bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mass protests and the resource curse: The politics of demobilization in rentier autocracies
Authors: Girod Desha M , Stewart Megan A , Walters Meir R
Published: July 2016

Why are some dictators more successful at demobilizing protest movements than others? Repression sometimes stamps out protest movements (Bahrain in 2011) but can also cause a backlash (Egypt and Tunisia in 2011), leading to regime change. This article argues that the effectiveness of repression in quelling protests varies depending upon the income sources of authoritarian regimes. Oil-rich autocracies are well equipped to contend with domestic and international criticism, and this gives them a greater capacity to quell protests through force. Because oil-poor dictators lack such ability to deal with criticism, repression is more likely to trigger a backlash of increased protests. The argument is supported by analysis of newly available data on mass protests from the Nonviolent and Violent Campaigns and Outcomes (NAVCO 2.0) dataset, which covers all countries (1945–2006). This article implies that publics respond strategically to repression, and tend to demobilize when the government is capable of continually employing repression with impunity.
Effect of loading 5-phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol onto polypyrrole chitosan core shell nanoparticles on release rate, antimicrobial, and antitumor activities
Authors: Salahuddin Nehal , Elbarbary Ahmed A , Salem Mohamed L , Elksass Samar
Published: July 2016

Polypyrrole chitosan core shell nanoparticles were synthesized by in situ oxidation polymerization of pyrrole using FeCl3 in chitosan aqueous solution. 5-Phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thiol (I) was prepared and loaded into polypyrrole chitosan core shell nanoparticles at two different temperatures (25°C and 80°C). These core shell nanoparticle systems are insoluble in acidic medium and have good adsorption capacity. The release of loaded triazole was studied in different pH media (2, 7.4). The mechanism of triazole release was determined by applying zero-order release, first-order release, Higuchi model, Hixson–Crowell, and Korsmeyer–Peppas kinetics equations. The antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis were evaluated. The potential cytotoxicity against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells and liver (HEPG2) cell line in vitro was tested.
Direct-connected experimental investigation on a pulse detonation engine
Authors: Wang Zhiwu , Liang Zijian , Zhang Yang , Zheng Longxi
Published: July 2016

A pulse detonation engine with the inner diameter of 50 mm and total length of 1500 mm was designed. Gasoline was used as the fuel and air as the oxidizer. The Shchelkin spiral was used as the deflagration to detonation transition accelerator. The direct-connected test of the pulse detonation engine was conducted to find out the detonation initiation and propulsion performance at several different operating frequencies. The experimental results indicated that detonation waves were fully initiated in the pulse detonation engine at the operating frequency range of 1–35 Hz. As the operating frequency increased, the pulse detonation engine average thrust increased nearly linearly, while the optimum equivalence ratio decreased gradually. The volume-specific impulse and mixture-specific impulse had the similar increasing trend at the increased operating frequency. As the operating frequency increased from 0 to 25 Hz, the fuel-specific impulse increased dramatically while the specific fuel consumption decreased quickly. The fuel-specific impulse and specific fuel consumption changed slightly when the operating frequency exceeded 25 Hz. In addition, two groups of computational value of mixture-specific impulse and fuel-specific impulse were obtained by Winternberger model and Yan model considering the two-phase effect. Compared with the experimental results, similar variation trends relative to the operating frequency were achieved by the two computational models. However, the computational values of mixture-specific impulse and fuel-specific impulse by Winternberger model were much higher than that of experimental values. When two-phase effect was considered, the computational values of mixture-specific impulse and fuel-specific impulse were close to that of experimental values.
Health Issues and Challenges among Indian Urban Poor
Authors: Sohrabi Maryam , Tumin Makmor
Published: July 2016

In the last 60 years since independence, India had achieved considerable improvements in the health of its population as reflected in their life expectancies which have doubled within this period. This article aims at explaining pertinent health-care issues and challenges based on some health indicators in India by using the literature review method that involved collection of material from the online sources, which included government documents, articles and publications related to healthcare, healthcare indicators, poverty, financial burden and coping strategies. To avoid premature deaths among adults, children and maternal mortalities, greater attention should be given to prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases, and women and other social determinants of health. More attention should also be given to the reduction of births among teenage girls in order to avoid premature morbidity and mortality. To protect the vulnerable and poor, the government should provide more resources since financial burden of curative care is higher among lower income groups. However, in poorer states, the government tends to have relatively low ability to raise their own resources and the people in these states have a lower ability to pay for private insurance. Therefore, it is worthwhile and pertinent that the government initiates social insurance.
Hospice Family Caregiver Involvement in Care Plan Meetings: A Mixed-Methods Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Parker Oliver Debra , Demiris George , Washington Karla , Kruse Robin L. , Petroski Greg
Published: July 2016

Background and Objective:

Untrained family caregivers struggle with complicated medical management regimens for hospice patients. An intervention was tested to improve caregiver’s perception of pain management and patient’s pain.

