Years In Settings Research Articles

The Integration of an API619 Screw Compressor Package into the Industrial Internet of Things

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is the industrial subset of the Internet of Things (IoT). IIoT incorporates big data technology, harnessing the instrumentation data, machine to machine communication and automation technologies that have existed in industrial settings for years. As industry in general trends towards the IIoT and as the screw compressor packages developed by Howden Compressors are designed with a minimum design life of 25 years, it is imperative this technology is embedded immediately.This paper provides the reader with a description on the Industrial Internet of Things before moving onto describing the scope of the problem for an organisation like Howden Compressors who deploy multiple compressor technologies across multiple locations and focuses on the critical measurements particular to high specification screw compressor packages. A brief analysis of how this differs from high volume package manufacturers deploying similar systems is offered. Then follows a description on how the measured information gets from the tip of the instrument in the process pipework or drive train through the different layers, with a description of each layer, into the final presentation layer. The functions available within the presentation layer are taken in turn and the benefits analysed with specific focus on efficiency and availability. The paper concludes with how packagers adopting the IIoT can not only optimise their package but by utilising the machine learning technology and pattern detection applications can adopt completely new business models.

Food culture of faith communities and potential impact on childhood obesity.

To explore the food culture within faith communities (FC) in order to examine the consumption of away-from-home foods, and to provide an evidence base for the future development of healthy away-from-home meal initiatives though FCs. A qualitative descriptive design informed by an ethnographic method of free listing was utilized. A purposive sample of 34 FC leaders from seven distinct FCs participated in this study. The top five salience scores for five research questions are considered in detail. Of note, food is provided at multiple FC events including at worship time and Bible or group study, but also as part of school, youth programming, and special events. The purposes of serving food were reported to be not only for modes of entertainment and fellowship but also for promoting attendance and providing basic nutrition needs. Professionals practicing in public health, faith community nursing, or in community health nursing are apt to engage in focused dialogues regarding the multidimensional health problem of childhood obesity. This research study directs nurses to consider food culture as a dimension of importance, especially within FCs. Appreciating FC food culture is important because many families engage in the settings for years, decades, and possibly a life span.

Effect of perioperative goal-directed hemodynamic therapy on postoperative recovery following major abdominal surgery\u2014a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BackgroundGoal-directed hemodynamic therapy (GDHT) has been used in the clinical setting for years. However, the evidence for the beneficial effect of GDHT on postoperative recovery remains inconsistent. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of perioperative GDHT in comparison with conventional fluid therapy on postoperative recovery in adults undergoing major abdominal surgery.MethodsRandomized controlled trials (RCTs) in which researchers evaluated the effect of perioperative use of GDHT on postoperative recovery in comparison with conventional fluid therapy following abdominal surgery in adults (i.e., >16 years) were considered. The effect sizes with 95% CIs were calculated.ResultsForty-five eligible RCTs were included. Perioperative GDHT was associated with a significant reduction in short-term mortality (risk ratio [RR] 0.75, 95% CI 0.61–0.91, p = 0.004, I2 = 0), long-term mortality (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.64–0.99, p = 0.04, I2 = 4%), and overall complication rates (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.68–0.85, p < 0.0001, I2 = 38%). GDHT also facilitated gastrointestinal function recovery, as demonstrated by shortening the time to first flatus by 0.4 days (95% CI −0.72 to −0.08, p = 0.01, I2 = 74%) and the time to toleration of oral diet by 0.74 days (95% CI −1.44 to −0.03, p < 0.0001, I2 = 92%).ConclusionsThis systematic review of available evidence suggests that the use of perioperative GDHT may facilitate recovery in patients undergoing major abdominal surgery.

African Americans Against the Bomb: Nuclear Weapons, Colonialism, and the Black Freedom Movement by Vincent J. Intondi

This book attempts a colossal task: exploring the breadth of African American thought and action on nuclear weapons and its links with movements of anti-colonialism, civil rights, Black power, peace, and a host of other issues. By examining the attitudes and activities of influential Black activists and thinkers in opposing nuclear weapons, Intondi hopes to develop a larger narrative that challenges the idea that the black freedom struggle was an isolated movement in a narrowly defined set of years (3). This exclusive focus on anti-nuclear activism provides a much-needed addition to the small but growing scholarship on those who opposed nuclear weapons throughout the Cold War and beyond.

