bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bitter ends: Some notes on the BBC presentation of the Libya conflict, 2011
Authors: Bartlett Ciarán M. G.
Published: November 2015

On 26 October 2011, it was announced that the BBC coverage of the so-called Arab Spring would come under an internal BBC Trust review. The review was led by Edward Mortimer, former UN Director of Communications and an expert in Middle Eastern affairs. Its chief aim was to determine the level of impartiality to which the BBC rose during what Mortimer described as an apparently ‘exciting’ time for journalists. The report was described as ‘remarkable, given the challenges involved, and was generally impartial’. This article will present some notes which contradict the BBC Trust’s self-review while acting as advice for practitioners on misrepresentation and things to avoid while reporting abroad.
Queering the Fall in Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain: Queer negotiations and the American audience
Authors: Chatzipapatheodoridis Constantine
Published: November 2015

Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain (2005) belongs to the body of American cinematic production that has spawned numerous debates regarding portrayals of homosexuality. Specifically, the focus of much of this particular film’s analysis to date has been on its queering of the western genre and its queer(ed) representation of America’s iconic cowboy figure. However, this article proposes that another queering process, concerning the myth of the Fall, runs parallel to the queering of the genre. Applying this particular biblical myth to Brokeback Mountain’s narrative allows for a more complete understanding of how the film deals with the subject matter of homosexuality as well as the purposes of its queering processes in terms of reception. What is ultimately argued here is that the film’s queering of genre/myth is a process of re-historicization that restores queer subjectivity within a rather rigid heteronormative canon.
Rethinking the Urban Bike Map for the 21st Century
Authors: Wessel Nate , Widener Michael
Published: November 2015

“Bike maps,” commonly produced by city governments to encourage bicycling, tend to rely heavily on subjective recommendations aimed at an ideal “typical cyclist.” Such a typical cyclist is increasingly illusory as people take up cycling for ever more diverse and practical purposes. In order to make bike maps useful for a general audience, we need to rethink some of the basic assumptions these maps have been making. The question should be: what do all cyclists want to know, and how can this information be quantified and depicted such that cyclists can use it to make informed decisions? With this question foremost in mind, we explain the development of a bike map for Cincinnati, Ohio that (almost) completely avoids unquantifiable judgments and, we hope, lights the way for future development of the bike map genre.
Variations of Tradition: Re-creating Yi Families in the Pearl River Delta / 流变的传统：珠三角的彝人家支再造
Authors: Dongxu Liu
Published: November 2015

The family is the most essential socialorganization form of traditional Yi people. With a huge number of Yi people flowing to the Pearl River delta for work, such families and their meetings have been emerging and developing in this region. A new kind of family system, based on the foreman model, represents the effect of the temporary labor market on Yi social relations. It also shows that Yi people are strengthening their social unity in response to unstable intra- or intergroup tensions by resisting the further marketization of labor forces. Therefore, the social connotation of Yi families and family meetings in the Pearl River delta has largely broken away from that in traditional Yi residential areas and is instead something new.
The Pore Size Distribution of Naturally Porous Cigarette Paper and its Relation to Permeability and Diffusion Capacity
Authors: Eitzinger Bernhard , Gleinser Maria , Bachmann Stefan
Published: November 2015

The pore size distribution of cigarette paper determines its air permeability and diffusion capacity and thereby has a significant influence on the gas exchange of a cigarette through the cigarette paper during smoking and during smouldering. For the design of cigarettes and in particular of cigarette papers it is important to understand how the pore size distribution of the cigarette paper is affected by the paper composition and paper properties and how it influences air permeability and diffusion capacity.

It was the aim of this study to investigate how the composition of the cigarette paper such as filler content, fibre type and burn additive content qualitatively influenced the pore size distribution and how the pore size distribution and, in particular, which pore size range is correlated with air permeability and diffusion capacity, respectively. To this end eight naturally porous cigarette papers were selected which differed in air permeability, diffusion capacity, fibre type, filler content and burn additive content. The pore size distributions of these papers were measured by mercury porosimetry before and after the papers had been heated to 230 °C for 30 min. The pore size distributions were investigated for qualitative differences when air permeability, fibre type and filler content of the cigarette paper are modified. Furthermore by appropriate weighting of the pore size distributions optimal correlations between a weighted pore volume and air permeability or diffusion capacity were determined. The results show a good correlation with correlation coefficients greater than 0.9 for air permeability as well as for diffusion capacity. The results indicate that large pores are better correlated with changes in air permeability, while small pores are more strongly correlated with changes in diffusion capacity and support previous theoretical results obtained from flow and diffusion models. They also demonstrate the tight relationship between pore size distribution, air permeability and diffusion capacity, which makes the pore size distribution a tool to further optimize cigarette papers, for example, with respect to carbon monoxide yields in the smoke of a cigarette. [Beitr. Tabakforsch. Int 26 (2015) 312-319]
Evaluation of the Content of Free Amino Acids in Tobacco by a New Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Technique
Authors: Moldoveanu Serban C. , Zhu Jeff , Scott Wayne A.
Published: November 2015

