bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Odious Debt and Jus Post Bellum
Authors: Gallen James
Published: July 2015

Odious debt concerns the repudiation and cancellation of debt accrued by a State for ‘odious’ purposes. This article argues that odious debt can play a role in jus post bellum in lessening the financial burden placed on States who experience conflict and generate a clear standard for investors who seek to enforce a State’s obligations to repay its debts and other financial obligations after conflict. This article highlights several challenges inhibiting the translation of the proposal of odious debt into an international legal principle. It offers a conception of odious debt that seeks to resolve these challenges by aligning with other areas of public international law which operate concurrently. This article considers how international human rights law could give clear meaning to the contested term ‘odious’, how to conceive of the appropriate standard of care for creditors and examines potential institutions for debt resolution and potential incentives of relevant actors.
Polyspora gioii (Theaceae), a new species from Vietnam
Authors: Luu Hong Truong , Nguyễn Thiện Tịch , Trần Hợp
Published: July 2015

Polyspora gioii (Theaceae) is described and illustrated as a new species from Hòn Bà Nature Reserve, Khánh Hòa Province, southern Vietnam. A morphological comparison between the new species and its closest congener, P. huongiana, and a key to all known species of Polyspora of Vietnam are given.
Suillus adhikarii, a new species from the subalpine Himalaya of India and Nepal associated with Larix
Authors: DAS KANAD , CHAKRABORTY DYUTIPARNA , COTTER HENRY VAN TUYL
Published: July 2015

Suillus adhikarii is described and illustrated as a new species based on morphology and ecology from the subalpine regions of Nepal and India. It is presumably an ectomycorrhizal fungus in association with Larix griffithiana and L. himalaica. This species is compared with the other closely related taxa of Suillus which have been reported in association with Larix from the Himalaya. A key to the Suillus species associated with Larix known from the Himalaya is provided.
Apinagia brejoagrestinensis (Podostemaceae): a new rheophyte from the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil
Authors: Tavares Aldaléa Sprada , Leite Marcelo Sobral
Published: July 2015

We describe and illustrate a new Podostemaceae species for the Atlantic Forest of northeastern Brazil: Apinagia brejoagrestinensis. Among the characteristics that separate this species from other congenerics are: flower arrangement, shape and number of tepals, and presence of trichomes on spathella and tepals. The latter characteristic is reported for the first time in the genus Apinagia. The new species is known through a single and small population restricted to a short reach of a dammed river with deforested margins, and so it is assumed to be vulnerable to extinction.
Amomum kingii var. oblongum (Zingiberaceae): a new variety from Sikkim Himalaya
Authors: V. P. Thomas , NISSAR MUHAMMED , M SABU
Published: July 2015

Amomum kingii var. oblongum, a new variety from Sikkim is described and illustrated. A detailed description, data on distribution, ecology and an illustration are provided.
Revision of the Amphilius jacksonii complex (Siluriformes: Amphiliidae), with the descriptions of five new species
Authors: THOMSON ALFRED W. , PAGE LAWRENCE M. , Hilber Samantha A.
Published: July 2015

The Amphilius jacksonii complex is revised, and five new species are described: A. ruziziensis n. sp. from the Ruzizi River drainage and northeastern tributaries of Lake Tanganyika; A. pedunculus n. sp. from the Malagarasi River drainage, Lake Rukwa basin, and upper Great Ruaha River drainage, Rufiji basin; A. frieli n. sp. from the upper Congo basin; A. crassus n. sp. from the Rufiji and Wami basins; and A. lujani n. sp. from the Lake Kyogo drainage, northeastern tributaries of Lake Victoria, and the Lake Manyara basin.
Mudworm Polydora lingshuiensis sp. n is a new species that inhabits both shell burrows and mudtubes
Authors: YE LINGTONG , TANG BIN , WU KAICHANG , SU YOULU , WANG RUIXUAN , YU ZINIU , WANG JIANGYONG
Published: July 2015

A new polydorin species, Polydora lingshuiensis sp. n., which is found not only in burrows of pearl oyster shells (shell-boring type) but also in mudtubes on the surface of pearl oyster cages (tube-dwelling type), is described with the use of light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and molecular phylogeny. Morphological and molecular distinctions between P. lingshuiensis and other related species reveal that P. lingshuiensis is a valid new species. The reproduction characteristic that the eggs of P. lingshuiensis are gathered together in one hollow cylinder is another piece of evidence confirming that it is indeed a valid new species. Sequence comparisons based on nuclear 18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, and mitochondrial 16S rDNA show that strains of the shell-boring type possess as high as 99.9% to 100% sequence identity relative to those of the tube-dwelling type. This finding evidently indicates that these species types are conspecific. We also find that a comparison of mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences can provide a higher resolution of polydorin species than those of the nuclear 18S rDNA because the former has a higher interspecific/intraspecific difference ratio. Phylogenetic analyses based on 18S rDNA sequences indicate that all P. lingshuiensis samples group together to forming a sister clade to Polydora uncinata and thus fall within Polydora aura/P. uncinata clade.
The ​Fest-noz: a Way to Live Breton Culture
Authors: Dołowy-Rybińska Nicole
Published: July 2015

