bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Review: Local Government in England: Centralisation, Autonomy and Control by Colin Corpus, Mark Roberts, Rachel Wall
Authors: Carr-West Jonathan
Published: April 2018

Local Government in England: Centralisation, Autonomy and Control is a serious book and an important contribution to the scholarship around local government. It opens however, with a pleasingly comic tableau as academics from England, Portugal and Poland bicker amiably at a conference and on Twitter about whose country is really the most centralised. The rest of the book is devoted to showing why the English academics were right, why it matters and what should be done about it.

The main thrust of the text is an analysis of the impact of the dominant policy narratives around centralism and localism. The argument that Copus, Wall and Roberts put forward could be boiled down to the assertion that the problem with local government in England is that it is neither local nor government. But to make this case they first helpfully unpack several sets of concepts that are all too often elided together.
Women’s local government representation in Auckland – does size matter?
Authors: Webster Karen , McGregor Judy
Published: April 2018

The article examines women’s local government representation following amalgamation to form a super-sized city authority, Auckland, which covers a third of New Zealand’s population. Using a gender perspective, it analyses the promise implicit in amalgamation rhetoric that democratic gaps in representation, including the gender gap, would diminish. It examines the question of whether size has made a difference. Prior to local government amalgamation, women’s representation had not significantly increased over a period of seven election cycles. Women’s descriptive and substantive representation are examined at national and city levels and the gendered implications of local government reform are considered from the perspectives of female elected representatives at councillor and local board levels. Evidence shows that local government reform has yet to be the catalyst for improving women’s descriptive and substantive representation, although there are tentative signs of entry-level improvement at community board level which raise the prospect of a pipeline effect. Interviews with elected female representatives after amalgamation show that while they do not identify themselves as speaking for women, they see themselves as women speaking for their communities and doing it better than men. The results suggest the influence of gender backlash politics and also confirm the need to think about the performance of elected women as more than ‘articulated’ representation.
The influence of idealized surface heterogeneity on virtual turbulent flux measurements
Authors: De Roo Frederik , Mauder Matthias
Published: April 2018

Abstract. The imbalance of the surface energy budget in eddy-covariance
measurements is still an unsolved problem. A possible cause is the presence
of land surface heterogeneity, which affects the boundary-layer turbulence.
To investigate the impact of surface variables on the partitioning of the
energy budget of flux measurements in the surface layer under convective
conditions, we set up a systematic parameter study by means of large-eddy
simulation. For the study we use a virtual control volume approach, which
allows the determination of advection by the mean flow, flux-divergence and
storage terms of the energy budget at the virtual measurement site, in
addition to the standard turbulent flux. We focus on the heterogeneity of the
surface fluxes and keep the topography flat. The surface fluxes vary locally
in intensity and these patches have different length scales. Intensity and
length scales can vary for the two horizontal dimensions but follow an
idealized chessboard pattern. Our main focus lies on surface heterogeneity of
the kilometer scale, and one order of magnitude smaller. For these two length
scales, we investigate the average response of the fluxes at a number of
virtual towers, when varying the heterogeneity length within the length scale
and when varying the contrast between the different patches. For each
simulation, virtual measurement towers were positioned at functionally
different positions (e.g., downdraft region, updraft region, at border
between domains, etc.). As the storage term is always small, the non-closure
is given by the sum of the advection by the mean flow and the
flux-divergence. Remarkably, the missing flux can be described by either the
advection by the mean flow or the flux-divergence separately, because the
latter two have a high correlation with each other. For kilometer scale
heterogeneity, we notice a clear dependence of the updrafts and downdrafts on
the surface heterogeneity and likewise we also see a dependence of the energy
partitioning on the tower location. For the hectometer scale, we do not
notice such a clear dependence. Finally, we seek correlators for the energy
balance ratio in the simulations. The correlation with the friction velocity
is less pronounced than previously found, but this is likely due to our
concentration on effectively strongly to freely convective conditions.
New information on the Cenomanian bothremydid turtle Algorachelus based on new, well-preserved material from Spain
Authors: Pérez-García Adán
Published: April 2018

Abstract. Algorachelus peregrinus is the oldest representative of the crown
group Pleurodira known in Laurasia. The type locality of this bothremydid is
Algora, situated in central Spain, at levels deposited during the uppermost
middle–lowermost upper
Cenomanian. A new excavation was recently carried out in this town. As a
result, abundant material of Algorachelus peregrinus has been found.
Several complete shells, as well as numerous partial carapaces and plastra,
are presented here. The abundance of remains allows the analysis of the
general patterns by which some of the shells of this littoral form were
partially or totally disarticulated. The analysis of these remains not only
shows several pathologies but also improves the knowledge about the anatomy
and intraspecific variability of Algorachelus peregrinus. This new
information allows the revision of other Cenomanian forms of Bothremydidae,
both from the Middle East and from North America. Thus, Algorachelus
is identified in these regions, being represented in the early or middle
Cenomanian of Palestine by the new combination Algorachelus parvus,
and in the uppermost Cenomanian of Utah by the new combination
Algorachelus tibert. Therefore, a relatively fast and widely
distributed geographic dispersion event is recognized, corresponding to the
oldest dispersal event so far identified for a lineage of Pleurodira from
Gondwana to Laurasia.
Recent dynamic changes on Fleming Glacier after the disintegration of Wordie Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula
Authors: Friedl Peter , Seehaus Thorsten C. , Wendt Anja , Braun Matthias H. , Höppner Kathrin
Published: April 2018

