bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
L’erotisme a les Cartes a les Senyores dels Àngels i de Jerusalem, de Francesc Fontanella
Authors: Sogues Marc
Published: June 2014

Resum: Aquest article se centra en l'estudi del tractament de l'erotisme en algunes de les composicions pòetiques de Francesc Fontanella (1622-1682/3). El treball estudia quinze epístoles literàries que l'autor va dedicar a les monges dels convents dels Àngels i de Jerusalem de Barcelona durant la dècada de 1640. Es divideix en dues parts; a la primera s'identifiquen les composicions objecte d'estudi, es presenten breument i s'aclareixen alguns problemes relacionats amb la seva transmissió. A la segona s'analitzen detalladament totes les referències eròtiques presents als textos. Aquesta anàlisi,  d'una banda, permet presentar una interpretació del sentit argumental del conjunt epistolar. D'altra banda, permet de presentar una caracterització de la visió fontanellana de l'eròtic. Això últim es fa comprant aquesta visió amb l'habitual en el temps del barroc, i analitzant les estratègies retòriques i de representació de que l'autor se serveix en el tractament de l'erotisme.   Paraules clau: literatura catalana moderna, barroc, eròtic, erotisme, Francesc Fontanella, Fontano, Belinda, Convent dels Àngels, Monestir de Jerusalem, dominics, dominiques, clarisses, orde religiós, prosa cavalleresca, frare blanc, poesia satírica, prosímetre, poesia burlesca, amors mongívols, devots de monges.   Abstract: This article focuses on the study of the treatment of eroticism in some of the poetic compositions from Francesc Fontanella (1622-1682/3). The paper studies fiften literary epistles whisch Fontanella dedicated to the nuns of the convent of  Els Àngels and Jerusalem of Barcelona during the 1640s. It is divided into two parts; to first, the compositions under study are identified and presented briefly, and some issues related to the transmission of these textes are clarified. The second part discusses in detail all erotic references present in text. This analysis, on one hand, allows to present an interpretation of the meaning of the whole story contained in the letters. Moreover, it allows to present a characterization of the erotic vision of Fontanella. This is done by comparing this vision with the usual one at the time of baroque, as well as by analyzing the rhetorical strategies and the representation strategies that the author uses in the treatment of eroticism .   Keywords: modern Catalan literature, Baroque, erotic, eroticism, Francesc Fontanella, Fontano, Belinda, Convent of Els Angels, Monastery of Jerusalem, Dominicans, Dominican, nun of the Order of St Clare, religious order, chivalric prose, white friar, satirical poetry, burlesque poetry , nuns' devouts.
Regional winter climate of the southern central Andes: Assessing the performance of ERA‐Interim for climate studies
Authors: Rusticucci Matilde , Zazulie Natalia , Raga Graciela B.
Published: June 2014

In order to determine the feasibility of using reanalysis (ERA‐Interim) for climate studies over the southern central Andes in South America, we have compared the most recent version of different data sets available to the community. The data sets include gridded in situ observations: Climate Research Unit (CRU), Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC), and University of Delaware; merged satellite and in situ data: Global Precipitation Climatology Project; and satellite estimates: Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission. We pay particular attention to the region between 30° and 37°S and also the period 1970–1976 to evaluate the data sets. This is the period of maximum availability of meteorological stations in the region. Whereas all data sets provide an adequate representation of mean winter, GPCC provides the best for winter precipitation due to the large number of stations included in gridding. The CRU data set has fewer observations throughout the period. Although it cannot reproduce the localized maxima in the Andes, it provides a better representation of the regional precipitation and is best suited to evaluate trends. The temperature in the region is best estimated by CRU. We evaluate the ERA‐Interim reanalysis to determine potential shortcomings. The trends in the region were analyzed during the period 1979–2010, and while CRU indicates a significant decrease in winter precipitation, ERA‐Interim shows virtually no significant trends. Interannual variability is well represented by ERA‐Interim, and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, which has been proven to be the principal source of year to year precipitation variability in the region, is highly correlated there.
Aggregation‐Induced Emission: The Whole Is More Brilliant than the Parts
Authors: Mei Ju , Hong Yuning , Lam Jacky W. Y. , Qin Anjun , Tang Youhong , Tang Ben Zhong
Published: June 2014

“United we stand, divided we fall.”–Aesop.

Aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) refers to a photophysical phenomenon shown by a group of luminogenic materials that are non‐emissive when they are dissolved in good solvents as molecules but become highly luminescent when they are clustered in poor solvents or solid state as aggregates. In this Review we summarize the recent progresses made in the area of AIE research. We conduct mechanistic analyses of the AIE processes, unify the restriction of intramolecular motions (RIM) as the main cause for the AIE effects, and derive RIM‐based molecular engineering strategies for the design of new AIE luminogens (AIEgens). Typical examples of the newly developed AIEgens and their high‐tech applications as optoelectronic materials, chemical sensors and biomedical probes are presented and discussed.
Vinyl polymerization of norbornene catalyzed by 2‐Py‐amidine Ni(II) complex/methylaluminoxane systems
Authors: Niu Yong‐Ping , Wang Xiao‐Wei , Zheng Zhi‐Wu , Ma Xiao‐Fei , Cai Jun‐Qing , Zhang Jun‐Kai , Cheng Jin‐Lian
Published: June 2014

