bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of impact of passive design measures with energy saving potential through estimation of shading control for visual comfort
Authors: Sharma Lakshya , Kishan Lal K , Rakshit Dibakar
Published: December 2017

Residential and commercial buildings together account for one-third of world’s final energy consumption, thus making energy management in buildings of considerable significance. Passive design concept that depends on climate and location can be used as an effective and economical method to reduce the energy consumption in buildings. Seven cities in India, each representative of different geographic and climatic conditions, were selected for analysis. This article studies how the peak cooling and heating load are affected by varying some of the passive design parameters for each of the seven cities. The parameters varied are wall insulation thickness, roof insulation thickness, overhang depth, window orientation, and window-to-wall ratio. Results show that optimized passive design could reduce the peak cooling and heating loads by about 50%. Shading reduces cooling loads but is found to increase heating loads. In some of the locations, both heating in winter and cooling in summer are needed and designers should adopt appropriate passive measures depending on the location. Also for the same building, evaluation of shading is done in the context of lighting energy savings. An algorithm has been developed to iteratively alter and analyze set of roller blind positions to maintain visual comfort; as a result, the corresponding potential annual energy savings due to lighting were estimated. It was also observed that even after providing visual comfort to the occupants, energy savings only reduced by approximately 1% as compared to the case when visual comfort was overlooked.
Electronic cigarettes: an aid in smoking cessation, or a new health hazard?
Authors: Farsalinos Konstantinos
Published: December 2017

The issue of electronic cigarettes is one of the most controversial topics in public health. There is intense debate and dividing opinions about their use patterns, health effects and association with smoking. This is expected since they were only recently introduced to the market and they refer to a harm-reduction approach and strategy that is not universally accepted for smoking and tobacco use in the public health community. Three main factors determine the public health impact of electronic cigarettes: (1) their safety/risk profile, both relative to smoking and in absolute terms; (2) their effectiveness for smoking reduction and cessation; (3) the patterns of use by different population subgroups, especially never-smokers, and adoption of use by youth. This analysis presents a brief overview of currently available evidence and gaps in research covering these three factors.
Psychological interventions for coronary heart disease: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Richards Suzanne H , Anderson Lindsey , Jenkinson Caroline E , Whalley Ben , Rees Karen , Davies Philippa , Bennett Paul , Liu Zulian , West Robert , Thompson David R , Taylor Rod S
Published: December 2017

Background

Although psychological interventions are recommended for the management of coronary heart disease (CHD), there remains considerable uncertainty regarding their effectiveness.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of psychological interventions for CHD.

Methods

The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsycINFO were searched to April 2016. Retrieved papers, systematic reviews and trial registries were hand-searched. We included RCTs with at least 6 months of follow-up, comparing the direct effects of psychological interventions to usual care for patients following myocardial infarction or revascularisation or with a diagnosis of angina pectoris or CHD defined by angiography. Two authors screened titles for inclusion, extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Studies were pooled using random effects meta-analysis and meta-regression was used to explore study-level predictors.

Results

Thirty-five studies with 10,703 participants (median follow-up 12 months) were included. Psychological interventions led to a reduction in cardiovascular mortality (rfcelative risk 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.63 to 0.98), although no effects were observed for total mortality, myocardial infarction or revascularisation. Psychological interventions improved depressive symptoms (standardised mean difference [SMD] –0.27, 95% CI –0.39 to –0.15), anxiety (SMD –0.24, 95% CI –0.38 to –0.09) and stress (SMD –0.56, 95% CI –0.88 to –0.24) compared with controls.

Conclusions

We found that psychological intervention improved psychological symptoms and reduced cardiac mortality for people with CHD. However, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding the magnitude of these effects and the specific techniques most likely to benefit people with different presentations of CHD.
Examination of the Effects of Video Prompting Across Different Types of Tasks
Authors: Cannella-Malone Helen I. , Jimenez Eliseo D. , Schaefer John M. , Miller Megan , Byrum Hollie
Published: December 2017

Video prompting has a strong evidence base as an effective strategy to teach students with severe disabilities a variety of skills including daily living skills. This study examined whether differences in daily living tasks (i.e., multistep, multicomponent, and sequential tasks) would impact skill acquisition using video prompting by three participants with severe to profound disabilities. Results indicated that although video prompting was effective broadly, aspects of task type taught may affect the pace of an individual’s acquisition. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Steps for Implementing a State-Level Professional Development Plan for Secondary Transition
Authors: Mazzotti Valerie L. , Rowe Dawn A. , Simonsen Monica , Boaz Bonnie , VanAvery Cynthia
Published: December 2017

