bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Graphemic borrowings and transformations from Sinitic: The case of Quốc Âm Thi Tập
Authors: Trọng Dương Trần
Published: April 2018

This essay studies Vietnamese demotic Nôm characters used to transcribe Sinitic loanwords in the text of Quốc Âm Thi Tập [Poetry Collection in the National Language] by Nguyễn Trãi (1380–1442) using an interdisciplinary approach that combines graphology, historical phonetics, and etymology. The text under study (with 11,067 unique instances of Nôm characters) has 1434 Nôm characters used to transcribe Sinitic loanwords, with 8040 instances of recurrence. These Nôm characters are divided into 10 categories, along two principal groups: (A) Nôm characters that are borrowed from Sinitic; and (B) Nôm characters that are self-generated. Statistics shows that the major trend of Nôm characters used to transcribed Sinitic loanwords is from borrowing (93.3%), while the minor trend is from self-generation (6.7%). Group (A) of Nôm characters mainly uses the method of graphemic borrowing from Sinitic, while group (B) uses two principal methods of graphemic creation: phono-semantic compound and phono-equivalent compound. The results show that basically the system of Nôm characters used to transcribe Sinitic loanwords inherits the graphological tradition of Sinitic as expressed on the following levels: (a) graphemic components from radicals and existing Sinitic characters; (b) methods of graphemic creation including phonetic loan and phono-semantic compound. However, the methods of graphemic creation and the evolution of the graphic form of Nôm characters all follow the common trends of the histories of Nôm characters and the Vietnamese language.
Biology and treatment of Richter syndrome
Authors: Rossi Davide , Spina Valeria , Gaidano Gianluca
Published: April 2018

Richter syndrome (RS) is the development of an aggressive lymphoma in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Two pathologic variants of RS are recognized: namely, the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) variant and the rare Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) variant. Histologic documentation is mandatory to diagnose RS. The clinical suspicion of RS should be based on clinical signs and symptoms. Differential diagnosis between CLL progression and RS and choice of the biopsy site may take advantage of positron emission tomography/computed tomography. Molecular lesions of regulators of proliferation (CDKN2A, NOTCH1, MYC) and apoptosis (TP53) overall associate with ∼90% of DLBCL-type RS, whereas the biology of the HL-type RS is largely unknown. The prognosis of the DLBCL-type RS is unfavorable; the outcome of HL-type RS appears to be better. The most important RS prognostic factor is the clonal relationship between the CLL and the aggressive lymphoma clones, with clonally unrelated RS having a better prognosis. Rituximab-containing combination chemotherapy for DLBCL is the most widely used treatment in DLBCL-type RS. Fit patients who respond to induction therapy should be offered stem cell transplantation (SCT) to prolong survival. Adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine is the preferred regimen for the HL-type RS, and SCT consolidation is less used in this condition.
Multi-dimensional analysis of oral cavity and oropharyngeal defects following cancer extirpation surgery, a cadaveric study
Authors: Idris Sherif , Mlynarek Alex M. , Ansari Khalid , Harris Jeffrey R. , Rizk Nabil , Cote David , O'Connell Daniel A. , Allen Heather , Dziegielewski Peter , Seikaly Hadi
Published: April 2018

Background

Defects following resection of tumors in the head and neck region are complex; more detailed and defect-specific reconstruction would likely result in better functional and cosmetic outcomes. The objectives of our study were: 1) to improve the understanding of the two- and three-dimensional nature of oral cavity and oropharyngeal defects following oncological resection and 2) to assess the geometric dimensions and the shapes of fasciocutaneous free flaps and locoregional tissue flaps required for reconstruction of these defects.

Methods

This study was an anatomic cadaveric study which involved creating defects in the oral cavity and oropharynx in two cadaveric specimens. Specifically, partial and total glossectomies, floor of mouth excisions, and base of tongue excisions were carried out. These subsites were subsequently geometrically analyzed and their volumes measured. The two-dimensional (2D) assessment of these three-dimensional (3D) structures included measures of surface area and assessment of tissue contours and shapes.

Results

The resected specimens all demonstrated unique dimensional geometry for the various anatomic sites. Using 2D analysis, hemiglossectomy defects revealed right triangle geometry, whereas total glossectomy geometry was a square. Finally, the base of tongue defects exhibited a trapezoid shape.

Conclusions

Customizing the geometry and dimensions of fasciocutaneous free flaps so that they are specific to the confronted head and neck defects will likely result in better functional and cosmetic outcomes.
Particle swarm optimization inversion of magnetic data: Field examples from iron ore deposits in China
Authors: Liu Shuang , Liang Miao , Hu Xiangyun
Published: April 2018