The Fest-noz: a Way to Live Breton CultureThe history of the Breton language and culture of the XX and XXI century is narrated through the fest-noz phenomenon story. Fest-noz (‘night festival’) is a meeting where people dance in groups to live folk music accompaniment. Traditionally these festivals were organized in the small region of Central Brittany and were connected to important community occasions. This tradition was slowly disappearing in the 20’s and 30’s of the XXth century to die out after WW II when the Breton culture was depreciated and connected with the negative identity of the Bretons. Fest-noz was recreated and in 50’s and has become an invented tradition. In the 60’s with the social and cultural movements leading to the revalorization of the minority fest-noz became the symbol of a Breton ethnic revival. Today it is one of the most significant marks of Breton identification. Every year there are hundreds fest-noz organized all around Brittany, from small local celebrations to huge musical events. Participation in fest-noz is one of the ways of conscious creation of the Breton cultural identity. Fest-noz: sposób na życie kulturą bretońską Fest-noz („nocna zabawa”) to spotkanie, podczas którego ludzie tańczą wspólnie do muzyki bretońskiej. Tradycyjnie zabawy takie odbywały się na niewielkim obszarze Bretanii środkowej i związane były z ważnymi wydarzeniami wspólnot wiejskich (związanych z uprawą ziemi, ale i obchodami świąt religijnych czy prywatnych). Brała w nich udział cała społeczność okolicy, tańcząc w łańcuchach do improwizowanych pieśni typu kan ha discan („zawołanie i odpowiedź”). Tradycja ta powoli zamierała w latach 30. i 40. XX wieku, zaś po II wojnie światowej fest-noz nie odbywało się wcale. W latach 60. XX wieku fest-noz zostało w sposób celowy zrewitalizowane, by stać się symbolem bretońskiego odrodzenia etnicznego przełomu lat 60. i 70., buntu młodzieży, rewaloryzacji wypieranej kultury i języka, radosnego (a często i radykalnego) dążenia do uzyskania praw. Od lat 90. XX wieku fest-noz jest niekwestionowanym znakiem rozpoznawczym Bretanii, corocznie odbywają się setki a nawet tysiące imprez, od ma łych spotkań lokalnych, po wielkie, zorganizowane w największych salach w Rennes, wydarzenia muzyczne, a nawet internetowe CyberFestNoz. Fenomen bretońskiego fest-noz będzie kanwą, na której opowiedziana zostanie historia kultury i języka bretońskiego w XX i XXI wieku, od ich ośmieszania i zanikania, przez przemilczanie związane z wydarzeniami II wojny światowej, po odrodzenie lat 70. i czasy współczesne. Samo święto jest więc jedynie punktem wyjścia do rozważenia wielu procesów dotyczących kultur i języków mniejszościowych: tworzenia się tożsamości negatywnej, ruchów społecznych prowadzących do rewaloryzacji mniejszości, działań na rzecz ich zorganizowanej ochrony. Ale będzie to też opowieść o tym, jak mniejszość językowa może funkcjonować w dzisiejszym świecie, o spontanicznym uczestnictwie i ujętej instytucjonalnie animacji, o tradycji wynalezionej oraz o wybieranej i świadomie tworzonej tożsamości kulturowej.
"Scotland Small? Our Multiform, Our Infinite Scotland Small?" Scotland's Literary Contribution to the Modern World
Authors: Korzeniowska Aniela
Published: July 2015

"Scotland Small? Our Multiform, Our Infinite Scotland Small?" Scotland's Literary Contribution to the Modern WorldHugh MacDiarmid’s poem "Scotland Small?" (1943) questions the widespread opinion at the time that Scotland was only a small country geographically with "nothing but heather!", showing how "marvellously descriptive" this may be, but also totally "incomplete". The issue addressed in this article is how Scottish letters, starting with the outstanding and multiform writings of the same Hugh MacDiarmid (Christopher Murray Grieve [1892-1978]) and ending with observations of the international significance of such contemporary Scottish poets as Carol Ann Duffy (b. 1955), the first female to become British Poet Laureate, have contributed to the development and diversity of literature far beyond the borders of Scotland. It is also in looking at the achievements of such diverse writers as Muriel Spark, James Kelman and Ian Rankin as well as poets Ian Hamilton Finlay, Edwin Morgan, Jackie Kay, or the present Scottish Poet Laureate Liz Lochhead, among others, that we can see how significant their literary oeuvre is for a better understanding of the modern world. Emphasis is also placed on the fact that although Scotland is undoubtedly a small country geographically, we can never – in reference to the title of this volume – say it is minor.„Szkocja mała? Nasza wielopostaciowa, bezmierna Szkocja mała?” Literacki wkład Szkocji do współczesnego świataWiersz Hugh MacDiarmid’a Szkocja mała? (1943) kwestionuje ogólnopanującą opinię w pierwszej połowie XX wieku, że Szkocja to tylko mały kraj, gdzie „nie ma nic innego poza wrzosem”, pokazując jednocześnie, że „opis może i jest wspaniały”, ale także wielce „niekompletny”. Temat niniejszego artykułu opisuje, jak literatura szkocka, poczynając właśnie od wybitnej i wielorakiej twórczości MacDiarmid’a (Christopher Murray Grieve [1892- 1978]), a kończąc na międzynarodowym znaczeniu takich współczesnych poetów, jak Carol Ann Duffy (ur. 1955), pierwsza kobieta piastująca funkcję nadwornego poety brytyjskiego monarchy, przyczyniła się do rozwoju i różnorodności literatury daleko poza granicami Szkocji. Uwypuklając osiągnięcia tak różnych powieściopisarzy, jak Muriel Spark, James Kelman i Ian Rankin, czy takich poetów, jak Ian Hamilton Finlay, Edwin Morgan, Jackie Kay czy Liz Lochhead (aktualnie nosząca tytuł Narodowego Poety Szkocji), widzimy jak ważna jest ich twórczość dla lepszego zrozumienia współczesnego świata. Ich wkład do literatury światowej pokazuje, iż powierzchnia Szkocji może jest rzeczywiście mała, ale to, co pochodzi z tego małego kraju, na pewno nie jest bez znaczenia.
Hungarians and Jews. An Important Monograph with Deficit
Authors: Balogh Magdolna
Published: July 2015

