bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Future Observing System Simulation Experiments
Authors: Hoffman Ross N. , Atlas Robert
Published: December 2015

As operational forecast and data assimilation (DA) systems evolve, observing system simulation experiment (OSSE) systems must evolve in parallel. Expected development of operational systems—especially the use of data that are currently not used or are just beginning to be used, such as all-sky and surface-affected microwave radiances—will greatly challenge our ability to construct realistic OSSE systems. An additional set of challenges will arise when future DA systems strongly couple the different Earth system components. In response, future OSSE systems will require coupled models to simulate nature and coupled observation simulators. The requirements for future evolving OSSE systems and potential solutions to satisfy these requirements are discussed. It is anticipated that in the future the OSSE technique will be applied to diverse and coupled domains with the use of increasingly advanced and sophisticated simulations of nature and observations.
MRMS QPE Performance during the 2013/14 Cool Season
Authors: Cocks Stephen B. , Martinaitis Steven M. , Kaney Brian , Zhang Jian , Howard Kenneth
Published: December 2015

A recently implemented operational quantitative precipitation estimation (QPE) product, the Multi-Radar Multi-Sensor (MRMS) radar-only QPE (Q3RAD), mosaicked dual-polarization QPE, and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) stage II QPE were evaluated for nine cool season precipitation events east of the Rockies. These automated, radar-only products were compared with the forecaster quality-controlled NCEP stage IV product, which was considered as the benchmark for QPE. Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) 24-h accumulation data were used to evaluate product performance while hourly automated gauge data (quality controlled) were used for spatial and time series analysis. Statistical analysis indicated all three radar-only products had a distinct underestimate bias, likely due to the radar beam partially or completely overshooting the predominantly shallow winter precipitation systems. While the forecaster quality-controlled NCEP stage IV estimates had the best overall performance, Q3RAD had the next best performance, which was significant as Q3RAD is available in real time whereas NCEP stage IV estimates are not. Stage II estimates exhibited a distinct tendency to underestimate gauge totals while dual-polarization estimates exhibited significant errors related to melting layer challenges.
Subantarctic and Polar Fronts of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and Southern Ocean Heat and Freshwater Content Variability: A View from Argo
Authors: Giglio Donata , Johnson Gregory C.
Published: December 2015

Argo profiling floats initiated a revolution in observational physical oceanography by providing numerous, high-quality, global, year-round, in situ (0–2000 dbar) temperature and salinity observations. This study uses Argo’s unprecedented sampling of the Southern Ocean during 2006–13 to describe the position of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current’s Subantarctic and Polar Fronts, comparing and contrasting two different methods for locating fronts using the same dataset. The first method locates three fronts along dynamic height contours, each corresponding to a local maximum in vertically integrated shear. The second approach locates the fronts using specific features in the potential temperature field, following Orsi et al. Results from the analysis of Argo data are compared to those from Orsi et al. and other more recent studies. Argo spatial resolution is not adequate to resolve annual and interannual movements of the fronts on a circumpolar scale since they are on the order of 1° latitude (Kim and Orsi), which is smaller than the resolution of the gridded product analyzed. Argo’s four-dimensional coverage of the Southern Ocean equatorward of ~60°S is used to quantify variations in heat and freshwater content there with respect to the time-mean front locations. These variations are described during 2006–13, considering both pressure and potential density ranges (within different water masses) and relations to wind forcing (Ekman upwelling and downwelling).
Inaccuracies with Multimodel Postprocessing Methods Involving Weighted, Regression-Corrected Forecasts
Authors: Hodyss Daniel , Satterfield Elizabeth , McLay Justin , Hamill Thomas M. , Scheuerer Michael
Published: December 2015

Ensemble postprocessing is frequently applied to correct biases and deficiencies in the spread of ensemble forecasts. Methods involving weighted, regression-corrected forecasts address the typical biases and underdispersion of ensembles through a regression correction of ensemble members followed by the generation of a probability density function (PDF) from the weighted sum of kernels fit around each corrected member. The weighting step accounts for the situation where the ensemble is constructed from different model forecasts or generated in some way that creates ensemble members that do not represent equally likely states. In the present work, it is shown that an overweighting of climatology in weighted, regression-corrected forecasts can occur when one first performs a regression-based correction before weighting each member. This overweighting of climatology results in an increase in the mean-squared error of the mean of the predicted PDF. The overweighting of climatology is illustrated in a simulation study and a real-data study, where the reference is generated through a direct application of Bayes’s rule. The real-data example is a comparison of a particular method referred to as Bayesian model averaging (BMA) and a direct application of Bayes’s rule for ocean wave heights using U.S. Navy and National Weather Service global deterministic forecasts. This direct application of Bayes’s rule is shown to not overweight climatology and may be a low-cost replacement for the generally more expensive weighted, regression-correction methods.
A North American Hourly Assimilation and Model Forecast Cycle: The Rapid Refresh
Authors: Benjamin Stanley G. , Weygandt Stephen S. , Brown John M. , Hu Ming , Alexander Curtis R. , Smirnova Tatiana G. , Olson Joseph B. , James Eric P. , Dowell David C. , Grell Georg A. , Lin Haidao , Peckham Steven E. , Smith Tracy Lorraine , Moninger William R. , Kenyon Jaymes S. , Manikin Geoffrey S.
Published: December 2015

