bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on Leading Vehicle Detection at Night Based on Multisensor and Image Enhancement Method
Authors: Chen Mei , Jin Lisheng , Jiang Yuying , Gao Linlin , Wang Faji , Xie Xianyi
Published: October 2016

Low visibility is one of the reasons for rear accident at night. In this paper, we propose a method to detect the leading vehicle based on multisensor to decrease rear accidents at night. Then, we use image enhancement algorithm to improve the human vision. First, by millimeter wave radar to get the world coordinate of the preceding vehicles and establish the transformation of the relationship between the world coordinate and image pixels coordinate, we can convert the world coordinates of the radar target to image coordinate in order to form the region of interesting image. And then, by using the image processing method, we can reduce interference from the outside environment. Depending on D-S evidence theory, we can achieve a general value of reliability to test vehicles of interest. The experimental results show that the method can effectively eliminate the influence of illumination condition at night, accurately detect leading vehicles, and determine their location and accurate positioning. In order to improve nighttime driving, the driver shortage vision, reduce rear-end accident. Enhancing nighttime color image by three algorithms, a comparative study and evaluation by three algorithms are presented. The evaluation demonstrates that results after image enhancement satisfy the human visual habits.
Impact of DEM Resolution and Spatial Scale: Analysis of Influence Factors and Parameters on Physically Based Distributed Model
Authors: Zhang Hanchen , Li Zhijia , Saifullah Muhammad , Li Qiaoling , Li Xiao
Published: October 2016

Physically based distributed hydrological models were used to describe small-scale hydrological information in detail. However, the sensitivity of the model to spatially varied parameters and inputs limits the accuracy for application. In this paper, relevant influence factors and sensitive parameters were analyzed to solve this problem. First, a set of digital elevation model (DEM) resolutions and channel thresholds were generated to extract the hydrological influence factors. Second, a numerical relationship between sensitive parameters and influence factors was established to define parameters reasonably. Next, the topographic index (TI) was computed to study the similarity. At last, simulation results were analyzed in two different ways: (1) to observe the change regularity of influence factors and sensitive parameters through the variation of DEM resolutions and channel thresholds and (2) to compare the simulation accuracy of the nested catchment, particularly in the subcatchments and interior grids. Increasing the grid size from 250 m to 1000 m, the TI increased from 9.08 to 11.16 and the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) decreased from 0.77 to 0.75. Utilizing the parameters calculated by the established relationship, the simulation results show the same NSE in the outlet and a better NSE in the simple subcatchment than the calculated interior grids.
The Relationship between Body Weight Change and Body Constitutions of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Patients with Schizophrenia
Authors: Cheng Jui-Fen , Huang Xuan-Yi , Liu Te-Le , Wang Ruey-Yun , Ching Han-Yi
Published: October 2016

Objective. To explore the relationship between body constitution (BC) types and weight change in patients with schizophrenia and who underwent second‐generation antipsychotics (SGAs) treatment. Method. Body weight and waist circumference of eighty‐five participants were measured for 6 consecutive weeks. Constitutions of Yin‐Xu, Yang‐Xu, and Stasis were assessed using the Body Constitution Questionnaire (BCQ). Results. Participants with body constitutions Yin‐Xu (50.6%), Yang‐Xu (49.4%), or Stasis (38.8%) exhibited worse physical condition and unhealthy daily habits, particularly in Stasis constitution. Moreover, Stasis constitution was significantly associated with several factors, including BMI, body weight, waist circumference, perception of stress, perception of health, staying up late, and less physical exercise. However, perception of stress showed significant difference in Yin‐Xu, Yang‐Xu, and Stasis. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis revealed that significant time effects in body weight increase in the imbalanced BC types and gentleness BC type. SGAs induced weight gain in imbalanced BC type as well as gentleness BC type, especially treated with olanzapine. Conclusions. This is the first study to explore the longitudinal relationship between BC and weight gain in schizophrenia patients undergoing SGAs treatment. Health care providers should focus on weight gain problems in schizophrenia patients who underwent SGAs treatment.
A Phase I Clinical Trial and Independent Patient-Derived Xenograft Study of Combined Targeted Treatment with Dacomitinib and Figitumumab in Advanced Solid Tumors
Authors: Calvo Emiliano , Soria Jean-Charles , Ma Wen Wee , Wang Tao , Bahleda Rastilav , Tolcher Anthony W. , Gernhardt Diana , O'Connell Joseph , Millham Robert , Giri Nagdeep , Wick Michael J. , Adjei Alex A. , Hidalgo Manuel
Published: October 2016

Purpose: This phase I, open-label, single-arm trial assessed the safety and tolerability of dacomitinib–figitumumab combination therapy in patients with advanced solid tumors.

Experimental Design: A standard 3 + 3 dose escalation/de-escalation design was utilized. Starting doses were figitumumab 20 mg/kg administered intravenously once every 3 weeks and dacomitinib 30 mg administered orally once daily. We also performed an independent study of the combination in patient-derived xenograft (avatar mouse) models of adenoid cystic carcinoma.