Design, Setting, and Participants:

The intervention was tested with a 2-group (usual care vs intervention) randomized controlled trial using parallel mixed-methods analysis of 446 caregivers in 3 Midwestern hospice programs representing rural and urban settings.

Intervention:

Web conferencing or telephones were used to connect caregivers with the hospice care team during care plan meetings.

Measurements:

Caregiver’s perceptions of pain management were the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included caregiver quality of life, patient’s pain, and anxiety. Video recordings, field notes, and caregiver and staff interviews provided qualitative data.

Results:

The overall perception of pain management was not changed by the participation in hospice team meetings. Perceptions of fatalism improved for intervention participants, and the intervention participants perceived their patients’ pain was better controlled than those in the control group. The intervention was found to be feasible to deliver in rural areas. Caregiver’s anxiety and patient’s pain were correlated ( r = .18; P = .003), and subanalysis indicated that caregivers of patients with cancer may benefit more from the intervention than other hospice caregivers. Qualitative analyses provided understanding of caregiver’s perceptions of pain, cost, and facilitators and barriers to routine involvement of family in care plan meetings.

Limitations and Conclusion:

The hospice philosophy is supportive of caregiver involvement in care planning, and technology makes this feasible; the intervention needs modification to become translational as well as additional measurement to assess effectiveness. Caregiver education and emotional support should occur outside the meeting, and a strong leader should facilitate the meeting to control efficiency. Finally, the intervention may benefit caregivers of patients with cancer more than others.
Physician Burnout and the Calling to Care for the Dying: A National Survey
Authors: Yoon John D. , Hunt Natalie B. , Ravella Krishna C. , Jun Christine S. , Curlin Farr A.
Published: July 2016

Background:

Physician burnout raises concerns over what sustains physicians’ career motivations. We assess whether physicians in end-of-life specialties had higher rates of burnout and/or calling to care for the dying. We also examined whether the patient centeredness of the clinical environment was associated with burnout.

Methods:

In 2010 to 2011, we conducted a national survey of US physicians from multiple specialties. Primary outcomes were a validated single-item measure of burnout or sense of calling to end-of-life care. Primary predictors of burnout (or calling) included clinical specialty, frequency of encounters with dying patients, and patient centeredness of the clinical environments (“My clinical environment prioritizes the need of the patient over maximizing revenue”).

Results:

Adjusted response rate among eligible respondents was 62% (1156 of 1878). Nearly a quarter of physicians (23%) experienced burnout, and rates were similar across all specialties. Half of the responding physicians (52%) agreed that they felt called to take care of patients who are dying. Burned-out physicians were more likely to report working in profit-centered clinical environments (multivariate odds ratio [OR] of 1.9; confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-2.8) or experiencing emotional exhaustion when caring for the dying (multivariate OR of 2.1; CI: 1.4-3.0). Physicians who identified their work as a calling were more likely to work in end-of-life specialties, to feel emotionally energized when caring for the dying, and to be religious.

Conclusion:

Physicians from end-of-life specialties not only did not have increased rates of burnout but they were also more likely to report a sense of calling in caring for the dying.
Numb Networks
Authors: Ellis Cristin
Published: July 2016

In this response to “Whitman’s Sympathies” by Jane Bennett, I show how Whitman broke with Romantic poetic convention by representing sympathy as an involuntary, embodied affect—as, in Bennett’s terms, “(onto)Sympathy.” However, as I argue, the ontology of Whitmanian sympathy undermines the notion of individual identity—of autonomy, singularity, and difference—upon which sympathy’s traditionally inclusive, pluralist politics depends. Instead of persons and interpersonal ethical relations, Whitmanian sympathy conjures a networked and processual ontology in which discrete entities cannot finally be distinguished. Thus, I argue that Bennett’s notion of “(onto)Sympathy” is incommensurable with the syntax of individual identity and (race, sex, gender, class, species) difference. But even if this makes it incompatible with a politics of recognition, I argue that this networked ontology may nevertheless be strategically better adapted to address the political challenges of ecological crisis.
Primary Extramedullary Plasmacytoma in the Gastroduodenal Canal Associated With Epstein-Barr Virus–Associated Adenocarcinoma of the Stomach
Authors: Takahashi Toshiyuki , Morita Takayuki , Matsuno Yoshihiro
Published: July 2016

