bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Parental Socioeconomic Status on Excess Mortality in a Population-Based Cohort of Subjects With Childhood-Onset Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Berhan Yonas T. , Eliasson Mats , Möllsten Anna , Waernbaum Ingeborg , Dahlquist Gisela
Published: February 2015

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to analyze the possible impact of parental and individual socioeconomic status (SES) on all-cause mortality in a population-based cohort of patients with childhood-onset type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Subjects recorded in the Swedish Childhood Diabetes Registry (SCDR) from 1 January 1978 to 31 December 2008 were included (n = 14,647). The SCDR was linked to the Swedish Cause of Death Registry (CDR) and the Longitudinal Integration Database for Health Insurance and Labour Market Studies (LISA).

RESULTS

At a mean follow-up of 23.9 years (maximum 46.5 years), 238 deaths occurred in a total of 349,762 person-years at risk. In crude analyses, low maternal education predicted mortality for male patients only (P = 0.046), whereas parental income support predicted mortality in both sexes (P < 0.001 for both). In Cox models stratified by age-at-death group and adjusted for age at onset and sex, parental income support predicted mortality among young adults (≥18 years of age) but not for children. Including the adult patient’s own SES in a Cox model showed that individual income support to the patient predicted mortality occurring at ≥24 years of age when adjusting for age at onset, sex, and parental SES.

CONCLUSIONS

Exposure to low SES, mirrored by the need for income support, increases mortality risk in patients with childhood-onset type 1 diabetes who died after the age of 18 years.
Sleep Duration and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-analysis of Prospective Studies
Authors: Shan Zhilei , Ma Hongfei , Xie Manling , Yan Peipei , Guo Yanjun , Bao Wei , Rong Ying , Jackson Chandra L. , Hu Frank B. , Liu Liegang
Published: February 2015

OBJECTIVE

It remains unclear how many hours of sleep are associated with the lowest risk of type 2 diabetes. This meta-analysis was performed to assess the dose-response relationship between sleep duration and risk of type 2 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

PubMed and Embase were searched up to 20 March 2014 for prospective observational studies that assessed the relationship of sleep duration and risk of type 2 diabetes. Both semiparametric and parametric methods were used.

RESULTS

Ten articles with 11 reports were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. A total of 18,443 incident cases of type 2 diabetes were ascertained among 482,502 participants with follow-up periods ranging from 2.5 to 16 years. A U-shaped dose-response relationship was observed between sleep duration and risk of type 2 diabetes, with the lowest risk observed at a sleep duration category of 7–8 h per day. Compared with 7-h sleep duration per day, the pooled relative risks for type 2 diabetes were 1.09 (95% CI 1.04–1.15) for each 1-h shorter sleep duration among individuals who slept <7 h per day and 1.14 (1.03–1.26) for each 1-h increment of sleep duration among individuals with longer sleep duration.

CONCLUSIONS

Our dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies shows a U-shaped relationship between sleep duration and risk of type 2 diabetes, with the lowest type 2 diabetes risk at 7–8 h per day of sleep duration. Both short and long sleep duration are associated with a significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes, underscoring the importance of appropriate sleep duration in the delay or prevention of type 2 diabetes.
Multisystem Morbidity and Mortality in Offspring of Women With Type 1 Diabetes (the EPICOM Study): A Register-Based Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Knorr Sine , Stochholm Kirstine , Vlachová Zuzana , Bytoft Birgitte , Clausen Tine D. , Jensen Rikke Beck , Juul Svend , Ovesen Per , Damm Peter , Beck-Nielsen Henning , Jensen Dorte M. , Gravholt Claus Højbjerg
Published: February 2015

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the long-term consequences for offspring born to mothers with pregestational type 1 diabetes regarding mortality, hospital admissions, and medication. We also examined the association between HbA1c levels during pregnancy and mortality and incidence of hospital admissions.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We performed a prospective combined clinical and register-based cohort study comparing mortality, hospital admissions, and use of medication in offspring (n = 1,326) of women with pregestational type 1 diabetes (index children) with matched control subjects (n = 131,884). We also examined the association between HbA1c levels during pregnancy and mortality and the incidence of hospital admissions. Participants were monitored from birth to the age of 13–21 years.

RESULTS

Overall mortality was significantly increased for index children (hazard ratio 2.10, 95% CI 1.33–3.30, P = 0.001). The incidence of hospital admissions for index children was significantly increased (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.45, 95% CI 1.38–1.53, P < 0.001), and this was the case for all age groups until the age of 15 years. The incidence of hospital admissions among index children was positively associated with maternal HbA1c before pregnancy and in the first trimester. In addition, the overall use of medication was increased in index children (IRR 1.13, 95% CI 1.07–1.19, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Type 1 diabetes during pregnancy has long-term implications on the health of offspring, with increased mortality, incidence of hospital admissions, and use of medication. Among mothers with type 1 diabetes, glycemic regulation is positively associated with incidence of hospital admissions in offspring.
Application of fast-track surgery principles to evaluate effects of atipamezole on recovery and analgesia following ovariohysterectomy in cats anesthetized with dexmedetomidine-ketamine-hydromorphone
Authors: Hasiuk Michelle M. M. , Brown Dean , Cooney Claire , Gunn Marta , Pang Daniel S. J.
Published: February 2015

Objective—To evaluate the effects of atipamezole hydrochloride on recovery and analgesia following ovariohysterectomy in cats anesthetized with a dexmedetomidine hydrochloride, ketamine hydrochloride, and hydromorphone hydrochloride combination, in accordance with fast-track surgery principles.

