 2 diabetes, with baseline serum creatinine <176 μmol/L. Potential improvement is likely to be mediated by weight loss–induced improvements in insulin sensitivity and blood pressure.
Effectiveness of Three Contingency-Nonspecific Stimuli on Bathroom Graffiti Prevention in a College Setting
Authors: Lee Jin , Chung Kyong-Mee
Published: May 2013

An A-B-A design was adopted to test the effectiveness of different types of contingency-nonspecific stimuli in the prevention of bathroom graffiti in a college setting. The three stimuli examined in this study have been frequently used to prevent bathroom graffiti in South Korea and they were: (a) “Please do not write, draw, or mark on these walls;” (b) a mirror; and (c) “Courteous people keep public places clean.” No graffiti was observed when the first and second stimuli were presented. In contrast, a notable increase in bathroom graffiti was observed when the third sign was presented. The results suggest that a contingency non-specific stimuli posting intervention can be effective in the prevention of bathroom graffiti only when appropriate stimuli are used. The practical implications, including cost-effectiveness, are discussed.
Multi-Faceted Rasch Measurement and Bias Patterns in EFL Writing Performance Assessment
Authors: He Tung-Hsien , Gou Wen Johnny , Chien Ya-Chen , Chen I-Shan Jenny , Chang Shan-Mao
Published: May 2013

This study applied multi-faceted Rasch measurement to examine rater bias in the assessment of essays written by college students learning English as a foreign language. Four raters who had received different academic training from four distinctive disciplines applied a six-category rating scale to analytically rate essays on an argumentative topic and on a descriptive topic. FACETS, a Rasch computer program, was utilized to pinpoint bias patterns by analyzing the rater-topic, rater-category, and topic-category interactions. Results showed: argumentative essays were rated more severely than were descriptive essays; the linguistics-major rater was the most lenient rater, while the literature-major rater was the severest one; and the category of language use received the severest ratings, whereas content was given the most lenient ratings. The severity hierarchies for raters, essay topics, and rating categories suggested that raters' academic training and their perceptions of the importance of categories were associated with their bias patterns. Implications for rater training are discussed.
Perceived Social Support among International Students at a U.S. University
Authors: Chavajay Pablo
Published: May 2013

This study investigated the extent and sources of perceived social support among international students attending a northeastern university in the United States. Using the Index of Sojourner Social Support Scale, international students reported perceiving greater socioemotional and instrumental support from other international people than from Americans. Results also indicated that younger international students perceived more socioemotional and instrumental support from others than did older international students. The findings point to sources of social support available to international students in the host culture and the important role such types of social support may play in helping international students make adjustments to living and studying in a new cultural context.
Exploration of the Factor Structure of the Kirton Adaption–Innovation Inventory Using Bootstrapping Estimation
Authors: Im Subin , Min Soonhong
Published: May 2013

Exploratory factor analyses of the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory (KAI), which serves to measure individual cognitive styles, generally indicate three factors: sufficiency of originality, efficiency, and rule/group conformity. In contrast, a 2005 study by Im and Hu using confirmatory factor analysis supported a four-factor structure, dividing the sufficiency of originality dimension into two subdimensions, idea generation and preference for change. This study extends Im and Hu's (2005) study of a derived version of the KAI by providing additional evidence of the four-factor structure. Specifically, the authors test the robustness of the parameter estimates to the violation of normality assumptions in the sample using bootstrap methods. A bias-corrected confidence interval bootstrapping procedure conducted among a sample of 356 participants—members of the Arkansas Household Research Panel, with middle SES and average age of 55.6 yr. ( SD = 13.9)—showed that the four-factor model with two subdimensions of sufficiency of originality fits the data significantly better than the three-factor model in non-normality conditions.
Agonistic Strategies and Spatial Distribution in Captive Sooty Mangabeys (Cercocebus Atys)
Authors: Dolado Ruth , Cifre Ignacio , Beltran Francesc S.
Published: May 2013

The aim of this article is to study the relationship between the dominance hierarchy and the spatial distribution of a group of captive sooty mangabeys ( Cercocebus atys). The analysis of the spatial distribution of individuals in relation to their rank in the dominance hierarchy showed a clear linear hierarchy in which the dominant individual was located in central positions with regard to the rest of the group members. The large open enclosure where the group was living allowed them to adopt a high-risk agonistic strategy in which individuals attacked other individuals whose rank was significantly different from their own. The comparison of the results with a previous study of mangabeys showed that, although the dominance ranks of both groups were similar, the fact that they lived in facilities with different layouts caused different agonistic strategies to emerge and allowed the dominant individual to assume different spatial locations.
A parameter-free smoothness indicator for high-resolution finite element schemes
Authors: Kuzmin Dmitri , Schieweck Friedhelm
Published: May 2013