The Rapid Refresh (RAP), an hourly updated assimilation and model forecast system, replaced the Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) as an operational regional analysis and forecast system among the suite of models at the NOAA/National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) in 2012. The need for an effective hourly updated assimilation and modeling system for the United States for situational awareness and related decision-making has continued to increase for various applications including aviation (and transportation in general), severe weather, and energy. The RAP is distinct from the previous RUC in three primary aspects: a larger geographical domain (covering North America), use of the community-based Advanced Research version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model (ARW) replacing the RUC forecast model, and use of the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation analysis system (GSI) instead of the RUC three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVar). As part of the RAP development, modifications have been made to the community ARW model (especially in model physics) and GSI assimilation systems, some based on previous model and assimilation design innovations developed initially with the RUC. Upper-air comparison is included for forecast verification against both rawinsondes and aircraft reports, the latter allowing hourly verification. In general, the RAP produces superior forecasts to those from the RUC, and its skill has continued to increase from 2012 up to RAP version 3 as of 2015. In addition, the RAP can improve on persistence forecasts for the 1–3-h forecast range for surface, upper-air, and ceiling forecasts.
From warfare to welfare: veterans, military charities and the blurred spatiality of post-service welfare in the United Kingdom
Authors: Herman Agatha , Yarwood Richard
Published: December 2015

The military offers a form of welfare-for-work but when personnel leave they lose this safety net, a loss exacerbated by the rollback neoliberalism of the contemporary welfare state. Increasingly the third sector has stepped in to address veterans’ welfare needs through operating within and across military/civilian and state/market/community spaces and cultures. In this paper we use both veterans’ and military charities’ experiences to analyse the complex politics that govern the liminal boundary zone of post-military welfare. Through exploring ‘crossing’ and ‘bridging’ we conceptualise military charities as ‘boundary subjects’, active yet dependent on the continuation of the civilian-military binary, and argue that the latter is better understood as a multidirectional, multiscalar and contextual continuum. Post-military welfare emerges as a competitive, confused and confusing assemblage that needs to be made more navigable in order to better support the ‘heroic poor’.
How Dallas became frack free: hydrocarbon governance under neoliberalism
Authors: Fry Matthew , Brannstrom Christian , Murphy Trey
Published: December 2015

Local-scale government ordinances that attempt to delay or displace oil and gas drilling in their territories are common in regions with hydrocarbon extraction activities. Drawing on literature from policy mobilities and resource and energy governance, this paper analyzes policymaking processes that resulted in a December 2013 ordinance in Dallas, Texas, which established a 1500 foot (457.2 meter) setback between gas wells and residences, making drilling (with hydraulic fracturing) nearly impossible. Dallas was not the first city in the region to adopt an oil and gas drilling ordinance; indeed, many regulatory provisions were copied from other regional cities. This paper explains policy mobility in the Dallas policymaking process in terms of anti-political practices and hydrocarbon institutions that, overall, determine neoliberal hydrocarbon governance. City governments cede some of the political process to gas drilling task forces that work to render setbacks technical. Legal classification of subsurface hydrocarbons as the mineral estate creates a legal gray area that confounds municipal regulatory authority and gives discursive power to mineral owners to threaten municipal officials with lawsuits. Both of these anti-political strategies encouraged selective copying and morphing of other policy provisions by the Dallas city government. Adopting longer municipal setback distance regulations represents a type of contestation of neoliberalism situated between complete deregulation and overt opposition.
Remote Health Consultations Supported by a Diabetes Management Web Application With a New Glucose Meter Demonstrates Improved Glycemic Control
Authors: Grady Mike , Cameron Hilary , Levy Brian L. , Katz Laurence B.
Published: December 2015

Background:

Cloud-connected diabetes applications enable health care professionals (HCPs) to monitor patient progress and offer the potential for remote consultations. OneTouch Reveal (OTR) is a cloud-based web application that aggregates data from blood glucose (BG) meters or insulin pumps and provides analytics to help patients and HCPs make more informed treatment and lifestyle decisions. This study assessed the experience of patients using OTR and the OneTouch Verio (OTV) BG meter and determined the extent of changes in glycemic control.

Methods:

Subjects with T1DM (23) or T2DM (17) uploaded BG meter results to OTR for 12 weeks. HCPs remotely reviewed progress using OTR and delivered telephone consultations at 4 and 8 weeks based on OTR insights.

Results:

After 12 weeks, mean HbA1c decreased by 0.4% ( P < .001) and 25% of subjects had a reduction of ≥1.0%. Reduction in HbA1c was similar in subjects with T1DM and T2DM, although subjects with T1DM started with higher baselines. In subjects with T2DM, mean BG decreased significantly from 175 to 161 mg/dl ( P < .001) with the percentage of above-range BG results decreasing from 33% to 24%. 80% of subjects confirmed OTR detected out-of-range glucose patterns and 84% of these subjects were able to correct the underlying pattern to get BG back in-range.

