bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating risk in forest planning models
Authors: Gadow Klaus
Published: September 2014

The purpose of forest scenario modelling is to evaluate multiple management options and to answer what if questions relating to a particular development path of a given forest. Forest scenario planning can reduce uncertainty in management outcomes by anticipating the future in a systematic way, thus reducing the likelihood of unexpected events. It can also improve the chance that future developments will agree with specified objectives. Numerous techniques have been proposed for generating and evaluating scenarios of forest development. Some of the techniques are limited to applications in simple forest production systems while others are suitable for any type of forest management, including individual tree selection systems. Risk is defined as the expected loss due to a particular hazard for a given area and reference period. An expected loss may be calculated as the product of the damage and its probability. Risk analysis, risk evaluation and risk management are formal procedures for quantifying, evaluating and managing risk within a given hazard domain. Applications of risk analysis in forest scenario planning are rare and greater emphasis needs to be placed on hazard prediction. The aim of this contribution is to discuss some aspects of risk analysis, including examples of specific modelling tools. In a forest planning model risk can be considered in the form of specific constraints limiting the total risk in a given time period. Expected hazards can be used to exclude certain risky alternatives and finally, risk can be calculated and used to reduce the value of an objective function coefficient.
Logging operation damage to roots of clear-felled Picea abies and subsequent spore infection by Heterobasidion annosum
Authors: Rönnberg Jonas
Published: September 2014

Two studies were carried out to examine the effects of clear-felling operations on stump roots of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). In study I, the number of cases and the degree of damage to stump roots of Norway spruce were investigated on three clear-felled sites in northern and southern Sweden respectively. The cutting was done in winter or spring. A mean of 37% of the stumps had signs of root damage caused by clear-felling operations. Study II was carried out on two sites in southern and two sites in northern Sweden. The trees were clear-felled in June or July. The frequency of natural infection by Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. through damaged roots was compared to infection through stump surfaces. The total area of damage on roots was 88% of the stump surface area. On average, 54% of the stumps were infected through the stump surface and 19% through locations of root damage. The root infections, however, were generally small in size as compared to stump surface infections. The study shows that damage to roots at clear-felling may be extensive, but this probably is not of great importance for the efficacy of stump treatment against H. annosum.
The elastic modulus of isolated polytetrafluoroethylene filaments
Authors: Drawe Patrick , Lüttschwager Nils O.B. , Suhm Martin A.
Published: September 2014

We report vibrational Raman spectra of small extended perfluoro-n-alkanes (C
n
F2n+2 with n = 6, 8–10, 12–14) isolated in supersonic jet expansions and use wavenumbers of longitudinal acoustic vibrations to extrapolate the elastic modulus of cold, isolated polytetrafluoroethylene filaments. The derived value E = 209(10) GPa defines an upper limit for the elastic modulus of the perfectly crystalline, noninteracting polymer at low temperatures and serves as a benchmark for quantum chemical predictions.
Diseño de cadenas de distribución con demanda bajo incertidumbre: una aproximación de programación lineal difusa
Authors: Santana Eduyn López , Giraldo Germán Andrés Méndez , Franco Carlos
Published: September 2014

Este artículo presenta un modelo para el diseño de una red de distribución considerando la demanda bajo incertidumbre en un ambiente de múltiples productos y múltiples periodos. El modelo propuesto integra un problema de localización de instalaciones y un problema de distribución con restricciones difusas en el cumplimiento de la demanda, el cual se resuelve utilizando el método de restricciones suaves propuesto por Zimmermann considerando parámetros difusos en el lado derecho de las restricciones de un problema de programación lineal entera mixta y funciones de pertenecía lineales. Los resultados encontrados muestran como la localización de las plantas y almacenes se puede conservar para en el modelo flexible, mientras se realiza un balance entre el inventario generado y el costo incurrido.
Anti–TNF-α Therapy May Cause Neonatal Neutropenia
Authors: Guiddir Tamazoust , Frémond Marie-Louise , Triki Tewfik Bibi , Candon Sophie , Croisille Laure , Leblanc Thierry , de Pontual Loïc
Published: September 2014

Although anti–tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) antibodies are associated with a clear risk of agranulocytosis in adults and are known to cross the placenta, monitoring of the absolute neutrophil count (ANC) in neonates born to mothers receiving these biological agents is not currently recommended. Here, we report on the first case series of 4 newborn patients with severe neutropenia born to mothers treated for ulcerative colitis with infliximab during pregnancy (including the third trimester). The newborns presented with severe neutropenia at birth, which was subsequently complicated by skin infections. The newborns' ANCs returned to the normal range within 8 to 14 weeks, at which time infliximab could not be detected in the blood. Anti-TNF agents probably exert a direct, toxic effect on the bone marrow. Furthermore, the detection of a CD16 autoantibody in 1 mother-newborn pair suggests that infliximab can induce autoimmune neutropenia. Abnormally high levels of the CD16 autoantibody in newborn serum or immaturity of the fetal bone marrow might explain why neutropenia was observed in the child but not in the mother. We recommend the systematic measurement of ANC on cord blood at birth and (in the event of an infection) in the weeks thereafter.
Cognitive Deficit and Poverty in the First 5 Years of Childhood in Bangladesh
Authors: Hamadani Jena D. , Tofail Fahmida , Huda Syed N. , Alam Dewan S. , Ridout Deborah A. , Attanasio Orazio , Grantham-McGregor Sally M.
Published: September 2014

OBJECTIVE:

We aimed to determine the timing and size of the cognitive deficit associated with poverty in the first 5 years of life and to examine the role of parental characteristics, pre- and postnatal growth, and stimulation in the home in Bangladeshi children. We hypothesized that the effect of poverty on cognition begins in infancy and is mainly mediated by these factors.

