bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance of PS/PIMA/PPEES Nanofiltration Membranes before and after Alkali Treatment for Filtration of CaCl2 and NaCl
Authors: Hegde Chitrakara , Isloor Arun Mohan , Ganesh B.M. , Ismail Ahmad Fauzi , Abdullah M.S. , Ng B.C.
Published: May 2012

Present article describes about the preparation of Nanofiltration (NF) composite membranes by a simple chemical treatment to the polymeric membrane composed of Poly (isobutylene-alt-maleic anhydride). After composition, anhydride functionality was converted to diacid functionality by hydrolysis using sodium hydroxide solution. Further, membrane was characterized by ATR-IR, DSC and SEM. Charge confirmation was done by IEC. Water uptake and contact angle analysis was carried out to study the hydrophilicity of the membrane. The performance study was carried out by using NaCl and CaCl2 solutions. Membranes were having higher charge density, which has resulted in better performance in terms of rejection of CaCl2 and NaCl solutions. The main focus of this research is to evaluate the effect of alkali treatment on Donnan and size exclusion mechanism during membrane filtration.
Failure Analysis of some Retrieved Orthopedic Implants Based on Materials Characterization
Authors: Bane Marin , Miculescu Florin , Blajan Ana Iulia , Dinu Mihaela , Antoniac Iulian
Published: May 2012

The aim of this paper is to determine causes of failure of orthopedic implants like intramedullary nail based on explants analysis and materials characterization. The clinical performance, corrosion characteristics and metallurgical properties of some retrieved titanium femoral nails have been examined. The macroscopic and the microscopic investigation of explants help us to describe the breaking mechanism and to identify the potential causes that led to implant failure.
Thermoactivated Pinning - A Novel Joining Technique for Thermoplastic Composites
Authors: Hufenbach Werner , Kupfer Robert , Hornig Andreas
Published: May 2012

Due to their good mechanical properties and short cycle times during processing, textile-reinforced thermoplastic composites gain increasing relevance for high-volume lightweight applications. Beyond that, by exploiting its specific processing capabilities, this composite material enables a variety of novel manufacturing techniques, e.g. for assembling. In this paper a joining technique is presented, which utilises the meltability of the thermoplastic matrix to establish a material-adapted joining method by introducing slender metallic pins into the composite structure. The processing principle is described and structural effects in the joining zone are analysed by means of microscopy. The load bearing behaviour is characterised by tensile tests on double-lap-shear specimen.
Viscoelastic Properties of Semi-Crystalline Thermoplastic Polymers: Dynamic Analysis and Creep
Authors: Serban Dan Andrei , Hanson Henry , Marşavina Liviu , Silberschmidt Vadim V.
Published: May 2012

When subjected to external loading, polymeric materials behave in a manner intermediate between elastic solids and viscous fluids. Their mechanical properties depend on a material’s viscous flow, which, in turn, is influenced by (i) temperature, with its different magnitudes determining a ductile or brittle behaviour and (ii) time, through the effect of a deformation rate and long-term relaxation. Short-term viscoelastic properties (loss and storage moduli) of a studied semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer were obtained using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis, while its long-term viscoelastic properties (compliances) were determined using creep tests.
Indentation in F.C.C. Single Crystals
Authors: Zahedi Abolfazl , Demiral Murat , Roy Anish , Babitsky Vladimir I. , Silberschmidt Vadim V.
Published: May 2012

A three-dimensional crystal-plasticity finite element model of nano-indentation is developed in this paper to analyze deformation of a face-centred cubic (f.c.c.) high-purity single crystal of copper. This model was implemented as a user-deﬁned subroutine in the commercial finite element software ABAQUS/Standard and used to study cases with different crystallographic orientations of the single crystal. The effects of various factors – crystallographic orientation of the indented material, an indenter angle and contact conditions between the indenter and workpiece material – on the load-displacement characteristics are studied. The obtained results show an anisotropic nature of surface topography around the obtained indents.
Synthesis of the Nanocrystalline/Nanosized NiFe2O4 Powder by Ceramic Method and Mechanical Milling
Authors: Tarța Vasile Florin , Chicinaş Ionel , Marinca Traian Florin , Neamţu Bogdan Viorel , Popa Florin , Prica Calin Virgiliu
Published: May 2012

The polycrystalline nickel ferrite - NiFe2O4 has been obtained by ceramic route starting from a stoichiometric mixture of oxides (NiO and α-Fe2O3 powders). The obtained NiFe2O4 was subjected to high energy ball milling. The formation of NiFe2O4 by ceramic method and also the evolution of the powder during milling were studied by X-ray diffraction. The mean crystallite size of the NiFe2O4 continuously decreases with the increasing of the milling time and for all the milling time it is in nanometric range. The particles sizes are drastically reduced by milling process. For the milled samples, the particles size is ranging from tens of microns to few nanometers. The powder morphology and local chemical homogeneity were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and respectively by energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDX).
Research on the Use of Synthetic Slags to Steel Elaborated in Duplex System EBT-LF
Authors: Putan Adriana , Hepuţ T. , Putan Vasile , Vilceanu Lucia
Published: May 2012

