bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acessibilidade web: diferentes definições e sua relação com o design universal
Authors: Souza Edson Rufino de
Published: November 2016

O presente artigo oferece um panorama sobre o conceito de acessibilidade, onde são apresentadas diferentes definições para a acessibilidade no meio digital, considerando mais especificamente o contexto da web. Discute-se também estas diferenças conceituais em seus diversos aspectos, bem como sua relação com a compreensão de acessibilidade. Nesse contexto, apresenta-se a proposta de design universal e discute-se sua relação com a acessibilidade. Web acessibility: different definitions and its relationship with universal designAbstractThis article offers an overview of accessibility concept, which outlines different definitions for accessibility in the digital environment, considering more specifically the web context. It also discusses these conceptual differences in its various aspects and in its relation to understanding accessibility. In this context, it is presented the proposal of universal design and it is discussed the relationship between universal design and accessibility.
Imaginários sociais sobre as favelas cariocas: o turismo-cultural do museu de favela e seus modos de ativação digital
Authors: Machado Mônica
Published: November 2016

Esse artigo objetiva refletir sobre as representações sociais das favelas cariocas em registros midiáticos ao longo os últimos anos, o crescente movimento do Favela-tour e seus paradoxos, bem como as suas implicações conceituais. Em seguida reflete sobre as experiências do turismo cultural do Museu de Favela, com destaque para o processo de criação do hotsite Museu de Favela Tour como dispositivo que faz circular o capital cultural comunitário. Todas essas noções associam-se aos pressupostos teóricos da cultura material, como um campo da antropologia que estuda as correlações entre objetos e inventários socioculturais e avança para o estudo da sub-linha da pesquisa da antropologia digital, onde as relações entre sujeitos sociais e tecnologias são imaginadas como reelaborações da sociabilidade que precedem a essa tradição e se predispõem a revelar as contradições sociais já dispostas na cultura.Social narratives about slum in Rio:the cultural-tourism in favela museum and digital activismAbstract This article aims to analyse favelas in Rio and also the media records about this issue, arguing that the Favela-tour concept can be seen as paradoxal process. Then will be debated Favela Museum’s cultural tourism heritage, highlighting the process of creating the Favela Museum Tour’s hotsite as a way of spread the favela’s legacy. All these notions are associated with the theoretical frame of material culture as a field of anthropology and links between socio-cultural objects and inventories. This research is called digital anthropology where the relationship between social and technology subject are imagined as re-workings of sociability that precedes this tradition, where the digital technologies are predisposed to share the social-cultural contradictions.
Foucault and Left Conservatism
Authors: Moss Jeremy
Published: November 2016

The consequences of Foucault's work for political theory have been subject to much reinterpretation. This article examines the reception of Foucault's work by the left of politics and argues that the use made of his work is overly negative and lacks a positive political dimension. Through a discussion of the work of Judith Butler and other interpreters of Foucault I argue that the problem facing the poststructuralist left is formulated in a confusing and unhelpful manner, what I will call the 'dilemma of the left libertarian'. Once we get around this formulation of the problem a more progressive political response becomes possible. I end by discussing the political possibilities of Foucault's work in terms of an account of autonomy derived from Foucault's later work on the Enlightenment.

KEY WORDS: Foucault, Butler, Autonomy, Politics, Ethics, Critique,

Left, Conservative, Rorty, Habermas
Observing Classroom Engagement in Community College
Authors: Alicea Stacey , Suárez-Orozco Carola , Singh Sukhmani , Darbes Tasha , Abrica Elvira Julia
Published: November 2016

Despite decades of research indicating classrooms shape student engagement, learning, and development, there is a dearth of empirically grounded research focusing specifically on observed classroom engagement as a predictor of student outcomes in community colleges. This article describes the development of a qualitatively grounded, quantitative classroom-level engagement measurement protocol designed for this purpose. We provide evidence for the measure’s validity and reliability via confirmatory factor analyses and descriptive analyses that offer a snapshot of the information this measure can generate. Furthermore, we examine a two-level structural equation regression model that uses student survey data from students nested in observed classrooms. We then review our results in light of the relevance this measure has for researchers and educators in community colleges.
Dr. James Latham (c. 1734-1799): Pioneer inoculator in Canada
Authors: Tunis Barbara
Published: November 2016

Dr. James Latham, British military surgeon and inoculator, was the first known person to have practised inoculation for smallpox in Canada. He came to Canada with his regiment in July 1768 and undertook inoculation in Quebec and Montreal in the years 1768–70 and again in 1786. His efforts were recorded in the Québec Gazette and have been liberally quoted by various authorities on the history of medicine in Canada. But to date little has been known of his life or subsequent career. Recent work has re-assessed the role of inoculation in reducing the incidence of smallpox in the 18th century. In an age where smallpox was considerable inevitable, inoculation with live smallpox matter could reduce the mortality from the disease from one in six deaths from natural smallpox to one in fifty deaths for those inoculated.
Perspectives: On the Medicare crisis
Authors: Lewis Jane
Published: November 2016