This paper presents a postprocessing technique for estimating the local regularity of numerical solutions in high-resolution finite element schemes. A derivative of degree p ≥ 0 is considered to be smooth if a discontinuous linear reconstruction does not create new maxima or minima. The intended use of this criterion is the identification of smooth cells in the context of p-adaptation or selective flux limiting. As a model problem, we consider a 2D convection equation discretized with bilinear finite elements. The discrete maximum principle is enforced using a linearized flux-corrected transport algorithm. The deactivation of the flux limiter in regions of high regularity makes it possible to avoid the peak clipping effect at smooth extrema without generating spurious undershoots or overshoots elsewhere.
The role of rock mining for maintaining Dauco carotae-Crepidetum rhoeadifoliae Hejný et Grüll in Hejný et al. 1979 — a new to Poland plant association
Authors: Nowak Sylwia , Nowak Arkadiusz
Published: May 2013

This work presents the Dauco carotae-Crepidetum rhoeadifoliae plant association, which is new to Poland. The association has been observed in industrial reclamation areas in the vicinity of carbonate mineral excavation sites in the central part of the Opole region. In the vast majority of cases, plots of this association developed in reclaimed areas. The majority of diagnostic species for the association was found within surveyed plots, including Verbascum thapsus, V. densiflorum and Bryum argenteum. Taxa characteristic of the alliance were also constantly present, i.e. Daucus carota, Melilotus alba, M. officinalis, Echium vulgare and Erysimum hieracifolium. This association belongs to the rarest syntaxa in Poland included in the Dauco-Melilotion alliance of ruderal communities with a predominance of hemicryptophytes, therophytes and perennials. The main diagnostic species — Crepis rhoeadifolia, belongs to very rare elements of Polish flora. It has been observed only in the southern part of the country in approx. 20 sites. Crepis rhoeadifolia had not been observed in Silesia for approx. 40 years, which is why it was considered to be an extinct taxon in this region. Rediscovering of the species allowed for diagnosing the Dauco-Crepidetum rhoeadifoliae association. This association is an example of a pioneer phytocenosis of, most likely, anthropogenic origin in Silesia.
Comparative study of particle size analysis of hydroxyapatite-based nanomaterials
Authors: Barabás Réka , Czikó Melinda , Dékány Imre , Bizo Liliana , Bogya Erzsébet
Published: May 2013

The purpose of this work was to compare hydroxyapatite (HAP) and composites of HAP, HAP with chitosan (CS), and HAP with poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), in terms of their particle size and morphology, using different methods, such as Coulter counter analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Although many researchers have studied HAP and CS/HAP and PVP/HAP composites extensively, there is no evidence of a comparative study of their particle sizes. For this reason, different complementary methods have been used so as to provide a more complete image of final product properties — particle size — from the perspective of possible applications. The syntheses of HAP and HAP with polymer nanoparticles were carried out employing a precipitation method. Variation in particle size with synthesis time and influence of the reactants’ concentration on the materials’ preparation were systematically explored. Crystallite size calculated from XRD data revealed nanosized particles of HAP, CS/HAP, and PVP/HAP materials in the range of 2.5–9.2 nm. Coulter counter analysis revealed mean particle sizes of one thousand orders of magnitude larger, confirming that this technique measures agglomerates, not individual particles. In addition, the particles’ morphology and an assessment of their binding mode were completed by TEM measurements.
A comparative study on direct production of ethyl levulinate from glucose in ethanol media catalysed by different acid catalysts
Authors: Xu Gui-Zhuan , Chang Chun , Zhu Wei-Na , Li Bo , Ma Xiao-Jian , Du Feng-Guang
Published: May 2013

