bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SYNTHESIS AND MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF Ni-DOPED ZnO THIN FILMS: EXPERIMENTAL AND AB INITIO STUDY
Authors: ROUCHDI M. , SALMANI E. , HAT A. EL , HASSANAIN N. , MZERD A.
Published: December 2016

Structural and magnetic properties of Zn[Formula: see text]NixO thin films and diluted magnetic semiconductors have been investigated. This sample has been synthesized using a spray pyrolysis technique with a stoechiometric mixture of zinc acetate (C4H6O4Zn[Formula: see text]2H2O) and Nickel acetate (C4H6O4Ni[Formula: see text] 2H2O) on a heated glass substrate at 450[Formula: see text]C. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Vis spectrophotometry and Hall Effect measurements. These films of ZnO crystallized in the hexagonal Wurtzite structure. The optical study showed that the band-gap energy was increased, from 3.3[Formula: see text]eV to 3.5[Formula: see text]eV, with increasing the Ni concentration. The film resistivity was affected by Ni-doping, and the best resistivity value 1.15[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]10[Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] cm) was obtained for the film doped with 2 at.% Ni. The electronic structure and optical properties of the Wurtzite structure Zn[Formula: see text]NixO were obtained by first-principles calculations using the Korringa–Kohn–Rostoker method combined with the coherent potential approximation (CPA), as well as CPA confirm our results.
On Einstein warped products with a quarter-symmetric connection
Authors: Pahan Sampa , Pal Buddhadev , Bhattacharyya Arindam
Published: December 2016

This paper characterizes the warping functions for a multiply generalized Robertson–Walker space-time to get an Einstein space [Formula: see text] with a quarter-symmetric connection for different dimensions of [Formula: see text] (i.e. (1). dim [Formula: see text] (2). dim [Formula: see text]) when all the fibers are Ricci flat. Then we have also computed the warping functions for a Ricci flat Einstein multiply warped product spaces M with a quarter-symmetric connection for different dimensions of [Formula: see text] (i.e. (1). dim [Formula: see text] (2). dim [Formula: see text] (3). dim [Formula: see text]) and all the fibers are Ricci flat. In the last section, we have given two examples of multiply generalized Robertson–Walker space-time with respect to quarter-symmetric connection.
On generalized Schur’s partitions
Authors: Cao Zhu , Chen Shi-Chao
Published: December 2016

In 1926, I. Schur proved that the number of partitions of [Formula: see text] into parts [Formula: see text] equals the number of partitions of [Formula: see text] of the form [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] with strictly inequality if [Formula: see text]. We prove that Schur’s partition function is related to a weight 3/2 Hecke eigenform modulo 2. As a consequence, we obtain some congruences for Schur’s partitions functions. Schur’s partitions theorem can be easily generalized to general moduli. We show that the generalized Schur’s partition functions satisfy beautiful transformation properties. We also find an unexpected relation between the generalized Schur’s partitions and singular overpartitions, which was introduced by G. E. Andrews recently.
Arithmetic properties of generalizations of Schenker sums
Authors: Miska Piotr
Published: December 2016

In this paper, we consider sequences defined by [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text]. They are generalizations of the sequence of Schenker sums. We study such arithmetic properties of these sequences as: periodicity modulo [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]-adic valuations, asymptotics and prime divisors.
Assignment Problems of Different-Sized Inputs in MapReduce
Authors: Afrati Foto , Dolev Shlomi , Korach Ephraim , Sharma Shantanu , Ullman Jeffrey D.
Published: December 2016

A MapReduce algorithm can be described by a
mapping schema
, which assigns inputs to a set of reducers, such that for each required output there exists a reducer that receives all the inputs participating in the computation of this output. Reducers have a capacity that limits the sets of inputs they can be assigned. However, individual inputs may vary in terms of size. We consider, for the first time, mapping schemas where input sizes are part of the considerations and restrictions. One of the significant parameters to optimize in any MapReduce job is communication cost between the map and reduce phases. The communication cost can be optimized by minimizing the number of copies of inputs sent to the reducers. The communication cost is closely related to the number of reducers of constrained capacity that are used to accommodate appropriately the inputs, so that the requirement of how the inputs must meet in a reducer is satisfied. In this work, we consider a family of problems where it is required that each input meets with each other input in at least one reducer. We also consider a slightly different family of problems in which each input of a list,
X
, is required to meet each input of another list,
Y
, in at least one reducer. We prove that finding an optimal mapping schema for these families of problems is NP-hard, and present a bin-packing-based approximation algorithm for finding a near optimal mapping schema.
Exploring Low-Cost, Internet-Free Information Access for Resource-Constrained Communities
Authors: Pearson Jennifer , Robinson Simon , Jones Matt
Published: December 2016