Results: Of the 74 patients enrolled, the most common malignancies were non–small cell lung cancer (24.3%) and colorectal cancer (14.9%). The most common treatment-related adverse events in the 71 patients who received treatment across five dose levels were diarrhea (59.2%), mucosal inflammation (47.9%), and fatigue and acneiform dermatitis (45.1% each). The most common dose-limiting toxicity was mucosal inflammation. Dosing schedules of dacomitinib 10 or 15 mg daily plus figitumumab 20 mg/kg every 3 weeks after a figitumumab loading dose were tolerated by patients over multiple cycles and considered recommended doses for further evaluation. Objective responses were seen in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma, ovarian carcinoma, and salivary gland cancer. Pharmacokinetic analysis did not show any significant drug−drug interaction. In the adenoid cystic carcinoma xenograft model, figitumumab exerted significant antitumor activity, whereas dacomitinib did not. Figitumumab-sensitive tumors showed downregulation of genes in the insulin-like growth factor receptor 1 pathway.

Conclusions: Dacomitinib−figitumumab combination therapy was tolerable with significant dose reductions of both agents to less than the recommended single-agent phase II dose of each drug. Preliminary clinical activity was demonstrated in the potential target tumor adenoid cystic carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res; 23(5); 1177–85. ©2016 AACR.

See related commentary by Sundar et al., p. 1123
Efficacy of Fu-Yuan Capsule in the Healing of Fractures of the Lower End of the Radius in a Rabbit Model
Authors: Wei Wei , Wei Biao-Fang , Cai Jian , He Wei , Wan Lin , Guan Ying
Published: October 2016

Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the efficacy of Fu-Yuan Capsule in the healing of fractures of the lower end of the radius in a rabbit model. Methods: After establishing a rabbit fracture model, all animals were randomly divided into the model group (n = 24), the Fu-Yuan Capsule group (n = 24), and the Shenyang Hongyao group (n = 24). The X-ray was applied to observe the course of fracture healing at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after treatment. Haematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining were used to determine the histological change and the expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2). Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), calcium, and phosphorus levels were detected before and after treatment. Results: X-ray showed that the Fu-Yuan Capsule and Shenyang Hongyao groups exhibited abundant callus shadow areas than the model group in a time-dependent manner. In the model group, the fractures exhibited poor recovery with fibrous callus and obstructed bone marrow cavity. In the Fu-Yuan Capsule and Shenyang Hongyao groups, the fracture showed good recovery and restored normal structure with an effective remodeling of the lamellar bone. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the Fu-Yuan Capsule and Shenyang Hongyao groups had higher expressions of BMP-2 than the model group. Furthermore, serum ALP and calcium-phosphorus product in the Fu-Yuan Capsule and Shenyang Hongyao groups were higher than what they were in the model group. Conclusions: These results suggest that Fu-Yuan Capsule could promote the fracture healing through upregulating BMP-2 expression and increasing serum ALP and calcium-phosphorus product.
Macular Choroidal Thickness in Myopic Eyes with and without a Dome-Shaped Macula: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Soudier Guillaume , Gaudric Alain , Gualino Vincent , Massin Pascale , Nardin Mathieu , Tadayoni Ramin , Speeg-Schatz Claude , Gaucher David
Published: October 2016

Background and Objective: Dome-shaped macula (DSM) has recently been described with myopic staphyloma, which may cause decreased vision. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the choroidal thickness of eyes with and eyes without DSM. Methods: A total of 26 eyes with DSM were paired based on axial length with 26 eyes without DSM. All patients underwent spectral-domain OCT examination using the 7-line EDI (enhanced depth imaging) protocol. The mean choroidal thickness was measured using Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) grid areas. Results: Both nasal choroidal thickness and temporal choroidal thickness were significantly thinner in the DSM group (120.43 vs. 159.46 µm, p = 0.035, and 142.17 vs. 187.23 µm, p = 0.021, respectively). However, the mean central choroidal thickness did not differ (152.61 vs. 175.96 µm, p = 0.20). The ratio between central and peripheral choroidal thickness was very significantly elevated with DSM (1.18 ± 0.12 vs. 0.99 ± 0.09, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Choroidal thickness decreases at the periphery but not in the macular area with DSM. DSM seems not to be due to an inward protrusion of the globe but due to macular anatomical preservation in a growing staphyloma.
German Neurology and the ‘Third Reich'
Authors: Martin Michael , Fangerau Heiner , Karenberg Axel
Published: October 2016

