bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding Belgian Individual Investors: Complementarity of Qualitative and Quantitative Methodologies in a Grounded Theory Approach
Authors: Pozniak Laetitia , Scoubeau Chantal
Published: November 2017

This article describes the methodological reasoning followed while studying Belgian individual investors and shows how two methodological approaches, one qualitative and one quantitative, can together allow to build a real inductive process within priority is given to data and to returns from the field.How do individual investors experience their investment? Are they one or several investor’s profiles?Our research explores an unknown territory (Bouchard, 200). Many researches focus on investor behaviour bias and their underperformance. No researches studied Belgian individual investors, few studies used mixed methodologies (qualitative and quantitative) and few studies used primary data. Our research proposes to fill that gap.Thanks to the qualitative phase (17 interviews of Belgian investors) we highlighted the importance of family tradition and the influence of environment regarding investment decisions; the difference of perception between investors and their environment, qualities of a good investor and their perception of financial intermediaries.The quantitative phase (706 questionnaires) allowed to discover 5 investors’ profiles in term of behaviour: the followers, the traditionalists, the sleeping investors, the experts and the gamblers.This article also pinpoints all difficulties met during the research using grounded theory and proposed the solutions used by the authors.
Microfoundations of Organizational Routines and Capabilities on Demand of Designing Network Position through High Potential Acumen Leader on Absorptive Capacity
Authors: Phoocharoon Palin
Published: November 2017

Extending to explore how organizational antecedents affect absorptive capacity, this research proposed a theoretical model linking microfoundations of organizational routines and capabilities with network effects through high potential acumen leader (H-PAL). Drawing on a network effects of network position perspective with design thinking to enhance absorptive capacity, I argue that organizational design become a determinant factors on firm to produce more innovation on yielding better performance if leader has significance potential to grow in both the greater scale and scope of promising management skills. Building upon the dynamic capabilities view of the firm, the paper proposed an advance model with design thinking approach convincing that the value of conceptualizing and operationalizing network effects of network position via high potential acumen leader have open up new research interest that cut across traditional “micro versus macro” boundaries.
Special Issues on Learning Strategies: Parallels and Contrasts between Australian and Chinese Tertiary Education
Authors: Yao Yuzuo
Published: November 2017

Learning strategies are crucial to student learning in higher education. In this paper, there are comparisons of student engagement, feedback mechanism and workload arrangements at some typical universities in Australia and China, which are followed by practical suggestions for active learning. First, an inclusive class would allow learners from different backgrounds to become more engaged in classroom activities. Second, universities should improve feedback mechanisms, making them more timely and helpful to enable students to adapt their learning strategies and allowing teachers to adjust teaching methods to target students effectively. Third, this paper proposes a framework of principles under which the flexible workload of academics should be ensured so that students can learn social skills from administrative staff and have more free time to develop unique thinking and planning capacities.
Influence of the Decisions of the European Court of Human Rights on the Legal Order of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Terms of Exercising Same Sex Unions
Authors: Kresic Boris , Begic Zlatan , Alihodzic Jasmina , Omerdic Dzeneta
Published: November 2017

The achievement of rights of same-sex couples is an actual topic in contemporary law. This is especially in focus of the professional and academic publicity in the transitional countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this paper authors considered the issue of the achievement of the same-sex couples' rights in the legal system of this country in the context of the European Court of Human Rights practice and obligations arising from the European Convention on Human Rights and its Protocols. The aim of this paper is to determine to which extent the national legal order of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the country trying to accede to European integration, implements european standards of human rights and freedoms with the final goal to point to the omissions and possible directions for reform.
General and Specific Conditions of Arbitration Agreement
Authors: Ranjbar Masoudreza , Dehshiri Mehdi
Published: November 2017

Arbitration as an alternative method of dispute resolution intrinsically is considered an exceptional institution. Being exceptional the arbitration institution requires to form it under the agreement of the will of the parties in the form of the arbitration agreement and thus until the parties have not agreed, Judgment is not imposed on them. Arbitration agreement is a contract in term of nature, and like all contacts must be respected the general rules of contract in it. The noteworthy point about this is that how is the observation of these conditions in arbitration agreement? In addition, this contract has the contents and conditions that the contracting parties agree to it and the basis of action of arbitrator or arbitrators is in the dispute settlement that it is interpreted as the specific conditions of the contract. The most important cases that often are noticed them in arbitration agreements and in the case of silence of the parties, the law governing the arbitration is replaced with their will in this regard, as follow: competence of arbitrator, language arbitration, the arbitration time, the arbitration costs, location of investigation and the number of arbitrators. The main question in this regard is this, how is the mutual consent of the parties of agreement in this regard. The answer to these two questions is the subject of this paper, which has been dealt with it through library studies and with the content analysis method.
Review on Gender and Poverty, Gender Inequality in Land Tenure, Violence Against Woman and Women Empowerment Analysis: Evidence in Benin with Survey Data
Authors: Atozou Baoubadi , Mayuto Radjabu , Abodohoui Alexis
Published: November 2017

