bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relevance of roughness parameters of surface finish in precision hard turning
Authors: Jouini Nabil , Revel Philippe , Bigerelle Maxence
Published: July 2013

Precision hard turning is a process to improve the surface integrity of functional surfaces. Machining experiments are carried out on hardened AISI 52100 bearing steel under dry condition using c‐BN cutting tools. A full factorial experimental design is used to characterize the effect of cutting parameters. As surface topography is characterized by numerous roughness parameters, their relative relevance is investigated by statistical indices of performance computed by combining the analysis of variance, discriminant analysis and the bootstrap method. The analysis shows that the profile Length ratio (Lr) and the Roughness average (Ra) are the relevant pair of roughness parameters which best discriminates the effect of cutting parameters and enable the classification of surfaces which cannot be distinguished by one parameter: low profile length ratio Lr (Lr = 100.23%) is clearly distinguished from an irregular surface corresponding to a profile length ratio Lr (Lr = 100.42%), whereas the roughness average Ra values are nearly identical. SCANNING 36:86–94, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Biocorrosion and biocompatibility of Zr–Cu–Fe–Al bulk metallic glasses
Authors: Monfared Amin , Vali Hojatollah , Faghihi Shahab
Published: July 2013

Owing to their unique chemo‐physical and structural characteristics, amorphous bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) are of great demand for fabrication of variety of advanced and innovative products including surgical and biomedical tools and devices. In this study, a series of Ni‐free Zr‐based BMGs in Zr–Cu–Fe–Al system are fabricated using copper‐mold casting technique, and their biocorrosion and biocompatibility are evaluated with respect to their corrosion behavior in the phosphate buffered saline (pH = 7.4) solution. Anodic polarization curves, scanning electron microscopy combined with energy‐dispersive X‐ray, and wettability analyses are conducted to characterize the surfaces of BMG samples. The biocompatibility of the BMG and control samples is studied by comparing cell–substrate interactions among different samples. It is found that Zr60Cu20Fe10Al10 displays a higher passive region compared with that of Zr60Cu22.5Fe7.5Al10, but both BMGs exhibit lower corrosion resistance compared with Ti–6Al–4V alloy. By addition of titanium to Zr–Cu–Fe–Al system (Zr60Ti6Cu19Fe5Al10), a significant increase in the passive region of the polarization curve is detected. The cell culture experiments reveal that the number of attached and grown cells is significantly higher on the surface of the treated BMGs as compared with Ti–6Al–4V substrates and the culture plate as controls. There is no noticeable difference in cellular morphology among the BMG samples, and no cytotoxicity is detected. We speculate that the interaction of water molecules and matrix proteins with the surfaces of BMGs plays an important role in cell–substrate interactions and improved cell response. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fractional polynomial adjustment for time‐varying covariates in a self‐controlled case series analysis
Authors: Lee Katherine J. , Carlin John B.
Published: July 2013

The self‐controlled case series method is a statistical approach to investigating associations between acute outcomes and transient exposures. The method uses cases only and compares time at risk after the transient exposure with time at risk outside the exposure period within an individual, using conditional Poisson regression. The risk of outcome and exposure often varies over time, for example, with age, and it is important to allow for such time dependence within the analysis. The standard approach for modelling time‐varying covariates is to split observation periods into blocks according to categories of the covariate and then to model the relationship using indicators for each category. However, this can be inefficient and can lead to problems with collinearity if the exposure occurs at approximately the same time in all individuals. As an alternative, we propose using fractional polynomials to model the relationship between the time‐varying covariate and incidence of the outcome. We present the results from an analysis exploring the association between rotavirus vaccination and intussusception risk as well as a simulation study. We conclude that fractional polynomials provide a useful approach to adjusting for time‐varying covariates but that it is important to explore the sensitivity of the results to the number of categories and the method of adjustment. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A model combining excess and relative mortality for population‐based studies
Authors: Elie Caroline , Landais Paul , De Rycke Yann
Published: July 2013

Considering expected mortality provides an attractive approach to analyse mortality of population‐based cohorts of patients presenting with a chronic disease. Two classes of methods are available: either modelling the excess mortality using an additive hazard model or modelling the relative mortality using a multiplicative hazard model. Because these two models are informative to look for factors associated with mortality related to a chronic disease, we developed an alternative model modelling both the excess and the relative mortality. We generalised Andersen and Vaeth's model to fit covariates and obtain directly an estimation of the Excess Mortality Ratio and Relative Mortality Ratio for each covariate. We assessed the performances of the combined model by using simulations, and it appeared satisfactorily. We illustrate the combined model by data collected in patients presenting with end‐stage renal disease and treated by dialysis. The combined model offers the possibility of performing pure additive and multiplicative models and thus to compare their log‐likelihoods. The combined model appears useful to select one of these pure models or to conclude to the need of modelling both excess and relative mortality. In this latter case, our model enabled better describing the effect of covariates on the excess and relative mortality. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Perceived Effects of Organizational Downsizing and Staff Cuts on the Stress Experience: The Role of Resources
Authors: Boyd Carolyn M. , Tuckey Michelle R. , Winefield Anthony H.
Published: July 2013

