bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Defense of Oral History: Evidence from the Mercosur Case
Authors: Gardini Gian Luca
Published: February 2019

This article makes a case in defense of oral history in the study of political science and international relations. The existing literature has scrutinized the technical aspects and appropriate use of oral material. This article focuses on the circumstances under which oral history may be an indispensable method of scholarly investigation: first, when written primary sources are not readily available; second, when an investigation targets complex and secret high-level negotiations; and third, when the main research concern is the human agent's perspective and ideational factors. The article first addresses the issue of the reliability and rigor of oral history as compared to written sources and then concentrates on the creation of Mercosur as an example of the validity of oral history under the three circumstances identified. The conclusion proposes a revival of a more historical approach to political studies.
Preferences on Redistribution in Fragmented Labor Markets in Latin America and the Caribbean
Authors: Berens Sarah
Published: February 2019

This study investigates the extent to which labor market dualization polarizes preferences on redistribution between formal and informal sector workers in Latin America and the Caribbean. Differences in welfare state costs and benefits for these labor market groups are likely to fuel diverging incentives regarding welfare consumption. The article tests whether or not informal workers are driven mainly by economic self-interest to increase gains from public welfare goods. The study employed a hierarchical model on pooled survey data from the Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP) 2008 and 2010 to analyze the risk exposure of formal and informal workers and, subsequently, their preferences on redistribution. The analysis reveals that while economic self-interest is an influential factor for formal workers, it is (unexpectedly) much less so for informal workers. Also, an increased economically insecure environment, reflected by high unemployment rates, does not motivate informal workers to an exceptional degree to turn towards the state for redistribution, despite greater exposure to economic risk. Labor market dualization does not translate into polarization at the individual level regarding redistributive preferences in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Contributions to a Typology of Clientelistic Brokers
Authors: Lisoni Carlos M.
Published: February 2019

This research note uses two case studies of Argentine provinces to develop a typology of clientelistic brokers. I identify a dirigente-type broker, who acts as an advocate of voters, and a puntero-type broker, who acts as a delegate of the patron. The clear differences between these two broker types point to greater diversity among clientelistic practices (such as monitoring and enforcing clientelistic exchanges) than is commonly acknowledged. I provide original evidence from 34 open-ended interviews with local- and provincial-level elected officials that accounts for patron–broker dynamics in small, poor, and peripheral Argentine communities.
With a Little Help from the Opposition? Relaxing Term Limits in the Argentine Provinces, 1983–2017
Authors: Lucardi Adrián , Almaraz María Gabriela
Published: February 2019

How do incumbents manage to relax term limits when they cannot impose their preferences unilaterally? Interpreting constitutional reforms as a bargaining game between a term-limited executive and the opposition, we argue that reforms involving term limits should be more likely when (a) the incumbent party can change the constitution unilaterally, or (b) the opposition is pessimistic about its future electoral prospects; moreover, (c) this second effect should be stronger when a single opposition party has veto power over a reform because this precludes the executive from playing a “divide-and-rule” strategy. We examine these claims with data from the Argentine provinces between 1983 and 2017. In line with expectations, the results show that the probability of initiating a reform is highest when the executive's party controls a supermajority of seats, but falls sharply when a single opposition party has veto power over a reform and this party expects to do well in the next executive election.
Persuasion and Coercion in the Clientelistic Exchange: A Survey of Four Argentine Provinces
Authors: Lisoni Carlos M.
Published: February 2019

How do political parties guarantee enforcement of a clientelistic exchange? This research note empirically supports a catalog of clientelism compliance enforcement tactics. It also suggests that by focusing on the personalization of tactics and the constraints they place on individual voters, we can evaluate how intrusive these tactics are and further help to bridge existing instrumentalist and reciprocity theories of client compliance. The supporting evidence comes from interviews carried out with 73 elected Argentine local and provincial officials. How persuasive or coercive the tactics need to be to make clients comply with their part of the bargain has implications for our understanding of the legitimacy of the clientelistic bondage and our assessment of the roles of patrons and brokers in such exchanges.
Redefining Foreign Policy Impulses toward Africa: The Roles of the MFA, the MOFCOM and China Exim Bank
Authors: Corkin Lucy
Published: February 2019

It has long been recognised that the actors involved in crafting and implementing China's foreign policy are not always in agreement. This paper argues that the prioritisation of commercial outreach over purely political objectives in Africa has led to a shift in influence from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). To that end, the paper examines the rising prominence of China Exim Bank's concessional loans as a foreign policy instrument in Africa along with the process through which they are negotiated and implemented. Using the case of Angola, this paper shows how despite formal institutional equality, the MOFCOM is playing a far more influential role than the MFA is in defining the direction of China's foreign policy toward Africa.
Economic Liberalization and Trade Relations between Mexico and China
Authors: Hernández Roberto Hernández
Published: February 2019

