bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Colonial rock art: A reflection on resistance and cultural change (16th and 17th century-Córdoba, Argentina)
Authors: Recalde Andrea , Navarro C. González
Published: September 2014

This work analyses colonial rock art documented in western and northern areas of the Sierras Grandes (Argentinean central area). We question and discuss some of the social implications of this form of expression and its role in the game of power framed in the Spanish colonial domination system in America. We propose that pre-Hispanic rock art became part of a related group of social practices that guaranteed the social reproduction of the population. This practice continued during the early colonial period, and it not only implied the incorporation of the figure of the dominant in the traditional framework but also represented a form of symbolic resistance against colonial imposition.
Thermoelastic stress analysis and structural health monitoring: An emerging nexus
Authors: Rajic Nik , Galea Steve
Published: September 2014

Recent innovations in thermal-detector technology are shown to foster the development of an in situ structural health monitoring capability based on thermoelastic stress analysis, a powerful full-field stress-measurement technique that offers an attractive set of diagnostic and prognostic capabilities, some of which are not found in any of the established structural health monitoring modalities. After reviewing these capabilities, the article examines an experimental case study involving the monitoring of an F/A-18 airframe structure subject to full-scale fatigue testing under representative flight spectrum loading spanning nearly one aircraft life time. The case study confirms the viability of the concept and also highlights some of its primary limitations.
Lighting and recognition of emotion conveyed by facial expressions
Authors: Yang B , Fotios S
Published: September 2014

A recent study examined how luminance and spectral power distribution affect recognition of facial expression, a proxy for pedestrians' judgements concerning the apparent intent of other people. This paper describes a repeat study which included a greater number of test luminances, a third type of lamp, and an additional, shorter duration of observation (500 ms). Luminance and distance had significant effects on expression recognition; the effect of lamp was not significant and the effect of duration was suggested to be significant only within the escarpment region of the performance versus luminance relationship. The results were used to estimate appropriate light levels for outdoor lighting. A luminance of 1.0 cd/m2 permits facial expressions to be identified with a 50% probability of correct identification at a distance of 15 m.
Gastro‐oesophageal reflux is common in oligosymptomatic patients with dental erosion: A pH‐impedance and endoscopic study
Authors: Wilder-Smith Clive H , Materna Andrea , Martig Lukas , Lussi Adrian
Published: September 2014

Background

Dental erosion is a complication of gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) according to the Montreal consensus statement. However, GORD has not been comprehensively characterized in patients with dental erosions and pH‐impedance measures have not been reported.

Objectives

Characterize GORD in patients with dental erosions using 24‐h multichannel intraluminal pH‐impedance measurements (pH‐MII) and endoscopy.

Methods

This single‐centre study investigated reflux in successive patients presenting to dentists with dental erosion using pH‐MII and endoscopy.

Results

Of the 374 patients, 298 (80%) reported GORD symptoms <2 per week, 72 (19%) had oesophagitis and 59 (16%) had a hiatal hernia. In the 349 with pH‐MII the mean percentage time with a pH <4 (95% CI) was 11.0 (9.3–12.7), and 34.4% (31.9–36.9) for a pH <5.5, a critical threshold for dental tissue. The mean numbers of total, acidic and weakly acidic reflux episodes were 71 (63–79), 43 (38–49) and 31 (26–35), respectively. Of the reflux episodes, 19% (17–21) reached the proximal oesophagus. In 241 (69%) patients reflux was abnormal using published normal values for acid exposure time and reflux episodes. No significant associations between the severity of dental erosions and any reflux variables were found. The presence of GORD symptoms and of oesophagitis or a hiatal hernia was associated with greater reflux, but not with increased dental erosion scores.

Conclusions

Significant oligosymptomatic gastro‐oesophageal reflux occurs in the majority of patients with dental erosion. The degree of dental erosion did not correlate with any of the accepted quantitative reflux indicators. Definition of clinically relevant reflux parameters by pH‐MII for dental erosion and of treatment guidelines are outstanding. Gastroenterologists and dentists need to be aware of the widely prevalent association between dental erosion and atypical GORD.
Temperature dependence of sensitized Er3+ luminescence in silicon-rich oxynitride films
Authors: Xu Lingbo , Li Si , Jin Lu , Li Dongsheng , Yang Deren
Published: September 2014

The temperature dependence of sensitized Er3+ emission via localized states and silicon nanoclusters has been studied to get an insight into the excitation and de-excitation processes in silicon-rich oxynitride films. The thermal quenching of Er3+ luminescence is elucidated by terms of decay time and effective excitation cross section. The temperature quenching of Er3+ decay time demonstrates the presence of non-radiative trap states, whose density and energy gap between Er3+
4
I
13/2 excited levels are reduced by high-temperature annealing. The effective excitation cross section initially increases and eventually decreases with temperature, indicating that the energy transfer process is phonon assisted in both samples.
Anatomical and physiological studies of bigheaded carps demonstrate that the epibranchial organ functions as a pharyngeal taste organ
Authors: Hansen Anne , Ghosal Ratna , Caprio John , Claus Aaron , Sorensen Peter
Published: September 2014