METHODS:

We enrolled 2853 singletons, a subsample from a pregnancy supplementation trial in a poor rural area. We assessed mental development at 7, 18, and 64 months; anthropometry at birth, 12, 24, and 64 months; home stimulation at 18 and 64 months; and family’s socioeconomic background. In multiple regression analyses, we examined the effect of poverty at birth on IQ at 64 months and the extent that other factors mediated the effect.

RESULTS:

A mean cognitive deficit of 0.2 (95% confidence interval –0.4 to –0.02) z scores between the first and fifth wealth quintiles was apparent at 7 months and increased to 1.2 (95% confidence interval –1.3 to –1.0) z scores of IQ by 64 months. Parental education, pre- and postnatal growth in length, and home stimulation mediated 86% of the effects of poverty on IQ and had independent effects. Growth in the first 2 years had larger effects than later growth. Home stimulation had effects throughout the period.

CONCLUSIONS:

Effects of poverty on children’s cognition are mostly mediated through parental education, birth size, growth in the first 24 months, and home stimulation in the first 5 years.
Contraception for Adolescents
Authors:   COMMITTEE ON ADOLESCENCE, Braverman Paula K. , Adelman William P. , Alderman Elizabeth M. ,   FSHAM, Breuner Cora C. , Levine David A. , Marcell Arik V. , O’Brien Rebecca F.
Published: September 2014

This Policy Statement was reaffirmed March 2021.

Contraception is a pillar in reducing adolescent pregnancy rates. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that pediatricians develop a working knowledge of contraception to help adolescents reduce risks of and negative health consequences related to unintended pregnancy. Over the past 10 years, a number of new contraceptive methods have become available to adolescents, newer guidance has been issued on existing contraceptive methods, and the evidence base for contraception for special populations (adolescents who have disabilities, are obese, are recipients of solid organ transplants, or are HIV infected) has expanded. The Academy has addressed contraception since 1980, and this policy statement updates the 2007 statement on contraception and adolescents. It provides the pediatrician with a description and rationale for best practices in counseling and prescribing contraception for adolescents. It is supported by an accompanying technical report.
Ultra High Voltage Electron Microscopy Study of {113}-Defect
Generation in Si Nanowires
Authors: Vanhellemont J. , Anada S. , Nagase T. , Yasuda H. , Bender H. , Rooyackers R. , Vandooren A.
Published: September 2014

Results are presented of a study of {113}-defect formation in Si nanowires with
diameters ranging from 50 to 500 nm. The Si nanowires, used for the processing
of tunnel-FET's, are etched into a moderately doped epitaxial Si layer
on a heavily doped n-type Si substrate. {113}- defects are created in situ by 2
MeV e-irradiation at temperatures between room temperature and 375 °C
in an ultra high voltage electron microscope. The observations are discussed in
the frame of intrinsic point defect out-diffusion and interaction with dopant
atoms.
Folk Iambics: Prosody, Vestiges, and Sterling Brown'sOutline for the Study of the Poetry of American Negroes
Authors: Glaser Ben
Published: September 2014

Studies of the New Negro Renaissance have long emphasized the emergence in black poetry of the vernacular and of folk-oriented rhythms in particular. Sterling Brown's critical work and poetry show, however, that traditional English meters had a central role in the discourse and poetics of New Negro poetry. Reading his 1931Outline for the Study of the Poetry of American Negroestogether with James Weldon Johnson'sBook of American Negro Poetry(1922) suggests that these meters counteracted dominant racialized ideas about black bodies, rhythms, and song. The polymetrical surface of Brown's own early poem “When de Saints Go Ma'ching Home” (1927) reveals that Brown treated iambic pentameter as a vernacular form, destabilizing entrenched divisions between conventional and innovative, white and black, past and present. Future studies of black poetry might therefore look to prosodic hybridity as a powerful critique of audience ideology.
We Want to Know Who Our Students Are
Authors: Bizzell Patricia
Published: September 2014

Composition studies concentrates on students, not texts. We in this field want to know who our students are. What abilities to use language do they bring to the academy? What new kinds of intellectual work are they able to do? What challenges does academic discourse pose for them? These are research questions we explore with rigor but also compassion and, sometimes, admiration. My favorite origin story claims that this field's modern iteration sprang from reluctance to use first-year writing courses, required at most universities, simply to eject the “boneheads.” Instead, we learned from Mina Shaughnessy and others to regard even the most struggling undergraduate writers as agents, operating among intersecting and competing discourse communities. For us, student writers are not solitary creators, nor are they intertextual blurs.
Schiz-ability
Authors: Baer Ben Conisbee
Published: September 2014

