bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of Soil Properties after Five Years of No‐Till and Strip‐Till
Authors: Fernández Fabián G. , Sorensen Brad A. , Villamil Maria B.
Published: May 2015

Recent research in Illinois suggests that yield increase in corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean [Glycine max. (L.) Merr.] with strip‐till (ST) vs. no‐till (NT) could be explained by differences in root characteristics and enhanced nutrient uptake in ST. However, the effect of these tillage practices on soil properties remains unclear. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of NT and ST on soil organic matter (SOM), penetration resistance (PR), bulk density (BD), water aggregate stability (WAS), and infiltration rate (INF) from selected treatments of a larger study established in 2007 with two adjacent fields in a corn–soybean rotation. The effect of tillage (NT, ST) on soil properties at four different positions relative to the crop‐row and at four successive depths was measured during the corn phase in 2012 and 2013. Averaged across crop‐row positions relative to NT, ST increased SOM by 8.6% (3.5 vs. 3.8% SOM), reduced BD by 4% to 1.35 g cm−3 and reduced PR by 18% to 0.94 MPa. There were no differences or inconsistent responses to tillage for WAS and INF indicating additional years are likely needed to determine whether these soil properties can be influenced with NT and ST. Consistent repeated planting over the same position in the field created substantial differences in soil properties in relation to position from the crop‐row. We showed that previously observed improved nutrient uptake efficiency and yields in ST compared with NT is related, at least in part, to improved properties of the soil with ST.
Heterotic Grouping and the Heterotic Pattern among Chinese Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) Accessions
Authors: Tian H. Y. , Channa S. A. , Hu S. W.
Published: May 2015

Heterotic groups and patterns are extremely important in hybrid breeding. Nine elite inbreds widely used in Chinese rapeseed hybrid breeding programs were crossed in a diallel mating design to develop 36 hybrids. These hybrids and their parents were evaluated for two successive years in northern China. Five different methods, which were based on specific combining ability (SCA) effects, SCA‐Yang's effects, molecular markers, heterotic group specific and general combining ability, and heterotic grouping based on the general combining ability of multiple traits, were compared for their ability to classify the tested inbreds into heterotic groups. With regard to grouping of inbreds, breeding efficiency, and cross‐mean yield variation explained by the cross types, the SCA method was the most promising, followed by the SCA‐Yang's and molecular marker methods. Using the SCA method, three testers (8D129, 8C343, and 8D153) and opposing heterotic groups [(8C108, 8C189, and 8D129), (8C343, 8C360, and 8E001), and (8C272, 8D153, and 8E019)] were identified across environments. Chinese southern and northern rapeseed lines formed a different heterotic group. Four outyielding crosses, 8D129 × 8E001 (high‐check heterosis, 29.52%), 8C343 × 8D129 (24.76%), 8C189 × 8C272 (23.98%), and 8C272 × 8C343 (22.95%), were identified as ideal hybrids for further extensive testing in multilocation trials and are promoted for adoption and commercialization in China.
Adjustment Disorders Are Uniquely Suited for eHealth Interventions: Concept and Case Study
Authors: Maercker Andreas , Bachem Rahel C , Lorenz Louisa , Moser Christian T , Berger Thomas
Published: May 2015

Background

Adjustment disorders (also known as mental distress in response to a stressor) are among the most frequently diagnosed mental disorders in psychiatry and clinical psychology worldwide. They are also commonly diagnosed in clients engaging in deliberate self-harm and in those consulting general practitioners. However, their reputation in research-oriented mental health remains weak since they are largely underresearched. This may change when the International Statistical Classification of Diseases-11 (ICD-11) by the World Health Organization is introduced, including a new conceptualization of adjustment disorders as a stress-response disorder with positively defined core symptoms.

Objective

This paper provides an overview of evidence-based interventions for adjustment disorders.

Methods

We reviewed the new ICD-11 concept of adjustment disorder and discuss the the rationale and case study of an unguided self-help protocol for burglary victims with adjustment disorder, and its possible implementation as an eHealth intervention.

Results

Overall, the treatment with the self-help manual reduced symptoms of adjustment disorder, namely preoccupation and failure to adapt, as well as symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.

Conclusions

E-mental health options are considered uniquely suited for offering early intervention after the experiences of stressful life events that potentially trigger adjustment disorders.
The Influence of Soil Cultivation and Fertilization on the Yield and Protein Content in Seeds of Common PEA (Pisum Sativum L.)
Authors: Hanáčková Eva , Candráková Eva
Published: May 2015

