bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Syntheses, Structures, and Luminescent Properties of Two Cadmium(II) Coordination Compounds based on a Sulfonate Functionalized Terpyridine Ligand
Authors: Shen Sa‐Sa , Bai Chao , Hu Huai‐Ming , Yuan Fei , Wang Xiaofang , Xue Ganglin
Published: July 2015

The coordination compounds [Cd(TBDS)(H2O)2]n (1) and Cd(TBDS)(bpy)2(H2O)·3H2O (2) {H2TBDS = 4‐([4,2′:6′,4′′‐terpyridine]‐4′‐yl)benzene‐1,3‐disulfonic acid, bpy = 2,2′‐bipyridine} were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Single crystal X‐ray diffraction analyses revealed that compound 1 is a twofold interpenetrating 3D framework with 4‐connected dia topology, whereas compound 2 is a mononuclear compound, which packed with each other via hydrogen‐bonding interactions to construct a three‐dimensional supramolecular structure, and contained unusual meso‐helical chains. Additionally, the luminescence properties and thermal stabilities of 1 and 2 were investigated.
Two Uranyl Complexes with Pyromellitic Acid. A Heterometallic Complex with U=O–CuII Interaction
Authors: Liang Lingling , Cai Yige , Li Xiang , Zhang Ronglan , Zhao Jianshe , Liu Chiyang , Seik Weng Ng
Published: July 2015

Two uranyl complexes based on pyromellitic acid were hydrothermally synthesized, and their X‐ray single‐crystal diffraction structures were determined. Complex [UO2(Hbtec)]–(Himd)+·H2O (1) (H4btec = pyromellitic acid, imd = imidazole), is an ionic complex, which shows a typical (4, 4) topological structure in the space. A heterometallic complex, UO2Cu(btec)(phen) (2) (phen = 1,10‐phenanthroline) results from the reaction of uranyl nitrate and copper(II) bromide with pyromellitic acid. The structure of complex 2 revealed that the chains of UO7 and CuO3N2 units were connected to each other through the carboxyl groups and U=O–Cu interactions to create a two‐dimensional framework.
The Surgical Management of Klatskin Tumours: Has Anything Changed in the Last Decade?
Authors: Bhardwaj Neil , Garcea Giuseppe , Dennison Ashley R. , Maddern Guy J.
Published: July 2015

Surgical treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinomas requires complex pre‐, intra‐ and post‐operative decision‐making. Despite the significant progress in liver surgery over the years, several issues such as the role of pre‐operative biliary drainage, portal vein embolisation, staging laparoscopy and neo‐adjuvant chemotherapy remain unresolved. Operative strategies such as vascular resection, caudate lobe resection and liver transplant have also been practiced in order to improve R0 resectability and improved survival. The review aims to consolidate evidence from major studies in the last 11 years. Survival data were only included from studies that reported the results in at least 30 patients with 1‐year follow‐up. A significant number of patients may be prevented an unnecessary laparotomy if they underwent a staging laparoscopy. There remain no guidelines as to when portal vein embolisation or pre‐operative biliary drainage should be employed but most studies agree with pre‐operative biliary drainage being an absolute indication if portal vein embolisation is performed. Concomitant hepatectomy and caudate lobectomy increases R0 resection but vascular resection cannot be routinely recommended. Liver transplant at specialised centres in selective patients has had impressive results. Guidelines are required for pre‐operative biliary drainage and portal vein embolisation and randomised trials are required in order to define the role of vascular resection in achieving a R0 resection and increasing survival.
Pyogenic Liver Abscess: Does Escherichia Coli Cause more Adverse Outcomes than Klebsiella Pneumoniae?
Authors: Shelat Vishal G. , Chia Clement L. K. , Yeo Charleen S. W. , Qiao Wang , Woon Winston , Junnarkar Sameer P.
Published: July 2015

Background

This paper aims to demonstrate if Escherichia coli pyogenic liver abscess (ECPLA) results in adverse outcomes compared to Klebsiella pneumoniae PLA (KPPLA).

Methods

A retrospective review of all patients admitted at a tertiary hospital in Singapore from 2003 to 2011 was performed. Patients with age <18 years, amoebic liver abscess, infected liver cyst, culture negative abscess or ruptured liver abscess requiring urgent surgical intervention were excluded. Only patients with blood or pus culture confirmation of ECPLA (n = 24) or KPPLA (n = 264) were included. Median length of hospital stay, failure of non‐operative therapy and 30‐day mortality are the reported outcomes.

Results

ECPLA affects older patients (68 vs. 62 years, p = 0.049). Ischemic heart disease was more common in ECPLA (29 vs. 14 %, p = 0.048) and there was no difference in diabetic state (42 vs. 38 %, p = 0.743). ECPLA is more commonly associated with hyperbilirubinemia (60 vs. 34 µmol/L, p = 0.003), increased gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase (236 vs. 16 IU/L, p = 0.038) and gallstones (58 vs. 30 %, p = 0.004). KPPLA are larger in size (6 vs. 4 cm, p = 0.006) and had percutaneous drainage (PD) more frequently (64 vs. 42 %, p = 0.034). There was no difference in median hospital stay (14 vs. 14 days, p = 0.110) or 30‐day mortality (17 vs. 10 %, p = 0.307) between ECPLA and KPPLA. Among patients with ECPLA, antibiotic treatment with PD appeared to have higher mortality compared to antibiotic treatment alone (30 vs. 7 %) but this was not significant (p = 0.272).