Background: This paper summarizes the current state of research into the role of German neurology during National Socialism (NS) on the basis of extensive secondary literature and key original sources. Summary: As early as 1933, many neurologists and neuroscientists who had been branded as ‘non-Aryan' and/or politically persecuted had to leave Germany, were driven to suicide or killed in concentration camps. Two years later, the regulatory merger with the Psychiatrists' Association caused the cautious attempts of the institutionally hampered discipline for autonomy to end in complete failure. At the same time, the implementation of racial-hygienic and eugenic paradigms led to a wider definition of ‘hereditary epilepsy' and an increase in sterilizations of patients suffering from epilepsy. Neurological research institutions, such as the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin-Buch, became involved in the ‘euthanasia' program between 1939 and 1945, insofar as they dissected the brains of murdered patients under the guise of ‘accompanying research' and, in this way, produced neurological findings. Key Messages: The Nazi state and German neurology provided each other with ‘resources' at many levels. After 1945, the professional community showed very little interest in this legacy of neurology in the NS. It was only several generations later that the subject could be approached in an unbiased manner, allowing for comprehensive research projects.
European Nationality Influence in the Management of Squamous Cell Vulvar Cancer
Authors: Iacoponi Sara , Zapardiel Ignacio ,   on behalf of VULCAN Study Collaborative Group
Published: October 2016

Aims: Vulvar cancer is a rare disease. In western European countries, the incidence is 1.2 cases per 100,000 women/year. The aim of this study was to analyze the management and disease-free survival (DFS) of vulvar cancer among European countries. Methods: An international multicenter retrospective study including patients diagnosed of squamous cell vulvar cancer was performed. Countries analyzed included Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Turkey. One hundred different centers were enrolled including 1,505 squamous cell tumors treated from January 2001 until December 2005. Results: The mean free surgical margin was 9.93 mm, which was different between countries (p = 0.076); it ranged from 5.79 mm (95% CI 4.44-7.13) in Germany to 33.39 mm (95% CI 22.21-44.58) in Lithuania. The global 5-year overall survival rate was 61.4%, and the global 5-year DFS rate was 32%. DFS times were different between countries as well as the treatments carried out. The country with the shortest DFS time had 15.9 ± 3.1 months compared to the one with the longest time with 66.0 ± 17.4 months. Conclusion: Wide differences in treatments and DFS times have been observed between countries. Homogeneous management for squamous cell vulvar cancer is needed to obtain the best survival rates for all patients.
Presence of anti-Toxoplasma gondii, -Neospora caninum, -Leishmania spp. and -Ehrlichia canis antibodies in free-ranging maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) in the northeastern region of the state of São Paulo, Brazil
Authors: Oliveira Solange , Mattos Paulo Sérgio Ribeiro , Mattos Keiko Kusamura , Toppa Rogério Hartung , Costa Andréa Pereira , Marcili Arlei , Ferreira Juliana Isabel Giuli Silva , Krawczak Felipe Da Silva , Labruna Marcelo Bahia , Gennari Solange Maria , Pena Hilda Fátima de Jesus
Published: October 2016

O lobo-guará (Chrysocyon brachyurus) habita o ecossistema de Cerrado e é considerado o maior canídeo da América do Sul e uma espécie ameaçada de extinção pela "International Union for Conservation of Nature" (IUNC). O objetivo desse estudo foi investigar a presença de anticorpos anti-Toxoplasma gondii, -Neospora caninum, -Leishmania spp. e -Ehrlichia canis em lobos-guará da região nordeste do estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Das 17 amostras de soro testadas por meio da reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI), 88,2% (15/17), 17,6% (3/17) e 52,9% (9/17) apresentaram anticorpos anti-T. gondii, -Leishmania spp. e -E. canis, respectivamente. Todos os animais testados foram soronegativos para N. caninum. Esses resultados indicam a exposição dos lobos-guará dessa região aos agentes pesquisados. A presença de um complexo industrial, agricultura extensiva e fragmentação de habitat na região nordeste do estado de São Paulo, favorece a proximidade desses animais silvestres a ambientes urbanos o que pode contribuir para a transmissão de doenças entre os animais silvestres, domésticos e o homem.
Mechanical Stress Conditioning and Electrical Stimulation Promote Contractility and Force Maturation of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Human Cardiac Tissue
Authors: Ruan Jia-Ling , Tulloch Nathaniel L. , Razumova Maria V. , Saiget Mark , Muskheli Veronica , Pabon Lil , Reinecke Hans , Regnier Michael , Murry Charles E.
Published: October 2016

Background:

Tissue engineering enables the generation of functional human cardiac tissue with cells derived in vitro in combination with biocompatible materials. Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes provide a cell source for cardiac tissue engineering; however, their immaturity limits their potential applications. Here we sought to study the effect of mechanical conditioning and electric pacing on the maturation of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac tissues.

Methods:

Cardiomyocytes derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells were used to generate collagen-based bioengineered human cardiac tissue. Engineered tissue constructs were subjected to different mechanical stress and electric pacing conditions.

