bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Energy Cooperation Under the Belt and Road Initiative: Implications for Global Energy Governance
Authors: Yu Kaho
Published: May 2019

This article discusses the implications of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on energy cooperation between China and other Eurasian countries and their ramifications for global energy governance. As a development framework with strong geopolitical and geo-economical dimensions, the BRI aims to promote interconnectivity and cooperation in the areas of infrastructure, policy, trade, finance, and culture between Eurasian countries. The implementation of the BRI is expected to involve large-scale investment, infrastructural construction, and industrial integration in the energy sector. The need for investment protection and the management of transnational projects can further promote multilateral cooperation (and therefore multilateral institutions) between China and its Eurasian neighbours. This article demonstrates that, although the attitudes of the Chinese authorities towards global energy governance are complex, the BRI could change China’s energy cooperation in Eurasia into more of a regional and multilateral engagement strategy than is currently the case.
The Function of the Transnational Chinese Contract
Authors: Lim C. L.
Published: May 2019

This article focusses on Chinese contractual practice in the energy sector and related sectors – principally in China’s inbound and outbound investments in the petroleum sector as well as in other energy-related financing and infrastructure construction contracts. Its concern is with the drafting of Belt and Road contracts, especially where this may lead to contract ‘internationalisation’. The article also discusses the interplay between Chinese contracts and treaties. It asks if there is Chinese receptiveness to international principles in seeking to protect the rights of Chinese as well as foreign parties. A preliminary finding is that there is an asymmetry between what Chinese upstream oil contracts do in protecting foreign ownership interests, even to the point of evincing Chinese acceptance of the ‘internationalisation’ of contracts, and the intergovernmental work done through negotiated treaty terms to protect Chinese investments abroad.
The Carbon Externality of Investments Financed by China’s Development Banks: The Case of Energy Investments in Central Asia
Authors: Zhang Hao
Published: May 2019

Most Chinese overseas energy investments financed by China’s development banks flow into fossil fuel extraction and coal-fired plants. The carbon intensity of Chinese foreign energy investments imposes environmental and social costs on host states. Building on the literature related to the environmental reform of the World Bank, this article critically analyses the carbon-intensive projects backed by China’s development finance in Central Asia. It shows that China’s energy investments in the region will face increasing carbon-related regulatory risks. So far, the transition towards a more environmentally-driven development policy has been limited in China. However, the increasing importance of climate regulations in host countries is likely to induce fundamental changes to the project-screening process of China’s energy development finance.
The Emerging Eurasian Common Energy Market: What is Its Potential Impact on China’s Belt and Road Initiative?
Authors: Kembayev† Zhenis
Published: May 2019

This article examines the coordinated energy policy of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the regulatory framework of the emerging Eurasian Common Energy Market as applied to its three major components: the Common Electric Power Market, the Common Gas Market and the Common Market of Petroleum and Petroleum Products. It aims to explore the issue of the potential impact of the EAEU energy policy and its associated regulatory framework on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The article argues that the operation of the Eurasian Common Energy Market will have a positive impact on the BRI project by harmonization and/or unification of energy-related regulations across a significant part of the New Silk Road as well as by the liberalization of the energy markets of EAEU Member States, bringing greater competition and abolishing barriers to trade between EAEU Member States in energy and related equipment, technology and services.
Modernising the Energy Charter Treaty: An Opportunity to Enhance Legal Certainty in Investor-State Dispute Settlement
Authors: Verburg Cees
Published: May 2019

The Energy Charter Treaty is a multilateral trade and investment agreement that is currently the most often-invoked investment agreement worldwide. A review of the case law under the treaty shows that its provisions have been interpreted and applied inconsistently by arbitral tribunals and domestic courts. Considering the financial and reputational consequences of investment arbitration for both the investor and the State, a lack of ‘legal certainty’ adversely affects all parties involved. This article identifies various inconsistencies, some of the causes, and proposes solutions that could enhance legal certainty in investor-State dispute settlement under the treaty. This is a timely contribution as the Energy Charter Conference has recently taken the first steps to modernise the treaty by approving a list of topics for reform, and is now considering tools to implement future reform measures.
Harley, R.M., Antar, G.M. & Giulietti, A.M. (2019) Erratum for “Stachytarpheta atkinsiae, A new species of Verbenaceae endemic to the Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil” Phytotaxa 401 (2): 127–132.
Authors: HARLEY RAYMOND M. , ANTAR GUILHERME MEDEIROS , GIULIETTI ANA MARIA
Published: May 2019

Nil
Redescription of Cucullanus robustus (Nematoda: Cucullanidae) from the conger eel Conger myriaster off Korea
Authors: PARK JOONG-KI , MORAVEC FRANTISEK
Published: May 2019