Two 2‐Py‐amidine ligands (2‐Py―NH―C(Ph)═N―Ar, Ar = 2,6‐Me2C6H3 and 2,6‐iPr2C6H3) and the corresponding Ni(II) complexes (1 and 2) were synthesized and characterized using elemental analysis and FT‐IR, UV–visible, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopies. X‐ray crystal structures indicate that the chelate ring conformation of the less bulky complex 1 is relatively planar compared with that of the bulky complex 2. Paramagnetic 1H NMR and 13C NMR studies show that, in solution, the time‐average structures of complexes 1 and 2 have mirror symmetry. Both complexes 1 and 2 were used as catalyst precursors for norbornene polymerization with methylaluminoxane as a co‐catalyst. The effects of Al/Ni ratio, temperature and structure of precursors on the catalytic performance were investigated. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spartina alterniflora Invasion Alters Carbon Exchange and Soil Organic Carbon in Eastern Salt Marsh of China
Authors: Zhou Lingyan , Yin Shenglai , An Shuqing , Yang Wen , Deng Qi , Xie Dong , Ji Haiting , Ouyang Yan , Cheng Xiaoli
Published: June 2014

We investigated carbon (C) fluxes from Spartina alterniflora community comparing with native C3‐plant (Suaeda salsa and Phragmites australis) communities as well as mudflat in a coastal marsh in eastern China by determining the net ecosystem exchange (NEE), ecosystem respiration (RECO) and soil respiration (RSOIL) monthly with static chambers over one year. Plant biological traits and soil organic carbon (SOC) were measured at the end of the growing season. Gross primary production (GPP) was calculated as the sum of RECO and NEE, while the respiration of aboveground plant (RAG) was assessed by the difference between RECO and RSOIL. The invasion of S. alterniflora significantly increased RECO, GPP, and RAG in salt marsh. The NEE in the S. alterniflora community was significantly lower than in mudflat and S. salsa community (p < 0.05), but was comparable to that in P. australis community (p > 0.05). RSOIL among sites with different communities did not show significant variations (p > 0.05). Surface water inhibited RSOIL and made it insensitive to changes in environmental factors across communities. Relative to other communities, the lower shoot–root ratio of S. alterniflora community together with its higher RECO and RAG determined a higher proportion of C allocated in belowground, which ultimately resulted in increment of SOC as well as increased GPP. The invasion of S. alterniflora potentially induces a negative feedback to the global climate change by regulating the C sequestration in salt marsh ecosystems.
Expression of lipid metabolism related genes in subcutaneous adipose tissue from Chilota lambs grazing on two different pasture types
Authors: Gallardo Maria Asuncion , Cárcamo Juan Guillermo , Hiller Beate , Nuernberg Gerd , Nuernberg Karin , Dannenberger Dirk
Published: June 2014

The focus of the present study was to investigate how the different chemical and botanical composition of two different pasture types, Calafatal pasture (CP) and naturalized pasture (NP), affect gene/protein expression levels of lipogenic enzymes and transcription factors (ACC, FAS, SCD1, and SREBP‐1c) as well as the concentrations of their fatty acid products in subcutaneous adipose tissue of Chilota lambs. Sixteen male Chilota lambs kept under different grazing conditions, CP versus NP, in Chiloé Archipelago (Chile) were included in the experiment. QRT‐PCR, western blot and fatty acid analysis were performed of subcutaneous adipose tissue samples. Compared to NP, CP diet induced a 1.51‐fold increase of ACACA expression, a 1.60‐fold rise of FASN expression and a 1.56‐fold elevation of SREBF1 expression. SCD gene expression did not significantly differ between both feeding groups. Different pasture types did not affect protein expression levels of lipogenic enzymes (ACC, FAS, and SCD1) and transcription factor pSREBP‐1c (precursor form) and mSREBP‐1c (mature form) in subcutaneous fat of lambs. Amounts of single and the sum of saturated fatty acids were significantly higher in subcutaneous fat samples of lambs fed NP than of lambs fed CP. Concentrations of single PUFA and the sumn‐3 andn‐6 PUFA and then‐6/n‐3 PUFA ratio were not affected by different pasture types. The inclusion of different adipose tissue depots and more sampling “endpoints” during animal growth may be beneficial to comprehensively elucidate the mechanisms by which dietary PUFA intervention affects the lipid metabolism of adipose tissues in lambs.

Practical applications:Increasing public awareness of the health benefits attributable to PUFA (n‐3 PUFA) has stimulated interest in sources of these fatty acids for human consumption. In relation to lamb adipose and muscle tissue, it is considered a good source of nutrients such as PUFA, especially if lambs are fed on pastures rather than concentrates. This study provides deeper insights in the clarification of the regulation of fatty acid biosynthesis and fat partitioning in tissues of ruminants with special emphasis on lambs.