Results:

The engineered human myocardium exhibits Frank-Starling–type force-length relationships. After 2 weeks of static stress conditioning, the engineered myocardium demonstrated increases in contractility (0.63±0.10 mN/mm
2
vs 0.055±0.009 mN/mm
2
for no stress), tensile stiffness, construct alignment, and cell size. Stress conditioning also increased SERCA2 (Sarco/Endoplasmic Reticulum Calcium ATPase 2) expression, which correlated with a less negative force-frequency relationship. When electric pacing was combined with static stress conditioning, the tissues showed an additional increase in force production (1.34±0.19 mN/mm
2
), with no change in construct alignment or cell size, suggesting maturation of excitation-contraction coupling. Supporting this notion, we found expression of RYR2 (Ryanodine Receptor 2) and SERCA2 further increased by combined static stress and electric stimulation.

Conclusions:

These studies demonstrate that electric pacing and mechanical stimulation promote maturation of the structural, mechanical, and force generation properties of human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac tissues.
The Effect of Career and Technical Education on Human Capital Accumulation: Causal Evidence from Massachusetts
Authors: Dougherty Shaun M.
Published: October 2016

Earlier work demonstrates that career and technical education (CTE) can provide long-term financial benefits to participants, yet few have explored potential academic impacts, with none in the era of high-stakes accountability. This paper investigates the causal impact of participating in a specialized high school-based CTE delivery system on high school persistence, completion, earning professional certifications, and standardized test scores, with a focus on individuals from low-income families, a group that is overrepresented in CTE and high school noncompleters. Using administrative data from Massachusetts, I combine ordinary least squares with a regression discontinuity design that capitalizes on admissions data at three schools that are oversubscribed. All estimates suggest that participation in a high-quality CTE program boosts the probability of on-time graduation from high school by 7 to 10 percentage points for higher income students, and suggestively larger effects for their lower-income peers and students on the margin of being admitted to oversubscribed schools. This work informs an understanding of the potential impact of specific CTE program participation on the accumulation of human capital even in a high-stakes policy environment. This evidence of a productive CTE model in Massachusetts may inform the current policy dialog related to improving career pathways and readiness.
Relationships between labile soil organic matter and nematode communities in a California oak woodland
Authors: Margenot Andrew J. , Hodson Amanda K.
Published: October 2016

Labile soil organic matter (SOM) is an important energy source for below-ground ecosystems but the association of labile SOM and nematode communities is poorly characterised. In this study, soil nematode communities and nematode-derived indices of ecosystem function were characterised and related to SOM lability in an undisturbed riparian woodland (California, USA). SOM lability was assessed by microbial biomass C (MBC), permanganate-oxidisable C (POXC), extractable organic C (EOC), and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy. The channel index, which measures the ratio of bacterial-feeding to fungal-feeding nematodes in cp groups 1 and 2, respectively, decreased with labile C fractions and aliphatic C-H enrichment (infrared absorbance at 2920 cm−1) but increased with aromatic C=C enrichment (1620 cm−1) and index of decomposition (2930:1620 cm−1), as did the nematode structure index. These results indicate that nematode communities respond to variation in labile C fractions and SOM composition across a heterogeneous natural landscape, which may reflect observed differences in SOM lability among woody plant species.
Financial Markets, Climate Change, and Paradoxes of Coordination and Intervention
Authors: Murray Georgina , Peetz David
Published: October 2016

While capitalism as a system follows a logic that drives it toward environmental degradation, not every corporation blindly follows. Not all capital is opposed to action on climate change as corporations have their own internal logic and agency. This divides different parts of capital. For some corporations their logic promotes long-termism and environmental sustainability as this maximizes their profit (e.g. insurance companies). So ownership and the old divisions between industrial and finance capital are less relevant as corporations become increasingly financialized. The principal cleavage on climate issues is between companies whose profits are enhanced or threatened by carbon emissions.
Cerarioporia cystidiata gen. et sp. nov. (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) evidenced by morphological characters and molecular phylogeny
Authors: WU FANG , ZHOU LI-WEI , YUAN YUAN , TIAN XUE-MEI , SI JING
Published: October 2016

Cerarioporia cystidiata gen. et sp. nov. is proposed on the basis of a combination of a specific set of morphological characters and molecular (DNA-based) evidences. Cerarioporia is characterized by seasonal, resupinate basidiomata waxy when fresh drying resinous, a dimitic hyphal system with clamped generative hyphae and skeletal hyphae, distinctly thick-walled encrusted hymenial cystidia, and hyaline, thin-walled, smooth, fusiform basidiospores. Cerarioporia cystidiata was found growing on rotten angiosperm wood, and seems to cause a white rot in very humid tropical forest. Phylogenetic analyses based on n28S, and a combined n28S and ITS datasets show that Cerarioporia belongs to the core polyporoid clade of Polyporales.
Earth System Science Frontiers: An Early Career Perspective
Authors: Rauser Florian , Alqadi Mohammad , Arowolo Steve , Baker Noël , Bedard Joel , Behrens Erik , Dogulu Nilay , Domingues Lucas Gatti , Frassoni Ariane , Keller Julia , Kirkpatrick Sarah , Langendijk Gaby , Mirsafa Masoumeh , Mohammad Salauddin , Naumann Ann Kristin , Osman Marisol , Reed Kevin , Rothmüller Marion , Schemann Vera , Singh Awnesh , Sonntag Sebastian , Tummon Fiona , Victor Dike , Villafuerte Marcelino Q. , Walawender Jakub P. , Zaroug Modathir
Published: October 2016