In response to global financial pressures, retail companies have introduced measures to reduce costs by cutting staff allocations to individual outlets. On the basis of interview data from four employees of a large retail organization, this paper employs an ideographic case‐study approach to illustrate how the processes linking job characteristics to job‐related strain and well‐being (e.g. appraisal, action regulation, coping, resource utilization) unfold within four individual workers, as they attempt to manage perceived increases in demands resulting from staff cuts. We highlight the importance that these employees place on their own psychological resources (e.g. self‐efficacy) and coping mechanisms (e.g. disengagement) in dealing with these changes, as well as how the perceived availability or absence of job resources (e.g. social support, decision authority, organizational justice) influences their ability to cope with increased demands. We use the insights gained from the case studies to illustrate the value of integrating multiple theoretical perspectives towards achieving a nuanced understanding of the intricacies involved in these experiences and to suggest ways in which the coping capacities of individual employees might be increased. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Coping Strategies as Mediators and Moderators between Stress and Quality of Life among Parents of Children with Autistic Disorder
Authors: Dardas Latefa A. , Ahmad Muayyad M.
Published: July 2013

The purpose of this cross‐sectional study was to examine coping strategies as mediators and moderators between stress and quality of life (QoL) among parents of children with autistic disorder. The convenience sample of the study consisted of 184 parents of children with autistic disorder. Advanced statistical methods for analyses of mediator and moderator effects of coping strategies were used. The results revealed that ‘accepting responsibility’ was the only mediator strategy in the relationship between stress and QoL. The results also revealed that only ‘seeking social support’ and ‘escape avoidance’ were moderator strategies in the relationship between stress and QoL. This study is perhaps the first to investigate the mediating and moderating effects of coping on QoL of parents of children with autistic disorder. Recommendations for practice and future research are presented. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A general strategy for cellular reprogramming: The importance of transcription factor cross-repression
Authors: Crespo Isaac , del Sol Antonio
Published: July 2013

Transcription factor cross-repression is an important concept in cellular differentiation. A bistable toggle switch constitutes a molecular mechanism that determines cellular commitment and provides stability to transcriptional programs of binary cell fate choices. Experiments support that perturbations of these toggle switches can interconvert these binary cell fate choices, suggesting potential reprogramming strategies. However, more complex types of cellular transitions could involve perturbations of combinations of different types of multistable motifs. Here, we introduce a method that generalizes the concept of transcription factor cross-repression to systematically predict sets of genes, whose perturbations induce cellular transitions between any given pair of cell types. Furthermore, to our knowledge, this is the first method that systematically makes these predictions without prior knowledge of potential candidate genes and pathways involved, providing guidance on systems where little is known. Given the increasing interest of cellular reprogramming in medicine and basic research, our method represents a useful computational methodology to assist researchers in the field in designing experimental strategies.
Evaluation of lateral‐torsional coupling in earthquake response of asymmetric multistory buildings
Authors: Yiu C.‐F. , Chan C.‐M. , Huang M. , Li G.
Published: July 2013

This paper presents a practical method for evaluating lateral‐torsional coupling in the elastic earthquake response of asymmetric multistory buildings. A transformation technique is first developed to shift the floor centers of mass of an asymmetric building to new reference positions where the sum of the squares of all floor rotations of the building due to lateral inertia loads is a minimum. By setting the locus of the floor centers of mass of the building at the new reference positions, a representative eccentricity and an effectively uncoupled system for the building can be established on the basis which an equivalent eccentric single mass system can be developed. The additional lateral translations caused by seismic torsional effects in the building can be analytically determined and expressed in terms of the representative building eccentricity and the uncoupled periods evaluated using the effectively uncoupled system. The effectiveness and practicality of the proposed method are illustrated with two 30‐story practical buildings. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thick deltaic sedimentation and detachment faulting delay the onset of continental rupture in the Northern Gulf of California: Analysis of seismic reflection profiles
Authors: Martín‐Barajas Arturo , González‐Escobar Mario , Fletcher John M. , Pacheco Martín , Oskin Michael , Dorsey Rebecca
Published: July 2013