Relative gene expression differences between subcutaneous fat samples of Chilota lambs grazing on two different pasture types, Calafatal pasture (CP) and naturalized pasture (NP).
Chemical changes in microwave heated vegetable oils
Authors: Kreps František , Vrbiková Lenka , Schmidt Štefan , Sekretár Stanislav , Híreš Ondrej
Published: June 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of microwave heating on sunflower and corn oil in two types of microwave oven. The microwave ovens had the same output power and varied mainly in time of dissipation. The oil samples were heated for 90% and 70% of the total heating time by the two types of ovens, named as the first and the second oven, respectively, and the remaining time was dissipation pause. It was observed that greater dissipation pause in second microwave caused degradation of oil almost two times lower than did heating in the first microwave oil. In microwave heated oils the focus was on analysis of primary and secondary oxidation products, the fatty acids content, the tocopherol content and tocopherol degradation kinetics. The rate of tocopherol degradation in oils heated in the first oven was on average 2‐times higher than in the second oven. Oils heated for 10 min in the second oven were found to contain twice the tocopherol content, three times lower peroxide value, three times lower conjugated dienes and aldehydes compared with oils heated in the first type of oven. This is the first report about gentle microwave heating of oils and its dependence on time of heating and dissipation time.

Practical applications: In order to dissipate heat during heating, microwave ovens are designed with different default magnetron pause. It was proved that in oils heated by microwave oven with longer dissipation pause there was less degradation of oils and their antioxidants. For the manufacturer it is important to conveniently select the lengths of heating a heat dissipation periods. By judicious selection of these two time characteristics healthier microwave heated food with lower degradation of lipids and their antioxidants can be obtained, since overheating is largely avoided.

Peroxide values and decrease in tocopherol contents determined in sunflower oil during heating in two types of microwave ovens.
Long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acid sources and evaluation of their nutritional and functional properties
Authors: Abedi Elahe , Sahari Mohammad Ali
Published: June 2014

Recent studies have clearly shown the importance of polyunsaturated fatty acids (as essential fatty acids) and their nutritional value for human health. In this review, various sources, nutritional properties, and metabolism routes of long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC‐PUFA) are introduced. Since the conversion efficiency of linoleic acid (LA) to arachidonic acid (AA) and also α‐linolenic acid (ALA) to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosatetraenoic acid (EPA) is low in humans, looking for the numerous sources of AA, EPA and EPA fatty acids. The sources include aquatic (fish, crustaceans, and mollusks), animal sources (meat, egg, and milk), plant sources including 20 plants, most of which were weeds having a good amount ofLC‐PUFA, fruits, herbs, and seeds; cyanobacteria; and microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, microalgae, and diatoms).
Use of dietary phytochemicals to target inflammation, fibrosis, proliferation, and angiogenesis in uterine tissues: Promising options for prevention and treatment of uterine fibroids?
Authors: Islam Md Soriful , Akhtar Most Mauluda , Ciavattini Andrea , Giannubilo Stefano Raffaele , Protic Olga , Janjusevic Milijana , Procopio Antonio Domenico , Segars James H. , Castellucci Mario , Ciarmela Pasquapina
Published: June 2014

Uterine leiomyomas (fibroids, myomas) are the most common benign tumors of female reproductive tract. They are highly prevalent, with 70–80% of women burdened by the end of their reproductive years. Fibroids are a leading cause of pelvic pain, abnormal vaginal bleeding, pressure on the bladder, miscarriage, and infertility. They are the leading indication for hysterectomy, and costs exceed 6 billion dollars annually in the United States. Unfortunately, no long‐term medical treatments are available. Dysregulation of inflammatory processes are thought to be involved in the initiation of leiomyoma and extracellular matrix deposition, cell proliferation, and angiogenesis are the key cellular events implicated in leiomyoma growth. In modern pharmaceutical industries, dietary phytochemicals are used as source of new potential drugs for many kinds of tumors. Dietary phytochemicals may exert therapeutic effects by interfering with key cellular events of the tumorigenesis process. At present, a negligible number of phytochemicals have been tested as therapeutic agents against fibroids. In this context, our aim was to introduce some of the potential dietary phytochemicals that have shown anti‐inflammatory, antiproliferative, antifibrotic, and antiangiogenic activities in different biological systems. This review could be useful to stimulate the evaluation of these phytochemicals as possible therapies for uterine fibroids.
Mixed Cumulative Sum–Exponentially Weighted Moving Average Control Charts: An Efficient Way of Monitoring Process Location
Authors: Zaman Babar , Riaz Muhammad , Abbas Nasir , Does Ronald J.M.M.
Published: June 2014

Shewhart, exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA), and cumulative sum (CUSUM) charts are famous statistical tools, to handle special causes and to bring the process back in statistical control. Shewhart charts are useful to detect large shifts, whereas EWMA and CUSUM are more sensitive for small to moderate shifts. In this study, we propose a new control chart, named mixed CUSUM‐EWMA chart, which is used to monitor the location of a process. The performance of the proposed mixed CUSUM‐EWMA control chart is measured through the average run length, extra quadratic loss, relative average run length, and a performance comparison index study. Comparisons are made with some existing charts from the literature. An example with real data is also given for practical considerations. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A latent variable transformation model approach for exploring dysphagia
Authors: Snavely Anna C. , Harrington David P. , Li Yi
Published: June 2014