Elevated urinary d-lactate levels in patients with diabetes and microalbuminuria

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) has become the major cause of end-stage renal disease. Early detection of disease risk, to enable intervention before advanced renal damage occurs, is an important goal. Microalbuminuria has been used to monitor renal damage in clinical settings for years. In this study, we divided patients with diabetes into different groups based on their microalbumin values to elucidate the relationship between urinary d-lactate and corresponding microalbumin values. Group DM1 comprised of patients with an albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) of less than 30μg albumin/mg creatinine (normal range); Group DM2 comprised of patients with an ACR of 30–299μg albumin/mg creatinine (microalbuminuria); and Group DM3 comprised of patients with an ACR of ≥300μg albumin/mg creatinine (macroalbuminuria). The urinary d-lactate concentration of patients with diabetes was determined by pre-column fluorescence derivatization with 4-nitro-7-piperazino-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD-PZ), and the accuracy (recovery) and precision (relative standard deviation; RSD) were validated. The measured values showed an accuracy that was in the acceptable range (91.59–112.96%), with an RSD in the range of 3.13–13.21%. The urinary d-lactate levels of the 3 diabetic groups (groups DM1, DM2, and DM3) were significantly higher than those of healthy subjects (78.31±22.13, 92.47±21.98, and 47.29±17.51 vs. 6.28±2.39 nmol/mg creatinine, respectively; p<0.05), with urinary d-lactate levels in the DM2 group being the highest. This modified fluorescence-based, high-performance liquid chromatography method to quantify d-lactate concentrations in the urine of patients with diabetes was established. Also, measuring the new risk marker identified in this study (d-lactate) in combination with microalbumin may facilitate the prevention of DN.

Co-Clustering Based Approach for Indian Monsoon Prediction

Abstract Prediction of Indian monsoon is a challenging task due to complex dynamics and variability over the years. Skills of statistical predictors that perform well in a set of years are not as good for others. In this paper, we attempt to identify a set of predictors that have high skills for a cluster of years. A co-clustering algorithm, which extracts groups of years, paired with good predictor sets for those years, is used for this purpose. Weighted ensemble of these predictors are used in final prediction. Results on past 65 years data show that the approach is competitive with state of art techniques.

Alternative Spring Break at the Savannah College of Art and Design: Engaging Art and Design Students in Community Service

This chapter describes the impact of an alternative spring break program on students at the Savannah College of Art and Design over a set of years as well as its effectiveness as a service‐learning tool.

On the statistical relationship between solar activity and spontaneous social processes

The starting times of mass spontaneous social movements have been compared with temporal changes in solar activity (Wolf numbers) and in the Aa index of geomagnetic activity. It is shown that relatively high values of solar and, hence, geomagnetic activity are typical (on average) of a set of years when social cataclysms began. In addition, the relationship between social activity and geomagnetic activity is expressed somewhat more strongly than with solar activity. Heliogeomagnetic activity itself is not, however, the cause of social conflicts, as is evidenced by the weakness of the statistical relationship and the fact that the time intervals of an extremely large number of social conflicts (the decades of the 1800s, 1910s, and 1990s) occur during periods of a reduced mean level of solar and geomagnetic activity. From an averaged statistical model of the solar-geomagnetic influence on social activity and the current status and forecast of the 24th solar cycle, we can assume that heliogeomagnetic factors will contribute to an increased level of sociopolitical activity at least until the end of 2014 and, possibly, a little longer.