Within the researches made, the establishment of the processing with synthetic slag decreasing possibilities, of the sulphur and oxygen contents, from the steel made in electric arc ovens, of 100 ton ladle capacity oven (LF) - (EBT) type, was taken into account. For the formation of the synthetic slag, reducing mixing made of lime, fluorine, bauxite and aluminum slag from the aluminum electrolysis were used. On average 1950 kg reducing mix/charge added on three stages were used. The processing period in LF was 40-60 min., and the pressure of Argon used at splashing was in the range of 3.5 - 5.5 at. Within the experiments, for the desulphurisation degree, respectively deoxidation, medium values of: ηSmed = 38,75 (35- 44), ηOmed = 54,821 (47 - 61) were obtained. On the Matlab program data processing, correlation equations between: ηO and ηS and the chemical composition of reducing slag and the parameters of splashing with Argon were obtained.
Studies and Researches on the Obtaining of Sintered Gradual Porous Structures by Irregular Nickel Powders Sedimentation
Authors: Moldovan Valentin , Vida-Simiti Ioan , Jumate Nicolaie , Thalmaier György , Sechel Niculina , Petrescu V.
Published: May 2012

The aim of this work is to obtain sintered porous membranes with graded structure for microfiltration by sedimentation and sintering of metallic powders. Our previous studies have demonstrated the possibility of obtaining sintered porous materials with graded structure by sedimentation. In this paper, irregular nickel particles were used having a grain size in the 2-90 µm range evaluated using scanning electron microscopy and laser scattering particle size analyzer. The powders were sedimented into a sintering die in a sedimentation medium consisting of water and dispersant agent. After drying, the samples were sintered at 1000°C for 10 minutes in vacuum (~1•10-3 Pa). The structures obtained were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and mercury porosimetry. The pore size distribution was between 5-72 µm. The flow rate - pressure drop curves were experimentally determined and the viscous permeability coefficient was calculated using Darcy’s law (Ψv=0.14•10-12 m2). The absolute filtration fineness measured was 20 µm and the relative filtration fineness (95%) obtained for our membranes was 11 µm respectively. The possible applications for the studied membrane are: water microfiltration, environmental technologies, filtering lubricants and cleaning agents
THE RISK OF THERAPY-RELATED MYELODYSPLASIA/ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA IN HODGKIN LYMPHOMA HAS SUBSTANTIALLY DECREASED IN THE ABVD ERA ABOLISHING MECHLORETHAMINE AND PROCARBAZINE AND LIMITING VOLUMES AND DOSES OF RADIOTHERAPY
Authors: Brusamolino Ercole , Gotti Manuel , Fiaccadori Valeria
Published: May 2012

Patients with Hodgkin lymphoma treated with DNA-breaking alkylating agents such as mechlorethamine and procarbazine in the MOPP regimen and with topoisomerase II inhibitors, such as etoposide did show a long-term risk of developing therapy-related myelodysplasia and acute myelogenous leukaemia (MDS/AML). With the introduction of the ABVD (adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, dacarbazine) regimen, this risk has substantially been reduced. In this review, different experiences are discussed to determine whether and how modifications of treatment in different cohorts of patients have reduced the overall risk of secondary MDS/AML. These data are drawn from large cohorts of patients treated over time with different therapies with an adequate follow-up.
A STUDY ON THE EXPRESSION OF BCR-ABL TRANSCRIPT IN MIXED PHENOTYPE ACUTE LEUKEMIA (MPAL) CASES USING THE REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASE POLYMERASE REACTION ASSAY (RT-PCR) AND ITS CORRELATION WITH HEMATOLOGICAL REMISSION STATUS POST INITIAL INDUCTION THERAPY
Authors: Bhatia Prateek , Binota Jogeshwar , Varma Neelam , Bansal Deepak , Trehan Amita , Marwaha Ram Kumar , Malhotra Pankaj , Varma Subhash
Published: May 2012

Introduction: The MPAL comprise 2-5% of all acute leukemia. The present WHO 2008 classification has separated two groups in MPAL based on t(9;22) positivity and MLL rearrangement. Aims & Objectives: The aim of the present pilot study is to note the incidence of BCR-ABL transcript in MPAL cases using the RT-PCR assay and to correlate the status with hematological remission post induction. Materials & Methods: A total of 10 MPAL cases classified on Flow-cytometry based on the current WHO 2008 criteria were enrolled. In all the cases Bone marrow or peripheral blood sample in EDTA was processed for molecular studies and the RT-PCR reaction carried out using primers specific to the t (9;22) and t(4;11) translocation. The post induction check marrow slides were also reviewed. Results: Out of the total 10 MPAL cases, 7/10 (70%) were adult and 3/10 (30%) pediatric cases. A total of 4/10 (40%) cases showed positivity for the t(9;22) transcript and none for t (4;11). Of the 4 positive cases, 3/10(30%) were adult cases and 1/10(10%) pediatric case. The BCR-ABL transcript type in adult cases was b3a2 (p210) in 2/3 (66%) and e1a2 (p190) in 1/3 (33.3%) case. The single pediatric case was positive for b3a2 transcript. Discussion & Conclusion: All the 4 positive MPAL cases presented with high TLC and low platelet count (p<0.05). The positive cases also showed hematological remission at post induction check marrow (blasts<5%). This could partly be explained due to good response to the imatinib added to the treatment protocol.
CLINICAL ASPECTS OF UNCOMPLICATED AND SEVERE MALARIA
Authors: Bartoloni Alessandro , Zammarchi Lorenzo
Published: May 2012