Multiple outcomes are often collected in applications where the quantity of interest cannot be measured directly or is difficult or expensive to measure. In a head and neck cancer study conducted at Dana‐Farber Cancer Institute, the investigators wanted to determine the effect of clinical and treatment factors on unobservable dysphagia through collected multiple outcomes of mixed types. Latent variable models are commonly adopted in this setting. These models stipulate that multiple collected outcomes are conditionally independent given the latent factor. Mixed types of outcomes (e.g., continuous vs. ordinal) and censored outcomes present statistical challenges, however, as a natural analog of the multivariate normal distribution does not exist for mixed data. Recently, Lin et al. proposed a semiparametric latent variable transformation model for mixed outcome data; however, it may not readily accommodate event time outcomes where censoring is present. In this paper, we extend the work of Lin et al. by proposing both semiparametric and parametric latent variable models that allow for the estimation of the latent factor in the presence of measurable outcomes of mixed types, including censored outcomes. Both approaches allow for a direct estimate of the treatment (or other covariate) effect on the unobserved latent variable, greatly enhancing the interpretability of the models. The semiparametric approach has the added advantage of allowing the relationship between the measurable outcomes and latent variables to be unspecified, rendering more robust inference. The parametric and semiparametric models can also be used together, providing a comprehensive modeling strategy for complicated latent variable problems. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On torus homeomorphisms semiconjugate to irrational rotations
Authors: JÄGER T. , PASSEGGI A.
Published: June 2014

In the context of the Franks–Misiurewicz conjecture, we study homeomorphisms of the two-torus semiconjugate to an irrational rotation of the circle. As a special case, this conjecture asserts uniqueness of the rotation vector in this class of systems. We first characterize these maps by the existence of an invariant ‘foliation’ by essential annular continua (essential subcontinua of the torus whose complement is an open annulus) which are permuted with irrational combinatorics. This result places the considered class close to skew products over irrational rotations. Generalizing a well-known result of Herman on forced circle homeomorphisms, we provide a criterion, in terms of topological properties of the annular continua, for the uniqueness of the rotation vector. As a byproduct, we obtain a simple proof for the uniqueness of the rotation vector on decomposable invariant annular continua with empty interior. In addition, we collect a number of observations on the topology and rotation intervals of invariant annular continua with empty interior.
A team-learning framework for business model innovation in an emerging market
Authors: Huang Hao-Chen , Lai Mei-Chi , Kao Meng-Chun , Sung Chien-Hui
Published: June 2014

This study investigated how cross-functional teams can influence their business model innovation and firm performance through team learning, consisting of multiple modes of within-team, cross-team, and market learning. Using a matched dyadic data set from a study of 330 cross-functional team members and their supervisors sampled from 165 electronics and information industries in China, the empirical results clearly indicate that within-team, cross-team, and market learning can improve business model innovation and firm performance. The results of the mediating model show how the business model innovation mediates the relationship between team learning and firm performance.
The Republic of Letters: Arab Modernity? [Pt. I]
Authors: al-Musawi Muhsin
Published: June 2014

This reading rewrites thenahḍah, as the other appellation for Arab modernity, and interrogates it through a postcolonial critique. Thenahḍahis usually addressed in terms of the encounter with Europe, the indebtedness to and engagement with the Enlightenment discourse at the turn of the last century. I dispute more commonplace negativist readings of the past bynahḍahscholars and direct attention instead to other competing trends that enhanced significant identitarian politics. I also unearth the reasons behind the loudly pronounced negativism, its pitfalls and failure to map out a comprehensive field of an enormous knowledge that unfolded in compendiums, commentaries, lexicons, encyclopedias, along with separate monographs. I apply the termrepublic of lettersto this specifically loaded scholarly interaction, one that preceded and heralded other configurational sites in Europe. A community of scholars over centuries and across the Islamic lands emerged between the twelfth and eighteenth centuries that could have furnished “Enlightened” modernists with some different understanding and critical theoretical approach to the encounter with Europe and the colonial and postcolonial state of affairs.
H3N2 canine influenza virus with the matrix gene from the pandemic A/H1N1 virus: infection dynamics in dogs and ferrets
Authors: MOON H. , HONG M. , KIM J. K. , SEON B. , NA W. , PARK S. J. , AN D. J. , JEOUNG H. Y. , KIM D. J. , KIM J. M. , KIM S. H. , WEBBY R. J. , WEBSTER R. G. , KANG B. K. , SONG D.
Published: June 2014

After an outbreak of pandemic influenza A/H1N1 (pH1N1) virus, we had previously reported the emergence of a recombinant canine influenza virus (CIV) between the pH1N1 virus and the classic H3N2 CIV. Our ongoing routine surveillance isolated another reassortant H3N2 CIV carrying the matrix gene of the pH1N1 virus from 2012. The infection dynamics of this H3N2 CIV variant (CIV/H3N2mv) were investigated in dogs and ferrets via experimental infection and transmission. The CIV/H3N2mv-infected dogs and ferrets produced typical symptoms of respiratory disease, virus shedding, seroconversion, and direct-contact transmissions. Although indirect exposure was not presented for ferrets, CIV/H3N2mv presented higher viral replication in MDCK cells and more efficient transmission was observed in ferrets compared to classic CIV H3N2. This study demonstrates the effect of reassortment of the M gene of pH1N1 in CIV H3N2.
Epidemiology and outcome of bacteraemia in neutropenic patients in a single institution from 1991–2012
Authors: ORTEGA M. , MARCO F. , SORIANO A. , ALMELA M. , MARTÍNEZ J. A. , ROVIRA M. , ESTEVE J. , MENSA J.
Published: June 2014

