bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Notes on ‘Self-Realization: An Ecological Approach to Being in the World’
Authors: Callicott J. Baird
Published: September 2017

How to conceive and experience one’s self is the linchpin for achieving an efficacious environmental philosophy. Naess was among the first to put the question of self at the center of environmental philosophy and laid cautious claim to ‘introduce … a concept of ecological self’ for the first time. Naess’ ‘ecological self’ is vitiated by at least four flaws: (i) an eclectic and mutually inconsistent set of informative sources (Freud, Fromm, William James; Mohandas Ghandhi and Advaita Vedanta); (ii) a narrow conception of ethics drawn principally from Kant; (iii) inattention to state-of-the-art ecology (the science) as a model for an ecological self; (iv) reinforcing rather than deconstructing the insidious notion of self as substance. A self resonant with ecology would posit the self as a knot, nexus, or node in a skein of social and environmental relationships. Such relationships are internal. The classical antecedent of such an ecological self is not the Hindu Ātman/Brahman—the universal substance in all—as per Naess, but the Buddhist Anātman or Anattā (No-self)/Śūnyatā (Emptiness). In the hybrid philosophical expression of Japanese Buddhism by members of the Kyoto School, the core of the internally related ecological self is the topos of mu.
Ethics and Value in Naess’ Ecophilosophy
Authors: Vetlesen Arne Johan
Published: September 2017

It appears that Naess thought his ecophilosophy could do without ethics. What made him think so? Since Naess was largely implicit about his metaethical views, I turn to Warwick Fox’ elaborate presentation of Naess’ ecophilosophy to find an answer. Doing so allows me to investigate what is insufficiently accounted for in Naess’ ecophilosophy, namely its ontological presuppositions. To be philosophically sound, Naess’ criticisms of ethics need to question the taboo against the so-called naturalistic fallacy, a commonplace in ethical theories since Hume. I argue that a realist notion of value—understood as a property of nature, operative in nature—provides ecophilosophy with a sorely needed ontological foundation.
Deep Ecologies in the Highlands and Rainforests
Authors: Gudynas Eduardo
Published: September 2017

In the Andean and Amazonian regions of South America new environmental ethics have emerged that postulate intrinsic values in the non-human. These biocentrisms do not derive directly from the deep ecology of Arne Naess, presenting several differences, but there are also important similarities, which are briefly noted. Southern biocentrism recognizes the rights of Nature but does so in an intercultural perspective, is much more politicized, and is part of ‘ontological openings’ to alternatives of ecological community that go beyond modernity.
Deep Physics
Authors: Weber Andreas
Published: September 2017

Feeling is the existential experience of being matter from the inside. Feeling entangles us with the whole, parallel to the entanglement between observer and observed described in modern physics. Understanding organisms as embodied feeling is the missing link to making sense of the weirdness of modern physics, particularly the fact that the ‘observer’ is always connected to the ‘objects’ described (so-called ‘entanglement’). In organisms, such entanglement is created through subjective experience—feeling. Feeling is entanglement experienced as inwardness, and as desire for more entanglement in order to unfold and live (Spinoza’s ‘Conatus’). Through inner experience organisms reveal that ‘observations’ are not made by ‘observers’ about ‘objects’, but actually are the inward aspect of the world’s involvement with itself. Every standpoint is an experience of the whole getting in touch with itself. This panpsychic view can help us understand the degree to which all of reality is profused with subjectivity, and how our own subjective experience is an experience which the whole makes about being itself. With this, we are able to formulate a ‘general theory of conativity’. This views the desire for mutual transformation and its accompanying creation of standpoints of meaning and concern as an irreducible feature of reality.
Polycarp, Paul, and the Letters to Timothy
Authors: Lookadoo Jonathon
Published: September 2017

Building on recent discussions of the Paulusbild in the second century, this study argues that Polycarp’s image of Paul is framed by his use of 1-2 Timothy. The essay first examines Polycarp’s allusions to 1 Tim 6:7, 10, similarities to the household code in 1 Tim 2:8-3:13, and the reversal of a phrase in 2 Tim 4:10. Two conclusions are then drawn. First, Polycarp’s use of language from 1-2 Timothy fits loosely within the standards of ancient quotation. Second, Polycarp’s depiction of Paul as a suffering, pastoral figure is closely tied to his use of language from 1-2 Timothy.
The Fall of Men and the Lust of Women in Seneca’s Epistle 95 and Paul’s Letter to the Romans
Authors: Dodson Joseph R.
Published: September 2017

Seneca’s invective against the sexual misconduct in the Roman Empire as part of his decline narrative is a neglected parallel to Rom 1:26-27. Its resonances, however, give more support to Ben Witherington’s comment about specifically situating Romans 1 within the context of Seneca’s castigation of the lechery in Rome. Moreover, the parallels with Epistle 95 reinforce an excessive lust view of Rom 1:26-27.
Disciplined Exaggeration
Authors: Kloppenborg John S.
Published: September 2017

