bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimation of acoustic macro models using a genetic full-waveform inversion: Applications to the Marmousi model
Authors: Sajeva Angelo , Aleardi Mattia , Stucchi Eusebio , Bienati Nicola , Mazzotti Alfredo
Published: June 2016

We have developed a stochastic full-waveform inversion that uses genetic algorithms (GA FWI) to estimate acoustic macro models of the P-wave velocity field. Stochastic methods such as GA severely suffer the curse of dimensionality, meaning that they require unaffordable computer resources for inverse problems with many unknowns and expensive forward modeling. To mitigate this issue, we have proposed a two-grid technique with a coarse grid to represent the subsurface for the GA inversion and a finer grid for the forward modeling. We have applied this procedure to invert synthetic acoustic data of the Marmousi model, and we have developed three different tests. The first two tests use a velocity model derived from standard stacking velocity analysis as prior information and differ only for the parameterization of the coarse grid. Their comparison indicates that a smart parameterization of the coarse grid may significantly improve the final result. The third test uses a linearly increasing 1D velocity model as prior information, a layer-stripping procedure, and a large number of model evaluations. All three tests return velocity models that fairly reproduce the long-wavelength structures of the Marmousi. First-break cycle skipping related to the seismograms of the final GA-FWI models is significantly reduced compared with that computed on the models used as prior information. Descent-based FWIs starting from final GA-FWI models yield velocity models with low and comparable model misfits and with an improved reconstruction of the structural details. The quality of the models obtained by GA FWI plus descent-based FWI is benchmarked against the models obtained by descent-based FWI started from a smoothed version of the Marmousi and started directly from the prior information models. Our results are promising and demonstrate the ability of the two-grid GA FWI to yield velocity models suitable as input to descent-based FWI.
An absorbing boundary condition for acoustic-wave propagation using a mesh-free method
Authors: Takekawa Junichi , Mikada Hitoshi
Published: June 2016

We have developed an absorbing boundary condition for acoustic-wave propagation using a mesh-free method without sacrificing the flexibility of the mesh-free framework. When we simulate acoustic-wave propagation using a numerical method, artificial reflections from model edges induced by a truncated computational domain should be avoided. Although many absorbing boundary conditions have been developed, most of them have been based on a regular latticed alignment of grids or nodes, and the efficiency of such absorbing boundary conditions for irregular arrangement of grids or nodes has not been examined yet. We have studied the artificial reflections generated at the boundaries of a model for a mesh-free method, and we have proposed a novel approach for suppressing the artifacts. The method uses a hybrid approach with a transition zone, in which the wavefield is estimated by a weighted average of solutions from the one- and two-way wave equations. Numerical experiments indicate that the proposed method can provide good performance in suppression of the artificial edge reflections even for irregular distributions of calculation points in the vicinity of model edges.
Amplitude variation with offset inversion using the reflectivity method
Authors: Liu Hongxing , Li Jingye , Chen Xiaohong , Hou Bo , Chen Li
Published: June 2016

Most existing amplitude variation with offset (AVO) inversion methods are based on the Zoeppritz’s equation or its approximations. These methods assume that the amplitude of seismic data depends only on the reflection coefficients, which means that the wave-propagation effects, such as geometric spreading, attenuation, transmission loss, and multiples, have been fully corrected or attenuated before inversion. However, these requirements are very strict and can hardly be satisfied. Under a 1D assumption, reflectivity-method-based inversions are able to handle transmission losses and internal multiples. Applications of these inversions, however, are still time-consuming and complex in computation of differential seismograms. We have evaluated an inversion methodology based on the vectorized reflectivity method, in which the differential seismograms can be calculated from analytical expressions. It is computationally efficient. A modification is implemented to transform the inversion from the intercept time and ray-parameter domain to the angle-gather domain. AVO inversion is always an ill-posed problem. Following a Bayesian approach, the inversion is stabilized by including the correlation of the P-wave velocity, S-wave velocity, and density. Comparing reflectivity-method-based inversion with Zoeppritz-based inversion on a synthetic data and a real data set, we have concluded that reflectivity-method-based inversion is more accurate when the propagation effects of transmission losses and internal multiples are not corrected. Model testing has revealed that the method is robust at high noise levels.
Marine guided waves: Subbottom property estimation and filtering using physical modeling data
Authors: Wang Jiannan , Stewart Robert R. , Dyaur Nikolay I. , Bell M. Lee
Published: June 2016

Marine guided waves are strongly dispersive and commonly observed in seismic surveys worldwide in areas of shallow water with a hard seafloor. They are energetic and can obscure deeper reflection signals. We have conducted several ultrasonic physical modeling experiments to observe marine guided waves. The guided-wave dispersion curves from these surveys fit theoretical calculations very well. We next developed a new method to extract the subbottom S-wave velocity and density from water column guided waves using least-squares inversion. We have also developed a dispersion-curve filter, in the velocity-frequency domain, to attenuate the guided waves. We then applied these techniques to the physical modeling data, which have different water depths and different subbottom materials. The extracted results (S-wave velocity, density, and water depth) match the actual values well. The dispersion-domain filter clarifies reflections by attenuating the guided waves, which benefits further processing and interpretation.
Processing of surface-nuclear magnetic resonance data from sites with high noise levels
Authors: Larsen Jakob Juul , Behroozmand Ahmad A.
Published: June 2016