Direct production of ethyl levulinate (EL) from glucose catalysed by a liquid acid catalyst (sulfuric acid) and a solid acid zeolite catalyst USY NKF-7 (USY) in ethanol media was investigated in this study. Effects of the initial glucose concentration (C G0), reaction temperature (T), amount of acid catalyst, and water addition on the yields of EL were compared, respectively. The results show that higher yield of EL can be obtained at lower C G0. Higher temperature and acid concentration can accelerate the reaction rate, but the formation rate of the by-products increases more quickly than that of EL. Water addition also can result in the decrease of the yield of EL. Although sulfuric acid is efficient in the production of EL, the USY is more efficient in converting glucose to 5-ethoxymethyl-2-furaldehyde. Moreover, the use of USY can limit the diethyl ether production, and it can be reused for multiple times.
Theoretical investigation on the reaction of HS+ with CH3NH2
Authors: Zhang Li-Li , Liu Hui-Ling , Tang Hao , Huang Xu-Ri
Published: May 2013

The singlet and triplet potential energy surfaces for the reaction of HS+ with the simplest primary amine, CH3NH2, were determined at the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(d,p) level using the B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) and QCISD/6-311G(d,p) geometries. All possible reaction channels were explored. The results show that three paths on the singlet potential energy surface and one path on the triplet potential energy surface are competitive. These four feasible paths provide products which are presented in the paper and they are consistent with previous experimental results. On the other hand, the stationary points involved in the most favourable path all lie below those of the reactant and thus the title reaction is expected to be rapid, which is also consistent with the experiment.
Influence of superplasticizers on the course of Portland cement hydration
Authors: Šiler Pavel , Kolářová Iva , Krátký Josef , Havlica Jaromír , Brandštetr Jiří
Published: May 2013

A multicell isoperibolic — semiadiabatic calorimeter was used for the measurement of temperature and the determination of the hydration heat evolution at earlier period of cement pastes setting and hardening. The measurements were aimed at the determination of the effect of superplasticizers (SPs) on the course of the Portland cement hydration. Commercial polycarboxylate SP was added to the mixtures and the heat effect was measured. With the increasing content of SP, the hydration temperature increased up to a certain value and then decreased. In case of a sufficient amount of water in the mixture to achieve complete hydration of cement, samples with the highest values of the maximum hydration temperature reached the highest values of the released total heat. If there is not a sufficient amount of water to achieve complete hydration, the samples with the highest values of the maximum hydration temperature reach the lowest values of the released total heat.
Laser speckle reduction based on angular diversity induced by Piezoelectric Benders
Authors: Ouyang G. , Akram M. N. , Wang K. , Tong Z. , Chen X. Y.
Published: May 2013

Speckle reduction techniques have been investigated in display systems with coherent light sources. We propose a simple but efficient method to reduce speckle via two fast vibrating piezoelectric benders. The concept is modulating laser beams to have angle diversity and reducing speckle by temporal averaging in the integration time of the detector. Experiments demonstrate that the speckle contrast is suppressed down to 0.06. Both free space and imaging geometry are considered. In order to fairly evaluate the speckle reduction, the optical configuration as well as the camera settings, which largely affect the speckle contrast, is discussed.
Meteorological controls on glacier mass balance in High Asia
Authors: Rasmussen L.A.
Published: May 2013

The aim of this study is to investigate spatial and temporal variations of meteorological variables known to control glacier mass-balance processes, and to demonstrate their relevance in High Asia. The study uses the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis database (US National Centers for Environmental Prediction and US National Center for Atmospheric Research), which is global and continuous since 1 January 1948. A positive degree-day (PDD) model of annual glacier-wide summer surface balance, Bs, uses upper-air temperatures at NCEP/NCAR gridpoints near each of six glaciers between 40 and 45° N and between 71 and 87°E and two others near 50° N, 87° E. Model error ranged between 0.19 and 0.41 mw.e., comparable with the observational accuracy of Bs. Sensitivity to temperature change, dBs=dT, ranges between –0.5 and –0.2 m w.e. a–1 °C–1 for these glaciers.
Spatial and Temporal Variations of Atmospheric Aerosol in Osaka
Authors: Nakata Makiko , Sano Itaru , Mukai Sonoyo , Holben Brent
Published: May 2013