Comparison in the study of religion, in particular the study of the early Jesus movement has had an odd history, serious comparison often being eschewed and dismissed in the interest of preserving claims to the sui generis character of early Christianity. This paper argues that comparison should be regarded as heuristic rather than genealogical, and illustrates this by examining two forms of comparison, analytic and illustrative, in each case mobilizing comparisons of early Pauline groups and their practices with Graeco-Roman associations and the fiscal practices of Greek cities.
Patterns of species richness in two African-centered, aridity-adapted flightless weevil lineages (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea)
Authors: HICKMAN TAYLOR , PROCHEŞ ŞERBAN , RAMDHANI SYD
Published: September 2017

Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) represent a remarkable proportion of global biodiversity, yet studies addressing their biogeography remain scarce. The arid parts of sub-Saharan Africa harbour several interesting weevil lineages, the most spectacular being the larger flightless weevils such as the Microcerinae and Brachycerus. Here we map the species richness of these two groups to identify hotspots in their diversity, and make inferences regarding the factors that may have contributed to the observed patterns. Exceptional richness values in both groups are found in southern Africa, and more specifically in the Nama Karoo, which is unremarkable in terms of plant diversity. By comparisons, plant diversity hotspots such as the Succulent Karoo and the Cape Floristic Region appear to have high, but not exceptional, weevil richness. Species richness levels were also high in the grassland and savanna areas of south-eastern Africa, which are not arid. The representation of genera considered here and their closest relatives, suggest an African origin for both lineages. This, combined with recent insights into weevil evolution, raise the possibility that advanced weevils as a whole (the family Curculionidae) originated in Africa and that some of its earliest offshoots survived and subsequently diversified here thanks to multiple factors, relating to climate and plant diversity alike.
Resurrecting the genus Enitharoides Brooks, 1953 (Heteroptera: Nepomorpha: Notonectidae): description of three new species and redescription of Enitharoides brasiliensis (Spinola, 1837), comb. nov.
Authors: BARBOSA JULIANNA FREIRES , RIBEIRO JOSÉ RICARDO INACIO , NESSIMIAN JORGE LUIZ
Published: September 2017

The subgenus Enitharoides Brooks, 1953 was erected to include two species of Enithares from South America with asymmetry in the male genital capsule: Enithares brasiliensis Spinola, 1837 and E. duidaensis Brooks, 1953. Enitharoides was elevated to genus in 1975, but neither it nor its species have been redescribed. Here the genus is redescribed, fixing the identity of the type-species as Enitharoides duidaensis, comb. nov. Members of this genus can be recognized by the triangular labrum, pronotum with anterolateral margins foveate, punctate scutellum, fore and middle legs with three tarsomeres, middle femur with an anteapical pointed protuberance, and an asymmetrical genital capsule. We transfer Enithares brasiliensis to Enitharoides; thus, Enitharoides brasiliensis is a new combination. A redescription of E. brasiliensis is given and three new species of Enitharoides are described from Brazil: E. lucasduquei Barbosa, Ribeiro & Nessimian, sp. nov. from Rio de Janeiro, E. tricomerus Barbosa, Ribeiro & Nessimian, sp. nov. from Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais, and E. lanemeloi Barbosa, Ribeiro & Nessimian, sp. nov. from Minas Gerais. A taxonomic key to the males of species of Enitharoides and a key to nymphs of the genera of Notonectidae occurring in Brazil are provided.
Taxonomic review of Aegla marginata Bond-Buckup & Buckup, 1994 (Decapoda, Anomura, Aeglidae) with description of a new species
Authors: MORAES JULIANA CRISTINA BERTACINI , TAVARES MARCOS , BUENO SÉRGIO LUIZ DE SIQUEIRA
Published: September 2017

The taxonomy of Aegla marginata Bond-Buckup & Buckup, 1994 from three disjunct hydrographic basins is revised using morphological data. Aegla marginata is redescribed from the type-locality (Morretes, Paraná State, Brazil) and a new species, Aegla quilombola n. sp., is described (from Intervales State Park, São Paulo State, Brazil). Both species are illustrated in detail. Morphological data support and confirm a previous assumption based on molecular data of a paraphyletic relationship between populations previously known as Aegla marginata.
A new species of stygobiont freshwater planarian (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida) from a chemoautotrophic ecosystem: the Frasassi karst in Italy
Authors: STOCCHINO GIACINTA ANGELA , SLUYS RONALD , MONTANARI ALESSANDRO , MANCONI RENATA
Published: September 2017

In this paper we report a new species of Dendrocoelum from the chemoautotrophic ecosystem of the Frasassi hypogenic cave complex in the northeastern Apennines of Italy. Dendrocoelum leporii Stocchino & Sluys, sp. nov. is characterized by the presence of a muscular atrial valve, which is unique within the genus. Moreover, the new species is characterized also by a penis papilla with a pseudoflagellum, numerous testes situated in the ventral, dorsal and median body regions with the follicles extending to the far posterior end of the body, and a large adenodactyl with the so-called Balkan type of musculature. The new species represents the twelfth dendrocoelid species recorded for Italy. A summary is provided of the species of the family Dendrocoelidae Hallez, 1892 thus far reported for the mainland and the isles of Italy.
Two new species and a new record of the fungivorous genus Terthrothrips from China (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae)
Authors: ZHAO CHAO , TONG XIAOLI
Published: September 2017