The applicability of surface nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in investigations of groundwater is often limited by high noise levels in many areas of interest. We have evaluated measurements from a high-noise-level area in Ristrup, Denmark, recorded with a Numis Poly instrument. Standard multichannel filtering techniques for noise reduction are inadequate for several data sets acquired in this area, and surface-NMR signals cannot be resolved from the acquired data. Based on a careful assessment of the frequency content of the data, we have determined how a model-based noise reduction approach can be generalized and used to subtract two harmonic noise components from the data. Reliable surface-NMR data can be extracted from the noise-reduced data. Moreover, we have determined the impact of the proposed processing approaches on our inversion results, and we have also developed an example in which the proposed methodology allowed us to reveal and avoid an otherwise overlooked contamination of the reference coil signals with a surface-NMR signal. No borehole data were available for the investigated sites, and the validity of the noise reduction approach was instead verified using a synthetic five-layer model embedded in noise-only records from Ristrup. Our results have determined that a careful processing of the recorded data made it possible to extract surface-NMR data in more places of interest.
Isotropic elastic wavefield imaging using the energy norm
Authors: Rocha Daniel , Tanushev Nicolay , Sava Paul
Published: June 2016

From the elastic-wave equation and the energy conservation principle, we have derived an energy norm that is applicable to imaging with elastic wavefields. Extending the concept of the norm to an inner product enables us to compare two related wavefields. For example, the inner product of source and receiver wavefields at each spatial location leads to an imaging condition. This new imaging condition outputs a single image representing the total reflection energy, and it contains individual terms related to the kinetic and potential energy (strain energy) from both extrapolated wavefields. An advantage of the proposed imaging condition compared with alternatives is that it does not suffer from polarity reversal at normal incidence, as do conventional images obtained using converted waves. Our imaging condition also accounted for the directionality of the wavefields in space and time. Based on this information, we have modified the imaging condition for attenuation of backscattering artifacts in elastic reverse time migration images. We performed numerical experiments that revealed the improved quality of the energy images compared with their conventional counterparts and the effectiveness of the imaging condition in attenuating backscattering artifacts even in media characterized by high spatial variability.
Thyroid Hormone Receptor-β (TRβ) Mediates Runt-Related Transcription Factor 2 (Runx2) Expression in Thyroid Cancer Cells: A Novel Signaling Pathway in Thyroid Cancer
Authors: Carr Frances E. , Tai Phillip W. L. , Barnum Michael S. , Gillis Noelle E. , Evans Katherine G. , Taber Thomas H. , White Jeffrey H. , Tomczak Jennifer A. , Jaworski Diane M. , Zaidi Sayyed K. , Lian Jane B. , Stein Janet L. , Stein Gary S.
Published: June 2016

Dysregulation of the thyroid hormone receptor (TR)β is common in human cancers. Restoration of functional TRβ delays tumor progression in models of thyroid and breast cancers implicating TRβ as a tumor suppressor. Conversely, aberrant expression of the runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) is established in the progression and metastasis of thyroid, breast, and other cancers. Silencing of Runx2 diminishes tumor invasive characteristics. With TRβ as a tumor suppressor and Runx2 as a tumor promoter, a compelling question is whether there is a functional relationship between these regulatory factors in thyroid tumorigenesis. Here, we demonstrated that these proteins are reciprocally expressed in normal and malignant thyroid cells; TRβ is high in normal cells, and Runx2 is high in malignant cells. T3 induced a time- and concentration-dependent decrease in Runx2 expression. Silencing of TRβ by small interfering RNA knockdown resulted in a corresponding increase in Runx2 and Runx2-regulated genes, indicating that TRβ levels directly impact Runx2 expression and associated epithelial to mesenchymal transition molecules. TRβ specifically bound to 3 putative thyroid hormone-response element motifs within the Runx2-P1 promoter (−105/+133) as detected by EMSA and chromatin immunoprecipitation. TRβ suppressed Runx2 transcriptional activities, thus confirming TRβ regulation of Runx2 at functional thyroid hormone-response elements. Significantly, these findings indicate that a ratio of the tumor-suppressor TRβ and tumor-promoting Runx2 may reflect tumor aggression and serve as biomarkers in biopsy tissues. The discovery of this TRβ-Runx2 signaling supports the emerging role of TRβ as a tumor suppressor and reveals a novel pathway for intervention.
Weight Loss and Lowering Androgens Predict Improvements in Health-Related Quality of Life in Women With PCOS
Authors: Dokras Anuja , Sarwer David B. , Allison Kelly C. , Milman Lauren , Kris-Etherton Penny M. , Kunselman Allen R. , Stetter Christy M. , Williams Nancy I. , Gnatuk Carol L. , Estes Stephanie J. , Fleming Jennifer , Coutifaris Christos , Legro Richard S.
Published: June 2016

Context:

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and increased prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders. The impact of PCOS-specific treatments on these co-morbidities is unclear.

