bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protective Effect of a Polyherbal Aqueous Extract Comprised ofNigella sativa(Seeds),Hemidesmus indicus(Roots), andSmilax glabra(Rhizome) on Bleomycin Induced Cytogenetic Damage in Human Lymphocytes
Authors: Galhena Bandula Prasanna , Samarakoon S. S. R. , Thabrew Myrtle Ira , Paul Solomon F. D. , Perumal Venkatachalam , Mani Chinnadurai
Published: May 2017

This study was carried out to determine the chemoprotective potential of a polyherbal aqueous decoction comprised ofNigella sativa(seeds),Hemidesmus indicus(roots), andSmilax glabra(rhizome) against bleomycin induced cytogenetic damage in human lymphocytes. Isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) were exposed to bleomycin at a dose of 40 µg/mL for 2 hrs in the presence or absence of different doses of the decoction (100, 300, and 600µg/mL). Modulatory effect of the decoction on bleomycin induced cytogenetic damage was evaluated by (a) degree of chromosomal aberrations (CA), (b) formation of micronuclei (MN), and (c) induction ofγH2AX foci in lymphocytes exposed to bleomycin. Lymphocytes pretreated with the decoction showed that a significant reduction (p<0.05) in bleomycin induced (a) stable and unstable chromosome aberrations (CA), (b) MN formation, and (c) formation ofγH2AX foci, when compared to lymphocytes treated only with bleomycin. The decoction by itself did not induce any significant cytogenetic damage in PBLs. Overall results of the present study confirm that the decoction can attenuate the cytogenetic damage mediated by bleomycin in human PBLs.
Health Brokers: How Can They Help Deal with the Wickedness of Public Health Problems?
Authors: van Rinsum Celeste E. , Gerards Sanne M. P. L. , Rutten Geert M. , van de Goor Ien A. M. , Kremers Stef P. J.
Published: May 2017

Background. The role of health broker is a relatively new one in public health. Health brokers aim to create support for efforts to optimise health promotion in complex or even “wicked” public health contexts by facilitating intersectoral collaborations and by exchanging knowledge with different stakeholders. The current study aimed to explore the role of health brokers, by examining the motivational, contextual, and behaviour-related factors they have to deal with. Methods. Fifteen professionals from various backgrounds and from various policy and practice organisations were recruited for a semistructured interview. To structure the interviews, we developed the “Health Broker Wheel” (HBW), a framework we then specified with more details derived from the interviews. Results. We identified seven primary types of behaviour that health brokers need to engage in: recognizing opportunities, agenda setting, implementing, network formation, intersectoral collaboration, adaptive managing, and leadership. Determinants of health brokers’ behaviours were identified and categorised as capability, opportunities, motivation, and local or national contextual factors. Conclusion. The health brokers’ role can be seen as an operational approach and is visualised in the HBW. This framework can assist further research to monitor and evaluate this role, and health promotion practitioners can use it as a tool to implement the health brokers’ role and to facilitate intersectoral collaboration.
Tradeoff Study between Cost and Environmental Impact of Aircraft Using Simultaneous Optimization of Airframe and Engine Cycle
Authors: Chai Xiao , Yu Xiongqing , Wang Yu
Published: May 2017

To investigate more efficient aircraft configurations which have less environmental impact, this paper develops a multidisciplinary analysis framework integrated with the airframe and propulsion analysis modules. The characteristics for propulsion, aerodynamics, weight, performance, cost, emissions, and noise can be rapidly predicted by the framework. The impact of propulsion installation with large diameter engines on aircraft weight and drag are considered in the framework. A wide-body aircraft was taken as an example for the optimization to investigate the tradeoffs between the cost metric and the environmental performance metrics. Several cases for single objective and multiobjective optimizations were performed. In the single objective optimizations, the direct operating cost, the cumulative noise, the oxides of nitrogen emissions during landing-takeoff cycle, and the mission oxides of nitrogen emissions were considered as an objective and minimized, respectively. The different objectives resulted in designs with different airframe parameters and engine cycle parameters. In the multiobjective optimizations, the direct operating costs and environmental performances were considered as the objectives simultaneously. The optimization results were the Pareto fronts for the minimum direct operating costs and environmental performances, which illustrate the quantitative relationships between the economic metric and the environmental performances.
An Association-Oriented Partitioning Approach for Streaming Graph Query
Authors: Hao Yun , Li Gaofeng , Yuan Pingpeng , Jin Hai , Ding Xiaofeng
Published: May 2017

