bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On Partial Sum of Tribonacci Numbers
Authors: Choi Eunmi , Jo Jiin
Published: June 2015

We study the sumst(k,r)=∑i=0tTki+rofkstep apart Tribonacci numbers for any1≤r≤k. We prove thatst(k,r)satisfies certain Tribonacci rulest(k,r)=akst-1(k,r)+bkst-2(k,r)+st-3(k,r)+λwith integersak,bk,ck, andλ.
The Ambiguous Relationship of Oxidative Stress, Tau Hyperphosphorylation, and Autophagy Dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Liu Zhenzhen , Li Tao , Li Ping , Wei Nannan , Zhao Zhiquan , Liang Huimin , Ji Xinying , Chen Wenwu , Xue Mengzhou , Wei Jianshe
Published: June 2015

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. The pathological hallmarks of AD are amyloid plaques [aggregates of amyloid-beta (Aβ)] and neurofibrillary tangles (aggregates of tau). Growing evidence suggests that tau accumulation is pathologically more relevant to the development of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in AD patients than Aβplaques. Oxidative stress is a prominent early event in the pathogenesis of AD and is therefore believed to contribute to tau hyperphosphorylation. Several studies have shown that the autophagic pathway in neurons is important under physiological and pathological conditions. Therefore, this pathway plays a crucial role for the degradation of endogenous soluble tau. However, the relationship between oxidative stress, tau protein hyperphosphorylation, autophagy dysregulation, and neuronal cell death in AD remains unclear. Here, we review the latest progress in AD, with a special emphasis on oxidative stress, tau hyperphosphorylation, and autophagy. We also discuss the relationship of these three factors in AD.
FoodWiki: Ontology‐Driven Mobile Safe Food Consumption System
Authors: Çelik Duygu
Published: June 2015

An ontology‐driven safe food consumption mobile system is considered. Over 3,000 compounds are being added to processed food, with numerous effects on the food: to add color, stabilize, texturize, preserve, sweeten, thicken, add flavor, soften, emulsify, and so forth. According to World Health Organization, governments have lately focused on legislation to reduce such ingredients or compounds in manufactured foods as they may have side effects causing health risks such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, allergens, and obesity. By supervising what and how much to eat as well as what not to eat, we can maximize a patient’s life quality through avoidance of unhealthy ingredients. Smart e‐health systems with powerful knowledge bases can provide suggestions of appropriate foods to individuals. Next‐generation smart knowledgebase systems will not only include traditional syntactic‐based search, which limits the utility of the search results, but will also provide semantics for rich searching. In this paper, performance of concept matching of food ingredients is semantic‐based, meaning that it runs its own semantic based rule set to infer meaningful results through the proposed Ontology‐Driven Mobile Safe Food Consumption System (FoodWiki).
Discrete-Time Bulk Queueing System with Variable Service Capacity Depending on Previous Service Time
Authors: Lee Yutae
Published: June 2015

This paper considers a discrete-time bulk-arrival bulk-service queueing system with variable service capacity, where the service capacity varies depending on the previous service time. Using the supplementary variable method and the generating function technique, we obtain the queue length distributions at arbitrary slot boundaries and service completion epochs.
Dynamical Analysis of a Continuous Stirred-Tank Reactor with the Formation of Biofilms for Wastewater Treatment
Authors: López Buriticá Karen , Casanova Trujillo Simeón , Acosta Carlos D. , Granada Diaz Héctor A.
Published: June 2015

This paper analyzes the dynamics of a system that models the formation of biofilms in a continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) when it is utilized for wastewater treatment. The growth rate of the microorganisms is modeled using two different kinetics, Monod and Haldane kinetics, with the goal of studying the influence of each in the system. The equilibrium points are identified through a stability analysis, and the bifurcations found are characterized.
Capacitively Loaded Loop-Based Antennas with Reconfigurable Radiation Patterns
Authors: Dakhli Saber , Rmili Hatem , Floc’h Jean-marie , Sheikh Muntasir , Mahdjoubi Kourosh , Choubani Fethi , Ziolkowski Richard W.
Published: June 2015

A class of metamaterial-inspired antennas having reconfigurable radiation patterns is proposed. They consist of a driven monopole antenna with one- and two-capacitively loaded loop (CLL), near field resonant parasitic elements. Two configurations are studied by considering the state of these CLL elements as being either open or closed configurations. Simulation results explain the design features and demonstrate that the structure can change its beam direction simply by controlling the switched states. Two prototypes with one- and two-CLL elements were fabricated and tested. The measured impedance mismatch and radiation pattern results are presented and compared to the corresponding simulated values.
The Impact of Normalization Methods on RNA-Seq Data Analysis
Authors: Zyprych-Walczak J. , Szabelska A. , Handschuh L. , Górczak K. , Klamecka K. , Figlerowicz M. , Siatkowski I.
Published: June 2015