Two new species of Terthrothrips, T. levigatus sp. n. and T. trigonius sp. n., are described and illustrated from China. T. strasseni Dang, Mound & Qiao, 2014, originally described from Indonesia, is newly recorded in China. A key to the Chinese species of Terthrothrips is provided.
Variability in the Raman Spectrum of Unpolished Growth and Fracture Surfaces of Pyrite Due to Laser Heating and Crystal Orientation
Authors: Bryant Roger N. , Pasteris Jill D. , Fike David A.
Published: September 2017

Two probable causes of variability in the Raman spectrum of unpolished pyrite are well recognized, in principle, but not always in practice, namely: (1) downshifting of band positions due to laser heating; and (2) variations in the ratios of band intensities due to crystallographic orientation of the sample with respect to the laser’s dominant polarization plane. The aims of this paper are to determine whether these variations can be used to acquire additional information about pyrites. Here, using laser Raman microprobe analysis of natural, unpolished pyrite samples, we investigate the magnitude of downshifting of band positions associated with laser heating of different sizes of pyrite grains. We demonstrate that the magnitude of this effect can be large (up to ∼10 cm−1), negatively proportional to grain size, of greater magnitude than the effect typically attributable to natural intersample differences in trace element (TE) solid solution, and of similar magnitude among bands. Through Raman analysis of naturally occurring faces on pyrite samples at various angles of rotation, we also demonstrate that the three most common faces on pyrite can be distinguished by the ratio of the intensities of the dominant bands. We conclude that for unpolished samples, laser Raman microprobe analysis is most effective as a means of identifying pyrite, and the presence of solid solution therein, when laser power is low enough to avoid substantial heating. Once pyrite has been identified, higher laser powers can be used to produce spectra whose ratios of band intensities indicate the face or crystallographic plane being irradiated.
For teachers, a better kind of pension plan
Authors: Winters Marcus A.
Published: September 2017

Public school teachers deserve a compensation system that puts them on a secure path toward retirement. The severely backloaded structure of today’s public school teacher pension systems benefit only a small proportion of entering teachers while putting the rest on an insecure retirement path. But there is a cost-neutral solution to this problem that would benefit most teachers entering public school classrooms today without removing any of the protections from the stock market with which teachers have become accustomed. Teacher pensions could be restructured so that teachers earn retirement wealth in relatively equal intervals throughout their careers. The author calls these Smooth Accrual Defined Benefit plans.
Washington View
Authors: Ferguson Maria
Published: September 2017

According to this year’s PDK Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools, many parents would be willing to abandon public schools if a voucher were dangled before them. Has there really been a shift in American public opinion about public education or does the poll merely reflect what parents believe is best for their own child? The author concludes that some Americans may be poised to re-evaluate their long-standing commitment to public education if the price is right.
Where Democrats Disagree: Citizens’ Normative Conceptions of Democracy
Authors: Landwehr Claudia , Steiner Nils D
Published: September 2017

While support for the essential norms of liberal electoral democracy is high in almost all developed democracies, there is arguably also a gap between democratic aspirations and democratic practice, leading to dissatisfaction among citizens. We argue that citizens may hold very different normative conceptions of democracy which are equally compatible with support for liberal democracy, but lead to different expectations where institutional design and democratic practice are concerned. Satisfaction with democracy may thus depend on congruence between such normative conceptions and institutionally entrenched norms. Drawing on survey data from Germany with a comprehensive item battery on attitudes towards democratic decision-making, we identify four distinct factors leading to disagreements over democratic decision-making. We explore how these are related to personality, styles of cognition and political attitudes, and show that different expectations arise from them, such that regime support is affected by the normative conception(s) of democratic decision-making individuals subscribe to.
Integrity in the public life of the Church from Acts 4:15–20
Authors: Da Valle Liliana
Published: September 2017

The purpose of this expository word is to demonstrate the need for churches to participate in public theology with integrity as partners in the dialog about societal issues. Within the framework of authority and responsibility, the author attempts to establish the Church’s unique position as a truth-teller, using her experience as a local parish pastor and community leader. Looking at Scripture as a role model for policy and action, this work lifts up the conviction of the primitive Church in its role as both witness and hero. Within the concert of voices in the world, the Church has to find its own voice to speak truth to power, and honor its calling by expressing its beliefs and behaving accordingly. Some of the main emerging themes in this article include secular vs divinely inspired authority, integrity as the quality of having only one identity and position, which is both private and public, and truth-telling as the ultimate action of faith and hope. This article will contribute to the extensive amount of literature that addresses the role of the Church in public life and encourage leaders to exert their authority based on the integrity of their convictions, actions, and words.
Empowerment, Asymmetrical Power Relations and Impacts of Information Technology in Rural Bangladesh
Authors: Ullah Mohammad Sahid
Published: September 2017