The volumes of real-world graphs like knowledge graph are increasing rapidly, which makes streaming graph processing a hot research area. Processing graphs in streaming setting poses significant challenges from different perspectives, among which graph partitioning method plays a key role. Regarding graph query, a well-designed partitioning method is essential for achieving better performance. Existing offline graph partitioning methods often require full knowledge of the graph, which is not possible during streaming graph processing. In order to handle this problem, we propose an association-oriented streaming graph partitioning method named Assc. This approach first computes the rank values of vertices with a hybrid approximate PageRank algorithm. After splitting these vertices with an adapted variant affinity propagation algorithm, the process order on vertices in the sliding window can be determined. Finally, according to thelevelof these vertices and their association, the partition where the vertices should be distributed is decided. We compare its performance with a set of streaming graph partition methods and METIS, a widely adopted offline approach. The results show that our solution can partition graphs with hundreds of millions of vertices in streaming setting on a large collection of graph datasets and our approach outperforms other graph partitioning methods.
The Effect of Social Support on Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: The Mediating Roles of Self-Efficacy and Adherence
Authors: Shao Yechang , Liang Lu , Shi Linjing , Wan Chengsong , Yu Shouyi
Published: May 2017

Ample evidence suggests that social support, self-efficacy, and adherence significantly, independently, and together affect glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but the pathway from social support to glycemic control remains unclear. This study hypothesized that the effect of social support on glycemic control was mediated sequentially by self-efficacy and adherence. Patients with T2DM were recruited from two hospitals in Guangzhou, China, from January 1 to July 31, 2014, and their sociodemographic clinical data and their assessments on social support, self-efficacy, and adherence were obtained from medical records and self-completed questionnaires. Of the 532 patients who participated, 35% achieved glycemic control (i.e., HbA1c < 7%). Social support, self-efficacy, and adherence had significant correlations with each other and with glycemic control (P<0.05). Regression analyses and structural equation modeling showed that better social support was associated to better patient self-efficacy, which, in turn, was associated with better medical adherence, which was associated with improved glycemic control, and the relationship between social support and glycemic control was sequentially and completely mediated by self-efficacy and adherence. The five goodness-of-fit indices confirmed that our data fitted the hypothesized pathway model strongly.
A Comprehensive Presentation of the Turbulent Plane Jet Theory with Passive Scalar
Authors: Violeau D.
Published: May 2017

We present a unified vision of the existing theoretical models for the turbulent plane jet, leading to new analytical profiles for scalar concentration and turbulent quantities, including a complete turbulent kinetic energy budget. Integrals of the budget terms are also computed. The present model is split into two variants. Both compare fairly well with referenced experimental data.
Inadequate Triglyceride Management Worsens the Durability of Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitor in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Shimoda Masashi , Miyoshi-Takai Maiko , Irie Shintaro , Tanabe Akihito , Obata Atsushi , Okauchi Seizo , Hirukawa Hidenori , Kimura Tomohiko , Kohara Kenji , Kamei Shinji , Mune Tomoatsu , Kaku Kohei , Kaneto Hideaki
Published: May 2017

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are often used all over the world and exert various beneficial effects including glucose-lowering effect in many subjects with type 2 diabetes. It is poorly understood, however, which factors are closely related with the durability of glucose-lowering effect by DPP-4 inhibitor. In this study, we examined retrospectively which factors could mainly influence the durability of DPP-4 inhibitor. We enrolled 212 participants with type 2 diabetes to whom DPP-4 inhibitor was administered for over 1 year without an addition or increase of other hypoglycemic agents. Age and baseline HbA1c level were significantly higher in the effective group than those in the ineffective group. The effective group had a tendency of smaller amounts of weight change, average total cholesterol, and average triglyceride compared with the ineffective group. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that average triglyceride and baseline HbA1c were independent predictors associated with the durability of DPP-4 inhibitor. Moreover, an average triglyceride level contributed to the durability of DPP-4 inhibitor in the obese group (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) but not in the nonobese group (BMI < 25 kg/m2). These results suggest the importance of strict triglyceride management to maintain the durability of glucose-lowering effect by DPP-4 inhibitor, especially in obese subjects with type 2 diabetes.
The Global Lung Function Initiative 2012 Equations Are as Well-Suited as Local Population Derived Equations to a Sample of Healthy Professional Firefighters
Authors: Slattery Flynn , Schermer Tjard , Esterman Adrian , Johnston Kylie , Crockett Alan
Published: May 2017

Background and Objective. We aimed to assess the validity of using the Global Lung Function Initiative’s (GLI) 2012 equations to interpret lung function data in a healthy workforce of South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service (SAMFS) personnel.Methods. Spirometry data from 212 healthy, nonsmoking SAMFS firefighters were collected and predicted normal values were calculated using both the GLI and local population derived (Gore) equations for forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1/FVC. Two-tailed paired sample Student’st-tests, Bland-Altman assessments of agreement, andz-scores were used to compare the two prediction methods.Results. The equations showed good agreement for mean predicted FEV1, FVC, and FEV1/FVC. Meanz-scores were similar for FEV1and FVC, although not FEV1/FVC, but greater than 0.5. Differences between the calculated lower limits of normal (LLN) were significant (p<0.01), clinically meaningful, and resulted in an 8% difference in classification of abnormality using the FEV1/FVC ratio.Conclusions. The GLI equations predicted similar lung function as population-specific equations and resulted in a lower incidence of obstruction in this sample of healthy SAMFS firefighters. Further, interpretation of spirometry data as abnormal should be based on both an FEV1and FEV1/FVC ratio < LLN.
Development of SNP Genotyping Assays for Seed Composition Traits in Soybean
Authors: Patil Gunvant , Chaudhary Juhi , Vuong Tri D. , Jenkins Brian , Qiu Dan , Kadam Suhas , Shannon Grover J. , Nguyen Henry T.
Published: May 2017