The epibranchial organ (EO) is an enigmatic tubular organ found in the pharyngeal cavity of many filter-feeding fishes. We investigated whether it might function as a taste organ that mediates aggregation and ingestion of planktonic food. The EO and associated structures of bighead and silver carps, two successful and invasive planktivorous fishes, were examined using histological and electrophysiological techniques. Both species possess finely structured gill rakers that extend directly via a series of protrusions into each of the four blind canals which are organized as the muscular EO suggesting that the gill rakers and EO likely function in an integrated manner. Both the interior and exterior surfaces of the EOs of both species are covered with high densities of taste buds and solitary chemosensory cells (SCCs) as well as mucous cells. Conversely, taste buds are scarce in both the buccal cavities and external portions of the head and mouth of both species. Electrophysiological recordings from a caudal branch of the vagus nerve (cranial nerve X) found to innervate the EO showed it to be sensitive to chemicals found in a planktonic diet. L-Amino acids accounted for some, but not all of the neural activity. We conclude that taste buds and SCCs located on the EO and gill rakers likely serve to chemically detect food particles, which the EO then aggregates by mucus secretion before eventually expelling them onto the floor of the pharynx for ingestion. This specialized, pharyngeal chemosensory structure may explain the feeding success of these, and perhaps other planktivorous, filter-feeding fishes.
The Gospel and the Golden Age of the Russian Literature
Authors: Щелкунова  , Shchelkunova Svetlana
Published: September 2014

The selective course outline “The Gospel and the Golden Age of the Russian Literature” is aimed at 10th and 11th-class students of humanitarian-profile

classes. The elective course content will acquaint students with the broad-wide culturological and historian and literature context, anв will introduce the

idea of studying the classical Russian literature through the prism of gospel stories and proverbs.
THERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF REACTIONS IN THE PROCESS OF MICRO-ARC STEEL CHROMINGTHERMODYNAMIC ANATHERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF REACTIONS IN THE PROCESS OF MICRO-ARC STEEL CHROMINGLYSIS OF REACTIONS IN THE PROCESS OF MICRO-ARC STEEL CHROMING
Authors: Pustovoyt Victor Nikolayevich , Dombrovskiy Yury Markovich , Stepanov Makar Stepanovich
Published: September 2014

It is shown that the existing chromizing processes are characterized by a number of shortcomings. It is proposed to use the microarc thermochemical treatment technology to form a carbide coating on the material surface. Thermodynamic calculations on the reducing reactions of chromium oxide which is the diffusion source are made. It is revealed that the most probable reaction behavior is the chromium oxide reduction by methane and carbon with the formation of atomic chrome, and a consistent formation of Cr3C2, Cr7C3, and Cr23C6 carbides with an increase in temperature. The obtained results are checked through experiments. As a result of the hardening processing, a surface layer on the basis of chromium carbides with the depth of 20–25 microns is produced under which there is a carbonized area of eutectoid concentration, followed by a baseline ferrite-pearlitic structure.
MATHEMATICAL SIMULATION OF ELASTIC SLIP IN ‘WHEEL — ROAD SURFACE’ CONTACT
Authors: Chuveyko Mikhail Victorovich , Nosachev Sergey Victorovich
Published: September 2014

The problem of elastic sliding in the ‘wheel — road surface’ contact is considered. A mathematical surface interaction model is developed. The model presented here suggests that the road surface deformation processes can be neglected. The wheel is modeled as a set of elastic rim sectors mounted on an elastic disc. The model dynamics is mainly influenced by the interaction force of the rim sectors with the wheel center, the intersectional interaction force, and the contact surface interaction force. The experimental studies using numerical simulation methods are conducted. It is discovered that there is a dependence of the stalling load value on the other wheel properties. The obtained results are of interest for solving problems on the wheel motion control to prevent the contact disruption. The used holistic approach allows identifying the emergence that influences the overall system trajectory.
Mission and Sustainability of Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside
(i2b2)
Authors: Murphy Shawn N. , Wilcox Adam
Published: September 2014

