bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis, Characterization, and Adsorptive Properties of Fe3O4/GO Nanocomposites for Antimony Removal
Authors: Yang Xiuzhen , Zhou Tengzhi , Ren Bozhi , Shi Zhou , Hursthouse Andrew
Published: July 2017

A magnetic Fe3O4/GO composite with potential for rapid solid-liquid separation through a magnetic field was synthesized using GO (graphene oxide) and Fe3O4 (ferriferous oxide). Characterization of Fe3O4/GO used scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR), and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). A number of factors such as pH and coexisting ions on adsorbent dose were tested in a series of batch experiments. The results showed that GO and Fe3O4 are strongly integrated. For pH values in the range of 3.0~9.0, the removal efficiency of Sb(III) using the synthesized Fe3O4/GO remained high (95%). The adsorption showed good fit to a pseudo-second-order and Langmiur model, with the maximum adsorption capacity of 9.59 mg/g maintained across pH 3.0–9.0. Thermodynamic parameters revealed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. Analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that the adsorption process is accompanied by a redox reaction.
Targeting Adult Neurogenesis for Poststroke Therapy
Authors: Lu Jianfei , Manaenko Anatol , Hu Qin
Published: July 2017

Adult neurogenesis mainly occurs at the subventricular zone (SVZ) on the walls of the lateral ventricle and the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus (DG). However, the majority of newborn neurons undergo programmed cell death (PCD) during the period of proliferation, migration, and integration. Stroke activates neural stem cells (NSCs) in both SVZ and SGZ. This process is regulated by a wide variety of signaling pathways. However, the newborn neurons derived from adult neurogenesis are insufficient for tissue repair and function recovery. Thus, enhancing the endogenous neurogenesis driven by ischemia and promoting the survival of newborn neurons can be promising therapeutic interventions for stroke. Here, we present an overview of the process of adult neurogenesis and the potential of stroke-induced neurogenesis on brain repair.
The Status of Maculopathy in Diabetes and Prediabetes Patients in a Population-Based Study Detected by Optical Coherence Tomography: The 2011 Health Examination Survey in Beijing
Authors: Cao Xi , Xin Zhong , Li Shiming , Qi Yue , Yuan Mingxia , Zhu Xiaorong , Yang Jin-kui
Published: July 2017

Objective. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence and the risk factors of maculopathy detected by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in a Chinese population with diabetes or prediabetes. Methods. 8,155 people were randomly selected to participate in the 2011 annual Health Examination Survey in Beijing. A 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was tested in 3760 subjects with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥ 5.6 mmol/L. Of 3,760 subjects, 583 were also randomly selected to take OCT. Results. In this study population, 21 (3.95%) patients had maculopathy. Eight patients had diabetes macular edema (DME) and the prevalence was 6.72% in diabetes patients and 1.51% in all subjects. Eleven patients had age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and the prevalence was 3.36% in diabetes patients and 2.07% in all subjects. Logistic regression model confirmed that elevated HbA1c (p<0.001) and systolic pressure (p<0.05) made significant contributions to DME. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that HbA1c and blood creatinine were significantly independent influence factors for central subfield thickness (CST) (p=0.01, p<0.001). Conclusions. High prevalence of maculopathy was found in patients with diabetes in a Chinese population. Maculopathy poses a significant public health problem in China with rapid rising trend of diabetes.
The Severity of Intracranial Hemorrhages Measured by Free Hemoglobin in the Brain Depends on the Anticoagulant Class: Experimental Data
Authors: Ware Kyle M. , Feinstein Douglas L. , Rubinstein Israel , Battula Prudhvi , Otero Jose , Hebert Lee , Wang Tzu-Fei , Ivanova Alexandra , Chaudhary Shweta , Hemminger Jessica , Brodsky Sergey V.
Published: July 2017

Background and Purpose. Anticoagulant therapy is broadly used to prevent thromboembolic events. Intracranial hemorrhages are serious complications of anticoagulation, especially with warfarin. Direct oral anticoagulants reduce but do not eliminate the risk of intracranial hemorrhages. The aim of this study is to determine the degree of intracranial hemorrhage after application of anticoagulants without additional triggers. Methods. Rats were treated with different anticoagulant classes (vitamin K antagonists, heparin, direct thrombin inhibitor, and factor Xa inhibitor). Brain hemorrhages were assessed by the free hemoglobin concentration in the brain parenchyma. Results. Vitamin K antagonists (warfarin and brodifacoum) significantly increased free hemoglobin in the brain. Among direct oral anticoagulants, thrombin inhibitor dabigatran also significantly increased free hemoglobin in the brain, whereas treatment with factor Xa inhibitor rivaroxaban did not have significant effect on the free hemoglobin concentration. Conclusions. Our data indicates that the severity of brain hemorrhages depends on the anticoagulant class and it is more pronounced with vitamin K antagonists.
Genesis and Maintenance of Attentional Biases: The Role of the Locus Coeruleus-Noradrenaline System
Authors: Ehlers Mana R. , Todd Rebecca M.
Published: July 2017