The exigencies of the global community toward Earth system science will increase in the future as the human population, economies, and the human footprint on the planet continue to grow. This growth, combined with intensifying urbanization, will inevitably exert increasing pressure on all ecosystem services. A unified interdisciplinary approach to Earth system science is required that can address this challenge, integrate technical demands and long-term visions, and reconcile user demands with scientific feasibility. Together with the research arms of the World Meteorological Organization, the Young Earth System Scientists community has gathered early-career scientists from around the world to initiate a discussion about frontiers of Earth system science. To provide optimal information for society, Earth system science has to provide a comprehensive understanding of the physical processes that drive the Earth system and anthropogenic influences. This understanding will be reflected in seamless prediction systems for environmental processes that are robust and instructive to local users on all scales. Such prediction systems require improved physical process understanding, more high-resolution global observations, and advanced modeling capability, as well as high-performance computing on unprecedented scales. At the same time, the robustness and usability of such prediction systems also depend on deepening our understanding of the entire Earth system and improved communication between end users and researchers. Earth system science is the fundamental baseline for understanding the Earth’s capacity to accommodate humanity, and it provides a means to have a rational discussion about the consequences and limits of anthropogenic influence on Earth. Without its progress, truly sustainable development will be impossible.
Observed Changes in the Southern Hemispheric Circulation in May
Authors: Ivy Diane J. , Hilgenbrink Casey , Kinnison Doug , Alan Plumb R. , Sheshadri Aditi , Solomon Susan , Thompson David W. J.
Published: October 2016

Much research has focused on trends in the Southern Hemispheric circulation in austral summer (December–February) in the troposphere and stratosphere, whereas changes in other seasons have received less attention. Here the seasonality and structure of observed changes in tropospheric and stratospheric winds, temperature, and ozone over the Southern Hemisphere are examined. It is found that statistically significant trends similar to those of the Antarctic summer season are also observed since 1979 in austral fall, particularly May, and are strongest over the Pacific sector of the hemisphere. Evidence is provided for a significant shift in the position of the jet in May over the Pacific, and it is shown that the strengthening and shifting of the jet has rendered the latitudinal distribution of upper-tropospheric zonal wind more bimodal. The Antarctic ozone hole has cooled the lower stratosphere and strengthened the polar vortex. While the mechanism and timing are not fully understood, the ozone hole has been identified as a key driver of the summer season tropospheric circulation changes in several previous observational and modeling studies. It is found here that significant ozone depletion and associated polar cooling also occur in the lowermost stratosphere and tropopause region through austral fall, with spatial patterns that are coincident with the observed changes in stratospheric circulation. It is also shown that radiatively driven temperature changes associated with the observed ozone depletion in May represent a substantial portion of the observed May cooling in the lowermost stratosphere, suggesting a potential for contribution to the circulation changes.
Assessing Adaptation Strategies for Extreme Heat: A Public Health Evaluation of Cooling Centers in Maricopa County, Arizona
Authors: Berisha Vjollca , Hondula David , Roach Matthew , White Jessica R. , McKinney Benita , Bentz Darcie , Mohamed Ahmed , Uebelherr Joshua , Goodin Kate
Published: October 2016

Preventing heat-associated morbidity and mortality is a public health priority in Maricopa County, Arizona (United States). The objective of this project was to evaluate Maricopa County cooling centers and gain insight into their capacity to provide relief for the public during extreme heat events. During the summer of 2014, 53 cooling centers were evaluated to assess facility and visitor characteristics. Maricopa County staff collected data by directly observing daily operations and by surveying managers and visitors. The cooling centers in Maricopa County were often housed within community, senior, or religious centers, which offered various services for at least 1500 individuals daily. Many visitors were unemployed and/or homeless. Many learned about a cooling center by word of mouth or by having seen the cooling center’s location. The cooling centers provide a valuable service and reach some of the region’s most vulnerable populations. This project is among the first to systematically evaluate cooling centers from a public health perspective and provides helpful insight to community leaders who are implementing or improving their own network of cooling centers.
Class Advantage, Commitment Penalty
Authors: Rivera Lauren A. , Tilcsik András
Published: October 2016

Research on the mechanisms that reproduce social class advantages in the United States focuses primarily on formal schooling and pays less attention to social class discrimination in labor markets. We conducted a résumé audit study to examine the effect of social class signals on entry into large U.S. law firms. We sent applications from fictitious students at selective but non-elite law schools to 316 law firm offices in 14 cities, randomly assigning signals of social class background and gender to otherwise identical résumés. Higher-class male applicants received significantly more callbacks than did higher-class women, lower-class women, and lower-class men. A survey experiment and interviews with lawyers at large firms suggest that, relative to lower-class applicants, higher-class candidates are seen as better fits with the elite culture and clientele of large law firms. But, although higher-class men receive a corresponding overall boost in evaluations, higher-class women do not, because they face a competing, negative stereotype that portrays them as less committed to full-time, intensive careers. This commitment penalty faced by higher-class women offsets class-based advantages these applicants may receive in evaluations. Consequently, signals of higher-class origin provide an advantage for men but not for women in this elite labor market.
Secularism in Crisis
Authors: Nath Sushmita
Published: October 2016