This paper analyses the commercial relationship between Mexico and China in the context of the liberalization policies enacted by both countries. The policies were developed in the framework of economic globalization and worldwide strategic military power, starting from the end of the Cold War. Against this backdrop, the paper analyses the current trade relations between China and Mexico. The text emphasizes the public policy of both countries, presenting similarities and asymmetries along with the results of their commercial policies and specific business practices.
Chinese NGO-Firm Partnerships and CSR from an Institutional Perspective
Authors: Whitehead Douglas
Published: February 2019

NGO–firm partnerships have been well studied in the literature on corporate social responsibility (CSR) (Marano and Tashman 2012; Dahan et al. 2010; Oetzel and Doh 2009). However, these studies have generally limited their focus to Western multinationals and Western NGOs and, moreover, not by-and-large examine in depth the institutional settings under which either the firm or the NGO operates Building on recent institutional approaches to CSR (Brammer, Jackson, and Matten 2012; Kang and Moon 2012; Matten and Moon 2008), this paper examines how the institutional dynamics of several partnerships between Chinese firms and NGOs affect the manifestation of CSR (e.g. “implicit” vs. “explicit”). The paper also looks into how CSR and NGO–firm collaboration plays out within a changing state-corporatist framework in Chinese context (Unger and Chan 1995, 2008; Hsu and Hasmath forthcoming). The paper then argues 1) that the involvement of an NGO in the partnership reflects a changing institutional setting in China, and 2) that type and level of involvement of Chinese government institutions affects whether a given firm takes an “implicit” or an “explicit” approach to CSR.
Collaborative Socially Responsible Practices for Improving the Position of Chinese Workers in Global Supply Chains
Authors: Hofman Peter S. , Wu Bin , Liu Kaiming
Published: February 2019

In this paper we evaluate three projects with the participation of 40 supplier firms in several Chinese coastal provinces representing multi-stakeholder efforts to provide alternative channels through which workers can voice their concerns. The supplier firms took on these projects to reduce worker dissatisfaction and employee turnover. The projects fill an institutional void in employer–employee relations within Chinese supplier firms as they provide alternative channels for workers to voice their concerns. The role of civil society organisations focusing on labour interests was a crucial feature of the projects, through capacity-building for workers and by providing independence. The supplier firms and their workers have benefitted as firms take measures to enhance worker satisfaction, while the reduced employee turnover positively impacted firm performance. We propose that these collaborative socially responsible practices are a potential way to strengthen the positions of workers and supplier firms in global supply chains.
Contested Regimes, Aid Flows, and Refugee Flows: The Case of Burma
Authors: Banki Susan
Published: February 2019

There is a substantial literature that critiques the role that international aid plays in lending support to oppressive and contested regimes. But few investigators have asked the inverse question: what happens when aid is withdrawn? Following government oppression in 1988, international aid to Burma decreased significantly, providing a case study enabling this question to be addressed. Using Burma as an example, this article asks: if the presence of aid has been shown to support oppressive and contested regimes, what is the impact when aid is withdrawn? The article reviews critiques of development and humanitarian aid and identifies three specific regime-reinforcing phenomena. It demonstrates that these have not diminished following the overall decrease of aid to Burma. The paper then addresses the related relationship between aid flows and refugee flows, and concludes with implications of the research.
Singapore in its Worst Recession for Years. The Effects of the Current Economic Crisis on the City-State's Economy
Authors: Jordan Rolf
Published: February 2019

Due to the current economic downturn, Singapore has experienced one of its most severe recessions since independence. The financial crisis, which caused a fall in prices at most of the world's leading stock exchanges and a sharp decline in industrial production, has also had a negative impact on the city-state's export-dependent economy. The analysis outlines the economic downturn and the decline of Singapore's export economy since the beginning of the crisis in late 2008. Central to the analysis are questions regarding the social consequences of the current economic crisis and the amount of losses Singapore's state-owned holding companies, Temasek and GIC, experienced when some of the world's biggest investment banks, such as Merrill Lynch, went into bankruptcy.
Why Not Genocide? Anti-Chinese Violence in Aceh, 1965–1966
Authors: Melvin Jess
Published: February 2019

This article provides an account of anti-Chinese violence in Aceh between 1 October 1965 and 17 August 1966. Drawing upon original oral history evidence and previously unknown documentary sources, this article builds upon current scholarly understandings that two phases of violence involving members of the ethnic Chinese community can be identified in Aceh during this period, to explain how a third explicitly ethnic-based phase of violence directed against members of the ethnic Chinese community in Aceh can also be identified. Based on this research and a reflection on the precedent set by the Cambodian genocide as to how the current legal definition of genocide can be applied, this article argues that the assessment that the Indonesian killings should not be understood as genocide is premature.
Timor-Leste: The Adventurous Tribulations of Local Governance after Independence
Authors: Feijó Rui Graça
Published: February 2019