The first symptoms of malaria, common to all the different malaria species, are nonspecific and mimic a flu-like syndrome. Although fever represents the cardinal feature, clinical findings in malaria are extremely diverse and may range in severity from mild headache to serious complications leading to death, particularly in falciparum malaria. As the progression to these complications can be rapid, any malaria patient must be assessed and treated rapidly, and frequent observations are needed to look for early signs of systemic complications.In fact, severe malaria is a life threatening but treatable disease.  The protean and nonspecific clinical findings occurring in malaria (fever, malaise, headache, myalgias, jaundice and sometimes gastrointestinal symptoms of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea) may lead physicians who see malaria infrequently to a wrong diagnosis, such as influenza (particularly during the seasonal epidemic flu), dengue, gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, viral hepatitis, encephalitis. Physicians should be aware that malaria is not a clinical diagnosis but must be diagnosed, or excluded, by performing microscopic examination of blood films. Prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment are then crucial to prevent morbidity and fatal outcomes. Although Plasmodium falciparum malaria is the major cause of severe malaria and death, increasing evidence has recently emerged that Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium knowlesi can also be severe and even fatal.
Microangiopathic Hemolytic Anemia in 57-year-old woman with Borderline Serous Tumor of the Ovary:Real-Time Management of Common Pathways of Hemostatic Failure
Authors: Morris Gloria Joan
Published: May 2012

We present a case of a 57-year-old woman who underwent surgery for the removal of an ovarian mass but subsequently experienced microangioathic hemolytic anemia post-operatively, associated with fevers, renal insufficiency, hypertension, and hemolysis. While her clinical situations was initially suspicious for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), further sorting of clinical information led to other explanations of these findings, including a systemic inflammatory response. Multiple triggers of the coagulation system which can lead to a common pathway of hemostatic failure were considered, and specific criteria seen in disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), TTP, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), catastrophic antiphospholipid anitbody syndrom (APS), all of which can seem to overlap when a physician is faced with distinguishing the diagnosis clinically. We propose a chronologic and strategic approach for the clinician to consider when approaching this diagnostic dilemma.
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF IMPORTED MALARIA IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION
Authors: Odolini Silvia , Gautret Philippe , Parola Philippe
Published: May 2012

Malaria is one of the most widespread infectious diseases of our time, causing approximately one million deaths, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa and under the age of 5. During the last few years the number of imported malaria cases in Europe has decreased, but several imported malaria cases are still reported in Europe and Mediterranean countries, probably supported by the increasing number of international travel in association with the enormous influx of immigrants from malaria-endemic countries. Moreover, the presence of Anopheline vectors in Mediterranean countries, the returned infected travellers as a source of parasite and climate changes may result in the reappearance of malaria in countries where it was previously eradicated, such as Greece in the recent years. Several cases of autochthonous malaria have recently been reported to support the need of an ongoing surveillance for mosquito control and an increased vigilance by health professionals. Aim of this review is to explore all literature about imported malaria in Mediterranean areas and the potential consequences of this, providing a critical comprehensive revision of actual knowledge.
MALARIA AND HIV IN ADULTS: When The Parasite runs into The Virus
Authors: Focà Emanuele , Odolini Silvia , Brianese Nigritella , Carosi Gianpiero
Published: May 2012

Malaria and HIV/AIDS are among the principal causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly in resource-limited settings such as sub-Saharan Africa. Despite the international community’s efforts to reduce incidence and prevalence of these diseases, they remain a global public health problem. Clinical manifestations of malaria may be more severe in HIV infected patients, which have higher risks of severe malaria and malaria related death. Co-infected pregnant women, children and international travelers from non-malaria endemic countries are at higher risk of clinical complications. However, there is a paucity and conflicting data regarding malaria and HIV co-infection, particularly on how HIV infection can modify the response to antimalarial drugs and about drug-interactions between antiretroviral agents and artemisinin-based combined regimens. Moreover, consulting HIV-infected international travelers and physicians specialized in HIV care and travel medicine should prescribe an adequate chemoprophylaxis in patients travelling towards malaria endemic areas and pay attention on interactions between antiretrovirals and antimalarial prophylaxis drugs in order to prevent clinical complications of this co-infection. This review aims to evaluate the available international literature on malaria and HIV co-infection in adults providing a critical comprehensive review of nowadays knowledge.
DIAGNOSIS OF MALARIA INFECTION WITH OR WITHOUT DISEASE
Authors: Bisoffi Zeno , Gobbi Federico , Buonfrate Dora , Van den Ende Jef
Published: May 2012