Hungarians and Jews. An Important Monograph with DeficitThe texts is a critical review of the book: Géza Komoróczy: The History of the Jews in Hungary I-II., Kalligram, Pozsony, 2012. 1230 and 1213 pp.
Onset of Circulation Anomalies during Stratospheric Vortex Weakening Events: The Role of Planetary-Scale Waves
Authors: Martineau Patrick , Son Seok-Woo
Published: July 2015

To highlight the details of stratosphere–troposphere dynamical coupling during the onset of strong polar vortex variability, this study identifies stratospheric vortex weakening (SVW) events by rapid deceleration of the polar vortex and performs composite budget analyses in the transformed Eulerian-mean (TEM) framework on daily time scales. Consistent with previous work, a rapid deceleration of the polar vortex, followed by a rather slow recovery, is largely explained by conservative dynamics with nonnegligible contribution by nonconservative sinks of wave activity. During the onset of such events, stratospheric zonal wind anomalies show a near-instantaneous vertical coupling to the troposphere, which results from an anomalous upward and poleward propagation of planetary-scale waves. In the troposphere, zonal wind anomalies are also influenced by synoptic-scale waves, confirming previous studies.

The SVW events driven by wavenumber-1 disturbances show comparable circulation anomalies to those driven by wavenumber-2 disturbances both in the stratosphere and troposphere. The former, however, exhibits more persistent anomalies after the onset than the latter. During both events, tropospheric wavenumber-1 and 2 disturbances project strongly onto the climatological waves, indicating that vertical propagation of planetary-scale waves into the stratosphere is largely caused by constructive linear interference. It is also found that the SVW-related vertical coupling is somewhat sensitive to the stratospheric mean state. Although overall evolution of zonal-mean circulation anomalies are reasonably similar under an initially weak or strong polar vortex, the time-lagged downward coupling is evident only when the polar vortex is decelerated under a weak vortex state. These results are compared with other definitions of weak polar vortex events, such as stratospheric sudden warming events.
A New Paradigm for the North Pacific Subthermocline Low-Latitude Western Boundary Current System
Authors: Qiu Bo , Chen Shuiming , Rudnick Daniel L. , Kashino Yuji
Published: July 2015

Subthermocline western boundary circulation along the low-latitude North Pacific Ocean (2°–25°N) is investigated by using profiling float and historical CTD/expendable CTD (XCTD) data and by analyzing an eddy-resolving global OGCM output. In contrast to the existing paradigm depicting it as a reversed pattern of the wind-driven circulation above the ventilated thermocline (i.e., depth < 26.8 σθ), the subthermocline western boundary circulation is found to comprise two components governed by distinct dynamical processes. For meridional scales shorter than 400 km, the boundary flows along the Philippine coast exhibit convergent patterns near 7°, 10°, 13°, and 18°N, respectively. These short-scale boundary flows are driven by the subthermocline eastward zonal jets that exist coherently across the interior North Pacific basin and are generated by the triad instability of wind-forced annual baroclinic Rossby waves. For meridional scales longer than 400 km, a time-mean Mindanao Undercurrent (MUC) is observed from 6° to 13°N together with another northward-flowing boundary flow beneath the Kuroshio from 16° to 24°N. Rather than remote eddy forcing from the interior Pacific Ocean, both of these broad-scale subthermocline boundary flows are induced by baroclinic instability of the overlying wind-driven western boundary currents, the Mindanao Current, and Kuroshio.
Does Using a Chair Backrest or Reducing Seated Hip Flexion Influence Trunk Muscle Activity and Discomfort? A Systematic Review
Authors: Curran Máire , O’Sullivan Leonard , O’Sullivan Peter , Dankaerts Wim , O’Sullivan Kieran
Published: July 2015

Objective:

This paper systematically reviews the effect of chair backrests and reducing seated hip flexion on low back discomfort (LBD) and trunk muscle activation.

Background:

Prolonged sitting commonly exacerbates low back pain (LBP). Several modifications to seated posture and chair design have been recommended, including using chairs with backrests and chairs that reduce hip flexion.

Method:

Electronic databases were searched by two independent assessors. Part 1 of this review includes 26 studies comparing the effect of sitting with at least two different hip angles. In Part 2, seven studies that compared the effect of sitting with and without a backrest were eligible. Study quality was assessed using the PEDro scale.