This study was part of a bloodstream infection surveillance programme that prospectively collected data on consecutive patients with bacteraemia in our institution from 1991 to 2012. We included 2092 bacteraemias in neutropenic patients. Shock and mortality accounted for 299 and 349 cases, respectively (14% and 17%). The main microorganisms isolated were coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS, 634, 30%), Escherichia coli (468, 22%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (235, 11%). During 2006–2012, there were 155 (27%) E. coli isolates; of these, 73% were fluoroquinolone resistant and 26% cefotaxime resistant. The independent risk factors for mortality were shock on presentation, rapidly fatal prognosis of underlying disease, corticosteroid use, and polymicrobial bacteraemia. Factors associated with lower mortality were the isolation of CoNS [odds ratio (OR) 0·38, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·20–0·73, P = 0·004] and empirical therapy with amikacin (OR 0·50, 95% CI 0·29–0·88, P = 0·016). The progressive increase of Gram-negative microorganisms resistant to antibiotics influences the choice of empirical treatment in febrile neutropenia and in our experience, the addition of amikacin could be beneficial for such patients.
Do entrance fees crowd out donations for public goods? Evidence from a protected area in Costa Rica
Authors: Alpízar Francisco , Martinsson Peter , Nordén Anna
Published: June 2014

In this paper, we investigate how different levels of entrance fees affect donations for a public good, a natural park. To explore this issue, we conducted a stated preference study focusing on visitors' preferences for donating money to raise funds for a protected area in Costa Rica given different entrance fee levels. The results reveal that there is incomplete crowding out of donations when establishing an entrance fee.
Appropriation, Culture and Meaning in Electroacoustic Music: A composer's perspective
Authors: Naylor Steven
Published: June 2014

This paper explores issues related to cultural appropriation in acousmatic electroacoustic music. Through its use of sound recording technology, acousmatic electroacoustic music facilitates a broad range of potential mechanisms for cultural appropriation, from the abstract (idea) to the concrete (sound object). But appropriating culturally identifiable material is not without its hazards, and the composer may face accusations of superficial exoticism, cultural offence, or the violation of personal or legal rights. To complicate matters for the composer, each listener will bring his or her own knowledge to their understanding of the meaning of the material. A similar reception effect occurs with any artistic medium, of course. But in electroacoustic music, the clarity and immediacy of high-fidelity recording and playback can strongly enhance the identifiability of the material, and, by extension, the audience's potential attachment to it. As illustrations, I refer briefly to several works, including three of my own acousmatic pieces, that have made use of appropriation. Through those examples, we consider both the broader issues noted above and some specific concerns about language and voice. The goal is to provide an overview of some of the opportunities and possible pitfalls of cultural appropriation in electroacoustic music, as well as a brief map of one composer's journey through that thorny landscape.
Instruments INDIA: A sound archive for educational and compositional use
Authors: Blackburn Manuella
Published: June 2014

This article documents the evolution of the ‘Instruments INDIA’ project, which led to the creation of an online sound archive of Indian musical instruments. Recording work with approximately 27 musicians provided material for this interactive resource (which functions as an educational tool and concertgoer's guide), and also for compositional work, where culturally tied sound material formed the basis for two new works;Javaari(acousmatic) andNew shruti(mixed work) for sarod and electronics. Trialling a variety of methods for gathering and then subsequently integrating sounds from Indian musical instruments into electroacoustic compositions provided a framework for the exploration of hybridity and intercultural sound interactions, while observing the translation and transference of highly emblematic sounds from one musical tradition to the next also led to unique artistic and theoretical outcomes. Curatorial decisions made with my project partners, Milapfest (the UK's leading Indian Arts Development Trust) regarding the participating musicians and their sound contributions posed further considerations for the representative quality of each instrument showcased on the archive. Gathering appropriate material for users of the archive (young learners, audience members and interested laypeople) while capturing sounds suitable for compositional purposes presented new challenges within the recording environment. Further complexities surfaced when this challenge was coupled with a lesser degree of familiarity with instrument capabilities, playing styles and cultural traditions. This unique collaboration with cultural sounds and performance practices raised questions about my compositional intentions, cross-cultural borrowing, respectful practice, and the unavoidable undertones of cultural appropriation and colonial attitude.
Awa Surfers: Riding the syncretic dynamics of sound art and traditional Japanese indigo
Authors: Herber Norbert
Published: June 2014

Awa-aiis the indigo plant and dye made famous hundreds of years ago in Japan by the people living and working in the region now known as Tokushima Prefecture. This article explores the core concepts that link the aged traditions of indigo production, processing and dyeing with contemporary sound practice, and outlines the facets of a collaboration in which disparate fields not only coexisted, but used their technological and cultural differences to strengthen one another. Live field recordings, audio interviews and the sounds of Awa indigo production and practice were used in a large-scale, transcontinental installation which featured over 200 pieces of indigo-dyed cloth and multichannel, interactive sound. The collaborative nature of this project allowed the artists involved to understand and conceptualise their work in new ways, and can serve as an example for the ways in which syncretic exploration energises creative thinking and output.
Conversing in Emptiness: Rethinking Cross-Cultural Dialogue with the Kyoto School
Authors: Davis Bret W.
Published: June 2014