High-throughput sequencing technologies, such as the Illumina Hi-seq, are powerful new tools for investigating a wide range of biological and medical problems. Massive and complex data sets produced by the sequencers create a need for development of statistical and computational methods that can tackle the analysis and management of data. The data normalization is one of the most crucial steps of data processing and this process must be carefully considered as it has a profound effect on the results of the analysis. In this work, we focus on a comprehensive comparison of five normalization methods related to sequencing depth, widely used for transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) data, and their impact on the results of gene expression analysis. Based on this study, we suggest a universal workflow that can be applied for the selection of the optimal normalization procedure for any particular data set. The described workflow includes calculation of the bias and variance values for the control genes, sensitivity and specificity of the methods, and classification errors as well as generation of the diagnostic plots. Combining the above information facilitates the selection of the most appropriate normalization method for the studied data sets and determines which methods can be used interchangeably.
An Energy-Efficient Multipath Routing Algorithm Based on Ant Colony Optimization for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Tong Mengjun , Chen Yangli , Chen Fangxiang , Wu Xiaoping , Shou Guozhong
Published: June 2015

An energy-efficient ACO-based multipath routing algorithm (EAMR) is proposed for energy-constrained wireless sensor networks. EAMR is a hybrid multipath algorithm, which is reactive in path discovery and proactive in route maintenance. EAMR has improvement and innovation in the ant packet structure, pheromone update formula, pheromone update mode, and the mechanism of multipath. Average energy consumption and congestion of path make pheromone update formula more reasonable. Incremental pheromone update mode may easily lead to local optimum. The pheromone will be thoroughly updated when a node receives a backward ant. EAMR makes an innovation in multipath mechanism which becomes more reasonable to multipath between source node and destination node. Probabilistic routing mechanism is designed to make stream flow into network more balanced. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm achieves an improvement in energy efficiency, packet delivery ratio, and end-to-end delay.
An Optimized Parallel FDTD Topology for Challenging Electromagnetic Simulations on Supercomputers
Authors: Jiang Shugang , Zhang Yu , Lin Zhongchao , Zhao Xunwang
Published: June 2015

It may not be a challenge to run a Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) code for electromagnetic simulations on a supercomputer with more than 10 thousands of CPU cores; however, to make FDTD code work with the highest efficiency is a challenge. In this paper, the performance of parallel FDTD is optimized through MPI (message passing interface) virtual topology, based on which a communication model is established. The general rules of optimal topology are presented according to the model. The performance of the method is tested and analyzed on three high performance computing platforms with different architectures in China. Simulations including an airplane with a 700-wavelength wingspan, and a complex microstrip antenna array with nearly 2000 elements are performed very efficiently using a maximum of 10240 CPU cores.
Optoelectric Properties of GaInP p-i-n Solar Cells with Different i-Layer Thicknesses
Authors: Ko Tsung-Shine , Lin Der-Yuh , He You-Chi , Kao Chen-Chia , Hu Bo-Yuan , Horng Ray-Hua , Wu Fan-Lei , Wu Chih-Hung , Tsai Yu-Li
Published: June 2015

The optoelectric properties of GaInP p-i-n solar cells with different intrinsic layer (i-layer) thicknesses from 0.25 to 1 μm were studied. Both emission intensity and full width at half maximum features of the photoluminescence spectrum indicate that the optimum i-layer thickness would be between 0.5 and 0.75 μm. The integrated current results of photocurrent experiment also point out that the samples with 0.5 to 0.75 μm i-layer thicknesses have optimum value around 156 nA. Electroreflectance measurements reveal that the built-in electric field strength of the sample gradually deviates from the theoretical value larger when i-layer thickness of the sample is thicker than 0.75 μm.I-Vmeasurements also confirm crystal quality for whole samples by obtaining the information about short currents of photovoltaic performances. A series of experiments reflect that thicker i-layer structure would induce more defects generation lowering crystal quality.
Genome-Wide Expression Profiling of Anoxia/Reoxygenation in Rat Cardiomyocytes Uncovers the Role of MitoKATPin Energy Homeostasis
Authors: Cao Song , Liu Yun , Sun Wenting , Zhao Li , Zhang Lin , Liu Xinkui , Yu Tian
Published: June 2015

Mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channel (mitoKATP) is a common end effector of many protective stimuli in myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI). However, the specific molecular mechanism underlying its myocardial protective effect is not well elucidated. We characterized an anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) model using freshly isolated adult rat cardiomyocytes. MitoKATPstatus was interfered with its specific opener diazoxide (DZ) or blocker 5-hydroxydecanote (5-HD). Digital gene expression (DGE) and bioinformatic analysis were deployed. Three energy metabolism related genes (MT-ND6, Idh2,andAcadl) were upregulated when mitoKATPopened. In addition, as many as 20 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched in five energy homeostasis correlated pathways (PPAR, TCA cycle, fatty acid metabolism, and peroxisome). These findings indicated that mitoKATPopening in MIRI resulted in energy mobilization, which was confirmed by measuring ATP content in cardiomyocytes. These causal outcomes could be a molecular mechanism of myocardial protection of mitoKATPand suggested that the mitoKATPopening plays a physiologic role in triggering cardiomyocytes’ energy homeostasis during MIRI. Strategies of modulating energy expenditure during myocardial ischemia-reperfusion may be promising approaches to reduce MIRI.
Optical Properties of Indium Doeped ZnO Nanowires
Authors: Ko Tsung-Shine , Ou Sin-Liang , Kao Kuo-Sheng , Yang Tz-Min , Lin Der-Yuh
Published: June 2015

We report the synthesis of the ZnO nanowires (NWs) with different indium concentrations by using the thermal evaporation method. The gold nanoparticles were used as the catalyst and were dispersed on the silicon wafer to facilitate the growth of the ZnO NWs. High resolution transmission electron microscopy confirms that the ZnO NWs growth relied on vapor-liquid-solid mechanism and energy dispersion spectrum detects the atomic percentages of indium in ZnO NWs. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the diameters of pure ZnO NWs range from 20 to 30 nm and the diameters of ZnO:In were increased to 50–80 nm with increasing indium doping level. X-ray diffraction results point out that the crystal quality of the ZnO NWs was worse with doping higher indium concentration. Photoluminescence (PL) study of the ZnO NWs exhibited main photoemission at 380 nm due to the recombination of excitons in near-band-edge (NBE). In addition, PL results also indicate the slightly blue shift and PL intensity decreasing of NBE emission from the ZnO NWs with higher indium concentrations could be attributed to more donor-induced trap center generations.
Body Composition, Lipid Profile, Adipokine Concentration, and Antioxidant Capacity Changes during Interventions to Treat Overweight with Exercise Programme and Whole-Body Cryostimulation
Authors: Lubkowska Anna , Dudzińska Wioleta , Bryczkowska Iwona , Dołęgowska Barbara
Published: June 2015

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of six-month-long physical exercise programme with a two-time exposure to whole-body cryostimulation (WBC) in 20 sessions on antioxidant enzyme activities, lipid profile, and body composition changes in obese people (30 adult subjects; BMI = 30.39 ± 4.31 kg/m2). Blood samples were taken before the programme, one month following the exercise programme, before and after the first WBC treatment, six months following the exercise programme, after the second WBC treatment, and finally one month after the intervention. Six months of moderate aerobic activity combined with WBC did not change body mass or fat and lean body mass percentages, or circulating adiponectin, leptin, and resistin concentrations. In response to intervention a significant decrease in the level of low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides was observed, with a slight increase in high-density lipoprotein concentration. The nature of changes in the activity of respective antioxidant enzymes was not identical. After one month of increased physical activity, a significant decrease in superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione reductase activities was observed (13%, 8%, and 70%, resp.). The SOD activity increased significantly after successive whole-body cryostimulation sessions. As regards catalase, a significant progressive decrease in its activity was observed.
Spontaneous Dissection of the Renal Artery in Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
Authors: Pereira Filipa , Cardoso Teresa , Sá Paula
Published: June 2015

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome(EDS) is a rare heterogeneous group of connective tissue disorders. The vascular type (vEDS) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by heterozygous mutations in theCOL3A1gene predisposing to premature arterial, intestinal, or uterine rupture. We report a case of a 38-year-old woman with a recent diagnosis of vEDS admitted in the Emergency Department with a suspicion of a pyelonephritis that evolved to a cardiopulmonary arrest. A fatal retroperitoneal hematoma related with a haemorrhagic dissection of the right renal artery was found after emergency surgery. This case highlights the need to be aware of the particular characteristics of vEDS, such as a severe vascular complication that can lead to a fatal outcome.
Improving Capacity and Delay in Directional Hybrid Wireless Networks with Range Extension
Authors: Cheng Songlin , Wu Jun , Huang Xinlin
Published: June 2015

With the introduction of directional antennas into wireless networks, the beamwidth decreases and the range extends; thus both the mutual interference and the number of hops are reduced. This paper investigates the asymptotic throughput capacity and delay of hybrid wireless networks equipped with directional antennas. We first present a new scheme combining directional antennas and the same cell routing policy, and then derive the per-node throughput capacity and average delay in the proposed scheme, which mainly depend on the number of base stations m, the beamwidth of directional antennas θ, and the path loss exponent α. The discussions that how our directional hybrid wireless network explores the transmission range extension of directional antennas and how each parameter influences the throughput and delay are further elaborated. Moreover, our analytic results and experiments demonstrate that the substantial improvements on throughput capacity and the obvious reduction of average delay are achieved in hybrid wireless networks with directional antennas.
Identification of Metabolites and Metabolic Pathways Related to Treatment with Bufei Yishen Formula in a Rat COPD Model Using HPLC Q-TOF/MS
Authors: Yang Liping , Li Jiansheng , Li Ya , Tian Yange , Li Suyun , Jiang Suli , Wang Ying , Song Xuekun
Published: June 2015

As a traditional Chinese medicine, Bufei Yishen Formula (BYF) is widely used in China as an effective treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Because of the component complexity and multiple activities of Chinese herbs, the mechanism whereby BYF affects COPD is not yet fully understood. Herein, pulmonary function experiments and histomorphological assessments were used to evaluate the curative effect of BYF, which showed that BYF had an effect on COPD. Additionally, a high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC QTOF/MS) metabonomics method was used to analyze the mechanism of the actions of BYF on rats with COPD induced by a combination of bacteria and smoking. Partial least squares discriminate analysis (PLS-DA) was used to screen biomarkers related to BYF treatment. Candidate biomarkers were selected and pathways analysis of these metabolites showed that three types of metabolic pathways (unsaturated fatty acid metabolism-related pathways, phenylalanine metabolism-related pathways, and phospholipid metabolism-related pathways) were associated with BYF treatment. Importantly, arachidonic acid and related metabolic pathways might be useful targets for novel COPD therapies.
Effect of Temperature, Time, and Material Thickness on the Dehydration Process of Tomato
Authors: Correia A. F. K. , Loro A. C. , Zanatta S. , Spoto M. H. F. , Vieira T. M. F. S.
Published: June 2015

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of temperature, time, and thickness of tomatoes fruits during adiabatic drying process. Dehydration, a simple and inexpensive process compared to other conservation methods, is widely used in the food industry in order to ensure a long shelf life for the product due to the low water activity. This study aimed to obtain the best processing conditions to avoid losses and keep product quality. Factorial design and surface response methodology were applied to fit predictive mathematical models. In the dehydration of tomatoes through the adiabatic process, temperature, time, and sample thickness, which greatly contribute to the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of the final product, were evaluated. The optimum drying conditions were 60°C with the lowest thickness level and shorter time.
Targeting Mitochondria with Avocatin B Induces Selective Leukemia Cell Death
Authors: Lee Eric A. , Angka Leonard , Rota Sarah-Grace , Hanlon Thomas , Mitchell Andrew , Hurren Rose , Wang Xiao Ming , Gronda Marcela , Boyaci Ezel , Bojko Barbara , Minden Mark , Sriskanthadevan Shrivani , Datti Alessandro , Wrana Jeffery L. , Edginton Andrea , Pawliszyn Janusz , Joseph Jamie W. , Quadrilatero Joe , Schimmer Aaron D. , Spagnuolo Paul A.
Published: June 2015

Treatment regimens for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) continue to offer weak clinical outcomes. Through a high-throughput cell-based screen, we identified avocatin B, a lipid derived from avocado fruit, as a novel compound with cytotoxic activity in AML. Avocatin B reduced human primary AML cell viability without effect on normal peripheral blood stem cells. Functional stem cell assays demonstrated selectivity toward AML progenitor and stem cells without effects on normal hematopoietic stem cells. Mechanistic investigations indicated that cytotoxicity relied on mitochondrial localization, as cells lacking functional mitochondria or CPT1, the enzyme that facilitates mitochondria lipid transport, were insensitive to avocatin B. Furthermore, avocatin B inhibited fatty acid oxidation and decreased NADPH levels, resulting in ROS-dependent leukemia cell death characterized by the release of mitochondrial proteins, apoptosis-inducing factor, and cytochrome c. This study reveals a novel strategy for selective leukemia cell eradication based on a specific difference in mitochondrial function. Cancer Res; 75(12); 2478–88. ©2015 AACR.
CCR20th Anniversary Commentary: From Regulatory T Cells to Checkpoint Monoclonal Antibodies—Immuno-oncology Advances Clinical Cancer Research
Authors: Wolf Dominik , Wolf Anna Maria
Published: June 2015

Immune escape is a hallmark of cancer development and metastasis. Regulatory T cells (Treg) are potent inhibitors of cancer immune surveillance but also prevent inflammation-driven tumorigenesis. The study by Wolf and colleagues, which was published in the February 2003 issue of Clinical Cancer Research, showed the expansion of Treg in solid cancer patients, providing a deeper understanding of cancer immune escape mechanisms that later set the stage for the development of scientific breakthroughs in cancer immunotherapy. Clin Cancer Res; 21(12); 2657–9. ©2015 AACR.

See related article by Wolf et al., Clin Cancer Res 2003;9(2) Feb 2003;606–12
“Vertical” Inhibition of HER2 Yields Horizontal Gains in the Clinic
Authors: Sledge George W. , Pegram Mark D.
Published: June 2015

HER2-targeted therapy has moved beyond trastuzumab to include other monoclonals targeting the cell surface, receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors of HER2, and antibody–drug conjugates. Afatinib, a small molecule receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, now joins the ranks of HER2-targeting agents in combination with trastuzumab. The combination brings new opportunities and challenges. Clin Cancer Res; 21(12); 2663–5. ©2015 AACR.