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of different soil tillage in the interaction with fertilization and the use of post-harvest residues on yield and protein content in pea seeds, variety Dunaj. The field experiment was established in years 2009–2011 on Experimental Base of the Slovak University of Agriculture in Dolná Malanta. There were evaluated based upon three soil tillage methods (B1 – conventional tillage, B2 – reduced tillage, B3 – minimal tillage) and three treatments of fertilization (0 – unfertilized control, MF – balance fertilization by mineral fertilizers based on soil analysis and planned pea yield (3 t/ha), PHR – balance fertilization by mineral fertilizers + incorporation of post-harvest residues). Significantly higher seed yield was achieved at reduced tillage (3.28 t/ha) than conventional (3.12 t/ha) and minimized tillage (3.08 t/ha); however, most significantly, higher protein content in average of treatments was determined in conventional tillage (23.38%). Most significantly, negative linear correlation (r = −0.948⊕⊕⊕) was determined between the yield and crude protein content in pea seeds. Fertilized treatments reached highly significant higher yields of common pea than unfertilized control. Compared with the control, average yield was higher by 10.3% – 15.1%. Significantly higher crude protein contents by 0.86% (PHR) and 1.27% (MF) were reached on unfertilized treatments than on fertilized one. The highest content of crude protein (24.14%) and the highest production of it per hectare (759 kg/ha) were determined in treatment with post harvest residues ploughed into soil. Over an average of 3 years, the highest profit (163.87 €/ha) and return (30.7%) was achieved from the pea grown using fertilizing treatments (FM and PHR) at minimal soil tillage and systematic use of mineral fertilizers.
Balancing European SME Managers’ Training Contents: Perceived Importance & Training Needs
Authors: Morgado Leonel , Varajão João , Dominguez Caroline , Oliveira Irene , Sousa Fernanda
Published: May 2015

Background: Given the limited available time of in-service professionals, the balance between the perceived importance of the course content and training needs is essential for the acceptance and attractiveness of training courses aimed at them. Objectives: The goal of the paper is to contribute to the development of entrepreneurship and business training programs for European SME managers. Methods/Approach: In six European countries a survey focusing on SME managers’ views on the importance of individual items from a list of potential course content items, and their training needs was carried out, and followed by an analysis using exploratory and multivariate techniques. It was aimed at identifying homogeneous groups of managers with common training needs and perceptions of content importance. Results: Homogeneous groups of managers who assign the same importance to certain competences and who have common training needs are identified. Conclusions: Results of our research could help training institutions to develop courses aimed at SME managers. The balancing approach proved to be an interesting method of combining conflicting requirements for the training course curriculum development.
Sport Tourism Centres from Top Athletes’ Perspective: Differences among Sport Groups
Authors: Polanec Anze
Published: May 2015

Background: Sport tourism plays an important role in the tourism industry and consequently in the economy. Sport tourism centres as providers of sport services need to be familiar with the basic needs of their customers and tailor their services accordingly. Objectives: The aim of the paper is to determine the models for customizing sport tourism services to address the needs specific for an individual sport. Methods/Approach: A questionnaire has been created and sent electronically or physically to top athletes from Slovenia, Central and Eastern Europe. Respondents were mainly from Slovenia and mostly representatives of national sports federations. The Mann Whitney and the Kruskall-Wallis tests were applied in order to test differences among sport groups. Results: The conducted Mann-Whitney non-parametric tests show that representatives of different sport groups have different perspectives on sport tourism services. Conclusions: The results of the study can be used by sport tourism centres in the process of tailoring their services, planning marketing activities or developing strategic projects.
Catalogue of the Type Specimens of the “Prof. Ioan Nemeş” Lepidoptera Collection, The Museum of Natural Sciences Dorohoi (Botoşani County, Romania)
Authors: Stănescu Mihai , Amarie Cristina
Published: May 2015

The collection which belonged to the Prof. Ioan Nemeș (1924-2009), currently curated at the Museum of Natural Sciences Dorohoi (Botoșani County), is one of the most important and valuable collections of Lepidoptera preserved in a Romanian museum. Within this collection, a number of 47 type specimens have been identified, on which the descriptions of 28 species and other infraspecific taxa from 5 Lepidoptera families: Nepticulidae, Coleophoridae, Tortricidae, Crambidae and Geometridae have been based. All these specimens were collected from the territory of Romania. Some of the identified type specimens belong to taxa with doubtful status, whose original descriptions are poor and superficial. The discovery of these type specimens finally allowed assessing the status of several taxa, and the following new synonymies are proposed: Ancylis uncella (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1933) = Ancylis bucovinella Peiu & Nemeş, 1969 nov. syn.; Epiblema foenella (Linnaeus, 1758) = Epiblema foenella f. fracta Popescu-Gorj & Nemeş, 1965 nov. syn.; Pelochrista decolorana ( Freyer, 1842) = Pseudeucosma alexinschiana Peiu & Nemeş, 1968 nov. syn.; Nascia cilialis ( Hübner, 1 796) = Calamotropha olarui Nemeş, 1972 nov. syn.; Scopula (Calothysanis) subpunctaria (Herrich-Schäffer, 1847) = Scopula peiui Olaru, 1973 nov. syn.; Idaea pallidata (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) = Sterrha constantineanui Olaru, 1973 nov. syn.; Idaea elongaria (Rambur, 1833) = Sterrha nemesi Olaru, 1973 nov. syn.
The Breeding of Scops Owl (Otus Scops) in Iaşi County (Eastern Romania). A Habitat Selectivity Study
Authors: Bolboacă Lucian - Eugen , Pocora Viorel , Baltag Emanuel Ștefan
Published: May 2015