Objective:

To assess the impact of weight loss and decreasing hyperandrogenism on HRQOL and mood and anxiety disorders in women with PCOS.

Design/Setting/Participants:

A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial (OWL-PCOS) of preconception treatment conducted at two academic centers in women (age, 18–40 years; body mass index, 27–42 kg/m2) with PCOS defined by Rotterdam criteria.

Intervention:

Continuous oral contraceptive pill (OCP) or intensive lifestyle intervention or the combination (Combined) for 16 weeks.

Main Outcome Measure(s):

Changes in HRQOL assessed by PCOSQ and SF-36 and prevalence of depression and anxiety disorder assessed by PRIME-MD PHQ.

Results:

The lowest scores were noted on the general health domain of the SF-36 and the weight and infertility domains on the PCOSQ. All three interventions resulted in significant improvement in the general health score on the SF-36. Both the OCP and Combined groups showed improvements in all domains of the PCOSQ (P < .01) compared to baseline scores. The Combined group had significant improvements in the weight, body hair, and infertility domains compared to a single treatment group (P < .05). In a linear regression model, change in weight correlated with improvements in the weight domain (P < .001) and physical well-being (P < .02), change in T correlated with improvements in the hair domain (P < .001), and change in both weight and T correlated with the infertility (P < .001) and menstrual domains (P < .05).

Conclusions:

Both weight loss and OCP use result in significant improvements in several physical and mental domains related to quality of life, depressive symptoms, and anxiety disorders, and combined therapies offer further benefits in overweight/obese women with PCOS.
A Clinical Prediction Model for Postcardiac Surgery Atrial Fibrillation in an Asian Population
Authors: Zhang Wei , Liu Weiling , Chew Sophia T. H. , Shen Liang , Ti Lian Kah
Published: June 2016

BACKGROUND:

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and resource utilization. Current prediction models for postoperative AF are based primarily on Western populations. In this study, we sought to develop a clinical prediction rule for postcardiac surgery AF for a multiethnic Asian population.

METHODS:

Two thousand one hundred sixty-eight patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft or valve surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass were prospectively enrolled in this observational study between August 2008 and July 2012 at Singapore’s 2 national heart centers. Postoperative AF was defined as an irregularly irregular electrocardiogram rhythm without identifiable P wave after surgery and before hospital discharge that lasted more than an hour, or affected hemodynamics (ie, systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg or mean arterial blood pressure <60 mm Hg), or required medical treatment. Patients had continuous telemetry monitoring for at least 72 hours while in the intensive care or high-dependency units postoperatively. Subsequently, patients had a 12-lead electrocardiogram daily and when symptomatic. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine significant predictors of postcardiac surgery AF, and a scoring system was developed. The model was internally validated in an additional 500 patients.

RESULTS:

Postoperative AF occurred in 17.3% of patients, with a peak occurrence in the first 72 hours after surgery. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified age ≥65 years (odds ratio [OR], 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11–1.85, P = 0.005), history of AF (OR, 3.65; 95% CI, 2.52–5.30, P < 0.001), inotrope use (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.31–2.32, P < 0.001), cardiopulmonary bypass duration >120 minutes (OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.47–2.52, P < 0.001), and Chinese ethnicity (Chinese versus Indian OR, 2.09; 95% CI, 1.28–3.41, P = 0.003) or Malay (Malay versus Indian OR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.36–4.05, P = 0.002) to be independently associated with postoperative AF. The area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve of the model was 0.704 (95% CI, 0.674–0.734). Internal validation produced an area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve of 0.756 (95% CI, 0.690–0.821).

CONCLUSIONS:

Clinical risk factors for AF after cardiac surgery in an Asian population are similar to that reported from primarily Western populations, but specific ethnicity influences susceptibility.
A Globalectic Heterotopia: Writing a Novel from a Liminal Space
Authors: wa Thiong'o Ngũgĩ
Published: June 2016

This essay looks at the novel as a globalectic heterotopia. It draws on a personal history of my writing the novel Devil on the Cross while a political prisoner in a maximum-security prison in Kenya in 1977–78. In explaining why I turned to the novel rather than any other genre, this essay uses the concepts of globalectics, heterotopia, liminality, and heteroglossia to argue that the novel is the ultimate heterotopia, containing in itself or rather reflecting in a more holistic manner than probably any other genre all the other spaces of the economy, politics, culture, values, and the psyche. The Blakean vision of eternity in an hour and the world in a grain of sand underlies the heterotopia of the novel. The essay argues that the novel contains the global; that the world it mirrors is one of unity in disunity, of oneness in diversity, of constant motion and change. Prison is seen as a liminal space, as betwixt the inside and outside of society; but in its mimicry of the outside, prison is a Foucauldian heterotopia connecting to all communities, all social groups in society. The essay argues that the novel has a future precisely because of its elasticity, its capacity to reinvent itself, its openness, its endless capacity to make a story and give us a view of the world informed by our innermost, our most intensely personal experiences.
Sheppard Lee and the Properties of the Novel in America
Authors: Mansouri Leila
Published: June 2016

