Can open access repositories and peer-reviewed journals coexist?

It is often assumed that open access repositories and peer-reviewed journals are in competition with each other and therefore will in the long term be unable to coexist. This paper takes a critical look at that assumption. It draws on the available evidence of actual practice which indicates that coexistence is possible at least in the medium term. It discusses possible future models of publication and dissemination which include open access, repositories, peer review and journals. The paper suggests that repositories and journals may coexist in the long term but that both may have to undergo significant changes. Important areas where changes need to occur include: widespread deployment of repository infrastructure, development of version identification standards, development of value-added features, new business models, new approaches to quality control and adoption of digital preservation as a repository function.

SCOR WG 142: Quality Control Procedures for Oxygen and Other Biogeochemical Sensors on Floats and Gliders. Recommendation for oxygen measurements from Argo floats, implementation of in-air-measurement routine to assure highest long-term accuracy

Recommendation for Oxygen Measurements from Argo Floats: Implementation of In-Air-Measurement Routine to Assure Highest Long-term Accuracy As Argo has entered its second decade and chemical/biological sensor technology is improving constantly, the marine biogeochemistry community is starting to embrace the successful Argo float program. An augmentation of the global float observatory, however, has to follow rather stringent constraints regarding sensor characteristics as well as data processing and quality control routines. Owing to the fairly advanced state of oxygen sensor technology and the high scientific value of oceanic oxygen measurements (Gruber et al., 2010), an expansion of the Argo core mission to routine oxygen measurements is perhaps the most mature and promising candidate (Freeland et al., 2010). In this context, SCOR Working Group 142 “Quality Control Procedures for Oxygen and Other Biogeochemical Sensors on Floats and Gliders” (www.scor-int.org/SCOR_WGs_WG142.htm) set out in 2014 to assess the current status of biogeochemical sensor technology with particular emphasis on float-readiness, develop pre- and post-deployment quality control metrics and procedures for oxygen sensors, and to disseminate procedures widely to ensure rapid adoption in the community.

Dynamics of some limnological characteristics in pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) culture tanks as function of handling

Visando obter subsídios para um estudo da qualidade da água em tanques de piscicultura, realizou-se um experimento de 166 dias com uma espécie nativa, pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus). Nos tanques foram testados dois níveis diferentes de proteína na dieta (16% e 34% de proteína bruta) e três densidades de estocagem (0,25; 0,50 e 0,77 peixes/m²). Dos resultados obtidos foi observado que a interação entre a densidade de estocagem e a duração do experimento interferiram nas variáveis bicarbonato e alcalinidade e a interação entre a densidade de estocagem e a porcentagem de proteína interferiram nas concentrações de CO2 livre e total, condutividade e pH (P < 0,05). A temperatura da água nos tanques variou significativamente ao longo do período estudado (P < 0,05), diminuindo gradativamente do verão para o inverno. Não houve diferença significativa no tempo de residência da água nos tanques (P > 0,05) durante a duração do experimento. Os demais parâmetros não sofreram interferência dos tratamentos ao longo do período de estudo.

Effects of radiation therapy on the structure and function of the pelvic floor muscles of patients with cancer in the pelvic area : a systematic review

Purpose Radiation therapy (RT) is often recommended in the treatment of pelvic cancers. Following RT, a high prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunctions (urinary incontinence, dyspareunia, and fecal incontinence) is reported. However, changes in pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) after RT remain unclear. The purpose of this review was to systematically document the effects of RT on the PFM structure and function in patients with cancer in the pelvic area. Methods An electronic literature search using Pubmed Central, CINAHL, Embase, and SCOPUS was performed from date of inception up to June 2014. The following keywords were used: radiotherapy, muscle tissue, and pelvic floor. Two reviewers selected the studies in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Statement (PRISMA). Out of the 369 articles screened, 13 met all eligibility criteria. The methodological quality was assessed using the QualSyst scoring system, and standardized mean differences were calculated. Results Thirteen studies fulfilled all inclusion criteria, from which four were of good methodological quality. One presented strong evidence that RT affects PFM structure in men treated for prostate cancer. Four presented high-level evidence that RT affects PFM function in patients treated for rectal cancer. Meta-analysis was not possible due to heterogeneity and lack of descriptive statistics. Conclusion There is some evidence that RT has detrimental impacts on both PFMs’ structure and function. Implications for cancer survivors A better understanding of muscle damage and dysfunction following RT treatment will improve pelvic floor rehabilitation and, potentially, prevention of its detrimental impacts.

