bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can sugarcane cope with increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration?
Authors: Misra Varucha , Shrivastava A. K. , Mall A. K. , Solomon S. , Singh Akhilesh Kumar , Ansari Mohammad Israil
Published: July 2019

Climate change is the one of the most emerging problem of today’s world. It is the most potent threat to the existence of mankind. These sudden abrupt changes in the climate are affecting all the crops to a great extent. High concentrations of CO2 are one of the leading reasons contributing to climate change due to the increasing level of green-house gases. The elevation in CO2 level is hampering crop production and productivity of different crops by causing effect on different physiological attributes. Unlike other crops, in sugarcane, several beneficial effects have been detected such as escalation in biomass, photosynthesis, leaf area, stalk juice volume, leaf dry weight and stem dry weight under such condition. Sugarcane crop is known to be one among those crops that is able to cope up with the increasing level of CO2 due to four natural endowments it possesses. Very low carbon dioxide compensation point and unique property of sequestering carbon in form of phytolith or planstone is some of the important natural endowment with respect to the rising CO2 concentration in atmosphere. Here, we have discussed the influence of atmospheric rising CO2 concentration on sugarcane crop.
Effect of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatment on physicochemical characteristics of tomato fruits during post-harvest storage
Authors: AL-Saikhan Mohamed S. , Shalaby Tarek A.
Published: July 2019

Tomato is a perishable vegetable crop and it faces several problems during marketing and storage. Postharvest losses during storage of tomato fruits are mainly due to decay. In this study, the effect of postharvest application of hydrogen peroxide on quality and decay of tomato fruits during storage under two storage temperatures (10 ºC and 20 ºC) was studied. Tomato fruits (Red rose cv.) at light red maturity stage were dipped in a solution of hydrogen peroxide (0, 5 and 15 mM) for 30 min, then air-dried at room temperature and stored at room temperature (20ºC) for three weeks in fridge (10ºC) for 4 weeks. A factorial (3 x 2) complete randomized design with three replications was used. The results showed that Hydrogen peroxide treatments reduced weight loss and disease incidence percentage of fruits compared with control treatment (0 mM hydrogen peroxide). Moreover, hydrogen peroxide treatments had slight effect on fruit firmness. Regarding TSS% and ascorbic acid content, there were no significant differences among treatments. In addition, storage temperature affected tomato fruit quality during storage time. Therefore, the use of hydrogen peroxide in postharvest treatments is useful to keep quality of tomato fruits under storage conditions.
Comprehensive analysis of the NAC gene family in Elaeis guineensis
Authors: Xiao Yong , Fan Haikuo , Ma Jianwei , Lei Xintao , Wang Yong , Cao Hongxin , Zhou Lixia , Zhang Yong , Xia Wei
Published: July 2019

The NAC gene family encode transcriptional regulator that contain a conserved NAM domain near the N-terminus and participate in the regulation of plant development and response to different abiotic stresses. In this study, 129 EgNAC genes were identified from the genome sequence of Elaeis guineensis and 97 EgNAC located on the chromsomes with an average of 4.56 EgNAC genes per chromosome. About 60% of EgNACs contained three exons and the gene sizes varied from 541 bp to 37,294 bp. Genomic duplication analysis showed that 10 EgNAC genes were involved in segmental duplication events and two genes were from tandem duplication. The gene expression profiles of EgNACs based on transcriptome database for different oil palm tissues showed that 30 EgNACs with low or no expression and 24 EgNACs were specifically expressed in one tissue. The trancriptome comparison between the control and cold stress samples demonstrated that thirty-seven EgNACs were down-regulated and 82 EgNACs were up-regulated under cold stress. Further RT-qPCR showed that the expression for 24 out of 32 validated EgNACs were induced under both cold, drought and salt stresses. Our comprehensive analysis of EgNAC genes has provided clues for candidate genes involved in abiotic stress tolerance.
Genetic diversity of endangered terrestrial orchids Spathoglottis plicata in Peninsular Malaysia based on AFLP markers
Authors: Ginibun Florence C. , Arens Paul , Vosman Ben , Bhassu Subha , Khalid Norzulaani , Othman Rofina Yasmin
Published: July 2019

Spathoglottis plicata is an endangered terrestrial orchid species that have experienced severe threats to its habitat as wild forest sites come under pressure from industrialisation and natural disasters. This orchid species chosen to evaluate their levels of genetic diversity and population genetic structure, which 25-30 accession collected in the different location with different geographical, altitude and habitat. Genomic DNA was extracted from six natural populations (n=172) in Peninsular Malaysia using eleven AFLP markers of EcoRI+3 bases/MseI+3 base primer combinations. Based on 279 polymorphic bands, a significant degree of genetic population differentiation was found, with a 78.5% variation within populations as measured by AMOVA, indicating a potential restricted gene flow. Two distinct clades generated from a UPGMA dendrogram were further investigated through a Bayesian analysis using STRUCTURE software, producing an estimated population structure at optimal value K=4. These results point to the presence of four genetic structures in the Spathoglottis plicata population. The Pahang and Terengganu population revealed a higher than average genetic variation (60.25%), indicating that there may be a robust structural division between the population samples and a possible hybridisation between the Northern (Kedah), Southern (Negeri Sembilan and Johor) and Central (Selangor) region populations. In sum, these results suggest that geographical distance is the primary factor contributing to differences among populations and the need for conservation measures to protect the Spathoglottis plicata species.
Effects of silver nitrate (AgNO3) on growth and anatomical structure of vegetative organs of liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) under in vitro condition
Authors: Tahoori Farnaz , Majd Ahamd , Nejadsattari Taher , Ofoghi Hamideh , Iranbakhsh Alireza
Published: July 2019

Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) has been used worldwide as a medicine for a long time. In this research, the effect of silver nitrate (AgNO3) as a growth regulator and anti-ethylene in in vitro culture was investigated on growth and anatomical structure of vegetative organs (root, hypocotyl, shoot, leaf) as well as the number of stomata and trichomes in the leaves of liquorice under in vitro culture condition. The seeds were cultured in MS culture media containing different concentrations of AgNO3 (0, 2, 4, 8, and 10 mg L-1). Investigations on 20-day seedlings after three replications showed a significant increase in length and growth of roots, hypocotyls and shoots, and decreased number of stomata and trichomes in the samples treated with AgNO3 (P≤0.05). The effects of AgNO3 on anatomical structures of the organs included the increased cell division in root and shoot tips, reduced vascular tissues and sclerenchyma-fiber (with lignified cell walls), increased thickness of Casparian strip and cell walls of endodermis, reduced thickness of epidermis and increased intercellular spaces in mesophyll. The leaf area was measured in the 4-month plantlets, showing a significant increase in the samples treated with AgNO3. Furthermore, there was significant difference in increased leaf area applying 10 mg L-1 treatment and other concentrations as well as between the concentrations of 2 and 8 mg L-1. It seems that these results are due to the inhibitory effects of AgNO3 on the production and function of ethylene and the plant strategy to increase the tolerance against silver metal.
La resocialización del sancionado ¿un derecho fundamental?
Authors: Barroso González Jorge Luis , Delgado Triana Yanelys
Published: July 2019

El objetivo de esta investigación es desarrollar, desde un punto de vista teórico, los elementos que avalan la resocialización de los sancionados penalmente como un derecho fundamental. La resocialización, asumida por gran parte de la doctrina penal y criminológica como la modificación de pautas conductuales de los sancionados apenas privativas de libertad, ha sido centro de profundos análisis por quienes, fruto de las más recientes corrientes doctrinales, asumen dicho proceso como un derecho del sancionado y no como su obligación, o simplemente como una acción que puede ser realizada o no por los órganos encargados de la ejecución de la pena. Parte del debate hoy se centra en si este es efectivamente un derecho fundamental a consagrar en el texto constitucional o simplemente seguirá erigiéndose como fin de la sanción y principio de la ejecución de la pena. Cuba no escapa a dicho análisis y por ello serán puestos sobre el tapete las consideraciones de los autores sobre este interesante y controversial tema. Se trata de una investigación eminentemente teórica, por tanto, la metodología utilizada es consecuente con ello. Los elementos que se abordan desde el punto de vista teórico proveen elementos para el debate sobre la consagración de la resocialización como derecho fundamental en Cuba; análisis con el que culminamos nuestro trabajo, concluyendo que, si bien finalmente todo indica que se incluirá este derecho en la Constitución de la República de Cuba, debe aparecer como resocialización y no como reinserción social.
Naturaleza jurídica de la maternidad subrogada o por sustitución en el marco de la teoría del negocio jurídico en Colombia
Authors: Lobo Garrido Gustavo Andrés
Published: July 2019

Ante el vacío normativo existente en Colombia, la naturaleza jurídica del acuerdo de voluntades, que tiene por objeto llevar a cabo la maternidad subrogada o por sustitución, ha generado bastante controversia, especialmente con el análisis de los presupuestos de su existencia, validez y eficacia en el marco de la teoría del negocio jurídico. En efecto, la identificación de los elementos de existencia y de validez del referido acuerdo, especialmente la determinación de lo que constituye el objeto y la causa del negocio, ha originado una discusión sobre su viabilidad jurídica en el ordenamiento jurídico colombiano. Debido a lo anterior, se hace imperativo analizar la viabilidad jurídica de este negocio con el fin de pregonar su permisión o prohibición.
La presente investigación plantea la importancia de analizar el negocio jurídico de la maternidad por sustitución o subrogada con el fin de identificar su naturaleza jurídica en el marco de la teoría del negocio jurídico. A partir de la identificación y análisis de sus presupuestos de existencia y validez, se demostrará que el contrato de maternidad por sustitución es válido jurídicamente de acuerdo a la normatividad vigente en Colombia.
La presente investigación es de tipo dogmático-teórica jurídica. Se empleó una metodología cualitativa documental y se tomó como base cada uno de los objetivos específicos planteados en el proyecto de investigación.
La metodología cualitativa y la estrategia de investigación analítica, descriptiva y conceptual fueron fundamentales para la realización del estudio.
Para el procesamiento y análisis de la información se tomó como base el modelo guía de “Sistematización de la Información Documental”, mediante el cual se recolectó la información de manera precisa y ordenada, destacando los puntos claves y esenciales que fueron de gran utilidad y provecho para el desarrollo de la presente investigación y la obtención de resultados.
Medios alternos de solución de conflictos para upstream en la industria de los hidrocarburos caso México
Authors: Lázaro Sánchez Iván
Published: July 2019