To scale up and sustain the use of evidence-based practices, it is imperative that state education agencies systematically implement professional development that represents best practice. By delivering quality professional development to local districts, it is more likely that transition personnel will implement transition programs and practices with fidelity to sustain implementation over time. To do this, it is important for state education agencies to develop a state-level stakeholder team to determine professional development needs across districts and develop a plan to systematically deliver professional development. This article describes seven steps for using data-based decision-making to develop and implement quality professional development at the local level to ensure districts across a state effectively and sustainably implement secondary transition evidence-based practices.
Status of Credentialing Structures Related to Secondary Transition: A State-Level Policy Analysis
Authors: Simonsen Monica L. , Novak Jeanne A. , Mazzotti Valerie L.
Published: December 2017

To understand the current status of transition-related credentialing systems in driving personnel preparation, it is necessary to identify which state education and rehabilitation services agencies are currently providing certification and licensure in the area of secondary transition. The purpose of this study was to examine the current state of requirements related to secondary transition in states’ personnel credentialing systems. Results provide a snapshot of current state credentialing policies related to secondary transition and a clear view of policy changes that have occurred over the last 14 years. Limitations and implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Examining Federally Funded Secondary Transition Personnel Preparation Programs
Authors: Plotner Anthony J. , Simonsen Monica L.
Published: December 2017

The purpose of this study was to examine 41 secondary transition-focused personnel preparation projects funded between 2001 and 2016. Specifically, this study examined the amount and characteristics of these projects through a systematic abstract review. In addition, authors explored key issues in federally funded transition-focused personnel preparation programs as perceived by principal investigators of funded projects through telephone interviews. Results indicated a decline in Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)-funded personnel preparation grants over the period of 2001–2016. The interview results revealed three overarching themes regarding key issues in transition personnel preparation programs: (a) catalysts of successful program implementation, (b) critical content, and (c) program impact. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
In Defence of Sustho Sanskriti (Healthy Culture): Understanding Bengali Middle Classness in Neoliberal India
Authors: Shabnam Shaoni
Published: December 2017

The ‘new middle class’, often identified as an upwardly mobile segment, primarily employed in the growing private service sectors, such as the information technology, and supposedly, representative of the changing lifestyles and consumption patterns of the Indian middle class, has stolen much of the limelight of the contemporary popular as well as scholarly discourses on the Indian middle class. 2 2   This article draws upon from the fieldwork conducted as part of my PhD work completed in 2016. An earlier version of the paper was presented at the international seminar on ‘The Middle Class in World Society’ held at ISEC (Institute of Social and Economic Change), Bangalore, India on 16th and 17th December, 2016. This article, on the other hand, takes up a different social group located in West Bengal, having a close relationship with the state, often described as the ‘old middle class’/‘Nehruvian middle class’ in the postcolonial context, the respondents being predominantly public sector employees and academicians. By taking up the register of sanskriti (culture), the article argues that it is fundamentally through forging continuity from the past that this historically dominant social group is engaged in the construction of Bengali middle classness. Through an analysis of class and its relation to cultural distinctiveness, the article shows that the specific way in which this relation plays out in case of the respondents in my study and argues that any theoretical attempt to understand the complex relationship between class distinction and the question of taste needs to be grounded within narrowly defined contextualised specificities.
Patients with Dementia Are Easily Distracted
Authors: Hamdy R. C. , Kinser A. , Depelteau A. , Kendall-Wilson T. , Lewis J. V. , Whalen K.
Published: December 2017

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the middle ground between normal, age-appropriate memory impairment, and dementia. Whereas patients with MCI are able to cope with the memory deficit, those with dementia are not: Their memory impairment and other cognitive deficits are of sufficient magnitude to interfere with the patients’ ability to cope independently with daily activities. In both MCI and dementia, there is evidence of declining cognitive functions from a previously higher level of functioning. In both the conditions, there is also an evidence of dysfunction in one or more cognitive domains. There are two subtypes of MCI depending on whether memory is predominantly affected: amnestic type and nonamnestic/behavioral type. Not all patients with MCI transition to dementia, some recover. In this case scenario, we present a 68-year-old man with MCI who lives with his wife. They are getting ready to host dinner. His wife asks him to vacuum the dining room while she runs an urgent errand. We describe how this simple task vacuuming a room ended in a catastrophe with the patient spending the night in jail and his wife hospitalized. We discuss what went wrong in the patient/wife interaction and how the catastrophic ending could have been avoided.

Objectives

At the end of this case discussion readers will know the following: The differences between mild cognitive impairment (MCI), normal aging, and dementia. MCI is often a precursor of dementia and has an amnestic or nonamnestic/behavioral presentation. However, not all patients with MCI develop dementia, some even recover. MCI is an opportunity to discuss with the patient various issues that may arise, should it progress to dementia such as preparing a will, transitioning from driver to passenger, and addressing various financial and legal issues including end-of-life issues and selecting someone to have power of attorney. Patients with MCI should be regularly followed up to determine whether and when they will transition to dementia as this changes the level of care needed. Patients with MCI are at an increased risk of triggering accidents because of their cognitive impairment and often impaired judgment. It may be hazardous to leave patients with MCI alone, without supervision. The importance of support groups, social media, and cameras when providing care to patients with MCI and dementias.
Plaque volume and plaque risk profile in diabetic vs. non-diabetic patients undergoing lipid-lowering therapy: a study based on 3D intravascular ultrasound and virtual histology
Authors: Kovarnik Tomas , Chen Zhi , Mintz Gary S. , Wahle Andreas , Bayerova Kristyna , Kral Ales , Chval Martin , Kopriva Karel , Lopez John , Sonka Milan , Linhart Ales
Published: December 2017

Background

Coronary atherosclerosis progresses faster in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and causes higher morbidity and mortality in such patients compared to non-diabetics ones (non-DM). We quantify changes in plaque volume and plaque phenotype during lipid-lowering therapy in DM versus non-DM patients using advanced intracoronary imaging.