Irrigation with Treated Wastewater: Potential Impacts on Microbial Function and Diversity in Agricultural Soils

The reuse of treated wastewater could be a promising measure to attenuate the water scarcity burden. In agriculture, irrigation with wastewater may contribute to improve production yields, reduce the ecological footprint and promote socioeconomic benefits. However, it cannot be considered exempt of adverse consequences in environmental and human health. Apart from the introduction of some biological and chemical hazardous agents, the disturbance of the indigenous soil microbial communities and, thus, of vital soil functions impacting soil fertility may occur. The consequences of these disturbances are still poorly understood. This chapter summarises the physicochemical and microbiological alterations in soil resultant from irrigation with treated wastewater that are described in scientific literature. These alterations, which involve a high complexity of variables (soil, wastewater, climate, vegetal cover), may have impacts on soil quality and productivity. In addition, possible health risks may arise, in particular through the direct or indirect contamination of the food chain with micropollutants, pathogens or antibiotic resistance determinants. The current state of the art suggests that irrigation with treated wastewater may have a multitude of long-term implications on soil productivity and public health. Although further research is needed, it seems evident that the analysis of risks associated with irrigation with treated wastewater must take into account not only the quality of water, but other aspects as diverse as soil microbiota, soil type or the cultivated plant species.

Effects of radiation therapy on the structure and function of the pelvic floor muscles of patients with cancer in the pelvic area : a systematic review

Purpose Radiation therapy (RT) is often recommended in the treatment of pelvic cancers. Following RT, a high prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunctions (urinary incontinence, dyspareunia, and fecal incontinence) is reported. However, changes in pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) after RT remain unclear. The purpose of this review was to systematically document the effects of RT on the PFM structure and function in patients with cancer in the pelvic area. Methods An electronic literature search using Pubmed Central, CINAHL, Embase, and SCOPUS was performed from date of inception up to June 2014. The following keywords were used: radiotherapy, muscle tissue, and pelvic floor. Two reviewers selected the studies in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Statement (PRISMA). Out of the 369 articles screened, 13 met all eligibility criteria. The methodological quality was assessed using the QualSyst scoring system, and standardized mean differences were calculated. Results Thirteen studies fulfilled all inclusion criteria, from which four were of good methodological quality. One presented strong evidence that RT affects PFM structure in men treated for prostate cancer. Four presented high-level evidence that RT affects PFM function in patients treated for rectal cancer. Meta-analysis was not possible due to heterogeneity and lack of descriptive statistics. Conclusion There is some evidence that RT has detrimental impacts on both PFMs’ structure and function. Implications for cancer survivors A better understanding of muscle damage and dysfunction following RT treatment will improve pelvic floor rehabilitation and, potentially, prevention of its detrimental impacts.

El efecto de la definición regulatoria de banda ancha sobre la difusión y la competencia del mercado de servicios de Internet fijo en Colombia

A partir de la dinámica evolutiva de la economía de las Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones y el establecimiento de estándares mínimos de velocidad en distintos contextos regulatorios a nivel mundial, en particular en Colombia, en el presente artículo se presentan diversas aproximaciones empíricas para evaluar los efectos reales que conlleva el establecimiento de definiciones de servicios de banda ancha en el mercado de Internet fijo. Con base en los datos disponibles para Colombia sobre los planes de servicios de Internet fijo ofrecidos durante el periodo 2006-2012, se estima para los segmentos residencial y corporativo el proceso de difusión logístico modificado y el modelo de interacción estratégica para identificar los impactos generados sobre la masificación del servicio a nivel municipal y sobre las decisiones estratégicas que adoptan los operadores, respectivamente. Respecto a los resultados, se encuentra, por una parte, que las dos medidas regulatorias establecidas en Colombia en 2008 y 2010 presentan efectos significativos y positivos sobre el desplazamiento y el crecimiento de los procesos de difusión a nivel municipal. Por otra parte, se observa sustituibilidad estratégica en las decisiones de oferta de velocidad de descarga por parte de los operadores corporativos mientras que, a partir del análisis de distanciamiento de la velocidad ofrecida respecto al estándar mínimo de banda ancha, se demuestra que los proveedores de servicios residenciales tienden a agrupar sus decisiones de velocidad alrededor de los niveles establecidos por regulación.