Abstract. The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the world's regions most affected by
climate change. Several ice shelves have retreated, thinned or completely
disintegrated during recent decades, leading to acceleration and increased
calving of their tributary glaciers. Wordie Ice Shelf, located in Marguerite
Bay at the south-western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, completely
disintegrated in a series of events between the 1960s and the late 1990s. We
investigate the long-term dynamics (1994–2016) of Fleming Glacier after the
disintegration of Wordie Ice Shelf by analysing various multi-sensor remote
sensing data sets. We present a dense time series of synthetic aperture radar
(SAR) surface velocities that reveals a rapid acceleration of Fleming Glacier
in 2008 and a phase of further gradual acceleration and upstream propagation
of high velocities in 2010–2011.The timing in acceleration correlates with
strong upwelling events of warm circumpolar deep water (CDW) into Wordie Bay,
most likely leading to increased submarine melt. This, together with
continuous dynamic thinning and a deep subglacial trough with a retrograde
bed slope close to the terminus probably, has induced unpinning of the glacier
tongue in 2008 and gradual grounding line retreat between 2010 and 2011. Our
data suggest that the glacier's grounding line had retreated by
∼ 6–9 km between 1996 and 2011, which caused ∼ 56 km2 of
the glacier tongue to go afloat. The resulting reduction in buttressing
explains a median speedup of ∼ 1.3 m d−1 (∼ 27 %)
between 2008 and 2011, which we observed along a centre line extending between
the grounding line in 1996 and ∼ 16 km upstream. Current median ice
thinning rates (2011–2014) along profiles in areas below 1000 m altitude
range between ∼ 2.6 to 3.2 m a−1 and are ∼ 70 % higher
than between 2004 and 2008. Our study shows that Fleming Glacier is far away
from approaching a new equilibrium and that the glacier dynamics are not
primarily controlled by the loss of the former ice shelf anymore. Currently,
the tongue of Fleming Glacier is grounded in a zone of bedrock elevation
between ∼ −400 and −500 m. However, about 3–4 km upstream
modelled bedrock topography indicates a retrograde bed which transitions into
a deep trough of up to ∼ −1100 m at ∼ 10 km upstream. Hence,
this endangers upstream ice masses, which can significantly increase the
contribution of Fleming Glacier to sea level rise in the future.
M. Manet Declines to Illustrate the Invisible
Authors: Marvick Louis
Published: April 2018

As artists, both Poe and the French painter Édouard Manet stressed the importance of formal values over subject matter, and as a result, both appeared distinctly “modern” to their contemporaries. But where Poe strove to achieve a previously imagined psychological effect by calculated means, Manet recommended the direct observation of nature and resisted the interference of the imagination. Although the subjective and supernatural aspects of Poe's work did not appeal to him, Manet undertook to illustrate “The Raven” because (a) it offered a chance to practice Japanese pictorial techniques that “diminish illusionistic space,” (b) Mallarmé's translation of the poem into French weakened the subjective character of the original, and (c) he shared Poe's interest in the subject of death and the use of the noncolor, black.
Unicondylar knee arthroplasty in the inpatient vs. outpatient setting: Impact on process time
Authors: Zeini Ibrahim Mamdouh , Gabriel Meghan Hufstader , Liu Xinliang , Noblin Alice , Ramirez Bernardo , Kerina J. Mandume
Published: April 2018

Objective: There is a lack of research on the impact of transitioning inpatient procedures to the outpatient setting, specifically on process time. Unicondylar knee arthroplasty (UKA) presents an opportunity for further investigation as it is already in the early stages of transitioning to the outpatient setting.Methods: This study analyzed the medical records of 1,075 patients who received UKA from a single surgeon (400 in the outpatient setting and 675 in the inpatient setting). Time in Pre-Op, surgery time, and time in post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) were recorded and compared between inpatient and outpatient settings using Ordinary Least Squares Regression models.Results: Outpatient UKAs outperformed inpatient UKAs across two out of three process time variables even after controlling for comorbidities, social history, demographics, and surgery related characteristics. Actual surgery time was no different between the two settings.Conclusions: This study demonstrated that UKA performed in the outpatient setting is associated substantial time savings preoperatively and postoperatively compared with cases performed in the inpatient setting. More research is needed to compare other outcome measures such as patient outcomes of UKA between the two settings. Implications beyond time savings should consider supply and human resources costs.
Relating Almutairi’s critical cultural competence model for healthcare providers transitioning to Qatar
Authors: MacDonald Cathy D. , Johnson Jessie M. , Carragher Rianne , Harder Marti , Oliver Linda
Published: April 2018