Conclusion

In the setting of multimodal care, outcomes of ECPLA are comparable to KPPLA.
Single‐Site Robotic Cholecystectomy: The Timeline of Progress
Authors: Bibi Shahida , Rahnemai‐Azar Amir A. , Coralic Jasna , Bayoumi Mohamed , Khorsand Joubin , Farkas Daniel T. , Prasad Leela M.
Published: July 2015

Aim

To investigate the learning curve and perioperative outcomes of single‐site robotic cholecystectomy during the first 102 cases by a single surgeon.

Materials and methods

A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was performed on the first 102 cases of single‐site robotic cholecystectomy. Patients were divided into five chronological groups based on the date of surgery, with 20 patients in each group except the 5th group which had 22 patients. The groups were compared by docking time, robotic dissection time, and overall surgery time. A P value of 0.05 was used as statistically significant.

Results

The female to male ratio was 2:1. The mean age was 51 years (18–87) and the mean BMI was 28.26 (18–41). Overall, 69 % of the patients underwent elective cholecystectomy and 31 % required urgent surgery. In all, 17 % of patients had previous abdominal surgeries. In total, 45 % of procedures were regarded as same day surgery. The total mean length of stay was 1.97 days (0–8). The mean operative time was 110 min (36–265), mean robotic console time 70 min (26–179), and mean docking time 9 min (1–26). The overall conversion rate was 3.9 % and the complication rate was 4 %. The docking time, robotic time, and average operative time were significantly different in the first group as compared to the remaining the five groups (P = 0.001).

Conclusion

Single‐site robotic cholecystectomy is safe in both elective and urgent conditions, and in patients with previous abdominal surgeries. It has a short learning curve.
Mindsets shape consumer behavior
Authors: Murphy Mary C. , Dweck Carol S.
Published: July 2015

Mindsets—or implicit theories—are the beliefs people have about the nature of human characteristics. This article applies mindset theory and research to the field of consumer behavior. Specifically, we suggest how a fixed or growth mindset may shape consumer product preferences, acceptance of brand extensions, trust recovery following product failures, as well as the effectiveness of advertising and marketing campaigns. We argue that people with a fixed mindset are more likely to seek products and brands in line with their goals to burnish their self‐image and demonstrate their positive qualities, while people with a growth mindset seek products that help them pursue their goals to improve and learn new things. Thus, products and brands may serve important self‐enhancement functions—encouraging consumers to reinforce or expand core aspects of their identity. We also suggest that brands and companies can project a fixed or growth mindset. In turn, these organizational mindsets should shape consumers' expectations of, and relationships with, products, brands, and companies.
On the Just Distribution of Land Use Rights
Authors: Levine-Schnur Ronit , Ferdman Avigail
Published: July 2015

The current system of decision making in land use law is not transparent and is open to biased or personal corruption. This gives rise to the possibility of unequal treatment under the law, especially given the judicial reluctance to interfere in reviewing the decision making process. Our solution is an auction mechanism to overcome these problems, under which the local government would be bound to award land use rights to the highest bidder and where offers will be examined in light of their contribution to the society’s best interest. Such mechanism has possible benefits in terms of transparency and insurance against favouritism or arbitrariness. The auction mechanism proposes the use of a simple metric (i.e., revealed private value of the competing claims) by which the local government can give a transparent, non-arbitrary, observable, and verifiable response. This mechanism, so we argue, treats each and every person’s choices with equal concern and respect. In this sense, the auction is procedurally fair by being conducted between potential bargainers that enjoy equality in background conditions and when means for offsetting brute bad lack are utilized.
Dworkin on International Law: Not Much of a Legacy?
Authors: Jovanović Miodrag A.
Published: July 2015

Dworkin’s proposal for a new philosophy of international law shares all the important features of his latest stage of philosophizing about domestic law. As a derivative theory, however, it faces not only the same problems as the original position, but some new ones as well. This paper focuses on three problems. First, already Dworkin’s exposition of the international legal regime of human rights, which is briefly analyzed in the paper, suffers from the ill-treatment of sovereignty, insofar as it is equated with the outdated Westphalian conception. Furthermore, Dworkin’s attempt to ground human rights in value monism opens a number of intricate philosophical and practical issues. At the general plane of international law, this theoretical proposal becomes even more vulnerable. Second, Dworkin’s moral reading of international law makes a revolutionary discontinuity with the developed institutional practices and standards of the international community, which is within his own theory considered as one of the key features of legality. Finally, Dworkin’s proposal is profoundly futuristic and utopian. It is no more about the claim that ‘law as it is’ needs to be assessed in light of ‘law as it ought to be’, according to some inherent standards of political morality of a given political community, but in light of some law that might develop in the distant future. The paper concludes by noticing that if Dworkin’s ‘interpretivist’ theory is to be employed in the area of international law, it would have to be along some different lines than the ones proposed by Dworkin himself.
Risk Communication During the 2009 Influenza A (H1N1) Pandemic: Stakeholder Experiences From Eight European Countries
Authors: Cloes Rasmus , Ahmad Amena , Reintjes Ralf
Published: July 2015

Objective

We aimed to assess professional stakeholders’ perceptions of the risk-communication difficulties faced during the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic in Europe.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with experts involved in the management of the 2009 swine flu pandemic from different European countries. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded.

Results

A total of 25 experts from 8 European countries were interviewed: 9 from the micro-level, 10 from the meso-level, and 6 from the macro-level of employment. The interviews revealed 3 main themes: vaccine issues, communication issues, and general problems. As reasons for the low vaccination coverage, stakeholders mentioned the late arrival of the vaccines, the moderate character of the pandemic, vaccine safety concerns, and a general skepticism toward vaccination. Communication needs varied between the different levels of employment: macro- and meso-level stakeholders preferred fast information but from multiple sources; the micro-level stakeholders preferred one credible source. Throughout Europe, collaboration with the media was perceived as poor and professionals felt misunderstood.

Conclusions

Professional stakeholders should be enabled to access reliable information rapidly through preestablished channels; emphasis should be placed on establishing sustainable cooperations between experts and the media; and measures to improve trust in health authorities, such as the transparent communication of uncertainties, should be encouraged. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:127-133)
Public Acceptance of Peramivir During the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic: Implications for Other Drugs or Vaccines Under Emergency Use Authorizations
Authors: Quinn Sandra Crouse , Hilyard Karen , Castaneda-Angarita Nestor , Freimuth Vicki S.
Published: July 2015

Objective

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that up to 88 million H1N1 influenza cases, 398,000 hospitalizations, and up to 18,050 related deaths, including significant racial and ethnic disparities, occurred between April 2009 and March 13, 2010. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved emergency use authorizations (EUAs), which allowed the distribution of unapproved drugs or the off-label use of approved drugs. In late 2009, peramivir was granted an EUA for patients with severe disease. This study examined factors associated with willingness to take peramivir.

Methods

In 2010 we conducted a nationally representative survey with 2079 respondents randomly drawn from the Knowledge Networks research panel. Our completion rate was 56%. Respondents received information about peramivir from a fact sheet and then answered questions about their willingness to take the drug.

Results

Overall, 48% of participants indicated that they would probably or definitely take peramivir. Seventy-nine percent definitely would take the drug if their doctor recommended it and there were no alternative treatments. There were significant racial differences in willingness. The termexperimentalto refer to the drug decreased willingness to accept peramivir among both whites and blacks.

Conclusions

Trust in the FDA was important for peramivir acceptance. Particular care must be taken to ensure that patients and their families understand the complex nature of EUA drugs. Lessons learned can inform communication about future EUAs. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:166-174)
Risk Factors for In-Hospital Mortality among a Cohort of Children with Clostridium difficile Infection
Authors: Vendetti Neika , Zaoutis Theoklis , Coffin Susan E. , Sammons Julia Shaklee
Published: July 2015

OBJECTIVE

The incidence of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has increased and has been associated with poor outcomes among hospitalized children, including increased risk of death. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for all-cause in-hospital mortality among children with CDI.

METHODS

A multicenter cohort of children with CDI, aged 1–18 years, was established among children hospitalized at 41 freestanding children’s hospitals between January 1, 2006 and August 31, 2011. Children with CDI were identified using a validated case-finding tool (ICD-9-CM code for CDI plus C. difficile test charge). Only the first CDI-related hospitalization during the study period was used. Risk factors for all-cause in-hospital mortality within 30 days of C. difficile test were evaluated using a multivariable logistic regression model.

RESULTS

We identified 7,318 children with CDI during the study period. The median age of this cohort was 6 years [interquartile range (IQR): 2–13]; the mortality rate was 1.5% (n=109); and the median number of days between C. difficile testing and death was 12 (IQR, 7–20). Independent risk factors for death included older age [adjusted odds ratio (OR, 95% confidence interval), 2.29 (1.40–3.77)], underlying malignancy [3.57 (2.36–5.40)], cardiovascular disease [2.06 (1.28–3.30)], hematologic/immunologic condition [1.89 (1.05–3.39)], gastric acid suppression [2.70 (1.43–5.08)], and presence of >1 severity of illness marker [3.88 (2.44–6.19)].

CONCLUSION

Patients with select chronic conditions and more severe disease are at increased risk of death. Identifying risk factors for in-hospital mortality can help detect subpopulations of children that may benefit from targeted CDI prevention and treatment strategies.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;36(10):1183–1189
Pipe flow clogged with turbulence
Authors: Duguet Yohann
Published: July 2015

The flow inside a circular pipe is known to support localised patches of turbulence travelling downstream. When the diameter of the pipe is slowly increasing, seemingly analogous but motionless patches can congest the flow and lead to disastrous energetic performance. Until now, no theory has predicted quantitatively the flow rates at which such a steady turbulent puff could be expected. The recent large-scale numerical study by Selvam et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 771, 2015, R2) offers the first realistic simulation of this phenomenon, with a detailed analysis of the bifurcation sequence leading from the laminar flow to the localised turbulence regime. Similarities and differences between straight and divergent cases are also discussed.
The impact of early growth patterns and infant feeding on body composition at 3 years of age
Authors: Ejlerskov Katrine T. , Christensen Line B. , Ritz Christian , Jensen Signe M. , Mølgaard Christian , Michaelsen Kim F.
Published: July 2015

Early excessive weight gain is positively associated with later obesity, and yet the effect of weight gain during specific periods and the impact of infant feeding practices are debated. The objective of the present study was to examine the impact of weight gain in periods of early childhood on body composition at 3 years, and whether infant feeding modified the relationship between early growth and body composition at 3 years. We studied 233 children from the prospective cohort study, SKOT (in Danish: Småbørns Kost og Trivsel). Birth weightz-scores (BWZ) and change in weight-for-agez-scores (WAZ) from 0 to 5, 5 to 9, 9 to 18 and 18 to 36 months were analysed for relations with body composition (anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance) at 3 years by multivariate regression analysis. BWZ and change in WAZ from 0 to 5 months were positively associated with BMI, fat mass index (FMI) and fat-free mass index (FFMI) at 3 years. Full breastfeeding for 6 months (compared to less than 1 month) eliminated the effect of early growth (P= 0·01). Full breastfeeding for 6 months (compared to less than 1 month) also eliminated the positive relation between BWZ and FMI (P= 0·009). No effect modification of infant feeding was found for FFMI. In conclusion, high birth weight and rapid growth from 0 to 5 months were associated with increased FMI and FFMI at 3 years. Longer duration of full breastfeeding reduced the effect of birth weight and early weight gain on fat mass.
ReMo-SNPs: a new software tool for identification of polymorphisms in regions and motifs genome-wide
Authors: GRAAE LISETTE , PADDOCK SILVIA , BELIN ANDREA CARMINE
Published: July 2015

Studies of complex genetic diseases have revealed many risk factors of small effect, but the combined amount of heritability explained is still low. Genome-wide association studies are often underpowered to identify true effects because of the very large number of parallel tests. There is, therefore, a great need to generate data sets that are enriched for those markers that have an increased a priori chance of being functional, such as markers in genomic regions involved in gene regulation. ReMo-SNPs is a computational program developed to aid researchers in the process of selecting functional SNPs for association analyses in user-specified regions and/or motifs genome-wide. The useful feature of automatic selection of genotyped markers in the user-provided material makes the output data ready to be used in a following association study. In this article we describe the program and its functions. We also validate the program by including an example study on three different transcription factors and results from an association study on two psychiatric phenotypes. The flexibility of the ReMo-SNPs program enables the user to study any region or sequence of interest, without limitation to transcription factor binding regions and motifs. The program is freely available at: http://www.neuro.ki.se/ReMo-SNPs/
Ultrasonographic findings in the ovine udder during lactogenesis in healthy ewes or ewes with pregnancy toxaemia
Authors: Barbagianni Mariana S , Gouletsou Pagona G , Valasi Irene , Petridis Ioannis G , Giannenas Ilias , Fthenakis George C
Published: July 2015

Objective of the study was to record, by means of ultrasonographic examination, changes occurring during lactogenesis in the udder of healthy ewes and of ewes with pregnancy toxaemia. The work was carried out in 28 ewes, 16 with pregnancy toxaemia (group A) and 12 healthy controls (group B). B-mode and Doppler ultrasonographic examination of the udder of ewes was performed. During the last month of pregnancy, grey-scale intensity values of mammary parenchyma in group A were significantly greater than in group B (P= 0·007), as was also the progressive increase in grey-scale intensity values in both groups (P< 0·001). Blood mammary input was significantly greater in ewes of group B than in ewes of group A (P< 0·05), as was also the progressive increase in blood input in both groups (P< 0·001). Further, differences between the two groups were identified in pulsatility index (P= 0·007) and in mean blood velocity (P= 0·036), but only during the last fortnight of pregnancy. After lambing, grey-scale values decreased sharply compared to those in pregnancy (P< 0·01), whilst blood input, pulsatility index and mean blood velocity continued the same trend as at the last stage of pregnancy, with differences between the two groups still prevalent (P< 0·05). There was a reverse correlation between grey-scale intensity values and milk quantities (P< 0·035) and a correlation between blood input and milk quantities (P< 0·07). The progressive increase in the diameter of the external pudendal artery was significant (P< 0·001), but no significant differences were evident between the two groups (P> 0·35). Differences between group A and group B in all other haemodynamic parameters studied were not significant, neither throughout the last month of pregnancy (P> 0·25), nor during the first week of lactation (P> 0·06). However, their progressive changes during the last month of pregnancy were significant (P< 0·02).
The Organization of Enterprise in Japan
Authors: Nicholas Tom
Published: July 2015

Recent research indicates the joint stock form was not a superior type of business organization in many countries historically. In Japan, however, its role was more pervasive. From 1896 to 1939 joint stock enterprises accounted for 44 percent of registered businesses and 80 percent of total capital. From 1922 to 1939 these enterprises outperformed other forms and generated 94 percent of aggregate profits. External finance factors, Japan's development phase, industrial structure, public policy, and culture led to high joint stock usage. The private limited liability company, introduced in 1938, did not displace the joint stock form.
The Transformation of Hunger Revisited: Estimating Available Calories from the Budgets of Late Nineteenth-Century British Households
Authors: Gazeley Ian , Newell Andrew , Bezabih Mintewab
Published: July 2015

Levels of nutrition among British worker's households in the late nineteenth century have been much debated. Trevon Logan (2006, 2009) estimated a very low average level of available calories. This paper re-examines the data and finds average levels of available calories much more in line with existing studies, more in line with what is known about energy requirements, and more in line with other aspects of the data. In sum, British households were likely to have been significantly better fed than Logan reports.
Suitable habitat for recolonizing large carnivores in the midwestern USA
Authors: Smith Julia B. , Nielsen Clayton K. , Hellgren Eric C.
Published: July 2015

Large carnivores are recolonizing parts of North America and Europe as a result of modern management and conservation policy. In the midwestern USA, black bearsUrsus americanus, cougarsPuma concolorand grey wolvesCanis lupushave the potential to recolonize provided there is suitable habitat. Understanding where large carnivores may become re-established will prepare resource professionals for the inevitable ecosystem effects and potential human–carnivore conflicts associated with these species. We developed individual and combined models of suitable habitat for black bears, cougars and wolves in 18 midwestern states, using geospatial data, expert-opinion surveys, and multi-criteria evaluation. Large, contiguous areas of suitable habitat comprised 35, 21 and 13% of the study region for wolves, bears and cougars, respectively. Approximately 12% of the region was considered suitable for all three species. Arkansas, Minnesota, Texas and Wisconsin had the highest proportions (> 40%) of suitable habitat for black bears; Arkansas, Michigan, Missouri, Texas and Wisconsin had the highest proportions (≥ 20%) of suitable habitat for cougars; and only in four states in the study region was < 29% of land suitable wolf habitat. Models performed well when validated by comparing suitability values of independent sets of known carnivore locations to those of random locations. Contiguous areas of suitable habitat typically spanned multiple states, thus coordination across boundaries and among agencies will be vital to successful conservation of these species. Our models highlight differences in habitat requirements and geographical distribution of potential habitat among these carnivores, as well as areas vital to their persistence in the Midwest.
The death of the non-native speaker? English as a lingua franca in business communication: A research agenda
Authors: Nickerson Catherine
Published: July 2015

The impact of globalisation in the last 20 years has led to an overwhelming increase in the use of English as the medium through which many business people get their work done. As a result, the linguistic landscape within which we now operate as researchers and teachers has changed both rapidly and beyond all recognition. In the discussion below, I will outline a research agenda for English as a lingua franca (ELF) in business communication of relevance for scholars and practitioners with an interest in teaching language. I will discuss three main areas of enquiry, which are: (1) the further development of the existing theory concerning the use of English in business and how this impacts language teaching, including the role played by native speakers of English, (2) the influence of culture and context on the production and interpretation of English in business contexts, and (3) the extension of our existing understanding of the use of English in business contexts in order to take increasingly advanced levels of proficiency into account, as well as developing an understanding of what constitutes professional communicative competence in business. For each of these key areas I will suggest a number of tasks which could help to give substance to our research in the future.
A high-voltage, long-pulse generator based on magnetic pulse compressor and Blumlein-type rolled strip pulse forming line
Authors: Li Song , Gao Jing-Ming , Yang Han-Wu , Qian Bao-Liang
Published: July 2015

In this paper, a new technical scheme of high-voltage, long-pulse generator, mostly based on solid-state power devices, including magnetic pulse compressor, Blumlein-type rolled strip pulse-forming line (RSPFL) and inductive voltage adder (IVA), is proposed and investigated numerically and experimentally. The generator has potential advantages of high average power level, high repetitive rate capability, long lifetime, and long pulse achievability, which meet the requirements of military and industrial application of the pulsed power technology. Specifically, a two-stage magnetic pulse compressor was set up with iron-based amorphous cores. Total compression ratio of the device is approximately 12 and the achieved voltage efficiency is up to 92%. Low impedance, long-duration Blumlein-type RSPFL was established with characteristic impendence and electrical length of 3 Ω and 100 ns, respectively. Mylar film was selected as the solid-state dielectric. Increased by a four-stage IVA, typical quasi-square pulse was obtained with peak current of 2.3 kA and duration over 200 ns. As the resistance of the dummy load was measured to be 60 Ω, the peak voltage was approximately 138 kV. Experiments show reasonable agreement with numerical analysis.
Understanding China's Rising Rights Consciousness
Authors: Lorentzen Peter , Scoggins Suzanne
Published: July 2015

Claims that China's people are exhibiting a rising “rights consciousness” have become commonplace, with some suggesting this phenomenon is driving political change. Yet it is often unclear what the concept means, leading to ambiguous or contradictory conclusions from field research. In order to create a basis for more systematic analysis, we develop a rational choice framework that characterizes three different factors that could lead to rights-conscious behaviour: changing values, changing government policies, and changing expectations of the behaviour of others. What rising rights consciousness implies for social stability can vary dramatically, depending on which change is at work. Rights consciousness resulting from changes in values or in shared expectations of behaviour is destabilizing for the CCP's continued rule, whereas rights consciousness derived from government policies has a stabilizing effect. While in practice these can be interrelated in complex ways, empirical research would benefit from greater attention to these distinctions.
Vulnerability to climate change and sea-level rise of the 35th biodiversity hotspot, the Forests of East Australia
Authors: BELLARD C. , LECLERC C. , HOFFMANN B. D. , COURCHAMP F.
Published: July 2015

There is an urgent need to understand how climate change, including sea-level rise, is likely to threaten biodiversity and cause secondary effects, such as agro-ecosystem alteration and human displacement. The consequences of climate change, and the resulting sea-level rise within the Forests of East Australia biodiversity hotspot, were modelled and assessed for the 2070–2099 period. Climate change effects were predicted to affectc. 100000 km2, and a rise in sea level an area of 860 km2; this could potentially lead to the displacement of 20600 inhabitants. The two threats were projected to mainly affect natural and agricultural areas. The greatest conservation benefits would be obtained by either maintaining or increasing the conservation status of areas in the northern (Wet Tropics) or southern (Sydney Basin) extremities of the hotspot, as they constitute about half of the area predicted to be affected by climate change, and both areas harbour high species richness. Increasing the connectivity of protected areas for Wet Tropics and Sydney Basin species to enable them to move into new habitat areas is also important. This study provides a basis for future research on the effects on local biodiversity and agriculture.
RHODODENDRON PSEUDOMADDENII (ERICACEAE), A NEW SPECIES FROM INDIA
Authors: Mao A. A. , Bhaumik M.
Published: July 2015

A new species, Rhododendron pseudomaddenii A.A.Mao & M.Bhaumik (Ericaceae), is described and illustrated from India.
DIPLYCOSIA MEKONGGAENSIS (ERICACEAE, GAULTHERIEAE), A NEW SPECIES FROM SULAWESI, INDONESIA
Authors: Argent G. , Widjaja E. A.
Published: July 2015

Diplycosia mekonggaensis Argent & Widjaja (Ericaceae, Gaultherieae) is described and illustrated as a new species from the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. Diagnostic characters are given and comparisons with related species are made.
The Use of Data Mining by Private Health Insurance Companies and Customers’ Privacy
Authors: AL-SAGGAF YESLAM
Published: July 2015

This article examines privacy threats arising from the use of data mining by private Australian health insurance companies. Qualitative interviews were conducted with key experts, and Australian governmental and nongovernmental websites relevant to private health insurance were searched. Using Rationale, a critical thinking tool, the themes and considerations elicited through this empirical approach were developed into an argument about the use of data mining by private health insurance companies. The argument is followed by an ethical analysis guided by classical philosophical theories—utilitarianism, Mill’s harm principle, Kant’s deontological theory, and Helen Nissenbaum’s contextual integrity framework. Both the argument and the ethical analysis find the use of data mining by private health insurance companies in Australia to be unethical. Although private health insurance companies in Australia cannot use data mining for risk rating to cherry-pick customers and cannot use customers’ personal information for unintended purposes, this article nonetheless concludes that the secondary use of customers’ personal information and the absence of customers’ consent still suggest that the use of data mining by private health insurance companies is wrong.
Developing a Research Agenda on Ethical Issues Related to Using Social Media in Healthcare
Authors: ADAMS SAMANTHA A. , VAN VEGHEL DENNIS , DEKKER LUKAS
Published: July 2015

The consequences of using publicly available social media applications specifically for healthcare purposes are largely unaddressed in current research. Where they are addressed, the focus is primarily on issues of privacy and data protection. We therefore use a case study of the first live Twitter heart operation in the Netherlands, in combination with recent literature on social media from other academic fields, to identify a wide range of ethical issues related to using social media for health-related purposes. Although this case reflects an innovative approach to public education and patient centeredness, it also illustrates the need for institutions to weigh the various aspects of use and to develop a plan to deal with these on a per case basis. Given the continual development of technologies, researchers may not yet be able to oversee and anticipate all of the potential implications. Further development of a research agenda on this topic, the promotion of guidelines and policies, and the publication of case studies that reveal the granularity of individual situations will therefore help raise awareness and assist physicians and institutions in using social media to support existing care services.
Normality, Therapy, and Enhancement
Authors: GIUBILINI ALBERTO
Published: July 2015

According to human enhancement advocates, it is morally permissible (and sometimes obligatory) to use biomedical means to modulate or select certain biological traits in order to increase people’s welfare, even when there is no pathology to be treated or prevented. Some authors have recently proposed to extend the use of biomedical means to modulate lust, attraction, and attachment. I focus on some conceptual implications of this proposal, particularly with regard to bioconservatives’ understanding of the notions of therapy and enhancement I first explain what makes the proposal of medicalizing love interesting and unique, compared to the other forms of bioenhancement usually advocated. I then discuss how the medicalization of love bears on the more general debate on human enhancement, particularly with regard to the key notion of “normality” that is commonly used to define the therapy–enhancement distinction. This analysis suggests that the medicalization of love, in virtue of its peculiarity, requires bioconservatives to reconsider their way of understanding and applying the notions of “therapy” and “enhancement.” More in particular, I show that, because a non-arbitrary and value-free notion of “therapy” cannot be applied to the case of love, bioconservatives have the burden of either providing some new criterion that could be used for drawing a line between permissible and impermissible medicalization, or demonstrating that under no circumstances—including the cases in which love is already acknowledged to require medical intervention—can love fall within the domain of medicine.
Special issue on sense of place in the history of English
Authors: CORRIGAN KAREN P. , MONTGOMERY CHRIS
Published: July 2015

This special issue is concerned with how the multidisciplinary concept ‘sense of place’ can be applied to further our understanding of ‘place’ in the history of English. In particular, the articles collected here all relate in some way to complicated processes through which individuals and the communities they are embedded within are defined in relation to others and to their socio-cultural and spatial environments (Converyet al.2012). We have brought together eight articles focusing on specific aspects of this theme using different theoretical models that offer new insights into the history of the English language from the Old English (OE) period to the twenty-first century. The findings will also be of interest to researchers in the fields of corpus linguistics, discourse analysis, English dialectology, lexicography, pragmatics, prototype theory, sociolinguistics and syntactic theory.
‘You’ve got to sort of eh hoy the Geordie out’: modals of obligation and necessity in fifty years of Tyneside English
Authors: FEHRINGER CAROL , CORRIGAN KAREN
Published: July 2015

This article examines the use of the semi-modalshave to, have got toandneed toin theDiachronic Electronic Corpus of Tyneside English(DECTE), a corpus of spoken Northeastern English dating from the late 1960s to the present day. It will be shown that the semi-modals have, in many contexts, replaced the historically oldermustas markers of obligation and necessity in this variety. Moreover, the two most frequent variants in the corpus,have toandhave got to, will be examined in the light of current theories of grammaticalisation. Internal and external constraints, which have been shown in the literature on root modality to have played an important role in the distribution of variants in other regional varieties of British and North American English, will be tested in DECTE. The article will also examine the rise ofneed toin this northeastern variety, as the most recent addition to the group of variants marking obligation and necessity.
What really caused the Viking Age? The social content of raiding and exploration
Authors: Ashby Steven P.
Published: July 2015

The cause of the Viking Age is one of our longest-lived debates. A combination of push and pull factors and a catalysing environment instigated the late 8th-century escalation in maritime activity that ultimately led to social, political and religious transformation. Recent discussions have focused on the macro level, with little consideration of the individual gains to be made by raiding. This paper argues that rewards consisted in more than portable wealth. In the flexible hierarchies of the Viking Age, those who took advantage of opportunities to enhance their social capital stood to gain significantly. The lure of the raid was thus more than booty; it was about winning and preserving power through the enchantment of travel and the doing of deeds. This provides an important correction to models that focus on the need for portable wealth; the act of acquiring silver was as important as the silver itself.
Two worlds: Adolescents' strategies for managing life with a parent in hospice
Authors: Sheehan Denice Kopchak , Mayo M. Murray , Christ Grace H. , Heim Kim , Parish Stephanie , Shahrour Ghada , Draucker Claire Burke
Published: July 2015

Objective:

This study aimed to generate an explanatory model of the coping strategies that adolescents employ to manage the stressors they experience in the final months of their ill parent's life and shortly after their death.

Method:

The sample included 26 families of adolescents with a parent receiving care in a large hospice program in northeastern Ohio. A semistructured interview was conducted with 14 ill parents, 17 well parents/guardians, and 30 of their adolescent children before the parent's death and, additionally, with 6 of these families after the death. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using a grounded-theory approach.

Results:

The participants described two worlds that constituted the lives of the adolescents: the well world of normal adolescence and the ill world of having a parent near the end of life. The adolescents experienced a common challenge of living in two worlds and responded to the challenge with a process we labeled “managing two worlds.” Five stages through which adolescents manage their worlds were identified: keeping the ill world and the well world separate; having the ill world intrude into the well world; moving between the ill world and the well world; being immersed in the ill world; and returning to the well world having been changed by the ill world.

Significance of results:

The explanatory model of “managing two worlds” outlines a complex and nuanced process that changes over time. The model can be used by health professionals who seek to help adolescents navigate this critical time when their parents are dying or have recently died. These results can also be used to inform the development of interventions that assist families with strategies tailored to an adolescent's specific needs. Future research should investigate associations among the process of “managing two worlds” and outcomes related to adolescent bereavement.
Biochemical changes in developing embryos of Schistocerca gregaria (Orthoptera: Acrididae) induced by pheromone produced by ovipositing gregarious females
Authors: Khamis Fathiya M. , Mireji Paul O. , Osir Ellie O. , Imbuga Mabel O. , Hassanali Ahmed
Published: July 2015

Trans-generational transfer of gregarious-phase traits in the desert locustSchistocerca gregaria(Forskål, 1775) is mediated by primer gregarizing pheromonal signals produced by ovipositing females that experience crowding. We monitored time-course proteomic events in eggs from solitary-reared locusts that had been exposed for 1, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 12 days to different levels of the sand-associated gregarizing signal originating from 0, 3, 5 or 10 ovipositions by crowd-reared females. Evidence for the phase transition was sought by comparing the protein patterns of embryos thus exposed with those from crowd-reared (gregarious) controls; this comparison was continued until the stage of the first instars. Expressed proteins were analysed by two-dimensional protein gel electrophoresis, and patterns from the different treatments within stages were compared by profile matching andχ2analyses. Eggs derived from crowd- and solitary-reared females showed essentially similar protein patterns at early stages of embryogenesis; however, mature stages (particularly, days 10 and 12) and hatchlings demonstrated significantly different patterns. Protein patterns of eggs from solitary-reared females that were incubated in sand contaminated with the pheromonal signal and of the hatchlings that emerged were similar to those derived from gregarious females and dependent on the level of the pheromone to which the embryos had been exposed. The results confirm the gregarizing effect of the signal and constitute a useful basis for unravelling the mechanism of the signalling cascades associated with gene expressions triggered by the pheromone.
Generic inference of inflation models by local non-Gaussianity
Authors: Dorn Sebastian , Ramirez Erandy , Kunze Kerstin E. , Hofmann Stefan , Enßlin Torsten A.
Published: July 2015

The presence of multiple fields during inflation might seed a detectable amount of non-Gaussianity in the curvature perturbations, which in turn becomes observable in present data sets like the cosmic microwave background (CMB) or the large scale structure (LSS). Within this proceeding we present a fully analytic method to infer inflationary parameters from observations by exploiting higher-order statistics of the curvature perturbations. To keep this analyticity, and thereby to dispense with numerically expensive sampling techniques, a saddle-point approximation is introduced whose precision has been validated for a numerical toy example. Applied to real data, this approach might enable to discriminate among the still viable models of inflation.
A Bayesian Method for the Extinction
Authors: Tian Hai-Jun , Liu Chao , Hu Jing-Yao , Xu Yang , Chen Xue-Lei
Published: July 2015

We propose a Bayesian method to measure the total Galactic extinction parameters, RV and AV. Validation tests based on the simulated data indicate that the method can achieve the accuracy of around 0.01 mag. We apply this method to the SDSS BHB stars in the northern Galactic cap and find that the derived extinctions are highly consistent with those from Schlegel et al. (1998). It suggests that the Bayesian method is promising for the extinction estimation, even the reddening values are close to the observational errors.
Statistical Challenges in the Photometric Calibration for 21st Century Cosmology: The J-PAS case
Authors: Varela Jesús , Cristóbal-Hornillos David , Cenarro Javier , Ederoclite Alessadro , Muniesa David , Ramió Héctor Vázquez , Gruel Nicolas , Moles Mariano
Published: July 2015

The success of many cosmological surveys in the near future is highly grounded on the quality of their photometry. The Javalambre-PAU Astrophysical Survey (J-PAS) will image more than 8500 deg2 of the Northern Sky Hemisphere in 54 narrow + 2 medium/broad optical bands plus Sloan u, g and r bands. The main goal of J-PAS is to provide the best constrains on the cosmological parameters before the arrival of projects like Euclid or LSST. To achieve this goal the uncertainty in photo-z cannot be larger than 0.3% for several millions of galaxies and this is highly dependent on the photometric accuracy.

The photometric calibration of J-PAS will imply the intensive use of huge amounts of data and the use of statistical tools is unavoidable. Here, we present some of the key steps in the photometric calibration of J-PAS that will demand a suitable statistical approach.
Reconstructing light curves from HXMT imaging observations
Authors: Huo Zhuo-Xi , Zhang Juan , Li Yi-Ming , Zhou Jian-Feng
Published: July 2015

The Hard X-ray Modulation Telescope (HXMT) is a Chinese space telescope mission. It is scheduled for launch in 2015. The telescope will perform an all-sky survey in hard X-ray band (1 - 250 keV), a series of deep imaging observations of small sky regions as well as pointed observations. In this work we present a conceptual method to reconstruct light curves from HXMT imaging observation directly, in order to monitor time-varying objects such as GRB, AXP and SGR in hard X-ray band with HXMT imaging observations.
The Needlet CMB Trispectrum
Authors: Troja Antonino , Donzelli Simona , Maino Davide , Marinucci Domenico
Published: July 2015

We propose a computationally feasible estimator for the needlet trispectrum, which develops earlier work on the bispectrum by Donzelli et al. (2012). Our proposal seems to enjoy a number of useful properties, in particular a) the construction exploits the localization properties of the needlet system, and hence it automatically handles masked regions; b) the procedure incorporates a quadratic correction term to correct for the presence of instrumental noise and sky-cuts; c) it is possible to provide analytic results on its statistical properties, which can serve as a guidance for simulations. The needlet trispectrum we present here provides the natural building blocks for the efficient estimation of nonlinearity parameters on CMB data, and in particular for the third order constants gNL and τNL.