Rural developing regions are often defined in terms of their resource constraints, including limited technology exposure, lack of power, and low access to data connections (leading to an inability to access information from digital or physical sources), as well as being amongst the most socio-economically disadvantaged and least literate in their countries’ populations. This article is focused around information access in such regions, aiming to build upon and extend the audio-based services that are already widely used in order to provide access to further types of media. In this article, then, we present an extended exploration of
AudioCanvas
—an interactive telephone-based audio information system that allows cameraphone users to interact directly with their own photos of physical media to receive narration or description. Our novel approach requires no specialist hardware, literacy, or data connectivity, making it far more likely to be a suitable solution for users in such regions.
Leisure and Work, Good and Bad
Authors: Tuch Alexandre N. , Schaik Paul Van , Hornbæk Kasper
Published: December 2016

Recent research suggests that psychological needs such as competence and relatedness are involved in users’ experience with technology and are related to the perception of a product's hedonic and pragmatic quality. This line of research, however, predominately focuses on positive leisure experiences, and it is unclear whether need fulfillment plays a similar role in negative experiences or in other activity domains such as work. Therefore, this study investigates need fulfillment in positive and negative experiences, and in work and leisure experiences in two separate studies by analyzing almost 600 users’ experiences with technology along with ratings on need fulfillment, affect, and perceived product quality. Results suggest that work and leisure experiences as well as positive and negative experiences differ in terms of need fulfillment. Hence, both activity domain and valence of experiences are important factors that should be taken in account when modeling user experience.
Homeostasis of the gut barrier and potential biomarkers
Authors: Wells Jerry M. , Brummer Robert J. , Derrien Muriel , MacDonald Thomas T. , Troost Freddy , Cani Patrice D. , Theodorou Vassilia , Dekker Jan , Méheust Agnes , de Vos Willem M. , Mercenier Annick , Nauta Arjen , Garcia-Rodenas Clara L.
Published: December 2016

The gut barrier plays a crucial role by spatially compartmentalizing bacteria to the lumen through the production of secreted mucus and is fortified by the production of secretory IgA (sIgA) and antimicrobial peptides and proteins. With the exception of sIgA, expression of these protective barrier factors is largely controlled by innate immune recognition of microbial molecular ligands. Several specialized adaptations and checkpoints are operating in the mucosa to scale the immune response according to the threat and prevent overreaction to the trillions of symbionts inhabiting the human intestine. A healthy microbiota plays a key role influencing epithelial barrier functions through the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and interactions with innate pattern recognition receptors in the mucosa, driving the steady-state expression of mucus and antimicrobial factors. However, perturbation of gut barrier homeostasis can lead to increased inflammatory signaling, increased epithelial permeability, and dysbiosis of the microbiota, which are recognized to play a role in the pathophysiology of a variety of gastrointestinal disorders. Additionally, gut-brain signaling may be affected by prolonged mucosal immune activation, leading to increased afferent sensory signaling and abdominal symptoms. In turn, neuronal mechanisms can affect the intestinal barrier partly by activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and both mast cell-dependent and mast cell-independent mechanisms. The modulation of gut barrier function through nutritional interventions, including strategies to manipulate the microbiota, is considered a relevant target for novel therapeutic and preventive treatments against a range of diseases. Several biomarkers have been used to measure gut permeability and loss of barrier integrity in intestinal diseases, but there remains a need to explore their use in assessing the effect of nutritional factors on gut barrier function. Future studies should aim to establish normal ranges of available biomarkers and their predictive value for gut health in human cohorts.
Marijuana Compounds: A Nonconventional Approach to Parkinson’s Disease Therapy
Authors: Babayeva Mariana , Assefa Haregewein , Basu Paramita , Chumki Sanjeda , Loewy Zvi
Published: December 2016

Parkinson’s disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disorder, is the second most common neurological illness in United States. Neurologically, it is characterized by the selective degeneration of a unique population of cells, the nigrostriatal dopamine neurons. The current treatment is symptomatic and mainly involves replacement of dopamine deficiency. This therapy improves only motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and is associated with a number of adverse effects including dyskinesia. Therefore, there is unmet need for more comprehensive approach in the management of PD. Cannabis and related compounds have created significant research interest as a promising therapy in neurodegenerative and movement disorders. In this review we examine the potential benefits of medical marijuana and related compounds in the treatment of both motor and nonmotor symptoms as well as in slowing the progression of the disease. The potential for cannabis to enhance the quality of life of Parkinson’s patients is explored.
Pulmonary Infection Is an Independent Risk Factor for Long-Term Mortality and Quality of Life for Sepsis Patients
Authors: He Xiao-Li , Liao Xue-Lian , Xie Zhi-Chao , Han Li , Yang Xiao-Lei , Kang Yan
Published: December 2016