Emotionally arousing events are typically better remembered than mundane ones, in part because emotionally relevant aspects of our environment are prioritized in attention. Such biased attentional tuning is itself the result of associative processes through which we learn affective and motivational relevance of cues. We propose that the locus coeruleus-noradrenaline (LC-NA) system plays an important role in the genesis of attentional biases through associative learning processes as well as their maintenance. We further propose that individual differences in and disruptions of the LC-NA system underlie the development of maladaptive biases linked to psychopathology. We provide support for the proposed role of the LC-NA system by first reviewing work on attentional biases in development and its link to psychopathology in relation to alterations and individual differences in NA availability. We focus on pharmacological manipulations to demonstrate the effect of a disrupted system as well as theADRA2bpolymorphism as a tool to investigate naturally occurring differences in NA availability. We next review associative learning processes that—modulated by the LC-NA system—result in such implicit attentional biases. Further, we demonstrate how NA may influence aversive and appetitive conditioning linked to anxiety disorders as well as addiction and depression.
Genome-Wide Identification and Transcriptional Expression Analysis of Cucumber Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) Family in Response to Various Abiotic Stresses
Authors: Zhou Yong , Hu Lifang , Wu Hao , Jiang Lunwei , Liu Shiqiang
Published: July 2017

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) proteins are widely present in the plant kingdom and play important roles in different biological processes. However, little is known about theSODgenes in cucumber. In this study, nightSODgenes were identified from cucumber (Cucumis sativus) using bioinformatics-based methods, including 5Cu/ZnSODs, 3FeSODs, and 1MnSOD. Gene structure and motif analysis indicated that most of theSODgenes have relatively conserved exon/intron arrangement and motif composition. Phylogenetic analyses with SODs from cucumber and several other species revealed that these SOD proteins can be traced back to two ancestral SODs before the divergence of monocot and dicot plants. Manycis-elements related to stress responses and plant hormones were found in the promoter sequence of eachCsSODgene. Gene expression analysis revealed that most of theCsSODgenes are expressed in almost all the tested tissues. qRT-PCR analysis of 8 selectedCsSODgenes showed that these genes could respond to heat, cold, osmotic, and salt stresses. Our results provide a basis for further functional research onSODgene family in cucumber and facilitate their potential applications in the genetic improvement of cucumber.
Solvability of the Brinkman-Forchheimer-Darcy Equation
Authors: Skrzypacz Piotr , Wei Dongming
Published: July 2017

The nonlinear Brinkman-Forchheimer-Darcy equation is used to model some porous medium flow in chemical reactors of packed bed type. The results concerning the existence and uniqueness of a weak solution are presented for nonlinear convective flows in medium with variable porosity and for small data. Furthermore, the finite element approximations to the flow profiles in the fixed bed reactor are presented for several Reynolds numbers at the non-Darcy’s range.
Application of Topological Degree Method for Solutions of Coupled Systems of Multipoints Boundary Value Problems of Fractional Order Hybrid Differential Equations
Authors: Iqbal Muhammad , Li Yongjin , Shah Kamal , Khan Rahmat Ali
Published: July 2017

We established the theory to coupled systems of multipoints boundary value problems of fractional order hybrid differential equations with nonlinear perturbations of second type involving Caputo fractional derivative. The proposed problem is as follows:D cαxt-ft,xt=gt,yt,Iαyt,t∈J=[0,1],D cαyt-ft,yt=gt,xt,Iαxt,t∈J=0,1,D cpx0=ψxη1,x′0=0,…,xn-20=0,D cpx1=ψxη2,D cpy0=ψyη1,y′0=0,…,yn-20=0,D cpy1=ψyη2, wherep,η1,η2∈0,1,ψis linear,D cαis Caputo fractional derivative of orderα, withn-1<α≤n,n∈N, andIαis fractional integral of orderα. The nonlinear functionsf,gare continuous. For obtaining sufficient conditions on existence and uniqueness of positive solutions to the above system, we used the technique of topological degree theory. Finally, we illustrated the main results by a concrete example.
Effect of Pregnancy on Quantitative Medication Use and Relation to Exacerbations in Asthma
Authors: Koo So-My , Kim Yunsun , Park Chorong , Park Gun Woo , Lee MoonGyu , Won Sungho , Yang Hyeon-Jong
Published: July 2017

Background. The quantification of asthma medication reduction and its relation to an aggravation of asthma during pregnancy at an individual level are unclear.Methods. We conducted a nationwide retrospective cohort study of asthmatic pregnant women in South Korea. All of the asthma medications were ranked from 1 to 4 according to the guideline-based stepwise approach. We assessed the daily sums of the ranks of the asthma medications and their association with exacerbations during three phases based on the individual’s delivery date: before, during, and after pregnancy.Results. The study cohort included 115,169 asthmatic pregnant women who gave birth between 2011 and 2013. The subjects were clustered into four groups according to the daily rank sums of their asthma medication. Asthma medications were rapidly reduced at the beginning of the pregnancy and then slowly increased after delivery. Exacerbations were more frequent in the group with higher rank-sum values than in the group with lower values. Overall exacerbations were reduced during pregnancy compared to before or after delivery.Conclusions. Asthmatic pregnant women tended to reduce their asthma medication use during pregnancy. This led to a greater number of exacerbations in a small part of the study population.
Neuron-Specific Fluorescence Reporter-Based Live Cell Tracing for Transdifferentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Neurons by Chemical Compound
Authors: Hwang Do Won , Kwon Hyun Woo , Jang Jaeho , Jung Hee Jung , Kim Kwang Rok , Lee Dong Soo
Published: July 2017