Inequalities in opportunities and rights between women and men have occupied many researchers over the last two decades. This study reviews literature on (i) gender and poverty, (ii) inequalities in land rights between women and men and their implications for the economic and social development of rural areas in developing countries, and (iii) violence against women in the rural population. World Bank survey data (3507 rural households) were used to analyze women's perceptions of agricultural land rights and violence against women in Benin. The Poisson model is adopted to investigate the determinants of physical violence against women in rural households in Benin. The results show that women are more vulnerable to poverty than men. Women are disadvantaged in access to productive assets such as access to credit and arable land, education, labor market, control of incomes earned in households, and are excluded in decision-making in households and institutions. The results also highlight that women in rural areas do not have access to land and do not participate in land management decisions. Based on the Poisson model, the results show that restrictions imposed on women by their spouses significantly increase the number of physical violence against women in households. Moreover, the results suggest also that an increase in the economic value of assets owned by women significantly reduces the incidence of physical violence against women in households. These results suggest that implementing development actions to increase incomes and empowerment women helps to reduce poverty, increases food security, reduces violence against women, and improves household welfare.
Economic Evaluation of Bioenergy Production from Biomass in Germany
Authors: Tabe-Ojong Martin Paul Jr. , Habiyaremye Naphtal
Published: November 2017

The production of bioenergy from plant sources has been an emerging issue in the global bioeconomy. This is as a result of the depletion of fossil fuel sources and its high adverse effects on the environment as the main source of conventional energy. Biobased products from fruit trees and crops have been thought and proven to play an important role in supplying future bioenergy and contributing to the achievement of some sustainable development goals. Many studies have focused on this novel technology without focusing on the economic aspect of it. In a bid to build and improve on literature, this study sought to economically evaluate the production of bioenergy from biomass using robust and standard profitability measures like the net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR) and the payback period (PBP). Data was obtained through expert interviews from the Klein-Altendorf project site in Bonn, Germany. A business as usual scenario and a carbon avoidance scenario were investigated to ascertain the economic viability of this sustainable activity. Results in the business as usual scenario showed the process as a non-profitable venture. However, based on the carbon avoidance scenario, we argued that the project is economically viable especially in terms of carbon avoidance which reduces emissions and goes a long way to protect the environment. These social benefits obtained make the investment worthy. The greatest constraint and cost come from establishing such initiatives. The study found initial investment costs to be very high. Moreover, bioenergy produced is valued at the same price like energy produced from fossil fuels despite its numerous benefits to the environment. The results recommend to policy the maintenance of such initiatives as they have a big role to play in the global bioeconomy. In addition, other countries should join Germany in supporting this initiative by subsidising producers of bioenergy. This is justifiable and arguably the reason for Germany’s global recognition in bioeconomic issues.
Perceptions towards Online Counseling among University of Jordan Students
Authors: Tannous Adel
Published: November 2017

Technology and the use of internet has taken counseling service beyond the face-to-face to online counseling services. Online counseling has been available and widely used as more people are going online. Therefore this research aims to examine the perceptions of University of Jordan students toward online counseling. A sample of 210 respondents were selected to complete online questionnaire that contains two aspects of knowledge about and attitude toward online Counseling. The results of the study indicated that respondents have adequate information about the field of online counseling. However, face to face counseling was not the first preferences for most of the respondents. They have a positive attitude and a high level of preferring toward online counseling, and they believe that online counseling is an essential part of their way to deal with daily life problems. The results also indicated that social media is most effective way that help respondents to get online counseling, and it has tremendous effect on respondent's life.
Public Serving Group of Abandoned Child Known as Susceptible (Children) in Central Java
Authors: Larasati Endang
Published: November 2017

Children are unity assets and main factors of unity future in Indonesia because these factors influence into their quality. They will be becoming leader, manager, technocrat and inventors in Indonesia. The fulfillment rights of children and caring for their growth and intelligence healthfully, so that it not only will be creating the best environment, but also has to be created generally by the government and societies through increasing commitment in all District Head or Region in Central Java about the important of doing public service susceptible group, increasing societies awareness about the important of realizing children rights aiming for susceptible children live.
Numerical Analysis of Flow Behavior in Vortex Tube for Different Gases
Authors: Devade Kiran Dattatraya , Pise Ashok T. , Urade Atul R.
Published: November 2017

The vortex tube is an energy separation device that separates compressed gas stream into a low and a high temperature stream. Present work reports the flow behavior inside the vortex tube for different commonly used fluids with varied properties like Air, He, N2, CO2 and NH3. Flow behavior investigation for three-dimensional short straight-diverging vortex tube is done with CFD code (ANSYS 16.0). Different turbulent models, standard k-epsilon, Realizable k-epsilon and RNG k-epsilon are tested. Realizable k-epsilon model was then used for analysis. Flow behavior of gases with varied multi-atomic number is analyzed and compared with literature. The effect on temperature for N2 is found to be better, followed by He, CO2, Air and NH3. Energy separation for N2 is 46 % higher than all other gases. Energy separation and flow behavior inside vortex tube is analyzed and compared with literature.
Optimal Design of Hanging Truss Having SMA Wires (From Vibration Isolation and Attenuation Viewpoints)
Authors: Zhang Xuan , Hanahara Kazuyuki , Tada Yukio
Published: November 2017

A column-type truss structure is generally unstable without diagonal bracing members. It is, however, mechanically stable in so-called hanging conﬁguration due to the eﬀect of gravitational force. This kind of structure can isolate an apparatus installed at its tip end from the inﬂuence of the vibration of the support ceiling, where the hanging truss structure is placed. The relationship between the stress and strain of the shape memory alloy (SMA) material in relatively high temperature condition has a hysteretic loop, which can be adopted for the purpose of vibration attenuation and isolation. A truss structure with bracing SMA wires in hanging conﬁguration is expected to possess both of the abilities of vibration isolation and attenuation. In this study, optimal placements of SMA wires are obtained by a GA-based approach from the vibration isolation and attenuation points of view under the constraint condition of the number of the SMA wires. Crossover and mutation operators in order to deal with the constraint condition of the number of SMA wire members are proposed. The non-dominated Pareto fronts are obtained for the cases of various numbers of SMA wire members. On the basis of the calculations, it has been conﬁrmed that the number and the placement of the SMA wires are signiﬁcant factors on the eﬀects of vibration isolation and attenuation. Most of the optimal conﬁgurations have one common feature that the SMA wires are distributed close to the middle of the hanging truss structures and there are few SMA wires at the truss units near the support ceiling as well as the peripheral end. The placements of SMA wires in optimal solutions show, however, a tendency of decentralization in the case of emphasis on vibration isolation.
THE INFLUENCE OF THE TIME OF TECHNOLOGICAL SOAKING OF NITRIDED EN-X37CrMoV5-1 TOOL STEEL AT A HIGHER TEMPERATURE ON THE STRUCTURE, MICROHARDNESS, AND TRIBOLOGICAL WEAR OF THE SURFACE LAYER
Authors: DWORAK Michał , BARYLSKI Adrian , ANIOŁEK Krzysztof , STEPANOVA Elizaveta
Published: November 2017

The paper concerns the assessment of the influence of the duration of high-temperature soaking of steel intended for dies for extruding aluminium profiles on the structure, microhardness, and tribological wear of the top layer. Gas nitrided hot work tool steel X37CrMoV5-1 (WCL) was used in the tests. For technological reasons, before the extruding process, such dies are pre-heated for several hours to a temperature ranging from 400°C to 600°C. Due to the possibility of various unplanned situations (failures), the soaking time may be extended even up to more than ten hours. Therefore, soaking was used after the nitriding process due to the application nature of the research whose purpose was to identify changes occurring in the nitrided layer after soaking of dies at a higher temperature (520°C) and before starting the extruding process, and thus to determine for how long the dies may be held in a furnace without undesirable changes in the top layer. The examined samples were soaked in an industrial furnace at 520°C for 2 h, 4 h, 6 h, 8 h, 10 h, and 12 h. Samples heated to 520°C and then immediately cooled down and the reference material which was not heated after the nitriding process were also examined for comparison purposes. The obtained results of the tests of the microhardness of the nitrided layer indicate that it decreased as the soaking time increased to 6 hours. After this time, that parameter is stabilised and further heating up to 10 hours does not cause a significant decrease in the microhardness of the top layer. A further decrease in the microhardness of the layer was observed for samples soaked for 12 hours. The results of tribological tests showed an analogous course of changes in the tribological wear of the examined material as the soaking time increased. The performed tests indicate the possibility of holding dies at a higher temperature
THE EFFECT OF WEAR DEBRIS REMOVAL ON THE FRETTING
OF ROUGH SURFACES
Authors: LENART Agnieszka , PAWLUS Paweł , DZIERWA Andrzej , WOŚ Sławomir
Published: November 2017

Experiments were conducted using an Optimol SRV5 ball-on-disc tribotester under dry gross slip fretting
conditions. A sphere of 10 mm diameter from 100Cr6 steel of 64 HRC hardness contacted a disc made of
42CrMo4 steel of lower hardness (42 HRC). Normal load was set to 45 N, the test duration was 15 min,
the number of cycles was 18000, and the frequency was 20 Hz. Tests were performed at 300C temperature,
and displacement amplitude was set to 0.1 mm. Wear of the disc and ball was examined by a white light
interferometer Talysurf CCI Lite. Wear particles were removed from a contact zone using blow-by with
compressed air of constant pressures of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 MPa. Disc samples had different surface topography
after polishing, vapour blasting, grinding, rough milling, and finishing milling. Due to debris removal, total
wear of the analysed tribological system typically increased. Debris ejection led to a decrease in the wear of
discs and an increase in the wear of balls.
A TEST MACHINE AND METHODS FOR TESTING FRICTION AND WEAR OF AN ANTI-SLIP COATING DEPOSITED ON THE SOLES OF SHOES
Authors: TUSZYŃSKI Waldemar , MATRAS Eugeniusz , WULCZYŃSKI Jan , PIEKOSZEWSKI Witold , SZCZEREK Marian , WOŹNIAK Bogusław , WLAZŁO Maciej , NOWICKI Michał , PRZEPIÓRKA Jacek
Published: November 2017