Background.Long-term outcomes (mortality and health-related quality of life) of sepsis have risen as important indicators for health care. Pulmonary infection and abdominal infection are the leading causes of sepsis. However, few researches about long-term outcomes focused on the origin of sepsis. Here we aim to study the clinical differences between pulmonary-sepsis and abdominal-sepsis and to investigate whether different infection foci were associated with long-term outcomes.Methods.Patients who survived after hospital discharge were followed up by telephone interview. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed using the EuroQol 5-dimension (EQ5D) questionnaire.Results.Four hundred and eighty-three sepsis patients were included, 272 (56.3%) had pulmonary-sepsis, and 180 (37.3%) had abdominal-sepsis. The overall ICU and one-year mortality rates of the cohort were 17.8% and 36.1%, respectively. Compared with abdominal-sepsis, pulmonary-sepsis patients had older age, higher APACHE II, higher ICU mortality (31.7% versus 12.6%), and one-year mortality (45.4% versus 24.4%), together with worse QoL. Age, septic shock, acute renal failure, fungus infection, anion gap, and pulmonary infection were predictors for one-year mortality and pulmonary infection was a risk factor for poor QoL.Conclusions.Pulmonary-sepsis showed worse outcome than abdominal-sepsis. Pulmonary infection is a risk factor for one-year mortality and QoL after sepsis.
Forecasting Water Demand in Residential, Commercial, and Industrial Zones in Bogotá, Colombia, Using Least-Squares Support Vector Machines
Authors: Peña-Guzmán Carlos , Melgarejo Joaquín , Prats Daniel
Published: December 2016

The Colombian capital, Bogotá, has undergone massive growth in a short period of time. Naturally, this growth has increased the city’s water demand. The prediction of this demand will help understand and analyze consumption behavior, thereby allowing for effective management of the urban water cycle. This paper uses the Least-Squares Support Vector Machines (LS-SVM) model for forecasting residential, industrial, and commercial water demand in the city of Bogotá. The parameters involved in this study include the following: monthly water demand, number of users, and total water consumption bills (price) for the three studied uses. Results provide evidence of the model’s accuracy, producing R2 between 0.8 and 0.98, with an error percentage under 12%.
Efficient Community Detection in Heterogeneous Social Networks
Authors: Li Zhen , Pan Zhisong , Zhang Yanyan , Li Guopeng , Hu Guyu
Published: December 2016

Community detection is of great importance which enables us to understand the network structure and promotes many real-world applications such as recommendation systems. The heterogeneous social networks, which contain multiple social relations and various user generated content, make the community detection problem more complicated. Particularly, social relations and user generated content are regarded as link information and content information, respectively. Since the two types of information indicate a common community structure from different perspectives, it is better to mine them jointly to improve the detection accuracy. Some detection algorithms utilizing both link and content information have been developed. However, most works take the private community structure of a single data source as the common one, and some methods take extra time transforming the content data into link data compared with mining directly. In this paper, we propose a framework based on regularized joint nonnegative matrix factorization (RJNMF) to utilize link and content information jointly to enhance the community detection accuracy. In the framework, we develop joint NMF to analyze link and content information simultaneously and introduce regularization to obtain the common community structure directly. Experimental results on real-world datasets show the effectiveness of our method.
Geometry and Space-Time Extent of Pion Emission Region at FCC Energies
Authors: Okorokov V. A.
Published: December 2016

The energy dependence is investigated for a wide set of space-time characteristics derived from Bose–Einstein correlations of secondary pion pairs produced in proton-proton and nucleus-nucleus interactions. Analytic functions suggested for smooth approximations of the energy dependence of emission region parameters demonstrate reasonable agreement with all available experimental results for proton-proton collisions while the approximations correspond to most of experimental data for nucleus-nucleus collisions at energies above 5 GeV. Estimations for a wide set of space-time quantities are obtained for energies for the Future Circular Collider (FCC) project based on the smooth approximations. The space particle densities at freeze-out are derived also from estimations for the volume of the emission region and for total multiplicity at FCC energies. Estimations for charged particle density and its critical value allow the possibility of lasing behavior for secondary pions in nucleus-nucleus collisions at FCC energy. The mathematical formalism is presented for study of the peak shape of correlation function for general case of central-symmetrical Lévy–Feldheim distribution.
Is Urinary NGAL Determination Useful for Monitoring Kidney Function and Assessment of Cardiovascular Disease? A 12-Month Observation of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Żyłka Agnieszka , Gala-Błądzińska Agnieszka , Dumnicka Paulina , Ceranowicz Piotr , Kuźniewski Marek , Gil Krzysztof , Olszanecki Rafał , Kuśnierz-Cabala Beata
Published: December 2016

Background. Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) may start as glomerular or tubular damage. We assessed kidney function during one-year-long observation of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after initiation of nephroprotective treatment, with emphasis on the changes in urinary neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL), and evaluated the association between tubular damage and cardiovascular complications of T2DM.Materials and Methods. Adult T2DM patients (55) were assessed initially and 30 patients after 1 year. Albumin and uNGAL and creatinine were measured in first morning urine. Albumin/creatinine (uACR) and uNGAL/creatinine (uNCR) ratios were calculated.Results. In logistic regression, both uACR above 30 mg/g and uNCR the median (21.3 μg/g) were associated with cardiovascular complications, independently of classical risk factors and diabetes duration. One year after initiation of treatment, a significant reduction inHbA1cwas observed. BMI and lipid profiles did not change. Increase in serum creatinine and reduction in eGFR occurred, along with decrease in uNGAL and uNCR. Increasing uNCR and uACR were associated with higher controlHbA1c. The increase in uNCR was more frequent in patients with hypertension.Conclusions. Better glycemic control in T2DM patients results in improved tubular function, as reflected by reduced uNCR and uNGAL. First morning urine uNGAL and uNCR may be useful to assess renal function and cardiovascular risk, along with albuminuria and eGFR.
XRD Investigation of Some Thermal Degraded Starch Based Materials
Authors: Todica Mihai , Nagy Elena Mihaela , Niculaescu Carmen , Stan Oana , Cioica Nicolae , Pop Cornel Viorel
Published: December 2016