Healthcare providers can be enticed to work in the Middle East due to fascinations with the culture, wealth, and opportunities for personal and professional development. Working in multicultural healthcare environments requires addressing complexities with cultural hierarchies, religion, class systems, and gender. It also requires understanding of the region’s history, as well as knowledge about cultural and social norms. The authors use qualitative accounts, from lived experiences to illuminate their transition to work in Qatar. Upon reflection of their experiences, the authors recommend using a Critical Cultural Competence model as a guide for healthcare providers undergoing transition and longer-term adaptation for promoting cultural safety for healthcare providers and their patients. Some authors of this article have previously published “Recommendations for healthcare providers preparing to work in the Middle East: A Campinha-Bacote cultural competence model approach” (Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 2017). However, after reflecting upon their experiences as nurse educators living in the Middle East, the authors concluded that Almutairi, Dahinten, and Rodney’s (2015) Critical Cultural Competence Model is more suitable for health care providers transitioning to Qatar. This model addresses necessary elements needed to transition to a new culture, but also includes personal narratives and experiences, which maybe helpful to transitioning to work in another culture. Almutairi et al.’s model (2015) reconceptualises and enriches the concept of transitioning to Middle Eastern multicultural contexts. The aim of this paper is to provide recommendations using Almutairi et al.’s Cultural Competence Model to assist healthcare providers in transitioning to work in Qatar. Another aim is to provide guidance for healthcare professional development in multicultural contexts. Discussion as to how the model may foster a more relevant approach will ensue. Experiential knowledge and narratives are threaded throughout the paper to provide a lived account of the use of this Critical Cultural Competence model by healthcare workers, who have transitioned to the Middle East.
Giften aan afstammelingen en de legitieme: wil de ware legitimaris opstaan?
Authors: Brinkman R.E. , Kolkman W.D.
Published: April 2018

Giften aan afstammelingen en de legitieme: wil de ware legitimaris opstaan?

De auteurs betogen dat indien iemand volgens de wet legitimaris is, de hem toegekomen giften onder artikel 4:67 onder d BW vallen. Ook wanneer de begiftigde verwerpt dan wel berust in zijn onterving, behoort de gift tot de legitimaire massa en staat deze bloot aan inkorting.
Hydrogen peroxide/UV treatment on polylactide/polyurethane blends for biomedical applications
Authors: Bednarz Paulina
Published: April 2018

Biodegradable polymers should be non-toxic, possess low immunogenicity and good mechanical properties. Due to their hydrophobicity and their low surface energy cells only poorly attach, spread and proliferate on these biodegradable polyesters. Therefore, the surface of these polyesters should usually be modified and already several approaches have been presented to increase their cell affinity. In this research the influence of hydrogen peroxide combined with ultra violet irradiation on wettability, morphology and mechanical properties of PU/PLA blends as well as their pure components. It was clearly visible that both pure PU and PLA acted completely different form PU/PLA blend during treatment. The wettability of pure polymers changed after H2O2/UV, PU surface became more hydrophilic, whereas PLA becomes slightly hydrophobic. Due to micropores and microcracks visible on surfaces resulted from breaking ester linkage, deterioration of their mechanical properties was also observed. The exposure of PU/PLA films to H2O2/UV irradiation showed the change of wettability toward more hydrophilic and increase of mechanical properties because of specific affinity to the etching process.
Hybrid Linearized Class-BD Double Sided (LBDD) Digital Pulse Width Modulator (DPWM) for Class-BD Audio Amplifiers
Authors: Kuta Stanisław , Kołodziejski Wojciech , Jasielski Jacek
Published: April 2018

The paper presents an original architecture and implementation of 9-bit LBDD hybrid DPWM circuit for Class-BD digital audio amplifier. The input PCM signals are directly transformed into 24-bit LBDD DPWM signals and then are requanized to the 9-bit digital outputs using noise-shaping process to support high fidelity with practical values of time resolution, and finally are converted by the DTCs into the two physical trains of 1-bit PWM signals. The architecture of the proposed Class-BD hybrid DPWM circuit is composed of two Class-AD ones. The hybrid quantizer converts 6 MSB bits using counter method, based on the STM32F407xx microcontroller, while the remaining 3 LSB bits - using a method based on the Programmable Tapped Delay Line (PTDL). All necessary time waveforms are generated on the base of the internal microcontroller oscillator 168 MHz. The proposed 9-bit Class-DB DPWM circuit allows to attain SNR of 110 dB and THD about 0,2% within the audio baseband, at switching frequency of 328.1 kHz, clock frequency of 42 MHz and modulation index M = 0.95. Basic verification of algorithm and circuit operation as well as simulation and preliminary experimental results have been performed.
Therapeutic effect of systemic cryostimulation
Authors: Gmernicka Katarzyna
Published: April 2018