Seed composition is one of the most important determinants of the economic values in soybean. The quality and quantity of different seed components, such as oil, protein, and carbohydrates, are crucial ingredients in food, feed, and numerous industrial products. Soybean researchers have successfully developed and utilized a diverse set of molecular markers for seed trait improvement in soybean breeding programs. It is imperative to design and develop molecular assays that are accurate, robust, high-throughput, cost-effective, and available on a common genotyping platform. In the present study, we developed and validated KASP (Kompetitive allele-specific polymerase chain reaction) genotyping assays based on previously known functional mutant alleles for the seed composition traits, including fatty acids, oligosaccharides, trypsin inhibitor, and lipoxygenase. These assays were validated on mutant sources as well as mapping populations and precisely distinguish the homozygotes and heterozygotes of the mutant genes. With the obvious advantages, newly developed KASP assays in this study can substitute the genotyping assays that were previously developed for marker-assisted selection (MAS). The functional gene-based assay resource developed using common genotyping platform will be helpful to accelerate efforts to improve soybean seed composition traits.
Sparse Representation Based Multi-Instance Learning for Breast Ultrasound Image Classification
Authors: Bing Lu , Wang Wei
Published: May 2017

We propose a novel method based on sparse representation for breast ultrasound image classification under the framework of multi-instance learning (MIL). After image enhancement and segmentation, concentric circle is used to extract the global and local features for improving the accuracy in diagnosis and prediction. The classification problem of ultrasound image is converted to sparse representation based MIL problem. Each instance of a bag is represented as a sparse linear combination of all basis vectors in the dictionary, and then the bag is represented by one feature vector which is obtained via sparse representations of all instances within the bag. The sparse and MIL problem is further converted to a conventional learning problem that is solved by relevance vector machine (RVM). Results of single classifiers are combined to be used for classification. Experimental results on the breast cancer datasets demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method in terms of classification accuracy as compared with state-of-the-art MIL methods.
Onde andarão Castana, Matilde, Sergio, Domingos, Ariosto...? Os desaparecidos como princípio formal dos romances de Chico Buarque
Authors: Welter Juliane Vargas
Published: May 2017

Este artigo pretende, aliando forma literária e processo histórico-social, investigar a figura dos desaparecidos nos romances de Chico Buarque. A categoria tem se mostrado como central na feitura romanesca do autor, tendo se repetido nos romances Benjamim (1995), Leite derramado (2009) e O irmão alemão (2014). Assim, partindo dessas narrativas, este trabalho se propõe a examinar o desparecido não apenas como marca de conteúdo, seja ele um desaparecido político ou não, mas como estruturante das obras investigadas e também como marca de uma literatura contemporânea que elabora um passado recalcado.
Nara Leão: entre a bossa nova e a canção engajada
Authors: Gerolamo Ismael De Oliveira
Published: May 2017

Nara Leão foi uma das principais intérpretes da canção brasileira. Sua singular trajetória artística teve início nos anos 1960, período de grande efervescência cultural e política, quando atuou como intérprete de diferentes repertórios de canção popular - da bossa nova à tropicália - e em espetáculos cênico-musicais. Partindo do pressuposto de que sua produção é uma das chaves para a compreensão dos debates e transformações da canção popular no período, discutiremos aqui os primeiros anos de sua carreira e o seu primeiro disco. Buscaremos verificar o modo pelo qual tais debates em torno da música popular, em grande medida conectados a discussões culturais e políticas mais amplas, se expressam no trabalho da cantora.
Fallible Authority
Authors: Suter Adrian
Published: May 2017

Old Catholic theologians have often underlined the relationship between papal supremacy and infallibility and the priority of the former: the pope has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, therefore he must be obeyed; but at the same time, he may be obeyed, because he will not mislead the Church due to his infallibility. This article analyses this relationship, applying differentiations on two axes: on the one hand, Bocheński’s typology of epistemic and deontic authority; on the other hand, the notions of personal, formal and constitutional authority. The fact that the infallibility dogma of Vatican i considers papal authority at the same time as epistemic and constitutional authority, is identified as a major weakness of the dogma. The article will then approach the question how church leaders should practise their deontic authority in a context where their (and everybody else’s) epistemic authority is considered to be fallible.
Overview of the Ferdina-like Goniasteridae (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) including a new subfamily, three new genera and fourteen new species
Authors: MAH CHRISTOPHER L.
Published: May 2017