There is said to be a crisis in medicare and that it is centred on the issue of direct charges in the form of extra billing, user fees and premiums. These charges contribute only a very small amount to the cost of health care services—extra billing accounts for only 2% of the total income of doctors—thus the furore may seem disproportionate. Obviously the issues go deeper. It is not just the fear, expressed by Emmett Hall and Monique Begin amongst others, that the present scale of direct charges represents the thin end of the wedge, threatening the fundamental principles of medicare and particularly equal access and portability between provinces. The medicare debate also forces us to think about priorities for resource allocation in the whole area of social policy and draws attention to the long term issues of the relationship between medical treatment and the health status of the population, and the proper balance between cure and care. The danger of using direct charges as a means of solving the perceived immediate cost-crunch is not only that the principles of medicare may be seriously eroded, but also that little will have been done to confront the more fundamental problems facing the system.
Naissance, vie et mort d'un groupe de parasites imaginaires: les Chlamydozoaires
Authors: Théodoridès Jean
Published: November 2016

Although a relatively new field (its beginnings date back to the turn of the 19th century) virology already has its own history, which in some of its aspects, is closely related to fields such as parasitology and bacteriology. Here we have a classic case with the curious episode that we trace here: the birth, life and death of Chlamydozoaires.
The invisible lady: Sir John A. Macdonald's first wife
Authors: McSherry James
Published: November 2016

In retrospect, they were an unlikely match from the start. Isabella Clark was a 34-year-old spinster residing in the Isle of Man when she first met her 26-year-old Canadian cousin, John A. Macdonald. One can only wonder what were the qualities which attracted the up and coming young lawyer, soon to be elected an alderman of Kingston, to a woman who was, by all the standards of the day, well and truly on the shelf. There is, to be sure, some romantic twaddle about their first meeting and early courtship in the Highland glens of Scotland, but this is the stuff of legend and not of fact. Isabella was living in the bucolic obscurity of a farmhouse called Ballafreer, some three miles from Douglas, the principal city of the Isle of Man. This rustic tranquility she shared with her widowed elder sister, Margaret Greene, and her unmarried, younger sister Jane.
Generational Transmission in Local Culture
Authors: Murin Ivan
Published: November 2016

This article presents some findings from the ethnography exploration of priority research in the European Research Area. The title of the priority is ‘Connecting People with Heritage’. The Old Generation and Generation Y are the drivers contained in the document’s strategic research agenda (SRA). The research has been conducted by European experts within the Joint Program Initiative in Cultural Heritage (JPI CH). Revitalisation of local society is related to sustainability of specific local forms of culture. The demographic changes, mobility and new forms of cultural transfer are only some of the phenomena affecting generational transmission in the local culture. Both generations are dissimilar in their attitudes to roles and values in the local culture. Generational interactions in a living form of intangible culture in central Slovakia exemplify its significance for anthropology.
Book Reviews
Authors: Clopot Cristina , Pozo María Dolores Fernandes del
Published: November 2016

Akagawa, Natsuko (2015), Heritage Conservation and Japan’s Cultural Diplomacy: Heritage, National Identity and National Interest (London: Routledge), 227 pp., Hb: €112, ISBN: 9780415707626

Okely, Judith (2012), Anthropological Practice: Fieldwork and the Ethnographic Method (London: Berg), 224 pp., Pb: £18.99 ISBN: 9781845206031
Does the ranking of surgeons in a publicly available online platform correlate with objective outcomes?
Authors: Bekelis Kimon , Missios Symeon , Coy Shannon , Johnson Jeremiah N.
Published: November 2016

OBJECTIVE

The accuracy of public reporting in health care, especially from private vendors, remains an issue of debate. The authors investigated the association of the publicly reported physician complication rates in an online platform with real-world adverse outcomes of the same physicians for patients undergoing posterior lumbar fusion.

METHODS

The authors performed a cohort study involving physicians performing posterior lumbar fusions between 2009 and 2013 who were registered in the Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database. This cohort was merged with publicly available data over the same time period from ProPublica, a private company. Mixed-effects multivariable regression models were used to investigate the association of publicly available complication rates with the rate of discharge to a rehabilitation facility, length of stay, mortality, and hospitalization charges for the same surgeons.

RESULTS

During the selected study period, there were 8,457 patients in New York State who underwent posterior lumbar fusion performed by the 56 surgeons represented in the ProPublica Surgeon Scorecard over the same time period. Using a mixed-effects multivariable regression model, the authors demonstrated that publicly reported physician-level complication rates were not associated with the rate of discharge to a rehabilitation facility (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.72–1.31), length of stay (adjusted difference −0.1, 95% CI −0.5 to 0.2), mortality (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.49–1.55), and hospitalization charges (adjusted difference $18,735, 95% CI −$59,177 to $96,647). Similarly, no association was observed when utilizing propensity score–adjusted models, and when restricting the cohort to a predefined subgroup of Medicare patients.