Inspired by the social behavior of birds or fish swarms, particle swarm optimization (PSO) is used to solve many engineering optimization problems. The PSO algorithm is mostly applied to the geophysical parametric inversion based on specific models, and it is rarely used to implement the physical property inversion of geophysical data. We have applied the standard PSO algorithm to the 2D inversion of magnetic data to recover the distribution of subsurface magnetization intensity. To manage the over-stochastic problem of a standard PSO inversion, the velocities of particle swarms are smoothed, and the [Formula: see text]-means clustering model constraint to the objective function is implemented to distinguish the multiple magnetic sources in the case of the complicated magnetic anomaly. The PSO inversion of magnetic data is tested using synthetic models. In the field examples of Galinge and Weigang iron ore deposits in China, concealed iron orebodies were detected, and the reconstructed magnetic source distribution yielded good agreement with the orebodies inferred from drillhole information. The uncertainty analysis results demonstrated that the recovered models using the PSO algorithm had lower reliability for the bottom and boundary areas of target sources because of the influence of observation noise and the weak magnetic response of deep-buried sources. The PSO algorithm obtained a sharp physical property distribution and demonstrated strong global optimization ability.
Survival Outcomes by TP53 Mutation Status in Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Meric-Bernstam Funda , Zheng Xiaofeng , Shariati Maryam , Damodaran Senthil , Wathoo Chetna , Brusco Lauren , Demirhan Mehmet Esat , Tapia Coya , Eterovic Agda Karina , Basho Reva K. , Ueno Naoto T. , Janku Filip , Sahin Aysegul , Rodon Jordi , Broaddus Russell , Kim Tae-Beom , Mendelsohn John , Mills Shaw Kenna R. , Tripathy Debu , Mills Gordon B. , Chen Ken
Published: April 2018

Purpose

To determine the significant genomic alterations in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) and survival outcomes in common genotypes.

Patients and Methods

High-depth next-generation sequencing was performed for 202 genes in tumor and normal DNA from 257 patients with MBC, including 165 with estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor–positive and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2 [hormone receptor positive (HR+)])–positive, 32 with HER2-positive, and 60 with triple-negative (estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor–negative and HER2-negative) disease. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed in the discovery set, in patients with breast cancer analyzed in The Cancer Genome Atlas, and in a separate cohort of 98 patients with MBC who underwent clinical genomic testing.

Results

Significantly mutated genes (SMGs) varied by histology and tumor subtype, but TP53 was an SMG in all three subtypes. The most SMGs in patients with HR+ cancer were PIK3CA (32%), TP53 (29%), GATA3 (15%), CDH1 (8%), MAP3K1 (8%), PTEN (5%), TGFBR2 (4%), AKT1 (4%), and MAP2K4 (4%). TP53 mutations were associated with shorter recurrence-free survival ( P = .004), progression-free survival ( P < .001), and overall survival ( P = .003). Furthermore, TP53 status was prognostic among patients with HR+ cancer with PIK3CA mutations. TP53 mutations were associated with poorer overall survival in the 442 patients with HR+ breast cancer analyzed in The Cancer Genome Atlas ( P = .042) and in an independent set of 96 patients with HR+ MBC who underwent clinical sequencing ( P < .001).

Conclusion

SMGs differ by tumor subtype, but TP53 is significantly mutated in all three breast cancer subtypes. TP53 mutations are associated with poor prognosis in HR+ breast cancer and should be considered in the design and interpretation of precision oncology trials.
Phragmoplast microtubule dynamics – a game of zones
Authors: Smertenko Andrei , Hewitt Seanna L. , Jacques Caitlin N. , Kacprzyk Rafal , Liu Yan , Marcec Matthew J. , Moyo Lindani , Ogden Aaron , Oung Hui Min , Schmidt Sharol , Serrano-Romero Erika A.
Published: April 2018

Plant morphogenesis relies on the accurate positioning of the partition (cell plate) between dividing cells during cytokinesis. The cell plate is synthetized by a specialized structure called the phragmoplast, which consists of microtubules, actin filaments, membrane compartments and associated proteins. The phragmoplast forms between daughter nuclei during the transition from anaphase to telophase. As cells are commonly larger than the originally formed phragmoplast, the construction of the cell plate requires phragmoplast expansion. This expansion depends on microtubule polymerization at the phragmoplast forefront (leading zone) and loss at the back (lagging zone). Leading and lagging zones sandwich the ‘transition’ zone. A population of stable microtubules in the transition zone facilitates transport of building materials to the midzone where the cell plate assembly takes place. Whereas microtubules undergo dynamic instability in all zones, the overall balance appears to be shifted towards depolymerization in the lagging zone. Polymerization of microtubules behind the lagging zone has not been reported to date, suggesting that microtubule loss there is irreversible. In this Review, we discuss: (1) the regulation of microtubule dynamics in the phragmoplast zones during expansion; (2) mechanisms of the midzone establishment and initiation of cell plate biogenesis; and (3) signaling in the phragmoplast.
Chemical signaling for pollen tube guidance at a glance
Authors: Mizuta Yoko , Higashiyama Tetsuya
Published: April 2018

Pollen tube guidance is a unique navigating system that is required for the successful sexual reproduction of plants. As plant sperm cells are non-motile and egg cells are embedded deep inside the female tissues, a pollen tube delivers the two sperm cells that it contains by growing towards the ovule, in which the egg cell resides. Pollen tube growth towards the ovule is precisely controlled and divided into two stages, preovular and ovular guidance. In this Cell Science at a Glance article and accompanying poster, we provide a comprehensive overview of pollen tube guidance and highlight some of the attractant peptides used during ovular guidance. We further discuss the precise one-to-one guidance system that exists in multi-ovular plants. The pollen tube-blocking system, which is mediated by male–female crosstalk communication, to avoid attraction of multiple pollen tubes, is also reviewed.
Recent advances in managing vascular occlusions in the cardiac catheterization laboratory
Authors: Qureshi Athar M. , Mullins Charles E. , Latson Larry A.
Published: April 2018

Vascular occlusions continue to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The management of vascular occlusions in patients is complex, requiring specialized expertise in the cardiac catheterization laboratory and from other disciplines. Knowledge of currently available tools at the operator’s disposal is important to optimize the success of these procedures. In this review, we discuss some of the recent advances in recanalization procedures of vascular occlusions and thrombotic lesions in the cardiac catheterization laboratory.
Blood-derived extracellular proteins as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of early ER+ breast cancer and detection of lymph node involvement
Authors: Tucker Rod , Pedro Ana
Published: April 2018