The visitor to Karl Marx's Grave in London's highgate cemetery is confronted by a large polished granite plinth, atop which squats an imposing bronze head and shoulders of Marx. Although the artist Laurence Bradshaw designed the rectangular plinth as a proxy for Marx's body, the effect is still to emphasize the head, the supposed locus of Geist, esprit, intellect. Marx was a headworker, it is true. Even in the depths of poverty, plagued by bodily ailments, he was never obliged to purvey körperliche Arbeit (“body work,” “manual labor”) in the restricted sense—that is, a körperliche Arbeit located in a social split that structurally denies the body worker access to the abstractions of a developed geistige Arbeit (“intellectual labor”).
What Use Is the Imagination?
Authors: Sharpe Jenny
Published: September 2014

Indeath of a discipline, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak attributes the emergence of postcolonial studies to an increase in Asian immigration to the United States following Lyndon Johnson's 1965 reform of the Immigration Act (3). I would like to resituate her genealogy of the field in order to consider the “ab-use,” or “use from below,” of the European Enlightenment she asks us to cultivate in her most recent book,An Aesthetic Education in the Era of Globalization.To perform this move, I will suggest that postcolonial studies began more than one hundred years before the legislation Spivak names in what has become a founding document for the field. I am referring to Thomas Babington Macaulay's well-known 1835 minute on Indian education, which proposed the creation of “a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect” (729). The class of Western-educated natives who would serve as liaisons between European colonizers and the millions of people they ruled came to be known in postcolonial studies ascolonialsubjects.
Bakhtin on Shakespeare: Excerpt from “Additions and Changes toRabelais”
Authors: Bakhtin M. M.
Published: September 2014

The text translated below is an excerpt from notes the Russian thinker Mikhail Mikhailovich Bakhtin wrote in the mid 1940s as he prepared to revise the manuscript of his now famous book on François Rabelais. The notes were first published, posthumously, in 1992. A corrected edition with commentary, used for this translation, followed in 1996 (Coбpaни COчинений 5: 80-129). The part where Bakhtin focuses primarily on Shakespeare's tragedies is presented here (80-99). The omitted sections contain summaries of materials Bakhtin was reading (on Dante, Galileo and his contemporaries, Heine, and especially Gogol and Ukrainian folk culture), brief comments on various themes (the name and the nickname, Dostoevsky, Cinderella, riddles), and stand-alone philosophical remarks.
Quantitative analysis of ettringite formed in the hydration products of high-alite cements
Authors: Tao Shi , Yumei Yao
Published: September 2014

This paper reports on the characterisation and quantitative analysis of ettringite in the hydration products of several high-alite cements. The study has three main parts: (a) the investigation of the microscopic morphology of ettringite; (b) an X-ray diffraction characterisation; and (c) a quantitative analysis of the ettringite in the hardened cement pastes. The results show that the ettringite could be selectively extracted by an ethylene glycol/methanol solvent with a volume ratio of 1:3, which thereby proved to be an effective method for the quantitative analysis of ettringite. Combined with the results of the X-ray diffraction analysis, the formation and transformation mechanisms of ettringite could be characterised and described in more detail. During the 90-d aging period, the reaction degree of the coal gangue was higher than that of fly ash and had a greater impact on the formation and transformation of ettringite. The amount of ettringite formed from the hydration of coal gangue cement was higher than that from neat Portland cement, whereas the amount of ettringite formed from the hydration of fly ash cement was lower than that from neat Portland cement.
Microbial desalination cell for concurrent hydrogen peroxide production and desalination
Authors: Yang Euntae , Choi Mi-Jin , Kim Kyoung-Yeol , Kim In S.
Published: September 2014

Microbial desalination cells (MDCs) are novel desalination approaches because of using biocatalyst, with the ability to convert organic waste to bioenergy in various forms, to desalinate salty water. If MDCs were applied to the production of hydrogen peroxide, which is an important green oxidant, less energy-intensive and eco-friendly hydrogen peroxide production can be achieved during desalination. Here, we examined MDCs for concurrent hydrogen peroxide and desalination by varying an applied voltage, initial sodium chloride concentration, electrode materials, oxygen concentration, catholyte pH and catholyte concentration. The hydrogen peroxide production rate and salt removal rate (SR) increased by 0·033  kg (H2O2/m3)/h and 197·5  mg/(L·h) with increasing applied voltage. Carbon felt showed the highest hydrogen peroxide production (0·197  kg H2O2/m3) but the lowest SR (119·0  mg/(L·h)). Compared with air supply, pure oxygen supply dramatically improved hydrogen peroxide production (100%), but the SR only slightly improved (10%). With increasing sodium chloride concentration from 5 to 30  g/L, the hydrogen peroxide production and the SR increased, reaching 0·261  kg H2O2/m3 at 30  g/L and 236  mg/(L·h) at 20  g/L, respectively. The highest hydrogen peroxide production was achieved at catholyte pH 4, but the highest SR was achieved at pH 7. With increasing catholyte concentration from 5 to 100  mM, the hydrogen peroxide production and the SR increased.
Genotype variation in bark texture drives lichen community assembly across multiple environments
Authors: Lamit L. J. , Lau M. K. , Næsborg R. Reese , Wojtowicz T. , Whitham T. G. , Gehring C. A.
Published: September 2014