As we attempt to engender a dialogue between different philosophical traditions, one of the first – if not indeed the first – of the topics which need to be addressed is that of the very nature of dialogue. In other words, we need to engage in a dialogue about dialogue. Toward that end, this essay attempts to rethink the nature of dialogue from the perspective of two key members of the Kyoto School, namely its founder, Nishida Kitarō (1870–1945), and its current central figure, Ueda Shizuteru (b. 1926). The Kyoto School is the most prominent group of modern Japanese philosophers, whose thought emerges from the encounter between Western and Eastern traditions. This essay seeks to elucidate and further unfold the implications of rethinking of the nature of dialogue from the perspective of Nishida's and Ueda's primarily Zen Buddhist reception of and response to Western philosophy.
Select Issues and Controversies in Contemporary African Philosophy
Authors: Hallen Barry
Published: June 2014

African philosophy today is a complicated and dynamic discipline. This presentation will concentrate on two topics that are currently of special interest. One concerns the meaning of the term ‘communalism’ when it is used to express a defining characteristic of Africa's cultures. The other concerns the reactions on the part of African philosophers and scholars to the movement that has come to be known in Western academia and culture as ‘feminism’.
Home treatment teams and facilitated discharge from psychiatric hospital
Authors: Tulloch A. D. , Khondoker M. R. , Thornicroft G. , David A. S.
Published: June 2014

Aims.

There has been little research into the facilitated discharge (FD) function of Home Treatment Teams (HTTs). We aimed to explore and describe the prevalence and associations of FD and to estimate its effects on bed days during the index admission (length of stay corrected for ward leave) and on readmission.

Methods.

Descriptive and regression analyses of data collected by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust on discharges from its general psychiatric wards, with multiple imputation of missing covariate values.

Results.

Overall, 29% of our sample of 7891 hospital admissions involved a FD. FD was associated with female gender, diagnosis of a severe mental illness, previous home treatment, having a longer previous admission, neither being discharged to a new address nor to a care home, having no other community team and having HoNOS item scores consistent with an active depressive or psychotic mental illness. In the regression analysis, FD was associated with 4.0 fewer bed days (95% confidence interval −6.7 to −1.3;p = 0.0004). There was no effect on readmission.

Conclusions.

Our analysis provides some support for the effectiveness of FD in slightly reducing the time spent in hospital and suggests that this may be achieved without increasing the rate of readmission. Further studies in this area are important, especially given existing research that suggests that the introduction of HTTs in England and Wales was associated with little or no change in service utilisation.
Emotional Intelligence and Self-Efficacy: Effects on Psychological Well-Being in College Students
Authors: Costa Hilda , Ripoll Pilar , Sánchez Miguel , Carvalho Carla
Published: June 2014

The present paper examined the role of perceived emotional intelligence-EI- (measured by adaptations of the Trait Meta-Mood Scale - TMMS, Salovey, Mayer, Goldman, Turvey, & Palfai, 1995) as a predictor of life satisfaction and mental health. We explored the unique contribution of EI dimensions (Attention, Clarity and Repair) on individuals’ psychological well-being, after controlling for the influence of general self-efficacy and socio-demographic variables (age, gender and culture). Data was collected from a sample of 1078 Spanish, Mexican, Portuguese and Brazilian undergraduate students (Mage = 22.98; SD = 6.73) and analyzed using hierarchical multiple regressions. Results indicated that overall EI dimensions (especially Clarity and Repair) accounted for unique variance on psychological well-being above and beyond general self-efficacy and socio-demographic characteristics. These findings provide additional support for the validity of perceived EI, and suggests that EI components contribute to important well-being criteria independently from well-known constructs such as self-efficacy.
Mourning Sickness: The Politicizations of Grief
Authors: Granek Leeat
Published: June 2014

In this paper, I propose that the politicization of grief falls into 3 categories of what I have termed different types of Mourning Sickness. In Mourning Sickness Type I, the politicization of grief functions to discipline the individual mourner's body into a productive, functioning, and contributing member of a capitalistic society. Moreover, I argue that the individualist ethos that pathologizes grief neuters the rage that can come with mourning and turns the gaze away from social injustices such as poverty, imprisonment, and opportunity gaps that are caused by state neglect. In Mourning Sickness Type II, I suggest that the politicization of grief is about consciously manipulating individual and collective grief in the service of nationalism and military power. The manipulation of grief on this level includes the explicit links made between loss and grief and justification for war, aggression, and violence, but also includes the distinctions made between whose lives are deemed grievable and whose lives are considered worthless and unmournable. Both Mourning Sickness Types I and II are of the pathological variety urgently requiring academic and public critique. In the last type of Mourning Sickness, I suggest that grief is also politicized when it is activated as a motivator toward a social justice agenda that includes peace, reconciliation, nonviolence, and positive social change on behalf of individuals, communities, and nations.
Estimation of the hydrogen concentration in rat tissue using an airtight tube following the administration of hydrogen via various routes
Authors: Liu Chi , Kurokawa Ryosuke , Fujino Masayuki , Hirano Shinichi , Sato Bunpei , Li Xiao-Kang
Published: June 2014