Xanana Gusmão recently mentioned that a “Second Maubere Miracle” is underway, implying that a major political reform will soon shake the roots of Timor-Leste's public administration. Decentralization, defined in a very broad sense, has been a constitutional mandate since independence, but successive governments have failed to engage this reform despite paying lip service to its necessity. This essay reviews the options before the policy makers – both in theoretical terms (distinguishing between the various definitions of decentralization) and in the pragmatic forms that have been contemplated so far – and discusses their implications for the process of rooting a modern democracy in the country both at the intermediate, district level and at the grassroots, suku (village) level. For this purpose, the essay brings together the author's own field research and the rich literature that has emerged in the recent past, including contributions by Timorese colleagues.
Political Authority in Vietnam: Is The Vietnamese Communist Party a Paper Leviathan?
Authors: Fforde Adam , Homutova Lada
Published: February 2019

In a contribution to the political analysis of contemporary Vietnam – a single-party state often wrongly assumed to be an author of reform and deploying considerable and varied powers – this paper seeks to provide an understanding of the Vietnamese term ‘authority’ ( uy) and its relationship to power. Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan serves as a reference to the notion of authority in Vietnam and is compared to data: what the Vietnamese thought their word best translated as authority meant. The paper concludes that in the ‘two-way street’ of social contracts, the ruling Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP) actually has little authority. This helps to explain the chronic problems the VCP has faced in securing state capacity and generalised ability to implement policy. It highlights gaps between the current anachronistic use of Soviet-style power in Vietnam and what could be done if the regime deployed new powers based on authority. The authors conclude that, given the identified lack of authority, the VCP is no real Leviathan. Although more research is needed, this conclusion implies that proactive political tactics in Vietnam may move towards a search for acquiring authority in a ‘two-way street’ relationship within the Vietnamese political community. Enhanced state capacity and Party authority could follow.
Power and Geopolitics along the Mekong: The Laos–Vietnam Negotiation on the Xayaburi Dam
Authors: Giovannini Gabriele
Published: February 2019

This article is the first account of an overlooked aspect of the Xayaburi Dam, currently under construction in Laos in the mainstream of the Lower Mekong River; namely, the negotiations between Laos and Vietnam. Despite broad consensus among scholars and observers that Vietnam and Laos had diverging interests and preferences regarding the Xayaburi Dam, how Laos went ahead with the project despite Vietnam's explicit opposition to it has so far remained completely uncharted. This article aims to fill this knowledge gap by focusing on the state-to-state level of the Xayaburi Dam and addressing the factors that enabled Laos to pursue its interests prevailing over Vietnam despite the clear power asymmetry that shapes the bilateral relationship. The article concludes that geopolitical factors have limited Vietnam's leverage and its capacity to implement effective countermeasures to prevent Laos going ahead with the construction of the dam and have led to a positive outcome in relational power terms for Laos.
Introducing the Myanmar Protest Event Dataset Motivation, Methodology, and Research Prospects
Authors: Buschmann Andy
Published: February 2019

This article presents the Myanmar Protest Event Dataset, a unique dataset on protest assemblies in transitional Myanmar/Burma. The data contents were derived from the most visible forms of assembly – demonstrations, protest marches and labour strikes – and collected through a protest event analysis of local news reports. The coded variables range from information on the actual moment of the protest event, such as participants, issue, duration and location, to the aftermath, including variables related to legal consequences for protesters and the success of protesters’ claims, and many others. Besides a concise description of the research design and data collection process, this article discusses methodological strengths and weaknesses of the dataset.
Evidence From a Long-Term, Systematic Post-Market Surveillance Program: Clinical Performance of a Hematocrit-Insensitive Blood Glucose Test Strip
Authors: Setford Steven , Phillips Stuart , Grady Mike
Published: February 2019

Background:

Described is a manufacturer’s systematic post-market evaluation of the long-term clinical accuracy of a commercially available blood glucose monitoring (BGM) test strip product.

Methods:

Production batches of test strips were routinely and regularly sampled and evaluated in a clinical setting to assess product accuracy. Evaluations were performed on capillary blood samples from a minimum of 100 subjects with diabetes, by clinical staff according to instructions for use. Readings were compared against capillary blood samples collected at the same time and measured by a standard laboratory reference method. Clinical accuracy was calculated according to EN ISO 15197:2015.

Results:

A total of 21 115 paired results were obtained, equating to 209 production batches over the >3-year period since test strip launch. Of the results, 97.6% met the accuracy criterion (range: 97.1-98.1% by year), with 98.1% of values presenting zero risk as defined by the surveillance error grid. At the <5th (21.0-33.8%) and >95th (48.3-59.4%) percentile extremes of hematocrit distribution, 97.9% and 96.4% of values were clinically accurate. The product also demonstrated clinical accuracy across all seven glucose ranges (“bins”) as defined by the standard. Under conditions of combined hematocrit and glucose (<80 mg/dL and ≥300 mg/dL) extremes, 97.7% of values were clinically accurate.