The nematode Cucullanus robustus Yamaguti, 1935 (Cucullanidae) is redescribed from specimens collected from the intestine of Conger myriaster (Brevoort) (Osteichthyes) collected off the southern coast of South Korea in September 2005. Examinations of its morphology by both light and scanning electron microscopy (latter used in this species for the first time) revealed the presence of a previously unreported unpaired median preanal papilla, and variations in the situation of the excretory pore relative to the oesophagus end, as well as in measurements of some organs. The morphology of C. robustus was compared with that of other congeneric species described from anguilliform fishes. The finding of C. robustus in Korean waters represents a new geographical record for this parasite.
Phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) of the subfamilies Phytoseiinae Berlese and Typhlodrominae Wainstein from Peru, with descriptions of two new species
Authors: GUANILO ALBERTO DANIEL , DE MORAES GILBERTO JOSÉ , KNAPP MARKUS
Published: May 2019

This paper reports the mites of the subfamilies Phytoseiinae and Typhlodrominae (Phytoseiidae) from Peru, providing descriptions of 2 new species, Phytoseius ortegae Guanilo and Moraes, n. sp. and Phytoseius poripherus Guanilo and Moraes, n. sp., and a taxonomic key to separate the species reported.
A new species of Pseudancistrus from the Rio Caroni Venezuela (Siluriformes: Loricariidae)
Authors: ARMBRUSTER JONATHAN W. , TAPHORN DONALD C.
Published: May 2019

Pseudancistrus reus is a new species from the Río Caroní (Río Orinoco drainage) of Venezuela known from two individuals. It differs from all other Pseudancistrus by having a color pattern consisting of alternating dark and light bars. In addition, it differs from all except P. genisetiger and P. papariae by having an incomplete mid-dorsal plate row and from P. genisetiger and P. papariae by having 18 contiguous mid-dorsal plates vs. 14 plates, a plateless break and then two more plates at the end of the caudal peduncle. The type locality of P. reus was submerged by the construction of the Caruachi dam, and is also the only known locality of the gymnotiform Sternarchorhynchus gnomus, making it imperative that the conservation status of these and other potential Caroní endemics be assessed. Pseudancistrus reus is the first species of Pseudancistrus sensu stricto from the Orinoco. Although the relationship of the species to other Pseudancistrus is unknown, P. reus may have gained access to the Orinoco either via stream capture between the Caroní and the Rio Uraricoera (Rio Branco – Rio Negro drainage) or via stream capture between the Caroní and either the Cuyuní or Mazaruni Rivers (Essequibo River drainage).key word: Siluriformes, Loricariidae, taxonomySe describe como especie nueva Pseudancistrus reus del río Caroní (cuenca del río Orinoco) en Venezuela, basada en dos ejemplares. Difiere de todas los demás Pseudancistrus en tener un patrón de pigmentación que consiste de barras claras alternando con oscuras. Además, difiere de todas los demás, menos P. genisetiger y P. papariae en tener la fila medio-dorsal de placas incompleta, y de P. genisetiger y P. papariae difiere en tener 18 placas medio-dorsales contiguas vs. 14 placas seguidas por una zona sin placas y luego dos placas más en el pedúnculo caudal). La localidad típica de P. reus fue sumergida por las aguas del embalse Caruachi. Ese sitio es también la localidad típica de Sternarchorhynchus gnomus, haciéndolo imprescindible evaluar el estado de conservación de estas dos especies más las otras endémicas del bajo Caroní. Pseudancistrus reus es la primera especies de Pseudancistrus sensu stricto de la cuenca del río Orinoco. Aunque desconocemos las relaciones con otras Pseudancistrus, P. reus puede haber ganado acceso al Caroní vía la captura de caños en las cabeceras del río Uraricoera-Branco-Negro o del río Cuyuní o Mazaruni, afluentes del río Essequibo.
Subfamilial affiliation of Neoscirula (Acari: Prostigmata: Cunaxidae) and descriptions of three new species of this genus from Brazil
Authors: HEYER JACOB DEN , DE CASTRO TATIANE MARIE MARTINS GOMES
Published: May 2019

The original affiliation of the genus Neoscirula Den Heyer to the subfamily Coleoscirinae Den Heyer, 1979 is maintained. Three new species of this genus are described and illustrated, viz. N. flechtmanni sp. nov., N. oliveirai sp. nov. and N. queirozi sp. nov.. A key to the Brazilian and South African species is provided.
A review of the Oriental planthopper genus Sogana Matsumura 1914 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Tropiduchidae) with descriptions of three new species
Authors: LIANG AI-PING , WANG RONG-RONG
Published: May 2019

The Oriental planthopper genus Sogana Matsumura, 1914 (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Tropiduchidae) is reviewed and seven species including three new species are recognized in the genus: S. clara sp. nov. (Laos: Vientiane), S. extrema Melichar, 1914 (Burma, China), S. hopponis Matsumura, 1914 (type species, China, Japan), S. longiceps Fennah, 1978 (China, Vietnam), S. pseudohopponis sp. nov. (Laos: Nam Kading), S. robustocarina sp. nov. (Malaysia: Borneo) and S. stimulata Melichar, 1914 (Indonesia: Mentawei Islands). The genus and its included species are described and illustrated. A key to the known species in the genus is provided.
A new species of Eremobothynus Ohaus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae) from Argentina, with notes on Eremobothynus cornutus (Steinheil)
Authors: GROSSI PASCHOAL COELHO , ABADIE ESTEBAN IGNÁCIO
Published: May 2019