Design—Prospective, randomized, clinical trial.

Animals—44 cats.

Procedures—Cats were anesthetized with a combination of dexmedetomidine (15 μg/kg [6.8 μg/lb]), ketamine (5 mg/kg [2.3 mg/lb]), and hydromorphone (0.05 mg/kg [0.023 mg/lb]), IM, supplemented with isoflurane in oxygen. Immediately after ovariohysterectomy, cats received meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg [0.09 mg/lb]) SC and either atipamezole (75 μg/kg [34.1 μg/lb]) or an equivalent volume of saline (0.9% NaCl) solution IM. Pain and sedation were scored at baseline (prior to surgery) and at predetermined intervals after surgery. Time to sternal recumbency was recorded.

Results—The atipamezole group recovered to sternal recumbency faster (median, 15 minutes; range, 5 to 60 minutes) than the saline solution group (median, 60 minutes; range, 15 to 90 minutes]). Pain scores did not differ between groups or at any time, compared with baseline, and were below the intervention threshold for most cats. Sedation scores were significantly greater in the saline solution group (median, 0; range, 0 to 2) at 2 hours after surgery, compared with the atipamezole group (median, 0; range, 0 to 0).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated that administration of atipamezole, compared with saline solution, allowed for a faster recovery from anesthesia with dexmedetomidine-ketamine-hydromorphone in cats following ovariohysterectomy without compromising analgesia. These findings have implications for the provision of appropriate postoperative analgesia following ovariohysterectomy in cats. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2015;246:645–653)
Effect of tooth extraction on stomatitis in cats: 95 cases (2000–2013)
Authors: Jennings Michael W. , Lewis John R. , Soltero-Rivera Maria M. , Brown Dorothy C. , Reiter Alexander M.
Published: February 2015

Objective—To evaluate long-term response of cats with stomatitis to tooth extraction.

Design—Retrospective case series.

Animals—95 cats with stomatitis.

Procedures—Medical records of cats with stomatitis that was treated with tooth extraction during a 14-year period were reviewed. Demographic information and diagnostic results were recorded as well as surgical procedure, including full-mouth extraction (FME) versus partial-mouth extraction (PME), and specifics of medical management. Patients were categorized according to response to treatment.

Results—Median postoperative follow-up time was 231 days (range, 33 to 2,655 days). Of 95 cats, 6 (6.3%) had no improvement and 25 (26.3%) had little improvement in stomatitis following tooth extraction and extended medical management (EMM). Following tooth extraction, 37 (39.0%) cats had substantial clinical improvement and 27 (28.4%) cats had complete resolution of stomatitis; of these 64 cats, 44 (68.8%) required EMM for a finite period to achieve positive outcomes. Extent of tooth extraction (PME vs FME) was not associated with overall response to treatment. At initial recheck examination, a better long-term response to tooth extraction was observed in patients with resolution of abnormal behavior (OR, 7.2), decrease in oral inflammation (OR, 3.5), and lack of need for follow-up medical management with antimicrobials (OR, 3.7).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Extraction of teeth in areas of oral inflammation provided substantial improvement or complete resolution of stomatitis in more than two-thirds of affected cats. Full-mouth extraction did not appear to provide additional benefit over PME. Most cats with stomatitis may require EMM to achieve substantial clinical improvement or complete resolution. (J Am Vet Med Assoc 2015;246:654–660)
Fanon's Les Damnés de la terre: Translation, De-Philosophization and the Intensification of Violence
Authors: Batchelor Kathryn
Published: February 2015

The influence of Jean-Paul Sartre's Critique de la raison dialectique on Frantz Fanon's Les Damnés de la terre can be seen in Fanon's direct engagement with Sartre's text as well as in the vocabulary that he adopts when discussing key ideas, particularly in his discussion of violence in the first chapter. In Constance Farrington's English translation of Les Damnés de la terre, however, philosophical terms are replaced with everyday ones, and the links between Les Damnés de la terre and the Critique are obscured. In this article I seek to highlight this de-philosophizing approach through a range of examples and to explore the ways in which these changes, combined with a number of significant mistranslations, enact a shift around Fanon's conceptualization of violence, with far-reaching implications for the influence of Les Damnés de la terre around the world.
Heteroskedasticity of Unknown Form in Spatial Autoregressive Models with a Moving Average Disturbance Term
Authors: Doğan Osman
Published: February 2015

In this study, I investigate the necessary condition for the consistency of the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) of spatial models with a spatial moving average process in the disturbance term. I show that the MLE of spatial autoregressive and spatial moving average parameters is generally inconsistent when heteroskedasticity is not considered in the estimation. I also show that the MLE of parameters of exogenous variables is inconsistent and determine its asymptotic bias. I provide simulation results to evaluate the performance of the MLE. The simulation results indicate that the MLE imposes a substantial amount of bias on both autoregressive and moving average parameters.
Thinopyrum ponticum Chromatin-Integrated Wheat Genome Shows Salt-Tolerance at Germination Stage
Authors: Yuan Wen-Ye , Tomita Motonori
Published: February 2015