Extracellular vesicles (EV’s) are membrane surrounded structures released by different cell types and are emerging as potential therapeutic and diagnostic targets in cancer. In the present study, plasma samples derived from 7 patients with metastatic and non-metastatic ER+ (estrogen receptor positive) breast cancer (BC) were collected and their respective (EVs) isolated and the protein content analyzed by mass spectrometry and FunRich analysis. Here we report on the presence of  two putative plasma EV biomarkers (which were absent in healthy controls samples) that could be used to detect early ER+ breast cancer and for those with lymph node (LN) involvement However, given the preliminar nature of the work, further investigation in a larger patient cohort is warranted to corroborate these findings. If confirmed, these biomarkers could be incorporated into simple blood test kit for the early detection of those with ER+ breast cancer and lymph node involvement.
Individual typological differences in a neurally distributed semantic processing system: Revisiting the Science article by Mitchell et al. on computational neurolinguistics
Authors: Akama Hiroyuki
Published: April 2018

Background: Revisiting the 2008 Science article by Mitchell et al. on computational neurolinguistics, individual typological differences were found as striking characteristics in the patterns of informative voxels crucial for the distributed semantic processing system.

Methods: The results of different feature selection methods (ANOVA and Stability) were compared based on the open datasets of each subject for evaluating how these features were decisive in predicting human brain activity associated with language meaning.

Results: In general, the two selection results were similar and the voxel-wise ranks were correlated but they became extremely dispersive for a subgroup of subjects exhibiting mediocre precision when examined without regularization. Quite interestingly, looking at the anatomical location of these voxels, it appears that the modality-specific areas were likely to be monitored by the Stability score (indexing “identity”), and that the ANOVA (emphasizing “difference”) tended to detect supramodal semantic areas.

Conclusions: This minor finding indicates that in some cases, seemingly poor data may deeply and systematically conceal information that is significant and worthwhile. It may have potential for shedding new light on in the controversy pertaining to cognitive semantics, which is divided into modality-biased (embodied) and amodal symbol theories.
New Opportunities for Vnesheconombank as a Bank for Development
Authors: Смирнов Е. , Smirnov E.
Published: April 2018

Adopted at the end of last year, Federal Law No. 454-FZ of December 29, 2017 «On Amending the Federal Law “on the Bank for Development”» signifi cantly increased the capacity of Vnesheconombank (hereinaft er referred to as «VEB») in order to create conditions for a stable growth of the country’s economy.
Features of the Assessment of the Effectiveness of Internal Financial Audit
Authors: Егорова Ирина , Egorova Irina
Published: April 2018

Th e article is devoted to the issues of evaluating the effi ciency of the use of invested funds for the implementation of internal fi nancial audit, as well as the problems of determining the performance indicators and their identifi cation, with the main emphasis on the features of determining the indicators of the effi ciency of the use of public resources.
Are Strategic Customers Bad for a Supply Chain?
Authors: Lin Yen-Ting , Parlaktürk Ali K. , Swaminathan Jayashankar M.
Published: April 2018

We consider a manufacturer serving a retailer that sells its product to customers over two periods. Each firm determines its unit price. The retailer orders the product from the manufacturer prior to the beginning of the selling periods. We consider two types of customers: (1) strategic customers who take their future options into account and time their purchases accordingly and (2) myopic customers who consider only their current options. We compare the resulting equilibria for these two scenarios and evaluate the impact of customers’ strategic behavior. We find that strategic customer behavior always benefits the manufacturer. Interestingly, it may also improve the profitability of the retailer and the entire supply chain in some cases. Strategic customer behavior and decentralization are often regarded as detriments to supply chain performance. We find that, however, the combination of these two factors may not result in the worst supply chain performance. When customers are sufficiently patient, a decentralized supply chain that faces strategic customers actually outperforms the supply chain with only one of those factors at play. Finally, we show that when customers are strategic, the retailer’s and manufacturer’s profits with price commitment, availability commitment, or quick response can be lower than those when customers are myopic.

The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2017.0651 .
Autologous skin cells: a new technique for skin regeneration in diabetic and vascular ulcers
Authors: Chant H. , Woodrow T. , Manley J.
Published: April 2018

Diabetic foot ulcers are often difficult to treat due to concurrent infection, neuropathy and vascular compromise. Healing adjuncts, such as negative pressure wound therapy and skin grafts, have been used with good results but eventual healing is often frustrated by slow epithelialisation. Here, we describe a novel therapeutic method to aid epithelial regeneration using autologous skin cells (ReCell; Avita Medical) to aid skin regeneration. We suggest this may provide an alternative to more established therapies used in this patient group.
Venous ulceration contaminated by multi-resistant organisms: larval therapy and debridement
Authors: McInnes W. , Ruzehaji N. , Wright N. , Cowin A.J. , Fitridge R.
Published: April 2018

A 72-year-old female with venous insufficiency presented to a hospital based multidisciplinary wound clinic after 20 years of recurrent episodes of venous leg ulcers. Examination showed bilateral leg ulcers with no evidence of arterial insufficiency, but complicated by considerable devitalised tissue, abnormally high bacterial load and the presence of multi-resistant organisms. The ulcers were initially treated with larvae to aid debridement and reduce the bacterial load, prior to skin grafting. Although ulcer free for a period of 4 months, further debridement was required when the skin condition deteriorated. Surgical intervention was chosen as the preferred method by the surgeons for a second acute care admission using hydrosugery, along with supplementary skin grafts and compression. Ongoing management, consisting of regular debridement, skin care and compression therapy, continues.
Identify number families
Authors: Davis John
Published: April 2018

