bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Crafting the society of control: Exploring Scottish child welfare policy in a neoliberal context
Authors: McKendrick David
Published: November 2016

INTRODUCTION: This article explores contemporary Scottish child welfare policy and locates it in a neoliberal context. The existing national practice model known by the acronym GIRFEC (Getting it Right for Every Child) has been a feature of policy and legislation since early 2000. Its latest iteration is notable for two developments, one being the change in the threshold for state intervention in family life to the notion of wellbeing and secondly, the appointment of a state guardian (known as the named person scheme) for every child in Scotland.METHOD: Drawing from the concept of late modernity (Parton, 2006) I argue that these advances constitute a net widening approach that seeks to universalise state involvement in family life. The concept of the society of control (Deleuze, 1992) is utilised as a method of exploring how the named person scheme can be viewed as a universal surveillance mechanism which seeks to preserve and promote neoliberal hegemony.CONCLUSION: In the Scottish context the named person scheme is a vehicle for neoliberal state control. The scheme is underpinned by notions of normative compliance resulting in social work practice becoming distanced from its social change agenda, instead working on families rather than with families.
Supporting transition to parenthood in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: De Haan Irene
Published: November 2016

INTRODUCTION: Recent rhetoric about investing in ‘vulnerable’ children disregards the reality that the magnitude of change accompanying adaptation to parenthood makes all infants and their families vulnerable. This article reports the findings of a small-scale qualitative study of Aotearoa New Zealand parents’ experiences of transition to parenthood and their views on support received or wished for.AIM: To gain insight into how adaptation to life with a baby is experienced and how support could be improved.METHODS: The study involved sequential in-depth interviews with each of 25 socioeconomically diverse first-time mothers and a single set of interviews with 11 fathers and one grandmother. Narrative analysis was used to discern themes.FINDINGS: Participants expressed surprise regarding challenges inherent in adaptation to parenthood. While they deeply appreciated support from Lead Maternity Carers, they saw later professional support as ‘for the baby’. They found little support to deal with problems experienced, which encompassed financial, accommodation, mental health and relationship issues.CONCLUSION: A true investment approach would build on families’ commitment to making beneficial change for the sake of their baby. Well-being could be promoted by longer stays in maternity facilities and straightforward information and coaching about dealing with change as well as about infant care. Fathers’ needs should be carefully considered to help secure engagement in life with a baby. There is a key role for family support social work in designing relevant services and in meeting a need for ‘someone to talk to’ for early help to process change and resolve problems.
Working ethically in child protection
Authors: Lonne Bob , Harries Maria , Featherstone Brid , Gray Mel
Published: November 2016

Reviewed by Kelly J. Smith, University of Waikato.
Foreword
Authors: Obermayer August
Published: November 2016

Foreword
Glossary of Literary Terms - B
Authors: Obermayer August
Published: November 2016

Glossary of Literary Terms - B
Glossary of Literary Terms - C to D
Authors: Obermayer August
Published: November 2016

Glossary of Literary Terms - C to D
Glossary of Literary Terms - F
Authors: Obermayer August
Published: November 2016

Glossary of Literary Terms - F
Glossary of Literary Terms - G
Authors: Obermayer A
Published: November 2016

Glossary of Literary Terms - G
Glossary of Literary Terms - H
Authors: Obermayer August
Published: November 2016

Glossary of Literary Terms - H
Glossary of Literary Terms - I
Authors: Obermayer August
Published: November 2016

Glossary of Literary Terms - I
Glossary of Literary Terms - M
Authors: Obermayer August
Published: November 2016

Glossary of Literary Terms - M
Glossary of Literary Terms - N
Authors: Obermayer August
Published: November 2016

Glossary of Literary Terms - N
Glossary of Literary Terms - T
Authors: Obermayer August
Published: November 2016

Glossary of Literary Terms - T
Glossary of Literary Terms - U to V
Authors: Obermayer August
Published: November 2016

Glossary of Literary Terms - U to V
Glossary of Literary Terms - A
Authors: Obermayer August
Published: November 2016

Glossary of Literary Terms - A
Photoacoustic imaging sounds the alarm on liver fibrosis
Authors: Evans Conor L.
Published: November 2016

A handheld photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging system detects liver fibrosis in mice and has the potential to be translated for noninvasive imaging in patients.
Sweet signals and diabetes: Carbohydrate-binding proteins contribute to insulin resistance
Authors: Stanley Sarah A.
Published: November 2016

A macrophage-secreted lectin, galectin-3, may contribute to insulin resistance in obesity.
Biomaterials-based biologic burst release builds better bone
Authors: Ulery Bret D.
Published: November 2016

Localized pulsatile delivery of pro-bone forming parathyroid hormone from biomaterials results in enhanced bone regeneration.
Phenotypic Profiling Reveals that Candida albicans Opaque Cells Represent a Metabolically Specialized Cell State Compared to Default White Cells
Authors: Ene Iuliana V. , Lohse Matthew B. , Vladu Adrian V. , Morschhäuser Joachim , Johnson Alexander D. , Bennett Richard J.
Published: November 2016