Methods

We analyzed data from 61 patients with stable angina pectoris included to the PREDICT trial searching for prediction of plaque changes during intensive lipid-lowering therapy (40 mg rosuvastatin daily). Geometrically correct, fully 3-D representation of the vascular wall surfaces and intravascular ultrasound virtual histology (IVUS-VH) defined tissue characterization was obtained via fusion of two-plane angiography and IVUS-VH. Frame-based indices of plaque morphology and virtual histology analyses were computed and averaged in 5 mm long baseline/follow-up registered vessel segments covering the entire length of the two sequential pullbacks (baseline, 1-year). We analyzed 698 5-mm-long segments and calculated the Liverpool active plaque score (LAPS).

Results

Despite reaching similar levels of LDL cholesterol (DM 2.12 ± 0.91 mmol/l, non-DM 1.8 ± 0.66 mmol/l, p = 0.21), DM patients experienced, compared to non-DM ones, higher progression of mean plaque area (0.47 ± 1.15 mm2 vs. 0.21 ± 0.97, p = 0.001), percent atheroma volume (0.7 ± 2.8% vs. − 1.4 ± 2.5%, p = 0.007), increase of LAPS (0.23 ± 1.66 vs. 0.13 ± 1.79, p = 0.018), and exhibited more locations with TCFA (Thin-Cap Fibro-Atheroma) plaque phenotype in 5 mm vessel segments (20.3% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.01). However, only non-DM patients reached significant decrease of LDL cholesterol. Plaque changes were more pronounced in PIT (pathologic intimal thickening) compared to TCFA with increased plaque area in both phenotypes in DM patients.

Conclusion

Based on detailed 3D analysis, we found advanced plaque phenotype and further atherosclerosis progression in DM patients despite the same reached levels of LDLc as in non-DM patients.

Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01773512
Web-Based Tool to Facilitate Shared Decision Making With Regard to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Use in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Authors: Galsky Matthew D. , Diefenbach Michael , Mohamed Nihal , Baker Charles , Pokhriya Sumit , Rogers Jason , Atreja Ashish , Hu Liangyuan , Tsao Che-Kai , Sfakianos John , Mehrazin Reza , Waingankar Nikhil , Oh William K. , Mazumdar Madhu , Ferket Bart S.
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Level 1 evidence supports the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for the treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), but observational data demonstrate that this approach is underused. A barrier to shared decision making is difficulty in predicting and communicating survival estimates after cystectomy with or without NAC.

Methods

We included patients with MIBC from the National Cancer Database treated with cystectomy. A state-transition model was constructed for calculating 5-year death risk using baseline patient-, tumor-, and facility-level variables. Internal-external cross-validation by geographic region was performed. The effect of NAC was integrated using a literature-derived hazard ratio. Bladder cancer–specific and other-cause mortality was estimated from all-cause mortality rates from US life tables. From the state-transition model, a Web-based tool was developed and pilot usability testing performed.

Results

A total of 9,824 patients with MIBC who underwent cystectomy were eligible for inclusion. Median overall survival was 39.6 months (95% CI, 37.4 to 42.4 months). Increasing age, higher clinical T stage, higher comorbidity index, and black race were associated with shorter survival. Private insurance, higher income, and cystectomy at a high-volume facility were associated with longer survival. The prediction model was well calibrated across geographic regions, with observed-to-predicted 5-year death risks ranging from 0.85 to 1.17. Absolute risk reductions with NAC varied from 8.6% to 10.1%. The Web-based tool allowed input of the predictor variables and a user-defined hazard ratio associated with the effect of NAC to generate individualized survival estimates. The tool demonstrated good usability with clinicians.

Conclusion

A Web-based tool was developed to individualize outcome prediction and communication in patients with MIBC treated with cystectomy with or without NAC to facilitate shared decision making.
Effect of Age on Response to Therapy and Mortality in Patients With Thyroid Cancer at High Risk of Recurrence
Authors: Shah Sona , Boucai Laura
Published: December 2017

Context

Age at diagnosis has been identified as a major determinant of thyroid cancer–specific survival, with older patients being at higher risk for mortality, but the association of age with risk of recurrence has not been studied to date.

Objective

To examine the effect of a patient’s age on response to therapy and disease-specific mortality in a cohort of thyroid cancer patients at high risk of recurrence, as defined by the American Thyroid Association (ATA) risk stratification system.