Conclusions:

OTR web application in combination with the OTV meter helped subjects with T1DM and T2DM effectively manage their diabetes and was associated with improved BG control over 12 weeks. Real-time visibility to subject data may help HCPs deliver focused and effective remote consultations.
Managing Educational Reforms during Times of Transition
Authors: Moccia Salvatore
Published: December 2015

Being the leader of a university is a unique and diverse challenge ever since universities have been described by Cohen and Marchin (1974) as ‘organized anarchies’ with high inertia, unclear technologies and problematic goals. This could be in part due to the fact of the temporary status of their roles amplifying a sort of conflict of identity in that they seek to maintain an academic identity, whilst being under pressure to take a long–term strategy. Another challenging element in today’s world is the high competitive and changing environment that requires sometimes dramatic and long-term decisions in order to guarantee the survival of the academic institution. The current period presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities to universities and there is no doubt that the quality of leadership in the sector is crucial to developing the necessary entrepreneurialism and resilience required (Wooldridge, 2011). Drawing from the author’s own experience of working more than 20 years in developing leaders and adding the experience as professor of strategic management and manager in the higher education sector, the purpose of this article is to present a focused strategy summarized in six practical points that can help leaders of colleges and universities reinvent their industry and survive in the long term.

Purpose:

The purpose of this article is to analyze the challenges and opportunities to universities and thus to propose some practical solutions.

Design/methodology/approach:

The article is based on concepts and on the own experience of the author as manager in the higher education sector.

Findings:

A list of practical solution to modern challenges is proposed.

Research limitations:

The lack of empirical data that can validate the model.

Practical Implications:

Considering the emphasis placed on challenges and opportunities, the model can have some practical implications in the management of universities.

Originality/value:

The article attempts to present a complete list of challenges and opportunities universities are facing. The list can provide a basis for further analysis from universities’ managers.
Comparative morphology of the postpharyngeal gland in the Philanthinae (Hymenoptera, Crabronidae) and the evolution of an antimicrobial brood protection mechanism
Authors: Weiss Katharina , Strohm Erhard , Kaltenpoth Martin , Herzner Gudrun
Published: December 2015

Background

Hymenoptera that mass-provision their offspring have evolved elaborate antimicrobial strategies to ward off fungal infestation of the highly nutritive larval food. Females of the Afro-EuropeanPhilanthus triangulumand the South AmericanTrachypus elongatus(Crabronidae, Philanthinae) embalm their prey, paralyzed bees, with a secretion from a complex postpharyngeal gland (PPG). This coating consists of mainly unsaturated hydrocarbons and reduces water accumulation on the prey’s surface, thus rendering it unfavorable for fungal growth. Here we (1) investigated whether a North AmericanPhilanthusspecies also employs prey embalming and (2) assessed the occurrence and morphology of a PPG among females of the subfamily Philanthinae in order to elucidate the evolution of prey embalming as an antimicrobial strategy.

Results

We provide clear evidence that females of the North AmericanPhilanthus gibbosuspossess large PPGs and embalm their prey. The comparative analyses of 26 species from six genera of the Philanthinae, using histological methods and 3D-reconstructions, revealed pronounced differences in gland morphology within the subfamily. A formal statistical analysis based on defined characters of the glands confirmed that while all members of the derived tribe Philanthini have large and complex PPGs, species of the two more basal tribes, Cercerini and Aphilanthopsini, possess simple and comparatively small glands. According to an ancestral state reconstruction, the complex PPG most likely evolved in the last common ancestor of the Philanthini, thus representing an autapomorphy of this tribe.

Conclusion

Prey embalming, as described forP. triangulumandT. elongatus, and now also forP. gibbosus, most probably requires a complex PPG. Hence, the morphology and size of the PPG may allow for inferences about the origin and distribution of the prey embalming behavior within the Philanthinae. Based on our results, we suggest that prey embalming has evolved as an antimicrobial strategy in and is restricted to the tribe Philanthini, which seems to face exceptional threats with regard to fungal infestations of their larval provisions.
Wintertime for Deceptive Advertising?
Authors: Zinman Jonathan , Zitzewitz Eric
Published: December 2015

Casual empiricism suggests that deceptive advertising about product quality is prevalent, and several classes of theories explore its causes and consequences. We provide unusually sharp empirical evidence on its extent, mechanics, and dynamics. Ski resorts self-report substantially more natural snowfall than comparable government sources. The difference is more pronounced on weekends‚ despite third-party evidence that snowfall is uniform throughout the week— as one would expect given plausibly greater returns to exaggeration on weekends. Exaggeration is greater for resorts that plausibly reap greater benefits from it: those with expert terrain and those not offering money back guarantees. (JEL D83, L15, L83, M37, Z31)
Kwacha Gonna Do? Experimental Evidence about Labor Supply in Rural Malawi
Authors: Goldberg Jessica
Published: December 2015