The genus Eremobothynus Ohaus, 1910 includes two species from Argentina. A synopsis of the genus was provided by Endrödi (1969, 1985) and since his last contribution no new species have been described. In this paper we describe a new third species from Entre Ríos, Argentina. At present, all Eremobothynus species are endemic to Argentina and known from only few localities. Taxonomic notes are given for E. cornutus (Steinheil), leading to the discussion and correction of some diagnostic characters of the genus. Additionally, a key for the identification of the species is provided.
A new replacement name in Lampetis Dejean, 1833 (Coleoptera: Buprestidae)
Authors: BELLAMY C. L.
Published: May 2019

In the final stages of checking the nearly 3,500 manuscript pages of a new world catalogue of jewel beetles (Bellamy, in prep.), I stumbled across what is perhaps the last unresolved case of homonymy in the family Buprestidae. This note is provided to correct this now with the proposal of a replacement name.
Description of a new annual rivulid killifish genus from Venezuela
Authors: HRBEK TOMAS , TAPHORN DONALD C.
Published: May 2019

We describe a new genus to accommodate the species originally described as Rivulus stellifer Thomerson & Turner, 1973, but currently referred to the genus Rachovia Myers, 1927. Rachovia stellifer has had a complicated taxonomic history and has, at various times since its description, been placed in and out of three genera: Rivulus Poey, 1860, Pituna Costa, 1989 and Rachovia. However, phylogenetic analyses using 3537 mitochondrial and nuclear characters, and 93 morphological characters indicate it is not a member of any of these genera, but place it as a deeply divergent sister species to the genus Gnatholebias Costa, 1998. In addition to molecular characters, it is distinguished from the genera Rachovia and Gnatholebias by 13 and 33 morphological character states, respectively.
New species of Tridentella Richardson, 1905 (Isopoda: Cymothoida: Tridentellidae), tropical marine isopod crustaceans from the Banda Sea, Indonesia
Authors: BRUCE NIEL L
Published: May 2019

Tridentella memikat sp. nov., Tridentella tanimbar sp. nov. and Tridentella brandtae sp. nov. are described and figured. T. memikat sp. nov. is the largest species in the family and can be identified by the broadly rounded pleotelson posterior margin, complete lack of dorsal ornamentation and antennule peduncle articles 2 and 3 each with the posterodistal angle produced. T. tanimbar sp. nov. is a sister species to T. recava Bowman, 1986, both species characterised by a flattened body shape, lack of dorsal ornamentation and deep excision to the pleotelson apex; T. tanimbar sp. nov. is identified by free lateral margins to pleonite 5, antennal flagellum extending to pereonite 5 or 6, pleon wider than pereon, the propodus of pereopods 1–3 lacking long slender robust setae, uropod exopod shorter (0.8) than endopod and the uropods not extending beyond the pleotelson. Tridentella brandtae sp. nov. is characterised by the posterior margin of the pleotelson being subtruncate and weakly emarginate; posterior margins of pereonites 6 and 7, pleonites 3–5 and the dorsal surface of the pleotelson weakly nodulose; inferior margins of the propodus of pereopods 2 and 3 with a double row of robust setae; the shape and setation of the uropods; adult males are further characterised by the presence of a large bluntly rounded robust seta at the inferodistal angle of the carpus. These species constitute the first record of the family from the Indian Ocean.
Characterisation of the Australian Nacophorini using adult morphology, and phylogeny of the Geometridae based on morphological characters
Authors: YOUNG CATHERINE J.
Published: May 2019

The Australian Nacophorini and related taxa are described using a matrix of 116 adult morphological characters. Adults of 72 species are illustrated using photographs and electron micrographs. Subsets of the characters are used to conduct a phylogenetic analysis based on cladistic principles. The adult morphological character set was augmented with 17 characters from eggs and 27 from larvae. The resulting phylogeny is poorly resolved but provides support for many of the relationships recovered by previous molecular analyses of the group, including basal derivations for characters of Larentiinae and Sterrhinae relative to those of the rest of Geometridae, and the monophyly of the Geometrinae + Oenochrominae s. str. Combining 28S D2 datawith morphological data produced a matrix of 60 taxa and 590 characters. The majority rule consensus tree produced by the combined morphological and 28S D2 data is almost identical to the majority rule consensus tree produced by the 28S D2 data alone, except that bootstrap support is lower for most nodes. Common clades obtained from the molecular and morphological trees are described in terms of morphological data. On this basis a concept of the Australian Nacophorini includes Lithinini and Australian Archiearinae. Two robust groups within the tribe also are delimited using characters from all data sources. Comparsions are made between the Nearctic and Neotropical Nacophorini on the basis of shared morphological characters. Australian Boarmiini are defined by synapomorphies.
Lemyra kaikarisi, a new species from China (Lepidoptera, Erebidae, Arctiinae)
Authors: SALDAITIS AIDAS , VOLYNKIN ANTON V. , DUDA JUOZAS
Published: May 2019