In academic writings on multiculturalism in India the “ Shah Bano controversy” (1985–1986) has been a much cited example of the incompatibility between gender equality and cultural diversity. As a response to the Supreme Court’s Shah Bano verdict in 1985, the then Congress-led Indian government introduced the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986. In this article, I analyze the parliamentary debates on the aforementioned Act in order to examine the dominant normative vocabulary of the Indian state in debating the issue of religious freedom versus demands for democratic citizenship rights. Such an exercise sheds light on how the Indian state has reconciled group-differentiated rights – the legal recognition of Muslim Personal Law in this case – with the liberal democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution of India. The analysis of the parliamentary debates on the Muslim Women’s Bill shows, firstly, that when purportedly incommensurable demands of gender-justice and religious freedom come to an elected deliberative forum, it is not necessary that such demands are resolved through “consensus” or through “negotiation and compromise,” as has been argued by multicultural theorists. Secondly, the analysis of the parliamentary debates also demonstrates that while the proponents of the Bill prioritized group rights at the expense of individual rights, the opponents neglected the concern that vulnerable minority groups should be accorded differential treatment. I thus contend that both the proponents and the opponents of the Muslim Women’s Bill in the Parliament argued in terms of formal equality and lacked arguments based on substantive equality. Finally, I argue that although the Congress government prioritized group rights in the parliamentary debates, it did not give up the ideal of a common civil code, such that the government left the question of accommodating gender-equality concerns unresolved. It was thus left to the judiciary to determine whether to further entrench legal pluralism in the family law of India.
Student-led health education programmes in the waiting room of a free clinic for uninsured patients
Authors: Kamimura Akiko , Tabler Jennifer , Myers Kyl , Ahmed Fattima , Aguilera Guadalupe , Ashby Jeanie
Published: October 2016

Objective:

Free clinics provide free or reduced fee healthcare to individuals who lack access to primary care and are socio-economically disadvantaged in the USA. Free clinic patients may have health education needs, but experience barriers to attending health education programmes. In an attempt to reach out to free clinic patients who might not otherwise attend health education classes, this project examined the efficacy of student-led health education classes conducted in the waiting room prior to a patient’s appointment with a provider.

Design:

The classes had two areas of focus: women’s health and health information. Health educators and Spanish interpreters were graduate and undergraduate students.

Setting:

This study was conducted in the waiting room of a free clinic in the Intermountain West region of the USA.

Method:

The health education classes were held 22 times in total from late August to early December 2014.

Results:

While the survey-based assessment of the programme did not show a difference in levels of health consciousness, health information seeking and health attitudes, the programme potentially increased interest in attending the health education classes.

Conclusion:

There were some challenges associated with the implementation of a health education class in the waiting room setting, particularly in regards to environments, evaluation and interpretation services. Future projects are needed to address challenges associated with conducting a health education class in a waiting room setting. In addition, a variety of health topics, evidence-based evaluation and interpreter services are key for future success.
Molecular dynamics simulation of carbon nanotube reinforced polyethylene composites
Authors: Anjana Rahul , Sharma Sumit , Bansal Amit
Published: October 2016

This article is an attempt to identify the topics that are most relevant to carbon nanotube/polymer materials. Publications, in which mechanical properties like stiffness and damping have been predicted, are reviewed. The effects of volume fraction ( Vf) and aspect ratio ( l/d) on the mechanical properties of composites reinforced with single-walled carbon nanotubes have been studied using molecular dynamics simulations. Results showed that the longitudinal Young’s modulus of the composite is strongly dependent on l/d and carbon nanotube Vf. Analytical models have been compared with the simulation results.
Sooner or later
Authors: Ray Subhasish
Published: October 2016

A well-known finding in the literature on ethnic conflict is that new states are more prone to ethnic conflict than old states. What are less well known, however, are the mechanisms through which independence leads to ethnic conflict. This lacuna is surprising since the literature offers different mechanisms to explain the result, each pointing to very distinct policy responses. This article examines these mechanisms by analyzing variations in the time from independence until an ethnic group engaged in armed conflict in ex-British colonies using an original colonial legacies dataset covering 177 ethnic groups in 33 ex-colonies. My analysis reveals that the main group-level triggers of early conflict onset are perceptions of backwardness, exclusion from political power on the eve of independence, downgrading of political status in the immediate aftermath of independence, and being regionally based. More generally, I find that shorter durations of post-independence peace are better explained by subjective evaluations of group worth instead of rational assessments of the costs and benefits of mobilization. These findings indicate that power-sharing arrangements may be a sine qua non for stabilizing new states in divided societies since what is at play in these contexts are complex considerations of group status that cannot be accommodated by non-ethnic institutional arrangements.
Perspectives on Cannabis Legalization Among Canadian Recreational Users
Authors: Osborne Geraint B. , Fogel Curtis
Published: October 2016