Conclusions:

Methodologies and results from a manufacturer’s self-imposed clinical accuracy surveillance program of a BGM product is presented. Given the publication of sometimes-conflicting data presented within ad hoc BGM clinical accuracy evaluations, usually of limited size, it is advocated that BGM manufacturers adopt similarly robust and systematic surveillance programs to safeguard patients.
Advanced interstitial lung fibrosis with emphysema and pulmonary hypertension with no evidence for interstitial lung disease on high resolution CT
Authors: Foris Vasile , Brcic Luka , Douschan Philipp , Kovacs Gabor , Stacher‐Priehse Elvira , Olschewski Horst
Published: February 2019

The diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (iPAH) is complex and, besides invasive hemodynamic evaluation, includes several diagnostic steps to exclude any underlying diseases. The role of a decreased diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) is a matter of discussion. Here, we present a 76‐year‐old man with a smoking history of 30 pack‐years who was diagnosed with iPAH after chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension was excluded based on a negative perfusion scan, an underlying heart disease was excluded based on echocardiography and right heart catheterization, and a significant lung disease was excluded based on lung function test (FVC = 101% predicted, FEV1 = 104% predicted, FEV1/FVC = 77, TLC = 97% predicted) and thin‐slice computed tomography (CT) scan. Just DLCO was reduced to 40% predicted, suggesting a possible structural lung disease. Postmortem examination demonstrated severe interstitial lung fibrosis combined with microscopic emphysema. This indicates that both CT imaging and pulmonary function test may be insensitive to a diffuse peripheral combined pattern of fibrosis and emphysema and that DLCO may be the only sensitive marker of this significant lung pathology.
Risk factors for atrial fibrillation in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Philipson Daniel J , Rader Florian , Siegel Robert J
Published: February 2019

Atrial fibrillation is the most common sustained arrhythmia in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), occurring in approximately 25% of patients, which is four to six times more common than in similarly aged patients of the general population. Atrial fibrillation is poorly tolerated by HCM patients, largely due to their dependence on atrial systole for left ventricular filling. HCM patients who develop atrial fibrillation have an increased rate of heart failure related mortality and disabling or fatal thromboembolic events, as well as functional deterioration due to progressive heart failure when left untreated. Atrial fibrillation is both common in HCM and may lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Accurate risk stratification for atrial fibrillation in this population is crucial as contemporary treatments are highly successful. In this paper, we review the current understanding of known risk factors for atrial fibrillation, including different imaging-based parameters that assess left atrial structural and functional remodeling, electrocardiographic changes that reflect left atrial electrical remodeling, and a focus on comorbid obstructive sleep apnea, and in addition we review variables that have been reported to be predictive of atrial fibrillation. Last, we summarize the accumulating evidence for HCM patients having an intrinsic atrial myopathy.
The compliance rate for the second diagnostic evaluation after a positive fecal occult blood test: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Gingold-Belfer Rachel , Leibovitzh Haim , Boltin Doron , Issa Nidal , Tsadok Perets Tsachi , Dickman Ram , Niv Yaron
Published: February 2019

Introduction

Only a minority of patients with a positive fecal occult blood test (FOBT) undergo a follow‐up second diagnostic procedure, thus minimizing its contribution for colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention. We aimed to obtain a precise estimation of this problem and also assess the diagnostic yield of CRC and adenomas by colonoscopy in these patients.

Methods

Literature searches were conducted for “compliance” OR “adherence” AND “fecal occult blood test” OR “fecal immunohistochemical test” AND “colonoscopy.” Comprehensive meta‐analysis software was used.

Results

The search resulted in 42 studies (512,496 patients with positive FOBT), published through December 31, 2017. A funnel plot demonstrates a moderate publication bias. Compliance with any second procedure, colonoscopy, or combination of double‐contrast barium enema with or without sigmoidoscopy in patients with a positive FOBT was 0.725 with 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.649–0.790 (p = 0.000), 0.804 with 95% CI 0.740–0.856 (p = 0.000) and 0.197 with 95% CI 0.096–0.361 (p = 0.000), respectively. The diagnostic yield for CRC, advanced adenoma and simple adenoma was 0.058 with 95% CI 0.050–0.068 (p = 0.000), 0.242 with 95% CI 0.188–0.306 (p = 0.000) and 0.147 with 95% CI 0.116–0.184 (p < 0.001), respectively.