A major goal of community genetics is to understand the influence of genetic variation within a species on ecological communities. Although well‐documented for some organisms, additional research is necessary to understand the relative and interactive effects of genotype and environment on biodiversity, identify mechanisms through which tree genotype influences communities, and connect this emerging field with existing themes in ecology. We employ an underutilized but ecologically significant group of organisms, epiphytic bark lichens, to understand the relative importance of Populus angustifolia (narrowleaf cottonwood) genotype and environment on associated organisms within the context of community assembly and host ontogeny. Several key findings emerged. (1) In a single common garden, tree genotype explained 18–33% and 51% of the variation in lichen community variables and rough bark cover, respectively. (2) Across replicated common gardens, tree genotype affected lichen species richness, total lichen cover, lichen species composition, and rough bark cover, whereas environment only influenced composition and there were no genotype by environment interactions. (3) Rough bark cover was positively correlated with total lichen cover and richness, and was associated with a shift in species composition; these patterns occurred with variation in rough bark cover among tree genotypes of the same age in common gardens and with increasing rough bark cover along a ~40 year tree age gradient in a natural riparian stand. (4) In a common garden, 20‐year‐old parent trees with smooth bark had poorly developed lichen communities, similar to their 10‐year‐old ramets (root suckers) growing in close proximity, while parent trees with high rough bark cover had more developed communities than their ramets. These findings indicate that epiphytic lichens are influenced by host genotype, an effect that is robust across divergent environments. Furthermore, the response to tree genotype is likely the result of genetic variation in the timing of the ontogenetic shift from smooth to rough bark allowing communities on some genotypes to assemble faster than those on other genotypes. Organisms outside the typical sphere of community genetics, such as lichens, can help address critical issues and connect plant genotype effects to long‐established streams of biological research, such as ontogeny and community assembly.
Warming, competition, and Bromus tectorum population growth across an elevation gradient
Authors: Compagnoni Aldo , Adler Peter B.
Published: September 2014

Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is one of the most problematic invasive plant species in North America and climate change threatens to exacerbate its impacts. We conducted a two‐year field experiment to test the effect of warming, competition, and seed source on cheatgrass performance across an elevation gradient in northern Utah. We hypothesized that warming would increase cheatgrass performance, but that warming effects would be limited by competing vegetation and by local adaptation of cheatgrass seed sources. The warming treatment relied on open top chambers, we removed vegetation to assess the effect of competition from neighboring vegetation, and we reciprocally sowed cheatgrass seed sources from the three study sites. We quantified performance with per capita growth rate and its components (emergence, survival, and fecundity). The main effect of the warming treatment was significant and positive only at high elevation, where warming triggered a three‐ to six‐fold increase in population growth rate. At the lower elevation sites, main effects of warming were always positive but not significant. Interactions between warming and seed source or competition were inconsistent across sites and years. As expected, competition from resident vegetation had strong and consistent negative effects on cheatgrass population growth rate, but it significantly limited warming effects only at the mid‐elevation site in one year, presumably by decreasing soil water availability. High elevation seed sources performed best at all sites. Our results indicate that in northern Utah, warming has the potential to increase cheatgrass densities in years with normal to high precipitation, especially at high elevations, regardless of cheatgrass seed source. In this region, climate change is likely to increase the impacts associated with high cheatgrass density and biomass, such as shortened fire return intervals, at high elevations where this species is not yet problematic.
Modeling and mapping isotopic patterns in the Northwest Atlantic derived from loggerhead sea turtles
Authors: Ceriani Simona A. , Roth James D. , Sasso Christopher R. , McClellan Catherine M. , James Michael C. , Haas Heather L. , Smolowitz Ronald J. , Evans Daniel R. , Addison David S. , Bagley Dean A. , Ehrhart Llewellyn M. , Weishampel John F.
Published: September 2014