Injuries due to slips in swimming pools or toilets in hospitals are significant social problems. It primarily concerns children making use of swimming pools or hospitalised old people, and physically disabled. Thus, within the scope of a R&D project, coordinated by the company C.T. Service from Lesznowola, a formula and way of deposition for an anti-slip coating dedicated to the soles of shoes were developed in order to increase friction on wet surfaces. A special machine – T-31 Simulator – for tribological testing of the friction and wear of the soles of shoes was developed. A method for precise determination of the coefficient of friction between a sole of a shoe (with the coating or without, on dry or wet surface) and a floor material, and a method for determination of the life (resistance to abrasion) of the anti-slip coating under conditions simulating walking were developed. To verify the developed test methods, the anti-slip coating was deposited on three types of sole materials, i.e. Thunit, polyurethane, and thermoplastic rubber, sliding against four types of the floor material, i.e. floor tile “Gres,” laminated flooring, sandstone, and granite. The paper presents the developed test device and test methods for friction and wear testing of the anti-slip coating deposited on the soles of shoes. The selected research results are also presented. On their base, a very good repeatability and good resolution of the developed test methods were stated.
PROSPECTS OF DECREASING POWER LOSSES
IN A HYDROSTATIC THRUST BEARING
Authors: WASILCZUK Filip , WASILCZUK Michał , WODTKE Michał
Published: November 2017

In numerous machines, axial load is carried by tilting pad thrust bearings known since the beginning of 20th
century. These bearings are commonly bath lubricated, which is simple, does not require any additional pumps,
and, due to this, such systems are highly reliable. In a contemporary technology, however, minimization of
friction losses became an important goal of machinery improvement. Calculations based on elementary rules
of fluid dynamics show that shearing losses in a specially designed hydrostatic bearing can be considerably
smaller than the losses in a tilting pad hydrodynamic bearing. The aim of the research described in this paper
was to check if the preliminary results can also be confirmed with the use of more advanced CFD calculations.
THE EFFECT OF WATER LUBRICATION WITH ADDITION
OF NON-IONIC AND ANIONIC SURFACTANTS ON THE WEAR
OF THE FRICTION PAIR WITH A CONCENTRATED CONTACT
Authors: ZAJĄC Grzegorz , KUŹNAR Małgorzata
Published: November 2017

In order to minimize losses caused by friction, various technical solutions are applied. Most frequently, however,
they are limited to proper lubrication. Two aspects of the problem have to be taken into consideration nowadays:
ecology and an economic approach, which involves a possibility of the creation of the cheapest lubrication
compositions. Therefore, new lubricants which have a neutral impact on the environment and are characterised
by the lowest production costs and the highest effectiveness in the wear of co-operating elements are researched.
The main purpose of this paper is an evaluation of the influence of water-based lubrication with an addition
of non-ionic and anionic surface-active substances on the wear of a friction pair with a concentrated contact.
Laboratory tests were carried out with the use of a T-02 four-ball wear tester and a digital microscope. A series
of measurements were conducted in which a tribological connection was lubricated with water and a mixture of
water and non-ionic and anionic surfactants of various mass concentrations in reference to water. The conducted
research takes into account criteria connected with the minimization of the production costs of lubricating
compositions and the minimization of their influence on the environment with a simultaneous limitation of the
wear of the co-operating elements. The results obtained in the research enabled an analysis of the influence of
the additions of detergents at various concentrations on water lubricating properties, water surface tension, and
the volumetric wear of the analysed samples.
ANALYSIS OF THE TRIBOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF TiN/Si3N4 NANOCOMPOSITE COATING IN SLIDING CONTACT WITH CERAMIC, STEEL, AND POLYMER COUNTERPART
Authors: ZIMOWSKI Sławomir , MOSKALEWICZ Tomasz , WENDLER Bogdan
Published: November 2017

In this work, the friction and wear of a hard TiN/Si3N4 nanocomposite coating in sliding contact with Al2O3 ceramic, 100Cr6 steel, and PTFE polymer balls were analysed. The coating was deposited on Vanadis 23 high-speed steel by a new gas pulsed magnetron sputtering technique. Studies of micromechanical properties indicate very high hardness of the coating equal to 49 GPa with simultaneous very good adhesion to the substrate confirmed in the scratch test. Based on the tribological studies in an unlubricated ball-on-disk contact, the coefficient of friction and specific wear index of the coating and balls were determined. In the friction cooperation, the most advantageous pair of coating and counterpart was an association of TiN/Si3N4 coating with a ceramic Al2O3 ball. In this combination, the wear index of the coating was 5.3·10-6 mm3/Nm, whereas the value of the wear index of the ball was 0.04·10-6 mm3/Nm. According to our investigation, this is the best pair among the tested materials that can be used in friction nodes under a high load. The analysis of the wear mechanism for individual pairs was based on microscopic examination of wear tracks.
The Witch on a Vespa (and the case of the Kinetic Potatoes): Nonsense strategies and translation of Kirsi Kunnas’s poem ”Mr Pii Poo”
Authors: Happonen Sirke
Published: November 2017