Scops Owl (Otus scops) is a small sized owl that is a summer visitor and a breeding species in Romania. It underwent a moderate decline in Europe in the last decades, probably due to habitat loss. In Romania, it is a poorly studied species of birds. Breeding data were uncertain for Iași County. During 2010 and 2012, we identified a number of 26 Scops Owl territories. In each territory, we mapped the habitats on an area that followed a radius of 200 m from the observed bird. Thus, we identified a number of 15 habitats. From all 15 habitats mapped, the open pastures with isolated clumps of trees and bushes were best represented (15.53%) of the total habitat types of the study area. Also, in Iași County we observed a sinantropism of Scops Owl, due to the fact that 10 out of 26 territories (38.5%) are situated in anthropic habitat.
Nonsurgical acute traumatic subdural hematoma: what is the risk?
Authors: Bajsarowicz Paul , Prakash Ipshita , Lamoureux Julie , Saluja Rajeet Singh , Feyz Mitra , Maleki Mohammad , Marcoux Judith
Published: May 2015

OBJECT

The Brain Trauma Foundation has published guidelines on the surgical management of traumatic subdural hematoma (SDH). However, no data exist on the proportion of patients with SDH that can be selected for conservative management and what is the outcome of these patients. The goals of this study were as follows: 1) to establish what proportion of patients are initially treated conservatively; 2) to determine what proportion of patients will deteriorate and require surgical evacuation; and 3) to identify risk factors associated with deterioration and delayed surgery.

METHODS

All cases of acute traumatic SDH (869 when inclusion criteria were met) presenting over a 4-year period were reviewed. For all conservatively treated SDH, the proportion of delayed surgical intervention and the Glasgow Outcome Scale score were taken as outcome measures. Multiple factors were compared between patients who required delayed surgery and patients without surgery.

RESULTS

Of the 869 patients with acute traumatic SDH, 646 (74.3%) were initially treated conservatively. A good outcome was achieved in 76.7% of the patients. Only 6.5% eventually required delayed surgery, and the median delay for surgery was 9.5 days. Factors associated with deterioration were as follows: 1) thicker SDH (p < 0.001); 2) greater midline shift (p < 0.001); 3) location at the convexity (p = 0.001); 4) alcohol abuse (p = 0.0260); and 5) history of falls (p = 0.018). There was no significant difference in regard to age, sex, Glasgow Coma Scale score, Injury Severity Score, abnormal coagulation, use of blood thinners, and presence of cerebral atrophy or white matter disease.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of patients with SDH are treated conservatively. Of those, only 6.5% later required surgery, for raised intracranial pressure or SDH progression. Patients at risk can be identified and followed more carefully.
Development of the Metronomic Biofeedback Pump for leptomeningeal carcinomatosis: technical note
Authors: Chen Thomas C. , Napolitano Gina R. , Adell Frank , Schönthal Axel H. , Shachar Yehoshua
Published: May 2015

Patients with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis face a particularly grim prognosis. Current treatment consists of intrathecal delivery of methotrexate (MTX) or cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) via Ommaya reservoir or lumbar puncture. Yet despite these interventions, the median survival after diagnosis is only 4–7 months. To address inherent shortcomings of current treatments and provide a more effective therapeutic approach, the Pharmaco-Kinesis Corporation has developed a novel type of implantable pump capable of delivering intrathecal chemotherapy (i.e., MTX) in a metronomic fashion with electronic feedback. The Metronomic Biofeedback Pump (MBP) consists of 3 components: 1) a 2-lumen catheter; 2) a microfluidic delivery pump with 2 reservoirs; and 3) a spectrophotometer monitoring MTX concentrations in the CSF. Using an animal model of intraventricular drug delivery, the authors demonstrate that the MBP can reliably deliver volumes of 500 μl/min, consistently measure real-time intrathecal MTX concentrations via CSF aspiration, and provide biofeedback with the possibility of instant control and delivery adjustments. Therefore, this novel approach to chemotherapy minimizes toxic drug levels and ensures continuous exposure at precisely adjusted, individualized therapeutic levels. Altogether, application of the MBP is expected to increase survival of patients with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, and appropriate Phase I and II trials are pending.
Subcortical anatomy as an anatomical and functional landmark in insulo-opercular gliomas: implications for surgical approach to the insular region
Authors: Martino Juan , Mato David , de Lucas Enrique Marco , García-Porrero Juan A. , Gabarrós Andreu , Fernández-Coello Alejandro , Vázquez-Barquero Alfonso
Published: May 2015

OBJECT

Little attention has been given to the functional challenges of the insular approach to the resection of gliomas, despite the potential damage of essential neural networks that underlie the insula. The object of this study is to analyze the subcortical anatomy of the insular region when infiltrated by gliomas, and compare it with the normal anatomy in nontumoral hemispheres.

METHODS

Ten postmortem human hemispheres were dissected, with isolation of the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) and the uncinate fasciculus. Probabilistic diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography was used to analyze the subcortical anatomy of the insular region in 10 healthy volunteers and in 22 patients with insular Grade II and Grade III gliomas. The subcortical anatomy of the insular region in these 22 insular gliomas was compared with the normal anatomy in 20 nontumoral hemispheres.

