bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms for the Formation of NH3, N2H4, and N2H2 in the Protonation Reaction of Fe(DMeOPrPE)2N2 {DMeOPrPE = 1,2‐bis[bis(methoxypropyl)phosphino]ethane}
Authors: Tyler David R.
Published: June 2014

Research from the author's laboratory is reviewed on the reaction of Fe(DMeOPrPE)2N2 with acid to form ammonia and hydrazine {DMeOPrPE is the water‐soluble, bidentate phosphine 1,2‐bis[bis(methoxypropyl)phosphino]ethane}. DFT calculations suggested that a symmetric protonation mechanism was more favorable than either an asymmetric protonation mechanism or a dinuclear mechanism. Two symmetric protonation pathways were investigated by synthesizing or generating reaction intermediates. Among the various species synthesized or spectroscopically observed were hydrazine complexes, diazene complexes, and their deprotonated conjugate bases. A relatively long‐lived intermediate in the protonation reaction, identified as [((DMeOPrPE)2Fe)2(μ‐N2)]2+, hints that a dinuclear pathway might be operating, but further mechanistic investigations suggested this species is likely forming in a side‐reaction and is not involved in the formation of ammonia. The only source of electrons for the reduction of N2 in the reaction is the Fe(DMeOPrPE)2N2 complex. As discussed in this review, this feature will ultimately limit the yields of ammonia and hydrazine that can form in the reaction. The reactions pathways uncovered by this research are symmetric protonation pathways, and as such they are different from the “asymmetric” protonation pathway proposed for some Mo‐N2 complexes that protonate to form ammonia. Recent studies suggest a symmetric protonation pathway for nitrogenase (which has Fe in its active site), and it may well be a general conclusion that Fe‐N2 species produce ammonia via the symmetric protonation mechanism.
Evidence of a Mixed Magnetic Phase in EuMgGe: A Semi­metallic Zintl Compound with TiNiSi Structure Type
Authors: Slabon Adam , Cuervo‐Reyes Eduardo , Niehaus Oliver , Winter Florian , Mensing Christian , Pöttgen Rainer , Nesper Reinhard
Published: June 2014

The ternary Zintl phase EuMgGe was synthesized from the elements, and its structure solved by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Chemical bonding is discussed, by means of electronic structure calculations at the DFT level and its physical properties characterized with respect to electronic conductivity, magnetic susceptibility, specific heat capacity, and magnetoresistivity. The compound may be interpreted according to the Zintl‐Klemm concept as (Eu2+)(Mg2+)(Ge4–) with isolated germanium anions. Resistivity measurements reveal a semimetallic character, which is consistent with the vanishing energy gap obtained from our calculations. The magnetic susceptibility and the specific heat indicate that two consecutive transitions take place, at 9 and 16 K, and they show evidence of magnetic frustration. A possible physical scenario for this magnetic behavior is discussed based on known models of partially frustrated magnets.
Dimorphism of the seed‐dispersing organ in a pantropical coastal plant, Scaevola taccada: heterogeneous population structures across islands
Authors: Emura Naoko , Denda Tetsuo , Sakai Miyuki , Ueda Keisuke
Published: June 2014

Scaevola taccada is characterized by dimorphic fruits, with one type having cork and pulp (C‐morph) and the other type having only pulp (NC‐morph). Although within‐individual dimorphism has not been observed, both morphs can occur at the same sites. The cork floats on seawater, and the pulp is eaten by birds. Thus, the morphs may have different seed dispersal abilities, via sea currents and birds, respectively. This study aimed to determine the functional characteristics of the dimorphic fruits. First, the potential seed dispersal ability of sea currents and birds was compared between the two fruits morphs by conducting a floating test and by measuring the proportions of different parts of the fruits, respectively. Next, the frequencies of the two morphs across different substrates (beaches, rocks, and cliffs) in the southern islands around Japan were analyzed. Most C‐morph fruits remained floating for more than 180 days in a seawater tank, whereas all NC‐morph fruits sank after approximately 1 week. The NC‐morph fruits had a more pulp volume and less indigestible material than the C‐morph fruits. Although both types of plants were found on many islands and all substrates, the C‐morph was dominant on beaches, whereas the NC‐morph was most frequent on cliffs. The frequencies of the morphs on different substrates might be influenced by the differences in their seed dispersal abilities. The two morphs may differ in fitness on different substrates. These findings improve our understanding of plant adaptations for dispersal.
Basal Joint Osteoarthritis of the Thumb: Comparison of Suture Button versus Abductor Pollicis Longus Suspensionplasty
Authors: Avant Kristopher R. , Nydick Jason A. , White Brian D. , Vaccaro Lisa , Hess Alfred V. , Stone Jeffrey D.
Published: June 2014

Background

Our purpose was to compare the outcomes of patients with severe basilar thumb osteoarthritis treated with trapeziectomy and suspensionplasty using abductor pollicis longus (APL) tendon versus a suture button device.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed for patients undergoing trapeziectomy and suspensionplasty with APL tendon or suture button fixation. Outcome measures included disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH); visual analog score (VAS); grip strength; key pinch; tip pinch; and thumb opposition. Radiographic measurements, surgical times, and complications were recorded.

Results

Thirty-three patients in the APL tendon group and 27 patients in the suture button group had a minimum 6-month follow-up. VAS, DASH, and functional measurements improved after surgery for both groups. Mean operative time was 68 min for the APL tendon group and 48 min for the suture button group. Complications were similar between groups.

Conclusions

The use of suture button fixation when compared to APL tendon suspensionplasty offers similar clinical outcomes. Type of study/level of evidence: Therapeutic III
A Non-Scalpel Technique for Minimally Invasive Surgery: Percutaneously Looped Thread Transection of the Transverse Carpal Ligament
Authors: Guo Danqing , Yu Tang , Ji Yizheng , Sun Tiansheng , Guo Joseph , Guo Danzhu
Published: June 2014

Purpose

This study aims to develop an alternate technique for improving the surgical procedure of carpal tunnel release. Method The transverse carpal ligament is transected by utilizing a piece of thread looped percutaneously under the visualization of ultrasound. The procedure, the thread carpal tunnel release (TCTR), was performed on 34 hands of 20 patients. Self-administrated Levine-Katz questionnaire was used for assessing the symptom severity and functional status of the outcomes.

Results

TCTR was performed in each case with no unintended consequences. The average duration for a procedure was 7 min, excluding time of preparation. Significant improvements in subjective sensibility were reported within 24 h, and sleep quality improved for all cases. There were no postoperative complications. The scores of questionnaire 3 months postoperatively were comparable to the literature controls.

Conclusion

TCTR is a safe and effective minimally invasive surgery performed under local anesthesia in a clinic-based procedure room and results in only one-needle entrance point at the wrist and one-needle exit point in the palm. The feature of the procedure includes the potentials of reduced risk of iatrogenic injury, reduced surgical cost, and reduced patient recovery time. The study has shown encouraging promise for optimizing the technique of carpal tunnel release, and more clinical trials are necessary to confirm the findings.
Diazepam and Jacobson's Progressive Relaxation Show Similar Attenuating Short-Term Effects on Stress-Related Brain Glucose Consumption
Authors: Pifarré P. , Simó M. , Gispert J.-D. , Plaza P. , Fernández A. , Pujol J.
Published: June 2014

A non-pharmacological method to reduce anxiety is “progressive relaxation” (PR). The aim of the method is to reduce mental stress and associated mental processes by means of progressive suppression of muscle tension. The study was addressed to evaluate changes in brain glucose metabolism induced by PR in patients under a stressing state generated by a diagnostic medical intervention. The effect of PR was compared to a dose of sublingual diazepam, with the prediction that both interventions would be associated with a reduction in brain metabolism. Eighty-four oncological patients were assessed with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography. Maps of brain glucose distribution from 28 patients receiving PR were compared with maps from 28 patients receiving sublingual diazepam and with 28 patients with no treatment intervention. Compared to reference control subjects, the PR and diazepam groups showed a statistically significant, bilateral and generalized cortical hypometabolism. Regions showing the most prominent changes were the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. No significant differences were identified in the direct comparison between relaxation technique and sublingual diazepam. Our findings suggest that relaxation induced by a physical/psychological procedure can be as effective as a reference anxiolytic in reducing brain activity during a stressful state.
Religiosity is a protective factor against self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in Jewish adolescents: Findings from a nationally representative survey
Authors: Amit B.H. , Krivoy A. , Mansbach-Kleinfeld I. , Zalsman G. , Ponizovsky A.M. , Hoshen M. , Farbstein I. , Apter A. , Weizman A. , Shoval G.
Published: June 2014

Purpose

Few studies have investigated the association between religiosity and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors specifically in adolescents, yielding inconsistent results. To date, no study has examined this relationship in a Jewish adolescent cohort.

Methods

Self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, as well as depression, were assessed in a nationally representative sample of Jewish adolescents (n = 620) and their mothers, using the Development and Well-Being Assessment Inventory (DAWBA) structured interview. Degree of religiosity was obtained by a self-report measure.

Results

Using multivariate analysis, level of religiosity was inversely associated with self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (Wald χ2 = 3.95, P = 0.047), decreasing the likelihood of occurrence by 55% (OR = 0.45, 95% CI 0.2–0.99), after adjusting for depression and socio-demographic factors. This model (adjusted R2 = 0.164; likelihood ratio χ2 = 7.59; df = 1; P < 0.047) was able to correctly classify 95.6% of the patients as belonging either to the high or low risk groups.

Conclusion

This is the first study demonstrating religiosity to have a direct independent protective effect against self-injurious thoughts and behaviors in Jewish adolescents. This finding has clinical implications regarding risk assessment and suicide prevention. Further research can potentially elucidate the complex relationship between religiosity, self-injury and suicide in this population.
Holocene history and environmental reconstruction of a Hercynian mire and surrounding mountain landscape based on multiple proxies
Authors: Dudová Lydie , Hájková Petra , Opravilová Věra , Hájek Michal
Published: June 2014

We discovered the first peat section covering the entire Holocene in the Hrubý Jeseník Mountains, representing an island of unique alpine vegetation whose history may display transitional features between the Hercynian and Carpathian regions. We analysed pollen, plant macrofossils (more abundant in bottom layers), testate amoebae (more abundant in upper layers), peat stratigraphy and chemistry. We found that the landscape development indeed differed from other Hercynian mountains located westward. This is represented byPinus cembraandLarixduring the Pleistocene/Holocene transition, the early expansion of spruce around 10,450 cal yr BP, and survival ofLarixduring the climatic optimum. The early Holocene climatic fluctuations are traced in our profile by species compositions of both the mire and surrounding forests. The mire started to develop as a calcium-rich percolation fen with some species recently considered to be postglacial relicts (Meesia triquetra,Betula nana), shifted into ombrotrophy around 7450 cal yr BP by autogenic succession and changed into a pauperised, nutrient-enriched spruce woodland due to modern forestry activities. We therefore concluded that its recent vegetation is not a product of natural processes. From a methodological viewpoint we demonstrated how using multiple biotic proxies and extensive training sets in transfer functions may overcome taphonomic problems.
Just-in-Time Training of Dental Responders in a Simulated Pandemic Immunization Response Exercise
Authors: Colvard Michael D. , Hirst Jeremy L. , Vesper Benjamin J. , DeTella George E. , Tsagalis Mila P. , Roberg Mary J. , Peters David E. , Wallace Jimmy D. , James James J.
Published: June 2014

Objective

The reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act in 2013 incorporated the dental profession and dental professionals into the federal legislation governing public health response to pandemics and all-hazard situations. Work is now necessary to expand the processes needed to incorporate and train oral health care professionals into pandemic and all-hazard response events.

Methods

A just-in-time (JIT) training exercise and immunization drill using an ex vivo porcine model system was conducted to demonstrate the rapidity to which dental professionals can respond to a pandemic influenza scenario. Medical history documentation, vaccination procedures, and patient throughput and error rates of 15 dental responders were evaluated by trained nursing staff and emergency response personnel.

Results

The average throughput (22.33/hr) and medical error rates (7 of 335; 2.08%) of the dental responders were similar to those found in analogous influenza mass vaccination clinics previously conducted using certified public health nurses.

Conclusions

The dental responder immunization drill validated the capacity and capability of dental professionals to function as a valuable immunization resource. The ex vivo porcine model system used for JIT training can serve as a simple and inexpensive training tool to update pandemic responders’ immunization techniques and procedures supporting inoculation protocols.
Disaster Relief Activities of the Japan Self-Defense Force Following the Great East Japan Earthquake
Authors: Nishiyama Yasumasa
Published: June 2014

Cooperation between civilian and military forces, including the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF), enabled wide-ranging disaster relief after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Nevertheless, many preventable fatalities occurred, particularly related to an inability to treat chronic disease, indicating the need to plan for the provision of long-term medical aid after natural disasters in stricken areas and evacuation shelters. To assist in this effort, this report (1) provides an overview of the consequences of the medical response to the Great East Japan Earthquake, the largest natural disaster ever to hit Japan, focusing on the role and actions of the JSDF; (2) discusses the lessons learned regarding the provision of medical aid and management by the JSDF after this disaster, looking at the special challenges of meeting the needs of a rapidly aging population in a disaster situation; and (3) provides recommendations for the development of strategies for the long-term medical aid and support after natural disasters, especially with regard to the demographics of the Japanese population.
Party Competition in the 2013 Italian Elections: Evidence from an Expert Survey
Authors: Di Virgilio Aldo , Giannetti Daniela , Pedrazzani Andrea , Pinto Luca
Published: June 2014

In this article, we examine the structure of party competition in Italy in the February 2013 elections. We rely on the spatial approach to party competition to analyse the most salient dimensions of the policy space in the Italian context. Our analysis is based on quantitative estimates from expert survey data. These data highlight the salience of the socioeconomic policy dimension and capture the change in the importance of the EU dimension. Finally, this study provides an analysis of potential coalition governments in the aftermath of the 2013 general election that is grounded on the spatial approach to coalition formation.
Hybrid Method Combines Transfinite Interpolation with Series Expansion to Simulate the Anti-Plane Response of a Surface Irregularity
Authors: Shyu W.-S. , Teng T.-J.
Published: June 2014

The responses to an incident plane SH wave on or near a surface irregularity which is embedded in an elastic half-plane are investigated. The surface irregularity represents a canyon, an alluvial valley or a hill. The wave function expansion method has been employed to solve surface irregularities, such as a semi-cylindrical canyon, a semi-cylindrical alluvial valley, or a semi-elliptical canyon and a semi-elliptical alluvial valley. These solutions to the scattering problem of SH wave can be used to test the accuracy of the other numerical methods. But solutions for surface irregularities with arbitrarily shapes cannot be found easily. A hybrid method combines the finite element method with series expansion is applied to solve scattering problems in this study. A subregion encloses the surface irregularity with a semi-circular auxiliary boundary can be meshed by the finite element method. By using the transfinite interpolation (TFI) produces excellent grid mesh on the subregion. The advantage of TFI is the flexibility to facilitate modeling of the subregion. On the other hand, the boundary data can be formulated by using a series representation with unknown coefficients. The Lamb's solution which satisfies the traction free condition and the radiation condition at infinity is implemented to be the basis function. The unknown coefficients can be obtained by satisfying the continuity conditions of the semi-circular auxiliary boundary between the subregion and the half-plane. The hybrid method that combines TFI with series expansion is successfully herein to solve the scattering problem by a surface irregularity. Numerical results in this study for special cases agree well with those in the published literatures. In this study, the steps and skills of hybrid method are described systematically and completely to solve the surface irregularity.
Investigation of Transport Phenomena in a Vapour Film Formed in Contact Between Hot Metallic Sphere and Water
Authors: Jahangiri A. , Biglari M.
Published: June 2014

Contact between hot objects and liquids occurs in many industries, such as nuclear reactors, metal casting industries and paper production. In such cases growth of vapour film leads to steam explosion that may cause human and financial damages. It is obvious that possibility of these phenomena can be judged by comparing vapour film radius growth and pressure inside vapour film. In this paper vapour film growth and pressure inside the vapour film formed, on hot sphere interaction with water, are investigated. The numerical simulation of problem is obtained and then validated using experimental test and other available results. The effects of the variations of different parameters such as hot sphere diameter, temperature, immersion depth into water and bulk water temperature are investigated on the vapour film radius, vapour pressure inside vapour film and the saturation temperature of phase interface surface. Finally, the overall results show that the effect of hot sphere interaction with water would be the same pressure inside vapour film suddenly increases up to 5 times more than initial pressure which would lead to hazard and put the safety of the system at risk.
Solar Radiation Assisted Mixed Convection Flow Along a Vertical Plate
Authors: Siddiqa S. , Hossain M. A.
Published: June 2014

Solar radiation assisted mixed convection boundary layer flow of Newtonian fluid along a non- reflecting, non-absorbing and ideally transparent semi-infinite vertical plate is studied here. Beer's law is used to express the solar radiation term. It is convenient to transform the non-linear dimensionless parabolic partial differential equations into (i) primitive variable formulation (PVF) and (ii) stream function formulation (SFF) before applying the numerical schemes. Coupled equations thus obtained from PVF are integrated numerically through implicit finite difference method together with the Gaussian elimination technique whereas block tridiagonal Keller-box technique is adopted to simulate the system of equations obtained from SFF. Numerical results from these two methods are also compared graphically in order to test the validation of the two schemes. However, due to less computation time and accuracy numeric results of shear stress, local Nusselt number coefficient, velocity and temperature profiles are obtained via SFF. It is found that velocity as well as temperature of the non-absorbing fluid enhances owing to the increase in solar radiation parameter.
The Three-Dimensional Infinite Space and Half-Space Green's Functions for Orthotropic Materials
Authors: Lee V.-G.
Published: June 2014

Common materials, ranging from natural wood to modern composites, have been recognized as ortho-tropic materials. The elastic properties of such materials are governed by nine elastic constants. In this paper the complete set of Green's functions for an infinite medium and a half space is given, which were not reported completely before. Analytic expressions for the infinite Green's functions are derived through the explicit form of the sextic equation given explicitly. For an orthotopic half space, the Green's function is derived by a superposition method. The mathematical concept is based on the addition of a complementary term to the Green's function in an orthotropic infinite domain to fulfill the boundary condition on the free surface. Both solutions are illustrated in certain directions to demonstrate the nature of orthotropy.
Mixed Convection Heat Transfer in an Anisotropic Porous Medium with Oblique Principal Axes
Authors: Vajravelu K. , Prasad K. V.
Published: June 2014

In this paper, a numerical study is carried out to investigate the mixed convection flow and heat transfer in a parallel-plate channel with an anisotropic permeable porous medium. The principal axis of the porous medium is orientated in a direction which is oblique to the gravity vector. Both clear (Newtonian) fluid dissipation and Darcy viscous dissipation are considered in the heat transport equation. In this model, the temperature dependent fluid properties are considered and their influence on the flow and heat transfer characteristics is brought out. The governing non-linear equations (in non-dimensional form) are solved numerically by a second order finite difference scheme. The directional permeability ratioA1is defined to combine the effects of the permeability ratio parameterK*= (K1/K2) and the orientation angle Φ1. The effects of the anisotropic permeability ratio, the orientation angle of the principal axis, and the temperature dependent variable properties on the mixed convection flow and heat transfer are investigated. It is demonstrated that both the anisotropic permeability of the porous medium and the variable transport properties have strong effects on the flow and heat transfer characteristics.
At the Gates of Realism
Authors: Agnani Sunil
Published: June 2014

Enlightenment Orientalism rewrites the history of the novel by restoring consideration of a range of texts (and overlooked aspects of oft-read works) systematically excluded because they failed to fit existing notions of domestic realism. Aravamudan anchors his alternative genealogy in more capacious conceptions of the novel and inverts the usual understanding of Orientalism as restrictive stereotype to instead ask why Orientalism was so productive of cultural products in European literature. The subgenre of enlightenment Orientalism evinces a heteroglossia that exceeds national realism, and recuperating this broader fictional landscape allows readers to recognize a range of texts otherwise taken to be strange because it falls between genres (transgeneric) or between national spaces (intercultural). Taking the novel to be a cultural transportation device, Aravamudan describes this broader fictional ensemble as an investigative tool that is an alternative to the nation-centered novel after the mid-eighteenth century.
Pocketbook vs. Sociotropic Corruption Voting
Authors: Klašnja Marko , Tucker Joshua A. , Deegan-Krause Kevin
Published: June 2014

The article examines the relationship between corruption and voting behavior by defining two distinct channels:pocketbook corruption voting, i.e. how personal experiences with corruption affect voting behavior; andsociotropic corruption voting, i.e. how perceptions of corruption in society do so. Individual and aggregate data from Slovakia fail to support hypotheses that corruption is an undifferentiated valence issue, that it depends on the presence of a viable anti-corruption party, or that voters tolerate (or even prefer) corruption, and support the hypothesis that the importance of each channel depends on thesalienceof each source of corruption and that pocketbook corruption voting prevails unless a credible anti-corruption party shifts media coverage of corruption and activates sociotropic corruption voting. Previous studies may have underestimated the prevalence of corruption voting by not accounting for both channels.
Otolaryngologist-performed head and neck ultrasound: outcomes and challenges in learning the technique
Authors: Badran K , Jani P , Berman L
Published: June 2014

Objective:

To assess the feasibility and accuracy of otolaryngologist-performed ultrasound in evaluating head and neck pathology.

Method:

An ENT trainee, who had undergone basic training in neck ultrasonography, performed this on patients referred with suspected neck pathology. The trainee recorded the presence and nature of any abnormality. Findings were compared with those from a repeated scan performed by an experienced head and neck radiologist.

Results:

The study included 250 patients. The absence or presence of lesion as reported by the trainee correlated with the radiologist's findings in 207 cases (83 per cent). There were 144 true positives, 63 true negatives, 32 false negatives and 11 false positives, yielding a sensitivity of 82 per cent, specificity of 85 per cent and accuracy of 83 per cent. Of the 144 true positive lesions, 81 per cent were interpreted concordantly with the radiologist.

Conclusion:

Neck ultrasonography performed by an otolaryngologist is less accurate than that performed by an experienced radiologist, but is still a useful adjunct to clinical assessment, facilitating assessment in a ‘one-stop’ clinical setting.
Danger and loss events and the incidence of anxiety and depressive disorders: a prospective-longitudinal community study of adolescents and young adults
Authors: Asselmann E. , Wittchen H.-U. , Lieb R. , Höfler M. , Beesdo-Baum K.
Published: June 2014

Background

There are inconclusive findings regarding whether danger and loss events differentially predict the onset of anxiety and depression.

Method

A community sample of adolescents and young adults (n = 2304, age 14–24 years at baseline) was prospectively followed up in up to four assessments over 10 years. Incident anxiety and depressive disorders were assessed at each wave using the DSM-IV/M-CIDI. Life events (including danger, loss and respectively mixed events) were assessed at baseline using the Munich Event List (MEL). Logistic regressions were used to reveal associations between event types at baseline and incident disorders at follow-up.

Results

Loss events merely predicted incident ‘pure’ depression [odds ratio (OR) 2.4 per standard deviation, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5–3.9, p < 0.001] whereas danger events predicted incident ‘pure’ anxiety (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1–4.6, p = 0.023) and ‘pure’ depression (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.7–3.5, p < 0.001). Mixed events predicted incident ‘pure’ anxiety (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.5–5.7, p = 0.002), ‘pure’ depression (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.6–3.4, p < 0.001) and their co-morbidity (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.8–7.0, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

Our results provide further evidence for differential effects of danger, loss and respectively mixed events on incident anxiety, depression and their co-morbidity. Since most loss events referred to death/separation from significant others, particularly interpersonal loss appears to be highly specific in predicting depression.
The influence of group formation on learner participation, language complexity, and corrective behaviour in synchronous written chat as part of academic German studies
Authors: Fredriksson Christine
Published: June 2014

Synchronous written chat and instant messaging are tools which have been used and explored in online language learning settings for at least two decades. Research literature has shown that such tools give second language (L2) learners opportunities for language learning,e.g., the interaction in real time with peers and native speakers, the written mode of language, and the time available for planning and monitoring utterances. However, since the majority of the empirical work on chat and instant messaging has been conducted under experimental conditions, relatively little research has investigated how interaction in chat influences language learning opportunities under the conditions of an online academic language course where students have unequal status because of their different language background and level of L2 proficiency. This article presents an explorative study of the interaction in chat in a web-based academic language course between students with different L1s and different levels of L2. The aim is to shed light on how student interaction in an institutional context benefits the language learning environment in a manner that promotes L2 learners’ attention to linguistic items in their input and output, and that allow opportunities for functional practising. Based on a mainly quantitative analysis, this article illustrates how L2 learners’ participation, the complexity of their utterances, and their opportunities for self-correction and corrective feedback are influenced by group formation.
Mechanism of action of agomelatine: a novel antidepressant exploiting synergy between monoaminergic and melatonergic properties
Authors: Stahl Stephen M.
Published: June 2014

ISSUE:A striking and unexpected pharmacologic synergy has been shown between antagonist actions at serotonergic 5HT2C receptors, and agonist actions at melatonergic receptors by agomelatine, a drug that has both of these properties.
The challenges for environment and development economics
Authors: Barbier Edward B.
Published: June 2014

I consider that the field of environment and development economics (EDE) began with the publication of The Control of Resources by Partha Dasgupta (1982). Although he did not confine his focus to developing countries, Dasgupta (1982: 10) suggested that managing environmental resources was much broader than conventional resource stock depletion or pollution control:

To sum up: environmental discussions need to be conducted in the face of a clear recognition that, (a) these resource are often common property, (b) resolutions of environmental problems usually involve changes in the allocation of property rights, (c) resource use may well be irreversible (e.g. it may lead to their exhaustion when in fact this could have been avoided), (d) resource stocks often affect welfare directly, (e) the environmental impact of certain types of activity are cumulative and only become noticeable at some time in the future, and (f) the environmental impact of certain types of activity are uncertain. It is no wonder that environmental problems are formidable to analyse, let alone solve.
Mission started – but far from accomplished
Authors: Sterner Thomas
Published: June 2014

We live at a unique moment in history when rapid economic growth has finally lifted hundreds of millions out of deep poverty, not only in Asia and Latin America but increasingly in Africa (Sala-i-Martin and Pinkovskiy, 2010). Yet the impending damage of climate change could reverse this. The world is failing miserably at implementing rational and collectively beneficial treaties and policies to tackle climate change. In spite of the many declarations concerning the need not to exceed two degrees of warming, current lack of action will make it difficult to avoid three degrees. The effects of climate change will be very unequal, particularly because there is a negative relationship between temperature and income (Dellet al., 2009). The poor will have particular difficulty in making the necessary investments to protect themselves and to adapt in response to climate change pressures, rendering them most vulnerable. New evidence shows that even the vital ability to grow economically will be severely set back. Several articles have shown how heat – particularly in poor countries – may increase conflicts and decrease growth rates. Climate change is far from the only global environmental problem we face; we find in one area after another that world production and consumption exceeds the Earth's capacity to provide a satisfying quality of life, which raises a number of sustainability issues (see, for instance, Arrowet al., 2012).
What has changed in EDE research? A comment
Authors: Cunha-e-Sá Maria A.
Published: June 2014

Climate and global economic integration have contributed to a refocusing of research in EDE in the two last decades. The disclosure of new scientific evidence, namely after the publication of the Stern Review and the following debates, has definitely granted economists a central role in defining the key elements of the debate on climate change.
Natural capital in the macroeconomy
Authors: Dasgupta Partha
Published: June 2014

A problem in urgent need of attention in modern industrial societies is to discover ways to de-link aggregate output from recorded employment. If the loss were shared in a manner deemed fair by the general public, there would be nothing catastrophic for people in a country where the average income is 35,000 international dollars a year to suffer an income loss of even 25 per cent, let alone 5 per cent. Average income in the UK in 1990 was about 25 per cent less than in 2005. It's hard to maintain that UK citizens experienced significantly lower levels of personal wellbeing in 1990 than they did in 2005. Revival of research on competitive consumption (e.g., Veblen's ‘conspicuous consumption’) and reports on ‘life satisfaction’ suggest that a general rise in private consumption among a population enjoying a high standard of living adds little to happiness, or indeed to objectively measured indices of wellbeing.
The political economy of innovation and technological change
Authors: Zilberman David
Published: June 2014

Population growth and growing incomes in developing and developed countries are leading to increased demand for energy and food, placing significant stress on the environment. At the same time, the increased scarcity of natural resources, and especially concerns about climate change and other environmental side effects, are constraining the traditional supplies of food and fuel. Failure to provide both energy and food in an affordable as well as in an environmentally sustainable manner, as well as climate change, will negatively affect our society, especially the global poor. Finding solutions to food energy problems is both a policy and technological challenge.
Biodiversity: a promising area for future research
Authors: Schubert Katheline
Published: June 2014

The most challenging topic in the area of EDE is, to my point of view, the understanding of the various issues related to biodiversity and their modeling. We do not know much about the reasons why we would want to prevent ecosystem and species losses, but we suspect that preventing large-scale loss is indeed a tremendously important task we should undertake rapidly. We need tools to help us evaluate the costs of these losses and the benefits of preventing them, and to provide guiding principles for environmental policy.
It took thousands of turtles
Authors: Alpízar Francisco
Published: June 2014

At the end of my undergraduate studies in economics I was ready to go into graduate studies in finance, monetary policy or macroeconomics. At that time in my country, the choices were not much broader than that. In order to complete my studies I needed 30 days of community work, so I went to Ostional National Wildlife Refuge (ONWR), one of a few places in the world where sea turtles come to nest in massive numbers. My task was to craft a set of rules and incentives for the local community to organize better around the unique resources of this protected area.
The climate change, migration and conflict nexus
Authors: Withagen Cees
Published: June 2014

Early this year, Thomas Friedman (2014) reported on a (Wikileaks) cable sent in 2008 from the US Embassy in Damascus concerning the drought Syria had been suffering from since 2006 (and which was going to last for another couple of years). The Syrian UN food and agriculture representative was seeking assistance for among others 15,000 small-holding farmers, who might otherwise seek jobs in Syrian cities (leaving many women and children behind in poverty) and who could arguably add to already existing social and economic tensions in those cities.
Environment and development economics: past, present and future challenges
Authors: Markandya Anil
Published: June 2014

The journal Environment and Development Economics has made a major contribution over the last 20 years to our understanding of the ways in which the environment interacts with the process of development. The risks of ignoring environmental considerations was raised at the outset when the journal was launched and the discussion has gone on to become more informed and sophisticated as time has passed. We know more about where development may bring about an improvement in environmental quality and where it may not, unless the right policies are followed. We also better appreciate what those policies are and what challenges governments face in implementing them.
Environment and development economics 20 years on
Authors: Perrings Charles
Published: June 2014

This paper reviews the evolution of the field of environment and development over the last two decades. I argue that a central concern of the field has been the relation between natural resource use, income and growth, under the institutional and market conditions that prevail in developing countries. Particular attention is paid to the demographic and other drivers of change in the asset base, the linkages between poverty, property rights and the allocation of natural resources, the valuation of environmental assets and investment of resource rents, and the development of policies for managing environmental externalities and environmental public goods. I consider how the balance between topics and the treatment of individual topics has changed over time, and indicate how the field might be expected to move in the future.
OPTIMAL ESTIMATES FOR THE SEMIDISCRETE GALERKIN METHOD APPLIED TO PARABOLIC INTEGRO-DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS WITH NONSMOOTH DATA
Authors: GOSWAMI DEEPJYOTI , PANI AMIYA K. , YADAV SANGITA
Published: June 2014

We propose and analyse an alternate approach to a priori error estimates for the semidiscrete Galerkin approximation to a time-dependent parabolic integro-differential equation with nonsmooth initial data. The method is based on energy arguments combined with repeated use of time integration, but without using parabolic-type duality techniques. An optimal$L^2$-error estimate is derived for the semidiscrete approximation when the initial data is in$L^2$. A superconvergence result is obtained and then used to prove a maximum norm estimate for parabolic integro-differential equations defined on a two-dimensional bounded domain.
EXACT SOLUTIONS FOR INTERFACIAL OUTFLOWS WITH STRAINING
Authors: FORBES LAWRENCE K. , BRIDESON MICHAEL A.
Published: June 2014

In models of fluid outflows from point or line sources, an interface is present, and it is forced outwards as time progresses. Although various types of fluid instabilities are possible at the interface, it is nevertheless of interest to know the development of its overall shape with time. If the fluids on either side are of nearly equal densities, it is possible to derive a single nonlinear partial differential equation that describes the interfacial shape with time. Although nonlinear, this equation admits a simple transformation that renders it linear, so that closed-form solutions are possible. Two such solutions are illustrated; for a line source in a planar straining flow and a point source in an axisymmetric background flow. Possible applications in astrophysics are discussed.
HOPF BIFURCATION ANALYSIS FOR A RATIO-DEPENDENT PREDATOR–PREY SYSTEM INVOLVING TWO DELAYS
Authors: KARAOGLU E. , MERDAN H.
Published: June 2014

The aim of this paper is to give a detailed analysis of Hopf bifurcation of a ratio-dependent predator–prey system involving two discrete delays. A delay parameter is chosen as the bifurcation parameter for the analysis. Stability of the bifurcating periodic solutions is determined by using the centre manifold theorem and the normal form theory introduced by Hassard et al. Some of the bifurcation properties including the direction, stability and period are given. Finally, our theoretical results are supported by some numerical simulations.
Perspective on the applicability and application of international humanitarian law: the UN context
Authors: Grenfell Katarina
Published: June 2014

The applicability of international humanitarian law (IHL) to United Nations (UN) forces has long generated discussion. When peacekeepers have become engaged in hostilities of such a nature as to trigger the application of IHL (either via acts in self-defence, or in the course of carrying out a mandate as authorised by the UN Security Council under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations), questions have arisen as to whether they should be equally subject to the rules of IHL. Such questions arise as UN peacekeeping forces act on behalf of the international community and thus have a ‘just cause’, so to speak, to use force. Despite these questions, however, it now appears well settled that the distinction betweenjus ad bellum(the right to use force under public international law) andjus in bello(the law governing the conduct of hostilities) should be maintained, and that IHL applies in respect of UN peacekeeping operations whenever the conditions for its application are met. That said, questions regarding the conditions for the application of IHL, as well as its scope of application, continue to be relevant, particularly at a time when the Security Council is tasking UN operations with increasingly robust mandates.
Suicide Prevention E-Learning Modules Designed for Gatekeepers
Authors: Ghoncheh Rezvan , Koot Hans M. , Kerkhof Ad J. F. M.
Published: June 2014

Background: E-learning modules can be a useful method for educating gatekeepers in suicide prevention and awareness. Aims: To review and provide an overview of e-learning modules on suicide prevention designed for gatekeepers and assess their effectiveness. Method: Two strategies were used. First, articles were systematically searched in databases of PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO. Second, Google search was used to find e-learning modules on the Web. Results: The literature search resulted in 448 papers, of which none met the inclusion criteria of this study. The Google search resulted in 130 hits, of which 23 met the inclusion criteria of this review. Organizations that owned the modules were contacted, of which 13 responded and nine were included in this study. The effectiveness of two e-learning modules is currently being tested in a randomized controlled trial (RCT), one organization is planning to test the effectiveness of their module, and one organization has compared their face-to-face training with their online training. Furthermore, the included modules have different characteristics. Conclusion: There is a need for RCTs to study the effectiveness of online modules in this area and to understand which characteristics are essential to create effective e-learning modules to educate gatekeepers in suicide prevention.
Risk of Stroke in Patients with Rheumatism: A Nationwide Longitudinal Population-based Study
Authors: Liou Tsan-Hon , Huang Shih-Wei , Lin Jia-Wei , Chang Yu-Sheng , Wu Chin-Wen , Lin Hui-Wen
Published: June 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) as risk factors for stroke. The study was analyzed by Using the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005 (LHID2005), this cohort study investigated patients with a recorded diagnosis of RA (N = 6114) and SLE (N = 621) between January 1, 2004 and December 31, 2007, with age-matched controls (1:4) (for RA, N = 24456; SLE, N = 2484). We used Cox proportional-hazard regressions to evaluate the hazard ratios (HRs) after adjusting confounding factors. Our study found 383 of 6114 RA patients, experienced stroke during the 20267 person-year follow-up period. The adjusted HR of stroke for RA patients was 1.24 (95% CI, 1.11 to 1.39) and for SLE patients was 1.88 (95% CI, 1.08 to 3.27). When steroid was added as additional confounding factor, the adjusted HR of ischemic stroke for RA patients was 1.32 (95% CI, 1.15 to 1.50) and for SLE patients was 1.31 (95% CI, 0.51 to 3.34). In conclusion, the rheumatic diseases of RA and SLE are all risk factors for stroke. After controlled the effect of steroid prescription, RA is risk factor for ischemic stroke.
B and N isolate-doped graphitic carbon nanosheets from nitrogen-containing ion-exchanged resins for enhanced oxygen reduction
Authors: Wang Lei , Yu Peng , Zhao Lu , Tian Chungui , Zhao Dongdong , Zhou Wei , Yin Jie , Wang Ruihong , Fu Honggang
Published: June 2014

B,N-codoped carbon nanostructures (BNCS) can serve as alternative low-cost metal-free electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR). However, the compensation effect between the p- (B atoms) and n-type (N atoms) dopants would make the covalent boron-nitride (BN) easily formed during the synthesis of BNCS, leading to a unsatisfactory ORR activity. Therefore, it has been challenging to develop facile and rapid synthetic strategies for highly active BNCS without forming the direct covalent BN. Here, a facile method is developed to prepare B and N isolate-doped graphitic nanosheets (BNGS) by using iron species for saving N element and simultaneous doping the B element from nitrogen-containing ion-exchanged resins (NR). The resulting BNGS exhibits much more onset potential (Eonset) compared with the B-doped graphitic carbon nanosheets (BGS), N-doped graphitic carbon nanosheets (NGS), as well as B,N-codoped disorder carbon (BNC). Moreover, the BNGS shows well methanol tolerance propery and excellent stability (a minimal loss of activity after 5,000 potential cycles) compared to that of commercial Pt/C catalyst. The goog performance for BNGS towards ORR is attributed to the synergistic effect between B and N and the well electrons transport property of graphitic carbon in BNGS.