I use a field experiment to estimate the wage elasticity of employment in the day labor market in rural Malawi. Once a week for 12 consecutive weeks, I make job offers for a workfare-type program to 529 adults. The daily wage varies from the tenth to the ninetieth percentile of the wage distribution, and individuals are entitled to work a maximum of one day per week. In this context (the low agricultural season), 74 percent of individuals worked at the lowest wage, and consequently the estimated labor supply elasticity is low (0.15), regardless of observable characteristics. (JEL C93, J22, J31, O15, O18, R23)
Market-Based Lobbying: Evidence from Advertising Spending in Italy
Authors: DellaVigna Stefano , Durante Ruben , Knight Brian , La Ferrara Eliana
Published: December 2015

We analyze a novel lobbying channel: firms shifting spending toward a politician's business in the hope of securing favorable regulation. We examine the evolution of advertising spending in Italy during 1993–2009, a period in which Berlusconi was in power three separate times, while maintaining control of Italy's major private television network, Mediaset. We document a significant pro-Mediaset bias in the allocation of advertising during Berlusconi's political tenure, especially for companies in more regulated sectors. We estimate that Mediaset profits increased by one billion euros during this period and that regulated firms anticipated sizeable returns, stressing the economic importance of this channel. (JEL D72, L51, L82, M31)
Optimal Well Positioning under Geological Uncertainty by Equalizing the Arrival Time
Authors: Jin Jeongwoo , Kang Minchul , Choe Jonggeun
Published: December 2015

Water flooding uses water injection to increase oil production from a reservoir. In water flooding, the position of production and injection wells is one of key factors for high oil recovery. However, well positioning is typically planned with lack of geology information. Therefore, it is difficult to decide an optimal well position due to geological heterogeneity and uncertainty. This paper proposes a method to optimize the position of an injection well, thereby maximizing sweep efficiency by equalizing arrival times of the injected water. After estimating average watercut of all the producing wells from an injection well assumed, time-shifts of individual watercut are calculated to match the average watercut. Sensitivity is computed by using the Buckley-Leverett solution. Many equivalent reservoir models are generated and applied to consider geological uncertainty. The arrival time optimization proposed in this study can find the location of an optimal injection well, even if initial conditions are far from the solution or multiple equi-probable models considered at the same time. Also, a lot of simulation time can be saved because of fast convergence and analytical sensitivity computations. The suggested method is applicable to a reservoir that has geological uncertainty because of its calculation efficiency.
A Study of the Formation Morphology and Phase Equilibrium of Fractured Methane Hydrates
Authors: Sun Youhong , Zhang Guobiao , Guo Wei , Li Bing , Li Shengli , Su Kai , Jia Rui
Published: December 2015

Natural gas hydrates mostly fill in the pores or fractures of host sediments and fractured gas hydrates are the main reservoir type in the Qilian mountain region of China. The process of gas production from hydrates can be influenced by the pore structures, fracture properties and mineral compositions of the host sediments. To determine whether the formation and phase equilibrium of hydrates are affected by the properties of the fractures, including the angle and width, formation experiments on methane hydrates were conducted using fracture media composed of artificial sandstone and natural mudstone. The phase equilibrium points for the methane hydrates hosted in fracture mudstone were measured using multi-stage heating. The experimental results indicate that the gas hydrates hosted within the fracture media grew faster. However, there were obvious differences in the methane hydrate formation morphologies for the two types of fracture media: the main occurrences of gas hydrates in sandstone were massive formations, and layered gas hydrates were formed along the fracture surfaces in mudstone. Additionally, a comparison of the phase equilibrium between the fractured CH4 and bulk phase CH4 hydrates indicated that the fracture scale did not have a significant influence on the thermodynamic equilibrium of the CH4 hydrates for the experimental conditions and also implied that fracture properties had an insignificant impact on the hydrate stability zone.
Modeling Dynamic Stall for a Free Vortex Wake Model
Authors: Gaertner Evan M. , Lackner Matthew A.
Published: December 2015

Floating offshore wind turbines in deep waters offer significant advantages to onshore and near-shore wind turbines. However, due to the motion of floating platforms in response to wind and wave loading, the aerodynamics are substantially more complex. Traditional aerodynamic models and design codes do not adequately account for the floating platform dynamics. Previous research at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst developed the Wake Induced Dynamics Simulator, or WInDS, a free vortex wake model of wind turbines that explicitly includes the velocity components from platform motion. WInDS rigorously accounts for the unsteady interactions between the wind turbine rotor and its wake, however, as a potential flow model, the unsteady viscous response in the blade boundary layer is neglected. This work addressed this concern through the integration of a Leishman-Beddoes dynamic stall model into WInDS. Several improvements to the Leishman-Beddoes dynamic stall model are proposed to improve the synthesis of 2D steady airfoil data and to improve stability when couple with WInDS. The stand-alone dynamic stall model was validated against 2D unsteady data from the OSU pitch oscillation experiments and the coupled WInDS model was validated against three-dimensional data from NREL's UAE Phase VI campaign. WInDS with dynamic stall shows substantial improvements in load predictions under unsteady conditions. WInDS with the dynamic stall model should provide the necessary aerodynamic model fidelity for future research and design work on floating offshore wind turbines.
Noise Measurement in a Mechanized Opencast Bauxite Mine: A Case Study
Authors: Tripathy D.P. , Rao D.S.
Published: December 2015

Occupational noise is one of the most common pollutants in the mining sector. Prolonged exposure of miners to high levels of noise can cause noise induced hearing loss besides several non-auditory health effects. As these effects have a significant impact on people's health, it is essential to assess the noise exposure and to adopt ameliorative solutions.

This work has been carried out to study the noise levels of different machines in a highly mechanized opencast bauxite mine of Odisha, India. A number of measurements have been carried out using an Extech 1/3 Octave band analyser and sound level meter to collect data where the miners are exposed to different tasks during the occupational process. Noise measurements were carried out at work places of 10 different machinery sources in the bauxite mine. The average noise levels generated from the different machines were compared with permissible exposure levels of workers as per OSHA guidelines. Further contour mapping was plotted to show the noise levels at each work place.
Recent advances in treatment for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Authors: van Rij Simon , Gilling Peter
Published: December 2015

Clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), often identified as a worsening ability of a male to pass urine, is a significant problem for men in our society. In 2015, the use of personalised medicine is tailoring treatment to individual patient needs and to genetic characteristics. Technological advances in surgical treatment are changing the way BPH is treated and are resulting in less morbidity. The future of BPH treatments is exciting, and a number of novel techniques are currently under clinical trial.
Pilot experience with opebacan/rBPI21 in myeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation
Authors: Guinan Eva , Avigan David E , Soiffer Robert J , Bunin Nancy J , Brennan Lisa L , Bergelson Ilana , Brightman Spencer , Ozonoff Al , Scannon Patrick J , Levy Ofer
Published: December 2015

Bacterial infection and inflammation contribute significantly to the morbidity and mortality of myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Endotoxin, a component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, is a potent inflammatory stimulus in humans. Bactericidal/permeability increasing protein (BPI), a constituent of human neutrophil granules, binds endotoxin thereby precluding endotoxin-induced inflammation and also has direct anti-infective properties against bacteria. As a consequence of myeloablative therapy used in preparation for hematopoietic cell infusion, patients experience gastrointestinal leak of bacteria and bacterial toxins into the systemic circulation and a period of inflammatory cytokine elevation associated with subsequent regimen-related toxicities.  Patients frequently become endotoxemic and febrile as well as BPI-deficient due to sustained neutropenia. To examine whether enhancing endotoxin-neutralizing and anti-infective activity by exogenous administration of a recombinant N-terminal fragment of BPI (rBPI21, generic name opebacan) might ameliorate regimen-related toxicities including infection, we recruited patients scheduled to undergo myeloablative HCT to participate in a proof-of-concept prospective phase I/II trial. After the HCT preparative regimen was completed, opebacan was initiated 18-36 hours prior to administration of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells (defined as Day 0) and continued for 72 hours. The trial was to have included escalation of rBPI21dose and duration but was stopped prematurely due to lack of further drug availability.  Therefore, to better understand the clinical course of opebacan-treated patients (n=6), we compared their outcomes with a comparable cohort meeting the same eligibility criteria and enrolled in a non-interventional myeloablative HCT observational study (n = 35).  Opebacan-treated participants had earlier platelet engraftment (p=0.005), mirroring beneficial effects of rBPI21previously observed in irradiated mice, fewer documented infections (p=0.03) and appeared less likely to experience significant regimen-related toxicities (p=0.05). This small pilot experience supports the potential utility of rBPI21in ameliorating HCT-related morbidity and merits further exploration.
Case Report: Postpartum hemorrhage associated with Dengue with warning signs in a term pregnancy and delivery
Authors: Phi Hung Le , Diem Nghi Tran , Hoang Anh Nguyen , Van Hieu Mai , Thien Luan Nguyen , Phuoc Long Nguyen , Trong Thach Than
Published: December 2015

Background: Dengue infection during peripartum period, although rare in endemic regions, has challenged clinicians regarding its management, especially if a parturient woman experiences postpartum hemorrhage due to a classical risk factor of maternal bleeding.

Case: A full-term pregnant Vietnamese woman was diagnosed with polyhydramnios and Dengue with warning signs (DWS). She was administered platelet transfusion prior to delivery and then gave birth to a healthy newborn. After active management of the third stage of labor, the patient suffered a postpartum hemorrhage which was caused by uterine atony and accompanied with thrombocytopenia. Therefore, we decided to administer uterotonic drugs and additionally transfuse platelets.

Conclusion: We describe a case of postpartum hemorrhage caused by uterine atony and coinciding with Dengue infection during delivery period, which is a rare clinical entity. With timely detection and management, the patient was finally discharged without complications.
Supply Chain Contract Design Under Financial Constraints and Bankruptcy Costs
Authors: Kouvelis Panos , Zhao Wenhui
Published: December 2015

We study contract design and coordination of a supply chain with one supplier and one retailer, both of which are capital constrained and in need of short-term financing for their operations. Competitively priced bank loans are available, and the failure of loan repayment leads to bankruptcy, where default costs may include variable (proportional to the firm’s sales) and fixed costs. Without default costs, it is known that simple contracts (e.g., revenue-sharing, buyback, and quantity discount) can coordinate and allocate profits arbitrarily in the chain. With only variable default costs, buyback contracts remain coordinating and equivalent to revenue-sharing contracts but are Pareto dominated by revenue-sharing contracts when fixed default costs are present. Thus, for general bankruptcy costs, contracts without buyback terms are of most interest. Quantity discount contracts fail to coordinate the supply chain, since a necessary condition for coordination is to proportionally reallocate debt obligations within the channel. With only variable default costs and with high fixed default costs exhibiting substantial economies-of-scale, revenue-sharing contracts with working capital coordination continue to coordinate the chain. Unexpectedly, for fixed default costs with small economies-of-scale effects, the two-firm system under a revenue-sharing contract with working capital coordination might have higher expected profit than the one-firm system. Our results provide support for the use of revenue-sharing contracts with working capital coordination for decentralized management of supply chains when there are bankruptcy risks and default costs.

This paper was accepted by Serguei Netessine, operations management.
A phenomenological study of living with a partner affected with dementia
Authors: Meyer Jennie , Cullough Joanne Mc , Berggren Ingela
Published: December 2015

Introduction:

Caring for people affected by dementia is a collective effort that involves public health, primary care, and informal care. The third mainly comprises the efforts of spouses.

Aim:

This study aimed to describe spouses' experiences of living with a partner affected with dementia.

Method:

The study has a descriptive phenomenological approach based on a reflective life-world perspective. Seven in-depth interviews were conducted with spouses of persons affected with dementia. The interviews were audiotaped and analysed using the procedures described by Giorgi (2009) .

Findings:

The essence of living with a partner affected by dementia formed a comprehensive theme: from togetherness to loneliness, which along with three descriptive categories—changes in their partner's behaviour, changes in everyday life, and a changed future—describes the phenomenon.

Conclusion:

The theme ‘From togetherness to loneliness’ reflects the spouses' descriptions of their life-world. Daily life changed gradually in line with their partners' personality, and their role became that of a care provider rather than a spouse. Information and knowledge about dementia should be provided at an early stage. Health care has a major responsibility to meet their needs, thus ensuring that all parties are satisfied.
Prevalence of self-neglect in the caseloads of public health nurses
Authors: Day Mary Rose , Mulcahy Helen , Leahy-Warren Patricia
Published: December 2015

Background:

The extent of self-neglect on public health nurses' (PHNs) caseloads in Ireland is unknown. People who self-neglect may be vulnerable or hidden and, as a consequence, difficult to profile. PHNs in Ireland profile their areas to identify the nursing needs of their population.

Aim:

This paper aims to: collate caseloads on self-neglect on the basis of a review of community profile and health need assessments (CPHNA) and identify the geographical and demographic factors within which self-neglect cases were found.

Method:

A retrospective review of the CPHNA of student PHNs (n=88) was undertaken from 2010 to 2014 in a university in Ireland. In all, 88 community profiles were manually reviewed.

Results:

A total of 374 self-neglect cases were identified—79 cases were aged between 18–64 years and 295 were over 65 years. The range of self-neglect cases per profiled area was between 0 to 25. The geographic and demographic factors linked to self-neglect across profiles were higher rates of older people, deprivation, disadvantage, and cultural factors.

Conclusion:

This retrospective review illustrates that self-neglect is a prominent feature in PHN caseloads, which has not been identified previously. Early identification is important to promote the mental health and wellbeing of self-neglecting clients.
NHS generic project: response from the wound care community
Authors: Kerr Anthony , Guest Julian F , Vowden Peter ,   Wound Care Alliance Trustees, White Richard , Bowen Graham ,   Surgical Dressing Manufacturers Association, Iversen C , Anderson Richard , Cutting Keith
Published: December 2015

This series of letters outlines the response from MA Healthcare, key opinion leaders, and industry to the news that the Government is planning to introduce a generic project for wound dressings, limiting products to three main suppliers.
Interview: Sir Murray Brennan
Authors: Gottlieb Grace
Published: December 2015

Cancer expert Sir Murray Brennan gives us his views on access to healthcare, cancer treatment and overdiagnosis.
PPI: calling all surgical researchers…
Authors: Crocker Joanna , Bostock Jennifer , Bulbulia Richard
Published: December 2015

Could patient and public involvement be the key to successful recruitment and retention in studies?
Tangible sentiments
Authors: Wheeler Robert
Published: December 2015

Each month we take a close look at a recent legal case with implications for the surgical profession.
Mourid Barghouti: The Blessings of Exile
Authors: Salam Mir
Published: December 2015

Although the reputation of poet Mourid Barghouti (b. 1944) in the west rests on two personal memoirs, this article suggests that Barghouti's poetry deserves equal recognition. The long poem in Midnight and Other Poems (2005), the subject of this article, wrestles with the options of the modern exile. Suffused with memory, I argue that Midnight opens a creative window out of multiple historical sites and personal encounters that interrogates the notions of modernity and progress, victory and loss, and nationalism and patriotism. Out of political dilemmas emerge a beauty in words of resistance and defiance, “guns of mutiny” with deep ethical responsibility toward humanity. From within spiritual orphanage and alienation, Barghouti constructs clear, concrete poetry, an aesthetic that articulates the Palestinian memory, crossing borders of history, geography, and literary traditions. Midnight's tender poetic images reposition the Palestinian exile alongside other unique voices worldwide within memory studies.
It Is Not Over Yet: The Arab Revolution between Culture and Political Economy
Authors: Giuseppe Tassone
Published: December 2015

In their assessment of the recent revolutionary turmoil in the Middle East, Hamid Dabashi and Tariq Ramadan argue that the Arab Revolution has opened up for the Arab peoples the possibility of reconnecting themselves with their own history. In their view, there is a creative potential in the Orient itself to question, from within its own tradition, the practices and conceptual categories by which the West has objectified it, so as to produce something new and original. In this article, I contend that Dabashi's and Ramadan's appeal to the Arab cultural tradition as a source of meaning for reconstructing Arab societies is a form of culturalization of politics that blots out the role played by political economy in the Arab Revolution. To gain a theoretical grip on this question, I suggest that the ties between culture and politics be severed and, in their place, the connection between the political and the economic be restored.
The Impact of Turkey's Policy toward Syria on Human Security
Authors: Jülide Karakoç  , Fulya Doğruel
Published: December 2015

Turkey's changing policy toward Syria since the start of the Syrian uprisings in March 2011 has had major cultural, economic, social, and political implications for the people of the city of Hatay, which is located on the Turkey-Syria border and is home to people of diverse ethnicities and religions. This article explores how the problematic relations between Syria and Turkey following the uprisings in Syria have shaped perceptions of human security, examining in particular the impact of the discourse used and the policies followed by Turkey during the civil war in Syria on the security perceptions of the people of Hatay. It is suggested that Turkey's policy toward Syria and the resulting social, economic, and political repercussions for Hatay have fueled perceptions of insecurity for both Syrian refugees and the residents of the city.
‘This is our city’: Realism and the sentimentality of place in David Simon’s The Wire
Authors: Valdez Jessica R.
Published: December 2015

Drawing upon theories of aesthetic realism, this article argues that The Wire develops a tension between the kind of representative typicality characteristic of realism and the exchangeability of labourers and goods in a capitalist system. By developing this tension, The Wire offers a nuanced critique of the ways in which capitalism renders individuals and geographical places as interchangeable placeholders, like pawns in a game of chess. The Wire’s use of realism retains the individualism of person and place, even as these figures represent something more than themselves in the fictional space of the show. I conclude by arguing that The Wire’s realism is mingled with an affective sentimentality associated with the idea of Baltimore.
Gaming for Affect: Museum Online Games and the Embrace of Empathy
Authors: Kidd Jenny
Published: December 2015

This article explores how museum online games encourage affective encounters in players. Video game theory has much to say about affect and empathy as ways into narrative worlds, and this literature is revisited to apply to museums’ games. Through two case studies – Ngā Mōrehu (The Survivors) (2010) from Te Papa Museum in Wellington, New Zealand, and Over the Top (2000) from the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Canada – appeals to empathy are scrutinized. Both games encourage players to adopt a first-person perspective within environments characterized by challenge and despair. These examples represent two approaches to game design and raise questions about the technical, educational and curatorial parameters of gaming for affect.
Into Darkness: Affect and Dark Space in Holocaust Exhibitions
Authors: Messham-Muir Kit
Published: December 2015

Since 1990, many Holocaust exhibitions have featured dark spaces. This article considers the development of these dark spaces and their display function at two institutions: the Holocaust Exhibition at the Imperial War Museum, London and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington DC. By examining shifts in exhibition lighting, a correlation can be found between brighter displays addressing the broad sociopolitical context of Nazism and darker displays focusing more on individual experiences of the death camps. Drawing from phenomenology and museology, this article argues that museums utilize darkness to lead visitors to particular affective experiences and to provoke inquiry into the meanings of the Holocaust.
Die Stadt als Bühne
Authors: Hennings Werner , Horst Uwe , Kramer Jürgen
Published: December 2015

Die Piazza San Pietro, die Place Royale oder Covent Garden - diese Plätze spiegeln die historischen, kulturellen und sozio-politischen Erfahrungen ihrer Gesellschaften wider. Sie erzählen Geschichten von Macht und Herrschaft in ihrer Zeit. Die Beiträge des Bandes zeigen: Räume sind wie Texte, sie sind Systeme von Zeichen. Die Entschlüsselung ihrer Codes enthüllt in Stein gefasste Botschaften, die in ihren symbolischen Wirkungen und atmosphärischen Qualitäten Räume zu Schauplätzen inszenieren: Räume des Staunens und der Faszination. Das Ergebnis ist ein neuer Blick auf altbekannte Plätze - einzelne Aspekte und Bauten verbinden sich zu einem räumlichen und symbolischen Ensemble, zu Bühnen der Macht.
Die Arbeit des Künstlers in der Karikatur
Authors: Grosskopf Anna
Published: December 2015

Klecksen, Wischen, Spachteln oder Streichen: Wie genau arbeiten Künstler eigentlich? Diese Frage findet in der Kunsttheorie und -geschichte nur selten Beachtung - und das, obwohl die Art und Weise der Produktion für die Kunst der Moderne einen neuralgischen Punkt darstellt. In Karikaturen jedoch, die ihre Wirkung am Rande des offiziellen Kunstdiskurses entfalten, finden sich zahlreiche Darstellungen künstlerischer Arbeit, von William Turner und Gustave Courbet über die Impressionisten bis hin zu Jackson Pollock. Anna Grosskopf geht den Materialien, Werkzeugen und Techniken der modernen Kunst in den Karikaturen nach, die im Wechselspiel von Kunst und Komik Einblicke in verschüttete Diskurse gewähren.
Optimization of complex reliability indicator of wireless devices by changing their topology
Authors: Uvarov B. M. , Zin'kovs'kii Yu. F.
Published: December 2015

The authors consider problems of determination of reliability parameters for designs of radio engineering devices (RED) under the influence of mechanical and thermal (external and internal) factors. Mechanical factors (linear acceleration, vibration, impact) cause mechanical effect on the outputs of elements of electronic structure (EES) and soldered connections, which can result in decrease of reliability. External thermal effects and internal heat release in the elements of the electronic structure of radioelectronic devices raises the temperature of these elements, thereby reducing the reliability not only of the elements, but of the device as a whole. The paper presents the methods for determination of versatility indicators of reliability depending on mechanical and thermal effects on REDs. Optimization of configuration of the cell (topology) using computer programs allows reducing mechanical and thermal effect on the outputs of EESs and to obtain maximum parameters of reliability of a design. The optimum topology of a cell obtained by such program is illustrated. As a result of optimization, reliability of cells has increased.
Arterial hypertension and lifestyle of waterway workers
Authors: Silva Jorge Luiz Lima da , Almeida Jonathan Henrique Anjos de , Soares Rafael da Silva , Silva Monyque Evelyn Dos Santos , Teixeira Enéas Rangel , Almeida Jones Alberto de
Published: December 2015

Objective: to describe the prevalence of arterial hypertension among workers of water transportation company in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Methods: it is a sectional study performed with 316 employees. Socio-demographic variables, labor, of lifestyle and health were analyzed; the numbers above 120/80 mmHg were considered as an initial risk for hypertension. Results: the prevalence of hypertension (>140/90mmHg) was 19.3%. The prevalence of blood pressure values above 120/80mmHg was 65.5%. Male gender (p=0.001); age over 35 years (p=0.014); marital status (p=0.040); presence of children (p=0.013); permanent job (p=0.015); be more than five years in the industry (p=0.004), high body mass index (p=0.001) and the unawareness of having high pressure (p=0.001) were associated with hypertension. Conclusion:the findings contribute to the knowledge of health area of workers and provide subsidies to nursing, can perform planning activities and multidisciplinary interventions.
Implications of antibacterial scheduling in newborns in clinical nursing practice
Authors: Silva Waltemberg Moreira da , Dodt Regina Cláudia Melo , Carvalho Rhanna Emanuela Fontenele Lima de , Nogueira Amaurilio Oliveira , Farias Luis Gustavo Oliveira , Chaves Edna Maria Camelo
Published: December 2015

Objective: to identify drug associations related to the scheduling of antibiotics in the neonatal unit which may cause drug interactions. Methods: a retrospective documentary study using medical records of newborns admitted into the neonatal unit. The sample was composed of 92 newborn medical records. Data were collected through forms and presented in tables and figures. Results: associations in drug scheduling leading to pharmacokinetic interactions were found in 24 medical records, highlighting associations between amikacin and ampicillin, cefepime and furosemide, and vancomycin and furosemide. Conclusion: the scheduling of drugs at the same time represents a risk to newborn's health due to the possibility of drug interactions.
Perception of the nursing team about the pain of the parturient: perspectives for care
Authors: Pieszak Greice Machado , Terra Marlene Gomes , Rodrigues Andressa Peripolli , Pimenta Lizandra Flores , Neves Eliane Tatsch , Ebling Sandra Beatris Diniz
Published: December 2015

Objective: To understand the perception of nursing about the pain of childbirth. Methods: This qualitative descriptive study used semi-structured interviews with the nursing staff of a teaching hospital of Rio Grande do Sul Data were analyzed according to thematic content analysis. Results: it was found that professionals recognize the importance of offering comfort methods to ease the pain of childbirth. However, some of them perceived the pain as suffering and not as a physiological process. Pain accentuated in women who felt unsafe, scared and without the presence of a companion. Conclusion: the humanization of obstetric care is still a challenge for professionals, institutions, and society. The incorporation of good practices and that nursing assume its role as a facilitator of the delivery process is suggested.