The revised W.H.O. guidelines for malaria management in endemic countries recommend that treatment should be reserved to laboratory confirmed cases, both for adults and children. Currently the most widely used tools are rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), that are accurate and reliable in diagnosing malaria infection. However, an infection is not necessarily a clinical malaria, and RDTs may give positive results in febrile patients who have another cause of fever. Excessive reliance on RDTs may cause overlooking potentially severe non malarial febrile illnesses (NMFI) in these cases. In countries or areas where transmission intensity remains very high, fever management in children (especially in the rainy season) should probably remain presumptive, as a test-based management may not be safe, nor cost effective. In contrast, in countries with low transmission, including those targeted for malaria elimination, RDTs are a key resource to limit unnecessary antimalarial prescription and to identify pockets of infected individuals. Research should focus on very sensitive tools for infection on one side, and on improved tools for clinical management on the other, including biomarkers of clinical malaria and/or of alternative causes of fever.
El sujeto informacional en el contexto contemporáneo. Un análisis desde la epistemología de la identidad comunitaria-informacional
Authors: Rendón-Rojas Miguel Angel , García-Cervantes Alejandro
Published: May 2012

Se propone la Epistemología de la Identidad Comunitaria-Informacional (EIC-I) como caja de herramientas para el análisis teórico-metodológico de la realidad informativa, por medio de sus categorías construidas ex profeso: paradigma contextual, sujeto informacional, entidades de información. Se distinguen los conceptos de usuario de la información y sujeto informacional. Éste último se autoconstruye en un enclave social concreto dentro de su comunidad e interrelaciones con los “otros”, como interpelación al mundo desigual, consumista y alienante, desde donde surgen sus necesidades de información concretas para responder, cuestionar y actuar en ese mundo. Se enfatiza la necesidad de un acercamiento interdisciplinar en el estudio del mundo informativo documental entre la teoría social y la bibliotecología para conocer ese sujeto informacional concreto, muchas veces marginado y excluido.
Risk Premia and the Social Cost of Carbon: A Review
Authors: Kousky Carolyn , Kopp Robert E. , Cooke Roger
Published: May 2012

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions not only lowers expected damages from climate change but also reduces the risk of catastrophic impacts. However, estimates of the social cost of carbon, which measures the marginal value of carbon dioxide abatement, often do not capture this risk reduction benefit. Risk-averse individuals are willing to pay a risk premium, an additional amount beyond the difference in expected damages, to reduce risks. The authors review methods used and estimates obtained for calculating a risk premium to be included in the social cost of carbon. While more research is needed in this area, work to date suggests a positive, and potentially substantial, risk premium on the social cost of carbon is warranted.
From Trade Preferences to Trade Facilitation: Taking Stock of the Issues
Authors: Persson Maria
Published: May 2012

The objective of the paper is to explore and give an overview of two central policy alternatives to improve the integration between the European Union and developing countries by removing barriers to trade: trade preferences and trade facilitation. The author reviews the relevant literatures and discusses the issues which constitute problems or opportunities for practitioners and researchers in both areas. She concludes that while at least some trade preferences actually have been less of a failure than their reputation suggests, trade facilitation is a far more promising policy option for the future.
A tropospheric ozone maximum over the equatorial Southern Indian Ocean
Authors: Zhang L. , Li Q. B. , Murray L. T. , Luo M. , Liu H. , Jiang J. H. , Mao Y. , Chen D. , Gao M. , Livesey N.
Published: May 2012

Abstract. We examine the distribution of tropical tropospheric ozone (O3) from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) and the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) by using a global three-dimensional model of tropospheric chemistry (GEOS-Chem). MLS and TES observations of tropospheric O3 during 2005 to 2009 reveal a distinct, persistent O3 maximum, both in mixing ratio and tropospheric column, in May over the Equatorial Southern Indian Ocean (ESIO). The maximum is most pronounced in 2006 and 2008 and less evident in the other three years. This feature is also consistent with the total column O3 observations from the Ozone Mapping Instrument (OMI) and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS). Model results reproduce the observed May O3 maximum and the associated interannual variability. The origin of the maximum reflects a complex interplay of chemical and dynamic factors. The O3 maximum is dominated by the O3 production driven by lightning nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions, which accounts for 62% of the tropospheric column O3 in May 2006. We find the contribution from biomass burning, soil, anthropogenic and biogenic sources to the O3 maximum are rather small. The O3 productions in the lightning outflow from Central Africa and South America both peak in May and are directly responsible for the O3 maximum over the western ESIO. The lightning outflow from Equatorial Asia dominates over the eastern ESIO. The interannual variability of the O3 maximum is driven largely by the anomalous anti-cyclones over the southern Indian Ocean in May 2006 and 2008. The lightning outflow from Central Africa and South America is effectively entrained by the anti-cyclones followed by northward transport to the ESIO.
Atmospheric removal times of the aerosol-bound radionuclides 137Cs and 131I during the months after the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant accident – a constraint for air quality and climate models
Authors: Kristiansen N. I. , Stohl A. , Wotawa G.
Published: May 2012