CONCLUSIONS

After merging a comprehensive all-payer posterior lumbar fusion cohort in New York State with data from the ProPublica Surgeon Scorecard over the same time period, the authors observed no association of publicly available physician complication rates with objective outcomes.
Repeat surgery for focal cortical dysplasias in children: indications and outcomes
Authors: Sacino Matthew F. , Ho Cheng-Ying , Whitehead Matthew T. , Kao Amy , Depositario-Cabacar Dewi , Myseros John S. , Magge Suresh N. , Keating Robert F. , Gaillard William D. , Oluigbo Chima O.
Published: November 2016

OBJECTIVE

Focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) is a common cause of medically intractable epilepsy that often may be treated by surgery. Following resection, many patients continue to experience seizures, necessitating a decision for further surgery to achieve the desired seizure outcomes. Few studies exist on the efficacy of reoperation for intractable epilepsy due to FCD in pediatric cohorts, including the definition of prognostic factors correlated with clinical benefit from further resection.

METHODS

The authors retrospectively analyzed the medical records and MR images of 22 consecutive pediatric patients who underwent repeat FCD resection after unsuccessful first surgery at the Children's National Health System between March 2005 and April 2015.

RESULTS

Accounting for all reoperations, 13 (59%) of the 22 patients achieved complete seizure freedom and another 5 patients (23%) achieved significant improvement in seizure control. Univariate analysis demonstrated that concordance in electrocorticography (ECoG) and MRI localization (p = 0.005), and completeness of resection (p = 0.0001), were associated with seizure freedom after the first reoperation. Patients with discordant ECoG and MRI findings ultimately benefited from aggressive multilobe lobectomy or hemispherectomy. Repeat lesionectomies utilizing intraoperative MRI (iMRI; n = 9) achieved complete resection and seizure freedom in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Reoperation may be clinically beneficial in patients with intractable epilepsy due to FCD. Patients with concordant intraoperative ECoG and MRI localization may benefit from extended resection of residual dysplasia at the margins of the previous lesional cavity, and iMRI may offer benefits as a quality control mechanism to ensure that a complete resection has been accomplished. Patients with discordant findings may benefit from more aggressive resections at earlier stages to achieve better seizure control and ensure functional plasticity.
Exploring large scale security system reproducibility with the LESS simulator
Authors: Sonchack John , Aviv Adam J.
Published: November 2016

Many network security systems analyze large scale data collected from multiple collaborating domains or aggregated network vantage points. Scale is clearly beneficial for these systems, however it also makes them difficult to design and test. Large scale data sets can be difficult to acquire and may not contain important meta-information (e.g. ground truth). Further, their limited availability can make it extremely difficult to understand how well experimental results would reproduce in different conditions, or at different networks. In this article, we discuss using simulation to overcome these challenges. We present an augmented version of LESS, our recently proposed agent based simulator for evaluating large scale network security systems. LESS uses publicly available data sets and high level parameters to generate synthetic traffic that models large scale, multi-network scenarios. Essentially, LESS allows researchers to “scale up” the data and statistics about networks and attacks that they have access to, so that they can be used to test large scale network security systems. Researchers can also tune LESS’s high level parameters to better understand the sensitivities of their systems, and the reproducibility of their results. The version of LESS that we discuss in this article is extended to allow researchers to study an additional factor of system performance related to reproducibility: deployment location; by modeling the global Internet topology at the Autonomous System level. We demonstrate the applicability and benefits of LESS by tuning it with publicly available traces and then using generated records to reproduce and extend results from several recently proposed large scale security systems. In new experiments, we use LESS to study how deployment location affects large scale security systems. Our results demonstrate that LESS can evoke realistic performance from these systems with minimal tuning and provide insight into the network and topological factors that may affect the reproducibility of their evaluations.
On Squeezed Flow of Jeffrey Nanofluid between Two Parallel Disks
Authors: Hayat Tasawar , Abbas Tehseen , Ayub Muhammad , Muhammad Taseer , Alsaedi Ahmed
Published: November 2016

The present communication examines the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) squeezing flow of Jeffrey nanofluid between two parallel disks. Constitutive relations of Jeffrey fluid are employed in the problem development. Heat and mass transfer aspects are examined in the presence of thermophoresis and Brownian motion. Jeffrey fluid subject to time dependent applied magnetic field is conducted. Suitable variables lead to a strong nonlinear system. The resulting systems are computed via homotopic approach. The behaviors of several pertinent parameters are analyzed through graphs and numerical data. Skin friction coefficient and heat and mass transfer rates are numerically examined.
Removal of Low-Molecular Weight Aldehydes by Selected Houseplants under Different Light Intensities and CO2 Concentrations
Authors: Li Jian , Xie Chun-Juan , Cai Jing , Yan Liu-Shui , Lu Ming-Ming
Published: November 2016