The present study describes a reliable technique for the analysis of free amino acids in tobacco leaf. The levels of amino acids in tobacco are important since they are related to both tobacco quality and the potential generation in cigarette smoke of toxicants having amino acid precursors. Other techniques used in the past for amino acid analysis have various shortcomings that were avoided in the present method. The new method uses HPLC separation and a tandem mass spectrometer for detection with no derivatization step as sample preparation. The separation has been obtained using ion pair HPLC on a reversed phase column that offers excellent chromatographic resolution. The MS/MS detection procedure offers very good sensitivity and positive identification of the analytes. The procedure was fully validated and can be used for the analysis of 24 amino acids. It was applied for the quantitation of amino acids from 16 types of tobacco including flue-cured and Burley, some domestic and some not grown in the USA, two types of Oriental tobacco, and from tobacco of a 3R4F Kentucky reference and a common commercial cigarette. It was shown that the analysis provides useful information regarding the amino acid level variation between tobacco types, between tobacco stalk positions, and between the growing locations of different tobaccos. [Beitr. Tabakforsch. Int. 26 (2015) 334-343]
Satellite thermal infrared anomalies associatedwith strong earthquakes in the Vrancea area ofRomania
Authors: Zoran Maria A. , Savastru Roxana S. , Savastru Dan M.
Published: November 2015

Thermal anomalies which are known to be significantprecursors of strong earthquakes can be evidencedby spectral thermal infrared (TIR) bands recordedby sensors on board of NOAA-AVHRR and Terra/Aqua-MODIS satellite. In order to locate relevant thermal anomalousvariations prior to some strong even moderate earthquakesrecorded in Vrancea tectonic active zone in Romania,satellite derived geophysical parameters have beenused: land surface temperature (LST), outgoing long-waveradiation (OLR) and mean air temperature (AT). Spatiotemporalvariations of LST, OLR, and AT before and afterthree strong earthquakes in Vrancea area (Mw = 7.4, 4March 1977; Mw = 7.1, 30 August 1986; Mw = 6.9, 30 May1990) and a moderate earthquake (Mw = 5.9, 27 October2004) have been analyzed. Anomalous spatio-temporalpatterns of these parameters developed a few days up tofew weeks before the earthquakes disappeared after themain shocks. Significant increases in land surface temperature,outgoing long-wave radiation, and mean air temperaturecan be assigned to energy exchange mechanismduring earthquake preparatory events. Such preseismicanomalies can be considered to be associated with thethermodynamic, degassing and ionization geochemicalprocesses which seem to be activated due to the increasedstress in the ground, and microfracturing of the rocks especiallyalong area’s active faults.
Organic-inorganic interactions in the system ofpyrrole-hematite-water at elevated temperaturesand pressures
Authors: Ding Kangle
Published: November 2015

The distribution and abundance of pyrrolic compoundsin sediments and crude oils are most likely influencedby inorganic sedimentary components. In thispaper, thermal simulation experiments on the systempyrrole-hematite-water were carried out at elevated temperaturesand pressures in order to investigate the effectof organic-inorganic interactions on the preservationof pyrrolic compounds. Compositions of the reactionproducts were analyzed with GC-MS and GC-FIDmethods. In the closed system pyrrole-hematite-water, thenitrogen-oxygen exchange obviously occurred at temperaturesabove 350ºC in accordance with the thermochemicalcalculation. Large amounts of furan and ammonia weregenerated after simulation experiments, indicating thatthe conversion of pyrrole into furan was the dominant reaction.Thermochemical exchange effect between organicnitrogen and inorganic oxygen was obviously facilitatedby elevated temperatures and found to be catalyzed byhematite, but inhibited by the increasing volume of water.Thermodynamically water spontaneously reacts with pyrroleabove 300ºC. The reaction of pyrrole-hematite-wateris an exothermic process in which the reaction heat positivelycorrelates with temperature. The heat released wasestimated as 9.0 KJ/(mol) pyrrole - 15.0 KJ/(mol) pyrrole intypical oil reservoirs (100ºC–150ºC) and 15.0–23.0 KJ/(mol)pyrrole in typical gas reservoirs (150ºC–200ºC). The calculatedactivation energy of the nitrogen-oxygen atom exchangeis about 129.59 kJ/mol. According to the experimentalresults, a small amount of water may effectivelyinitiate the nitrogen-oxygen exchange. The study wouldimprove our evaluating of the preservation and fate ofpyrrolic compounds in deeply buried geologic settings andfurther understanding of thermochemical processes behindthe degradation of petroleum.
Divine Ecozoics and Whitehead’s Adventure or Resurrection Metaphysics
Authors: Nobuhara Tokiyuki
Published: November 2015

My proposal of an Ecozoics of the Deity seeks to find the ground of ecology of the world in the fact that God is loyal to the place / Eco of emptiness as it empties itself, thereby paradoxically manifesting God as the only one in the universe who can and does actually evoke loyalty / life (Gr., Zoe) in us creatures. Thus, it endeavors to give a theological rationale to Thomas Berry’s idea of the Ecozoic Era. The proposal of Divine Ecozoics challenges Sallie McFague’s idea of the world as “God’s body” by advocating that God has God’s own secret indwelling place before entertaining the world as God’s visible body. The present essay, however, is endowed with the Johannine-Whiteheadian idea of the Great Friend with which to critically qualify my general argument for Divine Ecozoics. The vision of the Great Friend transmutes the general view of the reality into its unity of appearance, or the co-resurrection of the Son and of us creatures.
Gut microbiota and diet in patients with different glucose tolerance
Authors: Egshatyan Lilit , Kashtanova Daria , Popenko Anna , Tkacheva Olga , Tyakht Alexander , Alexeev Dmitry , Karamnova Natalia , Kostryukova Elena , Babenko Vladislav , Vakhitova Maria , Boytsov Sergey
Published: November 2015