Discussion

Compliance with diagnostic evaluation after a positive FOBT is still suboptimal. Therefore, measures to increase compliance need to be taken given the increased risk of CRC in these patients.
Forsythiaside attenuates Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide-induced liver acute inflammatory response in chicken
Authors: Bai Jingwen , Wang Xiaoting , Hao Meiqi , Li He , Cheng Guangdong , Liu Di , Yang Yu , Li Yanhua
Published: February 2019

This study investigated the effects of forsythiaside on the acute inflammatory response induced by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in liver of broiler chickens. Fifteen-day-old chickens were randomly assigned to three groups (n = 20 for each group, orally treated with 0, 30, or 60 mg/kg BW of forsythiaside) for 7 days. At 21 days of age, the chickens were intravenously injected with either LPS (200 μg/kg BW) or sterile saline (200 μg/kg BW, control group). All the chickens were humanely euthanized by cervical dislocation 2 h after the LPS injection. The results showed that the injection of LPS induced some indexes, including total proteins, nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-17 (IL-17) production ( P < 0.05) and increased the mRNA expression of LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (LITAF), IL-1β, IL-17, IL-6, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) ( P < 0.05). Forsythiaside supplementation alleviated the LPS-induced inflammatory response by inhibiting the production of total proteins, NO, LITAF, IL-1β, IL-17, and IL-6 and down-regulating the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and iNOS. In conclusion, forsythiaside is a potential treatment for LPS-induced liver acute inflammation in chicken.
Burden, effectiveness and safety of influenza vaccines in elderly, paediatric and pregnant populations
Authors: Sullivan Sheena G. , Price Olivia H. , Regan Annette K.
Published: February 2019

Vaccination is the most practical means available for preventing influenza. Influenza vaccines require frequent updates to keep pace with antigenic drift of the virus, and the effectiveness, and sometimes the safety, of the vaccine can therefore vary from season to season. Three key populations that the World Health Organization recommends should be prioritized for influenza vaccination are pregnant women, children younger than 5 years of age and the elderly. This review discusses the burden of influenza and the safety and effectiveness profile of influenza vaccines recommended for these groups.
Feasibility of designing, manufacturing and delivering 3D printed ankle‐foot orthoses: a systematic review
Authors: Wojciechowski Elizabeth , Chang Angela Y. , Balassone Daniel , Ford Jacqueline , Cheng Tegan L. , Little David , Menezes Manoj P. , Hogan Sean , Burns Joshua
Published: February 2019

Background

Ankle‐foot orthoses (AFO) are prescribed to manage difficulty walking due to foot drop, bony foot deformities and poor balance. Traditional AFOs are handmade using thermoplastic vacuum forming which provides limited design options, is labour‐intensive and associated with long wait times. 3D printing has the potential to transform AFO production and health service delivery. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the feasibility of designing, manufacturing and delivering customised 3D printed AFOs by evaluating the biomechanical outcomes, mechanical properties and fit of 3D printed compared to traditionally manufactured AFOs.

Method

Electronic databases were searched from January 1985 to June 2018 according to terms related to 3D printing and AFOs. Studies of any design from healthy or pathological populations of any age were eligible for inclusion. Studies must have investigated the effect of customised 3D printed AFOs using any 3D printing technique on outcomes related to walking ability, biomechanical function, mechanical properties, patient comfort, pain and disability. Any other orthotic type or AFOs without a 3D printed calf and foot section were excluded. The quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE process.

Results

Eleven studies met the eligibility criteria evaluating 3D printed AFOs in healthy adults, and adults and children with unilateral foot drop from a variety of conditions. 3D printing was used to replicate traditional AFOs and develop novel designs to optimise the stiffness properties or reduce the weight and improve the ease of use of the AFO. 3D printed custom AFOs were found to be comparable to traditional custom AFOs and prefabricated AFOs in terms of temporal‐spatial parameters. The mechanical stiffness and energy dissipation of 3D printed AFOs were found to be similar to prefabricated carbon‐fibre AFOs. However, the sample sizes were small (n = 1 to 8) and study quality was generally low.

Conclusion

The biomechanical effects and mechanical properties of 3D printed AFOs were comparable to traditionally manufactured AFOs. Developing novel AFO designs using 3D printing has many potential benefits including stiffness and weight optimisation to improve biomechanical function and comfort.
Stacking-velocity tomography for tilted orthorhombic media
Authors: Liu Qifan , Tsvankin Ilya
Published: February 2019

Tilted orthorhombic (TOR) models are typical for dipping anisotropic layers, such as fractured shales, and can also be due to nonhydrostatic stress fields. Velocity analysis for TOR media, however, is complicated by the large number of independent parameters. Using multicomponent wide-azimuth reflection data, we develop stacking-velocity tomography to estimate the interval parameters of TOR media composed of homogeneous layers separated by plane dipping interfaces. The normal-moveout (NMO) ellipses, zero-offset traveltimes, and reflection time slopes of P-waves and split S-waves ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) are used to invert for the interval TOR parameters including the orientation of the symmetry planes. We show that the inversion can be facilitated by assuming that the reflector coincides with one of the symmetry planes, which is a common geologic constraint often employed for tilted transversely isotropic media. This constraint makes the inversion for a single TOR layer feasible even when the initial model is purely isotropic. If the dip plane is also aligned with one of the symmetry planes, we show that the inverse problem for [Formula: see text]-, [Formula: see text]-, and [Formula: see text]-waves can be solved analytically. When only [Formula: see text]-wave data are available, parameter estimation requires combining NMO ellipses from a horizontal and dipping interface. Because of the increase in the number of independent measurements for layered TOR media, constraining the reflector orientation is required only for the subsurface layer. However, the inversion results generally deteriorate with depth because of error accumulation. Using tests on synthetic data, we demonstrate that additional information such as knowledge of the vertical velocities (which may be available from check shots or well logs) and the constraint on the reflector orientation can significantly improve the accuracy and stability of interval parameter estimation.
Relative source location using coda-wave interferometry: Method, code package, and application to mining-induced earthquakes
Authors: Zhao Youqian , Curtis Andrew
Published: February 2019

