bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A postmortem study on indigestible foreign bodies in the rumen and reticulum of ruminants, eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Negash Seifu , Sibhat Berhanu , Sheferaw Desie
Published: May 2015

A cross-sectional study was conducted on ruminants (cattle, sheep and goats) slaughtered at Haramaya University and Haramaya municipal abattoirs from November 2013 to April 2014 in Haramaya, eastern Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to identify types and estimate the prevalence of foreign bodies in the rumen and reticulum of domestic ruminants in the area. From 810 randomly selected study animals, 422 (52.1%) were found to have foreign bodies. Of the 332 cattle, 193 sheep and 285 goats examined, 144 (43.4%), 109 (56.5%) and 169 (59.3%) respectively were found with various types of foreign bodies. The prevalence of foreign bodies was significantly (χ2 = 17.53, p < 0.05) higher in sheep (59.3%) and goats (56.7%) than in cattle (43.4%). Overall the prevalence of foreign bodies in study animals with poor body condition was significantly higher (χ2 = 38.57, p < 0.05) than in those with medium and good body condition. A higher percentage of foreign bodies occurred in the rumen alone (87.9%) than in the reticulum alone (5.0%), with the rest present in both. Significantly higher proportions of foreign bodies were observed in the rumen of cattle (χ2 = 332, p < 0.05), sheep (χ2 = 193, p < 0.05) and goats (χ2 = 285.0, p = 0.000) than in the reticulum. Plastic was the most commonly encountered (79.2%) foreign body, followed by cloth (15.3%) and rope (12.3%). In addition, metal (0.9%) and calcified material and/or stone (1.0%) were found in the reticulum of cattle. Lack of a plastic waste disposal system in the area as well as communal/free grazing of livestock in highly waste-polluted areas seemed to be major factors in the high occurrence of foreign bodies in ruminants. To change this, collaborative intervention schemes involving professionals, policy makers, livestock keepers and environmental activists are needed.
The impact of an academic reading programme in the Bachelor of Education (intermediate and senior phase) degree
Authors: Livingston Candice , Klopper Betsie , Cox Sanet , Uys Corrie
Published: May 2015

Research regarding the academic reading load experienced by first year students at universities in South Africa indicated that students are woefully under-prepared to deal with this load as they have limited reading experiences and strategies. This led to the implementation of an academic reading programme at a university of technology. In order to measure the impact of this academic reading programme, a sequential explanatory mixed-method model was designed to determine if the reading programme had led to any significant gains in reading speed and reading comprehension. The results of the empirical study indicated that the academic reading programme improved reading speed whilst maintaining comprehension.
Assessment of health promotion content in undergraduate physiotherapy curricula
Authors: Mokwena Kebogile , Phetlhe Koketso
Published: May 2015

Background: The integration of health promotion in the treatment of patients should be included in all academic curricula in primary training of health professionals. However, the extent to which health promotion is included in the various curricula at undergraduate level is not known.Objective: To assess the extent to which health promotion content is integrated in undergraduate physiotherapy training programmes in South Africa. Method: This was a qualitative and descriptive study, using in-depth interviews with representatives of physiotherapy academic departments.Results: All universities have some content of health promotion, with the weighting varying between 12% and 40%. Health promotion is taught at various levels of study, and health promotion training blocks are in both urban and rural settings and include communities, schools and old-age homes. The theories of advocacy, enabling and mediation are covered, but there is limited practical training on these elements. There are limited human resources trained in health promotion, as well as a lack of clear processes of developing and reviewing teaching and training materials.Conclusion: There is lack of consensus on the weighting of health promotion, the level at which it is taught and how it is evaluated across universities. Challenges to integrate health promotion in physiotherapy curricula include lack of frequent curricula reviews, inadequate training of lecturers and lack of conducive practical sites.The physiotherapy profession needs to reach a consensus on minimum standards for integration of health promotion in undergraduate training, and the physiotherapy professional board has the potential to provide the required leadership.
Aanpassing en toetsing van die Rothwell-Miller-belangstellingsvraelys
Authors: Maree Jacobus G. , Pietersen Jacques
Published: May 2015

The aim of this study was to adapt an existing but extremely dated interest questionnaire, the RothwellMiller Interest Blank (RMIB). In the first phase, four provinces were selected purposively: one urban and three rural or semirural. Secondly, a purposeful sample of 518 Grade 11 learners in eight schools was selected (mean age [x] Male = 17.52 years, Female = 17.39 years; standard deviation[s] Male = 0.97 years, female = 0.93), divided according to medium of instruction (Afrikaans/English) and area (urban/rural/semirural area). Statistical analyses included determining of reliability by calculating Cronbach’s α and the split-half reliability. The data was further analysed by means of statistical techniques including t-test, ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD. Results are discussed and the study concludes that although the adapted questionnaire could be a valuable instrument for use in South Africa, further research is required.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Determination of Normal Pituitary Gland Dimensions in Zaria, Northwest Nigerian Population
Authors: Ibinaiye Philip Oluleke , Olarinoye-Akorede Sefia , Kajogbola Olugbenga , Bakari Adamu Girei
Published: May 2015

Objectives:

To determine the dimensions of normal pituitary gland using T1-weighted magnetic resonance images (MRI) and to determine their relationship with age and sex.