The removal of five low-molecular weight aldehydes by two houseplants (Schefflera octophylla (Lour.) Harms and Chamaedorea elegans) were investigated in a laboratory simulation environment with short-term exposure to different low light intensities and CO2 concentrations. Under normal circumstances, the C1–C5 aldehyde removal rates of Schefflera octophylla (Lour.) Harms and Chamaedorea elegans (Lour.) Harms ranged from 0.311 μmol/m2/h for valeraldehyde to 0.677 μmol/m2/h for formaldehyde, and 0.526 μmol/m2/h for propionaldehyde to 1.440 μmol/m2/h for formaldehyde, respectively. However, when the light intensities varied from 0 to 600 lx, a significant correlation between the aldehyde removal rate and the light intensity was found. Moreover, the CO2 experiments showed that the total aldehyde removal rates of Schefflera octophylla (Lour.) Harms and Chamaedorea elegans (Lour.) Harms decreased 32.0% and 43.2%, respectively, with increasing CO2 concentrations from 350 ppmv to 1400 ppmv. This might be explained by the fact that the excessive CO2 concentration decreased the stomatal conductance which limited the carbonyl uptake from the stomata.
The Role of the Nrf2/ARE Antioxidant System in Preventing Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Smith Robert , Tran Kevin , Smith Cynthia , McDonald Miranda , Shejwalkar Pushkar , Hara Kenji
Published: November 2016

It is widely believed that consuming foods and beverages that have high concentrations of antioxidants can prevent cardiovascular diseases and many types of cancer. As a result, many articles have been published that give the total antioxidant capacities of foods in vitro. However, many antioxidants behave quite differently in vivo. Some of them, such as resveratrol (in red wine) and epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG (in green tea) can activate the nuclear erythroid-2 like factor-2 (Nrf2) transcription factor. It is a master regulator of endogenous cellular defense mechanisms. Nrf2 controls the expression of many antioxidant and detoxification genes, by binding to antioxidant response elements (AREs) that are commonly found in the promoter region of antioxidant (and other) genes, and that control expression of those genes. The mechanisms by which Nrf2 relieves oxidative stress and limits cardiac injury as well as the progression to heart failure are described. Also, the ability of statins to induce Nrf2 in the heart, brain, lung, and liver is mentioned. However, there is a negative side of Nrf2. When over-activated, it can cause (not prevent) cardiovascular diseases and multi-drug resistance cancer.
Feature Extraction of Ship-Radiated Noise Based on Permutation Entropy of the Intrinsic Mode Function with the Highest Energy
Authors: Li Yu-Xing , Li Ya-An , Chen Zhe , Chen Xiao
Published: November 2016

In order to solve the problem of feature extraction of underwater acoustic signals in complex ocean environment, a new method for feature extraction from ship-radiated noise is presented based on empirical mode decomposition theory and permutation entropy. It analyzes the separability for permutation entropies of the intrinsic mode functions of three types of ship-radiated noise signals, and discusses the permutation entropy of the intrinsic mode function with the highest energy. In this study, ship-radiated noise signals measured from three types of ships are decomposed into a set of intrinsic mode functions with empirical mode decomposition method. Then, the permutation entropies of all intrinsic mode functions are calculated with appropriate parameters. The permutation entropies are obviously different in the intrinsic mode functions with the highest energy, thus, the permutation entropy of the intrinsic mode function with the highest energy is regarded as a new characteristic parameter to extract the feature of ship-radiated noise. After that, the characteristic parameters—namely, the energy difference between high and low frequency, permutation entropy, and multi-scale permutation entropy—are compared with the permutation entropy of the intrinsic mode function with the highest energy. It is discovered that the four characteristic parameters are at the same level for similar ships, however, there are differences in the parameters for different types of ships. The results demonstrate that the permutation entropy of the intrinsic mode function with the highest energy is better in separability as the characteristic parameter than the other three parameters by comparing their fluctuation ranges and the average values of the four characteristic parameters. Hence, the feature of ship-radiated noise can be extracted efficiently with the method.
Kernel Density Estimation on the Siegel Space with an Application to Radar Processing
Authors: Chevallier Emmanuel , Forget Thibault , Barbaresco Frédéric , Angulo Jesus
Published: November 2016

This paper studies probability density estimation on the Siegel space. The Siegel space is a generalization of the hyperbolic space. Its Riemannian metric provides an interesting structure to the Toeplitz block Toeplitz matrices that appear in the covariance estimation of radar signals. The main techniques of probability density estimation on Riemannian manifolds are reviewed. For computational reasons, we chose to focus on the kernel density estimation. The main result of the paper is the expression of Pelletier’s kernel density estimator. The computation of the kernels is made possible by the symmetric structure of the Siegel space. The method is applied to density estimation of reflection coefficients from radar observations.
Effect of Air Staging Ratios on the Burning Rate and Emissions in an Underfeed Fixed-Bed Biomass Combustor
Authors: Regueiro Araceli , Patiño David , Porteiro Jacobo , Granada Enrique , Míguez José
Published: November 2016

This experimental work studies a small-scale biomass combustor (5–12 kW) with an underfed fixed bed using low air staging ratios (15%–30%). This document focuses on the influence of the operative parameters on the combustion process, so gaseous emissions and the distribution and concentration of particulate matter have also been recorded. The facility shows good stability and test repeatability. For the studied airflow ranges, the results show that increasing the total airflow rate does not increase the overall air excess ratio because the burning rate is proportionally enhanced (with some slight differences that depend on the air staging ratio). Consequently, the heterogeneous reactions at the bed remain in the so-called oxygen-limited region, and thus the entire bed operates under sub-stoichiometric conditions with regards of the char content of the biomass. In addition, tests using only primary air (no staging) may increase the fuel consumption, but in a highly incomplete way, approaching a gasification regime. Some measured burning rates are almost 40% higher than previous results obtained in batch combustors due to the fixed position of the ignition front. The recorded concentration of particulate matter varies between 15 and 75 mg/Nm3, with a main characteristic diameter between 50 and 100 nm.
Seasonal Variations in the Use of Profundal Habitat among Freshwater Fishes in Lake Norsjø, Southern Norway, and Subsequent Effects on Fish Mercury Concentrations
Authors: Olk Tom , Karlsson Tobias , Lydersen Espen , Økelsrud Asle
Published: November 2016