The genus Lemyra Walker, 1856 is widely distributed in Asia. It is subdivided into two subgenera, Lemyra and Thyrgorina Walker, 1864 [1865] and includes more than 100 valid species, many of which were described during last three decades (Thomas 1990; Fang 1993; Inoue 1993; Tshistjakov & Kishida 1994; Kirti & Gill 2008; Černý 2011; 2014; Černy & Pinratana 2009; Dubatolov 2007; Kirti & Singh 2016; Saldaitis et al. 2018).
A new species of Isohypsibiid (Eutardigrada) from Sicily
Authors: PILATO GIOVANNI , D’URSO VERA , SABELLA GIORGIO , LISI OSCAR
Published: May 2019

Dastych (2016) analysed the holotype of Isohypsibius tetradactyloides (Richters, 1907) and noticed that it possesses a very faint cuticular sculpture. For this and other characters, Dastych considered the species to be a synonym of Isohypsibius asper (Murray, 1906). The authors re-examined specimens attributed to Isohypsibius tetradactyloides by Pilato (1971) from two Sicilian rivers, and noticed that they cannot be attributed to Isohypsibius asper but to a new species. This new species belongs to the I. asper group, and is described here as Isohypsibius occultus sp. nov.. As the very faint cuticular ornamentation can be difficult to observe, the authors compared the new species with species having smooth cuticle or ornamented cuticle. Species with cuticular gibbosities or annulations, or clearly different in other characters, i.e. those with only two macroplacoids, the presence of a septulum, and cuticular bars on the legs, were excluded from comparison.
The Characteristics of Spatial and Temporal Variations in the PBL during the Landfall of Tropical Cyclones across East China
Authors: Han Yong , Zhou Yiwen , Guo Jianping , Wu Yonghua , Wang Tijian , Zhuang Bingliang , Li Mengmeng
Published: May 2019

The planetary boundary layer (PBL) controls the exchange of momentum and energy between the ground surface and the free troposphere, but few studies have been involved in the connection of the PBL with the development and extinction of tropical cyclones (TCs). Studies on the PBL usually need high-resolution soundings in the lowest troposphere that are otherwise quite rare with traditional technology. Here, 1-s resolution L-band radiosonde data are acquired to study the variations in PBL characteristics associated with the development of TCs in eastern China. The strong variations in the vertical profiles of temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed in the PBL during the landfall of a TC are revealed. In addition, four typical methods, including the virtual potential temperature method, Holzworth method, bulk Richardson number method, and potential temperature gradient method, are applied to estimate the PBL height (PBLH). The results indicate that the PBLHs derived by these methods vary by several hundred meters, which may be related to their different definitions of kinetic or thermodynamic theories. Furthermore, the PBLH was found to display a slight upward tendency during the landfall of TC.
A Methodology for Fitting the Time Series of Snow Depth on the Arctic Sea Ice
Authors: Wang Yuzhe , Pan Haidong , Wang Daosheng , Lv Xianqing
Published: May 2019

Snow depth is an important geophysical variable for investigating sea ice and climate change, which can be obtained from satellite data. However, there is a large number of missing data in satellite observations of snow depth. In this study, a methodology, the periodic functions fitting with varying parameter (PFF-VP), is presented to fit the time series of snow depth on Arctic sea ice obtained from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System (AMSR-E). The time-varying parameters are obtained by the independent point (IP) scheme and cubic spline interpolation. The PPF-VP is validated by experiments in which part of the observations are artificially removed and used to compare with the fitting results. Results indicate that the PPF-VP performs better than three traditional fitting methods, with its fitting results closer to observations and with smaller errors. In the practical experiments, the optimal number of IPs can be determined by only considering the fraction of missing data, particularly the length of the longest gaps in the snow-depth time series. All the experimental results indicate that the PPF-VP is a feasible and effective method to fit the time series of snow depth and can provide continuous data of snow depth for further study.
Gadolinium-based contrast agents: A clinically significant analytical interference in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry elemental analysis
Authors: Day Patrick , Erdahl Sarah , Eckdahl Steve , Bornhorst Joshua , Jannetto Paul J
Published: May 2019

Background

Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) have been used in magnetic resonance imaging for the past 30 years, where they have significantly improved the effectiveness of imaging studies. However, the increased usage of gadolinium in the medical community has also resulted in unexpected interferences in other laboratory assays. This has been particularly the case in clinical elemental analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Methods

By conducting ICP-MS interference experiments, we describe how gadolinium interferes with elemental analysis by space charge effect, double charge effect and the creation of polyatomic interferences. Additionally, by reviewing more than a year of reference laboratory data from our laboratory information system, we determined the number of elemental tests cancelled due to gadolinium interference.