RESULTS

In tumoral hemispheres, the distances between the peri-insular sulci and the lateral surface of the IFOF and uncinate fasciculus were enlarged (p < 0.05). Also in tumoral hemispheres, the IFOF was identified in 10 (90.9%) of 11 patients with an extent of resection less than 80%, and in 4 (36.4%) of 11 patients with an extent of resection equal to or greater than 80% (multivariate analysis: p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Insular gliomas grow in the space between the lateral surface of the IFOF and uncinate fasciculus and the insular surface, displacing and compressing the tracts medially. Moreover, these tracts may be completely infiltrated by the tumor, with a total disruption of the bundles. In the current study, the identification of the IFOF with DTI tractography was significantly associated with the extent of tumor resection. If the IFOF is not identified preoperatively, there is a high probability of achieving a resection greater than 80%.
Predictors of delayed failure of structural kyphoplasty for pathological compression fractures in cancer patients
Authors: Rajah Gary , Altshuler David , Sadiq Omar , Nyame V. Kwasi , Eltahawy Hazem , Szerlip Nicholas
Published: May 2015

OBJECT

Pathological compression fractures in cancer patients cause significant pain and disability. Spinal metastases affect quality of life near the end of life and may require multiple procedures, including medical palliative care and open surgical decompression and fixation. An increasingly popular minimally invasive technique to treat metastatic instabilities is kyphoplasty. Even though it may alleviate pain due to pathological fractures, it may fail. However, delayed kyphoplasty failures with retropulsed cement and neural element compression have not been well reported. Such failures necessitate open surgical decompression and stabilization, and cement inserted during the kyphoplasty complicates salvage surgeries in patients with a disease-burdened spine. The authors sought to examine the incidence of delayed failure of structural kyphoplasty in a series of cement augmentations for pathological compression fractures. The goal was to identify risk predictors by analyzing patient and disease characteristics to reduce kyphoplasty failure and to prevent excessive surgical procedures at the end of life.

METHODS

The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of all patients with metastatic cancer from 2010 to 2013 who had undergone a procedure involving cement augmentation for a pathological compression fracture at their institution. The authors examined the characteristics of the patients, diseases, and radiographic fractures.

RESULTS

In total, 37 patients underwent cement augmentation in 75 spinal levels during 45 surgeries. Four patients had delayed structural kyphoplasty failure necessitating surgical decompression and fusion. The mean time to kyphoplasty failure was 2.88 ± 1.24 months. The mean loss of vertebral body height was 16% in the patients in whom kyphoplasty failed and 32% in patients in whom kyphoplasty did not fail. No posterior intraoperative cement extravasation was observed in the patients in whom kyphoplasty had failed. The mean spinal instability neoplastic score was 10.8 in the patients in whom kyphoplasty failed and 10.1 in those in whom kyphoplasty did not fail. Approximately 50% of the kyphoplasty failures occurred at junctional spinal levels. All the patients in whom kyphoplasty failed had fractures in 3 or more cortical walls before treatment, whereas 46% of patients in the nonfailure group had fractures with breaching of 3 or more walls.

CONCLUSIONS

Although rare, delayed failures of structural augmentation with cement during kyphoplasty do occur and can lead to additional surgeries. A possible predictive index may include wall integrity of the vertebral body, competency of the posterior tension band, and location of the kyphoplasty at a junctional spinal level. Additional studies are required to confirm these findings.
Correlation of Growth and Surface Properties of Poly(\(p\)-xylylenes) to Reaction Conditions
Authors: Reichel Andreas , Franz Gerhard , Amann Markus-Christian
Published: May 2015

Parylene, a non-critical, non-toxic layer material, which is not only a candidate for low-\(K\) dielectrics, but also well suited for long-term applications in the human body, has been deposited by (plasma-enhanced) chemical vapor deposition of the monomeric species. To that end, a specially-designed reactor exhibiting a cracker tube at its entrance, which serves as the upstream control, and a cooling trap in front of the downstream control has been applied. The process of polymerization has been traced and is explained by evaporating the dimeric species followed by dissociation in the cracker at elevated temperatures and, eventually, to the coating of the polymeric film in terms of thermodynamics. Alternatively, the process of dissociation has been accomplished applying a microwave plasma. In both cases, the monomerization is controlled by mass spectrometry. The window for surface polymerization could be clearly defined in terms of a factor of dilution by an inert gas for the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) case and in the case of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), additionally by the power density. The characterization of the layer parameters has been carried out by several analytical tools: scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy to determine the surface roughness and density and depth of voids in the film, which influence the layer capacitance and deteriorate the breakdown voltage, a bulk property. The main issue is the conduct against liquids between the two borders' hydrophilic and hydrophobic conduct, but also the super-hydrophobic character, which is the condition for the Lotus effect. The surface tension has been evaluated by contact angle measurements. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy has proven the conservation of all of the functional groups during polymerization.
Log-Determinant Divergences Revisited: Alpha-Beta and Gamma Log-Det Divergences
Authors: Cichocki Andrzej , Cruces Sergio , Amari Shun-ichi
Published: May 2015