A wild wheatgrass, Thinopyrum ponticum (2n = 10x = 70), which exhibits substantially higher levels of salt tolerance than cultivated wheat, was employed to transfer its salt tolerance to common wheat by means of wide hybridization. A highly salt-tolerant wheat line S148 (2n = 42) was obtained from the BC3F2 progenies between Triticum aestivum (2n = 42) and Th. ponticum. In the cross of S148 × salt-sensitive wheat variety Chinese Spring, the BC4F2 seeds at germination stage segregated into a ratio of 3 salt tolerant to 1 salt sensitive, indicating that the salt tolerance was conferred by a dominant gene block. Genomic in situ hybridization analysis revealed that S148 had a single pair of Th. ponticum–T. aestivum translocated chromosomes bearing the salt-tolerance. This is an initial step of molecular breeding for salt-tolerant wheat.
N,N',N",N"'-Tetrakis(5,7-dimethyl-1,8-naphthyridine-2-yl)-3,3',5,5'-diphenylmethanetetracarboxamide
Authors: Schmidt Ute , Mazik Monika
Published: February 2015

Diphenylmethane-based compounds bearing heterocyclic recognition groups, capable to act as hydrogen bonding sites were established to be powerful receptors for carbohydrates. In this paper, we describe the synthesis of a further representative of this class of compounds, containing four 1,8-naphthyridine groups as recognition units. The title compound has been characterized by elemental analysis, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and mass spectrometry.
Inorganic Mercury Sequestration by a Poly(ethylene imine) Dendrimer in Aqueous Solution
Authors: Serrano Elena , Savastano Matteo , Bianchi Antonio
Published: February 2015

The interaction of the G-2 poly(ethylene imine) dendrimer L, derived from ammonia as initiating core, with Hg(II) and HgCl42− was studied in aqueous solution by means of potentiometric (pH-metric) measurements. Speciation of these complex systems showed that L is able to form a wide variety of complexes including 1:1, 2:1, 3:1 and 3:2 metal-to-ligand species, of different protonation states, as well as the anion complexes [(H7L)HgCl4]5+ and [(H8L)HgCl4]6+. The stability of the metal complexes is very high, making L an excellent sequestering agent for Hg(II), over a large pH range, and a promising ligand for the preparation of functionalized activated carbons to be employed in the remediation and the prevention of environmental problems.
Landsat-8 Sensor Characterization and Calibration
Authors: Markham Brian , Storey James , Morfitt Ron
Published: February 2015

Landsat-8 was launched on 11 February 2013 with two new Earth Imaging sensors to provide a continued data record with the previous Landsats. For Landsat-8, pushbroom technology was adopted, and the reflective bands and thermal bands were split into two instruments. The Operational Land Imager (OLI) is the reflective band sensor and the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS), the thermal. In addition to these fundamental changes, bands were added, spectral bandpasses were refined, dynamic range and data quantization were improved, and numerous other enhancements were implemented. As in previous Landsat missions, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and United States Geological Survey (USGS) cooperated in the development, launch and operation of the Landsat-8 mission. One key aspect of this cooperation was in the characterization and calibration of the instruments and their data. This Special Issue documents the efforts of the joint USGS and NASA calibration team and affiliates to characterize the new sensors and their data for the benefit of the scientific and application users of the Landsat archive. A key scientific use of Landsat data is to assess changes in the land-use and land cover of the Earth’s surface over the now 43-year record. [...]
Index of Soil Moisture Using Raw Landsat Image Digital Count Data in Texas High Plains
Authors: Shafian Sanaz , Maas Stephan
Published: February 2015

The growth and yield of crops in the arid and semi-arid regions of the world is driven by the amount of soil moisture available to the crop through rainfall and irrigation. Various methods have been developed for quantifying the soil moisture status of agricultural crops. Recent technological advances in remote sensing have shown that soil moisture can be measured with a variety of remote sensing techniques, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. In this study, building on of the strengths of multispectral satellite imagery, a new approach is suggested for estimating soil moisture content. A soil moisture index, the Perpendicular Soil Moisture Index (PSMI), is proposed; it is evaluated using raw image digital count (DC) data in the red, near-infrared, and thermal infrared spectral bands. To test this approach, soil moisture was measured in 18 agricultural fields in the semi-arid Texas High Plains over two years and compared to corresponding PSMI values determined from Landsat image data. These results showed that PSMI was strongly correlated (R2 = 0.79) with observed soil moisture. It was further demonstrated that maps of PSMI developed from Landsat imagery could be constructed to show the relative spatial distribution of soil moisture across a region. While further study is needed to determine the exact relationship between PSMI and soil moisture in larger areas with different climates, this study suggests that PSMI is a good indicator of soil moisture and has potential for operationally monitoring soil moisture conditions at the field to regional scales.
Distributed Sensor Architecture for Intelligent Control that Supports Quality of Control and Quality of Service
Authors: Poza-Lujan Jose-Luis , Posadas-Yagüe Juan-Luis , Simó-Ten José-Enrique , Simarro Raúl , Benet Ginés
Published: February 2015