This study is based on monthly sampling of fish from grates mounted at an industrial water intake, located at a depth of 50 m in Lake Norsjø (Southern Norway) during the year 2014, to investigate seasonal variations in the use of the profundal habitat and subsequent variations in total Hg-concentrations in profundal fish. Data on various fish present in a cold and dark hypolimnion of a large, deep, dimictic lake within the upper temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere are rare. While predominant species such as A. charr (Salvelinus alpinus) and E. smelt (Osmerus eperlanus) were continuously present in this habitat, whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) occupied this habitat primarily during wintertime, while other common species like brown trout (Salmo trutta), perch (Perca fluviatilis) and northern pike (Esox lucius) were almost absent. Besides stomach analyses (diet) and biometry, stable isotope analyses (δ15N and δ13C) and total mercury (Tot-Hg) analyses were carried out on the caught fish. The δ13C signature and stomach analyses revealed a combined profundal-pelagic diet for all three species, A. charr with the most profundal-based diet. Length was the strongest predictor for Hg in whitefish and A. charr, while age was the strongest explanatory variable for Hg in E. smelt. A. charr was the only species exhibiting seasonal variation in Hg, highest during winter and spring.
Soil and Stocking Effects on Caliciopsis Canker of Pinus strobus L.
Authors: Munck Isabel , Luther Thomas , Wyka Stephen , Keirstead Donald , McCracken Kimberly , Ostrofsky William , Searles Wayne , Lombard Kyle , Weimer Jennifer , Allen Bruce
Published: November 2016

Soil and stand density were found to be promising predictive variables associated with damage by the emerging disease of eastern white pine, Caliciopsis canker, in a 2014 survey with randomly selected eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) stands. The objective of this study was to further investigate the relationship between soil and stocking in eastern white pine forests of New England by stratifying sampling across soils and measuring stand density more systematically. A total of 62 eastern white pine stands were sampled during 2015–2016. Stands were stratified across soil groups and several prism plots were established at each site to measure stand density and determine stocking. Caliciopsis canker incidence in mature trees was greater in sites with drier or shallow soils compared to sites with loamy soils and in adequately stocked stands compared to understocked stands (p < 0.0001). Caliciopsis canker signs and symptoms were observed in all size classes. Live crown ratio, a measure of forest health, decreased with increasing Caliciopsis canker symptom severity. The fungal pathogen, Caliciopsis pinea Peck, was successfully isolated from cankers on trees growing in each soil group. Forest managers will need to consider damage caused by Caliciopsis canker related to stand factors such as soil and stocking when regenerating white pine stands.
Trends in HIV Testing among Adults in Georgia: Analysis of the 2011–2015 BRFSS Data
Authors: Ansa Benjamin , White Sashia , Chung Yunmi , Smith Selina
Published: November 2016

Georgia is ranked fifth highest among states for rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) diagnosis. About 4% of persons living with HIV infection in the United States reside in Georgia, and almost 19% of these people do not know their HIV status. The present study examined the trends and associated factors of HIV testing among adults in Georgia between 2011 and 2015 by analyzing data of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). A total of 31,094 persons aged ≥18 years were identified who responded to the question “Have you ever been tested for HIV?” Overall, there were 11,286 (44.2%) respondents who had been tested for HIV, compared to 19,808 (55.8%) who had not. There was a slight decrease in the percentage of respondents who have ever tested for HIV, from 45.6% in 2011 to 43.7% in 2015 (APC (annual percent change) = −0.98, not significant). Factors associated with HIV testing were being female (p = 0.004), black (p < 0.001), younger than 55 years (p < 0.001), single (p < 0.001), attaining education level above high school (p < 0.001), and earning annual income of $50,000 or less (p = 0.028). Overall in Georgia, there has been a slight decline in the temporal trend of HIV testing, and more than half of adults have never been tested for HIV. For reducing HIV transmission in Georgia, enhancing access and utilization of HIV testing should be a public health priority.
Beyond Focal Pests: Impact of a Neonicotinoid Seed Treatment and Resistant Soybean Lines on a Non-Target Arthropod
Authors: Özsisli Tülin , Prischmann-Voldseth Deirdre
Published: November 2016