In the final article in this series about the fundamental importance of number in mathematics, John Davis focuses on special number families and their applications.
Hyperspectral, Time-Resolved, Fluorescence Imaging System for Large Sample Sizes: Part I. Development of a High-Energy Line-Illumination Source
Authors: Tewey Kevin , Lefcourt Alan M. , Shilts Patrick , Tasch Uri , Kim Moon S.
Published: April 2018

To reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses, produce fields are visually surveyed prior to harvest for signs of fecal contamination. To improve the efficacy of surveys, a hyperspectral, line-scan, laser-induced fluorescence imaging system was developed. The goal is to incorporate the imaging system into a field-deployable apparatus to survey produce fields. The system includes a gated intensified camera, a spectral adapter, a 355 nm pulsed laser, and a Powell lens that is used to expand the laser beam into a line-illumination source. Software was developed to facilitate alignment of the Powell lens with the laser beam and the resulting line-illumination profile with the line-imaging field. Comparisons were made of uniformity and efficiency measures for regions within illumination profiles that corresponded to the camera field of view for the Powell lens and previously developed simple and homogenizing expansion optics. Spatial and temporal uniformity measures were similar for the Powell and homogenizing optics, and both were better than for simple optics; however, total efficiency was better for Powell compared to homogenizing optics at 28.5% and 3.0%, respectively. After spectral calibrations, theoretical and measured spectral peaks of five fluorescent standards were identical. Images of apples and spinach artificially contaminated with dilutions of dairy manure demonstrated high contrast. By selecting appropriate gate timing parameters, it was possible to create images in which responses from contamination sites were still evident but responses from normal surfaces were effectively extinguished. These results demonstrate that the system has potential to be used to detect sites of fecal contamination in produce fields. Keywords: Fecal detection, Fluorescence imaging, Food safety, Machine vision, Powell lens.
Hyperspectral, Time-Resolved, Fluorescence Imaging System for Large Sample Sizes: Part II. Detection of Fecal Contamination on Spinach Leaves
Authors: Tewey Kevin , Lefcourt Alan M. , Tasch Uri , Shilts Patrick , Kim Moon S.
Published: April 2018

Abstract.

To reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses resulting from fecal contamination in produce fields, a hyperspectral, line-scan, laser-induced fluorescence imaging system was developed with the goal of eventually incorporating the imaging system into a pre-harvest detection apparatus for fecal contamination. The imaging system includes an intensified, gated camera, a spectral adapter, a 355 nm pulsed laser, and laser expansion optics that produce a line-illumination profile. To validate and test the system, spinach leaves inoculated with dilutions of bovine fecal material were imaged repeatedly using a predefined set of imaging parameters. These images were used to evaluate methods for detecting fecal contamination. Methods investigated included ratio, edge, threshold, and slope detection. Differences in the magnitude of averaged intensities for the spectral range of 450-500 nm for regions within fecal contamination sites and in nearby uncontaminated surface areas suggested that the 450-500 nm waveband would be a good region for use in detection tests. Validation tests that used threshold or slope detection, the 450-500 nm waveband, and that took advantage of the slower fluorescence decay rates of fecal contamination sites relative to uncontaminated surface areas showed almost 100% detection of 1:2, 1:10, and 1:100 dilution sites and over 70% detection of 1:200 dilution sites with essentially zero false positives. These results suggest that the imaging system has potential for development of a commercially viable apparatus for pre-harvest detection of fecal contamination in produce fields and for detection of fecal contamination of leafy green vegetables in general. Keywords: Fecal detection, Fluorescence imaging, Food safety, Machine vision, Spinach, Time-resolved imaging.
Methods for Hyperspectral Microscope Calibration and Spectra Normalization from Images of Bacteria Cells
Authors: Eady Matthew B. , Park Bosoon , Yoon Seung-Chul , Haidekker Mark A. , Lawrence Kurt C.
Published: April 2018

Abstract.

Hyperspectral microscope images (HMIs) have previously shown promise as a means for rapid and early detection of foodborne bacteria at the cellular level. System calibration and data normalization are critical for comparing information obtained from HMIs collected with multiple instruments and system parameters. Here, we implement a wavelength and radiometric calibration for spectral data obtained from a hyperspectral microscope, assess the spatial uniformity of HMIs, and show the need to normalize data from single-cell regions of interest (ROIs). A hyperspectral microscope with a tungsten halogen light source, acousto-optical tunable filter, and electron multiplying camera with variable gain and exposure time settings were used. HMIs were collected at additional gain settings of 0%, 1.6%, 3.5%, and 5.1% along with ten exposure time settings between 100 and 1000 ms with both calibration lamps. Wavelength peak shift started to occur at an exposure time of 600 ms for 1.6% gain, at 400 ms for 3.5% gain, and at 200 ms for 5.1% gain. HMIs of , Typhimurium, and cells were collected to assess spectral data normalcy and the need for preprocessing spectra from single bacteria cells. Spatial characteristics of cells were assessed by HMIs of a glass slide with a micrometer for determining pixel size from the field of view. HMIs were preprocessed by normalizing cell spectra to the light source and applying multiplicative scatter correction. Data normalcy was assessed on both the raw and preprocessed data sets. Preprocessing the data was found to reduce the cell-to-cell variation associated with a single-cell ROI method, while outliers were detected and verified through HMIs as physically different from other cells. Keywords: Bacteria, Calibration, Food safety, Hyperspectral microscope, Pathogen.
Super Absorbent Polymer and Irrigation Regime Effects on Growth and Water Use Efficiency of Container-Grown Cherry Tomatoes
Authors: Suresh Rahul , Prasher Shiv O. , Patel Ramanbhai M. , Qi Zhiming , Elsayed Eman , Schwinghamer Timothy , Ehsan Abdul M.
Published: April 2018

Abstract.