This paper is part of a study of intelligent architectures for distributed control and communications systems. The study focuses on optimizing control systems by evaluating the performance of middleware through quality of service (QoS) parameters and the optimization of control using Quality of Control (QoC) parameters. The main aim of this work is to study, design, develop, and evaluate a distributed control architecture based on the Data-Distribution Service for Real-Time Systems (DDS) communication standard as proposed by the Object Management Group (OMG). As a result of the study, an architecture called Frame-Sensor-Adapter to Control (FSACtrl) has been developed. FSACtrl provides a model to implement an intelligent distributed Event-Based Control (EBC) system with support to measure QoS and QoC parameters. The novelty consists of using, simultaneously, the measured QoS and QoC parameters to make decisions about the control action with a new method called Event Based Quality Integral Cycle. To validate the architecture, the first five Braitenberg vehicles have been implemented using the FSACtrl architecture. The experimental outcomes, demonstrate the convenience of using jointly QoS and QoC parameters in distributed control systems.
Role of Edge Inclination in an Optical Microdisk Resonator for Label-Free Sensing
Authors: Gandolfi Davide , Ramiro-Manzano Fernando , Aparicio Rebollo Francisco , Ghulinyan Mher , Pucker Georg , Pavesi Lorenzo
Published: February 2015

In this paper, we report on the measurement and modeling of enhanced optical refractometric sensors based on whispering gallery modes. The devices under test are optical microresonators made of silicon nitride on silicon oxide, which differ in their sidewall inclination angle. In our approach, these microresonators are vertically coupled to a buried waveguide with the aim of creating integrated and cost-effective devices. Device modeling shows that the optimization of the device is a delicate balance of the resonance quality factor and evanescent field overlap with the surrounding environment to analyze. By numerical simulations, we show that the microdisk thickness is critical to yield a high figure of merit for the sensor and that edge inclination should be kept as high as possible. We also show that bulk-sensing figures of merit as high as 1600 RIU-1 (refractive index unit) are feasible.
Le « mouvement blanc » en Belgique : un nouvel acteur dans le champ judiciaire ?
Authors: Kuty Olgierd
Published: February 2015

Avec les crimes des pédophiles, le processus de judiciarisation a pris des formes très spécifiques en Belgique : il fait apparaître un renforcement de la scène judiciaire et une contestation violente du pouvoir judiciaire. Si la stratégie d'indignation morale face à la corruption politique a été conduite par la magistrature, les meurtres d'enfants ont fait surgir un puissant mouvement populaire qui a entraîné une division des élites, politiques et judiciaires, et la création des « comités blancs ». L'explication de cette régulation judiciaire spécifique, regroupant des juges, des associations et des médias, doit être recherchée tant dans la structure d'une « société de piliers » que dans celle du champ judiciaire.
La réticence des juges face à l'application des lois sociales
Authors: Sadaune de Oliveira Delphine
Published: February 2015

La loi relative au « surendettement » des particuliers et des familles dite « loi Neiertz » a été mise en œuvre le 1er mars 1990. Cette loi vise à résoudre les situations liées à un endettement excessif, d'en atténuer les effets négatifs et d'éviter l'engrenage de l'exclusion. Elle porte en germe un contentieux important et un rôle novateur pour le juge qui devient gestionnaire de dettes dans un intérêt économique et social. Elle n'a pas été accueillie de manière uniforme par les magistrats. Il convient donc de comprendre et d'expliquer les mécanismes des divergences constatées tout en mettant à jour les incidences que celles-ci ont eues sur le plan de l'application de la loi.
Scandales politiques et transformation des rapports entre magistrature et politique
Authors: Roussel Violaine
Published: February 2015

S'interrogeant sur la transformation des rapports entre magistrature et politique, à la faveur des scandales politiques français des années 1990, cet article pointe les mécanismes de distanciation et de défamiliarisation des univers judiciaire et politique, qui constituent une condition de possibilité de l'action des magistrats dans ce contexte. On ne peut cependant expliquer pleinement cette dernière qu'en prêtant attention à l'enchaînement des pratiques dans le cours même des « affaires ». Si les activités judiciaires prennent appui sur une première différenciation des espaces judiciaire et politique, des processus d'autonomisation de l'univers judiciaire sont à nouveau à l'œuvre dans le cours des scandales.
Droit à l'emploi et magistratures sociales : vers une politique des situations ?
Authors: Astier Isabelle
Published: February 2015

Une politique de l'emploi implique de se préoccuper avant tout de la protection sociale des individus, et une politique du travail de rechercher les aptitudes des individus à exercer un travail réellement utile. Cet article présente deux mesures opposées de la politique pour l'emploi : les contrats emploi-solidarité et les emplois-jeunes. Dans la première, domine le souci d'assurer une protection sociale minimale de la dignité ; pour la seconde, est affirmée la responsabilité de l'individu dans la définition de son activité professionnelle. Faut-il épouser le registre de la dette sociale ou bien se rapprocher des compétences individuelles ? Ainsi, sous l'effet de l'évaluation forte de l'individu social ou de l'individu en tant que personne, la balance va pencher soit vers l'emploi, soit vers le travail.
Le chercheur en sciences sociales comme acteur du procès ?
Authors: Israël Liora , Mouralis Guillaume
Published: February 2015

La place du chercheur en sciences sociales dans le processus judiciaire apparaît problématique. Tel est le constat qui a justifié la tenue d'une table ronde dont les principaux éléments sont restitués dans cet article. En s'interrogeant sur l'impact du témoignage historique sur la Justice, en proposant une analyse critique de l'expertise dans le cadre judiciaire, en soulignant combien « le concept d'action publique est étranger à la justice », les participants à cette table ronde font apparaître les incompatibilités entre la logique judiciaire et celle des sciences sociales en les situant sur plusieurs plans : le statut problématique de l'expertise tient précisément à sa position à la croisée des deux logiques ; aux approches scientifiques et judiciaires, largement antagonistes, le prétoire laisse libre cours à un autre usage des faits sociaux (et du passé) de nature mémorielle.
Les magistrats « hors les murs »
Authors: Boigeol Anne
Published: February 2015

Depuis une dizaine d'années, on assiste à un développement relatif des pratiques de mobilité extra-professionnelle chez les magistrats de l'ordre judiciaire. Ce type de mobilité étant traditionnellement peu fréquent chez les juges et les procureurs, on peut s'interroger sur la signification de ce phénomène. Est-il susceptible de prendre de l'ampleur, sur le modèle des magistratures administrative et financière qui ont intégré la mobilité dans leur modèle professionnel ou, au contraire, la spécificité de la magistrature judiciaire n'autorise-t-elle ce genre de pratique qu'à la marge ? L'article s'efforce de répondre à cette question en analysant pourquoi la magistrature judiciaire est peu portée à la mobilité.
Le droit français devient-il multiculturel ?
Authors: Rouland Norbert
Published: February 2015

Après avoir défini le concept de multiculturalisme, l'article situe la tradition juridique française au sein des différents modèles de multiculturalisme. Il retrace son évolution, montrant comment le droit français s'efforce de faire coïncider le principe traditionnel d'indivisibilité de l'État et le pluralisme démocratique moderne, notamment en ce qui concerne l'évolution des territoires d'outre-mer. Puis il étudie les progrès du multiculturalisme dans différents domaines du droit positif en insistant sur leur caractère inégal. Les avancées sont certaines en ce qui concerne la diversité religieuse, les statuts personnels, la parité. Elles prêtent davantage à discussion pour ce qui a trait à la diversité linguistique et la reconnaissance de communautés autochtones.
The Local and Long-Haul Cruise Passenger Market Segments: What are the Implications of Their Emergence for Cruise Destinations?
Authors: Henry James , Hamlin Robert , Simpson Elizabeth
Published: February 2015

This article investigates the emergence of two distinct segments in the global cruise market: the local passenger, who lives within the region that they cruise to take a cruise, and the long-haul cruise passenger, who flies from their region to take a cruise in another region. The research
examined the relative prior cruise behavior and relative intention of passengers to return to New Zealand as a destination. Four hundred and seventy-nine cruise passengers from nine cruise ship arrivals were interviewed in a single destination, Dunedin, New Zealand. Three hundred and sixty-four
were local to the Australasian region, and 115 were long-haul arrivals, primarily from North America and the UK. The research revealed very large differences in prior behavior and future intentions between the two segments. Long-haul passengers were typically much more experienced cruisers
and had a very much lower intention to return than did their local equivalents. These findings are consistent with cruise berth providers' expectations that the industry is developing into a global industry with multiple significant passenger source/destination regions and two distinct global
mass cruise passenger segments: long haul and local. The implications for cruise destinations and direction for further research are discussed.
Governance of Expedition Cruise Ship Tourism in the Arctic: A Comparison of the Canadian and Russian Arctic
Authors: Pashkevich Albina , Dawson Jackie , Stewart Emma J.
Published: February 2015

Expedition style cruise tourism represents a significant proportion of shipping activity across the Arctic. This article compares and contrasts governance structures that manage the cruise sector from case studies located in the Canadian (Nunavut) and the Russian Arctic (Murmansk and
Arkhangelsk regions). Analysis of sources, including interviews with key stakeholders, strategic tourism plans, and an inventory of institutional governance reveals that in both these locations there is no central authority to govern the growth of the industry, no specific cruise or yacht
management plans, and no site guidelines for highly visited shore locations (other than in protected areas). The article concludes that under current conditions there are significant barriers to supporting development of the expedition cruise sector in both these Arctic regions.
AN INTEGRATED MULTI-OBJECTIVE OPTIMIZATION MODEL FOR SOLVING THE CONSTRUCTION TIME-COST TRADE-OFF PROBLEM
Authors: Koo Choongwan , Hong Taehoon , Kim Sangbum
Published: February 2015

As construction projects become larger and more diversified, various factors such as time, cost, quality, environment, and safety that need to be considered make it very difficult to make the final decision. This study was conducted to develop an integrated Multi-Objective Optimization (iMOO) model that provides the optimal solution set based on the concept of the Pareto front, through the following six steps: (1) problem statement; (2) definition of the optimization objectives; (3) establishment of the data structure; (4) standardization of the optimization objectives; (5) definition of the fitness function; and (6) introduction of the genetic algorithm. To evaluate the robustness and reliability of the proposed iMOO model, a case study on the construction time-cost trade-off problem was analyzed in terms of effectiveness and efficiency. The results of this study can be used: (1) to assess more than two optimization objectives, such as the initial investment cost, operation and maintenance cost, and CO2 emission trading cost; (2) to take advantage of the weights as the real meanings; (3) to evaluate the four types of fitness functions; and (4) to expand into other areas such as the indoor air quality, materials, and energy use.
FUZZY-BASED COMPOSITE INDICATOR DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY FOR EVALUATING OVERALL PROJECT PERFORMANCE
Authors: Yu Jung-Ho , Jeon Me-Yeon , Kim Tae Wan
Published: February 2015

Construction companies develop and use composite indicators to evaluate their overall project performance. However, the conventional methodology of composite indicator development causes “the indiscrimination problem”, a low degree of performance discrimination due to low resolution of measurement, and “the redundancy problem”, an incorrect evaluation caused by interrelation among sub-indicators. To address these problems, we propose a novel methodology that uses fuzzy theories. The proposed methodology includes the utility function for normalizing, the fuzzy measure for weighting, and the fuzzy integral for aggregating. A retrospective case study on 52 real projects shows that our proposed methodology can help alleviate the indiscrimination and redundancy problems: the proposed methodology significantly improved the degree of performance discrimination (0.29 to 0.92) and changed ranks of under- or overestimated projects by taking the interactions of sub-indicators into account. Our methodology can contribute more accurate evaluation of overall project performance with higher degrees of performance discrimination.
EFFECT OF MILLED ELECTRICAL CABLE WASTE ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE
Authors: Grinys Audrius , Vaičiukynienė Danutė , Augonis Algirdas , Sivilevičius Henrikas , Bistrickait Rėda
Published: February 2015

The article focuses on investigation of mechanical and fracture properties of concrete containing electrical cable waste as well as some microstructural features of such concrete. Added to concrete, electrical cable waste reduces the overall concrete bulk density. Compressive, flexural, tensile splitting strengths and elastic modulus decreased when electrical cable waste was admixed to conventional and polymer modified concretes. The best mechanical properties of concrete samples containing electrical cable waste were identified in polymer modified concrete containing 5% of electrical cable waste. Electrical cable waste particles increase the deformability of polymer modified concretes and have almost no influence on normal concrete. Consequently, the optimal amount of electrical cable waste particles can provide concrete with desirable strength that is required for different applications.
Le traitement automatique des langues pour les sciences sociales
Authors: Poibeau Thierry
Published: February 2015

La masse de données textuelles aujourd’hui disponible permet d’envisager les sciences sociales sous un jour nouveau, dans la mesure où les textes regorgent d’éléments d’informations jamais exploités jusqu’ici. La difficulté consiste alors à accéder à la bonne information, à la « normaliser » puis à la mettre en contexte, dans la mesure où cette information doit être formatée pour être exploitable par d’autres outils automatiques. Cet article présente un panorama des techniques de traitement automatique des langues utilisées de nos jours et examine surtout une série de réalisations concrètes, permettant de mettre en avant ce qui fonctionne, mais aussi les limites des systèmes actuels.
Twitter et les relations de séduction entre députés et journalistes
Authors: Chibois Jonathan
Published: February 2015

Ce texte entend décrire la manière dont Twitter s’insère, aujourd’hui en France, au centre du jeu d’influence qui réunit les députés et les journalistes dans la production de l’actualité politique. L’analyse montre comment les nouveaux usages médiatiques que permet ce support sont l’occasion pour les députés de s’émanciper d’une institution parlementaire historiquement soucieuse de contrôler au plus près la visibilité médiatique des activités qu’elle accueille. Néanmoins, si cette dynamique participe d’un désenclavement dans les relations entre la presse et l’Assemblée, les modes d’interaction entre députés et journalistes dans cet espace ne se distinguent pas significativement de ceux en vigueur en salle des Quatre Colonnes.
Rêves d'Amérique
Authors: Pruvost-Delaspre Marie
Published: February 2015

Le cinéma d’animation japonais, s’il a souvent été abordé d’un point de vue historique dans son évolution graphique, a rarement fait l’objet d’une étude axée sur l’histoire de la production, dans sa dimension économique et technique. Cet article se propose d’envisager les débuts de la production industrielle de dessins animés dans le Japon de l’après-guerre autour de deux hypothèses : la première décrivant le discours programmatique des producteurs japonais dans les années 1960, en particulier leur concurrence affichée envers les studios américains, en particulier Disney, la seconde offrant une perspective analytique sur le modèle de production instauré à cette période, à partir de l’étude de documents d’archives. Ce propos se trouve ici appliqué à un cas à la fois exemplaire et particulier, celui du studio de la Tôei Dôga, fondé en 1956 comme département animation de la Tôei, l’une des grandes majors japonaises de l’après-guerre. Visant selon son directeur Hiroshi Ôkawa à se placer comme « le Disney de l’Orient », la Tôei Dôga a largement contribué à façonner le paysage de l’industrie du dessin animé tel qu’il existe aujourd’hui au Japon.
Modifying Culture to Advance Economic Growth
Authors: Bhasin Balbir , Venkataramany Sivakumar , Ng Lee Keng
Published: February 2015

In furthering the discussion on the linkage between economic development and culture, this chapter attempts to answer the question, “Can culture be modified to advance economic growth?” and uses Singapore as a case in point. It traces the country's restructuring of cultural values to foster economic growth and development, which allowed Singapore to grow from a small island state with a sagging economy and no natural resources to one of the most respected and widely recognized developmental models of the modern era. This study shows that social controls can help newly developing countries in creating political stability and social cohesion that allows for rapid economic development. However, the side effects of such measures lead to the creation of a compliant society that lacks creativity and innovation, is risk averse in entrepreneurial activity, and is prone to talent depletion.
The Globalisation of the Media
Authors: Virkar Shefali
Published: February 2015

This chapter explores the claim that the continuous globalisation of the media industry is leading unrelentingly towards a hegemony of global cultural homogeneity. Through a discussion of the phenomenon that is globalisation, and the theoretical background against which the cultural effects of the global media might be studied, the chapter critically examines the role of global commercial broadcasting in the creation of a so-called global culture and in the engendering of global cultural convergence. The past three decades have witnessed an explosion in the size and number of Transnational Corporations (TNCs), while advances in science and technology have revolutionised the way in which people around the world think, work, collaborate, and share information. The expansive growth in the size and number of TNCs and the rapid proliferation of the Internet and its associated technologies has led in recent times to profound changes in the global mass media industry.
Impact of Cultural Intelligence on Global Business
Authors: Chandan Harish C.
Published: February 2015

In today's globalized business world, intercultural effectiveness is crucial to a firm's survival. Cultural intelligence, CQ, is a four-dimensional construct that helps one to understand how the individual cultural beliefs and values influence motivations and behaviors (Ang & Van Dyne, 2009). CQ is related to the three aspects of intercultural effectiveness that include cultural judgment and decision making, cultural adaptation, and task performance (Ang et al., 2007). CQ plays an important role in the areas of global leadership (Van Dyne & Ang, 2006), achievement of managers (Rahimi et al., 2011), global strategic alliances, cross-cultural communications, negotiations, multinational teams (Early & Gibson, 2002), culturally diverse domestic teams, overseas work assignments (Bhaskar-Shrinivas, 2005; Lee & Sukco, 2010; Ramalu et al., 2012), global business competencies, and organizational effectiveness in the global marketplace (Creque, 2011). CQ is also relevant in establishing global identity in culturally diverse virtual teams (Adair et al., 2013).
Potential and Pitfalls of Ethnic Marketing in Financial Services in Belgium
Authors: Koeman Joyce , Bassens David
Published: February 2015

Access to financial services constitutes an important prerequisite for participation in increasingly financialized societies and economies; however, financial exclusion remains commonplace among socio-economically weaker groups. In this chapter, the authors examine the role financial institutions could play in bridging such socio-ethnic divides in the context of Brussels as a commercial opportunity arises for institutions that are willing and able to cater, for instance through Islamic modes of finance, to relatively underserved Muslim communities. The chapter integrates and mirrors ethnic marketing literature and recent debates in geography about financial inclusion to discuss the obvious tensions that further financialization of economically weaker and culturally marginalized groups in society brings along. Doing so, the authors identify key societal trends at the interface of ethnic marketing and the propagation of “alternative” forms of finance and conclude with suggestions for an interdisciplinary research agenda.
Gender and Water
Authors: Das Mononita Kundu , Das Rituparna
Published: February 2015

This chapter examines the welfare implication of wage revisions for two Indian unorganized sector female workers with opposite preference patterns for income and leisure in drought-prone zone. The female workers here face a gender-based wage gap and the inconveniences caused by water shortage adversely affect their effective incomes since females are the major users of water in the family. This chapter also makes a couple of recommendations for policymakers and legislators. It experiments with alternative utility functions in neoclassical microeconomic behavioural model framework.
Role of Corporate Universities in Higher Education
Authors: Baporikar Neeta
Published: February 2015

Learning and development has become increasingly challenging, critical, sophisticated and vital in knowledge based global economy. This trend is now accelerating in the rest of Asia and the Middle East. Corporations such as Infosys in India, Huawei in China, Singapore Airlines in Singapore and Etisalat in the United Arab Emirates have well-established corporate universities/learning centers. Other Asian and Middle Eastern corporations, both large and small, are following suit and allocating huge resources to strengthen their learning and development function. As corporate universities make new waves, the days of viewing them as training departments with fancy names are gone. Besides, the corporate university movement has become truly global in scope with them becoming sophisticated and highly visible world over. Using published research and the author's own work, this paper explores the current state of the corporate university and role of corporate university in higher education.
Effects of Data Envelopment Analysis on Performance Assessment
Authors: Ahn Heinz , Novoa Nadia Vazquez
Published: February 2015

This paper examines the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology from a cognitive perspective. Specifically, it analyzes (a) the role of DEA scores as an overall efficiency measure and (b) to what extent the presence of DEA scores for a non-financial performance appraisal influences a posterior financial performance assessment. The study confirms that the efficiency score acts as a strong performance marker when deciding on which decision making units (DMUs) should be awarded for their non-financial performance. Furthermore, it shows that the results of the non-financial performance evaluation may act as an anchor which significantly influences a posterior financial assessment. These insights have practical consequences for planning, reporting, and controlling processes that incorporate DEA efficiency scores.
A Strategic Analysis of Mixed Channel Structure
Authors: Zhu Xiaowei Linda , Zu Xingxing , Zhu Lei , Ma Huafan
Published: February 2015

In order to meet the needs of different customer segments, manufacturers use multiple distribution channels. This paper will examine two of the most common types of multi-channel structures. Under Structure 1, a supply chain includes a manufacturer, its online store and its own retail store, like GAP's business model. A profit maximization model is used to obtain optimal strategies in terms of optimal retail price and level of value-added services provided by manufacturer-owned retailer. Under Structure 2, a supply chain includes a manufacturer, its online store and an independent retail store, like Dell's business model. Stackelberg game is applied to obtain the optimal retail price, wholesale price, and level of value-added services provided by an independent retailer. Furthermore, comparisons between these two business structures are discussed and managerial guidelines are proposed. Finally, numerical examples are provided and real business examples are discussed to illustrate and justify the theoretical results.
The Use of Technical and Fundamental Tools By Indian Stock Brokers
Authors: Baradi Naveen Kumar , Mohapatra Sanjay
Published: February 2015

This paper presents findings of an online questionnaire survey on the perceived importance of chartist/technical and fundamental analysis and the usage of Chartist Methods and Services and Valuation Techniques among stock brokers of Bombay Stock Exchange, India. Stock brokers rely more on fundamental analysis vis-à-vis technical analysis at longer forecasting horizons and rely more on technical analysis at shorter forecasting horizons. Among Chartist Methods and Services, Sentiment Indicators were most used and Chart Company or Analyst was least used by brokers. Among Valuation Techniques, Earnings Multiple Methods were most used and Dividend Discount Models were least used by brokers. Stock brokers' age correlates with usage of sentiment indicators and their gender correlates with the usage of computer graphics and services. Regarding the use of chartist / technical and fundamental analysis on seven forecasting horizons, four distinct forecasting styles among stock brokers could be identified through cluster analysis.
Determinants of Customer Loyalty
Authors: Hussein Rania , Kais Amr , Shamma Hamed M
Published: February 2015

This study aims to explore the factors that determine customer loyalty in the telecom industry. The mobile market in Egypt will be used as the particular context of study. A sample of 600 mobile subscribers was drawn from the cell phone users in Egypt. A distinctive model is developed drawing on the results of previous empirical work on customer loyalty. The model proposes that customer loyalty in a service industry like the telecom industry is a combination of a number of factors namely; perceived service quality, corporate image, trust, switching cost and customer satisfaction with the service. Data was analyzed via multiple regression technique. Findings indicate that perceived service quality, trust and satisfaction with the service are the significant determinants of customer loyalty. The study provides marketing insights and implications of these findings.
To Be Or Not To Be Visible In Company-Managed Virtual Communities?
Authors: Ben Yahia Imene
Published: February 2015

This research investigates how the companies' efforts' visibility influence VCs members' loyalty. Based on the relationship marketing and the signaling theory, it posits that perceived benefits by members influence loyalty through the full mediation of the relationship investments and the relationship quality. However, this influence is moderated by the visibility of companies' efforts. Data from 342 members of company-managed virtual communities were collected. The sample was divided into two groups according to the visibility of the company's efforts. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques and multi-group analysis. Results show that this influence is significant when the efforts of the company are visible and not significant when they are not. Providing benefits to members is then not enough to foster loyalty. The company has to be a visible partner who contributes in the success of the virtual community.
Cyber Can Kill and Destroy Too
Authors: Krotofil Marina
Published: February 2015

Cyberwarfare has become a fashionable topic in the last decade, partly because of the ever increasing sophistication of computer attacks, partly because of malicious actors setting their sight on industrial systems such as plants. Modern production systems are characterized by an IT-infrastructure controlling effects in the physical world. Such systems are called cyber-physical systems. In this paper the authors draw a distinction between information cyberattacks and cyber-physical attacks. Thereafter we provide insights into the specifics of cyber-physical attacks and examine to which extent they are similar to conventional warfare.
Towards a Framework for the Measurement and Reduction of User-Perceivable Complexity of Group Decision-Making Methods
Authors: Bregar Andrej
Published: February 2015

Methods for group decision analysis are based on various preference and aggregation models, and may exhibit a significant level of complexity that is perceived by decision-makers. It is therefore essential to apply appropriate methods and keep the complexity within controllable limits. In the paper, factors that influence the user-perceivable complexity are systematically specified, correlated and decomposed into measurable units. They address cognitive load, asynchronous interaction, autonomous guidance and conflict resolution, thoroughness and depth of analysis, problem structuring, efficiency of judgements, imprecision, psychophysical applicability, etc. In addition, several mechanisms and techniques to reduce complexity are presented, evaluated and systematized in accordance with the factors of the framework.