bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LTC4 synthase polymorphism modifies efficacy of botanical seed oil combination in asthma
Authors: Kazani Shamsah , Arm Jonathan P , Boyce Joshua , Chhay Heng , Dutile Stefanie , Wechsler Michael E , Govindarajulu Usha , Ivester Priscilla , Ainsworth Hannah C , Sergeant Susan , Chilton Floyd H , Israel Elliot
Published: November 2014

Botanical seed oils reduce the generation of leukotrienes in patients with asthma.

Our objective was to determine the efficacy of a botanical seed oil combination against airflow obstruction in asthma, and to determine the pharmacogenomic effect of the leukotriene C4synthase (LTC4S) polymorphism A-444C.

We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over clinical trial in mild to moderate asthmatics to determine the change in FEV1after 6 weeks of therapy with borage and echium seed oils versus corn oil placebo. We also examined the effect of the variant LTC4S -444C allele on the change in lung function.

We did not identify a difference in FEV1in the study cohort as a whole (n = 28), nor in the group of A homozygotes. In the C allele carriers (n = 9), FEV1improved by 3% after treatment with borage and echium seed oils and declined by 4% after placebo corn oil (p = 0.02). All 9 C allele carriers demonstrated an improvement in their FEV1on active treatment compared to placebo as compared to only 7 out of 19 A allele homozygotes (p = 0.007). We observed transient differences inex vivoleukotriene generation from circulating basophils and granulocytes. We did not observe significant differences in urinary LTE4levels.

We conclude that compared to corn oil, a combination of borage and echium seed oils improves airflow obstruction in mild to moderate asthmatics who carry the variant allele in the LTC4S gene (A-444C). Botanical oil supplementation may have therapeutic potential in asthma if used in a personalized manner.

Trial registration:This trial was registered athttp://www.clinicaltrials.govas NCT00806442.
Application of elastic impedance: A case study from Mahanadi Basin, India
Authors: Saha Sakshi G. , Singh Ashish K. , Mangal Shakuntala
Published: November 2014

Over the last decade, seismic inversion has acquired the status of being a routine interpretation step during exploration as well as development of fields. For detailed reservoir characterization, prestack inversion is desirable; however, poststack inversion is a reasonably effective tool. The inversion starts with calibration of the well with seismic data. The synthetic seismogram is tied with stacked seismic data on the basic premise that the seismic data (full stack) mimics the zero-offset data and therefore should match with the zero-offset synthetic seismogram. Generally, a good match is obtained. However, during the course of many inversion exercises, it is observed that the synthetic-to-seismic match is not good in parts of the drilled interval. There could be many reasons for this partial mismatch. One of the important reasons is that the well data represent one-dimensional data, whereas the seismic data are stacked over an angle range. In other words, the well data are equivalent to zero-offset data, whereas seismic is not. The poor calibration at the well location leads to lack of confidence in inversion results. The possible solution, such as simultaneous or full-waveform inversion, involves a lot of computation time and hardware requirements. An alternative approach is introduced which uses elastic impedance instead of normal P-impedance for synthetic match and inversion of stacked data. The synthetic seismic generated from elastic impedance shows an improved match with seismic data. The approach is quick, reliable, easy, and not heavy on computational resources. The result is inverted volumes with better hydrocarbon delineation and characterization ability.
Case Report: Rare occurrence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa osteomyelitis of the right clavicle in a patient with IgA nephropathy
Authors: Damodaran Aishwarya , Rohit Anusha , Abraham Georgi , Nair Sanjeev , Yuvaraj Anand
Published: November 2014

We describe the case of a 47 year old patient with proven primary IgA nephropathy who presented with osteomyelitis of the medial end of the right clavicle. The patient was not on immunosuppressive medications. He underwent aspiration curettage and CT scan of the clavicle which yielded pus that grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Following treatment with appropriate antibiotic therapy the patient presented a complete recovery of the lesion with no loss of renal function. This case highlights the importance of positive cultures in the choice of the appropriate therapy in an extremely rare case of an immunocompetent patient with osteomyelitis of the clavicle.
Social Guarantees of Protection of Judges and their Family Members
Authors: Barankov Vladimir
Published: November 2014

In a scientific article examines the social protection of judges and their families, as one of the guarantees of the independence of independent judges. The article describes the social guarantees for health services judges and members of their families, their security of life and health, property insurance, judges fare to the resort, the spa treatment. The article discusses that when an insured event occurs judges the right to social compensation for damage caused as a result of an accident at work or occupational disease, in terms of money paid or compensated by the insurer to the insured by the Social Insurance Fund. The article also maps the questions judges fare to the resort, spa treatment, life and health insurance, property insurance judge
Limits of Exercise of the Right of Legislative Initiative by Supreme Judicial Authoritie
Authors: Ganicheva Ekaterina
Published: November 2014