There is a need to develop innovative techniques to effectively use water in agriculture to meet the growing demands for food. Super absorbent polymers (SAPs), or hydrogels, can absorb and retain large amounts of water against gravitational forces and release it on demand to meet plant water requirements. Being an artificially synthesized compound, it is imperative that SAPs should not introduce toxicity to the growing medium or produce. The objectives of this study were to determine whether SAPs can improve water use efficiency (WUE) and the physiological growth of cherry tomatoes ( var. ) without causing soil toxicity. A pot-trial experiment was carried out in 2014 at the Research Greenhouse of McGill University’s Macdonald Campus (Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada) in a completely randomized design, with three concentrations of SAP (0%, 0.1%, and 0.5%) and three irrigation intervals (daily, each alternate day, and every third day). The mean yield of the experimental cherry tomatoes was statistically significantly higher where 0.5% SAP was applied, compared to where SAP was not applied (p = 0.0056). The mean WUE was also higher where 0.5% SAP was applied when compared to where SAP was not applied (p = 0.05). To ascertain food safety, the presence of free acrylamide monomer in tomatoes was checked. The acrylamide concentrations were below the detection limit of 5 µg kg-1 in all tomato samples. To assess environmental toxicity, a Microtox toxicology analysis was also conducted on the growing medium, which revealed that the SAP used in the study was not toxic. Therefore, it can be concluded that the application of SAP could increase yield and WUE of greenhouse-grown cherry tomatoes. It also appears that SAP did not introduce toxic side-effects in the soil nor in the tomatoes, as determined by Microtox acute toxicity test and acrylamide residue analysis with LC-MS. Keywords: Acrylamide, Cherry tomatoes, Greenhouse, Microtox, Monomer, Super absorbent polymer, Toxicity, Water use efficiency, Yield.
Technology and the Effects of Supplemental Irrigation with Catchment Rainwater on Maize in the Hilly-Arid Area of Northern China
Authors: Sun Jianni , Gao Peng , Wang Rongjia , Niu Xiang , Wang Bing
Published: April 2018

Efficient use of rainwater is one of the focuses of water resources research around the world, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Following the rainfall-runoff balance principle of cropland and the theory of rainwater reiterative use, an experiment was designed to investigate the technology and effects of supplemental irrigation with catchment rainwater on maize in the hilly-arid area of northern China. The results showed the following: (1) a water cellar with 60 m3 of storage volume provided enough water for 1.33 ha of maize seedlings with no mulching film and for 5.33 ha with mulching film; (2) compared with the non-irrigated control (CK), when maize received 15 to 45 mm of supplemental irrigation at different growth stages, there was a 0.17 m increase in average plant height, a 0.52 to 0.55 cm increase in average stem diameter, and a 2.61 to 2.84 cm increase in average panicle length; and (3) the booting stage of maize was the best stage for increasing production and rainwater use efficiency (RWUE) with supplemental irrigation, which increased maize production by 22.1% on average for the two years of the study and improved RWUE by 5.2% compared with CK on average for the two years. The sufficient amount of supplemental irrigation was 30 mm, and spare rainwater could be used to irrigate a larger area. The results indicate that the best periods for supplemental irrigation of maize in the hilly-arid area of northern China was during sowing in the spring drought and during the growth stage. Keywords: Catchment rainwater, Hilly-arid area, Rainwater use efficiency, Supplemental irrigation, Water cellar.
Analysis of Air Cargo Temperature Variations During Transport Operations
Authors: Pelletier William , Chau Khe V. , Bucklin Ray A. , Brecht Jeffrey K. , Hahn David W. , Émond Jean-Pierre
Published: April 2018

Abstract.

Air transport has unique characteristics that are essential for the transport of perishable products. However, temperature variations during air transport operations may be detrimental to temperature-sensitive products such as fresh horticultural crops, seafood, pharmaceuticals, and others. The literature on the subject remains scarce. In-flight temperatures were monitored during six international shipments using an aircraft container loaded with simulated perishable products. Results highlighted the overriding impact of solar radiation on temperature distribution within aircraft containers during ramp transfers. Extended ramp transfer durations were observed, and for three shipments the total time, outside, on the tarmac exceeded 11 h, resulting in an average product temperature increase of as much as 13°C. In-flight conditions had a smaller impact on the temperature distribution within the load of products. Tests indicated that the core region of the load was exposed to the smallest rate of heat transfer, and the top layer was exposed to the largest rate of heat transfer. Cold room storage of a fully loaded aircraft container proved to be a very inefficient cooling method. Keywords: Aircraft container, Horticultural products, In-flight, Perishables, Ramp, Tarmac.
Sampling Duration and Frequency for Determining Emission Rates from Naturally Ventilated Dairy Barns
Authors: Kafle Gopi   Krishna , Joo HungSoo , Ndegwa Pius   M.
Published: April 2018