Materials and Methods:

Cranial MRI scans of 100 individuals with clinically normal pituitary function (58 males and 42 females) and in the age range 14–82 years were reviewed in order to obtain volumetric measurements of the pituitary gland. The height, width, and depth of the pituitary were obtained from mid-sagittal and coronal planes, while the volume was calculated from these measured parameters. The data obtained were stratified based on age and sex for analysis. Statistical tests applied included Student's t-test and Pearson correlation. A minimum level of statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.

Results:

The mean pituitary volumes were 334.1 ± 145.8 mm3 and 328.1 ± 129.2 mm3 while the mean pituitary heights were 6.45 ± 1.7 mm and 6.46 ± 1.57 mm in males and females, respectively. Although there was no statistically significant difference between pituitary height and pituitary volume in both sexes, they correlated negatively with increasing age (r = −202, P = 0.04 and r = −410, P = 0.000, respectively). Both parameters were highest in pubertal subjects and declined steadily with age, with a second peak occurring only for pituitary height in the sixth decade. The mean pituitary widths (9.08 ± 2.59 mm and 9.21 ± 1.86 mm) and depths (10.59 ± 1.71 mm and 10.49 ± 1.57 mm) in males and females, respectively, did not show remarkable changes with age and sex in the individuals studied.

Conclusion:

With this study, we have provided reference values in Nigerian population for the dimensions of normal pituitary gland, in order to facilitate assessment and diagnosis in patients with abnormalities of the hypothalamic–pituitary axis.
Vascular Access for Placement of Tunneled Dialysis Catheters for Hemodialysis: A Systematic Approach and Clinical Practice Algorithm
Authors: Pereira Keith , Osiason Adam , Salsamendi Jason
Published: May 2015

The role of interventional radiology in the overall management of patients on dialysis continues to expand. In patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), the use of tunneled dialysis catheters (TDCs) for hemodialysis has become an integral component of treatment plans. Unfortunately, long-term use of TDCs often leads to infections, acute occlusions, and chronic venous stenosis, depletion of the patient's conventional access routes, and prevention of their recanalization. In such situations, the progressive loss of venous access sites prompts a systematic approach to alternative sites to maximize patient survival and minimize complications. In this review, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each vascular access option. We illustrate the procedures with case histories and images from our own experience at a highly active dialysis and transplant center. We rank each vascular access option and classify them into tiers based on their relative degrees of effectiveness. The conventional approaches are the most preferred, followed by alternative approaches and finally the salvage approaches. It is our intent to have this review serve as a concise and informative reference for physicians managing patients who need vascular access for hemodialysis.
Kac–Ward operators, Kasteleyn operators, and s-holomorphicity on arbitrary surface graphs
Authors: Cimasoni David
Published: May 2015

The conformal invariance and universality results of Chelkak-Smirnov on the two-dimensional Ising model hold for isoradial planar graphs with critical weights. Motivated by the problem of extending these results to a wider class of graphs, we define a generalized notion of s-holomorphicity for functions on arbitrary weighted surface graphs. We then give three criteria for s-holomorphicity involving the Kac–Ward, Kasteleyn, and discrete Dirac operators, respectively. Also, we show that some crucial results known to hold in the planar isoradial case extend to this general setting: in particular, spin-Ising fermionic observables are s-holomorphic, and it is possible to define a discrete version of the integral of the square of an s-holomorphic function. Along the way, we obtain a duality result for Kac–Ward determinants on arbitrary weighted surface graphs.
Meshless Collocation Method for Inverse Source Identification Problems
Authors: Wang Fuzhang , Ma Zhaoxing
Published: May 2015

A novel meshless scheme is proposed for inverse source identification problems of Helmholtz-type equations. It is formulated by the non-singular general solutions of the Helmholtz-type equations augmented with radial basis functions. Under this meshless scheme, we can determine smooth source terms from partially accessible boundary measurements with accurate results. Numerical examples are presented to verify validity and accuracy of the present scheme. It is demonstrated that the present scheme is simple, accurate, stable and computationally efficient for inverse smooth source identification problems.
From problem gambling to crime? Findings from the Finnish National Police Information System
Authors: Lind Kalle , Kääriäinen Juha , Kuoppamäki Sanna-Mari
Published: May 2015

In previous studies, problem gambling was found to have many adverse consequences, including crime. However, links between crime and problem gambling have been studied relatively little. To fill this gap, we collected problem gambling-related police reports from the Finnish National Police Information System. Fifty-five problem gambling-related crime incidents reported to the police 2011 in Finland were subjected to qualitative analysis. The role of problem gambling, as self-identified by the gamblers themselves, was examined as highlighted in different crime reports: what common features did the gamblers share, and what were the possible causal mechanisms between problem gambling and crime? The data consisted of text documents produced by the police, specifically crime reports and preliminary investigation documents. Collected documents were coded using Weft QDA and SPSS. Grounded theory approach was applied. The majority of the cases were non-violent property crimes, committed at home or at the workplace. We determined that problem gambling, through financial difficulties, does indeed lead to crime.
Eurafrica
Authors: Hansen Peo , Jonsson Stefan
Published: May 2015

In order to think theoretically about our global age it is important to understand how the global has been conceived historically. 'Eurafrica' was an intellectual endeavor and political project that from the 1920s saw Europe's future survival - its continued role in history - as completely bound up with Europe's successful merger with Africa. In its time the concept of Eurafrica was tremendously influential in the process of European integration.