This work reviews and extends a family of log-determinant (log-det) divergences for symmetric positive definite (SPD) matrices and discusses their fundamental properties. We show how to use parameterized Alpha-Beta (AB) and Gamma log-det divergences to generate many well-known divergences; in particular, we consider the Stein’s loss, the S-divergence, also called Jensen-Bregman LogDet (JBLD) divergence, Logdet Zero (Bhattacharyya) divergence, Affine Invariant Riemannian Metric (AIRM), and other divergences. Moreover, we establish links and correspondences between log-det divergences and visualise them on an alpha-beta plane for various sets of parameters. We use this unifying framework to interpret and extend existing similarity measures for semidefinite covariance matrices in finite-dimensional Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Spaces (RKHS). This paper also shows how the Alpha-Beta family of log-det divergences relates to the divergences of multivariate and multilinear normal distributions. Closed form formulas are derived for Gamma divergences of two multivariate Gaussian densities; the special cases of the Kullback-Leibler, Bhattacharyya, Rényi, and Cauchy-Schwartz divergences are discussed. Symmetrized versions of log-det divergences are also considered and briefly reviewed. Finally, a class of divergences is extended to multiway divergences for separable covariance (or precision) matrices.
Social Science Insights for the BioCCS Industry
Authors: Dowd Anne-Maree , Rodriguez Michelle , Jeanneret Talia
Published: May 2015

BioCCS is a technology gaining support as a possible emissions reduction policy option to address climate change. The process entails the capture, transport and storage of carbon dioxide produced during energy production from biomass. Globally, the most optimistic energy efficiency scenarios cannot avoid an average temperature increase of +2 °C without bioCCS. Although very much at the commencement stage, bioCCS demonstration projects can provide opportunity to garner knowledge, achieve consensus and build support around the technology’s properties. Yet many challenges face the bioCCS industry, including no guarantee biomass will always be from sustainable sources or potentially result in carbon stock losses. The operating environment also has no or limited policies, regulations and legal frameworks, and risk and safety concerns abound. Some state the key problem for bioCCS is cultural, lacking in a ‘community of support’, awareness and credibility amongst its own key stakeholders and the wider public. Therefore, the industry can benefit from the growing social science literature, drawing upon other energy and resource based industries with regard to social choice for future energy options. To this end, the following scoping review was conducted in order to ascertain gaps in existing public perception and acceptance research focusing on bioCCS.
Acceleration Slip Regulation Strategy for Distributed Drive Electric Vehicles with Independent Front Axle Drive Motors
Authors: Wu Lingfei , Gou Jinfang , Wang Lifang , Zhang Junzhi
Published: May 2015

This paper presents an acceleration slip regulation strategy for distributed drive electric vehicles with two motors on the front axle. The tasks of the strategy include controlling the slip ratio to make full use of the road grip and controlling the yaw rate to eliminate the lateral movement due to the difference between motor torques. The rate of the slip ratio change can be controlled by controlling the motor torque, so that the slip ratio can be controlled by applying a proportional-integral control strategy to control the rate of the slip ratio change. The yaw rate can be controlled to almost zero by applying torque compensation based on yaw rate feedback. A coordination control strategy for the slip ratio control and yaw rate control is proposed based on analysis of the priorities and features of the two control processes. Simulations were carried out using MATLAB/Simulink, and experiments were performed on a hardware-in-loop test bench with actual motors. The results of the simulations and experiments showed that the proposed strategy could improve the longitudinal driving performance and straight line driving stability of the vehicle.
Somatic Embryogenesis and Genetic Fidelity Study of the Micropropagated Medicinal Species, Canna indica
Authors: Mishra Tanmayee , Goyal Arvind , Sen Arnab
Published: May 2015

Canna indica Linn. (Cannaceae) is used both as medicine and food. Traditionally, various parts of C. indica are exploited to treat blood pressure, dropsy, fever, inflammatory diseases etc. However, to date there is no reliable micropropagation protocol for C. indica. We present here a regeneration technique C. indica with banana micropropagation medium (BM). BM supplemented with 3% sucrose, 0.7% agar, and 0.17% NH4NO3 and different plant growth regulators like BAP (2 mg∙L−1) and NAA (0.5 mg∙L−1) was found to be effective in inducing callus. BM with BAP (2 mg∙L−1) was ideal for somatic embryogenesis and plantlet regeneration. After a period of 3 months, regenerated plantlets were successfully transferred to the field conditions. Appearance of somaclonal variation among the regenerated plants is a common problem which was assessed by DNA fingerprinting. To detect genetic fidelity in C. indica, RAPD and ISSR markers were employed. Ten RAPD primers produced 60 amplicons, while 7 ISSR primers generated 45 bands in both in vitro plantlets and mother plants. RAPD and ISSR analyses showed no evidence of polymorphism between parent plants and the regenerated plants as all the amplified products were found to be monomorphic.
Chinese Pediatrician Attitudes and Practices Regarding Child Exposure to Secondhand Smoke (SHS) and Clinical Efforts against SHS Exposure
Authors: Huang Kaiyong , Abdullah Abu , Huo Haiying , Liao Jing , Yang Li , Zhang Zhiyong , Chen Hailian , Nong Guangmin , Winickoff Jonathan
Published: May 2015

Background: Secondhand Smoke (SHS) exposure is a leading cause of childhood illness and premature death. Pediatricians play an important role in helping parents to quit smoking and reducing children’s SHS exposure. This study examined Chinese pediatricians’ attitudes and practices regarding children’s exposure to SHS and clinical efforts against SHS exposure. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of pediatricians was conducted in thirteen conveniently selected hospitals in southern China, during September to December 2013. Five hundred and four pediatricians completed self-administered questionnaires with a response rate of 92%. χ2 tests were used to compare categorical variables differences between smokers and non-smokers and other categorical variables. Results: Pediatricians thought that the key barriers to encouraging parents to quit smoking were: lack of professional training (94%), lack of time (84%), resistance to discussions about smoking (77%). 94% of the pediatricians agreed that smoking in enclosed public places should be prohibited and more than 70% agreed that smoking should not be allowed in any indoor places and in cars. Most of the pediatricians thought that their current knowledge on helping people to quit smoking and SHS exposure reduction counseling was insufficient. Conclusions: Many Chinese pediatricians did not have adequate knowledge about smoking and SHS, and many lacked confidence about giving cessation or SHS exposure reduction counseling to smoking parents. Lack of professional training and time were the most important barriers to help parents quit smoking among the Chinese pediatricians. Intensified efforts are called for to provide the necessary professional training and increase pediatricians’ participation in the training.
Removal of Toxic Mercury from Petroleum Oil by Newly Synthesized Molecularly-Imprinted Polymer
Authors: Khairi Nor , Yusof Nor , Abdullah Abdul , Mohammad Faruq
Published: May 2015

In recent years, molecularly-imprinted polymers (MIPs) have attracted the attention of several researchers due to their capability for molecular recognition, easiness of preparation, stability and cost-effective production. By taking advantage of these facts, Hg(II) imprinted and non-imprinted copolymers were prepared by polymerizing mercury nitrate stock solution (or without it) with methacrylic acid (MAA), 2-hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate (HEMA), methanol and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the monomer, co-monomer solvent (porogen) and cross-linker, respectively. Thus, the formed Hg(II) imprinted polymer was characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The separation and preconcentration characteristics of Hg(II) imprinted polymer were investigated by solid phase extraction (SPE) procedures, and an optimal pH of 7 was investigated as ideal. The specific surface area of the Hg(II) imprinted polymer was found to be 19.45 m2/g with a size range from 100 to 140 µm in diameter. The maximum adsorption capacity was observed to be 1.11 mg/g of Hg(II) imprinted beads with 87.54% removal of Hg(II) ions within the first 5 min. The results of the study therefore confirm that the Hg(II) imprinted polymer can be used multiple times without significantly losing its adsorption capacity.
Hyponatremia Associated with Heart Failure: Pathological Role of Vasopressin-Dependent Impaired Water Excretion
Authors: Ishikawa San-e
Published: May 2015

An exaggerated increase in circulatory blood volume is linked to congestive heart failure. Despite this increase, reduction of the “effective circulatory blood volume” in congestive heart failure is associated with decreased cardiac output, and can weaken the sensitivity of baroreceptors. Thereafter, tonic inhibition of the baroreceptor-mediated afferent pathway of vagal nerves is removed, providing an increase in non-osmotic release of arginine vasopressin (AVP). In the renal collecting duct, the aquaporin-2 (AQP2) water channel is regulated by sustained elevation of AVP release, and this leads to augmented hydroosmotic action of AVP, that results in exaggerated water retention and dilutional hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is also a predictor for worsening heart failure in patients with known/new onset heart failure. Therefore, such a dilutional hyponatremia associated with organ damage is predictive of the short- and long-term outcome of heart failure.
Experimental Evidence of Mechanical Isotropy in Porcine Lung Parenchyma
Authors: Weed Benjamin , Patnaik Sourav , Rougeau-Browning Mary , Brazile Bryn , Liao Jun , Prabhu Raj , Williams Lakiesha
Published: May 2015

Pulmonary injuries are a major source of morbidity and mortality associated with trauma. Trauma includes injuries associated with accidents and falls as well as blast injuries caused by explosives. The prevalence and mortality of these injuries has made research of pulmonary injury a major priority. Lungs have a complex structure, with multiple types of tissues necessary to allow successful respiration. The soft, porous parenchyma is the component of the lung which contains the alveoli responsible for gas exchange. Parenchyma is also the portion which is most susceptible to traumatic injury. Finite element simulations are an important tool for studying traumatic injury to the human body. These simulations rely on material properties to accurately recreate real world mechanical behaviors. Previous studies have explored the mechanical properties of lung tissues, specifically parenchyma. These studies have assumed material isotropy but, to our knowledge, no study has thoroughly tested and quantified this assumption. This study presents a novel methodology for assessing isotropy in a tissue, and applies these methods to porcine lung parenchyma. Briefly, lung parenchyma samples were dissected so as to be aligned with one of the three anatomical planes, sagittal, frontal, and transverse, and then subjected to compressive mechanical testing. Stress-strain curves from these tests were statistically compared by a novel method for differences in stresses and strains at percentages of the curve. Histological samples aligned with the anatomical planes were also examined by qualitative and quantitative methods to determine any differences in the microstructural morphology. Our study showed significant evidence to support the hypothesis that lung parenchyma behaves isotropically.
Bioactive Wollastonite-Diopside Foams from Preceramic Polymers and Reactive Oxide Fillers
Authors: Fiocco Laura , Elsayed Hamada , Ferroni Letizia , Gardin Chiara , Zavan Barbara , Bernardo Enrico
Published: May 2015