The ideal practice for determining gas emission rates from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) is continuous measurement throughout the year to capture diurnal and seasonal variations. However, data that meet this criterion are scarce because this approach is costly and technically challenging. A practical approach with reduced sampling time and frequency without compromising integrity is thus necessary. In this study, we examined five reduced sampling protocols for determining emission rates from naturally ventilated dairy barns: (1) six sampling events, during even months, each event running continuously for 24 h (144 hourly data points); (2) six sampling events, during odd months, each event running continuously for 24 h (144 hourly data points); (3) six sampling events, during even months, each event running continuously for 7 d (1,008 hourly data points); (4) six sampling events, during odd months, each event running continuously for 7 d (1,008 hourly data points); and (5) 12 sampling events, one event every month, each event running continuously for 24 h (288 hourly data points). These five reduced sampling protocols were evaluated against baseline emission rates obtained from a protocol consisting of 12 sampling events, one event every month, each event running continuously for 7 d (2,016 hourly data points). The average baseline emission rates for carbon dioxide (CO2), ammonia (NH3), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) ranged from 7.0 to 10.8 g d-1 AU-1, from 16.9 to 24.3 g d-1 AU-1, and from 0.40 to 0.63 g d-1 AU-1, respectively. Emission rates for CO2 and NH3 obtained from all five reduced sampling protocols had relative biases of less than 20% from the respective baseline emission rates. This implied that even the most reduced sampling protocol (six sampling events per year, each event running continuously for 24 h) would be adequate for determining CO2 and NH3 emission rates. However, for H2S, relative biases of the reduced sampling protocols ranged from 2% to 45%, with a 50% chance of emission rates falling outside ±20% of the baseline emission rates. These protocols, however, are only applicable for quantifying emission rates from barns with steady-state live animal mass. Keywords: Air quality, Emission rates, Air sampling protocol, CAFO, Emission inventories.
Single-Parameter Thin-Layer Drying Equations for Long-Grain Rice
Authors: Prakash Bhagwati , Siebenmorgen Terry J.
Published: April 2018

Abstract. The use of multiple parameters in thin-layer drying equations makes it difficult to compare and quantify the impact of drying air temperature, relative humidity, and other factors on the drying characteristics of an agricultural crop. In this study, two single-parameter equations are proposed to quantify thin-layer drying characteristics of contemporary long-grain rice cultivars grown in the Mid-South U.S. Drying runs were first performed to obtain drying curves for cultivar ‘Roy J’ under 18 air conditions; several drying equations were evaluated for their fit to each drying curve. The proposed single-parameter equations (modified Page equation and infinite-series diffusion equation) described the experimental drying data very accurately; the root mean square errors in moisture ratio obtained for the modified Page and infinite-series diffusion equations varied in the ranges of 0.2 to 1.4 and 0.3 to 1.5 percentage points, respectively. The dependence of drying air temperature and relative humidity on drying parameters of the modified Page and infinite-series diffusion equations was described by second-order polynomial regression equations. The impact of harvest moisture content on the drying characteristics of rice was observed to be negligible. The validity of the developed single-parameter equations was also evaluated for five other long-grain rice cultivars; for these cultivars, the maximum errors in the moisture ratio prediction using the modified Page and infinite-series diffusion equations were 2.9 and 3.4 percentage points, respectively. This study provides thin-layer drying data for contemporary rice cultivars in the Mid-South U.S. The resulting thin-layer drying equations are expected to improve the accuracy of deep-bed drying models. While the proposed single-parameter equations were tested only for long-grain rice, the methodology presented in this research could be used to develop similar single-parameter thin-layer drying equations for short-grain and medium-grain rice, as well as other agricultural crops. As such, these equations could be readily used in quantifying the impacts of air and rice variables on drying rates. Keywords: Mathematical modeling, Rice, Thin-layer drying.
Alan Kurdî, deaths in the desert and failed migrants’ processing of dystopic images on social media
Authors: Ojebode Ayobami
Published: April 2018

Studies of migration emphasize the role of an imagined better world or utopia in migration intention and decision. That imaginary world is a product not so much of experience but of images conveyed through different sources, especially social media. If utopic images prod migration, do dystopic images of death and suffering en route discourage it? Through a small-N life-world ethnography, this article explores how failed migrants process dystopic images that are connected with migration. Failed migrants, that is, those who attempted migrating but did not succeed, were asked to explore and discuss the viral photograph of Alan Kurdî’s lifeless body on the shores of the Mediterranean and that of migrants who starved to death in Sahara Desert. Though these dystopic images sobered failed migrants, they (the images) did not attenuate their migration desperation. In processing the images, failed migrants deployed three strategies: migrating from fear to faith, migrating from dystopic to utopic platforms and cropping off dystopia. These findings call to question the power of images to influence desperate individuals and lend credence to the tenets of the theory of selectivity. Therefore, efforts aimed at stemming illegal migration might have to do more than frightening intending migrants with dystopic images.
Gendered (im)mobility: Rooted women and waiting Penelopes
Authors: Mata-Codesal Diana
Published: April 2018

In rural Mexico, as in many other locations worldwide, women’s mobility is depicted as less natural or more problematic than men’s. Simultaneously, women are perceived as less mobile than their male peers. Does this mean that they move less? Where are these images derived from? Using ethnographic data, this article explores the social construction of (im)mobility in the context of a small village in central Mexico. Mobility and immobility are socially constructed and imbued with different meanings according to gender. Such differences rely on the fact that the borders are not equally significant for men and women. Borders become meaningful partly due to the reasons of border crossing, which are, in this ethnographic case, different according to gender.
George Delemis, photography and the migrant’s distant look
Authors: Perivolaris John
Published: April 2018