Although transdifferentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into neurons increases the possibility of therapeutic use of MSCs for neurodevelopmental disorders, the use of MSCs has the limitation on differentiation efficiency to neuronal lineage and lack of an easy method to monitor the transdifferentiation. In this study, using time-lapse live cell imaging, we assessed the neuronal differentiation of MSCs induced by a small molecule “NHPDQC (N-hydroxy-2-oxo-3-(3-phenylprophyl)-1,2-dihydroquinoxaline-6-carboxamide, C18H17N3O3).” Plasmid vector containing red fluorescence reporter genes under the control of the tubulin α1 (Tα1) promoter (pTα1-DsRed2) traced the neuronal differentiation of MSCs. Two days after NHPDQC treatment, MSCs showed neuron-like phenotype with neurite outgrowth and high expression of neuron-specific markers in more than 95% cells. The fluorescence signals increased in the cytoplasm of pTα1-DsRed2-transfected MSCs after NHPDQC treatment. In vitro monitoring of MSCs along the time courses showed progressive increase of fluorescence till 30 h after treatment, corresponding with the increase in neurite length. We examined an efficient neuronal differentiation of MSCs by NHPDQC alone and monitored the temporal changes of neuronal differentiation by neuron-specific fluorescence reporter along time. This method would help further our understanding of the differentiation of MSCs to produce neurons by simple treatment of small molecule.
Two‐Stage Robust Security‐Constrained Unit Commitment with Optimizable Interval of Uncertain Wind Power Output
Authors: Sun Dayan , Zhang Liudong , Su Dawei , Yuan Yubo
Published: July 2017

Because wind power spillage is barely considered, the existing robust unit commitment cannot accurately analyze the impacts of wind power accommodation on on/off schedules and spinning reserve requirements of conventional generators and cannot consider the network security limits. In this regard, a novel double‐level robust security‐constrained unit commitment formulation with optimizable interval of uncertain wind power output is firstly proposed in this paper to obtain allowable interval solutions for wind power generation and provide the optimal schedules for conventional generators to cope with the uncertainty in wind power generation. The proposed double‐level model is difficult to be solved because of the invalid dual transform in solution process caused by the coupling relation between the discrete and continuous variables. Therefore, a two‐stage iterative solution method based on Benders Decomposition is also presented. The proposed double‐level model is transformed into a single‐level and two‐stage robust interval unit commitment model by eliminating the coupling relation, and then this two‐stage model can be solved by Benders Decomposition iteratively. Simulation studies on a modified IEEE 26‐generator reliability test system connected to a wind farm are conducted to verify the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed model and solution method.
Spontaneous Renal Allograft Rupture Caused by Acute Tubular Necrosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Ray Deepak Shankar , Thukral Sharmila
Published: July 2017

Renal allograft rupture (RAR) is a rare but lethal complication of renal transplantation. It potentially threatens graft and patient survival. RAR is frequently associated with acute rejection, but other causes like renal vein thrombosis and acute tubular necrosis have also been observed. Most commonly a graft nephrectomy is required, but graft repair can also be attempted in selected cases to salvage the graft. Herein, we describe a rare case of spontaneous renal allograft rupture in the early posttransplant period due to acute tubular necrosis. A 42-year-old male, living donor renal allograft recipient, experienced RAR on the sixth posttransplant day. Surgical exploration showed two lacerations of 10 cm and 5 cm length at the upper and mid pole of the kidney. Histologically, the graft demonstrated acute tubular injury; no features of humoral or cellular rejection were identified. The successful management of this complication resulted in the salvage of the patient and the graft. This case demonstrates that early diagnosis and prompt treatment of a life-threatening RAR can salvage the graft.
New Markers of Inflammation and Tubular Damage in Children with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Musiał Kinga , Bargenda Agnieszka , Drożdż Dorota , Zwolińska Danuta
Published: July 2017

Introduction and Aims. Monocyte chemoattractant protein- (MCP-) 1, macrophage colony-stimulating factor (MCSF), and neopterin are connected with monocyte migration and transition into macrophages, leading to fibrosis and tubular damage in the course of CKD. The aim of the study was to analyze the applicability of urinary fractional excretion (FE) of MCP1, MCSF, and neopterin, as markers of inflammation and tubular damage, in children with CKD. Methods. The study group consisted of 61 children with CKD stages 1–5 and 23 age-matched controls. The serum and urine concentrations of MCP1, MCSF, and neopterin were assessed by ELISA and then the fractional excretion (FE) was calculated. Results. FE MCSF and neopterin values exceeded 1% already in controls. FE MCSF rose significantly since CKD stages 1-2, FE neopterin since CKD stages 3–5. FE MCP1 was below 1% in healthy controls and in CKD stages 1-2, then increased significantly in CKD stages 3–5. Conclusions. The FE MCP-1 values show that inflammation precedes the tubular dysfunction. FE MCSF and FE neopterin may be considered new markers of the renal parenchyma progressive damage. Fractional excretion may become a useful tool in the assessment of inflammation and tubular damage in children with CKD.
Co-Occurrence of Acromegaly and Hematological Disorders: A Myth or Common Pathogenic Mechanism
Authors: Gupta Prakamya , Dutta Pinaki
Published: July 2017