Results:

Significant confounding variables and a relatively small number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving people with LBP complicates analysis of the results. There was moderate evidence that chair backrests reduce paraspinal muscle activation, and limited evidence that chair backrests reduce LBD. There was no evidence that chairs involving less hip flexion reduce LBP or LBD, or consistently alter trunk muscle activation. However, participants in several studies subjectively preferred the modified chairs involving less hip flexion.

Conclusion:

The limited evidence to support the use of chairs involving less seated hip flexion, or the effect of a backrest, is consistent with the limited evidence that other isolated chair design features can reduce LBP.

Application:

LBP management is likely to require consideration of several factors in addition to sitting position. Larger RCTs involving people with LBP are required.
Symmetrical and asymmetrical outcomes of leader anger expression: A qualitative study of army personnel
Authors: Lindebaum Dirk , Jordan Peter J , Morris Lucy
Published: July 2015

Recent studies have highlighted the utility of anger at work, suggesting that anger can have positive outcomes. Using the Dual Threshold Model, we assess the positive and negative consequences of anger expressions at work and focus on the conditions under which expressions of anger crossing the impropriety threshold are perceived as productive or counterproductive by observers or targets of that anger. To explore this phenomenon, we conducted a phenomenological study ( n = 20) to probe the lived experiences of followers (as observers and targets) associated with anger expressions by military leaders. The nature of task (e.g. the display rules prescribed for combat situations) emerged as one condition under which the crossing of the impropriety threshold leads to positive outcomes of anger expressions. Our data reveal tensions between emotional display rules and emotional display norms in the military, thereby fostering paradoxical attitudes toward anger expression and its consequences among followers. Within this paradoxical space, anger expressions have both positive (asymmetrical) and negative (symmetrical) consequences. We place our findings in the context of the Dual Threshold Model, discuss the practical implications of our research and offer avenues for future studies.
Evaluating the impact of healthcare scrutiny in NHS Scotland
Authors: Brimelow Susan , Downie Susan , Sands Jill
Published: July 2015

Background and aims

The Healthcare Environment Inspectorate (HEI) was established in April 2009 to undertake at least one announced and one unannounced inspection in all acute hospitals across NHSScotland every three years. A national survey was undertaken to evaluate whether the inspection programme from September 2012 to September 2013 led to demonstrable improvements and to guide the delivery of the programme in future.

Methods

A web-based survey and paper copies of the survey were sent to each of the 14 National Health Service boards and one special National Health Service board to capture the views of staff. Recipients of the email were requested to distribute the questionnaire to as many staff as possible involved in the inspection process.

Results

We received a total of 183 responses; 171 from the electronic survey and 12 from the paper survey. Responses were received from each National Health Service board and a wide range of staff groups contributed to the survey. Respondents highlighted positive aspects as well as possible areas for improvement.

Conclusions

The overall experience of an HEI inspection was positive, with the majority of respondents stating that inspections drive improvement for patients, and staff, and providing a varied range of examples of improvements which have been made in response to inspections. Responses, and the issues highlighted, will help inform future inspections.
Geographies of production II
Authors: Jones Andrew
Published: July 2015

Within economic geography, it has been argued that political economy approaches have diminished in both prevalence and influence to the detriment of both the sub-discipline and to human geography as a whole. This report challenges such a perspective, arguing that political economic geographies remain very much vibrant and engaging in contemporary economic geography and in the way in which economic geographers engage with the nature of the contemporary global economy. It argues that the perceived retreat of political economy approaches corresponds more to a diversification of the ways in which political economic thinking is integrated into more recent economic geography, acknowledging that this does reduce the apparent coherence around a singular articulation or approach to geographical political economy. However, it also seeks to demonstrate through reviewing recent pluralist theoretical work that political economic geography has broadened its theoretical framework and thus made significant contributions to ongoing debates around the geographies of production within the sub-discipline that had not previously been the object of political economic analysis.
The Importance of Micro-level Effects on Social Movement Outcomes
Authors: Kutz-Flamenbaum Rachel V.
Published: July 2015

Social movement scholarship has found that social movement organizations (SMOs) rarely have much effect on issues related to war and the military. This article examines how one Israeli women’s human rights organization, MachsomWatch (MW), succeeded at providing direct aid to Palestinians, intervening with the military and established media standing. This article explains that MW was most successful when it maintained a nonthreatening insider disposition that drew on distinctly particularistic cultural norms in interactions with the soldiers in ways that emphasized their commonality with the soldiers due to their shared ethnic, religious, and national origins. This analysis suggests that it is productive for movement scholars to think of movement targets as agentic actors who are networked together in ways that may sometimes be permeable to certain groups of activists. This article argues that thinking of both political opportunity structures and targets at the micro level may provide significant insight into understanding social movement outcomes.
Adolescent-Parent College Aspiration Discrepancies and Changes in Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Gallagher Mary
Published: July 2015

There is a growing interest in identifying stressors affecting adolescents and the conditions under which they compromise well-being. This study uses Waves I and II of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to investigate discrepancies between adolescents’ college aspirations and the aspirations they perceive their parents to have for them, and their impact on changes over time in depressive symptoms. Findings from generalized estimating equation (GEE) linear regression analyses suggest that, with one exception, college aspiration discrepancies with either parent predict increases in adolescents’ depressive symptoms, but the degree of change varies by direction of discrepancy and by the parent implicated in the discrepancy. Discrepancies indicating that adolescents perceive their parents to have higher college aspirations for them than they have for themselves and discrepancies involving fathers are particularly influential in predicting depressive symptoms. Implications for adolescent educational attainment and future theory and research are discussed.
Curating Value in Changing Markets
Authors: Hendricks Jerome M.
Published: July 2015