It has been suggested that in nonsense literature the form sometimes directs the events of the story (Tigges 1988, Lecercle 1994). Translation of a poem may make this even more evident, as with "Mr Pii Poo" (1956, originally “Herra Pii Poo”), a poem by the Finnish author Kirsi Kunnas, born in 1924. "Mr Pii Poo" tells a story about a magician in a conflict between rural and urban elements, a figure who is introduced also as a witch and who could at the same time be interpreted as an alter ego for the poet Kunnas. In this poem, Kirsi Kunnas binds a bizarre bundle of rhymed and free verses around the Finnish word noita (a witch) and its multiple uses as a noun, a pronoun and a case ending. Sirke Happonen discusses nonsense elements of this witty and whimsical poem by describing its translation process from Finnish into English – a piece of work she has done with the help of her nonsensical colleagues. (As a small epilogue, Happonen presents a "movable reading" of another poem by Kunnas called “Kattila ja perunat”, "The Pan and the Potatoes".)
Pigs, pastures, pepper pickers, pitchforks: Carl Sandburg’s Rootabaga Stories and the tall tale
Authors: Heyman Michael
Published: November 2017

Past studies of American nonsense literature have tended to lump it together with the British, for many good reasons. This article, however, distinguishes American nonsense, not just from the British, but from any other tradition, by way of its folk origins and cultural context. One of the least-recognized writers of nonsense is Carl Sandburg, who is famous for his iconic American poetry, but his Rootabaga Stories (1922-30) are some of the best and most distinctive representatives of the genre. Sandburg’s nonsense short stories are lyrical and strange, but their value lies also in their distinctive American origins. They are distinguished in having particularly American themes, cultural tendencies, and geography, but also in their formal techniques, which hearken back to American folklore and the tall tale in particular, as in W. B. Laughead’s Paul Bunyan (1922).
Facilitative and competitive interaction components among New England salt marsh plants
Authors: Bruno John F. , Rand Tatyana A. , Emery Nancy C. , Bertness Mark D.
Published: November 2017

Intra- and interspecific interactions can be broken down into facilitative and competitive components. The net interaction between two organisms is simply the sum of these counteracting elements. Disentangling the positive and negative components of species interactions is a critical step in advancing our understanding of how the interaction between organisms shift along physical and biotic gradients. We performed a manipulative field experiment to quantify the positive and negative components of the interactions between a perennial forb, Aster tenuifolius, and three dominant, matrix-forming grasses and rushes in a New England salt marsh. Specifically, we asked whether positive and negative interaction components: (1) are unique or redundant across three matrix-forming species (two grasses; Distichlis spicata and Spartina patens, and one rush; Juncus gerardi), and (2) change across Aster life stages (seedling, juvenile, and adult). For adult Aster the strength of the facilitative component of the matrix-forb interaction was stronger than the competitive component for two of the three matrix species, leading to net positive interactions. There was no statistically significant variation among matrix species in their net or component effects. We found little difference in the effects of J. gerardi on Aster at later life-history stages; interaction component strengths did not differ between juveniles and adults. However, mortality of seedlings in neighbor removal plots was 100%, indicating a particularly strong and critical facilitative effect of matrix species on this forb during the earliest life stages. Overall, our results indicate that matrix forming grasses and rushes have important, yet largely redundant, positive net effects on Aster performance across its life cycle. Studies that untangle various components of interactions and their contingencies are critical to both expanding our basic understanding of community organization, and predicting how natural communities and their component parts will respond to environmental change.
An exceptionally preserved armored dinosaur reveals the morphology and allometry of osteoderms and their horny epidermal coverings
Authors: Brown Caleb M.
Published: November 2017

Although the evolution and function of “exaggerated” bony projections in ornithischian dinosaurs has been subject to significant debate recently, our understanding of the structure and morphology of their epidermal keratinized coverings is greatly limited. The holotype ofBorealopelta, a new nodosaurid ankylosaur, preserves osteoderms and extensive epidermal structures (dark organic residues), in anatomic position across the entire precaudal length. Contrasting previous specimens, organic epiosteodermal scales, often in the form of horn-like (keratinous) sheaths, cap and exaggerate nearly all osteoderms, allowing for morphometric and allometric analyses of both the bony osteoderms and their horny sheaths. A total of 172 osteoderms were quantified, with osteoderm spine length and height being positively allometric with respect to basal length and width. Despite tight correlations between the different measures amongst all other osteoderms, the large parascapular spines represent consistent outliers. Thickness and relative contribution of the keratinized epiosteodermal scales/sheaths varies greatly by region, ranging from 2% to 6% for posterior thoracics, to ∼25% (1.3×) for the parascapular spines—similar to horn sheaths in some bovid analogues. Relative to the bony cores, the horny portions of the spines are strongly positively allometric (slope = 2.3, CI = 1.8–2.8). Strong allometric scaling, species-specific morphology, and significant keratinous extension of the cervicoscapular spines is consistent with elaboration under socio-sexual selection. This marks the first allometric analysis of ornithischian soft tissues.
Transcriptomic profiling of mTOR and ryanodine receptor signaling molecules in developing zebrafish in the absence and presence of PCB 95
Authors: Frank Daniel F. , Miller Galen W. , Connon Richard E. , Geist Juergen , Lein Pamela J.
Published: November 2017