Abstract. Caesium-137 (137Cs) and iodine-131 (131I) are radionuclides of particular concern during nuclear accidents, because they are emitted in large amounts and are of significant health impact. 137Cs and 131I attach to the ambient accumulation-mode (AM) aerosols and share their fate as the aerosols are removed from the atmosphere by scavenging within clouds, precipitation and dry deposition. Here, we estimate their removal times from the atmosphere using a unique high-precision global measurement data set collected over several months after the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant in March 2011. The noble gas xenon-133 (133Xe), also released during the accident, served as a passive tracer of air mass transport for determining the removal times of 137Cs and 131I via the decrease in the measured ratios 137Cs/133Xe and 131I/133Xe over time. After correction for radioactive decay, the 137Cs/133Xe ratios reflect the removal of aerosols by wet and dry deposition, whereas the 131I/133Xe ratios are also influenced by aerosol production from gaseous 131I. We find removal times for 137Cs of 10.0–13.9 days and for 131I of 17.1–24.2 days during April and May 2011. We discuss possible caveats (e.g. late emissions, resuspension) that can affect the results, and compare the 137Cs removal times with observation-based and modeled aerosol lifetimes. Our 137Cs removal time of 10.0–13.9 days should be representative of a "background" AM aerosol well mixed in the extratropical Northern Hemisphere troposphere. It is expected that the lifetime of this vertically mixed background aerosol is longer than the lifetime of AM aerosols originating from surface sources. However, the substantial difference to the mean lifetimes of AM aerosols obtained from aerosol models, typically in the range of 3–7 days, warrants further research on the cause of this discrepancy. Too short modeled AM aerosol lifetimes would have serious implications for air quality and climate model predictions.
Validation of SCIAMACHY limb NO2 profiles using solar occultation measurements
Authors: Bauer R. , Rozanov A. , McLinden C. A. , Gordley L. L. , Lotz W. , Russell III J. M. , Walker K. A. , Zawodny J. M. , Ladstätter-Weißenmayer A. , Bovensmann H. , Burrows J. P.
Published: May 2012

Abstract. The increasing amounts of reactive nitrogen in the stratosphere necessitate accurate global measurements of stratospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Over the past decade, the SCIAMACHY (SCanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY) instrument on ENVISAT (European Environmental Satellite) has been providing global coverage of stratospheric NO2 every 6 days. In this study, the vertical distributions of NO2 retrieved from SCIAMACHY limb measurements of the scattered solar light are validated by comparison with NO2 products from three different satellite instruments (SAGE II, HALOE and ACE-FTS). The retrieval algorithm based on the information operator approach is discussed, and the sensitivity of the SCIAMACHY NO2 limb retrievals is investigated. The photochemical corrections needed to make this validation feasible, and the chosen collocation criteria are described. For each instrument, a time period of two years is analyzed with several hundreds of collocation pairs for each year. As NO2 is highly variable, the comparisons are performed for five latitudinal bins and four seasons. In the 20 to 40 km altitude range, mean relative differences between SCIAMACHY and other instruments are found to be typically within 20 to 30%. The mean partial NO2 columns in this altitude range agree typically within 15% (both global monthly and zonal annual means). Larger differences are seen for SAGE II comparisons, which is consistent with the results presented by other authors. For SAGE II and ACE-FTS, the observed differences can be partially attributed to the diurnal effect error.
Modelling contrasting responses of wetland productivity to changes in water table depth
Authors: Grant R. F. , Desai A. R. , Sulman B. N.
Published: May 2012

Abstract. Responses of wetland productivity to changes in water table depth (WTD) are controlled by complex interactions among several soil and plant processes, and hence are site-specific rather than general in nature. Hydrological controls on wetland productivity were studied by representing these interactions in connected hummock and hollow sites in the ecosystem model ecosys, and by testing CO2 and energy fluxes from the model with those measured by eddy covariance (EC) during years with contrasting WTD in a shrub fen at Lost Creek, WI. Modelled interactions among coupled processes for O2 transfer, O2 uptake, C oxidation, N mineralization, N uptake and C fixation by diverse microbial, root, mycorrhizal and shoot populations enabled the model to simulate complex responses of CO2 exchange to changes in WTD that depended on the WTD at which change was occurring. At the site scale, greater WTD caused the model to simulate greater CO2 influxes and effluxes over hummocks vs. hollows, as has been found at field sites. At the landscape scale, greater WTD caused the model to simulate greater diurnal CO2 influxes and effluxes under cooler weather when water tables were shallow, but also smaller diurnal CO2 influxes and effluxes under warmer weather when water tables were deeper, as was also apparent in the EC flux measurements. At an annual time scale, these diurnal responses to WTD in the model caused lower net primary productivity (NPP) and heterotrophic respiration (Rh), but higher net ecosystem productivity (NEP = NPP – Rh), to be simulated in a cooler year with a shallower water table than in a warmer year with a deeper one. This difference in NEP was consistent with those estimated from gap-filled EC fluxes in years with different water tables at Lost Creek and at similar boreal fens elsewhere. In sensitivity test of the model, annual NEP declined with increasing WTD in a year with a shallow water table, but rose in a year with a deeper one. The model thus provided an integrated set of hypotheses for explaining site-specific and sometimes contrasting responses of wetland productivity to changes in WTD as found in different field experiments.
Simulating the effects of phosphorus limitation in the Mississippi and Atchafalaya River plumes
Authors: Laurent A. , Fennel K. , Hu J. , Hetland R.
Published: May 2012