Los contratos para upstream (exploración y extracción de hidrocarburos) −celebrados en los distintos países, de acuerdo a sus sistemas jurídicos, marco constitucional y leyes secundarias−, representan un paradigma de negociación por tener por objeto la localización y captación de un recurso natural no renovable que resulta la materia prima por excelencia cuya transformación genera la energía movilizadora de la industria mundial. A su vez, esta materia resulta un símbolo de geo estrategia internacional que paradójicamente conlleva discusiones globales sobre temas tan diversos como soberanía, sostenibilidad ambiental, equilibrio económico, competencia, inversión extranjera, regulación, etc. Pero lo cierto es que los Medios Alternos de Solución de Conflictos (MASC) son un medio fundamental para lograr la eficacia en la materialización de los complejos y extensos objetivos de los contratos para la primera fase de la cadena de valor de los hidrocarburos en el mundo, por ello, en el presente artículo realizamos un análisis sistemático sobre dichas figuras, sus aplicaciones, características y relevancia para establecer una relación con el caso del Estado mexicano y su reforma estructural en materia energética.
Aproximaciones conceptuales y prácticas de las adicciones en una muestra bibliográfica
Authors: Dávila Cañas Lucas , Gómez Vargas Maricelly
Published: July 2019

Este artículo presenta los resultados de una revisión bibliográfica realizada para la investigación “Aproximación crítica a la intervención en adicciones en la ciudad de Medellín”. Metodología: Se realizó un rastreo bibliográfico en EBSCO, Redalyc y Scielo. Los descriptores fueron: adicción, intervención adicciones, intervención psicosocial, tratamiento adicciones y drogas. Se realiza un análisis categorial que permite identificar las conceptualizaciones de las adicciones respecto a su definición, explicación teórica y su problematización. Conclusiones: gran parte de la producción científica revisada alrededor de las adicciones se ha preocupado por la conceptualización de las mismas tomando distancia de la hegemonía del discurso médico, sin desconocer el efecto orgánico que tienen tanto las adicciones químicas como comportamentales. Se evidencia una significativa preocupación por los modos de abordaje e intervención, campo en el cual los diferentes autores consultados, se interesan por hacer nuevas propuestas en el tratamiento derivadas de la experiencia investigativa y práctica.
Terapia cognitiva y activación conductual trastorno depresivo mayor recurrente, inducido por sustancias
Authors: Valencia Acevedo Juan Felipe
Published: July 2019

Este estudio de caso único presenta la intervención en un paciente con diagnóstico de trastorno depresivo mayor, episodio recurrente y características de ansiedad inducidas por sustancias. Para la fase de línea base y medición se utilizó el Inventario de Depresión de Beck (BDI-II), Inventario de Ansiedad de Beck (BAI), Escala de Desesperanza de Beck (BHS) y una entrevista clínica. Después de 16 sesiones, se evidencia una reducción significativa en las puntuaciones de depresión del paciente. Se discute la importancia de direccionar los ámbitos investigativos en el establecimiento y difusión del modelo de AC para la depresión como estrategia sólida y eficaz combinándola con la TC, presentando estudios en los cuales se muestre un rigor investigativo que permita evidenciar el cambio individual en las variables relacionadas con los síntomas depresivos.
Features and causes of catastrophic floods in the Nemunas River basin
Authors: Akstinas Vytautas , Meilutytė-Lukauskienė Diana , Kriaučiūnienė Jūratė , Šarauskienė Diana
Published: July 2019

The Nemunas River basin falls within the territories of five different countries – Belarus, Lithuania, Russia, Poland and Latvia. In general, the beginning of spring floods highly depends on rapid rise of air temperature, heavy precipitation and sudden snow melting in the analysed basin. In this paper, the conditions of formation and consequences of two catastrophic floods in 1958 and 1979 in the Nemunas River basin were studied regarding the hydrometeorological parameters (maximum snow water equivalent before the beginning of flood and precipitation amount during the flood) as well as runoff coefficients for each selected catastrophic flood. Differences between the main drivers and evolution of these floods were analysed. Spatial distribution of maximum snow water equivalent and precipitation, as well as runoff coefficient in different parts of the river basin, were identified as having the most significant impact on the formation of the studied catastrophic floods.
Decision tree techniques to assess the role of daily DO variation in classifying shallow eutrophicated lakes in Hanoi, Vietnam
Authors: Hoang Thu-Huong T. , Nguyen Viet D. , Van Anh D. , Nguyen Hien T. T.
Published: July 2019

Eutrophication is a serious phenomenon in shallow lakes in Hanoi. The most important effect is the change of dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water column. The value of DO in water changed over time, and the variation of DO proved to be more important than the absolute value. The research aimed to assess the role of daily DO variation in classifying the eutrophication status of shallow lakes in Hanoi. Data were collected in eight shallow eutrophicated lakes in Hanoi during 2015–2017 in relation to water quality parameters. A large variation of DO was observed with the maximum value achieved at 15–17 h (180% saturation DO) and the minimum value at 4–6 h (20% saturation DO). The lowest DO value reached 1.5 mg/L, which was much lower than the threshold of survival of some aquatic animals. The daily DO fluctuations correlated with phytoplankton density, the Trophic State Index (TSI), chlorophyll-a concentration and density, and the proportion of DIN:PO4, showing the close relationship between DO variation and eutrophication in the lakes. The decision trees were developed and also selected the ΔDO as the driving variable in classifying the eutrophication status in lakes. The daily DO variation could be an important indicator for eutrophication.
Study on the preparation of granular alum sludge adsorbent for phosphorus removal
Authors: Wu H. F. , Wang J. P. , Duan E. G. , Feng Y. F. , Wan Z. Y. , Wu Y. X. , Lu Y. Q.
Published: July 2019

Alum sludge is the sludge discharged from a sedimentation tank in a drinking water treatment plant when polymerized with poly-aluminum chloride (PAC). In this paper, granular alum sludge adsorbent (GASA) was manufactured using powdery alum sludge (PAS) as the raw material and methods such as gluing and pore-forming. The effects of different binders, pore-forming agents, roasting temperatures, and roasting times on the formation of GASA and its dephosphorization performance were investigated. Results showed that the optimum binder was AlCl3 at a mass ratio of 8%, and the best pore-forming agent was starch at a 4% dosage ratio. Meanwhile, the optimum roasting temperature and time were 500 °C and 2 hours, respectively. The specific surface area of GASA was 23.124 m2/g. Scanning electron microscopy suggested that GASA's surface became rough, particles became tight, and average pore size increased, with additional pore channels. P adsorption by GASA reached 0.90 mg/g. The effluent phosphorus concentration of actual tail water decreased to 0.49 mg/L and the removal rate reached 73.5% when the GASA dosage was 20 g/L. The findings of this study are important for the further development of a low-cost adsorbent material for P removal in the future.
Comprehensive study of the percolation of water from surface runoff with an emphasis on the retention capacity and intensity of precipitation
Authors: Zeleňáková Martina , Hluštík Petr , Abd-Elhamid Hany F. , Vranayová Zuzana , Markovič Gabriel , Hudáková Gabriela , Tometz Ladislav
Published: July 2019

Urban hydrology was created in order to improve methods of managing the runoff of precipitation in towns and protect them from flooding while also protecting public health and environment. The essence of a future solution consists in finding an acceptable compromise of an alternative solution for draining rainwater from a territory. The content of this work is a study focused on resolving the percolation of water from surface runoff and the confrontation between a field test, laboratory analysis, and numerical analysis. By confronting and subsequently proposing conditions for percolation, documents will be created for making urban drainage better and more efficient. The reason for the origin of the subject work follows from the insufficient information on infiltration systems in Slovak technical standards and, likewise, the lack of support for the percolation of water from surface runoff. This work points out the approaches, principles, and fundamentals of a proposal for percolation. The aim of the work is distribution of scientific knowledge in the field of research and solutions for the percolation of water from surface runoff, with emphasis placed on the retention capacity of the selected territory and the intensity of precipitation. A geological study (orientational, detailed or supplementary) must always be conducted with any decision on rainwater percolation in a certain locality. Its range is dependent on the difficulty and type of construction. The preliminary study of areal condition should be focused on detailed engineering-geological and hydrological information. After this work, it is concluded that the percolation of rainwater in urban areas with suitable hydrogeological condition is an effective rainwater management technology as well as protection to congestion of sewer systems.
Rheological Characterization of Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Formulations for Cutaneous Applications
Authors: Huang Nicolas
Published: July 2019

Rheology, the study of the flow and deformation of matter, can be a daunting subject for scientists new to this field. However, its importance in characterization and optimization of formulations is indisputable. This review intends to provide basic and practical rheological notions in order to better understand the key concepts such as shear stress, shear rate, viscosity, elastic and viscous moduli and phase angle, and learn to distinguish between flow and oscillation experiments. We will explain the different rheological behaviors such as shear thinning, thixotropy or viscoelasticity. Throughout this review, these concepts will be illustrated with examples taken from pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations. Rheology is a broad subject and this review does not intend to be comprehensive, but rather to be concise and pedagogical.
Use of Natural Components Derived from Oil Seed Plants for Treatment of Inflammatory Skin Diseases
Authors: Styrczewska Monika , Zuk Magdalena , Boba Aleksandra , Zalewski Iwan , Kulma Anna
Published: July 2019

The incidence of inflammatory skin diseases is increasing, so the search for relevant therapeutics is of major concern. Plants are rich in phytochemicals which can alleviate many symptoms. In this review, we concentrate on compounds found in the seeds of widely cultivated plants, regularly used for oil production. The oils from these plants are often used to alleviate the symptoms of inflammatory diseases through synergetic action of unsaturated fatty acids and other phytochemicals most commonly derived from the terpenoid pathway. The knowledge of the chemical composition of oil seeds and the understanding of the mechanisms of action of single components should allow for a more tailored approach for the treatment for many diseases. In many cases, these seeds could serve as an efficient material for the isolation of pure phytochemicals. Here we present the content of phytochemicals, assumed to be responsible for healing properties of plant oils in a widely cultivated oil seed plants and review the proposed mechanism of action for fatty acids, selected mono-, sesqui-, di- and triterpenes, carotenoids, tocopherol and polyphenols.
Therapeutic Potential of Agonists and Antagonists of A1, A2a, A2b and A3 Adenosine Receptors
Authors: Jamwal Sumit , Mittal Ashish , Kumar Puneet , Alhayani Dana M. , Al-Aboudi Amal
Published: July 2019

Adenosine is a naturally occurring nucleoside and an essential component of the energy production and utilization systems of the body. Adenosine is formed by the degradation of adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) during energy-consuming processes. Adenosine regulates numerous physiological processes through activation of four subtypes of G-protein coupled membrane receptors viz. A1, A2A, A2B and A3. Its physiological importance depends on the affinity of these receptors and the extracellular concentrations reached. ATP acts as a neurotransmitter in both peripheral and central nervous systems. In the peripheral nervous system, ATP is involved in chemical transmission in sensory and autonomic ganglia, whereas in central nervous system, ATP, released from synaptic terminals, induces fast excitatory postsynaptic currents. ATP provides the energetics for all muscle movements, heart beats, nerve signals and chemical reactions inside the body. Adenosine has been traditionally considered an inhibitor of neuronal activity and a regulator of cerebral blood flow. Since adenosine is neuroprotective against excitotoxic and metabolic dysfunctions observed in neurological and ocular diseases, the search for adenosinerelated drugs regulating adenosine transporters and receptors can be important for advancement of therapeutic strategies against these diseases. This review will summarize the therapeutic potential and recent SAR and pharmacology of adenosine and its receptor agonists and antagonists.
No Effect of Metformin on Ovarian Cancer Survival: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies
Authors: Wang Yongbo , Liu Xiaoxue , Yan Pengfei , Bi Yongyi , Liu Yu , Zhang Zhi-Jiang
Published: July 2019

Background:

A number of observational studies examined the association between metformin therapy
and ovarian cancer survival outcomes, but the results are inconsistent.

Objective:

The study aimed to investigate the effect of metformin on survival for ovarian cancer patients.

Methods:

PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases were searched for relevant studies from the inception to
June 11, 2019. The strength of the relationship was assessed using summary of hazard ratios (HRs) with corresponding
95% confidence intervals (CI). Statistical analyses were carried out using the random-effects model.

Results:

Totally, 6 retrospective cohort studies involving 2,638 ovarian cancer patients were included. Metformin
was not associated with improved overall survival (HR=0.78, 95% CI 0.54-1.12, P=0.175, I2= 61.6%) and disease-
free survival (HR=0.49, 95% CI 0.20-1.17, P=0.106, I2=82.1%) in ovarian cancer patients compared to nonmetformin
users.

Conclusion:

The current study provides preliminary evidence that metformin may not be associated with a survival
benefit for ovarian cancer patients. More studies with rigorous designs are needed.
A spectral method to the stochastic Stokes equations on the sphere
Authors: Peach Joe James , Le Gia Quoc Thong
Published: July 2019

We construct numerical solutions to the stochastic Stokes equations on the unit sphere with additive noise. By characterising the noise as a tangential vector field, the weak formulation is derived and a spectral method is used to obtain a numerical solution. The theory is illustrated through a numerical experiment.

References P. Benner and C. Trautwein. Optimal distributed and tangential boundary control for the unsteady stochastic Stokes equations. Technical Report, 2018. URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1809.00911. P. Chen, A. Quarteroni, and G. Rozza. Stochastic optimal Robin boundary control problems of advection-dominated elliptic equations. SIAM J. Numer. Anal., 51(5):27002722, 2013. doi:10.1137/120884158. A. Ciraudo, C. D. Negro, A. Herault, and A. Vicari. Advances in modelling methods for lava flow simulation. Commun. SIMAI Cong., 2:18, 2007. doi:10.1685/CSC06067. W. Freeden and M. Schreiner. Spherical functions of mathematical geosciences. Advances in Geophysical and Environmental Mechanics and Mathematics. Springer-Verlag, 2009. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-85112-7. M. Ganesh and Q. T. L. Gia. A radial basis Galerkin method for spherical surface Stokes equation. ANZIAM J., 52:C56C71, 2011. doi:10.21914/anziamj.v52i0.3921. M. Ganesh, Q. T. L. Gia, and I. H. Sloan. A pseudospectral quadrature method for NavierStokes equations on rotating spheres. Math. Comput., 80:13971430, 2011. doi:10.1090/S0025-5718-2010-02440-8. A. A. Il'in. The NavierStokes and Euler equations on two-dimensional manifolds. Math. USSR Sbornik, 69:559579, 1991. doi:10.1070/sm1991v069n02abeh002116. F. Narcowich, J. Ward, and G. Wright. Divergence-free RBFs on surfaces. J. Fourier Anal. Appl., 13:634663, 2007. doi:10.1007/s00041-006-6903-2. S. S. Sritharan. Optimal control of viscous flow. SIAM, 1998. doi:10.1137/1.9781611971415. D. A. Varshalovich, A. N. Moskalev, and V. K. Khersonskii. Quantum theory of angular momentum. World Scientific, 2008. doi:10.1142/0270.
Error indicators and adaptive refinement of the discrete thin plate spline smoother
Authors: Fang Lishan
Published: July 2019

The discrete thin plate spline is a data fitting and smoothing technique for large datasets. Current research only uses uniform grids for this discrete smoother, which may require a fine grid to achieve a certain accuracy. This leads to a large system of equations and high computational costs. Adaptive refinement adapts the precision of the solution to reduce computational costs by refining only in sensitive regions. The error indicator is an essential part of the adaptive refinement as it identifies whether certain regions should be refined. Error indicators are well researched in the finite element method, but they might not work for the discrete smoother as data may be perturbed by noise and not uniformly distributed. Two error indicators are presented: one computes errors by solving an auxiliary problem and the other uses the bounds of the finite element error. Their performances are evaluated and compared with 2D model problems.

References H. Chui and A. Rangarajan. A new point matching algorithm for non-rigid registration. Comput. Vis. Image Und., 89 (23): 114141, 2003. doi:10.1016/S1077-3142(03)00009-2. W. F. Mitchell. A comparison of adaptive refinement techniques for elliptic problems. ACM T. Math. Software, 15 (4): 326347, 1989. doi:10.1145/76909.76912. S. Roberts, M. Hegland, and I. Altas. Approximation of a thin plate spline smoother using continuous piecewise polynomial functions. SIAM J. Numer. Anal., 41(1):208234, 2003. doi:10.1137/S0036142901383296. G. Sewell. Analysis of a finite element method. Springer-Verlag, 1985. doi:10.1007/978-1-4684-6331-6. R. Sprengel, K. Rohr, and H. S. Stiehl. Thin-plate spline approximation for image registration. In P. IEEE EMBS, volume 3, pages 11901191. IEEE, 1996. doi:10.1109/IEMBS.1996.652767. L. Stals. Efficient solution techniques for a finite element thin plate spline formulation. J. Sci. Comput., 63(2):374409, 2015. doi:10.1007/s10915-014-9898-x. G. Wahba. Spline models for observational data, volume 59 of CBMS-NSF Regional Conference Series in Applied Mathematics. SIAM, 1990. doi:10.1137/1.9781611970128.
Mutual-Aid Mobile App for Emergency Care: Feasibility Study (Preprint)
Authors: Chien Shuo-Chen , Islam Md Mohaimenul , Yeh Chen-An , Chien Po-Han , Chen Chun You , Chin Yen-Po , Lin Ming-Chin
Published: July 2019

BACKGROUND

Improving the quality of patient care through the use of mobile devices is one of the hot topics in the health care field. In unwanted situations like an accident, ambulances and rescuers often require a certain amount of time to arrive at the scene. Providing immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to patients might improve survival.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of an emergency and mutual-aid app model in Taiwan and to provide a reference for government policy.

METHODS

A structured questionnaire was developed as a research tool. All questionnaires were designed according to the technology acceptance model, and a Likert scale was used to measure the degree of agreement or disagreement. Moreover, in-depth interviews were conducted with six experts from medical, legal, and mobile app departments. Each expert was interviewed once to discuss feasible countermeasures and suggestions. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 19; IBM Corp, Armonk, New York) was used to perform all statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, independent sample t-tests, variance analysis, and Pearson correlation analysis.

RESULTS

We conducted this study between October 20, 2017, and November 10, 2017, at the Taipei Medical University Hospital. Questionnaires were distributed to medical personnel, visiting guests, family members, and volunteers. A total of 113 valid questionnaires were finally obtained after the exclusion of incomplete questionnaires. Cronbach α values for self-efficacy (perceived ease of use), use attitude (perceived usefulness), and use willingness and frequency were above .85, meeting the criterion of greater than .70. We observed that the reliability of each subquestion was acceptable and the values for use attitude (perceive usefulness) and use willingness and frequency were more than .90.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of the app model affect use willingness. However, perceived usefulness had an intermediary influence on use willingness. Experts in law, medical, and technology fields consider that an emergency and mutual-aid model can be implemented in Taiwan. Along with the development of an emergency and mutual-aid app model, we recommend an increase in the number of automated external defibrillators per region and promotion of correct knowledge about CPR in order to decrease morbidity and mortality.
Preparing African American Men to Make Informed Prostate Cancer Screening Decisions: Development and Pilot Testing of an Interactive Online Decision Aid (Preprint)
Authors: Allen Jennifer Dacey , Reich Amanda , Cuevas Adolfo G , Ladin Keren
Published: July 2019

BACKGROUND

African American men are at a higher risk of developing and dying from prostate cancer compared to white men. The serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening test has a high risk of false-positive results and overdiagnosis; therefore, it is not routinely recommended. Rather, men are encouraged to make individualized decisions with their medical providers, after being fully informed about its potential benefits, limitations, and risks.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to describe the development and pilot testing of an interactive Web-based decision aid (DA; Prostate Cancer Screening Preparation [PCSPrep]) for African American men, designed to promote informed decision making for prostate cancer screening.

METHODS

Four focus groups (n=33) were conducted to assess men’s reactions to DAs developed in prior studies and gather information to modify the content and format. The pilot test employed a pre-posttest evaluation design. A convenience sample of 41 men aged 45-70 years with no history of prostate cancer was recruited from community settings. Participants completed online surveys before and after using PCSPrep that assessed prostate cancer screening knowledge, decision self-efficacy, decisional conflict, and preparation for decision making.

RESULTS

Use of PCSPrep was associated with a significant increase in prostate cancer knowledge (49% vs 62% correct responses; P<.001), and men also experienced less decisional conflict (24 vs 15 on a scale of 0-100; P=.008). No changes in self-efficacy about decision making or screening preferences were observed. Most men (81%) reported that using PCSPrep prepared them to make informed decisions in partnership with their provider.

CONCLUSIONS

PCSPrep was an acceptable DA that improved men’s knowledge, reduced decisional conflict, and promoted the perception of being prepared for shared decision making. Further research is needed to test the DA in a larger randomized trial.
Feasibility of an Interactive Patient Portal for Monitoring Physical Activity, Remote Symptom Reporting, and Patient Education in Oncology: Qualitative Study (Preprint)
Authors: Marthick Michael , Janssen Anna , Cheema Birinder S , Alison Jennifer , Shaw Tim , Dhillon Haryana
Published: July 2019

BACKGROUND

Digital health interventions, such as the use of patient portals, have been shown to offer benefits to a range of patients including those with a diagnosis of cancer.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the participant experience and perception of using an interactive Web-based portal for monitoring physical activity, remote symptom reporting, and delivering educational components.

METHODS

Participants who were currently under treatment or had recently completed intensive treatment for cancer were recruited to three cohorts and invited to join a Web-based portal to enhance their physical activity. Cohort 1 received Web portal access and an activity monitor; cohort 2 had additional summative messaging; and cohort 3 had additional personalized health coaching messaging. Following the 10-week intervention, participants were invited to participate in a semistructured interview. Interview recordings were transcribed and evaluated using qualitative thematic analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 17 semistructured interviews were carried out. Participants indicated that using the Web portal was feasible. Personalized messaging improved participant perceptions of the value of the intervention. There was a contrast between cohorts and levels of engagement with increasing health professional contact leading to an increase in engagement. Educational material needs to be tailored to the participants’ cancer treatment status, health literacy, and background.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants reported an overall positive experience using the Web portal and that personalized messaging positively impacted on their health behaviors. Future studies should focus more on design of interventions, ensuring appropriate tailoring of information and personalization of behavioral support messaging.
Mit'a para el inca:
Authors: Ordóñez Carlo José
Published: July 2019

The construction of provincial incas settlements meant an extraordinary investment, requiring the availability of large contingents of workers through the labor tribute (mit´a), which involved the obligatory contribution of skilled labor from local ethnic groups. During the last decades some efforts have been made to document evidence on this subject. However, our investigations in the palace complex at Huanuco Pampa (sector IIB) have emphasized aspects such as the detailed architectural registry and analysis of certain features present in the buildings. This information is compared with the colonial documents and oral traditions collected in the surrounding peasant communities. This research has allowed us to identify technical-constructive details in the palace that have similarities with the architecture in the local communities and certain indicators that would suggest their participation and contribution in the construction of this architectural complex.
Gaining Insight into Youth Programming and the Inclusivity of Girls
Authors: Vokes Shannon , Barry Erinn , Wilson Ciann , Pulla Victoria , Shacter Jora
Published: July 2019

Boys dominate youth recreational programs in ways that control the conversation and the physical space, which impedes the ability for girls to participate. This is distressing, given that youth recreational and social programs, for example, those focusing on personal development or on health and well-being, improve girls’ physical and mental health and serve as a protective buffer against negative health outcomes. We conducted a qualitative community-based Participatory Action Research (PAR) project in which we interviewed programmers responsible for social and recreational programs that cater to youth between the ages of 12 and 18 in a region of Southwestern Ontario, Canada. We examined factors influencing girls’ participation through the lens of a modified Bronfenbrenner Ecological Model. The findings were unpacked with a view toward gender equity, particularly focusing on girls’ health and well-being. Based on the findings, we created a knowledge mobilization gender-based toolkit, which, upon implementing, would make the benefits of recreational programming more accessible to girls.
Experience of modern programs and geographic information systems application at formation of land parcels for constructing linear structures
Authors: Kanashin N.V.
Published: July 2019

The formation of land parcels for the constructing of linear structures today is associated with a number of difficulties caused by the lack of regulatory documents for solving such problems, the location of sites in several cadastral districts with different coordinate systems and other causes. Therefore, their formation today is impossible without modern software, which would enable reducing the complexity of such work and eliminate errors in the final result. The author describes the experience of using modern programs for the formation of land parcels at constructing linear structures on the example of the designed Moscow – Kazan railway route. The ways of automated acquisition and processing geospatial information from the public cadastral map environment, vectorization of the obtained data and its processing in the environment of geographic information systems for solving applied tasks are shown. The article may be useful to design engineers, cadastral engineers, as well as all specialists in the field of geodesy and geoinformatics.
ESTRATEGIA EVALUATIVA EN MIRAS DEL APRENDIZAJE AUTÓNOMO Y CREATIVO DE LA PERSONA ESTUDIANTE: CASO CURSO DE TURISMO SOSTENIBLE UNIVERSIDAD ESTATAL A DISTANCIA, COSTA RICA
Authors: Solís-Rosales Susan
Published: July 2019