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a serious disease. The gut microbiota (GM) has recently been identified as a new potential risk factor in addition to well-known diabetes risk factors. To investigate the GM composition in association with the dietary patterns in patients with different glucose tolerance, we analyzed 92 patients: with normal glucose tolerance (n=48), prediabetes (preD, n=24), and T2D (n=20). Metagenomic analysis was performed using 16S rRNA sequencing. The diet has been studied by a frequency method with a quantitative evaluation of food intake using a computer program. Microbiota in the samples was predominantly represented by Firmicutes, in a less degree by Bacteroidetes. Blautia was a dominant genus in all samples. The representation of Blautia, Serratia was lower in preD than in T2D patients, and even lower in those with normal glucose tolerance. After the clustering of the samples into groups according to the percentage of protein, fat, carbohydrates in the diet, the representation of the Bacteroides turned to be lower and Prevotella abundance turned to be higher in carbohydrate cluster. There were more patients with insulin resistance, T2D in the fat–protein cluster. Using the Calinski–Harabasz index identified the samples with more similar diets. It was discovered that half of the patients with a high-fat diet had normal tolerance, the others had T2D. The regression analysis showed that these T2D patients also had a higher representation of Blautia. Our study provides the further evidence concerning the structural modulation of the GM in the T2DM pathogenesis depending on the dietary patterns.
High-level methodologies for grammar engineering, introduction to the special issue
Authors: Duchier Denys , Parmentier Yannick
Published: November 2015

Grammar Engineering is the task of designing and implementing linguistically motivated electronic descriptions of natural language (so-called grammars). These grammars are expressed within well-defined theoretical frameworks, and offer a fine-grained description of natural language. While grammars were first used to describe syntax, that is to say, the relations between constituents in a sentence, they often go beyond syntax and include semantic information. Grammar engineering provides precise descriptions which can be used for natural language understanding and generation, making these valuable resources for various natural language applications, including textual entailment, dialogue systems, or machine translation. The first attempts at designing large-scale resource grammars were costly because of the complexity of the task (Erbach et al. 1990) and of the number of persons that were needed (see e.g. Doran et al. 1997). Advances in the field have led to the development of environments for semi-automatic grammar engineering, borrowing ideas from compilation (grammar engineering is compared with software development) and machine learning. This special issue reports on new trends in the field, where grammar engineering benefits from elaborate high-level methodologies and techniques, dealing with various issues (both theoretical and practical).
Avaliação histopatológica da cápsula posterior associada ao implante de lente intraocular com superfície modificada com plasma de flúor e polietilenoglicol em coelhos
Authors: Souza V. L. , Pellizzon C. H. , Sereno M. G. , Soares R. T. , Ranzani J. J. T. , Rodrigues A. C. L. , Padovani C. R. , Brandão C. V. S.
Published: November 2015

RESUMOO objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito do tratamento da superfície de lentes intraoculares acrílicas utilizando-se plasma de flúor ou polietilenoglicol na prevenção da opacidade de cápsula posterior. Foram analisados 40 olhos de coelhos, submetidos à cirurgia de facoemulsificação e distribuídos em quatro grupos experimentais (n=10), sendo estes: grupo controle, coelhos sem implante de lente intraocular; grupo com lente intraocular tratada com plasma de polietilenoglicol; grupo com lente intraocular tratada com plasma de flúor; e grupo com lente intraocular comercial. As cápsulas posteriores das lentes dos grupos foram avaliadas por meio de análise histopatológica (morfometria e imuno-histoquímica). Os grupos com lente intraocular tratada com polietilenoglicol e com lente intraocular comercial apresentaram menor espessura da cápsula posterior na avaliação inicial (12 semanas) em relação ao grupo controle. No período final de avaliação (6 meses), os tratamentos da superfície da lente intraocular à base de plasma de flúor e polietilenoglicol não reduziram o desenvolvimento das alterações histológicas associadas à opacidade de cápsula posterior. O tratamento das superfícies das lentes intraoculares com plasma de flúor e polietilenoglicol pode ser realizado como adjuvante na prevenção da opacidade de cápsula posterior, pois não causa alterações na morfologia da lente após facoemulsificação.
Associação entre o óleo de soja e o óleo de peixe na dieta de cabras em lactação como estratégia para melhorar o perfil de ácidos graxos do leite
Authors: Selegato A. L. M. , Gentil R. S. , Nolli C. P. , Ferreira E. M. , Pires A. V. , Almeida O. C. , Parente M. O. M. , Polizel D. M. , Susin I.
Published: November 2015

