bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cultivo de Bambú como Recurso Natural Renovable para la Reforestación en la Quebrada Echeverría
Authors: López Salazar Mariela del Carmen
Published: January 2018

La investigación tiene como objetivo, el cultivo del Bambú, la reforestación para la recuperación de la quebrada Echeverría, parroquia Manuel Palacio Fajardo del municipio Barinas, Estado Barinas, dirigido a los habitantes de la comunidad del sector la Caramuca. La metodología es de naturaleza cualitativa en la que se destaca la investigación acción participativa, como vía para acceder a las características particulares del tema de estudio, se enfoca en cinco (5) fases de investigación: puesta en práctica  a partir tres planos de experiencias, es decir tres (3) habitantes de la comunidad;  a mayoría de ellos conocen las consecuencias que se traen a la práctica las técnicas de recolección de los información estarán representada por la observación y la entrevista. Análisis de información por categorización, triangulación de fuente e interpretación. En tal sentido se recomienda realizar actividades prácticas de conservación ambiental, para desarrollar actividades del cultivo del bambú donde se desarrolla prácticas educativas acerca de la conservación y reforestación de esta cuenca.
Material Didáctico Complementario para el Aprendizaje de la Unidad Curricular Mecánica Racional 10
Authors: Salas Velázquez Pedro Arístides , Montilla Dávila Milagro Yesenia , Alarcón Domingo Alberto
Published: January 2018

La elaboración del siguiente proyecto educativo inicia con el diagnóstico de las causas del bajo rendimiento de los estudiantes del Núcleo Universitario Alberto Adriani en el estudio de la unidad curricular Mecánica Racional 10. Estas causas fueron determinadas por el investigador a través de una serie de encuestas no estructuras a sus estudiantes durante tres semestres consecutivos. Mediante las diferentes técnicas existentes para la enseñanza y el aprendizaje (tales como la aplicación de la teoría cognitivista, la influencia del paradigma histórico-social en el cual se desenvuelve el estudiante, la aplicación del método inductivo y las diversas estrategias actuales de aprendizaje), se obtuvo una compilación digital de los temas considerados. La asignatura consta de seis unidades de aprendizaje, para cada una de las cuales se desarrollaron los siguientes aspectos: introducción al tema, objetivos formativos que debe aprobar el estudiante, presentación de ejemplos de situaciones reales para mejorar su compresión, breve explicación teórica, elaboración de ejercicios propuestos para ser desarrollados en el salón de clases y en las horas de estudio, referencias bibliográficas y/o electrónicas para consultas fuera del aula de clase.
La Gerencia Avanzada en el Proceso de Investigación Científica Universitaria
Authors: Figueredo Álvarez Carlos Argimiro
Published: January 2018

Es propósito de este ensayo, luego del análisis de las ideas propuestas por diferentes autores mencionados a lo largo del texto, es presentar a la comunidad científica e interesados en la temática, reflexiones sobre el desempeño cotidiano de los investigadores universitarios y su visión gerencial. Los investigadores no sólo deben fortalecer sus competencias en lo metodológico, también es necesario la formación y actuación con pensamiento gerencial, en la medida que haya una aceptación y comprensión del proceso investigativo como una acción gerencial, en esa misma medida la respuesta a la sociedad será mucho más acertada y pertinente, toda vez que se habrán conjugado diferentes e importantes fortalezas que en efecto sinérgico, harán del  acto investigativo y sus resultados una categoría fenomenológica y social de avanzada.
Visión Formativa de la Metodología Cuantitativa en Educación
Authors: Prieto Rivero Neolany María
Published: January 2018

La intencionalidad del presente ensayo, es precisar implicaciones epistémicas concernientes a una visión formativa de la metodología cuantitativa en el contexto de las ciencias educativas. En él, se ofrece un análisis que considera los elementos que integran su caracterización, tales como naturaleza, tipo y diseño de investigación, hipótesis, sistema de variable, técnicas e instrumentos de recolección de datos, validez y confiabilidad de un estudio orientado en dicho enfoque. Para ello, realicé una revisión bibliográfica para fundamentar su desarrollo y explicar de manera figurativa cada uno de los aspectos antes mencionados. Dicho enfoque, aplicado a una investigación científica refiere los procedimientos a seguir para dar respuesta a un problema a través de los objetivos planteados, en consonancia con la concepción ontológica, epistemológica y praxeológica de las prácticas sociales-discursivas de la actualidad. Todo ello, me permitió concluir que es tan importante incorporar todos los elementos que requiere el marco metodológico de toda investigación, como la pertinencia de la elección de todos y cada uno de ellos, atendiendo a la coherencia exigida en el paradigma asumido. En consecuencia, se debe ser cuidadoso para no entrar en contrariedades ni arbitrariedades que entorpezcan la culminación del trabajo, al confundir los términos empleados en el mismo.
Las Neurociencias Vs Vitalogía Paradigmas Emergentes en la Gerencia del Milenio
Authors: Garcia Betancourt Rosa Virginia
Published: January 2018