Results

Interference experiments show that gadolinium normally found in GBCAs can interfere with heavy metals, platinum and selenium analysis of biological fluids using ICP-MS. Within one year, our institution’s metals laboratory had to cancel 42 selenium serum tests and 19 heavy metal urine panels due to potential interference caused by gadolinium.

Conclusions

GBCAs will continue to be utilized in hospitals around the world. However, clinical laboratories should be wary of potential interferences caused by GBCAs. Relevant interferences include space charge effect, double charge interference, and the formation of polyatomic interferences caused by gadolinium. These interferences can negatively affect patient care by resulting in cancelled laboratory tests and causing patients to have blood redrawn and analysed at a later date leading to delays in their diagnosis/treatment.
Measurement and analysis on the sensitization behavior of SS-304 welds using Nb-based stabilization through flux-coated gas tungsten arc welding
Authors: Singh Chitkarnvir , Kumar Harmesh , Kumar Rajesh
Published: May 2019

The objective of this research work is to enhance the microstructure and intergranular corrosion resistance of AISI 304 stainless steel by diffusing the stabilizing element, that is, Niobium (Nb), using a comparatively new methodology termed as flux-coated gas tungsten arc welding. In this process, a suitable material in powder form (pure Nb powder of size < 20 μm) is mixed with acetone and then coated on the V-joint of the plates before welding. The welded joint’s surface microstructure and chemistry have been analyzed by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The microstructural results demonstrate that the diffusion of Nb changes the ferrite morphology of the weld joint to lathy ferrite from vermicular ferrite because of an increase in supercooling during solidification. The results of the investigations indicate that the flux-added weldments exhibited 26 HV more microhardness than conventional welded weldments in the fusion zone. Furthermore, the corrosion behavior of both gas tungsten arc welding–treated and flux-coated gas tungsten arc welding–treated weldments has been evaluated by the double-loop electrochemical potential kinetic reactivation test. The latter revealed that Nb-diffused weldment features insulative and protective properties and displays zero degree of sensitization, whereas conventional welded weldment gives a degree of sensitization of 2.53.
Different predictive and accuracy models for sex and stature estimation from second- and fourth-digit lengths in the Kinnaur population of Himachal Pradesh, North India: Medico-legal and forensic implications
Authors: Singh Bahadur , Krishan Kewal , Kaur Kawaljit , Kanchan Tanuj
Published: May 2019

Forensic anthropologists are not only active in courtroom testimonies but also contribute to disaster victim identification. The timely recovery and identification of victims in any disaster is crucial, and anthropologists play a vital role in this process. In mass disasters such as airplane crashes, tsunamis, earthquakes or terrorist attacks, fragments of dead bodies are usually brought for identification. Each fragment demands special tactics to fulfil any of the basic attributes of forensic identification such as age, sex, stature or ancestry. If sex and stature can be estimated from a single fragment, then it can potentially reduce the identification time and possible victim matches. In this study, an attempt has been made to estimate sex and stature from the second- and fourth-digit lengths. Different predictive and accuracy models have been devised using statistical techniques. No bilateral difference was observed in the digit lengths in either sex. Consequently, an average of the digit lengths was employed for model approximations. The fourth-digit length provided the best sex estimates (M=82.1%, F=79.2%) when binary logistic regression (BLR) statistics were applied. It was also observed that overall sex estimations improved from 78.8% (from BLR) to 79.8% when discriminant function analysis was used for sex estimation. Second- and fourth-digit lengths were used independently and together for stature estimation models for males and females individually and for the pooled sample. In stature estimation models, three major interpretations were perceived: (1) the second-digit length provided the best stature estimates; (2) the estimation models compute better stature estimates for females than their counterparts, that is, standard errors are less in females than males; and (3) second and fourth digits predict more reliable stature estimation when the sex of the digits is known than that of the pooled sample.
Education, Family Background, and Political Knowledge: A Test of the Compensation Hypothesis with Identical Twins
Authors: Robinson Darrel
Published: May 2019

Prior research has consistently identified education as an important correlate of political knowledge, which, many argue, reflects an underlying causal relationship. However, recent work has questioned this interpretation rather arguing that family background causes one to both obtain an education and to develop political knowledge. I argue that this causal-versus-proxy debate is too simplistic. Specifically, using a sample of identical twins, I test the interaction between education, political discussion in the home, and political knowledge. I find that education is positively associated with political knowledge independent of family background and genetics for those who discussed politics with family relatively little during upbringing. However, for those who discussed politics with family members more frequently, education has no association with political knowledge independent of pre-adult factors. Therefore, education compensates for a lack of exposure to political content in the home.
Citizen Attitudes on Politicians’ Pay: Trust Issues Are Not Solved by Delegation
Authors: Pedersen Rasmus T , Pedersen Lene Holm
Published: May 2019