Introduction: A visible example of a successfully disseminated research project in
the healthcare space is Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside, or i2b2.
The project serves to provide the software that can allow a researcher to do direct,
self-serve queries against the electronic healthcare data form a hospital. The goals of
these queries are to find cohorts of patients that fit specific profiles, while
providing for patient privacy and discretion. Sustaining this resource and keeping its
direction has always been a challenge, but ever more so as the ten year National Centers
for Biomedical Computing (NCBCs) sunset their funding.Findings: Building on the i2b2
structures has helped the dissemination plans for grants leveraging it because it is a
disseminated national resource. While this has not directly increased the support of
i2b2 internally, it has increased the ability of institutions to leverage the resource
and generally leads to increased institutional support.Discussion: The successful
development, use, and dissemination i2b2 has been significant in clinical research and
informat­ics. Its evolution has been from a local research data infrastruc­ture to one
disseminated more broadly than any other product of the National Cen­ters for Biomedical
Computing, and an infrastructure spawning larger investments than were originally used
to create it. Throughout this, there were two main lessons about the benefits of
dissemination: that people have great creativity in utilizing a resource in different
ways and that broader system use can make the system more robust. One option for
long-term sustainability of the central authority would be to translate the function to
an industry partner. Another option currently being pursued is to create a foundation
that would be a central authority for the project.Conclusion: Over the past 10 years,
i2b2 has risen to be an important staple in the toolkit of health care researchers.
There are now over 110 hospitals that use i2b2 for research. This open-source platform
has a community of developers that are continuously enhancing the analytic capacities of
the platform and inventing new func­tionality. By understanding how i2b2 has been
sustained, we hope that other research infrastructure projects may better navigate
options in making those initiatives sustainable over time.
Edukacja demokratyczna a kreatywność
Authors: Michałowska Danuta A.
Published: September 2014

In democratic education should be used special forms and methods of teaching and learning. One of such method is drama, which stimulates creativity and self-expression. The results of the research showed, that drama is an effective teaching and learning method by experience, because it stimulates both the cognitive and affective development. Moreover, teaching through drama helps young people to become receptive to values and to shape their own system of values. Drama with elements of the psychodrama can be simultaneously applied as the method of the democratic education and as the method of upbringing in ethical and philosophical development.
Strain hardening exponents and strength coefficients for aeroengine isotropic metallic materials – a reverse engineering approach
Authors: Rajendran R. , Venkateshwarlu M. , Petley Vijay , Verma Shweta
Published: September 2014

The strain hardening exponent and strength coefficient of the Ramberg-Osgood flow rule are required for the accurate design analysis of the materials of aeroengine components. A direct method of deriving these parameters involves the processing of the complete raw data of tensile testing as per ASTM E-646. More often, a first design effort of aeroengine components is made using catalogue data, as the evaluation of material tensile properties is a time-consuming process that takes place concurrently. Catalogue-supplied data on the monotonic loading typically contains elastic modulus, 0.2% proof stress, and ultimate tensile stress along with other data for various temperatures. A methodology was evolved in this work to construct the Ramberg-Osgood flow rule with these three parameters and was validated with laboratory test results and published data through a comparison with ASTM E-646. The strain hardening exponents and strength coefficients were established for a family of aeroengine metallic materials for various temperatures, which can serve as a first design effort input.
Selection of stabilizing agents to provide effective penetration of gold nanoparticles into cells
Authors: Elagin Vadim V. , Sergeeva Ekaterina A. , Bugrova Marina L. , Ignatova Nadezhda I. , Yuzhakova Diana V. , Denisov Nikolay N. , Nadtochenko Victor A. , Zagaynova Elena V.
Published: September 2014

Objective:

Gold nanorods are known to be promising agents for photothermal therapy. But the uptake of rod-shaped nanoparticles is lower than their spherical counterpart. It was therefore the objective of this study to select gold nanoparticles (GNPs)-stabilizing agents in order to provide effective penetration into cancer cells.

Materials and methods:

The work was carried out on human ovarian adenocarcinoma SKOV-3 cells. The gold nanorods used in this work had a plasmon resonance peak at 800 nm. The nanoparticles were stabilized by Pluronic

Results:

By means of 2PLM and TEM, it could be shown that PF127 facilitates cellular uptake of GNPs very effectively. PF127-stabilized GNPs rapidly (by 1.5 h) penetrated the cell membrane and into the cytoplasm and cell nucleus. GNPs stabilized by chitosan were slowly internalized by the cells in smaller amount. GNPs stabilized by PEG with different molecular weights had difficulty to penetrate into the cells – GNPs were localized on the outer side of the cell membrane after short incubation, and single agglomerates were found in the cells after an extended incubation time.

Conclusion:

Nanoparticles stabilized with PF127 were the most effective nanoparticles to penetrate into the cells and were located in the cytoplasm and cell nuclei. Nanoparticles stabilized with chitosan were internalized into cells at a slower rate and in smaller amounts than those stabilized with PF127. Nanoparticles stabilized with PEG
Nucleate Boiling Heat Transfer: Temperature Pulsations or Local Thermal Shocks
Authors: Shekriladze Irakli G.
Published: September 2014

This paper discusses thermo-mechanical consequences of the pumping effect of growing bubble (PEGB) resulting in surface thermal stresses during nucleate boiling. Unfortunately, the unavailability of boiling heat transfer studies specifically addressing the scope and duration of the PEGB effect, including lack of models and universal correlations of boiling heat transfer, has hindered the overall understanding of nucleate boiling heat transfer to date. As a result, specific types of cyclic thermal stresses at the surface which are capable of producing thermal shocks in some boiling regimes and that are attributable to PECB have remained unexplored. This has prevented complete theoretical determination of the service life of heating surfaces of boiling systems such as boiling water reactors (BWR) and metal quenching technology. In this paper, some preliminary estimates of the tasks required for experimental studies required for further theoretical development are presented. With regard to the quenching processes, discussions regarding the probable negligible consequences of thermal stresses caused by the PEGB are presented.
The Use of Small Graphite Specimen Test Data for Large Core Components for HTGR
Authors: Srinivasan Makuteswara
Published: September 2014