Abstract. The continental shelf of the northern Gulf of Mexico receives high dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus loads from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers. The nutrient load results in high primary production in the river plumes and contributes to the development of hypoxia on the Texas-Louisiana shelf in summer. While phytoplankton growth is considered to be typically nitrogen-limited, phosphorus limitation has been observed in this region during periods of peak river discharge in spring and early summer. Here we investigate the presence, spatio-temporal distribution and implications of phosphorus limitation in the plume region using a circulation model of the northern Gulf of Mexico coupled to a multi-nutrient ecosystem model. Results from a 7 yr simulation (2001–2007) compare well with available observations and suggest that phosphorus limitation develops every year between the Mississippi and Atchafalaya deltas. Model simulations show that phosphorus limitation results in a delay and westward shift of a fraction of river-stimulated primary production. The consequence is a reduced flux of particulate organic matter to the sediment near the Mississippi delta, but enhanced fluxes westward in the Atchafalaya and far-field regions. Two discharge scenarios with altered river phosphate concentrations (±50 %) reveal a significant variation (±40 % in July) in the spatial extent of phosphorus limitation with changes in phosphate load.
The CSIRO Mk3L climate system model version 1.0 – Part 2: Response to external forcings
Authors: Phipps S. J. , Rotstayn L. D. , Gordon H. B. , Roberts J. L. , Hirst A. C. , Budd W. F.
Published: May 2012

Abstract. The CSIRO Mk3L climate system model is a coupled general circulation model, designed primarily for millennial-scale climate simulation and palaeoclimate research. Mk3L includes components which describe the atmosphere, ocean, sea ice and land surface, and combines computational efficiency with a stable and realistic control climatology. It is freely available to the research community. This paper evaluates the response of the model to external forcings which correspond to past and future changes in the climate system. A simulation of the mid-Holocene climate is performed, in which changes in the seasonal and meridional distribution of incoming solar radiation are imposed. Mk3L correctly simulates increased summer temperatures at northern mid-latitudes and cooling in the tropics. However, it is unable to capture some of the regional-scale features of the mid-Holocene climate, with the precipitation over Northern Africa being deficient. The model simulates a reduction of between 7 and 15% in the amplitude of El Niño-Southern Oscillation, a smaller decrease than that implied by the palaeoclimate record. However, the realism of the simulated ENSO is limited by the model's relatively coarse spatial resolution. Transient simulations of the late Holocene climate are then performed. The evolving distribution of insolation is imposed, and an acceleration technique is applied and assessed. The model successfully captures the temperature changes in each hemisphere and the upward trend in ENSO variability. However, the lack of a dynamic vegetation scheme does not allow it to simulate an abrupt desertification of the Sahara. To assess the response of Mk3L to other forcings, transient simulations of the last millennium are performed. Changes in solar irradiance, atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations and volcanic emissions are applied to the model. The model is again broadly successful at simulating larger-scale changes in the climate system. Both the magnitude and the spatial pattern of the simulated 20th century warming are consistent with observations. However, the model underestimates the magnitude of the relative warmth associated with the Mediaeval Climate Anomaly. Finally, three transient simulations are performed, in which the atmospheric CO2 concentration is stabilised at two, three and four times the pre-industrial value. All three simulations exhibit ongoing surface warming, reduced sea ice cover, and a reduction in the rate of North Atlantic Deep Water formation followed by its gradual recovery. Antarctic Bottom Water formation ceases, with the shutdown being permanent for a trebling and quadrupling of the CO2 concentration. The transient and equilibrium climate sensitivities of the model are determined. The short-term transient response to a doubling of the CO2 concentration at 1% per year is a warming of 1.59 ± 0.08 K, while the long-term equilibrium response is a warming of at least 3.85 ± 0.02 K.
Modelling climate change effects on a Dutch coastal groundwater system using airborne Electro Magnetic measurements
Authors: Faneca Sànchez M. , Gunnink J. L. , van Baaren E. S. , Oude Essink G. H. P. , Siemon B. , Auken E. , Elderhorst W. , de Louw P. G. B.
Published: May 2012

Abstract. The forecast of climate change effects on the groundwater system in coastal areas is of key importance for policy makers. The Dutch water system has been deeply studied because of its complex system of low-lying areas, dunes, land won to the sea and dikes, but nowadays large efforts are still being done to find out the best techniques to describe complex fresh-brackish-saline groundwater dynamic systems. In this article, we describe a methodology consisting of high-resolution airborne Electro Magnetic (EM) measurements used in a 3-D variable-density transient groundwater model for a coastal area in the Netherlands. We used the Airborne EM measurements in combination with borehole-logging data, Electrical Conductivity Cone Penetration Tests and groundwater samples to create a 3-D fresh-brackish-saline groundwater distribution of the study area. The EM measurements proved to be an improvement compared to older techniques and provided quality input for the model. With the help of the built 3-D variable-density groundwater model, we removed the remaining inaccuracies of the 3-D chloride field and predicted the effects of three climate scenarios on the groundwater and surface water system. Results showed significant changes in the groundwater system, and gave direction for future water policy. Future research should provide more insight in the improvement of data collection for fresh-brackish-saline groundwater systems as it is of high importance to further improve the quality of the model.
Assessing the Impact of Dispositional Resistance to Change on Organizational Attraction
Authors: Arciniega Luis M. , Maldonado Adriana
Published: May 2012