Stable isotope analysis can be used to infer geospatial linkages of highly migratory species. Identifying foraging grounds of marine organisms from their isotopic signatures is becoming de rigueur as it has been with terrestrial organisms. Sea turtles are being increasingly studied using a combination of satellite telemetry and stable isotope analysis; these studies along with those from other charismatic, highly vagile, and widely distributed species (e.g., tuna, billfish, sharks, dolphins, whales) have the potential to yield large datasets to develop methodologies to decipher migratory pathways in the marine realm. We collected tissue samples (epidermis and red blood cells) for carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope analysis from 214 individual loggerheads (Caretta caretta) in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean (NWA). We used discriminant function analysis (DFA) to examine how well δ13C and δ15N classify loggerhead foraging areas. The DFA model was derived from isotopic signatures of 58 loggerheads equipped with satellite tags to identify foraging locations. We assessed model accuracy with the remaining 156 untracked loggerheads that were captured at their foraging locations. The DFA model correctly identified the foraging ground of 93.0% of individuals with a probability greater than 66.7%. The results of the external validation (1) confirm that assignment models based on tracked loggerheads in the NWA are robust and (2) provide the first independent evidence supporting the use of these models for migratory marine organisms. Additionally, we used these data to generate loggerhead‐specific δ13C and δ15N isoscapes, the first for a predator in the Atlantic Ocean. We found a latitudinal trend of δ13C values with higher values in the southern region (20–25 °N) and a more complex pattern with δ15N, with intermediate latitudes (30–35 °N) near large coastal estuaries having higher δ15N‐enrichment. These results indicate that this method with further refinement may provide a viable, more spatially‐explicit option for identifying loggerhead foraging grounds.
Vulnerability of Ras Sudr, Egypt to climate change, livelihood index, an approach to assess risks and develop future adaptation strategy
Authors: Tawfic Ahmed Mohamed , Nagi Ibrahim , Farag Mahmoud , Loutfi Naglaa , Osman Mohamed A. , Mandour Nasser S. , Mahmoud Kariman , Loutfi Nehal
Published: September 2014

The livelihood vulnerability index (LVI) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) vulnerability index (IPCC-VI) approaches were used to assess the vulnerability of rural and urban regions of Sudr, Sinai, Egypt to climate change. Sudr is highly vulnerable to flashfloods and drought, that many attribute to climate changes. Equal numbers of rural and urban Bedouin, amounting to about 75–90 of each, were interviewed to collect information on human and natural capital, besides social, financial, and physical attributes. The study showed that drought is the most significant manifestation of climate change, especially in rural areas. The study also showed that rural Sudr community is significantly more vulnerable to climate change than the urban community. Their isolation, illiteracy, lack of awareness, and fragile ecosystem are causes of vulnerability. The two regions showed high capabilities to overcome exposure threats to climate change. Adequate adaptive capacity of Bedouin is the main cause for their ability to overcome climate change impacts. These results might be explained in view of Bedouin local knowledge that helps them survive even through the hardest of times. The aim of the present work is to explore the socioeconomic drivers of climate change and their impacts on a Bedouin community. It also gives an insight into possible mechanisms of future adaptation strategies.
Re-evaluating the rationale for irrigation technology adoption through an integrated trade-off analysis: case study of a cotton farming system in Australia
Authors: Maraseni T. N. , Mushtaq S. , Reardon-Smith K.
Published: September 2014

While the prevailing rationale for new irrigation technology adoption is improved water use efficiency, this study evaluated trade-offs between water savings, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and economic gain associated with the conversion of a furrow irrigation system to a sprinkler irrigation (lateral-move) system on a cotton farm in eastern Australia. Trade-offs were evident when conversion to the pressurised sprinkler irrigation system was evaluated in terms of fuel and energy-related emission; the adoption of the new system saved water but increased GHG emissions. However, when we considered changes in farm machinery and input uses as a result of the conversion, we found an overall reduction in GHG emissions. Overall, the GHG modelling indicated that higher total quantities of GHGs were emitted from the furrow irrigation (4,453 kg CO2e/ha) than from the sprinkler irrigation (3,347 kg CO2e/ha) farming system. Water efficiency modelling indicated that, on average, water savings of 18% are possible, while economic modelling indicated that the conversion of irrigation technology is a viable option. Even at a carbon price of AUD$30/tCO2e, investment in the sprinkler technology was an economically feasible option due to significant water savings and increased yield.
Modelling present and future Po river interactions with alluvial aquifers (Low Po River Plain, Italy)
Authors: Mastrocicco M. , Colombani N. , Gargini A.
Published: September 2014

A modelling study on a multi-layered confined/unconfined alluvial aquifer system was performed to quantify surface water/groundwater interactions. The calibrated groundwater flow model was used to forecast climate change impacts by implementing the results of a downscaled A1B model ensemble for the Po river valley. The modelled area is located in the north-western portion of the Ferrara Province (Northern Italy), along the eastern bank of the Po river. The modelling procedure started with a large scale steady state model followed by a transient flow model for the central portion of the domain, where a telescopic mesh refinement was applied. The calibration performance of both models was satisfactory, in both drought and flooding conditions. Subsequently, forecasted rainfall, evapotranspiration and Po river stage at 2050, were implemented in the calibrated large scale groundwater flow model and their uncertainties discussed. Three scenarios were run on the large scale model: the first simulating mean hydrological conditions and the other two simulating one standard deviation above and below the mean hydrological conditions. The forecasted variations in groundwater/Po river fluxes are relevant, with a general increase of groundwater levels due to local conditions, although there are large uncertainties in the predicted variables.
An influence diagram for urban flood risk assessment through pluvial flood hazards under non-stationary conditions
Authors: Åström H. , Friis Hansen P. , Garré L. , Arnbjerg-Nielsen K.
Published: September 2014