The article analyses the features of the realization of the right of legislative initiative by highest judicial authorities of the Russian Federation. The Constitution of the Russian Federation establishes the following limitation For these subjects: The Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation and the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation can introduce bills to the State Duma on the relevant issues within their competence. The competence of superior courts includes major destinations or spheres of activity, functions, powers of investigation of categories of civil, criminal and administrative cases as well as cases on the constitutionality of the act. During the proceedings the courts apply the rule of laws regulating those or other relationships. However, it does not mean that the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation and the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation have the right to initiate the legislative process in order to change any act that can be applied during proceedings.
Portfolio Choice with Illiquid Assets
Authors: Ang Andrew , Papanikolaou Dimitris , Westerfield Mark M.
Published: November 2014

We present a model of optimal allocation to liquid and illiquid assets, where illiquidity risk results from the restriction that an asset cannot be traded for intervals of uncertain duration. Illiquidity risk leads to increased and state-dependent risk aversion and reduces the allocation to both liquid and illiquid risky assets. Uncertainty about the length of the illiquidity interval, as opposed to a deterministic nontrading interval, is a primary determinant of the cost of illiquidity. We allow market liquidity to vary from “normal” periods, when all assets are fully liquid, to “illiquidity crises,” when some assets can only be traded infrequently. The possibility of a liquidity crisis leads to limited arbitrage in normal times. Investors are willing to forgo 2% of their wealth to hedge against illiquidity crises occurring once every 10 years.

This paper was accepted by Itay Goldstein, finance.
The cost-effectiveness of wound dressings
Authors: Browning Paul
Published: November 2014

The current economic downturn in the UK and other countries has caused healthcare organisations to justify the costs of more advanced technologies. This is seen especially within the wound care discipline. The costs of healthcare account for a third of all UK government spend and with the prevalence of chronic wounds increasing, the cost of modern wound care is becoming more strained and open to scrutiny. Healthcare decision makers should not base their decisions on cost of dressings alone, but take into account the costs mitigated by using an advanced wound therapy. A clinical-economic assessment should be performed on a number of advanced therapies to assess if these are indeed more cost-effective long-term.
Constructive risk in the care of the older adult: a concept analysis
Authors: Waring Angela
Published: November 2014

There is much talk within health care at present of the need to manage risk; indeed, it is a cornerstone of the Government's clinical governance policy (Department of Health (DoH), 1998). However, by only concentrating on the dangers associated with risk, the positive effects engendered in the process of taking calculated risks may be neglected. This article takes a more positive approach to the nature of risk. By analyzing risk as a constructive concept, particularly in the care of the older adult, it is possible to not only identify those attributes that define the phenomenon, but also explore the necessary antecedents and consequences of pursuing this approach to care. Using the work of Walker and Avant (1988), model cases are used to illustrate how the concept may be recognized in practice.
Working closely with local charity groups
Authors: David Anthony
Published: November 2014

This month, Anthony Davis looks at the advantages of working with local charity groups and national organisations with an interest in supporting local communities, and some of the things to consider.
Global value chains and state support in the aircraft industry
Authors: McGuire Steven
Published: November 2014

The commercial aircraft industry is no stranger to trade friction, which has brought bitter international disputes over industrial policy to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Yet despite the fact that several countries, notably China, Japan and Russia have stated their intentions to develop aircraft that can compete with other countries, these efforts have not led to a trade dispute. What explains this pattern? Drawing on sources such as the Global Trade Alert database, this paper argues that that the complexity of the aircraft industry generates considerable barriers to entry. Moreover, emerging aerospace states have not repeated earlier efforts of direct subsidy, but rather, they have sought to position themselves in the global aerospace value chain, with selective government interventions designed to help national champions accumulate the necessary technical experience though collaboration with incumbent firms. However, the very diversity of government supports may make protectionist measures more difficult to identify.
A note on the norm convergence by Vilenkin–Fejér means
Authors: Tephnadze George
Published: November 2014

The main aim of this paper is to find necessary and sufficient conditions
for the convergence of Fejér means in terms of the modulus of continuity on
the Hardy spaces Hp
when 0 < p ≤ 1/2.
Hypothalamic obesity after treatment for craniopharyngioma: the importance of the home environment
Authors: Meijneke Ruud W.H. , Schouten-van Meeteren Antoinette Y.N. , de Boer Nienke Y. , van Zundert Suzanne , van Trotsenburg Paul A.S. , Stoelinga Femke , van Santen Hanneke M.
Published: November 2014

Hypothalamic obesity after treatment for craniopharyngioma is a well-recognized, severe problem. Treatment of hypothalamic obesity is difficult and often frustrating for the patient, the parents and the professional care-giver. Because hypothalamic obesity is caused by an underlying medical disorder, it is often assumed that regular diet and exercise are not beneficial to reduce the extraordinarily high body mass index, and in fact, lifestyle interventions have been shown to be insufficient in case of extreme hypothalamic obesity. Nevertheless, it is important to realize that also in this situation, informal care delivered by the family and appropriate parenting styles are required to minimize the obesity problem. We present a case in which weight gain in the home situation was considered unstoppable, and a very early mortality due to complications of the severe increasing obesity was considered inevitable. A permissive approach toward food intake became leading with rapid weight increase since a restrictive lifestyle was considered a senseless burden for the child. By admission to our hospital for a longer period of time, weight reduction was realized, and the merely permissive approach could be changed into active purposeful care by adequate information, instruction, guidance and encouragement of the affected child and her parents. This case illustrates that, although this type of obesity has a pathological origin, parental and environmental influences remain of extreme importance.
A Personal Portrait of Ronald H. Coase
Authors: Landa Janet Tai
Published: November 2014