Design

Retrospective cohort study of 320 patients, median age 49.3 years, with follicular cell-derived thyroid carcinoma classified at ATA high risk and followed for a median of 7 years.

Main Outcome Measures

Association of age with response to therapy, overall mortality, disease-specific mortality, and timing of metastases.

Results

Age was a major determinant of response to therapy. There was a significantly larger percentage of excellent responders among young patients (age <55) than among old patients (age ≥55), 40.3% vs 27.5%, P = 0.002, respectively, whereas the proportion of structural incomplete responders was higher in the old group compared with the young group, 53% vs 33%, P = 0.002, respectively. ATA high-risk young patients with a structural incomplete response to therapy had a significantly better disease-specific survival than old patients (74% vs 12%, P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

Age was a key predictor of response to therapy and disease-specific survival in ATA high-risk thyroid cancer patients. Its incorporation as a variable in the ATA risk stratification system would improve its power to predict response to therapy as well as mortality.
QTL mapping for microtuber dormancy and GA3 content in a diploid potato population
Authors: Naz Raja Mohib Muazzam , Li Mengtai , Ramzan Safia , Li Gege , Liu Jun , Cai Xingkui , Xie Conghua
Published: December 2017

The genetic control of dormancy is poorly understood in most plant species but dormancy is a prominent feature for the potato industry. We used the microtuber system in which tubers were produced in vitro and stored at 20°C, to perform quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis for dormancy and gibberellic acid (GA3) content in an F1 population consisting of 178 genotypes derived from an interspecific cross between Solanum chacoense acc. PI 320285 (long dormancy) and S. phureja acc. DM1-3 516 R44 (short dormancy). In this analysis, 163 markers were used to construct a genetic map with a total length of 591.8 cM. Through QTL analysis, we identified 22 markers closely linked to the timing of dormancy release and GA3 content. The male parent alleles were closely related with long dormancy, with the most significant effect on chromosome I, which accounted for 9.4% of phenotypic variation. The dormancy and GA3 QTLs localized to the same position in the genome, confirming that same genomic region controls GA3 content at different developmental stages or in dormant and sprouting tubers. The identified QTLs may be useful for future breeding strategies and studies of dormancy in potato.
In vitro and in vivo differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells generated from urine-derived cells into cardiomyocytes
Authors: Jiang Yu-Feng , Chen Min , Zhang Nan-Nan , Yang Hua-Jia , Rui Qing , Zhou Ya-Feng
Published: December 2017

Breakthrough advances in stem cell research made it possible for generation of human cardiomyocytes from cells derived from various sources, including skin biopsy. However, it is attractive to build up a negligibly invasive way to create induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. In this study, we created iPS cells from human urine-derived epithelial cells by gene transduction using lentiviral vectors in a totally noninvasive manner. After that, we induced the differentiation of iPS cells into functional cardiomyocytes both in vitro and in vivo. Action potentials were recorded in putative cardiomyocytes and spontaneous beating cells were observed. Our results offered an alternative method to generate cardiomyocytes in a totally noninvasive manner from an easily accessible source. The availability of urine and its potent reprogramming characteristics will provide opportunities for the use of cells with specific genotypes to study the pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms of disease in vitro.
LIF activated Jak signaling determines Esrrb expression during late-stage reprogramming
Authors: Huang Delun , Wang Ling , Duan Jingyue , Huang Chang , Tian Xiuchun (Cindy) , Zhang Ming , Tang Young
Published: December 2017

The regulatory process of naïve-state induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) generation is not well understood. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) activated Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Jak/Stat3) is the master regulator for naïve-state pluripotency achievement and maintenance. The estrogen-related receptor beta (Esrrb) serves as a naïve-state marker gene regulating self-renewal of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). However, the inter-connection between Esrrb and LIF signaling for pluripotency establishment in reprogramming is unclear. We screened the marker genes critical for complete reprogramming during mouse iPSC generation and identified genes including Esrrb that are responsive to LIF/Jak pathway signaling. Overexpression of Esrrb resumes the reprogramming halted by inhibition of Jak activity in partially reprogrammed cells (pre-iPSCs), and leads to the generation of pluripotent iPSCs. We further show that neither Nanog overexpression nor stimulation of Wnt signaling, two upstream regulators of Esrrb in ESCs, stimulates the expression of Esrrb in reprogramming when LIF or Jak activity is blocked. Our study demonstrates that Esrrb is a specific reprogramming factor regulated downstream of LIF/Jak signaling pathway. These results shed new light on the regulatory role of LIF pathway on complete pluripotency establishment during the iPSC generation.
Crawling without wiggling: muscular mechanisms and kinematics of rectilinear locomotion in boa constrictors
Authors: Newman Steven J. , Jayne Bruce C.
Published: December 2017

A central issue for understanding locomotion of vertebrates is how muscle activity and movements of their segmented axial structures are coordinated, and snakes have a longitudinal uniformity of body segments and diverse locomotor behaviors that are well suited for studying the neural control of rhythmic axial movements. Unlike all other major modes of snake locomotion, rectilinear locomotion does not involve axial bending, and the mechanisms of propulsion and modulating speed are not well understood. We integrated electromyograms and kinematics of boa constrictors to test Lissmann's decades-old hypotheses of activity of the costocutaneous superior (CCS) and inferior (CCI) muscles and the intrinsic cutaneous interscutalis (IS) muscle during rectilinear locomotion. The CCI was active during static contact with the ground as it shortened and pulled the axial skeleton forward relative to both the ventral skin and the ground during the propulsive phase. The CCS was active during sliding contact with the ground as it shortened and pulled the skin forward both relative to the skeleton and the ground during the recovery phase. The IS shortened the ventral skin, and subsequent isometric activity kept the skin stiff and shortened during most of static contact while overlapping extensively with CCI activity. The concentric activity of the CCI and CCS supported Lissmann's predictions. Contrary to Lissmann, the IS had prolonged isometric activity, and the time when it shortened was not consistent with providing propulsive force. Decoupling propulsion from axial bending in rectilinear locomotion may have facilitated economical locomotion of early snakes in subterranean tunnels.
Quality of life assessment and use of patient-reported outcomes in practice
Authors: Sommer R. , Augustin M. , Blome C.
Published: December 2017

Background: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are essential components of wound and vascular diagnostics and management. Aim: To provide an overview of PROs as diagnostic tools in the management of chronic wounds.

Methods: Review of different concepts on inclusion of PROs in wound practice from literature.

Results: PROs are indispensable sources of information for the understanding of the biopsycho- social context of wound diseases. Essential dimensions to be recorded are pain, health-related quality of life and patient benefit. Psychological parameters, adherence, treatment goals and treatment benefits are often needed. Further fields of interest include cumulative life course impairment, coping with disease, stigmatisation specifically applied according to clinical questions.

Conclusion: Patient-reported outcomes are mandatory for the diagnostic work-up of chronic wounds. They also provide essential information in the course of a disease, can be diagnostic clues for non-adherence and treatment failures. Measurement of many PRO parameters in wound disease, such as health-related quality of life and pain, is facilitated by validated instruments, which are recommended for practice.
Purpura pigmentosa progressiva
Authors: Mitschang C. , Görge T.
Published: December 2017

Die Purpura pigmentosa progressiva (PPP) ist eine benigne, häufig chronisch rezidivierende Dermatose, die sich vor allem symmetrisch an den unteren Extremitäten, in ausgeprägten Fällen auch am Rumpf und den oberen Extremitäten, manifestiert. Auch einmalige Krankheitsverläufe sind beschrieben. Klinisch äußert sich die Purpura pigmentosa progressiva in der Akutphase in Form von meist asymptomatischen petechialen Einblutungen, in ihrem Verlauf mit bräunlich-orangenen Maculae. In einigen Fällen wird von einem geringen Juckreiz berichtet. Meist führt der ästhetische Aspekt zum Arztbesuch. Es werden in der Literatur verschiedene Ursachen diskutiert, der genaue Pathomechanismus ist jedoch unklar. Eine zugrundeliegende Systemerkrankung liegt nicht vor. Histologisch zeigen sich Erythrozytenextravasate, perivaskuläre Lymphozyteninfiltrate und Hämosiderinablagerungen ohne Zeichen einer Vaskulitis. Differenzialdiagnostisch kommen vor allem eine leukozytoklastische Vaskulitis oder Gerinnungsstörungen in Betracht. Therapeutisch empfiehlt sich die Gabe von Vitamin C in Kombination mit Rutosid.
Lichenicolous fungi from the Samara Region, southern part of European Russia
Authors: Tsurykau Andrei , Korchikov Evgeny S.
Published: December 2017

Twenty two species of lichenicolous and two occasionally lichen-inhabiting fungi are reported from the Samara Region. Twenty three of them are new to the region, eighteen – to southern part of European Russia; Intralichen lichenum is new to European Russia, and Phoma grumantiana and Pyrenidium crozalsii are reported for the first time for Russia.
Dactylospora anziae, a new lichenicolous ascomycete on Anzia from East Asia
Authors: Zhurbenko Mikhail P. , Ezhkin Alexandr K. , Skirina Irina F. , Ohmura Yoshihito
Published: December 2017

Dactylospora anziae growing on species of Anzia is described from Russia and Japan.
Lichens and allied fungi from the Pechenga district and surroundings (Lapponia Petsamoënsis, Murmansk Region, Russia)
Authors: Konoreva Liudmila A. , Frolov Ivan V. , Chesnokov Sergey V.
Published: December 2017

168 species of lichens are specified for the Pechenga district and surroundings. Microcalicium ahlneri and Placidium norvegicum are new for the Murmansk Region. 18 species are new for Lapponia Petsamoënsis. Stereocaulon dactylophyllum is included into the Red Data Book of the Russian Federation. Caloplaca diphyodes, Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum, Haematomma ochroleucum, Phlyctis argena and Stereocaulon dactylophyllum are included into the Red Data Book of the Murmansk Region.
New occurrences of corticioid and poroid fungi (Basidiomycota) in Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve, Primorye Territory, Russian Far East
Authors: Viner Ilya A. , Kokaeva Lyudmila Yu.
Published: December 2017

New data on corticioid and poroid basidiomycetes from Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve, Primorye Territory, Russian Far East, is presented. Altogether there are 182 known species from the reserve; 76 are reported as new to the reserve and two as new to Russia. The material was collected in July of 2016 from 9 study plots located in forests of different types. Findings of some rarely collected species such as Botryobasidium botryoideum, Cerinomyces aff. aculeatus, Junghuhnia aurantilaeta, Phanerochaete robusta and Tyromyces wynneae are briefly discussed. The full-length ITS sequences of Junghuhnia aurantilaeta, Phanerochaete robusta, Pyrrhoderma cf. sendaiense and Tyromyces wynneae were obtained and deposited in the GenBank. Junghuhnia aurantilaeta is proposed to be included in the new edition of the Red Data Book of Primorye Territory. The paper expands the knowledge of distribution of many species and increases the total number of species reported for the reserve.
Bryophytes of Mordovia State Nature Reserve (European Russia)
Authors: Czernyadjeva Irina V. , Mežaka Anna , Potemkin Alexey D.
Published: December 2017

The present study compiles the results of bryophyte species inventories made at the Mordovia State Nature Reserve from 2014 till 2016. The reserve is located near southern limit of deciduous-coniferous forest subzone. In total 96% of the reserve is covered by forests, where about half are pine forests. The annotated bryophyte checklist includes 142 moss species and 23 liverwort species. The data on collecting site characteristics, habitats, substrates, bryophyte species frequency, and sporophyte presence are provided. Presented treatment is a key contribution to the bryophyte flora of Mordovia and important for the knowledge on bryophyte distribution of this forested area within strongly anthropogenically disturbed European Russian landscape.
Diversity and distribution of epiphytic lichens and bryophytes on aspen (Populus tremula) in the middle boreal forests of Republic of Karelia (Russia)
Authors: Tarasova Viktoria N. , Obabko Roman P. , Himelbrant Dmitry E. , Boychuk Margarita A. , Stepanchikova Irina S. , Borovichev Eugene A.
Published: December 2017

The distribution of epiphytic bryophyte and lichen species growing on aspen in the middle boreal forests was studied in southern Karelia (Russia). These forests varied in time-since-disturbance from 80 to 450 years. Two hundred twenty two species of epiphytes, including 178 lichens, 32 mosses and 12 liverworts, were recorded on 192 aspen trees in forests over 24 ha, in the Karelian part of the Vodlozero National Park, Kivach Strict Nature Reserve, Kizhi Sanctuary and Petrozavodsk City. Arthonia biatoricola, A. excipienda and Biatoridium monasteriense were collected in Karelia for the first time. Eighteen rare species (lichens Anaptychia ciliaris, Arthonia vinosa, Bryoria nadvornikiana, Chaenotheca gracilenta, C. stemonea, Lecidea albofuscescens, Lobaria pulmonaria, Melanelixia subaurifera, Nephroma bellum, N. laevigatum, Phaeocalicium populneum, Ramalina thrausta, Rostania occultata, Scytinium subtile, Usnea barbata, mosses Neckera pennata, Plagiomnium drummondii and liverwort Lejeunea cavifolia) listed in the Red Data Book of Republic of Karelia (2007) were found. Relationships between epiphytic lichen and bryophyte species richness and certain environmental variables (at different trunk heights above ground and time-since-disturbance) were evaluated. Lichens and mosses on aspen trunks often occupy different ecological niches. Cover and diversity of bryophytes was high on trunk bases, while the number of lichen species and their cover were higher at a height of 1.3 m above ground level. The total number of lichen species on aspen increased on average from 40 to 60 species per ha with increasing time-since-disturbance from 100 to 450 years. A stabilization in lichen species number was observed at about 200 years since disturbance. No significant correlation was determined between bryophyte diversity on aspens and the time-since-disturbance.
Detecting Markov Chain Instability: A Monte Carlo Approach
Authors: Mandjes M. , Patch B. , Walton N. S.
Published: December 2017

We devise a Monte Carlo based method for detecting whether a non-negative Markov chain is stable for a given set of parameter values. More precisely, for a given subset of the parameter space, we develop an algorithm that is capable of deciding whether the set has a subset of positive Lebesgue measure for which the Markov chain is unstable. The approach is based on a variant of simulated annealing, and consequently only mild assumptions are needed to obtain performance guarantees.

The theoretical underpinnings of our algorithm are based on a result stating that the stability of a set of parameters can be phrased in terms of the stability of a single Markov chain that searches the set for unstable parameters. Our framework leads to a procedure that is capable of performing statistically rigorous tests for instability, which has been extensively tested using several examples of standard and non-standard queueing networks.
Large Composite Neighborhoods for the Capacitated Location-Routing Problem
Authors: Schneider Michael , Löffler Maximilian
Published: December 2017

The capacitated LRP (CLRP) jointly takes decisions on the location of capacitated depots and the routing of capacitated vehicles to serve a set of customers with known demands from the opened depots. In city logistics, the CLRP is used for the planning of single-echelon distribution networks. In this application context, large-scale CLRP instances with a high number of potential depot locations (representing concrete candidates for running urban depots) and a high number of customers (as a result of densely populated urban areas) are particularly relevant. We introduce a tree-based search algorithm (TBSA) that explores the space of depot configurations in a tree-like fashion using a customized first improvement strategy. In the routing phase, the multi-depot vehicle-routing problem defined by the depot configuration is solved with a granular tabu search that uses a large composite neighborhood described by 14 operators.

In numerical studies, we find that using the large composite neighborhood has a positive impact on the effectivity, efficiency, and robustness of TBSA. We show that the trade-off between run time and solution quality of TBSA can be controlled by the number of total iterations and the strength of the sparsification in the granular search, and we investigate a fast, a basic, and a quality-oriented variant of TBSA. On the commonly used small-to-medium–sized CLRP benchmark sets from the literature, the fast version is able to dominate all previously published heuristic solution methods, that is, it achieves better solution quality within shorter run times. The basic and quality-oriented variants provide outstanding solution quality within reasonable run times; on average, both variants achieve negative gaps to the previous best known solutions. Thus, on the considered benchmark sets, the three variants together form the Pareto frontier of heuristic solution methods for the CLRP. Moreover, TBSA matches or improves the large majority of previous best known solutions in these instances. Finally, TBSA is able to solve newly generated, large-scale instances with up to 600 customers and 30 depots with reasonable run times and convincing scaling behavior and robustness. Additional experiments on open LRP benchmarks confirm the performance of TBSA.

Data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/trsc.2017.0770 .
As relações de paz e guerra entre Peru e Equador no contexto do complexo de segurança regional / The relations of peace and war between Peru and Ecuador in the context of regional security complex
Authors: Duarte Samuel Correa
Published: December 2017

O presente estudo procura analisar os acontecimentos centrais relativos à Guerra do Cenepa ocorrida em 1995 na fronteira entre Peru e Equador, situando a mesma no contexto da segurança regional do complexo americano. Argumentamos que a Guerra do Cenepa produziu três resultados básicos: apontou para a existência de uma balança de poder entre os dois países; não gerou nenhuma alteração substancial no conteúdo do tratado firmado anteriormente sobre a fronteira na base do Rio Cenepa; nem tampouco implicou em transferência de território. Então, como podemos explicar a dinâmica do conflito entre Peru e Equador? A tese central da análise que será aqui empreendida é que, em primeiro lugar, um padrão recorrente de hostilidades favorece um comportamento ofensivo e, em segundo lugar, a certeza sobre a balança de poder favorece as negociações. Como tese subjacente defendemos que a prevalência da hegemonia norte-americana contribuiu para o desenlace do conflito.ABSTRACTThe present study aims to analyze the central events related to the Cenepa War that occurred in 1995 on the border between Peru and Ecuador, into regional security of the American complex. We argue that the Cenepa War produced three basic results: pointed to the existence of a balance of power between the two countries; did not generate any substantial change in the content of the previously signed treaty on the border at the base of the Rio Cenepa; nor did it entail transfer of territory. How can we explain the dynamics of the conflict between Peru and Ecuador? Central thesis of the analysis that will be undertaken here is that, first, a recurrent pattern of hostility favors offensive behavior, and secondly, certainty about the balance of power favors negotiations. As an underlying thesis, we argue that the prevalence of US hegemony contributed to the outcome of the conflict.Palavras-chave: segurança regional; fronteira; conflito. Keywords: regional security; border; conflict.Recebido em 26 de Julho de 2016 | Aceito em 07 de Agosto de 2017Received on July 26, 2016 | Accepted on August 7, 2017DOI: 10.12957/rmi.2016.24824
A Política Externa Brasileira como Política Pública: a proposta de um Conselho Nacional e a experiência do Comitê Brasileiro de Direitos Humanos e Política Externa | Brazilian foreign policy as public policy: the proposal of a National Council and the exp
Authors: Da Silva Danielle Costa , Klein Magno
Published: December 2017

Refletimos sobre a atual política externa brasileira a partir da constatação da sua diversificação em termos deagendas e atores. A pluralização de atores ocorre tanto no âmbito burocrático (fragilizando a tradicionalprimazia do Itamaraty) como com atores da sociedade civil (mídia, ONGs, empresários, etc.). Com ainternacionalização da vida cotidiana, surgem novas demandas a respeito da agenda internacional,pressionando por novas dinâmicas nas práticas da política externa. Defendeseque a política externa é umapolítica pública que, guardando sua especificidade, deve ser analisada como as demais políticas públicasbrasileiras. A proposta de um Conselho Nacional de Política Externa e a recente experiência do ComitêBrasileiro de Direitos Humanos e Política Externa são demonstrações da importância de se levar emconsideração as dinâmicas domésticas para uma compreensão adequada da política externa brasileiracontemporânea.ABSTRACTThis paper delves into the current Brazilian foreign policy based on the assumption of its diversification in terms both of its agenda and actors. The pluralization of actors occurs not only in the bureaucratic scope (weakening the traditional Itamaraty’s primacy), but also with other players from civil society (such as the media, NGOs, the business sector, and others). With the internationalization of everyday life, new demands regarding the international agenda emerge, pressing for new dynamics on the practices of foreign policy. We defend that foreign policy is a public policy that, considering its specificity, should be analyzed such as others Brazilians public policies. The proposal of a National Council on Foreign Affairs and the recent experience of the Human Rights and Foreign Affairs Brazilian Committee are examples of the importance of reflecting upon domestic dynamics as a path to a better understanding of Brazilian contemporary foreign policy.Palavras-chave: política externa brasileira; análise de política externa; política públicaKeywords: Brazilian foreign policy; foreign policy analysis; public policyRecebido em 29 de Novembro de 2016 | Aceito em 29 de Setembro de 2017Received on November 29, 2016 | Accepted September 29, 2017DOI: 10.12957/rmi.2016.26899
Evidence-based social service in Sweden: a long and winding road from policy to local practice
Authors: Johansson Kerstin
Published: December 2017

It is possible to discern a new trend replacing New Public Management (NPM) in human service organisations. This trend comprises a discussion about evidence and governance with the goal of establishing a knowledge-based practice within Swedish social service. Efforts aimed at promoting an evidence-based practice have been an explicit part of Swedish social policy for more than 15 years. As a public venture aimed at changing local municipality social work practice, the initiative described in this article has few predecessors in terms of personnel, finance, or political support. The purpose of this article is twofold: first, to describe the intervention and its implementation, and second, to analyse the intervention and its implementation and some implications of them. The article uses translation and institutional theory. The overall aim is to analyse the intervention and its implementation from the perspectives of power and governance. The empirical data include documents, interviews, and a survey of professionals. Data were collected between 2009 and 2016. This article shows that the intervention has been interpreted and reinterpreted during its implementation, and that the intervention has not yet created any radical change or knowledge development in social work practice. The article argues that evidence-based governance and other forms of governance constitute a successor of NPM, though far from a complete replacement. It is also obvious that actors such as researchers, professionals, and clients seem to have limited influence over future knowledge development within social services.
NOTES ON THE RECORD OF GOBLIN SHARK (Mitsukurina owstoni Jordan, 1898) FROM INDONESIA
Authors: Fahmi -
Published: December 2017

A goblin shark, Mitsukurina owstoni,was captured by deepwater shark longline targeting squaloid sharks off Palabuhanratu, West Java, Indonesia at about 200 m depth. Morphological measurements were taken and compared to other records from Australia, New Zealand and Japan. This new recordfrom Indonesian waters extends the distribution of this species in the Indian Ocean.
TAXONOMIC LEVEL NEEDED TO DETECT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN POLYCHAETE COMMUNITIES OVER DIFFERENT MACROPHYTE ASSEMBLAGES ON ROCKY INTERTIDAL SHORES
Authors: Hadiyanto -
Published: December 2017

Environmental degradation has more significant impacts on rocky intertidal communities after global changes increase progressively. Thus, ecological monitoring should be conducted properly to analyse potential drivers and their impacts. However, most of the ecological monitoring in rocky intertidal shores is more interested in macroalgae. Polychaetes associated with macrophyte assemblages should be also involved in the monitoring because they are important in determining coastal health and productivity. A successful ecological monitoring should consider three factors: taxonomic level, statistical power, and sample size. In this study, those factors were analysed in the relationships between polychaetes and macrophytes. Four taxonomic levels of polychaetes (i.e. order, family, genus, species) were tested based on 25 samples collected from rocky intertidal shores of Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Relationships between each of taxonomic richness of polychaetes and each of macrophytes variables (i.e. species richness, biomass, species composition) were analysed using a Generalised Linear Models fitted by Poisson Distribution and log link. The statistical power of those relationships and the sample size needed to obtain a strong statistical power (>0.8) were also recorded. Relationships between each of taxonomic composition of polychaetes and each of macrophyte variables were analysed using a distance-based Redundancy Analysis based on Bray-Curtis dissimilarity on log(x+1) transformed abundance data with 999 permutations. Results showed that family-based data analysis was sufficient to detect significant relationships between polychaetes and macrophytes. However, the statistical power of most relationships was relatively weak (<0.8). Hence, the family-based data analysis should select a 44-sample size to gain significant relationships with a strong statistical power.