The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and ryanodine receptor (RyR) signaling pathways regulate fundamental processes of neurodevelopment, and genetic mutations within these pathways have been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders. While previous studies have established that these signaling molecules are expressed in developing zebrafish, a detailed characterization of the ontogenetic profile of these signaling molecules is lacking. Thus, we evaluated the spatiotemporal expression of key transcripts in mTOR and RyR signaling pathways in wildtype zebrafish at 24, 72 and 120 hours post fertilization (hpf). We further determined whether transcriptional profiles of a subset of genes in both pathways were altered by exposure to PCB 95 (2,2′,3,5′,6-pentachlorobiphenyl), a pervasive environmental contaminant known to cause developmental neurotoxicity in mammalian systems via RyR-dependent mechanisms. Quantitative PCR revealed that transcription generally increased across development. Genes in the signaling pathway upstream of the mTORC1 complex, and the RyR-paralogs, ryr2a and ryr3, were robustly upregulated, and in situ hybridization of ryr3 coincided with a transcriptional shift from muscle to neuronal tissue after 24 hpf. Static waterborne exposure to PCB 95 beginning at 6 hpf significantly altered transcription of genes in both pathways. These changes were concentration- and time-dependent, and included downregulation of rptor, a member of the mTORC1 complex, at both 72 and 120 hpf, and increased transcript levels of the RyR paralog ryr2b and downstream target of RyR signaling, Wingless-type 2ba (wnt2ba) at 72 hpf. The detailed transcriptomic profiling of key genes within these two signaling pathways provides a baseline for identifying other environmental factors that modify normal spatiotemporal expression patterns of mTOR and RyR signaling pathways in the developing zebrafish, as illustrated here for PCB 95.
¿Es necesario elegir entre la estandarización de las lenguas minoritarias y la vitalidad de sus variedades? Estudio de caso del kichwa de Alto Napo
Authors:   University of London (Inglaterra), Grzech Karolina
Published: November 2017

El tema central de este artículo es la estandarización del quichua (kichwa) ecuatoriano y la influencia que tiene este proceso en las variedades minoritarias de la lengua habladas en el país. Se analiza, en particular, el caso del “kichwa de Tena”, también denominado “kichwa de Alto Napo” (código ISO 639-3: quw), una variante amazónica del quichua, hablada en la provincia del Napo, en la Amazonía ecuatoriana. A partir de los datos y observaciones recogidas durante un año de trabajo de campo, se describe el efecto de la normativización del kichwa ecuatoriano sobre una de sus variedades no estándares: el kichwa de Tena. El artículo expone los mecanismos que contribuyen al hecho de que la unificación del kichwa cause una creciente atrición de las variantes locales, en vez de fomentarlas. La interrupción de la transmisión intergeneracional del kichwa de Tena se debe no solo a la creciente dominación del español, a la urbanización y a otros procesos de cambio sociopolítico, sino también a la estandarización del propio kichwa. La disparidad en el uso de las variantes del kichwa en las escuelas e instituciones estatales, por un lado, y en la vida diaria de la comunidad, por el otro, acelera el abandono de la lengua. Asimismo, las políticas lingüísticas que implementan las autoridades locales y estatales no responden a las necesida-des de la población local y contribuyen a la creciente marginalización de los dialectos locales.
La revitalización de la lengua embera en Colombia: de la oralidad a la escritura
Authors:   Universidad de Salamanca (España), Barreña Agirrebeitia Andoni , Pérez-Caurel Manel ,   Universidad del País Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea UPV/EHU (España)
Published: November 2017

Mientras que el pueblo embera había rechazado codificar su lengua, a finales del siglo XX los embera del Chocó (Colombia) decidieron utilizar la escritura y facilitar así su introducción en la escuela. Fue en 2010 cuando se inició un proyecto de tres años con este objetivo. Este artículo describe, en primer lugar, los datos generales sobre la lengua y la sociedad embera; en segundo lugar, las características generales del proyecto y el estado de desarrollo del mismo. Finalmente, se plantean los retos que se vislumbran para el mantenimiento del embera en el futuro inmediato.
Capacidades lingüísticas shipibo-castellano en textos escritos por escolares bilingües de Ucayali (Perú)
Authors:   Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/ EHU) (España), García-Azkoaga Inés Mª , Sullón Acosta Karina ,   Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/ EHU) (España)
Published: November 2017