This article provides a few of my enduring recollections of Professor Ronald H. Coase (1910–2013). Part of the paper uses the medium of poetry to communicate my emotions and reactions on first meeting Coase at a conference in 1991, and at another conference in 1997; the poem includes an Epilogue, written shortly after I heard the sad news of Coase’s passing on September 2, 2013. The rest of the paper contains my recollections of a very surreal episode I shared with Ronald Coase in 1994, while both of us were crossing the Midway on the campus of the University of Chicago.
Impaired Action Potential Initiation in GABAergic Interneurons Causes Hyperexcitable Networks in an Epileptic Mouse Model Carrying a Human NaV1.1 Mutation
Authors: Hedrich Ulrike B.S. , Liautard Camille , Kirschenbaum Daniel , Pofahl Martin , Lavigne Jennifer , Liu Yuanyuan , Theiss Stephan , Slotta Johannes , Escayg Andrew , Dihné Marcel , Beck Heinz , Mantegazza Massimo , Lerche Holger
Published: November 2014

Mutations inSCN1Aand other ion channel genes can cause different epileptic phenotypes, but the precise mechanisms underlying the development of hyperexcitable networks are largely unknown. Here, we present a multisystem analysis of anSCN1Amouse model carrying the NaV1.1-R1648H mutation, which causes febrile seizures and epilepsy in humans. We found a ubiquitous hypoexcitability of interneurons in thalamus, cortex, and hippocampus, without detectable changes in excitatory neurons. Interestingly, somatic Na+channels in interneurons and persistent Na+currents were not significantly changed. Instead, the key mechanism of interneuron dysfunction was a deficit of action potential initiation at the axon initial segment that was identified by analyzing action potential firing. This deficit increased with the duration of firing periods, suggesting that increased slow inactivation, as recorded for recombinant mutated channels, could play an important role. The deficit in interneuron firing caused reduced action potential-driven inhibition of excitatory neurons as revealed by less frequent spontaneous but not miniature IPSCs. Multiple approaches indicated increased spontaneous thalamocortical and hippocampal network activity in mutant mice, as follows: (1) more synchronous and higher-frequency firing was recorded in primary neuronal cultures plated on multielectrode arrays; (2) thalamocortical slices examined by field potential recordings revealed spontaneous activities and pathological high-frequency oscillations; and (3) multineuron Ca2+imaging in hippocampal slices showed increased spontaneous neuronal activity. Thus, an interneuron-specific generalized defect in action potential initiation causes multisystem disinhibition and network hyperexcitability, which can well explain the occurrence of seizures in the studied mouse model and in patients carrying this mutation.
Millisecond Timescale Synchrony among Hippocampal Neurons
Authors: Diba Kamran , Amarasingham Asohan , Mizuseki Kenji , Buzsáki György
Published: November 2014

Inhibitory neurons in cortical circuits play critical roles in composing spike timing and oscillatory patterns in neuronal activity. These roles in turn require coherent activation of interneurons at different timescales. To investigate how the local circuitry provides for these activities, we applied resampled cross-correlation analyses to large-scale recordings of neuronal populations in the cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) and CA3 regions of the hippocampus of freely moving rats. Significant counts in the cross-correlation of cell pairs, relative to jittered surrogate spike-trains, allowed us to identify the effective couplings between neurons in CA1 and CA3 hippocampal regions on the timescale of milliseconds. In addition to putative excitatory and inhibitory monosynaptic connections, we uncovered prominent millisecond timescale synchrony between cell pairs, observed as peaks in the central 0 ms bin of cross-correlograms. This millisecond timescale synchrony appeared to be independent of network state, excitatory input, and γ oscillations. Moreover, it was frequently observed between cells of differing putative interneuronal type, arguing against gap junctions as the sole underlying source. Our observations corroborate recentin vitrofindings suggesting that inhibition alone is sufficient to synchronize interneurons at such fast timescales. Moreover, we show that this synchronous spiking may cause stronger inhibition and rebound spiking in target neurons, pointing toward a potential function for millisecond synchrony of interneurons in shaping and affecting timing in pyramidal populations within and downstream from the circuit.
Migration of Oligodendrocyte Progenitor Cells Is Controlled by Transforming Growth Factor β Family Proteins during Corticogenesis
Authors: Choe Youngshik , Huynh Trung , Pleasure Samuel J.
Published: November 2014

