bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Age-Related Surgical Outcomes of Laminoplasty for Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy
Authors: Maeno Takafumi , Okuda Shinya , Yamashita Tomoya , Matsumoto Tomiya , Yamasaki Ryoji , Oda Takenori , Iwasaki Motoki
Published: December 2014

Study Design

Retrospective clinical study.

Objective

To investigate the age-related surgical outcomes of laminoplasty.

Methods

One hundred patients who underwent an en bloc laminoplasty for cervical spondylotic myelopathy from 2004 to 2008 and were followed for at least 1 year were included in this study. The clinical outcomes were assessed with the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score. Acquired points (postoperative JOA score minus preoperative JOA score) were also calculated. To investigate the age-related effect for laminoplasty, two analyses were conducted: (1) the correlation between age and clinical outcome; and (2) the clinical outcomes by decade. Patients were divided into four groups according to their age at the time of operation as follows: group 50s, 50 to 59 years old; group 60s, 60 to 69 years; group 70s, 70 to 79 years; and group 80s, 80 to 89 years. The pre- and postoperative JOA scores, acquired points, preoperative comorbidities, and postoperative complications were then compared among the groups.

Results

Significant correlations were detected between age and JOA scores at the preoperative ( p = 0.03), postoperative maximum ( p < 0.0001), and final assessments ( p < 0.0001). An age-related decline of JOA scores was observed over all periods. The analysis by decades showed the same results. On the other hand, the significant differences were not found for acquired points over all periods by either method. The preoperative comorbidities of hypertension and diabetes mellitus increased with age. Delirium was more common postoperatively in elderly patients.

Conclusions

Although an age-related decline of JOA scores was found over all periods, there were no severe sequelae and no differences in the acquired points that were age-related.
On the physics of fizziness: How bubble bursting controls droplets ejection
Authors: Ghabache Elisabeth , Antkowiak Arnaud , Josserand Christophe , Séon Thomas
Published: December 2014

Bubbles at a free surface usually burst in ejecting myriads of droplets. Focusing on the bubble bursting jet, prelude for these aerosols, we propose a simple scaling for the jet velocity and we unravel experimentally the intricate roles of bubble shape, capillary waves, gravity, and liquid properties. We demonstrate that droplets ejection unexpectedly changes with liquid properties. In particular, using damping action of viscosity, self-similar collapse can be sheltered from capillary ripples and continue closer to the singular limit, therefore producing faster and smaller droplets. These results pave the road to the control of the bursting bubble aerosols.
(In,Mn)As multilayer quantum dot structures
Authors: Bouravleuv Alexei , Sapega Victor , Nevedomskii Vladimir , Khrebtov Artem , Samsonenko Yuriy , Cirlin George
Published: December 2014

(In,Mn)As multilayer quantum dots structures were grown by molecular beam epitaxy using a Mn selective doping of the central parts of quantum dots. The study of the structural and magneto-optical properties of the samples with three and five layers of (In,Mn)As quantum dots has shown that during the quantum dots assembly, the out-diffusion of Mn from the layers with (In,Mn)As quantum dots can occur resulting in the formation of the extended defects. To produce a high quality structures using the elaborated technique of selective doping, the number of (In,Mn)As quantum dot layers should not exceed three.
Contact kinematics of biomimetic scales
Authors: Ghosh Ranajay , Ebrahimi Hamid , Vaziri Ashkan
Published: December 2014

Dermal scales, prevalent across biological groups, considerably boost survival by providing multifunctional advantages. Here, we investigate the nonlinear mechanical effects of biomimetic scale like attachments on the behavior of an elastic substrate brought about by the contact interaction of scales in pure bending using qualitative experiments, analytical models, and detailed finite element (FE) analysis. Our results reveal the existence of three distinct kinematic phases of operation spanning linear, nonlinear, and rigid behavior driven by kinematic interactions of scales. The response of the modified elastic beam strongly depends on the size and spatial overlap of rigid scales. The nonlinearity is perceptible even in relatively small strain regime and without invoking material level complexities of either the scales or the substrate.
Multi-level coupled cluster theory
Authors: Myhre Rolf H. , Sánchez de Merás Alfredo M. J. , Koch Henrik
Published: December 2014

We present a general formalism where different levels of coupled cluster theory can be applied to different parts of the molecular system. The system is partitioned into subsystems by Cholesky decomposition of the one-electron Hartree-Fock density matrix. In this way the system can be divided across chemical bonds without discontinuities arising. The coupled cluster wave function is defined in terms of cluster operators for each part and these are determined from a set of coupled equations. The total wave function fulfills the Pauli-principle across all borders and levels of electron correlation. We develop the associated response theory for this multi-level coupled cluster theory and present proof of principle applications. The formalism is an essential tool in order to obtain size-intensive complexity in the calculation of local molecular properties.
Single-layer MoSe2 based NH3 gas sensor
Authors: Late Dattatray J. , Doneux Thomas , Bougouma Moussa
Published: December 2014