In recent years there has been an increasing interest among researchers and practitioners to analyze what makes a firm attractive in the eyes of university students, and if individual differences such as personality traits have an impact on this general affect towards a particular organization. The main goal of the present research is to demonstrate that a recently conceptualized narrow trait of personality nameddispositional resistance to change(RTC), that is, the inherent tendency of individuals to avoid and oppose changes (Oreg, 2003), can predict organizational attraction of university students to firms that are perceived as innovative or conservative. Three complementary studies were carried out using a total sample of 443 college students from Mexico. In addition to validating the hypotheses, our findings suggest that as the formation of the images of organizations in students' minds is done through social cognitions, simple stimuli such as physical artifacts, when used in an isolated manner, do not have a significant impact on organizational attraction.
Sulcus Implantation of a Single-Piece Foldable Acrylic Intraocular Lens after Posterior Capsular Rupture in Cataract Surgery
Authors: Renieri Giulia , Herzog Daniel , Niemann Stefan , Becker Matthias , Kurz Sabine , Thieme Hagen
Published: May 2012

Purpose.

To evaluate the safety of a foldable acrylic single-piece intraocular lens (IOL) in cases of complicated cataract surgery and sulcus implantation. The setting was University and private anterior segment surgery practices.

Methods.

In this observational case series study, 13 eyes of 13 patients were included after complicated phacoemulsification with extensive posterior capsule rupture with or without vitreous loss. A foldable acrylic single-piece IOL (Rayner Superflex 620H; Rayner Intraocular Lenses Limited, Hove, East Sussex, UK) was implanted in the ciliary sulcus in each eye. Postoperative follow-up included best-corrected visual acuity, anterior segment biomicroscopy, IOL centration and position, intraocular pressure, and fundus biomicroscopy. Optical coherence tomography was performed in 2 subjects. Median follow-up time was 12 months (range 1-21 months).

Results.

Visual acuity 12 months after surgery was 6/18 and below in 5 eyes (39%), between 6/12 and 6/7.5 in 6 eyes (46%), and 6/6 in 2 eyes (15%). All patients experienced vision improvement. Postoperative complications included corneal edema (2 eyes), Descemet folds (1 eye), intraocular pressure elevations (3 eyes), and pronounced anterior segment inflammation (1 eye). Two eyes had minor pupil contour abnormalities. No significant IOL decentration was observed.

Conclusions.

Sulcus implantation of a foldable acrylic single-piece IOL in eyes with complicated cataract surgery maintains the advantages of easy insertion and small incision. Postoperatively, all IOLs were centered, visual results were good, and complications were manageable and not IOL-related.
Complex Connections: Communication, Mobility, and Relationships in Moravian Children's Lives
Authors: Schutt Amy C.
Published: May 2012

This article explores the wide-ranging and complex relationships in the lives of children based on Moravian records of the 1740s and 1750s. Childrearing in Moravian settings involved integrating children into a web of connections with people both nearby and far away. Long-distance communication and mobility shaped the world of eighteenth-century Moravians and contributed to the complexity in children's relationships. These relationships are studied within three settings—boarding institutions where European American, Native American, and African American children were educated; rural, predominantly European American communities in Pennsylvania where Moravians operated day schools; and Native American mission communities, which also included day schools. This essay examines family relationships between children and adults, noting variations in parental influences and highlighting the role of the Delaware Indians' matrilineal social structure; however, it also devotes significant attention to the topic of child-to-child relationships, which represented both local and distant connections.
Reducing Recidivism through Entrepreneurship Programmes in Prisons
Authors: Cooney Thomas M.
Published: May 2012

Prison systems are facing significant challenges from overcrowding and a ‘revolving door’ routine. Reducing recidivism would help alleviate both these problems and would also assist in breaking the cycle of career criminality. However, one of the primary causes of recidivism is a lack of employment opportunities for people who have spent time in prison, thereby causing them to return to crime. Given the dearth of entrepreneurship research on ex-prisoners, this paper examines a ‘Start Your Own Business’ programme delivered inside a prison. Based on interviews with the participants, the author examines whether such programmes offer a realistic opportunity for reducing recidivism.
Understanding Tourists' Preferences for Boat Fishing Trips
Authors: Oh Chi-Ok , Lyu Seong Ok , Holland Stephen M.
Published: May 2012

As changing regulations result in additional harvest restrictions and a shorter fishing season, recreational fishing opportunities are being impacted negatively. Charter and head boat operators need to adapt to the changing conditions that boat fishing trips face and look for new customers and experiences. The authors provide boat operators with strategic information that will help them to develop new tourism products so they can continue to provide anglers with offshore access in an increasingly competitive regulatory environment. For a better understanding of fishing tourists' trade-off oriented preferences for new product offerings, a stated preference choice model was employed. Two different data analyses were conducted: an aggregate model and segmented models of resident and out-of-state anglers. The preference results indicated that anglers were interested in including non-fishing elements. From a regulatory standpoint, the provision of new fishing trip offerings is a constructive avenue for boat operators.
A CNTFET-Based Nanowired Induction Two-Way Transducers
Authors: Sklyar Rostyslav
Published: May 2012