In this article, I ask how firms negotiate dissonance between industry trends and day-to-day market realities. By utilizing the independent record store as a case of an intermediary firm negotiating rapid industry change, I analyze their contributions to those understandings that reinforce their relevance within the market. Through an analysis of industry and news media, I compare the symbolic work of these firms before and after drastic technological innovation and document changes in the way they discuss their field. I find surviving firms offer new interpretations of their social position that both preserve many traditional aesthetics while selectively presenting new perspectives on contemporary music culture. I introduce the concept of curating value to embrace this multidimensional effect of symbolic work and extend economic sociology research on the intersection of cultural meaning and market change. I argue that the successful market positioning of independent record stores hinges upon dynamic use of symbolic criteria that, in turn, can produce new material value within a new market composition.
Post-Cold War complex humanitarian emergencies: Introducing a new dataset
Authors: Everett Andrea L.
Published: July 2015

This article introduces an original dataset of post-Cold War complex humanitarian emergencies. The dataset identifies recent instances of war, atrocity crimes, one-sided violence and communal conflict with the most disruptive consequences for civilians. In doing so, it complements a growing body of research and data on civilians’ experiences in war and other forms of violent conflict. While much recent research examines the causes of intentional violence against civilians, this data is likely to be especially useful for investigating questions that require comparison between conflicts on the basis of their human consequences, whether intended or not. Notably, this includes research into the politics of humanitarian action. The article lays out the motivation behind the project, discusses the criteria for identifying complex emergencies and the data-collection process, provides a brief overview of the data and offers some ideas for possible applications. As an example of how the data might be employed, it uses them to demonstrate the importance of humanitarian needs over US political interests in the allocation of US disaster assistance during conflict situations.
Contour maps for developing optimal toolpath and workpiece setup in hexapod machine tools by considering the kinematics nonlinearity
Authors: Karimi Davoud , Nategh Mohammad Javad
Published: July 2015

Contrary to the conventional serial kinematics machine tools, the parallel kinematics machine tools exhibit nonlinear behavior which is a major source of the machining error. This causes even a linearly programmed path to be traversed along a nonlinear path. The resulting error, known here as the kinematic error, should be critically considered during the toolpath planning. The estimation of the maximum kinematic error using the concept of median osculating circle is introduced in this article. The proposed formulation demonstrates that the maximum kinematic error depends on the curvature of the actual trajectory. In order to estimate the curvature, constant curvature contour maps are introduced. These maps depend on the structural parameters of the machine and are recommended to be provided by the machine’s manufacturer. The constant curvature contour maps are illustrated to be an effective graphical tool for kinematic error estimation and thus successfully conducting the optimal planning of the toolpath and the workpiece setup. Consequently, it is recommended in this article that the constant curvature contour maps be employed in the format of a database by computer-aided manufacturing systems during toolpath planning and by interpolators during command generation or by a part programmer to optimally setup the workpiece or conduct the toolpath planning such that the least kinematic error occurs during the machining.
Semi-active control of space manipulator soft contacting based on magnetorheological rotational damper
Authors: Du Xiaoping , Chen Hang , Liu Zhengjun , Wang Chao
Published: July 2015

A novel soft contacting technology is proposed to reduce the risks of contacts that space manipulator is on-orbit service. The magnetorheological (MR) rotational damper is considered and utilized for cushioning and vibration reduction in the space manipulator. Based on the extended manipulator model, a linear dynamic formulation of free-floating space manipulator is built. Subsequently, the mechanical property of magnetorheological rotational damper is analyzed by using Bingham model. Then, the optimal control force can be obtained by using the linear quadratic optimal control theory. Finally, the optimal control force is served as the parameters to achieve the semi-active control of soft contacting by employing the clipped optimal control theory. The hard contacting and passive control technology are introduced to make comparison with the results of soft contacting. Some numerical simulations are made to demonstrate the validity and capability of the proposed soft contacting technology.
Multi-train trajectory optimisation to maximise rail network energy efficiency under travel-time constraints
Authors: Goodwin Jonathan CJ , Fletcher David I , Harrison Robert F
Published: July 2015

Optimising the trajectories of multiple interacting trains to maximise energy efficiency is a difficult, but highly desirable, problem to solve. A bespoke genetic algorithm has been developed for the multi-train trajectory optimisation problem and used to seek a near-optimal set of control point distances for multiple trains, such that a weighted sum of the time and energy objectives is minimised. Genetic operators tailored to the problem are developed including a new mutation operation and the insertion and deletion pairs of control points during the reproduction process. Compared with published results, the new GA was shown to increase the quality of solutions found by an average of 27.6% and increase consistency by a factor of 28. This allows more precise control over the relative priority given to achieving time targets or increasing energy efficiency.
Why do papers have many Mendeley readers but few Scopus-indexed citations and vice versa?
Authors: Thelwall Mike
Published: July 2015