High performance chemical sensor is highly desirable to detect traces of toxic gas molecules. Two dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDC) semiconducting materials has attracted as high performance gas sensor device applications due to unique properties such as high surface to volume ratio. Here, we describe the utilization of single-layer MoSe2 as high-performance room temperature NH3 gas sensors. Our single-layer MoSe2 based gas sensor device shows comprehensible detection of NH3 gas down to 50 ppm. We also confirmed gas sensing measurement by recording the Raman spectra before and after exposing the device to NH3 gas, which subsequently shows the shift due to charger transfer and analyte gas molecule adsorption on surface of single-layer MoSe2 nanosheet. Our investigations show the potential use of single-layer and few layer thick MoSe2 and other TMDC as high-performance gas sensors.
Hole mobility in Ge/Si core/shell nanowires: What could be the optimum?
Authors: Li Jing , Jomaa Narjes , Niquet Yann-Michel , Said Moncef , Delerue Christophe
Published: December 2014

Recent experimental works have shown that Ge/Si core/shell nanowires (NWs) are very attractive for nanoelectronics and for low-temperature quantum devices, thanks to the confinement of holes in the Ge core. Reported hole mobilities of the order of 200 cm2/V/s are promising for high-performance field-effect transistors. However, we demonstrate that mobilities more than ten times higher, up to 8000 cm2/V/s, could be reached in Ge/Si NWs. Atomistic calculations reveal the considerable influence of the strains induced by the Si shell on the hole transport, whatever the NW orientation. The enhancement of electron-phonon interactions by confinement, which usually degrades the mobility in NWs, is therefore outbalanced by the effect of strains.
Twin superlattice-induced large surface recombination velocity in GaAs nanostructures
Authors: Sheng Chunyang , Brown Evan , Shimojo Fuyuki , Nakano Aiichiro
Published: December 2014

Semiconductor nanowires (NWs) often contain a high density of twin defects that form a twin superlattice, but its effects on electronic properties are largely unknown. Here, nonadiabatic quantum molecular dynamics simulation shows unique surface electronic states at alternating (111)A and (111)B sidewall surfaces of a twinned [111]-oriented GaAs NW, which act as effective charge-recombination centers. The calculated large surface recombination velocity quantitatively explains recent experimental observations and provides microscopic understanding of the underlying surface-recombination processes.
Continuous electrowetting at the low concentration electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor junction
Authors: Arscott Steve
Published: December 2014

Electrowetting (EW) has applications including displays, microactuation, miniaturized chemistry, adaptive optics, and energy harvesting—understanding the physics of EW junctions is of key importance. Here, the roles of semiconductor space-charge and electric double layer in continuous EW at an electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor junction are considered. A model is formulated in terms of experimental parameters—applied voltage, zero-bias wetting contact angle, semiconductor type and doping, insulator thickness and dielectric constant, and electrolyte concentration and dielectric constant. The model predicts, and experiments indicate, that the EW behavior is diminished for low concentration solutions (∼1–10 nM) and lowly doped silicon (1014–1015 cm−3).
Terahertz surface emission from Cu2ZnSnSe4 thin film photovoltaic material excited by femtosecond laser pulses
Authors: Zhao Zhenyu , Niehues Gudrun , Funkner Stefan , Estacio Elmer , Han Qifeng , Yamamoto Kohji , Zhang Jingtao , Shi Wangzhou , Guo Qixin , Tani Masahiko
Published: December 2014

We observed efficient terahertz (THz) emission from sol-gel grown Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) thin films using THz time domain spectroscopy technique. The THz emission bandwidth exceeds 2 THz with a dynamic range of 20 dB in the amplitude spectrum. The THz emission amplitude from CZTSe is found to be independent of external magnetic fields. Comparing the polarity of THz emission waveforms of CZTSe and GaAs, we suggest that the acceleration of photo-carriers in the surface accumulation layer of CZTSe is the dominant mechanism of radiation emission. Optical excitation fluence dependence measurements show that the saturation fluence of the CZTSe thin film reaches 1.48 μJ/cm2.
Self-assembled magnetic nanospheres with three-dimensional magnetic vortex
Authors: Kim Min-Kwan , Dhak Prasanta , Lee Ha-Youn , Lee Jae-Hyeok , Yoo Myoung-Woo , Lee Jehyun , Jin Kyoungsuk , Chu Arim , Nam Ki Tae , Park Hyun Soon , Aizawa Shinji , Tanigaki Toshiaki , Shindo Daisuke , Kim Miyoung , Kim Sang-Koog
Published: December 2014