The coexistent occurrence of a lymphoid neoplasm with adenocarcinoma of the stomach is rare. We report herein a case of gastroduodenal extramedullary plasmacytoma simultaneously complicated by multiple gastric Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)–associated adenocarcinomas. The patient underwent distal gastrectomy to treat an adenocarcinoma occupying the gastric antrum. Histopathological examination revealed a massive submucosal plasma cell proliferation adjacent to the adenocarcinoma involving the pylorus to the duodenal bulb. Lambda immunoglobulin light chain restriction indicated that these plasma cells were monoclonal. Because the clinical investigation revealed no other lymphoid neoplasms, primary extramedullary plasmacytoma of the stomach was diagnosed. The histological examination of the resected stomach revealed 3 additional adenocarcinomas invading from the mucosa to the submucosa. A thorough histological examination of the remnant stomach resected 2 weeks after the first surgery revealed 2 additional adenocarcinomas in the remnant specimen, yielding a total of 6 carcinomas, all of which represented EBV-associated gastric carcinomas (EBV-GC). This is the second case report of gastric plasmacytoma concurrent with adenocarcinoma. Moreover, the plasmacytoma showed a conspicuous morphologic feature resembling Mott cells. Because Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection was also elucidated, this rare case may indicate a role of EBV or HP in carcinogenesis of both adenocarcinoma and lymphoplasmacytic neoplasms.
Safe administration of docetaxel after weekly paclitaxel-induced acute pancreatitis
Authors: Adam Jean-Philippe , Gauthier Philippe , Letarte Nathalie
Published: July 2016

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory process of the pancreas that can be mild to severe. It requires biochemical or radiologic evidence to establish the diagnosis. Only few chemotherapy agents are directly linked to acute pancreatitis. In this case report, we describe a patient who developed a mild acute pancreatitis on weekly paclitaxel with a positive dechallenge and rechallenge. A 57-year-old woman with advanced ovarian cancer started chemotherapy with carboplatin (AUC 5 every three weeks) and weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15). On day 13 of cycle 1, the patient presented with elevated lipase and mild epigastric pain with a suspicion of acute pancreatitis. Because the patient was asymptomatic and pancreatic enzymes decreased on day 16, the third paclitaxel dose was given on day 17 and was followed by another increase of these enzymes. She later received carboplatin and docetaxel without any perturbation of the amylase and lipase. Applying the Naranjo adverse drug reaction probability scale, a score of nine was obtained, indicating a definite association between the administration of paclitaxel and acute pancreatitis. This adverse event could be explained by paclitaxel itself or one of two diluents: cremophor or ethanol. Because paclitaxel is use in many chemotherapy protocols, pharmacists and physicians should be aware of this rare adverse event. Docetaxel administration proved to be safe in this patient without any appearance of pancreatitis signs or symptoms.
Benchmarking new wood fibre–based sound absorbing material made with a foam-forming technique
Authors: Pöhler Tiina , Jetsu Petri , Isomoisio Heikki
Published: July 2016

A new sound absorbing material made from 100% softwood fibres by means of a foam-forming technique is introduced. In foam forming, a wet foam is created by mechanically mixing water, fibres and a surfactant. The air bubbles keep the wet fibres separate, and a highly porous fibre network is formed during drying. The sound absorption of foam-formed structures was measured by means of an impedance tube. The results showed that foam-formed softwood materials possessed a competitive sound absorption coefficient compared to different types of commercial sound absorber materials. The material is based on 100% softwood fibres without added binders and is semi-rigid and does not completely recover from compression. Improvement in the strength properties of softwood material can be obtained by using starch or cellulose microfibrils. The material could be used in indoor applications, for example, in replacing mineral wool acoustic ceiling panels or polyester non-woven materials in office acoustics products.
The relations between a ‘push-down’ and ‘push-up’ curriculum: A cultural-historical study of home-play pedagogy in the context of structured learning in international schools in Malaysia
Authors: Adams Megan , Fleer Marilyn
Published: July 2016

Historically, ‘free play’ in many European heritage communities has been a valued practice. However, political imperatives have challenged these beliefs and necessitated a more academic curriculum to raise standards, resulting in a ‘push-down’ curriculum. By contrast, many Asia-Pacific communities have increasingly included play in their curricula and discussed the benefits of imagination and creativity. Contradictions and tensions associated with the differing perspectives on the value of play present themselves when families move countries. This is evident in some international schools, where a diversity of families and differing play and academic practices interact. In order to understand this complex problem, cultural-historical theory was drawn on to investigate three expatriate families as the children transitioned into a Malaysian international school context. An analysis of digital video recordings (90 hours) of everyday life of the children at home and in school, and interview data of parents and teachers, found that an increase in a child’s academic competence was associated with a change in motive orientation in the family home from play to learning. Unexpectedly, play practices in the home turned into academic learning activities, which the authors have termed a ‘push-up’ curriculum, supporting the learning agenda of the international schools.
What type of Europe? The salience of polity and policy issues in European Parliament elections
Authors: Braun Daniela , Hutter Swen , Kerscher Alena
Published: July 2016

How much and why do political parties emphasize Europe in election campaigns? The literature is increasingly focusing on two aspects of party issue competition: position and salience. However, recent studies on salience tend to ignore the fact that Europe is a compound political issue. This article contributes to the debate by highlighting the crucial difference between constitutive and policy-related European issues. Using data from the Euromanifestos Project for 14 EU member states for the period 1979–2009, we first show that Europe is much more salient in European Parliament elections than previously assumed. Second, EU issue salience depends on party position and party system polarization over European integration. However, different explanations come into play once we bring in the polity-vs.-policy distinction. This has important implications for our understanding of party competition on European integration.
‘Festival in a Box’: Development and qualitative evaluation of an outreach programme to engage socially isolated people with dementia
Authors: Eades Michael , Lord Kathryn , Cooper Claudia
Published: July 2016

We co-designed and piloted ‘Festival in a Box’, an outreach programme to enable socially isolated people with dementia to engage with and enjoy cultural activities in their homes. It comprised 3–4 weekly home visits, each led by a professional artist to create art works using materials brought in ‘the box’. Activities included music, poetry, pottery, crafts and photography. We qualitatively interviewed 13 participants (6 people with dementia, 4 artists, 3 befrienders). Six participants with dementia completed, enjoyed and engaged with the planned visits. Main themes were: engagement, reflection on value of previous cultural activities, precariousness and isolation in current neighbourhood and the importance of a voice and being heard. Befrienders reported their preconceptions of what participants could do were challenged. Artists reported shifts in their preconceptions about dementia and the influence of the project on their professional practice. We propose that the ‘Festival in a Box’ pilot study suggests a means through which community arts festivals could work with socially isolated people with dementia to contribute to the creation of ‘Dementia Friendly Communities’. A larger-scale pilot study is now needed to develop this hypothesis.
A Qualitative Study of Participant Engagement With a Weight Loss Intervention
Authors: Holdsworth Elizabeth , Thorogood Nicki , Sorhaindo Annik , Nanchahal Kiran
Published: July 2016

Background. Overweight and obesity are major public health problems and an increasing global challenge. In lieu of wider policy changes to tackle the obesogenic environment in which we presently reside, improving the design of individual-level weight loss interventions is important. Aim. To identify which aspects of the Camden Weight Loss randomized controlled trial weight loss intervention participants engaged with, with the aim of improving the design of future studies and maximizing retention. Method. A qualitative study comprising semistructured interviews ( n = 18) and a focus group ( n = 5) with intervention participants. Results. Two important aspects of participant engagement with the intervention consistently emerged from interviews and focus group: the advisor–participant relationship and the program structure. Some materials used during the program sessions were important in supporting the intervention; however, others were not well received by participants. Conclusion. An individual-level weight loss intervention should be acceptable from the patient perspective in order to ensure participants are engaged with the program for as long as possible to maximize favorable results. Providing ongoing support in a long-term program with a trained empathetic advisor may be effective at engaging with people trying to lose weight in a weight loss intervention.
Braiding ultrathin layer for insulation of superconducting Rutherford cables
Authors: Roy Sree Shankhachur , Potluri Prasad , Canfer Simon , Ellwood George
Published: July 2016

Over-braiding of superconducting Rutherford cable was used for the composite insulation in this research. Braiding was a suitable alternative to fabric tape winding for achieving ultrathin insulation with required electrical breakdown voltage. A brief overview of the superconducting magnets, their application and requirements of insulation has been covered in order to bridge the literature gap between braiding and the superconducting magnet field of studies. Organic size coating on the fibre leaves carbon residue during high temperature treatment of the cables and hence glass fibre was desized before braiding. Braiding difficulties with desized glass fibre and possibility of braiding using compatible size coating have been discussed. The requirement of ultrathin braided layer was achieved with sufficient surface coverage with a suitable braid angle and fibre. As part of the study, braid cover factor variation on the surface of the cable was investigated and it was discussed using image analysis.
Has Criminology Awakened From Its “Androcentric Slumber”?
Authors: Cook Kimberly J.
Published: July 2016

This is a decades-old question. In 1988, Daly and Chesney-Lind suggested that criminology was awakening from its “androcentric slumber” thanks to feminist critiques. This article looks at the history of criminology in terms of when gender analysis was or was not introduced; in particular, a series of “missed opportunities” concerning gender are explored the work of Sutherland and that of Cohen, Sampson, and others. In some of this classical criminological scholarship, gender was initially identified as a major cause of crime but thereafter overlooked. The article also analyzes how critical criminologists continued to under-emphasize the importance of gender despite advancing the discipline through significant examinations of social inequalities and crime. The article also turns to contemporary challenges to the mainstream that emerged from later critical and feminist criminologists who have proffered innovative advances about gender and intersectional analyses regarding crime. The article concludes with thoughts about moving feminist criminology forward toward a more intellectually diverse and complete discipline.
Spaces of knowing: an Australian case study of capacity building across boundaries in a health promotion learning network
Authors: Sunderland Naomi , Singh Parlo , Del Fabbro Letitia , Kendall Elizabeth
Published: July 2016

This article explores the potential for health promotion capacity building across boundaries in a place-based health promotion learning network generated as part of a recent Australian Research Council-funded project in Queensland, Australia. We emphasise in particular the potential of creating new ‘at the boundary’ spaces of knowing that encourage and enable health promotion workers to work in interdisciplinary and intersectoral ways. The article discusses the way that diverse health promotion workers from different disciplines and government and non-government organisations came together to learn ‘how to do’ in new or re-invigorated ways. For many network participants, this cross-boundary space of knowing and capacity building provided a welcome respite from their daily contexts of practice which may be limited by institutional, disciplinary or other boundaries.
Factors influencing trust and mistrust in health promotion partnerships
Authors: Jones Jacky , Barry Margaret M.
Published: July 2016

Partnerships between sectors can achieve better outcomes than can be achieved by individual partners working alone. Trust is necessary for partnerships to function effectively. Mistrust makes partnership working difficult, if not impossible. There has been little research into partnership functioning factors that influence trust and mistrust. This study aimed to identify these factors in health promotion partnerships. Data were collected from 337 partners in 40 health promotion partnerships using a postal survey. The questionnaire incorporated multi-dimensional scales designed to assess the contribution of factors that influence partnership trust and mistrust. Newly validated scales were developed for trust, mistrust and power. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify the significance of each factor to partnership trust and mistrust. Power was found to be the only predictor of partnership trust. Power, leadership, and efficiency were the most important factors influencing partnership mistrust. Power in partnerships must be shared or partners will not trust each other. Power-sharing and trust-building mechanisms need to be built into partnerships from the beginning and sustained throughout the collaborative process.
Hypoglycemia Detection and Carbohydrate Suggestion in an Artificial Pancreas
Authors: Turksoy Kamuran , Kilkus Jennifer , Hajizadeh Iman , Samadi Sediqeh , Feng Jianyuan , Sevil Mert , Lazaro Caterina , Frantz Nicole , Littlejohn Elizabeth , Cinar Ali
Published: July 2016

Fear of hypoglycemia is a major concern for many patients with type 1 diabetes and affects patient decisions for use of an artificial pancreas system. We propose an alternative way for prevention of hypoglycemia by issuing predictive hypoglycemia alarms and encouraging patients to consume carbohydrates in a timely manner. The algorithm has been tested on 6 subjects (3 males and 3 females, age 24.2 ± 4.5 years, weight 79.2 ± 16.2 kg, height 172.7 ± 9.4 cm, HbA1C 7.3 ± 0.48%, duration of diabetes 209.2 ± 87.9 months) over 3-day closed-loop clinical experiments as part of a multivariable artificial pancreas control system. Over 6 three-day clinical experiments, there were only 5 real hypoglycemia episodes, of which only 1 hypoglycemia episode occurred due to being missed by the proposed algorithm. The average hypoglycemia alarms per day and per subject was 3. Average glucose value when the first alarms were triggered was recorded to be 117 ± 30.6 mg/dl. Average carbohydrate consumption per alarm was 14 ± 7.8 grams. Our results have shown that most low glucose concentrations can be predicted in advance and the glucose levels can be raised back to the desired levels by consuming an appropriate amount of carbohydrate. The proposed algorithm is able to prevent most hypoglycemic events by suggesting appropriate levels of carbohydrate consumption before the actual occurrence of hypoglycemia.
The Value of Prospective Reasoning for Close Relationships
Authors: Huynh Alex C. , Yang Daniel Y.-J. , Grossmann Igor
Published: July 2016

We examined how adopting a future (vs. present)-oriented perspective when reflecting on a relationship conflict impacts the process of reasoning and relationship well-being. Across two studies, participants instructed to think about how they would feel in the future (vs. present) expressed more adaptive reasoning over a relationship conflict—low partner blame, greater insight, and greater forgiveness, which was then associated with greater relationship well-being—for example, more positive versus negative emotions about the relationship and expectations that the relationship will grow. These findings were driven by a decrease in person-centered language when reflecting on the conflict. Implications for understanding how temporal distance and reasoning impact relationship conflict management are discussed.
Numerical simulation of the dynamic response in pulse-loaded fibre–metal-laminated plates
Authors: Nwankwo Ebuka , Fallah Arash Soleiman , Moatamedi Mojtaba , Louca Luke A
Published: July 2016

This article presents a three-dimensional constitutive model to replicate the dynamic response of blast-loaded fibre–metal laminates made of 2024-0 aluminium alloy and woven composite (glass fibre–reinforced polypropylene). Simulation of the dynamic response is challenging when extreme localised loads are of concern and requires reliable material constitutive models as well as accurate modelling techniques. It is well known that back layers in a fibre–metal laminate provide structural support for front layers; thus, proper modelling of constituent failure and degradation is essential to understanding structural damage and failure. The improved developed model to analyse damage initiation, progression and failure of the composite is implemented in finite element code ABAQUS, and a good correlation is observed with experimental results for displacements of the back and front faces as presented by other researchers. The model was also able to predict accurately the tearing impulses. Finally, the concepts of the ‘efficiency of the charge’ and ‘effectiveness of the target’ are proposed in the context of localised blast loading on a structure. Dimensionless parameters are introduced to quantify these parameters.
A better understanding of the role and underlying mechanism of stimulating mental imagery in improving the creativity of “ordinary” users
Authors: Vellera Cyrielle , Gavard-Perret Marie-Laure
Published: July 2016

Stimulating the creative abilities of users involved in co-creation practices is crucial for companies and co-creation platforms. These “ordinary” users, sought after to provide ideas for new products and/or services, are often not particularly creative. Stimulating their creative capacity is, therefore, critical. From this perspective, mental imagery, whose role in the creative process has often been stressed in psychology, appears to play a key role. The objective of this research is to examine whether, by increasing the activity of mental imagery, stimulating mental imagery can increase participants’ creativity. Two experiments confirm the mediating role of mental imagery and underline the positive effects of such stimulation on the creativity of the ideas generated.
Novel ecosystems: Challenges and opportunities for the Anthropocene
Authors: Collier Marcus J , Devitt Catherine
Published: July 2016

Novel ecosystems are ecological assemblages that have emerged in the landscapes of the Anthropocene, where an ecological abiotic or biotic threshold has been passed and can no longer be restored to a previous state. In such landscapes, novelty is attributed to unanticipated rapid anthropogenic environmental change, and deliberate land use practices, and can be characterised by the arrival over time of differing species assemblages and extent. While little has been explored in the literature with respect to the policy implications of novel ecosystems, calls have been made for a better understanding of the barriers to adopting novel ecosystems within mainstream policy. This review reports on a qualitative literature analysis carried out in order to identify the challenges and opportunities for transposing novel ecosystem theory into mainstream policy. Though published debate is still emerging, eleven policy challenges broadly conforming to three themes were identified. Within these themes three opportunity areas were identified, revealing that more focused discussion is required on the wider policy implications of novel ecosystems beyond the stated concerns about lowering standards in ecological conservation. The analysis also shows that there exists a greater understanding of the challenges to transposing novel ecosystems in policy, as opposed to the possible opportunities under current policy timeframes. While a resilience framework has been put forward to offer an outline for policy makers, mechanisms for incorporating novel ecosystem theory into policy and decision making is some distance off.
Forecasting the Senate vote on the Supreme Court vacancy
Authors: Basinger Scott J. , Mak Maxwell
Published: July 2016

This paper forecasts current senators’ votes on Merrick Garland’s nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court, in the unlikely case that a vote actually takes place. The forecasts are necessarily conditional, awaiting measurement of the nominee’s characteristics. Nonetheless, a model that combines parameters estimated from existing data with values of some measurable characteristics of senators—particularly their party affiliations, party loyalty levels, and ideological positions—is sufficient to identify potential swing voters in the Senate. By accounting for a more nuanced and refined understanding of the confirmation process, our model reveals that if President Obama were to nominate almost any nominee (conservative or liberal) today, that nominee would be rejected if a vote was allowed to take place. So why nominate anyone at all? Obama’s hope for a successful confirmation must come from the stochastic component, that is, from outside the traditional decision-making calculus.
The Impact of Union Amalgamation on Membership
Authors: Oliver Bobbie
Published: July 2016

In 1980s and 1990s, Australian trade unions tried to combat declining influence and membership numbers by amalgamating with other unions in the same or related industries. Much has been written on union mergers, but little on how these affect the membership. This article aims to contribute to the literature of the impact of mergers and amalgamations on members but studying just one union, The West Australian Locomotive Engine Drivers, Firemen’s and Cleaners Union (LEDU; 1898-1999). In 1993, the three federal railway unions—the Australian Railways Union (ARU), the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Employees (AFULE), and the National Union of Railworkers (NUR), and one bus and tram union, the Australian Tramway & Motor Omnibus Employees Association (ATM)—amalgamated to become the Australian Rail Tram and Bus Industry Union (RTBU). The LEDU reluctantly joined the RTBU in 1999. This article examines rank and file reaction to the initial proposals and ultimately to becoming part of a larger union, covering workers with many different interests. The article concludes that, irrespective of whether or not amalgamation was inevitable, given the circumstances in Western Australia at the time, its impact upon the rank and file membership was devastating.
Dual leucine zipper kinase regulates expression of axon guidance genes in mouse neuronal cells
Authors: Blondeau Andréanne , Lucier Jean-François , Matteau Dominick , Dumont Lauralyne , Rodrigue Sébastien , Jacques Pierre-Étienne , Blouin Richard
Published: July 2016

Background

Recent genetic studies in model organisms, such as Drosophila, C. elegans and mice, have highlighted a critical role for dual leucine zipper kinase (DLK) in neural development and axonal responses to injury. However, exactly how DLK fulfills these functions remains to be determined. Using RNA-seq profiling, we evaluated the global changes in gene expression that are caused by shRNA-mediated knockdown of endogenous DLK in differentiated Neuro-2a neuroblastoma cells.

Results

Our analysis led to the identification of numerous up- and down-regulated genes, among which several were found to be associated with system development and axon guidance according to gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses, respectively. Because of their importance in axonal growth, pruning and regeneration during development and adult life, we then examined by quantitative RT-PCR the mRNA expression levels of the identified axon guidance genes in DLK-depleted cells. Consistent with the RNA-seq data, our results confirmed that loss of DLK altered expression of the genes encoding neuropilin 1 (Nrp1), plexin A4 (Plxna4), Eph receptor A7 (Epha7), Rho family GTPase 1 (Rnd1) and semaphorin 6B (Sema6b). Interestingly, this regulation of Nrp1 and Plxna4 mRNA expression by DLK in Neuro-2a cells was also reflected at the protein level, implicating DLK in the modulation of the function of these axon guidance molecules.

Conclusions

Collectively, these results provide the first evidence that axon guidance genes are downstream targets of the DLK signaling pathway, which through their regulation probably modulates neuronal cell development, structure and function.
Insulator speckles associated with long-distance chromatin contacts
Authors: Buxa Melanie K. , Slotman Johan A. , van Royen Martin E. , Paul Maarten W. , Houtsmuller Adriaan B. , Renkawitz Rainer
Published: July 2016

Nuclear foci of chromatin binding factors are, in many cases, discussed as sites of long-range chromatin interaction in the three-dimensional nuclear space. Insulator binding proteins have been shown to aggregate into insulator bodies, which are large structures not involved in insulation; however, the more diffusely distributed insulator speckles have not been analysed in this respect. Furthermore, insulator binding proteins have been shown to drive binding sites for Polycomb group proteins into Polycomb bodies. Here we find that insulator speckles, marked by the insulator binding protein dCTCF, and Polycomb bodies show differential association with the insulator protein CP190. They differ in number and three-dimensional location with only 26% of the Polycomb bodies overlapping with CP190. By using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) probes to identify long-range interaction (kissing) of the Hox gene clusters Antennapedia complex (ANT-C) and Bithorax complex (BX-C), we found the frequency of interaction to be very low. However, these rare kissing events were associated with insulator speckles at a significantly shorter distance and an increased speckle number. This suggests that insulator speckles are associated with long-distance interaction.
Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivations for Tax Compliance: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Germany
Authors: Dwenger Nadja , Kleven Henrik , Rasul Imran , Rincke Johannes
Published: July 2016

We study extrinsic and intrinsic motivations for tax compliance in the context of a local church tax in Germany. This tax system has historically relied on zero deterrence so that any compliance at baseline is intrinsically motivated. Starting from this zero deterrence baseline, we implement a field experiment that incentivized compliance through deterrence or rewards. Using administrative records of taxes paid and true tax liabilities, we use these treatments to document that intrinsically motivated compliance is substantial, that a significant fraction of it may be driven by duty-to-comply preferences, and that there is no crowd-out between extrinsic and intrinsic motivations. (JEL C93, D64, H26, H71, K34, Z12)
A responsabilidade civil e ambiental em atividades nucleares
Authors: De Aragão Alexandre Santos
Published: July 2016

O presente artigo pretende analisar a aplicação da responsabilidade civil e ambiental em atividades nucleares, apontando as peculiaridades e divergências doutrinárias acerca do tema. Nesse sentido, nos debruçamos sobre as imbricações entre os regimes especiais de responsabilização por danos nucleares e por danos ao meio ambiente, buscando aferir qual deles seria aplicável no caso de dano ambiental decorrente de acidente nuclear. Por fim, discutimos a possibilidade de limitação da responsabilidade civil do particular (fornecedor) em contrato celebrado com empresa estatal operadora de atividades nucleares, defendendo a legitimidade da medida com base nos princípios da eficiência e da economicidade, bem como na consolidação dessa prática no âmbito internacional e em outras modalidades de contratação com a administração. The present article analyzes the applicability of civil and environmental liability in nuclear activities, pointing out the peculiarities and doctrinal differences on the subject. Therefore, we examine the main aspects of the special systems of liability for environmental and nuclear damages, in order to ascertain which one should be applied in case of environmental damage caused by a nuclear accident. Finally, we discuss the possibility of restricting private parties (suppliers) civil liability on contracts with stateowned companies responsible for operating nuclear activities. In doing so, we defend the legitimacy of the measure, based on the principles of efficiency and economy, as well as on the consolidation of this practice, both internationally and in other procurements with Public Administration.
Quem tem medo da delegação legislativa?
Authors: Rocha Jean-Paul Veiga da
Published: July 2016