This article examines the perspectives of a select group of 41 adult Canadian cannabis users on the decriminalization and legalization of cannabis. The research departs from previous research on cannabis use by focusing on employed adults working in a variety of occupations, including white-collar professionals and graduate students, who use cannabis for nonmedical, recreational purposes. Drawing on in-depth interview data, we explore their perspectives on Canadian law and legal policy and on the possible impact of cannabis reform policies on their own cannabis consumption. Overall, the vast majority of interview participants strongly favored the legalization of cannabis use for the following reasons: (a) prohibition is unjust, (b) economic benefits, (c) reducing violent crime associated with the drug trade, (d) reducing the cost of the criminal justice system, (e) increased safety, and (f) reducing the stigma associated with cannabis use. We conclude by discussing the implications of our research for the literature on cannabis normalization and drug policy reform.
Porosity and swelling properties of novel polyurethane–ascorbic acid scaffolds prepared by different procedures for potential use in bone tissue engineering
Authors: Kucinska-Lipka J , Marzec M , Gubanska I , Janik H
Published: October 2016

In this work, a novel polyurethane (PU) system based on poly(ethylene-butylene) adipate diol, 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate, 1,4-butanediol, and ascorbic acid was used to prepare scaffolds with potential applications in bone tissue engineering. Two fabrication methods to obtain porous materials were chosen: phase separation (PS)/salt particle leaching (PL) and solvent casting (SC)/salt PL. The calculated porosity demonstrated that scaffolds with a higher porosity were obtained (76–86%) using the PS/PL method. The morphology of pores was examined with the use of optical stereomicroscope and scanning electron microscope. The appropriate porosity, pore morphology, and swelling properties for bone tissue scaffolds were obtained for our novel PU system by the PS/PL method using 15 wt% solution of PU in the mixture of dimethylformamide (DMF)/tetrahydrofuran solvents and by SC/PL method from 20 wt% from DMF. The distilled water and saline water swelling for those samples was also appropriate for bone tissue scaffold application.
Overall quality assessment of SKOS thesauri: An AHP-based approach
Authors: Quarati Alfonso , Albertoni Riccardo , De Martino Monica
Published: October 2016

The article proposes a methodology for a thesauri quality assessment that supports decision-makers in selecting thesauri by exploiting an overall quality measure. This measure takes into account the subjective perceptions of the decision-maker according to the reuse of thesauri in a specific application context. The analytic hierarchy process methodology is adopted to capture both subjective and objective facets involved in the thesauri quality assessment, thus providing a ranking of the thesauri assessed. Our methodology is applied to a set of thesauri by using user-driven application contexts. A step-by-step explanation of how the approach supports the decision process in the creation, maintenance and exploitation of a framework of linked thesauri is provided.
Improving Quality and Safety Through Use of Secondary Data: Methods Case Study
Authors: Goode Victoria , Crego Nancy , Cary Michael P. , Thornlow Deirdre , Merwin Elizabeth
Published: October 2016

Researchers need to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of data sets to choose a secondary data set to use for a health care study. This research method review informs the reader of the major issues necessary for investigators to consider while incorporating secondary data into their repertoire of potential research designs and shows the range of approaches the investigators may take to answer nursing research questions in a variety of context areas. The researcher requires expertise in locating and judging data sets and in the development of complex data management skills for managing large numbers of records. There are important considerations such as firm knowledge of the research question supported by the conceptual framework and the selection of appropriate databases, which guide the researcher in delineating the unit of analysis. Other more complex issues for researchers to consider when conducting secondary data research methods include data access, management and security, and complex variable construction.
Value of multi-b value DWI in the assessment of early cerebral changes in asymptomatic HIV-positive adolescents
Authors: Jiang Da-Zhen , Zhou Ding-Yi , Wu Wei-Qing , Wu Guang-Yao , Quan Hong
Published: October 2016

Background

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional MRI techniques have been widely used in the diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection related diseases.

Purpose

To explore whether magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) can track water molecular diffusion changes in the brain of asymptomatic HIV-positive adolescents.

Material and Methods

Multi-b value DWI was performed in 23 adolescents, including 15 HIV-positive participants and eight HIV-negative healthy participants. Mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), slow apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCs) values, fast apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCf) values, distribution diffusion coefficient (DDC) values, and heterogeneity index (α) values were calculated within regions of interest (ROIs) in the frontal lobes, basal ganglia, and temporal lobe. Non-parametric tests were then performed.