Integrated pest management (IPM) tactics may effectively control focal pests, but it is also important to test the compatibility of different tactics, and consider non-target organisms. We investigated the effects of a neonicotinoid seed treatment and Rag resistance genes used for soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) control on reproduction of a non-target herbivore (twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch) in short-term greenhouse experiments. We also examined interactions between spider mites and a specialist phytoseiid mite [Ambylseius fallacis (Garman)] and assessed the effects of a co-occurring opportunistic omnivore [Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande)] by including thrips density as a covariate. There were no interactive or main effects of the presence of Rag genes on the densities of any of the arthropods. Overall, effects of the seed treatment on spider mite densities varied, with no difference when mites were confined in clip cages, and higher populations on seed-treated plants when on whole plants. Predatory mites had a consistent negative impact on spider mites, and densities of A. fallacis immatures were similar between seed treated and non-seed treated plants. However, the relationship between spider mite and thrips densities was different between these two plant types, but only in the clip cage experiment lacking predatory mites. This research highlights the importance of considering how IPM tactics might affect non-target organisms.
Biofouling on Coated Carbon Steel in Cooling Water Cycles Using Brackish Seawater
Authors: Rajala Pauliina , Sohlberg Elina , Priha Outi , Tsitko Irina , Väisänen Henri , Tausa Mikko , Carpén Leena
Published: November 2016

Water cooling utilizing natural waters is typically used for cooling large industrial facilities such as power plants. The cooling water cycles are susceptible to biofouling and scaling, which may reduce heat transfer capacity and enhance corrosion. The performance of two fouling-release coatings combined with hypochlorite treatment were studied in a power plant utilizing brackish sea water from the Baltic Sea for cooling. The effect of hypochlorite as an antifouling biocide on material performance and species composition of microfouling formed on coated surfaces was studied during the summer and autumn. Microfouling on surfaces of the studied fouling-release coatings was intensive in the cooling water cycle during the warm summer months. As in most cases in a natural water environment the fouling consisted of both inorganic fouling and biofouling. Chlorination decreased the bacterial number on the surfaces by 10–1000 fold, but the efficacy depended on the coating. In addition to decreasing the bacterial number, the chlorination also changed the microbial species composition, forming the biofilm on the surfaces of two fouling-release coatings. TeknoTar coating was proven to be more efficient in combination with the hypochlorite treatment against microfouling under these experimental conditions.
A Simple Method for Measuring Carbon-13 Fatty Acid Enrichment in the Major Lipid Classes of Microalgae Using GC-MS
Authors: Elahee Doomun Sheik , Loke Stella , O’Callaghan Sean , Callahan Damien
Published: November 2016

A simple method for tracing carbon fixation and lipid synthesis in microalgae was developed using a combination of solid-phase extraction (SPE) and negative ion chemical ionisation gas chromatography mass spectrometry (NCI-GC-MS). NCI-GC-MS is an extremely sensitive technique that can produce an unfragmented molecular ion making this technique particularly useful for stable isotope enrichment studies. Derivatisation of fatty acids using pentafluorobenzyl bromide (PFBBr) allows the coupling of the high separation efficiency of GC and the measurement of unfragmented molecular ions for each of the fatty acids by single quadrupole MS. The key is that isotope spectra can be measured without interference from co-eluting fatty acids or other molecules. Pre-fractionation of lipid extracts by SPE allows the measurement of 13C isotope incorporation into the three main lipid classes (phospholipids, glycolipids, neutral lipids) in microalgae thus allowing the study of complex lipid biochemistry using relatively straightforward analytical technology. The high selectivity of GC is necessary as it allows the collection of mass spectra for individual fatty acids, including cis/trans isomers, of the PFB-derivatised fatty acids. The combination of solid-phase extraction and GC-MS enables the accurate determination of 13C incorporation into each lipid pool. Three solvent extraction protocols that are commonly used in lipidomics were also evaluated and are described here with regard to extraction efficiencies for lipid analysis in microalgae.
Anti-Inflammatory Chemical Profiling of the Australian Rainforest Tree Alphitonia petriei (Rhamnaceae)
Authors: Raju Ritesh , Gunawardena Dhanushka , Ahktar Most , Low Mitchell , Reddell Paul , Münch Gerald
Published: November 2016

Chronic inflammation is an important pathological condition in many human diseases, and due to the side effects of the currently used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, discovery of novel anti-inflammatory drugs is of general interest. Anti-inflammatory activity guided compound isolation from the plant Alphitonia petriei led to the isolation of the known plant sterols emmolic acid (1), alphitolic acid (2), trans- and cis-coumaroyl esters of alphitolic acid (3 and 4) and betulinic acid (5). A detailed spectroscopic analysis led to the structure elucidation of the alphitolic acid derivatives (1–5), and the semi-synthetic emmolic acid acetate (6). When tested in LPS (Lipopolysaccharides) + IFN-γ (Interferon gamma) activated RAW 264.7 macrophages, all compounds except (1) exhibited potent anti-inflammatory activity (IC50 values as low as 1.7 μM) in terms of downregulation of NO and TNF-α production, but also demonstrated some considerable cytotoxicity.
Deriving and Evaluating City-Wide Vegetation Heights from a TanDEM-X DEM
Authors: Schreyer Johannes , Lakes Tobia
Published: November 2016