Urban flooding introduces significant risk to society. Non-stationarity leads to increased uncertainty and this is challenging to include in actual decision-making. The primary objective of this study was to develop a risk assessment and decision support framework for pluvial urban flood risk under non-stationary conditions using an influence diagram (ID) which is a Bayesian network (BN) extended with decision and utility nodes. Non-stationarity is considered to be the influence of climate change where extreme precipitation patterns change over time. The overall risk is quantified in monetary terms expressed as expected annual damage. The network is dynamic in as much as it assesses risk at different points in time. The framework provides means for decision-makers to assess how different decisions on flood adaptation affect the risk now and in the future. The result from the ID was extended with a cost-benefit analysis defining the net benefits for the investment plans. We tested our framework in a case study where the risk for flooding was assessed on a railway track in Risskov, Aarhus. Drainage system improvements are planned for the area. Our study illustrates with the use of an ID how risk for flooding increases over time, and the benefits of implementing flood adaptation measures.
A review of Australian institutions for riparian adaptation to climate change
Authors: Pittock Jamie , Marshall Nadine , Capon Tim , Parsons Meg , Robertson Alistar I. , Casaril Carolina
Published: September 2014

Australia represents a global proving ground for effective riparian climate change adaptation due to its scale and diversity, extreme variation in runoff and degrees of aridity. An array of autonomous riparian zone (RZ) management adaptations have emerged in Australia that have captivated the international community but have yet to be effectively delivered. This paper reviews government policies, governance structures, the application of market-based instruments and voluntary measures to ask why Australia has not achieved more. We find promise in: the resurgence of application of indigenous knowledge and engagement in management; understanding of the catalytic roles of women, means of better engaging individuals, strengthening of social networks and fostering leadership in rural communities; transferring of urban resources to their rural hinterlands; better engaging communities through campaigns, businesses and political leaders; and strategic research programmes. These findings have application in other difficult hydrologies. We contend that government and market-based programmes are underpinned by voluntary and cultural institutions, and that these require strengthening through fostering of an ethic to conserve RZs as the core element of the biophysical and human landscape. It calls for stakeholders to adopt a common vision for conservation of RZs that can sustain implementation through institutional changes.
Inhibition Effect of Copper Complex of 1-(8-Hydroxy Quinolin-2-yl- Methyl) Thiourea on the Corrosion of Mild Steel in Sodium Chloride Solution
Authors: S.S. Syed Abuthahir , A. Jamal Abdul Nasser , S. Rajendran
Published: September 2014

The Corrosion inhibition of an inhibitor namely Copper complex of 1-(8-hydroxy quinolin-2-yl-methyl)
thiourea (Cu-HTF) which controls the corrosion of mild steel immersed in an aqueous solution containing 60 ppm Cl- has
been investigated through electrochemical and mass loss method. The formulation consisting of 60 ppm of Cl- and 50 ppm
of Cu-HTF offers good inhibition efficiency of 78 %. Polarization study shows that this formulation acts as a cathodic
inhibitor.AC impedance spectra indicate that a protective film is formed on the mild steel surface. Fluorescence spectral
analysis was used to detect the presence of iron-inhibitor complex. The surface morphology has been analyzed by FTIR,
UV-Visible spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and EDAX. Cu-HTF has the ability to prevent the
growth of certain microorganisms such as E. coli, Streptococcus, Pseudomonas and Enterobacter.
Study on the Risk Change Pre-control of Power Transmission and Transformation Based on Matter-element Analysis
Authors: Zhang Shu-guo , Yang Lei
Published: September 2014

The influencing factors of power transmission and transformation engineering are technology risk, natural risk,
economic risk, contract conditions and the professional quality risk. According to a large number of references, an analysis
model based on matter-element theory to evaluate the engineering change risk of power transmission project has been
developed, aiming at China's current change management situation, and proposing the corresponding control measures.
Impact of 3 Common ABCA1 Gene Polymorphisms on Optimal vs Non-Optimal Lipid Profile in Greek Young Nurses
Authors: Marvaki Apostolia , Kolovou Vana , Katsiki Niki , Boutsikou Maria , Kotanidou Anastasia , Orfanos Stylianos , Filippatos Gerasimos , Marvaki Katerina , Koumoulidis Anastasios , Mavrogeni Sophie , Kolovou Genovefa
Published: September 2014

Objective:

This study is in line with two previous ones from our group. They evaluated the influence of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) gene polymorphisms [such as rs2230806 (R219K), rs2230808 (R1587K) and rs4149313 (I883M)] on the human lipid profile (defined as Optimal and Non-Optimal).

Methods:

The present study included 447 unrelated young women and men self-reported as being healthy and that attended the University of Nursing of Technological and Educational Institution. All subjects were genotyped and the ABCA1 polymorphisms (R219K, R1587K and I883M) were recorded. According to lipid profile [total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)] the subjects were separated into those with optimal lipid profile (Optimal Group, n=209) and Non-Optimal Group (n=238).

Results:

No statistical differences were observed in the distribution of R219K, R1587K and I883M polymorphisms according to the lipid profile (p>0.05 in all cases). No statistical differences were observed in the distribution of R219K, R1587K and I883M polymorphisms according to sex (p>0.05 in all cases). However, Logistic Regression revealed that subjects with RK (R1587K polymorphism) genotype had 69% increased risk on average of having LDL-C above normal limits as compared with those with RR genotype. Similarly, subjects with K allele (R1587K polymorphism) had 59% increased risk on average of having LDL-C above normal limits compared with those with R allele.

Conclusion:

These findings suggest that R1587K polymorphism of ABCA1 gene may influence the lipid profile. However, this needs to be confirmed by larger studies.
Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura Presenting as Unprovoked Gingival Hemorrhage: a Case Report
Authors: Bal Mehmet V , Koyuncuoglu Cenker Z , Saygun Işıl
Published: September 2014

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura is an autoimmune disease characterized by auto-antibody induced platelet destruction and reduced platelet production, leading to low blood platelet count. In this case report, the clinical diagnose of a patient with immune thrombocytopenic purpura and spontaneous gingival hemorrhage by a dentist is presented. The patient did not have any systemic disease that would cause any spontaneous hemorrhage. The patient was referred to a hematologist urgently and her thrombocyte number was found to be 2000/μL. Other test results were in normal range and immune thrombocytopenic purpura diagnose was verified. Then hematological treatment was performed and patient’s health improved without further problems. Hematologic diseases like immune thrombocytopenic purpura, in some cases may appear firstly in the oral cavity and dentists must be conscious of unexplained gingival hemorrhage. In addition, the dental treatment of immune thrombocytopenic purpura patients must be planned with a hematologist.
Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement with Minimal ACJ Excision Arthroplasty for Management of Massive ACJ Cyst - A Case Report
Authors: Shaarani Shahril R , Mullett Hannan
Published: September 2014

Massive acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) cysts are an extremely rare cause of shoulder impairment and with limited consensus in its management. We present the first published case report of a patient with a massive ACJ cyst treated with a reverse total shoulder replacement with minimal ACJ excision arthroplasty.
Effect of Hypoglycemia on Brain Structure in People With Type 2 Diabetes: Epidemiological Analysis of the ACCORD-MIND MRI Trial
Authors: Zhang Zi , Lovato James , Battapady Harsha , Davatzikos Christos , Gerstein Hertzel C. , Ismail-Beigi Faramarz , Launer Lenore J. , Murray Anne , Punthakee Zubin , Tirado Amilcar A. , Williamson Jeff , Bryan R. Nick , Miller Michael E.
Published: September 2014

OBJECTIVE

The effect of hypoglycemia related to treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) on brain structure remains unclear. We aimed to assess whether symptomatic severe hypoglycemia is associated with brain atrophy and/or white matter abnormalities.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We included T2DM participants with brain MRI from the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes-Memory in Diabetes (ACCORD-MIND) trial. Symptomatic severe hypoglycemia was defined as blood glucose <2.8 mmol/L or symptoms resolved with treatments that required the assistance of another person or medical assistance (hypoglycemia requiring assistance [HA]). Standardized brain MRI was performed at baseline and at 40 months. Total brain volume (TBV) and abnormal white matter (AWM) volume were calculated using an automated computer algorithm. Brain MRI scans of hypoglycemic participants were also reviewed for local disease.

RESULTS

Of the 503 T2DM participants (mean age, 62 years) with successful baseline and 40-month brain MRI, 28 had at least one HA episode during the 40-month follow-up. Compared with participants without HA, those with HA had marginally significant less atrophy (less decrease in TBV) from baseline to 40 months (−9.55 [95% CI −15.21, −3.90] vs. −15.38 [95% CI −16.64, −14.12], P = 0.051), and no significant increase of AWM volume (2.06 [95% CI 1.71, 2.49] vs. 1.84 [95% CI 1.76, 1.91], P = 0.247). In addition, no unexpected local signal changes or volume loss were seen on hypoglycemic participants’ brain MRI scans.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests that hypoglycemia related to T2DM treatment may not accentuate brain pathology, specifically brain atrophy or white matter abnormalities.
Fracture Resistance and Microleakage of Endocrowns Utilizing Three CAD-CAM Blocks
Authors: El-Damanhoury HM , Haj-Ali RN , Platt JA
Published: September 2014