A wide range of applications requires the relative locations of sources of energy to be known accurately. Most conventional location methods are either subject to errors that depend strongly on inaccuracy in the model of propagation velocity used or demand a well-distributed network of surrounding seismic stations to produce reliable results. A new source location method based on coda-wave interferometry (CWI) is relatively insensitive to the number of seismic stations and to the source-to-station azimuthal coverage. Therefore, it opens new avenues for research, for applications in areas with unfavorable recording geometries, and for applications that require a complementary method. This method uses CWI to estimate distances between pairs of seismic events with a similar source mechanism recorded at the same station. These separation estimates are used to solve for the locations of clusters of events relative to one another within a probabilistic framework through optimization. It is even possible to find the relative locations of clusters of events with one single-channel station. Given these advantages, it is likely that one reason that the method is not used more widely is the lack of reliable code that implements this multistage method. Therefore, we have developed a well-commented MATLAB code that does so, and we evaluate examples of its applications. It can be used with seismic data from a single-station channel, and it enables data recorded by different channels and stations to be used simultaneously. It is therefore possible to combine data from permanent yet sparse networks and from temporary arrays closer to the source region. We use the code to apply the location method to a selected data set of the New Ollerton earthquakes in England to demonstrate the validity of the code. The worked example is provided within the package. A way to assess the quality of the location results is also provided.
Comparative study of commercially available and homemade anti-VAMP7 antibodies using CRISPR/Cas9-depleted HeLa cells and VAMP7 knockout mice
Authors: Verraes Agathe , Cholley Beatrice , Galli Thierry , Nola Sebastien
Published: February 2019

VAMP7 (vesicle-associated membrane protein) belongs to the intracellular membrane fusion SNARE (Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors) protein family. In this study, we used CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology to generate VAMP7 knockout (KO) human HeLa cells and mouse KO brain extracts in order to test the specificity and the background of a set of commercially available and homemade anti-VAMP7 antibodies. We propose a simple profiling method to analyze western blotting and use visual scoring for immunocytochemistry staining to determine the extent of the antibodies’ specificity. Thus, we were able to rank the performance of a set of available antibodies and further showed an optimized procedure for VAMP7 immunoprecipitation, which we validated using wild-type and KO mouse brain extracts.
Real-time 3D Photoacoustic Visualization System with a Wide Field of View for Imaging Human Limbs
Authors: Nagae Kenichi , Asao Yasufumi , Sudo Yoshiaki , Murayama Naoyuki , Tanaka Yuusuke , Ohira Katsumi , Ishida Yoshihiro , Otsuka Atsushi , Matsumoto Yoshiaki , Saito Susumu , Furu Moritoshi , Murata Koichi , Sekiguchi Hiroyuki , Kataoka Masako , Yoshikawa Aya , Ishii Tomoko , Togashi Kaori , Shiina Tsuyoshi , Kabashima Kenji , Toi Masakazu , Yagi Takayuki
Published: February 2019

Background: A breast-specific photoacoustic imaging (PAI) system prototype equipped with a hemispherical detector array (HDA) has been reported as a promising system configuration for providing high morphological reproducibility for vascular structures in living bodies.

Methods: To image the vasculature of human limbs, a newly designed PAI system prototype (PAI-05) with an HDA with a higher density sensor arrangement was developed. The basic device configuration mimicked that of a previously reported breast-specific PAI system. A new imaging table and a holding tray for imaging a subject's limb were adopted.

Results: The device’s performance was verified using a phantom. Contrast of 8.5 was obtained at a depth of 2 cm, and the viewing angle reached up to 70 degrees, showing sufficient performance for limb imaging. An arbitrary wavelength was set, and a reasonable PA signal intensity dependent on the wavelength was obtained. To prove the concept of imaging human limbs, various parts of the subject were scanned. High-quality still images of a living human with a wider size than that previously reported were obtained by scanning within the horizontal plane and averaging the images. The maximum field of view (FOV) was 270 mm × 180 mm. Even in movie mode, one-shot 3D volumetric data were obtained in an FOV range of 20 mm in diameter, which is larger than values in previous reports. By continuously acquiring these images, we were able to produce motion pictures.