Background: Acromegaly is not one disease but an association of clinical, biochemical and radiological features. Altered blood counts are often observed in acromegaly patients. Acromegaly patients presenting with a hematological malignancy are rare. To date, there are several cases that have reported the co-occurrence of these diseases. Summary: The coexistence of the two diseases can be a mere coincidence or may have a common pathogenic mechanism. The rarity of these conditions and the small number of patients makes it difficult to determine the real role of elevated growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels in the occurrence of hematological malignancies. Patients with growth hormone (GH) replacement due to GH-deficient acromegaly are at a high risk of developing hematological disorders. Conclusion: In this review, we aim to provide evidence for the correlation between the two disorders.
Absence of transforming growth factor beta 1 in murine platelets reduces neointima formation without affecting arterial thrombosis
Authors: Schütz Eva , Bochenek Magdalena L. , Riehl Dennis R. , Bosmann Markus , Münzel Thomas , Konstantinides Stavros , Schäfer Katrin
Published: July 2017

Platelet degranulation at the site of vascular injury prevents bleeding and may affect the chronic vascular wound healing response. Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-β1 is a major component of platelet α-granules known to accumulating in thrombi. It was our aim to determine the role of TGFβ1 released from activated platelets for neointima formation following arterial injury and thrombosis. Mice with platelet-specific deletion of TGFβ1 (Plt.TGFβ-KO) underwent carotid artery injury. Immunoassays confirmed the absence of active TGFβ1 in platelet releasates and plasma of Plt.TGFβ-KO mice. Whole blood analyses revealed similar haematological parameters, and tail cut assays excluded major bleeding defects. Platelet aggregation and the acute thrombotic response to injury in vivo did not differ between Plt.TGFβ-KO and Plt.TGFβ-WT mice. Morphometric analysis revealed that absence of TGFβ1 in platelets resulted in a significant reduction of neointima formation with lower neointima area, intima-to-media ratio, and lumen stenosis. On the other hand, the media area was enlarged in mice lacking TGFβ1 in platelets and contained increased amounts of proteases involved in latent TGFβ activation, including MMP2, MMP9 and thrombin. Significantly increased numbers of proliferating cells and cells expressing the mesenchymal markers platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β or fibroblast-specific protein-1, and the macrophage antigen F4/80, were observed in the media of Plt.TGFβ-KO mice, whereas the medial smooth muscle-actin-immuno-positive area and collagen content did not differ between genotypes. Our findings support an essential role for platelet-derived TGFβ1 for the vascular remodelling response to arterial injury, apparently independent from the role of platelets in thrombosis or haemostasis.

Supplementary Material to this article is available online at www.thrombosis-online.com.
A new species of lizard of the L. wiegmannii group (Iguania: Liolaemidae) from the Uruguayan Savanna
Authors: VERRASTRO LAURA , MANEYRO RAÚL , SILVA CAROLINE M. DA , FARIAS IRAIA
Published: July 2017

Lizards of the Liolaemus wiegmannii group comprise 11 species that are widely distributed east of the Andes, occurring in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. Here we analyzed a population of the genus Liolaemus, found in the Pampa region of Uruguay, on isolated sand dunes along the Tacuarembó River. We conducted biometric, meristic, and genetic comparisons between this population and other populations of L. weigmannii from Argentina and Uruguay, and the other species of the L. weigmannii complex. Our morphological and genetic analyses showed that this population represents to a new species of the genus Liolaemus, belonging to the L. wiegmannii group. To date, its known distribution is extremely restricted.
Precipitation Characteristics over East Asia in Early Summer: Effects of the Subtropical Jet and Lower-Tropospheric Convective Instability
Authors: Yokoyama Chie , Takayabu Yukari N. , Horinouchi Takeshi
Published: July 2017

A quasi-stationary front, called the baiu front, often appears during the early-summer rainy season in East Asia (baiu in Japan). The present study examines how precipitation characteristics during the baiu season are determined by the large-scale environment, using satellite observation three-dimensional precipitation data. Emphasis is placed on the effect of subtropical jet (STJ) and lower-tropospheric convective instability (LCI).

A rainband appears together with a deep moisture convergence to the south of the STJ. Two types of mesoscale rainfall events (REs; contiguous rainfall areas), which are grouped by the stratiform precipitation ratio (SPR; stratiform precipitation over total precipitation), are identified: moderately stratiform REs (SPR of 0%–80%) representing tropical organized precipitation systems and highly stratiform REs (SPR of 80%–100%) representing midlatitude precipitation systems associated with extratropical cyclones. As the STJ becomes strong, rainfall from both types of mesoscale precipitation systems increases, with a distinct eastward extension of a midtropospheric moist region. In contrast, small systems appear regardless of the STJ, with high dependency on the LCI.