La mayoría de estudios sobre el shipibo-konibo, lengua de la familia lingüística pano hablada principalmente en el departamento amazónico de Ucayali (Perú), se centra en el análisis gramatical. Son escasos los estudios sobre las capacidades lingüísticas y comunicativas en shipibo y castellano de niños y niñas bilingües escolarizados en el modelo de educación intercultural bilingüe (EIB). En este sentido, nuestra propuesta se destina al análisis de un género textual determinado, las recetas escritas en esas dos lenguas por niños y niñas de entre 11 y 13 años de edad que comparten el mismo espacio de aprendizaje. Siguiendo la metodología utilizada en investigaciones sobre adquisición y aprendizaje de lenguas en el contexto de una lengua minorizada (Idiazábal y García-Azkoaga, 2015; Manterola, 2012; Díaz de Gereñu y García-Azkoaga, 2016, entre otros), abordamos el estudio desde una perspectiva sociodis-cursiva que considera el texto como la unidad comunicativa pertinente para dar cuenta de las capacidades de los alumnos. Analizamos los siguientes aspectos textuales: estructura, conexión, cohesión y marcas de responsabilidad enunciativa. Los resultados obtenidos nos permiten identificar los recursos empleados por los alumnos y conocer así los aspectos en los que debemos incidir para contribuir a mejorar la comunicación escrita del género textual analizado.
¿Por qué deberían contribuir los investigadores a la revitalización de las lenguas? Revitalizar la lingüística para que sirva a la resistencia de los pueblos originarios y migrantes
Authors:   Universidad de Sevilla (España), Martínez Sánchez Joaquín José
Published: November 2017

Existe un consenso cada vez más generalizado acerca de la necesidad de transformar pro-fundamente el escenario diseñado por la investigación académica sobre las lenguas originarias, en su mayoría gravemente amenazadas. Aunque las universidades, en general, han proporcionado descripciones complejas y detalladas de las lenguas subsistentes y de sus variantes dialectales, sin embargo, apenas han contribuido a fortalecer las capacidades de las poblaciones-objeto para resistir la globalización y convertir algunos de sus instrumentos en oportunidades, como es el caso de los medios y las redes sociales.En el presente artículo se parte de la experiencia cosechada por el proyecto Ndatiaku Tu’un savi, que tiene como propósito cooperar a la revitalización del mixteco (tu’un savi, ‘len-gua de la lluvia’), haciendo uso de las redes sociales para documentar las prácticas vernáculas en vivo, a la vez que para devolver a los hablantes indígenas el reconocimiento intercultural de sus valores. Se propone que la investigación académica subvierta los privilegios otorgados por las culturas dominantes, hasta asumir los objetivos explícitos de los movimientos sociales y políticos por la autonomía de los pueblos originarios: la normalización de sus lenguas y la recuperación de espacios públicos como la educación o los medios sociales. En el ámbito americano, dichos objetivos se han manifestado y consolidado desde 1992 hasta la fecha.
Autogestión lingüística y cultural: algunos ejemplos mesoamericanos
Authors:   Laboratorio de Excelencia Fundamentos Empíricos de la Lingüística (Labex-EFL, Paris 7) (Francia), Avilés González Karla Janiré
Published: November 2017

Este artículo versa sobre las políticas lingüísticas del México contemporáneo en espacios educativos formales y, en concreto, en la escuela. Exploraremos los alcances y limitaciones de los proyectos educativos oficiales actuales, pero sobre todo de aquellos más autogestivos, es decir, destinados a desarrollar las lenguas y culturas autóctonas del país. Específicamente, presentaremos una muestra de los más de 30 talleres de elaboración de materiales pedagó-gicos en lenguas originarias, que se han facilitado desde el 2010 en distintas regiones de la Mesoamérica actual. El análisis crítico de la metodología, de la interacción y de los materiales pedagógicos derivados de estos talleres invita a plantearse una serie de preguntas: ¿cuándo comienza la autogestión?, ¿los proyectos autogestivos deben ser exclusivamente monoculturales?, ¿es posible aprender a ser autogestivos desde la interculturalidad? Los resultados sugieren que durante estos talleres los hablantes realizan procesos de reconocimiento gra-matical en un continuo de oralidad-escritura-oralidad que va más allá de las limitaciones pedagógicas de las políticas oficiales, desarrollando a la vez una pedagogía crítica en lenguas amerindias (Léonard y otros, 2013). Esta práctica pedagógica busca, pues, evidenciar tanto los procesos de minorización como de resiliencia identitaria, contribuyendo así a desnaturalizar la hegemonía lingüística del castellano. Este hecho no solo tiene implicaciones locales, dado que muchos de estos talleres también se encuentran disponibles en la red y son accesible a un público amplio, con la consiguiente promoción de documentación revitalizante (Léonard y Avilés González, 2015).
Xiphodynia Surgical Management
Authors: Olivencia-Yurvati A. H.
Published: November 2017

Objectives:

The objective of this study was to study the results of the largest prospective series to date of xiphodynia patients treated by surgical xiphoidectomy.

Summary of Background Data:

Xiphodynia is a condition of recurrent and often debilitating severe upper abdominal or sternal chest pain. A retrospective analysis was conducted of 40 patients undergoing xiphoidectomy from January 2014 to January 2017.

Methods:

Preoperative and postoperative pain scales were measured, by using a standardized Wong-Baker visual pain scale, with a reported zero as no pain and 10 as worse pain. Statistical analysis of pre- and post-operative pain scale were recorded and statistical analysis completed by using a nonparametric Mann–Whitney U. The preoperative pain scale for the patient's ranged from the level of 9 to 10 (mean: 9.9).