RESUMOOs objetivos neste experimento foram avaliar os efeitos da associação entre o óleo de soja e o óleo de peixe na dieta de cabras em lactação sobre o consumo de matéria seca e de nutrientes, a variação do peso corporal, a produção e composição do leite, assim como o perfil de ácidos graxos. As cabras foram alocadas em baias individuais, onde receberam dieta composta por 50% de feno de "coastcross" e 50% de concentrado. Foram utilizadas nove cabras mestiças Boer x Saanen multíparas, distribuídas em três quadrados latinos 3 X 3. O experimento teve duração de 51 dias, divididos em três períodos de 17 dias, sendo os 13 primeiros dias para adaptação dos animais às dietas e os 4 dias subsequentes para colheita de amostras e de dados. Os tratamentos experimentais foram: a) dieta controle (CT), sem adição de óleo; b) dieta contendo 3% de óleo de soja (OS); e c) dieta contendo 2,5% de óleo de soja + 0,5% de óleo de peixe (OS+P). A inclusão dos óleos reduziu (P<0,05) o consumo de matéria seca, no entanto aumentou (P<0,05) a eficiência alimentar dos animais, sem afetar (P>0,05) a produção de leite. Houve efeito (P<0,05) da dieta no perfil de ácidos graxos do leite, sendo que ambos os tratamentos com adição de óleo elevaram as concentrações de ácidos graxos de cadeia média e longa, reduzindo os de cadeia curta. O tratamento com a combinação do óleo de soja com o óleo de peixe foi o que promoveu os maiores aumentos na concentração de ácido vacênico (398%), rumênico (352%) e de CLA total (341%) no leite. Os resultados permitem concluir que a suplementação lipídica elevou a eficiência alimentar dos animais e que o fornecimento de óleo de soja em combinação ao óleo de peixe aumentou a concentração no leite dos ácidos graxos benéficos à saúde humana.
"Amor" e "morte" nos madrigais de Carlo Gesualdo: um estudo sobre o desenvolvimento da escrita musical e textual
Authors: Garbuio Rafael Luís , Fiorini Carlos Fernando
Published: November 2015

Resumo:A escrita musical do compositor Carlo Gesualdo transforma-se ao longo de seus seis livros de madrigais. Enquanto nos aspectos que integram os dois primeiros livros encontramos principalmente características da tradição polifônica do Renascimento, nos madrigais dos terceiro e quarto livros predomina o experimentalismo harmônico, ao passo que nos dois últimos há maior ocorrência dos procedimentos tipicamente associados ao compositor maduro - a escrita cromática e dissonante. O principal elemento que faz a ligação desta escrita ao longo das três fases é a relação entre a música e o texto. Observando o tratamento que o compositor fez em relação a dois termos recorrentes nos madrigais - as palavras amor e morte -, em obras de diferentes fases, foi possível constatar o estreitamento desta relação textual da música, bem como suas implicações no resultado sonoro final. Na primeira fase, Gesualdo utilizava os procedimentos mais comuns na escrita musical para ressaltar estes termos, como a escrita contrapontística, contrastando com a escrita homofônica. Nas fases seguintes, ele passou a procurar elementos musicais mais sofisticados que permitissem explorar diferentes sonoridades. Por meio deste processo, o compositor destacou, de forma mais contundente, palavras e narrações dos poemas, recorrendo principalmente a resultantes harmônicas incomuns e a falsas relações melódicas. A análise do uso destes termos ao longo da obra demonstrou o aprofundamento da expressividade e o amadurecimento dos procedimentos musicais utilizados pelo compositor.
Trabajo social y conocimiento transnacional – Reflexiones sobre la construcción del conocimiento en el marco del proyecto RELETRAN
Authors: Kniffki Johannes , Reutlinger Christian
Published: November 2015

Resumen A partir de 2012 - 2014, doce universidades y once organizaciones no gubernamentales de Europa y América Latina han construido una red denominada RELETRAN (Red Latinoamericana-Europea de Trabajo Social Transnacional) mediante de siete reuniones presenciales y numerosos encuentros locales y virtuales. El denominador común era desarrollar e implementar programas de capacitación en el área de "Comunidad" o "Trabajo (Social) Comunitario“. Este articulo retoma el proceso en términos de construcción de conocimiento transnacional y se enfoca de las dificultades y desafíos que una composición altamente compleja produce en el momento de querer construir algo en común.
Hypertension Prevalence, Awareness and Control Levels among Ghawarna: An African-Descendant Ethnic Minority in the Jordan Valley
Authors: Kheirallah, PhD Khalid A. , Liswi, MD Mohammed , Alazab, MD Rami , Bataineh, MD Zeyad , Alzyoud, PhD Sukaina , Alsulaiman, MD Jomana , Jaddou, MD Hashem
Published: November 2015

Objective: Treatment and control of hy­pertension (HTN) is a challenging issue as undiagnosed HTN prevalence seems to be high among certain ethnic groups, such as African-descendant populations. The current study attempted to measure HTN preva­lence, awareness and control levels among Ghawarna, an African-descendant ethnic group living in the Jordan Valley (Al-Ghawr).

Design, Setting and Participants: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a com­munity of Ghawarna between March and June 2013 in Ghawr Al-Mazraa Village in the southern part of the Jordan Valley. A total of 517 participants, aged >25 years, were randomly selected using cluster random sampling technique.