Recent assignment of some goniasterid-like Ophidiasteridae into the Goniasteridae has led to further re-evaluation of other ophidiasterids as possible goniasterids. This led to the discovery of new genera and species supported by a distinctive set of characteristics which support a new subfamily, the Ferdininae, a group originally outlined by Marsh and Price (1991) within the Goniasteridae. The historical Ophidiasteridae is paraphyletic and includes several nominal ophidiasterid genera (e.g., Fromia, Neoferdina, etc.). Newly described material has led to the inclusion of six genera,within this group, of which three, Bathyferdina n. gen., Eosaster n. gen., and Kanakaster n. gen., are newly described. Fourteen new species in five genera are described. This includes Bathyferdina aireyae n. gen., n. sp., Eosaster nadiae n. gen., n. sp., Ferdina mena n. sp., Kanakaster balutensis n. gen., n. sp., Kanakaster convexus n. gen., n. sp., Kanakaster discus n. gen., n. sp., Kanakaster larae n. gen., n. sp., Kanakaster plinthinos n. gen., n. sp., Kanakaster solidus n. gen., n. sp., Neoferdina annae n. sp., Neoferdina antigorum, n. sp., Neoferdina momo, n. sp., Neoferdina oni, n. sp., and Paraferdina plakos, n. sp. Identification keys, synopses, and description of these taxa are included.
Biomimetic composites inspired by venous leaf
Authors: Liu Gongdai , Ghosh R , Vaziri A , Hossieni A , Mousanezhad D , Nayeb-Hashemi H
Published: May 2017

A typical plant leaf can be idealized as a composite having three principal fibers: the central mid-fiber corresponding to the mid-rib, straight parallel secondary fibers attached to the mid-fiber representing the secondary veins, and then another set of parallel fibers emanating from the secondary fibers mimicking the tertiary fibers embedded in a matrix material. This paper introduces a biomimetic composite design inspired by the morphology of venous leafs and investigates the effects of venation morphologies on the in-plane mechanical properties of the biomimetic composites using finite element method. The mechanical properties such as Young’s moduli, Poisson’s ratio, and yield stress under uniaxial loading of the resultant composite structures was studied and the effect of different fiber architectures on these properties was investigated. To this end, two broad types of architectures were used both having similar central main fiber but differing in either having only secondary fibers or additional tertiary fibers. The fiber and matrix volume fractions were kept constant and a comparative parametric study was carried out by varying the inclination of the secondary fibers. The results show that the elastic modulus of composite in the direction of main fiber increases linearly with increasing the angle of the secondary fibers. Furthermore, the elastic modulus is enhanced if the secondary fibers are closed, which mimics composites with closed cellular fibers. In contrast, the elastic modulus of composites normal to the main fiber ( x direction) exponentially decreases with the increase of the angle of the secondary fibers and it is little affected by having secondary fibers closed. Similar results were obtained for the yield stress of the composites. The results also indicate that Poisson’s ratio linearly increases with the secondary fiber angle. The results also show that for a constant fiber volume fraction, addition of various tertiary fibers may not significantly enhance the mechanical properties of the composites. The mechanical properties of the composites are mainly dominated by the secondary fibers. Finally, a simple model was proposed to predict these behaviors.
The Spanish Adaptation of the Sport Motivation Scale-II in Adolescent Athletes
Authors: Viciana Jesús , Mayorga-Vega Daniel , Guijarro-Romero Santiago , Martínez-Baena Alejandro , Blanco Humberto
Published: May 2017

The aim of this study was to adapt and validate the Spanish version of the Sport Motivation Scale-II (S-SMS-II) in adolescent athletes. The sample included 766 Spanish adolescents (263 females and 503 males; average age = 13.71 ± 1.30 years old). The methodological steps established by the International Test Commission were followed. Four measurement models were compared employing the maximum likelihood estimation (with six, five, three, and two factors). Then, factorial invariance analyses were conducted and the effect sizes were calculated. Finally, the reliability was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha, omega, and average variance extracted coefficients. The five-factor S-SMS-II showed the best indices of fit (Cronbach’s alpha .64 to .74; goodness of fit index .971, root mean square error of approximation .044, comparative fit index .966). Factorial invariance was also verified across gender and between sport-federated athletes and non-federated athletes. The proposed S-SMS-II is discussed according to previous validated versions (English, Portuguese, and Chinese).
L’encadrement étatique de la croyance religieuse dans la pensée de Jacques Zylberberg
Authors: Fontaine Louise
Published: May 2017

Résumé

Cet article explore l’approche et les concepts développés par Jacques Zylberberg dans le domaine de la sociologie des religions. Trois groupes religieux retiennent tout particulièrement l’attention ici : les Témoins de Jéhovah, les Hassidim et les Pentecôtistes catholiques (ou Charismatiques dans le cas du Québec). Le but poursuivi est de préciser en quoi Zylberberg a joué un rôle significatif pour la revue Social Compass et aussi auprès de la Société Internationale de Sociologie des Religions (SISR) tout au long de sa carrière universitaire. Cette réflexion cherche aussi à faire ressortir comment Zylberberg a procédé pour articuler des dimensions théoriques et empiriques face à ce qu’il désigne comme étant l’organisation étatique du religieux.
School Choice, Gentrification, and the Variable Significance of Racial Stratification in Urban Neighborhoods
Authors: Pearman Francis A. , Swain Walker A.
Published: May 2017