Discussion begins with a photograph of the author’s great-grandfather, George Delemis, a refugee of the exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey, resulting from the Greco-Turkish war of 1919–21. From there, the author is lead to reflect on his long-term practice as a photographer of refugees and migrants and on the potentially humanistic value of photography to media coverage of migration, as well as to the policy decisions of governments and international organizations such as the UN. Perivolaris argues that creative photography has an invaluable contribution to make to those decisions in helping them adapt to the particularities of different locations, specific sociocultural dynamics and individual migrant experiences.
Desafíos de la enseñanza en la escuela secundaria: algunas reflexiones didácticas
Authors: Luna María Virginia
Published: April 2018

Este trabajo describe y analiza algunastransformaciones actuales de la escuela secundaria ysu impacto en la enseñanza. Para ello articula aportesde la experiencia docente en ese nivel, de la formaciónde profesores y de la investigación. En estos espaciosse fue formando una red de autores y perspectivaspara comprender lo que acontece en las institucionesy sostener la pregunta por el lugar de la enseñanza enel tiempo presente.El escrito está organizado en tres partes. En primerlugar, se expone una breve descripción histórica delnivel secundario en Argentina. En segundo lugar, sepresenta el término «composiciones escolares» y seenuncian desafíos actuales de la enseñanza secundaria.Por último, se recuperan aspectos relevantes dela propuesta de J. Dewey que permiten pensar la enseñanzaen los escenarios actuales.
Jacinto, C. (coord.) (2016): Protección social y formación para el trabajo de jóvenes en la Argentina reciente. Entramados alcances y tensiones. Buenos Aires: IDES.
Authors: Ludueña Cecilia
Published: April 2018

.
Stärkere Flankierung erforderlich
Authors: Matthes Felix Christian
Published: April 2018

Im April 1998 endete in Deutschland die über sechzigjährige Monopolwirt­schaft in der Stromversorgung. Nur wenige haben sich damals vorstellen können oder wollen, wie rasant sich dieser große und vor allem auch öko­logisch besonders sensible Sektor verändern würde. Eine erste Bilanz fällt jedoch nicht nur positiv aus.
Biofood im Cyberspace
Authors: Kolibius Mischa , Nachtmann Matthias
Published: April 2018

Das Internet boomt. Was für Bücher, CDs oder Reisetickets mittlerweile gang und gäbe ist, gilt zunehmend auch für ökologische Produkte. Obwohl die mei­sten Öko-Internet-Angebote noch den Standards konventioneller Webseiten hinterher hinken, sind beispielsweise Biolebensmittel im Internet keine Aus­nahmeerscheinung mehr. Das Internet ermöglicht auch für den Absatz ökolo­gisch erzeugter Lebensmittel erfolgversprechende Szenarien. Die Erfolgsaus­sichten dieser Ansätze sind umso besser, je klarer biomarktspezifische Lösungen entwickelt und entsprechende Mehrwerte für die jeweilige Zielgrup­pe angeboten werden.
Macht EMAS einen Unterschied?
Authors: Hroch Nicole , Schaltegger Stefan
Published: April 2018

Der Treibhauseffekt ist seit Jahren eines der am meisten diskutierten globalen Umweltprobleme. Inwieweit spiegelt sich dies in der Umweltberichterstattung von Unternehmen wider? Und spielt es eine Rolle, ob sich ein Unternehmen am EG-Öko-Audit-System (EMAS) beteiligt oder nicht? Aufschluss gibt eine Analy­se deutscher Umwelterklärungen und -berichte anhand von Indikatoren zu Kohlendioxidemmissionen und zum Energieverbrauch.
Wachstumsmarkt Umweltschutz?
Authors: Lünenbürger Benjamin
Published: April 2018

Der Umweltschutzmarkt in den mittel- und osteuropäischen Ländern (MOEL) gilt als hochattraktiver Zukunftsmarkt. Die Realität hinkt allerdings noch deutlich hinterher. Wie eine internationale Konferenz Ende letzten Jahres gezeigt hat, ist die Erschließung der Marktpotenziale insbesondere für kleine und mitt­lere Unternehmen mit erheblichen Schwierigkeiten verbunden.
Ambivalente Akzente
Authors: Korbun Thomas
Published: April 2018

"Forschungspolitik ist Zukunftspolitik" – auf diese kurze Formel lassen sich die entsprechenden Programme gleich welcher politischen Partei reduzieren. Dies gilt gerade im Hinblick auf eine nachhaltige Entwicklung. Die aktuelle Tagespolitik wird diesem Anspruch jedoch nur teilweise gerecht.
Rent a Ski
Authors: Konrad Wilfried
Published: April 2018

Reparaturen, Miete, Contracting – im Kontext der Dematerialisierungsdebatte werden von solchen produktbegleitenden, produktersetzenden und ergebnisori­entierten Dienstleistungen relevante ökologische Entlastungseffekte erwartet. Inwieweit ist dies in der Praxis aber tatsächlich der Fall? Eine aktuelle IÖW-Untersuchung des Beispiels Alpinskimiete gibt Aufschluss.
Schritte gegen die organisierte Verantwortungslosigkeit
Authors: Clausen Jens
Published: April 2018