El presente ensayo es un constructo teórico de la investigación en curso denominada: Vitalogia y neurociencias como paradigma emergente para las organizaciones inteligentes, caso sector salud, esto como aporte a las innovaciones de herramientas de liderazgo para el siglo XXI, en dicha investigación se diseñará un modelo abierto y humanista que integra las visiones, de la vitología como disciplina que se encarga del estudio de las leyes de la vida, mientras las neurociencias cuya disciplina estudia la organización del cerebro desde el abordaje de los factores biológicos, psicológicos y sociales. Donde ambas visiones den un aporte a los paradigmas emergentes en la gerencia. Hoy las organizaciones miran la realidad en búsqueda de mejorar el liderazgo, las ideas, las experiencias, las expectativas, las emociones y las actitudes de gerentes, empleados y clientes. De allí. que toda gerencia con liderazgo, en este caso en el área de la salud sus percepciones tienen una versión propia de la realidad, donde la dinámica interna es un paradigma emergente, que registra emociones y gestiona experiencias, bajo una visión sincrónica de la realidad y la dinámica del contexto. En él presente ensayo se ampliará el constructo teórico en lo referente a los temas de: vitalogía, neurociencias, neuromanagenment, paradigmas emergentes.
Estrategias Didácticas para mejorar la Lectura y la Escritura
Authors: Castellanos Santiago Elide del Rosario , Castro Capitillo Javier José
Published: January 2018

La importancia del presente artículo radica en que intenta reflexionar acerca degenerar orientaciones teóricas sobre estrategias didácticas para mejorar la lectoescritura en los estudiantes de la escuela Mercedes Díaz de la parroquia Sabana de Mendoza, municipio Sucre, estado Trujillo. Metodológicamente, la investigación fue de carácter documental, descriptiva, sustentada con los postulados de Lev Vygotsky (1993), Piaget (1978) y Emilia Ferreiro (2000), Ortiz, (2008) Flower y Hayes (2009). Los resultados obtenidos evidenciaron la participación efectiva por parte de los docentes y el compromiso adquirido a través del manejo y aplicación de las estrategias didácticas de lectura y escritura que pueden favorecer el aprendizaje del sujeto que aprende.
La Eficacia Publicitaria en las Campañas de Prevención para la Seguridad Vial
Authors: Serrano Cordero Julia Catalina , Arévalo Peña José David
Published: January 2018

Este artículo aborda la importancia de los procesos de evaluación de los resultados en las campañas de educación y seguridad vial, éstos, si bien, han alcanzado notables progresos en la praxis, evidencian una falta de información en cuanto a la pertinencia e idoneidad de las herramientas de comunicación en prevención. El objetivo fue validar una campaña de educación y seguridad vial implementada por la Empresa Municipal de Tránsito y Transporte de la ciudad de Cuenca (Ecuador), en el año 2014, para lo cual se usaron técnicas cualitativas y cuantitativas, escogiendo una muestra probabilística estratificada de 304 universitarios, (edad: 15-39). Los instrumentos de recolección de datos fueron: grupo focal, cuestionario y registros estadísticos, se interpretaron mediante el análisis de contenido y la estadística descriptiva. Los hallazgos indican que la percepción más frecuente acerca de las causas de los accidentes es: consumo de alcohol, exceso de velocidad, uso del celular. Asimismo, la campaña “Mejor Prevenir” obtuvo un nivel de reconocimiento generalizado, siendo los más jóvenes quienes recibieron mayor influencia de su contenido comunicacional. Resultados que corroboran que los métodos de motivación y persuasión sí inciden en los cambios de actitud, lo que influye en la transformación hacia una cultura de la prevención vial.
Descriptive Study Analyzing Medical and Surgical Methods of Terminating First Trimester Pregnancy
Authors: Raut Bhaktabatsal , Acharya Shreedhar
Published: January 2018

INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted to analyze the medical and surgical methods of first trimester of pregnancy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A hospital based retrospective study done at Lumbini Zonal Hospital, Butwal over the period of one year, where all the women who had first trimester abortion services were analyzed. Age, parity, education status, failure rates and post abortion contraception were analyzed.RESULTS: There were total of 478 women who had abortion services, of which 244 women had medical method of abortion. Among them 4.89% were teenagers and 11.29% were primigravida and 6.9% were uneducated. The failure rate for medical method was 9% and for surgical method was 1.7%. Most women at their post abortion period asked for condoms, followed by DMPA, IUD and OCP as a method of contraception.CONCLUSION: Failure rate of medical method was high and acceptance of long acting post abortion contraception was low.Journal of Universal College of Medical Sciences (2016) Vol.04 No.01 Issue 13, page: 1-5
Dyslipidemia in Patients With Active Rheumatic Disease
Authors: Vaidya Binit , Bhochhibhoya Manisha
Published: January 2018