Today the project is largely forgotten, yet the idea continues to influence EU policy towards its African 'partner'. The book will recover a critical conception of the nexus between Europe and Africa - a relationship of significance across the humanities and social sciences. In assessing this historical concept the authors shed light on the process of European integration, African decolonization and the current conflictual relationship between Europe and Africa.
Pulya-ranyi: Winds of Change
Authors: Patrick Wanta Steve Jampijinpa
Published: May 2015

The author discusses the background and significance of the Milpirri festival, held on Country in Lajamanu every second year.
Yarrenyty Arltere Artists
Authors: Rubuntja Marlene , Sharpe Dulcie , Wallace Sophie , Sheedy Leonie
Published: May 2015

Yarrenty Arltere Art Centre is located in Larrapinta Valley, one of the oldest urban Aboriginal settlements on Arrernte county and one of the first of the eighteen housing associations or ‘town camps’ to be formally recognised within the history of Mbuntua/Alice Springs. Here, the coordinator of the art centre and artists from the centre discuss their work.
Multiple paternity in domestic pigs under equally probable natural matings – a case study in the endangered Gochu Asturcelta pig breed
Authors: Menéndez J. , Álvarez I. , Fernández I. , de la Roza B. , Goyache F.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Here we provide evidence of multiple paternities in naturally mated sows under conditions ensuring that (a) sows had the same probability of being mated by any of the available boars and (b) no differences in hybrid vigour existed. Total DNA was obtained from 19 Gochu Asturcelta piglets from three different sows, each with the same chance of natural mating with two different boars. A set of 20 microsatellites were typed on all the individuals. The program CERVUS was used to asses the informative ability of the microsatellite set and to perform paternity assignment. Allelic frequencies at population level were obtained using a total of 141 Gochu Asturcelta individuals. Offspring were always assigned to a candidate boar with high statistical confidence. All litters had different parents. Our results show that multiple paternities are possible in domestic pigs under natural mating. Furthermore, the current study can be useful to further understand the mating system of the wild boar.
Reliable, robust and realistic: the three R's of next-generation land-surface modelling
Authors: Prentice I. C. , Liang X. , Medlyn B. E. , Wang Y.-P.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Land-surface models (LSMs) are increasingly called upon to represent not only the exchanges of energy, water and momentum across the land–atmosphere interface (their original purpose in climate models), but also how ecosystems and water resources respond to climate, atmospheric environment, land-use and land-use change, and how these responses in turn influence land–atmosphere fluxes of carbon dioxide (CO2), trace gases and other species that affect the composition and chemistry of the atmosphere. However, the LSMs embedded in state-of-the-art climate models differ in how they represent fundamental aspects of the hydrological and carbon cycles, resulting in large inter-model differences and sometimes faulty predictions. These "third-generation" LSMs respect the close coupling of the carbon and water cycles through plants, but otherwise tend to be under-constrained, and have not taken full advantage of robust hydrological parameterizations that were independently developed in offline models. Benchmarking, combining multiple sources of atmospheric, biospheric and hydrological data, should be a required component of LSM development, but this field has been relatively poorly supported and intermittently pursued. Moreover, benchmarking alone is not sufficient to ensure that models improve. Increasing complexity may increase realism but decrease reliability and robustness, by increasing the number of poorly known model parameters. In contrast, simplifying the representation of complex processes by stochastic parameterization (the representation of unresolved processes by statistical distributions of values) has been shown to improve model reliability and realism in both atmospheric and land-surface modelling contexts. We provide examples for important processes in hydrology (the generation of runoff and flow routing in heterogeneous catchments) and biology (carbon uptake by species-diverse ecosystems). We propose that the way forward for next-generation complex LSMs will include: (a) representations of biological and hydrological processes based on the implementation of multiple internal constraints; (b) systematic application of benchmarking and data assimilation techniques to optimize parameter values and thereby test the structural adequacy of models; and (c) stochastic parameterization of unresolved variability, applied in both the hydrological and the biological domains.
Development of a photochemical source for the production and calibration of acyl peroxynitrate compounds
Authors: Veres P. R. , Roberts J. M.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. A dynamic system for the calibration of acyl peroxynitrate compounds (APNs) has been developed in the laboratory to reduce the difficulty, required time, and instability of laboratory-produced standards for difficult-to-synthesize APN species. In this work we present a photochemical source for the generation of APN standards: acetyl peroxynitrate (PAN), propionyl peroxynitrate (PPN), acryloyl peroxynitrate (APAN), methacryloyl peroxynitrate (MPAN), and crotonyl peroxynitrate (CPAN). APNs are generated via photolysis of a mixture of acyl chloride (RC(O)Cl) and ketone (RC(=O)R) precursor compounds in the presence of O2 and NO2. Subsequent separation by a prep-scale gas chromatograph and detection with a total NOy instrument serve to quantify the output of the APN source. Validation of the APN products was performed using iodide ion chemical ionization mass spectroscopy (I- CIMS). This method of standard production is an efficient and accurate technique for the calibration of instrumentation used to measure PAN, PPN, APAN, MPAN, and CPAN.