Ethanol plant location and intensification vs. extensification of corn cropping in Kansas

Farmers' cropping decisions are a product of a complex mix of socio-economic, cultural, and natural environments in which factors operating at a number of different spatial scales affect how farmers ultimately decide to use their land in any given year or over a set of years. Some environmentalists are concerned that increased demand for corn driven by ethanol production is leading to conversion of non-cropland into corn production (which we label as “extensification”). Ethanol industry advocates counter that more than enough corn supply comes from crop switching to corn and increased yields (which we label as “intensification”). In this study, we determine whether either response to corn demand – intensification or extensification – is supported. This is determined through an analysis of land-use/land-cover (LULC) data that covers the state of Kansas and a measure of a corn demand shifter related to ethanol production – distance to the closest ethanol plant – between 2007 and 2009.

Evolution of ECMWF sub-seasonal forecast skill scores

Sub-seasonal forecasts have been routinely produced at ECMWF since 2002 with reforecasts produced ‘on the fly’ to calibrate the real-time sub-seasonal forecasts. In this study, the skill of the reforecasts from April 2002 to March 2012 and covering a common set of years (1995 to 2001) has been evaluated. Results indicate that the skill of the ECMWF reforecasts to predict the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO) has improved significantly since 2002, with an average gain of about 1 day of prediction skill per year. The amplitude of the MJO has also become more realistic, although the model still tends to produce MJOs which are weaker than in the ECMWF re-analysis. As a consequence, the ability of the ECMWF model to simulate realistic MJO teleconnections over the Northern and Southern Extratropics has improved dramatically over the 10-year period. Forecast skill scores have also improved in the Extratropics. For instance, weekly mean forecasts of the North Atlantic Oscillation Index are more skilful in recent years than 10 years ago. A large part of this improvement seems to be linked to the improvements in the representation of the MJO. Skill to predict 2 m temperature anomalies over the Northern Extratropics has also improved almost continuously since 2002. Changes in the horizontal and vertical resolutions of the atmospheric model had only a small impact on the skill scores, suggesting that most of the improvements in the ECMWF sub-seasonal forecasts were due to changes in model physics which were primarily designed to improve the model climate and medium-range forecasts. The impact of changes in the data assimilation system and in the observing data has not been considered in this study, since all the reforecasts used for this study were initialized from the same re-analysis over a common set of years.

La Nouvelle-Orléans: Croissance démographique, Intégrations urbaine et sociale (1803-1860), by Marjorie Bourdelais

La Nouvelle-Orleans: Croissance demographique, Integrations urbaine et sociale (1803-1860), by Maijorie Bourdelais. Bern, Peter Lang Publishing, 2012. xxvi, 472 pp. $112.95 US (paper). The dissertation that Marjorie Bourdelais defended in 2007 at the EHESS in Paris, now published by Peter Lang press as the sixteenth volume in its series Population, Family, and Society, challenges the prevailing wisdom regarding how long it took for English to replace French as the dominant language in New Orleans. Taking exception with the notion that arrival en masse of Irish and German immigrants marginalized the Gallic community after 1840, she argues: Acquise par les Etats-Unis en 1803, la Nouvelle-Orleans presente la particularite de demeurer majoritairement francophone pendant un demi-siecle (p. 128), or until 1860 in her conclusion (p. 366). In support of this thesis, the author presents numerous tables and graphs based on an echantillon exhaustif ' of 72,203 heads of households enumerated in the six decennial federal censuses from 1810 to 1860. Although the conclusion refers to identification of the linguistic origin of the totalite des chefs de menages neo-orleanais (quel que soit leur sexe, age. origine, couleur de peau) (p. 363), she claims elsewhere to have found evidence in other records of the linguistic of three-fourths of them. Their classification as francophone, anglophone, germanophone, hispano-italophone, or other is based on the primary language in the country of origin for immigrants or, for the first generation born in Louisiana, of their parents. For a second database of 1,063 marriages of persons whose names began with the letter B in three sets of years (1806-10, 1836-40, and 1848-50), she rightly remarks that covering all years from 1803 to 1860 would have been hors de portee d'un travail individual (p. 132), leading one to wonder how she created the census database of linguistic for all heads of households with 70 times as many records. Despite description of her sample as a recherche patronymique, suggesting inference of language from surnames, use of birthplace is a much more robust method of determining linguistic origins for which she is to be commended. It is nonetheless subject to bias resulting from richer genealogical sources for Catholics than for non-Catholics in antebellum New Orleans. No attempt is made to measure the odds of finding information on birthplace for different nationalities, or of the relative frequency of last names starting with B (in the 1860 census sample cited below, for example, 15% of francophones, 8% of anglophones, 10% of germanophones). Comparison of Bourdelais's statistics for the city as a whole with IPUMS census samples is one way to test their credibility, allowing for margins of error of 7% in the 1850 and 5% in the 1860 extracts for New Orleans. Since the census reported birthplace in these years, the percentage of cases where linguistic cannot be determined should be lower than in preceding years; yet it is slightly higher (p. 375), another reason for concern about methodology. The percentage of household heads in each linguistic group should be greater by however many native Louisianians had parents of that group. 1850 1850 1860 1860 IPUMS BOURDELAIS IPUMS BOURDELAIS Francophones 21% 49% 14% 39% Angophones 40% 38% 39% 41% Germanophones 23% 11% 21% 17% Hispano-Italophones 3% 2% 5% 2% Others 3% 0 2% 0 Louisianians 11% 20% Total 100% 100% 100% 100% In 1850, even if all Louisianians were francophones, the latter were still only 32% of household heads in the IPUMS sample. …