In the wider context of growing digitalisation in South Asia, this article examines the impacts of a public–private–people partnership (4Ps) information and communication technology (ICT) initiative of the Bangladesh government, administered through local governmental offices, the Union Information Service Centre (UISC). Scrutinising the operation of six UISCs in rural communities across Bangladesh, the study researches the potential of ICTs to influence existing asymmetrical power relations and empower local people. Asking to what extent ICTs enable more people to actively participate in their communities and what the implications for empowerment are, it is found that top-down ICT intervention by itself cannot bring substantial change for people at the bottom of the social pyramid. Asymmetrical power relations continue to deprive marginalised groups from receiving the claimed benefits of ICT facilities. The study suggests the need for a more critical, practice-focused understanding of relationships between ICTs and rural empowerment, while also highlighting the changing modalities of connecting states and their citizens in postmodern South Asia.
Obesity is associated with altered mid-insula functional connectivity to limbic regions underlying appetitive responses to foods
Authors: Avery Jason A , Powell Joshua N , Breslin Florence J , Lepping Rebecca J , Martin Laura E , Patrician Trisha M , Donnelly Joseph E , Savage Cary R , Simmons W Kyle
Published: September 2017

Obesity is fundamentally a disorder of energy balance. In obese individuals, more energy is consumed than is expended, leading to excessive weight gain through the accumulation of adipose tissue. Complications arising from obesity, including cardiovascular disease, elevated peripheral inflammation, and the development of Type II diabetes, make obesity one of the leading preventable causes of morbidity and mortality. Thus, it is of paramount importance to both individual and public health that we understand the neural circuitry underlying the behavioral regulation of energy balance. To this end, we sought to examine obesity-related differences in the resting state functional connectivity of the dorsal mid-insula, a region of gustatory and interoceptive cortex associated with homeostatically sensitive responses to food stimuli. Within the present study, obese and healthy weight individuals completed resting fMRI scans during varying interoceptive states, both while fasting and after a standardized meal. We examined group differences in the pre- versus post-meal functional connectivity of the mid-insula, and how those differences were related to differences in self-reported hunger ratings and ratings of meal pleasantness. Obese and healthy weight individuals exhibited opposing patterns of eating-related functional connectivity between the dorsal mid-insula and multiple brain regions involved in reward, valuation, and satiety, including the medial orbitofrontal cortex, the dorsal striatum, and the ventral striatum. In particular, healthy weight participants exhibited a significant positive relationship between changes in hunger and changes in medial orbitofrontal functional connectivity, while obese participants exhibited a complementary negative relationship between hunger and ventral striatum connectivity to the mid-insula. These obesity-related alterations in dorsal mid-insula functional connectivity patterns may signify a fundamental difference in the experience of food motivation in obese individuals, wherein approach behavior toward food is guided more by reward-seeking than by homeostatically relevant interoceptive information from the body.
Alternative Economies as Marketing Systems? The Role of Value Creation and the Criticism of Economic Growth
Authors: Haase Michaela , Becker Ingrid , Pick Doreén
Published: September 2017

Actors engaged in alternative economies organize resource transfers, exchange resources (with and without the use of money), and create value. As value creation is a definitional attribute of marketing systems, we examine whether alternative economies fall under the concept of marketing systems. That is, the conceptual framework of the marketingsystems approach applicable to alternative economies must help answer this question, and the approach’s empirical claims must hold true in alternative economies. We refer to the distinction between the conceptual framework of a theory and its empirical claims to substantiate our notion that alternative economies are marketing systems. Informed by the theoretical analysis and insights gleaned from interviews, we suggest modifications of the conceptual framework of the marketing-systems approach to improve or extend its applicability to alternative economies.
Cardiovascular risk of adipokines: a review
Authors: Dutheil Frédéric , Gordon Brett Ashley , Naughton Geraldine , Crendal Edward , Courteix Daniel , Chaplais Elodie , Thivel David , Lac Gérard , Benson Amanda Clare
Published: September 2017

Over the last two decades, the understanding of adipose tissue has undergone radical change. The perception has evolved from an inert energy storage tissue to that of an active endocrine organ. Adipose tissue releases a cluster of active molecules named adipokines. The severity of obesity-related diseases does not necessarily correlate with the extent of body fat accumulation but is closely related to body fat distribution, particularly to visceral localization. There is a distinction between the metabolic function of central obesity (visceral abdominal) and peripheral obesity (subcutaneous) in the production of adipokines. Visceral fat accumulation, linked with levels of some adipokines, induces chronic inflammation and metabolic disorders, including glucose intolerance, hyperlipidaemia, and arterial hypertension. Together, these conditions contribute to a diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, directly associated with the onset of cardiovascular disease. If it is well known that adipokines contribute to the inflammatory profile and appetite regulation, this review is novel in synthesising the current state of knowledge of the role of visceral adipose tissue and its secretion of adipokines in cardiovascular risk.
Epidemiology of Posterior Glenohumeral Instability in a Young Athletic Population
Authors: Lanzi Joseph T. , Chandler Philip J. , Cameron Kenneth L. , Bader Julia M. , Owens Brett D.
Published: September 2017

Background:

While several studies have observed the incidence of posterior glenohumeral instability in selected populations, there are no data from large-scale population-based studies with corresponding athletic exposure data to calculate incidence rates (IRs) and associated risk factors.

Purpose:

To determine risk factors for posterior glenohumeral instability within the physically active population at the United States Military Academy.

Study Design:

Descriptive epidemiology study.

Methods:

A longitudinal cohort study was performed over a 6-year period from 2006 to 2012 at the United States Military Academy utilizing the Cadet Illness and Injury Tracking System. Exposure data were collected from daily attendance data documented for every practice and game at the intramural, club, or varsity sport level. The primary outcomes calculated were the IRs of posterior glenohumeral joint instability per 1000 person-years at risk and per 1000 athlete-exposures. IR ratios and confidence intervals were calculated between male and female cadets and between intercollegiate and intramural athletes.

Results:

Between 2006 and 2012, there were 1348 shoulder injuries in total, with 633 instability events. During the study period, 113 posterior shoulder instability injuries (17.9% of instability events) and 26,408 person-years at risk were documented, for an overall IR of 4.28 per 1000 person-years. The overall IR of posterior instability was 0.08 per 1000 athlete exposures. In male athletes, 105 sustained a posterior shoulder instability event, for an IR of 4.67 per 1000 person-years. Female athletes were less likely to sustain a posterior instability event, accounting for only 8 events, for an IR of 2.04 per 1000 person-years. A total of 6670 athletes were at risk for posterior shoulder instability injury during the study period. A total of 55 injuries were documented, for an IR of 8.25 per 1000 person-years. Intercollegiate wrestlers had the highest IR: 34.15 per 1000 person-years. The sport with the highest injury rate among intramural sports was football, at 2.79 per 1000 person-years. Three athletes had a history of a posterior shoulder dislocation, while no significant difference was found for subluxation versus pain as the presenting symptom. Of the 113 posterior shoulder instability injuries, 77.0% required surgical stabilization. All injuries associated with weight lifting required surgical stabilization.

Conclusion:

Among athletes, intercollegiate athletes are at an increased risk of posterior glenohumeral instability when compared with intramural athletes. Intercollegiate athletes and weight lifters demonstrate a high likelihood of requiring surgical treatment as compared with intramural athletes.
A hybrid composite system of biphasic calcium phosphate granules loaded with hyaluronic acid–gelatin hydrogel for bone regeneration
Authors: Faruq Omar , Kim Boram , Padalhin Andrew R , Lee Gun Hee , Lee Byong-Taek
Published: September 2017

An ideal bone substitute should be made of biocompatible materials that mimic the structure, characteristics, and functions of natural bone. Many researchers have worked on the fabrication of different bone scaffold systems including ceramic–polymer hybrid system. In the present study, we incorporated hyaluronic acid–gelatin hydrogel to micro-channeled biphasic calcium phosphate granules as a carrier to improve cell attachment and proliferation through highly interconnected porous structure. This hybrid system is composed of ceramic biphasic calcium phosphate granules measuring 1 mm in diameter with seven holes and hyaluronic acid–gelatin hydrogel. This combination of biphasic calcium phosphate and hyaluronic acid–gelatin retained suitable characteristics for bone regeneration. The resulting scaffold had a porosity of 56% with a suitable pore sizes. The mechanical strength of biphasic calcium phosphate granule increased after loading hyaluronic acid–gelatin from 4.26 ± 0.43 to 6.57 ± 0.25 MPa, which is highly recommended for cancellous bone substitution. Swelling and degradation rates decreased in the hybrid scaffold compared to hydrogel due to the presence of granules in hybrid scaffold. In vitro cytocompatibility studies were observed by preosteoblasts (MC3T3-E1) cell line and the result revealed that biphasic calcium phosphate/hyaluronic acid–gelatin significantly increased cell growth and proliferation compared to biphasic calcium phosphate granules. Analysis of micro-computed tomography data and stained tissue sections from the implanted samples showed that the hybrid scaffold had good osseointegration and better bone formation in the scaffold one and two months postimplantation. Histological section confirmed the formation of dense collagenous tissue and new bone in biphasic calcium phosphate/hyaluronic acid–gelatin scaffolds at two months. Our study demonstrated that such hybrid biphasic calcium phosphate/hyaluronic acid–gelatin scaffold is a promising system for bone regeneration.
Analysing the Interactions Among the Barriers of Supply Chain Performance Measurement: An ISM with Fuzzy MICMAC Approach
Authors: Katiyar Rajesh , Barua M. K. , Meena Purushottam L.
Published: September 2017

The purpose of this article is to explore key barriers in measuring supply chain performance (SCP). In today’s competitive business environment, companies are facing various issues in measuring SCP because of various constraints and these constraints act as a barrier. This article first explores the key barriers that affect SCP measurement (SCPM) and then investigates the mutual relationships among these barriers. Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) with fuzzy Matrice d’ Impacts Croises Multiplication Appliqué an Classement (MICMAC) approach is employed to investigate the interrelationships among key barriers. The results show that the lack of awareness related to SCPM is one of the critical barriers. Further, various strategies are suggested to eradicate the critical barriers in measuring SCP for the managers.
Process of Impulse Buying: A Qualitative Exploration
Authors: Mittal Sheetal , Sondhi Neena , Chawla Deepak
Published: September 2017

While emerging markets like India present a highly conducive environment for impulse buying behaviour, they also represent a conundrum due to their cultural and contextual distinctiveness from Western/developed markets. Most existing research in the domain in these markets aims to either (dis)affirm the causal relationships identified in the Western markets or validate the frameworks developed there. This article is an exploratory study that aims to identify the latent factors that restrain, influence or comprise impulse buying process in the Indian context and describes an impulse buying episode in its entirety. This would help to not only highlight similarities or differences from the developed world but, more importantly, also broaden the impulse buying perspective in the emerging markets and allow future research to build upon it empirically.
Rotary bending fatigue analysis of shape memory alloys
Authors: Hesami Maede , Pino Laurent , Saint-Sulpice Luc , Legrand Vincent , Kadkhodaei Mahmoud , Arbab Chirani Shabnam , Calloch Sylvain
Published: September 2017

In this work, a one-dimensional constitutive model is used to study rotary bending fatigue in shape memory alloy beams. The stress and strain distributions in a beam section are driven numerically for both pure bending and rotary bending to show the basic differences between these two loading types. In order to verify the numerical results, experiments are performed on NiTi specimens with an imposed bending angle using a bending apparatus. Since the specimens show significant stress plateau for forward and backward transformation in their stress–strain response, an enhanced stress–temperature phase diagram is proposed in which different slopes are considered for the start and finish of each transformation strip. In order to study low cycle fatigue of shape memory alloys during rotary bending, the stabilized dissipated energy is calculated from numerical solution. A power law for variations of the fatigue life with the stabilized dissipated energy is obtained for the studied specimens to predict their fatigue life. The numerical predictions of the present approach are shown to be in a good agreement with the experimental findings for rotary bending fatigue. Uniaxial tensile fatigue tests are further performed on the studied specimens to investigate effect of loading type on the fatigue lifetime.
Multi-objective optimization of stacked radial passive magnetic bearing
Authors: Lijesh KP , Doddamani Mrityunjay , Bekinal SI , Muzakkir SM
Published: September 2017

Modeling, design, and optimization for performances of passive magnetic bearings (PMBs) are indispensable, as they deliver lubrication free, friction less, zero wear, and maintenance-free operations. However, single-layer PMBs has lower load-carrying capacity and stiffness necessitating development of stacked structure PMBs for maximum load and stiffness. Present work is focused on multi-objective optimization of radial PMBs to achieve maximum load-carrying capacity and stiffness in a given volume. Three-dimensional Coulombian equations are utilized for estimating load and stiffness of stacked radial PMBs. Constraints, constants, and bounds for the optimization are extracted from the available literature. Optimization is performed for force and stiffness maximization in the obtained bounds with three PMB configurations, namely (i) mono-layer, (ii) conventional (back to back), and (iii) rotational magnetized direction. The optimum dimensions required for achieving maximum load without compromising stiffness for all three configurations is investigated. For designers ease, equations to estimate the optimized values of load, stiffness, and stacked PMB variables in terms of single-layer PMB are proposed. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by considering the PMB dimensions from the available literature.
Durability study of pultruded carbon fiber reinforced polymer plates subjected to water immersion
Authors: Hong Bin , Xian Guijun , Wang Zike
Published: September 2017

Pultruded carbon fiber reinforced polymer plates have been widely used for structural rehabilitation due to their excellent mechanical properties. Even though, the long-term durability performance of carbon fiber reinforced polymer plates is still a concern, especially when subjected to harsh environmental conditions (e.g. water immersion). In the present study, the effects of water immersion at 23°C, 40°C, and 60°C on the degradation of the pultruded carbon fiber reinforced polymer plates were investigated in terms of water uptake and mechanical properties. To elucidate the degradation mechanisms, the resin matrix and the fiber and resin adhesion were also assessed in the same conditions. The test results indicated that water immersion, especially at higher temperatures, leads to serious fiber debonding, and thus the carbon fiber reinforced polymer samples absorb much more water than the resin matrix. In addition, the transverse flexural strength of the carbon fiber reinforced polymer plates, closely correlated to the fiber–resin adhesion, reduced significantly at high temperatures. On the contrary, the resin matrix and carbon fiber reinforced polymer plates show much less degradation subjected to the same immersion conditions. Therefore, to comprehensively understand the long-term durability of a carbon fiber reinforced polymer material, it is necessary to test the variation of the bonding strength between fiber and resin matrix, in addition to the tensile performances in fiber directions of the carbon fiber reinforced polymer plates.
Exploitation of injection fusion strategies in diesel engines equipped with solenoid injectors
Authors: d’Ambrosio Stefano , Ferrari Alessandro
Published: September 2017

Pilot–main injection strategies are investigated in the short dwell-time range at medium load and speed conditions for a low-temperature combustion diesel engine endowed with indirect-acting solenoid injectors. Dwell-time sweeps have been carried out for pilot injections with different energizing times under steady-state working conditions and constant combustion phasing. The experimental results on the engine are combined with in-cylinder analyses of pressure, heat release rate, temperature and emission time histories. As the electric dwell time is reduced toward zero, combustion noise reaches a minimum at a dwell time of 120–140 µs, and a reduction of 1–4.5 dB is possible compared to levels at dwell time  = 500 µs. This decrease in combustion noise is obtained in conjunction with a local reduction in engine-out nitrogen oxide emissions, but penalties occur for engine-out soot emissions and brake-specific fuel consumption. The pilot and main injection shots feature fusion phenomena at the shortest dwell-time values, thus giving rise to rate-shaped single injections, which resemble the boot-shaped profiles in direct-acting piezoelectric injectors. The increase in the velocity of the needle, which occurs during the nozzle opening phase pertaining to the main injection for closely coupled injections as dwell time is reduced, is shown to be not the primary cause responsible for the observed trends in combustion noise and soot emissions as dwell-time changes. The combination of simulation and experimental data supports the theory that the main injection interacts with the pilot mixture field: the relative phasing between pilot and main combustion and the in-cylinder equivalent ratio distribution are the dominant aspects in the definition of the engine performance in the short dwell-time range.
Ignition delays in diesel combustion and intake gas conditions
Authors: Ogawa Hideyuki , Morita Akihiro , Futagami Katsushi , Shibata Gen
Published: September 2017

Ignition delays in diesel combustion under several intake gas conditions, including different oxygen concentrations changed with exhaust gas recirculation quantities and different intake gas temperatures, were measured for four cetane numbers and three compression ratios in a single-cylinder, naturally aspirated, direct injection diesel engine (bore: 110 mm, stroke: 106 mm, and stroke volume: 1007 cm3). The engine has a common rail fuel injection system which can be set to optional injection timings and has an injector with a needle lift sensor to accurately estimate the injection timing. The intake oxygen concentrations were set by the quantity of exhaust gas recirculation gas, and the intake gas temperatures were changed with a water-cooled exhaust gas recirculation cooler and an electric heater in the intake pipe. Three compression ratios, 16.7, 18.0, and 21.3, were established with three pistons of different cavity volumes. Four fuels with different cetane numbers, 32 (CN32), 45 (CN45), 57 (CN57), and 78 (CN78), consisting of normal and isoparaffins, were examined for the three compression ratios, and the influence of exhaust gas recirculation and intake gas temperature is discussed for 12 combinations of compression ratios and cetane numbers. The results showed that the ignition delay increases linearly with the 1.67 power of the decrease in the intake oxygen concentration changed with cooled exhaust gas recirculation at the same cetane number and the same compression ratio. The ignition delay increases linearly with lowering intake gas temperatures, and the degree of increase in the ignition delay is more significant with lower cetane number fuels and lower compression ratios. Under practical conditions with the intake oxygen concentration between 21% and 11% and the intake gas temperature between 40°C and 100°C, the changes in ignition delays with the intake oxygen concentration are more significant than the changes with intake gas temperature. The ignition delay increases linearly with lowering compression ratios, and the degree of increase in the ignition delay with reductions in the compression ratio is larger in the cases with lower intake oxygen concentrations and lower cetane number fuels. The ignition delays at the higher compression ratios are significantly shorter than with the lower compression ratios in the case of the same in-cylinder gas temperature at top dead center due to higher in-cylinder gas pressures. The degree of increase in the ignition delay with lower cetane numbers is more significant at lower intake oxygen concentrations and lower compression ratios, and the ignition delay decreases linearly with the 0.25 power of the increase in cetane numbers.
The Retention of Expertise and Productivity in State Legislative Committees
Authors: Makse Todd
Published: September 2017

Legislative committees rely on the expertise and experience of their members, but instability in committee systems threatens the enhancements in productivity associated with specialization. This can occur in two ways, both of which are more common in state legislative committees than they are in Congress. First, membership retention on committees is generally lower, even after accounting for differing levels of legislative turnover across legislatures. Second, many state legislative committee systems undergo reorganization between sessions, changing the policy jurisdictions, and, therefore, the applicability of members' previously developed expertise. In this article, I examine the consequences of these two sources of committee instability on legislative output in 14 state legislatures. I find that both membership retention and jurisdictional reorganization significantly affect the number of bills processed through committees and the number of bills ultimately enacted. These linkages are also conditioned on several committee and institutional factors, particularly legislative turnover. Last, I find a weaker but discernible effect of membership retention on committees' propensity to perform their gatekeeping role.
A quality-of-service evaluation method based on the cloud model for routing protocols in wireless sensor network
Authors: Jiang Wenxian , Gu Chenzhe , Wu Jingjing
Published: September 2017

The routing layer quality of service in wireless sensor network depends on different indices such as throughput, delay, packet loss rate, energy consumption, and degree of congestion. A single index does not adequately reflect the real quality of service while an excessive number of indices increase the complexity of the evaluation model. In addition, existing quantitative evaluation methods can lead to under-fitting or over-fitting. In this article, we present a comprehensive qualitative quality-of-service evaluation method based on the cloud model. Using Gaussian cloud transformation, each quality-of-service index can be divided into several qualitative concepts (cloud models). Concepts belonging to different indices can be combined together to evaluate the quality of service. We use a frequent-pattern tree approach to mine association rules of quality-of-service concepts and arrive at a suitable decision. This method simplifies the evaluation model by transforming a numeric value to its equivalent qualitative concept and brings out the internal relationships among different quality-of-service indices according to the association rules. Besides, it automatically finds a common standard to evaluate and compare different routing protocols simultaneously. The evaluation results show that the proposed method provides a good quality-of-service assessment when applied to different routing protocols.
Echocardiographic assessment with right ventricular function improvement following ultrasound-accelerated catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy in submassive pulmonary embolism
Authors: Doheny Charles , Gonzalez Lorena , Duchman Stanley M , Varon Joseph , Bechara Carlos F , Cheung Mathew , Lin Peter H
Published: September 2017

Introduction

The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound-accelerated catheter-directed thrombolytic therapy in patients with submassive pulmonary embolism.

Methods

Clinical records of 46 patients with submassive pulmonary embolism who underwent ultrasound-accelerated catheter-directed pulmonary thrombolysis using tissue plasminogen activator, from 2007 to 2017, were analyzed. All patients experienced clinical symptoms with computed tomography evidence of pulmonary thrombus burden. Right ventricular dysfunction was present in all patients by echocardiographic finding of right ventricle-to-left ventricle ratio > 0.9. Treatment outcome, procedural complications, right ventricular pressures, and thrombus clearance were evaluated. Follow-up evaluation included echocardiographic assessment of right ventricle-to-left ventricle ratio at one month, six months, and one year.

Results

Technical success was achieved in all patients ( n = 46, 100%). Our patients received an average of 18.4 ± 4.7 mg of tissue plasminogen activator using ultrasound-accelerated thrombolytic catheter with an average infusion time of 16.5± 5.4 h. Clinical success was achieved in all patients (100%). Significant reduction of mean pulmonary artery pressure occurred following the treatment, which decreased from 36 ± 8 to 21 ± 5 mmHg ( p < 0.001). There were no major bleeding complications. All-cause mortality at 30 days was 0%. No patient developed recurrent pulmonary embolism during follow-up. During the follow-up period, 43 patients (93%) showed improvement of right ventricular dysfunction based on echocardiographic assessment. The right ventricle-to-left ventricle ratio decreased from 1.32 ± 0.18 to 0.91 ± 0.13 at the time of hospital discharge ( p < 0.01). The right ventricular function remained improved at 6 months and 12 months of follow-up, as right ventricle-to-left ventricle ratio were 0.92 ± 0.14 ( p < 0.01) and 0.91 ± 0.15 ( p < 0.01), respectively.

Conclusion

Ultrasound-accelerated catheter-directed thrombolysis is a safe and efficacious treatment for submassive pulmonary embolism. It reduces pulmonary hypertension and improves right ventricular function in patients with submassive pulmonary embolism.
Multitarget tracking in sensor networks via efficient information-theoretic sensor selection
Authors: Wang Ping , Ma Liang , Xue Kai
Published: September 2017

In networks composed of moving robots or static sensing nodes, multitarget tracking is critical and fundamental for high-level applications, such as scene analysis or event detection. However, tracking multiple targets in the sensor network is challenging for two reasons: multisensor multitarget fusion itself is difficult and dynamic sensor scheduling is necessary to balance the tracking accuracy and energy consumption of the sensor network. In this article, we present a novel information-theoretic sensor selection method for multitarget tracking via the multi-Bernoulli filter. The sensor selection is based on the multi-Bernoulli filtering and a collection of subselection problems for individual target to avoid the combinatorial optimization. A subselection problem for each target is investigated under the framework of partially observed Markov decision process, and we propose to solve it by maximizing the information gain of the probability hypothesis density. Simulation results validate the effectiveness and efficiency of our method for multitarget tracking in sensor networks.
Critical theory and the ontology of “religion”: A response to Thomas Lynch
Authors: Schilbrack Kevin
Published: September 2017

Thomas Lynch has proposed that scholars of religion can profitably follow Sally Haslanger’s lead and treat “religion,” as she treats race, as a social construction. He argues that this proposal resembles my treatment of “religion” in Philosophy and the Study of Religions, but it goes further by treating “religion” as what Haslanger calls a strongly pragmatic social construction, that is, a category that is solely the product of the use of the concept and which does not capture any feature in the world. In this response, I clarify that this argument can be made in a way that is stronger and closer to that of Haslanger if one adopts the position she calls “promiscuous realism.”