Environmental correlates of peatland carbon fluxes in a thawing landscape: do transitional thaw stages matter?
Authors: Malhotra A. , Roulet N. T.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Peatlands in discontinuous permafrost regions occur as a mosaic of wetland types, each with variable sensitivity to climate change. Permafrost thaw further increases the spatial heterogeneity in ecosystem structure and function in peatlands. Carbon (C) fluxes are well characterized in end-member thaw stages such as fully intact or fully thawed permafrost but remain unconstrained for transitional stages that cover a significant area of thawing peatlands. Furthermore, changes in the environmental correlates of C fluxes, due to thaw, are not well described – a requirement for modeling future changes to C storage of permafrost peatlands. We investigated C fluxes and their correlates in end-member and a number of transitional thaw stages in a sub-arctic peatland. Across peatland-lumped CH4 and CO2 flux data had significant correlations with expected correlates such as water table depth, thaw depth, temperature, photosynthetically active radiation and vascular green area. Within individual thaw states, bivariate correlations as well as multiple regressions between C flux and environmental factors changed variably with increasing thaw. The variability in directions and magnitudes of correlates reflects the range of structural conditions that could be present along a thaw gradient. These structural changes correspond to changes in C flux controls, such as temperature and moisture, and their interactions. Temperature sensitivity of CH4 increased with increasing thaw in bivariate analyses, but lack of this trend in multiple regression analyses suggested cofounding effects of substrate or water limitation on the apparent temperature sensitivity. Our results emphasize the importance of incorporating transitional stages of thaw in landscape level C budgets and highlight that end-member or adjacent thaw stages do not adequately describe the variability in structure-function relationships present along a thaw gradient.
Hydrological and meteorological investigations in a periglacial lake catchment near Kangerlussuaq, west Greenland – presentation of a new multi-parameter data set
Authors: Johansson E. , Berglund S. , Lindborg T. , Petrone J. , van As D. , Gustafsson L.-G. , Näslund J.-O. , Laudon H.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. Few hydrological studies have been conducted in Greenland, other than on glacial hydrology associated with the ice sheet. Understanding permafrost hydrology and hydroclimatic change and variability, however, provides key information for understanding climate change effects and feedbacks in the Arctic landscape. This paper presents a new, extensive, and detailed hydrological and meteorological open access data set, with high temporal resolution from a 1.56 km2 permafrost catchment, with a lake underlain by a through-talik close to the ice sheet in the Kangerlussuaq region, western Greenland. The paper describes the hydrological site investigations and utilized equipment, as well as the data collection and processing. The investigations were performed between 2010 and 2013. The high spatial resolution, within the investigated area, of the data set makes it highly suitable for various detailed hydrological and ecological studies on catchment scale. The data set is available for all users via the PANGAEA database, http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.836178.
Debris flow susceptibility mapping using a qualitative heuristic method and Flow-R along the Yukon Alaska Highway Corridor, Canada
Authors: Blais-Stevens A. , Behnia P.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. This research activity aimed at reducing risk to infrastructure, such as a proposed pipeline route roughly parallel to the Yukon Alaska Highway Corridor (YAHC) by filling geoscience knowledge gaps in geohazards. Hence, the Geological Survey of Canada compiled an inventory of landslides including debris flow deposits, which were subsequently used to validate two different debris flow susceptibility models. A qualitative heuristic debris flow susceptibility model was produced for the northern region of the YAHC, from Kluane Lake to the Alaska border, by integrating data layers with assigned weights and class ratings. These were slope angle, slope aspect (derived from a 5 m × 5 m DEM), surficial geology, permafrost distribution, and proximity to drainage system. Validation of the model was carried out by calculating a success rate curve which revealed a good correlation with the susceptibility model and the debris flow deposit inventory compiled from air photos, high resolution satellite imagery, and field verification. In addition, the quantitative Flow-R method was tested in order to define the potential source and debris flow susceptibility for the southern region of Kluane Lake, an area where documented debris flow events have blocked the highway in the past (e.g., 1988). Trial and error calculations were required for this method because there was not detailed information on the debris flows for the YAHC to allow us to define threshold values for some parameters when calculating source areas, spreading, and runout distance. Nevertheless, correlation with known documented events helped define these parameters and produce a map that captures most of the known events and displays debris flow susceptibility in other, usually smaller, steep channels that had not been previously documented.
Drilling through the largest magma chamber on Earth: Bushveld Igneous Complex Drilling Project (BICDP)
Authors: Trumbull R. B. , Ashwal L. D. , Webb S. J. , Veksler I. V.
Published: May 2015