Whole body cryotherapy (WBC) involves exposing
individuals to extremely cold dry air (under
-100 °C) for a period ranging from 1.5 to 3 minutes.
The treatment is painless and is intended to produce
and use physiological reaction, which is medically
beneficial and effective in restoring normal
body functions. Whole body cryotherapy provides
various benefits such as: analgesic and anti-inflammatory
effects, decreases muscle soreness, improves
muscle strength and joint function, boosts
blood circulation. It also causes a hormonal reaction,
growth of ACTH, cortisol, beta-endorphin
and testosterone. Cryotherapy is not only used as a way of treatment but also as a part of wellness
and spa. WBC is used prophylactically to improve
physical comfort and mental health. It is necessary
to use kinesis immediately after cryotherapy to
achieve its desirable affects. Kinesitherapy is a 20
minutes set of exercises performed on machines
under the guidance of a physiotherapist. The purpose
of kinesitherapy is the restoration of normal
motion stereotypes, which will prevent overloads.
The assessment of prokaryotic addictive modules’ activity in the context of seeking novel immunotoxins
Authors: Oszajca Katarzyna , Wieteska Łukasz , Cybula Magdalena , Szemraj Janusz
Published: April 2018

Despite of the fact that current anticancer chemotherapeutics have many beneficial achievements, there is an urgent need for new efficient therapies. A new type of drugs which are extensively investigated are immunotoxinshybrid proteins that consist of cytotoxic component and second part which is responsible for selective binding to the receptors on tumor cells. Unfortunately, this group of therapeutics still has many drawbacks. There is a strong demand for research on a new substances and develo-ping targeted therapy strategies. In the present study we tested VapC toxin derived from prokaryotic addictive modules as a potential component in the construction of immunotoxins. Investigated fusion protein consists of VapC toxin has RNase activity and digests total RNA in various treatment times. Moreover, studied protein displays proapoptotic properties and cell cycle arrest in selected cancer cell lines.
Systems of local drug delivery to arterial wall for prevention
of in-stent restenosis
Authors: Milewski Krzysztof , Turek Anna , Krauze Agata , Gąsior Paweł , Błachut Aleksandra , Jelonek Michał , Buszman Piotr , Jelonek Katarzyna , Dobrzyński Piotr , Kasperczyk Janusz , Wojakowski Wojciech
Published: April 2018

New generation, drug-eluting stents used in the treatment of coronary and peripheral atherosclerotic disease (CPAD) significantly reduced restenosis and revascularization rates as well as frequency of thrombosis as compared to bare metal stents and first-generation drug eluting stents. However, despite fast development of this technology several reports have been published recently that describe cases of late and very late stent thrombosis, restenosis and neoatheroslerosis within arterial segments with previously implanted stents. For this reason many research are being conducted with the aim to design alternative methods for intra-arterial drugs delivery in order to reduce restenosis and revascularization rates, yet eliminating adverse effects mentioned above. One of possibilities is lipophilic and antiproliferative drug coated balloon technology, which offers high drug concentration in arterial tissue and restenotic effect in selected clinical situations despite the short balloon inflation time. A particularly interesting option is intra-arterial delivery of drugs with different mechanisms of action, regardless of their lipophilicity by loading them into biodegradable nanospheres. In this paper, currently used systems for local drug delivery have been described including their limitations and opportunities. In addition, we provided a brief description of the project sponsored by Polpharma Scientific Foundation, which aimed to evaluate potentials of local delivery of biodegradable nanospheres loaded with everolimus, which could be used to reduce restenosis rate after stent implantation.
Hazards and their reduction in urea production for synthesis reactor by Mitsui - Toatsu technology
Authors: Wyciszkiewicz Aleksander , Golacki Krzysztof , Samociuk Waldemar
Published: April 2018

Industrial large-scale urea production creates a number of hazards due to equipment and machine failures as well as service errors. Failures can cause material, environmental and human losses. The work presents the assessment of safety hazards and failure effects for selected emergency scenarios of Mitsui - Toatsu's urea synthesis reactor. A fragment of the process implemented in the synthesis node was covered by HAZOP (Hazard and Operability Study), and the critical points, from the security point of view, were identified. Several emergency scenarios for various types of failures and various effects are presented. The analyzed contingency scenarios include: blocking the valve on the outflow from the reactor and leaks caused by corrosion resulting from the maintenance of improper technological parameters of the process. The work suggested the need for new security measures and modernization of the installation by using the safety function for the selected critical point. The hazards analyzed and the contingency scenarios developed are essential for risk assessment and its possible reduction.
Cathepsins: innate immune proteases that regulate viral entry into host cells
Authors: Bossowska-Nowicka Magdalena , Toka Felix N. , Mielcarska Matylda , Szulc-Dąbrowska Lidia
Published: April 2018

Cathepsins are group of endolysosomal proteases that regulate the mechanisms of innate and adaptive immunity, including cell adhesion and migration, antigen processing and presentation and resistance to several viral infections. Some cathepsins are required for Toll-like receptor (TLR)3, TLR7 and TLR9 cleavage and the formation of functional receptors that participate in sensing viral nucleic acids. Moreover, cathepsins directly stimulate or inhibit cytokine
secretion involved in the regulation of antiviral innate immune response. Recent findings
underline the important role of cathepsins in the entry of filoviruses, reoviruses, retroviruses
and other types of viruses into the host cell. Many enveloped viruses require the presence
of cathepsins for efficient fusion with membranes of infected cells, and the inhibition of
their activity results in a significant reduction of virus replication. In addition, many viruses
utilize conserved cellular mechanisms, such as endocytosis or low pH within the endosome,
for efficient penetration into the cell interior, disassembly of viral capsid, and other stages of
productive viral replication cycle. Therefore, a better understanding of the functional role of
cathepsin proteases in the pathogenesis of viral infections should lead to the development of
novel therapeutics for a variety of particularly dangerous human pathogens.
Functional modulation of plazmacytoid dendritic cells during viral infections
Authors: Szulc-Dąbrowska Lidia , Wojtyniak Piotr , Papiernik Diana , Struzik Justyna
Published: April 2018