This article argues that the unusual depiction of metempsychosis central to Robert Montgomery Bird's 1836 novel Sheppard Lee exposes instabilities in the notion of property that is foundational to John Locke's Second Treatise on Government. Key to this argument is a feature of Lee's metempsychosis that scholars have largely ignored: even though Lee's character undergoes radical change each time he enters a new body, aspects of original character always persist despite his new physical circumstances. Through these incongruities between Lee's spirit and matter, the novel explores the disconnect between the United States' Lockean ideals and its very un-Lockean patterns of property ownership—a disconnect that became acute within Jacksonian democracy. In doing so, Sheppard Lee reframes a wider debate among early American writers about the future of the novel in the United States. The most pressing question for the American novel was not, as Bird's contemporaries believed, whether the establishment of European-style hereditary estates was necessary to foster a homegrown American novel tradition. Rather, Sheppard Lee suggests, it was whether Americans could form any truly stable attachments to their land.
At Land's End: Novel Spaces and the Limits of Planetarity
Authors: Taylor Matthew A.
Published: June 2016

This essay contends that planetarity may be insufficiently divorced from globalization—its putative opposite—to provide a critical lens for understanding and countering its effects: specifically, anthropogenic climate change and global economic inequality. The argument begins by documenting the affinities between planetarity's redemptive, world-building ambitions, on one hand, and both Kantian cosmopolitanism and turn-of-the-twentieth-century articulations of “planetary consciousness” (as particularly evident in speculative fiction) on the other. The common denominator of these discourses (explicit in the earlier texts, oblique in the later ones) is a logic of global improvement, control, and growth precipitated by an existential threat. In both H. G. Wells's The War of the Worlds and Dipesh Chakrabarty's seminal “The Climate of History: Four Theses,” for instance, a suddenly changed Earth galvanizes humanity into collective existence, converting discrete individuals into a species aligned, paradoxically, both with and against the planet. The essay then considers the violent histories associated with such attempts to meet global problems with global solutions, asserting that the difficulty inheres in the planetary scale itself. Concluding that all contemporary planetarities—like their early twentieth-century equivalents—are at least partly attempts to remake the world in our preferred image, the argument closes by considering a humbler alternative inspired by fleeting moments in Jack London's socialist fiction: a general strike that would withdraw our maintenance of the world in favor of more plural and livable affiliations; a nonapocalyptic end to the world that might offer a means of surviving the Anthropocene.
The Ottoman Empire from 1923 to Today: In Search of a Usable Past
Authors: Danforth Nick
Published: June 2016

Since its demise, the Ottoman Empire has been repeatedly reinvented. This essay traces the diverse and often unexpected ways that Ottoman history has served divergent political agendas over the past century, exploring the empire's progression from religious to secular to pious and from multicultural to Turkish to tolerant.
Endosomal assembly and transport of heteromeric septin complexes promote septin cytoskeleton formation
Authors: Zander Sabrina , Baumann Sebastian , Weidtkamp-Peters Stefanie , Feldbrügge Michael
Published: June 2016

Septins are conserved cytoskeletal structures functioning in a variety of biological processes including cytokinesis and cell polarity. A wealth of information exists on the heterooligomeric architecture of septins and their subcellular localization at distinct sites. However, the precise mechanisms of their subcellular assembly and their intracellular transport are unknown. Here, we demonstrate that endosomal transport of septins along microtubules is crucial for formation of higher-order structures in the fungus Ustilago maydis. Importantly, endosomal septin transport is dependent on each individual septin providing strong evidence that septin heteromeric complexes are assembled on endosomes. Furthermore, endosomal trafficking of all four septin mRNAs is required for endosomal localization of their translation products. Based on these results, we propose that local translation promotes the assembly of newly synthesized septins in heteromeric structures on the surface of endosomes. This is important for the long-distance transport of septins and the efficient formation of the septin cytoskeleton.
CCN6 regulates mitochondrial function
Authors: Patra Milan , Mahata Sushil K. , Padhan Deepesh K. , Sen Malini
Published: June 2016

Despite established links of CCN6, or Wnt induced signaling protein-3 (WISP3), with progressive pseudo rheumatoid dysplasia, functional characterization of CCN6 remains incomplete. In light of the documented negative correlation between accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and CCN6 expression, we investigated whether CCN6 regulates ROS accumulation through its influence on mitochondrial function. We found that CCN6 localizes to mitochondria, and depletion of CCN6 in the chondrocyte cell line C-28/I2 by using siRNA results in altered mitochondrial electron transport and respiration. Enhanced electron transport chain (ETC) activity of CCN6-depleted cells was reflected by increased mitochondrial ROS levels in association with augmented mitochondrial ATP synthesis, mitochondrial membrane potential and Ca2+. Additionally, CCN6-depleted cells display ROS-dependent PGC1α (also known as PPARGC1A) induction, which correlates with increased mitochondrial mass and volume density, together with altered mitochondrial morphology. Interestingly, transcription factor Nrf2 (also known as NFE2L2) repressed CCN6 expression. Taken together, our results suggest that CCN6 acts as a molecular brake, which is appropriately balanced by Nrf2, in regulating mitochondrial function.
Intermittent hypoxia leads to functional reorganization of mitochondria and affects cellular bioenergetics in marine molluscs
Authors: Ivanina Anna V. , Nesmelova Irina , Leamy Larry , Sokolov Eugene P. , Sokolova Inna M.
Published: June 2016