Counts of citations to academic articles are widely used as indicators of their scholarly impact. In addition, alternative indicators derived from social websites have been proposed to cover some of the shortcomings of citation counts. The most promising such indicator is counts of readers of an article in the social reference sharing site Mendeley. Although Mendeley reader counts tend to correlate strongly and positively with citation counts within scientific fields, an understanding of causes of citation-reader anomalies is needed before Mendeley reader counts can be used with confidence as indicators. In response, this article proposes a list reasons for anomalies based upon an analysis of articles that are highly cited but have few Mendeley readers, or vice versa. The results show that there are both technical and legitimate reasons for differences, with the latter including communities that use research but do not cite it in Scopus-indexed publications or do not use Mendeley. The results also suggest that the lower of the two values (citation counts, reader counts) tends to underestimate of the impact of an article and so taking the maximum is a reasonable strategy for a combined impact indicator.
Ordered Rape
Authors: Schneider Gerald , Banholzer Lilli , Albarracin Laura
Published: July 2015

Policy makers and academics often contend that organizational anarchy permits soldiers to perpetrate sexual violence. A recent United Nations report supports this thesis especially with regard to the massive sexual abuse in the Congolese civil war. We challenge the anarchy argument and maintain, based on a principal–agent framework, that opportunistic military commanders can order their soldiers to rape through the use of sanctions and rewards. Our qualitative and quantitative analysis of a survey of 96 Congolese ex-soldiers shows that ordered rape is more likely in organizations where soldiers fear punishment and in which commanders distribute drugs as stimulants.
Patterns and Correlates of Intimate Partner Violence to Women Living With HIV/AIDS in Osogbo, Southwest Nigeria
Authors: Olowookere Samuel A. , Fawole Olufunmilayo I. , Adekanle Daniel A. , Adeleke Najemdeen A. , Abioye-Kuteyi Emmanuel A.
Published: July 2015

We assessed the prevalence and correlates of intimate partner violence (IPV) to women living with HIV/AIDS in an antiretroviral clinic in Nigeria. Three hundred sixty respondents were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Sixty percent were married, of which 24% had disclosed HIV status to their partner. About a quarter (23.6%) had experienced IPV since HIV diagnosis. Types of violence experienced were physical violence (17%), emotional violence (21%), and sexual violence (2%). Predictors of IPV included having a younger aged partner, disclosing status, and partner’s alcohol use ( p = .001). Suggestions to prevent IPV include increasing public awareness and family counseling.
Toxicokinetic Model Development for the Insensitive Munitions Component 2,4-Dinitroanisole
Authors: Sweeney Lisa M. , Goodwin Michelle R. , Hulgan Angela D. , Gut Chester P. , Bannon Desmond I.
Published: July 2015

The Armed Forces are developing new explosives that are less susceptible to unintentional detonation (insensitive munitions [IMX]). 2,4-Dinitroanisole (DNAN) is a component of IMX. Toxicokinetic data for DNAN are required to support interpretation of toxicology studies and refinement of dose estimates for human risk assessment. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed by gavage (5, 20, or 80 mg DNAN/kg), and blood and tissue samples were analyzed to determine the levels of DNAN and its metabolite 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP). These data and data from the literature were used to develop preliminary physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models. The model simulations indicated saturable metabolism of DNAN in rats at higher tested doses. The PBPK model was extrapolated to estimate the toxicokinetics of DNAN and DNP in humans, allowing the estimation of human-equivalent no-effect levels of DNAN exposure from no-observed adverse effect levels determined in laboratory animals, which may guide the selection of exposure limits for DNAN.
Does Incidental Disgust Amplify Moral Judgment? A Meta-Analytic Review of Experimental Evidence
Authors: Landy Justin F. , Goodwin Geoffrey P.
Published: July 2015

The role of emotion in moral judgment is currently a topic of much debate in moral psychology. One specific claim made by many researchers is that irrelevant feelings of disgust can amplify the severity of moral condemnation. Numerous researchers have found this effect, but there have also been several published failures to replicate it. Clarifying this issue would inform important theoretical debates among rival accounts of moral judgment. We meta-analyzed all available studies—published and unpublished—in which incidental disgust was manipulated prior to or concurrent with a moral judgment task ( k = 50). We found evidence for a small amplification effect of disgust ( d = 0.11), which is strongest for gustatory/olfactory modes of disgust induction. However, there is also some suggestion of publication bias in this literature, and when this is accounted for, the effect disappears entirely ( d = −0.01). Moreover, prevalent confounds mean that the effect size that we estimate is best interpreted as an upper bound on the size of the amplification effect. On the basis of the results of this meta-analysis, we argue against strong claims about the causal role of affect in moral judgment and suggest a need for new, more rigorous research on this topic.
Humans as Superorganisms
Authors: Kramer Peter , Bressan Paola
Published: July 2015

Psychologists and psychiatrists tend to be little aware that (a) microbes in our brains and guts are capable of altering our behavior; (b) viral DNA that was incorporated into our DNA millions of years ago is implicated in mental disorders; (c) many of us carry the cells of another human in our brains; and (d) under the regulation of viruslike elements, the paternally inherited and maternally inherited copies of some genes compete for domination in the offspring, on whom they have opposite physical and behavioral effects. This article provides a broad overview, aimed at a wide readership, of the consequences of our coexistence with these selfish entities. The overarching message is that we are not unitary individuals but superorganisms, built out of both human and nonhuman elements; it is their interaction that determines who we are.
Supratentorial arachnoid cyst management by cystoperitoneal shunt in a 1-year-old European cat
Authors: Taroni Mathieu , Seurin Marie-Jose , Carozzo Claude , Escriou Catherine
Published: July 2015