Hydrogen exerts beneficial effects in disease animal models of ischemia-reperfusion injury as well as inflammatory and neurological disease. Additionally, molecular hydrogen is useful for various novel medical and therapeutic applications in the clinical setting. In the present study, the hydrogen concentration in rat blood and tissue was estimated. Wistar rats were orally administered hydrogen super-rich water (HSRW), intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of hydrogen super-rich saline (HSRS) and inhalation of hydrogen gas. A new method for determining the hydrogen concentration was then applied using high-quality sensor gas chromatography, after which the specimen was prepared via tissue homogenization in airtight tubes. This method allowed for the sensitive and stable determination of the hydrogen concentration. The hydrogen concentration reached a peak at 5 minutes after oral and intraperitoneal administration, compared to 1 minute after intravenous administration. Following inhalation of hydrogen gas, the hydrogen concentration was found to be significantly increased at 30 minutes and maintained the same level thereafter. These results demonstrate that accurately determining the hydrogen concentration in rat blood and organ tissue is very useful and important for the application of various novel medical and therapeutic therapies using molecular hydrogen.
A fluorescent aptasensor for sensitive detection of human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells based on graphene oxide
Authors: Xie Qin , Tan Yuyu , Guo Qiuping , Wang Kemin , Yuan Baoyin , Wan Jun , Zhao Xiayu
Published: June 2014

We developed a simple, rapid and sensitive fluorescence method for the direct detection of cancer cells using a GO-based aptasensor.
Fluoro-glycosyl acridinones are ultra-sensitive active site titrating agents for retaining β-glycosidases
Authors: Duo Tianmeng , Goddard-Borger Ethan D. , Withers Stephen G.
Published: June 2014

Stoichiometric release of one equivalent of a fluorophore allows accurate quantitation of glycosidases down to low nanomolar concentrations.
Single-molecule toroics in Ising-type lanthanide molecular clusters
Authors: Ungur Liviu , Lin Shuang-Yan , Tang Jinkui , Chibotaru Liviu F.
Published: June 2014

Bistable molecules with a toroidal magnetic state (single-molecule toroics) are promising for applications in quantum computing and information storage.
Facile access to amides and hydroxamic acids directly from nitroarenes
Authors: Jain Shreyans K. , Aravinda Kumar K. A. , Bharate Sandip B. , Vishwakarma Ram A.
Published: June 2014

Herein, we report a new method for synthesis of amides and hydroxamic acids directly from nitroarenes and aldehydes.
Effect of polymer chemistry on globular protein–polymer block copolymer self-assembly
Authors: Chang Dongsook , Lam Christopher N. , Tang Shengchang , Olsen Bradley D.
Published: June 2014

Changing polymer chemistry in protein–polymer conjugate block copolymers results in the formation of previously unobserved cubic phases and changes in protein–polymer interactions that create large shifts in phase transitions, providing a powerful tool for nanostructure control.
Inositol lipid phosphatases in membrane trafficking and human disease
Authors: Billcliff Peter G. , Lowe Martin
Published: June 2014

The specific interaction of phosphoinositides with proteins is critical for a plethora of cellular processes, including cytoskeleton remodelling, mitogenic signalling, ion channel regulation and membrane traffic. The spatiotemporal restriction of different phosphoinositide species helps to define compartments within the cell, and this is particularly important for membrane trafficking within both the secretory and endocytic pathways. Phosphoinositide homoeostasis is tightly regulated by a large number of inositol kinases and phosphatases, which respectively phosphorylate and dephosphorylate distinct phosphoinositide species. Many of these enzymes have been implicated in regulating membrane trafficking and, accordingly, their dysregulation has been linked to a number of human diseases. In the present review, we focus on the inositol phosphatases, concentrating on their roles in membrane trafficking and the human diseases with which they have been associated.
Analysis of generalised orthogonal matching pursuit using restricted isometry constant
Authors: Shen Yi , Li Bo , Pan Wenlei , Li Jia
Published: June 2014

In compressive sensing, the generalised orthogonal matching pursuit (gOMP) algorithm is one kind of sparse signal recovery algorithm, which generalises the OMP algorithm by selecting a fixed number of atoms at each iteration. Restricted isometry constant‐based sufficient conditions to guarantee the correct support identification and the successful recovery of a sparse signal using the gOMP algorithm in a noiseless case are proposed. The proposed sufficient bounds are more relaxed compared with the existing ones.
Design and implementation of an improved linear quadratic regulation control for oxygen content in a coke furnace
Authors: Zhang Ridong , Cao Zhixing , Li Ping , Gao Furong
Published: June 2014