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), also known as interferon (IFN)-producing cells (IPCs), represent a unique cell population of innate immunity due to their ability to produce high amounts of type I IFNs in response to viral infections. The pDCs recognize viral nucleic acids via Toll-like receptor (TLR)7 and TLR9 localized in endosomal compartments. Type I IFNs, secreted by activated pDCs through the recognition of foreign nucleic acids, not only exhibit a direct antiviral activity but also activate NK cells, induce myeloid DC (mDC) maturation, promote T cell long-term survival and memory formation, polarization of Th1 cells, cytolytic
activity of CD8+ T lymphocytes and IFN-γ production. Therefore, pDCs link innate and adaptive
immunity to mount an effective antiviral immune response. The pDCs, which act as the
main cells of innate immunity that produce type I IFNs, play an important role in controlling
viral infections, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), simian immunodeficiency
virus (SIV), lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis
B virus (HBV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections.
However, some of these viruses can infect and even replicate productively in pDCs, resulting
in modulation and functional impairment of these cells. Thus, viruses evade host antiviral
immune response to mediate a persistent infection.
Hva kjennetegner forskning på lærerrollen under Kunnskapsløftet? En forskningskartlegging av studier av norske lærere, lærerstudenter og lærerutdannere
Authors: Hermansen Hege , Lorentzen Marte , Mausethagen Sølvi , Zlatanovic Tatjana
Published: April 2018

Den norske lærerrollen har blitt påvirket av en rekke utviklingstrekk siden årtusenskiftet. I denne artikkelen undersøker vi hva som kjennetegner forskning på lærerrollen publisert siden innføringen av Kunnskapsløftet. Vi beskriver tematiske, metodiske og analytiske egenskaper ved forskningsfeltet, basert på en systematisk forskningskartlegging av tidsskriftsartikler publisert mellom 2007 og 2016 med norske lærere, lærerstudenter og lærerutdannere som informanter. Et hovedfunn er at forskningen i stor grad er orientert mot læreres praksis, mens andre aspekter av lærerrollen er mindre belyst. Avslutningsvis diskuterer vi implikasjoner for forholdet mellom forsknings- og praksisfeltet.Nøkkelord: forskningskartlegging, kunnskapsoppsummering, lærerrollen, lærerprofesjonalitetWhat characterises research on teacher roles during the Knowledge Promotion? A systematic review of studies of Norwegian teachers, student teachers and teacher educatorsAbstractNorwegian teacher roles have been affected by a range of developments since the turn of the century. In this article, we examine the characteristics of research on teacher roles, published since the introduction of the Knowledge Promotion curriculum. We describe thematic, methodological and analytical characteristics of the research field, based on a systematic, configurative literature review of journal articles published between 2007 and 2016 that include Norwegian teachers, student teachers, and teacher educators as informants. A main finding is that the research literature is primarily oriented towards teachers' professional practice, whereas other aspects of teacher roles have received less attention. In conclusion, we discuss implications for the relationship between the field of research and the field of practice.Keywords: systematic review, literature review, teacher roles, teacher profes-sionalism
Možnosti a limity axiomatizace práva
Authors: Horák Filip , Madej Martin
Published: April 2018

Axiomatizace práva ve snaze učinit z něj logicky koherentní systém podobný matematice je již po staletí v centru pozornosti některých právních teoretiků a filosofů. Cílem tohoto článku je poskytnout preciznější vymezení klíčových pojmů, nastínit přehled dosavadního vývoje zásadních myšlenek ohledně tohoto tématu, jakož i na teoretické a metodologické rovině diskutovat o tom, zdali je axiomatizace práva jednak možná a jednak žádoucí.
How I Live Now: The Project of Sustainability in Dystopian Young Adult Fiction
Authors: Hanssen Jessica Allen
Published: April 2018

It is impossible to ignore the enduring and sweeping popularity of young adult novels (YA) written with a dystopian, or even apocalyptic, outlook. Series such as Th e Hunger Games, Th e Maze Runner, and Divergent present dark and boding worlds of amplifi ed terror and societal collapse, and their vulnerable protagonists must answer constant environmental, social, and political challenges, or risk starvation, injury, and various formsof pain and suff ering. More frequently than not, the tensions of the dystopian YA universe turn to the natural world, one of sustenance and renewal, for resolution. The continued popularity of dystopian fi ction written expressly for young adult readers requires critical examination, as teachers must prepare themselves to deal with the questions raised by these texts. Th e trend toward the dystopian seems like rather a bleak expression of political and social hopelessness, but it does off er certain insights into what young readers want from the world around them. Much of the appeal of the dystopian comes from imagining not just problems, but how to solve them. The ingenuity and resourcefulness displayed in dystopian YA novels is not only appealing, but becomes a bold and ultimately optimistic statement on the need for environmental and social sustainability. The optimal incorporation of dystopian YA into the English as a foreign language (EFL) curriculum relies on the preparation of instruction as understood by Wolfgang Klafki in a mode and format that feels fresh and encourages student-led engagement, genuine multimodality, and an organic progression from the closed circle of the classroom to the open arena of adult civilization.
Mod en teori om kausale hukommelsesprocesser: præliminære bemærkninger
Authors: Christensen Mathias
Published: April 2018