The results indicate that the STJ plays a role in moistening the midtroposphere owing to ascent associated with secondary circulation to the south of the STJ, producing environments favorable for organized precipitation systems in the southern part of the rainband. The horizontal moisture flux convergence may also contribute to precipitation just along the STJ. On the other hand, the LCI plays a role in generating shallow convection. In high-LCI conditions, deep convection can occur without the aid of mesoscale organization.
Weakening of the Tropical Atmospheric Circulation Response to Local Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies under Global Warming
Authors: Huang Ping , Chen Dong , Ying Jun
Published: July 2017

In the tropics, the atmospheric circulation response to sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies is a crucial part of the tropical air–sea interaction—the primary process of tropical climate. How it will change under global warming is of great importance to tropical climate change. Here, it is shown that the atmospheric vertical circulation response to local SST anomalies will likely be weakened under global warming using 28 selected models from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project. The weakening of the circulation response to SST anomalies is closely tied to the increased atmospheric stability under global warming, which increases at the same rate as the circulation response decreases—around 8% for 1 K of tropical-mean SST warming. The spatial pattern of background warming can modify—especially in the equatorial central-eastern Pacific—the spatial distribution of the changes in the circulation response. The atmospheric response to SST anomalies may increase where the local background warming is pronouncedly greater than the tropical mean. The general weakening of the atmospheric circulation response to SST anomalies leads to a decreased circulation response to the structured variability of tropical SST anomalies, such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation and the Indian Ocean dipole. The decreased circulation response will offset some of the enhancement of the tropical rainfall response to these SST modes as a result of global-warming-induced moisture increase and also implies a decreased amplitude of the tropical air–sea interaction modes.
Multifractal Analysis of Snowfall Recorded Using a 2D Video Disdrometer
Authors: Raupach Timothy H. , Gires Auguste , Tchiguirinskaia Ioulia , Schertzer Daniel , Berne Alexis
Published: July 2017

Universal multifractal (UM) analysis was used to investigate the scaling properties of snowfall at high temporal and spatial resolutions. Snowfall data were recorded using a 2D video disdrometer (2DVD) in the Swiss Alps. Six 1-h-long periods of snowfall, half in calm and half in light wind conditions, were selected for analysis. UM analysis was performed on reconstructed 35-m vertical columns of snowfall structure, snowfall time series at 100-ms resolution, and two-dimensional snowflake accumulation maps over a 5.12 5.12 cm2 area. Multifractal scaling was observed for the vertical structure of snow particle number concentration, for scales between about 35 and 4.4 m, and sometimes down to about 0.5 m. At smaller scales, no scaling was observed. In high-resolution time series of snowfall, evidence of scaling was found for scales between about 7 min and ~26 s in most of the analyzed hours. Snowflake accumulations within a subset of the small sampling area of the 2DVD showed no scaling properties, suggesting homogeneous structure in snowfall at the very small (~5 cm) scale, which agrees with the results for vertical structure and time series.
Estimating Forecast Error Covariances for Strongly Coupled Atmosphere–Ocean 4D-Var Data Assimilation
Authors: Smith Polly J. , Lawless Amos S. , Nichols Nancy K.
Published: July 2017

Strongly coupled data assimilation emulates the real-world pairing of the atmosphere and ocean by solving the assimilation problem in terms of a single combined atmosphere–ocean state. A significant challenge in strongly coupled variational atmosphere–ocean data assimilation is a priori specification of the cross covariances between the errors in the atmosphere and ocean model forecasts. These covariances must capture the correct physical structure of interactions across the air–sea interface as well as the different scales of evolution in the atmosphere and ocean; if prescribed correctly, they will allow observations in one medium to improve the analysis in the other. Here, the nature and structure of atmosphere–ocean forecast error cross correlations are investigated using an idealized strongly coupled single-column atmosphere–ocean 4D-Var assimilation system. Results are presented from a set of identical twin–type experiments that use an ensemble of coupled 4D-Var assimilations to derive estimates of the atmosphere–ocean error cross correlations. The results show significant variation in the strength and structure of cross correlations in the atmosphere–ocean boundary layer between summer and winter and between day and night. These differences provide a valuable insight into the nature of coupled atmosphere–ocean correlations for different seasons and points in the diurnal cycle.
A Fetch-Based Statistical Method to Bias Correct and Downscale Wind Speed over Unresolved Water Bodies
Authors: Holman Bryan P. , Lazarus Steven M. , Splitt Michael E.
Published: July 2017

This paper presents a method to bias correct and downscale wind speed over water bodies that are unresolved by numerical weather prediction (NWP) models and analyses. The dependency of wind speeds over water bodies to fetch length is investigated as a predictor of model wind speed error. Because model bias is found to be related to the forecast wind direction, a statistical method that uses the forecast fetch to remove wind speed bias is developed and tested. The method estimates wind speed bias using recent forecast errors from similar stations (i.e., those with comparable fetch lengths). As a result, the bias correction is not tied to local observations but instead to locations with similar land–water characteristics. Thus, it can also be used to downscale wind fields over inland and coastal water bodies. The fetch method is compared to four reference bias correction methods using one year’s worth of wind speed output from three NWP analyses in Florida. The fetch method yields a bias error near zero and results in a reduction of the mean absolute error that is comparable to the reference methods. The fetch method is then used to bias correct and downscale a coarse analysis to 500-m grid spacing over a coastal estuary in central Florida.
Probing the Sulfur-Modified Capping Layer of Gold Nanoparticles Using Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) Effects
Authors: Prado Adilson R. , Souza Danilo Oliveira de , Oliveira Jairo P. , Pereira Rayssa H.A. , Guimarães Marco C.C. , Nogueira Breno V. , Dixini Pedro V. , Ribeiro Moisés R.N. , Pontes Maria J.
Published: July 2017