Citizens are generally opposed to politicians receiving a high pay. We investigate the degree to which this aversion is moderated by citizens’ individual-level trust in politicians and whether institutional delegation can moderate the reactions to proposed changes in politicians’ pay. Using a survey experiment, we confirm that trust in politicians is a key predictor of attitudes regarding their pay. Distrust toward politicians seems to matter much more than general attitudes on income inequality when citizens form opinions on politicians’ pay. Furthermore, citizens’ aversion to high pay for politicians is affected by institutional delegation, but such delegation only lessen the opposition to pay raises modestly, leaving most citizens firmly against pay raises for politicians. Finally, while citizens’ trust in politicians matters greatly for their attitudes regarding politicians pay, proposed changes in politicians’ pay do not conversely affect citizen’s perceptions of the politicians.
Writing Assignments in Epidemiology Courses: How Many and How Good?
Authors: August Ella , Burke Karen , Fleischer Cathy , Trostle James A.
Published: May 2019

Objectives:

Schools and programs of public health are concerned about poor student writing. We determined the proportion of epidemiology courses that required writing assignments and the presence of 6 characteristics of these assignments.

Methods:

We requested syllabi, writing assignments, and grading criteria from instructors of graduate and undergraduate epidemiology courses taught during 2016 or 2017. We assessed the extent to which these assignments incorporated 6 characteristics of effective writing assignments: (1) a description of the purpose of the writing or learning goals of the assignment, (2) a document type (eg, article, grant) used in public health, (3) an identified target audience, (4) incorporation of tasks that support the writing process (eg, revision), (5) a topic related to a public health problem that requires critical thinking (1-5 scale, 5 = most authentic), and (6) clear assignment expectations (1-5 scale, 5 = clearest).

Results:

We contacted 594 instructors from 58 institutions and received at least some evaluable materials from 59 courses at 28 institutions. Of these, 47 of 53 (89%) courses required some writing. The purpose was adequately described in 11 of 36 assignments, the required document type was appropriate in 19 of 43 assignments, an audience was identified in 6 of 37 assignments, and tasks that supported a writing process were incorporated in 19 of 40 assignments. Median (interquartile range) scores were 5 (1-5) for an authentic problem that required critical thinking and 4 (2-5) for clarity of expectations.

Conclusions:

The characteristics of writing assignments in public health programs do not reflect best practices in writing instruction and should be improved.
The Logic of Camp in Christian Education
Authors: Sorenson Jacob
Published: May 2019

Christian camping ministry is often overlooked in the scholarly community for its role in Christian education. New research from the Confirmation Project and Effective Camp Research Project demonstrates that camping ministries are often integral parts of Christian education programs and have lasting effects on participants. Many of the best practices of camping ministry are also transferrable to other educational settings, allowing the logic of camp to enhance related ministries, such as confirmation instruction.
Confirming Mentoring
Authors: Siberine Kate Harmon , Kimball Lisa
Published: May 2019

The Confirmation Project research clearly identified the impact of the faith-forming culture of a congregation on youth confirmation. When the congregational ecology is intentional about lifelong and life-wide faith formation, intergenerational relationships become a powerful means of faith transmission. This article explores the role and impact of mentoring in confirmation programs, a practice we found in 57 percent of the 3064 congregations surveyed. Drawing from social science research and building on biblical and theological foundations, we argue that Christian mentoring, a practice of modeling faith, provides mutual benefit for young people and their adult mentors, while also contributing to the spiritual health and relational vitality of congregations. Intergenerational mentoring at its best teaches confirmands, mentors, and congregants that they are not independent Christians, but part of an interdependent body of Christ.
Encountering the Gospel through Confirmation
Authors: Elton Terri Martinson , Osmer Richard
Published: May 2019

Confirmation is a ministry aimed at strengthening young people's understanding of faith, deepening their experience in Christian community, and equipping them to discern their calling to join in God's mission in the world. As the church engages in confirmation, young people encounter the gospel anew and congregations bear witness to the redemptive love of God and the covenant of grace into which all Christians are baptized. Learning from and with each other, within and across denominations, enhances confirmation as a discipleship ministry for young people. But it does more than that. As the body of Christ comes together to help young people encounter the gospel anew, lives are changed and become open to the Holy Spirit. Embracing our call to share the gospel and cultivate faith within young people not only serves the church today, it invests in the future.
What Predicts Selective Exposure Online: Testing Political Attitudes, Credibility, and Social Identity
Authors: Wojcieszak Magdalena
Published: May 2019

The online environment offers nearly unlimited sources and information, giving people unprecedented agency over selection. This article offers a test of three factors predicting selective exposure to opinionated news online—prior political attitudes, source credibility, and individual social identity based on race (Study 1) and gender (Study 2)—testing their independent and interactive effects. Two original selection studies on samples of adult Americans offered articles that were (1) pro- or counter-attitudinal with regard to individual attitudes on two political issues, (2) from high- versus low-credibility sources conceptualized in two different ways, and (3) featuring participants’ social in-group or out-group. Unobtrusively logged behavioral selection data suggest that prior political attitudes, and their strength and importance in Study 1, more strongly predict pro-attitudinal exposure than both source credibility and the demographically based social identity. Both studies additionally reveal nuanced interactions between the tested factors.
Communities Serve: A Systematic Review of Need Assessments on U.S. Veteran and Military-Connected Populations
Authors: Van Slyke Ryan D. , Armstrong Nicholas J.
Published: May 2019