This paper argues for a theory of memory that I have coined “the theory of causal memory processes”. The central claim of the paper is that it is more empirically sound to construct theories of memory in accordance with the theory of causal processes rather than in accordance with causality as regulation. In order to put this claim forward I will, first, describe what kind of function causality serves in philosophical theories of memory. Secondly, I will show that regularity theories of causation is dominant in the causal theories of memory. Thirdly, I will account for the theory of causal processes. Lastly, I will sketch a definition of the theory of causal memory processes.
Etisk afgørende øjeblikke – en pragmatisk-dualistisk forskningsetik
Authors: Johansen Martin Blok
Published: April 2018

This article analyses and discusses research-ethical dilemmas, ambivalences and problematic issues. This is done firstly by making a distinction between procedural research ethics and particularistic research ethics. Such a distinction refl ects a theoretical construction and generalization – in practice there can be a very close correlation between the two types. Hereafter, the distinction will therefore be used as a jumping-off point for the presentation of a pragmatic-dualist research ethics. Th e approach is dualist because it draws on the presence of two independent, contrasting understandings, which are essentially diff erent yet equal aspects of good research ethics; and it is pragmatic because this dualism is first and foremost structural and institutional by nature, and designed with an eye to what can realistically and expediently be done in practice. Thus the intention of the article is to both analyze and discuss two different understandings of research ethics and simultaneouslyqualify a research ethics that draws on both these understandings. At the same time, the intention is to try to visualize a diff erent understanding of research ethics which others can address and elaborate on or qualify but even at this point can be included in an arsenal or catalogue of research-ethical understandings and approaches that can be exploited in research-ethical practice.
Ateliê Didático: diário online e pesquisa-formação com docentes universitários
Authors: D'Ávila Cristina , Madeira Ana Verena , Guerra Denise
Published: April 2018

O Ateliê Didático surge no bojo do Programa de Formação Pedagógica de docentes universitários (ForPed) na Universidade Federal da Bahia e constitui-se em dispositivo formativo presencial e online e de pesquisa-formação, pautado em três pilares fundamentais: epistemologia da prática, dimensão sensível e fazer criativo, possibilitando aos participantes a abordagem e vivência de conceitos didático-pedagógicos básicos relativos à educação superior (ES), o estudo do objeto e saberes da docência e da construção da identidade profissional do docente universitário, análise das relações entre currículo, e formação, debate sobre abordagens pedagógicas na ES, compreensão das relações estruturantes do processo didático, reflexões sobre as relações interpessoais e organização da prática pedagógica. Na sua dinâmica metodológica prevê-se os diários online, a partir dos quais revelam-se os dados da presente pesquisa-formação, na qual os docentes descrevem suas implicações com a docência, saberes didático-pedagógicos e com os estudantes. Participaram da pesquisa, de caráter qualitativo, por adesão voluntária, nove docentes universitários. Destarte, o Ateliê tem se revelado dispositivo aberto para alterar e ser alterado pela práxis dos sujeitos em formação conforme depreendido dos diários online produzidos e analisados.
Frizzled-related proteins 4 (SFRP4) rs1802073G allele predicts the elevated serum lipid levels during acitretin treatment in psoriatic patients from Hunan, China
Authors: Zhou Xingchen , Zhu Wu , Shen Minxue , He Yijing , Peng Cong , Kuang Yehong , Su Juan , Zhao Shuang , Chen Xiang , Chen Wangqing
Published: April 2018

Background

Acitretin is a second-generation synthetic retinoid, and is widely used for treating the severe psoriasis vulgaris. However, it should be chosen with caution for its cardiovascular risk, and it is reported that acitretin may increase the serum lipids. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the Frizzled-related proteins 4 (SFRP4) rs1802073 polymorphism and the changes of serum lipids in Chinese psoriatic patients during the treatment with acitretin.

Methods

In our study, 100 psoriatic patients were recruited systematically treated with acitretin (30 mg/day) for at least eight weeks. Data of the patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics and the results of serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were collected pre- and post-treatment.