Fluctuations in oxygen (O2) concentrations represent a major challenge to aerobic organisms and can be extremely damaging to their mitochondria. Marine intertidal molluscs are well-adapted to frequent O2 fluctuations, yet it remains unknown how their mitochondrial functions are regulated to sustain energy metabolism and prevent cellular damage during hypoxia and reoxygenation (H/R). We used metabolic control analysis to investigate the mechanisms of mitochondrial responses to H/R stress (18 h at <0.1% O2 followed by 1 h of reoxygenation) using hypoxia-tolerant intertidal clams Mercenaria mercenaria and hypoxia-sensitive subtidal scallops Argopecten irradians as models. We also assessed H/R-induced changes in cellular energy balance, oxidative damage and unfolded protein response to determine the potential links between mitochondrial dysfunction and cellular injury. Mitochondrial responses to H/R in scallops strongly resembled those in other hypoxia-sensitive organisms. Exposure to hypoxia followed by reoxygenation led to a strong decrease in the substrate oxidation (SOX) and phosphorylation (PHOS) capacities as well as partial depolarization of mitochondria of scallops. Elevated mRNA expression of a reactive oxygen species-sensitive enzyme aconitase and Lon protease (responsible for degradation of oxidized mitochondrial proteins) during H/R stress was consistent with elevated levels of oxidative stress in mitochondria of scallops. In hypoxia-tolerant clams, mitochondrial SOX capacity was enhanced during hypoxia and continued rising during the first hour of reoxygenation. In both species, the mitochondrial PHOS capacity was suppressed during hypoxia, likely to prevent ATP wastage by the reverse action of FO,F1-ATPase. The PHOS capacity recovered after 1 h of reoxygenation in clams but not in scallops. Compared with scallops, clams showed a greater suppression of energy-consuming processes (such as protein turnover and ion transport) during hypoxia, indicated by inactivation of the translation initiation factor EIF-2α, suppression of 26S proteasome activity and a dramatic decrease in the activity of Na+/K+-ATPase. The steady-state levels of adenylates were preserved during H/R exposure and AMP-dependent protein kinase was not activated in either species, indicating that the H/R exposure did not lead to severe energy deficiency. Taken together, our findings suggest that mitochondrial reorganizations sustaining high oxidative phosphorylation flux during recovery, combined with the ability to suppress ATP-demanding cellular functions during hypoxia, may contribute to high resilience of clams to H/R stress and help maintain energy homeostasis during frequent H/R cycles in the intertidal zone.
Developmental changes of cognitive vocal control in monkeys
Authors: Hage Steffen R. , Gavrilov Natalja , Nieder Andreas
Published: June 2016

The evolutionary origins of human language are obscured by the scarcity of essential linguistic characteristics in non-human primate communication systems. Volitional control of vocal utterances is one such indispensable feature of language. We investigated the ability of two monkeys to volitionally utter species-specific calls over many years. Both monkeys reliably vocalized on command during juvenile periods, but discontinued this controlled vocal behavior in adulthood. This emerging disability was confined to volitional vocal production, as the monkeys continued to vocalize spontaneously. In addition, they continued to use hand movements as instructed responses during adulthood. This greater vocal flexibility of monkeys early in ontogeny supports the neoteny hypothesis in human evolution. This suggests that linguistic capabilities were enabled via an expansion of the juvenile period during the development of humans.
Synthesis and Electrochemistry of a Ferrocene Conjugate of a Pd(II) Diimine Catecholate Complex and Its Charge-Transfer Properties in the One-Electron-Oxidized Form
Authors: Tahara Keishiro , Akehi Shogo , Kadowaki Tomoya , Kikuchi Jun-ichi
Published: June 2016

A new Pd complex Pd(tBu2bpy)(FcC) 2Fc (FcC = 4-ferrocenylcatecholato, tBu2bpy = 4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-dipyridyl) was synthesized and characterized using 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and ESI-MS. Electrochemical analysis of 2Fc using cyclic voltammetry in CH2Cl2/nBu4NPF6 revealed two well-defined, quasi-reversible waves assigned to the sequential oxidation of the Pd(tBu2bpy)(C) and ferrocene (Fc) moieties. The potential splitting between the waves (519 mV) indicated that there was an electronic interaction between both moieties. The one-electron-oxidized species of 2Fc was investigated using DFT calculations and UV–vis–NIR spectroscopy, and its charge-transfer property was compared with that of Pt(tBu2bpy)(FcC) 1Fc, FcV (4-ferrocenylveratrole), and FcA (4-ferrocenylcatechol bis(acetate)). 2Fc+ was Fc+-centered, rather than semiquinone-ligand centered, and exhibited an ICT transition band from to the catecholate to the Fc+ moiety in the NIR region. The electronic coupling (HAB) value of 2Fc+ (790 cm−1) was placed between FcV+ (660 cm−1) and 1Fc+ (1050 cm−1). Electronic interactions between the organometallic center and the non-innocent moiety were modulated by substitution of the metal ion (M2+ = Pt2+, Pd2+) in this series.
Enwrapping Conjugated Polymer Microspheres with Graphene Oxide Nanosheets
Authors: Aikyo Yusuke , Kushida Soh , Braam Daniel , Kuwabara Junpei , Kondo Takahiro , Kanbara Takaki , Nakamura Junji , Lorke Axel , Yamamoto Yohei
Published: June 2016