We report the electron holography images of spin configurations in peculiar assemblies of soft magnetic nanoparticles in single-, double-, triple-, or quadruple-sphere geometrical arrangements, in which each particle has a three-dimensional (3D) magnetic-vortex structure. Micromagnetic numerical calculations reveal that the uniqueness of the nanoparticles' 3D vortex structure plays a crucial role in their assembly, especially in terms of the contrasting contributions of the exchange and dipolar interactions to their binding energies. The results represent physical insights into the assembly of 3D-vortex-structure magnetic nanoparticles in different geometrical configurations and offer a practical means of controlling those assemblies.
Carrier thermalization under stimulated emission in In0.17Ga0.83N epilayer at room temperature
Authors: Shang Z. J. , Zheng X. H. , Yang C. , Chen Y. , Li B. , Sun L. , Tang Z. , Zhao D. G.
Published: December 2014

We elucidate a strong room temperature stimulated emission (SE) of In0.17Ga0.83N epilayer grown by molecular beam epitaxy under the subpicosecond pulse excitation. The SE peak at 428 nm emerges on the higher energy side of the spontaneous emission in photoluminescence spectra when the excitation density exceeds the threshold of ∼3.68 mJ/cm2. Nondegenerate transient differential reflectivity measurements show that a multi-stage carrier thermalization from excited states to localized edge states and stimulated emission dominate the decay processes of photogenerated carriers under various excitation densities. Our results indicate that the existence of phonon bottleneck effect could result in a slow thermalization process in the InGaN material even under the condition of stimulated emission.
Structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of single MnAs nanoclusters in GaAs
Authors: Smakman E. P. , Mauger S. , Rench D. W. , Samarth N. , Koenraad P. M.
Published: December 2014

MnAs nanoclusters in GaAs were investigated with cross-sectional scanning tunneling microscopy. The topographic images reveal that the small clusters have the same zinc-blende crystal structure as the host material, while the larger clusters grow in a hexagonal crystal phase. The initial Mn concentration during molecular beam epitaxy growth has a strong influence on the size of the clusters that form during the annealing step. The local band structure of a single MnAs cluster is probed with scanning tunneling spectroscopy, revealing a Coulomb blockade effect that correlates with the size of the cluster. With a spin-sensitive tip, for the smaller clusters, superparamagnetic switching between two distinct states is observed at T = 77 K. The larger clusters do not change their magnetic state at this temperature, i.e., they are superferromagnetic, confirming that they are responsible for the ferromagnetic behavior of this material at room-temperature.
Comparative efficacies of six different media for cryopreservation of immature buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) calf testis
Authors: Devi Lalitha , Makala Himesh , Pothana Lavanya , Nirmalkar Khemlal , Goel Sandeep
Published: December 2014

Buffalo calves have a high mortality rate (~80%) in commercial dairies and testis cryopreservation can provide a feasible option for the preservation of germplasm from immature males that die before attaining sexual maturity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate combinations of 10 or 20% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) with 0, 20 or 80% fetal bovine serum (FBS) for cryopreservation of immature buffalo testicular tissues, subjected to uncontrolled slow freezing. Tissues cryopreserved in 20% DMSO with 20% FBS (D20S20) showed total, tubular and interstitial cell viability, number of early apoptotic and DNA-damaged cells, surviving germ and proliferating cells and expression of testicular cell-specific proteins (POU class 5 homeobox (POU5F1), vimentin (VIM) and actin α2 (ACTA2)) similar to that of fresh cultured control (FCC; P > 0.05). Expression of cytochrome P450, family 11, subfamily A (CYP11A1) protein and testosterone assay showed that only tissues cryopreserved in D20S20 had Leydig cells and secretory functions identical to that of FCC (P > 0.05). High expression of superoxide dismutase2 (SOD2), cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRBP) and RNA-binding motif protein3 (RBM3) proteins in cryopreserved tissues indicated involvement of cell signalling pathways regulating cellular protective mechanisms. Similarity in expression of pro-apoptosis proteins transcription factor tumour protein P53 (TP53) and BCL2-associated X protein (BAX) in D20S20 cryopreserved tissues to that of FCC (P > 0.05) suggested lower apoptosis and DNA damage as key reasons for superior cryopreservation.
A revision of Olearia section Asterotriche (Asteraceae: Asterae)
Authors: Messina Andre , Walsh Neville G. , Hoebee Susan E. , Green Peter T.
Published: December 2014

Recent molecular work on Olearia s.l. has not supported current generic or sectional concepts, instead identifying two major lineages loosely based on distribution. Further work is required to adequately circumscribe Olearia s.s. The present study aimed to determine the monophyly of Australian stellate-haired species of Olearia. Using four molecular regions (ITS, psbA–trnH, rpl32–trnL and matK) sequenced from 27 species, Australian stellate-haired taxa were confirmed as monophyletic. Accordingly, Olearia section Asterotriche is redefined here to include only Australian species. This section is one of the few confirmed natural groups in Olearia. Section Asterotriche is closely associated with, but does not include, the type species of Olearia, O. tomentosa (J.C.Wendl.) DC. Given this close association to the type, section Asterotriche should be retained within Olearia, pending further research that would justify any future changes. This manuscript concludes with a monograph of section Asterotriche, in it six new subspecies are described and nine taxa are lectotypified.
Beyond interfaces
Authors: Gómez Soler Inmaculada
Published: December 2014

By analyzing the empirical data from two experiments that test Spanish psych-verb properties (e.g.gustar‘to like’), this article assesses the empirical adequacy of the Interface Hypothesis (IH), which claims that external interfaces (i.e. interfaces between a linguistic module and a cognitive module) are more problematic for learners than internal interfaces/narrow syntax (Sorace & Filiaci, 2006; Sorace, 2011;inter alia). Because my findings were inconsistent with the IH (i.e. target-like pragmatics knowledge can precede syntactic awareness of the same construction), I turned to the Integrative Model of Bilingual Acquisition (Pires & Rothman, 2011), which accounts for non-native divergence by resorting to the interplay of a series of factors (i.e. formal complexity, L1-L2 parameter mapping, processing resources, and PLD). This more articulated model is not only able to account for the patterns in these experiments but it also constitutes a more integrated explanation for the intricacies of the acquisition process.
Errores fónicos de producción en español/L2
Authors: Canales Ana Blanco , Nogueroles López Marta F.
Published: December 2014

This article is aimed to present a proposal for the categorization of phonic errors, which has been developed within the project AACFELE, with the objective of studying the Phonics component in depth. Throughout these pages we intend to display both the theoretical framework in which the proposal has been formulated and the criteria which have been followed. We will describe the different sections and subsections of the classification and illustrate each one of them with examples of phonic mistakes made by native speakers of eleven distinct languages. Our main goal is to provide a tool for analysis that makes it possible to describe, categorize and tag, uniformly, any type of phonic error in such a way that the outcomes obtained with prospective studies, apart from being comparable, will contribute to valid hypothesis formulation. We hope that it will promote further studies in order to embrace both error analysis and interlanguage from a multidimensional perspective.
Competing constraints on the variable placement of direct object clitics in Mexico City Spanish
Authors: Schwenter Scott A. , Torres Cacoullos Rena
Published: December 2014

We utilize variationist methodology to explore the conventionalization and pragmatics of 3rd person direct object clitic placement in Spanish periphrastic constructions. Analysis of 652 tokens extracted from three Mexico City speech corpora indicates that while proclitic position is the majority variant, the rate of enclitic position depends on particular [finite + non-finite verb] constructions, distinguished by frequency measures and more grammaticalized meanings. At the same time, enclisis is favored by propositional or non-referential direct objects and by direct objects of low topic persistence, measured by subsequent mentions. In contrast, proclitic position is favored more by inanimate than human referents, especially those that show topic persistence and whose previous mention was in the syntactic role of direct object in the same or preceding clause. These quantitative patterns suggest that proclisis indicates prototypical DOs in non-prototypical use, i.e. topical inanimates. Thus, despite conventionalization of the general proclitic schema, particular constructions and semantic-pragmatic considerations are operative factors in the variation.
Intersubjective evidentials in Yurakaré
Authors: Gipper Sonja
Published: December 2014

This paper argues that evidentials in Yurakaré (Bolivia, isolate) have an intersubjective dimension in that they do not only express the speaker’s information source, but also convey the speaker’s assumptions about the addressee’s perspective on the information. To describe these intersubjective evidentials, an analysis is proposed in terms of a relation between speaker and addressee and two propositions, the expressed proposition and the proposition which constitutes evidence for it. Evidence from conversational data is presented to support the intersubjective analysis of the Yurakaré evidentials. Comparing Yurakaré to two other languages, South Conchucos Quechua (Hintz 2007) and Southeastern Tepehuan (Willett 1991), it is suggested that there are at least two types of intersubjective evidentials. Evidentials of the first type have different forms contrasting in terms of intersubjectivity within evidential types (South Conchucos Quechua, Southeastern Tepehuan), while those of the second type have specific intersubjective components without such a contrast (Yurakaré).
Pinctada fucata mantle gene 4 (PFMG4) from pearl oyster mantle enhances osteoblast differentiation
Authors: Wang Xiaoyan , Harimoto Kenichi , Fuji Ryosuke , Liu Jing , Li Liyuan , Wang Pan , Akaike Toshihiro , Wang Zhao
Published: December 2014

The organic matrix of nacre has been reported for its effect on osteogenesis. It was found that PFMG4 (Pinctada fucata mantle gene 4) with an N-terminal signal peptide could be secreted into nacre of Pinctada fucata (P. fucata). Here, we report that PFMG4 is highly expressed in mantle tissue and has high homology with C1q protein in different species. In MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cells, we found that highly expressed PFMG4 could suppress cell proliferation and type I collagen expression, but it could increase alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralized deposition. These results show that PFMG4 has potential ability in enhancing osteoblast differentiation, suggesting a new idea in developing medicine for the therapy of osteoporosis.
What can we learn about immediate memory from the development of children's free recall?
Authors: Jarrold Christopher , Hall Debbora , Harvey Caroline E. , Tam Helen , Towse John N. , Zarandi Amy L.
Published: December 2014

We ask the question: Which aspects of immediate memory performance improve with age? In two studies, we reexamine the widely held view that primary memory capacity estimates derived from children's immediate free recall are age invariant. This was done by assessing children's immediate free-recall accuracy while also measuring the order in which they elected to recall items (Experiment 1) and by encouraging children to begin free recall with items from towards the end of the presented list (Experiment 2). Across samples aged between 5 and 8 years we replicated the previously reported age-related changes in free-recall serial position functions when aggregated across all trials of the standard task, including an absence of age differences in the recency portion of this curve. However, we also show that this does not reflect the fact that primary memory capacity is constant across age. Instead, when we incorporate order of report information, clear age differences are evident in the recall of list-final items that are output at the start of a participant's response. In addition, the total amount that individuals recalled varied little across different types of free-recall tasks. These findings have clear implications for the use of immediate free recall as a means of providing potential indices of primary memory capacity and in the study of the development of immediate memory.
Miklós Müller: The deep history of eukaryotic metabolism
Authors: Sedwick Caitlin
Published: December 2014

Müller initiated the comparative analysis of metabolic pathways in anaerobic eukaryotes.
Sponsorship Statement
Authors: Désy N
Published: December 2014

The 27th IAHR Symposium on Hydraulic Machinery and Systems benefits from the generous support of the following sponsors:

Andritz

SNC

ALSTOM

VOITH

HYDRO-QUÉBEC

AECOM

École Polytechnique Montréal

Hatch

École de Technologie Supérieure

Exp

BBA

Université Laval

Brookfield

Ressources Naturelles Québec

Tourisme Montréal
Organizing Committee
Authors: Désy N
Published: December 2014

Details of the organising committee can be viewed in the pdf.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Care
Authors: Kölch Michael , Fegert Jörg M. , Schulze Ulrike M.E.
Published: December 2014

In child and adolescent mental health care, the competing goals of protecting young people as a vulnerable population and their increasing legal autonomy constitute a specific ethical problem. Improving care, assessment, and treatment interventions requires research. Research that includes this vulnerable underage population has to be minimally burdensome and harmful and requires the informed consent of both children and parents. Therefore, adherence to evidence-based interventions and weighing the risks and benefits of interventions are of utmost importance in child and adolescent psychiatry. While access to mental health care can vary widely, it is crucial for at-risk populations such as children from families of low socioeconomic status, children of the mentally ill, and, in particular, children in youth welfare systems.
Safety Monitoring and Withdrawal of Psychiatric Research Participants
Authors: Pivovarova Ekaterina , Candilis Philip J.
Published: December 2014

This chapter examines how clinical investigators ensure the safety of psychiatric research participants while maintaining the integrity of research protocols. It discusses the ethical issues arising from data monitoring, disclosure of interim data, and termination of clinical trials. It outlines unique features of psychiatric research and related cultural issues that may warrant consideration before and during clinical trials. It focuses on the Data Safety Monitoring Boards (DSMBs) overseeing clinical trials their development of detailed plans for monitoring safety and protocol adherence. It looks at the use of statistical programs by DSMBs to document the progression of research studies and make early termination decisions; whether DSMBs actually improve the safety of participants or the integrity of research; how independent DSMBs are; and the factors that DSMBs consider when terminating a trial. Cultural issues involved in clinical trials and challenges that may compromise the neutrality and function of DSMBs are analyzed.
Professional Boundaries in Psychiatric Practice
Authors: Gabbard Glen O. , Crisp-Han Holly , Hobday Gabrielle S.
Published: December 2014

Professional boundaries refer to the “edge” or limit of appropriate behavior in the clinical setting. The fundamental ethical principal involved is respect for the patient’s dignity and autonomy. Because there is a potential for exploitation of the patient due to the power differential and asymmetry between psychiatrist and patient, the following dimensions of the treatment frame must be considered: location, time, behavior, language, dress, confidentiality, self-disclosure, money and gifts, dual relationships, and physical/sexual contact. Context is crucially important in assessing professional boundaries. Hence, relatively benign boundary crossings must be differentiated from exploitative boundary violations. Preventive strategies, such as education, self-monitoring, and regular consultation should be part of the practice of all clinicians. The domain of the Internet is a recent context that has emerged, and psychiatrists must now be attuned to boundary issues in cyberspace.
The Archaeology of Early Modern South East Asia
Authors: Stark Miriam T.
Published: December 2014

South East Asians in the early modern period (c.1450–1800) embraced technological innovations and novel ideas that crossed their paths. The fifteenth century ushered in the collapse of large empires and the rise of local craft industries; multi-ethnic diasporic communities developed in port cities; and standardized currencies structured local economies. Europeans entered this world in search of luxury goods and precious metals—in two centuries they would colonize most of the region. Although most historians explain the emergence of South East Asia’s ‘Age of Commerce’ through external factors, indigenous documents and archaeological information from this period offer insights on internal dynamics that contributed to region-wide transformations. Two objectives structure this chapter: to assess the range of issues that archaeological research has raised, challenged, or refuted, and to weave historical and archaeological threads into a series of themes that might guide future archaeological research on the period 1450–1850.
Empire, Place, and the Victorians
Authors: Brantlinger Patrick
Published: December 2014

The essay surveys the different meanings of ‘place’ in relation to the local and the global. Regarding England and empire, ‘place’ often evokes nostalgia for ‘home, sweet home’, but can just as easily refer to entire continents. ‘Place’ can also be a temporal term; Darwin and other scientists introduced the concept of geological, evolutionary time, for example. And it can involve an individual’s or group’s location on a hierarchy of gender, race, and social class: the Victorian English liked to think they belonged to the ‘imperial race’, the ‘Anglo-Saxons’.
Numerical Symbols
Authors: Holloway Ian D. , Ansari Daniel
Published: December 2014

Human culture is founded upon an understanding of mathematics. Mathematics, in turn, is built upon a basic competency for abstracting and symbolizing numerical information. Although cognitive science has made great strides in the characterization of human knowledge, the understanding and use of numerical symbols remains largely unexplored. In this chapter we synthesize the current scientific understanding of numerical symbol processing using a synthesis of behavioral and neuroscientific findings. In particular, the chapter focuses on two interrelated topics: the processing of the semantics of numerical symbols and the processing of numerical symbols as audio-visual percepts. We conclude by proposing several avenues of inquiry about numerical symbols that can be traversed by future researchers.
Computer-assisted Interventions on Basic Number Skills
Authors: Räsänen Pekka
Published: December 2014

Computer-assisted interventions (CAI) on basic number skills have been studied over the last 70 years. The technical development from large, room-sized, mainframe computers to handhelds is revising the school pedagogy in a similar fashion to what school books once did. Computers provide a tool for delivering instruction, but still the contents of CAI have followed on the ruling pedagogical trends of the time. The basic models of repetitive practice to gain arithmetic fluency and problem solving–oriented discovery learning can be found from CAI on numerical skills. The increasing knowledge about educational neuroscience has not changed these models, but turned the attention to the details in the types of numerical stimuli used in training. During these 70 years, there has been a prolific increase in the amount and quality of studies on CAI, but a declining trend in the effectiveness. The charm of novelty is transforming to a daily tool for learning.
Environmental and Climate Change Issues in Africa
Authors: Sudo Tomonori
Published: December 2014

Africa’s environmental capital is an asset for African people. However, Africa’s ecological footprint is increasing and is close to exceeding the continent’s biocapacity. Therefore, shifting to “green growth” is an option to achieve sustainable development, and Africa is well placed to generate benefits from existing environmental capital and latecomer’s advantage. One challenge is how to realize the conversion of environmental capital value into economic value. The valuation of environmental goods and services is a challenge. However, Africa faces the risk of global environmental problems, such as climate change. Even though Africa’s greenhouse gas emissions are limited compared to developed countries and emerging economies, climate change may have a more severe impact. Although the scale and impact of climate change is uncertain, it will lead to the loss of accumulated developmental benefit for Africa. This issue has been long debated, but no best solution has been identified, so further studies are necessary.
The Political Economy of the New Arab Awakening
Authors: Nabli Mustapha Kamel , Ben Hammouda Hakim
Published: December 2014

This chapter provides a broad perspective and a comprehensive view about the origins and causes of the New Arab Awakening. In order to understand the Arab Spring—or New Arab Awakening—it needs to be placed within the long historical context of political and economic developments at least since the 1950s, the post-independence era. It reviews the various phases of Arab development going from the initial post-independence authoritarian bargain, to the modified social contract from the 1980s to the end of the 1990s, and the accumulation of vulnerabilities of the authoritarian regimes in the 2000s. An analogy is used with financial crises and distinguishes between fundamental vulnerabilities and immediate triggers as a means to understand recent events. Also provided is a short review of the economic and political reasons behind the failures of the Arab development model which led to the demise of the authoritarian political regimes.
Poverty
Authors: Shimeles Abebe
Published: December 2014

Growth has been high and widespread in the last decade in Africa. Whether this shift in Africa’s fortune has impacted poverty has been a subject of controversy. This chapter brings into focus recent evidence on the pace of poverty reduction in Africa and addresses the question of whether Africa is too poor to grow. The findings points to credible evidence that poverty has declined significantly since the 1990s but at a lesser speed than growth in per capita GDP. More importantly, global poverty tends to respond much more strongly to shifts in sector of employment, particularly to increase in employment in the industrial sector, than to increase in mean income. In Africa the closing of the gap in living standars between a large traditional and informal sector and a dynamic modern sector will remain the most effective way to achieve poverty reduction. Challenges of structural transformation and its attendant benefits are discussed using emerging thinking on industrial policies to achieve inclusive growth in Africa.
Analyzing American Political Development as It Happens
Authors: Skocpol Theda
Published: December 2014

Historical institutional scholars can analyze politics as it happens, not just developments long past. A powerful theoretical approach should give clear guidance about questions worth asking and pinpoint factors that need to be taken into account to explain current and possible future developments. Historical institutional analysis stresses timing and sequence, institutional contexts, and policy feedbacks – factors that are crucial for deciphering immediately unfolding political transformations. To illustrate the point, this chapter dissects the early Obama presidency, examining why its reformist goals succeeded in some policy areas but fell short in others. In addition, the chapter explores how and why the Tea Party erupted and pushed the Republican Party further to the extreme right during the Obama presidency
Honesty and Integrity in Econometrics
Authors: Mayer Thomas
Published: December 2014

After considering the appropriate definitions of honesty and integrity the chapter uses a framework of behavioral economics to discuss plagiarism, its payoff, its frequency, and its risks. It then discusses outright fraud, that is, the making up of alleged results out of thin air. But its main emphasis is on econometricians distorting their findings either for material gain, or to support their biases, or else to make their work seem more impressive. It discusses ways of doing this, such as biased data mining and misusing significance tests, and also ways by which such maneuvers could be reduced. The picture that emerges is that lack of integrity is a more serious problem in econometrics than is widely assumed.
Southeast Asia
Authors: Lim Lisa
Published: December 2014

This chapter provides an areal profile of Englishes in Southeast Asia (SEA), focusing on the three core Outer Circle varieties, namely Singapore English, Malaysian English, and Philippine English, outlining the historical and sociolinguistic contexts for their evolution, and highlighting substrate influence in the contact dynamics of their multilingual ecologies. Common features of phonology and grammar, and particles and mixed codes are illustrated. The article also goes beyond the three core SEA Englishes to consider (i) the situations of the other SEA countries, considered in the Expanding Circle, but where English is spreading more widely and swiftly than before; (ii) the feature of tone, so far only documented in SgE, but, given SEA’s tone-language ecologies, with the potential of becoming a feature characteristic of the region; and (iii) current social and economic developments in SEA which have implications for the social fabric, the ecology, and the evolving varieties of English.
Emerging Adulthood Brain Development
Authors: Taber-Thomas Bradley , Pérez-Edgar Koraly
Published: December 2014

Emerging adulthood (EA) is marked by a prolonged developmental transition to adulthood, dynamic personal and environmental circumstances, and unique patterns of vulnerability to psychological dysfunction. Neurodevelopment in childhood and adolescence has been studied extensively, but EA has not yet received its due attention from developmental cognitive neuroscience. The existing evidence shows that neurodevelopment continues throughout EA in support of emerging adult roles. The data suggest a frontolimbic fine-tuning model of brain development in EA that holds that adult functions are promoted through the strengthening of prefrontal regulation of limbic function and a newly emerging balance between prefrontal subregions involved in modulating approach and avoidance. Considering the overlap between these neurodevelopmental processes and the peak incidence of numerous psychological disorders in EA, it seems that individual differences in the dynamics of emerging adulthood neurodevelopment may not only underlie differences in functioning, but also risk for psychological disorder.
Emotions as Agents of Social Influence
Authors: van Kleef Gerben
Published: December 2014

Emotion is part and parcel of social influence. The emotions people feel shape the ways in which they respond to persuasion attempts, and the emotions people express influence other individuals who observe those expressions. This chapter is concerned with the latter type of emotional influence. Such interpersonal effects of emotional expressions are quite different from the traditionally studied intrapersonal effects of emotional experience. This calls for a new theoretical approach that is dedicated specifically to understanding the interpersonal effects of emotional expressions. I summarize emotions as social information (EASI) theory, which posits that emotional expressions shape social influence by triggering affective reactions and/or inferential processes in observers, depending on the observer’s information processing and the perceived appropriateness of the emotional expression. I review supportive evidence from various domains of social influence, including negotiation, leadership, attitude change, compliance, and conformity in groups. Differences and commonalities with traditional intrapersonal frameworks are discussed.
Negotiating the Tensions of U.S. Worship Music in the Marketplace
Authors: Nekola Anna E.
Published: December 2014

This chapter traces the theological and marketing currents that since the late 1990s have characterized “worship” as “lifestyle,” moving “worship” from the collective and noncommercial domain of church into a set of commodities, including music, that can be purchased and consumed individually in private domains, like one’s car or house. It identifies a tension within evangelical discussions of this trend, in which some commentators see the trend as a “worship awakening,” and others see it as a threat to the authority of the church and to individual faith. The chapter argues that this trend suggests new nuances, shifts, and overlaps in the relationship between “sacred” and “secular” within American evangelicalism—shifts scholars of religion must be careful to observe, rather than oversimplifying or reifying the sacred-secular binary.
Transparent and Unique Sovereign Default Risk Assessment
Authors: Altman Edward I. , Rijken Herbert A.
Published: December 2014

This chapter describes a novel, bottom-up approach for assessing the default risk of both sovereign governments and corporate issuers. Known as Z-Metrics™, the method is practical and effective for estimating sovereign risk. A logical extension of the Altman Z-Score technique that was introduced in 1968, Z-Metrics emphasizes the financial condition, profitability, and solvency of a nation’s private sector, including banks and nonfinancial firms. The chapter first considers financial crises to provide some historical perspective before reviewing the academic and practitioner literature on sovereign risk, particularly those studies that test the predictability of sovereign defaults and crises. It then introduces the Z-Metrics system for estimating the probability of default for individual (nonfinancial) companies and evaluates the effectiveness of calculating the median and 75th percentile company five-year probability of default of the sovereign’s nonfinancial corporate sector.
Governance Transparency and the Institutions of Capitalism
Authors: Aggarwal Raj , Goodell John W.
Published: December 2014

This chapter explores the relationship between governance transparency and institutions of capitalism. It considers two major components of governance transparency in a country: disclosure regarding self-dealing and disclosure regarding ultimate corporate ownership. It also examines the effects of governance transparency on some of the fundamental mechanisms of capitalism, including transaction costs and the institutions of business exchange. Some evidence of the importance of governance transparency in the structure of capital markets is presented. The chapter reviews how governance transparency is measured and how it influences the culture of equity, the cost of equity, participation in stock markets, and a nation’s financial architecture.
Accounting Transparency and International Standard Setting
Authors: Gray Sidney J. , Kang Helen
Published: December 2014

This chapter explores accounting transparency as an important aspect of corporate accountability. After defining accounting transparency and identifying factors that influence it, the chapter considers the debate between providers and users of accounting information on how transparent accounting information should be defined, measured, and reported. It also discusses the roles of international standard-setting organizations in promoting accounting transparency as well as measures of accounting transparency, including disclosure level and market reactions. Finally, it looks at future prospects for setting international accounting standards, paying particular attention to International Financial Reporting Standards.
Continental Approaches to Animals and Animality
Authors: Acampora Ralph
Published: December 2014

This chapter surveys the constellation of recent contributions to animal studies from Continental European quarters of philosophy and theory. The first section treats existentialist and phenomenological approaches (e.g., Levinas’ account of face-to-face encounter, Hart’s emphasis on relationships and community, and Acampora’s notion of symphysis or somatic sympathy), the second treats poststructural hermeneutic and deconstructive ones (e.g., Deleuze and Guattari’s rhizomatic account of becoming and Derrida’s treatment of theoretical animality and an actual animal), and the final section relates these perspectives to Anglophonic analyses of animal studies/ethics (including normative ethics, moral psychology, and metaethics) and interprets the posthumanist upshot of Continental reflections thereon (which takes us well and truly beyond anthropocentrism).
What Was It Like to Be a Cow?
Authors: Fudge Erica
Published: December 2014

This chapter outlines where the history of animals is now, and suggests where it and the historiographical issues raised by the inclusion of animals in a study of the past might go in the future. The chapter traces shifts in the idea that animals recorded in textual documentation are always and only human representations, looks at the potential for animals to be historical agents and at the questions of animal agency and the possibility of recovering an animal’s point of view in historical work using the findings of animal welfare science. It also engages with the nature of the documents available to historians of animals, and uses some contemporary theoretical work—particularly that of Vinciane Despret—to think about new ways of engaging with the intraspecific and interspecific encounters of animals and humans in history.
Interspecies Dialogue and Animal Ethics
Authors: Donovan Josephine
Published: December 2014

Most contemporary theories of animal ethics fail to respond to and incorporate the expressed viewpoint of animals in their analyses. Feminist care theory, by contrast, holds that the standpoint of animals must be at the heart of any theorizing about their treatment. We humans must listen to what animals are telling us and formulate our ethical responses accordingly. Major authorities on animal behavior, from Darwin and von Uexküll to contemporary cognitive ethologists, have established that through caring and sympathetic attention and interspecies dialogue animal communications can be readily understood. Feminist care theory contends that we are ethically obliged to heed those communications and to act responsively. We should not harm, kill, eat, torture, and exploit animals because they do not wish to be so treated.