Arachnoid cysts are defined as an accumulation of fluid within the arachnoid membrane. Feline intracranial arachnoid cysts are seldom reported, with only three cases in the veterinary literature. A 1-year-old male neutered European cat with a 24 h history of seizures was presented to the small animal neurology department at Vetagro Sup, Lyon. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a large intracranial arachnoid cyst ventral to the brain in the left temporal area. Cystoperitoneal shunt placement resulted in complete resolution of the cyst without recurrence (follow-up MRIs 3 weeks and 21 months after surgery). Anticonvulsant treatment (phenobarbital 2.5 mg/kg q12h) was initiated at presentation and gradually stopped after 17 months. Seizures recurred 4 months after ending treatment, and seizure therapy was therefore restarted at the initial dose. We report a case of an intracranial arachnoid cyst in an unusual location not previously described. A cystoperitoneal shunt resolved the cyst without complications. Maintenance anticonvulsant treatment was required to control symptomatic epilepsy.
Successful Use of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in a Neonate With Arterial pH Less Than 6.6
Authors: Boon Lim Joel Kian , Lee Jan Hau , Mok Yee Hui , Chan Yoke Hwee
Published: July 2015

Challenges in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support include defining appropriate patient selection criteria and prognostic factors. Severe acidosis prior to ECMO deployment is often considered a relative contraindication and an independent predictor of mortality. We present a case of a term infant, with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn with severe pre-ECMO acidosis (arterial blood pH 6.596) in whom venoarterial ECMO was instituted successfully without major circuit or patient-associated complications. At seven months of age, he exhibited age-appropriate neurodevelopmental milestones. We therefore report this instance of successful use of ECMO in the setting of extreme acidosis.
Scimitar Syndrome Associated With Abnormal Hepatic Venous Drainage
Authors: Nawrocki Paweł , Wesnerowicz Anna , Schmidt Christoph , Malec Edward , Januszewska Katarzyna
Published: July 2015

Scimitar syndrome is a rare congenital cardiopulmonary anomaly. We describe a 1.5-year-old boy with this uncommon malformation and an unusual hepatic venous drainage, which allows atypical surgical repair.
Modification of Hepatic Venous Conduit to Manage Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformations
Authors: McRae Robert O. , Lambert Linda M. , Williams Richard V. , Martin Mary H. , Burch Phillip T.
Published: July 2015

While the Fontan operation is a reliable treatment option for many complex congenital heart defects, the development of pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) remains a problematic outcome for some Fontan patients. Pulmonary arteriovenous malformations stem from an imbalance of hepatic blood flow in the pulmonary system. Balancing this hepatic flow has shown promising results in the treatment of PAVMs. We report the clinical course of a young patient with heterotaxy syndrome and an unbalanced right dominant atrioventricular septal defect. This patient developed PAVMs following a Fontan procedure, however, the PAVMs were resolved following the revision of the original Fontan conduit to a bifurcated conduit.
Pulmonary Interstitial Glycogenosis
Authors: Sanchez-de-Toledo Joan , González-Peris Sebastià , Gran Ferran , Gregoraci Angela , Ferreres Joan Carles , Ruiz Cèsar W. , Balcells Joan , Abella Raul F.
Published: July 2015

Transposition of the great arteries with intact ventricular septum and persistent pulmonary hypertension (TGA-IVS PPHN) is a rare association with a poor prognosis. We report the case of a term newborn with TGA-IVS PPHN successfully managed with perioperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and aggressive pulmonary vasodilation therapy that underwent successful arterial switch procedure. A lung biopsy obtained during the surgical procedure showed pulmonary interstitial glycogenosis, a reversible condition. Concerns over left ventricle deconditioning after ECMO could be minimized with appropriate management and monitoring of the ductus arteriosus and appropriate timing of surgery.
Transapical Myectomy for Septal Hypertrophy Not Accessible Through the Aortic Root
Authors: Quintana Eduard , Schaff Hartzell V. , Dearani Joseph A.
Published: July 2015

Exposure of the basal and midventricular septum through the aortic root to relieve obstruction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy can be challenging. Inadequate myectomy will lead to persistent symptoms and disability. Adequate exposure of the obstructive left ventricular septum is of paramount importance in primary and redo myectomy. In selected patients, either at primary myectomy or at redo myectomy, septal excision can be approached through a left ventricular transapical incision when transaortic exposure is inadequate.
Echocardiography in the Assessment of Left Atrial Pressure After Pediatric Heart Surgery
Authors: Figueras-Coll Marc , Sanchez-de-Toledo Joan , Gran Ferran , Abella Raul , Perez-Hoyos Santiago , Rosés Ferran
Published: July 2015

Background:

Correlation between ventricular end-diastolic pressure and pulsed Doppler and tissue Doppler–derived E/e’ ratio has been widely reported in adults but scarcely studied in children with congenital heart diseases. This ratio is defined as the relationship between diastolic transmitral flow velocity (cm/s; E) and myocardial diastolic relaxation velocity (cm/s; e’) in the lateral aspect of the mitral annulus. Our main objective was to ascertain whether a correlation existed between direct measurement of left atrial pressure and echocardiographic E/e’ ratio in children after heart surgery.