Water-dispersible conjugated polymer microspheres were obtained by enwrapping with graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets. Simply mixing the polymer microspheres and GO in water results in an exclusive formation of GO-wrapped microspheres. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the GO-wrapped single microsphere show whispering gallery modes, in which the PL lines are broadened in comparison with bare microspheres without GO. The broadening is attributed to scattering and reabsorption of the confined PL.
Agricultural Productivity and Structural Transformation: Evidence from Brazil
Authors: Bustos Paula , Caprettini Bruno , Ponticelli Jacopo
Published: June 2016

We study the effects of the adoption of new agricultural technologies on structural transformation. To guide empirical work, we present a simple model where the effect of agricultural productivity on industrial development depends on the factor-bias of technical change. We test the predictions of the model by studying the introduction of genetically engineered soybean seeds in Brazil, which had heterogeneous effects on agricultural productivity across areas with different soil and weather characteristics. We find that technical change in soy production was strongly labor-saving and led to industrial growth, as predicted by the model. (JEL J43, O13, O14, O33, Q15, Q16)
Attention Discrimination: Theory and Field Experiments with Monitoring Information Acquisition
Authors: Bartoš Vojtěch , Bauer Michal , Chytilová Julie , Matějka Filip
Published: June 2016

We integrate tools to monitor information acquisition in field experiments on discrimination and examine whether gaps arise already when decision makers choose the effort level for reading an application. In both countries we study, negatively stereotyped minority names reduce employers' effort to inspect resumes. In contrast, minority names increase information acquisition in the rental housing market. Both results are consistent with a model of endogenous allocation of costly attention, which magnifies the role of prior beliefs and preferences beyond the one considered in standard models of discrimination. The findings have implications for magnitude of discrimination, returns to human capital and policy. (JEL C93, D83, J15, J16, J24, J71, R31)
Dynamics of cell polarity in tissue morphogenesis: a comparative view from Drosophila and Ciona
Authors: Veeman Michael T. , McDonald Jocelyn A.
Published: June 2016

Tissues in developing embryos exhibit complex and dynamic rearrangements that shape forming organs, limbs, and body axes. Directed migration, mediolateral intercalation, lumen formation, and other rearrangements influence the topology and topography of developing tissues. These collective cell behaviors are distinct phenomena but all involve the fine-grained control of cell polarity. Here we review recent findings in the dynamics of polarized cell behavior in both theDrosophilaovarian border cells and theCionanotochord. These studies reveal the remarkable reorganization of cell polarity during organ formation and underscore conserved mechanisms of developmental cell polarity including the Par/atypical protein kinase C (aPKC) and planar cell polarity pathways. These two very different model systems demonstrate important commonalities but also key differences in how cell polarity is controlled in tissue morphogenesis. Together, these systems raise important, broader questions on how the developmental control of cell polarity contributes to morphogenesis of diverse tissues across the metazoa.
Multiple statistical tests: lessons from a d20
Authors: Madan Christopher R.
Published: June 2016

Statistical analyses are often conducted with α=.05. When multiple statistical tests are conducted, this procedure needs to be adjusted to compensate for the otherwise inflated Type I error. In some instances in tabletop gaming, sometimes it is desired to roll a 20-sided dice (or `d20') twice and take the greater outcome. Here I draw from probability theory and the case of a d20, where the probability of obtaining any specific outcome is 1/20, to determine the probability of obtaining a specific outcome (Type-I error) at least once across repeated, independent statistical tests.
Catching-up and Club Convergence From Cross-National Perspective a Statistical Study for the Period 1980–201
Authors: Lechman Ewa
Published: June 2016

The paper presents the analysis outcomes on the catching-up process. Additionally, it seeks to identify the “convergence clubs” in cross-national section. It implements a traditional analysis of convergence, tracking the catching-up process as well as the per capita income dynamics across time. The author finds no statistically significant relationship between an average annual GDP PPP per capita growth rates (as exponential growth rate) and initial GDP PPP per capita (as natural logarithm) in a selected group of countries. The author also identifies the existence of “rich country cluster” and “poor country cluster” in the analyzed sample. For the statistical analysis the author applies the country sample composed of 101 economies. All data concerning GDP PPP per capita are drawn from the IMF World Economic Outlook Database 2011. The time coverage is 1980-2010.
Micronutrients and the use of vitamin and mineral supplements during pregnancy and lactation
Authors: Charnley Margaret , Abayomi Julie
Published: June 2016