The white-opaque switch is a bistable, epigenetic transition affecting multiple traits in
Candida albicans
including mating, immunogenicity, and niche specificity. To compare how the two cell states respond to external cues, we examined the fitness, phenotypic switching, and filamentation properties of white cells and opaque cells under 1,440 different conditions at 25°C and 37°C. We demonstrate that white and opaque cells display striking differences in their integration of metabolic and thermal cues, so that the two states exhibit optimal fitness under distinct conditions. White cells were fitter than opaque cells under a wide range of environmental conditions, including growth at various pHs and in the presence of chemical stresses or antifungal drugs. This difference was exacerbated at 37°C, consistent with white cells being the default state of
C. albicans
in the mammalian host. In contrast, opaque cells showed greater fitness than white cells under select nutritional conditions, including growth on diverse peptides at 25°C. We further demonstrate that filamentation is significantly rewired between the two states, with white and opaque cells undergoing filamentous growth in response to distinct external cues. Genetic analysis was used to identify signaling pathways impacting the white-opaque transition both
in vitro
and in a murine model of commensal colonization, and three sugar sensing pathways are revealed as regulators of the switch. Together, these findings establish that white and opaque cells are programmed for differential integration of metabolic and thermal cues and that opaque cells represent a more metabolically specialized cell state than the default white state.

IMPORTANCE
Epigenetic transitions are an important mechanism by which microbes adapt to external stimuli. For
Candida albicans
, such transitions are crucial for adaptation to complex, fluctuating environments, and therefore contribute to its success as a human pathogen. The white-opaque switch modulates multiple
C. albicans
attributes, from sexual competency to niche specificity. Here, we demonstrate that metabolic circuits are extensively rewired between white and opaque states, so that the two cell types exhibit optimal fitness under different nutritional conditions and at different temperatures. We thereby establish that epigenetic events can profoundly alter the metabolism of fungal cells. We also demonstrate that epigenetic switching regulates filamentation and biofilm formation, two phenotypes closely associated with pathogenesis. These experiments reveal that white cells, considered the most clinically relevant form of
C. albicans
, are a “general-purpose” state suited to many environments, whereas opaque cells appear to represent a more metabolically specialized form of the species.
Brd4 Activates Early Viral Transcription upon Human Papillomavirus 18 Infection of Primary Keratinocytes
Authors: McKinney Caleb C. , Kim Min Jung , Chen Dan , McBride Alison A.
Published: November 2016

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) replicate in the cutaneous and mucosal epithelia, and the infectious cycle is synchronous with the differentiation program of the host keratinocytes. The virus initially infects dividing cells in the lower layers of the epithelium, where it establishes a persistent infection. The viral genome is maintained as a low-copy-number, extrachromosomal element in these proliferating cells but switches to the late stage of the life cycle in differentiated cells. The cellular chromatin adaptor protein Brd4 is involved in several stages and processes of the viral life cycle. In concert with the viral transcriptional regulator E2, Brd4 can repress transcription from the early viral promoter. Brd4 and E2 form a complex with the viral genome that associates with host chromosomes to partition the viral genome in dividing cells; Brd4 also localizes to active sites of productive HPV DNA replication. However, because of the difficulties in producing HPV viral particles, the role of Brd4 in modulating viral transcription and replication at the initial stage of infection is unclear. In this study, we have used an HPV18 quasivirus-based genome delivery system to assess the role of Brd4 in the initial infectivity of primary human keratinocytes. We show that, upon infection of primary human keratinocytes with HPV18 quasivirus, Brd4 activates viral transcription and replication. Furthermore, this activation is independent of the functional interaction between Brd4 and the HPV18 E2 protein.

IMPORTANCE
HPVs lack encapsidated proteins and so rely exquisitely on host cellular factors to initiate their gene expression programs in newly infected cells. Brd4 is an important cellular chromatin adaptor molecule that normally activates host transcription initiation and elongation. In this study, we further optimize and utilize a quasivirus infection system to show that Brd4 activates HPV18 transcription at early stages of infection. HPVs are important human pathogens causing a wide range of cutaneous and tumorigenic morbidities. Therefore, specifically targeting this protein could provide a new target of therapeutic prevention of establishment of HPV infections.
Intrinsic Resistance of Burkholderia cepacia Complex to Benzalkonium Chloride
Authors: Ahn Youngbeom , Kim Jeong Myeong , Kweon Ohgew , Kim Seong-Jae , Jones Richard C. , Woodling Kellie , Gamboa da Costa Gonçalo , LiPuma John J. , Hussong David , Marasa Bernard S. , Cerniglia Carl E.
Published: November 2016