Conclusion: We developed a PAI prototype system equipped with an HDA suitable for imaging limbs. As a result, the subject could be scanned over a wide range while in a more comfortable position, and high-quality still images and motion pictures could be obtained.
What skills do volunteer leaders need? A Delphi study
Authors: Morrison Carley C. , Greenhaw Laura L.
Published: February 2019

Non-profit and volunteer-based organizations are tasked with meeting the needs of their communities with limited resources. Today, more than ever, these organizations are stretched to their limits increasing the workload for paid staff. Training volunteers to lead the volunteer efforts is one way to spread the workload throughout the organization. Although there are guidelines for leadership development in for-profit organizations, there is limited literature pertaining to specific competencies and skills volunteer leaders in non- profit and volunteer-based organizations should possess. This study, employing Delphi methodology, was conducted with volunteer directors in the community to identify leadership competencies for volunteer leaders. At the conclusion of three rounds of iteration, 42 competencies were identified.
Old Concept, New Generation: Millennials and Community Leadership Programs
Authors: Fritsch Aimee , Rasmussen Catherine M. , Chazdon Scott A.
Published: February 2019

Current research on millennials primarily focuses on their behavior within an academic or workplace setting. This study expands on previous analysis by exploring how millennials respond to community leadership efforts, particularly cohort leadership programs. Participant outcomes from University of Minnesota Extension’s County Bridging Leadership Program revealed that millennials—particularly those without a four-year degree—experienced significantly higher gains in several skill areas relevant to community development than non- millennials. Recruiting more millennials to participate in community leadership programs is critical not only to keep younger people in rural communities but also to strengthen future community vitality.
Full-Range Leadership as a Predictor of Extra Effort in Online Higher Education: The Mediating Effect of Job Satisfaction
Authors: Barnett Donald E.
Published: February 2019

Online higher education has rapidly expanded in the United States and displays a great opportunity for growth. Coupled with the growth of e-learning is the need for adjunct faculty to satisfy the need for additional online classes. Despite the importance of online adjunct faculty, little research has been performed to determine their work experiences. This quantitative, correlational study investigated the predictive relationship between the perceived use of transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership behaviors on the extra effort of adjunct faculty who facilitate online classes at a for-profit university in the United States. In a further investigation, the researcher investigated the variable of job satisfaction to determine if it mediated the relationship between leadership style and extra effort. The researcher used the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and Spector’s Job Satisfaction survey to collect data used in inferential analysis. The researcher performed a stepwise multiple regression and a Baron and Kenny mediation analysis to answer the research questions. The results showed perceived transformational leadership behaviors displayed a statistically significant positive predictive relationship with extra effort, and job satisfaction was a partial mediator between the relationship of transformational leadership and extra effort. The results suggest transformational leadership is beneficial to the extra effort put forth by the sample of adjunct faculty who teach online classes.
The Impact of Time Shifting on TV Consumption and Ad Viewership
Authors: Belo Rodrigo , Ferreira Pedro , Godinho de Matos Miguel , Reis Filipa
Published: February 2019

In this paper we study the impact of time shifting on TV consumption and ad viewership. We analyze the results of a field experiment in which a random sample of “triple-play” households were given a set of premium TV channels broadcasting popular movies and TV shows without commercial breaks. A random subset of these households were given access to these channels with time shifting (automated cloud recording for later viewing or rewinding of broadcasted programs), while the remainder were not. This design allowed us to identify the effects of time shifting on TV consumption. On average, we found that receiving access to the channels with time shifting increased total TV consumption because it increased time-shifted viewership while leaving live viewership unchanged. The increase in the live viewership of these channels was similar to the reduction in the live viewership of the originally available channels, resulting in a net zero effect on live viewership. It appears that time shifting does not change the concentration of live viewership, but it does increase the concentration of total TV viewership, because it is used disproportionately to watch the most popular programs. Finally, we found that time shifting does not change the likelihood of skipping ads during live viewership, suggesting that households do not use time shifting to strategically avoid ads.

The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2018.3084 .

This paper was accepted by Matthew Shum, marketing.
Flowering and seed production of sandalwood (Santalum album; Santalaceae) along environmental gradients in Gunung Sewu Geopark, Indonesia
Authors: RATNANINGRUM YENI W.N. , FARIDAH ENY , INDRIOKO SAPTO , SYAHBUDIN ATUS
Published: February 2019