Wollastonite (CaSiO3) and diopside (CaMgSi2O6) silicate ceramics have been widely investigated as highly bioactive materials, suitable for bone tissue engineering applications. In the present paper, highly porous glass-ceramic foams, with both wollastonite and diopside as crystal phases, were developed from the thermal treatment of silicone polymers filled with CaO and MgO precursors, in the form of micro-sized particles. The foaming was due to water release, at low temperature, in the polymeric matrix before ceramic conversion, mainly operated by hydrated sodium phosphate, used as a secondary filler. This additive proved to be “multifunctional”, since it additionally favored the phase development, by the formation of a liquid phase upon firing, in turn promoting the ionic interdiffusion. The liquid phase was promoted also by the incorporation of powders of a glass crystallizing itself in wollastonite and diopside, with significant improvements in both structural integrity and crushing strength. The biological characterization of polymer-derived wollastonite-diopside foams, to assess the bioactivity of the samples, was performed by means of a cell culture test. The MTT assay and LDH activity tests gave positive results in terms of cell viability.
λ-Carrageenan Suppresses Tomato Chlorotic Dwarf Viroid (TCDVd) Replication and Symptom Expression in Tomatoes
Authors: Sangha Jatinder , Kandasamy Saveetha , Khan Wajahatullah , Bahia Navratan , Singh Rudra , Critchley Alan , Prithiviraj Balakrishnan
Published: May 2015

The effect of carrageenans on tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid (TCDVd) replication and symptom expression was studied. Three-week-old tomato plants were spray-treated with iota(ɩ)-, lambda(λ)-, and kappa(κ)-carrageenan at 1 g·L−1 and inoculated with TCDVd after 48 h. The λ-carrageenan significantly suppressed viroid symptom expression after eight weeks of inoculation, only 28% plants showed distinctive bunchy-top symptoms as compared to the 82% in the control group. Viroid concentration was reduced in the infected shoot cuttings incubated in λ-carrageenan amended growth medium. Proteome analysis revealed that 16 tomato proteins were differentially expressed in the λ-carrageenan treated plants. Jasmonic acid related genes, allene oxide synthase (AOS) and lipoxygenase (LOX), were up-regulated in λ-carrageenan treatment during viroid infection. Taken together, our results suggest that λ-carrageenan induced tomato defense against TCDVd, which was partly jasmonic acid (JA) dependent, and that it could be explored in plant protection against viroid infection.
Frontiers in Nucleic Acid Nanotechnology
Authors: Ralph Stephen
Published: May 2015

This Special Issue of Nanomaterials highlights innovative work from around the world focused on harnessing the physical, chemical and topological properties of nucleic acids. [...]
Spiritual Care Education of Health Care Professionals
Authors: Baldacchino Donia
Published: May 2015

Nurses and health care professionals should have an active role in meeting the spiritual needs of patients in collaboration with the family and the chaplain. Literature criticizes the impaired holistic care because the spiritual dimension is often overlooked by health care professionals. This could be due to feelings of incompetence due to lack of education on spiritual care; lack of inter-professional education (IPE); work overload; lack of time; different cultures; lack of attention to personal spirituality; ethical issues and unwillingness to deliver spiritual care. Literature defines spiritual care as recognizing, respecting, and meeting patients’ spiritual needs; facilitating participation in religious rituals; communicating through listening and talking with clients; being with the patient by caring, supporting, and showing empathy; promoting a sense of well-being by helping them to find meaning and purpose in their illness and overall life; and referring them to other professionals, including the chaplain/pastor. This paper outlines the systematic mode of intra-professional theoretical education on spiritual care and its integration into their clinical practice; supported by role modeling. Examples will be given from the author’s creative and innovative ways of teaching spiritual care to undergraduate and post-graduate students. The essence of spiritual care is being in doing whereby personal spirituality and therapeutic use of self contribute towards effective holistic care. While taking into consideration the factors that may inhibit and enhance the delivery of spiritual care, recommendations are proposed to the education, clinical, and management sectors for further research and personal spirituality to ameliorate patient holistic care.
Experimental Investigation of Evaporation and Drainage in Wettable and Water-Repellent Sands
Authors: Kim Dae , Yang Heui , Kim Kwang , Yun Tae
Published: May 2015

This study presents experimental results on evaporation and drainage in both wettable and water-repellent sands whose surface wettability was artificially modified by silanization. The 2D optical and 3D X-ray computed tomographic imaging was performed during evaporation and the water retention during cyclic drainage and infiltration was measured to assess effects of wettability and initial wetting conditions. The evaporation gradually induces its front at the early stage advance regardless of the wettability and sand types, while its rate becomes higher in water-repellent Ottawa sand than the wettable one. Jumunjin sand which has a smaller particle size and irregular particle shape than Ottawa sand exhibits a similar evaporation rate independent of wettability. Water-repellent sand can facilitate the evaporation when both wettable and water-repellent sands are naturally in contact with each other. The 3D X-ray imaging reveals that the hydraulically connected water films in wettable sands facilitate the propagation of the evaporation front into the soil such that the drying front deeply advances into the soil. For cyclic drainage-infiltration testing, the evolution of water retention is similar in both wettable and water-repellent sands when both are initially wet. However, when conditions are initially dry, water-repellent sands exhibit low residual saturation values. The experimental observations made from this study propose that the surface wettability may not be a sole factor while the degree of water-repellency, type of sands, and initial wetting condition are predominant when assessing evaporation and drainage behaviors.
CpG Oligonucleotides as Cancer Vaccine Adjuvants
Authors: Shirota Hidekazu , Tross Debra , Klinman Dennis
Published: May 2015