Gold nanoparticles (AuNP) exhibit particular plasmonic properties when stimulated by visible light, which makes them a promising tool to many applications in sensor technology and biomedical applications, especially when associated to sulfur-based compounds. Sulfur species form a great variety of self-assembled structures that cap AuNP and this interaction rules the optical and plasmonic properties of the system. Here, we report the behavior of citrate-stabilized gold nanospheres in two distinct sulfur colloidal solutions, namely, thiocyanate and sulfide ionic solutions. Citrate-capped gold nanospheres were characterized using ultraviolet–visible (UV-Vis) absorption, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). In the presence of sulfur species, we have observed the formation of NP clusters and chain-like structures, giving rise to surface-enhanced effects. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) pointed to a modification in citrate vibrational modes, which suggests substitution of citrate by either thiocyanate or sulfide ions with distinct dynamics, as showed by in situ fluorescence. Moreover, we report the emergence of surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA) effect, which corroborates SERS conclusions. Further, SEIRA shows a great potential as a tool for specification of sulfur compounds in colloidal solutions, which is particularly useful when dealing with sensor technology.
Procalcitonin to Detect Bacterial Infections in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients
Authors: Jacobs David M. , Holsen Maya , Chen Shirley , Fusco Nicholas M. , Hassinger Amanda B.
Published: July 2017

The diagnostic power of procalcitonin (PCT) in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is uncertain. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic ability of PCT to detect serious bacterial infections (SBI) in a heterogeneous PICU population. This was a retrospective cohort study of patients on whom a PCT level was obtained within 48 hours of admission to a PICU from 2013 to 2015. Discriminatory ability of PCT to predict SBI was examined by test and receiver operating characteristics (AUC [area under the curve]-ROC). Seventy-five patients were included and 28 (37%) had an SBI (median PCT = 6.48 ng/mL) compared with 47 (63%) in the noninfection group (median PCT = 0.23 ng/mL, P < .0001). PCT was able to adequately predict SBI (AUC-ROC = 0.83, 95% CI 0.74-0.93; P < .0001), and a PCT ≥1.28 ng/mL was the optimal threshold to detect SBI with a positive predictive value of 76.7% and negative predictive value of 88.9%. PCT adequately predicted SBI in a heterogeneous PICU population and may be useful for minimizing antibiotic consumption.
Icelandic Security Policy: Context and Trends
Authors: Gunnarsson Gunnar
Published: July 2017

Iceland holds a central position in the Greenland–Iceland–United Kingdom gap (GIUK gap), which constitutes a choke point through which naval transit routes in and out of the Norwegian Sea must necessarily lie. Situated between the American and European continents, Iceland constitutes a ‘bridgehead’ from which support or reinforcement by short-range aircraft from the U.S. can be provided. This article first analyzes the GIUK gap and its role in U.S. and Soviet naval strategy and concludes that changes in Soviet naval strategy imply diminished importance for the GIUK gap. The second part of the article analyzes general characteristics of Iceland's security policy. While there is no realistic alternative to Iceland's NATO membership, the U.S. base in Keflavík has been highly controversial. The perceived cultural impact of the American presence in Iceland has always been a major focus of the political controversy on security policy, whereas the military aspect has been less prevalent until recent years. Iceland's position in NATO has characteristically been a detached one. Icelandic efforts to establish research and expertise in the security field as well as the trend towards increased politicization of the military aspects of security policy are discussed in the concluding part of the article.
Pirandello traduttore di se stesso: Due liriche inedite in tedesco da Pasqua di Gea
Authors: Faustini Giuseppe
Published: July 2017

In questo studio l’autore mette in luce due liriche in tedesco dal quadernetto inedito Gedanken (1890) (Pensieri) di Luigi Pirandello che il neolaureato dalla Rheinische Friedrich–Wilhelms–Universität di Bonn lasciò alla sua cara e dolce Jenny Schulz Lander, cui il poeta dedicò la raccolta Pasqua di Gea e varie liriche delle Elegie renane (1889–1890). Pirandello traduce in tedesco le sue poesie, compiute e incompiute: la maggior parte delle traduzioni sono tratte dalla raccolta palermitana Mal giocondo e dalla raccolta, allora in fieri, Pasqua di Gea. Queste due liriche in tedesco, Pasqua di Gea IV (poi indicata come la XII) e Grossmütterchen (poi Pasqua di Gea X), sono per lo studente poeta delle prove linguistiche, un addestramento scolastico preparatorio per affrontare le lezioni di filologia romanza all’Università di Bonn. Jenny vi compare come la donna che risveglia in lui l’amore e la passione per l’arte. Per Pirandello, Jenny è la dea della primavera che gli ravviva lo spirito e i sentimenti, ma che tuttavia lentamente diventa simbolo del freddo e del gelo nordico. Queste traduzioni accompagnarono la giovane per tutta la vita.
Systems-Ergonomic Approaches to Design and Operation of Today's Railroads
Authors: Iiyama Yuh
Published: July 2017