Results

A total of 84 psoriatic patients were enrolled and divided into three groups by SFRP4 rs1802073 genotypes. The patients who carried with TT genotype had maintained levels of TG and LDL-C after acitretin treatment, while patients with GG/GT genotypes had significantly elevated levels of serum TG and LDL-C compared to the TT genotype (ΔTG%: 27.53 ± 59.13 vs −1.47 ± 37.79, p = 0.026, ΔLDL-C%: 10.62 ± 26.57 vs −1.29 ± 17.07, p = 0.042). The association of rs1802073 with TG and LDL-C profiles remained significant after adjusting for age, gender, and body mass index. Although without significance, the pre-post change in serum level of TC across rs1802073 GG/GT genotypes demonstrated a trend similar to TG and LDL, and the serum level of HDL-C demonstrated a trend opposite to TG, TC and LDL.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated that SFRP4 rs1802073 polymorphism was found to be associated with elevated serum lipid levels after acitretin treatment, and it may serve as a genetic marker of safe and precise treatment for individual psoriatic patients.
Magnetism at Depth: A View from an Ancient Continental Subduction and Collision Zone
Authors: McEnroe Suzanne A. , Robinson Peter , Church Nathan , Purucker Michael
Published: April 2018

Recent sophisticated global data compilations and magnetic surveys have been used to investigate the nature of magnetization in the lower crust and upper mantle. Two approaches to constraining magnetizations are developed, providing minimum (0.01 SI) and maximum (0.04 SI) susceptibility estimates, given some assumed thickness (15+ km here). These values are higher than are found in many continental rocks. Are there rocks deeper in the crust or upper mantle that are more magnetic than expected, or are the model assumptions incomplete? What is the magnetic behavior of deep‐crustal and upper mantle rocks, when slightly cooler than the Curie or Néel temperatures of their magnetic minerals, after being exhumed from locations of high‐grade metamorphism at greater depth? Different sets of equilibrium metamorphic minerals can be considered that would form under different conditions. Results on 1,501 samples from the Western Gneiss Region (WGR) Norway, mainly from mafic and ultramafic bodies subducted to depths of 60–200 km and temperatures of 750 up to 950°C at the very highest pressures, show that rocks did not fully equilibrate to the dominant metamorphic‐facies conditions. There is a large variation in petrophysical properties, oxide minerals, and mineral assemblages in WGR samples, though they cannot explain the broad high‐amplitude (deep‐seated) anomalies measured in this region. The presence of magnetite, and exsolved titanohematite and hemoilmenite in samples, shows those magnetic phases are preserved even at eclogite‐facies conditions, in part because complete eclogite‐facies equilibrium was rarely achieved.
The Midlatitude Positive Bay Index and the Statistics of Substorm Occurrence
Authors: McPherron Robert L. , Chu Xiangning
Published: April 2018

The auroral breakup and expansion are essential features of a magnetospheric substorm. Negative bays beneath the aurora and positive bays at midlatitudes accompany the expansion. These effects are caused by the substorm current wedge. The negative bay strength is provided by the auroral electrojet lower (AL) index. At midlatitudes the positive bay is caused by the field‐aligned currents connected to the electrojet. The midlatitude positive bay (MPB) index measures these effects. Both AL and MPB can be used to time auroral expansion onset. This work creates lists of MPB onsets and compares them with lists from other sources including onsets derived from IMAGE and Polar spacecraft and ground all‐sky camera data. The lists show that these measurements are nearly simultaneous with satellite expansion onsets. Substorms occur most frequently during the declining phase of the solar cycle, at the equinoxes, and after the passage of a stream interface in a corotating interaction region. Both MPB and SML indices reveal three substorm phases: growth, expansion, and recovery. In addition, the MPB onset list, the SML onset list, and the IMAGE auroral onset list reveal the presence of a 45‐min and a 2 3/4‐hr quasi‐periodicity in substorm occurrence. A comparison of the various lists reveals radical difference in their waiting time distributions and relatively low levels of association between events in the lists. The results suggest that none of the lists adequately capture the complexity of substorm activity and further refinements are needed in every algorithm used for onset detection.
A Novel Voltammetric Sensor Based on Reduced Graphene Oxide‐Platinum Nanohybrid‐modified Electrode for Facile and Effective Determination of 4‐Chlorophenol in Real Water Samples
Authors: Sun Qi , Li Jianmei , Le Tao , Zhang Lei
Published: April 2018

Herein, a facile and enzyme‐free CP sensor was fabricated by in situ electrochemical reduction strategy on the surface of glassy carbon electrode (GCE). Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was chose as supporting materials for the distribution of platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) to obtain improved catalytic properties. The applicability and suitability of the obtained RGO‐Pt/GCE for 4‐CP detection were also evaluated. The results indicated that the RGO‐Pt NPs modified electrode displayed much better catalysis and higher sensitivity for 4‐CP oxidation. Under optimum conditions, the oxidation peak current was proportional to 4‐CP concentration in the range from 0.1 to 500 μM with a detection limit of 51 nM. Meanwhile, it is demonstrated that the prepared sensor is also characterized by excellent feasibility, satisfactory reproducibility, good stability and high specificity. The results suggested that RGO‐Pt/GCE could be a facile, cost‐effective, and rapid tool for the prospect on‐line evaluation of 4‐CP in drinking water samples.
Docosahexaenoic acid reversed atherosclerotic changes in human endothelial cells induced by palmitic acid in vitro
Authors: Karbasforush Saeede , Nourazarian Alireza , Darabi Masoud , Rahbarghazi Reza , Khaki‐Khatibi Fatemeh , Biray Avci Çıgır , Salimi Leila , Goker Bagca Bakiye , Novin Bahador Tanaz , Rezabakhsh Aysa , Khaksar Majid
Published: April 2018