A pregnant woman's dietary intake can have a profound effect on the outcomes of pregnancy, and may lead to a risk of disease in the child's later life. This is particularly the case for some vulnerable groups of pregnant women including adolescents, vegetarians and vegans, underweight women, obese women, and women who have undergone bariatric surgery. These groups present nutritional challenges and may require additional supervision during pregnancy. This paper discusses the effects of dietary supplements in relation to the specific needs of the aforementioned groups in comparison to the needs of the general pregnant population.
Midwifery educators' experiences and perceptions following a high-fidelity birth simulator workshop
Authors: Wark Fiona
Published: June 2016

Background:

Uninformed adoption of simulation technology such as high-fidelity simulators may result in ineffective learning and teaching. However, in the literature little is known about specific developmental approaches to prepare midwifery educators for using this pedagogy. Aims: The overall aim of this research was to describe the experiences of midwifery educators following a 2-day high-fidelity workshop and the impact on their perceived preparedness to teach using a high-fidelity simulator.

Methods:

Qualitative data were gathered from one semi-structured focus group 2 weeks following the workshop. Thematic analysis identified emergent themes pertaining to the research objectives.

Findings:

Four main themes emerged from the data: fears regarding complex technology, time for scenario-building, opportunity for team-building, and enhancement of the curriculum.

Conclusions:

Initial face-to-face high-fidelity workshops are recommended to achieve successful integration of high-fidelity simulators into midwifery education, with supportive materials to promote continued accessibility and learning. Support from technical staff is essential.
Science and innovation in parasite diagnostics in companion animals
Authors: Kramer Laura
Published: June 2016

Correct diagnosis of infection or disease is a hallmark of the quality care that veterinary practitioners must assure pets and clients, and the diagnosis of parasitic diseases is no exception. Whether confirming the diagnosis of infection in pets that present with clinical signs compatible with parasitic disease, or screening companion animals as part of a wider programme of prevention and control, there is a need for accurate and reliable testing methods. Fortunately, science and innovation are not lacking in this field, and the recent development of several new and/or improved diagnostic tests is a reassuring example of how research continues to provide the veterinary practitioner with the right tools. This review highlights some of the more common diagnostic methods available and some of the newer, more recently introduced tests for parasites in companion animals, and provides recommendations for their use.
Emergency contraception: Making the right choice
Authors: Kipps Sarah
Published: June 2016

Access to emergency contraception is an essential part of reproductive health for women. Sarah Kipps discusses the importance of history taking, and the essential questions to ask to determine the most suitable method of emergency contraception

Emergency contraception plays an essential role in women's reproductive health. There are three main methods of emergency contraception—levonorgestrel, ulipristal acetate and the copper-bearing intrauterine device (Cu-iuD). The Cu-iuD is the most effective but is not always the most practical or desired by women. Good history taking is essential to establish risk and to determine which method is most suitable on an individual basis. Women need to be advised about the risks and benefits of each method. it is important that a good sexual history is taken from everyone attending for emergency contraception. Women need to be advised about what side effects to expect and the follow up that is needed, especially if there is a failure of emergency contraception.
Vulnerable adults with diabetes: Improving access to care
Authors: Phillips Anne
Published: June 2016

It is important for practice nurses to have awareness of the challenges vulnerable adults face in regards to their diabetes. Anne Phillips highlights the need to enable easy access to help in these patients and reduce health inequalities

Self-managing diabetes requires a significant amount of decision-making. This can be challenging for vulnerable individuals. Those on low incomes, those living with a learning disability or mental illness, or those who are socially excluded, such as prisoners, travellers or homeless people, can find it difficult to access services and programmes. This article aims to raise awareness of some of the challenges these vulnerable people face, and to allow practice nurses to help to reduce the health inequalities they face.
Managing workforce planning: Innovation in practice nursing
Authors: Nicholson Ellen
Published: June 2016

It is becoming more difficult to recruit experienced practice nurses, and this will get worse as more start to retire. in light of this, City and Hackney Gp Confederation devised a 12-month training programme for salaried trainee practice nurses

A number of recent reports have highlighted that a large proportion of the practice nurse population is due to retire in the next 5–10 years. Historically, it has been perceived that newly qualified nurses cannot work in primary care without first gaining experience in secondary care. City and Hackney attempted to recruit experienced practice nurses at the beginning of 2015, but was unsuccessful. The advert did however attract interest from nurses who did not have the requisite skills. City and Hackney Gp Confederation, working in conjunction with Health education england north Central and east london (HEE NCEL), the local Community education provider network (CEPN), developed a 12-month training programme for salaried trainee practice nurses to be piloted. The programme started in January 2016 with a cohort of 16 nurses. The initial reaction to the role of the trainee practice nurse has been broadly positive. it is intended that the trainee general practice nurses pilot scheme will become an integral part of the primary care workforce planning processes, which will enable local Gp practices to manage recruitment into practice nurse roles in the future.
Law and Theory: Pre-modern and Contemporary Development of Islamic Discourse on Rebellion
Authors: Solomon Tasha
Published: June 2016