For nuclear reactor designs there is general recognition of the impracticality to directly test materials and components to determine their properties, which affect their performance. It becomes necessary therefore to determine design-significant physical, thermal, and mechanical properties from small specimens of the same material, representative of large components, by using consensus standard test methods and practices, such as those published by ASTM. Likewise, often it is not possible to duplicate the exact environment in testing, such as the neutron fluence, temperature, pressure, and their variation through component thickness and atmosphere, which, in the case of high temperature gas cooled reactors (HTGR), is a helium gas containing minimal impurities. Thus, the concern always exists about the use of limited test data on small specimens in the design of large graphite core components. In this paper, I discuss these concerns, with comparison to the practice used for light water reactors for metallic materials and concrete and conclude that this problem is not unique to graphite or high temperature gas cooled reactors and that past practices in the ASME design codes and standards, which reference ASTM materials and test specifications for metallic materials and the ACI codes and standards for concrete, provide reasonable assurance that adaptation of such practice for graphite would be eminently suitable. It is the author’s personal opinion that it is highly likely that such practice of using small size specimen data would also meet with general regulatory acceptance, provided such data are gathered by utilizing consensus standard practices and have sound science and fundamental understanding. Likewise, the use of data from non-standard tests may also be accepted on a case-by-case basis with regulatory staff taking the position, perhaps, that provisions are made available to substantiate such test data from operating experience using suitable online monitoring techniques, inservice inspections during shutdowns, and coupon testing.
Sample Size Effects on Ultrasonic Measurements of Elastic Moduli—Experimental and Theoretical Investigations
Authors: Tzelepi Nassia
Published: September 2014

The ASTM Standard C769-09 covers a procedure for measuring the sonic velocity in manufactured carbon and graphite which can then be used to obtain Young’s modulus. There are four main assumptions in this standard that require further investigation (i) homogeneity and isotropy of the tested specimens, (ii) transducer frequency that is sufficiently high to provide the required level of timing accuracy yet not affected by frequency dependent attenuation in graphite, (iii) specimen lateral dimensions much larger than the wavelength of the transmitted pulse so that dispersion and hence, distortion of the propagated pulse is minimised and, (iv). specimen lateral dimensions much larger than the wavelength of the transmitted pulse so that Young’s modulus can be calculated from the sonic velocity. This paper presents the experimental and theoretical work undertaken to provide the technical basis or compensate for the above assumptions. Specifically, the experimental work investigated sample size (length and diameter), coupling, equipment, and signal analysis effects on measured velocity; the theoretical work investigated the relation between sonic velocity and Young’s modulus at intermediate sample diameters. The experimental results on as-manufactured gilsocarbon graphite samples show that the effect of the lateral dimension is within the stated accuracy and reproducibility limit of the technique. Regarding the sample length, the experimental results provide conflicting evidence and this suggests that the parameters of the experimental setup, e.g., transducer type and frequency and type of excitation pulse could affect the results. This finding is also confirmed by the theoretical investigation, which shows that, in certain cases, the distortion of the propagated pulse is severe enough that the apparent wave speed depends considerably on sample length and on the area of the sample surface in contact with the transducer.
Specimen Size Effects in the Determination of Nuclear Grade Graphite Thermal Diffusivity
Authors: David Swank W. , Windes W. E.
Published: September 2014

Understanding the effects of radiation on nuclear grade graphite requires complex experiment design with specific specimen geometries. These geometries are not always optimal for the various testing and measurement standards used to characterize the graphite before and after irradiation. In this work, geometry constraints of specimens for laser flash determination of thermal diffusivity are investigated. The laser flash technique depends on the assumption of one dimensional adiabatic heat conduction between two of the specimen surfaces. As test temperatures rise above 400°C, radiation heat loss from all surfaces becomes significant and must be accounted for through modeling. Experiments were performed using industrial grade AXF-5Q graphite and nuclear grade graphite, PCEA, NBG-18, and Gilso, to understand the limits of the common radiation heat loss correction models used for laser flash diffusivity testing. From this data, a maximum specimen diameter to thickness ratio is presented. This testing limitation, along with the limited volume available in irradiation experiments, drives the specimen diameter and thickness to be minimized. As the specimen thickness is reduced, the significance of the graphite inhomogeneity and high thermal conductance influence on measurement uncertainty must be considered. Due to the relatively high thermal conductivity of graphite, thin specimens can result in low thermal transit times. Furthermore, as the thickness of the sample approaches two or three times the size of filler grain material used in the graphite, the thin specimen may not represent the homogeneous bulk material. This effect as well as ambiguity in the exact arrival time of the laser energy due to finite laser pulse widths is investigated for a lower limit on specimen thickness.
Regulation of Mitotic Spindle Disassembly by an Environmental Stress-Sensing Pathway in Budding Yeast
Authors: Pigula Adrianne , Drubin David G , Barnes Georjana
Published: September 2014

Timely spindle disassembly is essential for coordination of mitotic exit with cytokinesis. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the microtubule-associated protein She1 functions in one of at least three parallel pathways that promote spindle disassembly. She1 phosphorylation by the Aurora kinase Ipl1 facilitates a role for She1 in late anaphase, when She1 contributes to microtubule depolymerization and shrinkage of spindle halves. By examining the genetic interactions of known spindle disassembly genes, we identified three genes in the environmental stress-sensing HOG (high-osmolarity glycerol response) pathway, SHO1, PBS2, and HOG1, and found they are necessary for proper localization of She1 to the anaphase spindle and for proper spindle disassembly. HOG pathway mutants exhibited spindle disassembly defects, as well as mislocalization of anillin-related proteins Boi1 and Boi2 from the bud neck. Moreover, Boi2, but not Boi1, plays a role in spindle disassembly that places Boi2 in a pathway with Sho1, Pbs2, and Hog1. Together, our data identify a process by which cells monitor events at the spindle and bud neck and describe a novel role for the HOG pathway in mitotic signaling.
Extraction of suction caissons in sand
Authors: LEHANE B.M. , ELKHATIB S. , TERZAGHI S.
Published: September 2014

This technical note examines the suction caisson extraction mechanism under steady seepage conditions using a series of centrifuge tests supported by finite-element predictions of these tests. An approximate methodology for prediction of the extraction resistance is subsequently proposed, which is shown to provide a simple means for estimation of suction caisson extraction resistance in un-aged free-draining materials.
Teacher's Skill Improvement by Role-Play and Simulations on Collaborative Educational Virtual Worlds
Authors: Lorenzo Carlos-Miguel
Published: September 2014

This study looked at teachers' role-play and simulations in order to increase teacher's skills in psycho-pedagogical support on educational virtual worlds. We put forward a proposal to encourage the use of 3D scenarios where teachers can improve their skills for situations of cultural and ethical concerns that require a high level contextualization. We organized the study around improvement of those skills related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in education. The ultimate aim was to investigate whether educational virtual worlds or Massively Multiuser On-line Learning (MMOL) platforms can improve such skills through training teachers in real and virtual simulations and role-play. The study makes use of descriptive statistics and the Standards Performance Continuum to measure the use of diverse standards in a teaching improvement process. Results suggest that MMOL platforms support the development of more effective teacher control of problematic school situations when these platforms are used collaboratively. Our findings indicate that MMOL platforms could be understood as a social environment with an emphasis on group awareness and cohesion.
Potential and Impact Factors of the Knowledge and Information Awareness Approach for Fostering Net-Based Collaborative Problem-Solving: An Overview
Authors: Engelmann Tanja
Published: September 2014

For effective communication and collaboration in learning situations, it is important to know what the collaboration partners know. However, the acquisition of this knowledge is difficult, especially in collaborating groups with spatially distributed members. One solution is the Knowledge and Information Awareness approach developed by Engelmann and colleagues. This approach provides spatially distributed collaborating group members digital visualizations of the knowledge and the information underlying the knowledge of their partners. The current article gives an overview regarding the empirical studies that have demonstrated the efficacy of the Knowledge and Information Awareness approach: A first set of experimental studies confirmed the effectiveness of this approach to foster both knowing what the collaborators know and knowing to which information they have access. A second set of experimental studies identified the underlying impact factors of the Knowledge and Information Awareness approach. The third set of experimental studies showed the potential of the approach to overcome arising collaboration barriers. The article concludes with a discussion regarding the limits of the approach and its applicability in real learning settings, such as in schools.
A Research Note on Mental Imagery in the Blind in Terms of Reassessment at a 9-Year Interval
Authors: Campos Alfredo , Mayo Emma
Published: September 2014

A longitudinal study was undertaken to assess the development of several types of imagery in an adult who has been blind for 12 years. Various imagery tests were carried out to measure: visual, auditory, tactile, kinaesthetic, gustatory, olfactory, and organic imagery; movement imagery; and control imagery. Image vividness related to vision was found to decline over time whereas image vividness related to other senses increased or remained stable. Further research is proposed.
Heterarchical versus Hierarchical Modes of Imageless Thinking
Authors: Kunzendorf Robert G. , Dwyer Nicole , Foran Michelle , Pagan Alicia , Giuseppe Alesci , Milligan Brianna
Published: September 2014

In this factor-analytic study of imaging and thinking, measures of vivid visual and auditory imaging loaded onto a unitary “vivid imaging” factor, on which no measures of thinking loaded. This first factor-analytic finding, like previous findings of no correlation between vivid imaging and productive thinking, is consistent with Külpe's classic argument and Kunzendorf's contemporary argument that visually and auditorily imaged sensations are not building blocks for “spatial” and “temporal” thinking, respectively, but are sensory representations which vivid imagers construct from their imageless thoughts. Moving beyond individual differences in vivid imaging to individual differences in imageless thinking, this factor-analytic study found, in addition, that radically different measures of styles of thought load onto a unitary “heterarchical versus hierarchical thinking” factor. These differing measures of thinking styles instructed research participants to find embedded spatial and temporal patterns, to organize two unstructured data sets into matrices or outlines, and to rank their preferences for 12 competitive events—6 events defined by “how close, “how high,” or “how far” competitors can perform on a heterarchical measure, and 6 events defined by “how well synchronized,” “how long,” or “how fast” competitors can perform on a hierarchical measure. Engineering students in this research exhibited significantly more heterarchical thinking and significantly less hierarchical thinking; management students exhibited significantly less heterarchical thinking and significantly more hierarchical thinking; and male students and female students exhibited, on average, no significant differences in their modes of thinking. Based on these findings, the authors conclude that people's “imageless thinking” can be characterized in terms of two orthogonal modes of thinking: heterarchical thinking and hierarchical thinking.
We is More Than You Plus I. The Interpretation of the We-Forms in Internal Business Communications
Authors: Dieltjens Sylvain M. , Heynderickx Priscilla C.
Published: September 2014

The we-form has been analyzed in different theoretical frameworks and domains. Researchers point to the complexity of first person plural pronouns: not only can they refer to different participants in a communicative situation, but they can also be used to avoid other referential forms. In organizational discourse, however, transparency is of the utmost importance to ensure efficient communication. Based on the minute analysis of 3700 we-forms in a corpus of internal communications documents, we developed a framework for the interpretation of the we-form. Thirteen (con)textual and situational identifiers of different kinds are discussed and illustrated. In some cases the interpretation of the we-form is indicated by a single identifying element, in other cases a combination of identifying elements strengthens the interpretation.
Decolonial Methodologies: Social Justice Perspectives in Intercultural Technical Communication Research
Authors: Agboka Godwin Y.
Published: September 2014

This article argues that many methodological approaches used in intercultural technical communication research are limited in addressing emerging social justice challenges in many post-colonial, developing, and unenfranchised/disenfranchised cultural sites, where professional communicators have begun conducting research. It offers decolonial approaches as an alternative by highlighting how these approaches are used in an intercultural research that investigates attempts to localize communication that accompanies sexuo-pharmaceuticals from one cultural context to another. The article also discusses some the challenges and benefits of such approaches.

The ways in which scientific research is implicated in the worst excesses of colonialism remain a powerfully remembered history for many of the world's colonized peoples. It is a history that still offends the deepest sense of our humanity [1, p. 1].

Global research raises many methodological and ethical challenges for technical communicators … because of the cross-cultural, international, and transnational nature of the work [2, p. 283].
Hybrid Disciplinarity: Métis and Ethos in Juvenile Mental Health Electronic Records
Authors: Popham Susan L.
Published: September 2014

Large institutions, like hospitals and juvenile mental health facilities, are often places where members from several different professions come to interact and negotiate ideological differences. This study explores the authorial identities of some of these members in the electronic charts of a large juvenile mental health facility. These charts portray their authors' ethos as that which is fluid and variable, craftily moving between the neutral observer status of scientific rhetoric and the expert blame-shifter of social work rhetoric. I argue that these multi-disciplinary identities are best understood when using a rhetorical frame of métis, a rarely studied rhetorical strategy.
Prevalence of paratuberculosis infection in sheep
Authors: Vidic Branka , Grgic Zivoslav , Jovicin Milovan , Rasic Zoran , Savic Sara , Vidic Vaso , Prica Nadezda
Published: September 2014

Paratuberculosis is an incurable chronic disease of ruminants, which is
manifested with clinical signs of diarrhea and progressive weight loss.
Causative agent is Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, and the
disiase occurs in cattle, sheep and goats. The outspread of paratuberculosis
is huge in the whole world, especially in the countries where animal breeding
is a developed branch of economy. Animals get infected with food and water
contaminated with feces of infected animals. The infection spreads within
infected pastures and also when trading animals with latent infection.
Clinical manifestation of the disease can firstly be noticed in young
categories of sheep, which is different than in cattle. Primary clinical
symptom is chronic weight loss. It is rather hard to determine the level of
prevalence of the disease, in a certain region, because the diagnostic
procedure is complex and not always reliable enough. Detection of antibodies
with ELISA test is considered a method of choice for diagnostic of
paratuberculosis, because of fast gaining of the results and relatively low
price of the test. By applying the ELISA test, we have analysed 2000 sheep
blood samples. Positive results for paratuberculosis were found in 66 (
3,30%) animals in total. In sheep samples from southern Backa region,
positive findings were gained from 42 (3,89%) samples, and in Srem region,
positive finding were found in samples from 24 sheep (2,60%). Control
programs are based on the removal of all infected animals, application of
general preventive measures and vaccination. Application of vaccination aims
for elimination of clinical form of the disease. An effective treatment has
not been determined so far.
HDL Cholesterol and Cancer Risk Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Zhao Wenhui , Guan Jing , Horswell Ronald , Li Weiqin , Wang Yujie , Wu Xiaocheng , Hu Gang
Published: September 2014

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) and cancer risk among type 2 diabetic patients.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of 14,169 men and 23,176 women with type 2 diabetes. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the association of various levels of HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) with cancer risk.

RESULTS

During a mean follow-up period of 6.4 years, 3,711 type 2 diabetic patients had a cancer diagnosis. A significant inverse association between HDL-C and the risk of cancer was found among men and women. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of cancer at various levels of HDL-C at baseline (<30, 30–39.9, 40–49.9, 50–59.9, 60–69.9, 70–79.9, and ≥80 mg/dL) were 1.00, 0.87, 0.95, 1.01, 0.61, 0.45, and 0.37, respectively, in men (Ptrend = 0.027) and 1.00, 0.98, 0.88, 0.85, 0.84, 0.86, and 0.84, respectively, in women (Ptrend = 0.025). When stratified by race, BMI, smoking status, or medication use, the inverse association was still present. With an updated mean of HDL-C used in the analysis, the inverse association of HDL-C with cancer risk did not change. The inverse association substantially attenuated after excluding patients who died of or were diagnosed with cancer during the first 2 years of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The study suggests an inverse association of HDL-C with cancer risk among men and women with type 2 diabetes, whereas the effect of HDL-C was partially mediated by reverse causation.
Diurnal Method for Evapotranspiration Estimation from Soil Moisture Profile
Authors: Gribovszki Zoltán
Published: September 2014

Water use of plants can be manifested in diurnal signal of soil moisture changes, and also of water table fluctuations in shallow water table environments. The signal can be especially strong in case of groundwater dependent forest vegetation with high water demand, where the water uptake is partly happening across the capillary zone. A new technique for water uptake estimation was elaborated on the basis of high frequency soil moisture profile data taking into account diurnally changing replenishment rate. The method is of great benefit to provide sufficient accuracy without soil specific calibration. The method was tested on the soil moisture dataset of a riparian alder forest in Hidegvíz Valley experimental catchment. Using this new method significantly higher and more realistic water uptake can be calculated compared to the traditional soil moisture method. The method is taking into account soil moisture replenishment from groundwater, which can provide high portion (up to 90%) of evapotranspiration in dry periods. For the above mentioned reason the new technique is recommended to be used for evapotranspiration estimation in groundwater discharge areas, where the traditional methods and simple one-dimensional hydrological models generally work inaccurate.
Plant Extract Control of the Fungi Associated with Different Egyptian Wheat Cultivars Grains
Authors: Mohamed Baka Zakaria Awad
Published: September 2014

Grain samples of 14 Egyptian wheat cultivars were tested for seed-borne fungi. The deep freezing method was used. Five seed-borne fungi viz., Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium moniliforme and Penicillium chrysogenum were isolated from the wheat cultivars viz., Bani Suef 4, Bani Suef 5, Gemmiza 7, Gemmiza 9, Gemmiza 10, Giza 168, Misr 1, Misr 2, Sakha 93, Sakha 94, Shandaweel 1, Sids 1, Sids 2 and Sids 3. A. flavus, A. niger and F. moniliforme were the most prevalent fungal species. Their incidence ranged from 21.0-53.5%, 16.0-37.5%, and 12.0-31.0%, respectively. The antifungal potential of water extracts from aerial parts of five wild medicinal plants (Asclepias sinaica, Farsetia aegyptia, Hypericum sinaicum, Phagnalon sinaicum, and Salvia aegyptiaca) were collected from the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. The antifungal potential of water extracts from the aerial parts of these five plants were tested in the laboratory against the dominant fungi isolated from the wheat cultivars. All the aqueous plant extracts significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced the incidence of the tested seed-borne fungi. But the extract of Asclepias sinaica exhibited the most antifungal activity on tested fungi at all concentrations used when compared with other plant extracts. Maximum infested grain germination was observed in Giza 168 and minimum in Bani Suef 5. Treating grains with plant extract of A. sinaica (10%) enhanced the percentage of grain germination of all cultivars in both laboratory and pot experiments. Maximum root and shoot length of seedlings was recorded in Bani Suef 4 during fungal infestation or treatment by plant extract. For one hour before sowing or storage, the aqueous extract of A. sinaica can be used to treat wheat grains, to reduce the fungal incidence. Aqueous extracts of the aerial parts of selected medicinal plants, particularly A. sinaica, are promising for protecting Egyptian wheat grain cultivars against major seed-borne fungi. The aqueous extracts are expected to improve crops.
Infestation of Polish Agricultural Soils by Plasmodiophora Brassicae Along The Polish-Ukrainian Border
Authors: Jędryczka Małgorzata , Kasprzyk Idalia , Korbas Marek , Jajor Ewa , Kaczmarek Joanna
Published: September 2014

There has been a rapid, worldwide increase in oilseed rape production that has resulted in enormous intensification of oilseed rape cultivation, leading to tight rotations. This in turn, has caused an accumulation of pests as well as foliar and soil-borne diseases. Recently, clubroot has become one of the biggest concerns of oilseed rape growers. Clubroot is caused by the soil-borne protist Plasmodiophora brassicae Woronin. The pathogen may be present in groundwater, lakes, and irrigation water used in sprinkling systems. It can be easily transmitted from one field to another not only by water, but also by soil particles and dust transmitted by wind and on machinery. The aim of our overall study was to check for P. brassicae infestation of Polish agricultural soils. This paper presents the 2012 results of a study performed along the Polish-Ukrainian border in two provinces: Lublin (Lubelskie Voivodeship) and the Carpathian Foothills (Podkarpackie Voivodeship), in south-east Poland. Monitoring was done in 11 counties, including nine rural and two municipal ones. In total, 40 samples were collected, out of which 36 were collected from fields located in rural areas and four from municipal areas, with two per municipal region. Each sample was collected at 8-10 sites per field, using a soil auger. The biotest to detect the presence of P. brassicae was done under greenhouse conditions using seedlings of the susceptible Brassicas: B. rapa ssp. pekinensis and the Polish variety of oilseed rape B. napus cv. Monolit. Susceptible plants grown in heavily infested soils produced galls on their roots. A county was regarded as free from the pathogen, if none of the bait plants became infected. The pathogen was found in three out of 40 fields monitored (7.5%) in the Carpathian Foothill region. The fields were located in two rural counties. The pathogen was not found in Lublin province, and was also not detected in any of the municipal counties. The detection with a biotest was fully confirmed by PCR-based molecular detection of P. brassicae DNA in soil samples.
The Process of Aphid Egg-Laying and the Little Known Role of the Coccinellidae in Aphid Egg Destruction in Poland – Preliminary Results
Authors: Lubiarz Magdalena , Cichocka Elżbieta
Published: September 2014

No detailed studies have been conducted in Poland with regard to aphid eggs or egg survival in particular. So far, no studies have been conducted concerning the role of ladybird beetles in reducing the number of aphid eggs in spring, before the development of leaves, and in autumn, after the leaves have been shed. At these times, other developmental stages of aphids are unavailable as food for the ladybirds. The paper presents the preliminary results of a three-year study on the process of aphid egg-laying (especially Chaetosiphon tetrarhodum, Macrosiphum rosae, Metopolophium dirhodum, and Maculolachnus submacula). The paper also deals with the little known role of ladybirds in aphid egg destruction. Research was conducted in Otrębusy (Western Mazovia), Poland, in the years 2008-2010, on the rugosa rose and on the dog rose. In the years 2011-2013, in Otrębusy, the occurrence of M. submacula was also observed on the ornamental grandiflora rose. Furthermore, in the years 2003-2004, observations were conducted on the pedunculate oak in Polesie National Park and in the town of Puławy (Lublin Region), Poland. The observations which took place in Puławy focused on egglaying of aphids representing the genera Phylloxera and Lachnus. The study investigated aphid oviposition sites. Data was collected on the number of aphid eggs noted on the studied plants. The study also showed, that sometimes winter eggs of aphids could provide nutrition for ladybirds. This was especially true in autumn when ladybird beetles were preparing for hibernation.
Effects of a Lectin from Polygonum Persicaria L. on Pieris Brassicae L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)
Authors: Zibaee Arash , Alborzi Zeynab , Karimi-Malati Azadeh , Salimi Mehdi
Published: September 2014

In the current study, the entomotoxic effects of a lectin, extracted from Polygonum persicaria, were determined on Pieris brassicae larvae. The purified molecule significantly decreased larval survival, weight, and mass protein. Different concentrations of P. persicaria agglutinin (PPA) (0.5, 1 and 2 mg/ml) significantly decreased nutritional indices including: the efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), the efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD), and approximate digestibility (AD) in a dose-dependent manner. There was a significant decrease in larval α-amylase activity after larval fed on PPA. The decreased activity was found in both the biochemical assessment and gel electrophoresis; sharpness of one isozyme decreased and another completely disappeared. Meanwhile, PPA significantly decreased activities of glucosidases mainly β-glucosidase. Fed of P. brassicae larvae on different concentrations of PPA, significantly decreased activity of TAG-lipase in both the biochemical assessment and gel electrophoresis. It was found that alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acid phosphatase (ACP) were also affected by PPA but concentrations of 1 and 2 mg/ml showed statistical differences compared to the control. General and specific proteolytic activities statistically decreased after larvae fed on different concentrations of PPA. Results of our study could bring attention to this molecule, showing it to be a safe and efficient control of the pest worldwide.