Vegetation provides important functions and services in urban areas, and vegetation heights divided into vertical and horizontal units can be used as indicators for its assessment. Conversely, detailed area-wide and updated height information is frequently missing for most urban areas. This study sought to assess three vegetation height classes from a globally available TanDEM-X digital elevation model (DEM, 12 × 12 m spatial resolution) for Berlin, Germany. Subsequently, height distribution and its accuracy across biotope classes were derived. For this, a TanDEM-X intermediate DEM, a LiDAR DTM, an UltraCamX vegetation layer, and a biotope map were included. The applied framework comprised techniques of data integration and raster algebra for: Deriving a height model for all of Berlin, masking non-vegetated areas, classifying two canopy height models (CHMs) for bushes/shrubs and trees, deriving vegetation heights for 12 biotope classes and assessing accuracies using validation CHMs. The findings highlighted the possibility of assessing vegetation heights for total vegetation, trees and bushes/shrubs with low and consistent offsets of mean heights (total CHM: −1.56 m; CHM for trees: −2.23 m; CHM bushes/shrubs: 0.60 m). Negative offsets are likely caused by X-band canopy penetrations. Between the biotope classes, large variations of height and area were identified (vegetation height/biotope and area/biotope: ~3.50–~16.00 m; 4.44%–96.53%). The framework and results offer a great asset for citywide and spatially explicit assessment of vegetation heights as an input for urban ecology studies, such as investigating habitat diversity based on the vegetation’s heterogeneity.
An Optimal Sample Data Usage Strategy to Minimize Overfitting and Underfitting Effects in Regression Tree Models Based on Remotely-Sensed Data
Authors: Gu Yingxin , Wylie Bruce , Boyte Stephen , Picotte Joshua , Howard Daniel , Smith Kelcy , Nelson Kurtis
Published: November 2016

Regression tree models have been widely used for remote sensing-based ecosystem mapping. Improper use of the sample data (model training and testing data) may cause overfitting and underfitting effects in the model. The goal of this study is to develop an optimal sampling data usage strategy for any dataset and identify an appropriate number of rules in the regression tree model that will improve its accuracy and robustness. Landsat 8 data and Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer-scaled Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were used to develop regression tree models. A Python procedure was designed to generate random replications of model parameter options across a range of model development data sizes and rule number constraints. The mean absolute difference (MAD) between the predicted and actual NDVI (scaled NDVI, value from 0–200) and its variability across the different randomized replications were calculated to assess the accuracy and stability of the models. In our case study, a six-rule regression tree model developed from 80% of the sample data had the lowest MAD (MADtraining = 2.5 and MADtesting = 2.4), which was suggested as the optimal model. This study demonstrates how the training data and rule number selections impact model accuracy and provides important guidance for future remote-sensing-based ecosystem modeling.
Grassland and Cropland Net Ecosystem Production of the U.S. Great Plains: Regression Tree Model Development and Comparative Analysis
Authors: Wylie Bruce , Howard Daniel , Dahal Devendra , Gilmanov Tagir , Ji Lei , Zhang Li , Smith Kelcy
Published: November 2016

This paper presents the methodology and results of two ecological-based net ecosystem production (NEP) regression tree models capable of up scaling measurements made at various flux tower sites throughout the U.S. Great Plains. Separate grassland and cropland NEP regression tree models were trained using various remote sensing data and other biogeophysical data, along with 15 flux towers contributing to the grassland model and 15 flux towers for the cropland model. The models yielded weekly mean daily grassland and cropland NEP maps of the U.S. Great Plains at 250 m resolution for 2000–2008. The grassland and cropland NEP maps were spatially summarized and statistically compared. The results of this study indicate that grassland and cropland ecosystems generally performed as weak net carbon (C) sinks, absorbing more C from the atmosphere than they released from 2000 to 2008. Grasslands demonstrated higher carbon sink potential (139 g C·m−2·year−1) than non-irrigated croplands. A closer look into the weekly time series reveals the C fluctuation through time and space for each land cover type.
A Novel Application for Low Frequency Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy as an Online Process Monitoring Tool for Viable Cell Concentrations
Authors: Slouka Christoph , Wurm David , Brunauer Georg , Welzl-Wachter Andreas , Spadiut Oliver , Fleig Jürgen , Herwig Christoph
Published: November 2016

New approaches in process monitoring during industrial fermentations are not only limited to classical pH, dO2 and offgas analysis, but use different in situ and online sensors based on different physical principles to determine biomass, product quality, lysis and far more. One of the very important approaches is the in situ accessibility of viable cell concentration (VCC). This knowledge provides increased efficiency in monitoring and controlling strategies during cultivations. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy—EIS—is used to monitor biomass in a fermentation of E. coli BL21(DE3), producing a recombinant protein using a fed batch-based approach. Increases in the double layer capacitance (Cdl), determined at frequencies below 1 kHz, are proportional to the increase of biomass in the batch and fed batch phase, monitored in offline and online modes for different cultivations. A good correlation of Cdl with cell density is found and in order to get an appropriate verification of this method, different state-of-the-art biomass measurements are performed and compared. Since measurements in this frequency range are largely determined by the double layer region between the electrode and media, rather minor interferences with process parameters (aeration, stirring) are to be expected. It is shown that impedance spectroscopy at low frequencies is a powerful tool for cultivation monitoring.
Electrochemical Aptatoxisensor Responses on Nanocomposites Containing Electro-Deposited Silver Nanoparticles on Poly(Propyleneimine) Dendrimer for the Detection of Microcystin-LR in Freshwater
Authors: Bilibana Mawethu , Williams Avril , Rassie Candice , Sunday Christopher , Makelane Hlamulo , Wilson Lindsay , Ntshongontshi Nomaphelo , Jijana Abongile , Masikini Milua , Baker Priscilla , Iwuoha Emmanuel
Published: November 2016