In view of the performance deterioration of conventional model predictive control strategies under model/plant mismatches, this study first proposes an improved linear quadratic regulation control (LQR) strategy and then tests it on the oxygen content in an industrial coke furnace. The control system design consists of two steps. Based on the direct use of the measured input and output variables and the formulation of output error, a state space model is first developed. Then, by incorporating the dynamics of process states into the cost function of the controller design, a new LQR is proposed to obtain an improved performance for closed‐loop control systems. Comparisons with conventional state space model predictive control are also given in terms of both regulatory and servo performance. The case study on the oxygen content in the coke furnace shows that the proposed improves control performance under model/plant mismatches.
Bromodeoxyuridine labelling and fluorescence‐activated cell sorting of polyamine‐transforming bacterioplankton in coastal seawater
Authors: Mou Xiaozhen , Jacob Jisha , Lu Xinxin , Vila‐Costa Maria , Chan Leong‐Keat , Sharma Shalabh , Zhang Yu‐qin
Published: June 2014

Polyamines (PAs) are a group of nitrogen‐rich dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) compounds that are ubiquitously distributed in marine environments. To identify bacteria that are involved in PA transformations, coastal bacterioplankton microcosms were amended with a single PA model compound, i.e. putrescine (PUT) or spermidine (SPD), or with no addition as controls (CTRs). Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was added to all the microcosms to label newly synthesized DNAs. Fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis indicated significant increases in numbers of total cells and cells with both high and low levels of BrdU incorporation in the PUT and SPD microcosms, but not in the CTRs. 16S rDNA pyrotag sequencing of FACS‐sorted cells indicated that PUT‐ and SPD‐transforming bacteria were composed similarly of a diverse group of taxa affiliated with Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria (especially Roseobacter of its alpha lineage). Broad taxonomic distribution of PA‐transforming bacteria was also indicated by the abundance and distribution of PA transporter gene homologues in a survey of sequenced marine bacterial genomes. Our results suggest that PAs may be common DON substrates for marine bacterioplankton, in line with the hypothesis that bacterially mediated PA transformation accounts for an important proportion of marine DON flux.
Evaluation of automated image analysis software for the detection of diabetic retinopathy to reduce the ophthalmologists' workload
Authors: Soto‐Pedre Enrique , Navea Amparo , Millan Saray , Hernaez‐Ortega Maria C. , Morales Jesús , Desco Maria C. , Pérez Pablo
Published: June 2014

Aims

To assess the safety and workload reduction of an automated ‘disease/no disease’ grading system for diabetic retinopathy (DR) within a systematic screening programme.

Methods

Single 45° macular field image per eye was obtained from consecutive patients attending a regional primary care based DR screening programme in Valencia (Spain). The sensitivity and specificity of automated system operating as ‘one or more than one microaneurysm detection for disease presence' grader were determined relative to a manual grading as gold standard. Data on age, gender and diabetes mellitus were also recorded.

Results

A total of 5278 patients with diabetes were screened. The median age and duration of diabetes was 69 years and 6.9 years, respectively. Estimated prevalence of DR was 15.6%. The software classified 43.9% of the patients as having no DR and 26.1% as having ungradable images. Detection of DR was achieved with 94.5% sensitivity (95% CI 92.6‐ 96.5) and 68.8% specificity (95%CI 67.2–70.4). The overall accuracy of the automated system was 72.5% (95%CI 71.1–73.9).

Conclusions

The present retinal image processing algorithm that can act as prefilter to flag out images with pathological lesions can be implemented in practice. Our results suggest that it could be considered when implementing DR screening programmes.
Effects of coarse woody debris on understorey plants in a temperate Australian woodland
Authors: Goldin Sarah R. , Brookhouse Matthew T.
Published: June 2014

Question

Does coarse woody debris (CWD) modify adjacent understorey plant moisture content, growth and species composition in extensively cleared temperate woodlands?

Location

Endangered Eucalyptus melliodora–E. blakelyi woodland in southeast Australia (149°18′ E, −35°20′ S).

Methods

Total understorey plant moisture content, dry biomass, foliage cover as well as species composition and richness were compared between positions adjacent to and at a reference distance away from CWD of various decay states and large‐end diameters. Pre‐existing CWD and CWD added in 2007 were tested. A linear mixed model was used to test the effect of CWD, CWD decay class and large‐end diameter.

Results

Total plant moisture content, dry biomass and foliage cover were significantly higher near CWD compared to reference distances. Although CWD did not affect total species richness, native grass richness was significantly lower and cover by exotic forbs significantly higher near CWD than at reference distances. CWD decay state did not significantly affect the measured plant attributes. CWD large‐end diameter was positively related to plant moisture content and foliage cover.

Conclusions

This is the first study to quantitatively determine the effect of CWD on understorey plants in a cleared temperate woodland. The results indicate that CWD could be important for the survival and growth of understorey plants within ecosystems where trees have been removed. Higher plant moisture content near CWD suggests that CWD may also be effective in protecting plants from extreme moisture loss. This effect appears to be greater for large diameter CWD. Increases in total plant moisture content, dry biomass and foliage cover appear to be rapid and may be related to soil moisture availability as well as protection from solar radiation and soil nutrient enrichment near CWD. However, changes in growing conditions near CWD may also alter competitive interactions in favour of existing exotic species. In ecosystems similar to that examined here, the likelihood of reduced native grass richness along with an increase in exotic forbs near CWD should be taken into account given that CWD may persist for decades. This is particularly true in locations where invasive exotic weeds are present.