Soil quality assessment in conservation agriculture systems

Soil is a key resource that provides the basis of food production and sustains and delivers several ecosystems services including regulating and supporting services such as water and climate regulation, soil formation and the cycling of nutrients carbon and water. During the last decades, population growth, dietary changes and the subsequent pressure on food production, have caused severe damages on soil quality as a consequence of intensive, high input-based agriculture. While agriculture is supposed to maintain and steward its most important resource base, it compromises soil quality and fertility through its impact on erosion, soil organic matter and biodiversity decline, compaction, etc., and thus the necessary yield increases for the next decades. New or improved cropping systems and agricultural practices are needed to ensure a sustainable use of this resource and to fully take the advantages of its associated ecosystem services. Also, new and better soil quality indicators are crucial for fast and in-field soil diagnosis to help farmers decide on the best management practices to adopt under specific pedo-climatic conditions. Conservation Agriculture and its fundamental principles: minimum (or no) soil disturbance, permanent organic soil cover and crop rotation /intercropping certainly figure among the possibilities capable to guarantee sustainable soil management. The iSQAPER project – Interactive Soil Quality Assessment in Europe and China for Agricultural Productivity and Environmental Resilience – is tackling this problem with the development of a Soil Quality application (SQAPP) that links soil and agricultural management practices to soil quality indicators and will provide an easy-to-use tool for farmers and land managers to judge their soil status. The University of Évora is the leader of WP6 - Evaluating and demonstrating measures to improve Soil Quality. In this work package, several promising soil and agricultural management practices will be tested at selected sites and evaluated using the set of soil quality indicators defined for the SQAPP tool. The project as a whole and WP6 in specific can contribute to proof and demonstrate under different pedoclimatic conditions the impact of Conservation Agriculture practices on soil quality and function as was named the call under which this project was submitted.

An algebraic pedotransfer function to calculate standardized in situ determined field capacity.

Despite the large applicability of the field capacity (FC) concept in hydrology and engineering, it presents various ambiguities and inconsistencies due to a lack of methodological procedure standardization. Experimental field and laboratory protocols taken from the literature were used in this study to determine the value of FC for different depths in 29 soil profiles, totaling 209 soil samples. The volumetric water content (θ) values were also determined at three suction values (6 kPa, 10 kPa, 33 kPa), along with bulk density (BD), texture (T) and organic matter content (OM). The protocols were devised based on the water processes involved in the FC concept aiming at minimizing hydraulic inconsistencies and procedural difficulty while maintaining the practical meaning of the concept. A high correlation between FC and θ(6 kPa) allowed the development of a pedotransfer function (Equation 3) quadratic for θ(6 kPa), resulting in an accurate and nearly bias-free calculation of FC for the four database geographic areas, with a global root mean squared residue (RMSR) of 0.026 m3·m-3. At the individual soil profile scale, the maximum RMSR was only 0.040 m3·m-3. The BD, T and OM data were generally of a low predicting quality regarding FC when not accompanied by the moisture variables. As all the FC values were obtained by the same experimental protocol and as the predicting quality of Equation 3 was clearly better than that of the classical method, which considers FC equal to θ(6), θ(10) or θ(33), we recommend using Equation 3 rather than the classical method, as well as the protocol presented here, to determine in-situ FC.