The transition from distributed continental extension to the rupture of continental lithosphere is imaged in the northern Gulf of California across the obliquely conjugate Tiburón‐Upper Delfin basin segment. Structural mapping on a 5–20 km grid of seismic reflection lines of Petroleos Mexicanos demonstrates that ~1000% extension is accommodated on a series of NNE striking listric‐normal faults that merge at depth into a detachment fault. The detachment juxtaposes a late‐Neogene marine sequence over thinned continental crust and contains an intrabasinal divide due to footwall uplift. Two northwest striking, dextral‐oblique faults bound both ends of the detachment and shear the continental crust parallel to the tectonic transport. A regional unconformity in the upper 0.5 s (two‐way travel time) and crest erosion of rollover anticlines above the detachment indicates inversion and footwall uplift during the lithospheric rupture in the Upper Delfin and Lower Delfin basins. The maximum length of new crust in both Delfin basins is less than 40 km based on the lack of an acoustic basement and the absence of a lower sedimentary sequence beneath a wedge‐shaped upper sequence that reaches >5 km in thickness. A fundamental difference exists between the Tiburón‐Delfin segment and the Guaymas segment to the south in terms of presence of low‐angle normal faults and amount of new oceanic lithosphere, which we attribute to thermal insulation, diffuse upper‐plate extension, and slip on low‐angle normal faults engendered by a thick sedimentary lid.
Parameter estimation of horizontal multilayer earth based on complex image method and improved particle swarm optimization
Authors: He Wei , Zhang Ruiqiang , Zhu Liwei , Chen Tao , Yang Fan , Shi Qingyan
Published: July 2013

Grounding grids are buried underground to reduce the earth resistance and provide ways for overvoltage protection and current leakage. With regard to the safety evaluation and fault diagnosis of substations, it is vital to know the accurate earth parameters before detecting the fault sites of grounding grid in substations. The estimation of earth parameters is used to solve the inverse problem of calculating apparent resistivity using given earth parameters. First, complex image methods are used to solve the improper integration with the assistance of Prony's expansion which is utilized to calculate the coefficients for the Lipschitz's expansions in this article. Also, by considering the root mean square error and absolute error (AbsE), we focus on different aspects of the effectiveness of the estimation. The root mean square error between the measured and calculated apparent resistivity (\documentclass{article}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{amsfonts}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$\rho^a_{\mathrm{md}}$ \end{document} and \documentclass{article}\usepackage{amsmath}\usepackage{amssymb}\usepackage{amsbsy}\usepackage{amsfonts}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$\rho^a_{\mathrm{cd}}$ \end{document}, respectively) is set up as the main objective function, and AbsE as a supplemental criterion for measuring the estimation. Afterwards, improved particle swarm optimization is adopted to minimize the objective function with a constraint function. Resulting from the outstanding global searching characteristics, accurate soil parameters are much easier to obtain. A method to artificially regulate the initial values is proposed in this article, and two cases are introduced to validate the effectiveness. © 2013 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Prenatal abnormal features of the fourth ventricle in Joubert syndrome and related disorders
Authors: Quarello E. , Molho M. , Garel C. , Couture A. , Legac M. P. , Moutard M. L. , Bault J. P. , Fallet‐Bianco C. , Guibaud L.
Published: July 2013

Joubert syndrome and related disorders (JSRD) are characterized by absence or underdevelopment of the cerebellar vermis and a malformed brainstem. This family of disorders is a member of an emerging class of diseases called ciliopathies. We describe the abnormal features of the brain, particularly the fourth ventricle, in seven fetuses affected by JSRD. In three cases abnormality of the fourth ventricle was isolated and in four cases there were associated malformations. The molar tooth sign (MTS) was always present and visible on two‐dimensional ultrasound and, when performed, on three‐dimensional ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. The fourth ventricle was always abnormal, in both axial and sagittal views, presenting pathognomonic deformities. It is important to identify JSRD, preferably prenatally or at least postnatally, due to its high risk of recurrence of about 25%. A detailed prenatal assessment of the fourth ventricle in several views may help to achieve this goal. Copyright © 2013 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Semiempirical quantum–chemical methods
Authors: Thiel Walter
Published: July 2013

The semiempirical methods of quantum chemistry are reviewed, with emphasis on established neglect of diatomic differential overlap‐based methods (MNDO, AM1, PM3) and on the more recent orthogonalization‐corrected methods (OM1, OM2, OM3). After a brief historical overview, the methodology is presented in nontechnical terms, covering the underlying concepts, parameterization strategies, and computational aspects, as well as linear scaling and hybrid approaches. The application section addresses selected recent benchmarks and surveys ground‐state and excited‐state studies, including recent OM2‐based excited‐state dynamics investigations.

This article is categorized under:

Electronic Structure Theory > Semiempirical Electronic Structure Methods
Cisplatin-functionalized silica nanoparticles for cancer chemotherapy
Authors: Rejeeth Chandrababu , Nag Tapas C. , Kannan Soundarapandian
Published: July 2013

Cisplatin is used to treat a variety of tumors, but dose-limiting toxicities or intrinsic and acquired resistance limit its application in many types of cancer including breast. Cisplatin was attached to silica nanoparticles using aminopropyltriethoxy silane as a linker molecule and characterized in terms of size, shape, as well as the dissolution of cisplatin from the silica surface. The primary particle diameter of the as received silica nanoparticles ranged from 20 to 90 nm. The results show that adverse effects on cell function, as evidenced by reduced metabolic activity measured by the MTT assay and increased membrane permeability observed using the live/dead stain, can be correlated with surface area of the silica. Cisplatin-functionalized silica nanoparticles with the highest surface area incited the greatest response, which was almost equivalent to that induced by free cisplatin. Moreover, if verified by further studies, would indicate that cisplatin was attached to silica nanoparticles might prove to be useful in site-specific drug delivery.
Global smooth dynamics of a fully ionized plasma with long-range collisions
Authors: Duan Renjun
Published: July 2013

The motion of a fully ionized plasma of electrons and ions is generally governed by the Vlasov–Maxwell–Landau system. We prove the global existence of solutions near Maxwellians to the Cauchy problem of the system for the long-range collision kernel of soft potentials, particularly including the classical Coulomb collision, provided that both the Sobolev norm and

L_{\xi }^{2}(L_{x}^{1})

-norm of initial perturbation with enough smoothness and enough velocity weight is sufficiently small. As a byproduct, the convergence rates of solutions are also obtained. The proof is based on the energy method through designing a new temporal energy norm to capture different features of this complex system such as dispersion of the macro component in

\mathbb{R}^{3}

, singularity of the long-range collisions and regularity-loss of the electromagnetic field.
pH‐rate profiles support a general base mechanism for galactokinase (Lactococcus lactis)
Authors: Reinhardt Laurie A. , Thoden James B. , Peters Greg S. , Holden Hazel M. , Cleland W.W.
Published: July 2013

Galactokinase (GALK), a member the Leloir pathway for normal galactose metabolism, catalyzes the conversion of α‐d‐galactose to galactose‐1‐phosphate. For this investigation, we studied the kinetic mechanism and pH profiles of the enzyme from Lactococcus lactis. Our results show that the mechanism for its reaction is sequential in both directions. Mutant proteins D183A and D183N are inactive (<10 000 fold), supporting the role of Asp183 as a catalytic base that deprotonates the C‐1 hydroxyl group of galactose. The pH‐k
cat profile of the forward reaction has a pK
a of 6.9 ± 0.2 that likely is due to Asp183. The pH‐k
cat/K
Gal profile of the reverse reaction further substantiates this role as it is lacking a key pK
a required for a direct proton transfer mechanism. The R36A and R36N mutant proteins show over 100‐fold lower activity than that for the wild‐type enzyme, thus suggesting that Arg36 lowers the pK
a of the C‐1 hydroxyl to facilitate deprotonation.
Value Creation in the Video Game Industry: Industry Economics, Consumer Benefits, and Research Opportunities
Authors: Marchand André , Hennig-Thurau Thorsten
Published: July 2013

In the past twenty years, the video game industry has established itself as a significant contributor to the global entertainment economy. Compared to more established entertainment industries such as movies and music, limited scholarly research in marketing has addressed the processes that create value for companies and consumers in the context of video games which are now available on multiple devices (e.g., consoles, portables, mobile devices) and through multiple channels (e.g., retail and online). The authors therefore develop a conceptual framework of value creation through video games, highlight important findings from extant research in marketing and other disciplines, and apply the framework to derive future research opportunities.
High lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1 expression independently predicts high risk for biochemical recurrence in prostate cancers
Authors: Grupp Katharina , Sanader Stella , Sirma Hüseyin , Simon Ronald , Koop Christina , Prien Kristina , Hube-Magg Claudia , Salomon Georg , Graefen Markus , Heinzer Hans , Minner Sarah , Izbicki Jakob R. , Sauter Guido , Schlomm Thorsten , Tsourlakis Maria Christina
Published: July 2013

Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 1 (LPCAT1) has been suggested to play a role in cancer. To assess its role in prostate cancer, LPCAT1 expression was analyzed on a tissue microarray containing samples from 11,152 prostate cancer patients. In benign prostate glands, LPCAT1 immunostaining was absent or weak. In prostate cancer, LPCAT1 positivity was found in 73.8% of 8786 interpretable tumors including 29.2% with strong expression. Increased LPCAT1 expression was associated with advanced tumor stage (pT3b/T4) (p < 0.0001), high Gleason score (≥4 + 4) (p < 0.0001), positive nodal involvement (p = 0.0002), positive surgical margin (p = 0.0005), and early PSA recurrence (p < 0.0001). High LPCAT1 expression was strongly linked to ERG‐fusion type prostate cancer. Strong LPCAT1 staining was detected in 45.3% of ERG positive but in only 16.7% of ERG negative tumors (p < 0.0001). Within ERG negative cancers, LPCAT1 staining was strongly increased within the subgroup of PTEN deleted cancers (p < 0.0001). Further subgroup analyses revealed that associations of high LPCAT1 expression with PSA recurrence and unfavorable tumor phenotype were largely driven by ERG negative cancers (p < 0.0001) while these effects were substantially mitigated in ERG positive cancers (p = 0.0073). The prognostic impact of LPCAT1 expression was independent of histological and clinical parameters. It is concluded, that LPCAT1 measurement, either alone or in combination, may be utilized for better clinical decision‐making. These data also highlight the potentially important role of lipid metabolism in prostate cancer biology.
Autologous Platelet‐Rich Plasma Versus Dextrose Prolotherapy for the Treatment of Chronic Recalcitrant Plantar Fasciitis
Authors: Kim Eunkuk , Lee Jong Ha
Published: July 2013

Objective

To determine the efficacy of autologous platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) compared with dextrose prolotherapy (DP) in patients with chronic recalcitrant plantar fasciitis (PF)

Design

A single‐blinded, randomized, controlled study.

Setting

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of a university hospital.

Participants

Twenty‐one patients with a clinical diagnosis of chronic PF confirmed by diagnostic ultrasound (plantar fascia thickness >4 mm) were randomly assigned to the PRP group (n = 10) or the DP group (n = 11).

Interventions

Each patient received 2 injections into the plantar fascia through a peppering technique under ultrasound guidance at an interval of 2 weeks, either with 2 mL of autologous PRP or 2 mL of 15% dextrose/lidocaine solution.

Main Outcome Measurements

The outcome measures included the pain, disability, and activity limitation subscales, measured by means of the Foot Functional Index. Data were collected before the first injection, at 2 weeks (before the second injection), and at the 2‐ and 6‐month follow‐ups.

Results

All patients completed the follow‐ups, with the exception of 1 patient in the PRP group. The mean Foot Functional Index total and subcategory score improvements were greater in the PRP group compared with the DP group (improvement with PRP vs DP, total: 30.4% vs 15.1%, pain: 29.7% vs 17.1%, disability: 26.6% vs 14.5%, activity limitation: 28.0% vs 12.4%). However, no statistically significant difference was noted at any follow‐up. In the pain and disability subcategories, both groups showed significant improvements at the last re‐evaluation. The PRP group also showed significant improvements in the disability and activity limitation subscales at the second re‐evaluation.

Conclusions

Each treatment seems to be effective for chronic recalcitrant PF, expanding the treatment options for patients in whom conservative care has failed. PRP treatment also may lead to a better initial improvement in function compared with DP treatment.
Legal Mobilization, Transnational Activism, and Gender Equality in the EU
Authors: Cichowski Rachel A.
Published: July 2013

This article examines how EU rights and laws serve as legal opportunity structures for women’s rights activists in Europe. Further, it examines what effects this transnational activism has on the permanence and inclusion of public interests and gender equality in EU legal and political processes. The analysis examines the legal domain of EU women’s rights over a thirty-year period. Methodologically, the study relies on case law analysis, primary document collections, and interviews with non-governmental organizations and governmental elites at both the EU and the national level. I ask how legal mobilization can serve as a catalyst for institutional change (by influencing litigation and legislative action), and how this effects subsequent EU-level women’s rights mobilization and public inclusion.
Resisting the Silence: The Use of Tolerance and Equality Arguments by Gay and Lesbian Activist Groups in Russia
1
Authors: Kondakov Alexander
Published: July 2013

In the new, post-Soviet Russia, some people have been excluded from the possibility of possessing human rights based on different identity claims. Lesbians and gay men are among those who are excluded. Though in some states the mechanism of this is manifestly inscribed in the law, in Russia the mechanism is hidden in the field of silence: the field of discourse on homosexuality is full of lacunas. While the most productive speakers are certainly LGBT activists, the most passive ones are the state officials. These forces come into discursive play where rights are at stake. The purpose of this paper, based on original research on the emerging activism of gays and lesbians in Russia, is to uncover the regulative features of silence in the Russian discourse on homosexuality.
Finding the Money: Public Accounting, Political Arithmetic, and Probability in the 1690s
Authors: Deringer William Peter
Published: July 2013

“Finding the money”—whether money lost, hidden, or needed—became a defining practical and epistemological problem in the decade after the 1688 Revolution. It was a problem that linked together actors in fiscal administration, parliamentary politics, and economic theory, and drove innovative new applications of numerical calculation to political reasoning. In the debates on monarchical revenues that arose in 1689, a crisis of knowledge engulfed Parliament as MPs discovered how few among them had any insight into the nation's fiscal well-being. A parliamentary Commission of Public Accounts, formed in 1690, learned that even a basic financial assessment was extraordinarily difficult. Yet the commission's travails also revealed numerical calculations to be a potent political tool, which empowered relative outsiders to make incisive criticisms without complete information. Such combative political computation was systematized in the “political arithmetick” of Charles Davenant, who provided a novel political rationale for the value of “probable” knowledge.
Imagined Polities, Failed Dreams, and the Beginnings of an Unacknowledged Britain: English Responses to James VI and I's Vision of Perfect Union
Authors: Waurechen Sarah
Published: July 2013

The regal union (and James VI and I's desire that it be perfected) produced varied responses to Scotland, not just hostile reactions. Plays, pamphlets, treatises, and manuscripts accompanied parliamentary debate in England and queried the precedents for, as well as the future potential of, something called Britain. They also engaged with the nature of sovereignty. Authors thus deployed both negative and positive descriptions of the Scots, and they were unified less by Scotophobia and more by a tendency to privilege a distinctly English narrative despite a specifically British problem. Such Anglocentric narratives circumvented the issue of the Anglo-Scottish relationship, postponing English engagement with the realities of their new context. This was possible only because the Scots occupied a position somewhere between sameness and difference in the English imagination.
Project Energize: whole-region primary school nutrition and physical activity programme; evaluation of body size and fitness 5 years after the randomised controlled trial
Authors: Rush Elaine , McLennan Stephanie , Obolonkin Victor , Vandal Alain C. , Hamlin Michael , Simmons David , Graham David
Published: July 2013

Project Energize, a region-wide whole-school nutrition and physical activity programme, commenced as a randomised controlled trial (RCT) in the period 2004–6 in 124 schools in Waikato, New Zealand. In 2007, sixty-two control schools were engaged in the programme, and by 2011, all but two of the 235 schools in the region were engaged. Energizers (trained nutrition and physical activity specialists) work with eight to twelve schools each to achieve the goals of the programme, which are based on healthier eating and enhanced physical activity. In 2011, indices of obesity and physical fitness of 2474 younger (7·58 (sd 0·57) years) and 2330 older (10·30 (sd 0·51) years) children attending 193 of the 235 primary schools were compared with historical measurements. After adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, socio-economic status (SES) and school cluster effects, the combined prevalence of obesity and overweight among younger and older children in 2011 was lower by 31 and 15 %, respectively, than that among ‘unEnergized’ children in the 2004 to 2006 RCT. Similarly, BMI was lower by 3·0 % (95 % CI − 5·8, − 1·3) and 2·4 % (95 % CI − 4·3, − 0·5). Physical fitness (time taken to complete a 550 m run) was significantly higher in the Energized children (13·7 and 11·3 %, respectively) than in a group of similarly aged children from another region. These effects were observed for boys and girls, both indigenous Māori and non-Māori children, and across SES. The long-term regional commitment to the Energize programme in schools may potentially lead to a secular reduction in the prevalence of overweight and obesity and gains in physical fitness, which may reduce the risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes.
The status of the Makrotantalon Unit (Andros, Greece) within the structural framework of the Attic-Cycladic Crystalline Belt
Authors: HUYSKENS MAGDALENA H. , BRÖCKER MICHAEL
Published: July 2013

This study focuses on the status of the Makrotantalon Unit (Andros, Greece) within the framework of the Cycladic nappe stack. We document unambiguous evidence that this unit has experienced blueschist-facies metamorphism and identify previously unknown lawsonite ± pumpellyite assemblages in glaucophane-free metasediments. The position of the presumed tectonic contact at the base of this unit is vague, but roughly outlined by serpentinites. Only a single outcrop displays a weak angular unconformity with cohesive cataclasites in the footwall. Rb–Sr geochronology was carried out on 11 samples representing various rock types collected within or close to inferred or visible fault zones. Owing to a lack of initial isotopic equilibration and/or subsequent disturbance of the Rb–Sr isotope systematics, isochron relationships are poorly developed or non-existing. In NW Andros, direct dating of distinct displacement events has not been possible, but a lower age limit of ~ 40 Ma for final thrusting is constrained by the new data. Sporadically preserved Cretaceous ages either indicate regional differences in theP–T–dhistory or a different duration of metamorphic overprinting, which failed to completely eliminate inherited ages. The detachment on the NE coast records a later stage of the structural evolution and accommodates extension-related deformation. Apparent ages of ~ 29–25 Ma for samples from this location are interpreted to constrain the time of a significant deformation increment. On a regional scale, the Makrotantalon Unit can be correlated with the South Evia Blueschist Belt, but assignment to a specific subunit is as yet unconfirmed.
DETERMINANTS OF PREGNANCY AND INDUCED AND SPONTANEOUS ABORTION IN A JOINTLY DETERMINED FRAMEWORK: EVIDENCE FROM A COUNTRY-WIDE, DISTRICT-LEVEL HOUSEHOLD SURVEY IN INDIA
Authors: AHMED SALMA , RAY RANJAN
Published: July 2013

This study provides evidence on the principal determinants of pregnancy and abortion in India using a large country-wide district-level data set (DLHS 2007). The paper provides an economic framework for the analysis of pregnancy and abortion. The study distinguishes between induced and spontaneous abortion and compares the effects of their determinants. The results show that there are wide differences between induced and spontaneous abortions in terms of the sign and magnitude of the estimated effects of several of their determinants, most notably wealth, the woman's age and her desire for children. The study makes a methodological contribution by proposing a trivariate probit estimation framework that recognizes the joint dependence of pregnancy and induced and spontaneous abortion, and provides evidence in support of this joint dependence. The study reports an inverted U-shaped effect of a woman's age on her pregnancy and both forms of abortion. The turning point in each case is quite robust to the estimation framework. A significant effect of contextual variables, at the village level, constructed from the individual responses, on a woman's pregnancy is found. The effects are weaker in the case of induced abortion, and insignificant in the case of spontaneous abortion. The results are shown to be fairly robust. This paper extends the literature on the relation between son preference and fertility by examining the link between mother's son preference and desire for more children with abortion rates.
Past, present and future conservation of the greater one-horned rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis in Nepal
Authors: Thapa Kanchan , Nepal Santosh , Thapa Gokarna , Bhatta Shiv Raj , Wikramanayake Eric
Published: July 2013

Until the early 1980s the only surviving population of the greater one-horned rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis in Nepal was in Chitwan National Park. Between 1986 and 2003 87 rhinoceroses from Chitwan were translocated into Bardia National Park and Suklaphanta Wildlife Reserve in the western terai region to establish founder populations and reduce the threat of local extinction from natural catastrophic events, disease and/or poaching. The founder populations increased in number through births but a rise in poaching during the period of civil strife in Nepal during 1996–2006 resulted in a dramatic decline in the populations, including in Chitwan. In 2001 the Terai Arc Landscape programme was initiated to connect 11 protected areas in Nepal and north-west India and facilitate dispersal of megafauna and manage them as metapopulations. Corridors that were restored under the programme and that connect Bardia and Suklaphanta with protected areas in India are now used by the greater one-horned rhinoceros. The successes and failures of the last 2 decades indicate that new paradigms for protecting rhinoceroses within and outside protected areas are needed, especially with reference to managing this species at a landscape scale.
Population size and structure of the Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus in the lower Zambezi valley
Authors: Wallace Kevin M. , Leslie Alison J. , Coulson Tim , Wallace Audrey S.
Published: July 2013

Concern has been raised about the lack of population data for the Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus in the lower/middle Zambezi valley. This area is important for conservation as well as being a source of crocodile eggs and adults for the ranching industry. Two spotlight surveys, in 2006 and 2009, were used to estimate population size, structure and trends. A stage-structured matrix model was parameterized from existing literature and the expected predictions were compared to those observed. The survey data suggests a population increase since 2006. Crocodile density was greatest (3.1 km−1) in the areas of increased wildlife and habitat protection and lowest (1.4 km−1) in areas of increased human presence. The predicted population stage structure differed to that observed, suggestive of a population not at equilibrium. Data on offtakes of crocodile eggs and adults would be useful for examining why this is the case. Continued monitoring of the wild population is necessary, to evaluate the trend of an increasing crocodile population, and additional demographic data for modelling purposes would be desirable.
Conservation goals for the Cape mountain zebra Equus zebra zebra—security in numbers?
Authors: Hrabar Halszka , Kerley Graham I. H.
Published: July 2013

The target of the 2002 IUCN Action Plan for the Cape mountain zebra Equus zebra zebra was for a population of 2,500 animals. We assessed the validity of this goal by reviewing the conservation status of the subspecies and the prospects of achieving larger populations. All subpopulations were identified and data on each were collected by means of a questionnaire survey. The total extant Cape mountain zebra population was found to consist of at least 2,790 individuals in 52 subpopulations. The target number of 2,500 has therefore been exceeded and this success is largely attributable to the private sector, as there are at present double the number of privately owned subpopulations (35) compared to formally protected subpopulations (17) and the percentage of the population on privately owned land rose from 14% in 1998 to 32% in 2009. The security of the subspecies is still of concern, however, as the growing proportion of the metapopulation on private land is more vulnerable to threats associated with small populations and management actions. The total existing area available to the Cape mountain zebra is > 935,191 ha and it could potentially support a considerably larger population. We conclude that the IUCN target is substantially below the potential for recovery of the Cape mountain zebra and we recommend this target be revised in the light of these findings. More comprehensive conservation strategies to address current and potential future threats are also needed.
A baseline survey of ungulate abundance and distribution in northern Lao: implications for conservation
Authors: Vongkhamheng Chanthavy , Johnson Arlyne , Sunquist Melvin E.
Published: July 2013

Large ungulates across South-east Asia have been experiencing a rapid decline in recent decades because of overexploitation by humans. An absence of reliable data on the abundance and distribution of ungulates makes it difficult to assess the effectiveness of conservation efforts to recover their populations. As the principal prey for Endangered tigersPanthera tigris, depletion of wild ungulates is a major threat to the species' persistence and recovery across its range. This study estimated abundance and distribution of five ungulate taxa using a grid-based occupancy survey across a 3,000 km2core zone within the 5,950 km2Nam Et–Phou Louey National Protected Area in northern Lao. The results show an abundance index of 5.29 ± 0.30 ungulates per km2, with muntjacMunticusspp. and wild pigSusspp. being most common, moderate levels of serowCapricornis milneedwardsiiand sambarCervus unicolorbut few gaurBos gaurus. This low abundance of medium- and large-sized ungulates at the site strongly suggests that strict control of hunting of these ungulates is important for securing their long-term survival as well as that of the tiger population that depends on them, which is currently the only known breeding population remaining in Indochina.
Trophy hunting and lion conservation: a question of governance?
Authors: Nelson Fred , Lindsey Peter , Balme Guy
Published: July 2013

Lion Panthera leo populations and distributions in Africa have contracted considerably in the past 30 years. Recent policy debates focus on restricting trophy hunting as a measure to address concerns about excessive offtakes of lions. We review the impact of trophy hunting in relation to lion conservation goals, using comparative case studies from Southern and East Africa, which together contain most of Africa's remaining lion populations. The comparison demonstrates that the impact of trophy hunting on lion populations is variable and shaped by the way trophy hunting is managed and wildlife is governed in different range states. In Tanzania, the most important lion range state, hunting produces significant revenues but weaknesses in how hunting is managed and revenues are distributed undermine the potential of hunting and encourage overharvesting. In Southern Africa linkages are stronger between revenue generated by trophy hunting and lion conservation outcomes on private and communal lands. Trophy hunting is most beneficial to lion conservation where revenues and user rights over wildlife are devolved, ensuring benefits from lion hunting compensate for their costs to local people, and where hunting is managed through long-term and competitively allocated concession systems. Policy interventions should focus on supporting trophy hunting as a conservation tool where it is effective and well-managed, and work to promote reform of hunting and wildlife governance elsewhere.
The importance of farmland for the conservation of the brown hyaena Parahyaena brunnea
Authors: Kent Vivien T. , Hill Russell A.
Published: July 2013

The conservation of wide-ranging, territorial carnivores presents many challenges, not least the inadequacy of many protected areas in providing sufficient space to allow such species to maintain viable populations. As a result populations occurring outside protected areas may be of considerable importance for the conservation of some species, although the significance of these areas is poorly understood. Brown hyaenas Parahyaena brunnea are categorized as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List and recent research suggests the species may be particularly vulnerable to habitat loss and the conversion of land to agriculture. Here we report on the population density and abundance of brown hyaenas in an area of commercial farmland in western Botswana. Mean brown hyaena density estimated from camera-trap surveys was 2.3 per 100 km2 and from spoor surveys 2.88 per 100 km2, which are comparable to estimates reported for protected areas. Estimated densities were higher on farms used for livestock production than on those used for game farming, suggesting that the species can tolerate land-use change where reliable alternative food resources exist. Our results indicate that populations of brown hyaenas in non-protected areas comprise a significant proportion of the global population and that such areas may be of critical importance for their conservation.
Invasive mikania in Chitwan National Park, Nepal: the threat to the greater one-horned rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis and factors driving the invasion
Authors: Murphy Sean T. , Subedi Naresh , Jnawali Shant Raj , Lamichhane Babu Ram , Upadhyay Gopal Prasad , Kock Richard , Amin Rajan
Published: July 2013

As part of a census of the Indian rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis a survey was conducted to measure the extent of invasion by the neotropical plant mikania Mikania micrantha across major habitats of Chitwan National Park important for the conservation of the rhinoceros. Previous work has demonstrated that this fire-adapted plant can smother and kill native flora such as grasses and sapling trees, several of which are important fodder plants of the rhinoceros. Here, additional studies were conducted on the risks of anthropogenic factors (natural resource collection and grassland burning) contributing to the spread and growth of the plant. Mikania is currently found across 44% of habitats sampled and almost 15% of these have a high infestation (> 50% coverage). Highest densities were recorded from riverine forest, tall grass and wetland habitats and this is where the highest numbers of rhinoceroses were recorded in the habitats surveyed during the census. Local community dependence on natural resources in the core area of the Park is high. The range and volume of resources (e.g. fodder) collected and the distances travelled all pose a high risk of the spread of mikania. Of greater significance is the annual burning of the grasslands in the Park by local communities, estimated at 25–50% of the total area. It is imperative, therefore, that core elements of a management plan for mikania incorporate actions to control burning, reduce spread and raise awareness about best practice for local resource management by local communities.
Hunting practices of an Indo-Tibetan Buddhist tribe in Arunachal Pradesh, north-east India
Authors: Velho Nandini , Laurance William F.
Published: July 2013

Hunting is a serious threat to Indian wildlife. We used semi-structured interviews to assess hunting practices, cultural contexts and village-level governance within a Buddhist Indo-Tibetan tribe in the biologically rich region of Arunachal Pradesh. A large majority (96%) of the 50 respondents preferred wild meat over domestic meat, and most hunted for recreation. Species such as the Asian elephant Elephas maximus are still considered taboo to hunters but other species that were once taboo (such as gaur Bos gaurus) are now hunted. A month-long ban was previously instituted to prohibit tribal hunting during the wildlife breeding season each year but this has now decreased to 16-days duration. A multi-level governance framework is needed to resolve a mismatch between national policy in India and grass-roots governance for managing wildlife hunting.