Adjuvants improve host responsiveness to co-delivered vaccines through a variety of mechanisms. Agents that trigger cells expressing Toll-like receptors (TLR) activate an innate immune response that enhances the induction of vaccine-specific immunity. When administered in combination with vaccines designed to prevent or slow tumor growth, TLR agonists have significantly improved the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Unfortunately, vaccines containing TLR agonists have rarely been able to eliminate large established tumors when administered systemically. To improve efficacy, attention has focused on delivering TLR agonists intra-tumorally with the intent of altering the tumor microenvironment. Agonists targeting TLRs 7/8 or 9 can reduce the frequency of Tregs while causing immunosuppressive MDSC in the tumor bed to differentiate into tumoricidal macrophages thereby enhancing tumor elimination. This work reviews pre-clinical and clinical studies concerning the utility of TLR 7/8/9 agonists as adjuvants for tumor vaccines.
Self-assembly of heteroleptic dinuclear metallosupramolecular kites from multivalent ligands via social self-sorting
Authors: Benkhäuser Christian , Lützen Arne
Published: May 2015

A Tröger's base-derived racemic bis(1,10-phenanthroline) ligand (rac)-1 and a bis(2,2'-bipyridine) ligand with a central 1,3-diethynylbenzene unit 2 were synthesized. Each of these ligands acts as a multivalent entity for the binding of two copper(I) ions. Upon coordination to the metal ions these two ligands undergo selective self-assembly into heteroleptic dinuclear metallosupramolecular kites in a high-fidelity social self-sorting manner as evidenced by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.
Violences sexuelles à la fin du Moyen Âge : des femmes à l’épreuve de leur conjugalité ?
Authors: Soria Myriam
Published: May 2015

La sexualité préoccupe le Moyen Âge occidental : miroir de la nature peccamineuse de l’homme, elle en révèle le meilleur (tempérance, renoncement) et le pire (appétit, violence). Envisagée dans le seul mariage chrétien, elle est hors de ce cadre adultère, condamnée (juridiquement, judiciairement) et expose les individus à la vindicte populaire. Les lettres de rémission (grâce royale des crimes) des xiv e et xv e  siècles témoignent de façon originale de l’impact que le type de conjugalité vécu peut avoir sur les violences sexuelles faites aux femmes. Si les sources sont muettes et absentes sur les violences matrimoniales, isolement, célibat laïc, séparation et adultère exposent les femmes médiévales au viol. Mariée, la femme est appropriée, son corps territorialisé, gardé ; seule ou concubine, elle est mal famée et son corps à prendre. C’est dans ce paradigme que la question du couple et des violences sexuelles se pose alors.
Le nouveau paradigme sécuritaire d’Israël
Authors: Denécé Éric
Published: May 2015

L’État hébreu connaît depuis quelques années un bouleversement du paradigme sécuritaire auquel il était accoutumé. D’une part, il est désormais confronté à des menaces asymétriques accrues, sur son propre territoire, sur ses frontières et à l’étranger. Israël doit faire face aujourd’hui à six types de menaces : celles des extrémistes palestiniens, du Hezbollah, des djihadistes d’Al-Qaida et de l’État islamique, du nucléaire iranien, mais aussi celle des attaques cybernétiques et mouvements extrémistes religieux juifs qui sont à l’origine d’un terrorisme intérieur. D’autre part, l’État hébreu est confronté à un autre défi majeur : l’évolution de la société et des mentalités. Les nouvelles générations, en dépit de leur attachement à leur État, n’ont ni les mêmes attentes ni les mêmes réactions que celles de leurs prédécesseurs. La société israélienne moderne est de plus en plus critique quant à l’action politico-militaire des autorités. Cette évolution a des conséquences directes en matière de sécurité et de défense. Cela place les forces armées et les services de renseignement et de sécurité israéliens face à des nouveaux défis.
Réguler les robots-tueurs, plutôt que les interdire
Authors: Müller Vincent C. , Simpson Thomas W. , Querrien Anne
Published: May 2015

Les futurs systèmes d’armes létales autonomes ( LAWS selon leur acronyme anglais), aussi appelés « robots tueurs », seront-ils une menace pour l’humanité ? Dans cet article de proposition prescriptive, nous soutenons qu’ils ne privent pas les humains de leurs responsabilités. Au contraire, ils augmentent notre capacité à leur faire rendre des comptes de leurs crimes de guerre, même si leur diffusion et leur utilisation doivent impérativement être réglementées par des organisations étatiques et internationales. Le moment actuel est crucial pour mettre en place un accord international sur leurs réglementations, alors même que le développement et les applications de ces technologies font débats. La peur largement partagée que suscitent ces robots tueurs est à nos yeux infondée : il faut plutôt considérer leur arrivée comme une bonne nouvelle.
Inventivité des imitations ludiques
Authors: Becker Joffrey
Published: May 2015

Cet article présente plusieurs machines dont l’existence est intimement liée aux pratiques ludiques. Il montre que ces objets s’inscrivent aussi bien dans la recherche en robotique et en intelligence artificielle que dans les pratiques artistiques contemporaines. Il s’intéresse en particulier à l’espace de jeu ouvert par l’interaction avec les machines et propose de considérer cet espace comme le lieu privilégié d’une forme d’expérimentation anthropologique.