See related article by Ring et al., p. 2737
Advancing Comparative Climate Change Politics: Theory and Method
Authors: Purdon Mark
Published: June 2015

Central to this special issue is the notion that the methods and conceptual tools of comparative politics can improve our understanding of global climate change politics. Building on recent advancements in the field of comparative environmental politics, the special issues offers a more comprehensive treatment of climate change politics in developed countries, emerging economies and least developed countries. In this introduction, I distil the key features of comparative politics, advocate for the more rigorous application of comparative methods in climate politics scholarship and highlight three groups of political factors—institutions, interests and ideas—that hold considerable promise in explaining climate change politics at the domestic level. The introduction concludes with an appeal to (re)think how international and domestic politics interact. Examples drawn from the articles assembled for this special issue are used to substantiate the claims made.
Are We Really in an Age of Riots?
Authors: Smith Jason E.
Published: June 2015

The interview that follows revisits some of the theses developed by Alain Badiou concerning the revolts of the Arab Spring in his 2011 book Le Réveil de l’Histoire in light of subsequent events. The interview touches on a number of themes, including the relation between recent revolts and the on-going global economic crisis, and the way the reconfiguration of global value circuits impacts upon both tactical and strategic questions for rioters in Europe, North America and beyond. It also examines the way an analysis of the class composition of those involved in contemporary mass movements offers keys to understanding their failures and successes.
The Substance of De Spiritu
Authors: Gregoric Pavel , Lewis Orly , Kuhar Martin
Published: June 2015

The aim of this paper is to depict the anatomical and physiological doctrines of the treatise entitled Περὶ πνεύματος, or De spiritu. By closely examining the contents of the treatise on its own accord, rather than through its Aristotelian or Hellenistic contexts, we attempt to overcome the aporetic and often disconnected style of the author, and to present a coherent picture of his doctrine of pneuma, its roles in the body, the anatomical structures in which it acts, and its relation to the soul. We argue that the author envisions three main systems in the body: artēriai, by which external air is taken in, turned into pneuma and distributed to different parts of the body; phlebes, by which blood is produced and distributed; bones and neura, which support the body and effect locomotion. Pneuma is shown to run through the system of artēriai, whereby it performs vital activities such as thermoregulation, digestion and pulsation. It is also engaged in activities such as perception and locomotion, in the form of the “connate pneuma,” which, we propose, is a component of bodily parts. The author connects pneuma very closely with soul, and although he is familiar with Aristotle’s doctrine of the soul, he does not see to embrace it.
Rights against Torture in Nepal
Authors: Sharma Hemang
Published: June 2015

Torture is a serious human rights problem in the world. Despite the absolute prohibition under the Convention against Torture (cat) and other international law, torture is still practiced in many parts of the world. The widespread prevalence of torture is a source of concern. Nepal is a party to the cat. The Interim Constitution of Nepal guarantees the rights against torture as fundamental rights. However, reports from various organisations provide chilling records and case studies about the widespread use of torture. The increasing link between national and international human rights organisations put pressure to the government to cease torture in practice. Strong political commitment, anti-torture measures along with addressing root-causes of torture are essential to protect the right to freedom from torture. This article examines the complexity of commitment and practical implementation of the cat in the least developed country of Nepal. The aim of the article is to contribute to reforming the normative framework and to make the government accountable for the prevention of torture.
What’s in a Name?
Authors: McAdam Marika
Published: June 2015

This article explores the challenges involved in differentiating between human trafficking and migrant smuggling, and their implications for human rights protection. Exploitation is dismissed as a hallmark of trafficking, with reference to situations of trafficking that occur without exploitation, and migrant smuggling that involves exploitation. The consent of smuggled migrants is similarly rejected as a signifier of smuggling, given the irrelevance of consent in human trafficking. Discussion of stigmatisation of migrants willing to migrant irregularly, and the simplification of their plight, leads to consideration of rights-based distinctions between the two phenomena. Assumptions made about the types of abuses that occur in trafficking and smuggling scenarios are explained as detracting from human rights protections of rights-holders. Ultimately, it is asserted that the labels of ‘trafficked’ and ‘smuggled’ should not be determined on the basis of human rights abuses, but should be confronted irrespective of which label has been allocated.
The Right to a Fair Trial in Criminal Proceedings and the United Kingdom Courts’ Recognition of Foreign Convictions from non-eu Member States
Authors: Mujuzi Jamil Ddamulira
Published: June 2015

This article discusses three cases from China, India and Morocco in which courts in the United Kingdom have considered the issue of previous convictions for the purposes of sentencing and considering the issue of whether the accused is of bad character. The author highlights the different approaches taken by the different courts and argues that there is a need for guidelines to be developed for courts to follow in deciding whether or not to admit convictions from courts outside the European Union. This would strengthen the accused’s rights to a fair trial in criminal proceedings.
Review of some little-known benthic hydroids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from the Southern Ocean
Authors: CANTERO ÁLVARO L. PEÑA
Published: June 2015

A number of benthic hydroid species inhabiting the Southern Ocean are insufficiently characterized. A revision of eight little-known Antarctic species of the order Anthoathecata was made, based on the study of type material. Some of the species have not been recorded since their original description a century ago. Four species (Bimeria corynopsis, Bougainvillia macloviana, ?Koellikerina belgicae and Rhizorhagium antarcticum) belong to the family Bougainvilliidae, two species (Hydractinia angusta and H. dendritica) to the family Hydractiniidae, Perarella clavata to the family Cytaeididae and, finally, Rhysia halecii to the family Rhysiidae. For each species a list of synonyms, a description, a discussion on its relationship with other species and its systematic position, and an account of its autecological data are given. All records found in the literature have been checked.
Review of the genus Vertomannus Distant (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Lygaeoidea: Rhyparochromidae: Ozophorini), with description of two new species
Authors: LI JUNLAN , BU WENJUN
Published: June 2015

The ozophorine genus Vertomannus Distant, 1903 is reviewed in this paper. Ten species are recognized in the genus, including two new species, Vertomannus parvus sp. nov. and Vertomannus tibetanus sp. nov. The new species are described and illustrated. A key to all known members is included. Diagnosis of the genus, habitus photos, measurements, male genitalia illustrations, additional distributions are also presented.
Development and Validation of the Hope for Change Through Counseling Scale
Authors: Bartholomew Theodore T. , Scheel Michael J. , Cole Brian P.
Published: June 2015

Frank and Frank suggested that the primary goal of contextually oriented therapy is remoralization through the promotion of hope. According to Snyder’s hope theory, hope is a psychological characteristic consisting of pathways thinking, agency, and goals. Although these concepts are relevant to understanding how hope develops through therapy, no instrument exists to measure hope within counseling. The present research was undertaken to develop and validate the Hope for Change Through Counseling Scale (HCCS). Study 1 ( N = 191) was an analogue study to pilot the scale and identify its factor structure. Study 2 ( N = 306) consisted of a confirmatory factor analysis to further refine the HCCS. Study 3 utilized the HCCS with clients ( N = 50), providing evidence of construct validity and incremental validity for the scale. Implications of the HCCS as an assessment tool to facilitate focus on client hopefulness within counseling are discussed.
“Health for All” in England and Brazil?
Authors: Duncan Peter , Bertolozzi Maria Rita , Cowley Sarah , Egry Emiko Yoshikawa , Chiesa Anna Maria , de Siqueira França Francisco Oscar
Published: June 2015

This article discusses the achievements and challenges that England and Brazil face in relation to their capacity to address inequalities in health through health promotion and public health policies. Using secondary data (policy texts and related documents), this article contextualizes, explains, and critically appraises health promotion and public health efforts for the reduction of inequalities in health in the 2 countries. A historic documentary analysis was undertaken, with hermeneutics as the methodological framework. The global economic crisis has prompted the so-called developed economies of Europe to reconsider their economic and social priorities. England represents a state facing this kind of challenge. Equally, Brazil is assuming new positions not only on the world stage but also in terms of the relationship it has with its citizens and the priorities it has for state welfare. The United Kingdom continues to finance a health care system allowing universal access in the form of the National Health Service, and state concern about the public health task of reducing inequalities has recently been underlined in policy. For Brazil, although there have been recent achievements related to population access to healthcare, challenges continue, especially with regard to the quality of care
Discourse and Social Psychology, postmodernism, and capitalist collusion: An argument for more complex historiographies of psychology
Authors: Wetherell Margaret , Potter Jonathan
Published: June 2015

Hayter and Hegarty argue that Discourse and Social Psychology (DSP) is a text sustaining late capitalism as surely as Taylorism sustained the Fordist capitalist epoch. In response, we first situate DSP in its intellectual context; second, highlight limitations in Hayter and Hegarty’s use of Harvey’s work on the history of capitalism; third, note the importance of analysing contexts and effects in genealogical research on psychology; fourth, show how the argument fails to clearly explicate different senses of reflexivity in DSP and; finally, consider the platform DSP built for the study of ideology and the implications for Hayter and Hegarty’s own project. All of this highlights a need for psychologists to be more sophisticated in their historiography.
The Analysis of Bangkok Coffee Chain’s Consumers and the Influence of Brand Personalities on their Purchasing Decision
Authors: Udomkit Nuntana , Mathews Panuvat
Published: June 2015

This research analyzes the demographic data of a Bangkok coffee chain’s consumers and investigates the relationship between their personality and the chain’s brand personality. It further examines the influence of brand personalities on the purchasing decision of consumers. Aaker’s (1997) five dimensions of brand personality, namely, sincerity, excitement, competence, sophistication and ruggedness, are adopted as a framework for analysis. The research finds a significant correlation between consumer personalities and brand personalities in all dimensions. However, ‘competence’ is the only dimension that significantly influenced the purchasing decision of coffee chains’ consumers in Bangkok.
Influence of Turbulent Macroeconomic Environment on Productivity Change of Banking Sector: Empirical Evidence from India
Authors: Sharma Dipasha , K. Sharma Anil
Published: June 2015

This study aims to assess the direct impact of US subprime crisis and turbulent macroeconomic conditions on the productivity gains of Indian banking sector using non-parametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) based Malmquist productivity index (MPI) and panel data regression model for the period 2000–2010. This study evaluates the trend of productivity change and assesses the influence of turbulent macroeconomic environment and financial crisis along with regulatory/microeconomic factors on the productivity of the Indian banking sector. The results reveal overall productivity increase during the period under study with the technological improvement across the sector. Financial crisis 2008–2009 exhibits positive and significant impact on the productivity Indian banking sector. Empirical findings suggest that the Indian banking industry sustained their productivity growth even during the global crisis. GDP and inflation exhibits negative and significant association with the productivity gains of Indian banking sector. Productivity growth exhibits significant and positive association with the listing in the stock exchange and therefore this study supports the ‘market discipline’ hypothesis in Indian banking sector. Bank size in terms of total assets, bank’s diversification strategy and profitability exhibit insignificant relationship whereas bank’s expense preference behaviour reveals negative relationship. Bank origin exhibits insignificant association and ownership reveal positive association. Therefore, results of the study do not support global advantage hypothesis in Indian banking sector.
Book Review: Rodney D. Ryder and Ashwin Madhavan, Intellectual Property and Business: The Power of Intangible Assets
Authors: Mishra Nandita
Published: June 2015

Rodney D. Ryder and Ashwin Madhavan, Intellectual Property and Business: The Power of Intangible Assets. New Delhi: SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd, 2014, 304 pp. ₹595 (ISBN: 978-81-321-1791-9)
Recognizing the Limitations of Journalism as Academic Research while Arguing for Change
Authors: Woolley Bruce
Published: June 2015

Journalism is not a homogeneous product: some of it is very strong and valuable, but quite a lot is dross. While some journalism research output is rushed, inadequate, naïve, ill considered and even inaccurate or misguided, quite a lot is exactly the opposite. The same can be said of academic research output. Whether university research committees and funding bodies should recognize journalism as academic research output depends on whether the journalism product under consideration is of sufficiently high quality.
Journalism Research in Academia
Authors: Davies Kayt
Published: June 2015

Journalism is a well-established set of practices, underpinned by a distinctive theoretical perspective that fits the definition of a methodology (Lamble, 2004). It fits the NHMRC’s (2007, p. 2) definition of research because it is ‘of direct relevance to … the public’ and it ‘lead[s] to new or substantially improved insights’. But, there is some resistance within Australian academic bureaucracy, especially from Human Research Ethics Committees, to approve journalistic research designs that involve unwilling participants and rapid timeframes (Davies, 2014). This paper documents progress in this line of thought over recent years.
Advocating Journalism Practice-as-research
Authors: Robie David
Published: June 2015

New Zealand’s Performance-Based Research Fund regime makes no explicit provision for journalism practice-as-research, although it does not exclude it either. The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) has hinted at applied research changes that may open the door to investigative journalism and other long-form modes for the next audit in 2018. As a growing global debate responds to international pressure on journalism practitioner-academics to publish scholarly outputs and seek external research income, there has been a parallel paradigm shift in defining methodologies for some journalism as research. This article advocates a bolder approach by journalism educators in New Zealand to push the boundaries for greater acceptance of journalism research methodologies and to claim an enhanced academic space as a ‘critic and conscience of society’.
Analysis of the Holocaust Cartoon Competition as a Global Communicative Event
Authors: Meidani Mahdiyeh
Published: June 2015

This paper examines the Holocaust cartoon competition as an instance of social and political controversy and concludes that freedom of speech as a conditional right incites various oppositional arguments. The paper also describes how the cartoon competition creates enemies through binary discourse—peaceful and oppressor, Palestine and Israel, Zionism and Nazism—then poses a challenge to the dominant Western understanding of freedom of speech. Using the theories of oppositional arguments (Olson & Goodnight, 1994), the paper argues that the cartoon competition honours the Holocaust victims as a social/cultural norm in Jewish community and in the West, and that the contest as a rhetorical act challenges the Gayssot Act as a legal norm in several European countries. Examination of the Holocaust cartoon contest, through the theory of ‘clash of civilizations’, illuminates that the competition contributes to reproduce the notion of clash of civilizations as a belief in the incompatibility of the West and Islam. By using the theory of ‘global journalism’, the study also creates a discussion to explain how the Holocaust contest as a communicative event (based on two themes: freedom of speech and the Holocaust) relates various international issues and thereby fulfils one main functions of the global journalism concept: establishment of transnational connections.
Labour Regulations, Contractualization and Industrial Performance
Authors: Sofi Irfan Ahmad , Sharma Pritee
Published: June 2015

This study analyzes the impact of spiralling growth in usage of contractual labour, in the context of stringent pro-worker labour regulations, on industrial labour productivity and employment generation. We obtain a quantitative measure of ‘stringency of labour regulations’ by applying majority rule on three different measures used in the literature. The results show that average labour productivity increases with the increase in the ratio of permanent workers to contractual workers, unless the industries are not operating in states having rigid/pro-worker labour regulations—which implies a negative impact of contractualization on labour productivity. Besides, the results show that the rigid/pro-worker labour regulations have negative impact on employment generation; it is especially discernible in labour-intensive industries.
Regional Openness, Income Growth and Disparity during 1980–2009
Authors: Maiti Dibyendu , Marjit Sugata
Published: June 2015

As a country progressively engages in international trade, its factors of production increasingly enter into the export sector, where their return is higher compared to the import-competing sector. At the regional level too, those states which can attune their production structure to international demands earn more from trade than other states, and also grow at a faster rate. A regional openness index has been reconstructed by combining the export and import intensities of the states, ranks of correlation of state production shares, respectively, with tradable production share as suitable weights at the state level. The index is highly influenced by the institutional variation across states in a federal setting. The per capita net state domestic products have been growing in all major states in India during the period 1980–2009, but at different rates, and one of the detrimental factors for this has been regional openness.
Jairus, His Daughter and the Haemorrhaging Woman (Mk 5.21-43; Mt. 9.18-26; Lk. 8.40-56): Research Survey of a Gospel Story about People in Distress
Authors: Zwiep Arie W.
Published: June 2015

This article examines the history of interpretation of the pericope of the healing of the haemorrhaging woman and the raising of Jairus’ daughter (Mk 5.21-43; Mt. 9.18-26; Lk. 8.40-56). It starts with the earliest attempts to harmonize the synoptic accounts, and reviews medieval allegorical interpretations, historical-critical theories, including the apparent death (coma) theory, D.F. Strauss and mythical interpretation, form-criticism, the question of sources, literary and narrative approaches, socio-critical (feminist) interpretation, psychoanalytical criticism, and contextual (poststructural) readings.
Merneptah’s ‘Israel’ and the Absence of Origins in Biblical Scholarship
Authors: Nestor Dermot
Published: June 2015

This article examines the Merneptah Stele and its role in recent efforts to reconstruct Israelite history and identity. Though necessarily concerned with the issues of translation and location as they relate to the entity named in the stele, this review is dominated by an assessment of the various ways in which biblical scholarship has related to this singular reference. To that end, issues of theory and method, both archaeological and anthropological, are prioritized as the review appraises the various attempts to isolate this entity as the Archimedean point of Israelite historical and ethnic development. Though certainly critical of what it perceives as the sterile reproduction of long-held beliefs, it is a review that, in its appeal to the work of Pierre Bourdieu, looks to identify prospects for further study of the stele, rather than foreclose the very questions that it raises.
Superhydrophobicity via organophosphonic acid derivatised aluminium films
Authors: Zhu Y. , Hu Y. M. , Nie H.-Y. , Zhou W. , Yi J. H.
Published: June 2015

Organophosphonic acid derivatisation on aluminium surfaces had been demonstrated to be effective for surface energy control. By following the surface energy control strategy, surperhydrophobic Al surfaces had been achieved via microcolumn pattern and dodecylphosphonic acid (DDPA) derivatisation. The water contact and sliding angles of the superhydrophobic Al surfaces were respectively 156 and 5°. Measurements confirmed that the linkage between DDPA and Al are mainly bidentate P–O–Al. The wetting properties as well as the mechanical durability of the superhydrophobic Al surfaces were tested and discussed.
Resistance exercise improves muscle strength, health status and pain intensity in fibromyalgia—a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Larsson Anette , Palstam Annie , Löfgren Monika , Ernberg Malin , Bjersing Jan , Bileviciute-Ljungar Indre , Gerdle Björn , Kosek Eva , Mannerkorpi Kaisa
Published: June 2015

Introduction

Fibromyalgia (FM) is characterized by persistent widespread pain, increased pain sensitivity and tenderness. Muscle strength in women with FM is reduced compared to healthy women. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a progressive resistance exercise program on muscle strength, health status, and current pain intensity in women with FM.

Methods

A total of 130 women with FM (age 22–64 years, symptom duration 0–35 years) were included in this assessor-blinded randomized controlled multi-center trial examining the effects of progressive resistance group exercise compared with an active control group. A person-centred model of exercise was used to support the participants’ self-confidence for management of exercise because of known risks of activity-induced pain in FM. The intervention was performed twice a week for 15 weeks and was supervised by experienced physiotherapists. Primary outcome measure was isometric knee-extension force (Steve Strong®), secondary outcome measures were health status (FIQ total score), current pain intensity (VAS), 6MWT, isometric elbow-flexion force, hand-grip force, health related quality of life, pain disability, pain acceptance, fear avoidance beliefs, and patient global impression of change (PGIC). Outcomes were assessed at baseline and immediately after the intervention. Long-term follow up comprised the self-reported questionnaires only and was conducted after 13–18 months. Between-group and within-group differences were calculated using non-parametric statistics.

Results

Significant improvements were found for isometric knee-extension force (p = 0.010), health status (p = 0.038), current pain intensity (p = 0.033), 6MWT (p = 0.003), isometric elbow flexion force (p = 0.02), pain disability (p = 0.005), and pain acceptance (p = 0.043) in the resistance exercise group (n = 56) when compared to the control group (n = 49). PGIC differed significantly (p = 0.001) in favor of the resistance exercise group at post-treatment examinations. No significant differences between the resistance exercise group and the active control group were found regarding change in self-reported questionnaires from baseline to 13–18 months.

Conclusions

Person-centered progressive resistance exercise was found to be a feasible mode of exercise for women with FM, improving muscle strength, health status, and current pain intensity when assessed immediately after the intervention.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identification number: NCT01226784, Oct 21, 2010.