Scholars have argued that the early theoretical and historical discourses concerning concepts of rebellion and political violence within Islam, specifically Sunni Islam, developed during a time of conflict within the early Islamic Community.  In their quest for stability and desire for the preservation of order, early Muslim jurists used key moments in the history of the early Community, as well as doctrinal sources, in order to construct a theoretical discourse addressing rebellion and obedience to authority.  Similar to the methods of the early jurists, the construction of contemporary discourses concerning obedience and rebellion have been used by modern Islamic scholars in order to confront issues involving protesting and political violence, especially as they relate to contemporary events such as socio-political movements, dissent, and notably, the Arab Uprisings. The purpose of this paper is to provide a survey of these pre-modern and contemporary discourses and how their contexts influence Islamic legal approaches.
EU QUERO É “BOTAR” O MEU BLOCO NA RUA: UMA ANÁLISE DO CARNAVAL DE BELO HORIZONTE ENTRE OS ANOS DE 2013 E 2015
Authors: Santos Geórgia Caetano De Oliveira , Sousa Caissa Veloso e , Pereira Jefferson Rodrigues
Published: June 2016

Este trabalho objetiva discutir o Carnaval de Belo Horizonte entre os anos de 2013 e 2015. Com o crescimento das manifestações culturais de rua, a capital mineira vem experimentando nos últimos anos o renascimento da festa em todas as suas regiões. O envolvimento de agentes como poder público municipal, patrocinadores e carnavalescos fez-se necessário para o fornecimento de infraestrutura urbana, logística e da agenda de entretenimento. Destaca-se que o público do evento tem aumentado anualmente, movimentando a economia da cidade. O crescimento recente do Carnaval de Belo Horizonte é tema pouco explorado no meio acadêmico, o que o torna interessante como objeto de estudo. Esta pesquisa utilizou uma abordagem qualitativa, por meio de análise documental e descritiva dos principais resultados da festa. Para analisar a evolução do Carnaval na cidade, este trabalho se amparou nos relatórios de atividades da Empresa Municipal de Turismo de Belo Horizonte, que organiza o evento, e nas notícias veiculadas nos jornais Estado de Minas, o Tempo e Hoje em Dia, durante a realização da festa. Conclui-se com este estudo que o Carnaval evoluiu em organização, número de público, ganhou investimentos privados e passou a ser considerado como o maior evento turístico realizado na capital mineira.
COMENTÁRIOS DE VIAGEM NA INTERNET NA ESCOLHA DE UM DESTINO TURÍSTICO: UM ESTUDO BASEADO NAS TEORIAS DO COMPORTAMENTO PLANEJADO E ACEITAÇÃO TECNOLÓGICA
Authors: Júnior Josivaldo Atanásio de Lima , Filho Luiz Mendes , Silva Gislainy Laíse da , Souza Jackson de
Published: June 2016

Uma das formas de conteúdo gerado pelo usuário (CGU) no turismo são os Comentários de Viagens na Internet (CVI). Os CVIs consistem em comentários postados por viajantes, como opiniões de suas viagens, influenciando positiva ou negativamente o processo de planejamento de viagem do indivíduo que visualizará tal conteúdo. A pesquisa teve por objetivo analisar fatores comportamentais e tecnológicos que influenciam a utilização dos CVIs na escolha de um destino turístico, bem como apresentar o perfil destes usuários e descrever como é realizada sua utilização na escolha de um destino turístico. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva, com abordagem quantitativa, a qual teve como amostra o total de 118 turistas que visitaram a praia de Ponta Negra, Natal/RN, em outubro de 2015. Foram utilizados questionários estruturados, os quais estabeleceram uma relação entre a Teoria do Comportamento Planejado (TPB) e o Modelo de aceitação Tecnológica (TAM). Os resultados apontam que os respondentes utilizam bastante os CVIs para escolher um destino turístico, porém não colaboram com sua disseminação da mesma forma que leem. No que se refere aos fatores relacionados à TPB e ao TAM, identificou-se que todos alcançaram resultados positivos, corroborando com a forte influência dos CVIs na escolha de um destino turístico.
Property Market Deregulation and Informal Tenure in Egypt: A Diabolical Threat to Millions
Authors: Yahia Shawkat
Published: June 2016

In the ambiguous legislative climate synonymous with authoritarianism, the Egyptian state has encouraged the commodification of land and property through a raft of different policies that have deregulated the market, driving up the prices in some places sixteen-fold over the last decade alone. State-led commodification in tandem with informal tenure for most Egyptians has meant the exploitation of many communities by a plethora of government and quasi-government agencies that claim their land as their own.

Through three different tenure cases lodged by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) over the last four years, this paper will show how a pattern exists between state-led commodification and informal/insecure tenure. The case studies show the official use of direct methods of eviction such as eviction orders, sequestration decrees, and the falsifying of contracts. In addition, unofficial indirect methods of forced eviction have been used, such as cutting off power and water supplies, as well as the intimidation and torture of some residents.

The paper will also show how many of the forced evictions have happened, or been attempted, in the shadow of seemingly social motives like “upgrading unsafe areas,” “the public good,” or simply labelling the residents as “usurpers” and “squatters.”