This paper describes the systems-ergonomic approaches which have contributed to the design and operation of the Shinkansen and mass-transport narrow gauge railroad lines operated by the Japanese National Railways (JNR). According to the JNR's research and operational results, man-machine matching at component levels is not sufficient in large complex man-machine systems. Of importance are the recognition of the hierarchy in man-machine matching and system design based on this recognition, the philosophy of analyzing man's involvement with the system functions and assigning roles to man, and thorough ergonomic study of the information system governing the system activities.
Promoting Increased Use of Ear Protectors in Noise Through Information Feedback
Authors: Zohar Dov , Cohen Alexander , Azar Naomi
Published: July 2017

Workers in a noisy department of a metal fabrication plant took hearing tests before and at the end of their workshifts to ascertain the extent of temporary hearing losses that occurred with and without earplugs being worn. This information was fed back to individual workers as a means for motivating greater use of ear protectors issued for hearing conservation purposes. Subsequent observations of earplug users in this department for 5 months showed a steady increase, attaining a level of 85 -90%. No more than 10% of the workers in another noisy department in the same plant, serving as a control group, wore earplugs over the same 5-month period after being given a standard lecture on hearing conservation in noise, later augmented by disciplinary threats. The effectiveness of the feedback technique in promoting earplug usage was explained as a two-stage process involving individual reinforcement, and subsequent group adoption of new norms for accepted behavior.
Transfer of Landing Skill after Training with Supplementary Visual Cues
Authors: Lintern Gavan
Published: July 2017

An aircraft simulator, with a closed-loop computer-generated visual display, was used to teach flight-naive subjects to land. A control training condition in which subjects learned to land with reference to a skeletal airport scene consisting of a horizon, runway, centerline, and aiming bar was tested against training with constantly augmented feedback, adaptively augmented feedback, and a flightpath tracking display. A simulator-to-simulator adaptively of training design showed that adaptively trained subjects performed best in a transfer task that was identical to the control group's training condition. Several subjects attempted six landings in a light airplane after they had completed their experimental work in the simulator. They performed better than another group of subjects that had not had any landing practice in the simulator.
Effect of Prior Knowledge of Signal Probabilities on Vigilance Performance at a Two-Signal Task
Authors: Craig Angus
Published: July 2017

Forty-eight subjects each performed for 1 hr on a visual vigilance task with two kinds of signal which differed in conspicuity and also in probability of occurrence. Prior to testing, 24 subjects were explicitly informed of the signal probabilities (0.05 and 0.15); the remaining 24 were not. Results indicate that the prior knowledge tends to eliminate or reduce the extent of the within-session criterion shift and, hence, to stabilize performance over the session. Even with this multiple-signal task, the findings offer support for the hypothesis that, in vigilance, the familiar within-session decline is primarily dependent on an initial disparity between the rate at which signals are presented and the rate with which affirmative responses are made and that subjects adapt their rate of affirmative responding to reduce this disparity. As predicted, the initial disparity tended to be greater for the lower signal probability and to be reduced by the prior information. By the end of the session, the aggregate affirmative response rate closely matched the aggregate signal rate of 0.20 (0.05 + 0.15), but there was some indication that subjects were unable to maintain the objective separation between the two signal rates, so that the differential response rates were more similar than the matching hypothesis predicts.
Midair Collisions: The Accidents, the Systems, and the Realpolitik
Authors: Wiener Earl L.
Published: July 2017

In 1977, two jumbo jets collided on the runway at Tenerife, Canary Islands. A year later, there were two spectacular midair collisions, one at Memphis and, shortly after, one at San Diego. These accidents have called into question the adequacy of air traffic control systems and have revealed numerous design problems that can lead to human error. Following the San Diego collision in September, 1978, involving an air carrier Boeing 727 and a Cessna /72, there was a hue and cry to "do something." Among the many proposed solutions were tighter control on visual flight rules aircraft and expansion of the positive control airspace. This resulted in a political battle involving general aviation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Congress. This paper examines collisions from a human factors perspective, seeing them as system-induced errors, resulting from an air traffic control system that emphasizes airspace allocation and political compromise, rather than dealing directly with the various problems facing controllers and pilots operating within the National Airspace System.
Air Traffic Control Problems: A Pilot's View
Authors: Fowler Frank D.
Published: July 2017

Specific examples of crashes and near midair collisions are used to identify existing and potential human error sources. System-induced human errors caused by radar and information-processing limitations, inadequate communication capabilities, and Federal Aviation Administration policy decisions are discussed. An overall reconsideration of human error analysis and prevention is proposed.
Predicting Search Performance for Multiple Targets
Authors: Morawski T. , Drury C. G. , Karwan M. H.
Published: July 2017