A delegação legislativa do Congresso para órgãos do Executivo sempre foi central na modernização do capitalismo brasileiro. Entretanto, sempre houve uma grande divergência a respeito do aumento de poder desses entes não majoritários. Depois de anos de governo autoritário, a doutrina que sustenta ser vedada a delegação ganhou força com a nova Constituição democrática de 1988. O direito público brasileiro experimentou uma enorme transformação com a Reforma do Estado dos anos 1990, que realizou privatizações e criou agências reguladoras. Esse novo ciclo de modernização mais uma vez radicalizou a tensão entre uma concepção liberal de separação dos poderes e o agigantamento da burocracia que cuida da regulação econômica e social. Mas nada disso é novo. A chave para a compreensão desse importante debate brasileiro pode ser encontrada no debate análogo em torno da Constituição de 1946. Revisitar esse debate pode nos despertar a perplexidade de constatar que 1988, nesse aspecto, repetiu 1946. The delegation by the legislature of some of its law making authority to administrative agencies has always been central to the modernization of Brazilian capitalism. There has always been, nevertheless, broad disagreement over this empowerment of non-majoritarian institutions. After years of authoritarian rule, the non-delegation doctrine became stronger with the new democratic Constitution of 1988. Brazilian Public Law suffered a dramatic change in the 1990s, when a State Reform programme implemented privatization and created independent regulatory agencies. This new modernization cycle once more radicalized the tension between a liberal conception of separation of powers and the increasing regulatory law. But this is not a new issue. Some important findings about this contemporary legal dilemma may be best captured by means of an analogous debate on the Constitution of 1946. We may be surprised to learn that 1988 has reproduced 1946´s dilemmas.
Ação de improbidade, controle externo e economicidade — as diferentes consequências jurídicas entre a atuação administrativa ilegal e a antieconômica (ou irregular)
Authors: Salles Alexandre Aroeira
Published: July 2016

O texto procura identificar as limitações jurídicas para utilização da ação de improbidade administrativa diante da atuação da atividade de controle externo quanto ao princípio da economicidade. Busca ainda identificar o conteúdo jurídico dos termos constitucionais irregularidade e ilegalidade constantes dos artigos 71 e 74 da Constituição da República, para demonstrar possuírem consequências jurídicas distintas caso presentes em determinada situação fática. Avalia as condições para agentes públicos e os particulares sofrerem condenações nos Tribunais de Contas e em ação de improbidade. This article aims to identify the legal limitations of the use of administrative improbity actions by external control bodies in relation to economically inefficient acts. It also analyses the irregularity and illegality provisions in Articles 71 and 74 of the Brazilian Constitution and their respective legal consequences. This article also looks at the conditions under which public officials and individuals are penalized by the auditing courts andin improbity actions.
O equívoco brasileiro: cotas raciais em concursos públicos
Authors: Lima Edilson Vitorelli Diniz
Published: July 2016

O presente artigo analisa a constitucionalidade das políticas de ação afirmativa, consistentes na criação de cotas para negros em concursos públicos, implementadas por estados federados e, mais recentemente, pela União, por intermédio da Lei no 12.990/2014. A partir da revisão da experiência norte-americana com políticas de ação afirmativa, dos precedentes relacionados às cotas no ensino superior e da análise constitucional, conclui que as cotas, conquanto sejam constitucionais quando aplicadas ao ingresso de alunos no ensino superior, são formal e materialmente inconstitucionais quando inseridas em concursos públicos. This paper aims to analyze one of the many policies of affirmative actions in racial context, that have been introduce in Brazil in the last few years. A recently approved federal Statute, nº 12.990/14, created quotas to black people in public contests designed to hire employees to work for the federal government. Adopting a comparative and analytical perspective, the research concludes that this kind of quotas violates the Brazilian Federal Constitution of 1988, although it is still possible to apply quotas in other fields of public policy that demand affirmative actions, specially in granting for black students access to public universities.
(s, S) Inventory Systems with Correlated Demands
Authors: Hu Jianqiang , Zhang Cheng , Zhu Chenbo
Published: July 2016

Most inventory models in the literature assume that demands are independent among different time periods. However, a number of recent studies suggest that demands are often correlated over different time periods, which motivates our work here. In this paper, we study a class of periodic review (s, S) inventory systems in which demands are correlated and modeled as a Markov-modulated process. Using a Maclaurin series analysis and a Pade approximation, as well as an infinite system of linear equations, we develop algorithms to calculate the moments of the inventory level based on which various performance measures of the system can also be evaluated. Numerical experiments show that our approach is quite efficient and provides accurate estimates for the moments of the inventory level and other related performance measures.