Results:

The postoperative pain scale was rated between zero and 2 (mean: <1). There was a significant improvement in pain rating from preoperative to postoperative with a P > 0.024. All of the sports injury patients (n = 9) were back to full activity 4 to 6 weeks after the procedure.

Conclusions:

Xiphoidectomy can be an appropriate treatment modality for intractable cases of severe xiphodynia after failure of more conservative treatments. Patients with recurrence of severe, disabling pain and disability appear to benefit the most from a surgical approach based on the results of this study.
Reconstruction of Pelvic Exenteration Defects Using the Combined Method With Extended Vertical Rectus Abdominus Flap and Vacuum-Assisted Suction Drainage
Authors: Iwasaki Rie , Motomura Hisashi , Hatano Takaharu , Sakahara Daisuke , Fujii Naho
Published: November 2017

Introduction:

Pelvic exenteration is a highly invasive procedure, with a reported rate of 20%–80% for serious complications. Thus, the prevention of postoperative complications is a major issue. Many previous reports have emphasized the importance of filling the dead space to prevent postoperative complications. In addition to filling the dead space, we believe that achieving sufficient drainage is extremely important. In this paper, we present a new combined method of the extended rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap and vacuum drainage with multiple drains, which achieved a lower frequency of complications.

Case Presentation:

The subjects were 6 patients who underwent reconstruction following pelvic exenteration during a 7-year period between April 2005 and September 2013. We retrospectively measured the volume of the pelvic cavity and that of the rectus abdominis flap on lateral computed tomography (CT) scans to calculate the percentage of the dead space that was filled by the flap. There were no problems with flap engraftment in any of the patients. There were no serious complications, and no patient required additional surgery. The percentage of the dead space filled ranged from 25% to 46% (mean: 32%).

Conclusion:

The rectus flap + vacuum drainage method, which uses an extended rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap to decrease the pelvic dead space and multiple vacuum suction drains, was associated with the prevention of serious complications.
Supraglacial Ponds Regulate Runoff From Himalayan Debris‐Covered Glaciers
Authors: Irvine‐Fynn Tristram D. L. , Porter Philip R. , Rowan Ann V. , Quincey Duncan J. , Gibson Morgan J. , Bridge Jonathan W. , Watson C. Scott , Hubbard Alun , Glasser Neil F.
Published: November 2017

Meltwater and runoff from glaciers in High Mountain Asia is a vital freshwater resource for one‐fifth of the Earth's population. Between 13% and 36% of the region's glacierized areas exhibit surface debris cover and associated supraglacial ponds whose hydrological buffering roles remain unconstrained. We present a high‐resolution meltwater hydrograph from the extensively debris‐covered Khumbu Glacier, Nepal, spanning a 7 month period in 2014. Supraglacial ponds and accompanying debris cover modulate proglacial discharge by acting as transient and evolving reservoirs. Diurnally, the supraglacial pond system may store >23% of observed mean daily discharge, with mean recession constants ranging from 31 to 108 h. Given projections of increased debris cover and supraglacial pond extent across High Mountain Asia, we conclude that runoff regimes may become progressively buffered by the presence of supraglacial reservoirs. Incorporation of these processes is critical to improve predictions of the region's freshwater resource availability and cascading environmental effects downstream.
Vertically Aligned MoS2 Nanosheets Patterned on Electrochemically Exfoliated Graphene for High‐Performance Lithium and Sodium Storage
Authors: Wang Gang , Zhang Jian , Yang Sheng , Wang Faxing , Zhuang Xiaodong , Müllen Klaus , Feng Xinliang
Published: November 2017

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has been recognized as a promising anode material for high‐energy Li‐ion (LIBs) and Na‐ion batteries (SIBs) due to its apparently high capacity and intriguing 2D‐layered structure. The low conductivity, unsatisfied mechanical stability, and limited active material utilization are three key challenges associated with MoS2 electrodes especially at high current rates and mass active material loading. Here, vertical MoS2 nanosheets are controllably patterned onto electrochemically exfoliated graphene (EG). Within the achieved hierarchical architecture, the intimate contact between EG and MoS2 nanosheets, interconnected network, and effective exposure of active materials by vertical channels simultaneously overcomes the above three problems, enabling high mechanical integrity and fast charge transport kinetics. Serving as anode material for LIBs, EG‐MoS2 with 95 wt% MoS2 content delivered an ultrahigh‐specific capacity of 1250 mA h g−1 after 150 stable cycles at 1 A g−1, which is among the highest values in all reported MoS2 electrodes, and excellent rate performance (970 mA h g−1 at 5 A g−1). Moreover, impressive cycling stability (509 mA h g−1 at 1 A g−1 after 250 cycles) and rate capability (423 mA h g−1 at 2 A g−1) were also achieved for SIBs. The area capacities reached 1.27 and 0.49 mA h cm−2 at ≈1 mA cm−2 for LIBs and SIBs, respectively. This work may inspire the development of new 2D hierarchical structures for high efficiency energy storage and conversion.