Methods:

Prospective study including 27 consecutive children after pediatric heart surgery. Data were analyzed according to whether they were obtained within the first 72 hours following surgery or later on. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and areas under the receiver–operating characteristics curve of E/e’ ratio in detection of left atrial pressure values ≥13 mm Hg were evaluated.

Results:

Forty-eight studies were conducted in 27 patients. Thirty-two studies were performed during the first 72 hours after heart surgery and 16 beyond the third day. Median patient age was 0.82 years (5 days-16 years). Median left atrial pressure values and E/e’ measurements of the whole cohort (N = 48) were 12.0 and 10.2, respectively. Intraclass correlation index between left atrial pressure values and echocardiographic E/e’ ratio was 0.35, 0.25 for studies performed within 72 hours, but 0.78 ( P < .01) for those performed later. There was also a high positive predictive value, since in 13 (87%) of 15 studies with an E/e’ ratio ≥13, the left atrial pressure was ≥13 mm Hg.

Conclusion:

While echocardiographic E/e’ ratio did not show a good correlation with left atrial pressure in the immediate postoperative period, the positive predictive value may suffice to aid clinicians in predicting elevated pressures.
Arterial Switch for Transposition of the Great Arteries With Large Ventricular Septal Defect and for Taussig Bing Anomaly
Authors: Patwary Mohammad Eliyas , Khan Mohammad Shahbaz , Marwah Ashutosh , Singh Vishal , Shekhawat Sudhir , Sharma Rajesh
Published: July 2015

Background:

Results of the arterial switch operation (ASO) for transposition of the great arteries (TGA) with large ventricular septal defect (VSD) and for Taussig Bing anomaly (TBA) in a tertiary care center of a developing country were retrospectively analyzed.

Methods:

From January 2007 through June 2013, a total of 30 patients with TBA and 54 patients having TGA with large VSD underwent ASO with VSD closure. Age at surgery for TBA was 27 days to 7 years (median age 3 months) and for TGA with VSD it was 1 day to 6 years (median age 2 months). In all, 46.7% of patients with TBA and 30% of patients with TGA/VSD presented with sepsis secondary to pneumonitis and were taken for surgery when the infection was under control. In all, 13% of patients with TBA and 5.5% of patients with TGA/VSD were on intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) prior to and continuing up to the time of surgery.

Results:

On multivariate analysis, factors associated with mortality were the presence of preoperative IPPV for pneumonia ( P < .006) and the need for peritoneal dialysis following surgery ( P < .028). Neither diagnosis of TBA or TGA/VSD nor any associated anatomical feature (including aortic arch obstruction, unusual coronary anatomy, great artery relationship, or mitral valve anomaly) was found to be related to high early mortality or late complications. Follow-up was 92% complete, with a mean duration of follow-up of 4.1 years. Freedom from reoperation was 98% at five years, and actuarial survival was 83.3% at five years.

Conclusions:

Our experience at a tertiary center in a developing country suggests that preoperative need for IPPV for pneumonia is a major determining factor for mortality and morbidity in patients undergoing ASO for TBA and TGA/VSD. This appears to be of greater consequence than details of the underlying disease per se.
How I treat catastrophic thrombotic syndromes
Authors: Ortel Thomas L. , Erkan Doruk , Kitchens Craig S.
Published: July 2015

Catastrophic thrombotic syndromes are characterized by rapid onset of multiple thromboembolic occlusions affecting diverse vascular beds. Patients may have multiple events on presentation, or develop them rapidly over days to weeks. Several disorders can present with this extreme clinical phenotype, including catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), atypical presentations of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) or heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), and Trousseau syndrome, but some patients present with multiple thrombotic events in the absence of associated prothrombotic disorders. Diagnostic workup must rapidly determine which, if any, of these syndromes are present because therapeutic management is driven by the underlying disorder. With the exception of atypical presentations of TTP, which are treated with plasma exchange, anticoagulation is the most important therapeutic intervention in these patients. Effective anticoagulation may require laboratory confirmation with anti–factor Xa levels in patients treated with heparin, especially if the baseline (pretreatment) activated partial thromboplastin time is prolonged. Patients with catastrophic APS also benefit from immunosuppressive therapy and/or plasma exchange, whereas patients with HIT need an alternative anticoagulant to replace heparin. Progressive thrombotic events despite therapeutic anticoagulation may necessitate an alternative therapeutic strategy. If the thrombotic process can be controlled, these patients can recover, but indefinite anticoagulant therapy may be appropriate to prevent recurrent events.
Platelets and protease-activated receptor-4 contribute to acetaminophen-induced liver injury in mice
Authors: Miyakawa Kazuhisa , Joshi Nikita , Sullivan Bradley P. , Albee Ryan , Brandenberger Christina , Jaeschke Hartmut , McGill Mitchell R. , Scott Michael A. , Ganey Patricia E. , Luyendyk James P. , Roth Robert A.
Published: July 2015

Key Points

Platelets and PAR-4 contribute to the progression of APAP-induced liver injury in mice through independent pathways.