Main Measures: Data were collected using an interviewer-administrated questionnaire and on-location measurement of blood pressure (BP), height, and weight. Prevalence rates were compared by sex and age groups using chi-square test while backward selec­tion logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of HTN.

Results: We found 229 (44.3%) of the 517 participants had HTN. Of those 229 hypertensives, 146 (28.2%) participants were discovered to have HTN for the “first time.” Only 23 of the 83 who were aware of their hypertension had their BP controlled. When we added the undiagnosed HTN (n=146) to the uncontrolled HTN (n=60), the preva­lence of uncontrolled HTN became 90% (206/229). Older age, higher BMI, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia were associated with having HTN.

Conclusion: HTN prevalence, awareness and control levels are alarming among Gha­warna. Ethn Dis. 2015;25(3):321-328.
Association of the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Screening Tool with Weight Status, Percent Body Fat, and Acanthosis Nigricans in Children from a Low Socioeconomic, Urban Community
Authors: Yee Kimbo E. , Pfeiffer Karin A. , Turek Kelly , Bakhoya Marion , Carson Joseph J. , Sharman Mahesh , Lamb Erin , Eisenmann Joey C.
Published: November 2015

Objective: To examine the association of the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity (FNPA) screening tool with weight status, percent body fat, and acanthosis nigricans (AN) in 6- to 13-year-old children from a low socioeconomic, urban community.

Methods: Children (N=415) from four elementary schools located around Flint, Michigan were assessed for body mass index, percent body fat, and AN. The FNPA screening tool was completed by parents. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to assess differences in FNPA score by sex and pres­ence of AN. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of the FNPA (tertiles) with weight status and AN.

Results: Children with AN (13.7%) had a significantly lower FNPA score (56.3 + 7.1) compared with children without AN (61.0 + 7.1; P<.05). Children with FNPA scores in the lowest tertile (high-risk) had odds ratios of 1.74 (95% CI =1.05 – 2.91) and 2.77 (95% CI =1.22 – 6.27) compared with children with FNPA scores in the highest tertile (low-risk) for being overfat and having AN, respectively.

Conclusion: Although the FNPA screening tool did not predict risk for being over­weight or obese, it was significantly associ­ated with an increased odds of children at risk for being overfat or having AN. Ethn Dis. 2015;25(4):399-404; doi:10.18865/ ed.25.4.399
A Differential Item Functional Analysis by Age of Perceived Interpersonal Discrimination in a Multi-racial/ethnic Sample of Adults
Authors: Owens Sherry , Kristjansson Alfgeir , Hunte Haslyn E.R.
Published: November 2015

 We investigated whether individual items on the nine item William’s Perceived Every­day Discrimination Scale (EDS) functioned differently by age (<45 vs ≥45) within five racial groups in the United States: Asians (n=2,017); Hispanics (n=2,688); Black Caribbeans (n=1,377); African Americans (n=3,434); and Whites (n=854). We used data from the 2001-2003 National Survey of American Lives and the 2001- 2003 National Latino and Asian Studies. Multiple-indicator, multiple-cause models (MIMIC) were used to examine differential item functioning (DIF) on the EDS by age within each racial/ethnic group. Overall, Asian and Hispanic respondents reported less discrimination than Whites; on the other hand, African Americans and Black Caribbeans reported more discrimination than Whites. Regardless of race/ethnicity, the younger respondents (aged <45 years) reported less discrimination than the older respondents (aged ≥45 years). In terms of age by race/ethnicity, the results were mixed for 19 out of 45 tests of DIF (40%). No differences in item function were observed among Black Caribbeans. “Being called names or insulted” and others acting as “if they are afraid” of the respondents were the only two items that did not exhibit dif­ferential item functioning by age across all racial/ethnic groups. Overall, our findings suggest that the EDS scale should be used with caution in multi-age multi-racial/ethnic samples. Ethn Dis.2015;25(4):479-486; doi:10.18865/ed.25.4.479
Who Has the Motherlode of Health? A Comparative Study of Socio-economic Inequalities in Health among Mothers of Young Children
Authors: Brennenstuhl Sarah , Worts Diana , Hildebrand Vincent , Siddiqi Arjumand , Mcdonough Peggy
Published: November 2015

This study examines cross-national differences in socio-economic inequalities in mothers’ health. Inequalities are expected to be largest where social policies treat mothers as unpaid caregivers, smallest where they support mothers as paid workers, and intermediate where policies are inconsistent. Hypotheses are tested using Latent Growth Curve Models for the effects of education on mothers’ self-rated health trajectories; estimates are then compared cross-nationally using z-scores. Against expectations, no between-country differences in health inequalities are found. However, comparing results for mothers with those for all working-age women reveals that the easing of mothers’ health inequalities maps partially to expectations.
Inégalités sociales de santé au Québec : prévalence de l’incapacité et des maladies chroniques selon l’âge et le niveau de défavorisation en 2010-2011
Authors: Lecours Chantale , Labrie Marie-Pier , Ouellette Nadine
Published: November 2015