Thermal and air quality modeling of an electric vehicle cabin with low-cost sensors and reinforcement learning

The design process of any electric vehicle system has to be oriented towards the best energy efficiency, together with the constraint of maintaining comfort in the vehicle cabin. Main aim of this study is to research the best thermal management solution in terms of HVAC efficiency without compromising occupant’s comfort and internal air quality. An Arduino controlled Low Cost System of Sensors was developed and compared against reference instrumentation (average R-squared of 0.92) and then used to characterise the vehicle cabin in real parking and driving conditions trials. Data on the energy use of the HVAC was retrieved from the car On-Board Diagnostic port. Energy savings using recirculation can reach 30 %, but pollutants concentration in the cabin builds up in this operating mode. Moreover, the temperature profile appeared strongly nonuniform with air temperature differences up to 10° C. Optimisation methods often require a high number of runs to find the optimal configuration of the system. Fast models proved to be beneficial for these task, while CFD-1D model are usually slower despite the higher level of detail provided. In this work, the collected dataset was used to train a fast ML model of both cabin and HVAC using linear regression. Average scaled RMSE over all trials is 0.4 %, while computation time is 0.0077 ms for each second of simulated time on a laptop computer. Finally, a reinforcement learning environment was built in OpenAI and Stable-Baselines3 using the built-in Proximal Policy Optimisation algorithm to update the policy and seek for the best compromise between comfort, air quality and energy reward terms. The learning curves show an oscillating behaviour overall, with only 2 experiments behaving as expected even if too slow. This result leaves large room for improvement, ranging from the reward function engineering to the expansion of the ML model.

Physical activity as a tool to improve the quality of life for individuals with hip or knee osteoarthritis

Total hip and knee replacements (THR/TKR) are considered the gold standard surgical treatments for end-stage osteoarthritis (OA), effectively alleviating pain, enhancing joint mobility and quality of life (QoL). Maintaining an active lifestyle and regular physical activity (PA) is crucial for these patients, as it can increase bone density and stability of joint prosthesis. This thesis aims to: (1) systematically review recommendations from healthcare professionals; (2) explore interventions promoting an active lifestyle post-THR and TKR; (3) investigate the primary causes of stiffness post-TKR; (4) design an exercise protocol to enhance QoL post-THR and TKR; (5) evaluate orthopedic surgeons' attitudes toward PA for patients post-THR/TKR; and (6) assess changes in QoL after a specifically designed PA intervention. The initial review revealed consensus on permissible sports activities post-surgery, but few studies addressed interventions targeting PA behaviors. Subsequently, findings highlighted key factors contributing to post-TKR stiffness, including mispositioned components, psychological distress, and obesity. Building on these insights, a PA intervention was implemented, followed by a survey investigating orthopedic surgeons' attitudes towards PA, which demonstrated a general positive attitude. Lastly, a pilot randomized controlled trial demonstrated significant enhancements in QoL, physical function, and clinical outcomes following a three-month adapted PA intervention. Future research should focus on raising awareness among individuals and healthcare professionals, fostering engagement in PA programs, and promoting active lifestyles. PA represents a valuable strategy for mitigating the burden of chronic diseases on society.

Deployment and Orchestration in Cloud Native 5G Networks With Kubernetes

Software Defined Networking along with Network Function Virtualisation have brought an evolution in the telecommunications laying out the bases for 5G networks and its softwarisation. The separation between the data plane and the control plane, along with having a decentralisation of the latter, have allowed to have a better scalability and reliability while reducing the latency. A lot of effort has been put into creating a distributed controller, but most of the solutions provided by now have a monolithic approach that reduces the benefits of having a software defined network. Disaggregating the controller and handling it as microservices is the solution to problems faced when working with a monolithic approach. Microservices enable the cloud native approach which is essential to benefit from the architecture of the 5G Core defined by the 3GPP standards development organisation. Applying the concept of NFV allows to have a softwarised version of the entire network structure. The expectation is that the 5G Core will be deployed on an orchestrated cloud infrastructure and in this thesis work we aim to provide an application of this concept by using Kubernetes as an implementation of the MANO standard. This means Kubernetes acts as a Network Function Virtualisation Orchestrator (NFVO), Virtualised Network Function Manager (VNFM) and Virtualised Infrastructure Manager (VIM) rather than just a Network Function Virtualisation Infrastructure. While OSM has been adopted for this purpose in various scenarios, this work proposes Kubernetes opposed to OSM as the MANO standard implementation.

Relationship Between Orofacial Function, Dentofacial Morphology, And Bite Force In Young Subjects.