Racial and socioeconomic stratification have long governed patterns of residential sorting in the American metropolis. However, recent expansions of school choice policies that allow parents to select schools outside their neighborhood raise questions as to whether this weakening of the neighborhood–school connection might influence the residential decisions of higher-socioeconomic-status white households looking to relocate to central city neighborhoods. This study examines whether and the extent to which expanded school choice facilitates the gentrification of disinvested, racially segregated urban communities. Drawing data from the Decennial Census, the American Community Survey, the National Center for Educational Statistics, and the Schools and Staffing Survey, this study finds evidence that college-educated white households are far more likely to gentrify communities of color when school choice options expand. In particular, the expansion of school choice increases the likelihood of gentrification by up to 22 percentage points in the most racially isolated neighborhoods of color—more than twice the baseline likelihood for such communities.
Noninvasive optical monitoring of critical closing pressure and arteriole compliance in human subjects
Authors: Baker Wesley B , Parthasarathy Ashwin B , Gannon Kimberly P , Kavuri Venkaiah C , Busch David R , Abramson Kenneth , He Lian , Mesquita Rickson C , Mullen Michael T , Detre John A , Greenberg Joel H , Licht Daniel J , Balu Ramani , Kofke W Andrew , Yodh Arjun G
Published: May 2017

The critical closing pressure ( CrCP) of the cerebral circulation depends on both tissue intracranial pressure and vasomotor tone. CrCP defines the arterial blood pressure ( ABP) at which cerebral blood flow approaches zero, and their difference ( ABP −  CrCP) is an accurate estimate of cerebral perfusion pressure. Here we demonstrate a novel non-invasive technique for continuous monitoring of CrCP at the bedside. The methodology combines optical diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) measurements of pulsatile cerebral blood flow in arterioles with concurrent ABP data during the cardiac cycle. Together, the two waveforms permit calculation of CrCP via the two-compartment Windkessel model for flow in the cerebral arterioles. Measurements of CrCP by optics (DCS) and transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) were carried out in 18 healthy adults; they demonstrated good agreement (R = 0.66, slope = 1.14 ± 0.23) with means of 11.1 ± 5.0 and 13.0 ± 7.5 mmHg, respectively. Additionally, a potentially useful and rarely measured arteriole compliance parameter was derived from the phase difference between ABP and DCS arteriole blood flow waveforms. The measurements provide evidence that DCS signals originate predominantly from arteriole blood flow and are well suited for long-term continuous monitoring of CrCP and assessment of arteriole compliance in the clinic.
Radical Uncertainty in Action. A Response to Dalal’s ‘The Analytic and the Relational: Inquiring into Practice’
Authors: Doron Yael
Published: May 2017

In my response to Dalal’s approach to relationally based group psychotherapy I wish to argue that being a group analyst means by definition being a ‘relational group psychotherapist’ and practising ‘radical uncertainty’ in action. I will demonstrate this statement using vignette from a group I conducted.
Implementation and Utilisation of Telepsychiatry in Ontario: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Serhal Eva , Crawford Allison , Cheng Joyce , Kurdyak Paul
Published: May 2017

Objective:

Rural areas in Ontario have fewer psychiatrists, making access to specialist mental health care challenging. Our objective was to characterise psychiatrists delivering and patients receiving telepsychiatry in Ontario and to determine the number of patients who accessed a psychiatrist via telepsychiatry following discharge from psychiatric hospitalisation.

Method:

We conducted a serial panel study to evaluate the characteristics of psychiatrists providing telepsychiatry from April 2007 to March 2013. In addition, we conducted a cross-sectional study for fiscal year 2012-2013 to examine telepsychiatry patient characteristics and create an in-need patient cohort of individuals with a recent psychiatric hospitalisation that assessed if they had follow-up with a psychiatrist in person or through telepsychiatry within 1 year of discharge.

Results:

In fiscal year 2012-2013, a total of 3801 people had 5635 telepsychiatry visits, and 7% ( n = 138) of Ontario psychiatrists provided telepsychiatry. Of the 48,381 people identified as in need of psychiatric care, 60% saw a local psychiatrist, 39% saw no psychiatrist, and less than 1% saw a psychiatrist through telepsychiatry only or telepsychiatry in addition to local psychiatry within a year. Three northern regions had more than 50% of in-need patients fail to access psychiatry within 1 year.

Conclusions:

Currently, relatively few patients and psychiatrists use telepsychiatry. In addition, patients scarcely access telepsychiatry for posthospitalisation follow-up. This study, which serves as a preliminary baseline for telepsychiatry in Ontario, demonstrates that telepsychiatry has not evolved systematically to address need and highlights the importance of system-level planning when implementing telepsychiatry to optimise access to care.
Size is not all that matters: Residue thickness and protection performance of intumescent coatings made from different binders
Authors: Morys Michael , Illerhaus Bernhard , Sturm Heinz , Schartel Bernhard
Published: May 2017

In addition to the acid source, charring agent, and blowing agent, the binder is a crucial part of an intumescent coating. Its primary task is to bind all compounds, but it also acts as a carbon source and influences the foaming process. A series of intumescent coatings based on five different binders was investigated in terms of insulation, foaming, mechanical impact resistance, and residue morphology. The Standard Time-Temperature modified Muffle Furnace (STT MuFu+) was used for the bench-scale fire resistance tests and provided data on temperature and residue thickness as well as well-defined residues. The residue morphology was analyzed by nondestructive µ-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy. A moderate influence of the binder on insulation performance was detected in the set of coatings investigated, whereas the foaming dynamics and thickness achieved were affected strongly. In addition, the inner structure of the residues showed a rich variety. High expansion alone did not guarantee good insulation. Furthermore, attention was paid to the relation between the microstructure transition induced by carbon loss due to thermo-oxidation of the char and the development of the thermal conductivity and thickness of the coatings during the fire test.
Exploring the Association between Urban Form and Air Quality in China
Authors: Yuan Man , Song Yan , Huang Yaping , Hong Shijian , Huang Liejia
Published: May 2017

This article aims to evaluate the association between urban form and air quality in China through the use of empirical evidence. The relationship between a variety of urban form metrics and concentrations of air pollutants were analyzed through linear regressions using a data set of cross-sectional observations from 157 Chinese cities. After controlling for other explanatory variables, higher population density and lower urban continuity are commonly associated with better air quality, and urban form could play a modest but important role in improving air quality for Chinese cities.
Development of Collaborative Drug Therapy Management and Clinical Pharmacy Services in an Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic
Authors: Tewksbury Ashley , Bozymski Kevin M. , Ruekert Laura , Lum Cheen , Cunningham Elizabeth , Covington Frank
Published: May 2017

Collaborative drug therapy management (CDTM) is a written agreement that allows a pharmacist to initiate, modify, or continue pharmacotherapies under a physician’s scope of practice. While available literature pertaining to cardiometabolic and respiratory CDTM services is growing, publications are sparse in psychiatry, particularly outside Veterans Health Administration medical centers. A descriptive study was undertaken to demonstrate how a board-certified psychiatric pharmacist would begin organizing a protocol for clinical pharmacy services at an outpatient, community treatment center for mental health and substance abuse disorders. The primary CDTM service proposed was metabolic monitoring for atypical antipsychotics, though profile reviews for medication reconciliation, drug level monitoring, and insurance coverage were also considered. Potential obstacles identified and worked through during the project included pharmacist–prescriber relationships, federal and state law requirements, pharmacy informatics development, and pharmacy services billing. Discussions with both administrative and medical stakeholders across the health system were essential in helping a pharmacist detail professional qualifications, justify positive impacts on patient outcomes, and navigate these legal and financial issues. The systematic approach arrived at through the study addresses current literature gaps concerning how pharmacists can evolve their practices from ancillary to collaborative design by nature within psychiatric settings.
Resisting the cultural division of protest: The Israeli demobilized reservists’ protest after the Yom Kippur War (1973–1974)
Authors: Orkibi Eithan
Published: May 2017

The Israeli demobilized reservists’ protest after the Yom Kippur War is historically renowned for accelerating the emergence of civil criticism with regard to military and strategic affairs and for enabling the formation of peace movements in Israel. This article argues that this movement’s largest contribution was its ability to restructure the rigid cultural division of protest. In the political culture of the early 1970s in Israel, any form of street protest was associated with marginal groups engaging in a disruptive revolt against the established order. The demobilized reservists’ protest recruited members of mainstream social categories for a series of large-scale peaceful demonstrations, which concluded with the resignation of the Israeli government. This precedent blurred the traditional association of street protest with counter-hegemonic movements, and liberated the Israeli repertoire of contention for new social actors and issues. Analyzing the dialectic relations between the cultural division of protest and tactical selection in the demobilized reservists’ protest, this article shows that when members of the mainstream society employ tactics affiliated with marginal or radical groups, they legitimize these tactics as standard forms of political participation and expand their society’s modular repertoire of contention.
Donald Trump: The unanticipated apotheosis of neoliberalism
Authors: Bhattacharya Tithi
Published: May 2017

Donald Trump’s election and subsequent presidency reveal important contradictions between the workings of the capitalist state and the capitalist class. While Trump may not have been the choice of the capitalist class, he is now in charge of the capitalist state. Within the context of this contradiction the essay explores the political category of the “white working class” and whether this class was a contributive factor in this unexpected electoral victory for Trump. It concludes by drawing attention to the unhelpful political and analytical fragmentation between exploitation (class) and oppression (gender, race, sexuality) under neoliberalism and urges a more unitary approach.
The governance of pluralist health care systems: An initial review and typology
Authors: Ferlie Ewan , Baeza Juan I. , Addicott Rachael , Mistry Rakesh
Published: May 2017

We here argue that study of governance systems within increasingly pluralist health care systems needs to be broadened beyond traditionally public sector orientated literature. We develop an initial typology of multiple governance systems within the English health care sector and derive exploratory questions to inform future empirical investigation. We add to existing literature by considering the coexistence of – and possible tensions between – multiple governance systems in a pluralised health and social care system.
Political attitudes and trade union membership in the Nordic countries
Authors: Jensen Carsten Strøby
Published: May 2017

Do political attitudes influence the likelihood of employees being members of a trade union, and to what extent is this the case in the Nordic countries with their high aggregate levels of membership? In this article, I address these questions using European Social Survey data from 2012. The results show that left-wing political attitudes have the most impact on the likelihood of trade union membership in Sweden and to a lesser extent in Denmark. In Norway and Finland, there is no statistically significant impact. I argue that the impact of left-wing political attitudes on unionization in Sweden and Denmark reflects a conception among employees that trade unions are normative organizations.
Resource Description and Access in Europe: Implementations and perceptions
Authors: Ducheva Dilyana P , Pennington Diane Rasmussen
Published: May 2017

This research explored the implementations and perceptions of the Resource Description and Access (RDA) cataloguing standard in Europe. It refers to the development and implementation of the standard among Anglo-American libraries and draws comparisons between them. It examines the spread and application of RDA throughout Europe both by analysing the available literature and by conducting interviews with professionals at 12 European national libraries. The results highlight the issues faced by the European institutions and the unique perspectives that emerge from implementing RDA in different languages and cultures. European institutions demonstrate a higher level of involvement and interest in the development of RDA and a stronger desire to work towards RDA interoperability and alignment with the cultural heritage sector. The European implementation drives forward the internationalisation of RDA by actively seeking solutions to the issues in the new standard arising from the cultural and linguistic diversity.
Personalizing professionalism: The professional identity experiences of LIS graduates in non-library roles
Authors: Fraser-Arnott Melissa
Published: May 2017

This grounded theory project asked: “How do Library and Information Science (LIS) graduates in non-library roles experience professional identity?” This is an important question for current LIS practitioners and students because job opportunities are increasingly available in non-library work settings. There is limited research available on the professional identity experiences of LIS graduates in general and even less available on the professional experiences of LIS graduates in non-library roles. The study produced the theory of Personalizing Professionalism which found that individuals possess two identities which interact with each other throughout one’s career. The first is an internal appraisal of self which represents an individual’s assessment of who they “really” are as a professional. The second is an externally expressed identity, which represents who that individual presents him or herself to be. Interactions with others impact individuals’ internal appraisal of self and externally expressed identity and represent an area of potential conflict. This study contributes to the research literature on professional identity and identity formation and expression. For the LIS community, understanding how these professionals experience professional identity can help practitioners, educators, and professional associations to take advantage of a wide range of employment options.
Permaculture: Tools for Making Women’s Lives More Abundant
Authors: Harland Maddy
Published: May 2017

Permaculture is primarily a thinking tool for designing low carbon, highly productive systems. It originated in Australia in the 1970s and was conceived by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren as a response to the devastating effects of a temperate European agriculture on the fragile soils of an ancient antipodean landscape. Like the dust bowls of the Great Plains in the USA in the 1930s, an alien agriculture has the capacity to turn a delicately balanced ecology into desert. Their initial response was to design a permanent agriculture with tree crops and other perennials inhabiting all the niches from the canopy to the ground cover and below. The soil is left untilled to establish its own robust micro-ecology. Key to this is that the land must be biodiverse and stable for future generations. From perennial tree crops, permaculture has developed into an integrated system of design that encompasses everything from agriculture, horticulture, architecture, and ecology, as well as economy and legal systems for businesses and communities.
A Systematic Review of Antimicrobial Stewardship Interventions in the Emergency Department
Authors: Losier Mia , Ramsey Tasha D. , Wilby Kyle John , Black Emily K.
Published: May 2017