À partir des données de l’Enquête québécoise sur les limitations d’activités, les maladies chroniques et le vieillissement 2010-2011 (EQLAV), cette étude nous a permis d’analyser la prévalence de l’incapacité et des maladies chroniques selon l’âge afin que nous puissions déterminer, en utilisant une méthode non paramétrique de lissage par P-splines et en établissant un intervalle de confiance pour chaque différence de prévalences, s’il existe des inégalités entre les personnes les plus favorisées et celles qui le sont le moins (respectivement les quintiles 1 et 5 de l’indice de défavorisation). Notre étude révèle que les courbes de prévalences de l’incapacité selon l’âge suivent des tendances relativement similaires selon le niveau de défavorisation, ce qui n’est cependant pas le cas pour les courbes de prévalences des maladies chroniques selon l’âge. Nous montrons aussi qu’il existe des inégalités sociales de santé dans les prévalences de l’incapacité et des maladies chroniques selon le niveau de défavorisation pour certains âges.
Policies and Health Inequalities: State of the Field and Future Directions
Authors: Quesnel-Vallée Amélie
Published: November 2015

In contrast to inequalities in health that stem from biological differences brought about by age or genetics, social inequalities in health are mutable and avoidable as they are affected by public policies. In recognition of the importance of these social influences on population health and inequalities, the World Health Organization adopted, in 2012, resolution WHA62.14 endorsing the Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health. With this resolution, member states recognize the existence of social determinants of health (SDH) and pledge to implement actions outlined in the Rio declaration, including to “monitor progress and increase accountability to inform policies on SDH.”

From 7 to 9 May 2014, the Quebec Inter-University Centre for Social Statistics held an international conference in Montreal. “Social Policy and Health Inequalities: An International Perspective” had as its primary objective showcasing leading-edge international research on the impact of social policies and programs on health inequalities in high-income countries. More specifically, the conference aimed to encourage international exchanges in order to demonstrate the range of research practices and outputs as well as to stimulate debate among the key stakeholders in this research process: organizations that produce statistics, researchers, and knowledge users.
Development and Use of an Interactive Computerized Dog Model to Evaluate Cranial Nerve Knowledge in Veterinary Students
Authors: Bogert K. , Platt Simon , Haley Allison , Kent Marc , Edwards Gaylen , Dookwah H. , Johnsen Kyle
Published: November 2015

In veterinary medicine, the cognitive skills necessary to interpret neurological disorders from text-based case descriptions may not translate into the diagnostic capabilities required for clinical neurological patients. As live animals exhibiting certain specific neurological disorders are infrequent during a student's exposure to clinics, students may graduate without the experience necessary to make an accurate diagnosis in the field. To address this, we have developed a computerized simulated dog head that can exhibit cranial nerve dysfunctions and respond to specific testing procedures in a clinically accurate manner. To evaluate whether this type of model could add value to traditional student assessments, we created a multiple-choice quiz system with three types of questions: standard text-based cases, videos of an expert performing an examination of the simulated dog, and an interactive version requiring the student to perform an appropriate examination of the simulated dog to uncover the lesion localization. In an experiment conducted with 97 freshman veterinary students who had recently been taught cranial nerve anatomy and function, we found that examination performance decreased with the need for interactivity compared to memorization of fact, while satisfaction increased. Students were less likely to identify the correct disorder when they had to conduct the examination of the virtual dog themselves, revealing an inadequacy in traditional neuroanatomical teaching. However, students overwhelmingly supported the use of interactive question for assessment. Interestingly, performance on text-based questions did not correlate significantly with interactive or video questions. The results have implications for veterinary teaching and assessment within the classroom and in clinical environments.
Veterinary Students' Recollection Methods for Surgical Procedures: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Langebæk Rikke , Tanggaard Lene , Berendt Mette
Published: November 2015

When veterinary students face their first live animal surgeries, their level of anxiety is generally high and this can affect their ability to recall the procedure they are about to undertake. Multimodal teaching methods have previously been shown to enhance learning and facilitate recall; however, student preferences for recollection methods when translating theory into practice have not been documented. The aim of this study was to investigate veterinary students' experience with recollection of a surgical procedure they were about to perform after using multiple methods for preparation. From a group of 171 veterinary students enrolled in a basic surgery course, 26 students were randomly selected to participate in semi-structured interviews. Results showed that 58% of the students used a visual, dynamic method of recollection, mentally visualizing the video they had watched as part of their multimodal preparation. A mental recipe was used by 15%, whereas 12% mentally visualized their own notes. The study provides new information regarding veterinary students' methods of recollection of surgical procedures and indicates that in Danish veterinary students, a visual dynamic method is the most commonly used. This is relevant information in the current educational situation, which uses an array of educational tools, and it stresses the importance of supporting the traditional surgical teaching methods with high-quality instructional videos.
Importance of Inherent Suitability, Behavioural Flexibility and Competitiveness in Occupancy of Urban Parks by an Endemic Honeyeater
Authors: Lill Alan , Muscat Ingrid
Published: November 2015