A complex of the induction magnetic field two-way nanotransducers of the different physical values for both the external and implantable interfaces in a wide range of arrays are summarized. Implementation of the nanowires allows reliable transducing of the biosignals' partials and bringing of carbon nanotubes into circuits leading to examination of the superconducting transition. Novel sensors are based on the induction magnetic field principle, which causes their interaction with an ambient EM field. Mathematical description of both the signal and mediums defines space embracing of the relevant interfacing devices. As a result, a wide range of the nano-bio-transducers allow both delivering the variety of ionized biosignals and interface the bioEM signals with further stages of electronic systems. The space coverage and transducing values properties of the state-of-the-art magnetic interfaces are summarized, and directions for their future development are deduced.
Clinical and Immunopathologic Profile of Mexican Patients with IgG4 Autoimmune Pancreatitis
Authors: Bourlon María T. , Bourlon Christianne , Atisha-Fregoso Yemil , Chable-Montero Fredy , Teliz Marco A. , Angeles-Angeles Arturo , Carrillo-Maravilla Eduardo , Llorente Luis , Uscanga Luis F.
Published: May 2012

Autoimmune pancreatitis is part of the spectrum of IgG4-associated diseases. Its diagnostic criteria and histological subtypes have been formally proposed recently and although based on current data it has been suggested that there are differences in clinical presentation among populations, more research is needed to properly establish if this heterogeneity exists. In this paper, we describe 15 cases of autoimmune pancreatitis diagnosed at a Mexican centre of reference, all of them associated to the lymphoplasmocytic sclerosing pancreatitis variant. The mean age at the onset of symptoms was 47.5 ± 14.4 years, and 53% of patients were male. The main manifestations were weight loss (87%), obstructive jaundice (53%), and acute (27%) and chronic (27%) pancreatitis. Only 20% of patients had high IgG4 serum levels at the time of diagnosis. All patients receiving prednisone responded favourably, both in their pancreatic and extrapancreatic manifestations. Clinical manifestations of Mexican patients showed certain differences with respect to those usually reported.
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Pure DCIS: Is It Necessary?
Authors: Boler D. E. , Cabioglu N. , Ince U. , Esen G. , Uras C.
Published: May 2012

Introduction.Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in patients with pure ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) has been a matter of debate due to very low rate of axillary metastases. We therefore aimed to identify factors in a single institutional series to select patients who may benefit from SLNB.Material and Methods.Patients, diagnosed with pure DCIS () between July 2000 and March 2011, were reviewed. All the sentinel lymph nodes were examined by serial sectioning (50 μm) of the entire lymph node and H&E staining, and by cytokeratin immunostaining in suspicious cases.Results.Median age was 51 (range, 30–79). Of 63 patients, 40 cases (63.5%) with pure DCIS underwent SLN, and 2 of them had a positive SLN (5%). In both 2 cases with SLN metastases, only one sentinel lymph node was involved with tumor cells. Patients who underwent SLNB were more likely to have a tumor size >30 mm or DCIS with intermediate and high nuclear grade or a mastectomy in univariate and multivariate analyses.Conclusion.In our series, we found a slightly higher rate of SLNB positivity in patients with pure DCIS than the large series reported elsewhere. This may either be due to the meticulous examination of SLNs by serial sectioning technique or due to our patient selection criteria or both.
Electrical Conductivity Modeling of Polypropylene Composites Filled with Carbon Black and Acetylene Black
Authors: Merzouki Abdelhafid , Haddaoui Naceredine
Published: May 2012

Composites of polypropylene filled with carbon black or acetylene black at different concentrations were prepared by melt mixing followed by compression molding. The influences of filler type and filler concentration on the composites conductivity were studied. It was found that the percolation threshold is located at a lower concentration in composites filled with the acetylene black, than that of the composites filled with carbon black. The model of Mamunya gives a fairly good agreement in the evaluation of the conductivity of polymeric composites loaded with carbon black or acetylene black, beyond the percolation threshold. The Boltzman equation was adopted to develop a model that represents more faithfully all results obtained. The expressions of the electrical conductivity, calculated with the model developed, are in good agreement with experimental results for the entire concentration range studied in linear or semilogarithmic scale.
K-Ras Mutations in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Prognostic and Predictive Value
Authors: D’Arcangelo Manolo , Cappuzzo Federico
Published: May 2012

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a heterogeneous disease due to the presence of different clinically relevant molecular subtypes. Until today, several biological events have been identified in lung adenocarcinoma, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) translocations, offering new hopes to patients with metastatic disease. Unfortunately, in approximately 50% of adenocarcinoma and for those harbouring K-RAS mutations, the most frequent mutation in Caucasian lung adenocarcinoma, so far no specific drug demonstrated efficacy.
The rat sarcoma (RAS) genes, including H-RAS, K-RAS, and N-RAS, encode a family of proteins regulating cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. K-RAS mutations are present in 20–30% of NSCLC and occur most commonly, but not exclusively, in adenocarcinoma histology and life-long smokers. Although in colorectal cancer patients K-RAS mutations represent a validated negative predictive biomarker for treatment with anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies, their role in selecting specific treatment for NSCLC patients remains undefined. Aim of the present paper is to critically analyze the prognostic and predictive value of K-RAS mutations in NSCLC.