Abstract. Ratnaningrum YWN, Faridah E. Indroko S, Syahbudin A. 2016. Flowering and seed production of sandalwood (Santalum album; Santalaceae) along environmental gradients in Gunung Sewu Geopark, Indonesia. Nusantara Bioscience 8: 180-191. We observed flowering and seed production of sandalwood populations along environmental gradients in Gunung Sewu Geopark, Indonesia, in 2013 to 2014 flowering periods. We observe flowering phenology with regard to floral initiation, phases and periods, and measured Pollination Effectiveness and Reproductive Success, following modified methods of Owens et al and Ghazoul. Flowering and seed production varied with altitude and climatic conditions, and altered by changes in rainfall, temperature and soil moisture. Sites with lower altitude, lower rainfall, highest temperature, lowest relative humidity, and lowest soil moisture flowered earlier and shorter. Flowering delayed and prolonged by increasing altitude, temperature, and humidity. At all sites, ﬂowering delayed and prolonged in rainy compared to dry season. Lower populations produced more flowers in rainy season, however, higher abortion resulted in very low seed production. Dry season produced less flowers but higher reproductive success was achieved, resulting in more fruits. The lowest altitude performed highest reproductive outputs. More marked differences among sites were observed in the dry season. Flowering and seed production was also observed to be temperature sensitive. Both drop and increase on temperature resulted in the alteration of flowering frequency and reproductive outputs. Sandalwood in Gunung Sewu grows naturally in association with tropical monsoon vegetation, i.e. acacia, cajuputi, teak, and mahogany. The conservation of this endangered species, particularly under wider range of landscapes, should be maintained with a different strategy according to the degree of plant sensitivity to environmental features.
Short Communication: Infraspecific variations in essential oil compositions of Nepeta fissa from Iran
Authors: TALEBI SEYED MEHDI , NOHOOJI MAJID GHORBANI , YARMOHAMMADI MAHBOOBEH
Published: February 2019

Talebi SM, Nohooji MG,Yarmohammadi M. 2017. Short Communication: Infraspecific variations in essential oil compositions of Nepeta fissa from Iran. Nusantara Bioscience 9: 318-321. Nepeta fissa C.A. Mey. is a member of Mint family (Lamiaceae) and distributed naturally in different regions of Iran. The aim of this investigation was to provide more information about the influence of environmental conditions on the essential oil composition of two populations, Polor and Dizin, of this species. The dry plant samples were submitted to hydrodistillation for 2.5 h, using a Clevenger-type apparatus. The highest amount of essential oil yields (0.2%) were obtained for Dizin population. Forty-nine compounds, representing 85.9 to 97.80% of the total essential oils, were separated and identified. In Dizin and Polor populations, the essential oils were characterized by the very high percentage of oxygenated monoterpenes (79.1%), oxygenated diterpenes (20.01%) that constituted the predominant classes, respectively. From the analyzed populations, the major compounds in Dizin population were 1, 8-Cineole, 4 a-Î±, 7-Î±, 7 a-Î±-Nepetalactone and 2E, 4E-nonadienal. While, phytol, caryophyllene oxide, E-caryophyllene, and thymol were the core compounds of essential in Polor population. The obtained results showed that environmental conditions are the important factors influencing the yield and also the chemical compositions of essential oils in N. fissa. Knowledge of the essential oil chemical composition in relation to ecological factors is a most prominent quality criterion for its marketing and contributes to its valorization as a functional ingredient in food industry.
Visual symptoms and control of the Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) in the Gaza Strip, Palestine
Authors: ABD RABOU ABDEL FATTAH N. , RADWAN EQBAL S.
Published: February 2019

Abd Rabou AN, Radwan ES. 2017. Visual symptoms and control of the Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Nusantara Bioscience 9: 322-329. The Red Palm Weevil â€“ RPW (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) has recently become one of the most destructive pests of Date Palms in the Gaza Strip and the Middle East. It is a serious pest threatening the Date Palm health and production, with the larva is the most destructive stage. The current study aims at introducing the visual symptoms and control techniques of the RPW in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Field surveys and institutional visits were applied to fulfill the purpose of the study. The current study documented that first local infestation of Date Palm trees with the RPW was discovered in late 2011. The introduction of infected offshoots from Egypt through earth tunnel trade and the ability of the adult RPW to fly long distance and cross borders seem to be main causes of the local infestations with the pest. Different control techniques have been adopted by the responsible parties to combat the RPW; with the integrated pest management (IPM) program was tracked and respected. Finally, the study recommends the cooperation of different parties and authorities to adopt appropriate policies to eliminate the RPW and to support farmers with the necessary pesticides and equipment to control this painful pest.
The dance goes on: Following in the footsteps of Rosemary Butcher
Authors: Bannerman Henrietta
Published: February 2019

This article concerns Lauren Potter’s Frames for Falling (2017c),1 a fifteen-minute work for eleven students graduating from London Contemporary Dance School (LCDS), and for which the stimulus was Rosemary Butcher’s Still-Slow-Divided (2002). I trace the artistic and creative background that gave rise to this dance by registering milestones in Rosemary Butcher’s career and investigating her choreographic practice that, echoing the German academic Pirkko Husemann, I define as a ‘critical practice’. Writing from the perspective of practice as research, I chart Potter’s process in the studio when, in the summer of 2017, she created her new dance. Included in the article is interview material from Nigel Butcher, Potter, and one of the participating students, Ryan Jones. There is also a brief sketch of Frames for Falling as it was performed in the Robin Howard Dance Theatre in July 2017. I conclude the article by arguing that under Potter’s expert practical guidance and deep knowledge of Butcher’s choreographic process, the LCDS students engaged in a new form of dance history, studying it as they did in the context of physical studio practice.