INTRODUCTION: Rheumatic diseases have been found to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and dyslipidemia. Constant state of inflammation among patients with active rheumatic diseases predispose to endothelial damage leading to increased risk of dyslipidemia and CVD. Dyslipidemias are being increasingly recognized as an important contributory factor towards the development of CVD and also the leading cause of death in various autoimmune diseases. We aim to study the prevalence and pattern of dyslipidemia in these patients.MATERIALS & METHODS: Consecutive patients with active rheumatic disease of >3months duration and fibromyalgia attending rheumatology OPD were included from January 2013 to January 2014. Patients with diabetes, hypertension, hypothyroidism, CAD, CKD and those on statin or fibrates were excluded. Activity was determined by clinical features, ESR and CRP levels. Data were collected on predesigned excel sheet including fasting lipid profile.RESULTS: A total of 560 patients were enrolled (RA-255, SLE-70, other-45, FMS-190). Any form of dyslipidemia was found in 75.9% of patients. Isolated raised triglyceride >300mg/dl was seen in 178 (41.9%) of them, whereas LDL>120mg/dl was seen 235(55.3%) of patients (23.7% had LDL>200). Almost all patients (98.7%) had LDL:HDL ratio of >2.5. Dyslipidemia was seen in 86 (45.2%) patients with fibromyalgia but none of them had LDL>120 mg/dl.CONCLUSION: Patients with active rheumatic disease are likely to have significant dyslipidemia which can contribute to excess cardiovascular mortality in these patients. Early identification and correction of significant lipid abnormalities may help to reduce the morbidity and mortality in these patients.Journal of Universal College of Medical Sciences (2016) Vol.04 No.01 Issue 13, page: 6-9
Minimal Invasive Dynamic Hip Screw Fixation for Intertrochanteric Fractures of Femur
Authors: Kandel Prakriti Raj , Pathak Laxmi , Singh Gyaneshwar Prasad , Baral Rajiv
Published: January 2018

INTRODUCTION: Good results have been achieved consistently with compression hip screw fixation for stable intertrochanteric femur fractures by conventional method. Thus, this present study was conducted to find out the outcomes for such hip fracture fixation with minimal invasive technique. MATERIALS AND METHOD: This retrospective study was carried out by collecting the records of 66 adult patients with stable intertrochanteric femur fracture managed by Dynamic Hip Screw (DHS) fixation with minimal invasive technique under Spinal Anaesthesia and Epidural Analgesia in Universal College of Medical Sciences and Teaching Hospital (UCMSTH) over a period of 3 years. The patients were in follow up visits for 1 year postoperatively. Operating time, blood loss, decrease in haemoglobin level, analgesic demand, length of hospital stay, fracture union time, early and delayed complications and functional outcome were recorded. RESULTS: This study showed less operative time, less blood loss and less reduction in mean haemoglobin value postoperatively when compared with baseline values. Though complications like pain, stitch infection at surgical site and UTI was seen in few patients, all patients were mobilized within 2nd postoperative day with less rescue analgesic demand and shorter duration of hospital stay of only 8.23 days. However, plate breakage, nonunion, implant cut out, joint infection, delayed union and varus deformity was not observed in any of these patients. Moreover, Harris Hip Score showed good functional outcome.CONCLUSION: Fixation of DHS with minimal invasive technique for stable hip fracture has good functional outcome in cost effective way with fewer incidences of complications.Journal of Universal College of Medical Sciences (2016) Vol.04 No.01 Issue 13, Page: 26-31
Variant Termination of The Right Testicular Vein A Case Report
Authors: Syed Abdi HM , Sah Sanjay
Published: January 2018

This case report pertains to a variant termination of the right testicular vein into a large lower tributary of the right renal vein, instead of opening into the inferior vena cava. Since the lower vein in which the right testicular vein opened did not join the inferior vena cava directly, therefore there is no real duplication of the right renal vein which has been found in some previous case reports. The right renal vein had its normal termination into the inferior vena cava. Embryological explanation of the anomalous termination of the right testicular vein has been given.Journal of Universal College of Medical Sciences (2016) Vol.04 No.01 Issue 13, Page: 36-37
The Use of Weighted Adjacency Matrix for Searching Optimal Transportation Routes
Authors: Antoš Karel
Published: January 2018

This article provides a new approach to searching solutions of the ship transport optimalization problems. It brings a new variant of one algorithm of searching for the Minimum Spanning Tree. The new element in the algorithm is that it uses the Weighted Adjacency Matrix. This Weighted Adjacency Matrix is suitable for searching for the Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) of the graph. It shows how it could be used in cases where weighted edges of the graph are given. This creates a new procedure of searching for the MST of the graph and completes previously known algorithms of searching for the MST. In the field of transportation it could be succesfully used for solutions of optimizing transportation routes where smallest costs are wanted. Proposed Weighted Adjacency Matrix could be used in similar issues in the field of the graph theory, where graphs with weighted edges are given. The procedure is shown on the attached example.
Prerequisites for Further Deploying ITS Systems: The Case of Greece
Authors: Iordanopoulos Panagiotis , Mitsakis Evangelos , Chalkiadakis Charis
Published: January 2018

The deployment of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) is a strategic decision for the European Union (EU). Through the integration of ITS in their transportation national strategy, the EU Member States can move decisively towards the achievement of the targets that have been set for a cleaner, safer and more efficient transport system. Moreover, the adoption of systems and services, that have been developed in other countries, and their induction in the national ITS frameworks can facilitate the interoperable and coordinated deployment of ITS and ensure the effort for the targets’ achievement. This paper examines the possibilities of transferring in Greece the knowledge gained by three systems which have been developed in other three South East Europe (SEE) countries and defines guidelines for their future deployment in Greece.
Physiological changes and shelf life of mango (Mangifera indica L.) Influenced by post harvest treatments
Authors: Hoque MI , Chowhan S , Kamruzzaman M
Published: January 2018

The experiment examined the efficacy of various post harvest treatments namely control, hot water treatment, thin plastic film, chlorinated water, neem extract and garlic extract on shelf life and quality of mango. Parameters studied were colour, firmness, disease severity, disease incidence, total soluble solids, total weight loss, moisture content, dry matter and shelf life of mango. The longest shelf life of 15.41 days was found in mango fruits wrapped with thin plastic film.SAARC J. Agri., 15(2): 219-226 (2017)
Buffaloes for dairying in South Asia: potential, challenges and way forward
Authors: Siddiky MNA , Faruque MO
Published: January 2018

Buffalo is considered the dairy animal for 21st century due to its higher adaptability and productivity in the changing climatic conditions. There is a large diversity in the buffalo genetic resources and South Asia is home of high yielding source promising buffalo breed of Murrah and Nail Ravi. South Asia is inhabitant of 151.49 million buffalo populations out of 194.29 million of global populations. Besides, about 79.74 % of Asia and 77.9 % of world buffalo populations are inhabitant in South Asian countries. During the last decade, the world buffalo population has been increased by approximately 1.49% annually. South Asia is currently producing 100.74 million metric tons of buffalo milk which is about 96.05 % of Asia and 93.19 % of world buffalo milk production. The share of buffalo milk is around 51.07% of the total milk production of the South Asia. The contribution of buffalo milk in India, Nepal and Pakistan are 51.2%, 66.6% and 59.5% respectively in total milk production. Among the South Asian countries, maximum milk is produced by India followed by Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. The productivity of buffalo has been recorded 410 kg-1buffalo-1year, 1880 kg-1buffalo- 1year, 1934 kg-1buffalo-1year and 867 kg-1buffalo-1year, 508 kg-1buffalo- 1year in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka respectively. Although most of the buffaloes are non-descript indigenous types and their production potential is not satisfactory. There are different production systems are prevailing such as zero input-low output, low input-medium output and high input-high output. Moreover, selective breeding for buffalo with the same breed under low input-medium output production system and grading up of non-descript buffaloes using improver breed/s under zero input-low output production system has been commonly practiced. The demand of milk has been increasing due to economic solvency and rapid pace of urbanization but most of the countries are deficit in production even it is challenging to meet the projected demand to achieve the SDG by 2030. To increase the productivity through genetic improvement of buffaloes could be important thrust areas to obtain projected demand of milk. Productive and reproductive efficiency can only be improved by adopting suitable breeding policies and good management practices.SAARC J. Agri., 15(2): 227-239 (2017)
Exploring the Framing of Animal Farming and Meat Consumption: On the Diversity of Topics Used and Qualitative Patterns in Selected Demographic Contexts
Authors: Nijland Hanneke , Aarts Noelle , Van Woerkum Cees
Published: January 2018

In various contexts, people talk about animal farming and meat consumption using different arguments to construct and justify their (non-)acceptability. This article presents the results of an in-depth qualitative inquiry into the content of and contextual patterns in the everyday-life framing regarding this issue, performed among consumers in various settings in two extremes in the European sphere: the Netherlands and Turkey. We describe the methodological steps of collecting, coding, and organizing the variety of encountered framing topics, as well as our search for symbolic convergence in groups of consumers from different selected demographic contexts (country, urban-rural areas, gender, age, and education level). The framing of animal farming and meat consumption in everyday-life is not a simple one-issue rational display of facts; people referred to a vast range of topics in the categories knowledge, convictions, pronounced behaviour, values, norms, interests, and feelings. Looking at framing in relation to the researched demographic contexts, most patterns were found on the level of topics; symbolic convergence in lines of reasoning and composite framing was less prominent in groups based on single demographic contexts than anticipated. An explanation for this lies in the complexity of frame construction, happening in relation with multiple interdependent contextual features.
Hybrid Locomotion Evaluation for a Novel Amphibious Spherical Robot
Authors: Xing Huiming , Guo Shuxiang , Shi Liwei , He Yanlin , Su Shuxiang , Chen Zhan , Hou Xihuan
Published: January 2018

We describe the novel, multiply gaited, vectored water-jet, hybrid locomotion-capable, amphibious spherical robot III (termed ASR-III) featuring a wheel-legged, water-jet composite driving system incorporating a lifting and supporting wheel mechanism (LSWM) and mechanical legs with a water-jet thruster. The LSWM allows the ASR-III to support the body and slide flexibly on smooth (flat) terrain. The composite driving system facilitates two on-land locomotion modes (sliding and walking) and underwater locomotion mode with vectored thrusters, improving adaptability to the amphibious environment. Sliding locomotion improves the stability and maneuverability of ASR-III on smooth flat terrain, whereas walking locomotion allows ASR-III to conquer rough terrain. We used both forward and reverse kinematic models to evaluate the walking and sliding gait efficiency. The robot can also realize underwater locomotion with four vectored water-jet thrusters, and is capable of forward motion, heading angle control and depth control. We evaluated LSWM efficiency and the sliding velocities associated with varying extensions of the LSWM. To explore gait stability and mobility, we performed on-land experiments on smooth flat terrain to define the optimal stride length and frequency. We also evaluated the efficacy of waypoint tracking when the sliding gait was employed, using a closed-loop proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control mechanism. Moreover, experiments of forward locomotion, heading angle control and depth control were conducted to verify the underwater performance of ASR-III. Comparison of the previous robot and ASR-III demonstrated the ASR-III had better amphibious motion performance.
Robust Speed Tracking of Induction Motors: An Arduino-Implemented Intelligent Control Approach
Authors: Ho Tan-Jan , Chang Chun-Hao
Published: January 2018

To feasibly achieve economical and satisfactory robust velocity tracking of an induction machine (IM), we propose an Arduino-implemented intelligent speed controller. Because a voltage/frequency controlled IM framework is simple and well suited for being controlled by the proposed speed controller, it is adopted herein. Taking into account easy implementation and good performance, we design the controller using a modified Ziegler-Nichols PID (modified Z-N PID) and a fuzzy logic controller (FLC). The modified Z-N PID and the FLC are connected in tandem. The latter is designed based on the output signal of the former for adaptively yielding adequate torque commands. Experimental results of IM velocity tracking controlled by our PC-based and Arduino-based speed controllers consistently show that the proposed design scheme can yield remarkable tracking performance and robustness. In addition, it is demonstrated that the proposed Arduino-implemented controller is not only viable but also effective in terms of cost, size and tracking performance.
Effect of the Addition of Rare Earth Element La on the Tribological Behaviour of AlSi5Cu1Mg Alloy
Authors: Liu Wei , Yan Hong , Zhu Jian-Bin
Published: January 2018

The effects of 0, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 wt % modifier La on the dry sliding wear behaviours of AlSi5Cu1Mg alloy were investigated under different friction conditions (normal loads, sliding velocities) by using pin-on-disc configuration. The microhardness of the alloys was tested, and it was found that the microhardness of the alloys was improved by the La addition. The AlSi5Cu1Mg + 0.6 wt % La alloy exhibited the smallest grain size and maximum microhardness. The wear mechanism analysis of the worn surface was done, which drew support from a scanning electron microscope (SEM) that was equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer. The results showed that AlSi5Cu1Mg + 0.6 wt % La alloy exhibited the best wear resistance, which was mainly due to the modified grain and microhardness. At the sliding velocity of 0.19 m/s, the adhesive wear became the main wear mechanism with the increase of the load because of the rupture of the oxide layer on the friction surface. Under the load of 3.8 MPa, the abrasive wear became slight as the sliding velocity increasing, due to the recrystallization phenomenon that happened in the frictional surface.
Production and Maintenance Planning for a Deteriorating System with Operation-Dependent Defectives
Authors: Rivera-Gómez Héctor , Montaño-Arango Oscar , Corona-Armenta José , Garnica-González Jaime , Hernández-Gress Eva , Barragán-Vite Irving
Published: January 2018

This paper provides new insights to the area of sustainable manufacturing systems at analyzing the novel paradigm of integrated production logistics, quality, and maintenance design. For this purpose, we investigate the optimal production and repair/major maintenance switching strategy of an unreliable deteriorating manufacturing system. The effects of the deterioration process are mainly observed on the failure intensity and on the quality of the parts produced, where the rate of defectives depends on the production rate. When unplanned failures occur, either a minimal repair or a major maintenance could be conducted. The integration of availability and quality deterioration led us to propose a new stochastic dynamic programming model where optimality conditions are derived through the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations. The model defined the joint production and repair/major maintenance switching strategies minimizing the total cost over an infinite planning horizon. In the results, the influence of the deterioration process were evident in both the production and maintenances control parameters. A numerical example and an extensive sensitivity analysis were conducted to illustrate the usefulness of the results. Finally, the proposed control policy was compared with alternative strategies based on common assumptions of the literature in order to illustrate its efficiency.
Nanofiber-Based Materials for Persistent Organic Pollutants in Water Remediation by Adsorption
Authors: Des Ligneris Elise , Dumée Ludovic , Kong Lingxue
Published: January 2018

Fresh water is one of the most precious resources for our society. As a cause of oxygen depletion, organic pollutants released into water streams from industrial discharges, fertilizers, pesticides, detergents or consumed medicines can raise toxicological concerns due to their long-range transportability, bio-accumulation and degradation into carcinogenic compounds. The Stockholm Convention has named 21 persistent organic pollutants (POP) so far. As opposed to other separation techniques, adsorption, typically performed with activated carbons, offers opportunities to combine low operation costs with high performance as well as fast kinetics of capture if custom-designed with the right choice of adsorbent structure and surface chemistry. Nanofibers possess a higher surface to volume ratio compared to commercial macro-adsorbents, and a higher stability in water than other adsorptive nanostructures, such as loose nanoparticles. This paper highlights the potential of nanofibers in organic pollutant adsorption and thus provides an up-to-date overview of their employment for the treatment of wastewater contaminated by disinfectants and pesticides, which is benchmarked with other reported adsorptive structures. The discussion further investigates the impact of adsorbent pore geometry and surface chemistry on the resulting adsorption performance against specific organic molecules. Finally, insight into the physicochemical properties required for an adsorbent against a targeted pollutant is provided.
Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling and Spatial Analysis to Evaluate Population Exposure to Pesticides from Farming Processes
Authors: Costanzini Sofia , Teggi Sergio , Bigi Alessandro , Ghermandi Grazia , Filippini Tommaso , Malagoli Carlotta , Nannini Roberta , Vinceti Marco
Published: January 2018

This work originates from an epidemiological study aimed to assess the correlation between population exposure to pesticides used in agriculture and adverse health effects. In support of the population exposure evaluation two models implemented by the authors were applied: a GIS-based proximity model and the CAREA atmospheric dispersion model. In this work, the results of the two models are presented and compared. Despite the proximity analysis is widely used for these kinds of studies, it was investigated how meteorology could affect the exposure assessment. Both models were applied to pesticides emitted by 1519 agricultural fields and considering 2584 receptors distributed over an area of 8430 km2. CAREA output shows a considerable enhancement in the percentage of exposed receptors, from the 4% of the proximity model to the 54% of the CAREA model. Moreover, the spatial analysis of the results on a specific test site showed that the effects of meteorology considered by CAREA led to an anisotropic exposure distribution that differs considerably from the symmetric distribution resulting by the proximity model. In addition, the results of a field campaign for the definition and planning of ground measurement of concentration for the validation of CAREA are presented. The preliminary results showed how, during treatments, pesticide concentrations distant from the fields are significantly higher than background values.
The Functional Amyloid Curli Protects Escherichia coli against Complement-Mediated Bactericidal Activity
Authors: Biesecker Steven , Nicastro Lauren , Wilson R. , Tükel Çağla
Published: January 2018

Escherichia coli strains may be beneficial or pathogenic. Many E. coli strains that cause human disease, especially those responsible for bacteremia and sepsis, express virulence factors that impart resistance to the complement system. The bacterial amyloid curli functions in bacterial adherence and enhances the formation of biofilms. Survival of curli-producing parental and curli-deficient mutant E. coli in the context of a human complement response was evaluated using an in vivo murine model of bacteremia. Results showed that curli production enhanced E. coli survival, which suggests that curli defends against complement-mediated killing. This observation was supported by the results of in vitro assays comparing bacterial survival in human serum. Experiments in which the classical or alternative complement pathways were blocked indicated that the classical pathway is the major contributor to complement activation and that curli inhibits this activity. Our analyses indicate that curli does not appear to play a role in protecting E. coli against alternative pathway complement activation. We found that curli increases binding of E. coli cells to complement component Complement component 1q (C1q) but does not affect Complement component 3b (C3b) binding. We conclude that curli defends E. coli against complement-mediated killing via inhibition of the classical complement pathway.
Navigating Glycerol Conversion Roadmap and Heterogeneous Catalyst Selection Aided by Density Functional Theory: A Review
Authors: Liu Bin , Gao Feng
Published: January 2018

Glycerol has been utilized in an extremely diversified manner throughout human civilization—ranging from food, to various consumer products, to pharmaceuticals, and even explosives. Large surplus in glycerol supply thanks to biodiesel production and biomass processing has created a demand to further boost its utility. One growing area is to expand the use of glycerol as an alternative feedstock to supplement fuels and chemicals production. Various catalytic processes have been developed. This review summarizes catalytic materials for glycerol reforming, hydrodeoxygenation, and oxidation. In particular, rationale for catalyst selection and new catalyst design will be discussed aided by the knowledge of reaction mechanisms. The role of theoretical density functional theory (DFT) in elucidating complex glycerol conversion chemistries is particularly emphasized.
Electrochemistry-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry to Study Oxidation Products of Trimethoprim
Authors: Lecours Marc-André , Eysseric Emmanuel , Yargeau Viviane , Lessard Jean , Brisard Gessie , Segura Pedro
Published: January 2018

The study of the fate of emerging organic contaminants (EOCs), especially the identification of transformation products, after water treatment or in the aquatic environment, is a topic of growing interest. In recent years, electrochemistry coupled to mass spectrometry has attracted a lot of attention as an alternative technique to investigate oxidation metabolites of organic compounds. The present study used different electrochemical approaches, such as cyclic voltammetry, electrolysis, electro-assisted Fenton reaction coupled offline to high resolution mass spectrometry and thin-layer flow cell coupled online to high resolution mass spectrometry, to study oxidation products of the anti-infective trimethoprim, a contaminant of emerging concern frequently reported in wastewaters and surface waters. Results showed that mono- and di-hydroxylated derivatives of trimethoprim were generated in electrochemically and possibly tri-hydroxylated derivatives as well. Those compounds have been previously reported as mammalian and bacterial metabolites as well as transformation products of advance oxidation processes applied to waters containing trimethoprim. Therefore, this study confirmed that electrochemical techniques are relevant not only to mimic specific biotransformation reactions of organic contaminants, as it has been suggested previously, but also to study the oxidation reactions of organic contaminants of interest in water treatment. The key role that redox reactions play in the environment make electrochemistry-high resolution mass spectrometry a sensitive and simple technique to improve our understanding of the fate of organic contaminants in the environment.
Polarimetric Monitoring of Jets with Kanata Telescope
Authors: Itoh Ryosuke , Uemura Makoto , Fukazawa Yasushi , Kawabata Koji
Published: January 2018

The polarization of relativistic jets is of interest for the understanding of their origin, confinement, and propagation. However, even though numerous measurements have been performed, the mechanisms behind jet variability, creation, and composition are still debated. We have performed simultaneous gamma-ray and optical photopolarimetry observations of 45 blazars with the Kanata telescope since July 2008 to investigate the mechanisms of variability and search for a basic relation between the several subclasses of relativistic jets. Consequently, we found that a correlation between the gamma-ray and optical flux might be related to gamma-ray luminosity, and the maximum polarization degree might be related to gamma-ray luminosity or the ratio of gamma-ray to optical flux. These results imply that low gamma-ray luminosity blazars emit from multiple regions.
Risk Factor Assessment of Hospice Patients Readmitted within 7 Days of Acute Care Hospital Discharge
Authors: Wilson Anthony , Martins-Welch Diana , Williams Myia , Tortez Leanne , Kozikowski Andrzej , Earle Bridget , Attivissimo Lori , Rosen Lisa , Pekmezaris Renee
Published: January 2018

Factors surrounding readmission rates for hospice patients within seven days are still relatively unknown. The present study specifically investigates the seven-day readmission rate of patients newly discharged to hospice, and the predictive factors associated with readmission for this population. In a retrospective case-control study, we seek to identify potential predictors by comparing the characteristics of patients discharged to hospice and readmitted within one week to patients who were not readmitted. Cases (n = 46) were patients discharged to home hospice and readmitted to the hospital within seven days. Controls (n = 117) were patients discharged to home hospice and not readmitted to the hospital within seven days. Significant risk factors for readmission within seven days were found to be: age (p < 0.01), race (p < 0.001), language (p < 0.001), and insurance (p < 0.001). Further study of these predictors may identify opportunities for interventions that address patient and family concerns that may lead to readmission.
Studying the Association between Green Space Characteristics and Land Surface Temperature for Sustainable Urban Environments: An Analysis of Beijing and Islamabad
Authors: Naeem Shahid , Cao Chunxiang , Qazi Waqas , Zamani Mehdi , Wei Chen , Acharya Bipin , Rehman Asid
Published: January 2018

Increasing trends of urbanization lead to vegetation degradation in big cities and affect the urban thermal environment. This study investigated (1) the cooling effect of urban green space spatial patterns on Land Surface Temperature (LST); (2) how the surrounding environment influences the green space cool islands (GCI), and vice versa. The study was conducted in two Asian capitals: Beijing, China and Islamabad, Pakistan by utilizing Gaofen-1 (GF-1) and Landsat-8 satellite imagery. Pearson’s correlation and normalized mutual information (NMI) were applied to investigate the relationship between green space characteristics and LST. Landscape metrics of green spaces including Percentage of Landscape (PLAND), Patch Density (PD), Edge Density (ED), and Landscape Shape Index (LSI) were selected to calculate the spatial patterns of green spaces, whereas GCI indicators were defined by Green Space Range (GR), Temperature Difference (TD), and Temperature Gradient (TG). The results indicate that both vegetation composition and configuration influence LST distributions; however, vegetation composition appeared to have a slightly greater effect. The cooling effect can be produced more effectively by increasing green space percentage, planting trees in large patches with equal distribution, and avoiding complex-shaped green spaces. The GCI principle indicates that LST can be decreased by increasing the green space area, increasing the water body fraction, or by decreasing the fraction of impervious surfaces. GCI can also be strengthened by decreasing the fraction of impervious surfaces and increasing the fraction of water body or vegetation in the surrounding environment. The cooling effect of vegetation and water could be explained based on their thermal properties. Beijing has already enacted the green-wedge initiative to increase the vegetation canopy. While designing the future urban layout of Islamabad, the construction of artificial lakes within the urban green spaces would also be beneficial, as is the case with Beijing.
Incorporation of Immune Checkpoint Blockade into Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells (CAR-Ts): Combination or Built-In CAR-T
Authors: Yoon Dok , Osborn Mark , Tolar Jakub , Kim Chong
Published: January 2018

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy represents the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved gene therapy and these engineered cells function with unprecedented efficacy in the treatment of refractory CD19 positive hematologic malignancies. CAR translation to solid tumors is also being actively investigated; however, efficacy to date has been variable due to tumor-evolved mechanisms that inhibit local immune cell activity. To bolster the potency of CAR-T cells, modulation of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment with immune-checkpoint blockade is a promising strategy. The impact of this approach on hematological malignancies is in its infancy, and in this review we discuss CAR-T cells and their synergy with immune-checkpoint blockade.
From Mechanisms in Homogeneous Metal Catalysis to Applications in Chemical Synthesis
Authors: Klein Axel , Goldfuss Bernd , Van der Vlugt Jarl-Ivar
Published: January 2018

Man-made homogeneous catalysis with the aid of transition metal compounds looks back on a long history of almost one hundred years. Still, more detailed insight into the underlying mechanisms is warranted. The knowledge of how transition metals with their specific/characteristic properties, such as oxidations states, redox chemistry, spin states, kinetics, and coordination preference will contribute to these processes paving the way to optimize existing processes, and to finding new exciting organic, inorganic, and organometallic transformations and to broaden the substrate scope through catalyst design. This special issue collects very recent mechanistic insight from experimental, theoretical, and mixed experimental–theoretical approaches.
China and BEPS
Authors: Avi-Yonah Reuven , Xu Haiyan
Published: January 2018

This article provides an overview of China’s reaction to the G20/OECD Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project. From 2013 to 2015, the OECD developed a series of actions designed to address BEPS activities by multinational enterprises, culminating in a final report of 15 action steps. The article reviews and explains China’s reaction to the BEPS project and its actions in detail, with a particular focus on transfer pricing issues. It shows that China has actively participated in both developing and implementing the BEPS project. The article further suggests that in the post-BEPS era, China is expected to implement the BEPS project in a more consistent and coherent way, and will take whatever measures necessary to guarantee the successful implementation of the BEPS package in collaboration with the global community.
Synthesis and Optical Properties of Near-Infrared meso-Phenyl-Substituted Symmetric Heptamethine Cyanine Dyes
Authors: Levitz Andrew , Marmarchi Fahad , Henary Maged
Published: January 2018

Heptamethine cyanine dyes are a class of near infrared fluorescence (NIRF) probes of great interest in bioanalytical and imaging applications due to their modifiability, allowing them to be tailored for particular applications. Generally, modifications at the meso-position of these dyes are achieved through Suzuki-Miyaura C-C coupling and SRN1 nucleophilic substitution of the chlorine atom at the meso-position of the dye. Herein, a series of 15 meso phenyl-substituted heptamethine cyanines was synthesized utilizing a modified dianil linker. Their optical properties, including molar absorptivity, fluorescence, Stokes shift, and quantum yield were measured. The HSA binding affinities of two representative compounds were measured and compared to that of a series of trimethine cyanines previously synthesized by our lab. The results indicate that the binding of these compounds to HSA is not only dependent on hydrophobicity, but may also be dependent on steric interferences in the binding site and structural dynamics of the NIRF compounds.
HPLC Method Development for Quantification of Doxorubicin in Cell Culture and Placental Perfusion Media
Authors: Shah Mansi , Bourner Luke , Ali Shariq , Al-Enazy Sanaalarab , Youssef Menatallah , Fisler Morgan , Rytting Erik
Published: January 2018

Assessment of drug transport across the placenta is important in understanding the effect of drugs on placental and fetal health. These phenomena can be studied in both in vitro cell lines and ex vivo placental perfusions. We have successfully developed a sensitive yet simple high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method coupled with fluorescence detection to determine the concentration of doxorubicin (DXR) in cell culture media for transport studies in human trophoblast cells (BeWo, b30 clone) and in fetal media for placental perfusion experiments. The method was developed based on a protein precipitation technique and was validated in both media types for linearity, intra-day, and inter-day precision and accuracy. The relationship of peak area to concentration was linear with R2 values of 0.99 or greater obtained over the concentration range of 1.5 to 15,000 ng/mL. Despite the high concentrations of albumin in fetal perfusion media (30 mg/mL), the lower limits of detection and quantification for DXR were found to be 1.5 and 5 ng/mL, respectively. This analytical method may be used to study the transport of DXR across BeWo cells and human placenta during placental perfusion studies.
The Reliability of Parkour Skills Assessment
Authors: Dvořák Martin , Baláš Jiří , Martin Andrew
Published: January 2018

The aim of the study was to determine the reliability of parkour skills assessment in field conditions. Twenty young men completed three trials of a parkour obstacle course on two separate days. The tested group consisted of 10 beginners (age 16 ± 1 years, body mass = 65 ± 12 kg, height = 177 ± 7 cm) and 10 advanced traceurs (age 18 ± 2 years, body mass = 68 ± 14 kg, height = 178 ± 6 cm). The performance was video-recorded and subsequently analyzed by three raters (total score 0–45). Median and percentiles were used to characterize results from all sessions by all raters. Inter-rater, intra-session and inter-session reliability were assessed using Krippendorff’s α for ordinal data. The Mann-Whitney test was used to assess the differences between beginners and advanced traceurs. Advanced traceurs obtained a total score from 41 to 44 whilst beginners achieved 27 to 33 points. Krippendorff’s α for total score ranged from 0.910 to 0.916 between raters, 0.828 to 0.874 between trials, and from 0.839 to 0.924 between days. The proposed parkour course differentiated two different ability levels and the skills assessment demonstrated excellent reliability between raters, trials, and days.