The thermal degradation of some starch based materials was investigated using XRD method. The samples were obtained by thermal extrusion of mixtures of different proportions of starch, glycerol, and water. Such materials are suitable for the manufacturing of low pollutant packaging. Thermal degradation is one of the simplest ways to destroy such materials and this process is followed by structural modification of the local ordering of samples, water evaporation, crystallization, oxidation, or destruction of the chemical bonds. These modifications need to be studied in order to reduce to the minimum production of pollutant residues by burning process. XRD measurements show modification of the local ordering of the starch molecules depending on the temperature and initial composition of the samples. The molecular ordering perturbation is more pronounced in samples with low content of starch.
Influence of Radiation on the Luminescence of Silicon Nanocrystals Embedded into SiO2Film
Authors: Lisovskyy I. P. , Voitovych M. V. , Voitovych V. V. , Khacevich I. M.
Published: December 2016

Influence ofγ-irradiation on light emission properties of silicon nanocrystals imbedded into SiO2film is investigated. It was shown that small doses ofγ-irradiation (103–105 rad) lead to enhancement of photoluminescence intensity in the nc-Si/SiO2samples. This effect was explained by radiation induced passivation of recombination active centers on the nanocrystals surface. High doses of irradiation (~107 rad) lead to the photoluminescence intensity decrease up to 2 times. Radiation treatment of silicon oxide films with embedded amorphous silicon inclusions resulted only in the decrease of the photoluminescence intensity within the whole range of doses (103–5 × 107 rad). Radiation defects resulting in partial quenching of photoluminescence are characterized with the distributed activation energy of annealing with the peak position at ~0.96 eV and the frequency factor 107 s−1. The nature of such defects and the mechanisms of their creation are discussed.
Clinicopathological Features and Predictive Factors for Colorectal Cancer Outcome in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Aldiab Abdurrahman , Al Khayal Khayal A. , Al Obaid Omar A. , Alsheikh Ahmed , Alsaleh Khalid , Shahid Mohamed , Alkharji Hana
Published: December 2016

Background/Aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most frequent cancer and a leading cause of cancer death in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). To date, no nationwide screening programs have been adopted. This prospective, longitudinal study investigated factors influencing the outcome of CRC in Saudi patients. Methods: Patients completed a CRC awareness questionnaire. Colonoscopy, CT/MRI, histopathology of tumor biopsies, and KRAS and BRAF testing were performed. Patients were treated according to their stage. All patients were followed until the end of the study and 3- and 5-year survival was assessed. Results: Sixty percent of study patients with sporadic CRC presented with significantly advanced disease (stages III and IV) with or without metastases at entry. Patients showed low levels of awareness of the risk factors and signs of CRC. Patients presented at a median age of 50 years. Family history of CRC and ulcerative colitis were positive in 11 and 6% of patients, respectively. Stage III/IV tumors with distant metastases at enrollment, right-sided tumors, mucinous tumors, lymphovascular invasion, and KRAS (51%) or BRAF (28%) mutations predicted poor prognosis and survival. Conclusion: CRC in KSA is usually diagnosed at advanced stages with metastases and KRAS/BRAF, and is associated with poor prognosis and short survival. Nationwide awareness campaigns and screening programs for CRC are critical for prevention, early detection and adequate management of CRC.
Effects of Nasal Obstruction due to Nasal Polyposis on Nasal Resonance and Voice Perception
Authors: Arslan Fatih , Polat Bahtiyar , Durmaz Abdullah , Birkent Hakan
Published: December 2016

Objective: The aim of this study was to use subjective and objective methods to investigate the effects of total or nearly total nasal obstruction due to nasal polyposis on nasal resonance and voice perception. Patients and Methods: A total of 63 nasal polyposis patients (53 men and 10 women), aged between 19 and 72 years (mean age 37.01 ± 13.70), were included in the study. The severity of the nasal obstruction was assessed using a visual analog scale. Nasal resonance and voice perception were evaluated subjectively by the voice handicap index (VHI)-10 questionnaire and objectively by computerized analysis (nasometry) before and after treatment of patients with nasal polyposis. Results: Significant improvement was seen in the nasal obstruction values in all patients (100%; p < 0.001) and in the VHI-10 scores in 62 patients (98%; p < 0.001). Nasalance scores increased in all patients following treatment (100%; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Voice perception is negatively affected by nasal obstruction due to nasal polyposis, and changes in voice perception may arise after the surgery. Before the surgery, informing the patient about potential voice perception changes may be useful for the prevention of legal disputes.
History and prospects of Pathology in Medicine
Authors: Silva Luiz Fernando Ferraz da , Saldiva Paulo Hilário Nascimento , Alves Venancio Avancini Ferreira
Published: December 2016

Embora seja excessivamente pretensioso apresentar o histórico avanço da Patologia e prever todos os seus desdobramentos em um único artigo, tentaremos apresentar os pontos chave do desenvolvimento da área e, particularmente, seus efeitos no Departamento de Patologia da Faculdade de Medicina da USP. As aqui chamadas “eras” agrupam fases importantes do desenvolvimento da patologia, suas ferramentas e teorias de desenvolvimento das doenças, além de sua relação com a história da medicina como um todo. Concluímos com algumas perspectivas interessantes em termos de patologia digital e molecular, bem como de integração interdisciplinar.
Formation of Psychoterapy Service of FMUSP Psychiatry Institute: a brief historiographical approach
Authors: Alarcao Gustavo Gil , Mota André , Lotufo Neto Francisco
Published: December 2016

This article aims to present the activities of Service of Psychotherapy of the Institute of Psychiatry of the Clinical Hospital of the FMUSP (IPQ) from a historiographical perspective, positioning it critically in the scenario of different modalities of care in mental health within the IPQ between 1962 and 1965. Psychotherapy Service involves care of patients in psychotherapy, teaching and knowledge transfer as well as research in the scientific domain. It has also played an important role within the various IPQ services and groups including the debates of the “psi field” throughout its fifty years of existence. We seek to identify how the 60s can be considered an important historical mark. The proximity between psychiatry and psychoanalysis enabled the development of the notion of psychodynamics, from which the founding work in group psychotherapy emerged. The IPQ represented an important professional training center in the city. Supported by the notions of complexity and pluralism that would mark the future of mental health, this article demonstrates the importance of Psychotherapy Service in the historical process of this field.
Financial Incentives and Educational Investment: The Impact of Performance-based Scholarships on Student Time Use
Authors: Barrow Lisa , Rouse Cecilia Elena
Published: December 2016

We evaluate the effect of performance-based scholarship programs for postsecondary students on student time use and effort. We find evidence that financial incentives induced students to devote more time and effort to educational activities and allocate less time to other activities. Incentives did not generate impacts after eligibility ended and did not decrease students’ interest or enjoyment in learning. Evidence also suggests that students were motivated more by the incentives than simply the effect of additional money. A remaining puzzle is that larger scholarships did not generate larger responses in terms of effort.
Adaptation and Validation of the Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ) in a Portuguese Sample
Authors: Vasconcelos-Raposo Jacinto , Bessa Maximino , Melo Miguel , Barbosa Luis , Rodrigues Rui , Teixeira Carla Maria , Cabral Luciana , Sousa António Augusto
Published: December 2016

The present study aims (a) to translate and adapt the Igroup Presence Questionnaire (IPQ) to the Portuguese context (semantic equivalence/ conceptual and content validity) and (b) to examine its psychometric properties (reliability and factorial validity). The sample consisted of 478 subjects (285 males and 193 females). The fidelity of the factors varied between 0.53 and 0.83. The confirmatory factor analysis results produced a 14-item version of IPQ-PT, accepting covariance between residual errors of some items of the instrument, as the best structural representation of the data analyzed. The CFA was conducted based on a three-variable model. The fit indexes obtained were X2/df = 2.647, GFI = .948, CFI = .941, RSMEA = .059, and AIC = 254. These values demonstrate that the proposed Portuguese translation of the IPQ maintains its original validity, demonstrating it to be a robust questionnaire to measure the sense of presence in virtual reality studies. It is therefore recommended for use in presence research when using Portuguese samples.
To Secure her Freedom: “Dorcas ye blackmore,” Race, Redemption, and the Dorchester First Church
Authors: McNally Deborah Colleen
Published: December 2016

This essay considers the intersection of race and religion in seventeenth-century puritan New England by reconstructing the life of a young enslaved African woman identified in church records as “Dorcas ye blackmore” and by examining the efforts of the brethren of the Dorchester First Church to secure her legal freedom.
The Opinion of the Cambridge Association, 1 August 1692: A Neglected Text of the Salem Witch Trials
Authors: Holmes Clive
Published: December 2016

The article analyses a neglected aspect of the Salem witch-trials. It evaluates the roles of the Mathers, father and son, in securing the condemnation of George Burroughs. Their temporary acceptance of the validity of spectral evidence was justified by their belief that Satan must have employed powerful agents, not simply stereotypical witches, in his attempt to subvert godly Massachusetts.
An Assessment of the Level of Community Participation and Localization of Decision-Making in Donor-Funded Projects in Zimbabwe
Authors: Mundau Mulwaini , Tanga Pius Tangwe
Published: December 2016

The aim of this paper was to assess the level of community participation and the localization of decision-making with regards to foreign donor funded projects in Zimbabwe. The participatory approach was the theoretical framework that was adopted for the research paper. The primary data were collected from a survey of 52 project members who were from two localngos that were randomly selected from Chiredzi District, located in the South Eastern low veld of Zimbabwe. The findings show that there was partial to no involvement of the project members in various phases of the project cycle. Furthermore, there were consultations with the local leadership, but not during the assessment phase of the project. The authors conclude there is need for community involvement in decision making, project ownership, and clear lines of communication with thengos, among others.
Karl Ove Knausgaard and the Transformation of Honor Culture in Late Modern Welfare States
Authors: Andersen Per Thomas
Published: December 2016

The six-volume novel, My Struggle (2009–2011), by the Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgaard has been received with great enthusiasm in many parts of the world. This article analyzes the novel and its reception from the historical perspective of traditional honor culture coming to an end in some late modern welfare states. Focusing on shame and dishonor, the article situates the autobiographical project in a contemporary moment granting the author the freedom to write himself out of traditional honor groups and into new “floating” honor groups, like that of the celebrities of our time.
Space, Land, Territory, and the Study of the Bible
Authors: Russell Stephen C.
Published: December 2016

This essay, written for professional biblical scholars and graduate students being trained in biblical studies, introduces the reader to the interdisciplinary study of space and its related concepts, including land, place, and territory. It offers a synopsis of eight important approaches to the study of space: sacred, legal, political, economic, ecological, visual, social, and urban. It highlights some of the work being done by biblical scholars in conversation with spatial studies. And it reads the biblical story of Naboth’s vineyard, 1 Kgs 21:1–16, in light of the legal approach to space.
Eugenia naraveana (Myrtaceae), a new species from Cofre de Perote volcano slopes in Veracruz, México
Authors: CHÁZARO-BASÁÑEZ MIGUEL , FRANCISCO-GUTIÉRREZ ANTONIO
Published: December 2016

The new species Eugenia naraveana is described and illustrated here. It is only known at the windward slopes of Cofre de Perote volcano, and it grows in the upper tropical montane cloud forest. Its closest relatives are Eugenia sotoesparzae and Eugenia mexicana, but they differ from the new species because they grow in tropical perennial forests and coastal dunes, in addition to the differences in their morphological structures. This new species breaks the typical altitude range of Eugenia in Veracruz, Mexico, being registered above 2,100 up to 2,600 meters.
Ectoparasites and other ectosymbiotic arthropods of vertebrates in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA
Authors: REEVES WILL K. , DURDEN LANCE A. , RITZI CHRISTOPHER M. , BECKHAM KATY R. , SUPER PAUL E. , OCONNOR BARRy M.
Published: December 2016

We review previously published accounts of ectoparasites and other ectosymbiotic arthropods of vertebrates and report on the collections from 4 species of reptiles, 54 species of birds, and 47 species of mammals from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, or immediately adjacent lands in North Carolina and Tennessee, USA.  Our list includes 1 species of beetle, 2 hemipteran bugs, 9 flies, at least 42 species of lice, 23 species of fleas, and at least 75 species of Acari (11 ticks/64 mites).  We discuss the potential for transmission of pathogens by these ectoparasites and the relevance of disjunct populations of boreal species at high elevations in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Periclimenes sarkanae sp. nov. a new pontoniine shrimp from Moreton Bay, Queensland (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae)
Authors: BRUCE A.J.
Published: December 2016

A new species of pontoniine shrimp, Periclimenes sarkanae sp. nov., from southern Queensland sea grass beds, is described and illustrated.. The new species is a member of the obscurus species-group and is most closely related to P. obscurus Kemp. Its associations, if any, are unknown.
Spatial–Temporal Variability of Snow Cover and Depth in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Xu Wenfang , Ma Lijuan , Ma Minna , Zhang Haicheng , Yuan Wenping
Published: December 2016

Changes in snow cover over the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau have attracted much attention in recent years owing to climate change. Because of the limitations of in situ observations, only a few studies have analyzed the dynamics of snow cover. Using observations from 103 meteorological stations across the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, this study investigated the spatial and temporal variability of snow depth and the number of snow-cover days. The results show a very weak negative trend for the snow depth and the number of snow-cover days in spring and winter from 1961 to 2010, but two different trends were found: an initial increase followed by a decrease. In summer and autumn, snow depth and the number of snow-cover days show a significant decreasing trend for most sites. The duration of snow cover exhibits a significant decreasing trend (−3.5 ± 1.2 days decade−1), which was jointly controlled by a later snow starting time (1.6 ± 0.8 days decade−1) and an earlier snow ending time (−1.9 ± 0.8 days decade−1) consistent with a response to climate change. This study highlights the competing effects of rising temperatures and changing precipitation, which remain an important challenge in understanding and interpreting the observed changes in snow depth and the number of snow-cover days for the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau.
The Effect of Stokes Drift and Transient Rip Currents on the Inner Shelf. Part II: With Stratification
Authors: Kumar Nirnimesh , Feddersen Falk
Published: December 2016

This is Part II of a two-part study focused on Stokes drift and transient rip current (TRC) effects on the unstratified (Part I) and stratified (this paper) inner shelf. Part I focuses on funwaveC–Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere–Wave–Sediment Transport (COAWST) coupling and TRC effects on mixing and exchange on an unstratified inner shelf. Here, two simulations (R3 and R4) are performed on a stratified inner shelf and surfzone with typical bathymetry, stratification, and wave conditions. R3 is a COAWST-only simulation (no TRCs), while R4 has funwaveC–COAWST coupling (with TRCs). In R4, TRCs lead to patchy, near-surface cooling, vertical isotherm displacement, and increased water column mixing. For both R3 and R4, the mean Lagrangian circulation has two nearly isolated surfzones and inner-shelf overturning circulation cells, with a stronger, R4, inner-shelf circulation cell. The R4, inner-shelf, vertical velocity variability is 2–3 times stronger than a simulation with TRCs and no stratification. Relative to R3, R4 eddy diffusivity is strongly elevated out to three surfzone widths offshore due to TRCs and TRC-induced density overturns. The R4 inner-shelf stratification is reduced nearshore, and mean isotherms slope more strongly than R3 because of the TRC-enhanced irreversible mixing. At six surfzone widths offshore, both R3 and R4 are in geostrophic balance, explaining the stratified (summertime) observed deviation from Stokes–Coriolis balance. In this region, baroclinic pressure gradients induced by sloping isotherms induce an alongshore geostrophic jet offshore, strongest in R4. In R4, TRCs result in an enhanced (2–10 times) cross-shore exchange velocity across the entire inner shelf, relative to R3. Accurate, stratified, inner-shelf simulations of pollution, larval, or sediment transport must include transient rip currents.
Multi-Iteration Approach to Studying Tracer Spreading Using Drifter Data
Authors: Rypina Irina I. , Fertitta David , Macdonald Alison , Yoshida Sachiko , Jayne Steven
Published: December 2016

A novel multi-iteration statistical method for studying tracer spreading using drifter data is introduced. The approach allows for the best use of the available drifter data by making use of a simple iterative procedure, which results in the statistically probable map showing the likelihood that a tracer released at some source location would visit different geographical regions, along with the associated arrival travel times. The technique is tested using real drifter data in the North Atlantic. Two examples are considered corresponding to sources in the western and eastern North Atlantic Ocean, that is, Massachusetts Bay–like and Irish Sea–like sources, respectively. In both examples, the method worked well in estimating the statistics of the tracer transport pathways and travel times throughout the entire North Atlantic. The role of eddies versus mean flow is quantified using the same technique, and eddies are shown to significantly broaden the spread of a tracer. The sensitivity of the results to the size of the source domain is investigated and causes for this sensitivity are discussed.
Tropical Cyclone Intensity Change and Axisymmetricity Deduced from GSMaP
Authors: Shimada Udai , Aonashi Kazumasa , Miyamoto Yoshiaki
Published: December 2016

The relationship of tropical cyclone (TC) future intensity change to current intensity and current axisymmetricity deduced from hourly Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP) data was investigated. Axisymmetricity is a metric that correlates positively with the magnitude of the axisymmetric component of the rainfall rate and negatively with the magnitude of the asymmetric component. The samples used were all of the TCs that existed in the western North Pacific basin during the years 2000–15. The results showed that, during the development stage, the intensification rate at the current time, and 6 and 12 h after the current time was strongly related to both the current intensity and axisymmetricity. On average, the higher the axisymmetricity, the larger the intensity change in the next 24 h for TCs with a current central pressure (maximum sustained wind) between 945 and 995 hPa (85 and 40 kt). The mean value of the axisymmetricity for TCs experiencing rapid intensification (RI) was much higher than that for non-RI TCs for current intensities of 960–990 hPa. The new observational evidence for the intensification process presented here is consistent with the findings of previous theoretical studies emphasizing the role of the axisymmetric component of diabatic heating.
Upper-Tropospheric Precursors to the Formation of Subtropical Cyclones that Undergo Tropical Transition in the North Atlantic Basin
Authors: Bentley Alicia M. , Bosart Lance F. , Keyser Daniel
Published: December 2016

The opportunity to examine the structure and evolution of the various upper-tropospheric precursors to the formation of North Atlantic (NATL) subtropical cyclones (STCs) that undergo tropical transition (TT) motivates this study. Intraseasonal variability associated with the location and frequency of NATL STCs forming in the presence of similar upper-tropospheric features, as well as similarities and differences in the various upper-tropospheric precursors to the formation of NATL STCs that undergo TT, are examined. NATL STCs that undergo TT are categorized according to the upper-tropospheric features associated with their formation during 1979–2010 using the 0.5° NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis dataset. This categorization allows for the documentation of the location and frequency of STCs forming in the presence of similar upper-tropospheric features and for the construction of cyclone-relative composites during the five days prior to STC formation.

NATL STCs that undergo TT are separated into one of three categories based on the upper-tropospheric features associated with their formation: 1) cutoff lows, 2) meridional troughs, and 3) zonal troughs. STCs included in the cutoff low and meridional trough categories typically develop poleward of ~25°N over the western, central, and eastern NATL during September–November and August–November, respectively. In contrast, STCs included in the zonal trough category typically develop equatorward of ~30°N over the western NATL during June–September. Cyclone-relative composites reveal that ~61% of the categorized NATL STCs that undergo TT form in association with an upper-tropospheric feature whose structure and evolution are linked to anticyclonic wave breaking.
Design and Implementation of a GSI-Based Convection-Allowing Ensemble Data Assimilation and Forecast System for the PECAN Field Experiment. Part I: Optimal Configurations for Nocturnal Convection Prediction Using Retrospective Cases
Authors: Johnson Aaron , Wang Xuguang
Published: December 2016

A real-time GSI-based and ensemble-based data assimilation (DA) and forecast system was implemented at the University of Oklahoma during the 2015 Plains Elevated Convection at Night (PECAN) experiment. Extensive experiments on the configuration of the cycled DA and on both the DA and forecast physics ensembles were conducted using retrospective cases to optimize the system design for nocturnal convection. The impacts of radar DA between 1200 and 1300 UTC, as well as the frequency and number of DA cycles and the DA physics configuration, extend through the following night. Ten-minute cycling of radar DA leads to more skillful forecasts than both more and less frequent cycling. The Thompson microphysics scheme for DA better analyzes the effects of morning convection on environmental moisture than WSM6, which improves the convection forecast the following night. A multi-PBL configuration during DA leads to less skillful short-term forecasts than even a relatively poorly performing single-PBL scheme. Deterministic and ensemble forecast physics configurations are also evaluated. Thompson microphysics and the Mellor–Yamada–Nakanishi–Niino (MYNN) PBL provide the most skillful nocturnal precipitation forecasts. A well thought out multiphysics configuration is shown to provide advantages over evenly distributing three of the best-performing microphysics and PBL schemes or a fixed MYNN/Thompson ensemble. This is shown using objective and subjective verification of precipitation and nonprecipitation variables, including convective initiation. Predictions of the low-level jet are sensitive to the PBL scheme, with the best scheme being variable and time dependent. These results guided the implementation and verification of a real-time ensemble DA and forecast system for PECAN.
Midterm Outcomes of Polyvinyl Alcohol Hydrogel Hemiarthroplasty of the First Metatarsophalangeal Joint in Advanced Hallux Rigidus
Authors: Daniels Timothy R. , Younger Alastair S. E. , Penner Murray J. , Wing Kevin J. , Miniaci-Coxhead Sara Lyn , Pinsker Ellie , Glazebrook Mark
Published: December 2016

Background:

Hallux rigidus is the most common arthritic condition of the foot. A randomized clinical trial of first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint hemiarthroplasty with a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel implant (Cartiva) demonstrated pain relief and functional outcomes equivalent to first MTP arthrodesis at 2 years postoperation, with no cases of implant fragmentation, wear, or bone loss. We prospectively determined 5-year outcomes of first MTP hemiarthroplasty with the PVA hydrogel implant.

Methods:

Patients who underwent first PVA hydrogel MTP hemiarthroplasty in the previously reported trial were evaluated at 5 years postoperatively. Patients underwent physical examination and radiographic evaluation and completed a pain VAS, the Short-Form-36 (SF-36), and the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) sports subscale and activities of daily living (ADL) subscale. At the time of this study, 29 patients had reached 5 years’ follow-up. Two were lost to follow-up, leaving 27 patients with mean age 56.1 (range, 40.1-71.9) years. Mean follow-up was 5.4 (range, 4.9-6.4) years.

Results:

Postoperative active MTP natural joint dorsiflexion and peak MTP dorsiflexion were mean 18.2 (range, 10.0-30.0) and 29.7 (range, 10.0-45.0) degrees, respectively. Pain VAS, SF-36 PCS, FAAM ADL, and FAAM Sports scores demonstrated clinically and statistically significant improvements. Radiographically, no patient demonstrated changes in implant position, implant loosening or subsidence, or implant wear. One implant was removed because of persistent pain and converted to fusion 2 years postoperation.

Conclusion:

Five years following first MTP hemiarthroplasty with a PVA hydrogel implant, functional outcomes improved significantly, pain was reduced significantly, and the implant demonstrated excellent survivorship.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV, prospective case series.
The rise of indigenous psychologies: In response to Jahoda’s criticism
Authors: Hwang Kwang-Kuo
Published: December 2016

Based on his broad survey on a selection of the literature dealing with indigenous psychology, Jahoda raised a series of questions about various ways indigenous psychologists (IPists) around the world have answered important issues related to the development of indigenous psychology and found a striking lack of consensus in their proposals. He concluded that: “it is questionable whether any indigenous psychologies actually exist”, “the fact help to explain the subsequent decline of the movement” (p. 169). Nevertheless, because his selection of literature was incomprehensive and biased, his comments on definitions of indigenous psychology, the goals of indigenous psychology, ways for building indigenous psychology, as well as the objective of a universal/global psychology are too hash to drew such a conclusion. Conceiving his viewpoints on those issues in the context of my approach for developing indigenous psychology, we may get an opposite conclusion that indigenous psychology will soon rehabilitate from its apparent disorder if and only if we can find appropriate ways to solve its difficult problems from the perspective of philosophy of science.