The aim was to evaluate the relationship between orofacial function, dentofacial morphology, and bite force in young subjects. Three hundred and sixteen subjects were divided according to dentition stage (early, intermediate, and late mixed and permanent dentition). Orofacial function was screened using the Nordic Orofacial Test-Screening (NOT-S). Orthodontic treatment need, bite force, lateral and frontal craniofacial dimensions and presence of sleep bruxism were also assessed. The results were submitted to descriptive statistics, normality and correlation tests, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression to test the relationship between NOT-S scores and the studied independent variables. The variance of NOT-S scores between groups was not significant. The evaluation of the variables that significantly contributed to NOT-S scores variation showed that age and presence of bruxism related to higher NOT-S total scores, while the increase in overbite measurement and presence of closed lip posture related to lower scores. Bite force did not show a significant relationship with scores of orofacial dysfunction. No significant correlations between craniofacial dimensions and NOT-S scores were observed. Age and sleep bruxism were related to higher NOT-S scores, while the increase in overbite measurement and closed lip posture contributed to lower scores of orofacial dysfunction.

Impaired Compensatory Beta-cell Function And Growth In Response To High-fat Diet In Ldl Receptor Knockout Mice.

In this study, we investigated the effect of low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLr) deficiency on gap junctional connexin 36 (Cx36) islet content and on the functional and growth response of pancreatic beta-cells in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat (HF) diet. After 60 days on regular or HF diet, the metabolic state and morphometric islet parameters of wild-type (WT) and LDLr-/- mice were assessed. HF diet-fed WT animals became obese and hypercholesterolaemic as well as hyperglycaemic, hyperinsulinaemic, glucose intolerant and insulin resistant, characterizing them as prediabetic. Also they showed a significant decrease in beta-cell secretory response to glucose. Overall, LDLr-/- mice displayed greater susceptibility to HF diet as judged by their marked cholesterolaemia, intolerance to glucose and pronounced decrease in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. HF diet induced similarly in WT and LDLr-/- mice, a significant decrease in Cx36 beta-cell content as revealed by immunoblotting. Prediabetic WT mice displayed marked increase in beta-cell mass mainly due to beta-cell hypertrophy/replication. Nevertheless, HF diet-fed LDLr-/- mice showed no significant changes in beta-cell mass, but lower islet-duct association (neogenesis) and higher beta-cell apoptosis index were seen as compared to controls. The higher metabolic susceptibility to HF diet of LDLr-/- mice may be explained by a deficiency in insulin secretory response to glucose associated with lack of compensatory beta-cell expansion.

Long-term Postoperative Atrophy Of Contralateral Hippocampus And Cognitive Function In Unilateral Refractory Mtle With Unilateral Hippocampal Sclerosis.

This study aimed to evaluate long-term atrophy in contralateral hippocampal volume after surgery for unilateral MTLE, as well as the cognitive outcome for patients submitted to either selective transsylvian amygdalohippocampectomy (SelAH) or anterior temporal lobe resection (ATL). We performed a longitudinal study of 47 patients with MRI signs of unilateral hippocampal sclerosis (23 patients with right-sided hippocampal sclerosis) who underwent surgical treatment for MTLE. They underwent preoperative/postoperative high-resolution MRI as well as neuropsychological assessment for memory and estimated IQ. To investigate possible changes in the contralateral hippocampus of patients, we included 28 controls who underwent two MRIs at long-term intervals. The volumetry using preoperative MRI showed significant hippocampal atrophy ipsilateral to the side of surgery when compared with controls (p<0.0001) but no differences in contralateral hippocampal volumes. The mean postoperative follow-up was 8.7 years (± 2.5 SD; median=8.0). Our patients were classified as Engel I (80%), Engel II (18.2%), and Engel III (1.8%). We observed a small but significant reduction in the contralateral hippocampus of patients but no volume changes in controls. Most of the patients presented small declines in both estimated IQ and memory, which were more pronounced in patients with left TLE and in those with persistent seizures. Different surgical approaches did not impose differences in seizure control or in cognitive outcome. We observed small declines in cognitive scores with most of these patients, which were worse in patients with left-sided resection and in those who continued to suffer from postoperative seizures. We also demonstrated that manual volumetry can reveal a reduction in volume in the contralateral hippocampus, although this change was mild and could not be detected by visual analysis. These new findings suggest that dynamic processes continue to act after the removal of the hippocampus, and further studies with larger groups may help in understanding the underlying mechanisms.