Pharmaceutical products that are contaminated with
Burkholderia cepacia
complex (BCC) bacteria may pose serious consequences to vulnerable patients. Benzyldimethylalkylammonium chloride (BZK) cationic surfactants are extensively used in medical applications and have been implicated in the coselection of antimicrobial resistance. The ability of BCC to degrade BZK, tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (C
14
BDMA-Cl), dodecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (C
12
BDMA-Cl), decyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (C
10
BDMA-Cl), hexyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, and benzyltrimethylammonium chloride was determined by incubation in 1/10-diluted tryptic soy broth (TSB) to determine if BCC bacteria have the ability to survive and inactivate these disinfectants. With BZK, C
14
BDMA-Cl, and C
12
BDMA-Cl, inhibition of the growth of 20 BCC strains was observed in disinfectant solutions that ranged from 64 to 256 µg/ml. The efflux pump inhibitor carbonyl cyanide
m
-chlorophenylhydrazone increased the sensitivity of bacteria to 64 µg/ml BZK. The 20 BCC strains grew well in 1/10-diluted TSB medium with BZK, C
12
BDMA-Cl, and C
10
BDMA-Cl; they absorbed and degraded the compounds in 7 days. Formation of benzyldimethylamine and benzylmethylamine as the initial metabolites suggested that the cleavage of the C alkyl-N bond occurred as the first step of BZK degradation by BCC bacteria. Proteomic data confirmed the observed efflux activity and metabolic inactivation via biodegradation in terms of BZK resistance of BCC bacteria, which suggests that the two main resistance mechanisms are intrinsic and widespread.

IMPORTANCE
Benzyldimethylalkylammonium chloride is commonly used as an antiseptic in the United States. Several recent microbial outbreaks were linked to antiseptics that were found to contain strains of the
Burkholderia cepacia
complex.
Burkholderia
species survived in antiseptics, possibly because of the degradation of antiseptic molecules or regulation of relevant gene expression. In this study, we assessed the efflux pump and the potential of
B. cepacia
complex bacteria to degrade benzyldimethylalkylammonium chloride and improved our understanding of the resistance mechanisms, by using proteomic and metabolic information. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic report of the intrinsic mechanisms of
B. cepacia
complex strain resistance to benzyldimethylalkylammonium chloride, based on the metabolic and proteomic evidence for efflux pumps and the complete biodegradation of benzyldimethylalkylammonium chloride.
Catabolite and Oxygen Regulation of Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli Virulence
Authors: Carlson-Banning Kimberly M. , Sperandio Vanessa
Published: November 2016

The biogeography of the gut is diverse in its longitudinal axis, as well as within specific microenvironments. Differential oxygenation and nutrient composition drive the membership of microbial communities in these habitats. Moreover, enteric pathogens can orchestrate further modifications to gain a competitive advantage toward host colonization. These pathogens are versatile and adept when exploiting the human colon. They expertly navigate complex environmental cues and interkingdom signaling to colonize and infect their hosts. Here we demonstrate how enterohemorrhagic
Escherichia coli
(EHEC) uses three sugar-sensing transcription factors, Cra, KdpE, and FusR, to exquisitely regulate the expression of virulence factors associated with its type III secretion system (T3SS) when exposed to various oxygen concentrations. We also explored the effect of mucin-derived nonpreferred carbon sources on EHEC growth and expression of virulence genes. Taken together, the results show that EHEC represses the expression of its T3SS when oxygen is absent, mimicking the largely anaerobic lumen, and activates its T3SS when oxygen is available through Cra. In addition, when EHEC senses mucin-derived sugars heavily present in the O-linked and N-linked glycans of the large intestine, virulence gene expression is initiated. Sugars derived from pectin, a complex plant polysaccharide digested in the large intestine, also increased virulence gene expression. Not only does EHEC sense host- and microbiota-derived interkingdom signals, it also uses oxygen availability and mucin-derived sugars liberated by the microbiota to stimulate expression of the T3SS. This precision in gene regulation allows EHEC to be an efficient pathogen with an extremely low infectious dose.

IMPORTANCE
Enteric pathogens have to be crafty when interpreting multiple environmental cues to successfully establish themselves within complex and diverse gut microenvironments. Differences in oxygen tension and nutrient composition determine the biogeography of the gut microbiota and provide unique niches that can be exploited by enteric pathogens. EHEC is an enteric pathogen that colonizes the colon and causes outbreaks of bloody diarrhea and hemolytic-uremic syndrome worldwide. It has a very low infectious dose, which requires it to be an extremely effective pathogen. Hence, here we show that EHEC senses multiple sugar sources and oxygen levels to optimally control the expression of its virulence repertoire. This exquisite regulatory control equips EHEC to sense different intestinal compartments to colonize the host.
Determination and regulation of body composition in elite athletes
Authors: Sonksen Peter
Published: November 2016

In 2011, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and IOC introduced a ‘hyperandrogenism’ rule that excluded women with a serum testosterone >10 nmol/L from participating in elite sport. This rule was based on the false premise that the greater lean body mass in men was a consequence of their higher serum testosterone. This rule did not have scientific backing and the Court of Arbitration for Sport subsequently rescinded the rule following an appeal from an Indian athlete barred from the Commonwealth Games. This review covers the scientific knowledge about the development and regulation of body composition in humans but also considers the lessons learnt from evolution and breeding in animals. The importance of heredity has been documented in family and twin studies. The roles of growth hormone and sex steroids are reviewed. The Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS) is considered as a model of the role of testosterone in development of body composition and also as evidence of the importance of other factors carried on the Y-chromosome that are of prime importance but have been systematically ignored. Finally the key factors determining body composition are considered and placed in a suggested order of importance.
Ensuring timely thromboprophylaxis on a Medical Assessment Unit
Authors: Akinbobuyi Oluwatosin , shalders louise , Nokes Tim
Published: November 2016