Three factors potentially facilitating avian urban colonisation are: (a) inherent suitability for city environments, (b) limited resource overlap with residents, achieved through resource partitioning or outcompeting residents for shared resources, and (c) behavioural flexibility permitting innovative resource exploitation. We examined the foraging ecology and nest site choice of the Noisy Miner ( Manorina melanocephala) in urban parks in Melbourne, Australia to elucidate which of these three factors was likely to be instrumental in facilitating occupancy of this urban habitat by this native honeyeater. The Noisy Miner was relatively unspecialised in its nest site choice in parks, suggesting that the many suburban parks with branching eucalypts probably provide lots of suitable nest sites for this species. Park-dwelling Noisy Miners appeared to be superior competitors for food to most cohabiting bird species. They were never targets of interspecific aggression, but quite often initiated it against 16 other bird species. Most interactions were attacks and/or chases and 74% displaced the target species’ member. In Melbourne's parks, Noisy Miners foraged for invertebrates mainly: (a) in the sub-canopy on foliage, using hanging and reaching behaviours, and (b) on the ground on bark litter and grass, gleaning in a standing posture. Several cohabiting bird species also gleaned invertebrates on the ground in a similar manner, but all also commonly used other behaviours when foraging on this substrate. No cohabiting species that foraged extensively in the sub-canopy fed substantially on invertebrates there. Thus Noisy Miners could successfully inhabit Melbourne's parks apparently at least partly because: (i) nest site choice was relatively unspecialised; (ii) they flexibly exploited food resources at ground level, unlike exurban conspecifics; (iii) they aggressively dominated possible heterospecific food competitors at ground level; and (iv) they probably experienced fairly limited dietary overlap with cohabiting bird species.
Circulating MicroRNAs as Biomarkers and Mediators of Cell–Cell Communication in Cancer
Authors: Taylor Molly
Published: November 2015

The realization of personalized medicine for cancer will rely not only on the development of new therapies, but on biomarkers that direct these therapies to the right patient. MicroRNA expression profiles in the primary tumor have been shown to differ between cancer patients and healthy individuals, suggesting they might make useful biomarkers. However, examination of microRNA expression in the primary tumor requires an invasive biopsy procedure. More recently, microRNAs have been shown to be released from the primary tumor into the circulation where they can be utilized as non-invasive biomarkers to diagnose patients, predict prognosis, or indicate therapeutic response. This review provides an overview of the current use of circulating microRNAs as biomarkers as well as recent findings on their role in regulating cell signaling interactions in the tumor microenvironment.
Variation in the Effect of Particulate Matter on Pulmonary Function in Schoolchildren in Western Japan and Its Relation with Interleukin-8
Authors: Watanabe Masanari , Noma Hisashi , Kurai Jun , Sano Hiroyuki , Kitano Hiroya , Saito Rumiko , Kimura Yutaka , Aiba Setsuya , Oshimura Mitsuo , Shimizu Eiji
Published: November 2015

This study aimed to investigate the effects of particulate matter (PM) on pulmonary function in schoolchildren, as well as the relationships of these effects with interleukin-8. Morning peak expiratory flow (PEF) was measured daily in 399 children during April–May 2012, and in 384 of these children during March–May 2013. PEF’s association with the daily levels of suspended particulate matter (SPM) and PM < 2.5 mm (PM2.5) was estimated using a linear mixed model. Interleukin-8 promoter activity was assessed in THP-G8 cells stimulated by fallen PM collected at Tottori University Hospital during four periods (two in 2012 and two in 2013). An increase of 14.0 mg/m3 in SPM led to PEF changes of −2.16 L/min in 2012 and −0.81 L/min in 2013, respectively. An increment of 10.7 mg/m3 in PM2.5 was associated with PEF changes of −2.58 L/min in 2012 and −0.55 L/min in 2013, respectively. These associations were only significant in 2012. Interleukin-8 promoter activity was significantly higher in both periods of 2012 than in 2013. There was a significant association between pulmonary function in schoolchildren and daily levels of SPM and PM2.5, but this association may differ depending on the PM’s ability to elicit interleukin-8 production.
Design and Synthesis of New 2-Aryl-4,5-Dihydro-thiazole Analogues: In Vitro Antibacterial Activities and Preliminary Mechanism of Action
Authors: Tan Fangfang , Shi Baojun , Li Jian , Wu Wenjun , Zhang Jiwen
Published: November 2015

Sixty 2-aryl-4,5-dihydrothiazoles were designed and synthesized in yields ranging from 64% to 89% from cysteine and substituted-benzonitriles via a novel metal- and catalyst-free method. The structures of the title compounds were confirmed mainly by NMR spectral data analysis. Antibacterial activity assays showed that the compounds (S)-2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)-4-hydroxy-methyl- 4,5-dihydrothiazole (7h) and (R)-2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)-4-hydroxymethyl-4,5-dihydro-thiazole (7h′) exhibited significant inhibition against Ralstonia solanacearum, Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae, Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 3.91 to 31.24 μg·mL−1. The effect of substituents showed that not only electron-withdrawing groups, but also electron-donating groups could abolish the antibacterial activities unless a 2′-hydroxy group was introduced on the 2-aryl substituent of the 4,5-dihydrothiazole analogues. The results of scanning electron microscope (SEM) and fatty acid exposure experiments indicated that these antibacterial compounds influence fatty acid synthesis in the tested bacteria.
On the Joint Analysis of the Total Discounted Payments to Policyholders and Shareholders: Dividend Barrier Strategy
Authors: Cheung Eric , Liu Haibo , Woo Jae-Kyung
Published: November 2015