This study assessed marginal leakage and fracture resistance of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) fabricated ceramic crowns with intracoronal extensions into the pulp chambers of endodontically treated teeth (endocrowns) using either feldspathic porcelain (CEREC Blocks [CB], Sirona Dental Systems GmbH, Bensheim, Germany), lithium disilicate (e.max [EX], Ivoclar Vivadent, Schaan, Liechtenstein), or resin nanoceramic (Lava Ultimate [LU], 3M ESPE, St Paul, MN, USA).). Thirty extracted human permanent maxillary molars were endodontically treated. Standardized preparations were done with 2-mm intracoronal extensions of the endocrowns into the pulp chamber. Teeth were divided into three groups (n=10); each group was restored with standardized CAD/CAM fabricated endocrowns using one of the three tested materials. After cementation with resin cement, specimens were stored in distilled water at 37°C for one week, subjected to thermocycling, and immersed in a 5% methylene-blue dye solution for 24 hours. A compressive load was applied at 35 degrees to long axis of the teeth using a universal testing machine until failure. Failure load was recorded, and specimens were examined under a stereomicroscope for modes of failure and microleakage. Results were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc multiple comparison tests (α=0.05). LU showed significantly (p<0.05) higher fracture resistance and more favorable fracture mode (ie, fracture of the endocrown without fracture of tooth) as well as higher dye penetration than CB and EX. In conclusion, although using resin nanoceramic blocks for fabrication of endocrowns may result in better fracture resistance and a more favorable fracture mode than other investigated ceramic blocks, more microleakage may be expected with this material.
Determination of the resonance frequency – thickness relation based on the ambient seismic noise records from Upper Silesia Coal Basin
Authors: Mendecki Maciej Jan , Bieta Barbara , Mycka Mateusz
Published: September 2014

In this paper the Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) method and seismic data were applied to evaluate the resonance frequency - thickness relation. The HVSR method was used to estimate the parameters of site effects: amplification and resonance frequency from seismic noise records. The seismic noise was generated by artificial source occurring in Upper Silesia Coal Basin (UBSC), Poland, such as: traffic, industry, coal plants etc. The survey points were located near the Faculty of Earth Sciences in Sosnowiec, Bytom and Chorzow. Based on Albarello’s statistical test the observed H/V maxima was confirmed or rejected. Resonance frequencies were compared with available thicknesses of soft layer obtained by seismic survey (Mendecki 2012). Finally, the estimated resonance frequency - thickness relation for UBSC area showed quite similar power function coefficients as those obtained by other authors
Developing Researcherly Dispositions in an Initial Teacher Education Context: Successes and Dilemmas
Authors: Roche Mary
Published: September 2014

Douglas and Ellis (2011, p. 175) suggest that institutionally universities and schools are required to work with different conceptual tool-kits. Seeking to minimise the potential standoff between academic and practitioner knowledge, and, therefore, to enhance the learning of student teachers, means, they suggest, rethinking both the social relationships and the processes of abstracting knowledge from experience. Lingard and Renshaw (2010) advocate that all education practitioners, policy makers and teachers, should have a researcherly disposition, be interested in research and knowledge production and see themselves as participants in the field of educational research broadly defined.
Rapid static GNSS data processing using online services
Authors: Berber M. , Ustun A. , Yetkin M.
Published: September 2014

Recently, many organizations have begun providingonline GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)data processing services. Currently, only one of these organizationsi.e., OPUS (On-line Positioning Users Service)provides a rapid static data processing option. In case ofstatic online data processing, the users are required to submitat least two hours of data to get reasonably preciseresults. To provide processing option with less than twohours of data, NGS (National Geodetic Survey) developedOPUS–RS for rapid static data processing so that usersmaysubmit as little as 15 minutes of dual frequency GNSS data.In this study, multiple observation sessions are conductedat the same locations to compare OPUS-RS generated coordinatesamong the different sessions to see whether separatevalues agree with each other. The results indicate thatwith OPUS-RS results the differences in horizontal coordinatesagree with each other within 3.5 cm and vertical coordinatesagree within 7.2 cm. For an independent check,OPUS-RS results are also compared against LGO(Leica GeoOffice) produced Static results; this comparison yieldedup to 4.5 cm variations among horizontal coordinate differencesand variations among vertical coordinate differencesare up to 11.4 cm.
Scheduling Production Orders, Taking into Account Delays and Waste
Authors: Dylewski Robert , Jardzioch Andrzej
Published: September 2014

The article addresses the problem of determining the sequence of entering orders for production in a flexible manufacturing system implementing technological operations of cutting sheet metal. Adopting a specific ranking of production orders gives rise to the vector of delays and waste in the form of incompletely used sheets. A new method was postulated for determining the optimal sequence of orders in terms of two criteria: the total cost of delays and the amount of production waste. The examples illustrate the advantages of the proposed method compared with the popular heuristic principles.
Understanding the Impact of ‘Hard’ and ‘Soft’ Elements of TQM in South-East European Firms
Authors: Imeri Shpend , Kekäle Tauno , Takala Josu , Liu Yang
Published: September 2014

The study emphasizes on the understanding of the impact of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ elements of TQM in South-Eastern European (SEE) firms in Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Greece, Macedonia, Montenegr, Serbia and Romania. Thus, 350 questionnaires were collected out of 1000. From different industry sectors in order to have reliable statistical measurements of the ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ side of TQM. Hence, this study adopts an exploratory rather than a confirmatory research approach. This approach seeks not only to investigate firms’ awareness and perception to TQM but also explores to what extent are firms’ familiar with TQM tools techniques, and systems as well as TQM philosophies and principles. Therefore, it can be noted TQM is this SEE firms is neither resisted nor directly accepted, rather they tend to see it from a technical aspect, being familiar and understanding only the essential of its ‘hard’ elements and less the ‘soft’ elements.