Abnormal activity of atherosclerotic endothelial cells paving luminal surface of blood vessels has been described in many diseases. It has been reported that natural polyunsaturated fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid exert therapeutic effects in atherosclerotic condition. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells were treated with 1mM palmitic acid for 48 hours and exposed to 40μM docosahexaenoic acid for the next 24 hours. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to measure the expression of PTX3, iNOS, and eNOS. The level of nitric oxide was detected by Griess reagent. The transcription level of genes participating in coagulation and blood pressure was studied by polymerase chain reaction array. Docosahexaenoic acid improved the survival rate by reducing apoptosis rate (P < .05). Compared with that of the group given palmitic acid, attenuation of proinflammatory status was indicated by reduced interleukin‐6 (P < .05) and prostaglandin E2 levels. All genes PTX3, iNOS, and eNOS were down‐regulated after being exposed to docosahexaenoic acid. Nitric oxide contents were not changed in cells exposed to docosahexaenoic acid. Polymerase chain reaction array confirmed the reduction of LPA, PDGFβ, ITGA2, SERPINE1, and FGA after exposure to docosahexaenoic acid for 24 hours (P < .05). Docosahexaenoic acid had potential to blunt atherosclerotic changes in the modulation of genes controlling blood coagulation, pressure, and platelet function.

Significance of the study

The current experiment showed that docosahexaenoic acid could reverse atherosclerotic changes in human endothelial cells induced by palmitic acid. The increased levels of interleukin‐6 and prostaglandin E2 in atherosclerotic cells were returned to near‐to‐normal status. Gene expression analysis showed a reduced activity of genes participating in atherosclerotic endothelial cells treated by docosahexaenoic acid. The expression of genes related to cell clotting activity was also similar to that of normal cells.
Hypermedia to connect them all: Autonomous hypermedia agents and socio‐technical interactions
Authors: Mayer Simon , Ciortea Andrei , Ricci Alessandro , Robles Maria Ines , Kovatsch Matthias , Croatti Angelo
Published: April 2018

Current standardization efforts of the Web of Things provide a unique opportunity to integrate technologies from the research domain of multiagent systems and the human‐computer interaction field that could take us closer to creating intuitively usable distributed artificial intelligence. In this paper, we discuss what bridges are missing between these largely detached research communities: we propose to use the Hypermedia As The Engine Of Application State principle that is at the core of the Web architecture to underpin systems that integrate multiagent planning and acting with semantic technologies and with interoperable mixed reality interfaces. This should enable the creation of highly augmented environments in private as well as commercial and industrial environments where physical and digital things coexist and interact with one another.
Quantum dot materials for improved autostereoscopic color filter display designs
Authors: Bartmann Roland , de la Barré René , Kuhlmey Mathias
Published: April 2018

In previous publications, we investigated and discussed wavelength selective autostereoscopic 3D arrangements, consisting of common LCD and RGB‐color filter barriers. We determined computed advantages of wavelength selective barriers compared with conventional barriers like lenticular and parallax barriers. An experimental demonstration showed no satisfactory results using commercial displays. The broad band wavelength spectra of backlights and filter technology resulted in high crosstalk and undesirable moiré effects. Nowadays, LCDs with quantum dot materials have come into the market and compete with OLED by improved color depth and High Dynamic Range. In this paper, we describe how to improve the characteristics of autostereoscopic displays by using quantum dot materials and show the benefits of this technology in combination with novel color filter designs.
Nucleation‐controlled dual semicrystalline morphology of polyamide 11
Authors: Jariyavidyanont Katalee , Schick Christoph , Androsch René
Published: April 2018

Crystallization of polyamide 11 at low supercooling of the melt proceeds via heterogeneous nucleation and spherulitic growth of lamellae, while at temperatures close to the glass transition homogeneous nucleation prevails, preventing spherulite formation and leading to formation of a large number of nanometer‐sized mesophase domains. It is shown that spherulitic and non‐spherulitic crystallization at low and high supercooling of the melt, respectively, can be enforced by tailoring the cooling conditions, causing a twofold semicrystalline morphology at ambient temperature. Analysis of non‐isothermal crystallization as a function of the cooling rate, using fast scanning chip calorimetry, reveals that in the case of polyamide 11 such twofold semicrystalline morphology is predicted when cooling at rates between about 20 and 200 K s−1, since then two separate crystallization events are observed. The prediction has been confirmed by preparation of films crystallized during ballistic cooling at different rates which then were analyzed regarding their structure using optical microscopy, X‐ray diffraction and calorimetry. The study is completed by discussion of implications of twofold non‐isothermal crystallization for structure evolution in polymer processing, as well as by providing information that such behavior is not only typical for polyamide 11 but also for isotactic polypropylene or poly(butylene terephthalate) as two further examples. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry