bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determination of cotton fiber maturity and linear density (fineness) by examination of fiber cross-sections. Part 2: A comparison optical and scanning electron microscopy
Authors: Naylor Geoffrey RS , Pate Margaret , Higgerson Graham J
Published: May 2014

Previous researchers established a set of reference cottons with known fiber maturity and linear density (fineness) values based on the analysis of a large number of individual transverse fiber cross-sections viewed under the optical microscope. Part 1 identified that the limited optical resolution of the captured images may be the source of a significant systematic error in the assigned values of cell wall area and hence fiber maturity and linear density values. In this paper the optical microscopy technique was implemented. Individual cross-sections were measured using this approach and also higher resolution and higher magnification images were obtained using scanning electron microscopy. It was found that the data obtained from optical microscopy were similar to the SEM data, with the perimeter being 2% smaller, the cell wall area being 6% larger and the maturity ratio values being 8% higher. It was concluded that the combined approach of utilizing SEM in conjunction with optical imaging is a useful approach for verifying and perhaps correcting the data obtained from optical imaging. Further the SEM images highlighted that the current experimental protocol does not adequately address the challenge of ensuring that the fibers are mounted normal to the plane of cutting the transverse cross-section. Modeling demonstrated that while maturity ratio values are relatively insensitive to this misalignment, measured cell wall area values and hence fiber linear density values will be overestimated. This may be the major source of error associated with the technique and warrants further attention in future studies.
Constituting urban space in the Moroccan context
Authors: Studer Heide
Published: May 2014

This paper examines tensions and frictions in urban planning and spatial practices of town inhabitants since the beginning of the 20th century in the town of Kasba Tadla, an ordinary town in the Middle Atlas Region. It shows how Moroccan towns and cities have been divided into quarters; while some offer all amenities of modern urban life, others, built by the residents themselves, were officially disregarded. From the end of the 20th century onwards, this distinction has been changing towards a more equal distribution of resources. The author suggests a thorough reflection of professional action and proposes that urban planning be rooted in the local context in connection with colonial, national and global influences. Urban development that recognises town people as active partners in the production of urban space is encouraged.
A Multimethod Multilevel Study of Heritage Transmission
Authors: Wong IpKin Anthony
Published: May 2014

The objective of this research is to explore cultural heritage transmission by means of documentary films. Based on a mixed-methods approach, the results suggest that there is a predominant stereotype of cultural heritage being portrayed by the media. A distinction between staged and genuine authenticity from the stakeholder perspective is also revealed. The results further indicate a cross-level linkage between national culture, tourist cultural interest, authenticity sought, and cultural motives. By using the hierarchical linear modeling approach, this research reveals cross-level mediation and moderation from the cultural level on the individual level. This study advances the literature by understanding the critical role of national cultural origin on tourist interest and the degree of authenticity that tourists seek, as well as on their cultural heritage motives and consumption patterns. It suggests a cultural divide in heritage tourism and shows that culture can be a barrier or a facilitator of mindfulness.
Teaching sunspots: Disciplinary identity and scholarly practice in the Collegio Romano
Authors: Raphael Renee
Published: May 2014

This article examines how Jesuit Gabriele Beati (1607–1673) taught the subject of sunspots in two textbooks commemorating his teaching of natural philosophy and mathematics at the Collegio Romano. Whereas Beati defended the incorruptibility of the heavens in his natural philosophical course, he argued that sunspots were located on the face of the sun itself and generated and corrupted like terrestrial clouds in his mathematical one. While it may be tempting to attribute these different presentations to censorship practices within the Jesuit Order, they are best understood as the result of disciplinary distinctions and scholarly practices shared widely by scholars across Europe.
Public Service Motivation and Institutional-Occupational Motivations Among Undergraduate Students and ROTC Cadets
Authors: Ngaruiya Katherine M. , Velez Anne-Lise Knox , Clerkin Richard M. , Taylor Jami Kathleen
Published: May 2014

Given the current fiscal climate, budgetary pressures may have important implications for recruitment and retention of military personnel. In response to this issue, we join two literatures to study motivational differences in undergraduate college students and Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets: Moskos’ Institutional and Occupational (I-O) enlistment motivation model and Kim et al.’s revised Public Service Motivation (PSM) scale. We survey ROTC cadets and undergraduates at a mid-size public university and find that PSM is higher for ROTC cadets than regular undergraduates. We also find that for ROTC cadets, the institutional motivators for enlistment correlate positively with the rational, normative, and affective dimensions of PSM. In addition, we find increases in the Occupational motivator and the compassion PSM dimension reduce the likelihood of being an ROTC cadet whereas the Institutional motivator and the self-sacrifice PSM dimension are positively related with being an ROTC cadet.
The Effects of Organizational Justice on Organizational Citizenship Behavior in the Chinese Context
Authors: Chen Hong , Jin Yang-Hua
Published: May 2014

Organizational justice (OJ) has been one of the topics studied most frequently in last decade’s years but mostly in the context of Western countries. This study tests the construct validity of OJ in the context of Chinese societies first, testifying four-dimensional OJ model is the best one, which includes distributive, procedural, interpersonal, and leadership justice. Second, the regression analysis of Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB) on OJ has been done; it was found that distributive justice (DJ) and interpersonal justice (IJ) have a positive effect on Organizational Citizenship Behavior Beneficial to Supervisor (OCBS), whereas procedural justice (PJ) and IJ have a positive effect on Organizational Citizenship Behavior Beneficial to Organization (OCBO). Last, the mediating role of social exchange between OJ and OCB was tested and verified—Perceived organizational support (POS) mediates PJ, leadership justice (LJ), and OCBO, whereas leader–member exchange (LMX) mediates DJ and IJ. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
The Cotton Mill Village Turned City
Authors: Wickersham Mary Eleanor , Yehl Robert P.
Published: May 2014

In the latter part of the nineteenth and early part of the twentieth centuries, the dominance of the cotton economy was reflected in the growth of textile mills throughout the U.S. South. In Georgia, the number of cotton mills doubled between 1860 and 1900, providing work for down-on-their-luck sharecroppers who needed a regular paycheck. A few of these geographically tiny mill villages, built by mill owners to house the influx of mill workers, were incorporated into official cities in the first two decades of the twentieth century and continue to exist today, despite their small size, economic challenges, and efforts at consolidation. This article examines three of these Georgia mill villages-turned-cities: Aldora in Lamar County, Payne City in Bibb County, and Riverside in Colquitt County. The research focuses on why these cities, adjacent to or within another city, incorporated in the first place and why they continue to maintain governments that at first glance appear to provide little added value to their citizens.
The City and the City
Authors: Chua Lawrence
Published: May 2014

This article examines the racialization of urban space in early twentieth-century Bangkok. After a general strike in 1910, the Siamese monarchy represented itself in urban space as the leaders of a sovereign nation with a racial Other in its midst. Rather than create a separate, walled enclave to contain this population, the monarchy drew on a material and rhetorical campaign to develop two interdependent cities with distinct racial identities. One city was a national capital under the authority of the absolute monarchy. The other was a thriving port city populated mostly by “Chinese” migrants and governed by extraterritorial law. Juxtaposing the built environment against its discursive representations, this article argues that the monarchy sought to endow the dual city of Bangkok and its inhabitants with racial characteristics to clarify national belonging, control the political power of the region’s migrant population, and cultivate support for royal urban investments.
Discriminant Validity Where There Should Be None
Authors: Weijters Bert , De Beuckelaer Alain , Baumgartner Hans
Published: May 2014

In questionnaires, items can be presented in a grouped format (same-scale items are presented in the same block) or in a randomized format (items from one scale are mixed with items from other scales). Some researchers have advocated the grouped format because it enhances discriminant validity. The current study demonstrates that positioning items in separate blocks of a questionnaire may indeed lead to increased discriminant validity, but this can happen even in instances where discriminant validity should not be present. In particular, the authors show that splitting an established unidimensional scale into two arbitrary blocks of items separated by unrelated buffer items results in the emergence of two clearly identifiable but artificial factors that show discriminant validity.
The Inconsistent Curriculum
Authors: Calarco Jessica McCrory
Published: May 2014

This paper argues that inequalities can be more clearly understood by combining tool kit theories of culture that stress convergence between institutional expectations and individual behavior with symbolic interactionism, which emphasizes the interpretive and situational nature of behavior. I base these arguments on an ethnographic analysis of student responses to ambiguous expectations around help-seeking. Teachers’ shifting expectations created interpretive moments, to which middle-class and working-class students responded differently. Through a logic of entitlement, middle-class students saw ambiguities as opportunities for reward and tried to seek assistance. Through a logic of appeasement, working-class students saw ambiguities as opportunities for reprimand and sought to placate teachers by avoiding requests. Teacher responses to student behavior varied across situations but helped to perpetuate inequalities. Such findings suggest that the activation of tool kit resources and the stratified profits that result are more interpretive and situational than scholars typically acknowledge.
Democracy, ethnic fractionalisation, and the politics of social spending: Disentangling a conditional relationship
Authors: Jensen Carsten , Skaaning Svend-Erik
Published: May 2014

In the past decade, a long list of studies has documented the positive relationship between democracy and social spending. Other studies have shown a negative relationship between ethnic fractionalisation and social spending. So far, the two strands of literature have developed independently of each other. In this article, we present a class-coalition argument that links them, arguing that ethnic fractionalisation influences the effect of democracy on social spending. We test the argument in a large- N study. In line with our expectations, the findings show that democracy leads to higher levels of social spending, but only in relatively homogenous countries.
Democracy, policy, and inequality: Efforts and consequences in the developing world
Authors: Yi Dae Jin , Woo Jun Hee
Published: May 2014

Are democracies better at delivering material benefits to the poor? What would be a key mechanism to translate social demands for redistribution to more egalitarian outcomes in the developing world? Analyzing an unbalanced pooled time-series dataset for domestic government spending, welfare state generosity, and income inequality in the developing world from 1971 to 2008, we find that (partial) democracies promote higher levels of domestic government spending, but they are not associated with higher levels of welfare state generosity. Our results also indicate that in developing countries, welfare state generosity is related to more equality. However, domestic government spending does not have any significant impact on income inequality even in democracies.
Nanoparticles and Pop-off Technique for Electron Microscopy
Authors: Lehmbecker Annika , Rittinghausen Susanne , Rohn Kerstin , Baumgärtner Wolfgang , Schaudien Dirk
Published: May 2014

Because of the size of the nanoparticles, their detection and exact anatomical localization in tissue samples are very difficult. Consequently, suitable methods are needed to prove their presence, especially co-localized to histological lesions. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate whether nanoparticles were detectable in specimens after reprocessing samples from glass slides using the pop-off technique. Tissue slides containing agglomerates of titanium dioxide nanoparticles already visible on a light microscopic level and amorphous silicium dioxide (SiO2) particles not observable in tissue slides were reprocessed. Furthermore, cytospots of bronchoalveolar lavage acquired from rats that previously inhaled carbon nanotubes were used. After reprocessing the samples, they were investigated using transmission electron microscopy. In all the reprocessed samples, the respective nanoparticles were detectable. Even the light microscopically invisible amorphous SiO2 particles were observed as electron dense structures. Titanium and silicium were additionally confirmed in the respective nanoparticles by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). In summary, the pop-off technique represents a fast and easy way to detect nanoparticles in histological sections. This enables further characterization of these particles by additional techniques such as EDX, and their direct correlation with light microscopic lesions at exactly the same location is investigated.
Surgery for false aneurysm developing after type A acute aortic dissection
Authors: Ergüneş Kazım , Yilik Levent , Yurekli Ismail , Celik Ersin , Gurbuz Ali
Published: May 2014

Aortic false aneurysm is life-threatening with high morbidity and mortality rates. Surgical treatment varies according to the pathologic process, infection status, and site of origin of the aneurysm. We presented a case of false aneurysm of the ascending aorta, developing after type A acute aortic dissection repair. The operation was performed with the use of deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest to avoid massive uncontrollable hemorrhage.
Attachment-related avoidance and the social and agentic content of nostalgic memories
Authors: Abeyta Andrew A. , Routledge Clay , Roylance Christina , Wildschut Tim , Sedikides Constantine
Published: May 2014

The reported research tested whether the social and agentic content of nostalgic memories varies as a function of attachment-related avoidance. We measured individual differences in attachment-related avoidance and anxiety and coded the interpersonal and agentic content of nostalgic and non-nostalgic narratives. Results revealed that nostalgic (relative to non-nostalgic) narratives contained more social content and that this link was not moderated by attachment-related avoidance. There was a significant association between attachment-related avoidance and attachment-related social content in nostalgic, but not non-nostalgic, past narratives. There was also a significant association between attachment-related avoidance and agency content in nostalgic, but not non-nostalgic narratives.
Children’s programming on Televisión Española under Franco (1958–1975)
Authors: Paz María Antonia , Martínez Lizette
Published: May 2014

This article analyses the children’s programmes which were made by, and broadcast on, Spanish television channel Televisión Española from the time when programme schedules were first published in the press (1958) until the end of the Franco era (1975). The programming is then linked to the evolution of Televisión Española as an institution, as well as with the social and political context of the nation. The study takes into account the days and times of transmission, programme duration, the number of new shows broadcast per year and the most common content/formats. Each programme’s structure, its characters, the role of the presenter, involvement of children and the values and ideas conveyed are also assessed. We will demonstrate that the dictatorship initially used these programmes to promote patriotic and religious feelings, and later on, to prepare children and young people for the new social and economic realities of the country (such as urbanisation and industrialisation).
Policy streams and public service media funding reforms in Germany and Finland
Authors: Herzog Christian , Karppinen Kari
Published: May 2014

On 1 January 2013, Germany and Finland made the switch from the traditional broadcasting licence fee tied to television-set ownership to a compulsory excise duty collected from all citizens, households and places of business. This article compares the changes in these countries’ public service media funding arrangements on the basis of John Kingdon’s ‘multiple streams’ framework of public policy-making which, to date, has been rather neglected in studies of media policy-making processes. Drawing on the analysis of policy documents and interviews with policymakers and other stakeholders involved in the respective processes, we investigate how the actual reforms materialized, which other possibilities were neglected and why this has been the case.
Nanoparticle oxygen delivery to the ischemic heart
Authors: Swyer TW , Strom J , Larson DF
Published: May 2014

Objective:

Currently there are no medications that can be administered to help deliver more oxygen to the myocardial region experiencing abnormal perfusion. The purpose of this study was to look at the nanoparticle dodecafluoropentane in an emulsion as an oxygen carrier. Using nanoparticles as an oxygen carrier is advantageous because they are able to carry oxygen past blockages that are obstructing red blood cells (6-8 µm) due to their smaller size (250 nm). With the reintroduction of oxygen to the ischemic muscle tissue, a reduced infarct size should be seen.

Methods:

Male C57BL/6J mice underwent left anterior descending artery (LAD) ligation using 8-0 monofilament nylon suture. Immediately after ligation of the LAD, the control group received a 200-µl intravenous injection of phosphate buffered saline (PBS). The treated group received a dose of 0.6 ml/kg of dodecafluoropentane diluted to a total volume of 200 µl in PBS. The mice were then allowed to recover from anesthesia and were sacrificed 24 hours after the time of ligation. After the mice were sacrificed, the heart was excised and placed at -20°C for 20 minutes. The heart was then sliced into 1-mm sections and stained with tetrazolium red to identify the infarcted area. The area of infarct and ventricle were then analyzed using ImageJ software.

Results:

The average area of infarct in comparison to the ventricle for the control mice was 29.3±0.04% compared to 11.7±0.02% for the dodecafluoropentane-treated mice.

Conclusion:

The use of dodecafluoropentane in this murine model of myocardial infarction showed a 60% reduction in infarct size (p<0.01). The possibility of using nanoparticles to deliver oxygen to hypoxic tissues has interesting implications and justifies further study.
Developing information to support the implementation of place-based economic development strategies: A case study of regional and rural development policy in the State of Victoria, Australia
Authors: McDonald Chris
Published: May 2014

Increasingly governments are seeking to organise economic development strategies in partnership with business and community actors at a local level. These place-based approaches devolve greater responsibility to local and regional institutions emphasising bottom-up, locally designed strategies aimed at maximising the growth potential of local economies. The State of Victoria has implemented an approach to regional development organised around regional plans that are developed locally and endorsed by government, business and community leaders. One problem associated with implementing these approaches is the lack of shared ideas and understandings about the role of governments in promoting local and regional economic development. In this paper, I reflect on the development of an information base in the State of Victoria that has been designed to address this problem. This may present lessons for other practitioners approaching similar challenges. The paper also contributes to an understanding of how to address problems associated with the implementation of place-based approaches to economic development.
Virtual reality for upper extremity rehabilitation in early stroke: a pilot randomized controlled trial
Authors: Yin Chan Wai , Sien Ng Yee , Ying Low Ai , Chung Stephanie Fook-Chong Man , Tan May Leng Dawn
Published: May 2014

Objectives:

To investigate the effect of virtual reality (VR) rehabilitation on upper extremity motor performance of patients with early stroke.

Design:

Pilot randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

Rehabilitation wards.

Participants:

Twenty three adults with stroke (mean age (SD) = 58.35 (13.45) years and mean time since stroke (SD) = 16.30 (7.44) days).

Interventions:

Participants were randomly assigned to VR group ( n=11) or control group ( n=12). VR group received nine 30 minutes upper extremity VR therapy in standing (five weekdays in two weeks) plus conventional therapy, which included physical and occupational therapy. Control group received only conventional therapy, which was comparable to total training time received by VR group (mean training hours (SD):VR = 17.07 (2.86); control = 15.50 (2.79)).

Main outcome measures:

The main outcome measure was the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA). Secondary outcomes included Action Research Arm Test, Motor Activity Log and Functional Independence Measure. Results were taken at baseline, post intervention and 1-month post intervention. Participants’ feedback and adverse effects were recorded.

Results:

All participants improved in FMA scores (mean change (SD) = 11.65 (8.56), P<.001). These effects were sustained at one month after intervention (mean (SD) change from baseline = 18.67 (13.26), P<.001). All other outcome measures showed similar patterns. There were no significant differences in improvement between both groups. Majority of the participants found VR training useful and enjoyable, with no serious adverse effects reported.

Conclusion:

Although additional VR training was not superior to conventional therapy alone, this study demonstrates the feasibility of VR training in early stroke.
Communicating Relative Risk Changes with Baseline Risk
Authors: Bodemer Nicolai , Meder Björn , Gigerenzer Gerd
Published: May 2014

Background. Treatment benefits and harms are often communicated as relative risk reductions and increases, which are frequently misunderstood by doctors and patients. One suggestion for improving understanding of such risk information is to also communicate the baseline risk. We investigated 1) whether the presentation format of the baseline risk influences understanding of relative risk changes and 2) the mediating role of people’s numeracy skills. Method. We presented laypeople ( N = 1234) with a hypothetical scenario about a treatment that decreased (Experiments 1a, 2a) or increased (Experiments 1b, 2b) the risk of heart disease. Baseline risk was provided as a percentage or a frequency. In a forced-choice paradigm, the participants’ task was to judge the risk in the treatment group given the relative risk reduction (or increase) and the baseline risk. Numeracy was assessed using the Lipkus 11-item scale. Results. Communicating baseline risk in a frequency format facilitated correct understanding of a treatment’s benefits and harms, whereas a percentage format often impeded understanding. For example, many participants misinterpreted a relative risk reduction as referring to an absolute risk reduction. Participants with higher numeracy generally performed better than those with lower numeracy, but all participants benefitted from a frequency format. Limitations are that we used a hypothetical medical scenario and a nonrepresentative sample. Conclusions. Presenting baseline risk in a frequency format improves understanding of relative risk information, whereas a percentage format is likely to lead to misunderstandings. People’s numeracy skills play an important role in correctly understanding medical information. Overall, communicating treatment benefits and harms in the form of relative risk changes remains problematic, even when the baseline risk is explicitly provided.
On the history of torsional stress concentrations in shafts: From electrical analogies to numerical methods
Authors: Ajovalasit Augusto , Nigrelli Vincenzo , Pitarresi Giuseppe , Virzi Mariotti Gabriele
Published: May 2014

This article proposes a retrospective on experimental and numerical methods developed throughout the past century to solve the torsion problem in shafts, with particular emphasis on the determination of shear stress concentration factors in discontinuities of typical use in shaft design. This article, in particular, presents the theory and related solutions distinguishing between two classes of geometries: shafts with constant cross section and axisymmetric shafts with variable diameter. Emphasis is given to approaches based on physical analog methods and, in particular, those based on electrical analogies proposed since about 1925. Experimental methods based on structural physical models and numerical formulations are also reviewed, and a number of results from different approaches are collected and compared for two typical design case studies: a constant section shaft with a keyway and an axisymmetric shaft with a shouldered fillet.
Review of comorbidities and risk factors for the development of migraine complications (infarct and chronic migraine)
Authors: Dodick DW
Published: May 2014

A number of comorbid disorders, behavioural traits and associated risk factors in patients with migraine are known to increase the risk of complications such as ischaemic vascular events and chronic migraine, a syndrome that is more disabling and resistant to treatment with acute and preventative medications than episodic migraine. Reduction of cardiovascular risk factors, smoking cessation and use of non-oestrogen-containing oral contraceptives in female patients are beneficial strategies to reduce the risk of ischaemic events in patients with migraine (especially those with aura). Attack frequency, acute medication overuse, obesity and coexisting depression and anxiety disorders are particularly strong but potentially modifiable independent risk factors for progression to chronic migraine. Identifying and managing comorbidities and associated risk factors for complications of migraine are likely to require an integrated disease management strategy involving several disciplines and allied health services. Such a disease-oriented model of care may potentially interrupt the cycle of progression and disability and improve quality of life for patients with migraine.
Early treatment of acute migraine: New evidence of benefits
Authors: Valade D
Published: May 2014

The current management approach to migraine headaches advocates use of triptan medications early in the course of an attack while pain is still mild, rather than waiting to treat the pain when it has progressed to moderate-severe. Recently, strong new evidence for the benefits of early intervention has become available. The AEGIS, AIMS and AwM studies of almotriptan in patients with migraine indicate that earlier treatment initiation and lower pain intensity at the time of treatment are important predictors of enhanced therapeutic outcomes. The opportunity to treat early exists for about 50% of all migraine attacks, which offers considerable scope for improving migraine management. Importantly, treating pain early and before it has progressed beyond ‘mild’ meets many of the expectations patients have of their migraine treatment. It is believed that consistent, positive outcomes may assist in overcoming the various physician-and patient-perceived barriers to adoption of this beneficial treatment strategy.
Women’s Land Ownership and Relationship Power
Authors: Grabe Shelly , Grose Rose Grace , Dutt Anjali
Published: May 2014

Violence against women is a widespread societal problem substantiated and perpetuated through inequities that operate within numerous levels of the society. Challenging and ending gender-based violence therefore requires addressing social structures that perpetuate gendered hierarchies and maintain women’s susceptibility to experiencing violence worldwide. The present study examines novel approaches taken by women in two different countries in the Global South, one in Nicaragua and another in Tanzania, to examine macro-level processes involved in land ownership in regions where owning land is a marker of dominance. Using data from 492 women, results from structural equation models and qualitative thematic analyses demonstrate significant links among women’s ownership of land, relationship power, and receipt of physical and psychological violence in both the countries. Collectively, the findings suggest that when women own land, they gain power within their relationships and are less likely to experience violence. Implications for theoretical conceptualizations of eradicating violence against women and practical interventions are discussed.
Valuation of technical fibres in composite applications – A non-linear regression-based approach
Authors: Ledl Caroline , Koch Sebastian , Hesser Franziska , Langthaler Georg , Frederike Ettwein , Schwarzbauer Peter , Stern Tobias
Published: May 2014

Fibre-reinforced composites are an important field of composite research and are used in an enormous range of applications from special high-tech applications such as aeronautics to consumer goods such as sporting goods. The objective of this study is to assess the monetary value of fibres to be used for reinforcement in composites by the relation of price and certain fibre properties. To model this, relationship data from different types of technical fibres were used. An economic approach is used to identify the determinants of fibre value. In total, four regression models were calculated. The models give an impression of the impact of the explanatory variables. This work shows that the evaluation of the economic value of a reinforcement fibre by technical properties is feasible.
Critical Issues in the Transition From the Defined Benefit to the Defined Contribution Pension Model
Authors: Cong Yongqing (Carrie) , Frank Howard A. , Gianakis Gerasimos (Jerry) , Guo Hai (David)
Published: May 2014

The dramatically increased costs of maintaining many public pension systems after the recent economic downturn have spurred a number of state and local governments to reassess the sustainability of traditional defined benefit (DB) pension plans and to explore reforms. To relieve this fiscal burden, some municipalities have considered implementing defined contribution (DC) plans for some portions of their workforce. This article explores critical issues attendant to implementing this paradigm shift. Utilizing a survey, the authors examine the perceptions of municipal finance and human resource managers regarding this potential transition. Findings indicate that these groups hold virtually identical positions on these issues. Reforms undertaken to bolster sustainability of the DB-centered model may bear unanticipated consequences—both positive and negative—that are largely unexplored given their recentness. Practitioners should prepare for these eventualities.
Commemorating Young Victims of World War II in Poland
Authors: Stańczyk Ewa
Published: May 2014

This article analyses the public commemoration of young victims of World War II in Poland. In particular, it examines the various practices of remembrance associated with Polen-Jugendverwahrlager, the notorious children’s camp established by the Nazis on the territory of Litzmannstadt Ghetto in 1942. While investigating state-sanctioned and local initiatives, undertaken both under Communism and after its fall, this article poses salient questions about Poland’s politics of memory and the role of various actors, such as the state, survivors, and local nongovernmental organizations, in its making. Whilst acknowledging the historical and cultural significance of children, this article also contributes to the ongoing debate on the revision of history that occurred in Poland after the fall of Communism.
Ethnography of the Ek-Static Experience
Authors: Riley Alexander
Published: May 2014

Much work has been done in recent decades to emphasize the need in ethnographic writing to grapple with questions of authorship, perspective, aesthetics, emotional resonance, and style. Various forms of reflexive ethnographic writing, and especially autoethnography, have opened up new expressive avenues. In this article, I argue that a figure who is at present poorly known in English-language social scientific circles, the French ethnographer, poet, and writer Michel Leiris (1901–1990), pushes this kind of autobiographical ethnographic writing forward in powerful ways. In brief, Leiris offers a powerfully effective method (which I call poésie auto-socioanalytique) that ties subjective experience into a larger objective structural framework via a method that (1) focuses on cultural meaning in an autobiographical experiential framework, that is, from the inside, (2) is expressly concerned with the role that language itself plays in meaning and memory, and (3) examines extraordinary situations in which one stands, temporarily, outside the normal interactional world in an existential frame of peculiar intensity and effervescence (the ek-static), and uses the Durkheimian conception of the sacred–profane opposition, along with the binary differentiation of the sacred into pure and impure varieties, as a structural theoretical tool for these descriptions. He makes an important contribution to ongoing discussions in the disciplines of cultural anthropology and cultural sociology concerning the interpretation and description of cultural meaning.
Holistic design methodology for mechatronic systems
Authors: Malmquist Daniel , Frede Daniel , Wikander Jan
Published: May 2014

The wide range of engineering domains aggregated in mechatronic systems can cause problems for design engineers. It is important to treat the different domains in an integrated, concurrent manner during design to be able to achieve the frequently sought-for synergetic effects of mechatronic systems. Traditional design methods are usually based on the different engineering disciplines being treated separately and only integrated at a late stage of the development process. Consequently, those methods do not work sufficiently well for mechatronic systems, leading to a suboptimal product. Previous research by the authors presents a novel approach to mechatronic system design by allowing quick optimisation and evaluation of design concepts. This is done by front loading certain design activities, hence decreasing the need for time- and cost-consuming iterations in later design stages. The method is backed up by a supporting software tool prototype. This article extends the method by including the dynamic aspects of the designed systems while also implementing basic control aspects, hence creating a concurrent and holistic method for mechatronic system design. This allows the designer to take synergetic effects into account at an earlier stage of the design process, hence increasing product quality and decreasing development costs. A conceptual design case is used in this article for an initial evaluation of the method and the results show great potential for the methodology.
Optimal braking force allocation for a four-wheel drive fully electric vehicle
Authors: Pennycott Andrew , De Novellis Leonardo , Gruber Patrick , Sorniotti Aldo
Published: May 2014

Control allocation can be used onboard fully electric vehicles in order to maximise the regenerative power produced during braking manoeuvres. In this study, the efficiency characteristics of an electric motor are used in conjunction with constraints from European braking regulations in an offline optimisation procedure aimed at maximising the regenerative power yielded at different motor speed and braking demand conditions. The resulting optimisation data are used in a simple online control allocation approach via a look-up table. Simulation results highlight significant motor power loss reductions and small increases in regenerative power under various levels of braking demand in comparison with a wheel torque allocation scheme in which the front axle-to-total braking force ratio is maintained at a constant level. The approach does not rely on complex online optimisation schemes and can thus be practically implemented in real time on fully electric vehicles.
Decadal climate variability of the North Sea during the last millennium reconstructed from bivalve shells (Arctica islandica)
Authors: Holland Hilmar A , Schöne Bernd R , Lipowsky Constanze , Esper Jan
Published: May 2014

Uninterrupted, annually resolved paleoclimate records are crucial to contextualize the current global change. Such information is particularly relevant for the Europe realm for which weather and climate projections are still very challenging if not virtually impossible. This study presents the first precisely dated, annually resolved, multiregional Arctica islandica chronologies from the North Sea which cover the time interval ad 1040–2010 and contain important information on supra-regional climatic conditions (sea surface temperature (SST), ocean productivity, wind stress). Shell growth varied periodically on timescales of 3–8, 12–16, 28–36, 50–80, and 120–240 years, possibly indicating a close association with the North Atlantic Oscillation, ocean-internal cycles of the North Atlantic controlled by ocean–atmosphere couplings, and the Atlantic Multi-Decadal Oscillation. Increased climatic instability, that is, stronger quasi-decadal variability, seems to be linked to the predominance of atmospheric forcings and some significantly decreased insolation phases (e.g. Spörer and Maunder Minima). Increased climatic variability of shorter timescales was also observed during some particularly warm phases or regime shifts (e.g. during the ‘Medieval Climate Anomaly’ and since c. 1970). More stable climatic conditions, that is, extended warm or cold periods (‘Medieval Climate Anomaly’, ‘Little Ice Age’), however, fell together with a predominance of multi-decadal oceanic cycles. Whether the sunspot number and the higher frequency climate variability are causally linked and which processes and mechanisms are required lie beyond this study.
A 2540-year record of moisture variations derived from lacustrine sediment (Sasikul Lake) on the Pamir Plateau
Authors: Lei Yanbin , Tian Lide , Bird Broxton W , Hou Juzhi , Ding Lin , Oimahmadov Ilhomjon , Gadoev Mustafo
Published: May 2014

Although the Pamir Plateau is an ideal place to investigate paleo-environmental changes in the westerlies-dominated high Central Asia, there are only few Holocene records from this region. We present a sub-centennially resolved lacustrine record of moisture variations from Sasikul Lake, central Pamir Plateau, based on geochemical, sedimentological, and mineralogical proxies. Our results show that generally dry conditions at Sasikul Lake during the past 2540 years were interrupted by a pronounced wet period between ad 1550 and 1900, corresponding to the ‘Little Ice Age’ (LIA). More negative values of carbonate δ18O, lower total inorganic carbon (TIC) and sand content during the LIA all indicate a relatively wet period with higher lake level. Higher TIC during the ‘Medieval Warm Period’ (MWP; ad 950–1200) reveals a lower lake level relative to the LIA. Low δ18O during this time is probably attributed to changes in the isotopic composition of input water and/or upstream moisture sources. The significant increase in detrital minerals and decrease in carbonate during the LIA provide further evidence for higher allochthonous input during the wet period at Sasikul Lake. The inferred moisture variations are consistent with existing records from regions of the northern Tibetan Plateau and Central Asia that are also influenced by the westerlies, but out-of-phase with those records from the Asian monsoon region, indicating that moisture variations at Sasikul Lake were mainly influenced by the strength and trajectories of the westerlies. The inferred water level at Sasikul Lake decreased significantly during the first half of the 20th century, and then increased in recent decades. This is consistent with the increase in lake area derived from satellite images and the monitoring data of large lake-level changes in Central Asia.
Stomatal density and stomatal index of fossil Buxus from coprolites of extinct Myotragus balearicus Bate (Artiodactyla, Caprinae) as evidence of increased CO2 concentration during the late Holocene
Authors: Rivera Leidy , Baraza Elena , Alcover Josep A , Bover Pere , Rovira Carla M , Bartolomé Jordi
Published: May 2014

Stomatal density of plants may vary depending on environmental factors, such as CO2 concentration. Under the current atmospheric conditions, it is expected that leaves have different stomatal density than they had hundreds or thousands of years ago, due to the rise in CO2 in the atmosphere. Coprolites of the extinct Myotragus balearicus from Cova Estreta (Pollença, Mallorca), with a radiocarbon age of 3775–3640 cal. bc, have been used to study the diet of this bovid. A significant amount of epidermal fragments of Buxus was found in the faecal material. Three coprolites were used to estimate the stomatal density and stomatal index of Buxus epidermal fragments from this period. Samples of the endangered Buxus balearica, the sole species of Buxus currently present on Mallorca, and samples of the Buxus sempervirens, present in the nearest mainland, were also collected in different locations. Leaves were examined using microscopy to determine and compare the stomatal density and stomatal index between current plant material and coprolite material. The results indicated a higher value for stomatal index (12.71) and stomatal density (297.61 stomata/mm2) in leaves from the coprolites versus leaves of the living B. balearica and B. sempervirens species (7.99 and 227.77 stomata/mm2 respectively). These results could provide a palaeobotanic evidence of a change in atmospheric CO2 concentration since mid-Holocene in the Mediterranean basin.
Geologic evidence for prehistoric tsunamis and coseismic uplift during the ad 1854 Ansei-Tokai earthquake in Holocene sediments on the Shimizu Plain, central Japan
Authors: Kitamura Akihisa , Kobayashi Konatsu
Published: May 2014

This study examines geological evidence for earthquakes and tsunamis based on data obtained from 14 sediments cores and one trench in the coastal area of the Shimizu Plain, Japan. The Shimizu Plain is located onshore of the Suruga Trough, which marks the convergent boundary between the Eurasian and Philippine Sea plates. On the basis of lithologies, fossil contents, and radiocarbon dating, we identified geological and paleontological evidence for abrupt changes in depositional environments related to coseismic uplift associated with the ad 1854 Ansei-Tokai earthquake. We estimated a maximum coseismic uplift of 1.2 m and post-earthquake gradual subsidence of c. 0.6 m. We also identified four prehistoric tsunami deposits (T-I, T-II, T-III, and T-IV) in shallow-water (from low tide to 40 m depth) muddy bay deposits. The tsunami deposits are 20–70 cm thick, have sharp erosional bases, typically a graded structure, and contain rip-up clasts. 14C ages date the deposits to 6180–6010 to 5700–5580 cal. yr BP for T-I, 5700–5580 to 5520–5320 cal. yr BP for T-II, 4335–4125 to 4250–4067 cal. yr BP for T-III, and 3670–3540 to 3500–3360 cal. yr BP for T-IV. The interval between the tsunamis is in the order of 500–1000 years, which is significantly longer than the intervals between the four historical tsunamis that have inundated the Shimizu Plain since ad 1096. We also identified three event deposits that may have formed during the ad 1498 Meio or ad 1707 Hoei earthquakes.
Understanding the librarian/user gap in perception of health information services: A phenomenographic approach
Authors: Yi Yong J. , You Soeun
Published: May 2014

The study aimed to illuminate different perspectives between public library users and librarians in perceiving the major challenges for consumer health information services and suggest how to reduce the gap between them. The study employed phenomenography, a qualitative approach, and conducted semi-structured intensive interviews with 40 public library users and 20 reference librarians at 12 public libraries in Florida and Maryland. Findings identified gaps between user needs and the assistance that librarians provide for them. Privacy issues affect the types of health information resources users prefer, where budget constraints influence the ones on which librarians focus. While traditional reference interviews stress clear communication between users and librarians, the present study underscores that non-verbal communication is crucial in helping users protect their privacy. Understanding the different perspectives of consumer health information services can provide insights for design and evaluation strategies of such service, and training and education of librarians and users.
Systemic lupus erythematosus presenting as erythema annulare centrifugum
Authors: Chander R , Yadav P , Singh A , Nangia A
Published: May 2014

A case of systemic lupus erythematosus presenting as erythema annulare centrifugum involving atypical sites (face, palm and sole) and raised serum angiotensin-converting enzyme levels has been illustrated.