Spatial and temporal variability of daily monsoon rainfall in Tunga and Bhadra River basins, Karnataka

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) rainfall product 3B42-V7 and the telemetric station data sets of years 2010 and 2011 for the monsoon season were used to study the spatial and temporal variability of the daily rainfall in Tunga and Bhadra River basins in Karnataka. The daily rain observations of gauge and TRMM estimates show correlation coefficient values of 0.63 for the stations located within the Western Ghats (highland) and 0.40 for the stations located away from the Western Ghats (midland). The threshold of 50% and 75% of the mean surface rainfall gives a good accuracy of 0.89 and 0.4 for midland stations and 0.62 for highland stations. The reliability of the TRMM data varies depending on the root mean square error of 10.74 mm in highland region and 5.25 mm in midland region. The amplitude of the variability is high over the highland stations; this may be due to the orography and the inconsistency in cell resolution of the satellite to that of the point data of the rain gauging stations. The variability in the diurnal time scale is also studied and it is found that high rainfall activity is in the afternoon hours in both the highland and midland regions. A bimodal variation during the active monsoon phase and unimodal variation during rest of the season is noticed in the highland region of the area, and unimodal variation in midland region is noticed throughout the south-west monsoon period.

Fisheries management under climate and environmental uncertainty: control rules and performance simulation

AbstractThe ability of management strategies to achieve the fishery management goals are impacted by environmental variation and, therefore, also by global climate change. Management strategies can be modified to use environmental data using the “dynamic B0” concept, and changing the set of years used to define biomass reference points. Two approaches have been developed to apply management strategy evaluation to evaluate the impact of environmental variation on the performance of management strategies. The “mechanistic approach” estimates the relationship between the environment and elements of the population dynamics of the fished species and makes predictions for population trends using the outputs from global climate models. In contrast, the “empirical approach” examines possible broad scenarios without explicitly identifying mechanisms. Many reviewed studies have found that modifying management strategies to include environmental factors does not improve the ability to achieve management goals much, if at all, and only if the manner in which these factors drive the system is well known. As such, until the skill of stock projection models improves, it seems more appropriate to consider the implications of plausible broad forecasts related to how biological parameters may change in the future as a way to assess the robustness of management strategies, rather than attempting specific predictions per se.

The effects of qindan-capsule-containing serum on the TGF-β1/ERK signaling pathway, matrix metalloproteinase synthesis and cell function in adventitial fibroblasts