The Department of Health has defined hospital acquired venous thromboembolism (VTE) as any VTE event occurring within 90 days of hospital admission or surgery.1Hospital acquired thrombosis (HAT) is common during and after hospital admission and is considered a major patient safety issue. Current NICE guideline (CG 92) 2010, recommends that medical patients assessed at risk of VTE should have pharmacological prophylaxis commenced as soon as possible after risk assessment has been completed and continued until the patient is no longer at increased risk of VTE.2

This quality improvement project was carried out in the medical assessment unit in Derriford Hospital, Plymouth. We aimed to increase appropriate VTE pharmacological prophylaxis to 100% prescribed in 6 hours by the end of May 2016 using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology. The primary outcome measure was whether or not enoxaparin was given within 6 hours of admission.

Analysis showed that a major contributing factor to the prolonged time interval was lack of awareness of the Trust VTE guidelines which had recently been updated in accordance with NICE recommendations. Baseline measurement demonstrated that 29% of patients had first dose of enoxaparin within the 6-hour target, with a mean delay of 12 hours 22 minutes. With implementation of an education programme and development of a local VTE prevention care pathway to raise awareness of the new guidelines, a significant improvement was achieved with 71% of patients meeting the 6-hour target in PDSA cycle 1 and 83% of patients in PDSA cycle 2. The average time interval also reduced to 5 hours 52 minutes in PDSA cycle 1 and 5 hours 7 minutes in PDSA cycle 2.

In conclusion, through utilization of simple change methodology, enoxaparin prescribing practice significantly improved. Potentially this may reduce morbidity (and mortality) associated with HAT together with cost implications of its management.
Acute effects of cold therapy on knee skin surface temperature: gel pack versus ice bag
Authors: Breslin Matthew , Lam Patrick , Murrell George A C
Published: November 2016

Background

To our knowledge there has been no research that has compared the effectiveness of two popular cold therapy modalities applied to healthy human knees, with a surgical dressing, over a 4 h period.

Hypothesis

To determine whether gel packs are more effective than ice bags at reducing skin surface temperature in humans.

Study design

This was a randomised, repeated measures crossover study, which included nine healthy participants.

Level of evidence

Level 2.

Methods

Two cold therapy modalities—a gel pack (DonJoy-Orthopaedic Pty Ltd, Normanhurst, New South Wales, Australia) and an ice bag (ICE'N'EASY, Bokarina, Queensland, Australia)—were applied on top of a surgical dressing, covering the knee. Each participant randomly received two cold therapy treatments, in separate sessions, at least 4 days apart. Each session utilised the time protocol of 20 min application on the hour, for 4 h. Skin surface temperature was recorded throughout the session at 1 min intervals.

Results

In the first application, the ice bag (5°C±1.7°C) was more effective at reducing skin surface temperature (p<0.04) from baseline than the gel pack (4°C±0.9°C), and had a significantly greater cooling rate (p<0.02). On the subsequent three applications, both modalities were just as effective at reducing skin surface from baseline, and had similar cooling rates.

Conclusions

An ice bag initially was more effective than the gel pack at reducing skin surface temperature of healthy knees, with a surgical dressing. Over a 4 h period both gel packs and ice bags were just as effective at reducing skin surface temperature and at maintaining these lower temperatures.
Efficacy of gross motor skill interventions in young children: an updated systematic review
Authors: Veldman Sanne L C , Jones Rachel A , Okely Anthony D
Published: November 2016

Objective

The objective of this study was to provide an update of the evidence on the efficacy of gross motor development interventions in young children (0–5 years) from 2007 to 2015.

Methods

Searches were conducted of six electronic databases: PUBMED, Medline (Ovid), ERIC (Ebsco), Embase, SCOPUS and Psychinfo. Studies included any childcare-based, preschool-based, home-based, or community-based intervention targeting the development of gross motor skills including statistical analysis of gross motor skill competence. Data were extracted on design, participants, intervention components, methodological quality and efficacy.

Results

Seven articles were included and all were delivered in early childhood settings. Four studies had high methodological quality. Most studies used trained staff members/educators to deliver the intervention (86%) and five studies lasted 18 weeks or more. Six studies reported statistically significant intervention effects.

Conclusions

Despite the proven importance of gross motor skill development in young children and the recommendations made in the previous review, this review highlights the limited studies evaluated to improve such key life skills in young children over the past 8 years.

Trial registration number

CRD42015015826.
Does fair play reduce concussions? A prospective, comparative analysis of competitive youth hockey tournaments
Authors: Smith Aynsley M , Gaz Daniel V , Larson Dirk , Jorgensen Janelle K , Eickhoff Chad , Krause David A , Fenske Brooke M , Aney Katie , Hansen Ashley A , Nanos Stephanie M , Stuart Michael J
Published: November 2016

Background/aim

To determine if Boys Bantam and Peewee and Girls U14 sustain fewer concussions, head hits, ‘other injuries’ and penalties in hockey tournaments governed by intensified fair play (IFP) than non-intensified fair play (NIFP).