Military veterans and their families face a multiplicity of challenges once they transition from service. Even though more American private and public-sector organizations are engaged in studying the needs of veterans and their families through need assessments, few assessments are comprehensive analyses of the challenges they face. This systematic review of 61 need assessments from 2007-2018 in the United States summarizes findings on 18 veterans issues. While most studies addressed issues relating to accessing U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health and benefit services, mental health, employment, and homelessness, gaps in the literature emerged, particularly regarding ethnic and sexual minority, rural and elderly veterans, and National Guard/Reserve servicemembers. Large cities and states with varying degrees of military presence were frequent regions of study, with national think tanks, nonprofit organizations, and public universities conducting most need assessments. Future assessments should address persistent inequities in coverage among communities and topics of study using mixed-method research and survey design.
Betahistine in the Treatment of Peripheral Vestibular Vertigo: Results of a Real-Life Study in Primary Care
Authors: Sanchez-Vanegas Guillermo , Castro-Moreno Carlos , Buitrago Diana
Published: May 2019

The present research was carried out with the objective to establish the clinical effect and safety of betahistine (48 mg daily), for the management of peripheral vestibular vertigo, in patients treated by primary care physicians in Colombia. An observational prospective cohort study was conducted including patients older than 15 years with clinical diagnosis of peripheral vestibular vertigo who were candidates to be treated with betahistine (48 mg daily). A sample size of 150 individuals was calculated, and weekly follow-ups were planned for 12 weeks. Rotatory movement sensation, loss of balance, and global improvement scale from 0 to 100 points were evaluated. Complete improvement was defined when the patient reached a level of 100 points. We calculated average weekly improvement, cumulative incidence of complete improvement, incidence rate of complete improvement, and the probability of complete improvement as a function of time. After the first week, the average improvement was 56.6 points (95% confidence interval [CI]: 50.4-62.7). At the end of week 12, it was 89.3 points (95% CI: 86.5-92.2). Sixty-one percent of the patients had achieved complete improvement at the end of the second week. After the sixth week, the percentage of cumulative improvement was 72%, and after 12 weeks of follow-up, the cumulative incidence of complete improvement was 73% (95% CI: 65%-80%). Based on the follow-up times, a complete improvement incidence rate of 16 cases per 100 people/week was calculated (95% CI: 13-19). We concluded that Betahistine (48 mg daily) has a positive effect, controlling the symptoms associated with benign paroxysmal vertigo, with an adequate safety profile.
Firms’ Disclosure Policies and Capital Investment: Evidence From Regulation Fair Disclosure
Authors: Li Wei , Zhang Yunyan
Published: May 2019

This study examines the association between disclosure policy and investment due to a regulatory change—Regulation Fair Disclosure (Reg FD)—that pinpoints when firms change their disclosure policy. Reg FD prevents managers from releasing material information to a selected group only. In the post–Reg FD period (post-FD), some firms have chosen to replace selective disclosure with nondisclosure. We find that these silent firms’ capital investments are more constrained post-FD, relative to firms that have chosen to replace selective disclosure with public disclosure. The association is stronger for ex ante financially constrained firms, firms that have greater growth opportunities, firms that have less analyst following, and firms that have more difficulty accessing the debt market. The results are robust to a variety of research design choices. Our finding that firms’ disclosure policy affects their investment is relevant to both market participants and regulators when evaluating disclosure regulations.
A Hierarchy: Managing Individual Analyst Forecasts
Authors: Zhou Jie
Published: May 2019

A long line of literature documents that managers are more likely to issue guidance when the analysts’ consensus forecast is optimistic. I extend this literature by providing evidence that there exists a hierarchical order by which managers respond to individual analyst forecasts. First, I find that optimism in both the majority of individual forecasts and the influential analyst’s forecast are important determinants of management guidance in addition to optimism in the consensus forecasts. Second, I find that managers are more likely to issue guidance when the influential analyst forecast is optimistic, even when the consensus forecast is pessimistic. Third, when the influential analyst disagrees with the majority, managers are more willing to respond to the influential analyst. Taken collectively, this study provides new evidence on how individual analysts influence managers’ voluntary disclosure and suggests a hierarchy, whereby the influential analyst’s opinion is the most important factor in determining management guidance, followed by the majority or consensus.
Contextual variations in children’s perceptions of their peers as gender typical
Authors: Bukowski William M. , Castellanos Melisa , Commisso Melissa , Persram Ryan , Lopez Luz Stella
Published: May 2019