In den neuen globalen Steuerungsstrukturen wird zunehmend der politisch-rechtliche Ordnungsrahmen durch eigenverantwortliches Verhalten im Rahmen öffentlicher bekannter "Codes of Conduct" ersetzt. Ein solches System kann aber nur funktionieren, wenn die Einhaltung dieser Verhaltensregeln gegenüber der Öffentlichkeit glaubhaft dargelegt wird. Dies kann nicht, wie bei Gesetzen und Verordnungen, durch Kontrollen staatlicher Institutionen erfolgen, sondern muss konsequenterweise zivilgesellschaftlich organisiert werden.
Für ein aktives Moratorium
Authors: Kluge Thomas , Lux Alexandra
Published: April 2018

Unlängst hat der Umweltrat eine Lanze gebrochen für die Liberalisie­rung und Deregulierung der deutschen Wasserwirtschaft. Angesichts der ökologischen Bedeutung des Wasser­bereichs ist jedoch zunächst ein Mora­torium notwendig, um die zahlreichen ungelösten Probleme zu klären.
Kraniche im Spreewald und Biber in den Elbtalauen
Authors: Jokovic Katarina , Krempig Oliver , Saleh-Zaki Dunja , Wenke Martin
Published: April 2018

Während vor allem Sportsponsoring, jedoch auch Sozial- und Kultursponsoring von den Unternehmen häufig zur eigenen Imageförderung genutzt werden, sind Aktivitäten des Öko-Sponsoring nur selten zu finden. Der nachfolgende Beitrag klärt über Hintergründe auf, diskutiert Chancen und Probleme des Umweltsponsorings von Unternehmen und fasst die Erfahrungen der beteiligten Institutionen zusammen.
Zwischen Überleben und Gutem Leben
Authors: Gleich Arnim
Published: April 2018

Nachhaltigkeit ist ein ziemlich kompliziertes und zudem ein relativ dröges Leit­bild. Mit seinen drei Dimensionen bietet es zwar große Chancen für historische Kompromisse und für die Auflösung bisheriger Grabenkämpfe. Die Anforderung einer permanenten gleichwertigen Berücksichtigung der ökologischen, sozialen und ökonomischen Dimension birgt aber auch die Gefahr, dass gar keine Schritte mehr gewagt werden.
Vom Weltmarkt zum Wochenmarkt
Authors: Nischwitz Guido , Molitor Reimar
Published: April 2018

Einführung in das Schwerpunktthema
Car-Sharing auf der Standspur?
Authors: Frick Siegfried , Knie Andreas , Reindl Stefan
Published: April 2018

In der Bevölkerung besteht laut Umfragen reges Interesse an Car-Sharing. Auch die Politik lobt dieses Beispiel für öko-effiziente Dienstleistungen. Trotzdem stagnieren die Mitgliederzahlen von Car-Sharing-Unternehmen. Ein Grund ist das unterschiedliche Selbstverständnis der Car-Sharing-Anbieter, das ein ein­heitliches Auftreten und die Interessenbündelung der insgesamt umsatzschwa­chen Branche erschwert. Um den Weg in Richtung Massenmarkt zu meistern, ist es an der Zeit die entwickelten Innovationen umzusetzen. Professionalisierung und Modernisierung weisen den Weg auf die Überholspur.
(Sch)Rumpfbahn oder Flächenbahn?
Authors: Monheim Heiner
Published: April 2018

Die Ergebnisse der Bahnreform und rot-grüner Verkehrspolitik sind frustrierend. Der ungebremste Kahlschlag ruiniert das Bahn­netz, das wichtigste Kapital einer Verkehrs­wende, weiter. Politische Weichenstellungen für alternative Konzepte fehlen
Autobranche im Nachhaltigkeitsstau?
Authors: Reinhard Dirk
Published: April 2018

Nach der ersten Umweltbewertung der Automobilindustrie vom Januar 1999 hat die oekom research AG nun ein Corporate Responsibility Rating der Branche vorgelegt. Dabei wurde die Untersuchung um eine Bewertung der Sozial- und Kulturverträglichkeit erweitert. Die Ergebnisse sind kein Ruhmesblatt.
Karriere eines Konzepts
Authors: Jänicke Martin
Published: April 2018

Im rot-grünen Koalitionsvertrag findet sich das Leitbild "Ökologische Modernisierung" an prominenter Stelle. In seiner ursprünglichen Fassung bezeichnet es das große Segment möglicher Umweltverbesserungen, die durch technischen Fortschritt jenseits von End-of-pipe-Ansätzen zu erzielen sind. Eine solche enge Fassung von ökologischer Modernisierung könnte dieses ökonomisch-technische Potenzial akzentuieren und so die Abgrenzung des schwierigeren Pensums eines ökologischen Struktur- und Lebensstilwandels erleichtern.
From Experiment to Routine
Authors: Wijnen Henk
Published: April 2018

Im letzten Jahrzehnt hat die niederländische Regierung mittels verschiedener Instrumente ver­sucht, die freiwillige Einführung einer Integrierten Produktpolitik (IPP) durch die Unternehmen selbst voranzutreiben. Kernelement sind über 50 Pilotprojekte zu produktorientierten Umwelt­managementsystemen. Der Beitrag fasst die wichtigsten Ergebnisse dieser Projekte sowie wei­terer Maßnahmen im Produktbereich zusammen. Abschließend werden die Umrisse der nun be­ginnenden nächsten IPP-Entwicklungsphase skizziert.