In the compound Poisson insurance risk model under a dividend barrier strategy, this paper aims to analyze jointly the aggregate discounted claim amounts until ruin and the total discounted dividends until ruin, which represent the insurer’s payments to its policyholders and shareholders, respectively. To this end, we introduce a Gerber–Shiu-type function, which further incorporates the higher moments of these two quantities. This not only unifies the individual study of various ruin-related quantities, but also allows for new measures concerning covariances to be calculated. The integro-differential equation satisfied by the generalized Gerber–Shiu function and the boundary condition are derived. In particular, when the claim severity is distributed as a combination of exponentials, explicit expressions for this Gerber–Shiu function in some special cases are given. Numerical examples involving the covariances between any two of (i) the aggregate discounted claims until ruin, (ii) the discounted dividend payments until ruin and (iii) the time of ruin are presented along with some interpretations.
Real-Valued Covariance Vector Sparsity-Inducing DOA Estimation for Monostatic MIMO Radar
Authors: Wang Xianpeng , Wang Wei , Li Xin , Liu Jing
Published: November 2015

In this paper, a real-valued covariance vector sparsity-inducing method for direction of arrival (DOA) estimation is proposed in monostatic multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar. Exploiting the special configuration of monostatic MIMO radar, low-dimensional real-valued received data can be obtained by using the reduced-dimensional transformation and unitary transformation technique. Then, based on the Khatri–Rao product, a real-valued sparse representation framework of the covariance vector is formulated to estimate DOA. Compared to the existing sparsity-inducing DOA estimation methods, the proposed method provides better angle estimation performance and lower computational complexity. Simulation results verify the effectiveness and advantage of the proposed method.
Genomic Mining Reveals Deep Evolutionary Relationships between Bornaviruses and Bats
Authors: Cui Jie , Wang Lin-Fa
Published: November 2015

Bats globally harbor viruses in order Mononegavirales, such as lyssaviruses and henipaviruses; however, little is known about their relationships with bornaviruses. Previous studies showed that viral fossils of bornaviral origin are embedded in the genomes of several mammalian species such as primates, indicative of an ancient origin of exogenous bornaviruses. In this study, we mined the available 10 bat genomes and recreated a clear evolutionary relationship of endogenous bornaviral elements and bats. Comparative genomics showed that endogenization of bornaviral elements frequently occurred in vesper bats, harboring EBLLs (endogenous bornavirus-like L elements) in their genomes. Molecular dating uncovered a continuous bornavirus-bat interaction spanning 70 million years. We conclude that better understanding of modern exogenous bornaviral circulation in bat populations is warranted.
Bull's Eye Maculopathy in an HIV-Positive Patient Receiving Ritonavir
Authors: Non Lemuel , Jeroudi Abdallah , Smith Bradley T , Parsaei Shadi
Published: November 2015

Retinal toxicity involving the macula as a complication of the antiretroviral protease inhibitor ritonavir has been described in a few cases. We report retinal pigment epitheliopathy involving the macula with a bull's eye pattern in a 36-year-old man with well-controlled HIV receiving ritonavir with gradually progressive bilateral vision loss.
Lumbar Diskography and Failed Back Syndrome in Patients Receiving Workers' Compensation
Authors: Anderson Joshua T. , Haas Arnold R. , Percy Rick , Woods Stephen T. , Ahn Uri M. , Ahn Nicholas U.
Published: November 2015

Lumbar diskography (LD) is frequently used in the evaluation of patients with degenerative disk disease and diskogenic low back pain. Its safety and diagnostic accuracy are a topic of debate. No study has evaluated the efficacy of LD within the clinically distinct workers' compensation population. Within this setting, the authors wished to determine the effect of undergoing LD before diskogenic fusion on rates of postoperative failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS). Also, the authors compared opioid analgesic use between patients undergoing LD and patients not undergoing LD. ICD-9 diagnoses and CPT procedural codes were used to identify 1591 patients from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation who underwent diskogenic fusion between 1993 and 2013. A total of 682 patients underwent LD before fusion, which formed the LD group, with the remaining 909 patients as controls. The authors used a multivariate logistic regression analysis while correcting for relevant covariates. Diskography before fusion was a positive predictor of postoperative FBSS (
P
=.04; odds ratio, 1.44). The rate of FBSS was 13.9% of the LD group and 8.8% in the control group. Postoperatively, the LD group was supplied with a significantly higher daily opioid analgesic load (
P
=.04) for an average of 130 additional days (
P
<.01). Additional predictors of FBSS included the ability to remain at work within 1 week of index fusion (
P
=.02; odds ratio, 0.54), male sex (
P
=.03; odds ratio, 1.51), preoperative narcotic use for more than 1 year (
P
=.02; odds ratio, 1.53), and fusion technique (
P
=.03). Diskography should ideally help identify good candidates for lumbar fusion. However, the authors' study raises significant concerns regarding LD's current role within the workers' compensation population. [
Orthopedics.
2015; 38(11):e951–e958.]