Abstract. A scientific drilling project in the Bushveld Igneous Complex in South Africa has been proposed to contribute to the following scientific topics of the International Continental Drilling Program (ICDP): large igneous provinces and mantle plumes, natural resources, volcanic systems and thermal regimes, and deep life. An interdisciplinary team of researchers from eight countries met in Johannesburg to exchange ideas about the scientific objectives and a drilling strategy to achieve them. The workshop identified drilling targets in each of the three main lobes of the Bushveld Complex, which will integrate existing drill cores with new boreholes to establish permanently curated and accessible reference profiles of the Bushveld Complex. Coordinated studies of this material will address fundamental questions related to the origin and evolution of parental Bushveld magma(s), the magma chamber processes that caused layering and ore formation, and the role of crust vs. mantle in the genesis of Bushveld granites and felsic volcanic units. Other objectives are to study geophysical and geodynamic aspects of the Bushveld intrusion, including crustal stresses and thermal gradient, and to determine the nature of deep groundwater systems and the biology of subsurface microbial communities.
El uso de las formaciones en –tā- (–sā-) en Plauto y Terencio
Authors: Bermúdez Ruiz María José
Published: May 2015

Por su carácter iterativo o frecuentativo, las formaciones verbales con sufijo –tā- (–sā-) suelen ser consideradas coloquiales. Desde este punto de vista puede resultar especialmente revelador un estudio de las mismas en Plauto y Terencio. Específicamente el propósito de este trabajo es comprobar si entre las diferencias lingüísticas reconocidas entre ambos autores se puede incluir el uso que cada uno de ellos hace de estas formaciones.
El valor mitográfico del "Anonymi in Statii Achilleida commentum"
Authors: Ibáñez Chacón Álvaro
Published: May 2015

El breve commentum in Statii Achilleida resulta muy interesante para el estudio de la transmisión mitográfica de la Antigüedad tardía al Medievo, pues no sólo participa de las características propias de la mitografía (narraciones de mitos, exégesis racionalista y/o alegórica, interpretaciones etimológicas, anonimato, pseudepigrafía,…), sino que también es otro eslabón en la cadena textual de transmisión, simplificación y canonización de los mitos clásicos.
El carácter compilatorio del ms. 126 del Archivo Capitular de El Burgo de Osma
Authors: Del Castillo Lebourgeois Nuria
Published: May 2015

En este trabajo se aborda el estudio de aquellos aspectos que nos llevan a considerar al ms. 126 del Archivo Capitular de El Burgo de Osma un códice compilatorio: por una parte, la identificación de las fuentes de las que beben dos de sus glosas de contenido mitológico y, por otra, el análisis de la estructura del códice en su conjunto y de la relación entre las obras que lo componen.
Una planta sin clásicos. La berenjena en la farmacología medieval y renacentista
Authors: González Manjarrés Miguel Ángel
Published: May 2015

La berenjena (Solanum melongena L.) es una planta solanácea de múltiples variedades, cuyos ancestros salvajes se sitúan en Indochina y el este de África. Su cultivo fue muy temprano en zonas de China e India. Aun así, no se extendió al Occidente antiguo ni apenas se conoció, de ahí su ausencia en los textos clásicos de botánica y farmacología. Fueron los árabes quienes llevaron el cultivo de la planta por el Norte de África y Al-Andalus, de donde pasó ya a Europa. Los primeros testimonios occidentales de la berenjena aparecen en traducciones latinas de textos árabes, para incorporarse luego a la literatura farmacológica medieval y, más tarde ya, a la del Renacimiento, que empezó a tratar de ella por su posible parecido con una especie de mandrágora. Pese a que se le reconocían algunas virtudes medicinales, siempre se la tuvo bajo sospecha por ser de sabor poco agradable, indigesta y causante de algunas afecciones. Solo los botánicos de finales del Renacimiento describirían la planta y sus variedades con criterios más «científicos» y botánicos, ya sin apenas intereses farmacológicos.
Total Respect Management (TR³M): A Systemic Management Approach in Aligning Organisations towards Performance, Safety and CSR
Authors: Blokland Peter , Reniers Genserik
Published: May 2015

Total Respect Management (TR³M) is a systemic approach and an integrated management system to proactively reach performance, safety and CSR in organisations and teams. Being a systemic approach entails it takes the whole system into account and acts on those elements in the system that generate fundamental and sustainable change in order to achieve specific goals. When safety and corporate social responsibility are important to an organisation, associated values and their supporting beliefs need to be embedded and become deeply rooted into the organisational culture. Such a situation can only happen when the mental models present in the organisation, from top to bottom, are aligned with these values and beliefs. The reason is that these mental models will determine how systems will be structured, how they function and how they eventually produce outcomes and results. The most important instrument to influence mental models in organisations is dialogue.
Agreement Between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on the Status of NATO Forces and NATO Personnel Conducting MutuallyAgreed NATO-led Activities in Afghanistan & Security and Defense Cooperation Agreement Between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Authors: Olson Peter M.
Published: May 2015

On September 30, 2014, Afghanistan signed agreements with the United States and NATO providing for U.S. and NATO military presences in Afghanistan following termination in December 2014 of the post-9/11 U.S. “Operation Enduring Freedom” (OEF) and NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) military missions.
Report on the Protection of Civilians in the Non International Armed Conflict in Iraq: 5 June – 5 July 2014; Human Rights Council Resolution S-22/1; & Security Council Resolution 2170, 2178
Authors: Worboys Jonathan P.
Published: May 2015

The United Nations (UN) Report on the Protection of Civilians in the Non International Armed Conflict in Iraq (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN Assistance Mission for Iraq), UN Security Council Resolutions 2170 and 2178, and UN Human Rights Council Resolution S-22/1 (UN Documents) form a key part of the international community’s efforts to resolve, manage, and document the ongoing non-international armed conflict in Iraq.
Relationships among the contact patch length and width, the tire deflection and the rolling resistance of a free-running wheel in a soil bin facility
Authors: Tomaraee Parviz , Mardani Aref , Mohebbi Arash , Taghavifar Hamid
Published: May 2015

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of contact patch length-rolling resistance, contact patch width-rolling resistance and tire deflection-rolling resistance at different wheel load and inflation pressure levels is presented. The experiments were planned in a randomized block design and were conducted in the controlled conditions provided by a soil bin environment utilizing a well-equipped single wheel-tester of Urmia University, Iran. The image processing technique was used for determination of the contact patch length and contact patch width. Analysis of covariance was used to evaluate the correlations. The highest values of contact length and width and tire deflection occurred at the highest wheel load and lowest tire inflation pressure. Contact patch width is a polynomial (order 2) function of wheel load while there is a linear relationship between tire contact length and wheel load as well as between tire deflection and wheel load. Correlations were developed for the evaluation of contact patch length-rolling resistance, contact patch width-rolling resistance and tire deflection-rolling resistance. It is concluded that the variables studied have a significant effect on rolling resistance.
Increasing efficiency in ethanol production: Water footprint and economic productivity of sugarcane ethanol under nine different water regimes in north-eastern Brazil
Authors: Chico Daniel , Santiago Antonio D. , Garrido Alberto
Published: May 2015

Ethanol production in Brazil has grown by 219% between 2001 and 2012, increasing the use of land and water resources. In the semi-arid north-eastern Brazil, irrigation is the main way for improving sugarcane production. This study aimed at quantifying water consumed in ethanol production from sugarcane in this region using the water footprint (WF) indicator and complementing it with an evaluation of the water apparent productivity (WAP). This way we were able to provide a measure of the crop´s physical and economic water productivity using, respectively, the WF and WAP concepts. We studied sugarcane cultivation under nine different water regimes, including rainfed and full irrigation. Data from a mill of the state of Alagoas for three production seasons were used. Irrigation influenced sugarcane yield increasing total profit per hectare and economic water productivity. Full irrigation showed the lowest WF, 1229 litres of water per litre of ethanol (L/L), whereas rainfed production showed the highest WF, 1646 L/L. However, the lower WF in full irrigation as compared to the rest of the water regimes implied the use of higher volumes of blue water per cultivated hectare. Lower water regimes yielded the lowest economic productivity, 0.72 US$/m3 for rainfed production as compared to 1.11 US$/m3 for full irrigation. Since economic revenues are increased with higher water regimes, there are incentives for the development of these higher water regimes. This will lead to higher general crop water and economic productivity at field level, as green water is replaced by blue water consumption.
Short communication: Relationships between the daily intake of unsaturated plant lipids and the contents of major milk fatty acids in dairy goats
Authors: Martínez Marín Andrés L. , Núñez Sánchez Nieves , Garzón Sigler Ana I. , Peña Blanco Francisco , De la Fuente Miguel Angel
Published: May 2015

A meta-regression of the effects of the amount of plant lipids consumed by dairy goats on the contents of some milk fat fatty acids (FA) was carried out. Fourteen peer-reviewed published papers reporting 17 experiments were used in the study. Those experiments compared control diets without added fat with diets that included plant lipids rich in unsaturated FA, summing up to 64 treatments. The results showed that increasing daily intake of plant lipids linearly reduced the contents of all medium chain saturated FA in milk fat. Moreover, it was observed that the longer the chain of the milk saturated FA, the greater the negative effect of the plant lipid intake on their contents. On the other hand, the contents of stearic acid and the sum of oleic, linoleic and α-linolenic acids in milk fat linearly increased as daily plant lipid intake rose. The results obtained corroborate previous reports on the effects of feeding dairy goats with increasing amounts of unsaturated plant lipids on milk FA profile.
Nitrogen migration in crop rotations differing in fertilisation
Authors: Guzys Saulius , Miseviciene Stefanija
Published: May 2015