Background/Objective: To improve antimicrobial utilization, development and implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programs in the emergency department (ED) has been recommended. The primary objective of this review was to characterize antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) in the ED and to identify interventions that improve patient outcomes or process of care and/or reduce consequences of antimicrobial use. Methods: This study was completed as a systematic review. The following databases were searched from inception through November, 2016: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, and Web of Science. Randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized controlled trials, controlled and uncontrolled before-and-after studies, interrupted time series studies, and repeated-measures studies evaluating AMS interventions in the ED were included in the review. Studies published in languages other than English were excluded. Results: A total of 43 studies meeting inclusion criteria were identified from our search. Patient or provider education and guideline or clinical pathway implementation were the most commonly reported interventions. Few studies reported on audit and feedback, and no study evaluated preauthorization. Impact of interventions showed variable results. Where identified, benefits of AMS interventions primarily included improvement in delivery of care or a decrease in antimicrobial utilization; however, most studies were rated as having unclear or high risk of bias. Conclusion: AMS interventions in the ED may improve patient care. However, the optimal combination of interventions is unclear. Additional studies with more rigorous design evaluating core components of AMS programs, including prospective audit and feedback are needed.
Married Women’s Lived Experiences on the Value of Traditional Premarital Counseling “Go Laya” on Marital Stability in Botswana
Authors: Moeti Bakadzi , Koloi-Keaikitse Setlhomo , Mokgolodi Hildah L.
Published: May 2017

Traditional premarital counseling seems threatened and not benefiting the couple as it should be. This has negatively impacted on the establishment of marriage. The purpose of the study was to explore married women lived experiences on the value of traditional premarital counseling, go laya, on marital stability. Traditional premarital counseling has always existed to help prepare couples for the future challenges and expectations in marriage. The study adopted a qualitative phenomenological research design. A purposive sample of 10 married women with varied durations in marriage provided the data through interviews. These interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed. The transcripts assumed a phenomenological approach where bracketing and eidetic reduction were employed. The findings indicate that the traditional premarital counseling is very valuable and has a potential of keeping marriages firm. In addition, although the traditional premarital counseling is an appropriate antidivorce strategy, the main problem is that it has lately lost its meaning. Unlike in the past, it is no longer given the honor and not conducted in depth. Despite the major role go laya has in marriage, its implementation must be reviewed and documented to give direction on how it should be done.
On vibration isolation of sandwich plate with periodic hollow tube core
Authors: Yu Gui-Lan , Miao Hong-Wei
Published: May 2017

The vibration isolation performance of a PC sandwich plate with periodic hollow tube core is investigated experimentally and numerically. The experiment results reveal that there exist vibration attenuation zones in acceleration frequency responses which can be improved by increasing the number of periods or tuning some structure parameters. The presence of soft fillers shifts the attenuation zone to lower frequencies and enhances the capability of vibration isolation to some extent. Dispersion relations and acceleration frequency responses are calculated by finite element method using COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS. The attenuation zones obtained by experiments fit well with that by simulations, and both are consistent with the band gap in dispersion relations. The numerical and experimental studies in the present paper show that this PC sandwich plate exhibits a good performance on vibration isolation in low frequency ranges, which will provide some useful references for relevant research and potential applications in vibration propagation manipulations.
Fatigue in multiple sclerosis: Associations with clinical, MRI and CSF parameters
Authors: Biberacher Viola , Schmidt Paul , Selter Rebecca C , Pernpeinter Verena , Kowarik Markus C , Knier Benjamin , Buck Dorothea , Hoshi Muna-Miriam , Korn Thomas , Berthele Achim , Kirschke Jan S , Zimmer Claus , Hemmer Bernhard , Mühlau Mark
Published: May 2017

Background:

Damage of different brain structures has been related to fatigue. Alternatively, functional alterations of central nervous system (CNS) cells by the inflammatory milieu within the CNS may be responsible for the development of fatigue.

Aim:

To investigate the effect of structural brain damage and inflammatory cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) changes on fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods:

We determined the association of different clinical, CSF and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters with prevalence and severity of fatigue, as measured by the Fatigue Scale for Motor and Cognitive Functions in 68 early MS patients (discovery cohort). We validated our findings in two MS cohorts: the MRI validation cohort ( N = 233) for the clinical and MRI parameters, and the CSF validation cohort ( N = 81) for the clinical and CSF parameters.

Results:

Fatigue was associated with clinical disability. Fatigue did not correlate with any CSF parameter but correlated negatively with total and cortical grey matter volume. However, when controlling for Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) in a multivariate model, these associations lost significance.

Conclusion:

Disability and disease duration best explain fatigue severity but none of the tested MRI or CSF parameter was reliably associated with fatigue.
Micro-aggressions, single mothers and interactions with government workers: The case of Australia’s child support bureaucracy
Authors: Natalier Kristin
Published: May 2017

This article analyses single mothers’ experiences of Australia’s child support bureaucracy, shifting the focus beyond problematic individual interactions to the discourses that shape them. Drawing on data from semi-structured interviews with 37 Australian single mothers, I argue that women’s interactions with Department of Human Services – Child Support (DHS-CS) are expressions of gender-focused micro-aggressions. These are interactions that express and reinforce social hierarchies and power differentials in sometimes subtle and often taken-for-granted ways. I argue these interactions are structured by the dominant gendered welfare discourse that constitutes the welfare mother and legitimates masculine financial discretion. Thus, any attempt to address client concerns about the failings of DHS-CS, and by extension other government bureaucracies, must extend beyond ‘training’ and administrative processes, and engage with the more challenging strategies of socio-cultural change.