Performance in a visual search task is usually measured by the cumulative probability of locating a target, F(t), in a given time (t). Two extreme F(t) against (t) relationships have been postulated, one assuming that search is random, and the other assuming that search is systematic. However, these relationships have only been available for the situation in which each search field contains a single occurrence of a single type of target. This paper extends both search models (random and systematic) first to the case of multiple occurrences of a single fault type within a search field and second to the case of multiple fault types. For systematic search, these two cases can be combined to predict the effects of multiple occurrences of multiple fault types. The general F(t) relationships are given in each case and illustrated with a worked example.
The Effects of Various Design Alternatives on Moving-Base Driving Simulator Discomfort
Authors: Casali John G. , Wierwille Walter W.
Published: July 2017

The effects of three independent variables on eight measures of driving simulator discomfort were investigated using a high-fidelity, moving-base driving simulator. The between-subjects simulator variables were: (1) simulation of lateral acceleration (LAT)—by lateral translation (standard method) versus by angular rotation; (2) presence or absence of delay in the visual and motion systems (DEL)—nondelayed (normal) versus delayed; and (3) simulator platform (CAB)—open (normal) versus enclosed.

Sixty-four subjects were divided into eight groups, each group having equally distributed scores on a test of field independence-dependence. Each group was then assigned to one of the eight simulator conditions.

After subjects drove the simulator, a multivariate analysis of variance was performed on the data and resulted in significance for each main effect and the LAT x DEL interaction. Subsequent analyses demonstrated that dependent measures of pallor, skin resistance, respiration rate, yaw deviation, and steering reversals were each reliably sensitive to at least one of the simulator independent variables. It is concluded that future simulator designs should avoid: rotation of the platform to simulate translation, delay in the system dynamics, and complete enclosure of subjects.
A Radiation and Industrial Hygiene Survey of Video Display Terminal Operations
Authors: Murray William E. , Moss C. Eugene , Parr Wordie H. , Cox Clinton
Published: July 2017

Radiation surveys were performed on 136 terminals of some 530 in use at three different sites. Researchers measured both ionizing and nonionizing radiation. In the industrial hygiene survey, samples of workroom air were analyzed to determine worker exposure to selected airborne chemical contaminants. The results of these tests demonstrated that the VDT operators included in this investigation were not exposed to hazardous levels of radiation or chemical agents.
Aging and Pretraining in Industrial Inspection
Authors: Czaja S. J. , Drury C. G.
Published: July 2017

Learning-to-learn skills were hypothesized as reasons for poorer learning performance by older workers. To test this on a complex, simulated industrial inspection task, 84 subjects in three age groups were trained for the task. Half received restraining on organization of memory material and on size discrimination using tasks not directly related to the inspection task. Inspection speed decreased with age while errors increased. Pretraining reduced size discrimination errors and decision errors, having a larger effect than the age decrement and a consistent effect across age groups. There was no interaction between pretraining and the type (active or passive) of task training scheme used to train for the inspection task. It is concluded that intervention by pretraining and by the use of active training can improve the employability of older workers by removing the perceived barrier of their trainability.
Formatting, Message Load, Sequencing Method, and Presentation Rate for Computer-Generated Displays
Authors: Huchingson R. D. , Williams R. D. , Reid T. G. , Dudek C. L.
Published: July 2017

The Work reported systematically examined four types of formatting (vertical, compact, chunk extended, and message extended), three levels of message load (two, four, and six units), four methods of sequencing (chunk, line, words, and unsequenced) and three presentation rates (0.25, 0.5, and 1.00 s/word). The first study was a repeated-measures design, in which 32 subjects were given all combinations of format and sequencing. From this initial study, one combination of format and sequence was selected for further study. The second study examined the compact chunk presentation for the three levels of message load and for three exposure rates. Recommendations are made for the optimal dynamic presentation of messages on computer-generated displays given limited viewing time.
Imaging Infrared Ship Target Acquisition Studies
Authors: Mocharnuk John B. , Gaudio Darrel F. , Suwe Connie L.
Published: July 2017

Three studies illustrated the iterative interaction of laboratory research in the system design process. They focused on operator performance in an imaging infrared ship target acquisition system. Ship type, display contrast, ship orientation, and video bandwidth had significant effects on operator performance, whereas video frame rate yielded a flat function. These results were discussed in the context of a distinction between informational and image quality effects on target acquisition performance. A basis in part-task simulation for estimating times to perform component tasks was also established.
Grammatical Reasoning: A Stable Performance Yardstick
Authors: Carter Robert C. , Kennedy Robert S. , Bittner Alvah C.
Published: July 2017

A grammatical reasoning test was evaluated in a repeated-measures paradigm, using subjects as their own controls. Twenty-three subjects took the test on 15 consecutive workdays in a standard environment. Test scores were evaluated for temporal stability of the daily means, variances, and intertrial correlations. These criteria are related to assumptions of repeated-measures analysis of variance, interpretation of environmental studies, measurement of ability, and subjects' motivation to perform the test repeatedly. On the basis of these considerations, the grammatical reasoning test is an excellent performance test for repeated measurement. After only four trials of practice, the means increase linearly, the variances are constant, and the intertrial correlations are large and unchanging. Stable intertrial correlations indicate that the grammatical reasoning test measures the same thing on each of many repeated trials.