Context: Qindan capsule (QC), a compound used in traditional Chinese medicine, has been used as an anti-hypertensive agent in clinical settings for years. Our previous studies have shown that QC can improve the morphological index of the artery, down-regulate the collagen volume fraction in the media and inhibit the transformation of smooth muscle cells. However, the detailed mechanisms underlying its effects require further investigation, which might provide more scientific evidence for the clinical treatment of hypertensive vascular remodeling (VR).Objective: We investigated the effects of QC-containing serum on the TGF-β1/ERK signaling pathway, cell proliferation, migration, the cell cycle, apoptosis and matrix metalloproteinase synthesis (MMPs) in rat aortic adventitial fibroblasts (AFs).Materials and methods: AFs were cultured through tissue explants in vitro. The levels of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), phospho-ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2), connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), MMP2 and MMP9 expression were measured by western blotting and RT-PCR. The proliferation and migration of AFs were measured by MTT and transwell migration assays. Cell cycle progression and apoptosis in AFs were analyzed by flow cytometry.Results: The proliferation and migration rates of AFs treated with transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) for 24 h were 2.4 ± 0.75 and 2.2 ± 0.06 times higher than those of untreated AFs, and increases in the expression of p-ERK1/2 (3.7 ± 0.15 times), CTGF (3.3 ± 0.24 times), MMP2 (5.7 ± 0.37 times) and MMP9 (5.4 ± 0.46 times) (p < 0.05) were observed. Treatment with QC-containing serum significantly down-regulated cell proliferation (1.9 ± 0.06 times), migration (1.6 ± 0.05 times) and the expression of p-ERK1/2 (1.3 ± 0.75 times), CTGF (1.8 ± 0.64 times), MMP2 (1.6 ± 0.65 times) and MMP9 (1.4 ± 0.46 times) (p < 0.05). We also found that QC-containing serum down-regulated the percentage of cells in the G1 phase by 1.6 ± 0.43 times and increased early-phase apoptosis by 2.3 ± 0.33 times (p < 0.05) in AFs.Conclusions: QC effectively inhibits the proliferation and migration of AFs and changes cell bioactivity and MMPs, possibly through the TGF-β/ERK/CTGF signaling pathway. Our findings may provide new insights into the potential function of QC in preventing or treating hypertension.

Análise da adaptabilidade e estabilidade de produção em ensaios regionais de feijoeiro para o Estado de São Paulo

O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar genótipos, superiores em produtividade, adaptabilidade e estabilidade, na produção de grãos de feijoeiro, por meio da análise Lin &amp; Binns (1988), modificada por Carneiro (1998). Foram avaliados vinte e dois genótipos pertencentes aos principais programas de melhoramento do país. Essas avaliações constaram de dados dos ensaios de VCU 2007/2008/2009 para o Estado de São Paulo, que seguiram as normas estabelecidas pelo MAPA/SNPC, para ensaios de campo. Estes ensaios foram instalados em vinte e quatro ambientes, nas épocas das águas de 2007 e 2008, seca de 2008 e 2009 e inverno de 2008 e 2009. Os resultados obtidos no conjunto dos anos e ambientes de 2007/2008/2009 demonstraram que os genótipos 'Gen C2-1-3', 'CNFC 10408', 'Juriti Claro' e 'LP 04-72' comportaram-se como os mais estáveis e adaptados. O método Lin &amp; Binns (1988), modificado por Carneiro (1998), mostrou-se adequado para análise dos dados, identificando os genótipos mais estáveis, produtivos e adaptados aos ambientes de cultivo.

Avenidas fluviales y precipitaciones en las cuencas de los ríos Jarama-Tajo al final del siglo XVI

Texto resumen.

Assessment of an ELISA Laboratory Exercise

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a powerful immunological technique for quantifying small amounts of compounds and has been used in research and clinical settings for years. Although there are laboratory exercises developed to introduce the ELISA technique to students, their ability to promote student learning has not been thoroughly assessed. We found that a commercially available ELISA kit increased student performance on pre- and post-tests in three undergraduate college courses, especially in those taught to general-education students. Student confidence levels about ELISA methodology, as well as comfort level in performing the technique, increased significantly in both general- education and biology-major courses.

Digital versus screen film mammography: Impact on positive predictive values following transition.

12 Background: The Calgary Health Region changed from screen film mammography (SFM) to digital mammography (DM) in 2005. This retrospective study was designed to determine the effect of this conversion on positive predictive values (PPV) for cancerous and precancerous breast lesions. Methods: In the Calgary region, biopsies for mammographic calcifications are only done at Foothills Medical Centre (FMC) by a small group of mammographers employing homogeneous techniques. From FMC’s database, we reviewed core biopsy data for mammographic calcifications in the years 2002-2004 (SFM years) and 2008-2010 (DM years). Mammographic masses were excluded. We determined PPVs for each set of years for detection of cancerous lesions (PPV3for calcifications). We further calculated the PPVs of SFM and DM for detection of high-risk lesions, including ADH, ALH, LCIS, and papilloma collectively (precancerous lesions). The detection rates of benign lesions (excluding precancerous lesions) after biopsy were also determined. Statistical analysis was performed using two-tail z-tests. Results: 3,778 biopsies in 3,544 patients were reviewed. The difference in overall detection rate of cancer after biopsy for mammographic calcification between SFM (PPV3 = 24.7%) and DM (PPV3 = 23.8%) was not statistically significant (p = .53). On further analysis, the PPV for precancerous lesions increased (p &lt; .0001) in DM (11.6%) versus SFM (7.8%). No significant difference (p = .065) was found in detection of benign lesions. Conclusions: In comparing DM to SFM, we found no significant change in PPV3 with respect to calcifications. However, with DM, there was a statistically significant increase in detection of lesions considered at risk for future malignancy. Given that the natural history of these premalignant lesions is incompletely understood, the significance of this finding is in question. This potential trend could be further strengthened by determining PPV1for cancerous and precancerous lesions with respect to calcifications. [Table: see text]

Ex-Post Evaluation of Monetary Policy

We employ a model-based approach in an ex-post evaluation of monetary policy decisions taken by the Bank of Israel during the years 2001-2010. Using ex-post information, we test, for each individual year, whether there could have been a Pareto improvement in inflation and output volatilities. This involves simulating counterfactual scenarios under alternative monetary policy shocks, where for each such simulation we compute the Root Mean Squares (RMS) of the inflation and output gaps during and following the evaluated year. We then examine the deviation of actual RMS from simulation-based frontiers. We also compare the actual RMS to a counterfactual RMS which would have been obtained for the case of no policy shocks. In other words, we test whether actual policy shocks were efficient. The exercise reveals several distinct sets of years: years in which actual RMSs were close to the efficient frontier (2001 and 2009) and years in which they were far away (2003, 2004 and 2006); years in which monetary policy shocks led to an absolute improvement in economic outcomes (2004 and 2008) or an absolute worsening (2003, 2006); and years characterized by aggressive policy shocks (2002, 2008 and 2009), which were usually aimed at narrowing the output gap at the expense of more volatile inflation.

Regionalização para o cultivo do feijão no Rio Grande do Sul com base na interação genótipo x ambiente

A regionalização de uma cultura agrícola é estratégia utilizada para minimizar efeitos da interação genótipo x ambiente. Esta abordagem baseia-se em resultados de experimentos conduzidos em diversos locais e anos, cuja análise estatística apresenta dificuldades originadas de estrutura de dados incompleta e heterogeneidade da variância do erro experimental. Este estudo teve o objetivo de avaliar a magnitude e a natureza da interação genótipo x ambiente e a possibilidade de estratificação das regiões de cultivo do feijão do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Foram considerados dados do Ensaio Estadual de Feijão, conduzido em 24 locais durante oito anos. Foram procedidas análises conjuntas, para cada ano, de dois subconjuntos de quatro anos e do conjunto dos oito anos, e análises de agrupamento, utilizando metodologia que contorna aquelas dificuldades da análise estatística. Os resultados das análises conjuntas anuais revelaram alta significância da interação genótipo x local. Essa interação também foi significativa no conjunto dos oito anos, mas não significativa nos dois subconjuntos de quatro anos. A interação genótipo x local x ano foi altamente significativa nesses três subconjuntos de anos. A análise de agrupamento, baseada nos oito anos, constituiu subregiões incoerentes com as subregiões formadas pelas análises anuais, que também foram inconsistentes entre si. Esses resultados indicaram inadequabilidade da regionalização do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul.