bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The passion plays of celebrity culture
Authors: Redmond Sean
Published: October 2015

If there is a cultural arena today where passion plays a central and heightened role, then it is in the affecting and textural operations of celebrity. Celebrity representations are crafted out of passionate aesthetic signifiers and impassioned pleas to the senses, to the emotions and to the exaggerations of feeling that the consumer or fan is asked to register and then fully embody. Celebrity culture attempts to turn one into a passionate creature, ruled by the heart, lost in a sea of desires and desiring wants and needs, as the adoring figure that moves us, moves intimately before us. Such passions can and do go unrequited, of course; some are resisted and rejected, and some celebrity passions register as fully carnal and liberating encounters. That is to say, the plays of celebrity passion serve (hetero) normative and policed accounts of feeling and belonging in the world, fuel a desire for commodity objects and material possessions, and yet also open up the possibility for engagements that are violent, liberal and unregulated. In this article, I will explore the ways in which celebrity culture engages with passion and through the idea of it involving a modern form of the passion play. Following Lauren Berlant, I will argue that the passion ignited by the celebrity works to contain and regulate desire, and yet also offers up the opportunity for sensorial engagements that violate and resist the normative terms of desiring. I will suggest celebrity figures are themselves caught up in this passion play, suffering and feeling deeply at the same time, while channelling this violent crisis to their fans as they do so. Finally, I will write the article passionately, from an impassioned perspective, measuring and weighting my own desires in the contradictions and tensions of passion as they emerge in the body of the writer before you. This article is part of a themed issue entitled ‘Passion’.
Protective Factors Against Child Victimization in the School and Community: An Exploratory Systematic Review of Longitudinal Predictors and Interacting Variables
Authors: Jackson Vicki , Chou Shihning , Browne Kevin
Published: October 2015

Protective factors against the victimization of children and young people within the school and community environments (extrafamilial victimization) have received less attention than risk factors. To date, there has been no systematic review on protective factors. This systematic review therefore aimed to synthesize the prospective longitudinal research findings on the protective factors against extrafamilial victimization. A systematic search of multiple sources led to the identification of 19,053 studies. Following application of a predefined inclusion and quality assessment criteria, 13 studies exploring protective factors against peer victimization and exposure to violence were included in this review. Across these studies, 19 protective factors were explored: 9 individual factors and 10 contextual factors. Four studies also explored the impact of mediating and moderating variables on the relationship between predictors and extrafamilial victimization. Findings highlight inconsistencies in the definition and measurement of victimization, along with bias in a number of areas. Nevertheless, a small number of variables (perceptions of social competence, physical strength, and aggression) were identified as potential protective factors against extrafamilial victimization. Additionally, mediating and moderating variables were identified, and the interaction between individual and contextual protective and risk factors were highlighted. These findings are explored under the theoretical framework of the ecological systems theory and their practical and research-based implications are discussed.
Heterogeneous Ability and Risk Taking in a Rank-Order Tournament
Authors: Yaskewich David M.
Published: October 2015

Since 2011, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) has forced drivers to pick one of three national series for which they would be eligible to compete for a season championship. Prior to this “Pick-A-Series” rule, many drivers in the premier Sprint Cup Series competed regularly in the Nationwide Series, which is a developmental division for less experienced drivers. I examined whether the removal of moonlighting Sprint Cup drivers from championship contention encouraged less aggressive driving among those who competed exclusively in the Nationwide Series. There was weak evidence that the Pick-A-Series rule reduced accident proneness among Nationwide drivers relative to Sprint Cup drivers.
Moneyball After 10 Years
Authors: Brown Daniel T. , Link Charles R. , Rubin Seth L.
Published: October 2015

Michael Lewis’ Moneyball … describes how the Oakland Athletics exploited an imperfection in the way player productivity was being evaluated pre-2003. On-base percentage appeared to be more important in determining team success compared to more popular statistics. We test the hypothesis that in a competitive market, other teams will increase the weight given on-base percentage in the reward structure for their players. Our results show that in the post-Moneyball (MB) era, the return to on-base percentage has indeed increased for free agents, the group whose salaries we expect to be most affected by the MB philosophy.
Preparation and characterization of antimicrobial cotton fabrics via N-halamine chitosan derivative/poly(2-acrylamide-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid sodium salt) self-assembled composite films
Authors: Cheng Xiaoli , Li Rong , Li Xiaolin , Umair Malik Muhammad , Ren Xuehong , Huang TS
Published: October 2015

Layer-by-layer self-assembly technology was introduced with adsorption of oppositely charged polycations and polyanions. The composite thin film consisting of quaternized chitosan derivative/poly(2-acrylamide-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid sodium salt) was created on the surface of cotton fabrics by using this method without much damage for breaking strength of swatches. The oxidative chlorine of five bilayers deposited on the swatches could reach 0.25%. The treated cotton fabrics exposure to dilute household bleach possessed excellent antimicrobial property, which could inactivate 100% of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacteria with a contact time of 1 min. The chemical surface modification, surface morphology, washing stability, storage stability, and mechanical property of the modified swatches were characterized and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, stability measurement, and tensile strength test, respectively.
Conductive poly (o-anisidine)/poly (ethylene terephthalate) nonwoven composite: Investigation of synthesis parameters and electromagnetic shielding effectiveness
Authors: Turay Cevahir B , Kalkan Erdoğan Meryem , Karakışla Meral , Saçak Mehmet
Published: October 2015

A conductive poly( o-anisidine) (POA)/poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) nonwoven composite was prepared by chemical oxidative polymerization of o-anisidine in aqueous HCl solution. The effects of the oxidant type, oxidant/monomer mol ratio, and polymerization temperature and time were studied on POA content and surface resistivity of the composite. It was observed that the swelling of PET in 1,4-dioxane decreased the surface resistivity of the POA/PET composite by up to 18.5 kΩ/cm2, when compared to that of the unswollen PET nonwoven. According to the electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMSE), and the relative shielding efficiency of the absorbance (Ab) and reflectance (Re) values of the composite in the range 15–1500 MHz, 99.9% of the shielding was obtained with an attenuation of 33 dB at 15 MHz. The durability of the composite was determined by measuring its surface resistivity after domestic washing and commercial laundering.
Distant suffering online: The unfortunate irony of cyber-utopian narratives
Authors: Scott Martin
Published: October 2015

The internet is often celebrated for the abundant opportunities it appears to offer citizens to become more informed about and inspired to act on issues related to international development and distant suffering. But to what extent do users actually make use of such opportunities? And what social processes are such decisions governed by? This article begins to answer these questions by analysing the results of a two-month study of UK internet users’ online behaviour. The results reveal, not just a general resistance to using the internet to develop a cosmopolitan consciousness, but also the dominant modes of avoidance that participants used to justify their inactivity. I conclude that the potential for digital cosmopolitanism appears to be primarily governed, not by the peculiarities of individual texts or even the properties of the technology, but by the nature and acceptability of pre-existing discursive resources and how they are deployed by users.
Differences in the variability of cerebral proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) measurements within three HIV-infected cohorts
Authors: Vigneswaran Shivanee , Rojas Jaime H Vera , Garvey Lucy , Taylor-Robinson Simon , Winston Alan
Published: October 2015

Introduction

Cerebral functional impairment remains prevalent in effectively treated HIV-infected subjects. As the results of formal cognitive testing are highly variable, surrogate markers to accurately measure cerebral function parameters are needed. Such markers include measurement of cerebral metabolite ratios (CMR) using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS). However, data on the inter-subject variability of CMR are sparse. Our aim was to assess inter-subject variability in CMRs within three different HIV-infected cohorts.

Methods

Cerebral 1H-MRS was performed using a Phillips Achieva™ 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance scanner in HIV-infected subjects as follows: 12 subjects before (group 1) and after intensification of antiretroviral therapy with maraviroc (group 2) and 13 subjects with acute viral hepatitis C (HCV) co-infection (group 3). The coefficients of variation (CV) for CMRs in each group were determined and compared using non-parametric tests to determine whether the inter-subject variability differed significantly. All baseline characteristics between the groups were similar.

Results

Overall CVs for all CMRs in groups 1, 2 and 3 were 32.3%, 33.2% and 23.4%, respectively (group 1 vs. 2, p = 0.863; group 1 vs. 3, p = 0.076). On testing for differences in variability between individual CMRs, two metabolites in the right basal ganglia (RBG) had statistically significantly different CVs when comparing group 1 with group 3: N-acetyl aspartate/creatine (NAA/Cr), p = 0.029 and myo-Inositol/creatine (mI/Cr), p = 0.016.

Conclusion

The variability of 1H MRS-measurable CMRs in HIV-infected individuals was lower in those with acute HCV co-infection (group 3).We can conclude that the use of these CMRs in 1H MRS imaging in patients with HIV/acute HCV co-infection is more reliable to assess cerebral function than in patients with HIV infection alone. This has implications for future sample size estimations.
The imaging findings of infratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumour: A case report
Authors: Nekitsing Indima , Wu Xing , Tang Guangyu
Published: October 2015

Central primitive neuroectodermal tumour (cPNET), a rare malignant neoplasm of embryonal origin, often occurs in children younger than 15 years. This is the first case report of the imaging findings of an infratentorial cPNET to be reported in a patient. Here, is reported the case of a 6-year-old boy presenting with symptoms of diplopia for 14 days. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a solid mass in the fourth ventricle. The postoperative pathological diagnosis was cPNET. To conclude, whenever a child is diagnosed to have an infratentorial solid tumour in the fourth ventricle, cPNET should always be considered despite its rarity.
Lifestyle Methods for Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease From the Perspective of Traditional Persian Medicine
Authors: Tajadini Haleh , Choopani Rasool , Saifadini Rostam
Published: October 2015

Alzheimer’s disease is considered as a major problem for society health since it affects interpersonal and social relationships. With regard to the global attention toward complementary medicine, search for preventive, diagnostic, and treatment strategies in complementary medicine schools such as the old dynamic doctrine of traditional Persian medicine seems to be necessary. In this type of medicine, description and analysis of the disease and preventive and treatment methods have great importance. The present study provides a useful classification of recommendations for prevention and control of Alzheimer’s disease. Prevention is prior to the treatment and is easier and less costly. Recommendations mentioned in traditional Persian medicine texts for prevention of Alzheimer’s disease provide fields of clinical and complementary studies for researches.
The Effectiveness of Measures Aimed at Noise Reduction in an Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Kol Emine , Demircan Abid , Erdoğan Abdullah , Gencer Zehra , Erengin Hakan
Published: October 2015

Noise is a significant problem for both hospitalized patients and health care workers. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of noise reduction strategies in an intensive care unit. Noise was measured in two phases. In the first phase, the unit’s present level of noise was established over 3 weeks between January 1, 2012, and February 1, 2012. During the month following initial measurements, noise reduction interventions, including staff education and physical space arrangement, were initiated, and device alarms were checked. The second phase of measurement was conducted during another 3-week period (between June 1, 2012, and July 1, 2012). The noise levels before and after noise reduction interventions were calculated as 67.6 dB-A and 56 dB-A; the difference between the two levels was statistically significant ( p < .05). The interventions were effective in reducing noise in intensive care units; the interventions are relatively easy and low cost.
Sex Differences in Virtual Network Characteristics and Sexual Risk Behavior Among Emerging Adults
Authors: Cook Stephanie H. , Bauermeister José A. , Zimmerman Marc A.
Published: October 2015

Emerging adults (EAs) aged 18–24 account for a large proportion of all sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV infections, and unintended pregnancies in the United States. Given the increased influence of online media on decision making, we examined how EA online networks were associated with sexual risk behaviors. We used egocentric network data collected from EAs aged 18–24 years old across the United States ( N = 1,687) to examine how online social norms (e.g., acceptance of HIV infections, other STIs, and pregnancy) and network characteristics (i.e., network size and density; ties’ closeness, race, age, and sex similarities) were associated with participants’ unprotected vaginal intercourse in the last 30 days. Findings suggested that in male EAs, there was a strong association between online social norms, structural characteristics, and sexual risk behavior compared to females. Researchers and practitioners may wish to address online peer norms and EAs’ online network composition when developing online sexual risk prevention tools.
Plasticizer migration from micro-layered flexible poly (vinyl chloride) films prepared by multi-layer co-extrusion technology
Authors: Xiong Liangzhao , Yang Weimin , Li Changjin , Zhou Xing , Jiao Zhiwei
Published: October 2015

Multi-layer flexible PVC films used in this study were produced via the micro-layer co-extrusion technology and the influences of micro-layer co-extrusion technology on plasticizer migration of flexible PVC were investigated. It was shown that the morphology of PVC molecule chains changed from the coiled state into the linear ordered state. The linear alignment is more compact with evenly dispersed additives in the PVC matrix after micro-layer co-extrusion. The volatility stability, solvent extraction stability, exudation stability, and film tensile strength were tested. The results indicated that, films made by micro-layer co-extrusion technology showed excellent plasticizer migration stability and mechanical properties, due to the ordered PVC molecule chains and the even additive dispersion.
Postnatal paternal depressive symptoms associated with fathers'
subsequent parenting: Findings from the Millennium Cohort
Study
Authors: Nath Selina , Russell Ginny , Ford Tamsin , Kuyken Willem , Psychogiou Lamprini
Published: October 2015

Impaired parenting may lie on the causal pathway between paternal depression
and children's outcomes. We use the first four surveys of the Millennium
Cohort Study to investigate the association between paternal depressive
symptoms and fathers' parenting (negative, positive and involvement).
Findings suggest that postnatal paternal depressive symptoms are associated
with fathers' negative parenting. This has implications for the design of
intervention programmes for parents with depression and young children.
Differential effects of ethnic density on the risk of postnatal
depression and personality dysfunction
Authors: Du Preez Andrea , Conroy Susan , Pawlby Susan , Moran Paul , Pariante Carmine M.
Published: October 2015

Background

The relationship between ethnic density and psychiatric disorder in
postnatal women in the UK is unclear.

Aims

To examine the effect of own and overall ethnic density on postnatal
depression (PND) and personality dysfunction.

Method

Multilevel analysis of ethnically mixed community-level data gathered
from a sample of 2262 mothers screened at 6 weeks postpartum for PND and
personality dysfunction.

Results

Living in areas of higher own ethnic density was protective against
screening positive for PND in White women (z =–3.18,
P = 0.001), even after adjusting for area level
deprivation, maternal age, relationship status, screening positive for
personality dysfunction, parity and geographical clustering (odds ratio
(OR) 0.98 (95% CI 0.96–0.99); P = 0.002), whereas the
effect on personality dysfunction (z =–2.42,
P = 0.016) was no longer present once the effect of
PND was taken into account (OR = 0.99 (95% CI 0.90–1.0);
P = 0.13). No overall ethnic density effect was found
for women screening positive for PND or personality dysfunction.

Conclusions

In White women, living in areas of higher own ethnic density was
protective against developing PND.
Amygdala response to self-critical stimuli and symptom
improvement in psychotherapy for depression
Authors: Doerig Nadja , Krieger Tobias , Altenstein David , Schlumpf Yolanda , Spinelli Simona , Späti Jakub , Brakowski Janis , Quednow Boris B. , Seifritz Erich , Holtforth Martin grosse
Published: October 2015

Background

Cognitive–behavioural therapy is efficacious in the treatment of major
depressive disorder but response rates are still far from
satisfactory.

Aims

To better understand brain responses to individualised emotional stimuli
and their association with outcome, to enhance treatment.

Method

Functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected prior to
individual psychotherapy. Differences in brain activity during passive
viewing of individualised self-critical material in 23 unmedicated
out-patients with depression and 28 healthy controls were assessed. The
associations between brain activity, cognitive and emotional change, and
outcome were analysed in 21 patients.

Results

Patients showed enhanced activity in the amygdala and ventral striatum
compared with the control group. Non-response to therapy was associated
with enhanced activity in the right amygdala compared with those who
responded, and activity in this region was negatively associated with
outcome. Emotional but not cognitive changes mediated this
association.

Conclusions

Amygdala hyperactivity may lessen symptom improvement in psychotherapy
for depression through attenuating emotional skill acquisition.
Central limit theorem for a class of SPDEs
Authors: Fatheddin Parisa
Published: October 2015

In this paper we establish the central limit theorem for a class of stochastic partial differential equations and as an application derive this theorem for two widely studied population models: super-Brownian motion and the Fleming-Viot process.
Sharp bounds for exponential approximations under a hazard rate upper bound
Authors: Brown Mark
Published: October 2015

Consider an absolutely continuous distribution on [0, ∞) with finite mean μ and hazard rate function h(t) ≤ b for all t. For bμ close to 1, we would expect F to be approximately exponential. In this paper we obtain sharp bounds for the Kolmogorov distance between F and an exponential distribution with mean μ, as well as between F and an exponential distribution with failure rate b. We apply these bounds to several examples. Applications are presented to geometric convolutions, birth and death processes, first-passage times, and to decreasing mean residual life distributions.
Respiratory assessment
Authors: Simpson Heidi
Published: October 2015

The ability to carry out and document a full respiratory assessment is an essential skill for all nurses. The elements included are: an initial assessment, history taking, inspection, palpation, percussion, auscultation and further investigations. A prompt initial assessment allows immediate evaluation of severity of illness and appropriate treatment measures may warrant instigation at this point. Following this, a comprehensive patient history will be elicited. Clinical examination of the patient follows and involves inspection, palpation, percussion and auscultation. At this point, consideration must be given to preparation of a light, warm, quiet, private environment for examination and suitable patient positioning. Inspection is a comprehensive visual assessment, while palpation involves using touch to gather information. The next stages are percussion and auscultation. While percussion is striking the chest to determine the state of underlying tissues, auscultation entails listening to and interpreting sound transmission through the chest wall via a stethoscope. Finally, further investigations may be necessary to confirm or negate suspected diagnoses.
Homogeneous Contracts for Heterogeneous Agents: Aligning Sales Force Composition and Compensation
Authors: Daljord Øystein , Misra Sanjog , Nair Harikesh S.
Published: October 2015

Observed contracts in the real world are often very simple, which partly reflects the constraints faced by contracting firms in making the contracts more complex. In this article, the authors focus on one such rigidity: the constraints faced by firms in fine-tuning contracts to the full distribution of heterogeneity of their employees. The authors explore the implication of these constraints for the provision of incentives within the firm. The study's application is to sales force compensation, wherein a firm maintains a sales force to market its products. Consistent with ubiquitous real-world business practice, the study assumes that a firm is restricted to fully or partially set uniform commissions across its agent pool. The authors show that this restriction implies an interaction between the composition of agent types in the contract and the compensation policy used to motivate them, leading to a “contractual externality” in the firm and generating gains to sorting. This article explains how this contractual externality arises; discusses a practical approach to endogenizing agents and incentives at a firm in its presence; and presents an empirical application to sales force compensation contracts at a U.S. Fortune 500 company that explores these considerations and assesses the gains from a sales force architecture that sorts agents into divisions to balance firmwide incentives. Empirically, the authors find that the restriction to homogeneous plans significantly reduces a firm's payoff, relative to a fully heterogeneous plan, when the firm is unable to optimize the composition of its agents. However, a firm's payoff under a homogeneous plan comes very close to that under a fully heterogeneous plan when the firm can optimize both composition and compensation. Thus, in the empirical setting of this study, the ability to choose agents mitigates the loss in incentives from the restriction to uniform contracts. The authors conjecture this result may hold more broadly.
Is Top 10 Better than Top 9? The Role of Expectations in Consumer Response to Imprecise Rank Claims
Authors: Isaac Mathew S. , Brough Aaron R. , Grayson Kent
Published: October 2015

Many marketing communications are carefully designed to cast a brand in its most favorable light. For example, marketers may prefer to highlight a brand's membership in the top 10 tier of a third-party list instead of disclosing the brand's exact rank. The authors propose that when marketers use these types of imprecise advertising claims, subtle differences in the selection of a tier boundary (e.g., top 9 vs. top 10) can influence consumers’ evaluations and willingness to pay. Specifically, the authors find a comfort tier effect in which a weaker claim that references a less exclusive but commonly used tier boundary can actually lead to higher brand evaluations than a stronger claim that references a more exclusive but less common tier boundary. This effect is attributed to a two-stage process by which consumers evaluate imprecise rank claims. The results demonstrate that consumers have specific expectations for how messages are constructed in marketing communications and may make negative inferences about a brand when these expectations are violated, thus attenuating the positive effect such claims might otherwise have on consumer responses.
Re-Sounding Feminist Radio
Authors: Mitchell Caroline
Published: October 2015

Digital archives of women's radio programming document histories of feminist activism across different eras in multiple global contexts. Mitchell surveys the ongoing development of these archives, examining their role in “re-sounding” women into history. Women's radio can be a place for individual empowerment, expression and creativity, as well as a space for collective and transnational feminist campaigning and activism. A case study of Fem FM women's community radio archive in the UK demonstrates how archives of feminist radio activism become both a repository and a maker of cultural memory.
Rare association of insulin autoimmune syndrome with ankylosing spondylitis
Authors: Raizada Nishant , Rahaman S H , Kandasamy D , Jyotsna V P
Published: October 2015

Insulin autoimmune syndrome (IAS) is a rare cause of hyperinsulinemic hypoglycaemia, which is known to occur in association with the use of sulfhydryl-containing drugs and autoimmune disorders. We describe a patient with hitherto an unreported association of IAS with ankylosing spondylitis. We have also performed and described a simplified method of polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation of an insulin bound antibody in the serum.

Learning points

IAS should be considered in differential diagnosis of endogenous hyperinsulinemic hypoglycaemia.

Ankylosing spondylitis can be associated with IAS apart from several other autoimmune diseases.

Very high serum insulin levels (100–10 000 μU/ml) are frequently seen in IAS.

When faced with very high serum insulin before suspecting insulinoma, it is advisable that PEG precipitation of serum be done to identify antibody bound insulin.

A clinical suspicion of IAS can avoid expensive imaging and unnecessary surgery in affected patients.
Marginal zone B cells emerge as a critical component of pregnancy well-being
Authors: Muzzio Damián O , Ziegler Katharina B , Ehrhardt Jens , Zygmunt Marek , Jensen Federico
Published: October 2015

The success of eutherian mammal evolution was certainly supported by the ability of the already existing immune system to adapt to the presence of the semi-allogeneic fetus without losing the capability to defend the mother against infections. This required the acquisition of highly regulated and coordinated immunological mechanisms. Failures in the development of these strategies not only lead to the interruption of pregnancy but also compromise maternal health. Alongside changes on the cytokine profile – expansion of tolerogenic dendritic and regulatory T cells – a profound adaptation of the B cell compartment during pregnancy was recently described. Among others, the suppression of B cell lymphopoiesis and B cell lymphopenia were proposed to be protective mechanisms tending to reduce the occurrence of autoreactive B cells that might recognize fetal structures and put pregnancy on risk. On the other hand, expansion of the pre-activated marginal zone (MZ) B cell phenotype was described as a compensatory strategy launched to overcome B cell lymphopenia thus ensuring a proper defense. In this work, using an animal model of pregnancy disturbances, we demonstrated that the suppression of B cell lymphopoiesis as well as splenic B cell lymphopenia occur independently of pregnancy outcome. However, only animals undergoing normal pregnancies, but not those suffering from pregnancy disturbances, could induce an expansion and activation of the MZ B cells. Hence, our results clearly show that MZ B cells, probably due to the production of natural protective antibodies, participate in the fine balance of immune activation required for pregnancy well-being.
Uncertain Fractional Order Chaotic Systems Tracking Design via Adaptive Hybrid Fuzzy Sliding Mode Control
Authors: Lin Tsung-Chih , Kuo Chia-Hao , Balas Valentina E.
Published: October 2015

In this paper, in order to achieve tracking performance of uncertain fractional order chaotic systems an adaptive hybrid fuzzy controller is proposed. During the design procedure, a hybrid learning algorithm combining sliding mode control and Lyapunov stability criterion is adopted to tune the free parameters on line by output feedback control law and adaptive law. A weighting factor, which can be adjusted by the trade-off between plant knowledge and control knowledge, is adopted to sum together the control efforts from indirect adaptive fuzzy controller and direct adaptive fuzzy controller. To confirm effectiveness of the proposed control scheme, the fractional order chaotic response system is fully illustrated to track the trajectory generated from the fractional order chaotic drive system. The numerical results show that tracking error and control effort can be made smaller and the proposed hybrid intelligent control structure is more flexible during the design process.
Decision Support System for Evaluating Existing Apartment Buildings Based on Fuzzy Signatures
Authors: Molnárka Gergely I. , Kóczy László T.
Published: October 2015

In historical district at European cities it is a major problem how to take decision on renovating or replacing existing buildings. This problem is imminent in Budapest (Hungary) in many traditional districts such as the Ferencváros district where we selected a compound area for further examination. By financial aid for the renovation of these buildings which awarded by Municipal Assembly of this district in question there is much uncertainty and confusion concerning how to decide whether or not and how to reconstruct a building where new private owners apply for support. In this paper we propose a formal evaluation method based on fuzzy signature rule bases (the formal being a special case of L-fuzzy object). Using the available expert knowledge we propose a fuzzy signature model including relevance weights and weighted aggregations for each node and parent node, respectively, so that as a result a single membership value may be calculated for each building in question. Linguistic labels for decision (such as worthless, average, highly valuable, etc.) are generated from the values thus obtained. Such linguistic calculations might be of help for the Municipal Assembly awarding financial support. A complete example wit 26 buildings is presented.
Adaptive Non-singleton Type-2 Fuzzy Logic Systems: A Way Forward for Handling Numerical Uncertainties in Real World Applications
Authors: Sahab Nazanin , Hagras Hani
Published: October 2015

Real world environments are characterized by high levels of linguistic and numerical uncertainties. A Fuzzy Logic System (FLS) is recognized as an adequate methodology to handle the uncertainties and imprecision available in real world environments and applications. Since the invention of fuzzy logic, it has been applied with great success to numerous real world applications such as washing machines, food processors, battery chargers, electrical vehicles, and several other domestic and industrial appliances. The first generation of FLSs were type-1 FLSs in which type-1 fuzzy sets were employed. Later, it was found that using type-2 FLSs can enable the handling of higher levels of uncertainties. Recent works have shown that interval type-2 FLSs can outperform type-1 FLSs in the applications which encompass high uncertainty levels. However, the majority of interval type-2 FLSs handle the linguistic and input numerical uncertainties using singleton interval type-2 FLSs that mix the numerical and linguistic uncertainties to be handled only by the linguistic labels type-2 fuzzy sets. This ignores the fact that if input numerical uncertainties were present, they should affect the incoming inputs to the FLS. Even in the papers that employed non-singleton type-2 FLSs, the input signals were assumed to have a predefined shape (mostly Gaussian or triangular) which might not reflect the real uncertainty distribution which can vary with the associated measurement. In this paper, we will present a new approach which is based on an adaptive non-singleton interval type-2 FLS where the numerical uncertainties will be modeled and handled by non-singleton type-2 fuzzy inputs and the linguistic uncertainties will be handled by interval type-2 fuzzy sets to represent the antecedents’ linguistic labels. The non-singleton type-2 fuzzy inputs are dynamic and they are automatically generated from data and they do not assume a specific shape about the distribution associated with the given sensor. We will present several real world experiments using a real world robot which will show how the proposed type-2 non-singleton type-2 FLS will produce a superior performance to its singleton type-1 and type-2 counterparts when encountering high levels of uncertainties.
Indicadores de sustentabilidad en sistemas de albarradas: aportes metodológicos
Authors: Álvarez Litben Silvia Graciela , Zulaica Laura
Published: October 2015

Se presentan los resultados preliminares del proyecto interdisciplinar sobre indicadores de sustentabilidad para el Buen Vivir en sistemas de albarradas en la Provincia de Santa Elena, Ecuador. Las albarradas, jagüeyes o aguadas por retención, son sistemas hidráulicos que sostienen la reproducción de la población humana y su entorno ambiental desde hace miles de años. La sustentabilidad de estos sistemas constituye un objetivo central para garantizar el Buen Vivir de las actuales Comunas que dependen de ellos. La evaluación de variables operativas de sustentabilidad en sus distintas dimensiones (ecológica, socio-cultural, económica y política) es primordial para tomar decisiones tendentes al mantenimiento y protección de estas fuentes de agua. La identificación de indicadores concretos permite detectar puntos críticos para la sustentabilidad, identificar sus causas, analizar tendencias, gestionar problemas y generar soluciones que aseguren la continuidad de los sistemas de albarradas. Los resultados exponen los principales alcances de la propuesta de investigación, así como las limitaciones a resolver para replicar la evaluación en otras regiones. Con el análisis y evaluación de estudios previos y trabajo de campo, se construyeron 29 indicadores cuali-cuantitativos en función de las cuatro dimensiones de sustentabilidad y se aplicaron a tres casos seleccionados por las intervenciones de rehabilitación realizadas. 
Turismo y sustentabilidad
Authors: Cuvi Nicolás
Published: October 2015

“Industria sin chimeneas” fue la frase con la que se definió al turismo durante muchos años, no tanto para aludir a su reducido impacto ambiental, sino a su capacidad de generar dinero a escala industrial pero sin fábricas. Fue una de las frases que sirvió para promoverlo cuando comenzaba a masificarse gracias al aumento exponencial del número de personas que podían viajar por el mundo en sus vacaciones, solos o en pareja, con amigos o en familia. Tal auge fue aprovechado por empresarios, ciudades y países de todo el mundo para atraer cuantos turistas pudieran, y fue así que la industrialización del turismo llegó a sitios con atractivos culturales y/o naturales como Galápagos, donde hacia 1950 llegaban menos de 10 mil turistas cada año, mientras que para 2015 la cifra superaba ya los 220 mil visitantes anuales.
Cárceles del Ecuador : los efectos de la criminalización por drogas
Authors: Pontón Jenny
Published: October 2015

Este artículo muestra los principales hallazgos de una investigación multidisciplinaria realizada en el año 2005 sobre la realidad penitenciaria ecuatoriana, cuyo eje articulador fue el análisis de los impactos que la criminalización por delitos de estupefacientes ha ocasionado en las cárceles del país. En esta línea, el presente trabajo muestra datos históricos y actuales sobre la situación poblacional e institucional de los centros de rehabilitación ecuatorianos, profundizando sobre los efectos de la política antinarcóticos en la cotidianidad carcelaria, especialmente en el caso de las mujeres.
¿Metamorfosis de la prisión? Proyecto normalizador, populismo punitivo y “prisión-depósito” en Argentina
Authors: Sozzo Máximo
Published: October 2015

En este trabajo se analizan las transformaciones actuales de la institución penitenciaria en la Argentina tomando como escenarios privilegiados de observación los contextos de la Provincia de Buenos Aires y Santa Fe y el Servicio Penitenciario Federal. Se explora en detalle el crecimiento de los volúmenes de encarcelamiento, el porcentaje de presos sin condena, la superpoblación, el hacinamiento, las condiciones de vida inhumanas y el ejercicio de la violencia. A partir de esta información empírica se plantea una discusión de la lectura de las trasformaciones contemporáneas de la prisión en términos del pasaje de aquel viejo modelo normalizador, a un modelo de la “prisión-jaula” o “prisión-depósito”
Las armas livianas en la agenda internacional y el excepcionalismo americano : Estados Unidos y América Latina en la perspectiva conceptual de la seguritización
Authors: DerGhougassian Khatchik
Published: October 2015

El ensayo tiene dos propósitos: aplicar la teoría de la seguritización para estudiar la problemática de las armas livianas en la agenda internacional y, con base en los argumentos de esta aplicación, comparar las posturas de Estados Unidos con las de los demás países del continente, sobre todo los de América Latina. El ensayo no pretende abordar la comprobación empírica de los argumentos, sino más bien dar los primeros pasos en el estudio de la problemática de las armas livianas desde una nueva perspectiva teórica y determinar su utilidad para una eventual elaboración de un proyecto de investigación más completo y abarcador.
Medición de la violencia : el índice de incidencia del homicidio
Authors: Giraldo Ramírez Jorge
Published: October 2015

Este artículo propone un Índice de Incidencia del Homicidio (IIH). A través del cual se pueda presentar una cifra que sea comparable, que no incurra ni en subestimación, ni sobreestimación de los datos y que, al mismo tiempo, sea útil para la elaboración de la agenda política y el análisis y diseño de políticas públicas de seguridad, particularmente desde el nivel nacional aplicadas al nivel local. Por lo tanto, se presenta la elaboración formal del IIH, junto a ejemplos de su aplicación práctica a nivel nacional y local, y en comparación con otros indicadores como son el número total de homicidios y la tasa de homicidios por 100.000 habitantes. Se concluye que si bien la tasa de homicidios parece irremplazable como indicador que permite comparaciones “horizontales” entre niveles específicos de gobierno iguales y evidenciar series históricas, el IIH se enfoca más en la relación “vertical” entre diferentes niveles.
La seguridad ciudadana en Bolivia : ¿hay espacio para las Fuerzas Armadas?
Authors: Rocabado Sánchez José
Published: October 2015

Este artículo muestra cómo se ha dado la participación de las Fuerzas Armadas bolivianas en tareas de seguridad ciudadana. Se inicia con algunas reflexiones teóricas sobre la presencia de los militares en seguridad ciudadana. Luego, se realiza una caracterización de la inseguridad en Bolivia. Posteriormente, se repasan las iniciativas legales e institucionales que se han adoptado en esta materia en la última década. Finaliza con el análisis de la actuación de las Fuerzas Armadas en la prevención y control de la delincuencia.
El involucramiento de las Fuerzas Armadas en actividades de seguridad en las Américas
Authors: Coimbra Luiz Octavio
Published: October 2015

En esta sección comparativa se realiza un resumen de la información presentada en el informe titulado “Pesquisa sobre el involucramiento de las Fuerzas Armadas del continente americano en actividades de seguridad pública” preparado por la Junta Interamericana de Defensa (JID), órgano de la Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA). El documento de la JID presenta información oficial, entregada por los gobiernos, sobre aspectos relativos a la estructura interna y los marcos legales que justifican y establecen las bases para la actuación de las Fuerzas Armadas en seguridad pública en los países de las Américas.
La militarización de la seguridad ciudadana : una tendencia regional. Entrevista con Marcos Pablo Moloeznik Gruer
Authors: Pontón Cevallos Jenny
Published: October 2015

En esta entrevista, se profundiza sobre los factores que han llevado a una generalización de la actuación de las Fuerzas Armadas en la seguridad ciudadana de los países de América Latina; los principales riesgos de esta estrategia; la efectividad de los resultados de su aplicación; y los protocolos necesarios y pertinentes frente a la utilización de este tipo de medidas, entre otros aspectos.
Los intentos de reforma de las políticas sobre drogas en América Latina
Authors: Soberón Garrido Ricardo
Published: October 2015

Hasta 2008, nadie hubiese pensado que en América Latina ocurrirían cambios sustantivos en las políticas de lucha contra el narcotráfico. Durante los últimos 50 años, el hemisferio occidental fue el escenario privilegiado para la aplicación de los moldes y estándares internacionales previstos en las convenciones de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU) y las distintas políticas de los Estados Unidos para luchar contra el narcotráfico. Sin embargo no fue así, y en poco tiempo el sistema político normativo fue perforado por una serie de iniciativas políticas, administrativas, legislativas y jurisdiccionales de distinto rango, ocurridas en diversos países de la región de forma simultánea. Este artículo realiza un corte para describir y analizar, con una mirada de conjunto, los intentos de reforma de las políticas de drogas, sus caracterizaciones, implicancias y resultados.
Bolivia y la despenalización de la hoja de coca como estrategia de cambio
Authors: Tellería Escobar Loreta
Published: October 2015

Después de más de 50 años de guerra contra las drogas encabezada por los Estados Unidos, el común denominador ha sido el fracaso de las políticas implementadas. Tras esta constatación, países como Bolivia han desarrollado en los últimos años nuevas estrategias, entre ellas, la despenalización de la hoja de coca. El documento analiza este proceso y lo considera un primer paso para el cambio o reforma de las convenciones de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas sobre drogas, requisito esencial para debatir la despenalización como mecanismo alternativo de la lucha contra el narcotráfico en la región y el mundo.
La seguridad perversa : política, democracia y derechos humanos en Ecuador 1998-2006
Authors: Guerrero Salgado Gilda Alicia
Published: October 2015

El libro de Fredy Rivera Vélez, La seguridad perversa, se ocupa efectivamente de esta nueva visión multidimensional de la seguridad. Cuando el Estado nación se ve enfrentado a varios peligros que amenazan su integridad, estatus y fortaleza dentro de sus fronteras y a nivel externo, la estructura estatal tiene la opción de la fuerza directa, pero también de otro tipo de acciones, como la segurización.
El imaginario social detrás de la trata en los medios de comunicación
Authors: Lema Matehu Lizeth Danesa
Published: October 2015

La noticia mediática que habla sobre la trata de personas es el resultado de la coincidencia de un discurso que habita y se reproduce sistemáticamente desde el Estado, los medios y la población, en un círculo vicioso que impide la consecución de una visibilización del problema como de atención prioritaria pública y desde una complejidad que se circunscribe a problemas principalmente sociales, culturales y económicos de las poblaciones expulsoras, receptoras y de tránsito como el Ecuador. Hoy en día nos enfrentamos a medios de comunicación que, como directos interlocutores del conocimiento social, construyen y deconstruyen el imaginario social alrededor de la trata de personas desde coberturas periodísticas seguritistas, socorristas y melodramáticas que resultan restringidas ante una realidad tan compleja.
La trata de personas en América Latina: una problemática de asistencia e identificación. Entrevista a Rosilyne Borland
Authors: Pontón Jenny
Published: October 2015

Entrevista
La diáspora criminal: la difusión transnacional del crimen organizado y cómo contener su expansión, de Juan Carlos Garzón y Eric Olson (editores)
Authors: Cárcamo Hun Rodrigo
Published: October 2015

Reseña
A construção social das favelas no Rio de Janeiro (Brasil) como territórios de violência
Authors: Godoy Postigo Evelyn Louyse
Published: October 2015

O presente artigo tem por objetivo abordar o processo pelo qual a violência é base constitutiva da relação que o Estado estabelece com populações marginalizadas. Para tanto, apresentarei a sequência eventos que marcaram a cidade do Rio de Janeiro/RJ – Brasil na semana de 21 a 28 de novembro do ano de 2010 – tomados aqui como um “evento crítico”. Em seguida, percorro o processo pelo qual as favelas cariocas passam a ser entendidas sobretudo sob o signo da “violência” demarcando os limites das políticas voltadas para esses territórios e populações. Busco, portanto, articular elementos empíricos e ferramentas teóricas para compreender como o entendimento de tais populações como emanadoras da “violência urbana” passa a pautar a relação que se estabelece com as mesmas.
Un debate ausente: la producción de inteligencia criminal en América Latina. Entrevista a Marcelo Fabián Saín
Authors: Pontón Deniel
Published: October 2015

Entrevista
Terrorism. A Very Short Introduction, de Charles Townshend
Authors: Martini Alice
Published: October 2015

Reseña.
La corresponsabilidad : una estrategia para la convivencia y la seguridad ciudadana en la Policía Nacional de Colombia
Authors: Gómez Rojas Claudia Patricia , Baracaldo Méndez Estela
Published: October 2015

El presente artículo da cuenta del proceso que se ha desarrollado en la Policía Nacional para hacer realidad la corresponsabilidad como principio fundamental de la gestión territorial de la convivencia y la seguridad ciudadana. En este orden de ideas, el artículo se encuentra divido en cuatro partes: 1) reseña histórica de la Policía Nacional de Colombia para permitir la comprensión de los desarrollos en materia de convivencia y seguridad ciudadana; 2) La reforma constitucional de 1991: los principios de la gestión pública, los parámetros que rigen al Estado Colombiano en el manejo del orden público, la convivencia y la seguridad ciudadana y 3) La historia reciente de la Policía Nacional y la propuesta de corresponsabilidad para el cumplimiento de su misión institucional.