During embryonic development oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) are generated first in the ventral forebrain and migrate dorsally to occupy the cortex. The molecular cues that guide this migratory route are currently completely unknown. Here, we show that bone morphogenetic protein-4 (Bmp4), Bmp7, and Tgfβ1 produced by the meninges and pericytes repelled ventral OPCs into the cortex at mouse embryonic stages. Ectopic activation of Bmp or Tgfβ1 signaling before the entrance of OPCs into the cortex hindered OPC migration into the cortical areas. OPCs without Smad4 signaling molecules also failed to migrate into the cortex efficiently and formed heterotopia in ventral areas. OPC migration into the cortex was also dramatically reduced by conditional inhibition of Tgfβ1 or Bmp expression from mesenchymal cells. The data suggest that mesenchymal Tgfβ family proteins promote migration of ventral OPCs into the cortex during corticogenesis.
Permittivity Coupling across Brain Regions Determines Seizure Recruitment in Partial Epilepsy
Authors: Proix Timothée , Bartolomei Fabrice , Chauvel Patrick , Bernard Christophe , Jirsa Viktor K.
Published: November 2014

Brain regions generating seizures in patients with refractory partial epilepsy are referred to as the epileptogenic zone (EZ). During a seizure, paroxysmal activity is not restricted to the EZ, but may recruit other brain regions and propagate activity through large brain networks, which comprise brain regions that are not necessarily epileptogenic. The identification of the EZ is crucial for candidates for neurosurgery and requires unambiguous criteria that evaluate the degree of epileptogenicity of brain regions. To obtain such criteria and investigate the mechanisms of seizure recruitment and propagation, we develop a mathematical framework of coupled neural populations, which can interact via signaling through a slow permittivity variable. The permittivity variable captures effects evolving on slow timescales, including extracellular ionic concentrations and energy metabolism, with time delays of up to seconds as observed clinically. Our analyses provide a set of indices quantifying the degree of epileptogenicity and predict conditions, under which seizures propagate to nonepileptogenic brain regions, explaining the responses to intracerebral electric stimulation in epileptogenic and nonepileptogenic areas. In conjunction, our results provide guidance in the presurgical evaluation of epileptogenicity based on electrographic signatures in intracerebral electroencephalograms.
Development of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Secretion and Pituitary Response
Authors: Glanowska Katarzyna M. , Burger Laura L. , Moenter Suzanne M.
Published: November 2014

Acquisition of a mature pattern of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion from the CNS is a hallmark of the pubertal process. Little is known about GnRH release during sexual maturation, but it is assumed to be minimal before later stages of puberty. We studied spontaneous GnRH secretion in brain slices from male mice during perinatal and postnatal development using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) to detect directly the oxidation of secreted GnRH. There was good correspondence between the frequency of GnRH release detected by FSCV in the median eminence of slices from adults with previous reports ofin vivoluteinizing hormone (LH) pulse frequency. The frequency of GnRH release in the late embryonic stage was surprisingly high, reaching a maximum in newborns and remaining elevated in 1-week-old animals despite low LH levels. Early high-frequency GnRH release was similar in wild-type and kisspeptin knock-out mice indicating that this release is independent of kisspeptin-mediated excitation.In vivotreatment with testosterone orin vitrotreatment with gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH) reduced GnRH release frequency in slices from 1-week-old mice. RF9, a putative GnIH antagonist, restored GnRH release in slices from testosterone-treated mice, suggesting that testosterone inhibition may be GnIH-dependent. At 2–3 weeks, GnRH release is suppressed before attaining adult patterns. Reduction in early life spontaneous GnRH release frequency coincides with the onset of the ability of exogenous GnRH to induce pituitary LH secretion. These findings suggest that lack of pituitary secretory response, not lack of GnRH release, initially blocks downstream activation of the reproductive system.
Development of Intrinsic Connectivity in the Central Nucleus of the Mouse Inferior Colliculus
Authors: Sturm Joshua , Nguyen Tuan , Kandler Karl
Published: November 2014

The inferior colliculus (IC) in the mammalian midbrain is the major subcortical auditory integration center receiving ascending inputs from almost all auditory brainstem nuclei as well as descending inputs from the thalamus and cortex. In addition to these extrinsic inputs, the IC also contains a dense network of local, intracollicular connections, which are thought to provide gain control and contribute to the selectivity for complex acoustic features. However, in contrast to the organization of extrinsic IC afferents, the development and functional organization of intrinsic connections in the IC has remained poorly understood. Here we used laser-scanning photostimulation with caged glutamate to characterize the spatial distribution and strength of local synaptic connections in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus of newborn mice until after hearing onset (P2-P22). We demonstrate the presence of an extensive excitatory and inhibitory intracollicular network already at P2. Excitatory and inhibitory synaptic maps to individual IC neurons formed continuous maps that largely overlapped with each other and that were aligned with the presumed isofrequency axis of the central nucleus of the IC. Although this characteristic organization was present throughout the first three postnatal weeks, the size of input maps was developmentally regulated as input maps underwent an expansion during the first week that was followed by a dramatic refinement after hearing onset. These changes occurred in parallel for excitatory and inhibitory input maps. However, the functional elimination of intrinsic connections was greater for excitatory than for inhibitory connections, resulting in a predominance of intrinsic inhibition after hearing onset.
Cerebellar-Dependent Expression of Motor Learning during Eyeblink Conditioning in Head-Fixed Mice
Authors: Heiney Shane A. , Wohl Margot P. , Chettih Selmaan N. , Ruffolo Luis I. , Medina Javier F.
Published: November 2014

Eyeblink conditioning in restrained rabbits has served as an excellent model of cerebellar-dependent motor learning for many decades. In mice, the role of the cerebellum in eyeblink conditioning is less clear and remains controversial, partly because learning appears to engage fear-related circuits and lesions of the cerebellum do not abolish the learned behavior completely. Furthermore, experiments in mice are performed using freely moving systems, which lack the stability necessary for mapping out the essential neural circuitry with electrophysiological approaches. We have developed a novel apparatus for eyeblink conditioning in head-fixed mice. Here, we show that the performance of mice in our apparatus is excellent and that the learned behavior displays two hallmark features of cerebellar-dependent eyeblink conditioning in rabbits: (1) gradual acquisition; and (2) adaptive timing of conditioned movements. Furthermore, we use a combination of pharmacological inactivation, electrical stimulation, single-unit recordings, and targeted microlesions to demonstrate that the learned behavior is completely dependent on the cerebellum and to pinpoint the exact location in the deep cerebellar nuclei that is necessary. Our results pave the way for using eyeblink conditioning in head-fixed mice as a platform for applying next-generation genetic tools to address molecular and circuit-level questions about cerebellar function in health and disease.
PRIMARY CHARACTERIZATION OF SPONGE ASSOCIATED BACTERIA OF MARINE SPONGES- HALICHONDRIA GLABRATA, CLIONA LOBATA, SPIRASTRELLA PACHYSPIRA AND THEIR ANTIMICROBIAL PROPERTIES
Authors: Kumar Maushmi , Jogani Shaishav
Published: November 2014

Marine sponge associated bacterias have been recognized as an important and untapped resource for novel bioactive compounds. In the present study four strains of microorganisms were isolated from three different varieties of marine sponge viz. Halichondria glabrata, Cliona lobata and Spirastrella pachyspira. They showed broad spectrum antimicrobial activity against both Gram positive and Gram negative indicator organisms. From the biochemical tests and cetrimide agar test, it was concluded that the Strain B isolated from Cliona lobata is a Pseudomonas species. Strain A (gram negative) culture product isolated from Halichondria glabrata showed the antibiotic activity against Gram positive (B. subtillis) and Gram negative (S. typhi, P. vulgaris, E.coli) organisms. The minimum inhibitory concentration for showing antibacterial activity on all the standard strain was found to be 40 µL of culture broth supernatant. This strain was further identified by ABIS software based on biochemical tests and confirmation of the strain was done after 16S r RNA gene sequencing. The strain showed close similarity with E. coli and Enterobacteria strains and most of the uncultured bacterium from different hosts, which confirmed its nature of being it a symbiont from sponge Halichondria glabrata with antimicrobial activity.
PLANEAMIENTO MINERO COMO FUNCIÓN DE LA VARIACIÓN DE LA LEY DE CORTE CRÍTICA
Authors: Franco-Sepúlveda Giovanni , Velilla-Avilez Danilo Arturo
Published: November 2014

Los accionistas de proyectos mineros buscan cada vez obtener el mayor rendimiento de las inversiones que realizan en la industria de la explotación de recursos no renovables. La ley de corte crítica (LCC) se ha convertido entonces en el parámetro de decisión que determina la viabilidad económica de un proyecto. En el presente artículo se determina la LCC óptima de un depósito mineral hipotético con la que se pretende maximizar el valor presente neto (VPN) de la operación, determinando como influye el cambio de ésta en el planeamiento de la mina.  El trabajo se desarrolla haciendo uso del algoritmo propuesto por Lane (1964) como fundamento metodológico. Además, se hace una revisión bibliográfica de trabajos relacionados con el tema,  que sirvieron como guía para la elaboración de este documento. Con base a la distribución tenor-tonelaje de un depósito mineral hipotético se obtiene el plan de explotación de la mina con la LCC obtenida implementando una variación del algoritmo original. Por último, se exponen las conclusiones referentes al plan de producción y el VPN de la mina, obtenidas al comparar los resultados arrojados con este enfoque y los obtenidos usando el método tradicional para el cálculo de la LCC.
MEJORAMIENTO DE LOS FLUIDOS DE PERFORACIÓN USANDO NANOPARTÍCULAS FUNCIONALIZADAS: REDUCCIÓN DE LAS PÉRDIDAS DE FILTRADO Y DEL ESPESOR DE LA RETORTA
Authors: Betancur Márquez Stefanía , Cortés Correa Farid Bernardo , Alzate Espinosa Guillermo Arturo
Published: November 2014

El uso de los fluidos de perforación (FP) en las operaciones de campo, ocasiona diversos problemas entre los que se encuentran daños a la formación, pérdidas por circulación y formación de una retorta que en caso de ser permeable y gruesa, puede ocasionar inestabilidad en las paredes del pozo, atascamiento de tubería e hinchamiento de formaciones de arcillas en el caso de fluidos del tipo base agua (WBM, por sus siglas en inglés). Con el objetivo de minimizar los problemas asociados a la inyección de FP, se propuso la evaluación de una modificación del FP convencional base agua que incluye el uso de nanopartículas funcionalizadas a diferentes concentraciones. La funcionalización de las nanopartículas se realizó mediante la técnica de impregnación incipiente. Las nanopartículas vírgenes fueron caracterizadas por adsorción de nitrógeno a 77 K y difracción de rayos X (DRX). Los FP se evaluaron a partir del estudio reológico, la medición de propiedades físico-químicas (densidad y pH), y mediante la prueba de filtrado API (American Petroleum Institute: API, por sus siglas en inglés) que sigue la norma API 13B-1. Los fluidos de perforación presentaron un comportamiento reológico no newtoniano independiente del tiempo, al igual que los FP modificados con el uso de nanopartículas. La densidad (8.5 lbm/gal) y el pH se mantuvieron constantes después de la adición de nanopartículas. Las nanopartículas de sílice funcionalizadas con carboximetilcelulosa (CMC) fueron las que mostraron los mejores resultados basados en las pérdidas de filtrado y en la reducción del espesor de la retorta. Los resultados obtenidos con CMC en sílice fueron los siguientes: reducciones en las pérdidas de filtrado y en la retorta de 23 y 70%, respectivamente. En los resultados también se observó que las nanopartículas de sílice no generan efectos adversos sobre las propiedades del FP, tales como densidad, viscosidad y pH. Otra característica importante de las nanopartículas de sílice son los grupos silanol (SiOH) que actúan como centros de adsorción, lo que permite su funcionalización con CMC y favorece el desarrollo de sus propiedades viscosificantes en los FP.
Stability and Thermoelectric Property of Cu9Fe9S16: Sulfide Mineral as a Promising Thermoelectric Material
Authors: Tsujii Naohito , Mori Takao
Published: November 2014

Thermoelectric materials based on non-toxic and earth-abundant elements are important from the viewpoint of energy harvesting from the widely-spread waste heat. We have investigated the thermoelectric properties of Cu9Fe9S16, known as the natural mineral mooihoekite or talnakhite. Seebeck coefficient shows a large negative value of about -140 μV/K around room temperature. Thermal conductivity is found to be as small as 2.0 W/Km above 100 K, which is attributed to the large unit cell and the complicated crystal structure. Our results indicate that Cu9Fe9S16 can make a high-performance and environmentally-friendly thermoelectric material if the concentration of carriers, especially holes, is reduced.
The Late Hauterivian Faraoni ‘Oceanic Anoxic Event’: an update
Authors: Baudin François , Riquier Laurent
Published: November 2014

Most oceanic anoxic events (OAEs) took place during the middle part of the Cretaceous and the Late Hauterivian probably recorded the first anoxic event within this peculiar time interval. The so-called Faraoni event (~131 Ma) was initially defined as a short-lived anoxic event restricted to the Mediterranean domain. Since its recognition, numerous geochemical studies were conducted on the Faraoni event and new occurrences of this event were suggested outside the Tethyan domain. This paper presents an update on the Late Hauterivian Faraoni event and examines if this event agrees with the definition of OAEs.
Integrated multidisciplinary approach to constrain range fronts structure, a case study of the northern Tianshan piedmont (NW China)
Authors: Chen Ke , Gumiaux Charles , Augier Romain , Martelet Guillaume , Chen Yan , Wang Qingchen
Published: November 2014

Mountain fronts are key areas where to study the deformation mechanisms and the geodynamic evolution of orogenic belts. Different approaches based on either geological or geophysical data analysis have been proposed. However, in spite of recent theoretical and technical developments, these often remain within a single disciplinary framework and diverging views and models sometimes arise. The front of the northern Tianshan intracontinental collision range is thus quite exemplary for the variety of the tectonic models that have been proposed to explain its development. This paper introduces a multidisciplinary approach combining field geological/structural observations, reflection seismic profile interpretation, borehole results and a gravity study performed in the study area. This approach was conducted in the case study of a representative cross-section within the North Tianshan area, along the Jingou river. An extensive geological/structural survey across the fold and thrust belt was first carried out providing surface constraints on the shallowest parts of the section. Deep structure within the Junggar basin was constrained through processing and interpretation of reflection seismic data together with available borehole results. As it is often the case, the available seismic profiles do not extend to the frontal basement contact zone, or quality of the data was not good enough to allow interpretation. Consequently, a gravity survey and modelling finally allowed interpreting the deep structure of the cover/basement contact. By integrating all the data, the resulting regional-scale cross-section shows a new comprehensive image of the upper crustal structure in this area. In particular, results imply that the mountain basement thrust northwards onto the sedimentary layers with development of a second order fold. Besides, this study further suggests thick-skinned type deformations below the fold and thrust belt.

From the example of the Jingou river section, this study illustrates the interest of incorporating gravity data analysis together with – more classical – seismic profiles interpretation and structural analyses for studying orogenic belt frontal areas.
Toxic injustice in the Bangladesh water sector: a social inequities perspective on arsenic contamination
Authors: Rammelt Crelis , Masud Zahed , Boes Jan , Masud Fariba
Published: November 2014

Arsenic contamination of groundwater in Bangladesh poses a major environmental health hazard to millions. The efforts of public health programmes to address the problem have often been short-lived and unevenly distributed. The crisis represents a failure of governance and a structural injustice of global dimensions. Rights-based approaches to development have been proposed to address such problems. This paper explores the implications of framing the arsenic problem in terms of social justice and human rights. It describes the efforts of the Arsenic Mitigation and Research Foundation to implement drinking water supplies and health support schemes with marginalised communities. The approach was never explicitly framed as rights-based, but focuses instead on social mobilisation and on securing fundamental human needs. We argue that this will be conducive to social justice, which in turn creates the necessary space for pursuing human rights claims.
Why justice matters in water governance: some ideas for a ‘water justice framework’
Authors: Neal Marian J. , Lukasiewicz A. , Syme G. J.
Published: November 2014

This paper and Special Issue build a case for why justice matters in water governance and why it should be explicitly accounted for in water management and allocation. It describes four characteristics of water and their implications for social and environmental justice. These four characteristics – the spatial and temporal uneven distribution of water; the fact that water is essential for all life, with minimums needed for the survival of both the environment and humankind; water's added benefits to human well-being through the goods and services it provides; and the ensuing political dimensions of power asymmetries affecting water governance – have resulted in a plethora of disciplinary interpretations of justice in an attempt to capture its relevance and importance. The collection of papers in this Special Issue provides a glimpse into the diverse range of issues that can emerge when justice considerations are taken or not taken into account in water governance. Water justice is particularly significant when societal change occurs because of altered allocations, institutional rules of the game or in the underlying hydrological regime. We summarise 10 steps that contribute to the continuing articulation of a ‘water justice framework’ by researchers interested in this field of research and practice.
Fairness and justice in Indigenous water allocations: insights from Northern Australia
Authors: Nikolakis William , Quentin Grafton R.
Published: November 2014

Based on findings from participatory action research, we describe a process for the development of a Strategic Indigenous Reserve (SIR) in water for Indigenous groups in the Northern Territory, Australia. In the first case study at Mataranka, we show how a ‘top-down’ process initiated by the Northern Territory Government (NTG) was characterised by inadequate engagement and a failure to deliver water justice or an outcome accepted by the traditional owner groups. In a second case study at Oolloo, the traditional owner groups were engaged by the NTG in a consultation process, but it commenced with a unilateral offer of a water allocation to the SIR that was not formulated in a collaborative way. As a result, traditional owners considered the process unfair, and in turn, the allocation offer was perceived as ‘unfair’. Using insights from these two cases we outline an alternative and collaborative process to support engagement by decision-makers with Indigenous groups that promotes water allocations and outcomes that are just, sustainable and have broad-based community support.
The fermentation kinetics and physicochemical properties of special beer with addition of Prokupac grape variety
Authors: Veljovic Mile , Despotovic Sasa , Stojanovic Milan , Pecic Sonja , Vukosavljevic Predrag , Belovic Miona , Leskosek-Cukalovic Ida
Published: November 2014

Over the last decade, the market of special beers with improved healthy
function and/or with new refreshing taste has significantly increased. One of
the possible solutions enables grape and mixing beer with bioactive component
responsible for well known health promoting action of red wine. The influence
of the addition of Prokupac grape on the physicochemical properties and the
fermentation kinetics of the grape beer were studied and results were
compared with control lager beer. The effect of grape addition on the
activity of yeast was also studied. Original extract, alcohol content, degree
of fermentation, fermentation rate and yeast growth were significantly higher
in beers with grapes as a consequence of higher concentration of simple
sugars in grapes compared with pure wort. Based on the CIELab chromatic
parameters the color of grape beer samples was yellow with certain proportion
of redness, while the control beer was purely yellow. The increase in the
concentration of grape mash affects the reduction of lightness and yellowness
of beers, while the redness of samples was directly proportional with grape
quantity. The phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of grape beers was
remarkably higher compared with control beer, which indicates that the grape
beer is a better source of natural antioxidants than regular lager beer.
Effect of the Recreational Life Review Program on Patients with Dementia in an Outpatient Clinic: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Li Kuan-Yi , Hsu Wen-Chuin , Lin Li-Jung
Published: November 2014

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the Life Review Program–Taiwan (LRP–TW) on outpatients with mild to moderate dementia. Ten individuals were selected through purposive sampling and tested using a single group pretest-posttest design. The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment–Geriatric (LOTCA–G) and the Geriatric Depression Scale–Short Form (GDS–SF) were used as outcome measures. The total scores and three subtests of the LOTCA–G revealed significant differences after the intervention. Affective function remained stable through the experiment. The LRP–TW may offer a clinical intervention program for supporting cognitive and mental performance in individuals with dementia.
Evaluating Eye Fixation and Color Contrast Effects in the Measurement of Visual Lobe Sizes: Comment on Tsang, et al. (2013)
Authors: Hong Seung-Kweon
Published: November 2014

The visual lobe refers to the useful field of view, functional visual field, or conspicuity area in single eye fixation, and the visual lobe size is determined by the conspicuity of target presented amongst background characters. This comment discusses a study by Tsang, Chan, and Yu (2013) that investigated the effect of color contrast on the visual lobe. First, this comment suggests a way to improve the precision of their method for measuring a visual lobe. Measuring positions of the participants' eyes during visual search with an eye tracker would allow checking the eyes' fixation on the center of the search field, improving the precision of visual lobe measurement. This comment also suggests a more optimal experimental design to investigate the effect of color contrast on visual lobe size. Tsang, et al. used colors for target and background that had similar contrast (i.e., differences in chromaticity) for the experiments. If the color-contrast ratio in each experiment condition had differed enough, the color contrast effect on the visual lobe could have been investigated more effectively.
Composition followed by differentiation between weighted Bergman spaces and weighted Banach spaces of holomorphic functions
Authors: Wolf Elke
Published: November 2014

Let Φ be an analytic self-map of the open unit disk D in the complex plane. Such a map induces through composition a linear composition operator CΦ : f ↦ f◦Φ.We are interested in the combination of CΦ with the differentiation operator D, that is in the operator DCΦ : f ↦ Φ` · (f ◦ Φ) acting between weighted Bergman spaces and weighted Banach spaces of holomorphic functions
Reduced Data Dualscale Entropy Analysis of HRV Signals for Improved Congestive Heart Failure Detection
Authors: Kuntamalla Srinivas , Lekkala Ram Gopal Reddy
Published: November 2014

Heart rate variability (HRV) is an important dynamic variable of the cardiovascular system, which operates on multiple time scales. In this study, Multiscale entropy (MSE) analysis is applied to HRV signals taken from Physiobank to discriminate Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) patients from healthy young and elderly subjects. The discrimination power of the MSE method is decreased as the amount of the data reduces and the lowest amount of the data at which there is a clear discrimination between CHF and normal subjects is found to be 4000 samples. Further, this method failed to discriminate CHF from healthy elderly subjects. In view of this, the Reduced Data Dualscale Entropy Analysis method is proposed to reduce the data size required (as low as 500 samples) for clearly discriminating the CHF patients from young and elderly subjects with only two scales. Further, an easy to interpret index is derived using this new approach for the diagnosis of CHF. This index shows 100 % accuracy and correlates well with the pathophysiology of heart failure.
Optimal Maintenance Works for the Aborshada Road in the Western Region of Libya
Authors: Youssef Medhat Abdelrahman , Elbasher Abdelbary Altayb
Published: November 2014

In this research, the condition of a road pavement was investigated for the Aborshada Road in the Gharian region of Libya to determine the optimal maintenance works. Previously, a simple engineering judgment was the only procedure followed by the Gharian municipal engineers for evaluating pavements and prioritizing maintenance. The surface condition of the Aborshada Road pavement was investigated using “the Pavement Condition Index (PCI)” visual technique. The pavement was inspected to survey the different distresses in each sample unit. Ninteen pavement distresses were classified according to the PCI standards (PCI for roads and parking lots became an ASTM standard in 2007 (D6433-07)). It was necessary to know the most common distresses of the Aborshada Road to provide assistance for the decision maker in his evaluation of the pavement and the optimum repair method to be selected.

This study reveals the actual performance of the pavements and suggests the research required for dealing with the pavement maintenance problem in Libya, especially in the western region. The best maintenance alternative for Aborshada Road was Case No. 3 (Potholes, Long. & Trans. Cracking and Alligator Crack Maintenance). Also, the most common pavement distresses on the Aborshada Road were Distress Nos. 1, 3, 6, 7, 10 and 13 according to the ASTM - D6433-07 classification
Functional Inter-Textuality in the Spoken and Written Genres of Legal Statutes: A Discursive Analysis of Judge’S Summing-Up and Lawyers’ Closing Arguments in Adama High Criminal Court
Authors: Balcha Ejarra Batu
Published: November 2014

This study examines the intertextual influence of the courtroom spoken genre with the written genre used by judge’s summing up and lawyers’ closing arguments in Ethiopian Criminal court trial. In doing so, it employs the relational and comparison-expository structuring models. The relational struc- turing is used to give emphasis to the manner in which evidence items bear on particular issues and shows how evidence items are related to each other and to major facts in issues of judge’s summing-up while the comparison-expository structure is to intertextually link the spoken genres of the two opposing lawyers’ views with the Ethiopian criminal law written statutes. The findings of the study suggest that mixed rhetorical strategies, the judge’s relational summing up and the lawyers’ comparison-expository closing arguments, are more effective than a strict narrative strategy in addressing the final judgment of the argumenta- tion
Cultural Dimensions Of Legal Discourse
Authors: Sierocka Halina
Published: November 2014

Despite the intention for precision and accuracy, legal discourse is oftentimes complex, archaic and ambiguous - which gives rise to contentious interpretation. Moreover, little or no attention is paid to the cultural dimension of legal discourse, which plays a critical role in the translation and interpretation of legal texts, as well as in the application of law. This paper endeavours to illustrate the impact the culture, or, more precisely, legal culture has on the way legal texts are construed or translated and to present problems which arise in the interpretation, translation and application of law as a result of cultural diversities