A sensitive and reagentless electrochemical aptatoxisensor was developed on cobalt (II) salicylaldiimine metallodendrimer (SDD–Co(II)) doped with electro-synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) for microcystin-LR (L, l-leucine; R, l-arginine), or MC-LR, detection in the nanomolar range. The GCE|SDD–Co(II)|AgNPs aptatoxisensor was fabricated with 5’ thiolated aptamer through self-assembly on the modified surface of the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and the electronic response was measured using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Specific binding of MC-LR with the aptamer on GCE|SDD–Co(II)|AgNPs aptatoxisensor caused the formation of a complex that resulted in steric hindrance and electrostatic repulsion culminating in variation of the corresponding peak current of the electrochemical probe. The aptatoxisensor showed a linear response for MC-LR between 0.1 and 1.1 µg·L−1 and the calculated limit of detection (LOD) was 0.04 µg·L−1. In the detection of MC-LR in water samples, the aptatoxisensor proved to be highly sensitive and stable, performed well in the presence of interfering analog and was comparable to the conventional analytical techniques. The results demonstrate that the constructed MC-LR aptatoxisensor is a suitable device for routine quantification of MC-LR in freshwater and environmental samples.
Supplementation Strategies to Reduce Muscle Damage and Improve Recovery Following Exercise in Females: A Systematic Review
Authors: Köhne Jessica , Ormsbee Michael , McKune Andrew
Published: November 2016

Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) caused by unaccustomed or strenuous exercise can result in reduced muscle force, increased muscle soreness, increased intramuscular proteins in the blood, and reduced performance. Pre- and post-exercise optimal nutritional intake is important to assist with muscle-damage repair and reconditioning to allow for an accelerated recovery. The increased demand for training and competing on consecutive days has led to a variety of intervention strategies being used to reduce the negative effects of EIMD. Nutritional intervention strategies are largely tested on male participants, and few report on sex-related differences relating to the effects of the interventions employed. This review focuses on nutritional intervention strategies employed to negate the effects of EIMD, focussing solely on females.
Lightweight Design Solutions in the Automotive Field: Environmental Modelling Based on Fuel Reduction Value Applied to Diesel Turbocharged Vehicles
Authors: Delogu Massimo , Del Pero Francesco , Pierini Marco
Published: November 2016

A tailored model for the assessment of environmental benefits achievable by “light-weighting” in the automotive field is presented. The model is based on the Fuel Reduction Value (FRV) coefficient, which expresses the Fuel Consumption (FC) saving involved by a 100 kg mass reduction. The work is composed of two main sections: simulation and environmental modelling. Simulation modelling performs an in-depth calculation of weight-induced FC whose outcome is the FRV evaluated for a wide range of Diesel Turbocharged (DT) vehicle case studies. Environmental modelling converts fuel saving to impact reduction basing on the FRVs obtained by simulations. Results show that for the considered case studies, FRV is within the range 0.115–0.143 and 0.142–0.388 L/100 km × 100 kg, respectively, for mass reduction only and powertrain adaptation (secondary effects). The implementation of FRVs within the environmental modelling represents the added value of the research and makes the model a valuable tool for application to real case studies of automotive lightweight LCA.
Optimization of Cellulase and Xylanase Production by Micrococcus Species under Submerged Fermentation
Authors: Mmango-Kaseke Ziyanda , Okaiyeto Kunle , Nwodo Uchechukwu , Mabinya Leonard , Okoh Anthony
Published: November 2016

This paper reports on the optimization of culture conditions for cellulase and xylanase production by bacterial isolate from lignocellulosic biomass. The bacterial isolate was screened for cellulase and xylanase production on carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC) and birch wood xylan as substrates, respectively. One bacterial isolate showing the highest halo zone diameter (isolate PLY1) was selected for detailed studies. The analysis of the 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) gene nucleotide sequence of PLY1 revealed it to have 98% similarity to Micrococcus luteus strain Fse9 and the sequence was deposited in the GenBank as Micrococcus luteus strain SAMRC-UFH3 with accession number KU171371. Cellulase production was achieved in the presence of CMC (1% w/v) under an incubation temperature of 25 °C (198 U/mL), pH 5 (173 U/mL), agitation speed 50 rpm (173 U/mL) and incubation period of 96 h (102 U/mL). Xylanase was produced maximally when birch wood xylan (1% w/v) was used as the substrate at 25 °C (1007 U/mL), pH 10 (2487 U/mL), 200 rpm (1814 U/mL), and under an incubation period of 84 h (1296 U/mL). Our findings showed that Micrococcus sp. SAMRC-UFH3 appears to be a potentially important candidate for lignocellulosic waste degradation and other relevant industrial applications.