Cultural and socioeconomic differences in children’s perceptions of their peers as being typical members of the cis gender group were examined in a cross-sectional sample of 351 girls ( N = 164) and boys from 19 fifth- and sixth-grade classrooms (M age = 11.5) in three primary schools in Montréal ( N = 156) and two schools in Barranquilla. Multilevel modeling indicated that: (a) the overall level of perceived typicality was low; (b) boys perceived other boys to be more typical than girls, whereas girls perceived girls and boys to have the same level of typicality; (c) in Barranquilla perceptions of gender typicality were higher among upper-middle-class children than among lower-middle-class children, whereas no difference was observed with the children from Montréal.
Capture and visualisation of text understanding through semantic annotations and semantic networks for teaching and learning
Authors: Willrich Roberto , Mittmann Adiel , Fileto Renato , dos Santos Alckmar Luiz
Published: May 2019

During various learning activities, teachers and students need to clarify, explore and share their understanding of reading materials. For doing this, they must make explicit the mental representation constructed during the reading process. In this article, we propose an approach combining semantic annotations and semantic networks as formal means for elicitation, structuring, formalisation, analysis and sharing of teachers’ and students’ understanding of textual materials that they are asked to read in learning tasks. In the proposed approach, teachers can create learning tasks, in which students are asked to semantically annotate a text by associating portions of it to resources described in a Knowledge Base (KB) in accordance with a provided ontology. New instances can be created by students or teachers in the KB during the annotation process. We show how semantic networks can be used to visualise extracts of the resulting KB, and to help people organise their comprehension of texts. In addition, teachers can assess student evolution by analysing the semantic networks that each one produces during the reading and annotation process. This approach is implemented by using our annotation tool, integrated with a digital repository and a virtual learning environment. An empirical evaluation of the benefits of the proposed approach in a literature case study confirms that it facilitates information extraction, sharing and analysis, contributing to leverage teaching and learning.
Intragenerational Variations in Autobiographical Memory: China’s “Sent-Down Youth” Generation
Authors: Xu Bin
Published: May 2019

The relationship between generation and memory instantiates a theme central to sociology: the intersection between history and biography. This study addresses two gaps in the literature. First, whereas the dominant approach uses a cognitive concept of memory operationalized as naming events, I focus on autobiographical memory represented in life stories, in which members of a generation understand the meanings of their personal past as part of a historical event. Second, whereas the dominant approach stresses intergenerational differences of memory, I draw on a Bourdieu-Mannheim theoretical framework to use class—including class positions and habitus—to describe and explain intragenerational differences in autobiographical memory. The two theoretical goals are achieved through theorizing an important case: the autobiographical memories of China’s “sent-down youth” generation, the 17 million youths ( zhiqing) sent by the state to the countryside in the 1960s and 1970s. Drawing on a qualitative and quantitative analysis of life-history interviews with 87 former zhiqing, I describe how this generation reconciles two components of autobiographical memory: personal experience in their sent-down years and historical evaluation of the send-down program. Respondents’ present class positions shape their memory of the personal experience, whereas their political habitus formed in the political-class system in the Mao years molds their historical evaluations of the program. Their habitus may change as a response to the social transformation in recent decades. This article not only contributes to our understanding of generational memory but also brings class back into the field.
The foaming performance evaluation of fibrillated polytetrafluoroethylene and isotactic polypropylene blends
Authors: Zhang Yun , Xin Chunling , Wang Zeming , Mughal Waqas , He Yadong
Published: May 2019

Polypropylene (PP) foamed products have the advantages of heat and chemical resistance, but it is difficult to foam without modified PP. Traditionally, researchers have used chemical modification to increase the melt strength to improve the foaming properties of PP. In this article, we designed four kinds of screw combinations, and five regions are selected for sampling. The polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and isotactic polypropylene (iPP) were blended by one-step fiber forming method, and then we tested the rheological properties and foaming properties. It is found that the rheological properties of the in situ microfiber composite are significantly improved than the iPP, and the crystallization temperature is also increased. The foaming experiment of the composite showed that the foaming performance of the composite with in situ microfiber morphology was significantly improved compared with the pure iPP performance, and the foaming temperature window of iPP was widened from 3°C to more than 6°C.

[Formula: see text]
Explaining the impact of differences in voting patterns on resilience and relational load in romantic relationships during the transition to the Trump presidency
Authors: Afifi Tamara D. , Zamanzadeh Nicole , Harrison Kathryn , Torrez Debora Perez
Published: May 2019

The theory of resilience and relational load was used to examine the impact of voting patterns in the 2016 U.S. presidential election on individuals’ romantic relationships. Married/cohabitating individuals ( N = 961) completed online surveys at three time points during the transition to the Trump Presidency. The results supported our emotional capital hypothesis in that ongoing relationship maintenance in one’s relationship predicted less stress about the Trump presidency, less conflict, less relational load, greater communal orientation, and greater relational resilience. The positive effect of ongoing relationship maintenance on these relational outcomes occurred regardless of how the partners voted. At the same time, voting differently than one’s partner was still stressful and negatively influenced these outcomes. The results also supported our relational load model, which found that differences in voting negatively affected individuals’ communal orientation and the degree to which they maintained their relationships, which fueled conflict and stress. This conflict and stress was associated with an increase in relational load and a decrease in relational resilience.