Inappropriate use of nitrogen fertilisers is becoming a global problem; however, continuous fertilisation with N fertiliser ensures large and constant harvests. To evaluate the relationships of differently fertilised cultivated plant rotation with N metabolism in the agroecosystem the research was conducted between 2006 and 2013 at Lipliūnai, Lithuania, in fields with calcareous gley brown soil, i.e. Endocalcari Endohypogleyic Cambisol (CMg-n-w-can). The research area covered three drained plots where crop rotation of differently fertilised cereals and perennial grasses were applied. The greatest productivity was found in a higher fertilisation (TII, 843 kg N/ha) cereals crop rotation. With less fertilisation (TI, 540 kg N/ha) crop rotation productivity of cereals and perennial grasses (TIII, 218 kg N/ha) was 11-35% lower. The highest amount of mineral soil N (average 76 kg/ha) was found in TI. It was influenced by fertilisation (r=0.71) and crop productivity (r=0.39). TIII tended to reduce Nmin (12.1 mg/L) and Ntotal (12.8 mg/L) concentrations in drainage water and leaching of these elements (7 and 8 kg/ha). Nmin and Ntotal concentrations in the water depended on crop productivity respectively (r=0.48; r=0.36), quantity of mineral soil N (r=0.65; r=0.59), fertilisation (r=0.59; r=0.52), and N balance (r=0.26; r=0.35). Cereal crop rotation increased N leaching by 12-42%. The use of all crop rotations resulted in a negative N balance. Nitrogen balance depended on fertilisation with N fertiliser (r=0.55). The application of perennial grasses crop rotation in agricultural fields was the best environmental tool, reducing N migration to drainage.
Variability, heritability and genetic association in vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.)
Authors: Sarker Umakanta , Islam Md Tofazzal , Rabbani Md Golam , Oba Shinya
Published: May 2015

Forty three vegetable amaranth (Amaranthus tricolor L.) genotypes selected from different eco-geographic regions of Bangladesh were evaluated during 3 years (2012-2014) for genetic variability, heritability and genetic association among mineral elements and quality and agronomic traits in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five replications. The analysis showed that vegetable amaranth is a rich source of K, Ca, Mg, proteins and dietary fibre with average values among the 43 genotypes (1.014%, 2.476%, 2.984, 1.258% and 7.81%, respectively). Six genotypes (VA13, VA14, VA16, VA18, VA26, VA27) showed a biological yield >2000 g/m2 and high mineral, protein and dietary fibre contents; eleven genotypes had high amount of minerals, protein and dietary fibre with above average biological yield; nine genotypes had below average biological yield but were rich in minerals, protein and dietary fibre. Biological yield exhibited a strong positive correlation with leaf area, shoot weight, shoot/root weight and stem base diameter. Insignificant genotypic correlation was observed among mineral, quality and agronomic traits, except K vs. Mg, protein vs. dietary fibre and stem base diameter vs. Ca. Some of these genotypes can be used for improvement of vegetable amaranth regarding mineral, protein and dietary fibre content without compromising yield loss.
Changes in the pastoral sheep systems of semi-arid Mediterranean areas: association with common agricultural policy reform and implications for sustainability
Authors: Toro-Mujica Paula M. , Aguilar Claudio , Vera Raúl , Barba Cecilio , Rivas José , García-Martínez Antón
Published: May 2015

The dynamics of sheep systems the Mediterranean region have been influenced by reforms coming from the Common Agricultural Policy, and the general economic evolution of markets. The aim of this study was the analysis of the structural changes that occurred between 1999 and 2009, and the identification of future implications for the sheep systems in Andalusia region, Spain. Analysis of the structural changes allowed the generation of strategic information, identified trends that should suggest new rural policies and changes that are likely to have social and environmental impacts, and lastly, prioritize future research. The application of multivariate methodology allowed clustering the farm population into four groups. The typology of these systems was determined by variables related to the sheep subsystem, by the set of agricultural activities, and by changes in swine husbandry, within a context of changes in land tenure and the drive for agricultural intensification. Major modifications of extant systems included a 42% reduction in the number of farms, a decrease in sheep numbers, replacement of native rangelands with improved pastures, olive trees and orchards, a reduction of traditional extensive pastoral activities, and increases in hog production in Dehesa grasslands. Given the historical economic and social importance of the sheep-cereal system, the observed substantial modifications of land use suggest a need to assess their consequences in terms of social and environmental impacts, as well as their implications for climate change.
Vine vigor, yield and grape quality assessment by airborne remote sensing over three years: Analysis of unexpected relationships in cv. Tempranillo
Authors: Bonilla Irene , Martinez de Toda Fernando , Martínez-Casasnovas Jose Antonio
Published: May 2015

The prediction of grape composition is becoming more important due to the need of reducing the current levels of alcohol and pH of the wines, a problem that is exacerbated by climate change. This work presents a 3-year study of the spatial variability of grape composition in a rainfed Tempranillo vineyard located in Rioja (Spain). It is based on the acquisition of multispectral imagery at véraison (start of the ripening process); and zoning based on NDVI, to assess its performance for zonal management. The results reveal a high spatial variability within the plot, with a stable pattern over the years, even with very different climate conditions. NDVI was a good predictor of vegetative growth variables. However, the prediction of grape composition was more complex. Unexpectedly, anthocyanins were found to be higher in the highest vigor zone, which is probably related to the effects of climate change. This unexpected relationship is particularly discussed in the article.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Mathematics Research, Vol. 7, No. 2
Authors: Wang Sophia
Published: May 2015

Journal of Mathematics Research wishes to acknowledge the following individuals for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Their help and contributions in maintaining the quality of the journal is greatly appreciated.