Para el uso efecto de las tecnologías de información y de comunicación el ser humano requiere desarrollar las siguientes habilidades: creatividad, autorregulación y autoevaluación. Este es un gran reto de los docentes; no obstante, se tiene una excelente oportunidad en utilizar la evaluación de los aprendizajes como estrategia de aprendizaje para la persona estudiante y el docente. Se requiere cambiar de paradigma, en donde se ha pensado o se piensa dejar la evaluación de los aprendizajes solo para la medición del conocimiento (usualmente el nivel de memoria) que está obteniendo el estudiante.  Dicha evaluación es importante y un recurso más de evidencia; sin embargo, el contexto nos demanda ser más propositivos desde la evaluación alternativa.  En el caso particular, bajo la metodología de estudio de caso se expone la experiencia de la evaluación alternativa aplicada a un curso de turismo sostenible, mediante las tecnologías de información y comunicación (TIC), aplicada en un  modelo pedagógico a distancia, en el nivel de educación superior público en Costa Rica. Una práctica que está en proceso de construcción.Palabras clave: evaluar para aprender, aprendizaje autónomo, evaluación alternativa, aprendizaje creativo, educación a distancia.AbstractInformation technology and communication require that human beings develop the following skills: creativity, self-regulation and self-assessment. This is a gigantic challenge for teachers; however, the assessment of learning becomes an excellent opportunity since it can be employed as a learning strategy for the student and faculty.  A paradigm shift is required: stop thinking about the assessment of learning exclusively for the measurement of the student’s "knowledge" (usually understood as the ability of memorizing). Such evaluation is important and a resource of evidence; however, the context demands more proactivity and constructive towards the alternative assessment.   In this particular case, the methodology of case study has been selected to analyze the experience of alternative assessment applied to a course of sustainable tourism. It is applied through information and communications technology (ICT) at a distance learning environment in a public higher education in Costa Rica. A practice that is under construction.Keywords: Evaluate for learning, autonomous learning, alternative assessment, creative learning, distance education.
LAS PERCEPCIONES DEL APRENDIZAJE, FENÓMENO INFLUYENTE EN LA FORMACIÓN DOCENTE DE CALIDAD
Authors: Feo-Mora Ronald José
Published: July 2019

En los centros de formación docente emerge un fenómeno influyente y básico en la praxis educativa de calidad, constituido por las percepciones del aprendizaje de sus actores clave. Dicha afirmación impulsa el estudio de este constructo con la finalidad de develar y actualizar los elementos esenciales como distintivos para su conceptualización. Este estudio se insertó en el paradigma naturalístico, donde el método para procesar la información e interpretarla en su esencia fue el fenomenológico. Los informantes iniciales lo conformaron estudiantes y profesores del curso Desarrollo de Procesos Cognoscitivos (DPC 0113) del Instituto Pedagógico de Miranda José Manuel Siso Martínez de Venezuela en los períodos académicos 2015-II - 2016-I. Bajo los principios de la saturación teórica, se determinaron los 12 informantes finales. Las técnicas empleadas para recabar la información fueron la observación participante, apoyada en una guía de observación y la entrevista en profundidad, sustentada en un guion de entrevista. Los hallazgos emergentes permiten afirmar, que la percepción sobre el aprendizaje en la formación docente continuamente se transforma a la par de las acciones cognitivas, afectivas y éticas de los sujetos que la conforman. Este fenómeno permite construir aproximaciones teóricas que permiten generar acciones para una formación docente de calidad.PERCEPTIONS OF LEARNING, INFLUENCING PHENOMENON IN QUALITY TEACHING TRAININGSummaryIn the centers of teacher training emerges an influential and basic phenomenon in the quality educational praxis, constituted by the perceptions of the learning of its key actors. This affirmation promotes the study of this construct with the purpose of unveiling and updating the essential elements as distinctive for its conceptualization. This study was inserted in the naturalistic paradigm, where the method to process the information and to interpret it in its essence was the phenomenological one. The initial informants were made up of students and professors of the Cognitive Processes Development Course (DPC 0113) of the Miranda Pedagogical Institute José Manuel Siso Martínez de Venezuela in the academic periods 2015-II - 2016-I. Under the principles of theoretical saturation, the 12 final informants were determined. The techniques used to gather information were participant observation, supported by an observation guide and the in-depth interview, based on an interview script. The emerging findings allow us to affirm that the perception about learning in teacher training continually changes along with the cognitive, affective and ethical actions of the subjects that make it up. This phenomenon allows us to construct theoretical approaches that allow us to generate actions for quality teacher training.Keywords: Perceptions, Learning; Teacher Training; Quality