Results

In the bilateral frontal lobes, the mean α values in HIV-positive participants were significantly increased compared with those in healthy participants (right side P = 0.001; left side P = 0.000). In the left frontal lobe, the mean DDC value in HIV-positive participants was significantly increased compared with that in healthy participants ( P = 0.008). In the bilateral frontal lobes, the mean ADCf values in HIV-positive participants were significantly lower than those in healthy participants (right side P = 0.011; left side P = 0.008). In the left basal ganglia, the mean α values in HIV-positive participants were significantly lower than that in healthy participants ( P = 0.013).

Conclusion

Multi-b value DWI could reflect the early characteristics of water molecule diffusion in HIV infections.
A fragile assemblage: Mutant bird flu and the limits of risk assessment
Authors: Lakoff Andrew
Published: October 2016

This paper examines the recent public controversy sparked by the laboratory creation of a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza transmissible among mammals. The contours of the controversy can be understood by tracking the assemblage of actors, institutions and devices gathered together in response to the governmental problem of how to manage emerging diseases. The grouping is tenuously held together by a shared commitment to the project of ‘pandemic preparedness’. However, as the controversy unfolds, it becomes clear that the main actors involved do not share a common understanding of the problem to be addressed by pandemic preparedness, and the assemblage threatens to decompose. At the center of the dispute is the question of how to assess the risks and benefits of research in a field characterized by urgency and uncertainty.
Simulation-assisted teaching of graduate students in transport: A case study of the application of acausal freeware JModelica.org to solution of Sakawa’s open-loop optimal control problem for payload motion during crane boom rotation
Authors: Kostikov Alexander A , Perig Alexander V , Lozun Ruslan R
Published: October 2016

The present article is focused on the improvement of the quality of engineering education of graduate students with a major in transport and mechanical engineering through the derivation of a numerical solution of the optimal control problem for payload swaying during crane boom slewing, formulated by Sakawa et al. For the first time, a numerical solution of Sakawa’s problem has been derived with an application of JModelica.org freeware. The fundamental difference between this solution and Sakawa’s is the imposition of a restrictive constraint on the allowable value of payload swaying during boom-driven payload motion. The solution derived by the authors for Sakawa’s problem takes exact account of the restrictive constraints on the phase variables in contrast to Sakawa’s model, where the restriction constraints on the phase variables have been approximated. The complex of authors-proposed computational algorithms was implemented with JModelica.org. The proposed open-code algorithms derive numerical data and computational plots, which enhance and expand students’ knowledge about the dynamics of guided boom-driven payload swaying during rotary crane boom slewing.
Financial Depth and Exchange Rate Volatility
Authors: Hajilee Massomeh , Al Nasser Omar M.
Published: October 2016

It is empirically well established that financial depth increases the power of the financial system and helps both government and the private sector to have access to adequate funds without a noticeable change in asset prices and exchange rates. Exchange rate uncertainty is considered one of the many factors that affect financial market performance. In this study, we try to determine the short-run and long-run effects of exchange rate volatility on financial depth in 26 selected countries, classified as developed, developing, and emerging economies over the period 1980-2011. Our findings indicate that exchange rate volatility has short-run and long-run effects in the majority of countries in this study. We found for 16 countries out of 26, financial depth responds significantly to exchange rate volatility (nine positive, seven negative). Furthermore, using the bounds testing approach shows that exchange rate volatility has significant impact on financial deepening in 20 out of 26 countries in the short run. The results show that despite similar classification and grouping, the estimated results could be very country specific depending on each country’s particular characteristics. We suggest that for every country, it is crucial to choose and implement appropriate financial market and exchange rate policies.
Indigenous Knowledge Approach to Successful Psychotherapies with Aboriginal Suicide Attempters
Authors: Mehl-Madrona Lewis
Published: October 2016

Introduction:

Suicide is disproportionately common among Aboriginal people in Canada.

Methods:

Life stories were collected from 54 Aboriginal suicide attempters in northern Saskatchewan. Constant comparison techniques and modified grounded theory identified common themes expressed.

Results:

Three common plots/themes preceded suicide attempts: 1) relationship breakup, usually sudden, unanticipated, involving a third person; 2) being publicly humiliated by another person(s), accompanied by high levels of shame; and 3) high levels of unremitting, chronic life stress (including poverty) with relative isolation. We found 5 common purposes for suicide attempts: 1) to “show” someone how badly they had hurt the attempter, 2) to stop the pain, 3) to save face in a difficult social situation, 4) to get revenge, and 5) don’t know/don’t remember/made sense at the time, all stated by people who were under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs at the time of their suicide attempt. We found 5 common beliefs about death: 1) you just cease to exist, and everything just disappears; 2) you go into the spirit world and can see and hear everything that is happening in this world; 3) you go to heaven or hell; 4) you go to a better place; and 5) don’t know/didn’t think about it.

Discussion:

The idea of personal and cultural continuity is essential to understanding suicide among First Nations youth. Interventions targeted to the individual’s beliefs about death, purpose for suicide, and consistent with the life story (plot) in which they find themselves may be more successful than one-size-fits-all programs developed outside of aboriginal communities.