Methods

A prospective comparison of IFP, a behaviour modification programme that promotes sportsmanship, versus control (non-intensified, NIFP) effects on numbers of diagnosed concussions, head hits without diagnosed concussion (HHWDC), ‘other injuries’, number of penalties and fair play points (FPPs). 1514 players, ages 11–14 years, in 6 IFP (N=950) and 5 NIFP (N=564) tournaments were studied.

Results

Two diagnosed concussions, four HHWDC, and six ‘other injuries’ occurred in IFP tournaments compared to one concussion, eight HHWDC and five ‘other injuries’ in NIFP. There were significantly fewer HHWDC in IFP than NIFP (p=0.018). However, diagnosed concussions, ‘other injuries’, penalties and FPPs did not differ significantly between conditions. In IFP, a minority of teams forfeited the majority of FPPs. Most diagnosed concussions, HHWDC, and other injuries occurred to Bantam B players and usually in penalised teams that forfeited their FPPs.

Conclusions

In response to significant differences in HHWDC between IFP and NIFP tournaments, the following considerations are encouraged: mandatory implementation of fair play in regular season and tournaments, empowering tournament directors to not accept heavily penalised teams, and introducing ‘no body checking’ in Bantam.
The role of technology in minimally invasive surgery: state of the art, recent developments and future directions
Authors: Tonutti Michele , Elson Daniel S , Yang Guang-Zhong , Darzi Ara W , Sodergren Mikael H
Published: November 2016

The diffusion of minimally invasive surgery has thrived in recent years, providing substantial benefits over traditional techniques for a number of surgical interventions. This rapid growth has been possible due to significant advancements in medical technology, which partly solved some of the technical and clinical challenges associated with minimally invasive techniques. The issues that still limit its widespread adoption for some applications include the limited field of view; reduced manoeuvrability of the tools; lack of haptic feedback; loss of depth perception; extended learning curve; prolonged operative times and higher financial costs. The present review discusses some of the main recent technological advancements that fuelled the uptake of minimally invasive surgery, focussing especially on the areas of imaging, instrumentation, cameras and robotics. The current limitations of state-of-the-art technology are identified and addressed, proposing future research directions necessary to overcome them.
Investigation of plant growth and transpiration-induced matric suction under mixed grass–tree conditions
Authors: Ni J.J. , Leung A.K. , Ng C.W.W. , So P.S.
Published: November 2016

Although evapotranspiration-induced matric suction for single species has been widely studied, little is known about how mixed-species planting would affect plant growth and induced matric suction. This study aims to explore the effects of grass–tree interaction on their growth and induced matric suction during evapotranspiration (ET) and rainfalls. Field monitoring was carried out to measure matric suction responses in compacted soil that was vegetated with (i) single tree species, Schefflera heptaphylla, and (ii) mixed species of the trees and a grass species, Cynodon dactylon. In each condition, three tree spacings (120, 180, and 240 mm) were planted. When tree spacing increased from 120 to 240 mm, the peak tree root area index (RAI, for fine roots with diameter <2 mm) decreased by 16%, but the peak grass RAI increased by 29%. At mixed planting plots, the ET-induced peak matric suction for a tree spacing of 240 mm was 20% higher than that for a spacing of 180 mm because of increased contribution of grass-root water uptake as the trees were more widely spaced. Without grass, a reverse trend was observed as tree–tree interaction reduced at wide spacings. The peak ET-induced matric suction had a significant linear correlation with RAI. During rainfalls, the highest matric suction was preserved for the case of 240 mm spacing due to the greatest reduction of soil hydraulic conductivity by the presence of roots.
Performance of polymer-enhanced bentonite–sand mixture for covering arsenic-rich gold mine tailings for up to 4 years
Authors: Hosney M.S. , Rowe R. Kerry
Published: November 2016

Experiments conducted over a 4 year period, on a polymer-enhanced bentonite–sand mixture (PEBSM) used as cover for gold mine tailings are reported. The effect on PEBSM hydraulic conductivity (k) of subgrade porewater chemistry, subgrade water content, and confining stress are investigated. Results show that the reduction in the mole fraction of bound Na+ (ESP) and corresponding increase in k of PEBSM with time was highly dependent on the ionic strength of the subgrade porewater. When the PEBSM was in direct contact with gold mine tailings with porewater having an ionic strength of 145 mmol/L, ESP decreased from 59% to 2% and k increased from 4 × 10−11 to 6.9 × 10−9 m/s. The ESP and k values of PEBSM over tailings with 11 mmol/L porewater were 21% and 6.9 × 10−11 m/s, respectively. A 0.15 m thick foundation layer between tailings and PEBSM layer significantly lowered the reduction in ESP and increase in k with time as did a reduction in the subgrade water content. There was no effect of changing confining stress from 15 to 7.5 kPa on k values of PEBSM. The PEBSM layer acted as a good barrier to the migration of arsenic from tailings upward towards cover soil above the PEBSM layer.
Growing season ecophysiology ofTaxodium distichum(L.) Rich. (bald cypress) saplings in a restored wetland: a baseline for restoration practice
Authors: Carmichael Mary Jane , Smith William K.
Published: November 2016

Wetland restoration is a common practice in the southeastern United States, where changing land use patterns have resulted in the widespread degradation of coastal ecosystems. Re-establishment of indigenous vegetation is a fundamental paradigm of restoration practice. In freshwater wetlands, this often includes planting flood-tolerant species such as Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich (bald cypress). While much is known regarding the ecology of this foundational species, research establishing the ecophysiological profile of mature bald cypress under stress-free, baseline conditions is limited. Therefore, a study was undertaken in 2015 to monitor the growing season ecophysiology of a bald cypress stand in a restored coastal wetland. Net photosynthesis was constant in the early to mid-growing season, declining steadily late in the growth season until the visible onset of needle senescence. Patterns in transpiration matched those observed for photosynthesis, whereas needle conductance and chlorophyll fluorescence appeared to track expected patterns associated with needle development. Trees at this site appeared healthy and were reproductively competent. However, long-term monitoring of the stand would help evaluate the ecological sustainability of this restoration project. We advocate for the inclusion of ecophysiological-based vegetation monitoring within restoration projects, enabling a sensitive and early indication of the trajectory of a restoration plan.
Benchmark Alberta’s architectural, engineering, and construction industry knowledge of building information modelling (BIM)
Authors: Abdulaal B. , Bouferguene A. , Al-Hussein M.
Published: November 2016

Construction professionals agree that building information modelling (BIM) will revolutionize the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry and its impact will be felt by all project stakeholders including owners and facility managers. Statistics show that many owners and other stakeholders perceive BIM as a technology that can make project delivery more efficient because it allows project information to be fully integrated. In the future, owners are expected to demand the use of BIM to prevent over-budget and over-time project delivery. However, as we are preparing this contribution the level of implementation and use of BIM varies widely across the globe. This paper probes the state of BIM in Alberta from three points of view: (i) the current understanding and implementation, (ii) the motivations driving its use, and (iii) the challenges hindering its implementation. The findings of this paper are extracted from individual responses to a web-based survey that was proposed to professionals in the Albertan AEC/FM industries.
A critical review of the occurrence, detection, and treatment of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in aquatic environments
Authors: Park Yu Ri , Mackie Allison L. , Gagnon Graham A.
Published: November 2016

The main psychoactive compound in marijuana, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and its metabolites are emerging organic contaminants that have been detected in waste and surface waters around the globe. This paper aims to review the recent literature regarding the detection, occurrence, and treatment of THC and its main metabolites, 11-hydroxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-OH), and 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC-COOH). Detection methods for THC, THC-OH, THC-COOH, and other cannabinoids have advanced in recent years with the development of sensitive analytical techniques (e.g., gas chromatography or liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry). Using online or offline solid phase extraction (SPE) has enabled detection at nanogram and picogram per litre concentrations. THC-COOH has been detected in untreated and treated wastewater up to 2500 and 750 ng·L–1, surface water over 500 ng·L–1, and tap water up to 1 ng·L–1. Adsorption is likely a significant pathway for the removal of THC that is unmetabolized in wastewater or surface water, due to its low aqueous solubility. THC and THC-COOH have been shown to cause oxidative stress to aquatic species. The few studies of potential treatments for THC-COOH have shown that chlorination and UV oxidation lead to potentially form transformation by-products, which would be toxic in aquatic environments.
Identification of leaf-mining insects via DNA recovered from empty mines
Authors: Mlynarek Julia J. , Kim Jin-Hong , Heard Stephen B.
Published: November 2016

We report the development of an improved method for the extraction and amplification of leaf miner DNA recovered from empty mines. Our method is simple, easy to use, and foregoes the time-consuming task of scraping out mines required by previous methods. We collected leaves with 1- and 2-day-old vacated mines, cut out and then ground the mined portions, and amplified the mtDNA COI barcode sequence using universal insect primers. We obtained high-quality sequences for 31% of our empty mines: 20% yielded sequences associated with a leaf miner species; and an additional 11% yielded sequences associated with whiteflies, mites, or fungi. Our improved method will facilitate ecological studies determining herbivore community dynamics and agricultural studies for pest monitoring and identification.
Research of Advanced GTM and Its Application to Gas-Oil Reservoir Identification
Authors: Wang Meihong , Wu Qingqiang
Published: November 2016

Identification of gas-oil reservoir is always important but rather difficult in global gas-oil exploration. It is of the great significance to improve the accuracy of reservoir recognition. Seismic exploration is one of the most valuable methods of gas-oil exploration, and the huge amounts of seismic attribute data can be useful for gas-oil exploration. One limitation of the Generative Topographic Mapping (GTM) algorithm is that it cannot determine the classifications of the data points with close probabilities accurately, and it would be more likely to result in confused clarification and fuzzy boundary. To overcome the limitation, an advanced GTM algorithm with Euclidean Distance (GTM-ED) is proposed in this paper, and we use Euclidean Distance to compute the distance from the edge points to the neighbor centroids, and classify it to the closet class to avoid the problems of confused classification. And then the GTM-ED algorithm is used in the research of reservoir identification model, experiments are made with actual seismic data set. First of all, the GTM algorithm is discussed, and then the GTM-ED algorithm is introduced. And afterwards, many experiments are made. In the experiments, the log data and geological data are selected as the labels, and the comparison and analysis are made through three aspects, including relative criteria, absolute criteria, and run-time, and then the results of each model are visualized. The experimental results indicate that the GTM-ED can achieve better results in reservoir clustering and unknown reservoir identification. And in the actual application, the visualization of the GTM-ED can behave better than the GTM in showing the geological characteristics of paleochannel, the string of beads-like reservoirs and linear lava.
An Efficient Image Stitching Method for Heterogeneous Car Videos Based on Bounding Boxes of Features
Authors: Tsai Chun-Ming , Shih Frank Y.
Published: November 2016

Heterogeneous car video recorders can capture scene information with different modalities including viewing angles, resolutions, and lens sensors. Traditional methods cannot accurately perform image stitching on the images captured by heterogeneous cameras. This paper presents an efficient method to stitch heterogeneous images by allowing a driver to view an ultra-wide angle without blind spots. It extracts bounding boxes of brake lights and license plate numbers as feature points to be matched. A homography matrix is computed to stitch the heterogeneous video images. Experimental results show that our proposed method can stitch images accurately and efficiently, which is superior to the existing methods.
Off-line Text-Independent Writer Recognition: A Survey
Authors: Xiong Yu-Jie , Lu Yue , Wang Patrick S. P.
Published: November 2016

Writer recognition is to identify a person on the basis of handwriting, and great progress has been achieved in the past decades. In this paper, we concentrate ourselves on the issue of off-line text-independent writer recognition by summarizing the state of the art methods from the perspectives of feature extraction and classification. We also exhibit some public datasets and compare the performance of the existing prominent methods. The comparison demonstrates that the performance of the methods based on frequency domain features decreases seriously when the number of writers becomes larger, and that spatial distribution features are superior to both frequency domain features and shape features in capturing the individual traits.
Alcock–Paczyński test with model-independent BAO data
Authors: Melia F. , López-Corredoira M.
Published: November 2016

Cosmological tests based on the statistical analysis of galaxy distributions usually depend on source evolution. An exception is the Alcock–Paczyński (AP) test, which is based on the changing ratio of angular to spatial/redshift size of (presumed) spherically-symmetric source distributions with distance. Intrinsic redshift distortions due to gravitational effects may also have an influence, but they can now be overcome with the inclusion of a sharp feature, such as the Baryonic Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) peak. Redshift distortions affect the amplitude of the peak, but impact its position only negligibly. As we shall show here, the use of this diagnostic, with new BAO peaks from SDSS-III/BOSS at average redshifts [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], disfavors the current concordance ([Formula: see text]CDM) model at [Formula: see text]. Within the context of expanding Friedmann–Robertson–Walker (FRW) cosmologies, these data instead favor the zero active mass equation-of-state, [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are, respectively, the total density and pressure of the cosmic fluid, the basis for the [Formula: see text] universe.
SURFACTANT EFFECT OF In ON THE MOVPE GROWTH OF Al- AND N-POLAR AlN
Authors: ZHUANG QINQIN , KANG JUNYONG , LI SHUPING , LIN WEI
Published: November 2016

Al- and N-polar AlN have been grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) with the assistance of In dopant and characterized by in situ interferometry, ellipsometry, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray diffractometry. The growth of Al-polar AlN is faster with smoother surfaces than the N-polar ones, which is explained by theoretical calculations. The surfactant effect of In is confirmed by improving the growth rate and surface flatness without getting into the epilayer. Additionally, In is also favorable for reducing the density of dislocations and improving the crystalline quality, especially that of Al-polar AlN. The results suggest that using In surfactant to grow the Al-polar AlN epilayer leads to a better crystal quality under proper pre-growth treatments, low- and high-temperature AlN growth conditions.
A Schema-Based Approach to Enable Data Integration on the Fly
Authors: Nicklas Daniela , Schwarz Thomas , Mitschang Bernhard
Published: November 2016

On-the-fly data integration, i.e. at query time, happens mostly in tightly coupled, homogeneous environments where the partitioning of the data can be controlled or is known in advance. During the process of data fusion, the information is homogenized and data inconsistencies are hidden from the application. Beyond this, we propose in this paper the Nexus metadata model and a processing approach that support on-the-fly data integration in a loosely coupled federation of autonomous data providers, thereby advancing the status quo in terms of flexibility and expressive power. It is able to represent data and schema inconsistencies like multi-valued attributes and multi-typed objects. In an open environment, this best suites the application needs where the data processing infrastructure is not able to decide which attribute value is correct. The Nexus metadata model provides the foundation for integration schemata that are specific to a given application domain. The corresponding processing model provides four complementary query semantics in order to account for the subtleties of multi-valued and missing attributes. In this paper we show that this query semantics is sound, easy to implement, and it builds upon existing query processing techniques. Thus the Nexus metadata model provides a unique level of flexibility for on-the-fly data integration.
One-dimensional three-state quantum walks: Weak limits and localization
Authors: Ko Chul Ki , Segawa Etsuo , Yoo Hyun Jae
Published: November 2016

We investigate one-dimensional three-state quantum walks. We find a formula for the moments of the weak limit distribution via a vacuum expectation of powers of a self-adjoint operator. We use this formula to fully characterize the localization of three-state quantum walks in one dimension. The localization is also characterized by investing the eigenvectors of the evolution operator for the quantum walk. As a byproduct we clarify the concepts of localization differently used in the literature. We also study the continuous part of the limit distribution. For typical examples we show that the continuous part is the same kind as that of two-state quantum walks. We provide with explicit expressions for the density of the weak limits of some three-state quantum walks.
On the integral kernels of derivatives of the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck semigroup
Authors: Teuwen Jonas
Published: November 2016

This paper presents a closed-form expression for the integral kernels associated with the derivatives of the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck semigroup [Formula: see text]. Our approach is to expand the Mehler kernel into Hermite polynomials and apply the powers [Formula: see text] of the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck operator to it, where we exploit the fact that the Hermite polynomials are eigenfunctions for [Formula: see text]. As an application we give an alternative proof of the kernel estimates by Ref. 10, making all relevant quantities explicit.
Equilibria in Dynamic Multicriteria Games
Authors: Rettieva Anna
Published: November 2016

Mathematical models involving more than one objective seem more adherent to real problems. Often players have more than one goal which are often not comparable. These situations are typical for game-theoretic models in economic and ecology. In this paper, new approaches to construct equilibria in dynamic multicriteria games are constructed. We consider a dynamic, discrete-time, game model where the players use a common resource and have different criteria to optimize. First, we construct the guaranteed payoffs in a several ways. Then, we find an equilibrium as a solution of a Nash bargaining scheme with the guaranteed payoffs playing the role of status quo points. The obtained equilibrium, called a multicriteria Nash equilibrium, gives a possible solution concept for dynamic multicriteria games.
On Maximal Vector Spaces of Finite Noncooperative Games
Authors: Kreps Victoria
Published: November 2016

We consider finite noncooperative [Formula: see text] person games with fixed numbers [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], of pure strategies of Player [Formula: see text]. We propose the following question: is it possible to extend the vector space of finite noncooperative [Formula: see text]-games in mixed strategies such that all games of a broader vector space of noncooperative [Formula: see text] person games on the product of unit [Formula: see text]-dimensional simplices have Nash equilibrium points? We get a necessary and sufficient condition for the negative answer. This condition consists of a relation between the numbers of pure strategies of the players. For two-person games the condition is that the numbers of pure strategies of the both players are equal.
A New Compromise Solution Model Based on Dantzig–Wolfe Decomposition for Solving Belief Multi-Objective Nonlinear Programming Problems with Block Angular Structure
Authors: Vahdani Behnam , Salimi Meghdad , Mousavi Seyed Meysam
Published: November 2016

This paper presents an integrated model based on a compromised solution method to solve fuzzy belief multi-objective large-scale nonlinear programming (FBMOLSNLP) problem with block angular structure. A new method is proposed to transfer each belief decision-making problem into some fuzzy problems. Furthermore, we propose a new compromise method of decision-making as one of the most efficient methods based on the particular measure of closeness to the ideal solution to aggregate multi-objective decision-making (MODM) problems into a single problem. The decomposition algorithm based on Dantzig–Wolfe is utilized to reduce the large-dimensional objective space into a two-dimensional space. Then, Zimmerman method is applied to transfer each bi-objective to a single-objective. Moreover, TOPSIS and VIKOR are utilized as two independent solution methods to aggregate each multi-objective sub-problem. Finally, a new single-objective nonlinear programming problem is solved to find the final solution. To justify the proposed model, two illustrative examples are provided, and the results of three decision methods are compromised.
PASS-based approach to predict HIV-1 reverse transcriptase resistance
Authors: Tarasova Olga , Filimonov Dmitry , Poroikov Vladimir
Published: November 2016

HIV reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors targeting the early stages of virus–host interactions are of great interest to scientists. Acquired HIV RT resistance happens due to mutations in a particular region of the pol gene encoding the HIV RT amino acid sequence. We propose an application of the previously developed PASS algorithm for prediction of amino acid substitutions potentially involved in the resistance of HIV-1 based on open data. In our work, we used more than 3200 HIV-1 RT variants from the publicly available Stanford HIV RT and protease sequence database already tested for 10 anti-HIV drugs including both nucleoside and non-nucleoside RT inhibitors. We used a particular amino acid residue and its position to describe primary structure-resistance relationships. The average balanced accuracy of the prediction obtained in 20-fold cross-validation for the Phenosense dataset was about 88% and for the Antivirogram dataset was about 79%. Thus, the PASS-based algorithm may be used for prediction of the amino acid substitutions associated with the resistance of HIV-1 based on open data. The computational approach for the prediction of HIV-1 associated resistance can be useful for the selection of RT inhibitors for the treatment of HIV infected patients in the clinical practice. Prediction of the HIV-1 RT associated resistance can be useful for the development of new anti-HIV drugs active against the resistant variants of RT. Therefore, we propose that this study can be potentially useful for anti-HIV drug development.