It is well known that the aerosol distribution in Asia is complex due to both the increasing emissions of the anthropogenic aerosols associated with economic growth and the behavior of natural dusts. Therefore, detailed observations of atmospheric particles in Asian urban cities are important. In this work, we focus on the spatial and temporal variations of atmospheric particles around Higashi-Osaka in Japan. Higashi-Osaka is located in the eastern part of Osaka, the second-largest city in Japan, and is famous for small- and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises. For this study, we placed various ground measurement devices around the Higashi-Osaka campus of Kinki University including a Cimel sunphotometer supported by NASA/AERONET (Aerosol robotics network), suspended particulate matter (SPM) sampler and LIDAR (light detection and ranging). Individual particle analyses with a SEM (scanning electron microscope)/EDX (energy-dispersive X-ray analyzer) show the temporal variations of particle properties, such as size, shape and components, during a dust event on 21 March 2010. The simultaneous measurement using a portable sun photometer with AERONET was conducted from April to November 2011. A comparison of the data at each site and the combination of the observed LIDAR data and model simulations indicate the difference in the transportation processes between dust and anthropogenic particles. We suppose this difference is attributed to the differences in the vertical aerosol profiles, where one aerosol is transported over Mount Ikoma and the other is blocked by it.
Online Semiparametric Identification of Lithium-Ion Batteries Using the Wavelet-Based Partially Linear Battery Model
Authors: Mu Dazhong , Jiang Jiuchun , Zhang Caiping
Published: May 2013

Battery model identification is very important for reliable battery management as well as for battery system design process. The common problem in identifying battery models is how to determine the most appropriate mathematical model structure and parameterized coefficients based on the measured terminal voltage and current. This paper proposes a novel semiparametric approach using the wavelet-based partially linear battery model (PLBM) and a recursive penalized wavelet estimator for online battery model identification. Three main contributions are presented. First, the semiparametric PLBM is proposed to simulate the battery dynamics. Compared with conventional electrical models of a battery, the proposed PLBM is equipped with a semiparametric partially linear structure, which includes a parametric part (involving the linear equivalent circuit parameters) and a nonparametric part [involving the open-circuit voltage (OCV)]. Thus, even with little prior knowledge about the OCV, the PLBM can be identified using a semiparametric identification framework. Second, we model the nonparametric part of the PLBM using the truncated wavelet multiresolution analysis (MRA) expansion, which leads to a parsimonious model structure that is highly desirable for model identification; using this model, the PLBM could be represented in a linear-in-parameter manner. Finally, to exploit the sparsity of the wavelet MRA representation and allow for online implementation, a penalized wavelet estimator that uses a modified online cyclic coordinate descent algorithm is proposed to identify the PLBM in a recursive fashion. The simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed PLBM with the corresponding identification algorithm can accurately simulate the dynamic behavior of a lithium-ion battery in the Federal Urban Driving Schedule tests.
Comparison of Cocoa Beans from China, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea
Authors: Gu Fenglin , Tan Lehe , Wu Huasong , Fang Yiming , Xu Fei , Chu Zhong , Wang Qinghuang
Published: May 2013

A survey on five kinds of cocoa beans from new cocoa planting countries was conducted to analyze each kind’s basic quality. The average bean weight and butter content of Hainan cocoa beans were the lowest, at less than 1.1 g, and 39.24% to 43.44%, respectively. Cocoa beans from Indonesia where shown to be about 8.0% and 9.0% higher in average bean weight and butter content, respectively, than that of Papua New Guinea and about 20.0% and 25.0% higher in average bean weight and butter content than Chinese dried beans, respectively. The average total polyphenolic content ranged from 81.22 mg/10 g to 301.01 mg/10 g. The Hainan 2011 sample had the highest total polyphenolic content, followed by the unfermented sample from Indonesia and the Papua New Guinea sample. The polyphenolic levels found in the Hainan 2010 sample were 123.61 mg/10 g and lower than the other three samples, but the Indonesian fermented sample had the lowest total polyphenolic content of 81.22 mg/10 g. The average total amino acid content ranged from 11.58 g/100 g to 18.17 g/100 g. The total amino acid content was the highest in the Indonesian unfermented sample, followed by the Hainan 2011 sample and the Papua New Guinea sample. The levels found in the Hainan 2010 sample were lower; the Indonesian fermented sample had the lowest total amino acid content.
A Note on Cooperative Strategies in Gladiators’ Games
Authors: Ballet Jérôme , Bazin Damien , Vranceanu Radu
Published: May 2013

Gladiatorial combat was in reality a lot less lethal than it is depicted in the cinema. This short paper highlights how cooperative strategies could have prevailed in the arenas, which is generally what happened during the Games. Cooperation in the arena corresponded to a situation of the professionalization of gladiators, who been trained in gladiatorial schools. This case provides an analogy of the conditions under which cooperation occurs in a context of competition between rival companies.