Many authors, regardless of whether Journal of Mathematics Research publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers.

Reviewers for Volume 7, Number 2

Abdelaziz Mennouni

Alberto Simoes

Antonio Boccuto

Arman Aghili

Cecília Rosa

David Bartl

Dimple Chalishajar

Elisabete Barreiro

Enrico Jabara

Eric José Avila

Guezane-Lakoud Assia

Jingbo Xia

Khalil Ezzinbi

Kuldeep Narain Mathur

Li Wang

Luca Di Persio

Maria Alessandra Ragusa

Michael Doschoris

Mominul Haque Kh. Md.

Ömür Deveci

Peng Zhang

Philip Philipoff

R. Roopkumar

Russell John Higgs

Sanjib Kumar Datta

Sergiy Koshkin

Shuhong Chen

Subuhi Khan

Youssef El-Khatib

Zoubir Dahmani

 

 

 

Sophia Wang

On behalf of,

The Editorial Board of Journal of Mathematics Research

Canadian Center of Science and Education
ANALYSIS OF THE TRAFFIC STREAM DISTRIBUTION IN TERMS OF IDENTIFICATION OF AREAS WITH THE HIGHEST EXHAUST POLLUTION
Authors: Ambroziak Tomasz , Jachimowski Roland , Pyza Dariusz , Szczepański Emilian
Published: May 2015

Transport is a sector that is said to be negatively affecting the environment. The continuous development of transport increases the negative impact on the environment and civilization. In the article authors present the parameters that were used to describe the size of harmful transport exhaust emissions, in particular by means of road transport and the factors affecting their size. The areas where the level of concentrations of air pollutants are exceeded in Poland were characterized and analysed. Also examples of the stream traffic distribution in the selected area of the transport network were presented.
Balkan Immigrant Workers as Slovenian Victimized Heroes
Authors: Vezovnik Andreja
Published: May 2015

This article sheds light on recent discursive shifts in representations of the “Balkan” in the Slovenian press. I focus on the strategies that the media, and the left-wing press in particular, uses to construct the identities of immigrant workers in Slovenia. I use critical discourse analysis to show how the media has recently attempted to avoid Balkanism and tried to create a more inclusive, democratic rhetoric on these workers and how they become a legitimate “other” in Slovenian society only when constructed as helpless victims. I analyze the role of the victim in the Slovenian imaginary, its disillusioned hero a cogent signifier for collective national identification, and how this figure's characteristics are transposed to ex-Yugoslav immigrants to Slovenia, placing them within a rhetoric of victimization that is framed within a broader humanitarian discourse in order to interrogate what Maria Todorova has defined asBalkanism. I conclude by exploring victimization as the process of desubjectivation and point out aspects of victimization that reaffirm long-standing power relations between Europe and the Balkans.
Simultaneous Determination of Nitrofuran Metabolites and Chloramphenicol in Shrimp with a Single Extraction and LC-MS/MS Analysis
Authors: El-Demerdash Aref , Song Fenhong , Reel Robin K , Hillegas Judy , Smith Robert E
Published: May 2015

A method has been developed to quantify the nitrofuran metabolites 3-amino-5-morphorinomethyl-1,3-oxazolidinone, 3-amino-oxazolidinone, 1-aminohydantoin, and semicarbazide, as well as chloramphenicol in shrimp with a single extraction procedure followed by LC-MS/MS analysis. Dynamic selected reaction monitoring with positive and negative ionization mode switching was used. The method LODs were 0.5 ng/g for the nitrofuran metabolites and 0.3 ng/g for chloramphenicol.
Quantitative Analysis of Nitrofuran Metabolites and Chloramphenicol in Shrimp Using Acetonitrile Extraction and Liquid Chromatograph-Tandem Mass Spectrometric Detection: A Single Laboratory Validation
Authors: An Haejung , Parrales Lenin , Wang Kai , Cain Teresa , Hollins Ralph , Forrest Douglas , Liao Benjamin , Paek Han Chol , Sram Jacqueline
Published: May 2015

A method was developed and validated for the simultaneous analysis of chloramphenicol and nitrofuran metabolites in shrimp according to the guideline established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine. The extraction steps following the overnight hydrolysis and derivatization are simpler than the conventional ethyl acetate extraction method. The main steps are neutralization of hydrolysates, addition of acetonitrile for extraction, and salting out of organic phase from the acetonitrile-aqueous mixture. Extracts are analyzed for chloramphenicol and nitrofuran metabolites by LC-MS/MS in a single injection with polarity switching between the positive electrospray ionization (ESI) mode for the nitrofurans and the negative ESI mode for chloramphenicol. Recoveries calculated using an extracted matrix calibration curve and labeled internal standards for chloramphenicol and nitrofurans ranged from 98.6 to 109.2% with RSDs less than 18%. This method that combines the analysis of chloramphenicol with the nitrofurans was shown to generate analytical results similar to those obtained using the individual drug-class analytical methods currently used for the analysis of chloramphenicol or nitrofurans in shrimp.